The Project Gutenberg eBook of The 2009 CIA World Factbook

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Title: The 2009 CIA World Factbook

Author: United States. Central Intelligence Agency

Release date: April 11, 2011 [eBook #35829]
Most recently updated: January 7, 2021

Language: English

Credits: Produced by Al Haines

*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE 2009 CIA WORLD FACTBOOK ***

Produced by Al Haines

THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK 2009

CONTENTS

What's New?

Did You Know?

Guide to Country Profiles

Countries and Locations

Field Listings

Rank Orders

Appendixes

Notes and Definitions

History of the CIA Factbook

Contributors and Copyright Information

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

THE WORLD FACTBOOK :: WHAT'S NEW

November 13, 2009

Recent elections and governmental changes recorded for Afghanistan, Aruba, Fiji, Germany, Haiti, Marshall Islands, Mongolia, Tunisia, and Uruguay. In the Economy category, some 20 macro-economic fields have been updated with the latest data. New NASA space photos added for the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans, as well as for Montserrat and the World; new ground photos added for Cambodia and France.

October 30, 2009

In the Economy category, all the energy-related fields have been updated with the latest data; new photos added for Norway and Poland.

October 14, 2009

In addition to regular informational updates, new photos have been added for Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Russia, and Sweden.

October 02, 2009

In the Transportation category, updates have been made to the
"Airports" and "Heliports" fields; new photos added for
Libya, Turkey, and the United Kingdom.

September 17, 2009

NASA images taken from space have been introduced to enhance various country photo presentations. Significant numbers of high altitude photos appear under China, Egypt, Spain, Australia, and New Zealand, but can also be found scattered among other country entries. In the Economy category, statistics for "Distribution of family income - Gini index," "Public debt," and "Debt - external" now include two year's worth of data.

September 03, 2009

In the Economy category, statistics for "Current Account Balance," "Exports," "Imports," "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold," "Stock of direct foreign investment - at home," and "Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad" now include two year's worth of data; statistics for "Market value of publicly traded shares" now include three year's worth of data. New photos added for Austria, France, Monaco, Netherlands, and Netherlands Antilles.

August 17, 2009

Various rail gauge line lengths have been updated for all countries in the Railways entry; selected economic and political entries also updated.

July 31, 2009

In the Economy category, statistics for "Central bank discount rate," "Commercial bank prime lending rate," "Stock of money," "Stock of quasi money," and "Stock of domestic credit" now include two year's worth of data.

July 20, 2009

Latest updates include changes to the chief of state or head of government in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Lithuania, and Panama. New photographs have been added for Spain, Portugal, Gibraltar, and South Africa.

July 01, 2009

With the launch of the new Web site, the former "Rank Order" function was renamed "Country Comparisons." The link to Country Comparisons may be found under the References tab. In addition, many of the regional reference maps now incorporate both elevation and vegetation on landmasses, and bathymetry for ocean areas. Statistics for "Unemployment rate" and "Inflation rate (consumer prices)" now include two year's worth of data.

June 08, 2009

Completely redesigned website - presenting a cleaner look, improved navigation, and a host of added features - launched on the World Wide Web. Among the major enhancements are downloadable and printable photos for nearly 100 countries, a "Did You Know?" section explaining the impact of the Factbook around the world, and built-in world rankings for many of the Factbook information fields. Government sections reflect the results of recent parliamentary elections in Kuwait - where women were elected for the first time - and India, as well as presidential elections in Lithuania, Mongolia, Panama, and South Africa.

April 27, 2009

Significant updates made to the People and Economy categories; statistics for "GDP - real growth rate" and "GDP - per capita" (at purchasing power parity) now include three year's worth of data, in 2008 dollars. The Urbanization entry under People expanded to include all countries.

April 03, 2009

In addition to regular country updates, statistics for "GDP (purchasing power parity)" now include three year's worth of data, in 2008 dollars.

March 20, 2009

Recent major leadership changes in Guinea-Bissau, Latvia, and Madagascar included in the Government sections of those countries.

March 02, 2009

Latest US Census Bureau figures - updating basic demographic data for all countries - entered into the database. Entries on religions, languages, ethnic groups, and literacy also updated.

February 06, 2009

Country information updated across all categories. Economic data now includes 2008 estimates where available.

November 05, 2008

In order to provide more information on the nature and global dimensions of the current financial crisis, five additional fields appended to the Economy category: "Central bank discount rate," "Commercial bank prime lending rate," "Stock of money," "Stock of quasi money," and "Stock of domestic credit."

August 06, 2008

In the People category, two new fields provide information on education in terms of opportunity and resources: "School Life Expectancy" and "Education expenditures."

November 06, 2007

In the Geography category, two new fields focus on the vital resource of water: "Total renewable water resources" and "Freshwater withdrawal."

October 31, 2007

Three new fields added to the Economy category: "Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad," "Stock of direct foreign investment - at home," "Market value of publicly traded shares."

Ongoing

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

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

About :: DID YOU KNOW?

The World Factbook is one of the US Government's most accessed publications.

The World Factbook, produced for US policymakers and coordinated throughout the US Intelligence Community, presents the basic realities about the world in which we live. We share these facts with the people of all nations in the belief that knowledge of the truth underpins the functioning of free societies.

Who uses The World Factbook?

A wide variety of folks including US Government officials, researchers, news organizations, corporations, geographers, teachers, professors, librarians, and students. In short, anyone looking for an expansive body of international data on a recently updated Web site.

The World Factbook is a one-stop reference site.

Although many of the facts presented in The Factbook may be found in various other publications, they are conveniently gathered together in one place only at The World Factbook Web site.

The World Factbook is a unique reference in that it is updated continuously - on average, every two weeks.

Information in The Factbook is collected from - and coordinated with - a wide variety of US Government agencies, as well as from hundreds of published sources.

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

References :: Guide to Country Profiles

These are the Categories, Fields, and subfields of information generally recorded for each country. Links are to the Definitions and Notes about each entry.

Introduction ::

Background:

Geography ::

Location:

Geographic coordinates:

Map references:

Area:

total

land

water

Area - comparative:

Land boundaries:

total

border countries

Coastline:

Maritime claims:

territorial sea

contiguous zone

exclusive economic zone

continental shelf

exclusive fishing zone

Climate:

Terrain:

Elevation extremes:

lowest point

highest point

Natural resources:

Land use:

arable land

permanent crops

other

Irrigated land:

Total Renewable Water Resources:

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total

per capita

Natural hazards:

Environment - current issues:

Environment - international agreements:

party to

signed, but not ratified

Geography - note:

People ::

Population:

Age structure:

0-14 years

15-64 years

65 years and over

Median Age:

total

male

female

Population growth rate:

Birth rate:

Death rate:

Net migration rate:

Sex ratio:

at birth

under 15 years

15-64 years

65 years and over

total population

Infant mortality rate:

total

male

female

Life expectancy at birth:

total population

male

female

Total fertility rate:

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk

food or waterborne diseases

vectorborne diseases

water contact diseases

aerosolized dust or soil contact disease

respiratory disease

animal contact disease

Nationality:

noun

adjective

Ethnic groups:

Religions:

Languages:

Literacy:

definition

total population

male

female

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary):

Education expenditures:

People - note:

Government ::

Country name:

conventional long form

conventional short form

local long form

local short form

former

abbreviation

Dependency status:

Government type:

Capital:

name

geographic coordinates

time difference

daylight saving time

Administrative divisions:

Dependent areas:

Independence:

National holiday:

Constitution:

Legal system:

Suffrage:

Executive branch:

chief of state

head of government

cabinet

elections

election results

Legislative branch:

elections

election results

Judicial branch:

Political parties and leaders:

Political pressure groups and leaders:

International organization participation:

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission

chancery

telephone

FAX

consulate(s) general

consulate(s)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission

embassy

mailing address

telephone

FAX

consulate(s) general

consulate(s)

branch office(s)

Flag description:

Government - note:

Economy ::

Economy - overview:

GDP (purchasing power parity) :

GDP (official exchange rate) :

GDP - real growth rate:

GDP - per capita (PPP):

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture

industry

services

Labor force:

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture

industry

services

Unemployment rate:

Population below poverty line:

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%

highest 10%

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

Investment (gross fixed):

Budget:

revenues

expenditures

Public debt :

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

Central bank discount rate:

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

Stock of money:

Stock of quasi money:

Stock of domestic credit:

Market value of publicly traded shares:

Agriculture - products:

Industries:

Industrial production growth rate:

Electricity - production:

Electricity - consumption:

Electricity - exports:

Electricity - imports:

Oil - production:

Oil - consumption:

Oil - exports:

Oil - imports:

Oil - proved reserves:

Natural gas - production:

Natural gas - consumption:

Natural gas - exports:

Natural gas - imports:

Natural gas - proved reserves:

Current account balance:

Exports:

Exports - commodities:

Exports - partners:

Imports:

Imports - commodities:

Imports - partners:

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

Debt - external:

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

Exchange rates:

Communications ::

Telephones - main lines in use:

Telephones - mobile cellular:

Telephone system:

general assessment

domestic

international

Radio broadcast stations:

Television broadcast stations:

Internet country code:

Internet hosts :

Internet users:

Communications - note:

Transportation ::

Airports:

Airports - with paved runways:

total

over 3,047 m

2,438 to 3,047 m

1,524 to 2,437 m

914 to 1,530 m

under 914 m

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total

over 3,047 m

2,438 to 3,047 m

1,524 to 2,437 m

914 to 1,530 m

under 914 m

Heliports:

Pipelines:

Railways:

total

broad gauge

standard gauge

narrow gauge

dual gauge

Roadways:

total

paved

unpaved

Waterways:

Merchant marine:

total

ships by type

foreign-owned

registered in other countries

Ports and terminals :

Transportation - note:

Military ::

Military branches:

Military service age and obligation :

Manpower available for military service :

males age 16-49

females age 16-49

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49

females age 16-49

Manpower reaching military age annually:

males

females

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

Military - note:

Transnational Issues ::

Disputes - international:

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees

IDPs

Trafficking in persons:

current situation

tier rating

Illicit drugs:

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

The World Factbook (2009) - Country Listing

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

World

A

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

B

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

C

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

D

Denmark
Dhekelia
Djibouti
Dominica
Dominican Republic

E

Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Estonia
Ethiopia

F

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

G

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

H

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

I

Iceland
India
Indian Ocean
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Ireland
Isle of Man
Israel
Italy

J

Jamaica
Jan Mayen
Japan
Jarvis Island
Jersey
Johnston Atoll
Jordan

K

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

L

Laos
Latvia
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg

M

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

N

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

O

Oman

P

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

Q

Qatar

R

Romania
Russia
Rwanda

S

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

T

Tajikistan
Tanzania
Thailand
Timor-Leste
Togo
Tokelau
Tonga
Trinidad and Tobago
Tunisia
Turkey
Turkmenistan
Turks and Caicos Islands
Tuvalu

U

Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
United States
United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges
Uruguay
Uzbekistan

V

Vanuatu
Venezuela
Vietnam
Virgin Islands

W

Wake Island
Wallis and Futuna
West Bank
Western Sahara

Y

Yemen

Z

Zambia
Zimbabwe

T

Taiwan

E

European Union

Field Listings

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

Code Field Description

2001 GDP (purchasing power parity) 2002 Population growth rate 2003 GDP - real growth rate 2004 GDP - per capita (PPP) 2005 Affiliation 2006 Dependency status 2007 Diplomatic representation from the US 2008 Transportation - note 2010 Age structure 2011 Geographic coordinates 2012 GDP - composition by sector 2013 Radio broadcast stations 2014 Radios 2015 Television broadcast stations 2016 Televisions 2018 Sex ratio 2019 Heliports 2020 Elevation extremes 2021 Natural hazards 2022 People - note 2023 Area - comparative 2024 Military service age and obligation 2025 Manpower fit for military service 2026 Manpower reaching militarily significant age 2028 Background 2030 Airports - with paved runways 2031 Airports - with unpaved runways 2032 Environment - current issues 2033 Environment - international agreements 2034 Military expenditures 2038 Electricity - production 2042 Electricity - consumption 2043 Electricity - imports 2044 Electricity - exports 2045 Electricity - production by source 2046 Population below poverty line 2047 Household income or consumption by percentage share 2048 Labor force - by occupation 2049 Exports - commodities 2050 Exports - partners 2051 Administrative divisions 2052 Agriculture - products 2053 Airports 2054 Birth rate 2055 Military branches 2056 Budget 2057 Capital 2058 Imports - commodities 2059 Climate 2060 Coastline 2061 Imports - partners 2062 Economic aid - donor 2063 Constitution 2064 Economic aid - recipient 2065 Currency (code) 2066 Death rate 2068 Dependent areas 2070 Disputes - international 2075 Ethnic groups 2076 Exchange rates 2077 Executive branch 2078 Exports 2079 Debt - external 2080 Fiscal year 2081 Flag description 2085 Roadways 2086 Illicit drugs 2087 Imports 2088 Independence 2089 Industrial production growth rate 2090 Industries 2091 Infant mortality rate 2092 Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2093 Waterways 2094 Judicial branch 2095 Labor force 2096 Land boundaries 2097 Land use 2098 Languages 2100 Legal system 2101 Legislative branch 2102 Life expectancy at birth 2103 Literacy 2105 Manpower available for military service 2106 Maritime claims 2107 International organization participation 2108 Merchant marine 2109 National holiday 2110 Nationality 2111 Natural resources 2112 Net migration rate 2113 Geography - note 2115 Political pressure groups and leaders 2116 Economy - overview 2117 Pipelines 2118 Political parties and leaders 2119 Population 2120 Ports and terminals 2121 Railways 2122 Religions 2123 Suffrage 2124 Telephone system 2125 Terrain 2127 Total fertility rate 2128 Government type 2129 Unemployment rate 2137 Military - note 2138 Communications - note 2140 Government - note 2141 Group 2142 Country name 2144 Location 2145 Map references 2146 Irrigated land 2147 Area 2149 Diplomatic representation in the US 2150 Telephones - main lines in use 2151 Telephones - mobile cellular 2152 Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 2153 Internet users 2154 Internet country code 2155 HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate 2156 HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS 2157 HIV/AIDS - deaths 2158 Currency code 2172 Distribution of family income - Gini index 2173 Oil - production 2174 Oil - consumption 2175 Oil - imports 2176 Oil - exports 2177 Median age 2178 Oil - proved reserves 2179 Natural gas - proved reserves 2180 Natural gas - production 2181 Natural gas - consumption 2182 Natural gas - imports 2183 Natural gas - exports 2184 Internet hosts 2185 Investment (gross fixed) 2186 Public debt 2187 Current account balance 2188 Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2189 Union name 2190 Political structure 2191 Member states 2192 Preliminary statement 2193 Major infectious diseases 2194 Refugees and internally displaced persons 2195 GDP (official exchange rate) 2196 Trafficking in persons 2198 Stock of direct foreign investment - at home 2199 Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad 2200 Market value of publicly traded shares 2201 Total renewable water resources 2202 Freshwater withdrawal 2203 Geographic overview 2204 Economy of the area administered by Turkish Cypriots 2205 School life expectancy (primary to tertiary 2206 Education expenditures 2207 Central bank discount rate 2208 Commercial bank prime lending rate 2209 Stock of money 2210 Stock of quasi money 2211 Stock of domestic credit 2212 Urbanization

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

References :: Guide to Country Comparisons

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

Country Comparison pages are presorted lists of data from selected Factbook data fields. Country Comparison pages are generally given in descending order - highest to lowest - such as Population and Area. The two exceptions are Unemployment Rate and Inflation Rate, which are in ascending - lowest to highest - order. Country Comparison pages are available for the following 58 fields in six of the nine Factbook categories.

Geography ::

Area:

total

People ::

Population:

Population growth rate:

Birth rate:

Death rate:

Net migration rate:

Infant mortality rate:

Life expectancy at birth:

Total fertility rate:

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

Education expenditures:

Economy ::

GDP (purchasing power parity):

GDP real growth rate:

GDP - per capita (PPP):

Labor force:

Unemployment rate:

Distribution of family income - Gini Index:

Investment (gross fixed):

Public debt:

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

Central bank discount rate:

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

Stock of money:

Stock of quasi money:

Stock of domestic credit:

Market value of publicly traded shares:

Industrial production growth rate:

Electricity - production:

Electricity - consumption:

Oil - production:

Oil - consumption:

Oil - exports:

Oil - imports:

Oil - proved reserves:

Natural gas - production:

Natural gas - consumption:

Natural gas - exports:

Natural gas - imports:

Natural gas - proved reserves:

Current account balance:

Exports:

Imports:

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

Debt - external:

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

Communications ::

Telephones - main lines in use:

Telephones - mobile cellular:

Internet hosts:

Internet users:

Transportation ::

Airports:

Railways:

total

Roadways:

total

Waterways:

Merchant marine:

total

Military ::

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

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

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

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

Appendixes

Appendix A - Abbreviations

Appendix B - International Organizations and Groups

Appendix C - Selected International Environmental Agreements

Appendix D - Cross-Reference list of Country Data Codes

Appendix E - Cross-Reference List of Hydrographic Data Codes

Appendix F - Cross-Reference List of Geographic Names

Appendix G - Weights and Measures

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

References :: Definitions and Notes

A

Abbreviations

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

Acronyms

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

Administrative divisions

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

Age structure

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

Agriculture - products

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

Airports

This entry gives the total number of airports or airfields recognizable from the air. The runway(s) may be paved (concrete or asphalt surfaces) or unpaved (grass, earth, sand, or gravel surfaces) and may include closed or abandoned installations. Airports or airfields that are no longer recognizable (overgrown, no facilities, etc.) are not included. Note that not all airports have accommodations for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control.

Airports - with paved runways

This entry gives the total number of airports with paved runways (concrete or asphalt surfaces) by length. For airports with more than one runway, only the longest runway is included according to the following five groups - (1) over 3,047 m (over 10,000 ft), (2) 2,438 to 3,047 m (8,000 to 10,000 ft), (3) 1,524 to 2,437 m (5,000 to 8,000 ft), (4) 914 to 1,523 m (3,000 to 5,000 ft), and (5) under 914 m (under 3,000 ft). Only airports with usable runways are included in this listing. Not all airports have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control. The type aircraft capable of operating from a runway of a given length is dependent upon a number of factors including elevation of the runway, runway gradient, average maximum daily temperature at the airport, engine types, flap settings, and take-off weight of the aircraft.

Airports - with unpaved runways

This entry gives the total number of airports with unpaved runways (grass, dirt, sand, or gravel surfaces) by length. For airports with more than one runway, only the longest runway is included according to the following five groups - (1) over 3,047 m (over 10,000 ft), (2) 2,438 to 3,047 m (8,000 to 10,000 ft), (3) 1,524 to 2,437 m (5,000 to 8,000 ft), (4) 914 to 1,523 m (3,000 to 5,000 ft), and (5) under 914 m (under 3,000 ft). Only airports with usable runways are included in this listing. Not all airports have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control. The type aircraft capable of operating from a runway of a given length is dependent upon a number of factors including elevation of the runway, runway gradient, average maximum daily temperature at the airport, engine types, flap settings, and take-off weight of the aircraft.

Appendixes

This section includes Factbook-related material by topic.

Area

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

Area - comparative

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

B

Background

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

Birth rate

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

Budget

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

C

Capital

This entry gives the name of the seat of government, its geographic coordinates, the time difference relative to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and the time observed in Washington, DC, and, if applicable, information on daylight saving time (DST). Where appropriate, a special note has been added to highlight those countries that have multiple time zones.

Central bank discount rate

This entry provides the annualized interest rate a country's central bank charges commercial, depository banks for loans to meet temporary shortages of funds.

Climate

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

Coastline

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

Commercial bank prime lending rate

This entry provides a simple average of annualized interest rates commercial banks charge on new loans, denominated in the national currency, to their most credit-worthy customers.

Communications

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

Communications - note

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

Constitution

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

Coordinated Universal Time (UTC)

UTC is the international atomic time scale that serves as the basis of timekeeping for most of the world. The hours, minutes, and seconds expressed by UTC represent the time of day at the Prime Meridian (0 deg. longitude) located near Greenwich, England as reckoned from midnight. UTC is calculated by the Bureau International des Poids et Measures (BIPM) in Sevres, France. The BIPM averages data collected from more than 200 atomic time and frequency standards located at about 50 laboratories worldwide. UTC is the basis for all civil time with the Earth divided into time zones expressed as positive or negative differences from UTC. UTC is also referred to as "Zulu time." See the Standard Time Zones of the World map included with the Reference Maps.

Country data codes

See Data codes.

Country map

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

Country name

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

Crude oil

See entry for oil.

Current account balance

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

D

Data codes

This information is presented in This information is presented in <a href = "../appendix/appendix-d.html"Appendix D: Cross-Reference List of Country Data Codes and and <a href = "../appendix/appendix-e.html" Appendix E: Cross-Reference List of Hydrographic Data Codes.

Date of information

In general, information available as of 1 January 2007 was used in the preparation of this edition.

Daylight Saving Time (DST)

This entry is included for those entities that have adopted a policy of adjusting the official local time forward, usually one hour, from Standard Time during summer months. Such policies are most common in mid-latitude regions.

Death rate

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

Debt - external

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

Dependency status

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

Dependent areas

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

Diplomatic representation

The US Government has diplomatic relations with 189 independent states, including 187 of the 192 UN members (excluded UN members are Bhutan, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, and the US itself). In addition, the US has diplomatic relations with 2 independent states that are not in the UN, the Holy See and Kosovo, as well as with the EU.

Diplomatic representation from the US

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

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

Disputes - international

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

Distribution of family income - Gini index

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

E

Economy

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

Economy - overview

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

Education expenditures

This entry provides the public expenditure on education as a percent of GDP.

Electricity - consumption

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

Electricity - exports

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

Electricity - imports

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

Electricity - production

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

Elevation extremes

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

Entities

Some of the independent states, dependencies, areas of special sovereignty, and governments included in this publication are not independent, and others are not officially recognized by the US Government. "Independent state" refers to a people politically organized into a sovereign state with a definite territory. "Dependencies" and "areas of special sovereignty" refer to a broad category of political entities that are associated in some way with an independent state. "Country" names used in the table of contents or for page headings are usually the short-form names as approved by the US Board on Geographic Names and may include independent states, dependencies, and areas of special sovereignty, or other geographic entities. There are a total of 266 separate geographic entities in The World Factbook that may be categorized as follows: INDEPENDENT STATES 194 Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe OTHER 2 Taiwan, European Union DEPENDENCIES AND AREAS OF SPECIAL SOVEREIGNTY 6 Australia - Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Norfolk Island 2 China - Hong Kong, Macau 2 Denmark - Faroe Islands, Greenland 9 France - Clipperton Island, French Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Lands, Mayotte, New Caledonia, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Martin, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Wallis and Futuna 2 Netherlands - Aruba, Netherlands Antilles 3 New Zealand - Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau 3 Norway - Bouvet Island, Jan Mayen, Svalbard 17 UK - Akrotiri, Anguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dhekelia, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jersey, Isle of Man, Montserrat, Pitcairn Islands, Saint Helena, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands 14 US - American Samoa, Baker Island*, Guam, Howland Island*, Jarvis Island*, Johnston Atoll*, Kingman Reef*, Midway Islands*, Navassa Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palmyra Atoll*, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Wake Island (* consolidated in United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges entry) MISCELLANEOUS 6 Antarctica, Gaza Strip, Paracel Islands, Spratly Islands, West Bank, Western Sahara OTHER ENTITIES 5 oceans - Arctic Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Southern Ocean 1 World 266 total

Environment - current issues

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

Environment - international agreements

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

Environmental agreements

This information is presented in This information is presented in <a href = "../appendix/appendix-c.html"Appendix C: Selected International Environmental Agreements, which includes the name, abbreviation, date opened for signature, date entered into force, objective, and parties by category.

Ethnic groups

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

Exchange rates

This entry provides the official value of a country's monetary unit at a given date or over a given period of time, as expressed in units of local currency per US dollar and as determined by international market forces or official fiat. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 4217 alphabetic currency code for the national medium of exchange is presented in parenthesis.

Executive branch

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

Exports

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

Exports - commodities

This entry provides a listing of the highest-valued exported products; it sometimes includes the percent of total dollar value.

Exports - partners

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

F

Flag description

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

Flag graphic

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

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

This entry provides the annual quantity of water in cubic kilometers removed from available sources for use in any purpose. Water drawn-off is not necessarily entirely consumed and some portion may be returned for further use downstream. Domestic sector use refers to water supplied by public distribution systems. Note that some of this total may be used for small industrial and/or limited agricultural purposes. Industrial sector use is the quantity of water used by self-supplied industries not connected to a public distribution system. Agricultural sector use includes water used for irrigation and livestock watering, and does not account for agriculture directly dependent on rainfall. Included are figures for total annual water withdrawal and per capita water withdrawal.

G

GDP (official exchange rate)

This entry gives the gross domestic product (GDP) or value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year. A nation's GDP at official exchange rates (OER) is the home-currency-denominated annual GDP figure divided by the bilateral average US exchange rate with that country in that year. The measure is simple to compute and gives a precise measure of the value of output. Many economists prefer this measure when gauging the economic power an economy maintains vis-a-vis its neighbors, judging that an exchange rate captures the purchasing power a nation enjoys in the international marketplace. Official exchange rates, however, can be artificially fixed and/or subject to manipulation - resulting in claims of the country having an under- or over-valued currency - and are not necessarily the equivalent of a market-determined exchange rate. Moreover, even if the official exchange rate is market-determined, market exchange rates are frequently established by a relatively small set of goods and services (the ones the country trades) and may not capture the value of the larger set of goods the country produces. Furthermore, OER-converted GDP is not well suited to comparing domestic GDP over time, since appreciation/depreciation from one year to the next will make the OER GDP value rise/fall regardless of whether home-currency-denominated GDP changed.

GDP (purchasing power parity)

This entry gives the gross domestic product (GDP) or value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year. A nation's GDP at purchasing power parity (PPP) exchange rates is the sum value of all goods and services produced in the country valued at prices prevailing in the United States. This is the measure most economists prefer when looking at per-capita welfare and when comparing living conditions or use of resources across countries. The measure is difficult to compute, as a US dollar value has to be assigned to all goods and services in the country regardless of whether these goods and services have a direct equivalent in the United States (for example, the value of an ox-cart or non-US military equipment); as a result, PPP estimates for some countries are based on a small and sometimes different set of goods and services. In addition, many countries do not formally participate in the World Bank's PPP project that calculates these measures, so the resulting GDP estimates for these countries may lack precision. For many developing countries, PPP-based GDP measures are multiples of the official exchange rate (OER) measure. The differences between the OER- and PPP-denominated GDP values for most of the wealthy industrialized countries are generally much smaller.

GDP - composition by sector

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

GDP - per capita (PPP)

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

GDP - real growth rate

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

GDP methodology

In the Economy category, GDP dollar estimates for countries are reported both on an official exchange rate (OER) and a purchasing power parity (PPP) basis. Both measures contain information that is useful to the reader. The PPP method involves the use of standardized international dollar price weights, which are applied to the quantities of final goods and services produced in a given economy. The data derived from the PPP method probably provide the best available starting point for comparisons of economic strength and well-being between countries. In contrast, the currency exchange rate method involves a variety of international and domestic financial forces that may not capture the value of domestic output. Whereas PPP estimates for OECD countries are quite reliable, PPP estimates for developing countries are often rough approximations. In developing countries with weak currencies, the exchange rate estimate of GDP in dollars is typically one-fourth to one-half the PPP estimate. Most of the GDP estimates for developing countries are based on extrapolation of PPP numbers published by the UN International Comparison Program (UNICP) and by Professors Robert Summers and Alan Heston of the University of Pennsylvania and their colleagues. GDP derived using the OER method should be used for the purpose of calculating the share of items such as exports, imports, military expenditures, external debt, or the current account balance, because the dollar values presented in the Factbook for these items have been converted at official exchange rates, not at PPP. One should use the OER GDP figure to calculate the proportion of, say, Chinese defense expenditures in GDP, because that share will be the same as one calculated in local currency units. Comparison of OER GDP with PPP GDP may also indicate whether a currency is over- or under-valued. If OER GDP is smaller than PPP GDP, the official exchange rate may be undervalued, and vice versa. However, there is no strong historical evidence that market exchange rates move in the direction implied by the PPP rate, at least not in the short- or medium-term. Note: the numbers for GDP and other economic data should not be chained together from successive volumes of the Factbook because of changes in the US dollar measuring rod, revisions of data by statistical agencies, use of new or different sources of information, and changes in national statistical methods and practices.

GNP

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

GWP

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

Geographic coordinates

This entry includes rounded latitude and longitude figures for the purpose of finding the approximate geographic center of an entity and is based on the locations provided in the Geographic Names Server (GNS), maintained by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency on behalf of the US Board on Geographic Names.

Geographic names

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

Geography

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

Geography - note

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

Gini index

See entry for Distribution of family income - Gini index

Government

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

Government - note

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

Government type

This entry gives the basic form of government. Definitions of the major governmental terms are as follows. (Note that for some countries more than one definition applies.): Absolute monarchy - a form of government where the monarch rules unhindered, i.e., without any laws, constitution, or legally organized opposition. Anarchy - a condition of lawlessness or political disorder brought about by the absence of governmental authority. Authoritarian - a form of government in which state authority is imposed onto many aspects of citizens' lives. Commonwealth - a nation, state, or other political entity founded on law and united by a compact of the people for the common good. Communist - a system of government in which the state plans and controls the economy and a single - often authoritarian - party holds power; state controls are imposed with the elimination of private ownership of property or capital while claiming to make progress toward a higher social order in which all goods are equally shared by the people (i.e., a classless society). Confederacy (Confederation) - a union by compact or treaty between states, provinces, or territories, that creates a central government with limited powers; the constituent entities retain supreme authority over all matters except those delegated to the central government. Constitutional - a government by or operating under an authoritative document (constitution) that sets forth the system of fundamental laws and principles that determines the nature, functions, and limits of that government. Constitutional democracy - a form of government in which the sovereign power of the people is spelled out in a governing constitution. Constitutional monarchy - a system of government in which a monarch is guided by a constitution whereby his/her rights, duties, and responsibilities are spelled out in written law or by custom. Democracy - a form of government in which the supreme power is retained by the people, but which is usually exercised indirectly through a system of representation and delegated authority periodically renewed. Democratic republic - a state in which the supreme power rests in the body of citizens entitled to vote for officers and representatives responsible to them. Dictatorship - a form of government in which a ruler or small clique wield absolute power (not restricted by a constitution or laws). Ecclesiastical - a government administrated by a church. Emirate - similar to a monarchy or sultanate, but a government in which the supreme power is in the hands of an emir (the ruler of a Muslim state); the emir may be an absolute overlord or a sovereign with constitutionally limited authority. Federal (Federation) - a form of government in which sovereign power is formally divided - usually by means of a constitution - between a central authority and a number of constituent regions (states, colonies, or provinces) so that each region retains some management of its internal affairs; differs from a confederacy in that the central government exerts influence directly upon both individuals as well as upon the regional units. Federal republic - a state in which the powers of the central government are restricted and in which the component parts (states, colonies, or provinces) retain a degree of self-government; ultimate sovereign power rests with the voters who chose their governmental representatives. Islamic republic - a particular form of government adopted by some Muslim states; although such a state is, in theory, a theocracy, it remains a republic, but its laws are required to be compatible with the laws of Islam. Maoism - the theory and practice of Marxism-Leninism developed in China by Mao Zedong (Mao Tse-tung), which states that a continuous revolution is necessary if the leaders of a communist state are to keep in touch with the people. Marxism - the political, economic, and social principles espoused by 19th century economist Karl Marx; he viewed the struggle of workers as a progression of historical forces that would proceed from a class struggle of the proletariat (workers) exploited by capitalists (business owners), to a socialist "dictatorship of the proletariat," to, finally, a classless society - Communism. Marxism-Leninism - an expanded form of communism developed by Lenin from doctrines of Karl Marx; Lenin saw imperialism as the final stage of capitalism and shifted the focus of workers' struggle from developed to underdeveloped countries. Monarchy - a government in which the supreme power is lodged in the hands of a monarch who reigns over a state or territory, usually for life and by hereditary right; the monarch may be either a sole absolute ruler or a sovereign - such as a king, queen, or prince - with constitutionally limited authority. Oligarchy - a government in which control is exercised by a small group of individuals whose authority generally is based on wealth or power. Parliamentary democracy - a political system in which the legislature (parliament) selects the government - a prime minister, premier, or chancellor along with the cabinet ministers - according to party strength as expressed in elections; by this system, the government acquires a dual responsibility: to the people as well as to the parliament. Parliamentary government (Cabinet-Parliamentary government) - a government in which members of an executive branch (the cabinet and its leader - a prime minister, premier, or chancellor) are nominated to their positions by a legislature or parliament, and are directly responsible to it; this type of government can be dissolved at will by the parliament (legislature) by means of a no confidence vote or the leader of the cabinet may dissolve the parliament if it can no longer function. Parliamentary monarchy - a state headed by a monarch who is not actively involved in policy formation or implementation (i.e., the exercise of sovereign powers by a monarch in a ceremonial capacity); true governmental leadership is carried out by a cabinet and its head - a prime minister, premier, or chancellor - who are drawn from a legislature (parliament). Presidential - a system of government where the executive branch exists separately from a legislature (to which it is generally not accountable). Republic - a representative democracy in which the people's elected deputies (representatives), not the people themselves, vote on legislation. Socialism - a government in which the means of planning, producing, and distributing goods is controlled by a central government that theoretically seeks a more just and equitable distribution of property and labor; in actuality, most socialist governments have ended up being no more than dictatorships over workers by a ruling elite. Sultanate - similar to a monarchy, but a government in which the supreme power is in the hands of a sultan (the head of a Muslim state); the sultan may be an absolute ruler or a sovereign with constitutionally limited authority. Theocracy - a form of government in which a Deity is recognized as the supreme civil ruler, but the Deity's laws are interpreted by ecclesiastical authorities (bishops, mullahs, etc.); a government subject to religious authority. Totalitarian - a government that seeks to subordinate the individual to the state by controlling not only all political and economic matters, but also the attitudes, values, and beliefs of its population.

Greenwich Mean Time (GMT)

The mean solar time at the Greenwich Meridian, Greenwich, England, with the hours and days, since 1925, reckoned from midnight. GMT is now a historical term having been replaced by UTC on 1 January 1972. See Coordinated Universal Time.

Gross domestic product

See GDP

Gross national product

See GNP

Gross world product

See GWP

H

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths

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

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

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

Heliports

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

Household income or consumption by percentage share

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

Hydrographic data codes

See Data codes

I

Illicit drugs

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

Imports

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

Imports - commodities

This entry provides a listing of the highest-valued imported products; it sometimes includes the percent of total dollar value.

Imports - partners

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

Independence

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

Industrial production growth rate

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

Industries

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

Infant mortality rate

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

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

International disputes

see Disputes - international

International organization participation

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

International organizations

This information is presented in This information is presented in <a href = "../appendix/appendix-b.html"Appendix B: International Organizations and Groups which includes the name, abbreviation, date established, aim, and members by category.

Internet country code

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

Internet hosts

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

Internet users

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

Introduction

This category includes one entry, Background.

Investment (gross fixed)

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

Irrigated land

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

J

Judicial branch

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

L

Labor force

This entry contains the total labor force figure.

Labor force - by occupation

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

Land boundaries

This entry contains the total length of all land boundaries and the individual lengths for each of the contiguous border countries. When available, official lengths published by national statistical agencies are used. Because surveying methods may differ, country border lengths reported by contiguous countries may differ.

Land use

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

Languages

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

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

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

Life expectancy at birth

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

Literacy

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

Location

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

M

Major infectious diseases

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

Manpower available for military service

This entry gives the number of males and females falling in the military age range for a country (defined as being ages 16-49) and assumes that every individual is fit to serve.

Manpower fit for military service

This entry gives the number of males and females falling in the military age range for a country (defined as being ages 16-49) and who are not otherwise disqualified for health reasons; accounts for the health situation in the country and provides a more realistic estimate of the actual number fit to serve.

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

This entry gives the number of males and females entering the military manpower pool (i.e., reaching age 16) in any given year and is a measure of the availability of military-age young adults.

Map references

This entry includes the name of the Factbook reference map on which a country may be found. Note that boundary representations on these maps are not necessarily authoritative. The entry on Geographic coordinates may be helpful in finding some smaller countries.

Maritime claims

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

Market value of publicly traded shares

This entry gives the value of shares issued by publicly traded companies at a price determined in the national stock markets on the final day of the period indicated. It is simply the latest price per share multiplied by the total number of outstanding shares, cumulated over all companies listed on the particular exchange.

Median age

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

Merchant marine

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

Military

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

Military - note

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

Military branches

This entry lists the service branches subordinate to defense ministries or the equivalent (typically ground, naval, air, and marine forces).

Military expenditures

This entry gives spending on defense programs for the most recent year available as a percent of gross domestic product (GDP); the GDP is calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in terms of purchasing power parity (PPP).

Military service age and obligation

This entry gives the required ages for voluntary or conscript military service and the length of service obligation.

Money figures

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

N

National holiday

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

Nationality

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

Natural gas - consumption

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

Natural gas - exports

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

Natural gas - imports

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

Natural gas - production

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

Natural gas - proved reserves

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

Natural hazards

This entry lists potential natural disasters.

Natural resources

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

Net migration rate

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

O

Oil - consumption

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

Oil - exports

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

Oil - imports

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

Oil - production

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

Oil - proved reserves

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

P

People

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

People - note

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

Personal Names - Capitalization

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

Personal Names - Spelling

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

Personal Names - Titles

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

Petroleum

See entries under Oil.

Petroleum products

See entries under Oil.

Pipelines

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

Piracy

Piracy is defined by the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea as any illegal act of violence, detention, or depredation directed against a ship, aircraft, persons, or property in a place outside the jurisdiction of any State. Such criminal acts committed in the territorial waters of a littoral state are generally considered to be armed robbery against ships.

Political parties and leaders

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

Political pressure groups and leaders

This entry includes a listing of a country's political, social, labor, or religious organizations that are involved in politics, or that exert political pressure, but whose leaders do not stand for legislative election. International movements or organizations are generally not listed.

Population

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

Population growth rate

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

Ports and terminals

This entry lists major ports and terminals primarily on the basis of the amount of cargo tonnage shipped through the facilities on an annual basis. In some instances, the number of containers handled or ship visits were also considered.

Public debt

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

R

Radio broadcast stations

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

Railways

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

Reference maps

This section includes world and regional maps.

Refugees and internally displaced persons

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

Religions

This entry is an ordered listing of religions by adherents starting with the largest group and sometimes includes the percent of total population. The core characteristics and beliefs of the world's major religions are described below. Baha'i - Founded by Mirza Husayn-Ali (known as Baha'u'llah) in Iran in 1852, Baha'i faith emphasizes monotheism and believes in one eternal transcendent God. Its guiding focus is to encourage the unity of all peoples on the earth so that justice and peace may be achieved on earth. Baha'i revelation contends the prophets of major world religions reflect some truth or element of the divine, believes all were manifestations of God given to specific communities in specific times, and that Baha'u'llah is an additional prophet meant to call all humankind. Bahais are an open community, located worldwide, with the greatest concentration of believers in South Asia. Buddhism - Religion or philosophy inspired by the 5th century B.C. teachings of Siddhartha Gautama (also known as Gautama Buddha "the enlightened one"). Buddhism focuses on the goal of spiritual enlightenment centered on an understanding of Gautama Buddha's Four Noble Truths on the nature of suffering, and on the Eightfold Path of spiritual and moral practice, to break the cycle of suffering of which we are a part. Buddhism ascribes to a karmic system of rebirth. Several schools and sects of Buddhism exist, differing often on the nature of the Buddha, the extent to which enlightenment can be achieved - for one or for all, and by whom - religious orders or laity. Basic Groupings Theravada Buddhism: The oldest Buddhist school, Theravada is practiced mostly in Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Laos, Burma, and Thailand, with minority representation elsewhere in Asia and the West. Theravadans follow the Pali Canon of Buddha's teachings, and believe that one may escape the cycle of rebirth, worldly attachment, and suffering for oneself; this process may take one or several lifetimes. Mahayana Buddhism, including subsets Zen and Tibetan Buddhism: Forms of Mahayana Buddhism are common in East Asia and Tibet, and parts of the West. Mahayanas have additional scriptures beyond the Pali Canon and believe the Buddha is eternal and still teaching. Unlike Theravada Buddhism, Mahayana schools maintain the Buddha-nature is present in all beings and all will ultimately achieve enlightenment. Christianity - Descending from Judaism, Christianity's central belief maintains Jesus of Nazareth is the promised messiah of the Hebrew Scriptures, and that his life, death, and resurrection are salvific for the world. Christianity is one of the three monotheistic Abrahamic faiths, along with Islam and Judaism, which traces its spiritual lineage to Abraham of the Hebrew Scriptures. Its sacred texts include the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament (or the Christian Gospels). Basic Groupings Catholicism (or Roman Catholicism): This is the oldest established western Christian church and the world's largest single religious body. It is supranational, and recognizes a hierarchical structure with the Pope, or Bishop of Rome, as its head, located at the Vatican. Catholics believe the Pope is the divinely ordered head of the Church from a direct spiritual legacy of Jesus' apostle Peter. Catholicism is comprised of 23 particular Churches, or Rites - one Western (Latin-Rite) and 22 Eastern. The Latin Rite is by far the largest, making up about 98% of Catholic membership. Eastern-Rite Churches, such as the Maronite Church and the Ukrainian Catholic Church, are in communion with Rome although they preserve their own worship traditions and their immediate hierarchy consists of clergy within their own rite. The Catholic Church has a comprehensive theological and moral doctrine specified for believers in its catechism, which makes it unique among most forms of Christianity. Mormonism (including the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints): Originating in 1830 in the United States under Joseph Smith, Mormonism is not characterized as a form of Protestant Christianity because it claims additional revealed Christian scriptures after the Hebrew Bible and New Testament. The Book of Mormon maintains there was an appearance of Jesus in the New World following the Christian account of his resurrection, and that the Americas are uniquely blessed continents. Mormonism believes earlier Christian traditions, such as the Roman Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant reform faiths, are apostasies and that Joseph Smith's revelation of the Book of Mormon is a restoration of true Christianity. Mormons have a hierarchical religious leadership structure, and actively proselytize their faith; they are located primarily in the Americas and in a number of other Western countries. Orthodox Christianity: The oldest established eastern form of Christianity, the Holy Orthodox Church, has a ceremonial head in the Bishop of Constantinople (Istanbul), also known as a Patriarch, but its various regional forms (e.g., Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, Serbian Orthodox, Ukrainian Orthodox) are autocephalous (independent of Constantinople's authority, and have their own Patriarchs). Orthodox churches are highly nationalist and ethnic. The Orthodox Christian faith shares many theological tenets with the Roman Catholic Church, but diverges on some key premises and does not recognize the governing authority of the Pope. Protestant Christianity: Protestant Christianity originated in the 16th century as an attempt to reform Roman Catholicism's practices, dogma, and theology. It encompasses several forms or denominations which are extremely varied in structure, beliefs, relationship to state, clergy, and governance. Many protestant theologies emphasize the primary role of scripture in their faith, advocating individual interpretation of Christian texts without the mediation of a final religious authority such as the Roman Pope. The oldest Protestant Christianities include Lutheranism, Calvinism (Presbyterians), and Anglican Christianity (Episcopalians), which have established liturgies, governing structure, and formal clergy. Other variants on Protestant Christianity, including Pentecostal movements and independent churches, may lack one or more of these elements, and their leadership and beliefs are individualized and dynamic. Hinduism - Originating in the Vedic civilization of India (second and first millennium B.C.), Hinduism is an extremely diverse set of beliefs and practices with no single founder or religious authority. Hinduism has many scriptures; the Vedas, the Upanishads, and the Bhagavad-Gita are among some of the most important. Hindus may worship one or many deities, usually with prayer rituals within their own home. The most common figures of devotion are the gods Vishnu, Shiva, and a mother goddess, Devi. Most Hindus believe the soul, or atman, is eternal, and goes through a cycle of birth, death, and rebirth (samsara) determined by one's positive or negative karma, or the consequences of one's actions. The goal of religious life is to learn to act so as to finally achieve liberation (moksha) of one's soul, escaping the rebirth cycle. Islam - The third of the monotheistic Abrahamic faiths, Islam originated with the teachings of Muhammad in the 7th century. Muslims believe Muhammad is the final of all religious prophets (beginning with Abraham) and that the Qu'ran, which is the Islamic scripture, was revealed to him by God. Islam derives from the word submission, and obedience to God is a primary theme in this religion. In order to live an Islamic life, believers must follow the five pillars, or tenets, of Islam, which are the testimony of faith (shahada), daily prayer (salah), giving alms (zakah), fasting during Ramadan (sawm), and the pilgrimage to Mecca (hajj). Basic Groupings The two primary branches of Islam are Sunni and Shia, which split from each other over a religio-political leadership dispute about the rightful successor to Muhammad. The Shia believe Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law, Ali, was the only divinely ordained Imam (religious leader), while the Sunni maintain the first three caliphs after Muhammad were also legitimate authorities. In modern Islam, Sunnis and Shia continue to have different views of acceptable schools of Islamic jurisprudence, and who is a proper Islamic religious authority. Islam also has an active mystical branch, Sufism, with various Sunni and Shia subsets. Sunni Islam accounts for over 75% of the world's Muslim population. It recognizes the Abu Bakr as the first caliph after Muhammad. Sunni has four schools of Islamic doctrine and law - Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'i, and Hanbali - which uniquely interpret the Hadith, or recorded oral traditions of Muhammad. A Sunni Muslim may elect to follow any one of these schools, as all are considered equally valid. Shia Islam represents 10-20% of Muslims worldwide, and its distinguishing feature is its reverence for Ali as an infallible, divinely inspired leader, and as the first Imam of the Muslim community after Muhammad. A majority of Shia are known as "Twelvers," because they believe that the 11 familial successor imams after Muhammad culminate in a 12th Imam (al-Mahdi) who is hidden in the world and will reappear at its end to redeem the righteous. Variants Ismaili faith: A sect of Shia Islam, its adherents are also known as "Seveners," because they believe that the rightful seventh Imam in Islamic leadership was Isma'il, the elder son of Imam Jafar al-Sadiq. Ismaili tradition awaits the return of the seventh Imam as the Mahdi, or Islamic messianic figure. Ismailis are located in various parts of the world, particularly South Asia and the Levant. Alawi faith: Another Shia sect of Islam, the name reflects followers' devotion to the religious authority of Ali. Alawites are a closed, secretive religious group who assert they are Shia Muslims, although outside scholars speculate their beliefs may have a syncretic mix with other faiths originating in the Middle East. Alawis live mostly in Syria, Lebanon, and Turkey. Druze faith: A highly secretive tradition and a closed community that derives from the Ismaili sect of Islam; its core beliefs are thought to emphasize a combination of Gnostic principles believing that the Fatimid caliph, al-Hakin, is the one who embodies the key aspects of goodness of the universe, which are, the intellect, the word, the soul, the preceder, and the follower. The Druze have a key presence in Syria, Lebanon, and Israel. Jainism - Originating in India, Jain spiritual philosophy believes in an eternal human soul, the eternal universe, and a principle of "the own nature of things." It emphasizes compassion for all living things, seeks liberation of the human soul from reincarnation through enlightenment, and values personal responsibility due to the belief in the immediate consequences of one's behavior. Jain philosophy teaches non-violence and prescribes vegetarianism for monks and laity alike; its adherents are a highly influential religious minority in Indian society. Judaism - One of the first known monotheistic religions, likely dating to between 2000-1500 B.C., Judaism is the native faith of the Jewish people, based upon the belief in a covenant of responsibility between a sole omnipotent creator God and Abraham, the patriarch of Judaism's Hebrew Bible, or Tanakh. Divine revelation of principles and prohibitions in the Hebrew Scriptures form the basis of Jewish law, or halakhah, which is a key component of the faith. While there are extensive traditions of Jewish halakhic and theological discourse, there is no final dogmatic authority in the tradition. Local communities have their own religious leadership. Modern Judaism has three basic categories of faith: Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform/Liberal. These differ in their views and observance of Jewish law, with the Orthodox representing the most traditional practice, and Reform/Liberal communities the most accommodating of individualized interpretations of Jewish identity and faith. Shintoism - A native animist tradition of Japan, Shinto practice is based upon the premise that every being and object has its own spirit or kami. Shinto practitioners worship several particular kamis, including the kamis of nature, and families often have shrines to their ancestors' kamis. Shintoism has no fixed tradition of prayers or prescribed dogma, but is characterized by individual ritual. Respect for the kamis in nature is a key Shinto value. Prior to the end of World War II, Shinto was the state religion of Japan, and bolstered the cult of the Japanese emperor. Sikhism - Founded by the Guru Nanak (born 1469), Sikhism believes in a non-anthropomorphic, supreme, eternal, creator God; centering one's devotion to God is seen as a means of escaping the cycle of rebirth. Sikhs follow the teachings of Nanak and nine subsequent gurus. Their scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib - also known as the Adi Granth - is considered the living Guru, or final authority of Sikh faith and theology. Sikhism emphasizes equality of humankind and disavows caste, class, or gender discrimination. Taoism - Chinese philosophy or religion based upon Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching, which centers on belief in the Tao, or the way, as the flow of the universe and the nature of things. Taoism encourages a principle of non-force, or wu-wei, as the means to live harmoniously with the Tao. Taoists believe the esoteric world is made up of a perfect harmonious balance and nature, while in the manifest world - particularly in the body - balance is distorted. The Three Jewels of the Tao - compassion, simplicity, and humility - serve as the basis for Taoist ethics. Zoroastrianism - Originating from the teachings of Zoroaster in about the 9th or 10th century B.C., Zoroastrianism may be the oldest continuing creedal religion. Its key beliefs center on a transcendent creator God, Ahura Mazda, and the concept of free will. The key ethical tenets of Zoroastrianism expressed in its scripture, the Avesta, are based on a dualistic worldview where one may prevent chaos if one chooses to serve God and exercises good thoughts, good words, and good deeds. Zoroastrianism is generally a closed religion and members are almost always born to Zoroastrian parents. Prior to the spread of Islam, Zoroastrianism dominated greater Iran. Today, though a minority, Zoroastrians remain primarily in Iran, India, and Pakistan.

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

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

Roadways

This entry gives the total length of the road network and includes the length of the paved and unpaved portions.

S

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

School life expectancy (SLE) is the total number of years of schooling (primary to tertiary) that a child can expect to receive, assuming that the probability of his or her being enrolled in school at any particular future age is equal to the current enrollment ratio at that age. Caution must be maintained when utilizing this indicator in international comparisons. For example, a year or grade completed in one country is not necessarily the same in terms of educational content or quality as a year or grade completed in another country. SLE represents the expected number of years of schooling that will be completed, including years spent repeating one or more grades.

Sex ratio

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

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

This entry gives the cumulative US dollar value of all investments in foreign countries made directly by residents - primarily companies - of the home country, as of the end of the time period indicated. Direct investment excludes investment through purchase of shares.

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

This entry gives the cumulative US dollar value of all investments in the home country made directly by residents - primarily companies - of other countries as of the end of the time period indicated. Direct investment excludes investment through purchase of shares.

Stock of domestic credit

This entry is the total quantity of credit, denominated in the domestic currency, provided by banks to nonbanking institutions. The national currency units have been converted to US dollars at the closing exchange rate on the date of the information.

Stock of money

This entry, also known as "M1," comprises the total quantity of currency in circulation (notes and coins) plus demand deposits denominated in the national currency, held by nonbank financial institutions, state and local governments, nonfinancial public enterprises, and the private sector of the economy. The national currency units have been converted to US dollars at the closing exchange rate on the date of the information.

Stock of quasi money

This entry comprises the total quantity of time and savings deposits denominated in the national currency, held by nonbank financial institutions, state and local governments, nonfinancial public enterprises, and the private sector of the economy. When added together with "M1" the total money supply is known as "M2." The national currency units have been converted to US dollars at the closing exchange rate on the date of the information.

Suffrage

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

T

Telephone numbers

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

Telephone system

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

Telephones - main lines in use

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

Telephones - mobile cellular

This entry gives the total number of mobile cellular telephone subscribers.

Television broadcast stations

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

Terminology

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

Terrain

This entry contains a brief description of the topography.

Time difference

This entry is expressed in The World Factbook in two ways. First, it is stated as the difference in hours between the capital of an entity and Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) during Standard Time. Additionally, the difference in time between the capital of an entity and that observed in Washington, D.C. is also provided. Note that the time difference assumes both locations are simultaneously observing Standard Time or Daylight Saving Time.

Time zones

Ten countries (Australia, Brazil, Canada, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Mexico, New Zealand, Russia, Spain, and the United States) and the island of Greenland observe more than one official time depending on the number of designated time zones within their boundaries. An illustration of time zones throughout the world and within countries can be seen in the Standard Time Zones of the World map included in the Reference Maps section of The World Factbook.

Total fertility rate

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

Total renewable water resources

This entry provides the long-term average water availability for a country in cubic kilometers of precipitation, recharged ground water, and surface inflows from surrounding countries. The values have been adjusted to account for overlap resulting from surface flow recharge of groundwater sources. Total renewable water resources provides the water total available to a country but does not include water resource totals that have been reserved for upstream or downstream countries through international agreements. Note that these values are averages and do not accurately reflect the total available in any given year. Annual available resources can vary greatly due to short-term and long-term climatic and weather variations.

Trafficking in persons

Trafficking in persons is modern-day slavery, involving victims who are forced, defrauded, or coerced into labor or sexual exploitation. The International Labor Organization (ILO), the UN agency charged with addressing labor standards, employment, and social protection issues, estimates that 12.3 million people worldwide are enslaved in forced labor, bonded labor, forced child labor, sexual servitude, and involuntary servitude at any given time. Human trafficking is a multi-dimensional threat, depriving people of their human rights and freedoms, risking global health, promoting social breakdown, inhibiting development by depriving countries of their human capital, and helping fuel the growth of organized crime. In 2000, the US Congress passed the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA), reauthorized in 2003 and 2005, which provides tools for the US to combat trafficking in persons, both domestically and abroad. One of the law's key components is the creation of the US Department of State's annual Trafficking in Persons Report, which assesses the government response (i.e., the current situation) in some 150 countries with a significant number of victims trafficked across their borders who are recruited, harbored, transported, provided, or obtained for forced labor or sexual exploitation. Countries in the annual report are rated in three tiers, based on government efforts to combat trafficking. The countries identified in this entry are those listed in the 2008 Trafficking in Persons Report as Tier 2 Watch List or Tier 3 based on the following tier rating definitions: Tier 2 Watch List countries do not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but are making significant efforts to do so, and meet one of the following criteria: 1. they display high or significantly increasing number of victims, 2. they have failed to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking in persons, or, 3. they have committed to take action over the next year. Tier 3 countries neither satisfy the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking nor demonstrate a significant effort to do so. Countries in this tier are subject to potential non-humanitarian and non-trade sanctions.

Transnational issues

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

Transportation

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

Transportation - note

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

U

UTC (Coordinated Universal Time)

See entry for Coordinated Universal Time.

Unemployment rate

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

Urbanization

This entry provides two measures of the degree of urbanization of a population. The first, urban population, describes the percentage of the total population living in urban areas, as defined by the country. The second, rate of urbanization, describes the projected average rate of change of the size of the urban population over the given period of time. Additionally, the World entry includes a list of the ten largest urban agglomerations. An urban agglomeration is defined as comprising the city or town proper and also the suburban fringe or thickly settled territory lying outside of, but adjacent to, the boundaries of the city.

W

Waterways

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

Weights and Measures

This information is presented in This information is presented in <a href = "../appendix/appendix-g.html"Appendix G: Weights and Measures and includes mathematical notations (mathematical powers and names), metric interrelationships (prefix; symbol; length, weight, or capacity; area; volume), and standard conversion factors.

Y

Years

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

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

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CIA - The World Factbook — About :: History

A Brief History of Basic Intelligence and The World Factbook

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Hoover Commission's Clark Committee, set up in 1954 to study the structure and administration of the CIA, reported to Congress in 1955 that: "The National Intelligence Survey is an invaluable publication which provides the essential elements of basic intelligence on all areas of the world. There will always be a continuing requirement for keeping the Survey up-to-date." The Factbook was created as an annual summary and update to the encyclopedic NIS studies. The first classified Factbook was published in August 1962, and the first unclassified version was published in June 1971. The NIS program was terminated in 1973 except for the Factbook, map, and gazetteer components. The 1975 Factbook was the first to be made available to the public with sales through the US Government Printing Office (GPO). The Factbook was first made available on the Internet in June 1997. The year 2009 marks the 62nd anniversary of the establishment of the Central Intelligence Agency and the 66th year of continuous basic intelligence support to the US Government by The World Factbook and its two predecessor programs.

The Evolution of The World Factbook

National Basic Intelligence Factbook produced semiannually until 1980. Country entries include sections on Land, Water, People, Government, Economy, Communications, and Defense Forces.

1981

Publication becomes an annual product and is renamed The World
Factbook. A total of 165 nations are covered on 225 pages.

1983

Appendices (Conversion Factors, International Organizations) first introduced.

1984

Appendices expanded; now include: A. The United Nations, B. Selected
United Nations Organizations, C. Selected International
Organizations, D. Country Membership in Selected Organizations, E.
Conversion Factors.

1987

A new Geography section replaces the former separate Land and Water sections. UN Organizations and Selected International Organizations appendices merged into a new International Organizations appendix. First multi-color-cover Factbook.

1988

More than 40 new geographic entities added to provide complete world coverage without overlap or omission. Among the new entities are Antarctica, oceans (Arctic, Atlantic, Indian, Pacific), and the World. The front-of-the-book explanatory introduction expanded and retitled to Notes, Definitions, and Abbreviations. Two new Appendices added: Weights and Measures (in place of Conversion Factors) and a Cross-Reference List of Geographic Names. Factbook size reaches 300 pages.

1989

Economy section completely revised and now includes an Overview briefly describing a country's economy. New entries added under People, Government, and Communications.

1990

The Government section revised and considerably expanded with new entries.

1991

A new International Organizations and Groups appendix added.
Factbook size reaches 405 pages.

1992

Twenty new successor state entries replace those of the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia. New countries are respectively: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan; and Bosnia and Hercegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovenia. Number of nations in the Factbook rises to 188.

1993

Czechoslovakia's split necessitates new Czech Republic and Slovakia entries. New Eritrea entry added after it secedes from Ethiopia. Substantial enhancements made to Geography section.

1994

Two new appendices address Selected International Environmental Agreements. The gross domestic product (GDP) of most developing countries changed to a purchasing power parity (PPP) basis rather than an exchange rate basis. Factbook size up to 512 pages.

1995

The GDP of all countries now presented on a PPP basis. New appendix lists estimates of GDP on an exchange rate basis. Communications category split; Railroads, Highways, Inland waterways, Pipelines, Merchant marine, and Airports entries now make up a new Transportation category. The World Factbook is first produced on CD-ROM.

1996

Maps accompanying each entry now present more detail. Flags also introduced for nearly all entities. Various new entries appear under Geography and Communications. Factbook abbreviations consolidated into a new Appendix A. Two new appendices present a Cross-Reference List of Country Data Codes and a Cross-Reference List of Hydrogeographic Data Codes. Geographic coordinates added to Appendix H, Cross-Reference List of Geographic Names. Factbook size expands by 95 pages in one year to reach 652.

1997

A special edition for the CIA's 50 th anniversary. A schema or Guide to Country Profiles introduced. New color maps and flags now accompany each country profile. Category headings distinguished by shaded backgrounds. Number of categories expanded to nine — the current number — with the addition of an Introduction (for only a few countries) and Transnational Issues (which includes Disputes-international and Illicit drugs). The World Factbook introduced onto the Internet.

1998

The Introduction category with two entries, Current issues and Historical perspective, expanded to more countries. Last year for the production of CD-ROM versions of the Factbook.

1999

Historical perspective and Current issues entries in the
Introduction category combined into a new Background statement.
Several new Economy entries introduced. A new physical map of the
world added to the back-of-the-book reference maps.

2000

A new "country profile" added on the Southern Ocean. The Background statements dramatically expanded to over 200 countries and possessions. A number of new Communications entries added.

2001

Background entries completed for all 267 entities in the Factbook. Several new HIV/AIDS entries introduced under the People category. Revision begun on individual country maps to include elevation extremes and a partial geographic grid. Weights and Measures appendix deleted.

2002

New entry on Distribution of Family income — Gini index added. Revision of individual country maps continued (process still ongoing).

2003

In the Economy category, petroleum entries added for oil production, consumption, exports, imports, and proved reserves, as well as natural gas proved reserves.

2004

Additional petroleum entries included for natural gas production, consumption, exports, and imports. In the Transportation category, under Merchant marine, subfields added for foreign-owned vessels and those registered in other countries. Descriptions of the many forms of government mentioned in the Factbook incorporated into the Definitions and Notes.

2005

In the People category, a Major infectious diseases field added for countries deemed to pose a higher risk for travelers. In the Economy category, entries included for Current account balance, Investment, Public debt, and Reserves of foreign exchange and gold. The Transnational issues category expanded to include Refugees and internally displaced persons. Category headings receive distinctive colored backgrounds. These distinguishing colors are used in both the printed and online versions of the Factbook. Size of the printed Factbook reaches 702 pages.

2006

In the Economy category, national GDP figures now presented at Official Exchange Rates (OER) in addition to GDP at purchasing power parity (PPP). Entries in the Transportation section reordered; Highways changed to Roadways, and Ports and harbors to Ports and terminals.

2007

In the Government category, the Capital entry significantly expanded with up to four subfields, including new information having to do with time. The subfields consist of the name of the capital itself, its geographic coordinates, the time difference at the capital from coordinated universal time (UTC), and, if applicable, information on daylight saving time (DST). Where appropriate, a special note is added to highlight those countries with multiple time zones. A Trafficking in persons entry added to the Transnational issues category. A new appendix, Weights and Measures, (re)introduced to the online version of the Factbook.

2008

In the Geography category, two fields focus on the increasingly vital resource of water: Total renewable water resources and Freshwater withdrawal. In the Economy category, three fields added for: Stock of direct foreign investment - at home, Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad, and Market value of publicly traded shares. Concise descriptions of the major religions mentioned in the Factbook included in the Definitions and Notes. Printing of the Factbook turned over to the Government Printing Office.

2009

In the People category, two new fields provide information on education in terms of opportunity and resources: School Life Expectancy and Education expenditures. Additionally, the Urbanization entry expanded to include all countries. In the Economy category, five fields added: Central bank discount rate, Commercial bank prime lending rate, Stock of money, Stock of quasi money, and Stock of domestic credit. The online Factbook site completely redesigned with many new features.

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About :: Copyright and Contributors

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

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

Citation model:

The World Factbook 2009. Washington, DC: Central Intelligence Agency, 2009.

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/index.html

Comments and queries are welcome and may be addressed to:

Central Intelligence Agency
Attn: Office of Public Affairs
Washington, DC 20505
Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM Eastern Standard Time
Telephone: [1] (703) 482-0623
FAX: [1] (703) 482-1739

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About :: Purchasing

Printed copies of The World Factbook may be obtained from the following:

US Government Printing Office 732 N. Capitol St. Washington, DC 20401 Hours: Monday-Friday 7:00 AM-6:30 PM Eastern Standard Time (EST) Telephone: [1] (202) 512-1800; toll free: [1] (866) 512-1800 FAX: [1] (202) 512-2104 http://bookstore.gpo.gov/

National Technical Information Service 5285 Port Royal Road Springfield, VA 22161 Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-6:00 PM Eastern Standard Time (EST) Telephone: [1] (800) 553-6847 (only in the US); [1] (703) 605-6000 (for outside US) FAX: [1] (703) 605-6900 http://www.ntis.gov/

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

CIA - The World Factbook — Frequently Asked Questions

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

General ::

Can you provide additional information for a specific country?

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

How often is The World Factbook updated?

Formerly our Web site and the published Factbook were only updated annually. In November 2001, we began more frequent online updates, and we now update the Web site every two weeks. The CIA discontinued publishing the printed Factbook after the 2007 edition; the 2008 and 2009 editions are being published by the US Government Printing Office.

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

The World Factbook is in the public domain and may be used freely by anyone at anytime without seeking permission. However, US Code (Section 403m) prohibits use of the CIA seal in a manner which implies that the CIA approved, endorsed, or authorized such use. For any questions about your intended use, you should consult with legal counsel. Further information on use of The World Factbook is described on the Contributors and Copyright Information page. As a courtesy, please cite The World Factbook when used.

Why are there discrepancies between The World Factbook's demographic statistics and other sources?

Although estimates and projections start with the same basic data from censuses, surveys, and registration systems, final estimates and projections can differ as a result of factors including data availability, assessment, and methods and protocols.

Data availability Researchers may obtain specific country data at different times. Estimates or projections developed before the results of a census have been released will not be as accurate as those that take into account new census results.

Assessment Researchers can differ in their assessment of data quality and in their estimates based on the available country data. They often need to adjust their estimates due to such factors as undercounting in a census or underregistration of births or deaths.

Methods and protocols Differences in methods and protocols can shape the way estimates and projections are made of fertility, mortality, and international migration, and how these data are integrated with the population data. For example, the US Census Bureau uses a model that projects the population ahead by single years of age, a single year at a time (population statistics used in the Factbook are based on this model), whereas the United Nations model projects five-year age groups forward, five years at a time.

Why doesn't The World Factbook include information on states, departments, provinces, etc., for each country?

The World Factbook provides national-level information on countries, territories, and dependencies, but not subnational administrative units within a country. A comprehensive encyclopedia might be a source for state/province-level information.

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

Previous editions of the Factbook , beginning with 2000, are available for downloading - but not browsing - on the CIA Web site. Rehosted versions of earlier editions of the Factbook are available for browsing, as well as for downloading, at other Internet web sites. We urge caution, however, in attempting to create time series by stringing together economic data - especially dollar values - from previous editions of the Factbook . Over time, data sources, definitions, and economic accounting methods have changed. We occasionally have made these changes ourselves in order to provide our readers with the best information available. Also, in the case of dollar values, changes in relative exchange rates and prices may make trends difficult to comprehend. Therefore, individuals should consult additional resources when doing comparative research or trend analysis.

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

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

Geography ::

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

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

Why are Taiwan and the European Union listed out of alphabetical order at the end of the Factbook entries?

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

The European Union (EU) is not a country, but it has taken on many nation-like attributes and these may be expanded in the future. A more complete explanation on the inclusion of the EU into the Factbook can be found in the Preliminary statement.

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

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

Why is Palestine not listed in The World Factbook?

The Palestinian areas of Gaza Strip and West Bank are listed in the
Factbook.

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

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

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

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

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

What do you mean when you say that a country is "doubly landlocked"?

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

Why is the area of the United States described as "slightly larger than China" in the Factbook , while other sources list China as larger in area than the United States?

It all depends on whether one is looking at total area (land and water) when making the comparison (which is the criterion used by the Factbook) or just land area (which excludes inland water features such as rivers and lakes).

Total area (combining land and water)

United States = 9,826,630 sq km
China = 9,596,960 sq km

Land only (without any water features)

United States = 9,161,923 sq km
China = 9,326,410 sq km

Why has The World Factbook dropped the four French departments of
Guadeloupe, Martinique, Reunion, and French Guiana?

The four entities are no longer in The World Factbook because their status has changed. While they are overseas departments of France, they are also now recognized as French regions, having equal status to the 22 metropolitan regions that make up European France. In other words, they are now recognized as being part of France proper. Their status is somewhat analogous to Alaska and Hawaii vis-a-vis the contiguous United States. Although separated from the larger geographic entity, they are still considered to be an integral part of it.

Photos ::

Why do you not have pictures for every country?

Inclusion of photos in The World Factbook is a new feature that premiered with the unveiling of the redesigned online World Factbook in June 2009. This is a long-term project, and we plan to continuously add more photos to the site over time. Eventually, we hope to have images for every country in the Factbook.

Could you include photos of people from different locations around the world?

Factbook policy is to not include photos showing identifiable individuals.

I have great travel photos from my trips abroad. Can I submit them to your web site to enhance your photo collection?

We appreciate the many offers from the public to contribute to our photo collection. However, we only use photos from US Government sources.

Can I use a photo in a report I'm writing?

Yes! All photos in The World Factbook are in the public domain.

Spelling and Pronunciation ::

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

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

Why does the spelling of geographic names, features, cities, administrative divisions, etc. in the Factbook differ from those used in my country?

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

Why does The World Factbook omit pronunciations of country or leader names?

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

Why is the name of the Labour party misspelled?

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

Policies and Procedures ::

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Factbook staff judges that this information would only be useful for some (generally smaller) countries. Larger countries can have large temperature extremes that do not represent the landmass as a whole.

What information sources are used for the country flags?

Flag designs used in The World Factbook are based on various national and vexillological sources.

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

We have two sets of GDP dollar estimates in The World Factbook , one derived from purchasing power parity (PPP) calculations and the other derived from official exchange rates (OER). Other sources probably use one of the two. See the Definitions and Notes section on GDP and GDP methodology for more information.

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

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

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

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

Original Data Rounded to whole integer

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

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

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

What rounding convention does The World Factbook use?

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

Why do you list "Independence" dates for countries such as France,
Germany, and the United Kingdom?

For most countries, this entry presents the date that sovereignty was achieved and from which nation, empire, or trusteeship. For other countries, the date may be some other significant nationhood event such as the traditional founding date or the date of unification, federation, confederation, establishment, or state succession and so may not strictly be an "Independence" date. Dependent entities have the nature of their dependency status noted in this same entry.

Technical ::

Does The World Factbook comply with Section 508 of the
Rehabilitation Act regarding accessibility of Web pages?

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

I am using the Factbook online and it is not working. What is wrong?

Hundreds of "Factbook" look-alikes exist on the Internet. You can access The World Factbook at: www.cia.gov, which is the only official site.

When I attempt to download a PDF (Portable Document Format) map file (or some other map) the file has no image. Can you fix this?

Some of the files on The World Factbook Web site are large and could take several minutes to download on a dial-up connection. The screen might be blank during the download process.

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

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

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

The Factbook Web site now features Country Comparison pages for selected Factbook entries. All of the Country Comparison pages can be downloaded as tab-delimited data files that can be opened in other applications such as spreadsheets and databases.

The online Factbook is updated bi-weekly. ISSN 1553-8133 For additional information on government leaders in selected foreign countries, go to World Leaders.

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@Afghanistan (South Asia)

Introduction ::Afghanistan

Background:

Ahmad Shah DURRANI unified the Pashtun tribes and founded Afghanistan in 1747. The country served as a buffer between the British and Russian empires until it won independence from notional British control in 1919. A brief experiment in democracy ended in a 1973 coup and a 1978 Communist counter-coup. The Soviet Union invaded in 1979 to support the tottering Afghan Communist regime, touching off a long and destructive war. The USSR withdrew in 1989 under relentless pressure by internationally supported anti-Communist mujahedin rebels. A series of subsequent civil wars saw Kabul finally fall in 1996 to the Taliban, a hardline Pakistani-sponsored movement that emerged in 1994 to end the country's civil war and anarchy. Following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks in New York City, a US, Allied, and anti-Taliban Northern Alliance military action toppled the Taliban for sheltering Osama BIN LADIN. The UN-sponsored Bonn Conference in 2001 established a process for political reconstruction that included the adoption of a new constitution, a presidential election in 2004, and National Assembly elections in 2005. In December 2004, Hamid KARZAI became the first democratically elected president of Afghanistan and the National Assembly was inaugurated the following December. Despite gains toward building a stable central government, a resurgent Taliban and continuing provincial instability - particularly in the south and the east - remain serious challenges for the Afghan Government.

Geography ::Afghanistan

Location:

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

Geographic coordinates:

33 00 N, 65 00 E

Map references:

Asia

Area:

total: 652,230 sq km country comparison to the world: 41 land: 652,230 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries:

total: 5,529 km

border countries: China 76 km, Iran 936 km, Pakistan 2,430 km, Tajikistan 1,206 km, Turkmenistan 744 km, Uzbekistan 137 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers

Terrain:

mostly rugged mountains; plains in north and southwest

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Amu Darya 258 m

highest point: Nowshak 7,485 m

Natural resources:

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

Land use:

arable land: 12.13%

permanent crops: 0.21%

other: 87.66% (2005)

Irrigated land:

27,200 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

65 cu km (1997)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 23.26 cu km/yr (2%/0%/98%)

per capita: 779 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

damaging earthquakes occur in Hindu Kush mountains; flooding; droughts

Environment - current issues:

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

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified: Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:

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

People ::Afghanistan

Population:

28.396 million (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 43 note: this is a significantly revised figure; the previous estimate of 33,609,937 was extrapolated from the last Afghan census held in 1979, which was never completed because of the Soviet invasion; a new Afghan census is scheduled to take place in 2010

Age structure:

0-14 years: 44.5% (male 7,664,670/female 7,300,446)

15-64 years: 53% (male 9,147,846/female 8,679,800)

65 years and over: 2.4% (male 394,572/female 422,603) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 17.6 years

male: 17.6 years

female: 17.6 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.629% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 28

Birth rate:

45.46 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 4

Death rate:

19.18 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 8

Net migration rate:

21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 2

Urbanization:

urban population: 24% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 5.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female

total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 151.95 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 3 male: 156.01 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 147.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 44.64 years country comparison to the world: 214 male: 44.47 years

female: 44.81 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

6.53 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 4

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.01% (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 168

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: malaria

animal contact disease: rabies

note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Afghan(s)

adjective: Afghan

Ethnic groups:

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

Religions:

Sunni Muslim 80%, Shia Muslim 19%, other 1%

Languages:

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

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 28.1%

male: 43.1%

female: 12.6% (2000 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 8 years

male: 11 years

female: 4 years (2004)

Education expenditures:

NA

Government ::Afghanistan

Country name:

conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Afghanistan

conventional short form: Afghanistan

local long form: Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Afghanestan

local short form: Afghanestan

former: Republic of Afghanistan

Government type:

Islamic republic

Capital:

name: Kabul

geographic coordinates: 34 31 N, 69 11 E

time difference: UTC+4.5 (9.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

34 provinces (welayat, singular - welayat); Badakhshan, Badghis,
Baghlan, Balkh, Bamyan, Daykundi, Farah, Faryab, Ghazni, Ghor,
Helmand, Herat, Jowzjan, Kabul, Kandahar, Kapisa, Khost, Kunar,
Kunduz, Laghman, Logar, Nangarhar, Nimroz, Nuristan, Paktika,
Paktiya, Panjshir, Parwan, Samangan, Sar-e Pul, Takhar, Uruzgan,
Wardak, Zabul

Independence:

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

National holiday:

Independence Day, 19 August (1919)

Constitution:

new constitution drafted 14 December 2003-4 January 2004; signed 16 January 2004; ratified 26 January 2004

Legal system:

based on mixed civil and Sharia law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Hamid KARZAI (since 7 December 2004); First Vice President Ahmad Zia MASOOD; Second Vice President Abdul Karim KHALILI (since 7 December 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government; former King ZAHIR Shah held the honorific, "Father of the Country," and presided symbolically over certain occasions but lacked any governing authority; the honorific is not hereditary; King ZAHIR Shah died on 23 July 2007

head of government: President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Hamid KARZAI (since 7 December 2004); First Vice President Ahmad Zia MASOOD; Second Vice President Abdul Karim KHALILI (since 7 December 2004)

cabinet: 25 ministers; note - under the new constitution, ministers are appointed by the president and approved by the National Assembly

elections: the president and two vice presidents are elected by direct vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); if no candidate receives 50% or more of the vote in the first round of voting, the two candidates with the most votes will participate in a second round; a president can only be elected for two terms; election last held 20 August 2009 (next to be held in 2014)

election results: Hamid KARZAI reelected president; percent of vote - Hamid KARZAI 54.6%, Abdullah ABDULLAH 27.8%, Ramazan BASHARDOST 9.2%, Ashraf GHANI 2.7% (as reported by the Independent Election Commission of Afghanistan on 16 September 2009)

note: on 2 November 2009, following the cancellation of the planned 7 November election runoff, the UN-backed Electoral Complaints Commission officially declared Hamid KARZAI the winner of the 20 August presidential election

Legislative branch:

the bicameral National Assembly consists of the Meshrano Jirga or House of Elders (102 seats, one-third elected from provincial councils for four-year terms, one-third elected from local district councils for three-year terms, and one-third nominated by the president for five-year terms) and the Wolesi Jirga or House of People (no more than 249 seats), directly elected for five-year terms

note: on rare occasions the government may convene a Loya Jirga (Grand Council) on issues of independence, national sovereignty, and territorial integrity; it can amend the provisions of the constitution and prosecute the president; it is made up of members of the National Assembly and chairpersons of the provincial and district councils

elections: last held 18 September 2005 (next election expected in 2010)

election results: the single non-transferable vote (SNTV) system used in the election did not make use of political party slates; most candidates ran as independents

Judicial branch:

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

Political parties and leaders:

Afghanistan Peoples' Treaty Party [Sayyed Amir TAHSEEN];
Afghanistan's Islamic Mission Organization [Abdul Rasoul SAYYAF];
Afghanistan's Islamic Nation Party [Toran Noor Aqa Ahmad ZAI];
Afghanistan's National Islamic Party [Rohullah LOUDIN];
Afghanistan's Welfare Party [Meer Asef ZAEEFI]; Afghan Social
Democratic Party [Anwarul Haq AHADI]; Afghan Society for the Call to
the Koran and Sunna [Mawlawee Samiullah NAJEEBEE]; Comprehensive
Movement of Democracy and Development of Afghanistan Party [Sher
Mohammad BAZGAR]; Democratic Party of Afghanistan [Tawos ARAB];
Democratic Party of Afghanistan [Abdul Kabir RANJBAR]; Elites People
of Afghanistan Party [Abdul Hamid JAWAD]; Freedom and Democracy
Movement of Afghanistan [Abdul Raqib Jawid KOHISTANEE]; Freedom
Party of Afghanistan [Ilaj Abdul MALEK]; Freedom Party of
Afghanistan [Dr. Ghulam Farooq NEJRABEE]; Hizullah-e-Afghanistan
[Qari Ahmad ALI]; Human Rights Protection and Development Party of
Afghanistan [Baryalai NASRATI]; Islamic Justice Party of Afghanistan
[Mohammad Kabir MARZBAN]; Islamic Movement of Afghanistan [Mohammad
Ali JAWID]; Islamic Movement of Afghanistan Party [Mohammad Mukhtar
MUFLEH]; Islamic Party of Afghanistan [Mohammad Khalid FAROOQI,
Abdul Hadi ARGHANDIWAL]; Islamic Party of the Afghan Land [Mohammad
Hassan FEROZKHEL]; Islamic People's Movement of Afghanistan [Ilhaj
Said Hussain ANWARY]; Islamic Society of Afghanistan [Ustad
RABBANI]; Islamic Unity of the Nation of Afghanistan Party [Qurban
Ali URFANI]; Islamic Unity Party of Afghanistan [Mohammad Karim
KHALILI]; Islamic Unity Party of the People of Afghanistan [Ustad
Mohammad MOHAQQEQ]; Labor and Progress of Afghanistan Party
[Zulfiqar OMID]; Muslim People of Afghanistan Party [Besmellah
JOYAN]; Muslim Unity Movement Party of Afghanistan [Wazir Mohammad
WAHDAT]; National and Islamic Sovereignty Movement Party of
Afghanistan [Ahmad Shah AHMADZAI]; National Congress Party of
Afghanistan [Abdul Latif PEDRAM]; National Country Party [Ghulam
MOHAMMAD]; National Development Party of Afghanistan [Dr. Aref
BAKTASH]; National Freedom Seekers Party [Abdul Hadi DABEER];
National Independence Party of Afghanistan [Taj Mohammad WARDAK];
National Islamic Fighters Party of Afghanistan [Amanat NINGARHAREE];
National Islamic Front of Afghanistan [Pir Sayed Ahmad GAILANEE];
National Islamic Moderation Party of Afghanistan [Qara Bik Eized
YAAR]; National Islamic Movement of Afghanistan [Sayed NOORULLAH]

National Islamic Unity Party of Afghanistan [Mohammad AKBAREE];
National Movement of Afghanistan [Ahmad Wali MASOOUD]; National
Party of Afghanistan [Abdul Rashid ARYAN]; National Patch of
Afghanistan Party [Sayed Kamal SADAT]; National Peace Islamic Party
of Afghanistan [Shah Mohammood Popal ZAI]; National Peace & Islamic
Party of the Tribes of Afghanistan [Abdul Qaher SHARIATEE]; National
Peace & Unity Party of Afghanistan [Abdul Qader IMAMI]; National
Prosperity and Islamic Party of Afghanistan [Mohammad Osman
SALEKZADA]; National Prosperity Party [Mohammad Hassan JAHFAREE];
National Solidarity Movement of Afghanistan [Pir Sayed Eshaq
GAILANEE]; National Solidarity Party of Afghanistan [Sayed Mansoor
NADREEI]; National Sovereignty Party [Sayed Mustafa KAZEMI];
National Stability Party [Mohammad Same KHAROTI]; National Stance
Party [Habibullah JANEBDAR]; National Tribal Unity Islamic Party of
Afghanistan [Mohammad Shah KHOGYANI]; National United Front
[Burhanuddin RABBANI] (a coalition); National Unity Movement [Sultan
Mohammad GHAZI]; National Unity Movement of Afghanistan [Mohammad
Nadir AATASH]; National Unity Party of Afghanistan [Abdul Rashid
JALILI]; New Afghanistan Party [Mohammad Yunis QANUNI]; Peace and
National Welfare Activists Society [Shamsul Haq Noor SHAMS]; Peace
Movement [Shahnawaz TANAI]; People's Aspirations Party of
Afghanistan [Ilhaj Saraj-u-din ZAFAREE]; People's Freedom Seekers
Party of Afghanistan [Feda Mohammad EHSAS]; People's Liberal Freedom
Seekers Party of Afghanistan [Ajmal SUHAIL]; People's Message Party
of Afghanistan [Noor Aqa WAINEE]; People's Movement of the National
Unity of Afghanistan [Abdul Hakim NOORZAI]; People's Party of
Afghanistan [Ahmad Shah ASAR]; People's Prosperity Party of
Afghanistan [Ustad Mohammad ZAREEF]; People's Sovereignty Movement
of Afghanistan [Hayatullah SUBHANEE]; People's Uprising Party of
Afghanistan [Sayed Zahir Qayed Omul BELADI]; People's Welfare Party
of Afghanistan [Mia Gul WASIQ]; People's Welfare Party of
Afghanistan [Mohammad Zubair PAIROZ]; Progressive Democratic Party
of Afghanistan [Wali ARYA]; Republican Party [Sebghatullah SANJAR];
Solidarity Party of Afghanistan [Abdul Khaleq NEMAT]; The
Afghanistan's Mujahid Nation's Islamic Unity Movement [Saeedullah
SAEED]; The People of Afghanistan's Democratic Movement [Sharif
NAZARI]; Tribes Solidarity Party of Afghanistan [Mohammad Zarif
NASERI]; Understanding and Democracy Party of Afghanistan [Ahamad
SHAHEEN]

United Afghanistan Party [Mohammad Wasil RAHIMEE]; United Islamic Party of Afghanistan [Wahidullah SABAWOON]; Young Afghanistan's Islamic Organization [Sayed Jawad HUSSINEE]; Youth Solidarity Party of Afghanistan [Mohammad Jamil KARZAI]; note - includes only political parties approved by the Ministry of Justice

Political pressure groups and leaders:

other: religious groups; tribal leaders; ethnically based groups

International organization participation:

ADB, CP, ECO, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, IDA, IDB, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITSO,
ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), SAARC, SACEP, SCO
(guest), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Said Tayeb JAWAD

chancery: 2341 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 483-6410

FAX: [1] (202) 483-6488

consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Deputy Ambassador Francis J. RICCIARDONE, Jr.

embassy: The Great Masood Road, Kabul

mailing address: U.S. Embassy Kabul, APO, AE 09806

telephone: [93] 0700 108 001

FAX: [93] 0700 108 564

Flag description:

three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), red, and green, with the national emblem in white centered on the red band and slightly overlapping the other two bands; the center of the emblem features a mosque with pulpit and flags on either side, below the mosque are numerals for the solar year 1298 (1919 in the Gregorian calendar, the year of Afghan independence from the UK); this central image is circled by a border consisting of sheaves of wheat on the left and right, in the upper-center is an Arabic inscription of the Shahada (Muslim creed) below which are rays of the rising sun over the Takbir (Arabic expression meaning "God is great"), and at bottom center is a scroll bearing the name Afghanistan

Economy ::Afghanistan

Economy - overview:

Afghanistan's economy is recovering from decades of conflict. The economy has improved significantly since the fall of the Taliban regime in 2001 largely because of the infusion of international assistance, the recovery of the agricultural sector, and service sector growth. Real GDP growth fell from the 10% level in 2006-07 to a little more than 3% in 2008. Despite the progress of the past few years, Afghanistan is extremely poor, landlocked, and highly dependent on foreign aid, agriculture, and trade with neighboring countries. Much of the population continues to suffer from shortages of housing, clean water, electricity, medical care, and jobs. Criminality, insecurity, and the Afghan Government's inability to extend rule of law to all parts of the country pose challenges to future economic growth. It will probably take the remainder of the decade and continuing donor aid and attention to significantly raise Afghanistan's living standards from its current level, among the lowest in the world. International pledges made by more than 60 countries and international financial institutions at the Berlin Donors Conference for Afghan reconstruction in March 2004 reached $8.9 billion for 2004-09. While the international community remains committed to Afghanistan's development, pledging over $57 billion at three donors' conferences since 2002, Kabul will need to overcome a number of challenges. Expanding poppy cultivation and a growing opium trade generate roughly $3 billion in illicit economic activity and looms as one of Kabul's most serious policy concerns. Other long-term challenges include: budget sustainability, job creation, corruption, government capacity, and rebuilding war torn infrastructure.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$22.32 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 116 $21.58 billion (2007 est.)

$19.25 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$11.71 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

3.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 112 12.1% (2007 est.)

8.2% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$800 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 219 $800 (2007 est.)

$700 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 31%

industry: 26%

services: 43%

note: data exclude opium production (2008 est.)

Labor force:

15 million (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 38

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 80%

industry: 10%

services: 10% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:

40% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 185 40% (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line:

53% (2003)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $890 million

expenditures: $2.7 billion

note: Afghanistan has also received $2.6 billion from the Reconstruction Trust Fund and $63 million from the Law and Order Trust Fund (2007 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

13% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 180

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

14.92% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 23 18.14% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$1.688 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 73 $1.426 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$1.219 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 92 $958.6 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$363.6 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 119 $12.04 million (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

opium, wheat, fruits, nuts; wool, mutton, sheepskins, lambskins

Industries:

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

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

839 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 150

Electricity - consumption:

1.01 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 145

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

230 million kWh (2007 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 209

Oil - consumption:

5,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 163

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 138

Oil - imports:

4,404 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 161

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 100

Natural gas - production:

30 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 84

Natural gas - consumption:

30 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 108

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 206

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 69

Natural gas - proved reserves:

49.55 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 65

Current account balance:

-$67 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 74

Exports:

$327 million (2007) country comparison to the world: 173 $274 million (2006); note - not including illicit exports or reexports

Exports - commodities:

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

Exports - partners:

India 20.5%, Pakistan 18.5%, US 17.2%, Tajikistan 13.3%, Netherlands 7.2% (2008)

Imports:

$4.85 billion (2007) country comparison to the world: 116 $3.823 billion (2006)

Imports - commodities:

capital goods, food, textiles, petroleum products

Imports - partners:

Pakistan 36.9%, US 9.5%, Germany 7.7%, India 5.2% (2008)

Debt - external:

$8 billion (2004) country comparison to the world: 90

Exchange rates:

afghanis (AFA) per US dollar - 50 (2007), 46 (2006), 47.7 (2005), 48 (2004), 49 (2003)

Communications ::Afghanistan

Telephones - main lines in use:

460,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 100

Telephones - mobile cellular:

8.45 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 69

Telephone system:

general assessment: limited landline telephone service; an increasing number of Afghans utilize mobile-cellular phone networks in major cities

domestic: aided by the presence of multiple providers, mobile-cellular telephone service is improving rapidly

international: country code - 93; five VSAT's installed in Kabul, Herat, Mazar-e-Sharif, Kandahar, and Jalalabad provide international and domestic voice and data connectivity (2007)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 21, FM 5, shortwave 1 (broadcasts in Pashto, Dari (Afghan
Persian), Urdu, and English) (2006)

Television broadcast stations:

at least 7 (1 government-run central television station in Kabul and regional stations in 6 of the 34 provinces) (2006)

Internet country code:

.af

Internet hosts:

47 (2009) country comparison to the world: 208

Internet users:

500,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 107

Communications - note:

Internet access is growing through Internet cafes as well as public "telekiosks" in Kabul (2005)

Transportation ::Afghanistan

Airports:

51 (2009) country comparison to the world: 90

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 16

over 3,047 m: 4

2,438 to 3,047 m: 3

1,524 to 2,437 m: 7

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 35

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 4

1,524 to 2,437 m: 16

914 to 1,523 m: 5

under 914 m: 9 (2009)

Heliports:

11 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 466 km (2008)

Roadways:

total: 42,150 km country comparison to the world: 87 paved: 12,350 km

unpaved: 29,800 km (2006)

Waterways:

1,200 km (chiefly Amu Darya, which handles vessels up to 500 DWT) (2008) country comparison to the world: 59

Ports and terminals:

Kheyrabad, Shir Khan

Military ::Afghanistan

Military branches:

Afghan Armed Forces: Afghan National Army (ANA, includes Afghan
National Army Air Corps) (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

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

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 7,431,147

females age 16-49: 7,004,819 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 4,371,193

females age 16-49: 4,072,945 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 382,720

female: 361,733 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.9% of GDP (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 84

Transnational Issues ::Afghanistan

Disputes - international:

Pakistan has built fences in some portions of its border with Afghanistan which remains open in some areas to foreign terrorists and other illegal activities

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

IDPs: 132,246 (mostly Pashtuns and Kuchis displaced in south and west due to drought and instability) (2007)

Illicit drugs:

world's largest producer of opium; poppy cultivation decreased 22% to 157,000 hectares in 2008 but remains at a historically high level; less favorable growing conditions in 2008 reduced potential opium production to 5,500 metric tons, down 31 percent from 2007; if the entire opium crop were processed, 648 metric tons of pure heroin potentially could be produced; the Taliban and other antigovernment groups participate in and profit from the opiate trade, which is a key source of revenue for the Taliban inside Afghanistan; widespread corruption and instability impede counterdrug efforts; most of the heroin consumed in Europe and Eurasia is derived from Afghan opium; vulnerable to drug money laundering through informal financial networks; regional source of hashish (2008)

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Akrotiri (Europe)

Introduction ::Akrotiri

Background:

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

Geography ::Akrotiri

Location:

Eastern Mediterranean, peninsula on the southwest coast of Cyprus

Geographic coordinates:

34 37 N, 32 58 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 123 sq km country comparison to the world: 223 note: includes a salt lake and wetlands

Area - comparative:

about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

total: 47.4 km

border countries: Cyprus 47.4 km

Coastline:

56.3 km

Climate:

temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters

Environment - current issues:

hunting around the salt lake; note - breeding place for loggerhead and green turtles; only remaining colony of griffon vultures is on the base

Geography - note:

British extraterritorial rights also extended to several small
off-post sites scattered across Cyprus; of the Sovereign Base Area
(SBA) land, 60% is privately owned and farmed, 20% is owned by the
Ministry of Defense, and 20% is SBA Crown land

People ::Akrotiri

Population:

approximately 15,700 live on the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia including 7,700 Cypriots, 3,600 Service and UK-based contract personnel, and 4,400 dependents country comparison to the world: 218

Languages:

English, Greek

Government ::Akrotiri

Country name:

conventional long form: Akrotiri Sovereign Base Area

conventional short form: Akrotiri

Dependency status:

a special form of UK overseas territory; administered by an administrator who is also the Commander, British Forces Cyprus

Capital:

name: Episkopi Cantonment (base administrative center for Akrotiri and Dhekelia)

geographic coordinates: 34 40 N, 32 51 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Constitution:

Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia Order in Council 1960, effective 16 August 1960, functions as a basic legal document

Legal system:

the Sovereign Base Area Administration has its own court system to deal with civil and criminal matters; laws applicable to the Cypriot population are, as far as possible, the same as the laws of the Republic of Cyprus

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)

head of government: Administrator Major General Jamie GORDON (since October 2008); note - reports to the British Ministry of Defense

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the administrator is appointed by the monarch

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description:

the flag of the UK is used

Economy ::Akrotiri

Economy - overview:

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

Exchange rates:

euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827

note: on 1 January 2008 Akrotiri and Dhekelia adopted the euro along with the rest of Cyprus

Communications ::Akrotiri

Radio broadcast stations:

AM NA, FM 1, shortwave NA (British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides Radio 1 and Radio 2 service to Akrotiri, Dhekelia, and Nicosia) (2006)

Television broadcast stations:

0 (British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides multi-channel satellite service to Akrotiri, Dhekelia, and Nicosia) (2006)

Military ::Akrotiri

Military - note:

Akrotiri has a full RAF base, Headquarters for British Forces
Cyprus, and Episkopi Support Unit

page last updated on July 2, 2009

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

@Albania (Europe)

Introduction ::Albania

Background:

Albania declared its independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1912, but was conquered by Italy in 1939. Communist partisans took over the country in 1944. Albania allied itself first with the USSR (until 1960), and then with China (to 1978). In the early 1990s, Albania ended 46 years of xenophobic Communist rule and established a multiparty democracy. The transition has proven challenging as successive governments have tried to deal with high unemployment, widespread corruption, a dilapidated physical infrastructure, powerful organized crime networks, and combative political opponents. Albania has made progress in its democratic development since first holding multiparty elections in 1991, but deficiencies remain. International observers judged elections to be largely free and fair since the restoration of political stability following the collapse of pyramid schemes in 1997; however, there have been claims of electoral fraud in every one of Albania's post-communist elections. In the 2005 general elections, the Democratic Party and its allies won a decisive victory on pledges to reduce crime and corruption, promote economic growth, and decrease the size of government. The election, and particularly the orderly transition of power, was considered an important step forward. Albania joined NATO in April 2009 and is a potential candidate for EU accession. Although Albania's economy continues to grow, the country is still one of the poorest in Europe, hampered by a large informal economy and an inadequate energy and transportation infrastructure.

Geography ::Albania

Location:

Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea, between Greece in the south and Montenegro and Kosovo to the north

Geographic coordinates:

41 00 N, 20 00 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 28,748 sq km country comparison to the world: 144 land: 27,398 sq km

water: 1,350 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries:

total: 717 km

border countries: Greece 282 km, Macedonia 151 km, Montenegro 172 km, Kosovo 112 km

Coastline:

362 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:

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

Terrain:

mostly mountains and hills; small plains along coast

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m

highest point: Maja e Korabit (Golem Korab) 2,764 m

Natural resources:

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

Land use:

arable land: 20.1%

permanent crops: 4.21%

other: 75.69% (2005)

Irrigated land:

3,530 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

41.7 cu km (2001)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 1.71 cu km/yr (27%/11%/62%)

per capita: 546 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

destructive earthquakes; tsunamis occur along southwestern coast; floods; drought

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution from industrial and domestic effluents

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

strategic location along Strait of Otranto (links Adriatic Sea to Ionian Sea and Mediterranean Sea)

People ::Albania

Population:

3,639,453 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 129

Age structure:

0-14 years: 23.1% (male 440,528/female 400,816)

15-64 years: 67.1% (male 1,251,001/female 1,190,841)

65 years and over: 9.8% (male 165,557/female 190,710) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 29.9 years

male: 29.3 years

female: 30.6 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.546% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 151

Birth rate:

15.29 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 138

Death rate:

5.55 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 174

Net migration rate:

-4.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 160

Urbanization:

urban population: 47% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.1 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female

total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 18.62 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 110 male: 19.05 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 18.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 77.96 years country comparison to the world: 51 male: 75.28 years

female: 80.89 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.01 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 128

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Albanian(s)

adjective: Albanian

Ethnic groups:

Albanian 95%, Greek 3%, other 2% (Vlach, Roma (Gypsy), Serb,
Macedonian, Bulgarian) (1989 est.)

note: in 1989, other estimates of the Greek population ranged from 1% (official Albanian statistics) to 12% (from a Greek organization)

Religions:

Muslim 70%, Albanian Orthodox 20%, Roman Catholic 10%

note: percentages are estimates; there are no available current statistics on religious affiliation; all mosques and churches were closed in 1967 and religious observances prohibited; in November 1990, Albania began allowing private religious practice

Languages:

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

Literacy:

definition: age 9 and over can read and write

total population: 98.7%

male: 99.2%

female: 98.3% (2001 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 11 years

male: 11 years

female: 11 years (2004)

Education expenditures:

2.9% of GDP (2002) country comparison to the world: 147

Government ::Albania

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Albania

conventional short form: Albania

local long form: Republika e Shqiperise

local short form: Shqiperia

former: People's Socialist Republic of Albania

Government type:

emerging democracy

Capital:

name: Tirana (Tirane)

geographic coordinates: 41 19 N, 19 49 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

12 counties (qarqe, singular - qark); Berat, Diber, Durres, Elbasan, Fier, Gjirokaster, Korce, Kukes, Lezhe, Shkoder, Tirane, Vlore

Independence:

28 November 1912 (from the Ottoman Empire)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 28 November (1912)

Constitution:

approved by parliament on 21 October 1998; adopted by popular referendum on 22 November 1998; promulgated 28 November 1998

Legal system:

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

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President of the Republic Bamir TOPI (since 24 July 2007)

head of government: Prime Minister Sali BERISHA (since 10 September 2005)

cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, nominated by the president, and approved by parliament

elections: president elected by the Assembly for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); four election rounds held between 8 and 20 July 2007 (next election to be held in 2012); prime minister appointed by the president

election results: Bamir TOPI elected president; Assembly vote, fourth round (three-fifths majority (84 votes) required): Bamir TOPI 85 votes, Neritan CEKA 5 votes

Legislative branch:

unicameral Assembly or Kuvendi (140 seats; 100 members elected by direct popular vote and 40 by proportional vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 3 July 2005 (next to be held in 2009)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PD 56, PS 42, PR 11, PSD 7, LSI 5, other 19

note: Parliament in November 2008 approved an electoral reform package that will transform the electoral system from a majority system to a regional proportional system; the code will also establish an electoral threshold limiting smaller party representation

Judicial branch:

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

Political parties and leaders:

Agrarian Environmentalist Party or PAA [Lufter XHUVELI]; Christian
Democratic Party or PDK [Nard NDOKA]; Communist Party of Albania or
PKSH [Hysni MILLOSHI]; Democratic Alliance Party or AD [Neritan
CEKA]; Democratic Party or PD [Sali BERISHA]; G99 Political Movement
[Erion VELIAJ]; Liberal Union Party or BLD [Arjan STAROVA]; National
Front Party (Balli Kombetar) or PBK [Artur ROSHI]; New Democratic
Party or PDR [Genc POLLO]; Republican Party or PR [Fatmir MEDIU];
Social Democracy Party of Albania or PDSSh [Paskal MILO]; Social
Democratic Party or PSD [Skender GJINUSHI]; Socialist Movement for
Integration or LSI [Ilir META]; Socialist Party or PS [Edi RAMA];
Socialist Party 1991 [Petro KOCI]; Union for Human Rights Party or
PBDNj [Vangjel DULE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Citizens Advocacy Office [Kreshnik SPAHIU]; Confederation of Trade
Unions of Albania or KSSH [Kastriot MUCO]; Front for Albanian
National Unification or FBKSH [Gafur ADILI]; Mjaft Movement; Omonia
[Jani JANI]; Union of Independent Trade Unions of Albania or BSPSH
[Gezim KALAJA]

International organization participation:

BSEC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,
IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO
(correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO, OIC, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, SECI,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Aleksander SALLABANDA

chancery: 2100 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 223-4942

FAX: [1] (202) 628-7342

consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador John L. WITHERS, II

embassy: Rruga e Elbasanit, Labinoti #103, Tirana

mailing address: US Department of State, 9510 Tirana Place, Dulles, VA 20189-9510

telephone: [355] (4) 2247285

FAX: [355] (4) 2232222

Flag description:

red with a black two-headed eagle in the center; the design is claimed to be that of 15th-century hero George Castriota SKANDERBERG, who led a successful uprising against the Turks that resulted in a short-lived independence for some Albanian regions (1443-1478)

Economy ::Albania

Economy - overview:

Lagging behind its Balkan neighbors, Albania is making the difficult transition to a more modern open-market economy. Macroeconomic growth has averaged around 5% over the last five years and inflation is low and stable. The government has taken measures to curb violent crime, and recently adopted a fiscal reform package aimed at reducing the large gray economy and attracting foreign investment. The economy is bolstered by annual remittances from abroad representing about 15% of GDP, mostly from Albanians residing in Greece and Italy; this helps offset the towering trade deficit. The agricultural sector, which accounts for over half of employment but only about one-fifth of GDP, is limited primarily to small family operations and subsistence farming because of lack of modern equipment, unclear property rights, and the prevalence of small, inefficient plots of land. Energy shortages because of a reliance on hydropower, and antiquated and inadequate infrastructure contribute to Albania's poor business environment and lack of success in attracting new foreign investment. The completion of a new thermal power plant near Vlore has helped diversify generation capacity, and plans to upgrade transmission lines between Albania and Montenegro and Kosovo would help relieve the energy shortages. Also, with help from EU funds, the government is taking steps to improve the poor national road and rail network, a long-standing barrier to sustained economic growth.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$21.86 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 117 $20.61 billion (2007 est.)

$19.44 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Albania has an informal, and unreported, sector that may be as large as 50% of official GDP

GDP (official exchange rate):

$12.96 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

6.1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 56 6% (2007 est.)

5.5% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$6,000 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 132 $5,700 (2007 est.)

$5,400 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 20.5%

industry: 19.8%

services: 59.7% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

1.103 million (not including 352,000 emigrant workers) (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 137

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 58%

industry: 15%

services: 27% (September 2006 est.)

Unemployment rate:

12.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 138 13.2% (2007 est.)

note: these are official rates, but actual rates may exceed 30% due to preponderance of near-subsistence farming

Population below poverty line:

25% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 3.2%

highest 10%: 25.9% (2005)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

26.7 (2005) country comparison to the world: 124

Investment (gross fixed):

23.1% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 69

Budget:

revenues: $3.458 billion

expenditures: $4.175 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

51.9% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 34 51.4% of GDP (2007 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 47 2.9% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

6.25% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 69 6.25% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

13.02% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 52 14.1% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$3.028 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 64 $2.707 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$6.251 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 60 $6.433 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$8.176 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 74 $7.247 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

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

Industries:

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

Industrial production growth rate:

3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 79

Electricity - production:

2.888 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 126

Electricity - consumption:

3.603 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 117

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

2.475 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

5,985 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 93

Oil - consumption:

34,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 108

Oil - exports:

748.9 bbl/day (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 122

Oil - imports:

24,080 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 109

Oil - proved reserves:

199.1 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 57

Natural gas - production:

30 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 86

Natural gas - consumption:

30 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 109

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 205

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 204

Natural gas - proved reserves:

849.5 million cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 100

Current account balance:

-$1.906 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 136 -$1.202 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$1.345 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 144 $1.076 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

textiles and footwear; asphalt, metals and metallic ores, crude oil; vegetables, fruits, tobacco

Exports - partners:

Italy 55.9%, Greece 11.6%, China 7.2% (2008)

Imports:

$4.898 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 114 $3.999 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, textiles, chemicals

Imports - partners:

Italy 32.2%, Greece 13.1%, Turkey 7.2%, Germany 6.6%, China 4.5%,
Russia 4.4% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$2.364 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 104 $2.162 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$1.55 billion (2004) country comparison to the world: 143

Exchange rates:

leke (ALL) per US dollar - 79.546 (2008 est.), 92.668 (2007), 98.384 (2006), 102.649 (2005), 102.78 (2004)

Communications ::Albania

Telephones - main lines in use:

316,400 (2008) country comparison to the world: 113

Telephones - mobile cellular:

3.141 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 108

Telephone system:

general assessment: despite new investment in fixed lines, the density of main lines remains low with roughly 10 lines per 100 people; cellular telephone use is widespread and generally effective; combined fixed line and mobile telephone density is approaching 100 telephones per 100 persons

domestic: offsetting the shortage of fixed line capacity, mobile phone service has been available since 1996; by 2003, two companies were providing mobile services at a greater density than some of Albania's neighbors; Internet broadband services initiated in 2005; Internet cafes are popular in Tirana and have started to spread outside the capital

international: country code - 355; submarine cable provides connectivity to Italy, Croatia, and Greece; the Trans-Balkan Line, a combination submarine cable and land fiber-optic system, provides additional connectivity to Bulgaria, Macedonia, and Turkey; international traffic carried by fiber-optic cable and, when necessary, by microwave radio relay from the Tirana exchange to Italy and Greece (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 13, FM 46, shortwave 1 (2005)

Television broadcast stations:

65 (3 national, 62 local); 2 cable networks (2005)

Internet country code:

.al

Internet hosts:

14,245 (2009) country comparison to the world: 110

Internet users:

471,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 109

Transportation ::Albania

Airports:

5 (2009) country comparison to the world: 176

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 4

2,438 to 3,047 m: 3

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)

Heliports:

1 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 339 km; oil 207 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 896 km country comparison to the world: 96 standard gauge: 896 km 1.435-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 18,000 km country comparison to the world: 117 paved: 7,020 km

unpaved: 10,980 km (2002)

Waterways:

43 km (2008) country comparison to the world: 105

Merchant marine:

total: 24 country comparison to the world: 91 by type: cargo 22, roll on/roll off 2

foreign-owned: 1 (Turkey 1)

registered in other countries: 2 (Panama 2) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Durres, Sarande, Shengjin, Vlore

Military ::Albania

Military branches:

Joint Force Command (includes Land, Naval, and Aviation Brigade
Commands), Joint Support Command (includes Logistic Command),
Training and Doctrine Command (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

19 years of age (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 944,592

females age 16-49: 908,527 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 800,665

females age 16-49: 768,536 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 34,778

female: 31,673 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.49% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 110

Transnational Issues ::Albania

Disputes - international:

the Albanian Government calls for the protection of the rights of ethnic Albanians in neighboring countries, and the peaceful resolution of interethnic disputes; some ethnic Albanian groups in neighboring countries advocate for a "greater Albania," but the idea has little appeal among Albanian nationals; the mass emigration of unemployed Albanians remains a problem for developed countries, chiefly Greece and Italy

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Albania is a source country for women and girls trafficked for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor; it is no longer considered a major country of transit; Albanian victims are trafficked to Greece, Italy, Macedonia, and Kosovo, with many trafficked onward to Western European countries; children were also trafficked to Greece for begging and other forms of child labor; approximately half of all Albanian trafficking victims are under age 18; internal sex trafficking of women and children is on the rise

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Albania is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking in persons in 2007, particularly in the area of victim protection; the government did not appropriately identify trafficking victims during 2007, and has not demonstrated that it is vigorously investigating or prosecuting complicit officials (2008)

Illicit drugs:

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

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Algeria (Africa)

Introduction ::Algeria

Background:

After more than a century of rule by France, Algerians fought through much of the 1950s to achieve independence in 1962. Algeria's primary political party, the National Liberation Front (FLN), has dominated politics ever since. Many Algerians in the subsequent generation were not satisfied, however, and moved to counter the FLN's centrality in Algerian politics. The surprising first round success of the Islamic Salvation Front (FIS) in the December 1991 balloting spurred the Algerian army to intervene and postpone the second round of elections to prevent what the secular elite feared would be an extremist-led government from assuming power. The army began a crackdown on the FIS that spurred FIS supporters to begin attacking government targets. The government later allowed elections featuring pro-government and moderate religious-based parties, but did not appease the activists who progressively widened their attacks. The fighting escalated into an insurgency, which saw intense fighting between 1992-98 and which resulted in over 100,000 deaths - many attributed to indiscriminate massacres of villagers by extremists. The government gained the upper hand by the late-1990s and FIS's armed wing, the Islamic Salvation Army, disbanded in January 2000. However, small numbers of armed militants persist in confronting government forces and conducting ambushes and occasional attacks on villages. The army placed Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA in the presidency in 1999 in a fraudulent election but claimed neutrality in his 2004 landslide reelection victory. Longstanding problems continue to face BOUTEFLIKA in his second term, including large-scale unemployment, a shortage of housing, unreliable electrical and water supplies, government inefficiencies and corruption, and the continuing activities of extremist militants. The Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC) in 2006 merged with al-Qaida to form al-Qaida in the Lands of the Islamic Maghreb, which since has launched an ongoing series of kidnappings and bombings - including high-profile, mass-casualty suicide attacks targeted against the Algerian government and Western interests. Algeria must also diversify its petroleum-based economy, which has yielded a large cash reserve but which has not been used to redress Algeria's many social and infrastructure problems.

Geography ::Algeria

Location:

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

Geographic coordinates:

28 00 N, 3 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 2,381,741 sq km country comparison to the world: 11 land: 2,381,741 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Texas

Land boundaries:

total: 6,343 km

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

Coastline:

998 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 32-52 nm

Climate:

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

Terrain:

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

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Chott Melrhir -40 m

highest point: Tahat 3,003 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, uranium, lead, zinc

Land use:

arable land: 3.17%

permanent crops: 0.28%

other: 96.55% (2005)

Irrigated land:

5,690 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

14.3 cu km (1997)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 6.07 cu km/yr (22%/13%/65%)

per capita: 185 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

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

Environment - current issues:

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

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

second-largest country in Africa (after Sudan)

People ::Algeria

Population:

34,178,188 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 36

Age structure:

0-14 years: 25.4% (male 4,436,591/female 4,259,729)

15-64 years: 69.5% (male 11,976,965/female 11,777,618)

65 years and over: 5.1% (male 798,576/female 928,709) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 26.6 years

male: 26.3 years

female: 26.8 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.196% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 111

Birth rate:

16.9 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 124

Death rate:

4.64 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 197

Net migration rate:

-0.29 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 100

Urbanization:

urban population: 65% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 2.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 27.73 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 80 male: 30.86 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 24.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 74.02 years country comparison to the world: 92 male: 72.35 years

female: 75.77 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.79 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 157

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.1%; note - no country specific models provided (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 113

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

21,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 76

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 1,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 73

Nationality:

noun: Algerian(s)

adjective: Algerian

Ethnic groups:

Arab-Berber 99%, European less than 1%

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

Religions:

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

Languages:

Arabic (official), French, Berber dialects

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 69.9%

male: 79.6%

female: 60.1% (2002 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 13 years

male: 13 years

female: 13 years (2005)

Education expenditures:

5.1% of GDP (1999) country comparison to the world: 64

Government ::Algeria

Country name:

conventional long form: People's Democratic Republic of Algeria

conventional short form: Algeria

local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Jaza'iriyah ad Dimuqratiyah ash Sha'biyah

local short form: Al Jaza'ir

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Algiers

geographic coordinates: 36 45 N, 3 03 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

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

Independence:

5 July 1962 (from France)

National holiday:

Revolution Day, 1 November (1954)

Constitution:

8 September 1963; revised 19 November 1976; effective 22 November 1976; revised 3 November 1988, 23 February 1989, 28 November 1996, 10 April 2002, and 12 November 2008

Legal system:

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

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA (since 28 April 1999)

head of government: Prime Minister Ahmed OUYAHIA (since 23 June 2008)

cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; note - a November 2008 constitutional amendment abolished presidential term limits; election last held 9 April 2009 (next to be held in April 2014); prime minister appointed by the president

election results: Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA reelected president for third term; percent of vote - Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA 90.2%, Louisa HANOUNE 4.2%, Moussa TOUATI 2.3%, Djahid YOUNSI 1.4%, Ali Fawzi REBIANE less than 1%, Mohamed SAID less than 1%

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament consists of the Council of Nations (Senate) (144 seats; one-third of the members appointed by the president, two-thirds elected by indirect vote to serve six-year terms; the constitution requires half the council to be renewed every three years) and the National People's Assembly or Al-Majlis Al-Shabi Al-Watani (389 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: National People's Assembly - last held 17 May 2007 (next to be held in 2012); Council of Nations (Senate) - last held 28 December 2006 (next to be held in 2009)

election results: National People's Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FLN 136, RND 61, MSP 52, PT 26, RCD 19, FNA 13, other 49, independents 33; Council of Nations - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FLN 29, RND 12, MSP 3, RCD 1, independents 3, presidential appointees (unknown affiliation) 24; note - Council seating reflects the number of replaced council members rather than the whole Council

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:

Ahd 54 [Ali Fauzi REBAINE]; Algerian National Front or FNA [Moussa
TOUATI]; National Democratic Rally (Rassemblement National
Democratique) or RND [Ahmed OUYAHIA]; National Liberation Front or
FLN [Abdelaziz BELKHADEM, secretary general]; National Reform
Movement or Islah (formerly MRN) [Ahmed ABDESLAM]; Rally for Culture
and Democracy or RCD [Said SADI]; Renaissance Movement or EnNahda
Movement [Fatah RABEI]; Socialist Forces Front or FFS [Hocine Ait
AHMED]; Society of Peace Movement or MSP [Boudjerra SOLTANI];
Workers Party or PT [Louisa HANOUNE]

note: a law banning political parties based on religion was enacted in March 1997

Political pressure groups and leaders:

The Algerian Human Rights League or LADDH [Hocine ZEHOUANE]; SOS
Disparus [Nacera DUTOUR]

International organization participation:

ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, BIS, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU,
ITUC, LAS, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC,
OSCE (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNWTO,
UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Abdallah BAALI

chancery: 2118 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 265-2800

FAX: [1] (202) 667-2174

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador David D. PEARCE

embassy: 05 Chemin Cheikh Bachir, El-Ibrahimi, El-Biar 16000 Algiers

mailing address: B. P. 408, Alger-Gare, 16030 Algiers

telephone: [213] 770-08-2000

FAX: [213] 21-60-7355

Flag description:

two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and white; a red, five-pointed star within a red crescent centered over the two-color boundary; the colors represent Islam (green), purity and peace (white), and liberty (red); the crescent and star are also Islamic symbols, but the crescent is more closed than those of other Muslim countries because the Algerians believe the long crescent horns bring happiness

Economy ::Algeria

Economy - overview:

The hydrocarbons sector is the backbone of the economy, accounting for roughly 60% of budget revenues, 30% of GDP, and over 95% of export earnings. Algeria has the eighth-largest reserves of natural gas in the world and is the fourth-largest gas exporter; it ranks 15th in oil reserves. Sustained high oil prices in recent years have helped improve Algeria's financial and macroeconomic indicators. Algeria is running substantial trade surpluses and building up record foreign exchange reserves. Algeria has decreased its external debt to less than 5% of GDP after repaying its Paris Club and London Club debt in 2006. Real GDP has risen due to higher oil output and increased government spending. The government's continued efforts to diversify the economy by attracting foreign and domestic investment outside the energy sector, however, has had little success in reducing high unemployment and improving living standards. Structural reform within the economy, such as development of the banking sector and the construction of infrastructure, moves ahead slowly hampered by corruption and bureaucratic resistance.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$233.5 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 49 $225.6 billion (2007 est.)

$218.8 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$159.7 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

3.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 108 3.1% (2007 est.)

2.1% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$6,900 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 126 $6,800 (2007 est.)

$6,600 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 8.3%

industry: 62.3%

services: 29.4% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

9.464 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 52

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture 14%, industry 13.4%, construction and public works 10%, trade 14.6%, government 32%, other 16% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate:

12.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 142 11.8% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

23% (2006 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.8%

highest 10%: 26.8% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

35.3 (1995) country comparison to the world: 86

Investment (gross fixed):

26.1% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 43

Budget:

revenues: $70.06 billion

expenditures: $56.04 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

8.4% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 115 37.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

4.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 73 3.5% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

4% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 123 4% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

8% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 107 8% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$60.91 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 19 $55.43 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$30.36 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 37 $28.59 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$NA (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

wheat, barley, oats, grapes, olives, citrus, fruits; sheep, cattle

Industries:

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

Industrial production growth rate:

3.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 76

Electricity - production:

34.98 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 60

Electricity - consumption:

28.34 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 60

Electricity - exports:

273 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

279 million kWh (2007 est.)

Oil - production:

2.18 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 15

Oil - consumption:

299,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 41

Oil - exports:

1.891 million bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 12

Oil - imports:

14,320 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 128

Oil - proved reserves:

12.2 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 16

Natural gas - production:

86.5 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 7

Natural gas - consumption:

26.83 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 29

Natural gas - exports:

59.67 billion cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 5

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 205

Natural gas - proved reserves:

4.502 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 9

Current account balance:

$35.27 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 14 $30.6 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$78.23 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 42 $60.6 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

petroleum, natural gas, and petroleum products 97%

Exports - partners:

US 23.9%, Italy 15.5%, Spain 11.4%, France 8%, Netherlands 7.8%,
Canada 6.8% (2008)

Imports:

$39.16 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 54 $26.4 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods

Imports - partners:

France 16.5%, Italy 11%, China 10.3%, Spain 7.4%, Germany 6.1%, US 5.5% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$143.5 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 10 $110.6 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$3.753 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 113 $3.957 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$13.76 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 73 $11.91 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$1.162 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 69 $962 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

Algerian dinars (DZD) per US dollar - 63.25 (2008 est.), 69.9 (2007), 72.647 (2006), 73.276 (2005), 72.061 (2004)

Communications ::Algeria

Telephones - main lines in use:

3.314 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 46

Telephones - mobile cellular:

31.871 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 30

Telephone system:

general assessment: a weak network of fixed-main lines, which remains at roughly 10 telephones per 100 persons, is offset by the rapid increase in mobile cellular subscribership; in 2008, combined fixed-line and mobile telephone density surpassed 100 telephones per 100 persons

domestic: privatization of Algeria's telecommunications sector began in 2000; three mobile cellular licenses have been issued and, in 2005, a consortium led by Egypt's Orascom Telecom won a 15-year license to build and operate a fixed-line network in Algeria; the license will allow Orascom to develop high-speed data and other specialized services and contribute to meeting the large unfulfilled demand for basic residential telephony; Internet broadband services began in 2003

international: country code - 213; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-4 fiber-optic submarine cable system that provides links to Europe, the Middle East, and Asia; microwave radio relay to Italy, France, Spain, Morocco, and Tunisia; coaxial cable to Morocco and Tunisia; participant in Medarabtel; satellite earth stations - 51 (Intelsat, Intersputnik, and Arabsat) (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 25, FM 1, shortwave 8 (1999)

Television broadcast stations:

46 (plus 216 repeaters) (1995)

Internet country code:

.dz

Internet hosts:

510 (2009) country comparison to the world: 172

Internet users:

4.1 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 51

Transportation ::Algeria

Airports:

143 (2009) country comparison to the world: 39

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 57

over 3,047 m: 11

2,438 to 3,047 m: 29

1,524 to 2,437 m: 11

914 to 1,523 m: 5

under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 86

2,438 to 3,047 m: 3

1,524 to 2,437 m: 19

914 to 1,523 m: 41

under 914 m: 23 (2009)

Heliports:

2 (2009)

Pipelines:

condensate 1,937 km; gas 14,648 km; liquid petroleum gas 2,933 km; oil 7,579 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 3,973 km country comparison to the world: 43 standard gauge: 2,888 km 1.435-m gauge (283 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 1,085 km 1.055-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 108,302 km country comparison to the world: 38 paved: 76,028 km (includes 645 km of expressways)

unpaved: 32,274 km (2004)

Merchant marine:

total: 33 country comparison to the world: 83 by type: bulk carrier 6, cargo 8, chemical tanker 1, liquefied gas 9, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 4, roll on/roll off 2

foreign-owned: 18 (Jordan 7, UK 11) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Algiers, Annaba, Arzew, Bejaia, Djendjene, Jijel, Mostaganem, Oran,
Skikda

Military ::Algeria

Military branches:

People's National Army (Armee Nationale Populaire, ANP), Land Forces (Forces Terrestres, FT), Navy of the Republic of Algeria (Marine de la Republique Algerienne, MRA), Air Force (Al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Jaza'eriya, QJJ), Territorial Air Defense Force (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

19-30 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 18 months (6 months basic training, 12 months civil projects) (2006)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 9,736,757

females age 16-49: 9,590,978 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 8,317,473

females age 16-49: 8,367,005 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 375,852

female: 362,158 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

3.3% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 41

Transnational Issues ::Algeria

Disputes - international:

Algeria, and many other states, rejects Moroccan administration of Western Sahara; the Polisario Front, exiled in Algeria, represents the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic; Algeria's border with Morocco remains an irritant to bilateral relations, each nation accusing the other of harboring militants and arms smuggling; Algeria remains concerned about armed bandits operating throughout the Sahel who sometimes destabilize southern Algerian towns; dormant disputes include Libyan claims of about 32,000 sq km still reflected on its maps of southeastern Algeria and the FLN's assertions of a claim to Chirac Pastures in southeastern Morocco

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 90,000 (Western Saharan Sahrawi, mostly living in Algerian-sponsored camps in the southwestern Algerian town of Tindouf)

IDPs: undetermined (civil war during 1990s) (2007)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Algeria is a transit country for men and women trafficked from sub-Saharan Africa to Europe for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation and involuntary servitude; Algerian children are trafficked internally for the purpose of domestic servitude or street vending

tier rating: Tier 3 - Algeria did not report any serious law enforcement actions to punish traffickers who force women into commercial sexual exploitation or men into involuntary servitude in 2007; the government again reported no investigations of trafficking of children for domestic servitude or improvements in protection services available to victims of trafficking; Algeria still lacks victim protection services, and its failure to distinguish between trafficking and illegal migration may result in the punishment of victims of trafficking (2008)

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@American Samoa (Australia-Oceania)

Introduction ::American Samoa

Background:

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

Geography ::American Samoa

Location:

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

Geographic coordinates:

14 20 S, 170 00 W

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 199 sq km country comparison to the world: 215 land: 199 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: includes Rose Island and Swains Island

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

116 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

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

Terrain:

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

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Lata Mountain 964 m

Natural resources:

pumice, pumicite

Land use:

arable land: 10%

permanent crops: 15%

other: 75% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

typhoons common from December to March

Environment - current issues:

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

Geography - note:

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

People ::American Samoa

Population:

65,628 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 204

Age structure:

0-14 years: 33.4% (male 11,159/female 10,768)

15-64 years: 62.7% (male 20,848/female 20,271)

65 years and over: 3.9% (male 1,211/female 1,371) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 23.1 years

male: 23 years

female: 23.3 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.222% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 109

Birth rate:

23.31 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 76

Death rate:

4.1 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 208

Net migration rate:

-6.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 170

Urbanization:

urban population: 92% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 2.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female

total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 10.18 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 153 male: 13.3 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 6.88 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 73.72 years country comparison to the world: 98 male: 70.8 years

female: 76.82 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3.29 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 60

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: American Samoan(s) (US nationals)

adjective: American Samoan

Ethnic groups:

native Pacific islander 91.6%, Asian 2.8%, white 1.1%, mixed 4.2%, other 0.3% (2000 census)

Religions:

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

Languages:

Samoan 90.6% (closely related to Hawaiian and other Polynesian languages), English 2.9%, Tongan 2.4%, other Pacific islander 2.1%, other 2%

note: most people are bilingual (2000 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 97%

male: 98%

female: 97% (1980 est.)

Education expenditures:

NA

Government ::American Samoa

Country name:

conventional long form: Territory of American Samoa

conventional short form: American Samoa

abbreviation: AS

Dependency status:

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

Government type:

NA

Capital:

name: Pago Pago

geographic coordinates: 14 16 S, 170 42 W

time difference: UTC-11 (6 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

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

Independence:

none (territory of the US)

National holiday:

Flag Day, 17 April (1900)

Constitution:

ratified 2 June 1966; effective 1 July 1967

Legal system:

NA

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Barack H. OBAMA (since 20 January 2009); Vice President Joseph R. BIDEN (since 20 January 2009)

head of government: Governor Togiola TULAFONO (since 7 April 2003)

cabinet: Cabinet made up of 12 department directors

elections: under the US Constitution, residents of unincorporated territories, such as American Samoa, do not vote in elections for US president and vice president; however, they may vote in Democratic and Republican presidential primary elections; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 4 and 18 November 2008 (next to be held in November 2012)

election results: Togiola TULAFONO reelected governor; percent of vote - Togiola TULAFONO 56.5%, Afoa Moega LUTU 43.5%

Legislative branch:

bicameral Fono or Legislative Assembly consists of the Senate (18 seats; members are elected from local chiefs to serve four-year terms)and the House of Representatives (21 seats; 20 members are elected by popular vote and 1 is an appointed, nonvoting delegate from Swains Island; members serve two-year terms)

elections: House of Representatives - last held 4 November 2008 (next to be held in November 2010); Senate - last held 4 November 2008 (next to be held in November 2012)

election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - independents 18

note: American Samoa elects one nonvoting representative to the US House of Representatives; election last held on 4 November 2008 (next to be held in November 2010); results - Eni F. H. FALEOMAVAEGA reelected as delegate

Judicial branch:

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

Political parties and leaders:

Democratic Party [Oreta M. TOGAFAU]; Republican Party [Tautai A. F.
FAALEVAO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Population Pressure LAS (addresses the growing population pressures)

International organization participation:

Interpol (subbureau), IOC, SPC, UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (territory of the US)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (territory of the US)

Flag description:

blue, with a white triangle edged in red that is based on the fly side and extends to the hoist side; a brown and white American bald eagle flying toward the hoist side is carrying two traditional Samoan symbols of authority, a war club known as a "Fa'alaufa'i" (upper; left talon), and a coconut fiber fly whisk known as a "Fue" (lower; right talon); the combination of symbols broadly mimics that seen on the US Great Seal and reflects the relationship between the United States and American Samoa

Economy ::American Samoa

Economy - overview:

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

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$575.3 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 211 $510.1 million (2003 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$462.2 million (2005)

GDP - real growth rate:

3% (2003) country comparison to the world: 123

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$8,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 121 $5,800 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Labor force:

17,630 (2005) country comparison to the world: 203

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 34%

industry: 33%

services: 33% (1990)

Unemployment rate:

29.8% (2005) country comparison to the world: 175

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $155.4 million (37% in local revenue and 63% in US grants)

expenditures: $183.6 million (FY07)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

NA%

Agriculture - products:

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

Industries:

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

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

185 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 178

Electricity - consumption:

172.1 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 180

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 208

Oil - consumption:

4,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 169

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 206

Oil - imports:

4,140 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 166

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 208

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 208

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 207

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 203

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 202

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 206

Exports:

$445.6 million (FY04 est.) country comparison to the world: 166

Exports - commodities:

canned tuna 93% (2004 est.)

Imports:

$308.8 million (FY04 est.) country comparison to the world: 193

Imports - commodities:

materials for canneries 56%, food 8%, petroleum products 7%, machinery and parts 6% (2004 est.)

Debt - external:

$NA

Exchange rates:

the US dollar is used

Communications ::American Samoa

Telephones - main lines in use:

10,400 (2008) country comparison to the world: 202

Telephones - mobile cellular:

2,200 (2004) country comparison to the world: 215

Telephone system:

general assessment: NA

domestic: good telex, telegraph, facsimile, and cellular telephone services; domestic satellite system with 1 Comsat earth station

international: country code - 1-684; satellite earth station - 1 (Intelsat-Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2005)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (2006)

Internet country code:

.as

Internet hosts:

1,606 (2009) country comparison to the world: 153

Internet users:

NA

Transportation ::American Samoa

Airports:

3 (2009) country comparison to the world: 194

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 3

over 3,047 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 221 km (2007) country comparison to the world: 205

Ports and terminals:

Pago Pago

Military ::American Samoa

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 13,875

females age 16-49: 13,517 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 820

female: 802 (2009 est.)

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues ::American Samoa

Disputes - international:

Tokelau periodically asserts claims to American Samoa's Swains
Island (Olohega), such as in its 2006 draft independence constitution

page last updated on October 28, 2009

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

@Andorra (Europe)

Introduction ::Andorra

Background:

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

Geography ::Andorra

Location:

Southwestern Europe, between France and Spain

Geographic coordinates:

42 30 N, 1 30 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 468 sq km country comparison to the world: 195 land: 468 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

total: 120.3 km

border countries: France 56.6 km, Spain 63.7 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

temperate; snowy, cold winters and warm, dry summers

Terrain:

rugged mountains dissected by narrow valleys

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Riu Runer 840 m

highest point: Coma Pedrosa 2,946 m

Natural resources:

hydropower, mineral water, timber, iron ore, lead

Land use:

arable land: 2.13%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 97.87% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

avalanches

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; overgrazing of mountain meadows contributes to soil erosion; air pollution; wastewater treatment and solid waste disposal

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

landlocked; straddles a number of important crossroads in the Pyrenees

People ::Andorra

Population:

83,888 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 199

Age structure:

0-14 years: 15.5% (male 6,710/female 6,305)

15-64 years: 72.2% (male 31,604/female 28,925)

65 years and over: 12.3% (male 5,113/female 5,231) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 39.4 years

male: 39.7 years

female: 39.1 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.135% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 119

Birth rate:

10.35 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 190

Death rate:

5.89 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 166

Net migration rate:

6.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 13

Urbanization:

urban population: 89% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: -0.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.09 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.98 male(s)/female

total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 3.76 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 212 male: 3.78 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 3.74 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 82.51 years country comparison to the world: 2 male: 80.33 years

female: 84.84 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.33 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 204

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Andorran(s)

adjective: Andorran

Ethnic groups:

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

Religions:

Roman Catholic (predominant)

Languages:

Catalan (official), French, Castilian, Portuguese

Literacy:

definition: NA

total population: 100%

male: 100%

female: 100%

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 11 years

male: 11 years

female: 11 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

2.3% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 162

Government ::Andorra

Country name:

conventional long form: Principality of Andorra

conventional short form: Andorra

local long form: Principat d'Andorra

local short form: Andorra

Government type:

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

Capital:

name: Andorra la Vella

geographic coordinates: 42 30 N, 1 31 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

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

Independence:

1278 (formed under the joint suzerainty of the French Count of Foix and the Spanish Bishop of Urgel)

National holiday:

Our Lady of Meritxell Day, 8 September (1278)

Constitution:

Andorra's first written constitution was drafted in 1991; approved by referendum 14 March 1993; effective 28 April 1993

Legal system:

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

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: French Coprince Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007); represented by Philippe MASSONI (since 26 July 2002) and Spanish Coprince Bishop Joan-Enric VIVES i SICILIA (since 12 May 2003); represented by Nemesi MARQUES i OSTE (since 30 July 2003)

head of government: Executive Council President Jaume BARTUMEU Cassany (since 5 June 2009)

cabinet: Executive Council or Govern designated by the Executive Council president

elections: Executive Council president elected by the General Council and formally appointed by the coprinces for a four-year term; election last held 26 April 2009 (next to be held in April-May 2013)

election results: Jaume BARTUMEU CASSANY elected executive council president; percent of General Council vote - NA

Legislative branch:

unicameral General Council of the Valleys or Consell General de las Valls (28 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote, 14 from a single national constituency and 14 to represent each of the seven parishes; to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held on 26 April 2009 (next to be held in March-April 2013)

election results: percent of vote by party - PS 45.03%, Reformist Coaliton 32.34%, Andorra for Change 18.86%, other 3.77%; seats by party - PS 14, Reformist Coalition 11, Andorra for Change 3

Judicial branch:

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

Political parties and leaders:

Andorra for Change [Juan Eusebio NOMEN CALVET]; New Center [Vicenc
MATEU] (formerly Andorran Democratic Center Party); Liberal Party of
Andorra or PLA [Joan Gabriel i ESTANY] (formerly Liberal Union or
UL); Reformist Coalition (includes the Liberal Party and New Center)
[Joan Gabriel i ESTANY]; Social Democratic Party or PS [Jaume
BARTUMEU CASSANY] (formerly part of National Democratic Group or AND)

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

CE, FAO, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU, OIF,
OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, Union Latina, UNWTO, WCO, WHO, WIPO,
WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Narcis CASAL FONSDEVIELA

chancery: 2 United Nations Plaza, 25th Floor, New York, NY 10017

telephone: [1] (212) 750-8064

FAX: [1] (212) 750-6630

Diplomatic representation from the US:

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

Flag description:

three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red, with the national coat of arms centered in the yellow band; the coat of arms features a quartered shield; the flag combines the blue and red French colors with the red and yellow of Spain to show Franco-Spanish protection

note: similar to the flags of Chad and Romania, which do not have a national coat of arms in the center, and the flag of Moldova, which does bear a national emblem

Economy ::Andorra

Economy - overview:

Tourism, the mainstay of Andorra's tiny, well-to-do economy, accounts for more than 80% of GDP. An estimated 11.6 million tourists visit annually, attracted by Andorra's duty-free status and by its summer and winter resorts. Andorra's comparative advantage has recently eroded as the economies of neighboring France and Spain have been opened up, providing broader availability of goods and lower tariffs. The banking sector, with its partial "tax haven" status, also contributes substantially to the economy. Agricultural production is limited - only 2% of the land is arable - and most food has to be imported. The principal livestock activity is sheep raising. Manufacturing output consists mainly of cigarettes, cigars, and furniture. Andorra is a member of the EU Customs Union and is treated as an EU member for trade in manufactured goods (no tariffs) and as a non-EU member for agricultural products.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$3.66 billion (2007) country comparison to the world: 167 $3.588 billion (2006)

$2.77 billion (2005)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$NA

GDP - real growth rate:

2% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 158 3.5% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$42,500 (2007) country comparison to the world: 16 $38,800 (2005)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Labor force:

42,230 (2007) country comparison to the world: 187

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 0.3%

industry: 20.8%

services: 79% (2007)

Unemployment rate:

0% (2007) country comparison to the world: 1 0% (2006)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $496.9 million

expenditures: $496.8 million (2007)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3.9% (2007) country comparison to the world: 61 3.2% (2005)

Agriculture - products:

small quantities of rye, wheat, barley, oats, vegetables; sheep

Industries:

tourism (particularly skiing), cattle raising, timber, banking, tobacco, furniture

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

NA kWh

Electricity - consumption:

NA kWh

Electricity - exports:

NA kWh

Electricity - imports:

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

Exports:

$117.1 million (2007) country comparison to the world: 190 $148.7 million (2005)

Exports - commodities:

tobacco products, furniture

Imports:

$1.789 billion (2007) country comparison to the world: 155 $1.879 billion (2005)

Imports - commodities:

consumer goods, food, electricity

Debt - external:

$NA

Exchange rates:

euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008 est.), 0.7306 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)

Communications ::Andorra

Telephones - main lines in use:

37,400 (2008) country comparison to the world: 173

Telephones - mobile cellular:

64,200 (2008) country comparison to the world: 189

Telephone system:

general assessment: NA

domestic: modern system with microwave radio relay connections between exchanges

international: country code - 376; landline circuits to France and Spain

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 0, FM 1, shortwave 0 (easy access to radio and television broadcasts originating in France and Spain) (2007)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (2007)

Internet country code:

.ad

Internet hosts:

23,421 (2009) country comparison to the world: 98

Internet users:

59,100 (2008) country comparison to the world: 168

Transportation ::Andorra

Roadways:

total: 270 km (1994) country comparison to the world: 203

Military ::Andorra

Military branches:

no regular military forces, Police Service of Andorra (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 18,685 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 18,617

females age 16-49: 17,613 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 402

female: 373 (2009 est.)

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of France and Spain

Transnational Issues ::Andorra

Disputes - international:

none

page last updated on October 28, 2009

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

@Angola (Africa)

Introduction ::Angola

Background:

Angola is rebuilding its country after the end of a 27-year civil war in 2002. Fighting between the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), led by Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS, and the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), led by Jonas SAVIMBI, followed independence from Portugal in 1975. Peace seemed imminent in 1992 when Angola held national elections, but fighting picked up again by 1996. Up to 1.5 million lives may have been lost - and 4 million people displaced - in the quarter century of fighting. SAVIMBI's death in 2002 ended UNITA's insurgency and strengthened the MPLA's hold on power. President DOS SANTOS held legislative elections in September 2008, and announced plans to hold presidential elections in 2009.

Geography ::Angola

Location:

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

Geographic coordinates:

12 30 S, 18 30 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 1,246,700 sq km country comparison to the world: 23 land: 1,246,700 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Land boundaries:

total: 5,198 km

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

Coastline:

1,600 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

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

Terrain:

narrow coastal plain rises abruptly to vast interior plateau

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Morro de Moco 2,620 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, copper, feldspar, gold, bauxite, uranium

Land use:

arable land: 2.65%

permanent crops: 0.23%

other: 97.12% (2005)

Irrigated land:

800 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

184 cu km (1987)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.35 cu km/yr (23%/17%/60%)

per capita: 22 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

locally heavy rainfall causes periodic flooding on the plateau

Environment - current issues:

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

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

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

People ::Angola

Population:

12,799,293 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 69

Age structure:

0-14 years: 43.5% (male 2,812,359/female 2,759,047)

15-64 years: 53.7% (male 3,496,726/female 3,382,440)

65 years and over: 2.7% (male 153,678/female 195,043) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 18 years

male: 18 years

female: 18 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.095% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 51

Birth rate:

43.69 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 8

Death rate:

24.08 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 2

Net migration rate:

1.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 51

Urbanization:

urban population: 57% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 4.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female

total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 180.21 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 1 male: 192.24 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 167.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 38.2 years country comparison to the world: 223 male: 37.24 years

female: 39.22 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

6.12 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 10

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

2.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 29

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

190,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 32

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

11,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 27

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria, African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness)

water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Angolan(s)

adjective: Angolan

Ethnic groups:

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

Religions:

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

Languages:

Portuguese (official), Bantu and other African languages

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 67.4%

male: 82.9%

female: 54.2% (2001 est.)

Education expenditures:

2.4% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 159

Government ::Angola

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Angola

conventional short form: Angola

local long form: Republica de Angola

local short form: Angola

former: People's Republic of Angola

Government type:

republic; multiparty presidential regime

Capital:

name: Luanda

geographic coordinates: 8 50 S, 13 14 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

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

Independence:

11 November 1975 (from Portugal)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 11 November (1975)

Constitution:

adopted by People's Assembly 25 August 1992

Legal system:

based on Portuguese civil law system and customary law; modified to accommodate political pluralism and increased use of free markets; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS (since 21 September 1979); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS (since 21 September 1979); Antonio Paulo KASSOMA was named prime minister by MPLA on 26 September 2008

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections: president elected by universal ballot for a five-year term (eligible for a second consecutive or discontinuous term) under the 1992 constitution; President DOS SANTOS was selected by the party to take over after the death of former President Augustino NETO(1979) under a one-party system and stood for reelection in Angola's first multiparty elections 29-30 September 1992 (next were to be held in September 2009 but have been postponed)

election results: Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS 49.6%, Jonas SAVIMBI 40.1%, making a run-off election necessary; the run-off was never held leaving DOS SANTOS in his current position as the president

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (220 seats; members elected by proportional vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 5-6 September 2008 (next to be held in September 2012)

election results: percent of vote by party - MPLA 81.6%, UNITA 10.4%, PRS 3.2%, ND 1.2%, FNLA 1.1%, other 2.5%; seats by party - MPLA 191, UNITA 16, PRS 8, FNLA 3, ND 2

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court and separate provincial courts (judges are appointed by the president)

Political parties and leaders:

National Front for the Liberation of Angola or FNLA [Ngola KABANGU]; National Union for the Total Independence of Angola or UNITA (largest opposition party) [Isaias SAMAKUVA]; Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola or MPLA (ruling party in power since 1975) [Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS]; Social Renewal Party or PRS [Eduardo KUANGANA]

note: nine other parties participated in the legislative election in September but won no seats

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda or FLEC [N'zita
Henriques TIAGO, Antonio Bento BEMBE]

note: FLEC's small-scale armed struggle for the independence of Cabinda Province persists despite the signing of a peace accord with the government in August 2006

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, AU, CPLP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory),
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,
ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer),
OPEC, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU,
WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Josefina Perpetua Pitra DIAKITE

chancery: 2108 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone: [1] (202) 785-1156

FAX: [1] (202) 785-1258

consulate(s) general: Houston, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Dan MOZENA

embassy: number 32 Rua Houari Boumedienne (in the Miramar area of Luanda), Luanda

mailing address: international mail: Caixa Postal 6468, Luanda; pouch: US Embassy Luanda, US Department of State, 2550 Luanda Place, Washington, DC 20521-2550

telephone: [244] (222) 64-1000

FAX: [244] (222) 64-1232

Flag description:

two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and black with a centered yellow emblem consisting of a five-pointed star within half a cogwheel crossed by a machete (in the style of a hammer and sickle); red represents liberty, black the African continent, the symbols characterize workers and peasants

Economy ::Angola

Economy - overview:

Angola's high growth rate is driven by its oil sector, which has taken advantage of high international oil prices. Oil production and its supporting activities contribute about 85% of GDP. Increased oil production supported growth averaging more than 15% per year from 2004 to 2007. A postwar reconstruction boom and resettlement of displaced persons has led to high rates of growth in construction and agriculture as well. Much of the country's infrastructure is still damaged or undeveloped from the 27-year-long civil war. Remnants of the conflict such as widespread land mines still mar the countryside even though an apparently durable peace was established after the death of rebel leader Jonas SAVIMBI in February 2002. Subsistence agriculture provides the main livelihood for most of the people, but half of the country's food must still be imported. In 2005, the government started using a $2 billion line of credit, since increased to $7 billion, from China to rebuild Angola's public infrastructure, and several large-scale projects were completed in 2006. Angola also has large credit lines from Brazil, Portugal, Germany, Spain, and the EU. The central bank in 2003 implemented an exchange rate stabilization program using foreign exchange reserves to buy kwanzas out of circulation. This policy became more sustainable in 2005 because of strong oil export earnings; it has significantly reduced inflation. Although consumer inflation declined from 325% in 2000 to under 13% in 2008, the stabilization policy has put pressure on international net liquidity. Angola became a member of OPEC in late 2006 and in late 2007 was assigned a production quota of 1.9 million barrels a day, somewhat less than the 2-2.5 million bbl Angola's government had wanted. To fully take advantage of its rich national resources - gold, diamonds, extensive forests, Atlantic fisheries, and large oil deposits - Angola will need to implement government reforms, increase transparency, and reduce corruption. The government has rejected a formal IMF monitored program, although it continues Article IV consultations and ad hoc cooperation. Corruption, especially in the extractive sectors, and the negative effects of large inflows of foreign exchange, are major challenges facing Angola.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$112.8 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 63 $100.5 billion (2007 est.)

$82.94 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$84.95 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

12.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 5 21.1% (2007 est.)

18.6% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$9,000 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 112 $8,200 (2007 est.)

$6,900 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 9.2%

industry: 65.8%

services: 24.6% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

7.569 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 58

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 85%

industry and services: 15% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate:

NA

Population below poverty line:

40.5% (2006 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Investment (gross fixed):

9% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 148

Budget:

revenues: $28.99 billion

expenditures: $21.44 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

15.5% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 103 12% of GDP (2007 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

12.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 173 12.2% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

19.57% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 8 19.57% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

12.53% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 25 17.7% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$8.446 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 47 $4.153 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$10.41 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 50 $7.216 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$7.893 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 76 $1.166 billion (31 December 2007)

Agriculture - products:

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

Industries:

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

Industrial production growth rate:

14.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 1

Electricity - production:

3.722 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 120

Electricity - consumption:

3.173 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 125

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

2.015 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 17

Oil - consumption:

64,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 90

Oil - exports:

1.407 million bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 18

Oil - imports:

28,090 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 103

Oil - proved reserves:

9.04 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 18

Natural gas - production:

680 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 65

Natural gas - consumption:

680 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 92

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 204

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 203

Natural gas - proved reserves:

269.8 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 41

Current account balance:

$17.11 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 21 $9.402 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$66.3 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 49 $44.4 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

crude oil, diamonds, refined petroleum products, coffee, sisal, fish and fish products, timber, cotton

Exports - partners:

China 33%, US 28.7%, France 6%, South Africa 4.6%, Canada 4.1% (2008)

Imports:

$17.08 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 75 $13.66 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and electrical equipment, vehicles and spare parts; medicines, food, textiles, military goods

Imports - partners:

Portugal 17.6%, China 15.7%, US 11.3%, Brazil 7.6%, South Korea 6.8%, South Africa 4.8% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$18.36 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 54 $11.2 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$14.09 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 78 $8.357 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$16.36 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 68 $14.51 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$2.477 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 62

Exchange rates:

kwanza (AOA) per US dollar - 75.023 (2008 est.), 76.6 (2007), 80.4 (2006), 88.6 (2005), 83.541 (2004)

Communications ::Angola

Telephones - main lines in use:

114,300 (2008) country comparison to the world: 141

Telephones - mobile cellular:

6.773 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 74

Telephone system:

general assessment: system inadequate; fewer than one fixed-line per 100 persons; combined fixed line and mobile telephone density exceeded 50 telephones per 100 persons in 2008

domestic: state-owned telecom had monopoly for fixed-lines until 2005; demand outstripped capacity, prices were high, and services poor; Telecom Namibia, through an Angolan company, became the first private licensed operator in Angola's fixed-line telephone network; Angola Telecom established mobile-cellular service in Luanda in 1993 and the network has been extended to larger towns; a privately-owned, mobile-cellular service provider began operations in 2001

international: country code - 244; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and Asia; satellite earth stations - 29 (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 21, FM 6, shortwave 7 (2001)

Television broadcast stations:

6 (2000)

Internet country code:

.ao

Internet hosts:

3,508 (2009) country comparison to the world: 139

Internet users:

550,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 105

Transportation ::Angola

Airports:

192 (2009) country comparison to the world: 32

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 30

over 3,047 m: 5

2,438 to 3,047 m: 9

1,524 to 2,437 m: 12

914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 162

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 4

1,524 to 2,437 m: 32

914 to 1,523 m: 78

under 914 m: 46 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 2 km; oil 87 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 2,764 km country comparison to the world: 61 narrow gauge: 2,641 km 1.067-m gauge; 123 km 0.600-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 51,429 km country comparison to the world: 78 paved: 5,349 km

unpaved: 46,080 km (2001)

Waterways:

1,300 km (2008) country comparison to the world: 55

Merchant marine:

total: 6 country comparison to the world: 128 by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 1

foreign-owned: 1 (Spain 1)

registered in other countries: 6 (Bahamas 6) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Cabinda, Lobito, Luanda, Namibe

Military ::Angola

Military branches:

Angolan Armed Forces (FAA): Army, Navy (Marinha de Guerra Angola,
MGA), Angolan National Air Force (Forca Aerea Nacional Angolana,
FANA) (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

22-24 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 2 years; Angolan citizenship required (2009)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 2,856,492

females age 16-49: 2,755,864 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,467,833

females age 16-49: 1,411,468 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 146,738

female: 143,478 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

5.7% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 13

Transnational Issues ::Angola

Disputes - international:

Cabindan separatists continue to return to the Angolan exclave from exile in neighboring states and Europe since the 2006 ceasefire and peace agreement

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 12,615 (Democratic Republic of Congo)

IDPs: 61,700 (27-year civil war ending in 2002; 4 million IDPs already have returned) (2007)

Illicit drugs:

used as a transshipment point for cocaine destined for Western Europe and other African states, particularly South Africa

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Anguilla (Central America and Caribbean)

Introduction ::Anguilla

Background:

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

Geography ::Anguilla

Location:

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

Geographic coordinates:

18 15 N, 63 10 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 91 sq km country comparison to the world: 226 land: 91 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

about one-half the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

61 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 3 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds

Terrain:

flat and low-lying island of coral and limestone

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: Crocus Hill 65 m

Natural resources:

salt, fish, lobster

Land use:

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (mostly rock with sparse scrub oak, few trees, some commercial salt ponds) (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

frequent hurricanes and other tropical storms (July to October)

Environment - current issues:

supplies of potable water sometimes cannot meet increasing demand largely because of poor distribution system

Geography - note:

the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles

People ::Anguilla

Population:

14,436 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 221

Age structure:

0-14 years: 24.5% (male 1,815/female 1,725)

15-64 years: 67.8% (male 4,665/female 5,125)

65 years and over: 7.7% (male 534/female 572) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 32.6 years

male: 31.5 years

female: 33.8 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.272% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 41

Birth rate:

13.02 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 157

Death rate:

4.36 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 204

Net migration rate:

14.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 6

Urbanization:

urban population: 100% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female

total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 3.52 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 215 male: 3.97 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 3.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 80.65 years country comparison to the world: 15 male: 78.11 years

female: 83.26 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.75 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 163

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Anguillan(s)

adjective: Anguillan

Ethnic groups:

black (predominant) 90.1%, mixed, mulatto 4.6%, white 3.7%, other 1.5% (2001 census)

Religions:

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

Languages:

English (official)

Literacy:

definition: age 12 and over can read and write

total population: 95%

male: 95%

female: 95% (1984 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 11 years

male: 11 years

female: 11 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

4% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 101

Government ::Anguilla

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Anguilla

Dependency status:

overseas territory of the UK

Government type:

NA

Capital:

name: The Valley

geographic coordinates: 18 13 N, 63 03 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Independence:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday:

Anguilla Day, 30 May (1967)

Constitution:

Anguilla Constitutional Order 1 April 1982; amended 1990

Legal system:

based on English common law

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Alistair HARRISON (since 21 April 2009)

head of government: Chief Minister Osbourne FLEMING (since 3 March 2000)

cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor from among the elected members of the House of Assembly

elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed chief minister by the governor

Legislative branch:

unicameral House of Assembly (11 seats; 7 members elected by direct popular vote, 2 ex officio members, and 2 appointed; members serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 21 February 2005 (next to be held in 2010)

election results: percent of vote by party - AUF 38.9%, AUM 19.4%, ANSA 19.2%, APP 9.5%, independents 13%; seats by party - AUF 4, ANSA 2, AUM 1

Judicial branch:

High Court (judge provided by Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court)

Political parties and leaders:

Anguilla United Front or AUF [Osbourne FLEMING, Victor BANKS] (a
coalition of the Anguilla Democratic Party or ADP and the Anguilla
National Alliance or ANA); Anguilla United Movement or AUM [Hubert
HUGHES]; Anguilla Progressive Party or APP [Roy ROGERS]; Anguilla
Strategic Alternative or ANSA [Edison BAIRD]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), OECS, UPU, WFTU

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description:

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

Economy ::Anguilla

Economy - overview:

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

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$108.9 million (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 219

GDP (official exchange rate):

$108.9 million (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

10.2% (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 10

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$8,800 (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 114

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 4%

industry: 18%

services: 78% (2002 est.)

Labor force:

6,049 (2001) country comparison to the world: 212

Labor force - by occupation:

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

Unemployment rate:

8% (2002) country comparison to the world: 110

Population below poverty line:

23% (2002)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $22.8 million

expenditures: $22.5 million (2000 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

5.3% (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 88

Central bank discount rate:

6.5% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 58 6.5% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

9.51% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 87 9.76% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$21.12 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 119 $23.57 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$449.5 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 109 $470.1 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$529.6 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 115 $447.7 million (31 December 2007)

Agriculture - products:

small quantities of tobacco, vegetables; cattle raising

Industries:

tourism, boat building, offshore financial services

Industrial production growth rate:

NA

Electricity - production:

NA kWh

Current account balance:

-$42.87 million (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 70

Exports:

$13 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 208

Exports - commodities:

lobster, fish, livestock, salt, concrete blocks, rum

Imports:

$143 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 202

Imports - commodities:

fuels, foodstuffs, manufactures, chemicals, trucks, textiles

Debt - external:

$8.8 million (1998) country comparison to the world: 199

Exchange rates:

East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar - 2.7 (2007), 2.7 (2006), 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003)

note: fixed rate since 1976

Communications ::Anguilla

Telephones - main lines in use:

5,800 (2008) country comparison to the world: 211

Telephones - mobile cellular:

13,100 (2005) country comparison to the world: 210

Telephone system:

general assessment: NA

domestic: modern internal telephone system

international: country code - 1-264; landing point for the East Caribbean Fiber System (ECFS) submarine cable with links to 13 other islands in the eastern Caribbean extending from the British Virgin Islands to Trinidad; microwave radio relay to island of Saint Martin (Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles) (2007)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 2, FM 7, shortwave 0 (2004)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (1997)

Internet country code:

.ai

Internet hosts:

258 (2009) country comparison to the world: 181

Internet users:

4,500 (2008) country comparison to the world: 204

Transportation ::Anguilla

Airports:

3 (2009) country comparison to the world: 192

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 2

under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 175 km country comparison to the world: 208 paved: 82 km

unpaved: 93 km (2004)

Ports and terminals:

Blowing Point, Road Bay

Military ::Anguilla

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 3,538 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 2,955

females age 16-49: 3,308 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 107

female: 106 (2009 est.)

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues ::Anguilla

Disputes - international:

none

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Antarctica (Antarctica)

Introduction ::Antarctica

Background:

Speculation over the existence of a "southern land" was not confirmed until the early 1820s when British and American commercial operators and British and Russian national expeditions began exploring the Antarctic Peninsula region and other areas south of the Antarctic Circle. Not until 1840 was it established that Antarctica was indeed a continent and not just a group of islands. Several exploration "firsts" were achieved in the early 20th century. Following World War II, there was an upsurge in scientific research on the continent. A number of countries have set up a range of year-round and seasonal stations, camps, and refuges to support scientific research in Antarctica. Seven have made territorial claims, but not all countries recognize these claims. In order to form a legal framework for the activities of nations on the continent, an Antarctic Treaty was negotiated that neither denies nor gives recognition to existing territorial claims; signed in 1959, it entered into force in 1961.

Geography ::Antarctica

Location:

continent mostly south of the Antarctic Circle

Geographic coordinates:

90 00 S, 0 00 E

Map references:

Antarctic Region

Area:

total: 14 million sq km

land: 14 million sq km (280,000 sq km ice-free, 13.72 million sq km ice-covered) (est.)

note: fifth-largest continent, following Asia, Africa, North America, and South America, but larger than Australia and the subcontinent of Europe

Area - comparative:

slightly less than 1.5 times the size of the US

Land boundaries:

0 km

note: see entry on Disputes - international

Coastline:

17,968 km

Maritime claims:

Australia, Chile, and Argentina claim Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) rights or similar over 200 nm extensions seaward from their continental claims, but like the claims themselves, these zones are not accepted by other countries; 21 of 28 Antarctic consultative nations have made no claims to Antarctic territory (although Russia and the US have reserved the right to do so) and do not recognize the claims of the other nations; also see the Disputes - international entry

Climate:

severe low temperatures vary with latitude, elevation, and distance from the ocean; East Antarctica is colder than West Antarctica because of its higher elevation; Antarctic Peninsula has the most moderate climate; higher temperatures occur in January along the coast and average slightly below freezing

Terrain:

about 98% thick continental ice sheet and 2% barren rock, with average elevations between 2,000 and 4,000 meters; mountain ranges up to nearly 5,000 meters; ice-free coastal areas include parts of southern Victoria Land, Wilkes Land, the Antarctic Peninsula area, and parts of Ross Island on McMurdo Sound; glaciers form ice shelves along about half of the coastline, and floating ice shelves constitute 11% of the area of the continent

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Bentley Subglacial Trench -2,540 m

highest point: Vinson Massif 4,897 m

note: the lowest known land point in Antarctica is hidden in the Bentley Subglacial Trench; at its surface is the deepest ice yet discovered and the world's lowest elevation not under seawater

Natural resources:

iron ore, chromium, copper, gold, nickel, platinum and other minerals, and coal and hydrocarbons have been found in small uncommercial quantities; none presently exploited; krill, finfish, and crab have been taken by commercial fisheries

Land use:

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (ice 98%, barren rock 2%) (2005)

Natural hazards:

katabatic (gravity-driven) winds blow coastward from the high interior; frequent blizzards form near the foot of the plateau; cyclonic storms form over the ocean and move clockwise along the coast; volcanism on Deception Island and isolated areas of West Antarctica; other seismic activity rare and weak; large icebergs may calve from ice shelf

Environment - current issues:

in 1998, NASA satellite data showed that the Antarctic ozone hole was the largest on record, covering 27 million square kilometers; researchers in 1997 found that increased ultraviolet light passing through the hole damages the DNA of icefish, an Antarctic fish lacking hemoglobin; ozone depletion earlier was shown to harm one-celled Antarctic marine plants; in 2002, significant areas of ice shelves disintegrated in response to regional warming

Geography - note:

the coldest, windiest, highest (on average), and driest continent; during summer, more solar radiation reaches the surface at the South Pole than is received at the Equator in an equivalent period; mostly uninhabitable

People ::Antarctica

Population:

no indigenous inhabitants, but there are both permanent and summer-only staffed research stations

note: 29 nations, all signatory to the Antarctic Treaty, operate through their National Antarctic Program a number of seasonal-only (summer) and year-round research stations on the continent and its nearby islands south of 60 degrees south latitude (the region covered by the Antarctic Treaty); the population doing and supporting science or engaged in the management and protection of the Antarctic region varies from approximately 4,400 in summer to 1,100 in winter; in addition, approximately 1,000 personnel, including ship's crew and scientists doing onboard research, are present in the waters of the treaty region; peak summer (December-February) population - 4,490 total; Argentina 667, Australia 200, Australia and Romania jointly 13, Belgium 20, Brazil 40, Bulgaria 18, Chile 359, China 90, Czech Republic 20, Ecuador 26, Finland 20, France 125, France and Italy jointly 60, Germany 90, India 65, Italy 102, Japan 125, South Korea 70, NZ 85, Norway 44, Peru 28, Poland 40, Russia 429, South Africa 80, Spain 50, Sweden 20, Ukraine 24, UK 217, US 1,293, Uruguay 70 (2008-2009); winter (June-August) station population - 1,106 total; Argentina 176, Australia 62, Brazil 12, Chile 114, China 29, France 26, France and Italy jointly 13, Germany 9, India 25, Japan 40, South Korea 18, NZ 10, Norway 7, Poland 12, Russia 148, South Africa 10, Ukraine 12, UK 37, US 337, Uruguay 9 (2009); research stations operated within the Antarctic Treaty area (south of 60 degrees south latitude) by National Antarctic Programs: year-round stations - 40 total; Argentina 6, Australia 3, Brazil 1, Chile 6, China 2, France 1, France and Italy jointly 1, Germany 1, India 1, Japan 1, South Korea 1, NZ 1, Norway 1, Poland 1, Russia 5, South Africa 1, Ukraine 1, UK 2, US 3, Uruguay 1 (2009); a range of seasonal-only (summer) stations, camps, and refuges - Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Brazil, Chile, China, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Poland, Romania (with Australia), Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, UK, US, and Uruguay (2008-2009); in addition, during the austral summer some nations have numerous occupied locations such as tent camps, summer-long temporary facilities, and mobile traverses in support of research (May 2009 est.)

Government ::Antarctica

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Antarctica

Government type:

Antarctic Treaty Summary - the Antarctic Treaty, signed on 1 December 1959 and entered into force on 23 June 1961, establishes the legal framework for the management of Antarctica; the 32nd Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting was held in Baltimore, MD, USA in April 2009; at these periodic meetings, decisions are made by consensus (not by vote) of all consultative member nations; by May 2009, there were 47 treaty member nations: 28 consultative and 19 non-consultative; consultative (decision-making) members include the seven nations that claim portions of Antarctica as national territory (some claims overlap) and 21 non-claimant nations; the US and Russia have reserved the right to make claims; the US does not recognize the claims of others; Antarctica is administered through meetings of the consultative member nations; decisions from these meetings are carried out by these member nations (with respect to their own nationals and operations) in accordance with their own national laws; the years in parentheses indicate when a consultative member-nation acceded to the Treaty and when it was accepted as a consultative member, while no date indicates the country was an original 1959 treaty signatory; claimant nations are - Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, NZ, Norway, and the UK. Nonclaimant consultative nations are - Belgium, Brazil (1975/1983), Bulgaria (1978/1998) China (1983/1985), Ecuador (1987/1990), Finland (1984/1989), Germany (1979/1981), India (1983/1983), Italy (1981/1987), Japan, South Korea (1986/1989), Netherlands (1967/1990), Peru (1981/1989), Poland (1961/1977), Russia, South Africa, Spain (1982/1988), Sweden (1984/1988), Ukraine (1992/2004), Uruguay (1980/1985), and the US; non-consultative members, with year of accession in parentheses, are - Austria (1987), Belarus (2006), Canada (1988), Colombia (1989), Cuba (1984), Czech Republic (1962/1993), Denmark (1965), Estonia (2001), Greece (1987), Guatemala (1991), Hungary (1984), North Korea (1987), Monaco (2008), Papua New Guinea (1981), Romania (1971), Slovakia (1962/1993), Switzerland (1990), Turkey (1996), and Venezuela (1999); note - Czechoslovakia acceded to the Treaty in 1962 and separated into the Czech Republic and Slovakia in 1993; Article 1 - area to be used for peaceful purposes only; military activity, such as weapons testing, is prohibited, but military personnel and equipment may be used for scientific research or any other peaceful purpose; Article 2 - freedom of scientific investigation and cooperation shall continue; Article 3 - free exchange of information and personnel, cooperation with the UN and other international agencies; Article 4 - does not recognize, dispute, or establish territorial claims and no new claims shall be asserted while the treaty is in force; Article 5 - prohibits nuclear explosions or disposal of radioactive wastes; Article 6 - includes under the treaty all land and ice shelves south of 60 degrees 00 minutes south and reserves high seas rights; Article 7 - treaty-state observers have free access, including aerial observation, to any area and may inspect all stations, installations, and equipment; advance notice of all expeditions and of the introduction of military personnel must be given; Article 8 - allows for jurisdiction over observers and scientists by their own states; Article 9 - frequent consultative meetings take place among member nations; Article 10 - treaty states will discourage activities by any country in Antarctica that are contrary to the treaty; Article 11 - disputes to be settled peacefully by the parties concerned or, ultimately, by the ICJ; Articles 12, 13, 14 - deal with upholding, interpreting, and amending the treaty among involved nations; other agreements - some 200 recommendations adopted at treaty consultative meetings and ratified by governments include - Agreed Measures for Fauna and Flora (1964) which were later incorporated into the Environmental Protocol; Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals (1972); Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (1980); a mineral resources agreement was signed in 1988 but remains unratified; the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty was signed 4 October 1991 and entered into force 14 January 1998; this agreement provides for the protection of the Antarctic environment through six specific annexes: 1) environmental impact assessment, 2) conservation of Antarctic fauna and flora, 3) waste disposal and waste management, 4) prevention of marine pollution, 5) area protection and management and 6) liability arising from environmental emergencies; it prohibits all activities relating to mineral resources except scientific research; a permanent Antarctic Treaty Secretariat was established in 2004 in Buenos Aires, Argentina

Legal system:

Antarctica is administered through meetings of the consultative member nations; decisions from these meetings are carried out by these member nations (with respect to their own nationals and operations) in accordance with their own national laws; more generally, access to the Antarctic Treaty area, that is to all areas between 60 and 90 degrees south latitude, is subject to a number of relevant legal instruments and authorization procedures adopted by the states party to the Antarctic Treaty; note - US law, including certain criminal offenses by or against US nationals, such as murder, may apply extraterritorially; some US laws directly apply to Antarctica; for example, the Antarctic Conservation Act, 16 U.S.C. section 2401 et seq., provides civil and criminal penalties for the following activities unless authorized by regulation of statute: the taking of native mammals or birds; the introduction of nonindigenous plants and animals; entry into specially protected areas; the discharge or disposal of pollutants; and the importation into the US of certain items from Antarctica; violation of the Antarctic Conservation Act carries penalties of up to $10,000 in fines and one year in prison; the National Science Foundation and Department of Justice share enforcement responsibilities; Public Law 95-541, the US Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978, as amended in 1996, requires expeditions from the US to Antarctica to notify, in advance, the Office of Oceans, Room 5805, Department of State, Washington, DC 20520, which reports such plans to other nations as required by the Antarctic Treaty; for more information, contact Permit Office, Office of Polar Programs, National Science Foundation, Arlington, Virginia 22230; telephone: (703) 292-8030, or visit its website at www.nsf.gov

Economy ::Antarctica

Economy - overview:

Fishing off the coast and tourism, both based abroad, account for Antarctica's limited economic activity. Antarctic fisheries in 2006-07 (1 July-30 June) reported landing 126,976 metric tons (estimated fishing from the area covered by the Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), which extends slightly beyond the Antarctic Treaty area). Unregulated fishing, particularly of Patagonian toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides - also known as Chilean sea bass), is a serious problem. The CCAMLR determines the recommended catch limits for marine species. A total of 45,652 tourists visited the Antarctic Treaty area in the 2007-08 Antarctic summer, up from the 36,460 visitors in 2006-2007, and the 30,877 visitors in 2005-2006 (estimates provided to the Antarctic Treaty by the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO); this does not include passengers on overflights). Nearly all of them were passengers on commercial (nongovernmental) ships and several yachts that make trips during the summer. Most tourist trips last approximately two weeks.

Communications ::Antarctica

Telephones - main lines in use:

0; note - information for US bases only (2001) country comparison to the world: 231

Telephone system:

general assessment: local systems at some research stations

domestic: commercial cellular networks operating in a small number of locations

international: country code - none allocated; via satellite (including mobile Inmarsat and Iridium systems) to and from all research stations, ships, aircraft, and most field parties (2007)

Radio broadcast stations:

FM 2, shortwave 1 (information for US bases only); note - many research stations have a local FM radio station (2007)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (cable system with 6 channels; American Forces Antarctic Network-McMurdo - information for US bases only) (2002)

Internet country code:

.aq

Internet hosts:

7,758 (2009) country comparison to the world: 126

Transportation ::Antarctica

Airports:

25 (2009) country comparison to the world: 129

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 25

over 3,047 m: 4

2,438 to 3,047 m: 5

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 9

under 914 m: 6 (2009)

Heliports:

53

note: all year-round and seasonal stations operated by National Antarctic Programs stations have some kind of helicopter landing facilities, prepared (helipads) or unprepared (2007)

Ports and terminals:

there are no developed ports and harbors in Antarctica; most coastal stations have sparse and intermittent offshore anchorages; a few stations have basic wharf facilities

Transportation - note:

US coastal stations include McMurdo (77 51 S, 166 40 E) and Palmer (64 43 S, 64 03 W); government use only except by permit (see Permit Office under "Legal System"); all ships at port are subject to inspection in accordance with Article 7, Antarctic Treaty; relevant legal instruments and authorization procedures adopted by the states parties to the Antarctic Treaty regulating access to the Antarctic Treaty area to all areas between 60 and 90 degrees of latitude south have to be complied with (see "Legal System"); The Hydrographic Commission on Antarctica (HCA), a commission of the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO), is responsible for hydrographic surveying and nautical charting matters in Antarctic Treaty area; it coordinates and facilitates provision of accurate and appropriate charts and other aids to navigation in support of safety of navigation in region; membership of HCA is open to any IHO Member State whose government has acceded to the Antarctic Treaty and which contributes resources or data to IHO Chart coverage of the area

Military ::Antarctica

Military - note:

the Antarctic Treaty prohibits any measures of a military nature, such as the establishment of military bases and fortifications, the carrying out of military maneuvers, or the testing of any type of weapon; it permits the use of military personnel or equipment for scientific research or for any other peaceful purposes

Transnational Issues ::Antarctica

Disputes - international:

the Antarctic Treaty freezes, and most states do not recognize, the land and maritime territorial claims made by Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New Zealand, Norway, and the United Kingdom (some overlapping) for three-fourths of the continent; the US and Russia reserve the right to make claims; no claims have been made in the sector between 90 degrees west and 150 degrees west; the International Whaling Commission created a sanctuary around the entire continent to deter catches by countries claiming to conduct scientific whaling; Australia has established a similar preserve in the waters around its territorial claim

page last updated on October 28, 2009

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@Antigua and Barbuda (Central America and Caribbean)

Introduction ::Antigua and Barbuda

Background:

The Siboney were the first to inhabit the islands of Antigua and Barbuda in 2400 B.C., but Arawak Indians populated the islands when COLUMBUS landed on his second voyage in 1493. Early settlements by the Spanish and French were succeeded by the English who formed a colony in 1667. Slavery, established to run the sugar plantations on Antigua, was abolished in 1834. The islands became an independent state within the British Commonwealth of Nations in 1981.

Geography ::Antigua and Barbuda

Location:

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

Geographic coordinates:

17 03 N, 61 48 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 442.6 sq km (Antigua 280 sq km; Barbuda 161 sq km) country comparison to the world: 199 land: 442.6 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: includes Redonda, 1.6 sq km

Area - comparative:

2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

153 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:

tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain:

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

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: Boggy Peak 402 m

Natural resources:

NEGL; pleasant climate fosters tourism

Land use:

arable land: 18.18%

permanent crops: 4.55%

other: 77.27% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Total renewable water resources:

0.1 cu km (2000)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.005 cu km/yr (60%/20%/20%)

per capita: 63 cu m/yr (1990)

Natural hazards:

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

Environment - current issues:

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

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

Antigua has a deeply indented shoreline with many natural harbors and beaches; Barbuda has a large western harbor

People ::Antigua and Barbuda

Population:

85,632 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 198

Age structure:

0-14 years: 26.8% (male 11,660/female 11,303)

15-64 years: 66.6% (male 26,597/female 30,414)

65 years and over: 6.6% (male 2,456/female 3,202) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 29.7 years

male: 28.2 years

female: 31.1 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.303% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 103

Birth rate:

16.59 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 128

Death rate:

5.94 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 164

Net migration rate:

2.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 36

Urbanization:

urban population: 30% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 0.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.87 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female

total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 16.25 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 120 male: 18.76 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 13.62 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 74.76 years country comparison to the world: 87 male: 72.81 years

female: 76.81 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.07 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 124

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Antiguan(s), Barbudan(s)

adjective: Antiguan, Barbudan

Ethnic groups:

black 91%, mixed 4.4%, white 1.7%, other 2.9% (2001 census)

Religions:

Anglican 25.7%, Seventh Day Adventist 12.3%, Pentecostal 10.6%,
Moravian 10.5%, Roman Catholic 10.4%, Methodist 7.9%, Baptist 4.9%,
Church of God 4.5%, other Christian 5.4%, other 2%, none or
unspecified 5.8% (2001 census)

Languages:

English (official), local dialects

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over has completed five or more years of schooling

total population: 85.8%

male: NA

female: NA (2003 est.)

Education expenditures:

3.9% of GDP (2002) country comparison to the world: 106

Government ::Antigua and Barbuda

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Antigua and Barbuda

Government type:

constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system of government and a Commonwealth realm

Capital:

name: Saint John's

geographic coordinates: 17 07 N, 61 51 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

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

Independence:

1 November 1981 (from the UK)

National holiday:

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

Constitution:

1 November 1981

Legal system:

based on English common law

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Louisse LAKE-TACK (since 17 July 2007)

head of government: Prime Minister Winston Baldwin SPENCER (since 24 March 2004)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister

elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general chosen by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (17 seats; members appointed by the governor general) and the House of Representatives (17 seats; members are elected by proportional representation to serve five-year terms)

elections: House of Representatives - last held 12 March 2009 (next to be held in 2014)

election results: percent of vote by party - UPP 50.9%, ALP 47.2%, BPM 1.1%; seats by party - UPP 9, ALP 7, BPM 1

Judicial branch:

Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court consisting of a High Court of
Justice and a Court of Appeal (based in Saint Lucia; two judges of
the Supreme Court are residents of the islands and preside over the
Court of Summary Jurisdiction); Magistrates' Courts; member of the
Caribbean Court of Justice

Political parties and leaders:

Antigua Labor Party or ALP [Lester Bryant BIRD]; Barbudans for a Better Barbuda [Ordrick SAMUEL]; Barbuda People's Movement or BPM [Thomas H. FRANK]; Barbuda People's Movement for Change [Arthur NIBBS]; United Progressive Party or UPP [Baldwin SPENCER] (a coalition of three parties - Antigua Caribbean Liberation Movement or ACLM, Progressive Labor Movement or PLM, United National Democratic Party or UNDP)

Political pressure groups and leaders:

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

International organization participation:

ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU,
ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU,
WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Deborah Mae LOVELL

chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016

telephone: [1] (202) 362-5122

FAX: [1] (202) 362-5225

consulate(s) general: Miami, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

the US does not have an embassy in Antigua and Barbuda; the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Antigua and Barbuda

Flag description:

red, with an inverted isosceles triangle based on the top edge of the flag; the triangle contains three horizontal bands of black (top), light blue, and white, with a yellow rising sun in the black band; the sun symbolizes the dawn of a new era, black represents the African heritage of most of the population, blue is for hope, and red is for the dynamism of the people; the "V" stands for victory; the successive yellow, blue, and white coloring is also meant to evoke the country's tourist attractions of sun, sea, and sand

Economy ::Antigua and Barbuda

Economy - overview:

Antigua has a relatively high GDP per capita in comparison to most other Caribbean nations. The economy experienced solid growth from 2003 to 2007, reaching over 12% in 2006 driven by a construction boom in hotels and housing associated with the Cricket World Cup. Growth dropped off in 2008 with the end of the boom. Tourism continues to dominate the economy, accounting for nearly 60% of GDP and 40% of investment. The dual-island nation's agricultural production is focused on the domestic market and constrained by a limited water supply and a labor shortage stemming from the lure of higher wages in tourism and construction. Manufacturing comprises enclave-type assembly for export with major products being bedding, handicrafts, and electronic components. Prospects for economic growth in the medium term will continue to depend on tourist arrivals from the US, Canada, and Europe and potential damages from natural disasters. Since taking office in 2004, the SPENCER government has adopted an ambitious fiscal reform program, and has been successful in reducing its public debt-to-GDP ratio from 120% to about 90%.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$1.639 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 189 $1.594 billion (2007 est.)

$1.491 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$1.224 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 133 6.9% (2007 est.)

12.4% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$19,400 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 64 $19,100 (2007 est.)

$18,100 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 3.8%

industry: 22%

services: 74.3% (2002 est.)

Labor force:

30,000 (1991) country comparison to the world: 197

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 7%

industry: 11%

services: 82% (1983)

Unemployment rate:

11% (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 127

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $123.7 million

expenditures: $145.9 million (2000 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

1.5% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 12

Central bank discount rate:

6.5% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 57 6.5% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

10.43% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 80 10.44% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$296.4 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 101 $294.8 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$939.9 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 97 $902 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$1.13 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 107 $1.002 billion (31 December 2007)

Agriculture - products:

cotton, fruits, vegetables, bananas, coconuts, cucumbers, mangoes, sugarcane; livestock

Industries:

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

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

110 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 188

Electricity - consumption:

102.3 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 189

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 115

Oil - consumption:

5,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 162

Oil - exports:

219 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 129

Oil - imports:

4,690 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 159

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 209

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 209

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 209

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 207

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 206

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 207

Current account balance:

-$211 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 89

Exports:

$84.3 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 196

Exports - commodities:

petroleum products, bedding, handicrafts, electronic components, transport equipment, food and live animals

Imports:

$522.8 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 186

Imports - commodities:

food and live animals, machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, chemicals, oil

Debt - external:

$359.8 million (June 2006) country comparison to the world: 169

Exchange rates:

East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar - 2.7 (2007), 2.7 (2006), 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003)

note: fixed rate since 1976

Communications ::Antigua and Barbuda

Telephones - main lines in use:

38,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 171

Telephones - mobile cellular:

136,600 (2008) country comparison to the world: 177

Telephone system:

general assessment: NA

domestic: good automatic telephone system

international: country code - 1-268; landing point for the East Caribbean Fiber System (ECFS) submarine cable with links to 13 other islands in the eastern Caribbean extending from the British Virgin Islands to Trinidad; satellite earth stations - 2; tropospheric scatter to Saba (Netherlands Antilles) and Guadeloupe (2007)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 4, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

2 (1997)

Internet country code:

.ag

Internet hosts:

7,421 (2009) country comparison to the world: 127

Internet users:

65,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 166

Transportation ::Antigua and Barbuda

Airports:

3 (2009) country comparison to the world: 190

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 1,165 km country comparison to the world: 181 paved: 384 km

unpaved: 781 km (2002)

Merchant marine:

total: 1,146 country comparison to the world: 7 by type: barge carrier 2, bulk carrier 50, cargo 651, carrier 4, chemical tanker 5, container 392, liquefied gas 12, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 9, roll on/roll off 20

foreign-owned: 1,113 (Australia 1, Colombia 2, Cyprus 18, Denmark 19, Estonia 23, France 1, Germany 941, Greece 3, Iceland 12, Italy 1, Latvia 13, Lithuania 5, Netherlands 20, NZ 2, Norway 8, Poland 2, Russia 4, Slovenia 6, Sweden 1, Switzerland 8, Turkey 6, UK 9, US 8) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Saint John's

Military ::Antigua and Barbuda

Military branches:

Royal Antigua and Barbuda Defense Force (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 19,560

females age 16-49: 18,977 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 17,271

females age 16-49: 19,586 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 744

female: 743 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

NA

Transnational Issues ::Antigua and Barbuda

Disputes - international:

none

Illicit drugs:

considered a minor transshipment point for narcotics bound for the US and Europe; more significant as an offshore financial center

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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@Arctic Ocean (Oceans)

Introduction ::Arctic Ocean

Background:

The Arctic Ocean is the smallest of the world's five oceans (after the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, and the recently delimited Southern Ocean). The Northwest Passage (US and Canada) and Northern Sea Route (Norway and Russia) are two important seasonal waterways. A sparse network of air, ocean, river, and land routes circumscribes the Arctic Ocean.

Geography ::Arctic Ocean

Location:

body of water between Europe, Asia, and North America, mostly north of the Arctic Circle

Geographic coordinates:

90 00 N, 0 00 E

Map references:

Arctic

Area:

total: 14.056 million sq km

note: includes Baffin Bay, Barents Sea, Beaufort Sea, Chukchi Sea, East Siberian Sea, Greenland Sea, Hudson Bay, Hudson Strait, Kara Sea, Laptev Sea, Northwest Passage, and other tributary water bodies

Area - comparative:

slightly less than 1.5 times the size of the US

Coastline:

45,389 km

Climate:

polar climate characterized by persistent cold and relatively narrow annual temperature ranges; winters characterized by continuous darkness, cold and stable weather conditions, and clear skies; summers characterized by continuous daylight, damp and foggy weather, and weak cyclones with rain or snow

Terrain:

central surface covered by a perennial drifting polar icepack that, on average, is about 3 meters thick, although pressure ridges may be three times that thickness; clockwise drift pattern in the Beaufort Gyral Stream, but nearly straight-line movement from the New Siberian Islands (Russia) to Denmark Strait (between Greenland and Iceland); the icepack is surrounded by open seas during the summer, but more than doubles in size during the winter and extends to the encircling landmasses; the ocean floor is about 50% continental shelf (highest percentage of any ocean) with the remainder a central basin interrupted by three submarine ridges (Alpha Cordillera, Nansen Cordillera, and Lomonosov Ridge)

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Fram Basin -4,665 m

highest point: sea level 0 m

Natural resources:

sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules, oil and gas fields, fish, marine mammals (seals and whales)

Natural hazards:

ice islands occasionally break away from northern Ellesmere Island; icebergs calved from glaciers in western Greenland and extreme northeastern Canada; permafrost in islands; virtually ice locked from October to June; ships subject to superstructure icing from October to May

Environment - current issues:

endangered marine species include walruses and whales; fragile ecosystem slow to change and slow to recover from disruptions or damage; thinning polar icepack

Geography - note:

major chokepoint is the southern Chukchi Sea (northern access to the Pacific Ocean via the Bering Strait); strategic location between North America and Russia; shortest marine link between the extremes of eastern and western Russia; floating research stations operated by the US and Russia; maximum snow cover in March or April about 20 to 50 centimeters over the frozen ocean; snow cover lasts about 10 months

Economy ::Arctic Ocean

Economy - overview:

Economic activity is limited to the exploitation of natural resources, including petroleum, natural gas, fish, and seals.

Transportation ::Arctic Ocean

Ports and terminals:

Churchill (Canada), Murmansk (Russia), Prudhoe Bay (US)

Transportation - note:

sparse network of air, ocean, river, and land routes; the Northwest Passage (North America) and Northern Sea Route (Eurasia) are important seasonal waterways

Transnational Issues ::Arctic Ocean

Disputes - international:

the littoral states are engaged in various stages of demonstrating the limits of their continental shelves beyond 200 nautical miles from their declared baselines in accordance with Article 76, paragraph 8, of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea; record summer melting of sea ice in the Arctic has restimulated interest in maritime shipping lanes and sea floor exploration

page last updated on October 22, 2009

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@Argentina (South America)

Introduction ::Argentina

Background:

In 1816, the United Provinces of the Rio Plata declared their independence from Spain. After Bolivia, Paraguay, and Uruguay went their separate ways, the area that remained became Argentina. The country's population and culture were heavily shaped by immigrants from throughout Europe, but most particularly Italy and Spain, which provided the largest percentage of newcomers from 1860 to 1930. Up until about the mid-20th century, much of Argentina's history was dominated by periods of internal political conflict between Federalists and Unitarians and between civilian and military factions. After World War II, an era of Peronist populism and direct and indirect military interference in subsequent governments was followed by a military junta that took power in 1976. Democracy returned in 1983 after a failed bid to seize the Falkland (Malvinas) Islands by force, and has persisted despite numerous challenges, the most formidable of which was a severe economic crisis in 2001-02 that led to violent public protests and the resignation of several interim presidents.

Geography ::Argentina

Location:

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

Geographic coordinates:

34 00 S, 64 00 W

Map references:

South America

Area:

total: 2,780,400 sq km country comparison to the world: 8 land: 2,736,690 sq km

water: 43,710 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly less than three-tenths the size of the US

Land boundaries:

total: 9,861 km

border countries: Bolivia 832 km, Brazil 1,261 km, Chile 5,308 km, Paraguay 1,880 km, Uruguay 580 km

Coastline:

4,989 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:

mostly temperate; arid in southeast; subantarctic in southwest

Terrain:

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

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Laguna del Carbon -105 m (located between Puerto San Julian and Comandante Luis Piedra Buena in the province of Santa Cruz)

highest point: Cerro Aconcagua 6,960 m (located in the northwestern corner of the province of Mendoza)

Natural resources:

fertile plains of the pampas, lead, zinc, tin, copper, iron ore, manganese, petroleum, uranium

Land use:

arable land: 10.03%

permanent crops: 0.36%

other: 89.61% (2005)

Irrigated land:

15,500 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

814 cu km (2000)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 29.19 cu km/yr (17%/9%/74%)

per capita: 753 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

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

Environment - current issues:

environmental problems (urban and rural) typical of an industrializing economy such as deforestation, soil degradation, desertification, air pollution, and water pollution

note: Argentina is a world leader in setting voluntary greenhouse gas targets

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:

second-largest country in South America (after Brazil); strategic location relative to sea lanes between the South Atlantic and the South Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake Passage); diverse geophysical landscapes range from tropical climates in the north to tundra in the far south; Cerro Aconcagua is the Western Hemisphere's tallest mountain, while Laguna del Carbon is the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere

People ::Argentina

Population:

40,913,584 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 31

Age structure:

0-14 years: 25.6% (male 5,369,477/female 5,122,260)

15-64 years: 63.5% (male 12,961,725/female 13,029,265)

65 years and over: 10.8% (male 1,819,057/female 2,611,800) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 30 years

male: 29 years

female: 31 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.053% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 124

Birth rate:

17.94 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 113

Death rate:

7.41 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 122

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 75

Urbanization:

urban population: 92% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female

total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 11.44 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 149 male: 12.76 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 10.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 76.56 years country comparison to the world: 66 male: 73.32 years

female: 79.97 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.35 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 107

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.5% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 72

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

120,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 42

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

7,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 39

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: intermediate

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A

water contact disease: leptospirosis (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Argentine(s)

adjective: Argentine

Ethnic groups:

white (mostly Spanish and Italian) 97%, mestizo (mixed white and Amerindian ancestry), Amerindian, or other non-white groups 3%

Religions:

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

Languages:

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

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 97.2%

male: 97.2%

female: 97.2% (2001 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 15 years

male: 14 years

female: 16 years (2005)

Education expenditures:

3.8% of GDP (2004) country comparison to the world: 113

Government ::Argentina

Country name:

conventional long form: Argentine Republic

conventional short form: Argentina

local long form: Republica Argentina

local short form: Argentina

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Buenos Aires

geographic coordinates: 34 36 S, 58 40 W

time difference: UTC-3 (3 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in October; ends third Saturday in March; note - a new policy of daylight saving time was initiated by the government on 30 December 2007

Administrative divisions:

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

note: the US does not recognize any claims to Antarctica

Independence:

9 July 1816 (from Spain)

National holiday:

Revolution Day, 25 May (1810)

Constitution:

1 May 1853; amended many times starting in 1860

Legal system:

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

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Cristina FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER (since 10 December 2007); Vice President Julio COBOS (since 10 December 2007); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Cristina FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER (since 10 December 2007); Vice President Julio COBOS (since 10 December 2007)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president

elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 28 October 2007 (next election to be held in 2011)

election results: Cristina FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER elected president; percent of vote - Cristina FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER 45%, Elisa CARRIO 23%, Roberto LAVAGNA 17%, Alberto Rodriguez SAA 8%

Legislative branch:

bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the Senate (72 seats; members are elected by direct vote; presently one-third of the members elected every two years to serve six-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies (257 seats; members are elected by direct vote; one-half of the members elected every two years to serve four-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held 28 October 2007 (next to be held in 2009); Chamber of Deputies - last held last held 28 October 2007 (next to be held in 2009)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by bloc or party - NA; seats by bloc or party - FpV 12, UCR 4, CC 4, other 4; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by bloc or party - NA; seats by bloc or party - FpV 5, UCR 10, PJ 10, PRO 6, CC 16, FJ 2, other 31; note - as of 1 January 2009, the composition of the entire legislature is as follows: Senate - seats by bloc or party - FpV 42, UCR 8, CC 2, other 20; Chamber of Deputies - seats by bloc or party - FpV 119, UCR 24, CC 18, PS 10, PRO 9, other 77

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (the Supreme Court judges are appointed by the president with approval of the Senate)

note: the Supreme Court has seven judges; the Argentine Congress in 2006 passed a bill to gradually reduce the number of Supreme Court judges to five

Political parties and leaders:

Coalicion Civica (a broad coalition loosely affiliated with Elisa CARRIO); Front for Victory or FpV (a broad coalition, including elements of the UCR and numerous provincial parties) [Nestor KIRCHNER]; Interbloque Federal or IF (a broad coalition of approximately 12 parties including PRO); Justicialist Party or PJ [Nestor KIRCHNER]; Radical Civic Union or UCR [Gerardo MORALES]; Republican Proposal or PRO [Mauricio MACRI] (including Federal Recreate Movement or RECREAR [Esteban BULLRICH]; Socialist Party or PS [Ruben GIUSTINIANI]; Union For All [Patricia BULLRICH]; several provincial parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Argentine Association of Pharmaceutical Labs (CILFA); Argentine
Industrial Union (manufacturers' association); Argentine Rural
Confederation or CRA (small to medium landowners' association);
Argentine Rural Society (large landowners' association); Central of
Argentine Workers or CTA (a radical union for employed and
unemployed workers); General Confederation of Labor or CGT
(Peronist-leaning umbrella labor organization); White and Blue CGT
(dissident CGT labor confederation); Roman Catholic Church

other: business organizations; Peronist-dominated labor movement; Piquetero groups (popular protest organizations that can be either pro or anti-government); students

International organization participation:

AfDB (nonregional members), Australia Group, BCIE, BIS, CAN
(associate), FAO, G-15, G-20, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur,
MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, NSG, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, SICA
(observer), UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union
Latina (observer), UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Hector Marcos TIMERMAN

chancery: 1600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone: [1] (202) 238-6400

FAX: [1] (202) 332-3171

consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Earl Anthony WAYNE

embassy: Avenida Colombia 4300, C1425GMN Buenos Aires

mailing address: international mail: use embassy street address; APO address: US Embassy Buenos Aires, Unit 4334, APO AA 34034

telephone: [54] (11) 5777-4533

FAX: [54] (11) 5777-4240

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of light blue (top), white, and light blue; centered in the white band is a radiant yellow sun with a human face known as the Sun of May; the colors represent the clear skies and snow of the Andes; the sun symbol commemorates the appearance of the sun through cloudy skies on 25 May 1810 during the first mass demonstration in favor of independence; the sun features are those of Inti, the Inca god of the sun

Economy ::Argentina

Economy - overview:

Argentina benefits from rich natural resources, a highly literate population, an export-oriented agricultural sector, and a diversified industrial base. Although one of the world's wealthiest countries 100 years ago, Argentina suffered during most of the 20th century from recurring economic crises, persistent fiscal and current account deficits, high inflation, mounting external debt, and capital flight. A severe depression, growing public and external indebtedness, and a bank run culminated in 2001 in the most serious economic, social, and political crisis in the country's turbulent history. Interim President Adolfo RODRIGUEZ SAA declared a default - the largest in history - on the government's foreign debt in December of that year, and abruptly resigned only a few days after taking office. His successor, Eduardo DUHALDE, announced an end to the peso's decade-long 1-to-1 peg to the US dollar in early 2002. The economy bottomed out that year, with real GDP 18% smaller than in 1998 and almost 60% of Argentines under the poverty line. Real GDP rebounded to grow by an average 9% annually over the subsequent five years, taking advantage of previously idled industrial capacity and labor, an audacious debt restructuring and reduced debt burden, excellent international financial conditions, and expansionary monetary and fiscal policies. Inflation also increased, however, during the administration of President Nestor KIRCHNER, which responded with price restraints on businesses, as well as export taxes and restraints, and beginning in early 2007, with understating inflation data. Cristina FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER succeeded her husband as President in late 2007, but was stymied in her efforts to hike export taxes still further by protesting farmers. Her government nationalized private pension funds in late 2008, which bolstered government coffers, but failed to assuage investors' concerns about the direction of economic policy.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$575.2 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 24 $538.6 billion (2007 est.)

$495.5 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$324.8 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

6.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 41 8.7% (2007 est.)

8.5% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$14,200 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 80 $13,400 (2007 est.)

$12,500 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 9.9%

industry: 32.7%

services: 57.4% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

16.27 million country comparison to the world: 36 note: urban areas only (2008 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 1%

industry: 23%

services: 76% (2008 est.)

Unemployment rate:

7.9% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 108 8.5% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

23.4% (January-June 2007)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 1%

highest 10%: 35% (January-March 2007)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

49 (January-March 2007) country comparison to the world: 27

Investment (gross fixed):

23.2% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 65

Budget:

revenues: $86.65 billion

expenditures: $82.85 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

48.6% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 40 118% of GDP (June 2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

8.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 132 8.8% (2007 est.)

note: based on official estimates, which lack credibility; non-official estimates put inflation at 22% in 2008

Central bank discount rate:

NA

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

19.47% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 7 28% (28 November 2008)

Stock of money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$33.93 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$45.92 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$72.55 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$52.31 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 50 $86.68 billion (31 December 2007)

$79.73 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

sunflower seeds, lemons, soybeans, grapes, corn, tobacco, peanuts, tea, wheat; livestock

Industries:

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

Industrial production growth rate:

4.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 61

Electricity - production:

109.5 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 30

Electricity - consumption:

99.21 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 31

Electricity - exports:

2.628 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

10.28 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Oil - production:

792,300 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 25

Oil - consumption:

610,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 29

Oil - exports:

314,400 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 38

Oil - imports:

52,290 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 87

Oil - proved reserves:

2.616 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 31

Natural gas - production:

44.06 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 21

Natural gas - consumption:

44.47 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 18

Natural gas - exports:

890 million cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 37

Natural gas - imports:

1.3 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 50

Natural gas - proved reserves:

441.7 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 33

Current account balance:

$7.077 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 28 $7.103 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$70.02 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 46 $55.78 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

soybeans and derivatives, petroleum and gas, vehicles, corn, wheat

Exports - partners:

Brazil 18.9%, China 9.1%, US 7.9%, Chile 6.7%, Netherlands 4.2% (2008)

Imports:

$54.56 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 50 $42.53 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery, motor vehicles, petroleum and natural gas, organic chemicals, plastics

Imports - partners:

Brazil 31.3%, China 12.4%, US 12.2%, Germany 4.4% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$46.37 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 28 $46.12 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$128.2 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 34 $124 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$73.98 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 41 $66 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$28.75 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 35 $26.92 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

Argentine pesos (ARS) per US dollar - 3.1636 (2008 est.), 3.1105 (2007), 3.0543 (2006), 2.9037 (2005), 2.9233 (2004)

Communications ::Argentina

Telephones - main lines in use:

9.631 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 23

Telephones - mobile cellular:

46.509 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 21

Telephone system:

general assessment: by opening the telecommunications market to competition and foreign investment with the "Telecommunications Liberalization Plan of 1998," Argentina encouraged the growth of modern telecommunications technology; fiber-optic cable trunk lines are being installed between all major cities; major networks are entirely digital and the availability of telephone service is improving; fixed-line telephone density is gradually increasing reaching nearly 25 lines per 100 people in 2008; mobile telephone subscribership has been increasing rapidly and has reached a level of 115 telephones per 100 persons

domestic: microwave radio relay, fiber-optic cable, and a domestic satellite system with 40 earth stations serve the trunk network; mobile telephone use is rapidly expanding; broadband services are gaining ground

international: country code - 54; landing point for the Atlantis-2, UNISUR, and South America-1 optical submarine cable systems that provide links to Europe, Africa, South and Central America, and US; satellite earth stations - 112; 2 international gateways near Buenos Aires (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 260, FM (probably more than 1,000, mostly unlicensed), shortwave 6 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

42 (plus 444 repeaters) (1997)

Internet country code:

.ar

Internet hosts:

4.906 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 16

Internet users:

11.212 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 28

Transportation ::Argentina

Airports:

1,130 (2009) country comparison to the world: 6

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 156

over 3,047 m: 4

2,438 to 3,047 m: 26

1,524 to 2,437 m: 65

914 to 1,523 m: 51

under 914 m: 10 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 974

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 44

914 to 1,523 m: 522

under 914 m: 406 (2009)

Heliports:

2 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 28,138 km; liquid petroleum gas 41 km; oil 5,939 km; refined products 3,629 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 31,409 km country comparison to the world: 8 broad gauge: 27,301 km 1.676-m gauge (94 km electrified)

standard gauge: 2,780 km 1.435-m gauge (26 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 1,328 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 231,374 km country comparison to the world: 22 paved: 69,412 km (includes 734 km of expressways)

unpaved: 161,962 km (2004)

Waterways:

11,000 km (2007) country comparison to the world: 11

Merchant marine:

total: 46 country comparison to the world: 72 by type: bulk carrier 3, cargo 9, chemical tanker 2, container 1, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 24, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 1

foreign-owned: 14 (Brazil 1, Chile 7, Spain 2, UK 4)

registered in other countries: 19 (Liberia 3, Panama 8, Paraguay 5, Uruguay 3) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Arroyo Seco, Bahia Blanca, Buenos Aires, La Plata, Punta Colorada,
Rosario, San Lorenzo-San Martin

Military ::Argentina

Military branches:

Argentine Army (Ejercito Argentino), Navy of the Argentine Republic
(Armada Republica; includes naval aviation and naval infantry),
Argentine Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Argentina, FAA) (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18-24 years of age for voluntary military service (18-21 requires parental permission); no conscription (2001)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 10,029,488

females age 16-49: 9,889,002 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 8,264,853

females age 16-49: 8,268,498 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 341,590

female: 326,342 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.3% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 120

Military - note:

the Argentine military is a well-organized force constrained by the country's prolonged economic hardship; the country has recently experienced a strong recovery, and the military is implementing a modernization plan aimed at making the ground forces lighter and more responsive (2008)

Transnational Issues ::Argentina

Disputes - international:

Argentina continues to assert its claims to the UK-administered Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas), South Georgia, and the South Sandwich Islands in its constitution, forcibly occupying the Falklands in 1982, but in 1995 agreed no longer to seek settlement by force; territorial claim in Antarctica partially overlaps UK and Chilean claims; unruly region at convergence of Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay borders is locus of money laundering, smuggling, arms and illegal narcotics trafficking, and fundraising for extremist organizations; uncontested dispute between Brazil and Uruguay over Braziliera/Brasiliera Island in the Quarai/Cuareim River leaves the tripoint with Argentina in question; in 2006, Argentina went to the ICJ to protest, on environmental grounds, the construction of two pulp mills in Uruguay on the Uruguay River, which forms the boundary; both parties presented their pleadings in 2007 with Argentina's reply in January and Uruguay's rejoinder in July 2008; the joint boundary commission, established by Chile and Argentina in 2001 has yet to map and demarcate the delimited boundary in the inhospitable Andean Southern Ice Field (Campo de Hielo Sur)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Argentina is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor; most victims are trafficked within the country, from rural to urban areas; child sex tourism is a problem; foreign women and children, primarily from Paraguay, Brazil, and the Dominican Republic, are trafficked to Argentina for commercial sexual exploitation; Argentine women and girls are also trafficked to neighboring countries, Mexico, and Western Europe for sexual exploitation; a significant number of Bolivians, Peruvians, and Paraguayans are trafficked into the country for forced labor in sweatshops, agriculture, and as domestic servants

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - despite some progress, Argentina remains on the Tier 2 Watch List for the third consecutive year for its failure to show evidence of increasing efforts to combat human trafficking, particularly in terms of providing adequate assistance to victims and curbing official complicity with trafficking activity, especially on the provincial and local levels; the Argentine Congress has demonstrated progress by enacting much-needed and first-ever federal anti-trafficking legislation (2009)

Illicit drugs:

a transshipment country for cocaine headed for Europe, heroin headed for the US, and ephedrine and pseudoephedrine headed for Mexico; some money-laundering activity, especially in the Tri-Border Area; law enforcement corruption; a source for precursor chemicals; increasing domestic consumption of drugs in urban centers, especially cocaine base and synthetic drugs (2008)

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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@Armenia (Middle East)

Introduction ::Armenia

Background:

Armenia prides itself on being the first nation to formally adopt Christianity (early 4th century). Despite periods of autonomy, over the centuries Armenia came under the sway of various empires including the Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Persian, and Ottoman. During World War I in the western portion of Armenia, Ottoman Turkey instituted a policy of forced resettlement coupled with other harsh practices that resulted in an estimated 1 million Armenian deaths. The eastern area of Armenia was ceded by the Ottomans to Russia in 1828; this portion declared its independence in 1918, but was conquered by the Soviet Red Army in 1920. Armenian leaders remain preoccupied by the long conflict with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh, a primarily Armenian-populated region, assigned to Soviet Azerbaijan in the 1920s by Moscow. Armenia and Azerbaijan began fighting over the area in 1988; the struggle escalated after both countries attained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. By May 1994, when a cease-fire took hold, ethnic Armenian forces held not only Nagorno-Karabakh but also a significant portion of Azerbaijan proper. The economies of both sides have been hurt by their inability to make substantial progress toward a peaceful resolution. Turkey closed the common border with Armenia because of the Armenian separatists' control of Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding areas.

Geography ::Armenia

Location:

Southwestern Asia, east of Turkey

Geographic coordinates:

40 00 N, 45 00 E

Map references:

Middle East

Area:

total: 29,743 sq km country comparison to the world: 142 land: 28,203 sq km

water: 1,540 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries:

total: 1,254 km

border countries: Azerbaijan-proper 566 km, Azerbaijan-Naxcivan exclave 221 km, Georgia 164 km, Iran 35 km, Turkey 268 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

highland continental, hot summers, cold winters

Terrain:

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

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Debed River 400 m

highest point: Aragats Lerrnagagat' 4,090 m

Natural resources:

small deposits of gold, copper, molybdenum, zinc, bauxite

Land use:

arable land: 16.78%

permanent crops: 2.01%

other: 81.21% (2005)

Irrigated land:

2,860 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

10.5 cu km (1997)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 2.95 cu km/yr (30%/4%/66%)

per capita: 977 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

occasionally severe earthquakes; droughts

Environment - current issues:

soil pollution from toxic chemicals such as DDT; the energy crisis of the 1990s led to deforestation when citizens scavenged for firewood; pollution of Hrazdan (Razdan) and Aras Rivers; the draining of Sevana Lich (Lake Sevan), a result of its use as a source for hydropower, threatens drinking water supplies; restart of Metsamor nuclear power plant in spite of its location in a seismically active zone

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Geography - note:

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

People ::Armenia

Population:

2,967,004 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 137

Age structure:

0-14 years: 18.2% (male 289,119/female 252,150)

15-64 years: 71.1% (male 986,764/female 1,123,708)

65 years and over: 10.6% (male 122,996/female 192,267) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 31.5 years

male: 28.8 years

female: 34.4 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.03% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 206

Birth rate:

12.65 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 160

Death rate:

8.39 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 99

Net migration rate:

-4.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 161

Urbanization:

urban population: 64% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: -0.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.14 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.15 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.88 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female

total population: 0.89 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 20.21 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 106 male: 24.97 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 14.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 72.68 years country comparison to the world: 116 male: 69.06 years

female: 76.81 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.36 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 200

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 114

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

2,400 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 135

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 200 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 104

Nationality:

noun: Armenian(s)

adjective: Armenian

Ethnic groups:

Armenian 97.9%, Yezidi (Kurd) 1.3%, Russian 0.5%, other 0.3% (2001 census)

Religions:

Armenian Apostolic 94.7%, other Christian 4%, Yezidi (monotheist with elements of nature worship) 1.3%

Languages:

Armenian 97.7%, Yezidi 1%, Russian 0.9%, other 0.4% (2001 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.4%

male: 99.7%

female: 99.2% (2001 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 11 years

male: 11 years

female: 12 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

3.2% of GDP (2001) country comparison to the world: 139

Government ::Armenia

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Armenia

conventional short form: Armenia

local long form: Hayastani Hanrapetut'yun

local short form: Hayastan

former: Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic, Armenian Republic

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Yerevan

geographic coordinates: 40 10 N, 44 30 E

time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

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

Independence:

21 September 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 21 September (1991)

Constitution:

adopted by nationwide referendum 5 July 1995; amendments adopted through a nationwide referendum 27 November 2005

Legal system:

based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Serzh SARGSIAN (since 9 April 2008)

head of government: Prime Minister Tigran SARGSIAN (since 9 April 2008)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 19 February 2008 (next to be held February 2013); prime minister appointed by the president based on majority or plurality support in parliament; the prime minister and Council of Ministers must resign if the National Assembly refuses to accept their program

election results: Serzh SARGSIAN elected president; percent of vote - Serzh SARGSIAN 52.9%, Levon TER-PETROSSIAN 21.5%, Artur BAGHDASARIAN 16.7%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly (Parliament) or Azgayin Zhoghov (131 seats; members elected by popular vote, 90 members elected by party list and 41 by direct vote; to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 12 May 2007 (next to be held in the spring of 2012)

election results: percent of vote by party - HHK 33.9%, Prosperous Armenia 15.1%, ARF (Dashnak) 13.2%, Rule of Law 7.1%, Heritage Party 6%, other 24.7%; seats by party - HHK 64, Prosperous Armenia 18, ARF (Dashnak) 16, Rule of Law 9, Heritage Party 7, independent 17

Judicial branch:

Constitutional Court; Court of Cassation (Appeals Court)

Political parties and leaders:

Armenian National Congress or ANC [Levon TER-PETROSSIAN]; Armenian
National Movement or ANM [Ararat ZURABIAN]; Armenian People's Party
[Tigran KARAPETIAN]; Armenian Ramkavar Azadagan Party Alliance or
HRAK (includes former Dashink Party, National Revival Party, and
Ramkavar Liberal Party); Armenian Revolutionary Federation
("Dashnak" Party) or ARF [Hrant MARKARIAN]; Heritage Party [Raffi
HOVHANNISIAN]; National Democratic Party [Shavarsh KOCHARIAN];
National Democratic Union or NDU [Vazgen MANUKIAN]; National Unity
Party [Artashes GEGHAMIAN]; People's Party of Armenia [Stepan
DEMIRCHIAN]; Prosperous Armenia [Gagik TSAROUKIAN]; Republic Party
[Aram SARKISIAN]; Republican Party of Armenia or HHK [Serzh
SARGSIAN]; Rule of Law Party (Orinats Yerkir) [Artur BAGHDASARIAN];
Union of Constitutional Rights [Hrant KHACHATURIAN]; United Labor
Party [Gurgen ARSENIAN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Aylentrank (Impeachment) [Nikol PASHINIAN]; Yerkrapah Union [Manvel
GRIGORIAN]

International organization participation:

ACCT (observer), ADB, BSEC, CE, CIS, CSTO, EAEC (observer), EAPC,
EBRD, FAO, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU,
MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS (observer), OIF (associate member), OPCW,
OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Tatoul MARKARIAN

chancery: 2225 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 319-1976

FAX: [1] (202) 319-2982

consulate(s) general: Los Angeles

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Marie L. YOVANOVITCH

embassy: 1 American Ave., Yerevan 0082

mailing address: American Embassy Yerevan, US Department of State, 7020 Yerevan Place, Washington, DC 20521-7020

telephone: [374](10) 464-700

FAX: [374](10) 464-742

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, and orange; the color red recalls the blood shed for liberty, blue the Armenian skies as well as hope, and orange the land and the courage of the workers who farm it

Economy ::Armenia

Economy - overview:

Since the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991, Armenia has made progress in implementing many economic reforms including privatization, price reforms, and prudent fiscal policies. The conflict with Azerbaijan over the ethnic Armenian-dominated region of Nagorno-Karabakh contributed to a severe economic decline in the early 1990s. By 1994, however, the Armenian Government launched an ambitious IMF-sponsored economic liberalization program that resulted in positive growth rates. Economic growth has averaged over 10% in recent years. However, with the global economic downturn, Armenia's growth rate dropped to 6.8% in 2008. Armenia has managed to reduce poverty, slash inflation, stabilize its currency, and privatize most small- and medium-sized enterprises. Under the old Soviet central planning system, Armenia developed a modern industrial sector, supplying machine tools, textiles, and other manufactured goods to sister republics, in exchange for raw materials and energy. Armenia has since switched to small-scale agriculture and away from the large agroindustrial complexes of the Soviet era. Nuclear power plants built at Metsamor in the 1970s were closed following the 1988 Spitak Earthquake, though they sustained no damage. One of the two reactors was re-opened in 1995, but the Armenian government is under international pressure to close it due to concerns that the Soviet era design lacks important safeguards. Metsamor provides 40 percent of the country's electricity - hydropower accounts for about one-fourth. Economic ties with Russia remain close, especially in the energy sector. The electricity distribution system was privatized in 2002 and bought by Russia's RAO-UES in 2005. Construction of a pipeline to deliver natural gas from Iran to Armenia was completed in December 2008 and after testing is expected to be operational in Spring 2009, though it is unlikely significant quantities of gas will flow through it until the Yerevan Thermal Power Plant renovation is completed in 2010. Armenia has some mineral deposits (copper, gold, bauxite). Pig iron, unwrought copper, and other nonferrous metals are Armenia's highest valued exports. Armenia's severe trade imbalance has been offset somewhat by international aid, remittances from Armenians working abroad, and foreign direct investment. Armenia joined the WTO in January 2003. The government made some improvements in tax and customs administration in recent years, but anti-corruption measures will be more difficult to implement. Despite strong economic growth, Armenia's unemployment rate remains high. Armenia will need to pursue additional economic reforms in order to improve its economic competitiveness and to build on recent improvements in poverty and unemployment, especially given its economic isolation from two of its nearest neighbors, Turkey and Azerbaijan. The disruption of rail transit into Armenia during the Georgia-Russia conflict in August 2008 highlighted how vulnerable Armenia's supply chains for key goods - such as gasoline - are to instances of regional instability.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$18.81 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 126 $17.62 billion (2007 est.)

$15.48 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$11.92 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

6.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 40 13.8% (2007 est.)

13.2% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$6,300 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 130 $5,900 (2007 est.)

$5,200 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 16.7%

industry: 33.8%

services: 49.4% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

1.481 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 128

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 46.2%

industry: 15.6%

services: 38.2% (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate:

7.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 89

Population below poverty line:

26.5% (2006 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 1.6%

highest 10%: 41.3% (2004)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

37 (2006) country comparison to the world: 77 44.4 (1996)

Investment (gross fixed):

39% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 5

Budget:

revenues: $2.481 billion

expenditures: $2.626 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2008 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

9% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 139 4.4% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

7.25% (2 December 2008)

NA% (31 December 2007)

note: this is the Refinancing Rate, the key monetary policy instrument of the Armenian National Bank

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

17.05% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 27 17.52% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$1.359 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 80 $1.507 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$950.1 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 96 $765.2 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$1.98 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 93 $1.256 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 110 $105 million (31 December 2007)

$60.17 million (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

fruit (especially grapes), vegetables; livestock

Industries:

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

Industrial production growth rate:

2.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 93

Electricity - production:

5.584 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 109

Electricity - consumption:

4.776 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 108

Electricity - exports:

451.3 million kWh; note - exports an unknown quantity to Georgia; includes exports to Nagorno-Karabakh region in Azerbaijan (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

418.7 million kWh; note - imports an unknown quantity from Iran (2007 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 207

Oil - consumption:

48,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 97

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 208

Oil - imports:

45,200 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 94

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 207

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 207

Natural gas - consumption:

1.93 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 81

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 202

Natural gas - imports:

1.93 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 46

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 205

Current account balance:

-$1.355 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 129 -$589.6 million (2007 est.)

Exports:

$1.124 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 151 $1.197 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

pig iron, unwrought copper, nonferrous metals, diamonds, mineral products, foodstuffs, energy

Exports - partners:

Russia 20.2%, Germany 17.2%, Netherlands 12.2%, Belgium 8.5%,
Georgia 7.7%, Bulgaria 5.7%, US 4.9% (2008)

Imports:

$3.763 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 128 $2.797 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

natural gas, petroleum, tobacco products, foodstuffs, diamonds

Imports - partners:

Russia 19.3%, China 8.7%, Ukraine 7%, Turkey 6.1%, Germany 5.8%, US 4.9%, Iran 4.6% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$1.407 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 118 $1.659 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$3.449 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 116 $2.909 billion (31 December 2007)

Exchange rates:

drams (AMD) per US dollar - 303.93 (2008 est.), 344.06 (2007), 414.69 (2006), 457.69 (2005), 533.45 (2004)

Communications ::Armenia

Telephones - main lines in use:

650,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 91

Telephones - mobile cellular:

2.336 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 118

Telephone system:

general assessment: telecommunications investments have made major inroads in modernizing and upgrading the outdated telecommunications network inherited from the Soviet era; now 100% privately owned and undergoing modernization and expansion; mobile-cellular services monopoly terminated in late 2004 and a second provider began operations in mid-2005

domestic: reliable modern landline and mobile-cellular services are available across Yerevan in major cities and towns; significant but ever-shrinking gaps remain in mobile-cellular coverage in rural areas

international: country code - 374; Yerevan is connected to the Trans-Asia-Europe fiber-optic cable through Iran; additional international service is available by microwave radio relay and landline connections to the other countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States, through the Moscow international switch, and by satellite to the rest of the world; satellite earth stations - 3 (2007)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 9, FM 16, shortwave 1 (2006)

Television broadcast stations:

48 (private television stations alongside 2 public networks; major Russian channels widely available) (2006)

Internet country code:

.am

Internet hosts:

36,354 (2009) country comparison to the world: 88

Internet users:

191,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 138

Transportation ::Armenia

Airports:

11 (2009) country comparison to the world: 153

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 10

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 2,233 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 845 km country comparison to the world: 99 broad gauge: 845 km 1.520-m gauge (818 km electrified)

note: some lines are out of service (2008)

Roadways:

total: 7,700 km country comparison to the world: 144 paved: 7,700 km (includes 1,561 km of expressways) (2006)

Military ::Armenia

Military branches:

Armed Forces: Ground Forces, Air Force and Air Defense,
Nagorno-Karabakh Self Defense Force (NKSDF) (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18-27 years of age for voluntary or compulsory military service; 2-year conscript service obligation (2007)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 809,576

females age 16-49: 870,864 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 642,734

females age 16-49: 729,047 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 27,293

female: 25,574 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

6.5% of GDP (FY01) country comparison to the world: 8

Transnational Issues ::Armenia

Disputes - international:

Armenia supports ethnic Armenian secessionists in Nagorno-Karabakh and since the early 1990s, has militarily occupied 16% of Azerbaijan - Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) continues to mediate dispute; over 800,000 mostly ethnic Azerbaijanis were driven from the occupied lands and Armenia; about 230,000 ethnic Armenians were driven from their homes in Azerbaijan into Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh; Azerbaijan seeks transit route through Armenia to connect to Naxcivan exclave; border with Turkey remains closed over Nagorno-Karabakh dispute; ethnic Armenian groups in Javakheti region of Georgia seek greater autonomy; Armenians continue to emigrate, primarily to Russia, seeking employment

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 113,295 (Azerbaijan)

IDPs: 8,400 (conflict with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh, majority have returned home since 1994 ceasefire) (2007)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Armenia is primarily a source country for women and girls trafficked to the UAE and Turkey for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation; Armenian men and women are trafficked to Turkey and Russia for the purpose of forced labor

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Armenia is placed on the Tier 2 Watch List for a fourth consecutive year; its efforts to increase compliance with the minimum standards were assessed based on its commitments to undertake future actions, particularly in the areas of improving victim protection and assistance; while the government elevated anti-trafficking responsibilities to the ministerial level, adopted a new National Action Plan, and drafted a National Referral Mechanism, it has yet to show tangible progress in identifying and protecting victims or in tackling trafficking complicity of government officials; the Armenian Government made some notable improvements in its anti-trafficking law enforcement efforts, but it failed to demonstrate evidence of investigations, prosecutions, convictions, and sentences of officials complicit in trafficking (2008)

Illicit drugs:

illicit cultivation of small amount of cannabis for domestic consumption; minor transit point for illicit drugs - mostly opium and hashish - moving from Southwest Asia to Russia and to a lesser extent the rest of Europe

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Aruba (Central America and Caribbean)

Introduction ::Aruba

Background:

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

Geography ::Aruba

Location:

Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela

Geographic coordinates:

12 30 N, 69 58 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 180 sq km country comparison to the world: 217 land: 180 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

68.5 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate:

tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain:

flat with a few hills; scant vegetation

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: Mount Jamanota 188 m

Natural resources:

NEGL; white sandy beaches

Land use:

arable land: 10.53%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 89.47% (2005)

Irrigated land:

0.01 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:

hurricanes; lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt and is rarely threatened

Environment - current issues:

NA

Geography - note:

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

People ::Aruba

Population:

103,065 country comparison to the world: 193 note: estimate based on a revision of the base population, fertility, and mortality numbers, as well as a revision of 1985-99 migration estimates from outmigration to inmigration, which is assumed to continue into the future; the new results are consistent with the 2000 census (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 19.1% (male 9,921/female 9,758)

15-64 years: 70.3% (male 34,676/female 37,752)

65 years and over: 10.6% (male 4,351/female 6,607) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 37.8 years

male: 36 years

female: 39.5 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.478% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 94

Birth rate:

12.79 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 158

Death rate:

7.71 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 117

Net migration rate:

9.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 8

Urbanization:

urban population: 47% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 0.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female

total population: 0.9 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 13.79 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 132 male: 18.28 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 9.22 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 75.28 years country comparison to the world: 82 male: 72.25 years

female: 78.38 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.85 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 149

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Aruban(s)

adjective: Aruban; Dutch

Ethnic groups:

mixed white/Caribbean Amerindian 80%, other 20%

Religions:

Roman Catholic 80.8%, Evangelist 4.1%, Protestant 2.5%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.5%, Methodist 1.2%, Jewish 0.2%, other 5.1%, none or unspecified 4.6%

Languages:

Papiamento (a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect) 66.3%, Spanish 12.6%, English (widely spoken) 7.7%, Dutch (official) 5.8%, other 2.2%, unspecified or unknown 5.3% (2000 census)

Literacy:

definition: NA

total population: 97.3%

male: 97.5%

female: 97.1% (2000 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 14 years

male: 13 years

female: 14 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

4.8% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 79

Government ::Aruba

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Aruba

Dependency status:

member country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs obtained in 1986 upon separation from the Netherlands Antilles; Dutch Government responsible for defense and foreign affairs

Government type:

parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Oranjestad

geographic coordinates: 12 31 N, 70 02 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

Independence:

none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

National holiday:

Flag Day, 18 March (1976)

Constitution:

1 January 1986

Legal system:

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

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30 April 1980); represented by Governor General Fredis REFUNJOL (since 11 May 2004)

head of government: Prime Minister Mike EMAN (since 30 October 2009)

cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the Staten

elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed for a six-year term by the monarch; prime minister and deputy prime minister elected by the Staten for four-year terms; election last held in 2005 (next to be held by 2009)

election results: Nelson O. ODUBER elected prime minister; percent of legislative vote - NA

Legislative branch:

unicameral Legislature or Staten (21 seats; members elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 25 September 2009 (next to be held in 2013)

election results: percent of vote by party - AVP 48%, MEP 35.9%, PDR 5.7%; seats by party - AVP 12, MEP 8, PDR 1

Judicial branch:

Common Court of Justice of Aruba (judges are appointed by the monarch)

Political parties and leaders:

Aliansa/Aruban Social Movement or MSA [Robert WEVER]; Aruban Liberal Organization or OLA [Glenbert CROES]; Aruban Patriotic Movement or MPA [Monica ARENDS-KOCK]; Aruban Patriotic Party or PPA [Benny NISBET]; Aruban People's Party or AVP [Mike EMAN]; People's Electoral Movement Party or MEP [Nelson O. ODUBER]; Real Democracy or PDR [Andin BIKKER]; RED [Rudy LAMPE]; Workers Political Platform or PTT [Gregorio WOLFF]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

other: environmental groups

International organization participation:

Caricom (observer), ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITUC, UNESCO (associate), UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCL, WFTU, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands); note - Mr. Henry BAARH, Minister Plenipotentiary for Aruba at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

Diplomatic representation from the US:

the US does not have an embassy in Aruba; the Consul General to Netherlands Antilles is accredited to Aruba

Flag description:

blue, with two narrow, horizontal, yellow stripes across the lower portion and a red, four-pointed star outlined in white in the upper hoist-side corner; the star represents Aruba and its red soil and white beaches, its four points the four major languages (Papiamento, Dutch, Spanish, English) as well as the four points of a compass, to indicate that its inhabitants come from all over the world; the blue symbolizes Caribbean waters and skies; the stripes represent the island's two main "industries": the flow of tourists to the sun-drenched beaches and the flow of minerals from the earth

Economy ::Aruba

Economy - overview:

Tourism is the mainstay of the small open Aruban economy with offshore banking and oil refining and storage also important. The rapid growth of the tourism sector over the last decade has resulted in a substantial expansion of other activities. Over 1.5 million tourists per year visit Aruba with 75% of those from the US. Construction continues to boom with hotel capacity five times the 1985 level. In addition, the country's oil refinery reopened in 1993 providing a major source of employment, foreign exchange earnings, and growth. Tourist arrivals have rebounded strongly following a dip after the 11 September 2001 attacks. The island experiences only a brief low season. Hotel occupancy in 2004 averaged 80% compared to 68% throughout the rest of the Caribbean. The government has made cutting the budget and trade deficits a high priority.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$2.258 billion (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 181 $2.205 billion (2004 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$2.258 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2.4% (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 143

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$21,800 (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 56

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 0.4%

industry: 33.3%

services: 66.3% (2002 est.)

Labor force:

41,500 (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 188

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

note: most employment is in wholesale and retail trade and repair, followed by hotels and restaurants; oil refining

Unemployment rate:

6.9% (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 86

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $507.9 million

expenditures: $577.9 million (2005 est.)

Public debt:

46.3% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 42

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3.4% (2005) country comparison to the world: 41

Central bank discount rate:

5% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 91 5% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

11.23% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 74 11.01% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$780.4 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 90 $640.9 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$890.3 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 98 $792.9 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$1.321 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 102 $1.348 billion (31 December 2007)

Agriculture - products:

aloes; livestock; fish

Industries:

tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

850 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 148

Electricity - consumption:

790.5 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 149

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

2,351 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 102

Oil - consumption:

8,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 154

Oil - exports:

231,100 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 49

Oil - imports:

236,400 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 42

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl country comparison to the world: 99

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 93

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 112

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 44

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 68

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 104

Exports:

$124 million (2006); note - includes oil reexports country comparison to the world: 189

Exports - commodities:

live animals and animal products, art and collectibles, machinery and electrical equipment, transport equipment

Exports - partners:

Panama 22.3%, Colombia 19.5%, Venezuela 17.1%, US 13.8%, Netherlands
Antilles 10.8%, Netherlands 7.3% (2008)

Imports:

$1.054 billion (2006) country comparison to the world: 170

Imports - commodities:

machinery and electrical equipment, crude oil for refining and reexport, chemicals; foodstuffs

Imports - partners:

US 53.3%, Netherlands 11.8%, UK 4.6% (2008)

Debt - external:

$478.6 million (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 165

Exchange rates:

Aruban guilders/florins (AWG) per US dollar - NA (2007), 1.79 (2006), 1.79 (2005), 1.79 (2004), 1.79 (2003)

Communications ::Aruba

Telephones - main lines in use:

38,500 (2008) country comparison to the world: 170

Telephones - mobile cellular:

127,100 (2008) country comparison to the world: 179

Telephone system:

general assessment: modern fully automatic telecommunications system

domestic: increased competition through privatization; 3 wireless service providers are now licensed

international: country code - 297; landing site for the PAN-AM submarine telecommunications cable system that extends from the US Virgin Islands through Aruba to Venezuela, Colombia, Panama, and the west coast of South America; extensive interisland microwave radio relay links (2007)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 2, FM 16, shortwave 0 (2004)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (1997)

Internet country code:

.aw

Internet hosts:

25,051 (2009) country comparison to the world: 95

Internet users:

24,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 184

Transportation ::Aruba

Airports:

1 (2009) country comparison to the world: 211

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2009)

Ports and terminals:

Barcadera, Oranjestad, Sint Nicolaas

Military ::Aruba

Military branches:

no regular military forces; the Netherlands maintains a detachment of marines, a frigate, and an amphibious combat detachment in the neighboring Netherlands Antilles (2009)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 24,585

females age 16-49: 25,742 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 20,287

females age 16-49: 21,232 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 722

female: 711 (2009 est.)

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

Transnational Issues ::Aruba

Disputes - international:

none

Illicit drugs:

transit point for US- and Europe-bound narcotics with some accompanying money-laundering activity; relatively high percentage of population consumes cocaine

page last updated on November 10, 2009

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

@Ashmore and Cartier Islands (Australia-Oceania)

Introduction ::Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Background:

These uninhabited islands came under Australian authority in 1931; formal administration began two years later. Ashmore Reef supports a rich and diverse avian and marine habitat; in 1983, it became a National Nature Reserve. Cartier Island, a former bombing range, became a marine reserve in 2000.

Geography ::Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Location:

Southeastern Asia, islands in the Indian Ocean, midway between northwestern Australia and Timor island

Geographic coordinates:

12 14 S, 123 05 E

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 5 sq km country comparison to the world: 245 land: 5 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: includes Ashmore Reef (West, Middle, and East Islets) and Cartier Island

Area - comparative:

about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

74.1 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 12 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:

tropical

Terrain:

low with sand and coral

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed location 3 m

Natural resources:

fish

Land use:

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (all grass and sand) (2005)

Irrigated land:

0 sq km

Natural hazards:

surrounded by shoals and reefs that can pose maritime hazards

Environment - current issues:

illegal killing of protected wildlife by traditional Indonesian fisherman, as well as fishing by non-traditional Indonesian vessels, are ongoing problems

Geography - note:

Ashmore Reef National Nature Reserve established in August 1983;
Cartier Island Marine Reserve established in 2000

People ::Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Population:

no indigenous inhabitants

note: Indonesian fishermen are allowed access to the lagoon and fresh water at Ashmore Reef's West Island; access to East and Middle Islands is by permit only

Government ::Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Country name:

conventional long form: Territory of Ashmore and Cartier Islands

conventional short form: Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Dependency status:

territory of Australia; administered by the Australian Government Attorney-General's Department

Legal system:

the laws of the Commonwealth of Australia and the laws of the Northern Territory of Australia, where applicable, apply

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (territory of Australia)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (territory of Australia)

Flag description:

the flag of Australia is used

Economy ::Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Economy - overview:

no economic activity

Transportation ::Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Ports and terminals:

none; offshore anchorage only

Military ::Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of Australia; periodic visits by the Royal Australian Navy and Royal Australian Air Force

Transnational Issues ::Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Disputes - international:

as the closest Australian territory to Indonesia, these islands became the target of human traffickers for the landing of illegal immigrants; in 2001, the Australian government removed these islands from the Australian Migration Zone making illegal arrivals ineligible for temporary visas and entry into Australia

page last updated on July 2, 2009

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

@Atlantic Ocean (Oceans)

Introduction ::Atlantic Ocean

Background:

The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five oceans (after the Pacific Ocean, but larger than the Indian Ocean, Southern Ocean, and Arctic Ocean). The Kiel Canal (Germany), Oresund (Denmark-Sweden), Bosporus (Turkey), Strait of Gibraltar (Morocco-Spain), and the Saint Lawrence Seaway (Canada-US) are important strategic access waterways. The decision by the International Hydrographic Organization in the spring of 2000 to delimit a fifth world ocean, the Southern Ocean, removed the portion of the Atlantic Ocean south of 60 degrees south latitude.

Geography ::Atlantic Ocean

Location:

body of water between Africa, Europe, the Southern Ocean, and the Western Hemisphere

Geographic coordinates:

0 00 N, 25 00 W

Map references:

Political Map of the World

Area:

total: 76.762 million sq km

note: includes Baltic Sea, Black Sea, Caribbean Sea, Davis Strait,
Denmark Strait, part of the Drake Passage, Gulf of Mexico, Labrador
Sea, Mediterranean Sea, North Sea, Norwegian Sea, almost all of the
Scotia Sea, and other tributary water bodies

Area - comparative:

slightly less than 6.5 times the size of the US

Coastline:

111,866 km

Climate:

tropical cyclones (hurricanes) develop off the coast of Africa near Cape Verde and move westward into the Caribbean Sea; hurricanes can occur from May to December but are most frequent from August to November

Terrain:

surface usually covered with sea ice in Labrador Sea, Denmark Strait, and coastal portions of the Baltic Sea from October to June; clockwise warm-water gyre (broad, circular system of currents) in the northern Atlantic, counterclockwise warm-water gyre in the southern Atlantic; the ocean floor is dominated by the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a rugged north-south centerline for the entire Atlantic basin

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Milwaukee Deep in the Puerto Rico Trench -8,605 m

highest point: sea level 0 m

Natural resources:

oil and gas fields, fish, marine mammals (seals and whales), sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules, precious stones

Natural hazards:

icebergs common in Davis Strait, Denmark Strait, and the northwestern Atlantic Ocean from February to August and have been spotted as far south as Bermuda and the Madeira Islands; ships subject to superstructure icing in extreme northern Atlantic from October to May; persistent fog can be a maritime hazard from May to September; hurricanes (May to December)

Environment - current issues:

endangered marine species include the manatee, seals, sea lions, turtles, and whales; drift net fishing is hastening the decline of fish stocks and contributing to international disputes; municipal sludge pollution off eastern US, southern Brazil, and eastern Argentina; oil pollution in Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, Lake Maracaibo, Mediterranean Sea, and North Sea; industrial waste and municipal sewage pollution in Baltic Sea, North Sea, and Mediterranean Sea

Geography - note:

major chokepoints include the Dardanelles, Strait of Gibraltar, access to the Panama and Suez Canals; strategic straits include the Strait of Dover, Straits of Florida, Mona Passage, The Sound (Oresund), and Windward Passage; the Equator divides the Atlantic Ocean into the North Atlantic Ocean and South Atlantic Ocean

Economy ::Atlantic Ocean

Economy - overview:

The Atlantic Ocean provides some of the world's most heavily trafficked sea routes, between and within the Eastern and Western Hemispheres. Other economic activity includes the exploitation of natural resources, e.g., fishing, dredging of aragonite sands (The Bahamas), and production of crude oil and natural gas (Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and North Sea).

Transportation ::Atlantic Ocean

Ports and terminals:

Alexandria (Egypt), Algiers (Algeria), Antwerp (Belgium), Barcelona
(Spain), Buenos Aires (Argentina), Casablanca (Morocco), Colon
(Panama), Copenhagen (Denmark), Dakar (Senegal), Gdansk (Poland),
Hamburg (Germany), Helsinki (Finland), Las Palmas (Canary Islands,
Spain), Le Havre (France), Lisbon (Portugal), London (UK), Marseille
(France), Montevideo (Uruguay), Montreal (Canada), Naples (Italy),
New Orleans (US), New York (US), Oran (Algeria), Oslo (Norway),
Peiraiefs or Piraeus (Greece), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Rotterdam
(Netherlands), Saint Petersburg (Russia), Stockholm (Sweden)

Transportation - note:

Kiel Canal and Saint Lawrence Seaway are two important waterways; significant domestic commercial and recreational use of Intracoastal Waterway on central and south Atlantic seaboard and Gulf of Mexico coast of US; the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial waters of littoral states and offshore Atlantic waters as high risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships, particularly in the Gulf of Guinea off West Africa, the east coast of Brazil, and the Caribbean Sea; numerous commercial vessels have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; hijacked vessels are often disguised and cargoes stolen; crews have been robbed and stores or cargoes stolen

Transnational Issues ::Atlantic Ocean

Disputes - international:

some maritime disputes (see littoral states)

page last updated on October 22, 2009

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

@Australia (Australia-Oceania)

Introduction ::Australia

Background:

Aboriginal settlers arrived on the continent from Southeast Asia about 40,000 years before the first Europeans began exploration in the 17th century. No formal territorial claims were made until 1770, when Capt. James COOK took possession in the name of Great Britain. Six colonies were created in the late 18th and 19th centuries; they federated and became the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901. The new country took advantage of its natural resources to rapidly develop agricultural and manufacturing industries and to make a major contribution to the British effort in World Wars I and II. In recent decades, Australia has transformed itself into an internationally competitive, advanced market economy. It boasted one of the OECD's fastest growing economies during the 1990s, a performance due in large part to economic reforms adopted in the 1980s. Long-term concerns include climate-change issues such as the depletion of the ozone layer and more frequent droughts, and management and conservation of coastal areas, especially the Great Barrier Reef.

Geography ::Australia

Location:

Oceania, continent between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific
Ocean

Geographic coordinates:

27 00 S, 133 00 E

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 7,741,220 sq km country comparison to the world: 6 land: 7,682,300 sq km

water: 58,920 sq km

note: includes Lord Howe Island and Macquarie Island

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than the US contiguous 48 states

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

25,760 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:

generally arid to semiarid; temperate in south and east; tropical in north

Terrain:

mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Lake Eyre -15 m

highest point: Mount Kosciuszko 2,229 m

Natural resources:

bauxite, coal, iron ore, copper, tin, gold, silver, uranium, nickel, tungsten, mineral sands, lead, zinc, diamonds, natural gas, petroleum

note: Australia is the world's largest net exporter of coal accounting for 29% of global coal exports

Land use:

arable land: 6.15% (includes about 27 million hectares of cultivated grassland)

permanent crops: 0.04%

other: 93.81% (2005)

Irrigated land:

25,450 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

398 cu km (1995)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 24.06 cu km/yr (15%/10%/75%)

per capita: 1,193 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

cyclones along the coast; severe droughts; forest fires

Environment - current issues:

soil erosion from overgrazing, industrial development, urbanization, and poor farming practices; soil salinity rising due to the use of poor quality water; desertification; clearing for agricultural purposes threatens the natural habitat of many unique animal and plant species; the Great Barrier Reef off the northeast coast, the largest coral reef in the world, is threatened by increased shipping and its popularity as a tourist site; limited natural fresh water resources

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

world's smallest continent but sixth-largest country; population concentrated along the eastern and southeastern coasts; the invigorating sea breeze known as the "Fremantle Doctor" affects the city of Perth on the west coast and is one of the most consistent winds in the world

People ::Australia

Population:

21,262,641 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 54

Age structure:

0-14 years: 18.6% (male 2,026,975/female 1,923,828)

15-64 years: 67.9% (male 7,318,743/female 7,121,613)

65 years and over: 13.5% (male 1,306,329/female 1,565,153) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 37.3 years

male: 36.6 years

female: 38.1 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.195% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 112

Birth rate:

12.47 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 164

Death rate:

6.74 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 145

Net migration rate:

6.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 15

Urbanization:

urban population: 89% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 4.75 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 196 male: 5.08 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 81.63 years country comparison to the world: 7 male: 79.25 years

female: 84.14 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.78 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 159

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.2% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 109

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

18,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 81

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 100 200 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 128

Nationality:

noun: Australian(s)

adjective: Australian

Ethnic groups:

white 92%, Asian 7%, aboriginal and other 1%

Religions:

Catholic 25.8%, Anglican 18.7%, Uniting Church 5.7%, Presbyterian and Reformed 3%, Eastern Orthodox 2.7%, other Christian 7.9%, Buddhist 2.1%, Muslim 1.7%, other 2.4%, unspecified 11.3%, none 18.7% (2006 Census)

Languages:

English 78.5%, Chinese 2.5%, Italian 1.6%, Greek 1.3%, Arabic 1.2%,
Vietnamese 1%, other 8.2%, unspecified 5.7% (2006 Census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 20 years

male: 20 years

female: 21 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

4.5% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 86

Government ::Australia

Country name:

conventional long form: Commonwealth of Australia

conventional short form: Australia

Government type:

federal parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm

Capital:

name: Canberra

geographic coordinates: 35 17 S, 149 13 E

time difference: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in October; ends last Sunday in March

note: Australia is divided into three time zones

Administrative divisions:

6 states and 2 territories*; Australian Capital Territory*, New South Wales, Northern Territory*, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia

Dependent areas:

Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling)
Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Heard Island and McDonald Islands,
Macquarie Island, Norfolk Island

Independence:

1 January 1901 (federation of UK colonies)

National holiday:

Australia Day, 26 January (1788); ANZAC Day (commemorated as the
anniversary of the landing of troops of the Australian and New
Zealand Army Corps during World War I at Gallipoli, Turkey), 25
April (1915)

Constitution:

9 July 1900; effective 1 January 1901

Legal system:

based on English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen of Australia ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Quentin BRYCE (since 5 September 2008)

head of government: Prime Minister Kevin RUDD (since 3 December 2007); Deputy Prime Minister Julia GILLARD (since 3 December 2007)

cabinet: prime minister nominates, from among members of Parliament, candidates who are subsequently sworn in by the governor general to serve as government ministers

elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is sworn in as prime minister by the governor general

Legislative branch:

bicameral Federal Parliament consists of the Senate (76 seats; 12 members from each of the six states and 2 from each of the two mainland territories; one-half of state members are elected every three years by popular vote to serve six-year terms while all territory members are elected every three years) and the House of Representatives (150 seats; members elected by popular preferential vote to serve terms of up to three-years; no state can have fewer than 5 representatives)

elections: Senate - last held 24 November 2007 (next to be held no later than 2010); House of Representatives - last held 24 November 2007 (next to be called no later than 2010)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Liberal Party-National Party coalition 37, Australian Labor Party 32, Australian Greens 5, Family First Party 1, independent 1; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Australian Labor Party 83, Liberal Party 55, National Party 10, independents 2

Judicial branch:

High Court (the chief justice and six other justices are appointed by the governor general)

Political parties and leaders:

Australian Democrats [Lyn ALLISON]; Australian Greens [Bob BROWN];
Australian Labor Party [Kevin RUDD]; Country Liberal Party [Terry
MILLS]; Family First Party [Steve FIELDING]; Liberal Party [Malcolm
TURNBULL]; The Nationals [Warren TRUSS]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

other: business groups; environmental groups; social groups; trade unions

International organization participation:

ADB, ANZUS, APEC, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group,
BIS, C, CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO, G-20, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM,
IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OECD, OPCW,
Paris Club, PCA, PIF, SAARC (observer), Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNMIS, UNMIT, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Dennis J. RICHARDSON

chancery: 1601 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

telephone: [1] (202) 797-3000

FAX: [1] (202) 797-3168

consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Robert D. McCALLUM, Jr.

embassy: Moonah Place, Yarralumla, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2600

mailing address: APO AP 96549

telephone: [61] (02) 6214-5600

FAX: [61] (02) 6214-5970

consulate(s) general: Melbourne, Perth, Sydney

Flag description:

blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and a large seven-pointed star in the lower hoist-side quadrant known as the Commonwealth or Federation Star, representing the federation of the colonies of Australia in 1901; the star depicts one point for each of the six original states and one representing all of Australia's internal and external territories; on the fly half is a representation of the Southern Cross constellation in white with one small five-pointed star and four larger, seven-pointed stars

Economy ::Australia

Economy - overview:

Australia has an enviable, strong economy with a per capita GDP on par with the four dominant West European economies. Emphasis on reforms, low inflation, a housing market boom, and growing ties with China have been key factors over the course of the economy's 17 solid years of expansion. Robust business and consumer confidence and high export prices for raw materials and agricultural products fueled the economy in recent years, particularly in mining states. Drought, robust import demand, and a strong currency pushed the trade deficit up however, while infrastructure bottlenecks and a tight labor market constrained growth in export volumes and stoked inflation through mid-2008. The unwinding of the yen-based carry trade in late 2008 has contributed to a weakening of the Australian dollar. Tight global liquidity has challenged Australia's banking sector, which relies heavily on international wholesale markets for funding. The economy remains relatively healthy despite falling export commodity prices. The government plans to counter slowing growth in 2009 with fiscal stimulus efforts.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$802.9 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 19 $784.1 billion (2007 est.)

$753.9 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$1.013 trillion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 149 4% (2007 est.)

2.8% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$38,200 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 24 $37,800 (2007 est.)

$36,800 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 3.4%

industry: 26.8%

services: 69.8% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

11.25 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 45

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 3.6%

industry: 21.1%

services: 75% (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate:

4.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 51 4.4% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2%

highest 10%: 25.4% (1994)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

30.5 (2006) country comparison to the world: 111 35.2 (1994)

Investment (gross fixed):

28.7% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 27

Budget:

revenues: $350.3 billion

expenditures: $332.4 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

14.7% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 104 17.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

note: the Commonwealth government eliminated its net debt in 2006, but continues a gross debt issue to support the market for risk-free securities

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

4.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 75 2.3% (2007 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

8.91% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 84 10.02% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$298.5 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$667.2 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$1.312 trillion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 13 $1.298 trillion (31 December 2007)

$1.096 trillion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

wheat, barley, sugarcane, fruits, cattle, sheep, poultry

Industries:

mining, industrial and transportation equipment, food processing, chemicals, steel

Industrial production growth rate:

3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 86

Electricity - production:

239.9 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 17

Electricity - consumption:

222 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 16

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

586,400 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 30

Oil - consumption:

953,700 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 21

Oil - exports:

332,400 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 37

Oil - imports:

687,200 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 19

Oil - proved reserves:

1.5 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 35

Natural gas - production:

45.22 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 20

Natural gas - consumption:

34.2 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 26

Natural gas - exports:

19.48 billion cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 12

Natural gas - imports:

5.377 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 31

Natural gas - proved reserves:

849.5 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 28

Current account balance:

-$44.04 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 184 -$57.68 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$189.9 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 24 $142.4 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

coal, iron ore, gold, meat, wool, alumina, wheat, machinery and transport equipment

Exports - partners:

Japan 22.2%, China 14.6%, South Korea 8.2%, India 6.1%, US 5.5%, NZ 4.3%, UK 4.2% (2008)

Imports:

$194.2 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 22 $160.2 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and transport equipment, computers and office machines, telecommunication equipment and parts; crude oil and petroleum products

Imports - partners:

China 15.4%, US 12%, Japan 9.1%, Singapore 7%, Germany 5%, Thailand 4.5%, UK 4.3%, Malaysia 4.1% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$32.92 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 39 $26.91 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$799.8 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 14 $820.4 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$366.5 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 14 $337.5 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$197.2 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 15 $290.4 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar - 1.2059 (2008 est.), 1.2137 (2007), 1.3285 (2006), 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004)

Communications ::Australia

Telephones - main lines in use:

9.37 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 24

Telephones - mobile cellular:

22.12 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 36

Telephone system:

general assessment: excellent domestic and international service

domestic: domestic satellite system; significant use of radiotelephone in areas of low population density; rapid growth of mobile cellular telephones

international: country code - 61; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3 optical telecommunications submarine cable with links to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe; the Southern Cross fiber optic submarine cable provides links to New Zealand and the United States; satellite earth stations - 19 (10 Intelsat - 4 Indian Ocean and 6 Pacific Ocean, 2 Inmarsat - Indian and Pacific Ocean regions, 2 Globalstar, 5 other) (2007)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 262, FM 345, shortwave 1 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

104 (1997)

Internet country code:

.au

Internet hosts:

11.756 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 10

Internet users:

15.17 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 24

Transportation ::Australia

Airports:

464 (2009) country comparison to the world: 17

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 325

over 3,047 m: 11

2,438 to 3,047 m: 13

1,524 to 2,437 m: 145

914 to 1,523 m: 142

under 914 m: 14 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 139

1,524 to 2,437 m: 17

914 to 1,523 m: 110

under 914 m: 12 (2009)

Heliports:

1 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 27,105 km; liquid petroleum gas 240 km; oil 3,258 km; oil/gas/water 1 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 37,855 km country comparison to the world: 7 broad gauge: 142 km 1.600-m gauge

standard gauge: 24,409 km 1.435-m gauge (1,094 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 13,304 km 1.067-m gauge (1,193 km electrified) (2008)

Roadways:

total: 812,972 km country comparison to the world: 9 paved: 341,448 km

unpaved: 471,524 km (2004)

Waterways:

2,000 km (mainly used for recreation on Murray and Murray-Darling river systems) (2006) country comparison to the world: 45

Merchant marine:

total: 50 country comparison to the world: 71 by type: bulk carrier 12, cargo 5, chemical tanker 1, container 1, liquefied gas 4, passenger 7, passenger/cargo 7, petroleum tanker 8, roll on/roll off 5

foreign-owned: 24 (Canada 9, France 1, Germany 2, Japan 1, Netherlands 2, Norway 1, Singapore 1, UK 5, US 2)

registered in other countries: 28 (Antigua and Barbuda 1, Belize 1, Bermuda 1, Dominica 2, Fiji 1, Marshall Islands 1, NZ 1, Panama 4, Singapore 12, Tonga 1, US 1, Vanuatu 2) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Brisbane, Dampier, Fremantle, Gladstone, Hay Point, Melbourne,
Newcastle, Port Hedland, Port Kembla, Port Walcott, Sydney

Military ::Australia

Military branches:

Australian Defense Force (ADF): Australian Army, Royal Australian
Navy, Royal Australian Air Force, Special Operations Command (2006)

Military service age and obligation:

17 years of age for voluntary military service (with parental consent); no conscription; women allowed to serve in Army combat units in non-combat support roles (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 4,999,988

females age 16-49: 4,870,043 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 4,341,591

females age 16-49: 4,179,659 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 144,959

female: 137,333 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

2.4% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 69

Transnational Issues ::Australia

Disputes - international:

Timor-Leste and Australia agreed in 2005 to defer the disputed portion of the boundary for 50 years and to split hydrocarbon revenues evenly outside the Joint Petroleum Development Area covered by the 2002 Timor Sea Treaty; dispute with Timor-Leste hampers creation of a revised maritime boundary with Indonesia in the Timor Sea; regional states continue to express concern over Australia's 2004 declaration of a 1,000-nautical mile-wide maritime identification zone; Australia asserts land and maritime claims to Antarctica; in 2004 Australia submitted its claims to Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) to extend its continental margins covering over 3.37 million square kilometers, expanding its seabed roughly 30 percent more than its claimed exclusive economic zone; since 2003, Australia has led the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) to maintain civil and political order and reinforce regional security

Illicit drugs:

Tasmania is one of the world's major suppliers of licit opiate products; government maintains strict controls over areas of opium poppy cultivation and output of poppy straw concentrate; major consumer of cocaine and amphetamines

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Austria (Europe)

Introduction ::Austria

Background:

Once the center of power for the large Austro-Hungarian Empire, Austria was reduced to a small republic after its defeat in World War I. Following annexation by Nazi Germany in 1938 and subsequent occupation by the victorious Allies in 1945, Austria's status remained unclear for a decade. A State Treaty signed in 1955 ended the occupation, recognized Austria's independence, and forbade unification with Germany. A constitutional law that same year declared the country's "perpetual neutrality" as a condition for Soviet military withdrawal. The Soviet Union's collapse in 1991 and Austria's entry into the European Union in 1995 have altered the meaning of this neutrality. A prosperous, democratic country, Austria entered the EU Economic and Monetary Union in 1999. In January 2009, Austria assumed a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2009-10 term.

Geography ::Austria

Location:

Central Europe, north of Italy and Slovenia

Geographic coordinates:

47 20 N, 13 20 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 83,871 sq km country comparison to the world: 113 land: 82,445 sq km

water: 1,426 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Maine

Land boundaries:

total: 2,562 km

border countries: Czech Republic 362 km, Germany 784 km, Hungary 366 km, Italy 430 km, Liechtenstein 35 km, Slovakia 91 km, Slovenia 330 km, Switzerland 164 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

temperate; continental, cloudy; cold winters with frequent rain and some snow in lowlands and snow in mountains; moderate summers with occasional showers

Terrain:

in the west and south mostly mountains (Alps); along the eastern and northern margins mostly flat or gently sloping

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Neusiedler See 115 m

highest point: Grossglockner 3,798 m

Natural resources:

oil, coal, lignite, timber, iron ore, copper, zinc, antimony, magnesite, tungsten, graphite, salt, hydropower

Land use:

arable land: 16.59%

permanent crops: 0.85%

other: 82.56% (2005)

Irrigated land:

40 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

84 cu km (2005)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 3.67 cu km/yr (35%/64%/1%)

per capita: 448 cu m/yr (1999)

Natural hazards:

landslides; avalanches; earthquakes

Environment - current issues:

some forest degradation caused by air and soil pollution; soil pollution results from the use of agricultural chemicals; air pollution results from emissions by coal- and oil-fired power stations and industrial plants and from trucks transiting Austria between northern and southern Europe

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

landlocked; strategic location at the crossroads of central Europe with many easily traversable Alpine passes and valleys; major river is the Danube; population is concentrated on eastern lowlands because of steep slopes, poor soils, and low temperatures elsewhere

People ::Austria

Population:

8,210,281 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 92

Age structure:

0-14 years: 14.5% (male 609,748/female 581,144)

15-64 years: 67.5% (male 2,785,091/female 2,756,402)

65 years and over: 18% (male 612,613/female 865,283) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 42.2 years

male: 41.1 years

female: 43.2 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.052% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 196

Birth rate:

8.65 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 217

Death rate:

9.98 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 66

Net migration rate:

1.85 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 45

Urbanization:

urban population: 67% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 0.7% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female

total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 4.42 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 202 male: 5.39 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 3.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 79.5 years country comparison to the world: 27 male: 76.6 years

female: 82.56 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.39 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 196

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.2% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 93

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

9,800 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 105

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 100 (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 153

Nationality:

noun: Austrian(s)

adjective: Austrian

Ethnic groups:

Austrians 91.1%, former Yugoslavs 4% (includes Croatians, Slovenes, Serbs, and Bosniaks), Turks 1.6%, German 0.9%, other or unspecified 2.4% (2001 census)

Religions:

Roman Catholic 73.6%, Protestant 4.7%, Muslim 4.2%, other 3.5%, unspecified 2%, none 12% (2001 census)

Languages:

German (official nationwide) 88.6%, Turkish 2.3%, Serbian 2.2%, Croatian (official in Burgenland) 1.6%, other (includes Slovene, official in Carinthia, and Hungarian, official in Burgenland) 5.3% (2001 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 98%

male: NA

female: NA

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 15 years

male: 15 years

female: 16 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

5.4% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 52

Government ::Austria

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Austria

conventional short form: Austria

local long form: Republik Oesterreich

local short form: Oesterreich

Government type:

federal republic

Capital:

name: Vienna

geographic coordinates: 48 12 N, 16 22 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

9 states (Bundeslaender, singular - Bundesland); Burgenland,
Kaernten (Carinthia), Niederoesterreich (Lower Austria),
Oberoesterreich (Upper Austria), Salzburg, Steiermark (Styria),
Tirol (Tyrol), Vorarlberg, Wien (Vienna)

Independence:

976 (Margravate of Austria established); 17 September 1156 (Duchy of Austria founded); 11 August 1804 (Austrian Empire proclaimed); 12 November 1918 (republic proclaimed)

National holiday:

National Day, 26 October (1955); note - commemorates the passage of the law on permanent neutrality

Constitution:

1920; revised 1929; reinstated 1 May 1945; note - during the period 1 May 1934-1 May 1945 there was a fascist (corporative) constitution in place

Legal system:

civil law system with Roman law origin; judicial review of legislative acts by the Constitutional Court; separate administrative and civil/penal supreme courts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

16 years of age; universal; note - reduced from 18 years of age in 2007

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Heinz FISCHER (SPOe) (since 8 July 2004)

head of government: Chancellor Werner FAYMANN (SPOe) (since 2 December 2008); Vice Chancellor Josef PROELL (OeVP) (since 2 December 2008)

cabinet: Council of Ministers chosen by the president on the advice of the chancellor

elections: president elected by direct popular vote for a six-year term (eligible for a second term); presidential election last held 25 April 2004 (next to be held in April 2010); chancellor formally chosen by the president but determined by the coalition parties forming a parliamentary majority; vice chancellor chosen by the president on the advice of the chancellor

election results: Heinz FISCHER elected president; percent of vote - Heinz FISCHER 52.4%, Benita FERRERO-WALDNER 47.6%

note: government coalition - SPOe and OeVP

Legislative branch:

bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung consists of Federal Council or Bundesrat (62 seats; members chosen by state parliaments with each state receiving 3 to 12 members in proportion to its population; members serve five- or six-year terms) and the National Council or Nationalrat (183 seats; members elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: National Council - last held 28 September 2008 (next to be held by September 2013)

election results: National Council - percent of vote by party - SPOe 29.3%, OeVP 26%, FPOe 17.5%, BZOe 10.7%, Greens 10.4%, other 6.1%; seats by party - SPOe 57, OeVP 51, FPOe 34, BZOe 21, Greens 20

Judicial branch:

Supreme Judicial Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; Administrative Court or Verwaltungsgerichtshof; Constitutional Court or Verfassungsgerichtshof

Political parties and leaders:

Alliance for the Future of Austria or BZOe [Josef BUCHER]; Austrian
People's Party or OeVP [Josef PROELL]; Freedom Party of Austria or
FPOe [Heinz Christian STRACHE]; Social Democratic Party of Austria
or SPOe [Werner FAYMANN]; The Greens [Eva GLAWISCHNIG]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Austrian Trade Union Federation or OeGB (nominally independent but
primarily Social Democratic); Federal Economic Chamber;
OeVP-oriented Association of Austrian Industrialists or IV; Roman
Catholic Church, including its chief lay organization, Catholic
Action

other: three composite leagues of the Austrian People's Party or OeVP representing business, labor, farmers, and other nongovernment organizations in the areas of environment and human rights

International organization participation:

ACCT (observer), ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional
member), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC,
EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G-9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest),
NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, Paris
Club, PCA, PFP, Schengen Convention, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD,
UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU,
WCL, WCO, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Christian PROSL

chancery: 3524 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008-3035

telephone: [1] (202) 895-6700

FAX: [1] (202) 895-6750

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Scott F. KILNER

embassy: Boltzmanngasse 16, A-1090, Vienna

mailing address: use embassy street address

telephone: [43] (1) 31339-0

FAX: [43] (1) 3100682

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and red; the flag design is certainly one of the oldest - if not the oldest - national banners in the world; according to tradition, following a fierce battle in the Third Crusade, Duke Leopold V of Austria's white tunic became completely blood-spattered; upon removal of his wide belt or sash, a white band was revealed; the red-white-red color combination was subsequently adopted as his banner

Economy ::Austria

Economy - overview:

Austria, with its well-developed market economy and high standard of living, is closely tied to other EU economies, especially Germany's. Its economy features a large service sector, a sound industrial sector, and a small, but highly developed agricultural sector. Following several years of solid foreign demand for Austrian exports and record employment growth, the global economic downturn in 2008 led to a recession that is likely to persist through 2009. The government's stabilization measures could increase the budget deficit to about 2.8% of GDP in 2009 and above 3% in 2010, from about 0.6% in 2008. The Austrian economy has benefited greatly in the past from strong commercial relations, especially in the banking and insurance sectors, with central, eastern, and southeastern Europe, but these sectors have been vulnerable to recent international financial instabilities, and some of Austria's largest banks have required government support. Even after the global economic outlook improves, Austria will need to continue restructuring, emphasizing knowledge-based sectors of the economy, and encouraging greater labor flexibility and greater labor participation to offset its aging population and exceedingly low fertility rate.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$331.2 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 37 $324.7 billion (2007 est.)

$313.7 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$414.8 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 159 3.5% (2007 est.)

3.5% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$40,400 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 21 $39,600 (2007 est.)

$38,300 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 1.9%

industry: 30.7%

services: 67.4% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

3.633 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 95

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 5.5%

industry: 27.5%

services: 67% (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate:

3.9% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 45 4.4% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

5.9% (2004)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 3.3%

highest 10%: 22.5% (2004)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

26 (2007) country comparison to the world: 125 31 (1995)

Investment (gross fixed):

22.4% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 76

Budget:

revenues: $196.4 billion

expenditures: $200.7 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

62.6% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 22 64.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 39 2.2% (2007 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

6.82% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 128 6.3% (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$606.2 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 18 $504.8 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 34 $228.7 billion (31 December 2007)

$191.3 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

grains, potatoes, sugar beets, wine, fruit; dairy products, cattle, pigs, poultry; lumber

Industries:

construction, machinery, vehicles and parts, food, metals, chemicals, lumber and wood processing, paper and paperboard, communications equipment, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:

2.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 98

Electricity - production:

58.64 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 43

Electricity - consumption:

61.89 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 38

Electricity - exports:

14.93 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

19.8 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

24,850 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 72

Oil - consumption:

285,400 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 46

Oil - exports:

45,580 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 79

Oil - imports:

305,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 38

Oil - proved reserves:

50 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 76

Natural gas - production:

1.532 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 60

Natural gas - consumption:

8.65 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 50

Natural gas - exports:

2.788 billion cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 32

Natural gas - imports:

10.05 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 23

Natural gas - proved reserves:

16.14 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 77

Current account balance:

$14.27 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 24 $12.03 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$179.1 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 27 $162.1 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, motor vehicles and parts, paper and paperboard, metal goods, chemicals, iron and steel, textiles, foodstuffs

Exports - partners:

Germany 29.5%, Italy 8.6%, US 4.3%, Switzerland 4.2% (2008)

Imports:

$179.2 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 24 $160.3 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, metal goods, oil and oil products; foodstuffs

Imports - partners:

Germany 44.5%, Italy 7.1%, Switzerland 5.2%, Netherlands 4.1% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$16.7 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 57 $18.22 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$832.8 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 13 $801.4 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$261.9 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 18 $247.9 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$270 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 14 $240.9 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008 est.), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)

Communications ::Austria

Telephones - main lines in use:

3.285 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 47

Telephones - mobile cellular:

10.816 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 58

Telephone system:

general assessment: highly developed and efficient

domestic: fixed-line subscribership has been in decline since the mid-1990s with mobile-cellular subscribership eclipsing it by the late 1990s; the fiber-optic net is very extensive; all telephone applications and Internet services are available

international: country code - 43; satellite earth stations - 15; in addition, there are about 600 VSATs (very small aperture terminals) (2007)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 2, FM 65 (plus several hundred repeaters), shortwave 1 (2001)

Television broadcast stations:

10 (plus more than 1,000 repeaters) (2001)

Internet country code:

.at

Internet hosts:

2.992 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 26

Internet users:

5.937 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 39

Transportation ::Austria

Airports:

55 (2009) country comparison to the world: 84

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 25

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 5

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 4

under 914 m: 14 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 30

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m: 26 (2009)

Heliports:

1 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 2,721 km; oil 663 km; refined products 157 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 6,399 km country comparison to the world: 29 standard gauge: 5,927 km 1.435-m gauge (3,688 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 384 km 1.000-m gauge (15 km electrified); 88 km 0.760-m gauge (10 km electrified) (2008)

Roadways:

total: 107,262 km country comparison to the world: 39 paved: 107,262 km (includes 1,677 km of expressways) (2006)

Waterways:

358 km (2007) country comparison to the world: 90

Merchant marine:

total: 4 country comparison to the world: 134 by type: cargo 2, container 2

foreign-owned: 2 (Netherlands 2)

registered in other countries: 4 (Cyprus 1, Malta 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 2) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Enns, Krems, Linz, Vienna

Military ::Austria

Military branches:

Land Forces (KdoLdSK), Air Forces (KdoLuSK)

Military service age and obligation:

18-35 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of age for male or female voluntary service; service obligation 6 months of training, followed by an 8-year reserve obligation (2009)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,986,411

females age 16-49: 1,944,834 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,607,456

females age 16-49: 1,576,335 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 50,540

female: 48,042 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

0.9% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 140

Transnational Issues ::Austria

Disputes - international:

while threats of international legal action never materialized in 2007, 915,220 Austrians, with the support of the newly elected Freedom Party, signed a petition in January 2008, demanding that Austria block the Czech Republic's accession to the EU unless Prague closed its nuclear power plant in Temelin, bordering Austria

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and South American cocaine destined for Western Europe; increasing consumption of European-produced synthetic drugs

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Azerbaijan (Middle East)

Introduction ::Azerbaijan

Background:

Azerbaijan - a nation with a majority-Turkic and majority-Muslim population - was briefly independent from 1918 to 1920; it regained its independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Despite a 1994 cease-fire, Azerbaijan has yet to resolve its conflict with Armenia over the Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh region (largely Armenian populated). Azerbaijan has lost 16% of its territory and must support some 600,000 internally displaced persons as a result of the conflict. Corruption is ubiquitous, and the government has been accused of authoritarianism. Although the poverty rate has been reduced in recent years, the promise of widespread wealth from development of Azerbaijan's energy sector remains largely unfulfilled.

Geography ::Azerbaijan

Location:

Southwestern Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and
Russia, with a small European portion north of the Caucasus range

Geographic coordinates:

40 30 N, 47 30 E

Map references:

Middle East

Area:

total: 86,600 sq km country comparison to the world: 112 land: 82,629 sq km

water: 3,971 sq km

note: includes the exclave of Naxcivan Autonomous Republic and the Nagorno-Karabakh region; the region's autonomy was abolished by Azerbaijani Supreme Soviet on 26 November 1991

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Maine

Land boundaries:

total: 2,013 km

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

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked); note - Azerbaijan borders the Caspian Sea (713 km)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

dry, semiarid steppe

Terrain:

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

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m

highest point: Bazarduzu Dagi 4,485 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, nonferrous metals, bauxite

Land use:

arable land: 20.62%

permanent crops: 2.61%

other: 76.77% (2005)

Irrigated land:

14,550 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

30.3 cu km (1997)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 17.25 cu km/yr (5%/28%/68%)

per capita: 2,051 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

droughts

Environment - current issues:

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

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

both the main area of the country and the Naxcivan exclave are landlocked

People ::Azerbaijan

Population:

8,238,672 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 91

Age structure:

0-14 years: 23.9% (male 1,042,132/female 926,495)

15-64 years: 69.4% (male 2,807,717/female 2,908,221)

65 years and over: 6.7% (male 204,410/female 349,697) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 28.2 years

male: 26.6 years

female: 30 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.762% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 141

Birth rate:

17.62 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 115

Death rate:

8.3 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 103

Net migration rate:

-1.69 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 134

Urbanization:

urban population: 52% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.13 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.12 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.58 male(s)/female

total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 54.6 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 46 male: 60.2 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 48.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 66.66 years country comparison to the world: 158 male: 62.53 years

female: 71.34 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.04 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 126

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.2% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 92

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

7,800 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 113

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 100 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 127

Nationality:

noun: Azerbaijani(s)

adjective: Azerbaijani

Ethnic groups:

Azeri 90.6%, Dagestani 2.2%, Russian 1.8%, Armenian 1.5%, other 3.9% (1999 census)

note: almost all Armenians live in the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh region

Religions:

Muslim 93.4%, Russian Orthodox 2.5%, Armenian Orthodox 2.3%, other 1.8% (1995 est.)

note: religious affiliation is still nominal in Azerbaijan; percentages for actual practicing adherents are much lower

Languages:

Azerbaijani (Azeri) 90.3%, Lezgi 2.2%, Russian 1.8%, Armenian 1.5%, other 3.3%, unspecified 1% (1999 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 98.8%

male: 99.5%

female: 98.2% (1999 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 11 years

male: 11 years

female: 11 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

2.1% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 165

Government ::Azerbaijan

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Azerbaijan

conventional short form: Azerbaijan

local long form: Azarbaycan Respublikasi

local short form: Azarbaycan

former: Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Baku (Baki, Baky)

geographic coordinates: 40 23 N, 49 52 E

time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

59 rayons (rayonlar; rayon - singular), 11 cities (saharlar; sahar - singular), 1 autonomous republic (muxtar respublika)

rayons: Abseron Rayonu, Agcabadi Rayonu, Agdam Rayonu, Agdas Rayonu,
Agstafa Rayonu, Agsu Rayonu, Astara Rayonu, Balakan Rayonu, Barda
Rayonu, Beylaqan Rayonu, Bilasuvar Rayonu, Cabrayil Rayonu,
Calilabad Rayonu, Daskasan Rayonu, Davaci Rayonu, Fuzuli Rayonu,
Gadabay Rayonu, Goranboy Rayonu, Goycay Rayonu, Haciqabul Rayonu,
Imisli Rayonu, Ismayilli Rayonu, Kalbacar Rayonu, Kurdamir Rayonu,
Lacin Rayonu, Lankaran Rayonu, Lerik Rayonu, Masalli Rayonu,
Neftcala Rayonu, Oguz Rayonu, Qabala Rayonu, Qax Rayonu, Qazax
Rayonu, Qobustan Rayonu, Quba Rayonu, Qubadli Rayonu, Qusar Rayonu,
Saatli Rayonu, Sabirabad Rayonu, Saki Rayonu, Salyan Rayonu, Samaxi
Rayonu, Samkir Rayonu, Samux Rayonu, Siyazan Rayonu, Susa Rayonu,
Tartar Rayonu, Tovuz Rayonu, Ucar Rayonu, Xacmaz Rayonu, Xanlar
Rayonu, Xizi Rayonu, Xocali Rayonu, Xocavand Rayonu, Yardimli
Rayonu, Yevlax Rayonu, Zangilan Rayonu, Zaqatala Rayonu, Zardab
Rayonu

cities: Ali Bayramli Sahari, Baki Sahari, Ganca Sahari, Lankaran Sahari, Mingacevir Sahari, Naftalan Sahari, Saki Sahari, Sumqayit Sahari, Susa Sahari, Xankandi Sahari, Yevlax Sahari

autonomous republic: Naxcivan Muxtar Respublikasi (Nakhichevan)

Independence:

30 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

National holiday:

Founding of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan, 28 May (1918)

Constitution:

adopted 12 November 1995; modified by referendum 24 August 2002

Legal system:

based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Ilham ALIYEV (since 31 October 2003)

head of government: Prime Minister Artur RASIZADE (since 4 November 2003); First Deputy Prime Minister Yaqub EYYUBOV (since June 2006)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president and confirmed by the National Assembly

elections: president elected by popular vote to a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 15 October 2008 (next to be held in October 2013); prime minister and first deputy prime minister appointed by the president and confirmed by the National Assembly

election results: Ilham ALIYEV reelected president; percent of vote - Ilham ALIYEV 89%, Igbal AGHAZADE 2.9%, five other candidates with smaller percentages

note: several political parties boycotted the election due to unfair conditions; OSCE observers concluded that the election did not meet international standards

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly or Milli Mejlis (125 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 6 November 2005 (next to be held in November 2010)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Yeni 58, Azadliq coalition 8, CSP 2, Motherland 2, other parties with single seats 9, independents 42, undetermined 4

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:

Azadliq (Freedom) coalition (Popular Front Party, Liberal Party,
Citizens' Development Party); Azerbaijan Democratic Party or ADP
[Sardar JALALOGLU]; Azerbaijan Democratic Reforms Party (ADRP) Youth
Movement [Ramin HAJILI]; Azerbaijan Popular Front or APF, now split
in two [Ali KARIMLI, leader of "Reform" APF party; Mirmahmud
MIRALI-OGLU, leader of "Classic" APF party]; Azerbaijan Public Forum
[Eldar NAMAZOV]; Citizens' Development Party [Ali ALIYEV]; Civil
Solidarity Party or CSP [Sabir RUSTAMKHANLY]; Dalga Youth Movement
[Vafa JAFAROVA]; Green Party [Mais GULALIYEV and Tarana MAMMADOVA];
Hope (Umid) Party [Iqbal AGAZADE]; Ireli Youth Movement [Jeyhun
OSMANLI, Roya TALIBOVA, Farhad MAMMADOV, Elnara GARIBOVA, Elnur
MAMMADOV, Ziya ALIYEV]; Justice Party [Ilyas ISMAILOV]; Liberal
Party of Azerbaijan [Lala Shovkat HACIYEVA]; Magam Youth Movement
[Emin HUSEYNOV]; Motherland Party [Fazail AGAMALI]; Musavat
(Equality) [Isa GAMBAR, chairman]; Musavat Party Youth Movement
[Elnur MAMMADLI]; National Democratic Party or Grey Wolves
(Nationalist, Pan-Turkic) [Iskender HAMIDOV]; Open Society Party
[Rasul GULIYEV, in exile in the US]; Party for National Independence
of Azerbaijan or PNIA [Ayaz RUSTAMOV]; Popular Front Party Youth
Movement [Seymur KHAZIYEV]; Social Democratic Party of Azerbaijan or
SDP [Araz ALIZADE and Ayaz MUTALIBOV (in exile)]; Turkish
Nationalist Party [Vugar BAYTURAN]; United Azerbaijan Party [Karrar
ABILOV]; United Azerbaijan National Unity Party [Hajibaba AZIMOV];
United Party [Tahir KARIMLI]; Yeni (New) Azerbaijan Party [President
Ilham ALIYEV]; Yeni Azerbaijan Party Youth Movement [Ramil HASANOV];
Yox (No) Youth Movement [Ali ISMAYILOV]

note: opposition parties regularly factionalize and form new parties;

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Armenian Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (self-proclaimed); Karabakh Liberation Organization; Sadval, Lezgin movement; Talysh independence movement; Union of Pro-Azerbaijani Forces or UPAF

International organization participation:

ADB, BSEC, CE, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, GCTU, GUAM, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS
(observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Yashar ALIYEV

chancery: 2741 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 337-3500

FAX: [1] (202) 337-5911

Consulate(s) general: Los Angeles

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Anne E. DERSE

embassy: 83 Azadlig Prospecti, Baku AZ1007

mailing address: American Embassy Baku, US Department of State, 7050 Baku Place, Washington, DC 20521-7050

telephone: [994] (12) 4980-335 through 337

FAX: [994] (12) 4656-671

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), red, and green; a crescent and eight-pointed star in white are centered in red band

Economy ::Azerbaijan

Economy - overview:

Azerbaijan's high economic growth during 2006-08 is attributable to large and growing oil exports, but the non-energy sector also featured double-digit growth in 2008, spurred by growth in the construction, banking, and real estate sectors. However, the current global economic slowdown presents some challenges for the Azerbaijani economy as oil prices have plummeted since mid-2008 and local banks face a more uncertain international financial environment. Azerbaijan's oil production declined through 1997, but has registered an increase every year since. Negotiation of production-sharing arrangements (PSAs) with foreign firms, which have committed $60 billion to long-term oilfield development, should generate the funds needed to spur future industrial development. Oil production under the first of these PSAs, with the Azerbaijan International Operating Company, began in November 1997. A consortium of Western oil companies built a $4 billion pipeline from Baku to Turkey's Mediterranean port of Ceyhan which will pump 1.2 million barrels a day from a large offshore field when at full capacity. Azerbaijan shares all the formidable problems of the former Soviet republics in making the transition from a command to a market economy, but its considerable energy resources brighten its medium-term prospects. Baku has only recently begun making progress on economic reform, and old economic ties and structures are slowly being replaced. Several other obstacles impede Azerbaijan's economic progress: the need for stepped up foreign investment in the non-energy sector, the continuing conflict with Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region, pervasive corruption, and potential for a sharp downturn in the construction and real estate sectors. Trade with Russia and the other former Soviet republics is declining in importance, while trade is building with Turkey and the nations of Europe. Long-term prospects will depend on world oil prices, the location of new oil and gas pipelines in the region, and Azerbaijan's ability to manage its energy wealth to promote sustainable growth in non-energy sectors of the economy and spur employment.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$77.79 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 77 $70.21 billion (2007 est.)

$56.17 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$46.38 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

10.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 8 25% (2007 est.)

34.5% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$9,500 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 107 $8,600 (2007 est.)

$7,000 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 6%

industry: 60.5%

services: 33.5% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

5.782 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 66

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 39.3%

industry: 12.1%

services: 48.6% (2005)

Unemployment rate:

0.9% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 4 1% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

24% (2005 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 6.1%

highest 10%: 17.5% (2005)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

36.5 (2001) country comparison to the world: 81 36 (1995)

Investment (gross fixed):

21.2% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 93

Budget:

revenues: $12.69 billion

expenditures: $15.67 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

4.1% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 123 18.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

20.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 206 16.7% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

8% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 19 13% (31 December 2007)

note: this is the Refinancing Rate, the key policy rate for the National Bank of Azerbaijan

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

19.76% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 19 19.13% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$6.381 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 49 $4.261 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$4.125 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 76 $2.593 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$8.135 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 75 $5.726 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

cotton, grain, rice, grapes, fruit, vegetables, tea, tobacco; cattle, pigs, sheep, goats

Industries:

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

Industrial production growth rate:

6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 39

Electricity - production:

19.35 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 72

Electricity - consumption:

15.68 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 71

Electricity - exports:

786 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

548 million kWh (2007 est.)

Oil - production:

875,200 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 24

Oil - consumption:

126,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 70

Oil - exports:

528,900 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 29

Oil - imports:

2,848 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 170

Oil - proved reserves:

7 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 19

Natural gas - production:

16.2 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 33

Natural gas - consumption:

10.64 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 47

Natural gas - exports:

5.564 billion cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 25

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 201

Natural gas - proved reserves:

849.5 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 27

Current account balance:

$16.45 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 22 $9.019 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$30.59 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 64 $21.27 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

oil and gas 90%, machinery, cotton, foodstuffs

Exports - partners:

Italy 40.2%, US 12.6%, Israel 7.6%, India 5.1%, France 4.9% (2008)

Imports:

$7.575 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 100 $6.045 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, oil products, foodstuffs, metals, chemicals

Imports - partners:

Russia 18.8%, Turkey 11.3%, Germany 8.4%, Ukraine 7.9%, China 6.7%,
UK 5.4% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$6.519 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 77 $4.273 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$2.635 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 131 $2.439 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$7.844 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 83 $7.829 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$5.232 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 56 $4.677 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

Azerbaijani manats (AZN) per US dollar - 0.8219 (2008 est.), 0.8581 (2007), 0.8934 (2006), 4,727.1 (2005), 4,913.48 (2004)

note: on 1 January 2006 Azerbaijan revalued its currency, with 5,000 old manats equal to 1 new manat

Communications ::Azerbaijan

Telephones - main lines in use:

1.311 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 68

Telephones - mobile cellular:

6.548 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 76

Telephone system:

general assessment: inadequate; requires considerable expansion and modernization; teledensity of 15 main lines per 100 persons is low; mobile-cellular penetration has increased rapidly and is currently about 80 telephones per 100 persons

domestic: fixed-line telephony and a broad range of other telecom services are controlled by a state-owned telecommunications monopoly and growth has been stagnant; more competition exists in the mobile-cellular market with three providers in 2006; satellite service connects Baku to a modern switch in its exclave of Naxcivan

international: country code - 994; the Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic link transits Azerbaijan providing international connectivity to neighboring countries; the old Soviet system of cable and microwave is still serviceable; satellite earth stations - 2 (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 10, FM 17, shortwave 1 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

2 (1997)

Internet country code:

.az

Internet hosts:

7,045 (2009) country comparison to the world: 130

Internet users:

1.485 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 75

Transportation ::Azerbaijan

Airports:

34 (2009) country comparison to the world: 111

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 27

over 3,047 m: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 6

1,524 to 2,437 m: 13

914 to 1,523 m: 4

under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 7

under 914 m: 7 (2009)

Heliports:

1 (2009)

Pipelines:

condensate 1 km; gas 3,361 km; oil 1,424 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 2,122 km country comparison to the world: 71 broad gauge: 2,122 km 1.520-m gauge (1,278 km electrified) (2008)

Roadways:

total: 59,141 km country comparison to the world: 74 paved: 29,210 km

unpaved: 29,931 km (2004)

Merchant marine:

total: 89 country comparison to the world: 52 by type: cargo 26, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 9, petroleum tanker 46, roll on/roll off 3, specialized tanker 3

registered in other countries: 3 (Malta 2, Panama 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Baku (Baki)

Military ::Azerbaijan

Military branches:

Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

men between 18 and 35 are liable for military service; 18 years of age for voluntary military service; length of military service is 18 months and 12 months for university graduates (2006)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 2,278,888

females age 16-49: 2,291,770 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,727,464

females age 16-49: 1,944,260 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 90,416

female: 85,344 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

2.6% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 59

Transnational Issues ::Azerbaijan

Disputes - international:

Armenia supports ethnic Armenian secessionists in Nagorno-Karabakh and since the early 1990s has militarily occupied 16% of Azerbaijan; over 800,000 mostly ethnic Azerbaijanis were driven from the occupied lands and Armenia; about 230,000 ethnic Armenians were driven from their homes in Azerbaijan into Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh; Azerbaijan seeks transit route through Armenia to connect to Naxcivan exclave; Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) continues to mediate dispute; Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Russia have ratified Caspian seabed delimitation treaties based on equidistance, while Iran continues to insist on an even one-fifth allocation and challenges Azerbaijan's hydrocarbon exploration in disputed waters; bilateral talks continue with Turkmenistan on dividing the seabed and contested oilfields in the middle of the Caspian; Azerbaijan and Georgia continue to discuss the alignment of their boundary at certain crossing areas

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 2,400 (Russia)

IDPs: 580,000-690,000 (conflict with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh) (2007)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Azerbaijan is primarily a source and transit country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor; women and some children from Azerbaijan are trafficked to Turkey and the UAE for the purpose of sexual exploitation; men and boys are trafficked to Russia for the purpose of forced labor; Azerbaijan serves as a transit country for victims from Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Moldova trafficked to Turkey and the UAE for sexual exploitation

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Azerbaijan is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking in persons, particularly efforts to investigate, prosecute, and punish traffickers; to address complicity among law enforcement personnel; and to adequately identify and protect victims in Azerbaijan; the government has yet to develop a much-needed mechanism to identify potential trafficking victims and refer them to safety and care; poor treatment of trafficking victims in courtrooms continues to be a problem (2008)

Illicit drugs:

limited illicit cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for CIS consumption; small government eradication program; transit point for Southwest Asian opiates bound for Russia and to a lesser extent the rest of Europe

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Bahamas, The (Central America and Caribbean)

Introduction ::Bahamas, The

Background:

Lucayan Indians inhabited the islands when Christopher COLUMBUS first set foot in the New World on San Salvador in 1492. British settlement of the islands began in 1647; the islands became a colony in 1783. Since attaining independence from the UK in 1973, The Bahamas have prospered through tourism and international banking and investment management. Because of its geography, the country is a major transshipment point for illegal drugs, particularly shipments to the US and Europe, and its territory is used for smuggling illegal migrants into the US.

Geography ::Bahamas, The

Location:

Caribbean, chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida, northeast of Cuba

Geographic coordinates:

24 15 N, 76 00 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 13,880 sq km country comparison to the world: 160 land: 10,010 sq km

water: 3,870 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Connecticut

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

3,542 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream

Terrain:

long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mount Alvernia, on Cat Island 63 m

Natural resources:

salt, aragonite, timber, arable land

Land use:

arable land: 0.58%

permanent crops: 0.29%

other: 99.13% (2005)

Irrigated land:

10 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

NA

Natural hazards:

hurricanes and other tropical storms cause extensive flood and wind damage

Environment - current issues:

coral reef decay; solid waste disposal

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive island chain of which 30 are inhabited

People ::Bahamas, The

Population:

309,156 country comparison to the world: 176 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 25.9% (male 40,085/female 39,959)

15-64 years: 67.2% (male 102,154/female 105,482)

65 years and over: 6.9% (male 8,772/female 12,704) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 28.7 years

male: 27.9 years

female: 29.5 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.536% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 152

Birth rate:

16.81 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 125

Death rate:

9.32 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 77

Net migration rate:

-2.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 139

Urbanization:

urban population: 84% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 23.17 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 93 male: 28.21 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 18.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 65.78 years country comparison to the world: 164 male: 62.63 years

female: 68.98 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.1 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 121

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

3% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 24

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

6,200 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 118

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 200 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 126

Nationality:

noun: Bahamian(s)

adjective: Bahamian

Ethnic groups:

black 85%, white 12%, Asian and Hispanic 3%

Religions:

Baptist 35.4%, Anglican 15.1%, Roman Catholic 13.5%, Pentecostal 8.1%, Church of God 4.8%, Methodist 4.2%, other Christian 15.2%, none or unspecified 2.9%, other 0.8% (2000 census)

Languages:

English (official), Creole (among Haitian immigrants)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 95.6%

male: 94.7%

female: 96.5% (2003 est.)

Education expenditures:

3.6% of GDP (2000) country comparison to the world: 125

Government ::Bahamas, The

Country name:

conventional long form: Commonwealth of The Bahamas

conventional short form: The Bahamas

Government type:

constitutional parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm

Capital:

name: Nassau

geographic coordinates: 25 05 N, 77 21 W

time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November

Administrative divisions:

21 districts; Acklins and Crooked Islands, Bimini, Cat Island,
Exuma, Freeport, Fresh Creek, Governor's Harbour, Green Turtle Cay,
Harbour Island, High Rock, Inagua, Kemps Bay, Long Island, Marsh
Harbour, Mayaguana, New Providence, Nichollstown and Berry Islands,
Ragged Island, Rock Sound, Sandy Point, San Salvador, and Rum Cay

Independence:

10 July 1973 (from the UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 10 July (1973)

Constitution:

10 July 1973

Legal system:

based on English common law

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Arthur D. HANNA (since 1 February 2006)

head of government: Prime Minister Hubert A. INGRAHAM (since 4 May 2007)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the prime minister's recommendation

elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; the prime minister recommends the deputy prime minister

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (16 seats; members appointed by the governor general upon the advice of the prime minister and the opposition leader to serve five-year terms) and the House of Assembly (41 seats; members elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms); the government may dissolve the parliament and call elections at any time

elections: last held 2 May 2007 (next to be held by May 2012)

election results: percent of vote by party - FNM 49.86%, PLP 47.02%; seats by party - FNM 23, PLP 18

Judicial branch:

Privy Council in London; Courts of Appeal; Supreme (lower) Court;
Magistrates' Courts

Political parties and leaders:

Free National Movement or FNM [Hubert INGRAHAM]; Progressive Liberal
Party or PLP [Perry CHRISTIE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Friends of the Environment

other: trade unions

International organization participation:

ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory),
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ITSO, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory),
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Cornelius A. SMITH

chancery: 2220 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 319-2660

FAX: [1] (202) 319-2668

consulate(s) general: Miami, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Ned L. SIEGEL

embassy: 42 Queen Street, Nassau, New Providence

mailing address: local or express mail address: P. O. Box N-8197, Nassau; US Department of State, 3370 Nassau Place, Washington, DC 20521-3370

telephone: [1] (242) 322-1181, 328-2206 (after hours)

FAX: [1] (242) 328-2206

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of aquamarine (top), gold, and aquamarine, with a black equilateral triangle based on the hoist side; the band colors represent the golden beaches of the islands surrounded by the aquamarine sea; black represents the vigor and force of a united people, while the pointing triangle indicates the enterprise and determination of the Bahamian people to develop the rich resources of land and sea

Economy ::Bahamas, The

Economy - overview:

The Bahamas is one of the wealthiest Caribbean countries with an economy heavily dependent on tourism and offshore banking. Tourism together with tourism-driven construction and manufacturing accounts for approximately 60% of GDP and directly or indirectly employs half of the archipelago's labor force. Steady growth in tourism receipts and a boom in construction of new hotels, resorts, and residences had led to solid GDP growth in recent years, but tourist arrivals have been on the decline since 2006 and will likely drop even further in 2009. Tourism, in turn, depends on growth in the US, the source of more than 80% of the visitors. To help offset the effect of the global economic downturn, particularly on employment, the INGRAHAM administration plans to engage in infrastructure projects. Financial services constitute the second-most important sector of the Bahamian economy and, when combined with business services, account for about 36% of GDP. However, since December 2000, when the government enacted new regulations on the financial sector, many international businesses have left The Bahamas. Manufacturing and agriculture combined contribute approximately a tenth of GDP and show little growth, despite government incentives aimed at those sectors. Overall growth prospects in the short run rest heavily on the fortunes of the tourism sector.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$9.352 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 152 $9.495 billion (2007 est.)

$9.236 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$7.564 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

-1.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 210 2.8% (2007 est.)

4.6% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$30,700 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 44 $31,400 (2007 est.)

$30,900 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 3%

industry: 7%

services: 90% (2001 est.)

Labor force:

175,500 (2007) country comparison to the world: 168

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture 5%, industry 5%, tourism 50%, other services 40% (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate:

7.6% (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 99

Population below poverty line:

9.3% (2004)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: 27% (2000)

Budget:

revenues: $1.03 billion

expenditures: $1.03 billion (FY04/05)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.4% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 22

Central bank discount rate:

5.25% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 81 5.25% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

5.5% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 138 5.5% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$1.255 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 82 $1.274 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$4.637 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 71 $4.324 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$7.883 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 77 $7.395 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

citrus, vegetables; poultry

Industries:

tourism, banking, cement, oil transshipment, salt, rum, aragonite, pharmaceuticals, spiral-welded steel pipe

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

2.045 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 134

Electricity - consumption:

1.902 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 135

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 205

Oil - consumption:

34,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 109

Oil - exports:

transshipments of 41,570 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 81

Oil - imports:

72,420 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 78

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 205

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 205

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 113

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 53

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 79

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 203

Current account balance:

-$1.442 billion (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 130

Exports:

$674 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 159

Exports - commodities:

mineral products and salt, animal products, rum, chemicals, fruit and vegetables

Exports - partners:

US 21.6%, Singapore 19%, Poland 18.2%, Germany 7.7%, Japan 7.5% (2008)

Imports:

$2.401 billion (2006) country comparison to the world: 145

Imports - commodities:

machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, chemicals, mineral fuels; food and live animals

Imports - partners:

US 25.1%, South Korea 18.8%, Japan 16.4%, Singapore 7.3%, Venezuela 5% (2008)

Debt - external:

$342.6 million (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 171

Exchange rates:

Bahamian dollars (BSD) per US dollar - 1 (2008 est.), 1 (2007), 1 (2006), 1 (2005), 1 (2004)

Communications ::Bahamas, The

Telephones - main lines in use:

133,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 138

Telephones - mobile cellular:

358,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 164

Telephone system:

general assessment: modern facilities

domestic: totally automatic system; highly developed; the Bahamas Domestic Submarine Network links 14 of the islands and is designed to satisfy increasing demand for voice and broadband internet services

international: country code - 1-242; landing point for the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) fiber-optic submarine cable that provides links to South and Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and the US; satellite earth stations - 2 (2007)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 3, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2006)

Television broadcast stations:

2 (2006)

Internet country code:

.bs

Internet hosts:

8,325 (2009) country comparison to the world: 122

Internet users:

106,500 (2008) country comparison to the world: 151

Transportation ::Bahamas, The

Airports:

62 (2009) country comparison to the world: 79

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 23

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 4

1,524 to 2,437 m: 11

914 to 1,523 m: 6 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 39

1,524 to 2,437 m: 5

914 to 1,523 m: 12

under 914 m: 22 (2009)

Heliports:

1 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 2,717 km country comparison to the world: 168 paved: 1,560 km

unpaved: 1,157 km (2002)

Merchant marine:

total: 1,223 country comparison to the world: 6 by type: barge carrier 1, bulk carrier 210, cargo 226, carrier 2, chemical tanker 88, combination ore/oil 12, container 65, liquefied gas 77, passenger 109, passenger/cargo 35, petroleum tanker 209, refrigerated cargo 119, roll on/roll off 16, specialized tanker 3, vehicle carrier 51

foreign-owned: 1,150 (Angola 6, Belgium 15, Bermuda 12, Brazil 2, Canada 84, China 10, Croatia 1, Cuba 1, Cyprus 25, Denmark 67, Finland 9, France 30, Germany 44, Greece 209, Hong Kong 30, Iceland 1, Indonesia 2, Ireland 2, Isle of Man 1, Italy 4, Japan 87, Jordan 2, Kenya 1, Malaysia 13, Monaco 15, Montenegro 2, Netherlands 9, Nigeria 2, Norway 189, Poland 17, Russia 4, Saudi Arabia 16, Singapore 17, Slovenia 1, South Africa 1, Spain 14, Sweden 4, Switzerland 1, Thailand 5, Trinidad and Tobago 1, Turkey 8, UAE 23, UK 56, US 106, Venezuela 1)

registered in other countries: 12 (Bolivia 1, Panama 9, Peru 1, Portugal 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Freeport, Nassau, South Riding Point

Military ::Bahamas, The

Military branches:

Royal Bahamian Defense Force: Land Force, Navy, Air Wing (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 80,200 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 50,764

females age 16-49: 51,690 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 2,992

female: 3,003 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

0.5% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 160

Transnational Issues ::Bahamas, The

Disputes - international:

disagrees with the US on the alignment the northern axis of a potential maritime boundary; continues to monitor and interdict drug dealers and Haitian and Cuban refugees in Bahamian waters

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for US and Europe; offshore financial center

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Bahrain (Middle East)

Introduction ::Bahrain

Background:

In 1783, the al-Khalifa family captured Bahrain from the Persians. In order to secure these holdings, it entered into a series of treaties with the UK during the 19th century that made Bahrain a British protectorate. The archipelago attained its independence in 1971. Bahrain's small size and central location among Persian Gulf countries require it to play a delicate balancing act in foreign affairs among its larger neighbors. Facing declining oil reserves, Bahrain has turned to petroleum processing and refining and has transformed itself into an international banking center. King HAMAD bin Isa al-Khalifa, after coming to power in 1999, pushed economic and political reforms to improve relations with the Shia community. Shia political societies participated in 2006 parliamentary and municipal elections. Al Wifaq, the largest Shia political society, won the largest number of seats in the elected chamber of the legislature. However, Shia discontent has resurfaced in recent years with street demonstrations and occasional low-level violence.

Geography ::Bahrain

Location:

Middle East, archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia

Geographic coordinates:

26 00 N, 50 33 E

Map references:

Middle East

Area:

total: 741 sq km country comparison to the world: 190 land: 741 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

3.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

161 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

continental shelf: extending to boundaries to be determined

Climate:

arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers

Terrain:

mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central escarpment

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m

highest point: Jabal ad Dukhan 122 m

Natural resources:

oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish, pearls

Land use:

arable land: 2.82%

permanent crops: 5.63%

other: 91.55% (2005)

Irrigated land:

40 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

0.1 cu km (1997)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.3 cu km/yr (40%/3%/57%)

per capita: 411 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

periodic droughts; dust storms

Environment - current issues:

desertification resulting from the degradation of limited arable land, periods of drought, and dust storms; coastal degradation (damage to coastlines, coral reefs, and sea vegetation) resulting from oil spills and other discharges from large tankers, oil refineries, and distribution stations; lack of freshwater resources (groundwater and seawater are the only sources for all water needs)

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

close to primary Middle Eastern petroleum sources; strategic location in Persian Gulf, through which much of the Western world's petroleum must transit to reach open ocean

People ::Bahrain

Population:

727,785 country comparison to the world: 162 note: includes 235,108 non-nationals (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 25.9% (male 95,224/female 93,241)

15-64 years: 70.2% (male 292,941/female 217,729)

65 years and over: 3.9% (male 15,106/female 13,544) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 30.1 years

male: 33.2 years

female: 26.7 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.285% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 105

Birth rate:

17.02 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 122

Death rate:

4.37 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 202

Net migration rate:

0.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 73

Urbanization:

urban population: 89% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.34 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.12 male(s)/female

total population: 1.24 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 15.25 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 125 male: 17.81 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 12.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 75.16 years country comparison to the world: 83 male: 72.64 years

female: 77.76 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.5 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 95

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.2% (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 110

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

fewer than 600 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 145

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 200 (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 105

Nationality:

noun: Bahraini(s)

adjective: Bahraini

Ethnic groups:

Bahraini 62.4%, non-Bahraini 37.6% (2001 census)

Religions:

Muslim (Shia and Sunni) 81.2%, Christian 9%, other 9.8% (2001 census)

Languages:

Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 86.5%

male: 88.6%

female: 83.6% (2001 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 15 years

male: 14 years

female: 16 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

3.9% of GDP (1991) country comparison to the world: 107

Government ::Bahrain

Country name:

conventional long form: Kingdom of Bahrain

conventional short form: Bahrain

local long form: Mamlakat al Bahrayn

local short form: Al Bahrayn

former: Dilmun

Government type:

constitutional monarchy

Capital:

name: Manama

geographic coordinates: 26 14 N, 50 34 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

5 governorates; Asamah, Janubiyah, Muharraq, Shamaliyah, Wasat

note: each governorate administered by an appointed governor

Independence:

15 August 1971 (from the UK)

National holiday:

National Day, 16 December (1971); note - 15 August 1971 was the date of independence from the UK, 16 December 1971 was the date of independence from British protection

Constitution:

adopted 14 February 2002

Legal system:

based on Islamic law and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

20 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: King HAMAD bin Isa Al-Khalifa (since 6 March 1999); Heir Apparent Crown Prince SALMAN bin Hamad (son of the monarch, born 21 October 1969)

head of government: Prime Minister KHALIFA bin Salman Al-Khalifa (since 1971); Deputy Prime Ministers ALI bin Khalifa bin Salman Al-Khalifa, MUHAMMAD bin Mubarak Al-Khalifa, Jawad al-ARAIDH

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch

elections: the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch

Legislative branch:

bicameral legislature consists of the Consultative Council (40 members appointed by the King) and the Council of Representatives or Chamber of Deputies (40 seats; members directly elected to serve four-year terms)

elections: Council of Representatives - last held November-December 2006 (next election to be held in 2010)

election results: Council of Representatives - percent of vote by society - NA; seats by society - al Wifaq (Shia) 17, al Asala (Sunni Salafi) 5, al Minbar (Sunni Muslim Brotherhood) 7, independents 11; note - seats by society as of February 2007 - al Wifaq 17, al Asala 8, al Minbar 7, al Mustaqbal (Moderate Sunni pro-government) 4, unassociated independents (all Sunni) 3, independent affiliated with al Wifaq (Sunni oppositionist) 1

Judicial branch:

High Civil Appeals Court

Political parties and leaders:

political parties prohibited but political societies were legalized per a July 2005 law

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Shia activists; Sunni Islamist legislators

other: several small leftist and other groups are active

International organization participation:

ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt
(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA,
NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU,
WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Houda Ibrahim Ezra NUNU

chancery: 3502 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 342-1111

FAX: [1] (202) 362-2192

consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador J. Adam ERELI

embassy: Building #979, Road 3119 (next to Al-Ahli Sports Club), Block 331, Zinj District, Manama

mailing address: PSC 451, Box 660, FPO AE 09834-5100; international mail: American Embassy, Box 26431, Manama

telephone: [973] 1724-2700

FAX: [973] 1727-0547

Flag description:

red, the traditional color for flags of Persian Gulf states, with a white serrated band (five white points) on the hoist side; the five points represent the five pillars of Islam

Economy ::Bahrain

Economy - overview:

With its highly developed communication and transport facilities, Bahrain is home to numerous multinational firms with business in the Gulf. Petroleum production and refining account for over 60% of Bahrain's export receipts, over 70% of government revenues, and 11% of GDP (exclusive of allied industries), underpinning Bahrain's strong economic growth in recent years. Aluminum is Bahrain's second major export after oil. Other major segments of Bahrain's economy are the financial and construction sectors. Bahrain is focused on Islamic banking and is competing on an international scale with Malaysia as a worldwide banking center. Bahrain is actively pursuing the diversification and privatization of its economy to reduce the country's dependence on oil. As part of this effort, in August 2006 Bahrain and the US implemented a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), the first FTA between the US and a Gulf state. Continued strong growth hinges on Bahrain's ability to acquire new natural gas supplies as feedstock to support its expanding petrochemical and aluminum industries. Unemployment, especially among the young, and the depletion of oil and underground water resources are long-term economic problems. The global financial crisis is likely to result in slower economic growth for Bahrain during 2009 as tight international credit and a slowing global economy cause funding for many non-oil projects to dry up. Lower oil prices may also cause Bahrain's budget to slip back into deficit.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$26.89 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 112 $25.29 billion (2007 est.)

$23.34 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$21.24 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

6.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 51 8.4% (2007 est.)

6.7% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$37,400 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 28 $35,700 (2007 est.)

$33,400 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 0.4%

industry: 66.2%

services: 33.3% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

557,000 country comparison to the world: 152 note: 44% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (2008 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 1%

industry: 79%

services: 20% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate:

15% (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 153

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Investment (gross fixed):

26.6% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 39

Budget:

revenues: $6.934 billion

expenditures: $5.612 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

28.7% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 75 63.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 115 3.3% (2007 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

NA% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 101 8.35% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$4.169 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$10.63 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$10.32 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$21.18 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 65 $28.13 billion (31 December 2007)

$21.12 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

fruit, vegetables; poultry, dairy products; shrimp, fish

Industries:

petroleum processing and refining, aluminum smelting, iron pelletization, fertilizers, Islamic and offshore banking, insurance, ship repairing, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:

6.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 35

Electricity - production:

10.25 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 90

Electricity - consumption:

10.1 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 84

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

48,520 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 63

Oil - consumption:

38,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 104

Oil - exports:

238,300 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 48

Oil - imports:

228,400 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 43

Oil - proved reserves:

124.6 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 63

Natural gas - production:

12.64 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 38

Natural gas - consumption:

12.64 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 44

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 45

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 70

Natural gas - proved reserves:

92.03 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 55

Current account balance:

$2.257 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 40 $2.907 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$17.49 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 75 $13.79 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

petroleum and petroleum products, aluminum, textiles

Exports - partners:

Saudi Arabia 3.4%, India 2.7%, UAE 2.2% (2008)

Imports:

$14.25 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 85 $10.93 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

crude oil, machinery, chemicals

Imports - partners:

Saudi Arabia 26.7%, Japan 8.9%, US 7.8%, China 6.2%, Germany 4.8%,
South Korea 4.7%, UK 4.5% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$3.803 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 88 $4.101 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$10.33 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 86 $7.858 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$15.01 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 71 $13.31 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$9.34 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 47 $7.72 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

Bahraini dinars (BHD) per US dollar - 0.376 (2008 est.), 0.376 (2007), 0.376 (2006), 0.376 (2005), 0.376 (2004)

Communications ::Bahrain

Telephones - main lines in use:

220,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 123

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1.4 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 135

Telephone system:

general assessment: modern system

domestic: modern fiber-optic integrated services; digital network with rapidly growing use of mobile-cellular telephones

international: country code - 973; landing point for the Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG) submarine cable network that provides links to Asia, Middle East, Europe, and US; tropospheric scatter to Qatar and UAE; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia; satellite earth station - 1 (2007)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

4 (1997)

Internet country code:

.bh

Internet hosts:

51,489 (2009) country comparison to the world: 82

Internet users:

402,900 (2008) country comparison to the world: 112

Transportation ::Bahrain

Airports:

3 (2009) country comparison to the world: 191

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 3

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2009)

Heliports:

1 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 20 km; oil 32 km (2008)

Roadways:

total: 3,498 km country comparison to the world: 161 paved: 2,768 km

unpaved: 730 km (2003)

Merchant marine:

total: 9 country comparison to the world: 114 by type: bulk carrier 4, container 4, petroleum tanker 1

foreign-owned: 6 (Kuwait 5, UAE 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Mina' Salman, Sitrah

Military ::Bahrain

Military branches:

Bahrain Defense Forces (BDF): Ground Force (includes Air Defense),
Naval Force, Air Force, National Guard

Military service age and obligation:

17 years of age for voluntary military service; 15 years of age for NCOs, technicians, and cadets; no conscription (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 210,938

females age 16-49: 170,471 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 171,004

females age 16-49: 144,555 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 6,612

female: 6,499 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

4.5% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 22

Transnational Issues ::Bahrain

Disputes - international:

none

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Bahrain is a destination country for men and women trafficked for the purposes of involuntary servitude and commercial sexual exploitation; men and women from Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia migrate voluntarily to Bahrain to work as laborers or domestic servants where some face conditions of involuntary servitude such as unlawful withholding of passports, restrictions on movements, non-payment of wages, threats, and physical or sexual abuse; women from Thailand, Morocco, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia are trafficked to Bahrain for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Bahrain is on the Tier 2 Watch List for failing to show evidence of increased efforts to combat human trafficking, particularly efforts that enforce laws against trafficking in persons, and that prevent the punishment of victims of trafficking; during 2007, Bahrain passed a comprehensive law prohibiting all forms of trafficking in persons; the government also established a specialized anti-trafficking unit within the Ministry of Interior to investigate trafficking crimes; however, the government did not report any prosecutions or convictions for trafficking offenses during 2007, despite reports of a substantial problem of involuntary servitude and sex trafficking (2008)

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Bangladesh (South Asia)

Introduction ::Bangladesh

Background:

Europeans began to set up trading posts in the area of Bangladesh in the 16th century; eventually the British came to dominate the region and it became part of British India. In 1947, West Pakistan and East Bengal (both primarily Muslim) separated from India (largely Hindu) and jointly became the new country of Pakistan. East Bengal became East Pakistan in 1955, but the awkward arrangement of a two-part country with its territorial units separated by 1,600 km left the Bengalis marginalized and dissatisfied. East Pakistan seceded from its union with West Pakistan in 1971 and was renamed Bangladesh. A military-backed, emergency caretaker regime suspended parliamentary elections planned for January 2007 in an effort to reform the political system and root out corruption. In contrast to the strikes and violent street rallies that had marked Bangladeshi politics in previous years, the parliamentary elections finally held in late December 2008 were mostly peaceful. Sheikh HASINA Wajed was reappointed prime minister. About a third of this extremely poor country floods annually during the monsoon rainy season, hampering economic development.

Geography ::Bangladesh

Location:

Southern Asia, bordering the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and India

Geographic coordinates:

24 00 N, 90 00 E

Map references:

Asia

Area:

total: 143,998 sq km country comparison to the world: 94 land: 130,168 sq km

water: 13,830 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Iowa

Land boundaries:

total: 4,246 km

border countries: Burma 193 km, India 4,053 km

Coastline:

580 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 18 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: up to the outer limits of the continental margin

Climate:

tropical; mild winter (October to March); hot, humid summer (March to June); humid, warm rainy monsoon (June to October)

Terrain:

mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in southeast

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: Keokradong 1,230 m

Natural resources:

natural gas, arable land, timber, coal

Land use:

arable land: 55.39%

permanent crops: 3.08%

other: 41.53% (2005)

Irrigated land:

47,250 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

1,210.6 cu km (1999)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 79.4 cu km/yr (3%/1%/96%)

per capita: 560 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

droughts; cyclones; much of the country routinely inundated during the summer monsoon season

Environment - current issues:

many people are landless and forced to live on and cultivate flood-prone land; waterborne diseases prevalent in surface water; water pollution, especially of fishing areas, results from the use of commercial pesticides; ground water contaminated by naturally occurring arsenic; intermittent water shortages because of falling water tables in the northern and central parts of the country; soil degradation and erosion; deforestation; severe overpopulation

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

most of the country is situated on deltas of large rivers flowing from the Himalayas: the Ganges unites with the Jamuna (main channel of the Brahmaputra) and later joins the Meghna to eventually empty into the Bay of Bengal

People ::Bangladesh

Population:

156,050,883 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 7

Age structure:

0-14 years: 34.6% (male 27,065,625/female 26,913,961)

15-64 years: 61.4% (male 45,222,182/female 50,537,052)

65 years and over: 4% (male 3,057,255/female 3,254,808) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 23.3 years

male: 22.9 years

female: 23.5 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.292% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 104

Birth rate:

24.68 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 71

Death rate:

9.23 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 81

Net migration rate:

-2.53 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 144

Urbanization:

urban population: 27% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 3.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female

total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 59.02 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 39 male: 66.12 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 51.64 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 60.25 years country comparison to the world: 183 male: 57.57 years

female: 63.03 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.74 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 82

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 140

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

12,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 95

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 500 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 82

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria are high risks in some locations

water contact disease: leptospirosis

animal contact disease: rabies

note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Bangladeshi(s)

adjective: Bangladeshi

Ethnic groups:

Bengali 98%, other 2% (includes tribal groups, non-Bengali Muslims) (1998)

Religions:

Muslim 83%, Hindu 16%, other 1% (1998)

Languages:

Bangla (official, also known as Bengali), English

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 47.9%

male: 54%

female: 41.4% (2001 Census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 8 years

male: 8 years

female: 8 years (2004)

Education expenditures:

2.7% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 151

Government ::Bangladesh

Country name:

conventional long form: People's Republic of Bangladesh

conventional short form: Bangladesh

local long form: Gana Prajatantri Banladesh

local short form: Banladesh

former: East Bengal, East Pakistan

Government type:

parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Dhaka

geographic coordinates: 23 43 N, 90 24 E

time difference: UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

6 divisions; Barisal, Chittagong, Dhaka, Khulna, Rajshahi, Sylhet

Independence:

16 December 1971 (from West Pakistan); note - 26 March 1971 is the date of independence from West Pakistan, 16 December 1971 is known as Victory Day and commemorates the official creation of the state of Bangladesh

National holiday:

Independence Day, 26 March (1971); note - 26 March 1971 is the date of independence from West Pakistan, 16 December 1971 is Victory Day and commemorates the official creation of the state of Bangladesh

Constitution:

4 November 1972; effective 16 December 1972; suspended following coup of 24 March 1982; restored 10 November 1986; amended many times

Legal system:

based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Zillur RAHMAN (since 12 February 2009)

head of government: Prime Minister Sheikh HASINA Wajed (since 6 January 2009)

cabinet: Cabinet selected by the prime minister and appointed by the president

elections: president elected by National Parliament for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); last election held on 11 February 2009 (next scheduled election to be held in 2014)

election results: Zillur RAHMAN declared president-elect by the Election Commission on 11 February 2009 (sworn in on 12 February); he ran unopposed as president; percent of National Parliament vote - NA

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Parliament or Jatiya Sangsad; 300 seats elected by popular vote from single territorial constituencies; members serve five-year terms

elections: last held 29 December 2008 (next to be held in 2013)

election results: percent of vote by party - AL 49%, BNP 33.2%, JP 7%, JIB 4.6%, other 6.2%; seats by party - AL 230, BNP 30, JP 27, JIB 2, other 11

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (the chief justices and other judges are appointed by the president)

Political parties and leaders:

Awami League or AL [Sheikh HASINA]; Bangladesh Communist Party or
BCP [Manjurul A. KHAN]; Bangladesh Nationalist Party or BNP [Khaleda
ZIA]; Islami Oikya Jote or IOJ [Mufti Fazlul Haq AMINI];
Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh or JIB [Matiur Rahman NIZAMI]; Jatiya
Party or JP (Ershad faction) [Hussain Mohammad ERSHAD]; Jatiya Party
(Manzur faction) [Naziur Rahman MANZUR]; Liberal Democratic Party or
LDP [Badrudozza CHOWDHURY and Oli AHMED]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Advocacy to End Gender-based Violence through the MoWCA (Ministry of
Women's and Children's Affairs)

other: environmentalists; Islamist groups; religious leaders; teachers; union leaders

International organization participation:

ADB, ARF, BIMSTEC, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt
(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT,
MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMIT, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNWTO,
UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)

chancery: 3510 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 244-0183

FAX: [1] (202) 244-7830/2771

consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador James F. MORIARTY

embassy: Madani Avenue, Baridhara, Dhaka 1212

mailing address: G. P. O. Box 323, Dhaka 1000

telephone: [880] (2) 885-5500

FAX: [880] (2) 882-3744

Flag description:

green field with a large red disk shifted slightly to the hoist side of center; the red disk represents the rising sun and the sacrifice to achieve independence; the green field symbolizes the lush vegetation of Bangladesh

Economy ::Bangladesh

Economy - overview:

The economy has grown 5-6% per year since 1996 despite inefficient state-owned enterprises, delays in exploiting natural gas resources, insufficient power supplies, and slow implementation of economic reforms. Bangladesh remains a poor, overpopulated, and inefficiently-governed nation. Although more than half of GDP is generated through the service sector, nearly two-thirds of Bangladeshis are employed in the agriculture sector, with rice as the single-most-important product. Garment exports and remittances from Bangladeshis working overseas, mainly in the Middle East and East Asia, fuel economic growth. In 2008 Bangladesh pursued a monetary policy aimed at maintaining high employment, but created higher inflation in the process.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$226.4 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 50 $214 billion (2007 est.)

$201.5 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$84.2 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 67 6.2% (2007 est.)

6.4% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,500 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 197 $1,400 (2007 est.)

$1,300 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 19.1%

industry: 28.6%

services: 52.3% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

70.86 million country comparison to the world: 8 note: extensive export of labor to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Oman, Qatar, and Malaysia; workers' remittances estimated at $4.8 billion in 2005-06. (2008 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 63%

industry: 11%

services: 26% (FY95/96)

Unemployment rate:

2.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 27 2.5% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

45% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 4.3%

highest 10%: 26.6% (2005)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

33.2 (2005) country comparison to the world: 94 33.6 (1996)

Investment (gross fixed):

24.3% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 55

Budget:

revenues: $8.825 billion

expenditures: $12.54 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

39.4% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 57 43% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

8.9% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 138 9.1% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

5% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 99 5% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

16.38% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 37 16% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$9.294 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 46 $8.444 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$37.98 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 30 $32.35 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$47.03 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 50 $40.1 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$6.671 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 78 $6.793 billion (31 December 2007)

$3.61 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

rice, jute, tea, wheat, sugarcane, potatoes, tobacco, pulses, oilseeds, spices, fruit; beef, milk, poultry

Industries:

cotton textiles, jute, garments, tea processing, paper newsprint, cement, chemical fertilizer, light engineering, sugar

Industrial production growth rate:

6.9% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 31

Electricity - production:

22.99 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 68

Electricity - consumption:

21.38 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 66

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

6,426 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 92

Oil - consumption:

95,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 76

Oil - exports:

2,612 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 110

Oil - imports:

87,660 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 69

Oil - proved reserves:

28 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 81

Natural gas - production:

17.9 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 31

Natural gas - consumption:

17.9 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 37

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 52

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 78

Natural gas - proved reserves:

141.6 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 48

Current account balance:

$1.032 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 47 $856.8 million (2007 est.)

Exports:

$15.44 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 77 $12.47 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

garments, jute and jute goods, leather, frozen fish and seafood

Exports - partners:

US 21%, Germany 13.2%, UK 8.6%, France 6.3%, Netherlands 4.7% (2008)

Imports:

$21.51 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 71 $16.67 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, chemicals, iron and steel, textiles, foodstuffs, petroleum products, cement

Imports - partners:

China 14.7%, India 14.7%, Kuwait 7.5%, Singapore 7.1%, Japan 4.1% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$5.789 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 80 $5.278 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$22.83 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 69 $21.23 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$5.971 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 88 $5.261 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$97 million (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 79

Exchange rates:

taka (BDT) per US dollar - 68.554 (2008 est.), 69.893 (2007), 69.031 (2006), 64.328 (2005), 59.513 (2004)

Communications ::Bangladesh

Telephones - main lines in use:

1.39 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 67

Telephones - mobile cellular:

45.75 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 22

Telephone system:

general assessment: inadequate for a modern country; fixed-line telephone density remains less than 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone subscribership has been increasing rapidly and has reached 30 per 100 persons

domestic: modernizing; introducing digital systems; trunk systems include VHF and UHF microwave radio relay links, and some fiber-optic cable in cities

international: country code - 880; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-4 fiber-optic submarine cable system that provides links to Europe, the Middle East, and Asia; satellite earth stations - 6; international radiotelephone communications and landline service to neighboring countries (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 15, FM 13, shortwave 2 (2006)

Television broadcast stations:

15 (1999)

Internet country code:

.bd

Internet hosts:

4,209 (2009) country comparison to the world: 135

Internet users:

556,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 104

Transportation ::Bangladesh

Airports:

17 (2009) country comparison to the world: 139

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 15

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 6

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 4 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 2,597 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 2,768 km country comparison to the world: 60 broad gauge: 946 km 1.676-m gauge

narrow gauge: 1,822 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 239,226 km country comparison to the world: 21 paved: 22,726 km

unpaved: 216,500 km (2003)

Waterways:

8,370 km country comparison to the world: 17 note: includes up to 3,060 km main cargo routes; network reduced to 5,200 km in dry season (2007)

Merchant marine:

total: 40 country comparison to the world: 77 by type: bulk carrier 3, cargo 27, container 5, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 4

foreign-owned: 1 (China 1)

registered in other countries: 10 (Comoros 2, Honduras 1, Malta 2, Panama 2, Singapore 2, Togo 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Chittagong, Mongla Port

Transportation - note:

the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial waters of Bangladesh as high risk for armed robbery against ships; numerous commercial vessels have been attacked both at anchor and while underway; crews have been robbed and stores or cargoes stolen

Military ::Bangladesh

Military branches:

Bangladesh Defense Force: Bangladesh Army (Sena Bahini), Bangladesh Navy (Noh Bahini, BN), Bangladesh Air Force (Biman Bahini, BAF) (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

16 years of age for voluntary military service; 17 years of age for officers (both with parental consent); conscription legally possible in emergency, but has never been implemented (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 41,199,340 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 24,946,041

females age 16-49: 31,409,069 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 1,538,865

female: 1,666,670 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.5% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 105

Transnational Issues ::Bangladesh

Disputes - international:

discussions with India remain stalled to delimit a small section of river boundary, exchange territory for 51 small Bangladeshi exclaves in India and 111 small Indian exclaves in Bangladesh, allocate divided villages, and stop illegal cross-border trade, migration, violence, and transit of terrorists through the porous border; Bangladesh protests India's fencing and walling off high-traffic sections of the porous boundary; a joint Bangladesh-India boundary commission resurveyed and reconstructed 92 missing pillars in 2007; dispute with India over New Moore/South Talpatty/Purbasha Island in the Bay of Bengal deters maritime boundary delimitation; after 21 years, Bangladesh resumes talks with Burma on delimiting a maritime boundary

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 26,268 (Burma)

IDPs: 65,000 (land conflicts, religious persecution) (2007)

Illicit drugs:

transit country for illegal drugs produced in neighboring countries

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Barbados (Central America and Caribbean)

Introduction ::Barbados

Background:

The island was uninhabited when first settled by the British in 1627. Slaves worked the sugar plantations established on the island until 1834 when slavery was abolished. The economy remained heavily dependent on sugar, rum, and molasses production through most of the 20th century. The gradual introduction of social and political reforms in the 1940s and 1950s led to complete independence from the UK in 1966. In the 1990s, tourism and manufacturing surpassed the sugar industry in economic importance.

Geography ::Barbados

Location:

Caribbean, island in the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela

Geographic coordinates:

13 10 N, 59 32 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 430 sq km country comparison to the world: 200 land: 430 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

97 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; rainy season (June to October)

Terrain:

relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mount Hillaby 336 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, fish, natural gas

Land use:

arable land: 37.21%

permanent crops: 2.33%

other: 60.46% (2005)

Irrigated land:

50 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

0.1 cu km (2003)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.09 cu km/yr (33%/44%/22%)

per capita: 333 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

infrequent hurricanes; periodic landslides

Environment - current issues:

pollution of coastal waters from waste disposal by ships; soil erosion; illegal solid waste disposal threatens contamination of aquifers

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

easternmost Caribbean island

People ::Barbados

Population:

284,589 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 180

Age structure:

0-14 years: 19.2% (male 27,383/female 27,352)

15-64 years: 71.3% (male 99,829/female 103,049)

65 years and over: 9.5% (male 10,464/female 16,512) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 35.8 years

male: 34.7 years

female: 36.9 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.383% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 168

Birth rate:

12.55 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 163

Death rate:

8.41 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 98

Net migration rate:

-0.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 101

Urbanization:

urban population: 40% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.01 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female

total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 12.29 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 143 male: 13.89 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 10.67 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 73.94 years country comparison to the world: 95 male: 71.65 years

female: 76.26 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.68 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 172

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

1.2% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 49

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

2,200 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 137

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 100 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 152

Nationality:

noun: Barbadian(s) or Bajan (colloquial)

adjective: Barbadian or Bajan (colloquial)

Ethnic groups:

black 90%, white 4%, Asian and mixed 6%

Religions:

Protestant 63.4% (Anglican 28.3%, Pentecostal 18.7%, Methodist 5.1%, other 11.3%), Roman Catholic 4.2%, other Christian 7%, other 4.8%, none or unspecified 20.6% (2008 est.)

Languages:

English

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school

total population: 99.7%

male: 99.7%

female: 99.7% (2002 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 13 years

male: 13 years

female: 14 years (2001)

Education expenditures:

6.9% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 24

Government ::Barbados

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Barbados

Government type:

parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm

Capital:

name: Bridgetown

geographic coordinates: 13 06 N, 59 37 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

11 parishes and 1 city*; Bridgetown*, Christ Church, Saint Andrew, Saint George, Saint James, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Lucy, Saint Michael, Saint Peter, Saint Philip, Saint Thomas

Independence:

30 November 1966 (from the UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 30 November (1966)

Constitution:

30 November 1966

Legal system:

English common law; no judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Sir Clifford Straughn HUSBANDS (since 1 June 1996)

head of government: Prime Minister David THOMPSON (since 16 January 2008)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister

elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; the prime minister recommends the deputy prime minister

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (21 seats; members appointed by the governor general - 12 on the advice of the Prime Minister, 2 on the advice of the opposition leader, and 7 at his discretion) and the House of Assembly (30 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: House of Assembly - last held 15 January 2008 (next to be called in 2013)

election results: House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - DLP 52.5%, BLP 47.3%; seats by party - DLP 20, BLP 10

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court of Judicature consists of a High Court and a Court of
Appeal (judges are appointed by the Service Commissions for the
Judicial and Legal Services); Caribbean Court of Justice or CCJ is
the highest court of appeal; based in Port of Spain, Trinidad and
Tobago

Political parties and leaders:

Barbados Labor Party or BLP [Mia MOTTLEY]; Democratic Labor Party or
DLP [David THOMPSON]; People's Empowerment Party or PEP [David
COMISSIONG]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Barbados Secondary Teachers' Union or BSTU [Patrick FROST]; Barbados
Union of Teachers or BUT [Herbert GITTENS]; Congress of Trade Unions
and Staff Associations of Barbados or CTUSAB, (includes the BWU,
NUPW, BUT, and BSTU) [Leroy TROTMAN]; Barbados Workers Union or BWU
[Leroy TROTMAN]; Clement Payne Labor Union [David COMISSIONG];
National Union of Public Workers [Joseph GODDARD]

International organization participation:

ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITSO, ITU,
ITUC, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador John BEALE

chancery: 2144 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 939-9200

FAX: [1] (202) 332-7467

consulate(s) general: Miami, New York

consulate(s): Los Angeles

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Mary M. OURISMAN

embassy: U.S. Embassy, Wildey Business Park, Wildey, St. Michael BB 14006

mailing address: P. O. Box 302, Bridgetown BB 11000; CMR 1014, APO AA 34055

telephone: [1] (246) 227-4399

FAX: [1] (246) 431-0179

Flag description:

three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), gold, and blue with the head of a black trident centered on the gold band; the band colors represent the blue of the sea and sky and the gold of the beaches; the trident head represents independence and a break with the past (the colonial coat of arms contained a complete trident)

Economy ::Barbados

Economy - overview:

Historically, the Barbadian economy was dependent on sugarcane cultivation and related activities. However, in recent years the economy has diversified into light industry and tourism with about three-quarters of GDP and 80% of exports being attributed to services. Growth has rebounded since 2003, bolstered by increases in construction projects and tourism revenues, reflecting its success in the higher-end segment, but the sector will likely face declining revenues with the global economic downturn. The country enjoys one of the highest per capita incomes in the region. Offshore finance and information services are important foreign exchange earners and thrive from having the same time zone as eastern US financial centers and a relatively highly educated workforce. The government continues its efforts to reduce unemployment, to encourage direct foreign investment, and to privatize remaining state-owned enterprises. The public debt-to-GDP ratio of about 80% will likely widen as the THOMPSON administration engages in a more expansionary fiscal policy.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$5.367 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 157 $5.329 billion (2007 est.)

$5.159 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$3.67 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

0.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 187 3.3% (2007 est.)

3.9% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$18,900 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 66 $18,900 (2007 est.)

$18,300 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 6%

industry: 16%

services: 78% (2000 est.)

Labor force:

175,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 169

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 10%

industry: 15%

services: 75% (1996 est.)

Unemployment rate:

10.7% (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 126

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $847 million (including grants)

expenditures: $886 million (2000 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

5.5% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 93

Central bank discount rate:

10% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 24 12% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

10.03% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 77 10.8% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$1.637 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 75 $1.478 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$3.701 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 77 $2.717 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$4.554 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 82 $3.533 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 85 $5.599 billion (31 December 2007)

$4.954 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

sugarcane, vegetables, cotton

Industries:

tourism, sugar, light manufacturing, component assembly for export

Industrial production growth rate:

-3.2% (2000 est.) country comparison to the world: 162

Electricity - production:

1.003 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 146

Electricity - consumption:

939.9 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 147

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

1,100 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 104

Oil - consumption:

9,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 149

Oil - exports:

1,750 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 117

Oil - imports:

10,390 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 139

Oil - proved reserves:

2.17 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 94

Natural gas - production:

29.17 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 87

Natural gas - consumption:

29.17 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 110

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 201

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 200

Natural gas - proved reserves:

141.6 million cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 101

Current account balance:

-$254 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 94

Exports:

$385 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 168

Exports - commodities:

manufactures, sugar and molasses, rum, other foods and beverages, chemicals, electrical components

Exports - partners:

Trinidad and Tobago 15.6%, Jamaica 13.9%, Brazil 9.9%, US 8.7%, UK 7.8%, Saint Lucia 7.3%, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 4.5% (2008)

Imports:

$1.586 billion (2006) country comparison to the world: 158

Imports - commodities:

consumer goods, machinery, foodstuffs, construction materials, chemicals, fuel, electrical components

Imports - partners:

US 27.1%, Trinidad and Tobago 25.6%, Russia 7.1%, Colombia 6.4%,
Germany 4.1% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$620 million (2007) country comparison to the world: 135 $620 million (2007)

Debt - external:

$668 million (2003) country comparison to the world: 159

Exchange rates:

Barbadian dollars (BBD) per US dollar - NA (2007), 2 (2006), 2 (2005), 2 (2004), 2 (2003)

Communications ::Barbados

Telephones - main lines in use:

150,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 132

Telephones - mobile cellular:

406,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 160

Telephone system:

general assessment: fixed-line teledensity of roughly 50 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone density approaching 150 per 100 persons

domestic: island-wide automatic telephone system

international: country code - 1-246; landing point for the East Caribbean Fiber System (ECFS) submarine cable with links to 13 other islands in the eastern Caribbean extending from the British Virgin Islands to Trinidad; satellite earth stations - 1 (Intelsat -Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Trinidad and Saint Lucia (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 2, FM 6, shortwave 0 (2004)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (plus 2 cable channels) (2004)

Internet country code:

.bb

Internet hosts:

235 (2009) country comparison to the world: 185

Internet users:

188,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 139

Transportation ::Barbados

Airports:

1 (2009) country comparison to the world: 212

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 1

over 3,047 m: 1 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 1,600 km country comparison to the world: 176 paved: 1,600 km (2004)

Merchant marine:

total: 85 country comparison to the world: 53 by type: bulk carrier 15, cargo 50, chemical tanker 7, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 6, roll on/roll off 2

foreign-owned: 80 (Canada 9, Greece 12, India 1, Iran 2, Lebanon 1, Norway 38, Sweden 7, Syria 1, UK 9)

registered in other countries: 1 (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Bridgetown

Military ::Barbados

Military branches:

Royal Barbados Defense Force: Troops Command, Barbados Coast Guard (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service (younger requires parental consent); no conscription (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 75,265

females age 16-49: 75,389 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 58,596

females age 16-49: 58,866 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 2,015

female: 2,007 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

0.5% of GDP (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 159

Military - note:

the Royal Barbados Defense Force includes a land-based Troop Command and a small Coast Guard; the primary role of the land element is to defend the island against external aggression; the Command consists of a single, part-time battalion with a small regular cadre that is deployed throughout the island; it increasingly supports the police in patrolling the coastline to prevent smuggling and other illicit activities (2007)

Transnational Issues ::Barbados

Disputes - international:

Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago abide by the April 2006 Permanent Court of Arbitration decision delimiting a maritime boundary and limiting catches of flying fish in Trinidad and Tobago's exclusive economic zone; joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf over a large portion of the eastern Caribbean Sea

Illicit drugs:

one of many Caribbean transshipment points for narcotics bound for Europe and the US; offshore financial center

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Belarus (Europe)

Introduction ::Belarus

Background:

After seven decades as a constituent republic of the USSR, Belarus attained its independence in 1991. It has retained closer political and economic ties to Russia than any of the other former Soviet republics. Belarus and Russia signed a treaty on a two-state union on 8 December 1999 envisioning greater political and economic integration. Although Belarus agreed to a framework to carry out the accord, serious implementation has yet to take place. Since his election in July 1994 as the country's first president, Aleksandr LUKASHENKO has steadily consolidated his power through authoritarian means. Government restrictions on freedom of speech and the press, peaceful assembly, and religion remain in place.

Geography ::Belarus

Location:

Eastern Europe, east of Poland

Geographic coordinates:

53 00 N, 28 00 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 207,600 sq km country comparison to the world: 85 land: 202,900 sq km

water: 4,700 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Kansas

Land boundaries:

total: 3,306 km

border countries: Latvia 171 km, Lithuania 680 km, Poland 605 km, Russia 959 km, Ukraine 891 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

cold winters, cool and moist summers; transitional between continental and maritime

Terrain:

generally flat and contains much marshland

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Nyoman River 90 m

highest point: Dzyarzhynskaya Hara 346 m

Natural resources:

forests, peat deposits, small quantities of oil and natural gas, granite, dolomitic limestone, marl, chalk, sand, gravel, clay

Land use:

arable land: 26.77%

permanent crops: 0.6%

other: 72.63% (2005)

Irrigated land:

1,310 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

58 cu km (1997)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 2.79 cu km/yr (23%/47%/30%)

per capita: 286 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

soil pollution from pesticide use; southern part of the country contaminated with fallout from 1986 nuclear reactor accident at Chornobyl' in northern Ukraine

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulfur 85, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

landlocked; glacial scouring accounts for the flatness of Belarusian terrain and for its 11,000 lakes

People ::Belarus

Population:

9,648,533 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 86

Age structure:

0-14 years: 14.3% (male 707,550/female 667,560)

15-64 years: 71.3% (male 3,337,253/female 3,540,916)

65 years and over: 14.5% (male 446,746/female 948,508) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 38.6 years

male: 35.6 years

female: 41.6 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.378% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 224

Birth rate:

9.71 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 199

Death rate:

13.86 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 24

Net migration rate:

0.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 67

Urbanization:

urban population: 73% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 0% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.47 male(s)/female

total population: 0.87 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 6.43 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 177 male: 7.45 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 5.36 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 70.63 years country comparison to the world: 141 male: 64.95 years

female: 76.67 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.24 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 213

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.2% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 104

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

13,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 91

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

1,100 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 69

Nationality:

noun: Belarusian(s)

adjective: Belarusian

Ethnic groups:

Belarusian 81.2%, Russian 11.4%, Polish 3.9%, Ukrainian 2.4%, other 1.1% (1999 census)

Religions:

Eastern Orthodox 80%, other (including Roman Catholic, Protestant,
Jewish, and Muslim) 20% (1997 est.)

Languages:

Belarusian, Russian, other

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.6%

male: 99.8%

female: 99.4% (1999 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 15 years

male: 14 years

female: 15 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

6.1% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 39

Government ::Belarus

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Belarus

conventional short form: Belarus

local long form: Respublika Byelarus'

local short form: Byelarus'

former: Belorussian (Byelorussian) Soviet Socialist Republic

Government type:

republic in name, although in fact a dictatorship

Capital:

name: Minsk

geographic coordinates: 53 54 N, 27 34 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

6 provinces (voblastsi, singular - voblasts') and 1 municipality* (horad); Brest, Homyel', Horad Minsk*, Hrodna, Mahilyow, Minsk, Vitsyebsk

note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers

Independence:

25 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 3 July (1944); note - 3 July 1944 was the date Minsk was liberated from German troops, 25 August 1991 was the date of independence from the Soviet Union

Constitution:

15 March 1994; revised by national referendum of 24 November 1996 giving the presidency greatly expanded powers and became effective 27 November 1996; revised again 17 October 2004 removing presidential term limits

Legal system:

based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Aleksandr LUKASHENKO (since 20 July 1994)

head of government: Prime Minister Sergey SIDORSKIY (since 19 December 2003); First Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir SEMASHKO (since December 2003)

cabinet: Council of Ministers

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; first election took place 23 June and 10 July 1994; according to the 1994 constitution, the next election should have been held in 1999, however, Aleksandr LUKASHENKO extended his term to 2001 via a November 1996 referendum; subsequent election held 9 September 2001; an October 2004 referendum ended presidential term limits and allowed the president to run in a third election, which was held on 19 March 2006; prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president

election results: Aleksandr LUKASHENKO reelected president; percent of vote - Aleksandr LUKASHENKO 82.6%, Aleksandr MILINKEVICH 6%, Aleksandr KOZULIN 2.3%; note - election marred by electoral fraud

Legislative branch:

bicameral National Assembly or Natsionalnoye Sobranie consists of the Council of the Republic or Soviet Respubliki (64 seats; 56 members elected by regional councils and eight members appointed by the president, to serve four-year terms) and the Chamber of Representatives or Palata Predstaviteley (110 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: Palata Predstaviteley - last held 28 September and 3 October 2008 (next to be held fall of 2012); international observers determined that despite minor improvements the election ultimately fell short of democratic standards; pro-LUKASHENKO candidates won every seat

election results: Soviet Respubliki - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; Palata Predstaviteley - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president); Constitutional Court (half of the judges appointed by the president and half appointed by the Chamber of Representatives)

Political parties and leaders:

pro-government parties: Agrarian Party or AP [Mikhail SHIMANSKY];
Communist Party of Belarus or KPB; Belarusian Patriotic Movement
(Belarusian Patriotic Party) or BPR [Nikolay ULAKHOVICH, chairman];
Liberal Democratic Party [Sergey GAYDUKEVICH]; Republican Party of
Labor and Justice [Viktor SOKOLOV]; Social-Sports Party [Vladimir
ALEXANDROVICH]

opposition parties: Belarusian Christian Democracy Party (unregistered) [Pavel SEVERINETS]; Belarusian Party of Communists or PKB [Sergey KALYAKIN]; Belarusian Party of Labor (unregistered) [Aleksandr BUKHVOSTOV, Leonid LEMESHONAK]; Belarusian Popular Front or BPF [Levon BARSHCHEVSKIY]; Belarusian Social-Democratic Gramada [Stanislav SHUSHKEVICH]; Belarusian Social Democratic Party Hramada (People's Assembly) or BSDPH [Anatoliy LEVKOVICH]; European Coalition [Nikolay STATKEVICH]; Green Party [Oleg GROMYKO]; Party of Freedom and Progress (unregistered) [Vladimir NOVOSYAD]; United Civic Party or UCP [Anatoliy LEBEDKO]; Women's Party Hope (Nadezhda) [Valentina MATUSEVICH, chairperson]

other opposition includes: Christian Conservative BPF [Zyanon PAZNIAK]; Ecological Party of Greens [Mikhail KARTASH]; Party of Popular Accord [Sergey YERMAKK]; Republican Party [Vladimir BELAZOR]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Assembly of Pro-Democratic NGOs [Sergey MATSKEVICH]; Belarusian
Congress of Democratic Trade Unions [Aleksandr YAROSHUK]; Belarusian
Helsinki Committee [Tatiana PROTKO]; Belarusian Organization of
Working Women [Irina ZHIKHAR]; BPF-Youth [Franak VYACHORKA]; Charter
97 [Andrey SANNIKOV]; For Freedom [Aleksandr MILINKEVICH]; Lenin
Communist Union of Youth (youth wing of the Belarusian Party of
Communists or PKB); National Strike Committee of Entrepreneurs
[Aleksandr VASILYEV, Valery LEVONEVSKY]; Partnership NGO [Nikolay
ASTREYKA]; Perspektiva kiosk watchdog NGO [Anatol SHUMCHENKO];
Vyasna [Ales BYALATSKY]; Women's Independent Democratic Movement
[Ludmila PETINA]; Young Belarus (Malady Belarus) [Artur FINKEVICH];
Youth Front (Malady Front) [Dmitriy DASHKEVICH]; Zubr youth group
[Vladimir KOBETS]

International organization participation:

BSEC (observer), CEI, CIS, CSTO, EAEC, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GCTU, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMSO, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
(observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge D'Affaires Oleg KRAVCHENKO

chancery: 1619 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone: [1] (202) 986-1604

FAX: [1] (202) 986-1805

consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Jonathan MOORE

embassy: 46 Starovilenskaya Street, Minsk 220002

mailing address: PSC 78, Box B Minsk, APO 09723

telephone: [375] (17) 210-12-83, 217-7347 through 7348

FAX: [375] (17) 234-7853

Flag description:

red horizontal band (top) and green horizontal band one-half the width of the red band; a white vertical stripe on the hoist side bears Belarusian national ornamentation in red; the red band color recalls past struggles from oppression, the green band represents hope and the many forests of the country

Economy ::Belarus

Economy - overview:

Belarus has seen little structural reform since 1995, when President LUKASHENKO launched the country on the path of "market socialism." In keeping with this policy, LUKASHENKO reimposed administrative controls over prices and currency exchange rates and expanded the state's right to intervene in the management of private enterprises. Since 2005, the government has re-nationalized a number of private companies. In addition, businesses have been subject to pressure by central and local governments, e.g., arbitrary changes in regulations, numerous rigorous inspections, retroactive application of new business regulations, and arrests of "disruptive" businessmen and factory owners. A wide range of redistributive policies has helped those at the bottom of the ladder; the Gini coefficient is among the lowest in the world. Because of these restrictive economic policies, Belarus has had trouble attracting foreign investment. Nevertheless, government statistics indicate GDP growth has been strong in recent years, reaching 10% in 2008, despite the roadblocks of a tough, centrally directed economy with a high rate of inflation. Belarus receives discounted oil and natural gas from Russia and much of Belarus' growth can be attributed to the re-export of Russian oil at market prices. Trade with Russia - by far its largest single trade partner - decreased in 2007-08, largely as a result of a change in the way the Value Added Tax (VAT) on trade was collected. Russia has introduced an export duty on oil shipped to Belarus, which will increase gradually through 2009, and a requirement that Belarusian duties on re-exported Russian oil be shared with Russia - 80% was slated to go to Russia in 2008, and 85% in 2009. Russia also increased Belarusian natural gas prices from $47 per thousand cubic meters (tcm)in 2006 to $100 per tcm in 2007, and to $128 per tcm in 2008, and plans to increase prices gradually to world levels by 2011. Russia's recent policy of bringing energy prices for Belarus to world market levels may result in a slowdown in economic growth in Belarus over the next few years. Some policy measures, including improving energy efficiency and diversifying exports, have been introduced, but external borrowing has been the main mechanism used to manage the growing pressures on the economy. Belarus felt the effects of the global financial crisis in late 2008 and reached agreement with Russia in November for a $2 billion stabilization loan and with the IMF for a $2.5 billion stand-by agreement in January 2009. In line with IMF conditionality, Belarus devalued the ruble approximately 20% in January 2009 and has tightened some fiscal and monetary policies. Belarus's economic growth is likely to slow in 2009 as it faces decreasing demand for its exports, and will find it difficult to increase external borrowing if the credit markets continue to tighten.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$114.3 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 62 $103.9 billion (2007 est.)

$96.06 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$60.3 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

10% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 11 8.2% (2007 est.)

9.9% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$11,800 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 93 $10,700 (2007 est.)

$9,800 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 8.5%

industry: 41.2%

services: 50.3% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

4.869 million (2007) country comparison to the world: 77

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 14%

industry: 34.7%

services: 51.3% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate:

1.6% (2005) country comparison to the world: 12 note: officially registered unemployed; large number of underemployed workers

Population below poverty line:

27.1% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 3.6%

highest 10%: 22% (2005)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

27.9 (2005) country comparison to the world: 122 21.7 (1998)

Investment (gross fixed):

31.9% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 19

Budget:

revenues: $25.15 billion

expenditures: $25.97 billion (2008 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

14.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 188 8.4% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

12% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 37 10% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

8.55% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 99 8.58% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$4.872 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 55 $4.065 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$8.784 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 55 $6.823 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$18.42 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 60 $12.16 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

grain, potatoes, vegetables, sugar beets, flax; beef, milk

Industries:

metal-cutting machine tools, tractors, trucks, earthmovers, motorcycles, televisions, synthetic fibers, fertilizer, textiles, radios, refrigerators

Industrial production growth rate:

12% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 5

Electricity - production:

29.92 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 63

Electricity - consumption:

30.54 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 58

Electricity - exports:

5.062 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

9.406 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Oil - production:

32,950 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 68

Oil - consumption:

184,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 60

Oil - exports:

303,900 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 39

Oil - imports:

444,800 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 28

Oil - proved reserves:

198 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 58

Natural gas - production:

152 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 77

Natural gas - consumption:

21.75 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 34

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 48

Natural gas - imports:

21.6 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 13

Natural gas - proved reserves:

2.832 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 94

Current account balance:

-$5.063 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 158 -$3.042 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$33.04 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 61 $24.33 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, mineral products, chemicals, metals, textiles, foodstuffs

Exports - partners:

Russia 32.2%, Netherlands 16.9%, Ukraine 8.5%, Latvia 6.6%, Poland 5.5%, UK 4.4% (2008)

Imports:

$39.16 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 55 $28.4 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

mineral products, machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs, metals

Imports - partners:

Russia 59.8%, Germany 7.1%, Ukraine 5.4% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$2.687 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 98 $3.952 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$15.15 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 77 $12.49 billion (31 December 2007)

Exchange rates:

Belarusian rubles (BYB/BYR) per US dollar - 2,130 (2008 est.), 2,145 (2007), 2,144.6 (2006), 2,150 (2005), 2,160.26 (2004)

Communications ::Belarus

Telephones - main lines in use:

3.718 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 41

Telephones - mobile cellular:

8.693 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 66

Telephone system:

general assessment: Belarus lags behind its neighbors in upgrading telecommunications infrastructure; state-owned Beltelcom is the sole provider of fixed-line local and long distance service; fixed-line teledensity of roughly 35 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone density of about 90 per 100 persons; modernization of the network progressing with roughly two-thirds of switching equipment now digital

domestic: fixed-line penetration is improving although rural areas continue to be underserved; 3 GSM wireless networks are experiencing rapid growth; strict government controls on telecommunications technologies

international: country code - 375; Belarus is a member of the Trans-European Line (TEL), Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line, and has access to the Trans-Siberia Line (TSL); 3 fiber-optic segments provide connectivity to Latvia, Poland, Russia, and Ukraine; worldwide service is available to Belarus through this infrastructure; additional analog lines to Russia; Intelsat, Eutelsat, and Intersputnik earth stations (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 28, FM 37, shortwave 11 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

47 (plus 27 repeaters) (1995)

Internet country code:

.by

Internet hosts:

113,115 (2009) country comparison to the world: 70

Internet users:

3.107 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 57

Transportation ::Belarus

Airports:

65 (2009) country comparison to the world: 75

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 35

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 22

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 7 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 30

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 2

under 914 m: 25 (2009)

Heliports:

1 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 5,250 km; oil 1,528 km; refined products 1,730 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 5,538 km country comparison to the world: 32 broad gauge: 5,512 km 1.520-m gauge (874 km electrified)

standard gauge: 25 km 1.435-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 94,797 km country comparison to the world: 48 paved: 84,028 km

unpaved: 10,769 km (2005)

Waterways:

2,500 km (use limited by location on perimeter of country and by shallowness) (2003) country comparison to the world: 36

Ports and terminals:

Mazyr

Military ::Belarus

Military branches:

Belarus Armed Forces: Land Force, Air and Air Defense Force (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18-27 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 18 months (2005)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 2,491,643

females age 16-49: 2,528,779 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,720,049

females age 16-49: 2,069,898 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 60,009

female: 56,834 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.4% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 117

Transnational Issues ::Belarus

Disputes - international:

Boundary demarcated with Latvia and Lithuania in 2006; 1997 boundary delimitation treaty with Ukraine remains unratified over unresolved financial claims, preventing demarcation and diminishing border security

Illicit drugs:

limited cultivation of opium poppy and cannabis, mostly for the domestic market; transshipment point for illicit drugs to and via Russia, and to the Baltics and Western Europe; a small and lightly regulated financial center; anti-money-laundering legislation does not meet international standards and was weakened further when know-your-customer requirements were curtailed in 2008; few investigations or prosecutions of money-laundering activities (2008)

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Belgium (Europe)

Introduction ::Belgium

Background:

Belgium became independent from the Netherlands in 1830; it was occupied by Germany during World Wars I and II. The country prospered in the past half century as a modern, technologically advanced European state and member of NATO and the EU. Tensions between the Dutch-speaking Flemings of the north and the French-speaking Walloons of the south have led in recent years to constitutional amendments granting these regions formal recognition and autonomy.

Geography ::Belgium

Location:

Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and the
Netherlands

Geographic coordinates:

50 50 N, 4 00 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 30,528 sq km country comparison to the world: 140 land: 30,278 sq km

water: 250 sq km

Area - comparative:

about the size of Maryland

Land boundaries:

total: 1,385 km

border countries: France 620 km, Germany 167 km, Luxembourg 148 km, Netherlands 450 km

Coastline:

66.5 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: geographic coordinates define outer limit

continental shelf: median line with neighbors

Climate:

temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy

Terrain:

flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills, rugged mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: North Sea 0 m

highest point: Signal de Botrange 694 m

Natural resources:

construction materials, silica sand, carbonates

Land use:

arable land: 27.42%

permanent crops: 0.69%

other: 71.89%

note: includes Luxembourg (2005)

Irrigated land:

400 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

20.8 cu km (2005)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 7.44 cu km/yr (13%/85%/1%)

per capita: 714 cu m/yr (1998)

Natural hazards:

flooding is a threat along rivers and in areas of reclaimed coastal land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes

Environment - current issues:

the environment is exposed to intense pressures from human activities: urbanization, dense transportation network, industry, extensive animal breeding and crop cultivation; air and water pollution also have repercussions for neighboring countries; uncertainties regarding federal and regional responsibilities (now resolved) had slowed progress in tackling environmental challenges

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

crossroads of Western Europe; most West European capitals within 1,000 km of Brussels, the seat of both the European Union and NATO

People ::Belgium

Population:

10,414,336 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 78

Age structure:

0-14 years: 16.1% (male 857,373/female 822,303)

15-64 years: 66.3% (male 3,480,072/female 3,419,721)

65 years and over: 17.6% (male 760,390/female 1,074,477) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 41.7 years

male: 40.4 years

female: 43 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.094% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 192

Birth rate:

10.15 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 193

Death rate:

10.44 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 58

Net migration rate:

1.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 52

Urbanization:

urban population: 97% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 0.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 4.44 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 201 male: 4.99 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 3.87 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 79.22 years country comparison to the world: 33 male: 76.06 years

female: 82.53 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.65 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 176

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.2% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 94

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

15,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 86

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 100 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 151

Nationality:

noun: Belgian(s)

adjective: Belgian

Ethnic groups:

Fleming 58%, Walloon 31%, mixed or other 11%

Religions:

Roman Catholic 75%, other (includes Protestant) 25%

Languages:

Dutch (official) 60%, French (official) 40%, German (official) less than 1%, legally bilingual (Dutch and French)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 16 years

male: 16 years

female: 16 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

6% of GDP (2004) country comparison to the world: 40

Government ::Belgium

Country name:

conventional long form: Kingdom of Belgium

conventional short form: Belgium

local long form: Royaume de Belgique/Koninkrijk Belgie

local short form: Belgique/Belgie

Government type:

federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy

Capital:

name: Brussels

geographic coordinates: 50 50 N, 4 20 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

3 regions (French: regions, singular - region; Dutch: gewesten, singular - gewest); Brussels-Capital Region, also known as Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest (Dutch), Region de Bruxelles-Capitale (French long form), Bruxelles-Capitale (French short form); Flemish Region (Flanders), also known as Vlaams Gewest (Dutch long form), Vlaanderen (Dutch short form), Region Flamande (French long form), Flandre (French short form); Walloon Region (Wallonia), also known as Region Wallone (French long form), Wallonie (French short form), Waals Gewest (Dutch long form), Wallonie (Dutch short form)

note: as a result of the 1993 constitutional revision that furthered devolution into a federal state, there are now three levels of government (federal, regional, and linguistic community) with a complex division of responsibilities

Independence:

4 October 1830 (a provisional government declared independence from the Netherlands); 21 July 1831 (King LEOPOLD I ascended to the throne)

National holiday:

21 July (1831) ascension to the Throne of King LEOPOLD I

Constitution:

7 February 1831; amended many times; revised 14 July 1993 to create a federal state

Legal system:

based on civil law system influenced by English constitutional theory; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:

chief of state: King ALBERT II (since 9 August 1993); Heir Apparent Prince PHILIPPE, son of the monarch

head of government: Prime Minister Herman VAN ROMPUY (30 December 2008)

cabinet: Council of Ministers are formally appointed by the monarch

elections: the monarchy is hereditary and constitutional; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch and then approved by parliament

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament consists of a Senate or Senaat in Dutch, Senat in French (71 seats; 40 members are directly elected by popular vote, 31 are indirectly elected; members serve four-year terms) and a Chamber of Deputies or Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordigers in Dutch, Chambre des Representants in French (150 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)

elections: Senate and Chamber of Deputies - last held 10 June 2007 (next to be held no later than June 2011)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - CDV/N-VA 19.4%, Open VLD 12.4%, MR 12.3%, VB 11.9%, PS 10.2%, SP.A-Spirit 10%, CDH 5.9%, Ecolo 5.8%, Groen! 3.6%, Dedecker List 3.4%, FN 2.3%, other 2.8%; seats by party - CDV 12, MR 11, Open VLD 9, VB 8, PS 7, SP.A 6, CDH 5, Ecolo 5, Groen! 2, LDD 1, FN 1, independents 4; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - CDV/N-VA 18.5%, MR 12.5%, VB 12%, Open VLD 11.8%, PS 10.9%, SP.A-Spirit 10.3%, CDH 6.1%, Ecolo 5.1%, Dedecker List 4%, Groen! 4%, FN 2%, other 2.8%; seats by party - CDV 23, N-VA 7, MR 23, VB 17, Open VLD 18, PS 20, SP.A 14, CDH 10, Ecolo 8, Dedecker List 5, Groen! 4, FN 1

note: as a result of the 1993 constitutional revision that furthered devolution into a federal state, there are now three levels of government (federal, regional, and linguistic community) with a complex division of responsibilities; this reality leaves six governments, each with its own legislative assembly

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court of Justice or Hof van Cassatie (in Dutch) or Cour de
Cassation (in French) (judges are appointed for life by the
government; candidacies have to be submitted by the High Justice
Council)

Political parties and leaders:

Flemish parties: Christian Democratic and Flemish or CDV [Marianne
THYSSEN]; Dedecker List [Jean-Marie DEDECKER]; Flemish Liberals and
Democrats or Open VLD [Bart SOMERS]; Groen! [Mieke VOGELS] (formerly
AGALEV, Flemish Greens); New Flemish Alliance or N-VA [Bart DE
WEVER]; Social Liberal Party or SLP [Geert LAMBERT]; note - prior to
19 April 2008, known as Spirit; Social Progressive Alternative or
SP.A [Caroline GENNEZ]; Vlaams Belang (Flemish Interest) or VB
[Bruno VALKENIERS]

Francophone parties: Ecolo (Francophone Greens) [Jean-Michel JAVAUX,
Isabelle DURANT]; Humanist and Democratic Center or CDH [Joelle
MILQUET]; National Front or FN [Daniel HUYGENS]; Reform Movement or
MR [Didier REYNDERS]; Socialist Party or PS [Elio DI RUPO]; other
minor parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Christian, Socialist, and Liberal Trade Unions; Federation of
Belgian Industries

other: numerous other associations representing bankers, manufacturers, middle-class artisans, and the legal and medical professions; various organizations represent the cultural interests of Flanders and Wallonia; various peace groups such as Pax Christi and groups representing immigrants

International organization participation:

ACCT, ADB (nonregional members), AfDB (nonregional members),
Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA,
EU, FAO, G-9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,
IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS
(observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, Schengen
Convention, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
UNIFIL, UNMIS, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WADB (nonregional), WCL, WCO, WEU,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Jan MATTHYSEN

chancery: 3330 Garfield Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 333-6900

FAX: [1] (202) 333-3079

consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Wayne BUSH

embassy: 27 Boulevard du Regent [Regentlaan], B-1000 Brussels

mailing address: PSC 82, Box 002, APO AE 09710

telephone: [32] (2) 508-2111

FAX: [32] (2) 511-2725

Flag description:

three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), yellow, and red; the vertical design was based on the flag of France; the colors are those of the arms of the duchy of Brabant (yellow lion with red claws and tongue on a black field)

Economy ::Belgium

Economy - overview:

This modern, private-enterprise economy has capitalized on its central geographic location, highly developed transport network, and diversified industrial and commercial base. Industry is concentrated mainly in the populous Flemish area in the north. With few natural resources, Belgium must import substantial quantities of raw materials and export a large volume of manufactures, making its economy unusually dependent on the state of world markets. Roughly three-quarters of its trade is with other EU countries. Public debt is more than 80% of GDP. On the positive side, the government succeeded in balancing its budget during the 2000-2008 period, and income distribution is relatively equal. Belgium began circulating the euro currency in January 2002. Economic growth and foreign direct investment dropped in 2008. In 2009 Belgium is likely to have negative growth, growing unemployment, and a 3% budget deficit, stemming from the worldwide banking crisis.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$390.2 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 30 $386.3 billion (2007 est.)

$376.5 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$506.2 billion (2008)

GDP - real growth rate:

1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 174 2.6% (2007 est.)

3% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$37,500 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 27 $37,200 (2007 est.)

$36,300 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 0.8%

industry: 23.2%

services: 76.1% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

4.99 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 72

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 2%

industry: 25%

services: 73% (2007 est.)

Unemployment rate:

7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 88 7.5% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

15.2% (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 3.4%

highest 10%: 28.4% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

28 (2005) country comparison to the world: 120 28.7 (1996)

Investment (gross fixed):

22.7% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 72

Budget:

revenues: $239.4 billion

expenditures: $245.7 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

89.6% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 9 96.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

4.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 76 1.8% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

3% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 100 5% (31 December 2007)

note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro area

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

7.03% (31 December 2008)

Stock of money:

NA (31 December 2008)

NA (31 December 2007)

note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the euro area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 16 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money and quasi money circulating within their own borders

Stock of quasi money:

NA (31 December 2008)

NA (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$767.1 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 14 $552 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 25 $386.4 billion (31 December 2007)

$396.2 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

sugar beets, fresh vegetables, fruits, grain, tobacco; beef, veal, pork, milk

Industries:

engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly, transportation equipment, scientific instruments, processed food and beverages, chemicals, basic metals, textiles, glass, petroleum

Industrial production growth rate:

2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 102

Electricity - production:

82.17 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 35

Electricity - consumption:

84.88 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 33

Electricity - exports:

6.561 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

17.16 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

11,220 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 84

Oil - consumption:

716,800 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 25

Oil - exports:

507,500 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 31

Oil - imports:

1.076 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 16

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 204

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 95

Natural gas - consumption:

17.33 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 38

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 54

Natural gas - imports:

17.42 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 14

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 106

Current account balance:

-$12.88 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 172 $7.751 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$371.5 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 13 $323.4 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, chemicals, finished diamonds, metals and metal products, foodstuffs

Exports - partners:

Germany 19.8%, France 17.4%, Netherlands 12.2%, UK 7.2%, US 4.8%,
Italy 4.7% (2008)

Imports:

$387.7 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 14 $320.9 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

raw materials, machinery and equipment, chemicals, raw diamonds, pharmaceuticals, foodstuffs, transportation equipment, oil products

Imports - partners:

Netherlands 19.4%, Germany 17.2%, France 11%, UK 5.7%, US 5.6%,
China 4.2% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$15.65 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 58 $16.51 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$1.354 trillion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 11 $1.539 trillion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$821 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 6 $747.5 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$661.9 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 9 $593 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)

Communications ::Belgium

Telephones - main lines in use:

4.457 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 34

Telephones - mobile cellular:

11.822 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 51

Telephone system:

general assessment: highly developed, technologically advanced, and completely automated domestic and international telephone and telegraph facilities

domestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; extensive cable network; limited microwave radio relay network

international: country code - 32; landing point for a number of submarine cables that provide links to Europe, the Middle East, and Asia; satellite earth stations - 7 (Intelsat - 3) (2007)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 7, FM 79, shortwave 1 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

25 (plus 10 repeaters) (1997)

Internet country code:

.be

Internet hosts:

4.367 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 17

Internet users:

7.292 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 34

Transportation ::Belgium

Airports:

43 (2009) country comparison to the world: 99

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 27

over 3,047 m: 6

2,438 to 3,047 m: 8

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 9 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 16

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 15 (2009)

Heliports:

1 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 1,330 km; oil 158 km; refined products 535 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 3,233 km country comparison to the world: 54 standard gauge: 3,233 km 1.435-m gauge (2,950 km electrified) (2008)

Roadways:

total: 152,256 km country comparison to the world: 34 paved: 119,079 km (includes 1,763 km of expressways)

unpaved: 33,177 km (2006)

Waterways:

2,043 km (1,528 km in regular commercial use) (2008) country comparison to the world: 44

Merchant marine:

total: 79 country comparison to the world: 56 by type: bulk carrier 20, cargo 9, chemical tanker 1, container 6, liquefied gas 20, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 11, roll on/roll off 10

foreign-owned: 6 (Denmark 4, France 2)

registered in other countries: 111 (Bahamas 15, Cyprus 2, France 6, Gibraltar 2, Greece 16, Hong Kong 3, Liberia 4, Luxembourg 7, Malta 15, Mozambique 2, Netherlands 2, Netherlands Antilles 1, Panama 2, Portugal 8, Russia 4, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 8, Sierra Leone 1, Singapore 8, Vanuatu 4) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Antwerp, Gent, Liege, Zeebrugge

Military ::Belgium

Military branches:

Belgian Armed Forces: Land Operations Command, Naval Operations
Command, Air Operations Command (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription suspended (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 2,407,128

females age 16-49: 2,340,039 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,962,409

females age 16-49: 1,905,178 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 62,722

female: 59,969 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.3% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 126

Transnational Issues ::Belgium

Disputes - international:

none

Illicit drugs:

growing producer of synthetic drugs and cannabis; transit point for US-bound ecstasy; source of precursor chemicals for South American cocaine processors; transshipment point for cocaine, heroin, hashish, and marijuana entering Western Europe; despite a strengthening of legislation, the country remains vulnerable to money laundering related to narcotics, automobiles, alcohol, and tobacco; significant domestic consumption of ecstasy

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Belize (Central America and Caribbean)

Introduction ::Belize

Background:

Belize was the site of several Mayan city states until their decline at the end of the first millennium A.D. The British and Spanish disputed the region in the 17th and 18th centuries; it formally became the colony of British Honduras in 1854. Territorial disputes between the UK and Guatemala delayed the independence of Belize until 1981. Guatemala refused to recognize the new nation until 1992 and the two countries are involved in an ongoing border dispute. Guatemala and Belize are gearing up for a simultaneous referendum to determine if this dispute will go before the International Court of Justice at The Hague. Tourism has become the mainstay of the economy. Current concerns include an unsustainable foreign debt, high unemployment, growing involvement in the South American drug trade, growing urban crime, and increasing incidences of HIV/AIDS.

Geography ::Belize

Location:

Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and
Mexico

Geographic coordinates:

17 15 N, 88 45 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 22,966 sq km country comparison to the world: 151 land: 22,806 sq km

water: 160 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Massachusetts

Land boundaries:

total: 516 km

border countries: Guatemala 266 km, Mexico 250 km

Coastline:

386 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm in the north, 3 nm in the south; note - from the mouth of the Sarstoon River to Ranguana Cay, Belize's territorial sea is 3 nm; according to Belize's Maritime Areas Act, 1992, the purpose of this limitation is to provide a framework for negotiating a definitive agreement on territorial differences with Guatemala

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to November); dry season (February to May)

Terrain:

flat, swampy coastal plain; low mountains in south

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: Doyle's Delight 1,160 m

Natural resources:

arable land potential, timber, fish, hydropower

Land use:

arable land: 3.05%

permanent crops: 1.39%

other: 95.56% (2005)

Irrigated land:

30 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

18.6 cu km (2000)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.15 cu km/yr (7%/73%/20%)

per capita: 556 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

frequent, devastating hurricanes (June to November) and coastal flooding (especially in south)

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; water pollution from sewage, industrial effluents, agricultural runoff; solid and sewage waste disposal

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

only country in Central America without a coastline on the North Pacific Ocean

People ::Belize

Population:

307,899 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 177

Age structure:

0-14 years: 37.9% (male 59,462/female 57,117)

15-64 years: 58.6% (male 91,298/female 89,170)

65 years and over: 3.5% (male 5,185/female 5,667) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 20.4 years

male: 20.3 years

female: 20.6 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.154% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 47

Birth rate:

27.33 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 59

Death rate:

5.8 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 168

Net migration rate:

NA (2009 est.)

Urbanization:

urban population: 52% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 3.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female

total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 23.07 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 94 male: 26 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 19.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 68.2 years country comparison to the world: 151 male: 66.44 years

female: 70.05 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3.36 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 59

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

2.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 30

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

3,600 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 129

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 200 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 106

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria

water contact disease: leptospirosis (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Belizean(s)

adjective: Belizean

Ethnic groups:

mestizo 48.7%, Creole 24.9%, Maya 10.6%, Garifuna 6.1%, other 9.7% (2000 census)

Religions:

Roman Catholic 49.6%, Protestant 27% (Pentecostal 7.4%, Anglican 5.3%, Seventh-Day Adventist 5.2%, Mennonite 4.1%, Methodist 3.5%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.5%), other 14%, none 9.4% (2000)

Languages:

Spanish 46%, Creole 32.9%, Mayan dialects 8.9%, English 3.9% (official), Garifuna 3.4% (Carib), German 3.3%, other 1.4%, unknown 0.2% (2000 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 76.9%

male: 76.7%

female: 77.1% (2000 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 13 years

male: 13 years

female: 13 years (2004)

Education expenditures:

5.3% of GDP (2004) country comparison to the world: 55

Government ::Belize

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Belize

former: British Honduras

Government type:

parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm

Capital:

name: Belmopan

geographic coordinates: 17 15 N, 88 46 W

time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

6 districts; Belize, Cayo, Corozal, Orange Walk, Stann Creek, Toledo

Independence:

21 September 1981 (from the UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 21 September (1981)

Constitution:

21 September 1981

Legal system:

English law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Sir Colville YOUNG, Sr. (since 17 November 1993)

head of government: Prime Minister Dean Oliver BARROW (since 8 February 2008); Deputy Prime Minister Gaspar VEGA (since 12 February 2008)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister

elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; prime minister recommends the deputy prime minister

Legislative branch:

bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (12 seats; members appointed by the governor general - 6 on the advice of the prime minister, 3 on the advice of the leader of the opposition, and 1 each on the advice of the Belize Council of Churches and Evangelical Association of Churches, the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Belize Better Business Bureau, and the National Trade Union Congress and the Civil Society Steering Committee; to serve five-year terms) and the House of Representatives (31 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: House of Representatives - last held 6 February 2008 (next to be held in 2013)

election results: percent of vote by party - UDP 56.3%, PUP 40.9%; seats by party - UDP 25, PUP 6

Judicial branch:

Summary Jurisdiction Courts (criminal) and District Courts (civil jurisdiction); Supreme Court (the chief justice is appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister); Court of Appeal; Privy Council in the UK; member of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ)

Political parties and leaders:

National Alliance for Belizean Rights or NABR; National Reform Party or NRP [Cornelius DUECK]; People's National Party or PNP [Wil MAHEIA]; People's United Party or PUP [John BRICENO]; United Democratic Party or UDP [Dean BARROW]; Vision Inspired by the People or VIP [Paul MORGAN]; We the People Reform Movement or WTP [Hipolito BAUTISTA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Society for the Promotion of Education and Research or SPEAR
[Gustavo PERERA]; Association of Concerned Belizeans or ACB [David
VASQUEZ]; National Trade Union Congress of Belize or NTUC/B [Rene
GOMEZ]

International organization participation:

ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, ITUC,
LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, SICA, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Nestor MENDEZ

chancery: 2535 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 332-9636

FAX: [1] (202) 332-6888

consulate(s) general: Los Angeles

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires J.A. DIFFILY

embassy: Floral Park Road, Belmopan City, Cayo District

mailing address: P.O. Box 497, Belmopan City, Cayo District, Belize

telephone: [501] 822-4011

FAX: [501] 822-4012

Flag description:

blue with a narrow red stripe along the top and the bottom edges; centered is a large white disk bearing the coat of arms; the coat of arms features a shield flanked by two workers in front of a mahogany tree with the related motto SUB UMBRA FLOREO (I Flourish in the Shade) on a scroll at the bottom, all encircled by a green garland

Economy ::Belize

Economy - overview:

In this small, essentially private-enterprise economy, tourism is the number one foreign exchange earner followed by exports of marine products, citrus, cane sugar, bananas, and garments. The government's expansionary monetary and fiscal policies, initiated in September 1998, led to sturdy GDP growth averaging nearly 4% in 1999-2007, though growth slipped to 3.8% in 2008 as a result of the global slowdown, natural disasters, and the drop in the price of oil. Oil discoveries in 2006 bolstered the economic growth. Exploration efforts continue and a small increase in production is expected in 2009. Major concerns continue to be the sizable trade deficit and unsustainable foreign debt equivalent to nearly 70% of GDP. In February 2007, the government restructured nearly all of its public external commercial debt, which helped reduce interest payments and relieve some of the country's liquidity concerns. A key short-term objective remains the reduction of poverty with the help of international donors.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$2.542 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 178 $2.468 billion (2007 est.)

$2.43 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$1.359 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 124 1.6% (2007 est.)

5.3% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$8,400 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 117 $8,400 (2007 est.)

$8,400 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 29%

industry: 16.9%

services: 54.1% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

122,300 country comparison to the world: 173 note: shortage of skilled labor and all types of technical personnel (2008 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 10.2%

industry: 18.1%

services: 71.7% (2007)

Unemployment rate:

8.1% (2008) country comparison to the world: 113 9.4% (2006)

Population below poverty line:

33.5% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Investment (gross fixed):

27.8% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 32

Budget:

revenues: $347 million

expenditures: $386.5 million (2008 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

6.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 109 2.3% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

12% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 26 12% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

14.14% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 49 14.33% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$345.7 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 99 $323.9 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$653.8 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 105 $549 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$955 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 108 $877.6 million (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

bananas, cacao, citrus, sugar; fish, cultured shrimp; lumber; garments

Industries:

garment production, food processing, tourism, construction, oil

Industrial production growth rate:

1.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 108

Electricity - production:

213.5 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 175

Electricity - consumption:

198.5 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 177

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

248.4 million kWh (2005)

Oil - production:

3,511 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 98

Oil - consumption:

7,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 156

Oil - exports:

2,260 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 112

Oil - imports:

7,204 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 146

Oil - proved reserves:

6.7 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 92

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 96

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 205

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 51

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 77

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 201

Current account balance:

-$153.7 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 84 -$51.1 million (2007 est.)

Exports:

$464.7 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 165 $425.6 million (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

sugar, bananas, citrus, clothing, fish products, molasses, wood, crude oil

Exports - partners:

US 35.6%, UK 21.5%, Cote d'Ivoire 5.3%, Italy 4.5%, Nigeria 4% (2008)

Imports:

$788.1 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 179 $642 million (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods; fuels, chemicals, pharmaceuticals; food, beverages, tobacco

Imports - partners:

US 37.4%, Mexico 12.9%, Cuba 7.7%, Guatemala 6.1%, Russia 5%, China 4.2% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$166.2 million (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 146 $108.5 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$954.1 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 154 $1.2 billion (June 2005 est.)

Exchange rates:

Belizean dollars (BZD) per US dollar - 2 (2008), 2 (2007), 2 (2006), 2 (2005), 2 (2004)

Communications ::Belize

Telephones - main lines in use:

31,100 (2008) country comparison to the world: 177

Telephones - mobile cellular:

160,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 175

Telephone system:

general assessment: above-average system; fixed-line teledensity of 10 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone density roughly 55 per 100 persons

domestic: trunk network depends primarily on microwave radio relay

international: country code - 501; landing point for the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) fiber-optic telecommunications submarine cable that provides links to South and Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and the US; satellite earth station - 8 (Intelsat - 2, unknown - 6) (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 16, shortwave 0 (2006)

Television broadcast stations:

7 (2008)

Internet country code:

.bz

Internet hosts:

3,017 (2009) country comparison to the world: 142

Internet users:

34,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 178

Transportation ::Belize

Airports:

44 (2009) country comparison to the world: 96

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 4

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 40

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 12

under 914 m: 27 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 3,007 km country comparison to the world: 166 paved: 575 km

unpaved: 2,432 km (2006)

Waterways:

825 km (navigable only by small craft) (2008) country comparison to the world: 71

Merchant marine:

total: 216 country comparison to the world: 33 by type: barge carrier 1, bulk carrier 32, cargo 152, chemical tanker 2, container 1, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 9, refrigerated cargo 12, roll on/roll off 5, specialized tanker 1

foreign-owned: 178 (Australia 1, China 71, Croatia 2, Cyprus 1, Estonia 6, Greece 1, Iceland 2, Italy 3, Japan 8, South Korea 1, Latvia 12, Norway 3, Peru 1, Russia 31, Singapore 2, Spain 1, Turkey 15, Ukraine 7, UAE 5, UK 5) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Belize City, Big Creek

Military ::Belize

Military branches:

Belize Defense Force (BDF): Army, BDF Air Wing, BDF Volunteer Guard (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service; laws allow for conscription only if volunteers are insufficient; conscription has never been implemented; volunteers typically outnumber available positions by 3:1 (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 74,605

females age 16-49: 72,926 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 56,135

females age 16-49: 54,732 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 3,632

female: 3,500 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.4% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 112

Transnational Issues ::Belize

Disputes - international:

OAS-initiated Agreement on the Framework for Negotiations and Confidence Building Measures saw cooperation in repatriation of Guatemalan squatters and other areas, but Guatemalan land and maritime claims in Belize and the Caribbean Sea remain unresolved; the Line of Adjacency created under the 2002 Differendum serves in lieu of the contiguous international boundary to control squatting in the sparsely inhabited rain forests of Belize's border region; Honduras claims Belizean-administered Sapodilla Cays in its constitution but agreed to a joint ecological park under the Differendum

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for cocaine; small-scale illicit producer of cannabis, primarily for local consumption; offshore sector money-laundering activity related to narcotics trafficking and other crimes (2008)

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Benin (Africa)

Introduction ::Benin

Background:

Present day Benin was the site of Dahomey, a prominent West African kingdom that rose in the 15th century. The territory became a French Colony in 1872 and achieved independence on 1 August 1960, as the Republic of Benin. A succession of military governments ended in 1972 with the rise to power of Mathieu KEREKOU and the establishment of a government based on Marxist-Leninist principles. A move to representative government began in 1989. Two years later, free elections ushered in former Prime Minister Nicephore SOGLO as president, marking the first successful transfer of power in Africa from a dictatorship to a democracy. KEREKOU was returned to power by elections held in 1996 and 2001, though some irregularities were alleged. KEREKOU stepped down at the end of his second term in 2006 and was succeeded by Thomas YAYI Boni, a political outsider and independent. YAYI has begun a high profile fight against corruption and has strongly promoted accelerating Benin's economic growth.

Geography ::Benin

Location:

Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Nigeria and
Togo

Geographic coordinates:

9 30 N, 2 15 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 112,622 sq km country comparison to the world: 101 land: 110,622 sq km

water: 2,000 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Land boundaries:

total: 1,989 km

border countries: Burkina Faso 306 km, Niger 266 km, Nigeria 773 km, Togo 644 km

Coastline:

121 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north

Terrain:

mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mont Sokbaro 658 m

Natural resources:

small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber

Land use:

arable land: 23.53%

permanent crops: 2.37%

other: 74.1% (2005)

Irrigated land:

120 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

25.8 cu km (2001)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.13 cu km/yr (32%/23%/45%)

per capita: 15 cu m/yr (2001)

Natural hazards:

hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north from December to March

Environment - current issues:

inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching threatens wildlife populations; deforestation; desertification

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

sandbanks create difficult access to a coast with no natural harbors, river mouths, or islands

People ::Benin

Population:

8,791,832 country comparison to the world: 90 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 45.2% (male 2,028,493/female 1,948,353)

15-64 years: 52.1% (male 2,275,662/female 2,308,945)

65 years and over: 2.6% (male 94,569/female 135,810) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 17.2 years

male: 16.8 years

female: 17.7 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.977% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 14

Birth rate:

39.22 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 21

Death rate:

9.45 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 74

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 76

Urbanization:

urban population: 41% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 64.64 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 34 male: 68.07 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 61.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 59 years country comparison to the world: 185 male: 57.83 years

female: 60.23 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

5.49 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 19

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

1.2% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 50

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

64,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 58

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

3,300 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 53

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever

respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis

animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Beninese (singular and plural)

adjective: Beninese

Ethnic groups:

Fon and related 39.2%, Adja and related 15.2%, Yoruba and related 12.3%, Bariba and related 9.2%, Peulh and related 7%, Ottamari and related 6.1%, Yoa-Lokpa and related 4%, Dendi and related 2.5%, other 1.6% (includes Europeans), unspecified 2.9% (2002 census)

Religions:

Christian 42.8% (Catholic 27.1%, Celestial 5%, Methodist 3.2%, other Protestant 2.2%, other 5.3%), Muslim 24.4%, Vodoun 17.3%, other 15.5% (2002 census)

Languages:

French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 34.7%

male: 47.9%

female: 23.3% (2002 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 7 years

male: 9 years

female: 6 years (2001)

Education expenditures:

4.4% of GDP (2004) country comparison to the world: 91

Government ::Benin

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Benin

conventional short form: Benin

local long form: Republique du Benin

local short form: Benin

former: Dahomey

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Porto-Novo (official capital)

geographic coordinates: 6 29 N, 2 37 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

note: Cotonou (seat of government)

Administrative divisions:

12 departments; Alibori, Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou, Collines, Kouffo, Donga, Littoral, Mono, Oueme, Plateau, Zou

Independence:

1 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday:

National Day, 1 August (1960)

Constitution:

adopted by referendum 2 December 1990

Legal system:

based on French civil law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Thomas YAYI Boni (since 6 April 2006); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Thomas YAYI Boni (since 6 April 2006)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); runoff election held 19 March 2006 (next to be held in March 2011)

election results: Thomas YAYI Boni elected president; percent of vote - Thomas YAYI Boni 74.5%, Adrien HOUNGBEDJI 25.5%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (83 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 31 March 2007 (next to be held by March 2011)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FCBE 35, ADD 20, PRD 10, other and independents 18

Judicial branch:

Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle; Supreme Court or
Cour Supreme; High Court of Justice

Political parties and leaders:

Alliance for Dynamic Democracy or ADD; Alliance of Progress Forces
or AFP; African Movement for Democracy and Progress or MADEP [Sefou
FAGBOHOUN]; Benin Renaissance or RB [Rosine SOGLO]; Democratic
Renewal Party or PRD [Adrien HOUNGBEDJI]; Force Cowrie for an
Emerging Benin or FCBE; Impulse for Progress and Democracy or IPD
[Theophile NATA]; Key Force or FC [Lazare SEHOUETO]; Movement for
the People's Alternative or MAP [Olivier CAPO-CHICHI]; Rally for
Democracy and Progress or RDP [Dominique HOUNGNINOU]; Social
Democrat Party or PSD [Bruno AMOUSSOU]; Union for the Relief or UPR
[Issa SALIFOU]; Union for Democracy and National Solidarity or UDS
[Sacca LAFIA]

note: approximately 20 additional minor parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:

other: economic groups; environmentalists; political groups; teachers' unions and other educational groups

International organization participation:

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA,
MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional),
WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Cyrille Segbe OGUIN

chancery: 2124 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 232-6656

FAX: [1] (202) 265-1996

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Gayleatha B. BROWN

embassy: Rue Caporal Bernard Anani, Cotonou

mailing address: 01 B. P. 2012, Cotonou

telephone: [229] 21-30-06-50

FAX: [229] 21-30-03-84

Flag description:

two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red (bottom) with a vertical green band on the hoist side

Economy ::Benin

Economy - overview:

The economy of Benin remains underdeveloped and dependent on subsistence agriculture, cotton production, and regional trade. Growth in real output has averaged around 5% in the past seven years, but rapid population growth has offset much of this increase. Inflation has subsided over the past several years. In order to raise growth still further, Benin plans to attract more foreign investment, place more emphasis on tourism, facilitate the development of new food processing systems and agricultural products, and encourage new information and communication technology. Specific projects to improve the business climate by reforms to the land tenure system, the commercial justice system, and the financial sector were included in Benin's $307 million Millennium Challenge Account grant signed in February 2006. The 2001 privatization policy continues in telecommunications, water, electricity, and agriculture though the government annulled the privatization of Benin's state cotton company in November 2007 after the discovery of irregularities in the bidding process. The Paris Club and bilateral creditors have eased the external debt situation, with Benin benefiting from a G8 debt reduction announced in July 2005, while pressing for more rapid structural reforms. An insufficient electrical supply continues to adversely affect Benin's economic growth though the government recently has taken steps to increase domestic power production.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$12.86 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 140 $12.28 billion (2007 est.)

$11.75 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$6.712 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

4.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 92 4.5% (2007 est.)

3.8% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,500 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 199 $1,500 (2007 est.)

$1,500 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 33.2%

industry: 14.5%

services: 52.3% (2007 est.)

Labor force:

3.662 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 90

Unemployment rate:

NA%

Population below poverty line:

37.4% (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 3.1%

highest 10%: 29% (2003)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

36.5 (2003) country comparison to the world: 82

Investment (gross fixed):

19.2% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 120

Budget:

revenues: $1.407 billion

expenditures: $1.291 billion (2008 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

7.9% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 125 1.3% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

4.75% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 114 4.25% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

NA

Stock of money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$1.324 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$627.2 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$520.6 million (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

cotton, corn, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans, palm oil, peanuts, cashews; livestock

Industries:

textiles, food processing, construction materials, cement

Industrial production growth rate:

3.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 71

Electricity - production:

124 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 185

Electricity - consumption:

597 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 157

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

588 million kWh (2007 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 204

Oil - consumption:

21,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 120

Oil - exports:

8,770 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 96

Oil - imports:

28,900 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 102

Oil - proved reserves:

8 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 91

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 97

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 204

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 49

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 74

Natural gas - proved reserves:

1.133 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 98

Current account balance:

-$735 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 111 -$407 million (2007 est.)

Exports:

$1.127 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 150 $819 million (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

cotton, cashews, shea butter, textiles, palm products, seafood

Exports - partners:

China 15.6%, India 12%, Japan 8.5%, Niger 4.9%, US 4.6%, Nigeria 4.3% (2008)

Imports:

$1.843 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 154 $1.194 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

foodstuffs, capital goods, petroleum products

Imports - partners:

China 35.9%, US 13.2%, Thailand 6.5%, France 6.5%, Malaysia 6.2%,
India 4.4% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$1.261 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 122 $1.209 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$1.2 billion (2007) country comparison to the world: 150

Exchange rates:

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 447.81 (2008 est.), 493.51 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004)

note: since 1 January 1999, the West African CFA franc (XOF) has been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 CFA francs per euro; West African CFA franc (XOF) coins and banknotes are not accepted in countries using Central African CFA francs (XAF), and vice versa, even though the two currencies trade at par

Communications ::Benin

Telephones - main lines in use:

159,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 131

Telephones - mobile cellular:

3.435 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 100

Telephone system:

general assessment: inadequate; fixed-line network characterized by aging, deteriorating equipment with fixed-line teledensity only about 2 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone subscribership has been increasing rapidly

domestic: system of open-wire, microwave radio relay, and cellular connections; multiple mobile-cellular providers

international: country code - 229; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and Asia; satellite earth stations - 7 (Intelsat-Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 34, shortwave 1 (2007)

Television broadcast stations:

6 (2007)

Internet country code:

.bj

Internet hosts:

1,155 (2009) country comparison to the world: 157

Internet users:

160,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 141

Transportation ::Benin

Airports:

5 (2009) country comparison to the world: 177

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 4

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2009)

Railways:

total: 578 km country comparison to the world: 113 narrow gauge: 578 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 16,000 km country comparison to the world: 121 paved: 1,400 km

unpaved: 14,600 km (2006)

Waterways:

150 km (on River Niger along northern border) (2007) country comparison to the world: 102

Ports and terminals:

Cotonou

Military ::Benin

Military branches:

Benin Armed Forces (FAB): Army (l'Arme de Terre), Benin Navy (Forces
Navales Beninois, FNB), Benin People's Air Force (Force Aerienne
Populaire de Benin, FAPB) (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

21 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; in practice, volunteers may be taken at the age of 18; both sexes are eligible for military service; conscript tour of duty - 18 months (2006)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,908,457

females age 16-49: 1,882,421 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,279,053

females age 16-49: 1,292,438 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 101,549

female: 97,856 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.7% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 96

Transnational Issues ::Benin

Disputes - international:

in September 2007, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) intervened to attempt to resolve the dispute over two villages along the Benin-Burkina Faso border that remain from 2005 ICJ decision; much of Benin-Niger boundary, including tripoint with Nigeria, remains undemarcated; in 2005, Nigeria ceded thirteen villages to Benin, but border relations remain strained by rival cross-border gang clashes; talks continue between Benin and Togo on funding the Adjrala hydroelectric dam on the Mona River

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 9,444 (Togo) (2007)

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point used by traffickers for cocaine destined for Western Europe; vulnerable to money laundering due to poorly enforced financial regulations (2008)

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Bermuda (North America)

Introduction ::Bermuda

Background:

Bermuda was first settled in 1609 by shipwrecked English colonists headed for Virginia. Tourism to the island to escape North American winters first developed in Victorian times. Tourism continues to be important to the island's economy, although international business has overtaken it in recent years. Bermuda has developed into a highly successful offshore financial center. Although a referendum on independence from the UK was soundly defeated in 1995, the present government has reopened debate on the issue.

Geography ::Bermuda

Location:

North America, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, east of
South Carolina (US)

Geographic coordinates:

32 20 N, 64 45 W

Map references:

North America

Area:

total: 54 sq km country comparison to the world: 231 land: 54 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

about one-third the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

103 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:

subtropical; mild, humid; gales, strong winds common in winter

Terrain:

low hills separated by fertile depressions

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Town Hill 76 m

Natural resources:

limestone, pleasant climate fostering tourism

Land use:

arable land: 20%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 80% (55% developed, 45% rural/open space) (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

hurricanes (June to November)

Environment - current issues:

sustainable development

Geography - note:

consists of about 138 coral islands and islets with ample rainfall, but no rivers or freshwater lakes; some land was leased by US Government from 1941 to 1995

People ::Bermuda

Population:

67,837 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 202

Age structure:

0-14 years: 18.3% (male 6,271/female 6,163)

15-64 years: 67.5% (male 22,555/female 23,215)

65 years and over: 14.2% (male 3,979/female 5,654) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 41.3 years

male: 39.9 years

female: 42.7 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.647% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 147

Birth rate:

11.57 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 171

Death rate:

7.3 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 125

Net migration rate:

2.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 39

Urbanization:

urban population: 100% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 0.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female

total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 2.46 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 223 male: 2.57 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 2.35 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 80.43 years country comparison to the world: 17 male: 77.2 years

female: 83.72 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.99 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 129

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.297% (2005) country comparison to the world: 91

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

163 (2005) country comparison to the world: 161

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

392 (2005) country comparison to the world: 100

Nationality:

noun: Bermudian(s)

adjective: Bermudian

Ethnic groups:

black 54.8%, white 34.1%, mixed 6.4%, other races 4.3%, unspecified 0.4% (2000 census)

Religions:

Anglican 23%, Roman Catholic 15%, African Methodist Episcopal 11%, other Protestant 18%, other 12%, unaffiliated 6%, unspecified 1%, none 14% (2000 census)

Languages:

English (official), Portuguese

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 98%

male: 98%

female: 99% (2005 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 13 years

male: 13 years

female: 14 years (2005)

Education expenditures:

1.2% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 177

Government ::Bermuda

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Bermuda

former: Somers Islands

Dependency status:

overseas territory of the UK

Government type:

parliamentary; self-governing territory

Capital:

name: Hamilton

geographic coordinates: 32 17 N, 64 47 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November

Administrative divisions:

9 parishes and 2 municipalities*; Devonshire, Hamilton, Hamilton*, Paget, Pembroke, Saint George*, Saint George's, Sandys, Smith's, Southampton, Warwick

Independence:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday:

Bermuda Day, 24 May

Constitution:

8 June 1968; amended 1989 and 2003

Legal system:

English law

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Sir Richard GOZNEY (since 12 December 2007)

head of government: Premier Ewart BROWN (since 30 October 2006); Deputy Premier Paula COX

cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the premier, appointed by the governor

elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed premier by the governor

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (11 seats; members appointed by the governor, the premier, and the opposition) and the House of Assembly (36 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve up to five-year terms)

elections: last general election held 18 December 2007 (next to be held not later than 2012)

election results: percent of vote by party - PLP 52.5%, UBP 47.3%; seats by party - PLP 22, UBP 14

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrate Courts

Political parties and leaders:

Progressive Labor Party or PLP [Ewart BROWN]; United Bermuda Party or UBP [Kim SWAN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Bermuda Employer's Union [Eddie SAINTS]; Bermuda Industrial Union or
BIU [Derrick BURGESS]; Bermuda Public Services Union or BPSU [Ed
BALL]; Bermuda Union of Teachers [Michael CHARLES]

International organization participation:

Caricom (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, ITUC, UPU, WCO, WFTU

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Consul General Gregory W. SLAYTON

consulate(s) general: Crown Hill, 16 Middle Road, Devonshire DVO3

mailing address: P. O. Box HM325, Hamilton HMBX; American Consulate General Hamilton, US Department of State, 5300 Hamilton Place, Washington, DC 20520-5300

telephone: [1] (441) 295-1342

FAX: [1] (441) 295-1592, 296-9233

Flag description:

red, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Bermudian coat of arms (white and green shield with a red lion holding a scrolled shield showing the sinking of the ship Sea Venture off Bermuda in 1609) centered on the outer half of the flag

Economy ::Bermuda

Economy - overview:

Bermuda enjoys the third highest per capita income in the world more than 50% higher than that of the US. Its economy is primarily based on providing financial services for international business and luxury facilities for tourists. A number of reinsurance companies relocated to the island following the 11 September 2001 attacks and again after Hurricane Katrina in August 2005 contributing to the expansion of an already robust international business sector. Bermuda's tourism industry - which derives over 80% of its visitors from the US - continues to struggle but remains the island's number two industry. Most capital equipment and food must be imported. Bermuda's industrial sector is small, although construction continues to be important; the average cost of a house in June 2003 had risen to $976,000. Agriculture is limited with only 20% of the land being arable.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$4.5 billion (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 162

GDP (official exchange rate):

$NA

GDP - real growth rate:

4.6% (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 94

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$69,900 (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 4

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 1%

industry: 10%

services: 89% (2002 est.)

Labor force:

38,360 (2004) country comparison to the world: 193

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture and fishing 3%, laborers 17%, clerical 19%, professional and technical 21%, administrative and managerial 15%, sales 7%, services 19% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:

2.1% (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 20

Population below poverty line:

19% (2000)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $738 million

expenditures: $665 million (FY04/05)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.8% (November 2005) country comparison to the world: 32

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 92 $2.731 billion (31 December 2007)

$2.704 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

bananas, vegetables, citrus, flowers; dairy products, honey

Industries:

international business, tourism, light manufacturing

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

675.6 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 154

Electricity - consumption:

628.3 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 155

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 206

Oil - consumption:

5,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 164

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 139

Oil - imports:

4,500 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 160

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 206

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 206

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 206

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 55

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 80

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 204

Exports:

$763 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 157

Exports - commodities:

reexports of pharmaceuticals

Exports - partners:

Brazil 24.7%, US 16.2%, Germany 12.2%, South Africa 8.9% (2008)

Imports:

$1.162 billion (2006) country comparison to the world: 169

Imports - commodities:

clothing, fuels, machinery and transport equipment, construction materials, chemicals, food and live animals

Imports - partners:

Italy 26.3%, US 18%, South Korea 17.3%, UK 8.3%, Singapore 5.3%,
France 5.1%, Norway 4.4% (2008)

Debt - external:

$160 million (FY99/00) country comparison to the world: 184

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$15.01 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 72

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$NA

Exchange rates:

Bermudian dollars (BMD) per US dollar - 1.0000 (fixed rate pegged to the US dollar)

Communications ::Bermuda

Telephones - main lines in use:

57,600 (2008) country comparison to the world: 159

Telephones - mobile cellular:

79,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 188

Telephone system:

general assessment: good

domestic: fully automatic digital telephone system; fiber optic trunk lines

international: country code - 1-441; landing point for the Atlantica-1 telecommunications submarine cable that extends from the US to Brazil; satellite earth stations - 3 (2007)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 5, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2005)

Television broadcast stations:

3 (2005)

Internet country code:

.bm

Internet hosts:

15,548 (2009) country comparison to the world: 107

Internet users:

51,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 169

Transportation ::Bermuda

Airports:

1 (2009) country comparison to the world: 235

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 447 km country comparison to the world: 194 paved: 447 km

note: public roads - 225 km; private roads - 222 km (2007)

Merchant marine:

total: 137 country comparison to the world: 44 by type: bulk carrier 23, chemical tanker 3, container 22, liquefied gas 33, passenger 24, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 18, refrigerated cargo 9

foreign-owned: 115 (Australia 1, China 10, France 1, Germany 22, Greece 9, Hong Kong 4, Ireland 1, Israel 3, Japan 2, Nigeria 11, Norway 5, Sweden 20, UK 3, US 23)

registered in other countries: 50 (Bahamas 12, Marshall Islands 4, Philippines 34) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Hamilton, Saint George

Military ::Bermuda

Military branches:

Bermuda Regiment (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

18-30 years of age for voluntary or compulsory enlistment in the Bermuda Regiment; males must register at age 18; term of service is 38 months (2009)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 15,623 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 12,496

females age 16-49: 12,486 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 426

female: 413 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

0.11% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 171

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues ::Bermuda

Disputes - international:

none

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Bhutan (South Asia)

Introduction ::Bhutan

Background:

In 1865, Britain and Bhutan signed the Treaty of Sinchulu, under which Bhutan would receive an annual subsidy in exchange for ceding some border land to British India. Under British influence, a monarchy was set up in 1907; three years later, a treaty was signed whereby the British agreed not to interfere in Bhutanese internal affairs and Bhutan allowed Britain to direct its foreign affairs. This role was assumed by independent India after 1947. Two years later, a formal Indo-Bhutanese accord returned the areas of Bhutan annexed by the British, formalized the annual subsidies the country received, and defined India's responsibilities in defense and foreign relations. A refugee issue of over 100,000 Bhutanese in Nepal remains unresolved; 90% of the refugees are housed in seven United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) camps. In March 2005, King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK unveiled the government's draft constitution - which would introduce major democratic reforms - and pledged to hold a national referendum for its approval. In December 2006, the King abdicated the throne to his son, Jigme Khesar Namgyel WANGCHUCK, in order to give him experience as head of state before the democratic transition. In early 2007, India and Bhutan renegotiated their treaty to allow Bhutan greater autonomy in conducting its foreign policy, although Thimphu continues to coordinate policy decisions in this area with New Delhi. In July 2007, seven ministers of Bhutan's ten-member cabinet resigned to join the political process, and the cabinet acted as a caretaker regime until democratic elections for seats to the country's first parliament were completed in March 2008. The king ratified the country's first constitution in July 2008.

Geography ::Bhutan

Location:

Southern Asia, between China and India

Geographic coordinates:

27 30 N, 90 30 E

Map references:

Asia

Area:

total: 38,394 sq km country comparison to the world: 136 land: 38,394 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

about one-half the size of Indiana

Land boundaries:

total: 1,075 km

border countries: China 470 km, India 605 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

varies; tropical in southern plains; cool winters and hot summers in central valleys; severe winters and cool summers in Himalayas

Terrain:

mostly mountainous with some fertile valleys and savanna

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Drangme Chhu 97 m

highest point: Kula Kangri 7,553 m

Natural resources:

timber, hydropower, gypsum, calcium carbonate

Land use:

arable land: 2.3%

permanent crops: 0.43%

other: 97.27% (2005)

Irrigated land:

400 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

95 cu km (1987)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.43 cu km/yr (5%/1%/94%)

per capita: 199 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

violent storms from the Himalayas are the source of the country's name, which translates as Land of the Thunder Dragon; frequent landslides during the rainy season

Environment - current issues:

soil erosion; limited access to potable water

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:

landlocked; strategic location between China and India; controls several key Himalayan mountain passes

People ::Bhutan

Population:

691,141 country comparison to the world: 163 note: the Factbook population estimate is consistent with the first modern census of Bhutan, conducted in 2005; previous Factbook population estimates for this country, which were on the order of three times the total population reported here, were based on Bhutanese government publications that did not include the census (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 30.2% (male 106,410/female 102,164)

15-64 years: 64.3% (male 235,988/female 208,484)

65 years and over: 5.5% (male 20,169/female 17,926) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 23.9 years

male: 24.5 years

female: 23.3 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.267% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 107

Birth rate:

20.07 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 97

Death rate:

7.39 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 123

Net migration rate:

NA

Urbanization:

urban population: 35% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 4.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.13 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.12 male(s)/female

total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 49.36 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 52 male: 50.38 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 48.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 66.13 years country comparison to the world: 161 male: 65.33 years

female: 66.97 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.38 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 104

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 139

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

fewer than 100 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 162

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: intermediate

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria

water contact disease: leptospirosis (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Bhutanese (singular and plural)

adjective: Bhutanese

Ethnic groups:

Bhote 50%, ethnic Nepalese 35% (includes Lhotsampas - one of several
Nepalese ethnic groups), indigenous or migrant tribes 15%

Religions:

Lamaistic Buddhist 75%, Indian- and Nepalese-influenced Hinduism 25%

Languages:

Dzongkha (official), Bhotes speak various Tibetan dialects, Nepalese speak various Nepalese dialects

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 47%

male: 60%

female: 34% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 10 years

male: 11 years

female: 10 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

7% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 22

Government ::Bhutan

Country name:

conventional long form: Kingdom of Bhutan

conventional short form: Bhutan

local long form: Druk Gyalkhap

local short form: Druk Yul

Government type:

constitutional monarchy

Capital:

name: Thimphu

geographic coordinates: 27 29 N, 89 36 E

time difference: UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

20 districts (dzongkhag, singular and plural); Bumthang, Chhukha,
Chirang, Daga, Gasa, Geylegphug, Ha, Lhuntshi, Mongar, Paro,
Pemagatsel, Punakha, Samchi, Samdrup Jongkhar, Shemgang, Tashigang,
Tashi Yangtse, Thimphu, Tongsa, Wangdi Phodrang

Independence:

1907 (became a unified kingdom under its first hereditary king)

National holiday:

National Day (Ugyen WANGCHUCK became first hereditary king), 17
December (1907)

Constitution:

ratified 18 July 2008

Legal system:

based on Indian law and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: King Jigme Khesar Namgyel WANGCHUCK (since 14 December 2006); note - King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK abdicated the throne on 14 December 2006 and his son immediately succeeded him; the nearly two-year delay between the former King's abdication and his son's coronation on 6 November 2008 was to ensure an astrologically auspicious coronation date and to give the new King-who had limited experience-deeper administrative expertise under the guidance of this father

head of government: Prime Minister Jigme THINLEY (since 9 April 2008)

cabinet: Council of Ministers (Lhengye Shungtsog) nominated by the monarch, approved by the National Assembly; members serve fixed, five-year terms; note - there is also a Royal Advisory Council (Lodoi Tsokde), members nominated by the monarch

elections: the monarch is hereditary, but democratic reforms in July 1998 grant the National Assembly authority to remove the monarch with two-thirds vote; election of a new National Assembly occurred in March 2008; the leader of the majority party is nominated as the prime minister

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament consists of the non-partisan National Council (25 seats; 20 members elected by each of the 20 electoral districts (dzongkhags) for four-year terms and 5 members nominated by the King); and the National Assembly (47 seats; members elected by direct, popular vote for five-year terms)

elections: National Council elections last held on 31 December 2007 and 29 January 2008 (next to be held by December 2012); National Assembly elections last held on 24 March 2008 (next to be held by March 2013)

election results: National Council - NA; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - DPT 67%, PDP 33%; seats by party - DPT 45, PDP 2

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court of Appeal (the monarch); High Court (judges appointed by the monarch); note - the draft constitution establishes a Supreme Court that will serve as chief court of appeal

Political parties and leaders:

Bhutan Peace and Prosperity Party (Druk Phuensum Tshogpa) or DPT
[Jigme THINLEY]; People's Democratic Party or PDP [Tshering TOBGAY]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

United Front for Democracy (exiled); Druk National Congress (exiled)

other: Buddhist clergy; ethnic Nepalese organizations leading militant antigovernment campaign; Indian merchant community

International organization participation:

ADB, BIMSTEC, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IMF,
Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, NAM,
OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none; note - the Permanent Mission to the UN for Bhutan has consular jurisdiction in the US; address: 763 First Avenue, New York, NY 10017; telephone [1] (212) 682-2268; FAX [1] (212) 661-0551

consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

the US and Bhutan have no formal diplomatic relations, although informal contact is maintained between the Bhutanese and US Embassy in New Delhi (India)

Flag description:

divided diagonally from the lower hoist-side corner; the upper triangle is yellow and the lower triangle is orange; centered along the dividing line is a large black and white dragon facing away from the hoist side

Economy ::Bhutan

Economy - overview:

The economy, one of the world's smallest and least developed, is based on agriculture and forestry, which provide the main livelihood for more than 60% of the population. Agriculture consists largely of subsistence farming and animal husbandry. Rugged mountains dominate the terrain and make the building of roads and other infrastructure difficult and expensive. The economy is closely aligned with India's through strong trade and monetary links and dependence on India's financial assistance. The industrial sector is technologically backward, with most production of the cottage industry type. Most development projects, such as road construction, rely on Indian migrant labor. Model education, social, and environment programs are underway with support from multilateral development organizations. Each economic program takes into account the government's desire to protect the country's environment and cultural traditions. For example, the government, in its cautious expansion of the tourist sector, encourages visits by upscale, environmentally conscientious tourists. Detailed controls and uncertain policies in areas such as industrial licensing, trade, labor, and finance continue to hamper foreign investment. Hydropower exports to India have boosted Bhutan's overall growth, even though GDP fell in 2008 as a result of a slowdown in India, its predominant export market. New hydropower projects will be the driving force behind Bhutan's ability to create employment and sustain growth in the coming years.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$3.533 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 169 $2.91 billion (2007 est.)

$2.738 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$1.389 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

21.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 1 6.3% (2007 est.)

6.5% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$5,200 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 138 $4,300 (2007 est.)

$4,100 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 22.3%

industry: 37.9%

services: 39.8% (2006)

Labor force:

NA

note: major shortage of skilled labor

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 63%

industry: 6%

services: 31% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:

2.5% (2004) country comparison to the world: 28

Population below poverty line:

31.7% (2003)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $272 million

expenditures: $350 million

note: the government of India finances nearly three-fifths of Bhutan's budget expenditures (2005)

Public debt:

81.4% of GDP (2004) country comparison to the world: 11 81.4% of GDP (2004)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

4.9% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 84

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

NA% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 54 14% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$381.1 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$220.3 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$169.9 million (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

rice, corn, root crops, citrus, foodgrains; dairy products, eggs

Industries:

cement, wood products, processed fruits, alcoholic beverages, calcium carbide, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:

NA

Electricity - production:

4.475 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 116

Electricity - consumption:

528.8 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 160

Electricity - exports:

3.644 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

11 million kWh (2007 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 203

Oil - consumption:

1,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 187

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 140

Oil - imports:

1,168 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 187

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 201

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 98

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 203

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 199

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 72

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 200

Current account balance:

$116 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 57

Exports:

$350 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 169

Exports - commodities:

electricity (to India), cardamom, gypsum, timber, handicrafts, cement, fruit, precious stones, spices

Exports - partners:

India 89%, Bangladesh 6.5%, Italy 1.2% (2008)

Imports:

$320 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 192

Imports - commodities:

fuel and lubricants, grain, aircraft, machinery and parts, vehicles, fabrics, rice

Imports - partners:

India 59.5%, Japan 13.4%, China 5.6% (2008)

Debt - external:

$713.3 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 158

Exchange rates:

ngultrum (BTN) per US dollar - 41.487 (2007), 45.279 (2006), 44.101 (2005), 45.317 (2004), 46.583 (2003)

note: the ngultrum is pegged to the Indian rupee

Communications ::Bhutan

Telephones - main lines in use:

27,500 (2008) country comparison to the world: 181

Telephones - mobile cellular:

251,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 170

Telephone system:

general assessment: urban towns and district headquarters have telecommunications services

domestic: low teledensity; domestic service is very poor especially in rural areas; wireless service available since 2003

international: country code - 975; international telephone and telegraph service via landline and microwave relay through India; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 0, FM 9, shortwave 1 (2007)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (2007)

Internet country code:

.bt

Internet hosts:

9,096 (2009) country comparison to the world: 119

Internet users:

40,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 174

Transportation ::Bhutan

Airports:

2 (2009) country comparison to the world: 197

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 8,050 km country comparison to the world: 140 paved: 4,991 km

unpaved: 3,059 km (2003)

Military ::Bhutan

Military branches:

Royal Bhutan Army (includes Royal Bodyguard and Royal Bhutan Police) (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 190,104

females age 16-49: 167,289 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 150,210

females age 16-49: 135,991 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 7,668

female: 7,379 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 134

Transnational Issues ::Bhutan

Disputes - international:

Bhutan cooperates with India to expel Indian Nagaland separatists; lacking any treaty describing the boundary, Bhutan and China continue negotiations to establish a common boundary alignment to resolve territorial disputes arising from substantial cartographic discrepancies, the largest of which lie in Bhutan's northwest and along the Chumbi salient

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Bolivia (South America)

Introduction ::Bolivia

Background:

Bolivia, named after independence fighter Simon BOLIVAR, broke away from Spanish rule in 1825; much of its subsequent history has consisted of a series of nearly 200 coups and countercoups. Democratic civilian rule was established in 1982, but leaders have faced difficult problems of deep-seated poverty, social unrest, and illegal drug production. In December 2005, Bolivians elected Movement Toward Socialism leader Evo MORALES president - by the widest margin of any leader since the restoration of civilian rule in 1982 - after he ran on a promise to change the country's traditional political class and empower the nation's poor, indigenous majority. However, since taking office, his controversial strategies have exacerbated racial and economic tensions between the Amerindian populations of the Andean west and the non-indigenous communities of the eastern lowlands.

Geography ::Bolivia

Location:

Central South America, southwest of Brazil

Geographic coordinates:

17 00 S, 65 00 W

Map references:

South America

Area:

total: 1,098,581 sq km country comparison to the world: 28 land: 1,083,301 sq km

water: 15,280 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly less than three times the size of Montana

Land boundaries:

total: 6,940 km

border countries: Argentina 832 km, Brazil 3,423 km, Chile 860 km, Paraguay 750 km, Peru 1,075 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

varies with altitude; humid and tropical to cold and semiarid

Terrain:

rugged Andes Mountains with a highland plateau (Altiplano), hills, lowland plains of the Amazon Basin

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Rio Paraguay 90 m

highest point: Nevado Sajama 6,542 m

Natural resources:

tin, natural gas, petroleum, zinc, tungsten, antimony, silver, iron, lead, gold, timber, hydropower

Land use:

arable land: 2.78%

permanent crops: 0.19%

other: 97.03% (2005)

Irrigated land:

1,320 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

622.5 cu km (2000)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 1.44 cu km/yr (13%/7%/81%)

per capita: 157 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

flooding in the northeast (March-April)

Environment - current issues:

the clearing of land for agricultural purposes and the international demand for tropical timber are contributing to deforestation; soil erosion from overgrazing and poor cultivation methods (including slash-and-burn agriculture); desertification; loss of biodiversity; industrial pollution of water supplies used for drinking and irrigation

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:

landlocked; shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest navigable lake (elevation 3,805 m), with Peru

People ::Bolivia

Population:

9,775,246 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 84

Age structure:

0-14 years: 35.5% (male 1,767,310/female 1,701,744)

15-64 years: 60% (male 2,877,605/female 2,992,043)

65 years and over: 4.5% (male 193,196/female 243,348) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 21.9 years

male: 21.3 years

female: 22.6 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.772% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 74

Birth rate:

25.82 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 66

Death rate:

7.05 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 130

Net migration rate:

-1.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 123

Urbanization:

urban population: 66% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 2.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 44.66 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 58 male: 48.56 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 40.57 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 66.89 years country comparison to the world: 156 male: 64.2 years

female: 69.72 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3.17 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 66

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.2% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 108

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

8,100 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 112

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 500 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 99

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, and yellow fever

water contact disease: leptospirosis (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Bolivian(s)

adjective: Bolivian

Ethnic groups:

Quechua 30%, mestizo (mixed white and Amerindian ancestry) 30%,
Aymara 25%, white 15%

Religions:

Roman Catholic 95%, Protestant (Evangelical Methodist) 5%

Languages:

Spanish 60.7% (official), Quechua 21.2% (official), Aymara 14.6% (official), foreign languages 2.4%, other 1.2% (2001 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 86.7%

male: 93.1%

female: 80.7% (2001 census)

Education expenditures:

6.4% of GDP (2003) country comparison to the world: 32

Government ::Bolivia

Country name:

conventional long form: Plurinational State of Bolivia

conventional short form: Bolivia

local long form: Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia

local short form: Bolivia

Government type:

republic; note - the new constitution defines Bolivia as a "Social Unitarian State"

Capital:

name: La Paz (administrative capital)

geographic coordinates: 16 30 S, 68 09 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

note: Sucre (constitutional capital)

Administrative divisions:

9 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Beni, Chuquisaca, Cochabamba, La Paz, Oruro, Pando, Potosi, Santa Cruz, Tarija

Independence:

6 August 1825 (from Spain)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 6 August (1825)

Constitution:

2 February 1967; revised in August 1994; voters approved a new constitution on 25 January 2009

Legal system:

based on Spanish law and Napoleonic Code; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; the 2009 Constitution incorporates indigenous community justice into Bolivia's judicial system

Suffrage:

18 years of age, universal and compulsory (married); 21 years of age, universal and compulsory (single)

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Juan Evo MORALES Ayma (since 22 January 2006); Vice President Alvaro GARCIA Linera (since 22 January 2006); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Juan Evo MORALES Ayma (since 22 January 2006); Vice President Alvaro GARCIA Linera (since 22 January 2006)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president

elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a single five-year term; election last held 18 December 2005 (next to be held in December 2009)

election results: Juan Evo MORALES Ayma elected president; percent of vote - Juan Evo MORALES Ayma 53.7%; Jorge Fernando QUIROGA Ramirez 28.6%; Samuel DORIA MEDINA Arana 7.8%; Michiaki NAGATANI Morishit 6.5%; Felipe QUISPE Huanca 2.2%; Guildo ANGULA Cabrera 0.7%

Legislative branch:

bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (27 seats; members are elected by proportional representation from party lists to serve five-year terms) and Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (130 seats; 70 members are directly elected from their districts and 60 are elected by proportional representation from party lists to serve five-year terms); note - under representational rules established by the 2009 Constitution, the National Congress will become the Plurinational Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa Plurinacional; the number of Deputies will remain at 130, but the number of Senators will rise to 36

elections: Chamber of Senators and Chamber of Deputies - last held 18 December 2005 (next to be held in December 2009)

election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party -
NA; seats by party - PODEMOS 13, MAS 12, UN 1, MNR 1; Chamber of
Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MAS 73,
PODEMOS 43, UN 8, MNR 6

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges appointed for 10-year terms by National Congress); District Courts (one in each department); provincial and local courts (to try minor cases); Constitutional Tribunal (five primary or titulares and five alternate or suplente magistrates appointed by Congress; to rule on constitutional issues); National Electoral Court (six members elected by Congress, Supreme Court, the president, and the political party with the highest vote in the last election for four-year terms); note - under the 2009 Constitution, all Constitutional and Supreme Court judges will be elected by popular vote

Political parties and leaders:

Free Bolivia Movement or MBL [Franz BARRIOS]; Movement Toward
Socialism or MAS [Juan Evo MORALES Ayma]; Movement Without Fear or
MSM [Juan DEL GRANADO]; National Revolutionary Movement or MNR
[Mirta QUEVEDO]; National Unity [Samuel DORIA MEDINA Arana]; Poder
Democratico Nacional or PODEMOS [Jorge Fernando QUIROGA Ramirez];
Social Alliance [Rene JOAQUINO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Sole Confederation of Campesino Workers of Bolivia or CSUTCB

other: Cocalero groups; indigenous organizations; labor unions

International organization participation:

CAN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent),
ITSO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, MINURCAT,
MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNASUR,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI,
UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Erika Angela DUENAS Loayza

chancery: 3014 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 483-4410

FAX: [1] (202) 328-3712

consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco

note: as of September 2008, the US has expelled the Bolivian ambassador to the US

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Krishna URS

embassy: Avenida Arce 2780, Casilla 425, La Paz

mailing address: P. O. Box 425, La Paz; APO AA 34032

telephone: [591] (2) 216-8000

FAX: [591] (2) 216-8111

note: as of September 2008, the Bolivian Government has expelled the US Ambassador to Bolivia

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green with the coat of arms centered on the yellow band

note: similar to the flag of Ghana, which has a large black five-pointed star centered in the yellow band; in 2009, a presidential decree made it mandatory for a so-called wiphala - a square, multi-colored flag representing the country's indigenous peoples - to be used alongside the traditional flag

Economy ::Bolivia

Economy - overview:

Bolivia is one of the poorest and least developed countries in Latin America. Following a disastrous economic crisis during the early 1980s, reforms spurred private investment, stimulated economic growth, and cut poverty rates in the 1990s. The period 2003-05 was characterized by political instability, racial tensions, and violent protests against plans - subsequently abandoned - to export Bolivia's newly discovered natural gas reserves to large northern hemisphere markets. In 2005, the government passed a controversial hydrocarbons law that imposed significantly higher royalties and required foreign firms then operating under risk-sharing contracts to surrender all production to the state energy company. In early 2008, higher earnings for mining and hydrocarbons exports pushed the current account surplus to 9.4% of GDP and the government's higher tax take produced a fiscal surplus after years of large deficits. Private investment as a share of GDP, however, remains among the lowest in Latin America, and inflation remained at double-digit levels in 2008. The decline in commodity prices in late 2008, the lack of foreign investment in the mining and hydrocarbon sectors, and the suspension of trade benefits with the United States will pose challenges for the Bolivian economy in 2009.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$43.38 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 92 $40.88 billion (2007 est.)

$39.08 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$16.6 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

6.1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 57 4.6% (2007 est.)

4.8% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$4,500 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 147 $4,300 (2007 est.)

$4,200 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 11.3%

industry: 36.9%

services: 51.8% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

4.454 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 80

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 40%

industry: 17%

services: 43% (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate:

7.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 98 7.5% (2007 est.)

note: data are for urban areas; widespread underemployment

Population below poverty line:

60% (2006 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 0.5%

highest 10%: 44.1% (2005)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

59.2 (2006) country comparison to the world: 7 44.7 (1999)

Investment (gross fixed):

18% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 130

Budget:

revenues: $8.039 billion

expenditures: $7.5 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

45.2% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 43 46.3% of GDP (2007 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

14% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 184 8.7% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

13% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 59 6.5% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

13.87% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 62 12.86% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$3.998 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 59 $3.032 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$6.339 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 59 $4.729 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$5.433 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 81 $4.759 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 97 $2.263 billion (31 December 2007)

$2.223 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

soybeans, coffee, coca, cotton, corn, sugarcane, rice, potatoes; timber

Industries:

mining, smelting, petroleum, food and beverages, tobacco, handicrafts, clothing

Industrial production growth rate:

10.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 10

Electricity - production:

5.495 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 111

Electricity - consumption:

4.665 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 111

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

51,360 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 62

Oil - consumption:

60,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 92

Oil - exports:

10,950 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 94

Oil - imports:

6,172 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 151

Oil - proved reserves:

465 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 47

Natural gas - production:

14.2 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 35

Natural gas - consumption:

2.41 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 78

Natural gas - exports:

11.79 billion cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 17

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 76

Natural gas - proved reserves:

750.4 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 30

Current account balance:

$2.015 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 42 $1.984 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$6.448 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 101 $4.49 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

natural gas, soybeans and soy products, crude petroleum, zinc ore, tin

Exports - partners:

Brazil 60.1%, US 8.3%, Japan 4.1% (2008)

Imports:

$4.641 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 120 $3.24 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

petroleum products, plastics, paper, aircraft and aircraft parts, prepared foods, automobiles, insecticides, soybeans

Imports - partners:

Brazil 26.7%, Argentina 16.3%, US 10.5%, Chile 9.5%, Peru 7.1%,
China 4.8% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$7.722 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 74 $5.318 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$5.931 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 102 $5.385 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$5.998 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 87

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$NA

Exchange rates:

bolivianos (BOB) per US dollar - 7.253 (2008 est.), 7.8616 (2007), 8.0159 (2006), 8.0661 (2005), 7.9363 (2004)

Communications ::Bolivia

Telephones - main lines in use:

690,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 90

Telephones - mobile cellular:

4.83 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 89

Telephone system:

general assessment: privatization begun in 1995; reliability has steadily improved; new subscribers face bureaucratic difficulties; most telephones are concentrated in La Paz and other cities; mobile-cellular telephone use expanding rapidly; fixed-line teledensity of 7 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone density slighly exceeds 50 per 100 persons

domestic: primary trunk system, which is being expanded, employs digital microwave radio relay; some areas are served by fiber-optic cable; mobile cellular systems are being expanded

international: country code - 591; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 171, FM 73, shortwave 77 (1999)

Television broadcast stations:

48 (1997)

Internet country code:

.bo

Internet hosts:

105,031 (2009) country comparison to the world: 71

Internet users:

1 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 87

Transportation ::Bolivia

Airports:

952 (2009) country comparison to the world: 8

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 16

over 3,047 m: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 4

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 5 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 936

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 4

1,524 to 2,437 m: 58

914 to 1,523 m: 186

under 914 m: 687 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 4,883 km; liquid petroleum gas 47 km; oil 2,475 km; refined products 1,589 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 3,504 km country comparison to the world: 50 narrow gauge: 3,504 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 62,479 km country comparison to the world: 71 paved: 3,749 km

unpaved: 58,730 km (2004)

Waterways:

10,000 km (commercially navigable) (2007) country comparison to the world: 13

Merchant marine:

total: 23 country comparison to the world: 93 by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 11, carrier 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 7, refrigerated cargo 1, specialized tanker 1

foreign-owned: 7 (Bahamas 1, China 1, Iran 1, Singapore 1, Syria 2, Taiwan 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Puerto Aguirre (inland port on the Paraguay/Parana waterway at the Bolivia/Brazil border); Bolivia has free port privileges in maritime ports in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Paraguay

Military ::Bolivia

Military branches:

Bolivian Armed Forces: Bolivian Army (Ejercito Boliviano, EB),
Bolivian Navy (Fuerza Naval Boliviana, FNB; includes marines),
Bolivian Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Boliviana, FAB) (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18-49 years of age for 12-month compulsory military service; when annual number of volunteers falls short of goal, compulsory recruitment is effected, including conscription of boys as young as 14; 15-19 years of age for voluntary premilitary service, provides exemption from further military service (2009)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 2,295,746

females age 16-49: 2,366,828 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,666,697

females age 16-49: 1,906,396 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 108,304

female: 104,882 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.9% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 88

Transnational Issues ::Bolivia

Disputes - international:

Chile and Peru rebuff Bolivia's reactivated claim to restore the Atacama corridor, ceded to Chile in 1884, but Chile offers instead unrestricted but not sovereign maritime access through Chile for Bolivian natural gas and other commodities; an accord placed the long-disputed Isla Suarez/Ilha de Guajara-Mirim, a fluvial island on the Rio Mamore, under Bolivian administration in 1958, but sovereignty remains in dispute

Illicit drugs:

world's third-largest cultivator of coca (after Colombia and Peru) with an estimated 29,500 hectares under cultivation in 2007, increased slightly when compared to 2006; third largest producer of cocaine, estimated at 120 metric tons potential pure cocaine in 2007; transit country for Peruvian and Colombian cocaine destined for Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, and Europe; cultivation generally increasing since 2000, despite eradication and alternative crop programs; weak border controls; some money-laundering activity related to narcotics trade; major cocaine consumption (2008)

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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@Bosnia and Herzegovina (Europe)

Introduction ::Bosnia and Herzegovina

Background:

Bosnia and Herzegovina's declaration of sovereignty in October 1991 was followed by a declaration of independence from the former Yugoslavia on 3 March 1992 after a referendum boycotted by ethnic Serbs. The Bosnian Serbs - supported by neighboring Serbia and Montenegro - responded with armed resistance aimed at partitioning the republic along ethnic lines and joining Serb-held areas to form a "Greater Serbia." In March 1994, Bosniaks and Croats reduced the number of warring factions from three to two by signing an agreement creating a joint Bosniak/Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. On 21 November 1995, in Dayton, Ohio, the warring parties initialed a peace agreement that brought to a halt three years of interethnic civil strife (the final agreement was signed in Paris on 14 December 1995). The Dayton Peace Accords retained Bosnia and Herzegovina's international boundaries and created a joint multi-ethnic and democratic government charged with conducting foreign, diplomatic, and fiscal policy. Also recognized was a second tier of government comprised of two entities roughly equal in size: the Bosniak/Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Bosnian Serb-led Republika Srpska (RS). The Federation and RS governments were charged with overseeing most government functions. The Office of the High Representative (OHR) was established to oversee the implementation of the civilian aspects of the agreement. In 1995-96, a NATO-led international peacekeeping force (IFOR) of 60,000 troops served in Bosnia to implement and monitor the military aspects of the agreement. IFOR was succeeded by a smaller, NATO-led Stabilization Force (SFOR) whose mission was to deter renewed hostilities. European Union peacekeeping troops (EUFOR) replaced SFOR in December 2004; their mission is to maintain peace and stability throughout the country. EUFOR's mission changed from peacekeeping to civil policing in October 2007, with its presence reduced from nearly 7,000 to less than 2,500 troops.

Geography ::Bosnia and Herzegovina

Location:

Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Croatia

Geographic coordinates:

44 00 N, 18 00 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 51,197 sq km country comparison to the world: 128 land: 51,187 sq km

water: 10 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than West Virginia

Land boundaries:

total: 1,538 km

border countries: Croatia 932 km, Montenegro 249 km, Serbia 357 km

Coastline:

20 km

Maritime claims:

no data available

Climate:

hot summers and cold winters; areas of high elevation have short, cool summers and long, severe winters; mild, rainy winters along coast

Terrain:

mountains and valleys

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m

highest point: Maglic 2,386 m

Natural resources:

coal, iron ore, bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, cobalt, manganese, nickel, clay, gypsum, salt, sand, forests, hydropower

Land use:

arable land: 19.61%

permanent crops: 1.89%

other: 78.5% (2005)

Irrigated land:

30 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

37.5 cu km (2003)

Natural hazards:

destructive earthquakes

Environment - current issues:

air pollution from metallurgical plants; sites for disposing of urban waste are limited; water shortages and destruction of infrastructure because of the 1992-95 civil strife; deforestation

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

within Bosnia and Herzegovina's recognized borders, the country is divided into a joint Bosniak/Croat Federation (about 51% of the territory) and the Bosnian Serb-led Republika Srpska or RS (about 49% of the territory); the region called Herzegovina is contiguous to Croatia and Montenegro, and traditionally has been settled by an ethnic Croat majority in the west and an ethnic Serb majority in the east

People ::Bosnia and Herzegovina

Population:

4,613,414 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 119

Age structure:

0-14 years: 14.5% (male 344,760/female 323,303)

15-64 years: 70.7% (male 1,645,274/female 1,617,136)

65 years and over: 14.8% (male 279,781/female 403,160) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 39.8 years

male: 38.7 years

female: 41 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.339% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 172

Birth rate:

8.85 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 214

Death rate:

8.63 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 89

Net migration rate:

3.17 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 28

Urbanization:

urban population: 47% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female

total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 9.1 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 155 male: 10.44 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 7.67 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 78.5 years country comparison to the world: 43 male: 74.92 years

female: 82.34 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.25 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 212

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 165

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

900 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 143

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

100 (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 149

Nationality:

noun: Bosnian(s), Herzegovinian(s)

adjective: Bosnian, Herzegovinian

Ethnic groups:

Bosniak 48%, Serb 37.1%, Croat 14.3%, other 0.6% (2000)

note: Bosniak has replaced Muslim as an ethnic term in part to avoid confusion with the religious term Muslim - an adherent of Islam

Religions:

Muslim 40%, Orthodox 31%, Roman Catholic 15%, other 14%

Languages:

Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 96.7%

male: 99%

female: 94.4% (2000 est.)

Education expenditures:

NA

Government ::Bosnia and Herzegovina

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Bosnia and Herzegovina

local long form: none

local short form: Bosna i Hercegovina

former: People's Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Government type:

emerging federal democratic republic

Capital:

name: Sarajevo

geographic coordinates: 43 52 N, 18 25 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

2 first-order administrative divisions and 1 internationally supervised district* - Brcko district (Brcko Distrikt)*, the Bosniak/Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Federacija Bosna i Hercegovina) and the Bosnian Serb-led Republika Srpska; note - Brcko district is in northeastern Bosnia and is an administrative unit under the sovereignty of Bosnia and Herzegovina; the district remains under international supervision

Independence:

1 March 1992 (from Yugoslavia; referendum for independence completed 1 March 1992; independence declared 3 March 1992)

National holiday:

National Day, 25 November (1943)

Constitution:

the Dayton Peace Accords, signed 14 December 1995 in Paris, included a new constitution now in force; note - each of the entities also has its own constitution

Legal system:

based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age, 16 if employed; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Chairman of the Presidency Zeljko KOMSIC (chairman since 6 July 2009; presidency member since 1 October 2006 - Croat); other members of the three-member presidency rotating (every eight months): Haris SILAJDZIC (presidency member since 1 October 2006 - Bosniak); and Nebojsa RADMANOVIC (presidency member since 1 October 2006 - Serb)

head of government: Chairman of the Council of Ministers Nikola SPIRIC (since 11 January 2007)

cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the council chairman; approved by the National House of Representatives

elections: the three members of the presidency (one Bosniak, one Croat, one Serb) are elected by popular vote for a four-year term (eligible for a second term, but then ineligible for four years); the chairmanship rotates every eight months and resumes where it left off following each national election; election last held 1 October 2006 (next to be held in 2010); the chairman of the Council of Ministers is appointed by the presidency and confirmed by the National House of Representatives

election results: percent of vote - Nebojsa RADMANOVIC with 53.3% of the votes for the Serb seat; Zeljko KOMSIC with 39.6% of the votes for the Croat seat; Haris SILAJDZIC with 62.8% of the votes for the Bosniak seat

note: President of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina: Borjana KRISTO (since 21 February 2007); Vice Presidents Spomenka MICIC (since NA 2007) and Mirsad KEBO (since NA 2007); President of the Republika Srpska: Rajko KUSMANOVIC (since 28 December 2007)

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliamentary Assembly or Skupstina consists of the House of Peoples or Dom Naroda (15 seats, 5 Bosniak, 5 Croat, 5 Serb; members elected by the Bosniak/Croat Federation's House of Representatives and the Republika Srpska's National Assembly to serve four-year terms); and the national House of Representatives or Predstavnicki Dom (42 seats, 28 seats allocated for the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and 14 seats for the Republika Srpska; members elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation, to serve four-year terms); note - Bosnia's election law specifies four-year terms for the state and first-order administrative division entity legislatures

elections: House of Peoples - last constituted in January 2003 (next to be constituted in 2007); national House of Representatives - elections last held 1 October 2006 (next to be held in 2010)

election results: House of Peoples - percent of vote by party/coalition - NA; seats by party/coalition - NA; national House of Representatives - percent of vote by party/coalition - NA; seats by party/coalition - SDA 9, SBiH 8, SNSD 7, SDP 5, SDS 3, HDZ-BH 3, HDZ1990 2, other 5

note: the Bosniak/Croat Federation has a bicameral legislature that consists of a House of Peoples (58 seats - 17 Bosniak, 17 Croat, 17 Serb, 7 other); last constituted December 2002; and a House of Representatives (98 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms); elections last held 1 October 2006 (next to be held in October 2010); percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party/coalition - SDA 28, SBiH 24, SDP 17, HDZ-BH 8, HDZ1990 7, other 14; the Republika Srpska has a National Assembly (83 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms); elections last held 1 October 2006 (next to be held in the fall of 2010); percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party/coalition - SNSD 41, SDS 17, PDP 8, DNS 4, SBiH 4, SPRS 3, SDA 3, other 3; as a result of the 2002 constitutional reform process, a 28-member Republika Srpska Council of Peoples (COP) was established in the Republika Srpska National Assembly including eight Croats, eight Bosniaks, eight Serbs, and four members of the smaller communities

Judicial branch:

BH Constitutional Court (consists of nine members: four members are selected by the Bosniak/Croat Federation's House of Representatives, two members by the Republika Srpska's National Assembly, and three non-Bosnian members by the president of the European Court of Human Rights); BH State Court (consists of nine judges and three divisions - Administrative, Appellate and Criminal - having jurisdiction over cases related to state-level law and appellate jurisdiction over cases initiated in the entities); a War Crimes Chamber opened in March 2005

note: the entities each have a Supreme Court; each entity also has a number of lower courts; there are 10 cantonal courts in the Federation, plus a number of municipal courts; the Republika Srpska has five municipal courts

Political parties and leaders:

Alliance of Independent Social Democrats or SNSD [Milorad DODIK];
Bosnian Party or BOSS [Mirnes AJANOVIC]; Bosnian Patriotic Party of
BPS [Sefer HALILOVIC]; Civic Democratic Party or GDS [Ibrahim
SPAHIC]; Croat Christian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina
or HKDU [Marin TOPIC]; Croat Party of Rights or HSP [Zvonko
JURISIC]; Croat Peasants Party or HSS [Marko TADIC]; Croatian
Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina or HDZ-BH [Dragan COVIC];
Croatian Democratic Union 1990 or HDZ1990 [Bozo LJUBIC]; Croatian
Peoples Union [Milenko BRKIC]; Democratic National Union or DNZ
[Rifet DOLIC]; Democratic Party of DP [Dragan CAVIC]; Democratic
Peoples Alliance or DNS [Marko PAVIC]; Liberal Democratic Party or
LDS [Rasim KADIC]; Nasa Stranka or NS [Bojan BAJIC]; New Croat
Initiative or NHI [Kresimir ZUBAK]; Party for Bosnia and Herzegovina
or SBiH [Haris SILAJDZIC]; Party for Democratic Action or SDA
[Sulejman TIHIC]; Party for Work and Progress or RzB [Mladen
IVANKOVIC-LIJANOVIC]; Party of Democratic Progress or PDP [Mladen
IVANIC]; Serb Democratic Party or SDS [Mladen BOSIC]; Serb Radical
Party of the Republika Srpska or SRS-RS [Milanko MIHAJLICA]; Serb
Radical Party-Dr. Vojislav Seselj or SRS-VS [Radislav KANJERIC];
Social Democratic Party of BIH or SDP [Zlatko LAGUMDZIJA]; Social
Democratic Union or SDU [Sejfudin TOKIC]; Socialist Party of
Republika Srpska or SPRS [Petar DJOKIC]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

other: displaced persons associations; student councils; war veterans

International organization participation:

BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,
ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM (observer), OAS (observer),
OIC (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Mitar KUJUNDZIC

chancery: 2109 E Street NW, Washington, DC 20037

telephone: [1] (202) 337-1500

FAX: [1] (202) 337-1502

consulate(s) general: Chicago, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Charles L. ENGLISH

embassy: Alipasina 43, 71000 Sarajevo

mailing address: use embassy street address

telephone: [387] (33) 445-700

FAX: [387] (33) 659-722

branch office(s): Banja Luka, Mostar

Flag description:

a wide medium blue vertical band on the fly side with a yellow isosceles triangle abutting the band and the top of the flag; the remainder of the flag is medium blue with seven full five-pointed white stars and two half stars top and bottom along the hypotenuse of the triangle

Economy ::Bosnia and Herzegovina

Economy - overview:

The interethnic warfare in Bosnia and Herzegovina caused production to plummet by 80% from 1992 to 1995 and unemployment to soar. With an uneasy peace in place, output recovered in 1996-99 at high percentage rates from a low base; but output growth slowed in 2000-02. Part of the lag in output was made up in 2003-08 when GDP growth exceeded 5% per year. Banking reform accelerated in 2001 as all the Communist-era payments bureaus were shut down; foreign banks, primarily from Western Europe, now control most of the banking sector. The konvertibilna marka (convertible mark or BAM)- the national currency introduced in 1998 - is pegged to the euro, and confidence in the currency and the banking sector has increased. Bosnia's private sector is growing and foreign investment is slowly increasing, but government spending, at nearly 40% of adjusted GDP, remains high because of redundant government offices at the state, entity and municipal level. Implementing privatization, however, has been slow, particularly in the Federation where political division between ethnically-based political parties makes agreement on economic policy more difficult. A sizeable current account deficit and high unemployment rate remain the two most serious macroeconomic problems. Successful implementation of a value-added tax in 2006 provided a predictable source of revenue for the government and helped rein in gray market activity. National-level statistics have also improved over time but a large share of economic activity remains unofficial and unrecorded. Bosnia and Herzegovina became a full member of the Central European Free Trade Agreement in September 2007. Bosnia's economy has been largely sheltered from the global financial downtown although key economic indicators have worsened. Key exporters in the metal, automobile and wood processing industries have reported a worsening performance and have announced layoffs and output reductions.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$29.77 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 106 $28.22 billion (2007 est.)

$26.62 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Bosnia has a large informal sector that may be as much as 50% of official GDP

GDP (official exchange rate):

$18.47 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 72 6% (2007 est.)

6.9% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$6,500 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 127 $6,200 (2007 est.)

$5,900 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 10.2%

industry: 23.9%

services: 66% (2006 est.)

Labor force:

1.863 million (2007) country comparison to the world: 122

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 19.8%

industry: 32.6%

services: 47.6% (2007)

Unemployment rate:

29% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 174 45.5% (31 December 2004 est.)

note: official rate; gray economy may reduce actual unemployment to 25-30%

Population below poverty line:

25% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.8%

highest 10%: 27.4% (2004)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

56.2 (2007) country comparison to the world: 11

Budget:

revenues: $8.516 billion

expenditures: $8.867 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

40% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 54 34% of GDP (2007 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

7.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 117 1.6% (2007 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

6.98% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 120 7.17% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$4.49 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 57 $5.13 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$5.614 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 62 $5.597 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$10.26 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 70 $8.895 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

wheat, corn, fruits, vegetables; livestock

Industries:

steel, coal, iron ore, lead, zinc, manganese, bauxite, vehicle assembly, textiles, tobacco products, wooden furniture, tank and aircraft assembly, domestic appliances, oil refining

Industrial production growth rate:

11.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 6

Electricity - production:

11.32 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 89

Electricity - consumption:

8.488 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 89

Electricity - exports:

4.344 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

3.743 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 117

Oil - consumption:

29,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 112

Oil - exports:

191.8 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 131

Oil - imports:

25,990 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 106

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 203

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 204

Natural gas - consumption:

310 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 98

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 50

Natural gas - imports:

310 million cu m country comparison to the world: 63

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 202

Current account balance:

-$2.764 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 145 -$1.931 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$5.194 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 107 $4.243 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

metals, clothing, wood products

Exports - partners:

Croatia 20.7%, Slovenia 16.7%, Italy 16.7%, Germany 13%, Austria 10.3%, Hungary 4.8% (2008)

Imports:

$12.29 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 89 $9.947 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:

Croatia 24.6%, Slovenia 12.7%, Germany 12.3%, Italy 10.5%, Hungary 6.6%, Turkey 6.5%, Austria 6.3% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$3.516 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 90 $4.525 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$7.388 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 95 $6.734 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

konvertibilna markas (BAM) per US dollar - 1.3083 (2008 est.), 1.4419 (2007), 1.5576 (2006), 1.5727 (2005), 1.5752 (2004)

note: the convertible mark is pegged to the euro

Communications ::Bosnia and Herzegovina

Telephones - main lines in use:

1.031 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 80

Telephones - mobile cellular:

3.179 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 106

Telephone system:

general assessment: post-war reconstruction of the telecommunications network, aided by a internationally sponsored program under ERBD, resulted in sharp increases in the number of main telephone lines available; mobile cellular subscribership has been increasing rapidly

domestic: fixed-line teledensity roughly 22 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone density has reached 70 per 100 persons

international: country code - 387; no satellite earth stations (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 8, FM 16, shortwave 1 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

33 (plus 277 repeaters) (September 1995)

Internet country code:

.ba

Internet hosts:

69,370 (2009) country comparison to the world: 79

Internet users:

1.308 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 81

Transportation ::Bosnia and Herzegovina

Airports:

25 (2009) country comparison to the world: 132

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 7

2,438 to 3,047 m: 4

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 18

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 7

under 914 m: 10 (2009)

Heliports:

5 (2009)

Railways:

total: 1,000 km country comparison to the world: 88 standard gauge: 1,000 km 1.435-m gauge (590 km electrified) (2008)

Roadways:

total: 21,846 km country comparison to the world: 107 paved: 11,425 km (4,714 km of interurban roads)

unpaved: 10,421 km (2006)

Waterways:

Sava River (northern border) open to shipping but use limited (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Bosanska Gradiska, Bosanski Brod, Bosanski Samac, and Brcko (all inland waterway ports on the Sava River), Orasje

Military ::Bosnia and Herzegovina

Military branches:

Bosnia and Herzegovina Armed Forces (OSBiH): Army of Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Air and Air Defense Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina
(Zrakoplovstvo i Protuzracna Obrana, ZPO) (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished January 2006; 4-month service obligation (2009)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,212,007

females age 16-49: 1,170,645 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 991,953

females age 16-49: 959,226 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 27,368

female: 25,644 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

4.5% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 23

Transnational Issues ::Bosnia and Herzegovina

Disputes - international:

sections along the Drina River remain in dispute between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia; discussions continue with Croatia on several small disputed sections of the boundary related to maritime access that hinder final ratification of the 1999 border agreement

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 7,269 (Croatia)

IDPs: 131,600 (Bosnian Croats, Serbs, and Bosniaks displaced in 1992-95 war) (2007)

Illicit drugs:

increasingly a transit point for heroin being trafficked to Western Europe; minor transit point for marijuana; remains highly vulnerable to money-laundering activity given a primarily cash-based and unregulated economy, weak law enforcement, and instances of corruption

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Botswana (Africa)

Introduction ::Botswana

Background:

Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name upon independence in 1966. Four decades of uninterrupted civilian leadership, progressive social policies, and significant capital investment have created one of the most dynamic economies in Africa. Mineral extraction, principally diamond mining, dominates economic activity, though tourism is a growing sector due to the country's conservation practices and extensive nature preserves. Botswana has one of the world's highest known rates of HIV/AIDS infection, but also one of Africa's most progressive and comprehensive programs for dealing with the disease.

Geography ::Botswana

Location:

Southern Africa, north of South Africa

Geographic coordinates:

22 00 S, 24 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 581,730 sq km country comparison to the world: 47 land: 566,730 sq km

water: 15,000 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries:

total: 4,013 km

border countries: Namibia 1,360 km, South Africa 1,840 km, Zimbabwe 813 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

semiarid; warm winters and hot summers

Terrain:

predominantly flat to gently rolling tableland; Kalahari Desert in southwest

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: junction of the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers 513 m

highest point: Tsodilo Hills 1,489 m

Natural resources:

diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal, iron ore, silver

Land use:

arable land: 0.65%

permanent crops: 0.01%

other: 99.34% (2005)

Irrigated land:

10 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

14.7 cu km (2001)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.19 cu km/yr (41%/18%/41%)

per capita: 107 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

periodic droughts; seasonal August winds blow from the west, carrying sand and dust across the country, which can obscure visibility

Environment - current issues:

overgrazing; desertification; limited fresh water resources

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

landlocked; population concentrated in eastern part of the country

People ::Botswana

Population:

1,990,876 country comparison to the world: 146 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 34.8% (male 352,399/female 340,058)

15-64 years: 61.4% (male 613,714/female 608,003)

65 years and over: 3.9% (male 31,155/female 45,547) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 21.7 years

male: 21.5 years

female: 21.9 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.937% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 64

Birth rate:

22.89 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 81

Death rate:

8.52 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 93

Net migration rate:

5 migrant(s)/1,000 population country comparison to the world: 21 note: there is an increasing flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa and Botswana in search of better economic opportunities (2009 est.)

Urbanization:

urban population: 60% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 2.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 12.59 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 141 male: 13.43 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 11.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 61.85 years country comparison to the world: 178 male: 61.72 years

female: 61.99 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.6 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 89

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

23.9% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 2

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

300,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 23

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

11,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 28

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: malaria (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)

adjective: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)

Ethnic groups:

Tswana (or Setswana) 79%, Kalanga 11%, Basarwa 3%, other, including
Kgalagadi and white 7%

Religions:

Christian 71.6%, Badimo 6%, other 1.4%, unspecified 0.4%, none 20.6% (2001 census)

Languages:

Setswana 78.2%, Kalanga 7.9%, Sekgalagadi 2.8%, English 2.1% (official), other 8.6%, unspecified 0.4% (2001 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 81.2%

male: 80.4%

female: 81.8% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 12 years

male: 12 years

female: 12 years (2005)

Education expenditures:

8.7% of GDP (2007) country comparison to the world: 10

Government ::Botswana

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Botswana

conventional short form: Botswana

local long form: Republic of Botswana

local short form: Botswana

former: Bechuanaland

Government type:

parliamentary republic

Capital:

name: Gaborone

geographic coordinates: 24 45 S, 25 55 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

9 districts and 5 town councils*; Central, Francistown*, Gaborone*, Ghanzi, Jwaneng*, Kgalagadi, Kgatleng, Kweneng, Lobatse*, Northeast, Northwest, Selebi-Pikwe*, Southeast, Southern

Independence:

30 September 1966 (from the UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day (Botswana Day), 30 September (1966)

Constitution:

March 1965; effective 30 September 1966

Legal system:

based on Roman-Dutch law and local customary law; judicial review limited to matters of interpretation; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Seretse Khama Ian KHAMA (since 1 April 2008); Vice President Mompati MERAFHE (since 1 April 2008); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Seretse Khama Ian KHAMA (since 1 April 2008); Vice President Mompati MERAFHE (since 1 April 2008)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president

elections: president indirectly elected for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 20 October 2004 (next to be held on 9 October 2009); vice president appointed by the president

election results: Festus G. MOGAE elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - 52%: note - MOGAE stepped down on 1 April 2008 and designated KHAMA to serve out the remainder of his term

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament consists of the House of Chiefs (a largely advisory 15-member body with 8 ex-officio members consisting of the chiefs of the principal tribes, and 7 non-permanent members serving 5-year terms, consisting of 4 elected subchiefs and 3 members selected by the other 12 members) and the National Assembly (63 seats, 57 members are directly elected by popular vote, 4 are appointed by the majority party, and 2, the President and Attorney-General, serve as ex-officio members; members serve five-year terms)

elections: National Assembly elections last held 16 October 2009 (next to be held in 2014)

election results: percent of vote by party - BDP 53.3%, BNF 21.9%, BCP 19.2%, 2.3%, other 4.3%; seats by party - BDP 45, BNF 6, BCP 4, BAM 1, other 1

Judicial branch:

High Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrates' Courts (one in each district)

Political parties and leaders:

Botswana Alliance Movement or BAM [Ephraim Lepetu SETSHWAELO];
Botswana Congress Party or BCP [Gilson SALESHANDO]; Botswana
Democratic Party or BDP [Daniel KWELAGOBE]; Botswana National Front
or BNF [Otswoletse MOUPO]; Botswana Peoples Party or BPP [Bernard
BALIKANI]; MELS Movement of Botswana or MELS [Themba JOINA]; New
Democratic Front or NDF [Dick BAYFORD]

note: a number of minor parties joined forces in 1999 to form the
BAM but did not capture any parliamentary seats - includes the
United Action Party [Ephraim Lepetu SETSHWAELO]; the Independence
Freedom Party or IFP [Motsamai MPHO]; the Botswana Progressive Union
[D. K. KWELE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

First People of the Kalahari (Bushman organization); Pitso Ya Ba Tswana; Society for the Promotion of Ikalanga Language (Kalanga elites)

other: diamond mining companies

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU,
ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIS,
UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Lapologang Caesar LEKOA

chancery: 1531-1533 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

telephone: [1] (202) 244-4990

FAX: [1] (202) 244-4164

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Stephen J. NOLAN

embassy: Embassy Enclave (off Khama Crescent), Gaborone

mailing address: Embassy Enclave, P. O. Box 90, Gaborone

telephone: [267] 395-3982

FAX: [267] 395-6947

Flag description:

light blue with a horizontal white-edged black stripe in the center

Economy ::Botswana

Economy - overview:

Botswana has maintained one of the world's highest economic growth rates since independence in 1966, though growth fell below 5% in 2007-08. Through fiscal discipline and sound management, Botswana has transformed itself from one of the poorest countries in the world to a middle-income country with a per capita GDP of $13,300 in 2008. Two major investment services rank Botswana as the best credit risk in Africa. Diamond mining has fueled much of the expansion and currently accounts for more than one-third of GDP and for 70-80% of export earnings. Tourism, financial services, subsistence farming, and cattle raising are other key sectors. On the downside, the government must deal with high rates of unemployment and poverty. Unemployment officially was 23.8% in 2004, but unofficial estimates place it closer to 40%. HIV/AIDS infection rates are the second highest in the world and threaten Botswana's impressive economic gains. An expected leveling off in diamond mining production overshadows long-term prospects.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$27.11 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 111 $26.35 billion (2007 est.)

$25.23 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$13.46 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2.9% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 129 4.4% (2007 est.)

5.1% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$13,900 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 83 $13,800 (2007 est.)

$13,400 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 1.6%

industry: 52.6% (including 36% mining)

services: 45.8% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

685,300 formal sector employees (2007) country comparison to the world: 146

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Unemployment rate:

7.5% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 96

Population below poverty line:

30.3% (2003)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

63 (1993) country comparison to the world: 4

Investment (gross fixed):

23.4% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 62

Budget:

revenues: $4.326 billion

expenditures: $4.808 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

5.9% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 118 8.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

12.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 175 7.1% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

15% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 17 14.5% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

16.54% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 34 16.22% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$1.008 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 87 $1.026 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$4.183 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 75 $4.336 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$NA (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$3.556 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 82 $5.887 billion (31 December 2007)

$3.947 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

livestock, sorghum, maize, millet, beans, sunflowers, groundnuts

Industries:

diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash; livestock processing; textiles

Industrial production growth rate:

-2.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 158

Electricity - production:

1.052 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 144

Electricity - consumption:

2.648 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 130

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

2.181 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 116

Oil - consumption:

15,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 134

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 207

Oil - imports:

15,180 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 124

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 101

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 94

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 208

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 46

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 71

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 105

Current account balance:

$750.3 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 49 $2.434 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$4.707 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 112 $5.158 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

diamonds, copper, nickel, soda ash, meat, textiles

Imports:

$4.486 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 122 $3.447 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

foodstuffs, machinery, electrical goods, transport equipment, textiles, fuel and petroleum products, wood and paper products, metal and metal products

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$9.119 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 68 $9.79 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$409 million (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 168 $408 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

pulas (BWP) per US dollar - 6.7907 (2008 est.), 6.2035 (2007), 5.8447 (2006), 5.1104 (2005), 4.6929 (2004)

Communications ::Botswana

Telephones - main lines in use:

142,300 (2008) country comparison to the world: 135

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1.486 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 133

Telephone system:

general assessment: the system is expanding with the growth of mobile-cellular service and participation in regional development; system is fully digital with fiber-optic cables linking the major population centers in the east; fixed-line connections declined in recent years and now stand at roughly 8 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone density currently is about 80 per 100 persons

domestic: small system of open-wire lines, microwave radio relay links, and a few radiotelephone communication stations; mobile-cellular service is growing fast

international: country code - 267; international calls are made via satellite, using international direct dialing; 2 international exchanges; digital microwave radio relay links to Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 8, FM 13, shortwave 4 (2001)

Television broadcast stations:

2 (1 state-owned, 1 private)

Internet country code:

.bw

Internet hosts:

7,341 (2009) country comparison to the world: 128

Internet users:

120,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 146

Transportation ::Botswana

Airports:

77 (2009) country comparison to the world: 71

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 9

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 6

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 68

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 54

under 914 m: 10 (2009)

Railways:

total: 888 km country comparison to the world: 97 narrow gauge: 888 km 1.067-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 25,798 km country comparison to the world: 103 paved: 8,410 km

unpaved: 17,388 km (2005)

Military ::Botswana

Military branches:

Botswana Defense Force: Ground Forces (includes Air Arm) (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18 is the apparent age of voluntary military service; the official qualifications for determining minimum age are unknown (2001)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 487,853

females age 16-49: 464,278 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 341,190

females age 16-49: 315,588 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 23,420

female: 22,904 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

3.3% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 42

Transnational Issues ::Botswana

Disputes - international:

Botswana still struggles to seal its border from thousands of Zimbabweans who flee economic collapse and political persecution; Namibia has long supported, and in 2004 Zimbabwe dropped objections to, plans between Botswana and Zambia to build a bridge over the Zambezi River at Kazungula crossing, thereby de facto recognizing the short, but not clearly delimited, Botswana-Zambia boundary

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Bouvet Island (Antarctica)

Introduction ::Bouvet Island

Background:

This uninhabited volcanic island is almost entirely covered by glaciers and is difficult to approach. It was discovered in 1739 by a French naval officer after whom the island was named. No claim was made until 1825, when the British flag was raised. In 1928, the UK waived its claim in favor of Norway, which had occupied the island the previous year. In 1971, Norway designated Bouvet Island and the adjacent territorial waters a nature reserve. Since 1977, it has run an automated meteorological station on the island.

Geography ::Bouvet Island

Location:

island in the South Atlantic Ocean, southwest of the Cape of Good Hope (South Africa)

Geographic coordinates:

54 26 S, 3 24 E

Map references:

Antarctic Region

Area:

total: 49 sq km country comparison to the world: 232 land: 49 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

29.6 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 4 nm

Climate:

antarctic

Terrain:

volcanic; coast is mostly inaccessible

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: South Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Olav Peak 935 m

Natural resources:

none

Land use:

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (93% ice) (2005)

Irrigated land:

0 sq km

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

NA

Geography - note:

covered by glacial ice; declared a nature reserve by Norway

People ::Bouvet Island

Population:

uninhabited

Government ::Bouvet Island

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Bouvet Island

Dependency status:

territory of Norway; administered by the Polar Department of the Ministry of Justice and Oslo Police

Legal system:

the laws of Norway, where applicable, apply

Flag description:

the flag of Norway is used

Economy ::Bouvet Island

Economy - overview:

no economic activity; declared a nature reserve

Communications ::Bouvet Island

Internet country code:

.bv

Internet hosts:

0 (2009) country comparison to the world: 230

Communications - note:

automatic meteorological station

Transportation ::Bouvet Island

Ports and terminals:

none; offshore anchorage only

Military ::Bouvet Island

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of Norway

Transnational Issues ::Bouvet Island

Disputes - international:

none

page last updated on October 28, 2009

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

@Brazil (South America)

Introduction ::Brazil

Background:

Following more than three centuries under Portuguese rule, Brazil peacefully gained its independence in 1822, maintaining a monarchical system of government until the abolition of slavery in 1888 and the subsequent proclamation of a republic by the military in 1889. Brazilian coffee exporters politically dominated the country until populist leader Getulio VARGAS rose to power in 1930. By far the largest and most populous country in South America, Brazil underwent more than half a century of populist and military government until 1985, when the military regime peacefully ceded power to civilian rulers. Brazil continues to pursue industrial and agricultural growth and development of its interior. Exploiting vast natural resources and a large labor pool, it is today South America's leading economic power and a regional leader. Highly unequal income distribution and crime remain pressing problems.

Geography ::Brazil

Location:

Eastern South America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean

Geographic coordinates:

10 00 S, 55 00 W

Map references:

South America

Area:

total: 8,514,877 sq km country comparison to the world: 5 land: 8,459,417 sq km

water: 55,460 sq km

note: includes Arquipelago de Fernando de Noronha, Atol das Rocas, Ilha da Trindade, Ilhas Martin Vaz, and Penedos de Sao Pedro e Sao Paulo

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than the US

Land boundaries:

total: 16,885 km

border countries: Argentina 1,261 km, Bolivia 3,423 km, Colombia 1,644 km, French Guiana 730 km, Guyana 1,606 km, Paraguay 1,365 km, Peru 2,995 km, Suriname 593 km, Uruguay 1,068 km, Venezuela 2,200 km

Coastline:

7,491 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margin

Climate:

mostly tropical, but temperate in south

Terrain:

mostly flat to rolling lowlands in north; some plains, hills, mountains, and narrow coastal belt

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Pico da Neblina 3,014 m

Natural resources:

bauxite, gold, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, platinum, tin, uranium, petroleum, hydropower, timber

Land use:

arable land: 6.93%

permanent crops: 0.89%

other: 92.18% (2005)

Irrigated land:

29,200 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

8,233 cu km (2000)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 59.3 cu km/yr (20%/18%/62%)

per capita: 318 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

recurring droughts in northeast; floods and occasional frost in south

Environment - current issues:

deforestation in Amazon Basin destroys the habitat and endangers a multitude of plant and animal species indigenous to the area; there is a lucrative illegal wildlife trade; air and water pollution in Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, and several other large cities; land degradation and water pollution caused by improper mining activities; wetland degradation; severe oil spills

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

largest country in South America; shares common boundaries with every South American country except Chile and Ecuador

People ::Brazil

Population:

198,739,269 country comparison to the world: 5 note: Brazil conducted a census in August 2000, which reported a population of 169,872,855; that figure was about 3.8% lower than projections by the US Census Bureau, and is close to the implied underenumeration of 4.6% for the 1991 census (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 26.7% (male 27,092,880/female 26,062,244)

15-64 years: 66.8% (male 65,804,108/female 67,047,725)

65 years and over: 6.4% (male 5,374,230/female 7,358,082) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 28.6 years

male: 27.8 years

female: 29.3 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.199% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 110

Birth rate:

18.43 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 111

Death rate:

6.35 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 151

Net migration rate:

-0.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 90

Urbanization:

urban population: 86% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 22.58 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 97 male: 26.16 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 18.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 71.99 years country comparison to the world: 121 male: 68.43 years

female: 75.73 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.21 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 116

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.6% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 66

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

730,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 16

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

15,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 25

Nationality:

noun: Brazilian(s)

adjective: Brazilian

Ethnic groups:

white 53.7%, mulatto (mixed white and black) 38.5%, black 6.2%, other (includes Japanese, Arab, Amerindian) 0.9%, unspecified 0.7% (2000 census)

Religions:

Roman Catholic (nominal) 73.6%, Protestant 15.4%, Spiritualist 1.3%, Bantu/voodoo 0.3%, other 1.8%, unspecified 0.2%, none 7.4% (2000 census)

Languages:

Portuguese (official and most widely spoken language); note - less common languages include Spanish (border areas and schools), German, Italian, Japanese, English, and a large number of minor Amerindian languages

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 88.6%

male: 88.4%

female: 88.8% (2004 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 14 years

male: 14 years

female: 15 years (2005)

Education expenditures:

4% of GDP (2004) country comparison to the world: 105

Government ::Brazil

Country name:

conventional long form: Federative Republic of Brazil

conventional short form: Brazil

local long form: Republica Federativa do Brasil

local short form: Brasil

Government type:

federal republic

Capital:

name: Brasilia

geographic coordinates: 15 47 S, 47 55 W

time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins third Sunday in October; ends third Sunday in February

note: Brazil is divided into four time zones, including one for the Fernando de Noronha Islands

Administrative divisions:

26 states (estados, singular - estado) and 1 federal district* (distrito federal); Acre, Alagoas, Amapa, Amazonas, Bahia, Ceara, Distrito Federal*, Espirito Santo, Goias, Maranhao, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, Para, Paraiba, Parana, Pernambuco, Piaui, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Norte, Rio Grande do Sul, Rondonia, Roraima, Santa Catarina, Sao Paulo, Sergipe, Tocantins

Independence:

7 September 1822 (from Portugal)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 7 September (1822)

Constitution:

5 October 1988

Legal system:

based on Roman codes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

voluntary between 16 and 18 years of age and over 70; compulsory over 18 and under 70 years of age; note - military conscripts do not vote

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Luiz Inacio LULA da Silva (since 1 January 2003); Vice President Jose ALENCAR (since 1 January 2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Luiz Inacio LULA da Silva (since 1 January 2003); Vice President Jose ALENCAR (since 1 January 2003)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president

elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a single four-year term; election last held 1 October 2006 with runoff 29 October 2006 (next to be held 3 October 2010 and, if necessary, 31 October 2010)

election results: Luiz Inacio LULA da Silva (PT) reelected president - 60.83%, Geraldo ALCKMIN (PSDB) 39.17%

Legislative branch:

bicameral National Congress or Congresso Nacional consists of the Federal Senate or Senado Federal (81 seats; 3 members from each state and federal district elected according to the principle of majority to serve eight-year terms; one-third and two-thirds elected every four years, alternately) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara dos Deputados (513 seats; members are elected by proportional representation to serve four-year terms)

elections: Federal Senate - last held 1 October 2006 for one-third of the Senate (next to be held in October 2010 for two-thirds of the Senate); Chamber of Deputies - last held 1 October 2006 (next to be held in October 2010)

election results: Federal Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PFL 6, PSDB 5, PMDB 4, PTB 3, PT 2, PDT 1, PSB 1, PL 1, PPS 1, PRTB 1, PP 1, PCdoB 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PMDB 89, PT 83, PFL 65, PSDB 65, PP 42, PSB 27, PDT 24, PL 23, PTB 22, PPS 21, PCdoB 13, PV 13, PSC 9, other 17; note - as of 1 January 2009, the composition of the entire legislature is as follows: Federal Senate - seats by party - PMDB 21, DEM (formerly PFL) 12, PSDB 13, PT 12, PTB 7, PDT 5, PR 4, PSB 2, PCdoB 1, PRB 1, PP 1, PSC 1, PSOL 1; Chamber of Deputies - seats by party - PMDB 95, PT 79, PSDB 59, DEM (formerly PFL) 53, PR 44, PP 40, PSB 29, PDT 25, PTB 19, PPS 14, PV 14, PCdoB 13, PSC 11, PMN 5, PRB 4, PHS 3, PSOL 3, PTC 1, PTdoB 1

Judicial branch:

Supreme Federal Tribunal or STF (11 ministers are appointed for life by the president and confirmed by the Senate); Higher Tribunal of Justice; Regional Federal Tribunals (judges are appointed for life); note - though appointed "for life," judges, like all federal employees, have a mandatory retirement age of 70

Political parties and leaders:

Brazilian Democratic Movement Party or PMDB [Federal Deputy Michel
TEMER]; Brazilian Labor Party or PTB [Roberto JEFFERSON]; Brazilian
Renewal Labor Party or PRTB [Jose Levy FIDELIX da Cruz]; Brazilian
Republican Party or PRB [Vitor Paulo Araujo DOS SANTOS]; Brazilian
Social Democracy Party or PSDB [Senator Sergio GUERRA]; Brazilian
Socialist Party or PSB [Governor Eduardo Henrique Accioly CAMPOS];
Christian Labor Party or PTC [Daniel TOURINHO]; Communist Party of
Brazil or PCdoB [Jose Renato RABELO]; Democratic Labor Party or PDT
[Carlos Roberto LUPI]; the Democrats or DEM (formerly Liberal Front
Party or PFL) [Federal Deputy Rodrigo MAIA]; Freedom and Socialism
Party or PSOL [Heloisa HELENA]; Green Party or PV [Jose Luiz de
Franca PENNA]; Humanist Party of Solidarity or PHS [Paulo Roberto
MATOS]; Labor Party of Brazil or PTdoB [Luis Henrique de Oliveira
RESENDE]; Liberal Front Party or PFL (now known as the Democrats or
DEM); National Mobilization Party or PMN [Oscar Noronha FILHO];
Party of the Republic or PR [Sergio TAMER]; Popular Socialist Party
or PPS [Federal Deputy Fernando CORUJA]; Progressive Party or PP
[Francisco DORNELLES]; Social Christian Party or PSC [Vitor Jorge
Abdala NOSSEIS]; Workers' Party or PT [Ricardo Jose Ribeiro BERZOINI]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Landless Workers' Movement or MST

other: labor unions and federations; large farmers' associations; religious groups including evangelical Christian churches and the Catholic Church

International organization participation:

AfDB (nonregional member), BIS, CAN (associate), CPLP, FAO, G-15,
G-20, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,
ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA, MINURCAT, MINURSO,
MINUSTAH, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, SICA
(observer), UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union
Latina, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMIT, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Antonio de Aguiar PATRIOTA

chancery: 3006 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 238-2805

FAX: [1] (202) 238-2827

consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Clifford M. SOBEL

embassy: Avenida das Nacoes, Quadra 801, Lote 3, Distrito Federal Cep 70403-900, Brasilia

mailing address: Unit 3500, APO AA 34030

telephone: [55] (61) 3312-7000

FAX: [55] (61) 3225-9136

consulate(s) general: Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo

consulate(s): Recife

Flag description:

green with a large yellow diamond in the center bearing a blue celestial globe with 27 white five-pointed stars (one for each state and the Federal District) arranged in the same pattern as the night sky over Brazil; the globe has a white equatorial band with the motto ORDEM E PROGRESSO (Order and Progress)

Economy ::Brazil

Economy - overview:

Characterized by large and well-developed agricultural, mining, manufacturing, and service sectors, Brazil's economy outweighs that of all other South American countries and Brazil is expanding its presence in world markets. From 2003 to 2007, Brazil ran record trade surpluses and recorded its first current account surpluses since 1992. Productivity gains coupled with high commodity prices contributed to the surge in exports. Brazil improved its debt profile in 2006 by shifting its debt burden toward real denominated and domestically held instruments. LULA da Silva restated his commitment to fiscal responsibility by maintaining the country's primary surplus during the 2006 election. Following his second inauguration in October of that year, LULA da Silva announced a package of further economic reforms to reduce taxes and increase investment in infrastructure. Brazil's debt achieved investment grade status early in 2008, but the government's attempt to achieve strong growth while reducing the debt burden created inflationary pressures. For most of 2008, the Central Bank embarked on a restrictive monetary policy to stem these pressures. Since the onset of the global financial crisis in September, Brazil's currency and its stock market - Bovespa - have significantly lost value, -41% for Bovespa for the year ending 30 December 2008. Brazil incurred another current account deficit in 2008, as world demand and prices for commodities dropped in the second-half of the year.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$1.998 trillion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 10 $1.901 trillion (2007 est.)

$1.798 trillion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$1.573 trillion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 84 5.7% (2007 est.)

4% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$10,200 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 102 $9,800 (2007 est.)

$9,400 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 6.7%

industry: 28%

services: 65.3% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

93.65 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 6

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 20%

industry: 14%

services: 66% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate:

7.9% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 109 9.3% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

31% (2005)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 1.1%

highest 10%: 43% (2007)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

56.7 (2005) country comparison to the world: 10 60.7 (1998)

Investment (gross fixed):

19% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 123

Budget:

revenues: NA

expenditures: NA

Public debt:

38.8% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 58 52% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

5.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 95 3.6% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

20.48% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 9 17.85% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

47.25% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 4 43.72% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$95.03 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 12 $131.1 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$724.5 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 6 $792.8 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$1.249 trillion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 11 $1.377 trillion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$589.4 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 12 $1.37 trillion (31 December 2007)

$711.1 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

coffee, soybeans, wheat, rice, corn, sugarcane, cocoa, citrus; beef

Industries:

textiles, shoes, chemicals, cement, lumber, iron ore, tin, steel, aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, other machinery and equipment

Industrial production growth rate:

4.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 62

Electricity - production:

438.8 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 11

Electricity - consumption:

404.3 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 10

Electricity - exports:

2.034 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

42.06 billion kWh; note - supplied by Paraguay (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

2.422 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 13

Oil - consumption:

2.52 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 8

Oil - exports:

570,100 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 27

Oil - imports:

632,900 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 21

Oil - proved reserves:

12.62 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 15

Natural gas - production:

12.62 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 39

Natural gas - consumption:

23.65 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 32

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 200

Natural gas - imports:

11.03 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 21

Natural gas - proved reserves:

365 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 36

Current account balance:

-$28.19 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 180 $1.551 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$197.9 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 23 $160.6 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

transport equipment, iron ore, soybeans, footwear, coffee, autos

Exports - partners:

US 14.4%, China 12.4%, Argentina 8.4%, Netherlands 5%, Germany 4.5% (2008)

Imports:

$173.1 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 26 $120.6 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery, electrical and transport equipment, chemical products, oil, automotive parts, electronics

Imports - partners:

US 14.9%, China 11.6%, Argentina 7.9%, Germany 7% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$193.8 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 7 $180.3 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$262.9 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 27 $240.5 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$294 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 15 $248.9 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$127.5 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 23 $107.1 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

reals (BRL) per US dollar - 1.8644 (2008 est.), 1.85 (2007 est.), 2.1761 (2006), 2.4344 (2005), 2.9251 (2004)

Communications ::Brazil

Telephones - main lines in use:

41.141 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 6

Telephones - mobile cellular:

150.641 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 5

Telephone system:

general assessment: good working system; fixed-line connections have remained relatively stable in recent years and stand at about 20 per 100 persons; less expensive mobile cellular technology is a major driver in expanding telephone service to the low-income segment of the population with mobile-cellular telephone density reaching 80 per 100 persons

domestic: extensive microwave radio relay system and a domestic satellite system with 64 earth stations; mobile-cellular usage has more than tripled in the past 5 years

international: country code - 55; landing point for a number of submarine cables, including Atlantis 2, that provide direct links to South and Central America, the Caribbean, the US, Africa, and Europe; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region east), connected by microwave relay system to Mercosur Brazilsat B3 satellite earth station (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1,365, FM 296, shortwave 161 (of which 91 are collocated with AM stations) (1999)

Television broadcast stations:

138 (1997)

Internet country code:

.br

Internet hosts:

15.929 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 5

Internet users:

64.948 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 5

Transportation ::Brazil

Airports:

4,000 (2009) country comparison to the world: 2

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 721

over 3,047 m: 7

2,438 to 3,047 m: 27

1,524 to 2,437 m: 171

914 to 1,523 m: 460

under 914 m: 56 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 3,279

1,524 to 2,437 m: 87

914 to 1,523 m: 1,547

under 914 m: 1,645 (2009)

Heliports:

13 (2009)

Pipelines:

condensate/gas 62 km; gas 9,892 km; liquid petroleum gas 353 km; oil 4,517 km; refined products 4,465 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 28,857 km country comparison to the world: 10 broad gauge: 5,709 km 1.600-m gauge (459 km electrified)

standard gauge: 194 km 1.440-m gauge

narrow gauge: 22,954 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 1,751,868 km country comparison to the world: 4 paved: 96,353 km

unpaved: 1,655,515 km (2004)

Waterways:

50,000 km (most in areas remote from industry and population) (2008) country comparison to the world: 3

Merchant marine:

total: 136 country comparison to the world: 45 by type: bulk carrier 19, cargo 22, carrier 1, chemical tanker 7, container 11, liquefied gas 12, passenger/cargo 12, petroleum tanker 45, roll on/roll off 7

foreign-owned: 25 (Chile 1, Denmark 2, Germany 6, Greece 1, Mexico 1, Norway 5, Spain 9)

registered in other countries: 8 (Argentina 1, Bahamas 2, Ghana 1, Liberia 3, Marshall Islands 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Guaiba, Ilha Grande, Paranagua, Rio Grande, Santos, Sao Sebastiao,
Tubarao

Transportation - note:

the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the Atlantic Ocean as a significant risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships; numerous commercial vessels have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; crews have been robbed and stores or cargoes stolen

Military ::Brazil

Military branches:

Brazilian Army (Exercito Brasileiro, EB), Brazilian Navy (Marinha do
Brasil (MB), includes Naval Air and Marine Corps (Corpo de
Fuzileiros Navais)), Brazilian Air Force (Forca Aerea Brasileira,
FAB) (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

21-45 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 9 to 12 months; 17-45 years of age for voluntary service; an increasing percentage of the ranks are "long-service" volunteer professionals; women were allowed to serve in the armed forces beginning in early 1980s when the Brazilian Army became the first army in South America to accept women into career ranks; women serve in Navy and Air Force only in Women's Reserve Corps (2001)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 52,449,957

females age 16-49: 52,375,921 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 38,043,555

females age 16-49: 44,267,520 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 1,690,031

female: 1,630,851 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

2.6% of GDP (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 62

Transnational Issues ::Brazil

Disputes - international:

unruly region at convergence of Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay borders is locus of money laundering, smuggling, arms and illegal narcotics trafficking, and fundraising for extremist organizations; uncontested boundary dispute with Uruguay over Isla Brasilera at the confluence of the Quarai/Cuareim and Invernada rivers, that form a tripoint with Argentina; the Itaipu Dam reservoir covers over a once contested section of Brazil-Paraguay boundary west of Guaira Falls on the Rio Parana; an accord placed the long-disputed Isla Suarez/Ilha de Guajara-Mirim, a fluvial island on the Rio Mamore, under Bolivian administration in 1958, but sovereignty remains in dispute

Illicit drugs:

second-largest consumer of cocaine in the world; illicit producer of cannabis; trace amounts of coca cultivation in the Amazon region, used for domestic consumption; government has a large-scale eradication program to control cannabis; important transshipment country for Bolivian, Colombian, and Peruvian cocaine headed for Europe; also used by traffickers as a way station for narcotics air transshipments between Peru and Colombia; upsurge in drug-related violence and weapons smuggling; important market for Colombian, Bolivian, and Peruvian cocaine; illicit narcotics proceeds are often laundered through the financial system; significant illicit financial activity in the Tri-Border Area (2008)

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@British Indian Ocean Territory (South Asia)

Introduction ::British Indian Ocean Territory

Background:

Formerly administered as part of the British Crown Colony of Mauritius, the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) was established as an overseas territory of the UK in 1965. A number of the islands of the territory were later transferred to the Seychelles when it attained independence in 1976. Subsequently, BIOT has consisted only of the six main island groups comprising the Chagos Archipelago. The largest and most southerly of the islands, Diego Garcia, contains a joint UK-US naval support facility. All of the remaining islands are uninhabited. Between 1967 and 1973, former agricultural workers, earlier residents in the islands, were relocated primarily to Mauritius, but also to the Seychelles. Negotiations between 1971 and 1982 resulted in the establishment of a trust fund by the British Government as compensation for the displaced islanders, known as Chagossians. Beginning in 1998, the islanders pursued a series of lawsuits against the British Government seeking further compensation and the right to return to the territory. In 2006 and 2007, British court rulings invalidated the immigration policies contained in the 2004 BIOT Constitution Order that had excluded the islanders from the archipelago, but upheld the special military status of Diego Garcia. In 2008, the House of Lords, as the final court of appeal in the UK, ruled in favor of the British Government by overturning the lower court rulings and finding no right of return on the part of the Chagossians.

Geography ::British Indian Ocean Territory

Location:

archipelago in the Indian Ocean, south of India, about halfway between Africa and Indonesia

Geographic coordinates:

6 00 S, 71 30 E; note - Diego Garcia 7 20 S, 72 25 E

Map references:

Political Map of the World

Area:

total: 54,400 sq km country comparison to the world: 127 land: 60 sq km; Diego Garcia 44 sq km

water: 54,340 sq km

note: includes the entire Chagos Archipelago of 55 islands

Area - comparative:

land area is about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

698 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 3 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds

Terrain:

flat and low (most areas do not exceed two meters in elevation)

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 m

Natural resources:

coconuts, fish, sugarcane

Land use:

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (2005)

Irrigated land:

0 sq km

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

NA

Geography - note:

archipelago of 55 islands; Diego Garcia, largest and southernmost island, occupies strategic location in central Indian Ocean; island is site of joint US-UK military facility

People ::British Indian Ocean Territory

Population:

no indigenous inhabitants

note: approximately 1,200 former agricultural workers resident in the Chagos Archipelago, often referred to as Chagossians or Ilois, were relocated to Mauritius and the Seychelles in the 1960s and 1970s; in November 2004, approximately 4,000 UK and US military personnel and civilian contractors were living on the island of Diego Garcia

Government ::British Indian Ocean Territory

Country name:

conventional long form: British Indian Ocean Territory

conventional short form: none

abbreviation: BIOT

Dependency status:

overseas territory of the UK; administered by a commissioner, resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London

Legal system:

the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)

head of government: Commissioner Colin ROBERTS (since July 2008); Administrator Joanne YEADON (since December 2007); note - both reside in the UK and are represented by the officer commanding British Forces on Diego Garcia

cabinet: NA

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; commissioner and administrator appointed by the monarch

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description:

white with six blue wavy horizontal stripes; the flag of the UK is in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the striped section bears a palm tree and yellow crown centered on the outer half of the flag

Economy ::British Indian Ocean Territory

Economy - overview:

All economic activity is concentrated on the largest island of Diego Garcia, where a joint UK-US military facility is located. Construction projects and various services needed to support the military installation are performed by military and contract employees from the UK, Mauritius, the Philippines, and the US. There are no industrial or agricultural activities on the islands. The territory earns foreign exchange by selling fishing licenses and postage stamps.

Electricity - production:

NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by the US military

Electricity - consumption:

NA kWh

Exchange rates:

the US dollar is used

Communications ::British Indian Ocean Territory

Telephones - main lines in use:

NA

Telephone system:

general assessment: separate facilities for military and public needs are available

domestic: all commercial telephone services are available, including connection to the Internet

international: country code (Diego Garcia) - 246; international telephone service is carried by satellite (2000)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (1997)

Internet country code:

.io

Internet hosts:

160 (2009) country comparison to the world: 194

Transportation ::British Indian Ocean Territory

Airports:

1 (2009) country comparison to the world: 225

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 1

over 3,047 m: 1 (2009)

Roadways:

note: short section of paved road between port and airfield on Diego Garcia

Ports and terminals:

Diego Garcia

Military ::British Indian Ocean Territory

Military branches:

no regular military forces; Royal Overseas Police Officers (ROPOs) (2008)

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of the UK; the US lease on Diego Garcia expires in 2016

Transnational Issues ::British Indian Ocean Territory

Disputes - international:

Mauritius claims the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia; in 2001, the former inhabitants of the Chagos Archipelago, evicted in 1967 and 1973 and now residing chiefly in Mauritius, were granted UK citizenship and the right to repatriation; in May 2007, the UK Court of Appeals upheld the May 2006 High Court of London judgment reversing the UK government's 2004 Orders of Council that banned habitation on the islands; a small group of Chagossians visited Diego Garcia in April 2006; repatriation is complicated by the exclusive US military lease of Diego Garcia that restricts access to the largest viable island in the chain

page last updated on October 28, 2009

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

@British Virgin Islands (Central America and Caribbean)

Introduction ::British Virgin Islands

Background:

First inhabited by Arawak and later by Carib Indians, the Virgin
Islands were settled by the Dutch in 1648 and then annexed by the
English in 1672. The islands were part of the British colony of the
Leeward Islands from 1872-1960; they were granted autonomy in 1967.
The economy is closely tied to the larger and more populous US
Virgin Islands to the west; the US dollar is the legal currency.

Geography ::British Virgin Islands

Location:

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

Geographic coordinates:

18 30 N, 64 30 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 151 sq km country comparison to the world: 219 land: 151 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: comprised of 16 inhabited and more than 20 uninhabited islands; includes the islands of Tortola, Anegada, Virgin Gorda, Jost van Dyke

Area - comparative:

about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

80 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 3 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:

subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds

Terrain:

coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: Mount Sage 521 m

Natural resources:

NEGL

Land use:

arable land: 20%

permanent crops: 6.67%

other: 73.33% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October)

Environment - current issues:

limited natural fresh water resources (except for a few seasonal streams and springs on Tortola, most of the islands' water supply comes from wells and rainwater catchments)

Geography - note:

strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico

People ::British Virgin Islands

Population:

24,491 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 215

Age structure:

0-14 years: 19.8% (male 2,454/female 2,387)

15-64 years: 74.4% (male 9,346/female 8,881)

65 years and over: 5.8% (male 734/female 689) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 32.3 years

male: 32.4 years

female: 32.2 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.837% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 71

Birth rate:

14.62 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 144

Death rate:

4.37 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 203

Net migration rate:

8.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 11

Urbanization:

urban population: 40% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1.7% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.06 male(s)/female

total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 14.65 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 129 male: 16.61 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 12.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 77.26 years country comparison to the world: 58 male: 76.03 years

female: 78.55 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.71 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 170

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: British Virgin Islander(s)

adjective: British Virgin Islander

Ethnic groups:

black 83.4%, white 7%, other 9.6% (includes Indian and mixed) (2004 Census)

Religions:

Protestant 86% (Methodist 33%, Anglican 17%, Church of God 9%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6%, Baptist 4%, Jehovah's Witnesses 2%, other 15%), Roman Catholic 10%, other 2%, none 2% (1991)

Languages:

English (official)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 97.8% (1991 est.)

male: NA

female: NA

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 17 years

male: 15 years

female: 19 years (2005)

Education expenditures:

3.7% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 123

Government ::British Virgin Islands

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: British Virgin Islands

abbreviation: BVI

Dependency status:

overseas territory of the UK; internal self-governing

Government type:

NA

Capital:

name: Road Town

geographic coordinates: 18 27 N, 64 37 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Independence:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday:

Territory Day, 1 July (1956)

Constitution:

13 June 2007

Legal system:

English law

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor David PEAREY (since 18 April 2006)

head of government: Premier Ralph T. O'NEAL (since 23 August 2007)

cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor from members of the House of Assembly

elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed premier by the governor

Legislative branch:

unicameral House of Assembly (13 elected seats and 1 non-voting ex officio member in the attorney general; members are elected by direct popular vote, 1 member from each of nine electoral districts, 4 at-large members; members serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 20 August 2007 (next to be held in 2011)

election results: percent of vote by party - VIP 45.2%, NDP 39.6%, independent 15.2%; seats by party - VIP 10, NDP 2, independent 1

Judicial branch:

Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting of the High Court of
Justice and the Court of Appeal (one judge of the Supreme Court is a
resident of the islands and presides over the High Court);
Magistrate's Court; Juvenile Court; Court of Summary Jurisdiction

Political parties and leaders:

Concerned Citizens Movement or CCM [Ethlyn SMITH]; National
Democratic Party or NDP [Orlando SMITH]; United Party or UP [Gregory
MADURO]; Virgin Islands Party or VIP [Ralph T. O'NEAL]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

The Family Support Network; The Women's Desk

other: environmentalists

International organization participation:

Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, OECS, UNESCO (associate), UPU, WFTU

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description:

blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Virgin Islander coat of arms centered in the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms depicts a woman flanked on either side by a vertical column of six oil lamps above a scroll bearing the Latin word VIGILATE (Be Watchful)

Economy ::British Virgin Islands

Economy - overview:

The economy, one of the most stable and prosperous in the Caribbean, is highly dependent on tourism generating an estimated 45% of the national income. An estimated 820,000 tourists, mainly from the US, visited the islands in 2005. In the mid-1980s, the government began offering offshore registration to companies wishing to incorporate in the islands, and incorporation fees now generate substantial revenues. Roughly 400,000 companies were on the offshore registry by yearend 2000. The adoption of a comprehensive insurance law in late 1994, which provides a blanket of confidentiality with regulated statutory gateways for investigation of criminal offenses, made the British Virgin Islands even more attractive to international business. Livestock raising is the most important agricultural activity; poor soils limit the islands' ability to meet domestic food requirements. Because of traditionally close links with the US Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands has used the US dollar as its currency since 1959.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$853.4 million (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 206

GDP (official exchange rate):

$839.7 million (2003)

GDP - real growth rate:

1% (2002 est.) country comparison to the world: 176

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$38,500 (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 23

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 1.8%

industry: 6.2%

services: 92% (1996 est.)

Labor force:

12,770 (2004) country comparison to the world: 206

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 0.6%

industry: 40%

services: 59.4% (2005)

Unemployment rate:

3.6% (1997) country comparison to the world: 43

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $204.7 million

expenditures: $180.4 million (2004)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2% (2005) country comparison to the world: 17

Agriculture - products:

fruits, vegetables; livestock, poultry; fish

Industries:

tourism, light industry, construction, rum, concrete block, offshore financial center

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

45 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 198

Electricity - consumption:

41.85 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 198

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 124

Oil - consumption:

1,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 189

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 157

Oil - imports:

691.4 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 194

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 118

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 116

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 124

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 92

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 117

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 123

Current account balance:

$134.3 million (1999) country comparison to the world: 55

Exports:

$25.3 million (2002) country comparison to the world: 202 $25.3 million (2002)

Exports - commodities:

rum, fresh fish, fruits, animals; gravel, sand

Imports:

$187 million f.o.b.

Imports - commodities:

building materials, automobiles, foodstuffs, machinery

Debt - external:

$36.1 million (1997) country comparison to the world: 194

Exchange rates:

the US dollar is used

Communications ::British Virgin Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:

18,900 (2008) country comparison to the world: 196

Telephones - mobile cellular:

23,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 204

Telephone system:

general assessment: worldwide telephone service

domestic: fixed line connections exceed 75 per 100 persons and mobile cellular subscribership is approaching 100 per 100 persons

international: country code - 1-284; connected via submarine cable to Bermuda; the East Caribbean Fiber System (ECFS) submarine cable provides connectivity to 13 other islands in the eastern Caribbean (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2004)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (plus 1 cable company) (1997)

Internet country code:

.vg

Internet hosts:

581 (2009) country comparison to the world: 169

Internet users:

4,000 (2002) country comparison to the world: 206

Transportation ::British Virgin Islands

Airports:

4 (2009) country comparison to the world: 185

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 200 km country comparison to the world: 206 paved: 200 km (2007)

Merchant marine:

registered in other countries: 1 (Panama 1) (2008) country comparison to the world: 153

Ports and terminals:

Road Town

Military ::British Virgin Islands

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 7,101 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 5,979

females age 16-49: 5,738 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 178

female: 173 (2009 est.)

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues ::British Virgin Islands

Disputes - international:

none

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe; large offshore financial center makes it vulnerable to money laundering

page last updated on October 28, 2009

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

@Brunei (East & Southeast Asia)

Introduction ::Brunei

Background:

The Sultanate of Brunei's influence peaked between the 15th and 17th centuries when its control extended over coastal areas of northwest Borneo and the southern Philippines. Brunei subsequently entered a period of decline brought on by internal strife over royal succession, colonial expansion of European powers, and piracy. In 1888, Brunei became a British protectorate; independence was achieved in 1984. The same family has ruled Brunei for over six centuries. Brunei benefits from extensive petroleum and natural gas fields, the source of one of the highest per capita GDPs in Asia.

Geography ::Brunei

Location:

Southeastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and Malaysia

Geographic coordinates:

4 30 N, 114 40 E

Map references:

Southeast Asia

Area:

total: 5,765 sq km country comparison to the world: 172 land: 5,265 sq km

water: 500 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Delaware

Land boundaries:

total: 381 km

border countries: Malaysia 381 km

Coastline:

161 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm or to median line

Climate:

tropical; hot, humid, rainy

Terrain:

flat coastal plain rises to mountains in east; hilly lowland in west

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: South China Sea 0 m

highest point: Bukit Pagon 1,850 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, natural gas, timber

Land use:

arable land: 2.08%

permanent crops: 0.87%

other: 97.05% (2005)

Irrigated land:

10 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

8.5 cu km (1999)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.09

per capita: 243 cu m/yr (1994)

Natural hazards:

typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are rare

Environment - current issues:

seasonal smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in Indonesia

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

close to vital sea lanes through South China Sea linking Indian and Pacific Oceans; two parts physically separated by Malaysia; almost an enclave within Malaysia

People ::Brunei

Population:

388,190 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 175

Age structure:

0-14 years: 26.6% (male 53,282/female 50,141)

15-64 years: 70.1% (male 135,640/female 136,292)

65 years and over: 3.3% (male 6,199/female 6,636) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 27.8 years

male: 27.7 years

female: 27.8 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.759% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 76

Birth rate:

18.2 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 112

Death rate:

3.29 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 216

Net migration rate:

2.69 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 32

Urbanization:

urban population: 75% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 2.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 12.27 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 144 male: 14.68 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 9.75 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 75.74 years country comparison to the world: 74 male: 73.52 years

female: 78.07 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.91 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 142

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 142

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

fewer than 200 (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 156

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 200 (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 125

Nationality:

noun: Bruneian(s)

adjective: Bruneian

Ethnic groups:

Malay 66.3%, Chinese 11.2%, indigenous 3.4%, other 19.1% (2004 est.)

Religions:

Muslim (official) 67%, Buddhist 13%, Christian 10%, other (includes indigenous beliefs) 10%

Languages:

Malay (official), English, Chinese

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 92.7%

male: 95.2%

female: 90.2% (2001 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 14 years

male: 14 years

female: 14 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

5.2% of GDP (2000) country comparison to the world: 59

Government ::Brunei

Country name:

conventional long form: Brunei Darussalam

conventional short form: Brunei

local long form: Negara Brunei Darussalam

local short form: Brunei

Government type:

constitutional sultanate

Capital:

name: Bandar Seri Begawan

geographic coordinates: 4 53 N, 114 56 E

time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

4 districts (daerah-daerah, singular - daerah); Belait, Brunei-Muara, Temburong, Tutong

Independence:

1 January 1984 (from the UK)

National holiday:

National Day, 23 February (1984); note - 1 January 1984 was the date of independence from the UK, 23 February 1984 was the date of independence from British protection

Constitution:

29 September 1959 (some provisions suspended under a State of Emergency since December 1962, others since independence on 1 January 1984)

Legal system:

based on English common law; for Muslims, Islamic Sharia law supersedes civil law in a number of areas; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age for village elections; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Sultan and Prime Minister Sir HASSANAL Bolkiah (since 5 October 1967); note - the monarch is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister Sir HASSANAL Bolkiah (since 5 October 1967)

cabinet: Council of Cabinet Ministers appointed and presided over by the monarch; deals with executive matters; note - there is also a Religious Council (members appointed by the monarch) that advises on religious matters, a Privy Council (members appointed by the monarch) that deals with constitutional matters, and the Council of Succession (members appointed by the monarch) that determines the succession to the throne if the need arises

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary

Legislative branch:

The Sultan appointed a council with 29 members as of 2 September 2005; the council has met in March of each year since then

elections: last held in March 1962 (date of next election NA)

note: The Legislative Council met on 25 September 2004 for first time in 20 years with 21 members appointed by the Sultan; it passed constitutional amendments calling for a 45-seat council with 15 elected members

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court - chief justice and judges are sworn in by monarch for three-year terms; Judicial Committee of Privy Council in London is final court of appeal for civil cases; Sharia courts deal with Islamic laws (2006)

Political parties and leaders:

National Development Party or NDP [YASSIN Affendi]

note: Brunei National Solidarity Party or PPKB [Abdul LATIF bin Chuchu] and People's Awareness Party or PAKAR [Awang Haji MAIDIN bin Haji Ahmad] were deregistered; parties are small and have limited activity

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ADB, APEC, APT, ARF, ASEAN, C, EAS, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent),
ITSO, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Angela SHIM

chancery: 3520 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 237-1838

FAX: [1] (202) 885-0560

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador William E. TODD

embassy: Third Floor, Teck Guan Plaza, Jalan Sultan, Bandar Seri Begawan, BS8811

mailing address: PSC 470 (BSB), FPO AP 96507; P.O. Box 2991, Bandar Seri Begawan BS8675, Negara Brunei Darussalam

telephone: [673] 222-0384

FAX: [673] 222-5293

Flag description:

yellow with two diagonal bands of white (top, almost double width) and black starting from the upper hoist side; the national emblem in red is superimposed at the center; the emblem includes a swallow-tailed flag on top of a winged column within an upturned crescent above a scroll and flanked by two upraised hands

Economy ::Brunei

Economy - overview:

Brunei has a small well-to-do economy that encompasses a mixture of foreign and domestic entrepreneurship, government regulation, welfare measures, and village tradition. Crude oil and natural gas production account for just over half of GDP and more than 90% of exports. Per capita GDP is among the highest in Asia, and substantial income from overseas investment supplements income from domestic production. The government provides for all medical services and free education through the university level and subsidizes rice and housing. Brunei's leaders are concerned that steadily increased integration into the world economy will undermine internal social cohesion. Plans for the future include upgrading the labor force, reducing unemployment, strengthening the banking and tourist sectors, increasing agricultural production, and, in general, further widening the economic base beyond oil and gas.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$19.58 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 123 $19.96 billion (2007 est.)

$19.92 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$14.55 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

-1.9% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 211 0.2% (2007 est.)

4.4% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$51,300 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 9 $53,300 (2007 est.)

$54,200 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 0.7%

industry: 75%

services: 25% (2005 est.)

Labor force:

188,800 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 166

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 4.5%

industry: 63.1%

services: 32.4% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate:

3.7% (2008) country comparison to the world: 44 4% (2006)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $6.889 billion

expenditures: $4 billion (2008 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

0.3% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 5

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

5.5% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 139 5.5% (February 2009)

Stock of money:

$3.046 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 63 $2.674 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$4.551 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 72 $4.258 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$1.274 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 104 $2.38 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

rice, vegetables, fruits; chickens, water buffalo, cattle, goats, eggs

Industries:

petroleum, petroleum refining, liquefied natural gas, construction

Industrial production growth rate:

1.8% (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 109

Electricity - production:

3.091 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 124

Electricity - consumption:

2.926 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 128

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

157,400 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 45

Oil - consumption:

15,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 137

Oil - exports:

207,500 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 55

Oil - imports:

237.6 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 202

Oil - proved reserves:

1.1 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 38

Natural gas - production:

13.4 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 36

Natural gas - consumption:

4.2 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 65

Natural gas - exports:

9.2 billion cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 22

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 199

Natural gas - proved reserves:

390.8 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 34

Current account balance:

$7.101 billion (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 27

Exports:

$8.25 billion (2007) country comparison to the world: 93 $6.767 billion (2006)

Exports - commodities:

crude oil, natural gas, garments

Exports - partners:

Japan 40.8%, Indonesia 21.6%, South Korea 15.4%, Australia 10% (2008)

Imports:

$2.055 billion (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 148 $2 billion (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, chemicals

Imports - partners:

Singapore 36.5%, Malaysia 19%, Japan 7.7%, China 5.5%, Thailand 5%,
US 4.7%, UK 4.7% (2008)

Debt - external:

$0 (2005) country comparison to the world: 202

Exchange rates:

Bruneian dollars (BND) per US dollar - NA (2007), 1.5886 (2006), 1.6644 (2005), 1.6902 (2004), 1.7422 (2003)

Communications ::Brunei

Telephones - main lines in use:

76,600 (2008) country comparison to the world: 151

Telephones - mobile cellular:

376,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 162

Telephone system:

general assessment: service throughout the country is excellent; international service is good to Southeast Asia, Middle East, Western Europe, and the US

domestic: every service available

international: country code - 673; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3 optical telecommunications submarine cable that provides links to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe; the Asia-America Gateway submarine cable network, scheduled for completion by late 2008, will provide new links to Asia and the US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) (2007)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 2 (transmitting on 18 different frequencies), shortwave 0 (British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) station transmits two FM signals with English and Nepali service) (2006)

Television broadcast stations:

4 (includes 2 UHF stations broadcasting a subscription service) (2006)

Internet country code:

.bn

Internet hosts:

14,978 (2009) country comparison to the world: 108

Internet users:

217,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 133

Transportation ::Brunei

Airports:

2 (2009) country comparison to the world: 210

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 2

over 3,047 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)

Heliports:

3 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 37 km; oil 18 km (2008)

Roadways:

total: 3,650 km country comparison to the world: 159 paved: 2,819 km

unpaved: 831 km (2005)

Waterways:

209 km (navigable by craft drawing less than 1.2 m) (2008) country comparison to the world: 97

Merchant marine:

total: 8 country comparison to the world: 119 by type: liquefied gas 8

foreign-owned: 1 (UK 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Lumut, Muara, Seria

Military ::Brunei

Military branches:

Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF): Royal Brunei Land Forces, Royal Brunei Navy, Royal Brunei Air Force (Tentera Udara Diraja Brunei) (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age (est.) for voluntary military service; non-Malays are ineligible to serve (2007)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 108,356

females age 16-49: 110,153 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 92,543

females age 16-49: 95,301 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 3,460

female: 3,399 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

4.5% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 24

Transnational Issues ::Brunei

Disputes - international:

Brunei and Malaysia agreed in September 2008 to resolve their offshore and deepwater seabed dispute, resume hydrocarbon exploration, and renounce any territorial claims on land; Brunei established an exclusive economic fishing zone encompassing Louisa Reef in the southern Spratly Islands in 1984, but makes no public territorial claim to the offshore reefs; the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" has eased tensions in the Spratly Islands but falls short of a legally binding "code of conduct" desired by several of the disputants

Illicit drugs:

drug trafficking and illegally importing controlled substances are serious offenses in Brunei and carry a mandatory death penalty

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Bulgaria (Europe)

Introduction ::Bulgaria

Background:

The Bulgars, a Central Asian Turkic tribe, merged with the local Slavic inhabitants in the late 7th century to form the first Bulgarian state. In succeeding centuries, Bulgaria struggled with the Byzantine Empire to assert its place in the Balkans, but by the end of the 14th century the country was overrun by the Ottoman Turks. Northern Bulgaria attained autonomy in 1878 and all of Bulgaria became independent from the Ottoman Empire in 1908. Having fought on the losing side in both World Wars, Bulgaria fell within the Soviet sphere of influence and became a People's Republic in 1946. Communist domination ended in 1990, when Bulgaria held its first multiparty election since World War II and began the contentious process of moving toward political democracy and a market economy while combating inflation, unemployment, corruption, and crime. The country joined NATO in 2004 and the EU in 2007.

Geography ::Bulgaria

Location:

Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Romania and
Turkey

Geographic coordinates:

43 00 N, 25 00 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 110,879 sq km country comparison to the world: 104 land: 108,489 sq km

water: 2,390 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than Tennessee

Land boundaries:

total: 1,808 km

border countries: Greece 494 km, Macedonia 148 km, Romania 608 km, Serbia 318 km, Turkey 240 km

Coastline:

354 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

temperate; cold, damp winters; hot, dry summers

Terrain:

mostly mountains with lowlands in north and southeast

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Black Sea 0 m

highest point: Musala 2,925 m

Natural resources:

bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, coal, timber, arable land

Land use:

arable land: 29.94%

permanent crops: 1.9%

other: 68.16% (2005)

Irrigated land:

5,880 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

19.4 cu km (2005)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 6.92 cu km/yr (3%/78%/19%)

per capita: 895 cu m/yr (2003)

Natural hazards:

earthquakes; landslides

Environment - current issues:

air pollution from industrial emissions; rivers polluted from raw sewage, heavy metals, detergents; deforestation; forest damage from air pollution and resulting acid rain; soil contamination from heavy metals from metallurgical plants and industrial wastes

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

strategic location near Turkish Straits; controls key land routes from Europe to Middle East and Asia

People ::Bulgaria

Population:

7,204,687 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 98

Age structure:

0-14 years: 13.8% (male 509,544/female 484,816)

15-64 years: 68.5% (male 2,426,060/female 2,508,772)

65 years and over: 17.7% (male 518,711/female 756,784) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 41.4 years

male: 39.2 years

female: 43.6 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.79% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 231

Birth rate:

9.51 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 204

Death rate:

14.31 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 22

Net migration rate:

-3.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 149

Urbanization:

urban population: 71% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: -0.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female

total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 17.87 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 115 male: 21.28 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 14.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 73.09 years country comparison to the world: 111 male: 69.48 years

female: 76.91 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.41 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 192

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 141

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

346 (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 153

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

100 (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 150

Nationality:

noun: Bulgarian(s)

adjective: Bulgarian

Ethnic groups:

Bulgarian 83.9%, Turk 9.4%, Roma 4.7%, other 2% (including
Macedonian, Armenian, Tatar, Circassian) (2001 census)

Religions:

Bulgarian Orthodox 82.6%, Muslim 12.2%, other Christian 1.2%, other 4% (2001 census)

Languages:

Bulgarian 84.5%, Turkish 9.6%, Roma 4.1%, other and unspecified 1.8% (2001 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 98.2%

male: 98.7%

female: 97.7% (2001 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 14 years

male: 13 years

female: 14 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

4.5% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 90

Government ::Bulgaria

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Bulgaria

conventional short form: Bulgaria

local long form: Republika Balgariya

local short form: Balgariya

Government type:

parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Sofia

geographic coordinates: 42 41 N, 23 19 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

28 provinces (oblasti, singular - oblast); Blagoevgrad, Burgas,
Dobrich, Gabrovo, Khaskovo, Kurdzhali, Kyustendil, Lovech, Montana,
Pazardzhik, Pernik, Pleven, Plovdiv, Razgrad, Ruse, Shumen,
Silistra, Sliven, Smolyan, Sofiya, Sofiya-Grad, Stara Zagora,
Turgovishte, Varna, Veliko Turnovo, Vidin, Vratsa, Yambol

Independence:

3 March 1878 (as an autonomous principality within the Ottoman Empire); 22 September 1908 (complete independence from the Ottoman Empire)

National holiday:

Liberation Day, 3 March (1878)

Constitution:

adopted 12 July 1991

Legal system:

civil and criminal law based on Roman law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Georgi PARVANOV (since 22 January 2002); Vice President Angel MARIN (since 22 January 2002)

head of government: Prime Minister Boyko BORISSOV (since 27 July 2009); Deputy Prime Ministers Simeon DJANKOV and Tsvetan TSVETANOV (since 27 July 2009);

cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and elected by the National Assembly

elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 22 and 29 October 2006 (next to be held in 2011); chairman of the Council of Ministers (prime minister) elected by the National Assembly; deputy prime ministers nominated by the prime minister and elected by the National Assembly

election results: Georgi PARVANOV reelected president; percent of vote - Georgi PARVANOV 77.3%, Volen SIDEROV 22.7%; Sergei STANISHEV elected prime minister, result of legislative vote - 168 to 67

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly or Narodno Sabranie (240 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 5 July 2009 (next to be held mid-2013)

election results: percent of vote by party - GERB 39.7%, BSP 17.7%, MRF 14.4%, ATAKA 9.4%, Blue Coalition 6.8%, RZS 4.1%, other 7.9%; seats by party - GERB 116, BSP 40, MRF 38, ATAKA 21, Blue Coalition 15, RZS 10

Judicial branch:

independent judiciary comprised of judges, prosecutors and investigating magistrates who are appointed, promoted, demoted, and dismissed by a 25-member Supreme Judicial Council (consists of the chairmen of the two Supreme Courts, the Chief Prosecutor, and 22 members, half of whom are elected by the National Assembly and the other half by the bodies of the judiciary for a 5-year term in office); three levels of case review; 182 courts of which two Supreme Courts act as the last instance on civil and criminal cases (the Supreme Court of Cassation) and appeals of government decisions (the Supreme Administrative Court)

Political parties and leaders:

ATAKA (Attack Coalition) (coalition of parties headed by the Attack National Union); Attack National Union [Volen SIDEROV]; Agrarian National Union or ANU [Stefan LICHEV]; Blue Coalition (a coalition of center-right parties dominated by UDF and DSB); Bulgarian New Democracy [Borislav RALCHEV]; Bulgarian Socialist Party or BSP [Sergei STANISHEV]; Citizens for the European Development of Bulgaria or GERB [Tsvetan TSVETANOV]; Coalition for Bulgaria or CfB (coalition of parties dominated by BSP) [Sergei STANISHEV]; Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria or DSB [Ivan KOSTOV]; Gergyovden [Petar STOYANOVICH]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization or IMRO [Krasimir KARAKACHANOV]; Liberal Initiative for Democratic European Development or LIDER [Khristo KOVACHKI]; Movement for Rights and Freedoms or MRF [Ahmed DOGAN]; Movement Forward (LIDER, IMRO, ANU, Gergyovden); National Movement for Stability and Progress or NDSV [Simeon SAXE-COBURG-GOTHA] (formerly National Movement Simeon II or NMS2); New Time [Emil KOSHLUKOV]; Order, Law, Justice or RZS [Yane YANEV]; Union of Democratic Forces or UDF [Martin DIMITROV]; Union of Free Democrats or UFD [Stefan SOFIYANSKI]; United Agrarians [Anastasia MOZER]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Bulgaria or CITUB;
Podkrepa Labor Confederation

other: numerous regional, ethnic, and national interest groups with various agendas

International organization participation:

ACCT, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB,
EU, FAO, G- 9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA,
NAM (guest), NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SECI,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU
(associate affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Latchezar PETKOV

chancery: 1621 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 387-0174

FAX: [1] (202) 234-7973

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Nancy McELDOWNEY

embassy: 16 Kozyak Street, Sofia 1407

mailing address: American Embassy Sofia, US Department of State, 5740 Sofia Place, Washington, DC 20521-5740

telephone: [359] (2) 937-5100

FAX: [359] (2) 937-5320

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of white (top), green, and red

note: the national emblem, formerly on the hoist side of the white stripe, has been removed

Economy ::Bulgaria

Economy - overview:

Bulgaria, a former Communist country that entered the EU on 1 January 2007, has experienced strong growth since a major economic downturn in 1996. Successive governments have demonstrated a commitment to economic reforms and responsible fiscal planning, but have failed so far to rein in rising inflation and large current account deficits. Bulgaria has averaged more than 6% growth since 2004, attracting significant amounts of foreign direct investment, but corruption in the public administration, a weak judiciary, and the presence of organized crime remain significant challenges.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$93.98 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 67 $88.66 billion (2007 est.)

$83.48 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$49.9 billion (2008)

GDP - real growth rate:

6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 59 6.2% (2007 est.)

6.3% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$12,900 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 86 $12,100 (2007 est.)

$11,300 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 7.3%

industry: 30.5%

services: 62.2% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

2.67 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 107

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 7.5%

industry: 35.5%

services: 57% (2007 est.)

Unemployment rate:

6.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 79 7.7% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

14.1% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 3%

highest 10%: 25.5% (2007)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

30.7 (2007) country comparison to the world: 109 26.4 (2001)

Investment (gross fixed):

33.4% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 11

Budget:

revenues: $22.24 billion

expenditures: $20.74 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

14.1% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 106 41.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

12.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 171 9.8% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

5.77% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 111 4.58% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

10.86% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 85 10% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$14.29 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 40 $15.58 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$19.67 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 42 $17.03 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$32.04 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 52 $25.18 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$8.858 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 68 $21.79 billion (31 December 2007)

$10.32 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

vegetables, fruits, tobacco, wine, wheat, barley, sunflowers, sugar beets; livestock

Industries:

electricity, gas, water; food, beverages, tobacco; machinery and equipment, base metals, chemical products, coke, refined petroleum, nuclear fuel

Industrial production growth rate:

1.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 115

Electricity - production:

40.25 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 53

Electricity - consumption:

31.08 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 57

Electricity - exports:

8.441 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

3.097 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

3,357 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 99

Oil - consumption:

124,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 71

Oil - exports:

76,570 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 71

Oil - imports:

189,000 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 53

Oil - proved reserves:

15 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 83

Natural gas - production:

300 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 72

Natural gas - consumption:

3.4 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 70

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 198

Natural gas - imports:

3.1 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 41

Natural gas - proved reserves:

5.663 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 88

Current account balance:

-$12.65 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 170 -$8.716 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$22.71 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 69 $18.58 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

clothing, footwear, iron and steel, machinery and equipment, fuels

Exports - partners:

Greece 9.9%, Germany 9.2%, Turkey 8.9%, Italy 8.5%, Romania 7.2%,
Belgium 5.9%, France 4.1% (2008)

Imports:

$35.64 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 60 $28.65 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment; metals and ores; chemicals and plastics; fuels, minerals, and raw materials

Imports - partners:

Russia 14.6%, Germany 11.8%, Italy 7.9%, Ukraine 7.3%, Romania 5.6%,
Turkey 5.5%, Greece 5.4%, Austria 4.1% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$17.93 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 55 $17.54 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$51.46 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 53 $42.62 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$42.91 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 52 $33.91 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$1.292 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 68 $559 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

leva (BGN) per US dollar - 1.3171 (2008 est.), 1.4366 (2007), 1.5576 (2006), 1.5741 (2005), 1.5751 (2004)

Communications ::Bulgaria

Telephones - main lines in use:

2.258 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 55

Telephones - mobile cellular:

10.633 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 59

Telephone system:

general assessment: an extensive but antiquated telecommunications network inherited from the Soviet era; quality has improved; the Bulgaria Telecommunications Company's fixed-line monopoly terminated in 2005 when alternative fixed-line operators were given access to its network; a drop in fixed-line connections in recent years has been more than offset by a sharp increase in mobile-cellular telephone use fostered by multiple service providers; the number of cellular telephone subscriptions now greatly exceeds the population

domestic: a fairly modern digital cable trunk line now connects switching centers in most of the regions; the others are connected by digital microwave radio relay

international: country code - 359; submarine cable provides connectivity to Ukraine and Russia; a combination submarine cable and land fiber-optic system provides connectivity to Italy, Albania, and Macedonia; satellite earth stations - 3 (1 Intersputnik in the Atlantic Ocean region, 2 Intelsat in the Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions) (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 31, FM 63, shortwave 2 (2001)

Television broadcast stations:

39 (plus 1,242 repeaters) (2001)

Internet country code:

.bg

Internet hosts:

706,648 (2009) country comparison to the world: 45

Internet users:

2.647 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 63

Transportation ::Bulgaria

Airports:

212 (2009) country comparison to the world: 29

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 132

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 18

1,524 to 2,437 m: 15

under 914 m: 97 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 80

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 6

under 914 m: 73 (2009)

Heliports:

3 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 2,926 km; oil 339 km; refined products 156 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 4,294 km country comparison to the world: 38 standard gauge: 4,049 km 1.435-m gauge (2,880 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 245 km 0.760-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 40,231 km country comparison to the world: 89 paved: 39,587 km (includes 331 km of expressways)

unpaved: 644 km (2005)

Waterways:

470 km (2008) country comparison to the world: 83

Merchant marine:

total: 74 country comparison to the world: 59 by type: bulk carrier 37, cargo 14, chemical tanker 5, container 6, liquefied gas 2, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 4, specialized tanker 1

foreign-owned: 65 (Germany 63, Ireland 1, Russia 1)

registered in other countries: 31 (Comoros 2, Malta 5, Panama 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 15, Slovakia 6) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Burgas, Varna

Military ::Bulgaria

Military branches:

Bulgarian Armed Forces: Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Bulgarian Air
Forces (Bulgarski Voennovazdyshni Sily, BVVS) (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18-27 years of age for voluntary military service; as of May 2006, 67% of the Bulgarian Army comprised of professional soldiers; conscription ended January 2008; Air Forces and Naval Forces became fully professional at the end of 2006 (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,701,979

females age 16-49: 1,691,092 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,351,312

females age 16-49: 1,381,017 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 38,263

female: 36,374 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

2.6% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 64

Transnational Issues ::Bulgaria

Disputes - international:

none

Illicit drugs:

major European transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and, to a lesser degree, South American cocaine for the European market; limited producer of precursor chemicals; vulnerable to money laundering because of corruption, organized crime; some money laundering of drug-related proceeds through financial institutions (2008)

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Burkina Faso (Africa)

Introduction ::Burkina Faso

Background:

Burkina Faso (formerly Upper Volta) achieved independence from France in 1960. Repeated military coups during the 1970s and 1980s were followed by multiparty elections in the early 1990s. Current President Blaise COMPAORE came to power in a 1987 military coup and has won every election since then. Burkina Faso's high population density and limited natural resources result in poor economic prospects for the majority of its citizens. Recent unrest in Cote d'Ivoire and northern Ghana has hindered the ability of several hundred thousand seasonal Burkinabe farm workers to find employment in neighboring countries. In January 2008, Burkina Faso assumed a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2008-09 term.

Geography ::Burkina Faso

Location:

Western Africa, north of Ghana

Geographic coordinates:

13 00 N, 2 00 W

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 274,200 sq km country comparison to the world: 74 land: 273,800 sq km

water: 400 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than Colorado

Land boundaries:

total: 3,193 km

border countries: Benin 306 km, Cote d'Ivoire 584 km, Ghana 549 km, Mali 1,000 km, Niger 628 km, Togo 126 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

tropical; warm, dry winters; hot, wet summers

Terrain:

mostly flat to dissected, undulating plains; hills in west and southeast

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Mouhoun (Black Volta) River 200 m

highest point: Tena Kourou 749 m

Natural resources:

manganese, limestone, marble; small deposits of gold, phosphates, pumice, salt

Land use:

arable land: 17.66%

permanent crops: 0.22%

other: 82.12% (2005)

Irrigated land:

250 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

17.5 cu km (2001)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.8 cu km/yr (13%/1%/86%)

per capita: 60 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

recurring droughts

Environment - current issues:

recent droughts and desertification severely affecting agricultural activities, population distribution, and the economy; overgrazing; soil degradation; deforestation

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

landlocked savanna cut by the three principal rivers of the Black, Red, and White Voltas

People ::Burkina Faso

Population:

15,746,232 country comparison to the world: 61 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 46.2% (male 3,646,661/female 3,621,648)

15-64 years: 51.3% (male 4,025,917/female 4,054,865)

65 years and over: 2.5% (male 156,895/female 240,246) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 16.8 years

male: 16.6 years

female: 17 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

3.103% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 11

Birth rate:

44.33 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 6

Death rate:

13.3 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 28

Net migration rate:

NA

Urbanization:

urban population: 20% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 84.49 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 15 male: 92.09 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 76.66 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 52.95 years country comparison to the world: 199 male: 51.04 years

female: 54.91 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

6.28 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 8

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

1.6% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 39

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

130,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 41

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

9,200 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 34

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: malaria and yellow fever

water contact disease: schistosomiasis

respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis

animal contact disease: rabies

note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Burkinabe (singular and plural)

adjective: Burkinabe

Ethnic groups:

Mossi over 40%, other approximately 60% (includes Gurunsi, Senufo,
Lobi, Bobo, Mande, and Fulani)

Religions:

Muslim 50%, indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian (mainly Roman
Catholic) 10%

Languages:

French (official), native African languages belonging to Sudanic family spoken by 90% of the population

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 21.8%

male: 29.4%

female: 15.2% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 5 years

male: 5 years

female: 4 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

4.2% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 98

Government ::Burkina Faso

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Burkina Faso

local long form: none

local short form: Burkina Faso

former: Upper Volta, Republic of Upper Volta

Government type:

parliamentary republic

Capital:

name: Ouagadougou

geographic coordinates: 12 22 N, 1 31 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

45 provinces; Bale, Bam, Banwa, Bazega, Bougouriba, Boulgou,
Boulkiemde, Comoe, Ganzourgou, Gnagna, Gourma, Houet, Ioba, Kadiogo,
Kenedougou, Komondjari, Kompienga, Kossi, Koulpelogo, Kouritenga,
Kourweogo, Leraba, Loroum, Mouhoun, Nahouri, Namentenga, Nayala,
Noumbiel, Oubritenga, Oudalan, Passore, Poni, Sanguie, Sanmatenga,
Seno, Sissili, Soum, Sourou, Tapoa, Tuy, Yagha, Yatenga, Ziro,
Zondoma, Zoundweogo

Independence:

5 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday:

Republic Day, 11 December (1958)

Constitution:

approved by referendum 2 June 1991; formally adopted 11 June 1991; last amended January 2002

Legal system:

based on French civil law system and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Blaise COMPAORE (since 15 October 1987)

head of government: Prime Minister Tertius ZONGO (since 4 June 2007)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 13 November 2005 (next to be held in 2010); in April 2000, the constitution was amended reducing the presidential term from seven to five years, enforceable as of 2005; prime minister appointed by the president with the consent of the legislature

election results: Blaise COMPAORE reelected president; percent of popular vote - Blaise COMPAORE 80.3%, Benewende Stanislas SANKARA 4.9%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (111 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: National Assembly election last held 6 May 2007 (next to be held in May 2012)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CDP 73, ADF-RDA 14, UPR 5, UNIR-MS 4, CFD-B 3, UPS 2, PDP-PS 2, RDB 2, PDS 2, PAREN 1, PAI 1, RPC 1, UDPS 1

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court; Appeals Court

Political parties and leaders:

African Democratic Rally-Alliance for Democracy and Federation or
ADF-RDA [Gilbert OUEDRAOGO]; Citizen's Popular Rally or RPC [Antoine
QUARE]; Coalition of Democratic Forces of Burkina or CFD-B [Amadou
Diemdioda DICKO]; Congress for Democracy and Progress or CDP [Roch
Marc-Christian KABORE]; Democratic and Popular Rally or RDP [Nana
THIBAUT]; Movement for Tolerance and Progress or MTP [Nayabtigungou
Congo KABORE]; Party for African Independence or PAI [Soumane
TOURE]; Party for Democracy and Progress-Socialist Party or PDP-PS
[Ali LANKOANDE]; Party for Democracy and Socialism or PDS [Felix
SOUBEIGA]; Party for National Rebirth or PAREN [Jeanne TRAORE];
Rally for the Development of Burkina or RDB [Antoine KARGOUGOU];
Rally of Ecologists of Burkina Faso or RDEB [Ram OUEDRAGO];
Republican Party for Integration and Solidarity or PARIS; Union for
Democracy and Social Progress or UDPS [Fidele HIEN]; Union for
Rebirth - Sankarist Movement or UNIR-MS [Benewende STANISLAS]; Union
for the Republic or UPR [Toussaint Abel COULIBALY]; Union of
Sankarist Parties or UPS [Ernest Nongma OUEDRAOGO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Burkinabe General Confederation of Labor or CGTB [Tole SAGNON];
Burkinabe Movement for Human Rights or MBDHP [Chrysigone ZOUGMORE];
Group of 14 February [Benewende STANISLAS]; National Confederation
of Burkinabe Workers or CNTB [Laurent OUEDRAOGO]; National
Organization of Free Unions or ONSL [Paul KABORE]

other: watchdog/political action groups throughout the country in both organizations and communities

International organization participation:

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA,
MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNITAR, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Paramanga Ernest YONLI

chancery: 2340 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 332-5577

FAX: [1] (202) 667-1882

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Samuel C. LAEUCHLI

embassy: 602 Avenue Raoul Follereau, Koulouba, Secteur 4

mailing address: 01 B. P. 35, Ouagadougou 01; pouch mail - US Department of State, 2440 Ouagadougou Place, Washington, DC 20521-2440

telephone: [226] 50-30-67-23

FAX: [226] 50-30-38-90

Flag description:

two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a yellow five-pointed star in the center

note: uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Economy ::Burkina Faso

Economy - overview:

One of the poorest countries in the world, landlocked Burkina Faso has few natural resources and a weak industrial base. About 90% of the population is engaged in subsistence agriculture, which is vulnerable to periodic drought. Cotton is the main cash crop and the government has joined with three other cotton producing countries in the region - Mali, Niger, and Chad - to lobby in the World Trade Organization for fewer subsidies to producers in other competing countries. Since 1998, Burkina Faso has embarked upon a gradual but successful privatization of state-owned enterprises. Having revised its investment code in 2004, Burkina Faso hopes to attract foreign investors. Thanks to this new code and other legislation favoring the mining sector, the country has seen an upswing in gold exploration and production. While the bitter internal crisis in neighboring Cote d'Ivoire is beginning to be resolved, it is still having a negative effect on Burkina Faso's trade and employment. Burkina Faso received a Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) threshold grant to improve girls' education at the primary school level, and signed an MCC compact that focuses on the areas of infrastructure, agriculture, and land reform in July 2008.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$17.96 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 128 $17.11 billion (2007 est.)

$16.5 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$8.116 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 90 3.7% (2007 est.)

5.5% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,200 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 207 $1,200 (2007 est.)

$1,200 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 29.1%

industry: 19.9%

services: 51% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

6.668 million country comparison to the world: 64 note: a large part of the male labor force migrates annually to neighboring countries for seasonal employment (2007)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 90%

industry and services: 10% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:

77% (2004) country comparison to the world: 197

Population below poverty line:

46.4% (2004)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.8%

highest 10%: 32.2% (2004)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

39.5 (2007) country comparison to the world: 64 48.2 (1994)

Investment (gross fixed):

19.6% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 115

Budget:

revenues: $1.409 billion

expenditures: $1.786 billion (2008 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

10.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 158 -0.2% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

4.75% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 117 4.25% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

NA

Stock of money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$1.051 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$663 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$905.1 million (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

cotton, peanuts, shea nuts, sesame, sorghum, millet, corn, rice; livestock

Industries:

cotton lint, beverages, agricultural processing, soap, cigarettes, textiles, gold

Industrial production growth rate:

4.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 58

Electricity - production:

611.6 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 156

Electricity - consumption:

568.8 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 159

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 126

Oil - consumption:

9,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 152

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 159

Oil - imports:

8,283 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 144

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 121

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 119

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 126

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 96

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 120

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 126

Current account balance:

-$931 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 113 -$564 million (2007 est.)

Exports:

$544 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 161 $618 million (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

cotton, livestock, gold

Exports - partners:

Singapore 17%, Belgium 12.9%, China 11.3%, Thailand 9.1%, Ghana 7%,
Niger 5.2%, Denmark 4.9% (2008)

Imports:

$1.343 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 164 $1.221 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

capital goods, foodstuffs, petroleum

Imports - partners:

Cote d'Ivoire 26.7%, France 18.4%, Togo 7.4%, Libya 4.2% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$926.3 million (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 130 $1.029 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$1.665 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 139 $1.33 billion (2007)

Exchange rates:

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 447.81 (2008 est.), 493.51 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004)

note: since 1 January 1999, the West African CFA franc (XOF) has been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 CFA francs per euro; West African CFA franc (XOF) coins and banknotes are not accepted in countries using Central African CFA francs (XAF), and vice versa, even though the two currencies trade at par

Communications ::Burkina Faso

Telephones - main lines in use:

144,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 133

Telephones - mobile cellular:

2.553 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 114

Telephone system:

general assessment: services only fair; in 2006 the government sold a 51 percent stake in the national telephone company and ultimately plans to retain only a 23 percent stake in the company; fixed-line connections stand at less than 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular usage, fostered by multiple providers, is increasing rapidly from a low base

domestic: microwave radio relay, open-wire, and radiotelephone communication stations

international: country code - 226; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 2, FM 26, shortwave 3 (2007)

Television broadcast stations:

3 (1 national, 2 private)

Internet country code:

.bf

Internet hosts:

1,951 (2009) country comparison to the world: 150

Internet users:

140,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 143

Transportation ::Burkina Faso

Airports:

26 (2009) country comparison to the world: 127

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 2

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 24

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 13

under 914 m: 7 (2009)

Railways:

total: 622 km country comparison to the world: 109 narrow gauge: 622 km 1.000-m gauge

note: another 660 km of this railway extends into Cote d'Ivoire (2008)

Roadways:

total: 92,495 km country comparison to the world: 51 paved: 3,857 km

unpaved: 88,638 km (2004)

Military ::Burkina Faso

Military branches:

Army, Air Force of Burkina Faso (Force Aerienne de Burkina Faso,
FABF), National Gendarmerie (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service; women may serve in supporting roles (2009)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 3,364,288 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 2,197,557

females age 16-49: 2,191,978 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 182,540

female: 180,051 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.2% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 129

Transnational Issues ::Burkina Faso

Disputes - international:

in September 2007, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) intervened to attempt to resolve the dispute over two villages along the Benin-Burkina Faso border that remain from a 2005 ICJ decision; in recent years citizens and rogue security forces rob and harass local populations on both sides of the poorly defined Burkina Faso-Niger border; despite the presence of more than 9,000 UN forces (UNOCI) in Cote d'Ivoire since 2004, ethnic conflict continues to spread into neighboring states who can no longer send their migrant workers to work in Ivorian cocoa plantations

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Burma (East & Southeast Asia)

Introduction ::Burma

Background:

Britain conquered Burma over a period of 62 years (1824-1886) and incorporated it into its Indian Empire. Burma was administered as a province of India until 1937 when it became a separate, self-governing colony; independence from the Commonwealth was attained in 1948. Gen. NE WIN dominated the government from 1962 to 1988, first as military ruler, then as self-appointed president, and later as political kingpin. In September 1988, the military deposed NE WIN and established a new ruling junta. Despite multiparty legislative elections in 1990 that resulted in the main opposition party - the National League for Democracy (NLD) - winning a landslide victory, the junta refused to hand over power. NLD leader and Nobel Peace Prize recipient AUNG SAN SUU KYI, who was under house arrest from 1989 to 1995 and 2000 to 2002, was imprisoned in May 2003 and subsequently transferred to house arrest. After the ruling junta in August 2007 unexpectedly increased fuel prices, tens of thousands of Burmese marched in protest, led by prodemocracy activists and Buddhist monks. In late September 2007, the government brutally suppressed the protests, killing at least 13 people and arresting thousands for participating in the demonstrations. Since then, the regime has continued to raid homes and monasteries and arrest persons suspected of participating in the pro-democracy protests. The junta appointed Labor Minister AUNG KYI in October 2007 as liaison to AUNG SAN SUU KYI, who remains under house arrest and virtually incommunicado with her party and supporters. Burma in early May 2008 was struck by Cyclone Nargis which official estimates claimed left over 80,000 dead and 50,000 injured. Despite this tragedy, the junta proceeded with its May constitutional referendum, the first vote in Burma since 1990, setting the stage for the 2010 parliamentary elections.

Geography ::Burma

Location:

Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between Bangladesh and Thailand

Geographic coordinates:

22 00 N, 98 00 E

Map references:

Southeast Asia

Area:

total: 676,578 sq km country comparison to the world: 40 land: 653,508 sq km

water: 23,070 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries:

total: 5,876 km

border countries: Bangladesh 193 km, China 2,185 km, India 1,463 km, Laos 235 km, Thailand 1,800 km

Coastline:

1,930 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:

tropical monsoon; cloudy, rainy, hot, humid summers (southwest monsoon, June to September); less cloudy, scant rainfall, mild temperatures, lower humidity during winter (northeast monsoon, December to April)

Terrain:

central lowlands ringed by steep, rugged highlands

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Andaman Sea 0 m

highest point: Hkakabo Razi 5,881 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, timber, tin, antimony, zinc, copper, tungsten, lead, coal, marble, limestone, precious stones, natural gas, hydropower

Land use:

arable land: 14.92%

permanent crops: 1.31%

other: 83.77% (2005)

Irrigated land:

18,700 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

1,045.6 cu km (1999)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 33.23 cu km/yr (1%/1%/98%)

per capita: 658 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

destructive earthquakes and cyclones; flooding and landslides common during rainy season (June to September); periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; industrial pollution of air, soil, and water; inadequate sanitation and water treatment contribute to disease

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
Timber 94

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

strategic location near major Indian Ocean shipping lanes

People ::Burma

Population:

48,137,741 country comparison to the world: 26 note: estimates for this country take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 25.3% (male 6,193,263/female 5,990,658)

15-64 years: 69.3% (male 16,510,648/female 16,828,462)

65 years and over: 5.4% (male 1,121,412/female 1,493,298) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 28.2 years

male: 27.7 years

female: 28.8 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.783% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 139

Birth rate:

16.97 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 123

Death rate:

9.14 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 83

Net migration rate:

NA

Urbanization:

urban population: 33% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 2.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 47.61 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 53 male: 53.78 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 41.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 63.39 years country comparison to the world: 172 male: 61.17 years

female: 65.74 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.89 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 145

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.7% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 64

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

240,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 28

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

25,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 18

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria

water contact disease: leptospirosis

animal contact disease: rabies

note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Burmese (singular and plural)

adjective: Burmese

Ethnic groups:

Burman 68%, Shan 9%, Karen 7%, Rakhine 4%, Chinese 3%, Indian 2%,
Mon 2%, other 5%

Religions:

Buddhist 89%, Christian 4% (Baptist 3%, Roman Catholic 1%), Muslim 4%, animist 1%, other 2%

Languages:

Burmese, minority ethnic groups have their own languages

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 89.9%

male: 93.9%

female: 86.4% (2006 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 8 years

male: 8 years

female: 8 years (2001)

Education expenditures:

1.2% of GDP (2001) country comparison to the world: 178

Government ::Burma

Country name:

conventional long form: Union of Burma

conventional short form: Burma

local long form: Pyidaungzu Myanma Naingngandaw (translated by the US Government as Union of Myanma and by the Burmese as Union of Myanmar)

local short form: Myanma Naingngandaw

former: Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma

note: since 1989 the military authorities in Burma have promoted the name Myanmar as a conventional name for their state; this decision was not approved by any sitting legislature in Burma, and the US Government did not adopt the name, which is a derivative of the Burmese short-form name Myanma Naingngandaw

Government type:

military junta

Capital:

name: Rangoon (Yangon)

geographic coordinates: 16 48 N, 96 09 E

time difference: UTC+6.5 (11.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

note: Nay Pyi Taw is administrative capital

Administrative divisions:

7 divisions (taing-myar, singular - taing) and 7 states* (pyi ne-myar, singular - pyi ne)

divisions: Ayeyarwady, Bago, Magway, Mandalay, Sagaing, Tanintharyi, Yangon

states: Chin, Kachin, Kayah, Kayin, Mon, Rakhine, Shan

Independence:

4 January 1948 (from the UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 4 January (1948); Union Day, 12 February (1947)

Constitution:

3 January 1974; suspended since 18 September 1988; a new constitution was approved on 10 May 2008; note - new constitution will take effect when a new parliament is convened following elections scheduled for 2010

Legal system:

based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) Sr. Gen. THAN SHWE (since 23 April 1992)

head of government: Prime Minister, Lt. Gen THEIN SEIN (since 24 October 2007)

cabinet: Cabinet is overseen by SPDC; military junta assumed power 18 September 1988 under name State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC)

elections: none

Legislative branch:

a unicameral People's Assembly or Pyithu Hluttaw consisting of 485 seats with members elected by popular vote was elected in 1990 but was never seated; according to the terms of the constitution approved on 10 May 2008, a bicameral Pyidaungsu Hluttaw consisting of an upper house with a maximum of 224 seats and a lower house with a maximum of 440 seats will be selected in elections in 2010

elections: last held 27 May 1990, but Assembly never allowed by junta to convene (junta has announced plans to hold elections in 2010)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NLD 392 (opposition), SNLD 23 (opposition), NUP 10 (pro-government), other 60

Judicial branch:

remnants of the British-era legal system are in place, but there is no guarantee of a fair public trial; the judiciary is not independent of the executive

Political parties and leaders:

National League for Democracy or NLD [AUNG SHWE, AUNG SAN SUU KYI];
National Unity Party or NUP (pro-regime) [TUN YE]; Shan
Nationalities League for Democracy or SNLD [HKUN HTUN OO]; and
numerous other smaller parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Ethnic Nationalities Council or ENC (based in Thailand); Federation of Trade Unions-Burma or FTUB (exile trade union and labor advocates); National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma or NCGUB (self-proclaimed government in exile) ["Prime Minister" Dr. SEIN WIN] consists of individuals, some legitimately elected to the People's Assembly in 1990 (the group fled to a border area and joined insurgents in December 1990 to form parallel government in exile); Kachin Independence Organization or KIO; Karen National Union or KNU; Karenni National People's Party or KNPP; National Council-Union of Burma or NCUB (exile coalition of opposition groups); United Wa State Army or UWSA; Union Solidarity and Development Association or USDA (pro-regime, a social and political mass-member organization) [HTAY OO, general secretary]; 88 Generation Students (pro-democracy movement) [TOE KYAW HLAING]

other: several Shan factions

International organization participation:

ADB, APT, ARF, ASEAN, BIMSTEC, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO
(correspondent), ITU, NAM, OPCW (signatory), SAARC (observer), UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires MYINT LWIN

chancery: 2300 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 332-3344

FAX: [1] (202) 332-4351

consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Charge d'Affaires Larry M. DINGER - note: The United States does not maintain an ambassador in Burma

embassy: 110 University Avenue, Kamayut Township, Rangoon

mailing address: Box B, APO AP 96546

telephone: [95] (1) 536-509, 535-756, 538-038

FAX: [95] (1) 650-306

Flag description:

red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing 14, white, five-pointed stars encircling a cogwheel containing a stalk of rice; the 14 stars represent the seven administrative divisions and seven states

Economy ::Burma

Economy - overview:

Burma, a resource-rich country, suffers from pervasive government controls, inefficient economic policies, and rural poverty. Despite Burma's increasing oil and gas revenue, socio-economic conditions have deteriorated because of the regime's mismanagement of the economy. The economy suffers from serious macroeconomic imbalances - including rising inflation, fiscal deficits, multiple official exchange rates that overvalue the Burmese kyat, a distorted interest rate regime, unreliable statistics, and an inability to reconcile national accounts to determine a realistic GDP figure. Most overseas development assistance ceased after the junta began to suppress the democracy movement in 1988 and subsequently refused to honor the results of the 1990 legislative elections. In response to the government of Burma's attack in May 2003 on AUNG SAN SUU KYI and her convoy, the US imposed new economic sanctions in August 2003 including a ban on imports of Burmese products and a ban on provision of financial services by US persons. Further, a poor investment climate hampers the inflow of foreign investment. Foreign investors have shied away from nearly every sector except for natural gas and power generation. The business climate is widely perceived as opaque, corrupt, and highly inefficient. The most productive sectors will continue to be in extractive industries - especially oil and gas, mining, and timber - with the latter causing significant environmental degradation. Other areas, such as manufacturing and services, are struggling with inadequate infrastructure, unpredictable import/export policies, deteriorating health and education systems, and endemic corruption. A major banking crisis in 2003 shuttered 20 private banks and disrupted the economy. As of 2008, the largest private banks operated under tight restrictions, limiting the private sector's access to formal credit. The September 2007 crackdown on prodemocracy demonstrators, including thousands of monks, strained the economy as the tourism industry, which directly employs about 500,000 people, suffered dramatic declines in foreign visitor levels. In November 2007, the European Union announced new sanctions banning investment and trade in Burmese gems, timber, and precious stones, while the United States expanded its sanctions list to include more Burmese government and military officials and their family members, as well as prominent regime business cronies, their family members, and associated companies. Official statistics are inaccurate. In July 2008 the President signed into law the Tom LANTOS JADE (Junta's Anti-Democratic Efforts) Act of 2008, imposing new targeted sanctions on the regime. Published statistics on foreign trade are greatly understated because of the size of the black market and unofficial border trade - often estimated to be as large as the official economy. Though the Burmese government has good economic relations with its neighbors, better investment and business climates and an improved political situation are needed to promote serious foreign investment, exports, and tourism.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$55.27 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 87 $54.66 billion (2007 est.)

$52.87 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$26.21 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

1.1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 171 3.4% (2007 est.)

3.4% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,200 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 206 $1,200 (2007 est.)

$1,100 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 40.9%

industry: 19.8%

services: 39.2% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

30.04 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 19

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 70%

industry: 7%

services: 23% (2001)

Unemployment rate:

5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 62 5.2% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

32.7% (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.8%

highest 10%: 32.4% (1998)

Investment (gross fixed):

14.1% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 139

Budget:

revenues: $1 billion

expenditures: $1.805 billion (2008 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

26.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 217 35% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

12% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 25 12% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

17% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 30 17% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$598 billion (31 December 2007)

note: this number reflects the vastly overvalued official exchange rate of 5.38 kyat per dollar; at the unofficial black market rate of 1305 kyat per dollar, the stock of kyats would equal only US$2.465 billion and Burma's velocity of money (the number of times money turns over in the course of a year) would be six, in line with the velocity of money for other countries in the region

Stock of quasi money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$216.9 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$887.7 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

rice, pulses, beans, sesame, groundnuts, sugarcane; hardwood; fish and fish products

Industries:

agricultural processing; wood and wood products; copper, tin, tungsten, iron; cement, construction materials; pharmaceuticals; fertilizer; oil and natural gas; garments, jade and gems

Industrial production growth rate:

7.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 25

Electricity - production:

6.286 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 105

Electricity - consumption:

4.403 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 112

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

22,120 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 74

Oil - consumption:

41,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 100

Oil - exports:

2,200 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 113

Oil - imports:

18,250 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 114

Oil - proved reserves:

50 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 77

Natural gas - production:

12.4 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 40

Natural gas - consumption:

3.85 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 67

Natural gas - exports:

8.55 billion cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 23

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 75

Natural gas - proved reserves:

283.2 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 40

Current account balance:

$1.281 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 44 $1.285 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$6.677 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 100 $6.17 billion (2007 est.)

note: official export figures are grossly underestimated due to the value of timber, gems, narcotics, rice, and other products smuggled to Thailand, China, and Bangladesh

Exports - commodities:

natural gas, wood products, pulses, beans, fish, rice, clothing, jade and gems

Exports - partners:

Thailand 52.3%, India 12.7%, China 8.9%, Japan 4.4% (2008)

Imports:

$3.388 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 134 $2.964 billion (2007 est.)

note: import figures are grossly underestimated due to the value of consumer goods, diesel fuel, and other products smuggled in from Thailand, China, Malaysia, and India

Imports - commodities:

fabric, petroleum products, fertilizer, plastics, machinery, transport equipment; cement, construction materials, crude oil; food products, edible oil

Imports - partners:

China 31.9%, Thailand 21.2%, Singapore 20.7%, Malaysia 5.1%,
Indonesia 4% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$3.412 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 92 $2.312 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$7.946 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 91 $7.022 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

kyats (MMK) per US dollar - 1,205 (2008 est.), 1,296 (2007), 1,280 (2006), 5.761 (2005), 5.7459 (2004)

note: unofficial exchange rates ranged in 2004 from 815 kyat/US dollar to nearly 970 kyat/US dollar, and by yearend 2005, the unofficial exchange rate was 1,075 kyat/US dollar; data shown for 2003-05 are official exchange rates

Communications ::Burma

Telephones - main lines in use:

829,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 85

Telephones - mobile cellular:

375,800 (2008) country comparison to the world: 163

Telephone system:

general assessment: meets minimum requirements for local and intercity service for business and government

domestic: system barely capable of providing basic service; cellular phone system is grossly underdeveloped with a subscribership base of less than 1 per 100 persons

international: country code - 95; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3 optical telecommunications submarine cable that provides links to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe; satellite earth stations - 2, Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and ShinSat (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 3 (2007)

Television broadcast stations:

4 (2008)

Internet country code:

.mm

Internet hosts:

128 (2009) country comparison to the world: 196

Internet users:

108,900 (2008) country comparison to the world: 150

Transportation ::Burma

Airports:

77 (2009) country comparison to the world: 72

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 37

over 3,047 m: 11

2,438 to 3,047 m: 9

1,524 to 2,437 m: 14

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 40

over 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 12

under 914 m: 23 (2009)

Heliports:

5 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 2,228 km; oil 558 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 3,955 km country comparison to the world: 44 narrow gauge: 3,955 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 27,000 km country comparison to the world: 101 paved: 3,200 km

unpaved: 23,800 km (2006)

Waterways:

12,800 km (2008) country comparison to the world: 10

Merchant marine:

total: 24 country comparison to the world: 92 by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 17, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 3, specialized tanker 1

foreign-owned: 3 (Cyprus 1, Germany 1, Japan 1)

registered in other countries: 1 (Panama 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Moulmein, Rangoon, Sittwe

Military ::Burma

Military branches:

Myanmar Armed Forces (Tatmadaw): Army, Navy, Air Force (Tatmadaw
Lay) (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service for both sexes; forced conscription of children, although officially prohibited, reportedly continues (2007)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 13,402,788

females age 16-49: 13,437,042 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 9,146,312

females age 16-49: 9,520,852 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 426,110

female: 417,674 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

2.1% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 77

Transnational Issues ::Burma

Disputes - international:

over half of Burma's population consists of diverse ethnic groups who have substantial numbers of kin in neighboring countries; Thailand must deal with Karen and other ethnic refugees, asylum seekers, and rebels, as well as illegal cross-border activities from Burma; Thailand is studying the feasibility of jointly constructing the Hatgyi Dam on the Salween River near the border with Burma; citing environmental, cultural, and social concerns, China is reconsidering construction of 13 dams on the Salween River but energy-starved Burma with backing from Thailand remains intent on building five hydro-electric dams downstream, despite identical regional and international protests; India seeks cooperation from Burma to keep Indian Nagaland separatists, such as the United Liberation Front of Assam, from hiding in remote Burmese Uplands; after 21 years, Bangladesh resumes talks with Burma on delimiting a maritime boundary in January 2008

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

IDPs: 503,000 (government offensives against ethnic insurgent groups near the eastern borders; most IDPs are ethnic Karen, Karenni, Shan, Tavoyan, and Mon) (2007)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Burma is a source country for women, children, and men trafficked for the purpose of forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation; Burmese women and children are trafficked to East and Southeast Asia for commercial sexual exploitation, domestic servitude, and forced labor; Burmese children are subjected to conditions of forced labor in Thailand as hawkers, beggars, and for work in shops, agriculture, fish processing, and small-scale industries; women are trafficked for commercial sexual exploitation to Malaysia and China; some trafficking victims transit Burma from Bangladesh to Malaysia and from China to Thailand; internal trafficking occurs primarily from villages to urban centers and economic hubs for labor in industrial zones, agricultural estates, and commercial sexual exploitation; military and civilian officials continue to use a significant amount of forced labor; ethnic insurgent groups also used compulsory labor of adults and unlawful recruitment of children; the military junta's gross economic mismanagement, human rights abuses, and its policy of using forced labor are the top causal factors for Burma's significant trafficking problem

tier rating: Tier 3 - Burma does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; military and civilian officials remain directly involved in significant acts of forced labor and unlawful conscription of child soldiers (2008)

Illicit drugs:

remains world's second largest producer of illicit opium with an estimated production in 2008 of 340 metric tons, an increase of 26%, and poppy cultivation in 2008 totaled 22,500 hectares, a 4% increase from 2007; production in the United Wa State Army's areas of greatest control remains low; Shan state is the source of 94% of Burma's poppy cultivation; lack of government will to take on major narcotrafficking groups and lack of serious commitment against money laundering continues to hinder the overall antidrug effort; major source of methamphetamine and heroin for regional consumption (2008)

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Burundi (Africa)

Introduction ::Burundi

Background:

Burundi's first democratically elected president was assassinated in October 1993 after only 100 days in office, triggering widespread ethnic violence between Hutu and Tutsi factions. More than 200,000 Burundians perished during the conflict that spanned almost a dozen years. Hundreds of thousands of Burundians were internally displaced or became refugees in neighboring countries. An internationally brokered power-sharing agreement between the Tutsi-dominated government and the Hutu rebels in 2003 paved the way for a transition process that led to an integrated defense force, established a new constitution in 2005, and elected a majority Hutu government in 2005. The new government, led by President Pierre NKURUNZIZA, signed a South African brokered ceasefire with the country's last rebel group in September of 2006 but still faces many challenges.

Geography ::Burundi

Location:

Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo

Geographic coordinates:

3 30 S, 30 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 27,830 sq km country comparison to the world: 146 land: 25,680 sq km

water: 2,150 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries:

total: 974 km

border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 233 km, Rwanda 290 km, Tanzania 451 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

equatorial; high plateau with considerable altitude variation (772 m to 2,670 m above sea level); average annual temperature varies with altitude from 23 to 17 degrees centigrade but is generally moderate as the average altitude is about 1,700 m; average annual rainfall is about 150 cm; two wet seasons (February to May and September to November), and two dry seasons (June to August and December to January)

Terrain:

hilly and mountainous, dropping to a plateau in east, some plains

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Lake Tanganyika 772 m

highest point: Heha 2,670 m

Natural resources:

nickel, uranium, rare earth oxides, peat, cobalt, copper, platinum, vanadium, arable land, hydropower, niobium, tantalum, gold, tin, tungsten, kaolin, limestone

Land use:

arable land: 35.57%

permanent crops: 13.12%

other: 51.31% (2005)

Irrigated land:

210 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

3.6 cu km (1987)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.29 cu km/yr (17%/6%/77%)

per capita: 38 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

flooding; landslides; drought

Environment - current issues:

soil erosion as a result of overgrazing and the expansion of agriculture into marginal lands; deforestation (little forested land remains because of uncontrolled cutting of trees for fuel); habitat loss threatens wildlife populations

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:

landlocked; straddles crest of the Nile-Congo watershed; the Kagera, which drains into Lake Victoria, is the most remote headstream of the White Nile

People ::Burundi

Population:

8,988,091 country comparison to the world: 89 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 46.2% (male 2,087,315/female 2,063,518)

15-64 years: 51.3% (male 2,291,123/female 2,320,839)

65 years and over: 2.5% (male 89,444/female 135,852) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 16.7 years

male: 16.5 years

female: 17 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

3.279% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 7

Birth rate:

41.42 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 14

Death rate:

12.67 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 34

Net migration rate:

4.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 26

Urbanization:

urban population: 10% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 6.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 59.64 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 38 male: 66.32 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 52.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 52.09 years country comparison to the world: 202 male: 51.2 years

female: 53.01 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

6.33 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 6

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

2% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 32

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

110,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 44

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

11,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 31

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: malaria

water contact disease: schistosomiasis

animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Burundian(s)

adjective: Burundian

Ethnic groups:

Hutu (Bantu) 85%, Tutsi (Hamitic) 14%, Twa (Pygmy) 1%, Europeans 3,000, South Asians 2,000

Religions:

Christian 67% (Roman Catholic 62%, Protestant 5%), indigenous beliefs 23%, Muslim 10%

Languages:

Kirundi (official), French (official), Swahili (along Lake
Tanganyika and in the Bujumbura area)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 59.3%

male: 67.3%

female: 52.2% (2000 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 7 years

male: 8 years

female: 7 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

5.1% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 69

Government ::Burundi

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Burundi

conventional short form: Burundi

local long form: Republique du Burundi/Republika y'u Burundi

local short form: Burundi

former: Urundi

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Bujumbura

geographic coordinates: 3 22 S, 29 21 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

17 provinces; Bubanza, Bujumbura Mairie, Bujumbura Rurale, Bururi, Cankuzo, Cibitoke, Gitega, Karuzi, Kayanza, Kirundo, Makamba, Muramvya, Muyinga, Mwaro, Ngozi, Rutana, Ruyigi

Independence:

1 July 1962 (from UN trusteeship under Belgian administration)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 1 July (1962)

Constitution:

ratified by popular referendum 28 February 2005

Legal system:

based on German and Belgian civil codes and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal (adult)

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Pierre NKURUNZIZA (since 26 August 2005); First Vice President Yves SAVINGUVU - Tutsi (since 9 November 2007); Second Vice President Gabriel NTISEZERANA - Hutu (since 9 February 2007); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Pierre NKURUNZIZA (since 26 August 2005); First Vice President Yves SAVINGUVU - Tutsi (since 9 November 2007); Second Vice President Gabriel NTISEZERANA - Hutu (since 9 February 2007)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by president

elections: the president is elected by popular vote to a five-year term (eligible for a second term); note - the constitution adopted in February 2005 permits the post-transition president to be elected by a two-thirds majority of the parliament; next elections to be held in August 2010; vice presidents nominated by the president, endorsed by parliament

election results: Pierre NKURUNZIZA was elected president by the parliament by a vote of 151 to 9; note - the constitution adopted in February 2005 permits the post-transition president to be elected by a two-thirds majority of the legislature

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament or Parlement, consists of a Senate (54 seats; 34 members elected by indirect vote to serve five-year terms, with remaining seats assigned to ethnic groups and former chiefs of state) and a National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (minimum 100 seats, 60% Hutu and 40% Tutsi with at least 30% being women; additional seats appointed by a National Independent Electoral Commission to ensure ethnic representation; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held 29 July 2005 (next to be held in July 2010); National Assembly - last held 4 July 2005 (next to be held in July 2010)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - CNDD-FDD 30, FRODEBU 3, CNDD 1; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - CNDD-FDD 58.6%, FRODEBU 21.7%, UPRONA 7.2%, CNDD 4.1%, MRC-Rurenzangemero 2.1%, others 6.2%; seats by party - CNDD-FDD 59, FRODEBU 25, UPRONA 10, CNDD 4, MRC-Rurenzangemero 2

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Constitutional Court; High Court of
Justice (composed of the Supreme Court and the Constitutional Court)

Political parties and leaders:

governing parties: Burundi Democratic Front or FRODEBU [Leonce NGENDAKUMANA]; National Council for the Defense of Democracy - Front for the Defense of Democracy or CNDD-FDD [Jeremie NGENDAKUMANA]; Unity for National Progress or UPRONA [Aloys RUBUKA]

note: a multiparty system was introduced after 1998, included are: National Council for the Defense of Democracy or CNDD [Leonard NYANGOMA]; National Resistance Movement for the Rehabilitation of the Citizen or MRC-Rurenzangemero [Epitace BANYAGANAKANDI]; Party for National Redress or PARENA [Jean-Baptiste BAGAZA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Observatoire de lutte contre la corruption et les malversations economiques or OLUCOME [Gabriel RUFYIRI] (anti-corruption pressure group)

other: Hutu and Tutsi militias (loosely organized)

International organization participation:

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, CEPGL, COMESA, EAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,
ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
IPU, ISO (subscriber), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNAMID,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Celestin NIYONGABO

chancery: Suite 212, 2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007

telephone: [1] (202) 342-2574

FAX: [1] (202) 342-2578

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Patricia Newton MOLLER

embassy: Avenue des Etats-Unis, Bujumbura

mailing address: B. P. 1720, Bujumbura

telephone: [257] 223454

FAX: [257] 222926

Flag description:

divided by a white diagonal cross into red panels (top and bottom) and green panels (hoist side and fly side) with a white disk superimposed at the center bearing three red six-pointed stars outlined in green arranged in a triangular design (one star above, two stars below)

Economy ::Burundi

Economy - overview:

Burundi is a landlocked, resource-poor country with an underdeveloped manufacturing sector. The economy is predominantly agricultural with more than 90% of the population dependent on subsistence agriculture. Economic growth depends on coffee and tea exports, which account for 90% of foreign exchange earnings. The ability to pay for imports rests primarily on weather conditions and international coffee and tea prices. The Tutsi minority, 14% of the population, dominates the coffee trade. An ethnic-based war that lasted for over a decade resulted in more than 200,000 deaths, forced more than 48,000 refugees into Tanzania, and displaced 140,000 others internally. Only one in two children go to school, and approximately one in 15 adults has HIV/AIDS. Food, medicine, and electricity remain in short supply. Burundi's GDP grew around 4% annually in 2006-08. Political stability and the end of the civil war have improved aid flows and economic activity has increased, but underlying weaknesses - a high poverty rate, poor education rates, a weak legal system, and low administrative capacity - risk undermining planned economic reforms. Burundi will continue to remain heavily dependent on aid from bilateral and multilateral donors; the delay of funds after a corruption scandal cut off bilateral aid in 2007 reduced government's revenues and its ability to pay salaries.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$3.109 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 173 $2.976 billion (2007 est.)

$2.872 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$1.097 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

4.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 96 3.6% (2007 est.)

5.1% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$300 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 227 $300 (2007 est.)

$300 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 33.4%

industry: 21%

services: 45.6% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

4.245 million (2007) country comparison to the world: 84

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 93.6%

industry: 2.3%

services: 4.1% (2002 est.)

Unemployment rate:

NA%

Population below poverty line:

68% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 4.1%

highest 10%: 28% (2006)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

42.4 (1998) country comparison to the world: 54

Investment (gross fixed):

12.5% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 142

Budget:

revenues: $295.2 million

expenditures: $355 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2008 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

24.1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 210 8.3% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

10.08% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 36 10.12% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

16.52% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 32 16.84% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$261.6 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 102 $208.7 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$189.9 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 116 $141 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$370 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 118 $342 million (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

coffee, cotton, tea, corn, sorghum, sweet potatoes, bananas, manioc (tapioca); beef, milk, hides

Industries:

light consumer goods such as blankets, shoes, soap; assembly of imported components; public works construction; food processing

Industrial production growth rate:

5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 46

Electricity - production:

92 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 191

Electricity - consumption:

125.6 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 185

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

40 million kWh; note - supplied by the Democratic Republic of the Congo (2007 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 202

Oil - consumption:

3,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 174

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 204

Oil - imports:

2,495 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 174

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 200

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 202

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 115

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 197

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 198

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 199

Current account balance:

-$182 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 86 -$116.8 million (2007 est.)

Exports:

$79 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 198 $52.9 million (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

coffee, tea, sugar, cotton, hides

Exports - partners:

Switzerland 27.9%, UK 11%, Pakistan 9.5%, Belgium 5.1%, Rwanda 5%,
Egypt 4.7% (2008)

Imports:

$350 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 188 $257.6 million (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

capital goods, petroleum products, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:

Saudi Arabia 20.7%, Belgium 12.6%, Uganda 8.4%, Kenya 7.4%, China 5.9%, France 5.4%, Germany 4.9%, India 4.1%, Tanzania 4.1%, Japan 4% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$266.7 million (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 141 $177.1 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$1.2 billion (2003) country comparison to the world: 151

Exchange rates:

Burundi francs (BIF) per US dollar - 1,198 (2008 est.), 1,065 (2007), 1,030 (2006), 1,138 (2005), 1,100.91 (2004)

Communications ::Burundi

Telephones - main lines in use:

30,400 (2008) country comparison to the world: 178

Telephones - mobile cellular:

480,600 (2008) country comparison to the world: 156

Telephone system:

general assessment: primitive system; telephone density one of the lowest in the world; fixed-line connections stand at well less than 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular usage is increasing but remains at a meager 5 per 100 persons

domestic: sparse system of open-wire, radiotelephone communications, and low-capacity microwave radio relay

international: country code - 257; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 0, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (2001)

Internet country code:

.bi

Internet hosts:

191 (2009) country comparison to the world: 189

Internet users:

65,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 167

Transportation ::Burundi

Airports:

8 (2009) country comparison to the world: 161

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 1

over 3,047 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 7

914 to 1,523 m: 4

under 914 m: 3 (2009)

Heliports:

1 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 12,322 km country comparison to the world: 131 paved: 1,286 km

unpaved: 11,036 km (2004)

Waterways:

mainly on Lake Tanganyika (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Bujumbura

Military ::Burundi

Military branches:

National Defense Force (Forces de Defense Nationale, FDN): Army (includes naval detachment and Air Wing), Gendarmerie (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

military service is voluntary; the armed forces law of 31 December 2004 did not specify a minimum age for enlistment, but the government had previously specified that each recruit would need to have a primary school leaving certificate (2009)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,878,544

females age 16-49: 1,851,676 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,124,072

females age 16-49: 1,102,729 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 101,402

female: 101,897 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

5.9% of GDP (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 11

Transnational Issues ::Burundi

Disputes - international:

Burundi and Rwanda dispute sections of border on the Akanyaru/Kanyaru and the Kagera/Nyabarongo rivers, which have changed course since the 1960s, when the boundary was delimited; cross-border conflicts among Tutsi, Hutu, other ethnic groups, associated political rebels, armed gangs, and various government forces persist in the Great Lakes region

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 9,849 (Democratic Republic of the Congo)

IDPs: 100,000 (armed conflict between government and rebels; most
IDPs in northern and western Burundi) (2007)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Burundi is a source country for children trafficked for the purposes of child soldiering, domestic servitude, and commercial sexual exploitation; a small number of Burundian children may be trafficked internally for domestic servitude or commercial sexual exploitation; in early 2008, Burundian children were allegedly trafficked to Uganda, via Rwanda, for agricultural labor and commercial sexual exploitation

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Burundi is on the Tier 2 Watch List for the second consecutive year for its failure to provide sufficient evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking in persons in 2007; the government's inability to provide adequate protective services to children accused of association with armed groups and to conduct anti-trafficking law enforcement activities continue to be causes for concern; Burundi has not ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2008)

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Cambodia (East & Southeast Asia)

Introduction ::Cambodia

Background:

Most Cambodians consider themselves to be Khmers, descendants of the Angkor Empire that extended over much of Southeast Asia and reached its zenith between the 10th and 13th centuries. Attacks by the Thai and Cham (from present-day Vietnam) weakened the empire, ushering in a long period of decline. The king placed the country under French protection in 1863 and it became part of French Indochina in 1887. Following Japanese occupation in World War II, Cambodia gained full independence from France in 1953. In April 1975, after a five-year struggle, Communist Khmer Rouge forces captured Phnom Penh and evacuated all cities and towns. At least 1.5 million Cambodians died from execution, forced hardships, or starvation during the Khmer Rouge regime under POL POT. A December 1978 Vietnamese invasion drove the Khmer Rouge into the countryside, began a 10-year Vietnamese occupation, and touched off almost 13 years of civil war. The 1991 Paris Peace Accords mandated democratic elections and a ceasefire, which was not fully respected by the Khmer Rouge. UN-sponsored elections in 1993 helped restore some semblance of normalcy under a coalition government. Factional fighting in 1997 ended the first coalition government, but a second round of national elections in 1998 led to the formation of another coalition government and renewed political stability. The remaining elements of the Khmer Rouge surrendered in early 1999. Some of the surviving Khmer Rouge leaders are awaiting trial by a UN-sponsored tribunal for crimes against humanity. Elections in July 2003 were relatively peaceful, but it took one year of negotiations between contending political parties before a coalition government was formed. In October 2004, King Norodom SIHANOUK abdicated the throne and his son, Prince Norodom SIHAMONI, was selected to succeed him. Local elections were held in Cambodia in April 2007, and there was little in the way of pre-election violence that preceded prior elections. National elections in July 2008 were relatively peaceful.

Geography ::Cambodia

Location:

Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, between Thailand,
Vietnam, and Laos

Geographic coordinates:

13 00 N, 105 00 E

Map references:

Southeast Asia

Area:

total: 181,035 sq km country comparison to the world: 89 land: 176,515 sq km

water: 4,520 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Oklahoma

Land boundaries:

total: 2,572 km

border countries: Laos 541 km, Thailand 803 km, Vietnam 1,228 km

Coastline:

443 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; rainy, monsoon season (May to November); dry season (December to April); little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain:

mostly low, flat plains; mountains in southwest and north

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Gulf of Thailand 0 m

highest point: Phnum Aoral 1,810 m

Natural resources:

oil and gas, timber, gemstones, iron ore, manganese, phosphates, hydropower potential

Land use:

arable land: 20.44%

permanent crops: 0.59%

other: 78.97% (2005)

Irrigated land:

2,700 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

476.1 cu km (1999)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 4.08 cu km/yr (1%/0%/98%)

per capita: 290 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

monsoonal rains (June to November); flooding; occasional droughts

Environment - current issues:

illegal logging activities throughout the country and strip mining for gems in the western region along the border with Thailand have resulted in habitat loss and declining biodiversity (in particular, destruction of mangrove swamps threatens natural fisheries); soil erosion; in rural areas, most of the population does not have access to potable water; declining fish stocks because of illegal fishing and overfishing

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:

a land of paddies and forests dominated by the Mekong River and Tonle Sap

People ::Cambodia

Population:

14,494,293 country comparison to the world: 65 note: estimates for this country take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 32.6% (male 2,388,922/female 2,336,439)

15-64 years: 63.8% (male 4,498,568/female 4,743,677)

65 years and over: 3.6% (male 197,649/female 329,038) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 22.1 years

male: 21.4 years

female: 22.8 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.765% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 75

Birth rate:

25.73 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 67

Death rate:

8.08 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 109

Net migration rate:

NA

Urbanization:

urban population: 22% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 4.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.6 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 54.79 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 43 male: 61.84 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 47.42 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 62.1 years country comparison to the world: 177 male: 60.03 years

female: 64.27 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3.04 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 71

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.8% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 56

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

75,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 54

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

6,900 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 40

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, Japanese encephalitis, and malaria

note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Cambodian(s)

adjective: Cambodian

Ethnic groups:

Khmer 90%, Vietnamese 5%, Chinese 1%, other 4%

Religions:

Buddhist 96.4%, Muslim 2.1%, other 1.3%, unspecified 0.2% (1998 census)

Languages:

Khmer (official) 95%, French, English

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 73.6%

male: 84.7%

female: 64.1% (2004 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 10 years

male: 10 years

female: 9 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

1.7% of GDP (2004) country comparison to the world: 172

Government ::Cambodia

Country name:

conventional long form: Kingdom of Cambodia

conventional short form: Cambodia

local long form: Preahreacheanachakr Kampuchea (phonetic pronunciation)

local short form: Kampuchea

former: Khmer Republic, Democratic Kampuchea, People's Republic of Kampuchea, State of Cambodia

Government type:

multiparty democracy under a constitutional monarchy

Capital:

name: Phnom Penh

geographic coordinates: 11 33 N, 104 55 E

time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

23 provinces (khett, singular and plural) and 1 municipality (krong, singular and plural)

provinces: Banteay Mean Cheay, Batdambang, Kampong Cham, Kampong
Chhnang, Kampong Spoe, Kampong Thum, Kampot, Kandal, Kaoh Kong, Keb,
Krachen, Mondol Kiri, Otdar Mean Cheay, Pailin, Pouthisat, Preah
Seihanu (Sihanoukville), Preah Vihear, Prey Veng, Rotanah Kiri, Siem
Reab, Stoeng Treng, Svay Rieng, Takev

municipalities: Phnum Penh (Phnom Penh)

Independence:

9 November 1953 (from France)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 9 November (1953)

Constitution:

promulgated 21 September 1993

Legal system:

primarily a civil law mixture of French-influenced codes from the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) period, royal decrees, and acts of the legislature, with influences of customary law and remnants of communist legal theory; increasing influence of common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: King Norodom SIHAMONI (since 29 October 2004)

head of government: Prime Minister HUN SEN (since 14 January 1985) [co-prime minister from 1993 to 1997]; Permanent Deputy Prime Minister MEN SAM AN (since 25 September 2008); Deputy Prime Ministers SAR KHENG (since 3 February 1992); SOK AN, TEA BANH, HOR NAMHONG, NHEK BUNCHHAY (since 16 July 2004); BIN CHHIN (since 5 September 2007); KEAT CHHON, YIM CHHAI LY (since 24 September 2008); KE KIMYAN (since 12 March 2009)

cabinet: Council of Ministers named by the prime minister and appointed by the monarch

elections: the king is chosen by a Royal Throne Council from among all eligible males of royal descent; following legislative elections, a member of the majority party or majority coalition is named prime minister by the Chairman of the National Assembly and appointed by the king

Legislative branch:

bicameral, consists of the Senate (61 seats; 2 members appointed by the monarch, 2 elected by the National Assembly, and 57 elected by parliamentarians and commune councils; members serve five-year terms) and the National Assembly (123 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held 22 January 2006 (next to be held in January 2011); National Assembly - last held 27 July 2008 (next to be held in July 2013)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - CPP 69%, FUNCINPEC 21%, SRP 10%; seats by party - CPP 45, FUNCINPEC 10, SRP 2; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - CPP 58%, SRP 22%, HRP 7%; NRP 6%; FUNCINPEC 5%; others 2%; seats by party - CPP 90, SRP 26, HRP 3, FUNCINPEC 2, NRP 2

Judicial branch:

Supreme Council of the Magistracy (provided for in the constitution and formed in December 1997); Supreme Court (and lower courts) exercises judicial authority

Political parties and leaders:

Cambodian People's Party or CPP [CHEA SIM]; Human Rights Party or
HRP [KHEM SOKHA, also spelled KEM SOKHA]; National United Front for
an Independent, Neutral, Peaceful, and Cooperative Cambodia or
FUNCINPEC [KEV PUT REAKSMEI]; Norodom Ranariddh Party or NRP [CHHIM
SEAK LENG]; Sam Rangsi Party or SRP [SAM RANGSI, also spelled SAM
RAINSY]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Cambodian Freedom Fighters or CFF; Partnership for Transparency Fund or PTF (anti-corruption organization); Students Movement for Democracy; The Committee for Free and Fair Elections or Comfrel

other: human rights organizations; vendors

International organization participation:

ACCT, ADB, APT, ARF, ASEAN, EAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO
(subscriber), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador HENG HEM

chancery: 4530 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011

telephone: [1] (202) 726-7742

FAX: [1] (202) 726-8381

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Carol A. RODLEY

embassy: #1, Street 96, Sangkat Wat Phnom, Khan Daun Penh, Phnom Penh

mailing address: Box P, APO AP 96546

telephone: [855] (23) 728-000

FAX: [855] (23) 728-600

Flag description:

three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (double width), and blue with a white three-towered temple representing Angkor Wat outlined in black in the center of the red band

note: only national flag to incorporate an actual building in its design

Economy ::Cambodia

Economy - overview:

From 2004 to 2007, the economy grew about 10% per year, driven largely by an expansion in the garment sector, construction, agriculture, and tourism. Growth dropped to below 7% in 2008 as a result of the global economic slowdown. With the January 2005 expiration of a WTO Agreement on Textiles and Clothing, Cambodian textile producers were forced to compete directly with lower-priced countries such as China, India, Vietnam, and Bangladesh. The garment industry currently employs more than 320,000 people and contributes more than 85% of Cambodia's exports. In 2005, exploitable oil deposits were found beneath Cambodia's territorial waters, representing a new revenue stream for the government if commercial extraction begins. Mining also is attracting significant investor interest, particularly in the northern parts of the country. The government has said opportunities exist for mining bauxite, gold, iron and gems. In 2006, a US-Cambodia bilateral Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) was signed, and several rounds of discussions have been held since 2007. The tourism industry has continued to grow rapidly, with foreign arrivals exceeding 2 million per year in 2007-08, however, economic troubles abroad will dampen growth in 2009. Rubber exports declined more than 15% in 2008 due to falling world market prices. The global financial crisis is weakening demand for Cambodian exports, and construction is declining due to a shortage of credit. The long-term development of the economy remains a daunting challenge. The Cambodian government is working with bilateral and multilateral donors, including the World Bank and IMF, to address the country's many pressing needs. The major economic challenge for Cambodia over the next decade will be fashioning an economic environment in which the private sector can create enough jobs to handle Cambodia's demographic imbalance. More than 50% of the population is less than 21 years old. The population lacks education and productive skills, particularly in the poverty-ridden countryside, which suffers from an almost total lack of basic infrastructure.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$28.01 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 110 $26.67 billion (2007 est.)

$24.2 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$11.25 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 88 10.2% (2007 est.)

10.8% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$2,000 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 188 $1,900 (2007 est.)

$1,800 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 29%

industry: 30%

services: 41% (2007 est.)

Labor force:

8.6 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 54

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 75%

industry: NA%

services: NA% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:

3.5% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 39 2.5% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:

35% (2004)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 3%

highest 10%: 34.2% (2007)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

43 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 52 40 (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

22.4% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 79

Budget:

revenues: $1.274 billion

expenditures: $1.592 billion (2008 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

25% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 212 5.9% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

NA% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 89 5.25% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

16.01% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 35 16.18% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$591.7 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 91 $513.6 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$2.328 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 82 $2.309 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$1.67 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 96 $1.131 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

rice, rubber, corn, vegetables, cashews, tapioca, silk

Industries:

tourism, garments, construction, rice milling, fishing, wood and wood products, rubber, cement, gem mining, textiles

Industrial production growth rate:

8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 20

Electricity - production:

1.273 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 141

Electricity - consumption:

1.272 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 142

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

167 million kWh (2007 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 201

Oil - consumption:

4,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 173

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 141

Oil - imports:

30,970 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 99

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 199

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 201

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 202

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 196

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 197

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 198

Current account balance:

-$1.06 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 122 -$506.3 million (2007 est.)

Exports:

$4.708 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 111 $4.089 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

clothing, timber, rubber, rice, fish, tobacco, footwear

Exports - partners:

US 54.4%, Germany 7.7%, Canada 5.9%, UK 5.5%, Vietnam 4.5% (2008)

Imports:

$6.534 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 107 $5.424 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

petroleum products, cigarettes, gold, construction materials, machinery, motor vehicles, pharmaceutical products

Imports - partners:

Thailand 26.8%, Vietnam 19%, China 14.5%, Hong Kong 8.1%, Singapore 6.9% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$2.641 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 100 $2.143 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$4.127 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 109 $3.89 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

riels (KHR) per US dollar - 4,070.94 (2008 est.), 4,006 (2007), 4,103 (2006), 4,092.5 (2005), 4,016.25 (2004)

Communications ::Cambodia

Telephones - main lines in use:

45,100 (2008) country comparison to the world: 165

Telephones - mobile cellular:

4.237 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 93

Telephone system:

general assessment: mobile-phone systems are widely used in urban areas to bypass deficiencies in the fixed-line network; fixed-line connections stand at well less than 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular usage, aided by increasing competition among service providers, is increasing and stands at 30 per 100 persons

domestic: adequate landline and/or cellular service in Phnom Penh and other provincial cities; mobile-phone coverage is rapidly expanding in rural areas

international: country code - 855; adequate but expensive landline and cellular service available to all countries from Phnom Penh and major provincial cities; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region) (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 50, shortwave NA (2008)

Television broadcast stations:

8 (including 2 TV relay stations with French and Vietnamese broadcasts); excludes 18 regional relay stations (2008)

Internet country code:

.kh

Internet hosts:

2,480 (2009) country comparison to the world: 146

Internet users:

74,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 162

Transportation ::Cambodia

Airports:

17 (2009) country comparison to the world: 140

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 6

2,438 to 3,047 m: 3

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 11

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 9

under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Heliports:

1 (2009)

Railways:

total: 602 km country comparison to the world: 110 narrow gauge: 602 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 38,093 km country comparison to the world: 91 paved: 2,977 km

unpaved: 35,116 km (2007)

Waterways:

2,400 km (mainly on Mekong River) (2008) country comparison to the world: 37

Merchant marine:

total: 626 country comparison to the world: 17 by type: bulk carrier 41, cargo 530, carrier 3, chemical tanker 10, container 8, passenger/cargo 6, petroleum tanker 11, refrigerated cargo 15, roll on/roll off 1, vehicle carrier 1

foreign-owned: 467 (Canada 2, China 193, Cyprus 7, Egypt 13, Gabon 1, Greece 3, Hong Kong 8, Indonesia 2, Japan 1, South Korea 22, Latvia 1, Lebanon 8, Netherlands 1, Romania 1, Russia 83, Singapore 4, Syria 48, Taiwan 1, Turkey 26, Ukraine 34, UAE 2, US 6) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Phnom Penh, Kampong Saom (Sihanoukville)

Military ::Cambodia

Military branches:

Royal Cambodian Armed Forces: Royal Cambodian Army, Royal Khmer
Navy, Royal Cambodian Air Force (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

conscription law of October 2006 requires all males between 18-30 to register for military service; 18-month service obligation (2006)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 3,759,034

females age 16-49: 3,784,333 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 2,673,383

females age 16-49: 2,763,256 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 177,881

female: 175,332 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

3% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 48

Transnational Issues ::Cambodia

Disputes - international:

Cambodia and Thailand dispute sections of boundary with missing boundary markers and claims of Thai encroachments into Cambodian territory; maritime boundary with Vietnam is hampered by unresolved dispute over sovereignty of offshore islands; Thailand accuses Cambodia of obstructing inclusion of Thai areas near Preah Vihear temple ruins, awarded to Cambodia by ICJ decision in 1962, as part of a planned UN World Heritage site

Illicit drugs:

narcotics-related corruption reportedly involving some in the government, military, and police; limited methamphetamine production; vulnerable to money laundering due to its cash-based economy and porous borders

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Cameroon (Africa)

Introduction ::Cameroon

Background:

The former French Cameroon and part of British Cameroon merged in 1961 to form the present country. Cameroon has generally enjoyed stability, which has permitted the development of agriculture, roads, and railways, as well as a petroleum industry. Despite a slow movement toward democratic reform, political power remains firmly in the hands of President Paul BIYA.

Geography ::Cameroon

Location:

Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Equatorial
Guinea and Nigeria

Geographic coordinates:

6 00 N, 12 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 475,440 sq km country comparison to the world: 53 land: 472,710 sq km

water: 2,730 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than California

Land boundaries:

total: 4,591 km

border countries: Central African Republic 797 km, Chad 1,094 km, Republic of the Congo 523 km, Equatorial Guinea 189 km, Gabon 298 km, Nigeria 1,690 km

Coastline:

402 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

Climate:

varies with terrain, from tropical along coast to semiarid and hot in north

Terrain:

diverse, with coastal plain in southwest, dissected plateau in center, mountains in west, plains in north

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Fako 4,095 m (on Mt. Cameroon)

Natural resources:

petroleum, bauxite, iron ore, timber, hydropower

Land use:

arable land: 12.54%

permanent crops: 2.52%

other: 84.94% (2005)

Irrigated land:

260 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

285.5 cu km (2003)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.99 cu km/yr (18%/8%/74%)

per capita: 61 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

volcanic activity with periodic releases of poisonous gases from Lake Nyos and Lake Monoun volcanoes

Environment - current issues:

waterborne diseases are prevalent; deforestation; overgrazing; desertification; poaching; overfishing

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

sometimes referred to as the hinge of Africa; throughout the country there are areas of thermal springs and indications of current or prior volcanic activity; Mount Cameroon, the highest mountain in Sub-Saharan west Africa, is an active volcano

People ::Cameroon

Population:

18,879,301 country comparison to the world: 58 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 40.9% (male 3,891,762/female 3,822,870)

15-64 years: 55.9% (male 5,298,143/female 5,250,493)

65 years and over: 3.3% (male 283,289/female 332,744) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 19.2 years

male: 19 years

female: 19.3 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.19% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 44

Birth rate:

34.1 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 41

Death rate:

12.2 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 36

Net migration rate:

NA (2009 est.)

Urbanization:

urban population: 57% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 3.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 63.34 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 36 male: 68.08 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 58.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 53.69 years country comparison to the world: 197 male: 52.89 years

female: 54.52 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

4.33 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 43

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

5.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 15

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

540,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 19

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

39,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 15

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever

water contact disease: schistosomiasis

respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis

animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Cameroonian(s)

adjective: Cameroonian

Ethnic groups:

Cameroon Highlanders 31%, Equatorial Bantu 19%, Kirdi 11%, Fulani 10%, Northwestern Bantu 8%, Eastern Nigritic 7%, other African 13%, non-African less than 1%

Religions:

indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 40%, Muslim 20%

Languages:

24 major African language groups, English (official), French (official)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 67.9%

male: 77%

female: 59.8% (2001 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 9 years

male: 10 years

female: 8 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

3.3% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 138

Government ::Cameroon

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Cameroon

conventional short form: Cameroon

local long form: Republique du Cameroun/Republic of Cameroon

local short form: Cameroun/Cameroon

former: French Cameroon, British Cameroon, Federal Republic of Cameroon, United Republic of Cameroon

Government type:

republic; multiparty presidential regime

Capital:

name: Yaounde

geographic coordinates: 3 52 N, 11 31 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

10 regions (regions, singular - region); Adamaoua, Centre, Est, Extreme-Nord, Littoral, Nord, North-West (Nord-Ouest), Ouest, Sud, South-West (Sud-Ouest)

Independence:

1 January 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday:

Republic Day (National Day), 20 May (1972)

Constitution:

approved by referendum 20 May 1972; adopted 2 June 1972; revised January 1996

Legal system:

based on French civil law system, with common law influence; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

20 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Paul BIYA (since 6 November 1982)

head of government: Prime Minister Philemon YANG (since 30 June 2009)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from proposals submitted by the prime minister

elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 11 October 2004 (next to be held by October 2011); prime minister appointed by the president

election results: President Paul BIYA reelected; percent of vote - Paul BIYA 70.9%, John FRU NDI 17.4%, Adamou Ndam NJOYA 4.5%, Garga Haman ADJI 3.7%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (180 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - the president can either lengthen or shorten the term of the legislature

elections: last held 22 July 2007 (next to be held in 2012)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CPDM 140, SDF 14, UDC 4, UNDP 4, MP 1, vacant 17

note: the constitution calls for an upper chamber for the legislature, to be called a Senate, but it has yet to be established

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president); High Court of Justice (consists of nine judges and six substitute judges; elected by the National Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:

Cameroonian Democratic Union or UDC [Adamou Ndam NJOYA]; Cameroon
People's Democratic Movement or CPDM [Paul BIYA]; Movement for the
Defense of the Republic or MDR [Dakole DAISSALA]; Movement for the
Liberation and Development of Cameroon or MLDC [Marcel YONDO];
National Union for Democracy and Progress or UNDP [Maigari BELLO
BOUBA]; Progressive Movement or MP; Social Democratic Front or SDF
[John FRU NDI]; Union of Peoples of Cameroon or UPC [Augustin
Frederic KODOCK]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Human Rights Defense Group [Albert MUKONG, president]; Southern
Cameroon National Council [Ayamba Ette OTUN]

International organization participation:

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, C, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO,
ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph FOE-ATANGANA

chancery: 2349 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 265-8790

FAX: [1] (202) 387-3826

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Janet E. GARVEY

embassy: Avenue Rosa Parks, Yaounde

mailing address: P. O. Box 817, Yaounde; pouch: American Embassy, US Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2520

telephone: [237] 2220 15 00; Consular: [237] 2220 16 03

FAX: [237] 2220 16 00 Ext. 4531; Consular FAX: [237] 2220 17 52

branch office(s): Douala

Flag description:

three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), red, and yellow, with a yellow five-pointed star centered in the red band

note: uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Economy ::Cameroon

Economy - overview:

Because of its modest oil resources and favorable agricultural conditions, Cameroon has one of the best-endowed primary commodity economies in sub-Saharan Africa. Still, it faces many of the serious problems facing other underdeveloped countries, such as stagnating per capita income, a relatively inequitable distribution of income, a top-heavy civil service, and a generally unfavorable climate for business enterprise. International oil and cocoa prices have a significant impact on the economy. Since 1990, the government has embarked on various IMF and World Bank programs designed to spur business investment, increase efficiency in agriculture, improve trade, and recapitalize the nation's banks. The IMF is pressing for more reforms, including increased budget transparency, privatization, and poverty reduction programs.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$42.69 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 94 $41.33 billion (2007 est.)

$39.93 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$23.73 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

3.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 115 3.5% (2007 est.)

3.2% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$2,300 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 178 $2,300 (2007 est.)

$2,300 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 43.6%

industry: 15.9%

services: 40.5% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

6.759 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 62

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 70%

industry: 13%

services: 17% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:

30% (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 176

Population below poverty line:

48% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.3%

highest 10%: 35.4% (2001)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

44.6 (2001) country comparison to the world: 45 47.7 (1996)

Investment (gross fixed):

17.7% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 131

Budget:

revenues: $4.714 billion

expenditures: $4.261 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

13.5% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 109 69.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

5.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 89 1.1% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

4.75% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 86 5.25% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

NA% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 47 15% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$2.616 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$1.698 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$1.3 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

coffee, cocoa, cotton, rubber, bananas, oilseed, grains, root starches; livestock; timber

Industries:

petroleum production and refining, aluminum production, food processing, light consumer goods, textiles, lumber, ship repair

Industrial production growth rate:

4.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 63

Electricity - production:

5.601 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 108

Electricity - consumption:

4.801 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 107

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

81,720 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 55

Oil - consumption:

26,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 116

Oil - exports:

107,100 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 66

Oil - imports:

45,520 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 92

Oil - proved reserves:

200 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 56

Natural gas - production:

20 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 88

Natural gas - consumption:

20 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 111

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 182

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 192

Natural gas - proved reserves:

135.1 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 49

Current account balance:

-$96 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 78 -$547 million (2007 est.)

Exports:

$4.707 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 113 $4.345 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

crude oil and petroleum products, lumber, cocoa beans, aluminum, coffee, cotton

Exports - partners:

Spain 19.8%, Italy 13.5%, US 10.6%, France 8.2%, Netherlands 8.1%,
China 7.9%, Belgium 4% (2008)

Imports:

$4.303 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 124 $4.05 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery, electrical equipment, transport equipment, fuel, food

Imports - partners:

France 21.1%, Nigeria 13.8%, China 9.5%, Belgium 6.1% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$3.091 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 93 $2.932 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$3.066 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 126 $2.554 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

Cooperation Financiere en Afrique Centrale francs (XAF) per US dollar - 447.81 (2008 est.), 493.51 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004)

note: since 1 January 1999, the Central African CFA franc (XAF) has been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 CFA francs per euro; Central African CFA franc (XAF) coins and banknotes are not accepted in countries using West African CFA francs (XOF), and vice versa, even though the two currencies trade at par

Communications ::Cameroon

Telephones - main lines in use:

198,300 (2008) country comparison to the world: 124

Telephones - mobile cellular:

6.161 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 79

Telephone system:

general assessment: fixed-line connections stand at less than 1 per 100 persons; equipment is old and outdated, and connections with many parts of the country are unreliable; mobile-cellular usage, in part a reflection of the poor condition and general inadequacy of the fixed-line network, has increased sharply, reaching a subscribership base of 33 per 100 persons

domestic: cable, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatter

international: country code - 237; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and Asia; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 3 (2001)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (2001)

Internet country code:

.cm

Internet hosts:

70 (2009) country comparison to the world: 204

Internet users:

725,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 99

Transportation ::Cameroon

Airports:

36 (2009) country comparison to the world: 107

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 11

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 5

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 25

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 16

under 914 m: 6 (2009)

Pipelines:

oil 889 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 987 km country comparison to the world: 89 narrow gauge: 987 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 50,000 km country comparison to the world: 79 paved: 5,000 km

unpaved: 45,000 km (2004)

Waterways:

navigation mainly on Benue River; limited during rainy season (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Douala, Limboh Terminal

Military ::Cameroon

Military branches:

Cameroon Armed Forces (Forces Armees Camerounaises, FAC): Army (L'Armee de Terre), Navy (includes naval infantry), Air Force (Armee de l'Air du Cameroun, AAC) (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; no conscription; the government makes periodic calls for volunteers (2009)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 4,321,175

females age 16-49: 4,228,625 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 2,645,601

females age 16-49: 2,574,948 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 213,027

female: 208,642 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.3% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 121

Transnational Issues ::Cameroon

Disputes - international:

Joint Border Commission with Nigeria reviewed 2002 ICJ ruling on the entire boundary and bilaterally resolved differences, including June 2006 Greentree Agreement that immediately ceded sovereignty of the Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon with a full phase-out of Nigerian control and patriation of residents in 2008; Cameroon and Nigeria agree on maritime delimitation in March 2008; sovereignty dispute between Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon over an island at the mouth of the Ntem River; only Nigeria and Cameroon have heeded the Lake Chad Commission's admonition to ratify the delimitation treaty, which also includes the Chad-Niger and Niger-Nigeria boundaries

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 20,000-30,000 (Chad); 3,000 (Nigeria); 24,000 (Central African Republic) (2007)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Cameroon is a source, transit, and destination country for women and children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation; most victims are children trafficked within country, with girls primarily trafficked for domestic servitude and sexual exploitation; both boys and girls are also trafficked within Cameroon for forced labor in sweatshops, bars, restaurants, and on tea and cocoa plantations; children are trafficked into Cameroon from neighboring states for forced labor in agriculture, fishing, street vending, and spare-parts shops; Cameroon is a transit country for children trafficked between Gabon and Nigeria, and from Nigeria to Saudi Arabia; it is a source country for women transported by sex-trafficking rings to Europe

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Cameroon is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat human trafficking in 2007, particularly in terms of efforts to prosecute and convict trafficking offenders; while Cameroon reported some arrests of traffickers, none of them were prosecuted or punished; the government does not identify trafficking victims among vulnerable populations nor does it monitor the number of victims it intercepts (2008)

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Canada (North America)

Introduction ::Canada

Background:

A land of vast distances and rich natural resources, Canada became a self-governing dominion in 1867 while retaining ties to the British crown. Economically and technologically the nation has developed in parallel with the US, its neighbor to the south across an unfortified border. Canada faces the political challenges of meeting public demands for quality improvements in health care and education services, as well as responding to separatist concerns in predominantly francophone Quebec. Canada also aims to develop its diverse energy resources while maintaining its commitment to the environment.

Geography ::Canada

Location:

Northern North America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean on the east, North Pacific Ocean on the west, and the Arctic Ocean on the north, north of the conterminous US

Geographic coordinates:

60 00 N, 95 00 W

Map references:

North America

Area:

total: 9,984,670 sq km country comparison to the world: 2 land: 9,093,507 sq km

water: 891,163 sq km

Area - comparative:

somewhat larger than the US

Land boundaries:

total: 8,893 km

border countries: US 8,893 km (includes 2,477 km with Alaska)

Coastline:

202,080 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:

varies from temperate in south to subarctic and arctic in north

Terrain:

mostly plains with mountains in west and lowlands in southeast

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mount Logan 5,959 m

Natural resources:

iron ore, nickel, zinc, copper, gold, lead, molybdenum, potash, diamonds, silver, fish, timber, wildlife, coal, petroleum, natural gas, hydropower

Land use:

arable land: 4.57%

permanent crops: 0.65%

other: 94.78% (2005)

Irrigated land:

7,850 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

3,300 cu km (1985)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 44.72 cu km/yr (20%/69%/12%)

per capita: 1,386 cu m/yr (1996)

Natural hazards:

continuous permafrost in north is a serious obstacle to development; cyclonic storms form east of the Rocky Mountains, a result of the mixing of air masses from the Arctic, Pacific, and North American interior, and produce most of the country's rain and snow east of the mountains

Environment - current issues:

air pollution and resulting acid rain severely affecting lakes and damaging forests; metal smelting, coal-burning utilities, and vehicle emissions impacting on agricultural and forest productivity; ocean waters becoming contaminated due to agricultural, industrial, mining, and forestry activities

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:

second-largest country in world (after Russia); strategic location between Russia and US via north polar route; approximately 90% of the population is concentrated within 160 km of the US border

People ::Canada

Population:

33,487,208 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 37

Age structure:

0-14 years: 16.1% (male 2,761,711/female 2,626,836)

15-64 years: 68.7% (male 11,633,950/female 11,381,735)

65 years and over: 15.2% (male 2,220,189/female 2,862,787) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 40.4 years

male: 39.3 years

female: 41.5 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.817% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 138

Birth rate:

10.28 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 192

Death rate:

7.74 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 116

Net migration rate:

5.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 18

Urbanization:

urban population: 80% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 5.04 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 189 male: 5.37 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 81.23 years country comparison to the world: 8 male: 78.69 years

female: 83.91 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.58 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 181

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.4% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 80

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

73,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 55

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 500 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 83

Nationality:

noun: Canadian(s)

adjective: Canadian

Ethnic groups:

British Isles origin 28%, French origin 23%, other European 15%, Amerindian 2%, other, mostly Asian, African, Arab 6%, mixed background 26%

Religions:

Roman Catholic 42.6%, Protestant 23.3% (including United Church 9.5%, Anglican 6.8%, Baptist 2.4%, Lutheran 2%), other Christian 4.4%, Muslim 1.9%, other and unspecified 11.8%, none 16% (2001 census)

Languages:

English (official) 58.8%, French (official) 21.6%, other 19.6% (2006
Census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 17 years

male: 17 years

female: 17 years (2004)

Education expenditures:

5.2% of GDP (2002) country comparison to the world: 63

Government ::Canada

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Canada

Government type:

a parliamentary democracy, a federation, and a Commonwealth realm

Capital:

name: Ottawa

geographic coordinates: 45 25 N, 75 42 W

time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November

note: Canada is divided into six time zones

Administrative divisions:

10 provinces and 3 territories*; Alberta, British Columbia,
Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest
Territories*, Nova Scotia, Nunavut*, Ontario, Prince Edward Island,
Quebec, Saskatchewan, Yukon Territory*

Independence:

1 July 1867 (union of British North American colonies); 11 December 1931 (recognized by UK)

National holiday:

Canada Day, 1 July (1867)

Constitution:

made up of unwritten and written acts, customs, judicial decisions, and traditions; the written part of the constitution consists of the Constitution Act of 29 March 1867, which created a federation of four provinces, and the Constitution Act of 17 April 1982, which transferred formal control over the constitution from Britain to Canada, and added a Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms as well as procedures for constitutional amendments

Legal system:

based on English common law, except in Quebec, where civil law system based on French law prevails; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

head of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Michaelle JEAN (since 27 September 2005)

head of government: Prime Minister Stephen HARPER (since 6 February 2006)

cabinet: Federal Ministry chosen by the prime minister usually from among the members of his own party sitting in Parliament

elections: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister for a five-year term; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition in the House of Commons is automatically designated prime minister by the governor general

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate or Senat (105 seats; members appointed by the governor general with the advice of the prime minister and serve until reaching 75 years of age) and the House of Commons or Chambre des Communes (308 seats; members elected by direct, popular vote to serve a maximum of five-year terms starting in 2009 elections)

elections: House of Commons - last held 14 October 2008 (next to be held no later than 19 October 2012)

election results: House of Commons - percent of vote by party - Conservative Party 37.6%, Liberal Party 26.2%, New Democratic Party 18.2%, Bloc Quebecois 10%, Greens 6.8%, other 1%; seats by party - Conservative Party 143, Liberal Party 77, New Democratic Party 37, Bloc Quebecois 49, other 2

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court of Canada (judges are appointed by the prime minister through the governor general); Federal Court of Canada; Federal Court of Appeal; Provincial Courts (these are named variously Court of Appeal, Court of Queens Bench, Superior Court, Supreme Court, and Court of Justice)

Political parties and leaders:

Bloc Quebecois [Gilles DUCEPPE]; Conservative Party of Canada
[Stephen HARPER] (a merger of the Canadian Alliance and the
Progressive Conservative Party); Green Party [Elizabeth MAY];
Liberal Party [Michael IGNATIEFF]; New Democratic Party [Jack LAYTON]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

other: agricultural sector; automobile industry; business groups; chemical industry; commercial banks; communications sector; energy industry; environmentalists; public administration groups; steel industry; trade unions

International organization participation:

ACCT, ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), APEC,
Arctic Council, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS,
C, CDB, CE (observer), EAPC, EBRD, ESA (cooperating state), FAO,
G-20, G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,
IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAFTA, NAM
(guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club,
PCA, PIF (partner), SECI (observer), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNDOF,
UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNMIS, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Gary DOER

chancery: 501 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20001

telephone: [1] (202) 682-1740

FAX: [1] (202) 682-7701

consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, Phoenix, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Tucson

consulate(s): Anchorage, Houston, Philadelphia, Princeton (New Jersey), Raleigh, San Jose (California), Tucson

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador David H. WILKINS

embassy: 490 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 1G8

mailing address: P. O. Box 5000, Ogdensburg, NY 13669-0430; P.O. Box 866, Station B, Ottawa, Ontario K1P 5T1

telephone: [1] (613) 688-5335

FAX: [1] (613) 688-3082

consulate(s) general: Calgary, Halifax, Montreal, Quebec, Toronto, Vancouver, Winnipeg

Flag description:

two vertical bands of red (hoist and fly side, half width) with white square between them; an 11-pointed red maple leaf is centered in the white square; the official colors of Canada are red and white

Economy ::Canada

Economy - overview:

As an affluent, high-tech industrial society in the trillion-dollar class, Canada resembles the US in its market-oriented economic system, pattern of production, and affluent living standards. Since World War II, the impressive growth of the manufacturing, mining, and service sectors has transformed the nation from a largely rural economy into one primarily industrial and urban. The 1989 US-Canada Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) (which includes Mexico) touched off a dramatic increase in trade and economic integration with the US, its principle trading partner. Canada enjoys a substantial trade surplus with the US, which absorbs nearly 80% of Canadian exports each year. Canada is the US's largest foreign supplier of energy, including oil, gas, uranium, and electric power. Given its great natural resources, skilled labor force, and modern capital plant, Canada has enjoyed solid economic growth, and prudent fiscal management has produced consecutive balanced budgets from 1997 to 2007. In 2008, growth slowed sharply as a result of the global economic downturn, US housing slump, plunging auto sector demand, and a drop in world commodity prices. Public finances, too, are set to deteriorate for the first time in a decade. Tight global credit conditions have further restrained business and housing investment, despite the conservative lending practices and strong capitalization that made Canada's major banks among the most stable in the world.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$1.303 trillion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 15 $1.298 trillion (2007 est.)

$1.266 trillion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$1.5 trillion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

0.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 192 2.5% (2007 est.)

2.9% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$39,200 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 22 $39,400 (2007 est.)

$38,800 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 2%

industry: 28.4%

services: 69.6% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

18.22 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 32

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture 2%, manufacturing 13%, construction 6%, services 76%, other 3% (2006)

Unemployment rate:

6.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 76 6% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

10.8%; note - this figure is the Low Income Cut-Off (LICO), a calculation that results in higher figures than found in many comparable economies; Canada does not have an official poverty line (2005)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.6%

highest 10%: 24.8% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

32.1 (2005) country comparison to the world: 100 31.5 (1994)

Investment (gross fixed):

22.6% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 73

Budget:

revenues: $594.1 billion

expenditures: $573.7 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

63.8% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 21 64.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 23 2.1% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

1.75% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 112 4.5% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

4.73% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 131 6.1% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$356.2 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 5 $391.6 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$1.299 trillion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 5 $1.381 trillion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$2.335 trillion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 9 $2.382 trillion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 7 $2.187 trillion (31 December 2007)

$1.701 trillion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

wheat, barley, oilseed, tobacco, fruits, vegetables; dairy products; forest products; fish

Industries:

transportation equipment, chemicals, processed and unprocessed minerals, food products, wood and paper products, fish products, petroleum and natural gas

Industrial production growth rate:

-2.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 159

Electricity - production:

620.7 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 7

Electricity - consumption:

536.1 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 8

Electricity - exports:

55.73 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

23.5 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

3.35 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 6

Oil - consumption:

2.26 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 10

Oil - exports:

2.421 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 5

Oil - imports:

1.165 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 15

Oil - proved reserves:

178.1 billion bbl country comparison to the world: 2 note: includes oil sands (1 January 2009 est.)

Natural gas - production:

170.9 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 4

Natural gas - consumption:

82.93 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 10

Natural gas - exports:

102.8 billion cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 2

Natural gas - imports:

14.84 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 16

Natural gas - proved reserves:

1.64 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 21

Current account balance:

$7.61 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 26 $14.53 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$459.1 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 11 $431.2 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

motor vehicles and parts, industrial machinery, aircraft, telecommunications equipment; chemicals, plastics, fertilizers; wood pulp, timber, crude petroleum, natural gas, electricity, aluminum

Exports - partners:

US 77.7%, UK 2.7%, Japan 2.3% (2008)

Imports:

$415.2 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 12 $386.6 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, motor vehicles and parts, crude oil, chemicals, electricity, durable consumer goods

Imports - partners:

US 52.4%, China 9.8%, Mexico 4.1% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$43.87 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 29 $41.08 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$781.1 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 15 $806.9 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$433.4 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 11 $506.9 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$520.4 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 12 $520.7 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

Canadian dollars (CAD) per US dollar - 1.0364 (2008 est.), 1.0724 (2007), 1.1334 (2006), 1.2118 (2005), 1.301 (2004)

Communications ::Canada

Telephones - main lines in use:

18.25 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 17

Telephones - mobile cellular:

21.455 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 37

Telephone system:

general assessment: excellent service provided by modern technology

domestic: domestic satellite system with about 300 earth stations

international: country code - 1; submarine cables provide links to the US and Europe; satellite earth stations - 7 (5 Intelsat - 4 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean, and 2 Intersputnik - Atlantic Ocean region) (2007)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 245, FM 582, shortwave 6 (2004)

Television broadcast stations:

148 (2007)

Internet country code:

.ca

Internet hosts:

7.193 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 14

Internet users:

25.086 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 13

Transportation ::Canada

Airports:

1,388 (2009) country comparison to the world: 4

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 515

over 3,047 m: 19

2,438 to 3,047 m: 18

1,524 to 2,437 m: 148

914 to 1,523 m: 251

under 914 m: 79 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 873

1,524 to 2,437 m: 73

914 to 1,523 m: 373

under 914 m: 427 (2009)

Heliports:

12 (2009)

Pipelines:

crude and refined oil 23,564 km; liquid petroleum gas 74,980 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 46,688 km country comparison to the world: 5 standard gauge: 46,688 km 1.435-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 1,042,300 km country comparison to the world: 6 paved: 415,600 km (includes 17,000 km of expressways)

unpaved: 626,700 km (2006)

Waterways:

636 km country comparison to the world: 78 note: Saint Lawrence Seaway of 3,769 km, including the Saint Lawrence River of 3,058 km, shared with United States (2008)

Merchant marine:

total: 175 country comparison to the world: 38 by type: bulk carrier 60, cargo 13, carrier 1, chemical tanker 10, combination ore/oil 1, container 2, passenger 6, passenger/cargo 64, petroleum tanker 12, roll on/roll off 6

foreign-owned: 17 (Germany 3, Netherlands 1, Norway 3, US 10)

registered in other countries: 206 (Australia 9, Bahamas 84, Barbados 9, Cambodia 2, Cyprus 2, Denmark 1, Honduras 1, Hong Kong 44, Liberia 7, Malta 1, Marshall Islands 6, Norway 10, Panama 18, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Spain 4, Taiwan 2, Vanuatu 5) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Fraser River Port, Halifax, Hamilton, Montreal, Port-Cartier, Quebec
City, Saint John (New Brunswick), Sept-Isles, Vancouver

Military ::Canada

Military branches:

Canadian Forces: Land Forces Command (LFC), Maritime Command (MARCOM), Air Command (AIRCOM), Canada Command (homeland security) (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

17 years of age for male and female voluntary military service (with parental consent); 16 years of age for reserve and military college applicants; Canadian citizenship or permanent residence status required; maximum 34 years of age; service obligation 3-9 years (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 8,072,010

females age 16-49: 7,813,462 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 6,647,513

females age 16-49: 6,413,748 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 223,238

female: 210,797 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.1% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 132

Transnational Issues ::Canada

Disputes - international:

managed maritime boundary disputes with the US at Dixon Entrance, Beaufort Sea, Strait of Juan de Fuca, and the Gulf of Maine including the disputed Machias Seal Island and North Rock; Canada, the US, and other countries dispute the status of the Northwest Passage; US works closely with Canada to intensify security measures for monitoring and controlling legal and illegal movement of people, transport, and commodities across the international border; sovereignty dispute with Denmark over Hans Island in the Kennedy Channel between Ellesmere Island and Greenland; commencing the collection of technical evidence for submission to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf in support of claims for continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles from its declared baselines in the Arctic, as stipulated in Article 76, paragraph 8, of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea

Illicit drugs:

illicit producer of cannabis for the domestic drug market and export to US; use of hydroponics technology permits growers to plant large quantities of high-quality marijuana indoors; increasing ecstasy production, some of which is destined for the US; vulnerable to narcotics money laundering because of its mature financial services sector

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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@Cape Verde (Africa)

Introduction ::Cape Verde

Background:

The uninhabited islands were discovered and colonized by the Portuguese in the 15th century; Cape Verde subsequently became a trading center for African slaves and later an important coaling and resupply stop for whaling and transatlantic shipping. Following independence in 1975, and a tentative interest in unification with Guinea-Bissau, a one-party system was established and maintained until multi-party elections were held in 1990. Cape Verde continues to exhibit one of Africa's most stable democratic governments. Repeated droughts during the second half of the 20th century caused significant hardship and prompted heavy emigration. As a result, Cape Verde's expatriate population is greater than its domestic one. Most Cape Verdeans have both African and Portuguese antecedents.

Geography ::Cape Verde

Location:

Western Africa, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Senegal

Geographic coordinates:

16 00 N, 24 00 W

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 4,033 sq km country comparison to the world: 175 land: 4,033 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than Rhode Island

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

965 km

Maritime claims:

measured from claimed archipelagic baselines

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

temperate; warm, dry summer; precipitation meager and very erratic

Terrain:

steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mt. Fogo 2,829 m (a volcano on Fogo Island)

Natural resources:

salt, basalt rock, limestone, kaolin, fish, clay, gypsum

Land use:

arable land: 11.41%

permanent crops: 0.74%

other: 87.85% (2005)

Irrigated land:

30 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

0.3 cu km (1990)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.02 cu km/yr (7%/2%/91%)

per capita: 39 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

prolonged droughts; seasonal harmattan wind produces obscuring dust; volcanically and seismically active

Environment - current issues:

soil erosion; deforestation due to demand for wood used as fuel; water shortages; desertification; environmental damage has threatened several species of birds and reptiles; illegal beach sand extraction; overfishing

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

strategic location 500 km from west coast of Africa near major north-south sea routes; important communications station; important sea and air refueling site

People ::Cape Verde

Population:

429,474 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 171

Age structure:

0-14 years: 35.2% (male 76,012/female 74,993)

15-64 years: 58.5% (male 123,376/female 127,653)

65 years and over: 6.4% (male 10,040/female 17,400) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 21.1 years

male: 20.4 years

female: 21.9 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.561% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 149

Birth rate:

23.5 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 74

Death rate:

6.22 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 155

Net migration rate:

-11.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 177

Urbanization:

urban population: 60% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 3.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.58 male(s)/female

total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 41.35 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 63 male: 47.39 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 35.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 71.61 years country comparison to the world: 126 male: 68.27 years

female: 75.05 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3.07 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 69

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.035% (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 167

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

775 (2001) country comparison to the world: 144

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

225 (as of 2001) country comparison to the world: 103

Nationality:

noun: Cape Verdean(s)

adjective: Cape Verdean

Ethnic groups:

Creole (mulatto) 71%, African 28%, European 1%

Religions:

Roman Catholic (infused with indigenous beliefs), Protestant (mostly
Church of the Nazarene)

Languages:

Portuguese, Crioulo (a blend of Portuguese and West African words)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 76.6%

male: 85.8%

female: 69.2% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 12 years

male: 11 years

female: 12 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

6.3% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 34

Government ::Cape Verde

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Cape Verde

conventional short form: Cape Verde

local long form: Republica de Cabo Verde

local short form: Cabo Verde

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Praia

geographic coordinates: 14 55 N, 23 31 W

time difference: UTC-1 (4 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

17 municipalities (concelhos, singular - concelho); Boa Vista,
Brava, Maio, Mosteiros, Paul, Praia, Porto Novo, Ribeira Grande,
Sal, Santa Catarina, Santa Cruz, Sao Domingos, Sao Filipe, Sao
Miguel, Sao Nicolau, Sao Vicente, Tarrafal

Independence:

5 July 1975 (from Portugal)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 5 July (1975)

Constitution:

25 September 1992; a major revision on 23 November 1995 substantially increased the powers of the president; a 1999 revision created the position of national ombudsman (Provedor de Justica)

Legal system:

based on the legal system of Portugal; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Pedro Verona Rodriques PIRES (since 22 March 2001)

head of government: Prime Minister Jose Maria Pereira NEVES (since 1 February 2001)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 12 February 2006 (next to be held in February 2011); prime minister nominated by the National Assembly and appointed by the president

election results: Pedro PIRES reelected president; percent of vote - Pedro PIRES (PAICV) 51.2%, Carlos VIEGA (MPD) 48.8%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (72 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 22 January 2006 (next to be held in January 2011)

election results: percent of vote by party - PAICV 52.3%, MPD 44%, UCID 2.7%; seats by party - PAICV 41, MPD 29, UCID 2

Judicial branch:

Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Supremo Tribunal de Justia

Political parties and leaders:

African Party for Independence of Cape Verde or PAICV [Jose Maria
Pereira NEVES, chairman]; Democratic Christian Party or PDC [Manuel
RODRIGUES]; Democratic Renovation Party or PRD [Victor FIDALGO];
Democratic and Independent Cape Verdean Union or UCID [Antonio
MONTEIRO]; Movement for Democracy or MPD [Jorge SANTOS]; Party for
Democratic Convergence or PCD [Dr. Eurico MONTEIRO]; Party of Work
and Solidarity or PTS [Isaias RODRIGUES]; Social Democratic Party or
PSD [Joao ALEM]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

other: environmentalists; political pressure groups

International organization participation:

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, CPLP, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Fatima Lima VEIGA

chancery: 3415 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 965-6820

FAX: [1] (202) 965-1207

consulate(s) general: Boston

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Marianne M. MYLES

embassy: Rua Abilio Macedo n6, Praia

mailing address: C. P. 201, Praia

telephone: [238] 2-60-89-00

FAX: [238] 2-61-13-55

Flag description:

five unequal horizontal bands; the top-most band of blue - equal to one half the width of the flag - is followed by three bands of white, red, and white, each equal to 1/12 of the width, and a bottom stripe of blue equal to one quarter of the flag width; a circle of 10, yellow, five-pointed stars, each representing one of the islands, is centered on the red stripe and positioned 3/8 of the length of the flag from the hoist side

Economy ::Cape Verde

Economy - overview:

This island economy suffers from a poor natural resource base, including serious water shortages exacerbated by cycles of long-term drought. The economy is service-oriented, with commerce, transport, tourism, and public services accounting for about three-fourths of GDP. Although nearly 70% of the population lives in rural areas, the share of food production in GDP is low. About 82% of food must be imported. The fishing potential, mostly lobster and tuna, is not fully exploited. Cape Verde annually runs a high trade deficit, financed by foreign aid and remittances from emigrants; remittances supplement GDP by more than 20%. Economic reforms are aimed at developing the private sector and attracting foreign investment to diversify the economy. Future prospects depend heavily on the maintenance of aid flows, the encouragement of tourism, remittances, and the momentum of the government's development program. Cape Verde became a member of the WTO in July 2008.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$1.63 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 190 $1.545 billion (2007 est.)

$1.446 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$1.744 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 73 6.9% (2007 est.)

10.8% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$3,800 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 157 $3,600 (2007 est.)

$3,400 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 9.1%

industry: 16.6%

services: 74.4% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

196,100 (2007) country comparison to the world: 165

Unemployment rate:

21% (2000 est.) country comparison to the world: 167

Population below poverty line:

30% (2000)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Investment (gross fixed):

41.6% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 2

Budget:

revenues: $508 million

expenditures: $540.2 million (2008 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

6.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 113 4.4% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

7.5% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 50 8.5% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

9.99% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 78 10.55% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$563.4 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 92 $574 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$721.3 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 102 $689 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$1.153 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 106 $1.049 billion (31 December 2007)

Agriculture - products:

bananas, corn, beans, sweet potatoes, sugarcane, coffee, peanuts; fish

Industries:

food and beverages, fish processing, shoes and garments, salt mining, ship repair

Industrial production growth rate:

5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 49

Electricity - production:

250 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 171

Electricity - consumption:

232.5 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 172

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 195

Oil - consumption:

2,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 184

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 194

Oil - imports:

1,619 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 180

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 184

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 193

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 194

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 64

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 184

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 191

Current account balance:

-$259 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 95 -$132.6 million (2007 est.)

Exports:

$105 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 192 $76.5 million (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

fuel, shoes, garments, fish, hides

Exports - partners:

Japan 37.5%, Spain 28.5%, Portugal 17.5%, Morocco 4.8% (2008)

Imports:

$864 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 174 $743.6 million (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

foodstuffs, industrial products, transport equipment, fuels

Imports - partners:

Portugal 40.3%, Netherlands 11.8%, Spain 6.7%, UK 6.5%, Cote d'Ivoire 4.6%, Brazil 4.1% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$258 million (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 143 $281 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$325 million (2002) country comparison to the world: 172

Exchange rates:

Cape Verdean escudos (CVE) per US dollar - 73.84 (2008 est.), 81.235 (2007), 87.946 (2006), 88.67 (2005), 88.808 (2004)

Communications ::Cape Verde

Telephones - main lines in use:

72,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 155

Telephones - mobile cellular:

277,700 (2008) country comparison to the world: 169

Telephone system:

general assessment: effective system, extensive modernization from 1996-2000 following partial privatization in 1995

domestic: major service provider is Cabo Verde Telecom (CVT); fiber-optic ring, completed in 2001, links all islands providing Internet access and ISDN services; cellular service introduced in 1998; broadband services launched in 2004

international: country code - 238; landing point for the Atlantis-2 fiber-optic transatlantic telephone cable that provides links to South America, Senegal, and Europe; HF radiotelephone to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 0, FM 22 (plus 12 repeaters), shortwave 0 (2001)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (plus 7 repeaters) (2001)

Internet country code:

.cv

Internet hosts:

24 (2009) country comparison to the world: 214

Internet users:

102,800 (2008) country comparison to the world: 153

Transportation ::Cape Verde

Airports:

10 (2009) country comparison to the world: 156

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 9

over 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 1,350 km country comparison to the world: 178 paved: 932 km

unpaved: 418 km (2000)

Merchant marine:

total: 8 country comparison to the world: 125 by type: cargo 2, chemical tanker 1, passenger/cargo 5

foreign-owned: 2 (Spain 1, UK 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Porto Grande

Military ::Cape Verde

Military branches:

People's Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARP): Army, Coast Guard (includes maritime air wing) (2007)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age (est.) for selective compulsory military service; 14-month conscript service obligation (2006)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 103,650

females age 16-49: 103,553 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 84,967

females age 16-49: 90,154 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 5,471

female: 5,349 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

0.7% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 152

Transnational Issues ::Cape Verde

Disputes - international:

none

Illicit drugs:

used as a transshipment point for Latin American cocaine destined for Western Europe, particularly because of Lusophone links to Brazil, Portugal, and Guinea-Bissau; has taken steps to deter drug money laundering, including a 2002 anti-money laundering reform that criminalizes laundering the proceeds of narcotics trafficking and other crimes and the establishment in 2008 of a Financial Intelligence Unit (2008)

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Cayman Islands (Central America and Caribbean)

Introduction ::Cayman Islands

Background:

The Cayman Islands were colonized from Jamaica by the British during the 18th and 19th centuries and were administered by Jamaica after 1863. In 1959, the islands became a territory within the Federation of the West Indies. When the Federation dissolved in 1962, the Cayman Islands chose to remain a British dependency.

Geography ::Cayman Islands

Location:

Caribbean, three-island group (Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, Little Cayman) in Caribbean Sea, 240 km south of Cuba and 268 km northwest of Jamaica

Geographic coordinates:

19 30 N, 80 30 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 264 sq km country comparison to the world: 210 land: 264 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

160 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical marine; warm, rainy summers (May to October) and cool, relatively dry winters (November to April)

Terrain:

low-lying limestone base surrounded by coral reefs

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: The Bluff (Cayman Brac) 43 m

Natural resources:

fish, climate and beaches that foster tourism

Land use:

arable land: 3.85%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 96.15% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

hurricanes (July to November)

Environment - current issues:

no natural fresh water resources; drinking water supplies must be met by rainwater catchments

Geography - note:

important location between Cuba and Central America

People ::Cayman Islands

Population:

49,035 country comparison to the world: 207 note: most of the population lives on Grand Cayman (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 19.6% (male 4,824/female 4,783)

15-64 years: 71.1% (male 16,994/female 17,884)

65 years and over: 9.3% (male 2,139/female 2,411) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 38.1 years

male: 37.7 years

female: 38.6 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.394% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 34

Birth rate:

12.36 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 165

Death rate:

4.89 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 192

Net migration rate:

16.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population country comparison to the world: 3 note: major destination for Cubans trying to migrate to the US (2009 est.)

Urbanization:

urban population: 100% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 6.94 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 169 male: 7.96 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 5.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 80.44 years country comparison to the world: 16 male: 77.8 years

female: 83.14 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.88 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 146

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Caymanian(s)

adjective: Caymanian

Ethnic groups:

mixed 40%, white 20%, black 20%, expatriates of various ethnic groups 20%

Religions:

Church of God 26%, United Church 11.8% (Presbyterian and Congregational), Roman Catholic 11%, Baptist 8.7%, Seventh Day Adventist 8.2%, Anglican 5.7%, Pentecostal 5.3%, other Christian 2.7%, non-denominational 5.8%, other 3.8%, none 9.8%, unspecified 1.1% (1999 census)

Languages:

English 95%, Spanish 3.2%, other 1.8% (1999 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school

total population: 98%

male: 98%

female: 98% (1970 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 13 years

male: 12 years

female: 13 years (2001)

Education expenditures:

2.8% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 150

Government ::Cayman Islands

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Cayman Islands

Dependency status:

overseas territory of the UK

Government type:

parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: George Town (on Grand Cayman)

geographic coordinates: 19 18 N, 81 23 W

time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

8 districts; Creek, Eastern, Midland, South Town, Spot Bay, Stake Bay, West End, Western

Independence:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday:

Constitution Day, first Monday in July

Constitution:

The Cayman Islands Constitution Order 2009, 6 November 2009

Legal system:

British common law and local statutes

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Stuart JACK (since 23 November 2005)

head of government: Premier McKeeva BUSH (since 6 November 2009)

cabinet: The Cabinet (six members appointed by the governor on the advice of the premier, selected from among the elected members of the Legislative Assembly)

elections: the monarch is hereditary; the governor is appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or coalition is appointed by the governor as premier

Legislative branch:

unicameral Legislative Assembly (20 seats; 18 elected by popular vote and 2 ex officio members from The Cabinet; to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 20 May 2009 (next to be held not later than May 2013)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UDP 9, PPM 5, independent 1

Judicial branch:

Grand Court; Cayman Islands Court of Appeal; Summary Court

Political parties and leaders:

United Democratic Party or UDP [McKeeva BUSH]; People's Progressive
Movement or PPM [Kurt TIBBETTS]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

National Trust

other: environmentalists

International organization participation:

Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UNESCO (associate), UPU, WFTU

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description:

a blue field, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Caymanian coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms includes a crest with a pineapple, representing the connection with Jamaica, and a turtle, representing Cayman's seafaring tradition, above a shield bearing a golden lion, symbolizing Great Britain, below which are three green stars (representing the three islands) surmounting white and blue wavy lines representing the sea and a scroll at the bottom bearing the motto HE HATH FOUNDED IT UPON THE SEAS

Economy ::Cayman Islands

Economy - overview:

With no direct taxation, the islands are a thriving offshore financial center. More than 68,000 companies were registered in the Cayman Islands as of 2003, including almost 500 banks, 800 insurers, and 5,000 mutual funds. A stock exchange was opened in 1997. Tourism is also a mainstay, accounting for about 70% of GDP and 75% of foreign currency earnings. The tourist industry is aimed at the luxury market and caters mainly to visitors from North America. Total tourist arrivals exceeded 2.1 million in 2003, with about half from the US. About 90% of the islands' food and consumer goods must be imported. The Caymanians enjoy one of the highest outputs per capita and one of the highest standards of living in the world.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$1.939 billion (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 182 $1.922 billion (2003 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$NA

GDP - real growth rate:

0.9% (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 177

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$43,800 (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 14

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 1.4%

industry: 3.2%

services: 95.4% (1994 est.)

Labor force:

23,450 (2004) country comparison to the world: 200

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 1.4%

industry: 12.6%

services: 86% (1995)

Unemployment rate:

4.4% (2004) country comparison to the world: 54

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $423.8 million

expenditures: $392.6 million (2004)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

4.4% (2004) country comparison to the world: 74

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 107 $183.5 million (31 December 2007)

$188.4 million (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

vegetables, fruit; livestock; turtle farming

Industries:

tourism, banking, insurance and finance, construction, construction materials, furniture

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

546 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 157

Electricity - consumption:

507.8 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 162

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 199

Oil - consumption:

3,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 175

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 203

Oil - imports:

3,294 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 168

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 197

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 197

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 198

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 183

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 193

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 195

Exports:

$2.52 million (2004) country comparison to the world: 216

Exports - commodities:

turtle products, manufactured consumer goods

Imports:

$866.9 million (2004) country comparison to the world: 173

Imports - commodities:

foodstuffs, manufactured goods

Debt - external:

$70 million (1996) country comparison to the world: 191

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$NA

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$NA

Exchange rates:

Caymanian dollars (KYD) per US dollar - NA (2007), 0.8496 (2006)

Communications ::Cayman Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:

38,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 172

Telephones - mobile cellular:

33,800 (2004) country comparison to the world: 202

Telephone system:

general assessment: reasonably good system

domestic: liberalization of telecom market in 2003; introduction of competition in the mobile-cellular market in 2004

international: country code - 1-345; landing point for the MAYA-1 submarine telephone cable network that provides links to the US and parts of Central and South America; submarine cable provides connectivity to Jamaica; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (2004)

Television broadcast stations:

4 with cable system (2004)

Internet country code:

.ky

Internet hosts:

21,428 (2009) country comparison to the world: 102

Internet users:

23,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 186

Transportation ::Cayman Islands

Airports:

3 (2009) country comparison to the world: 196

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 785 km country comparison to the world: 186 paved: 785 km (2007)

Merchant marine:

total: 109 country comparison to the world: 49 by type: bulk carrier 30, cargo 2, chemical tanker 42, petroleum tanker 15, refrigerated cargo 10, roll on/roll off 3, vehicle carrier 7

foreign-owned: 107 (Denmark 3, Germany 15, Greece 16, Italy 4, Japan 13, Norway 1, Singapore 10, UK 3, US 42) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Cayman Brac, George Town

Military ::Cayman Islands

Military branches:

no regular military forces; Royal Cayman Islands Police Force (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 11,790 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 9,735

females age 16-49: 10,145 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 334

female: 345 (2009 est.)

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues ::Cayman Islands

Disputes - international:

none

Illicit drugs:

major offshore financial center; vulnerable to drug transshipment to the US and Europe (2008)

page last updated on November 10, 2009

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

@Central African Republic (Africa)

Introduction ::Central African Republic

Background:

The former French colony of Ubangi-Shari became the Central African Republic upon independence in 1960. After three tumultuous decades of misrule - mostly by military governments - civilian rule was established in 1993 and lasted for one decade. President Ange-Felix PATASSE's civilian government was plagued by unrest, and in March 2003 he was deposed in a military coup led by General Francois BOZIZE, who established a transitional government. Though the government has the tacit support of civil society groups and the main parties, a wide field of candidates contested the municipal, legislative, and presidential elections held in March and May of 2005 in which General BOZIZE was affirmed as president. The government still does not fully control the countryside, where pockets of lawlessness persist. Unrest in neighboring nations, Chad, Sudan, and the DRC, continues to affect stability in the Central African Republic as well.

Geography ::Central African Republic

Location:

Central Africa, north of Democratic Republic of the Congo

Geographic coordinates:

7 00 N, 21 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 622,984 sq km country comparison to the world: 44 land: 622,984 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries:

total: 5,203 km

border countries: Cameroon 797 km, Chad 1,197 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 1,577 km, Republic of the Congo 467 km, Sudan 1,165 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

tropical; hot, dry winters; mild to hot, wet summers

Terrain:

vast, flat to rolling, monotonous plateau; scattered hills in northeast and southwest

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Oubangui River 335 m

highest point: Mont Ngaoui 1,420 m

Natural resources:

diamonds, uranium, timber, gold, oil, hydropower

Land use:

arable land: 3.1%

permanent crops: 0.15%

other: 96.75% (2005)

Irrigated land:

20 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

144.4 cu km (2003)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.03 cu km/yr (80%/16%/4%)

per capita: 7 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds affect northern areas; floods are common

Environment - current issues:

tap water is not potable; poaching has diminished the country's reputation as one of the last great wildlife refuges; desertification; deforestation

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:

landlocked; almost the precise center of Africa

People ::Central African Republic

Population:

4,511,488 country comparison to the world: 120 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 40.9% (male 928,277/female 917,739)

15-64 years: 55% (male 1,235,940/female 1,244,958)

65 years and over: 4.1% (male 71,439/female 113,135) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 18.8 years

male: 18.5 years

female: 19.1 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.491% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 90

Birth rate:

32.75 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 44

Death rate:

17.84 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 10

Net migration rate:

NA (2009 est.)

Urbanization:

urban population: 39% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 2.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 80.62 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 21 male: 87.22 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 73.82 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 44.47 years country comparison to the world: 215 male: 44.4 years

female: 44.54 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

4.14 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 45

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

6.3% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 11

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

160,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 35

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

11,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 29

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: malaria

respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis

water contact disease: schistosomiasis

animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Central African(s)

adjective: Central African

Ethnic groups:

Baya 33%, Banda 27%, Mandjia 13%, Sara 10%, Mboum 7%, M'Baka 4%,
Yakoma 4%, other 2%

Religions:

indigenous beliefs 35%, Protestant 25%, Roman Catholic 25%, Muslim 15%

note: animistic beliefs and practices strongly influence the Christian majority

Languages:

French (official), Sangho (lingua franca and national language), tribal languages

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 48.6%

male: 64.8%

female: 33.5% (2000 est.)

Education expenditures:

1.4% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 174

Government ::Central African Republic

Country name:

conventional long form: Central African Republic

conventional short form: none

local long form: Republique Centrafricaine

local short form: none

former: Ubangi-Shari, Central African Empire

abbreviation: CAR

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Bangui

geographic coordinates: 4 22 N, 18 35 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

14 prefectures (prefectures, singular - prefecture), 2 economic prefectures* (prefectures economiques, singular - prefecture economique), and 1 commune**; Bamingui-Bangoran, Bangui**, Basse-Kotto, Haute-Kotto, Haut-Mbomou, Kemo, Lobaye, Mambere-Kadei, Mbomou, Nana-Grebizi*, Nana-Mambere, Ombella-Mpoko, Ouaka, Ouham, Ouham-Pende, Sangha-Mbaere*, Vakaga

Independence:

13 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday:

Republic Day, 1 December (1958)

Constitution:

ratified by popular referendum 5 December 2004; effective 27 December 2004

Legal system:

based on French law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Francois BOZIZE (since 15 March 2003 coup)

head of government: Prime Minister Faustin-Archange TOUADERA (since 22 January 2008)

cabinet: Council of Ministers

elections: under the new constitution, the president elected to a five-year term (eligible for a second term); elections last held 13 March and 8 May 2005 (next to be held in 2010); prime minister appointed by the political party with a parliamentary majority

election results: Francois BOZIZE elected president; percent of second round balloting - Francois BOZIZE (KNK) 64.6%, Martin ZIGUELE (MLPC) 35.4%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (105 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 13 March 2005 and 8 May 2005 (next to be held in 2010)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - KNK 42, MLPC 11, RDC 8, PSD 4, FPP 2, ADP 2, LONDO 1, independents 34, other 1

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Constitutional Court (three judges
appointed by the president, three by the president of the National
Assembly, and three by fellow judges); Court of Appeal; Criminal
Courts; Inferior Courts

Political parties and leaders:

Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ADP [Jacques MBOLIEDAS];
Central African Democratic Rally or RDC [Andre KOLINGBA]; Civic
Forum or FC [Gen. Timothee MALENDOMA]; Democratic Forum for
Modernity or FODEM [Charles MASSI]; Liberal Democratic Party or PLD
[Nestor KOMBO-NAGUEMON]; Londo Association or LONDO; Movement for
Democracy and Development or MDD [David DACKO]; Movement for the
Liberation of the Central African People or MLPC [Ange-Felix
PATASSE] (the party of deposed president); National Convergence or
KNK; Patriotic Front for Progress or FPP [Abel GOUMBA]; People's
Union for the Republic or UPR [Pierre Sammy MAKFOY]; National Unity
Party or PUN [Jean-Paul NGOUPANDE]; Social Democratic Party or PSD
[Enoch LAKOUE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Monam (combating gender-base violence)

International organization participation:

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITSO,
ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC (observer), OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Emmanuel TOUABOY

chancery: 1618 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 483-7800

FAX: [1] (202) 332-9893

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Frederick B. COOK

embassy: Avenue David Dacko, Bangui

mailing address: B. P. 924, Bangui

telephone: [236] 61 02 00

FAX: [236] 61 44 94

note: the embassy is currently operating with a minimal staff

Flag description:

four equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, green, and yellow with a vertical red band in center; a yellow five-pointed star to the hoist side of the blue band

Economy ::Central African Republic

Economy - overview:

Subsistence agriculture, together with forestry, remains the backbone of the economy of the Central African Republic (CAR), with more than 70% of the population living in outlying areas. The agricultural sector generates more than half of GDP. Timber has accounted for about 16% of export earnings and the diamond industry, for 40%. Important constraints to economic development include the CAR's landlocked position, a poor transportation system, a largely unskilled work force, and a legacy of misdirected macroeconomic policies. Factional fighting between the government and its opponents remains a drag on economic revitalization. Distribution of income is extraordinarily unequal. Grants from France and the international community can only partially meet humanitarian needs.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$3.184 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 171 $3.115 billion (2007 est.)

$3.004 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$1.997 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 153 3.7% (2007 est.)

3.8% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$700 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 221 $700 (2007 est.)

$700 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 55%

industry: 20%

services: 25% (2001 est.)

Labor force:

1.926 million (2007) country comparison to the world: 121

Unemployment rate:

8% (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 111 note: 23% unemployment for Bangui

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.1%

highest 10%: 33% (2003)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

61.3 (1993) country comparison to the world: 6

Budget:

revenues: $250 million

expenditures: $273 million (2007 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

0.9% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 6

Central bank discount rate:

4.75% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 85 5.25% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

NA% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 45 15% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$218.3 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$47.58 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$320.2 million (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

timber, cotton, coffee, tobacco, manioc (tapioca), yams, millet, corn, bananas; timber

Industries:

gold and diamond mining, logging, brewing, textiles, footwear, assembly of bicycles and motorcycles

Industrial production growth rate:

3% (2002) country comparison to the world: 85

Electricity - production:

115 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 187

Electricity - consumption:

107 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 188

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 196

Oil - consumption:

2,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 186

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 202

Oil - imports:

2,203 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 176

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 185

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 194

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 195

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 179

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 186

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 192

Current account balance:

-$77 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 77

Exports:

$146.7 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 185

Exports - commodities:

diamonds, timber, cotton, coffee, tobacco

Exports - partners:

Japan 40.4%, Belgium 9.8%, China 8.2%, Morocco 6%, Indonesia 5.6%,
France 4.4%, Italy 4.1%, Democratic Republic of the Congo 4% (2008)

Imports:

$237.3 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 197

Imports - commodities:

food, textiles, petroleum products, machinery, electrical equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, pharmaceuticals

Imports - partners:

South Korea 20.2%, France 13.6%, Cameroon 7.7%, Netherlands 5.8%, US 5.3% (2008)

Debt - external:

$1.153 billion (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 152

Exchange rates:

Cooperation Financiere en Afrique Centrale francs (XAF) per US dollar - 447.81 (2008 est.), 481.8 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004)

note: since 1 January 1999, the Central African CFA franc (XAF) has been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 CFA francs per euro; Central African CFA franc (XAF) coins and banknotes are not accepted in countries using West African CFA francs (XOF), and vice versa, even though the two currencies trade at par

Communications ::Central African Republic

Telephones - main lines in use:

12,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 200

Telephones - mobile cellular:

154,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 176

Telephone system:

general assessment: limited telephone service; fixed-line connections for well less than 1 per 100 persons coupled with mobile-cellular usage of only about 3 per 100 persons; most fixed-line and cellular telephone services are concentrated in Bangui

domestic: network consists principally of microwave radio relay and low-capacity, low-powered radiotelephone communication

international: country code - 236; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2001)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (2001)

Internet country code:

.cf

Internet hosts:

21 (2009) country comparison to the world: 215

Internet users:

19,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 191

Transportation ::Central African Republic

Airports:

40 (2009) country comparison to the world: 104

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 38

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 12

914 to 1,523 m: 17

under 914 m: 8 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 24,307 km (2000) country comparison to the world: 105

Waterways:

2,800 km (primarily on the Oubangui and Sangha rivers) (2007) country comparison to the world: 35

Ports and terminals:

Bangui, Nola, Salo, Nzinga

Military ::Central African Republic

Military branches:

Central African Armed Forces (Forces Armees Centrafricaines, FACA):
Ground Forces, General Directorate of Gendarmerie Inspection (DGIG),
Military Air Service, National Police (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for selective military service; 2-year conscript service obligation (2009)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,032,828

females age 16-49: 999,330 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 552,907

females age 16-49: 512,611 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 55,484

female: 55,168 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.1% of GDP (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 133

Transnational Issues ::Central African Republic

Disputes - international:

periodic skirmishes over water and grazing rights among related pastoral populations along the border with southern Sudan persist

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 7,900 (Sudan); 3,700 (Democratic Republic of the Congo); note - UNHCR resumed repatriation of Southern Sudanese refugees in 2006

IDPs: 197,000 (ongoing unrest following coup in 2003) (2007)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Central African Republic is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and sexual exploitation; the majority of victims are children trafficked within the country for sexual exploitation, domestic servitude, street vending, and forced agricultural, mine, market and restaurant labor; to a lesser extent, children are trafficked from the Central African Republic to Cameroon, Nigeria, and the Democratic Republic of Congo; rebels conscript children into armed forces within the country

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Central African Republic is on the Tier 2 Watch List for the third consecutive year for its failure to show evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking in 2007; efforts to address trafficking through vigorous law enforcement measures and victim protection efforts were minimal, though awareness about trafficking appeared to be increasing in the country; the government does not actively investigate cases, work to identify trafficking victims among vulnerable populations, or rescue and provide care to victims; the government has not taken measures to reduce demand for commercial sex acts (2008)

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Chad (Africa)

Introduction ::Chad

Background:

Chad, part of France's African holdings until 1960, endured three decades of civil warfare as well as invasions by Libya before a semblance of peace was finally restored in 1990. The government eventually drafted a democratic constitution, and held flawed presidential elections in 1996 and 2001. In 1998, a rebellion broke out in northern Chad, which has sporadically flared up despite several peace agreements between the government and the rebels. In 2005, new rebel groups emerged in western Sudan and made probing attacks into eastern Chad, despite signing peace agreements in December 2006 and October 2007. Power remains in the hands of an ethnic minority. In June 2005, President Idriss DEBY held a referendum successfully removing constitutional term limits and won another controversial election in 2006. Sporadic rebel campaigns continued throughout 2006 and 2007, and the capital experienced a significant rebel threat in early 2008.

Geography ::Chad

Location:

Central Africa, south of Libya

Geographic coordinates:

15 00 N, 19 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 1.284 million sq km country comparison to the world: 21 land: 1,259,200 sq km

water: 24,800 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly more than three times the size of California

Land boundaries:

total: 5,968 km

border countries: Cameroon 1,094 km, Central African Republic 1,197 km, Libya 1,055 km, Niger 1,175 km, Nigeria 87 km, Sudan 1,360 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

tropical in south, desert in north

Terrain:

broad, arid plains in center, desert in north, mountains in northwest, lowlands in south

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Djourab Depression 160 m

highest point: Emi Koussi 3,415 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, uranium, natron, kaolin, fish (Lake Chad), gold, limestone, sand and gravel, salt

Land use:

arable land: 2.8%

permanent crops: 0.02%

other: 97.18% (2005)

Irrigated land:

300 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

43 cu km (1987)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.23 cu km/yr (17%/0%/83%)

per capita: 24 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds occur in north; periodic droughts; locust plagues

Environment - current issues:

inadequate supplies of potable water; improper waste disposal in rural areas contributes to soil and water pollution; desertification

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping

Geography - note:

landlocked; Lake Chad is the most significant water body in the Sahel

People ::Chad

Population:

10,329,208 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 79

Age structure:

0-14 years: 46.7% (male 2,445,841/female 2,381,319)

15-64 years: 50.4% (male 2,386,428/female 2,816,050)

65 years and over: 2.9% (male 126,351/female 173,219) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 16.5 years

male: 15.3 years

female: 17.7 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.069% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 53

Birth rate:

40.86 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 16

Death rate:

16.09 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 15

Net migration rate:

-4.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 157

Urbanization:

urban population: 27% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 4.7% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.85 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female

total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 98.69 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 11 male: 104.72 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 92.42 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 47.7 years country comparison to the world: 211 male: 46.67 years

female: 48.77 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

5.31 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 21

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

3.5% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 18

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

200,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 29

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

14,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 26

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: malaria

water contact disease: schistosomiasis

respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis

animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Chadian(s)

adjective: Chadian

Ethnic groups:

Sara 27.7%, Arab 12.3%, Mayo-Kebbi 11.5%, Kanem-Bornou 9%, Ouaddai 8.7%, Hadjarai 6.7%, Tandjile 6.5%, Gorane 6.3%, Fitri-Batha 4.7%, other 6.4%, unknown 0.3% (1993 census)

Religions:

Muslim 53.1%, Catholic 20.1%, Protestant 14.2%, animist 7.3%, other 0.5%, unknown 1.7%, atheist 3.1% (1993 census)

Languages:

French (official), Arabic (official), Sara (in south), more than 120 different languages and dialects

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write French or Arabic

total population: 25.7%

male: 40.8%

female: 12.8% (2000 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 6 years

male: 7 years

female: 4 years (2005)

Education expenditures:

1.9% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 168

Government ::Chad

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Chad

conventional short form: Chad

local long form: Republique du Tchad/Jumhuriyat Tshad

local short form: Tchad/Tshad

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: N'Djamena

geographic coordinates: 12 06 N, 15 02 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

18 regions (regions, singular - region); Batha,
Borkou-Ennedi-Tibesti, Chari-Baguirmi, Guera, Hadjer-Lamis, Kanem,
Lac, Logone Occidental, Logone Oriental, Mandoul, Mayo-Kebbi Est,
Mayo-Kebbi Ouest, Moyen-Chari, Ouaddai, Salamat, Tandjile, Ville de
N'Djamena, Wadi Fira

Independence:

11 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 11 August (1960)

Constitution:

passed by referendum 31 March 1996; a June 2005 referendum removed constitutional term limits

Legal system:

based on French civil law system and Chadian customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY Itno (since 4 December 1990)

head of government: Prime Minister Youssof Saleh ABBAS (since 16 April 2008)

cabinet: Council of State, members appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister

elections: president elected by popular vote to serve five-year term; if no candidate receives at least 50% of the total vote, the two candidates receiving the most votes must stand for a second round of voting; last held 3 May 2006 (next to be held by May 2011); prime minister appointed by the president

election results: Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY Itno reelected president; percent of vote - Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY 64.7%, Delwa Kassire KOUMAKOYE 15.1%, Albert Pahimi PADACKE 7.8%, Mahamat ABDOULAYE 7.1%, Brahim KOULAMALLAH 5.3%; note - a June 2005 national referendum altered the constitution removing presidential term limits and permitting Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY Itno to run for reelection

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly (155 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms); note - the 1996 constitution called for a Senate that has never been formed

elections: National Assembly - last held 21 April 2002 (next to be held by 2009); note - legislative elections, originally scheduled for 2006, were first delayed by National Assembly action and subsequently by an accord, signed in August 2007, between government and opposition parties

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MPS 110, RDP 12, FAR 9, RNDP 5, UNDR 5, URD 3, other 11

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Criminal Courts; Magistrate Courts

Political parties and leaders:

Federation Action for the Republic or FAR [Ngarledjy YORONGAR];
National Rally for Development and Progress or RNDP [Delwa Kassire
KOUMAKOYE]; National Union for Democracy and Renewal or UNDR [Saleh
KEBZABO]; Party for Liberty and Development or PLD [Ibni Oumar
Mahamat SALEH]; Patriotic Salvation Movement or MPS [Mahamat Saleh
AHMAT, chairman]; Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Lol
Mahamat CHOUA]; Union for Renewal and Democracy or URD [Gen. Wadal
Abdelkader KAMOUGUE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

rebel groups

International organization participation:

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC,
ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Mahamat Adam BECHIR

chancery: 2002 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone: [1] (202) 462-4009

FAX: [1] (202) 265-1937

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Louis NIGRO

embassy: Avenue Felix Eboue, N'Djamena

mailing address: B. P. 413, N'Djamena

telephone: [235] 251-62-11, 251-70-09, 251-77-59

FAX: [235] 251-56-54

Flag description:

three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red

note: similar to the flag of Romania; also similar to the flags of Andorra and Moldova, both of which have a national coat of arms centered in the yellow band; design was based on the flag of France

Economy ::Chad

Economy - overview:

Chad's primarily agricultural economy will continue to be boosted by major foreign direct investment projects in the oil sector that began in 2000. At least 80% of Chad's population relies on subsistence farming and livestock raising for its livelihood. Chad's economy has long been handicapped by its landlocked position, high energy costs, and a history of instability. Chad relies on foreign assistance and foreign capital for most public and private sector investment projects. A consortium led by two US companies has been investing $3.7 billion to develop oil reserves - estimated at 1 billion barrels - in southern Chad. Chinese companies are also expanding exploration efforts and plan to build a refinery. The nation's total oil reserves are estimated at 1.5 billion barrels. Oil production came on stream in late 2003. Chad began to export oil in 2004. Cotton, cattle, and gum arabic provide the bulk of Chad's non-oil export earnings.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$15.82 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 131 $15.85 billion (2007 est.)

$15.82 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$8.4 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

-0.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 200 0.2% (2007 est.)

0.2% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,600 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 192 $1,600 (2007 est.)

$1,600 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 20.5%

industry: 48%

services: 31.5% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

4.293 million (2007) country comparison to the world: 83

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 80% (subsistence farming, herding, and fishing)

industry and services: 20% (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate:

NA%

Population below poverty line:

80% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Investment (gross fixed):

13.7% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 140

Budget:

revenues: $2.324 billion

expenditures: $1.91 billion (2008 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

10.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 148 4% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

4.75% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 82 5.25% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

NA% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 42 15% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$874.5 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$55.23 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$82.81 million (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

cotton, sorghum, millet, peanuts, rice, potatoes, manioc (tapioca); cattle, sheep, goats, camels

Industries:

oil, cotton textiles, meatpacking, brewing, natron (sodium carbonate), soap, cigarettes, construction materials

Industrial production growth rate:

2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 106

Electricity - production:

100 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 190

Electricity - consumption:

93 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 191

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

127,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 48

Oil - consumption:

1,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 199

Oil - exports:

157,900 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 56

Oil - imports:

1,571 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 181

Oil - proved reserves:

1.5 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 36

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 200

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 201

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 195

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 196

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 197

Current account balance:

-$1.019 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 120 -$737.8 million (2007 est.)

Exports:

$4.342 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 116 $3.674 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

oil, cattle, cotton, gum arabic

Exports - partners:

US 92.8%, Japan 2.2%, France 1.5% (2008)

Imports:

$1.927 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 150 $1.541 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and transportation equipment, industrial goods, foodstuffs, textiles

Imports - partners:

France 17.5%, Cameroon 14.8%, China 9.8%, Ukraine 9.5%, US 7.7%,
Germany 5.6%, Saudi Arabia 4.7%, Netherlands 4% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$1.347 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 120 $964.4 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$1.6 billion (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 141

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$4.5 billion (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 89

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$NA

Exchange rates:

Cooperation Financiere en Afrique Centrale francs (XAF) per US dollar - 447.81 (2008 est.), 480.1 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004)

note: since 1 January 1999, the Central African CFA franc (XAF) has been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 CFA francs per euro; Central African CFA franc (XAF) coins and banknotes are not accepted in countries using West African CFA francs (XOF), and vice versa, even though the two currencies trade at par

Communications ::Chad

Telephones - main lines in use:

13,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 199

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1.809 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 124

Telephone system:

general assessment: primitive system with high costs and low telephone density; fixed-line connections for only about 1 per 1000 persons coupled with mobile-cellular subscribership base of less than 20 per 100 persons

domestic: fair system of radiotelephone communication stations

international: country code - 235; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 2, FM 4, shortwave 5 (2001)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (2001)

Internet country code:

.td

Internet hosts:

5 (2009) country comparison to the world: 225

Internet users:

130,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 144

Transportation ::Chad

Airports:

54 (2009) country comparison to the world: 86

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 8

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 3

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 46

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 13

914 to 1,523 m: 20

under 914 m: 11 (2009)

Pipelines:

oil 250 km (2008)

Roadways:

total: 33,400 km country comparison to the world: 95 paved: 267 km

unpaved: 33,133 km (2002)

Waterways:

Chari and Legone rivers are navigable only in wet season (2008)

Military ::Chad

Military branches:

Armed Forces: Chadian National Army (Armee Nationale du Tchad, ANT), Chadian Air Force (Force Aerienne Tchadienne, FAT), Gendarmerie (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

20 years of age for conscripts, with 3-year service obligation; 18 years of age for volunteers; no minimum age restriction for volunteers with consent from a guardian; women are subject to 1 year of compulsory military or civic service at age of 21 (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,906,545

females age 16-49: 2,258,758 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,103,006

females age 16-49: 1,315,620 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 121,080

female: 121,585 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

4.2% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 27

Transnational Issues ::Chad

Disputes - international:

since 2003, Janjawid armed militia and the Sudanese military have driven hundreds of thousands of Darfur residents into Chad; Chad remains an important mediator in the Sudanese civil conflict, reducing tensions with Sudan arising from cross-border banditry; Chadian Aozou rebels reside in southern Libya; only Nigeria and Cameroon have heeded the Lake Chad Commission's admonition to ratify the delimitation treaty, which also includes the Chad-Niger and Niger-Nigeria boundaries

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 234,000 (Sudan); 54,200 (Central African Republic)

IDPs: 178,918 (2007)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Chad is a source, transit, and destination country for children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation; the majority of children are trafficked within Chad for involuntary domestic servitude, forced cattle herding, forced begging, forced labor in petty commerce or the fishing industry, or for commercial sexual exploitation; to a lesser extent, Chadian children are also trafficked to Cameroon, the Central African Republic, and Nigeria for cattle herding; children may also be trafficked from Cameroon and the Central African Republic to Chad's oil producing regions for sexual exploitation

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Chad is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat human trafficking in 2007; Chad was destabilized during 2007 by civil conflict leading to a declared state of emergency in February 2008, and a steady influx of refugees fleeing Sudan and the Central African Republic; the government demonstrated insufficient overall efforts to combat trafficking; Chad has not ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2008)

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Chile (South America)

Introduction ::Chile

Background:

Prior to the coming of the Spanish in the 16th century, northern Chile was under Inca rule while the indigenous Mapuche inhabited central and southern Chile. Although Chile declared its independence in 1810, decisive victory over the Spanish was not achieved until 1818. In the War of the Pacific (1879-83), Chile defeated Peru and Bolivia and won its present northern regions. It was not until the 1880s that the Mapuche Indians were completely subjugated. After a series of elected governments, a three-year-old Marxist government of Salvador ALLENDE was overthrown in 1973 by a military coup led by Augusto PINOCHET, who ruled until a freely elected president was installed in 1990. Sound economic policies, maintained consistently since the 1980s, have contributed to steady growth, reduced poverty rates by over half, and have helped secure the country's commitment to democratic and representative government. Chile has increasingly assumed regional and international leadership roles befitting its status as a stable, democratic nation.

Geography ::Chile

Location:

Southern South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, between
Argentina and Peru

Geographic coordinates:

30 00 S, 71 00 W

Map references:

South America

Area:

total: 756,102 sq km country comparison to the world: 38 land: 743,812 sq km

water: 12,290 sq km

note: includes Easter Island (Isla de Pascua) and Isla Sala y Gomez

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than twice the size of Montana

Land boundaries:

total: 6,339 km

border countries: Argentina 5,308 km, Bolivia 860 km, Peru 171 km

Coastline:

6,435 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200/350 nm

Climate:

temperate; desert in north; Mediterranean in central region; cool and damp in south

Terrain:

low coastal mountains; fertile central valley; rugged Andes in east

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Nevado Ojos del Salado 6,880 m

Natural resources:

copper, timber, iron ore, nitrates, precious metals, molybdenum, hydropower

Land use:

arable land: 2.62%

permanent crops: 0.43%

other: 96.95% (2005)

Irrigated land:

19,000 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

922 cu km (2000)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 12.55 cu km/yr (11%/25%/64%)

per capita: 770 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

severe earthquakes; active volcanism; tsunamis

Environment - current issues:

widespread deforestation and mining threaten natural resources; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution from raw sewage

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

strategic location relative to sea lanes between Atlantic and Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake Passage); Atacama Desert is one of world's driest regions

People ::Chile

Population:

16,601,707 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 60

Age structure:

0-14 years: 23.2% (male 1,966,017/female 1,877,963)

15-64 years: 67.8% (male 5,625,963/female 5,628,146)

65 years and over: 9.1% (male 627,746/female 875,872) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 31.4 years

male: 30.4 years

female: 32.4 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.881% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 136

Birth rate:

14.64 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 143

Death rate:

5.84 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 167

Net migration rate:

NA (2009 est.)

Urbanization:

urban population: 88% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 7.71 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 164 male: 8.49 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 6.88 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 77.34 years country comparison to the world: 56 male: 74.07 years

female: 80.77 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.92 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 139

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.3% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 85

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

31,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 70

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

1,100 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 72

Nationality:

noun: Chilean(s)

adjective: Chilean

Ethnic groups:

white and white-Amerindian 95.4%, Mapuche 4%, other indigenous groups 0.6% (2002 census)

Religions:

Roman Catholic 70%, Evangelical 15.1%, Jehovah's Witness 1.1%, other
Christian 1%, other 4.6%, none 8.3% (2002 census)

Languages:

Spanish (official), Mapudungun, German, English

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 95.7%

male: 95.8%

female: 95.6% (2002 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 14 years

male: 14 years

female: 14 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

3.2% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 141

Government ::Chile

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Chile

conventional short form: Chile

local long form: Republica de Chile

local short form: Chile

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Santiago

geographic coordinates: 33 27 S, 70 40 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in October; ends second Sunday in March

Administrative divisions:

15 regions (regiones, singular - region); Aisen del General Carlos
Ibanez del Campo, Antofagasta, Araucania, Arica y Parinacota,
Atacama, Biobio, Coquimbo, Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins,
Los Lagos, Los Rios, Magallanes y de la Antartica Chilena, Maule,
Region Metropolitana (Santiago), Tarapaca, Valparaiso

note: the US does not recognize claims to Antarctica

Independence:

18 September 1810 (from Spain)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 18 September (1810)

Constitution:

11 September 1980, effective 11 March 1981; amended 1989, 1991, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2003, and 2005

Legal system:

based on Code of 1857 derived from Spanish law and subsequent codes influenced by French and Austrian law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; note - in June 2005, Chile completed overhaul of its criminal justice system to a new, US-style adversarial system

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Michelle BACHELET Jeria (since 11 March 2006); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Michelle BACHELET Jeria (since 11 March 2006)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a single four-year term; election last held 11 December 2005, with runoff election held 15 January 2006 (next to be held in December 2009)

election results: Michelle BACHELET Jeria elected president; percent of vote - Michelle BACHELET Jeria 53.5%; Sebastian PINERA Echenique 46.5%

Legislative branch:

bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the Senate or Senado (38 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve eight-year terms; one-half elected every four years) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (120 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held 11 December 2005 (next to be held in December 2009); Chamber of Deputies - last held 11 December 2005 (next to be held in December 2009)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CPD 20 (PDC 6, PS 8, PPD 3, PRSD 3), APC 17 (UDI 9, RN 8), independent 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CPD 65 (PDC 21, PPD 22, PS 15, PRSD 7), APC 54 (UDI 34, RN 20), independent 1; note - as of 8 January 2008: Senate - seats by party - CPD 18, (PDC 5, PS 8, PPD 2, PRSD 3), APC 16 (UDI 9, RN 7), independent 4; Chamber of Deputies - seats by party - CPD 57 (PDC 16, PPD 19, PS 15, PRSD 7), APC 53 (UDI 33, RN 20), independent 10.

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are appointed by the president and ratified by the Senate from lists of candidates provided by the court itself; the president of the Supreme Court is elected every three years by the 20-member court); Constitutional Tribunal (eight-members - two each from the Senate, Chamber of Deputies, Supreme Court, and National Security Council - review the constitutionality of laws approved by Congress)

Political parties and leaders:

Alliance for Chile (Alianza) or APC (including National Renewal or
RN [Carlos LARRAIN Pena] and Independent Democratic Union or UDI
[Juan Antonio COLOMA Correa]); Coalition of Parties for Democracy
(Concertacion) or CPD (including Christian Democratic Party or PDC
[Juan Carlos LATORRE Carmona], Socialist Party or PS [Camilo
ESCALONA Medina], Party for Democracy or PPD [Pepe AUTH Stewart],
and Radical Social Democratic Party or PRSD [Jose Antonio GOMEZ
Urrutia]); Communist Party or PC [Guillermo TEILLIER del Valle];
Humanist Party [Marilen CABRERA Olmos]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Roman Catholic Church, particularly conservative groups such as Opus Dei; United Labor Central or CUT includes trade unionists from the country's five largest labor confederations

other: revitalized university student federations at all major universities

International organization participation:

APEC, BIS, CAN (associate), FAO, G-15, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES,
LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS, OECD
(accession state), OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, SICA (observer), UN,
UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMOGIP, UNTSO,
UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Jose Maria GONI Carrasco

chancery: 1732 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

telephone: [1] (202) 785-1746

FAX: [1] (202) 887-5579

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Paul E. SIMONS

embassy: Avenida Andres Bello 2800, Las Condes, Santiago

mailing address: APO AA 34033

telephone: [56] (2) 330-3000

FAX: [56] (2) 330-3710, 330-3160

Flag description:

two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; a blue square the same height as the white band at the hoist-side end of the white band; the square bears a white five-pointed star in the center representing a guide to progress and honor; blue symbolizes the sky, white is for the snow-covered Andes, and red represents the blood spilled to achieve independence

note: design was influenced by the US flag

Economy ::Chile

Economy - overview:

Chile has a market-oriented economy characterized by a high level of foreign trade and a reputation for strong financial institutions and sound policy that have given it the strongest sovereign bond rating in South America. Exports account for 40% of GDP, with commodities making up some three-quarters of total exports. Copper alone provides one-third of government revenue. During the early 1990s, Chile's reputation as a role model for economic reform was strengthened when the democratic government of Patricio AYLWIN - which took over from the military in 1990 - deepened the economic reform initiated by the military government. Growth in real GDP averaged 8% during 1991-97, but fell to half that level in 1998 because of tight monetary policies implemented to keep the current account deficit in check and because of lower export earnings - the latter a product of the global financial crisis. A severe drought exacerbated the situation in 1999, reducing crop yields and causing hydroelectric shortfalls and electricity rationing, and Chile experienced negative economic growth for the first time in more than 15 years. In the years since then, growth has averaged 4% per year. Chile deepened its longstanding commitment to trade liberalization with the signing of a free trade agreement with the US, which took effect on 1 January 2004. Chile claims to have more bilateral or regional trade agreements than any other country. It has 57 such agreements (not all of them full free trade agreements), including with the European Union, Mercosur, China, India, South Korea, and Mexico. Over the past five years, foreign direct investment inflows have quadrupled to some $17 billion in 2008. The Chilean government conducts a rule-based countercyclical fiscal policy, accumulating surpluses in sovereign wealth funds during periods of high copper prices and economic growth, and allowing deficit spending only during periods of low copper prices and growth. As of September 2008, those sovereign wealth funds - kept mostly outside the country and separate from Central Bank reserves - amounted to more than $20 billion.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$245.1 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 45 $237.5 billion (2007 est.)

$226.8 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$169.5 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

3.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 117 4.7% (2007 est.)

4.6% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$14,900 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 77 $14,600 (2007 est.)

$14,000 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 4.8%

industry: 50.5%

services: 44.7% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

7.267 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 61

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 13.2%

industry: 23%

services: 63.9% (2005)

Unemployment rate:

7.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 105 7% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

18.2% (2005)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 1.6%

highest 10%: 41.7% (2006)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

54.9 (2003) country comparison to the world: 14 57.1 (2000)

Investment (gross fixed):

24% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 58

Budget:

revenues: $44.79 billion

expenditures: $35.09 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

5.2% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 120 12.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

8.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 134 4.4% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

8.25% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 73 6% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

13.26% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 98 8.67% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$14.72 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 39 $16.6 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$73.66 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 25 $80.42 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$116.4 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 35 $127.1 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$132.4 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 36 $212.9 billion (31 December 2007)

$174.6 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

grapes, apples, pears, onions, wheat, corn, oats, peaches, garlic, asparagus, beans; beef, poultry, wool; fish; timber

Industries:

copper, other minerals, foodstuffs, fish processing, iron and steel, wood and wood products, transport equipment, cement, textiles

Industrial production growth rate:

0.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 128

Electricity - production:

60.6 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 41

Electricity - consumption:

57.29 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 43

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

1.628 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Oil - production:

11,190 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 85

Oil - consumption:

277,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 47

Oil - exports:

49,250 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 78

Oil - imports:

311,200 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 37

Oil - proved reserves:

150 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 60

Natural gas - production:

1.65 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 58

Natural gas - consumption:

2.34 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 79

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 184

Natural gas - imports:

690 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 58

Natural gas - proved reserves:

97.97 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 53

Current account balance:

-$3.44 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 150 $7.189 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$66.46 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 48 $67.67 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

copper, fruit, fish products, paper and pulp, chemicals, wine

Exports - partners:

China 14.2%, US 11.3%, Japan 10.4%, Brazil 5.9%, South Korea 5.7%,
Netherlands 5.2%, Italy 4.4% (2008)

Imports:

$57.61 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 48 $44.03 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, electrical and telecommunications equipment, industrial machinery, vehicles, natural gas

Imports - partners:

US 19.1%, China 11.9%, Brazil 9.3%, Argentina 8.8%, South Korea 5.6%, Japan 4.6% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$23.08 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 49 $16.84 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$64.77 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 47 $55.67 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$108.3 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 33 $91.49 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$25.7 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 36 $24.68 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

Chilean pesos (CLP) per US dollar - 509.02 (2008 est.), 526.25 (2007), 530.29 (2006), 560.09 (2005), 609.37 (2004)

Communications ::Chile

Telephones - main lines in use:

3.526 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 43

Telephones - mobile cellular:

14.797 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 45

Telephone system:

general assessment: privatization begun in 1988; most advanced telecommunications infrastructure in South America; modern system based on extensive microwave radio relay facilities; fixed-line connections have dropped in recent years as mobile-cellular usage continues to increase, reaching a level of 90 telephones per 100 persons

domestic: extensive microwave radio relay links; domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations

international: country code - 56; submarine cables provide links to the US and to Central and South America; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 180, FM 64, shortwave 17 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

63 (plus 121 repeaters) (1997)

Internet country code:

.cl

Internet hosts:

877,817 (2009) country comparison to the world: 40

Internet users:

5.456 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 43

Transportation ::Chile

Airports:

357 (2009) country comparison to the world: 22

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 81

over 3,047 m: 5

2,438 to 3,047 m: 8

1,524 to 2,437 m: 22

914 to 1,523 m: 24

under 914 m: 22 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 276

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 12

914 to 1,523 m: 50

under 914 m: 212 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 2,676 km; liquid petroleum gas 519 km; oil 892 km; refined products 769 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 5,481 km country comparison to the world: 33 broad gauge: 1,706 km 1.676-m gauge (850 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 3,777 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 80,505 km country comparison to the world: 58 paved: 16,745 km (includes 2,414 km of expressways)

unpaved: 63,760 km (2004)

Merchant marine:

total: 44 country comparison to the world: 75 by type: bulk carrier 9, cargo 7, chemical tanker 8, container 1, liquefied gas 2, passenger 4, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 7, roll on/roll off 1, vehicle carrier 3

registered in other countries: 40 (Argentina 7, Brazil 1, Cyprus 1, Isle of Man 6, Marshall Islands 4, Norway 2, Panama 12, Singapore 6, Venezuela 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Coronel, Huasco, Lirquen, Puerto Ventanas, San Antonio, San Vicente,
Valparaiso

Military ::Chile

Military branches:

Army of the Nation, Chilean Navy (Armada de Chile, includes naval
air, marine corps, and Maritime Territory and Merchant Marine
Directorate (Directemar)), Chilean Air Force (Fuerza Aerea de Chile,
FACh), Carabineros Corps (Cuerpo de Carabineros) (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

18-45 years of age for voluntary male and female military service, although the right to compulsory recruitment is retained; service obligation - 12 months for Army, 22 months for Navy and Air Force (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 4,242,912

females age 16-49: 4,182,509 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 3,573,165

females age 16-49: 3,523,649 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 145,766

female: 139,648 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

2.7% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 57

Transnational Issues ::Chile

Disputes - international:

Chile and Peru rebuff Bolivia's reinvigorated claim to restore the Atacama corridor, ceded to Chile in 1884, but Chile has offered instead unrestricted but not sovereign maritime access through Chile to Bolivian gas and other commodities; Chile rejects Peru's unilateral legislation to change its latitudinal maritime boundary with Chile to an equidistance line with a southwestern axis favoring Peru, in October 2007, Peru took its maritime complaint with Chile to the ICJ; territorial claim in Antarctica (Chilean Antarctic Territory) partially overlaps Argentine and British claims; the joint boundary commission, established by Chile and Argentina in 2001, has yet to map and demarcate the delimited boundary in the inhospitable Andean Southern Ice Field (Campo de Hielo Sur)

Illicit drugs:

transshipment country for cocaine destined for Europe and the region; some money laundering activity, especially through the Iquique Free Trade Zone; imported precursors passed on to Bolivia; domestic cocaine consumption is rising, making Chile a significant consumer of cocaine (2008)

page last updated on November 12, 2009

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

@China (East & Southeast Asia)

Introduction ::China

Background:

For centuries China stood as a leading civilization, outpacing the rest of the world in the arts and sciences, but in the 19th and early 20th centuries, the country was beset by civil unrest, major famines, military defeats, and foreign occupation. After World War II, the Communists under MAO Zedong established an autocratic socialist system that, while ensuring China's sovereignty, imposed strict controls over everyday life and cost the lives of tens of millions of people. After 1978, MAO's successor DENG Xiaoping and other leaders focused on market-oriented economic development and by 2000 output had quadrupled. For much of the population, living standards have improved dramatically and the room for personal choice has expanded, yet political controls remain tight.

Geography ::China

Location:

Eastern Asia, bordering the East China Sea, Korea Bay, Yellow Sea, and South China Sea, between North Korea and Vietnam

Geographic coordinates:

35 00 N, 105 00 E

Map references:

Asia

Area:

total: 9,596,961 sq km country comparison to the world: 4 land: 9,569,901 sq km

water: 27,060 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than the US

Land boundaries:

total: 22,117 km

border countries: Afghanistan 76 km, Bhutan 470 km, Burma 2,185 km, India 3,380 km, Kazakhstan 1,533 km, North Korea 1,416 km, Kyrgyzstan 858 km, Laos 423 km, Mongolia 4,677 km, Nepal 1,236 km, Pakistan 523 km, Russia (northeast) 3,605 km, Russia (northwest) 40 km, Tajikistan 414 km, Vietnam 1,281 km

regional borders: Hong Kong 30 km, Macau 0.34 km

Coastline:

14,500 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:

extremely diverse; tropical in south to subarctic in north

Terrain:

mostly mountains, high plateaus, deserts in west; plains, deltas, and hills in east

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Turpan Pendi -154 m

highest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m

Natural resources:

coal, iron ore, petroleum, natural gas, mercury, tin, tungsten, antimony, manganese, molybdenum, vanadium, magnetite, aluminum, lead, zinc, uranium, hydropower potential (world's largest)

Land use:

arable land: 14.86%

permanent crops: 1.27%

other: 83.87% (2005)

Irrigated land:

545,960 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

2,829.6 cu km (1999)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 549.76 cu km/yr (7%/26%/68%)

per capita: 415 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

frequent typhoons (about five per year along southern and eastern coasts); damaging floods; tsunamis; earthquakes; droughts; land subsidence

Environment - current issues:

air pollution (greenhouse gases, sulfur dioxide particulates) from reliance on coal produces acid rain; water shortages, particularly in the north; water pollution from untreated wastes; deforestation; estimated loss of one-fifth of agricultural land since 1949 to soil erosion and economic development; desertification; trade in endangered species

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

world's fourth largest country (after Russia, Canada, and US); Mount Everest on the border with Nepal is the world's tallest peak

People ::China

Population:

1,338,612,968 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 1

Age structure:

0-14 years: 19.8% (male 140,877,745/female 124,290,090)

15-64 years: 72.1% (male 495,724,889/female 469,182,087)

65 years and over: 8.1% (male 51,774,115/female 56,764,042) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 34.1 years

male: 33.5 years

female: 34.7 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.655% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 146

Birth rate:

14 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 150

Death rate:

7.06 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 129

Net migration rate:

-0.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 104

Urbanization:

urban population: 43% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 2.7% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.1 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.13 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female

total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 20.25 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 105 male: 18.87 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 21.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 73.47 years country comparison to the world: 105 male: 71.61 years

female: 75.52 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.79 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 158

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 115

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

700,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 17

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

39,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 14

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: intermediate

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: Japanese encephalitis and dengue fever

soil contact disease: hantaviral hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS)

animal contact disease: rabies

note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Chinese (singular and plural)

adjective: Chinese

Ethnic groups:

Han Chinese 91.5%, Zhuang, Manchu, Hui, Miao, Uyghur, Tujia, Yi, Mongol, Tibetan, Buyi, Dong, Yao, Korean, and other nationalities 8.5% (2000 census)

Religions:

Daoist (Taoist), Buddhist, Christian 3%-4%, Muslim 1%-2%

note: officially atheist (2002 est.)

Languages:

Standard Chinese or Mandarin (Putonghua, based on the Beijing dialect), Yue (Cantonese), Wu (Shanghainese), Minbei (Fuzhou), Minnan (Hokkien-Taiwanese), Xiang, Gan, Hakka dialects, minority languages (see Ethnic groups entry)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 90.9%

male: 95.1%

female: 86.5% (2000 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 11 years

male: 11 years

female: 11 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

1.9% of GDP (1999) country comparison to the world: 170

Government ::China

Country name:

conventional long form: People's Republic of China

conventional short form: China

local long form: Zhonghua Renmin Gongheguo

local short form: Zhongguo

abbreviation: PRC

Government type:

Communist state

Capital:

name: Beijing

geographic coordinates: 39 55 N, 116 23 E

time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

note: despite its size, all of China falls within one time zone; many people in Xinjiang Province observe an unofficial "Xinjiang timezone" of UTC+6, two hours behind Beijing

Administrative divisions:

23 provinces (sheng, singular and plural), 5 autonomous regions (zizhiqu, singular and plural), and 4 municipalities (shi, singular and plural)

provinces: Anhui, Fujian, Gansu, Guangdong, Guizhou, Hainan, Hebei,
Heilongjiang, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Jilin,
Liaoning, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, Sichuan, Yunnan,
Zhejiang; (see note on Taiwan)

autonomous regions: Guangxi, Nei Mongol, Ningxia, Xinjiang Uygur, Xizang (Tibet)

municipalities: Beijing, Chongqing, Shanghai, Tianjin

note: China considers Taiwan its 23rd province; see separate entries for the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau

Independence:

221 BC (unification under the Qin or Ch'in Dynasty); 1 January 1912 (Qing or Ch'ing Dynasty replaced by the Republic of China); 1 October 1949 (People's Republic of China established)

National holiday:

Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China, 1
October (1949)

Constitution:

most recent promulgation 4 December 1982 with amendments in 1988 and 1993

Legal system:

based on civil law system; derived from Soviet and continental civil code legal principles; legislature retains power to interpret statutes; constitution ambiguous on judicial review of legislation; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President HU Jintao (since 15 March 2003); Vice President XI Jinping (since 15 March 2008)

head of government: Premier WEN Jiabao (since 16 March 2003);
Executive Vice Premier LI Keqiang (17 March 2008), Vice Premier HUI
Liangyu (since 17 March 2003), Vice Premier ZHANG Deijiang (since 17
March 2008), and Vice Premier WANG Qishan (since 17 March 2008)

cabinet: State Council appointed by National People's Congress

elections: president and vice president elected by National People's Congress for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); elections last held 15-17 March 2008 (next to be held in mid-March 2013); premier nominated by president, confirmed by National People's Congress

election results: HU Jintao elected president by National People's Congress with a total of 2,963 votes; XI Jinping elected vice president with a total of 2,919 votes

Legislative branch:

unicameral National People's Congress or Quanguo Renmin Daibiao Dahui (2,987 seats; members elected by municipal, regional, and provincial people's congresses, and People's Liberation Army to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held December 2007-February 2008; date of next election - late 2012 to early 2013

election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - 2,987

note: only members of the CCP, its eight allied parties, and sympathetic independent candidates are elected

Judicial branch:

Supreme People's Court (judges appointed by the National People's Congress); Local People's Courts (comprise higher, intermediate, and basic courts); Special People's Courts (primarily military, maritime, railway transportation, and forestry courts)

Political parties and leaders:

Chinese Communist Party or CCP [HU Jintao]; eight registered small parties controlled by CCP

Political pressure groups and leaders:

the China Democracy Party; the Falungong spiritual movement

note: no substantial political opposition groups exist, although the government has identified the organizations listed above as subversive groups

International organization participation:

ADB, AfDB (nonregional member), APEC, APT, Arctic Council (observer), ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), BIS, CDB, EAS, FAO, G-20, G-24 (observer), G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), SCO, SICA (observer), UN, UN Security Council, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMIT, UNOCI, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador ZHOU Wenzhong

chancery: 12 International Place NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 328-2500

FAX: [1] (202) 328-2582

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Jon M. HUNTSMAN, Jr.

embassy: 55 An Jia Lou Lu, 100600 Beijing

mailing address: PSC 461, Box 50, FPO AP 96521-0002

telephone: [86] (10) 8531-3000

FAX: [86] (10) 8531-3300

consulate(s) general: Chengdu, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Shenyang, Wuhan

Flag description:

red with a large yellow five-pointed star and four smaller yellow five-pointed stars (arranged in a vertical arc toward the middle of the flag) in the upper hoist-side corner

Economy ::China

Economy - overview:

China's economy during the past 30 years has changed from a centrally planned system that was largely closed to international trade to a more market-oriented economy that has a rapidly growing private sector and is a major player in the global economy. Reforms started in the late 1970s with the phasing out of collectivized agriculture, and expanded to include the gradual liberalization of prices, fiscal decentralization, increased autonomy for state enterprises, the foundation of a diversified banking system, the development of stock markets, the rapid growth of the non-state sector, and the opening to foreign trade and investment. Annual inflows of foreign direct investment rose to nearly $84 billion in 2007. China has generally implemented reforms in a gradualist or piecemeal fashion. In recent years, China has re-invigorated its support for leading state-owned enterprises in sectors it considers important to "economic security," explicitly looking to foster globally competitive national champions. After keeping its currency tightly linked to the US dollar for years, China in July 2005 revalued its currency by 2.1% against the US dollar and moved to an exchange rate system that references a basket of currencies. Cumulative appreciation of the renminbi against the US dollar since the end of the dollar peg was more than 20% by late 2008, but the exchange rate has changed little since the onset of the global financial crisis. The restructuring of the economy and resulting efficiency gains have contributed to a more than tenfold increase in GDP since 1978. Measured on a purchasing power parity (PPP) basis that adjusts for price differences, China in 2008 stood as the second-largest economy in the world after the US, although in per capita terms the country is still lower middle-income. The Chinese government faces numerous economic development challenges, including: (a) strengthening its social safety net, including pension and health system reform, to counteract a high domestic savings rate and correspondingly low domestic demand; (b) sustaining adequate job growth for tens of millions of migrants, new entrants to the work force, and workers laid off from state-owned enterprises deemed not worth saving; (c) reducing corruption and other economic crimes; and (d) containing environmental damage and social strife related to the economy's rapid transformation. Economic development has been more rapid in coastal provinces than in the interior, and approximately 200 million rural laborers and their dependents have relocated to urban areas to find work - in recent years many have returned to their villages. One demographic consequence of the "one child" policy is that China is now one of the most rapidly aging countries in the world. Deterioration in the environment - notably air pollution, soil erosion, and the steady fall of the water table, especially in the north - is another long-term problem. China continues to lose arable land because of erosion and economic development. In 2007 China intensified government efforts to improve environmental conditions, tying the evaluation of local officials to environmental targets, publishing a national climate change policy, and establishing a high level leading group on climate change, headed by Premier WEN Jiabao. The Chinese government seeks to add energy production capacity from sources other than coal and oil. In late 2008, as China commemorated the 30th anniversary of its historic economic reforms, the global economic downturn began to slow foreign demand for Chinese exports for the first time in many years. The government vowed to continue reforming the economy and emphasized the need to increase domestic consumption in order to make China less dependent on foreign exports for GDP growth in the future.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$7.992 trillion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 3 $7.332 trillion (2007 est.)

$6.489 trillion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$4.327 trillion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

9% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 17 13% (2007 est.)

11.6% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$6,000 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 133 $5,500 (2007 est.)

$4,900 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 11.3%

industry: 48.6%

services: 40.1% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

807.3 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 1

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 43%

industry: 25%

services: 32% (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate:

4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 46 4% (2007 est.)

note: official data for urban areas only; including migrants may boost total unemployment to 9%; substantial unemployment and underemployment in rural areas

Population below poverty line:

8%

note: 21.5 million rural population live below the official "absolute poverty" line (approximately $90 per year); and an additional 35.5 million rural population above that but below the official "low income" line (approximately $125 per year) (2006 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.4%

highest 10%: 31.4% (2004)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

47 (2007) country comparison to the world: 36 40 (2001)

Investment (gross fixed):

40.5% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 4

Budget:

revenues: $847.8 billion

expenditures: $861.6 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

15.6% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 101 31.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

5.9% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 99 4.8% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

2.79% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 130 3.33% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

5.31% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 136 5.58% (17 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$2.434 trillion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 3 $2.09 trillion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$4.523 trillion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 4 $3.437 trillion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$5.555 trillion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 4 $4.653 trillion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$2.794 trillion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 3 $6.226 trillion (31 December 2007)

$2.426 trillion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

rice, wheat, potatoes, corn, peanuts, tea, millet, barley, apples, cotton, oilseed; pork; fish

Industries:

mining and ore processing, iron, steel, aluminum, and other metals, coal; machine building; armaments; textiles and apparel; petroleum; cement; chemicals; fertilizers; consumer products, including footwear, toys, and electronics; food processing; transportation equipment, including automobiles, rail cars and locomotives, ships, and aircraft; telecommunications equipment, commercial space launch vehicles, satellites

Industrial production growth rate:

9.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 15

Electricity - production:

3.041 trillion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 3

Electricity - consumption:

2.835 trillion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 3

Electricity - exports:

16.64 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

3.842 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

3.973 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 5

Oil - consumption:

7.85 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 3

Oil - exports:

419,200 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 32

Oil - imports:

4.21 million bbl/day (2007) country comparison to the world: 4

Oil - proved reserves:

16 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 13

Natural gas - production:

76.04 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 11

Natural gas - consumption:

77.18 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 12

Natural gas - exports:

3.36 billion cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 29

Natural gas - imports:

4.5 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 35

Natural gas - proved reserves:

2.265 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 17

Current account balance:

$426.1 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 1 $371.8 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$1.435 trillion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 3 $1.22 trillion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

electrical and other machinery, including data processing equipment, apparel, textiles, iron and steel, optical and medical equipment

Exports - partners:

US 17.7%, Hong Kong 13.3%, Japan 8.1%, South Korea 5.2%, Germany 4.1% (2008)

Imports:

$1.074 trillion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 4 $904.6 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

electrical and other machinery, oil and mineral fuels, optical and medical equipment, metal ores, plastics, organic chemicals

Imports - partners:

Japan 13.3%, South Korea 9.9%, US 7.2%, Germany 4.9% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$1.955 trillion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 1 $1.534 trillion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$400.6 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 23 $363 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$758.9 billion (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 7

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$149.3 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 22 $95.8 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

Renminbi yuan (RMB) per US dollar - 6.9385 (2008 est.), 7.61 (2007), 7.97 (2006), 8.1943 (2005), 8.2768 (2004)

Communications ::China

Telephones - main lines in use:

365.6 million (2007) country comparison to the world: 1

Telephones - mobile cellular:

634 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 1

Telephone system:

general assessment: domestic and international services are increasingly available for private use; unevenly distributed domestic system serves principal cities, industrial centers, and many towns; China continues to develop its telecommunications infrastructure, and is partnering with foreign providers to expand its global reach; China in the summer of 2008 began a major restructuring of its telecommunications industry, resulting in the consolidation of its six telecom service operators to three, China Telecom, China Mobile and China Unicom, each providing both fixed-line and mobile services

domestic: interprovincial fiber-optic trunk lines and cellular telephone systems have been installed; mobile-cellular subscribership is increasing rapidly; the number of Internet users exceeded 250 million by summer 2008; a domestic satellite system with 55 earth stations is in place

international: country code - 86; a number of submarine cables provide connectivity to Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and the US; satellite earth stations - 7 (5 Intelsat - 4 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean; 1 Intersputnik - Indian Ocean region; and 1 Inmarsat - Pacific and Indian Ocean regions) (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 369, FM 259, shortwave 45 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

3,240 (of which 209 are operated by China Central Television, 31 are provincial TV stations, and nearly 3,000 are local city stations) (1997)

Internet country code:

.cn

Internet hosts:

14.156 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 7

Internet users:

298 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 1

Transportation ::China

Airports:

482 (2009) country comparison to the world: 15

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 425

over 3,047 m: 63

2,438 to 3,047 m: 132

1,524 to 2,437 m: 133

914 to 1,523 m: 25

under 914 m: 72 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 57

over 3,047 m: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 5

1,524 to 2,437 m: 10

914 to 1,523 m: 13

under 914 m: 26 (2009)

Heliports:

45 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 28,132 km; oil 20,204 km; refined products 9,746 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 77,834 km country comparison to the world: 3 standard gauge: 77,084 km 1.435-m gauge (24,433 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 750 km 0.750-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 1,930,544 km country comparison to the world: 3 paved: 1,575,571 km (includes 41,005 km of expressways)

unpaved: 354,973 km (2005)

Waterways:

110,000 km navigable (2008) country comparison to the world: 1

Merchant marine:

total: 1,826 country comparison to the world: 3 by type: barge carrier 4, bulk carrier 451, cargo 689, carrier 2, chemical tanker 69, combination ore/oil 1, container 162, liquefied gas 44, passenger 8, passenger/cargo 83, petroleum tanker 244, refrigerated cargo 33, roll on/roll off 10, specialized tanker 9, vehicle carrier 17

foreign-owned: 20 (Ecuador 1, Greece 2, Hong Kong 12, Indonesia 1, Japan 2, South Korea 1, Norway 1)

registered in other countries: 1,441 (Bahamas 10, Bangladesh 1, Belize 71, Bermuda 10, Bolivia 1, Cambodia 193, Cyprus 10, France 5, Georgia 10, Germany 2, Honduras 3, Hong Kong 324, India 1, Indonesia 2, Kiribati 15, South Korea 1, Liberia 11, Malta 12, Marshall Islands 7, Mongolia 1, Norway 36, Panama 532, Philippines 4, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 94, Sierra Leone 15, Singapore 14, Thailand 1, Tuvalu 16, unknown 39) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Dalian, Guangzhou, Ningbo, Qingdao, Qinhuangdao, Shanghai, Shenzhen,
Tianjin

Military ::China

Military branches:

People's Liberation Army (PLA): Ground Forces, Navy (includes marines and naval aviation), Air Force (includes airborne forces), and Second Artillery Corps (strategic missile force); People's Armed Police (PAP); PLA Reserve Force (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18-22 years of age for selective compulsory military service, with 24-month service obligation; no minimum age for voluntary service (all officers are volunteers); 18-19 years of age for women high school graduates who meet requirements for specific military jobs (2009)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 375,009,345

females age 16-49: 354,314,328 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 314,459,083

females age 16-49: 296,763,134 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 10,621,373

female: 9,533,880 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

4.3% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 25

Transnational Issues ::China

Disputes - international:

continuing talks and confidence-building measures work toward reducing tensions over Kashmir that nonetheless remains militarized with portions under the de facto administration of China (Aksai Chin), India (Jammu and Kashmir), and Pakistan (Azad Kashmir and Northern Areas); India does not recognize Pakistan's ceding historic Kashmir lands to China in 1964; China and India continue their security and foreign policy dialogue started in 2005 related to the dispute over most of their rugged, militarized boundary, regional nuclear proliferation, and other matters; China claims most of India's Arunachal Pradesh to the base of the Himalayas; lacking any treaty describing the boundary, Bhutan and China continue negotiations to establish a common boundary alignment to resolve territorial disputes due to cartographic discrepancies; Chinese maps show an international boundary symbol off the coasts of the littoral states of the South China Seas, where China has interrupted Vietnamese hydrocarbon exploration; China asserts sovereignty over the Spratly Islands together with Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei; the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" eased tensions in the Spratly's but is not the legally binding "code of conduct" sought by some parties; Vietnam and China continue to expand construction of facilities in the Spratly's and in March 2005, the national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam signed a joint accord on marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands; China occupies some of the Paracel Islands also claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan; China and Taiwan continue to reject both Japan's claims to the uninhabited islands of Senkaku-shoto (Diaoyu Tai) and Japan's unilaterally declared equidistance line in the East China Sea, the site of intensive hydrocarbon exploration and exploitation; certain islands in the Yalu and Tumen rivers are in dispute with North Korea; North Korea and China seek to stem illegal migration to China by North Koreans, fleeing privations and oppression, by building a fence along portions of the border and imprisoning North Koreans deported by China; China and Russia have demarcated the once disputed islands at the Amur and Ussuri confluence and in the Argun River in accordance with their 2004 Agreement; China and Tajikistan have begun demarcating the revised boundary agreed to in the delimitation of 2002; the decade-long demarcation of the China-Vietnam land boundary is expected to be completed by the end of 2008, while the maritime boundary delimitation and fisheries agreements in the Gulf of Tonkin, ratified in June 2004, have been implemented; citing environmental, cultural, and social concerns, China has reconsidered construction of 13 dams on the Salween River, but energy-starved Burma, with backing from Thailand, remains intent on building five hydro-electric dams downstream despite regional and international protests; Chinese and Hong Kong authorities met in March 2008 to resolve ownership and use of lands recovered in Shenzhen River channelization, including 96-hectare Lok Ma Chau Loop; Hong Kong developing plans to reduce 2,000 out of 2,800 hectares of its restricted Closed Area by 2010

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 300,897 (Vietnam); estimated 30,000-50,000 (North Korea)

IDPs: 90,000 (2007)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: China is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of sexual exploitation and forced labor; the majority of trafficking in China occurs within the country's borders, but there is also considerable international trafficking of Chinese citizens to Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and North America; Chinese women are lured abroad through false promises of legitimate employment, only to be forced into commercial sexual exploitation, largely in Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia, and Japan; women and children are trafficked to China from Mongolia, Burma, North Korea, Russia, and Vietnam for forced labor, marriage, and prostitution; some North Korean women and children seeking to leave their country voluntarily cross the border into China and are then sold into prostitution, marriage, or forced labor

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - China is on the Tier 2 Watch List for the fourth consecutive year for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat human trafficking, particularly in terms of punishment of trafficking crimes and the protection of Chinese and foreign victims of trafficking; victims are sometimes punished for unlawful acts that were committed as a direct result of their being trafficked, such as violations of prostitution or immigration/emigration controls; the Chinese Government continued to treat North Korean victims of trafficking solely as economic migrants, routinely deporting them back to horrendous conditions in North Korea; additional challenges facing the Chinese Government include the enormous size of its trafficking problem and the significant level of corruption and complicity in trafficking by some local government officials (2008)

Illicit drugs:

major transshipment point for heroin produced in the Golden Triangle region of Southeast Asia; growing domestic consumption of synthetic drugs, and heroin from Southeast and Southwest Asia; source country for methamphetamine and heroin chemical precursors, despite new regulations on its large chemical industry (2008)

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Christmas Island (Australia-Oceania)

Introduction ::Christmas Island

Background:

Named in 1643 for the day of its discovery, the island was annexed and settlement began by the UK in 1888. Phosphate mining began in the 1890s. The UK transferred sovereignty to Australia in 1958. Almost two-thirds of the island has been declared a national park.

Geography ::Christmas Island

Location:

Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia

Geographic coordinates:

10 30 S, 105 40 E

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 135 sq km country comparison to the world: 221 land: 135 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

138.9 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 12 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical with a wet season (December to April) and dry season; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds

Terrain:

steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: Murray Hill 361 m

Natural resources:

phosphate, beaches

Land use:

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (mainly tropical rainforest; 63% of the island is a national park) (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard

Environment - current issues:

loss of rainforest; impact of phosphate mining

Geography - note:

located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean

People ::Christmas Island

Population:

1,402 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 233

Age structure:

0-14 years: NA

15-64 years: NA

65 years and over: NA

Population growth rate:

0% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 202

Birth rate:

NA

Death rate:

NA

Net migration rate:

NA

Sex ratio:

NA (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Total fertility rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Christmas Islander(s)

adjective: Christmas Island

Ethnic groups:

Chinese 70%, European 20%, Malay 10%

note: no indigenous population (2001)

Religions:

Buddhist 36%, Muslim 25%, Christian 18%, other 21% (1997)

Languages:

English (official), Chinese, Malay

Literacy:

NA

Government ::Christmas Island

Country name:

conventional long form: Territory of Christmas Island

conventional short form: Christmas Island

Dependency status:

non-self governing territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Government Attorney-General's Department

Government type:

NA

Capital:

name: The Settlement

geographic coordinates: 10 25 S, 105 43 E

time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

none (territory of Australia)

Independence:

none (territory of Australia)

National holiday:

Australia Day, 26 January (1788)

Constitution:

Christmas Island Act of 1958-59 (1 October 1958) as amended by the
Territories Law Reform Act of 1992

Legal system:

under the authority of the governor general of Australia and Australian law

Suffrage:

18 years of age

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) represented by the Australian governor general

head of government: Administrator Brian LACY (since 5 October 2009)

elections: the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia

Legislative branch:

unicameral Christmas Island Shire Council (9 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: held every two years with half the members standing for election; last held 20 October 2007 (next to be held in 2009)

election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 9

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court; District Court; Magistrate's Court

Political parties and leaders:

none

Political pressure groups and leaders:

none

International organization participation:

none

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (territory of Australia)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (territory of Australia)

Flag description:

territorial flag; divided diagonally from upper hoist to lower fly; the upper triangle is green with a yellow image of the Golden Bosun Bird superimposed, the lower triangle is blue with the Southern Cross constellation, representing Australia, superimposed; a centered yellow disk displays a green map of the island

note: the flag of Australia is used for official purposes

Economy ::Christmas Island

Economy - overview:

Phosphate mining had been the only significant economic activity, but in December 1987 the Australian government closed the mine. In 1991, the mine was reopened. With the support of the government, a $34 million casino opened in 1993, but closed in 1998. The Australian government in 2001 agreed to support the creation of a commercial space-launching site on the island expected to begin operations in the near future.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$NA

Labor force:

NA

Budget:

revenues: $NA

expenditures: $NA

Agriculture - products:

NA

Industries:

tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion)

Exports:

$NA

Exports - commodities:

phosphate

Imports:

$NA

Imports - commodities:

consumer goods

Exchange rates:

Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar - 1.2059 (2008 est.), 1.2137 (2007), 1.3285 (2006), 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004)

Communications ::Christmas Island

Telephones - main lines in use:

NA

Telephone system:

general assessment: service provided by the Australian network

domestic: GSM mobile telephone service replaced older analog system in February 2005

international: country code - 61-8; satellite earth station - 1 (Intelsat provides telephone and telex service) (2005)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2006)

Television broadcast stations:

0 (TV broadcasts received via satellite from mainland Australia) (2006)

Internet country code:

.cx

Internet hosts:

2,598 (2009) country comparison to the world: 145

Internet users:

464 (2001) country comparison to the world: 216

Transportation ::Christmas Island

Airports:

1 (2009) country comparison to the world: 222

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 140 km country comparison to the world: 209 paved: 30 km

unpaved: 110 km (2007)

Ports and terminals:

Flying Fish Cove

Military ::Christmas Island

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of Australia

Transnational Issues ::Christmas Island

Disputes - international:

none

page last updated on October 29, 2009

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

@Clipperton Island (North America)

Introduction ::Clipperton Island

Background:

This isolated island was named for John CLIPPERTON, a pirate who made it his hideout early in the 18th century. Annexed by France in 1855, it was seized by Mexico in 1897. Arbitration eventually awarded the island to France, which took possession in 1935.

Geography ::Clipperton Island

Location:

Middle America, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, 1,120 km southwest of Mexico

Geographic coordinates:

10 17 N, 109 13 W

Map references:

Political Map of the World

Area:

total: 6 sq km country comparison to the world: 243 land: 6 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

about 12 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

11.1 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; humid, average temperature 20-32 degrees C, wet season (May to October)

Terrain:

coral atoll

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Rocher Clipperton 29 m

Natural resources:

fish

Land use:

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (all coral) (2005)

Irrigated land:

0 sq km

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

NA

Geography - note:

reef 12 km in circumference

People ::Clipperton Island

Population:

uninhabited

Government ::Clipperton Island

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Clipperton Island

local long form: none

local short form: Ile Clipperton

former: sometimes called Ile de la Passion

Dependency status:

possession of France; administered directly by the Minister of Overseas France

Legal system:

the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Flag description:

the flag of France is used

Economy ::Clipperton Island

Economy - overview:

Although 115 species of fish have been identified in the territorial waters of Clipperton Island, the only economic activity is tuna fishing.

Transportation ::Clipperton Island

Ports and terminals:

none; offshore anchorage only

Military ::Clipperton Island

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues ::Clipperton Island

Disputes - international:

none

page last updated on July 2, 2009

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

@Cocos (Keeling) Islands (Australia-Oceania)

Introduction ::Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Background:

There are 27 coral islands in the group. Captain William KEELING discovered the islands in 1609, but they remained uninhabited until the 19th century. From the 1820s to 1978, members of the CLUNIE-ROSS family controlled the islands and the copra produced from local coconuts. Annexed by the UK in 1857, the Cocos Islands were transferred to the Australian Government in 1955. The population on the two inhabited islands generally is split between the ethnic Europeans on West Island and the ethnic Malays on Home Island.

Geography ::Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Location:

Southeastern Asia, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, southwest of Indonesia, about halfway from Australia to Sri Lanka

Geographic coordinates:

12 30 S, 96 50 E

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 14 sq km country comparison to the world: 239 land: 14 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: includes the two main islands of West Island and Home Island

Area - comparative:

about 24 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

26 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical with high humidity, moderated by the southeast trade winds for about nine months of the year

Terrain:

flat, low-lying coral atolls

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed location 5 m

Natural resources:

fish

Land use:

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

cyclone season is October to April

Environment - current issues:

fresh water resources are limited to rainwater accumulations in natural underground reservoirs

Geography - note:

islands are thickly covered with coconut palms and other vegetation; site of a World War I naval battle in November 1914 between the Australian light cruiser HMAS Sydney and the German raider SMS Emden; after being heavily damaged in the engagement, the Emden was beached by her captain on North Keeling Island

People ::Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Population:

596 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 236

Age structure:

0-14 years: NA

15-64 years: NA

65 years and over: NA

Population growth rate:

0% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 200

Birth rate:

NA

Death rate:

NA

Net migration rate:

NA

Infant mortality rate:

total: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Total fertility rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Cocos Islander(s)

adjective: Cocos Islander

Ethnic groups:

Europeans, Cocos Malays

Religions:

Sunni Muslim 80%, other 20% (2002 est.)

Languages:

Malay (Cocos dialect), English

Literacy:

NA

Government ::Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Country name:

conventional long form: Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands

conventional short form: Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Dependency status:

non-self governing territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Government Attorney-General's Department

Government type:

NA

Capital:

name: West Island

geographic coordinates: 12 10 S, 96 50 E

time difference: UTC+6.5 (11.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

none (territory of Australia)

Independence:

none (territory of Australia)

National holiday:

Australia Day, 26 January (1788)

Constitution:

Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act of 1955 (23 November 1955) as amended by the Territories Law Reform Act of 1992

Legal system:

based upon the laws of Australia and local laws

Suffrage:

18 years of age

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by the Australian governor general

head of government: Administrator (nonresident) Brian LACY (since 5 October 2009)

cabinet: NA

elections: the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia

Legislative branch:

unicameral Cocos (Keeling) Islands Shire Council (7 seats)

elections: held every two years with half the members standing for election; last held in May 2007 (next to be held in May 2009)

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court; Magistrate's Court

Political parties and leaders:

none

Political pressure groups and leaders:

The Cocos Islands Youth Support Centre

International organization participation:

none

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (territory of Australia)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (territory of Australia)

Flag description:

the flag of Australia is used

Economy ::Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Economy - overview:

Grown throughout the islands, coconuts are the sole cash crop. Small local gardens and fishing contribute to the food supply, but additional food and most other necessities must be imported from Australia. There is a small tourist industry.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$NA

Labor force:

NA

Labor force - by occupation:

note: the Cocos Islands Cooperative Society Ltd. employs construction workers, stevedores, and lighterage workers; tourism employs others

Unemployment rate:

60% (2000 est.) country comparison to the world: 195

Budget:

revenues: $NA

expenditures: $NA

Agriculture - products:

vegetables, bananas, pawpaws, coconuts

Industries:

copra products and tourism

Exports:

$NA

Exports - commodities:

copra

Imports:

$NA

Imports - commodities:

foodstuffs

Exchange rates:

Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar - 1.2059 (2008 est.), 1.2137 (2007), 1.3285 (2006), 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004)

Communications ::Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:

287 (1992) country comparison to the world: 229

Telephone system:

general assessment: connected within Australia's telecommunication system; a local mobile-cellular network is in operation

domestic: NA

international: country code - 61; telephone, telex, and facsimile communications with Australia and elsewhere via satellite; satellite earth station - 1 (Intelsat) (2001)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2004)

Television broadcast stations:

4 (2007)

Internet country code:

.cc

Transportation ::Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Airports:

1 (2009) country comparison to the world: 234

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 22 km country comparison to the world: 218 paved: 10 km

unpaved: 12 km (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Port Refuge

Military ::Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of Australia; the territory has a five-person police force

Transnational Issues ::Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Disputes - international:

none

page last updated on October 29, 2009

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

@Colombia (South America)

Introduction ::Colombia

Background:

Colombia was one of the three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others are Ecuador and Venezuela). A four-decade long conflict between government forces and anti-government insurgent groups, principally the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) heavily funded by the drug trade, escalated during the 1990s. The insurgents lack the military or popular support necessary to overthrow the government and violence has been decreasing since about 2002, but insurgents continue attacks against civilians and large areas of the countryside are under guerrilla influence or are contested by security forces. More than 31,000 former paramilitaries had demobilized by the end of 2006 and the United Self Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC) as a formal organization had ceased to function. In the wake of the paramilitary demobilization, emerging criminal groups arose, whose members include some former paramilitaries. The Colombian Government has stepped up efforts to reassert government control throughout the country, and now has a presence in every one of its administrative departments. However, neighboring countries worry about the violence spilling over their borders.

Geography ::Colombia

Location:

Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Panama and Venezuela, and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Ecuador and Panama

Geographic coordinates:

4 00 N, 72 00 W

Map references:

South America

Area:

total: 1,138,914 sq km country comparison to the world: 26 land: 1,109,104 sq km

water: 100,210 sq km

note: includes Isla de Malpelo, Roncador Cay, and Serrana Bank

Area - comparative:

slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Land boundaries:

total: 6,309 km

border countries: Brazil 1,644 km, Ecuador 590 km, Panama 225 km, Peru 1,800 km, Venezuela 2,050 km

Coastline:

3,208 km (Caribbean Sea 1,760 km, North Pacific Ocean 1,448 km)

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:

tropical along coast and eastern plains; cooler in highlands

Terrain:

flat coastal lowlands, central highlands, high Andes Mountains, eastern lowland plains

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Pico Cristobal Colon 5,775 m

note: nearby Pico Simon Bolivar also has the same elevation

Natural resources:

petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, nickel, gold, copper, emeralds, hydropower

Land use:

arable land: 2.01%

permanent crops: 1.37%

other: 96.62% (2005)

Irrigated land:

9,000 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

2,132 cu km (2000)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 10.71 cu km/yr (50%/4%/46%)

per capita: 235 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

highlands subject to volcanic eruptions; occasional earthquakes; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; soil and water quality damage from overuse of pesticides; air pollution, especially in Bogota, from vehicle emissions

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection,
Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:

only South American country with coastlines on both the North Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea

People ::Colombia

Population:

45,644,023 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 28

Age structure:

0-14 years: 28.9% (male 6,679,701/female 6,522,976)

15-64 years: 65.4% (male 14,571,536/female 15,297,179)

65 years and over: 5.6% (male 1,103,391/female 1,469,240) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 27.1 years

male: 26.1 years

female: 28 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.377% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 99

Birth rate:

19.57 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 105

Death rate:

5.54 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 175

Net migration rate:

-0.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 98

Urbanization:

urban population: 74% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1.7% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 18.9 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 108 male: 22.53 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 15.14 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 72.81 years country comparison to the world: 114 male: 68.98 years

female: 76.76 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.46 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 99

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.6% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 71

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

170,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 34

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

9,800 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 33

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, and yellow fever

water contact disease: leptospirosis (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Colombian(s)

adjective: Colombian

Ethnic groups:

mestizo 58%, white 20%, mulatto 14%, black 4%, mixed black-Amerindian 3%, Amerindian 1%

Religions:

Roman Catholic 90%, other 10%

Languages:

Spanish

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 90.4%

male: 90.1%

female: 90.7% (2005 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 12 years

male: 12 years

female: 13 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

4.7% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 80

Government ::Colombia

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Colombia

conventional short form: Colombia

local long form: Republica de Colombia

local short form: Colombia

Government type:

republic; executive branch dominates government structure

Capital:

name: Bogota

geographic coordinates: 4 36 N, 74 05 W

time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

32 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 1 capital district* (distrito capital); Amazonas, Antioquia, Arauca, Atlantico, Bogota*, Bolivar, Boyaca, Caldas, Caqueta, Casanare, Cauca, Cesar, Choco, Cordoba, Cundinamarca, Guainia, Guaviare, Huila, La Guajira, Magdalena, Meta, Narino, Norte de Santander, Putumayo, Quindio, Risaralda, San Andres y Providencia, Santander, Sucre, Tolima, Valle del Cauca, Vaupes, Vichada

Independence:

20 July 1810 (from Spain)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 20 July (1810)

Constitution:

5 July 1991; amended many times

Legal system:

based on Spanish law; a new criminal code modeled after US procedures was enacted into law in 2004 and reached full implementation in January 2008; judicial review of executive and legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Alvaro URIBE Velez (since 7 August 2002); Vice President Francisco SANTOS Calderon (since 7 August 2002); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Alvaro URIBE Velez (since 7 August 2002); Vice President Francisco SANTOS Calderon (since 7 August 2002)

cabinet: Cabinet consists of a coalition of the three largest parties that supported President URIBE's reelection - the PSUN, PC, and CR - and independents

elections: president and vice president elected by popular vote for a four-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 28 May 2006 (next to be held in May 2010)

election results: President Alvaro URIBE Velez reelected president; percent of vote - Alvaro URIBE Velez 62%, Carlos GAVIRIA Diaz 22%, Horacio SERPA Uribe 12%, other 4%

Legislative branch:

bicameral Congress or Congreso consists of the Senate or Senado (102 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Camara de Representantes (166 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held 12 March 2006 (next to be held in March 2010); House of Representatives - last held 12 March 2006 (next to be held in March 2010)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PSUN 20, PC 18, PL 18, CR 15, PDI 10, other parties 21; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PL 35, PSUN 33, PC 29, CR 20, PDA 8, other parties 41

Judicial branch:

four roughly coequal, supreme judicial organs; Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (highest court of criminal law; judges are selected by their peers from the nominees of the Superior Judicial Council for eight-year terms); Council of State (highest court of administrative law; judges are selected from the nominees of the Superior Judicial Council for eight-year terms); Constitutional Court (guards integrity and supremacy of the constitution; rules on constitutionality of laws, amendments to the constitution, and international treaties); Superior Judicial Council (administers and disciplines the civilian judiciary; resolves jurisdictional conflicts arising between other courts; members are elected by three sister courts and Congress for eight-year terms)

Political parties and leaders:

Colombian Conservative Party or PC [Efrain Jose CEPEDA Sarabia];
Alternative Democratic Pole or PDA [Carlos GAVIRIA Diaz]; Liberal
Party or PL [Cesar GAVIRIA Trujillo]; Radical Change or CR [German
VARGAS Lleras]; Social National Unity Party or U Party [Carlos FERRO
Solanilla]

note: Colombia has 15 formally recognized political parties, and numerous unofficial parties that did not meet the vote threshold in the March 2006 legislative elections required for recognition

Political pressure groups and leaders:

National Liberation Army or ELN; Revolutionary Armed Forces of
Colombia or FARC

note: two largest insurgent groups active in Colombia

International organization participation:

BCIE, CAN, Caricom (observer), CDB, FAO, G-3, G-24, G-77, IADB,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES,
LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG,
UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU,
WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Carolina BARCO Isakson

chancery: 2118 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 387-8338

FAX: [1] (202) 232-8643

consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Washington, DC

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador William R. BROWNFIELD

embassy: Calle 24 Bis No. 48-50, Bogota, D.C.

mailing address: Carrera 45 No. 24B-27, Bogota, D.C.

telephone: [57] (1) 315-0811

FAX: [57] (1) 315-2197

Flag description:

three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double-width), blue, and red

note: similar to the flag of Ecuador, which is longer and bears the Ecuadorian coat of arms superimposed in the center

Economy ::Colombia

Economy - overview:

Colombia has experienced accelerating growth between 2002 and 2007, with expansion above 7% in 2007, chiefly due to advancements in domestic security, to rising commodity prices, and to President URIBE's promarket economic policies. Colombia's sustained growth helped reduce poverty by 20% and cut unemployment by 25% since 2002. Additionally, investor friendly reforms to Colombia's hydrocarbon sector and the US-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement (CTPA) negotiations have attracted record levels of foreign investment. Inequality, underemployment,and narcotrafficking remain significant challenges, and Colombia's infrastructure requires significant updating in order to sustain expansion. Economic growth slipped in 2008 as a result of the global financial crisis and weakening demand for Colombia's exports. In response, URIBE's administration has cut capital controls, arranged for emergency credit lines from multilateral institutions, and promoted investment incentives such as Colombia's modernized free trade zone mechanism, legal stability contracts, and new bilateral investment treaties and trade agreements. The government has also encouraged exporters to diversify their customer base away from the United States and Venezuela, Colombia's largest trading partners. Nevertheless, the business sector continues to be concerned about the impact of a global recession on Colombia's exports, as well as the approval of the CTPA, which is stalled in the US Congress.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$396 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 29 $386.7 billion (2007 est.)

$359.7 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$240.8 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 150 7.5% (2007 est.)

6.9% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$9,200 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 109 $9,100 (2007 est.)

$8,600 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 9%

industry: 38.1%

services: 52.9% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

21.3 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 29

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 22.4%

industry: 18.8%

services: 58.8% (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate:

11.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 132 11.2% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

49.2% (2005)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 0.8%

highest 10%: 45.9% (2006)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

53.8 (2005) country comparison to the world: 15 57.1 (1996)

Investment (gross fixed):

24.3% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 56

Budget:

revenues: $83.22 billion

expenditures: $82.92 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2008 est.)

Public debt:

42.6% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 49 51.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 116 5.5% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

11.5% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 30 11.5% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

17.18% (31 December 2008)

Stock of money:

$21.58 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 35 $21.81 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$26.57 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 39 $27.25 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$89.69 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 39 $85.34 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$87.03 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 48 $102 billion (31 December 2007)

$56.2 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

coffee, cut flowers, bananas, rice, tobacco, corn, sugarcane, cocoa beans, oilseed, vegetables; forest products; shrimp

Industries:

textiles, food processing, oil, clothing and footwear, beverages, chemicals, cement; gold, coal, emeralds

Industrial production growth rate:

0.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 126

Electricity - production:

50.58 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 47

Electricity - consumption:

38.59 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 53

Electricity - exports:

876.7 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

39.4 million kWh (2007 est.)

Oil - production:

600,600 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 29

Oil - consumption:

291,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 43

Oil - exports:

294,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 42

Oil - imports:

16,540 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 122

Oil - proved reserves:

1.355 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 37

Natural gas - production:

9 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 44

Natural gas - consumption:

8.1 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 52

Natural gas - exports:

900 million cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 36

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 188

Natural gas - proved reserves:

105.9 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 51

Current account balance:

-$6.712 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 166 -$5.838 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$38.53 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 59 $30.58 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

petroleum, coffee, coal, nickel, emeralds, apparel, bananas, cut flowers

Exports - partners:

US 38%, Venezuela 16.2%, Ecuador 4% (2008)

Imports:

$37.56 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 58 $31.17 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

industrial equipment, transportation equipment, consumer goods, chemicals, paper products, fuels, electricity

Imports - partners:

US 29.2%, China 11.5%, Mexico 7.9%, Brazil 5.9% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$23.67 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 48 $20.95 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$46.38 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 56 $44.55 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$67.23 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 46 $56.45 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$13.18 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 42 $10.93 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

Colombian pesos (COP) per US dollar - 2,243.6 (2008), 2,013.8 (2007), 2,358.6 (2006), 2,320.75 (2005), 2,628.61 (2004)

Communications ::Colombia

Telephones - main lines in use:

6.82 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 27

Telephones - mobile cellular:

41.365 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 27

Telephone system:

general assessment: modern system in many respects; telecommunications sector liberalized during the 1990s; multiple providers of both fixed-line and mobile-cellular services; fixed-line connections stand at about 15 per 100 persons; mobile cellular telephone subscribership is about 90 per 100 persons; competition among cellular service providers is resulting in falling local and international calling rates and contributing to the steep decline in the market share of fixed line services

domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system; domestic satellite system with 41 earth stations; fiber-optic network linking 50 cities

international: country code - 57; submarine cables provide links to the US, parts of the Caribbean, and Central and South America; satellite earth stations - 10 (6 Intelsat, 1 Inmarsat, 3 fully digitalized international switching centers) (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 454, FM 34, shortwave 27 (1999)

Television broadcast stations:

60 (1997)

Internet country code:

.co

Internet hosts:

2.217 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 30

Internet users:

17.117 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 21

Transportation ::Colombia

Airports:

992 (2009) country comparison to the world: 7

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 116

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 9

1,524 to 2,437 m: 40

914 to 1,523 m: 50

under 914 m: 15 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 876

over 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 35

914 to 1,523 m: 228

under 914 m: 612 (2009)

Heliports:

2 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 4,560 km; oil 6,094 km; refined products 3,383 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 3,802 km country comparison to the world: 45 standard gauge: 150 km 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge: 3,652 km 0.914-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 164,257 km (2005) country comparison to the world: 31

Waterways:

18,000 km (2008) country comparison to the world: 6

Merchant marine:

total: 17 country comparison to the world: 100 by type: cargo 13, petroleum tanker 3, specialized tanker 1

registered in other countries: 6 (Antigua and Barbuda 2, Panama 4) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Barranquilla, Buenaventura, Cartagena, Santa Marta, Turbo

Military ::Colombia

Military branches:

National Army (Ejercito Nacional), National Navy (Armada Nacional, includes Naval Aviation, Naval Infantry (Infanteria de Marina, IM), and Coast Guard), Colombian Air Force (Fuerza Aerea de Colombia, FAC) (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

18-24 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; service obligation - 18 months (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 11,478,109

females age 16-49: 11,809,279 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 8,212,944

females age 16-49: 10,045,435 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 446,432

female: 437,164 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

3.4% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 37

Transnational Issues ::Colombia

Disputes - international:

in December 2007, ICJ allocates San Andres, Providencia, and Santa Catalina islands to Colombia under 1928 Treaty but does not rule on 82 degrees W meridian as maritime boundary with Nicaragua; managed dispute with Venezuela over maritime boundary and Venezuelan-administered Los Monjes Islands near the Gulf of Venezuela; Colombian-organized illegal narcotics, guerrilla, and paramilitary activities penetrate all neighboring borders and have caused Colombian citizens to flee mostly into neighboring countries; Colombia, Honduras, Nicaragua, Jamaica, and the US assert various claims to Bajo Nuevo and Serranilla Bank

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

IDPs: 1.8-3.5 million (conflict between government and illegal armed groups and drug traffickers) (2007)

Illicit drugs:

illicit producer of coca, opium poppy, and cannabis; world's leading coca cultivator with 167,000 hectares in coca cultivation in 2007, a 6% increase over 2006, producing a potential of 535 mt of pure cocaine; the world's largest producer of coca derivatives; supplies cocaine to nearly all of the US market and the great majority of other international drug markets; in 2005, aerial eradication dispensed herbicide to treat over 130,000 hectares but aggressive replanting on the part of coca growers means Colombia remains a key producer; a significant portion of narcotics proceeds are either laundered or invested in Colombia through the black market peso exchange; important supplier of heroin to the US market; opium poppy cultivation is estimated to have fallen 25% between 2006 and 2007; most Colombian heroin is destined for the US market (2008)

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Comoros (Africa)

Introduction ::Comoros

Background:

Comoros has endured more than 20 coups or attempted coups since gaining independence from France in 1975. In 1997, the islands of Anjouan and Moheli declared independence from Comoros. In 1999, military chief Col. AZALI seized power in a bloodless coup, and helped negotiate the 2000 Fomboni Accords power-sharing agreement in which the federal presidency rotates among the three islands, and each island maintains its own local government. AZALI won the 2002 Presidential election, and each island in the archipelago elected its own president. AZALI stepped down in 2006 and President SAMBI was elected to office. In 2007, BACAR effected Anjouan's de-facto secession from the Union, refusing to step down in favor of fresh Anjouanais elections when Comoros' other islands held legitimate elections in July. The African Union (AU) initially attempted to resolve the political crisis by applying sanctions and a naval blockade on Anjouan, but in March 2008, AU and Comoran soldiers seized the island. The move was generally welcomed by the island's inhabitants.

Geography ::Comoros

Location:

Southern Africa, group of islands at the northern mouth of the
Mozambique Channel, about two-thirds of the way between northern
Madagascar and northern Mozambique

Geographic coordinates:

12 10 S, 44 15 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 2,235 sq km country comparison to the world: 179 land: 2,235 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly more than 12 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

340 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical marine; rainy season (November to May)

Terrain:

volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low hills

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: Le Karthala 2,360 m

Natural resources:

NEGL

Land use:

arable land: 35.87%

permanent crops: 23.32%

other: 40.81% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Total renewable water resources:

1.2 cu km (2003)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.01 cu km/yr (48%/5%/47%)

per capita: 13 cu m/yr (1999)

Natural hazards:

cyclones possible during rainy season (December to April); Le Karthala on Grand Comore is an active volcano

Environment - current issues:

soil degradation and erosion results from crop cultivation on slopes without proper terracing; deforestation

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

important location at northern end of Mozambique Channel

People ::Comoros

Population:

752,438 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 161

Age structure:

0-14 years: 42.2% (male 159,282/female 158,073)

15-64 years: 54.8% (male 203,533/female 208,591)

65 years and over: 3.1% (male 10,474/female 12,485) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 18.8 years

male: 18.5 years

female: 19.1 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.766% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 18

Birth rate:

35.23 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 36

Death rate:

7.57 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 120

Net migration rate:

NA (2009 est.)

Urbanization:

urban population: 28% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 2.7% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 66.57 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 30 male: 74.5 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 58.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 63.47 years country comparison to the world: 171 male: 61.07 years

female: 65.94 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

4.84 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 33

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 163

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA (2007 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Comoran(s)

adjective: Comoran

Ethnic groups:

Antalote, Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha, Sakalava

Religions:

Sunni Muslim 98%, Roman Catholic 2%

Languages:

Arabic (official), French (official), Shikomoro (a blend of Swahili and Arabic)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 56.5%

male: 63.6%

female: 49.3% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 8 years

male: 9 years

female: 7 years (2004)

Education expenditures:

3.8% of GDP (2002) country comparison to the world: 120

Government ::Comoros

Country name:

conventional long form: Union of the Comoros

conventional short form: Comoros

local long form: Udzima wa Komori (Comorian); Union des Comores (French); Jumhuriyat al Qamar al Muttahidah (Arabic)

local short form: Komori (Comorian); Comores (French); Juzur al Qamar (Arabic)

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Moroni

geographic coordinates: 11 42 S, 43 14 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

3 islands and 4 municipalities*; Grande Comore (N'gazidja), Anjouan (Ndzuwani), Domoni*, Fomboni*, Moheli (Mwali), Moroni*, Moutsamoudou*

Independence:

6 July 1975 (from France)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 6 July (1975)

Constitution:

23 December 2001

Legal system:

French and Islamic law in a new consolidated code; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Ahmed Abdallah SAMBI (since 26 May 2006)

head of government: President Ahmed Abdallah SAMBI (since 26 May 2006)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections: as defined by the 2001 constitution, the presidency rotates every four years among the elected presidents from the three main islands in the Union; election last held 14 May 2006 (next to be held in 2011)

election results: Ahmed Abdallah SAMBI elected president; percent of vote - Ahmed Abdallah SAMBI 58.0%, Ibrahim HALIDI 28.3%, Mohamed DJAANFAMI 13.7%

Legislative branch:

unicameral Assembly of the Union (33 seats; 15 deputies are selected by the individual islands' local assemblies and 18 by universal suffrage; to serve for five years);

elections: last held 18 and 25 April 2004 (next to be held on 2 August 2009)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CdIA 12, CRC 6; note - 15 additional seats are filled by deputies from local island assemblies

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Cour Supremes (two members appointed by the president, two members elected by the Federal Assembly, one elected by the Council of each island, and others are former presidents of the republic)

Political parties and leaders:

Convention for the Renewal of the Comoros or CRC [AZALI Assowmani];
Camp of the Autonomous Islands or CdIA (a coalition of parties
organized by the islands' presidents in opposition to the Union
President); Front National pour la Justice or FNJ [Ahmed RACHID]
(Islamic party in opposition); Mouvement pour la Democratie et le
Progress or MDP-NGDC [Abbas DJOUSSOUF]; Parti Comorien pour la
Democratie et le Progress or PCDP [Ali MROUDJAE]; Rassemblement
National pour le Development or RND [Omar TAMOU, Abdoulhamid
AFFRAITANE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

other: environmentalists

International organization participation:

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AMF, AU, COMESA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, InOC,
Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Representative to the UN and Ambassador to the US Mohamed TOIHIRI

chancery: Mission to the US, 866 United Nations Plaza, Suite 418, New York, NY 10017

telephone: [1] (212) 750-1637

Diplomatic representation from the US:

the US does not have an embassy in Comoros; the ambassador to Madagascar is accredited to Comoros

Flag description:

four equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), white, red, and blue, with a green isosceles triangle based on the hoist; centered within the triangle is a white crescent with the convex side facing the hoist and four white, five-pointed stars placed vertically in a line between the points of the crescent; the horizontal bands and the four stars represent the four main islands of the archipelago - Mwali, N'gazidja, Nzwani, and Mahore (Mayotte - territorial collectivity of France, but claimed by Comoros)

note: the crescent, stars, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam

Economy ::Comoros

Economy - overview:

One of the world's poorest countries, Comoros is made up of three islands that have inadequate transportation links, a young and rapidly increasing population, and few natural resources. The low educational level of the labor force contributes to a subsistence level of economic activity, high unemployment, and a heavy dependence on foreign grants and technical assistance. Agriculture, including fishing, hunting, and forestry, contributes 40% to GDP, employs 80% of the labor force, and provides most of the exports. The country is not self-sufficient in food production; rice, the main staple, accounts for the bulk of imports. The government - which is hampered by internal political disputes - is struggling to upgrade education and technical training, privatize commercial and industrial enterprises, improve health services, diversify exports, promote tourism, and reduce the high population growth rate. The political problems have inhibited growth, which has averaged only about 1% in 2006-08. Remittances from 150,000 Comorans abroad help supplement GDP.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$741.7 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 208 $738 million (2007 est.)

$745.5 million (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$532 million (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

0.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 191 -1% (2007 est.)

1.3% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,000 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 211 $1,000 (2007 est.)

$1,100 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 40%

industry: 4%

services: 56% (2001 est.)

Labor force:

268,500 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 160

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 80%

industry and services: 20% (1996 est.)

Unemployment rate:

20% (1996 est.) country comparison to the world: 164

Population below poverty line:

60% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $27.6 million

expenditures: $NA (2001 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 37

Central bank discount rate:

5.36% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 80 5.36% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

7% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 79 10.5% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$100.6 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 113 $76.68 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$41.74 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 124 $23.39 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$79.52 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 125 $45.09 million (31 December 2007)

Agriculture - products:

vanilla, cloves, ylang-ylang, perfume essences, copra, coconuts, bananas, cassava (tapioca)

Industries:

fishing, tourism, perfume distillation

Industrial production growth rate:

-2% (1999 est.) country comparison to the world: 151

Electricity - production:

22 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 204

Electricity - consumption:

20.46 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 204

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 198

Oil - consumption:

1,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 201

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 142

Oil - imports:

766.2 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 192

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 196

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 196

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 197

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 181

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 189

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 194

Current account balance:

$8 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 62

Exports:

$32 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 201

Exports - commodities:

vanilla, ylang-ylang (perfume essence), cloves, copra

Exports - partners:

France 27.1%, Turkey 15.2%, India 9.5%, Greece 9.4%, Brazil 8.9%,
Algeria 7%, Singapore 6.8%, Saudi Arabia 4.3% (2008)

Imports:

$143 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 203

Imports - commodities:

rice and other foodstuffs, consumer goods, petroleum products, cement, transport equipment

Imports - partners:

Brazil 13.4%, France 13.1%, China 11.5%, UAE 9.1%, India 5.8%, Italy 5.3%, Pakistan 5.3%, Singapore 4.2%, Kenya 4.2% (2008)

Debt - external:

$232 million (2000 est.) country comparison to the world: 177

Exchange rates:

Comoran francs (KMF) per US dollar - 361.4 (2007), 391.8 (2006), 395.6 (2005), 396.21 (2004), 435.9 (2003)

note: the Comoran franc is pegged to the euro at a rate of 491.9677 Comoran francs per euro

Communications ::Comoros

Telephones - main lines in use:

23,300 (2008) country comparison to the world: 187

Telephones - mobile cellular:

42,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 198

Telephone system:

general assessment: sparse system of microwave radio relay and HF radiotelephone communication stations; fixed-line connections only about 3 per 100 persons; mobile cellular usage about 5 per 100 persons

domestic: HF radiotelephone communications and microwave radio relay

international: country code - 269; HF radiotelephone communications to Madagascar and Reunion

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)

Television broadcast stations:

NA

Internet country code:

.km

Internet hosts:

7 (2009) country comparison to the world: 223

Internet users:

23,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 188

Transportation ::Comoros

Airports:

4 (2009) country comparison to the world: 184

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 4

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 880 km country comparison to the world: 184 paved: 673 km

unpaved: 207 km (2002)

Merchant marine:

total: 136 country comparison to the world: 46 by type: bulk carrier 15, cargo 87, carrier 2, chemical tanker 5, container 2, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 9, refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off 8, specialized tanker 1

foreign-owned: 68 (Bangladesh 2, Bulgaria 2, Cyprus 1, Greece 6,
India 2, Kenya 1, Kuwait 1, Lebanon 4, Norway 1, Pakistan 4,
Philippines 1, Russia 12, Saudi Arabia 1, Singapore 1, Syria 4,
Turkey 8, Ukraine 8, UAE 7, US 2) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Mayotte, Mutsamudu

Military ::Comoros

Military branches:

National Development Army (AND): Comoran Security Force; Comoran
Federal Police (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 167,850

females age 16-49: 167,362 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 125,747

females age 16-49: 135,707 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 8,203

female: 8,188 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

2.8% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 54

Transnational Issues ::Comoros

Disputes - international:

claims French-administered Mayotte and challenges France's and Madagascar's claims to Banc du Geyser, a drying reef in the Mozambique Channel; in May 2008, African Union forces are called in to assist the Comoros military recapture Anjouan Island from rebels who seized it in 2001

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Congo, Democratic Republic of the (Africa)

Introduction ::Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Background:

Established as a Belgian colony in 1908, the Republic of the Congo gained its independence in 1960, but its early years were marred by political and social instability. Col. Joseph MOBUTU seized power and declared himself president in a November 1965 coup. He subsequently changed his name - to MOBUTU Sese Seko - as well as that of the country - to Zaire. MOBUTU retained his position for 32 years through several sham elections, as well as through the use of brutal force. Ethnic strife and civil war, touched off by a massive inflow of refugees in 1994 from fighting in Rwanda and Burundi, led in May 1997 to the toppling of the MOBUTU regime by a rebellion backed by Rwanda and Uganda and fronted by Laurent KABILA. He renamed the country the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), but in August 1998 his regime was itself challenged by a second insurrection again backed by Rwanda and Uganda. Troops from Angola, Chad, Namibia, Sudan, and Zimbabwe intervened to support KABILA's regime. A cease-fire was signed in July 1999 by the DRC, Congolese armed rebel groups, Angola, Namibia, Rwanda, Uganda, and Zimbabwe but sporadic fighting continued. Laurent KABILA was assassinated in January 2001 and his son, Joseph KABILA, was named head of state. In October 2002, the new president was successful in negotiating the withdrawal of Rwandan forces occupying eastern Congo; two months later, the Pretoria Accord was signed by all remaining warring parties to end the fighting and establish a government of national unity. A transitional government was set up in July 2003. Joseph KABILA as president and four vice presidents represented the former government, former rebel groups, the political opposition, and civil society. The transitional government held a successful constitutional referendum in December 2005 and elections for the presidency, National Assembly, and provincial legislatures in 2006. KABILA was inaugurated president in December 2006. The National Assembly was installed in September 2006. Its president, Vital KAMERHE, was chosen in December. Provincial assemblies were constituted in early 2007, and elected governors and national senators in January 2007.

Geography ::Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Location:

Central Africa, northeast of Angola

Geographic coordinates:

0 00 N, 25 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 2,344,858 sq km country comparison to the world: 12 land: 2,267,048 sq km

water: 77,810 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly less than one-fourth the size of the US

Land boundaries:

total: 10,730 km

border countries: Angola 2,511 km (of which 225 km is the boundary of Angola's discontiguous Cabinda Province), Burundi 233 km, Central African Republic 1,577 km, Republic of the Congo 2,410 km, Rwanda 217 km, Sudan 628 km, Tanzania 459 km, Uganda 765 km, Zambia 1,930 km

Coastline:

37 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: boundaries with neighbors

Climate:

tropical; hot and humid in equatorial river basin; cooler and drier in southern highlands; cooler and wetter in eastern highlands; north of Equator - wet season (April to October), dry season (December to February); south of Equator - wet season (November to March), dry season (April to October)

Terrain:

vast central basin is a low-lying plateau; mountains in east

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Pic Marguerite on Mont Ngaliema (Mount Stanley) 5,110 m

Natural resources:

cobalt, copper, niobium, tantalum, petroleum, industrial and gem diamonds, gold, silver, zinc, manganese, tin, uranium, coal, hydropower, timber

Land use:

arable land: 2.86%

permanent crops: 0.47%

other: 96.67% (2005)

Irrigated land:

110 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

1,283 cu km (2001)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.36 cu km/yr (53%/17%/31%)

per capita: 6 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

periodic droughts in south; Congo River floods (seasonal); in the east, in the Great Rift Valley, there are active volcanoes

Environment - current issues:

poaching threatens wildlife populations; water pollution; deforestation; refugees responsible for significant deforestation, soil erosion, and wildlife poaching; mining of minerals (coltan - a mineral used in creating capacitors, diamonds, and gold) causing environmental damage

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Geography - note:

straddles equator; has narrow strip of land that controls the lower Congo River and is only outlet to South Atlantic Ocean; dense tropical rain forest in central river basin and eastern highlands

People ::Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Population:

68,692,542 country comparison to the world: 18 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 46.9% (male 16,161,301/female 16,038,024)

15-64 years: 50.6% (male 17,289,453/female 17,483,027)

65 years and over: 2.5% (male 699,667/female 1,021,070) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 16.4 years

male: 16.2 years

female: 16.6 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

3.208% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 8

Birth rate:

42.63 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 10

Death rate:

11.63 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 41

Net migration rate:

1.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 54

Urbanization:

urban population: 34% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 5.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 81.21 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 19 male: 89.11 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 73.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 54.36 years country comparison to the world: 194 male: 52.58 years

female: 56.2 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

6.2 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 9

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

4.2% (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 16

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

1.1 million (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 10

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

100,000 (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 6

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria, plague, and African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness)

water contact disease: schistosomiasis

animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Congolese (singular and plural)

adjective: Congolese or Congo

Ethnic groups:

over 200 African ethnic groups of which the majority are Bantu; the four largest tribes - Mongo, Luba, Kongo (all Bantu), and the Mangbetu-Azande (Hamitic) make up about 45% of the population

Religions:

Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 20%, Kimbanguist 10%, Muslim 10%, other (includes syncretic sects and indigenous beliefs) 10%

Languages:

French (official), Lingala (a lingua franca trade language),
Kingwana (a dialect of Kiswahili or Swahili), Kikongo, Tshiluba

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write French, Lingala, Kingwana, or Tshiluba

total population: 67.2%

male: 80.9%

female: 54.1% (2001 est.)

Education expenditures:

NA

Government ::Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Country name:

conventional long form: Democratic Republic of the Congo

conventional short form: DRC

local long form: Republique Democratique du Congo

local short form: RDC

former: Congo Free State, Belgian Congo, Congo/Leopoldville, Congo/Kinshasa, Zaire

abbreviation: DRC

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Kinshasa

geographic coordinates: 4 19 S, 15 18 E

time difference: UTC+1 (six hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

10 provinces (provinces, singular - province) and 1 city* (ville); Bandundu, Bas-Congo, Equateur, Kasai-Occidental, Kasai-Oriental, Katanga, Kinshasa*, Maniema, Nord-Kivu, Orientale, Sud-Kivu

note: according to the Constitution adopted in December 2005, the current administrative divisions will be subdivided into 26 new provinces by 2009

Independence:

30 June 1960 (from Belgium)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 30 June (1960)

Constitution:

18 February 2006

Legal system:

civil law based on Belgian law with Napleonic Civil Code influence; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Joseph KABILA (since 17 January 2001); note - following the assassination of his father, Joseph KABILA succeeded to the presidency which he retained through the 2003-06 transition; he was subsequently elected president in October 2006

head of government: Prime Minister Adolphe MUZITO (since 10 October 2008)

cabinet: Ministers of State appointed by the president

elections: under the new constitution the president is elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); elections last held 30 July 2006 and 29 October 2006 (next to be held in October 2011); prime minister appointed by the president

election results: Joseph KABILA elected president; percent of vote (second round) - Joseph KABILA 58%, Jean-Pierre BEMBA Gombo 42%

note: Joseph KABILA succeeded his father, Laurent Desire KABILA, following the latter's assassination in January 2001; negotiations with rebel leaders led to the establishment of a transitional government in July 2003 with free elections held on 30 July 2006 and a run-off on 29 October 2006 confirming Joseph KABILA as president

Legislative branch:

bicameral legislature consists of a Senate (108 seats; members elected by provincial assemblies to serve five-year terms) and a National Assembly (500 seats; 61 members elected by majority vote in single-member constituencies, 439 members elected by open list proportional-representation in multi-member constituencies; to serve five-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held 19 January 2007 (next to be held by 2012); National Assembly - last held 30 July 2006 (next to be held in July 2011)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PPRD 22, MLC 14, FR 7, RCD 7, PDC 6, CDC 3, MSR 3, PALU 2, independents 26, others 18 (political parties that won a single seat); National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PPRD 111, MLC 64, PALU 34, MSR 27, FR 26, RCD 15, independents 63, others 160 (includes 63 political parties that won 10 or fewer seats)

Judicial branch:

Constitutional Court; Appeals Court or Cour de Cassation; Council of State; High Military Court; plus civil and military courts and tribunals

Political parties and leaders:

Christian Democrat Party or PDC [Jose ENDUNDO]; Congolese Rally for
Democracy or RCD [Azarias RUBERWA]; Convention of Christian
Democrats or CDC; Forces of Renewal or FR [Mbusa NYAMWISI]; Movement
for the Liberation of the Congo or MLC [Jean-Pierre BEMBA]; People's
Party for Reconstruction and Democracy or PPRD [Joseph KABILA];
Social Movement for Renewal or MSR [Pierre LUMBI]; Unified Lumumbist
Party or PALU [Antoine GIZENGA]; Union for Democracy and Social
Progress or UDPS [Etienne TSHISEKEDI]; Union of Mobutuist Democrats
or UDEMO [MOBUTU Nzanga]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

MONUC - UN organization working with the government; FARDC (Forces
Armees de la Republique Democratique du Congo) - Army of the
Democratic Republic of the Congo which commits atrocities on
citizens; FDLA (Forces Democratiques de Liberation du Rwanda) -
Rwandan militia group

International organization participation:

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, CEPGL, COMESA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (suspended), ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF,
OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL,
WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Faida MITIFU

chancery: Suite 601, 1726 M Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20036

telephone: [1] (202) 234-7690 through 7691

FAX: [1] (202) 234-2609

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador William GARVELINK

embassy: 310 Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa

mailing address: Unit 31550, APO AE 09828

telephone: [243] (81) 225-5872

FAX: [243] (81) 301-0561

Flag description:

sky blue field divided diagonally from the lower hoist corner to upper fly corner by a red stripe bordered by two narrow yellow stripes; a yellow, five-pointed star appears in the upper hoist corner

Economy ::Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Economy - overview:

The economy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo - a nation endowed with vast potential wealth - is slowly recovering from two decades of decline. Conflict that began in August 1998 has dramatically reduced national output and government revenue, increased external debt, and resulted in the deaths of more than 5 million people from violence, famine, and disease. Foreign businesses curtailed operations due to uncertainty about the outcome of the conflict, lack of infrastructure, and the difficult operating environment. Conditions began to improve in late 2002 with the withdrawal of a large portion of the invading foreign troops. The transitional government reopened relations with international financial institutions and international donors, and President KABILA began implementing reforms, although progress has been slow and the International Monetary Fund curtailed their program for the DRC at the end of March 2006 because of fiscal overruns. Much economic activity still occurs in the informal sector, and is not reflected in GDP data. Renewed activity in the mining sector, the source of most export income, boosted Kinshasa's fiscal position and GDP growth from 2006-2008, however, renewed strife in the second half of 2008, combined with a fall in world market prices for the DRC's key mineral exports inflicted major damage on the economy and halted growth. Government reforms may lead to increased government revenues, outside budget assistance, and foreign direct investment, although an uncertain legal framework, corruption, a lack of transparency in government policy are long-term problems. The DRC government has applied to the IMF for an Exogenous Shock Facility in the amount of $200 million to help it deal with its deteriorating financial situation, and the World Bank will consider a separate $100 million in emergency funding. The global recession probably will cut economic growth in 2009 to half its 2008 level.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$20.76 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 121 $19.61 billion (2007 est.)

$18.32 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$11.63 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.9% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 63 7% (2007 est.)

6.4% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$300 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 228 $300 (2007 est.)

$300 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 55%

industry: 11%

services: 34% (2000 est.)

Labor force:

23.53 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 26

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Unemployment rate:

NA%

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $700 million

expenditures: $2 billion (2006 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

16.7% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 198

Central bank discount rate:

NA% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 87 5.25% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

NA

Stock of money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$597 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$677.9 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$559.5 million (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber, tea, quinine, cassava (tapioca), palm oil, bananas, root crops, corn, fruits; wood products

Industries:

mining (diamonds, gold, copper, cobalt, coltan, zinc), mineral processing, consumer products (including textiles, footwear, cigarettes, processed foods and beverages), cement, commercial ship repair

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

8.217 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 98

Electricity - consumption:

5.997 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 102

Electricity - exports:

1.916 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

6 million kWh (2007 est.)

Oil - production:

19,960 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 75

Oil - consumption:

11,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 146

Oil - exports:

20,090 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 90

Oil - imports:

11,350 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 137

Oil - proved reserves:

180 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 59

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 198

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 199

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 185

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 194

Natural gas - proved reserves:

991.1 million cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 99

Current account balance:

-$402 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 101

Exports:

$6.1 billion (2007) country comparison to the world: 102 $1.587 billion (2006)

Exports - commodities:

diamonds, gold, copper, cobalt, wood products, crude oil, coffee

Exports - partners:

China 48.4%, Belgium 15.8%, Finland 9.8%, US 8.3%, Zambia 4.5% (2008)

Imports:

$5.2 billion (2007) country comparison to the world: 113 $2.263 billion (2006)

Imports - commodities:

foodstuffs, mining and other machinery, transport equipment, fuels

Imports - partners:

South Africa 28.7%, Belgium 10%, Zambia 7.2%, Zimbabwe 6%, China 5.9%, Kenya 5.1%, France 4.7% (2008)

Debt - external:

$10 billion (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 87 $10 billion (2006 est.)

Exchange rates:

Congolese francs (CDF) per US dollar - NA (2007), 464.69 (2006), 437.86 (2005), 401.04 (2004), 405.34 (2003)

Communications ::Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Telephones - main lines in use:

37,300 (2008) country comparison to the world: 174

Telephones - mobile cellular:

9.263 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 63

Telephone system:

general assessment: fixed line infrastructure inadequate with the state-owned operator providing less than 1 connection per 1000 persons; given the backdrop of a wholly inadequate fixed-line infrastructure, the use of cellular services has surged and subscribership in 2008 approached 9.3 million - roughly 15 per 100 persons

domestic: barely adequate wire and microwave radio relay service in and between urban areas; domestic satellite system with 14 earth stations

international: country code - 243; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 3, FM 11, shortwave 2 (2001)

Television broadcast stations:

4 (2001)

Internet country code:

.cd

Internet hosts:

3,015 (2009) country comparison to the world: 143

Internet users:

290,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 129

Transportation ::Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Airports:

194 (2009) country comparison to the world: 31

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 26

over 3,047 m: 4

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 17

914 to 1,523 m: 2

under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 168

1,524 to 2,437 m: 19

914 to 1,523 m: 90

under 914 m: 59 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 37 km; oil 39 km; refined products 756 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 4,007 km country comparison to the world: 42 narrow gauge: 3,882 km 1.067-m gauge (858 km electrified); 125 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 153,497 km country comparison to the world: 33 paved: 2,794 km

unpaved: 150,703 km (2004)

Waterways:

15,000 km (2008) country comparison to the world: 8

Merchant marine:

total: 1 country comparison to the world: 162 by type: petroleum tanker 1

foreign-owned: 1 (Congo, Republic of the 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Banana, Boma, Bukavu, Bumba, Goma, Kalemie, Kindu, Kinshasa,
Kisangani, Matadi, Mbandaka

Military ::Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Military branches:

Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Forces
d'Armees de la Republique Democratique du Congo, FARDC): Army,
National Navy (La Marine Nationale), Congolese Air Force (Force
Aerienne Congolaise, FAC) (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18-45 years of age for voluntary military service (2009)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 14,101,263 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 8,925,355

females age 16-49: 9,047,356 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 814,199

female: 811,238 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

2.5% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 65

Transnational Issues ::Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Disputes - international:

heads of the Great Lakes states and UN pledged in 2004 to abate tribal, rebel, and militia fighting in the region, including northeast Congo, where the UN Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC), organized in 1999, maintains over 16,500 uniformed peacekeepers; members of Uganda's Lords Resistance Army forces continue to seek refuge in Congo's Garamba National Park as peace talks with the Uganda government evolve; the location of the boundary in the broad Congo River with the Republic of the Congo is indefinite except in the Pool Malebo/Stanley Pool area; Uganda and DROC dispute Rukwanzi island in Lake Albert and other areas on the Semliki River with hydrocarbon potential; boundary commission continues discussions over Congolese-administered triangle of land on the right bank of the Lunkinda river claimed by Zambia near the DROC village of Pweto

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 132,295 (Angola); 37,313 (Rwanda); 17,777 (Burundi); 13,904 (Uganda); 6,181 (Sudan); 5,243 (Republic of Congo)

IDPs: 1.4 million (fighting between government forces and rebels since mid-1990s; most IDPs are in eastern provinces) (2007)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Democratic Republic of the Congo is a source and destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and sexual exploitation; much of this trafficking occurs within the country's unstable eastern provinces and is perpetrated by armed groups outside government control

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Democratic Republic of the Congo is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking in persons in 2007; while some significant initial advances were noted, the government's capacity to apprehend, convict, or imprison traffickers remained weak; the government lacks sufficient financial, technical, and human resources to effectively address not only trafficking crimes, but also to provide basic levels of security in some parts of the country (2008)

Illicit drugs:

one of Africa's biggest producers of cannabis, but mostly for domestic consumption; traffickers exploit lax shipping controls to transit pseudoephedrine through the capital; while rampant corruption and inadequate supervision leaves the banking system vulnerable to money laundering, the lack of a well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a money-laundering center (2008)

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Congo, Republic of the (Africa)

Introduction ::Congo, Republic of the

Background:

Upon independence in 1960, the former French region of Middle Congo became the Republic of the Congo. A quarter century of experimentation with Marxism was abandoned in 1990 and a democratically elected government took office in 1992. A brief civil war in 1997 restored former Marxist President Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO, and ushered in a period of ethnic and political unrest. Southern-based rebel groups agreed to a final peace accord in March 2003, but the calm is tenuous and refugees continue to present a humanitarian crisis. The Republic of Congo was once one of Africa's largest petroleum producers, but with declining production it will need new offshore oil finds to sustain its oil earnings over the long term.

Geography ::Congo, Republic of the

Location:

Western Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and Gabon

Geographic coordinates:

1 00 S, 15 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 342,000 sq km country comparison to the world: 63 land: 341,500 sq km

water: 500 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Montana

Land boundaries:

total: 5,504 km

border countries: Angola 201 km, Cameroon 523 km, Central African Republic 467 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 2,410 km, Gabon 1,903 km

Coastline:

169 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; rainy season (March to June); dry season (June to October); persistent high temperatures and humidity; particularly enervating climate astride the Equator

Terrain:

coastal plain, southern basin, central plateau, northern basin

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mount Berongou 903 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, timber, potash, lead, zinc, uranium, copper, phosphates, gold, magnesium, natural gas, hydropower

Land use:

arable land: 1.45%

permanent crops: 0.15%

other: 98.4% (2005)

Irrigated land:

20 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

832 cu km (1987)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.03 cu km/yr (59%/29%/12%)

per capita: 8 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

seasonal flooding

Environment - current issues:

air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from the dumping of raw sewage; tap water is not potable; deforestation

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

about 70% of the population lives in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, or along the railroad between them

People ::Congo, Republic of the

Population:

4,012,809 country comparison to the world: 127 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 45.9% (male 927,599/female 915,540)

15-64 years: 51.2% (male 1,021,975/female 1,034,119)

65 years and over: 2.8% (male 46,687/female 66,889) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 16.8 years

male: 16.6 years

female: 17.1 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.754% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 20

Birth rate:

41.37 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 15

Death rate:

12.01 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 38

Net migration rate:

-1.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 136

Urbanization:

urban population: 61% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 2.7% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 79.78 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 22 male: 85.29 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 74.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 54.15 years country comparison to the world: 196 male: 52.9 years

female: 55.43 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

5.84 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 13

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

3.5% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 19

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

79,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 51

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

6,400 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 41

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: malaria and African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness)

animal contact disease: rabies

water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Congolese (singular and plural)

adjective: Congolese or Congo

Ethnic groups:

Kongo 48%, Sangha 20%, M'Bochi 12%, Teke 17%, Europeans and other 3%

Religions:

Christian 50%, animist 48%, Muslim 2%

Languages:

French (official), Lingala and Monokutuba (lingua franca trade languages), many local languages and dialects (of which Kikongo is the most widespread)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 83.8%

male: 89.6%

female: 78.4% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 9 years

male: 10 years

female: 8 years (2003)

Education expenditures:

1.9% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 169

Government ::Congo, Republic of the

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of the Congo

conventional short form: Congo (Brazzaville)

local long form: Republique du Congo

local short form: none

former: Middle Congo, Congo/Brazzaville, Congo

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Brazzaville

geographic coordinates: 4 15 S, 15 17 E

time difference: UTC+1 (six hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

10 regions (regions, singular - region) and 1 commune*; Bouenza, Brazzaville*, Cuvette, Cuvette-Ouest, Kouilou, Lekoumou, Likouala, Niari, Plateaux, Pool, Sangha

Independence:

15 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 15 August (1960)

Constitution:

approved by referendum 20 January 2002

Legal system:

based on French civil law system and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Denis SASSOU-Nguesso (since 25 October 1997, following the civil war in which he toppled elected president Pascal LISSOUBA); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Denis SASSOU-Nguesso (since 25 October 1997); note - the position of Prime Minister was abolished in September 2009

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 12 July 2009 (next to be held in 2016)

election results: Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO reelected president; percent of vote - Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO 78.6%, Joseph Kignoumbi Kia MBOUNGOU 7.5%, Nicephore Fylla de SAINT-EUDES 7%

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (72 seats; members are elected by indirect vote to serve five-year terms) and the National Assembly (137 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held 5 August 2008 (next to be held in 2013); National Assembly - last held 24 June and 5 August 2007 (next to be held in 2012)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RMP 33, FDU 23, UPADS 2, independents 7, other 7; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PCT 46, MCDDI 11, UPADS 11, MAR 5, MSD 5, independents 37, other 22

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Political parties and leaders:

Action Movement for Renewal or MAR; Congolese Movement for Democracy
and Integral Development or MCDDI [Michel MAMPOUYA]; Congolese
Labour Party or PCT; Movement for Solidarity and Development or MSD;
Pan-African Union for Social Development or UPADS [Martin MBERI];
Rally of the Presidential Majority or RMP; Rally for Democracy and
Social Progress or RDPS [Jean-Pierre Thystere TCHICAYA, president];
Rally for Democracy and the Republic or RDR [Raymond Damasge
NGOLLO]; Union for Democracy and Republic or UDR; United Democratic
Forces or FDU [Sebastian EBAO]; many less important parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Congolese Trade Union Congress or CSC; General Union of Congolese Pupils and Students or UGEEC; Revolutionary Union of Congolese Women or URFC; Union of Congolese Socialist Youth or UJSC

International organization participation:

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,
ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNITAR, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Serge MOMBOULI

chancery: 4891 Colorado Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20011

telephone: [1] (202) 726-5500

FAX: [1] (202) 726-1860

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Allan EASTHAM

embassy: Boulevard de la Revolution, BDEAC Building, 4th Floor, Brazzaville; note - a new embassy is expected to open in 2009

mailing address: B.P. 1015, Brazzaville

telephone: [242] 281-1481, 281-3368; note - until the new embassy in Brazzaville becomes operational, some duties will still be handled in the US embassy in Kinshasha, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Flag description:

divided diagonally from the lower hoist side by a yellow band; the upper triangle (hoist side) is green and the lower triangle is red

note: uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Economy ::Congo, Republic of the

Economy - overview:

The economy is a mixture of subsistence agriculture, an industrial sector based largely on oil, and support services, and a government characterized by budget problems and overstaffing. Oil has supplanted forestry as the mainstay of the economy, providing a major share of government revenues and exports. In the early 1980s, rapidly rising oil revenues enabled the government to finance large-scale development projects with GDP growth averaging 5% annually, one of the highest rates in Africa. The government has mortgaged a substantial portion of its oil earnings through oil-backed loans that have contributed to a growing debt burden and chronic revenue shortfalls. Economic reform efforts have been undertaken with the support of international organizations, notably the World Bank and the IMF. However, the reform program came to a halt in June 1997 when civil war erupted. Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO, who returned to power when the war ended in October 1997, publicly expressed interest in moving forward on economic reforms and privatization and in renewing cooperation with international financial institutions. Economic progress was badly hurt by slumping oil prices and the resumption of armed conflict in December 1998, which worsened the republic's budget deficit. The current administration presides over an uneasy internal peace and faces difficult economic challenges of stimulating recovery and reducing poverty. Recovery of oil prices has boosted the economy's GDP and near-term prospects. In March 2006, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) treatment for Congo.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$15.39 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 133 $14.46 billion (2007 est.)

$14.7 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$10.77 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

6.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 48 -1.6% (2007 est.)

6.2% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$3,900 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 154 $3,800 (2007 est.)

$4,000 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 5.6%

industry: 57.1%

services: 37.3% (2006 est.)

Labor force:

NA

Unemployment rate:

NA%

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Investment (gross fixed):

34.5% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 9

Budget:

revenues: $4.515 billion

expenditures: $2.721 billion (2008 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

7.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 118 2.7% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

4.75% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 88 5.25% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

NA% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 46 15% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$1.4 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$204.3 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$NA (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

cassava (tapioca), sugar, rice, corn, peanuts, vegetables, coffee, cocoa; forest products

Industries:

petroleum extraction, cement, lumber, brewing, sugar, palm oil, soap, flour, cigarettes

Industrial production growth rate:

7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 28

Electricity - production:

400 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 164

Electricity - consumption:

471 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 164

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

449 million kWh (2007 est.)

Oil - production:

239,900 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 40

Oil - consumption:

9,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 153

Oil - exports:

241,100 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 47

Oil - imports:

2,136 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 177

Oil - proved reserves:

1.6 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 34

Natural gas - production:

180 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 76

Natural gas - consumption:

180 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 100

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 193

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 195

Natural gas - proved reserves:

90.61 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 56

Current account balance:

$848 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 48 -$2.181 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$10.85 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 84 $5.808 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

petroleum, lumber, plywood, sugar, cocoa, coffee, diamonds

Exports - partners:

US 45.1%, China 32.3%, France 6% (2008)

Imports:

$3.105 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 139 $2.858 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

capital equipment, construction materials, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:

France 22.1%, China 18.7%, US 5.6%, Italy 5.2%, India 5.1%, Belgium 4.4% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$3.873 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 87 $2.184 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$5 billion (2000 est.) country comparison to the world: 106

Exchange rates:

Cooperation Financiere en Afrique Centrale francs (XAF) per US dollar - 447.81 (2008 est.), 483.6 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004)

note: since 1 January 1999, the Central African CFA franc (XAF) has been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 CFA francs per euro; Central African CFA franc (XAF) coins and banknotes are not accepted in countries using West African CFA francs (XOF), and vice versa, even though the two currencies trade at par

Communications ::Congo, Republic of the

Telephones - main lines in use:

22,200 (2008) country comparison to the world: 191

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1.807 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 125

Telephone system:

general assessment: services barely adequate for government use; key exchanges are in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, and Loubomo; intercity lines frequently out of order; fixed-line infrastructure inadequate providing less than 1 connection per 100 persons; in the absence of an adequate fixed line infrastructure, mobile-cellular subscribership has surged and is approaching 50 per 100 persons

domestic: primary network consists of microwave radio relay and coaxial cable

international: country code - 242; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 3 (2001)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (2001)

Internet country code:

.cg

Internet hosts:

18 (2009) country comparison to the world: 216

Internet users:

155,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 142

Transportation ::Congo, Republic of the

Airports:

25 (2009) country comparison to the world: 131

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 6

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 19

1,524 to 2,437 m: 8

914 to 1,523 m: 10

under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 7 km; oil 207 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 795 km country comparison to the world: 103 narrow gauge: 795 km 1.067-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 17,289 km country comparison to the world: 119 paved: 864 km

unpaved: 16,425 km (2004)

Waterways:

1,120 km (commercially navigable on Congo and Oubanqui rivers) (2008) country comparison to the world: 62

Merchant marine:

registered in other countries: 1 (Congo, Democratic Republic of the 1) (2008) country comparison to the world: 148

Ports and terminals:

Brazzaville, Djeno, Impfondo, Ouesso, Oyo, Pointe-Noire

Military ::Congo, Republic of the

Military branches:

Congolese Armed Forces (Forces Armees Congolaises, FAC): Army (Armee de Terre), Navy, Congolese Air Force (Armee de l'Air Congolaise), Gendarmerie, Special Presidential Security Guard (GSSP) (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service; women allowed to serve (2007)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 842,771

females age 16-49: 833,624 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 538,202

females age 16-49: 527,649 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 46,976

female: 46,490 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

3.1% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 46

Transnational Issues ::Congo, Republic of the

Disputes - international:

the location of the boundary in the broad Congo River with the Democratic Republic of the Congo is indefinite except in the Pool Malebo/Stanley Pool area

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 46,341 (Democratic Republic of Congo); 6,564 (Rwanda)

IDPs: 48,000 (multiple civil wars since 1992; most IDPs are ethnic
Lari) (2007)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Republic of the Congo is a source and destination country for children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation; girls are trafficked from rural areas within the country for commercial sexual exploitation, forced street vending, and domestic servitude; children are trafficked from other African countries for domestic servitude, forced market vending, and forced labor in the fishing industry

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Republic of the Congo is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to show evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking in persons in 2007; struggling to recover from six years of civil conflict that ended in 2003, the Republic of the Congo's capacity to address trafficking is handicapped; the government neither monitors its borders for trafficking activity nor provides specialized anti-trafficking training for law enforcement officials; the government does not encourage victims to assist in trafficking investigations or prosecutions, and has not taken measures to reduce demand for commercial sex acts in the Republic of the Congo (2008)

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Cook Islands (Australia-Oceania)

Introduction ::Cook Islands

Background:

Named after Captain COOK, who sighted them in 1770, the islands became a British protectorate in 1888. By 1900, administrative control was transferred to New Zealand; in 1965, residents chose self-government in free association with New Zealand. The emigration of skilled workers to New Zealand and government deficits are continuing problems.

Geography ::Cook Islands

Location:

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

Geographic coordinates:

21 14 S, 159 46 W

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 236 sq km country comparison to the world: 214 land: 236 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

1.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

120 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:

tropical oceanic; moderated by trade winds; a dry season from April to November and a more humid season from December to March

Terrain:

low coral atolls in north; volcanic, hilly islands in south

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Te Manga 652 m

Natural resources:

NEGL

Land use:

arable land: 16.67%

permanent crops: 8.33%

other: 75% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

typhoons (November to March)

Environment - current issues:

NA

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection

Geography - note:

the northern Cook Islands are seven low-lying, sparsely populated, coral atolls; the southern Cook Islands, where most of the population lives, consist of eight elevated, fertile, volcanic isles, including the largest, Rarotonga, at 67 sq km

People ::Cook Islands

Population:

11,870 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 224

Age structure:

0-14 years: 27.1% (male 1,704/female 1,508)

15-64 years: 63.7% (male 3,898/female 3,664)

65 years and over: 9.2% (male 540/female 556) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 30.5 years

male: 29.8 years

female: 31.1 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

-3.302% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 233

Birth rate:

16.18 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 131

Death rate:

NA

Urbanization:

urban population: 74% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: -0.7% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.13 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female

total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 16.9 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 118 male: 20.57 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 13.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 74.22 years country comparison to the world: 90 male: 71.46 years

female: 77.13 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.49 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 97

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Cook Islander(s)

adjective: Cook Islander

Ethnic groups:

Cook Island Maori (Polynesian) 87.7%, part Cook Island Maori 5.8%, other 6.5% (2001 census)

Religions:

Cook Islands Christian Church 55.9%, Roman Catholic 16.8%,
Seventh-Day Adventists 7.9%, Church of Latter Day Saints 3.8%, other
Protestant 5.8%, other 4.2%, unspecified 2.6%, none 3% (2001 census)

Languages:

English (official), Maori

Literacy:

definition: NA

total population: 95%

male: NA

female: NA

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 10 years

male: 10 years

female: 10 years (2005)

Education expenditures:

0.2% of GDP (2001) country comparison to the world: 182

People - note:

2001 census counted a resident population of 15,017

Government ::Cook Islands

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Cook Islands

former: Harvey Islands

Dependency status:

self-governing in free association with New Zealand; Cook Islands is fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retains responsibility for external affairs and defense, in consultation with the Cook Islands

Government type:

self-governing parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Avarua

geographic coordinates: 21 12 S, 159 46 W

time difference: UTC-10 (5 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

none

Independence:

none (became self-governing in free association with New Zealand on 4 August 1965 and has the right at any time to move to full independence by unilateral action)

National holiday:

Constitution Day, first Monday in August (1965)

Constitution:

4 August 1965

Legal system:

based on New Zealand law and English common law

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal (adult)

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) represented by Sir Frederick GOODWIN (since 9 February 2001); New Zealand High Commissioner Tia BARRETT (since December 2008), representative of New Zealand

head of government: Prime Minister Jim MARURAI (since 14 December 2004); Deputy Prime Minister Terepai MAOATE (since 9 August 2005)

cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister; collectively responsible to Parliament

elections: the monarch is hereditary; the UK representative is appointed by the monarch; the New Zealand high commissioner is appointed by the New Zealand Government; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition usually becomes prime minister

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament consisting of a House of Ariki (or upper house) made up of traditional leaders and a Legislative Assembly (or lower house) (24 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

note: the House of Ariki advises on traditional matters and maintains considerable influence but has no legislative powers

elections: last held 26 September 2006 (next to be held by 2011)

election results: percent of vote by party - Demo 51.9%, CIP 45.5%, independent 2.7%; seats by party - Demo 15, CIP 8, independent 1

Judicial branch:

High Court

Political parties and leaders:

Cook Islands Party or CIP [Henry PUNA]; Democratic Party or Demo
[Dr. Terepai MAOATE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Reform Conference (lobby for political system changes)

other: various groups lobbying for political change

International organization participation:

ACP, ADB, FAO, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IMSO, IOC, ITUC, OPCW,
PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand)

Flag description:

blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and a large circle of 15 white five-pointed stars (one for every island) centered in the outer half of the flag

Economy ::Cook Islands

Economy - overview:

Like many other South Pacific island nations, the Cook Islands' economic development is hindered by the isolation of the country from foreign markets, the limited size of domestic markets, lack of natural resources, periodic devastation from natural disasters, and inadequate infrastructure. Agriculture, employing more than one-quarter of the working population, provides the economic base with major exports made up of copra and citrus fruit. Black pearls are the Cook Islands' leading export. Manufacturing activities are limited to fruit processing, clothing, and handicrafts. Trade deficits are offset by remittances from emigrants and by foreign aid overwhelmingly from New Zealand. In the 1980s and 1990s, the country lived beyond its means, maintaining a bloated public service and accumulating a large foreign debt. Subsequent reforms, including the sale of state assets, the strengthening of economic management, the encouragement of tourism, and a debt restructuring agreement, have rekindled investment and growth.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$183.2 million (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 216

GDP (official exchange rate):

$183.2 million (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

0.1% (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 196

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$9,100 (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 110

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 15.1%

industry: 9.6%

services: 75.3% (2004)

Labor force:

6,820 (2001) country comparison to the world: 211

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 29%

industry: 15%

services: 56% (1995)

Unemployment rate:

13.1% (2005) country comparison to the world: 144

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $70.95 million

expenditures: $69.05 million (FY05/06)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.1% (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 18

Agriculture - products:

copra, citrus, pineapples, tomatoes, beans, pawpaws, bananas, yams, taro, coffee; pigs, poultry

Industries:

fruit processing, tourism, fishing, clothing, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate:

1% (2002) country comparison to the world: 121

Electricity - production:

31 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 201

Electricity - consumption:

28.83 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 201

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 185

Oil - consumption:

1,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 200

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 193

Oil - imports:

495 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 199

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 183

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 192

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 193

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 192

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 183

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 190

Current account balance:

$26.67 million (2005) country comparison to the world: 59

Exports:

$5.222 million (2005) country comparison to the world: 215

Exports - commodities:

copra, papayas, fresh and canned citrus fruit, coffee; fish; pearls and pearl shells; clothing

Imports:

$81.04 million (2005) country comparison to the world: 209

Imports - commodities:

foodstuffs, textiles, fuels, timber, capital goods

Debt - external:

$141 million (1996 est.) country comparison to the world: 185

Exchange rates:

NZ dollars (NZD) per US dollar - 1.4151 (2008 est.), 1.3811 (2007), 1.5408 (2006), 1.4203 (2005), 1.5087 (2004)

Communications ::Cook Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:

6,700 (2008) country comparison to the world: 210

Telephones - mobile cellular:

6,700 (2008) country comparison to the world: 212

Telephone system:

general assessment: Telecom Cook Islands offers international direct dialing, Internet, email, fax, and Telex

domestic: individual islands are connected by a combination of satellite earth stations, microwave systems, and VHF and HF radiotelephone; within the islands, service is provided by small exchanges connected to subscribers by open-wire, cable, and fiber-optic cable

international: country code - 682; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (outer islands receive satellite broadcasts) (2004)

Internet country code:

.ck

Internet hosts:

2,480 (2009) country comparison to the world: 147

Internet users:

5,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 203

Transportation ::Cook Islands

Airports:

9 (2009) country comparison to the world: 157

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 8

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 5

under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 320 km country comparison to the world: 200 paved: 33 km

unpaved: 287 km (2003)

Merchant marine:

total: 26 country comparison to the world: 90 by type: cargo 14, chemical tanker 1, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 8, roll on/roll off 2

foreign-owned: 17 (Latvia 1, Lithuania 1, NZ 1, Nigeria 1, Norway 5, Sweden 8) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Avatiu

Military ::Cook Islands

Military branches:

no regular military forces; National Police Department (2009)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 2,334

females age 16-49: 2,286 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 148

female: 125 (2009 est.)

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of New Zealand in consultation with the Cook Islands and at its request

Transnational Issues ::Cook Islands

Disputes - international:

none

page last updated on October 28, 2009

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

@Coral Sea Islands (Australia-Oceania)

Introduction ::Coral Sea Islands

Background:

Scattered over more than three-quarters of a million square kilometers of ocean, the Coral Sea Islands were declared a territory of Australia in 1969. They are uninhabited except for a small meteorological staff on the Willis Islets. Automated weather stations, beacons, and a lighthouse occupy many other islands and reefs.

Geography ::Coral Sea Islands

Location:

Oceania, islands in the Coral Sea, northeast of Australia

Geographic coordinates:

18 00 S, 152 00 E

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: less than 3 sq km country comparison to the world: 247 land: less than 3 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: includes numerous small islands and reefs scattered over a sea area of about 780,000 sq km with the Willis Islets the most important

Area - comparative:

NA

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

3,095 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 3 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical

Terrain:

sand and coral reefs and islands (or cays)

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed location on Cato Island 6 m

Natural resources:

NEGL

Land use:

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (mostly grass or scrub cover) (2005)

Irrigated land:

0 sq km

Natural hazards:

occasional tropical cyclones

Environment - current issues:

no permanent fresh water resources

Geography - note:

important nesting area for birds and turtles

People ::Coral Sea Islands

Population:

no indigenous inhabitants

note: there is a staff of three to four at the meteorological station on Willis Island (July 2007 est.)

Government ::Coral Sea Islands

Country name:

conventional long form: Coral Sea Islands Territory

conventional short form: Coral Sea Islands

Dependency status:

territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Government Attorney-General's Department

Legal system:

the laws of Australia, where applicable, apply

Executive branch:

administered from Canberra by the Australian Attorney-General's Department

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (territory of Australia)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (territory of Australia)

Flag description:

the flag of Australia is used

Economy ::Coral Sea Islands

Economy - overview:

no economic activity

Communications ::Coral Sea Islands

Communications - note:

there are automatic weather stations on many of the isles and reefs relaying data to the mainland

Transportation ::Coral Sea Islands

Ports and terminals:

none; offshore anchorage only

Military ::Coral Sea Islands

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of Australia

Transnational Issues ::Coral Sea Islands

Disputes - international:

none

page last updated on July 2, 2009

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

@Costa Rica (Central America and Caribbean)

Introduction ::Costa Rica

Background:

Although explored by the Spanish early in the 16th century, initial attempts at colonizing Costa Rica proved unsuccessful due to a combination of factors, including: disease from mosquito-infested swamps, brutal heat, resistance by natives, and pirate raids. It was not until 1563 that a permanent settlement of Cartago was established in the cooler, fertile central highlands. The area remained a colony for some two and a half centuries. In 1821, Costa Rica became one of several Central American provinces that jointly declared their independence from Spain. Two years later it joined the United Provinces of Central America, but this federation disintegrated in 1838, at which time Costa Rica proclaimed its sovereignty and independence. Since the late 19th century, only two brief periods of violence have marred the country's democratic development. Although it still maintains a large agricultural sector, Costa Rica has expanded its economy to include strong technology and tourism industries. The standard of living is relatively high. Land ownership is widespread. In January 2008, Costa Rica assumed a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2008-09 term.

Geography ::Costa Rica

Location:

Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North
Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama

Geographic coordinates:

10 00 N, 84 00 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 51,100 sq km country comparison to the world: 129 land: 51,060 sq km

water: 40 sq km

note: includes Isla del Coco

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than West Virginia

Land boundaries:

total: 639 km

border countries: Nicaragua 309 km, Panama 330 km

Coastline:

1,290 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands

Terrain:

coastal plains separated by rugged mountains including over 100 volcanic cones, of which several are major volcanoes

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Cerro Chirripo 3,810 m

Natural resources:

hydropower

Land use:

arable land: 4.4%

permanent crops: 5.87%

other: 89.73% (2005)

Irrigated land:

1,080 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

112.4 cu km (2000)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 2.68 cu km/yr (29%/17%/53%)

per capita: 619 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and landslides; active volcanoes

Environment - current issues:

deforestation and land use change, largely a result of the clearing of land for cattle ranching and agriculture; soil erosion; coastal marine pollution; fisheries protection; solid waste management; air pollution

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:

four volcanoes, two of them active, rise near the capital of San Jose in the center of the country; one of the volcanoes, Irazu, erupted destructively in 1963-65

People ::Costa Rica

Population:

4,253,877 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 123

Age structure:

0-14 years: 26.7% (male 581,916/female 555,216)

15-64 years: 67.1% (male 1,443,606/female 1,411,168)

65 years and over: 6.2% (male 120,969/female 141,002) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 27.5 years

male: 27.1 years

female: 28 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.356% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 100

Birth rate:

17.43 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 118

Death rate:

4.34 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 205

Net migration rate:

0.47 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 65

Urbanization:

urban population: 63% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 2.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female

total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 8.77 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 160 male: 9.66 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 7.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 77.58 years country comparison to the world: 54 male: 74.96 years

female: 80.34 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.14 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 120

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.4% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 84

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

9,700 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 106

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 200 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 123

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: intermediate

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Costa Rican(s)

adjective: Costa Rican

Ethnic groups:

white (including mestizo) 94%, black 3%, Amerindian 1%, Chinese 1%, other 1%

Religions:

Roman Catholic 76.3%, Evangelical 13.7%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.3%, other Protestant 0.7%, other 4.8%, none 3.2%

Languages:

Spanish (official), English

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 94.9%

male: 94.7%

female: 95.1% (2000 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 12 years

male: 12 years

female: 12 years (2005)

Education expenditures:

4.9% of GDP (2004) country comparison to the world: 76

Government ::Costa Rica

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Costa Rica

conventional short form: Costa Rica

local long form: Republica de Costa Rica

local short form: Costa Rica

Government type:

democratic republic

Capital:

name: San Jose

geographic coordinates: 9 56 N, 84 05 W

time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose

Independence:

15 September 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution:

7 November 1949

Legal system:

based on Spanish civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Oscar ARIAS Sanchez (since 8 May 2006); First Vice President (vacant); Second Vice President (vacant); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Oscar ARIAS Sanchez (since 8 May 2006); First Vice President (vacant); Second Vice President (vacant)

cabinet: Cabinet selected by the president

elections: president and vice presidents elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a single four-year term; election last held 5 February 2006 (next to be held in February 2010)

election results: Oscar ARIAS Sanchez elected president; percent of vote - Oscar ARIAS Sanchez (PLN) 40.9%; Otton SOLIS (PAC) 39.8%, Otto GUEVARA Guth (PML) 8%, Ricardo TOLEDO (PUSC) 3%

Legislative branch:

unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (57 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 5 February 2006 (next to be held in February 2010)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PLN 25, PAC 17, PML 6, PUSC 5, PASE 1, PFA 1, PRN 1, PUN 1; note - as of 1 January 2009: seats by party - PLN 25, PAC 16, PML 5, PUSC 5, PASE 1, PFA 1, PRN 1, independent 3

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (22 justices are elected for renewable eight-year terms by the Legislative Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:

Authentic Member from Heredia [Jose SALAS]; Citizen Action Party or
PAC [Epsy CAMPBELL Barr]; Costa Rican Renovation Party or PRC
[Gerardo Justo OROZCO Alvarez]; Democratic Force Party or PFD [Marco
NUNEZ Gonzalez]; General Union Party or PUGEN [Carlos Alberto
FERNANDEZ Vega]; Homeland First or PP [Juan Jose VARGAS Fallas];
Independent Worker Party or PIO [Jose Alberto CUBERO Carmona];
Libertarian Movement Party or PML [Otto GUEVARA Guth]; National
Christian Alliance Party or ANC [Juan Carlos CHAVEZ Mora]; National
Integration Party or PIN [Walter MUNOZ Cespedes]; National
Liberation Party or PLN [Francisco Antonio PACHECO Fernandez];
National Patriotic Party or PPN [Daniel Enrique REYNOLDS Vargas];
National Restoration Party or PRN [Fabio Enrique DELGADO Hernandez];
National Union Party or PUN [Arturo ACOSTA Mora]; Nationalist
Democratic Alliance or ADN [Jose Miguel VILLALOBOS Umana]; Patriotic
Union or UP [Jose Miguel CORRALES Bolanos]; Social Christian Unity
Party or PUSC [Luis FISHMAN Zonzinski]; Union for Change Party or
UPC [Antonio ALVAREZ Desanti]; United Leftist Coalition or IU
[Humberto VARGAS Carbonel]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Authentic Confederation of Democratic Workers or CATD (Communist Party affiliate); Chamber of Coffee Growers; Confederated Union of Workers or CUT (Communist Party affiliate); Costa Rican Confederation of Democratic Workers or CCTD (Liberation Party affiliate); Costa Rican Exporter's Chamber or CADEXCO; Costa Rican Solidarity Movement; Costa Rican Union of Private Sector Enterprises or UCCAEP [Rafael CARRILLO]; Federation of Public Service Workers or FTSP; National Association for Economic Development or ANFE; National Association of Educators or ANDE; National Association of Public and Private Employees or ANEP [Albino VARGAS]; Rerum Novarum or CTRN (PLN affiliate) [Gilbert BROWN]

International organization participation:

BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO,
ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS,
OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, SICA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union
Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Luis DIEGO Escalante

chancery: 2114 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 234-2945 or 2946

FAX: [1] (202) 265-4795

consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Peter CIANCHETTE

embassy: Calle 120 Avenida O, Pavas, San Jose

mailing address: APO AA 34020

telephone: [506] 519-2000

FAX: [506] 519-2305

Flag description:

five horizontal bands of blue (top), white, red (double width), white, and blue, with the coat of arms in a white elliptical disk on the hoist side of the red band; above the coat of arms a light blue ribbon contains the words, AMERICA CENTRAL, and just below it near the top of the coat of arms is a white ribbon with the words, REPUBLICA COSTA RICA

Economy ::Costa Rica

Economy - overview:

Costa Rica's basically stable economy depends on tourism, agriculture, and electronics exports. Exports have become more diversified in the past 10 years due to the growth of the high-tech manufacturing sector, which is dominated by the microprocessor industry and the production of medical devices. Tourism continues to bring in foreign exchange, as Costa Rica's impressive biodiversity makes it a key destination for ecotourism. Foreign investors remain attracted by the country's political stability and relatively high education levels, as well as the fiscal incentives offered in the free-trade zones. Costa Rica has attracted one of the highest levels of foreign direct investment per capita in Latin America. Poverty has remained around 20% for nearly 20 years, and the strong social safety net that had been put into place by the government has eroded due to increased financial constraints on government expenditures. Immigration from Nicaragua has increasingly become a concern for the government. The estimated 300,000-500,000 Nicaraguans in Costa Rica legally and illegally are an important source of - mostly unskilled - labor, but also place heavy demands on the social welfare system. Under the ARIAS administration, the government has made strides in reducing internal and external debt - in 2007, Costa Rica had its first budget surplus in 50 years. Reducing inflation remains a difficult problem because of rising commodity import prices and labor market rigidities, though lower oil prices will decrease upward pressures. The Central Bank is moving towards a more flexible exchange rate system to focus on inflation targeting by 2010. The US-Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) entered into force on 1 January 2009, after significant delays within the Costa Rican legislature. Nevertheless, economic growth has slowed in 2009 as the global downturn reduced export demand and invesment inflows.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$48.84 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 89 $47.6 billion (2007 est.)

$44.16 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$29.66 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 136 7.8% (2007 est.)

8.8% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$11,600 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 95 $11,500 (2007 est.)

$10,800 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 6.5%

industry: 25.9%

services: 67.6% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

2.06 million country comparison to the world: 120 note: this official estimate excludes Nicaraguans living in Costa Rica (2008 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 14%

industry: 22%

services: 64% (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate:

4.9% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 60 4.6% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

16% (2006 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 1.5%

highest 10%: 35.5% (2005)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

48 (2008) country comparison to the world: 31 45.9 (1997)

Investment (gross fixed):

24.3% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 57

Budget:

revenues: $4.6 billion

expenditures: $4.531 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

42.2% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 50 58% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

13.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 182 9.4% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

25% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 10 17% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

15.83% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 65 12.8% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$4.209 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 58 $4.504 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$3.143 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 81 $2.87 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$15.15 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 66 $12.91 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 98 $2.035 billion (31 December 2007)

$1.944 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

bananas, pineapples, coffee, melons, ornamental plants, sugar, corn, rice, beans, potatoes; beef, poultry, dairy; timber

Industries:

microprocessors, food processing, medical equipment, textiles and clothing, construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products

Industrial production growth rate:

-1.1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 145

Electricity - production:

8.808 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 96

Electricity - consumption:

8.064 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 91

Electricity - exports:

77.16 million kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

203.2 million kWh (2007 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 197

Oil - consumption:

45,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 98

Oil - exports:

2,117 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 114

Oil - imports:

47,860 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 88

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl country comparison to the world: 195

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 195

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 196

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 180

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 187

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 193

Current account balance:

-$2.648 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 143 -$1.578 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$9.738 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 88 $9.266 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

bananas, pineapples, coffee, melons, ornamental plants, sugar; seafood; electronic components, medical equipment

Exports - partners:

US 23.9%, Netherlands 13.3%, China 12.9%, UK 5%, Mexico 4.9% (2008)

Imports:

$14.55 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 84 $12.29 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment, petroleum, construction materials

Imports - partners:

US 42.9%, Mexico 6.9%, Venezuela 6.3%, Japan 5.4%, China 4.7%,
Brazil 4.2% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$3.799 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 89 $4.114 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$9.249 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 89 $8.416 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$18.96 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 63 $8.803 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$532 million (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 75 $525.9 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

Costa Rican colones (CRC) per US dollar - 530.41 (2008 est.), 519.53 (2007), 511.3 (2006), 477.79 (2005), 437.91 (2004)

Communications ::Costa Rica

Telephones - main lines in use:

1.438 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 66

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1.887 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 122

Telephone system:

general assessment: good domestic telephone service in terms of breadth of coverage; restricted cellular telephone service; state-run monopoly provider is struggling with the demand for new lines, resulting in long waiting times

domestic: point-to-point and point-to-multi-point microwave, fiber-optic, and coaxial cable link rural areas; Internet service is available

international: country code - 506; landing point for the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) fiber-optic telecommunications submarine cable and the MAYA-1 submarine cable that provide links to South and Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and the US; connected to Central American Microwave System; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 65, FM 51, shortwave 19 (2002)

Television broadcast stations:

20 (plus 43 repeaters) (2002)

Internet country code:

.cr

Internet hosts:

34,066 (2009) country comparison to the world: 89

Internet users:

1.46 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 76

Transportation ::Costa Rica

Airports:

151 (2009) country comparison to the world: 36

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 38

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 22

under 914 m: 12 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 113

914 to 1,523 m: 19

under 914 m: 94 (2009)

Pipelines:

refined products 796 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 278 km country comparison to the world: 124 narrow gauge: 278 km 1.067-m gauge

note: none of the railway network is in use (2008)

Roadways:

total: 35,330 km country comparison to the world: 94 paved: 8,621 km

unpaved: 26,709 km (2004)

Waterways:

730 km (seasonally navigable by small craft) (2008) country comparison to the world: 75

Merchant marine:

total: 1 country comparison to the world: 161 by type: passenger/cargo 1 (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Caldera, Puerto Limon

Military ::Costa Rica

Military branches:

no regular military forces; Ministry of Public Security, Government, and Police (2009)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,134,205

females age 16-49: 1,095,763 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 971,224

females age 16-49: 936,978 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 40,698

female: 38,808 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

0.4% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 164

Transnational Issues ::Costa Rica

Disputes - international:

the ICJ has given Costa Rica until January 2008 to reply and Nicaragua until July 2008 to rejoin before rendering its decision on the navigation, security, and commercial rights of Costa Rican vessels on the Rio San Juan over which Nicaragua retains sovereignty

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 9,699-11,500 (Colombia) (2007)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Costa Rica is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor; women and girls from neighboring states, Russia, Uzbekistan, and the Philippines are trafficked into the country for sexual exploitation; Costa Rica also serves as a transit point for victims trafficked to North America and Europe; the government identifies child sex tourism as a serious problem; men, women, and children are also trafficked within the country for forced labor in fishing and construction, and as domestic servants

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Costa Rica is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat human trafficking, particularly in terms of its failure to improve its inadequate assistance to victims; while Costa Rican officials recognize human trafficking as a serious problem, the lack of a stronger response by the government is of concern (2008)

Illicit drugs:

transshipment country for cocaine and heroin from South America; illicit production of cannabis in remote areas; domestic cocaine consumption, particularly crack cocaine, is rising; significant consumption of amphetamines; seizures of smuggled cash in Costa Rica and at the main border crossing to enter Costa Rica from Nicaragua have risen in recent years (2008)

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Cote d'Ivoire (Africa)

Introduction ::Cote d'Ivoire

Background:

Close ties to France since independence in 1960, the development of cocoa production for export, and foreign investment made Cote d'Ivoire one of the most prosperous of the West African states, but did not protect it from political turmoil. In December 1999, a military coup - the first ever in Cote d'Ivoire's history - overthrew the government. Junta leader Robert GUEI blatantly rigged elections held in late 2000 and declared himself the winner. Popular protest forced him to step aside and brought Laurent GBAGBO into power. Ivorian dissidents and disaffected members of the military launched a failed coup attempt in September 2002. Rebel forces claimed the northern half of the country, and in January 2003 were granted ministerial positions in a unity government under the auspices of the Linas-Marcoussis Peace Accord. President GBAGBO and rebel forces resumed implementation of the peace accord in December 2003 after a three-month stalemate, but issues that sparked the civil war, such as land reform and grounds for citizenship, remained unresolved. In March 2007 President GBAGBO and former New Force rebel leader Guillaume SORO signed the Ouagadougou Political Agreement. As a result of the agreement, SORO joined GBAGBO's government as Prime Minister and the two agreed to reunite the country by dismantling the zone of confidence separating North from South, integrate rebel forces into the national armed forces, and hold elections. Several thousand French and UN troops remain in Cote d'Ivoire to help the parties implement their commitments and to support the peace process.

Geography ::Cote d'Ivoire

Location:

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Ghana and Liberia

Geographic coordinates:

8 00 N, 5 00 W

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 322,463 sq km country comparison to the world: 68 land: 318,003 sq km

water: 4,460 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than New Mexico

Land boundaries:

total: 3,110 km

border countries: Burkina Faso 584 km, Ghana 668 km, Guinea 610 km, Liberia 716 km, Mali 532 km

Coastline:

515 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical along coast, semiarid in far north; three seasons - warm and dry (November to March), hot and dry (March to May), hot and wet (June to October)

Terrain:

mostly flat to undulating plains; mountains in northwest

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Gulf of Guinea 0 m

highest point: Mont Nimba 1,752 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, natural gas, diamonds, manganese, iron ore, cobalt, bauxite, copper, gold, nickel, tantalum, silica sand, clay, cocoa beans, coffee, palm oil, hydropower

Land use:

arable land: 10.23%

permanent crops: 11.16%

other: 78.61% (2005)

Irrigated land:

730 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

81 cu km (2001)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.93 cu km/yr (24%/12%/65%)

per capita: 51 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

coast has heavy surf and no natural harbors; during the rainy season torrential flooding is possible

Environment - current issues:

deforestation (most of the country's forests - once the largest in West Africa - have been heavily logged); water pollution from sewage and industrial and agricultural effluents

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

most of the inhabitants live along the sandy coastal region; apart from the capital area, the forested interior is sparsely populated

People ::Cote d'Ivoire

Population:

20,617,068 country comparison to the world: 56 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 40.6% (male 4,215,912/female 4,146,077)

15-64 years: 56.6% (male 5,942,642/female 5,720,108)

65 years and over: 2.9% (male 296,074/female 296,255) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 19.2 years

male: 19.4 years

female: 19.1 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.133% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 49

Birth rate:

32.11 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 45

Death rate:

10.78 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 48

Net migration rate:

NA (2009 est.)

Urbanization:

urban population: 49% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 3.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female

total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 68.06 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 28 male: 75.17 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 60.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 55.45 years country comparison to the world: 191 male: 54.64 years

female: 56.28 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

4.12 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 46

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

3.9% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 17

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

480,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 20

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

38,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 16

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever

water contact: schistosomiasis

animal contact disease: rabies

note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Ivoirian(s)

adjective: Ivoirian

Ethnic groups:

Akan 42.1%, Voltaiques or Gur 17.6%, Northern Mandes 16.5%, Krous 11%, Southern Mandes 10%, other 2.8% (includes 130,000 Lebanese and 14,000 French) (1998)

Religions:

Muslim 38.6%, Christian 32.8%, indigenous 11.9%, none 16.7% (2008 est.)

note: the majority of foreigners (migratory workers) are Muslim (70%) and Christian (20%)

Languages:

French (official), 60 native dialects with Dioula the most widely spoken

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 48.7%

male: 60.8%

female: 38.6% (2000 est.)

Education expenditures:

4.6% of GDP (2001) country comparison to the world: 83

Government ::Cote d'Ivoire

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Cote d'Ivoire

conventional short form: Cote d'Ivoire

local long form: Republique de Cote d'Ivoire

local short form: Cote d'Ivoire

note: pronounced coat-div-whar

former: Ivory Coast

Government type:

republic; multiparty presidential regime established 1960

note: the government is currently operating under a power-sharing agreement mandated by international mediators

Capital:

name: Yamoussoukro

geographic coordinates: 6 49 N, 5 17 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

note: although Yamoussoukro has been the official capital since 1983, Abidjan remains the commercial and administrative center; the US, like other countries, maintains its Embassy in Abidjan

Administrative divisions:

19 regions; Agneby, Bafing, Bas-Sassandra, Denguele, Dix-Huit
Montagnes, Fromager, Haut-Sassandra, Lacs, Lagunes, Marahoue,
Moyen-Cavally, Moyen-Comoe, N'zi-Comoe, Savanes, Sud-Bandama,
Sud-Comoe, Vallee du Bandama, Worodougou, Zanzan

Independence:

7 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 7 August (1960)

Constitution:

approved by referendum 23 July 2000

Legal system:

based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial review in the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Laurent GBAGBO (since 26 October 2000)

head of government: Prime Minister Guillaume SORO (since 4 April 2007)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president; note - under the current power-sharing agreement the prime minister and the president share the authority to appoint ministers

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (no term limits); election last held 26 October 2000 (next to be held 29 November 2009 after being repeatedly postponed by the government; the UN Security Council has extended the government's mandate); prime minister appointed by the president

election results: Laurent GBAGBO elected president; percent of vote - Laurent GBAGBO 59.4%, Robert GUEI 32.7%, Francis WODIE 5.7%, other 2.2%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (225 seats; members are elected in single- and multi-district elections by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: elections last held 10 December 2000 with by-elections on 14 January 2001 (elections originally scheduled for 2005 have been repeatedly postponed by the government)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FPI 96, PDCI-RDA 94, RDR 5, PIT 4, other 2, independents 22, vacant 2

note: a Senate was scheduled to be created in October 2006 elections that never took place

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Cour Supreme consists of four chambers: Judicial
Chamber for criminal cases, Audit Chamber for financial cases,
Constitutional Chamber for judicial review cases, and Administrative
Chamber for civil cases; there is no legal limit to the number of
members

Political parties and leaders:

Citizen's Democratic Union or UDCY [Theodore MEL EG]; Democratic
Party of Cote d'Ivoire or PDCI [Henri Konan BEDIE]; Ivorian Popular
Front or FPI [Pascale Affi N'GUESSAN]; Ivorian Worker's Party or PIT
[Francis WODIE]; Opposition Movement of the Future or MFA [Innocent
Augustin ANAKY]; Rally of the Republicans or RDR [Alassane
OUATTARA]; Union for Democracy and Peace in Cote d'Ivoire or UDPCI
[Toikeuse MABRI]; over 144 smaller registered parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Federation of University and High School Students of Cote d'Ivoire
or FESCI [Serges KOFFI]; Rally of Houphouetists for Democracy and
Peace or RHDP [Alphonse DJEDJE MADY]; Young Patriots [Charles BLE
GOUDE]

International organization participation:

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC,
OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO,
UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Yao Charles KOFFI

chancery: 2424 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 797-0300

FAX: [1] (202) 244-3088

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Wanda L. NESBITT

embassy: Cocody Riviera Golf 01, Abidjan

mailing address: B. P. 1712, Abidjan 01

telephone: [225] 22 49 40 00

FAX: [225] 22 49 43 32

Flag description:

three equal vertical bands of orange (hoist side), white, and green

note: similar to the flag of Ireland, which is longer and has the colors reversed - green (hoist side), white, and orange; also similar to the flag of Italy, which is green (hoist side), white, and red; design was based on the flag of France

Economy ::Cote d'Ivoire

Economy - overview:

Cote d'Ivoire is the world's largest producer and exporter of cocoa beans and a significant producer and exporter of coffee and palm oil. Consequently, the economy is highly sensitive to fluctuations in international prices for these products, and, to a lesser extent, in climatic conditions. Despite government attempts to diversify the economy, it is still heavily dependent on agriculture and related activities, engaging roughly 68% of the population. Since 2006, oil and gas production have become more important engines of economic activity than cocoa. According to IMF statistics, earnings from oil and refined products were $1.3 billion in 2006, while cocoa-related revenues were $1 billion during the same period. Cote d'Ivoire's offshore oil and gas production has resulted in substantial crude oil exports and provides sufficient natural gas to fuel electricity exports to Ghana, Togo, Benin, Mali and Burkina Faso. Oil exploration by a number of consortiums of private companies continues offshore, and President GBAGBO has expressed hope that daily crude output could reach 200,000 barrels per day (b/d) by the end of the decade. Since the end of the civil war in 2003, political turmoil has continued to damage the economy, resulting in the loss of foreign investment and slow economic growth. GDP grew by nearly 2% in 2007 and 3% in 2008. Per capita income has declined by 15% since 1999.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$34.12 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 101 $33.36 billion (2007 est.)

$32.79 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$23.51 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 151 1.7% (2007 est.)

0.7% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,700 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 191 $1,700 (2007 est.)

$1,700 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 28%

industry: 21.6%

services: 50.4% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

7.346 million (68% agricultural) (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 60

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 68%

industry and services: NA (2007 est.)

Unemployment rate:

note: unemployment may have climbed to 40-50% as a result of the civil war

Population below poverty line:

42% (2006 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2%

highest 10%: 34% (2002)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

44.6 (2002) country comparison to the world: 46 36.7 (1995)

Investment (gross fixed):

9.5% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 146

Budget:

revenues: $4.823 billion

expenditures: $4.915 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

66.4% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 18 74.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

6.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 108 1.9% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

4.75% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 116 4.25% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

NA

Stock of money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$4.451 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$1.915 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$4.404 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$7.071 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 75 $8.353 billion (31 December 2007)

$4.155 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

coffee, cocoa beans, bananas, palm kernels, corn, rice, manioc (tapioca), sweet potatoes, sugar, cotton, rubber; timber

Industries:

foodstuffs, beverages; wood products, oil refining, truck and bus assembly, textiles, fertilizer, building materials, electricity, ship construction and repair

Industrial production growth rate:

3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 84

Electricity - production:

5.275 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 112

Electricity - consumption:

3.231 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 122

Electricity - exports:

772 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

60,100 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 60

Oil - consumption:

25,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 117

Oil - exports:

115,700 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 64

Oil - imports:

80,960 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 73

Oil - proved reserves:

100 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 66

Natural gas - production:

1.3 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 61

Natural gas - consumption:

1.3 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 85

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 168

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 161

Natural gas - proved reserves:

28.32 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 73

Current account balance:

$488 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 52 -$146 million (2007 est.)

Exports:

$10.09 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 87 $8.476 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

cocoa, coffee, timber, petroleum, cotton, bananas, pineapples, palm oil, fish

Exports - partners:

Germany 10.9%, US 10.1%, Netherlands 9.7%, Nigeria 9.3%, France 6.4%, Burkina Faso 4% (2008)

Imports:

$6.76 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 106 $5.932 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

fuel, capital equipment, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:

Nigeria 31.5%, France 14.9%, China 7.2% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$2.252 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 107 $2.519 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$14.05 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 79 $13.79 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$NA

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$NA

Exchange rates:

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 447.81 (2008 est.), 481.83 (2007), 522.89 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004)

note: since 1 January 1999, the West African CFA franc (XOF) has been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 CFA francs per euro; West African CFA franc (XOF) coins and banknotes are not accepted in countries using Central African CFA francs (XAF), and vice versa, even though the two currencies trade at par

Communications ::Cote d'Ivoire

Telephones - main lines in use:

356,500 (2008) country comparison to the world: 107

Telephones - mobile cellular:

10.449 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 60

Telephone system:

general assessment: well developed by African standards; telecommunications sector privatized in late 1990s and operational fixed-lines have more than quadrupled since that time; with multiple cellular service providers competing in the market, cellular usage has increased sharply to roughly 55 per 100 persons

domestic: open-wire lines and microwave radio relay; 90% digitalized

international: country code - 225; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and Asia; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 3 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

14 (1998)

Internet country code:

.ci

Internet hosts:

9,822 (2009) country comparison to the world: 116

Internet users:

660,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 101

Transportation ::Cote d'Ivoire

Airports:

28 (2009) country comparison to the world: 122

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 7

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 21

1,524 to 2,437 m: 7

914 to 1,523 m: 11

under 914 m: 3 (2009)

Pipelines:

condensate 86 km; gas 180 km; oil 92 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 660 km country comparison to the world: 108 narrow gauge: 660 km 1.000 meter gauge

note: an additional 622 km of this railroad extends into Burkina Faso (2008)

Roadways:

total: 80,000 km country comparison to the world: 59 paved: 6,500 km

unpaved: 73,500 km

note: includes intercity and urban roads; another 20,000 km of dirt roads are in poor condition and 150,000 km of dirt roads are impassable (2006)

Waterways:

980 km (navigable rivers, canals, and numerous coastal lagoons) (2008) country comparison to the world: 67

Ports and terminals:

Abidjan, Espoir, San-Pedro

Military ::Cote d'Ivoire

Military branches:

Cote d'Ivoire Defense and Security Forces (FDSCI): Army, Navy, Air
Force (2006)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary male and female military service (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 4,369,735

females age 16-49: 4,287,042 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 3,122,106

females age 16-49: 2,936,391 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 236,159

female: 232,617 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.6% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 100

Transnational Issues ::Cote d'Ivoire

Disputes - international:

despite the presence of over 9,000 UN forces (UNOCI) in Cote d'Ivoire since 2004, ethnic conflict still leaves displaced hundreds of thousands of Ivorians in and out of the country as well as driven out migrants from neighboring states who worked in Ivorian cocoa plantations; the March 2007 peace deal between Ivorian rebels and the government brought significant numbers of rebels out of hiding in neighboring states

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 25,615 (Liberia)

IDPs: 709,000 (2002 coup; most IDPs are in western regions) (2007)

Trafficking in persons:

Cote d'Ivoire is a source, transit, and destination country for women and children trafficked for forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation; trafficking within the country is more prevalent than international trafficking and the majority of victims are children; women and girls are trafficked from northern areas to southern cities for domestic servitude, restaurant labor, and sexual exploitation; boys are trafficked internally for agricultural and service labor and transnationally for forced labor in agriculture, mining, construction, and in the fishing industry; women and girls are trafficked to and from other West and Central African countries for domestic servitude and forced street vending

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Cote d'Ivoire is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking in 2007, particularly with regard to its law enforcement efforts and protection of sex trafficking victims; in addition, Ivoirian law does not prohibit all forms of trafficking, and Cote d'Ivoire has not ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2008)

Illicit drugs:

illicit producer of cannabis, mostly for local consumption; utility as a narcotic transshipment point to Europe reduced by ongoing political instability; while rampant corruption and inadequate supervision leave the banking system vulnerable to money laundering, the lack of a developed financial system limits the country's utility as a major money-laundering center (2008)

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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@Croatia (Europe)

Introduction ::Croatia

Background:

The lands that today comprise Croatia were part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire until the close of World War I. In 1918, the Croats, Serbs, and Slovenes formed a kingdom known after 1929 as Yugoslavia. Following World War II, Yugoslavia became a federal independent Communist state under the strong hand of Marshal TITO. Although Croatia declared its independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, it took four years of sporadic, but often bitter, fighting before occupying Serb armies were mostly cleared from Croatian lands. Under UN supervision, the last Serb-held enclave in eastern Slavonia was returned to Croatia in 1998. In January 2008, Croatia assumed a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2008-09 term, and in April 2008 it joined NATO. Croatia is a candidate for eventual EU accession.

Geography ::Croatia

Location:

Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea, between Bosnia and
Herzegovina and Slovenia

Geographic coordinates:

45 10 N, 15 30 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 56,594 sq km country comparison to the world: 126 land: 55,974 sq km

water: 620 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than West Virginia

Land boundaries:

total: 1,982 km

border countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina 932 km, Hungary 329 km, Serbia 241 km, Montenegro 25 km, Slovenia 455 km

Coastline:

5,835 km (mainland 1,777 km, islands 4,058 km)

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:

Mediterranean and continental; continental climate predominant with hot summers and cold winters; mild winters, dry summers along coast

Terrain:

geographically diverse; flat plains along Hungarian border, low mountains and highlands near Adriatic coastline and islands

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m

highest point: Dinara 1,830 m

Natural resources:

oil, some coal, bauxite, low-grade iron ore, calcium, gypsum, natural asphalt, silica, mica, clays, salt, hydropower

Land use:

arable land: 25.82%

permanent crops: 2.19%

other: 71.99% (2005)

Irrigated land:

110 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

105.5 cu km (1998)

Natural hazards:

destructive earthquakes

Environment - current issues:

air pollution (from metallurgical plants) and resulting acid rain is damaging the forests; coastal pollution from industrial and domestic waste; landmine removal and reconstruction of infrastructure consequent to 1992-95 civil strife

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94,
Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

controls most land routes from Western Europe to Aegean Sea and Turkish Straits; most Adriatic Sea islands lie off the coast of Croatia - some 1,200 islands, islets, ridges, and rocks

People ::Croatia

Population:

4,489,409 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 121

Age structure:

0-14 years: 15.6% (male 358,360/female 340,098)

15-64 years: 67.5% (male 1,506,364/female 1,522,789)

65 years and over: 17% (male 295,960/female 465,838) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 41 years

male: 39.1 years

female: 42.8 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.052% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 210

Birth rate:

9.64 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 200

Death rate:

11.75 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 40

Net migration rate:

1.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 49

Urbanization:

urban population: 57% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 0.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female

total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 6.37 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 178 male: 6.42 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 6.33 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 75.35 years country comparison to the world: 79 male: 71.72 years

female: 79.18 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.42 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 191

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 155

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

200 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 158

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 10 (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 155

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: intermediate

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea

vectorborne diseases: tickborne encephalitis

note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Croat(s), Croatian(s)

adjective: Croatian

Ethnic groups:

Croat 89.6%, Serb 4.5%, other 5.9% (including Bosniak, Hungarian,
Slovene, Czech, and Roma) (2001 census)

Religions:

Roman Catholic 87.8%, Orthodox 4.4%, other Christian 0.4%, Muslim 1.3%, other and unspecified 0.9%, none 5.2% (2001 census)

Languages:

Croatian 96.1%, Serbian 1%, other and undesignated 2.9% (including
Italian, Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, and German) (2001 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 98.1%

male: 99.3%

female: 97.1% (2001 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 14 years

male: 13 years

female: 14 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

4.5% of GDP (2004) country comparison to the world: 89

Government ::Croatia

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Croatia

conventional short form: Croatia

local long form: Republika Hrvatska

local short form: Hrvatska

former: People's Republic of Croatia, Socialist Republic of Croatia

Government type:

presidential/parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Zagreb

geographic coordinates: 45 48 N, 16 00 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

20 counties (zupanije, zupanija - singular) and 1 city* (grad -
singular); Bjelovarsko-Bilogorska, Brodsko-Posavska,
Dubrovacko-Neretvanska (Dubrovnik-Neretva), Istarska (Istria),
Karlovacka, Koprivnicko-Krizevacka, Krapinsko-Zagorska,
Licko-Senjska (Lika-Senj), Medimurska, Osjecko-Baranjska,
Pozesko-Slavonska (Pozega-Slavonia), Primorsko-Goranska,
Sibensko-Kninska, Sisacko-Moslavacka, Splitsko-Dalmatinska
(Split-Dalmatia), Varazdinska, Viroviticko-Podravska,
Vukovarsko-Srijemska, Zadarska, Zagreb*, Zagrebacka

Independence:

25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 8 October (1991); note - 25 June 1991 was the day the Croatian parliament voted for independence; following a three-month moratorium to allow the European Community to solve the Yugoslav crisis peacefully, Parliament adopted a decision on 8 October 1991 to sever constitutional relations with Yugoslavia

Constitution:

adopted on 22 December 1990; revised 2000, 2001

Legal system:

based on Austro-Hungarian law system with Communist law influences; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal (16 years of age, if employed)

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Stjepan (Stipe) MESIC (since 18 February 2000)

head of government: Prime Minister Jadranka KOSOR (since 6 July 2009); Deputy Prime Ministers Bozidar PANKRETIC (since 6 July 2009), Damir POLANCEC (since 15 February 2005), Djurdja ADLESIC (since 12 January 2008), Slobodan UZELAC (since 12 January 2008)

cabinet: Council of Ministers named by the prime minister and approved by the parliamentary assembly

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 16 January 2005 (next to be held in January 2010); the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the president and then approved by the assembly

election results: Stjepan MESIC reelected president; percent of vote in the second round - Stjepan MESIC 66%, Jadranka KOSOR 34%

Legislative branch:

unicameral Assembly or Sabor (153 seats; members elected from party lists by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 25 November 2007 (next to be held in November 2011)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; number of seats by party - HDZ 66, SDP 57, HNS 6, HSS 6, HDSSB 3, IDS 3, SDSS 3, other 9

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court; Constitutional Court; judges for both courts are appointed for eight-year terms by the Judicial Council of the Republic, which is elected by the Assembly

Political parties and leaders:

Croatian Democratic Congress of Slavonia and Baranja or HDSSB
[Vladimir SISLJAGIC]; Croatian Democratic Union or HDZ [Ivo
SANADER]; Croatian Party of the Right or HSP [Anto DJAPIC]; Croatian
Peasant Party or HSS [Josip FRISCIC]; Croatian Pensioner Party or
HSU [Silvano HRELJA]; Croatian People's Party or HNS [Radimir
CACIC]; Croatian Social Liberal Party or HSLS [Djurdja ADLESIC];
Independent Democratic Serb Party or SDSS [Vojislav STANIMIROVIC];
Istrian Democratic Assembly or IDS [Ivan JAKOVCIC]; Social
Democratic Party of Croatia or SDP [Zoran MILANOVIC]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

other: human rights groups

International organization participation:

ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CE, CEI,
EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO,
ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, NAM (observer), NATO, NSG,
OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SECI, UN, UNCTAD,
UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOGIP, UNOCI,
UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Kolinda GRABAR-KITAROVIC

chancery: Suite F13, 2343 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 588-5899

FAX: [1] (202) 588-8936

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Robert A. BRADTKE

embassy: 2 Thomas Jefferson Street, 10010 Zagreb

mailing address: use street address

telephone: [385] (1) 661-2200

FAX: [385] (1) 661-2373

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue, superimposed by the Croatian coat of arms (red and white checkered)

Economy ::Croatia

Economy - overview:

Once one of the wealthiest of the Yugoslav republics, Croatia's economy suffered badly during the 1991-95 war as output collapsed and the country missed the early waves of investment in Central and Eastern Europe that followed the fall of the Berlin Wall. Between 2000 and 2007, however, Croatia's economic fortunes began to improve slowly, with moderate but steady GDP growth between 4% and 6% led by a rebound in tourism and credit-driven consumer spending. Inflation over the same period has remained tame and the currency, the kuna, stable. Nevertheless, difficult problems still remain, including a stubbornly high unemployment rate, a growing trade deficit and uneven regional development. The state retains a large role in the economy, as privatization efforts often meet stiff public and political resistance. While macroeconomic stabilization has largely been achieved, structural reforms lag because of deep resistance on the part of the public and lack of strong support from politicians. The EU accession process should accelerate fiscal and structural reform. While long term growth prospects for the economy remain strong, Croatia will face significant pressure as a result of the global financial crisis. Croatia's high foreign debt, anemic export sector, strained state budget, and over-reliance on tourism revenue will result in higher risk to economic stability over the medium term.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$82.58 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 73 $80.65 billion (2007 est.)

$76.44 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$69.36 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 146 5.5% (2007 est.)

4.7% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$18,400 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 67 $17,900 (2007 est.)

$17,000 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 6%

industry: 27.7%

services: 66.3% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

1.731 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 123

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 5%

industry: 31.3%

services: 63.6% (2008)

Unemployment rate:

13.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 147 11.8% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

11% (2003)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 3.6%

highest 10%: 23.1% (2005 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

29 (2008) country comparison to the world: 119 29 (1998)

Investment (gross fixed):

31.1% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 21

Budget:

revenues: $26.86 billion

expenditures: $28.54 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

42.7% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 48 41.7% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

6.1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 102 4.5% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

9% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 49 9% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

10.07% (31 December 2008)

Stock of money:

$10.71 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 43 $11.61 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$33.17 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 35 $31.86 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$49.79 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 48 $45.7 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$26.79 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 55 $65.98 billion (31 December 2007)

$29.01 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

wheat, corn, sugar beets, sunflower seed, barley, alfalfa, clover, olives, citrus, grapes, soybeans, potatoes; livestock, dairy products

Industries:

chemicals and plastics, machine tools, fabricated metal, electronics, pig iron and rolled steel products, aluminum, paper, wood products, construction materials, textiles, shipbuilding, petroleum and petroleum refining, food and beverages, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:

1.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 112

Electricity - production:

11.47 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 87

Electricity - consumption:

15.42 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 72

Electricity - exports:

2.14 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

8.249 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

22,200 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 73

Oil - consumption:

105,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 75

Oil - exports:

43,750 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 80

Oil - imports:

122,100 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 61

Oil - proved reserves:

79.3 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 73

Natural gas - production:

1.58 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 59

Natural gas - consumption:

2.84 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 75

Natural gas - exports:

310 million cu m (2007) country comparison to the world: 39

Natural gas - imports:

1.26 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 51

Natural gas - proved reserves:

30.58 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 69

Current account balance:

-$6.397 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 162 -$4.447 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$14.36 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 78 $12.62 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

transport equipment, machinery, textiles, chemicals, foodstuffs, fuels

Exports - partners:

Italy 18.9%, Bosnia and Herzegovina 15.3%, Germany 10.7%, Slovenia 7.7%, Austria 5.7% (2008)

Imports:

$30.42 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 63 $25.56 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery, transport and electrical equipment; chemicals, fuels and lubricants; foodstuffs

Imports - partners:

Italy 17.1%, Germany 13.4%, Russia 10.5%, China 6.1%, Slovenia 5.6%,
Austria 4.9% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$12.96 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 61 $13.67 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$54.79 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 50 $48.93 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$27.17 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 60 $23.17 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$3.343 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 61 $3.124 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

kuna (HRK) per US dollar - 4.98 (2008 est.), 5.3735 (2007), 5.8625 (2006), 5.9473 (2005), 6.0358 (2004)

Communications ::Croatia

Telephones - main lines in use:

1.851 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 60

Telephones - mobile cellular:

5.924 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 80

Telephone system:

general assessment: the telecommunications network has improved steadily since the mid-1990s; the number of fixed telephone lines holding steady at about 40 per 100 persons; the number of cellular telephone subscriptions exceeds the population

domestic: more than 90 percent of local lines are digital

international: country code - 385; digital international service is provided through the main switch in Zagreb; Croatia participates in the Trans-Asia-Europe (TEL) fiber-optic project, which consists of 2 fiber-optic trunk connections with Slovenia and a fiber-optic trunk line from Rijeka to Split and Dubrovnik; the ADRIA-1 submarine cable provides connectivity to Albania and Greece (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 16, FM 98, shortwave 5 (1999)

Television broadcast stations:

36 (plus 321 repeaters) (1995)

Internet country code:

.hr

Internet hosts:

1.23 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 38

Internet users:

1.88 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 71

Transportation ::Croatia

Airports:

68 (2009) country comparison to the world: 73

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 23

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 6

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 4

under 914 m: 9 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 45

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 7

under 914 m: 37 (2009)

Heliports:

1 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 1,327 km; oil 583 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 2,722 km country comparison to the world: 62 standard gauge: 2,722 km 1.435-m gauge (980 km electrified) (2008)

Roadways:

total: 28,788 km (includes 877 km of expressways) (2006) country comparison to the world: 99

Waterways:

785 km (2008) country comparison to the world: 74

Merchant marine:

total: 80 country comparison to the world: 54 by type: bulk carrier 25, cargo 11, chemical tanker 3, passenger/cargo 30, petroleum tanker 8, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 2

registered in other countries: 30 (Bahamas 1, Belize 2, Liberia 2, Malta 9, Marshall Islands 6, Panama 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 7) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Omisalj, Ploce, Rijeka, Sibenik, Vukovar (on Danube River)

Military ::Croatia

Military branches:

Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia (Oruzane Snage Republike Hrvatske, OSRH), consists of five major commands directly subordinate to a General Staff: Ground Forces (Hrvatska Kopnena Vojska, HKoV), Naval Forces (Hrvatska Ratna Mornarica, HRM; includes coast guard), Air Force and Air Defense Command, Joint Education and Training Command, Logistics Command; Military Police Force supports each of the three Croatian military forces (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18-27 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of age with consent for voluntary service; 6-month conscript service obligation; full conversion to voluntary military service by 2010 (2006)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,035,712

females age 16-49: 1,037,896 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 770,798

females age 16-49: 849,957 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 27,620

female: 26,154 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

2.39% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 71

Transnational Issues ::Croatia

Disputes - international:

dispute remains with Bosnia and Herzegovina over several small sections of the boundary related to maritime access that hinders ratification of the 1999 border agreement; the Croatia-Slovenia land and maritime boundary agreement, which would have ceded most of Pirin Bay and maritime access to Slovenia and several villages to Croatia, remains unratified and in dispute; Slovenia also protests Croatia's 2003 claim to an exclusive economic zone in the Adriatic; as a European Union peripheral state, Slovenia imposed a hard border Schengen regime with non-member Croatia in December 2007

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

IDPs: 2,900-7,000 (Croats and Serbs displaced in 1992-95 war) (2007)

Illicit drugs:

transit point along the Balkan route for Southwest Asian heroin to Western Europe; has been used as a transit point for maritime shipments of South American cocaine bound for Western Europe (2008)

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Cuba (Central America and Caribbean)

Introduction ::Cuba

Background:

The native Amerindian population of Cuba began to decline after the European discovery of the island by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1492 and following its development as a Spanish colony during the next several centuries. Large numbers of African slaves were imported to work the coffee and sugar plantations, and Havana became the launching point for the annual treasure fleets bound for Spain from Mexico and Peru. Spanish rule eventually provoked an independence movement and occasional rebellions that were harshly suppressed. US intervention during the Spanish-American War in 1898 assisted the Cubans in overthrowing Spanish rule. The Treaty of Paris established Cuban independence from the US in 1902 after which the island experienced a string of governments mostly dominated by the military and corrupt politicians. Fidel CASTRO led a rebel army to victory in 1959; his iron rule held the subsequent regime together for nearly five decades. He stepped down as president in February 2008 in favor of his younger brother Raul CASTRO. Cuba's Communist revolution, with Soviet support, was exported throughout Latin America and Africa during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. The country faced a severe economic downturn in 1990 following the withdrawal of former Soviet subsidies worth $4 billion to $6 billion annually. Cuba portrays its difficulties as the result of the US embargo in place since 1961. Illicit migration to the US - using homemade rafts, alien smugglers, air flights, or via the southwest border - is a continuing problem. The US Coast Guard intercepted 2,656 individuals attempting to cross the Straits of Florida in fiscal year 2007.

Geography ::Cuba

Location:

Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic
Ocean, 150 km south of Key West, Florida

Geographic coordinates:

21 30 N, 80 00 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 110,860 sq km country comparison to the world: 105 land: 109,820 sq km

water: 1,040 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Land boundaries:

total: 29 km

border countries: US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay 29 km

note: Guantanamo Naval Base is leased by the US and remains part of Cuba

Coastline:

3,735 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; moderated by trade winds; dry season (November to April); rainy season (May to October)

Terrain:

mostly flat to rolling plains, with rugged hills and mountains in the southeast

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: Pico Turquino 2,005 m

Natural resources:

cobalt, nickel, iron ore, chromium, copper, salt, timber, silica, petroleum, arable land

Land use:

arable land: 27.63%

permanent crops: 6.54%

other: 65.83% (2005)

Irrigated land:

8,700 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

38.1 cu km (2000)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 8.2 cu km/yr (19%/12%/69%)

per capita: 728 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

the east coast is subject to hurricanes from August to November (in general, the country averages about one hurricane every other year); droughts are common

Environment - current issues:

air and water pollution; biodiversity loss; deforestation

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:

largest country in Caribbean and westernmost island of the Greater Antilles

People ::Cuba

Population:

11,451,652 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 72

Age structure:

0-14 years: 18.3% (male 1,077,745/female 1,020,393)

15-64 years: 70.4% (male 4,035,691/female 4,030,103)

65 years and over: 11.2% (male 584,478/female 703,242) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 37.3 years

male: 36.6 years

female: 38 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.233% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 180

Birth rate:

11.13 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 174

Death rate:

7.24 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 127

Net migration rate:

-1.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 133

Urbanization:

urban population: 76% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 0% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 5.82 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 181 male: 6.51 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 5.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 77.45 years country comparison to the world: 55 male: 75.19 years

female: 79.85 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.61 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 180

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 138

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

6,200 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 120

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 100 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 148

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: intermediate

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Cuban(s)

adjective: Cuban

Ethnic groups:

white 65.1%, mulatto and mestizo 24.8%, black 10.1% (2002 census)

Religions:

nominally 85% Roman Catholic prior to CASTRO assuming power; Protestants, Jehovah's Witnesses, Jews, and Santeria are also represented

Languages:

Spanish

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.8%

male: 99.8%

female: 99.8% (2002 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 16 years

male: 15 years

female: 17 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

9.1% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 9

People - note:

illicit emigration is a continuing problem; Cubans attempt to depart the island and enter the US using homemade rafts, alien smugglers, direct flights, or falsified visas; Cubans also use non-maritime routes to enter the US including direct flights to Miami and over-land via the southwest border

Government ::Cuba

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Cuba

conventional short form: Cuba

local long form: Republica de Cuba

local short form: Cuba

Government type:

Communist state

Capital:

name: Havana

geographic coordinates: 23 07 N, 82 21 W

time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

14 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 special municipality* (municipio especial); Camaguey, Ciego de Avila, Cienfuegos, Ciudad de La Habana, Granma, Guantanamo, Holguin, Isla de la Juventud*, La Habana, Las Tunas, Matanzas, Pinar del Rio, Sancti Spiritus, Santiago de Cuba, Villa Clara

Independence:

20 May 1902 (from Spain 10 December 1898; administered by the US from 1898 to 1902); not acknowledged by the Cuban Government as a day of independence

National holiday:

Triumph of the Revolution, 1 January (1959)

Constitution:

24 February 1976; amended July 1992 and June 2002

Legal system:

based on Spanish civil law and influenced by American legal concepts with large elements of Communist legal theory; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

16 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President of the Council of State and President of the Council of Ministers Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz (president since 24 February 2008); First Vice President of the Council of State and First Vice President of the Council of Ministers Gen. Jose Ramon MACHADO Ventura (since 24 February 2008); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President of the Council of State and President of the Council of Ministers Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz (president since 24 February 2008); First Vice President of the Council of State and First Vice President of the Council of Ministers Gen. Jose Ramon MACHADO Ventura (since 24 February 2008)

cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the president of the Council of State and appointed by the National Assembly or the 31-member Council of State, elected by the assembly to act on its behalf when it is not in session

elections: president and vice presidents elected by the National Assembly for a term of five years; election last held 24 February 2008 (next to be held in 2013)

election results: Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz elected president; percent of legislative vote - 100%; Gen. Jose Ramon MACHADO Ventura elected vice president; percent of legislative vote - 100%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly of People's Power or Asemblea Nacional del Poder Popular (number of seats in the National Assembly is based on population; 614 seats; members elected directly from slates approved by special candidacy commissions to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 20 January 2008 (next to be held in January 2013)

election results: Cuba's Communist Party is the only legal party, and officially sanctioned candidates run unopposed

Judicial branch:

People's Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo Popular (president, vice president, and other judges are elected by the National Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:

Cuban Communist Party or PCC [Fidel CASTRO Ruz, first secretary]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Human Rights Watch; National Association of Small Farmers

International organization participation:

ACP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMO,
IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAES,
LAIA, NAM, OAS (excluded from formal participation since 1962),
OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNITAR,
UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none; note - Cuba has an Interests Section in the Swiss Embassy, headed by Principal Officer Jorge BOLANOS Suarez; address: Cuban Interests Section, Swiss Embassy, 2630 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009; telephone: [1] (202) 797-8518; FAX: [1] (202) 797-8521

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none; note - the US has an Interests Section in the Swiss Embassy, headed by Chief of Mission Jonathan D. FARRAR; address: USINT, Swiss Embassy, Calzada between L and M Streets, Vedado, Havana; telephone: [53] (7) 833-3551 through 3559 (operator assistance required); FAX: [53] (7) 833-1653; protecting power in Cuba is Switzerland

Flag description:

five equal horizontal bands of blue (top, center, and bottom) alternating with white; a red equilateral triangle based on the hoist side bears a white, five-pointed star in the center

Economy ::Cuba

Economy - overview:

The government continues to balance the need for economic loosening against a desire for firm political control. It has rolled back limited reforms undertaken in the 1990s to increase enterprise efficiency and alleviate serious shortages of food, consumer goods, and services. The average Cuban's standard of living remains at a lower level than before the downturn of the 1990s, which was caused by the loss of Soviet aid and domestic inefficiencies. Since late 2000, Venezuela has been providing oil on preferential terms, and it currently supplies about 100,000 barrels per day of petroleum products. Cuba has been paying for the oil, in part, with the services of Cuban personnel in Venezuela including some 30,000 medical professionals.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$108.4 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 64 $103.9 billion (2007 est.)

$96.9 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$54.71 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

4.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 100 7.3% (2007 est.)

12.1% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$9,500 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 108 $9,100 (2007 est.)

$8,500 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 4.4%

industry: 22.8%

services: 72.8% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

4.962 million country comparison to the world: 74 note: state sector 78%, non-state sector 22% (2008 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 20%

industry: 19.4%

services: 60.6% (2005)

Unemployment rate:

1.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 13 1.8% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Investment (gross fixed):

10.5% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 145

Budget:

revenues: $45.42 billion

expenditures: $49.96 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

34.8% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 66 36.8% of GDP (2007 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 48 3.1% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

NA%

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

NA%

Stock of money:

$NA

Stock of quasi money:

$NA

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

sugar, tobacco, citrus, coffee, rice, potatoes, beans; livestock

Industries:

sugar, petroleum, tobacco, construction, nickel, steel, cement, agricultural machinery, pharmaceuticals

Industrial production growth rate:

1.9% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 107

Electricity - production:

16.89 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 74

Electricity - consumption:

13.93 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 73

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

52,630 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 61

Oil - consumption:

176,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 63

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 143

Oil - imports:

104,800 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 65

Oil - proved reserves:

124 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 64

Natural gas - production:

400 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 70

Natural gas - consumption:

400 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 97

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 178

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 185

Natural gas - proved reserves:

70.79 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 58

Current account balance:

-$2.58 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 142 $412 million (2007 est.)

Exports:

$3.68 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 120 $3.701 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

sugar, nickel, tobacco, fish, medical products, citrus, coffee

Exports - partners:

Canada 27.8%, China 26.6%, Spain 6.2%, Netherlands 5.5% (2008)

Imports:

$14.25 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 86 $10.08 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

petroleum, food, machinery and equipment, chemicals

Imports - partners:

Venezuela 30%, China 11.9%, Spain 10.1%, Canada 6.4%, US 6.3% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$4.047 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 85 $4.747 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$19.04 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 73 $16.79 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$11.24 billion (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 77

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$4.138 billion (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 59

Exchange rates:

Cuban pesos (CUP) per US dollar - 0.9259 (2008 est.), 0.9259 (2007), 0.9231 (2006)

note: Cuba has two currencies in circulation: the Cuban peso (CUP) and the convertible peso (CUC); in April 2005 the official exchange rate changed from $1 per CUC to $1.08 per CUC (0.93 CUC per $1) both for individuals and enterprises; individuals can buy 24 Cuban pesos (CUP) for each CUC sold or sell 25 Cuban pesos for each CUC bought; enterprises, however, must exchange CUP and CUC at a 1:1 ratio.

Communications ::Cuba

Telephones - main lines in use:

1.104 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 74

Telephones - mobile cellular:

331,700 (2008) country comparison to the world: 167

Telephone system:

general assessment: greater investment beginning in 1994 and the establishment of a new Ministry of Information Technology and Communications in 2000 has resulted in improvements in the system; wireless service is expensive and must be paid in convertible pesos, which effectively limits mobile cellular subscribership

domestic: national fiber-optic system under development; 95% of switches digitized by end of 2006; fixed telephone line density remains low at less than 10 per 100 inhabitants; domestic cellular service expanding but remains at only about 3 per 100 persons

international: country code - 53; fiber-optic cable laid to but not linked to US network; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region) (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 169, FM 55, shortwave 1 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

58 (1997)

Internet country code:

.cu

Internet hosts:

3,637 (2009) country comparison to the world: 138

Internet users:

1.45 million country comparison to the world: 77 note: private citizens are prohibited from buying computers or accessing the Internet without special authorization; foreigners may access the Internet in large hotels but are subject to firewalls; some Cubans buy illegal passwords on the black market or take advantage of public outlets to access limited email and the government-controlled "intranet" (2008)

Transportation ::Cuba

Airports:

136 (2009) country comparison to the world: 42

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 65

over 3,047 m: 7

2,438 to 3,047 m: 9

1,524 to 2,437 m: 17

914 to 1,523 m: 5

under 914 m: 27 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 71

914 to 1,523 m: 13

under 914 m: 58 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 41 km; oil 230 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 8,598 km country comparison to the world: 24 standard gauge: 8,322 km 1.435-m gauge (176 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 276 km 1.000-gauge

note: 4,533 km of the track is used by sugar plantations; 4,257 km is standard gauge; 276 km is narrow gauge (2006)

Roadways:

total: 60,858 km country comparison to the world: 73 paved: 29,820 km (includes 638 km of expressway)

unpaved: 31,038 km (2000)

Waterways:

240 km (2008) country comparison to the world: 95

Merchant marine:

total: 11 country comparison to the world: 111 by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 3, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 2

foreign-owned: 1 (Spain 1)

registered in other countries: 13 (Bahamas 1, Cyprus 1, Netherlands Antilles 1, Panama 10) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Cienfuegos, Havana, Matanzas

Military ::Cuba

Military branches:

Revolutionary Armed Forces (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias, FAR):
Revolutionary Army (ER; includes Territorial Militia Troops (Milicia
de Tropas de Territoriales, MTT)), Revolutionary Navy (Marina de
Guerra Revolucionaria, MGR; includes Marine Corps), Revolutionary
Air and Air Defense Force (DAAFAR), Youth Labor Army (Ejercito
Juvenil del Trabajo, EJT) (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

17-28 years of age for compulsory military service; 2-year service obligation; both sexes subject to military service (2006)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 3,094,388

females age 16-49: 3,024,876 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 2,532,495

females age 16-49: 2,468,631 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 75,969

female: 72,253 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

3.8% of GDP (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 32

Military - note:

the collapse of the Soviet Union deprived the Cuban Army of its major economic and logistic support and had a significant impact on equipment numbers and serviceability; the army remains well trained and professional in nature; while the lack of replacement parts for its existing equipment and the current severe shortage of fuel have increasingly affected operational capabilities, Cuba remains able to offer considerable resistance to any regional power (2008)

Transnational Issues ::Cuba

Disputes - international:

US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay is leased to US and only mutual agreement or US abandonment of the facility can terminate the lease

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Cuba is principally a source country for women and children trafficked within the country for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation and possibly for forced labor; the country is a destination for sex tourism including child sex tourism, which is a problem in many areas of the country; some Cuban nationals willingly migrate to the United States but are subsequently exploited for forced labor by their smugglers; Cuba is also a transit point for the smuggling of migrants from China, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Lebanon, and other nations to the United States and Canada

tier rating: Tier 3 - Cuba does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; exact information about trafficking in Cuba is difficult to obtain because the government does not acknowledge or condemn human trafficking as a problem in Cuba; tangible efforts to prosecute offenders, protect victims, or prevent human trafficking activity do not appear to have been made during 2007; Cuba has not ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2008)

Illicit drugs:

territorial waters and air space serve as transshipment zone for US- and European-bound drugs; established the death penalty for certain drug-related crimes in 1999 (2008)

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Cyprus (Europe)

Introduction ::Cyprus

Background:

A former British colony, Cyprus became independent in 1960 following years of resistance to British rule. Tensions between the Greek Cypriot majority and Turkish Cypriot minority came to a head in December 1963, when violence broke out in the capital of Nicosia. Despite the deployment of UN peacekeepers in 1964, sporadic intercommunal violence continued forcing most Turkish Cypriots into enclaves throughout the island. In 1974, a Greek Government-sponsored attempt to seize control of Cyprus was met by military intervention from Turkey, which soon controlled more than a third of the island. In 1983, the Turkish-held area declared itself the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" ("TRNC"), but it is recognized only by Turkey. The election of a new Cypriot president in 2008 served as the impetus for the UN to encourage both the Turkish and Cypriot Governments to reopen unification negotiations. In September 2008, the leaders of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities started negotiations under UN auspices aimed at reuniting the divided island. The entire island entered the EU on 1 May 2004, although the EU acquis - the body of common rights and obligations - applies only to the areas under direct government control, and is suspended in the areas administered by Turkish Cypriots. However, individual Turkish Cypriots able to document their eligibility for Republic of Cyprus citizenship legally enjoy the same rights accorded to other citizens of European Union states.

Geography ::Cyprus

Location:

Middle East, island in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Turkey

Geographic coordinates:

35 00 N, 33 00 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 9,251 sq km (of which 3,355 sq km are in north Cyprus) country comparison to the world: 170 land: 9,241 sq km

water: 10 sq km

Area - comparative:

about 0.6 times the size of Connecticut

Land boundaries:

total: 150.4 km (approximately)

border sovereign base areas: Akrotiri 47.4 km, Dhekelia 103 km (approximately)

Coastline:

648 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:

temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters

Terrain:

central plain with mountains to north and south; scattered but significant plains along southern coast

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m

highest point: Mount Olympus 1,951 m

Natural resources:

copper, pyrites, asbestos, gypsum, timber, salt, marble, clay earth pigment

Land use:

arable land: 10.81%

permanent crops: 4.32%

other: 84.87% (2005)

Irrigated land:

400 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

0.4 cu km (2005)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.21 cu km/yr (27%/1%/71%)

per capita: 250 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

moderate earthquake activity; droughts

Environment - current issues:

water resource problems (no natural reservoir catchments, seasonal disparity in rainfall, sea water intrusion to island's largest aquifer, increased salination in the north); water pollution from sewage and industrial wastes; coastal degradation; loss of wildlife habitats from urbanization

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea (after Sicily and Sardinia)

People ::Cyprus

Population:

796,740 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 159

Age structure:

0-14 years: 19.1% (male 77,959/female 74,591)

15-64 years: 68.5% (male 276,890/female 269,267)

65 years and over: 12.3% (male 42,961/female 55,072) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 35.5 years

male: 34.5 years

female: 36.6 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.519% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 154

Birth rate:

12.57 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 161

Death rate:

7.8 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 113

Net migration rate:

0.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 66

Urbanization:

urban population: 70% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 6.6 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 174 male: 8.14 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 78.33 years country comparison to the world: 45 male: 75.91 years

female: 80.86 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.77 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 162

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.1% (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 143

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

fewer than 1,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 142

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Cypriot(s)

adjective: Cypriot

Ethnic groups:

Greek 77%, Turkish 18%, other 5% (2001)

Religions:

Greek Orthodox 78%, Muslim 18%, other (includes Maronite and
Armenian Apostolic) 4%

Languages:

Greek, Turkish, English

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 97.6%

male: 98.9%

female: 96.3% (2001 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 14 years

male: 13 years

female: 14 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

6.3% of GDP (2004) country comparison to the world: 35

Government ::Cyprus

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Cyprus

conventional short form: Cyprus

local long form: Kypriaki Dimokratia/Kibris Cumhuriyeti

local short form: Kypros/Kibris

note: the Turkish Cypriot community, which administers the northern part of the island, refers to itself as the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" ("TRNC")

Government type:

republic

note: a separation of the two ethnic communities inhabiting the island began following the outbreak of communal strife in 1963; this separation was further solidified after the Turkish intervention in July 1974 that followed a Greek junta-supported coup attempt gave the Turkish Cypriots de facto control in the north; Greek Cypriots control the only internationally recognized government; on 15 November 1983 Turkish Cypriot "President" Rauf DENKTASH declared independence and the formation of a "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" ("TRNC"), which is recognized only by Turkey

Capital:

name: Nicosia (Lefkosia)

geographic coordinates: 35 10 N, 33 22 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

6 districts; Famagusta, Kyrenia, Larnaca, Limassol, Nicosia, Paphos; note - Turkish Cypriot area's administrative divisions include Kyrenia, all but a small part of Famagusta, and small parts of Nicosia (Lefkosia)

Independence:

16 August 1960 (from the UK); note - Turkish Cypriots proclaimed self-rule on 13 February 1975 and independence in 1983, but these proclamations are only recognized by Turkey

National holiday:

Independence Day, 1 October (1960); note - Turkish Cypriots celebrate 15 November (1983) as Independence Day

Constitution:

16 August 1960

note: from December 1963, the Turkish Cypriots no longer participated in the government; negotiations to create the basis for a new or revised constitution to govern the island and for better relations between Greek and Turkish Cypriots have been held intermittently since the mid-1960s; in 1975, following the 1974 Turkish intervention, Turkish Cypriots created their own constitution and governing bodies within the "Turkish Federated State of Cyprus," which became the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC)" when the Turkish Cypriots declared their independence in 1983; a new constitution for the "TRNC" passed by referendum on 5 May 1985, although the "TRNC" remains unrecognized by any country other than Turkey

Legal system:

based on English common law, with civil law modifications; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Demetris CHRISTOFIAS (since 28 February 2008); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government; post of vice president is currently vacant; under the 1960 constitution, the post is reserved for a Turkish Cypriot

head of government: President Demetris CHRISTOFIAS (since 28 February 2008)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed jointly by the president and vice president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 17 and 24 February 2008 (next to be held in February 2013)

election results: Demetris CHRISTOFIAS elected president; percent of vote (first round) - Ioannis KASOULIDES 33.5%, Demetris CHRISTOFIAS 33.3%, Tassos PAPADOPOULOS 31.8%; (second round) Demetris CHRISTOFIAS 53.4%, Ioannis KASOULIDES 46.6%

note: Mehmet Ali TALAT became "president" of the "TRNC", 24 April 2005, after "presidential" elections on 17 April 2005; results - Mehmet Ali TALAT 55.6%, Dervis EROGLU 22.7%; Ferdi Sabit SOYER is "TRNC prime minister" and heads the Council of Ministers (cabinet) in coalition with "Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister" Turgay AVCI

Legislative branch:

unicameral - area under government control: House of Representatives or Vouli Antiprosopon (80 seats; 56 assigned to the Greek Cypriots, 24 to Turkish Cypriots; note - only those assigned to Greek Cypriots are filled; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); area administered by Turkish Cypriots: Assembly of the Republic or Cumhuriyet Meclisi (50 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: area under government control: last held 21 May 2006 (next to be held in 2010); area administered by Turkish Cypriots: last held 19 April 2009 (next to be held in 2014)

election results: area under government control: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - AKEL 31.1%, DISY 30.3%, DIKO 17.9%, EDEK 8.9%, EURO.KO 5.8%, Greens 2.0%; seats by party - AKEL 18, DISY 18, DIKO 11, EDEK 4, EURO.KO 4, Greens 1; area administered by Turkish Cypriots: Assembly of the Republic - percent of vote by party - UBP 44.1%, CTP 29.3%, DP 10.6%, other 16%; seats by party - UBP 26, CTP 15, DP 5, other 4

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (judges are appointed jointly by the president and vice president)

note: there is also a Supreme Court in the area administered by Turkish Cypriots

Political parties and leaders:

area under government control: Democratic Party or DIKO [Marios KAROYIAN]; Democratic Rally or DISY [Nikos ANASTASIADES]; European Party or EURO.KO [Demetris SYLLOURIS]; Fighting Democratic Movement or ADIK [Dinos MIKHAILIDES]; Green Party of Cyprus [George PERDIKIS]; Movement for Social Democrats or EDEK [Yiannakis OMIROU]; Progressive Party of the Working People or AKEL (Communist Party) [Andros KYPRIANOU]; United Democrats or EDI [Michalis PAPAPETROU]

area administered by Turkish Cypriots: Centrist Party or HP [Rasit
PERTEV]; Communal Democracy Party or TDP [Mehmet CAKICIL]; Cyprus
Socialist Party or KSP [Yusuf ALKIM]; Democratic Party or DP [Serder
DENKTASH]; Freedom and Reform Party or ORP [Turgay AVCI]; National
Unity Party or UBP [Dervis EROGLU]; Nationalist Justice Party or MAP
[Ata TEPE]; New Cyprus Party or YKP [Murat KANATLI]; Politics for
the People Party or HIS [Ahmet YONLUER]; Republican Turkish Party or
CTP [Ferdi Sabit SOYER]; United Cyprus Party or BKP [Izzet IZCAN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Confederation of Cypriot Workers or SEK (pro-West); Confederation of
Revolutionary Labor Unions or Dev-Is; Federation of Turkish Cypriot
Labor Unions or Turk-Sen; Pan-Cyprian Labor Federation or PEO
(Communist controlled)

International organization participation:

Australia Group, C, CE, EBRD, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICCt, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM (guest), NSG, OAS (observer),
OIF (associate member), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,
UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Andreas KAKOURIS

chancery: 2211 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 462-5772, 462-0873

FAX: [1] (202) 483-6710

consulate(s) general: New York

note: representative of the Turkish Cypriot community in the US is Hilmi AKIL; office at 1667 K Street NW, Washington, DC; telephone [1] (202) 887-6198

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Frank C. URBANCIC, Jr.

embassy: corner of Metochiou and Ploutarchou Streets, 2407 Engomi, Nicosia

mailing address: P. O. Box 24536, 1385 Nicosia

telephone: [357] (22) 393939

FAX: [357] (22) 780944

Flag description:

white with a copper-colored silhouette of the island (the name Cyprus is derived from the Greek word for copper) above two green crossed olive branches in the center of the flag; the branches symbolize the hope for peace and reconciliation between the Greek and Turkish communities

note: the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" flag has a white field with narrow horizontal red stripes positioned a small distance from the top and bottom edges between which is centered a red crescent and a red five-pointed star

Economy ::Cyprus

Economy - overview:

The area of the Republic of Cyprus under government control has a market economy dominated by the service sector, which accounts for 78% of GDP. Tourism, financial services, and real estate are the most important sectors. Erratic growth rates over the past decade reflect the economy's reliance on tourism, which often fluctuates with political instability in the region and economic conditions in Western Europe. Nevertheless, the economy in the area under government control has grown at a rate well above the EU average since 2000. Cyprus joined the European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM2) in May 2005 and adopted the euro as its national currency on 1 January 2008. An aggressive austerity program in the preceding years, aimed at paving the way for the euro, helped turn a soaring fiscal deficit (6.3% in 2003) into a surplus of 1.2% in 2008, and reduced inflation to 5.1%. This prosperity will come under pressure in 2009, as construction and tourism slow in the face of reduced foreign demand triggered by the ongoing global financial crisis. Growth is expected to slow to less than 2%, which would be its lowest level since 2003. As in the area administered by Turkish Cypriots, water shortages are a perennial problem; a few desalination plants have been added to existing plants over the last year and are now on line. After 10 years of drought, the country received substantial rainfall from 2001-04. Since then, rainfall has been well below average, making water rationing a necessity.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$22.76 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 115 $21.94 billion (2007 est.)

$21.02 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$24.92 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

3.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 106 4.4% (2007 est.)

4.1% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$21,300 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 58 $20,900 (2007 est.)

$20,400 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 2.1%

industry: 19.6%

services: 78.3% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

397,000 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 155

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 8.5%

industry: 20.5%

services: 71% (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate:

3.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 42 3.9% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

29 (2005) country comparison to the world: 118

Investment (gross fixed):

23.3% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 64

Budget:

revenues:: $11.19 billion

expenditures:: $10.96 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

49.1% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 37 74.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

4.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 81 2.4% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

3% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 98 5% (31 December 2007)

note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro area

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

7.19% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 124 6.74% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$4.094 billion (31 December 2007)

note: this figure represents the US dollar value of Cypriot pounds in circulation prior to Cyprus joining the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); see entry for the European Union for money supply in the euro area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 16 members of the EMU; individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money and quasi money circulating within their own borders

Stock of quasi money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$43.93 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$80.68 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 42 $52.09 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 63 $29.48 billion (31 December 2007)

$15.9 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

citrus, vegetables, barley, grapes, olives, vegetables; poultry, pork, lamb; dairy, cheese

Industries:

tourism, food and beverage processing, cement and gypsum production, ship repair and refurbishment, textiles, light chemicals, metal products, wood, paper, stone, and clay products

Industrial production growth rate:

4.1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 64

Electricity - production:

4.502 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 115

Electricity - consumption:

4.277 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 115

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 184

Oil - consumption:

59,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 94

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 192

Oil - imports:

58,930 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 83

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl country comparison to the world: 182

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 191

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 192

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 191

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 182

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 189

Current account balance:

-$4.479 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 156 -$2.595 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$1.906 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 133 $1.483 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

citrus, potatoes, pharmaceuticals, cement, and clothing

Exports - partners:

Greece 20.1%, UK 10.8%, Germany 6% (2008)

Imports:

$10.54 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 91 $7.957 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

consumer goods, petroleum and lubricants, intermediate goods, machinery, transport equipment

Imports - partners:

Greece 16.9%, Italy 10.7%, UK 8.7%, Germany 8.3%, Israel 8.2%, China 5.3%, Netherlands 4.1%, France 4% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$1.003 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 127 $6.507 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$32.86 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 62 $26.97 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$15.69 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 69 $13.83 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$7.097 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 50 $5.591 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008 est.), Cypriot pounds (CYP) per US dollar - 0.4286 (2007), 0.4586 (2006), 0.4641 (2005), 0.4686 (2004)

Economy of the area administered by Turkish Cypriots:

Economy - overview: The Turkish Cypriot economy has roughly 40% of the per capita GDP of the south, and economic growth tends to be volatile, given the north's relative isolation, bloated public sector, reliance on the Turkish lira, and small market size. Agriculture and services, together, employ more than half of the work force. The Turkish Cypriot economy grew around 10.6% in 2006, fueled by growth in the construction and education sectors, as well as increased employment of Turkish Cypriots in the area under government control. GDP declined about 2.0% in 2007. The Turkish Cypriots are heavily dependent on transfers from the Turkish Government. Ankara directly finances about one-third of the "TRNC's" budget. Aid from Turkey has exceeded $400 million annually in recent years. The Turkish Cypriot economy probably will experience a sharp slowdown in 2008-2009 due to the global financial crisis, because the Turkish Cypriot financial sector is dominated by mainland Turkish banks, and because of its reliance on British and Turkish tourism, which has declined due to the recession.

GDP (purchasing power parity): $1.829 billion (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: -2% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita: $11,700 (2007 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 8.6%, industry: 22.5%, services: 69.1% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 95,030 (2007 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 14.5%, industry: 29%, services: 56.5% (2004)

Unemployment rate: 9.4% (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line: %NA

Inflation rate: 11.4% (2006)

Budget: revenues: $2.5 billion, expenditures: $2.5 billion (2006)

Agriculture - products: citrus fruit, dairy, potatoes, grapes, olives, poultry, lamb

Industries: foodstuffs, textiles, clothing, ship repair, clay, gypsum, copper, furniture

Industrial production growth rate: -0.3% (2007 est.)

Electricity production: 998.9 million kWh (2005)

Electricity consumption: 797.9 million kWh (2005)

Exports: $68.1 million, f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Export - commodities: citrus, dairy, potatoes, textiles

Export - partners: Turkey 40%; direct trade between the area administered by Turkish Cypriots and the area under government control remains limited

Imports: $1.2 billion, f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Import - commodities: vehicles, fuel, cigarettes, food, minerals, chemicals, machinery

Import - partners: Turkey 60%; direct trade between the area administered by Turkish Cypriots and the area under government control remains limited

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $NA

Debt - external: $NA

Currency (code): Turkish new lira (YTL)

Exchange rates: Turkish new lira per US dollar: 1.319 (2007) 1.4286 (2006) 1.3436 (2005) 1.4255 (2004) 1.5009 (2003)

Communications ::Cyprus

Telephones - main lines in use:

area under government control: 413,300 (2008); area administered by Turkish Cypriots: 86,228 (2002) country comparison to the world: 102

Telephones - mobile cellular:

area under government control: 1.017 million (2008); area administered by Turkish Cypriots: 147,522 (2002) country comparison to the world: 143

Telephone system:

general assessment: excellent in both area under government control and area administered by Turkish Cypriots

domestic: open-wire, fiber-optic cable, and microwave radio relay

international: country code - 357 (area administered by Turkish Cypriots uses the country code of Turkey - 90); a number of submarine cables, including the SEA-ME-WE-3, combine to provide connectivity to Western Europe, the Middle East, and Asia; tropospheric scatter; satellite earth stations - 8 (3 Intelsat - 1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean, 2 Eutelsat, 2 Intersputnik, and 1 Arabsat)

Radio broadcast stations:

area under government control: AM 5, FM 76, shortwave 0

area administered by Turkish Cypriots: AM 1, FM 20, shortwave 1 (2004)

Television broadcast stations:

area under government control: 8

area administered by Turkish Cypriots: 2 (plus 4 relay) (2004)

Internet country code:

.cy

Internet hosts:

185,451 (2009) country comparison to the world: 63

Internet users:

334,400 (2008) country comparison to the world: 121

Transportation ::Cyprus

Airports:

15 (2009) country comparison to the world: 144

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 13

2,438 to 3,047 m: 6

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 2

under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Heliports:

9 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 14,630 km (area under government control: 12,280 km; area administered by Turkish Cypriots: 2,350 km) country comparison to the world: 123 paved: area under government control: 7,979 km (includes 257 km of expressways); area administered by Turkish Cypriots: 1,370 km

unpaved: area under government control: 4,301 km; area administered by Turkish Cypriots: 980 km (2006)

Merchant marine:

total: 858 country comparison to the world: 13 by type: bulk carrier 295, cargo 182, chemical tanker 63, container 193, liquefied gas 10, passenger 5, passenger/cargo 24, petroleum tanker 58, refrigerated cargo 10, roll on/roll off 12, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 5

foreign-owned: 690 (Austria 1, Belgium 2, Canada 2, Chile 1, China 10, Cuba 1, Denmark 4, Estonia 5, Germany 189, Greece 259, Hong Kong 2, India 2, Iran 10, Ireland 3, Israel 4, Italy 7, Japan 21, South Korea 1, Latvia 1, Lebanon 1, Netherlands 22, Norway 18, Philippines 1, Poland 18, Portugal 1, Russia 50, Singapore 3, Slovenia 4, Spain 6, Sweden 2, Syria 2, Ukraine 4, UAE 9, UK 19, US 5)

registered in other countries: 256 (Antigua and Barbuda 18, Bahamas 25, Belize 1, Burma 1, Cambodia 7, Comoros 1, Georgia 1, Germany 2, Gibraltar 1, Greece 7, Liberia 63, Malta 31, Marshall Islands 37, Netherlands 8, Netherlands Antilles 21, Panama 19, Poland 1, Russia 2, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Samoa 1, Singapore 1, Tonga 1, Turkey 2, UK 2, unknown 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

area under government control: Larnaca, Limassol, Vasilikos;; area administered by Turkish Cypriots: Famagusta, Kyrenia

Military ::Cyprus

Military branches:

Republic of Cyprus: Greek Cypriot National Guard (Ethniki Forea, EF; includes naval and air elements); northern Cyprus: Turkish Cypriot Security Force (GKK) (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

Greek Cypriot National Guard (GCNG): 18-50 years of age for compulsory military service for all Greek Cypriot males; 17 years of age for voluntary service; women may volunteer for a 3-year term; length of normal service is 25 months (2009)

Manpower available for military service:

Greek Cypriot National Guard (GCNG):

males age 16-49: 199,767

females age 16-49: 190,665 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

Greek Cypriot National Guard (GCNG):

males age 16-49: 165,615

females age 16-49: 159,362 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 6,241

female: 5,979 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

3.8% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 34

Transnational Issues ::Cyprus

Disputes - international:

hostilities in 1974 divided the island into two de facto autonomous entities, the internationally recognized Cypriot Government and a Turkish-Cypriot community (north Cyprus); the 1,000-strong UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) has served in Cyprus since 1964 and maintains the buffer zone between north and south; on 1 May 2004, Cyprus entered the European Union still divided, with the EU's body of legislation and standards (acquis communitaire) suspended in the north; Turkey protests Cypriot Government creating hydrocarbon blocks and maritime boundary with Lebanon in March 2007

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

IDPs: 210,000 (both Turkish and Greek Cypriots; many displaced for over 30 years) (2007)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Cyprus is primarily a destination country for a large number of women trafficked from Eastern and Central Europe, the Philippines, and the Dominican Republic for the purpose of sexual exploitation; traffickers continued to fraudulently recruit victims for work as dancers in cabarets and nightclubs on short-term "artiste" visas, for work in pubs and bars on employment visas, or for illegal work on tourist or student visas

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Cyprus is on the Tier 2 Watch List for a third consecutive year for failure to show evidence of increasing efforts to combat human trafficking during 2007; although Cyprus passed a new trafficking law and opened a government trafficking shelter, these efforts are outweighed by its failure to show tangible and critically needed progress in the areas of law enforcement, victim protection, and the prevention of trafficking (2008)

Illicit drugs:

minor transit point for heroin and hashish via air routes and container traffic to Europe, especially from Lebanon and Turkey; some cocaine transits as well; despite a strengthening of anti-money-laundering legislation, remains vulnerable to money laundering; reporting of suspicious transactions in offshore sector remains weak (2008)

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Czech Republic (Europe)

Introduction ::Czech Republic

Background:

Following the First World War, the closely related Czechs and Slovaks of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire merged to form Czechoslovakia. During the interwar years, the new country's leaders were frequently preoccupied with meeting the demands of other ethnic minorities within the republic, most notably the Sudeten Germans and the Ruthenians (Ukrainians). After World War II, a truncated Czechoslovakia fell within the Soviet sphere of influence. In 1968, an invasion by Warsaw Pact troops ended the efforts of the country's leaders to liberalize Communist party rule and create "socialism with a human face." Anti-Soviet demonstrations the following year ushered in a period of harsh repression. With the collapse of Soviet authority in 1989, Czechoslovakia regained its freedom through a peaceful "Velvet Revolution." On 1 January 1993, the country underwent a "velvet divorce" into its two national components, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The Czech Republic joined NATO in 1999 and the European Union in 2004.

Geography ::Czech Republic

Location:

Central Europe, between Germany, Poland, Slovikia, and Austria

Geographic coordinates:

49 45 N, 15 30 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 78,867 sq km country comparison to the world: 115 land: 77,247 sq km

water: 1,620 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than South Carolina

Land boundaries:

total: 1,989 km

border countries: Austria 362 km, Germany 815 km, Poland 615 km, Slovakia 197 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters

Terrain:

Bohemia in the west consists of rolling plains, hills, and plateaus surrounded by low mountains; Moravia in the east consists of very hilly country

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Elbe River 115 m

highest point: Snezka 1,602 m

Natural resources:

hard coal, soft coal, kaolin, clay, graphite, timber

Land use:

arable land: 38.82%

permanent crops: 3%

other: 58.18% (2005)

Irrigated land:

240 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

16 cu km (2005)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 1.91 cu km/yr (41%/57%/2%)

per capita: 187 cu m/yr (2002)

Natural hazards:

flooding

Environment - current issues:

air and water pollution in areas of northwest Bohemia and in northern Moravia around Ostrava present health risks; acid rain damaging forests; efforts to bring industry up to EU code should improve domestic pollution

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands,
Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

landlocked; strategically located astride some of oldest and most significant land routes in Europe; Moravian Gate is a traditional military corridor between the North European Plain and the Danube in central Europe

People ::Czech Republic

Population:

10,211,904 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 80

Age structure:

0-14 years: 13.6% (male 712,045/female 673,657)

15-64 years: 71% (male 3,641,887/female 3,604,044)

65 years and over: 15.5% (male 623,882/female 956,389) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 40.1 years

male: 38.6 years

female: 41.9 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.094% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 213

Birth rate:

8.83 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 215

Death rate:

10.74 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 52

Net migration rate:

0.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 57

Urbanization:

urban population: 73% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 0% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female

total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 3.79 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 211 male: 4.13 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 3.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 76.81 years country comparison to the world: 61 male: 73.54 years

female: 80.28 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.24 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 214

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 161

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

1,500 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 139

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 10 (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 154

Nationality:

noun: Czech(s)

adjective: Czech

Ethnic groups:

Czech 90.4%, Moravian 3.7%, Slovak 1.9%, other 4% (2001 census)

Religions:

Roman Catholic 26.8%, Protestant 2.1%, other 3.3%, unspecified 8.8%, unaffiliated 59% (2001 census)

Languages:

Czech 94.9%, Slovak 2%, other 2.3%, unidentified 0.8% (2001 census)

Literacy:

definition: NA

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 15 years

male: 15 years

female: 15 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

4.4% of GDP (2004) country comparison to the world: 94

Government ::Czech Republic

Country name:

conventional long form: Czech Republic

conventional short form: Czech Republic

local long form: Ceska Republika

local short form: Cesko

Government type:

parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Prague

geographic coordinates: 50 05 N, 14 28 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

13 regions (kraje, singular - kraj) and 1 capital city* (hlavni mesto); Jihocesky (South Bohemia), Jihomoravsky (South Moravia), Karlovarsky, Kralovehradecky, Liberecky, Moravskoslezsky (Moravia-Silesia), Olomoucky, Pardubicky, Plzensky (Pilsen), Praha (Prague)*, Stredocesky (Central Bohemia), Ustecky, Vysocina, Zlinsky

Independence:

1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia)

National holiday:

Czech Founding Day, 28 October (1918)

Constitution:

ratified 16 December 1992, effective 1 January 1993; amended 1997, 2000, 2001 (twice), 2002

Legal system:

civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes; legal code modified to bring it in line with Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) obligations and to expunge Marxist-Leninist legal theory

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Vaclav KLAUS (since 7 March 2003)

head of government: Prime Minister Jan FISCHER (since 9 April 2009);
Deputy Prime Ministers Petr NECAS (since 9 January 2007), Martin
BURSIK (since 9 January 2007), and Vlasta PARKANOVA (since 23
January 2008)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister

elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); last successful election held 15 February 2008 (after earlier elections held 8 and 9 February 2008 were inconclusive; next election to be held in 2013); prime minister appointed by the president

election results: Vaclav KLAUS reelected president on 15 February 2008; Vaclav KLAUS 141 votes, Jan SVEJNAR 111 votes (third round; combined votes of both chambers of parliament)

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the Senate or Senat (81 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms; one-third elected every two years) and the Chamber of Deputies or Poslanecka Snemovna (200 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held in two rounds 17-18 and 24-25 October 2008 (next to be held by October 2010); Chamber of Deputies - last held 2-3 June 2006 (next to be held by June 2010)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ODS 36, CSSD 29, KDU-CSL 7, Open Democracy Club 6, others 3; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - ODS 35.4%, CSSD 32.3%, KSCM 12.8%, KDU-CSL 7.2%, Greens 6.3%, other 6%; seats by party - ODS 81, CSSD 74, KSCM 26, KDU-CSL 13, Greens 6; note - seats by party as of December 2008 - ODS 79, CSSD 71, KSCM 26, KDU-CSL 13, Greens 4, unaffiliated 7 (former CSSD, ODS, and Green Party members)

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court; Constitutional Court; chairman and deputy chairmen are appointed by the president for a 10-year term

Political parties and leaders:

Association of Independent Candidates-European Democrats or SNK-ED
[Helmut DOHNALEK]; Christian Democratic Union-Czechoslovak People's
Party or KDU-CSL [Jiri CUNEK]; Civic Democratic Party or ODS [Mirek
TOPOLANEK]; Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia or KSCM [Vojtech
FILIP]; Czech Social Democratic Party or CSSD [Jiri PAROUBEK]; Free
Citizens' Party or SSO [Petr MACH]; Green Party [Martin BURSIK];
Independent Democrats (NEZDEM) [Vladimir ZELEZNY]; Party of Open
Society (SOS) [Pavel NOVACEK]; Path of Change [Jiri LOBKOWITZ];
Union of Freedom-Democratic Union or US-DEU [Jan CERNY]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Czech-Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions or CMKOS [Milan STECH]

International organization participation:

ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CE, CEI,
CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA (cooperating state), EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA,
MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF
(observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate),
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Petr KOLAR

chancery: 3900 Spring of Freedom Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 274-9100

FAX: [1] (202) 966-8540

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Richard W. GRABER

embassy: Trziste 15, 118 01 Prague 1

mailing address: use embassy street address

telephone: [420] 257 022 000

FAX: [420] 257 022 809

Flag description:

two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side

note: identical to the flag of the former Czechoslovakia

Economy ::Czech Republic

Economy - overview:

The Czech Republic is one of the most stable and prosperous of the post-Communist states of Central and Eastern Europe. Maintaining an open investment climate has been a key element of the Czech Republic's transition from a communist, centrally planned economy to a functioning market economy. As a member of the European Union, with an advantageous location in the center of Europe, a relatively low cost structure, and a well-qualified labor force, the Czech Republic is an attractive destination for foreign investment. Prior to its EU accession in 2004, the Czech government harmonized its laws and regulations with those of the European Union. The government plans to meet the criteria for joining the euro area around 2012. The small, open, export-driven Czech economy grew by over 6% annually from 2005-2007 and strong growth continued throughout the first three quarters of 2008. Despite the global financial crisis, the conservative Czech financial system has remained relatively healthy. The rate of Czech economic growth, however, fell in the fourth quarter of 2008, mainly due to a significant drop in demand for Czech exports in Western Europe. This trend is expected to continue, with many analysts predicting the Czech economy to contract slightly in 2009.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$264.8 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 43 $258.1 billion (2007 est.)

$243.2 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$216.4 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 138 6.1% (2007 est.)

6.8% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$25,900 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 51 $25,200 (2007 est.)

$23,800 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 2.3%

industry: 37.6%

services: 60.1% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

5.36 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 70

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 3.6%

industry: 40.2%

services: 56.2% (2007)

Unemployment rate:

5.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 65 6.6% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 4.3%

highest 10%: 22.4% (1996)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

26 (2005) country comparison to the world: 129 25.4 (1996)

Investment (gross fixed):

24% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 59

Budget:

revenues: $93.42 billion

expenditures: $96.09 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

26.8% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 78 33.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

6.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 107 2.9% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

2.25% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 128 3.5% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

6.25% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 134 5.79% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$86.55 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 14 $84.43 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$58.6 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 27 $58.77 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$110.5 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 37 $103.9 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$48.85 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 53 $73.42 billion (31 December 2007)

$48.6 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

wheat, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit; pigs, poultry

Industries:

motor vehicles, metallurgy, machinery and equipment, glass, armaments

Industrial production growth rate:

3.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 69

Electricity - production:

82.72 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 34

Electricity - consumption:

61.65 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 39

Electricity - exports:

19.99 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

8.52 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

16,080 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 77

Oil - consumption:

212,800 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 56

Oil - exports:

22,560 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 88

Oil - imports:

213,900 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 46

Oil - proved reserves:

15 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 84

Natural gas - production:

192 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 75

Natural gas - consumption:

8.719 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 49

Natural gas - exports:

968 million cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 35

Natural gas - imports:

9.573 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 24

Natural gas - proved reserves:

3.964 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 92

Current account balance:

-$6.642 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 165 -$5.655 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$145.7 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 31 $122.7 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

machinery and transport equipment 52%, raw materials and fuel 9%, chemicals 5% (2003)

Exports - partners:

Germany 30.6%, Slovakia 9.2%, Poland 6.5%, France 5.3%, UK 4.8%,
Austria 4.7%, Italy 4.6% (2008)

Imports:

$139.4 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 30 $116.8 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and transport equipment 46%, raw materials and fuels 15%, chemicals 10% (2003)

Imports - partners:

Germany 30.3%, Slovakia 6.6%, Poland 6.4%, Russia 6.2%, Netherlands 5.6%, Austria 5.2%, China 4.9%, Italy 4.1% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$36.68 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 35 $34.59 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$80.43 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 41 $76.04 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$111.9 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 31 $101.1 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$9.913 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 46 $6.971 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

koruny (CZK) per US dollar - 17.064 (2008), 20.53 (2007), 22.596 (2006), 23.957 (2005), 25.7 (2004)

Communications ::Czech Republic

Telephones - main lines in use:

2.278 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 54

Telephones - mobile cellular:

13.78 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 48

Telephone system:

general assessment: privatization and modernization of the Czech telecommunication system got a late start but is advancing steadily; access to the fixed-line telephone network expanded throughout the 1990s but the number of fixed line connections has been dropping since then; mobile telephone usage increased sharply beginning in the mid-1990s and the number of cellular telephone subscriptions now greatly exceeds the population

domestic: virtually all exchanges now digital; existing copper subscriber systems enhanced with Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) equipment to accommodate Internet and other digital signals; trunk systems include fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay

international: country code - 420; satellite earth stations - 6 (2 Intersputnik - Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions, 1 Intelsat, 1 Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat, 1 Globalstar) (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 31, FM 304, shortwave 17 (2000)

Television broadcast stations:

71 (2008)

Internet country code:

.cz

Internet hosts:

3.233 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 24

Internet users:

6.028 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 38

Transportation ::Czech Republic

Airports:

122 (2009) country comparison to the world: 48

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 44

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 9

1,524 to 2,437 m: 12

914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m: 18 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 78

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 27

under 914 m: 50 (2009)

Heliports:

1 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 7,010 km; oil 547 km; refined products 94 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 9,620 km country comparison to the world: 22 standard gauge: 9,521 km 1.435-m gauge (3,013 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 99 km 0.750-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 128,512 km country comparison to the world: 36 paved: 128,512 km (includes 657 km of expressways) (2007)

Waterways:

664 km (principally on Elbe, Vltava, Oder, and other navigable rivers, lakes, and canals) (2008) country comparison to the world: 77

Merchant marine:

registered in other countries: 1 (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2008) country comparison to the world: 150

Ports and terminals:

Decin, Prague, Usti nad Labem

Military ::Czech Republic

Military branches:

Army of the Czech Republic (ACR): Joint Forces Command (includes Land Forces and Air Forces), Support and Training Forces Command (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18-28 years of age for voluntary and 19-28 for compulsory military service (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 2,522,383

females age 16-49: 2,425,095 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 2,095,038

females age 16-49: 2,011,531 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 60,150

female: 57,157 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.46% of GDP (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 111

Transnational Issues ::Czech Republic

Disputes - international:

while threats of international legal action never materialized in 2007, 915,220 Austrians, with the support of the popular Freedom Party, signed a petition in January 2008, demanding that Austria block the Czech Republic's accession to the EU unless Prague closes its controversial Soviet-style nuclear plant in Temelin, bordering Austria

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and minor transit point for Latin American cocaine to Western Europe; producer of synthetic drugs for local and regional markets; susceptible to money laundering related to drug trafficking, organized crime; significant consumer of ecstasy (2008)

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Denmark (Europe)

Introduction ::Denmark

Background:

Once the seat of Viking raiders and later a major north European power, Denmark has evolved into a modern, prosperous nation that is participating in the general political and economic integration of Europe. It joined NATO in 1949 and the EEC (now the EU) in 1973. However, the country has opted out of certain elements of the European Union's Maastricht Treaty, including the European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), European defense cooperation, and issues concerning certain justice and home affairs.

Geography ::Denmark

Location:

Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, on a peninsula north of Germany (Jutland); also includes two major islands (Sjaelland and Fyn)

Geographic coordinates:

56 00 N, 10 00 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 43,094 sq km country comparison to the world: 133 land: 42,434 sq km

water: 660 sq km

note: includes the island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea and the rest of metropolitan Denmark (the Jutland Peninsula, and the major islands of Sjaelland and Fyn), but excludes the Faroe Islands and Greenland

Area - comparative:

slightly less than twice the size of Massachusetts

Land boundaries:

total: 68 km

border countries: Germany 68 km

Coastline:

7,314 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:

temperate; humid and overcast; mild, windy winters and cool summers

Terrain:

low and flat to gently rolling plains

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Lammefjord -7 m

highest point: Yding Skovhoej 173 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, natural gas, fish, salt, limestone, chalk, stone, gravel and sand

Land use:

arable land: 52.59%

permanent crops: 0.19%

other: 47.22% (2005)

Irrigated land:

4,490 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

6.1 cu km (2003)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.67 cu km/yr (32%/26%/42%)

per capita: 123 cu m/yr (2002)

Natural hazards:

flooding is a threat in some areas of the country (e.g., parts of Jutland, along the southern coast of the island of Lolland) that are protected from the sea by a system of dikes

Environment - current issues:

air pollution, principally from vehicle and power plant emissions; nitrogen and phosphorus pollution of the North Sea; drinking and surface water becoming polluted from animal wastes and pesticides

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

controls Danish Straits (Skagerrak and Kattegat) linking Baltic and North Seas; about one-quarter of the population lives in greater Copenhagen

People ::Denmark

Population:

5,500,510 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 110

Age structure:

0-14 years: 18.1% (male 511,882/female 485,782)

15-64 years: 65.8% (male 1,817,800/female 1,798,964)

65 years and over: 16.1% (male 387,142/female 498,940) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 40.5 years

male: 39.6 years

female: 41.3 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.28% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 174

Birth rate:

10.54 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 184

Death rate:

10.22 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 59

Net migration rate:

2.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 33

Urbanization:

urban population: 87% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 0.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 4.34 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 203 male: 4.39 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 78.3 years country comparison to the world: 46 male: 75.96 years

female: 80.78 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.74 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 165

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.2% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 103

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

4,800 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 124

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 100 (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 129

Nationality:

noun: Dane(s)

adjective: Danish

Ethnic groups:

Scandinavian, Inuit, Faroese, German, Turkish, Iranian, Somali

Religions:

Evangelical Lutheran 95%, other Christian (includes Protestant and
Roman Catholic) 3%, Muslim 2%

Languages:

Danish, Faroese, Greenlandic (an Inuit dialect), German (small minority)

note: English is the predominant second language

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 17 years

male: 16 years

female: 17 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

8.3% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 12

Government ::Denmark

Country name:

conventional long form: Kingdom of Denmark

conventional short form: Denmark

local long form: Kongeriget Danmark

local short form: Danmark

Government type:

constitutional monarchy

Capital:

name: Copenhagen

geographic coordinates: 55 40 N, 12 35 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

note: applies to continental Denmark only, not to its North Atlantic components

Administrative divisions:

metropolitan Denmark - 5 regions (regioner, singular - region); Hovedstaden, Midtjylland, Nordjylland, Sjaelland, Syddanmark

note: an extensive local government reform merged 271 municipalities into 98 and 13 counties into five regions, effective 1 January 2007

Independence:

first organized as a unified state in 10th century; in 1849 became a constitutional monarchy

National holiday:

none designated; Constitution Day, 5 June (1849) is generally viewed as the National Day

Constitution:

5 June 1953; note - constitution allowed for a unicameral legislature and a female chief of state

Legal system:

civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II (since 14 January 1972); Heir Apparent Crown Prince FREDERIK, elder son of the monarch (born 26 May 1968)

head of government: Prime Minister Lars Lokke RASMUSSEN (since 5 April 2009)

cabinet: Council of State appointed by the monarch

elections: the monarch is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch

Legislative branch:

unicameral People's Assembly or Folketing (179 seats, including 2 from Greenland and 2 from the Faroe Islands; members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms unless the Folketing is dissolved earlier)

elections: last held 13 November 2007 (next to be held in 2011)

election results: percent of vote by party - Liberal Party 26.2%, Social Democrats 25.5%, Danish People's Party 13.9%, Socialist People's Party 13.0%, Conservative People's Party 10.4%, Social Liberal Party 5.1%, New Alliance 2.8%, Red-Green Unity List 2.2%, other 0.9%; seats by party - Liberal Party 46, Social Democrats 45, Danish People's Party 25, Socialist People's Party 23, Conservative People's Party 18, Social Liberal Party 9, New Alliance 5, Red-Green Alliance 4; note - does not include the two seats from Greenland and the two seats from the Faroe Islands

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (judges are appointed for life by the monarch)

Political parties and leaders:

Christian Democrats [Bjarne Hartung KIRKEGAARD] (was Christian
People's Party); Conservative Party [Lene ESPERSEN] (sometimes known
as Conservative People's Party); Danish People's Party [Pia
KJAERSGAARD]; Liberal Party [Anders Fogh RASMUSSEN]; Liberal
Alliance [Naser KHADER](formerly known as New Alliance); Red-Green
Unity List (Alliance) [collective leadership] (bloc includes Left
Socialist Party, Communist Party of Denmark, Socialist Workers'
Party); Social Democratic Party [Helle THORNING-SCHMIDT]; Social
Liberal Party [Margrethe VESTAGER]; Socialist People's Party [Villy
SOEVNDAL]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Danish Free Press Society (freedom of speech); Danish National
Socialist Movement or DNSB [Jonni HANSEN] (neo-Nazi organization)

other: human rights groups

International organization participation:

ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council,
Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO,
G-9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO,
ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer),
OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO,
UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Friis Arne PETERSEN

chancery: 3200 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 234-4300

FAX: [1] (202) 328-1470

consulate(s) general: Chicago, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador James P. CAIN

embassy: Dag Hammarskjolds Alle 24, 2100 Copenhagen

mailing address: PSC 73, APO AE 09716

telephone: [45] 33 41 71 00

FAX: [45] 35 43 02 23

Flag description:

red with a white cross that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side; the banner is referred to as the Dannebrog (Danish flag) and is one of the oldest national flags in the world; traditions as to the origin of the flag design vary, but the best known is a legend that the banner fell from the sky during an early-13th century battle; caught up by the Danish king before it ever touched the earth, this heavenly talisman inspired the royal army to victory

note: the shifted design element was subsequently adopted by the other Nordic countries of Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden

Economy ::Denmark

Economy - overview:

This thoroughly modern market economy features high-tech agriculture, up-to-date small-scale and corporate industry, extensive government welfare measures, an equitable distribution of income, comfortable living standards, a stable currency, a stable political system, and high dependence on foreign trade. Unemployment is low and capacity constraints limit growth potential. Denmark is a net exporter of food and energy and enjoys a comfortable balance of payments surplus. The government has been successful in meeting, and even exceeding, the economic convergence criteria for participating in the third phase (a common European currency) of the European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), but so far Denmark has decided not to join 16 other EU members in the euro. Nonetheless, the Danish krone remains pegged to the euro. Denmark's fiscal position is among the strongest in the EU. Economic growth gained momentum in 2004 and the upturn continued through 2006. After a long consumption-driven upswing, Denmark's economy began slowing in early 2007 with the end of a housing boom. This cyclical slowdown has been exacerbated by the global financial crisis through increased borrowing costs and lower export demand, consumer confidence, and investment. The slowing global economy cut GDP by 1.2% in 2008. A major long-term issue will be the sharp decline in the ratio of workers to retirees.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$204.1 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 52 $206.6 billion (2007 est.)

$203.3 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$340 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

-1.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 209 1.6% (2007 est.)

3.3% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$37,200 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 30 $37,800 (2007 est.)

$37,300 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 1.3%

industry: 26.1%

services: 72.6% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

2.88 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 104

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 2.9%

industry: 23.8%

services: 72.7% (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate:

1.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 16 2.8% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2%

highest 10%: 24% (2000 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

24 (2005) country comparison to the world: 132 24.7 (1992)

Investment (gross fixed):

21.6% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 91

Budget:

revenues: $188.6 billion

expenditures: $176.3 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

33.5% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 68 42.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 42 1.7% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

3.5% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 126 4% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

NA

Stock of money:

$143 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 9 $148.7 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$95.82 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 23 $81.64 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$695.8 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 16 $684.7 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 31 $277.7 billion (31 December 2007)

$231 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

barley, wheat, potatoes, sugar beets; pork, dairy products; fish

Industries:

iron, steel, nonferrous metals, chemicals, food processing, machinery and transportation equipment, textiles and clothing, electronics, construction, furniture and other wood products, shipbuilding and refurbishment, windmills, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment

Industrial production growth rate:

-3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 161

Electricity - production:

36.92 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 57

Electricity - consumption:

35.79 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 56

Electricity - exports:

11.36 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

12.82 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

288,800 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 38

Oil - consumption:

181,100 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 61

Oil - exports:

287,100 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 43

Oil - imports:

153,800 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 56

Oil - proved reserves:

1.06 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 40

Natural gas - production:

10.09 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 42

Natural gas - consumption:

4.59 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 61

Natural gas - exports:

5.516 billion cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 26

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 89

Natural gas - proved reserves:

61.3 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 62

Current account balance:

$6.938 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 30 $2.378 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$114.9 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 35 $100.5 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

machinery and instruments, meat and meat products, dairy products, fish, pharmaceuticals, furniture, windmills

Exports - partners:

Germany 18%, Sweden 14.5%, UK 8.2%, Norway 5.7%, US 5.3%, France 4.8%, Netherlands 4.6% (2008)

Imports:

$116.4 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 31 $100.8 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, raw materials and semimanufactures for industry, chemicals, grain and foodstuffs, consumer goods

Imports - partners:

Germany 20.9%, Sweden 14%, Netherlands 6.7%, Norway 6.3%, China 5.7%, UK 5.1% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$42.32 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 31 $34.32 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$588.8 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 18 $567.4 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$142.7 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 24 $131.3 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$181.9 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 16 $153.3 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

Danish kroner (DKK) per US dollar - 5.0236 (2008 est.), 5.4797 (2007), 5.9468 (2006), 5.9969 (2005), 5.9911 (2004)

Communications ::Denmark

Telephones - main lines in use:

2.487 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 53

Telephones - mobile cellular:

6.551 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 75

Telephone system:

general assessment: excellent telephone and telegraph services

domestic: buried and submarine cables and microwave radio relay form trunk network, multiple cellular mobile communications systems

international: country code - 45; a series of fiber-optic submarine cables link Denmark with Canada, Faroe Islands, Germany, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and UK; satellite earth stations - 18 (6 Intelsat, 10 Eutelsat, 1 Orion, 1 Inmarsat (Blaavand-Atlantic-East)); note - the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) share the Danish earth station and the Eik, Norway, station for worldwide Inmarsat access (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 355, shortwave 0 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

172 (2008)

Internet country code:

.dk

Internet hosts:

3.991 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 19

Internet users:

4.579 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 44

Transportation ::Denmark

Airports:

92 (2009) country comparison to the world: 65

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 28

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 7

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 12

under 914 m: 3 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 64

914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m: 61 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 2,858 km; oil 107 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 2,667 km country comparison to the world: 63 standard gauge: 2,667 km 1.435-m gauge (640 km electrified) (2008)

Roadways:

total: 72,362 km country comparison to the world: 64 paved: 72,362 km (includes 1,032 km of expressways) (2006)

Waterways:

400 km (2008) country comparison to the world: 88

Merchant marine:

total: 327 country comparison to the world: 29 by type: bulk carrier 8, cargo 63, carrier 2, chemical tanker 78, container 84, liquefied gas 2, passenger/cargo 42, petroleum tanker 29, refrigerated cargo 7, roll on/roll off 8, specialized tanker 4

foreign-owned: 26 (Canada 1, Germany 1, Germany 9, Greece 4, Iceland 2, Norway 3, Sweden 6)

registered in other countries: 534 (Antigua and Barbuda 19, Bahamas 67, Belgium 4, Brazil 2, Cayman Islands 3, Cyprus 4, Egypt 1, Estonia 1, France 2, Germany 1, Gibraltar 7, Hong Kong 24, Isle of Man 29, Italy 3, Jamaica 2, Liberia 12, Lithuania 5, Luxembourg 1, Malta 30, Marshall Islands 10, Mexico 2, Netherlands 29, Netherlands Antilles 2, Norway 25, Panama 40, Portugal 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 16, Singapore 87, South Africa 1, Spain 2, Sweden 4, Togo 1, UAE 1, UK 62, US 31, Venezuela 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Aalborg, Aarhus, Copenhagen, Ensted, Esbjerg, Fredericia, Kalundborg

Military ::Denmark

Military branches:

Defense Command: Army Operational Command, Admiral Danish Fleet,
Island Command Greenland, Tactical Air Command, Home Guard (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscripts serve an initial training period that varies from 4 to 12 months according to specialization; reservists are assigned to mobilization units following completion of their conscript service; women eligible to volunteer for military service (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,235,067

females age 16-49: 1,215,418 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,013,223

females age 16-49: 998,837 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 37,231

female: 35,306 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.3% of GDP (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 125

Transnational Issues ::Denmark

Disputes - international:

Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe
Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm; Faroese continue
to study proposals for full independence; sovereignty dispute with
Canada over Hans Island in the Kennedy Channel between Ellesmere
Island and Greenland

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Dhekelia (Europe)

Introduction ::Dhekelia

Background:

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

Geography ::Dhekelia

Location:

Eastern Mediterranean, on the southeast coast of Cyprus near
Famagusta

Geographic coordinates:

34 59 N, 33 45 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 130.8 sq km country comparison to the world: 222 note: area surrounds three Cypriot enclaves

Area - comparative:

about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

total: 103 km (approximately)

border countries: Cyprus 103 km (approximately)

Coastline:

27.5 km

Climate:

temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters

Environment - current issues:

netting and trapping of small migrant songbirds in the spring and autumn

Geography - note:

British extraterritorial rights also extended to several small off-post sites scattered across Cyprus; of the Sovereign Base Area land 60% is privately owned and farmed, 20% is owned by the Ministry of Defense, and 20% is SBA Crown land

People ::Dhekelia

Population:

approximately 15,700 live on the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia including 7,700 Cypriots, 3,600 Service and UK Based Contract personnel, and 4,400 dependents country comparison to the world: 219

Languages:

English, Greek

Government ::Dhekelia

Country name:

conventional long form: Dhekelia Sovereign Base Area

conventional short form: Dhekelia

Dependency status:

a special form of UK overseas territory; administered by an administrator who is also the Commander, British Forces Cyprus

Capital:

name: Episkopi Cantonment (base administrative center for Akrotiri and Dhekelia); located in Akrotiri

geographic coordinates: 34 40 N, 32 51 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Constitution:

Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia Order in Council 1960, effective 16 August 1960, functions as a basic legal document

Legal system:

the Sovereign Base Area Administration has its own court system to deal with civil and criminal matters; laws applicable to the Cypriot population are, as far as possible, the same as the laws of the Republic of Cyprus

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)

head of government: Administrator Major General Jamie GORDON (since October 2008); note - reports to the British Ministry of Defense

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the administrator is appointed by the monarch

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description:

the flag of the UK is used

Economy ::Dhekelia

Economy - overview:

Economic activity is limited to providing services to the military and their families located in Dhekelia. All food and manufactured goods must be imported.

Industries:

none

Exchange rates:

euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008)

note: on 1 January 2008, Dhekelia and Akrotiri adopted the euro along with the rest of Cyprus

Communications ::Dhekelia

Radio broadcast stations:

AM NA, FM 1 (located in Akrotiri), shortwave NA (British Forces
Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides Radio 1 and Radio 2 service to
Akrotiri, Dhekelia, and Nicosia) (2006)

Television broadcast stations:

0 (British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides multi-channel satellite service to Akrotiri, Dhekelia, and Nicosia) (2006)

Military ::Dhekelia

Military - note:

includes Dhekelia Garrison and Ayios Nikolaos Station connected by a roadway

page last updated on July 2, 2009

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

@Djibouti (Africa)

Introduction ::Djibouti

Background:

The French Territory of the Afars and the Issas became Djibouti in 1977. Hassan Gouled APTIDON installed an authoritarian one-party state and proceeded to serve as president until 1999. Unrest among the Afars minority during the 1990s led to a civil war that ended in 2001 following the conclusion of a peace accord between Afar rebels and the Issa-dominated government. In 1999, Djibouti's first multi-party presidential elections resulted in the election of Ismail Omar GUELLEH; he was re-elected to a second and final term in 2005. Djibouti occupies a strategic geographic location at the mouth of the Red Sea and serves as an important transshipment location for goods entering and leaving the east African highlands. The present leadership favors close ties to France, which maintains a significant military presence in the country, but also has strong ties with the US. Djibouti hosts the only US military base in sub-Saharan Africa and is a front-line state in the global war on terrorism.

Geography ::Djibouti

Location:

Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, between
Eritrea and Somalia

Geographic coordinates:

11 30 N, 43 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 23,200 sq km country comparison to the world: 150 land: 23,180 sq km

water: 20 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Massachusetts

Land boundaries:

total: 516 km

border countries: Eritrea 109 km, Ethiopia 349 km, Somalia 58 km

Coastline:

314 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

desert; torrid, dry

Terrain:

coastal plain and plateau separated by central mountains

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Lac Assal -155 m

highest point: Moussa Ali 2,028 m

Natural resources:

geothermal areas, gold, clay, granite, limestone, marble, salt, diatomite, gypsum, pumice, petroleum

Land use:

arable land: 0.04%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 99.96% (2005)

Irrigated land:

10 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

0.3 cu km (1997)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.02 cu km/yr (84%/0%/16%)

per capita: 25 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

earthquakes; droughts; occasional cyclonic disturbances from the Indian Ocean bring heavy rains and flash floods

Environment - current issues:

inadequate supplies of potable water; limited arable land; desertification; endangered species

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

strategic location near world's busiest shipping lanes and close to Arabian oilfields; terminus of rail traffic into Ethiopia; mostly wasteland; Lac Assal (Lake Assal) is the lowest point in Africa

People ::Djibouti

Population:

516,055 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 168

Age structure:

0-14 years: 43.3% (male 112,135/female 111,343)

15-64 years: 53% (male 141,298/female 132,360)

65 years and over: 3.7% (male 9,502/female 9,417) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 18.1 years

male: 18.5 years

female: 17.8 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.903% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 66

Birth rate:

38.13 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 24

Death rate:

19.1 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 9

Net migration rate:

NA (2009 est.)

Urbanization:

urban population: 87% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 2.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female

total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 97.51 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 12 male: 104.98 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 89.82 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 43.37 years country comparison to the world: 217 male: 41.89 years

female: 44.89 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

5.06 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 28

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

3.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 22

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

16,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 83

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

1,100 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 71

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: malaria

note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Djiboutian(s)

adjective: Djiboutian

Ethnic groups:

Somali 60%, Afar 35%, other 5% (includes French, Arab, Ethiopian, and Italian)

Religions:

Muslim 94%, Christian 6%

Languages:

French (official), Arabic (official), Somali, Afar

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 67.9%

male: 78%

female: 58.4% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 4 years

male: 5 years

female: 4 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

8.4% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 11

Government ::Djibouti

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Djibouti

conventional short form: Djibouti

local long form: Republique de Djibouti/Jumhuriyat Jibuti

local short form: Djibouti/Jibuti

former: French Territory of the Afars and Issas, French Somaliland

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Djibouti

geographic coordinates: 11 35 N, 43 09 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

6 districts (cercles, singular - cercle); Ali Sabieh, Arta, Dikhil, Djibouti, Obock, Tadjourah

Independence:

27 June 1977 (from France)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 27 June (1977)

Constitution:

approved by referendum 4 September 1992; note - constitution allows for multiparties

Legal system:

based on French civil law system, traditional practices, and Islamic law; accepts ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Ismail Omar GUELLEH (since 8 May 1999)

head of government: Prime Minister Mohamed Dileita DILEITA (since 4 March 2001)

cabinet: Council of Ministers responsible to the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 8 April 2005 (next to be held by April 2011); prime minister appointed by the president

election results: Ismail Omar GUELLEH reelected president; percent of vote - Ismail Omar GUELLEH 100%

Legislative branch:

unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (65 seats; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms)

elections: last held 8 February 2008 (next to be held 2013)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats - UMP (coalition of parties associated with President Ismail Omar GUELLAH) 65

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Political parties and leaders:

Democratic National Party or PND [ADEN Robleh Awaleh]; Democratic
Renewal Party or PRD [Abdillahi HAMARITEH]; Djibouti Development
Party or PDD [Mohamed Daoud CHEHEM]; Front pour la Restauration de
l'Unite Democratique or FRUD [Ali Mohamed DAOUD]; People's Progress
Assembly or RPP [Ismail Omar GUELLEH] (governing party); Peoples
Social Democratic Party or PPSD [Moumin Bahdon FARAH]; Republican
Alliance for Democracy or ARD [Ahmed YOUSSOUF]; Union for a
Presidential Majority or UMP (a coalition of parties including RPP,
FRUD, PND, and PPSD) [Mohamed Dileita DILEITA]; Union for Democracy
and Justice or UDJ

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Union for Presidential Majority UMP (coalition includes RPP, FRUD, PPSD and PND); Union for Democratic Changeover or UAD (opposition coalition includes ARD, MRDD, and UDJ)

International organization participation:

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,
ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Roble OLHAYE Oudine

chancery: Suite 515, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005

telephone: [1] (202) 331-0270

FAX: [1] (202) 331-0302

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador James C. SWAN

embassy: Plateau du Serpent, Boulevard Marechal Joffre, Djibouti

mailing address: B. P. 185, Djibouti

telephone: [253] 35 39 95

FAX: [253] 35 39 40

Flag description:

two equal horizontal bands of light blue (top) and light green with a white isosceles triangle based on the hoist side bearing a red five-pointed star in the center

Economy ::Djibouti

Economy - overview:

The economy is based on service activities connected with the country's strategic location and status as a free trade zone in the Horn of Africa. Two-thirds of Djibouti's inhabitants live in the capital city; the remainder are mostly nomadic herders. Scanty rainfall limits crop production to fruits and vegetables, and most food must be imported. Djibouti provides services as both a transit port for the region and an international transshipment and refueling center. Imports and exports from landlocked neighbor Ethiopia represent 85% of port activity at Djibouti's container terminal. Djibouti has few natural resources and little industry. The nation is, therefore, heavily dependent on foreign assistance to help support its balance of payments and to finance development projects. An unemployment rate of nearly 60% in urban areas continues to be a major problem. While inflation is not a concern, due to the fixed tie of the Djiboutian franc to the US dollar, the artificially high value of the Djiboutian franc adversely affects Djibouti's balance of payments. Per capita consumption dropped an estimated 35% between 1999 and 2006 because of recession, civil war, and a high population growth rate (including immigrants and refugees). Faced with a multitude of economic difficulties, the government has fallen in arrears on long-term external debt and has been struggling to meet the stipulations of foreign aid donors.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$1.891 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 184 $1.786 billion (2007 est.)

$1.696 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$982 million (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.9% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 64 5.3% (2007 est.)

4.8% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$2,700 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 170 $2,600 (2007 est.)

$2,500 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 3.2%

industry: 14.9%

services: 81.9% (2006 est.)

Labor force:

351,700 (2007) country comparison to the world: 156

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Unemployment rate:

59% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 194 note: data are for urban areas, 83% in rural areas

Population below poverty line:

42% (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $135 million

expenditures: $182 million (1999 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

5% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 85

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

NA

Stock of money:

$462.7 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 97 $380 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$338 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 112 $284.1 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$269.9 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 121 $224.7 million (31 December 2007)

Agriculture - products:

fruits, vegetables; goats, sheep, camels, animal hides

Industries:

construction, agricultural processing

Electricity - production:

280 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 168

Electricity - consumption:

260.4 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 170

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 183

Oil - consumption:

13,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 141

Oil - exports:

19.18 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 137

Oil - imports:

8,476 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 142

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 181

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 190

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 191

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 190

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 191

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 188

Current account balance:

-$212 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 90

Exports:

$340 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 170

Exports - commodities:

reexports, hides and skins, coffee (in transit)

Exports - partners:

Somalia 79.9%, UAE 4.1%, Yemen 4.1% (2008)

Imports:

$1.555 billion (2006) country comparison to the world: 159

Imports - commodities:

foods, beverages, transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum products

Imports - partners:

Saudi Arabia 20.5%, India 20.5%, China 10.6%, US 6%, Malaysia 6% (2008)

Debt - external:

$428 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 167

Exchange rates:

Djiboutian francs (DJF) per US dollar - 177.71 (2007), 174.75 (2006), 177.72 (2005), 177.72 (2004), 177.72 (2003)

Communications ::Djibouti

Telephones - main lines in use:

10,800 (2008) country comparison to the world: 201

Telephones - mobile cellular:

44,100 (2005) country comparison to the world: 196

Telephone system:

general assessment: telephone facilities in the city of Djibouti are adequate, as are the microwave radio relay connections to outlying areas of the country

domestic: microwave radio relay network; mobile cellular coverage is primarily limited to the area in and around Djibouti city

international: country code - 253; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3 optical telecommunications submarine cable with links to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe; satellite earth stations - 2 (1 Intelsat - Indian Ocean and 1 Arabsat); Medarabtel regional microwave radio relay telephone network (2007)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2001)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (2001)

Internet country code:

.dj

Internet hosts:

199 (2009) country comparison to the world: 188

Internet users:

13,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 197

Transportation ::Djibouti

Airports:

13 (2009) country comparison to the world: 152

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 3

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 10

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 5

under 914 m: 3 (2009)

Railways:

total: 100 km (Djibouti segment of the 781 km Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway) country comparison to the world: 127 narrow gauge: 100 km 1.000-m gauge

note: railway is under joint control of Djibouti and Ethiopia but is largely inoperable (2008)

Roadways:

total: 3,065 km country comparison to the world: 165 paved: 1,226 km

unpaved: 1,839 km (2000)

Ports and terminals:

Djibouti

Transportation - note:

the International Maritime Bureau reports offshore waters in the Gulf of Aden are high risk for piracy; numerous vessels, including commercial shipping and pleasure craft, have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; crew, passengers, and cargo are held for ransom

Military ::Djibouti

Military branches:

Djibouti National Army (includes Navy and Air Force)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service; 16-25 years of age for voluntary military training; no conscription (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 111,274

females age 16-49: 105,168 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 55,173

females age 16-49: 52,825 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 5,778

female: 5,771 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

3.8% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 33

Transnational Issues ::Djibouti

Disputes - international:

Djibouti maintains economic ties and border accords with "Somaliland" leadership while maintaining some political ties to various factions in Somalia; Kuwait is chief investor in the 2008 restoration and upgrade of the Ethiopian-Djibouti rail link

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 8,642 (Somalia) (2007)

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Dominica (Central America and Caribbean)

Introduction ::Dominica

Background:

Dominica was the last of the Caribbean islands to be colonized by Europeans due chiefly to the fierce resistance of the native Caribs. France ceded possession to Great Britain in 1763, which made the island a colony in 1805. In 1980, two years after independence, Dominica's fortunes improved when a corrupt and tyrannical administration was replaced by that of Mary Eugenia CHARLES, the first female prime minister in the Caribbean, who remained in office for 15 years. Some 3,000 Carib Indians still living on Dominica are the only pre-Columbian population remaining in the eastern Caribbean.

Geography ::Dominica

Location:

Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic
Ocean, about half way between Puerto Rico and Trinidad and Tobago

Geographic coordinates:

15 25 N, 61 20 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 751 sq km country comparison to the world: 188 land: 751 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly more than four times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

148 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds; heavy rainfall

Terrain:

rugged mountains of volcanic origin

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: Morne Diablatins 1,447 m

Natural resources:

timber, hydropower, arable land

Land use:

arable land: 6.67%

permanent crops: 21.33%

other: 72% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Total renewable water resources:

NA

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.02 cu km/yr

per capita: 213 cu m/yr (1996)

Natural hazards:

flash floods are a constant threat; destructive hurricanes can be expected during the late summer months

Environment - current issues:

NA

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

known as "The Nature Island of the Caribbean" due to its spectacular, lush, and varied flora and fauna, which are protected by an extensive natural park system; the most mountainous of the Lesser Antilles, its volcanic peaks are cones of lava craters and include Boiling Lake, the second-largest, thermally active lake in the world

People ::Dominica

Population:

72,660 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 201

Age structure:

0-14 years: 24% (male 8,910/female 8,518)

15-64 years: 65.8% (male 24,532/female 23,301)

65 years and over: 10.2% (male 3,187/female 4,212) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 29.8 years

male: 29.4 years

female: 30.2 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.208% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 184

Birth rate:

15.73 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 135

Death rate:

8.2 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 104

Net migration rate:

-5.45 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 164

Urbanization:

urban population: 74% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 0.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female

total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 13.65 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 133 male: 18.34 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 8.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 75.55 years country comparison to the world: 76 male: 72.61 years

female: 78.64 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.09 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 123

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Dominican(s)

adjective: Dominican

Ethnic groups:

black 86.8%, mixed 8.9%, Carib Amerindian 2.9%, white 0.8%, other 0.7% (2001 census)

Religions:

Roman Catholic 61.4%, Seventh Day Adventist 6%, Pentecostal 5.6%,
Baptist 4.1%, Methodist 3.7%, Church of God 1.2%, Jehovah's
Witnesses 1.2%, other Christian 7.7%, Rastafarian 1.3%, other or
unspecified 1.6%, none 6.1% (2001 census)

Languages:

English (official), French patois

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school

total population: 94%

male: 94%

female: 94% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 13 years

male: 13 years

female: 14 years (2005)

Education expenditures:

5% of GDP (1999) country comparison to the world: 70

Government ::Dominica

Country name:

conventional long form: Commonwealth of Dominica

conventional short form: Dominica

Government type:

parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Roseau

geographic coordinates: 15 18 N, 61 24 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

10 parishes; Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Luke, Saint Mark, Saint Patrick, Saint Paul, Saint Peter

Independence:

3 November 1978 (from the UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 3 November (1978)

Constitution:

3 November 1978

Legal system:

based on English common law; accepts ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Nicholas J. O. LIVERPOOL (since October 2003)

head of government: Prime Minister Roosevelt SKERRIT (since 8 January 2004)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister

elections: president elected by the House of Assembly for a five-year term; election last held 1 October 2003 (next to be held in 2013); prime minister appointed by the president

election results: Nicholas LIVERPOOL consented to a second term in 2008 at the request of the prime minister and leader of the opposition

Legislative branch:

unicameral House of Assembly (30 seats; 9 members appointed, 21 elected by popular vote; to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 5 May 2005 (next to be held by 5 August 2010); note - tradition dictates that the election will be held within five years of the last election, but technically it is five years from the first seating of parliament (12 May 2005) plus a 90-day grace period

election results: percent of vote by party - DLP 52.1%, UWP 43.6%, DFP 3.2%, other 1.1%; seats by party - DLP 12, UWP 8, independent 1

Judicial branch:

Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting of the Court of Appeal and the High Court (located in Saint Lucia; one of the six judges must reside in Dominica and preside over the Court of Summary Jurisdiction)

Political parties and leaders:

Dominica Freedom Party or DFP [Charles SAVARIN]; Dominica Labor
Party or DLP [Roosevelt SKERRIT]; Dominica United Workers Party or
UWP [Earl WILLIAMS]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Dominica Liberation Movement or DLM (a small leftist party)

International organization participation:

ACCT, ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU,
ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OIF, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Judith Ann ROLLE

chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016

telephone: [1] (202) 364-6781

FAX: [1] (202) 364-6791

consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

the US does not have an embassy in Dominica; the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Dominica

Flag description:

green, with a centered cross of three equal bands - the vertical part is yellow (hoist side), black, and white and the horizontal part is yellow (top), black, and white; superimposed in the center of the cross is a red disk bearing a sisserou parrot encircled by 10 green, five-pointed stars edged in yellow; the 10 stars represent the 10 administrative divisions (parishes)

Economy ::Dominica

Economy - overview:

The Dominican economy depends on agriculture, primarily bananas, and remains highly vulnerable to climatic conditions and international economic developments. Tourism has increased as the government seeks to promote Dominica as an "ecotourism" destination and has developed a new tourism development plan with assistance from the EU. Hurricane Dean struck the island in August 2007 causing damages equivalent to 20% of GDP. In 2003, the government began a comprehensive restructuring of the economy - including elimination of price controls, privatization of the state banana company, and tax increases - to address Dominica's economic and financial crisis of 2001-02 and to meet IMF targets. This restructuring paved the way for the current economic recovery - real growth for 2006 reached a two-decade high - and will help to reduce the debt burden, which remains at about 100% of GDP. In order to diversify the island's production base, the government is attempting to develop an offshore financial sector and has signed an agreement with the EU to develop geothermal energy resources.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$726.3 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 209 $703.8 million (2007 est.)

$691.4 million (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$364 million (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

3.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 120 1.8% (2007 est.)

3.8% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$10,000 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 106 $9,700 (2007 est.)

$9,600 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 17.7%

industry: 32.8%

services: 49.5% (2004 est.)

Labor force:

25,000 (2000 est.) country comparison to the world: 198

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 40%

industry: 32%

services: 28% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:

23% (2000 est.) country comparison to the world: 172

Population below poverty line:

30% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $73.9 million

expenditures: $84.4 million (2001)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.7% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 29

Central bank discount rate:

6.5% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 68 6.5% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

9.06% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 91 9.17% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$72.1 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 115 $73.71 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$289.9 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 114 $269.1 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$213.6 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 122 $193.1 million (31 December 2007)

Agriculture - products:

bananas, citrus, mangoes, root crops, coconuts, cocoa; forest and fishery potential not exploited

Industries:

soap, coconut oil, tourism, copra, furniture, cement blocks, shoes

Industrial production growth rate:

NA

Electricity - production:

85 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 193

Electricity - consumption:

79.05 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 193

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 182

Oil - consumption:

1,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 198

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 191

Oil - imports:

838.2 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 191

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 180

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 189

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 190

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 189

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 190

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 187

Current account balance:

-$72 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 76

Exports:

$94 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 194

Exports - commodities:

bananas, soap, bay oil, vegetables, grapefruit, oranges

Exports - partners:

Japan 33.5%, China 17.8%, Antigua and Barbuda 6.7%, Guyana 5.7%,
Jamaica 4.7%, UK 4.7% (2008)

Imports:

$296 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 195

Imports - commodities:

manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, food, chemicals

Imports - partners:

Japan 43.2%, US 17%, China 12.1%, Trinidad and Tobago 8.4% (2008)

Debt - external:

$213 million (2004) country comparison to the world: 179

Exchange rates:

East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar - 2.7 (2007), 2.7 (2006), 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003)

Communications ::Dominica

Telephones - main lines in use:

17,500 (2008) country comparison to the world: 197

Telephones - mobile cellular:

100,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 183

Telephone system:

general assessment: NA

domestic: fully automatic network

international: country code - 1-767; landing point for the East Caribbean Fiber Optic System (ECFS) submarine cable with links to 13 other islands in the eastern Caribbean extending from the British Virgin Islands to Trinidad; microwave radio relay and SHF radiotelephone links to Martinique and Guadeloupe; VHF and UHF radiotelephone links to Saint Lucia

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 2, FM 4, shortwave 0 (2003)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (2004)

Internet country code:

.dm

Internet hosts:

485 (2009) country comparison to the world: 173

Internet users:

27,500 (2008) country comparison to the world: 182

Transportation ::Dominica

Airports:

2 (2009) country comparison to the world: 198

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 780 km country comparison to the world: 187 paved: 393 km

unpaved: 387 km (2000)

Merchant marine:

total: 53 country comparison to the world: 69 by type: bulk carrier 14, cargo 27, chemical tanker 3, petroleum tanker 5, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 1, vehicle carrier 1

foreign-owned: 47 (Australia 2, Estonia 7, Greece 10, India 2, Latvia 1, Norway 1, Russia 3, Saudi Arabia 2, Singapore 7, Syria 2, Turkey 5, Ukraine 4, UAE 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Portsmouth, Roseau

Military ::Dominica

Military branches:

no regular military forces; Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force (includes Coast Guard) (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 18,584 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 15,821

females age 16-49: 15,291 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 776

female: 731 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

NA (2006)

Transnational Issues ::Dominica

Disputes - international:

Dominica is the only Caribbean state to challenge Venezuela's sovereignty claim over Aves Island and joins the other island nations in challenging whether the feature sustains human habitation, a criterion under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which permits Venezuela to extend its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and continental shelf claims over a large portion of the eastern Caribbean Sea

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for narcotics bound for the US and Europe; minor cannabis producer (2008)

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Dominican Republic (Central America and Caribbean)

Introduction ::Dominican Republic

Background:

Explored and claimed by Christopher COLUMBUS on his first voyage in 1492, the island of Hispaniola became a springboard for Spanish conquest of the Caribbean and the American mainland. In 1697, Spain recognized French dominion over the western third of the island, which in 1804 became Haiti. The remainder of the island, by then known as Santo Domingo, sought to gain its own independence in 1821 but was conquered and ruled by the Haitians for 22 years; it finally attained independence as the Dominican Republic in 1844. In 1861, the Dominicans voluntarily returned to the Spanish Empire, but two years later they launched a war that restored independence in 1865. A legacy of unsettled, mostly non-representative rule followed, capped by the dictatorship of Rafael Leonidas TRUJILLO from 1930-61. Juan BOSCH was elected president in 1962 but was deposed in a military coup in 1963. In 1965, the United States led an intervention in the midst of a civil war sparked by an uprising to restore BOSCH. In 1966, Joaquin BALAGUER defeated BOSCH in an election to become president. BALAGUER maintained a tight grip on power for most of the next 30 years when international reaction to flawed elections forced him to curtail his term in 1996. Since then, regular competitive elections have been held in which opposition candidates have won the presidency. Former President (1996-2000) Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna won election to a second term in 2004 following a constitutional amendment allowing presidents to serve more than one term.

Geography ::Dominican Republic

Location:

Caribbean, eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Haiti

Geographic coordinates:

19 00 N, 70 40 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 48,670 sq km country comparison to the world: 131 land: 48,320 sq km

water: 350 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly more than twice the size of New Hampshire

Land boundaries:

total: 360 km

border countries: Haiti 360 km

Coastline:

1,288 km

Maritime claims:

measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines

territorial sea: 6 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:

tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation; seasonal variation in rainfall

Terrain:

rugged highlands and mountains with fertile valleys interspersed

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Lago Enriquillo -46 m

highest point: Pico Duarte 3,175 m

Natural resources:

nickel, bauxite, gold, silver

Land use:

arable land: 22.49%

permanent crops: 10.26%

other: 67.25% (2005)

Irrigated land:

2,750 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

21 cu km (2000)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 3.39 cu km/yr (32%/2%/66%)

per capita: 381 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:

water shortages; soil eroding into the sea damages coral reefs; deforestation

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection,
Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:

shares island of Hispaniola with Haiti

People ::Dominican Republic

Population:

9,650,054 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 85

Age structure:

0-14 years: 31.4% (male 1,543,141/female 1,488,016)

15-64 years: 62.7% (male 3,087,351/female 2,960,319)

65 years and over: 5.9% (male 264,476/female 306,751) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 24.9 years

male: 24.8 years

female: 25.1 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.489% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 91

Birth rate:

22.39 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 83

Death rate:

5.28 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 182

Net migration rate:

-2.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 141

Urbanization:

urban population: 69% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 2.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female

total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 25.96 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 83 male: 28 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 23.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 73.7 years country comparison to the world: 99 male: 71.88 years

female: 75.6 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.76 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 79

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

1.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 51

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

62,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 59

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

4,100 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 48

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria

water contact disease: leptospirosis (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Dominican(s)

adjective: Dominican

Ethnic groups:

mixed 73%, white 16%, black 11%

Religions:

Roman Catholic 95%, other 5%

Languages:

Spanish

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 87%

male: 86.8%

female: 87.2% (2002 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 12 years

male: 12 years

female: 13 years (2004)

Education expenditures:

3.6% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 126

Government ::Dominican Republic

Country name:

conventional long form: Dominican Republic

conventional short form: The Dominican

local long form: Republica Dominicana

local short form: La Dominicana

Government type:

democratic republic

Capital:

name: Santo Domingo

geographic coordinates: 18 28 N, 69 54 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

31 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 district*
(distrito); Azua, Bahoruco, Barahona, Dajabon, Distrito Nacional*,
Duarte, El Seibo, Elias Pina, Espaillat, Hato Mayor, Independencia,
La Altagracia, La Romana, La Vega, Maria Trinidad Sanchez, Monsenor
Nouel, Monte Cristi, Monte Plata, Pedernales, Peravia, Puerto Plata,
Salcedo, Samana, San Cristobal, San Jose de Ocoa, San Juan, San
Pedro de Macoris, Sanchez Ramirez, Santiago, Santiago Rodriguez,
Santo Domingo, Valverde

Independence:

27 February 1844 (from Haiti)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 27 February (1844)

Constitution:

28 November 1966; amended 25 July 2002

Legal system:

based on French civil codes; Criminal Procedures Code modified in 2004 to include important elements of an accusatory system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age, universal and compulsory; married persons regardless of age; note - members of the armed forces and national police cannot vote

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna (since 16 August 2004); Vice President Rafael ALBURQUERQUE de Castro (since 16 August 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna (since 16 August 2004); Vice President Rafael ALBURQUERQUE de Castro (since 16 August 2004)

cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the president

elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second consecutive term); election last held 16 May 2008 (next to be held in May 2012)

election results: Leonel FERNANDEZ reelected president; percent of vote - Leonel FERNANDEZ 53.6%, Miguel VARGAS 41%, Amable ARISTY less than 5%

Legislative branch:

bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the Senate or Senado (32 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Camara de Diputados (178 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held 16 May 2006 (next to be held in May 2010); House of Representatives - last held 16 May 2006 (next to be held in May 2010)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PLD 22, PRD 6, PRSC 4; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PLD 96, PRD 60, PRSC 22

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are appointed by the National Judicial Council comprised of the president, the leaders of both chambers of congress, the president of the Supreme Court, and an additional non-governing party congressional representative)

Political parties and leaders:

Dominican Liberation Party or PLD [Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna];
Dominican Revolutionary Party or PRD [Ramon ALBURQUERQUE]; National
Progressive Front [Vincent CASTILLO, Pelegrin CASTILLO]; Social
Christian Reformist Party or PRSC [Enrique ANTUN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Citizen Participation Group (Participacion Ciudadania); Collective of Popular Organizations or COP; Foundation for Institution-Building and Justice (FINJUS)

International organization participation:

ACP, BCIE, Caricom (observer), FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (suspended), ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC,
LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory),
PCA, RG, SICA (associated member), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union
Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Roberto SALADIN

chancery: 1715 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 332-6280

FAX: [1] (202) 265-8057

consulate(s) general: Anchorage, Boston, Chicago, Mayaguez (Puerto Rico), Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Sun Valley (California)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador P. Robert FANNIN

embassy: corner of Calle Cesar Nicolas Penson and Calle Leopoldo Navarro, Santo Domingo

mailing address: Unit 5500, APO AA 34041-5500

telephone: [1] (809) 221-2171

FAX: [1] (809) 686-7437

Flag description:

a centered white cross that extends to the edges divides the flag into four rectangles - the top ones are blue (hoist side) and red, and the bottom ones are red (hoist side) and blue; a small coat of arms featuring a shield supported by an olive branch (left) and a palm branch (right) is at the center of the cross; above the shield a blue ribbon displays the motto, DIOS, PATRIA, LIBERTAD (God, Fatherland, Liberty), and below the shield, REPUBLICA DOMINICANA appears on a red ribbon

Economy ::Dominican Republic

Economy - overview:

The Dominican Republic has enjoyed strong GDP growth since 2005 and continued to post sound gains through mid-2008. The global recession, however, had a significant impact on GDP growth in the latter half of the year as tourism and remittances, two of the Dominican Republic's most important economic contributors, showed signs of slowing. The economy is highly dependent upon the US, the destination for about two-thirds of exports. Remittances from the US amount to about a tenth of GDP, equivalent to almost half of exports and three-quarters of tourism receipts. The country has long been viewed primarily as an exporter of sugar, coffee, and tobacco but in recent years the service sector has overtaken agriculture as the economy's largest employer due to growth in tourism and free trade zones. Although 2007 saw inflation around 6%, the rate grew to over 12% in 2008. High food prices, driven by the effects of consecutive tropical storms on agricultural products, and education prices were significant contributors to the jump. The effects of the global financial crisis and the US recession are projected to negatively affect GDP growth in 2009 with a rebound expected in 2010. Although the economy is growing at a respectable rate, high unemployment and underemployment remains an important challenge. The country suffers from marked income inequality; the poorest half of the population receives less than one-fifth of GNP, while the richest 10% enjoys nearly 40% of national income. The Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) came into force in March 2007, which should boost investment and exports and reduce losses to the Asian garment industry.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$78.19 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 76 $74.25 billion (2007 est.)

$68.43 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$44.44 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 78 8.5% (2007 est.)

10.7% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$8,200 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 119 $7,900 (2007 est.)

$7,400 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 10.8%

industry: 22.9%

services: 66.3% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

4.119 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 86

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 14.6%

industry: 22.3%

services: 63.1% (2005)

Unemployment rate:

14.1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 149 15.6% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

42.2% (2004)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 1.5%

highest 10%: 38.7% (2005)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

49.9 (2005) country comparison to the world: 25 47.4 (1998)

Investment (gross fixed):

19.4% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 117

Budget:

revenues: $7.46 billion

expenditures: $9.027 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

37.4% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 62 61.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

10.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 155 6.1% (2007 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

19.95% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 39 15.83% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$3.619 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 62 $4.074 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$5.902 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 61 $5.631 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$17.37 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 62 $15.92 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

sugarcane, coffee, cotton, cocoa, tobacco, rice, beans, potatoes, corn, bananas; cattle, pigs, dairy products, beef, eggs

Industries:

tourism, sugar processing, ferronickel and gold mining, textiles, cement, tobacco

Industrial production growth rate:

1.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 119

Electricity - production:

14.02 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 80

Electricity - consumption:

12.7 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 76

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 181

Oil - consumption:

119,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 72

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 190

Oil - imports:

116,200 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 63

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl country comparison to the world: 179

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 188

Natural gas - consumption:

470 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 96

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 188

Natural gas - imports:

470 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 61

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 186

Current account balance:

-$4.436 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 155 -$2.068 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$6.95 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 99 $7.16 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

ferronickel, sugar, gold, silver, coffee, cocoa, tobacco, meats, consumer goods

Exports - partners:

US 58.1%, Haiti 9.3%, Netherlands 2.9% (2008)

Imports:

$16.1 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 77 $13.6 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

foodstuffs, petroleum, cotton and fabrics, chemicals and pharmaceuticals

Imports - partners:

US 39.2%, Venezuela 7.7%, Mexico 5.4%, Colombia 4.9% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$2.288 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 106 $2.562 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$11.42 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 81 $10.21 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$15.59 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 70 $12.71 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$59 million (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 80

Exchange rates:

Dominican pesos (DOP) per US dollar - 34.775 (2008 est.), 33.113 (2007), 33.406 (2006), 30.409 (2005), 42.12 (2004)

Communications ::Dominican Republic

Telephones - main lines in use:

985,700 (2008) country comparison to the world: 82

Telephones - mobile cellular:

7.21 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 70

Telephone system:

general assessment: relatively efficient system based on island-wide microwave radio relay network

domestic: fixed telephone line density is about 10 per 100 persons; multiple providers of mobile cellular service with a subscribership of roughly 75 per 100 persons

international: country code - 1-809; landing point for the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) fiber-optic telecommunications submarine cable that provides links to South and Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and US; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 120, FM 56, shortwave 4 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

25 (2003)

Internet country code:

.do

Internet hosts:

280,457 (2009) country comparison to the world: 56

Internet users:

2.147 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 68

Transportation ::Dominican Republic

Airports:

35 (2009) country comparison to the world: 108

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 16

over 3,047 m: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 4

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 4

under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 19

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 17 (2009)

Railways:

total: 1,784 km country comparison to the world: 77 standard gauge: 375 km 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge: 1,368 km 1.076-m, 0.889-m, and 0.762-m gauges

note: 1,226 km operated by sugar companies in 1.076 m, 0.889 m, and 0.762-m gauges (2008)

Roadways:

total: 19,705 km country comparison to the world: 110 paved: 9,872 km

unpaved: 9,833 km (2002)

Merchant marine:

total: 1 country comparison to the world: 149 by type: cargo 1

registered in other countries: 1 (Panama 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Boca Chica, Caucedo, Puerto Plata, Rio Haina, Santo Domingo

Military ::Dominican Republic

Military branches:

Army, Navy, Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Dominicana, FAD) (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service (2007)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 2,440,203

females age 16-49: 2,326,694 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 2,056,774

females age 16-49: 1,921,836 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 97,766

female: 93,922 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

0.8% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 147

Transnational Issues ::Dominican Republic

Disputes - international:

Haitian migrants cross the porous border into the Dominican Republic to find work; illegal migrants from the Dominican Republic cross the Mona Passage each year to Puerto Rico to find better work

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: the Dominican Republic is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor; a large number of Dominican women are trafficked into prostitution and sexual exploitation in Western Europe, Australia, Central and South America, and Caribbean destinations; a significant number of women, boys, and girls are trafficked within the country for sexual exploitation and domestic servitude

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - for a second consecutive year, the Dominican Republic is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to show evidence of increasing efforts to combat human trafficking, particularly in terms of not adequately investigating and prosecuting public officials who may be complicit with trafficking activity, and inadequate government efforts to protect trafficking victims; the government has taken measures to reduce demand for commercial sex acts with children through criminal prosecutions (2008)

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe; has become a transshipment point for ecstasy from the Netherlands and Belgium destined for US and Canada; substantial money laundering activity in particular by Colombian narcotics traffickers; significant amphetamine consumption (2008)

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Ecuador (South America)

Introduction ::Ecuador

Background:

What is now Ecuador formed part of the northern Inca Empire until the Spanish conquest in 1533. Quito became a seat of Spanish colonial government in 1563 and part of the Viceroyalty of New Granada in 1717. The territories of the Viceroyalty - New Granada (Colombia), Venezuela, and Quito - gained their independence between 1819 and 1822 and formed a federation known as Gran Colombia. When Quito withdrew in 1830, the traditional name was changed in favor of the "Republic of the Equator." Between 1904 and 1942, Ecuador lost territories in a series of conflicts with its neighbors. A border war with Peru that flared in 1995 was resolved in 1999. Although Ecuador marked 25 years of civilian governance in 2004, the period has been marred by political instability. Protests in Quito have contributed to the mid-term ouster of Ecuador's last three democratically elected Presidents. In September 2008, voters approved a new constitution; Ecuador's twentieth since gaining independence. General elections, under the new constitutional framework, are expected in April 2009.

Geography ::Ecuador

Location:

Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the Equator, between Colombia and Peru

Geographic coordinates:

2 00 S, 77 30 W

Map references:

South America

Area:

total: 283,561 sq km country comparison to the world: 73 land: 276,841 sq km

water: 6,720 sq km

note: includes Galapagos Islands

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Nevada

Land boundaries:

total: 2,010 km

border countries: Colombia 590 km, Peru 1,420 km

Coastline:

2,237 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 200 nm

continental shelf: 100 nm from 2,500-m isobath

Climate:

tropical along coast, becoming cooler inland at higher elevations; tropical in Amazonian jungle lowlands

Terrain:

coastal plain (costa), inter-Andean central highlands (sierra), and flat to rolling eastern jungle (oriente)

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Chimborazo 6,267 m

note: due to the fact that the earth is not a perfect sphere and has an equatorial bulge, the highest point on the planet furthest from its center is Mount Chimborazo not Mount Everest, which is merely the highest point above sea-level

Natural resources:

petroleum, fish, timber, hydropower

Land use:

arable land: 5.71%

permanent crops: 4.81%

other: 89.48% (2005)

Irrigated land:

8,650 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

432 cu km (2000)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 16.98 cu km/yr (12%/5%/82%)

per capita: 1,283 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

frequent earthquakes; landslides; volcanic activity; floods; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution; pollution from oil production wastes in ecologically sensitive areas of the Amazon Basin and Galapagos Islands

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in world

People ::Ecuador

Population:

14,573,101 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 64

Age structure:

0-14 years: 31.1% (male 2,312,610/female 2,220,378)

15-64 years: 62.7% (male 4,506,908/female 4,636,703)

65 years and over: 6.2% (male 432,144/female 464,358) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 25 years

male: 24.4 years

female: 25.6 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.497% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 88

Birth rate:

20.77 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 94

Death rate:

4.99 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 191

Net migration rate:

-0.81 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 119

Urbanization:

urban population: 66% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 2.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 20.9 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 103 male: 24.4 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 17.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 75.3 years country comparison to the world: 81 male: 72.37 years

female: 78.37 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.51 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 93

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.3% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 86

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

26,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 73

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

1,400 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 68

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria

water contact disease: leptospirosis (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Ecuadorian(s)

adjective: Ecuadorian

Ethnic groups:

mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 65%, Amerindian 25%, Spanish and others 7%, black 3%

Religions:

Roman Catholic 95%, other 5%

Languages:

Spanish (official), Amerindian languages (especially Quechua)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 91%

male: 92.3%

female: 89.7% (2001 census)

Education expenditures:

1% of GDP (2001) country comparison to the world: 179

Government ::Ecuador

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Ecuador

conventional short form: Ecuador

local long form: Republica del Ecuador

local short form: Ecuador

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Quito

geographic coordinates: 0 13 S, 78 30 W

time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

24 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Azuay, Bolivar,
Canar, Carchi, Chimborazo, Cotopaxi, El Oro, Esmeraldas, Galapagos,
Guayas, Imbabura, Loja, Los Rios, Manabi, Morona-Santiago, Napo,
Orellana, Pastaza, Pichincha, Santa Elena, Santo Domingo de los
Tsachilas, Sucumbios, Tungurahua, Zamora-Chinchipe

Independence:

24 May 1822 (from Spain)

National holiday:

Independence Day (independence of Quito), 10 August (1809)

Constitution:

20 October 2008

Legal system:

based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal, compulsory for literate persons ages 18-65, optional for other eligible voters

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Rafael CORREA Delgado (since 15 January 2007); Vice President Lenin MORENO Garces (since 15 January 2007); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Rafael CORREA Delgado (since 15 January 2007); Vice President Lenin MORENO Garces (since 15 January 2007)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president

elections: the president and vice president are elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a four-year term and can be re-elected for another consecutive term; election last held 26 April 2009 (next to be held 2013)

election results: President Rafael CORREA Delgado reelected president; percent of vote - Rafael CORREA Delgado 51.7%; Lucio GUTIERREZ 28%; Alvaro NOBOA 11.6%; other 8.7%; note - official results pending

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional (100 seats; members are elected through a party-list proportional representation system to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 15 October 2006 (next to be held 26 April 2009)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PRIAN 28; PSP 24; PSC 13; ID 7; PRE 6; MUPP-NP 6; RED 5; UDC 5; other 6; note - defections by members of National Congress are commonplace, resulting in frequent changes in the numbers of seats held by the various parties

note: when a Constituent Assembly was convened to draft a new constitution, the National Congress was placed on indefinite recess and replaced by a legislative committee; the legislative committee will continue to function until a new National Assembly is elected in April 2009

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (according to the Constitution, new justices are elected by the full Supreme Court; in December 2004, however, Congress successfully replaced the entire court by a simple majority resolution)

Political parties and leaders:

Alianza PAIS Movement [Rafael Vicente CORREA Delgado]; Christian
Democratic Union or UDC [Diego ORDONEZ Guerrero]; Democratic Left or
ID [Andres PAEZ Benalcazar]; Ethical and Democratic Network or RED
[Leon ROLDOS]; Institutional Renewal and National Action Party or
PRIAN [Alvaro NOBOA]; Pachakutik Plurinational Unity Movement - New
Country or MUPP-NP [Jorge GUAMAN]; Patriotic Society Party or PSP
[Lucio GUTIERREZ Borbua]; Popular Democratic Movement or MPD [Ciro
GUZMAN Aldaz]; Roldosist Party or PRE [Abdala BUCARAM Ortiz,
director]; Social Christian Party or PSC [Pascual DEL CIOPPO];
Socialist Party - Broad Front or PS-FA [Gustavo AYALA Cruz]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador or CONAIE
[Marlon SANTI, president]; Coordinator of Social Movements or CMS
[F. Napoleon SANTOS]; Federation of Indigenous Evangelists of
Ecuador or FEINE [Marco MURILLO, president]; National Federation of
Indigenous Afro-Ecuatorianos and Peasants or FENOCIN [Pedro DE LA
CRUZ, president]

International organization participation:

CAN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO,
ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, MINURCAT,
MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, RG, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU,
WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Luis Benigno GALLEGOS Chiriboga

chancery: 2535 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone: [1] (202) 234-7200

FAX: [1] (202) 667-3482

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Newark (New Jersey), San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Heather HODGES

embassy: Avenida Avigiras E12-170 y Avenida Eloy Alfaro, Quito

mailing address: Avenida Guayacanes N52-205 y Avenida Avigiras

telephone: [593] (2) 398-5000

FAX: [593] (2) 398-5100

consulate(s) general: Guayaquil

Flag description:

three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double width), blue, and red with the coat of arms superimposed at the center of the flag; similar to the flag of Colombia, which is shorter and does not bear a coat of arms

Economy ::Ecuador

Economy - overview:

Ecuador is substantially dependent on its petroleum resources, which have accounted for more than half of the country's export earnings and one-fourth of public sector revenues in recent years. In 1999/2000, Ecuador suffered a severe economic crisis, with GDP contracting by more than 6%. Poverty increased significantly, the banking system collapsed, and Ecuador defaulted on its external debt later that year. In March 2000, Congress approved a series of structural reforms that also provided for the adoption of the US dollar as legal tender. Dollarization stabilized the economy, and positive growth returned in the years that followed, helped by high oil prices, remittances, and increased non-traditional exports. From 2002-06 the economy grew 5.5%, the highest five-year average in 25 years. The poverty rate declined but remained high at 38% in 2006. In 2006 the government imposed a windfall revenue tax on foreign oil companies, leading to the suspension of free trade negotiations with the US. These measures led to a drop in petroleum production in 2007. President Rafael CORREA raised the specter of debt default and followed through on those threats in December 2008 by defaulting on some commercial bond obligations. He also decreed a higher windfall revenue tax on private oil companies, then renegotiated their contracts to overcome the debilitating effect of the tax. This generated economic uncertainty; private investment has dropped and economic growth has slowed.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$108 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 65 $101.4 billion (2007 est.)

$98.93 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$54.69 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

6.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 46 2.5% (2007 est.)

3.9% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$7,500 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 123 $7,200 (2007 est.)

$7,100 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 6.7%

industry: 34.3%

services: 59% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

4.64 million (urban) (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 79

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 8.3%

industry: 21.2%

services: 70.4% (2005)

Unemployment rate:

7.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 92 8.8% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

38.3% (2006)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 1.2%

highest 10%: 43.3%

note: data for urban households only (2007)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

46 (2006) country comparison to the world: 39 43.7 (1995)

note: data are for urban households

Investment (gross fixed):

22.1% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 80

Budget:

revenues: $21.09 billion

expenditures: planned $21.35 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

25.1% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 82

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

8.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 128 2.3% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

9.14% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 34 10.72% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

9.71% (31 December 2008)

Stock of money:

$5.907 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 53 $4.395 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$9.383 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 53 $7.974 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$10.13 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 71 $8.926 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$4.562 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 89 $4.266 billion (31 December 2007)

$4.04 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

bananas, coffee, cocoa, rice, potatoes, manioc (tapioca), plantains, sugarcane; cattle, sheep, pigs, beef, pork, dairy products; balsa wood; fish, shrimp

Industries:

petroleum, food processing, textiles, wood products, chemicals

Industrial production growth rate:

5.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 44

Electricity - production:

16.75 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 75

Electricity - consumption:

9.888 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 85

Electricity - exports:

38.53 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

861 million kWh (2007 est.)

Oil - production:

505,100 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 31

Oil - consumption:

178,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 62

Oil - exports:

417,000 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 33

Oil - imports:

54,190 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 85

Oil - proved reserves:

4.66 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 25

Natural gas - production:

260 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 73

Natural gas - consumption:

260 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 99

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 187

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 88

Natural gas - proved reserves:

8.919 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 80

Current account balance:

$1.194 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 45 $1.65 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$19.15 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 74 $14.87 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

petroleum, bananas, cut flowers, shrimp, cacao, coffee, hemp, wood, fish

Exports - partners:

US 45.3%, Peru 9.2%, Chile 8.1%, Panama 4.8%, Colombia 4.2% (2008)

Imports:

$17.79 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 74 $13.05 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

industrial materials, fuels and lubricants, nondurable consumer goods

Imports - partners:

US 19.1%, Venezuela 13.8%, Colombia 9.9%, China 8.4%, Brazil 4.8%,
Japan 4.1% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$4.473 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 82 $3.521 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$18.11 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 74 $NA (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$16.99 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 65 $16.31 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$8.487 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 48 $10.77 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

the US dollar is used; the sucre was eliminated in 2000

Communications ::Ecuador

Telephones - main lines in use:

1.91 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 58

Telephones - mobile cellular:

11.595 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 52

Telephone system:

general assessment: generally elementary but being expanded

domestic: fixed-line services provided by three state-owned enterprises; plans to transfer the state-owned operators to private ownership have repeatedly failed; fixed-line density stands at about 14 per 100 persons; mobile cellular use has surged and has a subscribership of nearly 85 per 100 persons

international: country code - 593; landing point for the PAN-AM submarine telecommunications cable that provides links to the west coast of South America, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, and extending onward to Aruba and the US Virgin Islands in the Caribbean; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 392, FM 35, shortwave 29 (2001)

Television broadcast stations:

7 (plus 14 repeaters) (2000)

Internet country code:

.ec

Internet hosts:

57,785 (2009) country comparison to the world: 80

Internet users:

1.31 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 80

Transportation ::Ecuador

Airports:

420 (2009) country comparison to the world: 19

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 103

over 3,047 m: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 3

1,524 to 2,437 m: 18

914 to 1,523 m: 25

under 914 m: 54 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 317

914 to 1,523 m: 38

under 914 m: 279 (2009)

Heliports:

2 (2009)

Pipelines:

extra heavy crude 435 km; gas 5 km; oil 1,374 km; refined products 1,301 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 965 km country comparison to the world: 90 narrow gauge: 965 km 1.067-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 43,670 km country comparison to the world: 84 paved: 6,472 km

unpaved: 37,198 km (2006)

Waterways:

1,500 km (most inaccessible) (2008) country comparison to the world: 54

Merchant marine:

total: 37 country comparison to the world: 80 by type: cargo 1, chemical tanker 1, liquefied gas 1, passenger 8, petroleum tanker 24, refrigerated cargo 1, specialized tanker 1

foreign-owned: 1 (US 1)

registered in other countries: 5 (China 1, Panama 4) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Esmeraldas, Guayaquil, Manta, Puerto Bolivar

Military ::Ecuador

Military branches:

Army, Navy (includes Naval Infantry, Naval Aviation, Coast Guard),
Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Ecuatoriana, FAE) (2007)

Military service age and obligation:

20 years of age for selective conscript military service; 12-month service obligation (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 3,536,602

females age 16-49: 3,559,188 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 2,708,470

females age 16-49: 3,165,489 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 148,010

female: 143,291 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

2.8% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 55

Transnational Issues ::Ecuador

Disputes - international:

organized illegal narcotics operations in Colombia penetrate across Ecuador's shared border, which thousands of Colombians also cross to escape the violence in their home country

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 11,526 (Colombia); note - UNHCR estimates as many as 250,000 Columbians are seeking asylum in Ecuador, many of whom do not register as refugees for fear of deportation (2007)

Illicit drugs:

significant transit country for cocaine originating in Colombia and Peru, with much of the US-bound cocaine passing through Ecuadorian Pacific waters; importer of precursor chemicals used in production of illicit narcotics; attractive location for cash-placement by drug traffickers laundering money because of dollarization and weak anti-money-laundering regime; increased activity on the northern frontier by trafficking groups and Colombian insurgents (2008)

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Egypt (Africa)

Introduction ::Egypt

Background:

The regularity and richness of the annual Nile River flood, coupled with semi-isolation provided by deserts to the east and west, allowed for the development of one of the world's great civilizations. A unified kingdom arose circa 3200 B.C., and a series of dynasties ruled in Egypt for the next three millennia. The last native dynasty fell to the Persians in 341 B.C., who in turn were replaced by the Greeks, Romans, and Byzantines. It was the Arabs who introduced Islam and the Arabic language in the 7th century and who ruled for the next six centuries. A local military caste, the Mamluks took control about 1250 and continued to govern after the conquest of Egypt by the Ottoman Turks in 1517. Following the completion of the Suez Canal in 1869, Egypt became an important world transportation hub, but also fell heavily into debt. Ostensibly to protect its investments, Britain seized control of Egypt's government in 1882, but nominal allegiance to the Ottoman Empire continued until 1914. Partially independent from the UK in 1922, Egypt acquired full sovereignty with the overthrow of the British-backed monarchy in 1952. The completion of the Aswan High Dam in 1971 and the resultant Lake Nasser have altered the time-honored place of the Nile River in the agriculture and ecology of Egypt. A rapidly growing population (the largest in the Arab world), limited arable land, and dependence on the Nile all continue to overtax resources and stress society. The government has struggled to meet the demands of Egypt's growing population through economic reform and massive investment in communications and physical infrastructure.

Geography ::Egypt

Location:

Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Libya and the Gaza Strip, and the Red Sea north of Sudan, and includes the Asian Sinai Peninsula

Geographic coordinates:

27 00 N, 30 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 1,001,450 sq km country comparison to the world: 30 land: 995,450 sq km

water: 6,000 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly more than three times the size of New Mexico

Land boundaries:

total: 2,665 km

border countries: Gaza Strip 11 km, Israel 266 km, Libya 1,115 km, Sudan 1,273 km

Coastline:

2,450 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:

desert; hot, dry summers with moderate winters

Terrain:

vast desert plateau interrupted by Nile valley and delta

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Qattara Depression -133 m

highest point: Mount Catherine 2,629 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, manganese, limestone, gypsum, talc, asbestos, lead, zinc

Land use:

arable land: 2.92%

permanent crops: 0.5%

other: 96.58% (2005)

Irrigated land:

34,220 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

86.8 cu km (1997)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 68.3 cu km/yr (8%/6%/86%)

per capita: 923 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

periodic droughts; frequent earthquakes; flash floods; landslides; hot, driving windstorm called khamsin occurs in spring; dust storms; sandstorms

Environment - current issues:

agricultural land being lost to urbanization and windblown sands; increasing soil salination below Aswan High Dam; desertification; oil pollution threatening coral reefs, beaches, and marine habitats; other water pollution from agricultural pesticides, raw sewage, and industrial effluents; limited natural fresh water resources away from the Nile, which is the only perennial water source; rapid growth in population overstraining the Nile and natural resources

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

controls Sinai Peninsula, only land bridge between Africa and remainder of Eastern Hemisphere; controls Suez Canal, a sea link between Indian Ocean and Mediterranean Sea; size, and juxtaposition to Israel, establish its major role in Middle Eastern geopolitics; dependence on upstream neighbors; dominance of Nile basin issues; prone to influxes of refugees

People ::Egypt

Population:

83,082,869 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 15

Age structure:

0-14 years: 31.4% (male 13,345,500/female 12,743,878)

15-64 years: 63.8% (male 26,823,127/female 26,169,421)

65 years and over: 4.8% (male 1,701,068/female 2,299,875) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 24.8 years

male: 24.4 years

female: 25.2 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.642% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 81

Birth rate:

21.7 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 88

Death rate:

5.08 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 187

Net migration rate:

-0.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 97

Urbanization:

urban population: 43% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female

total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 27.26 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 81 male: 28.93 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 25.51 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 72.12 years country comparison to the world: 120 male: 69.56 years

female: 74.81 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.66 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 85

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 162

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

9,200 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 108

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 500 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 84

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: intermediate

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: Rift Valley fever

water contact disease: schistosomiasis

note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Egyptian(s)

adjective: Egyptian

Ethnic groups:

Egyptian 99.6%, other 0.4% (2006 census)

Religions:

Muslim (mostly Sunni) 90%, Coptic 9%, other Christian 1%

Languages:

Arabic (official), English and French widely understood by educated classes

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 71.4%

male: 83%

female: 59.4% (2005 est.)

Education expenditures:

4.2% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 96

Government ::Egypt

Country name:

conventional long form: Arab Republic of Egypt

conventional short form: Egypt

local long form: Jumhuriyat Misr al-Arabiyah

local short form: Misr

former: United Arab Republic (with Syria)

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Cairo

geographic coordinates: 30 03 N, 31 15 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Friday in April; ends last Thursday in September

Administrative divisions:

26 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Ad Daqahliyah, Al
Bahr al Ahmar (Red Sea), Al Buhayrah (El Beheira), Al Fayyum (El
Faiyum), Al Gharbiyah, Al Iskandariyah (Alexandria), Al Isma'iliyah
(Ismailia), Al Jizah (Giza), Al Minufiyah (El Monofia), Al Minya, Al
Qahirah (Cairo), Al Qalyubiyah, Al Wadi al Jadid (New Valley), As
Suways (Suez), Ash Sharqiyah, Aswan, Asyut, Bani Suwayf (Beni Suef),
Bur Sa'id (Port Said), Dumyat (Damietta), Janub Sina' (South Sinai),
Kafr ash Shaykh, Matruh (Western Desert), Qina (Qena), Shamal Sina'
(North Sinai), Suhaj (Sohag)

Independence:

28 February 1922 (from the UK)

National holiday:

Revolution Day, 23 July (1952)

Constitution:

11 September 1971; amended 22 May 1980, 25 May 2005, and 26 March 2007

Legal system:

based on Islamic and civil law (particularly Napoleonic codes); judicial review by Supreme Court and Council of State (oversees validity of administrative decisions); accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Mohamed Hosni MUBARAK (since 14 October 1981)

head of government: Prime Minister Ahmed Mohamed NAZIF (since 9 July 2004)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for six-year term (no term limits); note - a national referendum in May 2005 approved a constitutional amendment that changed the presidential election to a multicandidate popular vote; previously the president was nominated by the People's Assembly and the nomination was validated by a national, popular referendum; last referendum held 26 September 1999; first election under terms of constitutional amendment held 7 September 2005; next election scheduled for 2011

election results: Hosni MUBARAK reelected president; percent of vote - Hosni MUBARAK 88.6%, Ayman NOUR 7.6%, Noman GOMAA 2.9%

Legislative branch:

bicameral system consists of the Advisory Council or Majlis al-Shura (Shura Council) that traditionally functions only in a consultative role but 2007 constitutional amendments could grant the Council new powers (264 seats; 176 elected by popular vote, 88 appointed by the president; members serve six-year terms; mid-term elections for half of the elected members) and the People's Assembly or Majlis al-Sha'b (454 seats; 444 elected by popular vote, 10 appointed by the president; members serve five-year terms)

elections: Advisory Council - last held June 2007 (next to be held May-June 2010); People's Assembly - three-phase voting - last held 7 and 20 November, 1 December 2005; (next to be held November-December 2010)

election results: Advisory Council - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NDP 84, Tagammu 1, independents 3; People's Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NDP 311, NWP 6, Tagammu 2, Tomorrow Party 1, independents 112 (12 seats to be determined by rerun elections, 10 seats appointed by President)

Judicial branch:

Supreme Constitutional Court

Political parties and leaders:

National Democratic Party or NDP (governing party) [Mohamed Hosni
MUBARAK]; National Progressive Unionist Grouping or Tagammu [Rifaat
EL-SAID]; New Wafd Party or NWP [Mahmoud ABAZA]; Tomorrow Party
[Moussa Mustafa MOUSSA]

note: formation of political parties must be approved by the government; only parties with representation in elected bodies are listed

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Muslim Brotherhood (technically illegal)

note: despite a constitutional ban against religious-based parties and political activity, the technically illegal Muslim Brotherhood constitutes Hosni MUBARAK's potentially most significant political opposition; MUBARAK has alternated between tolerating limited political activity by the Brotherhood (its members, who ran as independents, hold 88 seats in the People's Assembly) and blocking its influence; civic society groups are sanctioned, but constrained in practical terms; only trade unions and professional associations affiliated with the government are officially sanctioned; Internet social networking groups and bloggers

International organization participation:

ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, BSEC (observer), CAEU, COMESA, EBRD, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, MINURCAT, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Sameh Hassan SHOUKRY

chancery: 3521 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 895-5400

FAX: [1] (202) 244-4319

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, New York, San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Margaret SCOBEY

embassy: 8 Kamal El Din Salah St., Garden City, Cairo

mailing address: Unit 64900, Box 15, APO AE 09839-4900; 5 Tawfik Diab Street, Garden City, Cairo

telephone: [20] (2) 2797-3300

FAX: [20] (2) 2797-3200

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black; the national emblem (a gold Eagle of Saladin facing the hoist side with a shield superimposed on its chest above a scroll bearing the name of the country in Arabic) centered in the white band; design is based on the Arab Liberation flag and similar to the flag of Syria, which has two green stars in the white band, Iraq, which has an Arabic inscription centered in the white band, and Yemen, which has a plain white band

Economy ::Egypt

Economy - overview:

Occupying the northeast corner of the African continent, Egypt is bisected by the highly fertile Nile valley, where most economic activity takes place. Egypt's economy was highly centralized during the rule of former President Gamal Abdel NASSER but has opened up considerably under former President Anwar EL-SADAT and current President Mohamed Hosni MUBARAK. Cairo has aggressively pursued economic reforms to encourage inflows of foreign investment and facilitate GDP growth. In 2005, Prime Minister Ahmed NAZIF's government reduced personal and corporate tax rates, reduced energy subsidies, and privatized several enterprises. The stock market boomed, and GDP grew about 7% each year since 2006. Despite these achievements, the government has failed to raise living standards for the average Egyptian, and has had to continue providing subsidies for basic necessities. The subsidies have contributed to a sizeable budget deficit - roughly 7% of GDP in 2007-08 - and represent a significant drain on the economy. Foreign direct investment has increased significantly in the past two years, but the NAZIF government will need to continue its aggressive pursuit of reforms in order to sustain the spike in investment and growth and begin to improve economic conditions for the broader population. Egypt's export sectors - particularly natural gas - have bright prospects.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$444.8 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 27 $414.9 billion (2007 est.)

$387.4 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$162.6 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

7.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 32 7.1% (2007 est.)

6.8% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$5,800 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 134 $5,500 (2007 est.)

$5,200 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 13.2%

industry: 38.7%

services: 48.1% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

24.6 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 22

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 32%

industry: 17%

services: 51% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:

8.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 117 9.1% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

20% (2005 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 3.9%

highest 10%: 27.6% (2005)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

34.4 (2001) country comparison to the world: 90

Investment (gross fixed):

19.1% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 122

Budget:

revenues: $40.22 billion

expenditures: $51.07 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

86.5% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 10 102.7% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

18.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 201 9.5% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

11.5% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 48 9% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

NA% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 67 12.51% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$31.72 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 27 $27.6 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$112.2 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 20 $102.6 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$126.5 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 34 $113.9 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$85.89 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 43 $139.3 billion (31 December 2007)

$93.48 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

cotton, rice, corn, wheat, beans, fruits, vegetables; cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goats

Industries:

textiles, food processing, tourism, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, hydrocarbons, construction, cement, metals, light manufactures

Industrial production growth rate:

6.1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 38

Electricity - production:

118.4 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 28

Electricity - consumption:

104.1 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 29

Electricity - exports:

814 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

251 million kWh (2007 est.)

Oil - production:

630,600 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 28

Oil - consumption:

697,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 26

Oil - exports:

155,200 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 57

Oil - imports:

146,200 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 59

Oil - proved reserves:

3.7 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 28

Natural gas - production:

48.3 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 19

Natural gas - consumption:

31.38 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 28

Natural gas - exports:

16.92 billion cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 14

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 87

Natural gas - proved reserves:

1.656 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 20

Current account balance:

-$1.331 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 128 $500.9 million (2007 est.)

Exports:

$29.85 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 65 $24.45 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

crude oil and petroleum products, cotton, textiles, metal products, chemicals

Exports - partners:

Italy 9.4%, US 7.1%, India 6.2%, Spain 6.1%, Syria 4.7%, Saudi
Arabia 4.6%, Japan 4.5%, Germany 4.5% (2008)

Imports:

$56.62 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 49 $44.95 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, wood products, fuels

Imports - partners:

US 10.3%, China 9.9%, Italy 7.3%, Germany 6.8%, Saudi Arabia 4.9% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$33.85 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 38 $31.37 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$32.12 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 64 $32.84 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$59.13 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 48 $49.23 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$12.08 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 44 $11.58 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

Egyptian pounds (EGP) per US dollar - 5.4 (2008 est.), 5.67 (2007), 5.725 (2006), 5.78 (2005), 6.1962 (2004)

Communications ::Egypt

Telephones - main lines in use:

12.011 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 21

Telephones - mobile cellular:

41.272 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 28

Telephone system:

general assessment: large system; underwent extensive upgrading during 1990s and is reasonably modern; Telecom Egypt, the landline monopoly, has been increasing service availability and in 2008 fixed-line density stood at 15 per 100 persons; as of 2008 there were three mobile-cellular networks with a total of more than 41 million subscribers, roughly 50 per 100 persons

domestic: principal centers at Alexandria, Cairo, Al Mansurah, Ismailia, Suez, and Tanta are connected by coaxial cable and microwave radio relay

international: country code - 20; landing point for both the SEA-ME-WE-3 and SEA-ME-WE-4 submarine cable networks; linked to the international submarine cable FLAG (Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe); satellite earth stations - 4 (2 Intelsat - Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean, 1 Arabsat, and 1 Inmarsat); tropospheric scatter to Sudan; microwave radio relay to Israel; a participant in Medarabtel (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 42 (plus 15 repeaters), FM 11, shortwave 3 (1999)

Television broadcast stations:

98 (September 1995)

Internet country code:

.eg

Internet hosts:

177,443 (2009) country comparison to the world: 65

Internet users:

11.414 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 27

Transportation ::Egypt

Airports:

85 (2009) country comparison to the world: 68

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 72

over 3,047 m: 15

2,438 to 3,047 m: 35

1,524 to 2,437 m: 15

914 to 1,523 m: 2

under 914 m: 5 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 13

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 5

under 914 m: 4 (2009)

Heliports:

6 (2009)

Pipelines:

condensate 320 km; condensate/gas 13 km; gas 5,586 km; liquid petroleum gas 956 km; oil 4,314 km; oil/gas/water 3 km; refined products 895 km; unknown 59 km; water 9 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 5,063 km country comparison to the world: 35 standard gauge: 5,063 km 1.435-m gauge (62 km electrified) (2008)

Roadways:

total: 92,370 km country comparison to the world: 52 paved: 74,820 km

unpaved: 17,550 km (2004)

Waterways:

3,500 km country comparison to the world: 30 note: includes Nile River, Lake Nasser, Alexandria-Cairo Waterway, and numerous smaller canals in delta; Suez Canal (193.5 km including approaches) navigable by oceangoing vessels drawing up to 17.68 m (2007)

Merchant marine:

total: 67 country comparison to the world: 63 by type: bulk carrier 11, cargo 28, container 2, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 13, roll on/roll off 9

foreign-owned: 10 (Denmark 1, Greece 8, Lebanon 1)

registered in other countries: 58 (Cambodia 13, Georgia 12, Honduras 3, North Korea 1, Malta 1, Moldova 1, Panama 17, Saint Kitts and Nevis 2, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 3, Saudi Arabia 1, Sierra Leone 3, Togo 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Ayn Sukhnah, Alexandria, Damietta, El Dekheila, Sidi Kurayr, Suez

Military ::Egypt

Military branches:

Army, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Command

Military service age and obligation:

18-30 years of age for male conscript military service; service obligation 12-36 months, followed by a 9-year reserve obligation (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 21,247,777

females age 16-49: 20,406,408 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 18,490,522

females age 16-49: 17,719,905 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 831,157

female: 792,330 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

3.4% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 39

Transnational Issues ::Egypt

Disputes - international:

while Sudan retains claim to the Hala'ib Triangle north of the 1899 Treaty boundary along the 22nd Parallel, both states withdrew their military presence in the 1990s and Egypt has invested in and effectively administers the area; Egypt no longer shows its administration of the Bir Tawil trapezoid in Sudan on its maps; Gazan breaches in the security wall with Egypt in January 2008 highlight difficulties in monitoring the Sinai border

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 60,000 - 80,000 (Iraq); 70,198 (Palestinian Territories); 12,157 (Sudan) (2007)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Egypt is a transit country for women trafficked from Eastern European countries to Israel for sexual exploitation, and is a source for children trafficked within the country for commercial sexual exploitation and domestic servitude, although the extent to which children are trafficked internally is unknown; children were also recruited for domestic and agricultural work; some of these children face conditions of involuntary servitude, such as restrictions on movement, non-payment of wages, threats, and physical or sexual abuse

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Egypt is on the Tier 2 Watch List for the third year in a row because it did not provide evidence of increasing efforts to investigate and prosecute traffickers; however, in July 2007, the government established the "National Coordinating Committee to Combat and Prevent Trafficking in Persons," which improved inter-governmental coordination on anti-trafficking initiatives; Egypt made no discernible efforts to punish trafficking crimes in 2007 and the Egyptian penal code does not prohibit all forms of trafficking; Egypt did not increase its services to trafficking victims during the reporting period (2008)

Illicit drugs:

transit point for cannabis, heroin, and opium moving to Europe, Israel, and North Africa; transit stop for Nigerian drug couriers; concern as money laundering site due to lax enforcement of financial regulations

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@El Salvador (Central America and Caribbean)

Introduction ::El Salvador

Background:

El Salvador achieved independence from Spain in 1821 and from the Central American Federation in 1839. A 12-year civil war, which cost about 75,000 lives, was brought to a close in 1992 when the government and leftist rebels signed a treaty that provided for military and political reforms.

Geography ::El Salvador

Location:

Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between
Guatemala and Honduras

Geographic coordinates:

13 50 N, 88 55 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 21,041 sq km country comparison to the world: 153 land: 20,721 sq km

water: 320 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Massachusetts

Land boundaries:

total: 545 km

border countries: Guatemala 203 km, Honduras 342 km

Coastline:

307 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; rainy season (May to October); dry season (November to April); tropical on coast; temperate in uplands

Terrain:

mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central plateau

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Cerro El Pital 2,730 m

Natural resources:

hydropower, geothermal power, petroleum, arable land

Land use:

arable land: 31.37%

permanent crops: 11.88%

other: 56.75% (2005)

Irrigated land:

450 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

25.2 cu km (2001)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 1.28 cu km/yr (25%/16%/59%)

per capita: 186 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes destructive earthquakes and volcanic activity; extremely susceptible to hurricanes

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution; contamination of soils from disposal of toxic wastes

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:

smallest Central American country and only one without a coastline on Caribbean Sea

People ::El Salvador

Population:

7,185,218 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 99

Age structure:

0-14 years: 35.4% (male 1,299,608/female 1,245,617)

15-64 years: 59.3% (male 2,033,423/female 2,225,810)

65 years and over: 5.3% (male 166,224/female 214,536) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 22.5 years

male: 21.3 years

female: 23.6 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.656% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 80

Birth rate:

25.31 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 69

Death rate:

5.47 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 177

Net migration rate:

-3.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 151

Urbanization:

urban population: 61% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female

total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 21.52 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 101 male: 24.38 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 18.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 72.33 years country comparison to the world: 118 male: 68.72 years

female: 76.11 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 72

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.8% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 62

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

35,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 67

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

1,700 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 64

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever

water contact disease: leptospirosis (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Salvadoran(s)

adjective: Salvadoran

Ethnic groups:

mestizo 90%, white 9%, Amerindian 1%

Religions:

Roman Catholic 57.1%, Protestant 21.2%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.9%,
Mormon 0.7%, other religions 2.3%, none 16.8% (2003 est.)

Languages:

Spanish, Nahua (among some Amerindians)

Literacy:

definition: age 10 and over can read and write

total population: 80.2%

male: 82.8%

female: 77.7% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 12 years

male: 12 years

female: 12 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

3.1% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 142

Government ::El Salvador

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of El Salvador

conventional short form: El Salvador

local long form: Republica de El Salvador

local short form: El Salvador

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: San Salvador

geographic coordinates: 13 42 N, 89 12 W

time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

14 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Ahuachapan,
Cabanas, Chalatenango, Cuscatlan, La Libertad, La Paz, La Union,
Morazan, San Miguel, San Salvador, San Vicente, Santa Ana,
Sonsonate, Usulutan

Independence:

15 September 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution:

20 December 1983

Legal system:

based on civil and Roman law with traces of common law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Mauricio FUNES Cartagena (since 1 June 2009); Vice President Salvador SANCHEZ CEREN (since 1 June 2009); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Mauricio FUNES Cartagena (since 1 June 2009); Vice President Salvador SANCHEZ CEREN (since 1 June 2009)

cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the president

elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a single five-year term; election last held 15 March 2009 (next to be held in March 2014)

election results: Mauricio FUNES Cartagena elected president; percent of vote - Mauricio FUNES Cartagena 51.3%, Rodrigo AVILA 48.7%

Legislative branch:

unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (84 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve three-year terms)

elections: last held 18 January 2009 (next to be held in March 2012)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FMLN 35, ARENA 32, PCN 11, PDC 5, CD 1

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (15 judges are selected by the
Legislative Assembly; the 15 judges are assigned to four Supreme
Court chambers - constitutional, civil, penal, and administrative
conflict)

Political parties and leaders:

Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Rodolfo PARKER]; Democratic
Convergence or CD [Hector DADA HIREZI] (formerly United Democratic
Center or CDU); Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front or FMLN
[Medardo GONZALEZ]; National Conciliation Party or PCN [Ciro CRUZ
ZEPEDA]; Nationalist Republican Alliance or ARENA [Rodrigo AVILA];
Popular Social Christian Party or PPSC [Rene AGUILUZ]; Revolutionary
Democratic Front or FDR [Julio Cesar HERNANDEZ Carcamo]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

labor organizations - Electrical Industry Union of El Salvador or SIES; Federation of the Construction Industry, Similar Transport and other activities, or FESINCONTRANS; National Confederation of Salvadoran Workers or CNTS; National Union of Salvadoran Workers or UNTS; Port Industry Union of El Salvador or SIPES; Salvadoran Union of Ex-Petrolleros and Peasant Workers or USEPOC; Salvadoran Workers Central or CTS; Workers Union of Electrical Corporation or STCEL; business organizations - National Association of Small Enterprise or ANEP; Salvadoran Assembly Industry Association or ASIC; Salvadoran Industrial Association or ASI

International organization participation:

BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO
(correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (observer),
OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, SICA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL,
Union Latina, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Francisco ALTSCHUL Fuentes

chancery: Suite 100, 1400 16th Street, Washington, DC 20036

telephone: [1] (202) 265-9671

FAX: [1] (202) 234-3763

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Dallas, Duluth (Georgia), Houston,
Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York (2), Nogales (Arizona),
Santa Ana (California), San Francisco, Washington (DC), Woodbridge
(Virginia)

consulate(s): Boston, Elizabeth (New Jersey)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Robert BLAU

embassy: Final Boulevard Santa Elena Sur, Antiguo Cuscatlan, La Libertad, San Salvador

mailing address: Unit 3450, APO AA 34023; 3450 San Salvador Place, Washington, DC 20521-3450

telephone: [503] 2501-2999

FAX: [503] 2501-2150

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue with the national coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms features a round emblem encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL; similar to the flag of Nicaragua, which has a different coat of arms centered in the white band - it features a triangle encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom; also similar to the flag of Honduras, which has five blue stars arranged in an X pattern centered in the white band

Economy ::El Salvador

Economy - overview:

The smallest country in Central America, El Salvador has the third largest economy, but growth has been modest in recent years. Economic growth will decelerate in 2009 due to the global slowdown and to El Salvador's dependence on exports to the US and remittances from the US. El Salvador leads the region in remittances per capita with inflows equivalent to nearly all export income. In 2006 El Salvador was the first country to ratify the Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA). CAFTA has bolstered the export of processed foods, sugar, and ethanol, and supported investment in the maquila sector. The SACA administration has sought to diversify the economy, focusing on regional transportation and tourism. El Salvador has promoted an open trade and investment environment, and has embarked on a wave of privatizations extending to telecom, electricity distribution, banking, and pension funds. In late 2006, the government and the Millennium Challenge Corporation signed a five-year, $461 million compact to stimulate economic growth and reduce poverty in the country's northern region through investments in education, public services, enterprise development, and transportation infrastructure. With the adoption of the US dollar as its currency in 2001, El Salvador lost control over monetary policy and must concentrate on maintaining a disciplined fiscal policy.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$43.73 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 91 $42.66 billion (2007 est.)

$40.75 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$22.12 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 140 4.7% (2007 est.)

4.2% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$6,200 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 131 $6,100 (2007 est.)

$6,000 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 10.7%

industry: 28.8%

services: 60.6% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

2.947 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 102

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 19%

industry: 23%

services: 58% (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate:

6.9% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 87 6.2% (2007 est.)

note: data are official rates; but the economy has much underemployment

Population below poverty line:

30.7% (2006 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 1%

highest 10%: 37% (2005)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

52.4 (2002) country comparison to the world: 18 52.5 (2001)

Investment (gross fixed):

14.9% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 136

Budget:

revenues: $4.016 billion

expenditures: $4.242 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

44.7% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 46 41.7% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

7.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 120 4.6% (2007 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

12.33% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 109 7.81% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$213.7 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 105 $209.7 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$788.7 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 101 $797.1 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$1.19 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 105 $1.15 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 79 $6.743 billion (31 December 2007)

$5.465 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

coffee, sugar, corn, rice, beans, oilseed, cotton, sorghum; beef, dairy products

Industries:

food processing, beverages, petroleum, chemicals, fertilizer, textiles, furniture, light metals

Industrial production growth rate:

1.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 117

Electricity - production:

5.559 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 110

Electricity - consumption:

4.676 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 110

Electricity - exports:

7 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

38 million kWh (2007 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 178

Oil - consumption:

45,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 99

Oil - exports:

1,927 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 115

Oil - imports:

46,310 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 90

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 172

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 185

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 188

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 61

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 84

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 183

Current account balance:

-$1.595 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 133 -$1.119 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$4.611 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 115 $4.035 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

offshore assembly exports, coffee, sugar, textiles and apparel, gold, ethanol, chemicals, electricity, iron and steel manufactures

Exports - partners:

US 47.5%, Guatemala 14.2%, Honduras 11.5%, Nicaragua 4.6% (2008)

Imports:

$9.003 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 95 $8.108 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

raw materials, consumer goods, capital goods, fuels, foodstuffs, petroleum, electricity

Imports - partners:

US 29.9%, Guatemala 11.8%, Mexico 9.7%, China 4.5%, France 4.4% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$2.545 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 101 $2.199 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$10.69 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 84 $9.808 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$6.702 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 85 $5.918 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$440 million (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 76 $384 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

the US dollar became El Salvador's currency in 2001

Communications ::El Salvador

Telephones - main lines in use:

1.077 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 77

Telephones - mobile cellular:

6.951 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 72

Telephone system:

general assessment: multiple mobile-cellular service providers are expanding services rapidly and in 2008 mobile-cellular density stood at nearly 100 per 100 persons; growth in fixed-line services has slowed in the face of mobile-cellular competition

domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system

international: country code - 503; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave System (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 52, FM 144, shortwave 0 (2005)

Television broadcast stations:

5 (1997)

Internet country code:

.sv

Internet hosts:

8,177 (2009) country comparison to the world: 123

Internet users:

826,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 98

Transportation ::El Salvador

Airports:

65 (2009) country comparison to the world: 77

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 4

over 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 61

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 13

under 914 m: 47 (2009)

Heliports:

1 (2009)

Railways:

total: 283 km country comparison to the world: 123 narrow gauge: 283 km 0.914-m gauge

note: railways have been inoperable since 2005 because of disuse and high costs that led to a lack of maintenance (2008)

Roadways:

total: 10,886 km country comparison to the world: 136 paved: 2,827 km (includes 327 km of expressways)

unpaved: 8,059 km (2000)

Waterways:

Rio Lempa partially navigable for small craft (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Acajutla, Puerto Cutuco

Military ::El Salvador

Military branches:

Salvadoran Army (ES), Salvadoran Navy (FNES), Salvadoran Air Force
(Fuerza Aerea Salvadorena, FAS) (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for selective compulsory military service; 16-22 years of age for voluntary male or female service; service obligation - 12 months, with 11 months for officers and NCOs (2009)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,634,816

females age 16-49: 1,775,474 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,201,290

females age 16-49: 1,547,278 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 77,473

female: 74,655 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

5% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 18

Transnational Issues ::El Salvador

Disputes - international:

International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled on the delimitation of "bolsones" (disputed areas) along the El Salvador-Honduras boundary, in 1992, with final agreement by the parties in 2006 after an Organization of American States (OAS) survey and a further ICJ ruling in 2003; the 1992 ICJ ruling advised a tripartite resolution to a maritime boundary in the Gulf of Fonseca advocating Honduran access to the Pacific; El Salvador continues to claim tiny Conejo Island, not identified in the ICJ decision, off Honduras in the Gulf of Fonseca

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for cocaine; small amounts of marijuana produced for local consumption; significant use of cocaine

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Equatorial Guinea (Africa)

Introduction ::Equatorial Guinea

Background:

Equatorial Guinea gained independence in 1968 after 190 years of Spanish rule. This tiny country, composed of a mainland portion plus five inhabited islands, is one of the smallest on the African continent. President Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO has ruled the country since 1979 when he seized power in a coup. Although nominally a constitutional democracy since 1991, the 1996 and 2002 presidential elections - as well as the 1999 and 2004 legislative elections - were widely seen as flawed. The president exerts almost total control over the political system and has discouraged political opposition. Equatorial Guinea has experienced rapid economic growth due to the discovery of large offshore oil reserves, and in the last decade has become Sub-Saharan Africa's third largest oil exporter. Despite the country's economic windfall from oil production resulting in a massive increase in government revenue in recent years, there have been few improvements in the population's living standards.

Geography ::Equatorial Guinea

Location:

Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Cameroon and
Gabon

Geographic coordinates:

2 00 N, 10 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 28,051 sq km country comparison to the world: 145 land: 28,051 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries:

total: 539 km

border countries: Cameroon 189 km, Gabon 350 km

Coastline:

296 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; always hot, humid

Terrain:

coastal plains rise to interior hills; islands are volcanic

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Pico Basile 3,008 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, natural gas, timber, gold, bauxite, diamonds, tantalum, sand and gravel, clay

Land use:

arable land: 4.63%

permanent crops: 3.57%

other: 91.8% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Total renewable water resources:

26 cu km (2001)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.11 cu km/yr (83%/16%/1%)

per capita: 220 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

violent windstorms; flash floods

Environment - current issues:

tap water is not potable; deforestation

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

insular and continental regions widely separated

People ::Equatorial Guinea

Population:

633,441 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 165

Age structure:

0-14 years: 41.9% (male 134,823/female 130,308)

15-64 years: 54% (male 167,820/female 174,238)

65 years and over: 4.1% (male 11,574/female 14,678) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 18.9 years

male: 18.3 years

female: 19.6 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.703% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 23

Birth rate:

36.52 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 32

Death rate:

9.49 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 73

Net migration rate:

NA

Urbanization:

urban population: 39% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 2.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 81.58 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 18 male: 82.68 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 80.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 61.61 years country comparison to the world: 180 male: 60.71 years

female: 62.54 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

5.08 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 27

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

3.4% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 20

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

11,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 98

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

370 (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 101

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: malaria and yellow fever

animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Equatorial Guinean(s) or Equatoguinean(s)

adjective: Equatorial Guinean or Equatoguinean

Ethnic groups:

Fang 85.7%, Bubi 6.5%, Mdowe 3.6%, Annobon 1.6%, Bujeba 1.1%, other 1.4% (1994 census)

Religions:

nominally Christian and predominantly Roman Catholic, pagan practices

Languages:

Spanish 67.6% (official), other 32.4% (includes French (official),
Fang, Bubi) (1994 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 87%

male: 93.4%

female: 80.5% (2000 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 10 years

male: 10 years

female: 9 years (2000)

Education expenditures:

0.6% of GDP (2003) country comparison to the world: 181

Government ::Equatorial Guinea

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Equatorial Guinea

conventional short form: Equatorial Guinea

local long form: Republica de Guinea Ecuatorial/Republique de Guinee equatoriale

local short form: Guinea Ecuatorial/Guinee equatoriale

former: Spanish Guinea

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Malabo

geographic coordinates: 3 45 N, 8 47 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Annobon, Bioko Norte, Bioko Sur, Centro Sur, Kie-Ntem, Litoral, Wele-Nzas

Independence:

12 October 1968 (from Spain)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 12 October (1968)

Constitution:

approved by national referendum 17 November 1991; amended January 1995

Legal system:

partly based on Spanish civil law and tribal custom; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO (since 3 August 1979 when he seized power in a military coup)

head of government: Prime Minister Ignacio Milan TANG (since 8 July 2008);

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (no term limits); election last held 15 December 2002 (next to be held in 2010); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president

election results: Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO reelected president; percent of vote - Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO 97.1%, Celestino Bonifacio BACALE 2.2%; elections marred by widespread fraud

Legislative branch:

unicameral House of People's Representatives or Camara de Representantes del Pueblo (100 seats; members directly elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 4 May 2008 (next to be held in 2012)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDGE 89, EC 10, CPDS 1

note: Parliament has little power since the constitution vests all executive authority in the president

Judicial branch:

Supreme Tribunal

Political parties and leaders:

Convergence Party for Social Democracy or CPDS [Placido MICO Abogo]; Democratic Party for Equatorial Guinea or PDGE (ruling party) [Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO]; Electoral Coalition or EC; Party for Progress of Equatorial Guinea or PPGE [Severo MOTO]; Popular Action of Equatorial Guinea or APGE [Avelino MOCACHE]; Popular Union or UP

Political pressure groups and leaders:

ASODEGUE (Madrid-based pressure group for democratic reform); Global
Witness (anti-corruption)

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, CPLP (associate), FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD,
ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Purificacion ANGUE ONDO

chancery: 2020 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone: [1] (202) 518-5700

FAX: [1] (202) 518-5252

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)

embassy: K-3, Carreterade Aeropuerto, al lado de Restaurante El Paraiso, Malabo; note - relocated embassy is opened for limited functions; inquiries should continue to be directed to the US Embassy in Yaounde, Cameroon

mailing address: B.P. 817, Yaounde, Cameroon; US Embassy Yaounde, US Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2520

telephone: [237] 2220-1500

FAX: [237] 2220-1572

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red, with a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side and the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms has six yellow six-pointed stars (representing the mainland and five offshore islands) above a gray shield bearing a silk-cotton tree and below which is a scroll with the motto UNIDAD, PAZ, JUSTICIA (Unity, Peace, Justice)

Economy ::Equatorial Guinea

Economy - overview:

The discovery and exploitation of large oil reserves have contributed to dramatic economic growth in recent years. Forestry, farming, and fishing are also major components of GDP. Subsistence farming predominates. Although pre-independence Equatorial Guinea counted on cocoa production for hard currency earnings, the neglect of the rural economy under successive regimes has diminished potential for agriculture-led growth (the government has stated its intention to reinvest some oil revenue into agriculture). A number of aid programs sponsored by the World Bank and the IMF have been cut off since 1993, because of corruption and mismanagement. No longer eligible for concessional financing because of large oil revenues, the government has been trying to agree on a "shadow" fiscal management program with the World Bank and IMF. Government officials and their family members own most businesses. Undeveloped natural resources include titanium, iron ore, manganese, uranium, and alluvial gold. Growth remained strong in 2008, led by oil.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$23 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 114 $20.8 billion (2007 est.)

$16.98 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$18.53 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

10.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 9 22.5% (2007 est.)

1.2% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$37,300 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 29 $34,700 (2007 est.)

$29,100 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 2.3%

industry: 93.7%

services: 3.9% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

NA

Unemployment rate:

30% (1998 est.) country comparison to the world: 181

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Investment (gross fixed):

31.8% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 20

Budget:

revenues: $6.599 billion

expenditures: $3.601 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

0.9% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 126 1.6% of GDP (2007 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

7.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 121 6% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

4.75% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 84 5.25% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

NA% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 44 15% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$835.2 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$174.5 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$NA (31 December 2007)

Agriculture - products:

coffee, cocoa, rice, yams, cassava (tapioca), bananas, palm oil nuts; livestock; timber

Industries:

petroleum, fishing, sawmilling, natural gas

Industrial production growth rate:

11.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 7

Electricity - production:

28 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 203

Electricity - consumption:

26.04 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 203

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

359,200 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 35

Oil - consumption:

1,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 197

Oil - exports:

362,900 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 35

Oil - imports:

1,114 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 188

Oil - proved reserves:

1.1 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 39

Natural gas - production:

6.67 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 45

Natural gas - consumption:

1.5 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 84

Natural gas - exports:

5.17 billion cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 27

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 86

Natural gas - proved reserves:

36.81 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 67

Current account balance:

$1.42 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 43 $540.9 million (2007 est.)

Exports:

$13.03 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 80 $10.25 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

petroleum, methanol, timber, cocoa

Exports - partners:

US 22.7%, Spain 18.2%, China 14.7%, France 7.9%, Italy 6%, South
Korea 5.4% (2008)

Imports:

$3.114 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 138 $2.365 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

petroleum sector equipment, other equipment

Imports - partners:

China 17.7%, Spain 13.3%, US 11.8%, France 10.9%, Cote d'Ivoire 10.4%, Italy 5.5%, UK 5.1% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$4.431 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 84 $3.846 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$190 million (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 180 $338 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

Cooperation Financiere en Afrique Centrale francs (XAF) per US dollar - 447.81 (2008 est.), 481.83 (2007), 522.4 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004)

note: since 1 January 1999, the Central African CFA franc (XAF) has been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 CFA francs per euro; Central African CFA franc (XAF) coins and banknotes are not accepted in countries using West African CFA francs (XOF), and vice versa, even though the two currencies trade at par

Communications ::Equatorial Guinea

Telephones - main lines in use:

10,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 204

Telephones - mobile cellular:

346,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 165

Telephone system:

general assessment: digital fixed-line network in most major urban areas and good mobile coverage

domestic: fixed-line density is about 2 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular subscribership has been increasing and in 2008 stood at about 55 percent of the population

international: country code - 240; international communications from Bata and Malabo to African and European countries; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 0, FM 3, shortwave 5 (2001)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (2001)

Internet country code:

.gq

Internet hosts:

9 (2009) country comparison to the world: 221

Internet users:

12,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 198

Transportation ::Equatorial Guinea

Airports:

7 (2009) country comparison to the world: 166

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 6

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 38 km (2008)

Roadways:

total: 2,880 km (2000) country comparison to the world: 167

Merchant marine:

total: 1 country comparison to the world: 158 by type: cargo 1 (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Bata, Malabo

Military ::Equatorial Guinea

Military branches:

National Guard (Guardia Nacional de Guinea Ecuatoria, GNGE (Army), with Coast Guard (Navy) and Air Wing) (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age (est.) for compulsory military service; women hold only administrative positions in the Coast Guard (2009)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 136,725

females age 16-49: 138,018 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 105,468

females age 16-49: 107,919 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 6,983

female: 6,726 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

0.1% of GDP (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 172

Transnational Issues ::Equatorial Guinea

Disputes - international:

in 2002, ICJ ruled on an equidistance settlement of Cameroon-Equatorial Guinea-Nigeria maritime boundary in the Gulf of Guinea, but a dispute between Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon over an island at the mouth of the Ntem River and imprecisely defined maritime coordinates in the ICJ decision delay final delimitation; UN urges Equatorial Guinea and Gabon to resolve the sovereignty dispute over Gabon-occupied Mbane and lesser islands and to create a maritime boundary in the hydrocarbon-rich Corisco Bay

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Equatorial Guinea is primarily a destination country for children trafficked for the purpose of forced labor and possibly for the purpose of sexual exploitation; children have been trafficked from nearby countries for domestic servitude, market labor, ambulant vending, and possibly sexual exploitation; women may also be trafficked to Equatorial Guinea from Cameroon, Benin, other neighboring countries, and China for sexual exploitation

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Equatorial Guinea is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking, particularly in the areas of prosecuting and convicting trafficking offenders and failing to formalize mechanisms to provide assistance to victims; although the government made some effort to enforce laws against child labor exploitation, it failed to report any trafficking prosecutions or convictions in 2007; the government continued to lack shelters or formal procedures for providing care to victims (2008)

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Eritrea (Africa)

Introduction ::Eritrea

Background:

Eritrea was awarded to Ethiopia in 1952 as part of a federation. Ethiopia's annexation of Eritrea as a province 10 years later sparked a 30-year struggle for independence that ended in 1991 with Eritrean rebels defeating governmental forces; independence was overwhelmingly approved in a 1993 referendum. A two-and-a-half-year border war with Ethiopia that erupted in 1998 ended under UN auspices in December 2000. Eritrea hosted a UN peacekeeping operation that monitored a 25 km-wide Temporary Security Zone (TSZ) on the border with Ethiopia. Eritrea's denial of fuel to the mission caused the UN to withdraw the mission and terminate its mandate 31 July 2008. An international commission, organized to resolve the border dispute, posted its findings in 2002. However, both parties have been unable to reach agreement on implementing the decision. On 30 November 2007, the Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission remotely demarcated the border by coordinates and dissolved itself, leaving Ethiopia still occupying several tracts of disputed territory, including the town of Badme. Eritrea accepted the EEBC's "virtual demarcation" decision and called on Ethiopia to remove its troops from the TSZ which it states is Eritrean territory. Ethiopia has not accepted the virtual demarcation decision.

Geography ::Eritrea

Location:

Eastern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Djibouti and Sudan

Geographic coordinates:

15 00 N, 39 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 117,600 sq km country comparison to the world: 100 land: 101,000 sq km

water: 16,600 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than Pennsylvania

Land boundaries:

total: 1,626 km

border countries: Djibouti 109 km, Ethiopia 912 km, Sudan 605 km

Coastline:

2,234 km (mainland on Red Sea 1,151 km, islands in Red Sea 1,083 km)

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate:

hot, dry desert strip along Red Sea coast; cooler and wetter in the central highlands (up to 61 cm of rainfall annually, heaviest June to September); semiarid in western hills and lowlands

Terrain:

dominated by extension of Ethiopian north-south trending highlands, descending on the east to a coastal desert plain, on the northwest to hilly terrain and on the southwest to flat-to-rolling plains

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: near Kulul within the Danakil Depression -75 m

highest point: Soira 3,018 m

Natural resources:

gold, potash, zinc, copper, salt, possibly oil and natural gas, fish

Land use:

arable land: 4.78%

permanent crops: 0.03%

other: 95.19% (2005)

Irrigated land:

210 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

6.3 cu km (2001)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.3 cu km/yr (3%/0%/97%)

per capita: 68 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

frequent droughts; locust swarms

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; desertification; soil erosion; overgrazing; loss of infrastructure from civil warfare

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

strategic geopolitical position along world's busiest shipping lanes; Eritrea retained the entire coastline of Ethiopia along the Red Sea upon de jure independence from Ethiopia on 24 May 1993

People ::Eritrea

Population:

5,647,168 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 109

Age structure:

0-14 years: 42.8% (male 1,212,848/female 1,202,240)

15-64 years: 53.7% (male 1,483,169/female 1,547,078)

65 years and over: 3.6% (male 92,009/female 109,824) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 18.4 years

male: 18 years

female: 18.8 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.577% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 29

Birth rate:

34.2 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 39

Death rate:

8.43 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 97

Net migration rate:

NA

Urbanization:

urban population: 21% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 5.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 43.33 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 62 male: 48.97 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 37.51 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 61.78 years country comparison to the world: 179 male: 59.71 years

female: 63.9 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

4.72 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 35

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

1.3% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 48

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

38,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 66

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

2,600 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 56

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: malaria (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Eritrean(s)

adjective: Eritrean

Ethnic groups:

Tigrinya 50%, Tigre and Kunama 40%, Afar 4%, Saho (Red Sea coast dwellers) 3%, other 3%

Religions:

Muslim, Coptic Christian, Roman Catholic, Protestant

Languages:

Afar, Arabic, Tigre and Kunama, Tigrinya, other Cushitic languages

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 58.6%

male: 69.9%

female: 47.6% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 5 years

male: 6 years

female: 4 years (2004)

Education expenditures:

2.4% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 161

Government ::Eritrea

Country name:

conventional long form: State of Eritrea

conventional short form: Eritrea

local long form: Hagere Ertra

local short form: Ertra

former: Eritrea Autonomous Region in Ethiopia

Government type:

transitional government

note: following a successful referendum on independence for the Autonomous Region of Eritrea on 23-25 April 1993, a National Assembly, composed entirely of the People's Front for Democracy and Justice or PFDJ, was established as a transitional legislature; a Constitutional Commission was also established to draft a constitution; ISAIAS Afworki was elected president by the transitional legislature; the constitution, ratified in May 1997, did not enter into effect, pending parliamentary and presidential elections; parliamentary elections were scheduled in December 2001, but were postponed indefinitely; currently the sole legal party is the People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ)

Capital:

name: Asmara (Asmera)

geographic coordinates: 15 20 N, 38 56 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

6 regions (zobatat, singular - zoba); Anseba, Debub (Southern), Debubawi K'eyih Bahri (Southern Red Sea), Gash Barka, Ma'akel (Central), Semenawi Keyih Bahri (Northern Red Sea)

Independence:

24 May 1993 (from Ethiopia)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 24 May (1993)

Constitution:

adopted on 23 May 1997, but has not yet been fully implemented

Legal system:

primary basis is the Ethiopian legal code of 1957 with revisions; new civil, commercial, and penal codes have not yet been promulgated; government also issues unilateral proclamations setting laws and policies; also relies on customary and post-independence-enacted laws and, for civil cases involving Muslims, Islamic law; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President ISAIAS Afworki (since 8 June 1993); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government and is head of the State Council and National Assembly

head of government: President ISAIAS Afworki (since 8 June 1993)

cabinet: State Council is the collective executive authority; members appointed by the president

elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); the most recent and only election held 8 June 1993 (next election date uncertain as the National Assembly did not hold a presidential election in December 2001 as anticipated)

election results: ISAIAS Afworki elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - ISAIAS Afworki 95%, other 5%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly (150 seats; members elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: in May 1997, following the adoption of the new constitution, 75 members of the PFDJ Central Committee (the old Central Committee of the EPLF), 60 members of the 527-member Constituent Assembly, which had been established in 1997 to discuss and ratify the new constitution, and 15 representatives of Eritreans living abroad were formed into a Transitional National Assembly to serve as the country's legislative body until countrywide elections to a National Assembly were held; although only 75 of 150 members of the Transitional National Assembly were elected, the constitution stipulates that once past the transition stage, all members of the National Assembly will be elected by secret ballot of all eligible voters; National Assembly elections scheduled for December 2001 were postponed indefinitely

Judicial branch:

High Court - regional, subregional, and village courts; also have military and special courts

Political parties and leaders:

People's Front for Democracy and Justice or PFDJ [ISAIAS Afworki] (the only party recognized by the government); note - a National Assembly committee drafted a law on political parties in January 2001, but the full National Assembly has yet to debate or vote on it

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Eritrean Democratic Party (EDP) [HAGOS, Mesfin]; Eritrean Islamic Jihad or EIJ (includes Eritrean Islamic Jihad Movement or EIJM also known as the Abu Sihel Movement); Eritrean Islamic Salvation or EIS (also known as the Arafa Movement); Eritrean Liberation Front or ELF [ABDULLAH Muhammed]; Eritrean National Alliance or ENA (a coalition including EIJ, EIS, ELF, and a number of ELF factions) [HERUY Tedla Biru]; Eritrean Public Forum or EPF [ARADOM Iyob]

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
(signatory), IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (observer), ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, LAS (observer), MIGA,
NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador GHIRMAI Ghebremariam

chancery: 1708 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone: [1] (202) 319-1991

FAX: [1] (202) 319-1304

consulate(s) general: Oakland (California)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Ronald MCMULLEN

embassy: 179 Ala Street, Asmara

mailing address: P. O. Box 211, Asmara

telephone: [291] (1) 120004

FAX: [291] (1) 127584

Flag description:

red isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) dividing the flag into two right triangles; the upper triangle is green, the lower one is blue; a gold wreath encircling a gold olive branch is centered on the hoist side of the red triangle

Economy ::Eritrea

Economy - overview:

Since independence from Ethiopia in 1993, Eritrea has faced the economic problems of a small, desperately poor country, accentuated by the recent implementation of restrictive economic policies. Eritrea has a command economy under the control of the sole political party, the People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ). Like the economies of many African nations, the economy is largely based on subsistence agriculture, with 80% of the population involved in farming and herding. The Ethiopian-Eritrea war in 1998-2000 severely hurt Eritrea's economy. GDP growth fell to zero in 1999 and to -12.1% in 2000. The May 2000 Ethiopian offensive into northern Eritrea caused some $600 million in property damage and loss, including losses of $225 million in livestock and 55,000 homes. The attack prevented planting of crops in Eritrea's most productive region, causing food production to drop by 62%. Despite the fighting, Eritrea developed its transportation infrastructure, asphalting new roads, improving its ports, and repairing war-damaged roads and bridges. Since the war's conclusion, the government has maintained a firm grip on the economy, expanding the use of the military and party-owned businesses to complete Eritrea's development agenda. The government strictly controls the use of foreign currency by limiting access and availability. Few private enterprises remain in Eritrea. Eritrea's economy depends heavily on taxes paid by members of the diaspora. Erratic rainfall and the delayed demobilization of agriculturalists from the military continue to interfere with agricultural production, and Eritrea's recent harvests have been unable to meet the food needs of the country. The Government continues to place its hope for additional revenue on the development of several international mining projects. Despite difficulties for international companies in working with the Eritrean Government, a Canadian mining company signed a contract with the Government in 2007 and plans to begin mineral extraction in 2010. Eritrea also opened a free trade zone at the port of Massawa in 2008. Eritrea's economic future depends upon its ability to master social problems such as illiteracy, unemployment, and low skills, and more importantly, on the government's willingness to support a true market economy.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$3.954 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 166 $3.876 billion (2007 est.)

$3.838 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$1.479 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 164 1% (2007 est.)

-1% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$700 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 223 $700 (2007 est.)

$700 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 17.4%

industry: 23.2%

services: 59.4% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

NA

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 80%

industry and services: 20% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:

NA%

Population below poverty line:

50% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Investment (gross fixed):

20.2% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 105

Budget:

revenues: $234.6 million

expenditures: $523.3 million (2008 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

18% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 200 17% (2007 est.)

Stock of money:

$896.2 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 89 $749.1 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$1.053 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 94 $932.9 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$1.851 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 94 $1.711 billion (31 December 2007)

Agriculture - products:

sorghum, lentils, vegetables, corn, cotton, tobacco, sisal; livestock, goats; fish

Industries:

food processing, beverages, clothing and textiles, light manufacturing, salt, cement

Industrial production growth rate:

2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 103

Electricity - production:

271 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 170

Electricity - consumption:

228 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 175

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 179

Oil - consumption:

5,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 168

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 189

Oil - imports:

4,790 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 158

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 173

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 186

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 189

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 62

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 85

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 184

Current account balance:

-$229 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 92 -$203 million (2007 est.)

Exports:

$13 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 209 $12 million (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

livestock, sorghum, textiles, food, small manufactures

Exports - partners:

Itlay 25.3%, Sudan 17.2%, China 15.8%, India 8.8%, France 6.7%,
Saudi Arabia 6.5%, Russia 4.1% (2008)

Imports:

$601 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 183 $580 million (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery, petroleum products, food, manufactured goods

Imports - partners:

India 28.5%, Saudi Arabia 17.8%, Italy 10.9%, China 8.5%, US 4.4%,
Germany 4% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$24 million (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 155 $34 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$311 million (2000 est.) country comparison to the world: 175

Exchange rates:

nakfa (ERN) per US dollar - 15.38 (2008 est.), 15.5 (2007), 15.4 (2006), 14.5 (2005), 13.788 (2004)

note: the official exchange rate is 15 nakfa to the dollar

Communications ::Eritrea

Telephones - main lines in use:

40,400 (2008) country comparison to the world: 169

Telephones - mobile cellular:

108,600 (2008) country comparison to the world: 181

Telephone system:

general assessment: inadequate; combined fixed-line and mobile cellular subscribership is only about 3 per 100 persons (2008)

domestic: inadequate; most telephones are in Asmara; government is seeking international tenders to improve the system (2002)

international: country code - 291; note - international connections exist

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 2, FM NA, shortwave 2 (2000)

Television broadcast stations:

2 (2006)

Internet country code:

.er

Internet hosts:

1,307 (2009) country comparison to the world: 156

Internet users:

200,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 135

Transportation ::Eritrea

Airports:

14 (2009) country comparison to the world: 147

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 4

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 10

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Heliports:

1 (2009)

Railways:

total: 306 km country comparison to the world: 121 narrow gauge: 306 km 0.950-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 4,010 km country comparison to the world: 157 paved: 874 km

unpaved: 3,136 km (2000)

Merchant marine:

total: 5 country comparison to the world: 131 by type: cargo 2, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1 (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Assab, Massawa

Military ::Eritrea

Military branches:

Eritrean Armed Forces: Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

18-40 years of age for male and female voluntary and compulsory military service; 16-month conscript service obligation (2006)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,108,836

females age 16-49: 1,096,120 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 834,018

females age 16-49: 887,495 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 62,265

female: 62,328 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

6.3% of GDP (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 9

Transnational Issues ::Eritrea

Disputes - international:

Eritrea and Ethiopia agreed to abide by 2002 Ethiopia-Eritrea Boundary Commission's (EEBC) delimitation decision but, neither party responded to the revised line detailed in the November 2006 EEBC Demarcation Statement; UN Peacekeeping Mission to Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE), which has monitored the 25-km-wide Temporary Security Zone in Eritrea since 2000, is extended for six months in 2007 despite Eritrean restrictions on its operations and reduced force of 17,000; Sudan accuses Eritrea of supporting eastern Sudanese rebel groups

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

IDPs: 32,000 (border war with Ethiopia from 1998-2000; most IDPs are near the central border region) (2007)

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Estonia (Europe)

Introduction ::Estonia

Background:

After centuries of Danish, Swedish, German, and Russian rule, Estonia attained independence in 1918. Forcibly incorporated into the USSR in 1940 - an action never recognized by the US - it regained its freedom in 1991, with the collapse of the Soviet Union. Since the last Russian troops left in 1994, Estonia has been free to promote economic and political ties with Western Europe. It joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004.

Geography ::Estonia

Location:

Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland, between Latvia and Russia

Geographic coordinates:

59 00 N, 26 00 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 45,228 sq km country comparison to the world: 132 land: 42,388 sq km

water: 2,840 sq km

note: includes 1,520 islands in the Baltic Sea

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than New Hampshire and Vermont combined

Land boundaries:

total: 633 km

border countries: Latvia 343 km, Russia 290 km

Coastline:

3,794 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: limits fixed in coordination with neighboring states

Climate:

maritime; wet, moderate winters, cool summers

Terrain:

marshy, lowlands; flat in the north, hilly in the south

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m

highest point: Suur Munamagi 318 m

Natural resources:

oil shale, peat, phosphorite, clay, limestone, sand, dolomite, arable land, sea mud

Land use:

arable land: 12.05%

permanent crops: 0.35%

other: 87.6% (2005)

Irrigated land:

40 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

21.1 cu km (2005)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 1.41 cu km/yr (56%/39%/5%)

per capita: 1,060 cu m/yr (2002)

Natural hazards:

sometimes flooding occurs in the spring

Environment - current issues:

air polluted with sulfur dioxide from oil-shale burning power plants in northeast; however, the amount of pollutants emitted to the air have fallen steadily, the emissions of 2000 were 80% less than in 1980; the amount of unpurified wastewater discharged to water bodies in 2000 was one-20th the level of 1980; in connection with the start-up of new water purification plants, the pollution load of wastewater decreased; Estonia has more than 1,400 natural and manmade lakes, the smaller of which in agricultural areas need to be monitored; coastal seawater is polluted in certain locations

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

the mainland terrain is flat, boggy, and partly wooded; offshore lie more than 1,500 islands

People ::Estonia

Population:

1,299,371 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 152

Age structure:

0-14 years: 14.9% (male 99,748/female 94,051)

15-64 years: 67.5% (male 417,816/female 459,246)

65 years and over: 17.6% (male 75,486/female 153,024) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 39.9 years

male: 36.5 years

female: 43.5 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.632% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 229

Birth rate:

10.37 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 188

Death rate:

13.42 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 27

Net migration rate:

-3.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 150

Urbanization:

urban population: 69% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: -0.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.49 male(s)/female

total population: 0.84 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 7.32 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 167 male: 8.48 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 6.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 72.82 years country comparison to the world: 113 male: 67.45 years

female: 78.53 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.42 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 190

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

1.3% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 47

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

9,900 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 104

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 500 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 96

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: intermediate

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea

vectorborne disease: tickborne encephalitis (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Estonian(s)

adjective: Estonian

Ethnic groups:

Estonian 67.9%, Russian 25.6%, Ukrainian 2.1%, Belarusian 1.3%, Finn 0.9%, other 2.2% (2000 census)

Religions:

Evangelical Lutheran 13.6%, Orthodox 12.8%, other Christian (including Methodist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal) 1.4%, unaffiliated 34.1%, other and unspecified 32%, none 6.1% (2000 census)

Languages:

Estonian (official) 67.3%, Russian 29.7%, other 2.3%, unknown 0.7% (2000 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.8%

male: 99.8%

female: 99.8% (2000 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 16 years

male: 15 years

female: 17 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

5.1% of GDP (2004) country comparison to the world: 68

Government ::Estonia

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Estonia

conventional short form: Estonia

local long form: Eesti Vabariik

local short form: Eesti

former: Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic

Government type:

parliamentary republic

Capital:

name: Tallinn

geographic coordinates: 59 26 N, 24 43 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

15 counties (maakonnad, singular - maakond); Harjumaa (Tallinn),
Hiiumaa (Kardla), Ida-Virumaa (Johvi), Jarvamaa (Paide), Jogevamaa
(Jogeva), Laanemaa (Haapsalu), Laane-Virumaa (Rakvere), Parnumaa
(Parnu), Polvamaa (Polva), Raplamaa (Rapla), Saaremaa (Kuressaare),
Tartumaa (Tartu), Valgamaa (Valga), Viljandimaa (Viljandi), Vorumaa
(Voru)

note: counties have the administrative center name following in parentheses

Independence:

20 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 24 February (1918); note - 24 February 1918 was
the date Estonia declared its independence from Soviet Russia; 20
August 1991 was the date it declared its independence from the
Soviet Union

Constitution:

adopted 28 June 1992

Legal system:

based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal for all Estonian citizens

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Toomas Hendrik ILVES (since 9 October 2006)

head of government: Prime Minister Andrus ANSIP (since 12 April 2005)

cabinet: Ministers appointed by the prime minister, approved by Parliament

elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); if a candidate does not secure two-thirds of the votes after three rounds of balloting in the Parliament, then an electoral assembly (made up of Parliament plus members of local councils) elects the president, choosing between the two candidates with the largest number of votes; election last held 23 September 2006 (next to be held in the fall of 2011); prime minister nominated by the president and approved by Parliament

election results: Toomas Hendrik ILVES elected president on 23 September 2006 by a 345-member electoral assembly; ILVES received 174 votes to incumbent Arnold RUUTEL's 162; remaining 9 ballots left blank or invalid

Legislative branch:

unicameral Parliament or Riigikogu (101 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 4 March 2007 (next to be held in March 2011)

election results: percent of vote by party - Estonian Reform Party 27.8%, Center Party of Estonia 26.1%, Union of Pro Patria and Res Publica 17.9%, Social Democratic Party 10.6%, Estonian Greens 7.1%, Estonian People's Union 7.1%, other 5%; seats by party - Estonian Reform Party 31, Center Party 29, Union of Pro Patria and Res Publica 19, Social Democratic Party 10, Estonian Greens 6, Estonian People's Union 6

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (chairman appointed for life by Parliament)

Political parties and leaders:

Center Party of Estonia (Keskerakond) [Edgar SAVISAAR]; Estonian
Greens (Rohelised) [Marek STRANDBERG]; Estonian People's Union
(Rahvaliit) [Villu REILJAN]; Estonian Reform Party (Reformierakond)
[Andrus ANSIP]; Social Democratic Party (formerly People's Party
Moodukad or Moderates) [Ivari PADAR]; Union of Pro Patria and Res
Publica (Isamaa je Res Publica Liit) [Mart LAAR]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Nochnoy Dozor/Night Watch anti-fascist movement (leader Alexander
KOROBOV)

International organization participation:

Australia Group, BA, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU, FAO, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO,
NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD (accession state), OPCW, OSCE, PCA,
Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNITAR, UNTSO, UPU,
WCO, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Vaino REINART

chancery: 2131 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 588-0101

FAX: [1] (202) 588-0108

consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Karen DECKER

embassy: Kentmanni 20, 15099 Tallinn

mailing address: use embassy street address

telephone: [372] 668-8100

FAX: [372] 668-8265

Flag description:

pre-1940 flag restored by Supreme Soviet in May 1990 - three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), black, and white

Economy ::Estonia

Economy - overview:

Estonia, a 2004 European Union entrant, has a modern market-based economy and one of the highest per capita income levels in Central Europe. Estonia's successive governments have pursued a free market, pro-business economic agenda and have wavered little in their commitment to pro-market reforms. Tallinn's priority has been to sustain high growth rates - on average 8% per year from 2003 to 2007. The economy benefits from strong electronics and telecommunications sectors and strong trade ties with Finland, Sweden, and Germany. The current government has pursued relatively sound fiscal policies, resulting in balanced budgets and low public debt. Rapid growth, however, has made it difficult to keep inflation and large current-account deficits from soaring, putting downward pressure on the country's currency. The government has not given up on adopting the euro, but has repeatedly postponed its target date. Estonia's economy slowed down markedly and fell sharply into recession in mid-2008, primarily as a result of an investment and consumption slump following the bursting of the real estate market bubble.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$28.03 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 109 $29.08 billion (2007 est.)

$27.13 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$23.55 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

-3.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 215 7.2% (2007 est.)

10% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$21,400 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 57 $22,100 (2007 est.)

$20,500 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 2.6%

industry: 29%

services: 68.4% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

693,000 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 144

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 4.7%

industry: 33.7%

services: 61.6% (2007)

Unemployment rate:

5.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 70 4.7% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

5% (2003)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.7%

highest 10%: 27.7% (2004)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

34 (2008) country comparison to the world: 91 37 (1999)

Investment (gross fixed):

28.4% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 29

Budget:

revenues: $8.798 billion

expenditures: $9.488 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

4.8% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 122 5.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

10.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 152 6.6% (2007 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

8.55% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 126 6.46% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$6.106 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 50 $7.158 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$5.478 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 65 $4.253 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$22.02 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 57 $21.35 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$1.951 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 81 $6.037 billion (31 December 2007)

$5.963 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

potatoes, vegetables; livestock and dairy products; fish

Industries:

engineering, electronics, wood and wood products, textiles; information technology, telecommunications

Industrial production growth rate:

-4.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 166

Electricity - production:

11.46 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 88

Electricity - consumption:

7.686 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 93

Electricity - exports:

2.31 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

1.369 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

7,600 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 90

Oil - consumption:

29,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 114

Oil - exports:

7,280 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 99

Oil - imports:

30,590 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 100

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 174

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 187

Natural gas - consumption:

1.51 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 83

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 63

Natural gas - imports:

1.51 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 48

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 185

Current account balance:

-$2.192 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 140 -$3.771 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$12.63 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 81 $11.08 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

machinery and equipment 29%, wood and paper 13%, metals 10%, food products 8%, textiles 5%, chemical products (2007)

Exports - partners:

Finland 18.3%, Sweden 13.8%, Russia 10.3%, Latvia 10%, Lithuania 5.7%, Germany 5.1%, US 4.8% (2008)

Imports:

$15.35 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 81 $14.75 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment 35%, textiles 19%, mineral fuels 19%, chemical products 9%, foodstuffs 6% (2001)

Imports - partners:

Finland 14.2%, Germany 13.3%, Sweden 10%, Lithuania 8.9%, Latvia 8.9%, Russia 7.4%, Poland 4.6% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$3.972 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 86 $3.27 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$26.84 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 65 $25.25 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$18.62 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 64 $16.59 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$6.686 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 52 $5.873 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

krooni (EEK) per US dollar - 10.7 (2008), 11.535 (2007), 12.473 (2006), 12.584 (2005), 12.596 (2004)

note: the krooni is pegged to the euro

Communications ::Estonia

Telephones - main lines in use:

498,100 (2008) country comparison to the world: 96

Telephones - mobile cellular:

2.525 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 115

Telephone system:

general assessment: foreign investment in the form of joint business ventures greatly improved telephone service; substantial fiber-optic cable systems carry telephone, TV, and radio traffic in the digital mode; Internet services are widely available; schools and libraries are connected to the Internet, a large percentage of the population files income-tax returns online, and online voting was used for the first time in the 2005 local elections

domestic: a wide range of high quality voice, data, and Internet services is available throughout the country

international: country code - 372; fiber-optic cables to Finland, Sweden, Latvia, and Russia provide worldwide packet-switched service; 2 international switches are located in Tallinn (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 0, FM 32, shortwave 0 (2007)

Television broadcast stations:

4 (2007)

Internet country code:

.ee

Internet hosts:

706,449 (2009) country comparison to the world: 47

Internet users:

888,100 (2008) country comparison to the world: 94

Transportation ::Estonia

Airports:

19 (2009) country comparison to the world: 135

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 13

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 7

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 6

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 3 (2009)

Heliports:

1 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 859 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 919 km country comparison to the world: 92 broad gauge: 919 km 1.520 m/1.524-m gauge (131 km electrified) (2008)

Roadways:

total: 57,016 km country comparison to the world: 77 paved: 12,926 km (includes 99 km of expressways)

unpaved: 44,090 km (2005)

Waterways:

320 km (2008) country comparison to the world: 92

Merchant marine:

total: 29 country comparison to the world: 87 by type: cargo 5, passenger/cargo 21, petroleum tanker 2, chemical tanker 1

foreign-owned: 4 (Denmark 1, Germany 1, Norway 2)

registered in other countries: 85 (Antigua and Barbuda 23, Belize 6,
Cyprus 5, Dominica 7, Finland 2, Latvia 2, Liberia 1, Malta 11,
Norway 1, Panama 5, Saint Kitts and Nevis 3, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines 16, Sweden 2, Vanuatu 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Kuivastu, Kunda, Muuga, Tallinn, Virtsu

Military ::Estonia

Military branches:

Estonian Defense Forces: Land Force, Navy, Air Force (Eesti
Ohuvagi), Volunteer Defense League (Kaitseliit, KL) (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

obligation for compulsory service ages 16-60, with conscription "likely" ages 18-27; service requirement 8-11 months (2009)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 306,273

females age 16-49: 317,852 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 216,483

females age 16-49: 260,408 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 7,583

female: 7,111 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

2% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 79

Transnational Issues ::Estonia

Disputes - international:

Russia recalled its signature to the 1996 technical border agreement with Estonia in 2005, rather than concede to Estonia's appending prepared a unilateral declaration referencing Soviet occupation and territorial losses; Russia demands better accommodation of Russian-speaking population in Estonia; Estonian citizen groups continue to press for realignment of the boundary based on the 1920 Tartu Peace Treaty that would bring the now divided ethnic Setu people and parts of the Narva region within Estonia; as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Estonia must implement the strict Schengen border rules with Russia

Illicit drugs:

growing producer of synthetic drugs; increasingly important transshipment zone for cannabis, cocaine, opiates, and synthetic drugs since joining the European Union and the Schengen Accord; potential money laundering related to organized crime and drug trafficking is a concern, as is possible use of the gambling sector to launder funds; major use of opiates and ecstasy

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Ethiopia (Africa)

Introduction ::Ethiopia

Background:

Unique among African countries, the ancient Ethiopian monarchy maintained its freedom from colonial rule with the exception of a short-lived Italian occupation from 1936-41. In 1974, a military junta, the Derg, deposed Emperor Haile SELASSIE (who had ruled since 1930) and established a socialist state. Torn by bloody coups, uprisings, wide-scale drought, and massive refugee problems, the regime was finally toppled in 1991 by a coalition of rebel forces, the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF). A constitution was adopted in 1994, and Ethiopia's first multiparty elections were held in 1995. A border war with Eritrea late in the 1990s ended with a peace treaty in December 2000. The Eritrea-Ethiopia Border Commission in November 2007 remotely demarcated the border by geographical coordinates, but final demarcation of the boundary on the ground is currently on hold because of Ethiopian objections to an international commission's finding requiring it to surrender territory considered sensitive to Ethiopia.

Geography ::Ethiopia

Location:

Eastern Africa, west of Somalia

Geographic coordinates:

8 00 N, 38 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 1,104,300 sq km country comparison to the world: 27 land: 1 million sq km

water: 104,300 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Land boundaries:

total: 5,328 km

border countries: Djibouti 349 km, Eritrea 912 km, Kenya 861 km, Somalia 1,600 km, Sudan 1,606 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

tropical monsoon with wide topographic-induced variation

Terrain:

high plateau with central mountain range divided by Great Rift Valley

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Danakil Depression -125 m

highest point: Ras Dejen 4,533 m

Natural resources:

small reserves of gold, platinum, copper, potash, natural gas, hydropower

Land use:

arable land: 10.01%

permanent crops: 0.65%

other: 89.34% (2005)

Irrigated land:

2,900 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

110 cu km (1987)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 5.56 cu km/yr (6%/0%/94%)

per capita: 72 cu m/yr (2002)

Natural hazards:

geologically active Great Rift Valley susceptible to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions; frequent droughts

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; water shortages in some areas from water-intensive farming and poor management

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea

Geography - note:

landlocked - entire coastline along the Red Sea was lost with the de jure independence of Eritrea on 24 May 1993; the Blue Nile, the chief headstream of the Nile by water volume, rises in T'ana Hayk (Lake Tana) in northwest Ethiopia; three major crops are believed to have originated in Ethiopia: coffee, grain sorghum, and castor bean

People ::Ethiopia

Population:

85,237,338 country comparison to the world: 14 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 46.1% (male 19,596,784/female 19,688,887)

15-64 years: 51.2% (male 21,376,495/female 22,304,812)

65 years and over: 2.7% (male 975,923/female 1,294,437) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 16.9 years

male: 16.6 years

female: 17.2 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

3.208% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 9

Birth rate:

43.66 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 9

Death rate:

11.55 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 42

Net migration rate:

-0.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population country comparison to the world: 86 note: repatriation of Ethiopian refugees residing in Sudan is expected to continue for several years; some Sudanese, Somali, and Eritrean refugees, who fled to Ethiopia from the fighting or famine in their own countries, continue to return to their homes (2009 est.)

Urbanization:

urban population: 17% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 4.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female

total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 80.8 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 20 male: 92.06 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 69.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 55.41 years country comparison to the world: 192 male: 52.92 years

female: 57.97 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

6.12 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 11

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

2.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 31

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

980,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 12

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

67,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 11

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria

respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis

animal contact disease: rabies

water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Ethiopian(s)

adjective: Ethiopian

Ethnic groups:

Oromo 32.1%, Amara 30.1%, Tigraway 6.2%, Somalie 5.9%, Guragie 4.3%,
Sidama 3.5%, Welaita 2.4%, other 15.4% (1994 census)

Religions:

Christian 60.8% (Orthodox 50.6%, Protestant 10.2%), Muslim 32.8%, traditional 4.6%, other 1.8% (1994 census)

Languages:

Amarigna 32.7%, Oromigna 31.6%, Tigrigna 6.1%, Somaligna 6%,
Guaragigna 3.5%, Sidamigna 3.5%, Hadiyigna 1.7%, other 14.8%,
English (major foreign language taught in schools) (1994 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 42.7%

male: 50.3%

female: 35.1% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 8 years

male: 8 years

female: 7 years (2007)

Education expenditures:

6% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 43

Government ::Ethiopia

Country name:

conventional long form: Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia

conventional short form: Ethiopia

local long form: Ityop'iya Federalawi Demokrasiyawi Ripeblik

local short form: Ityop'iya

former: Abyssinia, Italian East Africa

abbreviation: FDRE

Government type:

federal republic

Capital:

name: Addis Ababa

geographic coordinates: 9 02 N, 38 42 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

9 ethnically based states (kililoch, singular - kilil) and 2 self-governing administrations* (astedaderoch, singular - astedader); Adis Abeba* (Addis Ababa), Afar, Amara (Amhara), Binshangul Gumuz, Dire Dawa*, Gambela Hizboch (Gambela Peoples), Hareri Hizb (Harari People), Oromiya (Oromia), Sumale (Somali), Tigray, Ye Debub Biheroch Bihereseboch na Hizboch (Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples)

Independence:

oldest independent country in Africa and one of the oldest in the world - at least 2,000 years

National holiday:

National Day (defeat of MENGISTU regime), 28 May (1991)

Constitution:

ratified 8 December 1994, effective 22 August 1995

Legal system:

based on civil law; currently transitional mix of national and regional courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President GIRMA Woldegiorgis (since 8 October 2001)

head of government: Prime Minister MELES Zenawi (since August 1995)

cabinet: Council of Ministers as provided for in the December 1994 constitution; ministers are selected by the prime minister and approved by the House of People's Representatives

elections: president elected by the House of People's Representatives for a six-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 9 October 2007 (next to be held in October 2013); prime minister designated by the party in power following legislative elections

election results: GIRMA Woldegiorgis elected president; percent of vote by the House of People's Representatives - 79%

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament consists of the House of Federation (or upper chamber responsible for interpreting the constitution and federal-regional issues) (108 seats; members are chosen by state assemblies to serve five-year terms) and the House of People's Representatives (or lower chamber responsible for passing legislation) (547 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote from single-member districts to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 15 May 2005 (next to be held in 2010)

election results: percent of vote - NA; seats by party - EPRDF 327, CUD 109, UEDF 52, SPDP 23, OFDM 11, BGPDUF 8, ANDP 8, independent 1, others 6, undeclared 2

note: some seats still remain vacant as detained opposition MPs did not take their seats

Judicial branch:

Federal Supreme Court (the president and vice president of the Federal Supreme Court are recommended by the prime minister and appointed by the House of People's Representatives; for other federal judges, the prime minister submits to the House of People's Representatives for appointment candidates selected by the Federal Judicial Administrative Council)

Political parties and leaders:

Afar National Democratic Party or ANDP [Mohammed Kedir]; Benishangul
Gumuz People's Democratic Unity Front or BGPDUF [Mulualem BESSE];
Coalition for Unity and Democratic Party or CUDP; Gurage
Nationalities' Democratic Movement or GNDM; Oromo Federalist
Democratic Movement or OFDM [BULCHA Demeksa]; Omoro People's
Congress or OPC [IMERERA Gudina]; Somali People's Democratic Party
or SPDP; United Ethiopian Democratic Forces or UEDF [BEYENE Petros]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Ethiopian People's Patriotic Front or EPPF; Ogaden National
Liberation Front or ONLF; Oromo Liberation Front or OLF [DAOUD Ibsa]

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM
(observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN,
UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Samuel ASSEFA

chancery: 3506 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 364-1200

FAX: [1] (202) 587-0195

consulate(s) general: Los Angeles

consulate(s): New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Donald Y. YAMAMOTO

embassy: Entoto Street, Addis Ababa

mailing address: P. O. Box 1014, Addis Ababa

telephone: [251] 11-517-40-00

FAX: [251] 11-517-40-01

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and red, with a yellow pentagram and single yellow rays emanating from the angles between the points on a light blue disk centered on the three bands; Ethiopia is the oldest independent country in Africa, and the three main colors of her flag were so often adopted by other African countries upon independence that they became known as the pan-African colors

Economy ::Ethiopia

Economy - overview:

Ethiopia's poverty-stricken economy is based on agriculture, accounting for almost half of GDP, 60% of exports, and 80% of total employment. The agricultural sector suffers from frequent drought and poor cultivation practices. Coffee is critical to the Ethiopian economy with exports of some $350 million in 2006, but historically low prices have seen many farmers switching to qat to supplement income. The war with Eritrea in 1998-2000 and recurrent drought have buffeted the economy, in particular coffee production. In November 2001, Ethiopia qualified for debt relief from the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative, and in December 2005 the IMF forgave Ethiopia's debt. Under Ethiopia's constitution, the state owns all land and provides long-term leases to the tenants; the system continues to hamper growth in the industrial sector as entrepreneurs are unable to use land as collateral for loans. Drought struck again late in 2002, leading to a 3.3% decline in GDP in 2003. Normal weather patterns helped agricultural and GDP growth recover during 2004-08.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$70.23 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 79 $62.93 billion (2007 est.)

$56.64 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$26.39 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

11.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 6 11.1% (2007 est.)

10.9% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$900 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 214 $800 (2007 est.)

$700 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 44.9%

industry: 12.8%

services: 42.3% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

37.9 million (2007) country comparison to the world: 15

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 80.2%

industry: 6.6%

services: 13.2% (2005)

Unemployment rate:

NA%

Population below poverty line:

38.7% (FY05/06 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 4.1%

highest 10%: 25.6% (2005)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

30 (2000) country comparison to the world: 114 40 (1995)

Investment (gross fixed):

25.2% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 51

Budget:

revenues: $4.517 billion

expenditures: $5.34 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

32% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 70 44.5% of GDP (2007 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

44.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 221 17.2% (2007 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

8% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 121 7% (31 December 2006)

Stock of money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$3.651 billion (31 December 2006)

Stock of quasi money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$3.258 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$6.694 billion (31 December 2006)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

cereals, pulses, coffee, oilseed, cotton, sugarcane, potatoes, qat, cut flowers; hides, cattle, sheep, goats; fish

Industries:

food processing, beverages, textiles, leather, chemicals, metals processing, cement

Industrial production growth rate:

10.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 12

Electricity - production:

3.46 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 122

Electricity - consumption:

3.13 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 126

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 177

Oil - consumption:

37,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 106

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 188

Oil - imports:

33,590 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 98

Oil - proved reserves:

430,000 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 98

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 184

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 187

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 60

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 83

Natural gas - proved reserves:

24.92 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 74

Current account balance:

-$1.806 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 135 -$827.9 million (2007 est.)

Exports:

$1.555 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 139 $1.285 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

coffee, qat, gold, leather products, live animals, oilseeds

Exports - partners:

Germany 11.8%, Saudi Arabia 8.7%, Netherlands 8.6%, US 8.1%,
Switzerland 7.7%, Italy 6.1%, China 6%, Sudan 5.5%, Japan 4.4% (2008)

Imports:

$7.206 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 101 $5.156 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

food and live animals, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, machinery, motor vehicles, cereals, textiles

Imports - partners:

China 16.3%, Saudi Arabia 12%, India 8.7%, Italy 6%, Japan 4.9%, US 4.5% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$870.5 million (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 131 $1.29 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$3.155 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 123 $2.621 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

birr (ETB) per US dollar - 9.57 (2008 est.), 8.96 (2007), 8.69 (2006), 8.68 (2005), 8.6356 (2004)

note: since 24 October 2001, exchange rates are determined on a daily basis via interbank transactions regulated by the Central Bank

Communications ::Ethiopia

Telephones - main lines in use:

908,900 (2008) country comparison to the world: 84

Telephones - mobile cellular:

3.168 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 107

Telephone system:

general assessment: inadequate telephone system; the number of fixed lines and mobile telephones is increasing from a very small base; combined fixed and mobile-cellular teledensity is only about 5 per 100 persons

domestic: open-wire; microwave radio relay; radio communication in the HF, VHF, and UHF frequencies; 2 domestic satellites provide the national trunk service

international: country code - 251; open-wire to Sudan and Djibouti; microwave radio relay to Kenya and Djibouti; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Pacific Ocean) (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 8, FM 0, shortwave 1 (2001)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (plus 24 repeaters) (2001)

Internet country code:

.et

Internet hosts:

136 (2009) country comparison to the world: 195

Internet users:

360,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 116

Transportation ::Ethiopia

Airports:

63 (2009) country comparison to the world: 78

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 17

over 3,047 m: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 7

1,524 to 2,437 m: 5

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 46

2,438 to 3,047 m: 3

1,524 to 2,437 m: 11

914 to 1,523 m: 23

under 914 m: 9 (2009)

Railways:

total: 681 km (Ethiopian segment of the 781 km Addis Ababa-Djibouti railroad) country comparison to the world: 106 narrow gauge: 681 km 1.000-m gauge

note: railway is under joint control of Djibouti and Ethiopia but is largely inoperable (2008)

Roadways:

total: 36,469 km country comparison to the world: 93 paved: 6,980 km

unpaved: 29,489 km (2004)

Merchant marine:

total: 9 country comparison to the world: 115 by type: cargo 8, roll on/roll off 1 (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Ethiopia is landlocked and uses ports of Djibouti in Djibouti and
Berbera in Somalia

Military ::Ethiopia

Military branches:

Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF): Ground Forces, Ethiopian
Air Force (ETAF) (2008)

note: Ethiopia is landlocked and has no navy; following the secession of Eritrea, Ethiopian naval facilities remained in Eritrean possession

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; theoretically, no compulsory military service, but the military can conduct call-ups when necessary and compliance is compulsory (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 17,666,967

females age 16-49: 17,530,211 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 11,078,847

females age 16-49: 12,017,073 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 908,384

female: 916,354 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

3% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 49

Transnational Issues ::Ethiopia

Disputes - international:

Eritrea and Ethiopia agreed to abide by the 2002 Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission's (EEBC) delimitation decision, but neither party responded to the revised line detailed in the November 2006 EEBC Demarcation Statement; UN Peacekeeping Mission to Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE), which has monitored the 25-km-wide Temporary Security Zone in Eritrea since 2000, is extended for six months in 2007 despite Eritrean restrictions on its operations and reduced force of 17,000; the undemarcated former British administrative line has little meaning as a political separation to rival clans within Ethiopia's Ogaden and southern Somalia's Oromo region; Ethiopian forces invaded southern Somalia and routed Islamist Courts from Mogadishu in January 2007; "Somaliland" secessionists provide port facilities in Berbera and trade ties to landlocked Ethiopia; civil unrest in eastern Sudan has hampered efforts to demarcate the porous boundary with Ethiopia

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 66,980 (Sudan); 16,576 (Somalia); 13,078 (Eritrea)

IDPs: 200,000 (border war with Eritrea from 1998-2000, ethnic clashes in Gambela, and ongoing Ethiopian military counterinsurgency in Somali region; most IDPs are in Tigray and Gambela Provinces) (2007)

Illicit drugs:

transit hub for heroin originating in Southwest and Southeast Asia and destined for Europe, as well as cocaine destined for markets in southern Africa; cultivates qat (khat) for local use and regional export, principally to Djibouti and Somalia (legal in all three countries); the lack of a well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a money laundering center

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@European Union (Europe)

Introduction ::European Union

Preliminary statement:

The evolution of the European Union (EU) from a regional economic agreement among six neighboring states in 1951 to today's supranational organization of 27 countries across the European continent stands as an unprecedented phenomenon in the annals of history. Dynastic unions for territorial consolidation were long the norm in Europe. On a few occasions even country-level unions were arranged - the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Austro-Hungarian Empire were examples - but for such a large number of nation-states to cede some of their sovereignty to an overarching entity is truly unique.

Although the EU is not a federation in the strict sense, it is far more than a free-trade association such as ASEAN, NAFTA, or Mercosur, and it has many of the attributes associated with independent nations: its own flag, anthem, founding date, and currency, as well as an incipient common foreign and security policy in its dealings with other nations.

In the future, many of these nation-like characteristics are likely to be expanded. Thus, inclusion of basic intelligence on the EU has been deemed appropriate as a new, separate entity in The World Factbook. However, because of the EU's special status, this description is placed after the regular country entries.

Background:

Following the two devastating World Wars in the first half of the 20th century, a number of European leaders in the late 1940s became convinced that the only way to establish a lasting peace was to unite the two chief belligerent nations - France and Germany - both economically and politically. In 1950, the French Foreign Minister Robert SCHUMAN proposed an eventual union of all Europe, the first step of which would be the integration of the coal and steel industries of Western Europe. The following year the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) was set up when six members, Belgium, France, West Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands, signed the Treaty of Paris.

The ECSC was so successful that within a few years the decision was made to integrate other parts of the countries' economies. In 1957, the Treaties of Rome created the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom), and the six member states undertook to eliminate trade barriers among themselves by forming a common market. In 1967, the institutions of all three communities were formally merged into the European Community (EC), creating a single Commission, a single Council of Ministers, and the European Parliament. Members of the European Parliament were initially selected by national parliaments, but in 1979 the first direct elections were undertaken and they have been held every five years since.

In 1973, the first enlargement of the EC took place with the addition of Denmark, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. The 1980s saw further membership expansion with Greece joining in 1981 and Spain and Portugal in 1986. The 1992 Treaty of Maastricht laid the basis for further forms of cooperation in foreign and defense policy, in judicial and internal affairs, and in the creation of an economic and monetary union - including a common currency. This further integration created the European Union (EU). In 1995, Austria, Finland, and Sweden joined the EU, raising the membership total to 15.

A new currency, the euro, was launched in world money markets on 1 January 1999; it became the unit of exchange for all of the EU states except the United Kingdom, Sweden, and Denmark. In 2002, citizens of the 12 euro-area countries began using the euro banknotes and coins. Ten new countries joined the EU in 2004 - Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia - and in 2007 Bulgaria and Romania joined, bringing the current membership to 27. In order to ensure that the EU can continue to function efficiently with an expanded membership, the Treaty of Nice (in force as of 1 February 2003) set forth rules streamlining the size and procedures of EU institutions. An effort to establish an EU constitution, begun in October 2004, failed to attain unanimous ratification. A new effort, undertaken in June 2007, created an Intergovernmental Conference to formulate a political agreement - initially known as the Reform Treaty but subsequently referred to as the Treaty of Lisbon - which would serve as a constitution. Unlike the constitution, however, the Treaty of Lisbon sought to amend existing treaties rather than replace them. In October 2009, an Irish referendum approved the Treaty (overturning a previous rejection) and cleared the way for an ultimate unanimous endorsement - the Czech Republic signed on soon after. Treaty implementation is set to begin on 1 December 2009.

Geography ::European Union

Location:

Europe between the North Atlantic Ocean in the west and Russia,
Belarus, and Ukraine to the east

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 4,324,782 sq km

Area - comparative:

less than one-half the size of the US

Land boundaries:

total: 12,440.8 km

border countries: Albania 282 km, Andorra 120.3 km, Belarus 1,050 km, Croatia 999 km, Holy See 3.2 km, Liechtenstein 34.9 km, Macedonia 394 km, Moldova 450 km, Monaco 4.4 km, Norway 2,348 km, Russia 2,257 km, San Marino 39 km, Serbia 945 km, Switzerland 1,811 km, Turkey 446 km, Ukraine 1,257 km

note: data for European Continent only

Coastline:

65,992.9 km

Maritime claims:

NA

Climate:

cold temperate; potentially subarctic in the north to temperate; mild wet winters; hot dry summers in the south

Terrain:

fairly flat along the Baltic and Atlantic coast; mountainous in the central and southern areas

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Lammefjord, Denmark -7 m; Zuidplaspolder, Netherlands -7 m

highest point: Mont Blanc 4,807 m; note - situated on the border between France and Italy

Natural resources:

iron ore, natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, lead, zinc, bauxite, uranium, potash, salt, hydropower, arable land, timber, fish

Land use:

arable land: NA

permanent crops: NA

other: NA

Irrigated land:

168,050 sq km (2003 est.)

Natural hazards:

flooding along coasts; avalanches in mountainous area; earthquakes in the south; volcanic eruptions in Italy; periodic droughts in Spain; ice floes in the Baltic

Environment - current issues:

NA

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94,
Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes,
Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
Timber 94

signed but not ratified: Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds

People ::European Union

Population:

491,582,852 (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 15.44% (male 38,975,981/female 36,925,704)

15-64 years: 67.22% (male 166,277,341/female 164,183,829)

65 years and over: 17.34% (male 35,372,684/female 49,847,313) (2009 est.)

Median age:

note - see individual country entries of member states (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.108 % (2009 est.)

Birth rate:

9.9 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Death rate:

10.28 deaths/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Net migration rate:

1.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female

total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 5.72 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 182 male: 6.38 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 5.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 78.67 years country comparison to the world: 41 male: 75.54 years

female: 81.97 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.51 children born/woman (2009 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

note - see individual country entries of member states

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

note - see individual country entries of member states

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

note - see individual country entries of member states

Religions:

Roman Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, Muslim, Jewish

Languages:

Bulgarian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French,
Gaelic, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian,
Maltese, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak, Slovene, Spanish,
Swedish

note: only official languages are listed; German, the major language of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, is the most widely spoken mother tongue - over 19% of the EU population; English is the most widely spoken language - about 49% of the EU population is conversant with it (2007)

Government ::European Union

Union name:

conventional long form: European Union

abbreviation: EU

Political structure:

a hybrid intergovernmental and supranational organization

Capital:

name: Brussels (Belgium), Strasbourg (France), Luxembourg

geographic coordinates: 50 50 N, 4 20 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

note: the Council of the European Union meets in Brussels, Belgium; the European Parliament meets in Brussels and Strasbourg, France; the Court of Justice of the European Communities meets in Luxembourg

Member states:

27 countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, UK; note - Canary Islands (Spain), Azores and Madeira (Portugal), French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, and Reunion (France) are sometimes listed separately even though they are legally a part of Spain, Portugal, and France; candidate countries: Croatia, Macedonia, Turkey

Independence:

7 February 1992 (Maastricht Treaty signed establishing the EU); 1 November 1993 (Maastricht Treaty entered into force)

National holiday:

Europe Day 9 May (1950); note - a Union-wide holiday, the day that
Robert SCHUMAN proposed the creation of the European Coal and Steel
Community to achieve an organized Europe

Constitution:

none

note: based on a series of treaties: the Treaty of Paris, which set up the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) in 1951; the Treaties of Rome, which set up the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) in 1957; the Single European Act in 1986; the Treaty on European Union (Maastricht) in 1992; the Treaty of Amsterdam in 1997; and the Treaty of Nice in 2003; note - a new draft Constitutional Treaty, signed on 29 October 2004 in Rome, gave member states two years for ratification either by parliamentary vote or national referendum before it was scheduled to take effect on 1 November 2006; defeat in French and Dutch referenda in May-June 2005 dealt a severe setback to the ratification process; in June 2007, the European Council agreed on a clear and concise mandate for an Intergovernmental Conference to form a political agreement and put it into legal form; this agreement, known as the Reform Treaty, would have served as a constitution and was presented to the European Council in October 2007 for individual country ratification; it was rejected by Irish voters in June 2008, again stalling the ratification process; the Reform Treaty, more recently known as the Treaty of Lisbon, was again circulated for ratification, and by November 2009 was approved by all 27 countries; it is scheduled to come into effect on 1 December 2009

Legal system:

comparable to the legal systems of member states; first supranational law system

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of union: President of the European Commission Jose Manuel DURAO BARROSO (since 22 November 2004)

cabinet: European Commission (composed of 27 members, one from each member country; each commissioner responsible for one or more policy areas)

elections: the president of the European Commission is designated by member governments and is confirmed by the European Parliament; working from member state recommendations, the Commission president then assembles a "college" of Commission members; the European Parliament confirms the entire Commission for a five-year term; the last confirmation process was held 16 September 2009 (next to be held in 2014)

election results: European Parliament approved the European Commission by a vote of 382 to 219 with 117 abstentions

note: the European Council brings together heads of state and government and the president of the European Commission and meets at least four times a year; its aim is to provide the impetus for the major political issues relating to European integration and to issue general policy guidelines

Legislative branch:

two legislative bodies consisting of the Council of the European Union (27 member-state ministers having 345 votes; the number of votes is roughly proportional to member-states' population; note - the Council is the main decision-making body of the EU) and the European Parliament (736 seats; seats allocated among member states in proportion to population; members elected by direct universal suffrage for a five-year term)

elections: last held 4-7 June 2009 (next to be held in June 2014)

election results: percent of vote - EPP 35.9%, PES 21.9%, ALDE 10.9%, Greens/EFA 7.2%, UEN 4.8%, GUE/NGL 4.3%, IND/DEM 2.4%, others 12.6%; seats by party - EPP 266, PES 161, ALDE 80, Greens/EFA 53, UEN 35, GUE/NGL 32, IND/DEM 18, others 93

Judicial branch:

Court of Justice of the European Communities (ensures that the treaties are interpreted and applied uniformly throughout the EU; resolve constitutional issues among the EU institutions) - 27 justices (one from each member state) appointed for a six-year term; note - for the sake of efficiency, the court can sit with 13 justices known as the "Grand Chamber"; Court of First Instance - 27 justices appointed for a six-year term

Political parties and leaders:

Confederal Group of the European United Left-Nordic Green Left or
GUE/NGL [Francis WURTZ]; European People's Party-European Democrats
or EPP-ED [Joseph DAUL]; Group of the Alliance of Liberals and
Democrats for Europe or ALDE [Graham R. WATSON]; Group of
Greens/European Free Alliance or Greens/EFA [Monica FRASSONI and
Daniel Marc COHN-BENDIT]; Identity, Tradition, Sovereignty Group or
ITS [Bruno GOLLNISCH]; Independence/Democracy Group or IND/DEM
[Hanne DAHL and Nigel FARAGE]; Socialist Group in the European
Parliament or PES [Martin SCHULZ]; Union for Europe of the Nations
Group or UEN [Brian CROWLEY and Cristiana MUSCARDINI]

International organization participation:

European Union: ARF (dialogue member), ASEAN (dialogue member), IDA,
OAS (observer), PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), UN (observer)

European Community: Australian Group, CBSS, CERN, FAO, EBRD, G-10,
LAIA, NSG (observer), OECD, UNRWA, WCO, WTO, ZC (observer)

European Central Bank: BIS

European Investment Bank: EBRD, WADB (nonregional member)

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador John BRUTON

chancery: 2300 M Street, NW, Washington, DC 20037

telephone: [1] (202) 862-9500

FAX: [1] (202) 429-1766

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Christopher MURRAY

embassy: 13 Zinnerstraat/Rue Zinner, B-1000 Brussels

mailing address: same as above

telephone: [32] (2) 508-2111

FAX: [32] (2) 508-2063

Flag description:

blue field with 12 five-pointed gold stars arranged in a circle in the center, representing the union of the peoples of Europe; the number of stars is fixed

Economy ::European Union

Economy - overview:

Internally, the EU is attempting to lower trade barriers, adopt a common currency, and move toward convergence of living standards. Internationally, the EU aims to bolster Europe's trade position and its political and economic power. Because of the great differences in per capita income among member states (from $7,000 to $69,000) and historic national animosities, the EU faces difficulties in devising and enforcing common policies. For example, since 2003 Germany and France have flouted the member states' treaty obligation to prevent their national budgets from running more than a 3% deficit. Between 2004 and 2007, the EU admitted 12 countries that are, in general, less advanced technologically and economically than the other 15. Eleven established EU member states introduced the euro as their common currency on 1 January 1999 (Greece did so two years later), but the UK, Sweden, and Denmark chose not to participate. Of the 12 most recent member states, only Slovenia (1 January 2007) and Cyprus and Malta (1 January 2008) have adopted the euro; the remaining nine are legally required to adopt the currency upon meeting EU's fiscal and monetary convergence criteria.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$14.94 trillion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 1 $14.82 trillion (2007 est.)

$14.39 trillion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$18.14 trillion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

0.9% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 181 3% (2007 est.)

3.4% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$33,700 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 38 $33,500 (2007 est.)

$32,700 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 2%

industry: 27.1%

services: 70.9% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

224.4 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 3

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 5.6%

industry: 27.7%

services: 66.7% (2007 est.)

Unemployment rate:

7.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 90 8.5% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:

note - see individual country entries of member states

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.8%

highest 10%: 25.2% (2001 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

31 (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 106 31.2 (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

21.1% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 96

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 49 1.8% (2006 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

3% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 97 5% (31 December 2007)

note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro area

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

8.6% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 106 8.03% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$5.542 trillion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 1 $5.649 trillion (31 December 2007)

note: this is the quantity of money, M1, for the euro area, converted into US dollars at the exchange rate for the date indicated; it excludes the stock of money carried by non-euro-area members of the European Union

Stock of quasi money:

$5.631 trillion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 3 $5.18 trillion (31 December 2007)

note: this is the quantity of quasi money, M2-M1, for the euro area, converted into US dollars at the exchange rate for the date indicated; it excludes the stock of quasi money carried by non-euro-area members of the European Union

Stock of domestic credit:

$21.17 trillion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 1 $20.94 trillion (31 December 2007)

note: this figure refers to the euro area only; it excludes credit data for non-euro-area members of the EU

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 2 $15.57 trillion (31 December 2008)

$13.5 trillion (31 December 2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

wheat, barley, oilseeds, sugar beets, wine, grapes; dairy products, cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry; fish

Industries:

among the world's largest and most technologically advanced, the EU industrial base includes: ferrous and non-ferrous metal production and processing, metal products, petroleum, coal, cement, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, aerospace, rail transportation equipment, passenger and commercial vehicles, construction equipment, industrial equipment, shipbuilding, electrical power equipment, machine tools and automated manufacturing systems, electronics and telecommunications equipment, fishing, food and beverage processing, furniture, paper, textiles, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:

-0.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 137

Electricity - production:

3.044 trillion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 2

Electricity - consumption:

2.884 trillion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 2

Electricity - exports:

NA kWh

Electricity - imports:

NA kWh

Oil - production:

2.538 million bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 11

Oil - consumption:

14.44 million bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 2

Oil - exports:

2.196 million bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 9

Oil - imports:

8.613 million bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 2

Oil - proved reserves:

5.718 billion bbl (1 January 2008) country comparison to the world: 21

Natural gas - production:

201.9 billion cu m (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 3

Natural gas - consumption:

516.9 billion cu m (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 2

Natural gas - exports:

NA cu m

Natural gas - imports:

NA cu m

Natural gas - proved reserves:

2.318 trillion cu m (1 January 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 15

Current account balance:

$51.4 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 8

Exports:

$1.952 trillion (2007) country comparison to the world: 1 $1.33 trillion (2005)

note: external exports, excluding intra-EU trade

Exports - commodities:

machinery, motor vehicles, aircraft, plastics, pharmaceuticals and other chemicals, fuels, iron and steel, nonferrous metals, wood pulp and paper products, textiles, meat, dairy products, fish, alcoholic beverages.

Imports:

$1.69 trillion (2007) country comparison to the world: 2 $1.466 trillion (2005)

note: external imports, excluding intra-EU trade

Imports - commodities:

machinery, vehicles, aircraft, plastics, crude oil, chemicals, textiles, metals, foodstuffs, clothing

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$NA

Exchange rates:

euros per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008 est.), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)

Communications ::European Union

Telephones - main lines in use:

238 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

466 million (2005)

Telephone system:

note - see individual country entries of member states

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 930, FM 13,655, shortwave 71 (1998); note - sum of individual country radio broadcast stations; there is also a European-wide station (Euroradio)

Television broadcast stations:

2,700 (1995); note - sum of individual country television broadcast stations excluding repeaters; there is also a European-wide station (Eurovision)

Internet country code:

.eu; note - see country entries of member states for individual country codes

Internet hosts:

118,760; note - this sum reflects the number of internet hosts assigned the .eu internet country code (2009)

Internet users:

247 million (2006)

Transportation ::European Union

Airports:

3,391 (2009)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 1,995

over 3,047 m: 115

2,438 to 3,047 m: 341

1,524 to 2,437 m: 543

914 to 1,523 m: 421

under 914 m: 575 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 1,396

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 3

1,524 to 2,437 m: 24

914 to 1,523 m: 257

under 914 m: 1,110 (2009)

Heliports:

100 (2007)

Railways:

total: 229,450 km (2008)

Roadways:

total: 5,454,446 km (2008)

Waterways:

52,332 km (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Antwerp (Belgium), Barcelona (Spain), Braila (Romania), Bremen
(Germany), Burgas (Bulgaria), Constanta (Romania), Copenhagen
(Denmark), Galati (Romania), Gdansk (Poland), Hamburg (Germany),
Helsinki (Finland), Las Palmas (Canary Islands, Spain), Le Havre
(France), Lisbon (Portugal), London (UK), Marseille (France), Naples
(Italy), Peiraiefs or Piraeus (Greece), Riga (Latvia), Rotterdam
(Netherlands), Stockholm (Sweden), Talinn (Estonia), Tulcea
(Romania), Varna (Bulgaria)

Military ::European Union

Military - note:

the five-nation Eurocorps - created in 1992 by France, Germany, Belgium, Spain, and Luxembourg - has deployed troops and police on peacekeeping missions to Bosnia-Herzegovina, Macedonia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo and assumed command of the ISAF in Afghanistan in August 2004; Eurocorps directly commands the 5,000-man Franco-German Brigade, the Multinational Command Support Brigade, and EUFOR in Bosnia and Herzegovina; in November 2004, the EU Council of Ministers formally committed to creating 13 1,500-man battle groups by the end of 2007, to respond to international crises on a rotating basis; 22 of the EU's 27 nations have agreed to supply troops; France, Italy, and the UK formed the first of three battle groups in 2005; Norway, Sweden, Estonia, and Finland established the Nordic Battle Group effective 1 January 2008; nine other groups are to be formed; a rapid-reaction naval EU Maritime Task Group was stood up in March 2007 (2007)

Transnational Issues ::European Union

Disputes - international:

as a political union, the EU has no border disputes with neighboring countries, but Estonia has no land boundary agreements with Russia, Slovenia disputes its land and maritime boundaries with Croatia, and Spain has territorial and maritime disputes with Morocco and with the UK over Gibraltar; the EU has set up a Schengen area - consisting of 22 EU member states that have signed the convention implementing the Schengen agreements or "acquis" (1985 and 1990) on the free movement of persons and the harmonization of border controls in Europe; these agreements became incorporated into EU law with the implementation of the 1997 Treaty of Amsterdam on 1 May 1999; in addition, non-EU states Iceland and Norway (as part of the Nordic Union) have been included in the Schengen area since 1996 (full members in 2001), and Switzerland since 2008 bringing the total current membership to 25; the UK (since 2000) and Ireland (since 2002) take part in only some aspects of the Schengen area, especially with respect to police and criminal matters; nine of the 12 new member states that joined the EU since 2004 joined Schengen on 21 December 2007; of the three remaining EU states, Cyprus is expected to join by 2009, while Romania and Bulgaria continue to enhance their border security systems

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) (South America)

Introduction ::Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Background:

Although first sighted by an English navigator in 1592, the first landing (English) did not occur until almost a century later in 1690, and the first settlement (French) was not established until 1764. The colony was turned over to Spain two years later and the islands have since been the subject of a territorial dispute, first between Britain and Spain, then between Britain and Argentina. The UK asserted its claim to the islands by establishing a naval garrison there in 1833. Argentina invaded the islands on 2 April 1982. The British responded with an expeditionary force that landed seven weeks later and after fierce fighting forced an Argentine surrender on 14 June 1982.

Geography ::Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Location:

Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, east of southern Argentina

Geographic coordinates:

51 45 S, 59 00 W

Map references:

South America

Area:

total: 12,173 sq km country comparison to the world: 164 land: 12,173 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: includes the two main islands of East and West Falkland and about 200 small islands

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Connecticut

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

1,288 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:

cold marine; strong westerly winds, cloudy, humid; rain occurs on more than half of days in year; average annual rainfall is 24 inches in Stanley; occasional snow all year, except in January and February, but does not accumulate

Terrain:

rocky, hilly, mountainous with some boggy, undulating plains

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mount Usborne 705 m

Natural resources:

fish, squid, wildlife, calcified seaweed, sphagnum moss

Land use:

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (99% permanent pastures, 1% other) (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

strong winds persist throughout the year

Environment - current issues:

overfishing by unlicensed vessels is a problem; reindeer were introduced to the islands in 2001 for commercial reasons; this is the only commercial reindeer herd in the world unaffected by the 1986 Chornobyl disaster

Geography - note:

deeply indented coast provides good natural harbors; short growing season

People ::Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Population:

3,140 (July 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 229

Age structure:

0-14 years: NA

15-64 years: NA

65 years and over: NA

Population growth rate:

0.011% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 197

Birth rate:

NA

Death rate:

NA

Net migration rate:

NA

Urbanization:

urban population: 92% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: NA

male: NA

female: NA (2008 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Total fertility rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Falkland Islander(s)

adjective: Falkland Island

Ethnic groups:

British

Religions:

Christian 67.2%, none 31.5%, other 1.3% (2006 census)

Languages:

English

Literacy:

NA

Government ::Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Dependency status:

overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina

Government type:

NA

Capital:

name: Stanley

geographic coordinates: 51 42 S, 57 51 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in September; ends third Sunday in April

Administrative divisions:

none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina)

Independence:

none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina)

National holiday:

Liberation Day, 14 June (1982)

Constitution:

3 October 1985; amended 1997 and 1998

Legal system:

English common law

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)

head of government: Governor Alan HUCKLE (since 25 August 2006); Chief Executive Dr. Tim THOROGOOD (since 3 January 2008)

cabinet: Executive Council; three members elected by the Legislative Council, two ex officio members (chief executive and the financial secretary), and the governor

elections: the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch

Legislative branch:

unicameral Legislative Council (10 seats; 2 members are ex officio and 8 are elected by popular vote; to serve four-year terms); presided over by the governor

elections: last held 17 November 2005 (next to be held in November 2009)

election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 8

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (chief justice is a nonresident); Magistrates Court (senior magistrate presides over civil and criminal divisions); Court of Summary Jurisdiction

Political parties and leaders:

none; all independents

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Falkland Islands Association (supports freedom of the people from external causes)

International organization participation:

UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina)

Flag description:

blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Falkland Island coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms contains a white ram (sheep raising was once the major economic activity) above the sailing ship Desire (whose crew discovered the islands) with a scroll at the bottom bearing the motto DESIRE THE RIGHT

Economy ::Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Economy - overview:

The economy was formerly based on agriculture, mainly sheep farming, but today fishing contributes the bulk of economic activity. In 1987, the government began selling fishing licenses to foreign trawlers operating within the Falkland Islands' exclusive fishing zone. These license fees total more than $40 million per year, which help support the island's health, education, and welfare system. Squid accounts for 75% of the fish taken. Dairy farming supports domestic consumption; crops furnish winter fodder. Exports feature shipments of high-grade wool to the UK and the sale of postage stamps and coins. The islands are now self-financing except for defense. The British Geological Survey announced a 200-mile oil exploration zone around the islands in 1993, and early seismic surveys suggest substantial reserves capable of producing 500,000 barrels per day; to date, no exploitable site has been identified. An agreement between Argentina and the UK in 1995 seeks to defuse licensing and sovereignty conflicts that would dampen foreign interest in exploiting potential oil reserves. Tourism, especially eco-tourism, is increasing rapidly, with about 30,000 visitors in 2001. Another large source of income is interest paid on money the government has in the bank. The British military presence also provides a sizeable economic boost.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$105.1 million (2002 est.) country comparison to the world: 220

GDP (official exchange rate):

$105.1 million (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

NA%

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$35,400 (2002 est.) country comparison to the world: 34

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 95%

industry: NA%

services: NA% (1996)

Labor force:

1,724 (est.) (1996) country comparison to the world: 218

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 95% (mostly sheepherding and fishing)

industry and services: 5% (1996)

Unemployment rate:

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $66.2 million

expenditures: $67.9 million (FY98/99 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3.6% (1998) country comparison to the world: 52

Agriculture - products:

fodder and vegetable crops; sheep, dairy products; fish, squid

Industries:

fish and wool processing; tourism

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

16 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 207

Electricity - consumption:

14.88 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 208

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 175

Oil - consumption:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 202

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 187

Oil - imports:

270.9 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 200

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 169

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 181

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 185

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 57

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 81

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 180

Exports:

$125 million (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 188

Exports - commodities:

wool, hides, meat, fish, squid

Imports:

$90 million (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 207

Imports - commodities:

fuel, food and drink, building materials, clothing

Debt - external:

$NA

Exchange rates:

Falkland pounds (FKP) per US dollar - 0.5302 (2008), 0.4993 (2007), 0.5418 (2006), 0.5493 (2005), 0.5462 (2004)

note: the Falkland pound is at par with the British pound

Communications ::Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Telephones - main lines in use:

2,300 (2008) country comparison to the world: 222

Telephones - mobile cellular:

3,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 213

Telephone system:

general assessment: NA

domestic: government-operated radiotelephone and private VHF/CB radiotelephone networks provide effective service to almost all points on both islands

international: country code - 500; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) with links through London to other countries

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 7, shortwave 0 (British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides Radio 1 and Radio 2 service) (2006)

Television broadcast stations:

2 (British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides multi-channel satellite service to members of UK Forces as well as islanders); cable television is available in Stanley (2006)

Internet country code:

.fk

Internet hosts:

90 (2009) country comparison to the world: 200

Internet users:

2,800 (2008) country comparison to the world: 207

Transportation ::Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Airports:

6 (2009) country comparison to the world: 169

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 4

under 914 m: 4 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 440 km country comparison to the world: 195 paved: 50 km

unpaved: 390 km (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Stanley

Military ::Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Military branches:

no regular military forces

Military expenditures:

NA

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues ::Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Disputes - international:

Argentina, which claims the islands in its constitution and briefly occupied them by force in 1982, agreed in 1995 to no longer seek settlement by force; UK continues to reject Argentine requests for sovereignty talks

page last updated on October 28, 2009

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

@Faroe Islands (Europe)

Introduction ::Faroe Islands

Background:

The population of the Faroe Islands is largely descended from Viking settlers who arrived in the 9th century. The islands have been connected politically to Denmark since the 14th century. A high degree of self government was attained in 1948.

Geography ::Faroe Islands

Location:

Northern Europe, island group between the Norwegian Sea and the
North Atlantic Ocean, about half way between Iceland and Norway

Geographic coordinates:

62 00 N, 7 00 W

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 1,393 sq km country comparison to the world: 182 land: 1,393 sq km

water: 0 sq km (some lakes and streams)

Area - comparative:

eight times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

1,117 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 3 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line

Climate:

mild winters, cool summers; usually overcast; foggy, windy

Terrain:

rugged, rocky, some low peaks; cliffs along most of coast

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Slaettaratindur 882 m

Natural resources:

fish, whales, hydropower, possible oil and gas

Land use:

arable land: 2.14%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 97.86% (2005)

Irrigated land:

0 sq km

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

NA

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Marine Dumping - associate member to the London Convention and Ship Pollution

Geography - note:

archipelago of 17 inhabited islands and one uninhabited island, and a few uninhabited islets; strategically located along important sea lanes in northeastern Atlantic; precipitous terrain limits habitation to small coastal lowlands

People ::Faroe Islands

Population:

48,856 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 208

Age structure:

0-14 years: 21.6% (male 5,451/female 5,108)

15-64 years: 64% (male 16,708/female 14,544)

65 years and over: 14.4% (male 3,324/female 3,721) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 36.9 years

male: 36.3 years

female: 37.7 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.397% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 164

Birth rate:

13.04 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 156

Death rate:

8.66 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 87

Net migration rate:

-0.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 106

Urbanization:

urban population: 41% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.15 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female

total population: 1.09 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 6.32 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 179 male: 6.56 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 6.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 79.44 years country comparison to the world: 28 male: 77 years

female: 82.05 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.44 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 101

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Faroese (singular and plural)

adjective: Faroese

Ethnic groups:

Scandinavian

Religions:

Evangelical Lutheran 83.8%, other and unspecified 16.2% (2006 administrative data)

Languages:

Faroese (derived from Old Norse), Danish

Literacy:

NA; note - probably 99%, the same as Denmark proper

Government ::Faroe Islands

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Faroe Islands

local long form: none

local short form: Foroyar

Dependency status:

part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1948

Government type:

NA

Capital:

name: Torshavn

geographic coordinates: 62 01 N, 6 46 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 34 municipalities

Independence:

none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)

National holiday:

Olaifest (Olavasoka), 29 July

Constitution:

5 June 1953 (Danish constitution)

Legal system:

the laws of Denmark, where applicable, apply

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since 14 January 1972), represented by High Commissioner Birgit KLEIS, chief administrative officer (since 1 November 2001)

head of government: Prime Minister Kaj Leo JOHANNESSEN (since 26 September 2008)

cabinet: Landsstyri appointed by the prime minister

elections: the monarch is hereditary; high commissioner appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by the Faroese Parliament; election last held 19 January 2008 (next to be held no later than January 2012)

election results: Joannes EIDESGAARD elected prime minister; governing coalition collapses in September 2008, Kaj Leo JOHANNESSEN becomes Prime Minister

Legislative branch:

unicameral Faroese Parliament or Logting (33 seats; members are elected by popular vote on a proportional basis from the seven constituencies to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 19 January 2008 (next to be held no later than January 2012)

election results: percent of vote by party - Union Party 21%, Social Democratic Party 19.4%, Republican Party 23.3%, People's Party 20.1%, Center Party 8.4%, Self-Government Party 7.2%, other 0.6%; seats by party - Republican Party 8, Union Party 7, Social Democratic Party 6, People's Party 7, Center Party 3, Independence Party 2

note: election of two seats to the Danish Parliament was last held on 13 November 2007 (next to be held no later than November 2011); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Republican Party 1, Union Party 1

Judicial branch:

none

Political parties and leaders:

Center Party [Jenis A. RANA]; Independence Party [Kari P. HOJGAARD];
People's Party [Jorgen NICLASEN]; Republican Party [Hogni HOYDAL];
Social Democratic Party [Joannes EIDESGAARD]; Self-Government Party
[Kari P. HOJGAARD]; Union Party [Kaj Leo JOHANNESEN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Sea Shepard [Paul WATSON] (preservation of small whales)

other: conservationists

International organization participation:

Arctic Council, FAO, IMO (associate), NC, NIB, UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)

Flag description:

white with a red cross outlined in blue extending to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted toward the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag); the flag resembles those of neighboring Iceland and Norway, and uses the same three colors - but in a different sequence

Economy ::Faroe Islands

Economy - overview:

The Faroese economy is dependent on fishing, which makes the economy vulnerable to price swings. The sector accounts for 95% of exports and nearly half of GDP. Since 2003 the Faroese economy has picked up as a result of higher prices for fish and for housing. Unemployment is minimal and government finances are relatively sound. Oil finds close to the Islands give hope for economically recoverable deposits, which could eventually lay the basis for a more diversified economy and lessen dependence on Danish economic assistance. Aided by a substantial annual subsidy (about 15% of GDP) from Denmark, the Faroese have a standard of living not far below the Danes and other Scandinavians.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$1 billion (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 199

GDP (official exchange rate):

$1.7 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2.4% (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 148

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$31,000 (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 43

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 27%

industry: 11%

services: 62% (1999)

Labor force:

24,250 (October 2000) country comparison to the world: 199

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 11.2%

industry: 21.9%

services: 66.9% (2007)

Unemployment rate:

1.4% (2007) country comparison to the world: 7 2.1% (2006)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $588 million

expenditures: $623 million (2005)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

1.8% (2005) country comparison to the world: 14

Agriculture - products:

milk, potatoes, vegetables; sheep; salmon, other fish

Industries:

fishing, fish processing, small ship repair and refurbishment, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate:

8% (1999 est.) country comparison to the world: 21

Electricity - production:

243.7 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 173

Electricity - consumption:

226.6 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 176

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 174

Oil - consumption:

5,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 165

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 178

Oil - imports:

4,922 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 157

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 168

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 180

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 184

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 56

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 181

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 179

Exports:

$634 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 160

Exports - commodities:

fish and fish products 94%, stamps, ships (1999)

Exports - partners:

Denmark 27.3%, UK 18.6%, Croatia 12%, Norway 11.7%, Nigeria 10%,
Netherlands 5.5% (2008)

Imports:

$751 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 180

Imports - commodities:

consumer goods 36%, raw materials and semi-manufactures 32%, machinery and transport equipment 29%, fuels, fish, salt (1999)

Imports - partners:

Denmark 50.4%, Norway 20.2%, Sweden 6.4%, UK 4.2%, Iceland 4.1% (2008)

Debt - external:

$64 million (1999) country comparison to the world: 192

Exchange rates:

Danish kroner (DKK) per US dollar - 5.0236 (2008 est.), 5.4797 (2007), 5.9468 (2006), 5.9969 (2005), 5.9911 (2004)

Communications ::Faroe Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:

21,800 (2008) country comparison to the world: 192

Telephones - mobile cellular:

54,900 (2008) country comparison to the world: 192

Telephone system:

general assessment: good international communications; good domestic facilities

domestic: digitalization was completed in 1998; both NMT (analog) and GSM (digital) mobile telephone systems are installed

international: country code - 298; satellite earth stations - 1 Orion; 1 fiber-optic submarine cable to the Shetland Islands, linking the Faroe Islands with Denmark and Iceland; fiber-optic submarine cable connection to Canada-Europe cable

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

3 (plus 43 repeaters) (September 1995)

Internet country code:

.fo

Internet hosts:

8,833 (2009) country comparison to the world: 120

Internet users:

37,500 (2008) country comparison to the world: 175

Transportation ::Faroe Islands

Airports:

1 (2009) country comparison to the world: 233

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 463 km (2006) country comparison to the world: 192

Merchant marine:

total: 12 country comparison to the world: 110 by type: cargo 9, passenger/cargo 3

foreign-owned: 5 (Iceland 1, Norway 4) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Torshavn, Vagur

Military ::Faroe Islands

Military branches:

no regular military forces

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 11,725 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 9,759

females age 16-49: 8,311 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 386

female: 375 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

NA

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of Denmark

Transnational Issues ::Faroe Islands

Disputes - international:

because anticipated offshore hydrocarbon resources have not been realized, earlier Faroese proposals for full independence have been deferred; Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm

page last updated on November 10, 2009

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

@Fiji (Australia-Oceania)

Introduction ::Fiji

Background:

Fiji became independent in 1970 after nearly a century as a British colony. Democratic rule was interrupted by two military coups in 1987 caused by concern over a government perceived as dominated by the Indian community (descendants of contract laborers brought to the islands by the British in the 19th century). The coups and a 1990 constitution that cemented native Melanesian control of Fiji led to heavy Indian emigration; the population loss resulted in economic difficulties, but ensured that Melanesians became the majority. A new constitution enacted in 1997 was more equitable. Free and peaceful elections in 1999 resulted in a government led by an Indo-Fijian, but a civilian-led coup in May 2000 ushered in a prolonged period of political turmoil. Parliamentary elections held in August 2001 provided Fiji with a democratically elected government led by Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE. Re-elected in May 2006, QARASE was ousted in a December 2006 military coup led by Commodore Voreqe BAINIMARAMA, who initially appointed himself acting president but in January 2007 became interim prime minister. Since taking power BAINIMARAMA has neutralized his opponents, crippled Fiji's democratic institutions, and refused to hold elections.

Geography ::Fiji

Location:

Oceania, island group in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Geographic coordinates:

18 00 S, 175 00 E

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 18,274 sq km country comparison to the world: 156 land: 18,274 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

1,129 km

Maritime claims:

measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation; rectilinear shelf claim added

Climate:

tropical marine; only slight seasonal temperature variation

Terrain:

mostly mountains of volcanic origin

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Tomanivi 1,324 m

Natural resources:

timber, fish, gold, copper, offshore oil potential, hydropower

Land use:

arable land: 10.95%

permanent crops: 4.65%

other: 84.4% (2005)

Irrigated land:

30 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

28.6 cu km (1987)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.07 cu km/yr (14%/14%/71%)

per capita: 82 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

cyclonic storms can occur from November to January

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; soil erosion

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

includes 332 islands; approximately 110 are inhabited

People ::Fiji

Population:

944,720 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 157

Age structure:

0-14 years: 30.3% (male 146,327/female 140,327)

15-64 years: 64.9% (male 307,077/female 305,886)

65 years and over: 4.8% (male 20,300/female 24,803) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 25.5 years

male: 25 years

female: 26 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.379% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 98

Birth rate:

21.92 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 85

Death rate:

5.66 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 173

Net migration rate:

-2.47 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 143

Urbanization:

urban population: 52% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 11.58 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 146 male: 12.74 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 10.35 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 70.73 years country comparison to the world: 139 male: 68.18 years

female: 73.41 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.65 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 86

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 136

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

600 (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 147

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 200 (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 115

Nationality:

noun: Fijian(s)

adjective: Fijian

Ethnic groups:

Fijian 57.3% (predominantly Melanesian with a Polynesian admixture),
Indian 37.6%, Rotuman 1.2%, other 3.9% (European, other Pacific
Islanders, Chinese) (2007 census)

Religions:

Christian 64.5% (Methodist 34.6%, Roman Catholic 9.1%, Assembly of
God 5.7%, Seventh Day Adventist 3.9%, Anglican 0.8%, other 10.4%),
Hindu 27.9%, Muslim 6.3%, Sikh 0.3%, other or unspecified 0.3%, none
0.7% (2007 census)

Languages:

English (official), Fijian (official), Hindustani

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 93.7%

male: 95.5%

female: 91.9% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 13 years

male: 13 years

female: 13 years (2005)

Education expenditures:

6.5% of GDP (2004) country comparison to the world: 30

Government ::Fiji

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of the Fiji Islands

conventional short form: Fiji

local long form: Republic of the Fiji Islands/Matanitu ko Viti

local short form: Fiji/Viti

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Suva (on Viti Levu)

geographic coordinates: 18 08 S, 178 25 E

time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

4 divisions and 1 dependency*; Central, Eastern, Northern, Rotuma*, Western

Independence:

10 October 1970 (from the UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, second Monday of October (1970)

Constitution:

enacted 25 July 1997; effective 28 July 1998; note - it encourages multiculturalism and makes multiparty government mandatory

Legal system:

based on British system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Ratu Epeli NAILATIKAU (since 30 July 2009)

head of government: Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE (since 10 September 2000); note - although QARASE is still the legal prime minister, he has been confined to his home island; former President ILOILOVATU appointed Commodore Voreqe BAINIMARAMA interim prime minister under the military regime

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among the members of Parliament and is responsible to Parliament; note - coup leader Commodore Voreqe BAINIMARAMA has appointed an interim cabinet

elections: under the constitution, president elected by the Great Council of Chiefs for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); in 2007 the Great Council of Chiefs was suspended from its role in electing the president; prime minister appointed by the president

election results: Ratu Epeli NAILATIKAU was appointed by Chief Justice Anthony GATES

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (32 seats; 14 appointed by the president on the advice of the Great Council of Chiefs, 9 appointed by the president on the advice of the Prime Minister, 8 on the advice of the opposition leader, and 1 appointed on the advice of the council of Rotuma) and the House of Representatives (71 seats; 23 reserved for ethnic Fijians, 19 reserved for ethnic Indians, 3 reserved for other ethnic groups, 1 reserved for the council of Rotuma constituency encompassing the whole of Fiji, and 25 open seats; members serve five-year terms)

elections: House of Representatives - last held 6-13 May 2006 (next to be held in 2011)

election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - SDL 44.6%, FLP 39.2%, UPP 0.8%, independents 4.9%, other 10.5%; seats by party - SDL 36, FLP 31, UPP 2, independents 2

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president); Court of
Appeal; High Court; Magistrates' Courts

Political parties and leaders:

Dodonu Ni Taukei Party or DNT [Fereti S. DEWA]; Fiji Democratic
Party or FDP [Filipe BOLE] (a merger of the Christian Democrat
Alliance or VLV [Poesci Waqalevu BUNE], Fijian Association Party or
FAP, Fijian Political Party or SVT (primarily Fijian) [Sitiveni
RABUKA], and New Labor Unity Party or NLUP [Ofa SWANN]); Fiji Labor
Party or FLP [Mahendra CHAUDHRY]; General Voters Party or GVP
(became part of United General Party); Girmit Heritage Party or GHP;
Justice and Freedom Party or AIM; Lio 'On Famor Rotuma Party or LFR;
National Federation Party or NFP (primarily Indian) [Pramond RAE];
Nationalist Vanua Takolavo Party or NVTLP [Saula TELAWA]; Party of
National Unity or PANU [Ponipate LESAVUA]; Party of the Truth or
POTT; United Fiji Party/Sogosogo Duavata ni Lewenivanua or SDL
[Laisenia QARASE]; United Peoples Party or UPP [Millis Mick BEDDOES]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Group Against Racial Discrimination or GARD [Dr. Anirudk SINGH] (for restoration of a democratic government); Viti Landowners Association

International organization participation:

ACP, ADB, C (suspended), CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITSO, ITU,
ITUC, MIGA, OPCW, PCA, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UNMIS, UNMIT, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Winston THOMPSON

chancery: 2000 M Street, NW, Suite 710, Washington, DC 20036

telephone: [1] (202) 466-8320

FAX: [1] (202) 466-8325

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador C. Steven McGANN

embassy: 31 Loftus Street, Suva

mailing address: P. O. Box 218, Suva

telephone: [679] 331-4466

FAX: [679] 330-0081

Flag description:

light blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Fijian shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the shield depicts a yellow lion above a white field quartered by the cross of Saint George featuring stalks of sugarcane, a palm tree, bananas, and a white dove

Economy ::Fiji

Economy - overview:

Fiji, endowed with forest, mineral, and fish resources, is one of the most developed of the Pacific island economies though still with a large subsistence sector. Sugar exports, remittances from Fijians working abroad, and a growing tourist industry - with 400,000 to 500,000 tourists annually - are the major sources of foreign exchange. Fiji's sugar has special access to European Union markets but will be harmed by the EU's decision to cut sugar subsidies. Sugar processing makes up one-third of industrial activity but is not efficient. Fiji's tourism industry was damaged by the December 2006 coup and is facing an uncertain recovery time. In 2007 tourist arrivals were down almost 6%, with substantial job losses in the service sector, and GDP dipped nearly 7%. The coup has created a difficult business climate. The EU has suspended all aid until the interim government takes steps toward new elections. Long-term problems include low investment, uncertain land ownership rights, and the government's inability to manage its budget. Overseas remittances from Fijians working in Kuwait and Iraq have decreased significantly. Fiji's current account deficit reached 23% of GDP in 2006.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$3.587 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 168 $3.58 billion (2007 est.)

$3.833 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$3.589 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

0.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 195 -6.6% (2007 est.)

3.4% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$3,800 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 159 $3,900 (2007 est.)

$4,200 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 8.9%

industry: 13.5%

services: 77.6% (2004 est.)

Labor force:

335,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 158

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 70%

industry and services: 30% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:

7.6% (1999) country comparison to the world: 100

Population below poverty line:

25.5% (FY90/91)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $1.363 billion

expenditures: $1.376 billion (2006)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

4.8% (2007) country comparison to the world: 83

Central bank discount rate:

6.32% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 47 9.25% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

7.97% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 93 9.01% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$1.042 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$1.088 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$1.948 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 103 $522.2 million (31 December 2007)

$636.7 million (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

sugarcane, coconuts, cassava (tapioca), rice, sweet potatoes, bananas; cattle, pigs, horses, goats; fish

Industries:

tourism, sugar, clothing, copra, gold, silver, lumber, small cottage industries

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

928 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 147

Electricity - consumption:

863 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 148

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 176

Oil - consumption:

10,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 148

Oil - exports:

2,455 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 111

Oil - imports:

20,340 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 112

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 170

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 182

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 186

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 58

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 82

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 181

Current account balance:

-$507 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 106

Exports:

$1.202 billion (2006) country comparison to the world: 147

Exports - commodities:

sugar, garments, gold, timber, fish, molasses, coconut oil

Exports - partners:

US 15.2%, UK 11.6%, Australia 10.2%, Samoa 5.2%, Tonga 4.6%, Japan 4.1% (2008)

Imports:

$3.12 billion (2006) country comparison to the world: 137

Imports - commodities:

manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, petroleum products, food, chemicals

Imports - partners:

Singapore 30.5%, Australia 20.5%, NZ 15.5%, China 5.4% (2008)

Debt - external:

$127 million (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 186

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$6.702 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 86

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$NA

Exchange rates:

Fijian dollars (FJD) per US dollar - NA (2007), 1.7313 (2006), 1.691 (2005), 1.7331 (2004), 1.8958 (2003)

Communications ::Fiji

Telephones - main lines in use:

129,100 (2008) country comparison to the world: 139

Telephones - mobile cellular:

600,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 151

Telephone system:

general assessment: modern local, interisland, and international (wire/radio integrated) public and special-purpose telephone, telegraph, and teleprinter facilities; regional radio communications center

domestic: telephone or radio telephone links to almost all inhabited islands; most towns and large villages have automatic telephone exchanges and direct dialing; combined fixed and mobile-cellular density is about 80 per 100 persons

international: country code - 679; access to important cable links between US and Canada as well as between NZ and Australia; satellite earth stations - 2 Inmarsat (Pacific Ocean) (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 13, FM 40, shortwave 0 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

NA

Internet country code:

.fj

Internet hosts:

12,747 (2009) country comparison to the world: 114

Internet users:

103,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 152

Transportation ::Fiji

Airports:

28 (2009) country comparison to the world: 118

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 4

over 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 24

914 to 1,523 m: 5

under 914 m: 19 (2009)

Railways:

total: 597 km country comparison to the world: 111 narrow gauge: 597 km 0.600-m gauge

note: belongs to the government-owned Fiji Sugar Corporation; used to haul sugarcane during the harvest season, which runs from May to December (2008)

Roadways:

total: 3,440 km country comparison to the world: 163 paved: 1,692 km

unpaved: 1,748 km (2000)

Waterways:

203 km country comparison to the world: 98 note: 122 km navigable by motorized craft and 200-metric-ton barges (2008)

Merchant marine:

total: 9 country comparison to the world: 116 by type: passenger 3, passenger/cargo 4, roll on/roll off 2

foreign-owned: 1 (Australia 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Lautoka, Suva

Military ::Fiji

Military branches:

Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF): Land Forces, Naval Forces (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service; reserve obligation to age 45 (2006)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 242,567

females age 16-49: 238,556 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 192,363

females age 16-49: 204,410 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 9,107

female: 8,755 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

2.2% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 74

Transnational Issues ::Fiji

Disputes - international:

none

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Fiji is a source country for children trafficked for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation and a destination country for a small number of women from China and India trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation

tier rating: Tier 3 - Fiji does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; the government has demonstrated no action to investigate or prosecute traffickers, assist victims, take steps to reduce the demand for commercial sex acts, or support any anti-trafficking information or education campaigns; Fiji has not ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2008)

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Finland (Europe)

Introduction ::Finland

Background:

Finland was a province and then a grand duchy under Sweden from the 12th to the 19th centuries, and an autonomous grand duchy of Russia after 1809. It won its complete independence in 1917. During World War II, it was able to successfully defend its freedom and resist invasions by the Soviet Union - albeit with some loss of territory. In the subsequent half century, the Finns made a remarkable transformation from a farm/forest economy to a diversified modern industrial economy; per capita income is now among the highest in Western Europe. A member of the European Union since 1995, Finland was the only Nordic state to join the euro system at its initiation in January 1999.

Geography ::Finland

Location:

Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, and Gulf of Finland, between Sweden and Russia

Geographic coordinates:

64 00 N, 26 00 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 338,145 sq km country comparison to the world: 64 land: 303,815 sq km

water: 34,330 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Montana

Land boundaries:

total: 2,654 km

border countries: Norway 727 km, Sweden 614 km, Russia 1,313 km

Coastline:

1,250 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm (in the Gulf of Finland - 3 nm)

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm; extends to continental shelf boundary with Sweden

continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:

cold temperate; potentially subarctic but comparatively mild because of moderating influence of the North Atlantic Current, Baltic Sea, and more than 60,000 lakes

Terrain:

mostly low, flat to rolling plains interspersed with lakes and low hills

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m

highest point: Haltiatunturi 1,328 m

Natural resources:

timber, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, nickel, gold, silver, limestone

Land use:

arable land: 6.54%

permanent crops: 0.02%

other: 93.44% (2005)

Irrigated land:

640 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

110 cu km (2005)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 2.33 cu km/yr (14%/84%/3%)

per capita: 444 cu m/yr (1999)

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

air pollution from manufacturing and power plants contributing to acid rain; water pollution from industrial wastes, agricultural chemicals; habitat loss threatens wildlife populations

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

long boundary with Russia; Helsinki is northernmost national capital on European continent; population concentrated on small southwestern coastal plain

People ::Finland

Population:

5,250,275 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 113

Age structure:

0-14 years: 16.4% (male 438,425/female 422,777)

15-64 years: 66.8% (male 1,773,495/female 1,732,792)

65 years and over: 16.8% (male 357,811/female 524,975) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 42.1 years

male: 40.5 years

female: 43.7 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.098% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 191

Birth rate:

10.38 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 187

Death rate:

10.07 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 62

Net migration rate:

0.68 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 61

Urbanization:

urban population: 63% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 0.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 3.47 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 216 male: 3.78 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 3.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 78.97 years country comparison to the world: 37 male: 75.48 years

female: 82.61 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.73 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 166

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 137

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

2,400 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 136

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 100 (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 147

Nationality:

noun: Finn(s)

adjective: Finnish

Ethnic groups:

Finn 93.4%, Swede 5.6%, Russian 0.5%, Estonian 0.3%, Roma (Gypsy) 0.1%, Sami 0.1% (2006)

Religions:

Lutheran Church of Finland 82.5%, Orthodox Church 1.1%, other
Christian 1.1%, other 0.1%, none 15.1% (2006)

Languages:

Finnish 91.2% (official), Swedish 5.5% (official), other 3.3% (small
Sami- and Russian-speaking minorities) (2007)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 100%

male: 100%

female: 100% (2000 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 17 years

male: 17 years

female: 18 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

6.4% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 33

Government ::Finland

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Finland

conventional short form: Finland

local long form: Suomen tasavalta/Republiken Finland

local short form: Suomi/Finland

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Helsinki

geographic coordinates: 60 10 N, 24 56 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

6 provinces (laanit, singular - laani); Ahvenanmaan Laani (Aland),
Etela-Suomen Laani (Southern Finland), Ita-Suomen Laani (Eastern
Finland), Lansi-Suomen Laani (Western Finland), Lapin Laani
(Lapland), Oulun Laani

Independence:

6 December 1917 (from Russia)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 6 December (1917)

Constitution:

1 March 2000

Legal system:

civil law system based on Swedish law; the president may request the Supreme Court to review laws; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Tarja HALONEN (since 1 March 2000)

head of government: Prime Minister Matti VANHANEN (since 24 June 2003); Deputy Prime Minister Jyrki KATAINEN (since 19 April 2007)

cabinet: Council of State or Valtioneuvosto appointed by the president, responsible to parliament

elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 15 January 2006 (next to be held in January 2012); the president appoints the prime minister and deputy prime minister from the majority party or the majority coalition after parliamentary elections and the parliament must approve the appointment; Prime Minister VANHANEN reelected 17 April 2007

election results: percent of vote - Tarja HALONEN (SDP) 46.3%, Sauli NIINISTO (Kok) 24.1%, Matti VANHANEN (Kesk) 18.6%, Heidi HAUTALA (VIHR) 3.5%; a runoff election between HALONEN and NIINISTO was held 29 January 2006 - HALONEN 51.8%, NIINISTO 48.2%; Matti VANHANEN reelected prime minister; election results 121-71

note: government coalition - Kesk, KOK, VIHR, and SFP

Legislative branch:

unicameral Parliament or Eduskunta (200 seats; members are elected by popular vote on a proportional basis to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 18 March 2007 (next to be held March 2011)

election results: percent of vote by party - Kesk 23.1%, Kok 22.3%, SDP 21.4%, VAS 8.8%, VIHR 8.5%, KD 4.9%, SFP 4.5%, True Finns 4.1%, other 3.4%; seats by party - Kesk 51, Kok 50, SDP 45, VAS 17, VIHR 15, SFP 9, KD 7, True Finns 5, other 1

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Korkein Oikeus (judges appointed by the president)

Political parties and leaders:

Center Party or Kesk [Matti VANHANEN]; Christian Democrats or KD
[Paivi RASANEN]; Green Party or VIHR [Tarja CRONBERG]; Left Alliance
or VAS [Martti KORHONEN] (composed of People's Democratic League and
Democratic Alternative); National Coalition Party (conservative) or
Kok [Jyrki KATAINEN]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Jutta
URPILAINEN]; Swedish People's Party or SFP [Stefan WALLIN]; True
Finns [Timo SOINI]

International organization participation:

ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council,
Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU,
FAO, G-9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO,
ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM (guest), NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS
(observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, Schengen
Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOGIP,
UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Pekka LINTU

chancery: 3301 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 298-5800

FAX: [1] (202) 298-6030

consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Barbara BARRETT

embassy: Itainen Puistotie 14B, 00140 Helsinki

mailing address: APO AE 09723

telephone: [358] (9) 616250

FAX: [358] (9) 6162 5800

Flag description:

white with a blue cross extending to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag); the blue represents the thousands of lakes scattered across the country, while the white is for the snow that covers the land in winter

Economy ::Finland

Economy - overview:

Finland has a highly industrialized, largely free-market economy with per capita output roughly that of the UK, France, Germany, and Italy. Its key economic sector is manufacturing - principally the wood, metals, engineering, telecommunications, and electronics industries. Trade is important; Finland's ratio of exports to GDP has risen from a quarter to 37% over the past 15 years. Finland excels in high-tech exports such as mobile phones. Except for timber and several minerals, Finland depends on imports of raw materials, energy, and some components for manufactured goods. Because of the climate, agricultural development is limited to maintaining self-sufficiency in basic products. Forestry, an important export earner, provides a secondary occupation for the rural population. Although Finland has been one of the best performing economies within the EU in recent years and its banks and financial markets have avoided the worst of global financial crisis, the world slowdown has hit export growth and domestic demand and will serve as a brake on economic growth in 2009 and 2010. The slowdown of construction, other investment, and exports will cause unemployment to rise. During 2009, unemployment will climb to over 8% of the labor force. Long-term challenges include the need to address a rapidly aging population and decreasing productivity that threaten competitiveness, fiscal sustainability, and economic growth.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$194 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 55 $192.4 billion (2007 est.)

$184.8 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$271.9 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

0.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 183 4.1% (2007 est.)

4.9% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$37,000 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 31 $36,700 (2007 est.)

$35,300 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 2.8%

industry: 32.4%

services: 64.9% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

2.703 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 106

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture and forestry 4.5%, industry 18.3%, construction 7.3%, commerce 16%, finance, insurance, and business services 14.5%, transport and communications 7%, public services 32.4% (2008)

Unemployment rate:

6.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 81 6.9% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 3.6%

highest 10%: 24.7% (2007)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

29.5 (2007) country comparison to the world: 117 25.6 (1991)

Investment (gross fixed):

20.6% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 100

Budget:

revenues: $143.8 billion

expenditures: $132.3 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

33.7% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 67 46.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

4.1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 69 2.5% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

3% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 95 5% (31 December 2007)

note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro area

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

5.79% (31 December 2008)

Stock of money:

$NA (31December 2008)

$NA (31 December 2007)

note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the euro area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 16 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money and quasi money circulating within their own borders

Stock of quasi money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$NA (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$241.1 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 29 $225.4 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 26 $369.2 billion (31 December 2007)

$265.5 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

barley, wheat, sugar beets, potatoes; dairy cattle; fish

Industries:

metals and metal products, electronics, machinery and scientific instruments, shipbuilding, pulp and paper, foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles, clothing

Industrial production growth rate:

0.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 129

Electricity - production:

77.24 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 36

Electricity - consumption:

86.9 billion kWh (2008) country comparison to the world: 32

Electricity - exports:

3.335 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

16.11 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

9,789 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 86

Oil - consumption:

215,600 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 55

Oil - exports:

133,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 62

Oil - imports:

347,400 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 31

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl country comparison to the world: 171

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 183

Natural gas - consumption:

4.735 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 60

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 59

Natural gas - imports:

4.739 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 34

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 182

Current account balance:

$5.518 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 33 $10.12 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$96.62 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 38 $90.2 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

electrical and optical equipment, machinery, transport equipment, paper and pulp, chemicals, basic metals; timber

Exports - partners:

Russia 11.6%, Sweden 10%, Germany 10%, US 6.4%, UK 5.5%, Netherlands 5.1% (2008)

Imports:

$87.51 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 38 $78.22 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

foodstuffs, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, transport equipment, iron and steel, machinery, textile yarn and fabrics, grains

Imports - partners:

Russia 16.3%, Germany 15.7%, Sweden 13.6%, Netherlands 6.3%, China 5.1%, UK 4.2% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$8.346 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 72 $8.385 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$339.5 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 25 $314.1 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$84.44 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 38 $88.69 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$116 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 24 $114.2 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008 est.), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)

Communications ::Finland

Telephones - main lines in use:

1.65 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 63

Telephones - mobile cellular:

6.83 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 73

Telephone system:

general assessment: modern system with excellent service

domestic: digital fiber-optic fixed-line network and an extensive cellular network provide domestic needs

international: country code - 358; submarine cables provide links to Estonia and Sweden; satellite earth stations - access to Intelsat transmission service via a Swedish satellite earth station, 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Finland shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 2, FM 59, shortwave 2 (2008)

Television broadcast stations:

120 (plus 431 repeaters) (1999); note - on 1 September 2007, Finland began broadcasting all television signals digitally; analog broadcasts via cable networks were discontinued 29 February 2008

Internet country code:

.fi; note - Aland Islands assigned .ax

Internet hosts:

4.205 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 18

Internet users:

4.383 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 46

Transportation ::Finland

Airports:

148 (2009) country comparison to the world: 37

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 75

over 3,047 m: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 26

1,524 to 2,437 m: 10

914 to 1,523 m: 22

under 914 m: 14 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 73

914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m: 70 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 694 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 5,794 km country comparison to the world: 31 broad gauge: 5,794 km 1.524-m gauge (3,047 km electrified) (2008)

Roadways:

total: 78,141 km country comparison to the world: 62 paved: 50,914 km (includes 700 km of expressways)

unpaved: 27,227 km (2009)

Waterways:

7,842 km country comparison to the world: 18 note: includes Saimaa Canal system of 3,577 km; southern part leased from Russia (2008)

Merchant marine:

total: 98 country comparison to the world: 51 by type: bulk carrier 3, cargo 28, carrier 1, chemical tanker 6, container 3, passenger 5, passenger/cargo 18, petroleum tanker 5, roll on/roll off 27, vehicle carrier 2

foreign-owned: 8 (Estonia 2, Germany 1, Norway 3, Sweden 2)

registered in other countries: 47 (Bahamas 9, Germany 4, Gibraltar 3, Netherlands 14, Norway 1, Panama 2, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Sweden 12, UK 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Hamina, Helsinki, Kokkola, Kotka, Naantali, Pori, Raahe, Rauma, Turku

Military ::Finland

Military branches:

Finnish Defense Forces (FDF): Army, Navy (includes Coastal Defense
Forces), Air Force (Suomen Ilmavoimat) (2007)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for male voluntary and compulsory - and female voluntary - national military and nonmilitary service; service obligation 6-12 months; mandatory retirement at age 60 (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,169,910

females age 16-49: 1,121,187 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 962,479

females age 16-49: 920,297 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 33,784

female: 32,621 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

2% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 83

Transnational Issues ::Finland

Disputes - international:

various groups in Finland advocate restoration of Karelia and other areas ceded to the Soviet Union, but the Finnish Government asserts no territorial demands

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@France (Europe)

Introduction ::France

Background:

Although ultimately a victor in World Wars I and II, France suffered extensive losses in its empire, wealth, manpower, and rank as a dominant nation-state. Nevertheless, France today is one of the most modern countries in the world and is a leader among European nations. Since 1958, it has constructed a hybrid presidential-parliamentary governing system resistant to the instabilities experienced in earlier more purely parliamentary administrations. In recent years, its reconciliation and cooperation with Germany have proved central to the economic integration of Europe, including the introduction of a common exchange currency, the euro, in January 1999. At present, France is at the forefront of efforts to develop the EU's military capabilities to supplement progress toward an EU foreign policy.

Geography ::France

Location:

metropolitan France: Western Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay and English Channel, between Belgium and Spain, southeast of the UK; bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Italy and Spain

French Guiana: Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic
Ocean, between Brazil and Suriname

Guadeloupe: Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the
North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Puerto Rico

Martinique: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North
Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Reunion: Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of
Madagascar

Geographic coordinates:

metropolitan France: 46 00 N, 2 00 E

French Guiana: 4 00 N, 53 00 W

Guadeloupe: 16 15 N, 61 35 W

Martinique: 14 40 N, 61 00 W

Reunion: 21 06 S, 55 36 E

Map references:

metropolitan France: Europe

French Guiana: South America

Guadeloupe: Central America and the Caribbean

Martinique: Central America and the Caribbean

Reunion: World

Area:

total: 643,427 sq km; 551,500 sq km (metropolitan France) country comparison to the world: 42 land: 640,053 sq km; 549,970 sq km (metropolitan France)

water: 3,374 sq km; 1,530 sq km (metropolitan France)

note: the first numbers include the overseas regions of French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, and Reunion

Area - comparative:

slightly less than the size of Texas

Land boundaries:

metropolitan France - total: 2,889 km

border countries: Andorra 56.6 km, Belgium 620 km, Germany 451 km, Italy 488 km, Luxembourg 73 km, Monaco 4.4 km, Spain 623 km, Switzerland 573 km

French Guiana - total: 1,183 km

border countries: Brazil 673 km, Suriname 510 km

Coastline:

total: 4,668 km

metropolitan France: 3,427 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm (does not apply to the Mediterranean)

continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:

metropolitan France: generally cool winters and mild summers, but mild winters and hot summers along the Mediterranean; occasional strong, cold, dry, north-to-northwesterly wind known as mistral

French Guiana: tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature variation

Guadeloupe and Martinique: subtropical tempered by trade winds; moderately high humidity; rainy season (June to October); vulnerable to devastating cyclones (hurricanes) every eight years on average

Reunion: tropical, but temperature moderates with elevation; cool and dry (May to November), hot and rainy (November to April)

Terrain:

metropolitan France: mostly flat plains or gently rolling hills in north and west; remainder is mountainous, especially Pyrenees in south, Alps in east

French Guiana: low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small mountains

Guadeloupe: Basse-Terre is volcanic in origin with interior mountains; Grande-Terre is low limestone formation; most of the seven other islands are volcanic in origin

Martinique: mountainous with indented coastline; dormant volcano

Reunion: mostly rugged and mountainous; fertile lowlands along coast

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Rhone River delta -2 m

highest point: Mont Blanc 4,807 m

note: in order to assess the possible effects of climate change on the ice and snow cap of Mont Blanc, its surface and peak have been extensively and periodically measured in recent years; these new peak measurements have exceeded the traditional height of 4,807 m and have varied between 4,808 m and 4,811 m; the actual rock summit is 4,792 m and is 40 m away from the ice-covered summit

Natural resources:

metropolitan France: coal, iron ore, bauxite, zinc, uranium, antimony, arsenic, potash, feldspar, fluorspar, gypsum, timber, fish

French Guiana: gold deposits, petroleum, kaolin, niobium, tantalum, clay

Land use:

arable land: 33.46%

permanent crops: 2.03%

other: 64.51%

note: French Guiana - arable land 0.13%, permanent crops 0.04%, other 99.83% (90% forest, 10% other); Guadeloupe - arable land 11.70%, permanent crops 2.92%, other 85.38%; Martinique - arable land 9.09%, permanent crops 10.0%, other 80.91%; Reunion - arable land 13.94%, permanent crops 1.59%, other 84.47% (2005)

Irrigated land:

total: 26,190 sq km;

metropolitan France: 26,000 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

189 cu km (2005)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 33.16 cu km/yr (16%/74%/10%)

per capita: 548 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

metropolitan France: flooding; avalanches; midwinter windstorms; drought; forest fires in south near the Mediterranean

overseas departments: hurricanes (cyclones); flooding; volcanic activity (Guadeloupe, Martinique, Reunion)

Environment - current issues:

some forest damage from acid rain; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution from urban wastes, agricultural runoff

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life
Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

largest West European nation

People ::France

Population:

total: 64,057,792 country comparison to the world: 21 note: 62,150,775 in metropolitan France (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 18.6% (male 6,129,729/female 5,838,925)

15-64 years: 65% (male 20,963,124/female 20,929,280)

65 years and over: 16.4% (male 4,403,248/female 6,155,767) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 39.4 years

male: 38 years

female: 40.9 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.549% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 150

Birth rate:

12.57 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 162

Death rate:

8.56 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 92

Net migration rate:

1.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 50

Urbanization:

urban population: 77% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 0.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 3.33 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 217 male: 3.66 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 2.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 80.98 years country comparison to the world: 9 male: 77.79 years

female: 84.33 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.98 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 132

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.4% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 83

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

140,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 38

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

1,600 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 65

Nationality:

noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)

adjective: French

Ethnic groups:

Celtic and Latin with Teutonic, Slavic, North African, Indochinese,
Basque minorities

overseas departments: black, white, mulatto, East Indian, Chinese, Amerindian

Religions:

Roman Catholic 83%-88%, Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim 5%-10%, unaffiliated 4%

overseas departments: Roman Catholic, Protestant, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist, pagan

Languages:

French 100%, rapidly declining regional dialects and languages
(Provencal, Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan, Basque, Flemish)

overseas departments: French, Creole patois

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 16 years

male: 16 years

female: 17 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

5.7% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 46

Government ::France

Country name:

conventional long form: French Republic

conventional short form: France

local long form: Republique francaise

local short form: France

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Paris

geographic coordinates: 48 52 N, 2 20 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

note: applies to metropolitan France only, not to its overseas departments, collectivities, or territories

Administrative divisions:

26 regions (regions, singular - region); Alsace, Aquitaine,
Auvergne, Basse-Normandie (Lower Normandy), Bourgogne (Burgundy),
Bretagne (Brittany), Centre, Champagne-Ardenne, Corse (Corsica),
Franche-Comte, Guadeloupe, Guyane (French Guiana), Haute-Normandie
(Upper Normandy), Ile-de-France, Languedoc-Roussillon, Limousin,
Lorraine, Martinique, Midi-Pyrenees, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, Pays de la
Loire, Picardie, Poitou-Charentes, Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur,
Reunion, Rhone-Alpes

note: France is divided into 22 metropolitan regions (including the "territorial collectivity" of Corse or Corsica) and 4 overseas regions (including French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, and Reunion) and is subdivided into 96 metropolitan departments and 4 overseas departments (which are the same as the overseas regions)

Dependent areas:

Clipperton Island, French Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic
Lands, Mayotte, New Caledonia, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Martin,
Wallis and Futuna

note: the US does not recognize claims to Antarctica; New Caledonia has been considered a "sui generis" collectivity of France since 1998, a unique status falling between that of an independent country and a French overseas department

Independence:

486 (Frankish tribes unified); 843 (Western Francia established from the division of the Carolingian Empire)

National holiday:

Fete de la Federation, 14 July (1790); note - although often incorrectly referred to as Bastille Day, the celebration actually commemorates the holiday held on the first anniversary of the storming of the Bastille (on 14 July 1789) and the establishment of a constitutional monarchy; other names for the holiday are Fete Nationale (National Holiday) and quatorze juillet (14th of July)

Constitution:

adopted by referendum 28 September 1958; effective 4 October 1958; amended many times

note: amended concerning election of president in 1962; amended to comply with provisions of 1992 EC Maastricht Treaty, 1997 Amsterdam Treaty, 2003 Treaty of Nice; amended to tighten immigration laws in 1993; amended in 2000 to change the seven-year presidential term to a five-year term; amended in 2005 to make the EU constitutional treaty compatible with the Constitution of France and to ensure that the decision to ratify EU accession treaties would be made by referendum

Legal system:

civil law system with indigenous concepts; review of administrative but not legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007)

head of government: Prime Minister Francois FILLON (since 17 May 2007)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president at the suggestion of the prime minister

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (changed from seven-year term in October 2000); election last held 22 April and 6 May 2007 (next to be held spring 2012); prime minister appointed by the president

election results: Nicolas SARKOZY wins the election; first round: percent of vote - Nicolas SARKOZY 31.18%, Segolene ROYAL 25.87%, Francois BAYROU 18.57%, Jean-Marie LE PEN 10.44%, others 13.94%; second round: SARKOZY 53.1% and ROYAL 46.9%

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate or Senat (343 seats, 321 for metropolitan France and overseas departments, 2 for New Caledonia, 2 for Mayotte, 1 for Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, 1 for Saint-Barthelemy, 1 for Saint-Martin, 3 for overseas territories, and 12 for French nationals abroad; members are indirectly elected by an electoral college to serve six-year terms; one third elected every three years); note - between 2006 and 2011, 15 new seats will be added to the Senate for a total of 348 seats - 326 for metropolitan France and overseas departments, 2 for New Caledonia, 2 for Mayotte, 1 for Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, 1 for Saint-Barthelemy, 1 for Saint-Martin, 3 for overseas territories, and 12 for French nationals abroad; starting in 2008, members will be indirectly elected by an electoral college to serve six-year terms with one-half elected every three years; and the National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (577 seats, 555 for metropolitan France, 15 for overseas departments, 7 for dependencies; members are elected by popular vote under a single-member majority system to serve five-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held 21 September 2008 (next to be held in September 2014); National Assembly - last held 10 and 17 June 2007 (next to be held in June 2012)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 151, PS 116, UC-UDF 29, CRC 23, RDSE 17, other 7; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - UMP 46.37%, PS 42.25%, miscellaneous left wing parties 2.47%, PCF 2.28%, NC 2.12%, PRG 1.65%, miscellaneous right wing parties 1.17%, the Greens 0.45%, other 1.24%; seats by party - UMP 313, PS 186, NC 22, miscellaneous left wing parties 15, PCF 15, miscellaneous right wing parties 9, PRG 7, the Greens 4, other 6

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court of Appeals or Cour de Cassation (judges are appointed by the president from nominations of the High Council of the Judiciary); Constitutional Council or Conseil Constitutionnel (three members appointed by the president, three appointed by the president of the National Assembly, and three appointed by the president of the Senate); Council of State or Conseil d'Etat

Political parties and leaders:

Communist, Republican and Citizen or CRC; Democratic Movement or
MoDem [Francois BAYROU] (previously Union for French Democracy or
UDF); Democratic and Social European Rally or RDSE [Yvon COLLIN]
(mainly Radical Republican and Socialist Parties, and PRG); French
Communist Party or PCF [Marie-George BUFFET]; Greens [Cecile
DUFLOT]; Left Radical Party or PRG [Jean-Michel BAYLET] (previously
Radical Socialist Party or PRS and the Left Radical Movement or
MRG); Movement for France or MPF [Philippe DE VILLIERS]; National
Front or FN [Jean-Marie LE PEN]; New Center or NC [Herve MORIN];
Radical Party [Jean-Louis BORLOO]; Rally for France or RPF [Charles
PASQUA]; Republican and Citizen Movement or MRC [Jean Pierre
CHEVENEMENT and Georges SARRE]; Socialist Party or PS [Martine
AUBRY]; Union Centrist-UDF or UC-UDF [Michel MERCIER]; Union for a
Popular Movement or UMP [Xavier BERTRAND]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Confederation Francaise Democratique du Travail or CFDT, left-leaning labor union with approximately 803,000 members; Confederation Generale des Cadres or CGC, independent white-collar union with 196,000 members; Confederation Generale du Travail or CGT, historically communist labor union with approximately 700,000 members; Confederation Generale du Travail - Force Ouvriere or FO, independent labor union with an estimated 300,000 members; Mouvement des Entreprises de France or MEDEF, employers' union with 750,000 companies as members (claimed)

French Guiana: conservationists; gold mining pressure groups; hunting pressure groups

Guadeloupe: Christian Movement for the Liberation of Guadeloupe or
KLPG; General Federation of Guadeloupe Workers or CGT-G; General
Union of Guadeloupe Workers or UGTG; Movement for an Independent
Guadeloupe or MPGI; The Socialist Renewal Movement

Martinique: Caribbean Revolutionary Alliance or ARC; Central Union for Martinique Workers or CSTM; Frantz Fanon Circle; League of Workers and Peasants; Proletarian Action Group or GAP

Reunion: NA

International organization participation:

ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council
(observer), Australia Group, BDEAC, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS
(observer), CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FZ, G-20,
G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,
IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, InOC, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT, MINURSO,
MINUSTAH, MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW,
OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), Schengen Convention, SECI
(observer), SPC, UN, UN Security Council, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNOMIG,
UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (nonregional), WCL, WCO, WEU, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Pierre VIMONT

chancery: 4101 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007

telephone: [1] (202) 944-6000

FAX: [1] (202) 944-6166

consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Mark A. PEKALA

embassy: 2 Avenue Gabriel, 75382 Paris Cedex 08

mailing address: PSC 116, APO AE 09777

telephone: [33] (1) 43-12-22-22

FAX: [33] (1) 42 66 97 83

consulate(s) general: Marseille, Strasbourg

Flag description:

three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), white, and red; known as the "Le drapeau tricolore" (French Tricolor), the origin of the flag dates to 1790 and the French Revolution; the design and/or colors are similar to a number of other flags, including those of Belgium, Chad, Ireland, Cote d'Ivoire, Luxembourg, and Netherlands; the official flag for all French dependent areas

Economy ::France

Economy - overview:

France is in the midst of transition from a well-to-do modern economy that has featured extensive government ownership and intervention to one that relies more on market mechanisms. The government has partially or fully privatized many large companies, banks, and insurers, and has ceded stakes in such leading firms as Air France, France Telecom, Renault, and Thales. It maintains a strong presence in some sectors, particularly power, public transport, and defense industries. The telecommunications sector is gradually being opened to competition. France's leaders remain committed to a capitalism in which they maintain social equity by means of laws, tax policies, and social spending that reduce income disparity and the impact of free markets on public health and welfare. Widespread opposition to labor reform has in recent years hampered the government's ability to revitalize the economy. During 2007-08, the government implemented several important labor reforms, including a de facto extension of the 35-hour workweek by allowing employees to work longer overtime hours. During 2009, the government is expected to delay or even renounce other reform efforts due to the on-going financial crisis. GDP growth dropped to 0.3% in 2008; the French government plans to increase public investment and continue injecting capital into the banking sector to alleviate the negative effects of the crisis during 2009. As a result of lower fiscal revenues and increased expenditures the general government deficit is expected to exceed the euro-zone ceiling 3% of GDP. France's tax burden remains one of the highest in Europe - at nearly 50% of GDP in 2005. With at least 75 million foreign tourists per year, France is the most visited country in the world and maintains the third largest income in the world from tourism.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$2.133 trillion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 9 $2.126 trillion (2007 est.)

$2.078 trillion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$2.867 trillion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

0.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 194 2.3% (2007 est.)

2.4% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$33,300 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 39 $33,400 (2007 est.)

$32,800 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 2%

industry: 20.4%

services: 77.6% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

27.97 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 20

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 3.8%

industry: 24.3%

services: 71.8% (2005)

Unemployment rate:

7.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 93 7.9% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

6.2% (2004)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 3%

highest 10%: 24.8% (2004)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

32.7 (2008) country comparison to the world: 98 32.7 (1995)

Investment (gross fixed):

21.9% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 85

Budget:

revenues: $1.407 trillion

expenditures: $1.506 trillion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

68.1% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 16 67.7% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 35 1.5% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

3% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 94 5% (31 December 2007)

note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro area

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

8.13% (31 December 2008)

Stock of money:

$NA

note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the euro area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 16 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money and quasi money circulating within their own borders

Stock of quasi money:

$NA

Stock of domestic credit:

$4.102 trillion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 6 $3.397 trillion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 6 $2.771 trillion (31 December 2007)

$2.429 trillion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

wheat, cereals, sugar beets, potatoes, wine grapes; beef, dairy products; fish

Industries:

machinery, chemicals, automobiles, metallurgy, aircraft, electronics; textiles, food processing; tourism

Industrial production growth rate:

-1.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 149

Electricity - production:

535.7 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 9

Electricity - consumption:

447.2 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 9

Electricity - exports:

58.69 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

10.68 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

70,800 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 57

Oil - consumption:

1.986 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 13

Oil - exports:

554,100 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 28

Oil - imports:

2.346 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 9

Oil - proved reserves:

103.3 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 65

Natural gas - production:

920 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 64

Natural gas - consumption:

49.27 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 16

Natural gas - exports:

1 billion cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 34

Natural gas - imports:

49.35 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 7

Natural gas - proved reserves:

6.937 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 84

Current account balance:

-$52.91 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 187 -$31.25 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$601.9 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 6 $546 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

machinery and transportation equipment, aircraft, plastics, chemicals, pharmaceutical products, iron and steel, beverages

Exports - partners:

Germany 14.3%, Italy 8.7%, Spain 8.3%, UK 7.8%, Belgium 7.6%, US 5.8%, Netherlands 4.2% (2008)

Imports:

$692 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 6 $600.9 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, vehicles, crude oil, aircraft, plastics, chemicals

Imports - partners:

Germany 17.9%, Belgium 11.7%, Italy 8.3%, Spain 6.9%, Netherlands 6.8%, UK 5.1%, US 4.3% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$102.9 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 14 $115.7 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$4.935 trillion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 4 $4.88 trillion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$1.147 trillion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 4 $1.026 trillion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$1.624 trillion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 2 $1.399 trillion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008 est.), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)

Communications ::France

Telephones - main lines in use:

35.909 million; 35.0 million (metropolitan France) (2008) country comparison to the world: 8

Telephones - mobile cellular:

59.259 million; 57.972 million (metropolitan France) (2008) country comparison to the world: 18

Telephone system:

general assessment: highly developed

domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay; extensive use of fiber-optic cable; domestic satellite system

international: country code - 33; numerous submarine cables provide links throughout Europe, Asia, Australia, the Middle East, and US; satellite earth stations - more than 3 (2 Intelsat (with total of 5 antennas - 2 for Indian Ocean and 3 for Atlantic Ocean), NA Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat - Atlantic Ocean region); HF radiotelephone communications with more than 20 countries

overseas departments: country codes: French Guiana - 594; Guadeloupe - 590; Martinique - 596; Reunion - 262

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 41, FM about 3,500 (this figure is an approximation and includes many repeaters), shortwave 2 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

584 (plus 9,676 repeaters) (1995)

Internet country code:

metropolitan France - .fr; French Guiana - .gf; Guadeloupe - .gp; Martinique - .mq; Reunion - .re

Internet hosts:

14.327 million; 14,341,000 (metropolitan France) (2009) country comparison to the world: 6

Internet users:

42.912 million; 42.315 million (metropolitan France) (2008) country comparison to the world: 9

Transportation ::France

Airports:

475 (2009) country comparison to the world: 16

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 297

over 3,047 m: 14

2,438 to 3,047 m: 27

1,524 to 2,437 m: 97

914 to 1,523 m: 82

under 914 m: 77 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 178

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 70

under 914 m: 107 (2009)

Heliports:

1 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 14,688 km; oil 3,036 km; refined products 5,080 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 29,213 km country comparison to the world: 9 standard gauge: 29,046 km 1.435-m gauge (15,164 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 167 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 951,500 km country comparison to the world: 7 paved: 951,500 km (metropolitan France; includes 10,950 km of expressways)

note: there are another 5,100 km of roadways in overseas departments (2006)

Waterways:

metropolitan France: 8,501 km (1,621 km accessible to craft of 3,000 metric tons) country comparison to the world: 16 French Guiana: 3,760 km (460 km navigable by small oceangoing vessels and coastal and river steamers, 3,300 km by native craft) (2008)

Merchant marine:

total: 138 country comparison to the world: 43 by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 1, chemical tanker 32, container 25, liquefied gas 12, passenger 3, passenger/cargo 33, petroleum tanker 23, roll on/roll off 7

foreign-owned: 38 (Belgium 6, China 5, Denmark 2, Germany 1, Italy 2, Japan 1, NZ 1, Norway 5, Saudi Arabia 1, Singapore 2, Sweden 9, Switzerland 3)

registered in other countries: 127 (Antigua and Barbuda 1, Australia 1, Bahamas 30, Belgium 2, Bermuda 1, Hong Kong 1, Indonesia 1, Isle of Man 1, Italy 2, Liberia 5, Luxembourg 17, Malta 5, Morocco 14, Netherlands 1, Norway 3, Panama 5, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 6, Singapore 1, Taiwan 1, UK 23, Wallis and Futuna 6) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Bordeaux, Calais, Dunkerque, Le Havre, Marseille, Nantes, Paris,
Rouen, Strasbourg

Military ::France

Military branches:

Army (Armee de Terre; includes Marines, Foreign Legion, Army Light
Aviation), Navy (Marine Nationale, includes Naval Air, Maritime
Gendarmerie (Coast Guard)), Air Force (Armee de l'Air, includes Air
Defense), National Gendarmerie (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

17-40 years of age for male or female voluntary military service; no conscription; 12-month service obligation; women serve in noncombat military posts (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 14,646,427

females age 16-49: 14,379,630 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 12,087,606

females age 16-49: 11,811,260 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 391,480

female: 373,334 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

2.6% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 61

Transnational Issues ::France

Disputes - international:

Madagascar claims the French territories of Bassas da India, Europa
Island, Glorioso Islands, and Juan de Nova Island; Comoros claims
Mayotte; Mauritius claims Tromelin Island; territorial dispute
between Suriname and the French overseas department of French
Guiana; France asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica (Adelie
Land); France and Vanuatu claim Matthew and Hunter Islands, east of
New Caledonia

Illicit drugs:

metropolitan France: transshipment point for South American cocaine, Southwest Asian heroin, and European synthetics

French Guiana: small amount of marijuana grown for local consumption; minor transshipment point to Europe

Martinique: transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for the US and Europe

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@French Polynesia (Australia-Oceania)

Introduction ::French Polynesia

Background:

The French annexed various Polynesian island groups during the 19th century. In September 1995, France stirred up widespread protests by resuming nuclear testing on the Mururoa atoll after a three-year moratorium. The tests were suspended in January 1996. In recent years, French Polynesia's autonomy has been considerably expanded.

Geography ::French Polynesia

Location:

Oceania, archipelagoes in the South Pacific Ocean about half way between South America and Australia

Geographic coordinates:

15 00 S, 140 00 W

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 4,167 sq km (118 islands and atolls) country comparison to the world: 174 land: 3,827 sq km

water: 340 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

2,525 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical, but moderate

Terrain:

mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mont Orohena 2,241 m

Natural resources:

timber, fish, cobalt, hydropower

Land use:

arable land: 0.75%

permanent crops: 5.5%

other: 93.75% (2005)

Irrigated land:

10 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

occasional cyclonic storms in January

Environment - current issues:

NA

Geography - note:

includes five archipelagoes (four volcanic, one coral); Makatea in French Polynesia is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and Nauru

People ::French Polynesia

Population:

287,032 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 179

Age structure:

0-14 years: 24.3% (male 35,631/female 34,097)

15-64 years: 68.9% (male 102,537/female 95,317)

65 years and over: 6.8% (male 9,821/female 9,629) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 29.1 years

male: 29.4 years

female: 28.8 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.391% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 97

Birth rate:

15.91 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 133

Death rate:

4.73 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 194

Net migration rate:

2.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 30

Urbanization:

urban population: 52% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female

total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 7.55 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 166 male: 8.67 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 6.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 76.71 years country comparison to the world: 63 male: 74.26 years

female: 79.29 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.92 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 140

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: French Polynesian(s)

adjective: French Polynesian

Ethnic groups:

Polynesian 78%, Chinese 12%, local French 6%, metropolitan French 4%

Religions:

Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 10%, no religion 6%

Languages:

French 61.1% (official), Polynesian 31.4% (official), Asian languages 1.2%, other 0.3%, unspecified 6% (2002 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 14 and over can read and write

total population: 98%

male: 98%

female: 98% (1977 est.)

Education expenditures:

NA

Government ::French Polynesia

Country name:

conventional long form: Overseas Lands of French Polynesia

conventional short form: French Polynesia

local long form: Pays d'outre-mer de la Polynesie Francaise

local short form: Polynesie Francaise

former: French Colony of Oceania

Dependency status:

overseas lands of France; overseas territory of France from 1946-2004

Government type:

NA

Capital:

name: Papeete

geographic coordinates: 17 32 S, 149 34 W

time difference: UTC-10 (5 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

none (overseas lands of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are five archipelagic divisions named Archipel des Marquises, Archipel des Tuamotu, Archipel des Tubuai, Iles du Vent, Iles Sous-le-Vent

Independence:

none (overseas lands of France)

National holiday:

Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution:

4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system:

the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007), represented by High Commissioner of the Republic Adolphe COLRAT (since 7 July 2008)

head of government: President of French Polynesia Oscar TEMARU (since 7 February 2009); President of the Territorial Assembly Eduoard FRITCH (since 12 February 2009)

cabinet: Council of Ministers; president submits a list of members of the Territorial Assembly for approval by them to serve as ministers

elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the territorial government and the president of the Territorial Assembly are elected by the members of the assembly for five-year terms (no term limits)

Legislative branch:

unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale (57 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 27 January 2008 (first round) and 10 February 2008 (second round) (next to be held in 2013)

election results: percent of vote by party - Our Home alliance 45.2%, Union for Democracy alliance 37.2%, Popular Rally (Tahoeraa Huiraatira) 17.2% other 0.5%; seats by party - Our Home alliance 27, Union for Democracy alliance 20, Popular Rally 10

note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on 21 September 2008 (next to be held in September 2014); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PS 1, independent 1; two seats were elected to the French National Assembly on 10-17 June 2007 (next to be held in 2012); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 2

Judicial branch:

Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Court of the First Instance or
Tribunal de Premiere Instance; Court of Administrative Law or
Tribunal Administratif

Political parties and leaders:

Alliance for a New Democracy or ADN [Nicole BOUTEAU and Philip
SCHYLE](includes the parties The New Star and This Country is
Yours); Independent Front for the Liberation of Polynesia (Tavini
Huiraatira) [Oscar TEMARU]; New Fatherland Party (Ai'a Api) [Emile
VERNAUDON]; Our Home alliance; Popular Rally (Tahoeraa Huiraatira)
[Gaston FLOSSE]; Union for Democracy alliance or UPD [Oscar TEMARU]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

FZ, ITUC, PIF (associate member), SPC, UPU, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (overseas lands of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (overseas lands of France)

Flag description:

two narrow red horizontal bands encase a wide white band; centered on the white band is a disk with a blue and white wave pattern on the lower half and a gold and white ray pattern on the upper half; a stylized red, blue, and white ship rides on the wave pattern

note: the flag of France is used for official occasions

Government - note:

under certain acts of France, French Polynesia has acquired autonomy in all areas except those relating to police and justice, monetary policy, tertiary education, immigration, and defense and foreign affairs; the duties of its president are fashioned after those of the French prime minister

Economy ::French Polynesia

Economy - overview:

Since 1962, when France stationed military personnel in the region, French Polynesia has changed from a subsistence agricultural economy to one in which a high proportion of the work force is either employed by the military or supports the tourist industry. With the halt of French nuclear testing in 1996, the military contribution to the economy fell sharply. Tourism accounts for about one-fourth of GDP and is a primary source of hard currency earnings. Other sources of income are pearl farming and deep-sea commercial fishing. The small manufacturing sector primarily processes agricultural products. The territory benefits substantially from development agreements with France aimed principally at creating new businesses and strengthening social services.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$4.718 billion (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 161 $4.58 billion (2003 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$6.1 billion (2004)

GDP - real growth rate:

2.7% (2005) country comparison to the world: 134 5.1% (2002)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$18,000 (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 68 $17,500 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 3.5%

industry: 20.4%

services: 76.1% (2005)

Labor force:

116,000 (2007) country comparison to the world: 174

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 13%

industry: 19%

services: 68% (2002)

Unemployment rate:

11.7% (2005) country comparison to the world: 134

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $865 million

expenditures: $644.1 million (1999)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

1.1% (2007) country comparison to the world: 9 1.1% (2006 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

fish; coconuts, vanilla, vegetables, fruits, coffee; poultry, beef, dairy products

Industries:

tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts, phosphates

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

650 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 155

Electricity - consumption:

604.5 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 156

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 173

Oil - consumption:

7,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 158

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 201

Oil - imports:

6,701 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 148

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 167

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 179

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 183

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 177

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 180

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 178

Exports:

$211 million (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 180

Exports - commodities:

cultured pearls, coconut products, mother-of-pearl, vanilla, shark meat

Imports:

$1.706 billion (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 156

Imports - commodities:

fuels, foodstuffs, machinery and equipment

Debt - external:

$NA

Exchange rates:

Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 87.59 (2007), 94.97 (2006), 95.89 (2005), 96.04 (2004), 105.66 (2003)

note: pegged at the rate of 119.25 XPF to the euro

Communications ::French Polynesia

Telephones - main lines in use:

54,600 (2008) country comparison to the world: 160

Telephones - mobile cellular:

187,100 (2008) country comparison to the world: 173

Telephone system:

general assessment: NA

domestic: combined fixed and mobile-cellular density is roughly 85 per 100 persons

international: country code - 689; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 2, FM 14, shortwave 2 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

7 (plus 17 repeaters) (1997)

Internet country code:

.pf

Internet hosts:

13,796 (2009) country comparison to the world: 113

Internet users:

90,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 156

Transportation ::French Polynesia

Airports:

53 (2009) country comparison to the world: 88

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 47

over 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 34

under 914 m: 7 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 6

914 to 1,523 m: 2

under 914 m: 4 (2009)

Heliports:

1 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 2,590 km country comparison to the world: 169 paved: 1,735 km

unpaved: 855 km (1999)

Merchant marine:

total: 15 country comparison to the world: 104 by type: cargo 6, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 5, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1

registered in other countries: 2 (Wallis and Futuna 2) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Papeete

Military ::French Polynesia

Military branches:

no regular military forces (2009)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 79,540 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 65,408

females age 16-49: 64,421 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 2,665

female: 2,552 (2009 est.)

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues ::French Polynesia

Disputes - international:

none

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@French Southern and Antarctic Lands (Antarctica)

Introduction ::French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Background:

In February 2007, the Iles Eparses became an integral part of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands (TAAF). The Southern Lands are now divided into five administrative districts, two of which are archipelagos, Iles Crozet and Iles Kerguelen; the third is a district composed of two volcanic islands, Ile Saint-Paul and Ile Amsterdam; the fourth, Iles Eparses, consists of five scattered tropical islands around Madagascar. They contain no permanent inhabitants and are visited only by researchers studying the native fauna, scientists at the various scientific stations, fishermen, and military personnel. The fifth district is the Antarctic portion, which consists of "Adelie Land," a thin slice of the Antarctic continent discovered and claimed by the French in 1840.

Ile Amsterdam: Discovered but not named in 1522 by the Spanish, the island subsequently received the appellation of Nieuw Amsterdam from a Dutchman; it was claimed by France in 1843. A short-lived attempt at cattle farming began in 1871. A French meteorological station established on the island in 1949 is still in use.

Ile Saint Paul: Claimed by France since 1893, the island was a fishing industry center from 1843 to 1914. In 1928, a spiny lobster cannery was established, but when the company went bankrupt in 1931, seven workers were abandoned. Only two survived until 1934 when rescue finally arrived.

Iles Crozet: A large archipelago formed from the Crozet Plateau, Iles Crozet is divided into two main groups: L'Occidental (the West), which includes Ile aux Cochons, Ilots des Apotres, Ile des Pingouins, and the reefs Brisants de l'Heroine; and L'Oriental (the east), which includes Ile d'Est and Ile de la Possession (the largest island of the Crozets). Discovered and claimed by France in 1772, the islands were used for seal hunting and as a base for whaling. Originally administered as a dependency of Madagascar, they became part of the TAAF in 1955.

Iles Kerguelen: This island group, discovered in 1772, is made up of one large island (Ile Kerguelen) and about 300 smaller islands. A permanent group of 50 to 100 scientists resides at the main base at Port-aux-Francais.

Adelie Land: The only non-insular district of the TAAF is the Antarctic claim known as "Adelie Land." The US Government does not recognize it as a French dependency.

Bassas da India: A French possession since 1897, this atoll is a volcanic rock surrounded by reefs and is awash at high tide.

Europa Island: This heavily wooded island has been a French possession since 1897; it is the site of a small military garrison that staffs a weather station.

Glorioso Islands: A French possession since 1892, the Glorioso
Islands are composed of two lushly vegetated coral islands (Ile
Glorieuse and Ile du Lys) and three rock islets. A military garrison
operates a weather and radio station on Ile Glorieuse.

Juan de Nova Island: Named after a famous 15th century Spanish navigator and explorer, the island has been a French possession since 1897. It has been exploited for its guano and phosphate. Presently a small military garrison oversees a meteorological station.

Tromelin Island: First explored by the French in 1776, the island came under the jurisdiction of Reunion in 1814. At present, it serves as a sea turtle sanctuary and is the site of an important meteorological station.

Geography ::French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Location:

southeast and east of Africa, islands in the southern Indian Ocean, some near Madagascar and others about equidistant between Africa, Antarctica, and Australia; note - French Southern and Antarctic Lands include Ile Amsterdam, Ile Saint-Paul, Iles Crozet, Iles Kerguelen, Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island, and Tromelin Island in the southern Indian Ocean, along with the French-claimed sector of Antarctica, "Adelie Land"; the US does not recognize the French claim to "Adelie Land"

Geographic coordinates:

Ile Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): 37 50 S, 77 32 E

Ile Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): 38 72 S, 77 53 E

Iles Crozet: 46 25 S, 51 00 E

Iles Kerguelen: 49 15 S, 69 35 E

Bassas da India (Iles Eparses): 21 30 S, 39 50 E

Europa Island (Iles Eparses): 22 20 S, 40 22 E

Glorioso Islands (Iles Eparses): 11 30 S, 47 20 E

Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses): 17 03 S, 42 45 E

Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): 15 52 S, 54 25 E

Map references:

Antarctic Region

Area:

Ile Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): total - 55 sq km; land - 55 sq km; water - 0 sq km country comparison to the world: 229 Ile Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): total - 7 sq km; land - 7 sq km; water - 0 sq km

Iles Crozet: total - 352 sq km; land - 352 sq km; water - 0 sq km

Iles Kerguelen: total - 7,215 sq km; land - 7,215 sq km; water - 0 sq km

Bassas da India (Iles Eparses): total - 80 sq km; land - 0.2 sq km; water - 79.8 sq km (lagoon)

Europa Island (Iles Eparses): total - 28 sq km; land - 28 sq km; water - 0 sq km

Glorioso Islands (Iles Eparses): total - 5 sq km; land - 5 sq km; water - 0 sq km

Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses): total - 4.4 sq km; land - 4.4 sq km; water - 0 sq km

Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): total - 1 sq km; land - 1 sq km; water - 0 sq km

note: excludes "Adelie Land" claim of about 500,000 sq km in Antarctica that is not recognized by the US

Area - comparative:

Ile Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): less than one-half the size of Washington, DC

Ile Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): more than 10 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Iles Crozet: about twice the size of Washington, DC

Iles Kerguelen: slightly larger than Delaware

Bassas da India (Iles Eparses): land area about one-third the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Europa Island (Iles Eparses): about one-sixth the size of
Washington, DC

Glorioso Islands (Iles Eparses): about eight times the size of The
Mall in Washington, DC

Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses): about seven times the size of
The Mall in Washington, DC

Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): about 1.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

Ile Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): 28 km

Ile Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul):

Iles Kerguelen: 2,800 km

Bassas da India (Iles Eparses): 35.2 km

Europa Island (Iles Eparses): 22.2 km

Glorioso Islands (Iles Eparses): 35.2 km

Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses): 24.1 km

Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): 3.7 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm from Iles Kerguelen and Iles Eparses (does not include the rest of French Southern and Antarctic Lands); Juan de Nova Island and Tromelin Island claim a continental shelf of 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:

Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul: oceanic with persistent westerly winds and high humidity

Iles Crozet: windy, cold, wet, and cloudy

Iles Kerguelen: oceanic, cold, overcast, windy

Iles Eparses: tropical

Terrain:

Ile Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): a volcanic island with steep coastal cliffs; the center floor of the volcano is a large plateau

Ile Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): triangular in shape, the island is the top of a volcano, rocky with steep cliffs on the eastern side; has active thermal springs

Iles Crozet: a large archipelago formed from the Crozet Plateau is divided into two groups of islands

Iles Kerguelen: the interior of the large island of Ile Kerguelen is composed of rugged terrain of high mountains, hills, valleys, and plains with a number of peninsulas stretching off its coasts

Bassas da India (Iles Eparses): atoll, awash at high tide; shallow (15 m) lagoon

Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island: low, flat, and sandy

Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): low, flat, sandy; likely volcanic seamount

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mont de la Dives on Ile Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul) 867 m; unnamed location on Ile Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul) 272 m; Pic Marion-Dufresne in Iles Crozet 1,090 m; Mont Ross in Iles Kerguelen 1,850 m; unnamed location on Bassas de India (Iles Eparses) 2.4 m; unnamed location on Europa Island (Iles Eparses) 24 m; unnamed location on Glorioso Islands (Iles Eparses) 12 m; unnamed location on Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses) 10 m; unnamed location on Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses) 7 m

Natural resources:

fish, crayfish

note: Glorioso Islands and Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses) have guano, phosphates, and coconuts

Land use:

Ile Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul) - 100% trees, grasses, ferns, and moss; Ile Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul) - 100% grass, ferns, and moss; Iles Crozet - 100% tossock grass, heath, and fern; Iles Kerguelen - 100% tossock grass and Kerguelen cabbage; Bassas da India (Iles Eparses) - 100% rock, coral reef, and sand; Europa Island (Iles Eparses) - 100% mangrove swamp and dry woodlands; Glorioso Islands (Iles Eparses) - 100% lush vegetation and coconut palms; Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses) - 90% forest, 10% other; Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses) - 100% grasses and scattered brush (2005)

Irrigated land:

0 sq km

Natural hazards:

Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul are inactive volcanoes; Iles Eparses subject to periodic cyclones; Bassas da India is a maritime hazard since it is under water for a period of three hours prior to and following the high tide and surrounded by reefs

Environment - current issues:

introduction of foreign species on Iles Crozet has caused severe damage to the original ecosystem; overfishing of Patagonian toothfish around Iles Crozet and Iles Kerguelen

Geography - note:

islands component is widely scattered across remote locations in the southern Indian Ocean

Bassas da India (Iles Eparses): the atoll is a circular reef that sits atop a long-extinct, submerged volcano

Europa Island and Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses): wildlife sanctuary for seabirds and sea turtles

Glorioso Island (Iles Eparses): the islands and rocks are surrounded by an extensive reef system

Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): climatologically important location for forecasting cyclones in the western Indian Ocean; wildlife sanctuary (seabirds, tortoises)

People ::French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Population:

no indigenous inhabitants

Ile Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): has no permanent residents but has a meteorological station

Ile Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): is uninhabited but is frequently visited by fishermen and has a scientific research cabin for short stays

Iles Crozet: are uninhabited except for 18 to 30 people staffing the
Alfred Faure research station on Ile del la Possession

Iles Kerguelen: 50 to 100 scientists are located at the main base at
Port-aux-Francais on Ile Kerguelen

Bassas da India (Iles Eparses): uninhabitable

Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses): a small French military garrison and a few meteorologists on each possession; visited by scientists

Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): uninhabited, except for visits by scientists

Government ::French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Country name:

conventional long form: Territory of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands

conventional short form: French Southern and Antarctic Lands

local long form: Territoire des Terres Australes et Antarctiques Francaises

local short form: Terres Australes et Antarctiques Francaises

abbreviation: TAAF

Dependency status:

overseas territory of France since 1955; administered from Paris by Administrateur Superieur Eric PILLOTON (since 10 April 2007)

Administrative divisions:

none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are five administrative districts named Iles Crozet, Iles Eparses, Iles Kerguelen, Ile Saint-Paul et Ile Amsterdam; the fifth district is the "Adelie Land" claim in Antarctica that is not recognized by the US

Legal system:

the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007), represented by Senior Administrator Rollon MOUCHEL-BLAISOT (16 October 2008)

International organization participation:

UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (overseas territory of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (overseas territory of France)

Flag description:

the flag of France is used

Economy ::French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Economy - overview:

Economic activity is limited to servicing meteorological and geophysical research stations, military bases, and French and other fishing fleets. The fish catches landed on Iles Kerguelen by foreign ships are exported to France and Reunion.

Communications ::French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Internet country code:

.tf

Internet hosts:

44 (2009) country comparison to the world: 210

Communications - note:

one or more meteorological stations on each possession; note - meteorological station on Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses) is important for forecasting cyclones

Transportation ::French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Airports:

4 (note - one each on Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island, and Tromelin Island in the Iles Eparses district) (2006) country comparison to the world: 189

Ports and terminals:

none; offshore anchorage only

Transportation - note:

aids to navigation - lighthouses: Europa Island 18m; Juan de Nova Island (W side) 37m; Tromelin Island (NW point) 11m (all in the Iles Eparses district)

Military ::French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues ::French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Disputes - international:

French claim to "Adelie Land" in Antarctica is not recognized by the
US

Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova
Island (Iles Eparses): claimed by Madagascar

Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): claimed by Mauritius

page last updated on October 28, 2009

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

@Gabon (Africa)

Introduction ::Gabon

Background:

Until recently, only two autocratic presidents had ruled Gabon since its independence from France in 1960. The recent president of Gabon, El Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba -one of the longest-serving heads of state in the world - had dominated the country's political scene for four decades. President BONGO introduced a nominal multiparty system and a new constitution in the early 1990s. However, allegations of electoral fraud during local elections in 2002-03 and the presidential elections in 2005 exposed the weaknesses of formal political structures in Gabon. President BONGO died in June 2009 and was replaced in accordance with the constitution by Rose Francine ROGOMBE, the president of the Senate. New elections are planned for the summer of 2009. This will be the first Gabonese elections in which BONGO is not participating. Despite political conditions, a small population, abundant natural resources, and considerable foreign support have helped make Gabon one of the more prosperous and stable African countries.

Geography ::Gabon

Location:

Western Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator, between
Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea

Geographic coordinates:

1 00 S, 11 45 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 267,667 sq km country comparison to the world: 76 land: 257,667 sq km

water: 10,000 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Colorado

Land boundaries:

total: 2,551 km

border countries: Cameroon 298 km, Republic of the Congo 1,903 km, Equatorial Guinea 350 km

Coastline:

885 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; always hot, humid

Terrain:

narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mont Iboundji 1,575 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, natural gas, diamond, niobium, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower

Land use:

arable land: 1.21%

permanent crops: 0.64%

other: 98.15% (2005)

Irrigated land:

70 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

164 cu km (1987)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.12 cu km/yr (50%/8%/42%)

per capita: 87 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; poaching

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

a small population and oil and mineral reserves have helped Gabon become one of Africa's wealthier countries; in general, these circumstances have allowed the country to maintain and conserve its pristine rain forest and rich biodiversity

People ::Gabon

Population:

1,514,993 country comparison to the world: 151 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 42.1% (male 320,414/female 318,027)

15-64 years: 53.9% (male 407,461/female 409,633)

65 years and over: 3.9% (male 24,799/female 34,659) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 18.6 years

male: 18.4 years

female: 18.9 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.934% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 65

Birth rate:

35.57 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 35

Death rate:

12.76 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 32

Net migration rate:

-3.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 154

Urbanization:

urban population: 85% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 2.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 51.78 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 48 male: 60.17 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 43.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 53.11 years country comparison to the world: 198 male: 52.19 years

female: 54.05 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

4.65 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 36

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

5.9% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 13

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

49,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 65

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

2,300 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 57

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: malaria and chikungunya

water contact disease: schistosomiasis

animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Gabonese (singular and plural)

adjective: Gabonese

Ethnic groups:

Bantu tribes, including four major tribal groupings (Fang, Bapounou, Nzebi, Obamba); other Africans and Europeans, 154,000, including 10,700 French and 11,000 persons of dual nationality

Religions:

Christian 55%-75%, animist, Muslim less than 1%

Languages:

French (official), Fang, Myene, Nzebi, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 63.2%

male: 73.7%

female: 53.3% (1995 est.)

Education expenditures:

3.8% of GDP (2000) country comparison to the world: 118

Government ::Gabon

Country name:

conventional long form: Gabonese Republic

conventional short form: Gabon

local long form: Republique Gabonaise

local short form: Gabon

Government type:

republic; multiparty presidential regime

Capital:

name: Libreville

geographic coordinates: 0 23 N, 9 27 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

9 provinces; Estuaire, Haut-Ogooue, Moyen-Ogooue, Ngounie, Nyanga, Ogooue-Ivindo, Ogooue-Lolo, Ogooue-Maritime, Woleu-Ntem

Independence:

17 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 17 August (1960)

Constitution:

adopted 14 March 1991

Legal system:

based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Ali BONGO Ondimba (since 16 October 2009)

head of government: Prime Minister Paul BIYOGHE MBA (since 15 July 2009)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister in consultation with the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (no term limits); election last held 30 August 2009 (next to be held in 2016); prime minister appointed by the president

election results: President Ali BONGO Ondimba elected; percent of vote - Ali BONGO Ondimba 41.7%, Andre MBA OBAME 25.9%, Pierre MAMBOUNDOU 25.2%, Zacharie MYBOTO 3.9%, other 3.3%

note: President BONGO died on 8 June 2009 after serving as president for 32 years, in accordance with the constitution he was replaced on an interim basis by the president of the Senate, Rose Francine ROGOMBE on 10 June 2009, new elections where held on 30 August 2009 and the son of the former president, Ali BONGO Ondimba, was elected president

Legislative branch:

bicameral legislature consists of the Senate (102 seats; members elected by members of municipal councils and departmental assemblies to serve six-year terms) and the National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (120 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held 18 January 2009 (next to be held in January 2015); National Assembly - last held 17 and 24 December 2006 (next to be held in December 2011)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDG 75, GPR 6, UGDD 3, CLR 2, PGCI 2, UPG 2, ADERE 1, independents 9; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDG 82, RPG 8, UPG 8, UGDD 4, ADERE 3, CLR 2, PGP-Ndaot 2, PSD 2, independents 4, others 5

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Cour Supreme consisting of three chambers - Judicial, Administrative, and Accounts; Constitutional Court; Courts of Appeal; Court of State Security; County Courts

Political parties and leaders:

Circle of Liberal Reformers or CLR [General Jean Boniface ASSELE];
Congress for Democracy and Justice or CDJ [Jules Aristide Bourdes
OGOULIGUENDE]; Democratic and Republican Alliance or ADERE
[Divungui-di-Ndinge DIDJOB]; Gabonese Democratic Party or PDG
(former sole party) [Simplice Nguedet MANZELA]; Gabonese Party for
Progress or PGP [Benoit Mouity NZAMBA]; Gabonese Union for Democracy
and Development or UGDD [Zacherie MYBOTO]; National Rally of
Woodcutters or RNB; National Rally of Woodcutters-Rally for Gabon or
RNB-RPG (Bucherons) [Fr. Paul M'BA-ABESSOLE]; Party of Development
and Social Solidarity or PDS [Seraphin Ndoat REMBOGO]; People's
Unity Party or PUP [Louis Gaston MAYILA]; Social Democratic Party or
PSD [Pierre Claver MAGANGA-MOUSSAVOU]; Union for Democracy and
Social Integration or UDIS; Union of Gabonese Patriots or UPG
[Pierre MAMBOUNDOU]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA,
MINURCAT, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Carlos BOUNGOU

chancery: Suite 200, 2034 20th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone: [1] (202) 797-1000

FAX: [1] (202) 332-0668

consulate(s): New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Eunice S. REDDICK

embassy: Boulevard du Bord de Mer, Libreville

mailing address: Centre Ville, B. P. 4000, Libreville; pouch:2270 Libreville Place, Washington, DC 20521-2270

telephone: [241] 76 20 03 through 76 20 04, after hours - 07380171

FAX: [241] 74 55 07

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and blue

Economy ::Gabon

Economy - overview:

Gabon enjoys a per capita income four times that of most sub-Saharan African nations, but because of high income inequality, a large proportion of the population remains poor. Gabon depended on timber and manganese until oil was discovered offshore in the early 1970s. The oil sector now accounts for more than 50% of GDP. Gabon continues to face fluctuating prices for its oil, timber, and manganese exports. Despite the abundance of natural wealth, poor fiscal management hobbles the economy. In 1997, an IMF mission to Gabon criticized the government for overspending on off-budget items, overborrowing from the central bank, and slipping on its schedule for privatization and administrative reform. The rebound of oil prices since 1999 have helped growth, but drops in production have hampered Gabon from fully realizing potential gains, and will continue to temper the gains for most of this decade. In December 2000, Gabon signed a new agreement with the Paris Club to reschedule its official debt. A follow-up bilateral repayment agreement with the US was signed in December 2001. Gabon signed a 14-month Stand-By Arrangement with the IMF in May 2007, and received Paris Club debt rescheduling later that year.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$21.16 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 120 $20.74 billion (2007 est.)

$19.64 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$14.54 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 163 5.6% (2007 est.)

1.2% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$14,200 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 81 $14,200 (2007 est.)

$13,800 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 5.6%

industry: 57.8%

services: 36.6% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

581,000 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 151

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 60%

industry: 15%

services: 25% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:

21% (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 168

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Investment (gross fixed):

27.3% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 34

Budget:

revenues: $4.511 billion

expenditures: $2.932 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

24.7% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 83 29.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

5.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 91 5% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

4.75% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 83 5.25% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

NA% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 43 15% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$1.547 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$799.3 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$359.8 million (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

cocoa, coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber; cattle; okoume (a tropical softwood); fish

Industries:

petroleum extraction and refining; manganese, gold; chemicals, ship repair, food and beverages, textiles, lumbering and plywood, cement

Industrial production growth rate:

1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 124

Electricity - production:

1.774 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 137

Electricity - consumption:

1.446 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 140

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

247,800 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 39

Oil - consumption:

14,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 138

Oil - exports:

227,300 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 50

Oil - imports:

4,185 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 164

Oil - proved reserves:

2 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 33

Natural gas - production:

90 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 80

Natural gas - consumption:

90 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 103

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 175

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 178

Natural gas - proved reserves:

28.32 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 71

Current account balance:

$2.727 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 39 $1.549 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$9.333 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 90 $7.046 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

crude oil 70%, timber, manganese, uranium (2001)

Exports - partners:

US 25.4%, China 19.1%, Japan 10.2%, France 5.4%, Spain 4% (2008)

Imports:

$2.577 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 143 $2.2 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, construction materials

Imports - partners:

France 32.2%, US 11.1%, China 5.4%, Belgium 4.7%, Cameroon 4.4%,
Netherlands 4.2% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$1.925 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 111 $1.238 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$2.986 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 128 $4.895 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

Cooperation Financiere en Afrique Centrale francs (XAF) per US dollar - 447.81 (2008 est.), 481.83 (2007), 522.89 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004)

note: since 1 January 1999, the Central African CFA franc (XAF) has been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 CFA francs per euro; Central African CFA franc (XAF) coins and banknotes are not accepted in countries using West African CFA francs (XOF), and vice versa, even though the two currencies trade at par

Communications ::Gabon

Telephones - main lines in use:

26,500 (2008) country comparison to the world: 182

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1.3 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 137

Telephone system:

general assessment: adequate service by African standards and improving with the help of a growing mobile cell network system with multiple providers; mobile-cellular subscribership reached nearly 90 per 100 persons in 2008

domestic: adequate system of cable, microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, radiotelephone communication stations, and a domestic satellite system with 12 earth stations

international: country code - 241; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and Asia; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 6, FM 7 (plus 11 repeaters), shortwave 4 (2001)

Television broadcast stations:

4 (plus 4 repeaters) (2001)

Internet country code:

.ga

Internet hosts:

91 (2009) country comparison to the world: 199

Internet users:

90,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 158

Transportation ::Gabon

Airports:

44 (2009) country comparison to the world: 98

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 13

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 9

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 31

1,524 to 2,437 m: 6

914 to 1,523 m: 11

under 914 m: 14 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 240 km; oil 723 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 814 km country comparison to the world: 100 standard gauge: 814 km 1.435-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 9,170 km country comparison to the world: 138 paved: 937 km

unpaved: 8,233 km (2004)

Waterways:

1,600 km (310 km on Ogooue River) (2008) country comparison to the world: 51

Merchant marine:

registered in other countries: 2 (Cambodia 1, Panama 1) (2008) country comparison to the world: 143

Ports and terminals:

Gamba, Libreville, Lucinda, Port-Gentil

Military ::Gabon

Military branches:

Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Police

Military service age and obligation:

20 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service (2007)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 331,181

females age 16-49: 332,498 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 195,519

females age 16-49: 190,519 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 16,933

female: 16,942 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

3.4% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 38

Transnational Issues ::Gabon

Disputes - international:

UN urges Equatorial Guinea and Gabon to resolve the sovereignty dispute over Gabon-occupied Mbane Island and lesser islands and to establish a maritime boundary in hydrocarbon-rich Corisco Bay

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 7,178 (Republic of Congo) (2007)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Gabon is predominantly a destination country for children trafficked from other African countries for the purpose of forced labor; girls are primarily trafficked for domestic servitude, forced market vending, forced restaurant labor, and sexual exploitation, while boys are trafficked for forced street hawking and forced labor in small workshops

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Gabon is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat human trafficking in 2007, particularly in terms of efforts to convict and punish trafficking offenders; the government has not reported the convictions or sentences of any trafficking offenders; the government did not take steps to reduce demand for commercial sex acts (2008)

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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@Gambia, The (Africa)

Introduction ::Gambia, The

Background:

The Gambia gained its independence from the UK in 1965. Geographically surrounded by Senegal, it formed a short-lived federation of Senegambia between 1982 and 1989. In 1991 the two nations signed a friendship and cooperation treaty, but tensions have flared up intermittently since then. Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH led a military coup in 1994 that overthrew the president and banned political activity. A new constitution and presidential elections in 1996, followed by parliamentary balloting in 1997, completed a nominal return to civilian rule. JAMMEH has been elected president in all subsequent elections, including most recently in late 2006.

Geography ::Gambia, The

Location:

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and Senegal

Geographic coordinates:

13 28 N, 16 34 W

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 11,295 sq km country comparison to the world: 166 land: 10,000 sq km

water: 1,295 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly less than twice the size of Delaware

Land boundaries:

total: 740 km

border countries: Senegal 740 km

Coastline:

80 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 18 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: extent not specified

Climate:

tropical; hot, rainy season (June to November); cooler, dry season (November to May)

Terrain:

flood plain of the Gambia River flanked by some low hills

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed location 53 m

Natural resources:

fish, titanium (rutile and ilmenite), tin, zircon, silica sand, clay, petroleum

Land use:

arable land: 27.88%

permanent crops: 0.44%

other: 71.68% (2005)

Irrigated land:

20 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

8 cu km (1982)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.03 cu km/yr (23%/12%/65%)

per capita: 20 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

drought (rainfall has dropped by 30% in the last 30 years)

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; desertification; water-borne diseases prevalent

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

almost an enclave of Senegal; smallest country on the continent of Africa

People ::Gambia, The

Population:

1,782,893 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 148

Age structure:

0-14 years: 43.6% (male 390,806/female 387,172)

15-64 years: 53.6% (male 473,478/female 481,315)

65 years and over: 2.8% (male 25,071/female 25,051) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 17.9 years

male: 17.8 years

female: 18.1 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.668% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 26

Birth rate:

37.87 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 26

Death rate:

11.49 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 43

Net migration rate:

0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 68

Urbanization:

urban population: 57% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 4.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 67.33 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 29 male: 73.56 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 60.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 55.35 years country comparison to the world: 193 male: 53.43 years

female: 57.34 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

5.04 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 29

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.9% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 55

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

8,200 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 111

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

600 (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 81

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria

water contact disease: schistosomiasis

respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis

animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Gambian(s)

adjective: Gambian

Ethnic groups:

African 99% (Mandinka 42%, Fula 18%, Wolof 16%, Jola 10%, Serahuli 9%, other 4%), non-African 1% (2003 census)

Religions:

Muslim 90%, Christian 8%, indigenous beliefs 2%

Languages:

English (official), Mandinka, Wolof, Fula, other indigenous vernaculars

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 40.1%

male: 47.8%

female: 32.8% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 7 years

male: 7 years

female: 7 years (2004)

Education expenditures:

2% of GDP (2004) country comparison to the world: 166

Government ::Gambia, The

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of The Gambia

conventional short form: The Gambia

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Banjul

geographic coordinates: 13 27 N, 16 34 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

5 divisions and 1 city*; Banjul*, Central River, Lower River, North Bank, Upper River, Western

Independence:

18 February 1965 (from the UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 18 February (1965)

Constitution:

approved by national referendum 8 August 1996; effective 16 January 1997

Legal system:

based on a composite of English common law, Islamic law, and customary law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH (since 18 October 1996); note - from 1994 to 1996 he was chairman of the Junta; Vice President Isatou NJIE-SAIDY (since 20 March 1997); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH (since 18 October 1996); Vice President Isatou NJIE-SAIDY (since 20 March 1997)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (no term limits); election last held 22 September 2006 (next to be held in 2011)

election results: Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH reelected president; percent of vote - Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH 67.3%, Ousainou DARBOE 26.6%, Halifa SALLAH 6.0%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly (53 seats; 48 members elected by popular vote, 5 appointed by the president; to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 25 January 2007 (next to be held in 2012)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - APRC 47, UDP 4, NADD 1, independent 1

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:

Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction or APRC (the
ruling party) [Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH]; Gambia People's Democratic
Party or GPDP [Henry GOMEZ]; National Alliance for Democracy and
Development or NADD [Halifa SALLAH]; National Convention Party or
NCP [Sheriff DIBBA]; National Reconciliation Party or NRP [Hamat N.
K. BAH]; People's Democratic Organization for Independence and
Socialism or PDOIS [Halifa SALLAH]; United Democratic Party or UDP
[Ousainou DARBOE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

National Environment Agency or NEA; West African Peace Building
Network-Gambian Chapter or WANEB-GAMBIA; Youth Employment Network
Gambia or YENGambia

other: special needs group advocates; teachers and principals

International organization participation:

ABEDA, ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM,
IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,
ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)

chancery: Suite 600, 1424 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20005

telephone: [1] (202) 785-1379, 1399, 1425

FAX: [1] (202) 785-1430

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Barry L. WELLS

embassy: Kairaba Avenue, Fajara, Banjul

mailing address: P. M. B. No. 19, Banjul

telephone: [220] 439-2856, 437-6169, 437-6170

FAX: [220] 439-2475

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue with white edges, and green

Economy ::Gambia, The

Economy - overview:

The Gambia has no confirmed mineral or natural resource deposits and has a limited agricultural base. About 75% of the population depends on crops and livestock for its livelihood. Small-scale manufacturing activity features the processing of peanuts, fish, and hides. Reexport trade normally constitutes a major segment of economic activity, but a 1999 government-imposed preshipment inspection plan, and instability of the Gambian dalasi (currency) have drawn some of the reexport trade away from The Gambia. The Gambia's natural beauty and proximity to Europe has made it one of the larger markets for tourism in West Africa. The government's 1998 seizure of the private peanut firm Alimenta eliminated the largest purchaser of Gambian groundnuts. Despite an announced program to begin privatizing key parastatals, no plans have been made public that would indicate that the government intends to follow through on its promises. Unemployment and underemployment rates remain extremely high; short-run economic progress depends on sustained bilateral and multilateral aid, on responsible government economic management, on continued technical assistance from the IMF and bilateral donors, and on expected growth in the construction sector.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$2.277 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 180 $2.15 billion (2007 est.)

$2.023 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$810 million (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.9% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 66 6.3% (2007 est.)

6.5% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,300 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 202 $1,300 (2007 est.)

$1,200 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 33.3%

industry: 7.6%

services: 59% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

777,100 (2007) country comparison to the world: 143

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 75%

industry: 19%

services: 6% (1996)

Unemployment rate:

NA%

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2%

highest 10%: 36.9% (2003)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

50.2 (1998) country comparison to the world: 23

Investment (gross fixed):

28% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 30

Budget:

revenues: $155.6 million

expenditures: $167.3 million (2008 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

4.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 77 5.1% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

NA% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 41 10% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

NA% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 8 27.92% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$186.7 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$180.4 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$169.9 million (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

rice, millet, sorghum, peanuts, corn, sesame, cassava (tapioca), palm kernels; cattle, sheep, goats

Industries:

processing peanuts, fish, and hides; tourism, beverages, agricultural machinery assembly, woodworking, metalworking, clothing

Industrial production growth rate:

0.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 130

Electricity - production:

160 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 180

Electricity - consumption:

148.8 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 182

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 172

Oil - consumption:

2,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 185

Oil - exports:

41.62 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 134

Oil - imports:

2,266 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 175

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 166

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 107

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 182

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 176

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 179

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 177

Current account balance:

-$127 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 80 -$80.3 million (2007 est.)

Exports:

$85 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 195 $91.4 million (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

peanut products, fish, cotton lint, palm kernels, re-exports

Exports - partners:

India 30.5%, Japan 25.6%, Belgium 6.3%, China 5.5%, UK 5.3%, Spain 4.1% (2008)

Imports:

$299 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 194 $262.9 million (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

foodstuffs, manufactures, fuel, machinery and transport equipment

Imports - partners:

China 20.6%, Senegal 12.1%, Cote d'Ivoire 8.7%, Brazil 7.7%,
Netherlands 5% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$140 million (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 147 $142.8 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$628.8 million (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 161

Exchange rates:

dalasis (GMD) per US dollar - 22.75 (2008 est.), 27.79 (2007), 28.066 (2006), 28.575 (2005), 30.03 (2004)

Communications ::Gambia, The

Telephones - main lines in use:

48,900 (2008) country comparison to the world: 164

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1.166 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 138

Telephone system:

general assessment: adequate; a packet switched data network is available; state-owned Gambia Telecommunications partially privatized in 2007

domestic: adequate network of microwave radio relay and open-wire; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity reached 70 telephones per 100 persons in 2008

international: country code - 220; microwave radio relay links to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 3, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2001)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (government-owned) (1997)

Internet country code:

.gm

Internet hosts:

895 (2009) country comparison to the world: 162

Internet users:

114,200 (2008) country comparison to the world: 148

Transportation ::Gambia, The

Airports:

1 (2009) country comparison to the world: 232

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 1

over 3,047 m: 1 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 3,742 km country comparison to the world: 158 paved: 723 km

unpaved: 3,019 km (2004)

Waterways:

390 km (on River Gambia; small ocean-going vessels can reach 190 km) (2008) country comparison to the world: 89

Merchant marine:

total: 5 country comparison to the world: 133 by type: passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 1 (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Banjul

Military ::Gambia, The

Military branches:

Office of the Chief of Defense: Gambian National Army (National
Guard, GNA), Gambian Navy (GN) (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 379,668

females age 16-49: 384,438 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 238,454

females age 16-49: 253,680 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 20,238

female: 20,167 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

0.5% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 163

Transnational Issues ::Gambia, The

Disputes - international:

attempts to stem refugees, cross-border raids, arms smuggling, and other illegal activities by separatists from southern Senegal's Casamance region, as well as from conflicts in other west African states

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 5,955 (Sierra Leone) (2007)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: The Gambia is a source, transit, and destination country for children and women trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation; women and girls, and to a lesser extent boys, are trafficked for sexual exploitation - in particular to meet the demand for European sex tourism - and for domestic servitude; boys are trafficked within the country for forced begging and street vending; Gambian women and children may be trafficked to Europe through trafficking schemes disguised as migrant smuggling

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - for a second consecutive year, The Gambia is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking; The Gambia failed to report any trafficking arrests, prosecutions, or convictions in 2007, and the government demonstrated weak victim protection efforts during the reporting period (2008)

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Gaza Strip (Middle East)

Introduction ::Gaza Strip

Background:

The September 1993 Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements provided for a transitional period of Palestinian self-rule in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Under a series of agreements signed between May 1994 and September 1999, Israel transferred to the Palestinian Authority (PA) security and civilian responsibility for Palestinian-populated areas of the West Bank and Gaza. Negotiations to determine the permanent status of the West Bank and Gaza stalled following the outbreak of an intifada in September 2000, as Israeli forces reoccupied most Palestinian-controlled areas. In April 2003, the Quartet (US, EU, UN, and Russia) presented a roadmap to a final settlement of the conflict by 2005 based on reciprocal steps by the two parties leading to two states, Israel and a democratic Palestine. The proposed date for a permanent status agreement was postponed indefinitely due to violence and accusations that both sides had not followed through on their commitments. Following Palestinian leader Yasir ARAFAT's death in late 2004, Mahmud ABBAS was elected PA president in January 2005. A month later, Israel and the PA agreed to the Sharm el-Sheikh Commitments in an effort to move the peace process forward. In September 2005, Israel unilaterally withdrew all its settlers and soldiers and dismantled its military facilities in the Gaza Strip and withdrew settlers and redeployed soldiers from four small northern West Bank settlements. Nonetheless, Israel controls maritime, airspace, and most access to the Gaza Strip. A November 2005 PA-Israeli agreement authorized the reopening of the Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt under joint PA and Egyptian control. In January 2006, the Islamic Resistance Movement, HAMAS, won control of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC). The international community refused to accept the HAMAS-led government because it did not recognize Israel, would not renounce violence, and refused to honor previous peace agreements between Israel and the PA. HAMAS took control of the PA government in March 2006, but President ABBAS had little success negotiating with HAMAS to present a political platform acceptable to the international community so as to lift economic sanctions on Palestinians. The PLC was unable to convene throughout most of 2006 as a result of Israel's detention of many HAMAS PLC members and Israeli-imposed travel restrictions on other PLC members. Violent clashes took place between Fatah and HAMAS supporters in the Gaza Strip in 2006 and early 2007, resulting in numerous Palestinian deaths and injuries. ABBAS and HAMAS Political Bureau Chief MISHAL in February 2007 signed the Mecca Agreement in Saudi Arabia that resulted in the formation of a Palestinian National Unity Government (NUG) headed by HAMAS member Ismail HANIYA. However, fighting continued in the Gaza Strip, and in June, HAMAS militants succeeded in a violent takeover of all military and governmental institutions in the Gaza Strip. ABBAS dismissed the NUG and through a series of Presidential decrees formed a PA government in the West Bank led by independent Salam FAYYAD. HAMAS rejected the NUG's dismissal and has called for resuming talks with Fatah, but ABBAS has ruled out negotiations until HAMAS agrees to a return of PA control over the Gaza Strip and recognizes the FAYYAD-led government. FAYYAD and his PA government initiated a series of security and economic reforms to improve conditions in the West Bank. ABBAS participated in talks with Israel's Prime Minister OLMERT and secured the release of some Palestinian prisoners and previously withheld customs revenue. During a November 2007 international meeting in Annapolis Maryland, ABBAS and OLMERT agreed to resume peace negotiations with the goal of reaching a final peace settlement. Late November 2007 through June 2008 witnessed a substantial increase in Israeli-Palestinian violence. An Egyptian-brokered truce in June 2008 between Israel and HAMAS brought about a five-month pause in hostilities, but spiraling end-of-year violence culminated with massive Israeli air assaults on HAMAS installations in late December followed by Israeli ground attacks in early January 2009. Israel in mid January unilaterally stopped the attacks and HAMAS responded by suspending rocket and mortar fire. The fighting resulted in the deaths of an estimated 1,100 to 1,400 Palestinians and left tens of thousands of people homeless. International donors pledged $4.5 billion in aid to rebuild the Gaza Strip, but by mid-May 2009 only a small fraction of the aid had been delivered.

Geography ::Gaza Strip

Location:

Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and
Israel

Geographic coordinates:

31 25 N, 34 20 E

Map references:

Middle East

Area:

total: 360 sq km country comparison to the world: 205 land: 360 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

total: 62 km

border countries: Egypt 11 km, Israel 51 km

Coastline:

40 km

Maritime claims:

Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent status to be determined through further negotiation

Climate:

temperate, mild winters, dry and warm to hot summers

Terrain:

flat to rolling, sand- and dune-covered coastal plain

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m

highest point: Abu 'Awdah (Joz Abu 'Auda) 105 m

Natural resources:

arable land, natural gas

Land use:

arable land: 29%

permanent crops: 21%

other: 50% (2002)

Irrigated land:

155 sq km; (note - includes West Bank) (2003)

Natural hazards:

droughts

Environment - current issues:

desertification; salination of fresh water; sewage treatment; water-borne disease; soil degradation; depletion and contamination of underground water resources

Geography - note:

strategic strip of land along Mideast-North African trade routes has experienced an incredibly turbulent history; the town of Gaza itself has been besieged countless times in its history

People ::Gaza Strip

Population:

1,551,859 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 149

Age structure:

0-14 years: 44.4% (male 353,489/female 334,770)

15-64 years: 53% (male 420,618/female 402,297)

65 years and over: 2.6% (male 16,483/female 24,202) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 17.4 years

male: 17.2 years

female: 17.5 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

3.349% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 5

Birth rate:

36.93 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 28

Death rate:

3.44 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 215

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 78

Urbanization:

urban population: 72% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 3.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female

total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 18.35 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 114 male: 19.53 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 17.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 73.42 years country comparison to the world: 107 male: 71.82 years

female: 75.12 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

5.03 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 30

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: NA

adjective: NA

Ethnic groups:

Palestinian Arab

Religions:

Muslim (predominantly Sunni) 99.3%, Christian 0.7%

Languages:

Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by many Palestinians), English (widely understood)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 92.4%

male: 96.7%

female: 88% (2004 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 14 years

male: 13 years

female: 14 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

NA

Government ::Gaza Strip

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Gaza Strip

local long form: none

local short form: Qita Ghazzah

Economy ::Gaza Strip

Economy - overview:

High population density, limited land access, and strict internal and external security controls have kept economic conditions in the Gaza Strip - the smaller of the two areas under the Palestinian Authority (PA) - even more degraded than in the West Bank. The beginning of the second intifada in September 2000 sparked an economic downturn, largely the result of Israeli closure policies; these policies, which were imposed to address security concerns in Israel, disrupted labor and trade access to and from the Gaza Strip. In 2001, and even more severely in 2003, Israeli military measures in PA areas resulted in the destruction of capital, the disruption of administrative structures, and widespread business closures. The Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in September 2005 offered some medium-term opportunities for economic growth, but Israeli-imposed crossings closures, which became more restrictive after HAMAS violently took over the territory in June 2007, have resulted in widespread private sector layoffs and shortages of most goods. The status of the crossings, which are closed to all but the most basic goods, has not changed following Israel's military offensive into the Gaza Strip in early 2009.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$11.95 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 141 $5.034 billion (2006 est.)

$5.327 billion (2005 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$6.641 billion (2008 est.) (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

0.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 184 -8% (2006 est.)

4.9% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$2,900 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 164 $1,100 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 8%

industry: 13%

services: 79% (includes West Bank) (2007 est.)

Labor force:

267,000 (2006) country comparison to the world: 161

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 12%

industry: 5%

services: 83% (June 2008)

Unemployment rate:

41.3% (June 2008) country comparison to the world: 189 34.8% (2006)

Population below poverty line:

80% (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $1.149 billion

expenditures: $2.31 billion

note: includes West Bank (2006)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

11.5% (2008) country comparison to the world: 165 3.6% (2006)

note: includes West Bank

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

7.19% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 110 7.73% (31 December 2006)

Stock of money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$1.574 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$5.251 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 68 $1.206 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$1.367 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 100 $368.2 million (31 December 2007)

Agriculture - products:

olives, citrus fruit, vegetables, flowers, beef, dairy products

Industries:

textiles, food processing

Industrial production growth rate:

2.4% (includes West Bank) (2005) country comparison to the world: 95

Electricity - production:

140,000 kWh (2005) country comparison to the world: 212

Electricity - consumption:

230,000 kWh (2005) country comparison to the world: 213

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

90,000 kWh; note - from Israeli Electric Company (2005)

Oil - proved reserves:

NA bbl

Exports:

$339 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 171

Exports - commodities:

citrus, flowers, textiles

Imports:

$2.84 billion (2006) country comparison to the world: 142 $2.44 billion (2005)

Imports - commodities:

food, consumer goods, construction materials

Debt - external:

$1.3 billion (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 148

Exchange rates:

new Israeli shekels (ILS) per US dollar - 3.56 (2008 est.), 4.14 (2007), 4.4565 (2006), 4.4877 (2005), 4.482 (2004)

Communications ::Gaza Strip

Telephones - main lines in use:

348,000 (includes West Bank) (2008) country comparison to the world: 110

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1.153 million (includes West Bank) (2008) country comparison to the world: 139

Telephone system:

general assessment: NA

domestic: Israeli company BEZEK and the Palestinian company PALTEL are responsible for fixed line services; the Palestinian JAWAL company provides cellular services

international: country code - 970 (2004)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 0, FM 10, shortwave 0 (2008)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (2008)

Internet country code:

.ps; note - same as West Bank

Internet users:

356,000 (includes West Bank) (2008) country comparison to the world: 117

Transportation ::Gaza Strip

Airports:

1 (2009) country comparison to the world: 230

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 1

over 3,047 m: 1 (2009)

Heliports:

1 (2009)

Roadways:

note: see entry for West Bank

Ports and terminals:

Gaza

Military ::Gaza Strip

Military branches:

Palestinian Authority security forces have operated only in the West Bank, not in the Gaza Strip, since Hamas seized power in June 2007; law and order and other security functions are performed by Hamas security organizations (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 337,670 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 312,003

females age 16-49: 297,380 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 19,147

female: 18,200 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

NA

Transnational Issues ::Gaza Strip

Disputes - international:

West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent status to be determined through further negotiation; Israel removed settlers and military personnel from the Gaza Strip in August 2005

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 1.017 million (Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA)) (2007)

page last updated on November 3, 2009

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

@Georgia (Middle East)

Introduction ::Georgia

Background:

The region of present-day Georgia contained the ancient kingdoms of Colchis and Kartli-Iberia. The area came under Roman influence in the first centuries A.D. and Christianity became the state religion in the 330s. Domination by Persians, Arabs, and Turks was followed by a Georgian golden age (11th-13th centuries) that was cut short by the Mongol invasion of 1236. Subsequently, the Ottoman and Persian empires competed for influence in the region. Georgia was absorbed into the Russian Empire in the 19th century. Independent for three years (1918-1921) following the Russian revolution, it was forcibly incorporated into the USSR until the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991. An attempt by the incumbent Georgian government to manipulate national legislative elections in November 2003 touched off widespread protests that led to the resignation of Eduard SHEVARDNADZE, president since 1995. New elections in early 2004 swept Mikheil SAAKASHVILI into power along with his National Movement party. Progress on market reforms and democratization has been made in the years since independence, but this progress has been complicated by Russian assistance and support to the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. After a series of Russian and separatist provocations in summer 2008, Georgian military action in South Ossetia in early August led to a Russian military response that not only occupied the breakaway areas, but large portions of Georgia proper as well. Russian troops pulled back from most occupied Georgian territory, but in late August 2008 Russia unilaterally recognized the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. This action was strongly condemned by most of the world's nations and international organizations.

Geography ::Georgia

Location:

Southwestern Asia, bordering the Black Sea, between Turkey and Russia

Geographic coordinates:

42 00 N, 43 30 E

Map references:

Middle East

Area:

total: 69,700 sq km country comparison to the world: 120 land: 69,700 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than South Carolina

Land boundaries:

total: 1,461 km

border countries: Armenia 164 km, Azerbaijan 322 km, Russia 723 km, Turkey 252 km

Coastline:

310 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

warm and pleasant; Mediterranean-like on Black Sea coast

Terrain:

largely mountainous with Great Caucasus Mountains in the north and Lesser Caucasus Mountains in the south; Kolkhet'is Dablobi (Kolkhida Lowland) opens to the Black Sea in the west; Mtkvari River Basin in the east; good soils in river valley flood plains, foothills of Kolkhida Lowland

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Black Sea 0 m

highest point: Mt'a Shkhara 5,201 m

Natural resources:

forests, hydropower, manganese deposits, iron ore, copper, minor coal and oil deposits; coastal climate and soils allow for important tea and citrus growth

Land use:

arable land: 11.51%

permanent crops: 3.79%

other: 84.7% (2005)

Irrigated land:

4,690 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

63.3 cu km (1997)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 3.61 cu km/yr (20%/21%/59%)

per capita: 808 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

earthquakes

Environment - current issues:

air pollution, particularly in Rust'avi; heavy pollution of Mtkvari River and the Black Sea; inadequate supplies of potable water; soil pollution from toxic chemicals

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

strategically located east of the Black Sea; Georgia controls much of the Caucasus Mountains and the routes through them

People ::Georgia

Population:

4,615,807 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 118

Age structure:

0-14 years: 16.1% (male 395,929/female 345,071)

15-64 years: 67.6% (male 1,503,360/female 1,616,234)

65 years and over: 16.4% (male 302,103/female 453,110) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 38.6 years

male: 36.1 years

female: 41 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.325% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 222

Birth rate:

10.66 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 181

Death rate:

9.65 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 69

Net migration rate:

-4.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 159

Urbanization:

urban population: 53% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: -0.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.13 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.15 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female

total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 16.22 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 121 male: 18.21 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 13.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 76.72 years country comparison to the world: 62 male: 73.41 years

female: 80.45 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.44 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 189

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 124

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

2,700 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 133

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 200 (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 114

Nationality:

noun: Georgian(s)

adjective: Georgian

Ethnic groups:

Georgian 83.8%, Azeri 6.5%, Armenian 5.7%, Russian 1.5%, other 2.5% (2002 census)

Religions:

Orthodox Christian 83.9%, Muslim 9.9%, Armenian-Gregorian 3.9%,
Catholic 0.8%, other 0.8%, none 0.7% (2002 census)

Languages:

Georgian 71% (official), Russian 9%, Armenian 7%, Azeri 6%, other 7%

note: Abkhaz is the official language in Abkhazia

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 100%

male: 100%

female: 100% (2004 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 12 years

male: 12 years

female: 13 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

3.1% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 145

Government ::Georgia

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Georgia

local long form: none

local short form: Sak'art'velo

former: Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: T'bilisi

geographic coordinates: 41 43 N, 44 47 E

time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

9 regions (mkharebi, singular - mkhare), 1 city (k'alak'i), and 2 autonomous republics (avtomnoy respubliki, singular - avtom respublika)

regions: Guria, Imereti, Kakheti, Kvemo Kartli, Mtskheta-Mtianeti, Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti, Samegrelo and Zemo Svaneti, Samtskhe-Javakheti, Shida Kartli

city: Tbilisi

autonomous republics: Abkhazia or Ap'khazet'is Avtonomiuri Respublika (Sokhumi), Ajaria or Acharis Avtonomiuri Respublika (Bat'umi)

note: the administrative centers of the two autonomous republics are shown in parentheses

Independence:

9 April 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 26 May (1918); note - 26 May 1918 was the date of independence from Soviet Russia, 9 April 1991 was the date of independence from the Soviet Union

Constitution:

adopted 24 August 1995

Legal system:

based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Mikheil SAAKASHVILI (since 25 January 2004); the president is both the chief of state and head of government for the power ministries: state security (includes interior) and defense

head of government: President Mikheil SAAKASHVILI (since 25 January 2004); Prime Minister Nikoloz GILAURI (since 6 February 2009); the president is both the chief of state and head of government for the power ministries: state security (includes interior) and defense; the prime minister is head of the remaining ministries of government

cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 5 January 2008 (next to be held January 2013)

election results: Mikheil SAAKASHVILI reelected president; percent of vote - Mikheil SAAKASHVILI 53.5%, Levan GACHECHILADZE 25.7%, Badri PATARKATSISHVILI 7.1%

Legislative branch:

unicameral Parliament or Parlamenti (also known as Supreme Council or Umaghlesi Sabcho) (150 seats; 75 members elected by proportional representation, 75 from single-seat constituencies; to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 21 May 2008 (next to be held in spring 2012)

election results: percent of vote by party - United National Movement 59.2%, National Council-New Rights 17.7%, Christian Democratic Movement 8.8%, Labor Party 7.4%, Republican Party 3.8%; seats by party - United National Movement 120, National Council-New Rights 16, Christian Democratic Movement 6, Labor Party 6, Republican Party 2

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (judges elected by the Supreme Council on the president's or chairman of the Supreme Court's recommendation); Constitutional Court; first and second instance courts

Political parties and leaders:

Christian Democratic Movement [Giorgi TARGAMADZE]; Democratic
Movement United Georgia [Nino BURJANADZE]; Georgian People's Front
[Nodar NATADZE]; Georgian United Communist Party or UCPG
[Panteleimon GIORGADZE]; Georgia's Way Party [Salome ZOURABICHVILI];
Greens [Giorgi GACHECHILADZE]; Industry Will Save Georgia
(Industrialists) or IWSG [Georgi TOPADZE]; Labor Party [Shalva
NATELASHVILI]; National Council-New Rights (bloc forming joint
opposition) [Levan GACHECHILADZE]; National Democratic Party or NDP
[Bachuki KARDAVA]; United National Movement [Mikheil SAAKASHVILI];
New Rights [David GAMKRELIDZE]; Republican Party [David
USUPASHVILI]; Socialist Party or SPG [Irakli MINDELI];
Traditionalists [Akaki ASATIANI]; Union of National
Forces-Conservatives [Koba DAVITASHVILI and Zviad DZIDZIGURI]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

separatists in the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia

International organization participation:

ACCT (observer), ADB, BSEC, CE, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GCTU, GUAM,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC,
MIGA, OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SECI
(observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Batu KUTELIA

chancery: 2209 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 387-2390

FAX: [1] (202) 393-4537

consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador John F. TEFFT

embassy: 11 George Balanchine Street, T'bilisi 0131

mailing address: 7060 T'bilisi Place, Washington, DC 20521-7060

telephone: [995] (32) 27-70-00

FAX: [995] (32) 53-23-10

Flag description:

white rectangle, in its central portion a red cross connecting all four sides of the flag; in each of the four corners is a small red bolnur-katskhuri cross; the five-cross flag appears to date back to the 14th century

Economy ::Georgia

Economy - overview:

Georgia's economy sustained GDP growth of close to 10% in 2006 and 12% in 2007, based on strong inflows of foreign investment and robust government spending. However, growth slowed to less than 3% in 2008 and is expected to slow further in 2009. Georgia's main economic activities include the cultivation of agricultural products such as grapes, citrus fruits, and hazelnuts; mining of manganese and copper; and output of a small industrial sector producing alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages, metals, machinery, aircraft and chemicals. Areas of recent improvement include growth in the construction, banking services, and mining sectors, but reduced availability of external investment and the slowing regional economy are emerging risks. The country imports nearly all its needed supplies of natural gas and oil products. It has sizeable hydropower capacity, a growing component of its energy supplies. Georgia has overcome the chronic energy shortages of the past by renovating hydropower plants and by bringing in newly available supplies from Azerbaijan. It also has an increased ability to pay for more expensive gas imports from Russia. The construction on the Baku-T'bilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline, the Baku-T'bilisi-Erzerum gas pipeline, and the Kars-Akhalkalaki Railroad are part of a strategy to capitalize on Georgia's strategic location between Europe and Asia and develop its role as a transit point for gas, oil and other goods. Georgia has historically suffered from a chronic failure to collect tax revenues; however, the government has made great progress and has reformed the tax code, improved tax administration, increased tax enforcement, and cracked down on corruption since coming to power in 2004. Government revenues have increased nearly four fold since 2003. Due to improvements in customs and tax enforcement, smuggling is a declining problem. The country is pinning its hopes for long-term growth on a determined effort to reduce regulation, taxes, and corruption in order to attract foreign investment, but the economy faces a more difficult investment climate both domestically and internationally.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$21.56 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 119 $21.12 billion (2007 est.)

$18.81 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$12.86 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2.1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 156 12.3% (2007 est.)

9.4% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$4,700 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 142 $4,500 (2007 est.)

$4,000 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 12.5%

industry: 27.9%

services: 59.6% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

2.317 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 112

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 55.6%

industry: 8.9%

services: 35.5% (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate:

13.6% (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 145

Population below poverty line:

31% (2006)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.4%

highest 10%: 27% (2005)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

40.8 (2005) country comparison to the world: 58 37.1 (1996)

Investment (gross fixed):

22.5% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 75

Budget:

revenues: $4.596 billion

expenditures: $5.345 billion (2008 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

10% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 145 9.3% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

8% (25 December 2008)

NA% (31 December 2007)

note: this is the Refinancing Rate, the key monetary policy rate of the Georgian National Bank

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

21.24% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 15 20.41% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$972.4 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 88 $1.154 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$1.606 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 88 $1.379 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$3.754 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 85 $3.374 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 99 $1.389 billion (31 December 2007)

$668.3 million (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

citrus, grapes, tea, hazelnuts, vegetables; livestock

Industries:

steel, aircraft, machine tools, electrical appliances, mining (manganese and copper), chemicals, wood products, wine

Industrial production growth rate:

-1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 142

Electricity - production:

8.17 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 99

Electricity - consumption:

6.902 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 98

Electricity - exports:

628 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

430 million kWh (2007 est.)

Oil - production:

977.4 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 105

Oil - consumption:

14,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 139

Oil - exports:

1,486 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 119

Oil - imports:

16,590 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 121

Oil - proved reserves:

35 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 80

Natural gas - production:

8 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 92

Natural gas - consumption:

1.73 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 82

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 174

Natural gas - imports:

1.72 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 47

Natural gas - proved reserves:

8.495 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 81

Current account balance:

-$2.915 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 147 -$2.119 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$2.428 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 128 $2.088 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

scrap metal, wine, mineral water, ores, vehicles, fruits and nuts

Exports - partners:

Turkey 16.9%, Azerbaijan 12.4%, Ukraine 8.5%, Canada 8.4%, Bulgaria 8.2%, Armenia 7.7%, US 7.1%, UK 4.2% (2008)

Imports:

$6.261 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 109 $4.984 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

fuels, vehicles, machinery and parts, grain and other foods, pharmaceuticals

Imports - partners:

Turkey 14.9%, Ukraine 10.4%, Azerbaijan 9.6%, Germany 7.9%, Russia 6.8%, US 5.7%, China 4.7%, UAE 4.4% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$1.48 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 117 $1.361 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$7.711 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 93 $5.343 billion (31 December 2007)

Exchange rates:

laris (GEL) per US dollar - 1.47 (2008 est.), 1.7 (2007), 1.78 (2006), 1.8127 (2005), 1.9167 (2004)

Communications ::Georgia

Telephones - main lines in use:

618,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 93

Telephones - mobile cellular:

2.755 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 111

Telephone system:

general assessment: fixed-line telecommunications network has only limited coverage outside Tbilisi; long list of people waiting for fixed line connections; multiple mobile-cellular providers provide services to an increasing subscribership throughout the country

domestic: cellular telephone networks now cover the entire country; mobile-cellular teledensity approaching 75 per 100 people; urban fixed-line telephone density is about 20 per 100 people; rural telephone density is about 4 per 100 people; intercity facilities include a fiber-optic line between T'bilisi and K'ut'aisi; nationwide pager service is available

international: country code - 995; the Georgia-Russia fiber optic submarine cable provides connectivity to Russia; international service is available by microwave, landline, and satellite through the Moscow switch; international electronic mail and telex service are available

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 7, FM 12, shortwave 4 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

12 (plus repeaters) (1998)

Internet country code:

.ge

Internet hosts:

104,243 (2009) country comparison to the world: 72

Internet users:

1.024 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 85

Transportation ::Georgia

Airports:

22 (2009) country comparison to the world: 133

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 18

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 7

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 4

under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 2

under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Heliports:

3 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 1,591 km; oil 1,253 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 1,612 km country comparison to the world: 80 broad gauge: 1,575 km 1.520-m gauge (1,575 electrified)

narrow gauge: 37 km 0.912-m gauge (37 electrified) (2008)

Roadways:

total: 20,329 km country comparison to the world: 109 paved: 7,854 km (includes 13 km of expressways)

unpaved: 12,475 km (2006)

Merchant marine:

total: 191 country comparison to the world: 35 by type: bulk carrier 18, cargo 148, carrier 2, chemical tanker 1, container 4, liquefied gas 1, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 4, refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off 4, vehicle carrier 2

foreign-owned: 153 (China 10, Cyprus 1, Egypt 12, Germany 2, Greece 5, Hong Kong 2, Israel 2, Lebanon 4, Monaco 4, Nigeria 1, Romania 16, Russia 12, Syria 49, Turkey 14, Ukraine 18, UAE 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Bat'umi, P'ot'i

Transportation - note:

large parts of transportation network are in poor condition because of lack of maintenance and repair

Military ::Georgia

Military branches:

Georgian Armed Forces: Land Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces

note: naval forces have been incorporated into the coast guard (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18 to 34 years of age for compulsory and voluntary active duty military service; conscript service obligation - 18 months (2005)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,113,251

females age 16-49: 1,168,021 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 908,282

females age 16-49: 959,290 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 32,355

female: 30,809 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

0.59% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 158

Military - note:

a CIS peacekeeping force of Russian troops is deployed in the Abkhazia region of Georgia together with a UN military observer group; a Russian peacekeeping battalion is deployed in South Ossetia

Transnational Issues ::Georgia

Disputes - international:

Russia and Georgia agree on delimiting 80% of their common border, leaving certain small, strategic segments and the maritime boundary unresolved; OSCE observers monitor volatile areas such as the Pankisi Gorge in the Akhmeti region and the Argun Gorge in Abkhazia; UN Observer Mission in Georgia has maintained a peacekeeping force in Georgia since 1993; Meshkheti Turks scattered throughout the former Soviet Union seek to return to Georgia; boundary with Armenia remains undemarcated; ethnic Armenian groups in Javakheti region of Georgia seek greater autonomy from the Georgian government; Azerbaijan and Georgia continue to discuss the alignment of their boundary at certain crossing areas

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 1,100 (Russia)

IDPs: 220,000-240,000 (displaced from Abkhazia and South Ossetia) (2007)

Illicit drugs:

limited cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for domestic consumption; used as transshipment point for opiates via Central Asia to Western Europe and Russia

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Germany (Europe)

Introduction ::Germany

Background:

As Europe's largest economy and second most populous nation (after Russia), Germany is a key member of the continent's economic, political, and defense organizations. European power struggles immersed Germany in two devastating World Wars in the first half of the 20th century and left the country occupied by the victorious Allied powers of the US, UK, France, and the Soviet Union in 1945. With the advent of the Cold War, two German states were formed in 1949: the western Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) and the eastern German Democratic Republic (GDR). The democratic FRG embedded itself in key Western economic and security organizations, the EC, which became the EU, and NATO, while the Communist GDR was on the front line of the Soviet-led Warsaw Pact. The decline of the USSR and the end of the Cold War allowed for German unification in 1990. Since then, Germany has expended considerable funds to bring Eastern productivity and wages up to Western standards. In January 1999, Germany and 10 other EU countries introduced a common European exchange currency, the euro.

Geography ::Germany

Location:

Central Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, between the Netherlands and Poland, south of Denmark

Geographic coordinates:

51 00 N, 9 00 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 357,022 sq km country comparison to the world: 62 land: 348,672 sq km

water: 8,350 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Montana

Land boundaries:

total: 3,621 km

border countries: Austria 784 km, Belgium 167 km, Czech Republic 646 km, Denmark 68 km, France 451 km, Luxembourg 138 km, Netherlands 577 km, Poland 456 km, Switzerland 334 km

Coastline:

2,389 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:

temperate and marine; cool, cloudy, wet winters and summers; occasional warm mountain (foehn) wind

Terrain:

lowlands in north, uplands in center, Bavarian Alps in south

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Neuendorf bei Wilster -3.54 m

highest point: Zugspitze 2,963 m

Natural resources:

coal, lignite, natural gas, iron ore, copper, nickel, uranium, potash, salt, construction materials, timber, arable land

Land use:

arable land: 33.13%

permanent crops: 0.6%

other: 66.27% (2005)

Irrigated land:

4,850 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

188 cu km (2005)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 38.01 cu km/yr (12%/68%/20%)

per capita: 460 cu m/yr (2001)

Natural hazards:

flooding

Environment - current issues:

emissions from coal-burning utilities and industries contribute to air pollution; acid rain, resulting from sulfur dioxide emissions, is damaging forests; pollution in the Baltic Sea from raw sewage and industrial effluents from rivers in eastern Germany; hazardous waste disposal; government established a mechanism for ending the use of nuclear power over the next 15 years; government working to meet EU commitment to identify nature preservation areas in line with the EU's Flora, Fauna, and Habitat directive

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

strategic location on North European Plain and along the entrance to the Baltic Sea

People ::Germany

Population:

82,329,758 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 16

Age structure:

0-14 years: 13.7% (male 5,768,366/female 5,470,516)

15-64 years: 66.1% (male 27,707,761/female 26,676,759)

65 years and over: 20.3% (male 7,004,805/female 9,701,551) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 43.8 years

male: 42.6 years

female: 45.2 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.053% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 211

Birth rate:

8.18 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 220

Death rate:

10.9 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 47

Net migration rate:

2.19 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 40

Urbanization:

urban population: 74% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 0.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female

total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 3.99 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 210 male: 4.41 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 3.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 79.26 years country comparison to the world: 32 male: 76.26 years

female: 82.42 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.41 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 195

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 123

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

53,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 64

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 500 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 85

Nationality:

noun: German(s)

adjective: German

Ethnic groups:

German 91.5%, Turkish 2.4%, other 6.1% (made up largely of Greek,
Italian, Polish, Russian, Serbo-Croatian, Spanish)

Religions:

Protestant 34%, Roman Catholic 34%, Muslim 3.7%, unaffiliated or other 28.3%

Languages:

German

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 16 years

male: 16 years

female: 16 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

4.6% of GDP (2004) country comparison to the world: 82

People - note:

second most populous country in Europe after Russia

Government ::Germany

Country name:

conventional long form: Federal Republic of Germany

conventional short form: Germany

local long form: Bundesrepublik Deutschland

local short form: Deutschland

former: German Empire, German Republic, German Reich

Government type:

federal republic

Capital:

name: Berlin

geographic coordinates: 52 31 N, 13 24 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

16 states (Laender, singular - Land); Baden-Wurttemberg, Bayern (Bavaria), Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Hessen, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania), Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony), Nordrhein-Westfalen (North Rhine-Westphalia), Rheinland-Pfalz (Rhineland-Palatinate), Saarland, Sachsen (Saxony), Sachsen-Anhalt (Saxony-Anhalt), Schleswig-Holstein, Thuringen (Thuringia); note - Bayern, Sachsen, and Thuringen refer to themselves as free states (Freistaaten, singular - Freistaat)

Independence:

18 January 1871 (German Empire unification); divided into four zones of occupation (UK, US, USSR, and later, France) in 1945 following World War II; Federal Republic of Germany (FRG or West Germany) proclaimed 23 May 1949 and included the former UK, US, and French zones; German Democratic Republic (GDR or East Germany) proclaimed 7 October 1949 and included the former USSR zone; West Germany and East Germany unified 3 October 1990; all four powers formally relinquished rights 15 March 1991

National holiday:

Unity Day, 3 October (1990)

Constitution:

23 May 1949, known as Basic Law; became constitution of the united Germany 3 October 1990

Legal system:

civil law system with indigenous concepts; judicial review of legislative acts in the Federal Constitutional Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Horst KOEHLER (since 1 July 2004)

head of government: Chancellor Angela MERKEL (since 22 November 2005)

cabinet: Cabinet or Bundesminister (Federal Ministers) appointed by the president on the recommendation of the chancellor

elections: president elected for a five-year term (eligible for a second term) by a Federal Convention, including all members of the Federal Assembly and an equal number of delegates elected by the state parliaments; election last held 23 May 2004 (next scheduled for 23 May 2009); chancellor elected by an absolute majority of the Federal Assembly for a four-year term; Bundestag vote for Chancellor last held 22 November 2005 (next will follow the national elections to be held by 27 September 2009)

election results: Horst KOEHLER elected president; received 604 votes of the Federal Convention against 589 for Gesine SCHWAN; Angela MERKEL elected chancellor; vote by Federal Assembly 397 to 202 with 12 abstentions

Legislative branch:

bicameral legislature consists of the Federal Council or Bundesrat (69 votes; state governments sit in the Council; each has three to six votes in proportion to population and are required to vote as a block)and the Federal Assembly or Bundestag (622 seats; members elected by popular vote for a four-year term under a system of personalized proportional representation; a party must win 5% of the national vote or three direct mandates to gain proportional representation and caucus recognition)

elections: Bundestag - last held on 27 September 2009 (next to be held no later than autumn 2013); note - there are no elections for the Bundesrat; composition is determined by the composition of the state-level governments; the composition of the Bundesrat has the potential to change any time one of the 16 states holds an election

election results: Bundestag - percent of vote by party - CDU/CSU 33.8%, SPD 23%, FDP 14.6%, Left 11.9%, Greens 10.7%, other 6%; seats by party - CDU/CSU 239, SPD 146, FDP 93, Left 76, Greens 68

Judicial branch:

Federal Constitutional Court or Bundesverfassungsgericht (half the judges are elected by the Bundestag and half by the Bundesrat)

Political parties and leaders:

Alliance '90/Greens [Claudia ROTH and Cem OZDEMIR]; Christian
Democratic Union or CDU [Angela MERKEL]; Christian Social Union or
CSU [Horst SEEHOFER]; Free Democratic Party or FDP [Guido
WESTERWELLE]; Left Party or Die Linke [Lothar BISKY and Oskar
LAFONTAINE]; Social Democratic Party or SPD [Franz MUENTEFERING]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

other: business associations and employers' organizations; religious, trade unions, immigrant, expellee, and veterans groups

International organization participation:

ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council
(observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS, CDB, CE,
CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G-20, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10,
IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU,
ITUC, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW,
OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, SECI (observer), SICA
(observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMIS,
UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (nonregional), WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Klaus SCHARIOTH

chancery: 4645 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007

telephone: [1] (202) 298-4000

FAX: [1] (202) 298-4249

consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires John KOENIG

embassy: Pariser Platz 2, 10117 Berlin; note - new embassy opened 4 July 2008

mailing address: PSC 120, Box 1000, APO AE 09265, Clayallee 170, 14195 Berlin

telephone: [49] (030) 2385174

FAX: [49] (030) 8305-1215

consulate(s) general: Duesseldorf, Frankfurt am Main, Hamburg, Leipzig, Munich

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and gold; these colors have played an important role in German history and can be traced back to the medieval banner of the Holy Roman Emperor - a black eagle with red claws and beak on a gold field

Economy ::Germany

Economy - overview:

The German economy - the fifth largest economy in the world in PPP terms and Europe's largest - began to contract in the second quarter of 2008 as the strong euro, high oil prices, tighter credit markets, and slowing growth abroad took their toll on Germany's export-dependent economy. At just 1% in 2008, GDP growth is expected to be negative in 2009. Recent stimulus and lender relief efforts will make demands on Germany's federal budget and undercut plans to balance its budget by 2011. The reforms launched by the former government of Chancellor Gerhard SCHOEDER, deemed necessary due to chronically high unemployment and low average growth, led to strong growth in 2007, while unemployment in 2008 fell below 8%, a new post-reunification low. Germany's aging population, combined with high chronic unemployment, has pushed social security outlays to a level exceeding contributions, but higher government revenues from the cyclical upturn in 2006-07 and a 3% rise in the value-added tax cut Germany's budget deficit to within the EU's 3% debt limit in 2007. The current government of Chancellor Angela MERKEL has initiated other reform measures, such as a gradual increase in the mandatory retirement age from 65 to 67 and measures to increase female participation in the labor market. The modernization and integration of the eastern German economy - where unemployment still exceeds 30% in some municipalities - continues to be a costly long-term process, with annual transfers from west to east amounting to roughly $80 billion. While corporate restructuring and growing capital markets have set strong foundations to help Germany meet the longer-term challenges of European economic integration and globalization, Germany's export-oriented economy has proved a disadvantage in the context of weak global demand.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$2.925 trillion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 6 $2.887 trillion (2007 est.)

$2.817 trillion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$3.673 trillion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

1.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 167 2.5% (2007 est.)

3.2% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$35,500 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 33 $35,000 (2007 est.)

$34,200 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 0.9%

industry: 30.1%

services: 69.1% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

43.6 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 14

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 2.4%

industry: 29.7%

services: 67.8% (2005)

Unemployment rate:

7.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 106 9% (2007 est.)

note: this is the International Labor Organization's estimated rate for international comparisons; Germany's Federal Employment Office estimated a seasonally adjusted rate of 10.8%

Population below poverty line:

11% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 3.2%

highest 10%: 22.1% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

27 (2006) country comparison to the world: 123 30 (1994)

Investment (gross fixed):

19.2% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 121

Budget:

revenues: $1.591 trillion

expenditures: $1.591 trillion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

66% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 20 65.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 31 2.3% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

3% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 93 5% (31 December 2007)

note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro area

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

5.97% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 133 5.96% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$NA

note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the euro area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 16 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money and quasi money circulating within their own borders

Stock of quasi money:

$NA

Stock of domestic credit:

$5.019 trillion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 5 $4.457 trillion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 8 $2.106 trillion (31 December 2007)

$1.638 trillion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

potatoes, wheat, barley, sugar beets, fruit, cabbages; cattle, pigs, poultry

Industries:

among the world's largest and most technologically advanced producers of iron, steel, coal, cement, chemicals, machinery, vehicles, machine tools, electronics, food and beverages, shipbuilding, textiles

Industrial production growth rate:

0.1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 131

Electricity - production:

593.4 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 8

Electricity - consumption:

547.3 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 7

Electricity - exports:

61.7 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

41.67 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

150,800 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 46

Oil - consumption:

2.569 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 7

Oil - exports:

582,900 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 26

Oil - imports:

2.777 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 6

Oil - proved reserves:

276 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 55

Natural gas - production:

16.36 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 32

Natural gas - consumption:

95.79 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 7

Natural gas - exports:

12.68 billion cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 16

Natural gas - imports:

91.99 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 3

Natural gas - proved reserves:

175.6 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 46

Current account balance:

$243.6 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 2 $263.1 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$1.498 trillion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 2 $1.35 trillion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

machinery, vehicles, chemicals, metals and manufactures, foodstuffs, textiles

Exports - partners:

France 9.7%, US 7.1%, UK 6.7%, Netherlands 6.6%, Italy 6.4%, Austria 5.4%, Belgium 5.2%, Spain 4.4%, Poland 4% (2008)

Imports:

$1.232 trillion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 3 $1.079 trillion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery, vehicles, chemicals, foodstuffs, textiles, metals

Imports - partners:

Netherlands 12.5%, France 8.3%, Belgium 7.5%, China 6.2%, Italy 5.7%, UK 5.4%, Austria 4.3%, Russia 4.2%, US 4.2% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$138 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 11 $136.2 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$5.158 trillion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 3 $5.155 trillion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$1.027 trillion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 5 $1.002 trillion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$1.407 trillion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 4 $1.249 trillion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008 est.), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)

Communications ::Germany

Telephones - main lines in use:

51.5 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 3

Telephones - mobile cellular:

107.245 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 8

Telephone system:

general assessment: Germany has one of the world's most technologically advanced telecommunications systems; as a result of intensive capital expenditures since reunification, the formerly backward system of the eastern part of the country, dating back to World War II, has been modernized and integrated with that of the western part

domestic: Germany is served by an extensive system of automatic telephone exchanges connected by modern networks of fiber-optic cable, coaxial cable, microwave radio relay, and a domestic satellite system; cellular telephone service is widely available, expanding rapidly, and includes roaming service to many foreign countries

international: country code - 49; Germany's international service is excellent worldwide, consisting of extensive land and undersea cable facilities as well as earth stations in the Inmarsat, Intelsat, Eutelsat, and Intersputnik satellite systems (2001)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 51, FM 787, shortwave 4 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

373 (plus 8,042 repeaters) (1995)

Internet country code:

.de

Internet hosts:

23.796 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 3

Internet users:

61.973 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 6

Transportation ::Germany

Airports:

550 (2009) country comparison to the world: 13

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 330

over 3,047 m: 13

2,438 to 3,047 m: 52

1,524 to 2,437 m: 58

914 to 1,523 m: 72

under 914 m: 135 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 220

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 33

under 914 m: 184 (2009)

Heliports:

25 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 24,364 km; oil 3,379 km; refined products 3,843 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 41,896 km country comparison to the world: 6 standard gauge: 41,641 km 1.435-m gauge (20,053 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 75 km 1.000-m gauge (75 km electrified); 24 km 0.750-m gauge (24 km electrified) (2008)

Roadways:

total: 644,480 km country comparison to the world: 11 paved: 644,480 km (includes 12,400 km of expressways)

note: includes local roads (2006)

Waterways:

7,467 km country comparison to the world: 19 note: Rhine River carries most goods; Main-Danube Canal links North Sea and Black Sea (2008)

Merchant marine:

total: 393 country comparison to the world: 26 by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 43, chemical tanker 13, container 284, liquefied gas 5, passenger 5, passenger/cargo 27, petroleum tanker 11, roll on/roll off 3

foreign-owned: 11 (China 2, Cyprus 2, Denmark 1, Finland 4, Netherlands 1, Sweden 1)

registered in other countries: 2,998 (Antigua and Barbuda 941, Australia 2, Bahamas 44, Bermuda 22, Brazil 6, Bulgaria 63, Burma 1, Canada 3, Cayman Islands 15, Cyprus 189, Denmark 9, Denmark 1, Estonia 1, Finland 1, France 1, Georgia 2, Gibraltar 129, Hong Kong 6, India 2, Indonesia 1, Isle of Man 56, Jamaica 4, Liberia 849, Luxembourg 5, Malaysia 1, Malta 91, Marshall Islands 235, Mongolia 4, Morocco 2, Netherlands 75, Netherlands Antilles 43, Norway 1, NZ 1, Panama 44, Portugal 20, Russia 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 3, Singapore 24, Slovakia 3, Spain 5, Sri Lanka 5, Sweden 5, Turkey 1, UK 76, US 5) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Bremen, Bremerhaven, Duisburg, Hamburg, Karlsruhe, Lubeck, Rostock,
Wilhemshaven

Military ::Germany

Military branches:

Federal Armed Forces (Bundeswehr): Army (Heer), Navy (Deutsche
Marine, includes naval air arm), Air Force (Luftwaffe), Joint
Support Services (Streitkraeftbasis), Central Medical Service
(Zentraler Sanitaetsdienst) (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age (conscripts serve a 9-month tour of compulsory military service) (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 19,594,118

females age 16-49: 18,543,955 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 15,747,493

females age 16-49: 14,899,416 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 431,508

female: 409,111 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.5% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 109

Transnational Issues ::Germany

Disputes - international:

none

Illicit drugs:

source of precursor chemicals for South American cocaine processors; transshipment point for and consumer of Southwest Asian heroin, Latin American cocaine, and European-produced synthetic drugs; major financial center

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Ghana (Africa)

Introduction ::Ghana

Background:

Formed from the merger of the British colony of the Gold Coast and the Togoland trust territory, Ghana in 1957 became the first sub-Saharan country in colonial Africa to gain its independence. Ghana endured a long series of coups before Lt. Jerry RAWLINGS took power in 1981 and banned political parties. After approving a new constitution and restoring multiparty politics in 1992, RAWLINGS won presidential elections in 1992 and 1996, but was constitutionally prevented from running for a third term in 2000. John KUFUOR succeeded him and was reelected in 2004. John Atta MILLS took over as head of state in early 2009.

Geography ::Ghana

Location:

Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Cote d'Ivoire and Togo

Geographic coordinates:

8 00 N, 2 00 W

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 238,533 sq km country comparison to the world: 81 land: 227,533 sq km

water: 11,000 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Oregon

Land boundaries:

total: 2,094 km

border countries: Burkina Faso 549 km, Cote d'Ivoire 668 km, Togo 877 km

Coastline:

539 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; warm and comparatively dry along southeast coast; hot and humid in southwest; hot and dry in north

Terrain:

mostly low plains with dissected plateau in south-central area

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mount Afadjato 880 m

Natural resources:

gold, timber, industrial diamonds, bauxite, manganese, fish, rubber, hydropower, petroleum, silver, salt, limestone

Land use:

arable land: 17.54%

permanent crops: 9.22%

other: 73.24% (2005)

Irrigated land:

310 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

53.2 cu km (2001)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.98 cu km/yr (24%/10%/66%)

per capita: 44 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

dry, dusty, northeastern harmattan winds occur from January to March; droughts

Environment - current issues:

recurrent drought in north severely affects agricultural activities; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; poaching and habitat destruction threatens wildlife populations; water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:

Lake Volta is the world's largest artificial lake

People ::Ghana

Population:

23,832,495 country comparison to the world: 47 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 37.3% (male 4,503,331/female 4,393,104)

15-64 years: 59.1% (male 7,039,696/female 7,042,208)

65 years and over: 3.6% (male 393,364/female 460,792) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 20.7 years

male: 20.5 years

female: 21 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.882% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 67

Birth rate:

28.58 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 51

Death rate:

9.24 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 80

Net migration rate:

-0.53 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 113

Urbanization:

urban population: 50% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 3.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 51.09 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 50 male: 55.32 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 46.74 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 59.85 years country comparison to the world: 184 male: 58.98 years

female: 60.75 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3.68 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 53

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

1.9% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 33

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

260,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 27

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

21,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 22

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria

water contact disease: schistosomiasis

respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis

animal contact disease: rabies

note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Ghanaian(s)

adjective: Ghanaian

Ethnic groups:

Akan 45.3%, Mole-Dagbon 15.2%, Ewe 11.7%, Ga-Dangme 7.3%, Guan 4%, Gurma 3.6%, Grusi 2.6%, Mande-Busanga 1%, other tribes 1.4%, other 7.8% (2000 census)

Religions:

Christian 68.8% (Pentecostal/Charismatic 24.1%, Protestant 18.6%, Catholic 15.1%, other 11%), Muslim 15.9%, traditional 8.5%, other 0.7%, none 6.1% (2000 census)

Languages:

Asante 14.8%, Ewe 12.7%, Fante 9.9%, Boron (Brong) 4.6%, Dagomba 4.3%, Dangme 4.3%, Dagarte (Dagaba) 3.7%, Akyem 3.4%, Ga 3.4%, Akuapem 2.9%, other 36.1% (includes English (official)) (2000 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 57.9%

male: 66.4%

female: 49.8% (2000 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 9 years

male: 10 years

female: 9 years (2007)

Education expenditures:

5.4% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 54

Government ::Ghana

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Ghana

conventional short form: Ghana

former: Gold Coast

Government type:

constitutional democracy

Capital:

name: Accra

geographic coordinates: 5 33 N, 0 13 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

10 regions; Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo, Central, Eastern, Greater Accra, Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Volta, Western

Independence:

6 March 1957 (from the UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 6 March (1957)

Constitution:

approved 28 April 1992

Legal system:

based on English common law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President John Evans Atta MILLS (since 7 January 2009); Vice President John Dramani MAHAMA (since 7 January 2009); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President John Evans Atta MILLS (since 7 January 2009); Vice President John Dramani MAHAMA (since 7 January 2009)

cabinet: Council of Ministers; president nominates members subject to approval by Parliament

elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 7 December 2008 with a second round held 28 December 2008 (next to be held 7 December 2012)

election results: John Evans Atta MILLS elected president in run-off election; percent of vote - John Evans Atta MILLS 50.23%, Nana Addo Dankwa AKUFO-ADDO 49.77%

Legislative branch:

unicameral Parliament (230 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 7 December 2008 (next to be held 7 December 2012)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NDC 114, NPP 107, PNC 2, CPP 1, independent 4, other 2

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:

Convention People's Party or CPP [Ladi NYLANDER]; Democratic Freedom
Party or DFP [Alhaji Abudu Rahman ISSAKAH]; Every Ghanaian Living
Everywhere or EGLE; Great Consolidated Popular Party or GCPP [Dan
LARTEY]; National Democratic Congress or NDC [Dr. Kwabena ADJEI];
New Patriotic Party or NPP [Peter MAC-MANU]; People's National
Convention or PNC [Alhaji Amed RAMADAN]; Reform Party [Kyeretwie
OPUKU]; United Renaissance Party or URP [Charles WAYO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Christian Aid (water rights); Committee for Joint Action or CJA (education reform); National Coalition Against the Privatization of Water or CAP (water rights); Oxfam (water rights); Public Citizen (water rights); Students Coalition Against EPA [Kwabena Ososukene OKAI] (education reform); Third World Network (education reform)

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT, MINURSO, MONUC,
NAM, OAS (observer), OIF (associate member), OPCW, UN, UNAMID,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNOMIG,
UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Adolphus K. ARTHUR

chancery: 3512 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 686-4520

FAX: [1] (202) 686-4527

consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Donald G. TEITELBAUM

embassy: 24 4th Circular Rd. Cantonments, Accra

mailing address: P. O. Box 194, Accra

telephone: [233] (21) 741-000

FAX: [233] (21) 741-389

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green, with a large black five-pointed star centered in the yellow band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia; similar to the flag of Bolivia, which has a coat of arms centered in the yellow band

Economy ::Ghana

Economy - overview:

Well endowed with natural resources, Ghana has roughly twice the per capita output of the poorest countries in West Africa. Even so, Ghana remains heavily dependent on international financial and technical assistance. Gold and cocoa production, and individual remittances, are major sources of foreign exchange. The domestic economy continues to revolve around agriculture, which accounts for about 35% of GDP and employs about 55% of the work force, mainly small landholders. Ghana signed a Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact in 2006, which aims to assist in transforming Ghana's agricultural sector. Ghana opted for debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) program in 2002, and is also benefiting from the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative that took effect in 2006. Thematic priorities under its current Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy, which also provides the framework for development partner assistance, are: macroeconomic stability; private sector competitiveness; human resource development; and good governance and civic responsibility. Sound macro-economic management along with high prices for gold and cocoa helped sustain GDP growth in 2008.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$34.52 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 100 $32.17 billion (2007 est.)

$30.27 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$16.65 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

7.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 31 6.3% (2007 est.)

6.4% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,500 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 198 $1,400 (2007 est.)

$1,300 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 37.3%

industry: 25.3%

services: 37.5% (2006 est.)

Labor force:

10.12 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 49

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 56%

industry: 15%

services: 29% (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate:

11% (2000 est.) country comparison to the world: 128

Population below poverty line:

28.5% (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2%

highest 10%: 32.8% (2006)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

39.4 (2005-06) country comparison to the world: 65 40.7 (1999)

Investment (gross fixed):

32.1% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 16

Budget:

revenues: $5.256 billion

expenditures: $7.492 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

53.8% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 33 58.5% of GDP (2007 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

16.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 197 10.7% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

17% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 18 13.5% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

NA

Stock of money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$2.179 billion (31 December 2006)

Stock of quasi money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$2.174 billion (31 December 2006)

Stock of domestic credit:

$4.179 billion (31 December 2006)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$3.394 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 95 $2.38 billion (31 December 2007)

$3.233 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), peanuts, corn, shea nuts, bananas; timber

Industries:

mining, lumbering, light manufacturing, aluminum smelting, food processing, cement, small commercial ship building

Industrial production growth rate:

8.1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 19

Electricity - production:

6.746 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 102

Electricity - consumption:

5.702 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 103

Electricity - exports:

249 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

435 million kWh (2007 est.)

Oil - production:

7,399 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 91

Oil - consumption:

56,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 95

Oil - exports:

4,843 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 105

Oil - imports:

45,380 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 93

Oil - proved reserves:

15 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 86

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 106

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 181

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 173

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 177

Natural gas - proved reserves:

22.65 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 75

Current account balance:

-$3.471 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 151 -$1.717 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$5.275 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 106 $4.172 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

gold, cocoa, timber, tuna, bauxite, aluminum, manganese ore, diamonds, horticulture

Exports - partners:

Netherlands 13.5%, Ukraine 11.8%, UK 8%, France 5.7%, US 5.2% (2008)

Imports:

$10.26 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 93 $8.066 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:

China 15.6%, Nigeria 14.7%, India 7.4%, US 5.5%, France 4.4%, UK 4.4% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$2.028 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 109 $2.831 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$5.055 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 105 $4.891 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$NA

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$NA

Exchange rates:

cedis (GHC) per US dollar - 1.1 (2008 est.), 0.95 (2007), 9,174.8 (2006), 9,072.5 (2005), 9,004.6 (2004)

note: in 2007 Ghana revalued its currency with 10,000 old cedis equal to 1 new cedis

Communications ::Ghana

Telephones - main lines in use:

143,900 (2008) country comparison to the world: 134

Telephones - mobile cellular:

11.57 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 53

Telephone system:

general assessment: outdated and unreliable fixed-line infrastructure heavily concentrated in Accra; competition among multiple mobile-cellular providers has spurred growth with a subscribership of 50 per 100 persons and rising

domestic: primarily microwave radio relay; wireless local loop has been installed

international: country code - 233; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and Asia; satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); microwave radio relay link to Panaftel system connects Ghana to its neighbors (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 0, FM 86, shortwave 3 (2007)

Television broadcast stations:

7 (2007)

Internet country code:

.gh

Internet hosts:

23,850 (2009) country comparison to the world: 97

Internet users:

997,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 91

Transportation ::Ghana

Airports:

11 (2009) country comparison to the world: 155

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 7

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Pipelines:

oil 5 km; refined products 309 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 947 km country comparison to the world: 91 narrow gauge: 947 km 1.067-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 62,221 km country comparison to the world: 72 paved: 9,955 km

unpaved: 52,266 km (2006)

Waterways:

1,293 km country comparison to the world: 58 note: 168 km for launches and lighters on Volta, Ankobra, and Tano rivers; 1,125 km of arterial and feeder waterways on Lake Volta (2008)

Merchant marine:

total: 4 country comparison to the world: 136 by type: petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 3

foreign-owned: 1 (Brazil 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Tema

Military ::Ghana

Military branches:

Ghanaian Army, Ghanaian Navy, Ghanaian Air Force (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 5,802,096

females age 16-49: 5,729,939 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 3,849,113

females age 16-49: 3,840,083 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 272,954

female: 266,186 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

0.8% of GDP (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 151

Transnational Issues ::Ghana

Disputes - international:

Ghana struggles to accommodate returning nationals who worked in the cocoa plantations and escaped fighting in Cote d'Ivoire

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 35,653 (Liberia); 8,517 (Togo) (2007)

Illicit drugs:

illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; major transit hub for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin and, to a lesser extent, South American cocaine destined for Europe and the US; widespread crime and money laundering problem, but the lack of a well developed financial infrastructure limits the country's utility as a money laundering center; significant domestic cocaine and cannabis use

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Gibraltar (Europe)

Introduction ::Gibraltar

Background:

Strategically important, Gibraltar was reluctantly ceded to Great Britain by Spain in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht; the British garrison was formally declared a colony in 1830. In a referendum held in 1967, Gibraltarians voted overwhelmingly to remain a British dependency. The subsequent granting of autonomy in 1969 by the UK led to Spain closing the border and severing all communication links. A series of talks were held by the UK and Spain between 1997 and 2002 on establishing temporary joint sovereignty over Gibraltar. In response to these talks, the Gibraltar Government called a referendum in late 2002 in which the majority of citizens voted overwhelmingly against any sharing of sovereignty with Spain. Since the referendum, tripartite talks on other issues have been held with Spain, the UK, and Gibraltar, and in September 2006 a three-way agreement was signed. Spain agreed to remove restrictions on air movements, to speed up customs procedures, to implement international telephone dialing, and to allow mobile roaming agreements. Britain agreed to pay increased pensions to Spaniards who had been employed in Gibraltar before the border closed. Spain will be allowed to open a cultural institute from which the Spanish flag will fly. A new noncolonial constitution came into effect in 2007, but the UK retains responsibility for defense, foreign relations, internal security, and financial stability.

Geography ::Gibraltar

Location:

Southwestern Europe, bordering the Strait of Gibraltar, which links the Mediterranean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, on the southern coast of Spain

Geographic coordinates:

36 08 N, 5 21 W

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 6.5 sq km country comparison to the world: 241 land: 6.5 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly less than one-half the size of Rhode Island

Land boundaries:

total: 1.2 km

border countries: Spain 1.2 km

Coastline:

12 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 3 nm

Climate:

Mediterranean with mild winters and warm summers

Terrain:

a narrow coastal lowland borders the Rock of Gibraltar

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m

highest point: Rock of Gibraltar 426 m

Natural resources:

none

Land use:

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

limited natural freshwater resources: large concrete or natural rock water catchments collect rainwater (no longer used for drinking water) and adequate desalination plant

Geography - note:

strategic location on Strait of Gibraltar that links the North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea

People ::Gibraltar

Population:

28,034 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 214

Age structure:

0-14 years: 16.7% (male 2,393/female 2,276)

15-64 years: 66.9% (male 9,532/female 9,219)

65 years and over: 16.5% (male 2,125/female 2,489) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 40.5 years

male: 39.9 years

female: 41 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.111% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 190

Birth rate:

10.67 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 180

Death rate:

9.56 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 70

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 85

Urbanization:

urban population: 100% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 0.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 4.83 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 194 male: 5.37 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 80.19 years country comparison to the world: 20 male: 77.3 years

female: 83.22 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.65 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 177

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Gibraltarian(s)

adjective: Gibraltar

Ethnic groups:

Spanish, Italian, English, Maltese, Portuguese, German, North
Africans

Religions:

Roman Catholic 78.1%, Church of England 7%, other Christian 3.2%, Muslim 4%, Jewish 2.1%, Hindu 1.8%, other or unspecified 0.9%, none 2.9% (2001 census)

Languages:

English (used in schools and for official purposes), Spanish,
Italian, Portuguese

Literacy:

definition: NA

total population: above 80%

male: NA

female: NA

Education expenditures:

NA

Government ::Gibraltar

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Gibraltar

Dependency status:

overseas territory of the UK

Government type:

NA

Capital:

name: Gibraltar

geographic coordinates: 36 08 N, 5 21 W

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Independence:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday:

National Day, 10 September (1967); note - day of the national referendum to decide whether to remain with the UK or go with Spain

Constitution:

5 June 2006; came into force 2 January 2007

Legal system:

the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal; and British citizens who have been residents six months or more

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Sir Robert FULTON (since 27 October 2006)

head of government: Chief Minister Peter CARUANA (since 17 May 1996)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed from among the 17 elected members of the Parliament by the governor in consultation with the chief minister

elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed chief minister by the governor

Legislative branch:

unicameral Parliament (18 seats: 17 members elected by popular vote, 1 for the Speaker appointed by Parliament; members serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 11 October 2007 (next to be held not later than October 2011)

election results: percent of vote by party - GSD 49.3%, GSLP 31.8%, Gibraltar Liberal Party 13.6%; seats by party - GSD 10, GSLP 4, Gibraltar Liberal Party 3

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court; Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders:

Gibraltar Liberal Party [Joseph GARCIA]; Gibraltar Social Democrats or GSD [Peter CARUANA]; Gibraltar Socialist Labor Party or GSLP [Joseph John BOSSANO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Chamber of Commerce; Gibraltar Representatives Organization; Women's
Association

International organization participation:

Interpol (subbureau), UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description:

two horizontal bands of white (top, double width) and red with a three-towered red castle in the center of the white band; hanging from the castle gate is a gold key centered in the red band

Economy ::Gibraltar

Economy - overview:

Self-sufficient Gibraltar benefits from an extensive shipping trade, offshore banking, and its position as an international conference center. The British military presence has been sharply reduced and now contributes about 7% to the local economy, compared with 60% in 1984. The financial sector, tourism (almost 5 million visitors in 1998), shipping services fees, and duties on consumer goods also generate revenue. The financial sector, the shipping sector, and tourism each contribute 25%-30% of GDP. Telecommunications accounts for another 10%. In recent years, Gibraltar has seen major structural change from a public to a private sector economy, but changes in government spending still have a major impact on the level of employment.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$1.066 billion (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 197 $769 million (2000 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$1.066 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

7% (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 37

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$38,200 (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 26 $27,900 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Labor force:

12,690 (including non-Gibraltar laborers) (2001) country comparison to the world: 207

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: negligible

industry: 40%

services: 60% (2001)

Unemployment rate:

3% (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 32

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $455.1 million

expenditures: $423.6 million (2005 est.)

Public debt:

15.7% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 100

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.9% (2005) country comparison to the world: 36

Agriculture - products:

none

Industries:

tourism, banking and finance, ship repairing, tobacco

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

146 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 182

Electricity - consumption:

146 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 183

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 194

Oil - consumption:

24,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 118

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 200

Oil - imports:

25,610 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 107

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 177

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 105

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 180

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 172

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 176

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 176

Exports:

$271 million (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 177

Exports - commodities:

(principally reexports) petroleum 51%, manufactured goods 41%, other 8%

Imports:

$2.967 billion (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 141

Imports - commodities:

fuels, manufactured goods, and foodstuffs

Debt - external:

$NA

Exchange rates:

Gibraltar pounds (GIP) per US dollar - 0.4993 (2007), 0.5434 (2006), 0.5504 (2005), 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003)

note: the Gibraltar pound is at par with the British pound

Communications ::Gibraltar

Telephones - main lines in use:

24,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 185

Telephones - mobile cellular:

18,400 (2004) country comparison to the world: 207

Telephone system:

general assessment: adequate, automatic domestic system and adequate international facilities

domestic: automatic exchange facilities

international: country code - 350; radiotelephone; microwave radio relay; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (plus 3 repeaters) (1997)

Internet country code:

.gi

Internet hosts:

1,955 (2009) country comparison to the world: 149

Internet users:

6,500 (2008) country comparison to the world: 202

Transportation ::Gibraltar

Airports:

1 (2009) country comparison to the world: 231

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 29 km country comparison to the world: 216 paved: 29 km (2007)

Merchant marine:

total: 240 country comparison to the world: 32 by type: bulk carrier 5, cargo 125, chemical tanker 51, container 43, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 10, roll on/roll off 5

foreign-owned: 225 (Belgium 2, Cyprus 1, Denmark 7, Finland 3, Germany 129, Greece 6, Iceland 1, Morocco 4, Netherlands 21, Norway 33, Sweden 13, UAE 3, UK 2)

registered in other countries: 7 (Liberia 5, Panama 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Gibraltar

Military ::Gibraltar

Military branches:

Royal Gibraltar Regiment (2009)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 6,308 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 5,234

females age 16-49: 5,242 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 186

female: 179 (2009 est.)

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of the UK; the Royal Gibraltar Regiment replaced the last British regular infantry forces in 1992

Transnational Issues ::Gibraltar

Disputes - international:

in 2002, Gibraltar residents voted overwhelmingly by referendum to reject any "shared sovereignty" arrangement; the government of Gibraltar insists on equal participation in talks between the UK and Spain; Spain disapproves of UK plans to grant Gibraltar even greater autonomy

page last updated on October 28, 2009

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

@Greece (Europe)

Introduction ::Greece

Background:

Greece achieved independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1829. During the second half of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century, it gradually added neighboring islands and territories, most with Greek-speaking populations. In World War II, Greece was first invaded by Italy (1940) and subsequently occupied by Germany (1941-44); fighting endured in a protracted civil war between supporters of the king and Communist rebels. Following the latter's defeat in 1949, Greece joined NATO in 1952. A military dictatorship, which in 1967 suspended many political liberties and forced the king to flee the country, lasted seven years. The 1974 democratic elections and a referendum created a parliamentary republic and abolished the monarchy. In 1981, Greece joined the EC (now the EU); it became the 12th member of the European Economic and Monetary Union in 2001.

Geography ::Greece

Location:

Southern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and the
Mediterranean Sea, between Albania and Turkey

Geographic coordinates:

39 00 N, 22 00 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 131,957 sq km country comparison to the world: 96 land: 130,647 sq km

water: 1,310 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Alabama

Land boundaries:

total: 1,228 km

border countries: Albania 282 km, Bulgaria 494 km, Turkey 206 km, Macedonia 246 km

Coastline:

13,676 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:

temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers

Terrain:

mostly mountains with ranges extending into the sea as peninsulas or chains of islands

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m

highest point: Mount Olympus 2,917 m

Natural resources:

lignite, petroleum, iron ore, bauxite, lead, zinc, nickel, magnesite, marble, salt, hydropower potential

Land use:

arable land: 20.45%

permanent crops: 8.59%

other: 70.96% (2005)

Irrigated land:

14,530 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

72 cu km (2005)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 8.7 cu km/yr (16%/3%/81%)

per capita: 782 cu m/yr (1997)

Natural hazards:

severe earthquakes

Environment - current issues:

air pollution; water pollution

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulfur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds

Geography - note:

strategic location dominating the Aegean Sea and southern approach to Turkish Straits; a peninsular country, possessing an archipelago of about 2,000 islands

People ::Greece

Population:

10,737,428 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 74

Age structure:

0-14 years: 14.3% (male 788,722/female 742,270)

15-64 years: 66.6% (male 3,568,660/female 3,578,344)

65 years and over: 19.2% (male 902,617/female 1,156,815) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 41.8 years

male: 40.7 years

female: 42.9 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.127% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 188

Birth rate:

9.45 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 206

Death rate:

10.51 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 57

Net migration rate:

2.33 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 38

Urbanization:

urban population: 61% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 0.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 5.16 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 187 male: 5.68 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.62 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 79.66 years country comparison to the world: 26 male: 77.11 years

female: 82.37 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.37 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 199

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.2% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 101

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

11,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 99

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 100 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 146

Nationality:

noun: Greek(s)

adjective: Greek

Ethnic groups:

population: Greek 93%, other (foreign citizens) 7% (2001 census)

note: percents represent citizenship, since Greece does not collect data on ethnicity

Religions:

Greek Orthodox 98%, Muslim 1.3%, other 0.7%

Languages:

Greek 99% (official), other 1% (includes English and French)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 96%

male: 97.8%

female: 94.2% (2001 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 17 years

male: 17 years

female: 17 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

4.4% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 92

Government ::Greece

Country name:

conventional long form: Hellenic Republic

conventional short form: Greece

local long form: Elliniki Dhimokratia

local short form: Ellas or Ellada

former: Kingdom of Greece

Government type:

parliamentary republic

Capital:

name: Athens

geographic coordinates: 37 59 N, 23 44 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

51 prefectures (nomoi, singular - nomos) and 1 autonomous region*;
Achaia, Agion Oros* (Mt. Athos), Aitolia kai Akarnania, Argolis,
Arkadia, Arta, Attiki, Chalkidiki, Chanion, Chios, Dodekanisos,
Drama, Evros, Evrytania, Evvoia, Florina, Fokidos, Fthiotis,
Grevena, Ileia, Imathia, Ioannina, Irakleion, Karditsa, Kastoria,
Kavala, Kefallinia, Kerkyra, Kilkis, Korinthia, Kozani, Kyklades,
Lakonia, Larisa, Lasithi, Lefkas, Lesvos, Magnisia, Messinia, Pella,
Pieria, Preveza, Rethynnis, Rodopi, Samos, Serrai, Thesprotia,
Thessaloniki, Trikala, Voiotia, Xanthi, Zakynthos

Independence:

1829 (from the Ottoman Empire)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 25 March (1821)

Constitution:

11 June 1975; amended March 1986 and April 2001

Legal system:

based on codified Roman law; judiciary divided into civil, criminal, and administrative courts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Karolos PAPOULIAS (since 12 March 2005)

head of government: Prime Minister Yeoryios PAPANDREOU (since 6 October 2009)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister

elections: president elected by parliament for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 8 February 2005 (next to be held by February 2010); president appoints leader of the party securing plurality of vote in election to become prime minister and form a government

election results: Karolos PAPOULIAS elected president; number of parliamentary votes, 279 out of 300

Legislative branch:

unicameral Parliament or Vouli ton Ellinon (300 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 4 October 2009 (next to be held by 2013)

election results: percent of vote by party - PASOK 43.9%, ND 33.5%, KKE 7.5%, LAOS 5.6%, SYRIZA 4.6%, other 4.9%; seats by party - PASOK 160, ND 91, KKE 21, LAOS 15, SYRIZA 13

Judicial branch:

Supreme Judicial Court; Special Supreme Tribunal; all judges are appointed for life by the president after consultation with a judicial council

Political parties and leaders:

Coalition of the Radical Left or SYRIZA [Alekos ALAVANOS]; Communist
Party (Marxist-Leninist) [Gr. KONSTANTOPOULOS]; Communist Party of
Greece or KKE [Aleka PAPARIGA]; Democratic Revival [Stelios
PAPATHEMELIS]; Democratic Universal Hellas [Stergio KRIKELISI];
Ecologist Greens [Ioanna KONTOULI]; Fighting Socialist Party [Nikos
KARGOPOULOS]; Greek Ecologists [Dimosthenis VERGIS]; Liberal
Alliance [Foris PERIKOS]; Liberal Party [Manolis KALIGIANNIS];
Light-Truth-Justice [Konstantinos MELISSOURGOS]; New Democracy or ND
[Konstandinos KARAMANLIS]; Organization for the Reconstruction of
the Communist Party of Greece [Ilias ZAFIROPOULOS]; Panhellenic
Socialist Movement or PASOK [Yiorgos PAPANDREOU]; Popular Orthodox
Rally or LAOS [Yeoryios KARATZAFERIS]; Radical Left Front [D.
DESILLAS]; Regional Urban Development [Nikolaos KOLITIS]; Salvation
Party Christian Democracy [Alkiviadis STOILIS]; Union of Centrists
[Vassilis LEVENTIS]; United Anti-Capitalist Left [Konstantinos
PAPDAKIS]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Civil Servants Confederation or ADEDY [Spyros PAPASPYROS];
Federation of Greek Industries or SEV [Dimitris DASKALOPOULOS];
General Confederation of Greek Workers or GSEE [Ioannis PANAGOPOULOS]

International organization participation:

Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU,
FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU,
ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer),
OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, SECI, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIS, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WEU,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Vassilis KASKARELIS

chancery: 2217 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 939-1300

FAX: [1] (202) 939-1324

consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Tampa

consulate(s): Atlanta, Houston, New Orleans

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Daniel V. SPECKHARD

embassy: 91 Vasilisis Sophias Avenue, 10160 Athens

mailing address: PSC 108, APO AE 09842-0108

telephone: [30] (210) 721-2951

FAX: [30] (210) 645-6282

consulate(s) general: Thessaloniki

Flag description:

nine equal horizontal stripes of blue alternating with white; there is a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white cross; the cross symbolizes Greek Orthodoxy, the established religion of the country

Economy ::Greece

Economy - overview:

Greece has a capitalist economy with the public sector accounting for about 40% of GDP and with per capita GDP about two-thirds that of the leading euro-zone economies. Tourism provides 15% of GDP. Immigrants make up nearly one-fifth of the work force, mainly in agricultural and unskilled jobs. Greece is a major beneficiary of EU aid, equal to about 3.3% of annual GDP. The Greek economy grew by nearly 4.0% per year between 2003 and 2007, due partly to infrastructural spending related to the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, and in part to an increased availability of credit, which has sustained record levels of consumer spending. But growth dropped to 2.9% in 2008, as a result of the world financial crisis and tightening credit conditions. Greece violated the EU's Growth and Stability Pact budget deficit criteria of no more than 3% of GDP from 2001 to 2006, but finally met that criteria in 2007-08. Public debt, inflation, and unemployment are above the euro-zone average, but are falling. The Greek Government continues to grapple with cutting government spending, reducing the size of the public sector, and reforming the labor and pension systems, in the face of often vocal opposition from the country's powerful labor unions and the general public. The economy remains an important domestic political issue in Greece and, while the ruling New Democracy government has had some success in improving economic growth and reducing the budget deficit, Athens faces long-term challenges in its effort to continue its economic reforms, especially social security reform and privatization.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$343.8 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 34 $334.1 billion (2007 est.)

$321.3 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$357.5 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2.9% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 132 4% (2007 est.)

4.5% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$32,100 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 40 $31,200 (2007 est.)

$30,100 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 3.7%

industry: 20.6%

services: 75.7% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

4.96 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 75

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 12.4%

industry: 22.4%

services: 65.1% (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate:

7.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 103 8.3% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.5%

highest 10%: 26% (2000 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

33 (2005) country comparison to the world: 96 35.4 (1998)

Investment (gross fixed):

20.7% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 99

Budget:

revenues: $126.5 billion

expenditures: $144.4 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

97.4% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 8 112% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

4.1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 67 2.9% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

3% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 92 5% (31 December 2007)

note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro area

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

8.65% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 112 7.71% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$NA

note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the euro area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 16 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money and quasi money circulating within their own borders

Stock of quasi money:

$NA

Stock of domestic credit:

$394.6 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 21 $365.9 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 32 $264.9 billion (31 December 2007)

$208.3 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, olives, tomatoes, wine, tobacco, potatoes; beef, dairy products

Industries:

tourism, food and tobacco processing, textiles, chemicals, metal products; mining, petroleum

Industrial production growth rate:

3.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 77

Electricity - production:

58.79 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 42

Electricity - consumption:

58.28 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 41

Electricity - exports:

1.962 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

7.575 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

4,891 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 95

Oil - consumption:

434,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 34

Oil - exports:

151,300 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 59

Oil - imports:

553,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 23

Oil - proved reserves:

10 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 89

Natural gas - production:

14 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 91

Natural gas - consumption:

4.206 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 64

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 73

Natural gas - imports:

4.205 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 36

Natural gas - proved reserves:

1.982 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 96

Current account balance:

-$51.53 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 186 -$44.4 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$29.14 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 67 $23.91 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

food and beverages, manufactured goods, petroleum products, chemicals, textiles

Exports - partners:

Italy 11.5%, Germany 10.5%, Bulgaria 7%, Cyprus 6.2%, US 5%, UK 4.7%, Romania 4.4% (2008)

Imports:

$93.91 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 35 $80.79 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery, transport equipment, fuels, chemicals

Imports - partners:

Germany 13.3%, Italy 12.8%, China 6.2%, France 5.6%, Netherlands 5.1%, Russia 4.7% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$3.473 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 91 $3.658 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$504.6 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 19 $454.2 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$36.7 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 57 $53.22 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$32.44 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 33 $31.65 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008 est.), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)

Communications ::Greece

Telephones - main lines in use:

5.975 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 29

Telephones - mobile cellular:

13.799 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 47

Telephone system:

general assessment: adequate, modern networks reach all areas; good mobile telephone and international service

domestic: microwave radio relay trunk system; extensive open-wire connections; submarine cable to offshore islands

international: country code - 30; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3 optical telecommunications submarine cable that provides links to Europe, Middle East, and Asia; a number of smaller submarine cables provide connectivity to various parts of Europe, the Middle East, and Cyprus; tropospheric scatter; satellite earth stations - 4 (2 Intelsat - 1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean, 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat - Indian Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 26, FM 88, shortwave 4 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

36 (plus 1,341 repeaters); also 2 stations in the American Armed Forces Radio and Television Service (1995)

Internet country code:

.gr

Internet hosts:

2.342 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 28

Internet users:

4.253 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 47

Transportation ::Greece

Airports:

81 (2009) country comparison to the world: 69

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 67

over 3,047 m: 5

2,438 to 3,047 m: 15

1,524 to 2,437 m: 20

914 to 1,523 m: 18

under 914 m: 9 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 14

914 to 1,523 m: 2

under 914 m: 12 (2009)

Heliports:

9 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 1,197 km; oil 75 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 2,548 km country comparison to the world: 65 standard gauge: 1,565 km 1.435-m gauge (764 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 961 km 1.000-m gauge; 22 km 0.750-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 117,533 km country comparison to the world: 37 paved: 107,895 km (includes 880 km of expressways)

unpaved: 9,638 km (2005)

Waterways:

6 km country comparison to the world: 108 note: Corinth Canal (6 km) crosses the Isthmus of Corinth; shortens sea voyage by 325 km (2008)

Merchant marine:

total: 869 country comparison to the world: 12 by type: bulk carrier 260, cargo 66, carrier 1, chemical tanker 66, combination ore/oil 2, container 45, liquefied gas 10, passenger 13, passenger/cargo 115, petroleum tanker 274, roll on/roll off 15, specialized tanker 2

foreign-owned: 64 (Belgium 16, Cyprus 7, Turkey 1, UK 32, US 8)

registered in other countries: 2,357 (Antigua and Barbuda 3, Bahamas 209, Barbados 12, Belize 1, Bermuda 9, Brazil 1, Cambodia 3, Cayman Islands 16, China 2, Comoros 6, Cyprus 259, Denmark 4, Dominica 10, Egypt 8, Georgia 5, Gibraltar 6, Honduras 4, Hong Kong 22, Isle of Man 50, Italy 6, Jamaica 6, North Korea 1, Lebanon 2, Liberia 358, Maldives 1, Malta 452, Marshall Islands 269, Norway 3, Panama 510, Philippines 4, Portugal 4, Russia 1, Saint Kitts and Nevis 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 71, Sao Tome and Principe 1, Saudi Arabia 3, Sierra Leone 1, Singapore 15, Slovakia 2, Turkey 1, UAE 3, Uruguay 1, Vanuatu 1, Venezuela 3, unknown 5) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Agioitheodoroi, Aspropyrgos, Pachi, Piraeus, Thessaloniki

Military ::Greece

Military branches:

Hellenic Army (Ellinikos Stratos, ES), Hellenic Navy (Ellinikos
Polemiko Navtiko, EPN), Hellenic Air Force (Elliniki Polimiki
Aeroporia, EPA) (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

19-45 years of age for compulsory military service; during wartime the law allows for recruitment beginning January of the year of inductee's 18th birthday, thus including 17 year olds; 17 years of age for volunteers; conscript service obligation - 1 year for all services; women are eligible for voluntary military service (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 2,535,174

females age 16-49: 2,517,273 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 2,067,878

females age 16-49: 2,050,289 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 53,401

female: 50,084 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

4.3% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 26

Transnational Issues ::Greece

Disputes - international:

Greece and Turkey continue discussions to resolve their complex
maritime, air, territorial, and boundary disputes in the Aegean Sea;
Cyprus question with Turkey; Greece rejects the use of the name
Macedonia or Republic of Macedonia; the mass migration of unemployed
Albanians still remains a problem for developed countries, chiefly
Greece and Italy

Illicit drugs:

a gateway to Europe for traffickers smuggling cannabis and heroin from the Middle East and Southwest Asia to the West and precursor chemicals to the East; some South American cocaine transits or is consumed in Greece; money laundering related to drug trafficking and organized crime

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Greenland (North America)

Introduction ::Greenland

Background:

Greenland, the world's largest island, is about 81% ice-capped. Vikings reached the island in the 10th century from Iceland; Danish colonization began in the 18th century, and Greenland was made an integral part of Denmark in 1953. It joined the European Community (now the EU) with Denmark in 1973, but withdrew in 1985 over a dispute centered on stringent fishing quotas. Greenland was granted self-government in 1979 by the Danish parliament; the law went into effect the following year. Greenland voted in favor of increased self-rule in November 2008 and acquired complete responsibilty for internal affairs in June 2009. Denmark, however, continues to exercise control of Greenland's foreign affairs, security, and financial policy in consultation with Greenland's Home Rule Government.

Geography ::Greenland

Location:

Northern North America, island between the Arctic Ocean and the
North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Canada

Geographic coordinates:

72 00 N, 40 00 W

Map references:

North America

Area:

total: 2,166,086 sq km country comparison to the world: 13 land: 2,166,086 sq km (410,449 sq km ice-free, 1,755,637 sq km ice-covered)

Area - comparative:

slightly more than three times the size of Texas

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

44,087 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 3 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line

continental shelf: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line

Climate:

arctic to subarctic; cool summers, cold winters

Terrain:

flat to gradually sloping icecap covers all but a narrow, mountainous, barren, rocky coast

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Gunnbjorn 3,700 m

Natural resources:

coal, iron ore, lead, zinc, molybdenum, diamonds, gold, platinum, niobium, tantalite, uranium, fish, seals, whales, hydropower, possible oil and gas

Land use:

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds of the island

Environment - current issues:

protection of the arctic environment; preservation of the Inuit traditional way of life, including whaling and seal hunting

Geography - note:

dominates North Atlantic Ocean between North America and Europe; sparse population confined to small settlements along coast; close to one-quarter of the population lives in the capital, Nuuk; world's second largest ice cap

People ::Greenland

Population:

57,600 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 206

Age structure:

0-14 years: 23% (male 6,727/female 6,533)

15-64 years: 70.1% (male 21,696/female 18,669)

65 years and over: 6.9% (male 2,000/female 1,975) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 33.5 years

male: 34.9 years

female: 31.9 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.062% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 195

Birth rate:

14.76 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 142

Death rate:

8.14 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 106

Net migration rate:

-5.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 168

Urbanization:

urban population: 84% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 0.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.16 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female

total population: 1.12 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 10.72 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 151 male: 12.26 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 9.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 70.07 years country comparison to the world: 143 male: 67.44 years

female: 72.85 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.19 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 118

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

100 (1999) country comparison to the world: 164

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Greenlander(s)

adjective: Greenlandic

Ethnic groups:

Greenlander 88% (Inuit and Greenland-born whites), Danish and others 12% (2000)

Religions:

Evangelical Lutheran

Languages:

Greenlandic (East Inuit) (official), Danish, English

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 100%

male: 100%

female: 100% (2001 est.)

Education expenditures:

NA

Government ::Greenland

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Greenland

local long form: none

local short form: Kalaallit Nunaat

Dependency status:

part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1979

Government type:

parliamentary democracy within a constitutional monarchy

Capital:

name: Nuuk (Godthab)

geographic coordinates: 64 11 N, 51 45 W

time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

note: Greenland is divided into four time zones

Administrative divisions:

3 districts (landsdele); Avannaa (Nordgronland), Tunu (Ostgronland), Kitaa (Vestgronland)

note: there are 18 municipalities in Greenland

Independence:

none (extensive self-rule as part of the Kingdom of Denmark; foreign affairs is the responsibility of Denmark, but Greenland actively participates in international agreements relating to Greenland)

National holiday:

June 21 (longest day)

Constitution:

(November 2008) Act on Greenland Self Government

Legal system:

the laws of Denmark, where applicable, apply

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since 14 January 1972), represented by High Commissioner Soren MOLLER (since April 2005)

head of government: Prime Minister Kuupik KLEIST (since 12 June 2009)

cabinet: Home Rule Government is elected by the Parliament (Landsting) on the basis of the strength of parties

elections: the monarchy is hereditary; high commissioner appointed by the monarch; prime minister is elected by parliament (usually the leader of the majority party)

election results: Kuupik KLEIST elected prime minister

Legislative branch:

unicameral Parliament or Landsting (31 seats; members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held on 2 June 2009 (next to be held by 2014)

election results: percent of vote by party - Inuit Ataqatigiit 43.7%, Siumut 26.5%, Demokratiit 12.7%, Atassut 10.9%; Kattusseqatigiit 3.8%, other 2.4%; seats by party - IA 14, Siumut 9, Demokraatiit 4, Atassut 3, Kattusseqatigiit 1

note: two representatives were elected to the Danish Parliament or Folketing on 13 November 2007 (next to be held in November 2011); percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Siumut 1, Inuit Ataqatigiit 1

Judicial branch:

High Court or Landsret (appeals can be made to the Ostre Landsret or
Eastern Division of the High Court or Supreme Court in Copenhagen)

Political parties and leaders:

Atassut Party (Solidarity) [Finn KARLSEN] (a conservative party favoring continuing close relations with Denmark); Demokratiit [Per BERTHELSEN]; Inuit Ataqatigiit or IA (Eskimo Brotherhood) [Josef MOTZFELDT] (a leftist party favoring complete independence from Denmark rather than home rule); Kattusseqatigiit (Candidate List) (an independent right-of-center party with no official platform); Siumut (Forward Party) [Hans ENOKSEN] (a social democratic party advocating more distinct Greenlandic identity and greater autonomy from Denmark)

Political pressure groups and leaders:

other: conservationists; environmentalists

International organization participation:

Arctic Council, NC, NIB, UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)

Flag description:

two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a large disk slightly to the hoist side of center - the top half of the disk is red, the bottom half is white; the design represents the sun reflecting off a field of ice; the colors are the same as those of the Danish flag and symbolize Greenland's links to the Kingdom of Denmark

Economy ::Greenland

Economy - overview:

The economy remains critically dependent on exports of shrimp and fish and on a substantial subsidy - about $700 million in 2008-09 - from the Danish Government, which supplies about 60% of government revenues. The public sector, including publicly-owned enterprises and the municipalities, plays the dominant role in the economy. Several interesting hydrocarbon and mineral exploration activities are ongoing and in 2007 a US firm signed an agreement with the Greenland Home Rule government to study the feasibility of building a multi-billion dollar aluminum smelter and hydropower plant. Denmark plans to reduce its subsidies to Greenland as revenues from oil exports come onstream.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$1.1 billion (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 195

GDP (official exchange rate):

$1.7 billion (2005)

GDP - real growth rate:

2% (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 162

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$20,000 (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 62

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Labor force:

32,120 (2004) country comparison to the world: 195

Unemployment rate:

9.3% (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 120

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $1.36 billion

expenditures: $1.27 billion (2005)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

1% (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 7

Agriculture - products:

forage crops, garden and greenhouse vegetables; sheep, reindeer; fish

Industries:

fish processing (mainly shrimp and Greenland halibut); gold, niobium, tantalite, uranium, iron and diamond mining; handicrafts, hides and skins, small shipyards

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

325 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 166

Electricity - consumption:

302.3 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 167

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 192

Oil - consumption:

4,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 171

Oil - exports:

149.5 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 133

Oil - imports:

4,172 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 165

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 175

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 103

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 178

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 170

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 174

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 174

Exports:

$480 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 164

Exports - commodities:

fish and fish products 94% (prawns 63%) (2001 est.)

Exports - partners:

Denmark 63.5%, Japan 11.1%, China 4.9%, Canada 4.8% (2008)

Imports:

$712 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 181

Imports - commodities:

machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, petroleum products

Imports - partners:

Denmark 59.1%, Sweden 20.9%, Norway 4.7%, UK 4.4% (2008)

Debt - external:

$25 million (1999) country comparison to the world: 196

Exchange rates:

Danish kroner (DKK) per US dollar - 5.0236 (2008 est.), 5.4797 (2007), 5.9468 (2006), 5.9969 (2005), 5.9911 (2004)

Communications ::Greenland

Telephones - main lines in use:

22,800 (2008) country comparison to the world: 189

Telephones - mobile cellular:

55,800 (2008) country comparison to the world: 191

Telephone system:

general assessment: adequate domestic and international service provided by satellite, cables and microwave radio relay; totally digitalized in 1995

domestic: microwave radio relay and satellite

international: country code - 299; satellite earth stations - 15 (12 Intelsat, 1 Eutelsat, 2 Americom GE-2 (all Atlantic Ocean)) (2000)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 5, FM 14, shortwave 0 (2008)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (plus some local low-power stations, and 3 American Forces Radio and Television Service (AFRTS) stations (1997)

Internet country code:

.gl

Internet hosts:

14,134 (2009) country comparison to the world: 111

Internet users:

36,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 177

Transportation ::Greenland

Airports:

15 (2009) country comparison to the world: 146

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 10

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 6 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 5

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 2

under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Roadways:

note: although there are short roads in towns, there are no roads between towns; inter-urban transport takes place either by sea or air (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 2 country comparison to the world: 144 by type: cargo 1, passenger 1 (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Sisimiut

Military ::Greenland

Military branches:

no regular military forces

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 15,221 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 10,809

females age 16-49: 11,437 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 532

female: 491 (2009 est.)

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of Denmark

Transnational Issues ::Greenland

Disputes - international:

managed dispute between Canada and Denmark over Hans Island in the Kennedy Channel between Canada's Ellesmere Island and Greenland

page last updated on November 10, 2009

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

@Grenada (Central America and Caribbean)

Introduction ::Grenada

Background:

Carib Indians inhabited Grenada when COLUMBUS discovered the island in 1498, but it remained uncolonized for more than a century. The French settled Grenada in the 17th century, established sugar estates, and imported large numbers of African slaves. Britain took the island in 1762 and vigorously expanded sugar production. In the 19th century, cacao eventually surpassed sugar as the main export crop; in the 20th century, nutmeg became the leading export. In 1967, Britain gave Grenada autonomy over its internal affairs. Full independence was attained in 1974 making Grenada one of the smallest independent countries in the Western Hemisphere. Grenada was seized by a Marxist military council on 19 October 1983. Six days later the island was invaded by US forces and those of six other Caribbean nations, which quickly captured the ringleaders and their hundreds of Cuban advisers. Free elections were reinstituted the following year and have continued since that time. Hurricane Ivan struck Grenada in September of 2004 causing severe damage.

Geography ::Grenada

Location:

Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Geographic coordinates:

12 07 N, 61 40 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 344 sq km country comparison to the world: 206 land: 344 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

121 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; tempered by northeast trade winds

Terrain:

volcanic in origin with central mountains

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: Mount Saint Catherine 840 m

Natural resources:

timber, tropical fruit, deepwater harbors

Land use:

arable land: 5.88%

permanent crops: 29.41%

other: 64.71% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Total renewable water resources:

NA

Natural hazards:

lies on edge of hurricane belt; hurricane season lasts from June to November

Environment - current issues:

NA

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada

People ::Grenada

Population:

90,739 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 195

Age structure:

0-14 years: 32% (male 14,608/female 14,410)

15-64 years: 65.2% (male 31,278/female 27,873)

65 years and over: 2.8% (male 1,268/female 1,302) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 22.8 years

male: 23.3 years

female: 22.3 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.468% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 156

Birth rate:

21.32 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 90

Death rate:

6.09 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 161

Net migration rate:

-10.55 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 176

Urbanization:

urban population: 31% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 0.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.12 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female

total population: 1.08 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 13.23 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 135 male: 12.95 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 13.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 65.95 years country comparison to the world: 163 male: 64.06 years

female: 67.85 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.23 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 113

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Grenadian(s)

adjective: Grenadian

Ethnic groups:

black 82%, mixed black and European 13%, European and East Indian 5%, and trace of Arawak/Carib Amerindian

Religions:

Roman Catholic 53%, Anglican 13.8%, other Protestant 33.2%

Languages:

English (official), French patois

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 96%

male: NA

female: NA (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 12 years

male: 12 years

female: 12 years (2005)

Education expenditures:

5.2% of GDP (2003) country comparison to the world: 62

Government ::Grenada

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Grenada

Government type:

parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm

Capital:

name: Saint George's

geographic coordinates: 12 03 N, 61 45 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

6 parishes and 1 dependency*; Carriacou and Petite Martinique*, Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Mark, Saint Patrick

Independence:

7 February 1974 (from the UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 7 February (1974)

Constitution:

19 December 1973

Legal system:

based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Carlyle Arnold GLEAN (since 27 November 2008)

head of government: Prime Minister Tillman THOMAS (since 9 July 2008)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister

elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (13 seats, 10 appointed by the government and 3 by the leader of the opposition) and the House of Representatives (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held on 8 July 2008 (next to be held in 2013)

election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NDC 11, NNP 4

Judicial branch:

Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting of a court of Appeal and a High Court of Justice (two High Court judges are assigned to and reside in Grenada); Itinerant Court of Appeal three judges; member of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ)

Political parties and leaders:

Grenada United Labor Party or GULP [Gloria Payne BANFIELD]; National
Democratic Congress or NDC [Tillman THOMAS]; New National Party or
NNP [Keith MITCHELL]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Committee for Human Rights in Grenada or CHRG; New Jewel Movement Support Group; The British Grenada Friendship Society; The New Jewel 19 Committee

International organization participation:

ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OAS,
OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Gillian M.S. BRISTOL

chancery: 1701 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone: [1] (202) 265-2561

FAX: [1] (202) 265-2468

consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Grenada

embassy: Lance-aux-Epines Stretch, Saint George's

mailing address: P. O. Box 54, Saint George's

telephone: [1] (473) 444-1173 through 1177

FAX: [1] (473) 444-4820

Flag description:

a rectangle divided diagonally into yellow triangles (top and bottom) and green triangles (hoist side and outer side), with a red border around the flag; there are seven yellow, five-pointed stars with three centered in the top red border, three centered in the bottom red border, and one on a red disk superimposed at the center of the flag; there is also a symbolic nutmeg pod on the hoist-side triangle (Grenada is the world's second-largest producer of nutmeg, after Indonesia); the seven stars represent the seven administrative divisions

Economy ::Grenada

Economy - overview:

Grenada relies on tourism as its main source of foreign exchange especially since the construction of an international airport in 1985. Hurricanes Ivan (2004) and Emily (2005) severely damaged the agricultural sector - particularly nutmeg and cocoa cultivation - which had been a key driver of economic growth. Grenada has rebounded from the devastating effects of the hurricanes but is now saddled with the debt burden from the rebuilding process. Public debt-to-GDP is nearly 110%, leaving the THOMAS administration limited room to engage in public investments and social spending. Strong performances in construction and manufacturing, together with the development of tourism and an offshore financial industry, have also contributed to growth in national output; however, economic growth will likely slow in 2009 because of the global economic slowdown's effects on tourism and remittances.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$1.19 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 194 $1.165 billion (2007 est.)

$1.11 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$678 million (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 154 4.9% (2007 est.)

-2.3% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$13,200 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 85 $12,900 (2007 est.)

$12,400 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 5.4%

industry: 18%

services: 76.6% (2003)

Labor force:

42,300 (1996) country comparison to the world: 186

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 24%

industry: 14%

services: 62% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:

12.5% (2000) country comparison to the world: 140

Population below poverty line:

32% (2000)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $85.8 million

expenditures: $102.1 million (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3.7% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 54

Central bank discount rate:

6.5% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 67 6.5% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

9.53% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 88 9.76% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$141.4 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 109 $151.2 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$578.1 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 106 $533.4 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$658 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 114 $575.8 million (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

bananas, cocoa, nutmeg, mace, citrus, avocados, root crops, sugarcane, corn, vegetables

Industries:

food and beverages, textiles, light assembly operations, tourism, construction

Electricity - production:

178.7 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 179

Electricity - consumption:

155.7 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 181

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 193

Oil - consumption:

3,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 179

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 199

Oil - imports:

1,923 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 178

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 176

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 104

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 179

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 171

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 175

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 175

Current account balance:

-$138 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 81

Exports:

$38 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 200

Exports - commodities:

bananas, cocoa, nutmeg, fruit and vegetables, clothing, mace

Exports - partners:

Saint Lucia 16.4%, US 11.4%, UK 11.3%, Antigua and Barbuda 11.1%,
Saint Kitts & Nevis 10%, Dominica 10%, France 6.4% (2008)

Imports:

$343 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 189

Imports - commodities:

food, manufactured goods, machinery, chemicals, fuel

Imports - partners:

Trinidad and Tobago 39.6%, US 22.5%, Barbados 3.3% (2008)

Debt - external:

$347 million (2004) country comparison to the world: 170

Exchange rates:

East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar - 2.7 (2007), 2.7 (2006), 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003)

Communications ::Grenada

Telephones - main lines in use:

28,600 (2008) country comparison to the world: 180

Telephones - mobile cellular:

60,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 190

Telephone system:

general assessment: automatic, islandwide telephone system

domestic: interisland VHF and UHF radiotelephone links

international: country code - 1-473; landing point for the East Caribbean Fiber Optic System (ECFS) submarine cable with links to 13 other islands in the eastern Caribbean extending from the British Virgin Islands to Trinidad; SHF radiotelephone links to Trinidad and Tobago and Saint Vincent; VHF and UHF radio links to Trinidad

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 2, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

2 (1997)

Internet country code:

.gd

Internet hosts:

42 (2009) country comparison to the world: 211

Internet users:

24,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 185

Transportation ::Grenada

Airports:

3 (2009) country comparison to the world: 193

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 1,127 km country comparison to the world: 182 paved: 687 km

unpaved: 440 km (2000)

Ports and terminals:

Saint George's

Military ::Grenada

Military branches:

no regular military forces; Royal Grenada Police Force (includes Coast Guard) (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 27,309 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 20,483

females age 16-49: 20,923 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 982

female: 937 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

NA

Transnational Issues ::Grenada

Disputes - international:

none

Illicit drugs:

small-scale cannabis cultivation; lesser transshipment point for marijuana and cocaine to US

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Guam (Australia-Oceania)

Introduction ::Guam

Background:

Guam was ceded to the US by Spain in 1898. Captured by the Japanese in 1941, it was retaken by the US three years later. The military installation on the island is one of the most strategically important US bases in the Pacific.

Geography ::Guam

Location:

Oceania, island in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines

Geographic coordinates:

13 28 N, 144 47 E

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 544 sq km

land: 544 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

three times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

125.5 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical marine; generally warm and humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; dry season (January to June), rainy season (July to December); little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain:

volcanic origin, surrounded by coral reefs; relatively flat coralline limestone plateau (source of most fresh water), with steep coastal cliffs and narrow coastal plains in north, low hills in center, mountains in south

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mount Lamlam 406 m

Natural resources:

aquatic wildlife (supporting tourism), fishing (largely undeveloped)

Land use:

arable land: 3.64%

permanent crops: 18.18%

other: 78.18% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

frequent squalls during rainy season; relatively rare but potentially destructive typhoons (June - December)

Environment - current issues:

extirpation of native bird population by the rapid proliferation of the brown tree snake, an exotic, invasive species

Geography - note:

largest and southernmost island in the Mariana Islands archipelago; strategic location in western North Pacific Ocean

People ::Guam

Population:

178,430 (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 27.8% (male 25,651/female 23,904)

15-64 years: 65.2% (male 59,304/female 56,995)

65 years and over: 7% (male 5,786/female 6,790) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 29.1 years

male: 28.8 years

female: 29.4 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.365% (2009 est.)

Birth rate:

18.22 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Death rate:

4.57 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Net migration rate:

NA

Urbanization:

urban population: 93% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female

total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 6.05 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 6.47 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 5.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 78.01 years

male: 74.97 years

female: 81.23 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.54 children born/woman (2009 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Guamanian(s) (US citizens)

adjective: Guamanian

Ethnic groups:

Chamorro 37.1%, Filipino 26.3%, other Pacific islander 11.3%, white 6.9%, other Asian 6.3%, other ethnic origin or race 2.3%, mixed 9.8% (2000 census)

Religions:

Roman Catholic 85%, other 15% (1999 est.)

Languages:

English 38.3%, Chamorro 22.2%, Philippine languages 22.2%, other Pacific island languages 6.8%, Asian languages 7%, other languages 3.5% (2000 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99% (1990 est.)

Education expenditures:

NA

Government ::Guam

Country name:

conventional long form: Territory of Guam

conventional short form: Guam

local long form: Guahan

local short form: Guahan

Dependency status:

organized, unincorporated territory of the US with policy relations between Guam and the US under the jurisdiction of the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior

Government type:

NA

Capital:

name: Hagatna (Agana)

geographic coordinates: 13 28 N, 144 44 E

time difference: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

none (territory of the US)

Independence:

none (territory of the US)

National holiday:

Discovery Day, first Monday in March (1521)

Constitution:

Organic Act of Guam, 1 August 1950

Legal system:

modeled on US; US federal laws apply

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal; US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Barack H. OBAMA (since 20 January 2009); Vice President Joseph R. BIDEN (since 20 January 2009)

head of government: Governor Felix P. CAMACHO (since 6 January 2003); Lieutenant Governor Dr. Michael W. CRUZ (since 1 January 2007)

cabinet: heads of executive departments; appointed by the governor with the consent of the Guam legislature

elections: under the US Constitution, residents of unincorporated territories, such as Guam, do not vote in elections for US president and vice president; however, they may vote in Democratic and Republican presidential primary elections; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year term (can serve two consecutive terms, then must wait a full term before running again); election last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held in November 2010)

election results: Felix P. CAMACHO reelected governor; Dr. Michael W. CRUZ elected lieutenant governor; percent of vote - NA

Legislative branch:

unicameral Legislature (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms)

elections: last held 4 November 2008 (next to be held in November 2010)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Democratic Party 10, Republican Party 5

note: Guam elects one nonvoting delegate to the US House of Representatives; election last held 4 November 2008 (next to be held in November 2010); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Democratic Party 1

Judicial branch:

Federal District Court (judge is appointed by the president); Territorial Superior Court (judges appointed for eight-year terms by the governor)

Political parties and leaders:

Democratic Party [leader Michael PHILLIPS]; Republican Party [Philip
J. FLORES] (controls the legislature)

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Guam Federation of Teachers' Union; Guam Waterworks Authority Workers

other: activists; indigenous groups

International organization participation:

IOC, SPC, UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (territory of the US)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (territory of the US)

Flag description:

territorial flag is dark blue with a narrow red border on all four sides; centered is a red-bordered, pointed, vertical ellipse containing a beach scene, outrigger canoe with sail, and a palm tree with the word GUAM superimposed in bold red letters; US flag is the national flag

Economy ::Guam

Economy - overview:

The economy depends largely on US military spending and tourism. Total US grants, wage payments, and procurement outlays amounted to $1.3 billion in 2004. Over the past 30 years, the tourist industry has grown to become the largest income source following national defense. The Guam economy continues to experience expansion in both its tourism and military sectors.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$2.5 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$2.773 billion (2001)

GDP - real growth rate:

NA%

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$15,000 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Labor force:

82,950 (2007 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 26%

industry: 10%

services: 64% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:

11.4% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line:

23% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $319.6 million

expenditures: $427.8 million (2002 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.5% (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products:

fruits, copra, vegetables; eggs, pork, poultry, beef

Industries:

US military, tourism, construction, transshipment services, concrete products, printing and publishing, food processing, textiles

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

1.767 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - consumption:

1.644 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Oil - consumption:

9,227 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - imports:

14,230 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Exports:

$45 million (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:

transshipments of refined petroleum products, construction materials, fish, food and beverage products

Imports:

$701 million (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:

petroleum and petroleum products, food, manufactured goods

Debt - external:

$NA

Exchange rates:

the US dollar is used

Communications ::Guam

Telephones - main lines in use:

65,500 (2008)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

98,000 (2004)

Telephone system:

general assessment: modern system, integrated with US facilities for direct dialing, including free use of 800 numbers

domestic: modern digital system, including cellular mobile service and local access to the Internet

international: country code - 1-671; major landing point for submarine cables between Asia and the US (Guam is a trans-Pacific communications hub for major carriers linking the US and Asia); satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 3, FM 11, shortwave 2 (2005)

Television broadcast stations:

3 (2006)

Internet country code:

.gu

Internet hosts:

23 (2009)

Internet users:

85,000 (2008)

Transportation ::Guam

Airports:

5; note - 2 serviceable (2009)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 4

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 1,045 km (2007)

Ports and terminals:

Apra Harbor

Military ::Guam

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 37,563

females age 16-49: 36,083 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 1,677

female: 1,581 (2009 est.)

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues ::Guam

Disputes - international:

none

page last updated on October 28, 2009

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

@Guatemala (Central America and Caribbean)

Introduction ::Guatemala

Background:

The Mayan civilization flourished in Guatemala and surrounding regions during the first millennium A.D. After almost three centuries as a Spanish colony, Guatemala won its independence in 1821. During the second half of the 20th century, it experienced a variety of military and civilian governments, as well as a 36-year guerrilla war. In 1996, the government signed a peace agreement formally ending the conflict, which had left more than 100,000 people dead and had created, by some estimates, some 1 million refugees.

Geography ::Guatemala

Location:

Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between El
Salvador and Mexico, and bordering the Gulf of Honduras (Caribbean
Sea) between Honduras and Belize

Geographic coordinates:

15 30 N, 90 15 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 108,889 sq km country comparison to the world: 106 land: 107,159 sq km

water: 1,730 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Tennessee

Land boundaries:

total: 1,687 km

border countries: Belize 266 km, El Salvador 203 km, Honduras 256 km, Mexico 962 km

Coastline:

400 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:

tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands

Terrain:

mostly mountains with narrow coastal plains and rolling limestone plateau

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Volcan Tajumulco 4,211 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle, hydropower

Land use:

arable land: 13.22%

permanent crops: 5.6%

other: 81.18% (2005)

Irrigated land:

1,300 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

111.3 cu km (2000)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 2.01 cu km/yr (6%/13%/80%)

per capita: 160 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

numerous volcanoes in mountains, with occasional violent earthquakes; Caribbean coast extremely susceptible to hurricanes and other tropical storms

Environment - current issues:

deforestation in the Peten rainforest; soil erosion; water pollution

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

no natural harbors on west coast

People ::Guatemala

Population:

13,276,517 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 68

Age structure:

0-14 years: 39.4% (male 2,664,058/female 2,573,006)

15-64 years: 56.8% (male 3,655,184/female 3,884,331)

65 years and over: 3.8% (male 231,652/female 268,286) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 19.4 years

male: 18.9 years

female: 20 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.066% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 55

Birth rate:

27.98 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 55

Death rate:

5.11 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 185

Net migration rate:

-2.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 140

Urbanization:

urban population: 49% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 3.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female

total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 27.84 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 79 male: 30.2 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 25.35 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 70.29 years country comparison to the world: 142 male: 68.49 years

female: 72.19 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3.47 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 58

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.8% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 61

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

59,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 61

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

3,900 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 51

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: dengue fever and malaria

water contact disease: leptospirosis (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Guatemalan(s)

adjective: Guatemalan

Ethnic groups:

Mestizo (mixed Amerindian-Spanish - in local Spanish called Ladino) and European 59.4%, K'iche 9.1%, Kaqchikel 8.4%, Mam 7.9%, Q'eqchi 6.3%, other Mayan 8.6%, indigenous non-Mayan 0.2%, other 0.1% (2001 census)

Religions:

Roman Catholic, Protestant, indigenous Mayan beliefs

Languages:

Spanish 60%, Amerindian languages 40% (23 officially recognized
Amerindian languages, including Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi, Mam,
Garifuna, and Xinca)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 69.1%

male: 75.4%

female: 63.3% (2002 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 10 years

male: 11 years

female: 10 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

2.6% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 154

Government ::Guatemala

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Guatemala

conventional short form: Guatemala

local long form: Republica de Guatemala

local short form: Guatemala

Government type:

constitutional democratic republic

Capital:

name: Guatemala City

geographic coordinates: 14 37 N, 90 31 W

time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in April; ends last Friday in September; note - there is no DST planned for 2007-2009

Administrative divisions:

22 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Alta
Verapaz, Baja Verapaz, Chimaltenango, Chiquimula, El Progreso,
Escuintla, Guatemala, Huehuetenango, Izabal, Jalapa, Jutiapa, Peten,
Quetzaltenango, Quiche, Retalhuleu, Sacatepequez, San Marcos, Santa
Rosa, Solola, Suchitepequez, Totonicapan, Zacapa

Independence:

15 September 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution:

31 May 1985, effective 14 January 1986; suspended 25 May 1993; reinstated 5 June 1993; amended November 1993

Legal system:

civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal; note - active duty members of the armed forces may not vote and are restricted to their barracks on election day

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Alvaro COLOM Caballeros (since 14 January 2008); Vice President Jose Rafael ESPADA (since 14 January 2008); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Alvaro COLOM Caballeros (since 14 January 2008); Vice President Jose Rafael ESPADA (since 14 January 2008)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term (may not serve consecutive terms); election last held 9 September 2007; runoff held 4 November 2007 (next to be held September 2011)

election results: Alvaro COLOM Caballeros elected president; percent of vote - Alvaro COLOM Caballeros 52.8%, Otto PEREZ Molina 47.2%

Legislative branch:

unicameral Congress of the Republic or Congreso de la Republica (158 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 9 September 2007 (next to be held in September 2011)

election results: percent of vote by party - UNE 30.4%, GANA 23.4%, PP 18.9%, FRG 9.5%, PU 5.1%, other 12.7%; seats by party - UNE 48, GANA 37, PP 30, FRG 15, PU 8, CASA 5, EG 4, PAN 4, UCN 4, URNG 2, UD 1

Judicial branch:

Constitutional Court or Corte de Constitucionalidad is Guatemala's highest court (five judges are elected for concurrent five-year terms); Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (13 members serve concurrent five-year terms and elect a president of the Court each year from among their number; the president of the Supreme Court of Justice also supervises trial judges around the country, who are named to five-year terms)

Political parties and leaders:

Center of Social Action or CASA [Eduardo SUGER]; Democracy Front or
FRENTE [Alfonso CABRERA]; Democratic Union or UD [Manuel CONDE
Orellana]; Encounter for Guatemala or EG [Nineth MONTENGRO]; Grand
National Alliance or GANA [Alfredo VILLA]; Guatemalan National
Revolutionary Unity or URNG [Hector NUILA]; Guatemalan Republican
Front or FRG [Efrain RIOS Montt]; National Advancement Party or PAN
[Juan Guillermo GUTIERREZ]; National Unity for Hope or UNE [Juan
Jose ALFARO Lemus]; Nationalist Change Union or UCN [Mario ESTRADA];
Patriot Party or PP [Ret. Gen. Otto PEREZ Molina]; Unionista Party
or PU [Fritz GARCIA-GALLONT]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Agrarian Owners Group or UNAGRO; Alliance Against Impunity or AAI;
Committee for Campesino Unity or CUC; Coordinating Committee of
Agricultural, Commercial, Industrial, and Financial Associations or
CACIF; Mutual Support Group or GAM

International organization participation:

BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO
(correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA,
MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, SICA, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL,
WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Francisco VILLAGRAN de Leon

chancery: 2220 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 745-4952

FAX: [1] (202) 745-1908

consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Phoenix, Providence, San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Stephen G. MCFARLAND

embassy: 7-01 Avenida Reforma, Zone 10, Guatemala City

mailing address: APO AA 34024

telephone: [502] 2326-4000

FAX: [502] 2326-4654

Flag description:

three equal vertical bands of light blue (hoist side), white, and light blue, with the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms includes a green and red quetzal (the national bird) and a scroll bearing the inscription LIBERTAD 15 DE SEPTIEMBRE DE 1821 (the original date of independence from Spain) all superimposed on a pair of crossed rifles and a pair of crossed swords and framed by a wreath

Economy ::Guatemala

Economy - overview:

Guatemala is the most populous of the Central American countries with a GDP per capita roughly one-half that of Argentina, Brazil, and Chile. The agricultural sector accounts for about one-tenth of GDP, two-fifths of exports, and half of the labor force. Coffee, sugar, and bananas are the main products, with sugar exports benefiting from increased global demand for ethanol. The 1996 signing of peace accords, which ended 36 years of civil war, removed a major obstacle to foreign investment, and Guatemala since then has pursued important reforms and macroeconomic stabilization. The Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) entered into force in July 2006 and has since spurred increased investment in the export sector, but concerns over security, the lack of skilled workers and poor infrastructure continued to hamper foreign participation. The distribution of income remains highly unequal with more than half of the population below the national poverty line. Other ongoing challenges include increasing government revenues, negotiating further assistance from international donors, curtailing drug trafficking and rampant crime, and narrowing the trade deficit. Given Guatemala's large expatriate community in the United States, it is the top remittance recipient in Central America, with inflows serving as a primary source of foreign income equivalent to nearly two-thirds of exports. Economic growth will slow in 2009 as export demand from US and other Central American markets drop and foreign investment slows amid the global slowdown.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$68.75 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 81 $66.1 billion (2007 est.)

$62.18 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$38.98 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 103 6.3% (2007 est.)

5.4% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$5,300 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 136 $5,200 (2007 est.)

$5,000 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 13.1%

industry: 25%

services: 61.9% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

4.056 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 87

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 50%

industry: 15%

services: 35% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:

3.2% (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 36

Population below poverty line:

56.2% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 1.3%

highest 10%: 42.4% (2006)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

55.1 (2007) country comparison to the world: 13 55.8 (1998)

Investment (gross fixed):

18.6% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 126

Budget:

revenues: $4.693 billion

expenditures: $5.338 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

25.7% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 80 32% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

11.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 163 6.8% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

NA%

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

13.39% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 63 12.84% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$6.106 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 51 $6.227 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$9.7 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 51 $8.928 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$14.82 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 67 $13.96 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

sugarcane, corn, bananas, coffee, beans, cardamom; cattle, sheep, pigs, chickens

Industries:

sugar, textiles and clothing, furniture, chemicals, petroleum, metals, rubber, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:

1.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 118

Electricity - production:

8.425 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 97

Electricity - consumption:

7.115 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 96

Electricity - exports:

131.9 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

8.11 million kWh (2007 est.)

Oil - production:

15,550 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 78

Oil - consumption:

76,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 85

Oil - exports:

21,850 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 89

Oil - imports:

72,440 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 77

Oil - proved reserves:

83.07 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 71

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 102

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 177

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 72

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 173

Natural gas - proved reserves:

2.96 billion cu m (1 January 2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 93

Current account balance:

-$1.932 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 137 -$1.754 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$7.848 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 95 $7.012 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

coffee, sugar, petroleum, apparel, bananas, fruits and vegetables, cardamom

Exports - partners:

US 39.4%, El Salvador 12.6%, Honduras 9.5%, Mexico 6.6%, Nicaragua 4.2%, Costa Rica 4.1% (2008)

Imports:

$13.42 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 87 $12.48 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

fuels, machinery and transport equipment, construction materials, grain, fertilizers, electricity

Imports - partners:

US 36.7%, Mexico 9.7%, China 5.8%, El Salvador 4.8% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$4.471 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 83 $4.139 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$6.5 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 98 $5.908 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

quetzales (GTQ) per US dollar - 7.5895 (2008 est.), 7.6833 (2007), 7.6026 (2006), 7.6339 (2005), 7.9465 (2004)

Communications ::Guatemala

Telephones - main lines in use:

1.449 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 65

Telephones - mobile cellular:

14.949 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 42

Telephone system:

general assessment: fairly modern network centered in the city of Guatemala

domestic: state-owned telecommunications company privatized in the late 1990s opening the way for competition; fixed-line teledensity 11 per 100 persons; fixed-line investments are being concentrated on improving rural connectivity; mobile-cellular teledensity exceeds 100 per 100 persons

international: country code - 502; landing point for both the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) and the SAM-1 fiber optic submarine cable system that together provide connectivity to South and Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and the US; connected to Central American Microwave System; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 130, FM 487, shortwave 15 (2000)

Television broadcast stations:

26 (plus 27 repeaters) (1997)

Internet country code:

.gt

Internet hosts:

132,049 (2009) country comparison to the world: 69

Internet users:

1.96 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 70

Transportation ::Guatemala

Airports:

371 (2009) country comparison to the world: 21

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 13

2,438 to 3,047 m: 3

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 4

under 914 m: 3 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 358

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 84

under 914 m: 270 (2009)

Pipelines:

oil 480 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 332 km country comparison to the world: 120 narrow gauge: 332 km 0.914-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 14,095 km country comparison to the world: 124 paved: 4,863 km (includes 75 km of expressways)

unpaved: 9,232 km (2000)

Waterways:

990 km country comparison to the world: 66 note: 260 km navigable year round; additional 730 km navigable during high-water season (2007)

Ports and terminals:

Puerto Quetzal, Santo Tomas de Castilla

Military ::Guatemala

Military branches:

Army, Navy (includes Marines), Air Force

Military service age and obligation:

all male citizens between the ages of 18 and 50 are liable for military service; conscript service obligation varies from 12 to 24 months; women can serve as officers (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 2,861,696

females age 16-49: 3,062,967 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 2,401,297

females age 16-49: 2,725,572 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 165,910

female: 163,760 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

0.4% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 165

Transnational Issues ::Guatemala

Disputes - international:

annual ministerial meetings under the OAS-initiated Agreement on the Framework for Negotiations and Confidence Building Measures continue to address Guatemalan land and maritime claims in Belize and the Caribbean Sea; the Line of Adjacency created under the 2002 Differendum serves in lieu of the contiguous international boundary to control squatting in the sparsely inhabited rain forests of Belize's border region; Mexico must deal with thousands of impoverished Guatemalans and other Central Americans who cross the porous border looking for work in Mexico and the United States

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

IDPs: undetermined (the UN does not estimate there are any IDPs, although some NGOs estimate over 200,000 IDPs as a result of over three decades of internal conflict that ended in 1996) (2007)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Guatemala is a source, transit, and destination country for Guatemalans and Central Americans trafficked for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor; human trafficking is a significant and growing problem in the country; Guatemalan women and children are trafficked within the country for commercial sexual exploitation, primarily to Mexico and the United States; Guatemalan men, women, and children are also trafficked within the country, and to Mexico and the United States, for forced labor

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - for a second consecutive year, Guatemala is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking in persons, particularly with respect to ensuring that trafficking offenders are appropriately prosecuted for their crimes; while prosecutors initiated trafficking prosecutions, they continued to face problems in court with application of Guatemala's comprehensive anti-trafficking law; the government made modest improvements to its protection efforts, but assistance remained inadequate overall in 2007 (2008)

Illicit drugs:

major transit country for cocaine and heroin; in 2005, cultivated 100 hectares of opium poppy after reemerging as a potential source of opium in 2004; potential production of less than 1 metric ton of pure heroin; marijuana cultivation for mostly domestic consumption; proximity to Mexico makes Guatemala a major staging area for drugs (particularly for cocaine); money laundering is a serious problem; corruption is a major problem

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Guernsey (Europe)

Introduction ::Guernsey

Background:

Guernsey and the other Channel Islands represent the last remnants of the medieval Dukedom of Normandy, which held sway in both France and England. The islands were the only British soil occupied by German troops in World War II. Guernsey is a British crown dependency, but is not part of the UK. However, the UK Government is constitutionally responsible for its defense and international representation.

Geography ::Guernsey

Location:

Western Europe, islands in the English Channel, northwest of France

Geographic coordinates:

49 28 N, 2 35 W

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 78 sq km country comparison to the world: 227 land: 78 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: includes Alderney, Guernsey, Herm, Sark, and some other smaller islands

Area - comparative:

about one-half the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

50 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 3 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm

Climate:

temperate with mild winters and cool summers; about 50% of days are overcast

Terrain:

mostly level with low hills in southwest

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed location on Sark 114 m

Natural resources:

cropland

Land use:

arable land: NA

permanent crops: NA

other: NA

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

NA

Geography - note:

large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port

People ::Guernsey

Population:

65,870 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 203

Age structure:

0-14 years: 14.4% (male 4,793/female 4,668)

15-64 years: 67.5% (male 22,058/female 22,433)

65 years and over: 18.1% (male 5,078/female 6,840) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 42.5 years

male: 41.4 years

female: 43.4 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.21% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 183

Birth rate:

8.46 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 219

Death rate:

10.16 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 61

Net migration rate:

3.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 27

Urbanization:

urban population: 31% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 0.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female

total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 4.47 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 200 male: 4.98 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 3.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 80.77 years country comparison to the world: 12 male: 77.76 years

female: 83.88 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.41 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 193

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Channel Islander(s)

adjective: Channel Islander

Ethnic groups:

UK and Norman-French descent with small percentages from other
European countries

Religions:

Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist, Congregational,
Methodist

Languages:

English, French, Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts

Literacy:

NA

Education expenditures:

NA

Government ::Guernsey

Country name:

conventional long form: Bailiwick of Guernsey

conventional short form: Guernsey

Dependency status:

British crown dependency

Government type:

parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Saint Peter Port

geographic coordinates: 49 27 N, 2 32 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

none (British crown dependency); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 10 parishes including Castel, Forest, Saint Andrew, Saint Martin, Saint Peter Port, Saint Pierre du Bois, Saint Sampson, Saint Saviour, Torteval, Vale

Independence:

none (British crown dependency)

National holiday:

Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)

Constitution:

unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice

Legal system:

the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply; justice is administered by the Royal Court

Suffrage:

16 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Lieutenant Governor Sir Fabian MALBON (since 28 October 2005)

head of government: Chief Minister Lyndon TROTT (since 1 May 2008)

cabinet: Policy Council elected by the States of Deliberation

elections: the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor appointed by the monarch; chief minister is elected by States of Deliberation

election results: Lyndon TROTT elected chief minister, percent of vote of the States of Deliberation NA

Legislative branch:

unicameral States of Deliberation (45 seats; members are elected by popular vote for four years); note - Alderney and Sark have parliaments

elections: last held 23 April 2008 (next to be held in 2012)

election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - all independents

Judicial branch:

Royal Court (judges elected by an electoral college and the bailiff)

Political parties and leaders:

none; all independents

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Stop Traffic Endangering Pedestrian Safety or STEPS; No More Masts
[Colin FALLAIZE]

International organization participation:

UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (British crown dependency)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (British crown dependency)

Flag description:

white with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of England) extending to the edges of the flag and a yellow equal-armed cross of William the Conqueror superimposed on the Saint George cross

Economy ::Guernsey

Economy - overview:

Financial services - banking, fund management, insurance - account for about 23% of employment and about 55% of total income in this tiny, prosperous Channel Island economy. Tourism, manufacturing, and horticulture, mainly tomatoes and cut flowers, have been declining. Financial services, construction, retail, and the public sector have been growing. Light tax and death duties make Guernsey a popular tax haven. The evolving economic integration of the EU nations is changing the environment under which Guernsey operates.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$2.742 billion (2005) country comparison to the world: 176

GDP (official exchange rate):

$2.742 billion (2005)

GDP - real growth rate:

3% (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 125

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$44,600 (2005) country comparison to the world: 13

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 3%

industry: 10%

services: 87% (2000)

Labor force:

31,470 (March 2006) country comparison to the world: 196

Unemployment rate:

0.9% (March 2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 5

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $563.6 million

expenditures: $530.9 million (2005)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3.4% (June 2006) country comparison to the world: 46

Agriculture - products:

tomatoes, greenhouse flowers, sweet peppers, eggplant, fruit; Guernsey cattle

Industries:

tourism, banking

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

NA kWh

Electricity - consumption:

NA kWh

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2002)

Exports:

$NA

Exports - commodities:

tomatoes, flowers and ferns, sweet peppers, eggplant, other vegetables

Imports:

$NA

Imports - commodities:

coal, gasoline, oil, machinery and equipment

Debt - external:

$NA

Exchange rates:

Guernsey pound 0.5302 (2008 est.), 0.4993 (2007), 0.5418 (2006), 0.5493 (2005), 0.5462 (2004)

note: the Guernsey pound is at par with the British pound

Communications ::Guernsey

Telephones - main lines in use:

45,100 (2008) country comparison to the world: 166

Telephones - mobile cellular:

43,800 (2004) country comparison to the world: 197

Telephone system:

general assessment: NA

domestic: fixed-line and mobile-cellular services widely available; combined fixed and mobile-cellular density exceeds 100 per 100 persons

international: 1 submarine cable

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (1997)

Internet country code:

.gg

Internet hosts:

174 (2009) country comparison to the world: 191

Internet users:

46,100 (2008) country comparison to the world: 172

Transportation ::Guernsey

Airports:

2 (2009) country comparison to the world: 209

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Ports and terminals:

Saint Peter Port, Saint Sampson

Military ::Guernsey

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 12,447

females age 16-49: 12,566 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 362

female: 351 (2009 est.)

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues ::Guernsey

Disputes - international:

none

page last updated on October 28, 2009

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

@Guinea (Africa)

Introduction ::Guinea

Background:

Guinea has had a history of authoritarian rule since gaining its independence from France in 1958. Lansana CONTE came to power in 1984 when the military seized the government after the death of the first president, Sekou TOURE. Guinea did not hold democratic elections until 1993 when Gen. CONTE (head of the military government) was elected president of the civilian government. He was reelected in 1998 and again in 2003, though all the polls were marred by irregularities. History repeated itself in December 2008 when following President CONTE's death, Capt. Moussa Dadis CAMARA led a military coup, seizing power and suspending the constitution as well as political and union activity. Guinea has maintained some semblance of internal stability despite spillover effects from conflict in Sierra Leone and Liberia. As those countries have rebuilt, however, Guinea's own vulnerability to political and economic crisis has increased. Declining economic conditions and popular dissatisfaction with corruption and bad governance prompted two massive strikes in 2006, and a third nationwide strike in early 2007.

Geography ::Guinea

Location:

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone

Geographic coordinates:

11 00 N, 10 00 W

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 245,857 sq km country comparison to the world: 78 land: 245,717 sq km

water: 140 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Oregon

Land boundaries:

total: 3,399 km

border countries: Cote d'Ivoire 610 km, Guinea-Bissau 386 km, Liberia 563 km, Mali 858 km, Senegal 330 km, Sierra Leone 652 km

Coastline:

320 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May) with northeasterly harmattan winds

Terrain:

generally flat coastal plain, hilly to mountainous interior

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mont Nimba 1,752 m

Natural resources:

bauxite, iron ore, diamonds, gold, uranium, hydropower, fish, salt

Land use:

arable land: 4.47%

permanent crops: 2.64%

other: 92.89% (2005)

Irrigated land:

950 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

226 cu km (1987)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 1.51 cu km/yr (8%/2%/90%)

per capita: 161 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; inadequate supplies of potable water; desertification; soil contamination and erosion; overfishing, overpopulation in forest region; poor mining practices have led to environmental damage

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

the Niger and its important tributary the Milo have their sources in the Guinean highlands

People ::Guinea

Population:

10,057,975 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 81

Age structure:

0-14 years: 42.8% (male 2,175,852/female 2,128,518)

15-64 years: 53.7% (male 2,701,184/female 2,704,161)

65 years and over: 3.5% (male 153,053/female 195,207) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 18.5 years

male: 18.2 years

female: 18.7 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.572% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 30

Birth rate:

37.52 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 27

Death rate:

11 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 46

Net migration rate:

-0.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 118

Urbanization:

urban population: 34% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 3.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 65.22 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 31 male: 68.7 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 61.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 57.09 years country comparison to the world: 189 male: 55.63 years

female: 58.6 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

5.2 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 23

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

1.6% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 38

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

87,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 48

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

4,500 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 46

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever

water contact disease: schistosomiasis

animal contact disease: rabies

aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: Lassa fever (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Guinean(s)

adjective: Guinean

Ethnic groups:

Peuhl 40%, Malinke 30%, Soussou 20%, smaller ethnic groups 10%

Religions:

Muslim 85%, Christian 8%, indigenous beliefs 7%

Languages:

French (official); note - each ethnic group has its own language

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 29.5%

male: 42.6%

female: 18.1% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 8 years

male: 10 years

female: 7 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

1.6% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 173

Government ::Guinea

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Guinea

conventional short form: Guinea

local long form: Republique de Guinee

local short form: Guinee

former: French Guinea

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Conakry

geographic coordinates: 9 33 N, 13 42 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

33 prefectures and 1 special zone (zone special)*; Beyla, Boffa,
Boke, Conakry*, Coyah, Dabola, Dalaba, Dinguiraye, Dubreka, Faranah,
Forecariah, Fria, Gaoual, Gueckedou, Kankan, Kerouane, Kindia,
Kissidougou, Koubia, Koundara, Kouroussa, Labe, Lelouma, Lola,
Macenta, Mali, Mamou, Mandiana, Nzerekore, Pita, Siguiri, Telimele,
Tougue, Yomou

Independence:

2 October 1958 (from France)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 2 October (1958)

Constitution:

23 December 1990 (Loi Fundamentale)

Legal system:

based on French civil law system, customary law, and decree; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Capt. Moussa Dadis CAMARA, President of the National Council for Democracy and Development, who led a military coup following the death of President Lansana CONTE on 22 December 2008

head of government: Prime Minister Kabine KOMARA (since 30 December 2008)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (no term limits); candidate must receive a majority of the votes cast to be elected president; election last held 21 December 2003 (ad hoc election scheduled for 31 January 2010); the prime minister is appointed by the president

election results: Lansana CONTE reelected president; percent of vote - Lansana CONTE 95.3%, Mamadou Bhoye BARRY 4.6%

Legislative branch:

unicameral People's National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale Populaire (114 seats; members are elected by a mixed system of direct popular vote and proportional party lists)

elections: last held 30 June 2002 (legislative elections due in 2007 were first rescheduled for 2008 and subsequently rescheduled for 26 March 2010)

election results: percent of vote by party - PUP 61.6%, UPR 26.6%, other 11.8%; seats by party - PUP 85, UPR 20, other 9

Judicial branch:

Court of First Instance or Tribunal de Premiere Instance; Court of
Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Political parties and leaders:

National Union for Progress or UPN [Mamadou Bhoye BARRY]; Party for Unity and Progress or PUP (the governing party) [Sekou KONATE]; People's Party of Guinea or PPG [Charles Pascal TOLNO]; Rally for the Guinean People or RPG [Alpha CONDE]; Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea or UFDG [Cellou Dalein DIALLO]; Union of Republican Forces or UFR [Sidya TOURE]; Union for Progress of Guinea or UPG [Jean-Marie DORE, secretary-general]; Union for Progress and Renewal or UPR [Ousmane BAH]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

National Confederation of Guinean Workers-Labor Union of Guinean
Workers or CNTG-USTG Alliance (includes National Confederation of
Guinean Workers or CNTG [Rabiatou Sarah DIALLO] and Labor Union of
Guinean Workers or USTG [Dr. Ibrahima FOFANA]); National Council of
Civil Society Organizations of Guinea or CNOSCG [Ben Sekou SYLLA];
Syndicate of Guinean Teachers and Researchers or SLECG [Dr. Louis
M'Bemba SOUMAH]

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO
(correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM, OIC, OIF,
OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU,
WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Mory Karamoko KABA

chancery: 2112 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 986-4300

FAX: [1] (202) 483-8688

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Elizabeth RASPOLIC

embassy: Koloma, Conakry, east of Hamdallaye Circle

mailing address: B. P. 603, Transversale No. 2, Centre Administratif de Koloma, Commune de Ratoma, Conakry

telephone: [224] 65-10-40-00

FAX: [224] 65-10-42-97

Flag description:

three equal vertical bands of red (hoist side), yellow, and green; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Economy ::Guinea

Economy - overview:

Guinea possesses major mineral, hydropower, and agricultural resources, yet remains an underdeveloped nation. The country has almost half of the world's bauxite reserves. The mining sector accounts for more than 70% of exports. Long-run improvements in government fiscal arrangements, literacy, and the legal framework are needed if the country is to move out of poverty. Investor confidence has been sapped by rampant corruption, a lack of electricity and other infrastructure, a lack of skilled workers, and the political uncertainty because of the death of President Lansana CONTE in December 2008. Guinea is trying to reengage with the IMF and World Bank, which cut off most assistance in 2003, and is working closely with technical advisors from the U.S. Treasury Department, the World Bank and IMF, seeking to return to a fully funded program. Growth rose slightly in 2006-08, primarily due to increases in global demand and commodity prices on world markets, but the standard of living fell. The Guinea franc depreciated sharply as the prices for basic necessities like food and fuel rose beyond the reach of most Guineans. Dissatisfaction with economic conditions prompted nationwide strikes in February and June 2006.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$10.62 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 147 $10.17 billion (2007 est.)

$10.02 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$4.517 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

4.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 97 1.5% (2007 est.)

2.2% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,100 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 208 $1,100 (2007 est.)

$1,100 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 23.2%

industry: 39.5%

services: 37.3% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

4.392 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 82

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 76%

industry and services: 24% (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate:

NA%

Population below poverty line:

47% (2006 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 1.9%

highest 10%: 41% (2006)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

38.1 (2006) country comparison to the world: 73 40.3 (1994)

Investment (gross fixed):

12.3% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 143

Budget:

revenues: $769.7 million

expenditures: $837.7 million (2008 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

15% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 190 23.4% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

NA% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 5 22.25% (31 December 2005)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

NA%

Stock of money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$309.8 million (31 December 2005)

Stock of quasi money:

$NA

Stock of domestic credit:

$422.1 million (31 December 2005)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

rice, coffee, pineapples, palm kernels, cassava (tapioca), bananas, sweet potatoes; cattle, sheep, goats; timber

Industries:

bauxite, gold, diamonds, iron; alumina refining; light manufacturing, and agricultural processing

Industrial production growth rate:

7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 29

Electricity - production:

850 million kWh country comparison to the world: 149 note: excludes electricity generated at interior mining sites (2007 est.)

Electricity - consumption:

790.5 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 150

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 191

Oil - consumption:

9,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 150

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 198

Oil - imports:

8,674 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 141

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 165

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 101

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 176

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 71

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 172

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 173

Current account balance:

-$489 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 105 -$463 million (2007 est.)

Exports:

$1.392 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 142 $1.203 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

bauxite, alumina, gold, diamonds, coffee, fish, agricultural products

Exports - partners:

India 28.9%, Spain 10%, Russia 9.5%, Germany 6.7%, US 5.8%, Ireland 4.2%, France 4.1% (2008)

Imports:

$1.389 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 162 $1.218 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

petroleum products, metals, machinery, transport equipment, textiles, grain and other foodstuffs

Imports - partners:

China 9.6%, France 7.8%, Netherlands 7.6% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$93 million (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 149 $86 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$3.222 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 119 $3.351 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

Guinean francs (GNF) per US dollar - 5,500 (2008 est.), 4,122.8 (2007), 5,350 (2006), 3,644.3 (2005), 2,225 (2004)

Communications ::Guinea

Telephones - main lines in use:

50,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 163

Telephones - mobile cellular:

2.6 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 113

Telephone system:

general assessment: inadequate system of open-wire lines, small radiotelephone communication stations, and new microwave radio relay system

domestic: Conakry reasonably well served; coverage elsewhere remains inadequate and large companies tend to rely on their own systems for nationwide links; fixed-line density less than 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular subscribership is expanding and is roughly 25 per 100 persons

international: country code - 224; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 0, FM 5, shortwave 3 (2006)

Television broadcast stations:

6 (2001)

Internet country code:

.gn

Internet hosts:

14 (2009) country comparison to the world: 218

Internet users:

90,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 157

Transportation ::Guinea

Airports:

17 (2009) country comparison to the world: 141

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 5

over 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 12

1,524 to 2,437 m: 7

914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Railways:

total: 1,185 km country comparison to the world: 86 standard gauge: 238 km 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge: 947 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 44,348 km country comparison to the world: 82 paved: 4,342 km

unpaved: 40,006 km (2003)

Waterways:

1,300 km (navigable by shallow-draft native craft) (2008) country comparison to the world: 57

Ports and terminals:

Conakry, Kamsar

Military ::Guinea

Military branches:

National Armed Forces: Army, Navy (Armee de Mer or Marine Guineenne, includes Marines), Air Force (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18-25 years of age for compulsory or voluntary military service; 18-month conscript service obligation (2009)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 2,230,049

females age 16-49: 2,193,236 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,396,278

females age 16-49: 1,435,387 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 110,281

female: 107,879 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.7% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 97

Transnational Issues ::Guinea

Disputes - international:

conflicts among rebel groups, warlords, and youth gangs in neighboring states have spilled over into Guinea, resulting in domestic instability; Sierra Leone considers Guinea's definition of the flood plain limits to define the left bank boundary of the Makona and Moa rivers excessive and protests Guinea's continued occupation of these lands, including the hamlet of Yenga, occupied since 1998

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 21,856 (Liberia); 5,259 (Sierra Leone); 3,900 (Cote d'Ivoire)

IDPs: 19,000 (cross-border incursions from Cote d'Ivoire, Liberia,
Sierra Leone) (2007)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Guinea is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and sexual exploitation; the majority of victims are children, and internal trafficking is more prevalent than transnational trafficking; within the country, girls are trafficked primarily for domestic servitude and sexual exploitation, while boys are trafficked for forced agricultural labor, and as forced beggars, street vendors, shoe shiners, and laborers in gold and diamond mines; some Guinean men are also trafficked for agricultural labor within Guinea; transnationally, girls are trafficked into Guinea for domestic servitude and likely also for sexual exploitation

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Guinea is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking over 2006; Guinea demonstrated minimal law enforcement efforts for a second year in a row, while protection efforts diminished over efforts in 2006; the government did not report any trafficking convictions in 2007; due to a lack of resources, the government does not provide shelter services for trafficking victims; the government took no measures to reduce the demand for commercial sexual exploitation (2008)

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Guinea-Bissau (Africa)

Introduction ::Guinea-Bissau

Background:

Since independence from Portugal in 1974, Guinea-Bissau has experienced considerable political and military upheaval. In 1980, a military coup established authoritarian dictator Joao Bernardo 'Nino' VIEIRA as president. Despite setting a path to a market economy and multiparty system, VIEIRA's regime was characterized by the suppression of political opposition and the purging of political rivals. Several coup attempts through the 1980s and early 1990s failed to unseat him. In 1994 VIEIRA was elected president in the country's first free elections. A military mutiny and resulting civil war in 1998 eventually led to VIEIRA's ouster in May 1999. In February 2000, a transitional government turned over power to opposition leader Kumba YALA, after he was elected president in transparent polling. In September 2003, after only three years in office, YALA was ousted by the military in a bloodless coup, and businessman Henrique ROSA was sworn in as interim president. In 2005, former President VIEIRA was re-elected president pledging to pursue economic development and national reconciliation. He was assassinated in March 2009; new elections are to take place in June 2009.

Geography ::Guinea-Bissau

Location:

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea and Senegal

Geographic coordinates:

12 00 N, 15 00 W

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 36,125 sq km country comparison to the world: 137 land: 28,120 sq km

water: 8,005 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly less than three times the size of Connecticut

Land boundaries:

total: 724 km

border countries: Guinea 386 km, Senegal 338 km

Coastline:

350 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May) with northeasterly harmattan winds

Terrain:

mostly low coastal plain rising to savanna in east

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed location in the northeast corner of the country 300 m

Natural resources:

fish, timber, phosphates, bauxite, clay, granite, limestone, unexploited deposits of petroleum

Land use:

arable land: 8.31%

permanent crops: 6.92%

other: 84.77% (2005)

Irrigated land:

250 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

31 cu km (2003)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.18 cu km/yr (13%/5%/82%)

per capita: 113 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season; brush fires

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; overfishing

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

this small country is swampy along its western coast and low-lying inland

People ::Guinea-Bissau

Population:

1,533,964 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 150

Age structure:

0-14 years: 40.8% (male 312,253/female 313,609)

15-64 years: 56.1% (male 414,924/female 445,639)

65 years and over: 3.1% (male 19,191/female 28,348) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 19.3 years

male: 18.7 years

female: 19.8 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.019% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 58

Birth rate:

35.97 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 34

Death rate:

15.79 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 19

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 84

Urbanization:

urban population: 30% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 3.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female

total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 99.82 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 10 male: 109.89 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 89.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 47.9 years country comparison to the world: 210 male: 46.07 years

female: 49.79 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

4.65 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 37

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

1.8% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 34

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

16,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 84

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

1,100 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 70

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever

water contact disease: schistosomiasis

animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Guinean(s)

adjective: Guinean

Ethnic groups:

African 99% (includes Balanta 30%, Fula 20%, Manjaca 14%, Mandinga 13%, Papel 7%), European and mulatto less than 1%

Religions:

Muslim 50%, indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 10%

Languages:

Portuguese (official), Crioulo, African languages

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 42.4%

male: 58.1%

female: 27.4% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 5 years

male: 7 years

female: 4 years (2001)

Education expenditures:

5.2% of GDP (1999) country comparison to the world: 60

Government ::Guinea-Bissau

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Guinea-Bissau

conventional short form: Guinea-Bissau

local long form: Republica da Guine-Bissau

local short form: Guine-Bissau

former: Portuguese Guinea

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Bissau

geographic coordinates: 11 51 N, 15 35 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

9 regions (regioes, singular - regiao); Bafata, Biombo, Bissau, Bolama, Cacheu, Gabu, Oio, Quinara, Tombali; note - Bolama may have been renamed Bolama/Bijagos

Independence:

24 September 1973 (declared); 10 September 1974 (from Portugal)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 24 September (1973)

Constitution:

16 May 1984; amended 4 May 1991, 4 December 1991, 26 February 1993, 9 June 1993, and in 1996

Legal system:

based on French civil law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Malam Bacai SANHA (since 8 September 2009)

head of government: Prime Minister Carlos GOMES Junior (since 25 December 2008)

cabinet: NA

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (no term limits); election last held 28 June 2009 with a runoff between the two leading candidates held on 26 July 2009 (next to be held by 2014); prime minister appointed by the president after consultation with party leaders in the legislature

election results: Malam Bacai SANHA elected president; percent of vote, second ballot - Malam Bacai SANHA 63.5%, Kumba YALA 36.5%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National People's Assembly or Assembleia Nacional Popular (100 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 16 November 2008 (next to be held 2012)

election results: percent of vote by party - PAIGC 49.8%, PRS 25.3%, PRID 7.5%, PND 2.4%, AD 1.4%, other parties 13.6%; seats by party - PAIGC 67, PRS 28, PRID 3, PND 1, AD 1

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal da Justica (consists of nine justices appointed by the president and serve at his pleasure; final court of appeals in criminal and civil cases); Regional Courts (one in each of nine regions; first court of appeals for Sectoral Court decisions; hear all felony cases and civil cases valued at more than $1,000); 24 Sectoral Courts (judges are not necessarily trained lawyers; they hear civil cases valued at less than $1,000 and misdemeanor criminal cases)

Political parties and leaders:

African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde
or PAIGC [Carlos GOMES Junior]; Party for Social Renewal or PRS
[Kumba YALA]; Democratic Alliance or AD [Victor MANDINGA];
Democratic Social Front or FDS [Rafael BARBOSA]; Electoral Union or
UE [Joaquim BALDE]; Guinea-Bissau Civic Forum/Social Democracy or
FCGSD [Antonieta Rosa GOMES]; Guinea-Bissau Democratic Party or PDG;
Guinea-Bissau Socialist Democratic Party or PDSG [Serifo BALDE];
Labor and Solidarity Party or PST [Iancuba INDJAI]; New Democracy
Party or PND; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Victor
MANDINGA]; Party for Renewal and Progress or PRP; Progress Party or
PP; Republican Party for Independence and Development or PRID
[Aristides GOMES]; Union for Change or UM [Amine SAAD]; Union of
Guinean Patriots or UPG [Francisca VAZ]; United Platform or UP
(coalition formed by PCD, FDS, FLING, and RGB-MB); United Popular
Alliance or APU; United Social Democratic Party or PUSD [Frnacisco
FADUL]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, AU, CPLP, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional),
WAEMU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: none; note - Guinea-Bissau does not have official representation in Washington, DC

Diplomatic representation from the US:

the US Embassy suspended operations on 14 June 1998 in the midst of violent conflict between forces loyal to then President VIEIRA and military-led junta; the US Ambassador to Senegal is accredited to Guinea-Bissau

Flag description:

two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and green with a vertical red band on the hoist side; there is a black five-pointed star centered in the red band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Economy ::Guinea-Bissau

Economy - overview:

One of the five poorest countries in the world, Guinea-Bissau depends mainly on farming and fishing. Cashew crops have increased remarkably in recent years, and the country now ranks fifth in cashew production. Guinea-Bissau exports fish and seafood along with small amounts of peanuts, palm kernels, and timber. Rice is the major crop and staple food. However, intermittent fighting between Senegalese-backed government troops and a military junta destroyed much of the country's infrastructure and caused widespread damage to the economy in 1998; the civil war led to a 28% drop in GDP that year, with partial recovery in 1999-2002. Before the war, trade reform and price liberalization were the most successful part of the country's structural adjustment program under IMF sponsorship. The tightening of monetary policy and the development of the private sector had also begun to reinvigorate the economy. Because of high costs, the development of petroleum, phosphate, and other mineral resources is not a near-term prospect. Offshore oil prospecting is underway in several sectors but has not yet led to commercially viable crude deposits. The inequality of income distribution is one of the most extreme in the world. The government and international donors continue to work out plans to forward economic development from a lamentably low base. In December 2003, the World Bank, IMF, and UNDP were forced to step in to provide emergency budgetary support in the amount of $107 million for 2004, representing over 80% of the total national budget. Government drift and indecision, however, resulted in continued low growth in 2002-06. Higher raw material prices boosted growth in 2007 and 2008.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$896.5 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 205 $867.9 million (2007 est.)

$845.1 million (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$461 million (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

3.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 116 2.7% (2007 est.)

0.6% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$600 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 224 $600 (2007 est.)

$600 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 62%

industry: 12%

services: 26% (1999 est.)

Labor force:

632,700 (2007) country comparison to the world: 147

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 82%

industry and services: 18% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:

NA%

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.9%

highest 10%: 28% (2002)

Budget:

revenues: $NA

expenditures: $NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3.8% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 60

Central bank discount rate:

4.75% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 120 4.25% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$142.5 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$12.04 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$46.44 million (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

rice, corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), cashew nuts, peanuts, palm kernels, cotton; timber; fish

Industries:

agricultural products processing, beer, soft drinks

Industrial production growth rate:

4.7% (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 55

Electricity - production:

65 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 196

Electricity - consumption:

60.45 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 196

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 140

Oil - consumption:

3,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 177

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 145

Oil - imports:

2,545 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 172

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 142

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 140

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 151

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 130

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 143

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 144

Current account balance:

-$6 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 63

Exports:

$133 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 186

Exports - commodities:

cashew nuts, shrimp, peanuts, palm kernels, sawn lumber

Exports - partners:

India 56.8%, Nigeria 35.6%, Pakistan 1.2% (2008)

Imports:

$200 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 200

Imports - commodities:

foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, petroleum products

Imports - partners:

Portugal 24.5%, Senegal 17.2%, Pakistan 4.8%, France 4.6% (2008)

Debt - external:

$941.5 million (2000 est.) country comparison to the world: 155

Exchange rates:

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 447.81 (2008 est.), 493.51 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004)

note: since 1 January 1999, the West African CFA franc (XOF) has been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 CFA francs per euro; West African CFA franc (XOF) coins and banknotes are not accepted in countries using Central African CFA francs (XAF), and vice versa, even though the two currencies trade at par

Communications ::Guinea-Bissau

Telephones - main lines in use:

4,600 (2008) country comparison to the world: 214

Telephones - mobile cellular:

500,200 (2008) country comparison to the world: 155

Telephone system:

general assessment: small system

domestic: combination of microwave radio relay, open-wire lines, radiotelephone, and cellular communications; fixed-line teledensity less than 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity approached 35 per 100 in 2008

international: country code - 245 (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1 (transmitter out of service), FM 4, shortwave 0 (2001)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (2007)

Internet country code:

.gw

Internet hosts:

82 (2009) country comparison to the world: 202

Internet users:

37,100 (2008) country comparison to the world: 176

Transportation ::Guinea-Bissau

Airports:

9 (2009) country comparison to the world: 160

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 2

over 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 7

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m: 3 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 3,455 km country comparison to the world: 162 paved: 965 km

unpaved: 2,490 km (2002)

Waterways:

rivers are navigable for some distance; many inlets and creeks give shallow-water access to much of interior (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Bissau, Buba, Cacheu, Farim

Military ::Guinea-Bissau

Military branches:

People's Revolutionary Armed Force (FARP): Army, Navy, Air Force; paramilitary force

Military service age and obligation:

18-25 years of age for selective compulsory military service; 16 years of age or younger with parental consent, for voluntary service (2009)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 344,087

females age 16-49: 347,886 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 194,110

females age 16-49: 200,660 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 16,957

female: 17,172 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

3.1% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 44

Transnational Issues ::Guinea-Bissau

Disputes - international:

in 2006, political instability within Senegal's Casamance region resulted in thousands of Senegalese refugees, cross-border raids, and arms smuggling into Guinea-Bissau

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 7,454 (Senegal) (2007)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Guinea-Bissau is a source country for children trafficked primarily for forced begging and forced agricultural labor to other West African countries

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - for the second year in a row, Guinea-Bissau is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to combat severe forms of trafficking in persons, as evidenced by the continued failure to pass an anti-trafficking law and inadequate efforts to investigate or prosecute trafficking crimes or convict and punish trafficking offenders (2008)

Illicit drugs:

increasingly important transit country for South American cocaine enroute to Europe; enabling environment for trafficker operations thanks to pervasive corruption; archipelago-like geography around the capital facilitates drug smuggling

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Guyana (South America)

Introduction ::Guyana

Background:

Originally a Dutch colony in the 17th century, by 1815 Guyana had become a British possession. The abolition of slavery led to black settlement of urban areas and the importation of indentured servants from India to work the sugar plantations. This ethnocultural divide has persisted and has led to turbulent politics. Guyana achieved independence from the UK in 1966, and since then it has been ruled mostly by socialist-oriented governments. In 1992, Cheddi JAGAN was elected president in what is considered the country's first free and fair election since independence. After his death five years later, his wife, Janet JAGAN, became president but resigned in 1999 due to poor health. Her successor, Bharrat JAGDEO, was reelected in 2001 and again in 2006.

Geography ::Guyana

Location:

Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
Suriname and Venezuela

Geographic coordinates:

5 00 N, 59 00 W

Map references:

South America

Area:

total: 214,969 sq km country comparison to the world: 84 land: 196,849 sq km

water: 18,120 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Idaho

Land boundaries:

total: 2,949 km

border countries: Brazil 1,606 km, Suriname 600 km, Venezuela 743 km

Coastline:

459 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the outer edge of the continental margin

Climate:

tropical; hot, humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; two rainy seasons (May to August, November to January)

Terrain:

mostly rolling highlands; low coastal plain; savanna in south

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mount Roraima 2,835 m

Natural resources:

bauxite, gold, diamonds, hardwood timber, shrimp, fish

Land use:

arable land: 2.23%

permanent crops: 0.14%

other: 97.63% (2005)

Irrigated land:

1,500 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

241 cu km (2000)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 1.64 cu km/yr (2%/1%/98%)

per capita: 2,187 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

flash floods are a constant threat during rainy seasons

Environment - current issues:

water pollution from sewage and agricultural and industrial chemicals; deforestation

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

the third-smallest country in South America after Suriname and Uruguay; substantial portions of its western and eastern territories are claimed by Venezuela and Suriname respectively

People ::Guyana

Population:

772,298 country comparison to the world: 160 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 25.7% (male 101,319/female 97,505)

15-64 years: 68.7% (male 268,058/female 262,595)

65 years and over: 5.5% (male 17,938/female 24,883) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 28.7 years

male: 28.2 years

female: 29.2 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.181% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 185

Birth rate:

17.56 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 117

Death rate:

8.31 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 102

Net migration rate:

-7.44 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 172

Urbanization:

urban population: 28% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 0% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 29.65 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 76 male: 33.02 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 26.11 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 66.68 years country comparison to the world: 157 male: 64.09 years

female: 69.4 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.03 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 127

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

2.5% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 26

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

13,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 94

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 1,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 74

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria

water contact disease: leptospirosis (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Guyanese (singular and plural)

adjective: Guyanese

Ethnic groups:

East Indian 43.5%, black (African) 30.2%, mixed 16.7%, Amerindian 9.1%, other 0.5% (2002 census)

Religions:

Hindu 28.4%, Pentecostal 16.9%, Roman Catholic 8.1%, Anglican 6.9%, Seventh Day Adventist 5%, Methodist 1.7%, Jehovah Witness 1.1%, other Christian 17.7%, Muslim 7.2%, other 4.3%, none 4.3% (2002 census)

Languages:

English, Amerindian dialects, Creole, Caribbean Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Urdu

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school

total population: 98.8%

male: 99.1%

female: 98.5% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 13 years

male: 13 years

female: 14 years (2005)

Education expenditures:

8.3% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 13

Government ::Guyana

Country name:

conventional long form: Cooperative Republic of Guyana

conventional short form: Guyana

former: British Guiana

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Georgetown

geographic coordinates: 6 48 N, 58 10 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

10 regions; Barima-Waini, Cuyuni-Mazaruni, Demerara-Mahaica, East
Berbice-Corentyne, Essequibo Islands-West Demerara, Mahaica-Berbice,
Pomeroon-Supenaam, Potaro-Siparuni, Upper Demerara-Berbice, Upper
Takutu-Upper Essequibo

Independence:

26 May 1966 (from the UK)

National holiday:

Republic Day, 23 February (1970)

Constitution:

6 October 1980

Legal system:

based on English common law with certain admixtures of Roman-Dutch law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Bharrat JAGDEO (since 11 August 1999); note - assumed presidency after resignation of President Janet JAGAN and was reelected in 2001, and again in 2006

head of government: Prime Minister Samuel HINDS (since October 1992, except for a period as chief of state after the death of President Cheddi JAGAN on 6 March 1997)

cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president, responsible to the legislature

elections: president elected by popular vote as leader of a party list in parliamentary elections, which must be held at least every five years (no term limits); elections last held 28 August 2006 (next to be held by August 2011); prime minister appointed by the president

election results: President Bharrat JAGDEO reelected; percent of vote 54.6%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly (65 seats; members elected by popular vote, also not more than 4 non-elected non-voting ministers and 2 non-elected non-voting parliamentary secretaries appointed by the president; to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 28 August 2006 (next to be held by August 2011)

election results: percent of vote by party - PPP/C 54.6%, PNC/R 34%, AFC 8.1%, other 3.3%; seats by party - PPP/C 36, PNC/R 22, AFC 5, other 2

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court of Judicature, consisting of the High Court and the Court of Appeal, with right of final appeal to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ)

Political parties and leaders:

Alliance for Change or AFC [Raphael TROTMAN and Khemraj RAMJATTAN];
Guyana Action Party or GAP [Paul HARDY]; Justice for All Party [C.N.
SHARMA]; People's National Congress/Reform or PNC/R [Robert Herman
Orlando CORBIN]; People's Progressive Party/Civic or PPP/C [Bharrat
JAGDEO]; Rise, Organize, and Rebuild or ROAR [Ravi DEV]; The United
Force or TUF [Manzoor NADIR]; The Unity Party [Joey JAGAN]; Vision
Guyana [Peter RAMSAROOP]; Working People's Alliance or WPA [Rupert
ROOPNARAINE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Amerindian People's Association; Guyana Bar Association; Guyana
Citizens Initiative; Guyana Human Rights Association; Guyana Public
Service Union or GPSU; Private Sector Commission; Trades Union
Congress

International organization participation:

ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO
(subscriber), ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OIC, OPANAL, OPCW,
PCA, RG, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Bayney KARRAN

chancery: 2490 Tracy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 265-6900

FAX: [1] (202) 232-1297

consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador John Melvin JONES

embassy: US Embassy, 100 Young and Duke Streets, Kingston, Georgetown

mailing address: P. O. Box 10507, Georgetown; US Embassy, 3170 Georgetown Place, Washington DC 20521-3170

telephone: [592] 225-4900 through 4909

FAX: [592] 225-8497

Flag description:

green, with a red isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) superimposed on a long, yellow arrowhead; there is a narrow, black border between the red and yellow, and a narrow, white border between the yellow and the green

Economy ::Guyana

Economy - overview:

The Guyanese economy exhibited moderate economic growth in recent years and is based largely on agriculture and extractive industries. The economy is heavily dependent upon the export of six commodities - sugar, gold, bauxite, shrimp, timber, and rice - which represent nearly 60% of the country's GDP and are highly susceptible to adverse weather conditions and fluctuations in commodity prices. Economic recovery since the 2005 flood-related contraction has been buoyed by increases in remittances and foreign direct investment in the sugar and rice industries as well as the mining sector. The bauxite mining sector should benefit in the near term from restructuring and partial privatization, and the state-owned sugar industry will conduct efficiency increasing modernizations. Export earnings from agriculture and mining have remained flat as rising commodity prices have offset declining production, while the import bill has risen, driven by higher energy costs. Chronic problems include a shortage of skilled labor and a deficient infrastructure. The government is juggling a sizable external debt against the urgent need for expanded public investment. In March 2007, the Inter-American Development Bank, Guyana's principal donor, canceled Guyana's nearly $470 million debt, equivalent to nearly 48% of GDP, which along with other Highly Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) debt forgiveness brought the debt-to-GDP ratio down from 183% in 2006 to 120% in 2007. Guyana became heavily indebted as a result of the inward-looking, state-led development model pursued in the 1970s and 1980s. Guyana's entrance into the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME) in January 2006 has broadened the country's export market, primarily in the raw materials sector.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$2.973 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 174 $2.887 billion (2007 est.)

$2.739 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$1.154 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 126 5.4% (2007 est.)

5.1% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$3,900 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 156 $3,800 (2007 est.)

$3,600 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 24.9%

industry: 24.9%

services: 50.2% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

333,900 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 159

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Unemployment rate:

11% (2007) country comparison to the world: 131

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 1.3%

highest 10%: 33.8% (1999)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

43.2 (1999) country comparison to the world: 50

Investment (gross fixed):

35.3% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 8

Budget:

revenues: $488.7 million

expenditures: $552.6 million (2008 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

8.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 131 12.3% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

6.75% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 66 6.5% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

14.58% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 48 14.61% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$344.2 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 100 $315.2 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$817.6 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 99 $728.8 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$829.4 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 110 $739.3 million (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 105 $262.4 million (31 December 2007)

$187.4 million (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

sugarcane, rice, shrimp, fish, edible oils; beef, pork, poultry

Industries:

bauxite, sugar, rice milling, timber, textiles, gold mining

Industrial production growth rate:

2.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 99

Electricity - production:

821 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 152

Electricity - consumption:

667 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 152

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 190

Oil - consumption:

11,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 147

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 197

Oil - imports:

10,550 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 138

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 164

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 100

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 175

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 70

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 171

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 172

Current account balance:

-$362 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 100 -$165.7 million (2007 est.)

Exports:

$797 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 155 $674.9 million (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

sugar, gold, bauxite, alumina, rice, shrimp, molasses, rum, timber

Exports - partners:

Canada 20.8%, US 15.2%, UK 12.3%, Netherlands 7.2%, Portugal 4.7%,
Trinidad and Tobago 4.7%, Jamaica 4.5%, Ukraine 4.3% (2008)

Imports:

$1.294 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 167 $982.9 million (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

manufactures, machinery, petroleum, food

Imports - partners:

US 23.4%, Trinidad and Tobago 22.3%, Finland 7.7%, Cuba 6.1%, China 5.7% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$355.9 million (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 140 $313 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$804.3 million (30 September 2008) country comparison to the world: 157 $1.2 billion (2002)

Exchange rates:

Guyanese dollars (GYD) per US dollar - 203.86 (2008 est.), 201.89 (2007), 200.28 (2006), 200.79 (2005), 198.31 (2004)

Communications ::Guyana

Telephones - main lines in use:

125,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 140

Telephones - mobile cellular:

281,400 (2005) country comparison to the world: 168

Telephone system:

general assessment: fair system for long-distance service

domestic: microwave radio relay network for trunk lines; fixed-line teledensity is about 15 per 100 persons; many areas still lack fixed-line telephone services; mobile-cellular teledensity reached 37 per 100 persons in 2005

international: country code - 592; tropospheric scatter to Trinidad; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 3, FM 3, shortwave 1 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

3 (1 public station; 2 private stations which relay US satellite services) (1997)

Internet country code:

.gy

Internet hosts:

7,116 (2009) country comparison to the world: 129

Internet users:

205,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 134

Transportation ::Guyana

Airports:

99 (2009) country comparison to the world: 60

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 10

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 7 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 89

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 14

under 914 m: 74 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 7,970 km country comparison to the world: 142 paved: 590 km

unpaved: 7,380 km (2000)

Waterways:

330 km country comparison to the world: 91 note: Berbice, Demerara, and Essequibo rivers are navigable by oceangoing vessels for 150 km, 100 km, and 80 km respectively (2008)

Merchant marine:

total: 8 country comparison to the world: 124 by type: cargo 6, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 1

registered in other countries: 3 (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 2, unknown 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Georgetown

Military ::Guyana

Military branches:

Guyana Defense Force: Army (includes Coast Guard, Air Corps) (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

18-25 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 220,797 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 150,307

females age 16-49: 144,622 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 6,625

female: 6,365 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.8% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 90

Transnational Issues ::Guyana

Disputes - international:

all of the area west of the Essequibo River is claimed by Venezuela preventing any discussion of a maritime boundary; Guyana has expressed its intention to join Barbados in asserting claims before UNCLOS that Trinidad and Tobago's maritime boundary with Venezuela extends into their waters; Suriname claims a triangle of land between the New and Kutari/Koetari rivers in a historic dispute over the headwaters of the Courantyne; Guyana seeks arbitration under provisions of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to resolve the long-standing dispute with Suriname over the axis of the territorial sea boundary in potentially oil-rich waters

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Guyana is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor; most trafficking appears to take place in remote mining camps in the country's interior; some women and girls are trafficked from northern Brazil; reporting from other nations suggests Guyanese women and girls are trafficked for sexual exploitation to neighboring countries and Guyanese men and boys are subject to labor exploitation in construction and agriculture; trafficking victims from Suriname, Brazil, and Venezuela transit Guyana en route to Caribbean destinations

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - for a second consecutive year, Guyana is on the Tier 2 Watch List for failing to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking, particularly in the area of law enforcement actions against trafficking offenders; the government has yet to produce an anti-trafficking conviction under the comprehensive Combating of Trafficking in Persons Act, which became law in 2005; the government operates no shelters for trafficking victims, but did include limited funding for anti-trafficking NGOs in its 2008 budget; the government did not make any effort to reduce demand for commercial sex acts during 2007 (2008)

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for narcotics from South America - primarily Venezuela - to Europe and the US; producer of cannabis; rising money laundering related to drug trafficking and human smuggling

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Haiti (Central America and Caribbean)

Introduction ::Haiti

Background:

The native Taino Amerindians - who inhabited the island of Hispaniola when it was discovered by COLUMBUS in 1492 - were virtually annihilated by Spanish settlers within 25 years. In the early 17th century, the French established a presence on Hispaniola. In 1697, Spain ceded to the French the western third of the island, which later became Haiti. The French colony, based on forestry and sugar-related industries, became one of the wealthiest in the Caribbean but only through the heavy importation of African slaves and considerable environmental degradation. In the late 18th century, Haiti's nearly half million slaves revolted under Toussaint L'OUVERTURE. After a prolonged struggle, Haiti became the first black republic to declare independence in 1804. The poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, Haiti has been plagued by political violence for most of its history. After an armed rebellion led to the forced resignation and exile of President Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE in February 2004, an interim government took office to organize new elections under the auspices of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH). Continued violence and technical delays prompted repeated postponements, but Haiti finally did inaugurate a democratically elected president and parliament in May of 2006.

Geography ::Haiti

Location:

Caribbean, western one-third of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of the Dominican Republic

Geographic coordinates:

19 00 N, 72 25 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 27,750 sq km country comparison to the world: 147 land: 27,560 sq km

water: 190 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries:

total: 360 km

border countries: Dominican Republic 360 km

Coastline:

1,771 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: to depth of exploitation

Climate:

tropical; semiarid where mountains in east cut off trade winds

Terrain:

mostly rough and mountainous

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: Chaine de la Selle 2,680 m

Natural resources:

bauxite, copper, calcium carbonate, gold, marble, hydropower

Land use:

arable land: 28.11%

permanent crops: 11.53%

other: 60.36% (2005)

Irrigated land:

920 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

14 cu km (2000)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.99 cu km/yr (5%/1%/94%)

per capita: 116 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding and earthquakes; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:

extensive deforestation (much of the remaining forested land is being cleared for agriculture and used as fuel); soil erosion; inadequate supplies of potable water

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified: Hazardous Wastes

Geography - note:

shares island of Hispaniola with Dominican Republic (western one-third is Haiti, eastern two-thirds is the Dominican Republic)

People ::Haiti

Population:

9,035,536 country comparison to the world: 88 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 38.1% (male 1,735,917/female 1,704,383)

15-64 years: 58.5% (male 2,621,059/female 2,665,447)

65 years and over: 3.4% (male 120,040/female 188,690) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 20.2 years

male: 19.8 years

female: 20.7 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.838% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 70

Birth rate:

29.1 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 50

Death rate:

8.65 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 88

Net migration rate:

-2.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 138

Urbanization:

urban population: 47% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 4.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 59.69 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 37 male: 66.18 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 53.01 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 60.78 years country comparison to the world: 181 male: 59.13 years

female: 62.48 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3.81 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 50

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

2.2% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 28

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

120,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 43

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

7,200 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 38

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria

water contact disease: leptospirosis (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Haitian(s)

adjective: Haitian

Ethnic groups:

black 95%, mulatto and white 5%

Religions:

Roman Catholic 80%, Protestant 16% (Baptist 10%, Pentecostal 4%,
Adventist 1%, other 1%), none 1%, other 3%

note: roughly half of the population practices voodoo

Languages:

French (official), Creole (official)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 52.9%

male: 54.8%

female: 51.2% (2003 est.)

Education expenditures:

1.4% of GDP (1991) country comparison to the world: 175

Government ::Haiti

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Haiti

conventional short form: Haiti

local long form: Republique d'Haiti/Repiblik d' Ayiti

local short form: Haiti/Ayiti

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Port-au-Prince

geographic coordinates: 18 32 N, 72 20 W

time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in April; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

10 departments (departements, singular - departement); Artibonite, Centre, Grand 'Anse, Nippes, Nord, Nord-Est, Nord-Ouest, Ouest, Sud, Sud-Est

Independence:

1 January 1804 (from France)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 1 January (1804)

Constitution:

approved March 1987

note: suspended June 1988 with most articles reinstated March 1989; constitutional government ousted in a military coup in September 1991, although in October 1991 military government claimed to be observing the constitution; returned to constitutional rule in October 1994; constitution, while technically in force between 2004-2006, was not enforced; returned to constitutional rule in May 2006

Legal system:

based on Roman civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Rene PREVAL (since 14 May 2006)

head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Max BELLERIVE (since 7 November 2009)

cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation with the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (may not serve consecutive terms); election last held 7 February 2006 (next to be held in 2011); prime minister appointed by the president, ratified by the National Assembly

election results: Rene PREVAL elected president; percent of vote - Rene PREVAL 51%

Legislative branch:

bicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale consists of the Senate (30 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms; one-third elected every two years) and the Chamber of Deputies (99 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms); note - in reestablishing the Senate, the candidate in each department receiving the most votes in the last election serves six years, the candidate with the second most votes serves four years, and the candidate with the third most votes serves two years

elections: Senate - last held 21 April 2006 with run-off elections on 3 December 2006 (next regular election, for one third of seats, to be held in 2008); Chamber of Deputies - last held 21 April 2006 with run-off elections on 3 December 2006 and 29 April 2007 (next regular election to be held in 2010)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - L'ESPWA 11, FUSION 5, OPL 4, FL 3, LAAA 2, UNCRH 2, PONT 2, ALYANS 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - L'ESPWA 23, FUSION 17, FRN 12, OPL 10, ALYANS 10, LAAA 5, MPH 3, MOCHRENA 3, other 10; results for six other seats contested on 3 December 2006 remain unknown

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Cour de Cassation

Political parties and leaders:

Artibonite in Action or LAAA [Youri LATORTUE]; Assembly of
Progressive National Democrats or RDNP [Leslie MANIGAT]; Convention
for Democratic Unity or KID [Evans PAUL]; Cooperative Action to
Build Haiti or KONBA [Evans LESCOUFALIR]; Democratic Alliance or
ALYANS [Evans PAUL] (coalition composed of KID and PPRH); Effort and
Solidarity to Create an Alternative for the People or ESKAMP [Joseph
JASME]; For Us All or PONT [Jean-Marie CHERESTAL]; Front for Hope or
L'ESPWA [Rene PREVAL] (alliance of ESKAMP, PLB, and grass-roots
organizations Grand-Anse Resistance Committee, the Central Plateau
Peasants' Group, and Kombit Sudest); Haitian Christian Democratic
Party or PDCH [Osner FEVRY and Marie-Denise CLAUDE]; Haitian
Democratic and Reform Movement or MODEREH [Dany TOUSSAINT and Pierre
Soncon PRINCE]; Heads Together or Tet-Ansanm [Dr. Gerard BLOT];
Independent Movement for National Reconciliation or MIRN [Luc
FLEURINORD]; Justice for Peace and National Development or JPDN
[Rigaud DUPLAN]; Fanmi Lavalas or FL [Rudy HERIVEAUX]; Liberal Party
of Haiti or PLH [Gehy MICHEL]; Merging of Haitian Social Democratic
Parties or FUSION or FPSDH [Serge GILLES] (coalition of Ayiti
Capable, Haitian National Revolutionary Party, and National Congress
of Democratic Movements); Mobilization for Haiti's Development or
MPH [Samir MOURRA]; Mobilization for National Development or MDN
[Hubert de RONCERAY]; Movement for National Reconstruction or MRN
[Jean Henold BUTEAU]; Movement for the Installation of Democracy in
Haiti or MIDH [Marc BAZIN]; National Christian Union for the
Reconstruction of Haiti or UNCRH [Marie Claude GERMAIN]; National
Front for the Reconstruction of Haiti or FRN [Guy PHILIPPE]; New
Christian Movement for a New Haiti or MOCHRENA [Luc MESADIEU]; Open
the Gate Party or PLB [Anes LUBIN]; Popular Party for the Renewal of
Haiti or PPRH [Claude ROMAIN]; Struggling People's Organization or
OPL [Edgard LEBLANC]; Union of Nationalist and Progressive Haitians
or UNITE [Edouard FRANCISQUE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Autonomous Organizations of Haitian Workers or CATH [Fignole
ST-CYR]; Confederation of Haitian Workers or CTH; Federation of
Workers Trade Unions or FOS; General Organization of Independent
Haitian Workers [Patrick NUMAS]; Grand-Anse Resistance Committee, or
KOREGA; National Popular Assembly or APN; Papaye Peasants Movement
or MPP [Chavannes JEAN-BAPTISTE]; Popular Organizations Gathering
Power or PROP; Protestant Federation of Haiti; Roman Catholic Church

International organization participation:

ACP, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OIF, OPANAL, OPCW,
PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Raymond JOSEPH

chancery: 2311 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 332-4090

FAX: [1] (202) 745-7215

consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Miami, New York, San Juan (Puerto Rico)

consulate(s): Orlando (Florida)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Janet A. SANDERSON

embassy: Tabarre 41, Route de Tabarre, Port-au-Prince

mailing address: use mailing address

telephone: [509] 229-8000

FAX: [509] 229-8028

Flag description:

two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a centered white rectangle bearing the coat of arms, which contains a palm tree flanked by flags and two cannons above a scroll bearing the motto L'UNION FAIT LA FORCE (Union Makes Strength); the colors are taken from the French Tricolor and represent the union of blacks and mulattoes

Economy ::Haiti

Economy - overview:

Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere with 80% of the population living under the poverty line and 54% in abject poverty. Two-thirds of all Haitians depend on the agricultural sector, mainly small-scale subsistence farming, and remain vulnerable to damage from frequent natural disasters, exacerbated by the country's widespread deforestation. While the economy has recovered in recent years, registering positive growth since 2005, four tropical storms in 2008 severely damaged the transportation infrastructure and agricultural sector. US economic engagement under the Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity through Partnership Encouragement (HOPE) Act, passed in December 2006, has boosted apparel exports and investment by providing tariff-free access to the US. HOPE II, passed in October 2008, has further improved the export environment for the apparel sector by extending preferences to 2018; the apparel sector accounts for two-thirds of Haitian exports and nearly one-tenth of GDP. Remittances are the primary source of foreign exchange, equaling nearly a quarter of GDP and more than twice the earnings from exports. Haiti suffers from high inflation, a lack of investment because of insecurity and limited infrastructure, and a severe trade deficit. In 2005, Haiti paid its arrears to the World Bank, paving the way for reengagement with the Bank. Haiti is expected to receive debt forgiveness for about $525 million of its debt through the Highly-Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) initiative by mid-2009. The government relies on formal international economic assistance for fiscal sustainability.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$11.53 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 145 $11.38 billion (2007 est.)

$11 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$6.943 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

1.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 168 3.4% (2007 est.)

2.3% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,300 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 203 $1,300 (2007 est.)

$1,300 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 28%

industry: 20%

services: 52% (2004 est.)

Labor force:

3.643 million country comparison to the world: 93 note: shortage of skilled labor, unskilled labor abundant (2007)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 66%

industry: 9%

services: 25% (1995)

Unemployment rate:

NA%

note: widespread unemployment and underemployment; more than two-thirds of the labor force do not have formal jobs

Population below poverty line:

80% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 0.7%

highest 10%: 47.7% (2001)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

59.2 (2001) country comparison to the world: 8

Investment (gross fixed):

28.9% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 26

Budget:

revenues: $967.5 million

expenditures: $1.162 billion (2008 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

15.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 194 8.5% (2007 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

17.81% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 2 46.99% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$704.7 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$1.561 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$1.537 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

coffee, mangoes, sugarcane, rice, corn, sorghum; wood

Industries:

sugar refining, flour milling, textiles, cement, light assembly based on imported parts

Industrial production growth rate:

0% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 133

Electricity - production:

448 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 161

Electricity - consumption:

273 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 169

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 189

Oil - consumption:

12,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 145

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 196

Oil - imports:

12,280 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 135

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 163

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 99

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 174

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 69

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 170

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 171

Current account balance:

-$611 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 108 -$407 million (2007 est.)

Exports:

$490 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 163 $522 million (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

apparel, manufactures, oils, cocoa, mangoes, coffee

Exports - partners:

US 70.7%, Dominican Republic 8.9%, Canada 3.1% (2008)

Imports:

$2.107 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 147 $1.618 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

food, manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, fuels, raw materials

Imports - partners:

US 34%, Dominican Republic 23.1%, Netherlands Antilles 10.6%, China 4.5% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$708 million (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 134 $555 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$1.817 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 138 $1.475 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

gourdes (HTG) per US dollar - 39.216 (2008 est.), 37.138 (2007), 40.232 (2006), 40.449 (2005), 38.352 (2004)

Communications ::Haiti

Telephones - main lines in use:

108,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 142

Telephones - mobile cellular:

3.2 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 105

Telephone system:

general assessment: telecommunications infrastructure is among the least developed in Latin America and the Caribbean; domestic facilities barely adequate; international facilities slightly better; mobile-cellular telephone services are expanding rapidly due, in part, to the introduction of low-cost GSM phones in 2006

domestic: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay trunk service

international: country code - 509; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 41, FM 26, shortwave 0 (1999)

Television broadcast stations:

2 (plus a cable TV service) (1997)

Internet country code:

.ht

Internet hosts:

9 (2009) country comparison to the world: 222

Internet users:

1 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 90

Transportation ::Haiti

Airports:

14 (2009) country comparison to the world: 151

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 4

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 10

914 to 1,523 m: 2

under 914 m: 8 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 4,160 km country comparison to the world: 155 paved: 1,011 km

unpaved: 3,149 km (2000)

Ports and terminals:

Cap-Haitien

Military ::Haiti

Military branches:

no regular military forces - small Coast Guard; the regular Haitian Armed Forces (FAdH) - Army, Navy, and Air Force - have been demobilized but still exist on paper until or unless they are constitutionally abolished (2009)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 2,047,083

females age 16-49: 2,047,953 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,518,840

females age 16-49: 1,530,043 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 108,444

female: 106,243 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

0.4% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 167

Transnational Issues ::Haiti

Disputes - international:

since 2004, about 8,000 peacekeepers from the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) maintain civil order in Haiti; despite efforts to control illegal migration, Haitians cross into the Dominican Republic and sail to neighboring countries; Haiti claims US-administered Navassa Island

Illicit drugs:

Caribbean transshipment point for cocaine en route to the US and Europe; substantial bulk cash smuggling activity; Colombian narcotics traffickers favor Haiti for illicit financial transactions; pervasive corruption; significant consumer of cannabis

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Heard Island and McDonald Islands (Antarctica)

Introduction ::Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Background:

These uninhabited, barren, sub-Antarctic islands were transferred from the UK to Australia in 1947. Populated by large numbers of seal and bird species, the islands have been designated a nature preserve.

Geography ::Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Location:

islands in the Indian Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Madagascar to Antarctica

Geographic coordinates:

53 06 S, 72 31 E

Map references:

Antarctic Region

Area:

total: 412 sq km country comparison to the world: 201 land: 412 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly more than two times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

101.9 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:

antarctic

Terrain:

Heard Island - 80% ice-covered, bleak and mountainous, dominated by a large massif (Big Ben) and an active volcano (Mawson Peak); McDonald Islands - small and rocky

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mawson Peak, on Big Ben volcano 2,745 m

Natural resources:

fish

Land use:

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (2005)

Irrigated land:

0 sq km

Natural hazards:

Mawson Peak, an active volcano, is on Heard Island

Environment - current issues:

NA

Geography - note:

Mawson Peak on Heard Island is the highest Australian mountain (at 2,745 meters, it is taller than Mt. Kosciuszko in Australia proper), and one of only two active volcanoes located in Australian territory, the other being McDonald Island; in 1992, McDonald Island broke its dormancy and began erupting; it has erupted several times since, the most recent being in 2005

People ::Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Population:

uninhabited

Government ::Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Country name:

conventional long form: Territory of Heard Island and McDonald Islands

conventional short form: Heard Island and McDonald Islands

abbreviation: HIMI

Dependency status:

territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Antarctic Division of the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts

Legal system:

the laws of Australia, where applicable, apply

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (territory of Australia)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (territory of Australia)

Flag description:

the flag of Australia is used

Economy ::Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Economy - overview:

The islands have no indigenous economic activity, but the Australian
Government allows limited fishing in the surrounding waters.

Communications ::Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Internet country code:

.hm

Transportation ::Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Ports and terminals:

none; offshore anchorage only

Military ::Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of Australia; Australia conducts fisheries patrols

Transnational Issues ::Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Disputes - international:

none

page last updated on September 14, 2009

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

@Holy See (Vatican City) (Europe)

Introduction ::Holy See (Vatican City)

Background:

Popes in their secular role ruled portions of the Italian peninsula for more than a thousand years until the mid 19th century, when many of the Papal States were seized by the newly united Kingdom of Italy. In 1870, the pope's holdings were further circumscribed when Rome itself was annexed. Disputes between a series of "prisoner" popes and Italy were resolved in 1929 by three Lateran Treaties, which established the independent state of Vatican City and granted Roman Catholicism special status in Italy. In 1984, a concordat between the Holy See and Italy modified certain of the earlier treaty provisions, including the primacy of Roman Catholicism as the Italian state religion. Present concerns of the Holy See include religious freedom, international development, the environment, the Middle East, China, the decline of religion in Europe, terrorism, interreligious dialogue and reconciliation, and the application of church doctrine in an era of rapid change and globalization. About one billion people worldwide profess the Catholic faith.

Geography ::Holy See (Vatican City)

Location:

Southern Europe, an enclave of Rome (Italy)

Geographic coordinates:

41 54 N, 12 27 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 0.44 sq km country comparison to the world: 249 land: 0.44 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

about 0.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

total: 3.2 km

border countries: Italy 3.2 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

temperate; mild, rainy winters (September to May) with hot, dry summers (May to September)

Terrain:

urban; low hill

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: unnamed location 19 m

highest point: unnamed location 75 m

Natural resources:

none

Land use:

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (urban area) (2005)

Irrigated land:

0 sq km

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

NA

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution, Environmental Modification

Geography - note:

landlocked; enclave in Rome, Italy; world's smallest state; beyond the territorial boundary of Vatican City, the Lateran Treaty of 1929 grants the Holy See extraterritorial authority over 23 sites in Rome and five outside of Rome, including the Pontifical Palace at Castel Gandolfo (the Pope's summer residence)

People ::Holy See (Vatican City)

Population:

826 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 235

Population growth rate:

0.003% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 199

Urbanization:

urban population: 100% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 0.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: none

adjective: none

Ethnic groups:

Italians, Swiss, other

Religions:

Roman Catholic

Languages:

Italian, Latin, French, various other languages

Literacy:

definition: NA

total population: 100%

male: 100%

female: 100%

Government ::Holy See (Vatican City)

Country name:

conventional long form: The Holy See (State of the Vatican City)

conventional short form: Holy See (Vatican City)

local long form: Santa Sede (Stato della Citta del Vaticano)

local short form: Santa Sede (Citta del Vaticano)

Government type:

ecclesiastical

Capital:

name: Vatican City

geographic coordinates: 41 54 N, 12 27 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

none

Independence:

11 February 1929 (from Italy); note - the three treaties signed with Italy on 11 February 1929 acknowledged, among other things, the full sovereignty of the Vatican and established its territorial extent; however, the origin of the Papal States, which over the years have varied considerably in extent, may be traced back to the 8th century

National holiday:

Election Day of Pope BENEDICT XVI, 19 April (2005)

Constitution:

Fundamental Law promulgated by Pope JOHN PAUL II on 26 November 2000, effective 22 February 2001 (replaced the first Fundamental Law of 1929)

Legal system:

based on Code of Canon Law and revisions to it

Suffrage:

limited to cardinals less than 80 years old

Executive branch:

chief of state: Pope BENEDICT XVI (since 19 April 2005)

head of government: Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio BERTONE (since 15 September 2006)

cabinet: Pontifical Commission for the State of Vatican City appointed by the pope

elections: pope elected for life by the College of Cardinals; election last held 19 April 2005 (next to be held after the death of the current pope); secretary of state appointed by the pope

election results: Joseph RATZINGER elected Pope BENEDICT XVI

Legislative branch:

unicameral Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State

Judicial branch:

there are three tribunals responsible for civil and criminal matters within Vatican City; three other tribunals rule on issues pertaining to the Holy See

note: judicial duties were established by the Motu Proprio of Pope PIUS XII on 1 May 1946

Political parties and leaders:

none

Political pressure groups and leaders:

none (exclusive of influence exercised by church officers)

International organization participation:

CE (observer), IAEA, Interpol, IOM (observer), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, NAM (guest), OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNHCR, Union Latina (observer), UNWTO (observer), UPU, WFTU, WIPO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Pietro SAMBI

chancery: 3339 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 333-7121

FAX: [1] (202) 337-4036

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Julieta NOYES

embassy: Villa Domiziana, Via delle Terme Deciane 26, 00153 Rome

mailing address: PSC 833, Box 66, APO AE 09624

telephone: [39] (06) 4674-3428

FAX: [39] (06) 575-3411

Flag description:

two vertical bands of yellow (hoist side) and white with the arms of the Holy See, consisting of the crossed keys of Saint Peter surmounted by the three-tiered papal tiara, centered in the white band

Economy ::Holy See (Vatican City)

Economy - overview:

The Holy See is supported financially by a variety of sources, including investments, real estate income, and donations from Catholic individuals, dioceses, and institutions; these help fund the Roman Curia (Vatican bureaucracy), diplomatic missions, and media outlets. The separate Vatican City State budget includes the Vatican museums and post office and is supported financially by the sale of stamps, coins, medals, and tourist mementos; by fees for admission to museums; and by publications sales. Moreover, an annual collection taken up in dioceses and direct donations go to a non-budgetary fund known as Peter's Pence, which is used directly by the Pope for charity, disaster relief, and aid to churches in developing nations. The incomes and living standards of lay workers are comparable to those of counterparts who work in the city of Rome.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$NA

Labor force:

NA

Labor force - by occupation:

note: essentially services with a small amount of industry; nearly all dignitaries, priests, nuns, guards, and the approximately 3,000 lay workers live outside the Vatican

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Budget:

revenues: $374 million

expenditures: $388 million (2007)

Industries:

printing; production of coins, medals, postage stamps; mosaics and staff uniforms; worldwide banking and financial activities

Electricity - production:

NA kWh

Electricity - consumption:

NA kWh

Electricity - imports:

NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Italy; a small portion of electricity is self-produced from solar panels

Exchange rates:

euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008 est.), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)

Communications ::Holy See (Vatican City)

Telephones - main lines in use:

5,120 (2005) country comparison to the world: 212

Telephone system:

general assessment: automatic digital exchange

domestic: connected via fiber optic cable to Telecom Italia network

international: country code - 39; uses Italian system

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 5, FM 3, shortwave 5 (2008)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (2008)

Internet country code:

.va

Internet hosts:

63 (2009) country comparison to the world: 205

Military ::Holy See (Vatican City)

Military branches:

Pontifical Swiss Guard Corps (Corpo della Guardia Svizzera
Pontificia) (2009)

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of Italy; ceremonial and limited security duties performed by Pontifical Swiss Guard

Transnational Issues ::Holy See (Vatican City)

Disputes - international:

none

page last updated on October 28, 2009

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

@Honduras (Central America and Caribbean)

Introduction ::Honduras

Background:

Once part of Spain's vast empire in the New World, Honduras became an independent nation in 1821. After two and a half decades of mostly military rule, a freely elected civilian government came to power in 1982. During the 1980s, Honduras proved a haven for anti-Sandinista contras fighting the Marxist Nicaraguan Government and an ally to Salvadoran Government forces fighting leftist guerrillas. The country was devastated by Hurricane Mitch in 1998, which killed about 5,600 people and caused approximately $2 billion in damage.

Geography ::Honduras

Location:

Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Nicaragua and bordering the Gulf of Fonseca (North Pacific Ocean), between El Salvador and Nicaragua

Geographic coordinates:

15 00 N, 86 30 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 112,090 sq km country comparison to the world: 102 land: 111,890 sq km

water: 200 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than Tennessee

Land boundaries:

total: 1,520 km

border countries: Guatemala 256 km, El Salvador 342 km, Nicaragua 922 km

Coastline:

820 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: natural extension of territory or to 200 nm

Climate:

subtropical in lowlands, temperate in mountains

Terrain:

mostly mountains in interior, narrow coastal plains

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: Cerro Las Minas 2,870 m

Natural resources:

timber, gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, iron ore, antimony, coal, fish, hydropower

Land use:

arable land: 9.53%

permanent crops: 3.21%

other: 87.26% (2005)

Irrigated land:

800 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

95.9 cu km (2000)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.86 cu km/yr (8%/12%/80%)

per capita: 119 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

frequent, but generally mild, earthquakes; extremely susceptible to damaging hurricanes and floods along the Caribbean coast

Environment - current issues:

urban population expanding; deforestation results from logging and the clearing of land for agricultural purposes; further land degradation and soil erosion hastened by uncontrolled development and improper land use practices such as farming of marginal lands; mining activities polluting Lago de Yojoa (the country's largest source of fresh water), as well as several rivers and streams, with heavy metals

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

has only a short Pacific coast but a long Caribbean shoreline, including the virtually uninhabited eastern Mosquito Coast

People ::Honduras

Population:

7,792,854 country comparison to the world: 93 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 38.1% (male 1,514,544/female 1,451,862)

15-64 years: 58.3% (male 2,278,508/female 2,267,527)

65 years and over: 3.6% (male 125,991/female 154,422) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 20.3 years

male: 20 years

female: 20.7 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.956% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 62

Birth rate:

26.27 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 61

Death rate:

5.41 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 180

Net migration rate:

-1.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 130

Urbanization:

urban population: 48% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 2.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 24.03 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 91 male: 26.97 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 20.94 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 69.4 years country comparison to the world: 147 male: 67.86 years

female: 71.02 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3.27 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 62

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.7% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 65

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

28,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 71

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

1,900 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 60

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria

water contact disease: leptospirosis (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Honduran(s)

adjective: Honduran

Ethnic groups:

mestizo (mixed Amerindian and European) 90%, Amerindian 7%, black 2%, white 1%

Religions:

Roman Catholic 97%, Protestant 3%

Languages:

Spanish, Amerindian dialects

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 80%

male: 79.8%

female: 80.2% (2001 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 11 years

male: 11 years

female: 12 years (2004)

Education expenditures:

3.8% of GDP (1991) country comparison to the world: 121

Government ::Honduras

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Honduras

conventional short form: Honduras

local long form: Republica de Honduras

local short form: Honduras

Government type:

democratic constitutional republic

Capital:

name: Tegucigalpa

geographic coordinates: 14 06 N, 87 13 W

time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November

Administrative divisions:

18 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Atlantida,
Choluteca, Colon, Comayagua, Copan, Cortes, El Paraiso, Francisco
Morazan, Gracias a Dios, Intibuca, Islas de la Bahia, La Paz,
Lempira, Ocotepeque, Olancho, Santa Barbara, Valle, Yoro

Independence:

15 September 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution:

11 January 1982, effective 20 January 1982; amended many times

Legal system:

rooted in Roman and Spanish civil law with increasing influence of English common law; recent judicial reforms include abandoning Napoleonic legal codes in favor of the oral adversarial system; accepts ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Jose Manuel ZELAYA Rosales (since 27 January 2006); Vice President Commissioner Aristides MEJIA Carranza (since 1 February 2009); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government; because the president and vice president are elected on the same ticket, the position of "vice president commissioner" was created after Vice President Elvin SANTOS resigned in late 2008 to run for president in the November 2009 election

head of government: President Jose Manuel ZELAYA Rosales (since 27 January 2006); Vice President Commissioner Aristides MEJIA Carranza (since 1 February 2009)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 27 November 2005 (next to be held in November 2009)

election results: Jose Manuel ZELAYA Rosales elected president - 49.8%, Porfirio "Pepe" LOBO Sosa 46.1%, other 4.1%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional (128 seats; members are elected proportionally by department to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 27 November 2005 (next to be held in November 2009)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PL 62, PN 55, PUD 5, PDC 4, PINU 2

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (15 judges are elected for seven-year terms by the National Congress)

Political parties and leaders:

Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Felicito AVILA]; Democratic
Unification Party or PUD [Cesar HAM]; Liberal Party or PL [Patricia
RODAS]; National Innovation and Unity Party or PINU [Jorge AQUILAR
Paredes]; National Party of Honduras or PN [Porfirio LOBO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Committee for the Defense of Human Rights in Honduras or CODEH;
Confederation of Honduran Workers or CTH; Coordinating Committee of
Popular Organizations or CCOP; General Workers Confederation or CGT;
Honduran Council of Private Enterprise or COHEP; National
Association of Honduran Campesinos or ANACH; National Union of
Campesinos or UNC; Popular Bloc or BP; United Confederation of
Honduran Workers or CUTH

International organization participation:

BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
(subscriber), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO,
NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, SICA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Eduardo Enrique REINA Garcia

chancery: Suite 4-M, 3007 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 966-2604

FAX: [1] (202) 966-9751

consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Phoenix, San Francisco

honorary consulate(s): Jacksonville

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Hugo LLORENS

embassy: Avenida La Paz, Apartado Postal No. 3453, Tegucigalpa

mailing address: American Embassy, APO AA 34022, Tegucigalpa

telephone: [504] 236-9320, 238-5114

FAX: [504] 238-4357

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue, with five blue, five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern centered in the white band; the stars represent the members of the former Federal Republic of Central America - Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua; similar to the flag of El Salvador, which features a round emblem encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Nicaragua, which features a triangle encircled by the word REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom, centered in the white band

Economy ::Honduras

Economy - overview:

Honduras, the second poorest country in Central America, has an extraordinarily unequal distribution of income and high unemployment. The economy relies heavily on a narrow range of exports, notably bananas and coffee, making it vulnerable to natural disasters and shifts in commodity prices; however, investments in the maquila and non-traditional export sectors are slowly diversifying the economy. Economic growth remains dependent on the US economy its largest trading partner, and will decline in 2009 as a result of reduction in export demand and tightening global credit markets. Remittances represent over a quarter of GDP or nearly three-quarters of exports. The US-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) came into force in 2006 and has helped foster investment. Despite improvements in tax collections, the government's fiscal deficit is growing due to increases in current expenditures and financial losses from the state energy and telephone companies.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$33.8 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 102 $32.5 billion (2007 est.)

$30.57 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$14 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 104 6.3% (2007 est.)

6.6% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$4,400 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 152 $4,300 (2007 est.)

$4,200 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 13.1%

industry: 30%

services: 56.9% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

2.991 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 99

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 39.2%

industry: 20.9%

services: 39.8% (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate:

3.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 40 note: high level of underemployment with up to a third of the labor force seeking more work.

Population below poverty line:

50.7% (2004)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 0.7%

highest 10%: 42.2% (2006)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

53.8 (2003) country comparison to the world: 16 56.3 (1998)

Investment (gross fixed):

33.4% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 12

Budget:

revenues: $2.754 billion

expenditures: $3.09 billion; including capital expenditures of $106 million (2008 est.)

Public debt:

20.4% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 93 74.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

11.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 164 6.9% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

NA%

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

17.94% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 33 16.61% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$1.633 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 76 $1.6 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$5.574 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 63 $5.239 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$7.172 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 79 $6.298 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

bananas, coffee, citrus; beef; timber; shrimp, tilapia, lobster; corn, African palm

Industries:

sugar, coffee, textiles, clothing, wood products

Industrial production growth rate:

4.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 60

Electricity - production:

6.05 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 106

Electricity - consumption:

4.696 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 109

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

11.8 million kWh (2007 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 187

Oil - consumption:

52,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 96

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 195

Oil - imports:

46,130 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 91

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 161

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 177

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 173

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 67

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 169

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 169

Current account balance:

-$1.977 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 138 -$1.274 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$6.046 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 103 $5.642 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

coffee, shrimp, bananas, gold, palm oil, fruit, lobster, lumber

Exports - partners:

US 62.1%, Guatemala 5.2%, El Salvador 5%, Mexico 4.1% (2008)

Imports:

$10.39 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 92 $8.82 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and transport equipment, industrial raw materials, chemical products, fuels, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:

US 50%, Guatemala 7.6%, El Salvador 5.3%, Mexico 4.7%, Costa Rica 4.2% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$2.492 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 103 $2.546 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$3.209 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 120 $3.411 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

lempiras (HNL) per US dollar - 18.983 (2008 est.), 18.9 (2007), 18.895 (2006), 18.92 (2005), 18.206 (2004)

Communications ::Honduras

Telephones - main lines in use:

825,800 (2008) country comparison to the world: 86

Telephones - mobile cellular:

6.211 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 78

Telephone system:

general assessment: the number of fixed-line connections are increasing but still limited; competition among multiple providers of mobile-cellular services is contributing to a sharp increase in the number of subscribers

domestic: beginning in 2003, private sub-operators allowed to provide fixed-lines in order to expand telephone coverage contributing to an increase in fixed-line teledensity to roughly 10 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular subscribership exceeded 80 per 100 persons in 2008

international: country code - 504; landing point for both the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) and the MAYA-1 fiber optic submarine cable system that together provide connectivity to South and Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and the US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave System

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 241, FM 53, shortwave 12 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

11 (plus 17 repeaters) (1997)

Internet country code:

.hn

Internet hosts:

15,691 (2009) country comparison to the world: 106

Internet users:

658,500 (2008) country comparison to the world: 102

Transportation ::Honduras

Airports:

106 (2009) country comparison to the world: 54

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 12

2,438 to 3,047 m: 3

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 4

under 914 m: 3 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 94

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 15

under 914 m: 77 (2009)

Railways:

total: 699 km country comparison to the world: 104 narrow gauge: 279 km 1.067-m gauge; 420 km 0.914-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 13,600 km country comparison to the world: 126 paved: 2,775 km

unpaved: 10,825 km (2000)

Waterways:

465 km (most navigable only by small craft) (2008) country comparison to the world: 84

Merchant marine:

total: 123 country comparison to the world: 47 by type: bulk carrier 10, cargo 57, chemical tanker 6, container 1, liquefied gas 1, passenger 4, passenger/cargo 7, petroleum tanker 25, refrigerated cargo 7, roll on/roll off 4, specialized tanker 1

foreign-owned: 42 (Bangladesh 1, Canada 1, China 3, Egypt 3, Greece 4, Hong Kong 1, Israel 1, Japan 4, South Korea 6, Lebanon 1, Mexico 1, Singapore 12, Taiwan 2, Tanzania 1, Vietnam 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

La Ceiba, Puerto Cortes, San Lorenzo, Tela

Military ::Honduras

Military branches:

Army, Navy (includes Naval Infantry), Honduran Air Force (Fuerza
Aerea Hondurena, FAH) (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary 2 to 3-year military service (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,868,940

females age 16-49: 1,825,770 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,397,938

females age 16-49: 1,402,398 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 92,638

female: 88,993 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

0.6% of GDP (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 154

Transnational Issues ::Honduras

Disputes - international:

International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled on the delimitation of "bolsones" (disputed areas) along the El Salvador-Honduras border in 1992 with final settlement by the parties in 2006 after an Organization of American States (OAS) survey and a further ICJ ruling in 2003; the 1992 ICJ ruling advised a tripartite resolution to a maritime boundary in the Gulf of Fonseca with consideration of Honduran access to the Pacific; El Salvador continues to claim tiny Conejo Island, not mentioned in the ICJ ruling, off Honduras in the Gulf of Fonseca; Honduras claims the Belizean-administered Sapodilla Cays off the coast of Belize in its constitution, but agreed to a joint ecological park around the cays should Guatemala consent to a maritime corridor in the Caribbean under the OAS-sponsored 2002 Belize-Guatemala Differendum; memorials and countermemorials were filed by the parties in Nicaragua's 1999 and 2001 proceedings against Honduras and Colombia at the ICJ over the maritime boundary and territorial claims in the western Caribbean Sea - final public hearings are scheduled for 2007

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for drugs and narcotics; illicit producer of cannabis, cultivated on small plots and used principally for local consumption; corruption is a major problem; some money-laundering activity

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Hong Kong (East & Southeast Asia)

Introduction ::Hong Kong

Background:

Occupied by the UK in 1841, Hong Kong was formally ceded by China the following year; various adjacent lands were added later in the 19th century. Pursuant to an agreement signed by China and the UK on 19 December 1984, Hong Kong became the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the People's Republic of China on 1 July 1997. In this agreement, China promised that, under its "one country, two systems" formula, China's socialist economic system would not be imposed on Hong Kong and that Hong Kong would enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs for the next 50 years.

Geography ::Hong Kong

Location:

Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China

Geographic coordinates:

22 15 N, 114 10 E

Map references:

Southeast Asia

Area:

total: 1,104 sq km country comparison to the world: 183 land: 1,054 sq km

water: 50 sq km

Area - comparative:

six times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

total: 30 km

regional border: China 30 km

Coastline:

733 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 3 nm

Climate:

subtropical monsoon; cool and humid in winter, hot and rainy from spring through summer, warm and sunny in fall

Terrain:

hilly to mountainous with steep slopes; lowlands in north

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: South China Sea 0 m

highest point: Tai Mo Shan 958 m

Natural resources:

outstanding deepwater harbor, feldspar

Land use:

arable land: 5.05%

permanent crops: 1.01%

other: 93.94% (2001)

Irrigated land:

20 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:

occasional typhoons

Environment - current issues:

air and water pollution from rapid urbanization

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Marine Dumping (associate member), Ship Pollution (associate member)

Geography - note:

more than 200 islands

People ::Hong Kong

Population:

7,055,071 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 100

Age structure:

0-14 years: 12.2% (male 450,833/female 411,997)

15-64 years: 74.6% (male 2,551,256/female 2,713,532)

65 years and over: 13.1% (male 434,090/female 493,363) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 42.3 years

male: 41.9 years

female: 42.6 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.504% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 155

Birth rate:

7.42 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 223

Death rate:

6.76 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 142

Net migration rate:

4.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 24

Urbanization:

urban population: 100% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female

total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 2.92 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 220 male: 3.1 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 2.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 81.86 years country comparison to the world: 6 male: 79.16 years

female: 84.79 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.02 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 222

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.1% (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 156

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

2,600 (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 134

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 200 (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 113

Nationality:

noun: Chinese/Hong Konger

adjective: Chinese/Hong Kong

Ethnic groups:

Chinese 95%, Filipino 1.6%, Indonesian 1.3%, other 2.1% (2006 census)

Religions:

eclectic mixture of local religions 90%, Christian 10%

Languages:

Chinese (Cantonese) 89.2% (official), other Chinese dialects 6.4%,
English 3.2% (official), other 1.2% (2001 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school

total population: 93.5%

male: 96.9%

female: 89.6% (2002)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 14 years

male: 14 years

female: 13 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

3.9% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 112

Government ::Hong Kong

Country name:

conventional long form: Hong Kong Special Administrative Region

conventional short form: Hong Kong

local long form: Xianggang Tebie Xingzhengqu

local short form: Xianggang

abbreviation: HK

Dependency status:

special administrative region of China

Government type:

limited democracy

Administrative divisions:

none (special administrative region of China)

Independence:

none (special administrative region of China)

National holiday:

National Day (Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China), 1 October (1949); note - 1 July 1997 is celebrated as Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day

Constitution:

Basic Law, approved in March 1990 by China's National People's
Congress, is Hong Kong's "mini-constitution"

Legal system:

based on English common law

Suffrage:

direct election - 18 years of age for half the legislature and a majority of seats in 18 district councils; universal for permanent residents living in the territory of Hong Kong for the past seven years; indirect election - limited to about 220,000 members of functional constituencies and an 800-member election committee drawn from broad regional groupings, central government bodies, and municipal organizations

Executive branch:

chief of state: President of China HU Jintao (since 15 March 2003)

head of government: Chief Executive Donald TSANG Yam-kuen (since 24 June 2005)

cabinet: Executive Council or ExCo consists of 15 official members and 14 non-official members

elections: chief executive elected for five-year term by 800-member electoral committee; last held on 25 March 2007 (next to be held in 2012)

election results: Donald TSANG elected chief executive receiving 84.1% of the vote of the election committee; Alan LEONG Kah-kit received 15.9%

Legislative branch:

unicameral Legislative Council or LegCo (60 seats; 30 seats indirectly elected by functional constituencies, 30 elected by popular vote; members serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 7 September 2008 (next to be held in September 2012)

election results: percent of vote by party - pro-democracy 57%; pro-Beijing 40%, independent 3%; seats by parties - (pro-Beijing 35) DAB 13, Liberal Party 7, FTU 1, others 14; (pro-democracy 23) Democratic Party 8, Civic Party 5, CTU 3, League of Social Democrats 3, ADPL 2, The Frontier 1, NWSC 1; others 11; independents and non-voting LegCo president 2

Judicial branch:

Court of Final Appeal in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region

Political parties and leaders:

Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood or ADPL [Frederick
FUNG Kin-kee]; Civic Party [KUAN Hsin-chi]; Democratic Alliance for
the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong or DAB [TAM Yiu Cheng];
Democratic Party [Albert HO Chun-yan]; League of Social Democrats
[Raymond WONG Yuk-man]; Liberal Party [Miriam LAU Kin-yee]

note: political blocs include: pro-democracy - ADPL, Civic Party; Democratic Party, League of Social Democrats; pro-Beijing - DAB, Liberal Party, The Professional Forum (an informal group of three generally pro-government and pro-business LegCo members from functional constituencies and one independent elected from a geographic constituency); there is no political party ordinance, so there are no registered political parties; politically active groups register as societies or companies

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Chinese General Chamber of Commerce (pro-China); Chinese
Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong; Confederation of Trade
Unions or CTU (pro-democracy) [LAU Chin-shek, president; LEE
Cheuk-yan, general secretary]; Federation of Hong Kong Industries;
Federation of Trade Unions or FTU (pro-China) [CHENG Yiu-tong,
executive councilor]; Hong Kong Alliance in Support of the Patriotic
Democratic Movement in China [Szeto WAH, chairman]; Hong Kong and
Kowloon Trade Union Council (pro-Taiwan); Hong Kong General Chamber
of Commerce; Hong Kong Professional Teachers' Union [CHEUNG
Man-kwong, president]; Neighborhood and Workers' Service Center or
NWSC [LEUNG Yiu-chung, LegCo member] (pro-democracy); Civic Act-up
[Cyd HO Sau-lan, LegCo member] (pro-democracy)

International organization participation:

ADB, APEC, BIS, ICC, IHO, IMF, IMO (associate), IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITUC, UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (special administrative region of China); Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Washington, New York, and San Francisco carries out normal liaison and communication with the US Government and other US entities

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Acting Consul General Christopher J. MARUT

consulate(s) general: 26 Garden Road, Hong Kong

mailing address: PSC 461, Box 1, FPO AP 96521-0006

telephone: [852] 2523-9011

FAX: [852] 2845-1598

Flag description:

red with a stylized, white, five-petal bauhinia flower in the center

Economy ::Hong Kong

Economy - overview:

Hong Kong has a free market economy highly dependent on international trade and finance, which has left it heavily exposed to the global economic slowdown that began in 2008. The total value of goods and services trade, including the sizable share of reexports, was equivalent to 404% of GDP in 2007. The territory has become increasingly integrated with mainland China over the past few years through trade, tourism, and financial links. The mainland has long been Hong Kong's largest trading partner, accounting for nearly 49% of Hong Kong's exports trade by value in 2008. As a result of China's easing of travel restrictions, the number of mainland tourists to the territory has surged from 4.5 million in 2001 to 16.9 million in 2008, when they outnumbered visitors from all other countries combined. Hong Kong has also established itself as the premier stock market for Chinese firms seeking to list abroad. More than one-third of the firms listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange are now mainland Chinese companies. They account for 60% of the Exchange's market capitalization. During the past decade, as Hong Kong's manufacturing industry moved to the mainland, its service industry has grown rapidly and now accounts for more than 90% of the territory's GDP. Hong Kong's natural resources are limited, and food and raw materials must be imported. GDP growth averaged a strong 5% from 1989 to 2007, but the global financial crisis caused a sharp slowdown in the second half of 2008, pushing the territory into recession. Hong Kong continues to link its currency closely to the US dollar, maintaining an arrangement established in 1983.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$307.3 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 40 $300.1 billion (2007 est.)

$282.1 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$215.4 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 147 6.4% (2007 est.)

7% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$43,800 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 15 $43,000 (2007 est.)

$40,600 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 0%

industry: 7.4%

services: 92.7% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

3.66 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 91

Labor force - by occupation:

manufacturing 6.1%, construction 1.9%, wholesale and retail trade, restaurants, and hotels 42.9%, financing, insurance, and real estate 21.4%, transport and communications 7.9%, community and social services 19.7%

note: above data exclude public sector (2008 est.)

Unemployment rate:

3.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 41 4% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

53.3 (2007) country comparison to the world: 17

Investment (gross fixed):

19.7% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 111

Budget:

revenues: $39.04 billion

expenditures: $39.76 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

13.9% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 107 2.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

4.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 71 2% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

0.5% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 77 5.75% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

5% (31 December 2008)

Stock of money:

$63.03 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 18 $51.25 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$352.4 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 10 $578.1 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$259.7 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$1.32 trillion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 15 $1.163 trillion (31 December 2007)

$895.2 billion (31 December 2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

fresh vegetables; poultry, pork; fish

Industries:

textiles, clothing, tourism, banking, shipping, electronics, plastics, toys, watches, clocks

Industrial production growth rate:

-1.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 146

Electricity - production:

38.4 billion kWh (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 55

Electricity - consumption:

44.6 billion kWh (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 48

Electricity - exports:

3.553 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

11 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 188

Oil - consumption:

366,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 36

Oil - exports:

19,480 bbl/day (2008) country comparison to the world: 91

Oil - imports:

334,900 bbl/day (2008) country comparison to the world: 33

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 162

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 178

Natural gas - consumption:

3.36 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 72

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 68

Natural gas - imports:

3.36 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 39

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 170

Current account balance:

$30.52 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 16 $25.53 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$365.2 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 14 $345.9 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

electrical machinery and appliances, textiles, apparel, footwear, watches and clocks, toys, plastics, precious stones, printed material

Exports - partners:

China 48.5%, US 12.8%, Japan 4.3% (2008)

Imports:

$388.4 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 13 $365.6 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

raw materials and semi-manufactures, consumer goods, capital goods, foodstuffs, fuel (most is re-exported)

Imports - partners:

China 46.6%, Japan 9.8%, Singapore 6.4%, US 5% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$182.5 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 8 $152.7 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$659.9 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 16 $711.1 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$1.241 trillion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 3 $1.178 trillion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$776 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 6 $1.011 trillion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

Hong Kong dollars (HKD) per US dollar - 7.751 (2008), 7.802 (2007), 7.7678 (2006), 7.7773 (2005), 7.788 (2004)

Communications ::Hong Kong

Telephones - main lines in use:

4.108 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 38

Telephones - mobile cellular:

11.374 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 54

Telephone system:

general assessment: modern facilities provide excellent domestic and international services

domestic: microwave radio relay links and extensive fiber-optic network

international: country code - 852; multiple international submarine cables provide connections to Asia, US, Australia, the Middle East, and Western Europe; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); coaxial cable to Guangzhou, China

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 6, FM 10, shortwave 0 (2008)

Television broadcast stations:

2 (2 TV networks, each broadcasting on 2 channels) (2008)

Internet country code:

.hk

Internet hosts:

813,980 (2009) country comparison to the world: 44

Internet users:

4.124 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 50

Transportation ::Hong Kong

Airports:

2 (2009) country comparison to the world: 199

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 2

over 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Heliports:

9 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 2,040 km country comparison to the world: 172 paved: 2,040 km (2008)

Merchant marine:

total: 1,114 country comparison to the world: 8 by type: barge carrier 2, bulk carrier 525, cargo 142, carrier 3, chemical tanker 68, combination ore/oil 2, container 205, liquefied gas 22, passenger 6, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 114, roll on/roll off 4, specialized tanker 9, vehicle carrier 7

foreign-owned: 703 (Belgium 3, Canada 44, China 324, Denmark 24,
France 1, Germany 6, Greece 22, Indonesia 7, Iran 15, Japan 111,
South Korea 3, Norway 40, Philippines 1, Portugal 1, Russia 2,
Singapore 18, Syria 1, Taiwan 11, UAE 1, UK 39, US 29)

registered in other countries: 357 (Bahamas 30, Bermuda 4, Cambodia 8, China 12, Cyprus 2, Georgia 2, Honduras 1, India 1, Jamaica 1, Kiribati 4, Liberia 44, Malaysia 14, Malta 1, Marshall Islands 4, Mexico 1, Netherlands Antilles 2, Norway 20, Panama 130, Philippines 1, Portugal 2, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 6, Seychelles 1, Sierra Leone 1, Singapore 47, Tuvalu 7, UK 2, Vietnam 1, unknown 8) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Hong Kong

Military ::Hong Kong

Military branches:

no regular indigenous military forces; Hong Kong garrison of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) includes elements of the PLA Ground Forces, PLA Navy, and PLA Air Force; these forces are under the direct leadership of the Central Military Commission in Beijing and under administrative control of the adjacent Guangzhou Military Region (2009)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,772,820

females age 16-49: 1,941,448 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,421,406

females age 16-49: 1,543,443 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 42,330

female: 38,797 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

NA

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of China

Transnational Issues ::Hong Kong

Disputes - international:

none

Illicit drugs:

despite strenuous law enforcement efforts, faces difficult challenges in controlling transit of heroin and methamphetamine to regional and world markets; modern banking system provides conduit for money laundering; rising indigenous use of synthetic drugs, especially among young people

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Hungary (Europe)

Introduction ::Hungary

Background:

Hungary became a Christian kingdom in A.D. 1000 and for many centuries served as a bulwark against Ottoman Turkish expansion in Europe. The kingdom eventually became part of the polyglot Austro-Hungarian Empire, which collapsed during World War I. The country fell under Communist rule following World War II. In 1956, a revolt and an announced withdrawal from the Warsaw Pact were met with a massive military intervention by Moscow. Under the leadership of Janos KADAR in 1968, Hungary began liberalizing its economy, introducing so-called "Goulash Communism." Hungary held its first multiparty elections in 1990 and initiated a free market economy. It joined NATO in 1999 and the EU in 2004.

Geography ::Hungary

Location:

Central Europe, northwest of Romania

Geographic coordinates:

47 00 N, 20 00 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 93,028 sq km country comparison to the world: 109 land: 89,608 sq km

water: 3,420 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Indiana

Land boundaries:

total: 2,185 km

border countries: Austria 366 km, Croatia 329 km, Romania 443 km, Serbia 166 km, Slovakia 676 km, Slovenia 102 km, Ukraine 103 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

temperate; cold, cloudy, humid winters; warm summers

Terrain:

mostly flat to rolling plains; hills and low mountains on the Slovakian border

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Tisza River 78 m

highest point: Kekes 1,014 m

Natural resources:

bauxite, coal, natural gas, fertile soils, arable land

Land use:

arable land: 49.58%

permanent crops: 2.06%

other: 48.36% (2005)

Irrigated land:

2,300 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

120 cu km (2005)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 21.03 cu km/yr (9%/59%/32%)

per capita: 2,082 cu m/yr (2001)

Environment - current issues:

the upgrading of Hungary's standards in waste management, energy efficiency, and air, soil, and water pollution to meet EU requirements will require large investments

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

landlocked; strategic location astride main land routes between
Western Europe and Balkan Peninsula as well as between Ukraine and
Mediterranean basin; the north-south flowing Duna (Danube) and Tisza
Rivers divide the country into three large regions

People ::Hungary

Population:

9,905,596 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 82

Age structure:

0-14 years: 15% (male 763,553/female 720,112)

15-64 years: 69.3% (male 3,384,961/female 3,475,135)

65 years and over: 15.8% (male 566,067/female 995,768) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 39.4 years

male: 37.1 years

female: 42 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.257% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 220

Birth rate:

9.51 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 205

Death rate:

12.94 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 30

Net migration rate:

0.87 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 59

Urbanization:

urban population: 68% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 0.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.57 male(s)/female

total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 7.86 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 163 male: 8.57 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 7.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 73.44 years country comparison to the world: 106 male: 69.27 years

female: 77.87 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.35 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 202

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 122

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

3,300 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 130

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 100 (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 145

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: intermediate

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A

vectorborne diseases: tickborne encephalitis (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Hungarian(s)

adjective: Hungarian

Ethnic groups:

Hungarian 92.3%, Roma 1.9%, other or unknown 5.8% (2001 census)

Religions:

Roman Catholic 51.9%, Calvinist 15.9%, Lutheran 3%, Greek Catholic 2.6%, other Christian 1%, other or unspecified 11.1%, unaffiliated 14.5% (2001 census)

Languages:

Hungarian 93.6%, other or unspecified 6.4% (2001 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.4%

male: 99.5%

female: 99.3% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 15 years

male: 15 years

female: 16 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

5.5% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 48

Government ::Hungary

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Hungary

conventional short form: Hungary

local long form: Magyar Koztarsasag

local short form: Magyarorszag

Government type:

parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Budapest

geographic coordinates: 47 30 N, 19 05 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

19 counties (megyek, singular - megye), 23 urban counties (singular - megyei varos), and 1 capital city (fovaros)

counties: Bacs-Kiskun, Baranya, Bekes, Borsod-Abauj-Zemplen,
Csongrad, Fejer, Gyor-Moson-Sopron, Hajdu-Bihar, Heves,
Jasz-Nagykun-Szolnok, Komarom-Esztergom, Nograd, Pest, Somogy,
Szabolcs-Szatmar-Bereg, Tolna, Vas, Veszprem, Zala

urban counties: Bekescsaba, Debrecen, Dunaujvaros, Eger, Erd, Gyor,
Hodmezovasarhely, Kaposvar, Kecskemet, Miskolc, Nagykanizsa,
Nyiregyhaza, Pecs, Salgotarjan, Sopron, Szeged, Szekesfehervar,
Szekszard, Szolnok, Szombathely, Tatabanya, Veszprem, Zalaegerszeg

capital city: Budapest

Independence:

25 December 1000 (crowning of King STEPHEN I, traditional founding date)

National holiday:

Saint Stephen's Day, 20 August

Constitution:

18 August 1949, effective 20 August 1949; revised 19 April 1972; 18 October 1989; and 1997

note: 18 October 1989 revision ensured legal rights for individuals and constitutional checks on the authority of the prime minister and also established the principle of parliamentary oversight; 1997 amendment streamlined the judicial system

Legal system:

based on the German-Austrian legal system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Laszlo SOLYOM (since 5 August 2005)

head of government: Prime Minister Gordon BAJNAI (since 20 April 2009)

cabinet: Council of Ministers prime minister elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the president; other ministers proposed by the prime minister and appointed and relieved of their duties by the president

elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 6-7 June 2005 (next to be held by June 2010); prime minister elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the president; election last held 14 April 2009

election results: Laszlo SOLYOM elected president by a simple majority in the third round of voting, 185 to 182; Gordon BAJNAI elected prime minister; result of legislative vote - 204 to 0

note: to be elected, the president must win two-thirds of legislative vote in the first two rounds or a simple majority in the third round

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly or Orszaggyules (386 seats; members are elected by popular vote under a system of proportional and direct representation to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 9 and 23 April 2006 (next to be held in April 2010)

election results: percent of vote by party (5% or more of the vote required for parliamentary representation in the first round) - MSzP 43.2%, Fidesz-KDNP 42%, SzDSz 6.5%, MDF 5%, other 3.3%; seats by party - MSzP 190, Fidesz-KDNP 164, SzDSz 20, MDF 11, independent 1; seats by party as of January 2009 - MSzP 190, Fidesz-KDNP 161, SzDSz 19, MDF 10, independent 5, vacant 1

Judicial branch:

Constitutional Court (judges are elected by the National Assembly for nine-year terms)

Political parties and leaders:

Alliance of Free Democrats or SzDSz [Gabor FODOR]; Christian
Democratic People's Party or KDNP [Zsolt SEMJEN]; Hungarian Civic
Alliance or Fidesz [Viktor ORBAN, chairman]; Hungarian Democratic
Forum or MDF [Ibolya DAVID]; Hungarian Socialist Party or MSzP
[Ildiko LENDVAI]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Air Work Group (works to reduce air pollution in towns and cities); Company For Freedom Rights (Tarsasag a Szabadsagjogokert) or TASZ (personal data protection); Danube Circle (protests the building of the Gabchikovo-Nagymaros dam); Green Future (protests the impact of lead contamination of local factory on health of the people); environmentalists: Hungarian Ornithological and Nature Conservation Society (Magyar Madartani Egyesulet)or MME; Green Alternative (Zold Alternativa)

International organization participation:

Australia Group, BIS, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA
(cooperating state), EU, FAO, G-9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt,
ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA,
NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen
Convention, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL,
UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Bela SZOMBATI

chancery: 3910 Shoemaker Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 362-6730

FAX: [1] (202) 966-8135

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador April H. FOLEY

embassy: Szabadsag ter 12, H-1054 Budapest

mailing address: pouch: American Embassy Budapest, 5270 Budapest Place, US Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-5270

telephone: [36] (1) 475-4400

FAX: [36] (1) 475-4764

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and green

Economy ::Hungary

Economy - overview:

Hungary has made the transition from a centrally planned to a market economy, with a per capita income nearly two-thirds that of the EU-25 average. The private sector accounts for more than 80% of GDP. Foreign ownership of and investment in Hungarian firms is widespread, with cumulative foreign direct investment totaling more than $200 billion since 1989. The government's IMF-mandated austerity measures, imposed since late 2006, have reduced the budget deficit from over 9% of GDP in 2006 to 3.3% in 2008. Hungary's impending inability to service its short-term debt - brought on by the global credit crunch in late 2008 - led Budapest to seek and receive an IMF-arranged financial assistance package worth over $25 billion. The global financial crisis, declining exports, and low domestic consumption and fixed asset accumulation, dampened by government austerity measures, will result in a negative growth rate of about -1.5% to -2.5% in 2009.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$196.7 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 54 $195.5 billion (2007 est.)

$193.2 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$155.9 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

0.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 190 1.2% (2007 est.)

3.9% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$19,800 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 63 $19,600 (2007 est.)

$19,400 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 2.9%

industry: 36.9%

services: 60.2% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

4.2 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 85

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 5%

industry: 32.4%

services: 62.6% (2005)

Unemployment rate:

7.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 107 7.3% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

8.6% (1993 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 3.5%

highest 10%: 24.1% (2004)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

28 (2005) country comparison to the world: 121 24.4 (1998)

Investment (gross fixed):

20.2% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 108

Budget:

revenues: $67.7 billion

expenditures: $73 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

67.7% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 17 58.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

6.1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 103 8% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

10% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 54 7.5% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

10.18% (31 December 2008)

Stock of money:

$32.78 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 26 $36.78 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$47.49 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 29 $43.07 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$114.3 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 36 $109.5 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$21.9 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 56 $47.65 billion (31 December 2007)

$41.93 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

wheat, corn, sunflower seed, potatoes, sugar beets; pigs, cattle, poultry, dairy products

Industries:

mining, metallurgy, construction materials, processed foods, textiles, chemicals (especially pharmaceuticals), motor vehicles

Industrial production growth rate:

-1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 144

Electricity - production:

37.74 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 56

Electricity - consumption:

37.77 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 54

Electricity - exports:

8.871 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

12.77 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

37,830 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 66

Oil - consumption:

162,100 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 64

Oil - exports:

72,050 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 73

Oil - imports:

195,400 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 50

Oil - proved reserves:

20.18 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 82

Natural gas - production:

2.643 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 56

Natural gas - consumption:

13.17 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 42

Natural gas - exports:

21 million cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 43

Natural gas - imports:

11.47 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 19

Natural gas - proved reserves:

8.098 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 83

Current account balance:

-$12.98 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 173 -$8.922 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$106.6 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 36 $93.86 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

machinery and equipment 61.1%, other manufactures 28.7%, food products 6.5%, raw materials 2%, fuels and electricity 1.6% (2003)

Exports - partners:

Germany 26.5%, Italy 5.4%, Romania 5.3%, Austria 4.9%, Slovakia 4.7%, France 4.7%, UK 4.5%, Czech Republic 4% (2008)

Imports:

$106.5 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 34 $93.4 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment 51.6%, other manufactures 35.7%, fuels and electricity 7.7%, food products 3.1%, raw materials 2.0% (2003)

Imports - partners:

Germany 25.4%, Russia 9%, China 7.6%, Austria 6.1%, Netherlands 4.4%, France 4.4%, Italy 4.3% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$33.87 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 37 $24.05 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$212.1 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 30 $167.7 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$237.1 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 21 $164.7 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$159.7 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 20 $97.42 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

forints (HUF) per US dollar - 171.8 (2008), 183.83 (2007), 210.39 (2006), 199.58 (2005), 202.75 (2004)

Communications ::Hungary

Telephones - main lines in use:

3.094 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 48

Telephones - mobile cellular:

12.224 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 50

Telephone system:

general assessment: the telephone system has been modernized and is capable of satisfying all requests for telecommunication service

domestic: the system is digitalized and highly automated; trunk services are carried by fiber-optic cable and digital microwave radio relay; a program for fiber-optic subscriber connections was initiated in 1996; competition among mobile-cellular service providers has led to a sharp increase in the use of mobile cellular phones since 2000 and a decrease in the number of fixed-line connections

international: country code - 36; Hungary has fiber-optic cable connections with all neighboring countries; the international switch is in Budapest; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean regions), 1 Inmarsat, 1 very small aperture terminal (VSAT) system of ground terminals

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 5, FM 90, shortwave 1 (2008)

Television broadcast stations:

95 (2008)

Internet country code:

.hu

Internet hosts:

2.261 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 29

Internet users:

5.873 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 40

Transportation ::Hungary

Airports:

46 (2009) country comparison to the world: 94

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 20

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 8

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 4

under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 26

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 10

under 914 m: 11 (2009)

Heliports:

5 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 4,407 km; oil 987 km; refined products 335 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 8,057 km country comparison to the world: 27 broad gauge: 36 km 1.524-m gauge

standard gauge: 7,802 km 1.435-m gauge (2,628 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 219 km 0.760-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 159,568 km country comparison to the world: 32 paved: 70,050 km (30,874 km of interurban roads including 626 km of expressways)

unpaved: 89,518 km (2005)

Waterways:

1,622 km (most on Danube River) (2008) country comparison to the world: 49

Ports and terminals:

Budapest, Dunaujvaros, Gyor-Gonyu, Csepel, Baja, Mohacs

Military ::Hungary

Military branches:

Ground Forces, Hungarian Air Force (Magyar Legiero, ML) (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18-50 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription; 6-month service obligation (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 2,391,400

females age 16-49: 2,337,240 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,887,755

females age 16-49: 1,934,019 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 60,248

female: 57,280 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.75% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 94

Transnational Issues ::Hungary

Disputes - international:

bilateral government, legal, technical and economic working group negotiations continue in 2006 with Slovakia over Hungary's failure to complete its portion of the Gabcikovo-Nagymaros hydroelectric dam project along the Danube; as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Hungary has implemented the strict Schengen border rules

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and cannabis and for South American cocaine destined for Western Europe; limited producer of precursor chemicals, particularly for amphetamine and methamphetamine; efforts to counter money laundering, related to organized crime and drug trafficking, are improving, but remain vulnerable; significant consumer of ecstasy

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Iceland (Europe)

Introduction ::Iceland

Background:

Settled by Norwegian and Celtic (Scottish and Irish) immigrants during the late 9th and 10th centuries A.D., Iceland boasts the world's oldest functioning legislative assembly, the Althing, established in 930. Independent for over 300 years, Iceland was subsequently ruled by Norway and Denmark. Fallout from the Askja volcano of 1875 devastated the Icelandic economy and caused widespread famine. Over the next quarter century, 20% of the island's population emigrated, mostly to Canada and the US. Limited home rule from Denmark was granted in 1874 and complete independence attained in 1944. Literacy, longevity, and social cohesion are first-rate by world standards.

Geography ::Iceland

Location:

Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the North
Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the United Kingdom

Geographic coordinates:

65 00 N, 18 00 W

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 103,000 sq km country comparison to the world: 107 land: 100,250 sq km

water: 2,750 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Kentucky

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

4,970 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:

temperate; moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy winters; damp, cool summers

Terrain:

mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields; coast deeply indented by bays and fiords

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Hvannadalshnukur 2,110 m (at Vatnajokull glacier)

Natural resources:

fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite

Land use:

arable land: 0.07%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 99.93% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Total renewable water resources:

170 cu km (2005)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.17 cu km/yr (34%/66%/0%)

per capita: 567 cu m/yr (2003)

Natural hazards:

earthquakes and volcanic activity

Environment - current issues:

water pollution from fertilizer runoff; inadequate wastewater treatment

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Transboundary Air Pollution, Wetlands,
Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:

strategic location between Greenland and Europe; westernmost European country; Reykjavik is the northernmost national capital in the world; more land covered by glaciers than in all of continental Europe

People ::Iceland

Population:

306,694 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 178

Age structure:

0-14 years: 20.7% (male 32,268/female 31,308)

15-64 years: 67.1% (male 104,158/female 101,584)

65 years and over: 12.2% (male 16,952/female 20,424) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 35.1 years

male: 34.6 years

female: 35.6 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.741% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 143

Birth rate:

13.43 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 154

Death rate:

6.85 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 139

Net migration rate:

0.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 60

Urbanization:

urban population: 92% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 0.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 3.23 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 218 male: 3.38 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 3.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 80.67 years country comparison to the world: 14 male: 78.53 years

female: 82.9 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.9 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 143

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.2% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 100

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

220 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 155

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 100 (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 144

Nationality:

noun: Icelander(s)

adjective: Icelandic

Ethnic groups:

homogeneous mixture of descendants of Norse and Celts 94%, population of foreign origin 6%

Religions:

Lutheran Church of Iceland 80.7%, Roman Catholic Church 2.5%, Reykjavik Free Church 2.4%, Hafnarfjorour Free Church 1.6%, other religions 3.6%, unaffiliated 3%, other or unspecified 6.2% (2006 est.)

Languages:

Icelandic, English, Nordic languages, German widely spoken

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 18 years

male: 17 years

female: 19 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

7.6% of GDP (2004) country comparison to the world: 16

Government ::Iceland

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Iceland

conventional short form: Iceland

local long form: Lydveldid Island

local short form: Island

Government type:

constitutional republic

Capital:

name: Reykjavik

geographic coordinates: 64 09 N, 21 57 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

8 regions; Austurland, Hofudhborgarsvaedhi, Nordhurland Eystra, Nordhurland Vestra, Sudhurland, Sudhurnes, Vestfirdhir, Vesturland

Independence:

1 December 1918 (became a sovereign state under the Danish Crown); 17 June 1944 (from Denmark)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 17 June (1944)

Constitution:

16 June 1944, effective 17 June 1944; amended many times

Legal system:

civil law system based on Danish law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON (since 1 August 1996)

head of government: Prime Minister Johanna SIGURDARDOTTIR (since 1 February 2009);

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister

elections: president, a largely ceremonial post, is elected by popular vote for a four-year term (no term limits); election last held 28 June 2004 (next to be held in June 2012); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually the prime minister

note: the presidential election of 28 June 2008 was never held because Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON had no challengers; he was sworn in on 1 August 2008

2004 election results: Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON elected president; percent of vote - Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON 85.6%, Baldur AGUSTSSON 12.5%, Astthor MAGNUSSON 1.9%;

Legislative branch:

unicameral Parliament or Althing (63 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 25 April 2009 (next to be held in 2013)

election results: percent of vote by party - Social Democratic Alliance 29.8%, Independence Party 23.7%, Left-Green Movement 21.7%, Progressive Party 14.8%, Citizens' Movement 7.2%, other 2.8%; seats by party - Social Democratic Alliance 20, Independence Party 16, Left-Green Alliance 14, Progressive Party 9, Citizens' Movement 4

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Haestirettur (justices are appointed for life by the Minister of Justice); eight district courts (justices are appointed for life by the Minister of Justice)

Political parties and leaders:

Citizens' Movement; Independence Party or IP [Bjarni BENEDIKTSSON,
Jr.]; Left-Green Movement or LGM [Steingrimur SIGFUSSON]; Liberal
Party or LP [Gudjon KRISTJANSSON]; Progressive Party or PP
[Sigmundur David GUNNLAUGSSON; Social Democratic Alliance or SDA
[Johanna SIGUROARDOTTIR] (includes People's Alliance or PA, Social
Democratic Party or SDP, Women's List)

Political pressure groups and leaders:

People's Voices [Hordur TORFARSON]; New Times; Civic Action
Association [Gunnar SIGURDSSON]; The Association of Military
Opponents [Stefan PALSSON]

International organization participation:

Arctic Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA,
FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA,
NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen
Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate), WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Hjalmar W. HANNESSON

chancery: House of Sweden, 2900 K Street NW #509, Washington, DC 20007

telephone: [1] (202) 265-6653

FAX: [1] (202) 265-6656

consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Hjalmar HANNESSON

embassy: Laufasvegur 21, 101 Reykjavik

mailing address: US Department of State, 5640 Reykjavik Place, Washington, D.C. 20521-5640

telephone: [354] 562-9100

FAX: [354] 562-9118

Flag description:

blue with a red cross outlined in white extending to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag); the colors represent three of the elements that make up the island: red is for the island's volcanic fires, white recalls the snow and ice fields of the island, and blue is for the surrounding ocean

Economy ::Iceland

Economy - overview:

Iceland's Scandinavian-type social-market economy combines a capitalist structure and free-market principles with an extensive welfare system, including generous housing subsidies. Prior to the 2008 crisis, Iceland had achieved high growth, low unemployment, and a remarkably even distribution of income. Government economic priorities have included stabilizing the krona, reducing the current account deficit, containing inflation, restructuring the financial sector, and diversifying the economy. The economy depends heavily on the fishing industry, which provides 40% of export earnings, more than 12% of GDP, and employs 7% of the work force. It remains sensitive to declining fish stocks as well as to fluctuations in world prices for its main exports: fish and fish products, aluminum, and ferrosilicon. Iceland's economy has been diversifying into manufacturing and service industries in the last decade, with new developments in software production, biotechnology, and tourism. Abundant geothermal sources have attracted substantial foreign investment in the aluminum and hydropower sectors and boosted economic growth, although the financial crisis has put several investment projects on hold. Much of Iceland's economic growth in recent years came as the result of a boom in domestic demand following the rapid expansion of the country's financial sector. Domestic banks expanded aggressively in foreign markets, and consumers and businesses borrowed heavily in foreign-currency loans, following the privatization of the sector in the early 2000s. Worsening global financial conditions throughout 2008 resulted in a sharp depreciation of the krona vis-a-vis other major currencies. The foreign exposure of Icelandic banks, whose loans and other assets totaled more than 10 times the country's GDP, became unsustainable. Iceland's three largest banks collapsed in late 2008. The country negotiated over $10 billion in loans from the IMF and other countries to stabilize its currency and financial sector, and to guarantee foreign deposits in Icelandic banks. A protracted recession is expected in 2009 and 2010 with GDP likely to contract and unemployment likely to surpass 10%. The collapse of the financial system has led to a major shift in opinion in favor of joining the EU and adopting the euro. Previous opposition to this move stemmed from Icelanders' concern about losing control of their fishing resources. Iceland's coalition government collapsed in January 2009 following protests over growing joblessness and losses to personal savings.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$12.87 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 139 $12.7 billion (2007 est.)

$12.03 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$16.79 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

1.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 169 5.5% (2007 est.)

4.5% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$42,300 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 17 $42,100 (2007 est.)

$40,200 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 5%

industry: 25.2%

services: 69.8% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

184,000 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 167

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 3%

industry: 19%

services: 78% (2007)

Unemployment rate:

1.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 14 1% (2007 est.)

note: this figure climbed to 9.4% as of February 2009

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

25 (2005) country comparison to the world: 130

Investment (gross fixed):

23.9% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 60

Budget:

revenues: $6.657 billion

expenditures: $6.856 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

56.5% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 28 35.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

12.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 176 5.1% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

22% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 12 15.25% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

NA% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 18 19.29% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$6.64 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$15.05 billion (31 December 2006) country comparison to the world: 45 $NA (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$49.67 billion (31 December 2006)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 62 $40.56 billion (31 December 2007)

$36.1 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

potatoes, green vegetables; mutton, dairy products; fish

Industries:

fish processing; aluminum smelting, ferrosilicon production; geothermal power, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:

0% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 134

Electricity - production:

11.71 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 86

Electricity - consumption:

11.22 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 79

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 186

Oil - consumption:

19,880 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 126

Oil - exports:

2,975 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 109

Oil - imports:

17,510 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 117

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 160

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 176

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 172

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 66

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 168

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 166

Current account balance:

-$6.606 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 164 -$3.178 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$5.399 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 105 $4.793 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

fish and fish products 70%, aluminum, animal products, ferrosilicon, diatomite

Exports - partners:

Netherlands 33.8%, UK 11.7%, Germany 11.5%, US 5.8%, Japan 4.9%,
Norway 4.1% (2008)

Imports:

$5.699 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 110 $6.181 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, petroleum products, foodstuffs, textiles

Imports - partners:

Norway 10.9%, Germany 10.4%, Sweden 9%, US 8%, Denmark 7.4%, China 6.8%, Netherlands 6%, UK 4.4%, Japan 4% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$2.5 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 102 $2.436 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$3.073 billion (2002) country comparison to the world: 125

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$NA

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$NA

Exchange rates:

Icelandic kronur (ISK) per US dollar - 85.619 (2008 est.), 63.391 (2007), 70.195 (2006), 62.982 (2005), 70.192 (2004)

Communications ::Iceland

Telephones - main lines in use:

187,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 125

Telephones - mobile cellular:

342,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 166

Telephone system:

general assessment: telecommunications infrastructure is modern and fully digitized, with satellite-earth stations, fiber-optic cables, and an extensive broadband network

domestic: liberalization of the telecommunications sector beginning in the late 1990s has led to increased competition especially in the mobile services segment of the market

international: country code - 354; the CANTAT-3 and FARICE-1 submarine cable systems provide connectivity to Canada, the Faroe Islands, UK, Denmark, and Germany; a planned new section of the Hibernia-Atlantic submarine cable will provide additional connectivity to Canada, US, and Ireland; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Iceland shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 3, FM about 70, shortwave 1 (2008)

Television broadcast stations:

14 (plus 156 repeaters) (1997)

Internet country code:

.is

Internet hosts:

272,201 (2009) country comparison to the world: 59

Internet users:

250,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 131

Transportation ::Iceland

Airports:

99 (2009) country comparison to the world: 62

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 6

over 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 93

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 27

under 914 m: 63 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 13,058 km country comparison to the world: 129 paved/oiled gravel: 4,397 km (does not include urban roads)

unpaved: 8,661 km (2007)

Merchant marine:

total: 2 country comparison to the world: 145 by type: passenger/cargo 2

registered in other countries: 37 (Antigua and Barbuda 12, Bahamas 1, Belize 2, Denmark 2, Faroe Islands 1, Gibraltar 1, Malta 5, Marshall Islands 3, Norway 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 7) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Grundartangi, Hafnarfjordur, Reykjavik

Military ::Iceland

Military branches:

no regular military forces; Icelandic National Police (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 74,896 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 62,576

females age 16-49: 61,159 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 2,369

female: 2,349 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

0% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 173

Military - note:

Iceland has no standing military force; under a 1951 bilateral agreement - still valid - its defense was provided by the US-manned Icelandic Defense Force (IDF) headquartered at Keflavik; however, all US military forces in Iceland were withdrawn as of October 2006; although wartime defense of Iceland remains a NATO commitment, in April 2007, Iceland and Norway signed a bilateral agreement providing for Norwegian aerial surveillance and defense of Icelandic airspace (2008)

Transnational Issues ::Iceland

Disputes - international:

Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe
Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@India (South Asia)

Introduction ::India

Background:

The Indus Valley civilization, one of the world's oldest, flourished during the 3rd and 2nd centuries B.C. and extended into northwestern India. Aryan tribes from the northwest infiltrated onto the Indian subcontinent about 1500 B.C.; their merger with the earlier Dravidian inhabitants created the classical Indian culture. The Maurya Empire of the 4th and 3rd centuries B.C. - which reached its zenith under ASHOKA - united much of South Asia. The Golden Age ushered in by the Gupta dynasty (4th to 6th centuries A.D.) saw a flowering of Indian science, art, and culture. Arab incursions starting in the 8th century and Turkic in the 12th were followed by those of European traders, beginning in the late 15th century. By the 19th century, Britain had assumed political control of virtually all Indian lands. Indian armed forces in the British army played a vital role in both World Wars. Nonviolent resistance to British colonialism led by Mohandas GANDHI and Jawaharlal NEHRU brought independence in 1947. The subcontinent was divided into the secular state of India and the smaller Muslim state of Pakistan. A third war between the two countries in 1971 resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh. India's nuclear weapons testing in 1998 caused Pakistan to conduct its own tests that same year. Despite impressive gains in economic investment and output, India faces pressing problems such as significant overpopulation, environmental degradation, extensive poverty, and widespread corruption.

Geography ::India

Location:

Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and Pakistan

Geographic coordinates:

20 00 N, 77 00 E

Map references:

Asia

Area:

total: 3,287,263 sq km country comparison to the world: 7 land: 2,973,193 sq km

water: 314,070 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly more than one-third the size of the US

Land boundaries:

total: 14,103 km

border countries: Bangladesh 4,053 km, Bhutan 605 km, Burma 1,463 km, China 3,380 km, Nepal 1,690 km, Pakistan 2,912 km

Coastline:

7,000 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:

varies from tropical monsoon in south to temperate in north

Terrain:

upland plain (Deccan Plateau) in south, flat to rolling plain along the Ganges, deserts in west, Himalayas in north

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: Kanchenjunga 8,598 m

Natural resources:

coal (fourth-largest reserves in the world), iron ore, manganese, mica, bauxite, titanium ore, chromite, natural gas, diamonds, petroleum, limestone, arable land

Land use:

arable land: 48.83%

permanent crops: 2.8%

other: 48.37% (2005)

Irrigated land:

558,080 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

1,907.8 cu km (1999)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 645.84 cu km/yr (8%/5%/86%)

per capita: 585 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

droughts; flash floods, as well as widespread and destructive flooding from monsoonal rains; severe thunderstorms; earthquakes

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; desertification; air pollution from industrial effluents and vehicle emissions; water pollution from raw sewage and runoff of agricultural pesticides; tap water is not potable throughout the country; huge and growing population is overstraining natural resources

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

dominates South Asian subcontinent; near important Indian Ocean trade routes; Kanchenjunga, third tallest mountain in the world, lies on the border with Nepal

People ::India

Population:

1,166,079,217 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 2

Age structure:

0-14 years: 31.1% (male 190,075,426/female 172,799,553)

15-64 years: 63.6% (male 381,446,079/female 359,802,209)

65 years and over: 5.3% (male 29,364,920/female 32,591,030) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 25.3 years

male: 24.9 years

female: 25.8 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.548% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 84

Birth rate:

21.76 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 87

Death rate:

6.23 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 154

Net migration rate:

-0.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 87

Urbanization:

urban population: 29% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 2.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.12 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female

total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 30.15 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 73 male: 34.61 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 25.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 69.89 years country comparison to the world: 145 male: 67.46 years

female: 72.61 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.72 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 83

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.3% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 89

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

2.4 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 4

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

310,000 (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 2

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: chikungunya, dengue fever, Japanese encephalitis, and malaria

animal contact disease: rabies

water contact disease: leptospirosis

note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Indian(s)

adjective: Indian

Ethnic groups:

Indo-Aryan 72%, Dravidian 25%, Mongoloid and other 3% (2000)

Religions:

Hindu 80.5%, Muslim 13.4%, Christian 2.3%, Sikh 1.9%, other 1.8%, unspecified 0.1% (2001 census)

Languages:

Hindi 41%, Bengali 8.1%, Telugu 7.2%, Marathi 7%, Tamil 5.9%, Urdu 5%, Gujarati 4.5%, Kannada 3.7%, Malayalam 3.2%, Oriya 3.2%, Punjabi 2.8%, Assamese 1.3%, Maithili 1.2%, other 5.9%

note: English enjoys associate status but is the most important language for national, political, and commercial communication; Hindi is the most widely spoken language and primary tongue of 41% of the people; there are 14 other official languages: Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil, Urdu, Gujarati, Malayalam, Kannada, Oriya, Punjabi, Assamese, Kashmiri, Sindhi, and Sanskrit; Hindustani is a popular variant of Hindi/Urdu spoken widely throughout northern India but is not an official language (2001 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 61%

male: 73.4%

female: 47.8% (2001 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 10 years

male: 11 years

female: 9 years (2005)

Education expenditures:

3.2% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 140

Government ::India

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of India

conventional short form: India

local long form: Republic of India/Bharatiya Ganarajya

local short form: India/Bharat

Government type:

federal republic

Capital:

name: New Delhi

geographic coordinates: 28 36 N, 77 12 E

time difference: UTC+5.5 (10.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

28 states and 7 union territories*; Andaman and Nicobar Islands*,
Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chandigarh*,
Chhattisgarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli*, Daman and Diu*, Delhi*, Goa,
Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand,
Karnataka, Kerala, Lakshadweep*, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra,
Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Orissa, Puducherry*, Punjab,
Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand,
West Bengal

Independence:

15 August 1947 (from the UK)

National holiday:

Republic Day, 26 January (1950)

Constitution:

26 January 1950; amended many times

Legal system:

based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; separate personal law codes apply to Muslims, Christians, and Hindus

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Pratibha PATIL (since 25 July 2007); Vice President Hamid ANSARI (since 11 August 2007)

head of government: Prime Minister Manmohan SINGH (since 22 May 2004)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister

elections: president elected by an electoral college consisting of elected members of both houses of Parliament and the legislatures of the states for a five-year term (no term limits); election last held in July 2007 (next to be held in July 2012); vice president elected by both houses of Parliament for a five-year term; election last held in August 2007 (next to be held August 2012); prime minister chosen by parliamentary members of the majority party following legislative elections; election last held April - May 2004 (next to be held no later than May 2009)

election results: Pratibha PATIL elected president; percent of vote - Pratibha PATIL 65.8%, Bhairon Singh SHEKHAWAT - 34.2%

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament or Sansad consists of the Council of States or Rajya Sabha (a body consisting of not more than 250 members up to 12 of whom are appointed by the president, the remainder are chosen by the elected members of the state and territorial assemblies; members serve six-year terms) and the People's Assembly or Lok Sabha (545 seats; 543 elected by popular vote, 2 appointed by the president; members serve five-year terms)

elections: People's Assembly - last held in five phases 16, 22-23, 30 April and 7, 13 May 2009 (next must be held by May 2014)

election results: People's Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - INC 206, BJP 116, SP 23, BSP 21, JD (U) 20, AITC 19, DMK 18, CPI-M 16, BJD 14, SS 11, AIADMK 9, NCP 9, other 61, vacant 2

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (one chief justice and 25 associate justices are appointed by the president and remain in office until they reach the age of 65 or are removed for "proved misbehavior")

Political parties and leaders:

All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam or AIADMK [J.
JAYALALITHAA]; All India Trinamool Congress or AITC [Mamata
BANERJEE]; Bahujan Samaj Party or BSP [Kumari MAYAWATI]; Bharatiya
Janata Party or BJP [Rajnath SINGH]; Biju Janata Dal or BJD [Naveen
PATNAIK]; Communist Party of India or CPI [Ardhendu Bhushan
BARDHAN]; Communist Party of India-Marxist or CPI-M [Prakash KARAT];
Dravida Munnetra Kazagham or DMK [M. KARUNANIDHI]; Indian National
Congress or INC [Sonia GANDHI]; Janata Dal (United) or JD(U) [Sharad
YADAV]; Jharkhand Mukti Morcha or JMM [Shibu SOREN]; Left Front (an
alliance of Indian leftist parties); Lok Jan Shakti Party or LJSP
[Ram Vilas PASWAN]; Nationalist Congress Party or NCP [Sharad
PAWAR]; Pattali Makkal Katchi or PMK [S. RAMADOSS]; Rashtriya Janata
Dal or RJD [Laloo Prasad YADAV]; Samajwadi Party or SP [Mulayam
Singh YADAV]; Shiromani Akali Dal or SAD [Parkash Singh BADAL]; Shiv
Sena or SS [Bal THACKERAY]; note - India has dozens of national and
regional political parties; only parties or coalitions with four or
more seats in the People's Assembly are listed

Political pressure groups and leaders:

All Parties Hurriyat Conference in the Kashmir Valley (separatist group); Bajrang Dal (religious organization); National Socialist Council of Nagaland in the northeast (separatist group); Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (religious organization); Vishwa Hindu Parishad (religious organization

other: numerous religious or militant/chauvinistic organizations; various separatist groups seeking greater communal and/or regional autonomy

International organization participation:

ADB, AfDB (nonregional member), ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner),
BIMSTEC, BIS, C, CERN (observer), CP, EAS, FAO, G-15, G-20, G-24,
G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAS
(observer), MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OPCW, PCA, PIF
(partner), SAARC, SACEP, SCO (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNITAR, UNMIS, UNMIT, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL,
WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Meera SHANKAR

chancery: 2107 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008; note - Consular Wing located at 2536 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 939-7000

FAX: [1] (202) 265-4351

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, New York, San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires A. Peter BURLEIGH

embassy: Shantipath, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi 110021

mailing address: use embassy street address

telephone: [91] (011) 2419-8000

FAX: [91] (11) 2419-0017

consulate(s) general: Chennai (Madras), Kolkata (Calcutta), Mumbai (Bombay)

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of saffron (subdued orange) (top), white, and green, with a blue chakra (24-spoked wheel) centered in the white band; similar to the flag of Niger, which has a small orange disk centered in the white band

Economy ::India

Economy - overview:

India's diverse economy encompasses traditional village farming, modern agriculture, handicrafts, a wide range of modern industries, and a multitude of services. Services are the major source of economic growth, accounting for more than half of India's output with less than one third of its labor force. Slightly more than half of the work force is in agriculture, leading the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government to articulate a rural economic development program that includes creating basic infrastructure to improve the lives of the rural poor and boost economic performance. The government has reduced controls on foreign trade and investment. Higher limits on foreign direct investment were permitted in a few key sectors, such as telecommunications. However, tariff spikes in sensitive categories, including agriculture, and incremental progress on economic reforms still hinder foreign access to India's vast and growing market. Privatization of government-owned industries remains stalled and continues to generate political debate; populist pressure from within the UPA government had restrained needed initiatives. The economy has posted an average growth rate of more than 7% in the decade since 1997, reducing poverty by about 10 percentage points. India achieved 9.6% GDP growth in 2006, 9.0% in 2007, and 6.6% in 2008, significantly expanding manufactures through late 2008. India also is capitalizing on its large numbers of well-educated people skilled in the English language to become a major exporter of software services and software workers. Strong growth combined with easy consumer credit, a real estate boom, and fast-rising commodity prices fueled inflation concerns from mid-2006 to August 2008. Rising tax revenues from better tax administration and economic expansion helped New Delhi make progress in reducing its fiscal deficit for three straight years before skyrocketing global commodity prices more than doubled the cost of government energy and fertilizer subsidies. The ballooning subsidies, amidst slowing growth, brought the return of a large fiscal deficit in 2008. In the long run, the huge and growing population is the fundamental social, economic, and environmental problem.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$3.304 trillion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 5 $3.077 trillion (2007 est.)

$2.823 trillion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$1.207 trillion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

7.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 29 9% (2007 est.)

9.7% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$2,900 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 167 $2,700 (2007 est.)

$2,500 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 17.6%

industry: 29%

services: 53.4% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

523.5 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 2

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 60%

industry: 12%

services: 28% (2003)

Unemployment rate:

9.1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 118 7.2% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

25% (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 3.6%

highest 10%: 31.1% (2005)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

36.8 (2004) country comparison to the world: 79 37.8 (1997)

Investment (gross fixed):

39% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 6

Budget:

revenues: $126.7 billion

expenditures: $202.6 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

56.4% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 30 59.7% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

8.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 129 6.4% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

6% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 74 6% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

13.31% (31 December 2008)

Stock of money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$250.9 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$647.3 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$769.3 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$645.5 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 9 $1.819 trillion (31 December 2007)

$818.9 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

rice, wheat, oilseed, cotton, jute, tea, sugarcane, potatoes; onions, dairy products, sheep, goats, poultry; fish

Industries:

textiles, chemicals, food processing, steel, transportation equipment, cement, mining, petroleum, machinery, software

Industrial production growth rate:

4.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 51

Electricity - production:

761.7 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 6

Electricity - consumption:

568 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 6

Electricity - exports:

216 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

4.96 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Oil - production:

883,500 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 23

Oil - consumption:

2.94 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 5

Oil - exports:

671,200 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 23

Oil - imports:

2.518 million bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 8

Oil - proved reserves:

5.625 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 22

Natural gas - production:

32.2 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 26

Natural gas - consumption:

42.99 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 19

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 65

Natural gas - imports:

10.79 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 22

Natural gas - proved reserves:

1.075 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 25

Current account balance:

-$36.09 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 182 -$10.88 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$187.9 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 25 $150.7 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

petroleum products, textile goods, gems and jewelry, engineering goods, chemicals, leather manufactures

Exports - partners:

US 12.3%, UAE 9.4%, China 9.3% (2008)

Imports:

$315.1 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 15 $231.6 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

crude oil, machinery, gems, fertilizer, chemicals

Imports - partners:

China 11.1%, Saudi Arabia 7.5%, US 6.6%, UAE 5.1%, Iran 4.2%,
Singapore 4.2%, Germany 4.2% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$254 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 5 $273.9 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$229.3 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 29 $206 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$144.2 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 23 $103.1 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$61.77 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 30 $38.82 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

Indian rupees (INR) per US dollar - 43.319 (2008 est.), 41.487 (2007), 45.3 (2006), 44.101 (2005), 45.317 (2004)

Communications ::India

Telephones - main lines in use:

37.54 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 7

Telephones - mobile cellular:

427.3 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 2

Telephone system:

general assessment: recent deregulation and liberalization of telecommunications laws and policies have prompted rapid growth; local and long distance service provided throughout all regions of the country, with services primarily concentrated in the urban areas; steady improvement is taking place with the recent admission of private and private-public investors, but combined fixed and mobile telephone density remains low at about 40 for each 100 persons nationwide and much lower for persons in rural areas; extremely rapid growth in cellular service with modest declines in fixed lines

domestic: mobile cellular service introduced in 1994 and organized nationwide into four metropolitan areas and 19 telecom circles each with multiple private service providers and one or more state-owned service providers; in recent years significant trunk capacity added in the form of fiber-optic cable and one of the world's largest domestic satellite systems, the Indian National Satellite system (INSAT), with 6 satellites supporting 33,000 very small aperture terminals (VSAT)

international: country code - 91; a number of major international submarine cable systems, including Sea-Me-We-3 with landing sites at Cochin and Mumbai (Bombay), Sea-Me-We-4 with a landing site at Chennai, Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG) with a landing site at Mumbai (Bombay), South Africa - Far East (SAFE) with a landing site at Cochin, the i2i cable network linking to Singapore with landing sites at Mumbai (Bombay) and Chennai (Madras), and Tata Indicom linking Singapore and Chennai (Madras), provide a significant increase in the bandwidth available for both voice and data traffic; satellite earth stations - 8 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region); 9 gateway exchanges operating from Mumbai (Bombay), New Delhi, Kolkata (Calcutta), Chennai (Madras), Jalandhar, Kanpur, Gandhinagar, Hyderabad, and Ernakulam (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 153, FM 91, shortwave 68 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

562 (1997)

Internet country code:

.in

Internet hosts:

3.611 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 22

Internet users:

81 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 4

Transportation ::India

Airports:

349 (2009) country comparison to the world: 23

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 250

over 3,047 m: 20

2,438 to 3,047 m: 56

1,524 to 2,437 m: 76

914 to 1,523 m: 84

under 914 m: 14 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 99

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 8

914 to 1,523 m: 42

under 914 m: 47 (2009)

Heliports:

37 (2009)

Pipelines:

condensate/gas 2 km; gas 6,061 km; liquid petroleum gas 2,156 km; oil 7,678 km; refined products 6,876 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 63,327 km country comparison to the world: 4 broad gauge: 49,820 km 1.676-m gauge (17,786 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 10,621 km 1.000-m gauge (135 km electrified); 2,886 km 0.762-m gauge and 0.610-m gauge (2007)

Roadways:

total: 3,316,452 km (includes 200 km of expressways) (2006) country comparison to the world: 2

Waterways:

14,500 km country comparison to the world: 9 note: 5,200 km on major rivers and 485 km on canals suitable for mechanized vessels (2008)

Merchant marine:

total: 501 country comparison to the world: 23 by type: bulk carrier 102, cargo 241, carrier 1, chemical tanker 19, container 13, liquefied gas 18, passenger 3, passenger/cargo 11, petroleum tanker 92, roll on/roll off 1

foreign-owned: 12 (China 1, Germany 2, Hong Kong 1, UAE 6, UK 2)

registered in other countries: 61 (Barbados 1, Comoros 2, Cyprus 2, Dominica 2, Liberia 2, Malta 2, Marshall Islands 1, Panama 27, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 7, Singapore 13, unknown 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Chennai, Haldia, Jawaharal Nehru, Kandla, Kolkata (Calcutta),
Mormugao, Mumbai (Bombay), New Mangalore, Vishakhapatnam

Military ::India

Military branches:

Army, Navy (includes naval air arm), Air Force (Bharatiya Vayu
Sena), Coast Guard (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

16 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription; women officers allowed in noncombat roles only (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 301,094,084

females age 16-49: 283,047,141 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 237,042,868

females age 16-49: 243,276,310 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 11.795 million

female: 10,820,590 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

2.5% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 66

Transnational Issues ::India

Disputes - international:

since China and India launched a security and foreign policy dialogue in 2005, consolidated discussions related to the dispute over most of their rugged, militarized boundary, regional nuclear proliferation, Indian claims that China transferred missiles to Pakistan, and other matters continue; various talks and confidence-building measures have cautiously begun to defuse tensions over Kashmir, particularly since the October 2005 earthquake in the region; Kashmir nevertheless remains the site of the world's largest and most militarized territorial dispute with portions under the de facto administration of China (Aksai Chin), India (Jammu and Kashmir), and Pakistan (Azad Kashmir and Northern Areas); India and Pakistan have maintained the 2004 cease fire in Kashmir and initiated discussions on defusing the armed stand-off in the Siachen glacier region; Pakistan protests India's fencing the highly militarized Line of Control and construction of the Baglihar Dam on the Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir, which is part of the larger dispute on water sharing of the Indus River and its tributaries; UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) has maintained a small group of peacekeepers since 1949; India does not recognize Pakistan's ceding historic Kashmir lands to China in 1964; to defuse tensions and prepare for discussions on a maritime boundary, India and Pakistan seek technical resolution of the disputed boundary in Sir Creek estuary at the mouth of the Rann of Kutch in the Arabian Sea; Pakistani maps continue to show its Junagadh claim in Indian Gujarat State; discussions with Bangladesh remain stalled to delimit a small section of river boundary, to exchange territory for 51 Bangladeshi exclaves in India and 111 Indian exclaves in Bangladesh, to allocate divided villages, and to stop illegal cross-border trade, migration, violence, and transit of terrorists through the porous border; Bangladesh protests India's attempts to fence off high-traffic sections of the border; dispute with Bangladesh over New Moore/South Talpatty/Purbasha Island in the Bay of Bengal deters maritime boundary delimitation; India seeks cooperation from Bhutan and Burma to keep Indian Nagaland and Assam separatists from hiding in remote areas along the borders; Joint Border Committee with Nepal continues to examine contested boundary sections, including the 400 square kilometer dispute over the source of the Kalapani River; India maintains a strict border regime to keep out Maoist insurgents and control illegal cross-border activities from Nepal

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 77,200 (Tibet/China); 69,609 (Sri Lanka); 9,472 (Afghanistan)

IDPs: at least 600,000 (about half are Kashmiri Pandits from Jammu and Kashmir) (2007)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: India is a source, destination, and transit country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation; internal forced labor may constitute India's largest trafficking problem; men, women, and children are held in debt bondage and face forced labor working in brick kilns, rice mills, agriculture, and embroidery factories; women and girls are trafficked within the country for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation and forced marriage; children are subjected to forced labor as factory workers, domestic servants, beggars, and agriculture workers, and have been used as armed combatants by some terrorist and insurgent groups; India is also a destination for women and girls from Nepal and Bangladesh trafficked for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation; Indian women are trafficked to the Middle East for commercial sexual exploitation; men and women from Bangladesh and Nepal are trafficked through India for forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation in the Middle East

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - India is on the Tier 2 Watch List for a fifth consecutive year for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat human trafficking in 2007; despite the reported extent of the trafficking crisis in India, government authorities made uneven efforts to prosecute traffickers and protect trafficking victims; government authorities continued to rescue victims of commercial sexual exploitation and forced child labor and child armed combatants, and began to show progress in law enforcement against these forms of trafficking; a critical challenge overall is the lack of punishment for traffickers, effectively resulting in impunity for acts of human trafficking; India has not ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2008)

Illicit drugs:

world's largest producer of licit opium for the pharmaceutical trade, but an undetermined quantity of opium is diverted to illicit international drug markets; transit point for illicit narcotics produced in neighboring countries and throughout Southwest Asia; illicit producer of methaqualone; vulnerable to narcotics money laundering through the hawala system; licit ketamine and precursor production

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Indian Ocean (Oceans)

Introduction ::Indian Ocean

Background:

The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's five oceans (after the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean, but larger than the Southern Ocean and Arctic Ocean). Four critically important access waterways are the Suez Canal (Egypt), Bab el Mandeb (Djibouti-Yemen), Strait of Hormuz (Iran-Oman), and Strait of Malacca (Indonesia-Malaysia). The decision by the International Hydrographic Organization in the spring of 2000 to delimit a fifth ocean, the Southern Ocean, removed the portion of the Indian Ocean south of 60 degrees south latitude.

Geography ::Indian Ocean

Location:

body of water between Africa, the Southern Ocean, Asia, and Australia

Geographic coordinates:

20 00 S, 80 00 E

Map references:

Political Map of the World

Area:

total: 68.556 million sq km

note: includes Andaman Sea, Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, Flores Sea,
Great Australian Bight, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman, Java Sea,
Mozambique Channel, Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Savu Sea, Strait of
Malacca, Timor Sea, and other tributary water bodies

Area - comparative:

about 5.5 times the size of the US

Coastline:

66,526 km

Climate:

northeast monsoon (December to April), southwest monsoon (June to October); tropical cyclones occur during May/June and October/November in the northern Indian Ocean and January/February in the southern Indian Ocean

Terrain:

surface dominated by counterclockwise gyre (broad, circular system of currents) in the southern Indian Ocean; unique reversal of surface currents in the northern Indian Ocean; low atmospheric pressure over southwest Asia from hot, rising, summer air results in the southwest monsoon and southwest-to-northeast winds and currents, while high pressure over northern Asia from cold, falling, winter air results in the northeast monsoon and northeast-to-southwest winds and currents; ocean floor is dominated by the Mid-Indian Ocean Ridge and subdivided by the Southeast Indian Ocean Ridge, Southwest Indian Ocean Ridge, and Ninetyeast Ridge

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Java Trench -7,258 m

highest point: sea level 0 m

Natural resources:

oil and gas fields, fish, shrimp, sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules

Natural hazards:

occasional icebergs pose navigational hazard in southern reaches

Environment - current issues:

endangered marine species include the dugong, seals, turtles, and whales; oil pollution in the Arabian Sea, Persian Gulf, and Red Sea

Geography - note:

major chokepoints include Bab el Mandeb, Strait of Hormuz, Strait of Malacca, southern access to the Suez Canal, and the Lombok Strait

Economy ::Indian Ocean

Economy - overview:

The Indian Ocean provides major sea routes connecting the Middle East, Africa, and East Asia with Europe and the Americas. It carries a particularly heavy traffic of petroleum and petroleum products from the oilfields of the Persian Gulf and Indonesia. Its fish are of great and growing importance to the bordering countries for domestic consumption and export. Fishing fleets from Russia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan also exploit the Indian Ocean, mainly for shrimp and tuna. Large reserves of hydrocarbons are being tapped in the offshore areas of Saudi Arabia, Iran, India, and western Australia. An estimated 40% of the world's offshore oil production comes from the Indian Ocean. Beach sands rich in heavy minerals and offshore placer deposits are actively exploited by bordering countries, particularly India, South Africa, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.

Transportation ::Indian Ocean

Ports and terminals:

Chennai (Madras; India), Colombo (Sri Lanka), Durban (South Africa),
Jakarta (Indonesia), Kolkata (Calcutta; India) Melbourne
(Australia), Mumbai (Bombay; India), Richards Bay (South Africa)

Transportation - note:

the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial waters of littoral states and offshore waters as high risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships, particularly in the Gulf of Aden, along the east coast of Africa, the Bay of Bengal, and the Strait of Malacca; numerous vessels, including commercial shipping and pleasure craft, have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; hijacked vessels are often disguised and cargoes stolen; crew and passengers are often held for ransom, murdered, or cast adrift; the presence of several naval task forces in the Gulf of Aden and additional anti-piracy measures on the part of ship operators have reduced the piracy incidents; in response local pirates shifted operations farther south along the east coast of Somalia and eastward along the coast of Oman

Transnational Issues ::Indian Ocean

Disputes - international:

some maritime disputes (see littoral states)

page last updated on October 22, 2009

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@Indonesia (East & Southeast Asia)

Introduction ::Indonesia

Background:

The Dutch began to colonize Indonesia in the early 17th century; Japan occupied the islands from 1942 to 1945. Indonesia declared its independence after Japan's surrender, but it required four years of intermittent negotiations, recurring hostilities, and UN mediation before the Netherlands agreed to transfer sovereignty in 1949. Indonesia's first free parliamentary election after decades of repressive rule took place in 1999. Indonesia is now the world's third-largest democracy, the world's largest archipelagic state, and home to the world's largest Muslim population. Current issues include: alleviating poverty, improving education, preventing terrorism, consolidating democracy after four decades of authoritarianism, implementing economic and financial reforms, stemming corruption, holding the military and police accountable for past human rights violations, addressing climate change, and controlling avian influenza. In 2005, Indonesia reached a historic peace agreement with armed separatists in Aceh, which led to democratic elections in December 2006. Indonesia continues to face a low intensity separatist movement in Papua.

Geography ::Indonesia

Location:

Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Indian Ocean and the
Pacific Ocean

Geographic coordinates:

5 00 S, 120 00 E

Map references:

Southeast Asia

Area:

total: 1,904,569 sq km country comparison to the world: 16 land: 1,811,569 sq km

water: 93,000 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly less than three times the size of Texas

Land boundaries:

total: 2,830 km

border countries: Timor-Leste 228 km, Malaysia 1,782 km, Papua New Guinea 820 km

Coastline:

54,716 km

Maritime claims:

measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands

Terrain:

mostly coastal lowlands; larger islands have interior mountains

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: Puncak Jaya 5,030 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, tin, natural gas, nickel, timber, bauxite, copper, fertile soils, coal, gold, silver

Land use:

arable land: 11.03%

permanent crops: 7.04%

other: 81.93% (2005)

Irrigated land:

45,000 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

2,838 cu km (1999)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 82.78 cu km/yr (8%/1%/91%)

per capita: 372 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

occasional floods; severe droughts; tsunamis; earthquakes; volcanoes; forest fires

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; water pollution from industrial wastes, sewage; air pollution in urban areas; smoke and haze from forest fires

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:

archipelago of 17,508 islands (6,000 inhabited); straddles equator; strategic location astride or along major sea lanes from Indian Ocean to Pacific Ocean

People ::Indonesia

Population:

240,271,522 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 4

Age structure:

0-14 years: 28.1% (male 34,337,341/female 33,162,207)

15-64 years: 66% (male 79,549,569/female 78,918,321)

65 years and over: 6% (male 6,335,208/female 7,968,876) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 27.6 years

male: 27.1 years

female: 28.1 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.136% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 117

Birth rate:

18.84 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 108

Death rate:

6.25 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 153

Net migration rate:

-1.24 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 128

Urbanization:

urban population: 52% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 3.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 29.97 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 74 male: 34.93 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 24.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 70.76 years country comparison to the world: 137 male: 68.26 years

female: 73.38 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.31 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 109

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.2% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 99

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

270,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 25

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

8,700 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 36

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: chikungunya, dengue fever, and malaria

note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Indonesian(s)

adjective: Indonesian

Ethnic groups:

Javanese 40.6%, Sundanese 15%, Madurese 3.3%, Minangkabau 2.7%, Betawi 2.4%, Bugis 2.4%, Banten 2%, Banjar 1.7%, other or unspecified 29.9% (2000 census)

Religions:

Muslim 86.1%, Protestant 5.7%, Roman Catholic 3%, Hindu 1.8%, other or unspecified 3.4% (2000 census)

Languages:

Bahasa Indonesia (official, modified form of Malay), English, Dutch, local dialects (the most widely spoken of which is Javanese)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 90.4%

male: 94%

female: 86.8% (2004 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 11 years

male: 12 years

female: 11 years (2005)

Education expenditures:

3.6% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 127

Government ::Indonesia

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Indonesia

conventional short form: Indonesia

local long form: Republik Indonesia

local short form: Indonesia

former: Netherlands East Indies, Dutch East Indies

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Jakarta

geographic coordinates: 6 10 S, 106 49 E

time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

note: Indonesia is divided into three time zones

Administrative divisions:

30 provinces (provinsi-provinsi, singular - provinsi), 2 special regions* (daerah-daerah istimewa, singular - daerah istimewa), and 1 special capital city district** (daerah khusus ibukota); Aceh*, Bali, Banten, Bengkulu, Gorontalo, Jakarta Raya**, Jambi, Jawa Barat, Jawa Tengah, Jawa Timur, Kalimantan Barat, Kalimantan Selatan, Kalimantan Tengah, Kalimantan Timur, Kepulauan Bangka Belitung, Kepulauan Riau, Lampung, Maluku, Maluku Utara, Nusa Tenggara Barat, Nusa Tenggara Timur, Papua, Papua Barat, Riau, Sulawesi Barat, Sulawesi Selatan, Sulawesi Tengah, Sulawesi Tenggara, Sulawesi Utara, Sumatera Barat, Sumatera Selatan, Sumatera Utara, Yogyakarta*

note: following the implementation of decentralization beginning on 1 January 2001, the 465 regencies and municipalities have become the key administrative units responsible for providing most government services

Independence:

17 August 1945 (declared); 27 December 1949 (by the Netherlands)

note: in August 2005, the Netherlands announced it recognized de facto Indonesian independence on 17 August 1945

National holiday:

Independence Day, 17 August (1945)

Constitution:

August 1945; abrogated by Federal Constitution of 1949 and Provisional Constitution of 1950, restored 5 July 1959; series of amendments concluded in 2002

Legal system:

based on Roman-Dutch law, substantially modified by indigenous concepts and by new criminal procedures and election codes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

17 years of age; universal and married persons regardless of age

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Susilo Bambang YUDHOYONO (since 20 October 2004); Vice President BOEDIONO (since 20 October 2009); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Susilo Bambang YUDHOYONO (since 20 October 2004); Vice President Muhammad Yusuf KALLA (since 20 October 2004)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president

elections: president and vice president are elected for five-year terms (eligible for a second term) by direct vote of the citizenry; last held on 8 July 2009 (next to be held in July 2014)

election results: Susilo Bambang YUDHOYONO elected president; percent of vote - Susilo Bambang YUDHOYONO 60.8%, MEGAWATI Sukarnoputri 26.8%, Jusuf KALLA 12.4%

Legislative branch:

People's Consultative Assembly (Majelis Permusyawaratan Rakyat or MPR) is the upper house, consists of members of DPR and DPD, has role in inaugurating and impeaching the president and in amending the constitution, does not formulate national policy; House of Representatives or Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat (DPR) (550 seats, members elected to serve five-year terms), formulates and passes legislation at the national level; House of Regional Representatives (Dewan Perwakilan Daerah or DPD), constitutionally mandated role includes providing legislative input to DPR on issues affecting regions

elections: last held 9 April 2009 (next to be held in 2014)

election results: percent of vote by party - PD 20.9%, GOLKAR 14.5%,
PDI-P 14.0%, PKS 7.9%, PAN 6.0%, PPP 5.3%, PKB 4.9%, GERINDRA 4.5%,
HANURA 3.8%, others 18.2%; seats by party - PD 148, GOLKAR 108,
PDI-P 93, PKS 59, PAN 42, PPP 39, PKB 26, GERINDRA 30, HANURA 15

note: 29 other parties received less than 2.5% of the vote so did not obtain any seats; because of election rules, the number of seats won does not always follow the percentage of votes received by parties

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Mahkamah Agung is the final court of appeal but does not have the power of judicial review (justices are appointed by the president from a list of candidates selected by the legislature); in March 2004 the Supreme Court assumed administrative and financial responsibility for the lower court system from the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights; Constitutional Court or Mahkamah Konstitusi (invested by the president on 16 August 2003) has the power of judicial review, jurisdiction over the results of a general election, and reviews actions to dismiss a president from office; Labor Court under supervision of Supreme Court began functioning in January 2006; the Anti-Corruption Court has jurisdiction over corruption cases brought by the independent Corruption Eradication Commission; in 2006, the Constitutional Court declared the mechanism by which the Anti-Corruption Court was established unconstitutional and gave the parliament until the end of 2009 to pass Anti-Corruption Court legislation

Political parties and leaders:

Democrat Party or PD [Hadi UTOMO]; Functional Groups Party or GOLKAR
[Aburizal BAKRIE]; Great Indonesia Movement Party or GERINDRA
[WIRANTO]; Indonesia Democratic Party-Struggle or PDI-P [MEGAWATI
Sukarnoputri]; National Awakening Party or PKB [Muhaiman ISKANDAR];
National Mandate Party or PAN [Sutrisno BACHIR]; People's Conscience
Party or HANURA [SUHARDI]; Prosperous Justice Party or PKS [Tifatul
SEMBIRING]; United Development Party or PPP [Suryadharma ALI]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Indonesian Women's Coalition (Koalisi Perempuan - human rights group); Islamic Defenders Front or FPI; National Alliance for Freedom of Religion and Faith; Oil Palm Watch (environmental)

International organization participation:

ADB, APEC, APT, ARF, ASEAN, BIS, CP, EAS, FAO, G-15, G-20, G-77,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU,
ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PIF (partner), UN, UNAMID,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU,
WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador SUDJADNAN Parnohadiningrat

chancery: 2020 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

telephone: [1] (202) 775-5200

FAX: [1] (202) 775-5365

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Cameron R. HUME

embassy: Jalan 1 Medan Merdeka Selatan 4-5, Jakarta 10110

mailing address: Unit 8129, Box 1, FPO AP 96520

telephone: [62] (21) 3435-9000

FAX: [62] (21) 3435-9922

consulate(s) general: Surabaya

Flag description:

two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; similar to the flag of Monaco, which is shorter; also similar to the flag of Poland, which is white (top) and red

Economy ::Indonesia

Economy - overview:

Indonesia, a vast polyglot nation, has made significant economic advances under the administration of President YUDHOYONO but faces challenges stemming from the global financial crisis and world economic downturn. Indonesia's debt-to-GDP ratio in recent years has declined steadily because of increasingly robust GDP growth and sound fiscal stewardship. The government has introduced significant reforms in the financial sector, including in the areas of tax and customs, the use of Treasury bills, and capital market supervision. Indonesia's investment law, passed in March 2007, seeks to address some of the concerns of foreign and domestic investors. Indonesia still struggles with poverty and unemployment, inadequate infrastructure, corruption, a complex regulatory environment, and unequal resource distribution among regions. The non-bank financial sector, including pension funds and insurance, remains weak. Despite efforts to broaden and deepen capital markets, they remain underdeveloped. Economic difficulties in early 2008 centered on high global food and oil prices and their impact on Indonesia's poor and on the budget. The onset of the global financial crisis dampened inflationary pressures, but increased risk aversion for emerging market assets resulted in large losses in the stock market, significant depreciation of the rupiah, and a difficult environment for bond issuance. As global demand has slowed and prices for Indonesia's commodity exports have fallen, Indonesia faces the prospect of growth significantly below the 6-plus percent recorded in 2007 and 2008.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$916.7 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 16 $864 billion (2007 est.)

$812.8 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$511.8 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

6.1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 58 6.3% (2007 est.)

5.5% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$3,900 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 155 $3,700 (2007 est.)

$3,500 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 14.4%

industry: 48.1%

services: 37.5% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

112 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 5

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 42.1%

industry: 18.6%

services: 39.3% (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate:

8.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 115 9.1% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

17.8% (2006)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 3%

highest 10%: 32.3% (2006)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

39.4 (2005) country comparison to the world: 66 37 (2001)

Investment (gross fixed):

23.6% of GDP (2008) country comparison to the world: 61

Budget:

revenues: $92.62 billion

expenditures: $98.88 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

29.3% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 74 56.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

9.9% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 143 6.3% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

10.83% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 52 8% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

13.6% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 119 7.21% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$41.71 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 24 $47.78 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$131.5 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 18 $127 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$166.2 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 31 $170.2 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$98.76 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 37 $211.7 billion (31 December 2007)

$138.9 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

rice, cassava (tapioca), peanuts, rubber, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, copra; poultry, beef, pork, eggs

Industries:

petroleum and natural gas, textiles, apparel, footwear, mining, cement, chemical fertilizers, plywood, rubber, food, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:

3.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 70

Electricity - production:

134.4 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 27

Electricity - consumption:

119.3 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 27

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

1.051 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 22

Oil - consumption:

1.564 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 17

Oil - exports:

85,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 68

Oil - imports:

671,000 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 20

Oil - proved reserves:

3.99 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 27

Natural gas - production:

70 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 13

Natural gas - consumption:

36.5 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 24

Natural gas - exports:

33.5 billion cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 8

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 167

Natural gas - proved reserves:

3.001 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 11

Current account balance:

$604 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 51 $10.49 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$139.3 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 33 $118 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

oil and gas, electrical appliances, plywood, textiles, rubber

Exports - partners:

Japan 20.2%, US 9.5%, Singapore 9.4%, China 8.5%, South Korea 6.7%,
India 5.2%, Malaysia 4.7% (2008)

Imports:

$116 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 32 $85.26 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:

Singapore 16.9%, China 11.8%, Japan 11.7%, Malaysia 6.9%, US 6.1%,
South Korea 5.4%, Thailand 4.9% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$51.64 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 25 $56.92 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$155.1 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 32 $141.2 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$67.3 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 45 $58.96 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$6.656 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 53 $9.225 billion (2006 est.)

Exchange rates:

Indonesian rupiah (IDR) per US dollar - 9,698.9 (2008), 9,143 (2007), 9,159.3 (2006), 9,704.7 (2005), 8,938.9 (2004)

Communications ::Indonesia

Telephones - main lines in use:

30.378 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 10

Telephones - mobile cellular:

140.578 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 6

Telephone system:

general assessment: domestic service fair, international service good

domestic: interisland microwave system and HF radio police net; domestic satellite communications system; coverage provided by existing network has been expanded by use of over 200,000 telephone kiosks many located in remote areas; mobile cellular subscribership growing rapidly

international: country code - 62; landing point for both the SEA-ME-WE-3 and SEA-ME-WE-4 submarine cable networks that provide links throughout Asia, the Middle East, and Europe; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 678, FM 43, shortwave 82 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

54 local TV stations (11 national TV networks; each with its group of local transmitters) (2006)

Internet country code:

.id

Internet hosts:

865,309 (2009) country comparison to the world: 42

Internet users:

30 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 11

Transportation ::Indonesia

Airports:

683 (2009) country comparison to the world: 10

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 164

over 3,047 m: 4

2,438 to 3,047 m: 18

1,524 to 2,437 m: 51

914 to 1,523 m: 56

under 914 m: 35 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 519

1,524 to 2,437 m: 5

914 to 1,523 m: 25

under 914 m: 489 (2009)

Heliports:

36 (2009)

Pipelines:

condensate 735 km; condensate/gas 73 km; gas 5,797 km; oil 5,721 km; oil/gas/water 12 km; refined products 1,370 km; water 44 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 8,529 km country comparison to the world: 25 narrow gauge: 8,529 km 1.067-m gauge (565 km electrified) (2008)

Roadways:

total: 391,009 km country comparison to the world: 17 paved: 216,714 km

unpaved: 174,295 km (2005)

Waterways:

21,579 km (2008) country comparison to the world: 5

Merchant marine:

total: 971 country comparison to the world: 11 by type: bulk carrier 54, cargo 514, chemical tanker 35, container 80, liquefied gas 7, passenger 44, passenger/cargo 68, petroleum tanker 143, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 10, specialized tanker 10, vehicle carrier 4

foreign-owned: 43 (China 2, France 1, Germany 1, Japan 6, Norway 1, Philippines 1, Singapore 27, Taiwan 2, UAE 2)

registered in other countries: 114 (Bahamas 2, Cambodia 2, China 1, Hong Kong 7, Liberia 2, Mongolia 1, Panama 31, Singapore 66, unknown 2) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Banjarmasin, Belawan, Ciwandan, Kotabaru, Krueg Geukueh, Palembang,
Panjang, Sungai Pakning, Tanjung Perak, Tanjung Priok

Transportation - note:

the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the Strait of Malacca and South China Sea as high risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships; numerous commercial vessels have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; hijacked vessels are often disguised and cargo diverted to ports in East Asia; crews have been murdered or cast adrift

Military ::Indonesia

Military branches:

Indonesian Armed Forces (Tentara Nasional Indonesia, TNI): Army
(TNI-Angkatan Darat (TNI-AD)), Navy (TNI-Angkatan Laut (TNI-AL);
includes marines, naval air arm), Air Force (TNI-Angkatan Udara
(TNI-AU)), National Air Defense Command (Kommando Pertahanan Udara
Nasional (Kohanudnas)) (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for selective compulsory and voluntary military service; 2-year conscript service obligation, with reserve obligation to age 45 (officers); Indonesian citizens only (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 63,800,825

females age 16-49: 61,729,717 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 52,997,922

females age 16-49: 52,503,046 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 2,197,323

female: 2,126,412 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

3% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 50

Transnational Issues ::Indonesia

Disputes - international:

Indonesia has a stated foreign policy objective of establishing stable fixed land and maritime boundaries with all of its neighbors; Timor-Leste-Indonesia Boundary Committee has resolved all but a small portion of the land boundary, but discussions on maritime boundaries are stalemated over sovereignty of the uninhabited coral island of Pulau Batek/Fatu Sinai in the north and alignment with Australian claims in the south; many refugees from Timor-Leste who left in 2003 still reside in Indonesia and refuse repatriation; a 1997 treaty between Indonesia and Australia settled some parts of their maritime boundary but outstanding issues remain; ICJ's award of Sipadan and Ligitan islands to Malaysia in 2002 left the sovereignty of Unarang rock and the maritime boundary in the Ambalat oil block in the Celebes Sea in dispute; the ICJ decision has prompted Indonesia to assert claims to and to establish a presence on its smaller outer islands; Indonesia and Singapore continue to work on finalization of their 1973 maritime boundary agreement by defining unresolved areas north of Indonesia's Batam Island; Indonesian secessionists, squatters, and illegal migrants create repatriation problems for Papua New Guinea; piracy remains a problem in the Malacca Strait; maritime delimitation talks continue with Palau; Indonesian groups challenge Australia's claim to Ashmore Reef; Australia has closed parts of the Ashmore and Cartier Reserve to Indonesian traditional fishing and placed restrictions on certain catches

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

IDPs: 200,000-350,000 (government offensives against rebels in Aceh; most IDPs in Aceh, Central Kalimantan, Central Sulawesi Provinces, and Maluku) (2007)

Illicit drugs:

illicit producer of cannabis largely for domestic use; producer of methamphetamine and ecstasy

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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@Iran (Middle East)

Introduction ::Iran

Background:

Known as Persia until 1935, Iran became an Islamic republic in 1979 after the ruling monarchy was overthrown and Shah Mohammad Reza PAHLAVI was forced into exile. Conservative clerical forces established a theocratic system of government with ultimate political authority vested in a learned religious scholar referred to commonly as the Supreme Leader who, according to the constitution, is accountable only to the Assembly of Experts. US-Iranian relations have been strained since a group of Iranian students seized the US Embassy in Tehran on 4 November 1979 and held it until 20 January 1981. During 1980-88, Iran fought a bloody, indecisive war with Iraq that eventually expanded into the Persian Gulf and led to clashes between US Navy and Iranian military forces between 1987 and 1988. Iran has been designated a state sponsor of terrorism for its activities in Lebanon and elsewhere in the world and remains subject to US, UN, and EU economic sanctions and export controls because of its continued involvement in terrorism and its nuclear weapons ambitions. Following the election of reformer Hojjat ol-Eslam Mohammad KHATAMI as president in 1997 and similarly a reformer Majles (parliament) in 2000, a campaign to foster political reform in response to popular dissatisfaction was initiated. The movement floundered as conservative politicians, through the control of unelected institutions, prevented reform measures from being enacted and increased repressive measures. Starting with nationwide municipal elections in 2003 and continuing through Majles elections in 2004, conservatives reestablished control over Iran's elected government institutions, which culminated with the August 2005 inauguration of hardliner Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD as president. The UN Security Council has passed a number of resolutions (1696 in July 2006, 1737 in December 2006, 1747 in March 2007, 1803 in March 2008, and 1835 in September 2008) calling for Iran to suspend its uranium enrichment and reprocessing activities and comply with its IAEA obligations and responsibilities. Resolutions 1737, 1477, and 1803 subject a number of Iranian individuals and entities involved in Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programs to sanctions. Additionally, several Iranian entities are subject to US sanctions under Executive Order 13382 designations for proliferation activities and EO 13224 designations for support of terrorism.

Geography ::Iran

Location:

Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and the
Caspian Sea, between Iraq and Pakistan

Geographic coordinates:

32 00 N, 53 00 E

Map references:

Middle East

Area:

total: 1,648,195 sq km country comparison to the world: 18 land: 1,531,595 sq km

water: 116,600 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Alaska

Land boundaries:

total: 5,440 km

border countries: Afghanistan 936 km, Armenia 35 km, Azerbaijan-proper 432 km, Azerbaijan-Naxcivan exclave 179 km, Iraq 1,458 km, Pakistan 909 km, Turkey 499 km, Turkmenistan 992 km

Coastline:

2,440 km; note - Iran also borders the Caspian Sea (740 km)

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: bilateral agreements or median lines in the Persian Gulf

continental shelf: natural prolongation

Climate:

mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast

Terrain:

rugged, mountainous rim; high, central basin with deserts, mountains; small, discontinuous plains along both coasts

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m

highest point: Kuh-e Damavand 5,671 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead, manganese, zinc, sulfur

Land use:

arable land: 9.78%

permanent crops: 1.29%

other: 88.93% (2005)

Irrigated land:

76,500 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

137.5 cu km (1997)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 72.88 cu km/yr (7%/2%/91%)

per capita: 1,048 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

periodic droughts, floods; dust storms, sandstorms; earthquakes

Environment - current issues:

air pollution, especially in urban areas, from vehicle emissions, refinery operations, and industrial effluents; deforestation; overgrazing; desertification; oil pollution in the Persian Gulf; wetland losses from drought; soil degradation (salination); inadequate supplies of potable water; water pollution from raw sewage and industrial waste; urbanization

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:

strategic location on the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz, which are vital maritime pathways for crude oil transport

People ::Iran

Population:

66,429,284 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 19

Age structure:

0-14 years: 21.7% (male 7,394,841/female 7,022,076)

15-64 years: 72.9% (male 24,501,544/female 23,914,172)

65 years and over: 5.4% (male 1,725,828/female 1,870,823) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 27 years

male: 26.8 years

female: 27.2 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.883% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 135

Birth rate:

17.17 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 119

Death rate:

5.72 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 171

Net migration rate:

-2.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 147

Urbanization:

urban population: 68% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 2.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female

total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 35.78 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 70 male: 35.98 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 35.56 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 71.14 years country comparison to the world: 132 male: 69.65 years

female: 72.72 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.71 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 169

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.2% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 98

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

86,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 49

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

4,300 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 47

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: intermediate

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea

vectorborne diseases: Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever and malaria

note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Iranian(s)

adjective: Iranian

Ethnic groups:

Persian 51%, Azeri 24%, Gilaki and Mazandarani 8%, Kurd 7%, Arab 3%,
Lur 2%, Baloch 2%, Turkmen 2%, other 1%

Religions:

Muslim 98% (Shia 89%, Sunni 9%), other (includes Zoroastrian,
Jewish, Christian, and Baha'i) 2%

Languages:

Persian and Persian dialects 58%, Turkic and Turkic dialects 26%,
Kurdish 9%, Luri 2%, Balochi 1%, Arabic 1%, Turkish 1%, other 2%

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 77%

male: 83.5%

female: 70.4% (2002 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 13 years

male: 13 years

female: 13 years (2005)

Education expenditures:

5.1% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 67

Government ::Iran

Country name:

conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Iran

conventional short form: Iran

local long form: Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Iran

local short form: Iran

former: Persia

Government type:

theocratic republic

Capital:

name: Tehran

geographic coordinates: 35 40 N, 51 25 E

time difference: UTC+3.5 (8.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

30 provinces (ostanha, singular - ostan); Ardabil, Azarbayjan-e
Gharbi, Azarbayjan-e Sharqi, Bushehr, Chahar Mahal va Bakhtiari,
Esfahan, Fars, Gilan, Golestan, Hamadan, Hormozgan, Ilam, Kerman,
Kermanshah, Khorasan-e Jonubi, Khorasan-e Razavi, Khorasan-e
Shomali, Khuzestan, Kohgiluyeh va Bowyer Ahmad, Kordestan, Lorestan,
Markazi, Mazandaran, Qazvin, Qom, Semnan, Sistan va Baluchestan,
Tehran, Yazd, Zanjan

Independence:

1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed)

National holiday:

Republic Day, 1 April (1979)

Constitution:

2-3 December 1979; revised in 1989

note: the revision in 1989 expanded powers of the presidency and eliminated the prime ministership

Legal system:

based on Sharia law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Supreme Leader Ali Hoseini-KHAMENEI (since 4 June 1989)

head of government: President Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD (since 3 August 2005); First Vice President Mohammad Reza RAHIMI (since 13 September 2009)

cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the president with legislative approval; the Supreme Leader has some control over appointments to the more sensitive ministries

note: also considered part of the Executive branch of government are three oversight bodies: 1) Assembly of Experts (Majles-Khebregan), a popularly elected body charged with determining the succession of the Supreme Leader, reviewing his performance, and deposing him if deemed necessary; 2) Expediency Council or the Council for the Discernment of Expediency (Majma-e-Tashkise-Maslahat-e-Nezam) exerts supervisory authority over the executive, judicial, and legislative branches and resolves legislative issues on which the Majles and the Council of Guardians disagree and since 1989 has been used to advise national religious leaders on matters of national policy; in 2005 the Council's powers were expanded to act as a supervisory body for the government; 3) Council of Guardians of the Constitution or Council of Guardians or Guardians Council (Shora-ye Negaban-e Qanun-e Assassi) determines whether proposed legislation is both constitutional and faithful to Islamic law, vets candidates for suitability, and supervises national elections

elections: Supreme Leader is appointed for life by the Assembly of Experts; president is elected by popular vote for a four-year term (eligible for a second term and third nonconsecutive term); last held 12 June 2009;(next presidential election slated for June 2013)

election results: Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD reelected president; percent of vote - Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD 62.6%, Mir-Hosein MUSAVI-Khamenei 33.8%, other 3.6%; voter turnout 85%

Legislative branch:

unicameral Islamic Consultative Assembly or Majles-e-Shura-ye-Eslami or Majles (290 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 14 March 2008 with a runoff held 25 April 2008 (next to be held in 2012)

election results: percent of vote - NA; seats by party - conservatives/Islamists 167, reformers 39, independents 74, religious minorities 5, other 5

Judicial branch:

The Supreme Court (Qeveh Qazaieh) and the four-member High Council of the Judiciary have a single head and overlapping responsibilities; together they supervise the enforcement of all laws and establish judicial and legal policies; lower courts include a special clerical court, a revolutionary court, and a special administrative court

Political parties and leaders:

formal political parties are a relatively new phenomenon in Iran and most conservatives still prefer to work through political pressure groups rather than parties; often political parties or coalitions are formed prior to elections and disbanded soon thereafter; a loose pro-reform coalition called the 2nd Khordad Front, which includes political parties as well as less formal groups and organizations, achieved considerable success in elections for the sixth Majles in early 2000; groups in the coalition included the Islamic Iran Participation Front (IIPF), Executives of Construction Party (Kargozaran), Solidarity Party, Islamic Labor Party, Mardom Salari, Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution Organization (MIRO), and Militant Clerics Society (Ruhaniyun); the coalition participated in the seventh Majles elections in early 2004; following his defeat in the 2005 presidential elections, former MCS Secretary General and sixth Majles Speaker Mehdi KARUBI formed the National Trust Party; a new conservative group, Islamic Iran Developers Coalition (Abadgaran), took a leading position in the new Majles after winning a majority of the seats in February 2004; following the 2004 Majles elections, traditional and hardline conservatives have attempted to close ranks under the United Front of Principlists and the Broad Popular Coalition of Principlists; several reformist groups, such as the Islamic Revolution, came together as a reformist coalition in advance of the 2008 Majles elections; the IIPF has repeatedly complained that the overwhelming majority of its candidates have been unfairly disqualified from the 2008 elections

Political pressure groups and leaders:

groups that generally support the Islamic Republic: Ansar-e Hizballah-Islamic Coalition Party (Motalefeh); Followers of the Line of the Imam and the Leader; Islamic Engineers Society; Tehran Militant Clergy Association (Ruhaniyat); active pro-reform student group: Office of Strengthening Unity (OSU); opposition groups: Baluchistan People's Party (BPP); Freedom Movement of Iran; Marz-e Por Gohar; National Front; and various ethnic and Monarchist organizations; armed political groups that have been repressed by the government: Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (KDPI); Jundallah; Komala; Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization (MEK or MKO); People's Fedayeen; People's Free Life Party of Kurdistan (PJAK)

International organization participation:

CP, ECO, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt
(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW,
OPEC, PCA, SAARC (observer), SCO (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none; note - Iran has an Interests Section in the Pakistani Embassy; address: Iranian Interests Section, Pakistani Embassy, 2209 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007; telephone: [1] (202) 965-4990; FAX [1] (202) 965-1073

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none; note - the US Interests Section is located in the Embassy of Switzerland No. 39 Shahid Mousavi (Golestan 5th), Pasdaran Ave., Tehran, Iran; telephone [98] 21 2254 2178/2256 5273; FAX [98] 21 2258 0432

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red; the national emblem (a stylized representation of the word Allah in the shape of a tulip, a symbol of martyrdom) in red is centered in the white band; ALLAH AKBAR (God is Great) in white Arabic script is repeated 11 times along the bottom edge of the green band and 11 times along the top edge of the red band

Economy ::Iran

Economy - overview:

Iran's economy is marked by an inefficient state sector, reliance on the oil sector, which provides the majority of government revenues, and statist policies, which create major distortions throughout the system. Most economic activity is controlled by the state. Private sector activity is typically limited to small-scale workshops, farming, and services. Price controls, subsidies, and other rigidities weigh down the economy, undermining the potential for private-sector-led growth. Significant informal market activity flourishes. Corruption and shortages of goods are widespread. President Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD has proposed reforms to Iran's system of price controls and subsidies, particularly on food and energy. However, previous government-led efforts at reform - such as fuel rationing in July 2007 and the imposition of the Value-Added Tax (VAT) in October 2008 - were met with stiff resistance and violent protests. High oil prices in recent years allowed Iran to greatly increase its export earnings and amass nearly $100 billion in foreign exchange reserves. But with oil prices currently below $40 per barrel, the Iranian government is facing difficulties. Tehran has formulated a 2009 budget that anticipates lower oil prices. The government has drawn down the country's Oil Stabilization Fund, and may be dipping into foreign exchange reserves. Iran continues to suffer from double-digit unemployment and inflation - inflation climbed to a 28% annual rate in 2008. Underemployment among Iran's educated youth has convinced many to seek jobs overseas, resulting in a significant "brain drain."

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$843.7 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 18 $792.2 billion (2007 est.)

$734.7 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$335.2 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

6.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 47 7.8% (2007 est.)

5.8% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$12,800 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 87 $12,100 (2007 est.)

$11,300 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 10.2%

industry: 41.9%

services: 47.8% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

24.35 million country comparison to the world: 23 note: shortage of skilled labor (2008 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 25%

industry: 31%

services: 45% (June 2007)

Unemployment rate:

12.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 139 12% (2007 est.)

note: data are according to the Iranian Government

Population below poverty line:

18% (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.6%

highest 10%: 29.6% (2005)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

44.5 (2006) country comparison to the world: 47

Investment (gross fixed):

26.3% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 42

Budget:

revenues: $51 billion

expenditures: $103 billion (FY09/10 est.)

Public debt:

19.4% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 97 27% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

25.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 214 17.1% (2007 est.)

note: official Iranian estimate

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

NA% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 69 12% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$46.13 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$68.71 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$109.7 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 58 $45.57 billion (31 December 2007)

$37.94 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

wheat, rice, other grains, sugar beets, sugar cane, fruits, nuts, cotton; dairy products, wool; caviar

Industries:

petroleum, petrochemicals, fertilizers, caustic soda, textiles, cement and other construction materials, food processing (particularly sugar refining and vegetable oil production), ferrous and non-ferrous metal fabrication, armaments

Industrial production growth rate:

4.5% excluding oil (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 57

Electricity - production:

192.6 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 19

Electricity - consumption:

153.8 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 20

Electricity - exports:

2.52 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

1.842 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Oil - production:

4.174 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 4

Oil - consumption:

1.755 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 14

Oil - exports:

2.719 million bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 3

Oil - imports:

212,200 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 47

Oil - proved reserves:

136.2 billion bbl based on Iranian claims (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 3

Natural gas - production:

116.3 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 5

Natural gas - consumption:

119 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 4

Natural gas - exports:

4.246 billion cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 28

Natural gas - imports:

6.9 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 28

Natural gas - proved reserves:

28.08 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 2

Current account balance:

$20.19 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 20 $34.08 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$98.42 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 37 $97.4 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

petroleum 80%, chemical and petrochemical products, fruits and nuts, carpets

Exports - partners:

China 15.3%, Japan 14.3%, India 10.4%, South Korea 6.4%, Turkey 6.4%, Italy 4.5% (2008)

Imports:

$67.25 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 45 $56.58 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

industrial raw materials and intermediate goods, capital goods, foodstuffs and other consumer goods, technical services

Imports - partners:

UAE 19.3%, China 13%, Germany 9.2%, South Korea 7%, Italy 5.1%,
France 4.3%, Russia 4.2% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$96.56 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 15 $82.06 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$21.06 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 70 $20.68 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$6.954 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 84 $6.054 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$993 million (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 72 $903 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

Iranian rials (IRR) per US dollar - 9,142.8 (2008 est.), 9,407.5 (2007), 9,227.1 (2006), 8,964 (2005), 8,614 (2004)

note: Iran has been using a managed floating exchange rate regime since unifying multiple exchange rates in March 2002

Communications ::Iran

Telephones - main lines in use:

24.8 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 12

Telephones - mobile cellular:

43 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 26

Telephone system:

general assessment: currently being modernized and expanded with the goal of not only improving the efficiency and increasing the volume of the urban service but also bringing telephone service to several thousand villages, not presently connected

domestic: the addition of new fiber cables and modern switching and exchange systems installed by Iran's state-owned telecom company have improved and expanded the main line network greatly; main line availability has more than doubled to nearly 25 million lines since 2000; additionally, mobile service has increased dramatically serving 43 million subscribers in 2008; combined fixed and mobile-cellular subscribership now exceeds 100 per 100 persons

international: country code - 98; submarine fiber-optic cable to UAE with access to Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG); Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line runs from Azerbaijan through the northern portion of Iran to Turkmenistan with expansion to Georgia and Azerbaijan; HF radio and microwave radio relay to Turkey, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Syria, Kuwait, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan; satellite earth stations - 13 (9 Intelsat and 4 Inmarsat) (2007)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 72, FM 6, shortwave 5 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

29 (plus 450 repeaters) (1997)

Internet country code:

.ir

Internet hosts:

45,678 (2009) country comparison to the world: 85

Internet users:

23 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 17

Transportation ::Iran

Airports:

316 (2009) country comparison to the world: 24

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 133

over 3,047 m: 40

2,438 to 3,047 m: 28

1,524 to 2,437 m: 25

914 to 1,523 m: 34

under 914 m: 6 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 183

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 9

914 to 1,523 m: 139

under 914 m: 33 (2009)

Heliports:

19 (2009)

Pipelines:

condensate 7 km; condensate/gas 12 km; gas 19,246 km; liquid petroleum gas 570 km; oil 7,018 km; refined products 7,936 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 8,442 km country comparison to the world: 26 broad gauge: 94 km 1.676-m gauge

standard gauge: 8,348 km 1.435-m gauge (148 km electrified) (2008)

Roadways:

total: 172,927 km country comparison to the world: 29 paved: 125,908 km (includes 1,429 km of expressways)

unpaved: 47,019 km (2006)

Waterways:

850 km (on Karun River; additional service on Lake Urmia) (2008) country comparison to the world: 70

Merchant marine:

total: 74 country comparison to the world: 60 by type: bulk carrier 18, cargo 34, chemical tanker 4, container 6, liquefied gas 1, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 3

foreign-owned: 1 (UAE 1)

registered in other countries: 115 (Barbados 2, Bolivia 1, Cyprus 10, Hong Kong 15, Malta 79, Panama 7, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Assaluyeh, Bandar Abbas, Bandar-e-Eman Khomeyni

Military ::Iran

Military branches:

Islamic Republic of Iran Regular Forces (Artesh): Ground Forces,
Navy, Air Force of the Military of the Islamic Republic of Iran
(Niru-ye Hava'i-ye Artesh-e Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Iran, IRIAF;
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (Sepah-e Pasdaran-e Enqelab-e
Eslami, IRGC): Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force, Qods Force (special
operations), Basij Force (Popular Mobilization Army); Law
Enforcement Forces (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

19 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of age for volunteers; 17 years of age for Law Enforcement Forces; 15 years of age for Basij Forces (Popular Mobilization Army); conscript military service obligation - 18 months; women exempt from military service (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 20,212,275

females age 16-49: 19,638,751 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 17,658,573

females age 16-49: 17,148,290 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 700,213

female: 664,846 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

2.5% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 67

Transnational Issues ::Iran

Disputes - international:

Iran protests Afghanistan's limiting flow of dammed tributaries to the Helmand River in periods of drought; Iraq's lack of a maritime boundary with Iran prompts jurisdiction disputes beyond the mouth of the Shatt al Arab in the Persian Gulf; Iran and UAE dispute Tunb Islands and Abu Musa Island, which are occupied by Iran; Iran stands alone among littoral states in insisting upon a division of the Caspian Sea into five equal sectors

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 914,268 (Afghanistan); 54,024 (Iraq) (2007)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Iran is a source, transit, and destination country for women trafficked for the purposes of sexual exploitation and involuntary servitude; Iranian women are trafficked internally for the purpose of forced prostitution and for forced marriages to settle debts; Iranian children are trafficked internally and Afghan children are trafficked into Iran for the purpose of forced marriages, commercial sexual exploitation, and involuntary servitude as beggars or laborers

tier rating: Tier 3 - Iran did not provide evidence of law enforcement activities against trafficking, and credible reports indicate that Iranian authorities punish victims of trafficking with beatings, imprisonment, and execution; Iran has not ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2008)

Illicit drugs:

despite substantial interdiction efforts and considerable control measures along the border with Afghanistan, Iran remains one of the primary transshipment routes for Southwest Asian heroin to Europe; suffers one of the highest opiate addiction rates in the world, and has an increasing problem with synthetic drugs; lacks anti-money laundering laws; has reached out to neighboring countries to share counter-drug intelligence

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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@Iraq (Middle East)

Introduction ::Iraq

Background:

Formerly part of the Ottoman Empire, Iraq was occupied by Britain during the course of World War I; in 1920, it was declared a League of Nations mandate under UK administration. In stages over the next dozen years, Iraq attained its independence as a kingdom in 1932. A "republic" was proclaimed in 1958, but in actuality a series of strongmen ruled the country until 2003. The last was SADDAM Husayn. Territorial disputes with Iran led to an inconclusive and costly eight-year war (1980-88). In August 1990, Iraq seized Kuwait but was expelled by US-led, UN coalition forces during the Gulf War of January-February 1991. Following Kuwait's liberation, the UN Security Council (UNSC) required Iraq to scrap all weapons of mass destruction and long-range missiles and to allow UN verification inspections. Continued Iraqi noncompliance with UNSC resolutions over a period of 12 years led to the US-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003 and the ouster of the SADDAM Husayn regime. US forces remained in Iraq under a UNSC mandate until 31 December 2008 and under a bilateral Security Agreement thereafter, helping to provide security and to support the freely elected government. In October 2005, Iraqis approved a constitution in a national referendum and, pursuant to this document, elected a 275-member Council of Representatives (CoR) in December 2005. After the election, Ibrahim al-JAAFARI was selected as prime minister; he was replaced by Nuri al-MALIKI in May 2006. The CoR approved most cabinet ministers in May 2006, marking the transition to Iraq's first constitutional government in nearly a half century. On 31 January 2009, Iraq held elections for provincial councils in all provinces except for the three provinces comprising the Kurdistan Regional Government and at-Ta'mim (Kirkuk) province.

Geography ::Iraq

Location:

Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iran and Kuwait

Geographic coordinates:

33 00 N, 44 00 E

Map references:

Middle East

Area:

total: 438,317 sq km country comparison to the world: 58 land: 437,367 sq km

water: 950 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly more than twice the size of Idaho

Land boundaries:

total: 3,650 km

border countries: Iran 1,458 km, Jordan 181 km, Kuwait 240 km, Saudi Arabia 814 km, Syria 605 km, Turkey 352 km

Coastline:

58 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

continental shelf: not specified

Climate:

mostly desert; mild to cool winters with dry, hot, cloudless summers; northern mountainous regions along Iranian and Turkish borders experience cold winters with occasionally heavy snows that melt in early spring, sometimes causing extensive flooding in central and southern Iraq

Terrain:

mostly broad plains; reedy marshes along Iranian border in south with large flooded areas; mountains along borders with Iran and Turkey

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m

highest point: unnamed peak; 3,611 m; note - this peak is neither Gundah Zhur 3,607 m nor Kuh-e Hajji-Ebrahim 3,595 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, natural gas, phosphates, sulfur

Land use:

arable land: 13.12%

permanent crops: 0.61%

other: 86.27% (2005)

Irrigated land:

35,250 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

96.4 cu km (1997)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 42.7 cu km/yr (3%/5%/92%)

per capita: 1,482 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

dust storms; sandstorms; floods

Environment - current issues:

government water control projects have drained most of the inhabited marsh areas east of An Nasiriyah by drying up or diverting the feeder streams and rivers; a once sizable population of Marsh Arabs, who inhabited these areas for thousands of years, has been displaced; furthermore, the destruction of the natural habitat poses serious threats to the area's wildlife populations; inadequate supplies of potable water; development of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers system contingent upon agreements with upstream riparian Turkey; air and water pollution; soil degradation (salination) and erosion; desertification

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Geography - note:

strategic location on Shatt al Arab waterway and at the head of the Persian Gulf

People ::Iraq

Population:

28,945,657 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 40

Age structure:

0-14 years: 38.8% (male 5,709,688/female 5,531,359)

15-64 years: 58.2% (male 8,529,956/female 8,310,164)

65 years and over: 3% (male 408,266/female 456,224) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 20.4 years

male: 20.3 years

female: 20.5 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.507% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 32

Birth rate:

30.1 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 49

Death rate:

5.03 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 188

Net migration rate:

NA (2009 est.)

Urbanization:

urban population: 67% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1.7% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female

total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 43.82 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 60 male: 49.38 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 37.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 69.94 years country comparison to the world: 144 male: 68.6 years

female: 71.34 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3.86 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 48

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 154

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

fewer than 500 (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 148

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: intermediate

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Iraqi(s)

adjective: Iraqi

Ethnic groups:

Arab 75%-80%, Kurdish 15%-20%, Turkoman, Assyrian, or other 5%

Religions:

Muslim 97% (Shia 60%-65%, Sunni 32%-37%), Christian or other 3%

Languages:

Arabic, Kurdish (official in Kurdish regions), Turkoman (a Turkish dialect), Assyrian (Neo-Aramaic), Armenian

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 74.1%

male: 84.1%

female: 64.2% (2000 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 10 years

male: 11 years

female: 8 years (2005)

Education expenditures:

NA

Government ::Iraq

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Iraq

conventional short form: Iraq

local long form: Jumhuriyat al-Iraq

local short form: Al Iraq

Government type:

parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Baghdad

geographic coordinates: 33 20 N, 44 23 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

18 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah) and 1 region*; Al
Anbar, Al Basrah, Al Muthanna, Al Qadisiyah, An Najaf, Arbil, As
Sulaymaniyah, At Ta'mim, Babil, Baghdad, Dahuk, Dhi Qar, Diyala,
Karbala', Kurdistan Regional Government*, Maysan, Ninawa, Salah ad
Din, Wasit

Independence:

3 October 1932 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration); note - on 28 June 2004 the Coalition Provisional Authority transferred sovereignty to the Iraqi-controlled Government

National holiday:

Republic Day, July 14 (1958); note - the Government of Iraq has yet to declare an official national holiday but still observes Republic Day

Constitution:

ratified on 15 October 2005 (subject to review by the Constitutional Review Committee and a possible public referendum )

Legal system:

based on European civil and Islamic law under the framework outlined in the Iraqi Constitution; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Jalal TALABANI (since 6 April 2005); Vice Presidents Adil ABD AL-MAHDI and Tariq al-HASHIMI (since 22 April 2006); note - the president and vice presidents comprise the Presidency Council)

head of government: Prime Minister Nuri al-MALIKI (since 20 May 2006); Rafi al-ISSAWI (since 19 July 2008)

cabinet: 36 ministers appointed by the Presidency Council, plus Prime Minister Nuri al-MALIKI and Deputy Prime Ministers Barham SALIH and Rafi al-ISSAWI

elections: held 15 December 2005 to elect a 275-member Council of Representatives

Legislative branch:

unicameral Council of Representatives (consisting of 275 members elected by a closed-list, proportional representation system)

elections: last held 15 December 2005 to elect a 275-member Council of Representatives (next to be held on 18 January 2010); the Council of Representatives elected the Presidency Council and approved the prime minister and two deputy prime ministers

election results: Council of Representatives - percent of vote by party - Unified Iraqi Alliance 41%, Kurdistan Alliance 22%, Tawafuq Coalition 15%, Iraqi National List 8%, Iraqi Front for National Dialogue 4%, other 10%; number of seats by party (as of November 2007) - Unified Iraqi Alliance (including the Sadrist bloc with 30 and Fadilah with 15) 130, Kurdistan Alliance 53, Tawafuq Front 44, Iraqi National List 25, Fadilah 15, Iraqi Front for National Dialogue 11, other 12

Judicial branch:

the Iraq Constitution calls for the federal judicial power to be comprised of the Higher Judicial Council, Federal Supreme Court, Federal Court of Cassation, Public Prosecution Department, Judiciary Oversight Commission and other federal courts that are regulated in accordance with the law

Political parties and leaders:

Assyrian Democratic Movement [Yunadim KANNA]; Badr Organization [Hadi al-AMIRI]; Constitutional Monarchy Movement or CMM [Sharif Ali Bin al-HUSAYN]; Da'wa al-Islamiya Party [Nuri al-MALIKI]; General Conference of Iraqi People [Adnan al-DULAYMI]; Independent Iraqi Alliance or IIA [Falah al-NAQIB]; Iraqi Communist Party [Hamid MAJID]; Iraqi Front for National Dialogue [Salih al-MUTLAQ]; Iraqi Hizballah [Karim Mahmud al-MUHAMMADAWI]; Iraqi Independent Democrats or IID [Adnan PACHACHI, Mahdi al-HAFIZ]; Iraqi Islamic Party or IIP [Tariq al-HASHIMI]; Iraqi National Accord or INA [Ayad ALLAWI]; Iraqi National Congress or INC [Ahmad CHALABI]; Iraqi National Council for Dialogue or INCD [Khalaf Ulayan al-Khalifawi al-DULAYMI]; Iraqi National Unity Movement or INUM [Ahmad al-KUBAYSI]; Islamic Action Organization or IAO [Ayatollah Muhammad al-MUDARRISI]; Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq or ISCI [Abd al-Aziz al-HAKIM]; Jama'at al Fadilah or JAF [Muhammad Ali al-YAQUBI]; Kurdistan Democratic Party or KDP [Masud BARZANI]; Kurdistan Islamic Union [Salah ad-Din Muhammad BAHA al-DIN]; Patriotic Union of Kurdistan or PUK [Jalal TALABANI]; Sadrist Trend [Muqtada al-SADR] (not an organized political party, but it fields independent candidates affiliated with Muqtada al-SADR); Sahawa al-Iraq [Ahmad al-RISHAWI]

note: the Kurdistan Alliance, Iraqi National List, Tawafuq Front, Iraqi Front for National Dialogue, and Unified Iraqi Alliance were only electoral slates consisting of the representatives from the various Iraqi political parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Sunni militias; Shia militias, some associated with political parties

International organization participation:

ABEDA, AFESD (suspended), AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol,
IOC, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPEC, PCA, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
(observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Samir Shakir al-SUMAYDI

chancery: 3421 Massachusetts Ave, NW, Washington, DC 20007

telephone: [1] (202) 742-1600

FAX: [1] (202) 333-1129

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Christopher R. HILL

embassy: Baghdad

mailing address: APO AE 09316

telephone: 1-240-553-0589 ext. 5340 or 5635; note - Consular Section

FAX: NA

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black; the Takbir (Arabic expression meaning "God is great") in green Arabic script is centered in the white band; similar to the flag of Syria, which has two stars but no script, Yemen, which has a plain white band, and that of Egypt, which has a gold Eagle of Saladin centered in the white band; design is based upon the Arab Liberation colors; Council of Representatives approved this flag as a compromise temporary replacement for Ba'athist Saddam-era flag

Economy ::Iraq

Economy - overview:

Decreasing insurgent attacks and an improving security environment in many parts of the country are helping to spur economic activity. Iraq's economy is dominated by the oil sector, which has traditionally provided over 90% of foreign exchange earnings. Oil exports are around levels seen before Operation Iraqi Freedom. Total government revenues have benefited from high oil prices in recent years; however, revenues have declined significantly since the oil price drop in fall 2008. Iraq is making some progress in building the institutions needed to implement economic policy. In March 2009 Iraq concluded a Stand-By Arrangement (SBA) with the IMF that details economic reforms. The SBA allows an 80% reduction of the debt owed to Paris Club creditor nations. The International Compact with Iraq was established in May 2007 to integrate Iraq into the regional and global economy, and the Iraqi government is seeking to pass laws to strengthen its economy. This legislation includes a hydrocarbon law to establish a modern legal framework to allow Iraq to develop its resources and a revenue sharing law to equitably divide oil revenues within the nation, although both are still under contentious political negotiation. Some foreign entities have expressed interest in reinvigorating Iraq's industrial sector. The government of Iraq is pursuing a strategy to gain foreign participation in joint ventures with State-owned enterprises. Provincial Councils are also using their own budgets to promote and facilitate investment at the local level. The Central Bank has been successful in controlling inflation through appreciation of the dinar against the US dollar. However, Iraq's challenge will be to use macroeconomic gains to improve the lives of ordinary Iraqis. Reducing corruption and implementing structural reforms, such as bank restructuring and developing the private sector, will be key to Iraq's economic success.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$90.23 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 70 $83.7 billion (2007 est.)

$82.46 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$91.45 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

7.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 24 1.5% (2007 est.)

6.2% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$3,200 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 162 $3,000 (2007 est.)

$3,100 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 5%

industry: 68%

services: 27% (2006 est.)

Labor force:

7.74 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 56

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Unemployment rate:

18.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 161 18% (2006 est.)

note: official data; unofficial estimates as high as 30%

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $42.4 billion

expenditures: $49.9 billion (FY08 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 34 4.7% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

NA% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 6 20% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

NA% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 16 19.74% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$26.1 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 31 $18.81 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$5.415 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 67 $3.67 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$NA (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$1.878 billion (31 March 2008)

$NA (31 December 2007)

$NA (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

wheat, barley, rice, vegetables, dates, cotton; cattle, sheep, poultry

Industries:

petroleum, chemicals, textiles, leather, construction materials, food processing, fertilizer, metal fabrication/processing

Industrial production growth rate:

10.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 11

Electricity - production:

36.92 billion kWh (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 58

Electricity - consumption:

39.88 billion kWh (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 51

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

2.95 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

2.385 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 14

Oil - consumption:

638,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 28

Oil - exports:

1.83 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 13

Oil - imports:

116,900 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 62

Oil - proved reserves:

115 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 4

Natural gas - production:

1.88 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 57

Natural gas - consumption:

9.454 billion cu m country comparison to the world: 48 note: 1.48 billion cu m were flared (2008 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 167

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 160

Natural gas - proved reserves:

3.17 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 10

Current account balance:

$14.05 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 25 $4.909 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$58.81 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 52 $36.08 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

crude oil 84%, crude materials excluding fuels 8%, food and live animals 5%

Exports - partners:

US 37.3%, India 13.8%, Italy 9.4%, South Korea 6.8% (2008)

Imports:

$37.22 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 59 $25.67 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

food, medicine, manufactures

Imports - partners:

Syria 26.4%, Turkey 19.7%, US 10.7%, Jordan 6.5%, China 6% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$49.8 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 27 $30.66 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$67.74 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 44 $100.9 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

New Iraqi dinars (NID) per US dollar - 1,176 (2008), 1,255 (2007), 1,466 (2006), 1,475 (2005), 1,890 (second half, 2003)

Communications ::Iraq

Telephones - main lines in use:

1.082 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 76

Telephones - mobile cellular:

17.529 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 40

Telephone system:

general assessment: the 2003 liberation of Iraq severely disrupted telecommunications throughout Iraq including international connections; widespread government efforts to rebuild domestic and international communications through fiber optic links are in progress; the mobile cellular market has expanded rapidly and its subscribership base approached 18 million in 2008

domestic: repairs to switches and lines destroyed during 2003 continue; additional switching capacity is improving access; cellular service is available and centered on 3 GSM networks which are being expanded beyond their regional roots, improving country-wide connectivity; wireless local loop licenses have been issued with the hope of overcoming the lack of fixed-line infrastructure

international: country code - 964; satellite earth stations - 4 (2 Intelsat - 1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean, 1 Intersputnik - Atlantic Ocean region, and 1 Arabsat (inoperative)); local microwave radio relay connects border regions to Jordan, Kuwait, Syria, and Turkey; planned international fiber-optic connections to Iran (terrestrial) with a link to the Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG) submarine fiber-optic cable (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

52 (station frequency types NA) (2008)

Television broadcast stations:

47 (2008)

Internet country code:

.iq

Internet hosts:

11 (2009) country comparison to the world: 219

Internet users:

300,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 126

Transportation ::Iraq

Airports:

104 (2009) country comparison to the world: 57

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 75

over 3,047 m: 19

2,438 to 3,047 m: 37

1,524 to 2,437 m: 5

914 to 1,523 m: 6

under 914 m: 8 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 29

over 3,047 m: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 4

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 13

under 914 m: 6 (2009)

Heliports:

21 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 2,501 km; liquid petroleum gas 918 km; oil 5,418 km; refined products 1,637 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 2,272 km country comparison to the world: 68 standard gauge: 2,272 km 1.435-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 44,900 km country comparison to the world: 81 paved: 37,851 km

unpaved: 7,049 km (2002)

Waterways:

5,279 km country comparison to the world: 23 note: Euphrates River (2,815 km), Tigris River (1,899 km), and Third River (565 km) are principal waterways (2008)

Merchant marine:

total: 14 country comparison to the world: 107 by type: cargo 10, petroleum tanker 4 (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Al Basrah, Khawr az Zubayr, Umm Qasr

Military ::Iraq

Military branches:

Iraqi Armed Forces: Iraqi Army (includes Iraqi Special Operations
Force, Iraqi Intervention Force), Iraqi Navy (former Iraqi Coastal
Defense Force), Iraqi Air Force (former Iraqi Army Air Corps) (2005)

Military service age and obligation:

18-49 years of age for voluntary military service (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 7,086,200

females age 16-49: 6,808,954 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 6,203,425

females age 16-49: 6,065,009 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 313,500

female: 304,923 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

8.6% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 4

Transnational Issues ::Iraq

Disputes - international:

coalition forces assist Iraqis in monitoring internal and cross-border security; approximately two million Iraqis have fled the conflict in Iraq, with the majority taking refuge in Syria and Jordan, and lesser numbers to Egypt, Lebanon, Iran, and Turkey; Iraq's lack of a maritime boundary with Iran prompts jurisdiction disputes beyond the mouth of the Shatt al Arab in the Persian Gulf; Turkey has expressed concern over the autonomous status of Kurds in Iraq

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 10,000-15,000 (Palestinian Territories); 11,773 (Iran); 16,832 (Turkey)

IDPs: 2.4 million (ongoing US-led war and ethno-sectarian violence) (2007)

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Ireland (Europe)

Introduction ::Ireland

Background:

Celtic tribes arrived on the island between 600-150 B.C. Invasions by Norsemen that began in the late 8th century were finally ended when King Brian BORU defeated the Danes in 1014. English invasions began in the 12th century and set off more than seven centuries of Anglo-Irish struggle marked by fierce rebellions and harsh repressions. A failed 1916 Easter Monday Rebellion touched off several years of guerrilla warfare that in 1921 resulted in independence from the UK for 26 southern counties; six northern (Ulster) counties remained part of the UK. In 1949, Ireland withdrew from the British Commonwealth; it joined the European Community in 1973. Irish governments have sought the peaceful unification of Ireland and have cooperated with Britain against terrorist groups. A peace settlement for Northern Ireland is gradually being implemented despite some difficulties. In 2006, the Irish and British governments developed and began to implement the St. Andrews Agreement, building on the Good Friday Agreement approved in 1998.

Geography ::Ireland

Location:

Western Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of Ireland in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain

Geographic coordinates:

53 00 N, 8 00 W

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 70,273 sq km country comparison to the world: 119 land: 68,883 sq km

water: 1,390 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than West Virginia

Land boundaries:

total: 360 km

border countries: UK 360 km

Coastline:

1,448 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:

temperate maritime; modified by North Atlantic Current; mild winters, cool summers; consistently humid; overcast about half the time

Terrain:

mostly level to rolling interior plain surrounded by rugged hills and low mountains; sea cliffs on west coast

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Carrauntoohil 1,041 m

Natural resources:

natural gas, peat, copper, lead, zinc, silver, barite, gypsum, limestone, dolomite

Land use:

arable land: 16.82%

permanent crops: 0.03%

other: 83.15% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Total renewable water resources:

46.8 cu km (2003)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 1.18 cu km/yr (23%/77%/0%)

per capita: 284 cu m/yr (1994)

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

water pollution, especially of lakes, from agricultural runoff

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulfur 94, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:

strategic location on major air and sea routes between North America and northern Europe; over 40% of the population resides within 100 km of Dublin

People ::Ireland

Population:

4,203,200 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 125

Age structure:

0-14 years: 20.9% (male 454,571/female 424,022)

15-64 years: 67.1% (male 1,411,336/female 1,409,760)

65 years and over: 12% (male 224,850/female 278,661) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 35 years

male: 34.2 years

female: 35.7 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.12% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 121

Birth rate:

14.23 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 148

Death rate:

7.75 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 114

Net migration rate:

4.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 22

Urbanization:

urban population: 61% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 2.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 5.05 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 188 male: 5.53 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 78.24 years country comparison to the world: 47 male: 75.6 years

female: 81.06 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.85 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 150

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.2% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 102

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

5,500 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 121

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 100 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 130

Nationality:

noun: Irishman(men), Irishwoman(women), Irish (collective plural)

adjective: Irish

Ethnic groups:

Irish 87.4%, other white 7.5%, Asian 1.3%, black 1.1%, mixed 1.1%, unspecified 1.6% (2006 census)

Religions:

Roman Catholic 87.4%, Church of Ireland 2.9%, other Christian 1.9%, other 2.1%, unspecified 1.5%, none 4.2% (2006 census)

Languages:

English (official) is the language generally used, Irish (Gaelic or
Gaeilge) (official) spoken mainly in areas along the western coast

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 18 years

male: 17 years

female: 18 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

4.7% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 81

Government ::Ireland

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Ireland

local long form: none

local short form: Eire

Government type:

republic, parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Dublin

geographic coordinates: 53 19 N, 6 14 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

29 counties and 5 cities*; Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Cork, Cork*,
Donegal, Dublin*, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, Fingal, Galway, Galway*,
Kerry, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Leitrim, Limerick, Limerick*,
Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, North Tipperary, Offaly,
Roscommon, Sligo, South Dublin, South Tipperary, Waterford,
Waterford*, Westmeath, Wexford, Wicklow

Independence:

6 December 1921 (from the UK by treaty)

National holiday:

Saint Patrick's Day, 17 March

Constitution:

adopted 1 July 1937 by plebiscite; effective 29 December 1937

Legal system:

based on English common law substantially modified by indigenous concepts; judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Mary MCALEESE (since 11 November 1997)

head of government: Prime Minister Brian COWEN (since 7 May 2008)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with previous nomination by the prime minister and approval of the House of Representatives

elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 31 October 1997 (next scheduled for October 2011); note - Mary MCALEESE appointed to a second term when no other candidate qualified for the 2004 presidential election; prime minister (taoiseach) nominated by the House of Representatives and appointed by the president

election results: Mary MCALEESE elected president; percent of vote - Mary MCALEESE 44.8%, Mary BANOTTI 29.6%

note: government coalition - Fianna Fail, the Green Party, the Progressive Democrats (disbanding), and independent members of Parliament

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament or Oireachtas consists of the Senate or Seanad Eireann (60 seats; 49 members elected by the universities and from candidates put forward by five vocational panels, 11 are nominated by the prime minister; members serve five-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Dail Eireann (166 seats; members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve five-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held in July 2007 (next to be held by July 2012); House of Representatives - last held 24 May 2007 (next to be held by May 2012)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Fianna Fail 28, Fine Gael 14, Labor Party 6, Progressive Democrats 2, Green Party 2, Sein Fein 1, independents 7; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - Fianna Fail 41.6%, Fine Gael 27.3%, Labor Party 10.1%, Sinn Fein 6.9%, Green Party 4.7%, Progressive Democrats 2.7%, other 6.7%; seats by party - Fianna Fail 78, Fine Gael 51, Labor Party 20, Sinn Fein 4, Green Party 6, Progressive Democrats 2, independents 4, Speaker of the Dail 1

note: on 8 November 2008, delegates voted to disband the party, but as of January 2009, the party was still operating

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (judges appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister and cabinet)

Political parties and leaders:

Fianna Fail [Brian COWEN]; Fine Gael [Enda KENNY]; Green Party [John
GORMLEY]; Labor Party [Eamon GILMORE]; Progressive Democrats [Ciaran
CANNON] (disbanding); Sinn Fein [Gerry ADAMS]; Socialist Party [Joe
HIGGINS]; The Workers' Party [Mick FINNEGAN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Families Acting for Innocent Relatives or FAIR [Brian McCONNELL] (seek compensation for victims of violence); Families Against Intimidation and Terror or FAIT (oppose terrorism); Gaeltacht Civil Rights Campaign (Coiste Cearta Sibhialta na Gaeilge) or CCSG (encourages the use of the Irish language and campaigns for greater civil rights in Irish speaking areas); Irish Republican Army or IRA (terrorist group); Keep Ireland Open (environmental group); Midland Railway Action Group or MRAG [Willie ALLEN] (transportation promoters); Rail Users Ireland (formerly the Platform 11 - transportation promoters); 32 Country Sovereignty Movement or 32CSM (supports a fully sovereign Ireland); Ulster Defence Association or UDA (terrorist group)

International organization participation:

ADB (nonregional member), Australia Group, BIS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB,
EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO,
ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer),
OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,
UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Michael COLLINS

chancery: 2234 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 462-3939

FAX: [1] (202) 232-5993

consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, New York, San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Daniel ROONEY; note - has not yet presented his credentials to Ireland

embassy: 42 Elgin Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4

mailing address: use embassy street address

telephone: [353] (1) 668-8777

FAX: [353] (1) 668-9946

Flag description:

three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and orange; similar to the flag of Cote d'Ivoire, which is shorter and has the colors reversed - orange (hoist side), white, and green; also similar to the flag of Italy, which is shorter and has colors of green (hoist side), white, and red

Economy ::Ireland

Economy - overview:

Ireland is a small, modern, trade-dependent economy. GDP growth averaged 6% in 1995-2007, but economic activity dropped sharply in 2008 and Ireland entered into a recession for the first time in more than a decade with the onset of the world financial crisis and subsequent severe slowdown in the property and construction markets. Agriculture, once the most important sector, is now dwarfed by industry and services. Although the export sector, dominated by foreign multinationals, remains a key component of Ireland's economy, construction most recently fueled economic growth along with strong consumer spending and business investment. Property prices rose more rapidly in Ireland in the decade up to 2006 than in any other developed world economy. Per capita GDP also surged during Ireland's high-growth years, and in 2007 surpassed that of the United States. The Irish Government has implemented a series of national economic programs designed to curb price and wage inflation, invest in infrastructure, increase labor force skills, and promote foreign investment. In 2008 the COWEN government moved to guarantee all bank deposits, recapitalize the banking system, and establish partly-public venture capital funds in response to the country's economic downturn. Ireland joined in circulating the euro on 1 January 2002 along with 11 other EU nations.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$189 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 56 $194.9 billion (2007 est.)

$183.9 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$267.6 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

-3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 213 6% (2007 est.)

5.4% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$45,500 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 11 $47,400 (2007 est.)

$45,300 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 5%

industry: 46%

services: 49% (2002 est.)

Labor force:

2.241 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 115

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 6%

industry: 27%

services: 67% (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate:

6.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 80 4.6% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

7% (2005 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.9%

highest 10%: 27.2% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

32 (2005) country comparison to the world: 101 35.9 (1987)

Investment (gross fixed):

21.2% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 95

Budget:

revenues: $92.57 billion

expenditures: $109.9 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

44.2% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 47 31.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

4.1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 66 4.9% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

3% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 96 5% (31 December 2007)

note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro area

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

6.76% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 125 6.52% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$NA

note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the euro area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 16 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money and quasi money circulating within their own borders

Stock of quasi money:

$NA

Stock of domestic credit:

$738.6 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 15 $545.2 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 42 $144 billion (31 December 2007)

$163.4 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

turnips, barley, potatoes, sugar beets, wheat; beef, dairy products

Industries:

steel, lead, zinc, silver, aluminum, barite, and gypsum mining processing; food products, brewing, textiles, clothing; chemicals, pharmaceuticals; machinery, rail transportation equipment; glass and crystal; software, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:

5% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 50

Electricity - production:

26.06 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 65

Electricity - consumption:

25.12 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 63

Electricity - exports:

303 million kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

753 million kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 180

Oil - consumption:

188,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 57

Oil - exports:

22,710 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 87

Oil - imports:

190,800 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 52

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 178

Natural gas - production:

438 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 69

Natural gas - consumption:

5.217 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 58

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 186

Natural gas - imports:

4.798 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 32

Natural gas - proved reserves:

9.911 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 79

Current account balance:

-$13.88 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 174 -$14.12 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$119.8 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 34 $115.5 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, computers, chemicals, pharmaceuticals; live animals, animal products

Exports - partners:

UK 18.6%, US 18.6%, Belgium 14.7%, Germany 7%, France 5.9%, Spain 4.2% (2008)

Imports:

$84.82 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 40 $84.76 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

data processing equipment, other machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum and petroleum products, textiles, clothing

Imports - partners:

UK 37.7%, US 11.6%, Germany 8.7%, Netherlands 5.6% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$1.023 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 126 $926.2 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$2.356 trillion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 6 $2.263 trillion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$179 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$152.9 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 21 $139.6 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008 est.), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)

Communications ::Ireland

Telephones - main lines in use:

2.202 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 56

Telephones - mobile cellular:

5.048 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 86

Telephone system:

general assessment: modern digital system using cable and microwave radio relay

domestic: system privatized but dominated by former state monopoly operator; increasing levels of broadband access

international: country code - 353; landing point for the Hibernia-Atlantic submarine cable with links to the US, Canada, and UK; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 9, FM 106, shortwave 0 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

4 (many repeaters); (projected digital broadcasting scheduled to be launched in 2009) (2008)

Internet country code:

.ie

Internet hosts:

1.303 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 36

Internet users:

2.83 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 61

Transportation ::Ireland

Airports:

39 (2009) country comparison to the world: 105

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 17

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 5

under 914 m: 6 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 22

914 to 1,523 m: 2

under 914 m: 20 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 1,550 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 3,237 km country comparison to the world: 53 broad gauge: 1,872 km 1.600-m gauge (37 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 1,365 km 0.914-m gauge (operated by the Irish Peat Board to transport peat to power stations and briquetting plants) (2008)

Roadways:

total: 96,602 km country comparison to the world: 46 paved: 96,602 km (includes 200 km of expressways) (2003)

Waterways:

956 km (pleasure craft only) (2008) country comparison to the world: 68

Merchant marine:

total: 29 country comparison to the world: 85 by type: cargo 25, chemical tanker 2, container 1, roll on/roll off 1

foreign-owned: 2 (US 2)

registered in other countries: 21 (Bahamas 2, Bermuda 1, Bulgaria 1, Cyprus 3, Isle of Man 1, Marshall Islands 1, Netherlands 10, Slovakia 1, UK 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Cork, Dublin, Shannon Foynes

Military ::Ireland

Military branches:

Irish Defense Forces (Oglaigh na h-Eireann): Army (includes Naval
Service and Air Corps (Aer-Chor na h-Eireann)) (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

17-25 years of age for male or female voluntary military service (17-27 years of age for the Naval Service); enlistees 16 years of age can be recruited for apprentice specialist positions; maximum obligation 12 years; 17-35 years of age for the Reserve Defense Forces; EU citizenship or 5-year residence in Ireland required (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,024,635

females age 16-49: 1,024,276 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 857,162

females age 16-49: 854,416 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 28,072

female: 26,400 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

0.9% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 146

Transnational Issues ::Ireland

Disputes - international:

Ireland, Iceland, and the UK dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe
Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for and consumer of hashish from North Africa to the UK and Netherlands and of European-produced synthetic drugs; increasing consumption of South American cocaine; minor transshipment point for heroin and cocaine destined for Western Europe; despite recent legislation, narcotics-related money laundering - using bureaux de change, trusts, and shell companies involving the offshore financial community - remains a concern

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Isle of Man (Europe)

Introduction ::Isle of Man

Background:

Part of the Norwegian Kingdom of the Hebrides until the 13th century when it was ceded to Scotland, the isle came under the British crown in 1765. Current concerns include reviving the almost extinct Manx Gaelic language. Isle of Man is a British crown dependency but is not part of the UK. However, the UK Government remains constitutionally responsible for its defense and international representation.

Geography ::Isle of Man

Location:

Western Europe, island in the Irish Sea, between Great Britain and
Ireland

Geographic coordinates:

54 15 N, 4 30 W

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 572 sq km country comparison to the world: 194 land: 572 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly more than three times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

160 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm

Climate:

temperate; cool summers and mild winters; overcast about a third of the time

Terrain:

hills in north and south bisected by central valley

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Irish Sea 0 m

highest point: Snaefell 621 m

Natural resources:

none

Land use:

arable land: 9%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 91% (permanent pastures, forests, mountain, and heathland) (2002)

Irrigated land:

0 sq km

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

waste disposal (both household and industrial); transboundary air pollution

Geography - note:

one small islet, the Calf of Man, lies to the southwest and is a bird sanctuary

People ::Isle of Man

Population:

76,512 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 200

Age structure:

0-14 years: 16.9% (male 6,612/female 6,300)

15-64 years: 66% (male 25,433/female 25,083)

65 years and over: 17.1% (male 5,408/female 7,676) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 40.2 years

male: 39 years

female: 41.4 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.524% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 153

Birth rate:

10.77 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 179

Death rate:

10.76 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 51

Net migration rate:

5.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 19

Urbanization:

urban population: 51% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: -0.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 5.37 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 184 male: 6.11 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 78.82 years country comparison to the world: 39 male: 75.86 years

female: 81.93 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.65 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 179

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Manxman (men), Manxwoman (women)

adjective: Manx

Ethnic groups:

Manx (Norse-Celtic descent), Britons

Religions:

Anglican, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Society of Friends

Languages:

English, Manx Gaelic

Literacy:

NA

Education expenditures:

NA

Government ::Isle of Man

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Isle of Man

abbreviation: I.O.M.

Dependency status:

British crown dependency

Government type:

parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Douglas

geographic coordinates: 54 09 N, 4 29 W

time difference: UTC 0 (five hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

none; there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 24 local authorities each with its own elections

Independence:

none (British crown dependency)

National holiday:

Tynwald Day, 5 July

Constitution:

unwritten; note - The Isle of Man Constitution Act of 1961 does not embody the unwritten Manx Constitution

Legal system:

the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply and Manx statutes

Suffrage:

16 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Lord of Mann Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Lieutenant Governor Sir Paul K. HADDACKS (since 17 October 2005)

head of government: Chief Minister Tony BROWN (since 14 December 2006)

cabinet: Council of Ministers

elections: the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor appointed by the monarch; the chief minister is elected by the Tynwald for a five-year term; election last held 14 December 2006 (next to be held in December 2011)

election results: House of Keys speaker Tony BROWN elected chief minister by the Tynwald

Legislative branch:

bicameral Tynwald consists of the Legislative Council (11 seats; members composed of the President of Tynwald, the Lord Bishop of Sodor and Man, a nonvoting attorney general, and 8 others named by the House of Keys) and the House of Keys (24 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: House of Keys - last held 23 November 2006 (next to be held in November 2011)

election results: House of Keys - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Liberal Vannin Party 2, Man Labor Party 1, independents 21

Judicial branch:

High Court of Justice (justices are appointed by the Lord Chancellor of England on the nomination of the lieutenant governor)

Political parties and leaders:

Alliance for Progressive Government; Liberal Vannin Party [Peter
KARRAN]; Man Labor Party; Man Nationalist Party (Mec Vannin)
[Bernard MOFFATT]

note: most members sit as independents

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Alliance for Progressive Government or APG (a government watchdog);
Mec Vannin (political party advocating a sovereign state and
environment policies); note - has only had one member elected to the
Tynwald

International organization participation:

UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (British crown dependency)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (British crown dependency)

Flag description:

red with the Three Legs of Man emblem (Trinacria), in the center; the three legs are joined at the thigh and bent at the knee; in order to have the toes pointing clockwise on both sides of the flag, a two-sided emblem is used

Economy ::Isle of Man

Economy - overview:

Offshore banking, manufacturing, and tourism are key sectors of the economy. The government offers incentives to high-technology companies and financial institutions to locate on the island; this has paid off in expanding employment opportunities in high-income industries. As a result, agriculture and fishing, once the mainstays of the economy, have declined in their contributions to GDP. The Isle of Man also attracts online gambling sites and the film industry. Trade is mostly with the UK. The Isle of Man enjoys free access to EU markets.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$2.719 billion (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 177

GDP (official exchange rate):

$2.719 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.2% (2005) country comparison to the world: 83

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$35,000 (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 35

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 1%

industry: 13%

services: 86% (2000 est.)

Labor force:

39,690 (2001) country comparison to the world: 190

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture, forestry, and fishing 3%, manufacturing 11%, construction 10%, transport and communication 8%, wholesale and retail distribution 11%, professional and scientific services 18%, public administration 6%, banking and finance 18%, tourism 2%, entertainment and catering 3%, miscellaneous services 10% (2001)

Unemployment rate:

1.5% (December 2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 9

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $965 million

expenditures: $943 million (FY05/06 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3.1% (December 2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 38

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

cereals, vegetables; cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry

Industries:

financial services, light manufacturing, tourism

Exports:

$NA

Exports - commodities:

tweeds, herring, processed shellfish, beef, lamb

Imports:

$NA

Imports - commodities:

timber, fertilizers, fish

Debt - external:

$NA

Exchange rates:

Manx pounds (IMP) per US dollar - 0.5302 (2008 est.), 0.4993 (2007), 0.5418 (2006), 0.5493 (2005), 0.5462 (2004)

note: the Manx pound is at par with the British pound

Communications ::Isle of Man

Telephones - main lines in use:

51,000 (1999) country comparison to the world: 161

Telephone system:

general assessment: NA

domestic: landline, telefax, mobile cellular telephone system

international: fiber-optic cable, microwave radio relay, satellite earth station, submarine cable

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

0 (receives broadcasts from the UK and satellite) (1999)

Internet country code:

.im

Internet hosts:

478 (2009) country comparison to the world: 174

Transportation ::Isle of Man

Airports:

1 (2009) country comparison to the world: 229

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Railways:

total: 63 km country comparison to the world: 129 narrow gauge: 6 km 1.076-m gauge (6 km electrified); 57 km 0.914-m gauge (29 km electrified)

note: primarily summer tourist attractions (2008)

Roadways:

total: 500 km (2008) country comparison to the world: 191

Merchant marine:

total: 273 country comparison to the world: 31 by type: bulk carrier 31, cargo 50, chemical tanker 48, container 12, liquefied gas 41, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 73, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 8, vehicle carrier 5

foreign-owned: 181 (Chile 6, Denmark 29, France 1, Germany 56, Greece 50, Ireland 1, Japan 6, Monaco 3, Netherlands 1, Norway 20, Singapore 1, Sweden 1, Turkey 2, US 4)

registered in other countries: 7 (Bahamas 1, Liberia 5, Marshall Islands 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Douglas, Ramsey

Military ::Isle of Man

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 14,691

females age 16-49: 14,338 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 466

female: 446 (2009 est.)

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues ::Isle of Man

Disputes - international:

none

page last updated on October 28, 2009

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

@Israel (Middle East)

Introduction ::Israel

Background:

Following World War II, the British withdrew from their mandate of Palestine, and the UN partitioned the area into Arab and Jewish states, an arrangement rejected by the Arabs. Subsequently, the Israelis defeated the Arabs in a series of wars without ending the deep tensions between the two sides. The territories Israel occupied since the 1967 war are not included in the Israel country profile, unless otherwise noted. On 25 April 1982, Israel withdrew from the Sinai pursuant to the 1979 Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty. In keeping with the framework established at the Madrid Conference in October 1991, bilateral negotiations were conducted between Israel and Palestinian representatives and Syria to achieve a permanent settlement. Israel and Palestinian officials signed on 13 September 1993 a Declaration of Principles (also known as the "Oslo Accords") guiding an interim period of Palestinian self-rule. Outstanding territorial and other disputes with Jordan were resolved in the 26 October 1994 Israel-Jordan Treaty of Peace. In addition, on 25 May 2000, Israel withdrew unilaterally from southern Lebanon, which it had occupied since 1982. In April 2003, US President BUSH, working in conjunction with the EU, UN, and Russia - the "Quartet" - took the lead in laying out a roadmap to a final settlement of the conflict by 2005, based on reciprocal steps by the two parties leading to two states, Israel and a democratic Palestine. However, progress toward a permanent status agreement was undermined by Israeli-Palestinian violence between September 2003 and February 2005. An Israeli-Palestinian agreement reached at Sharm al-Sheikh in February 2005, along with an internally-brokered Palestinian cease-fire, significantly reduced the violence. In the summer of 2005, Israel unilaterally disengaged from the Gaza Strip, evacuating settlers and its military while retaining control over most points of entry into the Gaza Strip. The election of HAMAS in January 2006 to head the Palestinian Legislative Council froze relations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA). Ehud OLMERT became prime minister in March 2006; he shelved plans to unilaterally evacuate from most of the West Bank following an Israeli military operation in Gaza in June-July 2006 and a 34-day conflict with Hizballah in Lebanon in June-August 2006. OLMERT in June 2007 resumed talks with the PA after HAMAS seized control of the Gaza Strip and PA President Mahmoud ABBAS formed a new government without HAMAS. OLMERT in September 2008 resigned in the wake of several corruption allegations, but remained prime minister until the new coalition government under former Prime Minister Binyamin NETANYAHU was completed in late March 2009, following the February general election.

Geography ::Israel

Location:

Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and
Lebanon

Geographic coordinates:

31 30 N, 34 45 E

Map references:

Middle East

Area:

total: 22,072 sq km country comparison to the world: 152 land: 21,642 sq km

water: 430 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries:

total: 1,017 km

border countries: Egypt 266 km, Gaza Strip 51 km, Jordan 238 km, Lebanon 79 km, Syria 76 km, West Bank 307 km

Coastline:

273 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

continental shelf: to depth of exploitation

Climate:

temperate; hot and dry in southern and eastern desert areas

Terrain:

Negev desert in the south; low coastal plain; central mountains;
Jordan Rift Valley

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m

highest point: Har Meron 1,208 m

Natural resources:

timber, potash, copper ore, natural gas, phosphate rock, magnesium bromide, clays, sand

Land use:

arable land: 15.45%

permanent crops: 3.88%

other: 80.67% (2005)

Irrigated land:

1,940 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

1.7 cu km (2001)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 2.05 cu km/yr (31%/7%/62%)

per capita: 305 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

sandstorms may occur during spring and summer; droughts; periodic earthquakes

Environment - current issues:

limited arable land and natural fresh water resources pose serious constraints; desertification; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; groundwater pollution from industrial and domestic waste, chemical fertilizers, and pesticides

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:

there are about 340 Israeli civilian sites - including 100 small outpost communities in the West Bank - as well as 42 sites in the Golan Heights, 0 in the Gaza Strip, and 29 in East Jerusalem (July 2008 est.); Lake Tiberias (Sea of Galilee) is an important freshwater source

People ::Israel

Population:

7,233,701 country comparison to the world: 97 note: includes about 187,000 Israeli settlers in the West Bank, about 20,000 in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, and fewer than 177,000 in East Jerusalem (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 27.9% (male 1,031,629/female 984,230)

15-64 years: 62.3% (male 2,283,034/female 2,221,301)

65 years and over: 9.9% (male 311,218/female 402,289) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 29.1 years

male: 28.4 years

female: 29.8 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.671% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 79

Birth rate:

19.77 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 101

Death rate:

5.43 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 179

Net migration rate:

2.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 37

Urbanization:

urban population: 92% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1.7% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 4.22 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 207 male: 4.39 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 80.73 years country comparison to the world: 13 male: 78.62 years

female: 82.95 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.75 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 81

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 121

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

5,100 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 123

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 200 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 112

Nationality:

noun: Israeli(s)

adjective: Israeli

Ethnic groups:

Jewish 76.4% (of which Israel-born 67.1%, Europe/America-born 22.6%, Africa-born 5.9%, Asia-born 4.2%), non-Jewish 23.6% (mostly Arab) (2004)

Religions:

Jewish 76.4%, Muslim 16%, Arab Christians 1.7%, other Christian 0.4%, Druze 1.6%, unspecified 3.9% (2004)

Languages:

Hebrew (official), Arabic used officially for Arab minority, English most commonly used foreign language

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 97.1%

male: 98.5%

female: 95.9% (2004 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 15 years

male: 15 years

female: 16 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

6.9% of GDP (2004) country comparison to the world: 25

Government ::Israel

Country name:

conventional long form: State of Israel

conventional short form: Israel

local long form: Medinat Yisra'el

local short form: Yisra'el

Government type:

parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Jerusalem

geographic coordinates: 31 46 N, 35 14 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Friday in March; ends the Sunday between the holidays of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur

note: Israel proclaimed Jerusalem as its capital in 1950, but the US, like nearly all other countries, maintains its Embassy in Tel Aviv

Administrative divisions:

6 districts (mehozot, singular - mehoz); Central, Haifa, Jerusalem, Northern, Southern, Tel Aviv

Independence:

14 May 1948 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 14 May (1948); note - Israel declared independence on 14 May 1948, but the Jewish calendar is lunar and the holiday may occur in April or May

Constitution:

no formal constitution; some of the functions of a constitution are filled by the Declaration of Establishment (1948), the Basic Laws of the parliament (Knesset), and the Israeli citizenship law; note - since May 2003 the Constitution, Law, and Justice Committee of the Knesset has been working on a draft constitution

Legal system:

mixture of English common law, British Mandate regulations, and, in personal matters, Jewish, Christian, and Muslim legal systems; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Shimon PERES (since 15 July 2007)

head of government: Prime Minister Binjamin NETANYAHU (since 31 March 2009); Vice Prime Minister Silvan SHALOM (since 31 March 2009); Vice Prime Minister Moshe YAALON (since 31 March 2009)

cabinet: Cabinet selected by prime minister and approved by the Knesset

elections: president is largely a ceremonial role and is elected by the Knesset for a seven-year term (one-term limit); election last held 13 June 2007 (next to be held in 2014 but can be called earlier); following legislative elections, the president assigns a Knesset member - traditionally the leader of the largest party - the task of forming a governing coalition

election results: Shimon PERES elected president; number of votes in first round - Shimon PERES 58, Reuven RIVLIN 37, Colette AVITAL 21; PERES elected president in second round with 86 votes (unopposed)

Legislative branch:

unicameral Knesset (120 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 10 February 2009 (next scheduled election to be held in 2013)

election results: percent of vote by party - Kadima 23.2%, Likud-Ahi 22.3%, YB 12.1%, Labor 10.2%, SHAS 8.8%, United Torah Judaism 4.5%, United Arab List 3.5%, NU 3.4%, Hadash 3.4%, The Jewish Home 3%, The New Movement-Meretz 3%, Balad 2.6%; seats by party - Kadima 28, Likud-Ahi 27, YB 15, Labor 13, SHAS 11, United Torah Judaism 5, United Arab List 4, NU 4, HADASH 4, The Jewish Home 3, The New Movement-Meretz 3, Balad 3

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (justices appointed by Judicial Selection Committee - made up of all three branches of the government; mandatory retirement age is 70)

Political parties and leaders:

Balad [Azmi BISHARA]; Democratic Front for Peace and Equality
(HADASH) [Muhammad BARAKEH]; Kadima [Tzipora "Tzipi" LIVNI]; Labor
Party [Ehud BARAK]; Likud [Binyamin NETANYAHU]; National Union
[Yaakov KATZ]; The Jewish Home (HaBayit HaYehudi) [Daniel
HERSCHKOWITZ]; SHAS [Eliyahu YISHAI]; The New Movement-Meretz [Haim
ORON]; United Arab List-Ta'al [Ibrahim SARSUR]; United Torah Judaism
or UTJ [Yaakov LITZMAN]; Yisrael Beiteinu or YB [Avigdor LIEBERMAN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

B'Tselem [Jessica MONTELL, Executive Director] monitors human rights abuses; Peace Now [Yariv OPPENHEIMER, Secretary General] supports territorial concessions in the West Bank and Gaza Strip; YESHA Council of Settlements [Danny DAYAN, Chairman] promotes settler interests and opposes territorial compromise

International organization participation:

BIS, BSEC (observer), CERN (observer), EBRD, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, OAS (observer), OECD (accession state), OPCW (signatory), OSCE (partner), PCA, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Michael OREN

chancery: 3514 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 364-5500

FAX: [1] (202) 364-5607

consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador James B. CUNNINGHAM

embassy: 71 Hayarkon Street, Tel Aviv 63903

mailing address: PSC 98, Box 29, APO AE 09830

telephone: [972] (3) 519-7575

FAX: [972] (3) 516-4390

consulate(s) general: Jerusalem; note - an independent US mission, established in 1928, whose members are not accredited to a foreign government

Flag description:

white with a blue hexagram (six-pointed linear star) known as the Magen David (Shield of David) centered between two equal horizontal blue bands near the top and bottom edges of the flag

Economy ::Israel

Economy - overview:

Israel has a technologically advanced market economy with substantial, though diminishing, government participation. It depends on imports of crude oil, grains, raw materials, and military equipment. Despite limited natural resources, Israel has intensively developed its agricultural and industrial sectors over the past 20 years. Israel imports substantial quantities of grain but is largely self-sufficient in other agricultural products. Cut diamonds, high-technology equipment, and agricultural products (fruits and vegetables) are the leading exports. Israel usually posts sizable trade deficits, which are covered by large transfer payments from abroad and by foreign loans. Roughly half of the government's external debt is owed to the US, its major source of economic and military aid. Israel's GDP, after contracting slightly in 2001 and 2002 due to the Palestinian conflict and troubles in the high-technology sector, has grown by about 5% per year since 2003. The economy grew an estimated 3.9% in 2008, slowed by the global financial crisis. The government's prudent fiscal policy and structural reforms over the past few years have helped to induce strong foreign investment, tax revenues, and private consumption, setting the economy on a solid growth path.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$203.4 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 53 $195.2 billion (2007 est.)

$185.6 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$202.1 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

4.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 102 5.2% (2007 est.)

5.3% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$28,600 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 48 $27,900 (2007 est.)

$27,000 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 2.6%

industry: 32.4%

services: 65% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

2.957 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 101

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 2%

industry: 16%

services: 82% (30 September 2008)

Unemployment rate:

6.1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 75 7.3% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

21.6%

note: Israel's poverty line is $7.30 per person per day (2005)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.6%

highest 10%: 24.2% (2007)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

38.6 (2005) country comparison to the world: 71 35.5 (2001)

Investment (gross fixed):

18.1% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 128

Budget:

revenues: $59.98 billion

expenditures: $64.21 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

76.8% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 12 104.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

4.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 79 0.5% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

2.5% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 124 4% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

6.06% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 129 6.27% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$15.36 billion (31 December 2006)

Stock of quasi money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$154.3 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$113.4 billion (31 December 2006)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$134.5 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 33 $236.4 billion (31 December 2007)

$173.3 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

citrus, vegetables, cotton; beef, poultry, dairy products

Industries:

high-technology projects (including aviation, communications, computer-aided design and manufactures, medical electronics, fiber optics), wood and paper products, potash and phosphates, food, beverages, and tobacco, caustic soda, cement, construction, metals products, chemical products, plastics, diamond cutting, textiles, footwear

Industrial production growth rate:

3.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 72

Electricity - production:

50.41 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 48

Electricity - consumption:

46.15 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 47

Electricity - exports:

2.081 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

5,246 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 94

Oil - consumption:

235,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 52

Oil - exports:

69,580 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 74

Oil - imports:

318,900 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 35

Oil - proved reserves:

1.94 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 95

Natural gas - production:

1.19 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 62

Natural gas - consumption:

1.19 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 87

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 169

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 166

Natural gas - proved reserves:

30.44 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 70

Current account balance:

$2.213 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 41 $4.185 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$57.16 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 53 $50.07 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, software, cut diamonds, agricultural products, chemicals, textiles and apparel

Exports - partners:

US 32.5%, Belgium 7.5%, Hong Kong 6.7% (2008)

Imports:

$64.4 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 46 $55.93 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

raw materials, military equipment, investment goods, rough diamonds, fuels, grain, consumer goods

Imports - partners:

US 12.3%, Belgium 6.5%, China 6.5%, Switzerland 6.1%, Germany 6% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$42.51 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 30 $28.52 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$86.08 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 39 $89.58 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$56.93 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 49 $55.7 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$54.55 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 31 $48.47 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

new Israeli shekels (ILS) per US dollar - 3.56 (2008 est.), 4.14 (2007), 4.4565 (2006), 4.4877 (2005), 4.482 (2004)

Communications ::Israel

Telephones - main lines in use:

2.9 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 51

Telephones - mobile cellular:

8.902 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 64

Telephone system:

general assessment: most highly developed system in the Middle East although not the largest

domestic: good system of coaxial cable and microwave radio relay; all systems are digital; four privately-owned mobile-cellular service providers with countrywide coverage

international: country code - 972; submarine cables provide links to Europe, Cyprus, and parts of the Middle East; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 23, FM 15, shortwave 2 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

17 (plus 36 repeaters) (1995)

Internet country code:

.il

Internet hosts:

1.544 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 35

Internet users:

2.106 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 69

Transportation ::Israel

Airports:

47 (2009) country comparison to the world: 92

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 30

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 6

1,524 to 2,437 m: 6

914 to 1,523 m: 10

under 914 m: 6 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 17

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 2

under 914 m: 14 (2009)

Heliports:

3 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 176 km; oil 442 km; refined products 261 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 913 km country comparison to the world: 93 standard gauge: 913 km 1.435-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 17,870 km country comparison to the world: 118 paved: 17,870 km (includes 146 km of expressways) (2007)

Merchant marine:

total: 11 country comparison to the world: 112 by type: cargo 2, container 9

registered in other countries: 60 (Bermuda 3, Cyprus 4, Georgia 2, Honduras 1, Liberia 23, Malta 18, Panama 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 2, Slovakia 4) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Ashdod, Elat (Eilat), Hadera, Haifa

Military ::Israel

Military branches:

Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Israel Naval Forces (INF), Israel Air
Force (IAF) (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for compulsory (Jews, Druzes) and voluntary (Christians, Muslims, Circassians) military service; both sexes are obligated to military service; conscript service obligation - 36 months for enlisted men, 21 months for enlisted women, 48 months for officers; reserve obligation to age 41-51 (men), 24 (women) (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,717,362

females age 16-49: 1,636,574 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,474,966

females age 16-49: 1,404,712 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 61,223

female: 58,219 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

7.3% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 6

Transnational Issues ::Israel

Disputes - international:

West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent status to be determined through further negotiation; Israel continues construction of a "seam line" separation barrier along parts of the Green Line and within the West Bank; Israel withdrew its settlers and military from the Gaza Strip and from four settlements in the West Bank in August 2005; Golan Heights is Israeli-occupied (Lebanon claims the Shab'a Farms area of Golan Heights); since 1948, about 350 peacekeepers from the UN Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO) headquartered in Jerusalem monitor ceasefires, supervise armistice agreements, prevent isolated incidents from escalating, and assist other UN personnel in the region

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

IDPs: 150,000-420,000 (Arab villagers displaced from homes in northern Israel) (2007)

Illicit drugs:

increasingly concerned about ecstasy, cocaine, and heroin abuse; drugs arrive in country from Lebanon and, increasingly, from Jordan; money-laundering center

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Italy (Europe)

Introduction ::Italy

Background:

Italy became a nation-state in 1861 when the regional states of the peninsula, along with Sardinia and Sicily, were united under King Victor EMMANUEL II. An era of parliamentary government came to a close in the early 1920s when Benito MUSSOLINI established a Fascist dictatorship. His alliance with Nazi Germany led to Italy's defeat in World War II. A democratic republic replaced the monarchy in 1946 and economic revival followed. Italy was a charter member of NATO and the European Economic Community (EEC). It has been at the forefront of European economic and political unification, joining the Economic and Monetary Union in 1999. Persistent problems include illegal immigration, organized crime, corruption, high unemployment, sluggish economic growth, and the low incomes and technical standards of southern Italy compared with the prosperous north.

Geography ::Italy

Location:

Southern Europe, a peninsula extending into the central
Mediterranean Sea, northeast of Tunisia

Geographic coordinates:

42 50 N, 12 50 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 301,340 sq km country comparison to the world: 71 land: 294,140 sq km

water: 7,200 sq km

note: includes Sardinia and Sicily

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than Arizona

Land boundaries:

total: 1,899.2 km

border countries: Austria 430 km, France 488 km, Holy See (Vatican City) 3.2 km, San Marino 39 km, Slovenia 199 km, Switzerland 740 km

Coastline:

7,600 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:

predominantly Mediterranean; Alpine in far north; hot, dry in south

Terrain:

mostly rugged and mountainous; some plains, coastal lowlands

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m

highest point: Mont Blanc (Monte Bianco) de Courmayeur 4,748 m (a secondary peak of Mont Blanc)

Natural resources:

coal, mercury, zinc, potash, marble, barite, asbestos, pumice, fluorspar, feldspar, pyrite (sulfur), natural gas and crude oil reserves, fish, arable land

Land use:

arable land: 26.41%

permanent crops: 9.09%

other: 64.5% (2005)

Irrigated land:

27,500 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

175 cu km (2005)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 41.98 cu km/yr (18%/37%/45%)

per capita: 723 cu m/yr (1998)

Natural hazards:

regional risks include landslides, mudflows, avalanches, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, flooding; land subsidence in Venice

Environment - current issues:

air pollution from industrial emissions such as sulfur dioxide; coastal and inland rivers polluted from industrial and agricultural effluents; acid rain damaging lakes; inadequate industrial waste treatment and disposal facilities

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

strategic location dominating central Mediterranean as well as southern sea and air approaches to Western Europe

People ::Italy

Population:

58,126,212 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 23

Age structure:

0-14 years: 13.5% (male 4,056,156/female 3,814,070)

15-64 years: 66.3% (male 19,530,696/female 18,981,084)

65 years and over: 20.2% (male 4,903,762/female 6,840,444) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 43.3 years

male: 41.8 years

female: 44.8 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.047% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 208

Birth rate:

8.18 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 221

Death rate:

10.72 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 53

Net migration rate:

2.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 43

Urbanization:

urban population: 68% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 0.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 5.51 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 183 male: 6.07 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 80.2 years country comparison to the world: 19 male: 77.26 years

female: 83.33 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.31 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 205

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.4% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 82

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

150,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 36

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

1,900 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 62

Nationality:

noun: Italian(s)

adjective: Italian

Ethnic groups:

Italian (includes small clusters of German-, French-, and
Slovene-Italians in the north and Albanian-Italians and
Greek-Italians in the south)

Religions:

Roman Catholic 90% (approximately; about one-third practicing), other 10% (includes mature Protestant and Jewish communities and a growing Muslim immigrant community)

Languages:

Italian (official), German (parts of Trentino-Alto Adige region are predominantly German speaking), French (small French-speaking minority in Valle d'Aosta region), Slovene (Slovene-speaking minority in the Trieste-Gorizia area)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 98.4%

male: 98.8%

female: 98% (2001 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 16 years

male: 16 years

female: 17 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

4.5% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 88

Government ::Italy

Country name:

conventional long form: Italian Republic

conventional short form: Italy

local long form: Repubblica Italiana

local short form: Italia

former: Kingdom of Italy

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Rome

geographic coordinates: 41 54 N, 12 29 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

15 regions (regioni, singular - regione) and 5 autonomous regions (regioni autonome, singular - regione autonoma)

regions: Abruzzo, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Emilia-Romagna,
Lazio (Latium), Liguria, Lombardia, Marche, Molise, Piemonte
(Piedmont), Puglia (Apulia), Toscana (Tuscany), Umbria, Veneto
(Venetia)

autonomous regions: Friuli-Venezia Giulia; Sardegna (Sardinia); Sicilia (Sicily); Trentino-South Tyrol, also known as Trentino-Alto Adige (Italian), Trentino-Suedtirol (German); Aosta Valley, also known as Valle d'Aosta (Italian), Vallee d'Aoste (French)

Independence:

17 March 1861 (Kingdom of Italy proclaimed; Italy was not finally unified until 1870)

National holiday:

Republic Day, 2 June (1946)

Constitution:

passed 11 December 1947, effective 1 January 1948; amended many times

Legal system:

based on civil law system; appeals treated as new trials; judicial review under certain conditions in Constitutional Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal (except in senatorial elections, where minimum age is 25)

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Giorgio NAPOLITANO (since 15 May 2006)

head of government: Prime Minister Silvio BERLUSCONI (since 8 May 2008) note - in Italy the prime minister is referred to as the president of the Council of Ministers

cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and approved by the president

elections: president elected by an electoral college consisting of both houses of parliament and 58 regional representatives for a seven-year term (no term limits); election last held 10 May 2006 (next to be held in May 2013); prime minister appointed by the president and confirmed by parliament

election results: Giorgio NAPOLITANO elected president on the fourth round of voting; electoral college vote - 543

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament or Parlamento consists of the Senate or Senato della Repubblica (315 seats; members elected by proportional vote with the winning coalition in each region receiving 55% of seats from that region; to serve five-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camera dei Deputati (630 seats; members elected by popular vote with the winning national coalition receiving 54% of chamber seats; to serve five-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held 13-14 April 2008 (next to be held April 2013); Chamber of Deputies - last held 13-14 April 2008 (next to be held April 2013)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - S. BERLUSCONI coalition 174 (PdL 147, LN 25, MpA 2), W. VELTRONI coalition 132 (PD 118, IdV 3), UdC 3, other 6; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - S. BERLUSCONI coalition 344 (PdL 276, LN 60, MpA 8), W. VELTRONI coalition 246 (PD 217, IdV 29), UdC 36, other 4

Judicial branch:

Constitutional Court or Corte Costituzionale (composed of 15 judges: one-third appointed by the president, one-third elected by parliament, one-third elected by the ordinary and administrative Supreme Courts)

Political parties and leaders:

Silvio BERLUSCONI coalition: People of Freedom or PdL [Silvio BERLUSCONI]; Lega Nord or LN [Umberto BOSSI]; Movement for Autonomy or MpA [Raffaele LOMBARDO]

Walter VELTRONI coalition: Democratic Party or PD [Walter VELTRONI];
Italy of Values or IdV [Antonio DI PIETRO]

other non-allied parties: Union of the Center or UdC [Savino PEZZOTTA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

manufacturers and merchants associations - Confcommercio;
Confindustria; organized farm groups - Confcoltivatori;
Confagricoltura; Roman Catholic Church; three major trade union
confederations - Confederazione Generale Italiana del Lavoro or CGIL
[Guglielmo EPIFANI] which is left wing; Confederazione Italiana dei
Sindacati Lavoratori or CISL [Raffaele BONANNO], which is Roman
Catholic centrist; Unione Italiana del Lavoro or UIL [Luigi
ANGELETTI] which is lay centrist)

International organization participation:

ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council
(observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer),
CDB, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G-20, G-7,
G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO,
ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO,
NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA,
Schengen Convention, SECI (observer), SICA (observer), UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNMOGIP, UNRWA, UNTSO,
UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Giulio TERZI di Sant'Agata

chancery: 3000 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 612-4400

FAX: [1] (202) 518-2151

consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Miami, New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Francisco

consulate(s): Detroit

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Elizabeth DIBBLE

embassy: Via Vittorio Veneto 121, 00187-Rome

mailing address: PSC 59, Box 100, APO AE 09624

telephone: [39] (06) 46741

FAX: [39] (06) 488-2672, 4674-2356

consulate(s) general: Florence, Milan, Naples

Flag description:

three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and red; similar to the flag of Ireland, which is longer and is green (hoist side), white, and orange; also similar to the flag of the Cote d'Ivoire, which has the colors reversed - orange (hoist side), white, and green; inspired by the French flag brought to Italy by Napoleon in 1797

Economy ::Italy

Economy - overview:

Italy has a diversified industrial economy, which is divided into a developed industrial north, dominated by private companies, and a less-developed, welfare-dependent, agricultural south, with high unemployment. The Italian economy is driven in large part by the manufacture of high-quality consumer goods produced by small and medium-sized enterprises. Italy also has a sizable underground economy, which by some estimates accounts for as much as 15% of GDP. These activities are most common within the agriculture, construction, and service sectors. Italy has moved slowly on implementing needed structural reforms, such as lightening the high tax burden and overhauling Italy's rigid labor market and over-generous pension system and these conditions will be exacerbated by the recent global financial crisis. The Italian government is seeking to rein in government spending, but the leadership faces a severe economic constraint: Italy's official debt remains above 100% of GDP, and the fiscal deficit - 1.5% of GDP in 2007 - could approach 3% in 2009 as political pressure to stimulate the economy and the costs of servicing Italy's debt rise. The economy will continue to contract through 2009 as the global demand for exports drop.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$1.827 trillion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 11 $1.845 trillion (2007 est.)

$1.818 trillion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$2.314 trillion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

-1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 207 1.5% (2007 est.)

2.1% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$31,400 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 41 $31,700 (2007 est.)

$31,300 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 2%

industry: 27%

services: 71% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

25.11 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 21

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 4.2%

industry: 30.7%

services: 65.1% (2005)

Unemployment rate:

6.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 85 6.2% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.3%

highest 10%: 26.8% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

32 (2006) country comparison to the world: 104 27.3 (1995)

Investment (gross fixed):

20.9% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 97

Budget:

revenues: $1.068 trillion

expenditures: $1.132 trillion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

105.8% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 5 105.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 45 1.8% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

3% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 108 5% (31 December 2007)

note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro area

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

11.34% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 75 10.93% (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$3.046 trillion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 8 $2.932 trillion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 17 $1.073 trillion (31 December 2007)

$1.027 trillion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

fruits, vegetables, grapes, potatoes, sugar beets, soybeans, grain, olives; beef, dairy products; fish

Industries:

tourism, machinery, iron and steel, chemicals, food processing, textiles, motor vehicles, clothing, footwear, ceramics

Industrial production growth rate:

-2.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 160

Electricity - production:

289.7 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 13

Electricity - consumption:

315 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 13

Electricity - exports:

3.431 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

43 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

162,200 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 44

Oil - consumption:

1.639 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 16

Oil - exports:

667,100 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 24

Oil - imports:

2.205 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 10

Oil - proved reserves:

406.5 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 51

Natural gas - production:

9.255 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 43

Natural gas - consumption:

84.88 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 8

Natural gas - exports:

210 million cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 40

Natural gas - imports:

76.86 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 4

Natural gas - proved reserves:

94.15 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 54

Current account balance:

-$78.03 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 188 -$51.03 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$546.9 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 7 $502.4 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

engineering products, textiles and clothing, production machinery, motor vehicles, transport equipment, chemicals; food, beverages and tobacco; minerals, and nonferrous metals

Exports - partners:

Germany 12.8%, France 11.2%, Spain 6.6%, US 6.3%, UK 5.3% (2008)

Imports:

$546.9 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 8 $498.1 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

engineering products, chemicals, transport equipment, energy products, minerals and nonferrous metals, textiles and clothing; food, beverages, and tobacco

Imports - partners:

Germany 16%, France 8.6%, China 6.2%, Netherlands 5.3%, Libya 4.6%,
Russia 4.3% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$105.3 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 13 $94.33 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$2.328 trillion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 7 $2.5 trillion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$376.6 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 13 $364.8 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$565.3 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 11 $520.1 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008 est.), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)

Communications ::Italy

Telephones - main lines in use:

20.031 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 16

Telephones - mobile cellular:

88.58 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 10

Telephone system:

general assessment: modern, well developed, fast; fully automated telephone, telex, and data services

domestic: high-capacity cable and microwave radio relay trunks

international: country code - 39; a series of submarine cables provide links to Asia, Middle East, Europe, North Africa, and US; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (with a total of 5 antennas - 3 for Atlantic Ocean and 2 for Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region), and NA Eutelsat

Radio broadcast stations:

AM about 100, FM about 4,600, shortwave 9 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

358 (plus 4,728 repeaters) (1995)

Internet country code:

.it

Internet hosts:

22.152 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 4

Internet users:

24.992 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 14

Transportation ::Italy

Airports:

132 (2009) country comparison to the world: 43

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 101

over 3,047 m: 9

2,438 to 3,047 m: 30

1,524 to 2,437 m: 17

914 to 1,523 m: 32

under 914 m: 13 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 31

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 11

under 914 m: 19 (2009)

Heliports:

6 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 17,544 km; oil 1,241 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 19,729 km country comparison to the world: 15 standard gauge: 18,317 km 1.435-m gauge (12,458 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 123 km 1.000-m gauge (123 km electrified); 1,058 km 0.950-m gauge (151 km electrified); 231 km 0.850-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 487,700 km country comparison to the world: 12 paved: 487,700 km (includes 6,700 km of expressways) (2005)

Waterways:

2,400 km country comparison to the world: 38 note: used for commercial traffic; of limited overall value compared to road and rail (2008)

Merchant marine:

total: 609 country comparison to the world: 20 by type: bulk carrier 60, cargo 47, carrier 2, chemical tanker 159, combination ore/oil 1, container 25, liquefied gas 27, passenger 22, passenger/cargo 154, petroleum tanker 35, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 33, specialized tanker 13, vehicle carrier 27

foreign-owned: 64 (Denmark 3, France 2, Greece 6, Japan 1, Lebanon 1, Nigeria 1, Norway 2, Portugal 1, Sweden 1, Switzerland 8, Taiwan 13, Turkey 1, UK 7, US 17)

registered in other countries: 208 (Antigua and Barbuda 1, Bahamas 4, Belize 3, Cayman Islands 4, Cyprus 7, France 2, Liberia 41, Malta 50, Marshall Islands 3, Netherlands 1, Norway 4, Panama 28, Portugal 12, Russia 4, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 17, Singapore 5, Slovakia 2, Spain 2, Sweden 9, Turkey 3, UK 5) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Augusta, Genoa, Livorno, Ravenna, Sarroch, Taranto, Trieste, Venice

Military ::Italy

Military branches:

Italian Army (Esercito Italiano, EI), Italian Navy (Marina Militare
Italiana, MMI), Italian Air Force (Aeronautica Militare Italiana,
AMI), Carabinieri Corps (Arma dei Carabinieri, CC) (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18-27 year of age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished January 2005; women may serve in any military branch; 10-month service obligation, with a reserve obligation to age 45 (Army and Air Force) or 39 (Navy) (2006)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 13,884,079

females age 16-49: 13,158,378 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 11,197,487

females age 16-49: 10,574,250 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 287,845

female: 270,384 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.8% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 93

Transnational Issues ::Italy

Disputes - international:

Italy's long coastline and developed economy entices tens of thousands of illegal immigrants from southeastern Europe and northern Africa

Illicit drugs:

important gateway for and consumer of Latin American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin entering the European market; money laundering by organized crime and from smuggling

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Jamaica (Central America and Caribbean)

Introduction ::Jamaica

Background:

The island - discovered by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1494 - was settled by the Spanish early in the 16th century. The native Taino Indians, who had inhabited Jamaica for centuries, were gradually exterminated and replaced by African slaves. England seized the island in 1655 and established a plantation economy based on sugar, cocoa, and coffee. The abolition of slavery in 1834 freed a quarter million slaves, many of whom became small farmers. Jamaica gradually obtained increasing independence from Britain. In 1958 it joined other British Caribbean colonies in forming the Federation of the West Indies. Jamaica gained full independence when it withdrew from the Federation in 1962. Deteriorating economic conditions during the 1970s led to recurrent violence as rival gangs affiliated with the major political parties evolved into powerful organized crime networks involved in international drug smuggling and money laundering. Violent crime, drug trafficking, and poverty pose significant challenges to the government today. Nonetheless, many rural and resort areas remain relatively safe and contribute substantially to the economy.

Geography ::Jamaica

Location:

Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, south of Cuba

Geographic coordinates:

18 15 N, 77 30 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 10,991 sq km country comparison to the world: 167 land: 10,831 sq km

water: 160 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Connecticut

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

1,022 km

Maritime claims:

measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margin

Climate:

tropical; hot, humid; temperate interior

Terrain:

mostly mountains, with narrow, discontinuous coastal plain

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: Blue Mountain Peak 2,256 m

Natural resources:

bauxite, gypsum, limestone

Land use:

arable land: 15.83%

permanent crops: 10.01%

other: 74.16% (2005)

Irrigated land:

250 sq km (2002)

Total renewable water resources:

9.4 cu km (2000)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.41 cu km/yr (34%/17%/49%)

per capita: 155 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

hurricanes (especially July to November)

Environment - current issues:

heavy rates of deforestation; coastal waters polluted by industrial waste, sewage, and oil spills; damage to coral reefs; air pollution in Kingston results from vehicle emissions

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

strategic location between Cayman Trench and Jamaica Channel, the main sea lanes for the Panama Canal

People ::Jamaica

Population:

2,825,928 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 138

Age structure:

0-14 years: 31.4% (male 451,310/female 436,466)

15-64 years: 61.1% (male 851,372/female 875,132)

65 years and over: 7.5% (male 94,833/female 116,815) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 23.7 years

male: 23.1 years

female: 24.2 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.755% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 142

Birth rate:

19.68 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 104

Death rate:

6.43 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 149

Net migration rate:

-5.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 167

Urbanization:

urban population: 53% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 0.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 15.22 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 126 male: 15.81 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 14.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 73.53 years country comparison to the world: 104 male: 71.83 years

female: 75.3 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.25 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 111

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

1.6% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 41

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

27,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 72

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

1,500 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 67

Nationality:

noun: Jamaican(s)

adjective: Jamaican

Ethnic groups:

black 91.2%, mixed 6.2%, other or unknown 2.6% (2001 census)

Religions:

Protestant 62.5% (Seventh-Day Adventist 10.8%, Pentecostal 9.5%, Other Church of God 8.3%, Baptist 7.2%, New Testament Church of God 6.3%, Church of God in Jamaica 4.8%, Church of God of Prophecy 4.3%, Anglican 3.6%, other Christian 7.7%), Roman Catholic 2.6%, other or unspecified 14.2%, none 20.9%, (2001 census)

Languages:

English, English patois

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school

total population: 87.9%

male: 84.1%

female: 91.6% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 12 years

male: 11 years

female: 12 years (2003)

Education expenditures:

5.3% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 56

Government ::Jamaica

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Jamaica

Government type:

constitutional parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm

Capital:

name: Kingston

geographic coordinates: 18 00 N, 76 48 W

time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

14 parishes; Clarendon, Hanover, Kingston, Manchester, Portland, Saint Andrew, Saint Ann, Saint Catherine, Saint Elizabeth, Saint James, Saint Mary, Saint Thomas, Trelawny, Westmoreland

note: for local government purposes, Kingston and Saint Andrew were amalgamated in 1923 into the present single corporate body known as the Kingston and Saint Andrew Corporation

Independence:

6 August 1962 (from the UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 6 August (1962)

Constitution:

6 August 1962

Legal system:

based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Dr. Patrick L. ALLEN (since 26 February 2009)

head of government: Prime Minister Bruce GOLDING (since 11 September 2007)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister

elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition in the House of Representatives is appointed prime minister by the governor general; the deputy prime minister is recommended by the prime minister

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (a 21-member body appointed by the governor general on the recommendations of the prime minister and the leader of the opposition; ruling party is allocated 13 seats, and the opposition is allocated 8 seats) and the House of Representatives (60 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 3 September 2007 (next to be held no later than October 2012)

election results: percent of vote by party - JLP 50.1%, PNP 49.8%; seats by party - JLP 33, PNP 27

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (judges appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister); Court of Appeal; Privy Council in UK; member of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ)

Political parties and leaders:

Jamaica Labor Party or JLP [Bruce GOLDING]; People's National Party or PNP [Portia SIMPSON-MILLER]; National Democratic Movement or NDM [Michael WILLIAMS]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

New Beginnings Movement or NBM; Rastafarians (black religious/racial cultists, pan-Africanists)

International organization participation:

ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-15, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
(signatory), ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Anthony JOHNSON

chancery: 1520 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

telephone: [1] (202) 452-0660

FAX: [1] (202) 452-0081

consulate(s) general: Miami, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Brenda LaGrange JOHNSON

embassy: 142 Old Hope Road, Kingston 6

mailing address: P.O. Box 541, Kingston 5

telephone: [1] (876) 702-6000

FAX: [1] (876) 702-6001

Flag description:

diagonal yellow cross divides the flag into four triangles - green (top and bottom) and black (hoist side and outer side); green represents hope, vegetation, and agriculture, black reflects hardships overcome and to be faced, and yellow recalls golden sunshine and the island's natural resources

Economy ::Jamaica

Economy - overview:

The Jamaican economy is heavily dependent on services, which now account for more than 60% of GDP. The country continues to derive most of its foreign exchange from tourism, remittances, and bauxite/alumina. Remittances account for nearly 20% of GDP and are equivalent to tourism revenues. Jamaica's economy, already saddled with the lowest economic growth in Latin America, will face increasing difficulties as the global economy slows. The economy faces serious long-term problems: a sizable merchandise trade deficit, large-scale unemployment and underemployment, and a debt-to-GDP ratio of almost 130%. Jamaica's onerous debt burden - the fourth highest per capita - is the result of government bailouts to ailing sectors of the economy, most notably the financial sector in the mid-to-late 1990s. It hinders government spending on infrastructure and social programs as debt servicing accounts for nearly half of government expenditures. Inflation rose sharply in 2008 as a result of high prices for imported food and oil and should fall in 2009 with the decline in international oil prices. High unemployment exacerbates the serious crime problem, including gang violence that is fueled by the drug trade. The GOLDING administration faces the difficult prospect of having to achieve fiscal discipline in order to maintain debt payments while simultaneously attacking a serious and growing crime problem that is hampering economic growth.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$24.04 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 113 $24.19 billion (2007 est.)

$23.85 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$14.03 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

-0.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 203 1.4% (2007 est.)

2.7% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$8,600 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 115 $8,700 (2007 est.)

$8,600 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 5.2%

industry: 32.6%

services: 62.2% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

1.304 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 134

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 17%

industry: 19%

services: 64% (2006)

Unemployment rate:

11% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 129 9.9% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

14.8% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.1%

highest 10%: 35.8% (2004)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

45.5 (2004) country comparison to the world: 42 37.9 (2000)

Investment (gross fixed):

26.5% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 41

Budget:

revenues: $3.794 billion

expenditures: $4.829 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

116.3% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 4 146.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

22% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 207 9.5% (2007 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

16.83% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 28 17.2% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$1.253 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 83 $1.369 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$4.244 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 74 $4.54 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$7.175 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 78 $6.609 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$7.513 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 72 $12.33 billion (31 December 2007)

$12.28 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

sugarcane, bananas, coffee, citrus, yams, ackees, vegetables; poultry, goats, milk; crustaceans, mollusks

Industries:

tourism, bauxite/alumina, agro processing, light manufactures, rum, cement, metal, paper, chemical products, telecommunications

Industrial production growth rate:

-0.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 136

Electricity - production:

7.324 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 100

Electricity - consumption:

6.345 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 101

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 171

Oil - consumption:

78,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 84

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 177

Oil - imports:

77,720 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 76

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 194

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 175

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 171

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 165

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 159

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 165

Current account balance:

-$2.745 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 144 -$1.744 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$2.602 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 126 $2.226 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

alumina, bauxite, sugar, rum, coffee, yams, beverages, chemicals, wearing apparel, mineral fuels

Exports - partners:

US 40.3%, Canada 10.6%, UK 9.2%, Netherlands 7.9%, France 5.4%,
Russia 5.2% (2008)

Imports:

$7.185 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 102 $5.789 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

food and other consumer goods, industrial supplies, fuel, parts and accessories of capital goods, machinery and transport equipment, construction materials

Imports - partners:

US 39.4%, Trinidad and Tobago 17.5%, Venezuela 11.6% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$1.767 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 113 $1.879 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$10.65 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 85 $9.657 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

Jamaican dollars (JMD) per US dollar - 72.236 (2008 est.), 69.034 (2007), 65.768 (2006), 62.51 (2005), 61.197 (2004)

Communications ::Jamaica

Telephones - main lines in use:

316,600 (2008) country comparison to the world: 112

Telephones - mobile cellular:

2.723 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 112

Telephone system:

general assessment: fully automatic domestic telephone network

domestic: the 1999 agreement to open the market for telecommunications services resulted in rapid growth in mobile-cellular telephone usage while the number of fixed-lines in use has declined; combined mobile-cellular teledensity now roughly 100 per 100 persons

international: country code - 1-876; the Fibralink submarine cable network provides enhanced delivery of business and broadband traffic and is linked to the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) submarine cable in the Dominican Republic; the link to ARCOS-1 provides seamless connectivity to US, parts of the Caribbean, Central America, and South America; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 10, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

7 (1997)

Internet country code:

.jm

Internet hosts:

3,961 (2009) country comparison to the world: 137

Internet users:

1.54 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 73

Transportation ::Jamaica

Airports:

27 (2009) country comparison to the world: 123

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 12

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m: 7 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 15

under 914 m: 15 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 21,552 km country comparison to the world: 108 paved: 15,937 km (includes 33 km of expressways)

unpaved: 5,615 km (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 20 country comparison to the world: 99 by type: bulk carrier 6, cargo 6, carrier 1, container 4, roll on/roll off 3

foreign-owned: 17 (Denmark 2, Germany 4, Greece 6, Hong Kong 1, Latvia 1, Russia 3) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Kingston, Port Esquivel, Port Kaiser, Port Rhoades, Rocky Point

Military ::Jamaica

Military branches:

Jamaica Defense Force: Ground Forces, Coast Guard, Air Wing (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service; younger recruits may be conscripted with parental consent (2001)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 688,480

females age 16-49: 709,548 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 573,520

females age 16-49: 586,426 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 31,833

female: 31,257 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

0.6% of GDP (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 155

Transnational Issues ::Jamaica

Disputes - international:

none

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for cocaine from South America to North America and Europe; illicit cultivation and consumption of cannabis; government has an active manual cannabis eradication program; corruption is a major concern; substantial money-laundering activity; Colombian narcotics traffickers favor Jamaica for illicit financial transactions

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Jan Mayen (Europe)

Introduction ::Jan Mayen

Background:

This desolate, arctic, mountainous island was named after a Dutch whaling captain who indisputably discovered it in 1614 (earlier claims are inconclusive). Visited only occasionally by seal hunters and trappers over the following centuries, the island came under Norwegian sovereignty in 1929. The long dormant Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg volcano resumed activity in 1970; the most recent eruption occurred in 1985. It is the northernmost active volcano on earth.

Geography ::Jan Mayen

Location:

Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the Norwegian
Sea, northeast of Iceland

Geographic coordinates:

71 00 N, 8 00 W

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 377 sq km country comparison to the world: 203 land: 377 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

124.1 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 4 nm

contiguous zone: 10 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:

arctic maritime with frequent storms and persistent fog

Terrain:

volcanic island, partly covered by glaciers

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m

highest point: Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg 2,277 m

Natural resources:

none

Land use:

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (2005)

Irrigated land:

0 sq km

Natural hazards:

dominated by the volcano Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg; volcanic activity resumed in 1970; the most recent eruption occurred in 1985

Environment - current issues:

NA

Geography - note:

barren volcanic island with some moss and grass

People ::Jan Mayen

Population:

no indigenous inhabitants

note: personnel operate the Long Range Navigation (Loran-C) base and the weather and coastal services radio station

Government ::Jan Mayen

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Jan Mayen

Dependency status:

territory of Norway; since August 1994, administered from Oslo through the county governor (fylkesmann) of Nordland; however, authority has been delegated to a station commander of the Norwegian Defense Communication Service

Legal system:

the laws of Norway, where applicable, apply

Flag description:

the flag of Norway is used

Economy ::Jan Mayen

Economy - overview:

Jan Mayen is a volcanic island with no exploitable natural resources. Economic activity is limited to providing services for employees of Norway's radio and meteorological stations on the island.

Communications ::Jan Mayen

Radio broadcast stations:

NA; note - there is one radio and meteorological station (1998)

Transportation ::Jan Mayen

Airports:

1 (2009) country comparison to the world: 223

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Ports and terminals:

none; offshore anchorage only

Military ::Jan Mayen

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of Norway

Transnational Issues ::Jan Mayen

Disputes - international:

none

page last updated on September 22, 2009

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

@Japan (East & Southeast Asia)

Introduction ::Japan

Background:

In 1603, a Tokugawa shogunate (military dictatorship) ushered in a long period of isolation from foreign influence in order to secure its power. For more than two centuries this policy enabled Japan to enjoy stability and a flowering of its indigenous culture. Following the Treaty of Kanagawa with the US in 1854, Japan opened its ports and began to intensively modernize and industrialize. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Japan became a regional power that was able to defeat the forces of both China and Russia. It occupied Korea, Formosa (Taiwan), and southern Sakhalin Island. In 1931-32 Japan occupied Manchuria, and in 1937 it launched a full-scale invasion of China. Japan attacked US forces in 1941 - triggering America's entry into World War II - and soon occupied much of East and Southeast Asia. After its defeat in World War II, Japan recovered to become an economic power and a staunch ally of the US. While the emperor retains his throne as a symbol of national unity, elected politicians - with heavy input from bureaucrats and business executives - wield actual decisionmaking power. The economy experienced a major slowdown starting in the 1990s following three decades of unprecedented growth, but Japan still remains a major economic power, both in Asia and globally. In January 2009, Japan assumed a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2009-10 term.

Geography ::Japan

Location:

Eastern Asia, island chain between the North Pacific Ocean and the
Sea of Japan, east of the Korean Peninsula

Geographic coordinates:

36 00 N, 138 00 E

Map references:

Asia

Area:

total: 377,915 sq km country comparison to the world: 61 land: 364,485 sq km

water: 13,430 sq km

note: includes Bonin Islands (Ogasawara-gunto), Daito-shoto, Minami-jima, Okino-tori-shima, Ryukyu Islands (Nansei-shoto), and Volcano Islands (Kazan-retto)

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than California

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

29,751 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm; between 3 nm and 12 nm in the international straits - La Perouse or Soya, Tsugaru, Osumi, and Eastern and Western Channels of the Korea or Tsushima Strait

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

varies from tropical in south to cool temperate in north

Terrain:

mostly rugged and mountainous

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Hachiro-gata -4 m

highest point: Mount Fuji 3,776 m

Natural resources:

negligible mineral resources, fish

note: with virtually no energy natural resources, Japan is the world's largest importer of coal and liquefied natural gas as well as the second largest importer of oil

Land use:

arable land: 11.64%

permanent crops: 0.9%

other: 87.46% (2005)

Irrigated land:

25,920 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

430 cu km (1999)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 88.43 cu km/yr (20%/18%/62%)

per capita: 690 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

many dormant and some active volcanoes; about 1,500 seismic occurrences (mostly tremors) every year; tsunamis; typhoons

Environment - current issues:

air pollution from power plant emissions results in acid rain; acidification of lakes and reservoirs degrading water quality and threatening aquatic life; Japan is one of the largest consumers of fish and tropical timber, contributing to the depletion of these resources in Asia and elsewhere

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

strategic location in northeast Asia

People ::Japan

Population:

127,078,679 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 10

Age structure:

0-14 years: 13.5% (male 8,804,465/female 8,344,800)

15-64 years: 64.3% (male 41,187,425/female 40,533,876)

65 years and over: 22.2% (male 11,964,694/female 16,243,419) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 44.2 years

male: 42.4 years

female: 46.1 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.191% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 218

Birth rate:

7.64 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 222

Death rate:

9.54 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 71

Net migration rate:

NA (2009 est.)

Urbanization:

urban population: 66% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 0.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female

total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 2.79 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 221 male: 2.99 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 2.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 82.12 years country comparison to the world: 3 male: 78.8 years

female: 85.62 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.21 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 217

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 153

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

9,600 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 107

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 100 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 143

Nationality:

noun: Japanese (singular and plural)

adjective: Japanese

Ethnic groups:

Japanese 98.5%, Koreans 0.5%, Chinese 0.4%, other 0.6%

note: up to 230,000 Brazilians of Japanese origin migrated to Japan in the 1990s to work in industries; some have returned to Brazil (2004)

Religions:

Shintoism 83.9%, Buddhism 71.4%, Christianity 2%, other 7.8%

note: total adherents exceeds 100% because many people belong to both Shintoism and Buddhism (2005)

Languages:

Japanese

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99% (2002)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 15 years

male: 15 years

female: 15 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

3.5% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 128

Government ::Japan

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Japan

local long form: Nihon-koku/Nippon-koku

local short form: Nihon/Nippon

Government type:

a parliamentary government with a constitutional monarchy

Capital:

name: Tokyo

geographic coordinates: 35 41 N, 139 45 E

time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

47 prefectures; Aichi, Akita, Aomori, Chiba, Ehime, Fukui, Fukuoka,
Fukushima, Gifu, Gunma, Hiroshima, Hokkaido, Hyogo, Ibaraki,
Ishikawa, Iwate, Kagawa, Kagoshima, Kanagawa, Kochi, Kumamoto,
Kyoto, Mie, Miyagi, Miyazaki, Nagano, Nagasaki, Nara, Niigata, Oita,
Okayama, Okinawa, Osaka, Saga, Saitama, Shiga, Shimane, Shizuoka,
Tochigi, Tokushima, Tokyo, Tottori, Toyama, Wakayama, Yamagata,
Yamaguchi, Yamanashi

Independence:

660 B.C. (traditional date of the founding of the nation by Emperor JIMMU; first recognized by Emperor Meiji in 1873)

National holiday:

Birthday of Emperor AKIHITO, 23 December (1933)

Constitution:

3 May 1947

Legal system:

modeled after German civil law system with English-American influence; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

20 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Emperor AKIHITO (since 7 January 1989)

head of government: Prime Minister Yukio HATOYAMA (since 16 September 2009); Deputy Prime Minister Naoto KAN (since 16 September 2009)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister

elections: Diet designates prime minister; constitution requires that prime minister commands parliamentary majority; following legislative elections, leader of majority party or leader of majority coalition in House of Representatives usually becomes prime minister; monarch is hereditary

Legislative branch:

bicameral Diet or Kokkai consists of the House of Councillors or Sangi-in (242 seats - members elected for fixed six-year terms; half reelected every three years; 146 members in multi-seat constituencies and 96 by proportional representation) and the House of Representatives or Shugi-in (480 seats - members elected for maximum four-year terms; 300 in single-seat constituencies; 180 members by proportional representation in 11 regional blocs); the prime minister has the right to dissolve the House of Representatives at any time with the concurrence of the cabinet.

elections: House of Councillors - last held 29 July 2007 (next to be held in July 2010); House of Representatives - last held 30 August 2009 (next to be held by August 2013)

election results: House of Councillors - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - DPJ 109, LDP 83, Komeito 20, JCP 7, SDP 5, others 18

House of Representatives - percent of vote by party (in single-seat constituencies) - DPJ 42.4%, LDP 26.7%, Komeito 11.5%, JCP 7.0%, SDP 4.3%, others 8.1%; seats by party - DPJ 308, LDP 119, Komeito 21, JCP 9, SDP 7, others 16 (2009)

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the monarch after designation by the cabinet; all other justices are appointed by the cabinet)

Political parties and leaders:

Democratic Party of Japan or DPJ [Yukio HATOYAMA]; Japan Communist
Party or JCP [Kazuo SHII]; Komeito [Natsuo YAMAGUCHI]; Liberal
Democratic Party or LDP [Sadakazu TANIGAKI]; Social Democratic Party
or SDP [Mizuho FUKUSHIMA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

other: business groups; trade unions

International organization participation:

ADB, AfDB (nonregional member), APEC, APT, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue
partner), Australia Group, BIS, CE (observer), CERN (observer), CP,
EAS, EBRD, FAO, G-20, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA, MIGA,
NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE (partner), Paris Club,
PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD,
UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Ichiro FUJISAKI

chancery: 2520 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 238-6700

FAX: [1] (202) 328-2187

consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Detroit, Agana (Guam), Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Portland (Oregon), San Francisco, Seattle

consulate(s): Anchorage, Nashville

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador James V. ROOS

embassy: 1-10-5 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-8420

mailing address: Unit 9800, Box 300, APO AP 96303-0300

telephone: [81] (03) 3224-5000

FAX: [81] (03) 3505-1862

consulate(s) general: Naha (Okinawa), Osaka-Kobe, Sapporo

consulate(s): Fukuoka, Nagoya

Flag description:

white with a large red disk (representing the sun without rays) in the center

Economy ::Japan

Economy - overview:

In the years following World War II, government-industry cooperation, a strong work ethic, mastery of high technology, and a comparatively small defense allocation (1% of GDP) helped Japan advance with extraordinary speed to the rank of second most technologically powerful economy in the world after the US. Today, measured on a purchasing power parity (PPP) basis, Japan is the third-largest economy in the world after the US and China. Two notable characteristic of the post-war economy were the close interlocking structures of manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors, known as keiretsu, and the guarantee of lifetime employment for a substantial portion of the urban labor force. Both features are now eroding under the dual pressures of global competition and domestic demographic change. Japan's industrial sector is heavily dependent on imported raw materials and fuels. A tiny agricultural sector is highly subsidized and protected, with crop yields among the highest in the world. Usually self sufficient in rice, Japan imports about 60% of its food on a caloric basis. Japan maintains one of the world's largest fishing fleets and accounts for nearly 15% of the global catch. For three decades, overall real economic growth had been spectacular - a 10% average in the 1960s, a 5% average in the 1970s, and a 4% average in the 1980s. Growth slowed markedly in the 1990s, averaging just 1.7%, largely because of the after effects of inefficient investment and an asset price bubble in the late 1980s that required a protracted period of time for firms to reduce excess debt, capital, and labor. In October 2007 Japan's longest post-war period of economic expansion ended after 69 months and Japan entered into recession in 2008, with 2009 marking a return to near 0% interest rates. The 10-year privatization of Japan Post, which has functioned not only as the national postal delivery system but also, through its banking and insurance facilities as Japan's largest financial institution, was completed in October 2007, marking a major milestone in the process of structural reform. The Japanese financial sector was not heavily exposed to sub-prime mortgages or their derivative instruments and weathered the initial effect of the global credit crunch, but a sharp downturn in business investment and global demand for Japan's exports in late 2008 pushed Japan further into a recession. Japan's huge government debt, which totals 170% of GDP, and the aging of the population are two major long-run problems. Debate continues on the role of and effects of reform in restructuring the economy.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$4.34 trillion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 4 $4.37 trillion (2007 est.)

$4.272 trillion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$4.911 trillion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

-0.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 204 2.3% (2007 est.)

2% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$34,100 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 37 $34,300 (2007 est.)

$33,500 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 1.5%

industry: 26.3%

services: 72.3% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

66.5 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 9

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 4.4%

industry: 27.9%

services: 66.4% (2005)

Unemployment rate:

4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 49 3.8% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 4.8%

highest 10%: 21.7% (1993)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

38.1 (2002) country comparison to the world: 74 24.9 (1993)

Investment (gross fixed):

23% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 70

Budget:

revenues: $1.72 trillion

expenditures: $1.788 trillion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

172.1% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 2 164.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

1.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 10 0.1% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

0.3% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 135 0.75% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

1.91% (31 December 2008)

Stock of money:

$5.417 trillion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 2 $4.37 trillion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$6.16 trillion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 2 $4.783 trillion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$12.34 trillion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 3 $9.653 trillion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 4 $4.453 trillion (31 December 2007)

$4.726 trillion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

rice, sugar beets, vegetables, fruit; pork, poultry, dairy products, eggs; fish

Industries:

among world's largest and technologically advanced producers of motor vehicles, electronic equipment, machine tools, steel and nonferrous metals, ships, chemicals, textiles, processed foods

Industrial production growth rate:

-2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 153

Electricity - production:

1.058 trillion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 4

Electricity - consumption:

1.007 trillion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 4

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

133,100 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 47

Oil - consumption:

4.785 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 4

Oil - exports:

268,300 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 45

Oil - imports:

5.263 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 3

Oil - proved reserves:

44.12 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 78

Natural gas - production:

5.36 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 49

Natural gas - consumption:

101.1 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 5

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 166

Natural gas - imports:

95.39 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 2

Natural gas - proved reserves:

20.9 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 76

Current account balance:

$156.6 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 3 $210.5 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$746.5 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 5 $678.1 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

transport equipment, motor vehicles, semiconductors, electrical machinery, chemicals

Exports - partners:

US 17.8%, China 16%, South Korea 7.6%, Hong Kong 5.1% (2008)

Imports:

$708.3 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 5 $573.3 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, fuels, foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles, raw materials

Imports - partners:

China 18.9%, US 10.4%, Saudi Arabia 6.7%, Australia 6.2%, UAE 6.1%,
Indonesia 4.3% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$1.011 trillion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 2 $954.1 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$2.231 trillion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 9 $1.768 trillion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$135.4 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 25 $110.8 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$663.9 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 8 $533.1 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

yen (JPY) per US dollar - 103.58 (2008 est.), 117.99 (2007), 116.18 (2006), 110.22 (2005), 108.19 (2004)

Communications ::Japan

Telephones - main lines in use:

47.579 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 4

Telephones - mobile cellular:

110.395 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 7

Telephone system:

general assessment: excellent domestic and international service

domestic: high level of modern technology and excellent service of every kind

international: country code - 81; numerous submarine cables provide links throughout Asia, Australia, the Middle East, Europe, and US; satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (4 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region), and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific and Indian Ocean regions

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 215 (plus 370 repeaters), FM 89 (plus 485 repeaters), shortwave 21 (2001)

Television broadcast stations:

211 (plus 7,341 repeaters); in addition, US Forces are served by 3 TV stations and 2 TV cable services (1999)

Internet country code:

.jp

Internet hosts:

47.249 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 2

Internet users:

90.91 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 3

Transportation ::Japan

Airports:

176 (2009) country comparison to the world: 34

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 144

over 3,047 m: 7

2,438 to 3,047 m: 42

1,524 to 2,437 m: 40

914 to 1,523 m: 28

under 914 m: 27 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 32

914 to 1,523 m: 4

under 914 m: 28 (2009)

Heliports:

15 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 3,862 km; oil 167 km; oil/gas/water 53 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 23,506 km country comparison to the world: 11 standard gauge: 3,437 km 1.435-m gauge (3,319 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 20,059 km 1.067-m gauge (11,842 km electrified); 11 km 0.762-m gauge (11 km electrified) (2008)

Roadways:

total: 1,196,999 km country comparison to the world: 5 paved: 949,101 km (includes 7,383 km of expressways)

unpaved: 247,898 km (2006)

Waterways:

1,770 km (seagoing vessels use inland seas) (2007) country comparison to the world: 47

Merchant marine:

total: 683 country comparison to the world: 16 by type: bulk carrier 136, cargo 30, carrier 3, chemical tanker 27, container 11, liquefied gas 59, passenger 12, passenger/cargo 135, petroleum tanker 156, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 51, vehicle carrier 61

registered in other countries: 3,074 (Australia 1, Bahamas 87, Belize 8, Bermuda 2, Burma 1, Cambodia 1, Cayman Islands 13, China 2, Cyprus 21, France 1, Honduras 4, Hong Kong 111, Indonesia 6, Isle of Man 6, Italy 1, South Korea 20, Liberia 116, Malaysia 4, Malta 8, Marshall Islands 17, Nigeria 1, Norway 29, Panama 2335, Philippines 81, Portugal 15, Saint Kitts and Nevis 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 3, Singapore 131, Thailand 4, UK 4, US 7, Vanuatu 29, Vietnam 1, unknown 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Chiba, Kawasaki, Kobe, Mizushima, Moji, Nagoya, Osaka, Tokyo,
Tomakomai, Yohohama

Military ::Japan

Military branches:

Japanese Ministry of Defense (MOD): Ground Self-Defense Force
(Rikujou Jietai, GSDF), Maritime Self-Defense Force (Kaijou Jietai,
MSDF), Air Self-Defense Force (Koku Jieitai, ASDF) (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 27,819,804

females age 16-49: 26,863,794 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 22,757,136

females age 16-49: 21,920,703 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 621,254

female: 589,270 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

0.8% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 150

Transnational Issues ::Japan

Disputes - international:

the sovereignty dispute over the islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri, and Shikotan, and the Habomai group, known in Japan as the "Northern Territories" and in Russia as the "Southern Kuril Islands," occupied by the Soviet Union in 1945, now administered by Russia and claimed by Japan, remains the primary sticking point to signing a peace treaty formally ending World War II hostilities; Japan and South Korea claim Liancourt Rocks (Take-shima/Dokdo) occupied by South Korea since 1954; China and Taiwan dispute both Japan's claims to the uninhabited islands of the Senkaku-shoto (Diaoyu Tai) and Japan's unilaterally declared exclusive economic zone in the East China Sea, the site of intensive hydrocarbon prospecting

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Jersey (Europe)

Introduction ::Jersey

Background:

Jersey and the other Channel Islands represent the last remnants of the medieval Dukedom of Normandy that held sway in both France and England. These islands were the only British soil occupied by German troops in World War II. Jersey is a British crown dependency but is not part of the UK. However, the UK Government is constitutionally responsible for its defense and international representation.

Geography ::Jersey

Location:

Western Europe, island in the English Channel, northwest of France

Geographic coordinates:

49 15 N, 2 10 W

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 116 sq km country comparison to the world: 224 land: 116 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

about two-thirds the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

70 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 3 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm

Climate:

temperate; mild winters and cool summers

Terrain:

gently rolling plain with low, rugged hills along north coast

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed location 143 m

Natural resources:

arable land

Land use:

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

NA

Geography - note:

largest and southernmost of Channel Islands; about 30% of population concentrated in Saint Helier

People ::Jersey

Population:

91,626 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 194

Age structure:

0-14 years: 16.1% (male 7,623/female 7,087)

15-64 years: 67.7% (male 30,914/female 31,081)

65 years and over: 16.3% (male 6,614/female 8,307) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 42.9 years

male: 42.1 years

female: 43.6 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.211% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 182

Birth rate:

8.63 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 218

Death rate:

9.26 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 79

Net migration rate:

2.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 31

Urbanization:

urban population: 31% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 0.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female

total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 4.73 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 197 male: 5.09 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 79.75 years country comparison to the world: 25 male: 77.23 years

female: 82.46 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.57 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 183

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Channel Islander(s)

adjective: Channel Islander

Ethnic groups:

Jersey 51.1%, Britons 34.8%, Irish, French, and other white 6.6%,
Portuguese/Madeiran 6.4%, other 1.1% (2001 census)

Religions:

Anglican, Roman Catholic, Baptist, Congregational New Church,
Methodist, Presbyterian

Languages:

English 94.5% (official), Portuguese 4.6%, other 0.9% (2001 census)

Literacy:

NA

Education expenditures:

NA

Government ::Jersey

Country name:

conventional long form: Bailiwick of Jersey

conventional short form: Jersey

Dependency status:

British crown dependency

Government type:

parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Saint Helier

geographic coordinates: 49 11 N, 2 06 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

none (British crown dependency); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 12 parishes including Grouville, Saint Brelade, Saint Clement, Saint Helier, Saint John, Saint Lawrence, Saint Martin, Saint Mary, Saint Ouen, Saint Peter, Saint Saviour, and Trinity

Independence:

none (British crown dependency)

National holiday:

Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)

Constitution:

unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice

Legal system:

the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply and local statutes; justice is administered by the Royal Court

Suffrage:

16 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Lieutenant Governor Andrew RIDGEWAY (since 14 June 2006)

head of government: Chief Minister Terry LE SUEUR (12 December 2008); Bailiff Philip Martin BAILHACHE (since February 1995)

cabinet: Cabinet (since December 2005)

elections: ministers of the Cabinet including the chief minister are elected by the Assembly of States; the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor and bailiff appointed by the monarch

Legislative branch:

unicameral Assembly of the States of Jersey (58 seats; 55 are voting members, of which 12 are senators elected for six-year terms, 12 are constables or heads of parishes elected for three-year terms, 29 are deputies elected for three-year terms, the bailiff and the deputy bailiff, and 3 non-voting members includes the Dean of Jersey, the Attorney General, and the Solicitor General appointed by the monarch)

elections: last held 15 October 2008 for senators and 26 November 2008 for deputies (next to be held in 2011)

election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 55

Judicial branch:

Royal Court (judges elected by an electoral college and the bailiff)

Political parties and leaders:

two declared parties: Centre Party; Jersey Democratic Alliance

note: all senators and deputies elected in 2008 were independents

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Institute of Directors, Jersey branch (provides business support);
Jersey Hospitality Association [Robert JONES] (trade association);
Jersey Rights Association [David ROTHERHAM] (human rights); La
Societe Jersiaise (education and conservation group); Progress
Jersey [Darius J. PEARCE, Daren O'TOOLE, Gino RISOLI] (human
rights); Royal Jersey Agriculture and Horticultural Society or
RJA&HS (development and management of the Jersey breed of cattle);
Save Jersey's Heritage (protects heritage through building
preservation)

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (British crown dependency)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (British crown dependency)

Flag description:

white with a diagonal red cross extending to the corners of the flag; in the upper quadrant, surmounted by a yellow crown, a red shield with the three lions of England in yellow

Economy ::Jersey

Economy - overview:

Jersey's economy is based on international financial services, agriculture, and tourism. In 2005 the finance sector accounted for about 50% of the island's output. Potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes, and especially flowers are important export crops, shipped mostly to the UK. The Jersey breed of dairy cattle is known worldwide and represents an important export income earner. Milk products go to the UK and other EU countries. Tourism accounts for one-quarter of GDP. In recent years, the government has encouraged light industry to locate in Jersey, with the result that an electronics industry has developed, displacing more traditional industries. All raw material and energy requirements are imported, as well as a large share of Jersey's food needs. Light taxes and death duties make the island a popular tax haven. Living standards come close to those of the UK.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$5.1 billion (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 159

GDP (official exchange rate):

$5.1 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

NA%

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$57,000 (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 7

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 1%

industry: 2%

services: 97% (2005)

Labor force:

53,560 (June 2006) country comparison to the world: 181

Unemployment rate:

2.2% (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 21

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $829 million

expenditures: $851 million (2005)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3.7% (December 2006) country comparison to the world: 55

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes; beef, dairy products

Industries:

tourism, banking and finance, dairy, electronics

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - consumption:

630.1 million kWh (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 154

Electricity - imports:

NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by France

Exports:

$NA

Exports - commodities:

light industrial and electrical goods, dairy cattle, foodstuffs, textiles

Imports:

$NA

Imports - commodities:

machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, foodstuffs, mineral fuels, chemicals

Debt - external:

$NA

Exchange rates:

Jersey pounds per US dollar 0.5302 (2008 est.), 0.4993 (2007), 0.5418 (2006), 0.5493 (2005), 0.5462 (2004)

note: the Jersey pound is at par with the British pound

Communications ::Jersey

Telephones - main lines in use:

74,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 154

Telephones - mobile cellular:

83,900 (2004) country comparison to the world: 185

Telephone system:

general assessment: state owned, partially-competitive market; increasingly modern, with some broadband access

domestic: digital telephone system launch announced in 2006 and currently being implemented; fixed-line and mobile-cellular services widely available; combined fixed and mobile-cellular density exceeds 100 per 100 persons

international: submarine cable connectivity to Guernsey, the UK, and France (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM NA, FM 1, shortwave 0 (UK radio broadcasts carried via local relays) (2008)

Television broadcast stations:

2 (UK television carried by local relays with a switch to digital broadcasts scheduled for 2010) (2008)

Internet country code:

.je

Internet hosts:

219 (2009) country comparison to the world: 187

Internet users:

29,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 181

Transportation ::Jersey

Airports:

1 (2009) country comparison to the world: 224

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 358 km (2002) country comparison to the world: 199

Ports and terminals:

Gorey, Saint Aubin, Saint Helier

Military ::Jersey

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 16,920

females age 16-49: 16,826 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 586

female: 541 (2009 est.)

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues ::Jersey

Disputes - international:

none

page last updated on October 28, 2009

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

@Jordan (Middle East)

Introduction ::Jordan

Background:

Following World War I and the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire, the UK received a mandate to govern much of the Middle East. Britain separated out a semi-autonomous region of Transjordan from Palestine in the early 1920s, and the area gained its independence in 1946; it adopted the name of Jordan in 1950. The country's long-time ruler was King HUSSEIN (1953-99). A pragmatic leader, he successfully navigated competing pressures from the major powers (US, USSR, and UK), various Arab states, Israel, and a large internal Palestinian population. Jordan lost the West Bank to Israel in the 1967 war and barely managed to defeat Palestinian rebels who threatened to overthrow the monarchy in 1970. King HUSSEIN in 1988 permanently relinquished Jordanian claims to the West Bank. In 1989, he reinstituted parliamentary elections and initiated a gradual political liberalization; political parties were legalized in 1992. In 1994, he signed a peace treaty with Israel. King ABDALLAH II, the son of King HUSSEIN, assumed the throne following his father's death in February 1999. Since then, he has consolidated his power and undertaken an aggressive economic reform program. Jordan acceded to the World Trade Organization in 2000, and began to participate in the European Free Trade Association in 2001. In 2003, Jordan staunchly supported the Coalition ouster of Saddam in Iraq and following the outbreak of insurgent violence in Iraq, absorbed thousands of displaced Iraqis. Municipal elections were held in July 2007 under a system in which 20% of seats in all municipal councils were reserved by quota for women. Parliamentary elections were held in November 2007 and saw independent pro-government candidates win the vast majority of seats. In November 2007, King ABDALLAH instructed his new prime minister to focus on socioeconomic reform, developing a healthcare and housing network for civilians and military personnel, and improving the educational system.

Geography ::Jordan

Location:

Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia

Geographic coordinates:

31 00 N, 36 00 E

Map references:

Middle East

Area:

total: 89,342 sq km country comparison to the world: 111 land: 88,802 sq km

water: 540 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Indiana

Land boundaries:

total: 1,635 km

border countries: Iraq 181 km, Israel 238 km, Saudi Arabia 744 km, Syria 375 km, West Bank 97 km

Coastline:

26 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 3 nm

Climate:

mostly arid desert; rainy season in west (November to April)

Terrain:

mostly desert plateau in east, highland area in west; Great Rift Valley separates East and West Banks of the Jordan River

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m

highest point: Jabal Ram 1,734 m

Natural resources:

phosphates, potash, shale oil

Land use:

arable land: 3.32%

permanent crops: 1.18%

other: 95.5% (2005)

Irrigated land:

750 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

0.9 cu km (1997)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 1.01 cu km/yr (21%/4%/75%)

per capita: 177 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

droughts; periodic earthquakes

Environment - current issues:

limited natural fresh water resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

strategic location at the head of the Gulf of Aqaba and as the Arab country that shares the longest border with Israel and the occupied West Bank

People ::Jordan

Population:

6,342,948 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 104

Age structure:

0-14 years: 31.3% (male 1,014,183/female 973,538)

15-64 years: 64.5% (male 2,183,638/female 1,904,420)

65 years and over: 4.2% (male 128,759/female 138,410) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 24.3 years

male: 25 years

female: 23.6 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.264% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 42

Birth rate:

19.55 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 106

Death rate:

2.75 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 217

Net migration rate:

5.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 16

Urbanization:

urban population: 78% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 3.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.15 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female

total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 14.97 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 128 male: 17.91 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 11.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 78.87 years country comparison to the world: 38 male: 76.34 years

female: 81.56 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.39 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 103

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 152

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

600 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 146

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 500 (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 95

Nationality:

noun: Jordanian(s)

adjective: Jordanian

Ethnic groups:

Arab 98%, Circassian 1%, Armenian 1%

Religions:

Sunni Muslim 92%, Christian 6% (majority Greek Orthodox, but some
Greek and Roman Catholics, Syrian Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox,
Armenian Orthodox, and Protestant denominations), other 2% (several
small Shia Muslim and Druze populations) (2001 est.)

Languages:

Arabic (official), English widely understood among upper and middle classes

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 89.9%

male: 95.1%

female: 84.7% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 13 years

male: 13 years

female: 13 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

4.9% of GDP (1999) country comparison to the world: 77

Government ::Jordan

Country name:

conventional long form: Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

conventional short form: Jordan

local long form: Al Mamlakah al Urduniyah al Hashimiyah

local short form: Al Urdun

former: Transjordan

Government type:

constitutional monarchy

Capital:

name: Amman

geographic coordinates: 31 57 N, 35 56 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Thursday in March; ends last Friday in September

Administrative divisions:

12 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Ajlun, Al 'Aqabah, Al Balqa', Al Karak, Al Mafraq, 'Amman, At Tafilah, Az Zarqa', Irbid, Jarash, Ma'an, Madaba

Independence:

25 May 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 25 May (1946)

Constitution:

1 January 1952; amended many times

Legal system:

based on Islamic law and French codes; judicial review of legislative acts in a specially provided High Tribunal; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: King ABDALLAH II (since 7 February 1999); Crown Prince HUSSEIN (born 28 June 1994), eldest son of King ABDALLAH II

head of government: Prime Minister Nader al-DAHABI (since 25 November 2007)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister in consultation with the monarch

elections: the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch

Legislative branch:

bicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-'Umma consists of the Senate, also called the House of Notables or Majlis al-Ayan (55 seats; members appointed by the monarch to serve four-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies, also called the House of Representatives or Majlis al-Nuwaab (110 seats; members elected using a single, non-transferable vote system in multi-member districts to serve four-year terms); note - six seats are reserved for women, nine seats are reserved for Christian candidates, nine seats are reserved for Bedouin candidates, and three seats are reserved for Jordanians of Chechen or Circassian descent

elections: Chamber of Deputies - last held 20 November 2007 (next scheduled to be held in 2011)

election results: Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - IAF 6, independents and other 104; note - seven women serve in the Assembly, six of whom filled women's quota seats and one was directly elected

Judicial branch:

Court of Cassation (Supreme Court)

Political parties and leaders:

Arab Ba'ath Socialist Party [Fuad DABBOUR]; Ba'ath Arab Progressive
Party [Tayseer al-HAMSI]; Call Party [Mohammed Abu BAKR]; Democratic
People's Party [Ahmad Yusuf 'ALIYA]; Democratic Popular Unity Party
[Sa'ed DIAB]; Islamic Action Front or IAF [Ishaq al-FARHAN]; Islamic
Center Party [Marwan al-FA'OURI; Jordanian Communist Party [Munir
HAMARNEH]; Jordanian National Party [Mona Abu BAKR]; Jordanian
United Front [Amjad al-MAJALI]; Life Party [Thaher 'AMROU]; Message
Party [Hazem QASHOU]; National Constitution Party [Ahmed al-SHUNAQ];
National Movement for Direct Democracy [Mohammed al-QAQ];

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Anti-Normalization Committee [Ali Abu SUKKAR, president vice
chairman]; Jordan Bar Association [Saleh al-ARMUTI, chairman];
Jordanian Press Association [Sayf al-SHARIF, president]; Jordanian
Muslim Brotherhood [Dr. Hamam SAID, controller general]

International organization participation:

ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt,
ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, MINURCAT, MINUSTAH, MONUC,
NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador ZEID Ra'ad Zeid al-Hussein, Prince

chancery: 3504 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 966-2664

FAX: [1] (202) 966-3110

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Robert S. BEECROFT

embassy: Abdoun, Amman

mailing address: P. O. Box 354, Amman 11118 Jordan; Unit 70200, Box 5, DPO AE 09892-0200

telephone: [962] (6) 590-6000

FAX: [962] (6) 592-0121

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of black (top), representing the Abbassid Caliphate, white, representing the Ummayyad Caliphate, and green, representing the Fatimid Caliphate; a red isosceles triangle on the hoist side, representing the Great Arab Revolt of 1916, and bearing a small white seven-pointed star symbolizing the seven verses of the opening Sura (Al-Fatiha) of the Holy Koran; the seven points on the star represent faith in One God, humanity, national spirit, humility, social justice, virtue, and aspirations; design is based on the Arab Revolt flag of World War I

Economy ::Jordan

Economy - overview:

Jordan is a small Arab country with insufficient supplies of water, oil, and other natural resources. Poverty, unemployment, and inflation are fundamental problems, but King ABDALLAH II, since assuming the throne in 1999, has undertaken some broad economic reforms in a long-term effort to improve living standards. Since Jordan's graduation from its most recent IMF program in 2002, Amman has continued to follow IMF guidelines, practicing careful monetary policy, making substantial headway with privatization, and opening the trade regime. Jordan's exports have significantly increased under the free trade accord with the US and Jordanian Qualifying Industrial Zones (QIZ), which allow Jordan to export goods with some Israeli content duty free to the US. In 2006 and 2008, Jordan used privatization proceeds to significantly reduce its debt-to-GDP ratio. These measures have helped improve productivity and have made Jordan more attractive for foreign investment. The government ended subsidies for petroleum and other consumer goods in 2008 in an effort to control the budget. The main challenges facing Jordan are reducing dependence on foreign grants, reducing the growing budget deficit, attracting investments, and creating jobs. Jordan is currently exploring nuclear power generation to forestall energy shortfalls. Jordan's conservative banking sector has been largely protected from the worldwide financial crisis, but many businesses, particularly in the tourism and real estate sector, are predicting a slow-down in 2009.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$31.68 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 103 $30 billion (2007 est.)

$28.14 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$21.23 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 70 6.6% (2007 est.)

8% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$5,200 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 139 $5,000 (2007 est.)

$5,000 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 3.6%

industry: 29.9%

services: 66.5% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

1.615 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 126

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 2.7%

industry: 20%

services: 77.4% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:

12.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 141 13.5% (2007 est.)

note: official rate; unofficial rate is approximately 30%

Population below poverty line:

14.2% (2002)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 3%

highest 10%: 30.7% (2006)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

39.7 (2007) country comparison to the world: 63 36.4 (1997)

Investment (gross fixed):

32.3% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 15

Budget:

revenues: $5.67 billion

expenditures: $7.66 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

62.2% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 23 85.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

14.9% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 189 5.4% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

6.25% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 56 7% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

9.03% (31 December 2008)

Stock of money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$6.765 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$17.98 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 43 $15.38 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$25.05 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 56 $19.53 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$35.85 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 61 $41.22 billion (31 December 2007)

$29.73 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

citrus, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives; sheep, poultry, stone fruits, strawberries, dairy

Industries:

clothing, fertilizers, potash, phosphate mining, pharmaceuticals, petroleum refining, cement, inorganic chemicals, light manufacturing, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:

5.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 42

Electricity - production:

12.21 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 84

Electricity - consumption:

10.4 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 82

Electricity - exports:

176 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

200 million kWh (2007 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 170

Oil - consumption:

108,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 74

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 176

Oil - imports:

108,200 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 64

Oil - proved reserves:

1 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 96

Natural gas - production:

250 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 74

Natural gas - consumption:

2.97 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 73

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 164

Natural gas - imports:

2.72 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 42

Natural gas - proved reserves:

6.031 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 87

Current account balance:

-$2.39 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 141 -$2.767 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$7.782 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 96 $5.7 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

clothing, fertilizers, potash, phosphates, vegetables, pharmaceuticals

Exports - partners:

India 16.2%, Iraq 16.1%, US 13.2%, Saudi Arabia 6.9%, UAE 4.6% (2008)

Imports:

$14.99 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 83 $12.02 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

crude oil, machinery, transport equipment, iron, cereals

Imports - partners:

Saudi Arabia 21.2%, China 10.4%, Germany 6%, US 4.6%, Egypt 4.5%,
Ukraine 4.3% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$8.918 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 69 $7.929 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$6.794 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 97 $8.133 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$16.5 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 66 $14.55 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

Jordanian dinars (JOD) per US dollar - 0.709 (2008 est.), 0.709 (2007), 0.709 (2006), 0.709 (2005), 0.709 (2004)

Communications ::Jordan

Telephones - main lines in use:

519,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 95

Telephones - mobile cellular:

5.314 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 84

Telephone system:

general assessment: service has improved recently with increased use of digital switching equipment; microwave radio relay transmission and coaxial and fiber-optic cable are employed on trunk lines; growing mobile-cellular usage in both urban and rural areas is reducing use of fixed-line services; Internet penetration remains modest and slow-growing

domestic: 1995 telecommunications law opened all non-fixed-line services to private competition; in 2005, monopoly over fixed-line services terminated and the entire telecommunications sector was opened to competition; mobile-cellular usage has increased and teledensity reached 85 per 100 persons in 2008

international: country code - 962; landing point for the Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG) submarine cable network that provides links to Asia, Middle East, Europe; satellite earth stations - 33 (3 Intelsat, 1 Arabsat, and 29 land and maritime Inmarsat terminals); fiber-optic cable to Saudi Arabia and microwave radio relay link with Egypt and Syria; participant in Medarabtel (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

FM 31 (2007)

Television broadcast stations:

22 (2007)

Internet country code:

.jo

Internet hosts:

28,896 (2009) country comparison to the world: 92

Internet users:

1.5 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 74

Transportation ::Jordan

Airports:

17 (2009) country comparison to the world: 142

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 15

over 3,047 m: 8

2,438 to 3,047 m: 5

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 2

under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Heliports:

1 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 439 km; oil 49 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 507 km country comparison to the world: 115 narrow gauge: 507 km 1.050-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 8,002 km country comparison to the world: 141 paved: 8,002 km (2007)

Merchant marine:

total: 21 country comparison to the world: 97 by type: cargo 8, container 1, passenger/cargo 7, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 3

foreign-owned: 13 (UAE 13)

registered in other countries: 24 (Algeria 7, Bahamas 2, Panama 13, Syria 2) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Al 'Aqabah

Military ::Jordan

Military branches:

Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF): Royal Jordanian Land Force (RJLF), Royal Jordanian Navy, Royal Jordanian Air Force (Al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Malakiya al-Urduniya, RJAF), Special Operations Command (Socom); Public Security Directorate (normally falls under Ministry of Interior, but comes under JAF in wartime or crisis) (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

17 years of age for voluntary military service; male conscription at age 18 - suspended in 1999 - resurrected in July 2007 in order to provide youth training necessary for job market needs; all males under age 37 are required to register; women not subject to conscription, but can volunteer to serve in non-combat military positions in the Royal Jordanian Arab Army Women's Corps (2009)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,812,551

females age 16-49: 1,559,155 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,593,919

females age 16-49: 1,382,097 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 69,830

female: 67,292 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

8.6% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 5

Transnational Issues ::Jordan

Disputes - international:

approximately two million Iraqis have fled the conflict in Iraq, with the majority taking refuge in Syria and Jordan; 2004 Agreement settles border dispute with Syria pending demarcation

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 1,835,704 (Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA)); 500,000 (Iraq)

IDPs: 160,000 (1967 Arab-Israeli War) (2007)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Jordan is a destination and transit country for women and men from South and Southeast Asia trafficked for the purpose of forced labor; Jordan is also a destination for women from Eastern Europe and Morocco for prostitution; women from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, and the Philippines migrate willingly to work as domestic servants, but some are subjected to conditions of forced labor, including unlawful withholding of passports, restrictions on movement, non-payment of wages, threats, and physical or sexual abuse

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Jordan is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking in persons in 2007, particularly in the area of law enforcement against trafficking for forced labor; the government made minimal efforts to investigate or prosecute numerous allegations related to exploitation of foreign domestic workers; Jordan failed for a second year to criminally prosecute and punish those who committed acts of forced labor; Jordan also continues to lack victim protection services; Jordan has not ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2008)

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Kazakhstan (Central Asia)

Introduction ::Kazakhstan

Background:

Native Kazakhs, a mix of Turkic and Mongol nomadic tribes who migrated into the region in the 13th century, were rarely united as a single nation. The area was conquered by Russia in the 18th century, and Kazakhstan became a Soviet Republic in 1936. During the 1950s and 1960s agricultural "Virgin Lands" program, Soviet citizens were encouraged to help cultivate Kazakhstan's northern pastures. This influx of immigrants (mostly Russians, but also some other deported nationalities) skewed the ethnic mixture and enabled non-Kazakhs to outnumber natives. Independence in 1991 caused many of these newcomers to emigrate. Kazakhstan's economy is larger than those of all the other Central Asian states combined, largely due to the country's vast natural resources and a recent history of political stability. Current issues include: developing a cohesive national identity; expanding the development of the country's vast energy resources and exporting them to world markets; achieving a sustainable economic growth; diversifying the economy outside the oil, gas, and mining sectors; enhancing Kazakhstan's competitiveness; and strengthening relations with neighboring states and other foreign powers.

Geography ::Kazakhstan

Location:

Central Asia, northwest of China; a small portion west of the Ural
(Zhayyq) River in eastern-most Europe

Geographic coordinates:

48 00 N, 68 00 E

Map references:

Asia

Area:

total: 2,724,900 sq km country comparison to the world: 9 land: 2,699,700 sq km

water: 25,200 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly less than four times the size of Texas

Land boundaries:

total: 12,185 km

border countries: China 1,533 km, Kyrgyzstan 1,224 km, Russia 6,846 km, Turkmenistan 379 km, Uzbekistan 2,203 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked); note - Kazakhstan borders the Aral Sea, now split into two bodies of water (1,070 km), and the Caspian Sea (1,894 km)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

continental, cold winters and hot summers, arid and semiarid

Terrain:

vast flat steppe extending from the Volga in the west to the Altai Mountains in the east and from the plains of western Siberia in the north to oases and deserts of Central Asia in the south

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Vpadina Kaundy -132 m

highest point: Khan Tangiri Shyngy (Pik Khan-Tengri) 6,995 m

Natural resources:

major deposits of petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, manganese, chrome ore, nickel, cobalt, copper, molybdenum, lead, zinc, bauxite, gold, uranium

Land use:

arable land: 8.28%

permanent crops: 0.05%

other: 91.67% (2005)

Irrigated land:

35,560 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

109.6 cu km (1997)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 35 cu km/yr (2%/17%/82%)

per capita: 2,360 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

earthquakes in the south; mudslides around Almaty

Environment - current issues:

radioactive or toxic chemical sites associated with former defense industries and test ranges scattered throughout the country pose health risks for humans and animals; industrial pollution is severe in some cities; because the two main rivers that flowed into the Aral Sea have been diverted for irrigation, it is drying up and leaving behind a harmful layer of chemical pesticides and natural salts; these substances are then picked up by the wind and blown into noxious dust storms; pollution in the Caspian Sea; soil pollution from overuse of agricultural chemicals and salination from poor infrastructure and wasteful irrigation practices

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note:

landlocked; Russia leases approximately 6,000 sq km of territory enclosing the Baykonur Cosmodrome; in January 2004, Kazakhstan and Russia extended the lease to 2050

People ::Kazakhstan

Population:

15,399,437 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 62

Age structure:

0-14 years: 21.8% (male 1,717,469/female 1,643,920)

15-64 years: 70.2% (male 5,279,292/female 5,534,607)

65 years and over: 7.9% (male 426,494/female 797,655) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 29.6 years

male: 28.1 years

female: 31.3 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.392% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 166

Birth rate:

16.6 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 127

Death rate:

9.39 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 75

Net migration rate:

-3.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 152

Urbanization:

urban population: 58% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.54 male(s)/female

total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 25.73 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 86 male: 30.15 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 21.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 67.87 years country comparison to the world: 152 male: 62.58 years

female: 73.47 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.88 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 147

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 119

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

12,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 97

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 500 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 93

Nationality:

noun: Kazakhstani(s)

adjective: Kazakhstani

Ethnic groups:

Kazakh (Qazaq) 53.4%, Russian 30%, Ukrainian 3.7%, Uzbek 2.5%,
German 2.4%, Tatar 1.7%, Uygur 1.4%, other 4.9% (1999 census)

Religions:

Muslim 47%, Russian Orthodox 44%, Protestant 2%, other 7%

Languages:

Kazakh (Qazaq, state language) 64.4%, Russian (official, used in everyday business, designated the "language of interethnic communication") 95% (2001 est.)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.5%

male: 99.8%

female: 99.3% (1999 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 15 years

male: 15 years

female: 16 years (2007)

Education expenditures:

2.3% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 163

Government ::Kazakhstan

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Kazakhstan

conventional short form: Kazakhstan

local long form: Qazaqstan Respublikasy

local short form: Qazaqstan

former: Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic

Government type:

republic; authoritarian presidential rule, with little power outside the executive branch

Capital:

name: Astana

geographic coordinates: 51 10 N, 71 25 E

time difference: UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

note: Kazakhstan is divided into two time zones

Administrative divisions:

14 provinces (oblystar, singular - oblys) and 3 cities* (qalalar,
singular - qala); Almaty Oblysy, Almaty Qalasy*, Aqmola Oblysy
(Astana), Aqtobe Oblysy, Astana Qalasy*, Atyrau Oblysy, Batys
Qazaqstan Oblysy (Oral), Bayqongyr Qalasy*, Mangghystau Oblysy
(Aqtau), Ongtustik Qazaqstan Oblysy (Shymkent), Pavlodar Oblysy,
Qaraghandy Oblysy, Qostanay Oblysy, Qyzylorda Oblysy, Shyghys
Qazaqstan Oblysy (Oskemen), Soltustik Qazaqstan Oblysy
(Petropavlovsk), Zhambyl Oblysy (Taraz)

note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses); in 1995, the Governments of Kazakhstan and Russia entered into an agreement whereby Russia would lease for a period of 20 years an area of 6,000 sq km enclosing the Baykonur space launch facilities and the city of Bayqongyr (Baykonur, formerly Leninsk); in 2004, a new agreement extended the lease to 2050

Independence:

16 December 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 16 December (1991)

Constitution:

first post-independence constitution adopted 28 January 1993; new constitution adopted by national referendum 30 August 1995

Legal system:

based on Islamic law and Roman law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV (chairman of the Supreme Soviet from 22 February 1990, elected president 1 December 1991)

head of government: Prime Minister Karim MASIMOV (since 10 January 2007); First Deputy Prime Minister Umirzak SHUKEYEV (since 3 March 2009) and Deputy Prime Ministers Yerbol ORYNBAYEV (since 29 October 2007) and Serik AKHMETOV (since 3 March 2009)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 4 December 2005 (next to be held in 2012); prime minister and first deputy prime minister appointed by the president, with Mazhilis approval; note - constitutional amendments of May 2007 shortened the presidential term from seven years to five years and established a two-consecutive-term limit; changes will take effect after NAZARBAYEV's term ends; he, and only he, is allowed to run for president indefinitely

election results: Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV reelected president; percent of vote - Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV 91.1%, Zharmakhan A. TUYAKBAI 6.6%, Alikhan M. BAIMENOV 1.6%

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (47 seats; 15 members are appointed by the president; other members are elected by local assemblies; members serve six-year terms, but elections are staggered with half of the members up for re-election every three years) and the Mazhilis (107 seats; 9 out of the 107 Mazhilis members are elected by the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan, a presidentially appointed advisory body designed to represent the country's ethnic minorities; non-appointed members are popularly elected to serve five-year terms)

elections: Senate - (indirect) last held October 2008; next to be held in 2011; Mazhilis - last held 18 August 2007 (next to be held in 2012)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Nur Otan 16; Mazhilis - percent of vote by party - Nur-Otan 88.1%, NSDP 4.6%, Ak Zhol 3.3%, Auyl 1.6%, Communist People's Party 1.3%, Patriots Party .8% Ruhaniyat .4%; seats by party - Nur-Otan 98; note - parties must achieve a threshold of 7% of the electorate to qualify for seats in the Mazhilis

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (44 members); Constitutional Council (seven members)

Political parties and leaders:

Adilet (Justice) [Maksut NARIKBAYEV, Zeynulla ALSHIMBAYEV, Serik
ABDRAHMANOV, Bakhytbek AKHMETZHAN, Yerkin ONGARBAYEV, Tolegan
SYDYKOV] (formerly Democratic Party of Kazakhstan); Agrarian and
Industrial Union of Workers Block or AIST (Agrarian Party and Civic
Party); Ak Zhol Party (Bright Path) [Alikhan BAIMENOV]; Alga
[Vladimir KOZLOV] (unregistered); Auyl (Village) [Gani KALIYEV];
Azat Party (formerly True Ak Zhol Party) [Bolat ABILOV]; Communist
Party of Kazakhstan or KPK [Serikbolsyn ABDILDIN]; Communist
People's Party of Kazakhstan [Vladislav KOSAREV]; National Social
Democratic Party (NSDP)[Zharmakhan TUYAKBAY]; Nur-Otan [Bakhytzhan
ZHUMAGULOV] (the Agrarian, Asar, and Civic parties merged with
Otan); Patriots' Party [Gani KASYMOV]; Rukhaniyat (Spirituality)
[Altynshash ZHAGANOVA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Adil-Soz [Tamara KALEYEVA]; Almaty Helsinki Group [Ninel FOKINA];
Confederation of Free Trade Unions [Sergei BELKIN]; For Fair
Elections [Yevgeniy ZHOVTIS, Sabit ZHUSUPOV, Sergey DUVANOV, Ibrash
NUSUPBAYEV]; Kazakhstan International Bureau on Human Rights
[Yevgeniy ZHOVTIS, executive director]; Pan-National Social
Democratic Party of Kazakhstan [Zharmakhan TUYAKBAI]; Pensioners
Movement or Pokoleniye [Irina SAVOSTINA, chairwoman]; Republican
Network of International Monitors [Dos KUSHIM]; Transparency
International [Sergei ZLOTNIKOV]

International organization participation:

ADB, CIS, CSTO, EAEC, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS (observer), OIC,
OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL,
WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Yerlan IDRISOV

chancery: 1401 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036

telephone: [1] (202) 232-5488

FAX: [1] (202) 232-5845

consulate(s) general: Los Angeles

consulate(s): New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Richard E. HOAGLAND

embassy: Ak Bulak 4, Str. 23-22, Building #3, Astana 010010

mailing address: use embassy street address

telephone: [7] (7172) 70-21-00

FAX: [7] (7172) 34-08-90

Flag description:

sky blue background representing the endless sky and a gold sun with 32 rays above a soaring golden steppe eagle in the center; on the hoist side is a "national ornamentation" in gold

Economy ::Kazakhstan

Economy - overview:

Kazakhstan, the largest of the former Soviet republics in territory, excluding Russia, possesses enormous fossil fuel reserves and plentiful supplies of other minerals and metals. It also has a large agricultural sector featuring livestock and grain. Kazakhstan's industrial sector rests on the extraction and processing of these natural resources. Kazakhstan enjoyed double-digit growth in 2000-01 and 8% or more per year in 2002-07 - thanks largely to its booming energy sector, but also to economic reform, good harvests, and increased foreign investment; growth slowed to 2.4% in 2008, however, as a result of declining oil prices and a softening world economy. Inflation reached 10% in 2007 and 17% in 2008. In the energy sector, the opening of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium in 2001, from western Kazakhstan's Tengiz oilfield to the Black Sea, substantially raised export capacity. In 2006, Kazakhstan completed the Atasu-Alashankou portion of an oil pipeline to China that is planned in future construction to extend from the country's Caspian coast eastward to the Chinese border. The country has embarked upon an industrial policy designed to diversify the economy away from overdependence on the oil sector by developing its manufacturing potential. The policy changed the corporate tax code to favor domestic industry as a means to reduce the influence of foreign investment and foreign personnel. The government has engaged in several disputes with foreign oil companies over the terms of production agreements, most recently, with regard to the Kashagan project in 2007-08. Since 2007, Astana has provided financial support to the banking sector which has been struggling with poor asset quality and large foreign loans.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$176.2 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 57 $172.1 billion (2007 est.)

$158.6 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$135.6 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 145 8.5% (2007 est.)

10.6% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$11,500 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 96 $11,300 (2007 est.)

$10,400 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 5.3%

industry: 40.9%

services: 53.8% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

8.412 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 55

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 31.5%

industry: 18.4%

services: 50% (2006)

Unemployment rate:

6.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 83 7.3% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

13.8% (2007)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 3.3%

highest 10%: 26.5% (2004 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

30.4 (2005) country comparison to the world: 112 31.5 (2003)

Investment (gross fixed):

27.8% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 33

Budget:

revenues: $33.47 billion

expenditures: $36.23 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

8.6% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 114 13.7% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

17% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 199 10.8% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

10.5% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 31 11% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$16.12 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 36 $12.74 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$35.76 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 34 $25.75 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$44.53 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 51 $43.75 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$31.08 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 60 $41.38 billion (31 December 2007)

$43.69 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

grain (mostly spring wheat), cotton; livestock

Industries:

oil, coal, iron ore, manganese, chromite, lead, zinc, copper, titanium, bauxite, gold, silver, phosphates, sulfur, iron and steel; tractors and other agricultural machinery, electric motors, construction materials

Industrial production growth rate:

2.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 94

Electricity - production:

72.41 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 37

Electricity - consumption:

64.69 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 37

Electricity - exports:

3.617 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

3.27 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Oil - production:

1.429 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 20

Oil - consumption:

239,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 51

Oil - exports:

1.313 million bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 19

Oil - imports:

164,000 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 55

Oil - proved reserves:

30 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 11

Natural gas - production:

33.38 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 24

Natural gas - consumption:

33.68 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 27

Natural gas - exports:

9.221 billion cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 21

Natural gas - imports:

9.517 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 25

Natural gas - proved reserves:

2.407 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 13

Current account balance:

$6.978 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 29 -$8.226 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$71.97 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 45 $48.35 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

oil and oil products 59%, ferrous metals 19%, chemicals 5%, machinery 3%, grain, wool, meat, coal (2001)

Exports - partners:

China 13.5%, Russia 12%, Germany 10.6%, Italy 6.9%, Romania 6.6%,
France 5.7%, Ukraine 5.4%, Turkey 4.1% (2008)

Imports:

$38.45 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 56 $33.26 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, metal products, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:

Russia 35.9%, China 24.3%, Germany 6%, Ukraine 4.5% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$19.87 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 52 $17.63 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$107.8 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 35 $96.91 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$55.63 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 50 $41.08 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$4.617 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 58 $3.97 billion (September 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

tenge (KZT) per US dollar - 120.25 (2008 est.), 122.55 (2007), 126.09 (2006), 132.88 (2005), 136.04 (2004)

Communications ::Kazakhstan

Telephones - main lines in use:

3.41 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 45

Telephones - mobile cellular:

14.911 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 43

Telephone system:

general assessment: inherited an outdated telecommunications network from the Soviet era requiring modernization

domestic: intercity by landline and microwave radio relay; number of fixed-line connections is gradually increasing and fixed-line teledensity now exceeds 20 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular usage is increasing rapidly and the subscriber base now is roughly 100 per 100 persons

international: country code - 7; international traffic with other former Soviet republics and China carried by landline and microwave radio relay and with other countries by satellite and by the Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic cable; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 60, FM 18, shortwave 9 (2008)

Television broadcast stations:

12 (plus 9 repeaters) (1998)

Internet country code:

.kz

Internet hosts:

48,873 (2009) country comparison to the world: 84

Internet users:

2.3 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 66

Transportation ::Kazakhstan

Airports:

99 (2009) country comparison to the world: 61

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 67

over 3,047 m: 10

2,438 to 3,047 m: 26

1,524 to 2,437 m: 17

914 to 1,523 m: 5

under 914 m: 9 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 32

over 3,047 m: 5

2,438 to 3,047 m: 6

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 5

under 914 m: 13 (2009)

Heliports:

4 (2009)

Pipelines:

condensate 658 km; gas 11,146 km; oil 10,376 km; refined products 1,095 km; water 1,465 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 13,700 km country comparison to the world: 19 broad gauge: 13,700 km 1.520-m gauge (3,700 km electrified) (2008)

Roadways:

total: 91,563 km country comparison to the world: 53 paved: 83,717 km

unpaved: 7,846 km (2006)

Waterways:

4,000 km (on the Ertis ((Irtysh)) River (80%) and Syr Darya ((Syrdariya)) River) (2008) country comparison to the world: 26

Merchant marine:

total: 5 country comparison to the world: 132 by type: petroleum tanker 4, refrigerated cargo 1 (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Aqtau (Shevchenko), Atyrau (Gur'yev), Oskemen (Ust-Kamenogorsk),
Pavlodar, Semey (Semipalatinsk)

Military ::Kazakhstan

Military branches:

Kazakh Armed Forces: Ground Forces, Navy, Air Mobile Forces, Air
Defense Forces (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 2 years; minimum age for volunteers NA (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 4,176,731

females age 16-49: 4,219,636 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 2,888,931

females age 16-49: 3,550,014 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 139,262

female: 133,047 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

0.9% of GDP (Ministry of Defense expenditures) (FY02) country comparison to the world: 145

Transnational Issues ::Kazakhstan

Disputes - international:

Kyrgyzstan has yet to ratify the 2001 boundary delimitation with Kazakhstan; field demarcation of the boundaries with Turkmenistan commenced in 2005, and with Uzbekistan in 2004; demarcation is scheduled to get underway with Russia in 2007; demarcation with China was completed in 2002; creation of a seabed boundary with Turkmenistan in the Caspian Sea remains under discussion; equidistant seabed treaties have been ratified with Azerbaijan and Russia in the Caspian Sea, but no resolution has been made on dividing the water column among any of the littoral states

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 3,700 (Russia); 508 (Afghanistan) (2007)

Illicit drugs:

significant illicit cultivation of cannabis for CIS markets, as well as limited cultivation of opium poppy and ephedra (for the drug ephedrine); limited government eradication of illicit crops; transit point for Southwest Asian narcotics bound for Russia and the rest of Europe; significant consumer of opiates

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Kenya (Africa)

Introduction ::Kenya

Background:

Founding president and liberation struggle icon Jomo KENYATTA led Kenya from independence in 1963 until his death in 1978, when President Daniel Toroitich arap MOI took power in a constitutional succession. The country was a de facto one-party state from 1969 until 1982 when the ruling Kenya African National Union (KANU) made itself the sole legal party in Kenya. MOI acceded to internal and external pressure for political liberalization in late 1991. The ethnically fractured opposition failed to dislodge KANU from power in elections in 1992 and 1997, which were marred by violence and fraud, but were viewed as having generally reflected the will of the Kenyan people. President MOI stepped down in December 2002 following fair and peaceful elections. Mwai KIBAKI, running as the candidate of the multiethnic, united opposition group, the National Rainbow Coalition (NARC), defeated KANU candidate Uhuru KENYATTA and assumed the presidency following a campaign centered on an anticorruption platform. KIBAKI's NARC coalition splintered in 2005 over the constitutional review process. Government defectors joined with KANU to form a new opposition coalition, the Orange Democratic Movement, which defeated the government's draft constitution in a popular referendum in November 2005. KIBAKI's reelection in December 2007 brought charges of vote rigging from ODM candidate Raila ODINGA and unleashed two months of violence in which as many as 1,500 people died. UN-sponsored talks in late February produced a powersharing accord bringing ODINGA into the government in the restored position of prime minister.

Geography ::Kenya

Location:

Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Somalia and
Tanzania

Geographic coordinates:

1 00 N, 38 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 580,367 sq km country comparison to the world: 48 land: 569,140 sq km

water: 11,227 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly more than twice the size of Nevada

Land boundaries:

total: 3,477 km

border countries: Ethiopia 861 km, Somalia 682 km, Sudan 232 km, Tanzania 769 km, Uganda 933 km

Coastline:

536 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:

varies from tropical along coast to arid in interior

Terrain:

low plains rise to central highlands bisected by Great Rift Valley; fertile plateau in west

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mount Kenya 5,199 m

Natural resources:

limestone, soda ash, salt, gemstones, fluorspar, zinc, diatomite, gypsum, wildlife, hydropower

Land use:

arable land: 8.01%

permanent crops: 0.97%

other: 91.02% (2005)

Irrigated land:

1,030 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

30.2 cu km (1990)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 1.58 cu km/yr (30%/6%/64%)

per capita: 46 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

recurring drought; flooding during rainy seasons

Environment - current issues:

water pollution from urban and industrial wastes; degradation of water quality from increased use of pesticides and fertilizers; water hyacinth infestation in Lake Victoria; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; poaching

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

the Kenyan Highlands comprise one of the most successful agricultural production regions in Africa; glaciers are found on Mount Kenya, Africa's second highest peak; unique physiography supports abundant and varied wildlife of scientific and economic value

People ::Kenya

Population:

39,002,772 country comparison to the world: 33 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 42.3% (male 8,300,393/female 8,181,898)

15-64 years: 55.1% (male 10,784,119/female 10,702,999)

65 years and over: 2.6% (male 470,218/female 563,145) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 18.7 years

male: 18.6 years

female: 18.8 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.691% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 25

Birth rate:

36.64 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 31

Death rate:

9.72 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 68

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 77

Urbanization:

urban population: 22% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 54.7 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 44 male: 57.56 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 51.78 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 57.86 years country comparison to the world: 188 male: 57.49 years

female: 58.24 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

4.56 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 38

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

6.7% (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 10

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

1.2 million (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 8

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

150,000 (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 4

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: malaria and Rift Valley fever

water contact disease: schistosomiasis

animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Kenyan(s)

adjective: Kenyan

Ethnic groups:

Kikuyu 22%, Luhya 14%, Luo 13%, Kalenjin 12%, Kamba 11%, Kisii 6%, Meru 6%, other African 15%, non-African (Asian, European, and Arab) 1%

Religions:

Protestant 45%, Roman Catholic 33%, Muslim 10%, indigenous beliefs 10%, other 2%

note: a large majority of Kenyans are Christian, but estimates for the percentage of the population that adheres to Islam or indigenous beliefs vary widely

Languages:

English (official), Kiswahili (official), numerous indigenous languages

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 85.1%

male: 90.6%

female: 79.7% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 10 years

male: 10 years

female: 9 years (2004)

Education expenditures:

6.9% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 27

Government ::Kenya

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Kenya

conventional short form: Kenya

local long form: Republic of Kenya/Jamhuri ya Kenya

local short form: Kenya

former: British East Africa

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Nairobi

geographic coordinates: 1 17 S, 36 49 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

7 provinces and 1 area*; Central, Coast, Eastern, Nairobi Area*, North Eastern, Nyanza, Rift Valley, Western

Independence:

12 December 1963 (from the UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 12 December (1963)

Constitution:

12 December 1963; amended as a republic 1964; reissued with amendments 1979, 1982, 1986, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1997, 2001; note - a new draft constitution was defeated by popular referendum in 2005

Legal system:

based on Kenyan statutory law, Kenyan and English common law, tribal law, and Islamic law; judicial review in High Court; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; constitutional amendment of 1982 making Kenya a de jure one-party state repealed in 1991

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Mwai KIBAKI (since 30 December 2002); Vice President Stephene Kalonzo MUSYOKA (since 10 January 2008);

head of government: President Mwai KIBAKI (since 30 December 2002); Vice President Stephene Kalonzo MUSYOKA (since 10 January 2008); note - the roles of the president and prime minister are not well defined at this juncture; constitutionally, the president remains chief of state and head of government, but the prime minister is charged with coordinating government business

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president and headed by the prime minister, who is the leader of the largest party in parliament

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); in addition to receiving the largest number of votes in absolute terms, the presidential candidate must also win 25% or more of the vote in at least five of Kenya's seven provinces and one area to avoid a runoff; election last held 27 December 2007 (next to be held in December 2012); vice president appointed by the president

election results: President Mwai KIBAKI reelected; percent of vote - Mwai KIBAKI 46%, Raila ODINGA 44%, Kalonzo MUSYOKA 9%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly or Bunge usually referred to as Parliament (224 seats; 210 members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms, 12 nominated members who are appointed by the president but selected by the parties in proportion to their parliamentary vote totals, 2 ex-officio members)

elections: last held 27 December 2007 (next to be held in December 2012)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ODM 99, PNU 46, ODM-K 16, KANU 14 other 35; ex-officio 2; seats appointed by the president - ODM 6, PNU 3, ODM-K 2, KANU 1

Judicial branch:

Court of Appeal (chief justice is appointed by the president); High
Court

Political parties and leaders:

Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-Kenya or FORD-Kenya [Musikari
KOMBO]; Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-People or FORD-People
[Reuben OYONDI]; Kenya African National Union or KANU [Uhuru
KENYATTA]; National Rainbow Coalition-Kenya or NARC-Kenya [Martha
KARUA]; Orange Democratic Movement or ODM [Raila ODINGA]; Orange
Democratic Movement-Kenya or ODM-K [Kalonzo MUSYOKA]; Party of
National Unity or PNU [Mwai KIBAKI]; Shirikisho Party of Kenya or
SPK [Chirau Ali MWAKWERE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Council of Islamic Preachers of Kenya or CIPK [Sheikh Idris
MOHAMMED]; Kenya Human Rights Commission [L. Muthoni WANYEKI];
Muslim Human Rights Forum [Ali-Amin KIMATHI]; National Convention
Executive Council or NCEC, a proreform coalition of political
parties and nongovernment organizations [Ndung'u WAINANA]; National
Muslim Leaders Forum or NAMLEF [Abdullahi ABDI]; Protestant National
Council of Churches of Kenya or NCCK [Canon Peter Karanja MWANGI];
Roman Catholic and other Christian churches; Supreme Council of
Kenya Muslims or SUPKEM [Shaykh Abdul Gafur al-BUSAIDY]

other: labor unions

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, EAC, EADB, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC,
NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL,
UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Peter Rateng Oginga OGEGO

chancery: 2249 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 387-6101

FAX: [1] (202) 462-3829

consulate(s) general: Los Angeles

consulate(s): New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Michael RANNEBERGER

embassy: US Embassy, United Nations Avenue, Nairobi; P. O. Box 606 Village Market, Nairobi 00621

mailing address: Box 21A, Unit 64100, APO AE 09831

telephone: [254] (20) 363-6000

FAX: [254] (20) 363-410

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green; the red band is edged in white; a large warrior's shield covering crossed spears is superimposed at the center

Economy ::Kenya

Economy - overview:

The regional hub for trade and finance in East Africa, Kenya has been hampered by corruption and by reliance upon several primary goods whose prices have remained low. In 1997, the IMF suspended Kenya's Enhanced Structural Adjustment Program due to the government's failure to maintain reforms and curb corruption. A severe drought from 1999 to 2000 compounded Kenya's problems, causing water and energy rationing and reducing agricultural output. As a result, GDP contracted by 0.2% in 2000. The IMF, which had resumed loans in 2000 to help Kenya through the drought, again halted lending in 2001 when the government failed to institute several anticorruption measures. Despite the return of strong rains in 2001, weak commodity prices, endemic corruption, and low investment limited Kenya's economic growth to 1.2%. Growth lagged at 1.1% in 2002 because of erratic rains, low investor confidence, meager donor support, and political infighting up to the elections. In the key December 2002 elections, Daniel Arap MOI's 24-year-old reign ended, and a new opposition government took on the formidable economic problems facing the nation. After some early progress in rooting out corruption and encouraging donor support, the KIBAKI government was rocked by high-level graft scandals in 2005 and 2006. In 2006, the World Bank and IMF delayed loans pending action by the government on corruption. The international financial institutions and donors have since resumed lending, despite little action on the government's part to deal with corruption. Post-election violence in early 2008, coupled with the effects of the global financial crisis on remittance and exports, reduced GDP growth to 2.2% in 2008, down from 7% the previous year.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$61.65 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 84 $60.62 billion (2007 est.)

$56.68 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$29.56 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

1.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 166 7% (2007 est.)

6.4% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,600 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 193 $1,600 (2007 est.)

$1,600 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 23.8%

industry: 16.7%

services: 59.5% (2007 est.)

Labor force:

17.37 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 34

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 75%

industry and services: 25% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate:

40% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 188 40% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:

50% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 1.8%

highest 10%: 37.8% (2005)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

42.5 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 53 44.9 (1997)

Investment (gross fixed):

21.3% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 92

Budget:

revenues: $6.648 billion

expenditures: $8.167 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

60.1% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 24 74.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

26.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 216 9.7% (2007 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

14.02% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 56 13.34% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$6.068 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 52 $5.912 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$5.468 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 66 $6.464 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$10.83 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 69 $10.67 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$10.92 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 71 $13.39 billion (31 December 2007)

$11.38 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

tea, coffee, corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruit, vegetables; dairy products, beef, pork, poultry, eggs

Industries:

small-scale consumer goods (plastic, furniture, batteries, textiles, clothing, soap, cigarettes, flour), agricultural products, horticulture, oil refining; aluminum, steel, lead; cement, commercial ship repair, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:

4.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 52

Electricity - production:

5.223 billion kWh (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 113

Electricity - consumption:

4.863 billion kWh (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 106

Electricity - exports:

58.3 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

22.5 million kWh (2007 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 150

Oil - consumption:

75,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 86

Oil - exports:

7,270 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 100

Oil - imports:

80,530 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 74

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 193

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 174

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 170

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 163

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 158

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 164

Current account balance:

-$1.978 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 139 -$1.102 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$5.04 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 108 $4.123 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

tea, horticultural products, coffee, petroleum products, fish, cement

Exports - partners:

UK 10%, Netherlands 9.2%, Uganda 9%, Tanzania 8.7%, US 6.3%,
Pakistan 5.6% (2008)

Imports:

$10.69 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 90 $8.381 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and transportation equipment, petroleum products, motor vehicles, iron and steel, resins and plastics

Imports - partners:

India 14.1%, UAE 11.5%, China 10%, Saudi Arabia 8%, South Africa 5.7%, Japan 5.1% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$2.879 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 94 $3.355 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$7.855 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 92 $6.713 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$2.541 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 92 $1.891 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$12.4 million (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 81 $31.4 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

Kenyan shillings (KES) per US dollar - 68.358 (2008 est.), 68.309 (2007), 72.101 (2006), 75.554 (2005), 79.174 (2004)

Communications ::Kenya

Telephones - main lines in use:

252,300 (2008) country comparison to the world: 119

Telephones - mobile cellular:

16.234 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 41

Telephone system:

general assessment: inadequate; fixed-line telephone system is small and inefficient; trunks are primarily microwave radio relay; business data commonly transferred by a very small aperture terminal (VSAT) system

domestic: no recent growth in fixed-line infrastructure and the sole provider, Telkom Kenya, is slated for privatization; multiple providers in the mobile-cellular segment of the market fostering a boom in mobile-cellular telephone usage

international: country code - 254; satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 24, FM 82, shortwave 6 (2008)

Television broadcast stations:

8 (2008)

Internet country code:

.ke

Internet hosts:

32,913 (2009) country comparison to the world: 90

Internet users:

3.36 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 56

Transportation ::Kenya

Airports:

181 (2009) country comparison to the world: 33

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 16

over 3,047 m: 4

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 5

914 to 1,523 m: 6 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 165

1,524 to 2,437 m: 10

914 to 1,523 m: 105

under 914 m: 50 (2009)

Pipelines:

oil 4 km; refined products 928 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 2,778 km country comparison to the world: 59 narrow gauge: 2,778 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 63,574 km (interurban roads) country comparison to the world: 70 paved: 9,273 km

unpaved: 54,301 km

note: there also are 114,226 km of unclassified roads, 2,000 km paved and 112,226 unpaved, for a national total of 177,800 km (2008)

Waterways:

part of Lake Victoria system is within boundaries of Kenya (2007)

Merchant marine:

total: 1 country comparison to the world: 160 by type: petroleum tanker 1

registered in other countries: 6 (Bahamas 1, Comoros 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 2, Tuvalu 1, unknown 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Mombasa

Military ::Kenya

Military branches:

Kenyan Armed Forces: Kenyan Army, Kenyan Navy, Kenyan Air Force (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age (est.) for voluntary service, with a 9-year obligation (2007)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 9,044,685

females age 16-49: 8,805,736 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 5,935,480

females age 16-49: 5,662,755 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 412,656

female: 408,657 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

2.8% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 56

Transnational Issues ::Kenya

Disputes - international:

Kenya served as an important mediator in brokering Sudan's north-south separation in February 2005; Kenya provides shelter to almost a quarter of a million refugees, including Ugandans who flee across the border periodically to seek protection from Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) rebels; Kenya works hard to prevent the clan and militia fighting in Somalia from spreading across the border, which has long been open to nomadic pastoralists; the boundary that separates Kenya's and Sudan's sovereignty is unclear in the "Ilemi Triangle," which Kenya has administered since colonial times

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 173,702 (Somalia); 73,004 (Sudan); 16,428 (Ethiopia)

IDPs: 250,000-400,000 (2007 post-election violence; KANU attacks on opposition tribal groups in 1990s) (2007)

Illicit drugs:

widespread harvesting of small plots of marijuana; transit country for South Asian heroin destined for Europe and North America; Indian methaqualone also transits on way to South Africa; significant potential for money-laundering activity given the country's status as a regional financial center; massive corruption, and relatively high levels of narcotics-associated activities

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Kiribati (Australia-Oceania)

Introduction ::Kiribati

Background:

The Gilbert Islands became a British protectorate in 1892 and a colony in 1915; they were captured by the Japanese in the Pacific War in 1941. The islands of Makin and Tarawa were the sites of major US amphibious victories over entrenched Japanese garrisons in 1943. The Gilbert Islands were granted self-rule by the UK in 1971 and complete independence in 1979 under the new name of Kiribati. The US relinquished all claims to the sparsely inhabited Phoenix and Line Island groups in a 1979 treaty of friendship with Kiribati.

Geography ::Kiribati

Location:

Oceania, group of 33 coral atolls in the Pacific Ocean, straddling the Equator; the capital Tarawa is about half way between Hawaii and Australia; note - on 1 January 1995, Kiribati proclaimed that all of its territory was in the same time zone as its Gilbert Islands group (UTC +12) even though the Phoenix Islands and the Line Islands under its jurisdiction were on the other side of the International Date Line

Geographic coordinates:

1 25 N, 173 00 E

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 811 sq km country comparison to the world: 186 land: 811 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: includes three island groups - Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, Phoenix Islands

Area - comparative:

four times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

1,143 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; marine, hot and humid, moderated by trade winds

Terrain:

mostly low-lying coral atolls surrounded by extensive reefs

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed location on Banaba 81 m

Natural resources:

phosphate (production discontinued in 1979)

Land use:

arable land: 2.74%

permanent crops: 47.95%

other: 49.31% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

typhoons can occur any time, but usually November to March; occasional tornadoes; low level of some of the islands make them sensitive to changes in sea level

Environment - current issues:

heavy pollution in lagoon of south Tarawa atoll due to heavy migration mixed with traditional practices such as lagoon latrines and open-pit dumping; ground water at risk

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

21 of the 33 islands are inhabited; Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean - the others are Makatea in French Polynesia, and Nauru

People ::Kiribati

Population:

112,850 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 189

Age structure:

0-14 years: 37.6% (male 21,488/female 20,899)

15-64 years: 59% (male 32,871/female 33,690)

65 years and over: 3.5% (male 1,656/female 2,246) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 20.8 years

male: 20.3 years

female: 21.3 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.235% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 43

Birth rate:

30.2 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 48

Death rate:

7.85 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 112

Net migration rate:

NA (2009 est.)

Urbanization:

urban population: 44% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 43.48 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 61 male: 48.35 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 38.36 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 63.22 years country comparison to the world: 174 male: 60.14 years

female: 66.45 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

4.04 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 47

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: I-Kiribati (singular and plural)

adjective: I-Kiribati

Ethnic groups:

Micronesian 98.8%, other 1.2% (2000 census)

Religions:

Roman Catholic 52%, Protestant (Congregational) 40%, other (includes
Seventh-Day Adventist, Muslim, Baha'i, Latter-day Saints, Church of
God) 8% (1999)

Languages:

I-Kiribati, English (official)

Literacy:

NA

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 12 years

male: 12 years

female: 13 years (2005)

Education expenditures:

17.8% of GDP (2002) country comparison to the world: 1

Government ::Kiribati

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Kiribati

conventional short form: Kiribati

local long form: Republic of Kiribati

local short form: Kiribati

note: pronounced keer-ree-bahss

former: Gilbert Islands

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Tarawa

geographic coordinates: 1 19 N, 172 58 E

time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

3 units; Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, Phoenix Islands; note - in addition, there are 6 districts (Banaba, Central Gilberts, Line Islands, Northern Gilberts, Southern Gilberts, Tarawa) and 21 island councils - one for each of the inhabited islands (Abaiang, Abemama, Aranuka, Arorae, Banaba, Beru, Butaritari, Kanton, Kiritimati, Kuria, Maiana, Makin, Marakei, Nikunau, Nonouti, Onotoa, Tabiteuea, Tabuaeran, Tamana, Tarawa, Teraina)

Independence:

12 July 1979 (from the UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 12 July (1979)

Constitution:

12 July 1979

Legal system:

English common law supplemented by local, customary law

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Anote TONG (since 10 July 2003); Vice President Teima ONORIO; note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Anote TONG (since 10 July 2003); Vice President Teima ONORIO

cabinet: 12-member cabinet appointed by the president from among the members of the House of Parliament

elections: the House of Parliament chooses the presidential candidates from among its members and then those candidates compete in a general election; president is elected by popular vote for a four-year term (eligible for two more terms); election last held 17 October 2007 (next to be held in 2011); vice president appointed by the president

election results: Anote TONG 63.7%, Nabuti MWEMWENIKARAWA 32.9%

Legislative branch:

unicameral House of Parliament or Maneaba Ni Maungatabu (46 seats; 44 members elected by popular vote, 1 ex officio member - the attorney general, 1 nominated by the Rabi Council of Leaders (representing Banaba Island); serve four-year terms)

elections: legislative elections were held in two rounds - the first round on 22 August 2007 and the second round on 30 August 2007 (next to be held in 2011)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA, other 2 (includes attorney general)

Judicial branch:

Court of Appeal; High Court; 26 Magistrates' courts; judges at all levels are appointed by the president

Political parties and leaders:

Boutokaan Te Koaua Party or BTK [Taberannang TIMEON]; Maneaban Te
Mauri Party or MTM [Teburoro TITO]; Maurin Kiribati Pati or MKP;
National Progressive Party or NPP [Dr. Harry TONG]

note: there is no tradition of formally organized political parties in Kiribati; they more closely resemble factions or interest groups because they have no party headquarters, formal platforms, or party structures

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ACP, ADB, C, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
IMO, IOC, ITU, ITUC, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UPU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

Kiribati does not have an embassy in the US; there is an honorary consulate in Honolulu

Diplomatic representation from the US:

the US does not have an embassy in Kiribati; the ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Kiribati

Flag description:

the upper half is red with a yellow frigate bird flying over a yellow rising sun, and the lower half is blue with three horizontal wavy white stripes to represent the ocean

Economy ::Kiribati

Economy - overview:

A remote country of 33 scattered coral atolls, Kiribati has few natural resources and is one of the least developed Pacific Islands. Commercially viable phosphate deposits were exhausted at the time of independence from the UK in 1979. Copra and fish now represent the bulk of production and exports. The economy has fluctuated widely in recent years. Economic development is constrained by a shortage of skilled workers, weak infrastructure, and remoteness from international markets. Tourism provides more than one-fifth of GDP. Private sector initiatives and a financial sector are in the early stages of development. Foreign financial aid from the EU, UK, US, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, UN agencies, and Taiwan accounts for 20-25% of GDP. Remittances from seamen on merchant ships abroad account for more than $5 million each year. Kiribati receives around $15 million annually for the government budget from an Australian trust fund.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$580.8 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 210 $561.7 million (2007 est.)

$564.6 million (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$137 million (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

3.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 113 -0.5% (2007 est.)

3.2% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$5,300 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 137 $5,200 (2007 est.)

$5,400 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 8.9%

industry: 24.2%

services: 66.8% (2004)

Labor force:

7,870 economically active, not including subsistence farmers (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 210

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 2.7%

industry: 32%

services: 65.3% (2000)

Unemployment rate:

2% (1992 est.) country comparison to the world: 18

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $55.52 million

expenditures: $59.71 million (FY05)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

0.2% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 4

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

copra, taro, breadfruit, sweet potatoes, vegetables; fish

Industries:

fishing, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate:

NA

Electricity - production:

14 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 208

Electricity - consumption:

13.02 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 209

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 149

Oil - consumption:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 206

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 174

Oil - imports:

260.8 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 201

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 191

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 172

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 168

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 81

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 156

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 162

Current account balance:

-$21 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 65

Exports:

$17 million (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 206

Exports - commodities:

copra 62%, coconuts, seaweed, fish

Imports:

$62 million (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 212

Imports - commodities:

foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, miscellaneous manufactured goods, fuel

Debt - external:

$10 million (1999 est.) country comparison to the world: 197

Exchange rates:

Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar - 1.2059 (2008 est.), 1.2137 (2007), 1.3285 (2006), 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004)

Communications ::Kiribati

Telephones - main lines in use:

4,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 216

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 218

Telephone system:

general assessment: generally good quality national and international service

domestic: wire line service available on Tarawa and Kiritimati (Christmas Island); connections to outer islands by HF/VHF radiotelephone; wireless service available in Tarawa since 1999

international: country code - 686; Kiribati is being linked to the Pacific Ocean Cooperative Telecommunications Network, which should improve telephone service; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (may be inactive) (2002)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (possibly inactive) (2002)

Internet country code:

.ki

Internet hosts:

41 (2009) country comparison to the world: 212

Internet users:

2,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 209

Transportation ::Kiribati

Airports:

19 (2009) country comparison to the world: 137

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 4

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 15

914 to 1,523 m: 11

under 914 m: 4 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 670 km (2000) country comparison to the world: 189

Waterways:

5 km (small network of canals in Line Islands) (2007) country comparison to the world: 109

Merchant marine:

total: 43 country comparison to the world: 76 by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 18, chemical tanker 3, petroleum tanker 6, refrigerated cargo 14

foreign-owned: 31 (China 15, Hong Kong 4, South Korea 2, Singapore 4, Taiwan 5, Turkey 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Betio

Military ::Kiribati

Military branches:

no regular military forces (constitutionally prohibited); Police Force (2009)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 26,377 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 18,129

females age 16-49: 20,643 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 1,264

female: 1,242 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

NA

Military - note:

Kiribati does not have military forces; defense assistance is provided by Australia and NZ

Transnational Issues ::Kiribati

Disputes - international:

none

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Korea, North (East & Southeast Asia)

Introduction ::Korea, North

Background:

An independent kingdom for much of its long history, Korea was occupied by Japan beginning in 1905 following the Russo-Japanese War. Five years later, Japan formally annexed the entire peninsula. Following World War II, Korea was split with the northern half coming under Soviet-sponsored Communist control. After failing in the Korean War (1950-53) to conquer the US-backed Republic of Korea (ROK) in the southern portion by force, North Korea (DPRK), under its founder President KIM Il Sung, adopted a policy of ostensible diplomatic and economic "self-reliance" as a check against outside influence. The DPRK demonized the US as the ultimate threat to its social system through state-funded propaganda, and molded political, economic, and military policies around the core ideological objective of eventual unification of Korea under Pyongyang's control. KIM's son, the current ruler KIM Jong Il, was officially designated as his father's successor in 1980, assuming a growing political and managerial role until the elder KIM's death in 1994. After decades of economic mismanagement and resource misallocation, the DPRK since the mid-1990s has relied heavily on international aid to feed its population. North Korea's history of regional military provocations, proliferation of military-related items, long-range missile development, WMD programs including nuclear weapons test in 2006 and 2009, and massive conventional armed forces are of major concern to the international community.

Geography ::Korea, North

Location:

Eastern Asia, northern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the
Korea Bay and the Sea of Japan, between China and South Korea

Geographic coordinates:

40 00 N, 127 00 E

Map references:

Asia

Area:

total: 120,538 sq km country comparison to the world: 98 land: 120,408 sq km

water: 130 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Mississippi

Land boundaries:

total: 1,673 km

border countries: China 1,416 km, South Korea 238 km, Russia 19 km

Coastline:

2,495 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

note: military boundary line 50 nm in the Sea of Japan and the exclusive economic zone limit in the Yellow Sea where all foreign vessels and aircraft without permission are banned

Climate:

temperate with rainfall concentrated in summer

Terrain:

mostly hills and mountains separated by deep, narrow valleys; coastal plains wide in west, discontinuous in east

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m

highest point: Paektu-san 2,744 m

Natural resources:

coal, lead, tungsten, zinc, graphite, magnesite, iron ore, copper, gold, pyrites, salt, fluorspar, hydropower

Land use:

arable land: 22.4%

permanent crops: 1.66%

other: 75.94% (2005)

Irrigated land:

14,600 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

77.1 cu km (1999)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 9.02 cu km/yr (20%/25%/55%)

per capita: 401 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

late spring droughts often followed by severe flooding; occasional typhoons during the early fall

Environment - current issues:

water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water; waterborne disease; deforestation; soil erosion and degradation

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:

strategic location bordering China, South Korea, and Russia; mountainous interior is isolated and sparsely populated

People ::Korea, North

Population:

22,665,345 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 50

Age structure:

0-14 years: 21.3% (male 2,440,439/female 2,376,557)

15-64 years: 69.4% (male 7,776,889/female 7,945,399)

65 years and over: 9.4% (male 820,504/female 1,305,557) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 33.5 years

male: 32.1 years

female: 34.9 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.42% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 160

Birth rate:

14.82 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 141

Death rate:

10.52 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 56

Net migration rate:

-0.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 91

Urbanization:

urban population: 63% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 0.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female

total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 51.34 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 49 male: 58.64 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 43.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 63.81 years country comparison to the world: 170 male: 61.23 years

female: 66.53 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.96 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 136

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Korean(s)

adjective: Korean

Ethnic groups:

racially homogeneous; there is a small Chinese community and a few ethnic Japanese

Religions:

traditionally Buddhist and Confucianist, some Christian and syncretic Chondogyo (Religion of the Heavenly Way)

note: autonomous religious activities now almost nonexistent; government-sponsored religious groups exist to provide illusion of religious freedom

Languages:

Korean

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99%

Education expenditures:

NA

Government ::Korea, North

Country name:

conventional long form: Democratic People's Republic of Korea

conventional short form: North Korea

local long form: Choson-minjujuui-inmin-konghwaguk

local short form: Choson

abbreviation: DPRK

Government type:

Communist state one-man dictatorship

Capital:

name: Pyongyang

geographic coordinates: 39 01 N, 125 45 E

time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 2 municipalities (si, singular and plural)

provinces: Chagang-do (Chagang), Hamgyong-bukto (North Hamgyong),
Hamgyong-namdo (South Hamgyong), Hwanghae-bukto (North Hwanghae),
Hwanghae-namdo (South Hwanghae), Kangwon-do (Kangwon),
P'yongan-bukto (North P'yongan), P'yongan-namdo (South P'yongan),
Yanggang-do (Yanggang)

municipalities: Nason-si, P'yongyang-si

Independence:

15 August 1945 (from Japan)

National holiday:

Founding of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), 9
September (1948)

Constitution:

adopted 1948; revised several times

Legal system:

based on Prussian civil law system with Japanese influences and Communist legal theory; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

17 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: KIM Jong Il (since July 1994); note - on 9 April 2009, rubberstamp Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) reelected KIM Jong Il chairman of the National Defense Commission, a position accorded nation's "highest administrative authority"; SPA reelected KIM Yong Nam in 2003 president of its Presidium also with responsibility of representing state and receiving diplomatic credentials

head of government: Premier KIM Yong Il (since 11 April 2007); Vice Premier KWAK Pom Gi (since 5 September 1998), Vice Premier O Su Yong (since 13 April 2009), Vice Premier PAK Su Gil (since 18 September 2009), Vice Premier PAK Myong Su (since 4 September 2009), Vice Premier RO Tu Chol (since 3 September 2003)

cabinet: Naegak (cabinet) members, except for Minister of People's Armed Forces, are appointed by SPA

elections: last held in September 2003; date of next election NA

election results: KIM Jong Il and KIM Yong Nam were only nominees for positions and ran unopposed

Legislative branch:

unicameral Supreme People's Assembly or Ch'oego Inmin Hoeui (687 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 8 March 2009 (next due to be held in March 2014)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; ruling party approves a list of candidates who are elected without opposition; a token number of seats are reserved for minor parties

Judicial branch:

Central Court (judges are elected by the Supreme People's Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:

major party - Korean Workers' Party or KWP [KIM Jong Il]; minor parties - Chondoist Chongu Party [RYU Mi Yong] (under KWP control), Social Democratic Party [KIM Yong Dae] (under KWP control)

Political pressure groups and leaders:

none

International organization participation:

ARF, FAO, G-77, ICAO, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, IMO, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none; North Korea has a Permanent Mission to the UN in New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none; note - Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang represents the US as consular protecting power

Flag description:

three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple width), and blue; the red band is edged in white; on the hoist side of the red band is a white disk with a red five-pointed star

Economy ::Korea, North

Economy - overview:

North Korea, one of the world's most centrally directed and least open economies, faces chronic economic problems. Industrial capital stock is nearly beyond repair as a result of years of underinvestment and shortages of spare parts. Large-scale military spending draws off resources needed for investment and civilian consumption. Industrial and power output have declined in parallel from pre-1990 levels. Severe flooding in the summer of 2007 aggravated chronic food shortages caused by on-going systemic problems including a lack of arable land, collective farming practices, and persistent shortages of tractors and fuel. Large-scale international food aid deliveries have allowed the people of North Korea to escape widespread starvation since famine threatened in 1995, but the population continues to suffer from prolonged malnutrition and poor living conditions. Since 2002, the government has allowed private "farmers' markets" to begin selling a wider range of goods. It also permitted some private farming - on an experimental basis - in an effort to boost agricultural output. In October 2005, the government tried to reverse some of these policies by forbidding private sales of grains and reinstituting a centralized food rationing system. By December 2005, the government terminated most international humanitarian assistance operations in North Korea (calling instead for developmental assistance only) and restricted the activities of remaining international and non-governmental aid organizations such as the World Food Program. External food aid now comes primarily from China and South Korea in the form of grants and long-term concessional loans. In May 2008, the US agreed to give 500,000 metric tons of food to North Korea via the World Food Program and US nongovernmental organizations; Pyongyang began receiving these shipments in mid-2008. During the October 2007 summit, South Korea also agreed to develop some of North Korea's infrastructure, natural resources, and light industry, but inter-Korean economic cooperation slowed in 2008 as Pyongyang restricted tourism and manufacturing joint ventures in the North, and food aid from South Korea was suspended. Firm political control remains the Communist government's overriding concern, which will likely inhibit the loosening of economic regulations.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$40 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 96 note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$26.2 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

3.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 107

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,800 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 189 note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 23.3%

industry: 43.1%

services: 33.6% (2002 est.)

Labor force:

20 million country comparison to the world: 31 note: estimates vary widely (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 37%

industry and services: 63% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:

NA%

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $2.88 billion

expenditures: $2.98 billion (2005)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

NA%

Agriculture - products:

rice, corn, potatoes, soybeans, pulses; cattle, pigs, pork, eggs

Industries:

military products; machine building, electric power, chemicals; mining (coal, iron ore, limestone, magnesite, graphite, copper, zinc, lead, and precious metals), metallurgy; textiles, food processing; tourism

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

20.9 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 71

Electricity - consumption:

17.49 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 70

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

120.7 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 110

Oil - consumption:

16,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 130

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 175

Oil - imports:

13,890 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 130

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl country comparison to the world: 192

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 173

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 169

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 82

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 157

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 163

Exports:

$1.684 billion (2007) country comparison to the world: 136

Exports - commodities:

minerals, metallurgical products, manufactures (including armaments), textiles, agricultural and fishery products

Exports - partners:

South Korea 45%, China 35%, India 5% (2007)

Imports:

$3.055 billion (2007) country comparison to the world: 140 $2.879 billion (2006)

Imports - commodities:

petroleum, coking coal, machinery and equipment, textiles, grain

Imports - partners:

China 46%, South Korea 34%, Thailand 6%, Russia 4% (2007)

Debt - external:

$12.5 billion (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 80

Exchange rates:

North Korean won (KPW) per US dollar - 140 (2007), 141 (2006), 170
(December 2004), market rate: North Korean won per US dollar - 3,400
(October 2008)

Communications ::Korea, North

Telephones - main lines in use:

1.18 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 71

Telephone system:

general assessment: inadequate system; currently mobile cellular telephone services are available in Pyongyang only

domestic: fiber-optic links installed between cities; telephone directories unavailable; mobile cellular service, initiated in 2002, suspended in 2004; Orascom Telecom, an Egyptian company, launched mobile service on December 15, 2008 for the Pyongyang area only

international: country code - 850; satellite earth stations - 2 (1 Intelsat - Indian Ocean, 1 Russian - Indian Ocean region); other international connections through Moscow and Beijing (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 17 (including 11 stations of Korean Central Broadcasting Station; North Korea has a "national intercom" cable radio station wired throughout the country that is a significant source of information for the average North Korean citizen; it is wired into most residences and workplaces and carries news and commentary), FM 14, shortwave 14 (2006)

Television broadcast stations:

4 (includes Korean Central Television, Mansudae Television, Korean Educational and Cultural Network, and Kaesong Television targeting South Korea) (2003)

Internet country code:

.kp

Internet hosts:

3 (2009) country comparison to the world: 227

Transportation ::Korea, North

Airports:

79 (2009) country comparison to the world: 70

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 37

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 22

1,524 to 2,437 m: 8

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 4 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 42

2,438 to 3,047 m: 3

1,524 to 2,437 m: 17

914 to 1,523 m: 14

under 914 m: 8 (2009)

Heliports:

22 (2009)

Pipelines:

oil 154 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 5,235 km country comparison to the world: 34 standard gauge: 5,235 km 1.435-m gauge (3,500 km electrified) (2006)

Roadways:

total: 25,554 km country comparison to the world: 104 paved: 724 km

unpaved: 24,830 km (2006)

Waterways:

2,250 km (most navigable only by small craft) (2008) country comparison to the world: 39

Merchant marine:

total: 167 country comparison to the world: 39 by type: bulk carrier 11, cargo 121, carrier 1, chemical tanker 4, container 3, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 19, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 1

foreign-owned: 19 (Egypt 1, Greece 1, Lebanon 1, Lithuania 1, Romania 4, Syria 1, UAE 8, Yemen 2)

registered in other countries: 2 (Mongolia 1, Panama 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Ch'ongjin, Haeju, Hungnam (Hamhung), Kimch'aek, Kosong, Najin,
Namp'o, Sinuiju, Songnim, Sonbong (formerly Unggi), Ungsang, Wonsan

Military ::Korea, North

Military branches:

North Korean People's Army: Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force; civil security forces (2005)

Military service age and obligation:

17 years of age (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 6,225,747

females age 16-49: 6,188,270 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 4,104,964

females age 16-49: 4,492,374 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 191,759

female: 184,641 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

NA

Transnational Issues ::Korea, North

Disputes - international:

risking arrest, imprisonment, and deportation, tens of thousands of North Koreans cross into China to escape famine, economic privation, and political oppression; North Korea and China dispute the sovereignty of certain islands in Yalu and Tumen rivers; Military Demarcation Line within the 4-km wide Demilitarized Zone has separated North from South Korea since 1953; periodic incidents in the Yellow Sea with South Korea which claims the Northern Limiting Line as a maritime boundary; North Korea supports South Korea in rejecting Japan's claim to Liancourt Rocks (Tok-do/Take-shima)

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

IDPs: undetermined (flooding in mid-2007 and famine during mid-1990s) (2007)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: North Korea is a source country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation; the most common form of trafficking involves North Korean women and girls who cross the border into China voluntarily; additionally, North Korean women and girls are lured out of North Korea to escape poor social and economic conditions by the promise of food, jobs, and freedom, only to be forced into prostitution, marriage, or exploitative labor arrangements once in China

tier rating: Tier 3 - North Korea does not fully comply with minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; the government does not acknowledge the existence of human rights abuses in the country or recognize trafficking, either within the country or transnationally; North Korea has not ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2008)

Illicit drugs:

for years, from the 1970s into the 2000s, citizens of the Democratic People's Republic of (North) Korea (DPRK), many of them diplomatic employees of the government, were apprehended abroad while trafficking in narcotics, including two in Turkey in December 2004; police investigations in Taiwan and Japan in recent years have linked North Korea to large illicit shipments of heroin and methamphetamine, including an attempt by the North Korean merchant ship Pong Su to deliver 150 kg of heroin to Australia in April 2003

page last updated on November 12, 2009

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

@Korea, South (East & Southeast Asia)

Introduction ::Korea, South

Background:

An independent Korean state or collection of states has existed almost continuously for several millennia. Between its initial unification in the 7th century - from three predecessor Korean states - until the 20th century, Korea existed as a single independent country. In 1905, following the Russo-Japanese War, Korea became a protectorate of imperial Japan, and in 1910 it was annexed as a colony. Korea regained its independence following Japan's surrender to the United States in 1945. After World War II, a Republic of Korea (ROK) was set up in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula while a Communist-style government was installed in the north (the DPRK). During the Korean War (1950-53), US troops and UN forces fought alongside soldiers from the ROK to defend South Korea from DPRK attacks supported by China and the Soviet Union. An armistice was signed in 1953, splitting the peninsula along a demilitarized zone at about the 38th parallel. Thereafter, South Korea achieved rapid economic growth with per capita income rising to roughly 14 times the level of North Korea. In 1993, KIM Young-sam became South Korea's first civilian president following 32 years of military rule. South Korea today is a fully functioning modern democracy. In June 2000, a historic first North-South summit took place between the South's President KIM Dae-jung and the North's leader KIM Jong Il. In October 2007, a second North-South summit took place between the South's President ROH Moo-hyun and the North Korean leader. Harsh rhetoric and unwillingness by North Korea to engage with President LEE Myung-bak following his February 2008 inauguration has strained inter-Korean relations.

Geography ::Korea, South

Location:

Eastern Asia, southern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the
Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea

Geographic coordinates:

37 00 N, 127 30 E

Map references:

Asia

Area:

total: 99,720 sq km country comparison to the world: 108 land: 96,920 sq km

water: 2,800 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than Indiana

Land boundaries:

total: 238 km

border countries: North Korea 238 km

Coastline:

2,413 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm; between 3 nm and 12 nm in the Korea Strait

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: not specified

Climate:

temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter

Terrain:

mostly hills and mountains; wide coastal plains in west and south

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m

highest point: Halla-san 1,950 m

Natural resources:

coal, tungsten, graphite, molybdenum, lead, hydropower potential

Land use:

arable land: 16.58%

permanent crops: 2.01%

other: 81.41% (2005)

Irrigated land:

8,780 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

69.7 cu km (1999)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 18.59 cu km/yr (36%/16%/48%)

per capita: 389 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

occasional typhoons bring high winds and floods; low-level seismic activity common in southwest

Environment - current issues:

air pollution in large cities; acid rain; water pollution from the discharge of sewage and industrial effluents; drift net fishing

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

strategic location on Korea Strait

People ::Korea, South

Population:

48,508,972 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 25

Age structure:

0-14 years: 16.8% (male 4,278,581/female 3,887,516)

15-64 years: 72.3% (male 17,897,053/female 17,196,840)

65 years and over: 10.8% (male 2,104,589/female 3,144,393) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 37.3 years

male: 36 years

female: 38.5 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.266% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 178

Birth rate:

8.93 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 212

Death rate:

5.94 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 165

Net migration rate:

-0.33 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 102

Urbanization:

urban population: 81% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 0.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 4.26 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 204 male: 4.49 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 78.72 years country comparison to the world: 40 male: 75.45 years

female: 82.22 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.21 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 218

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 151

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

13,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 93

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 500 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 94

Nationality:

noun: Korean(s)

adjective: Korean

Ethnic groups:

homogeneous (except for about 20,000 Chinese)

Religions:

Christian 26.3% (Protestant 19.7%, Roman Catholic 6.6%), Buddhist 23.2%, other or unknown 1.3%, none 49.3% (1995 census)

Languages:

Korean, English widely taught in junior high and high school

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 97.9%

male: 99.2%

female: 96.6% (2002)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 17 years

male: 18 years

female: 15 years (2007)

Education expenditures:

4.6% of GDP (2004) country comparison to the world: 85

Government ::Korea, South

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Korea

conventional short form: South Korea

local long form: Taehan-min'guk

local short form: Han'guk

abbreviation: ROK

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Seoul

geographic coordinates: 37 33 N, 126 59 E

time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 7 metropolitan cities (gwangyoksi, singular and plural)

provinces: Cheju-do, Cholla-bukto (North Cholla), Cholla-namdo
(South Cholla), Ch'ungch'ong-bukto (North Ch'ungch'ong),
Ch'ungch'ong-namdo (South Ch'ungch'ong), Kangwon-do, Kyonggi-do,
Kyongsang-bukto (North Kyongsang), Kyongsang-namdo (South Kyongsang)

metropolitan cities: Inch'on-gwangyoksi, Kwangju-gwangyoksi, Pusan-gwangyoksi, Soul-t'ukpyolsi, Taegu-gwangyoksi, Taejon-gwangyoksi, Ulsan-gwangyoksi

Independence:

15 August 1945 (from Japan)

National holiday:

Liberation Day, 15 August (1945)

Constitution:

17 July 1948; note - amended or rewritten nine times; current constitution approved on 29 October 1987

Legal system:

combines elements of continental European civil law systems, Anglo-American law, and Chinese classical thought; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

19 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President LEE Myung-bak (since 25 February 2008)

head of government: Prime Minister CHUNG Un-chan (since 30 September 2009)

cabinet: State Council appointed by the president on the prime minister's recommendation

elections: president elected by popular vote for a single five-year term; election last held 19 December 2007 (next to be held in December 2012); prime minister appointed by president with consent of National Assembly

election results: LEE Myung-bak elected president on 19 December 2007; percent of vote - LEE Myung-bak (GNP) 48.7%; CHUNG Dong-young (UNDP) 26.1%); LEE Hoi-chang (independent) 15.1; others 10.1%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly or Kukhoe (299 seats; 243 members elected in single-seat constituencies, 56 elected by proportional representation; to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 9 April 2008 (next to be held in April 2012)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - GNP 172, UDP 83, LFP 20, Pro-Park Alliance 8, DLP 5, CKP 1, independents 9

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (justices appointed by the president with consent of
National Assembly); Constitutional Court (justices appointed by the
president based partly on nominations by National Assembly and Chief
Justice of the court)

Political parties and leaders:

Democratic Party or DP [CHUNG Sye-kyun] (formerly the United
Democratic Party or UDP); Democratic Labor Party or DLP [KANG
Ki-kabi]; Grand National Party or GNP [CHUNG Mong-joon]; Liberty
Forward Party or LFP [LEE Hoi-chang]; Pro-Park Alliance or PPA [SUH
Choung-won]; Renewal Korea Party or RKP [MOON Kook-hyun]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Federation of Korean Industries; Federation of Korean Trade Unions;
Korean Confederation of Trade Unions; Korean National Council of
Churches; Korean Traders Association; Korean Veterans' Association;
National Council of Labor Unions; National Democratic Alliance of
Korea; National Federation of Farmers' Associations; National
Federation of Student Associations

International organization participation:

ADB, AfDB (nonregional member), APEC, APT, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue
partner), Australia Group, BIS, CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO, G-20, IADB,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC,
LAIA, MIGA, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE (partner),
PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,
UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador HAN Duck-soo

chancery: 2450 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 939-5600

FAX: [1] (202) 387-0205

consulate(s) general: Agana (Guam), Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Seattle

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Kathleen STEPHENS

embassy: 32 Sejongno, Jongno-gu, Seoul 110-710

mailing address: US Embassy Seoul, APO AP 96205-5550

telephone: [82] (2) 397-4114

FAX: [82] (2) 738-8845

Flag description:

white with a red (top) and blue yin-yang symbol in the center; there is a different black trigram from the ancient I Ching (Book of Changes) in each corner of the white field

Economy ::Korea, South

Economy - overview:

Since the 1960s, South Korea has achieved an incredible record of growth and integration into the high-tech modern world economy. Four decades ago, GDP per capita was comparable with levels in the poorer countries of Africa and Asia. In 2004, South Korea joined the trillion dollar club of world economies. In 2008, its GDP per capita was roughly the same as that of the Czech Republic and New Zealand. Initially, this success was achieved by a system of close government/business ties including directed credit, import restrictions, sponsorship of specific industries, and a strong labor effort. The government promoted the import of raw materials and technology at the expense of consumer goods and encouraged savings and investment over consumption. The Asian financial crisis of 1997-98 exposed longstanding weaknesses in South Korea's development model including high debt/equity ratios, massive foreign borrowing, and an undisciplined financial sector. GDP plunged by 6.9% in 1998, then recovered by 9% in 1999-2000. Korea adopted numerous economic reforms following the crisis, including greater openness to foreign investment and imports. Growth fell back to 3.3% in 2001 because of the slowing global economy, falling exports, and the perception that much-needed corporate and financial reforms had stalled. Led by consumer spending and exports, growth in 2002 was an impressive 7% despite anemic global growth. Between 2003 and 2007, growth moderated to about 4-5% annually. A downturn in consumer spending was offset by rapid export growth. In 2008, inflation increased in the face of rising oil and food prices before easing in the fourth quarter. Korea was hit hard by the global financial turmoil that began in September 2008. Stock prices fell by more than 40% for the year and the value of the won fell by approximately 26%. Korean GDP shrank in the fourth quarter and GDP growth for the year was just 2.2%. The Korean government adopted several measures to combat the credit crunch and stimulate the economy.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$1.338 trillion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 14 $1.309 trillion (2007 est.)

$1.245 trillion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$929.1 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 155 5.1% (2007 est.)

5.2% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$27,700 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 50 $27,100 (2007 est.)

$25,900 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 3%

industry: 39.5%

services: 57.6% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

24.35 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 24

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 7.2%

industry: 25.1%

services: 67.7% (2007)

Unemployment rate:

3.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 37 3.3% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

15% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.7%

highest 10%: 24.2% (2007)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

31.3 (2007) country comparison to the world: 105 35.8 (2000)

Investment (gross fixed):

27.1% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 38

Budget:

revenues: $227.5 billion

expenditures: $216.7 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

24.4% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 84 21.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

4.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 82 2.5% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

1.75% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 131 3.25% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

7.17% (31 December 2008)

Stock of money:

$80.66 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 15 $92.59 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$478 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 8 $541.7 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$937 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 12 $1.061 trillion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$494.6 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 16 $1.124 trillion (31 December 2007)

$835.2 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

rice, root crops, barley, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs, chickens, milk, eggs; fish

Industries:

electronics, telecommunications, automobile production, chemicals, shipbuilding, steel

Industrial production growth rate:

2.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 101

Electricity - production:

440 billion kWh (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 10

Electricity - consumption:

385.1 billion kWh (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 11

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

30,440 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 69

Oil - consumption:

2.175 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 11

Oil - exports:

800,000 bbl/day country comparison to the world: 22 note: exports consist of oil derivatives (gasoline, light oil, and diesel), not crude oil (2008 est.)

Oil - imports:

2.982 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 5

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl country comparison to the world: 190

Natural gas - production:

443 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 68

Natural gas - consumption:

34.76 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 25

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 80

Natural gas - imports:

36.21 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 11

Natural gas - proved reserves:

50 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 64

Current account balance:

-$6.349 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 161 $5.954 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$433.5 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 12 $379 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

semiconductors, wireless telecommunications equipment, motor vehicles, computers, steel, ships, petrochemicals

Exports - partners:

China 21.4%, US 10.9%, Japan 6.6%, Hong Kong 4.6% (2008)

Imports:

$427.4 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 10 $349.6 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery, electronics and electronic equipment, oil, steel, transport equipment, organic chemicals, plastics

Imports - partners:

China 17.7%, Japan 14%, US 8.9%, Saudi Arabia 7.8%, UAE 4.4%,
Australia 4.1% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$201.2 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 6 $262.2 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$381.1 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 24 $383.2 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$124.2 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 27 $122 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$74.6 billion (30 June 2008) country comparison to the world: 26 $82.1 billion (2006)

Exchange rates:

South Korean won (KRW) per US dollar - 1,101.7 (2008 est.), 929.2 (2007), 954.8 (2006), 1,024.1 (2005), 1,145.3 (2004)

Communications ::Korea, South

Telephones - main lines in use:

21.325 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 13

Telephones - mobile cellular:

45.607 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 23

Telephone system:

general assessment: excellent domestic and international services featuring rapid incorporation of new technologies

domestic: fixed-line and mobile-cellular services wide available with a combined telephone subscribership of roughly 140 per 100 persons; rapid assimilation of a full range of telecommunications technologies leading to a boom in e-commerce

international: country code - 82; numerous submarine cables provide links throughout Asia, Australia, the Middle East, Europe, and US; satellite earth stations - 66

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 96, FM 322, shortwave 1 (2008)

Television broadcast stations:

57 (plus 103 cable operators and 119 relay cable operators) (2008)

Internet country code:

.kr

Internet hosts:

301,270 (2009) country comparison to the world: 54

Internet users:

37.476 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 10

Transportation ::Korea, South

Airports:

116 (2009) country comparison to the world: 53

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 72

over 3,047 m: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 22

1,524 to 2,437 m: 13

914 to 1,523 m: 12

under 914 m: 22 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 44

914 to 1,523 m: 2

under 914 m: 42 (2009)

Heliports:

516 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 1,423 km; refined products 827 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 3,381 km country comparison to the world: 51 standard gauge: 3,381 km 1.435-m gauge (1,843 km electrified) (2008)

Roadways:

total: 103,029 km country comparison to the world: 40 paved: 80,642 km (includes 3,367 km of expressways)

unpaved: 22,387 km (2008)

Waterways:

1,608 km (most navigable only by small craft) (2008) country comparison to the world: 50

Merchant marine:

total: 812 country comparison to the world: 14 by type: bulk carrier 212, cargo 226, carrier 2, chemical tanker 133, container 80, liquefied gas 33, passenger 5, passenger/cargo 26, petroleum tanker 61, refrigerated cargo 16, roll on/roll off 9, specialized tanker 4, vehicle carrier 5

foreign-owned: 31 (China 1, Japan 20, Norway 2, UK 1, US 7)

registered in other countries: 363 (Belize 1, Cambodia 22, China 1, Cyprus 1, Honduras 6, Hong Kong 3, Kiribati 2, Liberia 3, Malta 2, Marshall Islands 10, Mongolia 1, Netherlands 1, Panama 303, Russia 1, Singapore 3, Tuvalu 1, unknown 2) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Inch'on, P'ohang, Pusan, Ulsan

Military ::Korea, South

Military branches:

Republic of Korea Army, Navy (includes Marine Corps), Air Force (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

20-30 years of age for compulsory military service, with middle school education required; conscript service obligation - 24-28 months, depending on the military branch involved (to be reduced to 18 months beginning 2016); 18-26 years of age for voluntary military service; women, in service since 1950, admitted to 7 service branches, including infantry, but excluded from artillery, armor, anti-air, and chaplaincy corps; some 4,000 women serve as commissioned and noncommissioned officers, approx. 2.3% of all officers (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 13,691,809

females age 16-49: 13,029,859 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 10,991,263

females age 16-49: 10,356,604 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 371,728

female: 322,605 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

2.7% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 58

Transnational Issues ::Korea, South

Disputes - international:

Military Demarcation Line within the 4-km wide Demilitarized Zone has separated North from South Korea since 1953; periodic incidents with North Korea in the Yellow Sea over the Northern Limiting Line, which South Korea claims as a maritime boundary; South Korea and Japan claim Liancourt Rocks (Tok-do/Take-shima), occupied by South Korea since 1954

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Kosovo (Europe)

Introduction ::Kosovo

Background:

Ethnic Serbs migrated to the territories of modern Kosovo in the 7th century but did not fully incorporate them into the Serbian realm until the early 13th century. The defeat of the Serbian empire at the Battle of Kosovo in 1389 led to five centuries of Ottoman rule during which large numbers of Turks and Albanians moved to Kosovo. By the end of the 19th century, Albanians replaced the Serbs as the dominant ethnic group in Kosovo. Serbia reacquired control over Kosovo from the Ottoman Empire during the First Balkan War of 1912. Kosovo became an autonomous province of Serbia with status almost equivalent to that of a republic under the 1974 Constitution of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Despite legislative concessions, Albanian nationalism increased in the 1980s, which led to riots and calls for Kosovo's independence. At the same time, Serb nationalist leaders, such as Slobodan MILOSEVIC, exploited Kosovo Serb claims of maltreatment to secure votes from supporters, many of whom viewed Kosovo as their cultural heartland. Under MILOSEVIC's leadership, Serbia instituted a new constitution in 1989 that revoked Kosovo's status as an autonomous province of Serbia. Kosovo Albanian leaders responded in 1991 by organizing a referendum that declared Kosovo independent. Under MILOSEVIC, Serbia carried out repressive measures against the Albanians in the early 1990s as the unofficial Kosovo government, led by Ibrahim RUGOVA, used passive resistance in an attempt to try to gain international assistance and recognition of an independent Kosovo. Albanians dissatisfied with RUGOVA's passive strategy in the 1990s created the Kosovo Liberation Army and launched an insurgency. Starting in 1998, Serbian military, police, and paramilitary forces conducted a counterinsurgency campaign that resulted in massacres and massive expulsions of ethnic Albanians. International attempts to mediate the conflict failed, and MILOSEVIC's rejection of a proposed settlement led to a three-month NATO bombing campaign against Serbia beginning in March 1999 that forced Serbia to agree to withdraw its military and police forces from Kosovo. UN Security Council Resolution 1244 (1999) placed Kosovo under a transitional administration, the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), pending a determination of Kosovo's future status. A UN-led process began in late 2005 to determine Kosovo's final status. The negotiations ran in stages between 2006 and 2007, but ended without agreement between Belgrade and Pristina. On 17 February 2008, the Kosovo Assembly declared Kosovo independent. Since then, over fifty countries have recognized Kosovo. Serbia continues to reject Kosovo's independence and subsequently has sought an advisory opinion with the backing of the General Assembly from the International Court of Justice on the legality under international law of Kosovo's independence declaration.

Geography ::Kosovo

Location:

Southeast Europe, between Serbia and Macedonia

Geographic coordinates:

42 35 N, 21 00 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 10,887 sq km country comparison to the world: 168 land: 10,887 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than Delaware

Land boundaries:

total: 702 km

border countries: Albania 112 km, Macedonia 159 km, Montenegro 79 km, Serbia 352 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

influenced by continental air masses resulting in relatively cold winters with heavy snowfall and hot, dry summers and autumns; Mediterranean and alpine influences create regional variation; maximum rainfall between October and December

Terrain:

flat fluvial basin with an elevation of 400-700 m above sea level surrounded by several high mountain ranges with elevations of 2,000 to 2,500 m

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Drini i Bardhe/Beli Drim 297 m (located on the border with Albania)

highest point: Gjeravica/Deravica 2,656 m

Natural resources:

nickel, lead, zinc, magnesium, lignite, kaolin, chrome, bauxite

People ::Kosovo

Population:

1,804,838 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 147

Age structure:

0-14 years: 27.7% (male 260,678/female 239,779)

15-64 years: 65.7% (male 617,890/female 567,939)

65 years and over: 6.6% (male 50,463/female 68,089) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 25.9 years

male: 25.4 years

female: 26.4 years (2009 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.09 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.09 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female

total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Kosovar (Albanian), Kosovac (Serbian)

adjective: Kosovar (Albanian), Kosovski (Serbian)

note: Kosovan, a neutral term, is sometimes also used as a noun or adjective

Ethnic groups:

Albanians 88%, Serbs 7%, other 5% (Bosniak, Gorani, Roma, Turk,
Ashkali, Egyptian)

Religions:

Muslim, Serbian Orthodox, Roman Catholic

Languages:

Albanian (official), Serbian (official), Bosnian, Turkish, Roma

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 91.9%

male: 96.6%

female: 87.5% (2007 Census)

Government ::Kosovo

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Kosovo

conventional short form: Kosovo

local long form: Republika e Kosoves (Republika Kosovo)

local short form: Kosova (Kosovo)

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Pristina (Prishtine, Prishtina)

geographic coordinates: 42 40 N, 21 10 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

30 municipalities (komunat, singular - komuna in Albanian; opstine,
singular - opstina in Serbian); Decan (Decani), Dragash (Dragas),
Ferizaj (Urosevac), Fushe Kosove (Kosovo Polje), Gjakove (Dakovica),
Gjilan (Gnjilane), Gllogovc/Drenas (Glogovac), Istog (Istok),
Kacanik, Kamenice/Dardana (Kamenica), Kline (Klina), Leposaviq
(Leposavic), Lipjan (Lipljan), Malisheve (Malisevo), Mitrovice
(Mitrovica), Novoberde (Novo Brdo), Obiliq (Obilic), Peje (Pec),
Podujeve (Podujevo), Prishtine (Pristina), Prizren, Rahovec
(Orahovac), Shterpce (Strpce), Shtime (Stimlje), Skenderaj (Srbica),
Suhareke (Suva Reka), Viti (Vitina), Vushtrri (Vucitrn), Zubin
Potok, Zvecan

Independence:

17 February 2008 (from Serbia)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 17 February (2008)

Constitution:

adopted by the Kosovo Assembly on 9 April 2008; effective 15 June 2008

Legal system:

evolving legal system based on terms of UN Special Envoy Martti AHTISAARI's Plan for Kosovo's supervised independence

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Fatmir SEJDIU (since 10 February 2006)

head of government: Prime Minister Hashim THACI (since 9 January 2008)

cabinet: ministers; elected by the Kosovo Assembly

elections: the president is elected for a five-year term by the Kosovo Assembly; election last held 9 January 2008 (next to be held by in 2013); the prime minister is elected by the Kosovo Assembly

election results: Fatmir SEJDIU reelected president after three rounds; Hashim THACI elected prime minister by the Assembly

Legislative branch:

unicameral national Assembly (120 seats; 100 seats directly elected, 10 seats guaranteed for ethnic Serbs, 10 seats guaranteed for other ethnic minorities; to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 17 November 2007 (next to be held in 2011)

election results: percent of vote by party - PDK 34.3%, LDK 22.6%, AKR 12.3%, LDD 10.0%, AAK 9.6%, other 11.2%; seats by party - PDK 37, LDK 25, AKR 13, LDD 11, AAK 10, other 4

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court; district courts; municipal courts

note: the Kosovo Constitution dictates that the Supreme Court of Kosovo is the highest judicial authority, and provides for a Kosovo Judicial Council (KJC) that proposes to the president candidates for appointment or reappointment as judges and prosecutors; the KJC is also responsible for decisions on the promotion and transfer of judges and disciplinary proceedings against judges; at least 15 percent of Supreme Court and district court judges shall be from non-majority communities

Political parties and leaders:

Albanian Christian Democratic Party of Kosovo or PShDK [Tome MARKU];
Alliance for the Future of Kosovo or AAK [Ramush HARADINAJ];
Alliance for a New Kosovo or AKR [Behgjet PACOLLI]; Alliance of
Independent Social Democrats of Kosovo and Metohija or SDSKIM
[Slavisa PETKOVIC]; Autonomous Liberal Party of SLS [Slobodan
PETROVIC]; Bosniak Vakat Coalition [Dzezair MURATI]; Citizens'
Initiative of Gora or GIG [Murselj HALJILJI]; Council of Independent
Social Democrats of Kosovo or SNSDKIM [Ljubisa ZIVIC]; Democratic
Action Party or SDA [Numan BALIC]; Democratic Ashkali Party of
Kosovo or PDAK; Democratic League of Dardania or LDD [Nexhat DACI];
Democratic League of Kosovo or LDK [Fatmir SEJDIU]; Democratic Party
of Ashkali of Kosovo or PDAK [Sabit RAHMANI]; Democratic Party of
Kosovo or PDK [Hashim THACI]; Democratic Party Vatan [Sadik IDRIZI];
Democratic Union of Ashkalis or BDA [Sabit RRAHMANI]; Justice Party
or PD [Sylejman QERKEZI]; Kosovo Democratic Turkish Party of KDTP
[Mahir YAGCILAR]; Liberal Party of Kosovo or PLK [Gjergi DEDAJ]; New
Democratic Initiative of Kosovo or IRDK [Xhevdet NEZIRAJ]; New
Democratic Party or ND [Branislav GRBIC]; New Kosovo Alliance or AKR
[Behxhet PACOLLI]; Popular Movement of Kosovo or LPK [Emrush
XHEMAJLI]; Reform Party Ora [Teuta SAHATCIA]; Serb National Party or
SNS [Mihailo SCEPANOVIC]; Serbian Kosovo and Metohija Party or SKMS
[Dragisa MIRIC]; Serbian List for Kosovo and Metohija [Oliver
IVANOVIC]; Social Democratic Party of Kosovo or PSDK [Agim CEKU];
United Roma Party of Kosovo or PREBK [Haxhi Zylfi MERXHA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Council for the Defense of Human Rights and Freedom (human rights);
Humanitarian Law Centre (human rights); Movement for
Self-Determination; Serb National Council (SNV)

International organization participation:

ITUC, WFTU

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Avni SPAHIU

chancery: 900 19th Street, NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 2006

telephone: 202-436-3581

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Tina KAIDANOW

embassy: Arberia/Dragodan, Nazim Hikmet 30, Pristina, Kosovo

mailing address: use embassy street address

telephone: [381] 38 59 59 3000

FAX: [381] 38 549 890

Flag description:

centered on a dark blue field is the geographical shape of Kosovo in a gold color surmounted by six white, five-pointed stars - each representing one of the major ethnic groups of Kosovo - arrayed in a slight arc

Economy ::Kosovo

Economy - overview:

Over the past few years Kosovo's economy has shown significant progress in transitioning to a market-based system and maintaining macroeconomic stability, but it is still highly dependent on the international community and the diaspora for financial and technical assistance. Remittances from the diaspora - located mainly in Germany and Switzerland - are estimated to account for about 15% of GDP, and donor-financed activities and aid for another 15%. Kosovo's citizens are the poorest in Europe with an average annual per capita income of only $2,300. Unemployment, around 40% of the population, is a significant problem that encourages outward migration and black market activity. Most of Kosovo's population lives in rural towns outside of the capital, Pristina. Inefficient, near-subsistence farming is common - the result of small plots, limited mechanization, and lack of technical expertise. With international assistance, Kosovo has been able to privatize 50% of its state-owned enterprises (SOEs) by number, and over 90% of SOEs by value. Minerals and metals - including lignite, lead, zinc, nickel, chrome, aluminum, magnesium, and a wide variety of construction materials - once formed the backbone of industry, but output has declined because of ageing equipment and insufficient investment. A limited and unreliable electricity supply due to technical and financial problems is a major impediment to economic development. Kosovo's Ministry of Energy and Mining has solicited expressions of interest from private investors to develop a new power plant in order to address Kosovo and the region's unmet and growing demands for power. The official currency of Kosovo is the euro, but the Serbian dinar is also used in Serb enclaves. Kosovo's tie to the euro has helped keep core inflation low. Kosovo has one of the most open economies in the region, and continues to work with the international community on measures to improve the business environment and attract foreign investment.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$5 billion (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 160

GDP (official exchange rate):

$3.237 billion (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 87

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$2,300 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 179

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 20%

industry: 20%

services: 60% (2007 est.)

Labor force:

550,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 153

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 16.5%

industry: NA

services: NA (2007 est.)

Unemployment rate:

40% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 187

Population below poverty line:

37% (2007 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

30 (FY05/06)

Investment (gross fixed):

30% of GDP (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 24

Budget:

revenues: $1.19 billion

expenditures: $1.22 billion (2007 est.)

Public debt:

NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

5.3% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 90

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

13.79% (31 December 2008)

Agriculture - products:

wheat, corn, berries, potatoes, peppers

Industries:

mineral mining, construction materials, base metals, leather, machinery, appliances

Electricity - production:

832 million kWh (2006) country comparison to the world: 151

Electricity - consumption:

4.281 billion kWh (2006) country comparison to the world: 114

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2007) country comparison to the world: 148

Oil - consumption:

NA bbl/day

Oil - proved reserves:

NA bbl

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2007) country comparison to the world: 171

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2007) country comparison to the world: 167

Natural gas - proved reserves:

NA cu m

Current account balance:

-$964 million

Exports:

$527 million

Exports - commodities:

mining and processed metal products, scrap metals, leather products, machinery, appliances

Imports:

$2.6 billion f.o.b.

Imports - commodities:

foodstuffs, wood, petroleum, chemicals, machinery and electrical equipment

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$NA

Debt - external:

$NA

Exchange rates:

euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008), 0.7345 (2007)

Communications ::Kosovo

Telephones - main lines in use:

106,300 (2006) country comparison to the world: 143

Telephones - mobile cellular:

562,000 (2007) country comparison to the world: 154

Transportation ::Kosovo

Airports:

8 (2009) country comparison to the world: 165

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 4

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 4

under 914 m: 4 (2009)

Heliports:

2 (2009)

Railways:

total: 430 km country comparison to the world: 117 standard gauge: 430 km 1.435-m gauge (2007)

Roadways:

total: 1,924 km country comparison to the world: 175 paved: 1,666 km

unpaved: 258 km (2006)

Military ::Kosovo

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 428,685

females age 16-49: 388,848 (2009 est.)

Transnational Issues ::Kosovo

Disputes - international:

Serbia with several other states protest the US and other states' recognition of Kosovo's declaring itself as a sovereign and independent state in February 2008; ethnic Serbian municipalities along Kosovo's northern border challenge final status of Kosovo-Serbia boundary; several thousand NATO-led KFOR peacekeepers under UNMIK authority continue to keep the peace within Kosovo between the ethnic Albanian majority and the Serb minority in Kosovo; Kosovo and Macedonia completed demarcation of their boundary in September 2008

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

IDP's: 21,000 (2007)

page last updated on October 27, 2009

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

@Kuwait (Middle East)

Introduction ::Kuwait

Background:

Britain oversaw foreign relations and defense for the ruling Kuwaiti AL-SABAH dynasty from 1899 until independence in 1961. Kuwait was attacked and overrun by Iraq on 2 August 1990. Following several weeks of aerial bombardment, a US-led, UN coalition began a ground assault on 23 February 1991 that liberated Kuwait in four days. Kuwait spent more than $5 billion to repair oil infrastructure damaged during 1990-91. The AL-SABAH family has ruled since returning to power in 1991 and reestablished an elected legislature that in recent years has become increasingly assertive. The country witnessed the historic election in May 2009 of four women to its National Assembly.

Geography ::Kuwait

Location:

Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iraq and Saudi
Arabia

Geographic coordinates:

29 30 N, 45 45 E

Map references:

Middle East

Area:

total: 17,818 sq km country comparison to the world: 157 land: 17,818 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries:

total: 462 km

border countries: Iraq 240 km, Saudi Arabia 222 km

Coastline:

499 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate:

dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters

Terrain:

flat to slightly undulating desert plain

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m

highest point: unnamed location 306 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, fish, shrimp, natural gas

Land use:

arable land: 0.84%

permanent crops: 0.17%

other: 98.99% (2005)

Irrigated land:

130 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

0.02 cu km (1997)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.44 cu km/yr (45%/2%/52%)

per capita: 164 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

sudden cloudbursts are common from October to April and bring heavy rain, which can damage roads and houses; sandstorms and dust storms occur throughout the year but are most common between March and August

Environment - current issues:

limited natural fresh water resources; some of world's largest and most sophisticated desalination facilities provide much of the water; air and water pollution; desertification

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection

signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping

Geography - note:

strategic location at head of Persian Gulf

People ::Kuwait

Population:

2,691,158 country comparison to the world: 139 note: includes 1,291,354 non-nationals (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 26.4% (male 361,150/female 348,518)

15-64 years: 70.7% (male 1,219,075/female 683,587)

65 years and over: 2.9% (male 49,163/female 29,665) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 26.2 years

male: 28.1 years

female: 22.7 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

3.547% country comparison to the world: 3 note: this rate reflects a return to pre-Gulf crisis immigration of expatriates (2009 est.)

Birth rate:

21.81 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 86

Death rate:

2.35 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 220

Net migration rate:

16.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 4

Urbanization:

urban population: 98% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 2.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.78 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.66 male(s)/female

total population: 1.54 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 8.96 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 159 male: 9.94 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 7.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 77.71 years country comparison to the world: 53 male: 76.51 years

female: 78.95 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.76 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 80

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.12% (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 112

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA (2007 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Kuwaiti(s)

adjective: Kuwaiti

Ethnic groups:

Kuwaiti 45%, other Arab 35%, South Asian 9%, Iranian 4%, other 7%

Religions:

Muslim 85% (Sunni 70%, Shia 30%), other (includes Christian, Hindu,
Parsi) 15%

Languages:

Arabic (official), English widely spoken

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 93.3%

male: 94.4%

female: 91% (2005 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 13 years

male: 12 years

female: 13 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

3.8% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 119

Government ::Kuwait

Country name:

conventional long form: State of Kuwait

conventional short form: Kuwait

local long form: Dawlat al Kuwayt

local short form: Al Kuwayt

Government type:

constitutional emirate

Capital:

name: Kuwait City

geographic coordinates: 29 22 N, 47 58 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

6 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Ahmadi, Al 'Asimah, Al Farwaniyah, Al Jahra', Hawalli, Mubarak al Kabir

Independence:

19 June 1961 (from the UK)

National holiday:

National Day, 25 February (1950)

Constitution:

approved and promulgated 11 November 1962

Legal system:

civil law system with Islamic law significant in personal matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

21 years of age; universal (adult); note - males in the military or police are not allowed to vote; adult females were allowed to vote as of 16 May 2005; all voters must have been citizens for 20 years

Executive branch:

chief of state: Amir SABAH al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah (since 29 January 2006); Crown Prince NAWAF al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah

head of government: Prime Minister NASIR AL-MUHAMMAD al-Ahmad al-Sabah (since 3 April 2007); First Deputy Prime Minister JABIR AL-MUBAREK al-Hamad al-Sabah (since 9 February 2006); Deputy Prime Minister MUHAMMAD AL-SABAH al-Salim al-Sabah (since 9 February 2006)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister and approved by the amir

elections: none; the amir is hereditary; the amir appoints the prime minister and deputy prime ministers

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-Umma (50 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms; all cabinet ministers are also ex officio voting members of the National Assembly)

elections: last held 16 May 2009 (next election to be held in 2013)

election results: percent of vote by bloc - NA; seats by bloc - Sunni Muslim groups 11, liberals 7, Shiite Muslim groups 6, Popular Action Bloc 3, unaffiliated tribal groups 23

Judicial branch:

High Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders:

none; formation of political parties is in practice illegal but is not forbidden by law

Political pressure groups and leaders:

other: Islamists; merchants; political groups; secular liberals and pro-governmental deputies; Shia activists; tribal groups

International organization participation:

ABEDA, AfDB (nonregional member), AFESD, AMF, BDEAC, CAEU, FAO,
G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO,
ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador SALIM al-Abdallah al-Jabir al-Sabah

chancery: 2940 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 966-0702

FAX: [1] (202) 364-2868

consulate(s) general: Los Angeles

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Deborah K. JONES

embassy: Bayan 36302, Block 13, Al-Masjed Al-Aqsa Street (near the Bayan palace), Kuwait City

mailing address: P. O. Box 77 Safat 13001 Kuwait; or PSC 1280 APO AE 09880-9000

telephone: [965] 259-1001

FAX: [965] 538-0282

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red with a black trapezoid based on the hoist side; design, which dates to 1961, based on the Arab revolt flag of World War I

Economy ::Kuwait

Economy - overview:

Kuwait is a small, rich, relatively open economy with self-reported crude oil reserves of about 104 billion barrels - 8% of world reserves. Petroleum accounts for nearly half of GDP, 95% of export revenues, and 80% of government income. Kuwait experienced rapid economic growth over the last several years on the back of high oil prices and in 2008 posted its tenth consecutive budget surplus. As a result of this positive fiscal situation, the need for economic reforms was less urgent and the government did not push through new initiatives. The drop in oil prices in late 2008 will reduce Kuwait's fiscal surplus in 2009. The global financial crisis may slow the pace of investment and development projects, but Kuwait has vowed to use its considerable financial resources to stabilize the economy if necessary.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$149.5 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 58 $137.8 billion (2007 est.)

$131.6 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$158.1 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

8.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 21 4.7% (2007 est.)

6.3% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$57,500 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 6 $55,000 (2007 est.)

$54,400 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 0.3%

industry: 52.2%

services: 47.5% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

2.088 million country comparison to the world: 119 note: non-Kuwaitis represent about 60% of the labor force (2008 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Unemployment rate:

2.2% (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 23

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Investment (gross fixed):

18.3% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 127

Budget:

revenues: $105.2 billion

expenditures: $58.08 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

7.6% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 116 29.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

10.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 156 5.5% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

3.75% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 70 6.25% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

7.61% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 100 8.54% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$15.31 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 38 $15.12 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$63.08 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 26 $55.2 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$88.77 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 40 $78.25 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$107.2 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 40 $188 billion (31 December 2007)

$128.9 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

practically no crops; fish

Industries:

petroleum, petrochemicals, cement, shipbuilding and repair, water desalination, food processing, construction materials

Industrial production growth rate:

8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 24

Electricity - production:

45.83 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 50

Electricity - consumption:

40.21 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 50

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

2.741 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 9

Oil - consumption:

325,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 39

Oil - exports:

2.349 million bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 7

Oil - imports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 206

Oil - proved reserves:

104 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 5

Natural gas - production:

12.7 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 37

Natural gas - consumption:

12.7 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 43

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 79

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 155

Natural gas - proved reserves:

1.794 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 19

Current account balance:

$64.78 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 7 $47.48 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$86.94 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 40 $63.68 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

oil and refined products, fertilizers

Exports - partners:

Japan 18.4%, South Korea 14.6%, India 11.5%, US 8.9%, Singapore 7.9%, China 6.1% (2008)

Imports:

$22.94 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 70 $20.63 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

food, construction materials, vehicles and parts, clothing

Imports - partners:

US 11.9%, Japan 9.2%, Germany 8.1%, China 7.6%, Saudi Arabia 7%,
Italy 4.8%, UK 4.2% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$17.23 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 56 $16.78 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$36.89 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 58 $33.62 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$1.22 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 95 $942 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$25.68 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 37 $16.93 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

Kuwaiti dinars (KD) per US dollar - 0.2679 (2008 est.), 0.2844 (2007), 0.29 (2006), 0.292 (2005), 0.2947 (2004)

Communications ::Kuwait

Telephones - main lines in use:

541,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 94

Telephones - mobile cellular:

2.907 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 110

Telephone system:

general assessment: the quality of service is excellent

domestic: new telephone exchanges provide a large capacity for new subscribers; trunk traffic is carried by microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, and open-wire and fiber-optic cable; a cellular telephone system operates throughout Kuwait, and the country is well supplied with pay telephones

international: country code - 965; linked to international submarine cable Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG); linked to Bahrain, Qatar, UAE via the Fiber-Optic Gulf (FOG) cable; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia; satellite earth stations - 6 (3 Intelsat - 1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean, 1 Inmarsat - Atlantic Ocean, and 2 Arabsat)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 6, FM 11, shortwave 1 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

13 (plus several satellite channels) (1997)

Internet country code:

.kw

Internet hosts:

2,305 (2009) country comparison to the world: 148

Internet users:

1 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 88

Transportation ::Kuwait

Airports:

7 (2009) country comparison to the world: 168

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 4

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 3

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Heliports:

4 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 269 km; oil 540 km; refined products 57 km (2008)

Roadways:

total: 5,749 km country comparison to the world: 150 paved: 4,887 km

unpaved: 862 km (2004)

Merchant marine:

total: 38 country comparison to the world: 79 by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 1, carrier 3, container 6, liquefied gas 4, petroleum tanker 22

registered in other countries: 34 (Bahrain 5, Comoros 1, Libya 1, Panama 2, Qatar 7, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Saudi Arabia 7, UAE 10) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Ash Shu'aybah, Ash Shuwaykh, Az Zawr (Mina' Sa'ud), Mina' 'Abd
Allah, Mina' al Ahmadi

Military ::Kuwait

Military branches:

Kuwaiti Land Forces (KLF), Kuwaiti Navy, Kuwaiti Air Force (Al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Kuwaitiya), Kuwaiti National Guard (KNG) (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

18-30 years of age for compulsory and 18-25 years of age for voluntary military service; women age 18-30 may be subject to compulsory military service; conscription suspended in 2001 (2009)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,032,408

females age 16-49: 568,657 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 935,525

females age 16-49: 519,854 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 18,122

female: 18,865 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

5.3% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 16

Transnational Issues ::Kuwait

Disputes - international:

Kuwait and Saudi Arabia continue negotiating a joint maritime boundary with Iran; no maritime boundary exists with Iraq in the Persian Gulf

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Kuwait is a destination country for men and women who migrate legally from South and Southeast Asia for domestic or low-skilled labor, but are subjected to conditions of involuntary servitude by employers in Kuwait including conditions of physical and sexual abuse, non-payment of wages, confinement to the home, and withholding of passports to restrict their freedom of movement; Kuwait is reportedly a transit point for South and East Asian workers recruited for low-skilled work in Iraq; some of these workers are deceived as to the true location and nature of this work, and others are subjected to conditions of involuntary servitude in Iraq

tier rating: Tier 3 - insufficient efforts in 2007 to prosecute and punish abusive employers and those who traffic women for sexual exploitation; the government failed for the fourth year in a row to live up to promises to provide shelter and protective services for victims of involuntary domestic servitude and other forms of trafficking (2008)

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Kyrgyzstan (Central Asia)

Introduction ::Kyrgyzstan

Background:

A Central Asian country of incredible natural beauty and proud nomadic traditions, most of Kyrgyzstan was formally annexed to Russia in 1876. The Kyrgyz staged a major revolt against the Tsarist Empire in 1916 in which almost one-sixth of the Kyrgyz population was killed. Kyrgyzstan became a Soviet republic in 1936 and achieved independence in 1991 when the USSR dissolved. Nationwide demonstrations in the spring of 2005 resulted in the ouster of President Askar AKAEV, who had run the country since 1990. Subsequent presidential elections in July 2005 were won overwhelmingly by former prime minister Kurmanbek BAKIEV. The political opposition organized demonstrations in Bishkek in April, May, and November 2006 resulting in the adoption of a new constitution that transferred some of the president's powers to parliament and the government. In December 2006, the Kyrgyzstani parliament voted to adopt new amendments, restoring some of the presidential powers lost in the November 2006 constitutional change. By late-September 2007, both previous versions of the constitution were declared illegal, and the country reverted to the AKAEV-era 2003 constitution, which was subsequently modified in a flawed referendum initiated by BAKIEV. The president then dissolved parliament, called for early elections, and gained control of the new parliament through his newly-created political party, Ak Jol, in December 2007 elections. Current concerns include: privatization of state-owned enterprises, negative trends in democracy and political freedoms, endemic corruption, improving interethnic relations, electricity generation, rising food prices, and combating terrorism.

Geography ::Kyrgyzstan

Location:

Central Asia, west of China

Geographic coordinates:

41 00 N, 75 00 E

Map references:

Asia

Area:

total: 199,951 sq km country comparison to the world: 86 land: 191,801 sq km

water: 8,150 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than South Dakota

Land boundaries:

total: 3,051 km

border countries: China 858 km, Kazakhstan 1,224 km, Tajikistan 870 km, Uzbekistan 1,099 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

dry continental to polar in high Tien Shan Mountains; subtropical in southwest (Fergana Valley); temperate in northern foothill zone

Terrain:

peaks of Tien Shan and associated valleys and basins encompass entire nation

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Kara-Daryya (Karadar'ya) 132 m

highest point: Jengish Chokusu (Pik Pobedy) 7,439 m

Natural resources:

abundant hydropower; significant deposits of gold and rare earth metals; locally exploitable coal, oil, and natural gas; other deposits of nepheline, mercury, bismuth, lead, and zinc

Land use:

arable land: 6.55%

permanent crops: 0.28%

other: 93.17%

note: Kyrgyzstan has the world's largest natural-growth walnut forest (2005)

Irrigated land:

10,720 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

46.5 cu km (1997)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 10.08 cu km/yr (3%/3%/94%)

per capita: 1,916 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

water pollution; many people get their water directly from contaminated streams and wells; as a result, water-borne diseases are prevalent; increasing soil salinity from faulty irrigation practices

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

landlocked; entirely mountainous, dominated by the Tien Shan range; 94% of the country is 1,000 m above sea level, with an average elevation of 2,750 m; many tall peaks, glaciers, and high-altitude lakes

People ::Kyrgyzstan

Population:

5,431,747 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 112

Age structure:

0-14 years: 29.7% (male 822,128/female 789,425)

15-64 years: 64.5% (male 1,717,497/female 1,787,551)

65 years and over: 5.8% (male 123,045/female 192,101) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 24.4 years

male: 23.6 years

female: 25.3 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.396% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 96

Birth rate:

23.44 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 75

Death rate:

6.91 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 136

Net migration rate:

-2.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 145

Urbanization:

urban population: 36% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 31.26 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 72 male: 36.19 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 26.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 69.43 years country comparison to the world: 146 male: 65.43 years

female: 73.64 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.65 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 87

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 120

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

4,200 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 125

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 200 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 111

Nationality:

noun: Kyrgyzstani(s)

adjective: Kyrgyzstani

Ethnic groups:

Kyrgyz 64.9%, Uzbek 13.8%, Russian 12.5%, Dungan 1.1%, Ukrainian 1%,
Uygur 1%, other 5.7% (1999 census)

Religions:

Muslim 75%, Russian Orthodox 20%, other 5%

Languages:

Kyrgyz 64.7% (official), Uzbek 13.6%, Russian 12.5% (official),
Dungun 1%, other 8.2% (1999 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 98.7%

male: 99.3%

female: 98.1% (1999 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 12 years

male: 12 years

female: 13 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

4.9% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 78

Government ::Kyrgyzstan

Country name:

conventional long form: Kyrgyz Republic

conventional short form: Kyrgyzstan

local long form: Kyrgyz Respublikasy

local short form: Kyrgyzstan

former: Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Bishkek

geographic coordinates: 42 52 N, 74 36 E

time difference: UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

7 provinces (oblastlar, singular - oblasty) and 1 city* (shaar);
Batken Oblasty, Bishkek Shaary*, Chuy Oblasty (Bishkek), Jalal-Abad
Oblasty, Naryn Oblasty, Osh Oblasty, Talas Oblasty, Ysyk-Kol Oblasty
(Karakol)

note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses)

Independence:

31 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 31 August (1991)

Constitution:

approved by referendum in November 2006

note: under the old constitution adopted on 5 May 1993, an amendment proposed by President Askar AKAEV and passed in a national referendum on 2 February 2003 significantly expanded the powers of the president at the expense of the legislature; during large-scale demonstrations in November 2006, President BAKIEV and the opposition negotiated a new constitution granting greater powers to the parliament and the government; amendments added on 30 December 2006 redistributed some power back to the president, but both November and December 2006 versions were annulled in September 2007, and a new version was approved by referendum on 21 October 2007; the BAKIEV-initiated referendum was criticized by Western observers for voting irregularities, particularly ballot stuffing

Legal system:

based on French and Russian laws; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Kurmanbek BAKIEV (since 14 August 2005)

head of government: Prime Minister Daniyar USENOV (since 21 October 2009); First Deputy Prime Minister Akylbek JAPAROV (since 22 October 2009)

cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, appointed by the president; ministers in charge of defense and security, appointed solely by the president

elections: Kurmanbek BAKIEV reelected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 23 July 2009 (next scheduled for 2014); prime minister nominated by the parliamentary party holding more than 50% of the seats; if no such party exists, the president selects the party that will nominate a prime minister

election results: Kurmanbek BAKIEV elected president; percent of vote - Kurmanbek BAKIEV 76.1%, Almaz ATAMBAYEV 8.4%, Temir SARIYEV 6.7%, other candidates 8.8%

Legislative branch:

unicameral Supreme Council or Jorgorku Kengesh (90 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 16 December 2007 (next to be held in 2012)

election results: Supreme Council - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Ak Jol 71, Social Democratic Party 11, KCP 8

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court; Constitutional Court (judges of both the Supreme and Constitutional Courts are appointed for 10-year terms by the Jorgorku Kengesh on the recommendation of the president; their mandatory retirement age is 70 years); Higher Court of Arbitration; Local Courts (judges appointed by the president on the recommendation of the National Council on Legal Affairs for a probationary period of five years, then 10 years)

Political parties and leaders:

Ak Jol (Good Luck) [Avtandil ARABAEV, Elmira IBRAIMOVA, Vladimir
NIFADYEV, co-chairs]; Ak Shumkar (Gerfalcon) [Temir SARIYEV];
Ar-Namys (Dignity) Party [Emil ALIEV]; Asaba (Banner National
Revival Party) [Sovetbek JAMALDINOV]]; Ata-Meken (Fatherland)
[Omurbek TEKEBAEV]; Democratic Movement of Kyrgyzstan or DDK [Viktor
TCHETRNOMORETS]; Erkindik (Freedom) Party [Topchubek TURGUNALIEV];
For Justice Movement [Alikbek JEKSHENKULOV]; Green Party [Erkin
BULEKBAEV]; Moya Strana (My Country Party of Action) [Medet
SADYRKULOV]; Party of Communists of Kyrgyzstan or KCP [Iskhak
MASALIEV]; Party of Justice and Progress [Muratbek IMANALIEV]; Party
of Peasants [Esengul ISAKOV]; Republican Party of Labor and Unity
[Tabaldy OROZALIEV]; Revolutionary Committee [Azimbek BEKNAZAROV];
Sanjira (Tree of Life) [Ednan KARABAEV]; Social Democratic Party of
Kyrgyzstan [Almaz ATAMBAEV]; Svoboda Vybora (Free Choice) Party
[Vyacheslav LISOVSKIY]; Turan Party [Kanybek IMANALIYEV]; Uluu
Birimdik (Solidarity) Party [Emilbek KAPTAGAEV]; Union of Democratic
Forces [Osmon ARTYKBAEV]; United Kyrgyzstan [Amangeldi MURALIEV]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Adilet Legal Clinic [Cholpon JAKUPOVA]; Coalition for Democracy and
Civil Society [Dinara OSHURAKHUNOVA]; Interbilim [Asiya SASYKBAEVA]

International organization participation:

ADB, CIS, CSTO, EAEC, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, MIGA,
MINURCAT, NAM (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SCO, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Zamira SYDYKOVA

chancery: 2360 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 449-9822

FAX: [1] (202) 386-7550

consulate(s): New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Tatiana C. GFOELLER

embassy: 171 Prospect Mira, Bishkek 720016

mailing address: use embassy street address

telephone: [996] (312) 551-241, (517) 777-217

FAX: [996] (312) 551-264

Flag description:

red field with a yellow sun in the center having 40 rays representing the 40 Kyrgyz tribes; on the obverse side the rays run counterclockwise, on the reverse, clockwise; in the center of the sun is a red ring crossed by two sets of three lines, a stylized representation of the roof of the traditional Kyrgyz yurt

Economy ::Kyrgyzstan

Economy - overview:

Kyrgyzstan is a poor, mountainous country with a predominantly agricultural economy. Cotton, tobacco, wool, and meat are the main agricultural products, although only tobacco and cotton are exported in any quantity. Industrial exports include gold, mercury, uranium, natural gas, and electricity. Following independence, Kyrgyzstan was progressive in carrying out market reforms such as an improved regulatory system and land reform. Kyrgyzstan was the first Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) country to be accepted into the World Trade Organization. Much of the government's stock in enterprises has been sold. Drops in production had been severe after the breakup of the Soviet Union in December 1991, but by mid-1995, production began to recover and exports began to increase. The economy is heavily weighted toward gold export and a drop in output at the main Kumtor gold mine sparked a 0.5% decline in GDP in 2002 and a 0.6% decline in 2005. The government made steady strides in controlling its substantial fiscal deficit, nearly closing the gap between revenues and expenditures in 2006, before boosting expenditures more than 20% in 2007-08. The government and international financial institutions have been engaged in a comprehensive medium-term poverty reduction and economic growth strategy. In 2005, Bishkek agreed to pursue much-needed tax reform and, in 2006, became eligible for the heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) initiative. Progress fighting corruption, further restructuring of domestic industry, and success in attracting foreign investment are keys to future growth. GDP grew more than 6% annually in 2007-08, partly due to higher gold prices internationally, but growth is likely to decline from that level in 2009, due to declining demand and lower commodity prices in the wake of the international financial crisis.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$11.64 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 144 $10.82 billion (2007 est.)

$9.971 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$5.05 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

7.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 25 8.5% (2007 est.)

3.1% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$2,200 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 184 $2,000 (2007 est.)

$1,900 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 29.8%

industry: 19.7%

services: 50.6% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

2.344 million (2007) country comparison to the world: 110

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 48%

industry: 12.5%

services: 39.5% (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate:

18% (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 160

Population below poverty line:

40% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 3.6%

highest 10%: 25.9% (2004)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

30.3 (2003) country comparison to the world: 113 29 (2001)

Investment (gross fixed):

23.2% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 68

Budget:

revenues: $1.274 billion

expenditures: $1.231 billion (2008 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

24.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 211 10.2% (2007 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

19.86% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 10 25.32% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$911.1 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$303.7 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$558.3 million (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 109 $121 million (31 December 2007)

$92.69 million (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

tobacco, cotton, potatoes, vegetables, grapes, fruits and berries; sheep, goats, cattle, wool

Industries:

small machinery, textiles, food processing, cement, shoes, sawn logs, refrigerators, furniture, electric motors, gold, rare earth metals

Industrial production growth rate:

10.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 9

Electricity - production:

15.96 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 76

Electricity - consumption:

9 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 87

Electricity - exports:

2.379 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

958.4 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 106

Oil - consumption:

15,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 136

Oil - exports:

1,890 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 116

Oil - imports:

12,850 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 134

Oil - proved reserves:

40 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 79

Natural gas - production:

30 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 85

Natural gas - consumption:

750 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 91

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 162

Natural gas - imports:

720 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 57

Natural gas - proved reserves:

5.663 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 91

Current account balance:

-$680 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 110 -$267.9 million (2007 est.)

Exports:

$1.847 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 134 $1.337 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

cotton, wool, meat, tobacco; gold, mercury, uranium, natural gas, hydropower; machinery; shoes

Exports - partners:

Switzerland 27.2%, Russia 19.2%, Uzbekistan 14.3%, Kazakhstan 11.4%,
France 6.7% (2008)

Imports:

$3.754 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 129 $2.636 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

oil and gas, machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:

Russia 36.6%, China 17.9%, Kazakhstan 9.2%, Germany 8.2% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$1.225 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 123 $1.177 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$3.467 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 115 $3.162 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$16.5 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 67

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$NA

Exchange rates:

soms (KGS) per US dollar - 36.108 (2008 est.), 37.746 (2007), 40.149 (2006), 41.012 (2005), 42.65 (2004)

Communications ::Kyrgyzstan

Telephones - main lines in use:

494,500 (2008) country comparison to the world: 99

Telephones - mobile cellular:

3.394 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 101

Telephone system:

general assessment: telecommunications infrastructure is being upgraded; loans from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) are being used to install a digital network, digital radio-relay stations, and fiber-optic links

domestic: fixed line penetration remains low and concentrated in urban areas; multiple mobile cellular service providers with growing coverage; mobile cellular subscribership exceeded 60 per 100 persons in 2008

international: country code - 996; connections with other CIS countries by landline or microwave radio relay and with other countries by leased connections with Moscow international gateway switch and by satellite; satellite earth stations - 2 (1 Intersputnik, 1 Intelsat); connected internationally by the Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 3 (plus 10 repeater stations), FM 23, shortwave NA (2007)

Television broadcast stations:

8 (2 countrywide and 6 regional stations; state-owned); note - there are about 20 private TV stations, most of which rebroadcast other channels (2007)

Internet country code:

.kg

Internet hosts:

82,496 (2009) country comparison to the world: 76

Internet users:

850,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 95

Transportation ::Kyrgyzstan

Airports:

29 (2009) country comparison to the world: 116

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 18

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 3

1,524 to 2,437 m: 11

under 914 m: 3 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 11

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 9 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 254 km; oil 16 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 470 km country comparison to the world: 116 broad gauge: 470 km 1.520-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 18,500 km country comparison to the world: 116 paved: 16,909 km (includes 140 km of expressways)

unpaved: 1,591 km (2003)

Waterways:

600 km (2008) country comparison to the world: 79

Ports and terminals:

Balykchy (Ysyk-Kol or Rybach'ye)

Military ::Kyrgyzstan

Military branches:

Ground Forces, Air Force (includes Air Defense Forces), National
Guard (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for compulsory military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,398,878

females age 16-49: 1,419,374 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,083,777

females age 16-49: 1,229,406 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 57,659

female: 55,557 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.4% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 119

Transnational Issues ::Kyrgyzstan

Disputes - international:

Kyrgyzstan has yet to ratify the 2001 boundary delimitation with Kazakhstan; disputes in Isfara Valley delay completion of delimitation with Tajikistan; delimitation of 130 km of border with Uzbekistan is hampered by serious disputes around enclaves and other areas

Illicit drugs:

limited illicit cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy for CIS markets; limited government eradication of illicit crops; transit point for Southwest Asian narcotics bound for Russia and the rest of Europe; major consumer of opiates

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Laos (East & Southeast Asia)

Introduction ::Laos

Background:

Modern-day Laos has its roots in the ancient Lao kingdom of Lan Xang, established in the 14th Century under King FA NGUM. For 300 years Lan Xang had influence reaching into present-day Cambodia and Thailand, as well as over all of what is now Laos. After centuries of gradual decline, Laos came under the domination of Siam (Thailand) from the late 18th century until the late 19th century when it became part of French Indochina. The Franco-Siamese Treaty of 1907 defined the current Lao border with Thailand. In 1975, the Communist Pathet Lao took control of the government ending a six-century-old monarchy and instituting a strict socialist regime closely aligned to Vietnam. A gradual return to private enterprise and the liberalization of foreign investment laws began in 1986. Laos became a member of ASEAN in 1997.

Geography ::Laos

Location:

Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam

Geographic coordinates:

18 00 N, 105 00 E

Map references:

Southeast Asia

Area:

total: 236,800 sq km country comparison to the world: 83 land: 230,800 sq km

water: 6,000 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than Utah

Land boundaries:

total: 5,083 km

border countries: Burma 235 km, Cambodia 541 km, China 423 km, Thailand 1,754 km, Vietnam 2,130 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season (December to April)

Terrain:

mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Mekong River 70 m

highest point: Phou Bia 2,817 m

Natural resources:

timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones

Land use:

arable land: 4.01%

permanent crops: 0.34%

other: 95.65% (2005)

Irrigated land:

1,750 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

333.6 cu km (2003)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 3 cu km/yr (4%/6%/90%)

per capita: 507 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

floods, droughts

Environment - current issues:

unexploded ordnance; deforestation; soil erosion; most of the population does not have access to potable water

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

landlocked; most of the country is mountainous and thickly forested; the Mekong River forms a large part of the western boundary with Thailand

People ::Laos

Population:

6,834,942 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 102

Age structure:

0-14 years: 40.8% (male 1,400,126/female 1,386,480)

15-64 years: 56.1% (male 1,898,995/female 1,936,892)

65 years and over: 3.1% (male 92,070/female 120,379) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 19.3 years

male: 19 years

female: 19.6 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.316% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 38

Birth rate:

33.94 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 42

Death rate:

10.78 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 50

Net migration rate:

NA (2009 est.)

Urbanization:

urban population: 31% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 5.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 77.82 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 23 male: 86.94 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 68.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 56.68 years country comparison to the world: 190 male: 54.56 years

female: 58.9 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

4.41 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 42

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.2% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 97

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

5,500 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 122

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 100 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 142

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria

note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2008) (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Lao(s) or Laotian(s)

adjective: Lao or Laotian

Ethnic groups:

Lao 55%, Khmou 11%, Hmong 8%, other (over 100 minor ethnic groups) 26% (2005 census)

Religions:

Buddhist 67%, Christian 1.5%, other and unspecified 31.5% (2005 census)

Languages:

Lao (official), French, English, and various ethnic languages

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 68.7%

male: 77%

female: 60.9% (2001 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 9 years

male: 10 years

female: 8 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

3% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 146

Government ::Laos

Country name:

conventional long form: Lao People's Democratic Republic

conventional short form: Laos

local long form: Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao

local short form: Pathet Lao (unofficial)

Government type:

Communist state

Capital:

name: Vientiane (Viangchan)

geographic coordinates: 17 58 N, 102 36 E

time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

16 provinces (khoueng, singular and plural) and 1 capital city* (nakhon luang, singular and plural); Attapu, Bokeo, Bolikhamxai, Champasak, Houaphan, Khammouan, Louangnamtha, Louangphrabang, Oudomxai, Phongsali, Salavan, Savannakhet, Viangchan (Vientiane)*, Viangchan, Xaignabouli, Xekong, Xiangkhoang

Independence:

19 July 1949 (from France)

National holiday:

Republic Day, 2 December (1975)

Constitution:

promulgated 14 August 1991

Legal system:

based on traditional customs, French legal norms and procedures, and socialist practice; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Lt. Gen. CHOUMMALI Saignason (since 8 June 2006); Vice President BOUN-GNANG Volachit (since 8 June 2006)

head of government: Prime Minister BOUASONE Bouphavanh (since 8 June 2006); Deputy Prime Ministers Maj. Gen. ASANG Laoli (since May 2002), Maj. Gen. DOUANGCHAI Phichit (since 8 June 2006), SOMSAVAT Lengsavat (since 26 February 1998), and THONGLOUN Sisoulit (since 27 March 2001)

cabinet: Ministers appointed by president, approved by National Assembly

elections: president and vice president elected by National Assembly for five-year terms; election last held 8 June 2006 (next to be held in 2011); prime minister nominated by president and elected by National Assembly for five-year term

election results: CHOUMMALI Saignason elected president; BOUN-GNANG Volachit elected vice president; percent of National Assembly vote - 100%; BOUASONE Bouphavanh elected prime minister; percent of National Assembly vote - 97%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly (115 seats; members elected by popular vote from a list of candidates selected by the Lao People's Revolutionary Party to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 30 April 2006 (next to be held in 2011)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - LPRP 113, independents 2

Judicial branch:

People's Supreme Court (the president of the People's Supreme Court
is elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the
National Assembly Standing Committee; the vice president of the
People's Supreme Court and the judges are appointed by the National
Assembly Standing Committee)

Political parties and leaders:

Lao People's Revolutionary Party or LPRP [CHOUMMALI Saignason]; other parties proscribed

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ADB, APT, ARF, ASEAN, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO (subscriber),
ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO,
UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador PHIANE Philakone

chancery: 2222 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 332-6416

FAX: [1] (202) 332-4923

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Ravic R. HUSO

embassy: 19 Rue Bartholonie, That Dam, Vientiane

mailing address: American Embassy Vientiane, APO AP 96546

telephone: [856] 21-26-7000

FAX: [856] 21-26-7190

Flag description:

three horizontal bands of red (top), blue (double width), and red with a large white disk centered in the blue band

Economy ::Laos

Economy - overview:

The government of Laos, one of the few remaining one-party Communist states, began decentralizing control and encouraging private enterprise in 1986. The results, starting from an extremely low base, were striking - growth averaged 6% per year from 1988-2008 except during the short-lived drop caused by the Asian financial crisis that began in 1997. Despite this high growth rate, Laos remains a country with an underdeveloped infrastructure, particularly in rural areas. It has no railroads, a rudimentary road system, and limited external and internal telecommunications, though the government is sponsoring major improvements in the road system with support from Japan and China. Electricity is available in urban areas and in many rural districts. Subsistence agriculture, dominated by rice, accounts for about 40% of GDP and provides 80% of total employment. The government depends upon aid from international donors for over 80% of its capital investment. The economy has until recently benefited from high foreign investment in hydropower, mining, and construction. The fiscal crisis of late 2008, and the rapid drop in commodity prices - especially copper - has slowed these investments. Several policy changes since 2004 may help spur growth. Laos, which gained Normal Trade Relations status with the US in 2004, is taking steps to join the World Trade Organization. Related trade policy reforms will improve the business environment. On the fiscal side, a value-added tax (VAT) regime, which began with a few large businesses in early 2009, should slowly help streamline the government's inefficient tax system. Economic prospects will improve gradually as the administration continues to simplify investment procedures and as a more competitive banking sector extends credit to small farmers and small entrepreneurs. The government appears committed to raising the country's profile among investors. Foreign donors have praised the Lao government for its efforts to improve the investment regime. The World Bank has declared that Laos' goal of graduating from the UN Development Program's list of least-developed countries by 2020 could be achievable.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$14.01 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 135 $13.04 billion (2007 est.)

$12.13 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$5.374 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

7.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 26 7.5% (2007 est.)

8.3% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$2,100 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 186 $2,000 (2007 est.)

$1,900 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 39.2%

industry: 34.3%

services: 26.5% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

2.1 million (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 117

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 80%

industry and services: 20% (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate:

2.4% (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 26

Population below poverty line:

30.7% (2005 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 3.4%

highest 10%: 28.5% (2002)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

34.6 (2002) country comparison to the world: 88 37 (1997)

Budget:

revenues: $811.6 million

expenditures: $955.9 million (2008 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

8.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 133 4.5% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

7.67% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 21 12.67% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

24% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 6 28.5% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$327.9 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$717.9 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$285.8 million (31 December 2007)

Agriculture - products:

sweet potatoes, vegetables, corn, coffee, sugarcane, tobacco, cotton, tea, peanuts, rice; water buffalo, pigs, cattle, poultry

Industries:

copper, tin, gold, and gypsum mining; timber, electric power, agricultural processing, construction, garments, cement, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:

11% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 8

Electricity - production:

3.075 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 125

Electricity - consumption:

3.068 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 127

Electricity - exports:

268 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

475.9 million kWh (2007 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 147

Oil - consumption:

3,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 178

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 173

Oil - imports:

3,080 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 169

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 189

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 170

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 166

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 78

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 154

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 161

Current account balance:

-$52 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 71 $107.3 million (2007 est.)

Exports:

$1.163 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 149 $922.7 million (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

wood products, coffee, electricity, tin, copper, gold

Exports - partners:

Thailand 35.5%, Vietnam 15.5%, China 8.5% (2008)

Imports:

$1.384 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 163 $1.065 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, consumer goods

Imports - partners:

Thailand 68.5%, China 10.5%, Vietnam 5.8% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$803 million (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 132 $540 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$3.179 billion (2006) country comparison to the world: 122

Exchange rates:

kips (LAK) per US dollar - 8,760.69 (2008 est.), 9,658 (2007), 10,235 (2006), 10,820 (2005), 10,585.5 (2004)

Communications ::Laos

Telephones - main lines in use:

97,600 (2008) country comparison to the world: 145

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1.822 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 123

Telephone system:

general assessment: service to general public is poor but improving; the government relies on a radiotelephone network to communicate with remote areas

domestic: multiple service providers; mobile cellular usage growing rapidly; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular subscribership approaching 30 per 100 persons

international: country code - 856; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region) (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 7, FM 14, shortwave 2 (2006)

Television broadcast stations:

7 (includes 1 station relaying Vietnam Television from Hanoi) (2006)

Internet country code:

.la

Internet hosts:

1,661 (2009) country comparison to the world: 152

Internet users:

130,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 145

Transportation ::Laos

Airports:

41 (2009) country comparison to the world: 103

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 9

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 32

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 9

under 914 m: 21 (2009)

Pipelines:

refined products 540 km (2008)

Roadways:

total: 29,811 km country comparison to the world: 97 paved: 4,010 km

unpaved: 25,801 km (2006)

Waterways:

4,600 km country comparison to the world: 24 note: primarily Mekong and tributaries; 2,900 additional km are intermittently navigable by craft drawing less than 0.5 m (2008)

Merchant marine:

total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 2,370 GRT/3,110 DWT country comparison to the world: 159 by type: cargo 1 (2008)

Military ::Laos

Military branches:

Lao People's Armed Forces (LPAF): Lao People's Army (LPA; includes
Riverine Force), Air Force (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

15 years of age for compulsory military service; minimum 18-month conscript service obligation (2006)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,549,774

females age 16-49: 1,570,702 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,023,205

females age 16-49: 1,085,197 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 75,310

female: 74,498 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

0.5% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 162

Military - note:

serving one of the world's least developed countries, the Lao People's Armed Forces (LPAF) is small, poorly funded, and ineffectively resourced; its mission focus is border and internal security, primarily in countering ethnic Hmong insurgent groups; together with the Lao People's Revolutionary Party and the government, the Lao People's Army (LPA) is the third pillar of state machinery, and as such is expected to suppress political and civil unrest and similar national emergencies, but the LPA also has upgraded skills to respond to avian influenza outbreaks; there is no perceived external threat to the state and the LPA maintains strong ties with the neighboring Vietnamese military (2008)

Transnational Issues ::Laos

Disputes - international:

Southeast Asian states have enhanced border surveillance to check the spread of avian flu; talks continue on completion of demarcation with Thailand but disputes remain over islands in the Mekong River; concern among Mekong Commission members that China's construction of dams on the Mekong River will affect water levels

Illicit drugs:

estimated opium poppy cultivation in 2008 was 1,900 hectares, about a 73% increase from 2007; estimated potential opium production in 2008 more than tripled to 17 metric tons; unsubstantiated reports of domestic methamphetamine production; growing domestic methamphetamine problem (2007)

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Latvia (Europe)

Introduction ::Latvia

Background:

The name "Latvia" originates from the ancient Latgalians, one of four eastern Baltic tribes that formed the ethnic core of the Latvian people (ca. 8th-12th centuries A.D.). The region subsequently came under the control of Germans, Poles, Swedes, and finally, Russians. A Latvian republic emerged following World War I, but it was annexed by the USSR in 1940 - an action never recognized by the US and many other countries. Latvia reestablished its independence in 1991 following the breakup of the Soviet Union. Although the last Russian troops left in 1994, the status of the Russian minority (some 30% of the population) remains of concern to Moscow. Latvia joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004.

Geography ::Latvia

Location:

Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Estonia and
Lithuania

Geographic coordinates:

57 00 N, 25 00 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 64,589 sq km country comparison to the world: 123 land: 62,249 sq km

water: 2,340 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than West Virginia

Land boundaries:

total: 1,382 km

border countries: Belarus 171 km, Estonia 343 km, Lithuania 576 km, Russia 292 km

Coastline:

498 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:

maritime; wet, moderate winters

Terrain:

low plain

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m

highest point: Galzina Kalns 312 m

Natural resources:

peat, limestone, dolomite, amber, hydropower, wood, arable land

Land use:

arable land: 28.19%

permanent crops: 0.45%

other: 71.36% (2005)

Irrigated land:

200 sq km

note: land in Latvia is often too wet and in need of drainage not irrigation; approximately 16,000 sq km or 85% of agricultural land has been improved by drainage (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

49.9 cu km (2005)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.25 cu km/yr (55%/33%/12%)

per capita: 108 cu m/yr (2003)

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

Latvia's environment has benefited from a shift to service industries after the country regained independence; the main environmental priorities are improvement of drinking water quality and sewage system, household, and hazardous waste management, as well as reduction of air pollution; in 2001, Latvia closed the EU accession negotiation chapter on environment committing to full enforcement of EU environmental directives by 2010

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

most of the country is composed of fertile, low-lying plains, with some hills in the east

People ::Latvia

Population:

2,231,503 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 141

Age structure:

0-14 years: 13.3% (male 152,472/female 145,161)

15-64 years: 69.6% (male 756,469/female 797,505)

65 years and over: 17% (male 124,432/female 255,464) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 40.1 years

male: 37.1 years

female: 43.3 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.614% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 228

Birth rate:

9.78 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 196

Death rate:

13.62 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 26

Net migration rate:

-2.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 142

Urbanization:

urban population: 68% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: -0.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.49 male(s)/female

total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 8.77 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 161 male: 10.63 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 6.82 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 72.15 years country comparison to the world: 119 male: 66.98 years

female: 77.59 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.3 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 207

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.8% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 60

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

10,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 100

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 500 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 92

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: intermediate

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea

vectorborne diseases: tickborne encephalitis (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Latvian(s)

adjective: Latvian

Ethnic groups:

Latvian 57.7%, Russian 29.6%, Belarusian 4.1%, Ukrainian 2.7%,
Polish 2.5%, Lithuanian 1.4%, other 2% (2002)

Religions:

Lutheran 19.6%, Orthodox 15.3%, other Christian 1%, other 0.4%, unspecified 63.7% (2006)

Languages:

Latvian (official) 58.2%, Russian 37.5%, Lithuanian and other 4.3% (2000 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.7%

male: 99.8%

female: 99.7% (2000 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 16 years

male: 14 years

female: 17 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

5.1% of GDP (2004) country comparison to the world: 66

Government ::Latvia

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Latvia

conventional short form: Latvia

local long form: Latvijas Republika

local short form: Latvija

former: Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic

Government type:

parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Riga

geographic coordinates: 56 57 N, 24 06 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

26 counties (singular - rajons) and 7 municipalities*: Aizkraukles
Rajons, Aluksnes Rajons, Balvu Rajons, Bauskas Rajons, Cesu Rajons,
Daugavpils*, Daugavpils Rajons, Dobeles Rajons, Gulbenes Rajons,
Jekabpils Rajons, Jelgava*, Jelgavas Rajons, Jurmala*, Kraslavas
Rajons, Kuldigas Rajons, Liepaja*, Liepajas Rajons, Limbazu Rajons,
Ludzas Rajons, Madonas Rajons, Ogres Rajons, Preilu Rajons,
Rezekne*, Rezeknes Rajons, Riga*, Rigas Rajons, Saldus Rajons, Talsu
Rajons, Tukuma Rajons, Valkas Rajons, Valmieras Rajons, Ventspils*,
Ventspils Rajons

Independence:

18 November 1918 (from the Soviet Russia)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 18 November (1918); note - 18 November 1918 was the date Latvia declared itself independent from Soviet Russia; 4 May 1990 is when it declared the renewal of independence; 21 August 1991 was the date of de facto independence from the Soviet Union

Constitution:

15 February 1922; restored to force by the Constitutional Law of the Republic of Latvia adopted by the Supreme Council on 21 August 1991; multiple amendments since

Legal system:

based on civil law system with traces of Socialist legal traditions and practices; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal for Latvian citizens

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Valdis ZATLERS (since 8 July 2007)

head of government: Prime Minister Valdis DOMBROVSKIS (since 12 March 2009)

cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and appointed by Parliament

elections: president elected by Parliament for a four-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 31 May 2007 (next to be held in 2011); prime minister appointed by the president, confirmed by Parliament

election results: Valdis ZATLERS elected president; parliamentary vote - Valdis ZATLERS 58, Aivars ENDZINS 39

Legislative branch:

unicameral Parliament or Saeima (100 seats; members are elected by proportional representation from party lists by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 7 October 2006 (next to be held in October 2010)

election results: percent of vote by party - TP 19.5%, ZZS 16.7%, JL 16.4%, SC 14.4%; LPP/LC 8.6%; TB/LNNK 6.9%; PCTVL 6%; seats by party - TP 23, ZZS 18, JL 18, SC 17, LPP/LC 10, TB/LNNK 8, PCTVL 6; note - seats by party as of January 2009 - TP 21, SC 18, ZZS 17, JL 14, LPP/LC 10, Civic Union 7, TB/LNNK 5, PCTVL 5, independents 3

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (judges' appointments are confirmed by parliament); Constitutional Court (judges' appointments are confirmed by parliament)

Political parties and leaders:

Civic Union [Sandra KALNIETE, Girts Valdis KRISTOVSKIS]; First Party
of Latvia/Latvia's Way or LPP/LC [Ainars SLESERS, Ivars GODMANIS];
For Human Rights in a United Latvia or PCTVL [Jakovs PLINERS,
Tatjana ZDANOKA]; For the Fatherland and Freedom/Latvian National
Independence Movement or TB/LNNK [Roberts ZILE, Maris GRINBLATS];
Harmony Center or SC [Nils USAKOVS, Janis URBANOVICS]; New Era Party
or JL [Solvita ABOLTINA, Dzintars ZAKIS]; People's Party or TP
[Mareks SEGLINS]; Society for Different Politics or SCP [Aigars
STOKENBERGS; Artis PABRIKS]; The Union of Latvian Greens and Farmers
Party or ZZS [Augusts BRIGMANIS]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Free Trade Union Confederation of Latvia [Peteris KRIGERS],
Employers' Confederation of Latvia [Elina EGLE], Farmers' Parliament
[Juris LAZDINS]

International organization participation:

Australia Group, BA, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU, FAO, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO,
NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen
Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate
partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Andrejs PILDEGOVICS

chancery: 2306 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 328-2840

FAX: [1] (202) 328-2860

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Bruce ROGERS

embassy: 7 Raina Boulevard, Riga LV-1510

mailing address: American Embassy Riga, PSC 78, Box Riga, APO AE 09723

telephone: [371] 670-36200

FAX: [371] 678-20047

Flag description:

three horizontal bands of maroon (top), white (half-width), and maroon

Economy ::Latvia

Economy - overview:

Latvia's economy experienced GDP growth of more than 10% per year during 2006-07; but entered a severe recession in 2008 as a result of an unsustainable current account deficit and large debt exposure amid the softening world economy. The IMF, EU, and other donors provided assistance to Latvia as part of an agreement to defend the currency's peg to the euro and reduce the fiscal deficit to about 5% of GDP. The majority of companies, banks, and real estate have been privatized, although the state still holds sizable stakes in a few large enterprises. Latvia officially joined the World Trade Organization in February 1999. EU membership, a top foreign policy goal, came in May 2004. The current account deficit and inflation remain major concerns.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$38.95 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 98 $40.83 billion (2007 est.)

$37.12 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$33.98 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

-4.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 216 10% (2007 est.)

12.2% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$17,300 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 72 $18,100 (2007 est.)

$16,300 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 3.1%

industry: 22.7%

services: 74.2% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

1.193 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 135

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 12.1%

industry: 25.8%

services: 61.8% (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate:

7.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 97 5.7% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.7%

highest 10%: 27.4% (2004)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

36 (2005) country comparison to the world: 84 32 (1999)

Investment (gross fixed):

30.2% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 23

Budget:

revenues: $12.06 billion

expenditures: $13.41 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

19.5% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 96 11.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

15.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 192 10.1% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

6% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 76 6% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

11.85% (31 December 2008)

Stock of money:

$6.688 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 48 $8.196 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$5.572 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 64 $5.113 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$28.96 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 54 $27.56 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$1.609 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 91 $3.111 billion (31 December 2007)

$2.705 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

grain, sugar beets, potatoes, vegetables; beef, pork, milk, eggs; fish

Industries:

buses, vans, street and railroad cars; synthetic fibers, agricultural machinery, fertilizers, washing machines, radios, electronics, pharmaceuticals, processed foods, textiles; note - dependent on imports for energy and raw materials

Industrial production growth rate:

-4.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 165

Electricity - production:

4.62 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 114

Electricity - consumption:

6.822 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 99

Electricity - exports:

2.123 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

4.643 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 145

Oil - consumption:

39,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 103

Oil - exports:

5,873 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 103

Oil - imports:

43,400 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 95

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 187

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 168

Natural gas - consumption:

2.05 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 80

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 76

Natural gas - imports:

2.05 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 45

Current account balance:

-$4.492 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 157 -$6.485 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$9.634 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 89 $8.227 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

wood and wood products, machinery and equipment, metals, textiles, foodstuffs

Exports - partners:

Lithuania 15.5%, Russia 14.7%, Estonia 13.2%, Germany 7.7%, Sweden 6.2%, Denmark 4.3% (2008)

Imports:

$15.65 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 80 $15.13 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, vehicles

Imports - partners:

Lithuania 16.1%, Germany 12.9%, Russia 10.7%, Poland 7%, Estonia 7%,
Sweden 4.4%, Finland 4.3% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$5.248 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 81 $5.758 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$42.26 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 57 $38.95 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$11.21 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 80 $9.779 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$1.083 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 70 $782 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

lati (LVL) per US dollar - 0.4701 (2008 est.), 0.5162 (2007), 0.5597 (2006), 0.5647 (2005), 0.5402 (2004)

Communications ::Latvia

Telephones - main lines in use:

644,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 92

Telephones - mobile cellular:

2.234 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 119

Telephone system:

general assessment: recent efforts focused on bringing competition to the telecommunications sector; the number of fixed lines is decreasing as wireless telephone service expands

domestic: number of telecommunications operators has grown rapidly since the fixed-line market opened to competition in 2003; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular subscribership exceeds 125 per 100 persons

international: country code - 371; the Latvian network is now connected via fiber optic cable to Estonia, Finland, and Sweden (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 8, FM 62, shortwave 1 (2008)

Television broadcast stations:

37 (plus 31 repeaters) (2008)

Internet country code:

.lv

Internet hosts:

257,414 (2009) country comparison to the world: 60

Internet users:

1.254 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 82

Transportation ::Latvia

Airports:

43 (2009) country comparison to the world: 100

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 20

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 3

1,524 to 2,437 m: 5

914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m: 8 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 23

under 914 m: 23 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 948 km; refined products 415 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 2,298 km country comparison to the world: 67 broad gauge: 2,265 km 1.520-m gauge

narrow gauge: 33 km 0.750-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 69,675 km country comparison to the world: 68 paved: 69,675 km (2006)

Waterways:

300 km (2007) country comparison to the world: 93

Merchant marine:

total: 22 country comparison to the world: 95 by type: cargo 8, chemical tanker 3, liquefied gas 2, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 2

foreign-owned: 2 (Estonia 2)

registered in other countries: 118 (Antigua and Barbuda 13, Belize 12, Cambodia 1, Cook Islands 1, Cyprus 1, Dominica 1, Jamaica 1, Liberia 21, Malta 19, Marshall Islands 16, Panama 8, Russia 2, Saint Kitts and Nevis 5, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 17) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Riga, Ventspils

Military ::Latvia

Military branches:

National Armed Forces (Nacionalo Brunoto Speku): Ground Forces, Navy
(Latvijas Juras Speki; includes Coast Guard (Latvijas Kara Flotes)),
Latvian Air Force (Latvijas Gaisa Speki), Border Guard, Latvian Home
Guard (Latvijas Zemessardze) (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary male and female military service; conscription abolished January 2007; under current law, every citizen is entitled to serve in the armed forces for life (2009)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 568,683

females age 16-49: 565,826 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 410,374

females age 16-49: 463,144 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 12,901

female: 12,497 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.2% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 127

Transnational Issues ::Latvia

Disputes - international:

Russia demands better Latvian treatment of ethnic Russians in Latvia; as of January 2007, ground demarcation of the boundary with Belarus was complete and mapped with final ratification documentation in preparation; the Latvian parliament has not ratified its 1998 maritime boundary treaty with Lithuania, primarily due to concerns over oil exploration rights; as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Latvia has implemented the strict Schengen border rules with Russia

Illicit drugs:

transshipment and destination point for cocaine, synthetic drugs, opiates, and cannabis from Southwest Asia, Western Europe, Latin America, and neighboring Balkan countries; despite improved legislation, vulnerable to money laundering due to nascent enforcement capabilities and comparatively weak regulation of offshore companies and the gaming industry; CIS organized crime (including counterfeiting, corruption, extortion, stolen cars, and prostitution) accounts for most laundered proceeds

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Lebanon (Middle East)

Introduction ::Lebanon

Background:

Following World War I, France acquired a mandate over the northern portion of the former Ottoman Empire province of Syria. The French separated out the region of Lebanon in 1920, and granted this area independence in 1943. A lengthy civil war (1975-1990) devastated the country, but Lebanon has since made progress toward rebuilding its political institutions. Under the Ta'if Accord - the blueprint for national reconciliation - the Lebanese established a more equitable political system, particularly by giving Muslims a greater voice in the political process while institutionalizing sectarian divisions in the government. Since the end of the war, Lebanon has conducted several successful elections. Most militias have been disbanded, with the exception of Hizballah, designated by the US State Department as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, and Palestinian militant groups. During Lebanon's civil war, the Arab League legitimized in the Ta'if Accord Syria's troop deployment, numbering about 16,000 based mainly east of Beirut and in the Bekaa Valley. Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon in May 2000 and the passage in September 2004 of UNSCR 1559 - a resolution calling for Syria to withdraw from Lebanon and end its interference in Lebanese affairs - encouraged some Lebanese groups to demand that Syria withdraw its forces as well. The assassination of former Prime Minister Rafiq HARIRI and 22 others in February 2005 led to massive demonstrations in Beirut against the Syrian presence ("the Cedar Revolution"), and Syria withdrew the remainder of its military forces in April 2005. In May-June 2005, Lebanon held its first legislative elections since the end of the civil war free of foreign interference, handing a majority to the bloc led by Saad HARIRI, the slain prime minister's son. In July 2006, Hizballah kidnapped two Israeli soldiers leading to a 34-day conflict with Israel in which approximately 1,200 Lebanese civilians were killed. UNSCR 1701 ended the war in August 2006, and Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) deployed throughout the country for the first time in decades, charged with securing Lebanon's borders against weapons smuggling and maintaining a weapons-free zone in south Lebanon with the help of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). The LAF in May-September 2007 battled Sunni extremist group Fatah al-Islam in the Nahr al-Barid Palestinian refugee camp, winning a decisive victory, but destroying the camp and displacing 30,000 Palestinian residents. Lebanese politicians in November 2007 were unable to agree on a successor to Emile LAHUD when he stepped down as president, creating a political vacuum until the election of Army Commander Michel SULAYMAN in May 2008 and the formation of a new unity government in July 2008.

Geography ::Lebanon

Location:

Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Israel and
Syria

Geographic coordinates:

33 50 N, 35 50 E

Map references:

Middle East

Area:

total: 10,400 sq km country comparison to the world: 169 land: 10,230 sq km

water: 170 sq km

Area - comparative:

about 0.7 times the size of Connecticut

Land boundaries:

total: 454 km

border countries: Israel 79 km, Syria 375 km

Coastline:

225 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate:

Mediterranean; mild to cool, wet winters with hot, dry summers;
Lebanon mountains experience heavy winter snows

Terrain:

narrow coastal plain; El Beqaa (Bekaa Valley) separates Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon Mountains

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m

highest point: Qurnat as Sawda' 3,088 m

Natural resources:

limestone, iron ore, salt, water-surplus state in a water-deficit region, arable land

Land use:

arable land: 16.35%

permanent crops: 13.75%

other: 69.9% (2005)

Irrigated land:

1,040 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

4.8 cu km (1997)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 1.38 cu km/yr (33%/1%/67%)

per capita: 385 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

dust storms, sandstorms

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; air pollution in Beirut from vehicular traffic and the burning of industrial wastes; pollution of coastal waters from raw sewage and oil spills

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:

Nahr el Litani is the only major river in Near East not crossing an international boundary; rugged terrain historically helped isolate, protect, and develop numerous factional groups based on religion, clan, and ethnicity

People ::Lebanon

Population:

4,017,095 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 126

Age structure:

0-14 years: 25.8% (male 528,047/female 506,838)

15-64 years: 67.1% (male 1,294,485/female 1,399,047)

65 years and over: 7.2% (male 130,148/female 158,530) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 29.3 years

male: 28 years

female: 30.5 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.107% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 122

Birth rate:

17.1 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 120

Death rate:

6.03 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 162

Net migration rate:

NA (2009 est.)

Urbanization:

urban population: 87% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female

total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 21.82 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 99 male: 24.26 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 19.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 73.66 years country comparison to the world: 101 male: 71.15 years

female: 76.31 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.85 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 152

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 118

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

3,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 131

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 200 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 110

Nationality:

noun: Lebanese (singular and plural)

adjective: Lebanese

Ethnic groups:

Arab 95%, Armenian 4%, other 1%

note: many Christian Lebanese do not identify themselves as Arab but rather as descendents of the ancient Canaanites and prefer to be called Phoenicians

Religions:

Muslim 59.7% (Shia, Sunni, Druze, Isma'ilite, Alawite or Nusayri),
Christian 39% (Maronite Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Melkite Catholic,
Armenian Orthodox, Syrian Catholic, Armenian Catholic, Syrian
Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Chaldean, Assyrian, Copt, Protestant),
other 1.3%

note: 17 religious sects recognized

Languages:

Arabic (official), French, English, Armenian

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 87.4%

male: 93.1%

female: 82.2% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 13 years

male: 13 years

female: 13 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

2.7% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 153

Government ::Lebanon

Country name:

conventional long form: Lebanese Republic

conventional short form: Lebanon

local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Lubnaniyah

local short form: Lubnan

former: Greater Lebanon

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Beirut

geographic coordinates: 33 52 N, 35 30 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

6 governorates (mohafazat, singular - mohafazah); Beqaa, Beyrouth (Beirut), Liban-Nord, Liban-Sud, Mont-Liban, Nabatiye

note: two new governorates - Aakar and Baalbek-Hermel - have been legislated but not yet implemented

Independence:

22 November 1943 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 22 November (1943)

Constitution:

23 May 1926; amended a number of times, most recently Charter of Lebanese National Reconciliation (Ta'if Accord) of October 1989

Legal system:

mixture of Ottoman law, canon law, Napoleonic code, and civil law; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

21 years of age; compulsory for all males; authorized for women at age 21 with elementary education; excludes military personnel

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Michel SULAYMAN (since 25 May 2008)

head of government: Prime Minister Sa'ad AL-HARIRI (since 9 November 2009);Deputy Prime Minister Elias MURR (since 9 November 2009)

cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation with the president and members of the National Assembly

elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a six-year term (may not serve consecutive terms); election last held 25 May 2008 (next to be held in 2014); the prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president in consultation with the National Assembly

election results: Michel SULAYMAN elected president; National Assembly vote - 118 for, 6 abstentions, 3 invalidated

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly or Majlis Alnuwab (Arabic) or Assemblee Nationale (French) (128 seats; members elected by popular vote on the basis of sectarian proportional representation to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held on 7 June 2009 (next to be held in 2013)

election results: percent of vote by group - March 8 Coalition 54.7%, March 14 Coalition 45.3%; seats by group - March 14 Coalition 71; March 8 Coalition 57

Judicial branch:

four Courts of Cassation (three courts for civil and commercial cases and one court for criminal cases); Constitutional Council (called for in Ta'if Accord - rules on constitutionality of laws); Supreme Council (hears charges against the president and prime minister as needed)

Political parties and leaders:

14 March Coalition: Democratic Gathering Bloc [Walid JUNBLATT, leader of Progressive Socialist Party]; Democratic Left [Ilyas ATALLAH]; Democratic Renewal Movement [Nassib LAHUD]; Future Movement Bloc [Sa'ad al-HARIRI]; Kataeb Party [Amine GEMAYEL]; Lebanese Forces [Samir JA'JA]; Tripoli Independent Bloc

8 March Coalition: Development and Resistance Bloc [Nabih BERRI, leader of Amal Movement]; Free Patriotic Movement [Michel AWN]; Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc [Mohammad RA'AD] (includes Hizballah Party [Hassan NASRALLAH]); Nasserite Popular Movement [Ussama SAAD]; Popular Bloc [Elias SKAFF]; Syrian Ba'th Party [Sayez SHUKR]; Syrian Social Nationalist Party [Ali QANSO]

Independent: Metn Bloc [Michel MURR]; Tashnaq

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Hizballah military wing

other: Palestinian militias; Maronite Christians; Sunnis and their militias; Shias and their militias

International organization participation:

ABEDA, ACCT, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol,
IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF,
PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Antoine CHEDID

chancery: 2560 28th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 939-6300

FAX: [1] (202) 939-6324

consulate(s) general: Detroit, New York, Los Angeles

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Michele J. SISON

embassy: Awkar, Lebanon; (Awkar facing the Municipality)

mailing address: P. O. Box 70-840, Antelias, Lebanon; from US: US Embassy Beirut, 6070 Beirut Place, Washington, DC 20521-6070

telephone: [961] (4) 542600, 543600

FAX: [961] (4) 544136

Flag description:

three horizontal bands consisting of red (top), white (middle, double width), and red (bottom) with a green cedar tree centered in the white band

Economy ::Lebanon

Economy - overview:

Lebanon has a free-market economy and a strong laissez-faire commercial tradition. The government does not restrict foreign investment; however, the investment climate suffers from red tape, corruption, arbitrary licensing decisions, high taxes, tariffs, and fees, archaic legislation, and weak intellectual property rights. The Lebanese economy is service-oriented; main growth sectors include banking and tourism. The 1975-90 civil war seriously damaged Lebanon's economic infrastructure, cut national output by half, and all but ended Lebanon's position as a Middle Eastern entrepot and banking hub. In the years since, Lebanon has rebuilt much of its war-torn physical and financial infrastructure by borrowing heavily - mostly from domestic banks. In an attempt to reduce the ballooning national debt, the Rafiq HARIRI government in 2000 began an austerity program, reining in government expenditures, increasing revenue collection, and passing legislation to privatize state enterprises, but economic and financial reform initiatives stalled and public debt continued to grow despite receipt of more than $2 billion in bilateral assistance at the 2002 Paris II Donors Conference. The Israeli-Hizballah conflict in July-August 2006 caused an estimated $3.6 billion in infrastructure damage, and prompted international donors to pledge nearly $1 billion in recovery and reconstruction assistance. Donors met again in January 2007 at the Paris III Donor Conference and pledged more than $7.5 billion to Lebanon for development projects and budget support, conditioned on progress on Beirut's fiscal reform and privatization program. An 18-month political stalemate and sporadic sectarian and political violence hampered economic activity, particularly tourism, retail sales, and investment, until the new government was formed in July 2008. Political stability since the Doha Accord of May 2008 has helped to boost investment and tourism, but economic growth is likely to slow in 2009 as a result of the global economic recession.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$44.16 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 90 $41.54 billion (2007 est.)

$39.95 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$29.35 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

6.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 52 4% (2007 est.)

-4.3% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$11,100 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 98 $10,600 (2007 est.)

$10,300 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 5.1%

industry: 18.8%

services: 76.1% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

1.481 million country comparison to the world: 129 note: in addition, there are as many as 1 million foreign workers (2007 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Unemployment rate:

9.2% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 119

Population below poverty line:

28% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Investment (gross fixed):

22.4% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 77

Budget:

revenues: $6.998 billion

expenditures: $9.955 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

160.3% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 3 177.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

10% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 146 4.2% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

12% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 28 12% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

9.96% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 82 10.26% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$2.374 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$57.4 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$45.51 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$9.641 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 73 $10.86 billion (31 December 2007)

$8.279 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

citrus, grapes, tomatoes, apples, vegetables, potatoes, olives, tobacco; sheep, goats

Industries:

banking, tourism, food processing, wine, jewelry, cement, textiles, mineral and chemical products, wood and furniture products, oil refining, metal fabricating

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

9.03 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 94

Electricity - consumption:

8.42 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 90

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

972 million kWh (2007 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 146

Oil - consumption:

92,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 78

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 172

Oil - imports:

86,750 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 72

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 188

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 169

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 165

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 77

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 98

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 160

Current account balance:

-$2.987 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 148 -$1.395 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$5.023 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 109 $4.077 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

jewelry, base metals, chemicals, miscellaneous consumer goods, fruit and vegetables, tobacco, construction minerals, electric power machinery and switchgear, textile fibers, paper

Exports - partners:

Syria 24.9%, UAE 12.9%, Switzerland 6.6%, Saudi Arabia 6.1%, Turkey 4.2% (2008)

Imports:

$16.25 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 76 $11.93 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

petroleum products, cars, medicinal products, clothing, meat and live animals, consumer goods, paper, textile fabrics, tobacco, electrical machinery and equipment, chemicals

Imports - partners:

Syria 10.5%, France 9.5%, US 9.3%, Italy 7.3%, China 6.8%, Germany 4.9%, Saudi Arabia 4.8%, Turkey 4.2% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$28.28 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 46 $20.55 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$33.28 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 61 $31.6 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$NA

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$NA

Exchange rates:

Lebanese pounds (LBP) per US dollar - 1,507.5 (2008 est.), 1,507.5 (2007), 1,507.5 (2006), 1,507.5 (2005), 1,507.5 (2004)

Communications ::Lebanon

Telephones - main lines in use:

714,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 89

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1.43 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 134

Telephone system:

general assessment: repair of the telecommunications system, severely damaged during the civil war, now complete

domestic: two wireless networks provide good service; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular subscribership exceeds 50 per 100 persons

international: country code - 961; submarine cable links to Cyprus, Egypt, and Syria; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean); coaxial cable to Syria (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 20, FM 32 (plus about a dozen unlicensed stations operating), shortwave 4 (2007)

Television broadcast stations:

15 (plus 5 repeaters) (1995)

Internet country code:

.lb

Internet hosts:

45,352 (2009) country comparison to the world: 86

Internet users:

2.19 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 67

Transportation ::Lebanon

Airports:

7 (2009) country comparison to the world: 167

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 5

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 43 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 401 km country comparison to the world: 119 standard gauge: 319 km 1.435 m

narrow gauge: 82 km 1.050 m

note: rail system unusable because of the damage done during fighting in the 1980s and in 2006 (2008)

Roadways:

total: 6,970 km (includes 170 km of expressways) (2005) country comparison to the world: 148

Merchant marine:

total: 33 country comparison to the world: 84 by type: bulk carrier 3, cargo 13, carrier 11, passenger/cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 2, vehicle carrier 2

foreign-owned: 4 (Greece 2, Syria 2)

registered in other countries: 55 (Barbados 1, Cambodia 8, Comoros 4, Cyprus 1, Egypt 1, Georgia 4, Honduras 1, Italy 1, North Korea 1, Liberia 2, Malta 11, Mongolia 2, Panama 5, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 6, Sierra Leone 1, Syria 3, Togo 1, unknown 2) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Beirut, Tripoli

Military ::Lebanon

Military branches:

Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF): Army (includes Navy), Air Force (Al
Quwwat al Jawwiya al Lubnaniya) (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18-30 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2007)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,106,879

females age 16-49: 1,122,595 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 948,765

females age 16-49: 954,663 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 33,018

female: 31,800 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

3.1% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 45

Transnational Issues ::Lebanon

Disputes - international:

lacking a treaty or other documentation describing the boundary, portions of the Lebanon-Syria boundary are unclear with several sections in dispute; since 2000, Lebanon has claimed Shab'a Farms area in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights; the roughly 2,000-strong UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has been in place since 1978

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 405,425 (Palestinian refugees (UNRWA)); 50,000-60,000 (Iraq)

IDPs: 17,000 (1975-90 civil war, Israeli invasions); 200,000
(July-August 2006 war) (2007)

Illicit drugs:

cannabis cultivation dramatically reduced to 2,500 hectares in 2002 despite continued significant cannabis consumption; opium poppy cultivation minimal; small amounts of Latin American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin transit country on way to European markets and for Middle Eastern consumption; money laundering of drug proceeds fuels concern that extremists are benefiting from drug trafficking

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Lesotho (Africa)

Introduction ::Lesotho

Background:

Basutoland was renamed the Kingdom of Lesotho upon independence from the UK in 1966. The Basuto National Party ruled for the first two decades. King MOSHOESHOE was exiled in 1990, but returned to Lesotho in 1992 and was reinstated in 1995. Constitutional government was restored in 1993 after seven years of military rule. In 1998, violent protests and a military mutiny following a contentious election prompted a brief but bloody intervention by South African and Botswanan military forces under the aegis of the Southern African Development Community. Subsequent constitutional reforms restored relative political stability. Peaceful parliamentary elections were held in 2002, but the National Assembly elections of February 2007 were hotly contested and aggrieved parties continue to periodically demonstrate their distrust of the results.

Geography ::Lesotho

Location:

Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa

Geographic coordinates:

29 30 S, 28 30 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 30,355 sq km country comparison to the world: 141 land: 30,355 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries:

total: 909 km

border countries: South Africa 909 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers

Terrain:

mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: junction of the Orange and Makhaleng Rivers 1,400 m

highest point: Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 m

Natural resources:

water, agricultural and grazing land, diamonds, sand, clay, building stone

Land use:

arable land: 10.87%

permanent crops: 0.13%

other: 89% (2005)

Irrigated land:

30 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

5.2 cu km (1987)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.05 cu km/yr (40%/40%/20%)

per capita: 28 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:

population pressure forcing settlement in marginal areas results in overgrazing, severe soil erosion, and soil exhaustion; desertification; Highlands Water Project controls, stores, and redirects water to South Africa

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

landlocked, completely surrounded by South Africa; mountainous, more than 80% of the country is 1,800 m above sea level

People ::Lesotho

Population:

2,130,819 country comparison to the world: 142 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 34.8% (male 373,159/female 368,271)

15-64 years: 60.2% (male 629,346/female 654,054)

65 years and over: 5% (male 42,074/female 63,915) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 21.4 years

male: 20.9 years

female: 22 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.116% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 189

Birth rate:

24.14 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 72

Death rate:

22.2 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 3

Net migration rate:

-0.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 117

Urbanization:

urban population: 25% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 3.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 77.4 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 24 male: 81.75 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 72.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 40.38 years country comparison to the world: 221 male: 41.18 years

female: 39.54 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3.06 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 70

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

23.2% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 3

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

270,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 26

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

18,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 24

Nationality:

noun: Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural)

adjective: Basotho

Ethnic groups:

Sotho 99.7%, Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3%,

Religions:

Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20%

Languages:

Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 84.8%

male: 74.5%

female: 94.5% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 10 years

male: 10 years

female: 10 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

13% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 2

Government ::Lesotho

Country name:

conventional long form: Kingdom of Lesotho

conventional short form: Lesotho

local long form: Kingdom of Lesotho

local short form: Lesotho

former: Basutoland

Government type:

parliamentary constitutional monarchy

Capital:

name: Maseru

geographic coordinates: 29 19 S, 27 29 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohale's Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka

Independence:

4 October 1966 (from the UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 4 October (1966)

Constitution:

2 April 1993

Legal system:

based on English common law and Roman-Dutch law; judicial review of legislative acts in High Court and Court of Appeal; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: King LETSIE III (since 7 February 1996); note - King LETSIE III formerly occupied the throne from November 1990 to February 1995 while his father was in exile

head of government: Prime Minister Pakalitha MOSISILI (since 23 May 1998)

cabinet: Cabinet

elections: according to the constitution, the leader of the majority party in the Assembly automatically becomes prime minister; the monarch is hereditary, but, under the terms of the constitution that came into effect after the March 1993 election, the monarch is a "living symbol of national unity" with no executive or legislative powers; under traditional law the college of chiefs has the power to depose the monarch, determine who is next in the line of succession, or who shall serve as regent in the event that the successor is not of mature age

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (33 members - 22 principal chiefs and 11 other members appointed by the ruling party) and the Assembly (120 seats, 80 by popular vote and 40 by proportional vote; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms)

elections: last held 17 February 2007 (next to be held in 2012)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - LCD 61, NIP 21, ABC 17, LWP 10, ACP 4, BNP 3, other 4

Judicial branch:

High Court (chief justice appointed by the monarch acting on the advice of the prime minister); Court of Appeal; Magistrate Courts; customary or traditional court

Political parties and leaders:

Alliance of Congress Parties or ACP including the Lesotho People's
Congress or LCP [Kelebone MAOPE], the Basotholand African Congress
or BAC [Khauhelo RALITAPOLE], and a faction of the Basotho Congress
Party or BCP [Ntsukunyane MPHANYA]; All Basotho Convention or ABC
[Thomas THABANE]; Basotho Batho Democratic Party or BBDP; Basotho
Congress Party or BCP; Basotho Democratic National Party or BDNP
[Thabang NYEOE]; Basotho National Party or BNP [Maj. Gen. Justin
Metsing LEKHANYA]; Basotholand African National Congress or BANC;
Christian Democratic Party or CDP [Enerst RAMOKOENA]; Lesotho
Congress for Democracy or LCD (the governing party) [Pakalitha
MOSISILI]; Lesotho Workers Party or LWP [Macaefa BILLY]; National
Independent Party or NIP [Anthony MANYELI]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Media Institute of Southern Africa, Lesotho chapter [Thabang
MATJAMA] (pushes for media freedom)

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MIGA,
NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU,
WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador David Mohlomi RANTEKOA

chancery: 2511 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 797-5533 through 5536

FAX: [1] (202) 234-6815

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Robert NOLAN

embassy: 254 Kingsway, Maseru West (Consular Section)

mailing address: P. O. Box 333, Maseru 100, Lesotho

telephone: [266] 22 312666

FAX: [266] 22 310116

Flag description:

three horizontal stripes of blue (top), white, and green in the proportions of 3:4:3; the colors represent rain, peace, and prosperity respectively; centered in the white stripe is a black Basotho hat representing the indigenous people; the flag was unfurled in October 2006 to celebrate 40 years of independence

Economy ::Lesotho

Economy - overview:

Small, landlocked, and mountainous, Lesotho relies on remittances from miners employed in South Africa and customs duties from the Southern Africa Customs Union for the majority of government revenue. However, the government has recently strengthened its tax system to reduce dependency on customs duties. Completion of a major hydropower facility in January 1998 permitted the sale of water to South Africa and generated royalties for Lesotho. Lesotho produces about 90% of its own electrical power needs. As the number of mineworkers has declined steadily over the past several years, a small manufacturing base has developed based on farm products that support the milling, canning, leather, and jute industries, as well as a rapidly expanding apparel-assembly sector. The latter has grown significantly mainly due to Lesotho qualifying for the trade benefits contained in the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act. The economy is still primarily based on subsistence agriculture, especially livestock, although drought has decreased agricultural activity. The extreme inequality in the distribution of income remains a major drawback. Lesotho has signed an Interim Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility with the IMF. In July 2007, Lesotho signed a Millennium Challenge Account Compact with the US worth $362.5 million.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$3.301 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 170 $3.091 billion (2007 est.)

$2.949 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$1.618 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

6.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 43 4.8% (2007 est.)

6.2% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,600 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 194 $1,500 (2007 est.)

$1,400 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 15.1%

industry: 46.4%

services: 38.5% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

854,600 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 142

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 86% of resident population engaged in subsistence agriculture; roughly 35% of the active male wage earners work in South Africa

industry and services: 14% (2002 est.)

Unemployment rate:

45% (2002) country comparison to the world: 190

Population below poverty line:

49% (1999)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 1%

highest 10%: 39.4% (2003)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

63.2 (1995) country comparison to the world: 3 56 (1986-87)

Investment (gross fixed):

40.8% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 3

Budget:

revenues: $825.1 million

expenditures: $758.7 million (2008 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

10.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 157 8% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

14.05% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 20 12.82% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

16.19% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 50 14.13% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$416.5 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 98 $439.2 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$108.1 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 119 $160.2 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$NA (31 December 2007)

Agriculture - products:

corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock

Industries:

food, beverages, textiles, apparel assembly, handicrafts, construction, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:

10% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 13

Electricity - production:

502 million kWh country comparison to the world: 159 note: electricity supplied by South Africa (2007 est.)

Electricity - consumption:

516.9 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 161

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

50 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 143

Oil - consumption:

2,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 183

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 171

Oil - imports:

1,553 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 182

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 159

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 165

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 163

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 161

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 164

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 168

Current account balance:

$121 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 56 $211.8 million (2007 est.)

Exports:

$956 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 152 $805 million (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool and mohair, food and live animals (2000)

Exports - partners:

US 58.9%, Belgium 37%, Madagascar 1.2% (2008)

Imports:

$1.88 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 152 $1.604 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum products

Imports - partners:

China 35.5%, Hong Kong 22.1%, South Korea 19.1%, Germany 5.9%,
Pakistan 4.6% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$993 million (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 128 $874 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$619 million (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 162 $689 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

maloti (LSL) per US dollar - 7.75 (2008 est.), 7.25 (2007), 6.85 (2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004)

Communications ::Lesotho

Telephones - main lines in use:

65,200 (2008) country comparison to the world: 156

Telephones - mobile cellular:

581,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 153

Telephone system:

general assessment: rudimentary system consisting of a modest but growing number of landlines, a small microwave radio relay system, and a small radiotelephone communication system; mobile-cellular telephone system is expanding

domestic: privatized in 2001, Telecom Lesotho tasked with providing an additional 50,000 fixed-line connections within five years, a target not met; mobile-cellular service is expanding with a subscribership exceeding 25 per 100 persons; rural services are scant

international: country code - 266; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 1 (2007)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (2007)

Internet country code:

.ls

Internet hosts:

127 (2009) country comparison to the world: 197

Internet users:

73,300 (2008) country comparison to the world: 163

Transportation ::Lesotho

Airports:

26 (2009) country comparison to the world: 126

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 3

over 3,047 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 23

914 to 1,523 m: 5

under 914 m: 18 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 7,091 km country comparison to the world: 147 paved: 1,404 km

unpaved: 5,687 km (2003)

Military ::Lesotho

Military branches:

Lesotho Defense Force (LDF): Army (includes Air Wing) (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

18-24 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 525,203

females age 16-49: 522,485 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 267,083

females age 16-49: 240,868 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 26,039

female: 25,964 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

2.6% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 60

Military - note:

Lesotho's declared policy is maintenance of its independent sovereignty and preservation of internal security; in practice, external security is guaranteed by South Africa; restructuring of the Lesotho Defense Force (LDF) and Ministry of Defense and Public Service over the past five years has focused on subordinating the defense apparatus to civilian control and restoring the LDF's cohesion; the restructuring has considerably improved capabilities and professionalism, but the LDF is disproportionately large for a small, poor country; the government has outlined a reduction to a planned 1,500-man strength, but these plans have met with vociferous resistance from the political opposition and from inside the LDF (2008)

Transnational Issues ::Lesotho

Disputes - international:

none

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Liberia (Africa)

Introduction ::Liberia

Background:

Settlement of freed slaves from the US in what is today Liberia began in 1822; by 1847, the Americo-Liberians were able to establish a republic. William TUBMAN, president from 1944-71, did much to promote foreign investment and to bridge the economic, social, and political gaps between the descendents of the original settlers and the inhabitants of the interior. In 1980, a military coup led by Samuel DOE ushered in a decade of authoritarian rule. In December 1989, Charles TAYLOR launched a rebellion against DOE's regime that led to a prolonged civil war in which DOE himself was killed. A period of relative peace in 1997 allowed for elections that brought TAYLOR to power, but major fighting resumed in 2000. An August 2003 peace agreement ended the war and prompted the resignation of former president Charles TAYLOR, who faces war crimes charges in The Hague related to his involvement in Sierra Leone's civil war. After two years of rule by a transitional government, democratic elections in late 2005 brought President Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF to power. The UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) maintains a strong presence throughout the country, but the security situation is still fragile and the process of rebuilding the social and economic structure of this war-torn country will take many years.

Geography ::Liberia

Location:

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Cote d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone

Geographic coordinates:

6 30 N, 9 30 W

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 111,369 sq km country comparison to the world: 103 land: 96,320 sq km

water: 15,049 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than Tennessee

Land boundaries:

total: 1,585 km

border countries: Guinea 563 km, Cote d'Ivoire 716 km, Sierra Leone 306 km

Coastline:

579 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; hot, humid; dry winters with hot days and cool to cold nights; wet, cloudy summers with frequent heavy showers

Terrain:

mostly flat to rolling coastal plains rising to rolling plateau and low mountains in northeast

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mount Wuteve 1,380 m

Natural resources:

iron ore, timber, diamonds, gold, hydropower

Land use:

arable land: 3.43%

permanent crops: 1.98%

other: 94.59% (2005)

Irrigated land:

30 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

232 cu km (1987)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.11 cu km/yr (27%/18%/55%)

per capita: 34 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

dust-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to March)

Environment - current issues:

tropical rain forest deforestation; soil erosion; loss of biodiversity; pollution of coastal waters from oil residue and raw sewage

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:

facing the Atlantic Ocean, the coastline is characterized by lagoons, mangrove swamps, and river-deposited sandbars; the inland grassy plateau supports limited agriculture

People ::Liberia

Population:

3,441,790 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 132

Age structure:

0-14 years: 44.1% (male 760,989/female 758,554)

15-64 years: 53% (male 904,770/female 920,704)

65 years and over: 2.8% (male 47,013/female 49,760) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 18 years

male: 17.9 years

female: 18.2 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.665% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 27

Birth rate:

42.25 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 11

Death rate:

20.73 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 6

Net migration rate:

5.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 20

Urbanization:

urban population: 60% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 5.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 138.24 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 4 male: 153.55 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 122.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 41.84 years country comparison to the world: 218 male: 40.71 years

female: 43 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

5.79 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 14

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

1.7% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 35

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

35,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 68

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

2,300 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 58

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever

water contact disease: schistosomiasis

aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: Lassa fever

animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Liberian(s)

adjective: Liberian

Ethnic groups:

indigenous African 95% (including Kpelle, Bassa, Gio, Kru, Grebo, Mano, Krahn, Gola, Gbandi, Loma, Kissi, Vai, Dei, Bella, Mandingo, and Mende), Americo-Liberians 2.5% (descendants of immigrants from the US who had been slaves), Congo People 2.5% (descendants of immigrants from the Caribbean who had been slaves)

Religions:

Christian 40%, Muslim 20%, indigenous beliefs 40%

Languages:

English 20% (official), some 20 ethnic group languages few of which can be written or used in correspondence

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 57.5%

male: 73.3%

female: 41.6% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 10 years

male: 11 years

female: 8 years (2000)

Education expenditures:

NA

Government ::Liberia

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Liberia

conventional short form: Liberia

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Monrovia

geographic coordinates: 6 18 N, 10 48 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

15 counties; Bomi, Bong, Gbarpolu, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape Mount, Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru, Lofa, Margibi, Maryland, Montserrado, Nimba, River Cess, River Gee, Sinoe

Independence:

26 July 1847

National holiday:

Independence Day, 26 July (1847)

Constitution:

6 January 1986

Legal system:

dual system of statutory law based on Anglo-American common law for the modern sector and customary law based on unwritten tribal practices for indigenous sector; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF (since 16 January 2006); note - the President is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF (since 16 January 2006)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate

elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 8 November 2005 (next to be held in October 2011)

election results: Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF elected president; percent of vote, second round - Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF 59.6%, George WEAH 40.4%

Legislative branch:

bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (30 seats; note - number of seats changed in 11 October 2005 elections; members elected by popular vote to serve nine-year terms) and the House of Representatives (64 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held 11 October 2005 (next to be held in October 2011); House of Representatives - last held 11 October 2005 (next to be held in October 2011)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - COTOL 7, NPP 4, CDC 3, LP 3, UP 3, APD 3, other 7; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CDC 15, LP 9, COTOL 8, UP 8, APD 5, NPP 4, other 15

note: junior senators - those who received the second most votes in each county in the 11 October 2005 election - will only serve a six-year first term because the Liberian constitution mandates staggered Senate elections to ensure continuity of government; all senators will be eligible for nine-year terms thereafter

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:

Alliance for Peace and Democracy or APD [Togba-na TIPOTEH];
Coalition for the Transformation of Liberia or COTOL [H. Varney
SHERMAN]; Congress for Democratic Change or CDC [George WEAH];
Liberty Party or LP [Charles BRUMSKINE]; National Patriotic Party or
NPP [Roland MASSAQUOI]; Unity Party or UP [Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

other: demobilized former military officers

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITU,
ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Milton Nathaniel BARNES

chancery: 5201 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011

telephone: [1] (202) 723-0437

FAX: [1] (202) 723-0436

consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Linda THOMAS-GREENFIELD

embassy: 111 United Nations Drive, P. O. Box 98, Mamba Point, 1000 Monrovia, 10

mailing address: use embassy street address

telephone: [231] 7-705-4826

FAX: [231] 7-701-0370

Flag description:

11 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; there is a white five-pointed star on a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner; the design was based on the US flag

Economy ::Liberia

Economy - overview:

Civil war and government mismanagement destroyed much of Liberia's economy, especially the infrastructure in and around the capital, Monrovia. Many businesses fled the country, taking capital and expertise with them, but with the conclusion of fighting and the installation of a democratically-elected government in 2006, some have returned. Richly endowed with water, mineral resources, forests, and a climate favorable to agriculture, Liberia had been a producer and exporter of basic products - primarily raw timber and rubber. Local manufacturing, mainly foreign owned, had been small in scope. President JOHNSON SIRLEAF, a Harvard-trained banker and administrator, has taken steps to reduce corruption, build support from international donors, and encourage private investment. Embargos on timber and diamond exports have been lifted, opening new sources of revenue for the government. The reconstruction of infrastructure and the raising of incomes in this ravaged economy will largely depend on generous financial and technical assistance from donor countries and foreign investment in key sectors, such as infrastructure and power generation.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$1.531 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 193 $1.43 billion (2007 est.)

$1.306 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$850 million (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

7.1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 34 9.5% (2007 est.)

7.8% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$500 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 226 $400 (2007 est.)

$400 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 76.9%

industry: 5.4%

services: 17.7% (2002 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 70%

industry: 8%

services: 22% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:

85% (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 199

Population below poverty line:

80% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: NA

expenditures: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

11.2% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 161

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

14.4% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 40 15.05% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$145.6 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$49.89 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$1.157 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

rubber, coffee, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), palm oil, sugarcane, bananas; sheep, goats; timber

Industries:

rubber processing, palm oil processing, timber, diamonds

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

350 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 165

Electricity - consumption:

325.5 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 166

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 144

Oil - consumption:

4,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 172

Oil - exports:

23.37 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 136

Oil - imports:

4,263 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 163

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 186

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 166

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 164

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 74

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 165

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 116

Current account balance:

-$224 million (2007) country comparison to the world: 91

Exports:

$1.197 billion (2006) country comparison to the world: 148

Exports - commodities:

rubber, timber, iron, diamonds, cocoa, coffee

Exports - partners:

India 26.5%, US 17.9%, Poland 13.9%, Germany 10.1%, Belgium 6.8% (2008)

Imports:

$7.143 billion (2006) country comparison to the world: 103

Imports - commodities:

fuels, chemicals, machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods; foodstuffs

Imports - partners:

South Korea 27.2%, Singapore 25.5%, Japan 11.8%, China 11% (2008)

Debt - external:

$3.2 billion (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 121

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$124.2 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 28

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$NA

Exchange rates:

Liberian dollars (LRD) per US dollar - NA (2007), 59.43 (2006), 53.098 (2005), 54.906 (2004), 59.379 (2003)

Communications ::Liberia

Telephones - main lines in use:

2,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 224

Telephones - mobile cellular:

732,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 148

Telephone system:

general assessment: the limited services available are found almost exclusively in the capital Monrovia; coverage extended to a number of other towns and rural areas by four mobile-cellular network operators

domestic: fixed line service stagnant and extremely limited; mobile-cellular subscription base growing and teledensity exceeding 20 per 100 persons

international: country code - 231; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 0, FM 10, shortwave 2 (2007)

Television broadcast stations:

4 (plus 4 repeaters) (2007)

Internet country code:

.lr

Internet hosts:

5 (2009) country comparison to the world: 226

Internet users:

20,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 190

Transportation ::Liberia

Airports:

33 (2009) country comparison to the world: 112

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 2

over 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 31

1,524 to 2,437 m: 5

914 to 1,523 m: 8

under 914 m: 18 (2009)

Railways:

total: 429 km country comparison to the world: 118 standard gauge: 345 km 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge: 84 km 1.067-m gauge

note: most sections of the railway are inoperable because of damage suffered during the civil wars from 1980 to 2003 (2008)

Roadways:

total: 10,600 km country comparison to the world: 137 paved: 657 km

unpaved: 9,943 km (2000)

Merchant marine:

total: 2,204 country comparison to the world: 2 by type: barge carrier 3, bulk carrier 390, cargo 107, chemical tanker 241, combination ore/oil 7, container 750, liquefied gas 84, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 460, refrigerated cargo 103, roll on/roll off 7, specialized tanker 12, vehicle carrier 36

foreign-owned: 2,109 (Argentina 3, Belgium 4, Brazil 3, Canada 7, China 11, Croatia 2, Cyprus 63, Denmark 12, Estonia 1, France 5, Germany 849, Gibraltar 5, Greece 358, Hong Kong 44, India 2, Indonesia 2, Isle of Man 5, Israel 23, Italy 41, Japan 116, South Korea 3, Latvia 21, Lebanon 2, Mexico 2, Monaco 8, Netherlands 6, Nigeria 2, Norway 40, Poland 13, Qatar 4, Romania 2, Russia 94, Saudi Arabia 27, Singapore 32, Slovenia 3, Sweden 10, Switzerland 13, Taiwan 91, Turkey 7, Ukraine 25, UAE 23, UK 20, US 98, Uruguay 3, Vietnam 4) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Buchanan, Monrovia

Military ::Liberia

Military branches:

Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL): Army, Navy, Air Force

Military service age and obligation:

16 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 729,813

females age 16-49: 741,223 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 387,417

females age 16-49: 382,334 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 34,059

female: 33,281 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.3% of GDP (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 124

Transnational Issues ::Liberia

Disputes - international:

although civil unrest continues to abate with the assistance of 18,000 UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) peacekeepers, as of January 2007, Liberian refugees still remain in Guinea, Cote d'Ivoire, Sierra Leone, and Ghana; Liberia, in turn, shelters refugees fleeing turmoil in Cote d'Ivoire; despite the presence of over 9,000 UN forces (UNOCI) in Cote d'Ivoire since 2004, ethnic conflict continues to spread into neighboring states who can no longer send their migrant workers to Ivorian cocoa plantations; UN sanctions ban Liberia from exporting diamonds and timber

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 12,600 (Cote d'Ivoire)

IDPs: 13,000 (civil war from 1990-2004; IDP resettlement began in
November 2004) (2007)

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for Southeast and Southwest Asian heroin and South American cocaine for the European and US markets; corruption, criminal activity, arms-dealing, and diamond trade provide significant potential for money laundering, but the lack of well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a major money-laundering center

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Libya (Africa)

Introduction ::Libya

Background:

The Italians supplanted the Ottoman Turks in the area around Tripoli in 1911 and did not relinquish their hold until 1943 when defeated in World War II. Libya then passed to UN administration and achieved independence in 1951. Following a 1969 military coup, Col. Muammar Abu Minyar al-QADHAFI began to espouse his own political system, the Third Universal Theory. The system is a combination of socialism and Islam derived in part from tribal practices and is supposed to be implemented by the Libyan people themselves in a unique form of "direct democracy." QADHAFI has always seen himself as a revolutionary and visionary leader. He used oil funds during the 1970s and 1980s to promote his ideology outside Libya, supporting subversives and terrorists abroad to hasten the end of Marxism and capitalism. In addition, beginning in 1973, he engaged in military operations in northern Chad's Aozou Strip - to gain access to minerals and to use as a base of influence in Chadian politics - but was forced to retreat in 1987. UN sanctions in 1992 isolated QADHAFI politically following the downing of Pan AM Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. During the 1990s, QADHAFI began to rebuild his relationships with Europe. UN sanctions were suspended in April 1999 and finally lifted in September 2003 after Libya accepted responsibility for the Lockerbie bombing. In December 2003, Libya announced that it had agreed to reveal and end its programs to develop weapons of mass destruction and to renounce terrorism. QADHAFI has made significant strides in normalizing relations with Western nations since then. He has received various Western European leaders as well as many working-level and commercial delegations, and made his first trip to Western Europe in 15 years when he traveled to Brussels in April 2004. The US rescinded Libya's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism in June 2006. In January 2008, Libya assumed a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2008-09 term. In August 2008, the US and Libya signed a bilateral comprehensive claims settlement agreement to compensate claimants in both countries who allege injury or death at the hands of the other country, including the Lockerbie bombing, the LaBelle disco bombing, and the UTA 772 bombing. In October 2008, the US Government received $1.5 billion pursuant to the agreement to distribute to US national claimants, and as a result effectively normalized its bilateral relationship with Libya. The two countries then exchanged ambassadors for the first time since 1973 in January 2009.

Geography ::Libya

Location:

Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and
Tunisia

Geographic coordinates:

25 00 N, 17 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 1,759,540 sq km country comparison to the world: 17 land: 1,759,540 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than Alaska

Land boundaries:

total: 4,348 km

border countries: Algeria 982 km, Chad 1,055 km, Egypt 1,115 km, Niger 354 km, Sudan 383 km, Tunisia 459 km

Coastline:

1,770 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

note: Gulf of Sidra closing line - 32 degrees, 30 minutes north

exclusive fishing zone: 62 nm

Climate:

Mediterranean along coast; dry, extreme desert interior

Terrain:

mostly barren, flat to undulating plains, plateaus, depressions

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Sabkhat Ghuzayyil -47 m

highest point: Bikku Bitti 2,267 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, natural gas, gypsum

Land use:

arable land: 1.03%

permanent crops: 0.19%

other: 98.78% (2005)

Irrigated land:

4,700 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

0.6 cu km (1997)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 4.27 cu km/yr (14%/3%/83%)

per capita: 730 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

hot, dry, dust-laden ghibli is a southern wind lasting one to four days in spring and fall; dust storms, sandstorms

Environment - current issues:

desertification; limited natural fresh water resources; the Great Manmade River Project, the largest water development scheme in the world, is being built to bring water from large aquifers under the Sahara to coastal cities

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:

more than 90% of the country is desert or semidesert

People ::Libya

Population:

6,310,434 country comparison to the world: 105 note: includes 166,510 non-nationals (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 33% (male 1,064,866/female 1,019,790)

15-64 years: 62.7% (male 2,033,478/female 1,920,755)

65 years and over: 4.3% (male 133,092/female 138,453) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 23.9 years

male: 24 years

female: 23.8 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.17% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 46

Birth rate:

25.15 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 70

Death rate:

3.45 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 214

Net migration rate:

NA (2009 est.)

Urbanization:

urban population: 78% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 2.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female

total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 21.05 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 102 male: 23.21 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 18.78 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 77.26 years country comparison to the world: 57 male: 74.98 years

female: 79.65 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3.08 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 68

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.3% (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 90

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

10,000 (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 101

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Libyan(s)

adjective: Libyan

Ethnic groups:

Berber and Arab 97%, other 3% (includes Greeks, Maltese, Italians,
Egyptians, Pakistanis, Turks, Indians, and Tunisians)

Religions:

Sunni Muslim 97%, other 3%

Languages:

Arabic, Italian, English, all are widely understood in the major cities

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 82.6%

male: 92.4%

female: 72% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 17 years

male: 16 years

female: 17 years (2003)

Education expenditures:

2.7% of GDP (1999) country comparison to the world: 152

Government ::Libya

Country name:

conventional long form: Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya

conventional short form: Libya

local long form: Al Jamahiriyah al Arabiyah al Libiyah ash Shabiyah al Ishtirakiyah al Uthma

local short form: none

Government type:

Jamahiriya (a state of the masses) in theory, governed by the populace through local councils; in practice, an authoritarian state

Capital:

name: Tripoli (Tarabulus)

geographic coordinates: 32 53 N, 13 10 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

25 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ajdabiya, Al 'Aziziyah, Al Fatih, Al Jabal al Akhdar, Al Jufrah, Al Khums, Al Kufrah, An Nuqat al Khams, Ash Shati', Awbari, Az Zawiyah, Banghazi, Darnah, Ghadamis, Gharyan, Misratah, Murzuq, Sabha, Sawfajjin, Surt, Tarabulus, Tarhunah, Tubruq, Yafran, Zlitan; note - the 25 municipalities may have been replaced by 13 regions

Independence:

24 December 1951 (from UN trusteeship)

National holiday:

Revolution Day, 1 September (1969)

Constitution:

none; note - following the September 1969 military overthrow of the Libyan government, the Revolutionary Command Council replaced the existing constitution with the Constitutional Proclamation in December 1969; in March 1977, Libya adopted the Declaration of the Establishment of the People's Authority

Legal system:

based on Italian and French civil law systems and Islamic law; separate religious courts; no constitutional provision for judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal and technically compulsory

Executive branch:

chief of state: Revolutionary Leader Col. Muammar Abu Minyar al-QADHAFI (since 1 September 1969); note - holds no official title, but is de facto chief of state

head of government: Secretary of the General People's Committee (Prime Minister) al-Baghdadi Ali al-MAHMUDI (since 5 March 2006)

cabinet: General People's Committee established by the General People's Congress

elections: national elections are indirect through a hierarchy of people's committees; head of government elected by the General People's Congress; election last held March 2006 (next to be held March 2009)

election results: NA

Legislative branch:

unicameral General People's Congress (760 seats; members elected indirectly through a hierarchy of people's committees)

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:

none

Political pressure groups and leaders:

other: Arab nationalist movements; anti-QADHAFI Libyan exile Movement; Islamic elements

International organization participation:

ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, CAEU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC,
OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL,
WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Ali Suleiman AUJALI

chancery: 2600 Virginia Avenue NW, Suite 705, Washington, DC 20037

telephone: [1] (202) 944-9601

FAX: [1] (202) 944-9060

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Gene A. CRETZ

embassy: off Jaraba Street, behind the Libyan-Swiss clinic, Ben Ashour

mailing address: US Embassy, 8850 Tripoli Place, Washington, DC 20521-8850

telephone: [218] 91-220-3239

Flag description:

plain green; green is the traditional color of Islam (the state religion)

Economy ::Libya

Economy - overview:

The Libyan economy depends primarily upon revenues from the oil sector, which contribute about 95% of export earnings, about one-quarter of GDP, and 60% of public sector wages. The expected weakness in world hydrocarbon prices throughout 2009 will reduce Libyan government tax income and constrain Libyan economic growth in 2009. Substantial revenues from the energy sector coupled with a small population give Libya one of the highest per capita GDPs in Africa, but little of this income flows down to the lower orders of society. Libyan officials in the past five years have made progress on economic reforms as part of a broader campaign to reintegrate the country into the international fold. This effort picked up steam after UN sanctions were lifted in September 2003 and as Libya announced in December 2003 that it would abandon programs to build weapons of mass destruction. UN Sanctions against Libya were lifted in September 2003. The process of lifting US unilateral sanctions began in the spring of 2004; all sanctions were removed by June 2006, helping Libya attract greater foreign direct investment, especially in the energy sector. Libyan oil and gas licensing rounds continue to draw high international interest; the National Oil Company set a goal of nearly doubling oil production to 3 million bbl/day by 2012. Libya faces a long road ahead in liberalizing the socialist-oriented economy, but initial steps - including applying for WTO membership, reducing some subsidies, and announcing plans for privatization - are laying the groundwork for a transition to a more market-based economy. The non-oil manufacturing and construction sectors, which account for more than 20% of GDP, have expanded from processing mostly agricultural products to include the production of petrochemicals, iron, steel, and aluminum. Climatic conditions and poor soils severely limit agricultural output, and Libya imports about 75% of its food. Libya's primary agricultural water source remains the Great Manmade River Project, but significant resources are being invested in desalinization research to meet growing water demands.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$87.72 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 72 $82.83 billion (2007 est.)

$78.44 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$89.92 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.9% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 65 5.6% (2007 est.)

5.9% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$14,200 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 82 $13,700 (2007 est.)

$13,300 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 1.7%

industry: 70.9%

services: 27.4% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

1.64 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 125

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 17%

industry: 23%

services: 59% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:

30% (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 180

Population below poverty line:

7.4% (2005 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Investment (gross fixed):

9.3% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 147

Budget:

revenues: $58.04 billion

expenditures: $35.22 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

4% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 124 8.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

10.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 153 6.3% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

5% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 125 4% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

8.41% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 132 6% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$26.66 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 30 $18.04 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$4.264 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 73 $3.192 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$NA (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

wheat, barley, olives, dates, citrus, vegetables, peanuts, soybeans; cattle

Industries:

petroleum, iron and steel, food processing, textiles, handicrafts, cement

Industrial production growth rate:

6.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 37

Electricity - production:

23.98 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 66

Electricity - consumption:

22.17 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 64

Electricity - exports:

104 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

77 million kWh (2007 est.)

Oil - production:

1.875 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 18

Oil - consumption:

273,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 49

Oil - exports:

1.542 million bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 16

Oil - imports:

575.3 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 196

Oil - proved reserves:

43.66 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 9

Natural gas - production:

15.9 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 34

Natural gas - consumption:

5.5 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 57

Natural gas - exports:

10.4 billion cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 20

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 163

Natural gas - proved reserves:

1.54 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 22

Current account balance:

$37.39 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 13 $28.45 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$64.5 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 50 $46.97 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

crude oil, refined petroleum products, natural gas, chemicals

Exports - partners:

Italy 38%, Germany 12%, France 7.4%, Spain 6.9%, US 6.4%,
Switzerland 4.6% (2008)

Imports:

$26.55 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 67 $17.7 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery, semi-finished goods, food, transport equipment, consumer products

Imports - partners:

Italy 22.2%, China 9.3%, Germany 8.6%, Turkey 6.1%, Tunisia 5.8%,
South Korea 4.7%, US 4.1%, France 4.1% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$92.51 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 17 $79.6 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$6.223 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 99 $4.837 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$11.23 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 78 $8.775 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$5.15 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 57 $3.7 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

Libyan dinars (LYD) per US dollar - 1.2112 (2008 est.), 1.2604 (2007), 1.3108 (2006), 1.3084 (2005), 1.305 (2004)

Communications ::Libya

Telephones - main lines in use:

1.033 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 79

Telephones - mobile cellular:

4.828 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 90

Telephone system:

general assessment: telecommunications system is state-owned and service is poor, but investment is being made to upgrade; state retains monopoly in fixed-line services; mobile cellular telephone system became operational in 1996; multiple providers for a mobile telephone system that is growing rapidly; combined fixed line and mobile telephone density is approaching 100 telephones per 100 persons

domestic: microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, cellular, tropospheric scatter, and a domestic satellite system with 14 earth stations

international: country code - 218; satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat, NA Arabsat, and NA Intersputnik; submarine cables to France and Italy; microwave radio relay to Tunisia and Egypt; tropospheric scatter to Greece; participant in Medarabtel (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 16, FM 3, shortwave 3 (2001)

Television broadcast stations:

12 (plus 1 repeater) (1999)

Internet country code:

.ly

Internet hosts:

11,751 (2009) country comparison to the world: 115

Internet users:

323,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 123

Transportation ::Libya

Airports:

137 (2009) country comparison to the world: 41

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 59

over 3,047 m: 23

2,438 to 3,047 m: 6

1,524 to 2,437 m: 23

914 to 1,523 m: 6

under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 78

over 3,047 m: 4

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 14

914 to 1,523 m: 41

under 914 m: 17 (2009)

Heliports:

2 (2009)

Pipelines:

condensate 776 km; gas 2,860 km; oil 6,987 km (2008)

Roadways:

total: 100,024 km country comparison to the world: 41 paved: 57,214 km

unpaved: 42,810 km (2003)

Merchant marine:

total: 17 country comparison to the world: 101 by type: cargo 9, liquefied gas 3, petroleum tanker 4, roll on/roll off 1

foreign-owned: 4 (Kuwait 1, Norway 1, Syria 2)

registered in other countries: 3 (Malta 3) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

As Sidrah, Az Zuwaytinah, Marsa al Burayqah, Ra's Lanuf, Tripoli,
Zawiyah

Military ::Libya

Military branches:

Armed Peoples on Duty (APOD, Army), Libyan Arab Navy, Libyan Arab
Air Force (Al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Jamahiriya al-Arabia al-Libyya,
LAAF), Libyan Coast Guard (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

17 years of age (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,682,183

females age 16-49: 1,611,001 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,466,578

females age 16-49: 1,409,684 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 60,710

female: 58,219 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

3.9% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 29

Transnational Issues ::Libya

Disputes - international:

Libya has claimed more than 32,000 sq km in southeastern Algeria and about 25,000 sq km in the Tommo region of Niger in a currently dormant dispute; various Chadian rebels from the Aozou region reside in southern Libya

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 8,000 (Palestinian Territories) (2007)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Libya is a transit and destination country for men and women from sub-Saharan Africa and Asia trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Libya is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to address trafficking in persons in 2007 when compared to 2006, particularly in the area of investigating and prosecuting trafficking offenses; Libya did not publicly release any data on investigations or punishment of any trafficking offenses (2008)

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Liechtenstein (Europe)

Introduction ::Liechtenstein

Background:

The Principality of Liechtenstein was established within the Holy Roman Empire in 1719. Occupied by both French and Russian troops during the Napoleanic wars, it became a sovereign state in 1806 and joined the Germanic Confederation in 1815. Liechtenstein became fully independent in 1866 when the Confederation dissolved. Until the end of World War I, it was closely tied to Austria, but the economic devastation caused by that conflict forced Liechtenstein to enter into a customs and monetary union with Switzerland. Since World War II (in which Liechtenstein remained neutral), the country's low taxes have spurred outstanding economic growth. In 2000, shortcomings in banking regulatory oversight resulted in concerns about the use of financial institutions for money laundering. However, Liechtenstein implemented anti-money-laundering legislation and a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty with the US that went into effect in 2003.

Geography ::Liechtenstein

Location:

Central Europe, between Austria and Switzerland

Geographic coordinates:

47 16 N, 9 32 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 160 sq km country comparison to the world: 218 land: 160 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

total: 76 km

border countries: Austria 34.9 km, Switzerland 41.1 km

Coastline:

0 km (doubly landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

continental; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow or rain; cool to moderately warm, cloudy, humid summers

Terrain:

mostly mountainous (Alps) with Rhine Valley in western third

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Ruggeller Riet 430 m

highest point: Vorder-Grauspitz 2,599 m

Natural resources:

hydroelectric potential, arable land

Land use:

arable land: 25%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 75% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

NA

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer
Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:

along with Uzbekistan, one of only two doubly landlocked countries in the world; variety of microclimatic variations based on elevation

People ::Liechtenstein

Population:

34,761 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 210

Age structure:

0-14 years: 16.6% (male 2,877/female 2,901)

15-64 years: 69.4% (male 11,917/female 12,220)

65 years and over: 13.9% (male 2,085/female 2,761) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 41 years

male: 40.4 years

female: 41.5 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.702% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 145

Birth rate:

9.75 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 197

Death rate:

7.39 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 124

Net migration rate:

4.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 23

Urbanization:

urban population: 14% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 0.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.01 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female

total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 4.25 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 205 male: 5.54 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 2.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 80.06 years country comparison to the world: 22 male: 76.59 years

female: 83.53 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.52 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 185

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Liechtensteiner(s)

adjective: Liechtenstein

Ethnic groups:

Liechtensteiner 65.6%, other 34.4% (2000 census)

Religions:

Roman Catholic 76.2%, Protestant 7%, unknown 10.6%, other 6.2% (June 2002)

Languages:

German (official), Alemannic dialect

Literacy:

definition: age 10 and over can read and write

total population: 100%

male: 100%

female: 100%

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 15 years

male: 16 years

female: 13 years (2004)

Education expenditures:

NA

Government ::Liechtenstein

Country name:

conventional long form: Principality of Liechtenstein

conventional short form: Liechtenstein

local long form: Fuerstentum Liechtenstein

local short form: Liechtenstein

Government type:

constitutional monarchy

Capital:

name: Vaduz

geographic coordinates: 47 08 N, 9 31 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

11 communes (Gemeinden, singular - Gemeinde); Balzers, Eschen, Gamprin, Mauren, Planken, Ruggell, Schaan, Schellenberg, Triesen, Triesenberg, Vaduz

Independence:

23 January 1719 (Principality of Liechtenstein established); 12 July 1806 (independence from the Holy Roman Empire)

National holiday:

Assumption Day, 15 August

Constitution:

5 October 1921; amended 15 September 2003

Legal system:

local civil and penal codes based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Prince HANS ADAM II (since 13 November 1989, assumed executive powers 26 August 1984); Heir Apparent Prince ALOIS, son of the monarch (born 11 June 1968); note - on 15 August 2004, HANS ADAM transferred the official duties of the ruling prince to ALOIS, but HANS ADAM retains status of chief of state

head of government: Head of Government Klaus TSCHUTSCHER (since 25 March 2009)

cabinet: Cabinet elected by the Parliament, confirmed by the monarch

elections: the monarch is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party in the Landtag is usually appointed the head of government by the monarch and the leader of the largest minority party in the Landtag is usually appointed the deputy head of government by the monarch if there is a coalition government

Legislative branch:

unicameral Parliament or Landtag (25 seats; members are elected by popular vote under proportional representation to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 8 February 2009 (next to be held February 2013)

election results: percent of vote by party - VU 47.6%, FBP 43.5%, FL 8.9%; seats by party - VU 13, FBP 11, FL 1

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; Court of Appeal or Obergericht

Political parties and leaders:

Die Freie Liste (The Free List) or FL [Claudia HEEB-FLECK and Egon
MATT]; Fortschrittliche Buergerpartei (Progressive Citizens' Party)
or FBP [Marcus VOGT]; Vaterlaendische Union (Fatherland Union) or VU
[Adolf HEEB]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

CE, EBRD, EFTA, IAEA, ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITSO,
ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WCL, WIPO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Claudia FRITSCHE

chancery: 2900 K Street, NW, Suite 602B, Washington, DC 20007

telephone: [1] (202) 331-0590

FAX: [1] (202) 331-3221

Diplomatic representation from the US:

the US does not have an embassy in Liechtenstein; the US Ambassador to Switzerland is accredited to Liechtenstein

Flag description:

two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a gold crown on the hoist side of the blue band; the colors may derive from the blue and red livery design used in the principality's household in the 18th century; the prince's crown was introduced in 1937 to distinguish the flag from that of Haiti

Economy ::Liechtenstein

Economy - overview:

Despite its small size and limited natural resources, Liechtenstein has developed into a prosperous, highly industrialized, free-enterprise economy with a vital financial service sector and the highest per capita income in the world. The Liechtenstein economy is widely diversified with a large number of small businesses. Low business taxes - the maximum tax rate is 20% - and easy incorporation rules have induced many holding companies to establish nominal offices in Liechtenstein, providing 30% of state revenues. The country participates in a customs union with Switzerland and uses the Swiss franc as its national currency. It imports more than 90% of its energy requirements. Liechtenstein has been a member of the European Economic Area (an organization serving as a bridge between the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and the EU) since May 1995. The government is working to harmonize its economic policies with those of an integrated Europe. In 2008 Liechtenstein came under renewed international pressure - particularly from Germany - to improve transparency in its banking and tax systems.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$4.16 billion (2007) country comparison to the world: 165 $4.035 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$4.993 billion (2007)

GDP - real growth rate:

3.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 121

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$118,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 1

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 8%

industry: 39%

services: 54% (2007)

Labor force:

32,440 of whom 13,900 commute from Austria, Switzerland, and Germany to work each day (2007) country comparison to the world: 194

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 1.7%

industry: 43.5%

services: 55.4% (31 December 2006)

Unemployment rate:

1.5% (31 December 2007) country comparison to the world: 11 1.3% (September 2002)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $424.2 million

expenditures: $414.1 million (1998 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

1% (2001) country comparison to the world: 8

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

wheat, barley, corn, potatoes; livestock, dairy products

Industries:

electronics, metal manufacturing, dental products, ceramics, pharmaceuticals, food products, precision instruments, tourism, optical instruments

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Exports:

$2.47 billion

Exports - commodities:

small specialty machinery, connectors for audio and video, parts for motor vehicles, dental products, hardware, prepared foodstuffs, electronic equipment, optical products

Imports:

$917.3 million

Imports - commodities:

agricultural products, raw materials, energy products, machinery, metal goods, textiles, foodstuffs, motor vehicles

Debt - external:

$0 (2001) country comparison to the world: 203

Exchange rates:

Swiss francs (CHF) per US dollar - 1.0774 (2008 est.), 1.1973 (2007), 1.2539 (2006), 1.2452 (2005), 1.2435 (2004)

Communications ::Liechtenstein

Telephones - main lines in use:

19,600 (2008) country comparison to the world: 195

Telephones - mobile cellular:

34,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 201

Telephone system:

general assessment: automatic telephone system

domestic: fixed line and mobile-cellular services widely available; combined telephone service subscribership exceeds 150 per 100 persons

international: country code - 423; linked to Swiss networks by cable and microwave radio relay (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 0, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

NA (linked to Swiss networks) (1997)

Internet country code:

.li

Internet hosts:

9,287 (2009) country comparison to the world: 118

Internet users:

23,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 187

Transportation ::Liechtenstein

Pipelines:

gas 20 km (2008)

Railways:

9 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified)

note: belongs to the Austrian Railway System connecting Austria and Switzerland (2008)

Roadways:

total: 380 km country comparison to the world: 198 paved: 380 km (2007)

Waterways:

28 km (2008) country comparison to the world: 107

Military ::Liechtenstein

Military branches:

no regular military forces (constitutionally prohibited); Principality of Liechtenstein National Police (Landespolizei, LP) (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 8,102 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 6,584

females age 16-49: 6,801 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 199

female: 222 (2009 est.)

Military - note:

Liechtenstein has no military forces, but is interested in European security policy and is an active member of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)

Transnational Issues ::Liechtenstein

Disputes - international:

none

Illicit drugs:

has strengthened money laundering controls, but money laundering remains a concern due to Liechtenstein's sophisticated offshore financial services sector

page last updated on November 4, 2009

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

@Lithuania (Europe)

Introduction ::Lithuania

Background:

Lithuanian lands were united under MINDAUGAS in 1236; over the next century, through alliances and conquest, Lithuania extended its territory to include most of present-day Belarus and Ukraine. By the end of the 14th century Lithuania was the largest state in Europe. An alliance with Poland in 1386 led the two countries into a union through the person of a common ruler. In 1569, Lithuania and Poland formally united into a single dual state, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. This entity survived until 1795, when its remnants were partitioned by surrounding countries. Lithuania regained its independence following World War I but was annexed by the USSR in 1940 - an action never recognized by the US and many other countries. On 11 March 1990, Lithuania became the first of the Soviet republics to declare its independence, but Moscow did not recognize this proclamation until September of 1991 (following the abortive coup in Moscow). The last Russian troops withdrew in 1993. Lithuania subsequently restructured its economy for integration into Western European institutions; it joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004.

Geography ::Lithuania

Location:

Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Latvia and Russia

Geographic coordinates:

56 00 N, 24 00 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 65,300 sq km country comparison to the world: 122 land: 62,680 sq km

water: 2,620 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than West Virginia

Land boundaries:

total: 1,574 km

border countries: Belarus 680 km, Latvia 576 km, Poland 91 km, Russia (Kaliningrad) 227 km

Coastline:

90 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate:

transitional, between maritime and continental; wet, moderate winters and summers

Terrain:

lowland, many scattered small lakes, fertile soil

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m

highest point: Juozapines Kalnas 294 m

Natural resources:

peat, arable land, amber

Land use:

arable land: 44.81%

permanent crops: 0.9%

other: 54.29% (2005)

Irrigated land:

70 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

24.5 cu km (2005)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 3.33 cu km/yr (78%/15%/7%)

per capita: 971 cu m/yr (2003)

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

contamination of soil and groundwater with petroleum products and chemicals at military bases

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

fertile central plains are separated by hilly uplands that are ancient glacial deposits

People ::Lithuania

Population:

3,555,179 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 130

Age structure:

0-14 years: 14.2% (male 258,423/female 245,115)

15-64 years: 69.6% (male 1,214,743/female 1,261,413)

65 years and over: 16.2% (male 198,714/female 376,771) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 39.3 years

male: 36.8 years

female: 41.9 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.279% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 221

Birth rate:

9.11 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 208

Death rate:

11.18 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 45

Net migration rate:

-0.72 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 115

Urbanization:

urban population: 67% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: -0.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.53 male(s)/female

total population: 0.89 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 6.47 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 176 male: 7.73 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 5.13 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 74.9 years country comparison to the world: 86 male: 69.98 years

female: 80.1 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.23 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 215

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 117

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

2,200 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 138

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 200 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 109

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: intermediate

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea

vectorborne diseases: tickborne encephalitis (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Lithuanian(s)

adjective: Lithuanian

Ethnic groups:

Lithuanian 83.4%, Polish 6.7%, Russian 6.3%, other or unspecified 3.6% (2001 census)

Religions:

Roman Catholic 79%, Russian Orthodox 4.1%, Protestant (including Lutheran and Evangelical Christian Baptist) 1.9%, other or unspecified 5.5%, none 9.5% (2001 census)

Languages:

Lithuanian (official) 82%, Russian 8%, Polish 5.6%, other and unspecified 4.4% (2001 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.6%

male: 99.6%

female: 99.6% (2001 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 16 years

male: 15 years

female: 17 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

5% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 72

Government ::Lithuania

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Lithuania

conventional short form: Lithuania

local long form: Lietuvos Respublika

local short form: Lietuva

former: Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic

Government type:

parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Vilnius

geographic coordinates: 54 41 N, 25 19 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

10 counties (apskritys, singular - apskritis); Alytaus, Kauno, Klaipedos, Marijampoles, Panevezio, Siauliu, Taurages, Telsiu, Utenos, Vilniaus

Independence:

11 March 1990 (declared); 6 September 1991 (recognized by the Soviet Union)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 16 February (1918); note - 16 February 1918 was the date Lithuania declared its independence from Soviet Russia and established its statehood; 11 March 1990 was the date it declared its independence from the Soviet Union

Constitution:

adopted 25 October 1992; last amended 13 July 2004

Legal system:

based on civil law system; legislative acts can be appealed to the constitutional court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Dalia GRYBAUSKAITE (since 12 July 2009)

head of government: Prime Minister Andrius KUBILIUS (since 27 November 2008)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the nomination of the prime minister

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 17 May 2009 (next to be held in May 2014); prime minister appointed by the president on the approval of the Parliament

election results: Dalia GRYBAUSKAITE elected president; percent of vote - Dalia GRYBAUSKAITE 69.1%, Algirdas BUTKEVICIUS 11.8%, Valentinas MAZURONIS 6.2%, others 12.9%; Andrius KUBILIUS' government approved by Parliament 83-40 with 5 abstentions

Legislative branch:

unicameral Parliament or Seimas (141 seats; 71 members are elected by popular vote, 70 are elected by proportional representation; serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 12 and 26 October 2008 (next to be held October 2012)

election results: percent of vote by party - TS-LKD 19.7%, TPP 15.1%, TT 12.7%, LSDP 11.7%, KDP+J 9%, LRLS 5.7%, LCS 5.3%, LLRA 4.8%, LVLS 3.7%, NS 3.6%, other 8.7%; seats by faction - TS-LKD 44, LSDP 26, TPP 16, TT 15, LRLS 11, KDP+J 10, LCS 8, LLRA 3, LVLS 3, NS 1, independent 4

Judicial branch:

Constitutional Court; Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; judges for all courts appointed by the president

Political parties and leaders:

Civil Democracy Party or PDP [Viktor MUNTIANAS]; Coalition of Labor
Party and Youth or KDP+J [Viktor USPASKICH]; Electoral Action of
Lithuanian Poles or LLRA [Valdemar TOMASZEVSKI]; Homeland Union -
Lithuanian Christian Democrats or TS-LKD [Andrius KUBILIUS];
Lithuanian Peasant Popular Union or LVLS [Kazimiera PRUNSKIENE];
Liberal and Center Union or LCS [Arturas ZUOKAS]; Liberal Movement
or LRLS [Eligijus MASIULIS]; National Revival or TPP [Arunas
VALINSKAS]; New Union (Social Liberal) or NS [Arturas PAULAUSKAS];
Order and Justice Party or TT [Rolandas PAKSAS]; Social Democratic
Party or LSDP [Gediminas KIRKILAS]; Young Lithuania and New
Nationalists [Stanislovas BUSKEVICIUS]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Europe House (promotes the EU); European Movement (promotes the EU);
Lithuanian Future Forum (promotes the EU)

International organization participation:

Australia Group, BA, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO, NIB, NSG, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Audrius BRUZGA

chancery: 2622 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone: [1] (202) 234-5860

FAX: [1] (202) 328-0466

consulate(s) general: Chicago, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador John A. CLOUD

embassy: Akmenu gatve 6, Vilnius, LT-03106

mailing address: American Embassy, Akmenu Gatve 6, Vilnius LT-03106

telephone: [370] (5) 266 5500

FAX: [370] (5) 266 5510

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), green, and red

Economy ::Lithuania

Economy - overview:

Lithuania's economy grew on average 8% per year for the four years prior to 2008, driven by exports and domestic consumer demand. Unemployment stood at 4.8% in 2008, while wages grew at double digit rates. The current account deficit rose to roughly 15% of GDP in 2007-08. Lithuania has gained membership in the World Trade Organization and joined the EU in May 2004. Despite Lithuania's EU accession, Lithuania's trade with its Central and Eastern European neighbors, and Russia in particular, accounts for a growing percentage of total trade. Privatization of the large, state-owned utilities is nearly complete. Foreign government and business support have helped in the transition from the old command economy to a market economy.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$63.37 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 83 $61.52 billion (2007 est.)

$56.49 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$47.3 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 128 8.9% (2007 est.)

7.8% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$17,800 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 69 $17,200 (2007 est.)

$15,800 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 4.5%

industry: 32.2%

services: 63.3% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

1.614 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 127

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 14%

industry: 29.1%

services: 56.9% (2005)

Unemployment rate:

5.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 71 3.5% (2007 est.)

note: based on survey data, official registered unemployment of 5.7%

Population below poverty line:

4% (2003)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.7%

highest 10%: 27.4% (2003)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

36 (2005) country comparison to the world: 85 34 (1999)

Investment (gross fixed):

24.8% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 53

Budget:

revenues: $15.15 billion

expenditures: $16.66 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

15.6% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 102 25.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

10.9% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 160 5.7% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

4.73% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 109 4.85% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

6.29% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 122 6.86% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$9.519 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 45 $11.84 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$8.419 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 57 $6.917 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$29.21 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 53 $25.05 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$3.625 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 74 $10.13 billion (31 December 2007)

$10.19 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

grain, potatoes, sugar beets, flax, vegetables; beef, milk, eggs; fish

Industries:

metal-cutting machine tools, electric motors, television sets, refrigerators and freezers, petroleum refining, shipbuilding (small ships), furniture making, textiles, food processing, fertilizers, agricultural machinery, optical equipment, electronic components, computers, amber jewelry

Industrial production growth rate:

1.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 116

Electricity - production:

12.09 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 85

Electricity - consumption:

9.612 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 86

Electricity - exports:

6.606 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

5.649 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

8,247 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 88

Oil - consumption:

73,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 87

Oil - exports:

137,200 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 61

Oil - imports:

204,000 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 48

Oil - proved reserves:

12 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 87

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 167

Natural gas - consumption:

3.53 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 68

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 75

Natural gas - imports:

3.53 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 37

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 159

Current account balance:

-$5.629 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 159 -$5.692 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$23.74 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 68 $17.16 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

mineral products 23%, textiles and clothing 16%, machinery and equipment 11%, chemicals 6%, wood and wood products 5%, foodstuffs 5% (2001)

Exports - partners:

Russia 16%, Latvia 11.6%, Germany 7.2%, Poland 5.8%, Estonia 5.7%,
France 4.9%, UK 4.7%, Denmark 4.7%, Belarus 4.5% (2008)

Imports:

$29.3 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 64 $23.04 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

mineral products, machinery and equipment, transport equipment, chemicals, textiles and clothing, metals

Imports - partners:

Russia 30.1%, Germany 11.8%, Poland 10%, Latvia 5.2% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$6.441 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 78 $7.721 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$32.47 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 63 $30.1 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$12.85 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 74 $15.06 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$1.985 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 63 $1.65 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

litai (LTL) per US dollar - 2.3251 (2008 est.), 2.5362 (2007), 2.7498 (2006), 2.774 (2005), 2.7806 (2004)

Communications ::Lithuania

Telephones - main lines in use:

784,900 (2008) country comparison to the world: 88

Telephones - mobile cellular:

5.023 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 87

Telephone system:

general assessment: adequate; being modernized to provide improved international capability and better residential access

domestic: rapid expansion of mobile-cellular services has resulted in a steady decline in the number of main line subscriptions; mobile-cellular teledensity has increased to about 140 per 100 persons while fixed-line teledensity has dropped to 22 per 100 persons

international: country code - 370; major international connections to Denmark, Sweden, and Norway by submarine cable for further transmission by satellite; landline connections to Latvia and Poland (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 29, FM 142, shortwave 1 (2001)

Television broadcast stations:

44 (may have as many as 100 transmitters, including repeater stations) (2008)

Internet country code:

.lt

Internet hosts:

885,064 (2009) country comparison to the world: 39

Internet users:

1.777 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 72

Transportation ::Lithuania

Airports:

87 (2009) country comparison to the world: 67

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 32

over 3,047 m: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 7

914 to 1,523 m: 2

under 914 m: 19 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 55

over 3,047 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m: 51 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 1,695 km; refined products 114 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 1,765 km country comparison to the world: 78 broad gauge: 1,743 km 1.524-m gauge (122 km electrified)

standard gauge: 22 km 1.435-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 80,715 km country comparison to the world: 57 paved: 71,301 km (includes 309 km of expressways)

unpaved: 9,414 km (2007)

Waterways:

441 km (2007) country comparison to the world: 86

Merchant marine:

total: 45 country comparison to the world: 73 by type: cargo 23, container 2, passenger/cargo 6, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 13

foreign-owned: 6 (Denmark 5, Ukraine 1)

registered in other countries: 28 (Antigua and Barbuda 5, Cook Islands 1, North Korea 1, Malta 1, Norway 1, Panama 7, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 9, unknown 3) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Klaipeda

Military ::Lithuania

Military branches:

Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Air Forces (Karines Oro Pajegos, KOP),
National Defense Volunteer Forces (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

19-26 years of age for compulsory military service; 18 years of age for volunteers; 12-month conscript service obligation; male registration required at age 16 (2009)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 915,187

females age 16-49: 906,097 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 677,689

females age 16-49: 743,468 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 23,556

female: 22,404 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.2% of GDP (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 131

Transnational Issues ::Lithuania

Disputes - international:

Lithuania and Russia committed to demarcating their boundary in 2006 in accordance with the land and maritime treaty ratified by Russia in May 2003 and by Lithuania in 1999; Lithuania operates a simplified transit regime for Russian nationals traveling from the Kaliningrad coastal exclave into Russia, while still conforming, as a EU member state having an external border with a non-EU member, to strict Schengen border rules; the Latvian parliament has not ratified its 1998 maritime boundary treaty with Lithuania, primarily due to concerns over potential hydrocarbons; as of January 2007, ground demarcation of the boundary with Belarus was complete and mapped with final ratification documents in preparation

Illicit drugs:

transshipment and destination point for cannabis, cocaine, ecstasy, and opiates from Southwest Asia, Latin America, Western Europe, and neighboring Baltic countries; growing production of high-quality amphetamines, but limited production of cannabis, methamphetamines; susceptible to money laundering despite changes to banking legislation

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Luxembourg (Europe)

Introduction ::Luxembourg

Background:

Founded in 963, Luxembourg became a grand duchy in 1815 and an independent state under the Netherlands. It lost more than half of its territory to Belgium in 1839, but gained a larger measure of autonomy. Full independence was attained in 1867. Overrun by Germany in both World Wars, it ended its neutrality in 1948 when it entered into the Benelux Customs Union and when it joined NATO the following year. In 1957, Luxembourg became one of the six founding countries of the European Economic Community (later the European Union), and in 1999 it joined the euro currency area.

Geography ::Luxembourg

Location:

Western Europe, between France and Germany

Geographic coordinates:

49 45 N, 6 10 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 2,586 sq km country comparison to the world: 178 land: 2,586 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Rhode Island

Land boundaries:

total: 359 km

border countries: Belgium 148 km, France 73 km, Germany 138 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

modified continental with mild winters, cool summers

Terrain:

mostly gently rolling uplands with broad, shallow valleys; uplands to slightly mountainous in the north; steep slope down to Moselle flood plain in the southeast

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Moselle River 133 m

highest point: Buurgplaatz 559 m

Natural resources:

iron ore (no longer exploited), arable land

Land use:

arable land: 27.42%

permanent crops: 0.69%

other: 71.89% (includes Belgium) (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Total renewable water resources:

1.6 cu km (2005)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.06 cu km/yr (42%/45%/13%)

per capita: 121 cu m/yr (1999)

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

air and water pollution in urban areas, soil pollution of farmland

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Geography - note:

landlocked; the only Grand Duchy in the world

People ::Luxembourg

Population:

491,775 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 169

Age structure:

0-14 years: 18.5% (male 46,918/female 44,052)

15-64 years: 66.7% (male 165,342/female 162,681)

65 years and over: 14.8% (male 29,839/female 42,943) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 39.2 years

male: 38.2 years

female: 40.2 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.172% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 113

Birth rate:

11.73 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 170

Death rate:

8.44 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 95

Net migration rate:

8.44 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 10

Urbanization:

urban population: 82% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female

total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 4.56 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 199 male: 4.56 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 79.33 years country comparison to the world: 31 male: 76.07 years

female: 82.81 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.78 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 160

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.2% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 96

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

fewer than 500 (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 152

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 100 (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 140

Nationality:

noun: Luxembourger(s)

adjective: Luxembourg

Ethnic groups:

Luxembourger 63.1%, Portuguese 13.3%, French 4.5%, Italian 4.3%,
German 2.3%, other EU 7.3%, other 5.2% (2000 census)

Religions:

Roman Catholic 87%, other (includes Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim) 13% (2000)

Languages:

Luxembourgish (national language), German (administrative language),
French (administrative language)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 100%

male: 100%

female: 100% (2000 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 14 years

male: 13 years

female: 14 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

3.4% of GDP (1999) country comparison to the world: 131

Government ::Luxembourg

Country name:

conventional long form: Grand Duchy of Luxembourg

conventional short form: Luxembourg

local long form: Grand Duche de Luxembourg

local short form: Luxembourg

Government type:

constitutional monarchy

Capital:

name: Luxembourg

geographic coordinates: 49 36 N, 6 07 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

3 districts; Diekirch, Grevenmacher, Luxembourg

Independence:

1839 (from the Netherlands)

National holiday:

National Day (Birthday of Grand Duchess Charlotte) 23 June; note - the actual date of birth was 23 January 1896, but the festivities were shifted by five months to allow observance during a more favorable time of year

Constitution:

17 October 1868; occasional revisions

Legal system:

based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:

chief of state: Grand Duke HENRI (since 7 October 2000); Heir Apparent Prince GUILLAUME (son of the monarch, born 11 November 1981)

head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Claude JUNCKER (since 20 January 1995); Deputy Prime Minister Jean ASSELBORN (since 31 July 2004)

cabinet: Council of Ministers recommended by the prime minister and appointed by the monarch

elections: the monarch is hereditary; following popular elections to the Chamber of Deputies, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch; the deputy prime minister is appointed by the monarch; they are responsible to the Chamber of Deputies

note: government coalition - CSV and LSAP

Legislative branch:

unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (60 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 7 June 2009 (next to be held by June 2014)

election results: percent of vote by party - CSV 38%, LSAP 21.6%, DP 15%, Green Party 11.7%, ADR 8.1%, The Left 3.3%, other 2.3%; seats by party - CSV 26, LSAP 13, DP 9, Green Party 7, ADR 4, The Left 1

note: there is also a Council of State that serves as an advisory body to the Chamber of Deputies; the Council of State has 21 members appointed by the Grand Duke on the advice of the prime minister

Judicial branch:

judicial courts and tribunals (three Justices of the Peace, two district courts, and one Supreme Court of Appeals); administrative courts and tribunals (State Prosecutor's Office, administrative courts and tribunals, and the Constitutional Court); judges for all courts are appointed for life by the monarch

Political parties and leaders:

Alternative Democratic Reform Party or ADR [Robert MEHLEN];
Christian Social People's Party or CSV [Francois BILTGEN];
Democratic Party or DP [Claude MEISCH]; Green Party [Francois
BAUSCH]; dei Lenk/la Gauche (the Left); Luxembourg Socialist
Workers' Party or LSAP [Alex BODRY]; other minor parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:

ABBL (bankers' association); ALEBA (financial sector trade union); Centrale Paysanne (federation of agricultural producers); CEP (professional sector chamber); CGFP (trade union representing civil service); Chambre de Commerce (Chamber of Commerce); Chambre des Metiers (Chamber of Artisans); FEDIL (federation of industrialists); Greenpeace (environment protection); LCGP (center-right trade union); Mouvement Ecologique (protection of ecology); OGBL (center-left trade union)

International organization participation:

ADB (nonregional member), Australia Group, Benelux, CE, EAPC, EBRD,
EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO,
ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW,
OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
UNIFIL, UNRWA, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Jean-Paul SENNINGER

chancery: 2200 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 265-4171 through 72

FAX: [1] (202) 328-8270

consulate(s) general: New York, San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Ann WAGNER

embassy: 22 Boulevard Emmanuel Servais, L-2535 Luxembourg City

mailing address: American Embassy Luxembourg, Unit 1410, APO AE 09126-1410 (official mail); American Embassy Luxembourg, PSC 9, Box 9500, APO AE 09123 (personal mail)

telephone: [352] 46 01 23

FAX: [352] 46 14 01

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and light blue; similar to the flag of the Netherlands, which uses a darker blue and is shorter; the coloring is derived from the Grand Duke's coat of arms (a red lion on a white and blue striped field)

Economy ::Luxembourg

Economy - overview:

This stable, high-income economy - benefiting from its proximity to France, Belgium, and Germany - has historically featured solid growth, low inflation, and low unemployment. The industrial sector, initially dominated by steel, has become increasingly diversified to include chemicals, rubber, and other products. Growth in the financial sector, which now accounts for about 28% of GDP, has more than compensated for the decline in steel. Most banks are foreign owned and have extensive foreign dealings. Agriculture is based on small family-owned farms. The economy depends on foreign and cross-border workers for about 60% of its labor force. Although Luxembourg, like all EU members, suffered from the global economic slump in the early part of this decade, the country continues to enjoy an extraordinarily high standard of living - GDP per capita ranks third in the world, after Liechtenstein and Qatar. After two years of strong economic growth in 2006-07, turmoil in the world financial markets trimmed Luxembourg's economy in 2008.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$39.47 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 97 $39.84 billion (2007 est.)

$37.87 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$54.97 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

-0.9% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 205 5.2% (2007 est.)

6.4% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$81,200 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 3 $83,000 (2007 est.)

$79,800 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 0.4%

industry: 13.6%

services: 86% (2007 est.)

Labor force:

206,000 of whom 125,400 are foreign cross-border workers commuting primarily from France, Belgium, and Germany (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 163

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 2.2%

industry: 17.2%

services: 80.6% (2007 est.)

Unemployment rate:

4.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 55 4.4% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 3.5%

highest 10%: 23.8% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

26 (2005) country comparison to the world: 126

Investment (gross fixed):

20.2% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 106

Budget:

revenues: $22.42 billion

expenditures: $21 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

10.2% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 113 6.4% of GDP (2007 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 44 2.3% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

3% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 107 5% (31 December 2007)

note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro area

Stock of money:

$NA

note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the euro area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 16 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money and quasi money circulating within their own borders

Stock of quasi money:

$NA

Stock of domestic credit:

$369.6 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 22 $100.9 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 41 $166.1 billion (31 December 2007)

$79.52 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

wine, grapes, barley, oats, potatoes, wheat, fruits; dairy products, livestock products

Industries:

banking and financial services, iron and steel, information technology, telecommunications, cargo transportation, food processing, chemicals, metal products, engineering, tires, glass, aluminum, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:

1.7% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 113

Electricity - production:

2.696 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 130

Electricity - consumption:

6.525 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 100

Electricity - exports:

2.483 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

6.83 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 142

Oil - consumption:

59,140 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 93

Oil - exports:

168 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 132

Oil - imports:

60,030 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 82

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 110

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 164

Natural gas - consumption:

1.255 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 86

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 160

Natural gas - imports:

1.255 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 52

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 167

Current account balance:

$2.979 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 38 $4.928 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$21.43 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 70 $18.26 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, steel products, chemicals, rubber products, glass

Exports - partners:

Germany 21.8%, France 17.4%, Belgium 10%, Italy 6.9%, UK 6.5%,
Netherlands 6%, Spain 4.9% (2008)

Imports:

$27.73 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 66 $23.09 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

minerals, metals, foodstuffs, quality consumer goods

Imports - partners:

Belgium 28%, Germany 24%, China 18.9%, France 10%, Netherlands 4.8% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$397.8 million (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 138 $205.5 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$2.02 trillion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 10 $NA (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$11.21 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 81

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$NA

Exchange rates:

euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008 est.), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)

Communications ::Luxembourg

Telephones - main lines in use:

260,600 (2008) country comparison to the world: 118

Telephones - mobile cellular:

707,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 149

Telephone system:

general assessment: highly developed, completely automated and efficient system, mainly buried cables

domestic: fixed line teledensity over 50 per 100 persons; nationwide cellular telephone system with market for mobile-cellular phones virtually saturated

international: country code - 352 (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999)

Television broadcast stations:

5 (1999)

Internet country code:

.lu

Internet hosts:

220,107 (2009) country comparison to the world: 62

Internet users:

387,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 113

Transportation ::Luxembourg

Airports:

2 (2009) country comparison to the world: 208

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 1

over 3,047 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Heliports:

1 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 155 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 275 km country comparison to the world: 125 standard gauge: 275 km 1.435-m gauge (243 km electrified) (2008)

Roadways:

total: 5,227 km country comparison to the world: 152 paved: 5,227 km (includes 147 km of expressways) (2004)

Waterways:

37 km (on Moselle River) (2008) country comparison to the world: 106

Merchant marine:

total: 45 country comparison to the world: 74 by type: bulk carrier 6, cargo 3, chemical tanker 15, container 4, liquefied gas 1, passenger 3, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 9

foreign-owned: 44 (Belgium 7, Denmark 1, France 17, Germany 5, Netherlands 2, UK 8, US 4)

registered in other countries: 1 (Ukraine 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Mertert

Military ::Luxembourg

Military branches:

Army (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

17-25 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; soldiers under 18 are not deployed into combat or with peacekeeping missions; no conscription; Luxembourg citizen or EU citizen with 3-year residence in Luxembourg (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 116,305

females age 16-49: 114,566 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 95,840

females age 16-49: 94,641 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 3,170

female: 2,995 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

0.9% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 141

Transnational Issues ::Luxembourg

Disputes - international:

none

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Macau (East & Southeast Asia)

Introduction ::Macau

Background:

Colonized by the Portuguese in the 16th century, Macau was the first European settlement in the Far East. Pursuant to an agreement signed by China and Portugal on 13 April 1987, Macau became the Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the People's Republic of China on 20 December 1999. In this agreement, China promised that, under its "one country, two systems" formula, China's socialist economic system would not be practiced in Macau, and that Macau would enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs for the next 50 years.

Geography ::Macau

Location:

Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China

Geographic coordinates:

22 10 N, 113 33 E

Map references:

Southeast Asia

Area:

total: 28.2 sq km country comparison to the world: 235 land: 28.2 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

less than one-sixth the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

total: 0.34 km

regional border: China 0.34 km

Coastline:

41 km

Maritime claims:

not specified

Climate:

subtropical; marine with cool winters, warm summers

Terrain:

generally flat

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: South China Sea 0 m

highest point: Coloane Alto 172 m

Natural resources:

NEGL

Land use:

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

typhoons

Environment - current issues:

NA

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Marine Dumping (associate member), Ship Pollution (associate member)

Geography - note:

essentially urban; an area of land reclaimed from the sea measuring 5.2 sq km and known as Cotai now connects the islands of Coloane and Taipa; the island area is connected to the mainland peninsula by three bridges

People ::Macau

Population:

559,846 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 167

Age structure:

0-14 years: 16.1% (male 47,853/female 42,019)

15-64 years: 76.2% (male 199,593/female 227,010)

65 years and over: 7.7% (male 20,245/female 23,126) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 35.2 years

male: 35.9 years

female: 34.6 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.995% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 60

Birth rate:

8.88 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 213

Death rate:

3.5 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 213

Net migration rate:

14.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 5

Urbanization:

urban population: 100% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 0.7% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.14 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.88 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female

total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 3.22 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 219 male: 3.37 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 3.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 84.36 years country comparison to the world: 1 male: 81.39 years

female: 87.47 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

0.91 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 223

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Chinese

adjective: Chinese

Ethnic groups:

Chinese 94.3%, other 5.7% (includes Macanese - mixed Portuguese and
Asian ancestry) (2006 census)

Religions:

Buddhist 50%, Roman Catholic 15%, none or other 35% (1997 est.)

Languages:

Cantonese 85.7%, Hokkien 4%, Mandarin 3.2%, other Chinese dialects 2.7%, English 1.5%, Tagalog 1.3%, other 1.6% (2001 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 91.3%

male: 95.3%

female: 87.8% (2001 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 15 years

male: 16 years

female: 14 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

2.4% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 160

Government ::Macau

Country name:

conventional long form: Macau Special Administrative Region

conventional short form: Macau

local long form: Aomen Tebie Xingzhengqu (Chinese); Regiao Administrativa Especial de Macau (Portuguese)

local short form: Aomen (Chinese); Macau (Portuguese)

Dependency status:

special administrative region of China

Government type:

limited democracy

Administrative divisions:

none (special administrative region of the People's Republic of China)

Independence:

none (special administrative region of China)

National holiday:

National Day (Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China), 1 October (1949); note - 20 December 1999 is celebrated as Macau Special Administrative Region Establishment Day

Constitution:

Basic Law, approved on 31 March 1993 by China's National People's
Congress, is Macau's "mini-constitution"

Legal system:

based on Portuguese civil law system

Suffrage:

direct election 18 years of age for some non-executive positions, universal for permanent residents living in Macau for the past seven years; indirect election limited to organizations registered as "corporate voters" (257 are currently registered) and a 300-member Election Committee drawn from broad regional groupings, municipal organizations, and central government bodies

Executive branch:

chief of state: President of China HU Jintao (since 15 March 2003)

head of government: Chief Executive Edmund HO Hau-wah (since 20 December 1999)

cabinet: Executive Council consists of 1 government secretary, 3 legislators, 4 businessmen, 1 pro-Beijing unionist, and 1 pro-Beijing educator

elections: chief executive chosen by a 300-member Election Committee for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 26 July 2009 (next to be held on in July 2014)

election results: Edmund HO Hau-wah reelected with 296 votes in 2004 election; Fernando CHUI Sai-on elected in 2009 with 282 votes, takes office on 20 December 2009

Legislative branch:

unicameral Legislative Assembly (29 seats; 12 members elected by popular vote, 10 by indirect vote, and 7 appointed by the chief executive; serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 25 September 2005 (next to be held on 20 September 2009)

election results: percent of vote - New Democratic Macau Association 18.8%, Macau United Citizens' Association 16.6%, Union for Development 13.3%, Union for Promoting Progress 9.6%, Macau Development Alliance 9.3%, others 32.4%; seats by political group - New Democratic Macau Association 2, Macau United Citizens' Association 2, Union for Development 2, Union for Promoting Progress 2, Macau Development Alliance 1, New Hope 1, Convergence for Development 1, General Union for the Good of Macau 1; 10 seats filled by professional and business groups; seven members appointed by chief executive

Judicial branch:

Court of Final Appeal in Macau Special Administrative Region

Political parties and leaders:

New Hope [Jose Maria Pereira COUTINHO]; Development Union [KWAN
Tsui-hang]; Macau Development Alliance [Angela LEONG On-kei]; Macau
United Citizens' Association [CHAN Meng-kam]; New Democratic Macau
Association [Antonio NG Kuok-cheong]; Union for Promoting Progress
[LEONG Heng-teng]

note: there is no political party ordinance, so there are no registered political parties; politically active groups register as societies or companies

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Civic Power [Agnes LAM Lok-fong]; Macau Society of Tourism and
Entertainment or STDM [Stanley HO]; Macau Worker's Union [HO
Heng-kuok]; Roman Catholic Church; Union for Democracy Development
[Antonio NG Kuok-cheong]

International organization participation:

IHO, IMF, IMO (associate), ISO (correspondent), UNESCO (associate),
UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCO, WFTU, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (special administrative region of China)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

the US has no offices in Macau; US Consulate General in Hong Kong is accredited to Macau

Flag description:

light green with a lotus flower above a stylized bridge and water in white, beneath an arc of five gold, five-pointed stars: one large in the center of the arc and two smaller on either side; the lotus is the floral emblem of Macau, the three petals represent the peninsula and two islands that make up Macau; the five stars echo those on the flag of China

Economy ::Macau

Economy - overview:

Macau's economy has enjoyed strong growth in recent years on the back of its expanding tourism and gaming sectors. After opening up its locally-controlled casino industry to foreign competition in 2001, the territory attracted tens of billions of dollars in foreign investment, transforming Macao into the world's largest gaming center. By 2006, Macau's gaming revenue surpassed that of the Las Vegas strip, and gaming-related taxes accounted for 75% of total government revenue. In 2008, government revenue from gaming was set to double 2006 collections. The expanding casino sector, and China's decision beginning in 2002 to relax travel restrictions, reenergized Macau's tourism industry. This city of just over 500,000 hosted more than 30 million visitors in 2008. Almost 60% came from mainland China despite increasing restrictions on travel to the SAR. Macau's traditional manufacturing industry has been in a slow decline since the termination of the Multi-Fiber Agreement in 2005. In 2008, exports of textiles and garments generated only $1.1 billion, compared to $13.7 billion in gross gaming receipts. The Closer Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between Macau and mainland China that came into effect on 1 January 2004 offers many Macau-made products tariff-free access to the mainland. Macau's currency, the Pataca, is closely tied to the Hong Kong dollar, which is also freely accepted in the territory.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$18.14 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 127 $12.5 billion (2006)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$22.04 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

15% (2008) country comparison to the world: 2 16.6% (2006)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$30,000 (2007) country comparison to the world: 45 $28,400 (2006)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 0.1%

industry: 2.8%

services: 97.1% (2007 est.)

Labor force:

337,400 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 157

Labor force - by occupation:

manufacturing 7.4%, construction 12.6%, transport and communications 5%, wholesale and retail trade 12.5%, restaurants and hotels 12.7%, gambling 14%, public sector 6%, financial services 2.1%, other services and agriculture 27.7% (2008 est.)

Unemployment rate:

3% (2008) country comparison to the world: 33 3.1% (2006)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $6.2 billion

expenditures: $2.9 billion (2008)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

6.2% (December 2008) country comparison to the world: 105 7.2% (2006)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

5.43% (31 December 2008)

Stock of money:

$1.591 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 77 $1.16 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$22.15 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 41 $21.91 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$11.5 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 68 $NA (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$2.3 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

$NA (31 December 2007)

$413.1 million (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:

only 2% of land area is cultivated, mainly by vegetable growers; fishing, mostly for crustaceans, is important; some of the catch is exported to Hong Kong

Industries:

tourism, gambling, clothing, textiles, electronics, footwear, toys

Industrial production growth rate:

NA

Electricity - production:

1.106 billion kWh (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 143

Electricity - consumption:

3.311 billion kWh (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 120

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

2.215 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 169

Oil - consumption:

16,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 131

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 152

Oil - imports:

5,027 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 156

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 108

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 162

Natural gas - consumption:

81.6 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 104

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 158

Natural gas - imports:

81.9 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 65

Natural gas - proved reserves:

300,000 cu m (1 January 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 103

Exports:

$2 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 132 $2.557 billion (2006 est.); note - includes reexports

Exports - commodities:

clothing, textiles, footwear, toys, electronics, machinery and parts

Exports - partners:

US 39.9%, Hong Kong 19.7%, China 12.3%, Germany 4% (2008)

Imports:

$5.4 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 112 $4.559 billion (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

raw materials and semi-manufactured goods, consumer goods (foodstuffs, beverages, tobacco), capital goods, mineral fuels and oils

Imports - partners:

China 39.3%, Hong Kong 10.1%, Japan 8.5%, US 5.5%, France 5.3%,
Switzerland 4.7% (2008)

Debt - external:

$0 (2006) country comparison to the world: 205

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$7.9 billion (2007) country comparison to the world: 82 $6.5 billion (2006)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$1.9 billion (2007) country comparison to the world: 65 $1.1 billion (2006)

Exchange rates:

patacas (MOP) per US dollar - 8.011 (2007), 8.0015 (2006), 8.011 (2005), 8.022 (2004), 8.021 (2003)

Communications ::Macau

Telephones - main lines in use:

173,533 (2009) country comparison to the world: 127

Telephones - mobile cellular:

993,545 (2009) country comparison to the world: 145

Telephone system:

general assessment: fairly modern communication facilities maintained for domestic and international services

domestic: termination of monopoly over mobile-cellular telephone services in 2001 spurred sharp increase in subscriptions with mobile-cellular teledensity approaching 180 per 100 persons in 2008; fixed-line subscribership appears to have peaked and is now in decline

international: country code - 853; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3 submarine cable network that provides links to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe; HF radiotelephone communication facility; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (2009)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2008)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (2008)

Internet country code:

.mo

Internet hosts:

244 (2009) country comparison to the world: 183

Internet users:

259,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 130

Transportation ::Macau

Airports:

1 (2009) country comparison to the world: 221

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 1

over 3,047 m: 1 (2009)

Heliports:

2 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 404 km country comparison to the world: 196 paved: 404 km (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Macau

Military ::Macau

Military branches:

no regular military forces; defense is the responsibility of China (2009)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 121,825 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 122,962

females age 16-49: 148,809 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 4,578

female: 4,052 (2009 est.)

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of China

Transnational Issues ::Macau

Disputes - international:

none

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for drugs going into mainland China; consumer of opiates and amphetamines

page last updated on November 10, 2009

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

@Macedonia (Europe)

Introduction ::Macedonia

Background:

Macedonia gained its independence peacefully from Yugoslavia in 1991, but Greece's objection to the new state's use of what it considered a Hellenic name and symbols delayed international recognition, which occurred under the provisional designation of "the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia." In 1995, Greece lifted a 20-month trade embargo and the two countries agreed to normalize relations. The United States began referring to Macedonia by its constitutional name, Republic of Macedonia, in 2004 and negotiations continue between Greece and Macedonia to resolve the name issue. Some ethnic Albanians, angered by perceived political and economic inequities, launched an insurgency in 2001 that eventually won the support of the majority of Macedonia's Albanian population and led to the internationally-brokered Framework Agreement, which ended the fighting by establishing a set of new laws enhancing the rights of minorities. Fully implementing the Framework Agreement and stimulating economic growth and development continue to be challenges for Macedonia, although progress has been made on both fronts over the past several years.

Geography ::Macedonia

Location:

Southeastern Europe, north of Greece

Geographic coordinates:

41 50 N, 22 00 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 25,713 sq km country comparison to the world: 149 land: 25,433 sq km

water: 280 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than Vermont

Land boundaries:

total: 766 km

border countries: Albania 151 km, Bulgaria 148 km, Greece 246 km, Kosovo 159 km, Serbia 62 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

warm, dry summers and autumns; relatively cold winters with heavy snowfall

Terrain:

mountainous territory covered with deep basins and valleys; three large lakes, each divided by a frontier line; country bisected by the Vardar River

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Vardar River 50 m

highest point: Golem Korab (Maja e Korabit) 2,764 m

Natural resources:

low-grade iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, manganese, nickel, tungsten, gold, silver, asbestos, gypsum, timber, arable land

Land use:

arable land: 22.01%

permanent crops: 1.79%

other: 76.2% (2005)

Irrigated land:

550 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

6.4 cu km (2001)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 2.27

per capita: 1,118 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

high seismic risks

Environment - current issues:

air pollution from metallurgical plants

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

landlocked; major transportation corridor from Western and Central Europe to Aegean Sea and Southern Europe to Western Europe

People ::Macedonia

Population:

2,066,718 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 144

Age structure:

0-14 years: 19.2% (male 206,054/female 191,354)

15-64 years: 69.4% (male 722,823/female 710,830)

65 years and over: 11.4% (male 102,231/female 133,426) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 35.1 years

male: 34.1 years

female: 36.2 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.262% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 179

Birth rate:

11.97 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 168

Death rate:

8.83 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 85

Net migration rate:

-0.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 112

Urbanization:

urban population: 67% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 0.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 9.01 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 157 male: 9.21 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 8.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 74.68 years country comparison to the world: 88 male: 72.18 years

female: 77.38 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.58 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 182

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 149

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

fewer than 200 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 159

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 100 (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 138

Nationality:

noun: Macedonian(s)

adjective: Macedonian

Ethnic groups:

Macedonian 64.2%, Albanian 25.2%, Turkish 3.9%, Roma (Gypsy) 2.7%,
Serb 1.8%, other 2.2% (2002 census)

Religions:

Macedonian Orthodox 64.7%, Muslim 33.3%, other Christian 0.37%, other and unspecified 1.63% (2002 census)

Languages:

Macedonian 66.5%, Albanian 25.1%, Turkish 3.5%, Roma 1.9%, Serbian 1.2%, other 1.8% (2002 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 96.1%

male: 98.2%

female: 94.1% (2002 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 12 years

male: 12 years

female: 12 years (2005)

Education expenditures:

3.5% of GDP (2002) country comparison to the world: 130

Government ::Macedonia

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Macedonia

conventional short form: Macedonia

local long form: Republika Makedonija

local short form: Makedonija

note: the provisional designation used by the UN, EU, and NATO is the "former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia" (FYROM)

former: People's Republic of Macedonia, Socialist Republic of Macedonia

Government type:

parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Skopje

geographic coordinates: 42 00 N, 21 26 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

84 municipalities (opstini, singular - opstina); Aerodrom (Skopje),
Aracinovo, Berovo, Bitola, Bogdanci, Bogovinje, Bosilovo, Brvenica,
Butel (Skopje), Cair (Skopje), Caska, Centar (Skopje), Centar Zupa,
Cesinovo, Cucer Sandevo, Debar, Debarca, Delcevo, Demir Hisar, Demir
Kapija, Dojran, Dolneni, Dorce Petrov (Gjorce Petrov) (Skopje),
Drugovo, Gazi Baba (Skopje), Gevgelija, Gostivar, Gradsko, Ilinden,
Jegunovce, Karbinci, Karpos (Skopje), Kavadarci, Kicevo, Kisela Voda
(Skopje), Kocani, Konce, Kratovo, Kriva Palanka, Krivogastani,
Krusevo, Kumanovo, Lipkovo, Lozovo, Makedonska Kamenica, Makedonski
Brod, Mavrovo i Rostusa, Mogila, Negotino, Novaci, Novo Selo, Ohrid,
Oslomej, Pehcevo, Petrovec, Plasnica, Prilep, Probistip, Radovis,
Rankovce, Resen, Rosoman, Saraj (Skopje), Sopiste, Staro Nagoricane,
Stip, Struga, Strumica, Studenicani, Suto Orizari (Skopje), Sveti
Nikole, Tearce, Tetovo, Valandovo, Vasilevo, Veles, Vevcani, Vinica,
Vranestica, Vrapciste, Zajas, Zelenikovo, Zelino, Zrnovci

note: the 10 municipalities followed by Skopje in parentheses collectively constitute the larger Skopje Municipality

Independence:

8 September 1991 (referendum by registered voters endorsed independence from Yugoslavia)

National holiday:

Ilinden Uprising Day, 2 August (1903); note - also known as Saint
Elijah's Day

Constitution:

adopted 17 November 1991, effective 20 November 1991; amended November 2001 and in 2005

note: amended November 2001 by a series of new constitutional amendments strengthening minority rights and in 2005 with amendments related to the judiciary

Legal system:

based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Gjorge IVANOV (since 12 May 2009)

head of government: Prime Minister Nikola GRUEVSKI (since 26 August 2006)

cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the majority vote of all the deputies in the Assembly; note - current cabinet formed by the government coalition parties VMRO/DPMNE, BDI/DUI, and several small parties

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); two-round election: first round held 22 March 2009, second round held 5 April 2009 (next to be held in March 2014); prime minister elected by the Assembly following legislative elections

election results: Gjorge IVANOV elected president on second-round ballot; percent of vote - Gjorge IVANOV 63.14%, Ljubomir FRCKOSKI 36.86%

Legislative branch:

unicameral Assembly or Sobranie (120 seats; members elected by popular vote from party lists based on the percentage of the overall vote the parties gain in each of six electoral districts; members serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 1 June and 15 June 2008 (next to be held by July 2012)

election results: percent of vote by party - VMRO-DPMNE-led block 49%, SDSM-led block 24%, BDI/DUI 13%, PDSh/DPA 8%, other 6%; seats by party - VMRO-DPMNE-led block 63, SDSM-led block 27, BDI/DUI 18, PDSh/DPA 11, PEI 1

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court; Constitutional Court; Republican Judicial Council

note: the Assembly appoints the judges

Political parties and leaders:

Democratic Alliance [Pavle TRAJANOV]; Democratic League of Bosniaks
[Rafet MUMINOVIC]; Democratic Party of Albanians or PDSh/DPA [Menduh
THACI]; Democratic Party of Serbs [Ivan STOILJKOVIC]; Democratic
Party of Turks [Kenan HASIPI]; Democratic Renewal of Macedonia
[Liljana POPOVSKA]; Democratic Union of Albanians or BDSh [Bardyl
MAHMUTI]; Democratic Union of Vlachs for Macedonia [Mitko KOSTOV];
Democratic Union for Integration or BDI/DUI [Ali AHMETI]; For a
Better Macedonia coalition [Nikola GRUEVSKI] (includes VMRO-DPMNE,
SP, Democratic Union, Democratic Renewal of Macedonia, Democratic
Party of Turks, Democratic Party of Serbs, SR, and smaller parties);
Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-Democratic Party for
Macedonian National Unity or VMRO-DPMNE [Nikola GRUEVSKI]; League
for Democracy [Gjorgi MARJANOVIC]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDP
[Jovan MANSIEVSKI]; Liberal Party [Stojan ANDOV]; National
Alternative [Harun ALIU]; National Democratic Union or BDK [Hysni
SHAQIR]; New Democracy of DR/ND [Imer SELMANI]; New Social
Democratic Party or NSDP [Tito PETKOVSKI]; Party for Democratic
Prosperity or PPD/PDP [Sefedin HARUNI]; Party for European Future or
PEI [Fijat CANOSKI]; Party of Free Democrats or PSD [Ljubco
JORDANOVSKI]; Social Democratic Alliance of Macedonia or SDSM [Zoran
ZAEV]; Socialist Party of Macedonia or SP [Ljubisav IVANOV-ZINGO];
Sun-Coalition for Europe [Radmila SKERINSKA] (includes SDSM, NSDP,
LDP, Liberal Party and smaller parties); Union of Romas or SR
[Shaban SALIU]; United Party for Emancipation or OPE [Nezdet MUSTAFA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Federation of Free Trade Unions [Svetlana PETROVIC]; Federation of
Trade Unions [Vanco MURATOVSKI]; Trade Union of Education, Science
and Culture [Dojcin CVETANOSKI]; World Macedonian Congress [Todor
PETROV]

International organization participation:

BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU,
ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SECI, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Zoran JOLEVSKI

chancery: 2129 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 667-0501

FAX: [1] (202) 667-2131

consulate(s) general: Southfield (Michigan)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Philip T. REEKER

embassy: Bul. Ilindenska bb, 1000 Skopje

mailing address: American Embassy Skopje, US Department of State, 7120 Skopje Place, Washington, DC 20521-7120 (pouch)

telephone: [389] 2 311-6180

FAX: [389] 2 311-7103

Flag description:

a yellow sun with eight broadening rays extending to the edges of the red field

Economy ::Macedonia

Economy - overview:

Having a small, open economy makes Macedonia vulnerable to economic developments in Europe and dependent on regional integration and progress toward EU membership for continued economic growth. At independence in September 1991, Macedonia was the least developed of the Yugoslav republics, producing a mere 5% of the total federal output of goods and services. The collapse of Yugoslavia ended transfer payments from the central government and eliminated advantages from inclusion in a de facto free trade area. An absence of infrastructure, UN sanctions on the downsized Yugoslavia, and a Greek economic embargo over a dispute about the country's constitutional name and flag hindered economic growth until 1996. GDP subsequently rose each year through 2000. In 2001, during a civil conflict, the economy shrank 4.5% because of decreased trade, intermittent border closures, increased deficit spending on security needs, and investor uncertainty. Growth averaged 4% per year during 2003-06 and more than 5% per year during 2007-08. Macedonia has maintained macroeconomic stability with low inflation, but it has so far lagged the region in attracting foreign investment and creating jobs, despite making extensive fiscal and business sector reforms. Official unemployment remains high at nearly 35%, but may be overstated based on the existence of an extensive gray market, estimated to be more than 20% of GDP, that is not captured by official statistics. In the wake of the global economic downturn, Macedonia has experienced decreased foreign direct investment, lowered credit, and a slowdown of export growth. The Government of Macedonia now predicts growth in 2009 to be no more than 3%.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$18.83 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 125 $17.88 billion (2007 est.)

$16.88 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Macedonia has a large informal sector

GDP (official exchange rate):

$9.569 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 79 5.9% (2007 est.)

3.7% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$9,100 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 111 $8,700 (2007 est.)

$8,200 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 11.5%

industry: 27.8%

services: 60.7% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

925,000 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 141

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 19.6%

industry: 30.4%

services: 50% (September 2007)

Unemployment rate:

33.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 182 34.9% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

29.8% (2006)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.4%

highest 10%: 29.6% (2003)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

39 (2003) country comparison to the world: 68

Investment (gross fixed):

20.6% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 101

Budget:

revenues: $3.167 billion

expenditures: $3.239 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

20.8% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 92 20% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

8.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 130 2.3% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

6.5% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 64 6.5% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

9.68% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 83 10.23% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$1.307 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 81 $1.173 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$3.254 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 80 $3.127 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$3.906 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 84 $2.924 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 93 $2.715 billion (31 December 2007)

$1.098 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

grapes, wine, tobacco, vegetables, fruits; milk, eggs

Industries:

food processing, beverages, textiles, chemicals, iron, steel, cement, energy, pharmaceuticals

Industrial production growth rate:

4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 67

Electricity - production:

6.376 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 103

Electricity - consumption:

7.358 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 94

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

2.491 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 164

Oil - consumption:

21,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 123

Oil - exports:

7,410 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 98

Oil - imports:

26,730 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 105

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 102

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 158

Natural gas - consumption:

70 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 105

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 153

Natural gas - imports:

70 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 66

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 110

Current account balance:

-$1.21 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 126 -$247 million (2007 est.)

Exports:

$3.971 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 118 $3.35 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

food, beverages, tobacco; textiles, miscellaneous manufactures, iron and steel

Exports - partners:

Serbia and Montenegro 20.4%, Germany 15.4%, Greece 12.4%, Bulgaria 10.1%, Italy 8.8%, Croatia 6.5% (2008)

Imports:

$6.523 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 108 $4.976 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, automobiles, chemicals, fuels, food products

Imports - partners:

Germany 13.3%, Greece 12.4%, Bulgaria 9.9%, Serbia and Montenegro 6.9%, Italy 6.3%, Turkey 5.6%, Slovenia 5.3%, Poland 4.4% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$2.109 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 108 $2.265 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$4.667 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 107 $3.967 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$2.405 billion (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 93

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$NA

Exchange rates:

Macedonian denars (MKD) per US dollar - 41.414 (2008 est.), 44.732 (2007), 48.978 (2006), 48.92 (2005), 49.41 (2004)

Communications ::Macedonia

Telephones - main lines in use:

457,100 (2008) country comparison to the world: 101

Telephones - mobile cellular:

2.502 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 116

Telephone system:

general assessment: competition from the mobile-cellular segment of the telecommunications market has led to a drop in fixed-line telephone subscriptions

domestic: combined fixed line and mobile telephone subscribership approaching 150 per 100 persons

international: country code - 389 (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 29, FM 32, shortwave 0 (2008)

Television broadcast stations:

52 (2007)

Internet country code:

.mk

Internet hosts:

57,763 (2009) country comparison to the world: 81

Internet users:

847,900 (2008) country comparison to the world: 97

Transportation ::Macedonia

Airports:

14 (2009) country comparison to the world: 150

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 10

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

under 914 m: 8 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 3 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 268 km; oil 120 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 699 km country comparison to the world: 105 standard gauge: 699 km 1.435-m gauge (223 km electrified) (2008)

Roadways:

total: 13,182 km (includes 208 km of expressways) (2002) country comparison to the world: 128

Military ::Macedonia

Military branches:

Army of the Republic of Macedonia (ARM): Joint Operational Command, with subordinate Air Wing (Makedonsko Voeno Vozduhoplovstvo, MVV), Special Operations Regiment (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2007)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 532,856

females age 16-49: 513,684 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 444,247

females age 16-49: 427,556 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 14,596

female: 13,881 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

6% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 10

Transnational Issues ::Macedonia

Disputes - international:

Kosovo and Macedonia completed demarcation of their boundary in
September 2008; Greece continues to reject the use of the name
Macedonia or Republic of Macedonia

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

IDPs: fewer than 1,000 (ethnic conflict in 2001) (2007)

Illicit drugs:

major transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and hashish; minor transit point for South American cocaine destined for Europe; although not a financial center and most criminal activity is thought to be domestic, money laundering is a problem due to a mostly cash-based economy and weak enforcement

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Madagascar (Africa)

Introduction ::Madagascar

Background:

Formerly an independent kingdom, Madagascar became a French colony in 1896 but regained independence in 1960. During 1992-93, free presidential and National Assembly elections were held ending 17 years of single-party rule. In 1997, in the second presidential race, Didier RATSIRAKA, the leader during the 1970s and 1980s, was returned to the presidency. The 2001 presidential election was contested between the followers of Didier RATSIRAKA and Marc RAVALOMANANA, nearly causing secession of half of the country. In April 2002, the High Constitutional Court announced RAVALOMANANA the winner. RAVALOMANANA achieved a second term following a landslide victory in the generally free and fair presidential elections of 2006. In early 2009, protests due to increasing restrictions on opposition press and activities resulted in RAVALOMANANA stepping down and the presidency was conferred to the mayor of Antananarivo, Andry RAJOELINA. Following negotiations in July and August of 2009, a power-sharing agreement with a 15-month transitional period was established. Elections are expected in the fall of 2010.

Geography ::Madagascar

Location:

Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Mozambique

Geographic coordinates:

20 00 S, 47 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 587,041 sq km country comparison to the world: 46 land: 581,540 sq km

water: 5,501 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly less than twice the size of Arizona

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

4,828 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or 100 nm from the 2,500-m isobath

Climate:

tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south

Terrain:

narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: Maromokotro 2,876 m

Natural resources:

graphite, chromite, coal, bauxite, salt, quartz, tar sands, semiprecious stones, mica, fish, hydropower

Land use:

arable land: 5.03%

permanent crops: 1.02%

other: 93.95% (2005)

Irrigated land:

10,860 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

337 cu km (1984)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 14.96 cu km/yr (3%/2%/96%)

per capita: 804 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

periodic cyclones; drought; and locust infestation

Environment - current issues:

soil erosion results from deforestation and overgrazing; desertification; surface water contaminated with raw sewage and other organic wastes; several endangered species of flora and fauna unique to the island

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

world's fourth-largest island; strategic location along Mozambique Channel

People ::Madagascar

Population:

20,653,556 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 55

Age structure:

0-14 years: 43.5% (male 4,523,033/female 4,460,473)

15-64 years: 53.5% (male 5,483,684/female 5,557,098)

65 years and over: 3% (male 280,677/female 348,591) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 18 years

male: 17.8 years

female: 18.2 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

3% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 13

Birth rate:

38.14 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 23

Death rate:

8.14 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 107

Net migration rate:

NA (2009 est.)

Urbanization:

urban population: 29% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 3.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 54.2 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 47 male: 59.12 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 49.13 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 62.89 years country comparison to the world: 176 male: 60.93 years

female: 64.91 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

5.14 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 26

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 116

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

14,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 88

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 1,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 75

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: chikungunya, malaria, and plague

water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Malagasy (singular and plural)

adjective: Malagasy

Ethnic groups:

Malayo-Indonesian (Merina and related Betsileo), Cotiers (mixed
African, Malayo-Indonesian, and Arab ancestry - Betsimisaraka,
Tsimihety, Antaisaka, Sakalava), French, Indian, Creole, Comoran

Religions:

indigenous beliefs 52%, Christian 41%, Muslim 7%

Languages:

English (official), French (official), Malagasy (official)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 68.9%

male: 75.5%

female: 62.5% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 9 years

male: 10 years

female: 9 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

3.1% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 144

Government ::Madagascar

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Madagascar

conventional short form: Madagascar

local long form: Republique de Madagascar/Repoblikan'i Madagasikara

local short form: Madagascar/Madagasikara

former: Malagasy Republic

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Antananarivo

geographic coordinates: 18 55 S, 47 31 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

6 provinces (faritany); Antananarivo, Antsiranana, Fianarantsoa, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara

Independence:

26 June 1960 (from France)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 26 June (1960)

Constitution:

passed by referendum 19 August 1992

Legal system:

based on French civil law system and traditional Malagasy law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Andry RAJOELINA (since 18 March 2009)

head of government: Prime Minister Monja Roindefo ZAFITSIMIVALO (since 18 March 2009)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 3 December 2006 (next to be held in October 2011); prime minister appointed by the president

election results: percent of vote - Marc RAVALOMANANA 54.8%, Jean
LAHINIRIKO 11.7%, Roland RATSIRAKA 10.1%, Herizo RAZAFIMAHALEO 9.1%,
Norbert RATSIRAHONANA 4.2%, Ny Hasina ANDRIAMANJATO 4.2%, Elia
RAVELOMANANTSOA 2.6%, Pety RAKOTONIAINA 1.7%, other 1.6%; note -
RAVALOMANANA stepped down on 17 March 2009

note:: on 17 March 2009, democratically elected President Marc RAVALOMANANA stepped down handing the government over to the military, which in turn conferred the presidency on opposition leader and Antananarivo mayor Andry RAJOELINA, who will head the High Transition Authority; a power-sharing agreement reached in August 2009 established a 15-month transition period, concluding in general elections

Legislative branch:

bicameral legislature consists of a Senate or Senat (100 seats; two-thirds of the seats filled by regional assemblies; the remaining one-third of seats appointed by the president; to serve four-year terms) and a National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (127 seats - reduced from 160 seats by an April 2007 national referendum; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: National Assembly - last held 23 September 2007 (next to be held in late 2010); note - a power-sharing agreement in the summer of 2009 established a 15-month transition, concluding in general elections

election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - TIM 106, LEADER/Fanilo 1, independents 20

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Constitutional Court or Haute
Cour Constitutionnelle

Political parties and leaders:

Association for the Rebirth of Madagascar or AREMA [Pierrot
RAJAONARIVELO]; Democratic Party for Union in Madagascar or PSDUM
[Jean LAHINIRIKO]; Economic Liberalism and Democratic Action for
National Recovery or LEADER/Fanilo [Herizo RAZAFIMAHALEO]; Fihaonana
Party or FP [Guy-Willy RAZANAMASY]; I Love Madagascar or TIM [Marc
RAVALOMANANA]; Renewal of the Social Democratic Party or RPSD
[Evariste MARSON]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Committee for the Defense of Truth and Justice or KMMR; Committee for National Reconciliation or CRN [Albert Zafy]; National Council of Christian Churches or FFKM

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,
ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, SADC,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Jocelyn Bertin RADIFERA

chancery: 2374 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 265-5525 through 5526

FAX: [1] (202) 265-3034

consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador R. Niels MARQUARDT

embassy: 14-16 Rue Rainitovo, Antsahavola, Antananarivo 101

mailing address: B. P. 620, Antsahavola, Antananarivo

telephone: [261] (20) 22-212-57, 22-212-73, 22-209-56

FAX: [261] (20) 22-345-39

Flag description:

two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a vertical white band of the same width on hoist side

Economy ::Madagascar

Economy - overview:

Having discarded past socialist economic policies, Madagascar has since the mid 1990s followed a World Bank- and IMF-led policy of privatization and liberalization. This strategy placed the country on a slow and steady growth path from an extremely low level. Agriculture, including fishing and forestry, is a mainstay of the economy, accounting for more than one-fourth of GDP and employing 80% of the population. Exports of apparel have boomed in recent years primarily due to duty-free access to the US. Deforestation and erosion, aggravated by the use of firewood as the primary source of fuel, are serious concerns. President RAVALOMANANA has worked aggressively to revive the economy following the 2002 political crisis, which triggered a 12% drop in GDP that year. Poverty reduction and combating corruption will be the centerpieces of economic policy for the next few years.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$20.18 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 122 $18.86 billion (2007 est.)

$17.76 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$9.463 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 38 6.2% (2007 est.)

5% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,000 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 212 $1,000 (2007 est.)

$900 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 26.2%

industry: 15.2%

services: 58.5% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

9.504 million (2007) country comparison to the world: 51

Population below poverty line:

50% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.6%

highest 10%: 41.5% (2005)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

47.5 (2001) country comparison to the world: 33 38.1 (1999)

Investment (gross fixed):

26.6% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 40

Budget:

revenues: $1.612 billion

expenditures: $2.05 billion (2008 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

9.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 140 10.3% (2007 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

45% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 3 45% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$1.217 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 84 $1.161 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$667.2 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 104 $577.4 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$820.3 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 111 $767.5 million (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

coffee, vanilla, sugarcane, cloves, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), beans, bananas, peanuts; livestock products

Industries:

meat processing, seafood, soap, breweries, tanneries, sugar, textiles, glassware, cement, automobile assembly plant, paper, petroleum, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:

3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 83

Electricity - production:

1.045 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 145

Electricity - consumption:

971.4 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 146

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

84.57 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 111

Oil - consumption:

20,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 124

Oil - exports:

364.9 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 125

Oil - imports:

16,940 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 119

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 109

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 163

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 162

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 159

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 162

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 115

Current account balance:

-$1.03 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 121 -$807 million (2007 est.)

Exports:

$1.254 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 146 $1.095 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

coffee, vanilla, shellfish, sugar, cotton cloth, chromite, petroleum products

Exports - partners:

France 38.9%, US 20.3%, Germany 5% (2008)

Imports:

$2.419 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 144 $1.944 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

capital goods, petroleum, consumer goods, food

Imports - partners:

China 20.1%, Bahrain 8.7%, France 6.3%, South Africa 5.7%, US 4.9%,
India 4.4% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$982.3 million (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 129 $846.7 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$2.023 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 135 $4.6 billion (2002)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$NA

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$NA

Exchange rates:

Malagasy ariary (MGA) per US dollar - 1,654.78 (2008 est.), 1,880 (2007), 2,161.4 (2006), 2,003 (2005), 1,868.9 (2004)

Communications ::Madagascar

Telephones - main lines in use:

164,900 (2008) country comparison to the world: 130

Telephones - mobile cellular:

4.835 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 88

Telephone system:

general assessment: system is above average for the region; Antananarivo's main telephone exchange modernized in the late 1990s, but the rest of the analogue-based telephone system is poorly developed; have added new fixed lines since 2005

domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile telephone density about 25 per 100 persons

international: country code - 261; submarine cable to Bahrain; satellite earth stations - 2 (1 Intelsat - Indian Ocean, 1 Intersputnik - Atlantic Ocean region) (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 6 (2001)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (plus 36 repeaters) (2001)

Internet country code:

.mg

Internet hosts:

27,807 (2009) country comparison to the world: 93

Internet users:

316,100 (2008) country comparison to the world: 124

Transportation ::Madagascar

Airports:

89 (2009) country comparison to the world: 66

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 27

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 6

914 to 1,523 m: 17

under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 62

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 39

under 914 m: 21 (2009)

Railways:

total: 854 km country comparison to the world: 98 narrow gauge: 854 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 65,663 km country comparison to the world: 69 paved: 7,617 km

unpaved: 58,046 km (2003)

Waterways:

600 km country comparison to the world: 80 note: 432 km navigable (2008)

Merchant marine:

total: 8 country comparison to the world: 120 by type: cargo 4, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 2 (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Antsiranana, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara

Military ::Madagascar

Military branches:

People's Armed Forces: Intervention Force, Development Force, and
Aeronaval Force (navy and air); National Gendarmerie

Military service age and obligation:

18-25 years of age for male-only compulsory military service; 18-month conscript service obligation (either military or equivalent civil service); 20-30 years of age for National Gendarmerie recruits (35 years of age for those with military experience) (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 4,443,341

females age 16-49: 4,441,124 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 3,150,043

females age 16-49: 3,404,988 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 236,500

female: 235,994 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 136

Transnational Issues ::Madagascar

Disputes - international:

claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, and Juan de Nova Island (all administered by France)

Illicit drugs:

illicit producer of cannabis (cultivated and wild varieties) used mostly for domestic consumption; transshipment point for heroin

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Malawi (Africa)

Introduction ::Malawi

Background:

Established in 1891, the British protectorate of Nyasaland became the independent nation of Malawi in 1964. After three decades of one-party rule under President Hastings Kamuzu BANDA the country held multiparty elections in 1994, under a provisional constitution that came into full effect the following year. Current President Bingu wa MUTHARIKA, elected in May 2004 after a failed attempt by the previous president to amend the constitution to permit another term, struggled to assert his authority against his predecessor and subsequently started his own party, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in 2005. As president, MUTHARIKA has overseen substantial economic improvement but because of political deadlock in the legislature, his minority party has been unable to pass significant legislation, and anti-corruption measures have stalled. Population growth, increasing pressure on agricultural lands, corruption, and the spread of HIV/AIDS pose major problems for Malawi.

Geography ::Malawi

Location:

Southern Africa, east of Zambia

Geographic coordinates:

13 30 S, 34 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 118,484 sq km country comparison to the world: 99 land: 94,080 sq km

water: 24,404 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Land boundaries:

total: 2,881 km

border countries: Mozambique 1,569 km, Tanzania 475 km, Zambia 837 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

sub-tropical; rainy season (November to May); dry season (May to November)

Terrain:

narrow elongated plateau with rolling plains, rounded hills, some mountains

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: junction of the Shire River and international boundary with Mozambique 37 m

highest point: Sapitwa (Mount Mlanje) 3,002 m

Natural resources:

limestone, arable land, hydropower, unexploited deposits of uranium, coal, and bauxite

Land use:

arable land: 20.68%

permanent crops: 1.18%

other: 78.14% (2005)

Irrigated land:

560 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

17.3 cu km (2001)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 1.01 cu km/yr (15%/5%/80%)

per capita: 78 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; land degradation; water pollution from agricultural runoff, sewage, industrial wastes; siltation of spawning grounds endangers fish populations

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:

landlocked; Lake Nyasa, some 580 km long, is the country's most prominent physical feature

People ::Malawi

Population:

14,268,711 country comparison to the world: 66 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 45.8% (male 3,272,790/female 3,258,893)

15-64 years: 51.5% (male 3,696,857/female 3,656,918)

65 years and over: 2.7% (male 162,863/female 220,390) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 16.8 years

male: 16.8 years

female: 16.9 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.388% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 36

Birth rate:

41.48 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 13

Death rate:

17.6 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 11

Net migration rate:

NA (2009 est.)

Urbanization:

urban population: 19% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 5.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 89.05 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 14 male: 93.15 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 84.88 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 43.82 years country comparison to the world: 216 male: 44.07 years

female: 43.57 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

5.59 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 16

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

11.9% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 9

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

930,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 15

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

68,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 10

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria and plague

water contact disease: schistosomiasis

animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Malawian(s)

adjective: Malawian

Ethnic groups:

Chewa, Nyanja, Tumbuka, Yao, Lomwe, Sena, Tonga, Ngoni, Ngonde,
Asian, European

Religions:

Christian 79.9%, Muslim 12.8%, other 3%, none 4.3% (1998 census)

Languages:

Chichewa 57.2% (official), Chinyanja 12.8%, Chiyao 10.1%, Chitumbuka 9.5%, Chisena 2.7%, Chilomwe 2.4%, Chitonga 1.7%, other 3.6% (1998 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 62.7%

male: 76.1%

female: 49.8% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 9 years

male: 10 years

female: 9 years (2004)

Education expenditures:

5.8% of GDP (2003) country comparison to the world: 44

Government ::Malawi

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Malawi

conventional short form: Malawi

local long form: Dziko la Malawi

local short form: Malawi

former: British Central African Protectorate, Nyasaland Protectorate, Nyasaland

Government type:

multiparty democracy

Capital:

name: Lilongwe

geographic coordinates: 13 59 S, 33 47 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

28 districts; Balaka, Blantyre, Chikwawa, Chiradzulu, Chitipa,
Dedza, Dowa, Karonga, Kasungu, Likoma, Lilongwe, Machinga (Kasupe),
Mangochi, Mchinji, Mulanje, Mwanza, Mzimba, Neno, Ntcheu, Nkhata
Bay, Nkhotakota, Nsanje, Ntchisi, Phalombe, Rumphi, Salima, Thyolo,
Zomba

Independence:

6 July 1964 (from the UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day (Republic Day), 6 July (1964)

Constitution:

18 May 1994

Legal system:

based on English common law and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court of Appeal; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Bingu wa MUTHARIKA (since 24 May 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Bingu wa MUTHARIKA (since 24 May 2004)

cabinet: 46-member Cabinet named by the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 19 May 2009 (next to be held in May 2014)

election results: Bingu wa MUTHARIKA elected president; percent of vote - Bingu wa MUTHARIKA 66%, John TEMBO 30.7%, other 3.3%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly (193 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 19 May 2009 (next to be held in May 2014)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - DPP 114, MCP 26, UDF 17, independents 32, other 4

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court of Appeal; High Court (chief justice appointed by the president, puisne judges appointed on the advice of the Judicial Service Commission); magistrate's courts

Political parties and leaders:

Alliance for Democracy or AFORD [Dindi NYASULU]; Congress of
Democrats or CODE [Ralph KASAMBARA]; Democratic Progressive Party or
DPP [Bingu wa MUTHARIKA]; Malawi Congress Party or MCP [John TEMBO];
Malawi Democratic Party or MDP [Kampelo KALUA]; Malawi Forum for
Unity and Development or MAFUNDE [George MNESA]; Maravi People's
Party [Uladi MUSSA]; National Unity Party or NUP [Harry CHIUME]; New
Rainbow Coalition Party [Beatrice MWALE]; New Republican Party
[Gwanda CHAKUWAMBA]; People's Progressive Movement or PPM [Aleke
BANDA]; People's Transformation Movement or PETRA [Kamuzu CHIBAMBO];
Republican Party or RP [Stanley MASAULI]; United Democratic Front or
UDF [Bakili MULUZI]; United Democratic Party [Kenedy KALAMBO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Agri-Ecology Media (agriculture and environmental group); Council for NGOs in Malawi or CONGOMA (human rights, democracy, and development); Human Rights Consultative Committee or HRCC (human rights); Malawi Law Society (human rights and law reform); Malawi Movement for the Restoration of Democracy or MMRD (acts to restore and maintain democracy); Public Affairs Committee or PAC (promotes democracy, development, peace and unity)

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO
(correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OPCW, SADC, UN,
UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Hawa NDILOWE

chancery: 1029 Vermont Avenue, Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20005

telephone: [1] (202) 721-0270

FAX: [1] (202) 721-0288

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Peter W. BODDE

embassy: 16 Jomo Kenyatta Road, Lilongwe 3

mailing address: P. O. Box 30016, Lilongwe 3, Malawi

telephone: [265] (1) 773 166

FAX: [265] (1) 770 471

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green with a radiant, rising, red sun centered in the black band

Government - note:

no party has a majority in the fractured legislature

Economy ::Malawi

Economy - overview:

Landlocked Malawi ranks among the world's most densely populated and least developed countries. The economy is predominately agricultural with about 85% of the population living in rural areas. Agriculture accounts for more than one-third of GDP and 90% of export revenues. The performance of the tobacco sector is key to short-term growth as tobacco accounts for more than half of exports. The economy depends on substantial inflows of economic assistance from the IMF, the World Bank, and individual donor nations. In December 2007, the US granted Malawi eligibility status to receive financial support within the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) initiative. Malawi will now begin a consultative process to develop a five-year program before funding can begin. In 2006, Malawi was approved for relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) program. The government faces many challenges including developing a market economy, improving educational facilities, facing up to environmental problems, dealing with the rapidly growing problem of HIV/AIDS, and satisfying foreign donors that fiscal discipline is being tightened. In 2005, President MUTHARIKA championed an anticorruption campaign. Since 2005 President MUTHARIKA'S government has exhibited improved financial discipline under the guidance of Finance Minister Goodall GONDWE and signed a three year Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility worth $56 million with the IMF. Improved relations with the IMF lead other international donors to resume aid as well.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$11.95 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 143 $10.9 billion (2007 est.)

$10.1 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$4.268 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

9.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 14 7.9% (2007 est.)

8.2% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$800 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 220 $800 (2007 est.)

$700 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 39.2%

industry: 16.8%

services: 44% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

5.747 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 67

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 90%

industry and services: 10% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate:

NA%

Population below poverty line:

53% (2004)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 3%

highest 10%: 31.9% (2004)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

39 (2004) country comparison to the world: 67

Investment (gross fixed):

8.4% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 149

Budget:

revenues: $1.254 billion

expenditures: $1.351 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

49.1% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 38 228.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

8.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 135 7.9% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

15% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 15 15% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

25.28% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 9 27.72% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$361.5 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$250.4 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$406.2 million (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$NA (31 December 2007)

$587.2 million (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

tobacco, sugarcane, cotton, tea, corn, potatoes, cassava (tapioca), sorghum, pulses, groundnuts, Macadamia nuts; cattle, goats

Industries:

tobacco, tea, sugar, sawmill products, cement, consumer goods

Industrial production growth rate:

4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 66

Electricity - production:

1.69 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 138

Electricity - consumption:

1.572 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 138

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 166

Oil - consumption:

8,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 155

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 184

Oil - imports:

6,960 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 147

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 104

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 159

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 159

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 154

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 95

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 111

Current account balance:

-$241 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 93 -$75 million (2007 est.)

Exports:

$830 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 154 $721 million (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

tobacco 53%, tea, sugar, cotton, coffee, peanuts, wood products, apparel

Exports - partners:

South Africa 14.2%, Egypt 9.8%, Zimbabwe 8.6%, US 7.4%, Netherlands 7%, Russia 5.7%, Germany 5.7% (2008)

Imports:

$1.587 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 157 $1.323 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

food, petroleum products, semimanufactures, consumer goods, transportation equipment

Imports - partners:

South Africa 41.5%, China 7.3%, India 6.1%, Tanzania 5.4%, US 4.1% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$185 million (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 145 $217.2 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$1.005 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 153 $894 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$11.23 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 79

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$NA

Exchange rates:

Malawian kwachas (MWK) per US dollar - 142.41 (2008 est.), 141.12 (2007), 135.96 (2006), 108.894 (2005), 108.898 (2004)

Communications ::Malawi

Telephones - main lines in use:

236,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 122

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1.781 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 127

Telephone system:

general assessment: rudimentary

domestic: fixed-line subscribership about 2 per 100 persons; privatization of Malawi Telecommunications (MTL), a necessary step in bringing improvement to telecommunications services, completed in 2006; mobile-cellular services are expanding but cellular network coverage is limited and is based around the main urban areas; mobile cellular subscribership approaching 15 per 100 persons

international: country code - 265; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 9, FM 5 (plus 15 repeater stations), shortwave 2 (plus one shortwave station on standby) (2001)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (2001)

Internet country code:

.mw

Internet hosts:

741 (2009) country comparison to the world: 165

Internet users:

316,100 (2008) country comparison to the world: 125

Transportation ::Malawi

Airports:

32 (2009) country comparison to the world: 113

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 6

over 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 26

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 15

under 914 m: 10 (2009)

Railways:

total: 797 km country comparison to the world: 102 narrow gauge: 797 km 1.067-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 15,451 km country comparison to the world: 122 paved: 6,956 km

unpaved: 8,495 km (2003)

Waterways:

700 km (on Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and Shire River) (2008) country comparison to the world: 76

Ports and terminals:

Chipoka, Monkey Bay, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota, Chilumba

Military ::Malawi

Military branches:

Malawi Armed Forces: Army (includes Air Wing and Naval Detachment) (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service; standard obligation is 2 years of active duty and 5 years of reserve service (2007)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 3,050,444 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,732,621

females age 16-49: 1,562,107 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 174,044

female: 173,828 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.3% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 123

Transnational Issues ::Malawi

Disputes - international:

disputes with Tanzania over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and the meandering Songwe River remain dormant

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Malaysia (East & Southeast Asia)

Introduction ::Malaysia

Background:

During the late 18th and 19th centuries, Great Britain established colonies and protectorates in the area of current Malaysia; these were occupied by Japan from 1942 to 1945. In 1948, the British-ruled territories on the Malay Peninsula formed the Federation of Malaya, which became independent in 1957. Malaysia was formed in 1963 when the former British colonies of Singapore and the East Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak on the northern coast of Borneo joined the Federation. The first several years of the country's history were marred by a Communist insurgency, Indonesian confrontation with Malaysia, Philippine claims to Sabah, and Singapore's secession from the Federation in 1965. During the 22-year term of Prime Minister MAHATHIR bin Mohamad (1981-2003), Malaysia was successful in diversifying its economy from dependence on exports of raw materials to expansion in manufacturing, services, and tourism.

Geography ::Malaysia

Location:

Southeastern Asia, peninsula bordering Thailand and northern one-third of the island of Borneo, bordering Indonesia, Brunei, and the South China Sea, south of Vietnam

Geographic coordinates:

2 30 N, 112 30 E

Map references:

Southeast Asia

Area:

total: 329,847 sq km country comparison to the world: 66 land: 328,657 sq km

water: 1,190 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than New Mexico

Land boundaries:

total: 2,669 km

border countries: Brunei 381 km, Indonesia 1,782 km, Thailand 506 km

Coastline:

4,675 km (Peninsular Malaysia 2,068 km, East Malaysia 2,607 km)

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation; specified boundary in the South China Sea

Climate:

tropical; annual southwest (April to October) and northeast (October to February) monsoons

Terrain:

coastal plains rising to hills and mountains

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: Gunung Kinabalu 4,100 m

Natural resources:

tin, petroleum, timber, copper, iron ore, natural gas, bauxite

Land use:

arable land: 5.46%

permanent crops: 17.54%

other: 77% (2005)

Irrigated land:

3,650 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

580 cu km (1999)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 9.02 cu km/yr (17%/21%/62%)

per capita: 356 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

flooding; landslides; forest fires

Environment - current issues:

air pollution from industrial and vehicular emissions; water pollution from raw sewage; deforestation; smoke/haze from Indonesian forest fires

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

strategic location along Strait of Malacca and southern South China Sea

People ::Malaysia

Population:

25,715,819 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 46

Age structure:

0-14 years: 31.4% (male 4,153,621/female 3,914,962)

15-64 years: 63.6% (male 8,210,373/female 8,143,043)

65 years and over: 5% (male 569,245/female 724,575) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 24.9 years

male: 24.3 years

female: 25.6 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.723% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 78

Birth rate:

22.24 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 84

Death rate:

5.02 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 189

Net migration rate:

NA

note: does not reflect net flow of an unknown number of illegal immigrants from other countries in the region (2009 est.)

Urbanization:

urban population: 70% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 15.87 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 124 male: 18.32 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 13.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 73.29 years country comparison to the world: 108 male: 70.56 years

female: 76.21 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.95 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 74

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.5% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 78

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

80,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 50

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

3,900 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 52

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria

note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Malaysian(s)

adjective: Malaysian

Ethnic groups:

Malay 50.4%, Chinese 23.7%, indigenous 11%, Indian 7.1%, others 7.8% (2004 est.)

Religions:

Muslim 60.4%, Buddhist 19.2%, Christian 9.1%, Hindu 6.3%, Confucianism, Taoism, other traditional Chinese religions 2.6%, other or unknown 1.5%, none 0.8% (2000 census)

Languages:

Bahasa Malaysia (official), English, Chinese (Cantonese, Mandarin,
Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Panjabi,
Thai

note: in East Malaysia there are several indigenous languages; most widely spoken are Iban and Kadazan

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 88.7%

male: 92%

female: 85.4% (2000 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 13 years

male: 12 years

female: 13 years (2005)

Education expenditures:

6.2% of GDP (2004) country comparison to the world: 37

Government ::Malaysia

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Malaysia

local long form: none

local short form: Malaysia

former: Federation of Malaya

Government type:

constitutional monarchy

note: nominally headed by paramount ruler (commonly referred to as the King) and a bicameral Parliament consisting of a nonelected upper house and an elected lower house; all Peninsular Malaysian states have hereditary rulers (commonly referred to as sultans) except Melaka and Pulau Pinang (Penang); those two states along with Sabah and Sarawak in East Malaysia have governors appointed by government; powers of state governments are limited by federal constitution; under terms of federation, Sabah and Sarawak retain certain constitutional prerogatives (e.g., right to maintain their own immigration controls)

Capital:

name: Kuala Lumpur

geographic coordinates: 3 10 N, 101 42 E

time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

note: Putrajaya is referred to as administrative center not capital; Parliament meets in Kuala Lumpur

Administrative divisions:

13 states (negeri-negeri, singular - negeri) Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Pulau Pinang, Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor, and Terengganu; and 1 federal territory (wilayah persekutuan) with three components, city of Kuala Lumpur, Labuan, and Putrajaya

Independence:

31 August 1957 (from the UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day/Malaysia Day, 31 August (1957)

Constitution:

31 August 1957; amended many times, the latest in 2007

Legal system:

based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court at request of supreme head of the federation; Islamic law is applied to Muslims in matters of family law and religion; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: King - Sultan MIZAN Zainal Abidin (since 13 December 2006); (the position of the king is primarily ceremonial)

head of government: Prime Minister Mohamed NAJIB bin Abdul Razak (since 3 April 2009); Deputy Prime Minister MUHYIDDIN bin Mohamed Yassin (since 9 April 2009)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among the members of Parliament with consent of the king

elections: kings are elected by and from the hereditary rulers of nine of the states for five-year terms; election last held on 3 November 2006 (next to be held in 2011); prime minister designated from among the members of the House of Representatives; following legislative elections, the leader who commands the support of the majority of members in the House becomes prime minister (since independence this has been the leader of the UMNO party)

election results: Sultan MIZAN Zainal Abidin elected king; in practice, selection is based on principle of rotation among rulers of states

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament or Parlimen consists of Senate or Dewan Negara (70 seats; 44 appointed by the king, 26 elected by 13 state legislatures; serve three-year terms with limit of two terms) and House of Representatives or Dewan Rakyat (222 seats; members elected by popular vote; serve up to five-year terms)

elections: House of Representatives - last held on 8 March 2008 (next to be held by June 2013)

election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote - BN coalition 50.3%, opposition parties 46.8%, others 2.9%; seats - BN coalition 140, opposition parties 82

Judicial branch:

Civil Courts include Federal Court, Court of Appeal, High Court of Malaya on peninsula Malaysia, and High Court of Sabah and Sarawak in states of Borneo (judges are appointed by the king on the advice of the prime minister); Sharia Courts include Sharia Appeal Court, Sharia High Court, and Sharia Subordinate Courts at state-level and deal with religious and family matters such as custody, divorce, and inheritance only for Muslims; decisions of Sharia courts cannot be appealed to civil courts

Political parties and leaders:

National Front (Barisan Nasional) or BN (ruling coalition) consists
of the following parties: Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia Party or PGRM [KOH
Tsu Koon]; Liberal Democratic Party (Parti Liberal Demokratik -
Sabah) or LDP [LIEW Vui Keong]; Malaysian Chinese Association
(Persatuan China Malaysia) or MCA [ONG Tee Keat]; Malaysian Indian
Congress (Kongres India Malaysia) or MIC [S. Samy VELLU]; Parti
Bersatu Rakyat Sabah or PBRS [Joseph KURUP]; Parti Bersatu Sabah or
PBS [Joseph PAIRIN Kitingan]; Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu or PBB
[Abdul TAIB Mahmud]; Parti Rakyat Sarawak or PRS [James MASING];
Sarawak United People's Party (Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sarawak) or SUPP
[George CHAN Hong Nam]; United Malays National Organization or UMNO
[NAJIB bin Abdul Razak]; United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut
Organization (Pertubuhan Pasko Momogun Kadazan Dusun Bersatu) or
UPKO [Bernard DOMPOK]; People's Progressive Party (Parti Progresif
Penduduk Malaysia) or PPP [M.Kayveas]; Sarawak Progressive
Democratic Party or SPDP [William MAWAN])

People's Alliance (Pakatan Rakyat) or PR (opposition coalition)
consists of the following parties: Democratic Action Party (Parti
Tindakan Demokratik) or DAP [KARPAL Singh]; Islamic Party of
Malaysia (Parti Islam se Malaysia) or PAS [Abdul HADI Awang];
People's Justice Party (Parti Keadilan Rakyat) or PKR [WAN AZIZAH
Wan Ismail]; Sarawak National Party or SNAP [Edwin DUNDANG]

independent party: Sabah Progressive Party (Parti Progresif Saban) or SAPP [YONG Teck Lee]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Bar Council BERSIH (electoral reform coalition); PEMBELA (Muslim NGO coalition)

other: religious groups; women's groups; youth groups

International organization participation:

ADB, APEC, APT, ARF, ASEAN, BIS, C, CP, EAS, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO,
MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, PIF (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMIT, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador JAMALUDDIN Jarjis

chancery: 3516 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 572-9700

FAX: [1] (202) 572-9882

consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador James R. KEITH

embassy: 376 Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur

mailing address: US Embassy Kuala Lumpur, APO AP 96535-8152

telephone: [60] (3) 2168-5000

FAX: [60] (3) 2142-2207

Flag description:

14 equal horizontal stripes of red (top) alternating with white (bottom); there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a yellow crescent and a yellow 14-pointed star; the crescent and the star are traditional symbols of Islam; the design was based on the flag of the US

Economy ::Malaysia

Economy - overview:

Malaysia, a middle-income country, has transformed itself since the 1970s from a producer of raw materials into an emerging multi-sector economy. After coming to office in 2003, former Prime Minister ABDULLAH tried to move the economy farther up the value-added production chain by attracting investments in high technology industries, medical technology, and pharmaceuticals. The Government of Malaysia is continuing efforts to boost domestic demand to wean the economy off of its dependence on exports. Nevertheless, exports - particularly of electronics - remain a significant driver of the economy. As an oil and gas exporter, Malaysia has profited from higher world energy prices, although the rising cost of domestic gasoline and diesel fuel forced Kuala Lumpur to reduce government subsidies. Malaysia "unpegged" the ringgit from the US dollar in 2005 and the currency appreciated 6% per year against the dollar in 2006-08. Although this has helped to hold down the price of imports, inflationary pressures began to build in 2007 - in 2008 inflation stood at nearly 6%, year-over-year. The government presented its five-year national development agenda in April 2006 through the Ninth Malaysia Plan, a comprehensive blueprint for the allocation of the national budget from 2006-10. ABDULLAH unveiled a series of ambitious development schemes for several regions that have had trouble attracting business investment. Real GDP growth averaged about 6% per year under ABDULLAH, but regions outside of Kuala Lumpur and the manufacturing hub Penang did not fare as well. The central bank maintains healthy foreign exchange reserves and the regulatory regime has limited Malaysia's exposure to riskier financial instruments and the global financial crisis. Decreasing worldwide demand for consumer goods is expected to hurt economic growth in 2009 and beyond, however.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$385.2 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 31 $368.3 billion (2007 est.)

$346.8 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$221.6 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

4.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 95 6.2% (2007 est.)

5.8% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$15,200 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 75 $14,800 (2007 est.)

$14,200 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 10.1%

industry: 43.7%

services: 46.3% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

11.09 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 46

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 13%

industry: 36%

services: 51% (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate:

3.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 38 3.2% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

5.1% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.6%

highest 10%: 28.5% (2004 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

46.1 (2002) country comparison to the world: 38 49.2 (1997)

Investment (gross fixed):

19.7% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 112

Budget:

revenues: $48.49 billion

expenditures: $58.85 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

40% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 56 45.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

5.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 92 2% (2007 est.)

note: approximately 30% of goods are price-controlled

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

6.08% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 127 6.41% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$51.51 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 22 $49.41 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$200.9 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 14 $187.6 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$246.7 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 28 $220 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$187.1 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 29 $325.7 billion (31 December 2007)

$235.4 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

Peninsular Malaysia - rubber, palm oil, cocoa, rice; Sabah - subsistence crops, rubber, timber, coconuts, rice; Sarawak - rubber, pepper, timber

Industries:

Peninsular Malaysia - rubber and oil palm processing and manufacturing, light manufacturing, electronics, tin mining and smelting, logging, timber processing; Sabah - logging, petroleum production; Sarawak - agriculture processing, petroleum production and refining, logging

Industrial production growth rate:

1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 125

Electricity - production:

103.2 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 31

Electricity - consumption:

99.25 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 30

Electricity - exports:

2.268 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

727,200 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 27

Oil - consumption:

547,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 31

Oil - exports:

511,900 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 30

Oil - imports:

314,600 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 36

Oil - proved reserves:

4 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 26

Natural gas - production:

57.3 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 16

Natural gas - consumption:

26.27 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 30

Natural gas - exports:

31.03 billion cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 9

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 153

Natural gas - proved reserves:

2.35 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 14

Current account balance:

$33.76 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 15 $28.93 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$198.7 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 22 $176.4 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

electronic equipment, petroleum and liquefied natural gas, wood and wood products, palm oil, rubber, textiles, chemicals

Exports - partners:

Singapore 14.7%, US 12.5%, Japan 10.8%, China 9.5%, Thailand 4.8%,
Hong Kong 4.3% (2008)

Imports:

$154.7 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 29 $139.1 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

electronics, machinery, petroleum products, plastics, vehicles, iron and steel products, chemicals

Imports - partners:

China 12.8%, Japan 12.5%, Singapore 11%, US 10.8%, Thailand 5.6%,
South Korea 4.6%, Indonesia 4.6%, Germany 4.3% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$91.21 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 18 $101.1 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$75.33 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 42 $62.33 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$83.35 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 39 $76.75 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$71.2 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 27 $58.18 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

ringgits (MYR) per US dollar - 3.33 (2008 est.), 3.46 (2007), 3.6683 (2006), 3.8 (2005), 3.8 (2004)

Communications ::Malaysia

Telephones - main lines in use:

4.292 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 36

Telephones - mobile cellular:

27.125 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 31

Telephone system:

general assessment: modern system; international service excellent

domestic: good intercity service provided on Peninsular Malaysia mainly by microwave radio relay; adequate intercity microwave radio relay network between Sabah and Sarawak via Brunei; domestic satellite system with 2 earth stations; combined fixed-line and mobile cellular teledensity 125 per 100 persons

international: country code - 60; landing point for several major international submarine cable networks that provide connectivity to Asia, Middle East, and Europe; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Pacific Ocean) (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 35, FM 391, shortwave 15 (2001)

Television broadcast stations:

88 (mainland Malaysia 51, Sabah 16, and Sarawak 21) (2006)

Internet country code:

.my

Internet hosts:

362,968 (2009) country comparison to the world: 53

Internet users:

16.903 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 22

Transportation ::Malaysia

Airports:

118 (2009) country comparison to the world: 51

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 38

over 3,047 m: 7

2,438 to 3,047 m: 10

1,524 to 2,437 m: 6

914 to 1,523 m: 8

under 914 m: 7 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 80

914 to 1,523 m: 7

under 914 m: 73 (2009)

Heliports:

2 (2009)

Pipelines:

condensate 3 km; gas 1,965 km; oil 31 km; refined products 114 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 1,849 km country comparison to the world: 75 standard gauge: 57 km 1.435-m gauge (57 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 1,792 km 1.000-m gauge (150 km electrified) (2008)

Roadways:

total: 98,721 km country comparison to the world: 42 paved: 80,280 km (includes 1,821 km of expressways)

unpaved: 18,441 km (2004)

Waterways:

7,200 km country comparison to the world: 20 note: Peninsular Malaysia 3,200 km; Sabah 1,500 km; Sarawak 2,500 km (2008)

Merchant marine:

total: 306 country comparison to the world: 30 by type: bulk carrier 12, cargo 97, carrier 1, chemical tanker 34, container 46, liquefied gas 33, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 71, roll on/roll off 3, vehicle carrier 4

foreign-owned: 40 (Germany 1, Hong Kong 14, Japan 4, Russia 2, Singapore 16, Sweden 3)

registered in other countries: 68 (Bahamas 13, Marshall Islands 3, Norway 1, Panama 12, Philippines 1, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Singapore 27, Thailand 3, Tuvalu 1, US 2, unknown 4) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Bintulu, Johor Bahru, Kuantan, Labuan, George Town (Penang), Port
Kelang, Tanjung Pelepas

Transportation - note:

the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the Strait of Malacca and South China Sea as high risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships; numerous commercial vessels have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; hijacked vessels are often disguised and cargo diverted to ports in East Asia; crews have been murdered or cast adrift; increased naval patrols in 2009 resulted in significantly reduced numbers of incidents

Military ::Malaysia

Military branches:

Malaysian Armed Forces (Angkatan Tentera Malaysia, ATM): Malaysian
Army (Tentera Darat Malaysia), Royal Malaysian Navy (Tentera Laut
Diraja Malaysia, TLDM), Royal Malaysian Air Force (Tentera Udara
Diraja Malaysia, TUDM) (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service (2005)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 6,440,338

females age 16-49: 6,280,826 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 5,493,946

females age 16-49: 5,409,524 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 266,267

female: 252,543 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

2.03% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 78

Transnational Issues ::Malaysia

Disputes - international:

Malaysia has asserted sovereignty over the Spratly Islands together with China, Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei; while the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" has eased tensions over the Spratly Islands, it is not the legally binding "code of conduct" sought by some parties; Malaysia was not party to the March 2005 joint accord among the national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam on conducting marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands; disputes continue over deliveries of fresh water to Singapore, Singapore's land reclamation, bridge construction, and maritime boundaries in the Johor and Singapore Straits; in November 2007, the ICJ will hold public hearings in response to the memorials and countermemorials filed by the parties in 2003 and 2005 over sovereignty of Pedra Branca Island/Pulau Batu Puteh, Middle Rocks and South Ledge; ICJ awarded Ligitan and Sipadan islands, also claimed by Indonesia and Philippines, to Malaysia but left maritime boundary and sovereignty of Unarang rock in the hydrocarbon-rich Celebes Sea in dispute; separatist violence in Thailand's predominantly Muslim southern provinces prompts measures to close and monitor border with Malaysia to stem terrorist activities; Philippines retains a dormant claim to Malaysia's Sabah State in northern Borneo; Brunei and Malaysia agreed in September 2008 to resolve their offshore and deepwater seabed dispute, resume hydrocarbon exploration and renounce any territorial claims on land; piracy remains a problem in the Malacca Strait

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 15,174 (Indonesia); 21,544 (Burma) (2007)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Malaysia is a destination and, to a lesser extent, a source and transit country for women and children trafficked for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation, and men, women, and children for forced labor; Malaysia is mainly a destination country for men, women, and children who migrate willingly from South and Southeast Asia to work, some of whom are subjected to conditions of involuntary servitude by Malaysian employers in the domestic, agricultural, construction, plantation, and industrial sectors; to a lesser extent, some Malaysian women, primarily of Chinese ethnicity, are trafficked abroad for commercial sexual exploitation

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Malaysia improved from Tier 3 to the Tier 2 Watch List for 2008 when it enacted comprehensive anti-trafficking legislation in July 2007; however, it did not take action against exploitative employers or labor traffickers in 2007; the government has not ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2008)

Illicit drugs:

drug trafficking prosecuted vigorously and carries severe penalties; heroin still primary drug of abuse, but synthetic drug demand remains strong; continued ecstasy and methamphetamine producer for domestic users and, to a lesser extent, the regional drug market

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Maldives (South Asia)

Introduction ::Maldives

Background:

The Maldives was long a sultanate, first under Dutch and then under British protection. It became a republic in 1968, three years after independence. President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM dominated the islands' political scene for 30 years, elected to six successive terms by single-party referendums. Following riots in the capital Male in August 2004, the president and his government pledged to embark upon democratic reforms including a more representative political system and expanded political freedoms. Progress was sluggish, however, and many promised reforms were slow to be realized. Nonetheless, political parties were legalized in 2005. In June 2008, a constituent assembly - termed the "Special Majlis" - finalized a new constitution, which was ratified by the president in August. The first-ever presidential elections under a multi-candidate, multi-party system were held in October 2008. GAYOOM was defeated in a runoff poll by Mohamed NASHEED, a political activist who had been jailed several years earlier by the former regime. Challenges facing the new president include strengthening democracy and combating poverty and drug abuse.

Geography ::Maldives

Location:

Southern Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean, south-southwest of India

Geographic coordinates:

3 15 N, 73 00 E

Map references:

Asia

Area:

total: 298 sq km country comparison to the world: 209 land: 298 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

about 1.7 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

644 km

Maritime claims:

measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; hot, humid; dry, northeast monsoon (November to March); rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August)

Terrain:

flat, with white sandy beaches

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed location on Wilingili island in the Addu Atoll 2.4 m

Natural resources:

fish

Land use:

arable land: 13.33%

permanent crops: 30%

other: 56.67% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Total renewable water resources:

0.03 cu km (1999)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.003 cu km/yr (98%/2%/0%)

per capita: 9 cu m/yr (1987)

Natural hazards:

tsunamis; low elevation of islands makes them sensitive to sea level rise

Environment - current issues:

depletion of freshwater aquifers threatens water supplies; global warming and sea level rise; coral reef bleaching

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

1,190 coral islands grouped into 26 atolls (200 inhabited islands, plus 80 islands with tourist resorts); archipelago with strategic location astride and along major sea lanes in Indian Ocean

People ::Maldives

Population:

396,334 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 174

Age structure:

0-14 years: 22.3% (male 45,038/female 43,291)

15-64 years: 73.8% (male 180,874/female 111,703)

65 years and over: 3.9% (male 7,711/female 7,717) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 25.7 years

male: 26.5 years

female: 24.3 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.168% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 217

Birth rate:

14.55 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 145

Death rate:

3.65 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 212

Net migration rate:

-12.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 179

Urbanization:

urban population: 38% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 5.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.62 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female

total population: 1.44 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 29.53 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 77 male: 32.04 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 26.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 73.97 years country comparison to the world: 94 male: 71.78 years

female: 76.28 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.9 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 144

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.1% (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 147

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

fewer than 100 (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 163

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Maldivian(s)

adjective: Maldivian

Ethnic groups:

South Indians, Sinhalese, Arabs

Religions:

Sunni Muslim

Languages:

Maldivian Dhivehi (dialect of Sinhala, script derived from Arabic),
English spoken by most government officials

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 96.3%

male: 96.2%

female: 96.4% (2000 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 12 years

male: 12 years

female: 12 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

8% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 15

Government ::Maldives

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Maldives

conventional short form: Maldives

local long form: Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa

local short form: Dhivehi Raajje

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Male

geographic coordinates: 4 10 N, 73 30 E

time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

19 atolls (atholhu, singular and plural) and 1 capital city*; Alifu,
Baa, Dhaalu, Faafu, Gaafu Alifu, Gaafu Dhaalu, Gnaviyani, Haa Alifu,
Haa Dhaalu, Kaafu, Laamu, Lhaviyani, Maale* (Male), Meemu, Noonu,
Raa, Seenu, Shaviyani, Thaa, Vaavu

Independence:

26 July 1965 (from the UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 26 July (1965)

Constitution:

new constitution ratified 7 August 2008

Legal system:

based on Islamic law with admixtures of English common law primarily in commercial matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Mohamed "Anni" NASHEED (since 11 November 2008); Vice President Mohamed WAHEED Hassan Maniku (since 11 November 2008); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Mohamed "Anni" NASHEED (since 11 November 2008); Vice President Mohamed WAHEED Hassan Maniku (since 11 November 2008)

cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president

elections: under the new constitution, the president is elected by direct vote; president elected for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 8 and 28 October 2008 (next to be held in 2013)

election results: Mohamed NASHEED elected president; percent of vote - NASHEED 54.25%, Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM 45.75%

Legislative branch:

unicameral People's Council or People's Majlis (77 seats; members elected by direct vote to serve five-year terms); note - the Majlis in February 2009 passed legislation that incresed the number of seats to 77 from 50

elections: last held 9 May 2009 (next to be held in 2014)

election results: percent of vote - DRP 36.8%, MDP 32.9 %, PA 9.2%, DQP 2.6% AP 1.3%, independents 17.1%; seats by party - DRP 28, MDP 25, PA 7, DQP 2, AP 1, independents 13; note - one seat unfilled

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court; Supreme Court judges are appointed by the president
with approval of voting members of the People's Council; High Court;
Trial Courts; all lower court judges are appointed by the Judicial
Service Commission

Political parties and leaders:

Adhaalath (Justice) Party or AP [Abdul Majeed Abdul BARI]; Dhivehi
Quamee Party or DQP [Hassan SAEED]; Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party
(Maldivian People's Party) or DRP [Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM]; Islamic
Democratic Party or IDP [Omar NASEER]; Maldivian Democratic Party or
MDP [Mohamed NASHEED]; People's Alliance or PA [Abdullah YAMEEN];
Republican (Jumhooree) Party [Gasim IBRAHIM]; Social Liberal Party
or SLP [Ibrahim ISMAIL]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

other: various unregistered political parties

International organization participation:

ADB, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge D'Affaires Abdul Ghafoor MOHAMED

chancery: 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400E, New York, NY 10017

telephone: [1] (212) 599-6195

FAX: [1] (212) 661-6405

Diplomatic representation from the US:

the US does not have an embassy in Maldives; the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Ambassador Robert O. BLAKE, Jr., is accredited to Maldives and makes periodic visits

Flag description:

red with a large green rectangle in the center bearing a vertical white crescent; the closed side of the crescent is on the hoist side of the flag

Economy ::Maldives

Economy - overview:

Tourism, Maldives' largest industry, accounts for 28% of GDP and more than 60% of foreign exchange receipts. Over 90% of government tax revenue comes from import duties and tourism-related taxes. Fishing is the second leading sector. Agriculture and manufacturing continue to play a lesser role in the economy, constrained by the limited availability of cultivable land and the shortage of domestic labor. Most staple foods must be imported. Industry, which consists mainly of garment production, boat building, and handicrafts, accounts for about 7% of GDP. The Maldivian Government began an economic reform program in 1989 initially by lifting import quotas and opening some exports to the private sector. Subsequently, it has liberalized regulations to allow more foreign investment. Real GDP growth averaged over 7.5% per year for more than a decade. In late December 2004, a major tsunami left more than 100 dead, 12,000 displaced, and property damage exceeding $300 million. As a result of the tsunami, the GDP contracted by about 4.6% in 2005. A rebound in tourism, post-tsunami reconstruction, and development of new resorts helped the economy recover quickly, with GDP growth registering 18% in 2006. Growth slowed in 2007-08, but remained above 5% per year. The trade deficit expanded sharply as a result of high oil prices and imports of construction material. Government spending on social needs, subsidies, and civil servant salaries have created a large budget deficit and inflation has picked up sharply, reaching nearly 13% in October 2008 due to high oil and food prices. Diversifying beyond tourism and fishing, reforming public finance, and increasing employment are the major challenges facing the government. Over the longer term Maldivian authorities worry about the impact of erosion and possible global warming on their low-lying country; 80% of the area is 1 meter or less above sea level.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$1.723 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 187 $1.628 billion (2007 est.)

$1.519 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$1.261 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 69 7.2% (2007 est.)

18% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$4,500 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 149 $4,500 (2007 est.)

$4,400 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 7%

industry: 17%

services: 76% (2006 est.)

Labor force:

136,100 (2007) country comparison to the world: 172

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 22%

industry: 18%

services: 60% (1995)

Unemployment rate:

14.4% (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 151

Population below poverty line:

21% (2004)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $762 million (including foreign grants)

expenditures: $884 million (2008 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

12.8% (October 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 178 5% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

13% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 22 12.5% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

13% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 60 13% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$475.2 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 96 $344.1 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$487.8 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 108 $434.9 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$1.548 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 97 $1.08 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

coconuts, corn, sweet potatoes; fish

Industries:

tourism, fish processing, shipping, boat building, coconut processing, garments, woven mats, rope, handicrafts, coral and sand mining

Industrial production growth rate:

-0.9% (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 141

Electricity - production:

205 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 176

Electricity - consumption:

190.7 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 178

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 160

Oil - consumption:

6,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 159

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 180

Oil - imports:

5,406 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 154

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 155

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 150

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 150

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 147

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 90

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 157

Current account balance:

-$638 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 109 -$472 million (2007 est.)

Exports:

$113 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 191 $167 million (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:

fish

Exports - partners:

Thailand 34.4%, UK 13.8%, France 12.2%, Italy 9%, Sri Lanka 8.5% (2008)

Imports:

$1.276 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 168 $930 million (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:

petroleum products, ships, foodstuffs, clothing, intermediate and capital goods

Imports - partners:

Singapore 27.2%, UAE 16.9%, Malaysia 9.7%, India 7.7%, Thailand 4.9%, Sri Lanka 4.6%, Germany 4.1% (2008)

Debt - external:

$477 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 166 $482 million (2006 est.)

Exchange rates:

rufiyaa (MVR) per US dollar - 12.8 (2008), 12.8 (2007), 12.8 (2006), 12.8 (2005), 12.8 (2004)

Communications ::Maldives

Telephones - main lines in use:

50,396 (2009) country comparison to the world: 162

Telephones - mobile cellular:

450,500 (2009) country comparison to the world: 158

Telephone system:

general assessment: telephone services have improved; each island now has at least 1 public telephone, and there are mobile cellular networks with a rapidly expanding subscribership that exceeds 100 per 100 persons

domestic: interatoll communication through microwave links; all inhabited islands and resorts are connected with telephone and fax service

international: country code - 960; linked to international submarine cable Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG); satellite earth station - 3 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (2009)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (2006)

Internet country code:

.mv

Internet hosts:

1,732 (2009) country comparison to the world: 151

Internet users:

71,700 (2008) country comparison to the world: 164

Transportation ::Maldives

Airports:

5 (2009) country comparison to the world: 180

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 3

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 88 km country comparison to the world: 213 paved roads: 88 km - 60 km in Male; 14 km on Addu Atolis; 14 km on Laamu

note: village roads are mainly compacted coral (2006)

Merchant marine:

total: 29 country comparison to the world: 86 by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 23, petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 2

foreign-owned: 1 (Greece 1)

registered in other countries: 2 (Panama 1, Tuvalu 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Male

Military ::Maldives

Military branches:

Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF): Rapid Reaction Force,
Security Protection Group, Coast Guard (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 89,505

females age 16-49: 85,745 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 138,746

females age 16-49: 82,247 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 4,576

female: 3,942 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

5.5% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 15

Military - note:

the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF), with its small size and with little serviceable equipment, is inadequate to prevent external aggression and is primarily tasked to reinforce the Maldives Police Service (MPS) and ensure security in the exclusive economic zone (2008)

Transnational Issues ::Maldives

Disputes - international:

none

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

IDPs: 1,000-10,000 (December 2004 tsunami victims) (2007)

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Mali (Africa)

Introduction ::Mali

Background:

The Sudanese Republic and Senegal became independent of France in 1960 as the Mali Federation. When Senegal withdrew after only a few months, what formerly made up the Sudanese Republic was renamed Mali. Rule by dictatorship was brought to a close in 1991 by a military coup - led by the current president Amadou TOURE - enabling Mali's emergence as one of the strongest democracies on the continent. President Alpha KONARE won Mali's first democratic presidential election in 1992 and was reelected in 1997. In keeping with Mali's two-term constitutional limit, KONARE stepped down in 2002 and was succeeded by Amadou TOURE, who was subsequently elected to a second term in 2007. The elections were widely judged to be free and fair.

Geography ::Mali

Location:

Western Africa, southwest of Algeria

Geographic coordinates:

17 00 N, 4 00 W

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 1,240,192 sq km country comparison to the world: 24 land: 1,220,190 sq km

water: 20,002 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Land boundaries:

total: 7,243 km

border countries: Algeria 1,376 km, Burkina Faso 1,000 km, Guinea 858 km, Cote d'Ivoire 532 km, Mauritania 2,237 km, Niger 821 km, Senegal 419 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

subtropical to arid; hot and dry (February to June); rainy, humid, and mild (June to November); cool and dry (November to February)

Terrain:

mostly flat to rolling northern plains covered by sand; savanna in south, rugged hills in northeast

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Senegal River 23 m

highest point: Hombori Tondo 1,155 m

Natural resources:

gold, phosphates, kaolin, salt, limestone, uranium, gypsum, granite, hydropower

note: bauxite, iron ore, manganese, tin, and copper deposits are known but not exploited

Land use:

arable land: 3.76%

permanent crops: 0.03%

other: 96.21% (2005)

Irrigated land:

2,360 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

100 cu km (2001)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 6.55 cu km/yr (9%/1%/90%)

per capita: 484 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

hot, dust-laden harmattan haze common during dry seasons; recurring droughts; occasional Niger River flooding

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

landlocked; divided into three natural zones: the southern, cultivated Sudanese; the central, semiarid Sahelian; and the northern, arid Saharan

People ::Mali

Population:

12,666,987 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 70

Age structure:

0-14 years: 48.3% (male 3,089,406/female 3,023,341)

15-64 years: 48.7% (male 3,065,167/female 3,101,914)

65 years and over: 3.1% (male 151,718/female 235,441) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 15.8 years

male: 15.5 years

female: 16.2 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.765% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 19

Birth rate:

49.15 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 2

Death rate:

15.82 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 17

Net migration rate:

-5.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 166

Urbanization:

urban population: 32% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 4.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 102.05 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 8 male: 111.56 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 92.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 50.35 years country comparison to the world: 207 male: 48.38 years

female: 52.38 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

7.29 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 2

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

1.5% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 42

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

100,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 46

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

5,800 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 42

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: malaria

water contact disease: schistosomiasis

respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Malian(s)

adjective: Malian

Ethnic groups:

Mande 50% (Bambara, Malinke, Soninke), Peul 17%, Voltaic 12%,
Songhai 6%, Tuareg and Moor 10%, other 5%

Religions:

Muslim 90%, Christian 1%, indigenous beliefs 9%

Languages:

French (official), Bambara 80%, numerous African languages

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 46.4%

male: 53.5%

female: 39.6% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 7 years

male: 8 years

female: 5 years (2005)

Education expenditures:

4.5% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 87

Government ::Mali

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Mali

conventional short form: Mali

local long form: Republique de Mali

local short form: Mali

former: French Sudan and Sudanese Republic

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Bamako

geographic coordinates: 12 39 N, 8 00 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

8 regions (regions, singular - region); Gao, Kayes, Kidal, Koulikoro, Mopti, Segou, Sikasso, Tombouctou

Independence:

22 September 1960 (from France)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 22 September (1960)

Constitution:

adopted 12 January 1992

Legal system:

based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Amadou Toumani TOURE (since 8 June 2002)

head of government: Prime Minister Modibo SIDIBE (since 28 September 2007)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 29 April 2007 (next to be held in April 2012); prime minister appointed by the president

election results: Amadou Toumani TOURE reelected president; percent of vote - Amadou Toumani TOURE 71.2%, Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA 19.2%, other 9.6%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (147 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held on 1 and 22 July 2007 (next to be held in July 2012)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ADP coalition 113 (including ADEMA 51, URD 34, MPR 8, CNID 7, UDD 3, and other 10), FDR coalition 15 (including RPM 11, PARENA 4), SADI 4, independent 15

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Political parties and leaders:

Alliance for Democratic Change (political group comprised mainly of Tuareg from Mali's northern region); African Solidarity for Democracy and Independence or SADI [Oumar MARIKO, secretary general]; Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ADP (a coalition of political parties including ADEMA and URD formed in December 2006 to support the presidential candidacy of Amadou TOURE); Alliance for Democracy or ADEMA [Diounconda TRAORE]; Convergence 2007 [Soumeylou Boubeye MAIGA]; Front for Democracy and the Republic or FDR (a coalition of political parties including RPM and PARENA formed to oppose the presidential candidacy of Amadou TOURE); National Congress for Democratic Initiative or CNID [Mountaga TALL]; Party for Democracy and Progress or PDP [Mady KONATE]; Party for National Renewal or PARENA [Tiebile DRAME]; Patriotic Movement for Renewal or MPR [Choguel MAIGA]; Rally for Democracy and Labor or RDT [Amadou Ali NIANGADOU]; Rally for Mali or RPM [Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA]; Sudanese Union/African Democratic Rally or US/RDA [Mamadou Basir GOLOGO]; Union for Democracy and Development or UDD [Moussa Balla COULIBALY]; Union for Republic and Democracy or URD [Soumaila CISSE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

other: the army; Islamic authorities; rebels in the northern region; state-run cotton company CMDT; tuaregs

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM,
IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO,
ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNAMID,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional),
WAEMU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Abdoulaye DIOP

chancery: 2130 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 332-2249, 939-8950

FAX: [1] (202) 332-6603

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Gillian A. MILOVANOVIC

embassy: located just off the Roi Bin Fahad Aziz Bridge just west of the Bamako central district

mailing address: ACI 2000, Rue 243, Porte 297, Bamako

telephone: [223] 270-2300

FAX: [223] 270-2479

Flag description:

three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), yellow, and red; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Economy ::Mali

Economy - overview:

Mali is among the 25 poorest countries in the world, with 65% of its land area desert or semidesert and with a highly unequal distribution of income. Economic activity is largely confined to the riverine area irrigated by the Niger. About 10% of the population is nomadic and some 80% of the labor force is engaged in farming and fishing. Industrial activity is concentrated on processing farm commodities. Mali is heavily dependent on foreign aid and vulnerable to fluctuations in world prices for gold and cotton, its main exports. The government has continued its successful implementation of an IMF-recommended structural adjustment program that is helping the economy grow, diversify, and attract foreign investment. Mali has invested in tourism and a tractor assembly factory. Mali's adherence to economic reform and the 50% devaluation of the CFA franc in January 1994 have pushed up economic growth to a 5% average in 1996-2008. Worker remittances and external trade routes for the landlocked country have been jeopardized by continued unrest in neighboring Cote d'Ivoire, however, Mali is building a road network that will connect it to all adjacent countries and it has a railway line to Senegal.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$14.75 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 134 $14.04 billion (2007 est.)

$13.65 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$8.774 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 86 2.8% (2007 est.)

5.3% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,100 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 209 $1,100 (2007 est.)

$1,100 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 45%

industry: 17%

services: 38% (2001 est.)

Labor force:

3.241 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 98

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 80%

industry and services: 20% (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate:

30% (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 179

Population below poverty line:

36.1% (2005 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.7%

highest 10%: 30.5% (2006)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

40.1 (2001) country comparison to the world: 60 50.5 (1994)

Budget:

revenues: $1.5 billion

expenditures: $1.8 billion (2006 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.5% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 25

Central bank discount rate:

4.75% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 122 4.25% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

NA%

Stock of money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$1.58 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$697.1 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$1.099 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

cotton, millet, rice, corn, vegetables, peanuts; cattle, sheep, goats

Industries:

food processing; construction; phosphate and gold mining

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

515 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 158

Electricity - consumption:

479 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 163

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh; note - recent hydropower developments may be providing electricity to Senegal and Mauritania (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 163

Oil - consumption:

5,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 167

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 183

Oil - imports:

4,402 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 162

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 158

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 157

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 158

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 152

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 94

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 109

Current account balance:

-$446 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 104

Exports:

$294 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 175

Exports - commodities:

cotton, gold, livestock

Exports - partners:

China 26.7%, Thailand 10.7%, Denmark 6.4%, Pakistan 5.2%, Morocco 5% (2008)

Imports:

$2.358 billion (2006) country comparison to the world: 146

Imports - commodities:

petroleum, machinery and equipment, construction materials, foodstuffs, textiles

Imports - partners:

Senegal 13.1%, France 11.4%, Cote d'Ivoire 11.2%, China 5.9% (2008)

Debt - external:

$2.8 billion (2002) country comparison to the world: 129

Exchange rates:

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 447.81 (2008 est.), 493.51 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004)

note: since 1 January 1999, the West African CFA franc (XOF) has been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 CFA francs per euro; West African CFA franc (XOF) coins and banknotes are not accepted in countries using Central African CFA francs (XAF), and vice versa, even though the two currencies trade at par

Communications ::Mali

Telephones - main lines in use:

82,800 (2008) country comparison to the world: 148

Telephones - mobile cellular:

3.267 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 103

Telephone system:

general assessment: domestic system unreliable but improving; provides only minimal service

domestic: fixed-line subscribership remains less than 1 per 100 persons; increasing use of local radio loops to extend network coverage to remote areas; mobile-cellular subscribership has increased sharply to about 25 per 100 persons

international: country code - 223; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean, 1 Indian Ocean) (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 230 (27 regional and government stations, and 203 private stations), shortwave 1 (2001)

Television broadcast stations:

2 (plus repeaters) (2007)

Internet country code:

.ml

Internet hosts:

519 (2009) country comparison to the world: 171

Internet users:

200,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 136

Transportation ::Mali

Airports:

22 (2009) country comparison to the world: 134

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 8

2,438 to 3,047 m: 4

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 14

1,524 to 2,437 m: 5

914 to 1,523 m: 6

under 914 m: 3 (2009)

Railways:

total: 593 km country comparison to the world: 112 narrow gauge: 593 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 18,709 km country comparison to the world: 114 paved: 3,368 km

unpaved: 15,341 km (2004)

Waterways:

1,800 km (2008) country comparison to the world: 46

Ports and terminals:

Koulikoro

Military ::Mali

Military branches:

Malian Armed Forces: Army, Republic of Mali Air Force (Force
Aerienne de la Republique du Mali, FARM), National Guard (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 2 years (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 2,603,700

females age 16-49: 2,441,776 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,649,772

females age 16-49: 1,579,601 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 147,846

female: 140,543 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.9% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 87

Transnational Issues ::Mali

Disputes - international:

none

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 6,300 (Mauritania) (2007)

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Malta (Europe)

Introduction ::Malta

Background:

Great Britain formally acquired possession of Malta in 1814. The island staunchly supported the UK through both World Wars and remained in the Commonwealth when it became independent in 1964. A decade later Malta became a republic. Since about the mid-1980s, the island has transformed itself into a freight transshipment point, a financial center, and a tourist destination. Malta became an EU member in May 2004 and began using the euro as currency in 2008.

Geography ::Malta

Location:

Southern Europe, islands in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Sicily
(Italy)

Geographic coordinates:

35 50 N, 14 35 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 316 sq km country comparison to the world: 207 land: 316 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly less than twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

196.8 km (excludes 56.01 km for the island of Gozo)

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

exclusive fishing zone: 25 nm

Climate:

Mediterranean; mild, rainy winters; hot, dry summers

Terrain:

mostly low, rocky, flat to dissected plains; many coastal cliffs

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m

highest point: Ta'Dmejrek 253 m (near Dingli)

Natural resources:

limestone, salt, arable land

Land use:

arable land: 31.25%

permanent crops: 3.13%

other: 65.62% (2005)

Irrigated land:

20 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

0.07 cu km (2005)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.02 cu km/yr (74%/1%/25%)

per capita: 50 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

limited natural fresh water resources; increasing reliance on desalination

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

the country comprises an archipelago, with only the three largest islands (Malta, Ghawdex or Gozo, and Kemmuna or Comino) being inhabited; numerous bays provide good harbors; Malta and Tunisia are discussing the commercial exploitation of the continental shelf between their countries, particularly for oil exploration

People ::Malta

Population:

405,165 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 173

Age structure:

0-14 years: 16.1% (male 33,526/female 31,780)

15-64 years: 69.4% (male 142,491/female 138,769)

65 years and over: 14.5% (male 25,406/female 33,193) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 39.5 years

male: 38.1 years

female: 40.9 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.4% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 163

Birth rate:

10.36 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 189

Death rate:

8.38 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 100

Net migration rate:

2.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 44

Urbanization:

urban population: 94% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 0.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 3.75 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 213 male: 4.2 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 3.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 79.44 years country comparison to the world: 29 male: 77.21 years

female: 81.8 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.51 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 186

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 131

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

fewer than 500 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 150

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 100 (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 136

Nationality:

noun: Maltese (singular and plural)

adjective: Maltese

Ethnic groups:

Maltese (descendants of ancient Carthaginians and Phoenicians with strong elements of Italian and other Mediterranean stock)

Religions:

Roman Catholic 98%

Languages:

Maltese (official) 90.2%, English (official) 6%, multilingual 3%, other 0.8% (2005 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 10 and over can read and write

total population: 92.8%

male: 92%

female: 93.6% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 15 years

male: 15 years

female: 15 years (2005)

Education expenditures:

5.1% of GDP (2004) country comparison to the world: 65

Government ::Malta

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Malta

conventional short form: Malta

local long form: Repubblika ta' Malta

local short form: Malta

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Valletta

geographic coordinates: 35 53 N, 14 30 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

none (administered directly from Valletta); note - local councils carry out administrative orders

Independence:

21 September 1964 (from the UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 21 September (1964)

Constitution:

1964; amended many times

Legal system:

based on English common law and Roman civil law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President George ABELA (since 4 April 2009)

head of government: Prime Minister Lawrence GONZI (since 23 March 2004)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister

elections: president elected by the House of Representatives for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 12 January 2009 (next to be held by April 2014); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the president for a five-year term; the deputy prime minister is appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister

election results: George ABELA elected president by the House of Representatives

Legislative branch:

unicameral House of Representatives (normally 65 seats; members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve five-year terms; note - the current Parliament is composed of 69 seats; when the political party winning the plurality of votes does not win a majority of seats, the constitution provides that a sufficient number of seats will be added to Parliament to ensure that the party that won the elections has a majority in Parliament)

elections: last held on 8 March 2008 (next to be held by March 2013)

election results: percent of vote by party - PN 49.3%, MLP 48.9%, other 1.8%; seats by party - PN 35, MLP 34

Judicial branch:

Constitutional Court; Court of Appeal; judges for both courts are appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister

Political parties and leaders:

Alternativa Demokratika/Alliance for Social Justice or AD [Arnold CASSOLA]; Azzjoni Nazzjonaili or AN [Josi MUSCAT]; Malta Labor Party or MLP [Joseph MUSCAT]; Nationalist Party or PN [Lawrence GONZI]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Alleanza Liberal-Demokratika Maltra or ALDM (for divorce, abortion, gay marriage, the rights existent in other EU member states); Alleanza Nazzionali Repubblikana or ANR (for traditional values, anti-immigration); Alternattiva Demokratika (pro-environment); Azzjoni Nazzjonali or AN (freedom to participate in democratic government); Flimkien Ghal-Ambjent Ahjar (pro-environment); Ghazdatal-Konsumaturi (consumer rights)

other: environmentalists

International organization participation:

Australia Group, C, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA,
PFP, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU,
WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Mark MICELI-FARRUGIA

chancery: 2017 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 462-3611 through 3612

FAX: [1] (202) 387-5470

consulate(s): New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Jason DAVIS

embassy: 3rd Floor, Development House, Saint Anne Street, Floriana, VLT 01

mailing address: P. O. Box 535, Valletta, CMR01

telephone: [356] 2561 4000

FAX: [356] 21 243229

Flag description:

two equal vertical bands of white (hoist side) and red; in the upper hoist-side corner is a representation of the George Cross, edged in red

Economy ::Malta

Economy - overview:

Malta produces only about 20% of its food needs, has limited fresh water supplies, and has few domestic energy sources. Malta's geographic position between the EU and Africa makes it a recipient of illegal immigration, which has strained Malta's political and economic resources. The financial services industry has grown in recent years, but is not fully modernized. Malta's economy is dependent on foreign trade, manufacturing - especially electronics and pharmaceuticals - and tourism all of which have been negatively affected by the global economic downturn. Malta adopted the euro on 1 January 2008. The Maltese government in 2009 will be challenged to contain the budget deficit, which ballooned in 2008 to about 4.1% of GDP, placing it above the euro zone's 3% maximum.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$9.933 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 149 $9.707 billion (2007 est.)

$9.317 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$8.37 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 152 4.2% (2007 est.)

3.5% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$24,600 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 52 $24,200 (2007 est.)

$23,300 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 1.4%

industry: 18%

services: 80.6% (2007 est.)

Labor force:

173,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 170

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 2.3%

industry: 29.6%

services: 68% (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate:

6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 74

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

26 (2007) country comparison to the world: 127

Investment (gross fixed):

16.2% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 135

Budget:

revenues: $3.378 billion

expenditures: $3.77 billion (2008 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

4.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 72 1.3% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

3% (31 December 2008)

note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro area

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

5.89% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 130 6.24% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$4.639 billion (31 January 2008) country comparison to the world: 56 $4.603 billion (31 December 2007)

note: this figure represents the US dollar value of Maltese liri in circulation prior to Malta joining the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); see entry for the European Union for money supply in the euro area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 16 members of the EMU; individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money and quasi money circulating within their own borders

Stock of quasi money:

$8.771 billion (31 January 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 56 $7.645 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$16.17 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 64 $10.99 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 84 $5.633 billion (31 December 2007)

$4.504 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

potatoes, cauliflower, grapes, wheat, barley, tomatoes, citrus, cut flowers, green peppers; pork, milk, poultry, eggs

Industries:

tourism, electronics, ship building and repair, construction, food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, footwear, clothing, tobacco

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

2.146 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 133

Electricity - consumption:

1.832 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 136

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 161

Oil - consumption:

19,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 127

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 181

Oil - imports:

17,910 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 115

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 156

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 151

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 155

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 148

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 91

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 158

Current account balance:

-$445 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 103 -$468 million (2007 est.)

Exports:

$3.06 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 122 $3.305 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

machinery and transport equipment, manufactures

Exports - partners:

Germany 13.5%, Singapore 13%, France 12.2%, US 9.6%, UK 8.2%, Hong
Kong 6.7%, Japan 6.4%, Italy 4.7% (2008)

Imports:

$4.792 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 118 $4.655 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and transport equipment, manufactured and semi-manufactured goods; food, drink, tobacco

Imports - partners:

Italy 28.1%, UK 13.5%, France 8.2%, Germany 7.4%, Singapore 6.4% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$373.4 million (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 139 $3.798 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$188.8 million (2005) country comparison to the world: 181

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$NA

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$NA

Exchange rates:

euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008 est.), Maltese liri per US dollar - 0.3106 (2007), 0.37 (2006), 0.34578 (2005), 0.34466 (2004), 0.37723 (2003)

Communications ::Malta

Telephones - main lines in use:

241,100 (2008) country comparison to the world: 120

Telephones - mobile cellular:

385,600 (2008) country comparison to the world: 161

Telephone system:

general assessment: automatic system is adequate; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular subscribership exceeds 150 per 100 persons

domestic: submarine cable and microwave radio relay between islands

international: country code - 356; submarine cable connects to Italy; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 18, shortwave 6 (1999)

Television broadcast stations:

5 (2006)

Internet country code:

.mt

Internet hosts:

25,139 (2009) country comparison to the world: 94

Internet users:

198,800 (2008) country comparison to the world: 137

Transportation ::Malta

Airports:

1 (2009) country comparison to the world: 219

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 1

over 3,047 m: 1 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 2,227 km country comparison to the world: 171 paved: 2,014 km

unpaved: 213 km (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 1,438 country comparison to the world: 4 by type: bulk carrier 459, cargo 411, carrier 2, chemical tanker 171, container 80, liquefied gas 25, passenger 29, passenger/cargo 15, petroleum tanker 159, refrigerated cargo 32, roll on/roll off 37, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 17

foreign-owned: 1,343 (Austria 1, Azerbaijan 2, Bangladesh 2, Belgium 15, Bulgaria 5, Canada 1, China 12, Croatia 9, Cyprus 31, Denmark 30, Egypt 1, Estonia 11, France 5, Germany 91, Greece 452, Hong Kong 1, Iceland 5, India 2, Iran 79, Israel 18, Italy 50, Japan 8, South Korea 2, Latvia 19, Lebanon 11, Libya 3, Lithuania 1, Norway 93, Pakistan 2, Poland 24, Portugal 3, Romania 8, Russia 58, Slovenia 4, Spain 3, Sweden 2, Switzerland 20, Syria 6, Turkey 176, Ukraine 30, UAE 5, UK 19, US 23)

registered in other countries: 3 (Panama 3) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Marsaxlokk (Malta Freeport), Valletta

Military ::Malta

Military branches:

Armed Forces of Malta (AFM; includes air and maritime elements) (2007)

Military service age and obligation:

17 years 6 months of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 96,309

females age 16-49: 92,242 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 80,186

females age 16-49: 76,426 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 2,695

female: 2,533 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

0.7% of GDP (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 153

Transnational Issues ::Malta

Disputes - international:

none

Illicit drugs:

minor transshipment point for hashish from North Africa to Western Europe

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Marshall Islands (Australia-Oceania)

Introduction ::Marshall Islands

Background:

After almost four decades under US administration as the easternmost part of the UN Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, the Marshall Islands attained independence in 1986 under a Compact of Free Association. Compensation claims continue as a result of US nuclear testing on some of the atolls between 1947 and 1962. The Marshall Islands hosts the US Army Kwajalein Atoll (USAKA) Reagan Missile Test Site, a key installation in the US missile defense network.

Geography ::Marshall Islands

Location:

Oceania, two archipelagic island chains of 29 atolls, each made up of many small islets, and five single islands in the North Pacific Ocean, about half way between Hawaii and Australia

Geographic coordinates:

9 00 N, 168 00 E

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 181 sq km country comparison to the world: 216 land: 181 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: the archipelago includes 11,673 sq km of lagoon waters and includes the atolls of Bikini, Enewetak, Kwajalein, Majuro, Rongelap, and Utirik

Area - comparative:

about the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

370.4 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; hot and humid; wet season May to November; islands border typhoon belt

Terrain:

low coral limestone and sand islands

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed location on Likiep 10 m

Natural resources:

coconut products, marine products, deep seabed minerals

Land use:

arable land: 11.11%

permanent crops: 44.44%

other: 44.45% (2005)

Irrigated land:

0 sq km

Natural hazards:

infrequent typhoons

Environment - current issues:

inadequate supplies of potable water; pollution of Majuro lagoon from household waste and discharges from fishing vessels

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

the islands of Bikini and Enewetak are former US nuclear test sites; Kwajalein atoll, famous as a World War II battleground, surrounds the world's largest lagoon and is used as a US missile test range; the island city of Ebeye is the second largest settlement in the Marshall Islands, after the capital of Majuro, and one of the most densely populated locations in the Pacific

People ::Marshall Islands

Population:

64,522 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 205

Age structure:

0-14 years: 38.6% (male 12,683/female 12,217)

15-64 years: 58.5% (male 19,302/female 18,459)

65 years and over: 2.9% (male 902/female 959) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 21.2 years

male: 21.3 years

female: 21.2 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.08% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 52

Birth rate:

30.7 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 47

Death rate:

4.49 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 199

Net migration rate:

-5.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 163

Urbanization:

urban population: 71% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 2.7% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female

total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 25.45 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 87 male: 28.58 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 22.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 71.19 years country comparison to the world: 130 male: 69.15 years

female: 73.34 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3.59 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 56

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Marshallese (singular and plural)

adjective: Marshallese

Ethnic groups:

Marshallese 92.1%, mixed Marshallese 5.9%, other 2% (2006)

Religions:

Protestant 54.8%, Assembly of God 25.8%, Roman Catholic 8.4%, Bukot nan Jesus 2.8%, Mormon 2.1%, other Christian 3.6%, other 1%, none 1.5% (1999 census)

Languages:

Marshallese (official) 98.2%, other languages 1.8% (1999 census)

note: English (official), widely spoken as a second language

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 93.7%

male: 93.6%

female: 93.7% (1999)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 13 years

male: 13 years

female: 13 years (2003)

Education expenditures:

11.8% of GDP (2004) country comparison to the world: 3

Government ::Marshall Islands

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of the Marshall Islands

conventional short form: Marshall Islands

local long form: Republic of the Marshall Islands

local short form: Marshall Islands

abbreviation: RMI

former: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Marshall Islands District

Government type:

constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 21 October 1986 and the Amended Compact entered into force in May 2004

Capital:

name: Majuro

geographic coordinates: 7 06 N, 171 23 E

time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

33 municipalities; Ailinginae, Ailinglaplap, Ailuk, Arno, Aur,
Bikar, Bikini, Bokak, Ebon, Enewetak, Erikub, Jabat, Jaluit, Jemo,
Kili, Kwajalein, Lae, Lib, Likiep, Majuro, Maloelap, Mejit, Mili,
Namorik, Namu, Rongelap, Rongrik, Toke, Ujae, Ujelang, Utirik,
Wotho, Wotje

Independence:

21 October 1986 (from the US-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday:

Constitution Day, 1 May (1979)

Constitution:

1 May 1979

Legal system:

based on adapted Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Jurelang ZEDKAIA (since 2 November 2009); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Jurelang ZEDKAIA (since 2 November 2009)

cabinet: Cabinet selected by the president from among the members of the legislature

elections: president elected by Nitijela (legislature) from among its members for a four-year term; election last held 7 January 2008 (next to be held in 2012)

election results: Litokwa TOMEING removed as president by no confidence vote on 21 October 2009; legislature elects ZEDKAIA president on 26 October 2009

Legislative branch:

unicameral legislature or Nitijela (33 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 19 November 2007 (next to be held by November 2011)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - independents 4

note: the Council of Chiefs or Ironij is a 12-member body comprised of tribal chiefs that advises on matters affecting customary law and practice

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court; High Court; Traditional Rights Court

Political parties and leaders:

traditionally there have been no formally organized political parties; what has existed more closely resembles factions or interest groups because they do not have party headquarters, formal platforms, or party structures; the following two "groupings" have competed in legislative balloting in recent years - Aelon Kein Ad Party [Michael KABUA] and United Democratic Party or UDP [Litokwa TOMEING]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ACP, ADB, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, IDA, IFC, ILO, IMF,
IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, WHO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Charles A. PAUL

chancery: 2433 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 234-5414

FAX: [1] (202) 232-3236

consulate(s) general: Honolulu

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Clyde BISHOP

embassy: Oceanside, Mejen Weto, Long Island, Majuro

mailing address: P. O. Box 1379, Majuro, Republic of the Marshall Islands 96960-1379

telephone: [692] 247-4011

FAX: [692] 247-4012

Flag description:

blue with two stripes radiating from the lower hoist-side corner - orange (top) and white; there is a white star with four large rays and 20 small rays on the hoist side above the two stripes

Economy ::Marshall Islands

Economy - overview:

US Government assistance is the mainstay of this tiny island economy. The Marshall Islands received more than $1 billion in aid from the US from 1986-2002. Agricultural production, primarily subsistence, is concentrated on small farms; the most important commercial crops are coconuts and breadfruit. Small-scale industry is limited to handicrafts, tuna processing, and copra. The tourist industry, now a small source of foreign exchange employing less than 10% of the labor force, remains the best hope for future added income. The islands have few natural resources, and imports far exceed exports. Under the terms of the Amended Compact of Free Association, the US will provide millions of dollars per year to the Marshall Islands (RMI) through 2023, at which time a Trust Fund made up of US and RMI contributions will begin perpetual annual payouts. Government downsizing, drought, a drop in construction, the decline in tourism, and less income from the renewal of fishing vessel licenses have held GDP growth to an average of 1% over the past decade.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$133.5 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 218 $115 million (2001 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$161.7 million (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

-0.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 201 3.5% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$2,500 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 177 $2,900 (2005 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 31.7%

industry: 14.9%

services: 53.4% (2004 est.)

Labor force:

14,680 (2000) country comparison to the world: 205

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 21.4%

industry: 20.9%

services: 57.7% (2000)

Unemployment rate:

36% (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 184 30.9% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $123.3 million

expenditures: $1.213 billion (2008)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

12.9% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 179 3% (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products:

coconuts, tomatoes, melons, taro, breadfruit, fruits; pigs, chickens

Industries:

copra, tuna processing, tourism, craft items (from seashells, wood, and pearls)

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Exports:

$19.4 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 204 $9.1 million (2000 est.)

Exports - commodities:

copra cake, coconut oil, handicrafts, fish

Imports:

$79.4 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 210 $54.7 million (2000 est.)

Imports - commodities:

foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels, beverages and tobacco

Debt - external:

$87 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 187 $86.5 million (FY99/00 est.)

Exchange rates:

the US dollar is used

Communications ::Marshall Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:

4,400 (2008) country comparison to the world: 215

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 219

Telephone system:

general assessment: digital switching equipment; modern services include telex, cellular, Internet, international calling, caller ID, and leased data circuits

domestic: Majuro Atoll and Ebeye and Kwajalein islands have regular, seven-digit, direct-dial telephones; other islands interconnected by high frequency radiotelephone (used mostly for government purposes) and mini-satellite telephones

international: country code - 692; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); US Government satellite communications system on Kwajalein (2005)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 0 (additionally, the American Armed Forces
Radio and Television Service (Central Pacific Network) operates one
FM and one AM station on Kwajalein Island) (2005)

Television broadcast stations:

2 (both are US military stations; Marshalls Broadcasting Service, a cable company, operates on Majuro) (2005)

Internet country code:

.mh

Internet hosts:

6 (2009) country comparison to the world: 224

Internet users:

2,200 (2008) country comparison to the world: 208

Transportation ::Marshall Islands

Airports:

15 (2009) country comparison to the world: 145

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 4

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 11

914 to 1,523 m: 10

under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 2,028 km (includes 75 km of expressways) (2007) country comparison to the world: 174

Merchant marine:

total: 1,049 country comparison to the world: 10 by type: barge carrier 1, bulk carrier 284, cargo 71, carrier 1, chemical tanker 191, combination ore/oil 4, container 188, liquefied gas 47, passenger 5, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 221, refrigerated cargo 13, roll on/roll off 14, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 6

foreign-owned: 990 (Australia 1, Bermuda 4, Brazil 1, Canada 6, Chile 4, China 7, Croatia 6, Cyprus 37, Denmark 10, Germany 235, Greece 269, Hong Kong 4, Iceland 3, India 1, Ireland 1, Isle of Man 1, Italy 3, Japan 17, South Korea 10, Latvia 16, Malaysia 3, Mexico 4, Monaco 13, Netherlands 8, Norway 66, Pakistan 1, Panama 1, Romania 1, Russia 9, Saudi Arabia 5, Singapore 18, Slovenia 4, Spain 1, Sweden 1, Switzerland 12, Taiwan 1, Turkey 50, UAE 15, UK 10, US 123) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Majuro

Military ::Marshall Islands

Military branches:

no regular military forces; under the 1983 Compact of Free Association, the US has full authority and responsibility for security and defense of the Marshall Islands; Marshall Islands Police (2009)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 15,708 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 13,041

females age 16-49: 13,199 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 540

female: 521 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

NA

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues ::Marshall Islands

Disputes - international:

claims US territory of Wake Island

page last updated on November 2, 2009

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

@Mauritania (Africa)

Introduction ::Mauritania

Background:

Independent from France in 1960, Mauritania annexed the southern third of the former Spanish Sahara (now Western Sahara) in 1976, but relinquished it after three years of raids by the Polisario guerrilla front seeking independence for the territory. Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA seized power in a coup in 1984 and ruled Mauritania with a heavy hand for more than two decades. A series of presidential elections that he held were widely seen as flawed. A bloodless coup in August 2005 deposed President TAYA and ushered in a military council that oversaw a transition to democratic rule. Independent candidate Sidi Ould Cheikh ABDALLAHI was inaugurated in April 2007 as Mauritania's first freely and fairly elected president. His term ended prematurely in August 2008 when a military junta deposed him and ushered in a military council government. Meanwhile, the country continues to experience ethnic tensions among its black population (Afro-Mauritanians) and White and Black Moor (Arab-Berber) communities.

Geography ::Mauritania

Location:

Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Senegal and Western Sahara

Geographic coordinates:

20 00 N, 12 00 W

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 1,030,700 sq km country comparison to the world: 29 land: 1,030,700 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than three times the size of New Mexico

Land boundaries:

total: 5,074 km

border countries: Algeria 463 km, Mali 2,237 km, Senegal 813 km, Western Sahara 1,561 km

Coastline:

754 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:

desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty

Terrain:

mostly barren, flat plains of the Sahara; some central hills

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Sebkhet Te-n-Dghamcha -5 m

highest point: Kediet Ijill 915 m

Natural resources:

iron ore, gypsum, copper, phosphate, diamonds, gold, oil, fish

Land use:

arable land: 0.2%

permanent crops: 0.01%

other: 99.79% (2005)

Irrigated land:

490 sq km (2002)

Total renewable water resources:

11.4 cu km (1997)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 1.7 cu km/yr (9%/3%/88%)

per capita: 554 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind blows primarily in March and April; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:

overgrazing, deforestation, and soil erosion aggravated by drought are contributing to desertification; limited natural fresh water resources away from the Senegal, which is the only perennial river; locust infestation

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

most of the population concentrated in the cities of Nouakchott and Nouadhibou and along the Senegal River in the southern part of the country

People ::Mauritania

Population:

3,129,486 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 135

Age structure:

0-14 years: 41% (male 643,436/female 638,793)

15-64 years: 55.7% (male 818,778/female 923,046)

65 years and over: 3.4% (male 44,836/female 60,597) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 19.2 years

male: 18.3 years

female: 20 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.399% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 33

Birth rate:

34.11 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 40

Death rate:

9.16 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 82

Net migration rate:

-0.96 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 121

Urbanization:

urban population: 41% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.89 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female

total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 63.42 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 35 male: 68.65 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 58.03 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 60.37 years country comparison to the world: 182 male: 58.22 years

female: 62.59 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

4.45 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 41

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.8% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 59

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

14,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 90

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 1,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 76

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria and Rift Valley fever

respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis

animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Mauritanian(s)

adjective: Mauritanian

Ethnic groups:

mixed Moor/black 40%, Moor 30%, black 30%

Religions:

Muslim 100%

Languages:

Arabic (official and national), Pulaar, Soninke, Wolof (all national languages), French, Hassaniya

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 51.2%

male: 59.5%

female: 43.4% (2000 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 8 years

male: 8 years

female: 8 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

2.9% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 149

Government ::Mauritania

Country name:

conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Mauritania

conventional short form: Mauritania

local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Islamiyah al Muritaniyah

local short form: Muritaniyah

Government type:

military junta

Capital:

name: Nouakchott

geographic coordinates: 18 07 N, 16 02 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

12 regions (regions, singular - region) and 1 capital district*;
Adrar, Assaba, Brakna, Dakhlet Nouadhibou, Gorgol, Guidimaka, Hodh
Ech Chargui, Hodh El Gharbi, Inchiri, Nouakchott*, Tagant, Tiris
Zemmour, Trarza

Independence:

28 November 1960 (from France)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 28 November (1960)

Constitution:

12 July 1991

Legal system:

a combination of Islamic law and French civil law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Mohamed Ould Abdel AZIZ (since 5 August 2009) note - AZIZ, who deposed democratically elected President Sidi Ould Cheikh ABDELLAHI in a coup and installed himself as President of Military High Council of State on 6 August 2008, was elected president in an election held 18 July 2009

head of government: Prime Minister Moulaye Ould Mohamed LAGHDAF (since 14 August 2008)

cabinet: Council of Ministers

elections: following the August 2008 coup, the Military High Council of State pledged to hold a new presidential election which was subsequently scheduled and held on 18 July 2009; under Mauritania's constitution, the president is elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held on 18 July 2009 (next to be held by 2014)

election results: percent of vote - Mohamed Ould Abdel AZIZ 52.6%, Messaoud Ould BOULKHEIR 16.3%, Ahmed Ould DADDAH 13.7%, Other 17.4%

Legislative branch:

bicameral legislature consists of the Senate or Majlis al-Shuyukh (56 seats; 53 members elected by municipal leaders and 3 members elected by Mauritanians abroad to serve six-year terms; a portion of seats up for election every two years) and the National Assembly or Majlis al-Watani (95 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held 21 January and 4 February 2007 (next to be held in 2009); National Assembly - last held 19 November and 3 December 2006 (next to be held in 2011); note - it is unclear when the Senate elections originally scheduled for 2009 will be held

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Mithaq (coalition of independents and parties associated with the former regime) 37, CFCD (coalition of political parties) 15, representatives of the diaspora 3, undecided 1; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Mithaq 51 (independents 37, PRDR 7, UDP 3, RDU 3, Alternative (El-Badil) 1), CFCD 41 (RFD 16, UFP 9, APP 6, Centrist Reformists 4, HATEM-PMUC 3, RD 2, PUDS 1), RNDLE 1, UCD 1, FP 1

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Court of Appeals; lower courts

Political parties and leaders:

Alternative or El-Badil [Mohamed Yahdhi Ould MOCTAR HACEN]; Centrist Reformists (independent moderate Islamists) [Mohamed Jamil MANSOUR]; Coalition for Forces for Democratic Change or CFCD (coalition of political parties including APP, Centrist Reformists (independent moderate Islamists), HATEM-PMUC, PUDS, RD, RFD, UFP); Democratic Renewal or RD [Moustapha Ould ABDEIDARRAHMANE]; Mauritanian Party for Unity and Change or HATEM-PMUC [Saleh Ould HANENA]; Mithaq (coalition of independents and parties associated with the former regime including Alternative or El-Badil, PRDR, UDP, RDU); National Pact for Democracy and Development or PNDD-ADIL (independents supporting President Abdellahi) [Yahya Ould Ahmed Ould WAGHEF]; National Rally for Freedom, Democracy and Equality or RNDLE; National Rally for Reform and Development or Tawassoul (moderate Islamists) [Mohamed Jemil Ould MANSOUR]; Popular Front or FP [Ch'bih Ould CHEIKH MALAININE]; Popular Progressive Alliance or APP [Messoud Ould BOULKHEIR]; Rally of Democratic Forces or RFD [Ahmed Ould DADDAH]; Rally for Democracy and Unity or RDU [Ahmed Ould SIDI BABA]; Republican Party for Democracy and Renewal or PRDR [Boullah Ould MOGUEYA]; Socialist and Democratic Unity Party or PUDS; Union for Democracy and Progress or UDP [Naha Mint MOUKNASS]; Union of Democratic Center or UCD [Cheikh Sid'Ahmed Ould BABA]; Union of the Forces for Progress or UFP [Mohamed Ould MAOULOUD];

Political pressure groups and leaders:

General Confederation of Mauritanian Workers or CGTM [Abdallahi Ould
MOHAMED, secretary general]; Independent Confederation of
Mauritanian Workers or CLTM [Samory Ould BEYE]; Mauritanian Workers
Union or UTM [Mohamed Ely Ould BRAHIM, secretary general]

other: Arab nationalists; Ba'thists; Islamists

International organization participation:

ABEDA, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Ibrahima DIA

chancery: 2129 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 232-5700 through 5701

FAX: [1] (202) 319-2623

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Mark M. BOULWARE

embassy: 288 Rue Abdallaye, Rue 42-100 (between Presidency building and Spanish Embassy), Nouakchott

mailing address: BP 222, Nouakchott

telephone: [222] 525-2660 through 2663

FAX: [222] 525-1592

Flag description:

green with a yellow five-pointed star above a yellow, horizontal crescent; the closed side of the crescent is down; the crescent, star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam

Economy ::Mauritania

Economy - overview:

Half the population still depends on agriculture and livestock for a livelihood, even though many of the nomads and subsistence farmers were forced into the cities by recurrent droughts in the 1970s and 1980s. Mauritania has extensive deposits of iron ore, which account for nearly 40% of total exports. The nation's coastal waters are among the richest fishing areas in the world, but overexploitation by foreigners threatens this key source of revenue. The country's first deepwater port opened near Nouakchott in 1986. Before 2000, drought and economic mismanagement resulted in a buildup of foreign debt. In February 2000, Mauritania qualified for debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative and nearly all of its foreign debt has since been forgiven. In December 2007 donors pledged $2.1 billion at a triennial Consultative Group review. A new investment code approved in December 2001 improved the opportunities for direct foreign investment. Mauritania and the IMF agreed to a three-year Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) arrangement in 2006 and Mauritania made satisfactory progress, but IMF and World Bank suspended their programs in Mauritania following the August 2008 coup; following the July 2009 Presidential elections, the IMF and World Bank agreed to meet with the Goverment to discuss a resumption. Oil prospects, while initially promising, have largely failed to materialize. The Government continues to emphasize reduction of poverty, improvement of health and education, and privatization of the economy.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$6.323 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 154 $6.109 billion (2007 est.)

$6.048 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$3.161 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

3.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 111 1% (2007 est.)

11.4% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$2,100 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 187 $2,000 (2007 est.)

$2,100 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 12.5%

industry: 46.7%

services: 40.7% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

1.318 million (2007) country comparison to the world: 133

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 50%

industry: 10%

services: 40% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:

30% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 177 20% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:

40% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.5%

highest 10%: 29.5% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

39 (2000) country comparison to the world: 70 37.3 (1995)

Budget:

revenues: $770 million

expenditures: $770 million (2007 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

7.3% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 119

Central bank discount rate:

NA% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 27 12% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

Stock of quasi money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA (31 December 2008)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

dates, millet, sorghum, rice, corn; cattle, sheep

Industries:

fish processing, oil production, mining of iron ore, gold, and copper; gypsum deposits have never been exploited

Industrial production growth rate:

2% (2000 est.) country comparison to the world: 104

Electricity - production:

415.3 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 163

Electricity - consumption:

386.2 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 165

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

12,830 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 81

Oil - consumption:

21,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 121

Oil - exports:

30,620 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 85

Oil - imports:

20,610 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 111

Oil - proved reserves:

100 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 67

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 155

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 156

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 149

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 92

Natural gas - proved reserves:

28.32 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 72

Current account balance:

-$184 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 87

Exports:

$1.395 billion (2006) country comparison to the world: 141

Exports - commodities:

iron ore, fish and fish products, gold, copper, petroleum

Exports - partners:

China 41.4%, France 10.2%, Spain 7%, Italy 6.9%, Netherlands 5.4%,
Belgium 4.7%, Cote d'Ivoire 4% (2008)

Imports:

$1.475 billion (2006) country comparison to the world: 161

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, petroleum products, capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods

Imports - partners:

France 16.7%, China 8.8%, Netherlands 6.4%, Spain 6%, Belgium 5.4%,
US 5.1%, Brazil 4.5% (2008)

Debt - external:

$NA

Exchange rates:

ouguiyas (MRO) per US dollar - NA (2007), 271.3 (2006), 267.04 (2005), 265.8 (2004), 263.03 (2003)

Communications ::Mauritania

Telephones - main lines in use:

76,400 (2008) country comparison to the world: 152

Telephones - mobile cellular:

2.092 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 120

Telephone system:

general assessment: limited system of cable and open-wire lines, minor microwave radio relay links, and radiotelephone communications stations; mobile-cellular services expanding rapidly

domestic: Mauritel, the national telecommunications company, was privatized in 2001 but remains the monopoly provider of fixed-line services; fixed-line teledensity 2 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular network coverage extends mainly to urban areas with a teledensity of 60 per 100 persons; mostly cable and open-wire lines; a domestic satellite telecommunications system links Nouakchott with regional capitals

international: country code - 222; satellite earth stations - 3 (1 Intelsat - Atlantic Ocean, 2 Arabsat) (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 14, shortwave 1 (2001)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (2002)

Internet country code:

.mr

Internet hosts:

15 (2009) country comparison to the world: 217

Internet users:

45,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 173

Transportation ::Mauritania

Airports:

27 (2009) country comparison to the world: 125

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 9

2,438 to 3,047 m: 5

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 18

1,524 to 2,437 m: 8

914 to 1,523 m: 8

under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Railways:

728 km

standard gauge: 728 km 1.435-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 11,066 km country comparison to the world: 135 paved: 2,966 km

unpaved: 8,100 km (2006)

Waterways:

some navigation possible on Senegal River

Ports and terminals:

Nouadhibou, Nouakchott

Military ::Mauritania

Military branches:

Mauritanian Armed Forces: Army, Mauritanian Navy (Marine
Mauritanienne; includes naval infantry), Islamic Air Force of
Mauritania (Force Aerienne Islamique de Mauritanie, FAIM) (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age (est.); conscript service obligation - 2 years; majority of servicemen believed to be volunteers; service in Air Force and Navy is voluntary (2006)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 740,675

females age 16-49: 744,709 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 450,289

females age 16-49: 544,598 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 34,546

female: 35,272 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

5.5% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 14

Transnational Issues ::Mauritania

Disputes - international:

Mauritanian claims to Western Sahara remain dormant

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Mauritius (Africa)

Introduction ::Mauritius

Background:

Although known to Arab and Malay sailors as early as the 10th century, Mauritius was first explored by the Portuguese in the 16th century and subsequently settled by the Dutch - who named it in honor of Prince Maurits van NASSAU - in the 17th century. The French assumed control in 1715, developing the island into an important naval base overseeing Indian Ocean trade, and establishing a plantation economy of sugar cane. The British captured the island in 1810, during the Napoleonic Wars. Mauritius remained a strategically important British naval base, and later an air station, playing an important role during World War II for anti-submarine and convoy operations, as well as the collection of signals intelligence. Independence from the UK was attained in 1968. A stable democracy with regular free elections and a positive human rights record, the country has attracted considerable foreign investment and has earned one of Africa's highest per capita incomes. Recent poor weather, declining sugar prices, and declining textile and apparel production, have slowed economic growth, leading to some protests over standards of living in the Creole community.

Geography ::Mauritius

Location:

Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar

Geographic coordinates:

20 17 S, 57 33 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 2,040 sq km country comparison to the world: 180 land: 2,030 sq km

water: 10 sq km

note: includes Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos Shoals (Saint Brandon), and Rodrigues

Area - comparative:

almost 11 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

177 km

Maritime claims:

measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:

tropical, modified by southeast trade winds; warm, dry winter (May to November); hot, wet, humid summer (November to May)

Terrain:

small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains encircling central plateau

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mont Piton 828 m

Natural resources:

arable land, fish

Land use:

arable land: 49.02%

permanent crops: 2.94%

other: 48.04% (2005)

Irrigated land:

220 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

2.2 cu km (2001)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.61 cu km/yr (25%/14%/60%)

per capita: 488 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded by reefs that may pose maritime hazards

Environment - current issues:

water pollution, degradation of coral reefs

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

the main island, from which the country derives its name, is of volcanic origin and is almost entirely surrounded by coral reefs; home of the dodo, a large flightless bird related to pigeons, driven to extinction by the end of the 17th century through a combination of hunting and the introduction of predatory species

People ::Mauritius

Population:

1,284,264 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 153

Age structure:

0-14 years: 22.5% (male 147,136/female 142,121)

15-64 years: 70.4% (male 449,176/female 455,057)

65 years and over: 7.1% (male 36,309/female 54,465) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 31.9 years

male: 31 years

female: 32.7 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.776% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 140

Birth rate:

14.41 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 146

Death rate:

6.59 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 147

Net migration rate:

-0.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 88

Urbanization:

urban population: 42% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 0.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female

total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 12.2 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 145 male: 14.51 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 9.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 74 years country comparison to the world: 93 male: 70.53 years

female: 77.65 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.81 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 156

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

1.7% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 36

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

13,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 92

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 100 (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 137

Nationality:

noun: Mauritian(s)

adjective: Mauritian

Ethnic groups:

Indo-Mauritian 68%, Creole 27%, Sino-Mauritian 3%, Franco-Mauritian 2%

Religions:

Hindu 48%, Roman Catholic 23.6%, Muslim 16.6%, other Christian 8.6%, other 2.5%, unspecified 0.3%, none 0.4% (2000 census)

Languages:

Creole 80.5%, Bhojpuri 12.1%, French 3.4%, English (official; spoken by less than 1% of the population), other 3.7%, unspecified 0.3% (2000 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 84.4%

male: 88.4%

female: 80.5% (2000 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 14 years

male: 14 years

female: 13 years (2005)

Education expenditures:

3.9% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 110

Government ::Mauritius

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Mauritius

conventional short form: Mauritius

local long form: Republic of Mauritius

local short form: Mauritius

Government type:

parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Port Louis

geographic coordinates: 20 09 S, 57 29 E

time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

9 districts and 3 dependencies*; Agalega Islands*, Black River, Cargados Carajos Shoals*, Flacq, Grand Port, Moka, Pamplemousses, Plaines Wilhems, Port Louis, Riviere du Rempart, Rodrigues*, Savanne

Independence:

12 March 1968 (from the UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 12 March (1968)

Constitution:

12 March 1968; amended 12 March 1992

Legal system:

based on French civil law system with elements of English common law in certain areas; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Sir Anerood JUGNAUTH (since 7 October 2003); Vice President Abdool Raouf BUNDHUN (since 25 February 2002)

head of government: Prime Minister Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM (since 5 July 2005)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister

elections: president and vice president elected by the National Assembly for five-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 19 September 2008 (next to be held in 2013); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president, responsible to the National Assembly

election results: Sir Anerood JUGNAUTH reelected president by unanimous vote; percent of vote by the National Assembly - NA%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly (70 seats; 62 members elected by popular vote, 8 appointed by the election commission to give representation to various ethnic minorities; to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held on 3 July 2005 (next to be held in July 2010)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - AS 38, MSM/MMM 22, OPR 2; appointed seats - AS 4, MSM/MMM 2, OPR 2

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:

Alliance Sociale or AS [Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM] (governing coalition
- includes MLD, MMSM, MR, MSD, PMXD); Mauritian Labor Party or MLP
[Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM]; Mauritian Militant Movement or MMM [Paul
BERENGER]; Mauritian Socialist Militant Movement or MMSM [Madan
DULLOO]; Militant Socialist Movement or MSM [Pravind JUGNAUTH];
Mouvement Republicain or MR [Jayarama VALAYDEN]; Parti Mauricien
Xavier Duval or PMXD [Xavier Luc DUVAL]; Rodrigues Movement or MR
[Joseph (Nicholas) Von MALLY]; Rodrigues Peoples Organization or OPR
[Serge CLAIR]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

other: various labor unions

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, CPLP (associate), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO,
InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF,
OPCW, PCA, SAARC (observer), SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO,
UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Keerteecoomar RUHEE

chancery: 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 441, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 244-1491 through 1492

FAX: [1] (202) 966-0983

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Cesar CABRERA

embassy: 4th Floor, Rogers House, John Kennedy Street, Port Louis

mailing address: international mail: P. O. Box 544, Port Louis; US mail: American Embassy, Port Louis, US Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2450

telephone: [230] 202-4400

FAX: [230] 208-9534

Flag description:

four equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, yellow, and green

Economy ::Mauritius

Economy - overview:

Since independence in 1968, Mauritius has developed from a low-income, agriculturally based economy to a middle-income diversified economy with growing industrial, financial, and tourist sectors. For most of the period, annual growth has been in the order of 5% to 6%. This remarkable achievement has been reflected in more equitable income distribution, increased life expectancy, lowered infant mortality, and a much-improved infrastructure. The economy rests on sugar, tourism, textiles and apparel, and financial services, and is expanding into fish processing, information and communications technology, and hospitality and property development. Sugarcane is grown on about 90% of the cultivated land area and accounts for 15% of export earnings. The government's development strategy centers on creating vertical and horizontal clusters of development in these sectors. Mauritius has attracted more than 32,000 offshore entities, many aimed at commerce in India, South Africa, and China. Investment in the banking sector alone has reached over $1 billion. Mauritius, with its strong textile sector, has been well poised to take advantage of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$15.43 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 132 $14.65 billion (2007 est.)

$13.89 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$8.738 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 80 5.5% (2007 est.)

5.1% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$12,100 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 91 $11,600 (2007 est.)

$11,100 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 4.6%

industry: 24.9%

services: 70.5% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

584,000 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 150

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture and fishing 9%, construction and industry 30%, transportation and communication 7%, trade, restaurants, hotels 22%, finance 6%, other services 25% (2007)

Unemployment rate:

7.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 91 8.8% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

8% (2006 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

39 (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 69 37 (1987 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

25.4% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 49

Budget:

revenues: $1.871 billion

expenditures: $2.163 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2008 est.)

Public debt:

56.5% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 29 29.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

9.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 142 8.8% (2007 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

21.54% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 14 21.87% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$1.68 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 74 $1.673 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$6.914 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 58 $6.759 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$9.323 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 72 $8.582 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$3.443 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 83 $5.666 billion (31 December 2007)

$3.598 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

sugarcane, tea, corn, potatoes, bananas, pulses; cattle, goats; fish

Industries:

food processing (largely sugar milling), textiles, clothing, mining, chemicals, metal products, transport equipment, nonelectrical machinery, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:

5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 47

Electricity - production:

2.321 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 131

Electricity - consumption:

2.158 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 133

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 162

Oil - consumption:

23,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 119

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 182

Oil - imports:

22,200 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 110

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 157

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 156

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 157

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 150

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 93

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 108

Current account balance:

-$972.8 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 114 -$408.3 million (2007 est.)

Exports:

$2.4 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 130 $2.231 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

clothing and textiles, sugar, cut flowers, molasses, fish

Exports - partners:

UK 30.8%, France 15.1%, US 8.6%, Italy 6.5%, Belgium 5.3%, UAE 5.1%,
Madagascar 4.1% (2008)

Imports:

$4.399 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 123 $3.656 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

manufactured goods, capital equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals

Imports - partners:

India 21.1%, France 11.8%, South Africa 9.9%, China 8.2% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$1.785 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 112 $1.822 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$5.077 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 104 $2.149 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$NA

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$NA

Exchange rates:

Mauritian rupees (MUR) per US dollar - 27.973 (2008 est.), 31.798 (2007), 31.656 (2006), 29.496 (2005), 27.499 (2004)

Communications ::Mauritius

Telephones - main lines in use:

364,500 (2008) country comparison to the world: 103

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1.033 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 142

Telephone system:

general assessment: small system with good service

domestic: monopoly over fixed-line services terminated in 2005; fixed-line teledensity roughly 30 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular services launched in 1989 with teledensity in 2008 reaching 80 per 100 persons

international: country code - 230; landing point for the SAFE submarine cable that provides links to Asia and South Africa where it connects to the SAT-3/WASC submarine cable that provides further links to parts of East Africa, and Europe; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean); new microwave link to Reunion; HF radiotelephone links to several countries (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 4, FM 9, shortwave 0 (2001)

Television broadcast stations:

2 (plus several repeaters) (1997)

Internet country code:

.mu

Internet hosts:

22,813 (2009) country comparison to the world: 99

Internet users:

380,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 114

Transportation ::Mauritius

Airports:

5 (2009) country comparison to the world: 181

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 2

over 3,047 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 2

under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 2,028 km country comparison to the world: 173 paved: 2,028 km (includes 75 km of expressways) (2007)

Merchant marine:

total: 3 country comparison to the world: 141 by type: passenger/cargo 2, refrigerated cargo 1 (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Port Louis

Military ::Mauritius

Military branches:

no regular military forces; Mauritius Police Force, Special Mobile Force, National Coast Guard (2009)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 341,018 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 277,690

females age 16-49: 282,211 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 10,901

female: 10,796 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

0.3% of GDP (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 168

Transnational Issues ::Mauritius

Disputes - international:

Mauritius claims the Chagos Archipelago (UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory), and its former inhabitants, who reside chiefly in Mauritius; claims French-administered Tromelin Island

Illicit drugs:

consumer and transshipment point for heroin from South Asia; small amounts of cannabis produced and consumed locally; significant offshore financial industry creates potential for money laundering, but corruption levels are relatively low and the government appears generally to be committed to regulating its banking industry

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Mayotte (Africa)

Introduction ::Mayotte

Background:

Mayotte was ceded to France along with the other islands of the Comoros group in 1843. It was the only island in the archipelago that voted in 1974 to retain its link with France and forego independence.

Geography ::Mayotte

Location:

Southern Indian Ocean, island in the Mozambique Channel, about half way between northern Madagascar and northern Mozambique

Geographic coordinates:

12 50 S, 45 10 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 374 sq km country comparison to the world: 204 land: 374 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

185.2 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; marine; hot, humid, rainy season during northeastern monsoon (November to May); dry season is cooler (May to November)

Terrain:

generally undulating, with deep ravines and ancient volcanic peaks

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: Benara 660 m

Natural resources:

NEGL

Land use:

arable land: NA%

permanent crops: NA%

other: NA%

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

cyclones during rainy season

Environment - current issues:

NA

Geography - note:

part of Comoro Archipelago (18 islands)

People ::Mayotte

Population:

223,765 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 183

Age structure:

0-14 years: 45.3% (male 50,985/female 50,413)

15-64 years: 52.9% (male 63,395/female 54,882)

65 years and over: 1.8% (male 2,085/female 2,005) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 17.2 years

male: 18.1 years

female: 16.4 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

3.317% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 6

Birth rate:

39.26 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 20

Death rate:

7.2 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 128

Net migration rate:

1.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 53

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.16 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.04 male(s)/female

total population: 1.08 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 56.29 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 41 male: 61.89 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 50.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 62.91 years country comparison to the world: 175 male: 60.65 years

female: 65.24 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

5.5 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 18

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Mahorais (singular and plural)

adjective: Mahoran

Ethnic groups:

NA

Religions:

Muslim 97%, Christian (mostly Roman Catholic) 3%

Languages:

Mahorian (a Swahili dialect), French (official language) spoken by 35% of the population

Literacy:

NA

Education expenditures:

NA

Government ::Mayotte

Country name:

conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of Mayotte

conventional short form: Mayotte

Dependency status:

departmental collectivity of France

Government type:

NA

Capital:

name: Mamoudzou

geographic coordinates: 12 46 S, 45 13 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)

Independence:

none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)

National holiday:

Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution:

4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system:

the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007); represented by Prefect Hubert DERACHE (since 22 July 2009)

head of government: President of the General Council Ahmed Attoumani DOUCHINA (since March 2008)

cabinet: NA

elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of the Interior; president of the General Council elected by the members of the General Council for a six-year term; next election to be held in 2010

Legislative branch:

unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms)

elections: last held 9 and 16 March 2008 (next to be held in 2011)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 8, Diverse Right 4, independents 4, Citizens and Republic Movement 1, Democratic Movement 1, Diverse Left 1; note - political parties are the same as parties in France

note: Mayotte elects two members of the French Senate; elections last held 21 September 2008 (next to be held in September 2014); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UC-UDF 1, UMP 1; Mayotte also elects one member to the French National Assembly; elections last held 10-17 June 2007 (next to be held in 2012); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - independent 1

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel

Political parties and leaders:

Democratic Front or FD [Youssouf MOUSSA]; Mahoran Popular Movement
or MPM [Ahmed MADI]; Federation of Mahorans or UMP-RPR [Mansour
KAMARDINE]; Force of the Rally and the Alliance for Democracy or
FRAP; Movement for Department Status Mayotte or MDM [Mouhoutar
SALIM]; Renewed Communist Party of Mayotte or MRC [Omar SIMBA];
Socialist Party or PS [Ibrahim ABUBACAR] (local branch of French
Parti Socialiste); Union for French Democracy or UDF [Henri
JEAN-BAPTISTE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

InOC, UPU, WFTU

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)

Flag description:

unofficial, local flag with the coat of arms of Mayotte centered on a white field, above which the name of the island appears in red capital letters; the main elements of the coat of arms, flanked on either side by a seahorse, appear above a scroll with the motto RA HACHIRI (We are Vigilant)

note: the flag of France used for official occasions

Economy ::Mayotte

Economy - overview:

Economic activity is based primarily on the agricultural sector, including fishing and livestock raising. Mayotte is not self-sufficient and must import a large portion of its food requirements, mainly from France. The economy and future development of the island are heavily dependent on French financial assistance, an important supplement to GDP. Mayotte's remote location is an obstacle to the development of tourism.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$953.6 million (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 202

GDP (official exchange rate):

$NA

GDP - real growth rate:

NA%

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$4,900 (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 141

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Labor force:

44,560 (2002) country comparison to the world: 184

Unemployment rate:

25.4% (2005) country comparison to the world: 173

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $420 million

expenditures: $394 million (2005)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

1.7% (2005) country comparison to the world: 13

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

vanilla, ylang-ylang (perfume essence), coffee, copra, fish, livestock

Industries:

newly created lobster and shrimp industry, construction

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

NA kWh

Electricity - consumption:

139.2 million kWh (2005) country comparison to the world: 184

Exports:

$6.5 million (2005) country comparison to the world: 212

Exports - commodities:

ylang-ylang (perfume essence), vanilla, copra, coconuts, coffee, cinnamon

Imports:

$341 million (2005) country comparison to the world: 190

Imports - commodities:

food, machinery and equipment, transportation equipment, metals, chemicals

Debt - external:

$NA

Exchange rates:

euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6734 (2008 est.), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)

Communications ::Mayotte

Telephones - main lines in use:

10,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 205

Telephones - mobile cellular:

48,100 (2005) country comparison to the world: 195

Telephone system:

general assessment: small system administered by French Department of Posts and Telecommunications

domestic: NA

international: country code - 262; microwave radio relay and HF radiotelephone communications to Comoros

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2001)

Television broadcast stations:

3 (2001)

Internet country code:

.yt

Internet hosts:

1 (2009) country comparison to the world: 229

Transportation ::Mayotte

Airports:

1 (2009) country comparison to the world: 220

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Ports and terminals:

Dzaoudzi

Military ::Mayotte

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 35,849

females age 16-49: 34,456 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 2,517

female: 2,511 (2009 est.)

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of France; a small contingent of French forces is stationed on the island

Transnational Issues ::Mayotte

Disputes - international:

claimed by Comoros

page last updated on October 28, 2009

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

@Mexico (North America)

Introduction ::Mexico

Background:

The site of advanced Amerindian civilizations, Mexico came under Spanish rule for three centuries before achieving independence early in the 19th century. A devaluation of the peso in late 1994 threw Mexico into economic turmoil, triggering the worst recession in over half a century. The nation had been making an impressive recovery until the global financial crisis hit in late 2008. Ongoing economic and social concerns include low real wages, underemployment for a large segment of the population, inequitable income distribution, and few advancement opportunities for the largely Amerindian population in the impoverished southern states. The elections held in 2000 marked the first time since the 1910 Mexican Revolution that an opposition candidate - Vicente FOX of the National Action Party (PAN) - defeated the party in government, the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). He was succeeded in 2006 by another PAN candidate Felipe CALDERON. In January 2009, Mexico assumed a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2009-10 term.

Geography ::Mexico

Location:

Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, between Belize and the United States and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Guatemala and the United States

Geographic coordinates:

23 00 N, 102 00 W

Map references:

North America

Area:

total: 1,964,375 sq km country comparison to the world: 15 land: 1,943,945 sq km

water: 20,430 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly less than three times the size of Texas

Land boundaries:

total: 4,353 km

border countries: Belize 250 km, Guatemala 962 km, US 3,141 km

Coastline:

9,330 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:

varies from tropical to desert

Terrain:

high, rugged mountains; low coastal plains; high plateaus; desert

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Laguna Salada -10 m

highest point: Volcan Pico de Orizaba 5,700 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, silver, copper, gold, lead, zinc, natural gas, timber

Land use:

arable land: 12.66%

permanent crops: 1.28%

other: 86.06% (2005)

Irrigated land:

63,200 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

457.2 cu km (2000)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 78.22 cu km/yr (17%/5%/77%)

per capita: 731 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

tsunamis along the Pacific coast, volcanoes and destructive earthquakes in the center and south, and hurricanes on the Pacific, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean coasts

Environment - current issues:

scarcity of hazardous waste disposal facilities; rural to urban migration; natural fresh water resources scarce and polluted in north, inaccessible and poor quality in center and extreme southeast; raw sewage and industrial effluents polluting rivers in urban areas; deforestation; widespread erosion; desertification; deteriorating agricultural lands; serious air and water pollution in the national capital and urban centers along US-Mexico border; land subsidence in Valley of Mexico caused by groundwater depletion

note: the government considers the lack of clean water and deforestation national security issues

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

strategic location on southern border of US; corn (maize), one of the world's major grain crops, is thought to have originated in Mexico

People ::Mexico

Population:

111,211,789 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 11

Age structure:

0-14 years: 29.1% (male 16,544,223/female 15,861,141)

15-64 years: 64.6% (male 34,734,571/female 37,129,793)

65 years and over: 6.2% (male 3,130,518/female 3,811,543) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 26.3 years

male: 25.3 years

female: 27.3 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.13% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 120

Birth rate:

19.71 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 102

Death rate:

4.8 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 193

Net migration rate:

-3.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 156

Urbanization:

urban population: 77% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 18.42 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 113 male: 20.3 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 16.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 76.06 years country comparison to the world: 71 male: 73.25 years

female: 79 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.34 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 108

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.3% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 88

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

200,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 30

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

11,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 30

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: intermediate

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: dengue fever

water contact disease: leptospirosis (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Mexican(s)

adjective: Mexican

Ethnic groups:

mestizo (Amerindian-Spanish) 60%, Amerindian or predominantly Amerindian 30%, white 9%, other 1%

Religions:

Roman Catholic 76.5%, Protestant 6.3% (Pentecostal 1.4%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.1%, other 3.8%), other 0.3%, unspecified 13.8%, none 3.1% (2000 census)

Languages:

Spanish only 92.7%, Spanish and indigenous languages 5.7%, indigenous only 0.8%, unspecified 0.8%; note - indigenous languages include various Mayan, Nahuatl, and other regional languages (2005)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 91%

male: 92.4%

female: 89.6% (2004 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 13 years

male: 14 years

female: 13 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

5.5% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 49

Government ::Mexico

Country name:

conventional long form: United Mexican States

conventional short form: Mexico

local long form: Estados Unidos Mexicanos

local short form: Mexico

Government type:

federal republic

Capital:

name: Mexico City (Distrito Federal)

geographic coordinates: 19 26 N, 99 08 W

time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in April; ends last Sunday in October

note: Mexico is divided into three time zones

Administrative divisions:

31 states (estados, singular - estado) and 1 federal district*
(distrito federal); Aguascalientes, Baja California, Baja California
Sur, Campeche, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Coahuila de Zaragoza, Colima,
Distrito Federal*, Durango, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Jalisco,
Mexico, Michoacan de Ocampo, Morelos, Nayarit, Nuevo Leon, Oaxaca,
Puebla, Queretaro de Arteaga, Quintana Roo, San Luis Potosi,
Sinaloa, Sonora, Tabasco, Tamaulipas, Tlaxcala, Veracruz-Llave,
Yucatan, Zacatecas

Independence:

16 September 1810 (declared); 27 September 1821 (recognized by Spain)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 16 September (1810)

Constitution:

5 February 1917

Legal system:

mixture of US constitutional theory and civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal and compulsory (but not enforced)

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Felipe de Jesus CALDERON Hinojosa (since 1 December 2006); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Felipe de Jesus CALDERON Hinojosa (since 1 December 2006)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president; note - appointment of attorney general requires consent of the Senate

elections: president elected by popular vote for a single six-year term; election last held on 2 July 2006 (next to be held 1 July 2012)

election results: Felipe CALDERON elected president; percent of vote - Felipe CALDERON 35.89%, Andres Manuel LOPEZ OBRADOR 35.31%, Roberto MADRAZO 22.26%, other 6.54%

Legislative branch:

bicameral National Congress or Congreso de la Union consists of the Senate or Camara de Senadores (128 seats; 96 members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms, and 32 seats are allocated on the basis of each party's popular vote) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (500 seats; 300 members are elected by popular vote; remaining 200 members are allocated on the basis of each party's popular vote; to serve three-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held 2 July 2006 for all of the seats (next to be held 1 July 2012); Chamber of Deputies - last held 2 July 2006 (next to be held 5 July 2009)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PAN 52, PRI 33, PRD 26, PVEM 6, CD 5, PT 5, independent 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PAN 207, PRD 127, PRI 106, PVEM 17, CD 17, PT 11, other 15

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court of Justice or Suprema Corte de Justicia de la Nacion (justices or ministros are appointed by the president with consent of the Senate)

Political parties and leaders:

Convergence for Democracy or CD [Luis MALDONADO Venegas];
Institutional Revolutionary Party or PRI [Beatriz PAREDES]; Labor
Party or PT [Alberto ANAYA Gutierrez]; Mexican Green Ecological
Party or PVEM [Jorge Emilio GONZALEZ Martinez]; National Action
Party (Partido Accion Nacional) or PAN [German MARTINEZ Cazares];
New Alliance Party (Partido Nueva Alianza) or PNA [Jorge Antonio
KAHWAGI Macari]; Party of the Democratic Revolution (Partido de la
Revolucion Democratica) or PRD [Leonel COTA Montano]; Social
Democratic and Peasant Alternative Party (Partido Alternativa
Socialdemocrata y Campesina) or Alternativa [Alberto BEGNE Guerra]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Broad Progressive Front or FAP; Businessmen's Coordinating Council
or CCE; Confederation of Employers of the Mexican Republic or
COPARMEX; Confederation of Industrial Chambers or CONCAMIN;
Confederation of Mexican Workers or CTM; Confederation of National
Chambers of Commerce or CONCANACO; Coordinator for Foreign Trade
Business Organizations or COECE; Federation of Unions Providing
Goods and Services or FESEBES; National Chamber of Transformation
Industries or CANACINTRA; National Peasant Confederation or CNC;
National Small Business Chamber or CANACOPE; National Syndicate of
Education Workers or SNTE; National Union of Workers or UNT; Popular
Assembly of the People of Oaxaca or APPO; Roman Catholic Church

International organization participation:

APEC, BCIE, BIS, CAN (observer), Caricom (observer), CDB, CE
(observer), CSN (observer), EBRD, FAO, G-20, G-3, G-15, G-24, IADB,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES,
LAIA, MIGA, NAFTA, NAM (observer), NEA, OAS, OECD, OPANAL, OPCW,
PCA, RG, SICA (observer), UN, UNASUR (observer), UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Arturo SARUKHAN Casamitjana

chancery: 1911 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20006

telephone: [1] (202) 728-1600

FAX: [1] (202) 728-1698

consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas,
Denver, El Paso, Houston, Laredo (Texas), Los Angeles, Miami, New
York, Nogales (Arizona), Phoenix, Sacramento, Saint Paul
(Minnesota), San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, San
Juan (Puerto Rico)

consulate(s): Albuquerque, Brownsville (Texas), Calexico
(California), Del Rio (Texas), Detroit, Douglas (Arizona), Eagle
Pass (Texas), Fresno (California), Indianapolis (Indiana), Kansas
City (Missouri), Laredo (Texas), Las Vegas, Little Rock (Arkansas),
McAllen (Texas), New Orleans, Omaha, Orlando, Oxnard (California),
Philadelphia, Portland (Oregon), Presidio (Texas), Raleigh, Salt
Lake City, San Bernardino, Santa Ana (California), Seattle, Tucson,
Yuma (Arizona)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Antonio O. GARZA, Jr.

embassy: Paseo de la Reforma 305, Colonia Cuauhtemoc, 06500 Mexico, Distrito Federal

mailing address: P. O. Box 9000, Brownsville, TX 78520-9000

telephone: [52] (55) 5080-2000

FAX: [52] (55) 5511-9980

consulate(s) general: Ciudad Juarez, Guadalajara, Monterrey, Tijuana

consulate(s): Hermosillo, Matamoros, Merida, Nogales, Nuevo Laredo

Flag description:

three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and red; the coat of arms (an eagle with a snake in its beak perched on a cactus) is centered in the white band

Economy ::Mexico

Economy - overview:

Mexico has a free market economy in the trillion dollar class. It contains a mixture of modern and outmoded industry and agriculture, increasingly dominated by the private sector. Recent administrations have expanded competition in seaports, railroads, telecommunications, electricity generation, natural gas distribution, and airports. Per capita income is roughly one-third that of the US; income distribution remains highly unequal. Trade with the US and Canada has nearly tripled since the implementation of NAFTA in 1994. Mexico has 12 free trade agreements with over 40 countries including, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, the European Free Trade Area, and Japan, putting more than 90% of trade under free trade agreements. In 2007, during its first year in office, the Felipe CALDERON administration was able to garner support from the opposition to successfully pass a pension and a fiscal reform. The administration continues to face many economic challenges including the need to upgrade infrastructure, modernize labor laws, and allow private investment in the energy sector. CALDERON has stated that his top economic priorities remain reducing poverty and creating jobs.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$1.567 trillion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 12 $1.547 trillion (2007 est.)

$1.498 trillion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$1.088 trillion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

1.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 170 3.3% (2007 est.)

5.1% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$14,300 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 79 $14,200 (2007 est.)

$13,900 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 3.8%

industry: 35.2%

services: 61% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

45.32 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 13

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 15.1%

industry: 25.7%

services: 59% (2005)

Unemployment rate:

4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 47 3.7% (2007 est.)

note: underemployment is perhaps 25%

Population below poverty line:

13.8% using food-based definition of poverty; asset based poverty amounted to more than 40% (2006)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 1.8%

highest 10%: 37.9% (2006)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

47.9 (2006) country comparison to the world: 32 53.1 (1998)

Investment (gross fixed):

22.1% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 82

Budget:

revenues: $257.1 billion

expenditures: $258.1 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

35.8% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 65 23.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

5.1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 87 4% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

NA% (31 December 2008)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

8.71% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 114 7.56% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$92.34 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 13 $103.5 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$147.4 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 16 $168.4 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$287 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 25 $349.1 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$232.6 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 24 $397.7 billion (31 December 2007)

$348.3 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

corn, wheat, soybeans, rice, beans, cotton, coffee, fruit, tomatoes; beef, poultry, dairy products; wood products

Industries:

food and beverages, tobacco, chemicals, iron and steel, petroleum, mining, textiles, clothing, motor vehicles, consumer durables, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:

-0.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 139

Electricity - production:

245 billion kWh (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 15

Electricity - consumption:

200.9 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 18

Electricity - exports:

1.288 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

584 million kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

3.186 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 7

Oil - consumption:

2.128 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 12

Oil - exports:

1.986 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 11

Oil - imports:

479,600 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 27

Oil - proved reserves:

10.5 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 17

Natural gas - production:

52.15 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 17

Natural gas - consumption:

66.88 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 13

Natural gas - exports:

1.136 billion cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 33

Natural gas - imports:

12.61 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 17

Natural gas - proved reserves:

372.7 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 35

Current account balance:

-$15.81 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 176 -$8.331 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$291.3 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 17 $271.9 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

manufactured goods, oil and oil products, silver, fruits, vegetables, coffee, cotton

Exports - partners:

US 80.2%, Canada 2.4%, Germany 1.7% (2008)

Imports:

$308.6 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 17 $281.9 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

metalworking machines, steel mill products, agricultural machinery, electrical equipment, car parts for assembly, repair parts for motor vehicles, aircraft, and aircraft parts

Imports - partners:

US 49%, China 11.2%, Japan 5.3%, South Korea 4.4%, Germany 4.1% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$95.3 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 16 $87.19 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$200.4 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 31 $193.1 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$289.8 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 17 $267.8 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$45.39 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 32 $44.7 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

Mexican pesos (MXN) per US dollar - 11.016 (2008 est.), 10.8 (2007), 10.899 (2006), 10.898 (2005), 11.286 (2004)

Communications ::Mexico

Telephones - main lines in use:

20.539 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 14

Telephones - mobile cellular:

75.304 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 12

Telephone system:

general assessment: adequate telephone service for business and government, but the population is poorly served; mobile subscribers far outnumber fixed-line subscribers; domestic satellite system with 120 earth stations; extensive microwave radio relay network; considerable use of fiber-optic cable and coaxial cable

domestic: low telephone density with about 19 fixed lines per 100 persons; privatized in December 1990; despite the opening to competition in January 1997, Telmex remains dominant; legal challenges to Telmex's alleged anti-competitive behavior in the mobile and fixed-line markets culminated in a World Trade Organization ruling in 2004 against Mexico prompting some strengthening of the powers granted Mexico's telecom regulator; mobile cellular teledensity approaching 70 per 100 persons

international: country code - 52; Columbus-2 fiber-optic submarine cable with access to the US, Virgin Islands, Canary Islands, Spain, and Italy; the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) and the MAYA-1 submarine cable system together provide access to Central America, parts of South America and the Caribbean, and the US; satellite earth stations - 120 (32 Intelsat, 2 Solidaridad (giving Mexico improved access to South America, Central America, and much of the US as well as enhancing domestic communications), 1 Panamsat, numerous Inmarsat mobile earth stations); linked to Central American Microwave System of trunk connections (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 850, FM 545, shortwave 15 (2003)

Television broadcast stations:

236 (plus repeaters) (1997)

Internet country code:

.mx

Internet hosts:

12.716 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 8

Internet users:

23.26 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 16

Transportation ::Mexico

Airports:

1,744 (2009) country comparison to the world: 3

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 246

over 3,047 m: 12

2,438 to 3,047 m: 29

1,524 to 2,437 m: 85

914 to 1,523 m: 82

under 914 m: 38 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 1,498

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 65

914 to 1,523 m: 426

under 914 m: 1,005 (2009)

Heliports:

1 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 22,705 km; liquid petroleum gas 1,875 km; oil 8,688 km; oil/gas/water 228 km; refined products 6,520 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 17,516 km country comparison to the world: 16 standard gauge: 17,516 km 1.435-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 356,945 km country comparison to the world: 19 paved: 178,473 km (includes 6,279 km of expressways)

unpaved: 178,472 km (2006)

Waterways:

2,900 km (navigable rivers and coastal canals) (2008) country comparison to the world: 34

Merchant marine:

total: 55 country comparison to the world: 67 by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 7, chemical tanker 5, liquefied gas 4, passenger/cargo 11, petroleum tanker 23, roll on/roll off 3

foreign-owned: 4 (Denmark 2, Hong Kong 1, UAE 1)

registered in other countries: 20 (Brazil 1, Honduras 1, Liberia 2, Marshall Islands 4, Panama 2, Portugal 1, Spain 3, Venezuela 5, unknown 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Altamira, Coatzacoalcos, Manzanillo, Morro Redondo, Salina Cruz,
Tampico, Veracruz

Military ::Mexico

Military branches:

Secretariat of National Defense (Secretaria de Defensa Nacional,
Sedena): Army (Ejercito, includes Mexican Air Force (Fuerza Aerea
Mexicana, FAM)); Secretariat of the Navy (Secretaria de Marina,
Semar): Mexican Navy (Armada de Mexico, ARM, includes Naval Air
Force (FAN) and naval infantry) (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for compulsory military service, conscript service obligation - 12 months; 16 years of age with consent for voluntary enlistment; conscripts serve only in the Army; Navy and Air Force service is all voluntary; women are eligible for voluntary military service (2007)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 27,774,688

females age 16-49: 29,376,791 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 22,541,654

females age 16-49: 25,149,027 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 1,109,981

female: 1,072,094 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

0.5% of GDP (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 161

Transnational Issues ::Mexico

Disputes - international:

abundant rainfall in recent years along much of the Mexico-US border region has ameliorated periodically strained water-sharing arrangements; the US has intensified security measures to monitor and control legal and illegal personnel, transport, and commodities across its border with Mexico; Mexico must deal with thousands of impoverished Guatemalans and other Central Americans who cross the porous border looking for work in Mexico and the United States

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

IDPs: 5,500-10,000 (government's quashing of Zapatista uprising in 1994 in eastern Chiapas Region) (2007)

Illicit drugs:

major drug-producing nation; cultivation of opium poppy in 2007 rose to 6,900 hectares yielding a potential production of 18 metric tons of pure heroin, or 50 metric tons of "black tar" heroin, the dominant form of Mexican heroin in the western United States; marijuana cultivation increased to 8,900 hectares in 2007 and yielded a potential production of 15,800 metric tons; government conducts the largest independent illicit-crop eradication program in the world; continues as the primary transshipment country for US-bound cocaine from South America, with an estimated 90% of annual cocaine movements toward the US stopping in Mexico; major drug syndicates control the majority of drug trafficking throughout the country; producer and distributor of ecstasy; significant money-laundering center; major supplier of heroin and largest foreign supplier of marijuana and methamphetamine to the US market (2007)

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Micronesia, Federated States of (Australia-Oceania)

Introduction ::Micronesia, Federated States of

Background:

In 1979 the Federated States of Micronesia, a UN Trust Territory under US administration, adopted a constitution. In 1986 independence was attained under a Compact of Free Association with the US, which was amended and renewed in 2004. Present concerns include large-scale unemployment, overfishing, and overdependence on US aid.

Geography ::Micronesia, Federated States of

Location:

Oceania, island group in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Indonesia

Geographic coordinates:

6 55 N, 158 15 E

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 702 sq km country comparison to the world: 191 land: 702 sq km

water: 0 sq km (fresh water only)

note: includes Pohnpei (Ponape), Chuuk (Truk) Islands, Yap Islands, and Kosrae (Kosaie)

Area - comparative:

four times the size of Washington, DC (land area only)

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

6,112 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; heavy year-round rainfall, especially in the eastern islands; located on southern edge of the typhoon belt with occasionally severe damage

Terrain:

islands vary geologically from high mountainous islands to low, coral atolls; volcanic outcroppings on Pohnpei, Kosrae, and Chuuk

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Dolohmwar (Totolom) 791 m

Natural resources:

forests, marine products, deep-seabed minerals, phosphate

Land use:

arable land: 5.71%

permanent crops: 45.71%

other: 48.58% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

typhoons (June to December)

Environment - current issues:

overfishing, climate change, pollution

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

four major island groups totaling 607 islands

People ::Micronesia, Federated States of

Population:

107,434 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 191

Age structure:

0-14 years: 34.8% (male 19,010/female 18,411)

15-64 years: 62.3% (male 33,286/female 33,629)

65 years and over: 2.9% (male 1,317/female 1,781) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 22 years

male: 21.5 years

female: 22.5 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.238% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 219

Birth rate:

23.1 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 80

Death rate:

4.46 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 200

Net migration rate:

-21.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 180

Urbanization:

urban population: 22% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 0.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 26.1 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 82 male: 28.79 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 23.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 70.94 years country comparison to the world: 134 male: 69.06 years

female: 72.93 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.89 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 77

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Micronesian(s)

adjective: Micronesian; Chuukese, Kosraen(s), Pohnpeian(s), Yapese

Ethnic groups:

Chuukese 48.8%, Pohnpeian 24.2%, Kosraean 6.2%, Yapese 5.2%, Yap outer islands 4.5%, Asian 1.8%, Polynesian 1.5%, other 6.4%, unknown 1.4% (2000 census)

Religions:

Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 47%, other 3%

Languages:

English (official and common language), Chuukese, Kosrean,
Pohnpeian, Yapese, Ulithian, Woleaian, Nukuoro, Kapingamarangi

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 89%

male: 91%

female: 88% (1980 est.)

Education expenditures:

7.3% of GDP (2000) country comparison to the world: 18

Government ::Micronesia, Federated States of

Country name:

conventional long form: Federated States of Micronesia

conventional short form: none

local long form: Federated States of Micronesia

local short form: none

former: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Ponape, Truk, and Yap Districts

abbreviation: FSM

Government type:

constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 3 November 1986 and the Amended Compact entered into force May 2004

Capital:

name: Palikir

geographic coordinates: 6 55 N, 158 09 E

time difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

4 states; Chuuk (Truk), Kosrae (Kosaie), Pohnpei (Ponape), Yap

Independence:

3 November 1986 (from the US-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday:

Constitution Day, 10 May (1979)

Constitution:

10 May 1979

Legal system:

based on adapted Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Emanuel MORI (since 11 May 2007); Vice President Alik L. ALIK (since 11 May 2007); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Emanuel MORI (since 11 May 2007); Vice President Alik L. ALIK (since 11 May 2007)

cabinet: Cabinet includes the vice president and the heads of the 8 executive departments

elections: president and vice president elected by Congress from among the four senators at large for a four-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 11 May 2007 (next to be held May 2011); note - a proposed constitutional amendment to establish popular elections for president and vice president failed

election results: Emanuel MORI elected president; percent of Congress vote - NA; Alik L. ALIK elected vice president; percent of Congress vote - NA

Legislative branch:

unicameral Congress (14 seats; 4 - one elected from each state to serve four-year terms and 10 - elected from single-member districts delineated by population to serve two-year terms; members elected by popular vote)

elections: last held 3 March 2009 (next to be held in March 2011)

election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 14

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:

no formal parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ACP, ADB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IOC,
ITSO, ITU, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO,
WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Yosiwo GEORGE

chancery: 1725 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036

telephone: [1] (202) 223-4383

FAX: [1] (202) 223-4391

consulate(s) general: Honolulu, Tamuning (Guam)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Miriam K. HUGHES

embassy: 101 Upper Pics Road, Kolonia

mailing address: P. O. Box 1286, Kolonia, Pohnpei, 96941

telephone: [691] 320-2187

FAX: [691] 320-2186

Flag description:

light blue with four white five-pointed stars centered; the stars are arranged in a diamond pattern

Economy ::Micronesia, Federated States of

Economy - overview:

Economic activity consists primarily of subsistence farming and fishing. The islands have few mineral deposits worth exploiting, except for high-grade phosphate. The potential for a tourist industry exists, but the remote location, a lack of adequate facilities, and limited air connections hinder development. Under the original terms of the Compact of Free Association, the US provided $1.3 billion in grant aid during the period 1986-2001; the level of aid has been subsequently reduced. The Amended Compact of Free Association with the US guarantees the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) millions of dollars in annual aid through 2023, and establishes a Trust Fund into which the US and the FSM make annual contributions in order to provide annual payouts to the FSM in perpetuity after 2023. The country's medium-term economic outlook appears fragile due not only to the reduction in US assistance but also to the current slow growth of the private sector.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$238.1 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 214 $277 million (2002 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP supplemented by grant aid, averaging perhaps $100 million annually

GDP (official exchange rate):

$238.1 million (2008)

GDP - real growth rate:

NA

0.3% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$2,200 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 183 $2,300 (2005 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 28.9%

industry: 15.2%

services: 55.9% (2004 est.)

Labor force:

16,360 (2008) country comparison to the world: 204

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 0.9%

industry: 34.4%

services: 64.7%

note: two-thirds are government employees (FY05 est.)

Unemployment rate:

22% (2000 est.) country comparison to the world: 170

Population below poverty line:

26.7% (2000)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $166 million ($69 million less grants)

expenditures: $152.7 million (FY07 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.2% (2005) country comparison to the world: 20

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

14.38% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 53 14.03% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$22.45 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$72.49 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$NA (31 December 2007)

Agriculture - products:

black pepper, tropical fruits and vegetables, coconuts, bananas, cassava (tapioca), sakau (kava), betel nuts, sweet potatoes; pigs, chickens; fish; Kosraen citrus

Industries:

tourism, construction; fish processing, specialized aquaculture; craft items (from shell, wood, and pearls)

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

192 million kWh (2002) country comparison to the world: 177

Electricity - consumption:

178.6 million kWh (2002) country comparison to the world: 179

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2002)

Current account balance:

-$34.3 million (FY05 est.) country comparison to the world: 69

Exports:

$14 million (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 207

Exports - commodities:

fish, garments, bananas, black pepper, sakau (kava), betel nut

Imports:

$132.7 million (2004) country comparison to the world: 205

Imports - commodities:

food, manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, beverages

Debt - external:

$60.8 million (FY05 est.) country comparison to the world: 193

Exchange rates:

the US dollar is used

Communications ::Micronesia, Federated States of

Telephones - main lines in use:

8,700 (2008) country comparison to the world: 206

Telephones - mobile cellular:

34,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 200

Telephone system:

general assessment: adequate system

domestic: islands interconnected by shortwave radiotelephone (used mostly for government purposes), satellite (Intelsat) ground stations, and some coaxial and fiber-optic cable; cellular service available on Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap

international: country code - 691; satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2002)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 5, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004)

Television broadcast stations:

3 (cable TV also available) (2004)

Internet country code:

.fm

Internet hosts:

1,050 (2009) country comparison to the world: 159

Internet users:

16,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 194

Transportation ::Micronesia, Federated States of

Airports:

6 (2009) country comparison to the world: 170

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 6

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 240 km country comparison to the world: 204 paved: 42 km

unpaved: 198 km (2000)

Merchant marine:

total: 3 country comparison to the world: 137 by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 2 (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Tomil Harbor

Military ::Micronesia, Federated States of

Military branches:

no regular military forces; defense is the responsibility of the US (2009)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 26,686 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 21,845

females age 16-49: 23,401 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 1,273

female: 1,212 (2009 est.)

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues ::Micronesia, Federated States of

Disputes - international:

none

Illicit drugs:

major consumer of cannabis

page last updated on November 3, 2009

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

@Moldova (Europe)

Introduction ::Moldova

Background:

Part of Romania during the interwar period, Moldova was incorporated into the Soviet Union at the close of World War II. Although independent from the USSR since 1991, Russian forces have remained on Moldovan territory east of the Dniester River supporting the Slavic majority population, mostly Ukrainians and Russians, who have proclaimed a "Transnistria" republic. One of the poorest nations in Europe, Moldova became the first former Soviet state to elect a Communist as its president in 2001.

Geography ::Moldova

Location:

Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania

Geographic coordinates:

47 00 N, 29 00 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 33,851 sq km country comparison to the world: 139 land: 32,891 sq km

water: 960 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than Maryland

Land boundaries:

total: 1,390 km

border countries: Romania 450 km, Ukraine 940 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

moderate winters, warm summers

Terrain:

rolling steppe, gradual slope south to Black Sea

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Dniester River 2 m

highest point: Dealul Balanesti 430 m

Natural resources:

lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, arable land, limestone

Land use:

arable land: 54.52%

permanent crops: 8.81%

other: 36.67% (2005)

Irrigated land:

3,000 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

11.7 cu km (1997)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 2.31 cu km/yr (10%/58%/33%)

per capita: 549 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

landslides

Environment - current issues:

heavy use of agricultural chemicals, including banned pesticides such as DDT, has contaminated soil and groundwater; extensive soil erosion from poor farming methods

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

landlocked; well endowed with various sedimentary rocks and minerals including sand, gravel, gypsum, and limestone

People ::Moldova

Population:

4,320,748 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 122

Age structure:

0-14 years: 15.9% (male 353,495/female 334,592)

15-64 years: 73.3% (male 1,536,263/female 1,629,882)

65 years and over: 10.8% (male 172,070/female 294,446) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 34.6 years

male: 32.7 years

female: 36.7 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.079% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 212

Birth rate:

11.12 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 176

Death rate:

10.78 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 49

Net migration rate:

-1.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 126

Urbanization:

urban population: 42% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: -1.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.58 male(s)/female

total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 13.13 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 137 male: 14.57 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 11.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 70.8 years country comparison to the world: 136 male: 67.1 years

female: 74.71 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.27 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 210

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.4% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 81

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

8,900 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 109

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 100 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 139

Nationality:

noun: Moldovan(s)

adjective: Moldovan

Ethnic groups:

Moldovan/Romanian 78.2%, Ukrainian 8.4%, Russian 5.8%, Gagauz 4.4%,
Bulgarian 1.9%, other 1.3% (2004 census)

note: internal disputes with ethnic Slavs in the Transnistrian region

Religions:

Eastern Orthodox 98%, Jewish 1.5%, Baptist and other 0.5% (2000)

Languages:

Moldovan (official, virtually the same as the Romanian language),
Russian, Gagauz (a Turkish dialect)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.1%

male: 99.7%

female: 98.6% (2005 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 12 years

male: 12 years

female: 13 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

7.6% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 17

Government ::Moldova

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Moldova

conventional short form: Moldova

local long form: Republica Moldova

local short form: Moldova

former: Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic, Moldovan Soviet Socialist Republic

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Chisinau (Kishinev)

note: pronounced kee-shee-now

geographic coordinates: 47 00 N, 28 51 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

32 raions (raioane, singular - raionul), 3 municipalities (municipiul), 1 autonomous territorial unit (unitatea teritoriala autonoma), and 1 territorial unit (unitatea teritoriala)

raions: Anenii Noi, Basarabeasca, Briceni, Cahul, Cantemir,
Calarasi, Causeni, Cimislia, Criuleni, Donduseni, Drochia, Dubasari,
Edinet, Falesti, Floresti, Glodeni, Hincesti, Ialoveni, Leova,
Nisporeni, Ocnita, Orhei, Rezina, Riscani, Singerei, Soldanesti,
Soroca, Stefan-Voda, Straseni, Taraclia, Telenesti, Ungheni

municipalities: Balti, Bender, Chisinau

autonomous territorial unit: Gagauzia

territorial unit: Stinga Nistrului (Transnistria)

Independence:

27 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 27 August (1991)

Constitution:

adopted 29 July 1994; effective 27 August 1994; note - replaced 1979 Soviet constitution

Legal system:

based on civil law system; Constitutional Court reviews legality of legislative acts and governmental decisions of resolution; accepts many UN and Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) documents; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Acting President Mihai GHIMPU (since 11 September 2009)

note: Vladimir VORONIN, president since 4 April 2001, resigned on 11 September 2009; Mihai GHIMPU, the Parliamentary Speaker, replaced him until new elections can be held

head of government: Prime Minister Vladimir FILAT (since 25 September 2009); Deputy Prime Minister Iurie LEANCA (since 25 September 2009)

cabinet: Cabinet selected by president, subject to approval of Parliament

elections: president elected by Parliament for a four-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 4 April 2005 (next to have been held 5 April 2009); note - prime minister designated by the president upon consultation with Parliament; within 15 days from designation, the prime minister-designate must request a vote of confidence from the Parliament regarding his/her work program and entire cabinet; prime minister designated 17 September 2009; cabinet received a vote of confidence 25 September 2009

election results: Vladimir VORONIN reelected president; parliamentary votes - Vladimir VORONIN 75, Gheorghe DUCA 1; Vladimir FILAT designated prime minister; parliamentary votes of confidence - 53 of 101

Legislative branch:

unicameral Parliament or Parlamentul (101 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 29 July 2009 (next to be held in 2013); note - this was the second parliamentary election in less than four months; the earlier parliament (elected 5 April 2009) could not agree on a presidential candidate

election results: percent of vote by party - PCRM 44.7%, PLDM 16.6%, PL 14.7%, PD 12.5%, AMN 7.4%; seats by party - PCRM 48, PLDM 18, PL 15, PD 13, AMN 7

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court; Constitutional Court (the sole authority for constitutional judicature)

Political parties and leaders:

Centrist Union or UCM [Vasile TARLEV]; Christian Democratic People's
Party or PPCD [Iurie ROSCA]; Communist Party of the Republic of
Moldova or PCRM [Vladimir VORONIN]; Democratic Party or PD [Dumitru
DIACOV]; Liberal Democratic Party or PLDM [Vladmir FILAT]; Liberal
Party or PL [Mihai GHIMPU]; National Liberal Party or PNL [Vitalia
PAVLICENKO]; Our Moldova Alliance or AMN [Serafim URECHEAN]; Party
for Social Democracy or PDSM [Dumitru BRAGHIS]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

BSEC, CE, CEI, CIS, EAEC (observer), EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GCTU, GUAM,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, OIF,
OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina,
UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Nicolae CHIRTOACA

chancery: 2101 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 667-1130

FAX: [1] (202) 667-1204

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Asif CHAUDHRY

embassy: 103 Mateevici Street, Chisinau MD-2009

mailing address: use embassy street address

telephone: [373] (22) 40-8300

FAX: [373] (22) 23-3044

Flag description:

three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red; emblem in center of flag is of a Roman eagle of gold outlined in black with a red beak and talons carrying a yellow cross in its beak and a green olive branch in its right talons and a yellow scepter in its left talons; on its breast is a shield divided horizontally red over blue with a stylized ox head, star, rose, and crescent all in black-outlined yellow; same color scheme as Romania

Economy ::Moldova

Economy - overview:

Moldova remains one of the poorest countries in Europe despite recent progress from its small economic base. It enjoys a favorable climate and good farmland but has no major mineral deposits. As a result, the economy depends heavily on agriculture, featuring fruits, vegetables, wine, and tobacco. Moldova must import almost all of its energy supplies. Moldova's dependence on Russian energy was underscored at the end of 2005, when a Russian-owned electrical station in Moldova's separatist Transnistria region cut off power to Moldova and Russia's Gazprom cut off natural gas in disputes over pricing, and again in January 2009, during a similar dispute. Russia's decision to ban Moldovan wine and agricultural products, coupled with its decision to double the price Moldova paid for Russian natural gas, slowed GDP growth in 2006-07. However, in 2008 growth exceeded the 6% level Moldova had achieved in 2000-05, boosted by Russia's partial removal of the bans, solid fixed capital investment, and strong domestic demand driven by remittances from abroad. Economic reforms have been slow because of corruption and strong political forces backing government controls. Nevertheless, the government's primary goal of EU integration has resulted in some market-oriented progress. The granting of EU trade preferences and increased exports to Russia will encourage higher growth rates, but the agreements are unlikely to serve as a panacea, given the extent to which export success depends on higher quality standards and other factors. The economy remains vulnerable to higher fuel prices, poor agricultural weather, and the skepticism of foreign investors. Also, the presence of an illegal separatist regime in Moldova's Transnistria region continues to be a drag on the Moldovan economy. The deteriorating global economic crisis did not seriously effect the Moldovan economy in 2008 due to its low exposure to the international financial system, but a global economic slowdown, particularly in the EU and Russia, could hurt the economy in 2009 as Moldova relies heavily on remittances from Moldovans abroad.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$10.8 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 146 $10.07 billion (2007 est.)

$9.684 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$6.047 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

7.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 33 4% (2007 est.)

4.8% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$2,500 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 172 $2,300 (2007 est.)

$2,200 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 19.4%

industry: 20%

services: 60.6% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

1.327 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 132

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 40.6%

industry: 16%

services: 43.3% (2005)

Unemployment rate:

1.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 10

Population below poverty line:

29.5% (2005)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 3%

highest 10%: 28.2% (2004)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

33.2 (2003) country comparison to the world: 95 40.6 (1997)

Investment (gross fixed):

32.5% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 14

Budget:

revenues: $2.453 billion

expenditures: $2.513 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

22.3% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 89 63.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

12.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 177 12.3% (2007 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

21.06% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 22 18.83% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$1.116 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 85 $965 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$1.928 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 83 $1.449 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$2.406 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 90 $1.896 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 102 $573.9 million (2004)

Agriculture - products:

vegetables, fruits, wine, grain, sugar beets, sunflower seed, tobacco; beef, milk

Industries:

sugar, vegetable oil, food processing, agricultural machinery; foundry equipment, refrigerators and freezers, washing machines; hosiery, shoes, textiles

Industrial production growth rate:

-1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 143

Electricity - production:

3.617 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 121

Electricity - consumption:

4.37 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 113

Electricity - exports:

240 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

2.931 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 168

Oil - consumption:

17,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 129

Oil - exports:

36.49 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 135

Oil - imports:

14,230 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 129

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 107

Natural gas - production:

50 million cu m (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 82

Natural gas - consumption:

2.52 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 77

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 157

Natural gas - imports:

2.52 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 43

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 114

Current account balance:

-$1.015 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 119 -$695.5 million (2007 est.)

Exports:

$1.641 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 137 $1.368 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

foodstuffs, textiles, machinery

Exports - partners:

Morocco 48.3%, Russia 15.2%, Romania 8.1%, Italy 5% (2008)

Imports:

$4.87 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 115 $3.676 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

mineral products and fuel, machinery and equipment, chemicals, textiles

Imports - partners:

Ukraine 20.6%, Russia 19.5%, Romania 14.6%, Germany 8.1%, Italy 5.1%, Belarus 4.3% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$1.672 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 114 $1.334 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$4.125 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 110 $3.326 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$1.813 billion (2008) country comparison to the world: 94

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$NA

Exchange rates:

Moldovan lei (MDL) per US dollar - 10.326 (2008 est.), 12.177 (2007), 13.131 (2006), 12.6 (2005), 12.33 (2004)

Communications ::Moldova

Telephones - main lines in use:

1.115 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 73

Telephones - mobile cellular:

2.423 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 117

Telephone system:

general assessment: inadequate, outmoded, poor service outside Chisinau; some modernization is under way

domestic: depending on location, new subscribers may face long wait for service; multiple private operators of GSM mobile-cellular telephone service are operating; GPRS system is being introduced; a CDMA mobile telephone network began operations in 2007; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity 85 per 100 persons

international: country code - 373; service through Romania and Russia via landline; satellite earth stations - at least 3 (Intelsat, Eutelsat, and Intersputnik) (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 2, FM 29, shortwave NA (2006)

Television broadcast stations:

40 (2006)

Internet country code:

.md

Internet hosts:

367,150 (2009) country comparison to the world: 52

Internet users:

850,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 96

Transportation ::Moldova

Airports:

11 (2009) country comparison to the world: 154

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 5

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 6

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

under 914 m: 3 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 1,906 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 1,138 km country comparison to the world: 87 broad gauge: 1,124 km 1.520-m gauge

standard gauge: 14 km 1.435-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 12,666 km country comparison to the world: 130 paved: 12,117 km

unpaved: 549 km (2007)

Waterways:

424 km (on Dniester and Prut rivers) (2008) country comparison to the world: 87

Merchant marine:

total: 39 country comparison to the world: 78 by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 32, chemical tanker 2, combination ore/oil 2, petroleum tanker 1

foreign-owned: 17 (Egypt 1, Romania 3, Russia 3, Syria 1, Turkey 3, Ukraine 5, Yemen 1) (2008)

Military ::Moldova

Military branches:

National Army: Land Forces, Rapid Reaction Forces, Air and Air
Defense Forces (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for compulsory military service; 17 years of age for voluntary service; male registration required at age 16; 12-month service obligation (2009)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,161,924

females age 16-49: 1,187,771 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 877,665

females age 16-49: 987,356 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 31,633

female: 30,214 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

0.4% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 166

Transnational Issues ::Moldova

Disputes - international:

Moldova and Ukraine operate joint customs posts to monitor the transit of people and commodities through Moldova's break-away Transnistria region, which remains under OSCE supervision

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Moldova is a major source and, to a lesser extent, a transit country for women and girls trafficked for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation; Moldovan women are trafficked to the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and Western Europe; girls and young women are trafficked within the country from rural areas to Chisinau; children are also trafficked to neighboring countries for forced labor and begging; labor trafficking of men to work in the construction, agriculture, and service sectors of Russia is increasingly a problem

tier rating: Tier 3 - Moldova does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; the government failed to follow-up on allegations of officials complicit in trafficking cited in the 2007 Report, and it did not demonstrate proactive efforts to identify trafficking victims (2008)

Illicit drugs:

limited cultivation of opium poppy and cannabis, mostly for CIS consumption; transshipment point for illicit drugs from Southwest Asia via Central Asia to Russia, Western Europe, and possibly the US; widespread crime and underground economic activity

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Monaco (Europe)

Introduction ::Monaco

Background:

The Genoese built a fortress on the site of present-day Monaco in 1215. The current ruling Grimaldi family secured control in the late 13th century, and a principality was established in 1338. Economic development was spurred in the late 19th century with a railroad linkup to France and the opening of a casino. Since then, the principality's mild climate, splendid scenery, and gambling facilities have made Monaco world famous as a tourist and recreation center.

Geography ::Monaco

Location:

Western Europe, bordering the Mediterranean Sea on the southern coast of France, near the border with Italy

Geographic coordinates:

43 44 N, 7 24 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 2 sq km country comparison to the world: 248 land: 2 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

about three times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

total: 4.4 km

border countries: France 4.4 km

Coastline:

4.1 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 12 nm

Climate:

Mediterranean with mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers

Terrain:

hilly, rugged, rocky

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m

highest point: Mont Agel 140 m

Natural resources:

none

Land use:

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (urban area) (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

NA

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air
Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

second-smallest independent state in the world (after Holy See); almost entirely urban

People ::Monaco

Population:

32,965 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 211

Age structure:

0-14 years: 14.6% (male 2,466/female 2,349)

15-64 years: 62.4% (male 10,184/female 10,395)

65 years and over: 23% (male 3,068/female 4,503) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 45.7 years

male: 43.6 years

female: 47.7 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.394% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 165

Birth rate:

9.1 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 209

Death rate:

12.74 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 33

Net migration rate:

7.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 12

Urbanization:

urban population: 100% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 0.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female

total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 5 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 191 male: 5.77 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 80.09 years country comparison to the world: 21 male: 76.3 years

female: 84.09 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.75 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 164

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Monegasque(s) or Monacan(s)

adjective: Monegasque or Monacan

Ethnic groups:

French 47%, Monegasque 16%, Italian 16%, other 21%

Religions:

Roman Catholic 90%, other 10%

Languages:

French (official), English, Italian, Monegasque

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99% (2003 est.)

Education expenditures:

4.4% of GDP (2004) country comparison to the world: 93

Government ::Monaco

Country name:

conventional long form: Principality of Monaco

conventional short form: Monaco

local long form: Principaute de Monaco

local short form: Monaco

Government type:

constitutional monarchy

Capital:

name: Monaco

geographic coordinates: 43 44 N, 7 25 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

none; there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are four quarters (quartiers, singular - quartier); Fontvieille, La Condamine, Monaco-Ville, Monte-Carlo

Independence:

1419 (beginning of rule by the House of Grimaldi)

National holiday:

National Day (Saint Rainier's Day), 19 November (1857)

Constitution:

17 December 1962; modified 2 April 2002

Legal system:

based on French law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Prince ALBERT II (since 6 April 2005)

head of government: Minister of State Jean-Paul PROUST (since 1 June 2005)

cabinet: Council of Government is under the authority of the monarch

elections: the monarchy is hereditary; minister of state appointed by the monarch from a list of three French national candidates presented by the French Government

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Council or Conseil National (24 seats; 16 members elected by list majority system, 8 by proportional representation; to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 3 February 2008 (next to be held in February 2013)

election results: percent of vote by party - UPM 52.2%, REM 40.5%, Monaco Together 7.3%; seats by party - UPM 21, REM 3

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Tribunal Supreme (judges appointed by the monarch on the basis of nominations by the National Council)

Political parties and leaders:

Union for Monaco or UPM (including National Union for the Future of
Monaco or UNAM); Rally and Issues for Monaco or REM; Monaco Together

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

CE, FAO, IAEA, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IFRCS, IHO, IMO,
IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITSO, ITU, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Schengen
Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador to the US and Representative to the UN Gilles NOGHES

chancery: 3400 International Drive NW, Suite 2K-100, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: (202) 234-1530

FAX: (202) 552-5778

consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

the US does not have an embassy in Monaco; the US Ambassador to France is accredited to Monaco; the US Consul General in Marseille (France), under the authority of the US ambassador to France, handles routine diplomatic and consular matters concerning Monaco

Flag description:

two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; similar to the flag of Indonesia which is longer and the flag of Poland which is white (top) and red

Economy ::Monaco

Economy - overview:

Monaco, bordering France on the Mediterranean coast, is a popular resort, attracting tourists to its casino and pleasant climate. The principality also is a major banking center and has successfully sought to diversify into services and small, high-value-added, nonpolluting industries. The state has no income tax and low business taxes and thrives as a tax haven both for individuals who have established residence and for foreign companies that have set up businesses and offices. The state retains monopolies in a number of sectors, including tobacco, the telephone network, and the postal service. Living standards are high, roughly comparable to those in prosperous French metropolitan areas.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$976.3 million (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 201 note: Monaco does not publish national income figures; the estimates are extremely rough

GDP (official exchange rate):

$NA

GDP - real growth rate:

0.9% (2000 est.) country comparison to the world: 182

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$30,000 (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 46

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 0%

industry: 4.9%

services: 95.1% (2005)

Labor force:

44,000 country comparison to the world: 185 note: includes workers from all foreign countries (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate:

0% (2005) country comparison to the world: 2

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $863 million

expenditures: $920.6 million (2005 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

1.9% (2000) country comparison to the world: 15

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

none

Industries:

tourism, construction, small-scale industrial and consumer products

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - consumption:

NA kWh

Electricity - imports:

NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by France

Exports:

$716.3 million (2005) country comparison to the world: 158 note: full customs integration with France, which collects and rebates Monegasque trade duties; also participates in EU market system through customs union with France

Imports:

$916.1 million (2005) country comparison to the world: 172

note: full customs integration with France, which collects and rebates Monegasque trade duties; also participates in EU market system through customs union with France

Debt - external:

$18 billion (2000 est.) country comparison to the world: 75

Exchange rates:

euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008 est.), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)

Communications ::Monaco

Telephones - main lines in use:

35,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 175

Telephones - mobile cellular:

22,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 205

Telephone system:

general assessment: modern automatic telephone system; the country's sole fixed line operator offers a full range of services to residential and business customers

domestic: combined fixed line and mobile telephone density exceeds 100%

international: country code - 377; no satellite earth stations; connected by cable into the French communications system

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 11, shortwave 1 (2008)

Television broadcast stations:

5 (1998)

Internet country code:

.mc

Internet hosts:

22,608 (2009) country comparison to the world: 100

Internet users:

22,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 189

Transportation ::Monaco

Heliports:

1 (2007)

Roadways:

total: 50 km country comparison to the world: 215 paved: 50 km (2007)

Merchant marine:

registered in other countries: 70 (Bahamas 15, Georgia 4, Isle of Man 3, Liberia 8, Marshall Islands 13, Norway 5, Panama 16, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 5, Vanuatu 1) (2008) country comparison to the world: 61

Ports and terminals:

Monaco

Military ::Monaco

Military branches:

no regular military forces; the Palace Guard performs ceremonial duties

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 6,687 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 5,495

females age 16-49: 5,406 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 190

female: 182 (2009 est.)

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues ::Monaco

Disputes - international:

none

page last updated on October 28, 2009

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

@Mongolia (East & Southeast Asia)

Introduction ::Mongolia

Background:

The Mongols gained fame in the 13th century when under Chinggis KHAN they established a huge Eurasian empire through conquest. After his death the empire was divided into several powerful Mongol states, but these broke apart in the 14th century. The Mongols eventually retired to their original steppe homelands and in the late 17th century came under Chinese rule. Mongolia won its independence in 1921 with Soviet backing and a Communist regime was installed in 1924. The modern country of Mongolia, however, represents only part of the Mongols' historical homeland; more Mongols live in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in the People's Republic of China than in Mongolia. Following a peaceful democratic revolution, the ex-Communist Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP) won elections in 1990 and 1992, but was defeated by the Democratic Union Coalition (DUC) in the 1996 parliamentary election. The MPRP won an overwhelming majority in the 2000 parliamentary election, but the party lost seats in the 2004 election and shared power with democratic coalition parties from 2004-08. The MPRP regained a solid majority in the 2008 parliamentary elections but nevertheless formed a coalition government with the Democratic Party. The prime minister and most cabinet members are MPRP members.

Geography ::Mongolia

Location:

Northern Asia, between China and Russia

Geographic coordinates:

46 00 N, 105 00 E

Map references:

Asia

Area:

total: 1,564,116 sq km country comparison to the world: 19 land: 1,553,556 sq km

water: 10,560 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Alaska

Land boundaries:

total: 8,220 km

border countries: China 4,677 km, Russia 3,543 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

desert; continental (large daily and seasonal temperature ranges)

Terrain:

vast semidesert and desert plains, grassy steppe, mountains in west and southwest; Gobi Desert in south-central

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Hoh Nuur 518 m

highest point: Nayramadlin Orgil (Huyten Orgil) 4,374 m

Natural resources:

oil, coal, copper, molybdenum, tungsten, phosphates, tin, nickel, zinc, fluorspar, gold, silver, iron

Land use:

arable land: 0.76%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 99.24% (2005)

Irrigated land:

840 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

34.8 cu km (1999)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.44 cu km/yr (20%/27%/52%)

per capita: 166 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

dust storms; grassland and forest fires; drought; "zud," which is harsh winter conditions

Environment - current issues:

limited natural fresh water resources in some areas; the policies of former Communist regimes promoted rapid urbanization and industrial growth that had negative effects on the environment; the burning of soft coal in power plants and the lack of enforcement of environmental laws severely polluted the air in Ulaanbaatar; deforestation, overgrazing, and the converting of virgin land to agricultural production increased soil erosion from wind and rain; desertification and mining activities had a deleterious effect on the environment

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

landlocked; strategic location between China and Russia

People ::Mongolia

Population:

3,041,142 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 136

Age structure:

0-14 years: 28.1% (male 436,391/female 418,923)

15-64 years: 67.9% (male 1,031,819/female 1,033,806)

65 years and over: 4% (male 52,430/female 67,773) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 25.3 years

male: 24.9 years

female: 25.7 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.493% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 89

Birth rate:

21.05 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 91

Death rate:

6.12 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 159

Net migration rate:

NA (2009 est.)

Urbanization:

urban population: 57% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 39.88 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 67 male: 42.99 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 36.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 67.65 years country comparison to the world: 154 male: 65.23 years

female: 70.19 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.23 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 114

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 133

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

fewer than 500 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 149

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 200 (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 108

Nationality:

noun: Mongolian(s)

adjective: Mongolian

Ethnic groups:

Mongol (mostly Khalkha) 94.9%, Turkic (mostly Kazakh) 5%, other (including Chinese and Russian) 0.1% (2000)

Religions:

Buddhist Lamaist 50%, Shamanist and Christian 6%, Muslim 4%, none 40% (2004)

Languages:

Khalkha Mongol 90%, Turkic, Russian (1999)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 97.8%

male: 98%

female: 97.5% (2000 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 13 years

male: 12 years

female: 14 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

5% of GDP (2004) country comparison to the world: 73

Government ::Mongolia

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Mongolia

local long form: none

local short form: Mongol Uls

former: Outer Mongolia

Government type:

parliamentary

Capital:

name: Ulaanbaatar

geographic coordinates: 47 55 N, 106 55 E

time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

21 provinces (aymguud, singular - aymag) and 1 municipality* (singular - hot); Arhangay, Bayanhongor, Bayan-Olgiy, Bulgan, Darhan-Uul, Dornod, Dornogovi, Dundgovi, Dzavhan (Zavkhan), Govi-Altay, Govisumber, Hentiy, Hovd, Hovsgol, Omnogovi, Orhon, Ovorhangay, Selenge, Suhbaatar, Tov, Ulaanbaatar*, Uvs

Independence:

11 July 1921 (from China)

National holiday:

Independence Day/Revolution Day, 11 July (1921)

Constitution:

13 January 1992

Legal system:

blend of Soviet and German systems that employ "continental" or "civil" code; case-precedent may be used to inform judges, but all decisions must refer to the law as written; constitution ambiguous on judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Tsakhia ELBEGDORJ (since 18 June 2009)

head of government: Prime Minister Sukhbaatar BATBOLD (since 29 October 2009); First Deputy Prime Minister (Norov ALTANKHUYAG (since 20 September 2008); Vice Prime Minister Miegombyn ENKHBOLD (since 6 December 2007)

cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the prime minister in consultation with the president and confirmed by the State Great Hural (parliament)

elections: presidential candidates nominated by political parties represented in State Great Hural and elected by popular vote for a four-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 24 May 2009 (next to be held in May 2013); following legislative elections, leader of majority party or majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by State Great Hural

election results: in elections in May 2009, Tsakhia ELBEGDORJ elected president; percent of vote - Tsakhia ELBEGDORJ 51.24%, Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR 47.44%, others 1.32%

Legislative branch:

unicameral State Great Hural 76 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms

elections: last held 29 June 2008 (next to be held in June 2012)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MPRP 45, DP 27, others 4; note - 1 seat disputed and unfilled

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (serves as appeals court for people's and provincial courts but rarely overturns verdicts of lower courts; judges are nominated by the General Council of Courts and approved by the president)

Political parties and leaders:

Democratic Party or DP [Norov ALTANHUYAG]; Mongolian People's
Revolutionary Party or MPRP [Sanjaa BAYAR]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

other: human rights groups; women's groups

International organization participation:

ADB, ARF, CP, EBRD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO,
ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OPCW, OSCE (partner), SCO
(observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOMIG, UNWTO,
UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Khasbazaryn BEKHBAT

chancery: 2833 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20007

telephone: [1] (202) 333-7117

FAX: [1] (202) 298-9227

consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Mark C. MINTON

embassy: Big Ring Road, 11th Micro Region, Ulaanbaatar, 14171 Mongolia

mailing address: PSC 461, Box 300, FPO AP 96521-0002; P.O. Box 1021, Ulaanbaatar-13

telephone: [976] (11) 329-095

FAX: [976] (11) 320-776

Flag description:

three equal, vertical bands of red (hoist side), blue, and red; centered on the hoist-side red band in yellow is the national emblem ("soyombo" - a columnar arrangement of abstract and geometric representation for fire, sun, moon, earth, water, and the yin-yang symbol)

Economy ::Mongolia

Economy - overview:

Economic activity in Mongolia has traditionally been based on herding and agriculture. Mongolia has extensive mineral deposits. Copper, coal, gold, molybdenum, fluorspar, uranium, tin, and tungsten account for a large part of industrial production and foreign direct investment. Soviet assistance, at its height one-third of GDP, disappeared almost overnight in 1990 and 1991 at the time of the dismantlement of the USSR. The following decade saw Mongolia endure both deep recession because of political inaction and natural disasters, as well as economic growth because of reform-embracing, free-market economics and extensive privatization of the formerly state-run economy. Severe winters and summer droughts in 2000-02 resulted in massive livestock die-off and zero or negative GDP growth. This was compounded by falling prices for Mongolia's primary sector exports and widespread opposition to privatization. Growth averaged nearly 9% per year in 2004-08 largely because of high copper prices and new gold production. Until late 2008 Mongolia experienced a soaring inflation rate with year-to-year inflation reaching nearly 40% - the highest inflation rate in over a decade. In late 2008 falling commodity prices in this import-reliant country helped lower inflation but by that time, the country had begun to feel the effects of the global financial crisis. Falling prices for copper and other mineral exports have reduced government revenues and are forcing cuts in spending. The global credit crisis has stalled growth in key sectors, especially those that had been fueled by foreign investment. Mongolia's economy continues to be heavily influenced by its neighbors. Mongolia purchases 95% of its petroleum products and a substantial amount of electric power from Russia, leaving it vulnerable to price increases. Trade with China represents more than half of Mongolia's total external trade - China receives about 70% of Mongolia's exports. Remittances from Mongolians working abroad both legally and illegally are sizable but have fallen due to the economic crisis; money laundering is a growing concern. Mongolia settled its $11 billion debt with Russia at the end of 2003 on favorable terms. Mongolia, which joined the World Trade Organization in 1997, seeks to expand its participation and integration into Asian regional economic and trade regimes.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$9.499 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 151 $8.714 billion (2007 est.)

$7.929 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$5.243 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

9% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 19 9.9% (2007 est.)

8.6% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$3,200 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 163 $3,000 (2007 est.)

$2,700 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 18.8%

industry: 38.5%

services: 42.7% (2008)

Labor force:

1.068 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 138

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 34%

industry: 5%

services: 61% (2008)

Unemployment rate:

2.8% (2008) country comparison to the world: 31 3% (2007)

Population below poverty line:

36.1% (2004)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.9%

highest 10%: 24.9% (2005)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

32.8 (2002) country comparison to the world: 97 44 (1998)

Budget:

revenues: $1.71 billion

expenditures: $1.95 billion (2008)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

28% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 218 9% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

14.78% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 44 9.87% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

18% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 26 17.54% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$521.2 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 93 $504.7 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$1.288 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 91 $1.53 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$1.743 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 95 $1.183 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$412 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 101 $612.2 million (31 December 2007)

$112.6 million (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

wheat, barley, vegetables, forage crops; sheep, goats, cattle, camels, horses

Industries:

construction and construction materials; mining (coal, copper, molybdenum, fluorspar, tin, tungsten, and gold); oil; food and beverages; processing of animal products, cashmere and natural fiber manufacturing

Industrial production growth rate:

3% (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 82

Electricity - production:

3.979 billion kWh (2008) country comparison to the world: 118

Electricity - consumption:

3.491 billion kWh (2008) country comparison to the world: 118

Electricity - exports:

15.8 million kWh (2008)

Electricity - imports:

197.5 million kWh (2008)

Oil - production:

3,216 bbl/day (2008) country comparison to the world: 101

Oil - consumption:

15,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 135

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 186

Oil - imports:

17,680 bbl/day (2008) country comparison to the world: 116

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl country comparison to the world: 106

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 161

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 161

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 156

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 97

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 113

Current account balance:

-$1 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 118 -$23 million (2007 est.)

Exports:

$2.539 billion (2008) country comparison to the world: 127 $1.889 billion (2007)

Exports - commodities:

copper, apparel, livestock, animal products, cashmere, wool, hides, fluorspar, other nonferrous metals, coal

Exports - partners:

China 74%, Canada 9.4%, Russia 3.3% (2008)

Imports:

$3.615 billion (2008) country comparison to the world: 132 $2.117 billion (2007)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, fuel, cars, food products, industrial consumer goods, chemicals, building materials, sugar, tea

Imports - partners:

Russia 34.1%, China 29.1%, South Korea 7.6%, Japan 7.4% (2008)

Debt - external:

$1.6 billion (2008) country comparison to the world: 142 $1.438 billion (2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$NA

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$NA

Exchange rates:

togrog/tugriks (MNT) per US dollar - 1,267.51 (2008), 1,170 (2007), 1,165 (2006), 1,205 (2005), 1,185.3 (2004)

Communications ::Mongolia

Telephones - main lines in use:

165,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 129

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1.796 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 126

Telephone system:

general assessment: network is improving with international direct dialing available in many areas

domestic: very low fixed-line density; there are multiple mobile cellular service providers and subscribership is increasing rapidly; a fiber-optic network has been installed that is improving broadband and communication services between major urban centers with multiple companies providing inter-city fiber-optic cable services

international: country code - 976; satellite earth stations - 7

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 7, FM 115 (includes 20 national radio broadcaster repeaters), shortwave 4 (2006)

Television broadcast stations:

68 (2008)

Internet country code:

.mn

Internet hosts:

524 (2009) country comparison to the world: 170

Internet users:

330,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 122

Transportation ::Mongolia

Airports:

45 (2009) country comparison to the world: 95

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 14

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 11

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 31

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 4

1,524 to 2,437 m: 24

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Heliports:

1 (2009)

Railways:

total: 1,810 km country comparison to the world: 76 broad gauge: 1,810 km 1.520-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 49,249 km country comparison to the world: 80 paved: 2,671 km

unpaved: 46,578 km (2008)

Waterways:

580 km country comparison to the world: 82 note: only waterway in operation is Lake Hovsgol (135 km); Selenge River (270 km) and Orhon River (175 km) are navigable but carry little traffic; lakes and rivers freeze in winter, are open from May to September (2007)

Merchant marine:

total: 77 country comparison to the world: 57 by type: bulk carrier 20, cargo 44, chemical tanker 2, liquefied gas 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 6, vehicle carrier 1

foreign-owned: 53 (China 1, Germany 4, Indonesia 1, North Korea 1, South Korea 1, Lebanon 2, Russia 9, Singapore 9, Thailand 1, Ukraine 1, Vietnam 23) (2008)

Military ::Mongolia

Military branches:

Mongolian Armed Forces: Mongolian Army, Mongolian Air Force; there is no navy (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18-25 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 12 months in land or air defense forces or police; a small portion of Mongolian land forces (2.5 percent) is comprised of contract soldiers; women cannot be deployed overseas for military operations (2006)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 865,425

females age 16-49: 860,669 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 706,774

females age 16-49: 740,550 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 28,251

female: 27,344 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.4% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 116

Transnational Issues ::Mongolia

Disputes - international:

none

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Montenegro (Europe)

Introduction ::Montenegro

Background:

The use of the name Montenegro began in the 15th century when the Crnojevic dynasty began to rule the Serbian principality of Zeta; over subsequent centuries Montenegro was able to maintain its independence from the Ottoman Empire. From the 16th to 19th centuries, Montenegro became a theocracy ruled by a series of bishop princes; in 1852, it was transformed into a secular principality. After World War I, Montenegro was absorbed by the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, which became the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in 1929; at the conclusion of World War II, it became a constituent republic of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. When the latter dissolved in 1992, Montenegro federated with Serbia, first as the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and, after 2003, in a looser union of Serbia and Montenegro. In May 2006, Montenegro invoked its right under the Constitutional Charter of Serbia and Montenegro to hold a referendum on independence from the state union. The vote for severing ties with Serbia exceeded 55% - the threshold set by the EU - allowing Montenegro to formally declare its independence on 3 June 2006.

Geography ::Montenegro

Location:

Southeastern Europe, between the Adriatic Sea and Serbia

Geographic coordinates:

42 30 N, 19 18 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 13,812 sq km country comparison to the world: 161 land: 13,452 sq km

water: 360 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Connecticut

Land boundaries:

total: 625 km

border countries: Albania 172 km, Bosnia and Herzegovina 225 km, Croatia 25 km, Kosovo 79 km, Serbia 124 km

Coastline:

293.5 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

continental shelf: defined by treaty

Climate:

Mediterranean climate, hot dry summers and autumns and relatively cold winters with heavy snowfalls inland

Terrain:

highly indented coastline with narrow coastal plain backed by rugged high limestone mountains and plateaus

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m

highest point: Bobotov Kuk 2,522 m

Natural resources:

bauxite, hydroelectricity

Land use:

arable land: 13.7%

permanent crops: 1%

other: 85.3%

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

destructive earthquakes

Environment - current issues:

pollution of coastal waters from sewage outlets, especially in tourist-related areas such as Kotor

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

strategic location along the Adriatic coast

People ::Montenegro

Population:

672,180 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 164

Age structure:

0-14 years: 16% (male 52,645/female 54,846)

15-64 years: 70.3% (male 244,949/female 227,794)

65 years and over: 13.7% (male 37,217/female 54,729) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 36.7 years

male: 35.2 years

female: 38.4 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.851% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 232

Birth rate:

11.14 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 173

Death rate:

8.63 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 90

Urbanization:

urban population: 60% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: -0.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 0.96 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: intermediate

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea

vectorborne disease: Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Montenegrin(s)

adjective: Montenegrin

Ethnic groups:

Montenegrin 43%, Serbian 32%, Bosniak 8%, Albanian 5%, other
(Muslims, Croats, Roma (Gypsy)) 12% (2003 census)

Religions:

Orthodox 74.2%, Muslim 17.7%, Catholic 3.5%, other 0.6%, unspecified 3%, atheist 1% (2003 census)

Languages:

Serbian 63.6%, Montenegrin (official) 22%, Bosnian 5.5%, Albanian 5.3%, unspecified 3.7% (2003 census)

Education expenditures:

NA

Government ::Montenegro

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Montenegro

local long form: none

local short form: Crna Gora

former: People's Republic of Montenegro, Socialist Republic of Montenegro, Republic of Montenegro

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Podgorica

geographic coordinates: 42 26 N, 19 16 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1 hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

21 municipalities (opstine, singular - opstina); Andrijevica, Bar,
Berane, Bijelo Polje, Budva, Cetinje, Danilovgrad, Herceg Novi,
Kolasin, Kotor, Mojkovac, Niksic, Plav, Pljevlja, Pluzine,
Podgorica, Rozaje, Savnik, Tivat, Ulcinj, Zabljak

Independence:

3 June 2006 (from Serbia and Montenegro)

National holiday:

National Day, 13 July (1878)

Constitution:

approved 19 October 2007 (by the Assembly)

Legal system:

based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Filip VUJANOVIC (since 6 April 2008)

head of government: Prime Minister Milo DJUKANOVIC (since 29 February 2008)

cabinet: Ministries act as cabinet

elections: president elected by direct vote for five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 6 April 2008 (next to be held in 2013); prime minister proposed by president, accepted by Assembly

election results: Filip VUJANOVIC reelected president; Filip VUJANOVIC 51.89%, Andrija MANDIC 19.55%, Nebojsa MEDOJEVIC 16.64%, Srdan MILIC 11.92%

Legislative branch:

unicameral Assembly (81 seats; members elected by direct vote for four-year terms; changed from 74 seats in 2006)

elections: last held 29 March 2009 (next to be held in 2013)

election results: percent of vote by party - Coalition for European Montenegro 51.94%, SNP 16.83%, NSD 9.22%, PZP 6.03%, other (including Albanian minority parties) 15.98%; seats by party - Coalition for European Montenegro 48, SNP 16, NSD 8, PZP 5, Albanian minority parties 4

Judicial branch:

Constitutional Court (five judges with nine-year terms); Supreme
Court (judges have life tenure)

Political parties and leaders:

Albanian Alternative or AA [Vesel SINISHTAJ]; Coalition for European Montenegro or DPS-SDP (bloc) [Milo DJUKANOVIC] (includes Democratic Party of Socialists or DPS [Milo DJUKANOVIC] and Social Democratic Party or SDP [Ranko KRIVOKAPIC]); Coalition SNP-NS-DSS (bloc) (includes Socialist People's Party or SNP [Srdjan MILIC], People's Party of Montenegro or NS [Predrag POPOVIC], and Democratic Serbian Party of Montenegro or DSS [Ranko KADIC]); Democratic League-Party of Democratic Prosperity or SPP [Mehmet BARDHIJ]; Democratic Union of Albanians or DUA [Ferhat DINOSA]; Liberals and the Bosniak Party (bloc) [Miodrag ZIVKOVIC] (includes Liberal Party of Montenegro or LP [Miodrag ZIVKOVIC] and Bosniak Party or BS [Rafet HUSOVIC]); Movement for Changes or PZP [Nebojsa MEDOJEVIC]; New Serb Democracy or NSD [Andrija MANDIC]; Serbian List (bloc) [Andrija MANDIC] (includes Party of Serb Radicals or SSR [Dusko SEKULIC], People's Socialist Party or NSS [Emilo LABUDOVIC], and Serbian People's Party of Montenegro or SNS [Andrija MANDIC]); Socialist People's Party of Montenegro or SNP [Srdjan MILIC]

International organization participation:

CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO
(correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SECI, UN,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Miodrag VLAHOVIC

chancery: 1610 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 20009

telephone: [1] (202) 234-6108

FAX: [1] (202) 234-6109

consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Roderick W. MOORE

embassy: Ljubljanska bb, 81000 Podgorica, Montenegro

mailing address: use embassy street address

telephone: [382] 81 225 417

FAX: [382] 81 241 358

Flag description:

a red field bordered by a narrow golden-yellow stripe with the Montenegrin coat of arms centered

Economy ::Montenegro

Economy - overview:

Montenegro severed its economy from federal control and from Serbia during the MILOSEVIC era and maintained its own central bank, adopted the Deutchmark, then the euro - rather than the Yugoslav dinar - as official currency, collected customs tariffs, and managed its own budget. The dissolution of the loose political union between Serbia and Montenegro in 2006 led to separate membership in several international financial institutions, such as the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. On 18 January 2007, Montenegro joined the World Bank and IMF. Montenegro is pursuing its own membership in the World Trade Organization and signed a Stabilization and Association agreement with the European Union in October 2007. On December 15, 2008, Montenegro submitted an EU membership application. Unemployment and regional disparities in development are key political and economic problems. Montenegro has privatized its large aluminum complex - the dominant industry - as well as most of its financial sector, and has begun to attract foreign direct investment in the tourism sector. The global financial crisis is likely to have a significant negative impact on the economy.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$6.832 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 153 $6.355 billion (2007 est.)

$5.804 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$4.848 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

7.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 27 9.5% (2007 est.)

8.6% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$10,100 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 104 $9,300 (2007 est.)

$8,400 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Labor force:

259,100 (2004) country comparison to the world: 162

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 2%

industry: 30%

services: 68% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:

14.7% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 152

Population below poverty line:

7% (2007 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

30 (2003) country comparison to the world: 115

Investment (gross fixed):

30.5% of GDP (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 22

Budget:

revenues: NA

expenditures: NA

Public debt:

38% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 59

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3.4% (2007) country comparison to the world: 43

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

9.24% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 92 9.09% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$1.172 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$1.446 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$3.083 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 90 $3.699 billion (31 December 2007)

$1.754 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

grains, tobacco, potatoes, citrus fruits, olives, grapes; sheepherding; commercial fishing negligible

Industries:

steelmaking, aluminum, agricultural processing, consumer goods, tourism

Electricity - production:

2.864 billion kWh (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 128

Electricity - consumption:

18.6 million kWh (2005) country comparison to the world: 206

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2005)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2005)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 165

Oil - consumption:

bbl/day NA

Oil - exports:

313.6 bbl/day (2005) country comparison to the world: 127

Oil - imports:

6,093 bbl/day (2005) country comparison to the world: 152

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 103

Natural gas - consumption:

NA cu m

Current account balance:

-$1.102 billion (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 124

Exports:

$171.3 million (2003) country comparison to the world: 183

Imports:

$601.7 million (2003) country comparison to the world: 182

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$NA

Debt - external:

$650 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 160

Exchange rates:

euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008 est.), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)

Communications ::Montenegro

Telephones - main lines in use:

362,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 105

Telephones - mobile cellular:

735,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 147

Telephone system:

general assessment: modern telecommunications system with access to European satellites

domestic: GSM wireless service, available through 3 providers with national coverage, is growing

international: country code - 382; 2 international switches connect the national system

Radio broadcast stations:

31 (station frequency types NA) (2004)

Television broadcast stations:

13 (2004)

Internet country code:

.me

Internet hosts:

3,245 (2009) country comparison to the world: 141

Internet users:

294,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 128

Transportation ::Montenegro

Airports:

5 (2009) country comparison to the world: 182

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Heliports:

1 (2007)

Railways:

total: 250 km country comparison to the world: 126 standard gauge: 250 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified 169 km) (2007)

Roadways:

total: 7,368 km country comparison to the world: 146 paved: 4,742 km

unpaved: 2,626 km (2006)

Merchant marine:

total: 6 country comparison to the world: 129 by type: cargo 5, passenger/cargo 1

registered in other countries: 3 (Bahamas 2, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Bar

Military ::Montenegro

Military branches:

Armed Forces of the Republic of Montenegro: Army, Navy, Air Force (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

compulsory national military service abolished August 2006

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 154,029

females age 16-49: 136,847 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 3,945

female: 3,907 (2009 est.)

Military - note:

Montenegrin plans call for the establishment of a fully professional armed forces

Transnational Issues ::Montenegro

Disputes - international:

none

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 7,000 (Kosovo); note - mostly ethnic Serbs and Roma who fled Kosovo in 1999

IDPs: 16,192 (ethnic conflict in 1999 and riots in 2004) (2007)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Montenegro is primarily a transit country for the trafficking of women and girls to Western Europe for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation; women and girls from the Balkans and Eastern Europe are trafficked across Montenegro to Western European countries

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Montenegro is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking in persons in 2007; public attention to the issue of trafficking has diminished considerably in Montenegro in recent years (2008)

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Montserrat (Central America and Caribbean)

Introduction ::Montserrat

Background:

English and Irish colonists from St. Kitts first settled on Montserrat in 1632; the first African slaves arrived three decades later. The British and French fought for possession of the island for most of the 18th century, but it finally was confirmed as a British possession in 1783. The island's sugar plantation economy was converted to small farm landholdings in the mid 19th century. Much of this island was devastated and two-thirds of the population fled abroad because of the eruption of the Soufriere Hills Volcano that began on 18 July 1995. Montserrat has endured volcanic activity since, with the last eruption occurring in July 2003.

Geography ::Montserrat

Location:

Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, southeast of Puerto Rico

Geographic coordinates:

16 45 N, 62 12 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 102 sq km country comparison to the world: 225 land: 102 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

about 0.6 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

40 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 3 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; little daily or seasonal temperature variation

Terrain:

volcanic island, mostly mountainous, with small coastal lowland

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: lava dome in English's Crater (in the Soufriere Hills volcanic complex) estimated at over 930 m (2006)

Natural resources:

NEGL

Land use:

arable land: 20%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 80% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

severe hurricanes (June to November); volcanic eruptions (Soufriere Hills volcano has erupted continuously since 1995)

Environment - current issues:

land erosion occurs on slopes that have been cleared for cultivation

Geography - note:

the island is entirely volcanic in origin and comprised of three major volcanic centers of differing ages

People ::Montserrat

Population:

5,097 country comparison to the world: 228 note: an estimated 8,000 refugees left the island following the resumption of volcanic activity in July 1995; some have returned (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 27.6% (male 731/female 678)

15-64 years: 65.5% (male 1,599/female 1,738)

65 years and over: 6.9% (male 232/female 119) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 28.5 years

male: 28.2 years

female: 28.7 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.392% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 167

Birth rate:

12.36 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 166

Death rate:

8.44 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 96

Net migration rate:

NA

Urbanization:

urban population: 14% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 2.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.95 male(s)/female

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 16.08 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 122 male: 12.01 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 20.36 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 72.76 years country comparison to the world: 115 male: 74.74 years

female: 70.68 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.23 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 216

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Montserratian(s)

adjective: Montserratian

Ethnic groups:

black, white

Religions:

Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Seventh-Day
Adventist, other Christian denominations

Languages:

English

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school

total population: 97%

male: 97%

female: 97% (1970 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 16 years

male: 15 years

female: 16 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

3.3% of GDP (2004) country comparison to the world: 137

Government ::Montserrat

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Montserrat

Dependency status:

overseas territory of the UK

Government type:

NA

Capital:

name: Plymouth

geographic coordinates: 16 42 N, 62 13 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

note: Plymouth was abandoned in 1997 because of volcanic activity; interim government buildings have been built at Brades Estate in the Carr's Bay/Little Bay vicinity at the northwest end of Montserrat

Administrative divisions:

3 parishes; Saint Anthony, Saint Georges, Saint Peter

Independence:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday:

Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926)

Constitution:

effective 19 December 1989

Legal system:

English common law and statutory law

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Peter A. WATERWORTH (since 27 July 2007)

head of government: Chief Minister Rueben MEADE (since 10 September 2009)

cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, the chief minister, 3 other ministers, the attorney general, and the finance secretary

elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party usually becomes chief minister

Legislative branch:

unicameral Legislative Council (11 seats, 9 popularly elected; members serve five-year terms)

note: expanded in 2001 from 7 to 9 elected members with attorney general and financial secretary sitting as ex-officio members

elections: last held 8 September 2009 (next to be held by 2014)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MCAP 6, independents 3

note: in 2001, the Elections Commission instituted a single constituency/voter-at-large system whereby all eligible voters cast ballots for all nine seats of the Legislative Council

Judicial branch:

Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based in Saint Lucia, one judge of the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the High Court)

Political parties and leaders:

Montserrat Democratic Party or MDP [Lowell LEWIS]; Movement for
Change and Prosperity or MCAP [Roselyn CASSELL-SEALY]; New People's
Liberation Movement or NPLM [John A. OSBORNE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

Caricom, CDB, Interpol (subbureau), OECS, UPU, WFTU

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description:

blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Montserratian coat of arms centered in the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms features a woman standing beside a yellow harp with her arm around a black cross

Economy ::Montserrat

Economy - overview:

Severe volcanic activity, which began in July 1995, has put a damper on this small, open economy. A catastrophic eruption in June 1997 closed the airports and seaports, causing further economic and social dislocation. Two-thirds of the 12,000 inhabitants fled the island. Some began to return in 1998 but lack of housing limited the number. The agriculture sector continued to be affected by the lack of suitable land for farming and the destruction of crops. Prospects for the economy depend largely on developments in relation to the volcanic activity and on public sector construction activity. The UK has launched a three-year $122.8 million aid program to help reconstruct the economy. Half of the island is expected to remain uninhabitable for another decade.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$29 million (2002 est.) country comparison to the world: 224

GDP (official exchange rate):

$NA

GDP - real growth rate:

-1% (2002 est.) country comparison to the world: 208

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$3,400 (2002 est.) country comparison to the world: 160

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 1.2%

industry: 23.1%

services: 75.7% (1999 est.)

Labor force:

NA

Unemployment rate:

6% (1998 est.) country comparison to the world: 73

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $31.4 million

expenditures: $31.6 million (1997 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.6% (2002 est.) country comparison to the world: 27

Central bank discount rate:

6.5% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 65 6.5% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

9.89% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 81 10.4% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$16.71 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 120 $17.9 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$45.42 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 123 $43.9 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$9.93 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 128 $5.537 million (31 December 2007)

Agriculture - products:

cabbages, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, peppers; livestock products

Industries:

tourism, rum, textiles, electronic appliances

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

22 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 205

Electricity - consumption:

20.46 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 205

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 167

Oil - consumption:

1,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 196

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 185

Oil - imports:

520.6 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 198

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 105

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 160

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 160

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 155

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 96

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 112

Exports:

$700,000 (2001) country comparison to the world: 219

Exports - commodities:

electronic components, plastic bags, apparel; hot peppers, limes, live plants; cattle

Imports:

$17 million

Imports - commodities:

machinery and transportation equipment, foodstuffs, manufactured goods, fuels, lubricants, and related materials

Debt - external:

$8.9 million (1997) country comparison to the world: 198

Exchange rates:

East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar - 2.7 (2007), 2.7 (2006), 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003)

note: fixed rate since 1976

Communications ::Montserrat

Telephones - main lines in use:

2,800 (2008) country comparison to the world: 218

Telephones - mobile cellular:

3,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 214

Telephone system:

general assessment: modern and fully digitalized

domestic: fixed-line and mobile-cellular telephone systems available

international: country code - 1-664; landing point for the East Caribbean Fiber System (ECFS) optic submarine cable with links to 13 other islands in the eastern Caribbean extending from the British Virgin Islands to Trinidad

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (1997)

Internet country code:

.ms

Internet hosts:

688 (2009) country comparison to the world: 168

Internet users:

1,200 (2008) country comparison to the world: 211

Transportation ::Montserrat

Airports:

2 (2009) country comparison to the world: 207

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 2

under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Roadways:

note: volcanic eruptions that began in 1995 destroyed most of the 227 km road system; a new road infrastructure has been built in the north end of the island (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Little Bay, Plymouth

Military ::Montserrat

Military branches:

no regular military forces; Royal Montserrat Police Force (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 2,528 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,126

females age 16-49: 1,226 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 36

female: 33 (2009 est.)

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues ::Montserrat

Disputes - international:

none

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe

page last updated on November 4, 2009

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

@Morocco (Africa)

Introduction ::Morocco

Background:

In 788, about a century after the Arab conquest of North Africa, successive Moorish dynasties began to rule in Morocco. In the 16th century, the Sa'adi monarchy, particularly under Ahmad AL-MANSUR (1578-1603), repelled foreign invaders and inaugurated a golden age. In 1860, Spain occupied northern Morocco and ushered in a half century of trade rivalry among European powers that saw Morocco's sovereignty steadily erode; in 1912, the French imposed a protectorate over the country. A protracted independence struggle with France ended successfully in 1956. The internationalized city of Tangier and most Spanish possessions were turned over to the new country that same year. Morocco virtually annexed Western Sahara during the late 1970s, but final resolution on the status of the territory remains unresolved. Gradual political reforms in the 1990s resulted in the establishment of a bicameral legislature, which first met in 1997. The country has made improvements in human rights under King MOHAMMED VI and its press is moderately free. Despite the continuing reforms, ultimate authority remains in the hands of the monarch.

Geography ::Morocco

Location:

Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and the
Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Western Sahara

Geographic coordinates:

32 00 N, 5 00 W

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 446,550 sq km country comparison to the world: 57 land: 446,300 sq km

water: 250 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than California

Land boundaries:

total: 2,017.9 km

border countries: Algeria 1,559 km, Western Sahara 443 km, Spain (Ceuta) 6.3 km, Spain (Melilla) 9.6 km

Coastline:

1,835 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:

Mediterranean, becoming more extreme in the interior

Terrain:

northern coast and interior are mountainous with large areas of bordering plateaus, intermontane valleys, and rich coastal plains

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Sebkha Tah -55 m

highest point: Jebel Toubkal 4,165 m

Natural resources:

phosphates, iron ore, manganese, lead, zinc, fish, salt

Land use:

arable land: 19%

permanent crops: 2%

other: 79% (2005)

Irrigated land:

14,450 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

29 cu km (2003)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 12.6 cu km/yr (10%/3%/87%)

per capita: 400 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

northern mountains geologically unstable and subject to earthquakes; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:

land degradation/desertification (soil erosion resulting from farming of marginal areas, overgrazing, destruction of vegetation); water supplies contaminated by raw sewage; siltation of reservoirs; oil pollution of coastal waters

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Geography - note:

strategic location along Strait of Gibraltar

People ::Morocco

Population:

34,859,364 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 35

Age structure:

0-14 years: 30% (male 5,333,396/female 5,131,886)

15-64 years: 64.7% (male 11,261,139/female 11,305,792)

65 years and over: 5.2% (male 781,089/female 1,046,062) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 25 years

male: 24.5 years

female: 25.6 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.479% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 93

Birth rate:

20.96 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 92

Death rate:

5.45 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 178

Net migration rate:

-0.72 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 116

Urbanization:

urban population: 56% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 36.88 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 69 male: 40.35 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 33.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 71.8 years country comparison to the world: 125 male: 69.42 years

female: 74.3 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.51 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 94

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 132

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

21,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 77

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 1,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 80

Nationality:

noun: Moroccan(s)

adjective: Moroccan

Ethnic groups:

Arab-Berber 99.1%, other 0.7%, Jewish 0.2%

Religions:

Muslim 98.7%, Christian 1.1%, Jewish 0.2%

Languages:

Arabic (official), Berber dialects, French often the language of business, government, and diplomacy

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 52.3%

male: 65.7%

female: 39.6% (2004 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 10 years

male: 11 years

female: 9 years (2005)

Education expenditures:

NA

Government ::Morocco

Country name:

conventional long form: Kingdom of Morocco

conventional short form: Morocco

local long form: Al Mamlakah al Maghribiyah

local short form: Al Maghrib

Government type:

constitutional monarchy

Capital:

name: Rabat

geographic coordinates: 34 01 N, 6 49 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

15 regions; Grand Casablanca, Chaouia-Ouardigha, Doukkala-Abda,
Fes-Boulemane, Gharb-Chrarda-Beni Hssen, Guelmim-Es Smara,
Laayoune-Boujdour-Sakia El Hamra, Marrakech-Tensift-Al Haouz,
Meknes-Tafilalet, Oriental, Rabat-Sale-Zemmour-Zaer,
Souss-Massa-Draa, Tadla-Azilal, Tanger-Tetouan, Taza-Al
Hoceima-Taounate

note: Morocco claims the territory of Western Sahara, the political status of which is considered undetermined by the US Government; portions of the regions Guelmim-Es Smara and Laayoune-Boujdour-Sakia El Hamra as claimed by Morocco lie within Western Sahara; Morocco also claims Oued Eddahab-Lagouira, another region which falls entirely within Western Sahara

Independence:

2 March 1956 (from France)

National holiday:

Throne Day (accession of King MOHAMMED VI to the throne), 30 July (1999)

Constitution:

10 March 1972; revised 4 September 1992, amended September 1996

note: the amendment of September 1996 was to create a bicameral legislature

Legal system:

based on Islamic law and French and Spanish civil law systems; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Chamber of Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal (as of January 2003)

Executive branch:

chief of state: King MOHAMMED VI (since 30 July 1999)

head of government: Prime Minister Abbas EL FASSI (since 19 September 2007)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch

elections: the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch following legislative elections

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament consists of a Chamber of Counselors (or upper house) (270 seats; members elected indirectly by local councils, professional organizations, and labor syndicates for nine-year terms; one-third of the members are elected every three years) and Chamber of Representatives (or lower house) (325 seats; 295 members elected by multi-seat constituencies and 30 from national lists of women; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms)

elections: Chamber of Counselors - last held 8 September 2006 (next to be held in 2009); Chamber of Representatives - last held 7 September 2007 (next to be held in 2012)

election results: Chamber of Counselors - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PI 17, MP 14, RNI 13, USFP 11, UC 6, PND 4, PPS 4, Al Ahd 4, other 17; Chamber of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PI 52, PJD 46, MP 41, RNI 39, USFP 38, UC 27, PPS 17, FFD 9, MDS 9, Al Ahd 8, other 39

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (judges are appointed on the recommendation of the
Supreme Council of the Judiciary, presided over by the monarch)

Political parties and leaders:

Action Party or PA [Mohammed EL IDRISSI]; Al Ahd (The Covenant)
Party [Najib EL OUAZZANI]; Alliance des Libert'es (Alliance of
Liberty) or ADL [Ali BELHAJ]; An-Nahj Ad-Dimocrati or An-Nahj
[Abdellah EL HARIF]; Authenticity and Modernity Party or PAM
[Mohamed Cheikh BIADILLAH, Secretary General]; Choura et Istiqlal
(Consultation and Independence) Party or PCI [Abdelwahed MAACH];
Citizens' Forces or FC [Abderrahman LAHJOUJI]; Citizenship and
Development Initiative or ICD [Mohamed BENHAMOU]; Constitutional
Union Party or UC [Mohammed ABIED]; Democratic and Social Movement
or MDS [Mahmoud ARCHANE]; Democratic Forces Front or FFD [Touhami EL
KHIARI]; Democratic Socialist Vanguard Party or PADS [Ahmed
BENJELLOUN]; Democratic Society Party or PSD [Zhor CHEKKAFI];
Democratic Union or UD [Bouazza IKKEN]; Environment and Development
Party or PED [Ahmed EL ALAMI]; Istiqlal (Independence) Party or PI
[Abbas EL FASSI]; Justice and Development Party or PJD [Abdelilah
BENKIRANE]; Labor Party or PT [Abdelkrim BENATIK]; Moroccan Liberal
Party or PML [Mohamed ZIANE]; National Democratic Party or PND
[Abdallah KADIRI]; National Ittihadi Congress Party or CNI
[Abdelmajid BOUZOUBAA]; National Popular Movement or MNP [Mahjoubi
AHERDANE]; National Rally of Independents or RNI [Mustapha EL
MANSOURI]; National Union of Popular Forces or UNFP [Abdellah
IBRAHIM]; Popular Movement or MP [Mohamed LAENSER]; Progress and
Socialism Party or PPS [Ismail ALAOUI]; Reform and Development Party
or PRD [Abderrahmane EL KOUHEN]; Renaissance and Virtue Party or PRV
[Mohamed KHALIDI]; Renewal and Equity Party or PRE [Chakir ACHABAR];
Social Center Party or PSC [Lahcen MADIH]; Socialist Democratic
Party or PSD [Aissa OUARDIGHI]; Socialist Union of Popular Forces or
USFP [Abdelwahed RADI]; Unified Socialist Left Party or PGSU
[Mohamed Ben Said AIT IDDER]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Democratic Confederation of Labor or CDT [Noubir AMAOUI]; General
Union of Moroccan Workers or UGTM [Abderrazzak AFILAL]; Moroccan
Employers Association or CGEM [Hassan CHAMI]; National Labor Union
of Morocco or UNMT [Abdelslam MAATI]; Union of Moroccan Workers or
UMT [Mahjoub BENSEDDIK]

International organization participation:

ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, EBRD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAS,
MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, OSCE (partner),
PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Aziz MEKOUAR

chancery: 1601 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone: [1] (202) 462-7979

FAX: [1] (202) 265-0161

consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Robert P. JACKSON

embassy: 2 Avenue de Mohamed El Fassi, Rabat

mailing address: PSC 74, Box 021, APO AE 09718

telephone: [212] (37) 76 22 65

FAX: [212] (37) 76 56 61

consulate(s) general: Casablanca

Flag description:

red with a green pentacle (five-pointed, linear star) known as Sulayman's (Solomon's) seal in the center of the flag; red and green are traditional colors in Arab flags, although the use of red is more commonly associated with the Arab states of the Persian gulf; design dates to 1912

Economy ::Morocco

Economy - overview:

Moroccan economic policies brought macroeconomic stability to the country in the early 1990s but have not spurred growth sufficient to reduce unemployment - nearing 20% in urban areas - despite the Moroccan Government's ongoing efforts to diversify the economy. Morocco's GDP growth rose to 5.9% in 2008, with the economy recovering from a drought in 2007 that severely reduced agricultural output and necessitated wheat imports at rising world prices. Moroccan authorities understand that reducing poverty and providing jobs are key to domestic security and development. In 2005, Morocco launched the National Initiative for Human Development (INDH), a $2 billion social development plan to address poverty and unemployment and to improve the living conditions of the country's urban slums. Moroccan authorities are implementing reform efforts to open the economy to international investors. Despite structural adjustment programs supported by the IMF, the World Bank, and the Paris Club, the dirham is only fully convertible for current account transactions. In 2000, Morocco entered an Association Agreement with the EU and, in 2006, entered a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the US. Long-term challenges include improving education and job prospects for Morocco's youth, and closing the income gap between the rich and the poor, which the government hopes to achieve by increasing tourist arrivals and boosting competitiveness in textiles.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$137.9 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 59 $129.9 billion (2007 est.)

$125.9 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$88.88 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

6.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 53 3.2% (2007 est.)

7.8% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$4,500 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 148 $4,200 (2007 est.)

$4,200 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 15.7%

industry: 30.1%

services: 54.1% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

11.29 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 44

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 44.6%

industry: 19.8%

services: 35.5% (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate:

9.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 121 9.8% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

15% (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.7%

highest 10%: 33.2% (2007)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

40 (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 61 39.5 (1999 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

32.1% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 17

Budget:

revenues: $26.16 billion

expenditures: $27.93 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

55.6% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 32 70.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 56 2% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

3.32% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 132 3.25% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

NA%

Stock of money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$67.42 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$16.23 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$71.9 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$65.75 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 52 $75.49 billion (31 December 2007)

$49.36 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

barley, wheat, citrus, wine, vegetables, olives; livestock

Industries:

phosphate rock mining and processing, food processing, leather goods, textiles, construction, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:

4.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 54

Electricity - production:

21.56 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 70

Electricity - consumption:

20.78 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 67

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

3.455 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Oil - production:

4,310 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 96

Oil - consumption:

187,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 58

Oil - exports:

17,420 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 92

Oil - imports:

195,800 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 49

Oil - proved reserves:

750,000 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 97

Natural gas - production:

60 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 81

Natural gas - consumption:

560 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 94

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 151

Natural gas - imports:

500 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 59

Natural gas - proved reserves:

1.501 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 97

Current account balance:

-$5.836 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 160 -$224 million (2007 est.)

Exports:

$20.17 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 72 $15.15 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

clothing and textiles, electric components, inorganic chemicals, transistors, crude minerals, fertilizers (including phosphates), petroleum products, citrus fruits, vegetables, fish

Exports - partners:

Spain 19.2%, France 17.6%, Brazil 7.1%, US 4.5%, Belgium 4.5%, Italy 4.3% (2008)

Imports:

$39.35 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 53 $29.32 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

crude petroleum, textile fabric, telecommunications equipment, wheat, gas and electricity, transistors, plastics

Imports - partners:

France 16.1%, Spain 13.5%, Italy 6.5%, China 6%, Germany 5.6%, Saudi
Arabia 5.4%, Moldova 5% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$22.72 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 50 $24.72 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$20.12 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 72 $19.91 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$40.92 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$966 million (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 73 $1.337 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

Moroccan dirhams (MAD) per US dollar - 7.526 (2008 est.), 8.3563 (2007), 8.7722 (2006), 8.865 (2005), 8.868 (2004)

Communications ::Morocco

Telephones - main lines in use:

2.991 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 50

Telephones - mobile cellular:

22.816 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 35

Telephone system:

general assessment: modern system with all important capabilities; however, density is low with only 9 fixed lines available for each 100 persons; mobile-cellular subscribership reached 65 per 100 persons in 2008

domestic: good system composed of open-wire lines, cables, and microwave radio relay links; Internet available but expensive; principal switching centers are Casablanca and Rabat; national network nearly 100% digital using fiber-optic links; improved rural service employs microwave radio relay

international: country code - 212; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3 optical telecommunications submarine cable that provides connectivity to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; microwave radio relay to Gibraltar, Spain, and Western Sahara; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Algeria; participant in Medarabtel; fiber-optic cable link from Agadir to Algeria and Tunisia (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 27, FM 25, shortwave 6 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

35 (plus 66 repeaters) (1995)

Internet country code:

.ma

Internet hosts:

276,521 (2009) country comparison to the world: 57

Internet users:

10.3 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 31

Transportation ::Morocco

Airports:

58 (2009) country comparison to the world: 81

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 32

over 3,047 m: 11

2,438 to 3,047 m: 7

1,524 to 2,437 m: 10

914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 26

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 7

914 to 1,523 m: 10

under 914 m: 8 (2009)

Heliports:

1 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 830 km; oil 439 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 1,907 km country comparison to the world: 74 standard gauge: 1,907 km 1.435-m gauge (1,022 km electrified) (2008)

Roadways:

total: 57,625 km country comparison to the world: 76 paved: 35,664 km (includes 639 km of expressways)

unpaved: 21,961 km (2006)

Merchant marine:

total: 35 country comparison to the world: 81 by type: cargo 3, chemical tanker 6, container 8, passenger/cargo 13, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 4

foreign-owned: 16 (France 14, Germany 2)

registered in other countries: 4 (Gibraltar 4) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Agadir, Casablanca, Mohammedia, Safi

Military ::Morocco

Military branches:

Royal Armed Forces (Forces Armees Royales, FAR): Royal Moroccan Army
(includes Air Defense), Navy (includes Marines), Royal Moroccan Air
Force (Al Quwwat al Jawyiya al Malakiya Marakishiya; Force Aerienne
Royale Marocaine) (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 18 months (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 9,152,580

females age 16-49: 9,080,830 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 7,779,589

females age 16-49: 7,881,024 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 356,014

female: 343,520 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

5% of GDP (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 19

Transnational Issues ::Morocco

Disputes - international:

claims and administers Western Sahara whose sovereignty remains unresolved - UN-administered cease-fire has remained in effect since September 1991, but attempts to hold a referendum have failed and parties thus far have rejected all brokered proposals; Morocco protests Spain's control over the coastal enclaves of Ceuta, Melilla, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera, the islands of Penon de Alhucemas and Islas Chafarinas, and surrounding waters; discussions have not progressed on a comprehensive maritime delimitation, setting limits on resource exploration and refugee interdiction, since Morocco's 2002 rejection of Spain's unilateral designation of a median line from the Canary Islands; Morocco serves as one of the primary launching areas of illegal migration into Spain from North Africa

Illicit drugs:

one of the world's largest producers of illicit hashish; shipments of hashish mostly directed to Western Europe; transit point for cocaine from South America destined for Western Europe; significant consumer of cannabis

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Mozambique (Africa)

Introduction ::Mozambique

Background:

Almost five centuries as a Portuguese colony came to a close with independence in 1975. Large-scale emigration, economic dependence on South Africa, a severe drought, and a prolonged civil war hindered the country's development until the mid 1990's. The ruling Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (FRELIMO) party formally abandoned Marxism in 1989, and a new constitution the following year provided for multiparty elections and a free market economy. A UN-negotiated peace agreement between FRELIMO and rebel Mozambique National Resistance (RENAMO) forces ended the fighting in 1992. In December 2004, Mozambique underwent a delicate transition as Joaquim CHISSANO stepped down after 18 years in office. His elected successor, Armando Emilio GUEBUZA, promised to continue the sound economic policies that have encouraged foreign investment. Mozambique has seen very strong economic growth since the end of the civil war largely due to post-conflict reconstruction.

Geography ::Mozambique

Location:

Southeastern Africa, bordering the Mozambique Channel, between South
Africa and Tanzania

Geographic coordinates:

18 15 S, 35 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 799,380 sq km country comparison to the world: 35 land: 786,380 sq km

water: 13,000 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly less than twice the size of California

Land boundaries:

total: 4,571 km

border countries: Malawi 1,569 km, South Africa 491 km, Swaziland 105 km, Tanzania 756 km, Zambia 419 km, Zimbabwe 1,231 km

Coastline:

2,470 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical to subtropical

Terrain:

mostly coastal lowlands, uplands in center, high plateaus in northwest, mountains in west

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: Monte Binga 2,436 m

Natural resources:

coal, titanium, natural gas, hydropower, tantalum, graphite

Land use:

arable land: 5.43%

permanent crops: 0.29%

other: 94.28% (2005)

Irrigated land:

1,180 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

216 cu km (1992)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.63 cu km/yr (11%/2%/87%)

per capita: 32 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

severe droughts; devastating cyclones and floods in central and southern provinces

Environment - current issues:

a long civil war and recurrent drought in the hinterlands have resulted in increased migration of the population to urban and coastal areas with adverse environmental consequences; desertification; pollution of surface and coastal waters; elephant poaching for ivory is a problem

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

the Zambezi flows through the north-central and most fertile part of the country

People ::Mozambique

Population:

21,669,278 country comparison to the world: 52 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected; the 1997 Mozambican census reported a population of 16,099,246 (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 44.3% (male 4,829,272/female 4,773,209)

15-64 years: 52.8% (male 5,605,227/female 5,842,679)

65 years and over: 2.9% (male 257,119/female 361,772) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 17.4 years

male: 17 years

female: 17.8 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.791% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 72

Birth rate:

37.98 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 25

Death rate:

20.07 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 7

Net migration rate:

NA (2009 est.)

Urbanization:

urban population: 37% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 4.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female

total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 105.8 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 7 male: 108.57 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 103 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 41.18 years country comparison to the world: 220 male: 41.83 years

female: 40.53 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

5.18 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 24

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

12.5% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 8

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

1.5 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 5

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

81,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 8

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria and plague

water contact disease: schistosomiasis

animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Mozambican(s)

adjective: Mozambican

Ethnic groups:

African 99.66% (Makhuwa, Tsonga, Lomwe, Sena, and others), Europeans 0.06%, Euro-Africans 0.2%, Indians 0.08%

Religions:

Catholic 23.8%, Muslim 17.8%, Zionist Christian 17.5%, other 17.8%, none 23.1% (1997 census)

Languages:

Emakhuwa 26.1%, Xichangana 11.3%, Portuguese 8.8% (official; spoken by 27% of population as a second language), Elomwe 7.6%, Cisena 6.8%, Echuwabo 5.8%, other Mozambican languages 32%, other foreign languages 0.3%, unspecified 1.3% (1997 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 47.8%

male: 63.5%

female: 32.7% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 8 years

male: 9 years

female: 7 years (2005)

Education expenditures:

5% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 75

Government ::Mozambique

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Mozambique

conventional short form: Mozambique

local long form: Republica de Mocambique

local short form: Mocambique

former: Portuguese East Africa

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Maputo

geographic coordinates: 25 57 S, 32 35 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

10 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia), 1 city (cidade)*; Cabo Delgado, Gaza, Inhambane, Manica, Maputo, Cidade de Maputo*, Nampula, Niassa, Sofala, Tete, Zambezia

Independence:

25 June 1975 (from Portugal)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 25 June (1975)

Constitution:

30 November 1990

Legal system:

based on Portuguese civil law system and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Armando GUEBUZA (since 2 February 2005)

head of government: Prime Minister Luisa DIOGO (since 17 February 2004)

cabinet: Cabinet

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 28 October 2009 (next to be held in 2014); prime minister appointed by the president

election results: Armando GUEBUZA relected president; percent of vote - Armando GUEBUZA 76.3%, Afonso DHLAKAMA 14.9%, Daviz SIMANGO 8.8%

Legislative branch:

unicameral Assembly of the Republic or Assembleia da Republica (250 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 1-2 December 2004 (next to be held on 28 October 2009)

election results: percent of vote by party - FRELIMO 62%, RENAMO 29.7%, other 8.3%; seats by party - FRELIMO 160, RENAMO 90

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (the court of final appeal; some of its professional judges are appointed by the president, and some are elected by the Assembly); other courts include an Administrative Court, Constitutional Court, customs courts, maritime courts, courts marshal, labor courts

Political parties and leaders:

Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (Frente de Liberatacao de
Mocambique) or FRELIMO [Armando Emilio GUEBUZA]; Mozambique National
Resistance (Resistencia Nacional Mocambicana) or RENAMO [Afonso
DHLAKAMA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Mozambican League of Human Rights (Liga Mocambicana dos Direitos
Humanos) or LDH [Alice MABOTE, president]

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, CPLP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO,
ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF (observer), OPCW, SADC, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Armando PANGUENE

chancery: 1525 New Hampshire Avenue, Washington, DC 20036

telephone: [1] (202) 293-7146

FAX: [1] (202) 835-0245

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Todd C. CHAPMAN

embassy: Avenida Kenneth Kuanda 193, Maputo

mailing address: P. O. Box 783, Maputo

telephone: [258] (21) 492797

FAX: [258] (21) 490114

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of green (top), black, and yellow with a red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side; the black band is edged in white; centered in the triangle is a yellow five-pointed star bearing a crossed rifle and hoe in black superimposed on an open white book

Economy ::Mozambique

Economy - overview:

At independence in 1975, Mozambique was one of the world's poorest countries. Socialist mismanagement and a brutal civil war from 1977-92 exacerbated the situation. In 1987, the government embarked on a series of macroeconomic reforms designed to stabilize the economy. These steps, combined with donor assistance and with political stability since the multi-party elections in 1994, have led to dramatic improvements in the country's growth rate. Inflation was reduced to single digits during the late 1990s, and although it returned to double digits in 2000-06, in 2007 inflation had slowed to 8%, while GDP growth reached 7.5%. Fiscal reforms, including the introduction of a value-added tax and reform of the customs service, have improved the government's revenue collection abilities. In spite of these gains, Mozambique remains dependent upon foreign assistance for much of its annual budget, and the majority of the population remains below the poverty line. Subsistence agriculture continues to employ the vast majority of the country's work force. A substantial trade imbalance persists although the opening of the Mozal aluminum smelter, the country's largest foreign investment project to date, has increased export earnings. At the end of 2007, and after years of negotiations, the government took over Portugal's majority share of the Cahora Bassa Hydroelectricity (HCB) company, a dam that was not transferred to Mozambique at independence because of the ensuing civil war and unpaid debts. More power is needed for additional investment projects in titanium extraction and processing and garment manufacturing that could further close the import/export gap. Mozambique's once substantial foreign debt has been reduced through forgiveness and rescheduling under the IMF's Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) and Enhanced HIPC initiatives, and is now at a manageable level. In July 2007 the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) signed a Compact with Mozambique; the Compact entered into force in September 2008 and will continue for five years. Compact projects will focus on improving sanitation, roads, agriculture, and the business regulation environment in an effort to spur economic growth in the four northern provinces of the country.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$19.11 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 124 $17.89 billion (2007 est.)

$16.66 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$9.897 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

6.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 42 7.4% (2007 est.)

8.5% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$900 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 215 $900 (2007 est.)

$800 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 23.5%

industry: 30.9%

services: 45.6% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

9.65 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 50

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 81%

industry: 6%

services: 13% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate:

21% (1997 est.) country comparison to the world: 169

Population below poverty line:

70% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.1%

highest 10%: 39.2% (2003)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

47.3 (2002) country comparison to the world: 34 39.6 (1997)

Investment (gross fixed):

24.9% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 52

Budget:

revenues: $2.801 billion

expenditures: $3.28 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

21.4% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 90 22.2% of GDP (2007 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

10.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 150 8.2% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

9.95% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 43 9.95% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

18.31% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 17 19.52% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$1.406 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 79 $1.261 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$1.752 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 85 $1.467 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$1.315 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 103 $877.2 million (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

cotton, cashew nuts, sugarcane, tea, cassava (tapioca), corn, coconuts, sisal, citrus and tropical fruits, potatoes, sunflowers; beef, poultry

Industries:

food, beverages, chemicals (fertilizer, soap, paints), aluminum, petroleum products, textiles, cement, glass, asbestos, tobacco

Industrial production growth rate:

9% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 17

Electricity - production:

15.91 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 77

Electricity - consumption:

10.16 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 83

Electricity - exports:

11.82 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

8.278 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 159

Oil - consumption:

16,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 133

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 179

Oil - imports:

13,760 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 132

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 154

Natural gas - production:

3.3 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 52

Natural gas - consumption:

100 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 101

Natural gas - exports:

3.2 billion cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 30

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 152

Natural gas - proved reserves:

127.4 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 50

Current account balance:

-$975.3 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 116 -$785.3 million (2007 est.)

Exports:

$2.653 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 125 $2.412 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

aluminum, prawns, cashews, cotton, sugar, citrus, timber; bulk electricity

Exports - partners:

Netherlands 55.5%, South Africa 9.2%, Zimbabwe 2.1% (2008)

Imports:

$3.458 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 133 $2.811 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, chemicals, metal products, foodstuffs, textiles

Imports - partners:

South Africa 27.4%, Netherlands 15.7%, China 4.3% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$1.578 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 116 $1.445 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$3.826 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 112 $4.189 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

meticais (MZM) per US dollar - 24.125 (2008 est.), 26.264 (2007), 25.4 (2006), 23,061 (2005), 22,581 (2004)

note: in 2006 Mozambique revalued its currency, with 1000 old meticais equal to 1 new meticais

Communications ::Mozambique

Telephones - main lines in use:

78,300 (2008) country comparison to the world: 150

Telephones - mobile cellular:

4.405 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 92

Telephone system:

general assessment: fair system with an extremely low density of less than 1 fixed line per 100 persons

domestic: the telecommunications sector is shackled with a heavy state presence, lack of competition, and high operating costs and charges; stagnation in the fixed-line network contrasts with rapid growth in the mobile-cellular network; mobile-cellular coverage now includes all the main cities and key roads, including those from Maputo to the South African and Swaziland borders, the national highway through Gaza and Inhambane provinces, the Beira corridor, and from Nampula to Nacala

international: country code - 258; satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 3 Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 13, FM 17, shortwave 11 (2001)

Television broadcast stations:

4 (2008)

Internet country code:

.mz

Internet hosts:

21,388 (2009) country comparison to the world: 103

Internet users:

350,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 119

Transportation ::Mozambique

Airports:

105 (2009) country comparison to the world: 55

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 23

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 3

1,524 to 2,437 m: 10

914 to 1,523 m: 4

under 914 m: 5 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 82

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 9

914 to 1,523 m: 33

under 914 m: 39 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 918 km; refined products 278 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 4,787 km country comparison to the world: 37 narrow gauge: 4,787 km 1.067-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 30,400 km country comparison to the world: 96 paved: 5,685 km

unpaved: 24,715 km (2000)

Waterways:

460 km (Zambezi River navigable to Tete and along Cahora Bassa Lake) (2008) country comparison to the world: 85

Merchant marine:

total: 2 country comparison to the world: 147 by type: cargo 2

foreign-owned: 2 (Belgium 2) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Beira, Maputo, Nacala

Military ::Mozambique

Military branches:

Mozambique Armed Defense Forces (FADM): Mozambique Army, Mozambique
Navy (Marinha Mocambique, MM), Mozambique Air Force (Forca Aerea de
Mocambique, FAM) (2006)

Military service age and obligation:

19-35 years of age for compulsory military service; 18 years of age for voluntary service; 2-year service obligation (2009)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 4,545,975 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 2,366,897

females age 16-49: 2,209,764 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 263,994

female: 265,058 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

0.8% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 149

Transnational Issues ::Mozambique

Disputes - international:

none

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Mozambique is a source and, to a much lesser extent, a destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and sexual exploitation; the use of forced and bonded child laborers is a common practice in Mozambique's rural areas; women and girls are trafficked from rural to urban areas of Mozambique, as well as to South Africa, for domestic servitude and commercial sexual exploitation; young men and boys are trafficked to South Africa for farm work and mining

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - for the second consecutive year, Mozambique is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat human trafficking in 2007; while the government conducted investigations into cases of human trafficking, there were no prosecutions or convictions of traffickers; government efforts to protect victims of trafficking continued to suffer from limited resources and a lack of political commitment (2008)

Illicit drugs:

southern African transit point for South Asian hashish and heroin, and South American cocaine probably destined for the European and South African markets; producer of cannabis (for local consumption) and methaqualone (for export to South Africa); corruption and poor regulatory capability makes the banking system vulnerable to money laundering, but the lack of a well-developed financial infrastructure limits the country's utility as a money-laundering center

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Namibia (Africa)

Introduction ::Namibia

Background:

South Africa occupied the German colony of South-West Africa during World War I and administered it as a mandate until after World War II, when it annexed the territory. In 1966 the Marxist South-West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) guerrilla group launched a war of independence for the area that became Namibia, but it was not until 1988 that South Africa agreed to end its administration in accordance with a UN peace plan for the entire region. Namibia has been governed by SWAPO since the country won independence in 1990. Hifikepunye POHAMBA was elected president in November 2004 in a landslide victory replacing Sam NUJOMA who led the country during its first 14 years of self rule.

Geography ::Namibia

Location:

Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and South Africa

Geographic coordinates:

22 00 S, 17 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 824,292 sq km country comparison to the world: 34 land: 823,290 sq km

water: 1,002 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly more than half the size of Alaska

Land boundaries:

total: 3,936 km

border countries: Angola 1,376 km, Botswana 1,360 km, South Africa 967 km, Zambia 233 km

Coastline:

1,572 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic

Terrain:

mostly high plateau; Namib Desert along coast; Kalahari Desert in east

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Konigstein 2,606 m

Natural resources:

diamonds, copper, uranium, gold, silver, lead, tin, lithium, cadmium, tungsten, zinc, salt, hydropower, fish

note: suspected deposits of oil, coal, and iron ore

Land use:

arable land: 0.99%

permanent crops: 0.01%

other: 99% (2005)

Irrigated land:

80 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

45.5 cu km (1991)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.3 cu km/yr (24%/5%/71%)

per capita: 148 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

prolonged periods of drought

Environment - current issues:

limited natural fresh water resources; desertification; wildlife poaching; land degradation has led to few conservation areas

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,
Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

first country in the world to incorporate the protection of the environment into its constitution; some 14% of the land is protected, including virtually the entire Namib Desert coastal strip

People ::Namibia

Population:

2,108,665 country comparison to the world: 143 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 35.9% (male 381,904/female 375,059)

15-64 years: 60.2% (male 641,995/female 627,146)

65 years and over: 3.9% (male 36,894/female 45,667) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 21 years

male: 20.9 years

female: 21.1 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.95% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 131

Birth rate:

22.51 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 82

Death rate:

13.3 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 29

Net migration rate:

0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 70

Urbanization:

urban population: 37% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 2.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 45.51 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 55 male: 48.98 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 41.94 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 51.24 years country comparison to the world: 205 male: 51.61 years

female: 50.86 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.69 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 84

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

15.3% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 5

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

200,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 31

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

5,100 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 44

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: malaria

water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Namibian(s)

adjective: Namibian

Ethnic groups:

black 87.5%, white 6%, mixed 6.5%

note: about 50% of the population belong to the Ovambo tribe and 9% to the Kavangos tribe; other ethnic groups include Herero 7%, Damara 7%, Nama 5%, Caprivian 4%, Bushmen 3%, Baster 2%, Tswana 0.5%

Religions:

Christian 80% to 90% (Lutheran 50% at least), indigenous beliefs 10% to 20%

Languages:

English 7% (official), Afrikaans common language of most of the population and about 60% of the white population, German 32%, indigenous languages 1% (includes Oshivambo, Herero, Nama)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 85%

male: 86.8%

female: 83.5% (2001 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 11 years

male: 11 years

female: 11 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

6.9% of GDP (2003) country comparison to the world: 26

Government ::Namibia

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Namibia

conventional short form: Namibia

local long form: Republic of Namibia

local short form: Namibia

former: German Southwest Africa, South-West Africa

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Windhoek

geographic coordinates: 22 34 S, 17 05 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in September; ends first Sunday in April

Administrative divisions:

13 regions; Caprivi, Erongo, Hardap, Karas, Khomas, Kunene, Ohangwena, Okavango, Omaheke, Omusati, Oshana, Oshikoto, Otjozondjupa

Independence:

21 March 1990 (from South African mandate)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 21 March (1990)

Constitution:

ratified 9 February 1990, effective 12 March 1990

Legal system:

based on Roman-Dutch law and 1990 constitution; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Hifikepunye POHAMBA (since 21 March 2005)

head of government: Prime Minister Nahas ANGULA (since 21 March 2005)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members of the National Assembly

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 15 November 2004 (next to be held in November 2009)

election results: Hifikepunye POHAMBA elected president; percent of vote - Hifikepunye POHAMBA 76.4%, Den ULENGA 7.3%, Katuutire KAURA 5.1%, Kuaima RIRUAKO 4.2%, Justus GAROEB 3.8%, other 3.2%

Legislative branch:

bicameral legislature consists of the National Council (26 seats; two members are chosen from each regional council to serve six-year terms) and the National Assembly (72 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: National Council - elections for regional councils to determine members of the National Council held 29-30 November 2004 (next to be held in November 2010); National Assembly - last held 15-16 November 2004 (next to be held in November 2009)

election results: National Council - percent of vote by party - SWAPO 89.7%, UDF 4.7%, NUDO 2.8%, DTA 1.9%, other 0.9%; seats by party - SWAPO 24, UDF 1, DTA 1; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - SWAPO 76.1%, COD 7.3%, DTA 5.1%, NUDO 4.2%, UDF 3.6%, RP 1.9%, MAG 0.8%, other 1.0%; seats by party - SWAPO 55, COD 5, DTA 4, NUDO 3, UDF 3, RP 1, MAG 1

note: the National Council is primarily an advisory body

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (judges appointed by the president on the recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission)

Political parties and leaders:

All People's Party or APP [Ignatius SHIXWAMENI]; Congress of
Democrats or COD [Ben ULENGA]; Democratic Turnhalle Alliance of
Namibia or DTA [Katuutire KAURA]; Monitor Action Group or MAG [Jurie
VILJOEN]; National Democratic Movement for Change or NamDMC;
National Unity Democratic Organization or NUDO [Kuaima RIRUAKO];
Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Hidipo HAMUTENYA];
Republican Party or RP [Henk MUDGE]; South West Africa National
Union or SWANU [Usutuaije MAAMBERUA]; South West Africa People's
Organization or SWAPO [Hifikepunye POHAMBA]; United Democratic Front
or UDF [Justus GAROEB]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Earthlife Namibia [Berthchen KOHRS] (environmentalist group);
National Society for Human Rights or NSHR; The World Information
Services of Energy or WISE (group against nuclear power)

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU,
ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN,
UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO,
UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Patrick NANDAGO

chancery: 1605 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone: [1] (202) 986-0540

FAX: [1] (202) 986-0443

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador G. Dennise MATHIEU

embassy: 14 Lossen Street, Windhoek

mailing address: Private Bag 12029 Ausspannplatz, Windhoek

telephone: [264] (61) 295-8500

FAX: [264] (61) 295-8603

Flag description:

a wide red stripe edged by narrow white stripes divides the flag diagonally from lower hoist corner to upper fly corner; the upper hoist-side triangle is blue and charged with a yellow, 12-rayed sunburst; the lower fly-side triangle is green

Economy ::Namibia

Economy - overview:

The economy is heavily dependent on the extraction and processing of minerals for export. Mining accounts for 8% of GDP, but provides more than 50% of foreign exchange earnings. Rich alluvial diamond deposits make Namibia a primary source for gem-quality diamonds. Namibia is the fourth-largest exporter of nonfuel minerals in Africa, the world's fifth-largest producer of uranium, and the producer of large quantities of lead, zinc, tin, silver, and tungsten. The mining sector employs only about 3% of the population while about half of the population depends on subsistence agriculture for its livelihood. Namibia normally imports about 50% of its cereal requirements; in drought years food shortages are a major problem in rural areas. A high per capita GDP, relative to the region, hides one of the world's most unequal income distributions. The Namibian economy is closely linked to South Africa with the Namibian dollar pegged one-to-one to the South African rand. Increased payments from the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) put Namibia's budget into surplus in 2007 for the first time since independence, but SACU payments will decline after 2008 as part of a new revenue sharing formula. Increased fish production and mining of zinc, copper, uranium, and silver spurred growth in 2003-07, but growth in recent years was undercut by poor fish catches and high costs for metal inputs.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$13.28 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 136 $12.9 billion (2007 est.)

$12.23 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$8.835 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2.9% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 130 5.5% (2007 est.)

7.1% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$6,400 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 129 $6,200 (2007 est.)

$6,000 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 9%

industry: 37%

services: 54% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

686,000 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 145

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 47%

industry: 20%

services: 33% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:

5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 63

Population below poverty line:

the UNDP's 2005 Human Development Report indicated that 34.9% of the population live on $1 per day and 55.8% live on $2 per day

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 0.5%

highest 10%: 64.5% (2003)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

70.7 (2003) country comparison to the world: 1

Investment (gross fixed):

23.4% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 63

Budget:

revenues: $2.661 billion

expenditures: $2.745 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

20% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 94 38.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

10.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 151 6.7% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

10% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 35 10.5% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

13.74% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 61 12.88% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$1.983 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 72 $2.149 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$1.158 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 93 $1.493 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$3.43 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 86 $4.446 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$618.7 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 100 $702 million (31 December 2007)

$541.8 million (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

millet, sorghum, peanuts, grapes; livestock; fish

Industries:

meatpacking, fish processing, dairy products; mining (diamonds, lead, zinc, tin, silver, tungsten, uranium, copper)

Industrial production growth rate:

0.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 127

Electricity - production:

1.65 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 139

Electricity - consumption:

3.175 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 124

Electricity - exports:

40 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

2.045 billion kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2007 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 123

Oil - consumption:

21,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 122

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 156

Oil - imports:

19,120 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 113

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 116

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 114

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 122

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 89

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 114

Natural gas - proved reserves:

62.29 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 61

Current account balance:

$239.8 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 54 $693.2 million (2007 est.)

Exports:

$3.167 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 121 $2.922 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

diamonds, copper, gold, zinc, lead, uranium; cattle, processed fish, karakul skins

Imports:

$3.849 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 127 $3.102 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

foodstuffs; petroleum products and fuel, machinery and equipment, chemicals

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$1.293 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 121 $896 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$807.3 million (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 156 $1.003 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$NA

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$NA

Exchange rates:

Namibian dollars (NAD) per US dollar - 7.75 (2008 est.), 7.18 (2007), 6.7649 (2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004)

Communications ::Namibia

Telephones - main lines in use:

140,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 137

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1.052 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 141

Telephone system:

general assessment: good system with a combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity of about 55 per 100 persons

domestic: core fiber-optic network links most centers and connections are now digital; Namibia's first mobile-cellular network, launched in 1994, provides coverage to 86 percent of Namibia by area

international: country code - 264; fiber-optic cable to South Africa, microwave radio relay link to Botswana, direct links to other neighboring countries; connected to the South African Far East (SAFE) submarine cable through South Africa; satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 2, FM 39, shortwave 4 (2001)

Television broadcast stations:

2 (2007)

Internet country code:

.na

Internet hosts:

17,840 (2009) country comparison to the world: 105

Internet users:

113,500 (2008) country comparison to the world: 149

Transportation ::Namibia

Airports:

129 (2009) country comparison to the world: 44

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 21

over 3,047 m: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 13

914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 108

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 22

914 to 1,523 m: 73

under 914 m: 11 (2009)

Railways:

total: 2,629 km country comparison to the world: 64 narrow gauge: 2,629 km 1.067-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 42,237 km country comparison to the world: 86 paved: 5,406 km

unpaved: 36,831 km (2002)

Merchant marine:

total: 1 country comparison to the world: 155 by type: cargo 1

registered in other countries: 1 (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Luderitz, Walvis Bay

Military ::Namibia

Military branches:

Namibian Defense Force: Army, Navy, Air Wing (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

18-25 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 527,948 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 329,614

females age 16-49: 294,490 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 25,857

female: 25,505 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

3.7% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 36

Transnational Issues ::Namibia

Disputes - international:

concerns from international experts and local populations over the Okavango Delta ecology in Botswana and human displacement scuttled Namibian plans to construct a hydroelectric dam on Popa Falls along the Angola-Namibia border; managed dispute with South Africa over the location of the boundary in the Orange River; Namibia has supported, and in 2004 Zimbabwe dropped objections to, plans between Botswana and Zambia to build a bridge over the Zambezi River, thereby de facto recognizing a short, but not clearly delimited, Botswana-Zambia boundary in the river

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 4,700 (Angola) (2007)

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Nauru (Australia-Oceania)

Introduction ::Nauru

Background:

The exact origins of the Nauruans are unclear since their language does not resemble any other in the Pacific. The island was annexed by Germany in 1888. Its phosphate deposits began to be mined early in the 20th century by a German-British consortium. Nauru was occupied by Australian forces in World War I and subsequently became a League of Nations mandate. After the Second World War - and a brutal occupation by Japan - Nauru became a UN trust territory. It achieved independence in 1968 and joined the UN in 1999 as the world's smallest independent republic.

Geography ::Nauru

Location:

Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, south of the Marshall
Islands

Geographic coordinates:

0 32 S, 166 55 E

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 21 sq km country comparison to the world: 238 land: 21 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

30 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical with a monsoonal pattern; rainy season (November to February)

Terrain:

sandy beach rises to fertile ring around raised coral reefs with phosphate plateau in center

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed location along plateau rim 61 m

Natural resources:

phosphates, fish

Land use:

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:

limited natural fresh water resources, roof storage tanks collect rainwater but mostly dependent on a single, aging desalination plant; intensive phosphate mining during the past 90 years - mainly by a UK, Australia, and NZ consortium - has left the central 90% of Nauru a wasteland and threatens limited remaining land resources

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

Nauru is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the
Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and
Makatea in French Polynesia; only 53 km south of Equator

People ::Nauru

Population:

14,019 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 222

Age structure:

0-14 years: 34.7% (male 2,482/female 2,384)

15-64 years: 63.2% (male 4,362/female 4,495)

65 years and over: 2.1% (male 151/female 145) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 21.6 years

male: 21 years

female: 22.2 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.748% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 77

Birth rate:

23.9 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 73

Death rate:

6.42 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 150

Net migration rate:

NA (2009 est.)

Urbanization:

urban population: 100% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 0.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.04 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 9.25 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 154 male: 11.58 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 6.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 64.2 years country comparison to the world: 168 male: 60.58 years

female: 68.01 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.85 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 78

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Nauruan(s)

adjective: Nauruan

Ethnic groups:

Nauruan 58%, other Pacific Islander 26%, Chinese 8%, European 8%

Religions:

Nauru Congregational 35.4%, Roman Catholic 33.2%, Nauru Independent
Church 10.4%, other 14.1%, none 4.5%, unspecified 2.4% (2002 census)

Languages:

Nauruan (official; a distinct Pacific Island language), English widely understood, spoken, and used for most government and commercial purposes

Literacy:

NA

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 8 years

male: 8 years

female: 9 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

NA

Government ::Nauru

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Nauru

conventional short form: Nauru

local long form: Republic of Nauru

local short form: Nauru

former: Pleasant Island

Government type:

republic

Capital:

no official capital; government offices in Yaren District

time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

14 districts; Aiwo, Anabar, Anetan, Anibare, Baiti, Boe, Buada, Denigomodu, Ewa, Ijuw, Meneng, Nibok, Uaboe, Yaren

Independence:

31 January 1968 (from the Australia-, NZ-, and UK-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 31 January (1968)

Constitution:

29 January 1968; amended 17 May 1968

Legal system:

acts of the Nauru Parliament and British common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

20 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Marcus STEPHEN (since 19 December 2007); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Marcus STEPHEN (since 19 December 2007); note - President Ludwig SCOTTY defeated in a no confidence vote in parliament on 19 December 2007

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members of parliament

elections: president elected by parliament for a three-year term; election last held 19 December 2007 (next to be held in 2010)

election results: NA

Legislative branch:

unicameral parliament (18 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms)

elections: last held 26 April 2008 (next to be held in 2011)

election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 18; note - President Marcus STEPHEN called a snap election to break a parliamentary stalemate blocking legislative action

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:

Democratic Party [Kennan ADEANG]; Nauru Party (informal); Nauru
First (Naoero Amo) Party; note - loose multiparty system

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Woman Information and News Agency (women's issues)

International organization participation:

ACP, ADB, C, FAO, ICAO, ICCt, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF,
Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Marlene I. MOSES

chancery: 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400 D, New York, NY 10017

telephone: [1] (212) 937-0074

FAX: [1] (212) 937-0079

consulate(s): Agana (Guam)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

the US does not have an embassy in Nauru; the US Ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Nauru

Flag description:

blue with a narrow, horizontal, yellow stripe across the center and a large white 12-pointed star below the stripe on the hoist side; the star indicates the country's location in relation to the Equator (the yellow stripe) and the 12 points symbolize the 12 original tribes of Nauru

Economy ::Nauru

Economy - overview:

Revenues of this tiny island have traditionally come from exports of phosphates now significantly depleted. An Australian company in 2005 entered into an agreement intended to exploit remaining supplies. Few other resources exist with most necessities being imported, mainly from Australia its former occupier and later major source of support. The rehabilitation of mined land and the replacement of income from phosphates are serious long-term problems. Reserves of phosphates may only last until 2010 at current mining rates. In anticipation of the exhaustion of Nauru's phosphate deposits, substantial amounts of phosphate income were invested in trust funds to help cushion the transition and provide for Nauru's economic future. As a result of heavy spending from the trust funds, the government faces virtual bankruptcy. To cut costs the government has frozen wages and reduced overstaffed public service departments. Nauru lost further revenue in 2008 with the closure of Australia's refugee processing center, making it almost totally dependent on food imports and foreign aid. Housing, hospitals, and other capital plant is deteriorating. The cost to Australia of keeping the government and economy afloat continues to climb. Few comprehensive statistics on the Nauru economy exist with estimates of Nauru's GDP varying widely.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$60 million (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 221

GDP (official exchange rate):

$NA

GDP - real growth rate:

NA%

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$5,000 (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 140

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Labor force - by occupation:

note: employed in mining phosphates, public administration, education, and transportation (1992)

Unemployment rate:

90% (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 200

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $13.5 million

expenditures: $13.5 million (2005)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

NA%

Agriculture - products:

coconuts

Industries:

phosphate mining, offshore banking, coconut products

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

31 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 202

Electricity - consumption:

28.83 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 202

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 153

Oil - consumption:

1,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 194

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 147

Oil - imports:

1,026 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 190

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 148

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 144

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 144

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 141

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 106

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 151

Exports:

$64,000 (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 221

Exports - commodities:

phosphates

Imports:

$20 million (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 215

Imports - commodities:

food, fuel, manufactures, building materials, machinery

Debt - external:

$33.3 million country comparison to the world: 195

Exchange rates:

Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar - 1.2059 (2008 est.), 1.2137 (2007), 1.3285 (2006), 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004)

Communications ::Nauru

Telephones - main lines in use:

1,800 (2008) country comparison to the world: 225

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1,500 (2002) country comparison to the world: 217

Telephone system:

general assessment: adequate local and international radiotelephone communication provided via Australian facilities

domestic: NA

international: country code - 674; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (1997)

Internet country code:

.nr

Internet hosts:

47 (2009) country comparison to the world: 209

Transportation ::Nauru

Airports:

1 (2009) country comparison to the world: 228

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 24 km country comparison to the world: 217 paved: 24 km (2002)

Ports and terminals:

Nauru

Military ::Nauru

Military branches:

no regular military forces; Nauru Police Force (2009)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 3,470 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 2,592

females age 16-49: 2,966 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 179

female: 174 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

NA

Military - note:

Nauru maintains no defense forces; under an informal agreement, defense is the responsibility of Australia

Transnational Issues ::Nauru

Disputes - international:

none

page last updated on October 28, 2009

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

@Navassa Island (Central America and Caribbean)

Introduction ::Navassa Island

Background:

This uninhabited island was claimed by the US in 1857 for its guano. Mining took place between 1865 and 1898. The lighthouse, built in 1917, was shut down in 1996 and administration of Navassa Island transferred from the Coast Guard to the Department of the Interior. A 1998 scientific expedition to the island described it as a unique preserve of Caribbean biodiversity; the following year it became a National Wildlife Refuge and annual scientific expeditions have continued.

Geography ::Navassa Island

Location:

Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, 35 miles west of Tiburon
Peninsula of Haiti

Geographic coordinates:

18 25 N, 75 02 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 5.4 sq km country comparison to the world: 244 land: 5.4 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

about nine times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

8 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

marine, tropical

Terrain:

raised coral and limestone plateau, flat to undulating; ringed by vertical white cliffs (9 to 15 m high)

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: unnamed location on southwest side 77 m

Natural resources:

guano

Land use:

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (2005)

Natural hazards:

hurricanes

Environment - current issues:

NA

Geography - note:

strategic location 160 km south of the US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; mostly exposed rock with numerous solution holes but with enough grassland to support goat herds; dense stands of fig trees, scattered cactus

People ::Navassa Island

Population:

uninhabited

note: transient Haitian fishermen and others camp on the island

Government ::Navassa Island

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Navassa Island

Dependency status:

unorganized, unincorporated territory of the US; administered by the Fish and Wildlife Service, US Department of the Interior from the Caribbean Islands National Wildlife Refuge in Boqueron, Puerto Rico; in September 1996 the Coast Guard ceased operations and maintenance of Navassa Island Light a 46-meter-tall lighthouse on the southern side of the island; there has also been a private claim advanced against the island

Legal system:

the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (territory of the US)

Flag description:

the flag of the US is used

Economy ::Navassa Island

Economy - overview:

Subsistence fishing and commercial trawling occur within refuge waters.

Transportation ::Navassa Island

Ports and terminals:

none; offshore anchorage only

Military ::Navassa Island

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues ::Navassa Island

Disputes - international:

claimed by Haiti, source of subsistence fishing

page last updated on July 2, 2009

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

@Nepal (South Asia)

Introduction ::Nepal

Background:

In 1951, the Nepalese monarch ended the century-old system of rule by hereditary premiers and instituted a cabinet system of government. Reforms in 1990 established a multiparty democracy within the framework of a constitutional monarchy. An insurgency led by Maoist extremists broke out in 1996. The ensuing ten-year civil war between insurgents and government forces witnessed the dissolution of the cabinet and parliament and assumption of absolute power by the king. Several weeks of mass protests in April 2006 were followed by several months of peace negotiations between the Maoists and government officials, and culminated in a November 2006 peace accord and the promulgation of an interim constitution. Following a nation-wide election in April 2008, the newly formed Constituent Assembly declared Nepal a federal democratic republic and abolished the monarchy at its first meeting the following month. The Constituent Assembly elected the country's first president in July. The Maoists, who received a plurality of votes in the Constituent Assembly election, formed a coalition government in August 2008.

Geography ::Nepal

Location:

Southern Asia, between China and India

Geographic coordinates:

28 00 N, 84 00 E

Map references:

Asia

Area:

total: 147,181 sq km country comparison to the world: 93 land: 143,351 sq km

water: 3,830 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than Arkansas

Land boundaries:

total: 2,926 km

border countries: China 1,236 km, India 1,690 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

varies from cool summers and severe winters in north to subtropical summers and mild winters in south

Terrain:

Tarai or flat river plain of the Ganges in south, central hill region, rugged Himalayas in north

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Kanchan Kalan 70 m

highest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m

Natural resources:

quartz, water, timber, hydropower, scenic beauty, small deposits of lignite, copper, cobalt, iron ore

Land use:

arable land: 16.07%

permanent crops: 0.85%

other: 83.08% (2005)

Irrigated land:

11,700 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

210.2 cu km (1999)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 10.18 cu km/yr (3%/1%/96%)

per capita: 375 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

severe thunderstorms; flooding; landslides; drought and famine depending on the timing, intensity, and duration of the summer monsoons

Environment - current issues:

deforestation (overuse of wood for fuel and lack of alternatives); contaminated water (with human and animal wastes, agricultural runoff, and industrial effluents); wildlife conservation; vehicular emissions

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:

landlocked; strategic location between China and India; contains eight of world's 10 highest peaks, including Mount Everest and Kanchenjunga - the world's tallest and third tallest - on the borders with China and India respectively

People ::Nepal

Population:

28,563,377 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 42

Age structure:

0-14 years: 36.6% (male 5,327,484/female 5,127,178)

15-64 years: 59.2% (male 8,094,494/female 8,812,675)

65 years and over: 4.2% (male 566,666/female 634,880) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 20.8 years

male: 19.8 years

female: 21.7 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.281% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 106

Birth rate:

23.18 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 78

Death rate:

6.97 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 132

Net migration rate:

-3.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 153

Urbanization:

urban population: 17% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 4.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 47.46 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 54 male: 47.4 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 47.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 65.46 years country comparison to the world: 165 male: 64.3 years

female: 66.67 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.64 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 88

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.5% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 79

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

70,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 56

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

5,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 45

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: Japanese encephalitis, malaria, and dengue fever (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Nepalese (singular and plural)

adjective: Nepalese

Ethnic groups:

Chhettri 15.5%, Brahman-Hill 12.5%, Magar 7%, Tharu 6.6%, Tamang 5.5%, Newar 5.4%, Muslim 4.2%, Kami 3.9%, Yadav 3.9%, other 32.7%, unspecified 2.8% (2001 census)

Religions:

Hindu 80.6%, Buddhist 10.7%, Muslim 4.2%, Kirant 3.6%, other 0.9% (2001 census)

note: only official Hindu state in the world

Languages:

Nepali 47.8%, Maithali 12.1%, Bhojpuri 7.4%, Tharu (Dagaura/Rana) 5.8%, Tamang 5.1%, Newar 3.6%, Magar 3.3%, Awadhi 2.4%, other 10%, unspecified 2.5% (2001 census)

note: many in government and business also speak English (2001 est.)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 48.6%

male: 62.7%

female: 34.9% (2001 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 9 years

male: 10 years

female: 8 years (2003)

Education expenditures:

3.4% of GDP (2003) country comparison to the world: 133

Government ::Nepal

Country name:

conventional long form: Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal

conventional short form: Nepal

local long form: Sanghiya Loktantrik Ganatantra Nepal

local short form: Nepal

Government type:

federal democratic republic

Capital:

name: Kathmandu

geographic coordinates: 27 43 N, 85 19 E

time difference: UTC+5.75 (10.75 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

14 zones (anchal, singular and plural); Bagmati, Bheri, Dhawalagiri, Gandaki, Janakpur, Karnali, Kosi, Lumbini, Mahakali, Mechi, Narayani, Rapti, Sagarmatha, Seti

Independence:

1768 (unified by Prithvi Narayan SHAH)

National holiday:

Republic Day, 29 May; Democracy Day, 24 April

Constitution:

15 January 2007 (interim Constitution); note - in April 2008, a Constituent Assembly was elected to draft and promulgate a new constitution by May 2010

Legal system:

based on Hindu legal concepts and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Ram Baran YADAV (as of 23 July 2008); Vice President Paramananda JHA (as of 23 July 2008)

head of government: Prime Minister Madhav Kumar NEPAL (as of 25 May 2009); Deputy Prime Minister Bijay Kumar GACHHEDAR

cabinet: cabinet formed in August 2008 by a majority coalition made up of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), Communist Party of Nepal-United Marxist-Leninist, Madhesi People's Rights Forum, and several smaller parties

elections: president elected by Parliament; term extends until the new constitution is promulgated; election last held 21 July 2008; date of next election NA

election results: Ram Baran YADAV elected president by the Constituent Assembly in a second round of voting on 21 July 2008; Ram Baran YADAV 308, Ram Jaja Prasad SINGH 282

Legislative branch:

unicameral Constituent Assembly (601 seats; 240 seats decided by direct popular vote; 335 seats by proportional representation; 26 appointed by the Cabinet (Council of Ministers))

elections: last held 10 April 2008 (next to be held NA)

election results: percent of vote by party - CPN-M 38%, NC 19%, CPN-UML 19%,Madhesi People's Right Forum 9%, Terai-Madhes Democratic Party and Sadbhavana Party 5%, other 10%; seats by party - CPN-M 220, NC 110, CPN-UML 103, Madhesi People's Rights Forum 52, Terai-Madhes Democratic Party 20, Sadbhawana Party 9, other smaller parties 61; note - 26 seats filled by the new Cabinet

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Sarbochha Adalat (the president appoints the chief justice is appointed by the monarch on recommendation of the Constitutional Council; the chief justice appoints other judges on the recommendation of the Judicial Council)

Political parties and leaders:

Chure Bhawar Rastriya Ekata Party [Keshav Prasad MAINALI]; Communist
Party of Nepal (ML) [C.P. MAINALI]; Communist Party of Nepal
(Unified) [Raj Singh SHRIS]; Communist Party of Nepal (United)
[Ganesh SHAH]; Communist Party of Nepal/United Marxist-Leninist or
CPN/UML [Jhalanath KHANAL]; Dalit Janajati Party [Vishwendraman
PASHWAN]; Madhesi People's Rights Forum [Upendra YADAV]; National
Democratic Party or NDP [Pashupati Shumsher RANA] (also called
Rastriya Prajatantra Party or RPP); Nepal Loktantrik Samajbadi Dal
[Upendra GACHCHHADAR]; Nepal Pariwar Dal [Vinod DANGI]; Nepal
Rastriya Party [Khushilal YADAV]; Nepal Sadbhavana Party (Anandi
Devi) [Shyam Sundar GUPTA]; Nepal Workers and Peasants Party or NWPP
[Narayan Man BIJUKCHHE]; Nepali Congress or NC [Girija Prasad
KOIRALA]; Nepali Janata Dal [Bharat Prasad MAHATO]; Rastriya
Janamorcha [Chitra BAHADUR K.C.]; Rastriya Janamukti Party [Malwar
Singh THAPA]; Rastriya Janashakti Party or RJP [Surya Bahadur
THAPA]; Rastriya Prajatantra Party Nepal [Kamal THAPA]; Sadbhavana
Party (Mahato) [Rajendra MAHATO]; Samajbadi Prajatantrik Janata
Party Nepal [Prem Bahadur SINGH]; Sanghiya Loktantrik Rastriya Manch
[Kamal CHHARAHANG]; Terai-Madhes Democratic Party [Mahantha THAKUR];
United Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) [Pushpa Kamal DAHAL, also
known as PRACHANDA, chairman]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

other: several small armed Madhesi groups along the southern border with India; a variety of groups advocating regional autonomy for individual ethnic groups

International organization participation:

ADB, BIMSTEC, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent),
ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OPCW, SAARC,
SACEP, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMIS,
UNMIT, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Kali POKHREL

chancery: 2131 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 667-4550

FAX: [1] (202) 667-5534

consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Nancy J. POWELL

embassy: Maharajgunj, Kathmandu

mailing address: use embassy street address

telephone: [977] (1) 400-7200

FAX: [977] (1) 400-7272

Flag description:

red with a blue border around the unique shape of two overlapping right triangles; the smaller, upper triangle bears a white stylized moon and the larger, lower triangle bears a white 12-pointed sun

Economy ::Nepal

Economy - overview:

Nepal is among the poorest and least developed countries in the world with almost one-third of its population living below the poverty line. Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, providing a livelihood for three-fourths of the population and accounting for about one-third of GDP. Industrial activity mainly involves the processing of agricultural products, including pulses, jute, sugarcane, tobacco, and grain. Bumper crops, better security, improved transportation, and increased tourism pushed growth past 5% in 2008, after growth had hovered around 3% - barely above the rate of population growth - for the previous three years. The deteriorating world economy in 2009 will challenge tourism and remittance growth, a key source of foreign exchange. Nepal has considerable scope for exploiting its potential in hydropower and tourism, areas of recent foreign investment interest. Prospects for foreign trade or investment in other sectors will remain poor, however, because of the small size of the economy, its technological backwardness, its remoteness and landlocked geographic location, its civil strife and labor unrest, and its susceptibility to natural disaster.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$31.39 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 104 $29.81 billion (2007 est.)

$28.86 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$12.28 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 81 3.3% (2007 est.)

3.4% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,100 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 210 $1,100 (2007 est.)

$1,100 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 32.5%

industry: 16.6%

services: 50.9% (FY07 est.)

Labor force:

14.6 million country comparison to the world: 39 note: severe lack of skilled labor (2008 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 76%

industry: 6%

services: 18% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:

46% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 191 42% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:

30.9% (2004)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.7%

highest 10%: 40.6% (2006)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

47.2 (2008) country comparison to the world: 35 36.7 (1996)

Budget:

revenues: $1.7 billion

expenditures: $2.3 billion (FY08)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

7.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 122 6.4% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

6.5% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 72 6.25% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

NA% (31 December 2008)

Stock of money:

$2.106 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 69 $2.184 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$4.885 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 70 $4.745 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$5.556 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 80 $5.636 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$5.5 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 88 $4.909 billion (31 December 2007)

$1.805 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

pulses, rice, corn, wheat, sugarcane, jute, root crops; milk, water buffalo meat

Industries:

tourism, carpets, textiles; small rice, jute, sugar, and oilseed mills; cigarettes, cement and brick production

Industrial production growth rate:

1.8% (FY08) country comparison to the world: 110

Electricity - production:

2.781 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 129

Electricity - consumption:

2.243 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 132

Electricity - exports:

140 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

213 million kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 154

Oil - consumption:

18,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 128

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 148

Oil - imports:

16,920 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 120

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 149

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 145

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 145

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 142

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 107

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 152

Current account balance:

$241 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 53 $58 million (2007)

Exports:

$868 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 153 $830 million (2006)

Exports - commodities:

clothing, carpets, leather goods, jute goods, pulses, grain

Exports - partners:

India 59.2%, US 8.7%, Bangladesh 8.3%, Germany 4.3% (2008)

Imports:

$3.229 billion (2008) country comparison to the world: 135 $2.398 billion (2006)

Imports - commodities:

petroleum products, machinery and equipment, electrical goods

Imports - partners:

India 55.4%, China 13.3%, Singapore 2% (2008)

Debt - external:

$3.285 billion (2008) country comparison to the world: 118 $3.07 billion (March 2006)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$NA

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$NA

Exchange rates:

Nepalese rupees (NPR) per US dollar - 65.21 (2008), 70.35 (2007), 72.446 (2006), 72.16 (2005), 73.674 (2004)

Communications ::Nepal

Telephones - main lines in use:

805,100 (2008) country comparison to the world: 87

Telephones - mobile cellular:

4.2 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 94

Telephone system:

general assessment: poor telephone and telegraph service; fair radiotelephone communication service and mobile-cellular telephone network

domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular telephone service subscribership base only about 15 per 100 persons

international: country code - 977; radiotelephone communications; microwave landline to India; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 6, FM 80, shortwave 4 (2008)

Television broadcast stations:

9 (plus 9 repeaters) (2008)

Internet country code:

.np

Internet hosts:

43,411 (2009) country comparison to the world: 87

Internet users:

499,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 108

Transportation ::Nepal

Airports:

47 (2009) country comparison to the world: 93

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 11

over 3,047 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 9

under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 36

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 5

under 914 m: 30 (2009)

Railways:

total: 59 km country comparison to the world: 130 narrow gauge: 59 km 0.762-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 17,282 km country comparison to the world: 120 paved: 10,142 km

unpaved: 7,140 km (2007)

Military ::Nepal

Military branches:

Nepal Army (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service; 15 years of age for military training; no conscription (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 7,322,965

females age 16-49: 6,859,064 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 4,886,103

females age 16-49: 5,525,764 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 365,567

female: 352,643 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.6% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 104

Transnational Issues ::Nepal

Disputes - international:

joint border commission continues to work on contested sections of boundary with India, including the 400 square kilometer dispute over the source of the Kalapani River; India has instituted a stricter border regime to restrict transit of Maoist insurgents and illegal cross-border activities; approximately 106,000 Bhutanese Lhotshampas (Hindus) have been confined in refugee camps in southeastern Nepal since 1990

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 107,803 (Bhutan); 20,153 (Tibet/China)

IDPs: 50,000-70,000 (remaining from ten-year Maoist insurgency that officially ended in 2006; displacement spread across the country) (2007)

Illicit drugs:

illicit producer of cannabis and hashish for the domestic and international drug markets; transit point for opiates from Southeast Asia to the West

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Netherlands (Europe)

Introduction ::Netherlands

Background:

The Dutch United Provinces declared their independence from Spain in 1579; during the 17th century, they became a leading seafaring and commercial power, with settlements and colonies around the world. After a 20-year French occupation, a Kingdom of the Netherlands was formed in 1815. In 1830 Belgium seceded and formed a separate kingdom. The Netherlands remained neutral in World War I, but suffered invasion and occupation by Germany in World War II. A modern, industrialized nation, the Netherlands is also a large exporter of agricultural products. The country was a founding member of NATO and the EEC (now the EU), and participated in the introduction of the euro in 1999.

Geography ::Netherlands

Location:

Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany

Geographic coordinates:

52 30 N, 5 45 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 41,543 sq km country comparison to the world: 134 land: 33,893 sq km

water: 7,650 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey

Land boundaries:

total: 1,027 km

border countries: Belgium 450 km, Germany 577 km

Coastline:

451 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:

temperate; marine; cool summers and mild winters

Terrain:

mostly coastal lowland and reclaimed land (polders); some hills in southeast

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Zuidplaspolder -7 m

highest point: Vaalserberg 322 m

Natural resources:

natural gas, petroleum, peat, limestone, salt, sand and gravel, arable land

Land use:

arable land: 21.96%

permanent crops: 0.77%

other: 77.27% (2005)

Irrigated land:

5,650 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

89.7 cu km (2005)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 8.86 cu km/yr (6%/60%/34%)

per capita: 544 cu m/yr (2001)

Natural hazards:

flooding

Environment - current issues:

water pollution in the form of heavy metals, organic compounds, and nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates; air pollution from vehicles and refining activities; acid rain

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea,
Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection,
Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands,
Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

located at mouths of three major European rivers (Rhine, Maas or Meuse, and Schelde)

People ::Netherlands

Population:

16,715,999 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 59

Age structure:

0-14 years: 17.4% (male 1,485,873/female 1,416,999)

15-64 years: 67.7% (male 5,720,387/female 5,604,014)

65 years and over: 14.9% (male 1,070,496/female 1,418,230) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 40.4 years

male: 39.6 years

female: 41.2 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.412% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 162

Birth rate:

10.4 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 186

Death rate:

8.74 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 86

Net migration rate:

2.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 34

Urbanization:

urban population: 82% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 0.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 4.73 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 198 male: 5.25 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 79.4 years country comparison to the world: 30 male: 76.8 years

female: 82.14 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.66 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 174

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.2% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 107

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

18,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 82

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 200 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 122

Nationality:

noun: Dutchman(men), Dutchwoman(women)

adjective: Dutch

Ethnic groups:

Dutch 80.7%, EU 5%, Indonesian 2.4%, Turkish 2.2%, Surinamese 2%, Moroccan 2%, Netherlands Antilles & Aruba 0.8%, other 4.8% (2008 est.)

Religions:

Roman Catholic 30%, Dutch Reformed 11%, Calvinist 6%, other
Protestant 3%, Muslim 5.8%, other 2.2%, none 42% (2006)

Languages:

Dutch (official), Frisian (official)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 16 years

male: 17 years

female: 16 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

5.3% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 58

Government ::Netherlands

Country name:

conventional long form: Kingdom of the Netherlands

conventional short form: Netherlands

local long form: Koninkrijk der Nederlanden

local short form: Nederland

Government type:

constitutional monarchy

Capital:

name: Amsterdam

geographic coordinates: 52 23 N, 4 54 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

note: The Hague is the seat of government; time descriptions apply to the continental Netherlands only, not to the Caribbean components

Administrative divisions:

12 provinces (provincies, singular - provincie); Drenthe, Flevoland,
Friesland (Fryslan), Gelderland, Groningen, Limburg, Noord-Brabant
(North Brabant), Noord-Holland (North Holland), Overijssel, Utrecht,
Zeeland (Zealand), Zuid-Holland (South Holland)

Dependent areas:

Aruba, Netherlands Antilles

Independence:

23 January 1579 (the northern provinces of the Low Countries conclude the Union of Utrecht breaking with Spain; on 26 July 1581 they formally declared their independence with an Act of Abjuration; however, it was not until 30 January 1648 and the Peace of Westphalia that Spain recognized this independence)

National holiday:

Queen's Day (Birthday of Queen-Mother JULIANA and accession to the throne of her oldest daughter BEATRIX), 30 April (1909 and 1980)

Constitution:

adopted 1815; amended many times, most recently in 2002

Legal system:

based on civil law system incorporating French penal theory; constitution does not permit judicial review of acts of the States General; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen BEATRIX (since 30 April 1980); Heir Apparent WILLEM-ALEXANDER (born 27 April 1967), son of the monarch

head of government: Prime Minister Jan Peter BALKENENDE (since 22 July 2002); Deputy Prime Ministers Wouter BOS (since 22 February 2007) and Andre ROUVOET (since 22 February 2007)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch

elections: the monarchy is hereditary; following Second Chamber elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch; deputy prime ministers appointed by the monarch

note: there is also a Council of State composed of the monarch, heir apparent, and councilors that provides consultations to the cabinet on legislative and administrative policy

Legislative branch:

bicameral States General or Staten Generaal consists of the First Chamber or Eerste Kamer (75 seats; members indirectly elected by the country's 12 provincial councils to serve four-year terms) and the Second Chamber or Tweede Kamer (150 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: First Chamber - last held 29 May 2007 (next to be held in May 2011); Second Chamber - last held 22 November 2006 (next to be held by early 2011)

election results: First Chamber - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - CDA 21, PvdA 14, VVD 14, Socialist Party 11, Christian Union 4, Green Left Party 4, D66 2, other 5; Second Chamber - percent of vote by party - CDA 26.5%, PvdA 21.2%, Socialist Party 16.6%, VVD 14.6%, Party for Freedom 5.9%, Green Party 4.6%, Christian Union 4.0%, other 6.6%; seats by party - CDA 41, PvdA 33, Socialist Party 25, VVD 22, Party for Freedom 9, Green Party 7, Christian Union 6, other 7

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Hoge Raad (justices are nominated for life by the monarch)

Political parties and leaders:

Christian Democratic Appeal or CDA [Pieter VAN GEEL]; Christian
Union Party [Arie SLOB]; Democrats 66 or D66 [Alexander PECHTOLD];
Green Left Party [Femke HALSEMA]; Labor Party or PvdA [Mariette
HAMER]; Party for Freedom or PVV [Geert WILDERS]; Party for the
Animals or PvdD [Marianne THIEME]; People's Party for Freedom and
Democracy (Liberal) or VVD [Mark RUTTE]; Reformed Political Party of
SGP [Bas VAN DER VLIES]; Socialist Party [Agnes KANT]; plus a few
minor parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Christian Trade Union Federation or CNV [Rene PAAS]; Confederation
of Netherlands Industry and Employers or VNO-NCW [Bernard WIENTJES];
Federation for Small and Medium-sized businesses or MKB [Loek
HERMANS]; Netherlands Trade Union Federation or FNV [Agnes
JONGERIUS]; Social Economic Council or SER [Alexander RINNOOY KAN];
Trade Union Federation of Middle and High Personnel or MHP [Ad
VERHOEVEN]

International organization participation:

ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council
(observer), Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CBSS (observer), CE,
CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM
(guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris
Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Regina "Renee" JONES-BOS

chancery: 4200 Linnean Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 244-5300, [1] 877-388-2443

FAX: [1] (202) 362-3430

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York

consulate(s): Boston

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Michael GALLAGHER

embassy: Lange Voorhout 102, 2514 EJ, The Hague

mailing address: PSC 71, Box 1000, APO AE 09715

telephone: [31] (70) 310-2209

FAX: [31] (70) 361-4688

consulate(s) general: Amsterdam

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue; similar to the flag of Luxembourg, which uses a lighter blue and is longer; the colors were those of WILLIAM I, Prince of Orange, who led the Dutch Revolt against Spanish sovereignty in the latter half of the 16th century; originally the upper band was orange, but because it tended to fade to red over time, the red shade was eventually made the permanent color; the banner is perhaps the oldest tricolor in continuous use

Economy ::Netherlands

Economy - overview:

The Netherlands has a prosperous and open economy, which depends heavily on foreign trade. The economy is noted for stable industrial relations, moderate unemployment and inflation, a sizable current account surplus, and an important role as a European transportation hub. Industrial activity is predominantly in food processing, chemicals, petroleum refining, and electrical machinery. A highly mechanized agricultural sector employs no more than 3% of the labor force but provides large surpluses for the food-processing industry and for exports. The Netherlands, along with 11 of its EU partners, began circulating the euro currency on 1 January 2002. The country has been one of the leading European nations for attracting foreign direct investment and is one of the four largest investors in the US. The pace of job growth reached 10-year highs in 2007, but economic growth fell sharply in 2008 as fallout from the world financial crisis constricted demand and raised the specter of a recession in 2009.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$673.5 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 21 $660.3 billion (2007 est.)

$637.4 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$877 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 161 3.6% (2007 est.)

3.4% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$40,500 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 20 $39,900 (2007 est.)

$38,700 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 1.7%

industry: 25.5%

services: 72.9% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

7.715 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 57

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 2%

industry: 18%

services: 80% (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate:

4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 48 4.6% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

10.5% (2005)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.5%

highest 10%: 22.9% (1999)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

30.9 (2007) country comparison to the world: 108 32.6 (1994)

Investment (gross fixed):

20.5% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 103

Budget:

revenues: $405.9 billion

expenditures: $397.3 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

58.2% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 26 55.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 26 1.6% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

3% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 106 5% (31 December 2007)

note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro area

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

10.37% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 96 8.72% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$NA

note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the euro area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 16 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money and quasi money circulating within their own borders

Stock of quasi money:

$NA

Stock of domestic credit:

$1.824 trillion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 10 $1.684 trillion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$456.2 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 18 $956.5 billion (31 December 2007)

$779.6 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

grains, potatoes, sugar beets, fruits, vegetables; livestock

Industries:

agroindustries, metal and engineering products, electrical machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum, construction, microelectronics, fishing

Industrial production growth rate:

2.9% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 87

Electricity - production:

97.19 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 32

Electricity - consumption:

110.2 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 28

Electricity - exports:

9.28 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

25.01 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

72,090 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 56

Oil - consumption:

962,900 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 19

Oil - exports:

1.647 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 14

Oil - imports:

2.678 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 7

Oil - proved reserves:

100 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 68

Natural gas - production:

84.69 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 8

Natural gas - consumption:

48.34 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 17

Natural gas - exports:

61.72 billion cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 4

Natural gas - imports:

25.34 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 12

Natural gas - proved reserves:

1.416 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 23

Current account balance:

$41.93 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 9 $59.51 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$531.7 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 8 $461 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels; foodstuffs

Exports - partners:

Germany 25.5%, Belgium 13.8%, France 8.9%, UK 8.8%, Italy 5.2% (2008)

Imports:

$474.8 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 9 $406.2 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, fuels, foodstuffs, clothing

Imports - partners:

Germany 16.6%, China 10.1%, Belgium 8.7%, US 7.5%, UK 5.8%, Russia 5.4%, France 4.4% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$28.51 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 45 $26.98 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$2.461 trillion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 5 $2.59 trillion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$644.6 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 8 $724.1 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$843.7 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 5 $876.9 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008 est.), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)

Communications ::Netherlands

Telephones - main lines in use:

7.324 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 25

Telephones - mobile cellular:

19.927 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 39

Telephone system:

general assessment: highly developed and well maintained

domestic: extensive fixed-line fiber-optic network; large cellular telephone system with 5 major operators utilizing the third generation of the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) technology; one in five households now use Voice over the Internet Protocol (VoIP) services

international: country code - 31; submarine cables provide links to the US and Europe; satellite earth stations - 5 (3 Intelsat - 1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean, 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (2007)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 4, FM 567, shortwave 1 (2008)

Television broadcast stations:

342 (2008)

Internet country code:

.nl

Internet hosts:

12.388 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 9

Internet users:

14.273 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 26

Transportation ::Netherlands

Airports:

27 (2009) country comparison to the world: 124

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 20

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 9

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 5

under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 7

914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m: 4 (2009)

Heliports:

1 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 3,816 km; oil 365 km; refined products 716 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 2,811 km country comparison to the world: 57 standard gauge: 2,811 km 1.435-m gauge (2,064 km electrified) (2008)

Roadways:

total: 135,470 km (includes 2,582 km of expressways) (2007) country comparison to the world: 35

Waterways:

6,215 km (navigable for ships of 50 tons) (2007) country comparison to the world: 22

Merchant marine:

total: 622 country comparison to the world: 18 by type: bulk carrier 9, cargo 381, carrier 19, chemical tanker 44, container 76, liquefied gas 15, passenger 16, passenger/cargo 15, petroleum tanker 11, refrigerated cargo 10, roll on/roll off 23, specialized tanker 3

foreign-owned: 203 (Belgium 2, Cyprus 8, Denmark 29, Finland 14, France 1, Germany 75, Ireland 10, Italy 1, South Korea 1, Norway 12, Sweden 28, Turkey 1, UAE 5, UK 2, US 14)

registered in other countries: 178 (Antigua and Barbuda 20, Australia 2, Austria 2, Bahamas 9, Cambodia 1, Canada 1, Cyprus 22, Germany 1, Gibraltar 21, Isle of Man 1, Liberia 6, Luxembourg 2, Marshall Islands 8, Netherlands Antilles 38, Panama 14, Paraguay 1, Philippines 23, Portugal 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 3, US 1, unknown 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Amsterdam, IJmuiden, Rotterdam, Terneuzen, Vlissingen

Military ::Netherlands

Military branches:

Royal Netherlands Army, Royal Netherlands Navy (includes Naval Air
Service and Marine Corps), Royal Netherlands Air Force (Koninklijke
Luchtmacht, KLu), Royal Military Police (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

20 years of age for an all-volunteer force (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 3,950,825

females age 16-49: 3,850,800 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 3,224,790

females age 16-49: 3,143,096 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 105,194

female: 100,341 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.6% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 101

Transnational Issues ::Netherlands

Disputes - international:

none

Illicit drugs:

major European producer of synthetic drugs, including ecstasy, and cannabis cultivator; important gateway for cocaine, heroin, and hashish entering Europe; major source of US-bound ecstasy; large financial sector vulnerable to money laundering; significant consumer of ecstasy

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Netherlands Antilles (Central America and Caribbean)

Introduction ::Netherlands Antilles

Background:

Once the center of the Caribbean slave trade, the island of Curacao was hard hit by the abolition of slavery in 1863. Its prosperity (and that of neighboring Aruba) was restored in the early 20th century with the construction of oil refineries to service newly discovered Venezuelan oil fields. The island of Saint Martin is shared with France; its southern portion is named Sint Maarten and is part of the Netherlands Antilles; its northern portion, called Saint Martin, is an overseas collectivity of France.

Geography ::Netherlands Antilles

Location:

Caribbean, two island groups in the Caribbean Sea - composed of five
islands, Curacao and Bonaire located off the coast of Venezuela, and
Sint Maarten, Saba, and Sint Eustatius lie east of the US Virgin
Islands

Geographic coordinates:

Bonaire: 12 12 N, 68 15 W

Curacao: 12 10 N, 69 00 W

Saba: 17 38 N, 63 14 W

Sint Eustatius: 17 30 N, 62 58 W

Sint Maarten: 18 04 N, 63 04 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 800 sq km country comparison to the world: 187 land: 800 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: includes Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten (Dutch part of the island of Saint Martin)

Area - comparative:

more than five times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

total: 15 km

border countries: Saint Martin 15 km

Coastline:

364 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm

Climate:

tropical; ameliorated by northeast trade winds

Terrain:

generally hilly, volcanic interiors

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: Mount Scenery 862 m

Natural resources:

phosphates (Curacao only), salt (Bonaire only)

Land use:

arable land: 10%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 90% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

Sint Maarten, Saba, and Sint Eustatius are subject to hurricanes from July to October; Curacao and Bonaire are south of Caribbean hurricane belt and are rarely threatened

Environment - current issues:

NA

Geography - note:

the five islands of the Netherlands Antilles are divided geographically into the Leeward Islands (northern) group (Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten) and the Windward Islands (southern) group (Bonaire and Curacao); the island of Saint Martin is the smallest landmass in the world shared by two independent states, the French territory of Saint Martin and the Dutch territory of Sint Maarten

People ::Netherlands Antilles

Population:

227,049 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 182

Age structure:

0-14 years: 22.7% (male 26,429/female 25,162)

15-64 years: 67.7% (male 74,183/female 79,434)

65 years and over: 9.6% (male 8,875/female 12,966) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 33.7 years

male: 31.9 years

female: 35.5 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.732% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 144

Birth rate:

14.19 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 149

Death rate:

6.48 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 148

Net migration rate:

-0.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 105

Urbanization:

urban population: 93% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female

total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 9.09 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 156 male: 9.76 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 8.39 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 76.65 years country comparison to the world: 65 male: 74.33 years

female: 79.09 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.97 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 134

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Dutch Antillean(s)

adjective: Dutch Antillean

Ethnic groups:

mixed black 85%, other 15% (includes Carib Amerindian, white, East Asian)

Religions:

Roman Catholic 72%, Pentecostal 4.9%, Protestant 3.5%, Seventh-Day
Adventist 3.1%, Methodist 2.9%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.7%, other
Christian 4.2%, Jewish 1.3%, other or unspecified 1.2%, none 5.2%
(2001 census)

Languages:

Papiamento 65.4% (a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect),
English 15.9% (widely spoken), Dutch 7.3% (official), Spanish 6.1%,
Creole 1.6%, other 1.9%, unspecified 1.8% (2001 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 96.7%

male: 96.7%

female: 96.8% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 14 years

male: 14 years

female: 15 years (2002)

Education expenditures:

NA

Government ::Netherlands Antilles

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Netherlands Antilles

local long form: none

local short form: Nederlandse Antillen

former: Curacao and Dependencies

Dependency status:

an autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs granted in 1954; Dutch Government responsible for defense and foreign affairs

Government type:

parliamentary

Capital:

name: Willemstad (on Curacao)

geographic coordinates: 12 06 N, 68 56 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

note: each island has its own government

Independence:

none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

National holiday:

Queen's Day (Birthday of Queen-Mother JULIANA and accession to the throne of her oldest daughter BEATRIX), 30 April (1909 and 1980)

Constitution:

29 December 1954, Statute of the Realm of the Netherlands, as amended

Legal system:

based on Dutch civil law system with some English common law influence

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30 April 1980); represented by Governor General Frits GOEDGEDRAG (since 1 July 2002)

head of government: Prime Minister Emily de JONGH-ELHAGE (since 26 March 2006)

cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the Staten (legislature)

elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch for a six-year term; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is usually elected prime minister by the Staten; election last held 27 January 2006 (next to be held by 2010)

note: government coalition - PAR, PNP, DP-St. M, UPB, WIPM Saba, DP-St. E

Legislative branch:

unicameral States or Staten (22 seats, Curacao 14, Bonaire 3, St. Maarten 3, St. Eustatius 1, Saba 1; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 27 January 2006 (next to be held in 2010)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PAR 5, MAN 3, FOL 2, Forsa Korsou 2, National Alliance 2, PNP 2, UPB 2, DP-St. E 1, DP-St. M 1, PDB 1, WIPM 1

note: the government is a coalition of several parties

Judicial branch:

Joint High Court of Justice (judges appointed by the monarch)

Political parties and leaders:

Bonaire: Democratic Party of Bonaire or PDB [Jopi ABRAHAM];
Patriotic Union of Bonaire or UPB [Ramonsito BOOI]

Curacao: Ban Vota [Norbert GEORGE]; C-93 [Stanley BROWN]; Democratic
Party of Curacao or DP [Errol HERNANDEZ]; E Mayoria [Aurelio PEDRO];
Forsa Korsou [Nelson NAVARRO]; Liste Ni'un Paso Atras [Nelson
PIERRE]; Movemiento Patriotiko Korsou [Reginald LAK]; New Antilles
Movement or MAN [Charles COOPER]; Partido Akshon Pa Prosperidat I
Seguridat [Sonja BERKEMEYER]; Partido Laboral Krusada Popular or
PLKP [Errol COVA]; Party for the Restructured Antilles or PAR [Emily
de JONGH-ELHAGE]; People's National Party or PNP [Ersilia DE
LANNOOY]; Pidjin [Jasmin PINEDO]; Pueblo Soberano [Herman WIELS];
Workers' Liberation Front or FOL [Anthony GODETT]

Saba: Saba Labor Party [Akilah LEVENSTONE]; Windward Islands
People's Movement or WIPM [Ray HASSELL]

Sint Eustatius: Democratic Party of Sint Eustatius or DP-St. E
[Julian WOODLEY]; Progressive Labor Party [Clyde VAN PUTTEN]; St.
Eustatius Alliance [Ingrid HOUTMAN-WHITFIELD]

Sint Maarten: Democratic Party of Sint Maarten or DP-St. M [Sarah
WESCOTT-WILLIAMS]; Freedom Slate of National Democratic Party
[Theophilus PRIEST]; National Alliance or NA [William MARLIN];
People's Progressive Alliance or PPA [Gracita ARRINDELL]; St.
Maarten People's Party [Johan LEONARD]; United People's Labor Party
[Bienvenido RICHARDSON]

note: political parties are indigenous to each island

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Employers Association (VBC); Unions (AVBO)

International organization participation:

Caricom (observer), ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate),
UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCL, WCO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands); note - Mr. Jeffrey CORRION, Minister Plenipotentiary for Aruba at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Consul General Robert E. SORENSON

consulate(s) general: J. B. Gorsiraweg #1, Willemstad, Curacao

mailing address: P. O. Box 158, Willemstad, Curacao

telephone: [599] (9) 461-3066

FAX: [599] (9) 461-6489

Flag description:

white, with a horizontal blue stripe in the center superimposed on a vertical red band, also centered; five white, five-pointed stars are arranged in an oval pattern in the center of the blue band; the five stars represent the five main islands of Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten

Economy ::Netherlands Antilles

Economy - overview:

Tourism, petroleum refining, and offshore finance are the mainstays of this small economy, which is closely tied to the outside world. Although GDP has declined or grown slightly in each of the past eight years, the islands enjoy a high per capita income and a well-developed infrastructure compared with other countries in the region. Most of the oil Netherlands Antilles imports for its refineries come from Venezuela. Almost all consumer and capital goods are imported, the US, Italy, and Mexico being the major suppliers. Poor soils and inadequate water supplies hamper the development of agriculture. Budgetary problems hamper reform of the health and pension systems of an aging population. The Netherlands provides financial aid to support the economy.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$2.8 billion (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 175

GDP (official exchange rate):

$NA

GDP - real growth rate:

1% (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 175

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$16,000 (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 74

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 1%

industry: 15%

services: 84% (2000 est.)

Labor force:

91,470 (2007) country comparison to the world: 177

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 1%

industry: 20%

services: 79% (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate:

15.5% (2002 est.) country comparison to the world: 157

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $757.9 million

expenditures: $949.5 million (2004)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.1% (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 19

Central bank discount rate:

NA%

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

8.33% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 90 9.21% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$997.8 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$2.309 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$2.927 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 23 $488.6 billion (2003)

Agriculture - products:

aloes, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical fruit

Industries:

tourism (Curacao, Sint Maarten, and Bonaire), petroleum refining (Curacao), petroleum transshipment facilities (Curacao and Bonaire), light manufacturing (Curacao)

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

1.22 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 142

Electricity - consumption:

1.013 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 144

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 152

Oil - consumption:

71,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 89

Oil - exports:

224,600 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 52

Oil - imports:

298,500 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 39

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 147

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 154

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 142

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 139

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 104

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 149

Exports:

$3.71 billion (2006) country comparison to the world: 119

Exports - commodities:

petroleum products

Exports - partners:

US 19%, Guatemala 10.6%, Dominican Republic 9.3%, Haiti 7.4%, Singapore 6.7%, Bahamas, The 5.9%, Italy 4.5%, Honduras 4.4%, Mexico 4.1% (2008)

Imports:

$15.74 billion (2006) country comparison to the world: 79

Imports - commodities:

crude petroleum, food, manufactures

Imports - partners:

Venezuela 58.8%, US 19%, Brazil 5.9% (2008)

Debt - external:

$2.68 billion (2004) country comparison to the world: 130

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$NA

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$NA

Exchange rates:

Netherlands Antillean guilders (ANG) per US dollar - NA (2007), 1.79 (2006), 1.79 (2005), 1.79 (2004), 1.79 (2003)

Communications ::Netherlands Antilles

Telephones - main lines in use:

88,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 147

Telephones - mobile cellular:

200,000 (2004) country comparison to the world: 171

Telephone system:

general assessment: generally adequate facilities

domestic: extensive interisland microwave radio relay links

international: country code - 599; the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) and the Americas-2 submarine cable systems provide connectivity to Central America, parts of South America and the Caribbean, and the US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 8, FM 19, shortwave 0 (2003)

Television broadcast stations:

3 (there is also a cable service that supplies programs received from various US satellite networks and 4 Venezuelan channels) (2003)

Internet country code:

.an

Internet hosts:

71,671 (2009) country comparison to the world: 77

Transportation ::Netherlands Antilles

Airports:

5 (2009) country comparison to the world: 179

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 5

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 845

Merchant marine:

total: 147 country comparison to the world: 42 by type: barge carrier 2, bulk carrier 2, cargo 72, carrier 19, chemical tanker 2, container 8, liquefied gas 1, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 27, roll on/roll off 6, specialized tanker 3

foreign-owned: 123 (Belgium 1, Cuba 1, Cyprus 21, Denmark 2, Germany 43, Hong Kong 2, Netherlands 38, Norway 3, Sweden 1, Turkey 10, US 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Bopec Terminal, Willemstad

Military ::Netherlands Antilles

Military branches:

no regular military forces; National Guard (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

16 years of age for National Guard recruitment; no conscription (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 55,365

females age 16-49: 57,060 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 46,461

females age 16-49: 47,325 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 1,920

female: 1,827 (2009 est.)

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

Transnational Issues ::Netherlands Antilles

Disputes - international:

none

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for South American drugs bound for the US and Europe; money-laundering center

page last updated on November 10, 2009

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

@New Caledonia (Australia-Oceania)

Introduction ::New Caledonia

Background:

Settled by both Britain and France during the first half of the 19th century, the island was made a French possession in 1853. It served as a penal colony for four decades after 1864. Agitation for independence during the 1980s and early 1990s ended in the 1998 Noumea Accord, which over a period of 15 to 20 years will transfer an increasing amount of governing responsibility from France to New Caledonia. The agreement also commits France to conduct as many as three referenda between 2013 and 2018, to decide whether New Caledonia should assume full sovereignty and independence.

Geography ::New Caledonia

Location:

Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia

Geographic coordinates:

21 30 S, 165 30 E

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 18,575 sq km country comparison to the world: 155 land: 18,275 sq km

water: 300 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

2,254 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; modified by southeast trade winds; hot, humid

Terrain:

coastal plains with interior mountains

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mont Panie 1,628 m

Natural resources:

nickel, chrome, iron, cobalt, manganese, silver, gold, lead, copper

Land use:

arable land: 0.32%

permanent crops: 0.22%

other: 99.46% (2005)

Irrigated land:

100 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

cyclones, most frequent from November to March

Environment - current issues:

erosion caused by mining exploitation and forest fires

Geography - note:

consists of the main island of New Caledonia (one of the largest in the Pacific Ocean), the archipelago of Iles Loyaute, and numerous small, sparsely populated islands and atolls

People ::New Caledonia

Population:

227,436 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 181

Age structure:

0-14 years: 26.8% (male 31,191/female 29,870)

15-64 years: 65.8% (male 75,189/female 74,552)

65 years and over: 7.3% (male 7,681/female 8,953) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 28.7 years

male: 28.2 years

female: 29.2 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.136% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 118

Birth rate:

17.04 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 121

Death rate:

5.68 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 172

Net migration rate:

NA

note: there has been steady emigration from Wallis and Futuna to New Caledonia (2009 est.)

Urbanization:

urban population: 65% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 2.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 7.05 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 168 male: 7.7 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 6.36 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 74.98 years country comparison to the world: 85 male: 71.99 years

female: 78.12 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.18 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 119

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: New Caledonian(s)

adjective: New Caledonian

Ethnic groups:

Melanesian 44.1%, European 34.1%, Wallisian & Futunian 9%, Tahitian 2.6%, Indonesian 2.5%, Vietnamese 1.4%, Ni-Vanuatu 1.1%, other 5.2% (1996 census)

Religions:

Roman Catholic 60%, Protestant 30%, other 10%

Languages:

French (official), 33 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 96.2%

male: 96.8%

female: 95.5% (1996 census)

Government ::New Caledonia

Country name:

conventional long form: Territory of New Caledonia and Dependencies

conventional short form: New Caledonia

local long form: Territoire des Nouvelle-Caledonie et Dependances

local short form: Nouvelle-Caledonie

Dependency status:

territorial collectivity of France since 1998

Government type:

NA

Capital:

name: Noumea

geographic coordinates: 22 16 S, 166 27 E

time difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 3 provinces named Province des Iles, Province Nord, and Province Sud

Independence:

none (overseas territory of France); note - a referendum on independence was held in 1998 but did not pass; a new referendum is scheduled for 2014

National holiday:

Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution:

4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system:

based on French civil law; the 1988 Matignon Accords grant substantial autonomy to the islands

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007); represented by High Commissioner Yves DASSONVILLE (since 9 November 2007)

head of government: President of the Government Philippe GOMES (since 5 June 2009)

cabinet: Cabinet consisting of 11 members elected from and by the Territorial Congress

elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the government elected by the members of the Territorial Congress for a five-year term (no term limits); note - last election held 7 August 2007 when Harold MARTIN was elected following the resignation of Marie-Noelle THEMEREAU as president on 24 July 2007 (next to be held in 2012)

Legislative branch:

elections: unicameral Territorial Congress or Congres du territoire (54 seats; members belong to the three Provincial Assemblies or Assemblees Provinciales elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) last held 9 May 2009 (next to be held in 10 May 2014)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 13, Caledonia Together 10, UC 8, UNI 8, AE 6, FLNKS 3, Labor Party 3, other 3

note: New Caledonia holds two seats in the French Senate; elections last held 21 September 2008 (next to be held not later than September 2014); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 2; New Caledonia also elects two seats to the French National Assembly; elections last held 10 and 17 June 2007 (next to be held on June 2012); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 2

Judicial branch:

Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; County Courts; Joint Commerce
Tribunal Court; Children's Court

Political parties and leaders:

Alliance pour la Caledonie or APLC [Didier LE ROUX]; Caledonia
Together [Philippe GOMES]; Caledonian Union or UC [Charles PIDJOT];
Federation des Comites de Coordination des Independantistes or FCCI
[Francois BURCK]; Front National or FN [Jean-Marie LE PEN]; Front
Uni de Liberation Kanak or FULK [Ernest UNE]; Labor Party or PT
[Louis Kora UREGEI]; Kanak Socialist Front for National Liberation
or FLNKS (includes PALIKA, UNI, UC, and UPM); Parti de Liberation
Kanak or PALIKA [Paul NEAOUTYINE]; Rally for Caledonia or RPC
[Jacques LAFLEUR]; The Future Together or AE [Didier LEROUX]; The
Rally or UMP [Pierre FROGIER]; Union Nationale pour l'Independance
or UNI; Union Progressiste Melanesienne or UPM [Victor TUTUGORO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ITUC, PIF (associate member), SPC, UPU, WFTU, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (overseas territory of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (overseas territory of France)

Flag description:

the flag of France is used

Economy ::New Caledonia

Economy - overview:

New Caledonia has about 25% of the world's known nickel resources. Only a small amount of the land is suitable for cultivation, and food accounts for about 20% of imports. In addition to nickel, substantial financial support from France - equal to more than 15% of GDP - and tourism are keys to the health of the economy. Substantial new investment in the nickel industry, combined with the recovery of global nickel prices, brightens the economic outlook for the next several years.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$3.158 billion (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 172

GDP (official exchange rate):

$3.3 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

NA%

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$15,000 (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 76

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 15%

industry: 8.8%

services: 76.2% (2003)

Labor force:

102,600 (2007) country comparison to the world: 176

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 20%

industry: 20%

services: 60% (2002)

Unemployment rate:

17.1% (2004) country comparison to the world: 159

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $996 million

expenditures: $1.072 billion (2001 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

1.4% (2000 est.) country comparison to the world: 11

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

vegetables; beef, deer, other livestock products; fish

Industries:

nickel mining and smelting

Electricity - production:

1.825 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 136

Electricity - consumption:

1.697 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 137

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 158

Oil - consumption:

13,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 142

Oil - exports:

645.3 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 123

Oil - imports:

14,430 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 126

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 153

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 149

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 149

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 146

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 151

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 156

Exports:

$1.341 billion (2006) country comparison to the world: 145

Exports - commodities:

ferronickels, nickel ore, fish

Exports - partners:

France 18.9%, Japan 18.3%, Spain 7.3%, China 6.5%, Belgium 5.4%,
Australia 4.6% (2008)

Imports:

$1.998 billion (2006) country comparison to the world: 149

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:

France 36.6%, Singapore 17.7%, Australia 11.5%, NZ 4.7% (2008)

Debt - external:

$79 million (1998 est.) country comparison to the world: 190

Exchange rates:

Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 87.59 (2007), 94.97 (2006), 95.89 (2005), 96.04 (2004), 105.66 (2003)

Communications ::New Caledonia

Telephones - main lines in use:

63,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 157

Telephones - mobile cellular:

196,500 (2008) country comparison to the world: 172

Telephone system:

general assessment: a submarine cable network connection between New Caledonia and Australia, completed in 2007, is expected to significantly increase network capacity and improve high-speed connectivity and access to international networks

domestic: combined fixed and mobile-cellular telephone subscribership exceeds 100 per 100 persons

international: country code - 687; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

6 (plus 25 repeaters) (1997)

Internet country code:

.nc

Internet hosts:

22,448 (2009) country comparison to the world: 101

Internet users:

85,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 159

Transportation ::New Caledonia

Airports:

25 (2009) country comparison to the world: 130

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 12

over 3,047 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 10

under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 13

914 to 1,523 m: 5

under 914 m: 8 (2009)

Heliports:

8 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 5,622 km (2006) country comparison to the world: 151

Merchant marine:

total: 2 country comparison to the world: 146 by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 1 (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Noumea

Military ::New Caledonia

Military branches:

no regular military forces; French police and gendarmerie (2009)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 57,738 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 48,288

females age 16-49: 48,959 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 2,160

female: 2,087 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

NA

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues ::New Caledonia

Disputes - international:

Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia claimed by France and Vanuatu

page last updated on November 10, 2009

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

@New Zealand (Australia-Oceania)

Introduction ::New Zealand

Background:

The Polynesian Maori reached New Zealand in about A.D. 800. In 1840, their chieftains entered into a compact with Britain, the Treaty of Waitangi, in which they ceded sovereignty to Queen Victoria while retaining territorial rights. In that same year, the British began the first organized colonial settlement. A series of land wars between 1843 and 1872 ended with the defeat of the native peoples. The British colony of New Zealand became an independent dominion in 1907 and supported the UK militarily in both World Wars. New Zealand's full participation in a number of defense alliances lapsed by the 1980s. In recent years, the government has sought to address longstanding Maori grievances.

Geography ::New Zealand

Location:

Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of Australia

Geographic coordinates:

41 00 S, 174 00 E

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 267,710 sq km country comparison to the world: 75 land: 267,710 sq km

water: NA

note: includes Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands, Bounty Islands, Campbell Island, Chatham Islands, and Kermadec Islands

Area - comparative:

about the size of Colorado

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

15,134 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:

temperate with sharp regional contrasts

Terrain:

predominately mountainous with some large coastal plains

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Aoraki-Mount Cook 3,754 m

Natural resources:

natural gas, iron ore, sand, coal, timber, hydropower, gold, limestone

Land use:

arable land: 5.54%

permanent crops: 6.92%

other: 87.54% (2005)

Irrigated land:

2,850 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

397 cu km (1995)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 2.11 cu km/yr (48%/9%/42%)

per capita: 524 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

earthquakes are common, though usually not severe; volcanic activity

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; soil erosion; native flora and fauna hard-hit by invasive species

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Antarctic Seals, Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:

almost 90% of the population lives in cities; Wellington is the southernmost national capital in the world

People ::New Zealand

Population:

4,213,418 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 124

Age structure:

0-14 years: 20.7% (male 447,174/female 424,522)

15-64 years: 66.5% (male 1,404,143/female 1,399,530)

65 years and over: 12.8% (male 244,986/female 293,063) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 36.6 years

male: 35.8 years

female: 37.4 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.935% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 132

Birth rate:

13.94 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 151

Death rate:

7.05 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 131

Net migration rate:

2.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 35

Urbanization:

urban population: 87% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 4.92 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 192 male: 5.53 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 80.36 years country comparison to the world: 18 male: 78.43 years

female: 82.39 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.1 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 122

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 129

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

1,400 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 140

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 200 (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 121

Nationality:

noun: New Zealander(s)

adjective: New Zealand

Ethnic groups:

European 69.8%, Maori 7.9%, Asian 5.7%, Pacific islander 4.4%, other 0.5%, mixed 7.8%, unspecified 3.8% (2001 census)

Religions:

Anglican 14.9%, Roman Catholic 12.4%, Presbyterian 10.9%, Methodist 2.9%, Pentecostal 1.7%, Baptist 1.3%, other Christian 9.4%, other 3.3%, unspecified 17.2%, none 26% (2001 census)

Languages:

English (official), Maori (official), Sign Language (official)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 19 years

male: 19 years

female: 20 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

6.2% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 38

Government ::New Zealand

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: New Zealand

abbreviation: NZ

Government type:

parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm

Capital:

name: Wellington

geographic coordinates: 41 28 S, 174 51 E

time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in September; ends first Sunday in April

note: New Zealand is divided into two time zones - New Zealand standard time (12 hours in advance of UTC), and Chatham Islands time (45 minutes in advance of New Zealand standard time)

Administrative divisions:

16 regions and 1 territory*; Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Canterbury,
Chatham Islands*, Gisborne, Hawke's Bay, Manawatu-Wanganui,
Marlborough, Nelson, Northland, Otago, Southland, Taranaki, Tasman,
Waikato, Wellington, West Coast

Dependent areas:

Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau

Independence:

26 September 1907 (from the UK)

National holiday:

Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840); ANZAC Day (commemorated as the anniversary of the landing of troops of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps during World War I at Gallipoli, Turkey), 25 April (1915)

Constitution:

consists of a series of legal documents, including certain acts of the UK and New Zealand parliaments, as well as The Constitution Act 1986, which is the principal formal charter; adopted 1 January 1987, effective 1 January 1987

Legal system:

based on English law, with special land legislation and land courts for the Maori; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Anand SATYANAND (since 23 August 2006)

head of government: Prime Minister John KEY (since 19 November 2008); Deputy Prime Minister Bill ENGLISH (since 19 November 2008)

cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor general on the recommendation of the prime minister

elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general

Legislative branch:

unicameral House of Representatives - commonly called Parliament (usually 120 seats; 69 members elected by popular vote in single-member constituencies including 7 Maori constituencies, and 51 proportional seats chosen from party lists; serve three-year terms)

elections: last held 8 November 2008 (next to be held not later than 27 November 2011)

election results: percent of vote by party - NP 44.9%, NZLP 34%, Green Party 6.7%, NZ First 4%, ACT New Zealand 3.7%, Maori 2.4%, Progressive 0.9%, UF 0.9%, other 6.6%; seats by party - NP 58, NZLP 43, Green Party 9, ACT New Zealand 5, Maori 5, Progressive 1, UF 1

note: results of 2008 election saw the total number of seats increase to 122

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; High Court; note - judges appointed by the governor general

Political parties and leaders:

ACT New Zealand [Rodney HIDE]; Green Party [Jeanette FITZSIMONS]; Maori Party [Tariana TURIA and Pita SHARPLES]; National Party or NP [John KEY]; New Zealand First Party or NZ First [Winston PETERS]; New Zealand Labor Party or NZLP [Phil GOFF]; Progressive Party [James (Jim) ANDERTON]; United Future or UF [Peter DUNNE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Women's Electoral Lobby or WEL

other: apartheid groups; civil rights groups; farmers groups; Maori; nuclear weapons groups; women's rights groups

International organization participation:

ADB, ANZUS (US suspended security obligations to NZ on 11 August
1986), APEC, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, C,
CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,
ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, NAM (guest), NSG, OECD, OPCW, PCA, PIF,
Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNMIT,
UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Roy N. FERGUSON

chancery: 37 Observatory Circle NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 328-4800

FAX: [1] (202) 667-5227

consulate(s) general: New York, Santa Monica

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador William P. McCORMICK

embassy: 29 Fitzherbert Terrace, Thorndon, Wellington

mailing address: P. O. Box 1190, Wellington; PSC 467, Box 1, APO AP 96531-1034

telephone: [64] (4) 462-6000

FAX: [64] (4) 499-0490

consulate(s) general: Auckland

Flag description:

blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant with four red five-pointed stars edged in white centered in the outer half of the flag; the stars represent the Southern Cross constellation

Government - note:

while not an official symbol, the Kiwi, a small native flightless bird, represents New Zealand

Economy ::New Zealand

Economy - overview:

Over the past 20 years the government has transformed New Zealand from an agrarian economy dependent on concessionary British market access to a more industrialized, free market economy that can compete globally. This dynamic growth has boosted real incomes - but left behind some at the bottom of the ladder - and broadened and deepened the technological capabilities of the industrial sector. Per capita income has risen for nine consecutive years and reached $27,900 in 2008 in purchasing power parity terms. Debt-driven consumer spending drove robust growth in the first half of the decade, helping fuel a large balance of payments deficit that posed a challenge for economic managers. Inflationary pressures caused the central bank to raise its key rate steadily from January 2004 until it was among the highest in the OECD in 2007-08; international capital inflows attracted to the high rates further strengthened the currency and housing market, however, aggravating the current account deficit. The economy fell into recession in 2008. In line with global peers, the central bank has cut interest rates aggressively; the new government is responding with plans to raise productivity growth and develop infrastructure.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$116.6 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 61 $116.6 billion (2007 est.)

$113 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$128.4 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

0% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 198 3.2% (2007 est.)

1.9% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$27,900 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 49 $28,200 (2007 est.)

$27,600 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 4.4%

industry: 25.7%

services: 69.9% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

2.25 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 114

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 7%

industry: 19%

services: 74% (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate:

4.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 53 3.6% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: %NA

highest 10%: %NA

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

36.2 (1997) country comparison to the world: 83

Investment (gross fixed):

22.4% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 78

Budget:

revenues: $54.41 billion

expenditures: $55.93 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

24.4% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 85 22.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 64 2.4% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

5% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 51 8.25% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

12.06% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 64 12.83% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$13.7 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 42 $17.85 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$99.91 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 22 $117.8 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$164.4 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 32 $200.1 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 57 $47.45 billion (31 December 2007)

$44.94 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

dairy products, lamb and mutton; wheat, barley, potatoes, pulses, fruits, vegetables; wool, beef; fish

Industries:

food processing, wood and paper products, textiles, machinery, transportation equipment, banking and insurance, tourism, mining

Industrial production growth rate:

-2.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 155

Electricity - production:

42.4 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 52

Electricity - consumption:

39.24 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 52

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

65,400 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 58

Oil - consumption:

154,100 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 66

Oil - exports:

34,260 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 83

Oil - imports:

147,600 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 58

Oil - proved reserves:

60 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 75

Natural gas - production:

4.275 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 50

Natural gas - consumption:

4.276 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 62

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 137

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 102

Natural gas - proved reserves:

33.98 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 68

Current account balance:

-$11.34 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 169 -$10.63 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$31.19 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 63 $27.29 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

dairy products, meat, wood and wood products, fish, machinery

Exports - partners:

Australia 23.1%, US 10.1%, Japan 8.4%, China 5.8% (2008)

Imports:

$32.76 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 62 $29.05 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, vehicles and aircraft, petroleum, electronics, textiles, plastics

Imports - partners:

Australia 18.1%, China 13.2%, US 9.5%, Japan 8.3%, Singapore 4.7%,
Malaysia 4.4%, Germany 4.3% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$11.15 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 64 $17.25 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$59.08 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 48 $51.44 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$72.92 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 42 $70.94 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$NA

Exchange rates:

New Zealand dollars (NZD) per US dollar - 1.4151 (2008 est.), 1.3811 (2007), 1.5408 (2006), 1.4203 (2005), 1.5087 (2004)

Communications ::New Zealand

Telephones - main lines in use:

1.75 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 62

Telephones - mobile cellular:

4.62 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 91

Telephone system:

general assessment: excellent domestic and international systems

domestic: combined fixed and mobile-cellular telephone subscribership exceeds 150 per 100 persons

international: country code - 64; the Southern Cross submarine cable system provides links to Australia, Fiji, and the US; satellite earth stations - 8 (1 Inmarsat - Pacific Ocean, 7 other)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 124, FM 290, shortwave 4 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

41 (plus about 700 repeaters) (1997)

Internet country code:

.nz

Internet hosts:

2.007 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 32

Internet users:

3.047 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 58

Transportation ::New Zealand

Airports:

120 (2009) country comparison to the world: 50

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 41

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 12

914 to 1,523 m: 25

under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 79

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 31

under 914 m: 45 (2009)

Pipelines:

condensate 331 km; gas 1,838 km; liquid petroleum gas 172 km; oil 288 km; refined products 198 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 4,128 km country comparison to the world: 39 narrow gauge: 4,128 km 1.067-m gauge (506 km electrified) (2008)

Roadways:

total: 93,576 km country comparison to the world: 49 paved: 61,564 km (includes 172 km of expressways)

unpaved: 32,012 km (2006)

Merchant marine:

total: 13 country comparison to the world: 108 by type: bulk carrier 3, cargo 2, chemical tanker 1, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 2

foreign-owned: 3 (Australia 1, Germany 1, South Africa 1)

registered in other countries: 5 (Antigua and Barbuda 2, Cook Islands 1, France 1, UK 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Auckland, Lyttelton, Marsden Point, Tauranga, Wellington, Whangarei

Military ::New Zealand

Military branches:

New Zealand Defense Force (NZDF): New Zealand Army, Royal New
Zealand Navy, Royal New Zealand Air Force (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

17 years of age for voluntary military service; soldiers cannot be deployed until the age of 18; no conscription (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,009,298

females age 16-49: 997,134 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 837,553

females age 16-49: 825,981 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 31,461

female: 29,809 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 135

Transnational Issues ::New Zealand

Disputes - international:

asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica (Ross Dependency)

Illicit drugs:

significant consumer of amphetamines

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Nicaragua (Central America and Caribbean)

Introduction ::Nicaragua

Background:

The Pacific coast of Nicaragua was settled as a Spanish colony from Panama in the early 16th century. Independence from Spain was declared in 1821 and the country became an independent republic in 1838. Britain occupied the Caribbean Coast in the first half of the 19th century, but gradually ceded control of the region in subsequent decades. Violent opposition to governmental manipulation and corruption spread to all classes by 1978 and resulted in a short-lived civil war that brought the Marxist Sandinista guerrillas to power in 1979. Nicaraguan aid to leftist rebels in El Salvador caused the US to sponsor anti-Sandinista contra guerrillas through much of the 1980s. Free elections in 1990, 1996, and 2001, saw the Sandinistas defeated, but voting in 2006 announced the return of former Sandinista President Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra. The 2008 municipal elections were characterized by widespread irregularities. Nicaragua's infrastructure and economy - hard hit by the earlier civil war and by Hurricane Mitch in 1998 - are slowly being rebuilt, but democratic institutions face new challenges under the ORTEGA administration.

Geography ::Nicaragua

Location:

Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North
Pacific Ocean, between Costa Rica and Honduras

Geographic coordinates:

13 00 N, 85 00 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 130,370 sq km country comparison to the world: 97 land: 119,990 sq km

water: 10,380 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than New York state

Land boundaries:

total: 1,231 km

border countries: Costa Rica 309 km, Honduras 922 km

Coastline:

910 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

continental shelf: natural prolongation

Climate:

tropical in lowlands, cooler in highlands

Terrain:

extensive Atlantic coastal plains rising to central interior mountains; narrow Pacific coastal plain interrupted by volcanoes

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mogoton 2,438 m

Natural resources:

gold, silver, copper, tungsten, lead, zinc, timber, fish

Land use:

arable land: 14.81%

permanent crops: 1.82%

other: 83.37% (2005)

Irrigated land:

610 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

196.7 cu km (2000)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 1.3 cu km/yr (15%/2%/83%)

per capita: 237 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

destructive earthquakes; volcanoes; landslides; extremely susceptible to hurricanes

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

largest country in Central America; contains the largest freshwater body in Central America, Lago de Nicaragua

People ::Nicaragua

Population:

5,891,199 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 108

Age structure:

0-14 years: 33.8% (male 1,013,866/female 976,430)

15-64 years: 62.9% (male 1,847,756/female 1,857,264)

65 years and over: 3.3% (male 85,782/female 110,101) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 22.1 years

male: 21.7 years

female: 22.5 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.784% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 73

Birth rate:

23.25 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 77

Death rate:

4.3 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 206

Net migration rate:

-1.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 125

Urbanization:

urban population: 57% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 25.02 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 88 male: 28.09 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 21.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 71.5 years country comparison to the world: 128 male: 69.35 years

female: 73.75 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.57 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 91

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.2% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 106

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

7,700 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 114

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 500 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 90

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: dengue fever and malaria

water contact disease: leptospirosis (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Nicaraguan(s)

adjective: Nicaraguan

Ethnic groups:

mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 69%, white 17%, black 9%, Amerindian 5%

Religions:

Roman Catholic 58.5%, Evangelical 21.6%, Moravian 1.6%, Jehovah's
Witness 0.9%, other 1.7%, none 15.7% (2005 census)

Languages:

Spanish 97.5% (official), Miskito 1.7%, other 0.8% (1995 census)

note: English and indigenous languages on Atlantic coast

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 67.5%

male: 67.2%

female: 67.8% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 11 years

male: 11 years

female: 11 years (2003)

Education expenditures:

3.1% of GDP (2003) country comparison to the world: 143

Government ::Nicaragua

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Nicaragua

conventional short form: Nicaragua

local long form: Republica de Nicaragua

local short form: Nicaragua

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Managua

geographic coordinates: 12 09 N, 86 17 W

time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

15 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 2 autonomous regions* (regiones autonomistas, singular - region autonoma); Atlantico Norte*, Atlantico Sur*, Boaco, Carazo, Chinandega, Chontales, Esteli, Granada, Jinotega, Leon, Madriz, Managua, Masaya, Matagalpa, Nueva Segovia, Rio San Juan, Rivas

Independence:

15 September 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution:

9 January 1987; revised in 1995, 2000, and 2005

Legal system:

civil law system; Supreme Court may review administrative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

16 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (since 10 January 2007); Vice President Jaime MORALES Carazo (since 10 January 2007); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (since 10 January 2007); Vice President Jaime MORALES Carazo (since 10 January 2007)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term so long as it is not consecutive); election last held 5 November 2006 (next to be held by November 2011)

election results: Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra elected president - 38.07%, Eduardo MONTEALEGRE 29%, Jose RIZO 26.21%, Edmundo JARQUIN 6.44%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (92 seats; 90 members are elected by proportional representation and party lists to serve five-year terms; 1 seat for the previous president, 1 seat for the runner-up in previous presidential election)

elections: last held 5 November 2006 (next to be held by November 2011)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FSLN 38, PLC 25, ALN 23 (22 plus one for presidential candidate Eduardo MONTEALEGRE, runner-up in the 2006 presidential election), MRS 5, APRE 1 (outgoing President Enrique BOLANOS); note - as of 1 January 2009: seats by party - FSLN 38, PLC 25, BDN 15, ALN 6, MRS 3, APRE 1, Independent 4

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Corte Suprema de Justicia (16 judges elected for five-year terms by the National Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:

Conservative Party or PC [Azalia AVILES Salmeron]; Liberal
Constitutionalist Party or PLC [Jorge CASTILLO Quant]; Nicaraguan
Democratic Bloc or BDN [Eduardo MONTEALEGRE]; Nicaraguan Liberal
Alliance or ALN [Eliseo NUNEZ Sr.]; Sandinista National Liberation
Front or FSLN [Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra]; Sandinista Renovation
Movement or MRS [Enrique SAENZ Navarrete]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

National Workers Front or FNT (a Sandinista umbrella group of eight
labor unions including: Farm Workers Association or ATC, Health
Workers Federation or FETASALUD, Heroes and Martyrs Confederation of
Professional Associations or CONAPRO, National Association of
Educators of Nicaragua or ANDEN, National Union of Employees or UNE,
National Union of Farmers and Ranchers or UNAG, Sandinista Workers
Central or CST, and Union of Journalists of Nicaragua or UPN);
Permanent Congress of Workers or CPT (an umbrella group of four
non-Sandinista labor unions including: Autonomous Nicaraguan Workers
Central or CTN-A, Confederation of Labor Unification or CUS,
Independent General Confederation of Labor or CGT-I, and Labor
Action and Unity Central or CAUS); Nicaraguan Workers' Central or
CTN (an independent labor union); Superior Council of Private
Enterprise or COSEP (a confederation of business groups)

International organization participation:

BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC,
LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, SICA,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCL,
WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charges d'Affaires Alcides J. MONTIEL Barillas

chancery: 1627 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone: [1] (202) 939-6570, 6573

FAX: [1] (202) 939-6545

consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Robert J. CALLAHAN

embassy: Kilometer 5.5 Carretera Sur, Managua

mailing address: American Embassy Managua, APO AA 34021

telephone: [505] 252-7100, 252-7888; 252-7634 (after hours)

FAX: [505] 252-7304

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue with the national coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms features a triangle encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on the top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom; similar to the flag of El Salvador, which features a round emblem encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Honduras, which has five blue stars arranged in an X pattern centered in the white band

Economy ::Nicaragua

Economy - overview:

Nicaragua has widespread underemployment and the second lowest per capita income in the Western Hemisphere. The US-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) has been in effect since April 2006 and has expanded export opportunities for many agricultural and manufactured goods. Textiles and apparel account for nearly 60% of Nicaragua's exports, but recent increases in the minimum wage will likely erode its comparative advantage in this industry. Nicaragua relies on international economic assistance to meet internal- and external-debt financing obligations. In early 2004, Nicaragua secured some $4.5 billion in foreign debt reduction under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative, and in October 2007, the IMF approved a new poverty reduction and growth facility (PRGF) program. However, severe budget shortfalls resulting from the suspension of large amounts of direct budget support from foreign donors concerned with recent political developments has caused a slowdown in PRGF disbursements. Similarly, private sector concerns surrounding ORTEGA's handling of economic issues have dampened investment. Economic growth has slowed in 2009, due to decreased export demand from the US and Central American markets, lower commodity prices for key agricultural exports, and low remittance growth - remittances are equivalent to almost 15% of GDP.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$16.83 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 130 $16.31 billion (2007 est.)

$15.8 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$6.365 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

3.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 119 3.2% (2007 est.)

3.9% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$2,900 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 165 $2,900 (2007 est.)

$2,800 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 16.9%

industry: 25.8%

services: 57.3% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

2.322 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 111

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 29%

industry: 19%

services: 52% (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate:

5.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 67 4.9% (2007 est.)

note: underemployment was 46.5% in 2008

Population below poverty line:

48% (2005)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 1.4%

highest 10%: 41.8% (2005)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

43.1 (2001) country comparison to the world: 51 60.3 (1998)

Investment (gross fixed):

34.5% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 10

Budget:

revenues: $1.271 billion

expenditures: $1.594 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

74.8% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 14 69.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

19.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 203 11.1% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

NA%

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

13.17% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 59 13.04% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$507.5 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 94 $465.1 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$1.81 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 84 $1.802 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$4.272 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 83 $4.133 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

coffee, bananas, sugarcane, cotton, rice, corn, tobacco, sesame, soya, beans; beef, veal, pork, poultry, dairy products; shrimp, lobsters

Industries:

food processing, chemicals, machinery and metal products, textiles, clothing, petroleum refining and distribution, beverages, footwear, wood

Industrial production growth rate:

3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 81

Electricity - production:

3.286 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 123

Electricity - consumption:

2.569 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 131

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

63.95 million kWh (2007 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 151

Oil - consumption:

29,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 113

Oil - exports:

212.5 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 130

Oil - imports:

29,570 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 101

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 146

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 153

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 154

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 138

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 103

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 148

Current account balance:

-$1.475 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 131 -$1.048 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$2.675 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 124 $2.313 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

coffee, beef, shrimp and lobster, tobacco, sugar, gold, peanuts

Exports - partners:

US 32.3%, El Salvador 14.6%, Costa Rica 6.9%, Honduras 6.8%, Mexico 5.3%, Canada 5%, Guatemala 5% (2008)

Imports:

$4.848 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 117 $4.117 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

consumer goods, machinery and equipment, raw materials, petroleum products

Imports - partners:

US 21%, Venezuela 14.3%, Mexico 8.4%, Costa Rica 8%, China 7.8%,
Guatemala 6.1%, El Salvador 5.2% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$1.141 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 124 $1.103 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$4.596 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 108 $3.341 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

cordobas (NIO) per US dollar - 19.374 (2008 est.), 18.457 (2007), 17.582 (2006), 16.733 (2005), 15.937 (2004)

Communications ::Nicaragua

Telephones - main lines in use:

312,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 114

Telephones - mobile cellular:

3.039 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 109

Telephone system:

general assessment: system being upgraded by foreign investment; nearly all installed telecommunications capacity now uses digital technology, owing to investments since privatization of the formerly state-owned telecommunications company

domestic: since privatization, access to fixed-line and mobile-cellular services has improved but teledensity still lags behind other Central American countries; fixed-line teledensity roughly 5 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone subscribership increasing and now exceeds 50 per 100 persons; connected to Central American Microwave System

international: country code - 505; the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) fiber optic submarine cable provides connectivity to South and Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and the US; satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region) and 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 63, FM 32, shortwave 1 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

3 (plus 7 repeaters) (1997)

Internet country code:

.ni

Internet hosts:

88,742 (2009) country comparison to the world: 74

Internet users:

185,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 140

Transportation ::Nicaragua

Airports:

143 (2009) country comparison to the world: 40

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 11

2,438 to 3,047 m: 3

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m: 3 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 132

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 16

under 914 m: 115 (2009)

Pipelines:

oil 54 km (2008)

Roadways:

total: 19,036 km country comparison to the world: 113 paved: 2,299 km

unpaved: 16,737 km (2005)

Waterways:

2,220 km (including lakes Managua and Nicaragua) (2008) country comparison to the world: 41

Ports and terminals:

Bluefields, Corinto, El Bluff

Military ::Nicaragua

Military branches:

National Army of Nicaragua (ENN; includes Navy, Air Force) (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

17 years of age for voluntary military service; tour of duty 18-36 months (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,513,312

females age 16-49: 1,507,999 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,277,878

females age 16-49: 1,339,413 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 72,366

female: 70,118 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

0.6% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 157

Transnational Issues ::Nicaragua

Disputes - international:

memorials and countermemorials were filed by the parties in Nicaragua's 1999 and 2001 proceedings against Honduras and Colombia at the ICJ over the maritime boundary and territorial claims in the western Caribbean Sea, final public hearings are scheduled for 2007; the 1992 ICJ ruling for El Salvador and Honduras advised a tripartite resolution to establish a maritime boundary in the Gulf of Fonseca, which considers Honduran access to the Pacific; legal dispute over navigational rights of San Juan River on border with Costa Rica

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for cocaine destined for the US and transshipment point for arms-for-drugs dealing

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Niger (Africa)

Introduction ::Niger

Background:

Niger became independent from France in 1960 and experienced single-party and military rule until 1991, when Gen. Ali SAIBOU was forced by public pressure to allow multiparty elections, which resulted in a democratic government in 1993. Political infighting brought the government to a standstill and in 1996 led to a coup by Col. Ibrahim BARE. In 1999, BARE was killed in a coup by military officers who promptly restored democratic rule and held elections that brought Mamadou TANDJA to power in December of that year. TANDJA was reelected in 2004. Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world with minimal government services and insufficient funds to develop its resource base. The largely agrarian and subsistence-based economy is frequently disrupted by extended droughts common to the Sahel region of Africa. A predominately Tuareg ethnic group emerged in February 2007, the Nigerien Movement for Justice (MNJ), and attacked several military targets in Niger's northern region throughout 2007 and 2008. Events have since evolved into a fledging insurgency.

Geography ::Niger

Location:

Western Africa, southeast of Algeria

Geographic coordinates:

16 00 N, 8 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 1.267 million sq km country comparison to the world: 22 land: 1,266,700 sq km

water: 300 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Land boundaries:

total: 5,697 km

border countries: Algeria 956 km, Benin 266 km, Burkina Faso 628 km, Chad 1,175 km, Libya 354 km, Mali 821 km, Nigeria 1,497 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

desert; mostly hot, dry, dusty; tropical in extreme south

Terrain:

predominately desert plains and sand dunes; flat to rolling plains in south; hills in north

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Niger River 200 m

highest point: Mont Bagzane 2,022 m

Natural resources:

uranium, coal, iron ore, tin, phosphates, gold, molybdenum, gypsum, salt, petroleum

Land use:

arable land: 11.43%

permanent crops: 0.01%

other: 88.56% (2005)

Irrigated land:

730 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

33.7 cu km (2003)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 2.18 cu km/yr (4%/0%/95%)

per capita: 156 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

recurring droughts

Environment - current issues:

overgrazing; soil erosion; deforestation; desertification; wildlife populations (such as elephant, hippopotamus, giraffe, and lion) threatened because of poaching and habitat destruction

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:

landlocked; one of the hottest countries in the world; northern four-fifths is desert, southern one-fifth is savanna, suitable for livestock and limited agriculture

People ::Niger

Population:

15,306,252 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 63

Age structure:

0-14 years: 49.6% (male 3,840,379/female 3,758,674)

15-64 years: 48% (male 3,658,361/female 3,690,373)

65 years and over: 2.3% (male 159,984/female 198,481) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 15.2 years

male: 14.9 years

female: 15.4 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

3.677% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 2

Birth rate:

51.6 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 1

Death rate:

14.83 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 21

Net migration rate:

-0.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 114

Urbanization:

urban population: 16% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 116.66 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 5 male: 121.72 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 111.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 52.6 years country comparison to the world: 201 male: 51.39 years

female: 53.85 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

7.75 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 1

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.8% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 58

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

60,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 60

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

4,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 50

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: malaria

water contact disease: schistosomiasis

animal contact disease: rabies

respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis

note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Nigerien(s)

adjective: Nigerien

Ethnic groups:

Haoussa 55.4%, Djerma Sonrai 21%, Tuareg 9.3%, Peuhl 8.5%, Kanouri
Manga 4.7%, other 1.2% (2001 census)

Religions:

Muslim 80%, other (includes indigenous beliefs and Christian) 20%

Languages:

French (official), Hausa, Djerma

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 28.7%

male: 42.9%

female: 15.1% (2005 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 4 years

male: 5 years

female: 3 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

3.4% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 134

Government ::Niger

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Niger

conventional short form: Niger

local long form: Republique du Niger

local short form: Niger

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Niamey

geographic coordinates: 13 31 N, 2 07 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

8 regions (regions, singular - region) includes 1 capital district* (communite urbaine); Agadez, Diffa, Dosso, Maradi, Niamey*, Tahoua, Tillaberi, Zinder

Independence:

3 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday:

Republic Day, 18 December (1958)

Constitution:

adopted 18 July 1999

Legal system:

based on French civil law system and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Mamadou TANDJA (since 22 December 1999)

head of government: Prime Minister Ali Badjo GAMATIE (since 2 October 2009); appointed by the president and shares some executive responsibilities with the president

cabinet: 26-member Cabinet appointed by the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); second round of election last held 4 December 2004 (next to be held December 2009)

election results: Mamadou TANDJA reelected president; percent of vote - Mamadou TANDJA 65.5%, Mahamadou ISSOUFOU 34.5%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly (113 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 20 October 2009 (next to be held in 2014)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MNSD 76, RSD 15, RDP 7, PNA-Alouma 1, Alkalami 1, Nigerien Party of the Masses for Labor 1, independents 12

Judicial branch:

State Court or Cour d'Etat; Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel

Political parties and leaders:

Alkalama; Democratic and Social Convention-Rahama or CDS-Rahama
[Mahamane OUSMANE]; National Movement for a Developing
Society-Nassara or MNSD-Nassara [Hama AMADOU]; Niger Social
Democratic Party or PSDN; Nigerien Alliance for Democracy and Social
Progress-Zaman Lahiya or ANDP-Zaman Lahiya [Moumouni DJERMAKOYE];
Nigerien Party for Autonomy or PNA-Alouma [Sanousi JACKOU]; Nigerien
Party for Democracy and Socialism or PNDS-Tarrayya [Issifou
MAHAMADOU]; Nigerien Party of the Masses for Labor; Nigerien
Progressive Party or PPN-RDA; Rally for Democracy and Progress or
RDP-jama'a [Hamid ALGABID]; Social and Democratic Rally or
RSD-Gaskiyya [Cheiffou AMADOU]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

The Nigerien Movement for Justice or MNJ, a predominantly Tuareg rebel group

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU,
WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Aminata Djibrilla Maiga TOURE

chancery: 2204 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 483-4224 through 4227

FAX: [1] (202)483-3169

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Bernadette M. ALLEN

embassy: Rue Des Ambassades, Niamey

mailing address: B. P. 11201, Niamey

telephone: [227] 20-72-26-61 thru 64

FAX: [227] 20-73-31-67

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of orange (top), white, and green with a small orange disk (representing the sun) centered in the white band; similar to the flag of India, which has a blue spoked wheel centered in the white band

Economy ::Niger

Economy - overview:

Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world, ranking near last on the United Nations Development Fund index of human development. It is a landlocked, Sub-Saharan nation, whose economy centers on subsistence crops, livestock, and some of the world's largest uranium deposits. Drought cycles, desertification, and strong population growth have undercut the economy. Niger shares a common currency, the CFA franc, and a common central bank, the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO), with seven other members of the West African Monetary Union. In December 2000, Niger qualified for enhanced debt relief under the International Monetary Fund program for Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) and concluded an agreement with the Fund on a Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF). Debt relief provided under the enhanced HIPC initiative significantly reduces Niger's annual debt service obligations, freeing funds for expenditures on basic health care, primary education, HIV/AIDS prevention, rural infrastructure, and other programs geared at poverty reduction. In December 2005, Niger received 100% multilateral debt relief from the IMF, which translates into the forgiveness of approximately US $86 million in debts to the IMF, excluding the remaining assistance under HIPC. Nearly half of the government's budget is derived from foreign donor resources. Future growth may be sustained by exploitation of oil, gold, coal, and other mineral resources. Uranium prices have increased sharply in the last few years. A drought and locust infestation in 2005 led to food shortages for as many as 2.5 million Nigeriens.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$10.29 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 148 $9.398 billion (2007 est.)

$9.097 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$5.382 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

9.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 15 3.3% (2007 est.)

5.8% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$700 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 222 $700 (2007 est.)

$700 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 39%

industry: 17%

services: 44% (2001)

Labor force:

4.688 million (2007) country comparison to the world: 78

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 90%

industry: 6%

services: 4% (1995)

Unemployment rate:

NA%

Population below poverty line:

63% (1993 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.3%

highest 10%: 35.7% (2005)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

50.5 (1995) country comparison to the world: 21

Budget:

revenues: $320 million (includes $134 million from foreign sources)

expenditures: $320 million (2002 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

0.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 3

Central bank discount rate:

4.75% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 121 4.25% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

NA%

Stock of money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$604.5 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$193.7 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$318.9 million (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

cowpeas, cotton, peanuts, millet, sorghum, cassava (tapioca), rice; cattle, sheep, goats, camels, donkeys, horses, poultry

Industries:

uranium mining, cement, brick, soap, textiles, food processing, chemicals, slaughterhouses

Industrial production growth rate:

5.1% (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 45

Electricity - production:

150 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 181

Electricity - consumption:

589.5 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 158

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

450 million kWh (2007 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 156

Oil - consumption:

6,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 161

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 150

Oil - imports:

5,367 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 155

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl country comparison to the world: 151

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 147

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 147

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 144

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 149

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 154

Current account balance:

-$321 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 98 -$321 million (2007 est.)

Exports:

$428 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 167 $428 million (2006)

Exports - commodities:

uranium ore, livestock, cowpeas, onions

Exports - partners:

Japan 80.4%, Nigeria 8.5%, France 2.9% (2008)

Imports:

$800 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 176

Imports - commodities:

foodstuffs, machinery, vehicles and parts, petroleum, cereals

Imports - partners:

France 16.6%, China 10.9%, Algeria 9.6%, Nigeria 7.4%, French
Polynesia 6.5%, Belgium 4.2%, Cote d'Ivoire 4.2% (2008)

Debt - external:

$2.1 billion (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 134

Exchange rates:

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 447.81 (2008 est.), 493.51 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004)

note: since 1 January 1999, the West African CFA franc (XOF) has been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 CFA francs per euro; West African CFA franc (XOF) coins and banknotes are not accepted in countries using Central African CFA francs (XAF), and vice versa, even though the two currencies trade at par

Communications ::Niger

Telephones - main lines in use:

24,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 186

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1.677 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 129

Telephone system:

general assessment: inadequate; small system of wire, radio telephone communications, and microwave radio relay links concentrated in the southwestern area of Niger

domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity only 13 per 100 persons with cellular subscribership increasing rapidly from a small base; domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations and 1 planned

international: country code - 227; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 5, FM 6, shortwave 4 (2001)

Television broadcast stations:

5 (2007)

Internet country code:

.ne

Internet hosts:

253 (2009) country comparison to the world: 182

Internet users:

80,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 160

Transportation ::Niger

Airports:

28 (2009) country comparison to the world: 119

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 10

2,438 to 3,047 m: 3

1,524 to 2,437 m: 6

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 18

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 14

under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 18,550 km country comparison to the world: 115 paved: 3,803 km

unpaved: 14,747 km (2006)

Waterways:

300 km (the Niger, the only major river, is navigable to Gaya between September and March) (2008) country comparison to the world: 94

Military ::Niger

Military branches:

Nigerien Armed Forces (Forces Armees Nigeriennes, FAN): Army, Niger
Air Force (Force Aerienne du Niger) (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

17-21 years of age for selective compulsory or voluntary military service; enlistees must be Nigerien citizens and unmarried; 2-year service term; women may serve in health care (2009)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 2,871,868

females age 16-49: 2,696,966 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 2,019,553

females age 16-49: 2,046,906 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 170,060

female: 163,996 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.3% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 122

Transnational Issues ::Niger

Disputes - international:

Libya claims about 25,000 sq km in a currently dormant dispute in the Tommo region; much of Benin-Niger boundary, including tripoint with Nigeria, remains undemarcated; only Nigeria and Cameroon have heeded the Lake Chad Commission's admonition to ratify the delimitation treaty which also includes the Chad-Niger and Niger-Nigeria boundaries

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Niger is a source, transit, and destination country for children and women trafficked for forced labor and sexual exploitation; caste-based slavery practices, rooted in ancestral master-slave relationships, continue in isolated areas of the country - an estimated 8,800 to 43,000 Nigeriens live under conditions of traditional slavery; children are trafficked within Niger for forced begging, forced labor in gold mines, domestic servitude, sexual exploitation, and possibly for forced labor in agriculture and stone quarries; women and children from neighboring states are trafficked to and through Niger for domestic servitude, sexual exploitation, forced labor in mines and on farms, and as mechanics and welders

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Niger is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking in 2007; in particular, measures to combat and eliminate traditional slavery practices were weak; the government's overall law enforcement efforts have stalled from 2006; while efforts to protect child trafficking victims were steady, the government failed to provide services to or rescue adult victims subjected to traditional slavery practices, and made poor efforts to educate the public about traditional slavery practices in general (2008)

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Nigeria (Africa)

Introduction ::Nigeria

Background:

British influence and control over what would become Nigeria and Africa's most populous country grew through the 19th century. A series of constitutions after World War II granted Nigeria greater autonomy; independence came in 1960. Following nearly 16 years of military rule, a new constitution was adopted in 1999, and a peaceful transition to civilian government was completed. The government continues to face the daunting task of reforming a petroleum-based economy, whose revenues have been squandered through corruption and mismanagement, and institutionalizing democracy. In addition, Nigeria continues to experience longstanding ethnic and religious tensions. Although both the 2003 and 2007 presidential elections were marred by significant irregularities and violence, Nigeria is currently experiencing its longest period of civilian rule since independence. The general elections of April 2007 marked the first civilian-to-civilian transfer of power in the country's history.

Geography ::Nigeria

Location:

Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Benin and
Cameroon

Geographic coordinates:

10 00 N, 8 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 923,768 sq km country comparison to the world: 32 land: 910,768 sq km

water: 13,000 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly more than twice the size of California

Land boundaries:

total: 4,047 km

border countries: Benin 773 km, Cameroon 1,690 km, Chad 87 km, Niger 1,497 km

Coastline:

853 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:

varies; equatorial in south, tropical in center, arid in north

Terrain:

southern lowlands merge into central hills and plateaus; mountains in southeast, plains in north

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Chappal Waddi 2,419 m

Natural resources:

natural gas, petroleum, tin, iron ore, coal, limestone, niobium, lead, zinc, arable land

Land use:

arable land: 33.02%

permanent crops: 3.14%

other: 63.84% (2005)

Irrigated land:

2,820 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

286.2 cu km (2003)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 8.01 cu km/yr (21%/10%/69%)

per capita: 61 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

periodic droughts; flooding

Environment - current issues:

soil degradation; rapid deforestation; urban air and water pollution; desertification; oil pollution - water, air, and soil; has suffered serious damage from oil spills; loss of arable land; rapid urbanization

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

the Niger enters the country in the northwest and flows southward through tropical rain forests and swamps to its delta in the Gulf of Guinea

People ::Nigeria

Population:

149,229,090 country comparison to the world: 8 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 41.5% (male 31,624,050/female 30,242,637)

15-64 years: 55.5% (male 42,240,641/female 40,566,672)

65 years and over: 3.1% (male 2,211,840/female 2,343,250) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 19 years

male: 18.9 years

female: 19.1 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.999% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 59

Birth rate:

36.65 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 30

Death rate:

16.56 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 13

Net migration rate:

-0.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 92

Urbanization:

urban population: 48% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 3.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female

total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 94.35 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 13 male: 100.38 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 87.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 46.94 years country comparison to the world: 212 male: 46.16 years

female: 47.76 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

4.91 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 32

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

3.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 23

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

2.6 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 3

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

170,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 3

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: malaria and yellow fever

respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis

aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: one of the most highly endemic areas for Lassa fever

water contact disease: leptospirosis and shistosomiasis

animal contact disease: rabies

note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Nigerian(s)

adjective: Nigerian

Ethnic groups:

Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, is composed of more than 250 ethnic groups; the following are the most populous and politically influential: Hausa and Fulani 29%, Yoruba 21%, Igbo (Ibo) 18%, Ijaw 10%, Kanuri 4%, Ibibio 3.5%, Tiv 2.5%

Religions:

Muslim 50%, Christian 40%, indigenous beliefs 10%

Languages:

English (official), Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo (Ibo), Fulani

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 68%

male: 75.7%

female: 60.6% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 8 years

male: 9 years

female: 7 years (2004)

Education expenditures:

0.9% of GDP (1991) country comparison to the world: 180

Government ::Nigeria

Country name:

conventional long form: Federal Republic of Nigeria

conventional short form: Nigeria

Government type:

federal republic

Capital:

name: Abuja

geographic coordinates: 9 05 N, 7 32 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

36 states and 1 territory*; Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra,
Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo,
Ekiti, Enugu, Federal Capital Territory*, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa,
Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nassarawa, Niger,
Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara

Independence:

1 October 1960 (from the UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day (National Day), 1 October (1960)

Constitution:

adopted 5 May 1999; effective 29 May 1999

Legal system:

based on English common law, Islamic law (in 12 northern states), and traditional law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Umaru Musa YAR'ADUA (since 29 May 2007); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Umaru Musa YAR'ADUA (since 29 May 2007)

cabinet: Federal Executive Council

elections: president is elected by popular vote for a four-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 21 April 2007 (next to be held in April 2011)

election results: Umaru Musa YAR'ADUA elected president; percent of vote - Umaru Musa YAR'ADUA 69.8%, Muhammadu BUHARI 18.7%, Atiku ABUBAKAR 7.5%, Orji Uzor KALU 1.7%, other 2.3%

Legislative branch:

bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (109 seats, 3 from each state plus 1 from Abuja; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and House of Representatives (360 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held 21 April 2007 (next to be held in April 2011); House of Representatives - last held 21 April 2007 (next to be held in April 2011)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - PDP 53.7%, ANPP 27.9%, AD 9.7%, other 8.7%; seats by party - PDP 76, ANPP 27, AD 6; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - PDP 54.5%, ANPP 27.4%, AD 8.8%, UNPP 2.8%, NPD 1.9%, APGA 1.6%, PRP 0.8%; seats by party - PDP 76, ANPP 27, AD 6, UNPP 2, APGA 2, NPD 1, PRP 1, vacant 1

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (judges recommended by the National Judicial Council and appointed by the president); Federal Court of Appeal (judges are appointed by the federal government from a pool of judges recommended by the National Judicial Council)

Political parties and leaders:

Accord Party [Ikra Aliyu BILBIS]; Action Congress or AC [Hassan
ZUMI]; Alliance for Democracy or AD [Mojisoluwa AKINFENWA]; All
Nigeria Peoples' Party or ANPP [Edwin UME-EZEOKE]; All Progressives
Grand Alliance or APGA [Victor C. UMEH]; Democratic People's Party
or DPP [Jeremiah USENI]; Fresh Democratic Party [Chris OKOTIE];
Labor Party [Dan NWANYANWU]; Movement for the Restoration and
Defense of Democracy or MRDD [Mohammed Gambo JIMETA]; National
Democratic Party or NDP [Aliyu Habu FARI]; Peoples Democratic Party
or PDP [Vincent OGBULAFOR]; Peoples Progressive Alliance [Clement
EBRI]; Peoples Redemption Party or PRP [Abdulkadir Balarabe MUSA];
Peoples Salvation Party or PSP [Lawal MAITURARE]; United Nigeria
Peoples Party or UNPP [Mallam Selah JAMBO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Academic Staff Union for Universities or ASUU; Campaign for
Democracy or CD; Civil Liberties Organization or CLO; Committee for
the Defense of Human Rights or CDHR; Constitutional Right Project or
CRP; Human Right Africa; National Association of Democratic Lawyers
or NADL; National Association of Nigerian Students or NANS; Nigerian
Bar Association or NBA; Nigerian Labor Congress or NLC; Nigerian
Medical Association or NMA; the Press; Universal Defenders of
Democracy or UDD

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT,
MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN,
UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNOMIG,
UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Baba Gana WIKIL

chancery: 3519 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 986-8400

FAX: [1] (202) 775-1385

consulate(s) general: Atlanta, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Robin SANDERS

embassy: 1075 Diplomatic Drive, Central District Area, Abuja

mailing address: P. O. Box 5760, Garki, Abuja

telephone: [234] (9) 461-4000

FAX: [234] (9) 461-4036

Flag description:

three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and green

Economy ::Nigeria

Economy - overview:

Oil-rich Nigeria, long hobbled by political instability, corruption, inadequate infrastructure, and poor macroeconomic management, has undertaken several reforms over the past decade. Nigeria's former military rulers failed to diversify the economy away from its overdependence on the capital-intensive oil sector, which provides 95% of foreign exchange earnings and about 80% of budgetary revenues. Following the signing of an IMF stand-by agreement in August 2000, Nigeria received a debt-restructuring deal from the Paris Club and a $1 billion credit from the IMF, both contingent on economic reforms. Nigeria pulled out of its IMF program in April 2002, after failing to meet spending and exchange rate targets, making it ineligible for additional debt forgiveness from the Paris Club. Since 2008 the government has begun showing the political will to implement the market-oriented reforms urged by the IMF, such as to modernize the banking system, to curb inflation by blocking excessive wage demands, and to resolve regional disputes over the distribution of earnings from the oil industry. In 2003, the government began deregulating fuel prices, announced the privatization of the country's four oil refineries, and instituted the National Economic Empowerment Development Strategy, a domestically designed and run program modeled on the IMF's Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility for fiscal and monetary management. In November 2005, Abuja won Paris Club approval for a debt-relief deal that eliminated $18 billion of debt in exchange for $12 billion in payments - a total package worth $30 billion of Nigeria's total $37 billion external debt. The deal requires Nigeria to be subject to stringent IMF reviews. Based largely on increased oil exports and high global crude prices, GDP rose strongly in 2007 and 2008. President YAR'ADUA has pledged to continue the economic reforms of his predecessor with emphasis on infrastructure improvements. Infrastructure is the main impediment to growth. The government is working toward developing stronger public-private partnerships for electricity and roads.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$336.2 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 36 $319.3 billion (2007 est.)

$300.1 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$207.1 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 82 6.4% (2007 est.)

6.2% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$2,300 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 182 $2,200 (2007 est.)

$2,100 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 18.1%

industry: 50.8%

services: 31.1% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

51.04 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 10

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 70%

industry: 10%

services: 20% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:

4.9% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 61

Population below poverty line:

70% (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2%

highest 10%: 32.4% (2004)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

43.7 (2003) country comparison to the world: 48 50.6 (1997)

Investment (gross fixed):

21.7% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 88

Budget:

revenues: $19.76 billion

expenditures: $24.72 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

13.4% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 110 20% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

11.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 167 5.4% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

9.75% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 46 9.5% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

15.48% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 31 16.94% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$35.29 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 25 $26.82 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$32.04 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 36 $22.78 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$49.51 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 49 $35.68 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$49.8 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 51 $86.35 billion (31 December 2007)

$32.82 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

cocoa, peanuts, palm oil, corn, rice, sorghum, millet, cassava (tapioca), yams, rubber; cattle, sheep, goats, pigs; timber; fish

Industries:

crude oil, coal, tin, columbite; palm oil, peanuts, cotton, rubber, wood; hides and skins, textiles, cement and other construction materials, food products, footwear, chemicals, fertilizer, printing, ceramics, steel, small commercial ship construction and repair

Industrial production growth rate:

2.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 88

Electricity - production:

21.92 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 69

Electricity - consumption:

19.21 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 68

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

2.169 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 16

Oil - consumption:

286,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 45

Oil - exports:

2.327 million bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 8

Oil - imports:

170,000 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 54

Oil - proved reserves:

36.22 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 10

Natural gas - production:

32.82 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 25

Natural gas - consumption:

12.28 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 46

Natural gas - exports:

20.55 billion cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 11

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 147

Natural gas - proved reserves:

5.215 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 7

Current account balance:

$3.877 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 37 $2.203 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$76.03 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 43 $61.82 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

petroleum and petroleum products 95%, cocoa, rubber

Exports - partners:

US 41.4%, India 10.4%, Brazil 9.4%, Spain 7.2%, France 4.6% (2008)

Imports:

$46.3 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 52 $38.8 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery, chemicals, transport equipment, manufactured goods, food and live animals

Imports - partners:

China 13.8%, Netherlands 9.6%, US 8.4%, UK 5.3%, South Korea 5.2%,
France 4.3% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$53 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 23 $51.33 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$9.996 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 88 $8.007 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$68.84 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 44 $58.84 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$13.02 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 43 $12.72 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

nairas (NGN) per US dollar - 117.8 (2008 est.), 127.46 (2007), 127.38 (2006), 132.59 (2005), 132.89 (2004)

Communications ::Nigeria

Telephones - main lines in use:

1.308 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 69

Telephones - mobile cellular:

62.988 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 16

Telephone system:

general assessment: further expansion and modernization of the fixed-line telephone network is needed

domestic: the addition of a second fixed-line provider in 2002 resulted in faster growth but subscribership remains only about 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular services growing rapidly, in part responding to the shortcomings of the fixed-line network; multiple cellular service providers operate nationally with subscribership reaching 45 per 100 persons in 2008

international: country code - 234; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and Asia; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 83, FM 36, shortwave 11 (2001)

Television broadcast stations:

3 (the government controls 2 of the broadcasting stations and 15 repeater stations) (2001)

Internet country code:

.ng

Internet hosts:

1,098 (2009) country comparison to the world: 158

Internet users:

11 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 29

Transportation ::Nigeria

Airports:

56 (2009) country comparison to the world: 83

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 38

over 3,047 m: 7

2,438 to 3,047 m: 12

1,524 to 2,437 m: 11

914 to 1,523 m: 5

under 914 m: 3 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 18

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 13

under 914 m: 3 (2009)

Heliports:

3 (2009)

Pipelines:

condensate 21 km; gas 2,560 km; liquid petroleum gas 97 km; oil 3,396 km; refined products 4,090 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 3,505 km country comparison to the world: 49 narrow gauge: 3,505 km 1.067-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 193,200 km country comparison to the world: 27 paved: 28,980 km

unpaved: 164,220 km (2004)

Waterways:

8,600 km (Niger and Benue rivers and smaller rivers and creeks) (2008) country comparison to the world: 15

Merchant marine:

total: 68 country comparison to the world: 62 by type: cargo 4, chemical tanker 12, combination ore/oil 1, liquefied gas 2, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 46, specialized tanker 2

foreign-owned: 3 (Japan 1, South Africa 1, Spain 1)

registered in other countries: 34 (Bahamas 2, Bermuda 11, Cook Islands 1, Georgia 1, Italy 1, Liberia 2, Panama 10, Poland 1, Seychelles 1, Sierra Leone 1, unknown 3) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Bonny Inshore Terminal, Calabar, Lagos

Transportation - note:

the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the Niger Delta and Gulf of Guinea as high risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships; numerous commercial vessels have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; crews have been robbed and stores or cargoes stolen

Military ::Nigeria

Military branches:

Nigerian Armed Forces: Army, Navy, Air Force (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service (2007)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 31,929,204

females age 16-49: 30,638,979 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 19,763,535

females age 16-49: 18,850,650 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 1,697,030

female: 1,618,561 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.5% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 108

Transnational Issues ::Nigeria

Disputes - international:

Joint Border Commission with Cameroon reviewed 2002 ICJ ruling on the entire boundary and bilaterally resolved differences, including June 2006 Greentree Agreement that immediately cedes sovereignty of the Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon with a phase-out of Nigerian control within two years while resolving patriation issues; the ICJ ruled on an equidistance settlement of Cameroon-Equatorial Guinea-Nigeria maritime boundary in the Gulf of Guinea, but imprecisely defined coordinates in the ICJ decision and a sovereignty dispute between Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon over an island at the mouth of the Ntem River all contribute to the delay in implementation; only Nigeria and Cameroon have heeded the Lake Chad Commission's admonition to ratify the delimitation treaty which also includes the Chad-Niger and Niger-Nigeria boundaries

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 5,778 (Liberia)

IDPs: undetermined (communal violence between Christians and Muslims since President OBASANJO's election in 1999; displacement is mostly short-term) (2007)

Illicit drugs:

a transit point for heroin and cocaine intended for European, East Asian, and North American markets; consumer of amphetamines; safe haven for Nigerian narcotraffickers operating worldwide; major money-laundering center; massive corruption and criminal activity; Nigeria has improved some anti-money-laundering controls, resulting in its removal from the Financial Action Task Force's (FATF's) Noncooperative Countries and Territories List in June 2006; Nigeria's anti-money-laundering regime continues to be monitored by FATF

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Niue (Australia-Oceania)

Introduction ::Niue

Background:

Niue's remoteness, as well as cultural and linguistic differences between its Polynesian inhabitants and those of the rest of the Cook Islands, have caused it to be separately administered. The population of the island continues to drop (from a peak of 5,200 in 1966 to an estimated 1,398 in 2009) with substantial emigration to New Zealand 2,400 km to the southwest.

Geography ::Niue

Location:

Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Tonga

Geographic coordinates:

19 02 S, 169 52 W

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 260 sq km country comparison to the world: 212 land: 260 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

64 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; modified by southeast trade winds

Terrain:

steep limestone cliffs along coast, central plateau

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed location near Mutalau settlement 68 m

Natural resources:

fish, arable land

Land use:

arable land: 11.54%

permanent crops: 15.38%

other: 73.08% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

typhoons

Environment - current issues:

increasing attention to conservationist practices to counter loss of soil fertility from traditional slash and burn agriculture

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection

Geography - note:

one of world's largest coral islands

People ::Niue

Population:

1,398 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 234

Age structure:

0-14 years: NA

15-64 years: NA

65 years and over: NA (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.032% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 207

Birth rate:

NA

Death rate:

NA

Net migration rate:

NA (2009 est.)

Urbanization:

urban population: 39% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: -0.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

NA (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: NA

male: NA

female: NA (2008 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Total fertility rate:

NA (2008 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Niuean(s)

adjective: Niuean

Ethnic groups:

Niuen 78.2%, Pacific islander 10.2%, European 4.5%, mixed 3.9%,
Asian 0.2%, unspecified 3% (2001 census)

Religions:

Ekalesia Niue (Niuean Church - a Protestant church closely related to the London Missionary Society) 61.1%, Latter-Day Saints 8.8%, Roman Catholic 7.2%, Jehovah's Witnesses 2.4%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1.4%, other 8.4%, unspecified 8.7%, none 1.9% (2001 census)

Languages:

Niuean, a Polynesian language closely related to Tongan and Samoan;
English

Literacy:

definition: NA

total population: 95%

male: NA

female: NA

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 12 years

male: 12 years

female: 12 years (2005)

Education expenditures:

NA

Government ::Niue

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Niue

note: pronunciation falls between nyu-way and new-way, but not like new-wee

former: Savage Island

Dependency status:

self-governing in free association with New Zealand since 1974; Niue fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retains responsibility for external affairs and defense; however, these responsibilities confer no rights of control and are only exercised at the request of the Government of Niue

Government type:

self-governing parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Alofi

geographic coordinates: 19 01 S, 169 55 W

time difference: UTC-11 (6 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

none; note - there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 14 villages at the second order

Independence:

on 19 October 1974, Niue became a self-governing parliamentary government in free association with New Zealand

National holiday:

Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840)

Constitution:

19 October 1974 (Niue Constitution Act)

Legal system:

English common law; note - Niue is self-governing with the power to make its laws

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General of New Zealand Anand SATYANAND (since 23 August 2006); the UK and New Zealand are represented by New Zealand High Commissioner John BRYAN (since May 2000)

head of government: Premier Toke TALAGI (since 18 June 2008)

cabinet: Cabinet consists of the premier and 3 ministers

elections: the monarch is hereditary; premier elected by the Legislative Assembly for a three-year term; election last held 18 June 2008 (next to be held in 2011)

election results: Toke TALAGI defeats incumbent Young VIVIAN in Legislative Assembly vote; Toke TALAGI - 14, Young VIVIAN - 5

Legislative branch:

unicameral Legislative Assembly (20 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; six elected from a common roll and 14 are village representatives)

elections: last held 7 June 2008 (next to be held in 2011)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - 20 independents

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court of New Zealand; High Court of Niue

Political parties and leaders:

Alliance of Independents or AI; Niue People's Action Party or NPP
[Young VIVIAN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ACP, FAO, IFAD, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand)

Flag description:

yellow with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the flag of the UK bears five yellow five-pointed stars - a large star on a blue disk in the center and a smaller star on each arm of the bold red cross

Economy ::Niue

Economy - overview:

The economy suffers from the typical Pacific island problems of geographic isolation, few resources, and a small population. Government expenditures regularly exceed revenues, and the shortfall is made up by critically needed grants from New Zealand that are used to pay wages to public employees. Niue has cut government expenditures by reducing the public service by almost half. The agricultural sector consists mainly of subsistence gardening, although some cash crops are grown for export. Industry consists primarily of small factories to process passion fruit, lime oil, honey, and coconut cream. The sale of postage stamps to foreign collectors is an important source of revenue. The island in recent years has suffered a serious loss of population because of emigration to New Zealand. Efforts to increase GDP include the promotion of tourism and a financial services industry, although the International Banking Repeal Act of 2002 resulted in the termination of all offshore banking licenses. Economic aid from New Zealand in 2002 was US$2.6 million. Niue suffered a devastating typhoon in January 2004, which decimated nascent economic programs. While in the process of rebuilding, Niue has been dependent on foreign aid.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$10.01 million (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 227

GDP (official exchange rate):

$10.01 million (2003)

GDP - real growth rate:

6.2% (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 55

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$5,800 (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 135

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 23.5%

industry: 26.9%

services: 49.5% (2003)

Labor force:

663 (2001) country comparison to the world: 219

Labor force - by occupation:

note: most work on family plantations; paid work exists only in government service, small industry, and the Niue Development Board

Unemployment rate:

12% (2001) country comparison to the world: 136

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $15.07 million

expenditures: $16.33 million (FY0405)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

4% (2005) country comparison to the world: 63

Agriculture - products:

coconuts, passion fruit, honey, limes, taro, yams, cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes; pigs, poultry, beef cattle

Industries:

tourism, handicrafts, food processing

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

3 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 211

Electricity - consumption:

2.79 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 212

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 157

Oil - consumption:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 205

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 151

Oil - imports:

30.66 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 205

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 152

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 148

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 148

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 145

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 150

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 155

Exports:

$201,400 (2004) country comparison to the world: 220

Exports - commodities:

canned coconut cream, copra, honey, vanilla, passion fruit products, pawpaws, root crops, limes, footballs, stamps, handicrafts

Imports:

$9.038 million (2004) country comparison to the world: 217

Imports - commodities:

food, live animals, manufactured goods, machinery, fuels, lubricants, chemicals, drugs

Debt - external:

$418,000 (2002 est.) country comparison to the world: 201

Exchange rates:

New Zealand dollars (NZD) per US dollar - 1.4151 (2008 est.), 1.3811 (2007), 1.5408 (2006), 1.4203 (2005), 1.5087 (2004)

Communications ::Niue

Telephones - main lines in use:

1,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 227

Telephones - mobile cellular:

600 (2004) country comparison to the world: 220

Telephone system:

domestic: single-line telephone system connects all villages on island

international: country code - 683 (2001)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (1997)

Internet country code:

.nu

Internet hosts:

396,370 (2009) country comparison to the world: 50

Internet users:

1,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 214

Transportation ::Niue

Airports:

1 (2009) country comparison to the world: 218

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 120 km country comparison to the world: 211 paved: 120 km (2008)

Ports and terminals:

none; offshore anchorage only

Military ::Niue

Military branches:

no regular indigenous military forces; Police Force

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of New Zealand

Transnational Issues ::Niue

Disputes - international:

none

page last updated on October 28, 2009

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

@Norfolk Island (Australia-Oceania)

Introduction ::Norfolk Island

Background:

Two British attempts at establishing the island as a penal colony (1788-1814 and 1825-55) were ultimately abandoned. In 1856, the island was resettled by Pitcairn Islanders, descendants of the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian companions.

Geography ::Norfolk Island

Location:

Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia

Geographic coordinates:

29 02 S, 167 57 E

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 36 sq km country comparison to the world: 234 land: 36 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

about 0.2 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

32 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:

subtropical; mild, little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain:

volcanic formation with mostly rolling plains

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mount Bates 319 m

Natural resources:

fish

Land use:

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

typhoons (especially May to July)

Environment - current issues:

NA

Geography - note:

most of the 32 km coastline consists of almost inaccessible cliffs, but the land slopes down to the sea in one small southern area on Sydney Bay, where the capital of Kingston is situated

People ::Norfolk Island

Population:

2,141 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 230

Age structure:

0-14 years: 20.2%

15-64 years: 63.9%

65 years and over: 15.9% (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.006% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 198

Birth rate:

NA

Death rate:

NA

Net migration rate:

NA (2009 est.)

Sex ratio:

NA (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: NA

male: NA

female: NA (2008 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Total fertility rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Norfolk Islander(s)

adjective: Norfolk Islander(s)

Ethnic groups:

descendants of the Bounty mutineers, Australian, New Zealander, Polynesian

Religions:

Anglican 31.8%, Roman Catholic 11.5%, Uniting Church in Australia 10.6%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3.2%, other Christian 5.6%, none 19.9%, unspecified 16.6% (2006 census)

Languages:

English (official), Norfolk - a mixture of 18th century English and ancient Tahitian

Literacy:

NA

Education expenditures:

NA

Government ::Norfolk Island

Country name:

conventional long form: Territory of Norfolk Island

conventional short form: Norfolk Island

Dependency status:

self governing territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Government Attorney-General's Department

Government type:

NA

Capital:

name: Kingston

geographic coordinates: 29 03 S, 167 58 E

time difference: UTC+11.5 (16.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

none (territory of Australia)

Independence:

none (territory of Australia)

National holiday:

Bounty Day (commemorates the arrival of Pitcairn Islanders), 8 June (1856)

Constitution:

Norfolk Island Act of 1979 as amended in 2005

Legal system:

based on the laws of Australia, local ordinances and acts; English common law applies in matters not covered by either Australian or Norfolk Island law

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by the Australian governor general

head of government: Acting Administrator Owen WALSH (since October 2007)

cabinet: Executive Council is made up of 4 of the 9 members of the Legislative Assembly; the council devises government policy and acts as an advisor to the administrator

elections: the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia

Legislative branch:

unicameral Legislative Assembly (9 seats; members elected by electors who have nine equal votes each but only four votes can be given to any one candidate; to serve three-year terms)

elections: last held 21 March 2007 (next to be held by 28 March 2010)

election results: seats - independents 9 (note - no political parties)

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court; Court of Petty Sessions

Political parties and leaders:

none

Political pressure groups and leaders:

none

International organization participation:

UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (territory of Australia)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (territory of Australia)

Flag description:

three vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and green with a large green Norfolk Island pine tree centered in the slightly wider white band

Economy ::Norfolk Island

Economy - overview:

Tourism, the primary economic activity, has steadily increased over the years and has brought a level of prosperity unusual among inhabitants of the Pacific islands. The agricultural sector has become self sufficient in the production of beef, poultry, and eggs.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$NA

Labor force:

NA

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 10%

industry and services: 90%

Budget:

revenues: $4.6 million

expenditures: $4.8 million (FY99/00)

Agriculture - products:

Norfolk Island pine seed, Kentia palm seed, cereals, vegetables, fruit; cattle, poultry

Industries:

tourism, light industry, ready mixed concrete

Electricity - production:

NA kWh

Electricity - consumption:

NA kWh

Exports:

$1.5 million (FY91/92) country comparison to the world: 217

Exports - commodities:

postage stamps, seeds of the Norfolk Island pine and Kentia palm, small quantities of avocados

Imports:

$17.9 million c.i.f.

Imports - commodities:

NA

Debt - external:

$NA

Exchange rates:

Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar - 1.2059 (2008 est.), 1.2137 (2007), 1.3285 (2006), 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004)

Communications ::Norfolk Island

Telephones - main lines in use:

2,532; note - a mix of analog (2,500) and digital (32) circuits (2004) country comparison to the world: 220

Telephones - mobile cellular:

0; note - proposed cellular service disallowed in August 2002 island referendum (2002) country comparison to the world: 221

Telephone system:

general assessment: adequate

domestic: free local calls

international: country code - 672; undersea coaxial cable links with Australia and New Zealand; satellite earth station - 1

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2005)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (local programming station plus 2 repeaters that air Australian programs by satellite) (2005)

Internet country code:

.nf

Internet hosts:

89 (2009) country comparison to the world: 201

Transportation ::Norfolk Island

Airports:

1 (2009) country comparison to the world: 217

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 80 km country comparison to the world: 214 paved: 53 km

unpaved: 27 km (2008)

Ports and terminals:

none; loading jetties at Kingston and Cascade

Military ::Norfolk Island

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of Australia

Transnational Issues ::Norfolk Island

Disputes - international:

none

page last updated on October 28, 2009

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

@Northern Mariana Islands (Australia-Oceania)

Introduction ::Northern Mariana Islands

Background:

Under US administration as part of the UN Trust Territory of the Pacific, the people of the Northern Mariana Islands decided in the 1970s not to seek independence but instead to forge closer links with the US. Negotiations for territorial status began in 1972. A covenant to establish a commonwealth in political union with the US was approved in 1975, and came into force on 24 March 1976. A new government and constitution went into effect in 1978.

Geography ::Northern Mariana Islands

Location:

Oceania, islands in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines

Geographic coordinates:

15 12 N, 145 45 E

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 464 sq km country comparison to the world: 196 land: 464 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: consists of 14 islands including Saipan, Rota, and Tinian

Area - comparative:

2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

1,482 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical marine; moderated by northeast trade winds, little seasonal temperature variation; dry season December to June, rainy season July to October

Terrain:

southern islands are limestone with level terraces and fringing coral reefs; northern islands are volcanic

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed location on Agrihan 965 m

Natural resources:

arable land, fish

Land use:

arable land: 13.04%

permanent crops: 4.35%

other: 82.61% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

active volcanoes on Pagan and Agrihan; typhoons (especially August to November)

Environment - current issues:

contamination of groundwater on Saipan may contribute to disease; clean-up of landfill; protection of endangered species conflicts with development

Geography - note:

strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean

People ::Northern Mariana Islands

Population:

88,662 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 196

Age structure:

0-14 years: 18% (male 8,372/female 7,616)

15-64 years: 80.3% (male 28,602/female 42,557)

65 years and over: 1.7% (male 786/female 729) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 30.1 years

male: 32.1 years

female: 29.2 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.292% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 39

Birth rate:

18.77 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 109

Death rate:

2.32 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 221

Net migration rate:

6.47 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 14

Urbanization:

urban population: 91% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 2.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.67 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.08 male(s)/female

total population: 0.74 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 6.59 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 175 male: 6.56 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 6.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 76.7 years country comparison to the world: 64 male: 74.08 years

female: 79.47 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.15 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 219

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: NA (US citizens)

adjective: NA

Ethnic groups:

Asian 56.3%, Pacific islander 36.3%, Caucasian 1.8%, other 0.8%, mixed 4.8% (2000 census)

Religions:

Christian (Roman Catholic majority, although traditional beliefs and taboos may still be found)

Languages:

Philippine languages 24.4%, Chinese 23.4%, Chamorro 22.4%, English 10.8%, other Pacific island languages 9.5%, other 9.6% (2000 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 97%

male: 97%

female: 96% (1980 est.)

Education expenditures:

NA

Government ::Northern Mariana Islands

Country name:

conventional long form: Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

conventional short form: Northern Mariana Islands

abbreviation: CNMI

former: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Mariana Islands District

Dependency status:

commonwealth in political union with the US; federal funds to the Commonwealth administered by the US Department of the Interior, Office of Insular Affairs

Government type:

commonwealth; self-governing with locally elected governor, lieutenant governor, and legislature

Capital:

name: Saipan

geographic coordinates: 15 12 N, 145 45 E

time difference: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

none (commonwealth in political union with the US); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are four municipalities at the second order: Northern Islands, Rota, Saipan, Tinian

Independence:

none (commonwealth in political union with the US)

National holiday:

Commonwealth Day, 8 January (1978)

Constitution:

Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands effective 1 January 1978; Covenant Agreement fully effective 4 November 1986

Legal system:

based on US system, except for customs, wages, immigration laws, and taxation

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal; indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Barack H. OBAMA (since 20 January 2009); Vice President Joseph R. BIDEN (since 20 January 2009)

head of government: Governor Benigno R. FITIAL (since 9 January 2006); Lieutenant Governor Eloy S. INOS (since 1 May 2009)

cabinet: the cabinet consists of the heads of the 10 principal departments under the executive branch who are appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the Senate; other members include Special Assistants to the governor and office heads appointed by and reporting directly to the governor

elections: under the US Constitution, residents of unincorporated territories, such as the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, do not vote in elections for US president and vice president; however, they may vote in the Democratic and Republican party presidential primary elections; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 7 November 2009 (run-off election to be held on 23 November 2009)

election results: percent of vote - Benigno R. FITIAL 36%, Heinz HOFSCHNEIDER 36%, Juan GUERRERO 20%, Ramon Deleon GUERRERO 8%; a run-off election between FITIAL and HOFSCHNEIDER will held on 23 November 2009

Legislative branch:

bicameral legislature consists of the Senate (9 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year staggered terms) and the House of Representatives (20 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held 3 November 2007 (next to be held in November 2009); House of Representatives - last held 3 November 2007 (next to be held in November 2009)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Covenant Party 3, Republican Party 3, Democratic Party 1, independents 2; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Republican Party 12, Covenant Party 4, Democratic Party 1, independents 3

note: the Northern Mariana Islands elects one nonvoting delegate to the US House of Representatives; election last held 4 November 2008 (next to be held in November 2010); seats by party - independent 1

Judicial branch:

Commonwealth Supreme Court; Superior Court; Federal District Court

Political parties and leaders:

Covenant Party [Benigno R. FITIAL]; Democratic Party [Dr. Carlos S.
CAMACHO]; Republican Party [Juan S. REYES]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

SPC, UPU

Flag description:

blue, with a white, five-pointed star superimposed on the gray silhouette of a latte stone (a traditional foundation stone used in building) in the center, surrounded by a wreath

Economy ::Northern Mariana Islands

Economy - overview:

The economy benefits substantially from financial assistance from the US. The rate of funding has declined as locally generated government revenues have grown. The key tourist industry employs about 50% of the work force and accounts for roughly one-fourth of GDP. Japanese tourists predominate. Annual tourist entries have exceeded one-half million in recent years, but financial difficulties in Japan have caused a temporary slowdown. The agricultural sector is made up of cattle ranches and small farms producing coconuts, breadfruit, tomatoes, and melons. Garment production is by far the most important industry with the employment of 17,500 mostly Chinese workers and sizable shipments to the US under duty and quota exemptions.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$900 million (2000 est.) country comparison to the world: 203 note: GDP estimate includes US subsidy

GDP (official exchange rate):

$633.4 million (2000)

GDP - real growth rate:

NA%

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$12,500 (2000 est.) country comparison to the world: 88

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Labor force:

38,450 total indigenous labor force; 2,699 unemployed; 28,717 foreign workers (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 192

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Unemployment rate:

8% (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 112 3.9% (2001)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $193 million

expenditures: $223 million (FY01/02 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

-0.8% (2000) country comparison to the world: 2

Agriculture - products:

vegetables and melons, fruits and nuts, ornamental plants, livestock, poultry and eggs, fish and aquaculture products

Industries:

banking, construction, fishing, garment, tourism, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

60,600 kWh (January 2009) country comparison to the world: 213

Electricity - consumption:

48,300 kWh (January 2009) country comparison to the world: 214

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (January 2009 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (January 2009 est.)

Exports:

$98.2 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 193

Exports - commodities:

garments

Imports:

$214.4 million (2001) country comparison to the world: 198

Imports - commodities:

food, construction equipment and materials, petroleum products

Debt - external:

$NA

Exchange rates:

the US dollar is used

Communications ::Northern Mariana Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:

24,700 (2008) country comparison to the world: 184

Telephones - mobile cellular:

20,500 (2004) country comparison to the world: 206

Telephone system:

general assessment: NA

domestic: NA

international: country code - 1-670; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 6, shortwave 1 (2005)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (on Saipan; in addition, 2 cable services on Saipan provide varied programming from satellite networks) (2006)

Internet country code:

.mp

Internet hosts:

9 (2009) country comparison to the world: 220

Transportation ::Northern Mariana Islands

Airports:

5 (2009) country comparison to the world: 183

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Heliports:

1 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 536 km (2007) country comparison to the world: 190

Ports and terminals:

Saipan, Tinian

Military ::Northern Mariana Islands

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 19,209

females age 16-49: 33,074 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 570

female: 587 (2009 est.)

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues ::Northern Mariana Islands

Disputes - international:

none

page last updated on November 12, 2009

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

@Norway (Europe)

Introduction ::Norway

Background:

Two centuries of Viking raids into Europe tapered off following the adoption of Christianity by King Olav TRYGGVASON in 994. Conversion of the Norwegian kingdom occurred over the next several decades. In 1397, Norway was absorbed into a union with Denmark that lasted more than four centuries. In 1814, Norwegians resisted the cession of their country to Sweden and adopted a new constitution. Sweden then invaded Norway but agreed to let Norway keep its constitution in return for accepting the union under a Swedish king. Rising nationalism throughout the 19th century led to a 1905 referendum granting Norway independence. Although Norway remained neutral in World War I, it suffered heavy losses to its shipping. Norway proclaimed its neutrality at the outset of World War II, but was nonetheless occupied for five years by Nazi Germany (1940-45). In 1949, neutrality was abandoned and Norway became a member of NATO. Discovery of oil and gas in adjacent waters in the late 1960s boosted Norway's economic fortunes. The current focus is on containing spending on the extensive welfare system and planning for the time when petroleum reserves are depleted. In referenda held in 1972 and 1994, Norway rejected joining the EU.

Geography ::Norway

Location:

Northern Europe, bordering the North Sea and the North Atlantic
Ocean, west of Sweden

Geographic coordinates:

62 00 N, 10 00 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 323,802 sq km country comparison to the world: 67 land: 304,282 sq km

water: 19,520 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than New Mexico

Land boundaries:

total: 2,542 km

border countries: Finland 727 km, Sweden 1,619 km, Russia 196 km

Coastline:

25,148 km (includes mainland 2,650 km, as well as long fjords, numerous small islands, and minor indentations 22,498 km; length of island coastlines 58,133 km)

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 10 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm

Climate:

temperate along coast, modified by North Atlantic Current; colder interior with increased precipitation and colder summers; rainy year-round on west coast

Terrain:

glaciated; mostly high plateaus and rugged mountains broken by fertile valleys; small, scattered plains; coastline deeply indented by fjords; arctic tundra in north

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m

highest point: Galdhopiggen 2,469 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, titanium, pyrites, nickel, fish, timber, hydropower

Land use:

arable land: 2.7%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 97.3% (2005)

Irrigated land:

1,270 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

381.4 cu km (2005)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 2.4 cu km/yr (23%/67%/10%)

per capita: 519 cu m/yr (1996)

Natural hazards:

rockslides, avalanches

Environment - current issues:

water pollution; acid rain damaging forests and adversely affecting lakes, threatening fish stocks; air pollution from vehicle emissions

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

about two-thirds mountains; some 50,000 islands off its much-indented coastline; strategic location adjacent to sea lanes and air routes in North Atlantic; one of the most rugged and longest coastlines in the world

People ::Norway

Population:

4,660,539 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 116

Age structure:

0-14 years: 18.5% (male 441,508/female 422,050)

15-64 years: 66.2% (male 1,564,482/female 1,522,519)

65 years and over: 15.2% (male 305,120/female 404,860) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 39.4 years

male: 38.5 years

female: 40.2 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.341% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 170

Birth rate:

10.99 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 178

Death rate:

9.29 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 78

Net migration rate:

1.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 47

Urbanization:

urban population: 77% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 0.7% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 3.58 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 214 male: 3.92 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 3.22 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 79.95 years country comparison to the world: 24 male: 77.29 years

female: 82.74 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.78 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 161

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 130

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

3,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 132

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 100 (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 135

Nationality:

noun: Norwegian(s)

adjective: Norwegian

Ethnic groups:

Norwegian 94.4% (includes Sami, about 60,000), other European 3.6%, other 2% (2007 estimate)

Religions:

Church of Norway 85.7%, Pentecostal 1%, Roman Catholic 1%, other
Christian 2.4%, Muslim 1.8%, other 8.1% (2004)

Languages:

Bokmal Norwegian (official), Nynorsk Norwegian (official), small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities; note - Sami is official in six municipalities

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 100%

male: 100%

female: 100%

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 17 years

male: 17 years

female: 18 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

7.2% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 20

Government ::Norway

Country name:

conventional long form: Kingdom of Norway

conventional short form: Norway

local long form: Kongeriket Norge

local short form: Norge

Government type:

constitutional monarchy

Capital:

name: Oslo

geographic coordinates: 59 55 N, 10 45 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

19 counties (fylker, singular - fylke); Akershus, Aust-Agder,
Buskerud, Finnmark, Hedmark, Hordaland, More og Romsdal, Nordland,
Nord-Trondelag, Oppland, Oslo, Ostfold, Rogaland, Sogn og Fjordane,
Sor-Trondelag, Telemark, Troms, Vest-Agder, Vestfold

Dependent areas:

Bouvet Island, Jan Mayen, Svalbard

Independence:

7 June 1905 (Norway declared the union with Sweden dissolved); 26 October 1905 (Sweden agreed to the repeal of the union)

National holiday:

Constitution Day, 17 May (1814)

Constitution:

17 May 1814; amended many times

Legal system:

mixture of customary law, civil law system, and common law traditions; Supreme Court renders advisory opinions to legislature when asked; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: King HARALD V (since 17 January 1991); Heir Apparent Crown Prince HAAKON MAGNUS, son of the monarch (born 20 July 1973)

head of government: Prime Minister Jens STOLTENBERG (since 17 October 2005)

cabinet: State Council appointed by the monarch with the approval of parliament

elections: the monarch is hereditary; following parliamentary elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch with the approval of the parliament

Legislative branch:

modified unicameral Parliament or Storting (169 seats; members are elected by popular vote by proportional representation to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 14 September 2009 (next to be held in September 2013)

election results: percent of vote by party - Labor Party 35.4%, Progress Party 22.9%, Conservative Party 17.2%, Socialist Left Party 6.2%, Center Party 6.2%, Christian People's Party 5.5%, Liberal Party 3.9%, other 2.7%; seats by party - Labor Party 64, Progress Party 41, Conservative Party 30, Socialist Left Party 11, Center Party 11, Christian People's Party 10, Liberal Party 2

note: for certain purposes, the parliament divides itself into two chambers and elects one-fourth of its membership in the Lagting and three-fourths of its membership in the Odelsting

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Hoyesterett (justices appointed by the monarch)

Political parties and leaders:

Center Party [Liv Signe NAVARSETE]; Christian People's Party
[Dagfinn HOYBRATEN]; Conservative Party [Erna SOLBERG]; Labor Party
[Jens STOLTENBERG]; Liberal Party [Lars SPONHEIM]; Progress Party
[Siv JENSEN]; Socialist Left Party [Kristin HALVORSEN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Norwegian Aid Committee or NORWAC; Norwegian Association of the Disabled; Pure Salmon Campaign; The Consumer Council (consumer advocacy group)

other: environmental groups; media; reform movements

International organization participation:

ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council,
Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, ESA, FAO,
IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU,
ITUC, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer),
OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNITAR, UNMIS, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO,
UPU, WCO, WEU (associate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Wegger C. STROMMEN

chancery: 2720 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 333-6000

FAX: [1] (202) 337-0870

consulate(s) general: Houston, Minneapolis, New York, San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Benson K. WHITNEY

embassy: Henrik Ibsens gate 48, 0244 Oslo; note - the embassy will move to Huseby in the near future

mailing address: PSC 69, Box 1000, APO AE 09707

telephone: [47] (22) 44 85 50

FAX: [47] (22) 44 33 63, 56 27 51

Flag description:

red with a blue cross outlined in white that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag); the colors recall Norway's past political unions with Denmark (red and white) and Sweden (blue)

Economy ::Norway

Economy - overview:

The Norwegian economy is a prosperous bastion of welfare capitalism, featuring a combination of free market activity and government intervention. The government controls key areas, such as the vital petroleum sector, through large-scale state enterprises. The country is richly endowed with natural resources - petroleum, hydropower, fish, forests, and minerals - and is highly dependent on the petroleum sector, which accounts for nearly half of exports and over 30% of state revenue. Norway is the world's third-largest gas exporter; its position as an oil exporter has slipped to seventh-largest as production has begun to decline. Norway opted to stay out of the EU during a referendum in November 1994; nonetheless, as a member of the European Economic Area, it contributes sizably to the EU budget. In anticipation of eventual declines in oil and gas production, Norway saves almost all state revenue from the petroleum sector in a sovereign wealth fund. After lackluster growth of less than 1.5% in 2002-03, GDP growth picked up to 2.5-6.2% in 2004-07, partly due to higher oil prices. Growth fell to 2.6% in 2008 as a result of the slowing world economy and the drop in oil prices.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$276.3 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 41 $269.6 billion (2007 est.)

$253.8 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$451.8 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 142 6.2% (2007 est.)

4.4% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$59,500 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 5 $58,200 (2007 est.)

$55,100 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 2%

industry: 44.2%

services: 53.8% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

2.591 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 109

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 2.9%

industry: 21.1%

services: 76% (2008)

Unemployment rate:

2.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 29 2.5% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 3.9%

highest 10%: 23.4% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

25 (2008) country comparison to the world: 131 25.8 (1995)

Investment (gross fixed):

20.8% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 98

Budget:

revenues: $266.2 billion

expenditures: $178.1 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

55.7% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 31 33.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 57 0.8% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

4% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 71 6.25% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

7.28% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 141 3.5% (1st quarter 2009)

Stock of money:

$NA

Stock of quasi money:

$NA

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$142.5 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 27 $357.4 billion (31 December 2007)

$281.1 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

barley, wheat, potatoes; pork, beef, veal, milk; fish

Industries:

petroleum and gas, food processing, shipbuilding, pulp and paper products, metals, chemicals, timber, mining, textiles, fishing

Industrial production growth rate:

-0.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 135

Electricity - production:

142.7 billion kWh (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 25

Electricity - consumption:

128.8 billion kWh (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 26

Electricity - exports:

17.29 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

3.414 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

2.466 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 12

Oil - consumption:

220,200 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 53

Oil - exports:

2.383 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 6

Oil - imports:

104,400 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 66

Oil - proved reserves:

6.68 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 20

Natural gas - production:

99.2 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 6

Natural gas - consumption:

3.97 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 66

Natural gas - exports:

95.23 billion cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 3

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 146

Natural gas - proved reserves:

2.313 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 16

Current account balance:

$88.34 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 6 $60.46 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$173.6 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 30 $137.3 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

petroleum and petroleum products, machinery and equipment, metals, chemicals, ships, fish

Exports - partners:

UK 27%, Germany 12.8%, Netherlands 10.4%, France 9.4%, Sweden 6.5%,
US 4.5% (2008)

Imports:

$85.95 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 39 $77.03 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:

Sweden 14.4%, Germany 13.4%, Denmark 6.9%, China 6.4%, UK 5.9%, US 5.4%, Netherlands 4.2% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$50.95 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 26 $60.84 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$475.9 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 22 $540.3 billion (31 December 2007)

note: Norway is a net external creditor

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$91.49 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 37 $93.69 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$160.1 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 19 $133.3 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

Norwegian kroner (NOK) per US dollar - 5.6361 (2008), 5.86 (2007), 6.418 (2006), 6.445 (2005), 6.7327 (2004)

Communications ::Norway

Telephones - main lines in use:

1.928 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 57

Telephones - mobile cellular:

5.287 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 85

Telephone system:

general assessment: modern in all respects; one of the most advanced telecommunications networks in Europe

domestic: Norway has a domestic satellite system; moreover, the prevalence of rural areas encourages the wide use of cellular-mobile systems instead of fixed-wire systems

international: country code - 47; 2 buried coaxial cable systems; submarine cables provide links to other Nordic countries and Europe; satellite earth stations - NA Eutelsat, NA Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Norway shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Sweden) (1999)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 5, FM 160, shortwave 1 (2008)

Television broadcast stations:

69 (2008)

Internet country code:

.no

Internet hosts:

3.198 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 25

Internet users:

3.935 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 52

Transportation ::Norway

Airports:

98 (2009) country comparison to the world: 63

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 67

2,438 to 3,047 m: 13

1,524 to 2,437 m: 12

914 to 1,523 m: 17

under 914 m: 25 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 31

914 to 1,523 m: 6

under 914 m: 25 (2009)

Heliports:

1 (2009)

Pipelines:

condensate 31 km; gas 64 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 4,114 km country comparison to the world: 40 standard gauge: 4,114 km 1.435-m gauge (2,552 km electrified) (2009)

Roadways:

total: 92,946 km country comparison to the world: 50 paved: 72,033 km (includes 664 km of expressways)

unpaved: 20,913 km (2007)

Waterways:

1,577 km (2008) country comparison to the world: 53

Merchant marine:

total: 688 country comparison to the world: 15 by type: bulk carrier 46, cargo 141, carrier 3, chemical tanker 137, combination ore/oil 12, container 4, liquefied gas 65, passenger/cargo 117, petroleum tanker 85, refrigerated cargo 14, roll on/roll off 13, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 50

foreign-owned: 199 (Canada 10, Chile 2, China 36, Denmark 25,
Estonia 1, Finland 1, France 3, Germany 1, Greece 3, Hong Kong 20,
Iceland 3, Italy 4, Japan 29, Lithuania 1, Malaysia 1, Monaco 5,
Poland 3, Saudi Arabia 3, Singapore 1, Sweden 34, UK 5, US 8)

registered in other countries: 923 (Antigua and Barbuda 8, Australia 1, Bahamas 189, Barbados 38, Belize 3, Bermuda 5, Brazil 5, Canada 3, Cayman Islands 1, China 1, Comoros 1, Cook Islands 5, Cyprus 18, Denmark 3, Dominica 1, Estonia 2, Faroe Islands 4, Finland 3, France 5, Gibraltar 33, Hong Kong 40, Indonesia 1, Isle of Man 20, Italy 2, South Korea 2, Liberia 40, Libya 1, Malta 93, Marshall Islands 66, Netherlands 12, Netherlands Antilles 3, Panama 89, Philippines 10, Russia 2, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 13, Singapore 143, Spain 5, Sweden 7, Tuvalu 1, UK 31, US 9, unknown 4) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Bergen, Borg Havn, Haugesund, Maaloy, Mongstad, Narvik, Oslo, Sture

Military ::Norway

Military branches:

Norwegian Army (Haeren), Royal Norwegian Navy (Kongelige Norske
Sjoeforsvaret, RNoN; includes Coastal Rangers and Coast Guard
(Kystvakt)), Royal Norwegian Air Force (Kongelige Norske
Luftforsvaret, RNoAF), Home Guard (Heimevernet, HV) (2007)

Military service age and obligation:

18-44 years of age for male compulsory military service; 16 years of age in wartime; 17 years of age for male volunteers; 18 years of age for women; 12-month service obligation, in practice shortened to 8 to 9 months; although all males between ages of 18 and 44 are liable for service, in practice they are seldom called to duty after age 30; reserve obligation to age 35-60; 16 years of age for volunteers to the Home Guard, who serve 6-month duty tours (2009)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,078,181

females age 16-49: 1,046,550 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 888,219

females age 16-49: 863,255 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 31,980

female: 30,543 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.9% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 86

Transnational Issues ::Norway

Disputes - international:

Norway asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica (Queen Maud Land and its continental shelf); despite dialogue, Russia and Norway continue to dispute their maritime limits in the Barents Sea and Russia's fishing rights beyond Svalbard's territorial limits within the Svalbard Treaty zone

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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@Oman (Middle East)

Introduction ::Oman

Background:

The inhabitants of the area of Oman have long prospered on Indian Ocean trade. In the late 18th century, a newly established sultanate in Muscat signed the first in a series of friendship treaties with Britain. Over time, Oman's dependence on British political and military advisors increased, but it never became a British colony. In 1970, QABOOS bin Said al-Said overthrew the restrictive rule of his father; he has ruled as sultan ever since. His extensive modernization program has opened the country to the outside world while preserving the longstanding close ties with the UK. Oman's moderate, independent foreign policy has sought to maintain good relations with all Middle Eastern countries.

Geography ::Oman

Location:

Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and Persian
Gulf, between Yemen and UAE

Geographic coordinates:

21 00 N, 57 00 E

Map references:

Middle East

Area:

total: 309,500 sq km country comparison to the world: 70 land: 309,500 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Kansas

Land boundaries:

total: 1,374 km

border countries: Saudi Arabia 676 km, UAE 410 km, Yemen 288 km

Coastline:

2,092 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

dry desert; hot, humid along coast; hot, dry interior; strong southwest summer monsoon (May to September) in far south

Terrain:

central desert plain, rugged mountains in north and south

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m

highest point: Jabal Shams 2,980 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, copper, asbestos, some marble, limestone, chromium, gypsum, natural gas

Land use:

arable land: 0.12%

permanent crops: 0.14%

other: 99.74% (2005)

Irrigated land:

720 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

1 cu km (1997)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 1.36 cu km/yr (7%/2%/90%)

per capita: 529 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

summer winds often raise large sandstorms and dust storms in interior; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:

rising soil salinity; beach pollution from oil spills; limited natural fresh water resources

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

strategic location on Musandam Peninsula adjacent to Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil

People ::Oman

Population:

3,418,085 country comparison to the world: 133 note: includes 577,293 non-nationals (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 42.7% (male 744,265/female 714,116)

15-64 years: 54.5% (male 1,079,511/female 783,243)

65 years and over: 2.8% (male 55,180/female 41,770) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 18.8 years

male: 21.1 years

female: 16.7 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

3.138% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 10

Birth rate:

34.79 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 37

Death rate:

3.65 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 211

Net migration rate:

0.24 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 72

Urbanization:

urban population: 72% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.38 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.32 male(s)/female

total population: 1.22 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 16.88 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 119 male: 19.29 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 14.35 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 74.16 years country comparison to the world: 91 male: 71.87 years

female: 76.55 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

5.53 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 17

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.1% (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 148

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

1,300 (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 141

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 200 (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 107

Nationality:

noun: Omani(s)

adjective: Omani

Ethnic groups:

Arab, Baluchi, South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan,
Bangladeshi), African

Religions:

Ibadhi Muslim 75%, other (includes Sunni Muslim, Shia Muslim, Hindu) 25%

Languages:

Arabic (official), English, Baluchi, Urdu, Indian dialects

Literacy:

definition: NA

total population: 81.4%

male: 86.8%

female: 73.5% (2003 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 12 years

male: 12 years

female: 11 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

4% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 103

Government ::Oman

Country name:

conventional long form: Sultanate of Oman

conventional short form: Oman

local long form: Saltanat Uman

local short form: Uman

former: Muscat and Oman

Government type:

monarchy

Capital:

name: Muscat

geographic coordinates: 23 37 N, 58 35 E

time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

5 regions (manatiq, singular - mintaqat) and 4 governorates* (muhafazat, singular - muhafazat) Ad Dakhiliyah, Al Batinah, Al Buraymi*, Al Wusta, Ash Sharqiyah, Az Zahirah, Masqat (Muscat)*, Musandam*, Zufar (Dhofar)*

Independence:

1650 (expulsion of the Portuguese)

National holiday:

Birthday of Sultan QABOOS, 18 November (1940)

Constitution:

none; note - on 6 November 1996, Sultan QABOOS issued a royal decree promulgating a basic law considered by the government to be a constitution which, among other things, clarifies the royal succession, provides for a prime minister, bars ministers from holding interests in companies doing business with the government, establishes a bicameral legislature, and guarantees basic civil liberties for Omani citizens

Legal system:

based on English common law and Islamic law; ultimate appeal to the monarch; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

21 years of age; universal; note - members of the military and security forces are not allowed to vote

Executive branch:

chief of state: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said al-Said (sultan since 23 July 1970 and prime minister since 23 July 1972); note - the monarch is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said al-Said (sultan since 23 July 1970 and prime minister since 23 July 1972)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch

elections: the monarch is hereditary

Legislative branch:

bicameral Majlis Oman consists of Majlis al-Dawla or upper chamber (71 seats; members appointed by the monarch; has advisory powers only) and Majlis al-Shura or lower chamber (84 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms; body has only advisory powers)

elections: last held 27 October 2007 (next to be held in 2011)

election results: new candidates won 46 seats and 38 members of the outgoing Majlis kept their positions; none of the 20 female candidates were elected

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court

note: the nascent civil court system, administered by region, has judges who practice secular and Sharia law

Political parties and leaders:

none

Political pressure groups and leaders:

none

International organization participation:

ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory),
IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU,
ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Hunaina bint Sultan bin Ahmad al-MUGHAIRI

chancery: 2535 Belmont Road, NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 387-1980

FAX: [1] (202) 745-4933

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Gary A. GRAPPO

embassy: Jameat A'Duwal Al Arabiya Street, Al Khuwair area, Muscat

mailing address: P. O. Box 202, P.C. 115, Madinat Sultan Qaboos, Muscat

telephone: [968] 24-643-400

FAX: [968] 24-699771

Flag description:

three horizontal bands of white, red, and green of equal width with a broad, vertical, red band on the hoist side; the national emblem (a khanjar dagger in its sheath superimposed on two crossed swords in scabbards) in white is centered near the top of the vertical band

Economy ::Oman

Economy - overview:

Oman is a middle-income economy that is heavily dependent on dwindling oil resources, but sustained high oil prices in recent years have helped build Oman's budget and trade surpluses and foreign reserves. As a result of its dwindling oil resources, Oman is actively pursuing a development plan that focuses on diversification, industrialization, and privatization, with the objective of reducing the oil sector's contribution to GDP to 9% by 2020. Some of these projects may be in jeopardy, however, because Muscat overestimated its ability to produce or secure the natural gas needed to power them. Oman actively seeks private foreign investors, especially in the industrial, information technology, tourism, and higher education fields. Industrial development plans focus on gas resources, metal manufacturing, petrochemicals, and international transshipment ports. The drop in oil prices and the global financial crisis in 2008 will affect Oman's fiscal position and it may post a deficit in 2009 if oil prices stay low. In addition, the global credit crisis is slowing the pace of investment and development projects - a trend that probably will continue into 2009.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$66.87 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 82 $62.84 billion (2007 est.)

$59.4 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$59.95 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

6.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 49 5.8% (2007 est.)

7.5% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$20,200 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 61 $19,600 (2007 est.)

$19,100 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 2.1%

industry: 36.1%

services: 61.8% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

968,800 country comparison to the world: 139 note: about 60% of the labor force is non-national (2007)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Unemployment rate:

15% (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 154

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Investment (gross fixed):

27.2% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 36

Budget:

revenues: $18.13 billion

expenditures: $15.95 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

2.8% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 125 10.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

12.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 174 5.9% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

0.91% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 134 1.98% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

7.1% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 116 7.29% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$5.25 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 54 $5.044 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$14.57 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 47 $11.04 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$17.83 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 61 $13.88 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$14.91 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 67 $23.06 billion (31 December 2007)

$16.16 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

dates, limes, bananas, alfalfa, vegetables; camels, cattle; fish

Industries:

crude oil production and refining, natural and liquefied natural gas (LNG) production; construction, cement, copper, steel, chemicals, optic fiber

Industrial production growth rate:

3.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 73

Electricity - production:

13.58 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 83

Electricity - consumption:

11.36 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 78

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

761,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 26

Oil - consumption:

81,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 83

Oil - exports:

593,700 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 25

Oil - imports:

17,290 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 118

Oil - proved reserves:

5.5 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 23

Natural gas - production:

24 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 29

Natural gas - consumption:

13.46 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 41

Natural gas - exports:

10.89 billion cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 18

Natural gas - imports:

350 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 62

Natural gas - proved reserves:

849.5 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 29

Current account balance:

$5.523 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 32 $1.933 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$37.72 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 60 $24.72 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

petroleum, reexports, fish, metals, textiles

Exports - partners:

China 31.7%, South Korea 17%, UAE 11.7%, Japan 11%, Thailand 7.1% (2008)

Imports:

$20.71 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 72 $14.34 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, livestock, lubricants

Imports - partners:

UAE 27.2%, Japan 15.6%, US 5.7%, China 4.6%, India 4.5%, South Korea 4.2%, Germany 4.2% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$11.58 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 63 $9.524 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$7.68 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 94 $5.297 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$NA

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$NA

Exchange rates:

Omani rials (OMR) per US dollar - 0.3845 (2008 est.), 0.3845 (2007), 0.3845 (2006), 0.3845 (2005), 0.3845 (2004)

Communications ::Oman

Telephones - main lines in use:

274,200 (2008) country comparison to the world: 116

Telephones - mobile cellular:

3.219 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 104

Telephone system:

general assessment: modern system consisting of open-wire, microwave, and radiotelephone communication stations; limited coaxial cable

domestic: fixed-line phone service gradually being introduced to remote villages using wireless local loop systems; fixed-line and mobile-cellular subscribership both increasing; open-wire, microwave, radiotelephone communications, and a domestic satellite system with 8 earth stations

international: country code - 968; the Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG) and the SEA-ME-WE-3 submarine cable provide connectivity to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean), 1 Arabsat (2007)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 3, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999)

Television broadcast stations:

13 (plus 25 repeaters) (1999)

Internet country code:

.om

Internet hosts:

6,346 (2009) country comparison to the world: 133

Internet users:

465,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 110

Transportation ::Oman

Airports:

128 (2009) country comparison to the world: 45

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 10

over 3,047 m: 5

2,438 to 3,047 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 118

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 7

1,524 to 2,437 m: 52

914 to 1,523 m: 33

under 914 m: 25 (2009)

Heliports:

3 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 4,126 km; oil 3,558 km; refined products 263 km (2008)

Roadways:

total: 42,300 km country comparison to the world: 85 paved: 16,500 km (includes 550 km of expressways)

unpaved: 25,800 km (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 3 country comparison to the world: 142 by type: chemical tanker 1, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1

registered in other countries: 2 (Panama 2) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Mina' Qabus, Salalah

Military ::Oman

Military branches:

Sultan's Armed Forces (SAF): Royal Army of Oman, Royal Navy of Oman,
Royal Air Force of Oman (al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Sultanat) (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18-30 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 802,455

females age 16-49: 626,841 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 675,454

females age 16-49: 563,890 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 35,647

female: 34,407 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

11.4% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 1

Transnational Issues ::Oman

Disputes - international:

boundary agreement reportedly signed and ratified with UAE in 2003 for entire border, including Oman's Musandam Peninsula and Al Madhah exclave, but details of the alignment have not been made public

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Oman is a destination country for men and women primarily from Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan who migrate willingly, but some of whom become victims of trafficking when subjected to conditions of involuntary servitude as domestic workers and laborers; mistreatment includes non-payment of wages, restrictions on movement and withholding of passports, threats, and physical or sexual abuse; Oman may also be a destination country for women from Asia, Eastern Europe, and North Africa for commercial sexual exploitation

tier rating: Tier 3 - Oman was rated as Tier 3 for the second consecutive year because it did not report any law enforcement efforts to prosecute and punish trafficking offenses in 2007 and continues to lack victim protection services or a systematic procedure to identify victims of trafficking (2008)

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Pacific Ocean (Oceans)

Introduction ::Pacific Ocean

Background:

The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the world's five oceans (followed by the Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Southern Ocean, and Arctic Ocean). Strategically important access waterways include the La Perouse, Tsugaru, Tsushima, Taiwan, Singapore, and Torres Straits. The decision by the International Hydrographic Organization in the spring of 2000 to delimit a fifth ocean, the Southern Ocean, removed the portion of the Pacific Ocean south of 60 degrees south.

Geography ::Pacific Ocean

Location:

body of water between the Southern Ocean, Asia, Australia, and the Western Hemisphere

Geographic coordinates:

0 00 N, 160 00 W

Map references:

Political Map of the World

Area:

total: 155.557 million sq km

note: includes Bali Sea, Bering Sea, Bering Strait, Coral Sea, East China Sea, Gulf of Alaska, Gulf of Tonkin, Philippine Sea, Sea of Japan, Sea of Okhotsk, South China Sea, Tasman Sea, and other tributary water bodies

Area - comparative:

about 15 times the size of the US; covers about 28% of the global surface; almost equal to the total land area of the world

Coastline:

135,663 km

Climate:

planetary air pressure systems and resultant wind patterns exhibit remarkable uniformity in the south and east; trade winds and westerly winds are well-developed patterns, modified by seasonal fluctuations; tropical cyclones (hurricanes) may form south of Mexico from June to October and affect Mexico and Central America; continental influences cause climatic uniformity to be much less pronounced in the eastern and western regions at the same latitude in the North Pacific Ocean; the western Pacific is monsoonal - a rainy season occurs during the summer months, when moisture-laden winds blow from the ocean over the land, and a dry season during the winter months, when dry winds blow from the Asian landmass back to the ocean; tropical cyclones (typhoons) may strike southeast and east Asia from May to December

Terrain:

surface currents in the northern Pacific are dominated by a clockwise, warm-water gyre (broad circular system of currents) and in the southern Pacific by a counterclockwise, cool-water gyre; in the northern Pacific, sea ice forms in the Bering Sea and Sea of Okhotsk in winter; in the southern Pacific, sea ice from Antarctica reaches its northernmost extent in October; the ocean floor in the eastern Pacific is dominated by the East Pacific Rise, while the western Pacific is dissected by deep trenches, including the Mariana Trench, which is the world's deepest

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench -10,924 m

highest point: sea level 0 m

Natural resources:

oil and gas fields, polymetallic nodules, sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, fish

Natural hazards:

surrounded by a zone of violent volcanic and earthquake activity sometimes referred to as the "Pacific Ring of Fire"; subject to tropical cyclones (typhoons) in southeast and east Asia from May to December (most frequent from July to October); tropical cyclones (hurricanes) may form south of Mexico and strike Central America and Mexico from June to October (most common in August and September); cyclical El Nino/La Nina phenomenon occurs in the equatorial Pacific, influencing weather in the Western Hemisphere and the western Pacific; ships subject to superstructure icing in extreme north from October to May; persistent fog in the northern Pacific can be a maritime hazard from June to December

Environment - current issues:

endangered marine species include the dugong, sea lion, sea otter, seals, turtles, and whales; oil pollution in Philippine Sea and South China Sea

Geography - note:

the major chokepoints are the Bering Strait, Panama Canal, Luzon Strait, and the Singapore Strait; the Equator divides the Pacific Ocean into the North Pacific Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean; dotted with low coral islands and rugged volcanic islands in the southwestern Pacific Ocean

Economy ::Pacific Ocean

Economy - overview:

The Pacific Ocean is a major contributor to the world economy and particularly to those nations its waters directly touch. It provides low-cost sea transportation between East and West, extensive fishing grounds, offshore oil and gas fields, minerals, and sand and gravel for the construction industry. In 1996, over 60% of the world's fish catch came from the Pacific Ocean. Exploitation of offshore oil and gas reserves is playing an ever-increasing role in the energy supplies of the US, Australia, NZ, China, and Peru. The high cost of recovering offshore oil and gas, combined with the wide swings in world prices for oil since 1985, has led to fluctuations in new drillings.

Transportation ::Pacific Ocean

Ports and terminals:

Bangkok (Thailand), Hong Kong (China), Kao-hsiung (Taiwan), Los
Angeles (US), Manila (Philippines), Pusan (South Korea), San
Francisco (US), Seattle (US), Shanghai (China), Singapore, Sydney
(Australia), Vladivostok (Russia), Wellington (NZ), Yokohama (Japan)

Transportation - note:

Inside Passage offers protected waters from southeast Alaska to Puget Sound (Washington state); the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial waters of littoral states and offshore waters in the South China Sea as high risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships; numerous commercial vessels have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; hijacked vessels are often disguised and cargoes stolen; crew and passengers are often held for ransom, murdered, or cast adrift

Transnational Issues ::Pacific Ocean

Disputes - international:

some maritime disputes (see littoral states)

page last updated on October 22, 2009

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

@Pakistan (South Asia)

Introduction ::Pakistan

Background:

The Indus Valley civilization, one of the oldest in the world and dating back at least 5,000 years, spread over much of what is presently Pakistan. During the second millennium B.C., remnants of this culture fused with the migrating Indo-Aryan peoples. The area underwent successive invasions in subsequent centuries from the Persians, Greeks, Scythians, Arabs (who brought Islam), Afghans, and Turks. The Mughal Empire flourished in the 16th and 17th centuries; the British came to dominate the region in the 18th century. The separation in 1947 of British India into the Muslim state of Pakistan (with West and East sections) and largely Hindu India was never satisfactorily resolved, and India and Pakistan fought two wars - in 1947-48 and 1965 - over the disputed Kashmir territory. A third war between these countries in 1971 - in which India capitalized on Islamabad's marginalization of Bengalis in Pakistani politics - resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh. In response to Indian nuclear weapons testing, Pakistan conducted its own tests in 1998. The dispute over the state of Kashmir is ongoing, but discussions and confidence-building measures have led to decreased tensions since 2002. Mounting public dissatisfaction with President MUSHARRAF, coupled with the assassination of the prominent and popular political leader, Benazir BHUTTO, in late 2007, and MUSHARRAF's resignation in August 2008, led to the September presidential election of Asif ZARDARI, BHUTTO's widower. Pakistani government and military leaders are struggling to control Islamist militants, many of whom are located in the tribal areas adjacent to the border with Afghanistan. The November 2008 Mumbai attacks again inflamed Indo-Pakistan relations. The Pakistani Government is also faced with a deteriorating economy as foreign exchange reserves decline, the currency depreciates, and the current account deficit widens.

Geography ::Pakistan

Location:

Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea, between India on the east and Iran and Afghanistan on the west and China in the north

Geographic coordinates:

30 00 N, 70 00 E

Map references:

Asia

Area:

total: 796,095 sq km country comparison to the world: 36 land: 770,875 sq km

water: 25,220 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly less than twice the size of California

Land boundaries:

total: 6,774 km

border countries: Afghanistan 2,430 km, China 523 km, India 2,912 km, Iran 909 km

Coastline:

1,046 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:

mostly hot, dry desert; temperate in northwest; arctic in north

Terrain:

flat Indus plain in east; mountains in north and northwest; Balochistan plateau in west

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: K2 (Mt. Godwin-Austen) 8,611 m

Natural resources:

land, extensive natural gas reserves, limited petroleum, poor quality coal, iron ore, copper, salt, limestone

Land use:

arable land: 24.44%

permanent crops: 0.84%

other: 74.72% (2005)

Irrigated land:

182,300 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

233.8 cu km (2003)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 169.39 cu km/yr (2%/2%/96%)

per capita: 1,072 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

frequent earthquakes, occasionally severe especially in north and west; flooding along the Indus after heavy rains (July and August)

Environment - current issues:

water pollution from raw sewage, industrial wastes, and agricultural runoff; limited natural fresh water resources; most of the population does not have access to potable water; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:

controls Khyber Pass and Bolan Pass, traditional invasion routes between Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent

People ::Pakistan

Population:

176,242,949 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 6

Age structure:

0-14 years: 37.2% (male 33,739,547/female 31,868,065)

15-64 years: 58.6% (male 52,849,607/female 50,378,198)

65 years and over: 4.2% (male 3,475,927/female 3,931,605) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 20.8 years

male: 20.6 years

female: 21 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.947% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 63

Birth rate:

27.62 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 57

Death rate:

7.68 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 118

Net migration rate:

-0.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 110

Urbanization:

urban population: 36% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female

total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 65.14 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 32 male: 65.24 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 65.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 64.49 years country comparison to the world: 167 male: 63.4 years

female: 65.64 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3.6 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 55

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 128

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

96,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 47

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

5,100 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 43

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria

animal contact disease: rabies

note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Pakistani(s)

adjective: Pakistani

Ethnic groups:

Punjabi 44.68%, Pashtun (Pathan) 15.42%, Sindhi 14.1%, Sariaki 8.38%, Muhagirs 7.57%, Balochi 3.57%, other 6.28%

Religions:

Muslim 95% (Sunni 75%, Shia 20%), other (includes Christian and
Hindu) 5%

Languages:

Punjabi 48%, Sindhi 12%, Siraiki (a Punjabi variant) 10%, Pashtu 8%, Urdu (official) 8%, Balochi 3%, Hindko 2%, Brahui 1%, English (official; lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most government ministries), Burushaski, and other 8%

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 49.9%

male: 63%

female: 36% (2005 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 7 years

male: 7 years

female: 6 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

2.6% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 155

Government ::Pakistan

Country name:

conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Pakistan

conventional short form: Pakistan

local long form: Jamhuryat Islami Pakistan

local short form: Pakistan

former: West Pakistan

Government type:

federal republic

Capital:

name: Islamabad

geographic coordinates: 33 42 N, 73 10 E

time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, in 2009 - begins third Wednesday in April; ends first Sunday in November; note - a new policy of daylight saving time was initiated by the government in 2008; the specific date of the start of DST has varied over the last two years

Administrative divisions:

4 provinces, 1 territory*, and 1 capital territory**; Balochistan, Federally Administered Tribal Areas*, Islamabad Capital Territory**, North-West Frontier Province, Punjab, Sindh

note: the Pakistani-administered portion of the disputed Jammu and Kashmir region consists of two administrative entities: Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan

Independence:

14 August 1947 (from British India)

National holiday:

Republic Day, 23 March (1956)

Constitution:

12 April 1973; suspended 5 July 1977, restored 30 December 1985; suspended 15 October 1999, restored in stages in 2002; amended 31 December 2003; suspended 3 November 2007; restored on 15 December 2007

Legal system:

based on English common law with provisions to accommodate Pakistan's status as an Islamic state; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal; joint electorates and reserved parliamentary seats for women and non-Muslims

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Asif Ali ZARDARI (since 9 September 2008)

note: following President Pervez MUSHARRAF's resignation on 18 August 2008, elections were held on 6 September in which Asif Ali ZARDARI won a clear majority; ZARDARI'S inauguration as president of Pakistan on 9 September solidified the country's return to civilian government after more than eight years of military rule

head of government: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza GILANI (since 25 March 2008)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president upon the advice of the prime minister

elections: the president is elected by secret ballot through an Electoral College comprising the members of the Senate, National Assembly, and the provincial assemblies for a five-year term; election last held on 6 September 2008 (next to be held not later than 2013); note - any person who is a Muslim and not less than 45 years of age and is qualified to be elected as a member of the National Assembly can contest the presidential election; the prime minister is selected by the National Assembly; election last held on 24 March 2008

election results: Asif Ali ZARDARI elected president; ZARDARI 481 votes, SIDDIQUE 153 votes, SYED 44 votes; Syed Yousuf Raza GILANI elected prime minister; GILANI 264 votes, Pervaiz ELAHI 42 votes; several abstentions

Legislative branch:

bicameral parliament or Majlis-e-Shoora consists of the Senate (100 seats; members indirectly elected by provincial assemblies and the territories' representatives in the National Assembly to serve six-year terms; one half are elected every three years) and the National Assembly (342 seats; 272 members elected by popular vote; 60 seats reserved for women; 10 seats reserved for non-Muslims; serve five-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held on 3 March 2009 (next to be held in March 2012); National Assembly - last held on 18 February 2008 with by-elections on 26 June 2008 (next to be held in 2013)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PPPP 27, PML-Q 21, MMA 9, PML-N 7, ANP 6, MQM 6, JUI-F 4, BNP-A 2, JWP 1, NPP 1, PKMAP 1, PML-F 1, PPP 1, independents 13; National Assembly - percent of votes by party - NA; seats by party - PPPP 124, PML-N 91, PML 54, MQM 25, ANP 13, MMA 7, PML-F 5, BNP-A 1, NPP 1, PPP-S 1, independents 17; note - 3 seats remain unfilled

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (justices appointed by the president); Federal Islamic or Sharia Court

Political parties and leaders:

Awami National Party or ANP [Asfandyar Wali KHAN]; Balochistan
National Party-Hayee Group or BNP-H [Dr. Hayee BALOCH]; Balochistan
National Party-Awami or BNP-A [Moheem Khan BALOCH]; Balochistan
National Party-Mengal or BNP-M [Sardar Ataullah MENGAL]; Jamhoori
Watan Party or JWP; Jamiat Ahle Hadith or JAH [Sajid MIR]; Jamaat-i
Islami or JI [Qazi Hussain AHMED]; Jamiat Ulema-i Islam Fazlur
Rehman or JUI-F [Fazlur REHMAN]; Jamiat Ulema-i Islam Sami-ul HAQ or
JUI-S [Sami ul-HAQ]; Jamiat Ulema-i Pakistan or JUP [Shah Faridul
HAQ]; Muttahida Majlis-e Amal or MMA [Qazi Hussain AHMED]; Muttahida
Qaumi Movement or MQM [Altaf HUSSAIN]; National Alliance or NA
[Ghulam Mustapha JATOI] (merged with PML); National Peoples Party or
NPP; Pakhtun Khwa Milli Awami Party or PKMAP [Mahmood Khan
ACHAKZAI]; Pakistan Awami Tehrik or PAT [Tahir ul QADRI]; Pakistan
Muslim League-Functional or PML-F [Pir PAGARO]; Pakistan Muslim
League-Nawaz Sharif or PML-N [Nawaz SHARIF]; Pakistan Muslim League
or PML [Chaudhry Shujaat HUSSAIN]; Pakistan Peoples Party-SHERPAO or
PPP-S [Aftab Ahmed Khan SHERPAO]; Pakistan Peoples Party
Parliamentarians or PPPP [Bilawal Bhutto ZARDARI, chairman; Asif Ali
ZARDARI, co-chairman]; Pakistan Tehrik-e Insaaf or PTI [Imran KHAN];
Tehrik-i Islami [Allama Sajid NAQVI]

note: political alliances in Pakistan can shift frequently

Political pressure groups and leaders:

other: military (most important political force); ulema (clergy); landowners; industrialists; small merchants

International organization participation:

ADB, ARF, C, CP, ECO, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM,
IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM,
OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, PCA, SAARC, SACEP, SCO (observer), UN,
UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMIT, UNOCI,
UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Husain HAQQANI

chancery: 3517 International Court, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 243-6500

FAX: [1] (202) 686-1544

consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York, Sunnyvale (California)

consulate(s): Chicago, Houston

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Anne W. PATTERSON

embassy: Diplomatic Enclave, Ramna 5, Islamabad

mailing address: P. O. Box 1048, Unit 62200, APO AE 09812-2200

telephone: [92] (51) 208-0000

FAX: [92] (51) 2276427

consulate(s) general: Karachi

consulate(s): Lahore, Peshawar

Flag description:

green with a vertical white band (symbolizing the role of religious minorities) on the hoist side; a large white crescent and star are centered in the green field; the crescent, star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam

Economy ::Pakistan

Economy - overview:

Pakistan, an impoverished and underdeveloped country, has suffered from decades of internal political disputes, low levels of foreign investment, and declining exports of manufactures. Faced with untenable budgetary deficits, high inflation, and hemorrhaging foreign exchange reserves, the government agreed to an International Monetary Fund Standby Arrangement in November 2008. Between 2004-07, GDP growth in the 6-8% range was spurred by gains in the industrial and service sectors, despite severe electricity shortfalls. Poverty levels decreased by 10% since 2001, and Islamabad steadily raised development spending in recent years. In 2008 the fiscal deficit - a result of chronically low tax collection and increased spending - exceeded Islamabad's target of 4% of GDP. Inflation remains the top concern among the public, jumping from 7.7% in 2007 to 20.8% in 2008, primarily because of rising world fuel and commodity prices. In addition, the Pakistani rupee has depreciated significantly as a result of political and economic instability.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$431.2 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 28 $417 billion (2007 est.)

$393.4 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$164.6 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

3.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 114 6% (2007 est.)

6% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$2,500 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 173 $2,500 (2007 est.)

$2,400 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 20.4%

industry: 26.6%

services: 53% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

50.58 million country comparison to the world: 11 note: extensive export of labor, mostly to the Middle East, and use of child labor (2008 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 43%

industry: 20.3%

services: 36.6% (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate:

13.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 146 5.6% (2007 est.)

note: substantial underemployment exists

Population below poverty line:

24% (FY05/06 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 3.9%

highest 10%: 26.5% (2005)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

30.6 (FY07/08) country comparison to the world: 110 41 (FY98/99)

Investment (gross fixed):

20% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 110

Budget:

revenues: $22.3 billion

expenditures: $32.35 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

51.2% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 36 71.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

20.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 204 7.6% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

15% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 42 10% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$52.76 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$18.42 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$65.05 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$23.49 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 54 $70.26 billion (31 December 2007)

$45.52 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

cotton, wheat, rice, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; milk, beef, mutton, eggs

Industries:

textiles and apparel, food processing, pharmaceuticals, construction materials, paper products, fertilizer, shrimp

Industrial production growth rate:

4.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 56

Electricity - production:

90.8 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 33

Electricity - consumption:

72.2 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 35

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

61,870 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 59

Oil - consumption:

383,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 35

Oil - exports:

30,090 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 86

Oil - imports:

319,500 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 34

Oil - proved reserves:

339 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 53

Natural gas - production:

37.5 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 23

Natural gas - consumption:

37.5 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 21

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 134

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 99

Natural gas - proved reserves:

885.3 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 26

Current account balance:

-$15.68 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 175 -$8.297 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$21.09 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 71 $18.12 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

textiles (garments, bed linen, cotton cloth, yarn), rice, leather goods, sports goods, chemicals, manufactures, carpets and rugs

Exports - partners:

US 16%, UAE 11.7%, Afghanistan 8.6%, UK 4.5%, China 4.2% (2008)

Imports:

$38.19 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 57 $28.76 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

petroleum, petroleum products, machinery, plastics, transportation equipment, edible oils, paper and paperboard, iron and steel, tea

Imports - partners:

China 14.1%, Saudi Arabia 12%, UAE 11.2%, Kuwait 5.4%, India 4.8%,
US 4.7%, Malaysia 4.1% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$8.903 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 70 $15.69 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$46.39 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 55 $38.8 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$25.44 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 61 $20.01 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$1.017 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 71 $982 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

Pakistani rupees (PKR) per US dollar - 70.64 (2008 est.), 60.6295 (2007), 60.35 (2006), 59.515 (2005), 58.258 (2004)

Communications ::Pakistan

Telephones - main lines in use:

4.546 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 33

Telephones - mobile cellular:

91.44 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 9

Telephone system:

general assessment: the telecommunications infrastructure is improving dramatically with foreign and domestic investments in fixed-line and mobile networks; mobile-cellular subscribership has skyrocketed, reaching some 91 million in 2009, up from only about 300,000 in 2000; fiber systems are being constructed throughout the country to aid in network growth; main line availability has risen only marginally over the same period and there are still difficulties getting main line service to rural areas

domestic: microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, fiber-optic cable, cellular, and satellite networks

international: country code - 92; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3 and SEA-ME-WE-4 submarine cable systems that provide links to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); 3 operational international gateway exchanges (1 at Karachi and 2 at Islamabad); microwave radio relay to neighboring countries (2009)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 31, FM 68, shortwave NA (2006)

Television broadcast stations:

20 (5 state-run channels and 15 privately-owned satellite channels) (2006)

Internet country code:

.pk

Internet hosts:

226,236 (2009) country comparison to the world: 61

Internet users:

18.5 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 20

Transportation ::Pakistan

Airports:

145 (2009) country comparison to the world: 38

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 98

over 3,047 m: 16

2,438 to 3,047 m: 19

1,524 to 2,437 m: 38

914 to 1,523 m: 17

under 914 m: 8 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 47

1,524 to 2,437 m: 11

914 to 1,523 m: 12

under 914 m: 24 (2009)

Heliports:

19 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 10,402 km; oil 2,076 km; refined products 792 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 7,791 km country comparison to the world: 28 broad gauge: 7,479 km 1.676-m gauge (293 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 312 km 1.000-m gauge (2007)

Roadways:

total: 259,197 km country comparison to the world: 20 paved: 172,827 km (includes 711 km of expressways)

unpaved: 86,370 km (2007)

Merchant marine:

total: 15 country comparison to the world: 105 by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 10, petroleum tanker 4

registered in other countries: 19 (Comoros 4, Malta 2, Marshall Islands 1, Panama 9, Saint Kitts and Nevis 3) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Karachi, Port Muhammad Bin Qasim

Military ::Pakistan

Military branches:

Army (includes National Guard), Navy (includes Marines and Maritime
Security Agency), Pakistan Air Force (Pakistan Fiza'ya) (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

17-23 years of age for voluntary military service; soldiers cannot be deployed for combat until age 18; the Pakistani Air Force and Pakistani Navy have inducted their first female pilots and sailors (2009)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 42,633,765

females age 16-49: 40,114,017 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 33,690,322

females age 16-49: 32,602,910 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 2,089,936

female: 1,964,090 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

3% of GDP (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 52

Transnational Issues ::Pakistan

Disputes - international:

various talks and confidence-building measures cautiously have begun to defuse tensions over Kashmir, particularly since the October 2005 earthquake in the region; Kashmir nevertheless remains the site of the world's largest and most militarized territorial dispute with portions under the de facto administration of China (Aksai Chin), India (Jammu and Kashmir), and Pakistan (Azad Kashmir and Northern Areas); UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) has maintained a small group of peacekeepers since 1949; India does not recognize Pakistan's ceding historic Kashmir lands to China in 1964; India and Pakistan have maintained their 2004 cease fire in Kashmir and initiated discussions on defusing the armed stand-off in the Siachen glacier region; Pakistan protests India's fencing the highly militarized Line of Control and construction of the Baglihar Dam on the Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir, which is part of the larger dispute on water sharing of the Indus River and its tributaries; to defuse tensions and prepare for discussions on a maritime boundary, India and Pakistan seek technical resolution of the disputed boundary in Sir Creek estuary at the mouth of the Rann of Kutch in the Arabian Sea; Pakistani maps continue to show the Junagadh claim in India's Gujarat State; by 2005, Pakistan, with UN assistance, repatriated 2.3 million Afghan refugees leaving slightly more than a million, many of whom remain at their own choosing; Pakistan has proposed and Afghanistan protests construction of a fence and laying of mines along portions of their porous border; Pakistan has sent troops into remote tribal areas to monitor and control the border with Afghanistan and to stem terrorist or other illegal activities

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 1,043,984 (Afghanistan)

IDPs: undetermined (government strikes on Islamic militants in South Waziristan); 34,000 (October 2005 earthquake; most of those displaced returned to their home villages in the spring of 2006) (2007)

Illicit drugs:

significant transit area for Afghan drugs, including heroin, opium, morphine, and hashish, bound for Iran, Western markets, the Gulf States, Africa, and Asia; financial crimes related to drug trafficking, terrorism, corruption, and smuggling remain problems; opium poppy cultivation estimated to be 2,300 hectares in 2007 with 600 of those hectares eradicated; federal and provincial authorities continue to conduct anti-poppy campaigns that utilizes forced eradication, fines, and arrests

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Palau (Australia-Oceania)

Introduction ::Palau

Background:

After three decades as part of the UN Trust Territory of the Pacific under US administration, this westernmost cluster of the Caroline Islands opted for independence in 1978 rather than join the Federated States of Micronesia. A Compact of Free Association with the US was approved in 1986 but not ratified until 1993. It entered into force the following year when the islands gained independence.

Geography ::Palau

Location:

Oceania, group of islands in the North Pacific Ocean, southeast of the Philippines

Geographic coordinates:

7 30 N, 134 30 E

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 459 sq km country comparison to the world: 197 land: 459 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

1,519 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 3 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; hot and humid; wet season May to November

Terrain:

varying geologically from the high, mountainous main island of Babelthuap to low, coral islands usually fringed by large barrier reefs

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mount Ngerchelchuus 242 m

Natural resources:

forests, minerals (especially gold), marine products, deep-seabed minerals

Land use:

arable land: 8.7%

permanent crops: 4.35%

other: 86.95% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

typhoons (June to December)

Environment - current issues:

inadequate facilities for disposal of solid waste; threats to the marine ecosystem from sand and coral dredging, illegal fishing practices, and overfishing

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

westernmost archipelago in the Caroline chain, consists of six island groups totaling more than 300 islands; includes World War II battleground of Beliliou (Peleliu) and world-famous rock islands

People ::Palau

Population:

20,796 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 217

Age structure:

0-14 years: 22.9% (male 2,458/female 2,314)

15-64 years: 70.8% (male 8,207/female 6,521)

65 years and over: 6.2% (male 401/female 895) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 32.2 years

male: 32 years

female: 32.7 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.428% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 159

Birth rate:

11.2 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 172

Death rate:

7.89 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 111

Net migration rate:

0.96 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 58

Urbanization:

urban population: 81% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.26 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.45 male(s)/female

total population: 1.14 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 13.14 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 136 male: 14.83 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 11.36 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 71.22 years country comparison to the world: 129 male: 68.08 years

female: 74.54 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.82 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 155

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Palauan(s)

adjective: Palauan

Ethnic groups:

Palauan (Micronesian with Malayan and Melanesian admixtures) 69.9%,
Filipino 15.3%, Chinese 4.9%, other Asian 2.4%, white 1.9%,
Carolinian 1.4%, other Micronesian 1.1%, other or unspecified 3.2%
(2000 census)

Religions:

Roman Catholic 41.6%, Protestant 23.3%, Modekngei 8.8% (indigenous to Palau), Seventh-Day Adventist 5.3%, Jehovah's Witness 0.9%, Latter-Day Saints 0.6%, other 3.1%, unspecified or none 16.4% (2000 census)

Languages:

Palauan 64.7% official in all islands except Sonsoral (Sonsoralese
and English are official), Tobi (Tobi and English are official), and
Angaur (Angaur, Japanese, and English are official), Filipino 13.5%,
English 9.4%, Chinese 5.7%, Carolinian 1.5%, Japanese 1.5%, other
Asian 2.3%, other languages 1.5% (2000 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 92%

male: 93%

female: 90% (1980 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 15 years

male: 14 years

female: 15 years (2000)

Education expenditures:

10.3% of GDP (2002) country comparison to the world: 4

Government ::Palau

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Palau

conventional short form: Palau

local long form: Beluu er a Belau

local short form: Belau

former: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Palau District

Government type:

constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 1 October 1994

Capital:

name: Melekeok

geographic coordinates: 7 29 N, 134 38 E

time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

16 states; Aimeliik, Airai, Angaur, Hatohobei, Kayangel, Koror, Melekeok, Ngaraard, Ngarchelong, Ngardmau, Ngatpang, Ngchesar, Ngeremlengui, Ngiwal, Peleliu, Sonsorol

Independence:

1 October 1994 (from the US-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday:

Constitution Day, 9 July (1979)

Constitution:

1 January 1981

Legal system:

based on Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Johnson TORIBIONG (since 15 January 2009); Vice President Kerai MARIUR (since 15 January 2009); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Johnson TORIBIONG (since 15 January 2009); Vice President Kerai MARIUR (since 15 January 2009)

cabinet: NA

elections: president and vice president elected on separate tickets by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 4 November 2008 (next to be held in November 2012)

election results: Johnson TORIBIONG (51%) defeats Elias Camsek CHIN (49%) for president; Kerai MARIUR elected vice president

Legislative branch:

bicameral National Congress or Olbiil Era Kelulau (OEK) consists of the Senate (9 seats; members elected by popular vote on a population basis to serve four-year terms) and the House of Delegates (16 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held 4 November 2008 (next to be held in November 2012); House of Delegates - last held 4 November 2008 (next to be held in November 2012)

election results: Senate - percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 9; House of Delegates - percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 16

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court; Court of Common Pleas; Land Court

Political parties and leaders:

none

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ACP, ADB, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IOC,
IPU, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Hersey KYOTA

chancery: 1701 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20006

telephone: [1] (202) 452-6814

FAX: [1] (202) 452-6281

consulate(s): Tamuning (Guam)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Charge d'Affaires Mark BEZNER

embassy: Koror (no street address)

mailing address: P. O. Box 6028, Republic of Palau 96940

telephone: [680] 488-2920, 2990

FAX: [680] 488-2911

Flag description:

light blue with a large yellow disk (representing the moon) shifted slightly to the hoist side

Economy ::Palau

Economy - overview:

The economy consists primarily of tourism, subsistence agriculture, and fishing. The government is the major employer of the work force relying heavily on financial assistance from the US. The Compact of Free Association with the US, entered into after the end of the UN trusteeship on 1 October 1994, provided Palau with up to $700 million in US aid for the following 15 years in return for furnishing military facilities. Business and tourist arrivals numbered 85,000 in 2007. The population enjoys a per capita income roughly 50% higher than that of the Philippines and much of Micronesia. Long-run prospects for the key tourist sector have been greatly bolstered by the expansion of air travel in the Pacific, the rising prosperity of leading East Asian countries, and the willingness of foreigners to finance infrastructure development.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$164 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 217 $124.5 million (2004 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP estimate includes US subsidy

GDP (official exchange rate):

$164 million (2008)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.5% (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 76

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$8,100 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 120 $7,600 (2005 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 6.2%

industry: 12%

services: 81.8% (2003)

Labor force:

9,777 (2005) country comparison to the world: 209

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 20%

industry: NA%

services: NA% (1990)

Unemployment rate:

4.2% (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 52

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $114.8 million

expenditures: $99.5 million (2008 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.7% (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 30

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

coconuts, copra, cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes; fish

Industries:

tourism, craft items (from shell, wood, pearls), construction, garment making

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Current account balance:

$15.09 million (FY03/04) country comparison to the world: 61

Exports:

$5.882 million (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 213

Exports - commodities:

shellfish, tuna, copra, garments

Imports:

$107.3 million (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 206

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, fuels, metals; foodstuffs

Debt - external:

$0 (FY99/00) country comparison to the world: 204

Exchange rates:

the US dollar is used

Communications ::Palau

Telephones - main lines in use:

7,500 (2008) country comparison to the world: 209

Telephones - mobile cellular:

12,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 211

Telephone system:

general assessment: NA

domestic: fixed-line and mobile-cellular services available with a combined subscribership of more than 90 per 100 persons

international: country code - 680; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (cable) (2005)

Internet country code:

.pw

Internet hosts:

2 (2009) country comparison to the world: 228

Transportation ::Palau

Airports:

3 (2009) country comparison to the world: 195

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2009)

Roadways:

note: estimated to have 60 km of roads as of 1996

Ports and terminals:

Koror

Military ::Palau

Military branches:

no regular military forces; Palau National Police (2009)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 5,973 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 5,177

females age 16-49: 3,936 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 207

female: 214 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

NA

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of the US; under a Compact of Free Association between Palau and the US, the US military is granted access to the islands for 50 years, but it has not stationed any military forces there (2008)

Transnational Issues ::Palau

Disputes - international:

maritime delineation negotiations continue with Philippines, Indonesia

page last updated on October 28, 2009

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

@Panama (Central America and Caribbean)

Introduction ::Panama

Background:

Explored and settled by the Spanish in the 16th century, Panama broke with Spain in 1821 and joined a union of Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela - named the Republic of Gran Colombia. When the latter dissolved in 1830, Panama remained part of Colombia. With US backing, Panama seceded from Colombia in 1903 and promptly signed a treaty with the US allowing for the construction of a canal and US sovereignty over a strip of land on either side of the structure (the Panama Canal Zone). The Panama Canal was built by the US Army Corps of Engineers between 1904 and 1914. In 1977, an agreement was signed for the complete transfer of the Canal from the US to Panama by the end of the century. Certain portions of the Zone and increasing responsibility over the Canal were turned over in the subsequent decades. With US help, dictator Manuel NORIEGA was deposed in 1989. The entire Panama Canal, the area supporting the Canal, and remaining US military bases were transferred to Panama by the end of 1999. In October 2006, Panamanians approved an ambitious plan to expand the Canal. The project, which began in 2007 and could double the Canal's capacity, is expected to be completed in 2014-15.

Geography ::Panama

Location:

Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North
Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica

Geographic coordinates:

9 00 N, 80 00 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 75,420 sq km country comparison to the world: 117 land: 74,340 sq km

water: 1,080 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than South Carolina

Land boundaries:

total: 555 km

border countries: Colombia 225 km, Costa Rica 330 km

Coastline:

2,490 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm or edge of continental margin

Climate:

tropical maritime; hot, humid, cloudy; prolonged rainy season (May to January), short dry season (January to May)

Terrain:

interior mostly steep, rugged mountains and dissected, upland plains; coastal areas largely plains and rolling hills

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Volcan Baru 3,475 m

Natural resources:

copper, mahogany forests, shrimp, hydropower

Land use:

arable land: 7.26%

permanent crops: 1.95%

other: 90.79% (2005)

Irrigated land:

430 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

148 cu km (2000)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.82 cu km/yr (67%/5%/28%)

per capita: 254 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

occasional severe storms and forest fires in the Darien area

Environment - current issues:

water pollution from agricultural runoff threatens fishery resources; deforestation of tropical rain forest; land degradation and soil erosion threatens siltation of Panama Canal; air pollution in urban areas; mining threatens natural resources

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:

strategic location on eastern end of isthmus forming land bridge connecting North and South America; controls Panama Canal that links North Atlantic Ocean via Caribbean Sea with North Pacific Ocean

People ::Panama

Population:

3,360,474 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 134

Age structure:

0-14 years: 29.3% (male 501,950/female 481,750)

15-64 years: 63.9% (male 1,085,435/female 1,061,530)

65 years and over: 6.8% (male 106,934/female 122,875) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 27 years

male: 26.6 years

female: 27.3 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.503% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 87

Birth rate:

20.18 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 96

Death rate:

4.66 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 195

Net migration rate:

-0.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 111

Urbanization:

urban population: 73% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 2.7% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female

total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 12.67 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 139 male: 13.53 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 11.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 77.25 years country comparison to the world: 59 male: 74.47 years

female: 80.16 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.53 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 92

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 53

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

20,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 80

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 1,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 77

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: intermediate

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea

vectorborne disease: dengue fever and malaria (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Panamanian(s)

adjective: Panamanian

Ethnic groups:

mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 70%, Amerindian and mixed (West Indian) 14%, white 10%, Amerindian 6%

Religions:

Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 15%

Languages:

Spanish (official), English 14%; note - many Panamanians bilingual

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 91.9%

male: 92.5%

female: 91.2% (2000 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 13 years

male: 13 years

female: 14 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

3.8% of GDP (2004) country comparison to the world: 114

Government ::Panama

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Panama

conventional short form: Panama

local long form: Republica de Panama

local short form: Panama

Government type:

constitutional democracy

Capital:

name: Panama City

geographic coordinates: 8 58 N, 79 32 W

time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

11 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 territory* (comarca); Bocas del Toro, Comarca Kuna Yala, Comarca Ngobe-Bugle, Chiriqui, Cocle, Colon, Darien, Herrera, Los Santos, Panama, San Blas* (Kuna Yala), and Veraguas

Independence:

3 November 1903 (from Colombia; became independent from Spain 28 November 1821)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 3 November (1903)

Constitution:

11 October 1972; revised in 1978, 1983, 1994, and 2004

Legal system:

based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court of Justice; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Ricardo MARTINELLI Berrocal (since 1 July 2009); Vice President Juan Carlos VARELA (since 1 July 2009); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Ricardo MARTINELLI Berrocal (since 1 July 2009); Vice President Juan Carlos VARELA (since 1 July 2009)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president

elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for five-year terms (not eligible for immediate reelection; president and vice president must sit out two additional terms (10 years) before becoming eligible for reelection); election last held 3 May 2009 (next to be held in 2014)

election results: Ricardo MARTINELLI Berrocal elected president; percent of vote - Ricardo MARTINELLI Berrocal 60%, Balbina HERRERA 38%, Guillermo ENDARA Galimany 2%

note: government coalition - PRD (Democratic Revolutionary Party), PP (Popular Party)

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (71 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 3 May 2009 (next to be held May 2014)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PRD 26, Panamenista 22, CD 14, PU 4, Independent 2, MOLIRENA 2, PP 1

note: legislators from outlying rural districts are chosen on a plurality basis while districts located in more populous towns and cities elect multiple legislators by means of a proportion-based formula

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (nine judges appointed for 10-year terms); five superior courts; three courts of appeal

Political parties and leaders:

Democratic Change or CD [Ricardo MARTINELLI]; Democratic
Revolutionary Party or PRD [Martin TORRIJOS Espino]; Nationalist
Republican Liberal Movement or MOLIRENA [Sergio GONZALEZ-Ruiz];
Panamenista Party [Juan Carlos VARELA] (formerly the Arnulfista
Party); Patriotic Union Party or UP (combination of the Liberal
National Party or PLN and the Solidarity Party or PS)[Guillermo
"Billy" FORD and Anibal GALINDO]; Popular Party or PP [Rene ORILLAC]
(formerly Christian Democratic Party or PDC)

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Chamber of Commerce; National Civic Crusade; National Council of Organized Workers or CONATO; National Council of Private Enterprise or CONEP; National Union of Construction and Similar Workers (SUNTRACS); Panamanian Association of Business Executives or APEDE; Panamanian Industrialists Society or SIP; Workers Confederation of the Republic of Panama or CTRP

International organization participation:

BCIE, CAN (observer), CSN (observer), FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, SICA, UN, UNASUR (observer), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Jaime Eduardo ALEMAN Healy

chancery: 2862 McGill Terrace NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 483-1407

FAX: [1] (202) 483-8416

consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Houston, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Diego, San Francisco, Tampa

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Barbara J. STEPHENSON

embassy: Edificio 783, Avenida Demetrio Basilio Lakas Panama, Apartado Postal 0816-02561, Zona 5, Panama City

mailing address: American Embassy Panama, Unit 0945, APO AA 34002

telephone: [507] 207-7000

FAX: [507] 317-5568

Flag description:

divided into four, equal rectangles; the top quadrants are white (hoist side) with a blue five-pointed star in the center and plain red; the bottom quadrants are plain blue (hoist side) and white with a red five-pointed star in the center

Economy ::Panama

Economy - overview:

Panama's dollarized economy rests primarily on a well-developed services sector that accounts for 80% of GDP. Services include operating the Panama Canal, banking, the Colon Free Zone, insurance, container ports, flagship registry, and tourism. Economic growth will be bolstered by the Panama Canal expansion project that began in 2007 and is scheduled to be completed by 2014 at a cost of $5.3 billion - about 25% of current GDP. The expansion project will more than double the Canal's capacity, enabling it to accommodate ships that are now too large to transverse the transoceanic crossway, and should help to reduce the high unemployment rate. Strong economic performance has reduced the national poverty level to 29% in 2008; however, Panama has the second most unequal income distribution in Latin America. The government has implemented tax reforms, as well as social security reforms, and backs regional trade agreements and development of tourism. Not a CAFTA signatory, Panama in December 2006 independently negotiated a free trade agreement with the US, which, when implemented, will help promote the country's economic growth.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$38.92 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 99 $35.64 billion (2007 est.)

$31.96 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$23.09 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

9.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 16 11.5% (2007 est.)

8.5% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$11,800 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 94 $10,900 (2007 est.)

$10,000 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 6.4%

industry: 17.2%

services: 76.4% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

1.392 million country comparison to the world: 131 note: shortage of skilled labor, but an oversupply of unskilled labor (2008 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 15%

industry: 18%

services: 67% (2006)

Unemployment rate:

5.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 68 6.4% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

28.6% (2006 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 0.8%

highest 10%: 41.4% (2006)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

56.1 (2003) country comparison to the world: 12 48.5 (1997)

Investment (gross fixed):

25.7% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 47

Budget:

revenues: $6.02 billion

expenditures: $5.923 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

45% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 45 69.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

8.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 137 4.2% (2007 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

8.16% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 103 8.25% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$3.764 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 61 $3.054 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$15.84 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 44 $14.26 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$19.8 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 59 $17.4 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$6.568 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 80 $6.219 billion (31 December 2007)

$5.716 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

bananas, rice, corn, coffee, sugarcane, vegetables; livestock; shrimp

Industries:

construction, brewing, cement and other construction materials, sugar milling

Industrial production growth rate:

14.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 2

Electricity - production:

6.322 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 104

Electricity - consumption:

5.17 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 105

Electricity - exports:

124.9 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

8.74 million kWh (2007 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 141

Oil - consumption:

94,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 77

Oil - exports:

4,803 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 106

Oil - imports:

87,100 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 71

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 144

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 142

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 152

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 133

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 145

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 146

Current account balance:

-$2.792 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 146 -$1.422 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$10.29 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 86 $9.338 billion (2007 est.)

note: includes the Colon Free Zone

Exports - commodities:

bananas, shrimp, sugar, coffee, clothing

Exports - partners:

US 39.2%, Netherlands 10.7%, Costa Rica 5.8%, Sweden 5.4%, UK 5.4%,
Spain 5%, China 4.1% (2008)

Imports:

$15 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 82 $12.52 billion (2007 est.)

note: includes the Colon Free Zone

Imports - commodities:

capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods, chemicals

Imports - partners:

US 29.6%, Costa Rica 5%, China 5%, Japan 4.2% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$2.693 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 97 $1.935 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$11.26 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 82 $10.45 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$NA

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$NA

Exchange rates:

balboas (PAB) per US dollar - 1 (2008 est.), 1 (2007), 1 (2006), 1 (2005), 1 (2004)

note: the US dollar is the legal currency

Communications ::Panama

Telephones - main lines in use:

495,800 (2008) country comparison to the world: 97

Telephones - mobile cellular:

3.805 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 95

Telephone system:

general assessment: domestic and international facilities well developed

domestic: mobile-cellular telephone subscribership has increased rapidly with combined fixed and mobile-cellular teledensity reaching 130 per 100 persons in 2008

international: country code - 507; landing point for the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1), the MAYA-1, and PAN-AM submarine cable systems that together provide links to the US and parts of the Caribbean, Central America, and South America; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to the Central American Microwave System (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 101, FM 134, shortwave 0 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

38 (including repeaters) (1998)

Internet country code:

.pa

Internet hosts:

8,067 (2009) country comparison to the world: 124

Internet users:

934,500 (2008) country comparison to the world: 92

Transportation ::Panama

Airports:

117 (2009) country comparison to the world: 52

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 54

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 5

914 to 1,523 m: 17

under 914 m: 30 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 63

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 11

under 914 m: 51 (2009)

Heliports:

3 (2009)

Railways:

total: 76 km country comparison to the world: 128 standard gauge: 76 km 1.435-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 11,978 km country comparison to the world: 132 paved: 4,300 km

unpaved: 7,678 km (2002)

Waterways:

800 km (includes 82 km Panama Canal) (2008) country comparison to the world: 72

Merchant marine:

total: 6,323 country comparison to the world: 1 by type: barge carrier 2, bulk carrier 2,143, cargo 1,208, carrier 13, chemical tanker 565, combination ore/oil 6, container 790, liquefied gas 189, passenger 44, passenger/cargo 71, petroleum tanker 557, refrigerated cargo 265, roll on/roll off 128, specialized tanker 29, vehicle carrier 313

foreign-owned: 5,394 (Albania 2, Argentina 8, Australia 4, Azerbaijan 1, Bahamas 9, Bangladesh 2, Belgium 2, British Virgin Islands 1, Bulgaria 3, Burma 1, Canada 18, Chile 12, China 532, Colombia 4, Croatia 3, Cuba 10, Cyprus 19, Denmark 40, Dominican Republic 1, Ecuador 4, Egypt 17, Estonia 5, Finland 2, France 5, Gabon 1, Germany 44, Gibraltar 1, Greece 510, Hong Kong 130, India 27, Indonesia 31, Iran 7, Israel 3, Italy 28, Japan 2,335, Jordan 13, North Korea 1, South Korea 303, Kuwait 2, Latvia 8, Lebanon 5, Lithuania 7, Malaysia 12, Maldives 1, Malta 3, Mexico 2, Monaco 16, Netherlands 14, Nigeria 10, Norway 89, Oman 2, Pakistan 9, Peru 16, Philippines 7, Poland 11, Portugal 9, Qatar 1, Romania 7, Russia 18, Saudi Arabia 16, Singapore 100, Spain 50, Sri Lanka 1, Sweden 6, Switzerland 25, Syria 32, Taiwan 320, Thailand 10, Tunisia 1, Turkey 94, Turks and Caicos Islands 1, Ukraine 10, UAE 109, UK 59, US 126, Venezuela 10, Vietnam 30, Yemen 6)

registered in other countries: 3 (Marshall Islands 1, Sierra Leone 1, Venezuela 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Balboa, Colon, Cristobal

Military ::Panama

Military branches:

no regular military forces; Panamanian public forces include: Panamanian National Police (PNP), National Air-Naval Service (SENAN), National Border Service (SENAFRONT) (2009)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 851,044 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 705,160

females age 16-49: 710,521 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 31,089

female: 29,939 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 138

Military - note:

on 10 February 1990, the government of then President ENDARA abolished Panama's military and reformed the security apparatus by creating the Panamanian Public Forces; in October 1994, Panama's Legislative Assembly approved a constitutional amendment prohibiting the creation of a standing military force but allowing the temporary establishment of special police units to counter acts of "external aggression"

Transnational Issues ::Panama

Disputes - international:

organized illegal narcotics operations in Colombia operate within the remote border region with Panama

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Panama is a source, transit, and destination country for women and children trafficked for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation; the majority of victims are Panamanian women and children trafficked within the country into the sex trade; rural children in Panama may be trafficked internally to urban areas for labor exploitation

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Panama is on the Tier 2 Watch List for failing to show evidence of increasing efforts to combat human trafficking, particularly with respect to prosecuting, convicting, and sentencing human traffickers for their crimes, and for failing to provide adequate victim assistance (2008)

Illicit drugs:

major cocaine transshipment point and primary money-laundering center for narcotics revenue; money-laundering activity is especially heavy in the Colon Free Zone; offshore financial center; negligible signs of coca cultivation; monitoring of financial transactions is improving; official corruption remains a major problem

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Papua New Guinea (East & Southeast Asia)

Introduction ::Papua New Guinea

Background:

The eastern half of the island of New Guinea - second largest in the world - was divided between Germany (north) and the UK (south) in 1885. The latter area was transferred to Australia in 1902, which occupied the northern portion during World War I and continued to administer the combined areas until independence in 1975. A nine-year secessionist revolt on the island of Bougainville ended in 1997 after claiming some 20,000 lives.

Geography ::Papua New Guinea

Location:

Oceania, group of islands including the eastern half of the island of New Guinea between the Coral Sea and the South Pacific Ocean, east of Indonesia

Geographic coordinates:

6 00 S, 147 00 E

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 462,840 sq km country comparison to the world: 54 land: 452,860 sq km

water: 9,980 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than California

Land boundaries:

total: 820 km

border countries: Indonesia 820 km

Coastline:

5,152 km

Maritime claims:

measured from claimed archipelagic baselines

territorial sea: 12 nm

continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; northwest monsoon (December to March), southeast monsoon (May to October); slight seasonal temperature variation

Terrain:

mostly mountains with coastal lowlands and rolling foothills

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mount Wilhelm 4,509 m

Natural resources:

gold, copper, silver, natural gas, timber, oil, fisheries

Land use:

arable land: 0.49%

permanent crops: 1.4%

other: 98.11% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Total renewable water resources:

801 cu km (1987)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.1 cu km/yr (56%/43%/1%)

per capita: 17 cu m/yr (1987)

Natural hazards:

active volcanism; situated along the Pacific "Ring of Fire"; the country is subject to frequent and sometimes severe earthquakes; mud slides; tsunamis

Environment - current issues:

rain forest subject to deforestation as a result of growing commercial demand for tropical timber; pollution from mining projects; severe drought

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

shares island of New Guinea with Indonesia; one of world's largest swamps along southwest coast

People ::Papua New Guinea

Population:

6,057,263 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 106

Age structure:

0-14 years: 36.9% (male 1,137,796/female 1,099,365)

15-64 years: 59% (male 1,836,272/female 1,735,298)

65 years and over: 4.1% (male 114,789/female 133,743) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 21.7 years

male: 21.8 years

female: 21.6 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.069% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 54

Birth rate:

27.55 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 58

Death rate:

6.86 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 138

Net migration rate:

NA (2009 est.)

Urbanization:

urban population: 12% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female

total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 45.23 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 57 male: 49.17 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 41.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 66.34 years country comparison to the world: 160 male: 64.08 years

female: 68.72 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3.62 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 54

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

1.5% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 43

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

54,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 63

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 1,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 78

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Papua New Guinean(s)

adjective: Papua New Guinean

Ethnic groups:

Melanesian, Papuan, Negrito, Micronesian, Polynesian

Religions:

Roman Catholic 27%, Evangelical Lutheran 19.5%, United Church 11.5%, Seventh-Day Adventist 10%, Pentecostal 8.6%, Evangelical Alliance 5.2%, Anglican 3.2%, Baptist 2.5%, other Protestant 8.9%, Bahai 0.3%, indigenous beliefs and other 3.3% (2000 census)

Languages:

Tok Pisin, English, and Hiri Motu are official languages; some 860 indigenous languages spoken (over one-tenth of the world's total)

note: Tok Pisin, a creole language, is widely used and understood; English is spoken by 1%-2%; Hiri Motu is spoken by less than 2%

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 57.3%

male: 63.4%

female: 50.9% (2000 census)

Education expenditures:

NA

People - note:

the indigenous population of Papua New Guinea is one of the most heterogeneous in the world; PNG has several thousand separate communities, most with only a few hundred people; divided by language, customs, and tradition, some of these communities have engaged in low-scale tribal conflict with their neighbors for millennia; the advent of modern weapons and modern migrants into urban areas has greatly magnified the impact of this lawlessness

Government ::Papua New Guinea

Country name:

conventional long form: Independent State of Papua New Guinea

conventional short form: Papua New Guinea

local short form: Papuaniugini

former: Territory of Papua and New Guinea

abbreviation: PNG

Government type:

constitutional parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm

Capital:

name: Port Moresby

geographic coordinates: 9 30 S, 147 10 E

time difference: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

20 provinces; Bougainville (autonomous region), Central, Chimbu,
Eastern Highlands, East New Britain, East Sepik, Enga, Gulf, Madang,
Manus, Milne Bay, Morobe, National Capital, New Ireland, Northern,
Sandaun, Southern Highlands, Western, Western Highlands, West New
Britain

Independence:

16 September 1975 (from the Australian-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 16 September (1975)

Constitution:

16 September 1975

Legal system:

based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by governor general Sir Paulius MATANE (since 29 June 2004)

head of government: Prime Minister Sir Michael SOMARE (since 2 August 2002); Deputy Prime Minister Puka TEMU (since 29 August 2007)

cabinet: National Executive Council appointed by the governor general on the recommendation of the prime minister

elections: the monarch is hereditary; the governor general is nominated by parliament and appointed by the chief of state; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of the majority coalition usually is appointed prime minister by the governor general acting in accordance with a decision of the parliament

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Parliament (109 seats, 89 filled from open electorates and 20 from provinces and national capital district; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); constitution allows up to 126 seats

elections: last held from 30 June to 10 July 2007; next to be held in June 2012

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - National Alliance 27, PNGP 8, PAP 6, URP 6, PANGU 5, PDM 5, independents 19, others 33; note - election to 1 seat was nullified

note: 15 other parties won 4 or fewer seats; association with political parties is fluid

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (the chief justice is appointed by the governor general on the proposal of the National Executive Council after consultation with the minister responsible for justice; other judges are appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission)

Political parties and leaders:

National Alliance Party or NA [Michael SOMARE]; Papua and Niugini
Union Party or PANGU PATI [Andrew KUMBAKOR]; Papua New Guinea Party
or PNGP [Sir Mekere MORAUTA]; People's Democratic Movement or PDM
[Michael OGIO]; People's Action Party or PAP [Gabriel KAPRIS];
United Resources Party or URP [William DUMA] (2007)

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Ahora [Andrew MAMOKO] (represents local tribes); Centre for
Environment Law and Community Rights or Celcor [Damien ASE];
Community Coalition Against Corruption

International organization participation:

ACP, ADB, APEC, ARF, ASEAN (observer), C, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM
(observer), IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW,
PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Evan Jeremy PAKI

chancery: 1779 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite 805, Washington, DC 20036

telephone: [1] (202) 745-3680

FAX: [1] (202) 745-3679

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Teddy B. TAYLOR

embassy: Douglas Street, Port Moresby, N.C.D.

mailing address: 4240 Port Moresby PI, US Department of State, Washington DC 20521-4240

telephone: [675] 321-1455

FAX: [675] 321-3423

Flag description:

divided diagonally from upper hoist-side corner; the upper triangle is red with a soaring yellow bird of paradise centered; the lower triangle is black with five, white, five-pointed stars of the Southern Cross constellation centered

Economy ::Papua New Guinea

Economy - overview:

Papua New Guinea is richly endowed with natural resources, but exploitation has been hampered by rugged terrain and the high cost of developing infrastructure. Agriculture provides a subsistence livelihood for 75% of the population. Mineral deposits, including copper, gold, and oil, account for nearly two-thirds of export earnings. The government of Prime Minister SOMARE has expended much of its energy remaining in power. He was the first prime minister ever to serve a full five-year term. The government also brought stability to the national budget, largely through expenditure control; however, it relaxed spending constraints in 2006 and 2007 as elections approached. Numerous challenges still face the government including regaining investor confidence, restoring integrity to state institutions, promoting economic efficiency by privatizing moribund state institutions, and balancing relations with Australia, its former colonial ruler. Other socio-cultural challenges could upend the economy including a worsening HIV/AIDS epidemic, currently the highest rate in all of East Asia and the Pacific, and chronic law and order and land tenure issues. Australia supplied more than $300 million in aid in FY07/08, which accounts for nearly 20% of the national budget. A consortium led by a major American oil company hopes to begin the commercialization of the country's estimated 227 billion cubic meters of natural gas reserves through the construction of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) production facility by 2010. The project has the potential to double the GDP of Papua New Guinea.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$13.17 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 138 $12.3 billion (2007 est.)

$11.65 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$8.092 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 39 5.6% (2007 est.)

2.3% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$2,300 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 181 $2,200 (2007 est.)

$2,100 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 33.3%

industry: 36.3%

services: 30.4% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

3.639 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 94

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 85%

industry: NA%

services: NA% (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate:

1.9% (2004) country comparison to the world: 17

Population below poverty line:

37% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 1.7%

highest 10%: 40.5% (1996)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

50.9 (1996) country comparison to the world: 19

Investment (gross fixed):

19.4% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 118

Budget:

revenues: $2.62 billion

expenditures: $2.797 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

32.2% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 69 59.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

10.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 159 0.9% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

7% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 55 7.38% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

9.27% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 86 9.78% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$2.005 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 71 $1.685 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$1.726 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 86 $1.482 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$2.065 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 92 $1.486 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$NA (31 December 2007)

$6.632 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

coffee, cocoa, copra, palm kernels, tea, sugar, rubber, sweet potatoes, fruit, vegetables, vanilla; shell fish, poultry, pork

Industries:

copra crushing, palm oil processing, plywood production, wood chip production; mining of gold, silver, and copper; crude oil production, petroleum refining; construction, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:

5.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 43

Electricity - production:

2.885 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 127

Electricity - consumption:

2.683 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 129

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

38,100 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 65

Oil - consumption:

33,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 110

Oil - exports:

32,490 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 84

Oil - imports:

14,380 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 127

Oil - proved reserves:

88 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 70

Natural gas - production:

100 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 79

Natural gas - consumption:

100 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 102

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 131

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 144

Natural gas - proved reserves:

226.5 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 43

Current account balance:

$710 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 50 $193.6 million (2007 est.)

Exports:

$5.719 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 104 $4.748 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

oil, gold, copper ore, logs, palm oil, coffee, cocoa, crayfish, prawns

Exports - partners:

Australia 27.2%, Japan 9.2%, China 5.1% (2008)

Imports:

$3.124 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 136 $2.629 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, fuels, chemicals

Imports - partners:

Australia 42.6%, Singapore 15.6%, China 11%, Japan 5.8%, Malaysia 4.3% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$1.987 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 110 $2.087 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$2.511 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 133 $1.646 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$NA

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$NA

Exchange rates:

kina (PGK) per US dollar - 2.6956 (2008 est.), 3.03 (2007), 3.0643 (2006), 3.08 (2005), 3.2225 (2004)

Communications ::Papua New Guinea

Telephones - main lines in use:

60,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 158

Telephones - mobile cellular:

600,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 152

Telephone system:

general assessment: services are minimal; facilities provide radiotelephone and telegraph, coastal radio, aeronautical radio, and international radio communication services

domestic: access to telephone services is not widely available; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity is 11 per 100 persons

international: country code - 675; submarine cables to Australia and Guam; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); international radio communication service (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 8, FM 19, shortwave 28 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

3 (all in the Port Moresby area; stations at Mt. Hagen, Goroka, Lae, and Rabaul are planned) (2004)

Internet country code:

.pg

Internet hosts:

3,432 (2009) country comparison to the world: 140

Internet users:

120,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 147

Transportation ::Papua New Guinea

Airports:

560 (2009) country comparison to the world: 12

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 21

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 14

914 to 1,523 m: 4

under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 539

1,524 to 2,437 m: 9

914 to 1,523 m: 63

under 914 m: 467 (2009)

Heliports:

2 (2009)

Pipelines:

oil 195 km (2008)

Roadways:

total: 19,600 km country comparison to the world: 111 paved: 686 km

unpaved: 18,914 km (2000)

Waterways:

11,000 km (2006) country comparison to the world: 12

Merchant marine:

total: 21 country comparison to the world: 98 by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 17, petroleum tanker 2

foreign-owned: 6 (UAE 6) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Kimbe, Lae, Madang, Rabaul, Wewak

Military ::Papua New Guinea

Military branches:

Papua New Guinea Defense Force (PNGDF; includes Maritime Operations
Element, Air Operations Element) (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

16 years of age for voluntary military service (with parental consent); no conscription (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,481,417

females age 16-49: 1,385,040 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,110,175

females age 16-49: 1,127,758 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 64,636

female: 62,803 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.4% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 118

Transnational Issues ::Papua New Guinea

Disputes - international:

relies on assistance from Australia to keep out illegal cross-border activities from primarily Indonesia, including goods smuggling, illegal narcotics trafficking, and squatters and secessionists

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 10,177 (Indonesia) (2007)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Papua New Guinea is a country of destination for women and children from Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and China trafficked for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation; internal trafficking of women and children for the purposes of sexual exploitation and involuntary domestic servitude occurs as well

tier rating: Tier 3 - Papua New Guinea does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; the current legal framework does not contain elements of crimes that characterize trafficking; the government lacks victim protection services or a systematic procedure to identify victims of trafficking; the government did not prosecute anyone in 2007 for trafficking; Papua New Guinea has not ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2008)

Illicit drugs:

major consumer of cannabis

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Paracel Islands (East & Southeast Asia)

Introduction ::Paracel Islands

Background:

The Paracel Islands are surrounded by productive fishing grounds and by potential oil and gas reserves. In 1932, French Indochina annexed the islands and set up a weather station on Pattle Island; maintenance was continued by its successor, Vietnam. China has occupied the Paracel Islands since 1974, when its troops seized a South Vietnamese garrison occupying the western islands. China built a military installation on Mischief Reef in 1999. The islands are claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam.

Geography ::Paracel Islands

Location:

Southeastern Asia, group of small islands and reefs in the South China Sea, about one-third of the way from central Vietnam to the northern Philippines

Geographic coordinates:

16 30 N, 112 00 E

Map references:

Southeast Asia

Area:

total: NA sq km

land: NA sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

NA

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

518 km

Maritime claims:

NA

Climate:

tropical

Terrain:

mostly low and flat

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: South China Sea 0 m

highest point: unnamed location on Rocky Island 14 m

Natural resources:

none

Land use:

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (2005)

Irrigated land:

0 sq km

Natural hazards:

typhoons

Environment - current issues:

NA

Geography - note:

composed of 130 small coral islands and reefs divided into the northeast Amphitrite Group and the western Crescent Group

People ::Paracel Islands

Population:

no indigenous inhabitants

note: there are scattered Chinese garrisons

Government ::Paracel Islands

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Paracel Islands

Economy ::Paracel Islands

Economy - overview:

The islands have the potential for oil and gas development. Waters around the islands support commercial fishing, but the islands themselves are not populated on a permanent basis. China announced plans in 1997 to open the islands for tourism.

Transportation ::Paracel Islands

Airports:

1 (2009) country comparison to the world: 227

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Ports and terminals:

small Chinese port facilities on Woody Island and Duncan Island being expanded

Military ::Paracel Islands

Military - note:

occupied by China

Transnational Issues ::Paracel Islands

Disputes - international:

occupied by China, also claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam

page last updated on September 22, 2009

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

@Paraguay (South America)

Introduction ::Paraguay

Background:

Paraguay achieved its independence from Spain in 1811. In the disastrous War of the Triple Alliance (1865-70) - between Paraguay and Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay - Paraguay lost two-thirds of all adult males and much of its territory. The country stagnated economically for the next half century. Following the Chaco War of 1932-35 with Bolivia, Paraguay gained a large part of the Chaco lowland region. The 35-year military dictatorship of Alfredo STROESSNER ended in 1989, and, despite a marked increase in political infighting in recent years, Paraguay has held relatively free and regular presidential elections since then.

Geography ::Paraguay

Location:

Central South America, northeast of Argentina

Geographic coordinates:

23 00 S, 58 00 W

Map references:

South America

Area:

total: 406,752 sq km country comparison to the world: 59 land: 397,302 sq km

water: 9,450 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than California

Land boundaries:

total: 3,995 km

border countries: Argentina 1,880 km, Bolivia 750 km, Brazil 1,365 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

subtropical to temperate; substantial rainfall in the eastern portions, becoming semiarid in the far west

Terrain:

grassy plains and wooded hills east of Rio Paraguay; Gran Chaco region west of Rio Paraguay mostly low, marshy plain near the river, and dry forest and thorny scrub elsewhere

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: junction of Rio Paraguay and Rio Parana 46 m

highest point: Cerro Pero (Cerro Tres Kandu) 842 m

Natural resources:

hydropower, timber, iron ore, manganese, limestone

Land use:

arable land: 7.47%

permanent crops: 0.24%

other: 92.29% (2005)

Irrigated land:

670 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

336 cu km (2000)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.49 cu km/yr (20%/8%/71%)

per capita: 80 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

local flooding in southeast (early September to June); poorly drained plains may become boggy (early October to June)

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; water pollution; inadequate means for waste disposal pose health risks for many urban residents; loss of wetlands

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

landlocked; lies between Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil; population concentrated in southern part of country

People ::Paraguay

Population:

6,995,655 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 101

Age structure:

0-14 years: 36.7% (male 1,304,115/female 1,260,560)

15-64 years: 58.1% (male 2,043,509/female 2,023,317)

65 years and over: 5.2% (male 168,554/female 195,600) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 21.9 years

male: 21.6 years

female: 22.2 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.364% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 37

Birth rate:

28.17 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 53

Death rate:

4.46 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 201

Net migration rate:

-0.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 89

Urbanization:

urban population: 60% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 2.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 24.68 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 89 male: 28.77 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 20.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 75.77 years country comparison to the world: 73 male: 73.19 years

female: 78.49 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3.75 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 51

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.6% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 70

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

21,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 78

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 1,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 79

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: intermediate

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: dengue fever and malaria (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Paraguayan(s)

adjective: Paraguayan

Ethnic groups:

mestizo (mixed Spanish and Amerindian) 95%, other 5%

Religions:

Roman Catholic 89.6%, Protestant 6.2%, other Christian 1.1%, other or unspecified 1.9%, none 1.1% (2002 census)

Languages:

Spanish (official), Guarani (official)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 94%

male: 94.9%

female: 93% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 12 years

male: 12 years

female: 12 years (2005)

Education expenditures:

4% of GDP (2004) country comparison to the world: 104

Government ::Paraguay

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Paraguay

conventional short form: Paraguay

local long form: Republica del Paraguay

local short form: Paraguay

Government type:

constitutional republic

Capital:

name: Asuncion

geographic coordinates: 25 16 S, 57 40 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

17 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 1 capital city*; Alto Paraguay, Alto Parana, Amambay, Asuncion*, Boqueron, Caaguazu, Caazapa, Canindeyu, Central, Concepcion, Cordillera, Guaira, Itapua, Misiones, Neembucu, Paraguari, Presidente Hayes, San Pedro

Independence:

14 May 1811 (from Spain)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 14 May 1811 (observed 15 May)

Constitution:

promulgated 20 June 1992

Legal system:

based on Argentine codes, Roman law, and French codes; judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme Court of Justice; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal and compulsory up to age 75

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Fernando Armindo LUGO Mendez (since 15 August 2008); Vice President Federico FRANCO (since 15 August 2008); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Fernando Armindo LUGO Mendez (since 15 August 2008); Vice President Federico FRANCO (since 15 August 2008)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a single five-year term; election last held 20 April 2008 (next to be held April 2013)

election results: Fernando Armindo LUGO Mendez elected president; percent of vote - Fernando Armindo LUGO Mendez 40.8%, Blanca OVELAR 30.6%, Lino OVIEDO 21.9%, Pedro FADUL 2.4%, other 4.3%

Legislative branch:

bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (45 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (80 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: Chamber of Senators - last held 20 April 2008 (next to be held in April 2013); Chamber of Deputies - last held 20 April 2008 (next to be held in April 2013)

election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party -
NA; seats by party - ANR 15, PLRA 14, UNACE 9, PPQ 4, other 3;
Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party
- ANR 30, PLRA 27, UNACE 15, PPQ 3, APC 2, other 3

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (nine judges appointed on the proposal of the Council of Magistrates or Consejo de la Magistratura)

Political parties and leaders:

Alianza Patriotica por el Cambio (Patriotic Alliance for Change) or
APC [Fernando LUGO]; Asociacion Nacional Republicana - Colorado
Party or ANR [Lilian SAMANIEGO]; Movimiento Union Nacional de
Ciudadanos Eticos or UNACE [Lino Cesar OVIEDO Silva]; Patria Querida
(Beloved Fatherland Party) or PPQ [Pedro Nicolas Maraa FADUL
Niella]; Partido del Movimiento al Socialismo or P-MAS; Partido
Encuentro Nacional or PEN [Emilio CAMACHO Paredes]; Partido Liberal
Radical Autentico or PLRA [Gustavo CARDOZO]; Partido Pais Solidario
or PPS [Carlos Alberto FILIZZOLA Pallares]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Ahorristas Estafados or AE; National Coordinating Board of Campesino
Organizations or MCNOC [Luis AGUAYO]; National Federation of
Campesinos or FNC [Odilon ESPINOLA]; National Workers Central or CNT
[Secretary General Juan TORRALES]; Paraguayan Workers Confederation
or CPT; Roman Catholic Church; Unitary Workers Central or CUT [Jorge
Guzman ALVARENGA Malgarejo]

International organization participation:

CAN (associate), FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO
(correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA,
MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA,
RG, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNMIS,
UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador James SPALDING Hellmers

chancery: 2400 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 483-6960 through 6962

FAX: [1] (202) 234-4508

consulate(s) general: Kansas City (Kansas), Los Angeles, Miami, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

Ambassador Liliana AYALDE

embassy: 1776 Avenida Mariscal Lopez, Casilla Postal 402, Asuncion

mailing address: Unit 4711, APO AA 34036-0001

telephone: [595] (21) 213-715

FAX: [595] (21) 228-603

Flag description:

three equal, horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue with an emblem centered in the white band; unusual flag in that the emblem is different on each side; the obverse (hoist side at the left) bears the national coat of arms (a yellow five-pointed star within a green wreath capped by the words REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY, all within two circles); the reverse (hoist side at the right) bears the seal of the treasury (a yellow lion below a red Cap of Liberty and the words Paz y Justicia (Peace and Justice) capped by the words REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY, all within two circles)

Economy ::Paraguay

Economy - overview:

Landlocked Paraguay has a market economy marked by a large informal sector, featuring reexport of imported consumer goods to neighboring countries, as well as the activities of thousands of microenterprises and urban street vendors. A large percentage of the population, especially in rural areas, derives its living from agricultural activity, often on a subsistence basis. Because of the importance of the informal sector, accurate economic measures are difficult to obtain. On a per capita basis, real income has stagnated at 1980 levels. Most observers attribute Paraguay's poor economic performance to political uncertainty, corruption, limited progress on structural reform, and deficient infrastructure. The economy rebounded between 2003 and 2008, however, as growing world demand for commodities combined with high prices and favorable weather to support Paraguay's commodity-based export expansion. Paraguay is the sixth largest soy producer in the world.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$28.95 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 108 $27.37 billion (2007 est.)

$25.62 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$16.01 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 68 6.8% (2007 est.)

4.3% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$4,200 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 153 $4,100 (2007 est.)

$3,900 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 23.4%

industry: 18.4%

services: 58.2% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

2.839 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 105

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 31%

industry: 17%

services: 52% (2007)

Unemployment rate:

5.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 66 5.6% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

32% (2005 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 1.1%

highest 10%: 42.3% (2007)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

56.8 (2008) country comparison to the world: 9 57.7 (1998)

Investment (gross fixed):

19.6% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 114

Budget:

revenues: $2.856 billion

expenditures: $2.826 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

19.9% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 95 39.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

10.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 147 8.1% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

20% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 7 20% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

25.81% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 11 25.03% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$2.062 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 70 $1.943 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$1.599 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 89 $1.368 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$3.098 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 89 $2.457 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$NA (31 December 2007)

$409.1 million (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

cotton, sugarcane, soybeans, corn, wheat, tobacco, cassava (tapioca), fruits, vegetables; beef, pork, eggs, milk; timber

Industries:

sugar, cement, textiles, beverages, wood products, steel, metallurgic, electric power

Industrial production growth rate:

4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 68

Electricity - production:

53.19 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 46

Electricity - consumption:

5.337 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 104

Electricity - exports:

45.14 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

26.97 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 112

Oil - consumption:

28,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 115

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 146

Oil - imports:

25,100 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 108

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 145

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 152

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 153

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 136

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 101

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 147

Current account balance:

-$345 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 99 $126.1 million (2007 est.)

Exports:

$7.769 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 97 $5.463 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

soybeans, feed, cotton, meat, edible oils, electricity, wood, leather

Exports - partners:

Argentina 31.7%, Brazil 15.9%, Uruguay 11.7%, Chile 6.4%, Russia 5.7% (2008)

Imports:

$8.809 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 97 $6.008 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

road vehicles, consumer goods, tobacco, petroleum products, electrical machinery, tractors, chemicals, vehicle parts

Imports - partners:

Brazil 27.2%, US 22.1%, Argentina 14.9%, China 10.4% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$2.863 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 96 $2.462 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$3.507 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 114 $3.096 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$2.057 million (2007) country comparison to the world: 96

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$NA

Exchange rates:

guarani (PYG) per US dollar - 4,337.7 (2008 est.), 5,031 (2007), 5,672.8 (2006), 6,178 (2005), 5,974.6 (2004)

Communications ::Paraguay

Telephones - main lines in use:

363,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 104

Telephones - mobile cellular:

5.791 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 81

Telephone system:

general assessment: meager telephone service; principal switching center is in Asuncion

domestic: the fixed-line market is a state monopoly; deficiencies in provision of fixed-line service have resulted in a rapid expansion of mobile-cellular services fostered by competition among multiple providers

international: country code - 595; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 41, FM 121, shortwave 6 (2006)

Television broadcast stations:

5 (2007)

Internet country code:

.py

Internet hosts:

71,487 (2009) country comparison to the world: 78

Internet users:

894,200 (2008) country comparison to the world: 93

Transportation ::Paraguay

Airports:

798 (2009) country comparison to the world: 9

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 14

over 3,047 m: 3

1,524 to 2,437 m: 6

914 to 1,523 m: 5 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 784

1,524 to 2,437 m: 25

914 to 1,523 m: 289

under 914 m: 470 (2009)

Railways:

total: 36 km country comparison to the world: 132 standard gauge: 36 km 1.435-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 29,500 km country comparison to the world: 98 paved: 14,986 km

unpaved: 14,514 km (2000)

Waterways:

3,100 km (2008) country comparison to the world: 33

Merchant marine:

total: 23 country comparison to the world: 94 by type: cargo 18, carrier 1, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 1

foreign-owned: 6 (Argentina 5, Netherlands 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Asuncion, Villeta, San Antonio, Encarnacion

Military ::Paraguay

Military branches:

Army, National Navy (Armada Nacional, includes Naval Aviation,
Marine Corps, General Naval Prefecture), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea
Paraguay, FAP) (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 12 months for Army, 24 months for Navy (2007)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,589,873

females age 16-49: 1,585,573 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,363,746

females age 16-49: 1,390,799 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 73,660

female: 72,046 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1% of GDP (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 137

Transnational Issues ::Paraguay

Disputes - international:

unruly region at convergence of Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay borders is locus of money laundering, smuggling, arms and illegal narcotics trafficking, and fundraising for extremist organizations

Illicit drugs:

major illicit producer of cannabis, most or all of which is consumed in Brazil, Argentina, and Chile; transshipment country for Andean cocaine headed for Brazil, other Southern Cone markets, and Europe; weak border controls, extensive corruption and money-laundering activity, especially in the Tri-Border Area; weak anti-money-laundering laws and enforcement

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Peru (South America)

Introduction ::Peru

Background:

Ancient Peru was the seat of several prominent Andean civilizations, most notably that of the Incas whose empire was captured by the Spanish conquistadors in 1533. Peruvian independence was declared in 1821, and remaining Spanish forces defeated in 1824. After a dozen years of military rule, Peru returned to democratic leadership in 1980, but experienced economic problems and the growth of a violent insurgency. President Alberto FUJIMORI's election in 1990 ushered in a decade that saw a dramatic turnaround in the economy and significant progress in curtailing guerrilla activity. Nevertheless, the president's increasing reliance on authoritarian measures and an economic slump in the late 1990s generated mounting dissatisfaction with his regime, which led to his ouster in 2000. A caretaker government oversaw new elections in the spring of 2001, which ushered in Alejandro TOLEDO Manrique as the new head of government - Peru's first democratically elected president of Native American ethnicity. The presidential election of 2006 saw the return of Alan GARCIA Perez who, after a disappointing presidential term from 1985 to 1990, has overseen a robust macroeconomic performance.

Geography ::Peru

Location:

Western South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, between
Chile and Ecuador

Geographic coordinates:

10 00 S, 76 00 W

Map references:

South America

Area:

total: 1,285,216 sq km country comparison to the world: 20 land: 1,279,996 sq km

water: 5,220 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Alaska

Land boundaries:

total: 7,461 km

border countries: Bolivia 1,075 km, Brazil 2,995 km, Chile 171 km, Colombia 1,800 km, Ecuador 1,420 km

Coastline:

2,414 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm

Climate:

varies from tropical in east to dry desert in west; temperate to frigid in Andes

Terrain:

western coastal plain (costa), high and rugged Andes in center (sierra), eastern lowland jungle of Amazon Basin (selva)

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Nevado Huascaran 6,768 m

Natural resources:

copper, silver, gold, petroleum, timber, fish, iron ore, coal, phosphate, potash, hydropower, natural gas

Land use:

arable land: 2.88%

permanent crops: 0.47%

other: 96.65% (2005)

Irrigated land:

12,000 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

1,913 cu km (2000)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 20.13 cu km/yr (8%/10%/82%)

per capita: 720 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding, landslides, mild volcanic activity

Environment - current issues:

deforestation (some the result of illegal logging); overgrazing of the slopes of the costa and sierra leading to soil erosion; desertification; air pollution in Lima; pollution of rivers and coastal waters from municipal and mining wastes

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest navigable lake, with Bolivia; a remote slope of Nevado Mismi, a 5,316 m peak, is the ultimate source of the Amazon River

People ::Peru

Population:

29,546,963 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 39

Age structure:

0-14 years: 29.1% (male 4,370,923/female 4,216,364)

15-64 years: 65.2% (male 9,695,270/female 9,574,018)

65 years and over: 5.7% (male 796,631/female 893,757) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 26.1 years

male: 25.8 years

female: 26.4 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.229% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 108

Birth rate:

19.38 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 107

Death rate:

6.14 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 157

Net migration rate:

-0.95 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 120

Urbanization:

urban population: 71% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 28.62 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 78 male: 31.07 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 26.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 70.74 years country comparison to the world: 138 male: 68.88 years

female: 72.69 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.37 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 106

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.5% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 77

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

76,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 53

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

3,300 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 55

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: dengue fever, malaria, and yellow fever

water contact disease: leptospirosis (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Peruvian(s)

adjective: Peruvian

Ethnic groups:

Amerindian 45%, mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 37%, white 15%, black, Japanese, Chinese, and other 3%

Religions:

Roman Catholic 81.3%, Evangelical 12.5%, other 3.3%, unspecified or none 2.9% (2007 Census)

Languages:

Spanish (official), Quechua (official), Aymara, and a large number of minor Amazonian languages

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 92.9%

male: 96.4%

female: 89.4% (2007 Census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 14 years

male: 14 years

female: 14 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

2.5% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 157

Government ::Peru

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Peru

conventional short form: Peru

local long form: Republica del Peru

local short form: Peru

Government type:

constitutional republic

Capital:

name: Lima

geographic coordinates: 12 03 S, 77 03 W

time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

25 regions (regiones, singular - region) and 1 province* (provincia); Amazonas, Ancash, Apurimac, Arequipa, Ayacucho, Cajamarca, Callao, Cusco, Huancavelica, Huanuco, Ica, Junin, La Libertad, Lambayeque, Lima, Lima*, Loreto, Madre de Dios, Moquegua, Pasco, Piura, Puno, San Martin, Tacna, Tumbes, Ucayali

Independence:

28 July 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 28 July (1821)

Constitution:

29 December 1993

Legal system:

based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal and compulsory until the age of 70; note - for the first time in recent elections, members of the military and national police were eligible to vote in the 2006 elections

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Alan GARCIA Perez (since 28 July 2006); First Vice President Luis GIAMPIETRI Rojas (since 28 July 2006); Second Vice President Lourdes MENDOZA del Solar (since 28 July 2006); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Alan GARCIA Perez (since 28 July 2006); First Vice President Luis GIAMPIETRI Rojas (since 28 July 2006); Second Vice President Lourdes MENDOZA del Solar (since 28 July 2006)

note: Prime Minister Javier VELASQUEZ Quesquen (since 12 July 2009) does not exercise executive power; this power is in the hands of the president

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a nonconsecutive reelection); presidential and congressional elections held 9 April 2006 with runoff election held 4 June 2006; next to be held in April 2011

election results: Alan GARCIA Perez elected president in runoff election; percent of vote - Alan GARCIA Perez 52.5%, Ollanta HUMALA Tasso 47.5%

Legislative branch:

unicameral Congress of the Republic of Peru or Congreso de la Republica del Peru (120 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 9 April 2006 (next to be held in April 2011)

election results: percent of vote by party - UPP 21.2%, PAP 20.6%, UN 15.3%, AF 13.1%, FC 7.1%, PP 4.1%, RN 4.0%, other 14.6%; seats by party - UPP 45, PAP 36, UN 17, AF 13, FC 5, PP 2, RN 2

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (judges are appointed by the National Council of the Judiciary)

Political parties and leaders:

Alliance For Progress (Alianza Para El Progreso) [Cesar ACUNA Peralta]; Alliance For The Future (Alianza Por El Futuro) or AF (a coalition of pro-FUJIMORI parties including Cambio 90, Nueva Mayoria, and Si Cumple); Central Front (Frente Del Centro) or FC (a coalition of Accion Popular, Somos Peru, and Coordinadora Nacional de Independientes) [Victor Andres GARCIA Belaunde]; National Renovation Party (Partido Renovacion Nacional) [Rafael REY]; National Restoration Party (Restauracion Nacional) or RN [Humberto LAY Sun]; National Solidarity Party (Partido Solidaridad Nacional) or SN [Luis CASTANEDA Lossio]; Peru Possible (Peru Posible) or PP [Alejandro TOLEDO Manrique]; Peruvian Aprista Party (Partido Aprista Peruano) or PAP [Alan GARCIA Perez] (also referred to by its original name Alianza Popular Revolucionaria Americana or APRA); Peruvian Nationalist Party (Partido Nacionalista Peruano) or PNP [Ollanta HUMALA Tasso]; Popular Christian Party (Partido Popular Cristiano) or PPC [Lourdes FLORES Nano]; Union for Peru (Union por el Peru) or UPP [Aldo ESTRADA Choque]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

General Workers Confederation of Peru (Confederacion General de
Trabajadores del Peru) or CGTP [Mario HUAMAN]; Shining Path (Sendero
Luminoso) or SL [Abimael GUZMAN Reynoso (imprisoned), Victor QUISPE
Palomino (top leader at-large)] (leftist guerrilla group)

International organization participation:

APEC, CAN, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur
(associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG,
UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNMIS,
UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Luis VALDIVIESO Montano

chancery: 1700 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

telephone: [1] (202) 833-9860 through 9869

FAX: [1] (202) 659-8124

consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Hartford, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Paterson (New Jersey), San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador P. Michael MCKINLEY

embassy: Avenida La Encalada, Cuadra 17s/n, Surco, Lima 33

mailing address: P. O. Box 1995, Lima 1; American Embassy (Lima), APO AA 34031-5000

telephone: [51] (1) 434-3000

FAX: [51] (1) 618-2397

Flag description:

three equal, vertical bands of red (hoist side), white, and red with the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms features a shield bearing a vicuna, cinchona tree (the source of quinine), and a yellow cornucopia spilling out gold coins, all framed by a green wreath

Economy ::Peru

Economy - overview:

Peru's economy reflects its varied geography - an arid coastal region, the Andes further inland, and tropical lands bordering Colombia and Brazil. Abundant mineral resources are found in the mountainous areas, and Peru's coastal waters provide excellent fishing grounds. The Peruvian economy grew by more than 4% per year during the period 2002-06, with a stable exchange rate and low inflation. Growth jumped to 9% per year in 2007 and 2008, driven by higher world prices for minerals and metals and the government's aggressive trade liberalization strategies. Peru's rapid expansion has helped to reduce the national poverty rate by about 15% since 2002, though underemployment and inflation remain high. Despite Peru's strong macroeconomic performance, overdependence on minerals and metals subjects the economy to fluctuations in world prices, and poor infrastructure precludes the spread of growth to Peru's non-coastal areas. Not all Peruvians therefore have shared in the benefits of growth. President GARCIA's pursuit of sound trade and macroeconomic policies has cost him political support since his election. Nevertheless, he remains committed to Peru's free-trade path. The United States and Peru completed negotiations on the implementation of the US-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement (PTPA), and the agreement entered into force February 1, 2009, opening the way to greater trade and investment between the two economies.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$247.9 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 44 $225.8 billion (2007 est.)

$207.3 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$127.5 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

9.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 12 8.9% (2007 est.)

7.7% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$8,500 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 116 $7,800 (2007 est.)

$7,300 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 8.5%

industry: 21.2%

services: 70.3% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

10.2 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 48

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 0.7%

industry: 23.8%

services: 75.5% (2005)

Unemployment rate:

8.1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 114 6.9% (2007 est.)

note: data are for metropolitan Lima; widespread underemployment

Population below poverty line:

44.5% (2006)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 1.5%

highest 10%: 37.9% (2006)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

49.8 (2005) country comparison to the world: 26 46.2 (1996)

Investment (gross fixed):

25.9% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 46

Budget:

revenues: $38.01 billion

expenditures: $35.29 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

24% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 86 44.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

5.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 97 1.8% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

7.25% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 78 5.75% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

23.67% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 13 24.1% (December 2008)

Stock of money:

$15.42 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 37 $14.66 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$25.32 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 40 $19.95 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$21.98 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 58 $17.88 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$55.63 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 46 $106 billion (31 December 2007)

$59.66 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

asparagus, coffee, cocoa, cotton, sugarcane, rice, potatoes, corn, plantains, grapes, oranges, pineapples, guavas, bananas, apples, lemons, pears, coca, tomatoes, mango, barley, medicinal plants, palm oil, marigold, onion, wheat, dry beans; poultry, beef, dairy products; fish, guinea pigs

Industries:

mining and refining of minerals; steel, metal fabrication; petroleum extraction and refining, natural gas; fishing and fish processing, textiles, clothing, food processing

Industrial production growth rate:

8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 22

Electricity - production:

30.57 billion kWh (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 62

Electricity - consumption:

28.97 billion kWh (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 59

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

120,200 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 49

Oil - consumption:

160,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 65

Oil - exports:

68,640 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 75

Oil - imports:

133,100 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 60

Oil - proved reserves:

415.8 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 50

Natural gas - production:

3.39 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 51

Natural gas - consumption:

3.39 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 71

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 135

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 100

Natural gas - proved reserves:

335.3 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 38

Current account balance:

-$4.18 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 154 $1.22 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$31.53 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 62 $27.88 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

copper, gold, zinc, crude petroleum and petroleum products, coffee, potatoes, asparagus, textiles, fishmeal

Exports - partners:

US 20%, China 15.2%, Canada 8.3%, Japan 7%, Chile 5.8%, Brazil 4.2% (2008)

Imports:

$28.44 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 65 $19.6 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

petroleum and petroleum products, plastics, machinery, vehicles, iron and steel, wheat, paper

Imports - partners:

US 23.7%, China 10.6%, Brazil 7.5%, Ecuador 6.5%, Chile 5.1%,
Argentina 5%, Mexico 4.5% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$31.25 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 42 $27.78 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$34.59 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 59 $32.57 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$30.31 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 58 $24.74 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$1.694 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 67 $2.284 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

nuevo sol (PEN) per US dollar - 2.91 (2008 est.), 3.1731 (2007), 3.2742 (2006), 3.2958 (2005), 3.4132 (2004)

Communications ::Peru

Telephones - main lines in use:

2.878 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 52

Telephones - mobile cellular:

20.952 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 38

Telephone system:

general assessment: adequate for most requirements

domestic: fixed-line teledensity is only about 10 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity, spurred by competition among multiple providers, has increased to more than 70 telephones per 100 persons; nationwide microwave radio relay system and a domestic satellite system with 12 earth stations

international: country code - 51; the South America-1 (SAM-1) and Pan American (PAN-AM) submarine cable systems provide links to parts of Central and South America, the Caribbean, and US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 472, FM 198, shortwave 189 (1999)

Television broadcast stations:

13 (plus 112 repeaters) (1997)

Internet country code:

.pe

Internet hosts:

274,592 (2009) country comparison to the world: 58

Internet users:

7.128 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 36

Transportation ::Peru

Airports:

201 (2009) country comparison to the world: 30

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 57

over 3,047 m: 6

2,438 to 3,047 m: 20

1,524 to 2,437 m: 14

914 to 1,523 m: 13

under 914 m: 4 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 144

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 24

914 to 1,523 m: 39

under 914 m: 79 (2009)

Heliports:

1 (2009)

Pipelines:

extra heavy crude 533 km; gas 1,078 km; liquid petroleum gas 654 km; oil 1,018 km; refined products 15 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 1,989 km country comparison to the world: 73 standard gauge: 1,726 km 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge: 263 km 0.914-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 78,829 km country comparison to the world: 61 paved: 11,351 km (includes 276 km of expressways)

unpaved: 67,478 km (2004)

Waterways:

8,808 km country comparison to the world: 14 note: 8,600 km of navigable tributaries of Amazon system and 208 km of Lago Titicaca (2008)

Merchant marine:

total: 8 country comparison to the world: 123 by type: cargo 3, chemical tanker 1, petroleum tanker 4

foreign-owned: 1 (Bahamas 1)

registered in other countries: 17 (Belize 1, Panama 16) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Callao, Iquitos, Matarani, Paita, Pucallpa, Yurimaguas; note -
Iquitos, Pucallpa, and Yurimaguas are on the upper reaches of the
Amazon and its tributaries

Military ::Peru

Military branches:

Army of Peru (Ejercito Peruano), Navy of Peru (Marina de Guerra del
Peru, MGP (includes naval air, naval infantry, and Coast Guard)),
Air Force of Peru (Fuerza Aerea del Peru, FAP) (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

18-30 years of age for voluntary male and female military service; no conscription (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 7,653,898

females age 16-49: 7,531,329 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 5,920,716

females age 16-49: 6,359,803 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 310,575

female: 300,838 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.5% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 107

Transnational Issues ::Peru

Disputes - international:

Chile and Ecuador rejected Peru's November 2005 unilateral legislation to shift the axis of their joint treaty-defined maritime boundaries along the parallels of latitude to equidistance lines which favor Peru; organized illegal narcotics operations in Colombia have penetrated Peru's shared border; Peru rejects Bolivia's claim to restore maritime access through a sovereign corridor through Chile along the Peruvian border

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

IDPs: 60,000-150,000 (civil war from 1980-2000; most IDPs are indigenous peasants in Andean and Amazonian regions) (2007)

Illicit drugs:

until 1996 the world's largest coca leaf producer, Peru is now the world's second largest producer of coca leaf, though it lags far behind Colombia; cultivation of coca in Peru declined to 36,000 hectares in 2007; second largest producer of cocaine, estimated at 210 metric tons of potential pure cocaine in 2007; finished cocaine is shipped out from Pacific ports to the international drug market; increasing amounts of base and finished cocaine, however, are being moved to Brazil, Chile, Argentina, and Bolivia for use in the Southern Cone or transshipment to Europe and Africa; increasing domestic drug consumption

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Philippines (East & Southeast Asia)

Introduction ::Philippines

Background:

The Philippine Islands became a Spanish colony during the 16th century; they were ceded to the US in 1898 following the Spanish-American War. In 1935 the Philippines became a self-governing commonwealth. Manuel QUEZON was elected president and was tasked with preparing the country for independence after a 10-year transition. In 1942 the islands fell under Japanese occupation during World War II, and US forces and Filipinos fought together during 1944-45 to regain control. On 4 July 1946 the Republic of the Philippines attained its independence. The 20-year rule of Ferdinand MARCOS ended in 1986, when a "people power" movement in Manila ("EDSA 1") forced him into exile and installed Corazon AQUINO as president. Her presidency was hampered by several coup attempts, which prevented a return to full political stability and economic development. Fidel RAMOS was elected president in 1992 and his administration was marked by greater stability and progress on economic reforms. In 1992, the US closed its last military bases on the islands. Joseph ESTRADA was elected president in 1998, but was succeeded by his vice-president, Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, in January 2001 after ESTRADA's stormy impeachment trial on corruption charges broke down and another "people power" movement ("EDSA 2") demanded his resignation. MACAPAGAL-ARROYO was elected to a six-year term as president in May 2004. The Philippine Government faces threats from three terrorist groups on the US Government's Foreign Terrorist Organization list, but in 2006 and 2007 scored some major successes in capturing or killing key wanted terrorists. Decades of Muslim insurgency in the southern Philippines have led to a peace accord with one group and on-again/off-again peace talks with another.

Geography ::Philippines

Location:

Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Philippine Sea and the
South China Sea, east of Vietnam

Geographic coordinates:

13 00 N, 122 00 E

Map references:

Southeast Asia

Area:

total: 300,000 sq km country comparison to the world: 72 land: 298,170 sq km

water: 1,830 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than Arizona

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

36,289 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: irregular polygon extending up to 100 nm from coastline as defined by 1898 treaty; since late 1970s has also claimed polygonal-shaped area in South China Sea up to 285 nm in breadth

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: to depth of exploitation

Climate:

tropical marine; northeast monsoon (November to April); southwest monsoon (May to October)

Terrain:

mostly mountains with narrow to extensive coastal lowlands

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Philippine Sea 0 m

highest point: Mount Apo 2,954 m

Natural resources:

timber, petroleum, nickel, cobalt, silver, gold, salt, copper

Land use:

arable land: 19%

permanent crops: 16.67%

other: 64.33% (2005)

Irrigated land:

15,500 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

479 cu km (1999)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 28.52 cu km/yr (17%/9%/74%)

per capita: 343 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

astride typhoon belt, usually affected by 15 and struck by five to six cyclonic storms per year; landslides; active volcanoes; destructive earthquakes; tsunamis

Environment - current issues:

uncontrolled deforestation especially in watershed areas; soil erosion; air and water pollution in major urban centers; coral reef degradation; increasing pollution of coastal mangrove swamps that are important fish breeding grounds

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Geography - note:

the Philippine archipelago is made up of 7,107 islands; favorably located in relation to many of Southeast Asia's main water bodies: the South China Sea, Philippine Sea, Sulu Sea, Celebes Sea, and Luzon Strait

People ::Philippines

Population:

97,976,603 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 12

Age structure:

0-14 years: 35.2% (male 17,606,352/female 16,911,376)

15-64 years: 60.6% (male 29,679,327/female 29,737,919)

65 years and over: 4.1% (male 1,744,248/female 2,297,381) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 22.5 years

male: 22 years

female: 23 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.957% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 61

Birth rate:

26.01 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 64

Death rate:

5.1 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 186

Net migration rate:

-1.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 132

Urbanization:

urban population: 65% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 20.56 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 104 male: 23.17 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 17.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 71.09 years country comparison to the world: 133 male: 68.17 years

female: 74.15 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3.27 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 63

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 145

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

8,300 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 110

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 200 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 119

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, and Japanese encephalitis

water contact disease: leptospirosis (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Filipino(s)

adjective: Philippine

Ethnic groups:

Tagalog 28.1%, Cebuano 13.1%, Ilocano 9%, Bisaya/Binisaya 7.6%, Hiligaynon Ilonggo 7.5%, Bikol 6%, Waray 3.4%, other 25.3% (2000 census)

Religions:

Roman Catholic 80.9%, Muslim 5%, Evangelical 2.8%, Iglesia ni Kristo 2.3%, Aglipayan 2%, other Christian 4.5%, other 1.8%, unspecified 0.6%, none 0.1% (2000 census)

Languages:

Filipino (official; based on Tagalog) and English (official); eight major dialects - Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocano, Hiligaynon or Ilonggo, Bicol, Waray, Pampango, and Pangasinan

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 92.6%

male: 92.5%

female: 92.7% (2000 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 12 years

male: 11 years

female: 12 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

2.5% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 158

Government ::Philippines

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of the Philippines

conventional short form: Philippines

local long form: Republika ng Pilipinas

local short form: Pilipinas

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Manila

geographic coordinates: 14 35 N, 121 00 E

time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

80 provinces and 120 chartered cities

provinces: Abra, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Aklan, Albay,
Antique, Apayao, Aurora, Basilan, Bataan, Batanes, Batangas,
Biliran, Benguet, Bohol, Bukidnon, Bulacan, Cagayan, Camarines
Norte, Camarines Sur, Camiguin, Capiz, Catanduanes, Cavite, Cebu,
Compostela, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, Dinagat
Islands, Eastern Samar, Guimaras, Ifugao, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur,
Iloilo, Isabela, Kalinga, Laguna, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, La
Union, Leyte, Maguindanao, Marinduque, Masbate, Mindoro Occidental,
Mindoro Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Mountain
Province, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, North Cotabato,
Northern Samar, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Palawan, Pampanga,
Pangasinan, Quezon, Quirino, Rizal, Romblon, Samar, Sarangani,
Siquijor, Sorsogon, South Cotabato, Southern Leyte, Sultan Kudarat,
Sulu, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Tarlac, Tawi-Tawi,
Zambales, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay

chartered cities: Alaminos, Angeles, Antipolo, Bacolod, Bago,
Baguio, Bais, Balanga, Batac, Batangas, Bayawan, Bislig, Butuan,
Cabadbaran, Cabanatuan, Cadiz, Cagayan de Oro, Calamba, Calapan,
Calbayog, Candon, Canlaon, Cauayan, Cavite, Cebu, Cotabato, Dagupan,
Danao, Dapitan, Davao, Digos, Dipolog, Dumaguete, Escalante, Gapan,
General Santos, Gingoog, Himamaylan, Iligan, Iloilo, Isabela, Iriga,
Kabankalan, Kalookan, Kidapawan, Koronadal, La Carlota, Laoag,
Lapu-Lapu, Las Pinas, Legazpi, Ligao, Lipa, Lucena, Maasin, Makati,
Malabon, Malaybalay, Malolos, Mandaluyong, Mandaue, Manila, Marawi,
Marikina, Masbate, Mati, Meycauayan, Muntinlupa, Munoz, Naga,
Navotas, Olongapo, Ormoc, Oroquieta, Ozamis, Pagadian, Palayan,
Panabo, Paranaque, Pasay, Pasig, Passi, Puerto Princesa, Quezon,
Roxas, Sagay, Samal, San Carlos (in Negros Occidental), San Carlos
(in Pangasinan), San Fernando (in La Union), San Fernando (in
Pampanga), San Jose, San Jose del Monte, San Juan, San Pablo, Santa
Rosa, Santiago, Silay, Sipalay, Sorsogon, Surigao, Tabaco, Tacloban,
Tacurong, Tagaytay, Tagbilaran, Taguig, Tagum, Talisay (in Cebu),
Talisay (in Negros Occidental), Tanauan, Tangub, Tanjay, Tarlac,
Toledo, Tuguegarao, Trece Martires, Urdaneta, Valencia, Valenzuela,
Victorias, Vigan, Zamboanga (2009)

Independence:

12 June 1898 (independence proclaimed from Spain); 4 July 1946 (from the US)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 12 June (1898); note - 12 June 1898 was date of declaration of independence from Spain; 4 July 1946 was date of independence from US

Constitution:

2 February 1987, effective 11 February 1987

Legal system:

based on Spanish and Anglo-American law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO (since 20 January 2001); Vice President (Manuel "Noli" DE CASTRO (since 10 May 2004); note - president is both chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO (since 20 January 2001)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with consent of Commission of Appointments

elections: president and vice president elected on separate tickets by popular vote for a single six-year term; election last held on 10 May 2004 (next to be held in May 2010)

election results: Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO elected president; percent of vote - Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO 40%, Fernando POE 37%, three others 23%

Legislative branch:

bicameral Congress or Kongreso consists of the Senate or Senado (24 seats - one-half elected every three years; members elected at large by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Kapulungan Ng Nga Kinatawan (as a result of May 2007 election it has 240 seats including 218 members representing districts and 22 sectoral party-list members representing special minorities elected on the basis of 1 seat for every 2% of the total vote but limited to 3 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; note - the Constitution prohibits the House of Representatives from having more than 250 members)

elections: Senate - last held on 14 May 2007 (next to be held in May 2010); House of Representatives - elections last held on 14 May 2007 (next to be held in May 2010)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Lakas 4, LP 4, Nacionalista 3, NPC 2, PDP-Laban 2, PMP 2, Kampi 1, LDP 1, PRP 1, independents 3; note - there are 23 rather than 24 sitting senators because one senator was elected mayor of Manila; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Lakas 92, Kampi 54, NPC 25, LP 21, Party-list 22, independents 3, others 26; there are 238 rather than 240 sitting representatives because two died in office

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (15 justices are appointed by the president on the recommendation of the Judicial and Bar Council and serve until 70 years of age); Court of Appeals; Sandigan-bayan (special court for hearing corruption cases of government officials)

Political parties and leaders:

Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino or Kampi [Luis VILLAFUERTE]; Laban ng
Demokratikong Pilipino (Struggle of Filipino Democrats) or LDP
[Edgardo ANGARA]; Lakas ng EDSA-Christian Muslim Democrats or
Lakas-CMD [Prospero NOGRALES]; Liberal Party or LP [Manuel ROXAS];
Nacionalista Party or NP [Manuel VILLAR]; Nationalist People's
Coalition or NPC [Frisco SAN JUAN]; PDP-Laban [Aquilino PIMENTEL];
People's Reform Party [Miriam Defensor SANTIAGO]; Puwersa ng Masang
Pilipino (Force of the Philippine Masses) or PMP [Joseph ESTRADA];
United Opposition or UNO [Jejomar BINAY]

note: Lakas-CMD and Kampi merged on 29 May 2009 to form Lakas-Kampi CMD

Political pressure groups and leaders:

ABONO [Robert ESTRELLA]; AKBAYAN [Anna Theresia BARAQUIEL]; An Waray
[Florencio NOEL]; Anak Mindanao [Mujiv HATAMIN]; ANAKPAWIS [Rafael
MARIANO]; ARC [Narciso SANTIAGO III]; Association of Philippine
Electric Cooperatives (APEC) [Ernesto PABLO and Edgar VALDEZ]; A
TEACHER [Mariano PIAMONTE]; Bayan Muna [Satur OCAMPO and Teodoro
CASINO, Jr.]; Black and White Movement [Vicente ROMANO]; BUHAY [Rene
VELARDE, Carissa COSCOLLUELLA, and William TIENG]; BUTIL [Leonila
CHAVEZ]; CIBAC [Emmanuel Joel VILLANUEVA]; COOP-NATCO [Jose
PING-AY]; GABRIELA [Liza MAZA and Luzviminda ILAGAN]; Kilosbayan
[Jovito SALONGA]; YACAP [Carol LOPEZ]

International organization participation:

ADB, APEC, APT, ARF, ASEAN, BIS, CP, EAS, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC,
MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS (observer), OPCW, PIF (partner), UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMIT,
UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Willy C. GAA

chancery: 1600 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

telephone: [1] (202) 467-9300

FAX: [1] (202) 467-9417

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York, Saipan (Northern Mariana Islands), San Francisco, Tamuning (Guam)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Kristie A. KENNEY

embassy: 1201 Roxas Boulevard, Ermita 1000, Manila

mailing address: PSC 500, FPO AP 96515-1000

telephone: [63] (2) 301-2000

FAX: [63] (2) 301-2399

Flag description:

two equal horizontal bands of blue (top; representing peace and justice) and red (representing courage); a white equilateral triangle based on the hoist side represents equality; the center of the triangle displays a yellow sun with eight primary rays, each representing one of the first eight provinces that sought independence from Spain; each corner of the triangle contains a small, yellow, five-pointed star representing the three major geographical divisions of the country: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao; the design of the flag dates to 1897; in wartime the flag is flown upside down with the red band at the top

Economy ::Philippines

Economy - overview:

Economic growth has averaged 5% since President MACAPAGAL-ARROYO took office in 2001. MACAPAGAL-ARROYO averted a fiscal crisis by pushing for new revenue measures and, until recently, tightening expenditures. Declining fiscal deficits, tapering debt and debt service ratios, and increased spending on infrastructure and social services bolstered optimism over Philippine economic prospects. Although the general macroeconomic outlook improved significantly in recent years, the economy still faces several long term challenges. The Philippines must maintain the reform momentum in order to catch up with regional competitors, improve employment opportunities, and alleviate poverty. The Philippines will need still higher, sustained growth to make progress in alleviating poverty, given its high population growth and unequal distribution of income. The Philippine economy grew at its fastest pace in three decades in 2007 with real GDP growth exceeding 7%, but growth slowed to 3.8% in 2008 as a result of the world financial crisis. High government spending, a relatively small trade sector, a resilient service sector, and large remittances from the four- to five-million Filipinos who work abroad have helped cushion the economy from the current financial crisis.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$318.2 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 38 $306.6 billion (2007 est.)

$286.2 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$166.9 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

3.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 105 7.1% (2007 est.)

5.3% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$3,300 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 161 $3,300 (2007 est.)

$3,100 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 14.7%

industry: 31.6%

services: 53.7% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

36.81 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 17

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 35%

industry: 15%

services: 50% (2008 est.)

Unemployment rate:

7.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 94 7.3% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

30% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.4%

highest 10%: 31.2% (2006)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

45.8 (2006) country comparison to the world: 40 46.6 (2003)

Investment (gross fixed):

14.8% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 137

Budget:

revenues: $27.05 billion

expenditures: $28.58 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

56.9% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 27 74.2% of GDP (September 2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

9.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 141 2.8% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

6% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 113 4.28% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

8.75% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 97 8.69% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$22.53 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 34 $21.27 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$65.85 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$65.66 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$52.1 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 47 $103.2 billion (31 December 2007)

$68.38 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

sugarcane, coconuts, rice, corn, bananas, cassavas, pineapples, mangoes; pork, eggs, beef; fish

Industries:

electronics assembly, garments, footwear, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, wood products, food processing, petroleum refining, fishing

Industrial production growth rate:

5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 48

Electricity - production:

56.57 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 45

Electricity - consumption:

48.96 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 45

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

25,120 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 71

Oil - consumption:

320,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 40

Oil - exports:

36,720 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 82

Oil - imports:

342,200 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 32

Oil - proved reserves:

138.5 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 62

Natural gas - production:

2.94 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 55

Natural gas - consumption:

2.94 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 74

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 127

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 141

Natural gas - proved reserves:

98.54 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 52

Current account balance:

$4.227 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 36 $7.119 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$48.2 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 57 $49.51 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

semiconductors and electronic products, transport equipment, garments, copper products, petroleum products, coconut oil, fruits

Exports - partners:

US 16.7%, Japan 15.7%, China 11.1%, Hong Kong 10.1%, Netherlands 7.5%, Singapore 5.3%, South Korea 5.1%, Germany 5% (2008)

Imports:

$60.78 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 47 $57.9 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

electronic products, mineral fuels, machinery and transport equipment, iron and steel, textile fabrics, grains, chemicals, plastic

Imports - partners:

US 12.8%, Japan 11.8%, Singapore 10.3%, Saudi Arabia 8.5%, China 7.5%, South Korea 5.2%, Thailand 5%, Malaysia 4.3% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$37.55 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 34 $33.75 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$66.27 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 45 $61.78 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$21.4 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 62 $19.88 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$5.81 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 54 $5.584 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

Philippine pesos (PHP) per US dollar - 44.439 (2008 est.), 46.148 (2007), 51.246 (2006), 55.086 (2005), 56.04 (2004)

Communications ::Philippines

Telephones - main lines in use:

3.905 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 40

Telephones - mobile cellular:

68.102 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 14

Telephone system:

general assessment: good international radiotelephone and submarine cable services; domestic and interisland service adequate

domestic: domestic satellite system with 11 earth stations; cellular communications now dominate the industry; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular telephone density about 80 telephones per 100 persons

international: country code - 63; a series of submarine cables together provide connectivity to Asia, US, the Middle East, and Europe; multiple international gateways (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 381, FM 628, shortwave 4 (2007)

Television broadcast stations:

250 (plus 1,501 CATV networks) (2007)

Internet country code:

.ph

Internet hosts:

283,607 (2009) country comparison to the world: 55

Internet users:

5.618 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 42

Transportation ::Philippines

Airports:

254 (2009) country comparison to the world: 25

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 85

over 3,047 m: 4

2,438 to 3,047 m: 8

1,524 to 2,437 m: 28

914 to 1,523 m: 35

under 914 m: 10 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 169

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 66

under 914 m: 99 (2009)

Heliports:

2 (2009)

Pipelines:

oil 107 km; refined products 112 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 897 km country comparison to the world: 95 narrow gauge: 897 km 1.067-m gauge (492 km are in operation) (2008)

Roadways:

total: 201,910 km country comparison to the world: 25 paved: 21,677 km

unpaved: 180,233 km (2008)

Waterways:

3,219 km (limited to vessels with draft less than 1.5 m) (2008) country comparison to the world: 31

Merchant marine:

total: 391 country comparison to the world: 27 by type: bulk carrier 75, cargo 125, carrier 16, chemical tanker 17, container 6, liquefied gas 5, passenger 6, passenger/cargo 68, petroleum tanker 36, refrigerated cargo 15, roll on/roll off 11, vehicle carrier 11

foreign-owned: 161 (Bermuda 34, China 4, Greece 4, Hong Kong 1, Japan 81, Malaysia 1, Netherlands 23, Norway 10, Singapore 1, Taiwan 1, UAE 1)

registered in other countries: 11 (Comoros 1, Cyprus 1, Hong Kong 1, Indonesia 1, Panama 7) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Davao, Liman, Manila, Nasipit Harbor

Transportation - note:

the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the South China Sea as high risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships; numerous commercial vessels have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; hijacked vessels are often disguised and cargo diverted to ports in East Asia; crews have been murdered or cast adrift

Military ::Philippines

Military branches:

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP): Army, Navy (includes Marine
Corps and Coast Guard), Air Force (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18-25 years of age (officers 21-29) for compulsory and voluntary military service; applicants must be single male or female Philippine citizens (2007)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 23,547,252

females age 16-49: 23,177,487 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 19,169,298

females age 16-49: 20,636,853 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 1,023,431

female: 986,434 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

0.9% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 142

Transnational Issues ::Philippines

Disputes - international:

Philippines claims sovereignty over certain of the Spratly Islands, known locally as the Kalayaan (Freedom) Islands, also claimed by China, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Vietnam; the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea," has eased tensions in the Spratly Islands but falls short of a legally binding "code of conduct" desired by several of the disputants; in March 2005, the national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam signed a joint accord to conduct marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands; Philippines retains a dormant claim to Malaysia's Sabah State in northern Borneo based on the Sultanate of Sulu's granting the Philippines Government power of attorney to pursue a sovereignty claim on his behalf; maritime delimitation negotiations continue with Palau

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

IDPs: 300,000 (fighting between government troops and MILF and Abu
Sayyaf groups) (2007)

Illicit drugs:

domestic methamphetamine production has been a growing problem in recent years despite government crackdowns; major consumer of amphetamines; longstanding marijuana producer mainly in rural areas where Manila's control is limited

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Pitcairn Islands (Australia-Oceania)

Introduction ::Pitcairn Islands

Background:

Pitcairn Island was discovered in 1767 by the British and settled in 1790 by the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian companions. Pitcairn was the first Pacific island to become a British colony (in 1838) and today remains the last vestige of that empire in the South Pacific. Outmigration, primarily to New Zealand, has thinned the population from a peak of 233 in 1937 to less than 50 today.

Geography ::Pitcairn Islands

Location:

Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about midway between
Peru and New Zealand

Geographic coordinates:

25 04 S, 130 06 W

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 47 sq km country comparison to the world: 233 land: 47 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

51 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 3 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; hot and humid; modified by southeast trade winds; rainy season (November to March)

Terrain:

rugged volcanic formation; rocky coastline with cliffs

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Pawala Valley Ridge 347 m

Natural resources:

miro trees (used for handicrafts), fish

note: manganese, iron, copper, gold, silver, and zinc have been discovered offshore

Land use:

arable land: NA

permanent crops: NA

other: NA

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

typhoons (especially November to March)

Environment - current issues:

deforestation (only a small portion of the original forest remains because of burning and clearing for settlement)

Geography - note:

Britain's most isolated dependency; only the larger island of Pitcairn is inhabited but it has no port or natural harbor; supplies must be transported by rowed longboat from larger ships stationed offshore

People ::Pitcairn Islands

Population:

48 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 237

Age structure:

0-14 years: NA

15-64 years: NA

65 years and over: NA (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 201

Birth rate:

NA

Death rate:

NA

Net migration rate:

NA (2009 est.)

Urbanization:

urban population: 0% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 0% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

NA (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: NA

male: NA

female: NA (2008 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Total fertility rate:

NA (2008 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Pitcairn Islander(s)

adjective: Pitcairn Islander

Ethnic groups:

descendants of the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian wives

Religions:

Seventh-Day Adventist 100%

Languages:

English (official), Pitkern (mixture of an 18th century English dialect and a Tahitian dialect)

Literacy:

NA

Government ::Pitcairn Islands

Country name:

conventional long form: Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie, and Oeno Islands

conventional short form: Pitcairn Islands

Dependency status:

overseas territory of the UK

Government type:

NA

Capital:

name: Adamstown

geographic coordinates: 25 04 S, 130 05 W

time difference: UTC-9 (4 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Independence:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday:

Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926)

Constitution:

30 November 1838; reformed 1904 with additional reforms in 1940; further refined by the Local Government Ordinance of 1964

Legal system:

local island by-laws

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal with three years residency

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by UK High Commissioner to New Zealand and Governor (nonresident) of the Pitcairn Islands George FERGUSSON (since April 2006); Commissioner (nonresident) Leslie JAQUES (since September 2003) serves as liaison between the governor and the Island Council

head of government: Governor George FERGUSSON (since April 2006); Mayor and Chairman of the Island Council Mike WARREN (since 1 January 2008)

cabinet: NA

elections: the monarchy is hereditary; governor and commissioner appointed by the monarch; island mayor elected by popular vote for a three-year term; election last held December 2007 (next to be held in December 2010)

election results: Mike WARREN elected mayor and chairman of the Island Council

Legislative branch:

unicameral Island Council (10 seats; 5 members elected by popular vote, 1 nominated by the 5 elected members, 2 appointed by the governor including 1 seat for the Island Secretary, the Island Mayor, and a commissioner liaising between the governor and council; elected members serve one-year terms)

elections: last held 24 December 2008 (next to be held in 24 December 2009)

election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - all independents

Judicial branch:

Magistrate's Court; Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; judicial officers are appointed by the governor

Political parties and leaders:

none

Political pressure groups and leaders:

none

International organization participation:

SPC, UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description:

blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Pitcairn Islander coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms is yellow, green, and light blue with a shield featuring a yellow anchor

Economy ::Pitcairn Islands

Economy - overview:

The inhabitants of this tiny isolated economy exist on fishing, subsistence farming, handicrafts, and postage stamps. The fertile soil of the valleys produces a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, including citrus, sugarcane, watermelons, bananas, yams, and beans. Bartering is an important part of the economy. The major sources of revenue are the sale of postage stamps to collectors and the sale of handicrafts to passing ships. In October 2004, more than one-quarter of Pitcairn's small labor force was arrested, putting the economy in a bind, since their services were required as lighter crew to load or unload passing ships.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$NA

Labor force:

15 able-bodied men (2004) country comparison to the world: 221

Labor force - by occupation:

note: no business community in the usual sense; some public works; subsistence farming and fishing

Budget:

revenues: $746,000

expenditures: $1.028 million (FY04/05)

Agriculture - products:

honey; wide variety of fruits and vegetables; goats, chickens, fish

Industries:

postage stamps, handicrafts, beekeeping, honey

Electricity - production:

NA kWh; note - electric power is provided by a small diesel-powered generator

Exports:

$NA

Exports - commodities:

fruits, vegetables, curios, stamps

Imports:

$NA

Imports - commodities:

fuel oil, machinery, building materials, flour, sugar, other foodstuffs

Exchange rates:

New Zealand dollars (NZD) per US dollar - 1.4151 (2008 est.), 1.3811 (2007), 1.5408 (2006), 1.4203 (2005), 1.5087 (2004)

Communications ::Pitcairn Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:

1 (there are 17 telephones on one party line); (2004) country comparison to the world: 230

Telephone system:

general assessment: satellite phone services

domestic: domestic communication via radio (CB)

international: country code - 872; satellite earth station - 1 (Inmarsat)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (15 ham radio operators (VP6)) (2004)

Internet country code:

.pn

Internet hosts:

26 (2009) country comparison to the world: 213

Transportation ::Pitcairn Islands

Ports and terminals:

Adamstown (on Bounty Bay)

Military ::Pitcairn Islands

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues ::Pitcairn Islands

Disputes - international:

none

page last updated on October 28, 2009

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

@Poland (Europe)

Introduction ::Poland

Background:

Poland is an ancient nation that was conceived near the middle of the 10th century. Its golden age occurred in the 16th century. During the following century, the strengthening of the gentry and internal disorders weakened the nation. In a series of agreements between 1772 and 1795, Russia, Prussia, and Austria partitioned Poland amongst themselves. Poland regained its independence in 1918 only to be overrun by Germany and the Soviet Union in World War II. It became a Soviet satellite state following the war, but its government was comparatively tolerant and progressive. Labor turmoil in 1980 led to the formation of the independent trade union "Solidarity" that over time became a political force and by 1990 had swept parliamentary elections and the presidency. A "shock therapy" program during the early 1990s enabled the country to transform its economy into one of the most robust in Central Europe, but Poland still faces the lingering challenges of high unemployment, underdeveloped and dilapidated infrastructure, and a poor rural underclass. Solidarity suffered a major defeat in the 2001 parliamentary elections when it failed to elect a single deputy to the lower house of Parliament, and the new leaders of the Solidarity Trade Union subsequently pledged to reduce the Trade Union's political role. Poland joined NATO in 1999 and the European Union in 2004. With its transformation to a democratic, market-oriented country largely completed, Poland is an increasingly active member of Euro-Atlantic organizations.

Geography ::Poland

Location:

Central Europe, east of Germany

Geographic coordinates:

52 00 N, 20 00 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 312,685 sq km country comparison to the world: 69 land: 304,255 sq km

water: 8,430 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than New Mexico

Land boundaries:

total: 3,047 km

border countries: Belarus 605 km, Czech Republic 615 km, Germany 456 km, Lithuania 91 km, Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast) 432 km, Slovakia 420 km, Ukraine 428 km

Coastline:

440 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: defined by international treaties

Climate:

temperate with cold, cloudy, moderately severe winters with frequent precipitation; mild summers with frequent showers and thundershowers

Terrain:

mostly flat plain; mountains along southern border

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: near Raczki Elblaskie -2 m

highest point: Rysy 2,499 m

Natural resources:

coal, sulfur, copper, natural gas, silver, lead, salt, amber, arable land

Land use:

arable land: 40.25%

permanent crops: 1%

other: 58.75% (2005)

Irrigated land:

1,000 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

63.1 cu km (2005)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 11.73 cu km/yr (13%/79%/8%)

per capita: 304 cu m/yr (2002)

Natural hazards:

flooding

Environment - current issues:

situation has improved since 1989 due to decline in heavy industry and increased environmental concern by post-Communist governments; air pollution nonetheless remains serious because of sulfur dioxide emissions from coal-fired power plants, and the resulting acid rain has caused forest damage; water pollution from industrial and municipal sources is also a problem, as is disposal of hazardous wastes; pollution levels should continue to decrease as industrial establishments bring their facilities up to EU code, but at substantial cost to business and the government

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94

Geography - note:

historically, an area of conflict because of flat terrain and the lack of natural barriers on the North European Plain

People ::Poland

Population:

38,482,919 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 34

Age structure:

0-14 years: 15% (male 2,964,995/female 2,802,278)

15-64 years: 71.6% (male 13,713,078/female 13,845,251)

65 years and over: 13.4% (male 1,966,406/female 3,190,911) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 37.9 years

male: 36.1 years

female: 39.7 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.047% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 209

Birth rate:

10.04 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 195

Death rate:

10.05 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 63

Net migration rate:

-0.47 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 109

Urbanization:

urban population: 61% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: -0.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female

total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 6.8 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 172 male: 7.52 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 6.03 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 75.63 years country comparison to the world: 75 male: 71.65 years

female: 79.85 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.28 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 208

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.1%; note - no country specific models provided (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 127

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

20,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 79

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 200 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 120

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: intermediate

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea

vectorborne disease: tickborne encephalitis

note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Pole(s)

adjective: Polish

Ethnic groups:

Polish 96.7%, German 0.4%, Belarusian 0.1%, Ukrainian 0.1%, other and unspecified 2.7% (2002 census)

Religions:

Roman Catholic 89.8% (about 75% practicing), Eastern Orthodox 1.3%,
Protestant 0.3%, other 0.3%, unspecified 8.3% (2002)

Languages:

Polish 97.8%, other and unspecified 2.2% (2002 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.8%

male: 99.8%

female: 99.7% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 15 years

male: 15 years

female: 16 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

5.5% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 51

Government ::Poland

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Poland

conventional short form: Poland

local long form: Rzeczpospolita Polska

local short form: Polska

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Warsaw

geographic coordinates: 52 15 N, 21 00 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

16 provinces (wojewodztwa, singular - wojewodztwo); Dolnoslaskie
(Lower Silesia), Kujawsko-Pomorskie (Kuyavia-Pomerania), Lodzkie,
Lubelskie (Lublin), Lubuskie (Lubusz), Malopolskie (Lesser Poland),
Mazowieckie (Masovia), Opolskie, Podkarpackie (Subcarpathia),
Podlaskie, Pomorskie (Pomerania), Slaskie (Silesia), Swietokrzyskie,
Warminsko-Mazurskie (Warmia-Masuria), Wielkopolskie (Greater
Poland), Zachodniopomorskie (West Pomerania)

Independence:

11 November 1918 (republic proclaimed)

National holiday:

Constitution Day, 3 May (1791)

Constitution:

adopted by the National Assembly 2 April 1997; passed by national referendum 25 May 1997; effective 17 October 1997

Legal system:

based on a mixture of Continental (Napoleonic) civil law and holdover Communist legal theory; changes being gradually introduced as part of broader democratization process; limited judicial review of legislative acts, but rulings of the Constitutional Tribunal are final; court decisions can be appealed to the European Court of Justice in Strasbourg; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Lech KACZYNSKI (since 23 December 2005)

head of government: Prime Minister Donald TUSK (since 16 November 2007); Deputy Prime Minister Waldemar PAWLAK (since 16 November 2007)

cabinet: Council of Ministers responsible to the prime minister and the Sejm; the prime minister proposes, the president appoints, and the Sejm approves the Council of Ministers

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 9 and 23 October 2005 (next to be held in the fall 2010); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president and confirmed by the Sejm

election results: Lech KACZYNSKI elected president; percent of popular vote - Lech KACZYNSKI 54%, Donald Tusk 46%

Legislative branch:

bicameral legislature consists of an upper house, the Senate or Senat (100 seats; members are elected by a majority vote on a provincial basis to serve four-year terms), and a lower house, the Sejm (460 seats; members are elected under a complex system of proportional representation to serve four-year terms); the designation of National Assembly or Zgromadzenie Narodowe is only used on those rare occasions when the two houses meet jointly

elections: Senate - last held 21 October 2007 (next to be held by October 2011); Sejm elections last held 21 October 2007 (next to be held by October 2011)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PO 60, PiS 39, independents 1; Sejm - percent of vote by party - PO 41.5%, PiS 32.1%, LiD 13.2%, PSL 8.9%, other 4.3%; seats by party - PO 209, PiS 166, LiD 53, PSL 31, German minorities 1; note - seats by parliamentary grouping as of February 2009 - PO 208, PiS 156, Left 42, PSL 31, SDPL-New Left 5, Polska XXI 6, Democratic Caucus 3, German minorities 1, nonaffiliated 8

note: one seat is assigned to ethnic minority parties in the Sejm only

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president on the recommendation of the National Council of the Judiciary for an indefinite period); Constitutional Tribunal (judges are chosen by the Sejm for nine-year terms)

Political parties and leaders:

Civic Platform or PO [chairman Donald TUSK; parliamentary caucus leader Grzegorz SCHETYNA]; Democratic Caucus of the Democratic Party (SD) or DKP SD [parliamentary caucus leader Bogdan LIS]; Democratic Left Alliance or SLD [chairman Grzegorz NAPIERALSKI]; Democratic Party or PD [chairwoman Brygida KUZNIAK]; Democratic Party or SD [chairman Pawel PISKORSKI]; German Minority of Lower Silesia or MNSO [representative Henryk KROLL]; Law and Justice or PiS [chairman Jaroslaw KACZYNSKI; parliamentary caucus leader Przemyslaw GOSIEWSKI]; League of Polish Families or LPR [acting chairman Arnold MASIN]; Left (Democratic Left Alliance and independents) [parliamentary caucus leader Grzegorz NAPIERALSKI]; Polish People's Party or PSL [chairman Waldemar PAWLAK; parliamentary caucus leader Stanislaw ZELICHOWSKI]; Polska XXI (political grouping of former PiS members; not officially registered) [chairman Jaroslaw SELLIN; parliamentary caucus leader Kazimierz Michal UJAZDOWSKI]; Samoobrona or SO [chairman Andrzej LEPPER]; Social Democratic Party of Poland or SDPL [chairman Wojciech FILEMONOWICZ]; Social Democratic Party of Poland-New Left (SDPL-New Left) [parliamentary caucus leader Marek BOROWSKI]; Union of Labor or UP [chairman Waldemar WITKOWSKI]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

All Poland Trade Union Alliance or OPZZ (trade union) [Jan GUZ];
Roman Catholic Church [Cardinal Stanislaw DZIWISZ, Archbishop Jozef
MICHALIK]; Solidarity Trade Union [Janusz SNIADEK]

International organization participation:

Arctic Council (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer),
CBSS, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA (cooperating state), EU,
FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC,
MIGA, MINURCAT, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NSG, OAS
(observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen
Convention, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR,
UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO,
WEU (associate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Robert KUPIECKI

chancery: 2640 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone: [1] (202) 234-3800 through 3802

FAX: [1] (202) 328-6271

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Victor ASHE

embassy: Aleje Ujazdowskie 29/31 00-540 Warsaw

mailing address: American Embassy Warsaw, US Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-5010 (pouch)

telephone: [48] (22) 504-2000

FAX: [48] (22) 504-2688

consulate(s) general: Krakow

Flag description:

two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; similar to the flags of Indonesia and Monaco which are red (top) and white

Economy ::Poland

Economy - overview:

Poland has pursued a policy of economic liberalization since 1990 and today stands out as a success story among transition economies. In 2008, GDP grew an estimated 4.8%, based on rising private consumption, a jump in corporate investment, and EU funds inflows. GDP per capita is still much below the EU average, but is similar to that of the three Baltic states. Since 2004, EU membership and access to EU structural funds have provided a major boost to the economy. Unemployment is falling rapidly, though at roughly 9.7% in 2008, it remains above the EU average. In 2008 inflation reached 4.3%, more than the upper limit of the National Bank of Poland's target range, but has been falling due to global economic slowdown. Poland's economic performance could improve further if the country addresses some of the remaining deficiencies in its business environment. An inefficient commercial court system, a rigid labor code, bureaucratic red tape, and persistent low-level corruption keep the private sector from performing up to its full potential. Rising demands to fund health care, education, and the state pension system present a challenge to the Polish Government's effort to hold the consolidated public sector budget deficit under 3.0% of GDP, a target which was achieved in 2007-08. The PO/PSL coalition government which came to power in November 2007 plans to further reduce the budget deficit with the aim of eventually adopting the euro by 2012. The new government has also announced its intention to enact business-friendly reforms, reduce public sector spending growth, lower taxes, and accelerate privatization. The government, however, has moved slowly on major reforms. Pension and health-care bills passed through the legislature, but the legislature failed to overturn a presidential veto.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$670.7 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 22 $638.8 billion (2007 est.)

$598.1 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$527.9 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 89 6.8% (2007 est.)

6.2% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$17,400 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 71 $16,600 (2007 est.)

$15,500 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 4.5%

industry: 31.2%

services: 64.3% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

17.01 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 35

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 17.4%

industry: 29.2%

services: 53.4% (2005)

Unemployment rate:

9.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 123 12.8% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

17% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 3%

highest 10%: 27.2% (2005)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

34.9 (2005) country comparison to the world: 87 31.6 (1998)

Investment (gross fixed):

22% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 83

Budget:

revenues: $105.5 billion

expenditures: $115.7 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

45.2% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 44 49.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

4.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 70 2.5% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

5% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 105 5% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

5.99% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 135 5.72% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$118.2 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 10 $137.4 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$109 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 21 $93.98 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$258.3 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 27 $223.2 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$90.23 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 38 $207.3 billion (31 December 2007)

$149.1 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

potatoes, fruits, vegetables, wheat; poultry, eggs, pork, dairy

Industries:

machine building, iron and steel, coal mining, chemicals, shipbuilding, food processing, glass, beverages, textiles

Industrial production growth rate:

4.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 53

Electricity - production:

149.1 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 23

Electricity - consumption:

129.3 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 25

Electricity - exports:

9.703 billion kWh (2008)

Electricity - imports:

8.48 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

35,560 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 67

Oil - consumption:

544,800 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 32

Oil - exports:

67,340 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 76

Oil - imports:

595,400 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 22

Oil - proved reserves:

96.38 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 69

Natural gas - production:

5.719 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 48

Natural gas - consumption:

16.55 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 40

Natural gas - exports:

39 million cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 42

Natural gas - imports:

11.2 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 20

Natural gas - proved reserves:

164.8 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 47

Current account balance:

-$26.91 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 179 -$20.12 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$178.4 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 28 $145.3 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

machinery and transport equipment 37.8%, intermediate manufactured goods 23.7%, miscellaneous manufactured goods 17.1%, food and live animals 7.6% (2003)

Exports - partners:

Germany 24.9%, France 6.2%, Italy 6%, UK 5.7%, Czech Republic 5.6%,
Russia 5.3% (2008)

Imports:

$204.4 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 21 $162.4 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and transport equipment 38%, intermediate manufactured goods 21%, chemicals 14.8%, minerals, fuels, lubricants, and related materials 9.1% (2003)

Imports - partners:

Germany 28.3%, Russia 9.9%, Italy 6.2%, Netherlands 5.4%, France 4.8%, China 4.5%, Czech Republic 4% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$62.18 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 22 $65.75 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$243.5 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 28 $233.1 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$161.4 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 22 $176.1 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$21.81 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 38 $19.39 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

zlotych (PLN) per US dollar - 2.3 (2008 est.), 2.81 (2007), 3.1032 (2006), 3.2355 (2005), 3.6576 (2004)

note: zlotych is the plural form of zloty

Communications ::Poland

Telephones - main lines in use:

10.336 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 22

Telephones - mobile cellular:

44.004 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 25

Telephone system:

general assessment: modernization of the telecommunications network has accelerated with market based competition finalized in 2003; fixed-line service, dominated by the former state-owned company, is dwarfed by the growth in wireless telephony

domestic: mobile-cellular service available since 1993 and provided by three nation-wide networks with a fourth provider beginning operations in late 2006; cellular coverage is generally good with some gaps in the east; fixed-line service is growing slowly and still lags in rural areas

international: country code - 48; international direct dialing with automated exchanges; satellite earth station - 1 with access to Intelsat, Eutelsat, Inmarsat, and Intersputnik (2007)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 14, FM 63, shortwave 2 (2008)

Television broadcast stations:

75 (2008)

Internet country code:

.pl

Internet hosts:

8.906 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 12

Internet users:

18.679 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 19

Transportation ::Poland

Airports:

125 (2009) country comparison to the world: 46

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 84

over 3,047 m: 4

2,438 to 3,047 m: 30

1,524 to 2,437 m: 39

914 to 1,523 m: 7

under 914 m: 4 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 41

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 5

914 to 1,523 m: 15

under 914 m: 20 (2009)

Heliports:

7 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 13,631 km; oil 1,384 km; refined products 777 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 22,314 km country comparison to the world: 12 broad gauge: 633 km 1.524-m gauge

standard gauge: 21,681 km 1.435-m gauge (11,769 km electrified) (2007)

Roadways:

total: 423,997 km country comparison to the world: 15 paved: 295,356 km (includes 662 km of expressways)

unpaved: 128,641 km (2006)

Waterways:

3,997 km (navigable rivers and canals) (2007) country comparison to the world: 28

Merchant marine:

total: 15 country comparison to the world: 106 by type: cargo 8, chemical tanker 4, passenger/cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1, vehicle carrier 1

foreign-owned: 2 (Cyprus 1, Nigeria 1)

registered in other countries: 98 (Antigua and Barbuda 2, Bahamas 17, Cyprus 18, Liberia 13, Malta 24, Norway 3, Panama 11, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Slovakia 2, Vanuatu 7) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Gdansk, Gdynia, Swinoujscie, Szczecin

Military ::Poland

Military branches:

Polish Armed Forces: Land Forces, Navy, Air and Air Defense Aviation
Forces, Special Forces (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

18-28 years of age for male voluntary or compulsory military service; service obligation shortened from 12 to 9 months in 2005; conscription is to end in 2012; only soldiers who have completed their conscript service are allowed to volunteer for professional service; as of April 2004, women are only allowed to serve as officers and noncommissioned officers; reserve obligation to age 50 (2009)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 9,741,508

females age 16-49: 9,514,843 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 7,898,892

females age 16-49: 7,888,035 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 246,667

female: 235,698 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.71% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 95

Transnational Issues ::Poland

Disputes - international:

as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Poland has implemented the strict Schengen border rules to restrict illegal immigration and trade along its eastern borders with Belarus and Ukraine

Illicit drugs:

despite diligent counternarcotics measures and international information sharing on cross-border crimes, a major illicit producer of synthetic drugs for the international market; minor transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and Latin American cocaine to Western Europe

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Portugal (Europe)

Introduction ::Portugal

Background:

Following its heyday as a global maritime power during the 15th and 16th centuries, Portugal lost much of its wealth and status with the destruction of Lisbon in a 1755 earthquake, occupation during the Napoleonic Wars, and the independence of its wealthiest colony of Brazil in 1822. A 1910 revolution deposed the monarchy; for most of the next six decades, repressive governments ran the country. In 1974, a left-wing military coup installed broad democratic reforms. The following year, Portugal granted independence to all of its African colonies. Portugal is a founding member of NATO and entered the EC (now the EU) in 1986.

Geography ::Portugal

Location:

Southwestern Europe, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, west of
Spain

Geographic coordinates:

39 30 N, 8 00 W

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 92,090 sq km country comparison to the world: 110 land: 91,470 sq km

water: 620 sq km

note: includes Azores and Madeira Islands

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Indiana

Land boundaries:

total: 1,214 km

border countries: Spain 1,214 km

Coastline:

1,793 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:

maritime temperate; cool and rainy in north, warmer and drier in south

Terrain:

mountainous north of the Tagus River, rolling plains in south

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Ponta do Pico (Pico or Pico Alto) on Ilha do Pico in the Azores 2,351 m

Natural resources:

fish, forests (cork), iron ore, copper, zinc, tin, tungsten, silver, gold, uranium, marble, clay, gypsum, salt, arable land, hydropower

Land use:

arable land: 17.29%

permanent crops: 7.84%

other: 74.87% (2005)

Irrigated land:

6,500 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

73.6 cu km (2005)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 11.09 cu km/yr (10%/12%/78%)

per capita: 1,056 cu m/yr (1998)

Natural hazards:

Azores subject to severe earthquakes

Environment - current issues:

soil erosion; air pollution caused by industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution, especially in coastal areas

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life
Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Environmental Modification

Geography - note:

Azores and Madeira Islands occupy strategic locations along western sea approaches to Strait of Gibraltar

People ::Portugal

Population:

10,707,924 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 75

Age structure:

0-14 years: 16.3% (male 912,147/female 834,941)

15-64 years: 66.1% (male 3,525,717/female 3,554,513)

65 years and over: 17.6% (male 772,413/female 1,108,193) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 39.4 years

male: 37.3 years

female: 41.6 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.275% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 177

Birth rate:

10.29 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 191

Death rate:

10.68 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 54

Net migration rate:

3.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 29

Urbanization:

urban population: 59% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female

total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 4.78 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 195 male: 5.24 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 78.21 years country comparison to the world: 48 male: 74.95 years

female: 81.69 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.49 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 187

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.5% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 74

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

34,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 69

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 500 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 89

Nationality:

noun: Portuguese (singular and plural)

adjective: Portuguese

Ethnic groups:

homogeneous Mediterranean stock; citizens of black African descent who immigrated to mainland during decolonization number less than 100,000; since 1990 East Europeans have entered Portugal

Religions:

Roman Catholic 84.5%, other Christian 2.2%, other 0.3%, unknown 9%, none 3.9% (2001 census)

Languages:

Portuguese (official), Mirandese (official - but locally used)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 93.3%

male: 95.5%

female: 91.3% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 15 years

male: 15 years

female: 16 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

5.5% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 50

Government ::Portugal

Country name:

conventional long form: Portuguese Republic

conventional short form: Portugal

local long form: Republica Portuguesa

local short form: Portugal

Government type:

republic; parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Lisbon

geographic coordinates: 38 43 N, 9 08 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

18 districts (distritos, singular - distrito) and 2 autonomous regions* (regioes autonomas, singular - regiao autonoma); Aveiro, Acores (Azores)*, Beja, Braga, Braganca, Castelo Branco, Coimbra, Evora, Faro, Guarda, Leiria, Lisboa (Lisbon), Madeira*, Portalegre, Porto, Santarem, Setubal, Viana do Castelo, Vila Real, Viseu

Independence:

1143 (Kingdom of Portugal recognized); 5 October 1910 (republic proclaimed)

National holiday:

Portugal Day (Dia de Portugal), 10 June (1580); note - also called Camoes Day, the day that revered national poet Luis de Camoes (1524-80) died

Constitution:

adopted 2 April 1976; subsequently revised

note: the revisions placed the military under strict civilian control, trimmed the powers of the president, and laid the groundwork for a stable, pluralistic liberal democracy; and they allowed for the privatization of nationalized firms and the government-owned communications media

Legal system:

based on civil law system; the Constitutional Tribunal reviews the constitutionality of legislation; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Anibal CAVACO SILVA (since 9 March 2006)

head of government: Prime Minister Jose SOCRATES Carvalho Pinto de Sousa (since 12 March 2005)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister

note: there is also a Council of State that acts as a consultative body to the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 22 January 2006 (next to be held in January 2011); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the president

election results: Anibal CAVACO SILVA elected president; percent of vote - Anibal CAVACO SILVA 50.6%, Manuel ALEGRE 20.7%, Mario Alberto Nobre Lopes SOARES 14.3%, Jeronimo DE SOUSA 8.5%, Franciso LOUCA 5.3%

Legislative branch:

unicameral Assembly of the Republic or Assembleia da Republica (230 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 27 September 2009 (next to be held in fall 2013)

election results: percent of vote by party - PS 37.7%, PSD 30%, CDS/PP 10.8%, BE 10.2%, CDU 8.1%, other 3.2%; seats by party - PS 96, PSD 78, CDS/PP 21, BE 16, CDU 15

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (Supremo Tribunal de Justica); judges appointed for life by the Conselho Superior da Magistratura

Political parties and leaders:

Democratic and Social Center/Popular Party or CDS/PP [Paulo PORTAS];
Green Ecologist Party (The Greens) or PEV [leadership commission
elected by members]; Portuguese Communist Party or PCP [Jeronimo DE
SOUSA]; Portuguese Socialist Party or PS [Jose SOCRATES Carvalho
Pinto de Sousa]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Manuela FERREIRA
LEITE]; The Left Bloc or BE [Franciso Anacleto LOUCA]; Unitarian
Democratic Coalition or CDU [Jeronimo DE SOUSA] (includes PCP and
PEV)

Political pressure groups and leaders:

the media; labor unions

International organization participation:

ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Australia
Group, BIS, CE, CERN, CPLP, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO,
IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU,
ITUC, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURCAT, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG,
OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, SECI
(observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina,
UNMIT, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Joao DE VALLERA

chancery: 2012 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

telephone: [1] (202) 328-8610

FAX: [1] (202) 462-3726

consulate(s) general: Boston, New York, Newark (New Jersey), San Francisco

consulate(s): New Bedford (Massachusetts), Providence (Rhode Island)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas F. STEPHENSON

embassy: Avenida das Forcas Armadas, 1600-081 Lisbon

mailing address: Apartado 43033, 1601-301 Lisboa; PSC 83, APO AE 09726

telephone: [351] (21) 727-3300

FAX: [351] (21) 726-9109

consulate(s): Ponta Delgada (Azores)

Flag description:

two vertical bands of green (hoist side, two-fifths) and red (three-fifths) with the Portuguese coat of arms centered on the dividing line

Economy ::Portugal

Economy - overview:

Portugal has become a diversified and increasingly service-based economy since joining the European Community in 1986. Over the past two decades, successive governments have privatized many state-controlled firms and liberalized key areas of the economy, including the financial and telecommunications sectors. The country qualified for the European Monetary Union (EMU) in 1998 and began circulating the euro on 1 January 2002 along with 11 other EU member economies. Economic growth had been above the EU average for much of the 1990s, but fell back in 2001-08. GDP per capita stands at roughly two-thirds of the EU-27 average. A poor educational system, in particular, has been an obstacle to greater productivity and growth. Portugal has been increasingly overshadowed by lower-cost producers in Central Europe and Asia as a target for foreign direct investment. The budget deficit surged to an all-time high of 6% of GDP in 2005, but the government reduced the deficit to 2.6% in 2007 - a year ahead of Portugal's targeted schedule. Nonetheless, the government faces tough choices in its attempts to boost the economy, which declined 0.1% in 2008, while keeping the budget deficit within the euro-zone 3%-of-GDP ceiling.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$237.3 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 48 $237.3 billion (2007 est.)

$232.9 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$244.6 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

0% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 199 1.9% (2007 est.)

1.4% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$22,200 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 54 $22,300 (2007 est.)

$22,000 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 2.8%

industry: 25%

services: 72.2% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

5.625 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 68

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 10%

industry: 30%

services: 60% (2007 est.)

Unemployment rate:

7.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 102 8% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

18% (2006)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 3.1%

highest 10%: 28.4% (1995 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

38.5 (2007) country comparison to the world: 72 35.6 (1995)

Investment (gross fixed):

21.7% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 89

Budget:

revenues: $105.5 billion

expenditures: $111.9 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

66.4% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 19 61.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 28 2.4% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

3% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 104 5% (31 December 2007)

note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro area

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

8.35% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 108 7.92% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$NA

note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the euro area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 16 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money and quasi money circulating within their own borders

Stock of quasi money:

$NA

Stock of domestic credit:

$491 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 20 $412.7 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 44 $132.3 billion (31 December 2007)

$104.2 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

grain, potatoes, tomatoes, olives, grapes; sheep, cattle, goats, swine, poultry, dairy products; fish

Industries:

textiles, clothing, footwear, wood and cork, paper, chemicals, auto-parts manufacturing, base metals, diary products, wine and other foods, porcelain and ceramics, glassware, technology, telecommunications; ship construction and refurbishment; tourism

Industrial production growth rate:

-2.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 156

Electricity - production:

44.47 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 51

Electricity - consumption:

48.78 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 46

Electricity - exports:

1.313 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

10.74 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

7,861 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 89

Oil - consumption:

291,700 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 42

Oil - exports:

53,260 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 77

Oil - imports:

351,100 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 30

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl country comparison to the world: 143

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 141

Natural gas - consumption:

4.754 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 59

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 132

Natural gas - imports:

4.763 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 33

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 145

Current account balance:

-$29.6 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 181 -$21.18 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$56.42 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 54 $51.81 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

agricultural products, food products, oil products, chemical products, plastics and rubber, skins and leather, wood and cork, wood pulp and paper, textile materials, clothing, footwear, minerals and mineral products, base metals, machinery and tools, vehicles and other transport material, and optical and precision instruments

Exports - partners:

Spain 25.7%, Germany 12.7%, France 11.1%, Angola 5.9%, UK 5.3% (2008)

Imports:

$87.83 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 37 $75.98 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

agricultural products, food products, oil products, chemical products, plastics and rubber, skins and leather, wood and cork, wood pulp and paper, textile materials, clothing, footwear, minerals and mineral products, base metals, machinery and tools, vehicles and other transport material, and optical and precision instruments, computer accessories and parts, semi-conductors and related devices, household goods, passenger cars new and used, and wine products

Imports - partners:

Spain 28.9%, Germany 11.6%, France 8%, Italy 4.9%, Netherlands 4.4% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$11.95 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 62 $11.55 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$484.7 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 20 $483.9 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$117.8 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 30 $114.2 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$69.24 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 28 $69.24 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008 est.), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)

Communications ::Portugal

Telephones - main lines in use:

4.121 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 37

Telephones - mobile cellular:

14.91 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 44

Telephone system:

general assessment: Portugal's telephone system has a state-of-the-art network with broadband, high-speed capabilities

domestic: integrated network of coaxial cables, open-wire, microwave radio relay, and domestic satellite earth stations

international: country code - 351; a combination of submarine cables provide connectivity to Europe, North and East Africa, South Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and the US; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), NA Eutelsat; tropospheric scatter to Azores (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 2, FM 63, shortwave 1 (2008)

Television broadcast stations:

42 (2008)

Internet country code:

.pt

Internet hosts:

1.967 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 33

Internet users:

4.476 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 45

Transportation ::Portugal

Airports:

65 (2009) country comparison to the world: 76

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 43

over 3,047 m: 5

2,438 to 3,047 m: 9

1,524 to 2,437 m: 5

914 to 1,523 m: 13

under 914 m: 11 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 22

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 21 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 1,098 km; oil 11 km; refined products 188 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 2,786 km country comparison to the world: 58 broad gauge: 2,603 km 1.668-m gauge (1,351 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 183 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 82,900 km country comparison to the world: 56 paved: 71,294 km (includes 2,300 km of expressways)

unpaved: 11,606 km (2005)

Waterways:

210 km (on Douro River from Porto) (2008) country comparison to the world: 96

Merchant marine:

total: 117 country comparison to the world: 48 by type: bulk carrier 10, cargo 36, carrier 1, chemical tanker 15, container 6, liquefied gas 9, passenger 10, passenger/cargo 9, petroleum tanker 4, roll on/roll off 1, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 15

foreign-owned: 84 (Bahamas 1, Belgium 8, Denmark 3, Germany 20, Greece 4, Hong Kong 2, Italy 12, Japan 15, Mexico 1, Netherlands 1, Spain 11, Sweden 3, Switzerland 2, US 1)

registered in other countries: 15 (Cyprus 1, Hong Kong 1, Italy 1, Malta 3, Panama 9) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Leixoes, Lisbon, Setubal, Sines

Military ::Portugal

Military branches:

Portuguese Army (Exercito Portugues), Portuguese Navy (Marinha
Portuguesa; includes Marine Corps), Portuguese Air Force (Forca
Aerea Portuguesa, FAP) (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service; compulsory military service ended in 2004; women serve in the armed forces, on naval ships since 1993, but are prohibited from serving in some combatant specialties; reserve obligation to age 35 (2007)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 2,573,913

females age 16-49: 2,498,262 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 2,103,558

females age 16-49: 2,049,032 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 64,047

female: 57,630 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

2.3% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 72

Transnational Issues ::Portugal

Disputes - international:

Portugal does not recognize Spanish sovereignty over the territory of Olivenza based on a difference of interpretation of the 1815 Congress of Vienna and the 1801 Treaty of Badajoz

Illicit drugs:

seizing record amounts of Latin American cocaine destined for Europe; a European gateway for Southwest Asian heroin; transshipment point for hashish from North Africa to Europe; consumer of Southwest Asian heroin

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Puerto Rico (Central America and Caribbean)

Introduction ::Puerto Rico

Background:

Populated for centuries by aboriginal peoples, the island was claimed by the Spanish Crown in 1493 following COLUMBUS' second voyage to the Americas. In 1898, after 400 years of colonial rule that saw the indigenous population nearly exterminated and African slave labor introduced, Puerto Rico was ceded to the US as a result of the Spanish-American War. Puerto Ricans were granted US citizenship in 1917. Popularly-elected governors have served since 1948. In 1952, a constitution was enacted providing for internal self government. In plebiscites held in 1967, 1993, and 1998, voters chose not to alter the existing political status.

Geography ::Puerto Rico

Location:

Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic
Ocean, east of the Dominican Republic

Geographic coordinates:

18 15 N, 66 30 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 13,790 sq km country comparison to the world: 162 land: 8,870 sq km

water: 4,921 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly less than three times the size of Rhode Island

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

501 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical marine, mild; little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain:

mostly mountains with coastal plain belt in north; mountains precipitous to sea on west coast; sandy beaches along most coastal areas

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: Cerro de Punta 1,339 m

Natural resources:

some copper and nickel; potential for onshore and offshore oil

Land use:

arable land: 3.69%

permanent crops: 5.59%

other: 90.72% (2005)

Irrigated land:

400 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

periodic droughts; hurricanes

Environment - current issues:

erosion; occasional drought causing water shortages

Geography - note:

important location along the Mona Passage - a key shipping lane to the Panama Canal; San Juan is one of the biggest and best natural harbors in the Caribbean; many small rivers and high central mountains ensure land is well watered; south coast relatively dry; fertile coastal plain belt in north

People ::Puerto Rico

Population:

3,971,020 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 128

Age structure:

0-14 years: 19.9% (male 404,635/female 386,733)

15-64 years: 66% (male 1,260,114/female 1,361,193)

65 years and over: 14.1% (male 240,318/female 318,027) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 36.2 years

male: 34.5 years

female: 37.9 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.34% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 171

Birth rate:

12.12 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 167

Death rate:

7.75 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 115

Net migration rate:

-0.96 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 122

Urbanization:

urban population: 98% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 0.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female

total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 8.42 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 162 male: 9.69 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 7.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 78.53 years country comparison to the world: 42 male: 74.85 years

female: 82.39 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.71 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 171

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

7,397 (1997) country comparison to the world: 115

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Puerto Rican(s) (US citizens)

adjective: Puerto Rican

Ethnic groups:

white (mostly Spanish origin) 76.2%, black 6.9%, Asian 0.3%, Amerindian 0.2%, mixed 4.4%, other 12% (2007)

Religions:

Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant and other 15%

Languages:

Spanish, English

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 94.1%

male: 93.9%

female: 94.4% (2002 est.)

Education expenditures:

NA

Government ::Puerto Rico

Country name:

conventional long form: Commonwealth of Puerto Rico

conventional short form: Puerto Rico

Dependency status:

unincorporated, organized territory of the US with commonwealth status; policy relations between Puerto Rico and the US conducted under the jurisdiction of the Office of the President

Government type:

commonwealth

Capital:

name: San Juan

geographic coordinates: 18 28 N, 66 07 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

none (territory of the US with commonwealth status); there are no
first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US
Government, but there are 78 municipalities (municipios, singular -
municipio) at the second order; Adjuntas, Aguada, Aguadilla, Aguas
Buenas, Aibonito, Anasco, Arecibo, Arroyo, Barceloneta,
Barranquitas, Bayamon, Cabo Rojo, Caguas, Camuy, Canovanas,
Carolina, Catano, Cayey, Ceiba, Ciales, Cidra, Coamo, Comerio,
Corozal, Culebra, Dorado, Fajardo, Florida, Guanica, Guayama,
Guayanilla, Guaynabo, Gurabo, Hatillo, Hormigueros, Humacao,
Isabela, Jayuya, Juana Diaz, Juncos, Lajas, Lares, Las Marias, Las
Piedras, Loiza, Luquillo, Manati, Maricao, Maunabo, Mayaguez, Moca,
Morovis, Naguabo, Naranjito, Orocovis, Patillas, Penuelas, Ponce,
Quebradillas, Rincon, Rio Grande, Sabana Grande, Salinas, San
German, San Juan, San Lorenzo, San Sebastian, Santa Isabel, Toa
Alta, Toa Baja, Trujillo Alto, Utuado, Vega Alta, Vega Baja,
Vieques, Villalba, Yabucoa, Yauco

Independence:

none (territory of the US with commonwealth status)

National holiday:

US Independence Day, 4 July (1776); Puerto Rico Constitution Day, 25
July (1952)

Constitution:

ratified 3 March 1952; approved by US Congress 3 July 1952; effective 25 July 1952

Legal system:

based on Spanish civil code and within the US Federal system of justice

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal; island residents are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Barack H. OBAMA (since 20 January 2009); Vice President Joseph R. BIDEN (since 20 January 2009)

head of government: Governor Luis FORTUNO (since 2 January 2009)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor with the consent of the legislature

elections: under the US Constitution, residents of unincorporated territories, such as Puerto Rico, do not vote in elections for US president and vice president; however, they may vote in Democratic and Republican party presidential primary elections; governor elected by popular vote for a four-year term (no term limits); election last held 4 November 2008 (next to be held in November 2012)

election results: Luis FORTUNO elected governor with 52.8% of the vote

Legislative branch:

bicameral Legislative Assembly consists of the Senate (at least 27 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives (51 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held 4 November 2008 (next to be held November 2012); House of Representatives - last held 4 November 2008 (next to be held in November 2012)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - PNP 81.5%, PPD 18.5%; seats by party - PNP 22, PPD 5; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - PNP 72.5%, PPD 27.5%; seats by party - PNP 37, PPD 14

note: Puerto Rico elects, by popular vote, a resident commissioner to serve a four-year term as a nonvoting representative in the US House of Representatives; aside from not voting on the House floor, he enjoys all the rights of a member of Congress; elections last held 4 November 2008 (next to be held in November 2012); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PNP 1

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court; Appellate Court; Court of First Instance composed of two sections: a Superior Court and a Municipal Court (justices for all these courts appointed by the governor with the consent of the Senate)

Political parties and leaders:

National Democratic Party [Roberto PRATS]; National Republican Party
of Puerto Rico [Dr. Tiody FERRE]; New Progressive Party or PNP
[Pedro ROSSELLO] (pro-US statehood); Popular Democratic Party or PPD
[Anibal ACEVEDO-VILA] (pro-commonwealth); Puerto Rican Independence
Party or PIP [Ruben BERRIOS Martinez] (pro-independence)

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Boricua Popular Army or EPB (a revolutionary group also known as Los Macheteros); note - the following radical groups are considered dormant by Federal law enforcement: Armed Forces for National Liberation or FALN, Armed Forces of Popular Resistance, Volunteers of the Puerto Rican Revolution

International organization participation:

Caricom (observer), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, ITUC, UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCL, WFTU

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (territory of the US with commonwealth status)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (territory of the US with commonwealth status)

Flag description:

five equal horizontal bands of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side bears a large, white, five-pointed star in the center; design initially influenced by the US flag, but similar to the Cuban flag, with the colors of the bands and triangle reversed

Economy ::Puerto Rico

Economy - overview:

Puerto Rico has one of the most dynamic economies in the Caribbean region. A diverse industrial sector has far surpassed agriculture as the primary locus of economic activity and income. Encouraged by duty-free access to the US and by tax incentives, US firms have invested heavily in Puerto Rico since the 1950s. US minimum wage laws apply. Sugar production has lost out to dairy production and other livestock products as the main source of income in the agricultural sector. Tourism has traditionally been an important source of income with estimated arrivals of nearly 5 million tourists in 2004. Growth fell off in 2001-03, largely due to the slowdown in the US economy, recovered in 2004-05, but declined again in 2006-07.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$70.23 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 80 $72.03 billion (2007 est.)

$73.35 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$88 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

-2.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 212 -1.8% (2007 est.)

0.5% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$17,800 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 70 $18,300 (2007 est.)

$18,700 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 1%

industry: 45%

services: 54% (2005 est.)

Labor force:

1.479 million (2007) country comparison to the world: 130

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 2.1%

industry: 19%

services: 79% (2005)

Unemployment rate:

12% (2002) country comparison to the world: 137

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $6.7 billion

expenditures: $9.6 billion (FY99/00)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

6.5% (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 111

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

sugarcane, coffee, pineapples, plantains, bananas; livestock products, chickens

Industries:

pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, food products, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

23.72 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 67

Electricity - consumption:

22.06 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 65

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

1,354 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 103

Oil - consumption:

185,300 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 59

Oil - exports:

16,520 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 93

Oil - imports:

225,000 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 44

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 141

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 139

Natural gas - consumption:

806.6 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 90

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 126

Natural gas - imports:

806.6 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 56

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 143

Exports:

$46.9 billion (2001) country comparison to the world: 58

Exports - commodities:

chemicals, electronics, apparel, canned tuna, rum, beverage concentrates, medical equipment

Imports:

$29.1 billion c.i.f.

Imports - commodities:

chemicals, machinery and equipment, clothing, food, fish, petroleum products

Debt - external:

$NA

Exchange rates:

the US dollar is used

Communications ::Puerto Rico

Telephones - main lines in use:

1.038 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 78

Telephones - mobile cellular:

3.354 million (2005) country comparison to the world: 102

Telephone system:

general assessment: modern system integrated with that of the US by high-capacity submarine cable and Intelsat with high-speed data capability

domestic: digital telephone system; cellular telephone service

international: country code - 1-787, 939; submarine cables provide connectivity to the US, Caribbean, Central and South America; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 74, FM 53, shortwave 0 (2008)

Television broadcast stations:

34 (2008)

Internet country code:

.pr

Internet hosts:

700 (2009) country comparison to the world: 167

Internet users:

1 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 89

Transportation ::Puerto Rico

Airports:

29 (2009) country comparison to the world: 117

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 17

over 3,047 m: 3

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 7

under 914 m: 5 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 12

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 10 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 26,186 km country comparison to the world: 102 paved: 24,877 km (includes 427 km of expressways)

unpaved: 1,309 km (2007)

Merchant marine:

total: 3 country comparison to the world: 140 by type: roll on/roll off 3

foreign-owned: 3 (US 3)

registered in other countries: 1 (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Guayanilla, Mayaguez, San Juan

Military ::Puerto Rico

Military branches:

no regular indigenous military forces; paramilitary National Guard, Police Force

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 699,784

females age 16-49: 790,482 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 30,422

female: 29,396 (2009 est.)

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues ::Puerto Rico

Disputes - international:

increasing numbers of illegal migrants from the Dominican Republic cross the Mona Passage to Puerto Rico each year looking for work

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Qatar (Middle East)

Introduction ::Qatar

Background:

Ruled by the al-Thani family since the mid-1800s, Qatar transformed itself from a poor British protectorate noted mainly for pearling into an independent state with significant oil and natural gas revenues. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Qatari economy was crippled by a continuous siphoning off of petroleum revenues by the Amir, who had ruled the country since 1972. His son, the current Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa al-Thani, overthrew him in a bloodless coup in 1995. In 2001, Qatar resolved its longstanding border disputes with both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. As of 2007, oil and natural gas revenues had enabled Qatar to attain the second-highest per capita income in the world.

Geography ::Qatar

Location:

Middle East, peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia

Geographic coordinates:

25 30 N, 51 15 E

Map references:

Middle East

Area:

total: 11,586 sq km country comparison to the world: 165 land: 11,586 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Connecticut

Land boundaries:

total: 60 km

border countries: Saudi Arabia 60 km

Coastline:

563 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: as determined by bilateral agreements or the median line

Climate:

arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers

Terrain:

mostly flat and barren desert covered with loose sand and gravel

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m

highest point: Qurayn Abu al Bawl 103 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, natural gas, fish

Land use:

arable land: 1.64%

permanent crops: 0.27%

other: 98.09% (2005)

Irrigated land:

130 sq km (2002)

Total renewable water resources:

0.1 cu km (1997)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.29 cu km/yr (24%/3%/72%)

per capita: 358 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

haze, dust storms, sandstorms common

Environment - current issues:

limited natural fresh water resources are increasing dependence on large-scale desalination facilities

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

strategic location in central Persian Gulf near major petroleum deposits

People ::Qatar

Population:

833,285 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 158

Age structure:

0-14 years: 21.8% (male 93,805/female 88,040)

15-64 years: 76.8% (male 454,714/female 185,004)

65 years and over: 1.4% (male 6,792/female 4,930) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 30.8 years

male: 32.8 years

female: 25.4 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.957% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 130

Birth rate:

15.61 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 136

Death rate:

2.46 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 219

Net migration rate:

-3.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 155

Urbanization:

urban population: 96% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 2.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 2.46 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.38 male(s)/female

total population: 2 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 12.66 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 140 male: 13.51 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 11.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 75.35 years country comparison to the world: 80 male: 73.66 years

female: 77.14 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.45 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 100

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.09% (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 166

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Qatari(s)

adjective: Qatari

Ethnic groups:

Arab 40%, Indian 18%, Pakistani 18%, Iranian 10%, other 14%

Religions:

Muslim 77.5%, Christian 8.5%, other 14% (2004 census)

Languages:

Arabic (official), English commonly used as a second language

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 89%

male: 89.1%

female: 88.6% (2004 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 13 years

male: 13 years

female: 14 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

3.3% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 136

Government ::Qatar

Country name:

conventional long form: State of Qatar

conventional short form: Qatar

local long form: Dawlat Qatar

local short form: Qatar

note: closest approximation of the native pronunciation falls between cutter and gutter, but not like guitar

Government type:

emirate

Capital:

name: Doha

geographic coordinates: 25 17 N, 51 32 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

10 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ad Dawhah, Al Ghuwayriyah, Al Jumayliyah, Al Khawr, Al Wakrah, Ar Rayyan, Jarayan al Batinah, Madinat ash Shamal, Umm Sa'id, Umm Salal

Independence:

3 September 1971 (from the UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 3 September (1971); also observed is National Day, 18 December

Constitution:

ratified by public referendum on 29 April 2003, endorsed by the Amir on 8 June 2004, effective on 9 June 2005

Legal system:

based on Islamic and civil law codes; discretionary system of law controlled by the Amir, although civil codes are being implemented; Islamic law dominates family and personal matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa al-Thani (since 27 June 1995 when, as heir apparent, he ousted his father, Amir KHALIFA bin Hamad al-Thani, in a bloodless coup); Heir Apparent TAMIM bin Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, fourth son of the monarch (selected Heir Apparent by the monarch on 5 August 2003); note - Amir HAMAD also holds the positions of Minister of Defense and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces

head of government: Prime Minister HAMAD bin Jasim bin Jabir al-Thani (since 3 April 2007); Deputy Prime Minister Abdallah bin Hamad al-ATIYAH (since 3 April 2007)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch

elections: the monarch is hereditary

note: in April 2007, Qatar held nationwide elections for a 29-member Central Municipal Council (CMC), which has limited consultative powers aimed at improving the provision of municipal services; the first election for the CMC was held in March 1999

Legislative branch:

unicameral Advisory Council or Majlis al-Shura (35 seats; members appointed)

note: no legislative elections have been held since 1970 when there were partial elections to the body; Council members have had their terms extended every year since the new constitution came into force on 9 June 2005; the constitution provides for a new 45-member Advisory Council or Majlis al-Shura; the public would elect two-thirds of the Majlis al-Shura; the Amir would appoint the remaining members; preparations are underway to conduct elections to the Majlis al-Shura

Judicial branch:

Courts of First Instance, Appeal, and Cassation; an Administrative Court and a Constitutional Court were established in 2007; note - all judges are appointed by Amiri Decree based on the recommendation of the Supreme Judiciary Council for renewable three-year terms

Political parties and leaders:

none

Political pressure groups and leaders:

none

International organization participation:

ABEDA, ACC, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM,
IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC,
IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC,
OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Ali Fahad al-Shahwany al-HAJRI

chancery: 2555 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20037

telephone: [1] (202) 274-1600 and 274-1603

FAX: [1] (202) 237-0061

consulate(s) general: Houston

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph E. LEBARON

embassy: Al-Luqta District, 22 February Road, Doha

mailing address: P. O. Box 2399, Doha

telephone: [974] 488 4161

FAX: [974] 488 4150

Flag description:

maroon with a broad white serrated band (nine white points) on the hoist side

Economy ::Qatar

Economy - overview:

Qatar has experienced rapid economic growth over the last several years on the back of high oil prices, and in 2008 posted its eighth consecutive budget surplus. Economic policy is focused on developing Qatar's nonassociated natural gas reserves and increasing private and foreign investment in non-energy sectors, but oil and gas still account for more than 50% of GDP, roughly 85% of export earnings, and 70% of government revenues. Oil and gas have made Qatar the second highest per-capita income country - following Liechtenstein - and one of the world's fastest growing. Proved oil reserves of 15 billion barrels should enable continued output at current levels for 37 years. Qatar's proved reserves of natural gas are nearly 26 trillion cubic meters, about 14% of the world total and third largest in the world. The drop in oil prices in late 2008 and the global financial crisis will reduce Qatar's budget surplus and may slow the pace of investment and development projects in 2009.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$91.55 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 69 $80.73 billion (2007 est.)

$68.82 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$102.3 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

13.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 3 17.3% (2007 est.)

12.2% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$111,000 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 2 $99,100 (2007 est.)

$85,800 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 0.1%

industry: 74.9%

services: 25.1% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

1.119 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 136

Unemployment rate:

0.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 3 0.7% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Investment (gross fixed):

32.1% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 18

Budget:

revenues: $36.59 billion

expenditures: $27.14 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

5.1% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 121 11% of GDP (2007 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

15.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 191 13.7% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

5.5% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 79 5.5% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

6.84% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 115 7.43% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$13.98 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 41 $9.718 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$36.58 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 32 $22.6 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$59.43 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 45 $30.52 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$76.31 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 49 $95.49 billion (31 December 2007)

$61.56 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

fruits, vegetables; poultry, dairy products, beef; fish

Industries:

crude oil production and refining, ammonia, fertilizers, petrochemicals, steel reinforcing bars, cement, commercial ship repair

Industrial production growth rate:

13% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 3

Electricity - production:

15.11 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 78

Electricity - consumption:

13.73 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 74

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

1.208 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 21

Oil - consumption:

129,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 69

Oil - exports:

1.043 million bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 21

Oil - imports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 207

Oil - proved reserves:

15.21 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 14

Natural gas - production:

76.98 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 10

Natural gas - consumption:

20.2 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 36

Natural gas - exports:

56.78 billion cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 6

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 142

Natural gas - proved reserves:

25.26 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 3

Current account balance:

$15.07 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 23 $10.45 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$55.73 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 55 $42.02 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

liquefied natural gas (LNG), petroleum products, fertilizers, steel

Exports - partners:

Japan 38.5%, South Korea 20.9%, Singapore 11.1%, India 4.5%,
Thailand 4.4% (2008)

Imports:

$25.11 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 68 $19.82 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and transport equipment, food, chemicals

Imports - partners:

US 12.1%, Germany 9%, Italy 8.9%, Japan 8%, South Korea 7.5%, France 6.2%, UAE 5.5%, UK 4.9%, Saudi Arabia 4.6%, Turkey 4.2%, China 4.2% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$9.998 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 66 $9.752 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$57.37 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 49 $33.09 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$3.627 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 91 $2.601 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$5.363 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 55 $6.993 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

Qatari rials (QAR) per US dollar - 3.64 (2008 est.), 3.64 (2007), 3.64 (2006), 3.64 (2005), 3.64 (2004)

Communications ::Qatar

Telephones - main lines in use:

263,400 (2008) country comparison to the world: 117

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1.683 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 128

Telephone system:

general assessment: modern system centered in Doha

domestic: combined fixed and mobile-cellular telephone subscribership exceeds 200 telephones per 100 persons

international: country code - 974; landing point for the Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG) submarine cable network that provides links to Asia, Middle East, Europe, and the US; tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia and the UAE; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (plus 3 repeaters) (2001)

Internet country code:

.qa

Internet hosts:

722 (2009) country comparison to the world: 166

Internet users:

436,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 111

Transportation ::Qatar

Airports:

5 (2009) country comparison to the world: 178

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 3

over 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Heliports:

1 (2009)

Pipelines:

condensate 145 km; condensate/gas 132 km; gas 978 km; liquid petroleum gas 90 km; oil 382 km (2008)

Roadways:

total: 7,790 km (2006) country comparison to the world: 143

Merchant marine:

total: 22 country comparison to the world: 96 by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 2, chemical tanker 2, container 8, liquefied gas 4, petroleum tanker 4

foreign-owned: 7 (Kuwait 7)

registered in other countries: 5 (Liberia 4, Panama 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Doha, Ra's Laffan

Military ::Qatar

Military branches:

Qatari Amiri Land Force (QALF), Qatari Amiri Navy (QAN), Qatari
Amiri Air Force (QAAF) (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 320,383

females age 16-49: 167,475 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 318,388

females age 16-49: 136,841 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 6,337

female: 5,059 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

10% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 2

Transnational Issues ::Qatar

Disputes - international:

none

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Qatar is a destination country for men and women from South and Southeast Asia who migrate willingly, but are subsequently trafficked into involuntary servitude as domestic workers and laborers, and, to a lesser extent, commercial sexual exploitation; the most common offense was forcing workers to accept worse contract terms than those under which they were recruited; other conditions include bonded labor, withholding of pay, restrictions on movement, arbitrary detention, and physical, mental, and sexual abuse

tier rating: Tier 3 - Qatar failed, for the second consecutive year, to enforce criminal laws against traffickers, or to provide an effective mechanism to identify and protect victims; it continues to detain and deport victims rather than providing them protection; the government made little progress to increase prosecutions for trafficking in a meaningful way in 2007; workers complaining of working conditions or non-payment of wages were sometimes penalized (2008)

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Romania (Europe)

Introduction ::Romania

Background:

The principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia - for centuries under the suzerainty of the Turkish Ottoman Empire - secured their autonomy in 1856; they united in 1859 and a few years later adopted the new name of Romania. The country gained recognition of its independence in 1878. It joined the Allied Powers in World War I and acquired new territories - most notably Transylvania - following the conflict. In 1940, Romania allied with the Axis powers and participated in the 1941 German invasion of the USSR. Three years later, overrun by the Soviets, Romania signed an armistice. The post-war Soviet occupation led to the formation of a Communist "people's republic" in 1947 and the abdication of the king. The decades-long rule of dictator Nicolae CEAUSESCU, who took power in 1965, and his Securitate police state became increasingly oppressive and draconian through the 1980s. CEAUSESCU was overthrown and executed in late 1989. Former Communists dominated the government until 1996 when they were swept from power. Romania joined NATO in 2004 and the EU in 2007.

Geography ::Romania

Location:

Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and
Ukraine

Geographic coordinates:

46 00 N, 25 00 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 238,391 sq km country comparison to the world: 82 land: 229,891 sq km

water: 8,500 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Oregon

Land boundaries:

total: 2,508 km

border countries: Bulgaria 608 km, Hungary 443 km, Moldova 450 km, Serbia 476 km, Ukraine (north) 362 km, Ukraine (east) 169 km

Coastline:

225 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:

temperate; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow and fog; sunny summers with frequent showers and thunderstorms

Terrain:

central Transylvanian Basin is separated from the Moldavian Plateau on the east by the Eastern Carpathian Mountains and separated from the Walachian Plain on the south by the Transylvanian Alps

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Black Sea 0 m

highest point: Moldoveanu 2,544 m

Natural resources:

petroleum (reserves declining), timber, natural gas, coal, iron ore, salt, arable land, hydropower

Land use:

arable land: 39.49%

permanent crops: 1.92%

other: 58.59% (2005)

Irrigated land:

30,770 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

42.3 cu km (2003)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 6.5 cu km/yr (9%/34%/57%)

per capita: 299 cu m/yr (2003)

Natural hazards:

earthquakes, most severe in south and southwest; geologic structure and climate promote landslides

Environment - current issues:

soil erosion and degradation; water pollution; air pollution in south from industrial effluents; contamination of Danube delta wetlands

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

controls most easily traversable land route between the Balkans, Moldova, and Ukraine

People ::Romania

Population:

22,215,421 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 51

Age structure:

0-14 years: 15.5% (male 1,772,583/female 1,681,539)

15-64 years: 69.7% (male 7,711,062/female 7,784,041)

65 years and over: 14.7% (male 1,332,120/female 1,934,076) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 37.7 years

male: 36.3 years

female: 39.2 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.147% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 216

Birth rate:

10.53 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 185

Death rate:

11.88 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 39

Net migration rate:

-0.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 94

Urbanization:

urban population: 54% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: -0.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female

total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 22.9 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 95 male: 25.94 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 19.66 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 72.45 years country comparison to the world: 117 male: 68.95 years

female: 76.16 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.39 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 197

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 126

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

15,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 87

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

350 (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 102

Nationality:

noun: Romanian(s)

adjective: Romanian

Ethnic groups:

Romanian 89.5%, Hungarian 6.6%, Roma 2.5%, Ukrainian 0.3%, German 0.3%, Russian 0.2%, Turkish 0.2%, other 0.4% (2002 census)

Religions:

Eastern Orthodox (including all sub-denominations) 86.8%, Protestant (various denominations including Reformate and Pentecostal) 7.5%, Roman Catholic 4.7%, other (mostly Muslim) and unspecified 0.9%, none 0.1% (2002 census)

Languages:

Romanian 91% (official), Hungarian 6.7%, Romany (Gypsy) 1.1%, other 1.2%

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 97.3%

male: 98.4%

female: 96.3% (2002 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 14 years

male: 14 years

female: 14 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

3.5% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 129

Government ::Romania

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Romania

local long form: none

local short form: Romania

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Bucharest

geographic coordinates: 44 26 N, 26 06 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

41 counties (judete, singular - judet) and 1 municipality* (municipiu); Alba, Arad, Arges, Bacau, Bihor, Bistrita-Nasaud, Botosani, Braila, Brasov, Bucuresti (Bucharest)*, Buzau, Calarasi, Caras-Severin, Cluj, Constanta, Covasna, Dimbovita, Dolj, Galati, Gorj, Giurgiu, Harghita, Hunedoara, Ialomita, Iasi, Ilfov, Maramures, Mehedinti, Mures, Neamt, Olt, Prahova, Salaj, Satu Mare, Sibiu, Suceava, Teleorman, Timis, Tulcea, Vaslui, Vilcea, Vrancea

Independence:

9 May 1877 (independence proclaimed from the Ottoman Empire; independence recognized 13 July 1878 by the Treaty of Berlin); 26 March 1881 (kingdom proclaimed); 30 December 1947 (republic proclaimed)

National holiday:

Unification Day (of Romania and Transylvania), 1 December (1918)

Constitution:

8 December 1991; revised 29 October 2003

Legal system:

based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Traian BASESCU (since 20 December 2004); note - President Traian BASESCU was suspended by vote of parliament on 19 April 2007, but resumed his duties on 23 May 2007 after a popular referendum confirmed that his impeachment should not stand

head of government: Prime Minister Emil BOC (since 22 December 2008)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 28 November 2004 with runoff between the top two candidates held 12 December 2004 (next to be held in November-December 2009); prime minister appointed by the president with the consent of the Parliament

election results: percent of vote - Traian BASESCU 51.23%, Adrian NASTASE 48.77%

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the Senate or Senat (137 seats; members are elected by popular vote in a mixed electoral system to serve four-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camera Deputatilor (334 seats; members are elected by popular vote in a mixed electoral system to serve four-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held 30 November 2008 (next expected to be held in November 2012); Chamber of Deputies - last held 30 November 2008 (next expected to be held November 2012)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by alliance/party - PSD-PC 34.2%, PDL 33.6%, PNL 18.7%, UDMR 6.4%, other 7.1%; seats by alliance/party - PSD-PC 49, PDL 51, PNL 28, UDMR 9; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by alliance/party - PSD-PC 33.1%, PDL 32.4%, PNL 18.6%, UDMR 6.2%, ethnic minorities 3.6%, other 6.1%; seats by alliance/party - PSD-PC 114, PDL 115, PNL 65, UDMR 22, ethnic minorities 18

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court of Justice (comprised of 11 judges appointed for three-year terms by the president in consultation with the Superior Council of Magistrates, which is comprised of the minister of justice, the prosecutor general, two civil society representatives appointed by the Senate, and 14 judges and prosecutors elected by their peers); a separate body, the Constitutional Court, validates elections and makes decisions regarding the constitutionality of laws, treaties, ordinances, and internal rules of the Parliament; it is comprised of nine members serving nine-year terms, with three members each appointed by the president, the Senate, and the Chamber of Deputies

Political parties and leaders:

Conservative Party or PC [Daniela POPA] (formerly Humanist Party or
PUR); Democratic Liberal Party or PDL [Emil BOC]; Democratic Union
of Hungarians in Romania or UDMR [Bela MARKO]; National Liberal
Party or PNL [Calin Popescu-TARICEANU]; Social Democratic Party or
PSD [Mircea Dan GEOANA] (formerly Party of Social Democracy in
Romania or PDSR)

Political pressure groups and leaders:

other: various human rights and professional associations

International organization participation:

Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA
(cooperating state), EU, FAO, G-9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MONUC,
NAM (guest), NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SECI,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI,
UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Adrian Cosmin VIERITA

chancery: 1607 23rd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 332-4846, 4848, 4851, 4852

FAX: [1] (202) 232-4748

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge D'Affaires Jeri GUTHRIE-CORN

embassy: Strada Tudor Arghezi 7-9, Bucharest

mailing address: pouch: American Embassy Bucharest, US Department of State, 5260 Bucharest Place, Washington, DC 20521-5260 (pouch)

telephone: [40] (21) 200-3300

FAX: [40] (21) 200-3442

Flag description:

three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red; the national coat of arms that used to be centered in the yellow band has been removed; now similar to the flag of Chad, also resembles the flags of Andorra and Moldova

Economy ::Romania

Economy - overview:

Romania, which joined the European Union on 1 January 2007, began the transition from Communism in 1989 with a largely obsolete industrial base and a pattern of output unsuited to the country's needs. The country emerged in 2000 from a punishing three-year recession thanks to strong demand in EU export markets. Domestic consumption and investment have fueled strong GDP growth in recent years, but have led to large current account imbalances. Romania's macroeconomic gains have only recently started to spur creation of a middle class and address Romania's widespread poverty. Corruption and red tape continue to handicap its business environment. Inflation rose in 2007-08, driven in part by strong consumer demand and high wage growth, rising energy costs, a nation-wide drought affecting food prices, and a relaxation of fiscal discipline. Romania's strong GDP growth moderated markedly in the last quarter of 2008 as the country began to feel the effects of a global downturn in financial markets and trade, and growth is expected to be much weaker in 2009. Romania hopes to adopt the euro by 2014.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$272 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 42 $254 billion (2007 est.)

$239.2 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$200.1 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

7.1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 35 6.2% (2007 est.)

7.9% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$12,200 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 90 $11,400 (2007 est.)

$10,700 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 8.1%

industry: 36%

services: 55.9% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

9.32 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 53

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 29.7%

industry: 23.2%

services: 47.1% (2006)

Unemployment rate:

4.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 56 4.1% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

25% (2005 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 1.2%

highest 10%: 20.8% (2006)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

32 (2008) country comparison to the world: 103 28.8 (2003)

Investment (gross fixed):

33.3% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 13

Budget:

revenues: $65.29 billion

expenditures: $74.99 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

14.7% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 105 23.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

7.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 123 4.8% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

NA%

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

14.99% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 55 13.35% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$25.3 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 33 $25.17 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$36.09 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 33 $34.96 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$72.85 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 43 $58.76 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$19.92 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 59 $44.93 billion (31 December 2007)

$32.78 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, sunflower seed, potatoes, grapes; eggs, sheep

Industries:

electric machinery and equipment, textiles and footwear, light machinery and auto assembly, mining, timber, construction materials, metallurgy, chemicals, food processing, petroleum refining

Industrial production growth rate:

7.1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 27

Electricity - production:

58.28 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 44

Electricity - consumption:

49.44 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 44

Electricity - exports:

5.169 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

921 million kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

115,200 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 50

Oil - consumption:

219,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 54

Oil - exports:

115,600 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 65

Oil - imports:

217,000 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 45

Oil - proved reserves:

600 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 42

Natural gas - production:

11.42 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 41

Natural gas - consumption:

16.92 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 39

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 128

Natural gas - imports:

5.5 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 30

Natural gas - proved reserves:

63 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 60

Current account balance:

-$24.81 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 178 -$23.02 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$49.41 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 56 $40.32 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, textiles and footwear, metals and metal products, machinery and equipment, minerals and fuels, chemicals, agricultural products

Exports - partners:

Germany 16.5%, Italy 15.6%, France 7.4%, Turkey 6.6%, Hungary 5.1%,
Bulgaria 4.2% (2008)

Imports:

$76.17 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 42 $64.54 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, fuels and minerals, chemicals, textile and products, metals, agricultural products

Imports - partners:

Germany 16.3%, Italy 11.4%, Hungary 7.4%, Russia 6%, France 5.7%,
Turkey 4.9%, Austria 4.9%, Kazakhstan 4.6%, China 4.2% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$39.47 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 33 $39.96 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$102.2 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 36 $NA (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$72.61 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 43 $62.86 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$921 million (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 74 $1.238 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

lei (RON) per US dollar - 2.5 (2008 est.), 2.43 (2007), 2.809 (2006), 3 (2005), 3 (2004)

Communications ::Romania

Telephones - main lines in use:

5.036 million (2007) country comparison to the world: 31

Telephones - mobile cellular:

24.467 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 34

Telephone system:

general assessment: the telecommunications sector is being expanded and modernized; domestic and international service improving rapidly, especially mobile-cellular services

domestic: more than 90 percent of telephone network is automatic; fixed-line teledensity exceeds 20 telephones per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity, expanding rapidly, roughly 110 telephones per 100 persons

international: country code - 40; the Black Sea Fiber Optic System provides connectivity to Bulgaria and Turkey; satellite earth stations - 10; digital, international, direct-dial exchanges operate in Bucharest (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

698 (station frequency type NA) (2006)

Television broadcast stations:

623 (plus 200 repeaters) (2006)

Internet country code:

.ro

Internet hosts:

2.188 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 31

Internet users:

6.132 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 37

Transportation ::Romania

Airports:

53 (2009) country comparison to the world: 89

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 25

over 3,047 m: 4

2,438 to 3,047 m: 10

1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 28

914 to 1,523 m: 7

under 914 m: 21 (2009)

Heliports:

2 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 3,588 km; oil 2,424 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 10,788 km country comparison to the world: 21 broad gauge: 57 km 1.524-m gauge

standard gauge: 10,731 km 1.435-m gauge (3,965 km electrified) (2008)

Roadways:

total: 198,817 km country comparison to the world: 26 paved: 60,043 km (includes 228 km of expressways)

unpaved: 138,774 km (2004)

Waterways:

1,731 km country comparison to the world: 48 note: includes 1,075 km on Danube River, 524 km on secondary branches, and 132 km on canals (2006)

Merchant marine:

total: 17 country comparison to the world: 103 by type: cargo 11, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 1

registered in other countries: 49 (Cambodia 1, Georgia 16, North Korea 4, Liberia 2, Malta 8, Marshall Islands 1, Moldova 3, Panama 7, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Sierra Leone 3, Syria 2) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Braila, Constanta, Galati, Tulcea

Military ::Romania

Military branches:

Land Forces, Naval Forces, Romanian Air Force (Fortele Aeriene
Romane, FAR), Special Operations (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18-35 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; conscription officially ended October 2006; all military inductees (including women) contract for an initial 5-year term of service, with subsequent successive contracts for 3-year terms until age 36 (2009)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 5,682,299

females age 16-49: 5,557,098 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 4,542,720

females age 16-49: 4,604,484 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 124,356

female: 118,430 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.9% of GDP (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 85

Transnational Issues ::Romania

Disputes - international:

the ICJ gave Ukraine until December 2006 to reply, and Romania until June 2007 to issue a rejoinder, in their dispute submitted in 2004 over Ukrainian-administered Zmiyinyy/Serpilor (Snake) Island and Black Sea maritime boundary delimitation; Romania also opposes Ukraine's reopening of a navigation canal from the Danube border through Ukraine to the Black Sea

Illicit drugs:

major transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin transiting the Balkan route and small amounts of Latin American cocaine bound for Western Europe; although not a significant financial center, role as a narcotics conduit leaves it vulnerable to laundering, which occurs via the banking system, currency exchange houses, and casinos

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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@Russia (Central Asia)

Introduction ::Russia

Background:

Founded in the 12th century, the Principality of Muscovy, was able to emerge from over 200 years of Mongol domination (13th-15th centuries) and to gradually conquer and absorb surrounding principalities. In the early 17th century, a new Romanov Dynasty continued this policy of expansion across Siberia to the Pacific. Under PETER I (ruled 1682-1725), hegemony was extended to the Baltic Sea and the country was renamed the Russian Empire. During the 19th century, more territorial acquisitions were made in Europe and Asia. Defeat in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-05 contributed to the Revolution of 1905, which resulted in the formation of a parliament and other reforms. Repeated devastating defeats of the Russian army in World War I led to widespread rioting in the major cities of the Russian Empire and to the overthrow in 1917 of the imperial household. The Communists under Vladimir LENIN seized power soon after and formed the USSR. The brutal rule of Iosif STALIN (1928-53) strengthened Communist rule and Russian dominance of the Soviet Union at a cost of tens of millions of lives. The Soviet economy and society stagnated in the following decades until General Secretary Mikhail GORBACHEV (1985-91) introduced glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restructuring) in an attempt to modernize Communism, but his initiatives inadvertently released forces that by December 1991 splintered the USSR into Russia and 14 other independent republics. Since then, Russia has shifted its post-Soviet democratic ambitions in favor of a centralized semi-authoritarian state whose legitimacy is buttressed, in part, by carefully managed national elections, former President PUTIN's genuine popularity, and the prudent management of Russia's windfall energy wealth. Russia has severely disabled a Chechen rebel movement, although violence still occurs throughout the North Caucasus.

Geography ::Russia

Location:

Northern Asia (the area west of the Urals is considered part of
Europe), bordering the Arctic Ocean, between Europe and the North
Pacific Ocean

Geographic coordinates:

60 00 N, 100 00 E

Map references:

Asia

Area:

total: 17,098,242 sq km country comparison to the world: 1 land: 16,377,742 sq km

water: 720,500 sq km

Area - comparative:

approximately 1.8 times the size of the US

Land boundaries:

total: 20,241.5 km

border countries: Azerbaijan 284 km, Belarus 959 km, China (southeast) 3,605 km, China (south) 40 km, Estonia 290 km, Finland 1,313 km, Georgia 723 km, Kazakhstan 6,846 km, North Korea 17.5 km, Latvia 292 km, Lithuania (Kaliningrad Oblast) 227 km, Mongolia 3,441 km, Norway 196 km, Poland (Kaliningrad Oblast) 432 km, Ukraine 1,576 km

Coastline:

37,653 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:

ranges from steppes in the south through humid continental in much of European Russia; subarctic in Siberia to tundra climate in the polar north; winters vary from cool along Black Sea coast to frigid in Siberia; summers vary from warm in the steppes to cool along Arctic coast

Terrain:

broad plain with low hills west of Urals; vast coniferous forest and tundra in Siberia; uplands and mountains along southern border regions

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m

highest point: Gora El'brus 5,633 m

Natural resources:

wide natural resource base including major deposits of oil, natural gas, coal, and many strategic minerals, timber

note: formidable obstacles of climate, terrain, and distance hinder exploitation of natural resources

Land use:

arable land: 7.17%

permanent crops: 0.11%

other: 92.72% (2005)

Irrigated land:

46,000 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

4,498 cu km (1997)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 76.68 cu km/yr (19%/63%/18%)

per capita: 535 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

permafrost over much of Siberia is a major impediment to development; volcanic activity in the Kuril Islands; volcanoes and earthquakes on the Kamchatka Peninsula; spring floods and summer/autumn forest fires throughout Siberia and parts of European Russia

Environment - current issues:

air pollution from heavy industry, emissions of coal-fired electric plants, and transportation in major cities; industrial, municipal, and agricultural pollution of inland waterways and seacoasts; deforestation; soil erosion; soil contamination from improper application of agricultural chemicals; scattered areas of sometimes intense radioactive contamination; groundwater contamination from toxic waste; urban solid waste management; abandoned stocks of obsolete pesticides

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulfur 85, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Sulfur 94

Geography - note:

largest country in the world in terms of area but unfavorably located in relation to major sea lanes of the world; despite its size, much of the country lacks proper soils and climates (either too cold or too dry) for agriculture; Mount El'brus is Europe's tallest peak

People ::Russia

Population:

140,041,247 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 9

Age structure:

0-14 years: 14.8% (male 10,644,833/female 10,095,011)

15-64 years: 71.5% (male 48,004,040/female 52,142,313)

65 years and over: 13.7% (male 5,880,877/female 13,274,173) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 38.4 years

male: 35.2 years

female: 41.6 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.467% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 226

Birth rate:

11.1 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 177

Death rate:

16.06 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 16

Net migration rate:

0.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 71

Urbanization:

urban population: 73% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: -0.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.44 male(s)/female

total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 10.56 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 152 male: 12.08 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 8.94 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 66.03 years country comparison to the world: 162 male: 59.33 years

female: 73.14 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.41 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 194

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

1.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 52

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

940,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 13

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

40,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 13

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: intermediate

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea

vectorborne disease: tickborne encephalitis

note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Russian(s)

adjective: Russian

Ethnic groups:

Russian 79.8%, Tatar 3.8%, Ukrainian 2%, Bashkir 1.2%, Chuvash 1.1%, other or unspecified 12.1% (2002 census)

Religions:

Russian Orthodox 15-20%, Muslim 10-15%, other Christian 2% (2006 est.)

note: estimates are of practicing worshipers; Russia has large populations of non-practicing believers and non-believers, a legacy of over seven decades of Soviet rule

Languages:

Russian, many minority languages

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.4%

male: 99.7%

female: 99.2% (2002 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 14 years

male: 13 years

female: 14 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

3.8% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 117

Government ::Russia

Country name:

conventional long form: Russian Federation

conventional short form: Russia

local long form: Rossiyskaya Federatsiya

local short form: Rossiya

former: Russian Empire, Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic

Government type:

federation

Capital:

name: Moscow

geographic coordinates: 55 45 N, 37 35 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

note: Russia is divided into 11 time zones

Administrative divisions:

46 oblasts (oblastey, singular - oblast), 21 republics (respublik, singular - respublika), 4 autonomous okrugs (avtonomnykh okrugov, singular - avtonomnyy okrug), 9 krays (krayev, singular - kray), 2 federal cities (goroda, singular - gorod), and 1 autonomous oblast (avtonomnaya oblast')

oblasts: Amur (Blagoveshchensk), Arkhangel'sk, Astrakhan', Belgorod,
Bryansk, Chelyabinsk, Irkutsk, Ivanovo, Kaliningrad, Kaluga,
Kemerovo, Kirov, Kostroma, Kurgan, Kursk, Leningrad, Lipetsk,
Magadan, Moscow, Murmansk, Nizhniy Novgorod, Novgorod, Novosibirsk,
Omsk, Orenburg, Orel, Penza, Pskov, Rostov, Ryazan', Sakhalin
(Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk), Samara, Saratov, Smolensk, Sverdlovsk
(Yekaterinburg), Tambov, Tomsk, Tula, Tver', Tyumen', Ul'yanovsk,
Vladimir, Volgograd, Vologda, Voronezh, Yaroslavl'

republics: Adygeya (Maykop), Altay (Gorno-Altaysk), Bashkortostan
(Ufa), Buryatiya (Ulan-Ude), Chechnya (Groznyy), Chuvashiya
(Cheboksary), Dagestan (Makhachkala), Ingushetiya (Magas),
Kabardino-Balkariya (Nal'chik), Kalmykiya (Elista),
Karachayevo-Cherkesiya (Cherkessk), Kareliya (Petrozavodsk),
Khakasiya (Abakan), Komi (Syktyvkar), Mariy-El (Yoshkar-Ola),
Mordoviya (Saransk), North Ossetia (Vladikavkaz), Sakha [Yakutiya]
(Yakutsk), Tatarstan (Kazan'), Tyva (Kyzyl), Udmurtiya (Izhevsk)

autonomous okrugs: Chukotka (Anadyr'), Khanty-Mansi (Khanty-Mansiysk), Nenets (Nar'yan-Mar), Yamalo-Nenets (Salekhard)

krays: Altay (Barnaul), Kamchatka (Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy), Khabarovsk, Krasnodar, Krasnoyarsk, Perm', Primorskiy [Maritime] (Vladivostok), Stavropol', Zabaykal'sk (Chita)

federal cities: Moscow [Moskva], Saint Petersburg [Sankt-Peterburg]

autonomous oblast: Yevrey [Jewish] (Birobidzhan)

note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses)

Independence:

24 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

National holiday:

Russia Day, 12 June (1990)

Constitution:

adopted 12 December 1993

Legal system:

based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Dmitriy Anatolyevich MEDVEDEV (since 7 May 2008)

head of government: Premier Vladimir Vladimirovich PUTIN (since 8
May 2008); First Deputy Premiers Igor Ivanovich SHUVALOV and Viktor
Alekseyevich ZUBKOV (since 12 May 2008); Deputy Premiers Sergey
Borisovich IVANOV (since 12 May 2008), Dmitriy Nikolayevich KOZAK
(since 14 October 2008), Aleksey Leonidovich KUDRIN (since 24
September 2007), Igor Ivanovich SECHIN (since 12 May 2008), Sergey
Semenovich SOBYANIN (since 12 May 2008), Aleksandr Dmitriyevich
ZHUKOV (since 9 March 2004), and Dmitry Nikolayevich KOZAK (since 14
October 2008)

cabinet: Ministries of the Government or "Government" composed of the premier and his deputies, ministers, and selected other individuals; all are appointed by the president

note: there is also a Presidential Administration (PA) that provides staff and policy support to the president, drafts presidential decrees, and coordinates policy among government agencies; a Security Council also reports directly to the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 2 March 2008 (next to be held in March 2012); note - no vice president; if the president dies in office, cannot exercise his powers because of ill health, is impeached, or resigns, the premier serves as acting president until a new presidential election is held, which must be within three months; premier appointed by the president with the approval of the Duma

election results: Dmitriy MEDVEDEV elected president; percent of vote - Dmitry MEDVEDEV 70.2%, Gennady ZYUGANOV 17.7%, Vladimir ZHIRINOVSKY 9.4%, Andrey BOGDANOV 1.3%

Legislative branch:

bicameral Federal Assembly or Federalnoye Sobraniye consists of an upper house, the Federation Council or Sovet Federatsii (168 seats; as of July 2000, members appointed by the top executive and legislative officials in each of the 84 federal administrative units - oblasts, krays, republics, autonomous okrugs and oblasts, and the federal cities of Moscow and Saint Petersburg; serve four-year terms) and a lower house, the State Duma or Gosudarstvennaya Duma (450 seats; as of 2007, all members elected by proportional representation from party lists winning at least 7% of the vote; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: State Duma - last held 2 December 2007 (next to be held in December 2011)

election results: State Duma - United Russia 64.3%, CPRF 11.5%, LDPR 8.1%, Just Russia 7.7%, other 8.4%; total seats by party - United Russia 315, CPRF 57, LDPR 40, Just Russia 38

Judicial branch:

Constitutional Court; Supreme Court; Supreme Arbitration Court; judges for all courts are appointed for life by the Federation Council on the recommendation of the president

Political parties and leaders:

A Just Russia [Sergey MIRONOV]; Communist Party of the Russian
Federation or CPRF [Gennadiy Andreyevich ZYUGANOV]; Liberal
Democratic Party of Russia or LDPR [Vladimir Volfovich
ZHIRINOVSKIY]; Patriots of Russia [Gennadiy SEMIGIN]; People's Union
[Sergey BABURIN]; Right Cause [Leonid Yakovlevich GOZMAN, Boris
Yuriyevich TITOV, and Georgiy Georgiyevich BOVT] (registration
pending; formed from merger of Union of Right Forces, Democratic
Party of Russia, and Civic Force); United Russia [Vladimir
Vladimirovich PUTIN]; Yabloko Party [Sergey Sergeyevich MITROKHIN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

All-Russian Confederation of Labor; Baikal Environmental Wave;
Federation of Independent Labor Unions of Russia; Freedom of Choice
Interregional Organization of Automobilists; Glasnost Defense
Foundation; Golos Association in Defense of Voters' Rights;
Greenpeace Russia; Human Rights Watch (Russian chapter); Institute
for Collective Action; Memorial (human rights group); Movement
Against Illegal Migration; Pamjat (preservation of historical
monuments and recording of history); Russian Orthodox Church;
Russian-Chechen Friendship Society; SOVA Analytical-Information
Center; Union of the Committees of Soldiers' Mothers; World Wildlife
Fund (Russian chapter)

International organization participation:

APEC, Arctic Council, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), BIS, BSEC, CBSS, CE, CERN (observer), CIS, CSTO, EAEC, EAPC, EBRD, G-20, G-8, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (guest), NSG, OAS (observer), OECD (accession state), OIC (observer), OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, SCO, UN, UN Security Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer), ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Sergey Ivanovich KISLYAK

chancery: 2650 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007

telephone: [1] (202) 298-5700, 5701, 5704, 5708

FAX: [1] (202) 298-5735

consulate(s) general: Houston, New York, San Francisco, Seattle

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador John R. BEYRLE

embassy: Bolshoy Deviatinskiy Pereulok No. 8, 121099 Moscow

mailing address: PSC-77, APO AE 09721

telephone: [7] (495) 728-5000

FAX: [7] (495) 728-5090

consulate(s) general: Saint Petersburg, Vladivostok, Yekaterinburg

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red

Economy ::Russia

Economy - overview:

Russia ended 2008 with GDP growth of 5.6%, following 10 straight years of growth averaging 7% annually since the financial crisis of 1998. Over the last six years, fixed capital investment growth and personal income growth have averaged above 10%, but both grew at slower rates in 2008. Growth in 2008 was driven largely by non-tradable services and domestic manufacturing, rather than exports. During the past decade, poverty and unemployment declined steadily and the middle class continued to expand. Russia also improved its international financial position, running balance of payments surpluses since 2000. Foreign exchange reserves grew from $12 billion in 1999 to almost $600 billion by end July 2008, which include $200 billion in two sovereign wealth funds: a reserve fund to support budgetary expenditures in case of a fall in the price of oil and a national welfare fund to help fund pensions and infrastructure development. Total foreign debt is almost one-third of GDP. The state component of foreign debt has declined, but commercial short-term debt to foreigners has risen strongly. These positive trends began to reverse in the second half of 2008. Investor concerns over the Russia-Georgia conflict, corporate governance issues, and the global credit crunch in September caused the Russian stock market to fall by roughly 70%, primarily due to margin calls that were difficult for many Russian companies to meet. The global crisis also affected Russia's banking system, which faced liquidity problems. Moscow responded quickly in early October 2008, initiating a rescue plan of over $200 billion that was designed to increase liquidity in the financial sector, to help firms refinance foreign debt, and to support the stock market. The government also unveiled a $20 billion tax cut plan and other safety nets for society and industry. Meanwhile, a 70% drop in the price of oil since mid-July further exacerbated imbalances in external accounts and the federal budget. In mid-November, mini-devaluations of the currency by the Central Bank caused increased capital flight and froze domestic credit markets, resulting in growing unemployment, wage arrears, and a severe drop in production. Foreign exchange reserves dropped to around $435 billion by end 2008, as the Central Bank defended an overvalued ruble. In the first year of his term, President MEDVEDEV outlined a number of economic priorities for Russia including improving infrastructure, innovation, investment, and institutions; reducing the state's role in the economy; reforming the tax system and banking sector; developing one of the biggest financial centers in the world, combating corruption, and improving the judiciary. The Russian government needs to diversify the economy further, as energy and other raw materials still dominate Russian export earnings and federal budget receipts. Russia's infrastructure requires large investments and must be replaced or modernized if the country is to achieve broad-based economic growth. Corruption, lack of trust in institutions, and more recently, exchange rate uncertainty and the global economic crisis continue to dampen domestic and foreign investor sentiment. Russia has made some progress in building the rule of law, the bedrock of a modern market economy, but much work remains on judicial reform. Moscow continues to seek accession to the WTO and has made some progress, but its timeline for entry into the organization continues to slip, and the negotiating atmosphere has soured in the wake of the Georgia and global economic crises.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$2.271 trillion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 7 $2.151 trillion (2007 est.)

$1.99 trillion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$1.677 trillion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 71 8.1% (2007 est.)

7.7% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$16,100 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 73 $15,200 (2007 est.)

$14,000 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 4.7%

industry: 37.6%

services: 57.7% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

75.7 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 7

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 10.2%

industry: 27.4%

services: 62.4% (2007 est.)

Unemployment rate:

6.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 82 6.2% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

15.8% (November 2007)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 1.9%

highest 10%: 30.4% (September 2007)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

41.5 (September 2008) country comparison to the world: 56 39.9 (2001)

Investment (gross fixed):

22.1% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 81

Budget:

revenues: $364.6 billion

expenditures: $304.6 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

6.5% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 117 28.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

14.1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 186 9% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

13% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 38 10% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

12.23% (31 December 2008)

NA% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$252.5 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 6 $303.7 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$318.4 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 11 $292.5 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$367.2 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 23 $339.1 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$397.2 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 11 $1.503 trillion (31 December 2007)

$1.057 trillion (31 December 2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:

grain, sugar beets, sunflower seed, vegetables, fruits; beef, milk

Industries:

complete range of mining and extractive industries producing coal, oil, gas, chemicals, and metals; all forms of machine building from rolling mills to high-performance aircraft and space vehicles; defense industries including radar, missile production, and advanced electronic components, shipbuilding; road and rail transportation equipment; communications equipment; agricultural machinery, tractors, and construction equipment; electric power generating and transmitting equipment; medical and scientific instruments; consumer durables, textiles, foodstuffs, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate:

3.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 74

Electricity - production:

958 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 5

Electricity - consumption:

840.4 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 5

Electricity - exports:

18.6 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

3.105 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

9.79 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 2

Oil - consumption:

2.9 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 6

Oil - exports:

6.845 million bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 2

Oil - imports:

47,360 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 89

Oil - proved reserves:

60 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 8

Natural gas - production:

662.2 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 1

Natural gas - consumption:

475.7 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 3

Natural gas - exports:

243.4 billion cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 1

Natural gas - imports:

56.9 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 6

Natural gas - proved reserves:

47.57 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 1

Current account balance:

$102.4 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 5 $77.01 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$471.6 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 9 $354.4 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

petroleum and petroleum products, natural gas, wood and wood products, metals, chemicals, and a wide variety of civilian and military manufactures

Exports - partners:

Netherlands 11.2%, Italy 8.1%, Germany 8%, Turkey 6%, Ukraine 5.1%,
Poland 4.5%, China 4.3% (2008)

Imports:

$291.9 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 18 $223.5 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

vehicles, machinery and equipment, plastics, medicines, iron and steel, consumer goods, meat, fruits and nuts, semifinished metal products

Imports - partners:

Germany 13.5%, China 13.2%, Japan 6.5%, Ukraine 6%, US 4.5%, Italy 4.3% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$427.1 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 3 $476.4 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$483.5 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 21 $471 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$491.2 billion (2007) country comparison to the world: 10 $271.6 billion (2006)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$176.7 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 17 $209.6 billion (2006)

Exchange rates:

Russian rubles (RUB) per US dollar - 24.3 (2008 est.), 25.659 (2007), 27.19 (2006), 28.284 (2005), 28.814 (2004)

Communications ::Russia

Telephones - main lines in use:

44.2 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 5

Telephones - mobile cellular:

187.5 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 4

Telephone system:

general assessment: the telephone system is experiencing significant changes; there are more than 1,000 companies licensed to offer communication services; access to digital lines has improved, particularly in urban centers; Internet and e-mail services are improving; Russia has made progress toward building the telecommunications infrastructure necessary for a market economy; the estimated number of mobile subscribers jumped from fewer than 1 million in 1998 to nearly 188 million in 2008; a large demand for main line service remains unsatisfied

domestic: cross-country digital trunk lines run from Saint Petersburg to Khabarovsk, and from Moscow to Novorossiysk; the telephone systems in 60 regional capitals have modern digital infrastructures; cellular services, both analog and digital, are available in many areas; in rural areas, the telephone services are still outdated, inadequate, and low density

international: country code - 7; Russia is connected internationally by undersea fiber optic cables; digital switches in several cities provide more than 50,000 lines for international calls; satellite earth stations provide access to Intelsat, Intersputnik, Eutelsat, Inmarsat, and Orbita systems (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 323, FM 1,500 est., shortwave 62 (2004)

Television broadcast stations:

7,306 (1998)

Internet country code:

.ru; note - Russia also has responsibility for a legacy domain ".su" that was allocated to the Soviet Union and is being phased out

Internet hosts:

7.663 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 13

Internet users:

45.25 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 8

Transportation ::Russia

Airports:

1,216 (2009) country comparison to the world: 5

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 595

over 3,047 m: 52

2,438 to 3,047 m: 198

1,524 to 2,437 m: 129

914 to 1,523 m: 99

under 914 m: 117 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 621

over 3,047 m: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 13

1,524 to 2,437 m: 68

914 to 1,523 m: 84

under 914 m: 453 (2009)

Heliports:

48 (2009)

Pipelines:

condensate 122 km; gas 158,767 km; liquid petroleum gas 127 km; oil 74,285 km; refined products 13,658 km; water 23 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 87,157 km country comparison to the world: 2 broad gauge: 86,200 km 1.520-m gauge (40,300 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 957 km 1.067-m gauge (on Sakhalin Island)

note: an additional 30,000 km of non-common carrier lines serve industries (2006)

Roadways:

total: 933,000 km country comparison to the world: 8 paved: 754,984 km (includes 30,000 km of expressways)

unpaved: 178,016 km

note: includes public, local, and departmental roads (2006)

Waterways:

102,000 km (including 33,000 km with guaranteed depth) country comparison to the world: 2 note: 72,000 km system in European Russia links Baltic Sea, White Sea, Caspian Sea, Sea of Azov, and Black Sea (2007)

Merchant marine:

total: 1,074 country comparison to the world: 9 by type: bulk carrier 25, cargo 663, carrier 2, chemical tanker 27, combination ore/oil 34, container 11, passenger 14, passenger/cargo 7, petroleum tanker 217, refrigerated cargo 59, roll on/roll off 10, specialized tanker 5

foreign-owned: 112 (Belgium 4, Cyprus 2, Germany 1, Greece 1, Italy 4, South Korea 1, Latvia 2, Norway 2, Switzerland 3, Turkey 80, Ukraine 11, US 1)

registered in other countries: 486 (Antigua and Barbuda 4, Bahamas 4, Belize 31, Bulgaria 1, Cambodia 83, Comoros 12, Cyprus 50, Dominica 3, Georgia 12, Hong Kong 2, Jamaica 3, Liberia 94, Malaysia 2, Malta 58, Marshall Islands 9, Moldova 3, Mongolia 9, Panama 18, Saint Kitts and Nevis 19, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 21, Sierra Leone 11, Slovakia 1, Tuvalu 2, Ukraine 1, Vanuatu 2, unknown 31) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Azov, Kaliningrad, Kavkaz, Nakhodka, Novorossiysk, Primorsk, Saint
Petersburg, Vostochnyy

Military ::Russia

Military branches:

Ground Forces (Sukhoputnyye Voyskia, SV), Navy (Voyenno-Morskoy Flot, VMF), Air Forces (Voyenno-Vozdushniye Sily, VVS); Airborne Troops (VDV), Strategic Rocket Forces (Raketnyye Voyska Strategicheskogo Naznacheniya, RVSN), and Space Troops (Kosmicheskiye Voyska, KV) are independent "combat arms," not subordinate to any of the three branches; Russian Ground Forces include the following combat arms: motorized-rifle troops, tank troops, missile and artillery troops, air defense of ground troops (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18-27 years of age for compulsory or voluntary military service; males are registered for the draft at 17 years of age; service obligation - 1 year; reserve obligation to age 50; as of July 2008, a draft military strategy called for the draft to continue up to the year 2030 (2009)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 36,219,908

females age 16-49: 37,019,853 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 21,098,306

females age 16-49: 27,968,883 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 741,692

female: 706,081 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

3.9% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 30

Transnational Issues ::Russia

Disputes - international:

China and Russia have demarcated the once disputed islands at the Amur and Ussuri confluence and in the Argun River in accordance with the 2004 Agreement, ending their centuries-long border disputes; the sovereignty dispute over the islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri, Shikotan, and the Habomai group, known in Japan as the "Northern Territories" and in Russia as the "Southern Kurils," occupied by the Soviet Union in 1945, now administered by Russia, and claimed by Japan, remains the primary sticking point to signing a peace treaty formally ending World War II hostilities; Russia and Georgia agree on delimiting all but small, strategic segments of the land boundary and the maritime boundary; OSCE observers monitor volatile areas such as the Pankisi Gorge in the Akhmeti region and the Kodori Gorge in Abkhazia; Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Russia signed equidistance boundaries in the Caspian seabed but the littoral states have no consensus on dividing the water column; Russia and Norway dispute their maritime limits in the Barents Sea and Russia's fishing rights beyond Svalbard's territorial limits within the Svalbard Treaty zone; various groups in Finland advocate restoration of Karelia (Kareliya) and other areas ceded to the Soviet Union following the Second World War but the Finnish Government asserts no territorial demands; in May 2005, Russia recalled its signatures to the 1996 border agreements with Estonia (1996) and Latvia (1997), when the two Baltic states announced issuance of unilateral declarations referencing Soviet occupation and ensuing territorial losses; Russia demands better treatment of ethnic Russians in Estonia and Latvia; Estonian citizen groups continue to press for realignment of the boundary based on the 1920 Tartu Peace Treaty that would bring the now divided ethnic Setu people and parts of the Narva region within Estonia; Lithuania and Russia committed to demarcating their boundary in 2006 in accordance with the land and maritime treaty ratified by Russia in May 2003 and by Lithuania in 1999; Lithuania operates a simplified transit regime for Russian nationals traveling from the Kaliningrad coastal exclave into Russia, while still conforming, as an EU member state with an EU external border, where strict Schengen border rules apply; preparations for the demarcation delimitation of land boundary with Ukraine have commenced; the dispute over the boundary between Russia and Ukraine through the Kerch Strait and Sea of Azov remains unresolved despite a December 2003 framework agreement and on-going expert-level discussions; Kazakhstan and Russia boundary delimitation was ratified on November 2005 and field demarcation should commence in 2007; Russian Duma has not yet ratified 1990 Bering Sea Maritime Boundary Agreement with the US

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

IDPs: 18,000-160,000 (displacement from Chechnya and North Ossetia) (2007)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Russia is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for various purposes; it remains a significant source of women trafficked to over 50 countries for commercial sexual exploitation; Russia is also a transit and destination country for men and women trafficked from Central Asia, Eastern Europe, and North Korea to Central and Western Europe and the Middle East for purposes of forced labor and sexual exploitation; internal trafficking remains a problem in Russia with women trafficked from rural areas to urban centers for commercial sexual exploitation, and men trafficked internally and from Central Asia for forced labor in the construction and agricultural industries; debt bondage is common among trafficking victims, and child sex tourism remains a concern

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Russia is on the Tier 2 Watch List for a fifth consecutive year for its failure to show evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking over the previous year, particularly in providing assistance to victims of trafficking; comprehensive trafficking victim assistance legislation, which would address key deficiencies, has been pending before the Duma since 2003 and was neither passed nor enacted in 2007 (2008)

Illicit drugs:

limited cultivation of illicit cannabis and opium poppy and producer of methamphetamine, mostly for domestic consumption; government has active illicit crop eradication program; used as transshipment point for Asian opiates, cannabis, and Latin American cocaine bound for growing domestic markets, to a lesser extent Western and Central Europe, and occasionally to the US; major source of heroin precursor chemicals; corruption and organized crime are key concerns; major consumer of opiates

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Rwanda (Africa)

Introduction ::Rwanda

Background:

In 1959, three years before independence from Belgium, the majority ethnic group, the Hutus, overthrew the ruling Tutsi king. Over the next several years, thousands of Tutsis were killed, and some 150,000 driven into exile in neighboring countries. The children of these exiles later formed a rebel group, the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), and began a civil war in 1990. The war, along with several political and economic upheavals, exacerbated ethnic tensions, culminating in April 1994 in the genocide of roughly 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus. The Tutsi rebels defeated the Hutu regime and ended the killing in July 1994, but approximately 2 million Hutu refugees - many fearing Tutsi retribution - fled to neighboring Burundi, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zaire. Since then, most of the refugees have returned to Rwanda, but several thousand remained in the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC; the former Zaire) and formed an extremist insurgency bent on retaking Rwanda, much as the RPF tried in 1990. Despite substantial international assistance and political reforms - including Rwanda's first local elections in March 1999 and its first post-genocide presidential and legislative elections in August and September 2003 - the country continues to struggle to boost investment and agricultural output, and ethnic reconciliation is complicated by the real and perceived Tutsi political dominance. Kigali's increasing centralization and intolerance of dissent, the nagging Hutu extremist insurgency across the border, and Rwandan involvement in two wars in recent years in the neighboring DRC continue to hinder Rwanda's efforts to escape its bloody legacy.

Geography ::Rwanda

Location:

Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo

Geographic coordinates:

2 00 S, 30 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 26,338 sq km country comparison to the world: 148 land: 24,668 sq km

water: 1,670 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries:

total: 893 km

border countries: Burundi 290 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 217 km, Tanzania 217 km, Uganda 169 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

temperate; two rainy seasons (February to April, November to January); mild in mountains with frost and snow possible

Terrain:

mostly grassy uplands and hills; relief is mountainous with altitude declining from west to east

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Rusizi River 950 m

highest point: Volcan Karisimbi 4,519 m

Natural resources:

gold, cassiterite (tin ore), wolframite (tungsten ore), methane, hydropower, arable land

Land use:

arable land: 45.56%

permanent crops: 10.25%

other: 44.19% (2005)

Irrigated land:

90 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

5.2 cu km (2003)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.15 cu km/yr (24%/8%/68%)

per capita: 17 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

periodic droughts; the volcanic Virunga mountains are in the northwest along the border with Democratic Republic of the Congo

Environment - current issues:

deforestation results from uncontrolled cutting of trees for fuel; overgrazing; soil exhaustion; soil erosion; widespread poaching

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:

landlocked; most of the country is savanna grassland with the population predominantly rural

People ::Rwanda

Population:

10,473,282 country comparison to the world: 77 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 42.1% (male 2,216,352/female 2,196,327)

15-64 years: 55.4% (male 2,897,003/female 2,909,994)

65 years and over: 2.4% (male 100,920/female 152,686) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 18.7 years

male: 18.5 years

female: 18.9 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.782% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 17

Birth rate:

39.67 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 18

Death rate:

14.02 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 23

Net migration rate:

2.17 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 41

Urbanization:

urban population: 18% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 4.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 81.61 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 17 male: 86.68 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 76.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 50.52 years country comparison to the world: 206 male: 49.25 years

female: 51.83 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

5.25 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 22

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

2.8% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 25

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

150,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 37

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

7,800 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 37

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: malaria

animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Rwandan(s)

adjective: Rwandan

Ethnic groups:

Hutu (Bantu) 84%, Tutsi (Hamitic) 15%, Twa (Pygmy) 1%

Religions:

Roman Catholic 56.5%, Protestant 26%, Adventist 11.1%, Muslim 4.6%, indigenous beliefs 0.1%, none 1.7% (2001)

Languages:

Kinyarwanda (official) universal Bantu vernacular, French (official), English (official), Kiswahili (Swahili) used in commercial centers

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 70.4%

male: 76.3%

female: 64.7% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 9 years

male: 8 years

female: 9 years (2005)

Education expenditures:

3.8% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 115

People - note:

Rwanda is the most densely populated country in Africa

Government ::Rwanda

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Rwanda

conventional short form: Rwanda

local long form: Republika y'u Rwanda

local short form: Rwanda

former: Ruanda, German East Africa

Government type:

republic; presidential, multiparty system

Capital:

name: Kigali

geographic coordinates: 1 57 S, 30 04 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

4 provinces (in French - provinces, singular - province; in Kinyarwanda - intara for singular and plural) and 1 city* (in French - ville; in Kinyarwanda - umujyi); Est (Eastern), Kigali*, Nord (Northern), Ouest (Western), Sud (Southern)

Independence:

1 July 1962 (from Belgium-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 1 July (1962)

Constitution:

new constitution passed by referendum 26 May 2003

Legal system:

based on German and Belgian civil law systems and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Paul KAGAME (since 22 April 2000)

head of government: Prime Minister Bernard MAKUZA (since 8 March 2000)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections: President elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (eligible for a second term); elections last held 25 August 2003 (next to be held in September 2010)

election results: Paul KAGAME elected president in first direct popular vote; Paul KAGAME 95.05%, Faustin TWAGIRAMUNGU 3.62%, Jean-Nepomuscene NAYINZIRA 1.33%

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament consists of Senate (26 seats; 12 members elected by local councils, 8 appointed by the president, 4 by the Political Organizations Forum, 2 represent institutions of higher learning; to serve eight-year terms) and Chamber of Deputies (80 seats; 53 members elected by popular vote, 24 women elected by local bodies, 3 selected by youth and disability organizations; serve five-year terms)

elections: Senate - members appointed as part of the transitional government (next to be held in 2011); Chamber of Deputies - last held 15 September 2008 (next to be held September 2013)

election results: percent of vote by party - RPF 78.8%, PSD 13.1%, PL 7.5%; seats by party - RPF 42, PSD 7, PL 4, additional 27 members indirectly elected

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court; High Courts of the Republic; Provincial Courts;
District Courts; mediation committees

Political parties and leaders:

Centrist Democratic Party or PDC [Alfred MUKEZAMFURA]; Democratic
Popular Union of Rwanda or UDPR [Adrien RANGIRA]; Democratic
Republican Movement or MDR [Celestin KABANDA] (officially banned);
Islamic Democratic Party or PDI [Andre BUMAYA]; Liberal Party or PL
[Protais MITALI]; Party for Democratic Renewal (officially banned);
Rwandan Patriotic Front or RPF [Paul KAGAME]; Social Democratic
Party or PSD [Vincent BIRUTA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

IBUKA (association of genocide survivors)

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, AU, CEPGL, COMESA, EAC, EADB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO
(correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT, NAM, OIF, OPCW,
UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador James KOMONYO

chancery: 1714 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone: [1] (202) 232-2882

FAX: [1] (202) 232-4544

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador W. Stuart SYMINGTON

embassy: 2657 Avenue de la Gendarmerie, Kigali

mailing address: B. P. 28, Kigali

telephone: [250] 596-400

FAX: [250] 596-591

Flag description:

three horizontal bands of sky blue (top, double width), yellow, and green, with a golden sun with 24 rays near the fly end of the blue band

Economy ::Rwanda

Economy - overview:

Rwanda is a poor rural country with about 90% of the population engaged in (mainly subsistence) agriculture. It is the most densely populated country in Africa and is landlocked with few natural resources and minimal industry. Primary foreign exchange earners are coffee and tea. The 1994 genocide decimated Rwanda's fragile economic base, severely impoverished the population, particularly women, and eroded the country's ability to attract private and external investment. However, Rwanda has made substantial progress in stabilizing and rehabilitating its economy to pre-1994 levels, although poverty levels are higher now. GDP has rebounded and inflation has been curbed. Despite Rwanda's fertile ecosystem, food production often does not keep pace with population growth, requiring food imports. Rwanda continues to receive substantial aid money and obtained IMF-World Bank Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) initiative debt relief in 2005-06. Rwanda also received Millennium Challenge Account Threshold status in 2006. The government has embraced an expansionary fiscal policy to reduce poverty by improving education, infrastructure, and foreign and domestic investment and pursuing market-oriented reforms, although energy shortages, instability in neighboring states, and lack of adequate transportation linkages to other countries continue to handicap growth.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$9.729 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 150 $8.749 billion (2007 est.)

$8.108 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$4.459 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

11.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 7 7.9% (2007 est.)

7.3% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$900 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 218 $900 (2007 est.)

$800 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 43.2%

industry: 22.3%

services: 34.5% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

4.446 million (2007) country comparison to the world: 81

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 90%

industry and services: 10% (2000)

Unemployment rate:

NA%

Population below poverty line:

60% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.1%

highest 10%: 38.2% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

46.8 (2000) country comparison to the world: 37 28.9 (1985)

Investment (gross fixed):

22% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 84

Budget:

revenues: $930.4 million

expenditures: $1.023 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2008 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

15.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 193 9.1% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

11.25% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 23 12.5% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

16.51% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 38 15.84% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$233.6 million (31 December 2005) country comparison to the world: 104

Stock of quasi money:

$227.4 million (31 December 2005) country comparison to the world: 115

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$209.2 million (31 December 2005)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

coffee, tea, pyrethrum (insecticide made from chrysanthemums), bananas, beans, sorghum, potatoes; livestock

Industries:

cement, agricultural products, small-scale beverages, soap, furniture, shoes, plastic goods, textiles, cigarettes

Industrial production growth rate:

7.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 26

Electricity - production:

120 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 186

Electricity - consumption:

231.6 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 174

Electricity - exports:

10 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

130 million kWh (2007 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 139

Oil - consumption:

6,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 160

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 144

Oil - imports:

5,623 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 153

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 140

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 138

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 141

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 125

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 140

Natural gas - proved reserves:

56.63 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 63

Current account balance:

-$292 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 97 -$147 million (2007 est.)

Exports:

$210 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 181 $184 million (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

coffee, tea, hides, tin ore

Exports - partners:

China 9.1%, Thailand 8.6%, Germany 7.3%, US 4.5%, Belgium 4.1% (2008)

Imports:

$834 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 175 $637 million (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, steel, petroleum products, cement and construction material

Imports - partners:

Kenya 15.2%, Uganda 13.3%, China 6.3%, Belgium 5.3%, Germany 4.5% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$596 million (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 136 $552.8 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$1.4 billion (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 146

Exchange rates:

Rwandan francs (RWF) per US dollar - 550 (2008 est.), 585 (2007), 560 (2006), 610 (2005), 574.62 (2004)

Communications ::Rwanda

Telephones - main lines in use:

16,800 (2008) country comparison to the world: 198

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1.323 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 136

Telephone system:

general assessment: small, inadequate telephone system primarily serves business and government

domestic: the capital, Kigali, is connected to the centers of the provinces by microwave radio relay and, recently, by cellular telephone service; much of the network depends on wire and HF radiotelephone; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular telephone density is only about 13 telephones per 100 persons

international: country code - 250; international connections employ microwave radio relay to neighboring countries and satellite communications to more distant countries; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) in Kigali (includes telex and telefax service)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 0, FM 10 (two main FM programs are broadcast through a system of repeaters; international FM programming includes the BBC, VOA, and Deutchewelle) (2007)

Television broadcast stations:

2 (2004)

Internet country code:

.rw

Internet hosts:

81 (2009) country comparison to the world: 203

Internet users:

300,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 127

Transportation ::Rwanda

Airports:

9 (2009) country comparison to the world: 159

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 4

over 3,047 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 2

under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 5

914 to 1,523 m: 2

under 914 m: 3 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 14,008 km country comparison to the world: 125 paved: 2,662 km

unpaved: 11,346 km (2004)

Waterways:

Lac Kivu navigable by shallow-draft barges and native craft (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Cyangugu, Gisenyi, Kibuye

Military ::Rwanda

Military branches:

Rwandan Defense Forces: Army, Air Force

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 2,430,469

females age 16-49: 2,392,933 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,452,768

females age 16-49: 1,456,207 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 106,741

female: 106,935 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

2.9% of GDP (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 53

Transnational Issues ::Rwanda

Disputes - international:

fighting among ethnic groups - loosely associated political rebels, armed gangs, and various government forces in Great Lakes region transcending the boundaries of Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda - abated substantially from a decade ago due largely to UN peacekeeping, international mediation, and efforts by local governments to create civil societies; nonetheless, 57,000 Rwandan refugees still reside in 21 African states, including Zambia, Gabon, and 20,000 who fled to Burundi in 2005 and 2006 to escape drought and recriminations from traditional courts investigating the 1994 massacres; the 2005 DROC and Rwanda border verification mechanism to stem rebel actions on both sides of the border remains in place

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 46,272 (Democratic Republic of the Congo); 4,400 (Burundi) (2007)

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Saint Barthelemy (Central America and Caribbean)

Introduction ::Saint Barthelemy

Background:

Discovered in 1493 by Christopher COLUMBUS who named it for his brother Bartolomeo, St. Barthelemy was first settled by the French in 1648. In 1784, the French sold the island to Sweden, who renamed the largest town Gustavia, after the Swedish King GUSTAV III, and made it a free port; the island prospered as a trade and supply center during the colonial wars of the 18th century. France repurchased the island in 1878 and placed it under the administration of Guadeloupe. St. Barthelemy retained its free port status along with various Swedish appellations such as Swedish street and town names, and the three-crown symbol on the coat of arms. In 2003, the populace of the island voted to secede from Guadeloupe and in 2007, the island became a French overseas collectivity.

Geography ::Saint Barthelemy

Location:

located approximately 125 miles northwest of Guadeloupe

Geographic coordinates:

17 90 N, 62 85 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

21 sq km

Area - comparative:

less than an eighth of the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Climate:

tropical, with practically no variation in temperature; has two seasons (dry and humid)

Terrain:

hilly, almost completely surrounded by shallow-water reefs, with 20 beaches

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Caribbean Ocean 0 m

highest point: Morne du Vitet 286 m

Natural resources:

has few natural resources, its beaches being the most important

Environment - current issues:

with no natural rivers or streams, fresh water is in short supply, especially in summer, and provided by desalinization of sea water, collection of rain water, or imported via water tanker

People ::Saint Barthelemy

Population:

7,448 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 226

Age structure:

0-14 years: 19.2% (male 734/female 696)

15-64 years: 70.6% (male 2,855/female 2,402)

65 years and over: 10.2% (male 378/female 383) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 39.1 years

male: 39.3 years

female: 38.9 years (2009 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.19 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.99 male(s)/female

total population: 1.14 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Ethnic groups:

white, Creole (mulatto), black, Guadeloupe Mestizo (French-East Asia)

Religions:

Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jehovah's Witness

Languages:

French (primary), English

Government ::Saint Barthelemy

Country name:

conventional long form: Overseas Collectivity of Saint Barthelemy

conventional short form: Saint Barthelemy

local long form: Collectivite d'outre mer de Saint-Barthelemy

local short form: Saint-Barthelemy

Dependency status:

overseas collectivity of France

Capital:

name: Gustavia

geographic coordinates: 17 53 N, 62 51 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Independence:

none (overseas collectivity of France)

National holiday:

Bastille Day, 14 July (1789); note - local holiday is St. Barthelemy
Day, 24 August

Constitution:

4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system:

the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Suffrage:

18 years of age, universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007), represented by Prefect Dominique LACROIX (since 21 March 2007)

head of government: President of the Territorial Council Bruno MAGRAS (since 16 July 2007)

cabinet: Executive Council; note - there is also an advisory, economic, social, and cultural council

elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the Territorial Council is elected by the members of the Council for a five-year term

election results: Bruno MAGRAS unanimously elected president by the Territorial Council on 16 July 2007

Legislative branch:

unicameral Territorial Council (19 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 1 and 8 July 2007 (next to be held in July 2012)

election results: percent of vote by party - SBA 72.2%, Action-Equilibre-Transparence 9.9%, Ensemble pour Saint-Barthelemy 7.9%, Tous Unis pour Saint-Barthelemy 9.9%; seats by party - SBA 16, Action-Equilibre-Transparence 1, Ensemble pour Saint-Barthelemy 1, Tous Unis pour Saint-Barthelemy 1

note: Saint Barthelemy elects one seat to the French Senate; elections last held 21 September 2008 (next to be held in September 2014); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 1

Political parties and leaders:

Action-Equilibre-Transparence [Maxime DESOUCHES]; Ensemble pour
Saint-Barthelemy [Benoit CHAUVIN]; Saint-Barth d'Abord! or SBA
[Bruno MAGRAS]; Tous Unis pour Saint-Barthelemy [Karine MIOT-RICHARD]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

The Marine Reserve (protection of fish); Rotary Club

International organization participation:

UPU, WFTU

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (overseas collectivity of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (overseas collectivity of France)

Flag description:

the flag of France is used

Economy ::Saint Barthelemy

Economy - overview:

The economy of Saint Barthelemy is based upon high-end tourism and duty-free luxury commerce, serving visitors primarily from North America. The luxury hotels and villas host 70,000 visitors each year with another 130,000 arriving by boat. The relative isolation and high cost of living inhibits mass tourism. The construction and public sectors also enjoy significant investment in support of tourism. With limited fresh water resources, all food must be imported, as must all energy resources and most manufactured goods. Employment is strong and attracts labor from Brazil and Portugal.

Exchange rates:

euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003)

Communications ::Saint Barthelemy

Telephone system:

general assessment: fully integrated access

domestic: direct dial capability with both fixed and wireless systems

international: country code - 590; undersea fiber-optic cable provides voice and data connectivity to Puerto Rico and Guadeloupe

Internet country code:

.bl; note - .gp, the internet country code for Guadeloupe, and .fr, the internet country code for France, might also be encountered

Transportation ::Saint Barthelemy

Airports:

1 (2009) country comparison to the world: 215

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Transportation - note:

nearest airport for international flights is Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) located in Sint Maarten (Netherlands Antilles)

Military ::Saint Barthelemy

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,594

females age 16-49: 1,340 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 21

female: 20 (2009 est.)

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of France

page last updated on September 22, 2009

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

@Saint Helena (Africa)

Introduction ::Saint Helena

Background:

Saint Helena is a British Overseas Territory consisting of Saint
Helena and Ascension Islands, and the island group of Tristan da
Cunha.

Saint Helena: Uninhabited when first discovered by the Portuguese in 1502, Saint Helena was garrisoned by the British during the 17th century. It acquired fame as the place of Napoleon BONAPARTE's exile from 1815 until his death in 1821, but its importance as a port of call declined after the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869. During the Anglo-Boer War in South Africa, several thousand Boer prisoners were confined on the island between 1900 and 1903.

Ascension Island: This barren and uninhabited island was discovered and named by the Portuguese in 1503. The British garrisoned the island in 1815 to prevent a rescue of Napoleon from Saint Helena. It served as a provisioning station for the Royal Navy's West Africa Squadron on anti-slavery patrol. The island remained under Admiralty control until 1922, when it became a dependency of Saint Helena. During World War II, the UK permitted the US to construct an airfield on Ascension in support of trans-Atlantic flights to Africa and anti-submarine operations in the South Atlantic. In the 1960s the island became an important space tracking station for the US. In 1982, Ascension was an essential staging area for British forces during the Falklands War. It remains a critical refueling point in the air-bridge from the UK to the South Atlantic.

Tristan da Cunha: The island group consists of the islands of Tristan da Cunha, Nightingale, Inaccessible, and Gough. Tristan da Cunha is named after its Portuguese discoverer (1506); it was garrisoned by the British in 1816 to prevent any attempt to rescue Napoleon from Saint Helena. Gough and Inaccessible Islands have been designated World Heritage Sites. South Africa leases a site for a meteorological station on Gough Island.

Geography ::Saint Helena

Location:

islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, about midway between South America and Africa; Ascension Island lies 700 nm northwest of Saint Helena; Tristan da Cunha lies 2,300 nm southwest of Saint Helena

Geographic coordinates:

Saint Helena: 15 57 S, 5 42 W

Ascension Island: 7 57 S, 14 22 W

Tristan da Cunha island group: 37 15 S, 12 30 W

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 308 sq km country comparison to the world: 208 land: Saint Helena Island 122 sq km; Ascension Island 88 sq km; Tristan da Cunha island group 98 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

Saint Helena: 60 km

Ascension Island: NA

Tristan da Cunha: 40 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:

Saint Helena: tropical marine; mild, tempered by trade winds

Ascension Island: tropical marine; mild, semi-arid

Tristan da Cunha: temperate marine; mild, tempered by trade winds (tends to be cooler than Saint Helena)

Terrain:

the islands of this group result from volcanic activity associated with the Atlantic Mid-Ocean Ridge

Saint Helena: rugged, volcanic; small scattered plateaus and plains

Ascension: surface covered by lava flows and cinder cones of 44 dormant volcanoes; ground rises to the east

Tristan da Cunha: sheer cliffs line the coastline of the nearly circular island; the flanks of the central volcanic peak are deeply dissected; narrow coastal plain lies between The Peak and the coastal cliffs

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Queen Mary's Peak on Tristan da Cunha 2,062 m; Green Mountain on Ascension Island 859 m; Mount Actaeon on Saint Helena Island 818 m

Natural resources:

fish, lobster

Land use:

arable land: 12.9%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 87.1% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha, last eruption in 1961

Environment - current issues:

NA

Geography - note:

Saint Helena harbors at least 40 species of plants unknown anywhere else in the world; Ascension is a breeding ground for sea turtles and sooty terns; Queen Mary's Peak on Tristan da Cunha is the highest island mountain in the South Atlantic and a prominent landmark on the sea lanes around southern Africa

People ::Saint Helena

Population:

7,637 country comparison to the world: 225 note: only Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha islands are inhabited (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 18.3% (male 712/female 685)

15-64 years: 70.4% (male 2,744/female 2,629)

65 years and over: 11.4% (male 412/female 455) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 37.6 years

male: 37.7 years

female: 37.5 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.445% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 158

Birth rate:

11.13 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 175

Death rate:

6.68 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 146

Net migration rate:

NA (2009 est.)

Urbanization:

urban population: 39% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female

total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 17.63 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 116 male: 20.71 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 14.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 78.44 years country comparison to the world: 44 male: 75.52 years

female: 81.5 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.56 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 184

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Saint Helenian(s)

adjective: Saint Helenian

note: referred to locally as "Saints"

Ethnic groups:

African descent 50%, white 25%, Chinese 25%

Religions:

Anglican (majority), Baptist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic

Languages:

English

Literacy:

definition: age 20 and over can read and write

total population: 97%

male: 97%

female: 98% (1987 est.)

Education expenditures:

NA

Government ::Saint Helena

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Saint Helena

Dependency status:

overseas territory of the UK

Government type:

NA

Capital:

name: Jamestown

geographic coordinates: 15 56 S, 5 44 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

1 administrative area and 2 dependencies*; Ascension*, Saint Helena, Tristan da Cunha*

Independence:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday:

Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926)

Constitution:

1 January 1989

Legal system:

English common law and statutes supplemented by local statutes

Suffrage:

NA

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)

head of government: Governor and Commander in Chief Andrew GURR (since 11 November 2007)

cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, 3 ex-officio officers, and 5 elected members of the Legislative Council

elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor is appointed by the monarch

Legislative branch:

unicameral Legislative Council (16 seats, including the speaker, three ex officio and 12 elected members; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 31 August 2005 (next to be held in November 2009)

election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 12

Judicial branch:

Magistrate's Court; Supreme Court; Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders:

none

Political pressure groups and leaders:

other: private sector; unions

International organization participation:

UPU, WFTU

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description:

blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Saint Helenian shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the shield features a rocky coastline and three-masted sailing ship

Economy ::Saint Helena

Economy - overview:

The economy depends largely on financial assistance from the UK, which amounted to about $27 million in FY06/07 or more than twice the level of annual budgetary revenues. The local population earns income from fishing, raising livestock, and sales of handicrafts. Because there are few jobs, 25% of the work force has left to seek employment on Ascension Island, on the Falklands, and in the UK.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$18 million (1998 est.) country comparison to the world: 225

GDP (official exchange rate):

$NA

GDP - real growth rate:

NA%

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$2,500 (1998 est.) country comparison to the world: 176

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Labor force:

2,486 country comparison to the world: 217 note: 1,200 work offshore (1998 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 6%

industry: 48%

services: 46% (1987 est.)

Unemployment rate:

14% (1998 est.) country comparison to the world: 148

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $12.33 million

expenditures: $30.28 million

note: revenue data reflect locally raised revenues only; the budget deficit is resolved by grant aid from the United Kingdom (FY06/07 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3.2% (1997 est.) country comparison to the world: 40 3.2% (1997 est.)

Agriculture - products:

coffee, corn, potatoes, vegetables; timber; fish, lobster (on Tristan da Cunha); livestock

Industries:

construction, crafts (furniture, lacework, fancy woodwork), fishing, philatelic sales

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

8 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 210

Electricity - consumption:

7.44 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 211

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 134

Oil - consumption:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 204

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 167

Oil - imports:

79.73 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 204

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 135

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 134

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 137

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 118

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 134

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 138

Exports:

$19 million (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 205

Exports - commodities:

fish (frozen, canned, and salt-dried skipjack, tuna), coffee, handicrafts

Imports:

$45 million (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 214

Imports - commodities:

food, beverages, tobacco, fuel oils, animal feed, building materials, motor vehicles and parts, machinery and parts

Debt - external:

$NA

Exchange rates:

Saint Helenian pounds (SHP) per US dollar - 0.5302 (2008), 0.4993 (2007), 0.5418 (2006), 0.5493 (2005), 0.5462 (2004)

note: the Saint Helenian pound is on par with the British pound

Communications ::Saint Helena

Telephones - main lines in use:

2,300 (2008) country comparison to the world: 223

Telephone system:

general assessment: can communicate worldwide

domestic: automatic digital network

international: country code (Saint Helena) - 290, (Ascension Island) - 247; international direct dialing; satellite voice and data communications; satellite earth stations - 5 (Ascension Island - 4, Saint Helena - 1)

Radio broadcast stations:

Saint Helena: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0

Ascension: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (2005)

Television broadcast stations:

0 (3 television channels are received via satellite and distributed by UHF) (2005)

Internet country code:

.sh; note - Ascension Island assigned .ac

Internet hosts:

343 (2009) country comparison to the world: 178

Internet users:

1,100; note - includes Ascension Island (2008) country comparison to the world: 213

Communications - note:

South Africa maintains a meteorological station on Gough Island

Transportation ::Saint Helena

Airports:

1 (2009) country comparison to the world: 216

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 1

over 3,047 m: 1 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 198 km (Saint Helena 138 km, Ascension 40 km, Tristan da Cunha 20 km) country comparison to the world: 207 paved: 168 km (Saint Helena 118 km, Ascension 40 km, Tristan da Cunha 10 km)

unpaved: 30 km (Saint Helena 20 km, Ascension 0 km, Tristan da Cunha 10 km) (2002)

Ports and terminals:

Saint Helena: Jamestown

Ascension Island: Georgetown

Tristan da Cunha: Calshot Harbor

Transportation - note:

there is no air connection to Saint Helena or Tristan da Cunha; an international airport for Saint Helena is in development for 2010

Military ::Saint Helena

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,586

females age 16-49: 1,600 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 47

female: 45 (2009 est.)

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues ::Saint Helena

Disputes - international:

none

page last updated on October 28, 2009

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

@Saint Kitts and Nevis (Central America and Caribbean)

Introduction ::Saint Kitts and Nevis

Background:

Carib Indians occupied the islands for hundreds of years before the British began settlement in 1623. The islands became an associated state of the UK with full internal autonomy in 1967. The island of Anguilla rebelled and was allowed to secede in 1971. Saint Kitts and Nevis achieved independence in 1983. In 1998, a vote in Nevis on a referendum to separate from Saint Kitts fell short of the two-thirds majority needed. Nevis continues in its efforts to separate from Saint Kitts.

Geography ::Saint Kitts and Nevis

Location:

Caribbean, islands in the Caribbean Sea, about one-third of the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago

Geographic coordinates:

17 20 N, 62 45 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 261 sq km (Saint Kitts 168 sq km; Nevis 93 sq km) country comparison to the world: 211 land: 261 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

135 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:

tropical, tempered by constant sea breezes; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May to November)

Terrain:

volcanic with mountainous interiors

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: Mount Liamuiga 1,156 m

Natural resources:

arable land

Land use:

arable land: 19.44%

permanent crops: 2.78%

other: 77.78% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Total renewable water resources:

0.02 cu km (2000)

Natural hazards:

hurricanes (July to October)

Environment - current issues:

NA

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

with coastlines in the shape of a baseball bat and ball, the two volcanic islands are separated by a 3-km-wide channel called The Narrows; on the southern tip of long, baseball bat-shaped Saint Kitts lies the Great Salt Pond; Nevis Peak sits in the center of its almost circular namesake island and its ball shape complements that of its sister island

People ::Saint Kitts and Nevis

Population:

40,131 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 209

Age structure:

0-14 years: 26.3% (male 5,397/female 5,138)

15-64 years: 65.9% (male 13,231/female 13,196)

65 years and over: 7.9% (male 1,326/female 1,843) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 28.6 years

male: 27.9 years

female: 29.3 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.847% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 137

Birth rate:

17.67 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 114

Death rate:

8.05 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 110

Net migration rate:

-1.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 127

Urbanization:

urban population: 32% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 13.94 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 130 male: 15.66 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 12.11 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 73.2 years country comparison to the world: 109 male: 70.33 years

female: 76.25 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.26 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 110

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Kittitian(s), Nevisian(s)

adjective: Kittitian, Nevisian

Ethnic groups:

predominantly black; some British, Portuguese, and Lebanese

Religions:

Anglican, other Protestant, Roman Catholic

Languages:

English

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school

total population: 97.8%

male: NA

female: NA (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 12 years

male: 12 years

female: 13 years (2005)

Education expenditures:

9.3% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 8

Government ::Saint Kitts and Nevis

Country name:

conventional long form: Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis

conventional short form: Saint Kitts and Nevis

former: Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis

Government type:

parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm

Capital:

name: Basseterre

geographic coordinates: 17 18 N, 62 43 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

14 parishes; Christ Church Nichola Town, Saint Anne Sandy Point,
Saint George Basseterre, Saint George Gingerland, Saint James
Windward, Saint John Capesterre, Saint John Figtree, Saint Mary
Cayon, Saint Paul Capesterre, Saint Paul Charlestown, Saint Peter
Basseterre, Saint Thomas Lowland, Saint Thomas Middle Island,
Trinity Palmetto Point

Independence:

19 September 1983 (from the UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 19 September (1983)

Constitution:

19 September 1983

Legal system:

based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Cuthbert Montraville SEBASTIAN (since 1 January 1996)

head of government: Prime Minister Dr. Denzil DOUGLAS (since 6 July 1995); Deputy Prime Minister Sam CONDOR (since 6 July 1995)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general in consultation with the prime minister

elections: the monarch is hereditary; the governor general is appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly (14 seats, 3 appointed and 11 popularly elected from single-member constituencies; members serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 25 October 2004 (next to be held by 2009)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - SKNLP 7, CCM 2, NRP 1, PAM 1

Judicial branch:

Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (consisting of a Court of Appeal and a High Court; based on Saint Lucia; two judges of the Supreme Court reside in Saint Kitts and Nevis); member of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ)

Political parties and leaders:

Concerned Citizens Movement or CCM [Vance AMORY]; Nevis Reformation
Party or NRP [Joseph PARRY]; People's Action Movement or PAM
[Lindsay GRANT]; Saint Kitts and Nevis Labor Party or SKNLP [Dr.
Denzil DOUGLAS]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS,
OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Izben Cordinal WILLIAMS

chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016

telephone: [1] (202) 686-2636

FAX: [1] (202) 686-5740

consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

the US does not have an embassy in Saint Kitts and Nevis; the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Saint Kitts and Nevis

Flag description:

divided diagonally from the lower hoist side by a broad black band bearing two white, five-pointed stars; the black band is edged in yellow; the upper triangle is green, the lower triangle is red

Economy ::Saint Kitts and Nevis

Economy - overview:

The economy of Saint Kitts and Nevis is heavily dependent upon tourism revenues, which has replaced sugar, the traditional mainstay of the economy until the 1970s. Following the 2005 harvest, the government closed the sugar industry after decades of losses of 3-4% of GDP annually. To compensate for employment losses, the government has embarked on a program to diversify the agricultural sector and to stimulate other sectors of the economy, such as tourism, export-oriented manufacturing, and offshore banking. Economic growth was above average for Latin America from 2004 to 2006, but has since slowed. Like other tourist destinations in the Caribbean, the St. Kitts and Nevis is vulnerable to damage from natural disasters and shifts in tourism demand. The current government is constrained by a high public debt burden equivalent to nearly 185% of GDP by the end of 2006, largely attributable to public enterprise losses.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$759.5 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 207 $742 million (2007 est.)

$735.8 million (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$546 million (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 144 0.9% (2007 est.)

5.3% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$19,100 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 65 $18,800 (2007 est.)

$18,700 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 3.5%

industry: 25.8%

services: 70.7% (2001)

Labor force:

18,170 (June 1995) country comparison to the world: 202

Unemployment rate:

4.5% (1997) country comparison to the world: 57

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $89.7 million

expenditures: $128.2 million (2003 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

4.5% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 78

Central bank discount rate:

6.5% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 63 6.5% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

8.69% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 94 8.89% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$107.2 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 110 $97.31 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$680.6 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 103 $688.6 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$790.8 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 113 $782.4 million (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 104 $439.7 million (31 December 2007)

$304.5 million (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

sugarcane, rice, yams, vegetables, bananas; fish

Industries:

tourism, cotton, salt, copra, clothing, footwear, beverages

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

130 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 184

Electricity - consumption:

120.9 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 187

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 137

Oil - consumption:

1,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 192

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 169

Oil - imports:

1,225 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 185

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 138

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 136

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 139

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 122

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 137

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 141

Current account balance:

-$163 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 85

Exports:

$84 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 197

Exports - commodities:

machinery, food, electronics, beverages, tobacco

Exports - partners:

US 65.7%, Azerbaijan 7.5%, Canada 6% (2008)

Imports:

$383 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 187

Imports - commodities:

machinery, manufactures, food, fuels

Imports - partners:

US 46.8%, Trinidad and Tobago 14.8%, UK 4.1% (2008)

Debt - external:

$314 million (2004) country comparison to the world: 174

Exchange rates:

East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar - 2.7 (2007), 2.7 (2006), 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003)

Communications ::Saint Kitts and Nevis

Telephones - main lines in use:

20,400 (2008) country comparison to the world: 194

Telephones - mobile cellular:

80,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 187

Telephone system:

general assessment: good interisland and international connections

domestic: interisland links via Eastern Caribbean Fiber Optic cable; construction of enhanced wireless infrastructure launched in November 2004

international: country code - 1-869; connected internationally by the East Caribbean Fiber Optic System (ECFS) and Southern Caribbean fiber optic system (SCF) submarine cables

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 3, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2003)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (plus 3 repeaters) (2003)

Internet country code:

.kn

Internet hosts:

53 (2009) country comparison to the world: 206

Internet users:

16,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 195

Transportation ::Saint Kitts and Nevis

Airports:

2 (2009) country comparison to the world: 206

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)

Railways:

total: 50 km country comparison to the world: 131 narrow gauge: 50 km 0.762-m gauge on Saint Kitts for tourists (2008)

Roadways:

total: 383 km country comparison to the world: 197 paved: 163 km

unpaved: 220 km (2002)

Merchant marine:

total: 159 country comparison to the world: 40 by type: bulk carrier 10, cargo 109, chemical tanker 7, container 1, liquefied gas 1, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 19, refrigerated cargo 7, roll on/roll off 1, specialized tanker 1

foreign-owned: 121 (Belgium 1, Cyprus 1, Egypt 2, Estonia 3, Finland 1, Greece 3, India 1, Italy 1, Japan 3, Kuwait 1, Latvia 5, Malaysia 1, Pakistan 3, Romania 1, Russia 19, Singapore 1, Spain 1, Syria 7, Turkey 35, Ukraine 9, UAE 18, UK 3, Yemen 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Basseterre

Military ::Saint Kitts and Nevis

Military branches:

Royal Saint Kitts and Nevis Defense Force (includes Coast Guard),
Royal Saint Kitts and Nevis Police Force (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 10,095

females age 16-49: 10,081 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 8,159

females age 16-49: 8,517 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 376

female: 362 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

NA

Transnational Issues ::Saint Kitts and Nevis

Disputes - international:

joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under UNCLOS, which permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf over a large portion of the eastern Caribbean Sea

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe; some money-laundering activity

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Saint Lucia (Central America and Caribbean)

Introduction ::Saint Lucia

Background:

The island, with its fine natural harbor at Castries, was contested between England and France throughout the 17th and early 18th centuries (changing possession 14 times); it was finally ceded to the UK in 1814. Even after the abolition of slavery on its plantations in 1834, Saint Lucia remained an agricultural island, dedicated to producing tropical commodity crops. Self-government was granted in 1967 and independence in 1979.

Geography ::Saint Lucia

Location:

Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic
Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Geographic coordinates:

13 53 N, 60 58 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 616 sq km country comparison to the world: 193 land: 606 sq km

water: 10 sq km

Area - comparative:

3.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

158 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:

tropical, moderated by northeast trade winds; dry season January to April, rainy season May to August

Terrain:

volcanic and mountainous with some broad, fertile valleys

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: Mount Gimie 950 m

Natural resources:

forests, sandy beaches, minerals (pumice), mineral springs, geothermal potential

Land use:

arable land: 6.45%

permanent crops: 22.58%

other: 70.97% (2005)

Irrigated land:

30 sq km (2003)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.01

per capita: 81 cu m/yr (1997)

Natural hazards:

hurricanes; volcanic activity

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; soil erosion, particularly in the northern region

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

the twin Pitons (Gros Piton and Petit Piton), striking cone-shaped peaks south of Soufriere, are one of the scenic natural highlights of the Caribbean

People ::Saint Lucia

Population:

160,267 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 187

Age structure:

0-14 years: 24.4% (male 20,035/female 19,021)

15-64 years: 66.4% (male 51,593/female 54,843)

65 years and over: 9.2% (male 6,668/female 8,107) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 29.8 years

male: 28.7 years

female: 30.8 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.416% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 161

Birth rate:

15.1 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 140

Death rate:

6.8 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 141

Net migration rate:

-4.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 158

Urbanization:

urban population: 28% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 13.43 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 134 male: 12.47 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 14.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 76.45 years country comparison to the world: 67 male: 73.78 years

female: 79.27 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.84 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 153

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Saint Lucian(s)

adjective: Saint Lucian

Ethnic groups:

black 82.5%, mixed 11.9%, East Indian 2.4%, other or unspecified 3.1% (2001 census)

Religions:

Roman Catholic 67.5%, Seventh Day Adventist 8.5%, Pentecostal 5.7%, Rastafarian 2.1%, Anglican 2%, Evangelical 2%, other Christian 5.1%, other 1.1%, unspecified 1.5%, none 4.5% (2001 census)

Languages:

English (official), French patois

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school

total population: 90.1%

male: 89.5%

female: 90.6% (2001 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 14 years

male: 13 years

female: 14 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

6.6% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 29

Government ::Saint Lucia

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Saint Lucia

Government type:

parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm

Capital:

name: Castries

geographic coordinates: 14 01 N, 61 00 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

11 quarters; Anse-la-Raye, Castries, Choiseul, Dauphin, Dennery, Gros-Islet, Laborie, Micoud, Praslin, Soufriere, Vieux-Fort

Independence:

22 February 1979 (from the UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 22 February (1979)

Constitution:

22 February 1979

Legal system:

based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Dame Pearlette LOUISY (since September 1997)

head of government: Prime Minister Stephenson KING (since 9 September 2007); note - Sir John COMPTON died in office 7 September 2007

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister

elections: the monarch is hereditary; the governor general is appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (11 seats; six members appointed on the advice of the prime minister, three on the advice of the leader of the opposition, and two after consultation with religious, economic, and social groups) and the House of Assembly (17 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: House of Assembly - last held 11 December 2006 (next to be held in December 2011)

election results: House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - UWP 50%, SLP 46.9%, other 3.1%; seats by party - UWP 11, SLP 6

Judicial branch:

Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (consists of a High Court and a
Court of Appeals; based on Saint Lucia; three judges of the Supreme
Court reside in Saint Lucia); member of the Caribbean Court of
Justice (CCJ)

Political parties and leaders:

National Alliance or NA [George ODLUM]; Saint Lucia Freedom Party or
SFP [Martinus FRANCOIS]; Saint Lucia Labor Party or SLP [Kenneth
ANTHONY]; Sou Tout Apwe Fete Fini or STAFF [Christopher HUNTE];
United Workers Party or UWP [Stephenson KING]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, ITUC,
MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OIF, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Michael LOUIS

chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016

telephone: [1] (202) 364-6792 through 6795

FAX: [1] (202) 364-6723

consulate(s) general: Miami, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

the US does not have an embassy in Saint Lucia; the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Saint Lucia

Flag description:

blue, with a gold isosceles triangle below a black arrowhead; the upper edges of the arrowhead have a white border

Economy ::Saint Lucia

Economy - overview:

The island nation has been able to attract foreign business and investment, especially in its offshore banking and tourism industries, with a surge in foreign direct investment in 2006, attributed to the construction of several tourism projects. Although crops such as bananas, mangos, and avocados continue to be grown for export, tourism provides Saint Lucia's main source of income and the industry is the island's biggest employer. The tourism sector is likely to face declining revenues with the global economic downturn as US and European travel declines. The manufacturing sector is the most diverse in the Eastern Caribbean area, and the government is trying to revitalize the banana industry, although recent hurricanes have caused exports to contract. Saint Lucia is vulnerable to a variety of external shocks including volatile tourism receipts, natural disasters, and dependence on foreign oil. The public debt-to-GDP ratio is about 70% and high debt servicing obligations constrain the KING administration's ability to respond to adverse external shocks. Economic fundamentals remain solid, even though unemployment needs to be reduced.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$1.774 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 186 $1.762 billion (2007 est.)

$1.733 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$987 million (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

0.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 189 1.7% (2007 est.)

5% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$11,100 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 99 $11,100 (2007 est.)

$11,000 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 5%

industry: 15%

services: 80% (2005 est.)

Labor force:

79,700 (2007) country comparison to the world: 178

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 21.7%

industry: 24.7%

services: 53.6% (2002 est.)

Unemployment rate:

20% (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 166

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $141.2 million

expenditures: $146.7 million (2000 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

1.9% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 16

Central bank discount rate:

6.5% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 62 6.5% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

10.08% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 102 8.34% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$261.3 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 103 $264.7 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$800.1 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 100 $720.9 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$1.378 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 99 $1.217 billion (31 December 2007)

Agriculture - products:

bananas, coconuts, vegetables, citrus, root crops, cocoa

Industries:

clothing, assembly of electronic components, beverages, corrugated cardboard boxes, tourism; lime processing, coconut processing

Industrial production growth rate:

NA

Electricity - production:

325 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 167

Electricity - consumption:

302.2 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 168

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 132

Oil - consumption:

3,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 176

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 166

Oil - imports:

2,747 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 171

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 130

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 129

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 134

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 112

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 131

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 134

Current account balance:

-$199 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 88

Exports:

$288 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 176

Exports - commodities:

bananas 41%, clothing, cocoa, vegetables, fruits, coconut oil

Exports - partners:

UK 23.6%, US 19.3%, South Korea 16.6%, Antigua and Barbuda 5.9%,
Dominica 5.8%, Barbados 5.2%, Trinidad and Tobago 4.8% (2008)

Imports:

$791 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 178

Imports - commodities:

food 23%, manufactured goods 21%, machinery and transportation equipment 19%, chemicals, fuels

Imports - partners:

Brazil 68%, US 11.7%, Trinidad and Tobago 7.4% (2008)

Debt - external:

$257 million (2004) country comparison to the world: 176

Exchange rates:

East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar - 2.7 (2007), 2.7 (2006), 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003)

Communications ::Saint Lucia

Telephones - main lines in use:

40,900 (2008) country comparison to the world: 168

Telephones - mobile cellular:

169,600 (2008) country comparison to the world: 174

Telephone system:

general assessment: adequate system

domestic: system is automatically switched

international: country code - 1-758; the East Caribbean Fiber Optic System (ECFS) and Southern Caribbean fiber optic system (SCF) submarine cables, along with Intelsat from Martinique, carry calls internationally; direct microwave radio relay link with Martinique and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; tropospheric scatter to Barbados

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 2, FM 7, shortwave 0 (2003)

Television broadcast stations:

2 (1 commercial broadcast station and 1 community antenna television or CATV channel) (2003)

Internet country code:

.lc

Internet hosts:

103 (2009) country comparison to the world: 198

Internet users:

100,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 155

Transportation ::Saint Lucia

Airports:

2 (2009) country comparison to the world: 201

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 1,210 km (2002) country comparison to the world: 180

Ports and terminals:

Castries, Cul-de-Sac, Vieux-Fort

Military ::Saint Lucia

Military branches:

no regular military forces; Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (includes Special Service Unit and Coast Guard) (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 48,358 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 32,094

females age 16-49: 36,110 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 1,607

female: 1,511 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

NA

Transnational Issues ::Saint Lucia

Disputes - international:

joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under UNCLOS, which permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf over a large portion of the eastern Caribbean Sea

Illicit drugs:

transit point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Saint Martin (Central America and Caribbean)

Introduction ::Saint Martin

Background:

Although sighted by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1493 and claimed for Spain, it was the Dutch who occupied the island in 1631 and set about exploiting its salt deposits. The Spanish retook the island in 1633, but continued to be harassed by the Dutch. The Spanish finally relinquished St. Martin to the French and Dutch, who divided it amongst themselves in 1648. The cultivation of sugar cane introduced slavery to the island in the late 18th century; the practice was not abolished until 1848. The island became a free port in 1939; the tourism industry was dramatically expanded during the 1970s and 1980s. In 2003, the populace of St. Martin voted to secede from Guadeloupe and in 2007, the northern portion of the island became a French overseas collectivity.

Geography ::Saint Martin

Location:

island 300 km southeast of Puerto Rico

Geographic coordinates:

18 05 N, 63 57 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 54.4 sq km country comparison to the world: 230 land: 54.4 sq km

water: NEGL

Area - comparative:

more than one-third the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

total: 15 km

border countries: Netherlands Antilles (Sint Maarten) 15 km

Coastline:

58.9 km (for entire island)

Climate:

temperature averages 80-85 degrees all year long; low humidity, gentle trade winds, brief, intense rain showers; July-November is the hurricane season

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Caribbean Ocean 0 m

highest point: Pic du Paradis 424 m

Natural resources:

salt

Environment - current issues:

fresh water supply is dependent on desalinization of sea water

Geography - note:

the island of Saint Martin is the smallest landmass in the world shared by two independent states, the French territory of Saint Martin and the Dutch territory of Sint Maarten

People ::Saint Martin

Population:

29,820 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 213

Age structure:

0-14 years: 27% (male 3,991/female 4,048)

15-64 years: 67.5% (male 9,596/female 10,532)

65 years and over: 5.5% (male 742/female 911) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 30.5 years

male: 29.5 years

female: 31.3 years (2009 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female

total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Ethnic groups:

creole (mulatto), black, Guadeloupe Mestizo (French-East Asia), white, East Indian

Religions:

Roman Catholic, Jehovah's Witness, Protestant, Hindu

Languages:

French (official language), English, Dutch, French Patois, Spanish,
Papiamento (dialect of Netherlands Antilles)

Government ::Saint Martin

Country name:

conventional long form: Overseas Collectivity of Saint Martin

conventional short form: Saint Martin

local long form: Collectivity d'outre mer de Saint-Martin

local short form: Saint-Martin

Dependency status:

overseas collectivity of France

Capital:

name: Marigot

geographical coordinates: 18 04 N, 63 05 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

daylight savings: +1 hour

Independence:

none (overseas collectivity of France)

National holiday:

Bastille Day, 14 July (1789); note - local holiday is Schoalcher Day
(Slavery Abolition Day) 12 July (1848)

Constitution:

4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system:

the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Suffrage:

18 years of age, universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007), represented by Prefect Dominique LACROIX (since 21 March 2007)

head of government: President of the Territorial Council Frantz GUMBS (since 5 May 2009)

cabinet: Executive Council; note - there is also an advisory economic, social, and cultural council

election: French president elected by popular vote to a five-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the Territorial Council is elected by the members of the Council for a five-year term

election results: Frantz GUMBS elected president by the Territorial Council on 7 August 2008 but election was declared invalid on 10 April 2009

Legislative branch:

unicameral Territorial Council (23 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 1 and 8 July 2007 (next to be held in July 2012)

election results: percent of seats by party - UPP 49%, RRR 42.2%, Reussir Saint-Martin 8.9%; seats by party - UPP 16, RRR 6, Reussir Saint-Martin 1

note: Saint Martin elects one seat to the French Senate; election last held 21 September 2008 (next to be held in September 2014); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 1

Political parties and leaders:

Union Pour le Progres or UPP [Louis-Constant FLEMING]; Rassemblement
Responsabilite Reussite or RRR [Alain RICHARDSON]; Reussir
Saint-Martin [Jean-Luc HAMLET]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

UPU, WFTU

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (overseas collectivity of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (overseas collectivity of France)

Flag description:

the flag of France is used

Economy ::Saint Martin

Economy - overview:

The economy of Saint Martin centers around tourism with 85% of the labor force engaged in this sector. Over one million visitors come to the island each year with most arriving through the Princess Juliana International Airport in Sint Maarten. No significant agriculture and limited local fishing means that almost all food must be imported. Energy resources and manufactured goods are also imported, primarily from Mexico and the United States. Saint Martin is reported to have the highest per capita income in the Caribbean.

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 1%

industry: 15%

services: 84% (2000)

Labor force - by occupation:

85% directly or indirectly employed in tourist industry

Industries:

tourism, light industry and manufacturing, heavy industry

Imports - commodities:

crude petroleum, food, manufactured items

Exchange rates:

euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)

Communications ::Saint Martin

Telephone system:

general assessment: fully integrated access

domestic: direct dial capability with both fixed and wireless systems

international: country code - 590; undersea fiber-optic cable provides voice and data connectivity to Puerto Rico and Guadeloupe

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 0, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2007)

Internet country code:

.mf; note - .gp, the internet country code for Guadeloupe, and .fr, the internet country code for France, might also be encountered

Transportation ::Saint Martin

Airports:

1 (2009) country comparison to the world: 226

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)

Transportation - note:

nearest airport for international flights is Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) located in Sint Maarten

Military ::Saint Martin

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 6,336

females age 16-49: 6,925 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 177

female: 162 (2009 est.)

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of France

page last updated on September 22, 2009

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

@Saint Pierre and Miquelon (North America)

Introduction ::Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Background:

First settled by the French in the early 17th century, the islands represent the sole remaining vestige of France's once vast North American possessions.

Geography ::Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Location:

Northern North America, islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, south of Newfoundland (Canada)

Geographic coordinates:

46 50 N, 56 20 W

Map references:

North America

Area:

total: 242 sq km country comparison to the world: 213 land: 242 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: includes eight small islands in the Saint Pierre and the Miquelon groups

Area - comparative:

1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

120 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

cold and wet, with much mist and fog; spring and autumn are windy

Terrain:

mostly barren rock

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Morne de la Grande Montagne 240 m

Natural resources:

fish, deepwater ports

Land use:

arable land: 12.5%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 87.5% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

persistent fog throughout the year can be a maritime hazard

Environment - current issues:

recent test drilling for oil in waters around Saint Pierre and Miquelon may bring future development that would impact the environment

Geography - note:

vegetation scanty

People ::Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Population:

7,051 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 227

Age structure:

0-14 years: 21.9% (male 788/female 756)

15-64 years: 66.5% (male 2,378/female 2,312)

65 years and over: 11.6% (male 379/female 438) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 35.2 years

male: 34.6 years

female: 35.7 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.085% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 193

Birth rate:

12.76 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 159

Death rate:

6.95 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 133

Net migration rate:

-4.96 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 162

Urbanization:

urban population: 89% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 0.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 6.87 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 170 male: 7.86 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 5.82 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 79.07 years country comparison to the world: 34 male: 76.69 years

female: 81.57 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.97 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 135

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)

adjective: French

Ethnic groups:

Basques and Bretons (French fishermen)

Religions:

Roman Catholic 99%, other 1%

Languages:

French (official)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99% (1982 est.)

Education expenditures:

NA

Government ::Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Country name:

conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of Saint Pierre and Miquelon

conventional short form: Saint Pierre and Miquelon

local long form: Departement de Saint-Pierre et Miquelon

local short form: Saint-Pierre et Miquelon

Dependency status:

self-governing territorial overseas collectivity of France

Government type:

NA

Capital:

name: Saint-Pierre

geographic coordinates: 46 46 N, 56 11 W

time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November

Administrative divisions:

none (territorial overseas collectivity of France); note - there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are two communes - Saint Pierre, Miquelon at the second order

Independence:

none (territorial collectivity of France; has been under French control since 1763)

National holiday:

Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution:

4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system:

the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007); represented by Prefect Jean-Pierre BERCOT (since 28 July 2008)

head of government: President of the Territorial Council Stephane ARTANO (since 21 February 2007)

cabinet: NA

elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 6 May 2007 (next to be held in 2012); prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the Territorial Council is elected by the members of the council

Legislative branch:

unicameral Territorial Council or Conseil Territorial (19 seats, 15 from Saint Pierre and four from Miquelon; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)

elections: elections last held 19 and 26 in March 2006 (next to be held in March 2012)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - AD 16, Cap sur l'Avenir 2, SPM 2000/AM 1

note: Saint Pierre and Miquelon elect one seat to the French Senate; elections last held 21 September 2008 (next to be held in September 2014); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 1; Saint Pierre and Miquelon also elects one seat to the French National Assembly; elections last held, first round - 10 June 2007, second round - 17 June 2007 (next to be held in 2012); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Left Radical Party 1

Judicial branch:

Superior Tribunal of Appeals or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel

Political parties and leaders:

Archipelago Tomorrow or AD affiliated with UDF/RPR list; Cap sur
l'Avenir affiliated with PRG; Left Radical Party or PRG;
Rassemblement pour la Republique or RPR (now UMP); Saint Pierre and
Miquelon 2000/Avenir Miquelon or SPM 2000/AM; Socialist Party or PS;
Union pour la Democratie Francaise or UDF

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

UPU, WFTU

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)

Flag description:

a yellow three-masted sailing ship facing the hoist side rides on a blue background with scattered, white, wavy lines under the ship; a continuous black-over-white wavy line divides the ship from the white wavy lines; on the hoist side, a vertical band is divided into three parts: the top part (called ikkurina) is red with a green diagonal cross extending to the corners overlaid by a white cross dividing the rectangle into four sections; the middle part has a white background with an ermine pattern; the third part has a red background with two stylized yellow lions outlined in black, one above the other; these three heraldic arms represent settlement by colonists from the Basque Country (top), Brittany, and Normandy

note: the flag of France used for official occasions

Economy ::Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Economy - overview:

The inhabitants have traditionally earned their livelihood by fishing and by servicing fishing fleets operating off the coast of Newfoundland. The economy has been declining, however, because of disputes with Canada over fishing quotas and a steady decline in the number of ships stopping at Saint Pierre. In 1992, an arbitration panel awarded the islands an exclusive economic zone of 12,348 sq km to settle a longstanding territorial dispute with Canada, although it represents only 25% of what France had sought. France heavily subsidizes the islands to the great betterment of living standards. The government hopes an expansion of tourism will boost economic prospects. Fish farming, crab fishing, and agriculture are being developed to diversify the local economy. Recent test drilling for oil may pave the way for development of the energy sector.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$48.3 million (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 223 note: supplemented by annual payments from France of about $60 million

GDP (official exchange rate):

$NA

GDP - real growth rate:

NA%

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$7,000 (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 125

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Labor force:

3,450 (2005) country comparison to the world: 215

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 18%

industry: 41%

services: 41% (1996 est.)

Unemployment rate:

10.3% (1999) country comparison to the world: 125

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $70 million

expenditures: $60 million (1996 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

8.1% (2005) country comparison to the world: 127

Agriculture - products:

vegetables; poultry, cattle, sheep, pigs; fish

Industries:

fish processing and supply base for fishing fleets; tourism

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

53 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 197

Electricity - consumption:

49.29 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 197

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 138

Oil - consumption:

1,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 193

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 170

Oil - imports:

563.6 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 197

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 139

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 137

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 140

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 123

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 138

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 142

Exports:

$5.5 million (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 214

Exports - commodities:

fish and fish products, soybeans, animal feed, mollusks and crustaceans, fox and mink pelts

Imports:

$68.2 million (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 211

Imports - commodities:

meat, clothing, fuel, electrical equipment, machinery, building materials

Debt - external:

$NA

Exchange rates:

euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6734 (2008 est.), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)

Communications ::Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Telephones - main lines in use:

4,800 (2008) country comparison to the world: 213

Telephone system:

general assessment: adequate

domestic: NA

international: country code - 508; radiotelephone communication with most countries in the world; satellite earth station - 1 in French domestic satellite system

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

0 (2 repeaters rebroadcast programs from France, Canada, and the US) (1997)

Internet country code:

.pm

Internet hosts:

0 (2009) country comparison to the world: 231

Transportation ::Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Airports:

2 (2009) country comparison to the world: 200

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 117 km country comparison to the world: 212 paved: 80 km

unpaved: 37 km (2000)

Ports and terminals:

Saint-Pierre

Military ::Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,427

females age 16-49: 1,406 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 61

female: 57 (2009 est.)

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues ::Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Disputes - international:

none

page last updated on November 10, 2009

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

@Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (Central America and Caribbean)

Introduction ::Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Background:

Resistance by native Caribs prevented colonization on St. Vincent until 1719. Disputed between France and the United Kingdom for most of the 18th century, the island was ceded to the latter in 1783. Between 1960 and 1962, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines was a separate administrative unit of the Federation of the West Indies. Autonomy was granted in 1969 and independence in 1979.

Geography ::Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Location:

Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic
Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Geographic coordinates:

13 15 N, 61 12 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 389 sq km (Saint Vincent 344 sq km) country comparison to the world: 202 land: 389 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

84 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May to November)

Terrain:

volcanic, mountainous

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: La Soufriere 1,234 m

Natural resources:

hydropower, cropland

Land use:

arable land: 17.95%

permanent crops: 17.95%

other: 64.1% (2005)

Irrigated land:

10 sq km (2003)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.01

per capita: 83 cu m/yr (1995)

Natural hazards:

hurricanes; Soufriere volcano on the island of Saint Vincent is a constant threat

Environment - current issues:

pollution of coastal waters and shorelines from discharges by pleasure yachts and other effluents; in some areas, pollution is severe enough to make swimming prohibitive

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is comprised of 32 islands and cays

People ::Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Population:

104,574 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 192

Age structure:

0-14 years: 25.9% (male 13,637/female 13,425)

15-64 years: 66.4% (male 35,693/female 33,701)

65 years and over: 7.8% (male 3,659/female 4,459) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 28.9 years

male: 29 years

female: 28.9 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.344% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 223

Birth rate:

15.27 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 139

Death rate:

6.91 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 137

Net migration rate:

-11.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 178

Urbanization:

urban population: 47% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female

total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 15.14 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 127 male: 16.48 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 13.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 73.65 years country comparison to the world: 102 male: 71.82 years

female: 75.54 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.98 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 133

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Saint Vincentian(s) or Vincentian(s)

adjective: Saint Vincentian or Vincentian

Ethnic groups:

black 66%, mixed 19%, East Indian 6%, European 4%, Carib Amerindian 2%, other 3%

Religions:

Anglican 47%, Methodist 28%, Roman Catholic 13%, other (includes
Hindu, Seventh-Day Adventist, other Protestant) 12%

Languages:

English, French patois

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school

total population: 96%

male: 96%

female: 96% (1970 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 12 years

male: 12 years

female: 12 years (2005)

Education expenditures:

8.1% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 14

Government ::Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Government type:

parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm

Capital:

name: Kingstown

geographic coordinates: 13 09 N, 61 14 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

6 parishes; Charlotte, Grenadines, Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint Patrick

Independence:

27 October 1979 (from the UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 27 October (1979)

Constitution:

27 October 1979

Legal system:

based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Sir Fredrick Nathaniel BALLANTYNE (since 2 September 2002)

head of government: Prime Minister Ralph E. GONSALVES (since 29 March 2001)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister

elections: the monarch is hereditary; the governor general is appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister

Legislative branch:

unicameral House of Assembly (21 seats, 15 elected representatives and six appointed senators; representatives are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 7 December 2005 (next to be held in 2010)

election results: percent of vote by party - ULP 55.3%, NDP 44.7%; seats by party - ULP 12, NDP 3

Judicial branch:

Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (consisting of a High Court and
Court of Appeals; based on Saint Lucia; two judges of the Supreme
Court reside in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines)

Political parties and leaders:

New Democratic Party or NDP [Arnhim EUSTACE]; Unity Labor Party or
ULP [Ralph GONSALVES] (formed by the coalition of Saint Vincent
Labor Party or SVLP and the Movement for National Unity or MNU)

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, ITUC,
MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador La Celia A. PRINCE

chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016

telephone: [1] (202) 364-6730

FAX: [1] (202) 364-6736

consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

the US does not have an embassy in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Flag description:

three vertical bands of blue (hoist side), gold (double width), and green; the gold band bears three green diamonds arranged in a V pattern

Economy ::Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Economy - overview:

Economic growth slowed in 2008 after reaching a 10-year high of nearly 7% in 2006, and will likely slow in 2009 with the global economic downturn, though it will be above average for Latin America. Success of the economy hinges upon seasonal variations in agriculture, tourism, and construction activity as well as remittance inflows. Much of the workforce is employed in banana production and tourism, but persistent high unemployment has prompted many to leave the islands. This lower-middle-income country is vulnerable to natural disasters - tropical storms wiped out substantial portions of crops in 1994, 1995, and 2002. In 2007, the islands had more than 200,000 tourist arrivals, mostly to the Grenadines. Saint Vincent is home to a small offshore banking sector and has moved to adopt international regulatory standards. The government's ability to invest in social programs and respond to external shocks is constrained by its high debt burden - 25% of current revenues are directed towards debt servicing. An agreement with Italy to write-off debt reduced the public debt-to-GDP ratio to about 70%. The GONSALVES administration is directing government resources to infrastructure projects, including a new international airport that is expected to be completed in 2011.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$1.072 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 196 $1.063 billion (2007 est.)

$993.4 million (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$601 million (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

0.9% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 179 7% (2007 est.)

7.6% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$10,200 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 103 $10,100 (2007 est.)

$9,400 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 10%

industry: 26%

services: 64% (2001 est.)

Labor force:

57,520 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 180

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 26%

industry: 17%

services: 57% (1980 est.)

Unemployment rate:

15% (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 155

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $94.6 million

expenditures: $85.8 million (2000 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

6.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 104

Central bank discount rate:

6.5% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 61 6.5% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

9.52% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 95 8.8% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$150.8 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 108 $155.5 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$302.7 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 113 $280.2 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$417.4 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 116 $387.8 million (31 December 2007)

Agriculture - products:

bananas, coconuts, sweet potatoes, spices; small numbers of cattle, sheep, pigs, goats; fish

Industries:

food processing, cement, furniture, clothing, starch

Electricity - production:

133.8 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 183

Electricity - consumption:

124.4 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 186

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 125

Oil - consumption:

2,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 182

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 158

Oil - imports:

1,451 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 183

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 119

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 117

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 125

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 94

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 118

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 124

Current account balance:

-$149 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 83

Exports:

$193 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 182

Exports - commodities:

bananas, eddoes and dasheen (taro), arrowroot starch; tennis racquets

Exports - partners:

Greece 31.8%, France 18.9%, India 9.9%, China 8.3%, Italy 7.5% (2008)

Imports:

$578 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 184

Imports - commodities:

foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, chemicals and fertilizers, minerals and fuels

Imports - partners:

Singapore 27.1%, Trinidad and Tobago 13.2%, US 12.1%, China 8.5%,
Italy 7.1%, Norway 5.1% (2008)

Debt - external:

$223 million (2004) country comparison to the world: 178

Exchange rates:

East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar - 2.7 (2007), 2.7 (2006), 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003)

Communications ::Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Telephones - main lines in use:

22,800 (2008) country comparison to the world: 190

Telephones - mobile cellular:

130,100 (2008) country comparison to the world: 178

Telephone system:

general assessment: adequate system

domestic: islandwide, fully automatic telephone system; VHF/UHF radiotelephone from Saint Vincent to the other islands of the Grenadines; mobile-cellular teledensity exceeds 100 telephones per 100 persons

international: country code - 1-784; the East Caribbean Fiber Optic System (ECFS) and Southern Caribbean fiber optic system (SCF) submarine cables carry international calls; connectivity also provided by VHF/UHF radiotelephone from Saint Vincent to Barbados; SHF radiotelephone to Grenada and Saint Lucia; access to Intelsat earth station in Martinique through Saint Lucia

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 6, shortwave 0 (2004)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (plus 3 repeaters) (2004)

Internet country code:

.vc

Internet hosts:

181 (2009) country comparison to the world: 190

Internet users:

66,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 165

Transportation ::Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Airports:

6 (2009) country comparison to the world: 174

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 5

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 829 km country comparison to the world: 185 paved: 580 km

unpaved: 249 km (2003)

Merchant marine:

total: 525 country comparison to the world: 21 by type: barge carrier 1, bulk carrier 83, cargo 315, carrier 20, chemical tanker 2, liquefied gas 6, passenger 3, passenger/cargo 17, petroleum tanker 17, refrigerated cargo 20, roll on/roll off 18, specialized tanker 2, container 21

foreign-owned: 476 (Austria 2, Barbados 1, Belgium 8, Bulgaria 15, Canada 1, China 94, Croatia 7, Cyprus 1, Czech Republic 1, Denmark 16, Egypt 3, Estonia 16, France 6, Germany 3, Gibraltar 1, Greece 71, Guyana 2, Hong Kong 6, Iceland 7, India 7, Iran 1, Israel 2, Italy 17, Japan 3, Kenya 2, Latvia 17, Lebanon 6, Lithuania 9, Monaco 5, Montenegro 1, Namibia 1, Netherlands 3, Norway 13, Poland 1, Puerto Rico 1, Romania 1, Russia 21, Singapore 4, Slovenia 5, South Africa 1, Sweden 2, Switzerland 6, Syria 13, Turkey 20, Ukraine 11, UAE 9, UK 14, US 18, Venezuela 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Kingstown

Military ::Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Military branches:

no regular military forces; Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force, Coast Guard (2009)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 34,373 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 22,975

females age 16-49: 22,250 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 1,020

female: 1,009 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

NA

Transnational Issues ::Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Disputes - international:

joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under UNCLOS, which permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf over a large portion of the eastern Caribbean Sea

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe; small-scale cannabis cultivation

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Samoa (Australia-Oceania)

Introduction ::Samoa

Background:

New Zealand occupied the German protectorate of Western Samoa at the outbreak of World War I in 1914. It continued to administer the islands as a mandate and then as a trust territory until 1962, when the islands became the first Polynesian nation to reestablish independence in the 20th century. The country dropped the "Western" from its name in 1997.

Geography ::Samoa

Location:

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

Geographic coordinates:

13 35 S, 172 20 W

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 2,831 sq km country comparison to the world: 177 land: 2,821 sq km

water: 10 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Rhode Island

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

403 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; rainy season (November to April), dry season (May to October)

Terrain:

two main islands (Savaii, Upolu) and several smaller islands and uninhabited islets; narrow coastal plain with volcanic, rocky, rugged mountains in interior

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mauga Silisili (Savaii) 1,857 m

Natural resources:

hardwood forests, fish, hydropower

Land use:

arable land: 21.13%

permanent crops: 24.3%

other: 54.57% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

occasional typhoons; active volcanism

Environment - current issues:

soil erosion, deforestation, invasive species, overfishing

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

occupies an almost central position within Polynesia

People ::Samoa

Population:

219,998 country comparison to the world: 184 note: prior estimates used official net migration data by sex, but a highly unusual pattern for 1993 lead to a significant imbalance in the sex ratios (more men and fewer women) and a seeming reduction in the female population; the revised total was calculated using a 1993 number that was an average of the 1992 and 1994 migration figures (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 37.6% (male 42,117/female 40,603)

15-64 years: 56.7% (male 65,541/female 59,292)

65 years and over: 5.7% (male 5,538/female 6,907) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 20.8 years

male: 21 years

female: 20.5 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.346% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 101

Birth rate:

28.06 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 54

Death rate:

5.79 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 170

Net migration rate:

-8.81 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 174

Urbanization:

urban population: 23% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1.7% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female

total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 24.22 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 90 male: 28.61 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 19.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 71.86 years country comparison to the world: 124 male: 69.03 years

female: 74.84 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

4.16 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 44

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Samoan(s)

adjective: Samoan

Ethnic groups:

Samoan 92.6%, Euronesians (persons of European and Polynesian blood) 7%, Europeans 0.4% (2001 census)

Religions:

Congregationalist 34.8%, Roman Catholic 19.6%, Methodist 15%, Latter-Day Saints 12.7%, Assembly of God 6.6%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3.5%, Worship Centre 1.3%, other Christian 4.5%, other 1.9%, unspecified 0.1% (2001 census)

Languages:

Samoan (Polynesian), English

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.7%

male: 99.6%

female: 99.7% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 12 years

male: 12 years

female: 12 years (2001)

Education expenditures:

4.3% of GDP (2002) country comparison to the world: 95

Government ::Samoa

Country name:

conventional long form: Independent State of Samoa

conventional short form: Samoa

local long form: Malo Sa'oloto Tuto'atasi o Samoa

local short form: Samoa

former: Western Samoa

Government type:

parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Apia

geographic coordinates: 13 50 S, 171 44 W

time difference: UTC-11 (6 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

11 districts; A'ana, Aiga-i-le-Tai, Atua, Fa'asaleleaga, Gaga'emauga, Gagaifomauga, Palauli, Satupa'itea, Tuamasaga, Va'a-o-Fonoti, Vaisigano

Independence:

1 January 1962 (from New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday:

Independence Day Celebration, 1 June (1962); note - 1 January 1962 is the date of independence from the New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship; it is observed in June

Constitution:

1 January 1962

Legal system:

based on English common law and local customs; judicial review of legislative acts with respect to fundamental rights of the citizen; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: TUIATUA Tupua Tamasese Efi (since 20 June 2007)

head of government: Prime Minister Sailele Malielegaoi TUILA'EPA (since 1998); Deputy Prime Minister MISA Telefoni (since 2001)

cabinet: Cabinet consists of 12 members appointed by the chief of state on the prime minister's advice

elections: chief of state is elected by the Legislative Assembly to serve a five-year term (no term limits); election last held 15 June 2007 (next to be held in 2012); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is usually appointed prime minister by the chief of state with the approval of the Legislative Assembly

election results: TUIATUA Tupua Tamasese Efi unanimously elected by the Legislative Assembly

Legislative branch:

unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fono (49 seats, 47 elected by voters affiliated with traditional village-based electoral districts, 2 elected by independent, mostly non-Samoan or part-Samoan, voters who cannot, (or choose not to) establish a village affiliation; only chiefs (matai) may stand for election to the Fono from the 47 village-based electorates; members serve five-year terms)

elections: election last held 31 March 2006 (next election to be held not later than March 2011)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - HRPP 35, SDUP 10, independents 4

Judicial branch:

Court of Appeal; Supreme Court; District Court; Land and Titles Court

Political parties and leaders:

Human Rights Protection Party or HRPP [Sailele Malielegaoi
TUILA'EPA]; Samoa Christian Party or TCP [Tuala Tiresa MALIETOA];
Samoa Democratic United Party or SDUP [LE MAMEA Ropati]; Samoa Party
or SP [Su'a Rimoni Ah CHONG]; Samoa Progressive Political Party or
SPPP [Toeolesulusulu SIUEVA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ACP, ADB, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, IPU, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, OPCW, PIF,
Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
(observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Aliioaiga Feturi ELISAIA

chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400J, New York, NY 10017

telephone: [1] (212) 599-6196 through 6197

FAX: [1] (212) 599-0797

consulate(s) general: Pago Pago (American Samoa)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: none; US Ambassador to New Zealand is accredited to Samoa

embassy: Accident Corporation Building, 5th Floor, Matafele, Apia

mailing address: P. O. Box 3430, Matafele, Apia

telephone: [685] 21436/21631/21452/22696

FAX: [685] 22030

Flag description:

red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side quadrant bearing five white five-pointed stars representing the Southern Cross constellation

Economy ::Samoa

Economy - overview:

The economy of Samoa has traditionally been dependent on development aid, family remittances from overseas, agriculture, and fishing. The country is vulnerable to devastating storms. Agriculture employs two-thirds of the labor force and furnishes 90% of exports, featuring coconut cream, coconut oil, and copra. The fish catch declined during the El Nino of 2002-03 but returned to normal by mid-2005. The manufacturing sector mainly processes agricultural products. One factory in the Foreign Trade Zone employs 3,000 people to make automobile electrical harnesses for an assembly plant in Australia. Tourism is an expanding sector accounting for 25% of GDP; 122,000 tourists visited the islands in 2007. The Samoan Government has called for deregulation of the financial sector, encouragement of investment, and continued fiscal discipline, while at the same time protecting the environment. Observers point to the flexibility of the labor market as a basic strength for future economic advances. Foreign reserves are in a relatively healthy state, the external debt is stable, and inflation is low.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$1.021 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 198 $1.057 billion (2007 est.)

$996.5 million (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$500 million (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

-3.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 214 6.1% (2007 est.)

1.9% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$4,700 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 143 $4,900 (2007 est.)

$4,700 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 11.6%

industry: 13.1%

services: 75.3% (2004 est.)

Labor force:

66,270 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 179

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Unemployment rate:

NA%

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $171.3 million

expenditures: $78.1 million (FY04/05 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

6% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 101

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

12.66% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 66 12.65% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$60.13 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 116 $69.97 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$162.8 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 118 $168.7 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$208.5 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 123 $215.1 million (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

coconuts, bananas, taro, yams, coffee, cocoa

Industries:

food processing, building materials, auto parts

Industrial production growth rate:

2.8% (2000) country comparison to the world: 90

Electricity - production:

109 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 189

Electricity - consumption:

101.4 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 190

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 121

Oil - consumption:

1,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 188

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 154

Oil - imports:

1,105 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 189

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 114

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 112

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 120

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 87

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 112

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 120

Current account balance:

-$24 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 67

Exports:

$131 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 187

Exports - commodities:

fish, coconut oil and cream, copra, taro, automotive parts, garments, beer

Exports - partners:

Australia 36.8%, American Samoa 35.3%, US 2.9% (2008)

Imports:

$324 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 191

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, industrial supplies, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:

NZ 20.1%, Fiji 18.2%, Singapore 18.1%, China 8.7%, Australia 6.4% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$70.15 million (FY03/04) country comparison to the world: 150

Debt - external:

$177 million (2004) country comparison to the world: 182

Exchange rates:

tala (SAT) per US dollar - NA (2007), 2.7594 (2006), 2.7103 (2005), 2.7807 (2004), 2.9732 (2003)

Communications ::Samoa

Telephones - main lines in use:

28,800 (2008) country comparison to the world: 179

Telephones - mobile cellular:

124,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 180

Telephone system:

general assessment: adequate

domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity roughly 70 telephones per 100 persons; coverage extended to roughly 95 percent of the country

international: country code - 685; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 2, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2004)

Television broadcast stations:

2 (2002)

Internet country code:

.ws

Internet hosts:

13,985 (2009) country comparison to the world: 112

Internet users:

9,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 200

Transportation ::Samoa

Airports:

4 (2009) country comparison to the world: 186

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 2

under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 2,337 km country comparison to the world: 170 paved: 332 km

unpaved: 2,005 km (2001)

Merchant marine:

total: 1 country comparison to the world: 154 by type: cargo 1

foreign-owned: 1 (Cyprus 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Apia

Military ::Samoa

Military branches:

no regular military forces; Samoa Police Force (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 53,417 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 43,169

females age 16-49: 40,957 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 2,597

female: 2,477 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

NA

Military - note:

Samoa has no formal defense structure or regular armed forces; informal defense ties exist with NZ, which is required to consider any Samoan request for assistance under the 1962 Treaty of Friendship

Transnational Issues ::Samoa

Disputes - international:

none

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@San Marino (Europe)

Introduction ::San Marino

Background:

The third smallest state in Europe (after the Holy See and Monaco), San Marino also claims to be the world's oldest republic. According to tradition, it was founded by a Christian stonemason named Marinus in A.D. 301. San Marino's foreign policy is aligned with that of Italy; social and political trends in the republic also track closely with those of its larger neighbor.

Geography ::San Marino

Location:

Southern Europe, an enclave in central Italy

Geographic coordinates:

43 46 N, 12 25 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 61 sq km country comparison to the world: 228 land: 61 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

about one third times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

total: 39 km

border countries: Italy 39 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

Mediterranean; mild to cool winters; warm, sunny summers

Terrain:

rugged mountains

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Torrente Ausa 55 m

highest point: Monte Titano 755 m

Natural resources:

building stone

Land use:

arable land: 16.67%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 83.33% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

NA

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution

Geography - note:

landlocked; smallest independent state in Europe after the Holy See and Monaco; dominated by the Apennines

People ::San Marino

Population:

30,324 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 212

Age structure:

0-14 years: 16.8% (male 2,636/female 2,451)

15-64 years: 65.8% (male 9,539/female 10,428)

65 years and over: 17.4% (male 2,273/female 2,997) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 41.5 years

male: 41.1 years

female: 41.9 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.148% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 115

Birth rate:

9.63 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 201

Death rate:

8.48 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 94

Net migration rate:

10.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 7

Urbanization:

urban population: 94% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 0.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.09 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female

total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 5.34 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 186 male: 5.76 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.88 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 81.97 years country comparison to the world: 5 male: 78.53 years

female: 85.72 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.36 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 201

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Sammarinese (singular and plural)

adjective: Sammarinese

Ethnic groups:

Sammarinese, Italian

Religions:

Roman Catholic

Languages:

Italian

Literacy:

definition: age 10 and over can read and write

total population: 96%

male: 97%

female: 95%

Education expenditures:

NA

Government ::San Marino

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of San Marino

conventional short form: San Marino

local long form: Repubblica di San Marino

local short form: San Marino

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: San Marino

geographic coordinates: 43 56 N, 12 25 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

9 municipalities (castelli, singular - castello); Acquaviva, Borgo Maggiore, Chiesanuova, Domagnano, Faetano, Fiorentino, Montegiardino, San Marino Citta, Serravalle

Independence:

3 September 301

National holiday:

Founding of the Republic, 3 September (AD 301)

Constitution:

8 October 1600; electoral law of 1926 serves some of the functions of a constitution

Legal system:

based on civil law system with Italian law influences; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Co-chiefs of State Captain Regent Francesco MUSSONI and Captain Regent Stefano PALMIERI (for the period 1 October 2009-31 March 2010)

head of government: Secretary of State for Foreign and Political Affairs Antonella MULARONI (since 3 December 2008)

cabinet: Congress of State elected by the Great and General Council for a five-year term

elections: co-chiefs of state (captains regent) elected by the Great and General Council for a six-month term; election last held in September 2009 (next to be held in March 2010); secretary of state for foreign and political affairs elected by the Great and General Council for a five-year term; election last held 9 November 2008 (next to be held by 2013)

election results: Francesco MUSSONI and Stefano PALMIERI elected captains regent; percent of legislative vote - NA; Antonella MULARONI elected secretary of state for foreign and political affairs; percent of legislative vote - NA

note: the popularly elected parliament (Grand and General Council) selects two of its members to serve as the Captains Regent (co-chiefs of state) for a six-month period; they preside over meetings of the Grand and General Council and its cabinet (Congress of State), which has 10 other members, all selected by the Grand and General Council; assisting the captains regent are 10 secretaries of state; the secretary of state for Foreign Affairs has assumed some prime ministerial roles

Legislative branch:

unicameral Grand and General Council or Consiglio Grande e Generale (60 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 9 November 2008 (next to be held by June 2013)

election results: percent of vote by party - Pact for San Marino coalition 54.2%: PDCS 31.9%, AP 11.5%, Freedom List 6.3%, San Marino Union of Moderates 4.2%; Reforms and Freedom coalition 45.8%: Party of Socialists and Democrats 32%, United Left 8.6%, Democrats of the Center 4.9%; seats by party - Pact for San Marino coalition 35: PDCS 22, AP 7, the Freedom List 4, San Marino Union of Moderates 2; Reforms and Freedom coalition 25: Party of Socialists and Democrats 18, United Left 5, Democrats of the Center 2

Judicial branch:

Council of Twelve or Consiglio dei XII

Political parties and leaders:

Christian Democrats or PDCS [Pasquale VALENTINI]; Communist
Refoundation or RC [Ivan FOSHI]; Democrats of the Center or DdC
[Giovanni LONGERNINI]; Freedom List (including NPS and We
Sammarinesi or NS [Gabriele GATTEI]; New Socialist Party or NPS
[Augusto CASALI]; Party of Socialists and Democrats or PDS [Paride
ANDREOLI]; Popular Alliance or AP [Carlo FRANCIOSI]; Union of
Moderates (including National Alliance or ANS [Glcuco SANSOVINI] and
San Marino Populars or pop [Romeo MORRI and Angela VENTURINI];
United Left of SU [Alessandro ROSSI]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

CE, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ITU, ITUC, OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Paolo RONDELLI

chancery: 888 27th Street NW, Suite 900, Washington, DC 20006

telephone: 202-337-2260

Diplomatic representation from the US:

the US does not have an embassy in San Marino; the ambassador to Italy is accredited to San Marino

Flag description:

two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and light blue with the national coat of arms superimposed in the center; the coat of arms has a shield (featuring three towers on three peaks) flanked by a wreath, below a crown and above a scroll bearing the word LIBERTAS (Liberty)

Economy ::San Marino

Economy - overview:

San Marino's economy relies heavily on its tourism and banking industries, as well as from the manufacture and export of ceramics, clothing, fabrics, furniture, paints, spirits, tiles, and wine. The economy also benefits from foreign investment due to its relatively low corporate taxes and low taxes on interest earnings. The San Marino government, sworn in on 3 December 2008, will continue to work towards an economic cooperation agreement with Italy - a longstanding priority - as well as harmonizing its fiscal laws with EU members. The per capita level of output and standard of living are comparable to those of the most prosperous regions of Italy, which supplies much of its food.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$1.662 billion (2007) country comparison to the world: 188 $850 million (2004 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$1.048 billion (2004)

GDP - real growth rate:

4.3% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 101

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$41,900 (2007) country comparison to the world: 19

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 0.1%

industry: 46.5%

services: 53.4% (2007)

Labor force:

22,660 (2008) country comparison to the world: 201

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 0.1%

industry: 37.7%

services: 62.2% (2008 est.)

Unemployment rate:

3.1% (2008) country comparison to the world: 35

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $690.6 million

expenditures: $652.9 million (2006)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

-3.5% (2008) country comparison to the world: 1 -1.5% (2006)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

NA% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 113 7.58% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$1.326 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$4.584 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$7.511 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

wheat, grapes, corn, olives; cattle, pigs, horses, beef, cheese, hides

Industries:

tourism, banking, textiles, electronics, ceramics, cement, wine

Industrial production growth rate:

3.1% (2007) country comparison to the world: 78

Exports:

$4.628 billion (2007) country comparison to the world: 114 $1.291 billion (2004)

Exports - commodities:

building stone, lime, wood, chestnuts, wheat, wine, baked goods, hides, ceramics

Imports:

$3.744 billion (2007) country comparison to the world: 130 $2.035 billion (2004)

Imports - commodities:

wide variety of consumer manufactures, food

Debt - external:

$NA

Exchange rates:

euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6734 (2008 est.), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)

Communications ::San Marino

Telephones - main lines in use:

21,300 (2008) country comparison to the world: 193

Telephones - mobile cellular:

17,700 (2008) country comparison to the world: 208

Telephone system:

general assessment: adequate connections

domestic: automatic telephone system completely integrated into Italian system; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity 130 telephones per 100 persons

international: country code - 378; connected to Italian international network (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 0, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2008)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (San Marino residents also receive broadcasts from Italy) (1997)

Internet country code:

.sm

Internet hosts:

6,734 (2009) country comparison to the world: 132

Internet users:

17,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 193

Transportation ::San Marino

Roadways:

total: 292 km country comparison to the world: 202 paved: 292 km (2006)

Military ::San Marino

Military branches:

no regular military forces; Voluntary Military Force (Corpi Militari Voluntar) performs ceremonial duties and limited police support functions (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

16-55 for voluntary service in Voluntary Military Force (2006)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 6,613 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 5,343

females age 16-49: 6,048 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 161

female: 160 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

NA

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of Italy

Transnational Issues ::San Marino

Disputes - international:

none

page last updated on October 28, 2009

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

@Sao Tome and Principe (Africa)

Introduction ::Sao Tome and Principe

Background:

Discovered and claimed by Portugal in the late 15th century, the islands' sugar-based economy gave way to coffee and cocoa in the 19th century - all grown with plantation slave labor, a form of which lingered into the 20th century. While independence was achieved in 1975, democratic reforms were not instituted until the late 1980s. The country held its first free elections in 1991, but frequent internal wrangling between the various political party's precipitated repeated changes in leadership and two failed coup attempts in 1995 and 2003. The recent discovery of oil in the Gulf of Guinea promises to attract increased attention to the small island nation.

Geography ::Sao Tome and Principe

Location:

Western Africa, islands in the Gulf of Guinea, straddling the
Equator, west of Gabon

Geographic coordinates:

1 00 N, 7 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 964 sq km country comparison to the world: 184 land: 964 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

more than five times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

209 km

Maritime claims:

measured from claimed archipelagic baselines

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; hot, humid; one rainy season (October to May)

Terrain:

volcanic, mountainous

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Pico de Sao Tome 2,024 m

Natural resources:

fish, hydropower

Land use:

arable land: 8.33%

permanent crops: 48.96%

other: 42.71% (2005)

Irrigated land:

100 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; soil erosion and exhaustion

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

the smallest country in Africa; the two main islands form part of a chain of extinct volcanoes and both are mountainous

People ::Sao Tome and Principe

Population:

212,679 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 186

Age structure:

0-14 years: 46.9% (male 50,475/female 49,188)

15-64 years: 49.7% (male 51,325/female 54,289)

65 years and over: 3.5% (male 3,335/female 4,067) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 16.4 years

male: 15.9 years

female: 17 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

3.093% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 12

Birth rate:

38.54 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 22

Death rate:

5.8 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 169

Net migration rate:

-1.81 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 135

Urbanization:

urban population: 61% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 37.12 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 68 male: 38.84 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 35.35 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 68.32 years country comparison to the world: 149 male: 66.65 years

female: 70.04 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

5.33 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 20

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: malaria

animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Sao Tomean(s)

adjective: Sao Tomean

Ethnic groups:

mestico, angolares (descendants of Angolan slaves), forros (descendants of freed slaves), servicais (contract laborers from Angola, Mozambique, and Cape Verde), tongas (children of servicais born on the islands), Europeans (primarily Portuguese)

Religions:

Catholic 70.3%, Evangelical 3.4%, New Apostolic 2%, Adventist 1.8%, other 3.1%, none 19.4% (2001 census)

Languages:

Portuguese (official)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 84.9%

male: 92.2%

female: 77.9% (2001 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 10 years

male: 10 years

female: 10 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

NA

Government ::Sao Tome and Principe

Country name:

conventional long form: Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe

conventional short form: Sao Tome and Principe

local long form: Republica Democratica de Sao Tome e Principe

local short form: Sao Tome e Principe

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Sao Tome

geographic coordinates: 0 12 N, 6 39 E

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

2 provinces; Principe, Sao Tome

note: Principe has had self government since 29 April 1995

Independence:

12 July 1975 (from Portugal)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 12 July (1975)

Constitution:

approved March 1990, effective 10 September 1990

Legal system:

based on Portuguese legal system and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Fradique Bandiera Melo DE MENEZES (since 3 September 2001)

head of government: Prime Minister Joachim Rafael BRANCO (since 22 June 2008)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the proposal of the prime minister

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 30 July 2006 (next to be held July 2011); prime minister chosen by the National Assembly and approved by the president

election results: Fradique DE MENEZES elected president; percent of vote - Fradique DE MENEZES 60%, Patrice TROVOADA 38.5%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (55 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held on 26 March 2006 (next to be held in March 2010)

election results: percent of vote by party - MDFM-PCD 37.2%, MLSTP 28.9%, ADI 20.0%, NR 4.7%, others 9.2%; seats by party - MDFM-PCD 23, MLSTP 19, ADI 12, NR 1

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the National Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:

Force for Change Democratic Movement or MDFM [Tome Soares da VERA
CRUZ]; Independent Democratic Action or ADI [[Patrice TROVOADA];
Movement for the Liberation of Sao Tome and Principe-Social
Democratic Party or MLSTP-PSD [Rafael BRANCO]; New Way Movement or
NR; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Delfim NEVES];
Ue-Kedadji coalition; other small parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Association of Sao Tome and Principe NGOs or FONG

other: the media

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, AU, CPLP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer),
IPU, ITU, ITUC, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union
Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)

chancery: 400 Park Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10022

telephone: [1] (212) 317-0580

FAX: [1] (212) 935-7348

Diplomatic representation from the US:

the US does not have an embassy in Sao Tome and Principe; the Ambassador to Gabon is accredited to Sao Tome and Principe on a nonresident basis and makes periodic visits to the islands

Flag description:

three horizontal bands of green (top), yellow (double width), and green with two black five-pointed stars placed side by side in the center of the yellow band and a red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Economy ::Sao Tome and Principe

Economy - overview:

This small, poor island economy has become increasingly dependent on cocoa since independence in 1975. Cocoa production has substantially declined in recent years because of drought and mismanagement. Sao Tome has to import all fuels, most manufactured goods, consumer goods, and a substantial amount of food. Over the years, it has had difficulty servicing its external debt and has relied heavily on concessional aid and debt rescheduling. Sao Tome benefited from $200 million in debt relief in December 2000 under the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) program, which helped bring down the country's $300 million debt burden. In August 2005, Sao Tome signed on to a new 3-year IMF Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) program worth $4.3 million. Considerable potential exists for development of a tourist industry, and the government has taken steps to expand facilities in recent years. The government also has attempted to reduce price controls and subsidies. Potential exists for the development of petroleum resources in Sao Tome's territorial waters in the oil-rich Gulf of Guinea, which are being jointly developed in a 60-40 split with Nigeria, but any actual production is at least several years off. The first production licenses were sold in 2004, though a dispute over licensing with Nigeria delayed Sao Tome's receipt of more than $20 million in signing bonuses for almost a year. Real GDP growth averaged about 6% in 2006-08, as a result of increases in public expenditures and oil-related capital investment.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$277.1 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 213 $262.7 million (2007 est.)

$247.8 million (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$175 million (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 74 6% (2007 est.)

6.7% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,300 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 205 $1,300 (2007 est.)

$1,300 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 14.6%

industry: 14.6%

services: 70.8% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

52,490 (2007) country comparison to the world: 182

Labor force - by occupation:

note: population mainly engaged in subsistence agriculture and fishing; shortages of skilled workers

Unemployment rate:

NA%

Population below poverty line:

54% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Investment (gross fixed):

38.8% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 7

Budget:

revenues: $47.65 million

expenditures: $51.48 million (2008 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

26% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 215 18% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

28% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 3 28% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

32.4% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 5 32.4% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$27.84 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 118 $19.99 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$36.95 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 125 $33.5 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$20.42 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 127 $31.84 million (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

cocoa, coconuts, palm kernels, copra, cinnamon, pepper, coffee, bananas, papayas, beans; poultry; fish

Industries:

light construction, textiles, soap, beer, fish processing, timber

Industrial production growth rate:

9.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 14

Electricity - production:

19 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 206

Electricity - consumption:

17.67 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 207

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 128

Oil - consumption:

1,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 190

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 163

Oil - imports:

725.5 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 193

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 124

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 122

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 129

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 102

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 125

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 128

Current account balance:

-$67 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 75 -$44 million (2007 est.)

Exports:

$8 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 211 $7 million (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

cocoa 80%, copra, coffee, palm oil

Exports - partners:

Japan 77.5%, Belgium 7.7%, Netherlands 6.4% (2008)

Imports:

$87 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 208 $65 million (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and electrical equipment, food products, petroleum products

Imports - partners:

Portugal 55.8%, Belgium 9.6%, Japan 9.3% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$43 million (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 152 $39 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$318 million (2002) country comparison to the world: 173

Exchange rates:

dobras (STD) per US dollar - 14,900 (2008 est.), 13,700 (2007), 12,050 (2006), 9,900.4 (2005), 9,902.3 (2004)

Communications ::Sao Tome and Principe

Telephones - main lines in use:

7,700 (2008) country comparison to the world: 208

Telephones - mobile cellular:

49,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 194

Telephone system:

general assessment: local telephone network of adequate quality with most lines connected to digital switches

domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity approaching 30 telephones per 100 persons

international: country code - 239; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2001)

Television broadcast stations:

2 (2001)

Internet country code:

.st

Internet hosts:

1,345 (2009) country comparison to the world: 155

Internet users:

24,800 (2008) country comparison to the world: 183

Transportation ::Sao Tome and Principe

Airports:

2 (2009) country comparison to the world: 205

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 320 km country comparison to the world: 201 paved: 218 km

unpaved: 102 km (2000)

Merchant marine:

total: 6 country comparison to the world: 130 by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 5

foreign-owned: 1 (Greece 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Sao Tome

Military ::Sao Tome and Principe

Military branches:

Armed Forces of Sao Tome and Principe (FASTP): Army, Coast Guard of
Sao Tome e Principe (Guarda Costeira de Sao Tome e Principe, GCSTP),
Presidential Guard (2007)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 42,340

females age 16-49: 43,781 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 35,216

females age 16-49: 38,329 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 2,534

female: 2,485 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

0.8% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 148

Military - note:

Sao Tome and Principe's army is a tiny force with almost no resources at its disposal and would be wholly ineffective operating unilaterally; infantry equipment is considered simple to operate and maintain but may require refurbishment or replacement after 25 years in tropical climates; poor pay, working conditions, and alleged nepotism in the promotion of officers have been problems in the past, as reflected in the 1995 and 2003 coups; these issues are being addressed with foreign assistance aimed at improving the army and its focus on realistic security concerns; command is exercised from the president, through the Minister of Defense, to the Chief of the Armed Forces staff (2005)

Transnational Issues ::Sao Tome and Principe

Disputes - international:

none

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Saudi Arabia (Middle East)

Introduction ::Saudi Arabia

Background:

Saudi Arabia is the birthplace of Islam and home to Islam's two holiest shrines in Mecca and Medina. The king's official title is the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. The modern Saudi state was founded in 1932 by ABD AL-AZIZ bin Abd al-Rahman AL SAUD (Ibn Saud) after a 30-year campaign to unify most of the Arabian Peninsula. A male descendent of Ibn Saud, his son ABDALLAH bin Abd al-Aziz, rules the country today as required by the country's 1992 Basic Law. Following Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990, Saudi Arabia accepted the Kuwaiti royal family and 400,000 refugees while allowing Western and Arab troops to deploy on its soil for the liberation of Kuwait the following year. The continuing presence of foreign troops on Saudi soil after the liberation of Kuwait became a source of tension between the royal family and the public until all operational US troops left the country in 2003. Major terrorist attacks in May and November 2003 spurred a strong on-going campaign against domestic terrorism and extremism. King ABDALLAH has continued the cautious reform program begun when he was crown prince. To promote increased political participation, the government held elections nationwide from February through April 2005 for half the members of 179 municipal councils. In December 2005, King ABDALLAH completed the process by appointing the remaining members of the advisory municipal councils. The king instituted an Inter-Faith Dialogue initiative in 2008 to encourage religious tolerance on a global level; in February 2009, he reshuffled the cabinet, which led to more moderates holding ministerial and judicial positions, and appointed the first female to the cabinet. The country remains a leading producer of oil and natural gas and holds more than 20% of the world's proven oil reserves. The government continues to pursue economic reform and diversification, particularly since Saudi Arabia's accession to the WTO in December 2005, and promotes foreign investment in the kingdom. A burgeoning population, aquifer depletion, and an economy largely dependent on petroleum output and prices are all ongoing governmental concerns.

Geography ::Saudi Arabia

Location:

Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea, north of
Yemen

Geographic coordinates:

25 00 N, 45 00 E

Map references:

Middle East

Area:

total: 2,149,690 sq km country comparison to the world: 14 land: 2,149,690 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly more than one-fifth the size of the US

Land boundaries:

total: 4,431 km

border countries: Iraq 814 km, Jordan 744 km, Kuwait 222 km, Oman 676 km, Qatar 60 km, UAE 457 km, Yemen 1,458 km

Coastline:

2,640 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 18 nm

continental shelf: not specified

Climate:

harsh, dry desert with great temperature extremes

Terrain:

mostly uninhabited, sandy desert

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m

highest point: Jabal Sawda' 3,133 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, copper

Land use:

arable land: 1.67%

permanent crops: 0.09%

other: 98.24% (2005)

Irrigated land:

16,200 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

2.4 cu km (1997)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 17.32 cu km/yr (10%/1%/89%)

per capita: 705 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

frequent sand and dust storms

Environment - current issues:

desertification; depletion of underground water resources; the lack of perennial rivers or permanent water bodies has prompted the development of extensive seawater desalination facilities; coastal pollution from oil spills

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

extensive coastlines on Persian Gulf and Red Sea provide great leverage on shipping (especially crude oil) through Persian Gulf and Suez Canal

People ::Saudi Arabia

Population:

28,686,633 country comparison to the world: 41 note: includes 5,576,076 non-nationals (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 38% (male 5,557,453/female 5,340,614)

15-64 years: 59.5% (male 9,608,032/female 7,473,543)

65 years and over: 2.5% (male 363,241/female 343,750) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 21.6 years

male: 22.9 years

female: 19.9 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.848% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 69

Birth rate:

28.55 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 52

Death rate:

2.47 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 218

Net migration rate:

-7.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 173

Urbanization:

urban population: 82% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 2.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.29 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.06 male(s)/female

total population: 1.18 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 11.57 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 148 male: 13.15 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 9.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 76.3 years country comparison to the world: 69 male: 74.23 years

female: 78.48 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3.83 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 49

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.01% (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 169

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Saudi(s)

adjective: Saudi or Saudi Arabian

Ethnic groups:

Arab 90%, Afro-Asian 10%

Religions:

Muslim 100%

Languages:

Arabic

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 78.8%

male: 84.7%

female: 70.8% (2003 est.)

Education expenditures:

6.8% of GDP (2004) country comparison to the world: 28

Government ::Saudi Arabia

Country name:

conventional long form: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

conventional short form: Saudi Arabia

local long form: Al Mamlakah al Arabiyah as Suudiyah

local short form: Al Arabiyah as Suudiyah

Government type:

monarchy

Capital:

name: Riyadh

geographic coordinates: 24 38 N, 46 43 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

13 provinces (mintaqat, singular - mintaqah); Al Bahah, Al Hudud ash
Shamaliyah (Northern Border), Al Jawf, Al Madinah, Al Qasim, Ar
Riyad (Riyadh), Ash Sharqiyah (Eastern), 'Asir, Ha'il, Jizan,
Makkah, Najran, Tabuk

Independence:

23 September 1932 (unification of the kingdom)

National holiday:

Unification of the Kingdom, 23 September (1932)

Constitution:

governed according to Islamic law; the Basic Law that articulates the government's rights and responsibilities was promulgated by royal decree in 1992

Legal system:

based on Sharia law, several secular codes have been introduced; commercial disputes handled by special committees; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

21 years of age; male

Executive branch:

chief of state: King and Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (since 1 August 2005); Heir Apparent Crown Prince SULTAN bin Abd al- Aziz Al Saud (half brother of the monarch); note - the monarch is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: King and Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (since 1 August 2005); Deputy Prime Minister SULTAN bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud; Second Deputy Prime Minister NAYIF bin Abd Al-Aziz Al Saud

cabinet: Council of Ministers is appointed by the monarch every four years and includes many royal family members

elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; note - a new Allegiance Commission created by royal decree in October 2006 established a committee of Saudi princes that will play a role in selecting future Saudi kings, but the new system will not take effect until after Crown Prince Sultan becomes king

Legislative branch:

Consultative Council or Majlis al-Shura (150 members and a chairman appointed by the monarch for four-year terms); note - though the Council of Ministers announced in October 2003 its intent to introduce elections for half of the members of local and provincial assemblies and a third of the members of the national Consultative Council or Majlis al-Shura incrementally over a period of four to five years, to date no such elections have been held or announced

Judicial branch:

Supreme Council of Justice

Political parties and leaders:

none

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Ansar Al Marah (supports women's rights)

other: gas companies; religious groups

International organization participation:

ABEDA, AfDB (nonregional member), AFESD, AMF, BIS, FAO, G-20, G-77,
GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM,
OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Adil al-Ahmad al-JUBAYR

chancery: 601 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037

telephone: [1] (202) 342-3800

FAX: [1] (202) 944-3113

consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Ford M. FRAKER

embassy: Collector Road M, Diplomatic Quarter, Riyadh

mailing address: American Embassy, Unit 61307, APO AE 09803-1307; International Mail: P. O. Box 94309, Riyadh 11693

telephone: [966] (1) 488-3800

FAX: [966] (1) 488-7360

consulate(s) general: Dhahran, Jiddah (Jeddah)

Flag description:

green, a traditional color in Islamic flags, with the Shahada or Muslim creed in large white Arabic script (translated as "There is no god but God; Muhammad is the Messenger of God") above a white horizontal saber (the tip points to the hoist side); design dates to the early twentieth century and is closely associated with the Al Saud family which established the kingdom in 1932

Economy ::Saudi Arabia

Economy - overview:

Saudi Arabia has an oil-based economy with strong government controls over major economic activities. It possesses more than 20% of the world's proven petroleum reserves, ranks as the largest exporter of petroleum, and plays a leading role in OPEC. The petroleum sector accounts for roughly 80% of budget revenues, 45% of GDP, and 90% of export earnings. About 40% of GDP comes from the private sector. Roughly 6.4 million foreign workers play an important role in the Saudi economy, particularly in the oil and service sectors. High oil prices through mid-2008 have boosted growth, government revenues, and Saudi ownership of foreign assets, while enabling Riyadh to pay down domestic debt. The government is encouraging private sector growth - especially in power generation, telecommunications, natural gas exploration, and petrochemicals - to lessen the kingdom's dependence on oil exports and to increase employment opportunities for the swelling Saudi population, nearly 40% of which are youths under 15 years old. Unemployment is high, and the large youth population generally lacks the education and technical skills the private sector needs. Riyadh has substantially boosted spending on job training and education, infrastructure development, and government salaries. As part of its effort to attract foreign investment and diversify the economy, Saudi Arabia acceded to the WTO in December 2005 after many years of negotiations. The government has announced plans to establish six "economic cities" in different regions of the country to promote development and diversification. The last five years of high oil prices have given the Kingdom ample financial reserves to manage the impact of the global financial crisis, but tight international credit, falling oil prices, and the global economic slowdown will reduce Saudi economic growth in 2009.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$577.9 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 23 $553.5 billion (2007 est.)

$535.8 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$469.4 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

4.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 98 3.3% (2007 est.)

3.1% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$20,500 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 60 $20,100 (2007 est.)

$19,800 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 3.1%

industry: 61.9%

services: 35% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

6.74 million country comparison to the world: 63 note: about 80% of the labor force is non-national (2008 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 6.7%

industry: 21.4%

services: 71.9% (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate:

11.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 135 13% (2004 est.)

note: data are for Saudi males only (local bank estimates; some estimates range as high as 25%)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Investment (gross fixed):

19.4% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 119

Budget:

revenues: $293.7 billion

expenditures: $136 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

18.9% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 98 75% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

9.9% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 144 4.1% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

2.5% (31 December 2008)

NA% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

NA% (31 December 2008)

Stock of money:

$113.2 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 11 $102.4 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$134.3 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 17 $109.5 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$66.94 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$246.3 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 22 $515.1 billion (31 December 2007)

$326.9 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

wheat, barley, tomatoes, melons, dates, citrus; mutton, chickens, eggs, milk

Industries:

crude oil production, petroleum refining, basic petrochemicals, ammonia, industrial gases, sodium hydroxide (caustic soda), cement, fertilizer, plastics, metals, commercial ship repair, commercial aircraft repair, construction

Industrial production growth rate:

2.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 97

Electricity - production:

179.1 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 22

Electricity - consumption:

165.1 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 19

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

10.78 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 1

Oil - consumption:

2.38 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 9

Oil - exports:

8.728 million bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 1

Oil - imports:

79,250 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 75

Oil - proved reserves:

266.7 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 1

Natural gas - production:

80.44 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 9

Natural gas - consumption:

80.44 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 11

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 124

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 139

Natural gas - proved reserves:

7.319 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 4

Current account balance:

$132.6 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 4 $96.77 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$313.4 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 16 $234.1 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

petroleum and petroleum products 90%

Exports - partners:

US 17.1%, Japan 15.2%, South Korea 10.1%, China 9.3%, India 7%,
Singapore 4.4% (2008)

Imports:

$108.3 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 33 $82.6 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, motor vehicles, textiles

Imports - partners:

US 12.2%, China 10.5%, Japan 7.7%, Germany 7.4%, South Korea 5.1%,
Italy 4.8%, India 4.2%, UK 4.1% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$30.59 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 43 $34.01 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$82.13 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 40 $58.6 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$108.5 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 32 $92 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$18.07 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 39 $16.99 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

Saudi riyals (SAR) per US dollar - 3.75 (2008 est.), 3.745 (2007), 3.745 (2006), 3.747 (2005), 3.75 (2004)

Communications ::Saudi Arabia

Telephones - main lines in use:

4.1 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 39

Telephones - mobile cellular:

36 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 29

Telephone system:

general assessment: modern system

domestic: extensive microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, and fiber-optic cable systems; mobile-cellular subscribership has been increasing rapidly

international: country code - 966; landing point for the international submarine cable Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG) and for both the SEA-ME-WE-3 and SEA-ME-WE-4 submarine cable networks providing connectivity to Asia, Middle East, Europe, and US; microwave radio relay to Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, Yemen, and Sudan; coaxial cable to Kuwait and Jordan; satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (3 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean), 1 Arabsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region) (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 43, FM 31, shortwave 2 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

117 (1997)

Internet country code:

.sa

Internet hosts:

471,217 (2009) country comparison to the world: 49

Internet users:

7.7 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 33

Transportation ::Saudi Arabia

Airports:

217 (2009) country comparison to the world: 27

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 80

over 3,047 m: 31

2,438 to 3,047 m: 16

1,524 to 2,437 m: 27

914 to 1,523 m: 2

under 914 m: 4 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 137

2,438 to 3,047 m: 8

1,524 to 2,437 m: 72

914 to 1,523 m: 41

under 914 m: 16 (2009)

Heliports:

9 (2009)

Pipelines:

condensate 212 km; gas 1,880 km; liquid petroleum gas 1,183 km; oil 4,239 km; refined products 1,148 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 1,392 km country comparison to the world: 83 standard gauge: 1,392 km 1.435-m gauge (with branch lines and sidings) (2008)

Roadways:

total: 221,372 km country comparison to the world: 24 paved: 47,529 km (includes 3,891 km of expressways)

unpaved: 173,843 km (2006)

Merchant marine:

total: 62 country comparison to the world: 64 by type: cargo 5, chemical tanker 13, container 5, passenger/cargo 8, petroleum tanker 20, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 8

foreign-owned: 12 (Egypt 1, Greece 3, Kuwait 7, UAE 1)

registered in other countries: 71 (Bahamas 16, Comoros 1, Dominica 2, France 1, Liberia 27, Marshall Islands 5, Norway 3, Panama 16) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Ad Dammam, Al Jubayl, Jiddah, Yanbu' al Sinaiyah

Military ::Saudi Arabia

Military branches:

Ministry of Defense and Aviation Forces: Royal Saudi Land Forces,
Royal Saudi Naval Forces (includes Marine Forces and Special
Forces), Royal Saudi Air Force (Al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Malakiya
as-Sa'udiya), Royal Saudi Air Defense Forces, Royal Saudi Strategic
Rocket Forces, Saudi Arabian National Guard (SANG)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 8,547,441

females age 16-49: 6,381,098 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 7,486,622

females age 16-49: 5,652,819 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 278,179

female: 267,905 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

10% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 3

Transnational Issues ::Saudi Arabia

Disputes - international:

Saudi Arabia has reinforced its concrete-filled security barrier along sections of the now fully demarcated border with Yemen to stem illegal cross-border activities; Kuwait and Saudi Arabia continue discussions on a maritime boundary with Iran

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 240,015 (Palestinian Territories) (2007)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Saudi Arabia is a destination country for workers from South and Southeast Asia who are subjected to conditions that constitute involuntary servitude including being subjected to physical and sexual abuse, non-payment of wages, confinement, and withholding of passports as a restriction on their movement; domestic workers are particularly vulnerable because some are confined to the house in which they work unable to seek help; Saudi Arabia is also a destination country for Nigerian, Yemeni, Pakistani, Afghan, Somali, Malian, and Sudanese children trafficked for forced begging and involuntary servitude as street vendors; some Nigerian women were reportedly trafficked into Saudi Arabia for commercial sexual exploitation

tier rating: Tier 3 - Saudi Arabia does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; the government continues to lack adequate anti-trafficking laws and, despite evidence of widespread trafficking abuses, did not report any criminal prosecutions, convictions, or prison sentences for trafficking crimes committed against foreign domestic workers (2008)

Illicit drugs:

death penalty for traffickers; improving anti-money-laundering legislation and enforcement

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Senegal (Africa)

Introduction ::Senegal

Background:

The French colonies of Senegal and the French Sudan were merged in 1959 and granted their independence as the Mali Federation in 1960. The union broke up after only a few months. Senegal joined with The Gambia to form the nominal confederation of Senegambia in 1982, but the envisaged integration of the two countries was never carried out, and the union was dissolved in 1989. The Movement of Democratic Forces in the Casamance (MFDC) has led a low-level separatist insurgency in southern Senegal since the 1980s, and several peace deals have failed to resolve the conflict. Nevertheless, Senegal remains one of the most stable democracies in Africa. Senegal was ruled by a Socialist Party for 40 years until current President Abdoulaye WADE was elected in 2000. He was reelected in February 2007, but complaints of fraud led opposition parties to boycott June 2007 legislative polls. Senegal has a long history of participating in international peacekeeping.

Geography ::Senegal

Location:

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
Guinea-Bissau and Mauritania

Geographic coordinates:

14 00 N, 14 00 W

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 196,722 sq km country comparison to the world: 87 land: 192,530 sq km

water: 4,192 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than South Dakota

Land boundaries:

total: 2,640 km

border countries: The Gambia 740 km, Guinea 330 km, Guinea-Bissau 338 km, Mali 419 km, Mauritania 813 km

Coastline:

531 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:

tropical; hot, humid; rainy season (May to November) has strong southeast winds; dry season (December to April) dominated by hot, dry, harmattan wind

Terrain:

generally low, rolling, plains rising to foothills in southeast

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed feature near Nepen Diakha 581 m

Natural resources:

fish, phosphates, iron ore

Land use:

arable land: 12.51%

permanent crops: 0.24%

other: 87.25% (2005)

Irrigated land:

1,200 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

39.4 cu km (1987)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 2.22 cu km/yr (4%/3%/93%)

per capita: 190 cu m/yr (2002)

Natural hazards:

lowlands seasonally flooded; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:

wildlife populations threatened by poaching; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; overfishing

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

westernmost country on the African continent; The Gambia is almost an enclave within Senegal

People ::Senegal

Population:

13,711,597 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 67

Age structure:

0-14 years: 42.2% (male 2,911,324/female 2,877,804)

15-64 years: 54.8% (male 3,728,664/female 3,786,000)

65 years and over: 3% (male 190,343/female 217,462) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 18.6 years

male: 18.4 years

female: 18.8 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.709% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 22

Birth rate:

36.84 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 29

Death rate:

9.75 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 67

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 83

Urbanization:

urban population: 42% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 3.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 58.94 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 40 male: 65.7 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 51.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 59 years country comparison to the world: 186 male: 57.12 years

female: 60.93 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

4.95 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 31

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 54

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

67,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 57

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

1,800 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 63

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, dengue fever, malaria, Rift Valley fever, and yellow fever

water contact disease: schistosomiasis

respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis

animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Senegalese (singular and plural)

adjective: Senegalese

Ethnic groups:

Wolof 43.3%, Pular 23.8%, Serer 14.7%, Jola 3.7%, Mandinka 3%,
Soninke 1.1%, European and Lebanese 1%, other 9.4%

Religions:

Muslim 94%, Christian 5% (mostly Roman Catholic), indigenous beliefs 1%

Languages:

French (official), Wolof, Pulaar, Jola, Mandinka

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 39.3%

male: 51.1%

female: 29.2% (2002 est.)

Education expenditures:

5% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 74

Government ::Senegal

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Senegal

conventional short form: Senegal

local long form: Republique du Senegal

local short form: Senegal

former: Senegambia (along with The Gambia), Mali Federation

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Dakar

geographic coordinates: 14 40 N, 17 26 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

14 regions (regions, singular - region); Dakar, Diourbel, Fatick, Kaffrine, Kaolack, Kedougou, Kolda, Louga, Matam, Saint-Louis, Sedhiou, Tambacounda, Thies, Ziguinchor

Independence:

4 April 1960 (from France); note - complete independence achieved upon dissolution of federation with Mali on 20 August 1960

National holiday:

Independence Day, 4 April (1960)

Constitution:

adopted 7 January 2001

Legal system:

based on French civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Court; the Council of State audits the government's accounting office; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Abdoulaye WADE (since 1 April 2000)

head of government: Prime Minister Soulayemane Ndene NDIAYE (since 1 May 2009)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister in consultation with the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term) under new constitution; election last held on 25 February 2007 (next to be held in 2012); prime minister appointed by the president

election results: Abdoulaye WADE reelected president; percent of vote - Abdoulaye WADE 55.9%, Idrissa SECK 14.9%, Ousmane Tanor DIENG 13.6%, Moustapha NIASSE 5.9%, other 9.7%

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament consisting of the Senate, reinstituted in 2007, (100 seats; 35 indirectly elected with the remaining 65 members to be appointed by the president) and the National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (150 seats; 90 members elected by direct popular vote with the remaining members elected by proportional representation from party lists to serve five-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held 19 August 2007 (next to be held - NA); National Assembly - last held on 3 June 2007 (next to be held 2012); note - the National Assembly in December 2005 voted to postpone legislative elections originally scheduled for 2006; legislative elections were first rescheduled to coincide with the 25 February 2007 presidential elections and later rescheduled for 3 June 2007; the June election was boycotted by 12 opposition parties, including the former ruling Socialist Party, which resulted in a record-low 35% voter turnout

election results: Senate results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDS 34, AJ/PADS 1, 65 appointed by the president; National Assembly results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - SOPI Coalition 131, other 19

Judicial branch:

Constitutional Court; Council of State; Court of Final Appeals or
Cour de Cassation; Court of Appeals

Political parties and leaders:

African Party of Independence [Majhemout DIOP]; Alliance for the
Republic-Yakaar [Macky Sall]; And-Jef/African Party for Democracy
and Socialism or AJ/PADS [Landing SAVANE]; Alliance of Forces of
Progress or AFP [Moustapha NIASSE]; Democratic League-Labor Party
Movement or LD-MPT [Dr. Abdoulaye BATHILY]; Front for Socialism and
Democracy/Benno Jubel or FSD/BJ [Cheikh Abdoulaye Bamba DIEYE];
Gainde Centrist Bloc or BGC [Jean-Paul DIAS]; Independence and Labor
Party or PIT [Amath DANSOKHO]; Jef-Jel [Talla SYLLA]; National
Democratic Rally or RND [Madior DIOUF]; People's Labor Party or PTP
[El Hadji DIOUF]; Reform Party or PR [Abdourahim AGNE]; Rewmi Party
[Idrissa Seck]; Senegalese Democratic Party or PDS [Abdoulaye WADE];
Socialist Party or PS [Ousmane Tanor DIENG]; SOPI Coalition
[Abdoulaye WADE] (a coalition led by the PDS); Union for Democratic
Renewal or URD [Djibo Leyti KA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

other: labor; students; Sufi brotherhoods, including the Mourides and Tidjanes; teachers

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, AU, CPLP (associate), ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-15, G-77, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU,
ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB
(regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Amadou Lamine BA

chancery: 2112 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 234-0540

FAX: [1] (202) 332-6315

consulate(s) general: Houston, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Marcia S. BERNICAT

embassy: Avenue Jean XXIII at the corner of Rue Kleber, Dakar

mailing address: B. P. 49, Dakar

telephone: [221] 33-829-2100

FAX: [221] 33-822-2991

Flag description:

three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), yellow, and red with a small green five-pointed star centered in the yellow band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Economy ::Senegal

Economy - overview:

In January 1994, Senegal undertook a bold and ambitious economic reform program with the support of the international donor community. This reform began with a 50% devaluation of Senegal's currency, the CFA franc, which was linked at a fixed rate to the French franc. Government price controls and subsidies have been steadily dismantled. After seeing its economy contract by 2.1% in 1993, Senegal made an important turnaround, thanks to the reform program, with real growth in GDP averaging over 5% annually during 1995-2008. Annual inflation had been pushed down to the single digits. As a member of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU), Senegal is working toward greater regional integration with a unified external tariff and a more stable monetary policy. High unemployment, however, continues to prompt illegal migrants to flee Senegal in search of better job opportunities in Europe. Senegal was also beset by an energy crisis that caused widespread blackouts in 2006 and 2007. The phosphate industry has struggled for two years to secure capital, and reduced output has directly impacted GDP. In 2007, Senegal signed agreements for major new mining concessions for iron, zircon, and gold with foreign companies. Firms from Dubai have agreed to manage and modernize Dakar's maritime port, and create a new special economic zone. Senegal still relies heavily upon outside donor assistance. Under the IMF's Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) debt relief program, Senegal has benefited from eradication of two-thirds of its bilateral, multilateral, and private-sector debt. In 2007, Senegal and the IMF agreed to a new, non-disbursing, Policy Support Initiative program.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$21.78 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 118 $21.25 billion (2007 est.)

$20.27 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$13.35 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 141 4.8% (2007 est.)

2.3% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,600 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 196 $1,600 (2007 est.)

$1,600 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 16.1%

industry: 19.3%

services: 64.6% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

4.973 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 73

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 77.5%

industry and services: 22.5% (2007 est.)

Unemployment rate:

48% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 192

Population below poverty line:

54% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.5%

highest 10%: 30.1% (2005)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

41.3 (2001) country comparison to the world: 57 41.3 (1995)

Investment (gross fixed):

25.3% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 50

Budget:

revenues: $3.077 billion

expenditures: $3.802 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

21.4% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 91 55.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

5.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 98 5.9% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

4.75% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 119 4.25% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

NA% (31 December 2008)

NA% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$2.842 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$1.579 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$2.97 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

peanuts, millet, corn, sorghum, rice, cotton, tomatoes, green vegetables; cattle, poultry, pigs; fish

Industries:

agricultural and fish processing, phosphate mining, fertilizer production, petroleum refining; iron ore, zircon, and gold mining, construction materials, ship construction and repair

Industrial production growth rate:

4.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 59

Electricity - production:

1.88 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 135

Electricity - consumption:

1.384 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 141

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 135

Oil - consumption:

38,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 105

Oil - exports:

5,653 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 104

Oil - imports:

42,850 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 96

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 136

Natural gas - production:

50 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 83

Natural gas - consumption:

50 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 107

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 119

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 135

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m country comparison to the world: 139

Current account balance:

-$975 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 115 -$1.18 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$2.053 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 131 $1.65 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

fish, groundnuts (peanuts), petroleum products, phosphates, cotton

Exports - partners:

Mali 19.6%, India 7.2%, France 5.5%, Gambia, The 5.4%, Italy 4.9% (2008)

Imports:

$4.263 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 125 $3.732 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

food and beverages, capital goods, fuels

Imports - partners:

France 19.7%, UK 15.2%, China 6.7%, Belgium 4.6%, Thailand 4.4%,
Netherlands 4.1% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$1.601 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 115 $1.66 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$2.627 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 132 $2.19 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 447.81 (2008 est.), 481.83 (2007), 522.89 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004)

note: since 1 January 1999, the West African CFA franc (XOF) has been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 CFA francs per euro; West African CFA franc (XOF) coins and banknotes are not accepted in countries using Central African CFA francs (XAF), and vice versa, even though the two currencies trade at par

Communications ::Senegal

Telephones - main lines in use:

237,800 (2008) country comparison to the world: 121

Telephones - mobile cellular:

5.389 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 83

Telephone system:

general assessment: good system

domestic: above-average urban system with a fiber-optic network; nearly two-thirds of all fixed-line connections are in Dakar where a call-center industry is emerging; expansion of fixed-line services in rural areas needed; mobile-cellular service is expanding rapidly; microwave radio relay, coaxial cable and fiber-optic cable in trunk system

international: country code - 221; the SAT-3/WASC fiber optic cable provides connectivity to Europe and Asia while Atlantis-2 provides connectivity to South America; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 8, FM 20, shortwave 1 (2001)

Television broadcast stations:

4 (2007)

Internet country code:

.sn

Internet hosts:

227 (2009) country comparison to the world: 186

Internet users:

1.02 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 86

Transportation ::Senegal

Airports:

19 (2009) country comparison to the world: 136

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 10

over 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 7

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 9

1,524 to 2,437 m: 6

914 to 1,523 m: 2

under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 43 km; refined products 8 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 906 km country comparison to the world: 94 narrow gauge: 906 km 1.000 meter gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 13,576 km country comparison to the world: 127 paved: 3,972 km (includes 7 km of expressways)

unpaved: 9,604 km (2003)

Waterways:

1,000 km (primarily on Senegal, Saloum, and Casamance rivers) (2008) country comparison to the world: 64

Ports and terminals:

Dakar

Military ::Senegal

Military branches:

Army, Senegalese Navy (Marine Senegalaise), Senegalese Air Force
(Armee de l'Air du Senegal) (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 2 years (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 2,943,619

females age 16-49: 2,955,179 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 2,038,508

females age 16-49: 2,207,510 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 154,249

female: 153,679 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.4% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 115

Transnational Issues ::Senegal

Disputes - international:

The Gambia and Guinea-Bissau attempt to stem separatist violence, cross border raids, and arms smuggling into their countries from Senegal's Casamance region, and in 2006, respectively accepted 6,000 and 10,000 Casamance residents fleeing the conflict; 2,500 Guinea-Bissau residents fled into Senegal in 2006 to escape armed confrontations along the border

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 19,630 (Mauritania)

IDPs: 22,400 (approximately 65% of the IDP population returned in 2005, but new displacement is occurring due to clashes between government troops and separatists in Casamance region) (2007)

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin and South American cocaine moving to Europe and North America; illicit cultivator of cannabis

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Serbia (Europe)

Introduction ::Serbia

Background:

The Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes was formed in 1918; its name was changed to Yugoslavia in 1929. Various paramilitary bands resisted Nazi Germany's occupation and division of Yugoslavia from 1941 to 1945, but fought each other and ethnic opponents as much as the invaders. The military and political movement headed by Josip TITO (Partisans) took full control of Yugoslavia when German and Croatian separatist forces were defeated in 1945. Although Communist, TITO's new government and his successors (he died in 1980) managed to steer their own path between the Warsaw Pact nations and the West for the next four and a half decades. In 1989, Slobodan MILOSEVIC became president of the Serbian Republic and his ultranationalist calls for Serbian domination led to the violent breakup of Yugoslavia along ethnic lines. In 1991, Croatia, Slovenia, and Macedonia declared independence, followed by Bosnia in 1992. The remaining republics of Serbia and Montenegro declared a new Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) in April 1992 and under MILOSEVIC's leadership, Serbia led various military campaigns to unite ethnic Serbs in neighboring republics into a "Greater Serbia." These actions led to Yugoslavia being ousted from the UN in 1992, but Serbia continued its - ultimately unsuccessful - campaign until signing the Dayton Peace Accords in 1995. MILOSEVIC kept tight control over Serbia and eventually became president of the FRY in 1997. In 1998, an ethnic Albanian insurgency in the formerly autonomous Serbian province of Kosovo provoked a Serbian counterinsurgency campaign that resulted in massacres and massive expulsions of ethnic Albanians living in Kosovo. The MILOSEVIC government's rejection of a proposed international settlement led to NATO's bombing of Serbia in the spring of 1999 and to the eventual withdrawal of Serbian military and police forces from Kosovo in June 1999. UNSC Resolution 1244 in June 1999 authorized the stationing of a NATO-led force (KFOR) in Kosovo to provide a safe and secure environment for the region's ethnic communities, created a UN interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) to foster self-governing institutions, and reserved the issue of Kosovo's final status for an unspecified date in the future. In 2001, UNMIK promulgated a constitutional framework that allowed Kosovo to establish institutions of self-government and led to Kosovo's first parliamentary election. FRY elections in September 2000 led to the ouster of MILOSEVIC and installed Vojislav KOSTUNICA as president. A broad coalition of democratic reformist parties known as DOS (the Democratic Opposition of Serbia) was subsequently elected to parliament in December 2000 and took control of the government. DOS arrested MILOSEVIC in 2001 and allowed for him to be tried in The Hague for crimes against humanity. (MILOSEVIC died in March 2006 before the completion of his trial.) In 2001, the country's suspension from the UN was lifted. In 2003, the FRY became Serbia and Montenegro, a loose federation of the two republics with a federal level parliament. Widespread violence predominantly targeting ethnic Serbs in Kosovo in March 2004 caused the international community to open negotiations on the future status of Kosovo in January 2006. In May 2006, Montenegro invoked its right to secede from the federation and - following a successful referendum - it declared itself an independent nation on 3 June 2006. Two days later, Serbia declared that it was the successor state to the union of Serbia and Montenegro. A new Serbian constitution was approved in October 2006 and adopted the following month. After 15 months of inconclusive negotiations mediated by the UN and four months of further inconclusive negotiations mediated by the US, EU, and Russia, on 17 February 2008, the UNMIK-administered province of Kosovo declared itself independent of Serbia.

Geography ::Serbia

Location:

Southeastern Europe, between Macedonia and Hungary

Geographic coordinates:

44 00 N, 21 00 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 77,474 sq km country comparison to the world: 116 land: 77,474 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than South Carolina

Land boundaries:

total: 2,026 km

border countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina 302 km, Bulgaria 318 km, Croatia 241 km, Hungary 151 km, Kosovo 352 km, Macedonia 62 km, Montenegro 124 km, Romania 476 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

in the north, continental climate (cold winters and hot, humid summers with well distributed rainfall); in other parts, continental and Mediterranean climate (relatively cold winters with heavy snowfall and hot, dry summers and autumns)

Terrain:

extremely varied; to the north, rich fertile plains; to the east, limestone ranges and basins; to the southeast, ancient mountains and hills

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: NA

highest point: Midzor 2,169 m

Natural resources:

oil, gas, coal, iron ore, copper, zinc, antimony, chromite, gold, silver, magnesium, pyrite, limestone, marble, salt, arable land

Land use:

arable land: NA

permanent crops: NA

other: NA

Irrigated land:

NA

Total renewable water resources:

208.5 cu km (note - includes Kosovo) (2003)

Natural hazards:

destructive earthquakes

Environment - current issues:

air pollution around Belgrade and other industrial cities; water pollution from industrial wastes dumped into the Sava which flows into the Danube

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life
Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

controls one of the major land routes from Western Europe to Turkey and the Near East

People ::Serbia

Population:

7,379,339 country comparison to the world: 95 note: does not include the population of Kosovo (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 15.4% (male 586,806/female 549,900)

15-64 years: 67.8% (male 2,503,194/female 2,502,807)

65 years and over: 16.8% (male 508,606/female 728,026) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 41 years

male: 39.3 years

female: 42.7 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.468% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 227

Birth rate:

9.19 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 207

Death rate:

13.86 deaths/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 25

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 79

Urbanization:

urban population: 52% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 0.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and above: 0.7 male(s)/female

total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 6.75 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 173 male: 7.79 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 5.64 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 73.9 years country comparison to the world: 96 male: 71.09 years

female: 76.89 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.38 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 198

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.1% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 146

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

6,400 (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 117

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 100 (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 134

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: intermediate

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea

vectorborne disease: Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever

note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Serb(s)

adjective: Serbian

Ethnic groups:

Serb 82.9%, Hungarian 3.9%, Romany (Gypsy) 1.4%, Yugoslavs 1.1%,
Bosniaks 1.8%, Montenegrin 0.9%, other 8% (2002 census)

Religions:

Serbian Orthodox 85%, Catholic 5.5%, Protestant 1.1%, Muslim 3.2%, unspecified 2.6%, other, unknown, or atheist 2.6% (2002 census)

Languages:

Serbian 88.3% (official), Hungarian 3.8%, Bosniak 1.8%, Romany
(Gypsy) 1.1%, other 4.1%, unknown 0.9% (2002 census)

note: Romanian, Hungarian, Slovak, Ukrainian, and Croatian all official in Vojvodina

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 96.4%

male: 98.9%

female: 94.1% (2003 census)

note: includes Montenegro

Education expenditures:

NA

Government ::Serbia

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Serbia

conventional short form: Serbia

local long form: Republika Srbija

local short form: Srbija

former: People's Republic of Serbia, Socialist Republic of Serbia

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Belgrade (Beograd)

geographic coordinates: 44 50 N, 20 30 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

167 municipalities (opcstine, singular - opcstina)

Serbia Proper: Belgrade City (Beograd): Barajevo, Cukarica, Grocka,
Lazarevac, Mladenovac, Novi Beograd, Obrenovac, Palilula, Rakovica,
Savski Venac, Sopot, Stari Grad, Surcin, Vozdovac, Vracar, Zemun,
Zvezdara; Bor: Bor, Kladovo, Majdanpek, Negotin; Branicevo: Golubac,
Kucevo, Malo Crnice, Petrovac, Pozarevac, Veliko Gradiste, Zabari,
Zagubica; Grad Nis: Crveni Krst, Mediana, Niska Banja, Palilula,
Pantelej Jablanica: Bojnik, Crna Trava, Lebane, Leskovac, Medveda,
Vlasotince; Kolubara: Lajkovac, Ljig, Mionica, Osecina, Ub, Valjevo;
Macva: Bogatic, Koceljeva, Krupanj, Ljubovija, Loznica, Mali
Zvornik, Sabac, Vladimirci; Moravica: Cacak, Gornkji Milanovac,
Ivanjica, Lucani; Nisava: Aleksinac, Doljevac, Gadzin Han, Merosina,
Nis, Razanj, Svrljig; Pcinja: Bosilegrad, Bujanovac, Presevo,
Surdulica, Trgoviste, Vladicin Han, Vranje; Pirot: Babusnica, Bela
Palanka, Dimitrovgrad, Pirot; Podunavlje: Smederevo, Smederevskia
Palanka, Velika Plana; Pomoravlje: Cuprija, Despotovac, Jagodina,
Paracin, Rekovac, Svilajnac; Rasina: Aleksandrovac, Brus, Cicevac,
Krusevac, Trstenik, Varvarin; Raska: Kraljevo, Novi Pazar, Raska,
Tutin, Vrnjacka Banja; Sumadija: Arandelovac, Batocina, Knic,
Kragujevac, Lapovo, Raca, Topola; Toplica: Blace, Kursumlija,
Prokuplje, Zitorada; Zajecar: Boljevac, Knjazevac, Sokobanja,
Zajecar; Zlatibor: Arilje, Bajina Basta, Cajetina, Kosjeric, Nova
Varos, Pozega, Priboj, Prijepolje, Sjenica, Uzice

Vojvodina Autonomous Province: South Backa: Bac, Backa Palanka,
Backi Petrovac, Becej, Beocin, Novi Sad, Sremski Karlovci,
Srobobran, Temerin, Titel, Vrbas, Zabalj; South Banat: Alibunar,
Bela Crkva, Kovacica, Kovin, Opovo, Pancevo, Plandiste, Vrsac; North
Backa: Backa Topola, Mali Idjos, Subotica; North Banat: Ada, Coka,
Kanjiza, Kikinda, Novi Knezevac, Senta; Central Banat: Nova Crnja,
Novi Becej, Secanj, Zitiste, Zrenjanin; Srem: Indija, Irig, Pecinci,
Ruma, Sid, Sremska Mitrovica, Stara Pazova; West Backa: Apatin,
Kula, Odzaci, Sombor

Independence:

5 June 2006 (from Serbia and Montenegro)

National holiday:

National Day, 15 February

Constitution:

adopted 8 November 2006; effective 10 November 2006

Legal system:

based on civil law system

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Boris TADIC (since 11 July 2004)

head of government: Prime Minister Mirko CVETKOVIC (since 7 July 2008)

cabinet: Federal Ministries act as cabinet

elections: president elected by direct vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 3 February 2008 (next to be held in 2013); prime minister elected by the National Assembly

election results: Boris TADIC elected president in the second round of voting; Boris TADIC received 51.2% of the vote and Tomislav NIKOLIC 48.8%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly (250 seats; deputies elected according to party lists to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held on 11 May 2008 (next to be held in May 2012)

election results: percent of vote by party - For a European Serbia coalition 38.4%, SRS 29.5%, DSS-NS 11.6%, SPS-led coalition 7.6%, LPD 5.2%, other 7.7%; seats by party - For a European Serbia coalition 102, SRS 77, DSS-NS 30, SNS 21, SPS-led coalition 20, LDP 13, other 7; note - the seat allocation for the SNS and SRS is uncertain because of an ongoing dispute with the SRS

Judicial branch:

Constitutional Court, Supreme Court (to become court of cassation under new constitution), appellate courts, district courts, municipal courts

Political parties and leaders:

Coalition of Albanians of the Presevo Valley or KAPD [Riza HALIMI];
Coalition for Sandzak or KZS [Sulejman UGLJANIN]; Democratic Party
of Albanians or PDSh [Ragmi MUSTAFA]; Democratic Party of Serbia or
DSS [Vojislav KOSTUNICA]; Democratic Party or DS [Boris TADIC];
Democratic Union of the Valley or BDL [Skender DESTANI]; For a
European Serbia [Boris TADIC]; Force of Serbia Movement or PSS
[Bogoljub KARIC]; G17 Plus [Mladjan DINKIC]; League of Vojvodina
Hungarians or SVM [Istvan PASTOR]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDP
[Cedomir JOVANOVIC]; Movement for Democratic Progress or LPD [Jonuz
MUSLIU]; New Serbia or NS [Velimir ILIC]; Party of Democratic Action
or PVD [Riza HALIMI]; People's Party or NS [Maja GOJKOVIC]; Roma
Party or RP [Srdjan SAJN]; Serbian Progressive Party or SNS
[Tomislav NIKOLIC]; Serbian Radical Party or SRS [Vojislav SESELJ
(currently on trial at The Hague), with Dragan TODOROVIC as acting
leader]; Socialist Party of Serbia or SPS [Ivica DACIC]; Union of
Roma of Serbia or URS [Rajko DJURIC]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

BSEC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, G-9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD (suspended), IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM
(observer), OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP,
SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU,
WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Vladimir PETROVIC

chancery: 2134 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 332-0333

FAX: [1] (202) 332-3933

consulate(s) general: Chicago, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Cameron MUNTER

embassy: Kneza Milosa 50, 11000 Belgrade

mailing address: 5070 Belgrade Place, Washington, DC 20521-5070

telephone: [381] (11) 361-9344

FAX: [381] (11) 361-8230

Flag description:

three equal horizontal stripes of red (top), blue, and white; charged with the coat of arms of Serbia shifted slightly to the hoist side

Economy ::Serbia

Economy - overview:

MILOSEVIC-era mismanagement of the economy, an extended period of international economic sanctions, and the damage to Yugoslavia's infrastructure and industry during the NATO airstrikes in 1999 left the economy only half the size it was in 1990. After the ousting of former Federal Yugoslav President MILOSEVIC in September 2000, the Democratic Opposition of Serbia (DOS) coalition government implemented stabilization measures and embarked on a market reform program. After renewing its membership in the IMF in December 2000, Yugoslavia continued to reintegrate into the international community by rejoining the World Bank (IBRD) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). A World Bank-European Commission sponsored Donors' Conference held in June 2001 raised $1.3 billion for economic restructuring. In November 2001, the Paris Club agreed to reschedule the country's $4.5 billion public debt and wrote off 66% of the debt. In July 2004, the London Club of private creditors forgave $1.7 billion of debt just over half the total owed. Belgrade has made progress in trade liberalization and enterprise restructuring and privatization, including telecommunications and small- and medium-size firms. It has made halting progress towards EU membership despite signing a Stabilization and Association Agreement with Brussels in May 2008. Serbia is also pursuing membership in the World Trade Organization. Unemployment and the large current account deficit remain ongoing political and economic problems.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$79.77 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 75 $75.68 billion (2007 est.)

$70.8 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$50.06 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 77 6.9% (2007 est.)

5.2% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$10,800 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 100 $10,200 (2007 est.)

$9,500 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 12.3%

industry: 24.2%

services: 63.5% (2007 est.)

Labor force:

2.961 million (2002 est.) country comparison to the world: 100

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 30%

industry: 46%

services: 24% (2002)

Unemployment rate:

18.8% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 163

Population below poverty line:

6.5% (2007 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

30 (2003) country comparison to the world: 116

Investment (gross fixed):

20.1% of GDP (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 109

Budget:

revenues: $9.6 billion

expenditures: $9.8 billion (2007 est.)

Public debt:

37% of GDP (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 63

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

6.8% (2007) country comparison to the world: 114

Central bank discount rate:

17.75% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 45 9.57% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

18.11% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 73 11.13% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$3.831 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 60 $4.632 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$11.95 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 48 $12.19 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$17.06 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 63 $13.44 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 66 $23.93 billion (31 December 2007)

$10.99 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

wheat, maize, sugar beets, sunflower, raspberries, beef, pork, milk

Industries:

sugar, agricultural machinery, electrical and communication equipment, paper and pulp, lead, transportation equipment

Industrial production growth rate:

1.8% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 111

Electricity - production:

33.87 billion kWh (2004) country comparison to the world: 61

Electricity - consumption:

NA kWh

Electricity - exports:

12.05 billion kWh (2004 est.)

Electricity - imports:

11.23 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production:

11,420 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 83

Oil - consumption:

NA bbl/day

Oil - exports:

3,641 bbl/day (2005) country comparison to the world: 108

Oil - imports:

70,760 bbl/day (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 79

Oil - proved reserves:

77.5 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 74

Natural gas - production:

650 million cu m (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 66

Natural gas - consumption:

2.55 billion cu m (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 76

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2005) country comparison to the world: 129

Natural gas - imports:

2.1 billion cu m (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 44

Natural gas - proved reserves:

48.14 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 66

Current account balance:

-$6.889 billion (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 167

Exports:

$8.824 billion (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 92

Exports - commodities:

manufactured goods, food and live animals, machinery and transport equipment

Imports:

$18.35 billion (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 73

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$14.22 billion (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 59 $14.22 billion (2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$26.24 billion (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 66

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$11.95 billion (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 76

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$NA

Exchange rates:

Serbian dinars (RSD) per US dollar - 54.5 (2007), 59.98 (2006)

Communications ::Serbia

Telephones - main lines in use:

3.085 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 49

Telephones - mobile cellular:

9.619 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 61

Telephone system:

general assessment: modernization of the telecommunications network has been slow as a result of damage stemming from the 1999 war and transition to a competitive market-based system; network was 90% digitalized in 2006

domestic: teledensity remains below the average for neighboring states; GSM wireless service, available through multiple providers with national coverage, is growing very rapidly; best telecommunications service centered in urban centers

international: country code - 381

Radio broadcast stations:

153 (station types NA) (2001)

Internet country code:

.rs

Internet hosts:

181,313 (2009) country comparison to the world: 64

Internet users:

2.936 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 59

Transportation ::Serbia

Airports:

28 (2009) country comparison to the world: 121

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 10

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 3

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 18

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 9

under 914 m: 8 (2009)

Heliports:

2 (2007)

Pipelines:

gas 1,921 km; oil 323 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 3,379 km country comparison to the world: 52 standard gauge: 3,379 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified 1,254 km) (2006)

Roadways:

total: 36,875 km country comparison to the world: 92 paved: 31,392 km

unpaved: 5,483 km (2006)

Waterways:

587 km (primarily on Danube and Sava rivers) (2008) country comparison to the world: 81

Military ::Serbia

Military branches:

Serbian Armed Forces (Vojska Srbije, VS): Land Forces Command
(includes Riverine Component, consisting of a river flotilla on the
Danube), Joint Operations Command, Air and Air Defense Forces
Command (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

19-35 years of age for male compulsory military service; under a state of war or impending war, conscription can begin at age 16; conscription is to be abolished in 2010; 6-month service obligation, with a reserve obligation to age 60 for men and 50 for women (2007)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,415,007

females age 16-49: 1,379,541 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 44,601

female: 41,845 (2009 est.)

Transnational Issues ::Serbia

Disputes - international:

Serbia with several other states protest the U.S. and other states' recognition of Kosovo's declaring itself as a sovereign and independent state in February 2008; ethnic Serbian municipalities along Kosovo's northern border challenge final status of Kosovo-Serbia boundary; several thousand NATO-led KFOR peacekeepers under UNMIK authority continue to keep the peace within Kosovo between the ethnic Albanian majority and the Serb minority in Kosovo; Serbia delimited about half of the boundary with Bosnia and Herzegovina, but sections along the Drina River remain in dispute

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 71,111 (Croatia); 27,414 (Bosnia and Herzegovina); 206,000 (Kosovo), note - mostly ethnic Serbs and Roma who fled Kosovo in 1999 (2007)

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin moving to Western Europe on the Balkan route; economy vulnerable to money laundering

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Seychelles (Africa)

Introduction ::Seychelles

Background:

A lengthy struggle between France and Great Britain for the islands ended in 1814, when they were ceded to the latter. Independence came in 1976. Socialist rule was brought to a close with a new constitution and free elections in 1993. President France-Albert RENE, who had served since 1977, was re-elected in 2001, but stepped down in 2004. Vice President James MICHEL took over the presidency and in July 2006 was elected to a new five-year term.

Geography ::Seychelles

Location:

archipelago in the Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar

Geographic coordinates:

4 35 S, 55 40 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 455 sq km country comparison to the world: 198 land: 455 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

491 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:

tropical marine; humid; cooler season during southeast monsoon (late May to September); warmer season during northwest monsoon (March to May)

Terrain:

Mahe Group is granitic, narrow coastal strip, rocky, hilly; others are coral, flat, elevated reefs

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: Morne Seychellois 905 m

Natural resources:

fish, copra, cinnamon trees

Land use:

arable land: 2.17%

permanent crops: 13.04%

other: 84.79% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

lies outside the cyclone belt, so severe storms are rare; short droughts possible

Environment - current issues:

water supply depends on catchments to collect rainwater

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

41 granitic and about 75 coralline islands

People ::Seychelles

Population:

87,476 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 197

Age structure:

0-14 years: 22.8% (male 10,201/female 9,732)

15-64 years: 70.1% (male 31,870/female 29,439)

65 years and over: 7.1% (male 2,321/female 3,913) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 31.4 years

male: 30.9 years

female: 32 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.999% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 125

Birth rate:

15.87 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 134

Death rate:

6.93 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 135

Net migration rate:

1.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 55

Urbanization:

urban population: 54% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female

total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 12.3 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 142 male: 15.44 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 9.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 73.02 years country comparison to the world: 112 male: 68.33 years

female: 77.85 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.93 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 138

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Seychellois (singular and plural)

adjective: Seychellois

Ethnic groups:

mixed French, African, Indian, Chinese, and Arab

Religions:

Roman Catholic 82.3%, Anglican 6.4%, Seventh Day Adventist 1.1%, other Christian 3.4%, Hindu 2.1%, Muslim 1.1%, other non-Christian 1.5%, unspecified 1.5%, none 0.6% (2002 census)

Languages:

Creole 91.8%, English 4.9% (official), other 3.1%, unspecified 0.2% (2002 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 91.8%

male: 91.4%

female: 92.3% (2002 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 15 years

male: 14 years

female: 15 years (2007)

Education expenditures:

6.5% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 31

Government ::Seychelles

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Seychelles

conventional short form: Seychelles

local long form: Republic of Seychelles

local short form: Seychelles

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Victoria

geographic coordinates: 4 38 S, 55 27 E

time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

23 administrative districts; Anse aux Pins, Anse Boileau, Anse
Etoile, Anse Louis, Anse Royale, Baie Lazare, Baie Sainte Anne, Beau
Vallon, Bel Air, Bel Ombre, Cascade, Glacis, Grand' Anse (on Mahe),
Grand' Anse (on Praslin), La Digue, La Riviere Anglaise, Mont
Buxton, Mont Fleuri, Plaisance, Pointe La Rue, Port Glaud, Saint
Louis, Takamaka

Independence:

29 June 1976 (from the UK)

National holiday:

Constitution Day (National Day), 18 June (1993)

Constitution:

18 June 1993

Legal system:

based on English common law, French civil law, and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

17 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President James Alix MICHEL (since 14 April 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President James MICHEL (since 14 April 2004)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for two more terms); election last held 28-30 July 2006 (next to be held in 2011)

election results: President James MICHEL elected president; percent of vote - James MICHEL 53.73%, Wavel RAMKALAWAN 45.71%, Philippe BOULLE 0.56%; note - this was the first election in which President James MICHEL participated; he was originally sworn in as president after former president France Albert RENE stepped down in April 2004

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (34 seats; 25 members elected by popular vote, 9 allocated on a proportional basis to parties winning at least 10% of the vote; to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 10-12 May 2007 (next to be held in 2012)

election results: percent of vote by party - SPPF 56.2%, SNP 43.8%; seats by party - SPPF 23, SNP 11

Judicial branch:

Court of Appeal; Supreme Court; judges for both courts are appointed by the president

Political parties and leaders:

Democratic Party or DP [James MANCHAM, Paul CHOW]; Seychelles
National Party or SNP [Wavel RAMKALAWAN] (formerly the United
Opposition or UO); People's Party (Parti Lepep) or PL [France Albert
RENE, James MICHEL] (the governing party)

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Roman Catholic Church

other: trade unions

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Jean Ronald JUMEAU

chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400C, New York, NY 10017

telephone: [1] (212) 972-1785

FAX: [1] (212) 972-1786

Diplomatic representation from the US:

the US does not have an embassy in Seychelles; the ambassador to Mauritius is accredited to Seychelles

Flag description:

five oblique bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, red, white, and green (bottom) radiating from the bottom of the hoist side

Economy ::Seychelles

Economy - overview:

Since independence in 1976, per capita output in this Indian Ocean archipelago has expanded to roughly seven times the pre-independence, near-subsistence level, moving the island into the upper-middle income group of countries. Growth has been led by the tourist sector, which employs about 30% of the labor force and provides more than 70% of hard currency earnings, and by tuna fishing. In recent years, the government has encouraged foreign investment to upgrade hotels and other services. At the same time, the government has moved to reduce the dependence on tourism by promoting the development of farming, fishing, and small-scale manufacturing. GDP grew about 7-8% per year in 2006-07, driven by tourism and a boom in tourism-related construction. The Seychelles rupee was allowed to depreciate in 2006 after being overvalued for years and fell by 10% in the first 9 months of 2007. Despite these actions, the Seychelles economy has struggled to maintain its gains and in 2008 suffered from food and oil price shocks, a foreign exchange shortage, high inflation and large financing gaps, with GDP growth reduced to about 3% in 2008. In July 2008 the government defaulted on a Euro amortizing note worth roughly US$80 million, leading to a downgrading of Seychelles credit rating. Seychelles requested an IMF Stand-By Agreement in December 2008.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$1.821 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 185 $1.838 billion (2007 est.)

$1.675 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$822 million (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

-0.9% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 206 9.7% (2007 est.)

9.3% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$21,000 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 59 $21,400 (2007 est.)

$19,800 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 2%

industry: 28.9%

services: 69.2% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

39,560 (2006) country comparison to the world: 191

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 3%

industry: 23%

services: 74% (2006)

Unemployment rate:

2% (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 19

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Investment (gross fixed):

13.7% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 141

Budget:

revenues: $260.5 million

expenditures: $291.2 million (2008 est.)

Public debt:

74.2% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 15 122.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

37% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 220 5.3% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

NA% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 90 5.13% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

11.81% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 76 10.89% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$164.8 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 107 $330.8 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$188.5 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 117 $249 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$375.6 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 117 $660.2 million (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

coconuts, cinnamon, vanilla, sweet potatoes, cassava (tapioca), bananas; poultry; tuna

Industries:

fishing, tourism, processing of coconuts and vanilla, coir (coconut fiber) rope, boat building, printing, furniture; beverages

Industrial production growth rate:

2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 105

Electricity - production:

250 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 172

Electricity - consumption:

232.5 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 173

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 136

Oil - consumption:

7,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 157

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 168

Oil - imports:

7,653 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 145

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 137

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 135

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 138

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 121

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 136

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 140

Current account balance:

-$430 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 102 -$274.8 million (2007 est.)

Exports:

$495 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 162 $391.7 million (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

canned tuna, frozen fish, cinnamon bark, copra, petroleum products (reexports)

Exports - partners:

UK 21.1%, France 19.1%, Mauritius 10.1%, Japan 7.9%, Italy 7.8%,
Netherlands 6% (2008)

Imports:

$1.018 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 171 $804 million (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals

Imports - partners:

Saudi Arabia 17.5%, Singapore 12.4%, France 10.3%, Spain 8.1%,
Germany 7%, India 5.4%, South Africa 4.7% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$64 million (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 151 $40.8 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$1.422 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 145 $1.059 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

Seychelles rupees (SCR) per US dollar - 8 (2008 est.), 6.5 (2007), 5.5 (2006), 5.5 (2005), 5.5 (2004)

Communications ::Seychelles

Telephones - main lines in use:

23,200 (2008) country comparison to the world: 188

Telephones - mobile cellular:

85,300 (2008) country comparison to the world: 184

Telephone system:

general assessment: effective system

domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity is 130 telephones per 100 persons; radiotelephone communications between islands in the archipelago

international: country code - 248; direct radiotelephone communications with adjacent island countries and African coastal countries; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 2 (2001)

Television broadcast stations:

2 (plus 9 repeaters) (1997)

Internet country code:

.sc

Internet hosts:

324 (2009) country comparison to the world: 179

Internet users:

32,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 179

Transportation ::Seychelles

Airports:

14 (2009) country comparison to the world: 149

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 8

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 6

under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 6

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 5 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 458 km country comparison to the world: 193 paved: 440 km

unpaved: 18 km (2003)

Merchant marine:

total: 8 country comparison to the world: 121 by type: cargo 1, carrier 1, chemical tanker 6

foreign-owned: 3 (Hong Kong 1, Nigeria 1, South Africa 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Victoria

Military ::Seychelles

Military branches:

Seychelles Defense Force: Army, Coast Guard (includes Naval Wing,
Air Wing), National Guard (2005)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service (younger with parental consent); no conscription (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 23,598

females age 16-49: 24,424 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 19,702

females age 16-49: 19,780 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 714

female: 685 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

2% of GDP (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 82

Transnational Issues ::Seychelles

Disputes - international:

together with Mauritius, Seychelles claims the Chagos Archipelago (UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory)

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Sierra Leone (Africa)

Introduction ::Sierra Leone

Background:

Democracy is slowly being reestablished after the civil war from 1991 to 2002 that resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and the displacement of more than 2 million people (about one-third of the population). The military, which took over full responsibility for security following the departure of UN peacekeepers at the end of 2005, is increasingly developing as a guarantor of the country's stability. The armed forces remained on the sideline during the 2007 presidential election, but still look to the UN Integrated Office in Sierra Leone (UNIOSIL) - a civilian UN mission - to support efforts to consolidate peace. The new government's priorities include furthering development, creating jobs, and stamping out endemic corruption.

Geography ::Sierra Leone

Location:

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea and Liberia

Geographic coordinates:

8 30 N, 11 30 W

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 71,740 sq km country comparison to the world: 118 land: 71,620 sq km

water: 120 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than South Carolina

Land boundaries:

total: 958 km

border countries: Guinea 652 km, Liberia 306 km

Coastline:

402 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; hot, humid; summer rainy season (May to December); winter dry season (December to April)

Terrain:

coastal belt of mangrove swamps, wooded hill country, upland plateau, mountains in east

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Loma Mansa (Bintimani) 1,948 m

Natural resources:

diamonds, titanium ore, bauxite, iron ore, gold, chromite

Land use:

arable land: 7.95%

permanent crops: 1.05%

other: 91% (2005)

Irrigated land:

300 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

160 cu km (1987)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.38 cu km/yr (5%/3%/92%)

per capita: 69 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

dry, sand-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to February); sandstorms, dust storms

Environment - current issues:

rapid population growth pressuring the environment; overharvesting of timber, expansion of cattle grazing, and slash-and-burn agriculture have resulted in deforestation and soil exhaustion; civil war depleted natural resources; overfishing

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea,
Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Geography - note:

rainfall along the coast can reach 495 cm (195 inches) a year, making it one of the wettest places along coastal, western Africa

People ::Sierra Leone

Population:

6,440,053 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 103

Age structure:

0-14 years: 44.5% (male 1,407,226/female 1,460,366)

15-64 years: 52.2% (male 1,613,554/female 1,750,250)

65 years and over: 3.2% (male 95,533/female 113,124) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 17.5 years

male: 17.2 years

female: 17.8 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.282% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 40

Birth rate:

44.73 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 5

Death rate:

21.91 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 4

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population country comparison to the world: 80 note: refugees currently in surrounding countries are slowly returning (2009 est.)

Urbanization:

urban population: 38% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 2.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 0.96 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female

total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 154.43 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 2 male: 171.57 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 136.78 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 41.24 years country comparison to the world: 219 male: 38.92 years

female: 43.64 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

5.88 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 12

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

1.7% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 37

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

55,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 62

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

3,300 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 54

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever

water contact disease: schistosomiasis

aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: Lassa fever (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Sierra Leonean(s)

adjective: Sierra Leonean

Ethnic groups:

20 African ethnic groups 90% (Temne 30%, Mende 30%, other 30%), Creole (Krio) 10% (descendants of freed Jamaican slaves who were settled in the Freetown area in the late-18th century), refugees from Liberia's recent civil war, small numbers of Europeans, Lebanese, Pakistanis, and Indians

Religions:

Muslim 60%, Christian 10%, indigenous beliefs 30%

Languages:

English (official, regular use limited to literate minority), Mende (principal vernacular in the south), Temne (principal vernacular in the north), Krio (English-based Creole, spoken by the descendants of freed Jamaican slaves who were settled in the Freetown area, a lingua franca and a first language for 10% of the population but understood by 95%)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write English, Mende, Temne, or Arabic

total population: 35.1%

male: 46.9%

female: 24.4% (2004 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 7 years

male: 8 years

female: 6 years (2001)

Education expenditures:

3.8% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 116

Government ::Sierra Leone

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Sierra Leone

conventional short form: Sierra Leone

local long form: Republic of Sierra Leone

local short form: Sierra Leone

Government type:

constitutional democracy

Capital:

name: Freetown

geographic coordinates: 8 30 N, 13 15 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

3 provinces and 1 area*; Eastern, Northern, Southern, Western*

Independence:

27 April 1961 (from the UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 27 April (1961)

Constitution:

1 October 1991; amended several times

Legal system:

based on English law and customary laws indigenous to local tribes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Ernest Bai KOROMA (since 17 September 2007); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Ernest Bai KOROMA (since 17 September 2007)

cabinet: Ministers of State appointed by the president with the approval of the House of Representatives; the cabinet is responsible to the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 11 August 2007 and 8 September 2007 (next to be held in 2012)

election results: second round results; percent of vote - Ernest Bai KOROMA 54.6%, Solomon BEREWA 45.4%

Legislative branch:

unicameral Parliament (124 seats; 112 members elected by popular vote, 12 filled by paramount chiefs elected in separate elections; serve five-year terms)

elections: last held on 11 August 2007 (next to be held in 2012)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - APC 59, SLPP 43, PMDC 10

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court; Appeals Court; High Court

Political parties and leaders:

All People's Congress or APC [Ernest Bai KOROMA]; Peace and
Liberation Party or PLP [Darlington MORRISON]; People's Movement for
Democratic Change or PMDC [Charles MARGAI]; Sierra Leone People's
Party or SLPP [Solomon BEREWA]; numerous others

Political pressure groups and leaders:

other: student unions; trade unions

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM,
IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,
ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIT,
UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Bockari Kortu STEVENS

chancery: 1701 19th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone: [1] (202) 939-9261 through 9263

FAX: [1] (202) 483-1793

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador June Carter PERRY

embassy: Southridge-Hill Station, Freetown

mailing address: use embassy street address

telephone: [232] (22) 515 000 or (76) 515 000

FAX: [232] (22) 515 355

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of light green (top), white, and light blue

Economy ::Sierra Leone

Economy - overview:

Sierra Leone is an extremely poor nation with tremendous inequality in income distribution. While it possesses substantial mineral, agricultural, and fishery resources, its physical and social infrastructure is not well developed, and serious social disorders continue to hamper economic development. Nearly half of the working-age population engages in subsistence agriculture. Manufacturing consists mainly of the processing of raw materials and of light manufacturing for the domestic market. Alluvial diamond mining remains the major source of hard currency earnings accounting for nearly half of Sierra Leone's exports. The fate of the economy depends upon the maintenance of domestic peace and the continued receipt of substantial aid from abroad, which is essential to offset the severe trade imbalance and supplement government revenues. The IMF has completed a Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility program that helped stabilize economic growth and reduce inflation. A recent increase in political stability has led to a revival of economic activity such as the rehabilitation of bauxite and rutile mining.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$4.388 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 163 $4.159 billion (2007 est.)

$3.909 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$1.953 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 75 6.4% (2007 est.)

7.4% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$900 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 217 $800 (2007 est.)

$800 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 49%

industry: 31%

services: 21% (2005 est.)

Labor force:

2.207 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 116

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Unemployment rate:

NA%

Population below poverty line:

70.2% (2004)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.6%

highest 10%: 33.6% (2003)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

62.9 (1989) country comparison to the world: 5

Budget:

revenues: $96 million

expenditures: $351 million (2000 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

11.7% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 168

Central bank discount rate:

NA% (31 December 2008)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

24.5% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 12 25% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$184.6 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$177.7 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$162.9 million (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

rice, coffee, cocoa, palm kernels, palm oil, peanuts; poultry, cattle, sheep, pigs; fish

Industries:

diamond mining; small-scale manufacturing (beverages, textiles, cigarettes, footwear); petroleum refining, small commercial ship repair

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

80 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 194

Electricity - consumption:

74.4 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 194

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

2.99 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 114

Oil - consumption:

9,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 151

Oil - exports:

502.4 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 124

Oil - imports:

8,316 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 143

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 133

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 132

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 136

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 116

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 133

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 136

Current account balance:

-$63 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 73

Exports:

$216 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 179

Exports - commodities:

diamonds, rutile, cocoa, coffee, fish

Exports - partners:

Belgium 35.6%, US 20.1%, India 15.2%, France 4.9% (2008)

Imports:

$560 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 185

Imports - commodities:

foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels and lubricants, chemicals

Imports - partners:

China 10.3%, Cote d'Ivoire 8.8%, US 7.8%, Belgium 6.6%, UK 6.6%,
Thailand 5.2%, India 4.2% (2008)

Debt - external:

$1.61 billion (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 140

Exchange rates:

leones (SLL) per US dollar - NA (2007), 2,961.7 (2006), 2,889.6 (2005), 2,701.3 (2004), 2,347.9 (2003)

Communications ::Sierra Leone

Telephones - main lines in use:

31,500 (2008) country comparison to the world: 176

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1.009 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 144

Telephone system:

general assessment: marginal telephone service

domestic: the national microwave radio relay trunk system connects Freetown to Bo and Kenema; mobile-cellular service is growing rapidly from a small base

international: country code - 232; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 9, shortwave 1 (2001)

Television broadcast stations:

2 (1999)

Internet country code:

.sl

Internet hosts:

273 (2009) country comparison to the world: 180

Internet users:

13,900 (2008) country comparison to the world: 196

Transportation ::Sierra Leone

Airports:

9 (2009) country comparison to the world: 158

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 1

over 3,047 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 8

914 to 1,523 m: 7

under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Heliports:

2 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 11,300 km country comparison to the world: 134 paved: 904 km

unpaved: 10,396 km (2002)

Waterways:

800 km (600 km year round) (2007) country comparison to the world: 73

Merchant marine:

total: 182 country comparison to the world: 37 by type: bulk carrier 4, cargo 143, carrier 2, chemical tanker 3, container 6, liquefied gas 2, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 6, petroleum tanker 10, roll on/roll off 3, specialized tanker 2

foreign-owned: 95 (Belgium 1, China 15, Egypt 3, Greece 1, Hong Kong 1, Lebanon 1, Nigeria 1, Panama 1, Romania 3, Russia 11, Syria 18, Taiwan 1, Turkey 15, Ukraine 10, UAE 8, UK 2, US 1, Yemen 2) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Freetown, Pepel, Sherbro Islands

Military ::Sierra Leone

Military branches:

Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF): Army (includes
Maritime Wing and Air Wing) (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

17 years 6 months of age for voluntary military service (younger with parental consent); no conscription (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,315,561 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 692,469

females age 16-49: 762,239 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 71,524

female: 75,491 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

2.3% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 73

Transnational Issues ::Sierra Leone

Disputes - international:

as domestic fighting among disparate ethnic groups, rebel groups, warlords, and youth gangs in Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone gradually abate, the number of refugees in border areas has begun to slowly dwindle; Sierra Leone considers excessive Guinea's definition of the flood plain limits to define the left bank boundary of the Makona and Moa rivers and protests Guinea's continued occupation of these lands including the hamlet of Yenga occupied since 1998

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 27,311 (Liberia) (2007)

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Singapore (East & Southeast Asia)

Introduction ::Singapore

Background:

Singapore was founded as a British trading colony in 1819. It joined the Malaysian Federation in 1963 but separated two years later and became independent. Singapore subsequently became one of the world's most prosperous countries with strong international trading links (its port is one of the world's busiest in terms of tonnage handled) and with per capita GDP equal to that of the leading nations of Western Europe.

Geography ::Singapore

Location:

Southeastern Asia, islands between Malaysia and Indonesia

Geographic coordinates:

1 22 N, 103 48 E

Map references:

Southeast Asia

Area:

total: 697 sq km country comparison to the world: 192 land: 687 sq km

water: 10 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly more than 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

193 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 3 nm

exclusive fishing zone: within and beyond territorial sea, as defined in treaties and practice

Climate:

tropical; hot, humid, rainy; two distinct monsoon seasons - Northeastern monsoon (December to March) and Southwestern monsoon (June to September); inter-monsoon - frequent afternoon and early evening thunderstorms

Terrain:

lowland; gently undulating central plateau contains water catchment area and nature preserve

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Singapore Strait 0 m

highest point: Bukit Timah 166 m

Natural resources:

fish, deepwater ports

Land use:

arable land: 1.47%

permanent crops: 1.47%

other: 97.06% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Total renewable water resources:

0.6 cu km (1975)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.19 cu km/yr (45%/51%/4%)

per capita: 44 cu m/yr (1975)

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

industrial pollution; limited natural fresh water resources; limited land availability presents waste disposal problems; seasonal smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in Indonesia

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

focal point for Southeast Asian sea routes

People ::Singapore

Population:

4,657,542 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 117

Age structure:

0-14 years: 14.4% (male 348,382/female 324,050)

15-64 years: 76.7% (male 1,737,972/female 1,833,415)

65 years and over: 8.9% (male 184,393/female 229,330) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 39 years

male: 38.5 years

female: 39.4 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.998% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 126

Birth rate:

8.82 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 216

Death rate:

4.66 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 196

Net migration rate:

5.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 17

Urbanization:

urban population: 100% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female

total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 2.31 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 224 male: 2.51 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 2.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 81.98 years country comparison to the world: 4 male: 79.37 years

female: 84.78 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.09 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 221

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.2% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 105

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

4,200 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 126

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 200 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 118

Nationality:

noun: Singaporean(s)

adjective: Singapore

Ethnic groups:

Chinese 76.8%, Malay 13.9%, Indian 7.9%, other 1.4% (2000 census)

Religions:

Buddhist 42.5%, Muslim 14.9%, Taoist 8.5%, Hindu 4%, Catholic 4.8%, other Christian 9.8%, other 0.7%, none 14.8% (2000 census)

Languages:

Mandarin 35%, English 23%, Malay 14.1%, Hokkien 11.4%, Cantonese 5.7%, Teochew 4.9%, Tamil 3.2%, other Chinese dialects 1.8%, other 0.9% (2000 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 92.5%

male: 96.6%

female: 88.6% (2000 census)

Education expenditures:

3.7% of GDP (2001) country comparison to the world: 122

Government ::Singapore

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Singapore

conventional short form: Singapore

local long form: Republic of Singapore

local short form: Singapore

Government type:

parliamentary republic

Capital:

name: Singapore

geographic coordinates: 1 17 N, 103 51 E

time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

none

Independence:

9 August 1965 (from Malaysian Federation)

National holiday:

National Day, 9 August (1965)

Constitution:

3 June 1959; amended 1965 (based on pre-independence State of Singapore Constitution)

Legal system:

based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

21 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:

chief of state: President S R NATHAN (since 1 September 1999)

note: uses S R NATHAN but his full name and the one used in formal communications is Sellapan RAMANATHAN

head of government: Prime Minister LEE Hsien Loong (since 12 August 2004); Senior Minister GOH Chok Tong (since 12 August 2004); Senior Minister Shunmugam JAYAKUMAR (since 1 April 2009); Minister Mentor LEE Kuan Yew (since 12 August 2004); Deputy Prime Minister TEO Chee Huan (since 1 April 2009) and Deputy Prime Minister WONG Kan Seng (since 1 September 2005)

cabinet: appointed by president, responsible to parliament

elections: president elected by popular vote for six-year term; appointed on 17 August 2005 (next election to be held by August 2011); following legislative elections, leader of majority party or leader of majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by president; deputy prime ministers appointed by president

election results: Sellapan Rama (S R) NATHAN appointed president in August 2005 after Presidential Elections Committee disqualified three other would-be candidates; scheduled election not held

Legislative branch:

unicameral Parliament (84 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - in addition, there are up to nine nominated members; up to three losing opposition candidates who came closest to winning seats may be appointed as "nonconstituency" members

elections: last held on 6 May 2006 (next to be held by 2011)

election results: percent of vote by party - PAP 66.6%, WP 16.3%, SDA 13%, SDP 4.1%; seats by party - PAP 82, WP 1, SDA 1

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the president with the advice of the prime minister, other judges are appointed by the president with the advice of the chief justice); Court of Appeals

Political parties and leaders:

People's Action Party or PAP [LEE Hsien Loong]; Reform Party [NG
Teck Siong]; Singapore Democratic Alliance or SDA [CHIAM See Tong];
Singapore Democratic Party or SDP [CHEE Soon Juan]; Workers' Party
or WP [Sylvia LIM Swee Lian]

note: SDA includes Singapore Justice Party or SJP, Singapore National Malay Organization or PKMS, Singapore People's Party or SPP

Political pressure groups and leaders:

none

International organization participation:

ADB, APEC, APT, ARF, ASEAN, BIS, C, CP, EAS, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC,
IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNMIT, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador CHAN Heng Chee

chancery: 3501 International Place NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 537-3100

FAX: [1] (202) 537-0876

consulate(s) general: San Francisco

consulate(s): New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Daniel L. SHIELDS III

embassy: 27 Napier Road, Singapore 258508

mailing address: FPO AP 96507-0001

telephone: [65] 6476-9100

FAX: [65] 6476-9340

Flag description:

two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; near the hoist side of the red band, there is a vertical, white crescent (closed portion is toward the hoist side) partially enclosing five white five-pointed stars arranged in a circle

Economy ::Singapore

Economy - overview:

Singapore has a highly developed and successful free-market economy. It enjoys a remarkably open and corruption-free environment, stable prices, and a per capita GDP higher than that of most developed countries. The economy depends heavily on exports, particularly in consumer electronics, information technology products, pharmaceuticals, and on a growing service sector. Real GDP growth averaged 7% between 2004 and 2007, but dropped to 1.1% in 2008 as a result of the global financial crisis. The economy contracted in the last three quarters of 2008. Prime Minister LEE and other senior officials have dampened expectations for a quick rebound in 2009. Over the longer term, the government hopes to establish a new growth path that will be less vulnerable to global demand cycles especially for information technology products. It has attracted major investments in pharmaceuticals and medical technology production and will continue efforts to establish Singapore as Southeast Asia's financial and high-tech hub.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$237.9 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 47 $235.3 billion (2007 est.)

$218.3 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$181.9 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

1.1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 173 7.8% (2007 est.)

8.4% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$51,600 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 8 $51,700 (2007 est.)

$48,600 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 0%

industry: 27.8%

services: 72.2% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

2.94 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 103

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture 0%, industry 22.6%, services 77.4% (2007)

Unemployment rate:

2.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 22 2.1% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 4.4%

highest 10%: 23.2% (2008)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

48.1 (2008) country comparison to the world: 30

Investment (gross fixed):

28.5% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 28

Budget:

revenues: $29.25 billion

expenditures: $26.48 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

99.2% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 7 102.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

6.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 112 2.1% (2007 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

5.38% (31 December 2008)

Stock of money:

$52.57 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 21 $44.4 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$179 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 15 $162.2 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$143.6 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 33 $129.2 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$268.6 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 28 $353.5 billion (31 December 2007)

$276.3 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

orchids, vegetables; poultry, eggs; fish, ornamental fish

Industries:

electronics, chemicals, financial services, oil drilling equipment, petroleum refining, rubber processing and rubber products, processed food and beverages, ship repair, offshore platform construction, life sciences, entrepot trade

Industrial production growth rate:

-0.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 140

Electricity - production:

38.67 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 54

Electricity - consumption:

36.6 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 55

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

8,553 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 87

Oil - consumption:

896,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 23

Oil - exports:

1.289 million bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 20

Oil - imports:

2.109 million bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 11

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 132

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 131

Natural gas - consumption:

8.27 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 51

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 115

Natural gas - imports:

8.27 billion cu m country comparison to the world: 27 note: from Indonesia and Malaysia (2008 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 135

Current account balance:

$25.78 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 17 $39.11 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$342.7 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 15 $303.1 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

machinery and equipment (including electronics), consumer goods, pharmaceuticals and other chemicals, mineral fuels

Exports - partners:

Malaysia 12.1%, Indonesia 10.5%, Hong Kong 10.3%, China 9.2%, US 7.1%, Japan 4.9%, Australia 4.1% (2008)

Imports:

$309.6 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 16 $254 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, mineral fuels, chemicals, foodstuffs, consumer goods

Imports - partners:

Malaysia 11.9%, US 11.8%, China 10.5%, Japan 8.1%, South Korea 5.6%,
Indonesia 5.5%, Saudi Arabia 4.6% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$174.2 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 9 $163 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$25.52 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 68 $25.59 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$250.2 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 20 $232.8 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$173.6 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 18 $169.9 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

Singapore dollars (SGD) per US dollar - 1.415 (2008 est.), 1.507 (2007), 1.5889 (2006), 1.6644 (2005), 1.6902 (2004)

Communications ::Singapore

Telephones - main lines in use:

1.857 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 59

Telephones - mobile cellular:

6.375 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 77

Telephone system:

general assessment: excellent service

domestic: excellent domestic facilities; launched 3G wireless service in February 2005; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity is nearly 175 telephones per 100 persons

international: country code - 65; numerous submarine cables provide links throughout Asia, Australia, the Middle East, Europe, and US; satellite earth stations -4; supplemented by VSAT coverage (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 0, FM 19, shortwave 1 (2008)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (broadcasting on 8 channels); additional reception of numerous UHF and VHF signals originating in Malaysia and Indonesia (2008)

Internet country code:

.sg

Internet hosts:

864,943 (2009) country comparison to the world: 43

Internet users:

3.37 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 55

Transportation ::Singapore

Airports:

8 (2009) country comparison to the world: 164

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 8

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 106 km (2008)

Roadways:

total: 3,297 km country comparison to the world: 164 paved: 3,297 km (includes 150 km of expressways) (2007)

Merchant marine:

total: 1,292 country comparison to the world: 5 by type: bulk carrier 167, cargo 87, carrier 5, chemical tanker 209, container 273, liquefied gas 96, petroleum tanker 386, refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off 4, specialized tanker 7, vehicle carrier 53

foreign-owned: 774 (Australia 12, Bangladesh 2, Belgium 8, Chile 6, China 14, Cyprus 1, Denmark 87, France 1, Germany 24, Greece 15, Hong Kong 47, India 13, Indonesia 66, Italy 5, Japan 131, South Korea 3, Malaysia 27, Norway 143, Slovenia 1, Sweden 20, Switzerland 2, Taiwan 72, Thailand 23, UAE 12, UK 17, US 22)

registered in other countries: 331 (Australia 1, Bahamas 17, Belize 2, Bolivia 1, Cambodia 4, Cayman Islands 10, Comoros 1, Cyprus 3, Dominica 7, France 2, Honduras 12, Hong Kong 18, Indonesia 27, Isle of Man 1, Kiribati 4, Liberia 32, Malaysia 16, Marshall Islands 18, Mongolia 9, Norway 1, Panama 100, Philippines 1, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 4, Thailand 2, Tuvalu 23, US 12, unknown 2) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Singapore

Transportation - note:

the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the South China Sea as high risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships; numerous commercial vessels have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; hijacked vessels are often disguised and cargo diverted to ports in East Asia; crews have been murdered or cast adrift

Military ::Singapore

Military branches:

Singapore Armed Forces: Army, Navy, Air Force (includes Air Defense) (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18-21 years of age for male compulsory military service; 16 years of age for volunteers; 2-year conscript service obligation, with a reserve obligation to age 40 (enlisted) or age 50 (officers) (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,277,862 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,033,961

females age 16-49: 1,104,952 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 27,715

female: 26,290 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

4.9% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 20

Transnational Issues ::Singapore

Disputes - international:

disputes persist with Malaysia over deliveries of fresh water to Singapore, Singapore's extensive land reclamation works, bridge construction, and maritime boundaries in the Johor and Singapore Straits; in November 2007, the ICJ will hold public hearings as a consequence of the Memorials and Countermemorials filed by the parties in 2003 and 2005 over sovereignty of Pedra Branca Island/Pulau Batu Puteh, Middle Rocks and South Ledge; Indonesia and Singapore continue to work on finalization of their 1973 maritime boundary agreement by defining unresolved areas north of Indonesia's Batam Island; piracy remains a problem in the Malacca Strait

Illicit drugs:

drug abuse limited because of aggressive law enforcement efforts; as a transportation and financial services hub, Singapore is vulnerable, despite strict laws and enforcement, as a venue for money laundering

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Slovakia (Europe)

Introduction ::Slovakia

Background:

The dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the close of World War I allowed the Slovaks to join the closely related Czechs to form Czechoslovakia. Following the chaos of World War II, Czechoslovakia became a Communist nation within Soviet-dominated Eastern Europe. Soviet influence collapsed in 1989 and Czechoslovakia once more became free. The Slovaks and the Czechs agreed to separate peacefully on 1 January 1993. Slovakia joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004 and the euro area on 1 January 2009.

Geography ::Slovakia

Location:

Central Europe, south of Poland

Geographic coordinates:

48 40 N, 19 30 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 49,035 sq km country comparison to the world: 130 land: 48,105 sq km

water: 930 sq km

Area - comparative:

about twice the size of New Hampshire

Land boundaries:

total: 1,474 km

border countries: Austria 91 km, Czech Republic 197 km, Hungary 676 km, Poland 420 km, Ukraine 90 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters

Terrain:

rugged mountains in the central and northern part and lowlands in the south

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Bodrok River 94 m

highest point: Gerlachovsky Stit 2,655 m

Natural resources:

brown coal and lignite; small amounts of iron ore, copper and manganese ore; salt; arable land

Land use:

arable land: 29.23%

permanent crops: 2.67%

other: 68.1% (2005)

Irrigated land:

1,830 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

50.1 cu km (2003)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 1.04

per capita: 193 cu m/yr (2003)

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

air pollution from metallurgical plants presents human health risks; acid rain damaging forests

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

landlocked; most of the country is rugged and mountainous; the Tatra Mountains in the north are interspersed with many scenic lakes and valleys

People ::Slovakia

Population:

5,463,046 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 111

Age structure:

0-14 years: 15.8% (male 442,168/female 422,055)

15-64 years: 71.7% (male 1,952,527/female 1,965,646)

65 years and over: 12.5% (male 254,510/female 426,140) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 36.9 years

male: 35.2 years

female: 38.6 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.137% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 187

Birth rate:

10.6 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 183

Death rate:

9.53 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 72

Net migration rate:

0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 69

Urbanization:

urban population: 56% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 0.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.6 male(s)/female

total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 6.84 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 171 male: 7.99 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 5.64 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 75.4 years country comparison to the world: 78 male: 71.47 years

female: 79.53 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.35 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 203

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 150

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

fewer than 200 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 157

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 100 (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 141

Nationality:

noun: Slovak(s)

adjective: Slovak

Ethnic groups:

Slovak 85.8%, Hungarian 9.7%, Roma 1.7%, Ruthenian/Ukrainian 1%, other and unspecified 1.8% (2001 census)

Religions:

Roman Catholic 68.9%, Protestant 10.8%, Greek Catholic 4.1%, other or unspecified 3.2%, none 13% (2001 census)

Languages:

Slovak (official) 83.9%, Hungarian 10.7%, Roma 1.8%, Ukrainian 1%, other or unspecified 2.6% (2001 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.6%

male: 99.7%

female: 99.6% (2004)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 15 years

male: 14 years

female: 15 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

3.9% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 111

Government ::Slovakia

Country name:

conventional long form: Slovak Republic

conventional short form: Slovakia

local long form: Slovenska Republika

local short form: Slovensko

Government type:

parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Bratislava

geographic coordinates: 48 09 N, 17 07 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

8 regions (kraje, singular - kraj); Banskobystricky, Bratislavsky, Kosicky, Nitriansky, Presovsky, Trenciansky, Trnavsky, Zilinsky

Independence:

1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia)

National holiday:

Constitution Day, 1 September (1992)

Constitution:

ratified 1 September 1992, effective 1 January 1993; changed in September 1998; amended February 2001

note: the change in September 1998 allowed direct election of the president; the amendment of February 2001 allowed Slovakia to apply for NATO and EU membership

Legal system:

civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; legal code modified to comply with the obligations of Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and to expunge Marxist-Leninist legal theory

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Ivan GASPAROVIC (since 15 June 2004)

head of government: Prime Minister Robert FICO (since 4 July 2006); Deputy Prime Ministers Dusan CAPLOVIC, Robert KALINAK, Stefan HARABIN, Jan MIKOLAJ (since 4 July 2006)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 21 March and 4 April 2009 (next to be held no later than April 2014); following National Council elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the president

election results: Ivan GASPAROVIC reelected president in runoff; percent of vote - Ivan GASPAROVIC 55.5%, Iveta RADICOVA 44.5%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Council of the Slovak Republic or Narodna Rada Slovenskej Republiky (150 seats; members are elected on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 17 June 2006 (next to be held in 2010)

election results: percent of vote by party - Smer 29.1%, SDKU 18.4%, SMK 11.7%, SNS 11.7%, LS-HZDS 8.8%, KDH 8.3%, other 12%; seats by party - Smer 50, SDKU-DS 31, SMK 20, SNS 19, LS-HZDS 16, KDH 14; note - seats by party as of December 2008 - Smer 50, SDKU-DS 28, SMK 20, SNS 19, LS-HZDS 15, KDH 9, nonaffiliated 9

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (judges are elected by the National Council); Constitutional Court (judges appointed by president from group of nominees approved by the National Council); Special Court (judges elected by a council of judges and appointed by president)

Political parties and leaders:

parties in the Parliament:: Christian Democratic Movement or KDH
[Pavol HRUSOVSKY]; Direction-Social Democracy or Smer-SD [Robert
FICO]; Party of the Hungarian Coalition or SMK [Pal CSAKY]; People's
Party - Movement for a Democratic Slovakia or LS-HZDS [Vladimir
MECIAR]; Slovak Democratic and Christian Union-Democratic Party or
SDKU-DS [Mikulas DZURINDA]; Slovak National Party or SNS [Jan SLOTA]

selected parties outside the Parliament:: Agrarian Party of the
Provinces or ASV [Vladimir GOZORA]; Alliance of the New Citizen or
ANO [Pavol RUSKO]; Civic Conservative Party or OKS [Peter ZAJAC];
Free Forum [Zuzana MARTINAKOVA]; Mission 21 - New Christian
Democracy or MISIA 21 [Ivan SIMKO]; Movement for Democracy or HZD
[Jozef GRAPA]; Party of the Democratic Left or SDL [Ladislav
KOZMON]; Prosperita Slovenska or PS [Frantisek A. ZVRSKOVEC]; Slovak
Communist Party or KSS [Jozef HRDLICKA]; Slovak People's Party or
SLS [Jozef SASIK]; Union of the Workers of Slovakia or ZRS [Jan
LUPTAK]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Association of Towns and Villages or ZMOS; Confederation of Trade
Unions or KOZ; Entrepreneurs Association of Slovakia or ZPS;
Federation of Employers' Associations of the Slovak Republic;
National Union of Employers or RUZ; Slovak Chamber of Commerce and
Industry or SOPK; The Business Alliance of Slovakia or PAS

International organization participation:

Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CE, CEI,
CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM,
IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,
ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer),
OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, SECI
(observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU,
WCL, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Peter BURIAN

chancery: 3523 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 237-1054

FAX: [1] (202) 237-6438

consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Keith EDDINS

embassy: Hviezdoslavovo Namestie 4, 81102 Bratislava

mailing address: P.O. Box 309, 814 99 Bratislava

telephone: [421] (2) 5443-3338

FAX: [421] (2) 5441-8861

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red superimposed with the coat of arms of Slovakia (consisting of a red shield bordered in white and bearing a white Cross of Lorraine surmounting three blue hills); the coat of arms is centered vertically and offset slightly to the hoist side

Economy ::Slovakia

Economy - overview:

Slovakia has made significant economic reforms since its separation from the Czech Republic in 1993. Reforms to the taxation, healthcare, pension, and social welfare systems helped Slovakia to consolidate its budget and get on track to join the EU in 2004 and to adopt the euro in January 2009. Major privatizations are nearly complete, the banking sector is almost entirely in foreign hands, and the government has helped facilitate a foreign investment boom with business friendly policies such as labor market liberalization and a 19% flat tax. Foreign investment in the automotive and electronic sectors has been strong. Slovakia's economic growth exceeded expectations in 2001-08 despite the general European slowdown. Unemployment, at an unacceptable 18% in 2003-04, dropped to 8.4% in 2008 but remains the economy's Achilles heel. Despite its 2006 pre-election promises to loosen fiscal policy and reverse the previous DZURINDA government's pro-market reforms, FICO's cabinet has thus far been careful to keep a lid on spending in order to meet euro adoption criteria and has focused on regulating energy and food prices instead. The OECD expects Slovakia's GDP growth to be positive in 2009.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$119.8 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 60 $112.6 billion (2007 est.)

$102 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$95.4 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

6.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 50 10.4% (2007 est.)

8.5% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$22,000 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 55 $20,700 (2007 est.)

$18,700 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 3.7%

industry: 37.2%

services: 59% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

2.254 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 113

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture 4%, industry 39%, services 56.9% (30 September 2008)

Unemployment rate:

7.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 104 8.4% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

21% (2002)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 3.1%

highest 10%: 20.9% (1996)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

26 (2005) country comparison to the world: 128 26.3 (1996)

Investment (gross fixed):

25.9% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 44

Budget:

revenues: $31.23 billion

expenditures: $33.32 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

28.7% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 76 46.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

4.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 80 2.8% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

3% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 115 4.25% (31 December 2007)

note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks from the euro area; as of 1 January 2009 Slovakia became a member of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

6.42% (31 December 2008)

Stock of money:

$25.52 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 32 $26.17 billion (31 December 2007)

note: this figure represents the US dollar value of Slovak koruny in circulation prior to Slovakia joining the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); see entry for the European Union for money supply in the euro area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 16 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money and quasi money circulating within their own borders

Stock of quasi money:

$27.71 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 38 $21.11 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$50.94 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 46 $41.76 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$5.079 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 77 $6.971 billion (31 December 2007)

$5.574 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

grains, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit; pigs, cattle, poultry; forest products

Industries:

metal and metal products; food and beverages; electricity, gas, coke, oil, nuclear fuel; chemicals and manmade fibers; machinery; paper and printing; earthenware and ceramics; transport vehicles; textiles; electrical and optical apparatus; rubber products

Industrial production growth rate:

-3.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 163

Electricity - production:

26.53 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 64

Electricity - consumption:

26.81 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 62

Electricity - exports:

8.891 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

9.412 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

14,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 80

Oil - consumption:

84,990 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 82

Oil - exports:

74,070 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 72

Oil - imports:

148,600 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 57

Oil - proved reserves:

9 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 90

Natural gas - production:

102 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 78

Natural gas - consumption:

6.308 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 55

Natural gas - exports:

186 million cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 41

Natural gas - imports:

6.266 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 29

Natural gas - proved reserves:

14.16 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 78

Current account balance:

-$6.43 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 163 -$4.482 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$72.57 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 44 $64.5 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

vehicles 25.9%, machinery and electrical equipment 21.3%, base metals 14.6%, chemicals and minerals 10.1%, plastics 5.4% (2004)

Exports - partners:

Germany 20%, Czech Republic 13.1%, France 6.7%, Poland 6.6%, Hungary 6.3%, Austria 5.9%, Italy 5.8%, UK 4.7% (2008)

Imports:

$73.62 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 44 $65.47 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and transport equipment 41.1%, intermediate manufactured goods 19.3%, fuels 12.3%, chemicals 9.8%, miscellaneous manufactured goods 10.2% (2003)

Imports - partners:

Germany 20%, Czech Republic 17.7%, Russia 10.6%, Hungary 6.9%, South
Korea 5.2%, Austria 5%, Poland 4.9%, China 4.1% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$18.78 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 53 $18.96 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$52.53 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 52 $44.31 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$44.12 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 51 $40.7 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$1.867 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 66 $1.609 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

Slovak koruny (SKK) per US dollar - 21.05 (2008 est.), 24.919 (2007), 29.611 (2006), 31.018 (2005), 32.257 (2004)

note: on 1 January 2009 Slovakia adopted the euro as legal tender

Communications ::Slovakia

Telephones - main lines in use:

1.098 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 75

Telephones - mobile cellular:

5.52 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 82

Telephone system:

general assessment: Slovakia has a modern telecommunications system that has expanded dramatically in recent years with the growth in cellular services

domestic: analog system is now receiving digital equipment and is being enlarged with fiber-optic cable, especially in the larger cities; 3 companies provide nationwide cellular services

international: country code - 421; 3 international exchanges (1 in Bratislava and 2 in Banska Bystrica) are available; Slovakia is participating in several international telecommunications projects that will increase the availability of external services

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 22, shortwave 1 (2008)

Television broadcast stations:

37 (2008)

Internet country code:

.sk

Internet hosts:

867,615 (2009) country comparison to the world: 41

Internet users:

3.566 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 53

Transportation ::Slovakia

Airports:

35 (2009) country comparison to the world: 110

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 20

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 3

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m: 10 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 15

914 to 1,523 m: 8

under 914 m: 7 (2009)

Heliports:

1 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 6,769 km; oil 416 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 3,622 km country comparison to the world: 48 broad gauge: 99 km 1.520-m gauge

standard gauge: 3,473 km 1.435-m gauge (1,577 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 50 km (1.000-m or 0.750-m gauge) (2008)

Roadways:

total: 43,761 km country comparison to the world: 83 paved: 38,085 km (includes 316 km of expressways)

unpaved: 5,676 km (2006)

Waterways:

172 km (on Danube River) (2008) country comparison to the world: 100

Merchant marine:

total: 51 country comparison to the world: 70 by type: bulk carrier 5, cargo 42, refrigerated cargo 4

foreign-owned: 47 (Bulgaria 6, Germany 3, Greece 2, Ireland 1, Israel 4, Italy 2, Poland 2, Russia 1, Slovenia 1, Syria 2, Turkey 10, Ukraine 12, UK 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Bratislava, Komarno

Military ::Slovakia

Military branches:

Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic (Ozbrojene Sily Slovenskej Republiky): Land Forces (Pozemne Sily), Air Forces (Vzdusne Sily) (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

17-30 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished in 2006; women are eligible to serve (2007)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,420,966

females age 16-49: 1,386,259 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,165,470

females age 16-49: 1,152,941 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 36,552

female: 34,783 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.87% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 89

Transnational Issues ::Slovakia

Disputes - international:

bilateral government, legal, technical and economic working group negotiations continued in 2006 between Slovakia and Hungary over Hungary's completion of its portion of the Gabcikovo-Nagymaros hydroelectric dam project along the Danube; as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Slovakia has implemented the strict Schengen border rules

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin bound for Western Europe; producer of synthetic drugs for regional market; consumer of ecstasy

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Slovenia (Europe)

Introduction ::Slovenia

Background:

The Slovene lands were part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire until the latter's dissolution at the end of World War I. In 1918, the Slovenes joined the Serbs and Croats in forming a new multinational state, which was named Yugoslavia in 1929. After World War II, Slovenia became a republic of the renewed Yugoslavia, which though Communist, distanced itself from Moscow's rule. Dissatisfied with the exercise of power by the majority Serbs, the Slovenes succeeded in establishing their independence in 1991 after a short 10-day war. Historical ties to Western Europe, a strong economy, and a stable democracy have assisted in Slovenia's transformation to a modern state. Slovenia acceded to both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004.

Geography ::Slovenia

Location:

Central Europe, eastern Alps bordering the Adriatic Sea, between
Austria and Croatia

Geographic coordinates:

46 07 N, 14 49 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 20,273 sq km country comparison to the world: 154 land: 20,151 sq km

water: 122 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries:

total: 1,086 km

border countries: Austria 330 km, Croatia 455 km, Hungary 102 km, Italy 199 km

Coastline:

46.6 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate:

Mediterranean climate on the coast, continental climate with mild to hot summers and cold winters in the plateaus and valleys to the east

Terrain:

a short coastal strip on the Adriatic, an alpine mountain region adjacent to Italy and Austria, mixed mountains and valleys with numerous rivers to the east

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m

highest point: Triglav 2,864 m

Natural resources:

lignite coal, lead, zinc, building stone, hydropower, forests

Land use:

arable land: 8.53%

permanent crops: 1.43%

other: 90.04% (2005)

Irrigated land:

30 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

32.1 cu km (2005)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.9

per capita: 457 cu m/yr (2002)

Natural hazards:

flooding; earthquakes

Environment - current issues:

Sava River polluted with domestic and industrial waste; pollution of coastal waters with heavy metals and toxic chemicals; forest damage near Koper from air pollution (originating at metallurgical and chemical plants) and resulting acid rain

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

despite its small size, this eastern Alpine country controls some of Europe's major transit routes

People ::Slovenia

Population:

2,005,692 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 145

Age structure:

0-14 years: 13.5% (male 139,880/female 131,826)

15-64 years: 69.9% (male 707,219/female 695,470)

65 years and over: 16.5% (male 129,662/female 201,635) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 41.7 years

male: 40.1 years

female: 43.3 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.113% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 215

Birth rate:

8.97 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 211

Death rate:

10.62 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 55

Net migration rate:

0.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 64

Urbanization:

urban population: 48% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: -0.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female

total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 4.25 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 206 male: 4.82 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 3.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 76.92 years country comparison to the world: 60 male: 73.25 years

female: 80.84 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.28 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 209

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 144

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

280 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 154

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 100 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 133

Nationality:

noun: Slovene(s)

adjective: Slovenian

Ethnic groups:

Slovene 83.1%, Serb 2%, Croat 1.8%, Bosniak 1.1%, other or unspecified 12% (2002 census)

Religions:

Catholic 57.8%, Muslim 2.4%, Orthodox 2.3%, other Christian 0.9%, unaffiliated 3.5%, other or unspecified 23%, none 10.1% (2002 census)

Languages:

Slovenian 91.1%, Serbo-Croatian 4.5%, other or unspecified 4.4% (2002 census)

Literacy:

definition: NA

total population: 99.7%

male: 99.7%

female: 99.6%

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 17 years

male: 16 years

female: 17 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

6% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 41

Government ::Slovenia

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Slovenia

conventional short form: Slovenia

local long form: Republika Slovenija

local short form: Slovenija

former: People's Republic of Slovenia, Socialist Republic of Slovenia

Government type:

parliamentary republic

Capital:

name: Ljubljana

geographic coordinates: 46 03 N, 14 31 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

182 municipalities (obcine, singular - obcina) and 11 urban
municipalities* (mestne obcine , singular - mestna obcina )
Ajdovscina, Beltinci, Benedikt, Bistrica ob Sotli, Bled, Bloke,
Bohinj, Borovnica, Bovec, Braslovce, Brda, Brezice, Brezovica,
Cankova, Celje*, Cerklje na Gorenjskem, Cerknica, Cerkno,
Cerkvenjak, Crensovci, Crna na Koroskem, Crnomelj, Destrnik, Divaca,
Dobje, Dobrepolje, Dobrna, Dobrova-Horjul-Polhov Gradec,
Dobrovnik-Dobronak, Dolenjske Toplice, Dol pri Ljubljani, Domzale,
Dornava, Dravograd, Duplek, Gorenja Vas-Poljane, Gorisnica, Gornja
Radgona, Gornji Grad, Gornji Petrovci, Grad, Grosuplje, Hajdina,
Hoce-Slivnica, Hodos-Hodos, Horjul, Hrastnik, Hrpelje-Kozina,
Idrija, Ig, Ilirska Bistrica, Ivancna Gorica, Izola-Isola, Jesenice,
Jezersko, Jursinci, Kamnik, Kanal, Kidricevo, Kobarid, Kobilje,
Kocevje, Komen, Komenda, Koper-Capodistria*, Kostel, Kozje, Kranj*,
Kranjska Gora, Krizevci, Krsko, Kungota, Kuzma, Lasko, Lenart,
Lendava-Lendva, Litija, Ljubljana*, Ljubno, Ljutomer, Logatec, Loska
Dolina, Loski Potok, Lovrenc na Pohorju, Luce, Lukovica, Majsperk,
Maribor*, Markovci, Medvode, Menges, Metlika, Mezica, Miklavz na
Dravskem Polju, Miren-Kostanjevica, Mirna Pec, Mislinja, Moravce,
Moravske Toplice, Mozirje, Murska Sobota*, Muta, Naklo, Nazarje,
Nova Gorica*, Novo Mesto*, Odranci, Oplotnica, Ormoz, Osilnica,
Pesnica, Piran-Pirano, Pivka, Podcetrtek, Podlehnik, Podvelka,
Polzela, Postojna, Prebold, Preddvor, Prevalje, Ptuj*, Puconci,
Race-Fram, Radece, Radenci, Radlje ob Dravi, Radovljica, Ravne na
Koroskem, Razkrizje, Ribnica, Ribnica na Pohorju, Rogasovci, Rogaska
Slatina, Rogatec, Ruse, Salovci, Selnica ob Dravi, Semic,
Sempeter-Vrtojba, Sencur, Sentilj, Sentjernej, Sentjur pri Celju,
Sevnica, Sezana, Skocjan, Skofja Loka, Skofljica, Slovenj Gradec*,
Slovenska Bistrica, Slovenske Konjice, Smarje pri Jelsah, Smartno ob
Paki, Smartno pri Litiji, Sodrazica, Solcava, Sostanj, Starse,
Store, Sveta Ana, Sveti Andraz v Slovenskih Goricah, Sveti Jurij,
Tabor, Tisina, Tolmin, Trbovlje, Trebnje, Trnovska Vas, Trzic,
Trzin, Turnisce, Velenje*, Velika Polana, Velike Lasce, Verzej,
Videm, Vipava, Vitanje, Vodice, Vojnik, Vransko, Vrhnika, Vuzenica,
Zagorje ob Savi, Zalec, Zavrc, Zelezniki, Zetale, Ziri, Zirovnica,
Zuzemberk, Zrece

note: the Government of Slovenia has reported 210 municipalities

Independence:

25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)

National holiday:

Independence Day/Statehood Day, 25 June (1991)

Constitution:

adopted 23 December 1991, amended 14 July 1997 and 25 July 2000

Legal system:

based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal (16 years of age, if employed)

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Danilo TURK (since 22 December 2007)

head of government: Prime Minister Borut PAHOR (since 7 November 2008)

cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and elected by the National Assembly

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 21 October and 11 November 2007 (next to be held in the 8 October 2012); following National Assembly elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually nominated to become prime minister by the president and elected by the National Assembly; election last held on 21 September 2008 (next National Assembly elections to be held in 8 October 2012)

election results: Danilo TURK elected president; percent of vote - Danilo TURK 68.2%, Alojze PETERLE 31.8%; Borut PAHOR elected prime minister by National Assembly vote

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament consists of a National Council or Drzavni Svet (40 seats; members indirectly elected by an electoral college to serve five-year terms; note - this is primarily an advisory body with limited legislative powers; it may propose laws, ask to review any National Assembly decision, and call national referenda) and the National Assembly or Drzavni Zbor (90 seats; 40 members are directly elected and 50 are elected on a proportional basis; note - the number of directly elected and proportionally elected seats varies with each election; the constitution mandates 1 seat each for Slovenia's Hungarian and Italian minorities; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: National Assembly - last held 21 September 2008 (next to be held 8 October 2012)

election results: percent of vote by party - SD 30.5%, SDS 29.3%, ZARES 9.4%, DeSUS 7.5%, SNS 5.5%, SLS+SMS 5.2%, LDS 5.2%, other 7.4%; seats by party - SD 29, SDS 28, ZARES 9, DeSUS 7, SNS 5, SLS+SMS 5, LDS 5, Hungarian minority 1, Italian minority 1

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (judges are elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the Judicial Council); Constitutional Court (judges elected for nine-year terms by the National Assembly and nominated by the president)

Political parties and leaders:

Liberal Democracy of Slovenia or LDS [Katarina KRESAL]; New Slovenia
or NSi [Ljudmila NOVAK (acting)]; Slovenian Democratic Party or SDS
[Janez JANSA]; Democratic Party of Pensioners of Slovenia or DeSUS
[Karl ERJAVEC]; Slovene National Party or SNS [Zmago JELINCIC];
Slovene People's Party or SLS [Bojan SROT]; Slovene Youth Party or
SMS [Darko KRANJC]; Social Democrats or SD [Borut PAHOR] (formerly
ZLSD); ZARES [Gregor Golobic]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Democratic Party of Slovenian Pensioners or DeSUS (protecting the rights of the older generation); Slovenian Roma Association [Jozek Horvat MUC]

other: Catholic Church

International organization participation:

Australia Group, BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, IADB,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO,
NSG, OAS (observer), OECD (accession state), OIF (observer), OPCW,
OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNIFIL, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Roman KIRN

chancery: 2410 California Street N.W., Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 386-6601

FAX: [1] (202) 386-6633

consulate(s) general: Cleveland, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Brad FREDEN

embassy: Presernova 31, 1000 Ljubljana

mailing address: American Embassy Ljubljana, US Department of State, 7140 Ljubljana Place, Washington, DC 20521-7140

telephone: [386] (1) 200-5500

FAX: [386] (1) 200-5555

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red, with the Slovenian seal (a shield with the image of Triglav, Slovenia's highest peak, in white against a blue background at the center; beneath it are two wavy blue lines depicting seas and rivers, and above it are three six-pointed stars arranged in an inverted triangle, which are taken from the coat of arms of the Counts of Celje, the great Slovene dynastic house of the late 14th and early 15th centuries); the seal is in the upper hoist side of the flag centered on the white and blue bands

Economy ::Slovenia

Economy - overview:

Slovenia, which on 1 January 2007 became the first 2004 European Union entrant to adopt the euro, is a model of economic success and stability for the region. With the highest per capita GDP in Central Europe, Slovenia has excellent infrastructure, a well-educated work force, and a strategic location between the Balkans and Western Europe. Privatization has lagged since 2002, and the economy has one of highest levels of state control in the EU. Structural reforms to improve the business environment have allowed for somewhat greater foreign participation in Slovenia's economy and have helped to lower unemployment. In March 2004, Slovenia became the first transition country to graduate from borrower status to donor partner at the World Bank. In December 2007, Slovenia was invited to begin the accession process for joining the OECD. Despite its economic success, foreign direct investment (FDI) in Slovenia has lagged behind the region average, and taxes remain relatively high. Furthermore, the labor market is often seen as inflexible, and legacy industries are losing sales to more competitive firms in China, India, and elsewhere.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$59.49 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 85 $57.47 billion (2007 est.)

$53.81 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$54.64 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

3.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 110 6.8% (2007 est.)

5.9% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$29,600 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 47 $28,600 (2007 est.)

$26,800 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 2.2%

industry: 33.4%

services: 64.3% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

940,000 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 140

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 2.5%

industry: 36%

services: 61.5% (2007)

Unemployment rate:

6.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 84 7.7% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

12.9% (2004)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 3.4%

highest 10%: 24.6% (2004)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

24 (2005) country comparison to the world: 133 28.4 (1998)

Investment (gross fixed):

28% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 31

Budget:

revenues: $22.55 billion

expenditures: $22.7 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

23% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 88 31.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

5.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 96 3.6% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

3% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 103 5% (31 December 2007)

note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro area

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

7.41% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 123 6.82% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$9.347 billion (31 December 2006)

note: the figure for 2006 represents the US dollar value of tolars in circulation prior to Slovenia joining the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); see entry for the European Union for money supply in the euro area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 16 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money and quasi money circulating within their own borders

Stock of quasi money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$12.69 billion (31 December 2006)

Stock of domestic credit:

$50.31 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 47 $41.63 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$11.77 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 64 $28.96 billion (31 December 2007)

$15.18 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

potatoes, hops, wheat, sugar beets, corn, grapes; cattle, sheep, poultry

Industries:

ferrous metallurgy and aluminum products, lead and zinc smelting; electronics (including military electronics), trucks, automobiles, electric power equipment, wood products, textiles, chemicals, machine tools

Industrial production growth rate:

1.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 114

Electricity - production:

14.14 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 79

Electricity - consumption:

13.5 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 75

Electricity - exports:

7.82 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

6.218 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

5 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 113

Oil - consumption:

61,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 91

Oil - exports:

8,450 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 97

Oil - imports:

63,080 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 81

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 134

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 133

Natural gas - consumption:

1 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 88

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 117

Natural gas - imports:

1 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 54

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 137

Current account balance:

-$3.323 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 149 -$1.982 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$29.61 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 66 $27.09 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food

Exports - partners:

Germany 18.7%, Italy 11.7%, Croatia 8.3%, Austria 7.5%, France 5.7%,
Russia 4.8% (2008)

Imports:

$33.49 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 61 $29.42 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, chemicals, fuels and lubricants, food

Imports - partners:

Germany 17.2%, Italy 16.6%, Austria 11.2%, France 4.7%, Croatia 4.1% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$7.57 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 75 $5.682 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$54.61 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 51 $50.58 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$11.96 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 75 $10.41 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$7.592 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 49 $6.127 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008 est.), 0.7345 (2007)

note: Slovenia adopted the euro as its currency on 1 January 2007

Communications ::Slovenia

Telephones - main lines in use:

1.01 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 81

Telephones - mobile cellular:

2.055 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 121

Telephone system:

general assessment: well-developed telecommunications infrastructure

domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity roughly 150 telephones per 100 persons

international: country code - 386

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 10, FM 230, shortwave 0 (2006)

Television broadcast stations:

31 (2006)

Internet country code:

.si

Internet hosts:

88,567 (2009) country comparison to the world: 75

Internet users:

1.126 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 84

Transportation ::Slovenia

Airports:

16 (2009) country comparison to the world: 143

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 6

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 2

under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 10

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 4

under 914 m: 5 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 840 km; oil 11 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 1,228 km country comparison to the world: 85 standard gauge: 1,228 km 1.435-m gauge (503 km electrified) (2007)

Roadways:

total: 38,709 km country comparison to the world: 90 paved: 38,709 km (includes 579 km of expressways) (2007)

Waterways:

some transport on Danube River (2008)

Merchant marine:

registered in other countries: 29 (Antigua and Barbuda 6, Bahamas 1, Cyprus 4, Liberia 3, Malta 4, Marshall Islands 4, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 5, Singapore 1, Slovakia 1) (2008) country comparison to the world: 88

Ports and terminals:

Koper

Military ::Slovenia

Military branches:

Slovenian Army (includes air and naval forces)

Military service age and obligation:

17 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished in 2003 (2007)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 494,496

females age 16-49: 481,180 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 402,484

females age 16-49: 390,559 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 10,192

female: 9,717 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.7% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 99

Transnational Issues ::Slovenia

Disputes - international:

the Croatia-Slovenia land and maritime boundary agreement, which would have ceded most of Piran Bay and maritime access to Slovenia and several villages to Croatia, remains unratified and in dispute; Slovenia also protests Croatia's 2003 claim to an exclusive economic zone in the Adriatic; as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Slovenia has implemented the strict Schengen border rules to curb illegal migration and commerce through southeastern Europe while encouraging close cross-border ties with Croatia

Illicit drugs:

minor transit point for cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin bound for Western Europe, and for precursor chemicals

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Solomon Islands (Australia-Oceania)

Introduction ::Solomon Islands

Background:

The UK established a protectorate over the Solomon Islands in the 1890s. Some of the most bitter fighting of World War II occurred on this archipelago. Self-government was achieved in 1976 and independence two years later. Ethnic violence, government malfeasance, and endemic crime have undermined stability and civil society. In June 2003, then Prime Minister Sir Allan KEMAKEZA sought the assistance of Australia in reestablishing law and order; the following month, an Australian-led multinational force arrived to restore peace and disarm ethnic militias. The Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) has generally been effective in restoring law and order and rebuilding government institutions.

Geography ::Solomon Islands

Location:

Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Papua
New Guinea

Geographic coordinates:

8 00 S, 159 00 E

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 28,896 sq km country comparison to the world: 143 land: 27,986 sq km

water: 910 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

5,313 km

Maritime claims:

measured from claimed archipelagic baselines

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather

Terrain:

mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mount Makarakomburu 2,447 m

Natural resources:

fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel

Land use:

arable land: 0.62%

permanent crops: 2.04%

other: 97.34% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Total renewable water resources:

44.7 cu km (1987)

Natural hazards:

typhoons, but rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earthquakes, tremors, and volcanic activity; tsunamis

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; soil erosion; many of the surrounding coral reefs are dead or dying

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Law of the
Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer
Protection, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

strategic location on sea routes between the South Pacific Ocean, the Solomon Sea, and the Coral Sea; on 2 April 2007 an undersea earthquake measuring 8.1 on the Richter scale occurred 345 km WNW of the capital Honiara; the resulting tsunami devastated coastal areas of Western and Choiseul provinces with dozens of deaths and thousands dislocated; the provincial capital of Gizo was especially hard hit

People ::Solomon Islands

Population:

595,613 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 166

Age structure:

0-14 years: 39.5% (male 119,875/female 115,127)

15-64 years: 57.1% (male 171,792/female 168,023)

65 years and over: 3.5% (male 9,849/female 10,947) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 19.7 years

male: 19.5 years

female: 19.8 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.392% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 35

Birth rate:

27.69 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 56

Death rate:

3.77 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 209

Net migration rate:

NA (2009 est.)

Urbanization:

urban population: 18% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 4.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female

total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 19.03 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 107 male: 21.65 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 16.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 73.69 years country comparison to the world: 100 male: 71.14 years

female: 76.37 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3.52 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 57

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Solomon Islander(s)

adjective: Solomon Islander

Ethnic groups:

Melanesian 94.5%, Polynesian 3%, Micronesian 1.2%, other 1.1%, unspecified 0.2% (1999 census)

Religions:

Church of Melanesia 32.8%, Roman Catholic 19%, South Seas
Evangelical 17%, Seventh-Day Adventist 11.2%, United Church 10.3%,
Christian Fellowship Church 2.4%, other Christian 4.4%, other 2.4%,
unspecified 0.3%, none 0.2% (1999 census)

Languages:

Melanesian pidgin in much of the country is lingua franca; English (official but spoken by only 1%-2% of the population); 120 indigenous languages

Literacy:

NA

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 8 years

male: 9 years

female: 8 years (2005)

Education expenditures:

3.3% of GDP (1999) country comparison to the world: 135

Government ::Solomon Islands

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Solomon Islands

local long form: none

local short form: Solomon Islands

former: British Solomon Islands

Government type:

parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm

Capital:

name: Honiara

geographic coordinates: 9 26 S, 159 57 E

time difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

9 provinces and 1 capital territory*; Central, Choiseul, Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Rennell and Bellona, Temotu, Western

Independence:

7 July 1978 (from the UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 7 July (1978)

Constitution:

7 July 1978

Legal system:

English common law, which is widely disregarded; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Frank KABUI (since 7 July 2009)

head of government: Prime Minister Derek SIKUA (since 20 December 2007); note - Prime Minister Manasseh SOGAVARE defeated in a no confidence vote in parliament on 13 December 2007; SIKUA elected on 20 December 2007

cabinet: Cabinet consists of 20 members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members of Parliament

elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the advice of parliament for up to five years (eligible for a second term); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by parliament; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members of parliament

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Parliament (50 seats; members elected from single-member constituencies by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held on 5 April 2006 (next to be held in 2010)

election results: percent of vote by party - National Party 6.9%, PAP 6.3%, SIPRA 6.3%, Liberal 5%, Democratic 4.9%, SOCRED 4.3%, LAFARI 2.8%, independents 60.3%; seats by party - National Party 4, SIPRA 4, Democratic 3, PAP 3, LAFARI 2, Liberal 2, SOCRED 2, independents 30

Judicial branch:

Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders:

Association of Independent Members or AIM [Thomas CHAN]; Christian
Alliance Solomon Islands or CASI [Edward RONIA]; LAFARI Party [John
GARO]; National Party [Francis HILLY]; People's Alliance Party or
PAP [Sir Allan KEMAKEZA]; Social Credit Party or SOCRED [Manasseh
Damukana SOGAVARE]; Solomon First Party [David QUAN]; Solomon
Islands Democratic Party [Gabriel SURI]; Solomon Islands Labor Party
or SILP [Joses TUHANUKU]; Solomon Islands Liberal Party [Bartholomew
ULUFA'ALU]; Solomon Islands Party for Rural Advancement or SIPRA
[Job D. TAUSINGA]; United Party [Sir Peter KENILOREA]

note: in general, Solomon Islands politics is characterized by fluid coalitions

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Isatabu Freedom Movement (IFM); Malaita Eagle Force (MEF); note - these rival armed ethnic factions crippled the Solomon Islands in a wave of violence from 1999 to 2003

International organization participation:

ACP, ADB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, MIGA, OPCW, PIF,
Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Collin David BECK

chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400L, New York, NY 10017

telephone: [1] (212) 599-6192, 6193

FAX: [1] (212) 661-8925

Diplomatic representation from the US:

the US does not have an embassy in Solomon Islands (embassy closed July 1993); the ambassador to Papua New Guinea is accredited to the Solomon Islands

Flag description:

divided diagonally by a thin yellow stripe from the lower hoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is blue with five white five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern; the lower triangle is green

Government - note:

by the end of 2007, the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) - originally made up of police and troops from Australia, NZ, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and Tonga - had been scaled back to 303 police officers, 197 civilian technical advisers, and 72 military advisers from 15 countries across the region

Economy ::Solomon Islands

Economy - overview:

The bulk of the population depends on agriculture, fishing, and forestry for at least part of its livelihood. Most manufactured goods and petroleum products must be imported. The islands are rich in undeveloped mineral resources such as lead, zinc, nickel, and gold. Prior to the arrival of RAMSI, severe ethnic violence, the closing of key businesses, and an empty government treasury culminated in economic collapse. RAMSI's efforts to restore law and order and economic stability have led to modest growth as the economy rebuilds.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$1.546 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 192 $1.441 billion (2007 est.)

$1.306 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$642 million (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

7.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 30 10.3% (2007 est.)

6.1% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$2,700 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 169 $2,500 (2007 est.)

$2,400 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 42%

industry: 11%

services: 47% (2005 est.)

Labor force:

202,500 (2007) country comparison to the world: 164

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 75%

industry: 5%

services: 20% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:

NA%

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $49.7 million

expenditures: $75.1 million (2003)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

6.3% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 106

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

14.44% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 51 14.12% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$86.96 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 114 $94 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$96.79 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 121 $85.47 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$166.1 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 124 $126.5 million (31 December 2007)

Agriculture - products:

cocoa beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit; timber; cattle, pigs; fish

Industries:

fish (tuna), mining, timber

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

71 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 195

Electricity - consumption:

66.03 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 195

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 118

Oil - consumption:

2,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 180

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 205

Oil - imports:

1,323 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 184

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 202

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 203

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 114

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 47

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 73

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 107

Current account balance:

-$143 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 82

Exports:

$237 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 178

Exports - commodities:

timber, fish, copra, palm oil, cocoa

Exports - partners:

China 47.7%, Thailand 6.7%, Spain 5.4%, South Korea 5.2%,
Philippines 4.6% (2008)

Imports:

$256 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 196

Imports - commodities:

food, plant and equipment, manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals

Imports - partners:

Singapore 26.7%, Australia 18.1%, India 7.5%, Fiji 4.4%, Malaysia 4.4%, Papua New Guinea 4.3%, NZ 4% (2008)

Debt - external:

$166 million (2004) country comparison to the world: 183

Exchange rates:

Solomon Islands dollars (SBD) per US dollar - NA (2007), 7.3447 (2006), 7.5299 (2005), 7.4847 (2004), 7.5059 (2003)

Communications ::Solomon Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:

8,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 207

Telephones - mobile cellular:

14,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 209

Telephone system:

general assessment: NA

domestic: NA

international: country code - 677; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (2004)

Internet country code:

.sb

Internet hosts:

4,067 (2009) country comparison to the world: 136

Internet users:

10,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 199

Transportation ::Solomon Islands

Airports:

36 (2009) country comparison to the world: 106

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 34

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 8

under 914 m: 25 (2009)

Heliports:

3 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 1,360 km country comparison to the world: 177 paved: 33 km

unpaved: 1,327 km

note: includes 800 km of private plantation roads (2002)

Ports and terminals:

Honiara, Malloco Bay, Viru Harbor

Military ::Solomon Islands

Military branches:

no regular military forces; Solomon Islands Police Force (2009)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 141,051 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 121,368

females age 16-49: 122,821 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 7,091

female: 6,837 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

3% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 47

Transnational Issues ::Solomon Islands

Disputes - international:

since 2003, RAMSI, consisting of police, military, and civilian advisors drawn from 15 countries, has assisted in reestablishing and maintaining civil and political order while reinforcing regional stability and security

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

IDPs: 5,400 (displaced by tsunami on 2 April 2007) (2007)

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Somalia (Africa)

Introduction ::Somalia

Background:

Britain withdrew from British Somaliland in 1960 to allow its protectorate to join with Italian Somaliland and form the new nation of Somalia. In 1969, a coup headed by Mohamed SIAD Barre ushered in an authoritarian socialist rule that managed to impose a degree of stability in the country for a couple of decades. After the regime's collapse early in 1991, Somalia descended into turmoil, factional fighting, and anarchy. In May 1991, northern clans declared an independent Republic of Somaliland that now includes the administrative regions of Awdal, Woqooyi Galbeed, Togdheer, Sanaag, and Sool. Although not recognized by any government, this entity has maintained a stable existence and continues efforts to establish a constitutional democracy, including holding municipal, parliamentary, and presidential elections. The regions of Bari, Nugaal, and northern Mudug comprise a neighboring self-declared autonomous state of Puntland, which has been self-governing since 1998 but does not aim at independence; it has also made strides toward reconstructing a legitimate, representative government but has suffered some civil strife. Puntland disputes its border with Somaliland as it also claims portions of eastern Sool and Sanaag. Beginning in 1993, a two-year UN humanitarian effort (primarily in the south) was able to alleviate famine conditions, but when the UN withdrew in 1995, having suffered significant casualties, order still had not been restored. A two-year peace process, led by the Government of Kenya under the auspices of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), concluded in October 2004 with the election of Abdullahi YUSUF Ahmed as President of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) of Somalia and the formation of an interim government, known as the Somalia Transitional Federal Institutions (TFIs). The TFIs included a 275-member parliamentary body, known as the Transitional Federal Assembly (TFA). President YUSUF resigned late in 2008 while United Nations-sponsored talks between the TFG and the opposition Alliance for the Re-Liberation of Somalia (ARS) were underway in Djibouti. In January 2009, following the creation of a TFG-ARS unity government, Ethiopian military forces, which had entered Somalia in December 2006 to support the TFG in the face of advances by the opposition Council of Islamic Courts (CIC), withdrew from the country. The TFA was increased to 550 seats with the addition of 275 ARS members of parliament. The expanded parliament elected Sheikh SHARIF Sheikh Ahmed, the former CIC and ARS chairman as president on 31 January 2009, in Djibouti. Subsequently, President SHARIF appointed Omar Abdirashid ali SHARMARKE, son of a former president of Somalia, as prime minister on 13 February 2009. The TFIs are based on the Transitional Federal Charter (TFC), which outlines a five-year mandate leading to the establishment of a new Somali constitution and a transition to a representative government following national elections. However, in January 2009 the TFA amended the TFC to extend TFG's mandate until 2011. While its institutions remain weak, the TFG continues to reach out to Somali stakeholders and work with international donors to help build the governance capacity of the TFIs and work toward national elections in 2011.

Geography ::Somalia

Location:

Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, east of Ethiopia

Geographic coordinates:

10 00 N, 49 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 637,657 sq km country comparison to the world: 43 land: 627,337 sq km

water: 10,320 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries:

total: 2,340 km

border countries: Djibouti 58 km, Ethiopia 1,600 km, Kenya 682 km

Coastline:

3,025 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 200 nm

Climate:

principally desert; northeast monsoon (December to February), moderate temperatures in north and hot in south; southwest monsoon (May to October), torrid in the north and hot in the south, irregular rainfall, hot and humid periods (tangambili) between monsoons

Terrain:

mostly flat to undulating plateau rising to hills in north

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: Shimbiris 2,416 m

Natural resources:

uranium and largely unexploited reserves of iron ore, tin, gypsum, bauxite, copper, salt, natural gas, likely oil reserves

Land use:

arable land: 1.64%

permanent crops: 0.04%

other: 98.32% (2005)

Irrigated land:

2,000 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

15.7 cu km (1997)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 3.29 cu km/yr (0%/0%/100%)

per capita: 400 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

recurring droughts; frequent dust storms over eastern plains in summer; floods during rainy season

Environment - current issues:

famine; use of contaminated water contributes to human health problems; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

strategic location on Horn of Africa along southern approaches to Bab el Mandeb and route through Red Sea and Suez Canal

People ::Somalia

Population:

9,832,017 country comparison to the world: 83 note: this estimate was derived from an official census taken in 1975 by the Somali Government; population counting in Somalia is complicated by the large number of nomads and by refugee movements in response to famine and clan warfare (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 45% (male 2,215,331/female 2,204,503)

15-64 years: 52.6% (male 2,588,356/female 2,579,737)

65 years and over: 2.5% (male 101,764/female 142,326) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 17.5 years

male: 17.4 years

female: 17.6 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.815% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 16

Birth rate:

43.7 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 7

Death rate:

15.55 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 20

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 82

Urbanization:

urban population: 37% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 4.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 109.19 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 6 male: 118.31 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 99.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 49.63 years country comparison to the world: 208 male: 47.78 years

female: 51.53 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

6.52 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 5

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.5% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 76

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

24,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 75

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

1,600 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 66

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, and Rift Valley fever

water contact disease: schistosomiasis

animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Somali(s)

adjective: Somali

Ethnic groups:

Somali 85%, Bantu and other non-Somali 15% (including Arabs 30,000)

Religions:

Sunni Muslim

Languages:

Somali (official), Arabic, Italian, English

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 37.8%

male: 49.7%

female: 25.8% (2001 est.)

Education expenditures:

NA

Government ::Somalia

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Somalia

local long form: Jamhuuriyada Demuqraadiga Soomaaliyeed

local short form: Soomaaliya

former: Somali Republic, Somali Democratic Republic

Government type:

no permanent national government; transitional, parliamentary federal government

Capital:

name: Mogadishu

geographic coordinates: 2 04 N, 45 22 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

18 regions (plural - NA, singular - gobolka); Awdal, Bakool,
Banaadir, Bari, Bay, Galguduud, Gedo, Hiiraan, Jubbada Dhexe,
Jubbada Hoose, Mudug, Nugaal, Sanaag, Shabeellaha Dhexe, Shabeellaha
Hoose, Sool, Togdheer, Woqooyi Galbeed

Independence:

1 July 1960 (from a merger of British Somaliland, which became independent from the UK on 26 June 1960, and Italian Somaliland, which became independent from the Italian-administered UN trusteeship on 1 July 1960, to form the Somali Republic)

National holiday:

Foundation of the Somali Republic, 1 July (1960); note - 26 June (1960) in Somaliland

Constitution:

25 August 1979, presidential approval 23 September 1979

note: the formation of transitional governing institutions, known as the Transitional Federal Government, is currently ongoing

Legal system:

no national system; a mixture of English common law, Italian law, Islamic Sharia, and Somali customary law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Transitional Federal President Sheikh SHARIF Sheikh Ahmed (since 31 January 2009); note - a transitional governing entity with a five-year mandate, known as the Transitional Federal Institutions (TFIs), was established in October 2004; the TFIs relocated to Somalia in June 2004

head of government: Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Ali SHARMARKE (since 13 February 2009)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister and approved by the Transitional Federal Assembly

election results: Sheikh SHARIF Sheikh Ahmed was elected president by the expanded Transitional Federal Assembly in Djibouti

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly

note: unicameral Transitional Federal Assembly (TFA) (550 seats; 475 members appointed according to the 4.5 clan formula, with the remaining 75 seats reserved for civil society and business persons)

Judicial branch:

following the breakdown of the central government, most regions have reverted to local forms of conflict resolution, either secular, traditional Somali customary law, or Sharia (Islamic) law with a provision for appeal of all sentences

Political parties and leaders:

none

Political pressure groups and leaders:

other: numerous clan and sub-clan factions exist both in support and in opposition to the transitional government

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA,
IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,
ITSO, ITU, LAS, NAM, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

Somalia does not have an embassy in the US (ceased operations on 8
May 1991); note - the Transitional Federal Government is represented
in the United States through its Permanent Mission to the United
Nations

Diplomatic representation from the US:

the US does not have an embassy in Somalia; US interests are represented by the US Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya at United Nations Avenue, Nairobi; mailing address: Unit 64100, Nairobi; APO AE 09831; telephone: [254] (20) 363-6000; FAX [254] (20) 363-6157

Flag description:

light blue with a large white five-pointed star in the center; blue field influenced by the flag of the UN

Government - note:

although an interim government was created in 2004, other regional and local governing bodies continue to exist and control various regions of the country, including the self-declared Republic of Somaliland in northwestern Somalia and the semi-autonomous State of Puntland in northeastern Somalia

Economy ::Somalia

Economy - overview:

Despite the lack of effective national governance, Somalia has maintained a healthy informal economy, largely based on livestock, remittance/money transfer companies, and telecommunications. Agriculture is the most important sector, with livestock normally accounting for about 40% of GDP and about 65% of export earnings. Nomads and semi-pastoralists, who are dependent upon livestock for their livelihood, make up a large portion of the population. Livestock, hides, fish, charcoal, and bananas are Somalia's principal exports, while sugar, sorghum, corn, qat, and machined goods are the principal imports. Somalia's small industrial sector, based on the processing of agricultural products, has largely been looted and sold as scrap metal. Somalia's service sector also has grown. Telecommunication firms provide wireless services in most major cities and offer the lowest international call rates on the continent. In the absence of a formal banking sector, money transfer/remittance services have sprouted throughout the country, handling roughly $2 billion in remittances annually. Mogadishu's main market offers a variety of goods from food to the newest electronic gadgets. Hotels continue to operate and are supported with private-security militias. Somalia's arrears to the IMF continued to grow in 2008. Statistics on Somalia's GDP, growth, per capita income, and inflation should be viewed skeptically.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$5.524 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 156 $5.387 billion (2007 est.)

$5.252 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$2.6 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 139 2.6% (2007 est.)

2.6% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$600 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 225 $600 (2007 est.)

$600 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 65%

industry: 10%

services: 25% (2005 est.)

Labor force:

3.447 million (few skilled laborers) (2007) country comparison to the world: 96

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 71%

industry and services: 29% (1975)

Unemployment rate:

NA%

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $NA

expenditures: $NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

NA%

note: businesses print their own money, so inflation rates cannot be easily determined

Agriculture - products:

bananas, sorghum, corn, coconuts, rice, sugarcane, mangoes, sesame seeds, beans; cattle, sheep, goats; fish

Industries:

a few light industries, including sugar refining, textiles, wireless communication

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

280 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 169

Electricity - consumption:

260.4 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 171

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 133

Oil - consumption:

5,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 166

Oil - exports:

1,475 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 120

Oil - imports:

6,387 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 149

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 131

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 130

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 135

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 114

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 132

Natural gas - proved reserves:

5.663 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 89

Exports:

$300 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 174

Exports - commodities:

livestock, bananas, hides, fish, charcoal, scrap metal

Exports - partners:

UAE 56.2%, Yemen 21%, Saudi Arabia 3.6% (2008)

Imports:

$798 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 177

Imports - commodities:

manufactures, petroleum products, foodstuffs, construction materials, qat

Imports - partners:

Djibouti 29.2%, India 11.9%, Kenya 7.6%, US 6%, Oman 5.6%, UAE 5.5%,
Yemen 4.7% (2008)

Debt - external:

$3 billion (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 127

Exchange rates:

Somali shillings (SOS) per US dollar - NA (2007-08), 1,438.3 (2006) official rate; the unofficial black market rate was about 23,000 shillings per dollar as of February 2007

note: the Republic of Somaliland, a self-declared independent country not recognized by any foreign government, issues its own currency, the Somaliland shilling

Communications ::Somalia

Telephones - main lines in use:

100,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 144

Telephones - mobile cellular:

627,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 150

Telephone system:

general assessment: the public telecommunications system was almost completely destroyed or dismantled during the civil war; private companies offer limited local fixed-line service and private wireless companies offer service in most major cities while charging the lowest international rates on the continent

domestic: local cellular telephone systems have been established in Mogadishu and in several other population centers

international: country code - 252; international connections are available from Mogadishu by satellite (2001)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 0, FM 11 (also 1 station each in Puntland and Somaliland), shortwave 1 (in Mogadishu) (2001)

Television broadcast stations:

4 (2 in Mogadishu and 2 in Hargeisa) (2001)

Internet country code:

.so

Internet hosts:

0 (2009) country comparison to the world: 232

Internet users:

102,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 154

Transportation ::Somalia

Airports:

59 (2009) country comparison to the world: 80

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 7

over 3,047 m: 4

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 52

2,438 to 3,047 m: 4

1,524 to 2,437 m: 19

914 to 1,523 m: 23

under 914 m: 6 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 22,100 km country comparison to the world: 106 paved: 2,608 km

unpaved: 19,492 km (2000)

Merchant marine:

total: 1 country comparison to the world: 157 by type: cargo 1

foreign-owned: 1 (UAE 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Berbera, Kismaayo

Transportation - note:

the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean are high risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships; numerous vessels, including commercial shipping and pleasure craft, have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; crew, passengers, and cargo are held for ransom; the presence of several naval task forces in the Gulf of Aden and additional anti-piracy measures on the part of ship operators have reduced the piracy incidents; in response local pirates shifted operations farther south along the east coast of Somalia and eastward along the coast of Oman

Military ::Somalia

Military branches:

no national-level armed forces (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 2,181,050

females age 16-49: 2,125,558 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,301,026

females age 16-49: 1,351,649 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 93,763

female: 93,738 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

0.9% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 143

Transnational Issues ::Somalia

Disputes - international:

Ethiopian forces invaded southern Somalia and routed Islamist Courts from Mogadishu in January 2007; "Somaliland" secessionists provide port facilities in Berbera to landlocked Ethiopia and have established commercial ties with other regional states; "Puntland" and "Somaliland" "governments" seek international support in their secessionist aspirations and overlapping border claims; the undemarcated former British administrative line has little meaning as a political separation to rival clans within Ethiopia's Ogaden and southern Somalia's Oromo region; Kenya works hard to prevent the clan and militia fighting in Somalia from spreading south across the border, which has long been open to nomadic pastoralists

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

IDPs: 1.1 million (civil war since 1988, clan-based competition for resources) (2007)

page last updated on November 10, 2009

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

@South Africa (Africa)

Introduction ::South Africa

Background:

Dutch traders landed at the southern tip of modern day South Africa in 1652 and established a stopover point on the spice route between the Netherlands and the East, founding the city of Cape Town. After the British seized the Cape of Good Hope area in 1806, many of the Dutch settlers (the Boers) trekked north to found their own republics. The discovery of diamonds (1867) and gold (1886) spurred wealth and immigration and intensified the subjugation of the native inhabitants. The Boers resisted British encroachments but were defeated in the Boer War (1899-1902); however, the British and the Afrikaners, as the Boers became known, ruled together under the Union of South Africa. In 1948, the National Party was voted into power and instituted a policy of apartheid - the separate development of the races. The first multi-racial elections in 1994 brought an end to apartheid and ushered in black majority rule under the African National Congress (ANC). ANC infighting, which has grown in recent years, came to a head in September 2008 after President Thabo MBEKI resigned. Kgalema MOTLANTHE, the party's General-Secretary, succeeded as interim president until general elections scheduled for 2009.

Geography ::South Africa

Location:

Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent of Africa

Geographic coordinates:

29 00 S, 24 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 1,219,090 sq km country comparison to the world: 25 land: 1,214,470 sq km

water: 4,620 sq km

note: includes Prince Edward Islands (Marion Island and Prince Edward Island)

Area - comparative:

slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Land boundaries:

total: 4,862 km

border countries: Botswana 1,840 km, Lesotho 909 km, Mozambique 491 km, Namibia 967 km, Swaziland 430 km, Zimbabwe 225 km

Coastline:

2,798 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margin

Climate:

mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny days, cool nights

Terrain:

vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow coastal plain

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Njesuthi 3,408 m

Natural resources:

gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, tin, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper, vanadium, salt, natural gas

Land use:

arable land: 12.1%

permanent crops: 0.79%

other: 87.11% (2005)

Irrigated land:

14,980 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

50 cu km (1990)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 12.5 cu km/yr (31%/6%/63%)

per capita: 264 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

prolonged droughts

Environment - current issues:

lack of important arterial rivers or lakes requires extensive water conservation and control measures; growth in water usage outpacing supply; pollution of rivers from agricultural runoff and urban discharge; air pollution resulting in acid rain; soil erosion; desertification

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine
Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands,
Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

South Africa completely surrounds Lesotho and almost completely surrounds Swaziland

People ::South Africa

Population:

49,052,489 country comparison to the world: 24 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 28.9% (male 7,093,328/female 7,061,579)

15-64 years: 65.8% (male 16,275,424/female 15,984,181)

65 years and over: 5.4% (male 1,075,117/female 1,562,860) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 24.4 years

male: 24.1 years

female: 24.8 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.281% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 173

Birth rate:

19.93 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 99

Death rate:

16.99 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 12

Net migration rate:

-0.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population country comparison to the world: 95 note: there is an increasing flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa and Botswana in search of better economic opportunities (2009 est.)

Urbanization:

urban population: 61% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 44.42 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 59 male: 48.66 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 40.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 48.98 years country comparison to the world: 209 male: 49.81 years

female: 48.13 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.38 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 105

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

18.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 4

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

5.7 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 2

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

350,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 1

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: intermediate

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2009)

Nationality:

noun: South African(s)

adjective: South African

Ethnic groups:

black African 79%, white 9.6%, colored 8.9%, Indian/Asian 2.5% (2001 census)

Religions:

Zion Christian 11.1%, Pentecostal/Charismatic 8.2%, Catholic 7.1%, Methodist 6.8%, Dutch Reformed 6.7%, Anglican 3.8%, Muslim 1.5%, other Christian 36%, other 2.3%, unspecified 1.4%, none 15.1% (2001 census)

Languages:

IsiZulu 23.8%, IsiXhosa 17.6%, Afrikaans 13.3%, Sepedi 9.4%, English 8.2%, Setswana 8.2%, Sesotho 7.9%, Xitsonga 4.4%, other 7.2% (2001 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 86.4%

male: 87%

female: 85.7% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 13 years

male: 13 years

female: 13 years (2004)

Education expenditures:

5.4% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 53

Government ::South Africa

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of South Africa

conventional short form: South Africa

former: Union of South Africa

abbreviation: RSA

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Pretoria (administrative capital)

geographic coordinates: 25 42 S, 28 13 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

note: Cape Town (legislative capital); Bloemfontein (judicial capital)

Administrative divisions:

9 provinces; Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, North-West, Western Cape

Independence:

31 May 1910 (Union of South Africa formed from four British colonies: Cape Colony, Natal, Transvaal, and Orange Free State); 31 May 1961 (republic declared) 27 April 1994 (majority rule)

National holiday:

Freedom Day, 27 April (1994)

Constitution:

10 December 1996; note - certified by the Constitutional Court on 4 December 1996; was signed by then President MANDELA on 10 December 1996; and entered into effect on 4 February 1997

Legal system:

based on Roman-Dutch law and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Jacob ZUMA (since 9 May 2009); Executive Deputy President Kgalema MOTLANTHE (since 11 May 2009); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Jacob ZUMA (since 9 May 2009); Executive Deputy President Kgalema MOTLANTHE (since 11 May 2009)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president

elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 6 May 2009 (next to be held in 2014)

election results: Jacob ZUMA elected president; National Assembly vote - Jacob ZUMA 277, Mvume DANDALA 47, other 76

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament consisting of the National Council of Provinces (90 seats, 10 members elected by each of the nine provincial legislatures for five-year terms; has special powers to protect regional interests, including the safeguarding of cultural and linguistic traditions among ethnic minorities) and the National Assembly (400 seats; members are elected by popular vote under a system of proportional representation to serve five-year terms); note - following the implementation of the new constitution on 4 February 1997, the former Senate was disbanded and replaced by the National Council of Provinces with essentially no change in membership and party affiliations, although the new institution's responsibilities have been changed somewhat by the new constitution

elections: National Assembly and National Council of Provinces - last held on 22 April 2009 (next to be held in April 2014)

election results: National Council of Provinces - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - ANC 65.9%, DA 16.7%, COPE 7.4%, IFP 4.6%, other 5.4%; seats by party - ANC 264, DA 67, COPE 30, IFP 18, other 21

Judicial branch:

Constitutional Court; Supreme Court of Appeals; High Courts;
Magistrate Courts

Political parties and leaders:

African Christian Democratic Party or ACDP [Kenneth MESHOE]; African
National Congress or ANC [Jacob ZUMA]; Congress of the People or
COPE [Mosiuoa LEKOTA]; Democratic Alliance or DA [Helen ZILLE];
Freedom Front Plus or FF+ [Pieter MULDER]; Independent Democrats or
ID [Patricia DE LILLE]; Inkatha Freedom Party or IFP [Mangosuthu
BUTHELEZI]; Pan-Africanist Congress or PAC [Motsoko PHEKO]; United
Christian Democratic Party or UCDP [Lucas MANGOPE]; United
Democratic Movement or UDM [Bantu HOLOMISA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Congress of South African Trade Unions or COSATU [Zwelinzima VAVI,
general secretary]; South African Communist Party or SACP [Blade
NZIMANDE, general secretary]; South African National Civics
Organization or SANCO [Mlungisi HLONGWANE, national president]

note: note - COSATU and SACP are in a formal alliance with the ANC

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, AU, BIS, C, FAO, G-20, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM,
NSG, OPCW, PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,
UNIDO, UNITAR, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Welile Augustine NHLAPO

chancery: 3051 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 232-4400

FAX: [1] (202) 265-1607

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Eric BOST

embassy: 877 Pretorius Street, Pretoria

mailing address: P. O. Box 9536, Pretoria 0001

telephone: [27] (12) 431-4000

FAX: [27] (12) 342-2299

consulate(s) general: Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg

Flag description:

two equal width horizontal bands of red (top) and blue separated by a central green band that splits into a horizontal Y, the arms of which end at the corners of the hoist side; the Y embraces a black isosceles triangle from which the arms are separated by narrow yellow bands; the red and blue bands are separated from the green band and its arms by narrow white stripes

Economy ::South Africa

Economy - overview:

South Africa is a middle-income, emerging market with an abundant supply of natural resources; well-developed financial, legal, communications, energy, and transport sectors; a stock exchange that is 17th largest in the world; and modern infrastructure supporting an efficient distribution of goods to major urban centers throughout the region. Growth was robust from 2004 to 2008 as South Africa reaped the benefits of macroeconomic stability and a global commodities boom, but began to slow in the second half of 2008 due to the global financial crisis' impact on commodity prices and demand. However, unemployment remains high and outdated infrastructure has constrained growth. At the end of 2007, South Africa began to experience an electricity crisis because state power supplier Eskom suffered supply problems with aged plants, necessitating "load-shedding" cuts to residents and businesses in the major cities. Daunting economic problems remain from the apartheid era - especially poverty, lack of economic empowerment among the disadvantaged groups, and a shortage of public transportation. South African economic policy is fiscally conservative but pragmatic, focusing on controlling inflation, maintaining a budget surplus, and using state-owned enterprises to deliver basic services to low-income areas as a means to increase job growth and household income.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$492.2 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 26 $477.4 billion (2007 est.)

$454.2 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$276.8 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

3.1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 122 5.1% (2007 est.)

5.3% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$10,100 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 105 $9,900 (2007 est.)

$9,500 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 3.3%

industry: 33.7%

services: 63% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

17.79 million economically active (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 33

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 9%

industry: 26%

services: 65% (2007 est.)

Unemployment rate:

22.9% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 171 24.3% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

50% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 1.3%

highest 10%: 44.7% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

65 (2005) country comparison to the world: 2 59.3 (1994)

Investment (gross fixed):

23.2% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 66

Budget:

revenues: $77.43 billion

expenditures: $79.9 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

31.6% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 71 45.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

11.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 162 6.5% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

11.5% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 32 11% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

15.13% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 57 13.17% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$44.66 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 23 $58.49 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$124.1 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 19 $141.9 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$214.8 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 30 $254.9 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$491.3 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 19 $833.5 billion (31 December 2007)

$715 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; beef, poultry, mutton, wool, dairy products

Industries:

mining (world's largest producer of platinum, gold, chromium), automobile assembly, metalworking, machinery, textiles, iron and steel, chemicals, fertilizer, foodstuffs, commercial ship repair

Industrial production growth rate:

1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 123

Electricity - production:

240.3 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 16

Electricity - consumption:

215.1 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 17

Electricity - exports:

14.16 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

10.57 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

195,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 41

Oil - consumption:

583,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 30

Oil - exports:

128,500 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 63

Oil - imports:

490,500 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 25

Oil - proved reserves:

15 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 85

Natural gas - production:

3.25 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 53

Natural gas - consumption:

6.45 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 54

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 120

Natural gas - imports:

3.2 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 40

Natural gas - proved reserves:

27.16 million cu m (1 January 2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 102

Current account balance:

-$20.98 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 177 -$20.78 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$86.12 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 41 $75.92 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

gold, diamonds, platinum, other metals and minerals, machinery and equipment

Exports - partners:

Japan 11.1%, US 11.1%, Germany 8%, UK 6.8%, China 6%, Netherlands 5.2% (2008)

Imports:

$90.57 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 36 $81.66 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum products, scientific instruments, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:

Germany 11.2%, China 11.1%, US 7.9%, Saudi Arabia 6.2%, Japan 5.5%,
UK 4% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$34.07 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 36 $32.94 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$71.81 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 43 $75.28 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$120 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 29 $110.4 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$63.57 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 29 $65.88 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

rand (ZAR) per US dollar - 7.9576 (2008 est.), 7.05 (2007), 6.7649 (2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004)

Communications ::South Africa

Telephones - main lines in use:

4.425 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 35

Telephones - mobile cellular:

45 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 24

Telephone system:

general assessment: the system is the best developed and most modern in Africa

domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity exceeds 110 telephones per 100 persons; consists of carrier-equipped open-wire lines, coaxial cables, microwave radio relay links, fiber-optic cable, radiotelephone communication stations, and wireless local loops; key centers are Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth, and Pretoria

international: country code - 27; the SAT-3/WASC and SAFE fiber optic cable systems connect South Africa to Europe and Asia; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 14, FM 347 (plus 243 repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

556 (plus 144 network repeaters) (1997)

Internet country code:

.za

Internet hosts:

1.73 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 34

Internet users:

4.187 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 49

Transportation ::South Africa

Airports:

607 (2009) country comparison to the world: 11

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 148

over 3,047 m: 10

2,438 to 3,047 m: 6

1,524 to 2,437 m: 52

914 to 1,523 m: 68

under 914 m: 12 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 459

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 34

914 to 1,523 m: 298

under 914 m: 125 (2009)

Heliports:

1 (2009)

Pipelines:

condensate 11 km; gas 908 km; oil 980 km; refined products 1,379 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 20,872 km country comparison to the world: 14 narrow gauge: 20,436 km 1.065-m gauge (8,271 km electrified); 436 km 0.610-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 362,099 km country comparison to the world: 18 paved: 73,506 km (includes 239 km of expressways)

unpaved: 288,593 km (2002)

Merchant marine:

total: 3 country comparison to the world: 138 by type: container 1, petroleum tanker 2

foreign-owned: 1 (Denmark 1)

registered in other countries: 8 (Bahamas 1, Nigeria 1, NZ 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Seychelles 1, UK 3) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, Richards Bay, Saldanha Bay

Military ::South Africa

Military branches:

South African National Defense Force (SANDF): South African Army,
South African Navy (SAN), South African Air Force (SAAF), Joint
Operations Command, Military Intelligence, South African Military
Health Services (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service; women are eligible to serve in noncombat roles; 2-year service obligation (2007)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 11,622,507

females age 16-49: 11,501,537 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 7,641,557

females age 16-49: 6,518,793 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 511,616

female: 510,540 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.7% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 98

Military - note:

with the end of apartheid and the establishment of majority rule, former military, black homelands forces, and ex-opposition forces were integrated into the South African National Defense Force (SANDF); as of 2003 the integration process was considered complete

Transnational Issues ::South Africa

Disputes - international:

South Africa has placed military along the border to apprehend the thousands of Zimbabweans fleeing economic dysfunction and political persecution; as of January 2007, South Africa also supports large numbers of refugees and asylum seekers from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (33,000), Somalia (20,000), Burundi (6,500), and other states in Africa (26,000); managed dispute with Namibia over the location of the boundary in the Orange River; in 2006, Swazi king advocates resort to ICJ to claim parts of Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal from South Africa

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 10,772 (Democratic Republic of Congo); 7,818 (Somalia); 5,759 (Angola) (2007)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: South Africa is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for forced labor and sexual exploitation; women and girls are trafficked internally - and occasionally to European and Asian countries - for sexual exploitation; women from other African countries are trafficked to South Africa and, less frequently, onward to Europe for sexual exploitation; men and boys are trafficked from neighboring countries for forced agricultural labor; Asian and Eastern European women are trafficked to South Africa for debt-bonded sexual exploitation

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - South Africa is on the Tier 2 Watch List for a fourth consecutive year for its failure to show increasing efforts to address trafficking; the government provided inadequate data in 2007 on trafficking crimes investigated or prosecuted, or on resulting convictions or sentences; it also did not provide information on its efforts to protect victims of trafficking; the country continues to deport and/or prosecute suspected foreign victims without providing appropriate protective services (2008)

Illicit drugs:

transshipment center for heroin, hashish, and cocaine, as well as a major cultivator of marijuana in its own right; cocaine and heroin consumption on the rise; world's largest market for illicit methaqualone, usually imported illegally from India through various east African countries, but increasingly producing its own synthetic drugs for domestic consumption; attractive venue for money launderers given the increasing level of organized criminal and narcotics activity in the region and the size of the South African economy

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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@Southern Ocean (Oceans)

Introduction ::Southern Ocean

Background:

A large body of recent oceanographic research has shown that the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC), an ocean current that flows from west to east around Antarctica, plays a crucial role in global ocean circulation. The region where the cold waters of the ACC meet and mingle with the warmer waters of the north defines a distinct border - the Antarctic Convergence - which fluctuates with the seasons, but which encompasses a discrete body of water and a unique ecologic region. The Convergence concentrates nutrients, which promotes marine plant life, and which in turn allows for a greater abundance of animal life. In the spring of 2000, the International Hydrographic Organization decided to delimit the waters within the Convergence as a fifth world ocean - the Southern Ocean - by combining the southern portions of the Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, and Pacific Ocean. The Southern Ocean extends from the coast of Antarctica north to 60 degrees south latitude, which coincides with the Antarctic Treaty Limit and which approximates the extent of the Antarctic Convergence. As such, the Southern Ocean is now the fourth largest of the world's five oceans (after the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, and Indian Ocean, but larger than the Arctic Ocean). It should be noted that inclusion of the Southern Ocean does not imply recognition of this feature as one of the world's primary oceans by the US Government.

Geography ::Southern Ocean

Location:

body of water between 60 degrees south latitude and Antarctica

Geographic coordinates:

60 00 S, 90 00 E (nominally), but the Southern Ocean has the unique distinction of being a large circumpolar body of water totally encircling the continent of Antarctica; this ring of water lies between 60 degrees south latitude and the coast of Antarctica and encompasses 360 degrees of longitude

Map references:

Antarctic Region

Area:

total: 20.327 million sq km

note: includes Amundsen Sea, Bellingshausen Sea, part of the Drake Passage, Ross Sea, a small part of the Scotia Sea, Weddell Sea, and other tributary water bodies

Area - comparative:

slightly more than twice the size of the US

Coastline:

17,968 km

Climate:

sea temperatures vary from about 10 degrees Celsius to -2 degrees Celsius; cyclonic storms travel eastward around the continent and frequently are intense because of the temperature contrast between ice and open ocean; the ocean area from about latitude 40 south to the Antarctic Circle has the strongest average winds found anywhere on Earth; in winter the ocean freezes outward to 65 degrees south latitude in the Pacific sector and 55 degrees south latitude in the Atlantic sector, lowering surface temperatures well below 0 degrees Celsius; at some coastal points intense persistent drainage winds from the interior keep the shoreline ice-free throughout the winter

Terrain:

the Southern Ocean is deep, 4,000 to 5,000 m over most of its extent with only limited areas of shallow water; the Antarctic continental shelf is generally narrow and unusually deep, its edge lying at depths of 400 to 800 m (the global mean is 133 m); the Antarctic icepack grows from an average minimum of 2.6 million sq km in March to about 18.8 million sq km in September, better than a sixfold increase in area; the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (21,000 km in length) moves perpetually eastward; it is the world's largest ocean current, transporting 130 million cubic meters of water per second - 100 times the flow of all the world's rivers

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: -7,235 m at the southern end of the South Sandwich Trench

highest point: sea level 0 m

Natural resources:

probable large and possible giant oil and gas fields on the continental margin; manganese nodules, possible placer deposits, sand and gravel, fresh water as icebergs; squid, whales, and seals - none exploited; krill, fish

Natural hazards:

huge icebergs with drafts up to several hundred meters; smaller bergs and iceberg fragments; sea ice (generally 0.5 to 1 m thick) with sometimes dynamic short-term variations and with large annual and interannual variations; deep continental shelf floored by glacial deposits varying widely over short distances; high winds and large waves much of the year; ship icing, especially May-October; most of region is remote from sources of search and rescue

Environment - current issues:

increased solar ultraviolet radiation resulting from the Antarctic ozone hole in recent years, reducing marine primary productivity (phytoplankton) by as much as 15% and damaging the DNA of some fish; illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing in recent years, especially the landing of an estimated five to six times more Patagonian toothfish than the regulated fishery, which is likely to affect the sustainability of the stock; large amount of incidental mortality of seabirds resulting from long-line fishing for toothfish

note: the now-protected fur seal population is making a strong comeback after severe overexploitation in the 18th and 19th centuries

Environment - international agreements:

the Southern Ocean is subject to all international agreements regarding the world's oceans; in addition, it is subject to these agreements specific to the Antarctic region: International Whaling Commission (prohibits commercial whaling south of 40 degrees south [south of 60 degrees south between 50 degrees and 130 degrees west]); Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Seals (limits sealing); Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (regulates fishing)

note: many nations (including the US) prohibit mineral resource exploration and exploitation south of the fluctuating Polar Front (Antarctic Convergence), which is in the middle of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current and serves as the dividing line between the cold polar surface waters to the south and the warmer waters to the north

Geography - note:

the major chokepoint is the Drake Passage between South America and Antarctica; the Polar Front (Antarctic Convergence) is the best natural definition of the northern extent of the Southern Ocean; it is a distinct region at the middle of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current that separates the cold polar surface waters to the south from the warmer waters to the north; the Front and the Current extend entirely around Antarctica, reaching south of 60 degrees south near New Zealand and near 48 degrees south in the far South Atlantic coinciding with the path of the maximum westerly winds

Economy ::Southern Ocean

Economy - overview:

Fisheries in 2006-07 landed 126,976 metric tons, of which 82% (104,586 tons) was krill (Euphausia superba) and 9.5% (12,027 tons) Patagonian toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides - also known as Chilean sea bass), compared to 127,910 tons in 2005-06 of which 83% (106,591 tons) was krill and 9.7% (12,396 tons) Patagonian toothfish (estimated fishing from the area covered by the Convention of the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), which extends slightly beyond the Southern Ocean area). International agreements were adopted in late 1999 to reduce illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, which in the 2000-01 season landed, by one estimate, 8,376 metric tons of Patagonian and Antarctic toothfish. In the 2007-08 Antarctic summer, 45,213 tourists visited the Southern Ocean, compared to 35,552 in 2006-2007, and 29,799 in 2005-2006 (estimates provided to the Antarctic Treaty by the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO), and does not include passengers on overflights and those flying directly in and out of Antarctica).

Transportation ::Southern Ocean

Ports and terminals:

McMurdo, Palmer, and offshore anchorages in Antarctica

note: few ports or harbors exist on southern side of Southern Ocean; ice conditions limit use of most to short periods in midsummer; even then some cannot be entered without icebreaker escort; most Antarctic ports are operated by government research stations and, except in an emergency, are not open to commercial or private vessels (2007)

Transportation - note:

Drake Passage offers alternative to transit through the Panama Canal

Transnational Issues ::Southern Ocean

Disputes - international:

Antarctic Treaty defers claims (see Antarctica entry), but Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, NZ, Norway, and UK assert claims (some overlapping), including the continental shelf in the Southern Ocean; several states have expressed an interest in extending those continental shelf claims under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to include undersea ridges; the US and most other states do not recognize the land or maritime claims of other states and have made no claims themselves (the US and Russia have reserved the right to do so); no formal claims exist in the waters in the sector between 90 degrees west and 150 degrees west

page last updated on October 22, 2009

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@South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands (South America)

Introduction ::South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands

Background:

The islands, which have large bird and seal populations, lie approximately 1,000 km east of the Falkland Islands and have been under British administration since 1908 - except for a brief period in 1982 when Argentina occupied them. Grytviken, on South Georgia, was a 19th and early 20th century whaling station. Famed explorer Ernest SHACKLETON stopped there in 1914 en route to his ill-fated attempt to cross Antarctica on foot. He returned some 20 months later with a few companions in a small boat and arranged a successful rescue for the rest of his crew, stranded off the Antarctic Peninsula. He died in 1922 on a subsequent expedition and is buried in Grytviken. Today, the station houses scientists from the British Antarctic Survey. Recognizing the importance of preserving the marine stocks in adjacent waters, the UK, in 1993, extended the exclusive fishing zone from 12 nm to 200 nm around each island.

Geography ::South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands

Location:

Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, east of the tip of South America

Geographic coordinates:

54 30 S, 37 00 W

Map references:

South America

Area:

total: 3,903 sq km country comparison to the world: 176 land: 3,903 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: includes Shag Rocks, Black Rock, Clerke Rocks, South Georgia Island, Bird Island, and the South Sandwich Islands, which consist of 11 islands

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than Rhode Island

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

NA

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:

variable, with mostly westerly winds throughout the year interspersed with periods of calm; nearly all precipitation falls as snow

Terrain:

most of the islands, rising steeply from the sea, are rugged and mountainous; South Georgia is largely barren and has steep, glacier-covered mountains; the South Sandwich Islands are of volcanic origin with some active volcanoes

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mount Paget (South Georgia) 2,934 m

Natural resources:

fish

Land use:

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (largely covered by permanent ice and snow with some sparse vegetation consisting of grass, moss, and lichen) (2005)

Irrigated land:

0 sq km

Natural hazards:

the South Sandwich Islands have prevailing weather conditions that generally make them difficult to approach by ship; they are also subject to active volcanism

Environment - current issues:

NA

Geography - note:

the north coast of South Georgia has several large bays, which provide good anchorage; reindeer, introduced early in the 20th century, live on South Georgia

People ::South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands

Population:

no indigenous inhabitants

note: the small military garrison on South Georgia withdrew in March 2001 replaced by a permanent group of scientists of the British Antarctic Survey, which also has a biological station on Bird Island; the South Sandwich Islands are uninhabited

Government ::South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands

Country name:

conventional long form: South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

conventional short form: South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands

abbreviation: SGSSI

Dependency status:

overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina; administered from the Falkland Islands by a commissioner, who is concurrently governor of the Falkland Islands, representing Queen ELIZABETH II

Legal system:

the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply; the senior magistrate from the Falkland Islands presides over the Magistrates Court

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina)

Flag description:

blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms features a shield with a golden lion centered; the shield is supported by a fur seal on the left and a penguin on the right; a reindeer appears above the shield, and below it on a scroll is the motto LEO TERRAM PROPRIAM PROTEGAT (Let the Lion Protect its Own Land)

Economy ::South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands

Economy - overview:

Some fishing takes place in adjacent waters. There is a potential source of income from harvesting finfish and krill. The islands receive income from postage stamps produced in the UK, sale of fishing licenses, and harbor and landing fees from tourist vessels. Tourism from specialized cruise ships is increasing rapidly.

Communications ::South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands

Telephone system:

general assessment: NA

domestic: NA

international: coastal radiotelephone station at Grytviken

Radio broadcast stations:

0 (2003)

Television broadcast stations:

0 (2003)

Internet country code:

.gs

Internet hosts:

363 (2009) country comparison to the world: 176

Transportation ::South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands

Ports and terminals:

Grytviken

Military ::South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues ::South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands

Disputes - international:

Argentina, which claims the islands in its constitution and briefly occupied them by force in 1982, agreed in 1995 to no longer seek settlement by force

page last updated on October 28, 2009

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

@Spain (Europe)

Introduction ::Spain

Background:

Spain's powerful world empire of the 16th and 17th centuries ultimately yielded command of the seas to England. Subsequent failure to embrace the mercantile and industrial revolutions caused the country to fall behind Britain, France, and Germany in economic and political power. Spain remained neutral in World Wars I and II but suffered through a devastating civil war (1936-39). A peaceful transition to democracy following the death of dictator Francisco FRANCO in 1975, and rapid economic modernization (Spain joined the EU in 1986) gave Spain a dynamic and rapidly growing economy and made it a global champion of freedom and human rights. The government continues to battle the Basque Fatherland and Liberty (ETA) terrorist organization, but its major focus for the immediate future will be on measures to reverse the severe economic recession that started in mid-2008.

Geography ::Spain

Location:

Southwestern Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay, Mediterranean Sea,
North Atlantic Ocean, and Pyrenees Mountains, southwest of France

Geographic coordinates:

40 00 N, 4 00 W

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 505,370 sq km country comparison to the world: 51 land: 498,980 sq km

water: 6,390 sq km

note: there are two autonomous cities - Ceuta and Melilla - and 17 autonomous communities including Balearic Islands and Canary Islands, and three small Spanish possessions off the coast of Morocco - Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera

Area - comparative:

slightly more than twice the size of Oregon

Land boundaries:

total: 1,917.8 km

border countries: Andorra 63.7 km, France 623 km, Gibraltar 1.2 km, Portugal 1,214 km, Morocco (Ceuta) 6.3 km, Morocco (Melilla) 9.6 km

Coastline:

4,964 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm (applies only to the Atlantic Ocean)

Climate:

temperate; clear, hot summers in interior, more moderate and cloudy along coast; cloudy, cold winters in interior, partly cloudy and cool along coast

Terrain:

large, flat to dissected plateau surrounded by rugged hills; Pyrenees in north

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Pico de Teide (Tenerife) on Canary Islands 3,718 m

Natural resources:

coal, lignite, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, uranium, tungsten, mercury, pyrites, magnesite, fluorspar, gypsum, sepiolite, kaolin, potash, hydropower, arable land

Land use:

arable land: 27.18%

permanent crops: 9.85%

other: 62.97% (2005)

Irrigated land:

37,800 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

111.1 cu km (2005)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 37.22 cu km/yr (13%/19%/68%)

per capita: 864 cu m/yr (2002)

Natural hazards:

periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:

pollution of the Mediterranean Sea from raw sewage and effluents from the offshore production of oil and gas; water quality and quantity nationwide; air pollution; deforestation; desertification

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Geography - note:

strategic location along approaches to Strait of Gibraltar; Spain controls a number of territories in northern Morocco including the enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla, and the islands of Penon de Velez de la Gomera, Penon de Alhucemas, and Islas Chafarinas

People ::Spain

Population:

40,525,002 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 32

Age structure:

0-14 years: 14.5% (male 3,021,822/female 2,842,597)

15-64 years: 67.4% (male 13,705,107/female 13,601,399)

65 years and over: 18.1% (male 3,071,394/female 4,282,683) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 41.1 years

male: 39.7 years

female: 42.5 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.072% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 194

Birth rate:

9.72 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 198

Death rate:

9.99 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 65

Net migration rate:

0.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 56

Urbanization:

urban population: 77% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 0.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 4.21 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 208 male: 4.59 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 3.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 80.05 years country comparison to the world: 23 male: 76.74 years

female: 83.57 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.31 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 206

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.5% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 75

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

140,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 39

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

2,300 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 59

Nationality:

noun: Spaniard(s)

adjective: Spanish

Ethnic groups:

composite of Mediterranean and Nordic types

Religions:

Roman Catholic 94%, other 6%

Languages:

Castilian Spanish (official) 74%, Catalan 17%, Galician 7%, Basque 2%, are official regionally

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 97.9%

male: 98.7%

female: 97.2% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 16 years

male: 16 years

female: 17 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

4.2% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 97

Government ::Spain

Country name:

conventional long form: Kingdom of Spain

conventional short form: Spain

local long form: Reino de Espana

local short form: Espana

Government type:

parliamentary monarchy

Capital:

name: Madrid

geographic coordinates: 40 24 N, 3 41 W

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

note: Spain is divided into two time zones including the Canary Islands

Administrative divisions:

17 autonomous communities (comunidades autonomas, singular - comunidad autonoma) and 2 autonomous cities* (ciudades autonomas, singular - ciudad autonoma); Andalucia, Aragon, Asturias, Baleares (Balearic Islands), Ceuta*, Canarias (Canary Islands), Cantabria, Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla y Leon, Cataluna (Catalonia), Comunidad Valenciana (Valencian Community), Extremadura, Galicia, La Rioja, Madrid, Melilla*, Murcia, Navarra, Pais Vasco (Basque Country)

note: the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla plus three small islands of Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera, administered directly by the Spanish central government, are all along the coast of Morocco and are collectively referred to as Places of Sovereignty (Plazas de Soberania)

Independence:

1492; the Iberian peninsula was characterized by a variety of independent kingdoms prior to the Muslim occupation that began in the early 8th century A.D. and lasted nearly seven centuries; the small Christian redoubts of the north began the reconquest almost immediately, culminating in the seizure of Granada in 1492; this event completed the unification of several kingdoms and is traditionally considered the forging of present-day Spain

National holiday:

National Day, 12 October (1492); year when Columbus first set foot in the Americas

Constitution:

approved by legislature 31 October 1978; passed by referendum 6 December 1978; signed by the king 27 December 1978

Legal system:

civil law system, with regional applications; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: King JUAN CARLOS I (since 22 November 1975); Heir Apparent Prince FELIPE, son of the monarch, born 30 January 1968

head of government: President of the Government (Prime Minister equivalent) Jose Luis Rodriguez ZAPATERO (since 17 April 2004); First Vice President (and Minister of the Presidency) Maria Teresa FERNANDEZ DE LA VEGA (since 18 April 2004), Second Vice President (and Minister of Economy and Finance) Elena SALGADO Mendez (since 8 April 2009), and Third Vice President (and Minister of Regional Affairs) Manuel CHAVES Gonzalez (since 8 April 2009)

cabinet: Council of Ministers designated by the president

note: there is also a Council of State that is the supreme consultative organ of the government, but its recommendations are non-binding

elections: the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually proposed president by the monarch and elected by the National Assembly; election last held on 9 and 11 April 2008 (next to be held in March 2012); vice presidents appointed by the monarch on the proposal of the president

election results: Jose Luis Rodriguez ZAPATERO reelected President of the Government; percent of National Assembly vote - 46.94%

Legislative branch:

bicameral; General Courts or Las Cortes Generales (National Assembly) consists of the Senate or Senado (264 seats as of 2008; 208 members directly elected by popular vote and the other 56 - as of 2008 - appointed by the regional legislatures; to serve four-year terms) and the Congress of Deputies or Congreso de los Diputados (350 seats; each of the 50 electoral provinces fills a minimum of two seats and the North African enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla fill one seat each with members serving a four-year term; the other 248 members are determined by proportional representation based on popular vote on block lists who serve four-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held on 9 March 2008 (next to be held not later than March 2012); Congress of Deputies - last held on 9 March 2008 (next to be held not later than March 2012)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PP 101, PSOE 88, Entesa Catalona de Progress 12, CiU 4, PNV 2, CC 1, members appointed by regional legislatures 56; Congress of Deputies - percent of vote by party - PSOE 43.6%, PP 40.1%, CiU 3.1%, PNV 1.2%, ERC 1.2%, other 10.8%; seats by party - PSOE 169, PP 154, CiU 10, PNV 6, ERC 3, other 8

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo

Political parties and leaders:

Aragonese Party or CHA [Bizen FUSTER]; Basque Nationalist Party or
PNV or EAJ [Inigo URKULLU]; Basque Solidarity or EA [Begona
ERRAZTI]; Canarian Coalition or CC [Jose Torres STINGA] (a coalition
of five parties); Convergence and Union or CiU [Artur MAS i Gavarro]
(a coalition of the Democratic Convergence of Catalonia or CDC
[Artur MAS i Gavarro] and the Democratic Union of Catalonia or UDC
[Josep Antoni DURAN i LLEIDA]); Entesa Catalonia de Progress (a
Senate coalition grouping four Catalan parties - PSC, ERC, ICV,
EUA); Galician Nationalist Bloc or BNG [Anxo Manuel QUINTANA
Gonzalez]; Initiative for Catalonia Greens or ICV [Joan SAURA i
Laporta]; Navarra yes or Na Bai [Uxue BARKOS Berruezo] (a coalition
of four Navarran parties); Popular Party or PP [Mariano RAJOY Brey];
Republican Left of Catalonia or ERC [Joan RIDAO]; Spanish Socialist
Workers Party or PSOE [Jose Luis Rodriguez ZAPATERO]; United Left or
IU [Cayo LARA] (a coalition of parties including the Communist Party
of Spain or PCE and other small parties)

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Association for Victims of Terrorism or AVT (grassroots organization devoted primarily to opposing ETA terrorist attacks and supporting its victims); Basta Ya (Spanish for "Enough is Enough"; grassroots organization devoted primarily to opposing ETA terrorist attacks and supporting its victims); Nunca Mais (Galician for "Never Again"; formed in response to the oil Tanker Prestige oil spill); Socialist General Union of Workers or UGT and the smaller independent Workers Syndical Union or USO; Trade Union Confederation of Workers' Commissions or CC.OO.

other: business and landowning interests; Catholic Church; free labor unions (authorized in April 1977); university students

International organization participation:

ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council
(observer), Australia Group, BCIE, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB,
EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,
IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURCAT, MONUC,
NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris
Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, SECI (observer), SICA (observer),
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNRWA,
UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Jorge DEZCALLAR de Mazarredo

chancery: 2375 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037

telephone: [1] (202) 452-0100, 728-2340

FAX: [1] (202) 833-5670

consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Arnold A. CHACON

embassy: Serrano 75, 28006 Madrid

mailing address: PSC 61, APO AE 09642

telephone: [34] (91) 587-2200

FAX: [34] (91) 587-2303

consulate(s) general: Barcelona

Flag description:

three horizontal bands of red (top), yellow (double width), and red with the national coat of arms on the hoist side of the yellow band; the coat of arms is quartered to display the emblems of the traditional kingdoms of Spain (clockwise from upper left, Castile, Leon, Navarre, and Aragon) while Granada is represented by the stylized pomegranate at the bottom of the shield; the arms are framed by two columns representing the Pillars of Hercules, which are the two promontories (Gibraltar and Ceuta) on either side of the eastern end of the Strait of Gibraltar; the red scroll across the two columns bears the imperial motto of "Plus Ultra" (further beyond) referring to Spanish lands beyond Europe

Economy ::Spain

Economy - overview:

The Spanish economy grew every year from 1994 through 2008 before entering a recession that started in the third quarter of 2008. Spain's mixed capitalist economy supports a GDP that on a per capita basis is approaching that of the largest West European economies. The Socialist president, Jose Luis Rodriguez ZAPATERO, in office since 2004, has made mixed progress in carrying out key structural reforms. The economy was greatly affected, especially after Zapatero's second term began in April 2008, by the bursting of the housing bubble and construction boom that had fueled much of the economic growth between 2001 and 2007. The global financial crisis exacerbated the economic downturn. GDP growth in 2008 was 1.2%, well below the 3% or higher growth the country enjoyed from 1997 through 2007. The Spanish banking system is considered solid, thanks in part to conservative oversight by the European Central Bank, and government intervention to rescue banks on the scale seen elsewhere in Europe in 2008 was not necessary. After considerable success since the mid-1990s in reducing unemployment to a 2007 low of 8%, Spain suffered a major spike in unemployment in the last few months of 2008, finishing the year with an unemployment rate over 13%.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$1.402 trillion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 13 $1.39 trillion (2007 est.)

$1.341 trillion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$1.602 trillion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

0.9% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 180 3.6% (2007 est.)

4% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$34,600 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 36 $34,400 (2007 est.)

$33,200 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 3.4%

industry: 29%

services: 67.6% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

22.85 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 27

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 4%

industry: 26.4%

services: 69.5% (2008 est.)

Unemployment rate:

11.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 133 8.3% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

19.8% (2005)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.6%

highest 10%: 26.6% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

32 (2005) country comparison to the world: 102 32.5 (1990)

Investment (gross fixed):

29.4% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 25

Budget:

revenues: $598.1 billion

expenditures: $659.1 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

40.7% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 52 53.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

4.1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 68 2.8% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

3% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 102 5% (31 December 2007)

note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro area

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

11.02% (31 December 2008)

Stock of money:

$NA

note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the euro area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 16 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money and quasi money circulating within their own borders

Stock of quasi money:

$NA

Stock of domestic credit:

$3.45 trillion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 7 $2.976 trillion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$1.132 trillion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 10 $1.8 trillion (31 December 2007)

$1.323 trillion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

grain, vegetables, olives, wine grapes, sugar beets, citrus; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; fish

Industries:

textiles and apparel (including footwear), food and beverages, metals and metal manufactures, chemicals, shipbuilding, automobiles, machine tools, tourism, clay and refractory products, footwear, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment

Industrial production growth rate:

-2.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 157

Electricity - production:

283.2 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 14

Electricity - consumption:

276.1 billion kWh (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 14

Electricity - exports:

16.92 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

5.88 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

28,130 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 70

Oil - consumption:

1.562 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 18

Oil - exports:

226,900 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 51

Oil - imports:

1.813 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 12

Oil - proved reserves:

150 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 61

Natural gas - production:

17 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 89

Natural gas - consumption:

38.18 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 20

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 113

Natural gas - imports:

38.59 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 8

Natural gas - proved reserves:

2.548 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 95

Current account balance:

-$154.1 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 189 -$145.4 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$285.9 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 18 $256.7 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

machinery, motor vehicles; foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals, medicines, other consumer goods

Exports - partners:

France 18.4%, Germany 10.6%, Portugal 8.7%, Italy 8%, UK 6.7%, US 4.2% (2008)

Imports:

$415.5 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 11 $380.2 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, semifinished goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods, measuring and medical control instruments

Imports - partners:

Germany 14.5%, France 11.1%, Italy 7.4%, China 6.3%, UK 4.6%,
Netherlands 4.4% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$20.25 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 51 $19.05 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$2.317 trillion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 8 $2.299 trillion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$636.5 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 9 $570.7 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$605.3 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 10 $687.4 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008 est.), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)

Communications ::Spain

Telephones - main lines in use:

20.2 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 15

Telephones - mobile cellular:

49.682 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 20

Telephone system:

general assessment: well developed, modern facilities; fixed-line teledensity is roughly 50 per 100 persons

domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity is nearly 175 telephones per 100 persons

international: country code - 34; submarine cables provide connectivity to Europe, Middle East, Asia, and US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), NA Eutelsat; tropospheric scatter to adjacent countries

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 18, FM 250, shortwave 2 (2008)

Television broadcast stations:

379 (2008)

Internet country code:

.es

Internet hosts:

3.537 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 23

Internet users:

25.24 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 12

Transportation ::Spain

Airports:

153 (2009) country comparison to the world: 35

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 95

over 3,047 m: 18

2,438 to 3,047 m: 12

1,524 to 2,437 m: 18

914 to 1,523 m: 24

under 914 m: 23 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 58

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 17

under 914 m: 39 (2009)

Heliports:

9 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 7,738 km; oil 560 km; refined products 3,445 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 15,288 km country comparison to the world: 18 broad gauge: 11,919 km 1.668-m gauge (6,950 km electrified)

standard gauge: 1,392 km 1.435-m gauge (1,054 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 1,949 km 1.000-m gauge (815 km electrified); 28 km 0.914-m gauge (28 km electrified) (2008)

Roadways:

total: 681,224 km country comparison to the world: 10 paved: 681,224 km (includes 13,872 km of expressways) (2006)

Waterways:

1,000 km (2008) country comparison to the world: 65

Merchant marine:

total: 158 country comparison to the world: 41 by type: bulk carrier 9, cargo 14, chemical tanker 11, container 22, liquefied gas 11, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 47, petroleum tanker 16, refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off 15, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 5

foreign-owned: 26 (Canada 4, Denmark 2, Germany 5, Italy 2, Mexico 3, Norway 5, UK 5)

registered in other countries: 110 (Angola 1, Argentina 2, Bahamas 14, Belize 1, Brazil 9, Cape Verde 1, Cuba 1, Cyprus 6, Malta 3, Marshall Islands 1, Nigeria 1, Panama 50, Portugal 11, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, UK 1, Uruguay 6, Venezuela 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Algeciras, Barcelona, Bilbao, Cartagena, Huelva, Tarragona, Valencia

Military ::Spain

Military branches:

Spanish Armed Forces: Army (Ejercito de Tierra), Spanish Navy
(Armada Espanola, AE; includes Marine Corps), Spanish Air Force
(Ejercito del Aire Espanola, EdA) (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

20 years of age (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 10,033,069

females age 16-49: 9,764,937 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 8,139,020

females age 16-49: 7,899,157 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 199,124

female: 187,224 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.2% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 128

Transnational Issues ::Spain

Disputes - international:

in 2002, Gibraltar residents voted overwhelmingly by referendum to remain a British colony and against a "total shared sovereignty" arrangement while demanding participation in talks between the UK and Spain; Spain disapproves of UK plans to grant Gibraltar greater autonomy; Morocco protests Spain's control over the coastal enclaves of Ceuta, Melilla, and the islands of Penon de Velez de la Gomera, Penon de Alhucemas, and Islas Chafarinas, and surrounding waters; Morocco serves as the primary launching site of illegal migration into Spain from North Africa; Portugal does not recognize Spanish sovereignty over the territory of Olivenza based on a difference of interpretation of the 1815 Congress of Vienna and the 1801 Treaty of Badajoz

Illicit drugs:

despite rigorous law enforcement efforts, North African, Latin American, Galician, and other European traffickers take advantage of Spain's long coastline to land large shipments of cocaine and hashish for distribution to the European market; consumer for Latin American cocaine and North African hashish; destination and minor transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin; money-laundering site for Colombian narcotics trafficking organizations and organized crime

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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@Spratly Islands (East & Southeast Asia)

Introduction ::Spratly Islands

Background:

The Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands or reefs. They are surrounded by rich fishing grounds and potentially by gas and oil deposits. They are claimed in their entirety by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam, while portions are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines. About 45 islands are occupied by relatively small numbers of military forces from China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Brunei has established a fishing zone that overlaps a southern reef but has not made any formal claim.

Geography ::Spratly Islands

Location:

Southeastern Asia, group of reefs and islands in the South China Sea, about two-thirds of the way from southern Vietnam to the southern Philippines

Geographic coordinates:

8 38 N, 111 55 E

Map references:

Southeast Asia

Area:

total: less than 5 sq km country comparison to the world: 246 land: less than 5 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: includes 100 or so islets, coral reefs, and sea mounts scattered over an area of nearly 410,000 sq km of the central South China Sea

Area - comparative:

NA

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

926 km

Maritime claims:

NA

Climate:

tropical

Terrain:

flat

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: South China Sea 0 m

highest point: unnamed location on Southwest Cay 4 m

Natural resources:

fish, guano, undetermined oil and natural gas potential

Land use:

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (2005)

Irrigated land:

0 sq km

Natural hazards:

typhoons; numerous reefs and shoals pose a serious maritime hazard

Environment - current issues:

NA

Geography - note:

strategically located near several primary shipping lanes in the central South China Sea; includes numerous small islands, atolls, shoals, and coral reefs

People ::Spratly Islands

Population:

no indigenous inhabitants

note: there are scattered garrisons occupied by personnel of several claimant states

Government ::Spratly Islands

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Spratly Islands

Economy ::Spratly Islands

Economy - overview:

Economic activity is limited to commercial fishing. The proximity to nearby oil- and gas-producing sedimentary basins suggests the potential for oil and gas deposits, but the region is largely unexplored. There are no reliable estimates of potential reserves. Commercial exploitation has yet to be developed.

Transportation ::Spratly Islands

Airports:

4 (2009) country comparison to the world: 188

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 2

under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)

Heliports:

3 (2009)

Ports and terminals:

none; offshore anchorage only

Military ::Spratly Islands

Military - note:

Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands or reefs of which about 45 are claimed and occupied by China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam

Transnational Issues ::Spratly Islands

Disputes - international:

all of the Spratly Islands are claimed by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam; parts of them are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines; in 1984, Brunei established an exclusive fishing zone that encompasses Louisa Reef in the southern Spratly Islands but has not publicly claimed the reef; claimants in November 2002 signed the "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea," which has eased tensions but falls short of a legally binding "code of conduct"; in March 2005, the national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam signed a joint accord to conduct marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands

page last updated on September 24, 2009

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@Sri Lanka (South Asia)

Introduction ::Sri Lanka

Background:

The first Sinhalese arrived in Sri Lanka late in the 6th century B.C. probably from northern India. Buddhism was introduced in about the mid-third century B.C., and a great civilization developed at the cities of Anuradhapura (kingdom from circa 200 B.C. to circa A.D. 1000) and Polonnaruwa (from about 1070 to 1200). In the 14th century, a south Indian dynasty established a Tamil kingdom in northern Sri Lanka. The coastal areas of the island were controlled by the Portuguese in the 16th century and by the Dutch in the 17th century. The island was ceded to the British in 1796, became a crown colony in 1802, and was united under British rule by 1815. As Ceylon, it became independent in 1948; its name was changed to Sri Lanka in 1972. Tensions between the Sinhalese majority and Tamil separatists erupted into war in 1983. Tens of thousands have died in the ethnic conflict that continues to fester. After two decades of fighting, the government and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) formalized a cease-fire in February 2002 with Norway brokering peace negotiations. Violence between the LTTE and government forces intensified in 2006 and the government regained control of the Eastern Province in 2007. In May 2009, the government announced that its military had finally defeated the remnants of the LTTE and that its leader, Velupillai PRABHAKARAN, had been killed.

Geography ::Sri Lanka

Location:

Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India

Geographic coordinates:

7 00 N, 81 00 E

Map references:

Asia

Area:

total: 65,610 sq km country comparison to the world: 121 land: 64,630 sq km

water: 980 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than West Virginia

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

1,340 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:

tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March); southwest monsoon (June to October)

Terrain:

mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in south-central interior

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: Pidurutalagala 2,524 m

Natural resources:

limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates, clay, hydropower

Land use:

arable land: 13.96%

permanent crops: 15.24%

other: 70.8% (2005)

Irrigated land:

7,430 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

50 cu km (1999)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 12.61 cu km/yr (2%/2%/95%)

per capita: 608 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

occasional cyclones and tornadoes

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations threatened by poaching and urbanization; coastal degradation from mining activities and increased pollution; freshwater resources being polluted by industrial wastes and sewage runoff; waste disposal; air pollution in Colombo

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:

strategic location near major Indian Ocean sea lanes

People ::Sri Lanka

Population:

21,324,791 country comparison to the world: 53 note: since the outbreak of hostilities between the government and armed Tamil separatists in the mid-1980s, several hundred thousand Tamil civilians have fled the island and more than 200,000 Tamils have sought refuge in the West (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 23.9% (male 2,594,815/female 2,493,002)

15-64 years: 68% (male 7,089,307/female 7,418,123)

65 years and over: 8.1% (male 803,172/female 926,372) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 30.9 years

male: 29.9 years

female: 31.8 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.904% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 134

Birth rate:

16.26 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 130

Death rate:

6.13 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 158

Net migration rate:

-1.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 124

Urbanization:

urban population: 15% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 0.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female

total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 18.57 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 111 male: 20.33 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 16.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 75.14 years country comparison to the world: 84 male: 73.08 years

female: 77.28 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.99 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 131

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 164

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

3,800 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 127

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 200 (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 124

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A

vectorborne disease: dengue fever and chikungunya

water contact disease: leptospirosis

animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Sri Lankan(s)

adjective: Sri Lankan

Ethnic groups:

Sinhalese 73.8%, Sri Lankan Moors 7.2%, Indian Tamil 4.6%, Sri Lankan Tamil 3.9%, other 0.5%, unspecified 10% (2001 census provisional data)

Religions:

Buddhist 69.1%, Muslim 7.6%, Hindu 7.1%, Christian 6.2%, unspecified 10% (2001 census provisional data)

Languages:

Sinhala (official and national language) 74%, Tamil (national language) 18%, other 8%

note: English is commonly used in government and is spoken competently by about 10% of the population

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 90.7%

male: 92.3%

female: 89.1% (2001 census)

Education expenditures:

NA

Government ::Sri Lanka

Country name:

conventional long form: Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka

conventional short form: Sri Lanka

local long form: Shri Lamka Prajatantrika Samajaya di Janarajaya/Ilankai Jananayaka Choshalichak Kutiyarachu

local short form: Shri Lamka/Ilankai

former: Serendib, Ceylon

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Colombo

geographic coordinates: 6 56 N, 79 51 E

time difference: UTC+5.5 (10.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

note: Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte (legislative capital)

Administrative divisions:

8 provinces; Central, North Central, North Eastern, North Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Uva, Western

note: in October 2006, a Sri Lankan Supreme Court ruling voided a presidential directive merging the North and Eastern Provinces; many have defended the merger as a prerequisite for a negotiated settlement to the ethnic conflict; a parliamentary decision on the issue is pending

Independence:

4 February 1948 (from the UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 4 February (1948)

Constitution:

adopted 16 August 1978, certified 31 August 1978; amended 20 December 2000

Legal system:

a highly complex mixture of English common law, Roman-Dutch, Kandyan, and Jaffna Tamil law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Mahinda Percy RAJAPAKSA (since 19 November 2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government; Ratnasiri WICKREMANAYAKE (since 21 November 2005) holds the largely ceremonial title of prime minister

head of government: President Mahinda Percy RAJAPAKSA (since 19 November 2005)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president in consultation with the prime minister

elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 17 November 2005 (next to be held in 2011)

election results: Mahinda RAJAPAKSA elected president; percent of vote - Mahinda RAJAPAKSA 50.3%, Ranil WICKREMESINGHE 48.4%, other 1.3%

Legislative branch:

unicameral Parliament (225 seats; members elected by popular vote on the basis of an open-list, proportional representation system by electoral district to serve six-year terms)

elections: last held on 2 April 2004 (next to be held by 2010)

election results: percent of vote by party or electoral alliance - SLFP and JVP (no longer in United People's Freedom Alliance) 45.6%, UNP 37.8%, TNA 6.8%, JHU 6%, SLMC 2%, UPF 0.5%, EPDP 0.3%, other 1%; seats by party - UNP 68, SLFP 57, JVP 39, TNA 22, CWC 8, JHU 7, SLMC 6, SLMC dissidents 4, Communist Party 2, JHU dissidents 2, LSSP 2, MEP 2, NUA 2, UPF 2, EPDP 1, UNP dissident 1

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court; Court of Appeals; judges for both courts are appointed by the president

Political parties and leaders:

All Ceylon Tamil Congress or ACTC [G.PONNAMBALAM]; Ceylon Workers
Congress or CWC [Arumugam THONDAMAN]; Communist Party or CP [D.
GUNASEKERA]; Eelam People's Democratic Party or EPDP [Douglas
DEVANANDA]; Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front or EPRLF
[Suresh PREMACHANDRAN]; Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna or JVP [Somawansa
AMARASINGHE]; Lanka Sama Samaja Party or LSSP [Tissa VITHARANA];
Mahajana Eksath Peramuna (People's United Front) or MEP [D.
GUNAWARDENE]; National Heritage Party or JHU [Ellawala METHANANDA];
National Unity Alliance or NUA [Ferial ASHRAFF]; People's Liberation
Organization of Tamil Eelam or PLOTE [D. SIDHARTHAN]; Sri Lanka
Freedom Party or SLFP [Mahinda RAJAPAKSA]; Sri Lanka Muslim Congress
or SLMC [Rauff HAKEEM]; Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization or TELO
[Selvam ADAIKALANATHAN]; Tamil National Alliance or TNA [R.
SAMPANTHAN]; Tamil United Liberation Front or TULF [V.
ANANDASANGAREE]; United National Party or UNP [Ranil
WICKREMASINGHE]; Up-country People's Front or UPF [P. CHANDRASEKARAN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam or LTTE [Velupillai
PRABHAKARAN](insurgent group fighting for a separate state); Tamil
Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP) or Karuna Faction [Vinayagamurthi
MURALITHARAN] (paramilitary breakaway from LTTE and fighting LTTE)

other: Buddhist clergy; labor unions; radical chauvinist Sinhalese groups such as the National Movement Against Terrorism; Sinhalese Buddhist lay groups

International organization participation:

ADB, BIMSTEC, C, CP, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUC,
NAM, OAS (observer), OPCW, PCA, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Jaliya Chitran WICKRAMASURIYA

chancery: 2148 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 483-4025 through 4028

FAX: [1] (202) 232-7181

consulate(s) general: Los Angeles

consulate(s): New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Robert O. BLAKE, Jr.

embassy: 210 Galle Road, Colombo 3

mailing address: P. O. Box 106, Colombo

telephone: [94] (11) 249-8500

FAX: [94] (11) 243-7345

Flag description:

yellow with two panels; the smaller hoist-side panel has two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and orange; the other panel is a large dark red rectangle with a yellow lion holding a sword, and there is a yellow bo leaf in each corner; the yellow field appears as a border around the entire flag and extends between the two panels

Economy ::Sri Lanka

Economy - overview:

In 1977, Colombo abandoned statist economic policies and its import substitution trade policy for more market-oriented policies, export-oriented trade, and encouragement of foreign investment. Recent changes in government, however, have brought some policy reversals. Currently, the ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party has a more statist economic approach, which seeks to reduce poverty by steering investment to disadvantaged areas, developing small and medium enterprises, promoting agriculture, and expanding the already enormous civil service. The government has halted privatizations. Although suffering a brutal civil war that began in 1983, Sri Lanka saw GDP growth average 4.5% in the last 10 years with the exception of a recession in 2001. In late December 2004, a major tsunami took about 31,000 lives, left more than 6,300 missing and 443,000 displaced, and destroyed an estimated $1.5 billion worth of property. Government spending on development and fighting the LTTE drove GDP growth to about 7% per year in 2006-07 before the global recession slow growth in 2008, but high government spending and high oil and commodity prices also raised inflation to around 15% in 2008. Sri Lanka's most dynamic sectors now are food processing, textiles and apparel, food and beverages, port construction, telecommunications, and insurance and banking. In 2008, plantation crops made up only about 20% of exports (compared with more than 90% in 1970), while textiles and garments accounted for more than 40%. About 1.5 million Sri Lankans work abroad, 90% of them in the Middle East. They send home more than $2.5 billion a year. The 25-year civil conflict between LTTE and the government of Sri Lanka has been a serious impediment to economic activities. By mid February 2009, the LTTE remained in control of small and shrinking area in the North. The conflict continues to cast a shadow over the economy.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$92.09 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 68 $86.88 billion (2007 est.)

$81.35 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$39.6 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 62 6.8% (2007 est.)

7.7% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$4,400 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 150 $4,200 (2007 est.)

$3,900 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 13.4%

industry: 29.4%

services: 57.3% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

7.569 million country comparison to the world: 59 note: excludes northern and eastern provinces (2008 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 34.7%

industry: 26.1%

services: 39.2% (30 September 2008 est.)

Unemployment rate:

5.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 64 6% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

22% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 1.1%

highest 10%: 39.7% (2004)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

49 (2004) country comparison to the world: 28 34.4 (1995)

Investment (gross fixed):

24.5% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 54

Budget:

revenues: $7.8 billion

expenditures: $11 billion (2009 est.)

Public debt:

76.7% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 13 104.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

22.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 208 15.8% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

15% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 13 15% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

18.89% (31 December 2008)

Stock of money:

$2.55 billion (30 September 2008) country comparison to the world: 65 $2.465 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$9.01 billion (30 September 2008) country comparison to the world: 54 $10.46 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$15.92 billion (30 September 2008) country comparison to the world: 65 $14.82 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$4.326 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 76 $7.553 billion (31 December 2007)

$7.769 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

rice, sugarcane, grains, pulses, oilseed, spices, tea, rubber, coconuts; milk, eggs, hides, beef; fish

Industries:

processing of rubber, tea, coconuts, tobacco and other agricultural commodities; telecommunications, insurance, banking; clothing, textiles; cement, petroleum refining, information technology services

Industrial production growth rate:

5.9% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 41

Electricity - production:

9.507 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 92

Electricity - consumption:

7.946 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 92

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 200

Oil - consumption:

89,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 80

Oil - exports:

968.4 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 121

Oil - imports:

87,690 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 68

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 198

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 199

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 200

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 194

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 196

Current account balance:

-$3.876 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 153 -$1.464 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$8.137 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 94 $7.741 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

textiles and apparel, tea and spices; diamonds, emeralds, rubies; coconut products, rubber manufactures, fish

Exports - partners:

US 21.6%, UK 11.9%, India 6.8%, Germany 5.1%, Belgium 4.8%, Italy 4.7% (2008)

Imports:

$12.61 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 88 $10.17 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

textile fabrics, mineral products, petroleum, foodstuffs, machinery and transportation equipment

Imports - partners:

India 20.3%, China 12.2%, Iran 7.6%, Singapore 7.4%, South Korea 4.7% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$2.655 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 99 $3.644 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$16.78 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 76 $12.2 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$250.2 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 19

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$NA

Exchange rates:

Sri Lankan rupees (LKR) per US dollar - 108.33 (2008), 110.78 (2007), 103.99 (2006), 100.498 (2005), 101.194 (2004)

Communications ::Sri Lanka

Telephones - main lines in use:

3.446 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 44

Telephones - mobile cellular:

11.082 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 56

Telephone system:

general assessment: telephone services have improved significantly and are available in most parts of the country

domestic: national trunk network consists mostly of digital microwave radio relay; fiber-optic links now in use in Colombo area and fixed wireless local loops have been installed; competition is strong in mobile cellular systems and mobile cellular subscribership is increasing

international: country code - 94; the SEA-ME-WE-3 and SEA-ME-WE-4 submarine cables provide connectivity to Asia, Australia, Middle East, Europe, US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 15, FM 52, shortwave 4 (2007)

Television broadcast stations:

14 (2006)

Internet country code:

.lk

Internet hosts:

6,090 (2009) country comparison to the world: 134

Internet users:

1.164 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 83

Transportation ::Sri Lanka

Airports:

18 (2009) country comparison to the world: 138

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 14

over 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 6

914 to 1,523 m: 7 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 3 (2009)

Railways:

total: 1,449 km country comparison to the world: 82 broad gauge: 1,449 km 1.676-m gauge (2007)

Roadways:

total: 97,286 km country comparison to the world: 44 paved: 78,802 km

unpaved: 18,484 km (2003)

Waterways:

160 km (primarily on rivers in southwest) (2008) country comparison to the world: 101

Merchant marine:

total: 26 country comparison to the world: 89 by type: bulk carrier 4, cargo 18, chemical tanker 1, container 1, petroleum tanker 2

foreign-owned: 5 (Germany 5)

registered in other countries: 1 (Panama 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Colombo

Military ::Sri Lanka

Military branches:

Sri Lanka Army, Sri Lanka Navy, Sri Lanka Air Force (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service; 5-year service obligation (2007)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 5,458,720

females age 16-49: 5,594,006 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 4,498,667

females age 16-49: 4,693,895 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 173,256

female: 167,645 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

2.6% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 63

Transnational Issues ::Sri Lanka

Disputes - international:

none

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

IDPs: 460,000 (both Tamils and non-Tamils displaced due to long-term civil war between the government and the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)) (2007)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Sri Lanka is a source and destination country for men and women trafficked for the purposes of involuntary servitude and commercial sexual exploitation; Sri Lankan men and women migrate willingly to the Persian Gulf, Middle East, and East Asia to work as construction workers, domestic servants, or garment factory workers, where some find themselves in situations of involuntary servitude when faced with restrictions on movement, withholding of passports, threats, physical or sexual abuse, and debt bondage; children are trafficked internally for commercial sexual exploitation and, less frequently, for forced labor

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - for a second consecutive year, Sri Lanka is on the Tier 2 Watch List for failing to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat severe forms of human trafficking, particularly in the area of law enforcement; the government failed to arrest, prosecute, or convict any person for trafficking offenses and continued to punish some victims of trafficking for crimes committed as a result of being trafficked; Sri Lanka has not ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2008)

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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@Sudan (Africa)

Introduction ::Sudan

Background:

Military regimes favoring Islamic-oriented governments have dominated national politics since independence from the UK in 1956. Sudan was embroiled in two prolonged civil wars during most of the remainder of the 20th century. These conflicts were rooted in northern economic, political, and social domination of largely non-Muslim, non-Arab southern Sudanese. The first civil war ended in 1972 but broke out again in 1983. The second war and famine-related effects resulted in more than four million people displaced and, according to rebel estimates, more than two million deaths over a period of two decades. Peace talks gained momentum in 2002-04 with the signing of several accords. The final North/South Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), signed in January 2005, granted the southern rebels autonomy for six years. After which, a referendum for independence is scheduled to be held. A separate conflict, which broke out in the western region of Darfur in 2003, has displaced nearly two million people and caused an estimated 200,000 to 400,000 deaths. The UN took command of the Darfur peacekeeping operation from the African Union on 31 December 2007. As of early 2009, peacekeeping troops were struggling to stabilize the situation, which has become increasingly regional in scope, and has brought instability to eastern Chad, and Sudanese incursions into the Central African Republic. Sudan also has faced large refugee influxes from neighboring countries, primarily Ethiopia and Chad. Armed conflict, poor transport infrastructure, and lack of government support have chronically obstructed the provision of humanitarian assistance to affected populations.

Geography ::Sudan

Location:

Northern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Egypt and Eritrea

Geographic coordinates:

15 00 N, 30 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 2,505,813 sq km country comparison to the world: 10 land: 2.376 million sq km

water: 129,813 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly more than one-quarter the size of the US

Land boundaries:

total: 7,687 km

border countries: Central African Republic 1,165 km, Chad 1,360 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 628 km, Egypt 1,273 km, Eritrea 605 km, Ethiopia 1,606 km, Kenya 232 km, Libya 383 km, Uganda 435 km

Coastline:

853 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 18 nm

continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:

tropical in south; arid desert in north; rainy season varies by region (April to November)

Terrain:

generally flat, featureless plain; mountains in far south, northeast and west; desert dominates the north

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Red Sea 0 m

highest point: Kinyeti 3,187 m

Natural resources:

petroleum; small reserves of iron ore, copper, chromium ore, zinc, tungsten, mica, silver, gold, hydropower

Land use:

arable land: 6.78%

permanent crops: 0.17%

other: 93.05% (2005)

Irrigated land:

18,630 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

154 cu km (1997)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 37.32 cu km/yr (3%/1%/97%)

per capita: 1,030 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

dust storms and periodic persistent droughts

Environment - current issues:

inadequate supplies of potable water; wildlife populations threatened by excessive hunting; soil erosion; desertification; periodic drought

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

largest country in Africa; dominated by the Nile and its tributaries

People ::Sudan

Population:

41,087,825 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 29

Age structure:

0-14 years: 40.7% (male 8,535,551/female 8,173,616)

15-64 years: 56.8% (male 11,745,683/female 11,603,906)

65 years and over: 2.5% (male 532,968/female 496,101) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 19.1 years

male: 18.9 years

female: 19.2 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.143% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 48

Birth rate:

33.74 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 43

Death rate:

12.94 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 31

Net migration rate:

0.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 62

Urbanization:

urban population: 43% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 4.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.07 male(s)/female

total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 82.43 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 16 male: 82.48 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 82.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 51.42 years country comparison to the world: 204 male: 50.49 years

female: 52.4 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

4.48 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 39

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

1.4% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 45

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

320,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 22

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

25,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 19

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria, dengue fever, African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness)

water contact disease: schistosomiasis

respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis

animal contact disease: rabies

note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Sudanese (singular and plural)

adjective: Sudanese

Ethnic groups:

black 52%, Arab 39%, Beja 6%, foreigners 2%, other 1%

Religions:

Sunni Muslim 70% (in north), Christian 5% (mostly in south and
Khartoum), indigenous beliefs 25%

Languages:

Arabic (official), English (official), Nubian, Ta Bedawie, diverse dialects of Nilotic, Nilo-Hamitic, Sudanic languages

note: program of "Arabization" in process

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 61.1%

male: 71.8%

female: 50.5% (2003 est.)

Education expenditures:

6% of GDP (1991) country comparison to the world: 42

Government ::Sudan

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of the Sudan

conventional short form: Sudan

local long form: Jumhuriyat as-Sudan

local short form: As-Sudan

former: Anglo-Egyptian Sudan

Government type:

Government of National Unity (GNU) - the National Congress Party (NCP) and Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) formed a power-sharing government under the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA); the NCP, which came to power by military coup in 1989, is the majority partner; the agreement stipulates national elections in 2009

Capital:

name: Khartoum

geographic coordinates: 15 36 N, 32 32 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

25 states (wilayat, singular - wilayah); A'ali an Nil (Upper Nile),
Al Bahr al Ahmar (Red Sea), Al Buhayrat (Lakes), Al Jazira (Gezira),
Al Khartoum (Khartoum), Al Qadarif (Gedaref), Al Wahda (Unity), An
Nil al Abyad (White Nile), An Nil al Azraq (Blue Nile), Ash
Shimaliyya (Northern), Bahr al Jabal (Central Equatoria), Gharb al
Istiwa'iyya (Western Equatoria), Gharb Bahr al Ghazal (Western Bahr
el Ghazal), Gharb Darfur (Western Darfur), Janub Darfur (Southern
Darfur), Janub Kurdufan (Southern Kordofan), Junqoley (Jonglei),
Kassala (Kassala), Nahr an Nil (River Nile), Shimal Bahr al Ghazal
(Northern Bahr el Ghazal), Shimal Darfur (Northern Darfur), Shimal
Kurdufan (Northern Kordofan), Sharq al Istiwa'iyya (Eastern
Equatoria), Sinnar (Sinnar), Warab (Warab)

Independence:

1 January 1956 (from Egypt and the UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 1 January (1956)

Constitution:

Interim National Constitution ratified 5 July 2005

note: under the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, the Interim National Constitution was ratified 5 July 2005; Constitution of Southern Sudan was signed December 2005

Legal system:

based on English common law and Islamic law; as of 20 January 1991, the now defunct Revolutionary Command Council imposed Islamic law in the northern states; Islamic law applies to all residents of the northern states regardless of their religion; however, the CPA establishes some protections for non-Muslims in Khartoum; some separate religious courts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; the southern legal system is still developing under the CPA following the civil war; Islamic law will not apply to the southern states

Suffrage:

17 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Umar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR (since 16 October 1993); First Vice President Salva KIIR (since 4 August 2005), Vice President Ali Osman TAHA (since 20 September 2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Umar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR (since 16 October 1993); First Vice President Salva KIIR (since 4 August 2005), Vice President Ali Osman TAHA (since 20 September 2005)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president; note - the National Congress Party or NCP (formerly the National Islamic Front or NIF) dominates al-BASHIR's cabinet

elections: election last held 13-23 December 2000; next to be held February 2010

election results: Umar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR reelected president; percent of vote - Umar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR 86.5%, Ja'afar Muhammed NUMAYRI 9.6%, three other candidates received a combined vote of 3.9%; election widely viewed as rigged; all popular opposition parties boycotted elections because of a lack of guarantees for a free and fair election

note: al-BASHIR assumed power as chairman of Sudan's Revolutionary Command Council for National Salvation (RCC) in June 1989 and served concurrently as chief of state, chairman of the RCC, prime minister, and minister of defense until mid-October 1993 when he was appointed president by the RCC; he was elected president by popular vote for the first time in March 1996

Legislative branch:

bicameral National Legislature consists of a Council of States (50 seats; members indirectly elected by state legislatures to serve six-year terms) and a National Assembly (450 seats; members presently appointed, but in the future 60% from geographic constituencies, 25% from a women's list, and 15% from party lists; to serve six-year terms)

elections: last held 13-22 December 2000 (next to be held February 2010)

election results: NCP 355, others 5; note - replaced by appointments under the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement

Judicial branch:

Constitutional Court of nine justices; National Supreme Court;
National Courts of Appeal; other national courts; National Judicial
Service Commission will undertake overall management of the National
Judiciary

Political parties and leaders:

National Congress Party or NCP [Umar Hassan al-BASHIR]; Sudan
People's Liberation Movement or SPLM [Salva KIIR]; and elements of
the National Democratic Alliance or NDA including factions of the
Democratic Union Party [Muhammad Uthman al-MIRGHANI] and Umma Party;
Popular Congress Party or PCP [Hassan al-TURABI]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Umma Party [SADIQ Siddiq al-Mahdi]; Popular Congress Party or PCP
[Hassan al-TURABI]; Darfur rebel groups including the Justice and
Equality Movement or JEM [Khalil IBRAHIM] and the Sudan Liberation
Movement or SLM [various factional leaders]

International organization participation:

ABEDA, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, CAEU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS,
MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO,
UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Akec Khoc ACIEW Khoc

chancery: 2210 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 338-8565

FAX: [1] (202) 667-2406

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Robert E. WHITEHEAD

embassy: Sharia Ali Abdul Latif Street, Khartoum

mailing address: P.O. Box 699, Khartoum; APO AE 09829

telephone: [249] (183) 774700 through 704

FAX: [249] (183) 774137

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black with a green isosceles triangle based on the hoist side

Economy ::Sudan

Economy - overview:

Until the second half of 2008, Sudan's economy boomed on the back of increases in oil production, high oil prices, and large inflows of foreign direct investment. GDP growth registered more than 10% per year in 2006 and 2007. From 1997 to date, Sudan has been working with the IMF to implement macroeconomic reforms, including a managed float of the exchange rate. Sudan began exporting crude oil in the last quarter of 1999. Agricultural production remains important, because it employs 80% of the work force and contributes a third of GDP. The Darfur conflict, the aftermath of two decades of civil war in the south, the lack of basic infrastructure in large areas, and a reliance by much of the population on subsistence agriculture ensure much of the population will remain at or below the poverty line for years despite rapid rises in average per capita income. In January 2007, the government introduced a new currency, the Sudanese Pound, at an initial exchange rate of $1.00 equals 2 Sudanese Pounds.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$88.37 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 71 $82.9 billion (2007 est.)

$75.22 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$58.03 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

6.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 45 10.2% (2007 est.)

11.3% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$2,200 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 185 $2,100 (2007 est.)

$1,900 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 31%

industry: 34.7%

services: 34.3% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

11.92 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 43

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 80%

industry: 7%

services: 13% (1998 est.)

Unemployment rate:

18.7% (2002 est.) country comparison to the world: 162

Population below poverty line:

40% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Investment (gross fixed):

18.1% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 129

Budget:

revenues: $11.55 billion

expenditures: $12.67 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

100% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 6 79.7% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

14.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 187 8% (2007 est.)

Stock of money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$5.549 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$4.068 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$8.659 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

cotton, groundnuts (peanuts), sorghum, millet, wheat, gum arabic, sugarcane, cassava (tapioca), mangos, papaya, bananas, sweet potatoes, sesame; sheep, livestock

Industries:

oil, cotton ginning, textiles, cement, edible oils, sugar, soap distilling, shoes, petroleum refining, pharmaceuticals, armaments, automobile/light truck assembly

Industrial production growth rate:

0.1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 132

Electricity - production:

4.341 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 117

Electricity - consumption:

3.438 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 119

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

480,200 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 32

Oil - consumption:

86,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 81

Oil - exports:

303,800 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 40

Oil - imports:

11,400 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 136

Oil - proved reserves:

5 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 24

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 128

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 133

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 111

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 130

Natural gas - proved reserves:

84.95 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 57

Current account balance:

-$1.314 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 127 -$3.447 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$11.67 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 83 $8.879 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

oil and petroleum products; cotton, sesame, livestock, groundnuts, gum arabic, sugar

Exports - partners:

China 49.8%, Japan 33.4%, Indonesia 5.5% (2008)

Imports:

$8.229 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 99 $7.722 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

foodstuffs, manufactured goods, refinery and transport equipment, medicines and chemicals, textiles, wheat

Imports - partners:

China 20%, Saudi Arabia 8.4%, UAE 6.2%, India 6.1%, Egypt 5.5%,
Italy 4.1% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$1.399 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 119 $1.378 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$33.72 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 60 $29.42 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

Sudanese pounds (SDG) per US dollar - 2.1 (2008 est.), 2.06 (2007), 2.172 (2006), 2.4361 (2005), 2.5791 (2004)

note: in October 2007 Sudan redenominated its currency by transforming 100 units of Sudanese dinar into one unit of Sudanese pound

Communications ::Sudan

Telephones - main lines in use:

356,100 (2008) country comparison to the world: 108

Telephones - mobile cellular:

11.186 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 55

Telephone system:

general assessment: well-equipped system by regional standards and being upgraded; cellular communications started in 1996 and have expanded substantially with wide coverage of most major cities

domestic: consists of microwave radio relay, cable, fiber optic, radiotelephone communications, tropospheric scatter, and a domestic satellite system with 14 earth stations

international: country code - 249; linked to international submarine cable Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG); satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Arabsat (2000)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 12, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

3 (1997)

Internet country code:

.sd

Internet hosts:

48 (2009) country comparison to the world: 207

Internet users:

4.2 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 48

Transportation ::Sudan

Airports:

121 (2009) country comparison to the world: 49

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 19

over 3,047 m: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 9

1,524 to 2,437 m: 5

under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 102

1,524 to 2,437 m: 18

914 to 1,523 m: 56

under 914 m: 28 (2009)

Heliports:

4 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 156 km; oil 4,070 km; refined products 1,613 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 5,978 km country comparison to the world: 30 narrow gauge: 4,578 km 1.067-m gauge; 1,400 km 0.600-m gauge for cotton plantations (2008)

Roadways:

total: 11,900 km country comparison to the world: 133 paved: 4,320 km

unpaved: 7,580 km (2000)

Waterways:

4,068 km (1,723 km open year round on White and Blue Nile rivers) (2008) country comparison to the world: 25

Merchant marine:

total: 3 country comparison to the world: 139 by type: cargo 2, carrier 1 (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Port Sudan

Military ::Sudan

Military branches:

Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF): Land Forces, Navy (includes Marines),
Sudanese Air Force (Sikakh al-Jawwiya as-Sudaniya), Popular Defense
Forces; Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA): Land Forces (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18-33 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; 12-24 month service obligation (2009)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 9,639,923

females age 16-49: 9,321,106 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 5,836,971

females age 16-49: 5,942,043 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 498,376

female: 479,005 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

3% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 51

Transnational Issues ::Sudan

Disputes - international:

the effects of Sudan's almost constant ethnic and rebel militia fighting since the mid-20th century have penetrated all of the neighboring states; as of 2006, Chad, Ethiopia, Kenya, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Uganda provided shelter for over half a million Sudanese refugees, which includes 240,000 Darfur residents driven from their homes by Janjawid armed militia and the Sudanese military forces; Sudan, in turn, hosted about 116,000 Eritreans, 20,000 Chadians, and smaller numbers of Ethiopians, Ugandans, Central Africans, and Congolese as refugees; in February 2006, Sudan and DROC signed an agreement to repatriate 13,300 Sudanese and 6,800 Congolese; Sudan accuses Eritrea of supporting Sudanese rebel groups; efforts to demarcate the porous boundary with Ethiopia proceed slowly due to civil and ethnic fighting in eastern Sudan; the boundary that separates Kenya and Sudan's sovereignty is unclear in the "Ilemi Triangle," which Kenya has administered since colonial times; Sudan claims to administer the Hala'ib Triangle north of the 1899 Treaty boundary with Egypt along the 22nd Parallel; both states withdrew their military presence in the 1990s, but Egypt has invested in and effectively administers the area; periodic violent skirmishes with Sudanese residents over water and grazing rights persist among related pastoral populations along the border with the Central African Republic

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 157,220 (Eritrea); 25,023 (Chad); 11,009 (Ethiopia); 7,895 (Uganda); 5,023 (Central African Republic)

IDPs: 5.3 - 6.2 million (civil war 1983-2005; ongoing conflict in
Darfur region) (2007)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Sudan is a source country for men, women, and children trafficked internally for the purposes of forced labor and sexual exploitation; Sudan is also a transit and destination country for Ethiopian women trafficked abroad for domestic servitude; Sudanese women and girls are trafficked within the country, as well as possibly to Middle Eastern countries for domestic servitude; the terrorist rebel organization, Lord's Resistance Army, continues to harbor small numbers of Sudanese and Ugandan children in the southern part of the country for use as cooks, porters, and combatants; some of these children are also trafficked across borders into Uganda or the Democratic Republic of the Congo; militia groups in Darfur, some of which are linked to the government, abduct women for short periods of forced labor and to perpetrate sexual violence; during the two decades-long north-south civil war, thousands of Dinka women and children were abducted and subsequently enslaved by members of the Missiriya and Rezeigat tribes; while there have been no known new abductions of Dinka by members of Baggara tribes in the last few years, inter-tribal abductions continue in southern Sudan

tier rating: Tier 3 - Sudan does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; combating human trafficking through law enforcement or prevention measures was not a priority for the government in 2007 (2008)

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Suriname (South America)

Introduction ::Suriname

Background:

First explored by the Spaniards in the 16th century and then settled by the English in the mid-17th century, Suriname became a Dutch colony in 1667. With the abolition of slavery in 1863, workers were brought in from India and Java. Independence from the Netherlands was granted in 1975. Five years later the civilian government was replaced by a military regime that soon declared a socialist republic. It continued to exert control through a succession of nominally civilian administrations until 1987, when international pressure finally forced a democratic election. In 1990, the military overthrew the civilian leadership, but a democratically elected government - a four-party New Front coalition - returned to power in 1991 and has ruled since; the coalition expanded to eight parties in 2005.

Geography ::Suriname

Location:

Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
French Guiana and Guyana

Geographic coordinates:

4 00 N, 56 00 W

Map references:

South America

Area:

total: 163,820 sq km country comparison to the world: 91 land: 156,000 sq km

water: 7,820 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than Georgia

Land boundaries:

total: 1,703 km

border countries: Brazil 593 km, French Guiana 510 km, Guyana 600 km

Coastline:

386 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; moderated by trade winds

Terrain:

mostly rolling hills; narrow coastal plain with swamps

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: unnamed location in the coastal plain -2 m

highest point: Juliana Top 1,230 m

Natural resources:

timber, hydropower, fish, kaolin, shrimp, bauxite, gold, and small amounts of nickel, copper, platinum, iron ore

Land use:

arable land: 0.36%

permanent crops: 0.06%

other: 99.58% (2005)

Irrigated land:

510 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

122 cu km (2003)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.67 cu km/yr (4%/3%/93%)

per capita: 1,489 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

deforestation as timber is cut for export; pollution of inland waterways by small-scale mining activities

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea,
Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

smallest independent country on South American continent; mostly tropical rain forest; great diversity of flora and fauna that, for the most part, is increasingly threatened by new development; relatively small population, mostly along the coast

People ::Suriname

Population:

481,267 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 170

Age structure:

0-14 years: 27.1% (male 66,603/female 64,035)

15-64 years: 66.6% (male 159,525/female 160,871)

65 years and over: 6.3% (male 13,004/female 17,229) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 27.9 years

male: 27.5 years

female: 28.3 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.103% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 123

Birth rate:

16.8 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 126

Death rate:

5.51 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 176

Net migration rate:

-0.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 99

Urbanization:

urban population: 75% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 18.81 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 109 male: 22.21 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 15.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 73.73 years country comparison to the world: 97 male: 71 years

female: 76.65 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.99 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 130

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

2.4% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 27

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

6,800 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 116

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 500 (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 91

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: dengue fever, Mayaro virus, and malaria

water contact disease: leptospirosis (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Surinamer(s)

adjective: Surinamese

Ethnic groups:

Hindustani (also known locally as "East Indians"; their ancestors emigrated from northern India in the latter part of the 19th century) 37%, Creole (mixed white and black) 31%, Javanese 15%, "Maroons" (their African ancestors were brought to the country in the 17th and 18th centuries as slaves and escaped to the interior) 10%, Amerindian 2%, Chinese 2%, white 1%, other 2%

Religions:

Hindu 27.4%, Protestant 25.2% (predominantly Moravian), Roman
Catholic 22.8%, Muslim 19.6%, indigenous beliefs 5%

Languages:

Dutch (official), English (widely spoken), Sranang Tongo
(Surinamese, sometimes called Taki-Taki, is native language of
Creoles and much of the younger population and is lingua franca
among others), Caribbean Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Javanese

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 89.6%

male: 92%

female: 87.2% (2004 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 12 years

male: 11 years

female: 13 years (2002)

Education expenditures:

NA

Government ::Suriname

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Suriname

conventional short form: Suriname

local long form: Republiek Suriname

local short form: Suriname

former: Netherlands Guiana, Dutch Guiana

Government type:

constitutional democracy

Capital:

name: Paramaribo

geographic coordinates: 5 50 N, 55 10 W

time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

10 districts (distrikten, singular - distrikt); Brokopondo, Commewijne, Coronie, Marowijne, Nickerie, Para, Paramaribo, Saramacca, Sipaliwini, Wanica

Independence:

25 November 1975 (from the Netherlands)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 25 November (1975)

Constitution:

ratified 30 September 1987; effective 30 October 1987

Legal system:

based on Dutch legal system incorporating French penal theory; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN (since 12 August 2000); Vice President Ramdien SARDJOE (since 3 August 2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN (since 12 August 2000); Vice President Ram SARDJOE (since 3 August 2005)

cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president

elections: president and vice president elected by the National Assembly or, if no presidential or vice presidential candidate receives a two-thirds constitutional majority in the National Assembly after two votes, by a simple majority in the larger United People's Assembly (893 representatives from the national, local, and regional councils), for five-year terms (no term limits); election last held on 25 May 2005 (next to be held in 2010)

election results: Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN reelected president; percent of vote - Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN 62.9%, Rabin PARMESSAR 35.4%, other 1.7%; note - after two votes in the parliament failed to secure a two-thirds majority for a candidate, the vote then went to a special session of the United People's Assembly on 3 August 2005

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly or Nationale Assemblee (51 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held on 25 May 2005 (next to be held in 2010)

election results: percent of vote by party - NF 39.7%, NDP 22.2%, VVV 13.8%, A-Com 7.2%, A-1 5.9%, other 11.2%; seats by party - NF 23, NDP 15, VVV 5, A-Com 5, A-1 3

Judicial branch:

Cantonal Courts and a Court of Justice as an appellate court (justices are nominated for life); member of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ)

Political parties and leaders:

Alternative-1 or A-1 (a coalition of Amazone Party of Suriname or
APS [Kenneth VAN GENDEREN], Democrats of the 21st Century or D-21
[Soewarto MOESTADJA], Nieuw Suriname or NS [Radjen Nanan PANDAY],
Political Wing of the FAL or PVF [Jiwan SITAL], Trefpunt 2000 or
T-2000 [Arti JESSURUN]); General Interior Development Party or ABOP
[Ronnie BRUNSWIJK]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Desire
BOUTERSE]; New Front for Democracy and Development or NF (a
coalition that includes A-Combination or A-Com, Democratic
Alternative 1991 or DA-91, an independent, business-oriented party
[Winston JESSURUN], National Party Suriname or NPS [Ronald
VENETIAAN], United Reform Party or VHP [Ramdien SARDJOE], Pertjaja
Luhur or PL [Salam Paul SOMOHARDJO], Surinamese Labor Party or SPA
[Siegfried GILDS]); Party for Democracy and Development in Unity or
DOE [Marten SCHALKWIJK]; People's Alliance for Progress or VVV (a
coalition of Democratic National Platform 2000 or DNP-2000 [Jules
WIJDENBOSCH], Grassroots Party for Renewal and Democracy or BVD
[Tjan GOBARDHAN], Party for National Unity and Solidarity of the
Highest Order or KTPI [Willy SOEMITA], Party for Progression,
Justice, and Perseverance or PPRS [Renee KAIMAN], Pendawalima or PL
[Raymond SAPOEN]); Progressive Laborers and Farmers Union or PALU
[Jim HOK]; Progressive Political Party or PPP [Surinder MUNGRA];
Seeka [Paul ABENA]; Union of Progressive Surinamers or UPS [Sheoradj
PANDAY]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Association of Indigenous Village Chiefs [Ricardo PANE]; Association of Saramaccan Authorities or Maroon [Head Captain WASE]; Women's Parliament Forum or PVF [Iris GILLIAD]

International organization participation:

ACP, Caricom, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDB, IFAD,
IFRCS, IHO (suspended), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO
(subscriber), ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OIC, OPANAL, OPCW,
PCA, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Jacques Ruben Constantijn KROSS

chancery: Suite 460, 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 244-7488

FAX: [1] (202) 244-5878

consulate(s) general: Miami

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Lisa Bobbie SCHREIBER HUGHES

embassy: Dr. Sophie Redmondstraat 129, Paramaribo

mailing address: US Department of State, PO Box 1821, Paramaribo

telephone: [597] 472-900

FAX: [597] 410-025

Flag description:

five horizontal bands of green (top, double width), white, red (quadruple width), white, and green (double width); there is a large, yellow, five-pointed star centered in the red band

Economy ::Suriname

Economy - overview:

The economy is dominated by the mining industry, with exports of alumina, gold, and oil accounting for about 85% of exports and 25% of government revenues, making the economy highly vulnerable to mineral price volatility. Prospects for local onshore oil production are good, and a drilling program is underway. Offshore oil drilling was given a boost in 2004 when the State Oil Company (Staatsolie) signed exploration agreements with several Western oil companies. Bidding on these new offshore blocks was completed in July 2006. The short-term economic outlook depends on the government's ability to control inflation and on the development of projects in the bauxite and gold mining sectors, though investment in these projects may slow with the tightening of global credit markets. Suriname has received aid for these projects from Netherlands, Belgium, and the European Development Fund. Suriname's economic prospects for the medium term will depend on continued commitment to responsible monetary and fiscal policies and to the introduction of structural reforms to liberalize markets and promote competition. In 2000, the government of Ronald VENETIAAN, returned to office and inherited an economy with inflation of over 100% and a growing fiscal deficit. He quickly implemented an austerity program, raised taxes, attempted to control spending, and tamed inflation. The VENETIAAN administration also has created a stabilization fund to insulate future revenue from commodity shocks. These economic policies are likely to remain in effect during VENETIAAN's third term.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$4.226 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 164 $3.987 billion (2007 est.)

$3.779 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$2.933 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 61 5.5% (2007 est.)

4.8% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$8,900 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 113 $8,500 (2007 est.)

$8,100 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 10.8%

industry: 24.4%

services: 64.8% (2005 est.)

Labor force:

165,600 (2007) country comparison to the world: 171

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 8%

industry: 14%

services: 78% (2004)

Unemployment rate:

9.5% (2004) country comparison to the world: 122

Population below poverty line:

70% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $392.6 million

expenditures: $425.9 million (2004)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

6.4% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 110

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

12.23% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 89 9.71% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$484.7 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 95 $416.6 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$1.018 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 95 $824.4 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$793.1 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 112 $651 million (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

paddy rice, bananas, palm kernels, coconuts, plantains, peanuts; beef, chickens; shrimp; forest products

Industries:

bauxite and gold mining, alumina production; oil, lumbering, food processing, fishing

Industrial production growth rate:

6.5% (1994 est.) country comparison to the world: 33

Electricity - production:

1.605 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 140

Electricity - consumption:

1.467 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 139

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

15,280 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 79

Oil - consumption:

14,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 140

Oil - exports:

4,308 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 107

Oil - imports:

6,296 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 150

Oil - proved reserves:

79.6 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 72

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 143

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 143

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 140

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 105

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 150

Current account balance:

$24 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 60

Exports:

$1.391 billion (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 143

Exports - commodities:

alumina, gold, crude oil, lumber, shrimp and fish, rice, bananas

Exports - partners:

Canada 36.2%, Belgium 12.5%, Norway 12.4%, UAE 8.9%, US 7.7% (2008)

Imports:

$1.297 billion (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 166

Imports - commodities:

capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs, cotton, consumer goods

Imports - partners:

US 31.2%, Netherlands 15.5%, Trinidad and Tobago 14.2%, China 7.7%,
Japan 6.4% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$263.3 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 142

Debt - external:

$504.3 million (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 164

Exchange rates:

Surinamese dollars (SRD) per US dollar - 2.745 (2007), 2.745 (2006), 2.7317 (2005), 2.7336 (2004), 2.6013 (2003)

note: in January 2004, the government replaced the guilder with the Surinamese dollar, tied to a US dollar-dominated currency basket

Communications ::Suriname

Telephones - main lines in use:

81,500 (2008) country comparison to the world: 149

Telephones - mobile cellular:

416,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 159

Telephone system:

general assessment: international facilities are good

domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity exceed 100 telephones per 100 persons; microwave radio relay network

international: country code - 597; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 4, FM 13, shortwave 1 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

3 (plus 7 repeaters) (2000)

Internet country code:

.sr

Internet hosts:

162 (2009) country comparison to the world: 193

Internet users:

50,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 170

Transportation ::Suriname

Airports:

50 (2009) country comparison to the world: 91

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 5

over 3,047 m: 1

under 914 m: 4 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 45

914 to 1,523 m: 5

under 914 m: 40 (2009)

Pipelines:

oil 50 km (2008)

Roadways:

total: 4,304 km country comparison to the world: 154 paved: 1,130 km

unpaved: 3,174 km (2003)

Waterways:

1,200 km (most navigable by ships with drafts up to 7 m) (2008) country comparison to the world: 61

Merchant marine:

total: 1 country comparison to the world: 151 by type: cargo 1 (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Paramaribo, Wageningen

Military ::Suriname

Military branches:

National Army (Nationaal Leger, NL; includes Naval Wing, Air Wing) (2007)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age (est.); recruitment is voluntary, with personnel drawn almost exclusively from the Creole community (2007)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 130,534

females age 16-49: 130,243 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 107,367

females age 16-49: 111,000 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 4,251

female: 4,265 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

0.6% of GDP (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 156

Transnational Issues ::Suriname

Disputes - international:

area claimed by French Guiana between Riviere Litani and Riviere Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa); Suriname claims a triangle of land between the New and Kutari/Koetari rivers in a historic dispute over the headwaters of the Courantyne; Guyana seeks United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) arbitration to resolve the long-standing dispute with Suriname over the axis of the territorial sea boundary in potentially oil-rich waters

Illicit drugs:

growing transshipment point for South American drugs destined for Europe via the Netherlands and Brazil; transshipment point for arms-for-drugs dealing

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Svalbard (Europe)

Introduction ::Svalbard

Background:

First discovered by the Norwegians in the 12th century, the islands served as an international whaling base during the 17th and 18th centuries. Norway's sovereignty was recognized in 1920; five years later it officially took over the territory.

Geography ::Svalbard

Location:

Northern Europe, islands between the Arctic Ocean, Barents Sea,
Greenland Sea, and Norwegian Sea, north of Norway

Geographic coordinates:

78 00 N, 20 00 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 62,045 sq km country comparison to the world: 124 land: 62,045 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: includes Spitsbergen and Bjornoya (Bear Island)

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than West Virginia

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

3,587 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 4 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm unilaterally claimed by Norway but not recognized by Russia

Climate:

arctic, tempered by warm North Atlantic Current; cool summers, cold winters; North Atlantic Current flows along west and north coasts of Spitsbergen, keeping water open and navigable most of the year

Terrain:

wild, rugged mountains; much of high land ice covered; west coast clear of ice about one-half of the year; fjords along west and north coasts

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Arctic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Newtontoppen 1,717 m

Natural resources:

coal, iron ore, copper, zinc, phosphate, wildlife, fish

Land use:

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (no trees; the only bushes are crowberry and cloudberry) (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

ice floes often block the entrance to Bellsund (a transit point for coal export) on the west coast and occasionally make parts of the northeastern coast inaccessible to maritime traffic

Environment - current issues:

NA

Geography - note:

northernmost part of the Kingdom of Norway; consists of nine main islands; glaciers and snowfields cover 60% of the total area; Spitsbergen Island is the site of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, a seed repository established by the Global Crop Diversity Trust and the Norwegian Government

People ::Svalbard

Population:

2,116 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 231

Age structure:

0-14 years: NA

15-64 years: NA

65 years and over: NA (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.023% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 204

Birth rate:

NA

Death rate:

NA

Net migration rate:

NA (2009 est.)

Sex ratio:

NA (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: NA

male: NA

female: NA (2008 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Total fertility rate:

NA (2008 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0% (2001) country comparison to the world: 170

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

0 (2001) country comparison to the world: 165

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

0 (2001) country comparison to the world: 156

Ethnic groups:

Norwegian 55.4%, Russian and Ukrainian 44.3%, other 0.3% (1998)

Languages:

Norwegian, Russian

Literacy:

NA

Government ::Svalbard

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Svalbard (sometimes referred to as Spitzbergen)

Dependency status:

territory of Norway; administered by the Polar Department of the Ministry of Justice, through a governor (sysselmann) residing in Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen; by treaty (9 February 1920) sovereignty was awarded to Norway

Government type:

NA

Capital:

name: Longyearbyen

geographic coordinates: 78 13 N, 15 33 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Independence:

none (territory of Norway)

Legal system:

the laws of Norway, where applicable, apply

Executive branch:

chief of state: King HARALD V of Norway (since 17 January 1991)

head of government: Governor Per SEFLAND (since 1 October 2005); Assistant Governor Rune Baard HANSEN (since 2003)

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor and assistant governor responsible to the Polar Department of the Ministry of Justice

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

none

Flag description:

the flag of Norway is used

Economy ::Svalbard

Economy - overview:

Coal mining is the major economic activity on Svalbard. The treaty of 9 February 1920 gave the 41 signatories equal rights to exploit mineral deposits, subject to Norwegian regulation. Although US, UK, Dutch, and Swedish coal companies have mined in the past, the only companies still mining are Norwegian and Russian. The settlements on Svalbard are essentially company towns. The Norwegian state-owned coal company employs nearly 60% of the Norwegian population on the island, runs many of the local services, and provides most of the local infrastructure. There is also some hunting of seal, reindeer, and fox.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$NA

GDP - real growth rate:

NA%

Labor force:

NA

Budget:

revenues: $25.07 million

expenditures: $NA (2004 est.)

Exports:

$197.6 million

Imports:

$NA

Exchange rates:

Norwegian kroner (NOK) per US dollar - 5.6361 (2008), 5.86 (2007), 6.418 (2006), 6.445 (2005), 6.7327 (2004)

Communications ::Svalbard

Telephones - main lines in use:

NA

Telephone system:

general assessment: probably adequate

domestic: local telephone service

international: country code - 47-790; satellite earth station - 1 of unknown type (for communication with Norwegian mainland only)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 1 (plus 2 repeaters), shortwave 0 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

NA

Internet country code:

.sj

Transportation ::Svalbard

Airports:

4 (2009) country comparison to the world: 187

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 3

under 914 m: 3 (2009)

Heliports:

1 (2009)

Ports and terminals:

Barentsburg, Longyearbyen, Ny-Alesund, Pyramiden

Military ::Svalbard

Military branches:

no regular military forces

Military - note:

Svalbard is a territory of Norway, demilitarized by treaty on 9
February 1920

Transnational Issues ::Svalbard

Disputes - international:

despite recent discussions, Russia and Norway dispute their maritime limits in the Barents Sea and Russia's fishing rights beyond Svalbard's territorial limits within the Svalbard Treaty zone

page last updated on September 24, 2009

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

@Swaziland (Africa)

Introduction ::Swaziland

Background:

Autonomy for the Swazis of southern Africa was guaranteed by the British in the late 19th century; independence was granted in 1968. Student and labor unrest during the 1990s pressured King MSWATI III, the world's last absolute monarch, to grudgingly allow political reform and greater democracy, although he has backslid on these promises in recent years. A constitution came into effect in 2006, but political parties remain banned. The African United Democratic Party tried unsuccessfully to register as an official political party in mid 2006. Talks over the constitution broke down between the government and progressive groups in 2007. Swaziland recently surpassed Botswana as the country with the world's highest known HIV/AIDS prevalence rate.

Geography ::Swaziland

Location:

Southern Africa, between Mozambique and South Africa

Geographic coordinates:

26 30 S, 31 30 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 17,364 sq km country comparison to the world: 158 land: 17,204 sq km

water: 160 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries:

total: 535 km

border countries: Mozambique 105 km, South Africa 430 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

varies from tropical to near temperate

Terrain:

mostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping plains

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Great Usutu River 21 m

highest point: Emlembe 1,862 m

Natural resources:

asbestos, coal, clay, cassiterite, hydropower, forests, small gold and diamond deposits, quarry stone, and talc

Land use:

arable land: 10.25%

permanent crops: 0.81%

other: 88.94% (2005)

Irrigated land:

500 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

4.5 cu km (1987)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 1.04 cu km/yr (2%/1%/97%)

per capita: 1,010 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

drought

Environment - current issues:

limited supplies of potable water; wildlife populations being depleted because of excessive hunting; overgrazing; soil degradation; soil erosion

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:

landlocked; almost completely surrounded by South Africa

People ::Swaziland

Population:

1,123,913 country comparison to the world: 156 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 39.4% (male 223,420/female 219,420)

15-64 years: 56.9% (male 308,251/female 331,623)

65 years and over: 3.7% (male 15,261/female 25,938) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 18.8 years

male: 18.2 years

female: 19.5 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.459% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 225

Birth rate:

26.25 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 63

Death rate:

30.83 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 1

Net migration rate:

NA (2009 est.)

Urbanization:

urban population: 25% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1.7% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female

total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 68.63 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 27 male: 71.87 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 65.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 31.99 years country comparison to the world: 224 male: 31.69 years

female: 32.3 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3.24 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 64

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

26.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 1

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

190,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 33

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

10,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 32

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: malaria

water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Swazi(s)

adjective: Swazi

Ethnic groups:

African 97%, European 3%

Religions:

Zionist 40% (a blend of Christianity and indigenous ancestral worship), Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 10%, other (includes Anglican, Bahai, Methodist, Mormon, Jewish) 30%

Languages:

English (official, government business conducted in English), siSwati (official)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 81.6%

male: 82.6%

female: 80.8% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 10 years

male: 10 years

female: 10 years (2005)

Education expenditures:

7% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 23

Government ::Swaziland

Country name:

conventional long form: Kingdom of Swaziland

conventional short form: Swaziland

local long form: Umbuso weSwatini

local short form: eSwatini

Government type:

monarchy

Capital:

name: Mbabane

geographic coordinates: 26 18 S, 31 06 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

note: Lobamba (royal and legislative capital)

Administrative divisions:

4 districts; Hhohho, Lubombo, Manzini, Shiselweni

Independence:

6 September 1968 (from the UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 6 September (1968)

Constitution:

signed by the King in July 2005 went into effect on 8 February 2006

Legal system:

based on South African Roman-Dutch law in statutory courts and Swazi traditional law and custom in traditional courts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age

Executive branch:

chief of state: King MSWATI III (since 25 April 1986)

head of government: Prime Minister Barnabas Sibusiso DLAMINI (since 16 October 2008)

cabinet: Cabinet recommended by the prime minister and confirmed by the monarch

elections: the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch from among the elected members of the House of Assembly

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament or Libandla consists of the Senate (30 seats; 10 members appointed by the House of Assembly and 20 appointed by the monarch; to serve five-year terms) and the House of Assembly (65 seats; 10 members appointed by the monarch and 55 elected by popular vote; serve five-year terms)

elections: House of Assembly - last held 19 September 2008 (next to be held in 2013)

election results: House of Assembly - balloting is done on a nonparty basis; candidates for election are nominated by the local council of each constituency and for each constituency the three candidates with the most votes in the first round of voting are narrowed to a single winner by a second round

Judicial branch:

High Court; Supreme Court; judges for both courts are appointed by the monarch

Political parties and leaders:

the status of political parties, previously banned, is unclear under the new (2006) Constitution and currently being debated - the following are considered political associations; African United Democratic Party or AUDP [Stanley MAUNDZISA, president]; Imbokodvo National Movement or INM; Ngwane National Liberatory Congress or NNLC [Obed DLAMINI, president]; People's United Democratic Movement or PUDEMO [Mario MASUKU, president]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions; Swaziland and Solidarity
Network or SSN

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU,
ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Ephraim Mandla HLOPHE

chancery: 1712 New Hampshire Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone: [1] (202) 234-5002

FAX: [1] (202) 234-8254

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Maurice S. PARKER

embassy: 2350 Mbabane Place, Mbabane

mailing address: P. O. Box 199, Mbabane

telephone: [268] 404-2445

FAX: [268] 404-2059

Flag description:

three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple width), and blue; the red band is edged in yellow; centered in the red band is a large black and white shield covering two spears and a staff decorated with feather tassels, all placed horizontally

Economy ::Swaziland

Economy - overview:

In this small, landlocked economy, subsistence agriculture occupies approximately 70% of the population. The manufacturing sector has diversified since the mid-1980s. Sugar and wood pulp remain important foreign exchange earners. In 2007, the sugar industry increased efficiency and diversification efforts, in response to a 17% decline in EU sugar prices. Mining has declined in importance in recent years with only coal and quarry stone mines remaining active. Surrounded by South Africa, except for a short border with Mozambique, Swaziland is heavily dependent on South Africa from which it receives more than nine-tenths of its imports and to which it sends 60% of its exports. Swaziland's currency is pegged to the South African rand, subsuming Swaziland's monetary policy to South Africa. Customs duties from the Southern African Customs Union, which may equal as much as 70% of government revenue this year, and worker remittances from South Africa substantially supplement domestically earned income. Swaziland is not poor enough to merit an IMF program; however, the country is struggling to reduce the size of the civil service and control costs at public enterprises. The government is trying to improve the atmosphere for foreign investment. With an estimated 40% unemployment rate, Swaziland's need to increase the number and size of small and medium enterprises and attract foreign direct investment is acute. Overgrazing, soil depletion, drought, and sometimes floods persist as problems for the future. More than one-fourth of the population needed emergency food aid in 2006-07 because of drought, and nearly two-fifths of the adult population has been infected by HIV/AIDS.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$5.826 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 155 $5.673 billion (2007 est.)

$5.481 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$2.84 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 135 3.5% (2007 est.)

2.8% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$4,400 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 151 $4,400 (2007 est.)

$4,300 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 11.2%

industry: 46%

services: 42.8% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

457,900 (2007) country comparison to the world: 154

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Unemployment rate:

40% (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 186

Population below poverty line:

69% (2006)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 1.6%

highest 10%: 40.7% (2001)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

50.4 (2001) country comparison to the world: 22

Investment (gross fixed):

18.8% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 124

Budget:

revenues: $1.055 billion

expenditures: $1.083 billion (2008 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

13.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 183 8.1% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

11% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 33 11% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

14.83% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 58 13.17% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$211.8 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 106 $244.8 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$441.5 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 110 $529.4 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$51.55 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 126 $204.1 million (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 106 $203.1 million (31 December 2007)

$199.9 million (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

sugarcane, cotton, corn, tobacco, rice, citrus, pineapples, sorghum, peanuts; cattle, goats, sheep

Industries:

coal, wood pulp, sugar, soft drink concentrates, textiles and apparel

Industrial production growth rate:

1.1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 120

Electricity - production:

441 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 162

Electricity - consumption:

1.266 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 143

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008)

Electricity - imports:

770 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 120

Oil - consumption:

4,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 170

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 153

Oil - imports:

4,100 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 167

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 113

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 111

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 119

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 86

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 111

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 119

Current account balance:

-$33 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 68 $4 million (2007 est.)

Exports:

$1.756 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 135 $1.95 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

soft drink concentrates, sugar, wood pulp, cotton yarn, refrigerators, citrus and canned fruit

Imports:

$1.855 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 153 $1.926 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

motor vehicles, machinery, transport equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$752 million (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 133 $774.2 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$554 million (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 163 $524 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$NA

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$NA

Exchange rates:

emalangeni per US dollar - 7.75 (2008 est.), 7.4 (2007), 6.85 (2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004)

Communications ::Swaziland

Telephones - main lines in use:

44,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 167

Telephones - mobile cellular:

457,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 157

Telephone system:

general assessment: a somewhat modern but not an advanced system

domestic: mobile-cellular subscribership is increasing; combined fixed-line and mobile cellular teledensity approaching 45 telephones per 100 persons; telephone system consists of carrier-equipped, open-wire lines and low-capacity, microwave radio relay

international: country code - 268; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 3, FM 2 (plus 4 repeaters), shortwave 3 (2004)

Television broadcast stations:

12 (includes 7 relay stations) (2004)

Internet country code:

.sz

Internet hosts:

2,609 (2009) country comparison to the world: 144

Internet users:

48,200 (2008) country comparison to the world: 171

Transportation ::Swaziland

Airports:

14 (2009) country comparison to the world: 148

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 13

914 to 1,523 m: 6

under 914 m: 7 (2009)

Railways:

total: 301 km country comparison to the world: 122 narrow gauge: 301 km 1.067-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 3,594 km country comparison to the world: 160 paved: 1,078 km

unpaved: 2,516 km (2002)

Military ::Swaziland

Military branches:

Umbutfo Swaziland Defense Force (USDF): Ground Force (includes air wing) (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

18-30 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 266,311 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 124,132

females age 16-49: 118,570 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 15,985

female: 15,754 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

4.7% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 21

Transnational Issues ::Swaziland

Disputes - international:

in 2006, Swazi king advocates resort to ICJ to claim parts of Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal from South Africa

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Sweden (Europe)

Introduction ::Sweden

Background:

A military power during the 17th century, Sweden has not participated in any war in almost two centuries. An armed neutrality was preserved in both World Wars. Sweden's long-successful economic formula of a capitalist system interlarded with substantial welfare elements was challenged in the 1990s by high unemployment and in 2000-02 by the global economic downturn, but fiscal discipline over the past several years has allowed the country to weather economic vagaries. Sweden joined the EU in 1995, but the public rejected the introduction of the euro in a 2003 referendum.

Geography ::Sweden

Location:

Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia,
Kattegat, and Skagerrak, between Finland and Norway

Geographic coordinates:

62 00 N, 15 00 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 450,295 sq km country comparison to the world: 55 land: 410,335 sq km

water: 39,960 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than California

Land boundaries:

total: 2,233 km

border countries: Finland 614 km, Norway 1,619 km

Coastline:

3,218 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm (adjustments made to return a portion of straits to high seas)

exclusive economic zone: agreed boundaries or midlines

continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:

temperate in south with cold, cloudy winters and cool, partly cloudy summers; subarctic in north

Terrain:

mostly flat or gently rolling lowlands; mountains in west

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: reclaimed bay of Lake Hammarsjon, near Kristianstad -2.4 m

highest point: Kebnekaise 2,111 m

Natural resources:

iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, gold, silver, tungsten, uranium, arsenic, feldspar, timber, hydropower

Land use:

arable land: 5.93%

permanent crops: 0.01%

other: 94.06% (2005)

Irrigated land:

1,150 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

179 cu km (2005)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 2.68 cu km/yr (37%/54%/9%)

per capita: 296 cu m/yr (2002)

Natural hazards:

ice floes in the surrounding waters, especially in the Gulf of Bothnia, can interfere with maritime traffic

Environment - current issues:

acid rain damage to soils and lakes; pollution of the North Sea and the Baltic Sea

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

strategic location along Danish Straits linking Baltic and North Seas

People ::Sweden

Population:

9,059,651 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 87

Age structure:

0-14 years: 15.7% (male 733,597/female 692,194)

15-64 years: 65.5% (male 3,003,358/female 2,927,038)

65 years and over: 18.8% (male 753,293/female 950,171) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 41.5 years

male: 40.4 years

female: 42.6 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.158% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 186

Birth rate:

10.13 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 194

Death rate:

10.21 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 60

Net migration rate:

1.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 48

Urbanization:

urban population: 85% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 0.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 2.75 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 222 male: 2.91 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 2.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 80.86 years country comparison to the world: 10 male: 78.59 years

female: 83.26 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.67 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 173

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 125

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

6,200 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 119

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 100 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 132

Nationality:

noun: Swede(s)

adjective: Swedish

Ethnic groups:

indigenous population: Swedes with Finnish and Sami minorities; foreign-born or first-generation immigrants: Finns, Yugoslavs, Danes, Norwegians, Greeks, Turks

Religions:

Lutheran 87%, other (includes Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Baptist,
Muslim, Jewish, and Buddhist) 13%

Languages:

Swedish, small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 16 years

male: 15 years

female: 17 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

7.1% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 21

Government ::Sweden

Country name:

conventional long form: Kingdom of Sweden

conventional short form: Sweden

local long form: Konungariket Sverige

local short form: Sverige

Government type:

constitutional monarchy

Capital:

name: Stockholm

geographic coordinates: 59 20 N, 18 03 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

21 counties (lan, singular and plural); Blekinge, Dalarna,
Gavleborg, Gotland, Halland, Jamtland, Jonkoping, Kalmar, Kronoberg,
Norrbotten, Orebro, Ostergotland, Skane, Sodermanland, Stockholm,
Uppsala, Varmland, Vasterbotten, Vasternorrland, Vastmanland, Vastra
Gotaland

Independence:

6 June 1523 (Gustav VASA elected king)

National holiday:

Swedish Flag Day, 6 June (1916); National Day, 6 June (1983)

Constitution:

1 January 1975

Legal system:

civil law system influenced by customary law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: King CARL XVI GUSTAF (since 19 September 1973); Heir Apparent Princess VICTORIA Ingrid Alice Desiree, daughter of the monarch (born 14 July 1977)

head of government: Prime Minister Fredrik REINFELDT (since 5 October 2006)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister

elections: the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative elections, the prime minister is elected by the parliament; election last held on 17 September 2006 (next to be held in September 2010)

election results: Center-right coalition of Moderate, Center, Liberal, and Christian Democrats parties win 175 out of 349 votes; Fredrik REINFELDT becomes prime minister

Legislative branch:

unicameral Parliament or Riksdag (349 seats; members are elected by popular vote on a proportional representation basis to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held on 17 September 2006 (next to be held in September 2010)

election results: percent of vote by party - Social Democrats 37.2%, Moderates 27.8%, Center Party 8.3%, Liberal People's Party 8.0%, Christian Democrats 6.9%, Left Party 6.3%, Greens 5.4%; seats by party - Social Democrats 130, Moderates 97, Center Party 29, Liberal People's Party 28, Christian Democrats 24, Left Party 22, Greens 19

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Hogsta Domstolen (judges are appointed by the prime minister and the cabinet)

Political parties and leaders:

Center Party [Maud OLOFSSON]; Christian Democratic Party [Goran HAGGLUND]; Environment Party the Greens [no formal leader but party spokespersons are Maria WETTERSTRAND and Peter ERIKSSON]; Left Party or V (formerly Communist) [Lars OHLY]; Liberal People's Party [Jan BJORKLUND]; Moderate Party (conservative) [Fredrik REINFELDT]; Social Democratic Party [Mona SAHLIN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Children's Rights in Society; Swedish Confederation of Professional
Employees or TCO; Swedish Federation of Trade Unions or LO

other: media

International organization participation:

ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council,
Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO,
G-9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO,
ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT, MONUC, NAM (guest), NC, NEA, NIB,
NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP,
Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS,
UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Jonas HAFSTROM

chancery: The House of Sweden, 2900 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20007

telephone: [1] (202) 467-2600

FAX: [1] (202) 467-2699

consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Robert J. SILVERMAN

embassy: Dag Hammarskjolds Vag 31, SE-11589 Stockholm

mailing address: American Embassy Stockholm, US Department of State, 5750 Stockholm Place, Washington, DC 20521-5750

telephone: [46] (08) 783 53 00

FAX: [46] (08) 661 19 64

Flag description:

blue with a golden yellow cross extending to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag); the colors reflect those of the Swedish coat of arms - three gold crowns on a blue field

Economy ::Sweden

Economy - overview:

Aided by peace and neutrality for the whole of the 20th century, Sweden has achieved an enviable standard of living under a mixed system of high-tech capitalism and extensive welfare benefits. It has a modern distribution system, excellent internal and external communications, and a skilled labor force. In September 2003, Swedish voters turned down entry into the euro system concerned about the impact on the economy and sovereignty. Timber, hydropower, and iron ore constitute the resource base of an economy heavily oriented toward foreign trade. Privately owned firms account for about 90% of industrial output, of which the engineering sector accounts for 50% of output and exports. Agriculture accounts for only 1% of GDP and of employment. Until 2008, Sweden was in the midst of a sustained economic upswing, boosted by increased domestic demand and strong exports. This and robust finances offered the center-right government considerable scope to implement its reform program aimed at increasing employment, reducing welfare dependence, and streamlining the state's role in the economy. Despite strong finances and underlying fundamentals, the Swedish economy slid into recession in the third quarter of 2008 and growth continued downward in the fourth as deteriorating global conditions reduced export demand and consumption. On 3 February 2009, the Swedish Government announced a $6 billon rescue package for the banking sector.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$345.1 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 33 $346.5 billion (2007 est.)

$337.4 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$479 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

-0.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 202 2.7% (2007 est.)

4.5% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$38,200 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 25 $38,400 (2007 est.)

$37,400 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 1.6%

industry: 28%

services: 70.5% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

4.897 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 76

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 1.1%

industry: 28.2%

services: 70.7% (2008 est.)

Unemployment rate:

6.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 77 6.1% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 3.6%

highest 10%: 22.2% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

23 (2005) country comparison to the world: 134 25 (1992)

Investment (gross fixed):

19.5% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 116

Budget:

revenues: $259.9 billion

expenditures: $248.1 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

36.7% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 64 51.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 50 2.2% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

2% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 129 3.5% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

NA% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 140 4% (2004)

Stock of money:

$185.4 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 8 $217.1 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$54.55 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 28 $48.49 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$549 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 19 $630.8 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 21 $612.5 billion (31 December 2007)

$573.3 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

barley, wheat, sugar beets; meat, milk

Industries:

iron and steel, precision equipment (bearings, radio and telephone parts, armaments), wood pulp and paper products, processed foods, motor vehicles

Industrial production growth rate:

-1.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 150

Electricity - production:

144 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 24

Electricity - consumption:

134.5 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 23

Electricity - exports:

14.71 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

12.75 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

3,572 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 97

Oil - consumption:

351,800 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 38

Oil - exports:

219,300 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 53

Oil - imports:

542,100 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 24

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 129

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 127

Natural gas - consumption:

913 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 89

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 110

Natural gas - imports:

913 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 55

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 133

Current account balance:

$40.32 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 11 $38.42 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$185.9 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 26 $170.5 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

machinery 35%, motor vehicles, paper products, pulp and wood, iron and steel products, chemicals

Exports - partners:

Germany 10.4%, Norway 9.5%, Denmark 7.4%, UK 7.3%, US 6.6%, Finland 6.3%, Netherlands 5.1%, France 4.9%, Belgium 4.4% (2008)

Imports:

$167.8 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 27 $152.2 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, motor vehicles, iron and steel; foodstuffs, clothing

Imports - partners:

Germany 17.5%, Denmark 9.4%, Norway 8.6%, UK 6.2%, Finland 5.7%,
Netherlands 5.6%, France 5%, Russia 4.4%, China 4.2% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$29.72 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 44 $31.04 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$617.3 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 17 $598.2 billion (30 June 2006)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$290.4 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 16 $252.3 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$333.9 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 13 $306.4 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

Swedish kronor (SEK) per US dollar - 6.4074 (2008 est.), 6.7629 (2007), 7.3731 (2006), 7.4731 (2005), 7.3489 (2004)

Communications ::Sweden

Telephones - main lines in use:

5.323 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 30

Telephones - mobile cellular:

10.988 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 57

Telephone system:

general assessment: highly developed telecommunications infrastructure; ranked among leading countries for fixed-line, mobile-cellular, Internet and broadband penetration

domestic: coaxial and multiconductor cables carry most of the voice traffic; parallel microwave radio relay systems carry some additional telephone channels

international: country code - 46; submarine cables provide links to other Nordic countries and Europe; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Sweden shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Norway)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 124, shortwave 0 (2008)

Television broadcast stations:

252 (2008)

Internet country code:

.se

Internet hosts:

3.886 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 20

Internet users:

8.1 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 32

Transportation ::Sweden

Airports:

249 (2009) country comparison to the world: 26

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 152

over 3,047 m: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 12

1,524 to 2,437 m: 76

914 to 1,523 m: 25

under 914 m: 36 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 97

914 to 1,523 m: 5

under 914 m: 92 (2009)

Heliports:

2 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 786 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 11,633 km country comparison to the world: 20 standard gauge: 11,528 km 1.435-m gauge (7,531 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 65 km 1.000-m gauge (65 km electrified) (2008)

Roadways:

total: 425,300 km country comparison to the world: 14 paved: 139,300 km (includes 1,740 km of expressways)

unpaved: 286,000 km (2008)

Waterways:

2,052 km (2007) country comparison to the world: 43

Merchant marine:

total: 195 country comparison to the world: 34 by type: bulk carrier 6, cargo 23, carrier 1, chemical tanker 45, passenger 4, passenger/cargo 36, petroleum tanker 15, roll on/roll off 37, specialized tanker 3, vehicle carrier 25

foreign-owned: 41 (Denmark 4, Estonia 2, Finland 12, Germany 5, Italy 9, Norway 7, UK 2)

registered in other countries: 207 (Antigua and Barbuda 1, Bahamas 4, Barbados 7, Bermuda 20, Cook Islands 8, Cyprus 2, Denmark 6, Finland 2, France 9, Germany 1, Gibraltar 13, Isle of Man 1, Italy 1, Liberia 10, Malaysia 3, Malta 2, Marshall Islands 1, Netherlands 28, Netherlands Antilles 1, Norway 34, Panama 6, Portugal 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 2, Singapore 20, UK 17, US 5) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Brofjorden, Goteborg, Helsingborg, Lulea, Malmo, Stenungsund,
Stockholm, Trelleborg, Visby

Military ::Sweden

Military branches:

Swedish Armed Forces (Forsvarsmakten): Army (Armen), Royal Swedish
Navy (Marinen), Swedish Air Force (Svenska Flygvapnet) (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

18-47 years of age for male compulsory or voluntary military service; conscript service obligation: 7.5 months (Army), 7-15 months (Navy), 8-12 months (Air Force); after completing initial service, soldiers have a reserve commitment until age 47; women are eligible for voluntary military service (2009)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 2,052,890

females age 16-49: 1,980,550 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,705,746

females age 16-49: 1,645,070 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 62,262

female: 59,340 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.5% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 106

Transnational Issues ::Sweden

Disputes - international:

none

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Switzerland (Europe)

Introduction ::Switzerland

Background:

The Swiss Confederation was founded in 1291 as a defensive alliance among three cantons. In succeeding years, other localities joined the original three. The Swiss Confederation secured its independence from the Holy Roman Empire in 1499. A constitution of 1848, subsequently modified in 1874, replaced the confederation with a centralized federal government. Switzerland's sovereignty and neutrality have long been honored by the major European powers, and the country was not involved in either of the two World Wars. The political and economic integration of Europe over the past half century, as well as Switzerland's role in many UN and international organizations, has strengthened Switzerland's ties with its neighbors. However, the country did not officially become a UN member until 2002. Switzerland remains active in many UN and international organizations but retains a strong commitment to neutrality.

Geography ::Switzerland

Location:

Central Europe, east of France, north of Italy

Geographic coordinates:

47 00 N, 8 00 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 41,277 sq km country comparison to the world: 135 land: 39,997 sq km

water: 1,280 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey

Land boundaries:

total: 1,852 km

border countries: Austria 164 km, France 573 km, Italy 740 km, Liechtenstein 41 km, Germany 334 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers

Terrain:

mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Lake Maggiore 195 m

highest point: Dufourspitze 4,634 m

Natural resources:

hydropower potential, timber, salt

Land use:

arable land: 9.91%

permanent crops: 0.58%

other: 89.51% (2005)

Irrigated land:

250 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

53.3 cu km (2005)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 2.52 cu km/yr (24%/74%/2%)

per capita: 348 cu m/yr (2002)

Natural hazards:

avalanches, landslides; flash floods

Environment - current issues:

air pollution from vehicle emissions and open-air burning; acid rain; water pollution from increased use of agricultural fertilizers; loss of biodiversity

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life
Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:

landlocked; crossroads of northern and southern Europe; along with southeastern France, northern Italy, and southwestern Austria, has the highest elevations in the Alps

People ::Switzerland

Population:

7,604,467 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 94

Age structure:

0-14 years: 15.6% (male 616,561/female 571,610)

15-64 years: 68.1% (male 2,609,673/female 2,567,245)

65 years and over: 16.3% (male 514,761/female 724,617) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 41 years

male: 40 years

female: 42 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.276% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 176

Birth rate:

9.59 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 203

Death rate:

8.59 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 91

Net migration rate:

1.76 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 46

Urbanization:

urban population: 73% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 0.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female

total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 4.18 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 209 male: 4.64 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 3.68 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 80.85 years country comparison to the world: 11 male: 78.03 years

female: 83.83 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.45 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 188

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.6% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 69

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

25,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 74

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 500 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 88

Nationality:

noun: Swiss (singular and plural)

adjective: Swiss

Ethnic groups:

German 65%, French 18%, Italian 10%, Romansch 1%, other 6%

Religions:

Roman Catholic 41.8%, Protestant 35.3%, Muslim 4.3%, Orthodox 1.8%, other Christian 0.4%, other 1%, unspecified 4.3%, none 11.1% (2000 census)

Languages:

German (official) 63.7%, French (official) 20.4%, Italian (official) 6.5%, Serbo-Croatian 1.5%, Albanian 1.3%, Portuguese 1.2%, Spanish 1.1%, English 1%, Romansch (official) 0.5%, other 2.8% (2000 census)

note: German, French, Italian, and Romansch are all national and official languages

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 15 years

male: 15 years

female: 15 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

5.8% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 45

Government ::Switzerland

Country name:

conventional long form: Swiss Confederation

conventional short form: Switzerland

local long form: Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft (German); Confederation Suisse (French); Confederazione Svizzera (Italian); Confederaziun Svizra (Romansh)

local short form: Schweiz (German); Suisse (French); Svizzera (Italian); Svizra (Romansh)

Government type:

formally a confederation but similar in structure to a federal republic

Capital:

name: Bern

geographic coordinates: 46 57 N, 7 26 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

26 cantons, singular - canton in French; cantoni, singular - cantone in Italian; Kantone, singular - Kanton in German); Aargau, Appenzell Ausser-Rhoden, Appenzell Inner-Rhoden, Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Bern, Fribourg, Geneve, Glarus, Graubunden, Jura, Luzern, Neuchatel, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Sankt Gallen, Schaffhausen, Schwyz, Solothurn, Thurgau, Ticino, Uri, Valais, Vaud, Zug, Zurich

note: 6 of the cantons - Appenzell Ausser-Rhoden, Appenzell-Inner-Rhoden, Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Nidwalden, Obwalden - are styled half cantons because they elect only one member to the Council of States and, in popular referendums where a majority of popular votes and a majority of cantonal votes are required, these six cantons only have a half vote

Independence:

1 August 1291 (founding of the Swiss Confederation)

National holiday:

Founding of the Swiss Confederation, 1 August (1291)

Constitution:

revision of Constitution of 1874 approved by the Federal Parliament 18 December 1998, adopted by referendum 18 April 1999, officially entered into force 1 January 2000

Legal system:

civil law system influenced by customary law; judicial review of legislative acts, except with respect to federal decrees of general obligatory character; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Hans-Rudolf MERZ (since 1 January 2009); Vice President Doris LEUTHARD (since 1 January 2009); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government representing the Federal Council; the Federal Council is the formal chief of state and head of government whose council members, rotating in one-year terms as federal president, represent the Council

head of government: President Hans-Rudolf MERZ (since 1 January 2009); Vice President Doris LEUTHARD (since 1 January 2009);

cabinet: Federal Council or Bundesrat (in German), Conseil Federal (in French), Consiglio Federale (in Italian) elected by the Federal Assembly usually from among its members for a four-year term

elections: president and vice president elected by the Federal Assembly from among the members of the Federal Council for a one-year term (they may not serve consecutive terms); election last held on 10 December 2008 (next to be held in December 2009)

election results: Hans-Rudolf MERZ elected president; percent of Federal Assembly vote - 88.5%; Doris LEUTHARD elected vice president; percent of Federal Assembly vote - 87.4%

Legislative branch:

bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung (in German), Assemblee Federale (in French), Assemblea Federale (in Italian) consists of the Council of States or Standerat (in German), Conseil des Etats (in French), Consiglio degli Stati (in Italian) (46 seats; membership consists of 2 representatives from each canton and 1 from each half canton; to serve four-year terms) and the National Council or Nationalrat (in German), Conseil National (in French), Consiglio Nazionale (in Italian) (200 seats; members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)

elections: Council of States - last held in most cantons in October 2007 (each canton determines when the next election will be held); National Council - last held on 21 October 2007 (next to be held in October 2011)

election results: Council of States - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CVP 15, FDP 12, SVP 7, SPS 9, other 3; National Council - percent of vote by party - SVP 29%, SPS 19.5%, FDP 15.6%, CVP 14.6%, Greens 9.6%, other 11.7%; seats by party - SVP 62, SPS 43, FDP 31, CVP 31, Green Party 20, other small parties 13

Judicial branch:

Federal Supreme Court (judges elected for six-year terms by the
Federal Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:

Green Party (Gruene Partei der Schweiz or Gruene, Parti Ecologiste
Suisse or Les Verts, Partito Ecologista Svizzero or I Verdi, Partida
Ecologica Svizra or La Verda) [Ueli LEUENBERGER]; Christian
Democratic People's Party (Christlichdemokratische Volkspartei der
Schweiz or CVP, Parti Democrate-Chretien Suisse or PDC, Partito
Democratico-Cristiano Popolare Svizzero or PDC, Partida
Cristiandemocratica dalla Svizra or PCD) [Christophe DARBELLAY];
Radical Free Democratic Party (Freisinnig-Demokratische Partei der
Schweiz or FDP, Parti Radical-Democratique Suisse or PRD, Partitio
Liberal-Radicale Svizzero or PLR) [Fulvio PELLI]; Social Democratic
Party (Sozialdemokratische Partei der Schweiz or SPS, Parti
Socialist Suisse or PSS, Partito Socialista Svizzero or PSS, Partida
Socialdemocratica de la Svizra or PSS) [Christian LEVRAT]; Swiss
People's Party (Schweizerische Volkspartei or SVP, Union
Democratique du Centre or UDC, Unione Democratica de Centro or UDC,
Uniun Democratica dal Center or UDC) [Toni BRUNNER]; and other minor
parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Australia
Group, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, ESA, FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA
(observer), MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer),
OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Urs ZISWILER

chancery: 2900 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 745-7900

FAX: [1] (202) 387-2564

consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco

consulate(s): Boston

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Leigh CARTER

embassy: Sulgeneckstrasse 19, CH-3007 Bern

mailing address: use embassy street address

telephone: [41] (031) 357 70 11

FAX: [41] (031) 357 73 44

Flag description:

red square with a bold, equilateral white cross in the center that does not extend to the edges of the flag; various medieval legends purport to describe the origin of the flag; a white cross used as identification for troops of the Swiss Confederation is first attested at the Battle of Laupen (1339)

Economy ::Switzerland

Economy - overview:

Switzerland is a peaceful, prosperous, and stable modern market economy with low unemployment, a highly skilled labor force, and a per capita GDP among the highest in the world. Switzerland's economy benefits from a highly developed service sector led by financial services and a manufacturing industry that specializes in high-technology, knowledge-based production. The Swiss in recent years have brought their economic practices largely into conformity with the EU's to enhance their international competitiveness, but some trade protectionism remains, particularly for its small agricultural sector. Switzerland remains a safehaven for investors, because it has maintained a degree of bank secrecy and has kept up the franc's long-term external value. The global financial crisis and resulting economic downturn could, however, put Switzerland in a recession in 2009, particularly as global export demand stalls. Switzerland's largest banks suffered significant losses in 2008 and the country's largest bank accepted a government rescue deal in late 2008. The Swiss National Bank, beginning in October 2008, cut interest rates on several consecutive occasions, effectively instituting a zero-rate policy in a bid to boost the economy.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$318.1 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 39 $312.4 billion (2007 est.)

$301.6 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$500.3 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

1.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 165 3.6% (2007 est.)

3.6% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$42,000 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 18 $41,400 (2007 est.)

$40,100 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 1.5%

industry: 34%

services: 64.5% (2003 est.)

Labor force:

4.053 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 88

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 3.9%

industry: 22.8%

services: 73.2% (2005)

Unemployment rate:

2.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 30 2.8% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.9%

highest 10%: 25.9% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

33.7 (2008) country comparison to the world: 93 33.1 (1992)

Investment (gross fixed):

21.2% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 94

Budget:

revenues: $189.8 billion

expenditures: $185.2 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

40.2% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 53 57.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 24 0.7% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

0.05% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 133 2.05% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

3.34% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 142 3.15% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$207 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 7 $213.9 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of quasi money:

$477.6 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 9 $450.7 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$864.4 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 13 $855.4 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 14 $1.275 trillion (31 December 2007)

$1.213 trillion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

grains, fruits, vegetables; meat, eggs

Industries:

machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments, tourism, banking, and insurance

Industrial production growth rate:

6.5% (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 34

Electricity - production:

63.93 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 40

Electricity - consumption:

57.62 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 42

Electricity - exports:

32.74 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

31.6 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

3,244 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 100

Oil - consumption:

275,600 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 48

Oil - exports:

10,310 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 95

Oil - imports:

247,200 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 41

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl country comparison to the world: 128

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 126

Natural gas - consumption:

3.429 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 69

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 108

Natural gas - imports:

3.429 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 38

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 132

Current account balance:

$41.21 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 10 $43.95 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$241.3 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 20 $200.5 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

machinery, chemicals, metals, watches, agricultural products

Exports - partners:

Germany 19.8%, US 9.6%, Italy 8.7%, France 8.6%, UK 5.2% (2008)

Imports:

$227.4 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 20 $187.7 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery, chemicals, vehicles, metals; agricultural products, textiles

Imports - partners:

Germany 33.3%, Italy 11%, France 9.4%, US 5.8%, Netherlands 4.6%,
Austria 4% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$74.07 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 20 $75.37 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$1.305 trillion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 12 $1.565 trillion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$405.1 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 12 $365.8 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$726.3 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 7 $659.9 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

Swiss francs (CHF) per US dollar - 1.0774 (2008 est.), 1.1973 (2007), 1.2539 (2006), 1.2452 (2005), 1.2435 (2004)

Communications ::Switzerland

Telephones - main lines in use:

4.82 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 32

Telephones - mobile cellular:

8.78 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 65

Telephone system:

general assessment: highly developed telecommunications infrastructure with excellent domestic and international services

domestic: ranked among leading countries for fixed-line teledensity and infrastructure; mobile-cellular subscribership roughly 115 per 100 persons; extensive cable and microwave radio relay networks

international: country code - 41; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 3, FM 106 (plus many low-power stations), shortwave 3 (2008)

Television broadcast stations:

106 (2007)

Internet country code:

.ch

Internet hosts:

3.697 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 21

Internet users:

5.739 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 41

Transportation ::Switzerland

Airports:

66 (2009) country comparison to the world: 74

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 43

over 3,047 m: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 4

1,524 to 2,437 m: 14

914 to 1,523 m: 5

under 914 m: 17 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 23

under 914 m: 23 (2009)

Heliports:

1 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 1,662 km; oil 94 km; refined products 7 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 4,888 km country comparison to the world: 36 standard gauge: 3,397 km 1.435-m gauge (3,142 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 1,481 km 1.000-m gauge (1,378 km electrified); 10 km 0.800-m gauge (10 km electrified) (2008)

Roadways:

total: 71,298 km country comparison to the world: 66 paved: 71,298 km (includes 1,758 of expressways) (2006)

Waterways:

65 km (Rhine River between Basel-Rheinfelden and Schaffhausen-Bodensee) (2008) country comparison to the world: 103

Merchant marine:

total: 35 country comparison to the world: 82 by type: bulk carrier 13, cargo 9, chemical tanker 6, container 6, specialized tanker 1

registered in other countries: 106 (Antigua and Barbuda 8, Bahamas 1, France 3, Italy 8, Liberia 13, Malta 20, Marshall Islands 12, Panama 25, Portugal 2, Russia 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 6, Singapore 2, Tonga 1, UK 1, Vanuatu 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Basel

Military ::Switzerland

Military branches:

Swiss Armed Forces: Land Forces, Swiss Air Force (Schweizer
Luftwaffe) (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

19 years of age for male compulsory military service; 18 years of age for voluntary male and female military service; the Swiss Constitution states that "every Swiss male is obliged to do military service"; every Swiss male has to serve at least 260 days in the armed forces; conscripts receive 18 weeks of mandatory training, followed by seven 3-week intermittent recalls for training during the next 10 years (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,852,580

females age 16-49: 1,807,667 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,510,259

females age 16-49: 1,475,993 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 48,076

female: 44,049 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 139

Transnational Issues ::Switzerland

Disputes - international:

none

Illicit drugs:

a major international financial center vulnerable to the layering and integration stages of money laundering; despite significant legislation and reporting requirements, secrecy rules persist and nonresidents are permitted to conduct business through offshore entities and various intermediaries; transit country for and consumer of South American cocaine, Southwest Asian heroin, and Western European synthetics; domestic cannabis cultivation and limited ecstasy production

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Syria (Middle East)

Introduction ::Syria

Background:

Following World War I, France acquired a mandate over the northern portion of the former Ottoman Empire province of Syria. The French administered the area as Syria until granting it independence in 1946. The new country lacked political stability, however, and experienced a series of military coups during its first decades. Syria united with Egypt in February 1958 to form the United Arab Republic. In September 1961, the two entities separated, and the Syrian Arab Republic was reestablished. In November 1970, Hafiz al-ASAD, a member of the Socialist Ba'th Party and the minority Alawite sect, seized power in a bloodless coup and brought political stability to the country. In the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Syria lost the Golan Heights to Israel. During the 1990s, Syria and Israel held occasional peace talks over its return. Following the death of President al-ASAD, his son, Bashar al-ASAD, was approved as president by popular referendum in July 2000. Syrian troops - stationed in Lebanon since 1976 in an ostensible peacekeeping role - were withdrawn in April 2005. During the July-August 2006 conflict between Israel and Hizballah, Syria placed its military forces on alert but did not intervene directly on behalf of its ally Hizballah.

Geography ::Syria

Location:

Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Lebanon and
Turkey

Geographic coordinates:

35 00 N, 38 00 E

Map references:

Middle East

Area:

total: 185,180 sq km country comparison to the world: 88 land: 183,630 sq km

water: 1,550 sq km

note: includes 1,295 sq km of Israeli-occupied territory

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than North Dakota

Land boundaries:

total: 2,253 km

border countries: Iraq 605 km, Israel 76 km, Jordan 375 km, Lebanon 375 km, Turkey 822 km

Coastline:

193 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

Climate:

mostly desert; hot, dry, sunny summers (June to August) and mild, rainy winters (December to February) along coast; cold weather with snow or sleet periodically in Damascus

Terrain:

primarily semiarid and desert plateau; narrow coastal plain; mountains in west

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: unnamed location near Lake Tiberias -200 m

highest point: Mount Hermon 2,814 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, phosphates, chrome and manganese ores, asphalt, iron ore, rock salt, marble, gypsum, hydropower

Land use:

arable land: 24.8%

permanent crops: 4.47%

other: 70.73% (2005)

Irrigated land:

13,330 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

46.1 cu km (1997)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 19.95 cu km/yr (3%/2%/95%)

per capita: 1,048 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

dust storms, sandstorms

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution from raw sewage and petroleum refining wastes; inadequate potable water

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Geography - note:

there are 42 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights (August 2005 est.)

People ::Syria

Population:

20,178,485 country comparison to the world: 57 note: in addition, about 40,000 people live in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights - 20,000 Arabs (18,000 Druze and 2,000 Alawites) and about 20,000 Israeli settlers (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 35.9% (male 3,724,770/female 3,510,182)

15-64 years: 60.8% (male 6,285,866/female 5,980,029)

65 years and over: 3.4% (male 318,646/female 358,992) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 21.7 years

male: 21.6 years

female: 21.9 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.129% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 50

Birth rate:

25.9 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 65

Death rate:

4.61 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 198

Net migration rate:

NA (2009 est.)

Urbanization:

urban population: 54% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 3.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female

total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 25.87 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 84 male: 26.13 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 25.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 71.19 years country comparison to the world: 131 male: 69.8 years

female: 72.68 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3.12 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 67

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 160

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

fewer than 500 (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 151

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 200 (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 117

Nationality:

noun: Syrian(s)

adjective: Syrian

Ethnic groups:

Arab 90.3%, Kurds, Armenians, and other 9.7%

Religions:

Sunni Muslim 74%, other Muslim (includes Alawite, Druze) 16%,
Christian (various denominations) 10%, Jewish (tiny communities in
Damascus, Al Qamishli, and Aleppo)

Languages:

Arabic (official); Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, Circassian widely understood; French, English somewhat understood

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 79.6%

male: 86%

female: 73.6% (2004 census)

Education expenditures:

3.9% of GDP (1999) country comparison to the world: 109

Government ::Syria

Country name:

conventional long form: Syrian Arab Republic

conventional short form: Syria

local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Arabiyah as Suriyah

local short form: Suriyah

former: United Arab Republic (with Egypt)

Government type:

republic under an authoritarian military-dominated regime

Capital:

name: Damascus

geographic coordinates: 33 30 N, 36 18 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins 1 April; ends 30 September

Administrative divisions:

14 provinces (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Hasakah, Al
Ladhiqiyah (Latakia), Al Qunaytirah, Ar Raqqah, As Suwayda', Dar'a,
Dayr az Zawr, Dimashq, Halab, Hamah, Hims, Idlib, Rif Dimashq
(Damascus), Tartus

Independence:

17 April 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 17 April (1946)

Constitution:

13 March 1973

Legal system:

based on a combination of French and Ottoman civil law; Islamic law is used in the family court system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Bashar al-ASAD (since 17 July 2000); Vice President Farouk al-SHARA (since 11 February 2006) oversees foreign policy; Vice President Najah al-ATTAR (since 23 March 2006) oversees cultural policy

head of government: Prime Minister Muhammad Naji al-UTRI (since 10 September 2003); Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Abdallah al-DARDARI (since 14 June 2005)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections: president approved by popular referendum for a second seven-year term (no term limits); referendum last held on 27 May 2007 (next to be held in May 2014); the president appoints the vice presidents, prime minister, and deputy prime ministers

election results: Bashar al-ASAD approved as president; percent of vote - Bashar al-ASAD 97.6%

Legislative branch:

unicameral People's Council or Majlis al-Shaab (250 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held on 22-23 April 2007 (next to be held in 2011)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NPF 172, independents 78

Judicial branch:

Supreme Judicial Council (appoints and dismisses judges; headed by the president); national level - Supreme Constitutional Court (adjudicates electoral disputes and rules on constitutionality of laws and decrees; justices appointed for four-year terms by the president); Court of Cassation; Appeals Courts (Appeals Courts represent an intermediate level between the Court of Cassation and local level courts); local level - Magistrate Courts; Courts of First Instance; Juvenile Courts; Customs Courts; specialized courts - Economic Security Courts (hear cases related to economic crimes); Supreme State Security Court (hear cases related to national security); Personal Status Courts (religious; hear cases related to marriage and divorce)

Political parties and leaders:

legal parties: National Progressive Front or NPF [President Bashar
al-ASAD, Dr. Suleiman QADDAH] (includes Arab Socialist Renaissance
(Ba'th) Party [President Bashar al-ASAD]; Socialist Unionist
Democratic Party [Fadlallah Nasr Al-DIN]; Syrian Arab Socialist
Union or ASU [Safwan QUDSI]; Syrian Communist Party (two branches)
[Wissal Farha BAKDASH, Yusuf Rashid FAYSAL]; Syrian Social
Nationalist Party [Ali QANSU]; Unionist Socialist Party [Fayez
ISMAIL])

opposition parties not legally recognized: Arab Democratic Socialist
Union Party [Hasan Abdul AZIM]; Arab Socialist Movement; Democratic
Ba'th Party [Ibrahim MAHKOS]; National Democratic Front [Hasan Abdul
AZIM, spokesman] (includes five parties - Arab Democratic Socialist
Union Party [Hasan Abdul AZIM], Arab Socialist Movement, Democratic
Ba'th Party [Ibrahim MAHKOS], People's Democratic Party [Riad al
TURK], Revolutionary Workers' Party [Abdul Hafeez al HAFEZ]);
People's Democratic Party; Revolutionary Workers' Party [Abdul
Hafeez al HAFEZ]

Kurdish parties (considered illegal): Azadi Party [Kheirudin MURAD];
Future Party [Masha'l TAMMO]; Kurdish Democratic Alliance (includes
four parties); Kurdish Democratic Front (includes three parties);
Yekiti Party [Hasan SALEH, Fu'ad ALEYKO]

other parties: Nahda Party [Abdul Aziz al MISLET]; Syrian Democratic Party [Mustafa QALAAJI]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Damascus Declaration National Council [Riyad SEIF, secretary general] (a broad alliance of opposition groups and individuals including: Committee for Revival of Civil Society [Michel KILO, Riyad SEIF]; Communist Action Party [Fateh JAMOUS]; Kurdish Democratic Alliance; Kurdish Democratic Front; Liberal Nationalists' Movement; National Democratic Rally; and Syrian Human Rights Society or HRAS [Fawed FAWUZ]); National Salvation Front (alliance between former Vice President Abd al-Halim KHADDAM, the SMB, and other small opposition groups); Syrian Muslim Brotherhood or SMB [Sadr al-Din al-BAYANUNI] (operates in exile in London; endorsed the Damascus Declaration, but is not an official member)

International organization participation:

ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Imad MOUSTAPHA

chancery: 2215 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 232-6313

FAX: [1] (202) 265-4585

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Maura CONNELLY

embassy: Abou Roumaneh, Al-Mansour Street, No. 2, Damascus

mailing address: P. O. Box 29, Damascus

telephone: [963] (11) 3391-4444

FAX: [963] (11) 3391-3999

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black, colors associated with the Arab Liberation flag; two small, green, five-pointed stars in a horizontal line centered in the white band; former flag of the United Arab Republic where the two stars represented the constituent states of Syria and Egypt; similar to the flag of Yemen, which has a plain white band, Iraq, which has an Arabic inscription centered in the white band, and that of Egypt, which has a gold Eagle of Saladin centered in the white band; the current design dates to 1980

Economy ::Syria

Economy - overview:

The Syrian economy grew by an estimated 2.4% in real terms in 2008 led by the petroleum and agricultural sectors, which together account for about one-half of GDP. Higher crude oil prices countered declining oil production and led to higher budgetary and export receipts. Damascus has implemented modest economic reforms in the past few years, including cutting lending interest rates, opening private banks, consolidating all of the multiple exchange rates, raising prices on some subsidized items, most notably gasoline and cement, and establishing the Damascus Stock Exchange - which is set to begin operations in 2009. In October 2007, for example, Damascus raised the price of subsidized gasoline by 20%, then instituted a rationing system in 2008. In addition, President ASAD signed legislative decrees to encourage corporate ownership reform, and to allow the Central Bank to issue Treasury bills and bonds for government debt. Nevertheless, the economy remains highly controlled by the government. Long-run economic constraints include declining oil production, high unemployment and inflation, rising budget deficits, and increasing pressure on water supplies caused by heavy use in agriculture, rapid population growth, industrial expansion, and water pollution.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$99.06 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 66 $94.26 billion (2007 est.)

$88.65 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$55.02 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 85 6.3% (2007 est.)

5.2% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$4,600 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 146 $4,600 (2007 est.)

$4,600 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 18.5%

industry: 26.9%

services: 54.6% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

5.593 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 69

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 19.2%

industry: 14.5%

services: 66.3% (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate:

8.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 116 9% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

11.9% (2006 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Investment (gross fixed):

21.7% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 90

Budget:

revenues: $11.23 billion

expenditures: $12.85 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

25.4% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 81 32% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

15.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 195 12.2% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

NA% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 101 5% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

NA% (31 December 2008)

Stock of money:

$73.54 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 17 $15.21 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$73.93 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 24 $12.29 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$84.31 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 41 $15.19 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

wheat, barley, cotton, lentils, chickpeas, olives, sugar beets; beef, mutton, eggs, poultry, milk

Industries:

petroleum, textiles, food processing, beverages, tobacco, phosphate rock mining, cement, oil seeds crushing, car assembly

Industrial production growth rate:

2.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 100

Electricity - production:

36.5 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 59

Electricity - consumption:

27.35 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 61

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

1.4 billion kWh (2007)

Oil - production:

426,100 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 33

Oil - consumption:

256,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 50

Oil - exports:

155,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 58

Oil - imports:

58,710 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 84

Oil - proved reserves:

2.5 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 32

Natural gas - production:

6.04 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 47

Natural gas - consumption:

6.18 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 56

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m country comparison to the world: 109

Natural gas - imports:

140 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 64

Natural gas - proved reserves:

240.7 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 42

Current account balance:

-$791 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 112 $402 million (2007 est.)

Exports:

$13.97 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 79 $11.75 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

crude oil, minerals, petroleum products, fruits and vegetables, cotton fiber, textiles, clothing, meat and live animals, wheat

Exports - partners:

Iraq 30.9%, Germany 9.8%, Lebanon 9.7%, Italy 6.4%, France 5.5%,
Egypt 5.4%, Saudi Arabia 5.1% (2008)

Imports:

$15.97 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 78 $12.27 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and transport equipment, electric power machinery, food and livestock, metal and metal products, chemicals and chemical products, plastics, yarn, paper

Imports - partners:

Saudi Arabia 11.7%, China 8.7%, Russia 6.4%, Italy 5.9%, Egypt 5.8%,
UAE 5.8%, Turkey 4.3%, Iran 4.2% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$6.765 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 76 $6.507 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$7.167 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 96 $6.633 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

Syrian pounds (SYP) per US dollar - 46.5281 (2008 est.), 50.0085 (2007), 51.689 (2006), 50 (2005), 48.5 (2004)

note: data for 2004-06 are the public sector rate; data for 2002-03 are the parallel market rate in 'Amman and Beirut; the official rate for repaying loans was 11.25 Syrian pounds per US dollars during 2004-06,

Communications ::Syria

Telephones - main lines in use:

3.633 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 42

Telephones - mobile cellular:

7.056 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 71

Telephone system:

general assessment: fair system currently undergoing significant improvement and digital upgrades, including fiber-optic technology

domestic: the number of fixed-line connections has increased markedly since 2000; mobile-cellular service growing with telephone subscribership reaching 40 per 100 persons in 2008;

international: country code - 963; submarine cable connection to Egypt, Lebanon, and Cyprus; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey; participant in Medarabtel

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 14, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

44 (plus 17 repeaters) (1995)

Internet country code:

.sy

Internet hosts:

7,879 (2009) country comparison to the world: 125

Internet users:

3.565 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 54

Transportation ::Syria

Airports:

104 (2009) country comparison to the world: 58

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 29

over 3,047 m: 4

2,438 to 3,047 m: 16

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m: 5 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 75

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 15

under 914 m: 59 (2009)

Heliports:

7 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 2,900 km; oil 2,000 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 2,052 km country comparison to the world: 72 standard gauge: 1,801 km 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge: 251 km 1.050-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 97,401 km country comparison to the world: 43 paved: 19,490 km (includes 1,103 km of expressways)

unpaved: 77,911 km (2006)

Waterways:

900 km (not economically significant) (2008) country comparison to the world: 69

Merchant marine:

total: 77 country comparison to the world: 58 by type: bulk carrier 5, cargo 65, carrier 4, container 1, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1

foreign-owned: 7 (Jordan 2, Lebanon 3, Romania 2)

registered in other countries: 196 (Barbados 1, Bolivia 2, Cambodia 48, Comoros 4, Cyprus 2, Dominica 2, Georgia 49, Hong Kong 1, North Korea 1, Lebanon 2, Libya 2, Malta 6, Moldova 1, Panama 32, Saint Kitts and Nevis 7, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 13, Sierra Leone 18, Slovakia 2, Togo 2, unknown 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Latakia, Tartus

Military ::Syria

Military branches:

Syrian Armed Forces: Syrian Arab Army, Syrian Arab Navy, Syrian Arab
Air and Air Defense Forces (includes Air Defense Command) (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 30 months (18 months in the Syrian Arab Navy); women are not conscripted but may volunteer to serve (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 5,251,875

females age 16-49: 4,966,367 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 4,360,934

females age 16-49: 4,344,895 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 213,513

female: 201,055 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

5.9% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 12

Transnational Issues ::Syria

Disputes - international:

Golan Heights is Israeli-occupied with the almost 1,000-strong UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) patrolling a buffer zone since 1964; lacking a treaty or other documentation describing the boundary, portions of the Lebanon-Syria boundary are unclear with several sections in dispute; since 2000, Lebanon has claimed Shabaa farms in the Golan Heights; 2004 Agreement and pending demarcation settles border dispute with Jordan; approximately two million Iraqis have fled the conflict in Iraq with the majority taking refuge in Syria and Jordan

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 1-1.4 million (Iraq); 522,100 (Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA))

IDPs: 305,000 (most displaced from Golan Heights during 1967
Arab-Israeli War) (2007)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Syria is a destination and transit country for women and children trafficked for commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor; a significant number of women and children in the large and expanding Iraqi refugee community in Syria are reportedly forced into commercial sexual exploitation by Iraqi gangs or, in some cases, their families; women from Indonesia, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Ethiopia, and Sierra Leone are recruited for work in Syria as domestic servants, but some face conditions of involuntary servitude, including long hours, non-payment of wages, withholding of passports, restrictions on movement, threats, and physical or sexual abuse

tier rating: Tier 3 - Syria again failed to report any law enforcement efforts to punish trafficking offenses in 2007; in addition, the government did not offer protection services to victims of trafficking and may have arrested, prosecuted, or deported some victims for prostitution or immigration violations; Syria has not ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2008)

Illicit drugs:

a transit point for opiates, hashish, and cocaine bound for regional and Western markets; weak anti-money-laundering controls and bank privatization may leave it vulnerable to money laundering

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Taiwan (East & Southeast Asia)

Introduction ::Taiwan

Background:

In 1895, military defeat forced China to cede Taiwan to Japan. Taiwan reverted to Chinese control after World War II. Following the Communist victory on the mainland in 1949, 2 million Nationalists fled to Taiwan and established a government using the 1946 constitution drawn up for all of China. Over the next five decades, the ruling authorities gradually democratized and incorporated the local population within the governing structure. In 2000, Taiwan underwent its first peaceful transfer of power from the Nationalist to the Democratic Progressive Party. Throughout this period, the island prospered and became one of East Asia's economic "Tigers." The dominant political issues continue to be the relationship between Taiwan and China - specifically the question of Taiwan's eventual status - as well as domestic political and economic reform.

Geography ::Taiwan

Location:

Eastern Asia, islands bordering the East China Sea, Philippine Sea, South China Sea, and Taiwan Strait, north of the Philippines, off the southeastern coast of China

Geographic coordinates:

23 30 N, 121 00 E

Map references:

Southeast Asia

Area:

total: 35,980 sq km country comparison to the world: 138 land: 32,260 sq km

water: 3,720 sq km

note: includes the Pescadores, Matsu, and Quemoy islands

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Maryland and Delaware combined

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

1,566.3 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; marine; rainy season during southwest monsoon (June to August); cloudiness is persistent and extensive all year

Terrain:

eastern two-thirds mostly rugged mountains; flat to gently rolling plains in west

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: South China Sea 0 m

highest point: Yu Shan 3,952 m

Natural resources:

small deposits of coal, natural gas, limestone, marble, and asbestos

Land use:

arable land: 24%

permanent crops: 1%

other: 75% (2001)

Irrigated land:

NA

Total renewable water resources:

67 cu km (2000)

Natural hazards:

earthquakes; typhoons

Environment - current issues:

air pollution; water pollution from industrial emissions, raw sewage; contamination of drinking water supplies; trade in endangered species; low-level radioactive waste disposal

Environment - international agreements:

party to: none of the selected agreements because of Taiwan's international status

Geography - note:

strategic location adjacent to both the Taiwan Strait and the Luzon Strait

People ::Taiwan

Population:

22,974,347 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 49

Age structure:

0-14 years: 16.7% (male 1,996,905/female 1,844,611)

15-64 years: 72.6% (male 8,416,300/female 8,267,675)

65 years and over: 10.7% (male 1,183,382/female 1,265,474) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 36.5 years

male: 35.9 years

female: 37.1 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.227% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 181

Birth rate:

8.99 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 210

Death rate:

6.76 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 143

Net migration rate:

0.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 74

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.09 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female

total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 5.35 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 185 male: 5.64 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 5.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 77.96 years country comparison to the world: 52 male: 75.12 years

female: 81.05 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.14 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 220

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Taiwan (singular and plural)

note: example - he or she is from Taiwan; they are from Taiwan

adjective: Taiwan

Ethnic groups:

Taiwanese (including Hakka) 84%, mainland Chinese 14%, indigenous 2%

Religions:

mixture of Buddhist and Taoist 93%, Christian 4.5%, other 2.5%

Languages:

Mandarin Chinese (official), Taiwanese (Min), Hakka dialects

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 96.1%

male: NA

female: NA (2003)

Education expenditures:

NA

Government ::Taiwan

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Taiwan

local long form: none

local short form: T'ai-wan

former: Formosa

Government type:

multiparty democracy

Capital:

name: Taipei

geographic coordinates: 25 03 N, 121 30 E

time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

includes main island of Taiwan plus smaller islands nearby and off coast of China's Fujian Province; Taiwan is divided into 18 counties (hsien, singular and plural), 5 municipalities (shih, singular and plural), and 2 special municipalities (chih-hsia-shih, singular and plural)

note: Taiwan uses a variety of romanization systems; while a modified Wade-Giles system still dominates, the city of Taipei has adopted a Pinyin romanization for street and place names within its boundaries; other local authorities use different romanization systems; names for administrative divisions that follow are taken from the Taiwan Yearbook 2007 published by the Government Information Office in Taipei.

counties: Changhua, Chiayi [county], Hsinchu [county], Hualien,
Kaohsiung [county], Kinmen, Lienchiang, Miaoli, Nantou, Penghu,
Pingtung, Taichung [county], Tainan [county], Taipei [county],
Taitung, Taoyuan, Yilan, and Yunlin

municipalities: Chiayi [city], Hsinchu [city], Keelung, Taichung [city], Tainan [city]

special municipalities: Kaohsiung [city], Taipei [city]

National holiday:

Republic Day (Anniversary of the Chinese Revolution), 10 October (1911)

Constitution:

adopted on 25 December 1946; effective 25 December 1947; amended in 1991, 1992, 1994, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2005

Legal system:

based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

20 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President MA Ying-jeou (since 20 May 2008); Vice President Vincent SIEW (since 20 May 2008)

head of government: Premier (President of the Executive Yuan) WU Den-yih (since 10 September 2009); Vice Premier (Vice President of Executive Yuan) Eric Liluan CHU (since 10 September 2009)

cabinet: Executive Yuan - (ministers appointed by president on recommendation of premier)

elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 22 March 2008 (next to be held in March 2012); premier appointed by the president; vice premiers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the premier

election results: MA Ying-jeou elected president; percent of vote - MA Ying-jeou 58.45%, Frank HSIEH 41.55%

Legislative branch:

unicameral Legislative Yuan (113 seats - 73 district members elected by popular vote, 34 at-large members elected on basis of proportion of islandwide votes received by participating political parties, 6 elected by popular vote among aboriginal populations; to serve four-year terms); parties must receive 5% of vote to qualify for at-large seats

elections: Legislative Yuan - last held 12 January 2008 (next to be held in December 2011 or January 2012)

election results: Legislative Yuan - percent of vote by party - KMT 53.5%, DPP 38.2%, NPSU 2.4%, PFP 0.3%, others 1.6%, independents 4%; seats by party - KMT 81, DPP 27, NPSU 3, PFP 1, independent 1

Judicial branch:

Judicial Yuan (justices appointed by the president with consent of the Legislative Yuan)

Political parties and leaders:

Democratic Progressive Party or DPP [TSAI Ing-wen]; Kuomintang or
KMT (Nationalist Party) [WU Po-hsiung], MA Ying-jeou elected in July
2009, takes office on 12 September 2009; Non-Partisan Solidarity
Union or NPSU [LIN Pin-kuan]; People First Party or PFP [James SOONG]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Organization for Taiwan Nation Building; World United Formosans for
Independence

other: environmental groups; independence movement; various business groups

note: debate on Taiwan independence has become acceptable within the mainstream of domestic politics on Taiwan; political liberalization and the increased representation of opposition parties in Taiwan's legislature have opened public debate on the island's national identity; a broad public consensus has developed that the government enjoys popular sovereignty and - whatever the ultimate outcome regarding unification or independence - that Taiwan's people must have the deciding voice; public opinion polls consistently show a substantial majority of Taiwan people supports maintaining Taiwan's status quo for the foreseeable future; advocates of Taiwan independence oppose the stand that the island will eventually unify with mainland China; goals of the Taiwan independence movement include establishing a sovereign nation on Taiwan and entering the UN; advocates of eventual unification predicate their goal on the democratic transformation of the mainland

International organization participation:

ADB, APEC, BCIE, ICC, IOC, ITUC, WCL, WFTU, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none; commercial and cultural relations with the people in the United States are maintained through an unofficial instrumentality, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States (TECRO), a private nonprofit corporation that performs citizen and consular services similar to those at diplomatic posts

representative: Jason C. YUAN

office: 4201 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016

telephone: [1] 202 895-1800

Taipei Economic and Cultural Offices (branch offices): Atlanta,
Boston, Chicago, Guam, Houston, Honolulu, Kansas City, Los Angeles,
Miami, New York, San Francisco, Seattle

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none; commercial and cultural relations with the people on Taiwan are maintained through an unofficial instrumentality, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), a private nonprofit corporation that performs citizen and consular services similar to those at diplomatic posts

director: William A. STANTON

office: #7 Lane 134, Hsin Yi Road, Section 3, Taipei, Taiwan

telephone: [1] [886] (02) 2162-2000

FAX: [1] [886] (07) 238-7744

other offices: Kaohsiung

Flag description:

red field with a dark blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white sun with 12 triangular rays

Economy ::Taiwan

Economy - overview:

Taiwan has a dynamic capitalist economy with gradually decreasing government guidance of investment and foreign trade. In keeping with this trend, some large, state-owned banks and industrial firms have been privatized. Exports have provided the primary impetus for industrialization. The island runs a large trade surplus, and its foreign reserves are among the world's largest. Recently opened cross-strait travel, transportation, and tourism links are likely to increase Taiwan and China's economic interdependence. In 2008 China overtook the US to become Taiwan's second-largest source of imports, after Japan. China is also the island's number one destination for foreign direct investment. Growth fell to 0.1% in 2008 because of the global slowdown.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$713.7 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 20 $713 billion (2007 est.)

$674.5 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$391.4 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

0.1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 197 5.7% (2007 est.)

4.8% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$31,100 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 42 $31,200 (2007 est.)

$29,600 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 1.7%

industry: 25.1%

services: 73.2% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

10.85 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 47

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 5.1%

industry: 36.8%

services: 58% (2008 est.)

Unemployment rate:

4.1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 50 3.9% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

0.95% (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 6.7%

highest 10%: 41.1% (2002 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

20.6% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 102

Budget:

revenues: $73.02 billion

expenditures: $77.96 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

29.4% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 73 32.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 51 1.8% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

1.5% (January 2009)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

4.06% (2008 est.)

Stock of quasi money:

$618 billion (November 2008) country comparison to the world: 7 $NA (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$677.8 billion (November 2008) country comparison to the world: 17 $NA (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 20 $654 billion (28 December 2007)

$654 billion (28 December 2007)

Agriculture - products:

rice, corn, vegetables, fruit, tea; pigs, poultry, beef, milk; fish

Industries:

electronics, petroleum refining, armaments, chemicals, textiles, iron and steel, machinery, cement, food processing, vehicles, consumer products, pharmaceuticals

Industrial production growth rate:

-1.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 147

Electricity - production:

225 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 18

Electricity - consumption:

233 billion kWh (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 15

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

12,310 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 82

Oil - consumption:

959,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 20

Oil - exports:

303,500 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 41

Oil - imports:

1.251 million bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 14

Oil - proved reserves:

2.38 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 93

Natural gas - production:

360 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 71

Natural gas - consumption:

12.44 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 45

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 99

Natural gas - imports:

12.08 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 18

Natural gas - proved reserves:

6.229 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 86

Current account balance:

$24.89 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 18 $32.98 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$254.9 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 19 $246.5 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

electronics, flat panels, machinery, metals, textiles, plastics, chemicals, auto parts (2008)

Exports - partners:

China 29.2%, US 12%, Hong Kong 9.8%, Japan 6.9%, Singapore 4.6% (2008 est.)

Imports:

$236.7 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 19 $216.1 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

electronics, machinery, petroleum, precision instruments, organic chemicals, metals (2008)

Imports - partners:

Japan 19.3%, China 13%, US 10.9%, Saudi Arabia 6.3%, South Korea 5.5% (2008 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$296.4 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 4 $275 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$93.02 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 38 $97.85 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$102.3 billion (2008) country comparison to the world: 34 $52.65 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$107.1 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 25 $96.81 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

New Taiwan dollars (TWD) per US dollar - 31.53 (2008 est.), 32.84 (2007), 32.534 (2006), 31.71 (2005), 34.418 (2004)

Communications ::Taiwan

Telephones - main lines in use:

14.273 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 19

Telephones - mobile cellular:

25.412 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 33

Telephone system:

general assessment: provides telecommunications service for every business and private need

domestic: thoroughly modern; completely digitalized

international: country code - 886; numerous submarine cables provide links throughout Asia, Australia, the Middle East, Europe, and the US; satellite earth stations - 2

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 21, FM 143, shortwave 1 (2008)

Television broadcast stations:

76 (5 television networks with 46 digital and 30 analog stations) (2007)

Internet country code:

.tw

Internet hosts:

5.704 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 15

Internet users:

15.143 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 25

Transportation ::Taiwan

Airports:

42 (2009) country comparison to the world: 101

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 38

over 3,047 m: 8

2,438 to 3,047 m: 8

1,524 to 2,437 m: 11

914 to 1,523 m: 7

under 914 m: 4 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 4

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Heliports:

4 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 406 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 1,588 km country comparison to the world: 81 standard gauge: 345 km 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge: 1,093 km 1.067-m gauge; 150 km .762-m gauge

note: the 150 km of .762 gauge track belongs primarily to Taiwan Sugar Corporation and Taiwan Forestry Bureau; some to other entities (2007)

Roadways:

total: 40,262 km country comparison to the world: 88 paved: 38,171 km (includes 976 km of expressways)

unpaved: 2,091 km (2007)

Merchant marine:

total: 102 country comparison to the world: 50 by type: bulk carrier 32, cargo 19, chemical tanker 1, container 24, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 14, refrigerated cargo 7, roll on/roll off 2

foreign-owned: 3 (Canada 2, France 1)

registered in other countries: 536 (Bolivia 1, Cambodia 1, Honduras 2, Hong Kong 11, Indonesia 2, Italy 13, Kiribati 5, Liberia 91, Marshall Islands 1, Panama 320, Philippines 1, Sierra Leone 1, Singapore 72, Thailand 1, UK 11, unknown 3) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Chilung (Keelung), Kaohsiung, Taichung

Military ::Taiwan

Military branches:

Army, Navy (includes Marine Corps), Air Force, Coast Guard
Administration, Armed Forces Reserve Command, Combined Service
Forces Command, Armed Forces Police Command

Military service age and obligation:

19-35 years of age for male compulsory military service; service obligation 14 months (reducing to 1 year in 2009); women may enlist; women in Air Force service are restricted to noncombat roles; reserve obligation to age 30 (Army); the Ministry of Defense has announced plans to implement an incremental voluntary enlistment system beginning 2010, with 10% fewer conscripts each year thereafter, although nonvolunteers will still be required to perform alternative service or go through 3-4 months of military training (2009)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 6,283,134

females age 16-49: 6,098,599 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 5,106,730

females age 16-49: 5,008,563 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 165,738

female: 154,123 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

2.2% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 75

Transnational Issues ::Taiwan

Disputes - international:

involved in complex dispute with China, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei over the Spratly Islands; the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" has eased tensions but falls short of a legally binding "code of conduct" desired by several of the disputants; Paracel Islands are occupied by China, but claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam; in 2003, China and Taiwan became more vocal in rejecting both Japan's claims to the uninhabited islands of the Senkaku-shoto (Diaoyu Tai) and Japan's unilaterally declared exclusive economic zone in the East China Sea where all parties engage in hydrocarbon prospecting

Illicit drugs:

regional transit point for heroin, methamphetamine, and precursor chemicals; transshipment point for drugs to Japan; major problem with domestic consumption of methamphetamine and heroin; rising problems with use of ketamine and club drugs

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Tajikistan (Central Asia)

Introduction ::Tajikistan

Background:

The Tajik people came under Russian rule in the 1860s and 1870s, but Russia's hold on Central Asia weakened following the Revolution of 1917. Bolshevik control of the area was fiercely contested and not fully reestablished until 1925. Much of present-day Sughd province was transferred from the Uzbek SSR to the newly formed Tajik SSR in 1929. Ethnic Uzbeks form a substantial minority in Sughd province. Tajikistan became independent in 1991 following the breakup of the Soviet Union, and experienced a civil war between regional factions from 1992-97. There have been no major security incidents in recent years, although the country remains the poorest in the former Soviet sphere. Attention by the international community since the beginning of the NATO intervention in Afghanistan has brought increased economic development and security assistance, which could create jobs and strengthen stability in the long term. Tajikistan is in the early stages of seeking World Trade Organization membership and has joined NATO's Partnership for Peace.

Geography ::Tajikistan

Location:

Central Asia, west of China

Geographic coordinates:

39 00 N, 71 00 E

Map references:

Asia

Area:

total: 143,100 sq km country comparison to the world: 95 land: 141,510 sq km

water: 2,590 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Wisconsin

Land boundaries:

total: 3,651 km

border countries: Afghanistan 1,206 km, China 414 km, Kyrgyzstan 870 km, Uzbekistan 1,161 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

midlatitude continental, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid to polar in Pamir Mountains

Terrain:

Pamir and Alay Mountains dominate landscape; western Fergana Valley in north, Kofarnihon and Vakhsh Valleys in southwest

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Syr Darya (Sirdaryo) 300 m

highest point: Qullai Ismoili Somoni 7,495 m

Natural resources:

hydropower, some petroleum, uranium, mercury, brown coal, lead, zinc, antimony, tungsten, silver, gold

Land use:

arable land: 6.52%

permanent crops: 0.89%

other: 92.59% (2005)

Irrigated land:

7,220 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

99.7 cu km (1997)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 11.96 cu km/yr (4%/5%/92%)

per capita: 1,837 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

earthquakes; floods

Environment - current issues:

inadequate sanitation facilities; increasing levels of soil salinity; industrial pollution; excessive pesticides

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

landlocked; mountainous region dominated by the Trans-Alay Range in the north and the Pamirs in the southeast; highest point, Qullai Ismoili Somoni (formerly Communism Peak), was the tallest mountain in the former USSR

People ::Tajikistan

Population:

7,349,145 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 96

Age structure:

0-14 years: 34.3% (male 1,282,681/female 1,238,607)

15-64 years: 62.1% (male 2,260,552/female 2,303,034)

65 years and over: 3.6% (male 112,334/female 151,937) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 21.9 years

male: 21.5 years

female: 22.4 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.878% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 68

Birth rate:

26.9 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 60

Death rate:

6.83 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 140

Net migration rate:

-1.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 129

Urbanization:

urban population: 26% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 41.03 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 64 male: 45.9 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 35.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 65.33 years country comparison to the world: 166 male: 62.29 years

female: 68.52 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.99 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 73

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.3% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 87

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

10,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 103

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 500 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 98

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: malaria (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Tajikistani(s)

adjective: Tajikistani

Ethnic groups:

Tajik 79.9%, Uzbek 15.3%, Russian 1.1%, Kyrgyz 1.1%, other 2.6% (2000 census)

Religions:

Sunni Muslim 85%, Shia Muslim 5%, other 10% (2003 est.)

Languages:

Tajik (official), Russian widely used in government and business

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.5%

male: 99.7%

female: 99.2% (2000 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 11 years

male: 12 years

female: 10 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

3.4% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 132

Government ::Tajikistan

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Tajikistan

conventional short form: Tajikistan

local long form: Jumhurii Tojikiston

local short form: Tojikiston

former: Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Dushanbe

geographic coordinates: 38 35 N, 68 48 E

time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

2 provinces (viloyatho, singular - viloyat) and 1 autonomous province* (viloyati mukhtor); Viloyati Khatlon (Qurghonteppa), Viloyati Mukhtori Kuhistoni Badakhshon* [Gorno-Badakhshan] (Khorugh), Viloyati Sughd (Khujand)

note: the administrative center name follows in parentheses

Independence:

9 September 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

National holiday:

Independence Day (or National Day), 9 September (1991)

Constitution:

6 November 1994

Legal system:

based on civil law system; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Emomali RAHMON (since 6 November 1994; head of state and Supreme Assembly chairman since 19 November 1992)

head of government: Prime Minister Oqil OQILOV (since 20 January 1999)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president, approved by the Supreme Assembly

elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 6 November 2006 (next to be held in November 2013); prime minister appointed by the president

election results: Emomali RAHMON reelected president; percent of vote - Emomali RAHMON 79.3%, Olimjon BOBOEV 6.2%, other 14.5%

Legislative branch:

bicameral Supreme Assembly or Majlisi Oli consists of the National Assembly (upper chamber) or Majlisi Milliy (34 seats; 25 members selected by local deputies, 8 appointed by the president; 1 seat reserved for the former president; to serve five-year terms) and the Assembly of Representatives (lower chamber) or Majlisi Namoyandagon (63 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: National Assembly - last held 25 March 2005 (next to be held in February 2010); Assembly of Representatives 27 February and 13 March 2005 (next to be held in February 2010)

election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDPT 29, CPT 2, independents 3; Assembly of Representatives - percent of vote by party - PDPT 74.9%, CPT 13.6%, Islamic Revival Party 8.9%, other 2.5%; seats by party - PDPT 51, CPT 5, Islamic Revival Party 2, independents 5

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president)

Political parties and leaders:

Agrarian Party of Tajikistan or APT [Amir QARAQULOV]; Democratic
Party or DPT [Mahmadruzi ISKANDAROV (imprisoned October 2005);
Rahmatullo VALIYEV, deputy]; Islamic Revival Party [Muhiddin
KABIRI]; Party of Economic Reform or PER [Olimjon BOBOEV]; People's
Democratic Party of Tajikistan or PDPT [Emomali RAHMON]; Social
Democratic Party or SDPT [Rahmatullo ZOYIROV]; Socialist Party or
SPT [Mirhuseyn NARZIEV]; Tajik Communist Party or CPT [Shodi
SHABDOLOV]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

splinter parties recognized by the government but not by the base of the party: Democratic Party or DPT [Masud SOBIROV] (splintered from ISKANDAROV's DPT); Socialist Party or SPT [Abduhalim GHAFFOROV] (splintered from NARZIEV's SPT)

unregistered political parties: Agrarian Party [Hikmatullo NASREDDINOV]; Progressive Party [Sulton QUVVATOV]; Unity Party [Hikmatullo SAIDOV]

International organization participation:

ADB, CIS, CSTO, EAEC, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, MIGA, OIC, OPCW, OSCE,
PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Abdujabbor SHIRINOV

chancery: 1005 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037

telephone: [1] (202) 223-6090

FAX: [1] (202) 223-6091

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Tracey Ann JACOBSON

embassy: 109-A Ismoili Somoni Avenue, Dushanbe 734019

mailing address: 7090 Dushanbe Place, Dulles, VA 20189

telephone: [992] (37) 229-20-00

FAX: [992] (37) 229-20-50

Flag description:

three horizontal stripes of red (top), a wider stripe of white, and green; a gold crown surmounted by seven gold, five-pointed stars is located in the center of the white stripe

Economy ::Tajikistan

Economy - overview:

Tajikistan has one of the lowest per capita GDPs among the 15 former Soviet republics. Because of a lack of employment opportunities in Tajikistan, nearly half of the labor force works abroad, primarily in Russia, supporting families in Tajikistan through remittances. The exact number of labor migrants is unknown, but estimated at around 1 million. Less than 7% of the land area is arable. Cotton is the most important crop, but this sector is burdened with debt and obsolete infrastructure. Mineral resources include silver, gold, uranium, and tungsten. Industry consists only of a large aluminum plant, hydropower facilities, and small obsolete factories mostly in light industry and food processing. The civil war (1992-97) severely damaged the already weak economic infrastructure and caused a sharp decline in industrial and agricultural production. Tajikistan's economic situation remains fragile due to uneven implementation of structural reforms, corruption, weak governance, widespread unemployment, seasonal power shortages, and the external debt burden. A debt restructuring agreement was reached with Russia in December 2002 including a $250 million write-off of Tajikistan's $300 million debt. Completion of the Sangtuda I hydropower dam - built with Russian investment - and the Sangtuda II and Rogun dams will add substantially to electricity output. If finished according to Tajik plans, Rogun will be the world's tallest dam. Tajikistan has also received substantial infrastructure development loans from the Chinese government to improve roads and an electricity transmission network. To help increase north-south trade, the US funded a $36 million bridge which opened in August 2007 and links Tajikistan and Afghanistan. While, Tajikistan has experienced steady economic growth since 1997, nearly two-thirds of the population continues to live in poverty. Economic growth reached 10.6% in 2004, but dropped below 8% in 2005-08, as the effects of higher oil prices and then the international financial crisis began to register - mainly in the form of lower prices for key commodities and lower remittances from Tajiks working in Russia, due to the declining economic conditions in that country.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$13.19 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 137 $12.22 billion (2007 est.)

$11.34 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$5.135 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

7.9% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 23 7.8% (2007 est.)

7% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,800 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 190 $1,700 (2007 est.)

$1,600 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 22.7%

industry: 27.1%

services: 50.2% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

2.1 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 118

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 67.2%

industry: 7.5%

services: 25.3% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:

2.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 24 2.4% (2007 est.)

note: official rates; actual unemployment is higher

Population below poverty line:

60% (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 3.3%

highest 10%: 25.6% (2007 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

32.6 (2006) country comparison to the world: 99 34.7 (1998)

Investment (gross fixed):

12% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 144

Budget:

revenues: $996.8 million

expenditures: $899.6 million (2008 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

20.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 205 13.1% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

NA% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 14 15% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

23.1% (31 December 2008)

Stock of money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$329.2 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$544 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 107 $350.3 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$889 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 109 $NA (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

cotton, grain, fruits, grapes, vegetables; cattle, sheep, goats

Industries:

aluminum, zinc, lead; chemicals and fertilizers, cement, vegetable oil, metal-cutting machine tools, refrigerators and freezers

Industrial production growth rate:

-4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 164

Electricity - production:

17.3 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 73

Electricity - consumption:

17.8 billion kWh (2008) country comparison to the world: 69

Electricity - exports:

1 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

4.361 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Oil - production:

238 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 108

Oil - consumption:

36,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 107

Oil - exports:

348.9 bbl/day country comparison to the world: 126

Oil - imports:

10,100 bbl/day (2008) country comparison to the world: 140

Oil - proved reserves:

12 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 88

Natural gas - production:

15.3 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 90

Natural gas - consumption:

515.3 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 95

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 106

Natural gas - imports:

500 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 60

Natural gas - proved reserves:

5.663 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 90

Current account balance:

$47.6 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 58 -$495.1 million (2007 est.)

Exports:

$1.575 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 138 $1.557 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

aluminum, electricity, cotton, fruits, vegetable oil, textiles

Exports - partners:

Netherlands 36.7%, Turkey 26.5%, Russia 8.6%, Iran 6.6%, China 5.7%,
Uzbekistan 5.1% (2008)

Imports:

$3.699 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 131 $3.115 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

electricity, petroleum products, aluminum oxide, machinery and equipment, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:

Russia 32.3%, China 11.9%, Kazakhstan 8.8%, Uzbekistan 4.7% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$195 million (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 144 $328 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$1.503 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 144 $1.56 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$102 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 36 $94.76 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$10.86 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 45 $8.022 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

Tajikistani somoni (TJS) per US dollar - 3.4563 (2008 est.), 3.4418 (2007), 3.3 (2006), 3.1166 (2005), 2.9705 (2004)

Communications ::Tajikistan

Telephones - main lines in use:

360,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 106

Telephones - mobile cellular:

3.5 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 99

Telephone system:

general assessment: foreign investment in the telephone system has resulted in major improvements

domestic: the domestic telecommunications network has historically been under funded and poorly maintained; main line availability has not changed significantly since 1998; mobile cellular use, aided by competition among multiple operators, has expanded rapidly; coverage now extends to all major cities and towns

international: country code - 992; linked by cable and microwave radio relay to other CIS republics and by leased connections to the Moscow international gateway switch; Dushanbe linked by Intelsat to international gateway switch in Ankara (Turkey); satellite earth stations - 3 (2 Intelsat and 1 Orbita) (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

16 (number of licensed stations with only about 10 broadcasting) (2009)

Television broadcast stations:

24 (number of licensed stations with only about 15 active) (2009)

Internet country code:

.tj

Internet hosts:

987 (2009) country comparison to the world: 161

Internet users:

600,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 103

Transportation ::Tajikistan

Airports:

26 (2009) country comparison to the world: 128

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 18

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 4

1,524 to 2,437 m: 6

914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m: 3 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 8

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 7 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 549 km; oil 38 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 680 km country comparison to the world: 107 broad gauge: 680 km 1.520-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 27,767 km (2000) country comparison to the world: 100

Waterways:

200 km (along Vakhsh River) (2008) country comparison to the world: 99

Military ::Tajikistan

Military branches:

Ground Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces, Mobile Forces (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for compulsory military service; 2-year conscript service obligation (2007)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,897,356

females age 16-49: 1,911,594 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,428,218

females age 16-49: 1,603,779 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 80,819

female: 78,460 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

3.9% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 31

Transnational Issues ::Tajikistan

Disputes - international:

in 2006, China and Tajikistan pledged to commence demarcation of the revised boundary agreed to in the delimitation of 2002; talks continue with Uzbekistan to delimit border and remove minefields; disputes in Isfara Valley delay delimitation with Kyrgyzstan

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Tajikistan is a source country for women trafficked through Kyrgyzstan and Russia to the UAE, Turkey, and Russia for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation; men are trafficked to Russia and Kazakhstan for the purpose of forced labor, primarily in the construction and agricultural industries; boys and girls are trafficked internally for various purposes, including forced labor and forced begging

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Tajikistan is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat human trafficking, especially efforts to investigate, prosecute, convict, and sentence traffickers; despite evidence of low- and mid-level officials' complicity in trafficking, the government did not punish any public officials for trafficking complicity during 2007; lack of capacity and poor coordination between government institutions remained key obstacles to effective anti-trafficking efforts (2008)

Illicit drugs:

major transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian and, to a lesser extent, Western European markets; limited illicit cultivation of opium poppy for domestic consumption; Tajikistan seizes roughly 80% of all drugs captured in Central Asia and stands third worldwide in seizures of opiates (heroin and raw opium); significant consumer of opiates

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Tanzania (Africa)

Introduction ::Tanzania

Background:

Shortly after achieving independence from Britain in the early 1960s, Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged to form the nation of Tanzania in 1964. One-party rule came to an end in 1995 with the first democratic elections held in the country since the 1970s. Zanzibar's semi-autonomous status and popular opposition have led to two contentious elections since 1995, which the ruling party won despite international observers' claims of voting irregularities.

Geography ::Tanzania

Location:

Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Kenya and
Mozambique

Geographic coordinates:

6 00 S, 35 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 947,300 sq km country comparison to the world: 31 land: 885,800 sq km

water: 61,500 sq km

note: includes the islands of Mafia, Pemba, and Zanzibar

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than twice the size of California

Land boundaries:

total: 3,861 km

border countries: Burundi 451 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 459 km, Kenya 769 km, Malawi 475 km, Mozambique 756 km, Rwanda 217 km, Uganda 396 km, Zambia 338 km

Coastline:

1,424 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

varies from tropical along coast to temperate in highlands

Terrain:

plains along coast; central plateau; highlands in north, south

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: Kilimanjaro 5,895 m

Natural resources:

hydropower, tin, phosphates, iron ore, coal, diamonds, gemstones, gold, natural gas, nickel

Land use:

arable land: 4.23%

permanent crops: 1.16%

other: 94.61% (2005)

Irrigated land:

1,840 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

91 cu km (2001)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 5.18 cu km/yr (10%/0%/89%)

per capita: 135 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

flooding on the central plateau during the rainy season; drought

Environment - current issues:

soil degradation; deforestation; desertification; destruction of coral reefs threatens marine habitats; recent droughts affected marginal agriculture; wildlife threatened by illegal hunting and trade, especially for ivory

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

Kilimanjaro is highest point in Africa; bordered by three of the largest lakes on the continent: Lake Victoria (the world's second-largest freshwater lake) in the north, Lake Tanganyika (the world's second deepest) in the west, and Lake Nyasa in the southwest

People ::Tanzania

Population:

41,048,532 country comparison to the world: 30 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 43% (male 8,853,529/female 8,805,810)

15-64 years: 54.1% (male 10,956,133/female 11,255,868)

65 years and over: 2.9% (male 513,959/female 663,233) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 18 years

male: 17.8 years

female: 18.3 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.04% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 56

Birth rate:

34.29 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 38

Death rate:

12.59 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 35

Net migration rate:

-1.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 131

Urbanization:

urban population: 25% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 4.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 69.28 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 26 male: 76.24 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 62.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 52.01 years country comparison to the world: 203 male: 50.56 years

female: 53.51 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

4.46 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 40

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

6.2% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 12

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

1.4 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 6

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

96,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 7

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria and plague

water contact disease: schistosomiasis

animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Tanzanian(s)

adjective: Tanzanian

Ethnic groups:

mainland - African 99% (of which 95% are Bantu consisting of more than 130 tribes), other 1% (consisting of Asian, European, and Arab); Zanzibar - Arab, African, mixed Arab and African

Religions:

mainland - Christian 30%, Muslim 35%, indigenous beliefs 35%; Zanzibar - more than 99% Muslim

Languages:

Kiswahili or Swahili (official), Kiunguja (name for Swahili in
Zanzibar), English (official, primary language of commerce,
administration, and higher education), Arabic (widely spoken in
Zanzibar), many local languages

note: Kiswahili (Swahili) is the mother tongue of the Bantu people living in Zanzibar and nearby coastal Tanzania; although Kiswahili is Bantu in structure and origin, its vocabulary draws on a variety of sources including Arabic and English; it has become the lingua franca of central and eastern Africa; the first language of most people is one of the local languages

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write Kiswahili (Swahili), English, or Arabic

total population: 69.4%

male: 77.5%

female: 62.2% (2002 census)

Education expenditures:

2.2% of GDP (1999) country comparison to the world: 164

Government ::Tanzania

Country name:

conventional long form: United Republic of Tanzania

conventional short form: Tanzania

local long form: Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania

local short form: Tanzania

former: United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Dar es Salaam

geographic coordinates: 6 48 S, 39 17 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

note: legislative offices have been transferred to Dodoma, which is planned as the new national capital; the National Assembly now meets there on a regular basis

Administrative divisions:

26 regions; Arusha, Dar es Salaam, Dodoma, Iringa, Kagera, Kigoma,
Kilimanjaro, Lindi, Manyara, Mara, Mbeya, Morogoro, Mtwara, Mwanza,
Pemba North, Pemba South, Pwani, Rukwa, Ruvuma, Shinyanga, Singida,
Tabora, Tanga, Zanzibar Central/South, Zanzibar North, Zanzibar
Urban/West

Independence:

26 April 1964; Tanganyika became independent 9 December 1961 (from UK-administered UN trusteeship); Zanzibar became independent 19 December 1963 (from UK); Tanganyika united with Zanzibar 26 April 1964 to form the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar; renamed United Republic of Tanzania 29 October 1964

National holiday:

Union Day (Tanganyika and Zanzibar), 26 April (1964)

Constitution:

25 April 1977; major revisions October 1984

Legal system:

based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts limited to matters of interpretation; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Jakaya KIKWETE (since 21 December 2005); Vice President Dr. Ali Mohammed SHEIN (since 5 July 2001); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Jakaya KIKWETE (since 21 December 2005); Vice President Dr. Ali Mohammed SHEIN (since 5 July 2001)

note: Zanzibar elects a president who is head of government for matters internal to Zanzibar; Amani Abeid KARUME was reelected to that office on 30 October 2005

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members of the National Assembly

elections: president and vice president elected on the same ballot by popular vote for five-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 14 December 2005 (next to be held in December 2010); prime minister appointed by the president

election results: Jakaya KIKWETE elected president; percent of vote - Jakaya KIKWETE 80.3%, Ibrahim LIPUMBA 11.7%, Freeman MBOWE 5.9%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly or Bunge (274 seats; 232 members elected by popular vote, 37 allocated to women nominated by the president, 5 to members of the Zanzibar House of Representatives; to serve five-year terms); note - in addition to enacting laws that apply to the entire United Republic of Tanzania, the Assembly enacts laws that apply only to the mainland; Zanzibar has its own House of Representatives to make laws especially for Zanzibar (the Zanzibar House of Representatives has 50 seats elected by universal suffrage to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 14 December 2005 (next to be held in December 2010)

election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CCM 206, CUF 19, CHADEMA 5, other 2, women appointed by the president 37, Zanzibar representatives 5 Zanzibar House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CCM 30, CUF 19; 1 seat was nullified with a rerun to take place soon

Judicial branch:

Permanent Commission of Enquiry (official ombudsman); Court of Appeal (consists of a chief justice and four judges); High Court (consists of a Jaji Kiongozi and 29 judges appointed by the president; holds regular sessions in all regions); District Courts; Primary Courts (limited jurisdiction and appeals can be made to the higher courts)

Political parties and leaders:

Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Party of Democracy and
Development) or CHADEMA [Bob MAKANI]; Chama Cha Mapinduzi or CCM
(Revolutionary Party) [Jakaya Mrisho KIKWETE]; Civic United Front or
CUF [Ibrahim LIPUMBA]; Democratic Party [Christopher MTIKLA]
(unregistered); Tanzania Labor Party or TLP [Augustine Lyatonga
MREME]; United Democratic Party or UDP [John CHEYO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Economic and Social Research Foundation or ESRF; Free Zanzibar;
Tanzania Media Women's Association or TAMWA

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, EAC, EADB, FAO, G-6, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SADC, UN,
UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO,
UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Ombeni Yohana SEFUE

chancery: 2139 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 939-6125

FAX: [1] (202) 797-7408

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Mark GREEN

embassy: 686 Old Bagamoyo Road, Msasani, Dar es Salaam

mailing address: P. O. Box 9123, Dar es Salaam

telephone: [255] (22) 266-8001

FAX: [255] (22) 266-8238, 266-8373

Flag description:

divided diagonally by a yellow-edged black band from the lower hoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is green and the lower triangle is blue

Economy ::Tanzania

Economy - overview:

Tanzania is in the bottom ten percent of the world's economies in terms of per capita income. The economy depends heavily on agriculture, which accounts for more than 40% of GDP, provides 85% of exports, and employs 80% of the work force. Topography and climatic conditions, however, limit cultivated crops to only 4% of the land area. Industry traditionally featured the processing of agricultural products and light consumer goods. The World Bank, the IMF, and bilateral donors have provided funds to rehabilitate Tanzania's out-of-date economic infrastructure and to alleviate poverty. Long-term growth through 2005 featured a pickup in industrial production and a substantial increase in output of minerals led by gold. Recent banking reforms have helped increase private-sector growth and investment. Continued donor assistance and solid macroeconomic policies supported real GDP growth of 7.1% in 2008.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$54.38 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 88 $50.77 billion (2007 est.)

$47.38 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$20.67 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

7.1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 36 7.1% (2007 est.)

6.7% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,400 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 201 $1,300 (2007 est.)

$1,200 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 27.1%

industry: 22.5%

services: 50.4% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

21.06 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 30

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 80%

industry and services: 20% (2002 est.)

Unemployment rate:

NA%

Population below poverty line:

36% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.9%

highest 10%: 26.9% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

34.6 (2000) country comparison to the world: 89 38.2 (1993)

Investment (gross fixed):

22.6% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 74

Budget:

revenues: $4.099 billion

expenditures: $4.517 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

23.2% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 87 5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

10.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 149 7% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

15.99% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 11 16.4% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

14.98% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 36 16.03% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$2.464 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 66 $2.285 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$3.362 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 79 $3.212 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$3.297 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 88 $2.501 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$NA (31 December 2007)

$541.1 million (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

coffee, sisal, tea, cotton, pyrethrum (insecticide made from chrysanthemums), cashew nuts, tobacco, cloves, corn, wheat, cassava (tapioca), bananas, fruits, vegetables; cattle, sheep, goats

Industries:

agricultural processing (sugar, beer, cigarettes, sisal twine); diamond, gold, and iron mining, salt, soda ash; cement, oil refining, shoes, apparel, wood products, fertilizer

Industrial production growth rate:

9.1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 16

Electricity - production:

3.786 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 119

Electricity - consumption:

3.182 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 123

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

200 million kWh (2007 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 127

Oil - consumption:

32,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 111

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 161

Oil - imports:

28,070 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 104

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 123

Natural gas - production:

560.7 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 67

Natural gas - consumption:

560.7 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 93

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 98

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 122

Natural gas - proved reserves:

6.513 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 85

Current account balance:

-$3.536 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 152 -$1.856 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$2.413 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 129 $2.227 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

gold, coffee, cashew nuts, manufactures, cotton

Exports - partners:

India 8.1%, Japan 6.5%, China 6.3%, UAE 5.7%, Netherlands 5.6%,
Germany 5.1% (2008)

Imports:

$7.08 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 104 $4.861 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

consumer goods, machinery and transportation equipment, industrial raw materials, crude oil

Imports - partners:

China 14.4%, India 9%, South Africa 7.7%, Kenya 6.9%, UAE 5.9% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$2.869 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 95 $2.91 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$6.195 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 100 $4.382 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$NA

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$NA

Exchange rates:

Tanzanian shillings (TZS) per US dollar - 1,178.1 (2008 est.), 1,255 (2007), 1,251.9 (2006), 1,128.93 (2005), 1,089.33 (2004)

Communications ::Tanzania

Telephones - main lines in use:

179,849 (2009) country comparison to the world: 126

Telephones - mobile cellular:

14.723 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 46

Telephone system:

general assessment: telecommunications services are inadequate; system operating below capacity and being modernized for better service; small aperture terminal (VSAT) system under construction

domestic: fixed-line telephone network inadequate with less than 1 connection per 100 persons; mobile-cellular service, aided by multiple providers, is increasing rapidly; trunk service provided by open-wire, microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, and fiber-optic cable; some links being made digital

international: country code - 255; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 12, FM 11, shortwave 2 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

3 (1999)

Internet country code:

.tz

Internet hosts:

24,724 (2009) country comparison to the world: 96

Internet users:

520,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 106

Transportation ::Tanzania

Airports:

125 (2009) country comparison to the world: 47

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 9

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 116

1,524 to 2,437 m: 19

914 to 1,523 m: 63

under 914 m: 34 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 253 km; oil 888 km; refined products 8 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 3,689 km country comparison to the world: 46 narrow gauge: 969 km 1.067-m gauge; 2,720 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 78,891 km country comparison to the world: 60 paved: 6,808 km

unpaved: 72,083 km (2003)

Waterways:

Lake Tanganyika, Lake Victoria, and Lake Nyasa principal avenues of commerce with neighboring countries; rivers not navigable (2007)

Merchant marine:

total: 9 country comparison to the world: 117 by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 4

registered in other countries: 1 (Honduras 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Dar es Salaam

Transportation - note:

the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the Indian Ocean are high risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships; numerous commercial vessels have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; crews have been robbed and stores or cargoes stolen

Military ::Tanzania

Military branches:

Tanzanian People's Defense Force (Jeshi la Wananchi la Tanzania, JWTZ): Army, Naval Wing (includes Coast Guard), Air Defense Command (includes Air Wing), National Service (2007)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service (2007)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 9,108,177 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 5,473,552

females age 16-49: 5,493,188 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 487,742

female: 489,462 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

0.2% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 170

Transnational Issues ::Tanzania

Disputes - international:

Tanzania still hosts more than a half-million refugees, more than any other African country, mainly from Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, despite the international community's efforts at repatriation; disputes with Malawi over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and the meandering Songwe River remain dormant

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 352,640 (Burundi); 127,973 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (2007)

Illicit drugs:

targeted by traffickers moving hashish, Afghan heroin, and South American cocaine transported down the East African coastline, through airports, or overland through Central Africa; Zanzibar likely used by traffickers for drug smuggling; traffickers in the past have recruited Tanzanian couriers to move drugs through Iran into East Asia.

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Thailand (East & Southeast Asia)

Introduction ::Thailand

Background:

A unified Thai kingdom was established in the mid-14th century. Known as Siam until 1939, Thailand is the only Southeast Asian country never to have been taken over by a European power. A bloodless revolution in 1932 led to a constitutional monarchy. In alliance with Japan during World War II, Thailand became a US treaty ally following the conflict. A military coup in September 2006 ousted then Prime Minister THAKSIN Chinnawat. The interim government held elections in December 2007 that saw the former pro-THAKSIN People's Power Party (PPP) emerge at the head of a coalition government. The anti-THAKSIN People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) in May 2008 began street demonstrations against the new government, eventually occupying the prime minister's office in August. Clashes in October 2008 between PAD protesters blocking parliament and police resulted in the death of at least two people. The PAD occupied Bangkok's international airports briefly, ending their protests in early December 2008 following a court ruling that dissolved the ruling PPP and two other coalition parties for election violations. The Democrat Party then formed a new coalition government with the support of some of THAKSIN's former political allies, and ABHISIT Wetchachiwa became prime minister. Since January 2004, thousands have been killed as separatists in Thailand's southern ethnic Malay-Muslim provinces increased the violence associated with their cause.

Geography ::Thailand

Location:

Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of
Thailand, southeast of Burma

Geographic coordinates:

15 00 N, 100 00 E

Map references:

Southeast Asia

Area:

total: 513,120 sq km country comparison to the world: 50 land: 510,890 sq km

water: 2,230 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly more than twice the size of Wyoming

Land boundaries:

total: 4,863 km

border countries: Burma 1,800 km, Cambodia 803 km, Laos 1,754 km, Malaysia 506 km

Coastline:

3,219 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:

tropical; rainy, warm, cloudy southwest monsoon (mid-May to September); dry, cool northeast monsoon (November to mid-March); southern isthmus always hot and humid

Terrain:

central plain; Khorat Plateau in the east; mountains elsewhere

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Gulf of Thailand 0 m

highest point: Doi Inthanon 2,576 m

Natural resources:

tin, rubber, natural gas, tungsten, tantalum, timber, lead, fish, gypsum, lignite, fluorite, arable land

Land use:

arable land: 27.54%

permanent crops: 6.93%

other: 65.53% (2005)

Irrigated land:

49,860 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

409.9 cu km (1999)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 82.75 cu km/yr (2%/2%/95%)

per capita: 1,288 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

land subsidence in Bangkok area resulting from the depletion of the water table; droughts

Environment - current issues:

air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from organic and factory wastes; deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations threatened by illegal hunting

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:

controls only land route from Asia to Malaysia and Singapore

People ::Thailand

Population:

65,905,410 country comparison to the world: 20 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 20.8% (male 7,009,845/female 6,691,470)

15-64 years: 70.5% (male 22,977,945/female 23,512,538)

65 years and over: 8.7% (male 2,594,387/female 3,119,225) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 33.3 years

male: 32.4 years

female: 34.2 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.615% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 148

Birth rate:

13.4 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 155

Death rate:

7.25 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 126

Net migration rate:

NA (2009 est.)

Urbanization:

urban population: 33% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1.7% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 17.63 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 117 male: 18.9 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 16.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 73.1 years country comparison to the world: 110 male: 70.77 years

female: 75.55 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.65 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 178

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

1.4% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 46

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

610,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 18

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

30,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 17

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, Japanese encephalitis, and malaria

animal contact disease: rabies

water contact disease: leptospirosis

note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Thai (singular and plural)

adjective: Thai

Ethnic groups:

Thai 75%, Chinese 14%, other 11%

Religions:

Buddhist 94.6%, Muslim 4.6%, Christian 0.7%, other 0.1% (2000 census)

Languages:

Thai, English (secondary language of the elite), ethnic and regional dialects

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 92.6%

male: 94.9%

female: 90.5% (2000 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 14 years

male: 13 years

female: 14 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

4.2% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 99

Government ::Thailand

Country name:

conventional long form: Kingdom of Thailand

conventional short form: Thailand

local long form: Ratcha Anachak Thai

local short form: Prathet Thai

former: Siam

Government type:

constitutional monarchy

Capital:

name: Bangkok

geographic coordinates: 13 45 N, 100 31 E

time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

76 provinces (changwat, singular and plural); Amnat Charoen, Ang
Thong, Buriram, Chachoengsao, Chai Nat, Chaiyaphum, Chanthaburi,
Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Chon Buri, Chumphon, Kalasin, Kamphaeng
Phet, Kanchanaburi, Khon Kaen, Krabi, Krung Thep Mahanakhon
(Bangkok), Lampang, Lamphun, Loei, Lop Buri, Mae Hong Son, Maha
Sarakham, Mukdahan, Nakhon Nayok, Nakhon Pathom, Nakhon Phanom,
Nakhon Ratchasima, Nakhon Sawan, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Nan,
Narathiwat, Nong Bua Lamphu, Nong Khai, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani,
Pattani, Phangnga, Phatthalung, Phayao, Phetchabun, Phetchaburi,
Phichit, Phitsanulok, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Phrae, Phuket,
Prachin Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Ranong, Ratchaburi, Rayong, Roi
Et, Sa Kaeo, Sakon Nakhon, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, Samut
Songkhram, Sara Buri, Satun, Sing Buri, Sisaket, Songkhla,
Sukhothai, Suphan Buri, Surat Thani, Surin, Tak, Trang, Trat, Ubon
Ratchathani, Udon Thani, Uthai Thani, Uttaradit, Yala, Yasothon

Independence:

1238 (traditional founding date; never colonized)

National holiday:

Birthday of King PHUMIPHON (BHUMIBOL), 5 December (1927)

Constitution:

24 August 2007

Legal system:

based on civil law system with influences of common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:

chief of state: King PHUMIPHON Adunyadet, also spelled BHUMIBOL Adulyadej (since 9 June 1946)

head of government: Prime Minister ABHISIT Wetchachiwa, also spelled ABHISIT Vejjajiva (since 17 December 2008); Deputy Prime Minister KORBSAK Saphawasu, also spelled KORBSAK Sabhavasu (since 22 December 2008); Deputy Prime Minister SANAN Kachornprasat, also spelled SANAN Kachornparsart (since 7 February 2008); Deputy Prime Minister SUTHEP Thueaksuban, also spelled SUTHEP Thaugsuban (since 22 December 2008)

cabinet: Council of Ministers

note: there is also a Privy Council advising the king

elections: monarch is hereditary; according to 2007 constitution, prime minister is elected from among members of House of Representatives; following national elections for House of Representatives, leader of party that could organize a majority coalition usually was appointed prime minister by king; prime minister is limited to two 4-year terms

Legislative branch:

bicameral National Assembly or Rathasapha consisted of the Senate or Wuthisapha (150 seats; 76 members elected by popular vote representing 76 provinces, 74 appointed by judges and independent government bodies; all serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Sapha Phuthaen Ratsadon (480 seats; 400 members elected from 157 multi-seat constituencies and 80 elected on proportional party-list basis of 10 per eight zones or groupings of provinces; all serve four-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held on 2 March 2008 (next to be held in March 2014); House of Representatives - last election held on 23 December 2007 (next to be held by December 2011)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PPP 233, DP 164, TNP 34, Motherland 24, Middle Way 11, Unity 9, Royalist People's 5

note: 74 senators were appointed on 19 February 2008 by a seven-member committee headed by the chief of the Constitutional Court; 76 senators were elected on 2 March 2008; elections to the Senate are non-partisan; registered political party members are disqualified from being senators

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Sandika (judges appointed by the monarch)

Political parties and leaders:

Chat Thai Phattana Party or CP (Thai Nation Development Party)
[CHUMPON Silpa-archa]; Democrat Party or DP (Prachathipat Party)
[ABHISIT Wetchachiwa, also spelled ABHISIT Vejjajiva]; Motherland
Party (Phuea Phaendin Party) [CHANCHAI Chairungrueang]; Phuea Thai
Party (For Thais Party) or PTP [CHAVALIT Yongchaiyudh]; Phumchai
(Bhumjai) Thai Party or PCT (Thai Pride) [CHAVARAT Charnvirakul];
Royalist People's Party (Pracharaj) [SANOH Thienthong]; Ruam Jai
Thai Party (Thai Unity Party) [WANNARAT Channukul]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

People's Alliance for Democracy or PAD; United Front for Democracy
Against Dictatorship

International organization participation:

ADB, APEC, APT, ARF, ASEAN, BIMSTEC, BIS, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC,
MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW,
OSCE (partner), PCA, PIF (partner), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador DON Pramudwinai

chancery: 1024 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 401, Washington, DC 20007

telephone: [1] (202) 944-3600

FAX: [1] (202) 944-3611

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Eric G. JOHN

embassy: 120-122 Wireless Road, Bangkok 10330

mailing address: APO AP 96546

telephone: [66] (2) 205-4000

FAX: [66] (2) 254-2990, 205-4131

consulate(s) general: Chiang Mai

Flag description:

five horizontal bands of red (top), white, blue (double width), white, and red

Economy ::Thailand

Economy - overview:

With a well-developed infrastructure, a free-enterprise economy, and generally pro-investment policies, Thailand was one of East Asia's best performers from 2002-04, averaging more than 6% annual real GDP growth. However, overall economic growth has fallen sharply - averaging 4.9% from 2005 to 2007 - as persistent political crisis stalled infrastructure mega-projects, eroded investor and consumer confidence, and damaged the country's international image. The growth rate fell to 2.6% in 2008. Exports were the key economic driver as foreign investment and consumer demand stalled. Export growth from January 2005 to November 2008 averaged 17.5% annually. Business uncertainty escalated, however, following the September 2006 coup when the military-installed government imposed capital controls and considered far-reaching changes to foreign investment rules and other business legislation. Although controversial capital controls have since been lifted and business rules largely remain unchanged, investor sentiment has not recovered. Moreover, the 2008 global financial crisis further darkened Thailand's economic horizon. Continued political uncertainty will hamper resumption of infrastructure mega-projects.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$548.7 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 25 $534.8 billion (2007 est.)

$509.8 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$273.3 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 137 4.9% (2007 est.)

5.2% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$8,400 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 118 $8,200 (2007 est.)

$7,900 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 11.6%

industry: 45.1%

services: 43.3% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

37.78 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 16

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 42.6%

industry: 20.2%

services: 37.1% (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate:

1.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 8 1.4% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

10% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.6%

highest 10%: 33.7% (2004)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

42 (2002) country comparison to the world: 55

Investment (gross fixed):

27.3% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 35

Budget:

revenues: $48.24 billion

expenditures: $51.33 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

37.9% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 60 47.6% of GDP (November 2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

5.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 94 2.2% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

3.25% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 127 3.75% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

7.04% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 117 7.25% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$28.76 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 29 $28.63 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$237.5 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 13 $224.9 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$274.1 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 26 $263.5 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$102.6 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 39 $196 billion (31 December 2007)

$141.1 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

rice, cassava (tapioca), rubber, corn, sugarcane, coconuts, soybeans

Industries:

tourism, textiles and garments, agricultural processing, beverages, tobacco, cement, light manufacturing such as jewelry and electric appliances, computers and parts, integrated circuits, furniture, plastics, automobiles and automotive parts; world's second-largest tungsten producer and third-largest tin producer

Industrial production growth rate:

3.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 75

Electricity - production:

135.2 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 26

Electricity - consumption:

129.5 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 24

Electricity - exports:

773 million kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

2.784 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

361,300 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 34

Oil - consumption:

942,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 22

Oil - exports:

216,400 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 54

Oil - imports:

826,000 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 17

Oil - proved reserves:

441 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 48

Natural gas - production:

28.76 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 27

Natural gas - consumption:

37.31 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 22

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 107

Natural gas - imports:

8.55 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 26

Natural gas - proved reserves:

317.1 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 39

Current account balance:

-$113 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 79 $15.76 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$175.3 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 29 $150 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

textiles and footwear, fishery products, rice, rubber, jewelry, automobiles, computers and electrical appliances

Exports - partners:

US 11.4%, Japan 11.4%, China 9.2%, Singapore 5.7%, Hong Kong 5.6%,
Malaysia 5.6%, Australia 4.3% (2008)

Imports:

$157.3 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 28 $124.5 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

capital goods, intermediate goods and raw materials, consumer goods, fuels

Imports - partners:

Japan 18.8%, China 11.2%, US 6.4%, UAE 6%, Malaysia 5.5%, Saudi
Arabia 4.1%, Singapore 4% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$111 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 12 $87.46 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$65.09 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 46 $61.74 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$80.83 billion (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 40

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$7.013 billion (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 51

Exchange rates:

baht per US dollar - 33.37 (2008 est.), 34.52 (2007), 37.882 (2006), 40.22 (2005), 40.222 (2004)

Communications ::Thailand

Telephones - main lines in use:

7.024 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 26

Telephones - mobile cellular:

62 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 17

Telephone system:

general assessment: high quality system, especially in urban areas like Bangkok

domestic: fixed line system provided by both a government owned and commercial provider; wireless service expanding rapidly and outpacing fixed lines

international: country code - 66; connected to major submarine cable systems providing links throughout Asia, Australia, Middle East, Europe, and US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 238, FM 351, shortwave 6 (2007)

Television broadcast stations:

111 (2006)

Internet country code:

.th

Internet hosts:

1.231 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 37

Internet users:

16.1 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 23

Transportation ::Thailand

Airports:

105 (2009) country comparison to the world: 56

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 64

over 3,047 m: 8

2,438 to 3,047 m: 11

1,524 to 2,437 m: 24

914 to 1,523 m: 15

under 914 m: 6 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 41

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 13

under 914 m: 27 (2009)

Heliports:

4 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 1,348 km; refined products 323 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 4,071 km country comparison to the world: 41 standard gauge: 29 km 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge: 4,042 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 180,053 km (includes 450 km of expressways) (2006) country comparison to the world: 28

Waterways:

4,000 km country comparison to the world: 27 note: 3,701 km navigable by boats with drafts up to 0.9 m (2008)

Merchant marine:

total: 398 country comparison to the world: 25 by type: bulk carrier 53, cargo 135, chemical tanker 15, container 22, liquefied gas 28, passenger/cargo 10, petroleum tanker 100, refrigerated cargo 32, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 1

foreign-owned: 16 (China 1, Japan 4, Malaysia 3, Singapore 2, Taiwan 1, UK 5)

registered in other countries: 40 (Bahamas 5, Mongolia 1, Panama 10, Singapore 23, Tuvalu 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Bangkok, Laem Chabang, Prachuap Port, Si Racha

Military ::Thailand

Military branches:

Royal Thai Army (Kongthap Bok Thai, RTA), Royal Thai Navy (Kongthap
Ruea Thai, RTN, includes Royal Thai Marine Corps), Royal Thai Air
Force (Kongtap Agard Thai, RTAF) (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

21 years of age for compulsory military service; 18 years of age for voluntary military service; males are registered at 18 years of age; 2-year conscript service obligation (2007)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 17,553,410

females age 16-49: 17,751,268 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 13,086,106

females age 16-49: 14,126,398 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 532,977

female: 510,737 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.8% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 91

Transnational Issues ::Thailand

Disputes - international:

separatist violence in Thailand's predominantly Muslim southern provinces prompt border closures and controls with Malaysia to stem terrorist activities; Southeast Asian states have enhanced border surveillance to check the spread of avian flu; talks continue on completion of demarcation with Laos but disputes remain over several islands in the Mekong River; despite continuing border committee talks, Thailand must deal with Karen and other ethnic rebels, refugees, and illegal cross-border activities, and as of 2006, over 116,000 Karen, Hmong, and other refugees and asylum seekers from Burma; Cambodia and Thailand dispute sections of historic boundary with missing boundary markers; Cambodia claims Thai encroachments into Cambodian territory and obstructing access to Preah Vihear temple ruins awarded to Cambodia by ICJ decision in 1962; Thailand is studying the feasibility of jointly constructing the Hatgyi Dam on the Salween river near the border with Burma; in 2004, international environmentalist pressure prompted China to halt construction of 13 dams on the Salween River that flows through China, Burma, and Thailand

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 132,241 (Burma) (2007)

Illicit drugs:

a minor producer of opium, heroin, and marijuana; transit point for illicit heroin en route to the international drug market from Burma and Laos; eradication efforts have reduced the area of cannabis cultivation and shifted some production to neighboring countries; opium poppy cultivation has been reduced by eradication efforts; also a drug money-laundering center; minor role in methamphetamine production for regional consumption; major consumer of methamphetamine since the 1990s despite a series of government crackdowns

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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@Timor-Leste (East & Southeast Asia)

Introduction ::Timor-Leste

Background:

The Portuguese began to trade with the island of Timor in the early 16th century and colonized it in mid-century. Skirmishing with the Dutch in the region eventually resulted in an 1859 treaty in which Portugal ceded the western portion of the island. Imperial Japan occupied Portuguese Timor from 1942 to 1945, but Portugal resumed colonial authority after the Japanese defeat in World War II. East Timor declared itself independent from Portugal on 28 November 1975 and was invaded and occupied by Indonesian forces nine days later. It was incorporated into Indonesia in July 1976 as the province of Timor Timur (East Timor). An unsuccessful campaign of pacification followed over the next two decades, during which an estimated 100,000 to 250,000 individuals lost their lives. On 30 August 1999, in a UN-supervised popular referendum, an overwhelming majority of the people of Timor-Leste voted for independence from Indonesia. Between the referendum and the arrival of a multinational peacekeeping force in late September 1999, anti-independence Timorese militias - organized and supported by the Indonesian military - commenced a large-scale, scorched-earth campaign of retribution. The militias killed approximately 1,400 Timorese and forcibly pushed 300,000 people into western Timor as refugees. The majority of the country's infrastructure, including homes, irrigation systems, water supply systems, and schools, and nearly 100% of the country's electrical grid were destroyed. On 20 September 1999, the Australian-led peacekeeping troops of the International Force for East Timor (INTERFET) deployed to the country and brought the violence to an end. On 20 May 2002, Timor-Leste was internationally recognized as an independent state. In late April 2006, internal tensions threatened the new nation's security when a military strike led to violence and a near breakdown of law and order in Dili. At the request of the Government of Timor-Leste, an Australian-led International Stabilization Force (ISF) deployed to Timor-Leste in late May. In August, the UN Security Council established the UN Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT), which included an authorized police presence of over 1,600 personnel. The ISF and UNMIT restored stability, allowing the Government of Timor-Leste to hold presidential and parliamentary elections in April and June 2007 in a largely peaceful atmosphere. In February 2008, a rebel group staged an unsuccessful attack against the president and prime minister. The ringleader was killed in the attack and the majority of the rebels surrendered to the government in April 2008.

Geography ::Timor-Leste

Location:

Southeastern Asia, northwest of Australia in the Lesser Sunda
Islands at the eastern end of the Indonesian archipelago; note -
Timor-Leste includes the eastern half of the island of Timor, the
Oecussi (Ambeno) region on the northwest portion of the island of
Timor, and the islands of Pulau Atauro and Pulau Jaco

Geographic coordinates:

8 50 S, 125 55 E

Map references:

Southeast Asia

Area:

total: 14,874 sq km country comparison to the world: 159 land: 14,874 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than Connecticut

Land boundaries:

total: 228 km

border countries: Indonesia 228 km

Coastline:

706 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; hot, humid; distinct rainy and dry seasons

Terrain:

mountainous

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Timor Sea, Savu Sea, and Banda Sea 0 m

highest point: Foho Tatamailau 2,963 m

Natural resources:

gold, petroleum, natural gas, manganese, marble

Land use:

arable land: 8.2%

permanent crops: 4.57%

other: 87.23% (2005)

Irrigated land:

1,065 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

floods and landslides are common; earthquakes; tsunamis; tropical cyclones

Environment - current issues:

widespread use of slash and burn agriculture has led to deforestation and soil erosion

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

Timor comes from the Malay word for "East"; the island of Timor is part of the Malay Archipelago and is the largest and easternmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands

People ::Timor-Leste

Population:

1,131,612 country comparison to the world: 155 note: other estimates range as low as 800,000 (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 34.7% (male 199,237/female 192,900)

15-64 years: 61.9% (male 356,772/female 344,103)

65 years and over: 3.4% (male 18,403/female 20,197) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 21.8 years

male: 21.8 years

female: 21.8 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.027% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 57

Birth rate:

26.25 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 62

Death rate:

5.98 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 163

Net migration rate:

NA (2009 est.)

Urbanization:

urban population: 27% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female

total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 40.65 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 66 male: 46.72 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 34.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 67.27 years country comparison to the world: 155 male: 64.92 years

female: 69.75 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3.28 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 61

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: chikungunya, dengue fever and malaria (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Timorese

adjective: Timorese

Ethnic groups:

Austronesian (Malayo-Polynesian), Papuan, small Chinese minority

Religions:

Roman Catholic 98%, Muslim 1%, Protestant 1% (2005)

Languages:

Tetum (official), Portuguese (official), Indonesian, English

note: there are about 16 indigenous languages; Tetum, Galole, Mambae, and Kemak are spoken by significant numbers of people

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 58.6%

male: NA

female: NA (2002)

Education expenditures:

NA

Government ::Timor-Leste

Country name:

conventional long form: Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste (pronounced TEE-mor LESS-tay)

conventional short form: Timor-Leste

local long form: Republika Demokratika Timor Lorosa'e [Tetum]; Republica Democratica de Timor-Leste [Portuguese]

local short form: Timor Lorosa'e [Tetum]; Timor-Leste [Portuguese]

former: East Timor, Portuguese Timor

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Dili

geographic coordinates: 8 35 S, 125 36 E

time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

13 administrative districts; Aileu, Ainaro, Baucau, Bobonaro
(Maliana), Cova-Lima (Suai), Dili, Ermera (Gleno), Lautem (Los
Palos), Liquica, Manatuto, Manufahi (Same), Oecussi (Ambeno),
Viqueque

note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses)

Independence:

28 November 1975 (independence proclaimed from Portugal); note - 20 May 2002 is the official date of international recognition of Timor-Leste's independence from Indonesia

National holiday:

Independence Day, 28 November (1975)

Constitution:

22 March 2002 (based on the Portuguese model)

Legal system:

UN-drafted legal system based on Indonesian law remains in place but is to be replaced by civil and penal codes based on Portuguese law; these have passed but have not been promulgated; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

17 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Jose RAMOS-HORTA (since 20 May 2007); note - the president plays a largely symbolic role but is able to veto legislation, dissolve parliament, and call national elections

head of government: Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO (since 8 August 2007), note - he formerly used the name Jose Alexandre GUSMAO; Vice Prime Minister Mario Viegas CARRASCALAO (since 5 March 2009); Vice Prime Minister Jose Luis GUTERRES (since 8 August 2007)

cabinet: Council of Ministers

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 9 April 2007 with run-off on 8 May 2007 (next to be held in May 2012); following elections, president appoints leader of majority party or majority coalition as prime minister

election results: Jose RAMOS-HORTA elected president; percent of vote - Jose RAMOS-HORTA 69.2%, Francisco GUTTERES 30.8%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Parliament (number of seats can vary from 52 to 65; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held on 30 June 2007 (next elections due by June 2012)

election results: percent of vote by party - FRETILIN 29%, CNRT 24.1%, ASDT-PSD 15.8%, PD 11.3%, PUN 4.5%, KOTA-PPT (Democratic Alliance) 3.2%, UNDERTIM 3.2%, others 8.9%; seats by party - FRETILIN 21, CNRT 18, ASDT-PSD 11, PD 8, PUN 3, KOTA-PPT 2, UNDERTIM 2

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court of Justice - constitution calls for one judge to be
appointed by National Parliament and rest appointed by Superior
Council for Judiciary; note - until Supreme Court is established,
Court of Appeals is highest court

Political parties and leaders:

Democratic Party or PD [Fernando de ARAUJO]; National Congress for
Timorese Reconstruction or CNRT [Xanana GUSMAO]; National Democratic
Union of Timorese Resistance or UNDERTIM [Cornelio DA Conceicao
GAMA]; National Unity Party or PUN [Fernanda BORGES]; People's Party
of Timor or PPT [Jacob XAVIER]; Revolutionary Front of Independent
Timor-Leste or FRETILIN [Mari ALKATIRI]; Social Democratic
Association of Timor or ASDT [Francisco Xavier do AMARAL]; Social
Democratic Party or PSD [Zacarias Albano da COSTA]; Sons of the
Mountain Warriors or KOTA [Manuel TILMAN] (also known as Association
of Timorese Heroes)

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ACP, ADB, ARF, CPLP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PIF
(observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU,
WCO, WFTU, WHO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Jorge Trindade NEVES de Camoes

chancery: 4201 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 504,Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 966-3202

FAX: [1] (202) 966-3205

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Hans G. KLEMM

embassy: Avenida de Portugal, Praia dos Conqueiros, Dili

mailing address: US Department of State, 8250 Dili Place, Washington, DC 20521-8250

telephone: (670) 332-4684

FAX: (670) 331-3206

Flag description:

red, with a black isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) superimposed on a slightly longer yellow arrowhead that extends to the center of the flag; a white star is in the center of the black triangle

Economy ::Timor-Leste

Economy - overview:

In late 1999, about 70% of the economic infrastructure of Timor-Leste was laid waste by Indonesian troops and anti-independence militias. Three hundred thousand people fled westward. Over the next three years a massive international program, manned by 5,000 peacekeepers (8,000 at peak) and 1,300 police officers, led to substantial reconstruction in both urban and rural areas. By the end of 2005, refugees had returned or had settled in Indonesia. The country continues to face great challenges in rebuilding its infrastructure, strengthening the civil administration, and generating jobs for young people entering the work force. The development of oil and gas resources in offshore waters has begun to supplement government revenues ahead of schedule and above expectations. The technology-intensive industry, however, has done little to create jobs for the unemployed because there are no production facilities in Timor. Gas is piped to Australia. In June 2005, the National Parliament unanimously approved the creation of a Petroleum Fund to serve as a repository for all petroleum revenues and preserve the value of Timor-Leste's petroleum wealth for future generations. The Fund held assets of US$3.9 billion as of October 2008. The economy is recovering from the mid-2006 outbreak of violence and civil unrest, which disrupted both private and public sector economic activity. The government in 2008 resettled tens of thousands of an estimated 100,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) and planned for all IDPs to return home by early 2009. The underlying economic policy challenge the country faces remains how best to use oil-and-gas wealth to lift the non-oil economy onto a higher growth path and to reduce poverty.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$2.526 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 179 $2.239 billion (2007 est.)

$2.066 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$499 million (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

12.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 4 8.4% (2007 est.)

-5.8% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$2,300 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 180 $2,100 (2007 est.)

$1,900 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 32.2%

industry: 12.8%

services: 55% (2005)

Labor force:

NA

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 90%

industry: NA%

services: NA% (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate:

20% (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 165 note: data are for rural areas, unemployment rises to more than 40% among urban youth

Population below poverty line:

42% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

38 country comparison to the world: 75

Budget:

revenues: $733 million

expenditures: $309 million

note: the government in 2008 moved to a fiscal year calendar; it passed a supplementary spending package to cover the latter half of 2008 (FY06/07 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

7.8% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 124

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

13.11% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 41 15.05% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$102.8 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 111 $74.94 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$89.88 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 122 $68.78 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$NA (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

coffee, rice, corn, cassava, sweet potatoes, soybeans, cabbage, mangoes, bananas, vanilla

Industries:

printing, soap manufacturing, handicrafts, woven cloth

Industrial production growth rate:

8.5% (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 18

Electricity - production:

kWh NA

Electricity - consumption:

kWh NA

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2007 est.)

Oil - production:

100,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 52

Oil - consumption:

NA bbl/day

Oil - proved reserves:

553.8 million bbl (1 January 2008) country comparison to the world: 46

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 121

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 128

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 100

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 124

Natural gas - proved reserves:

200 billion cu m (1 January 2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 44

Current account balance:

$1.161 billion (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 46

Exports:

$10 million (2005 est.); note - excludes oil country comparison to the world: 210

Exports - commodities:

coffee, sandalwood, marble; note - potential for oil and vanilla exports

Imports:

$202 million (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 199

Imports - commodities:

food, gasoline, kerosene, machinery

Exchange rates:

the US dollar is used

Communications ::Timor-Leste

Telephones - main lines in use:

2,400 (2008) country comparison to the world: 221

Telephones - mobile cellular:

101,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 182

Telephone system:

general assessment: rudimentary service limited to urban areas

domestic: system suffered significant damage during the violence associated with independence; extremely limited fixed-line services; mobile-cellular services and coverage limited primarily to urban areas

international: country code - 670; international service is available in major urban centers

Radio broadcast stations:

at least 21 (Timor-Leste has one national public broadcaster and 20 community and church radio stations - station frequency types NA) (2007)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (Timor-Leste has one national public broadcaster)

Internet country code:

.tl

Internet hosts:

169 (2009) country comparison to the world: 192

Internet users:

1,800 (2008) country comparison to the world: 210

Transportation ::Timor-Leste

Airports:

6 (2009) country comparison to the world: 172

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 2

under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Heliports:

8 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 6,040 km country comparison to the world: 149 paved: 2,600 km

unpaved: 3,440 km (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 1 country comparison to the world: 156 by type: passenger/cargo 1 (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Dili

Military ::Timor-Leste

Military branches:

Timor-Leste Defense Force (Forcas de Defesa de Timor-L'este,
Falintil (F-FDTL)): Army, Navy (Armada) (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 284,903

females age 16-49: 272,212 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 230,534

females age 16-49: 238,610 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 12,887

female: 12,529 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

NA

Transnational Issues ::Timor-Leste

Disputes - international:

Timor-Leste-Indonesia Boundary Committee has resolved all but a small portion of the land boundary, but discussions on maritime boundaries are stalemated over sovereignty of the uninhabited coral island of Pulau Batek/Fatu Sinai in the north and alignment with Australian claims in the south; many refugees who left Timor-Leste in 2003 still reside in Indonesia and refuse repatriation; Australia and Timor-Leste agreed in 2005 to defer the disputed portion of the boundary for 50 years and to split hydrocarbon revenues evenly outside the Joint Petroleum Development Area covered by the 2002 Timor Sea Treaty

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

IDPs: 100,000 (2007)

Illicit drugs:

NA

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Togo (Africa)

Introduction ::Togo

Background:

French Togoland became Togo in 1960. Gen. Gnassingbe EYADEMA, installed as military ruler in 1967, ruled Togo with a heavy hand for almost four decades. Despite the facade of multiparty elections instituted in the early 1990s, the government was largely dominated by President EYADEMA, whose Rally of the Togolese People (RPT) party has maintained power almost continually since 1967 and maintains a majority of seats in today's legislature. Upon EYADEMA's death in February 2005, the military installed the president's son, Faure GNASSINGBE, and then engineered his formal election two months later. Democratic gains since then allowed Togo to hold its first relatively free and fair legislative elections in October 2007. After years of political unrest and fire from international organizations for human rights abuses, Togo is finally being re-welcomed into the international community.

Geography ::Togo

Location:

Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Benin and Ghana

Geographic coordinates:

8 00 N, 1 10 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 56,785 sq km country comparison to the world: 125 land: 54,385 sq km

water: 2,400 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than West Virginia

Land boundaries:

total: 1,647 km

border countries: Benin 644 km, Burkina Faso 126 km, Ghana 877 km

Coastline:

56 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 30 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north

Terrain:

gently rolling savanna in north; central hills; southern plateau; low coastal plain with extensive lagoons and marshes

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mont Agou 986 m

Natural resources:

phosphates, limestone, marble, arable land

Land use:

arable land: 44.2%

permanent crops: 2.11%

other: 53.69% (2005)

Irrigated land:

70 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

14.7 cu km (2001)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.17 cu km/yr (53%/2%/45%)

per capita: 28 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

hot, dry harmattan wind can reduce visibility in north during winter; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:

deforestation attributable to slash-and-burn agriculture and the use of wood for fuel; water pollution presents health hazards and hinders the fishing industry; air pollution increasing in urban areas

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

the country's length allows it to stretch through six distinct geographic regions; climate varies from tropical to savanna

People ::Togo

Population:

6,019,877 country comparison to the world: 107 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 41.5% (male 1,252,662/female 1,245,379)

15-64 years: 55.7% (male 1,640,982/female 1,714,278)

65 years and over: 2.8% (male 65,427/female 101,149) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 18.7 years

male: 18.3 years

female: 19.2 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.711% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 21

Birth rate:

36.44 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 33

Death rate:

9.33 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 76

Net migration rate:

NA (2009 est.)

Urbanization:

urban population: 42% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 4.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female

total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 56.24 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 42 male: 63.5 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 48.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 58.69 years country comparison to the world: 187 male: 56.56 years

female: 60.88 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

4.79 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 34

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

3.3% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 21

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

130,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 40

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

9,100 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 35

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever

water contact disease: schistosomiasis

respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis

animal contact disease: rabies

note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Togolese (singular and plural)

adjective: Togolese

Ethnic groups:

African (37 tribes; largest and most important are Ewe, Mina, and
Kabre) 99%, European and Syrian-Lebanese less than 1%

Religions:

Christian 29%, Muslim 20%, indigenous beliefs 51%

Languages:

French (official and the language of commerce), Ewe and Mina (the two major African languages in the south), Kabye (sometimes spelled Kabiye) and Dagomba (the two major African languages in the north)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 60.9%

male: 75.4%

female: 46.9% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 9 years

male: 11 years

female: 7 years (2000)

Education expenditures:

2.6% of GDP (2002) country comparison to the world: 156

Government ::Togo

Country name:

conventional long form: Togolese Republic

conventional short form: Togo

local long form: Republique togolaise

local short form: none

former: French Togoland

Government type:

republic under transition to multiparty democratic rule

Capital:

name: Lome

geographic coordinates: 6 08 N, 1 13 E

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

5 regions (regions, singular - region); Centrale, Kara, Maritime, Plateaux, Savanes

Independence:

27 April 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 27 April (1960)

Constitution:

adopted by public referendum 27 September 1992

Legal system:

French-based court system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal (adult)

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Faure GNASSINGBE (since 4 May 2005); note - Gnassingbe EYADEMA died on 5 February 2005 and was succeeded by his son, Faure GNASSINGBE, with the support of the military; following international condemnation for the unconstitutional move he then stepped aside pending elections, and Abass BONFOH served as interim president; Faure GNASSINGBE later won popular elections in April 2005

head of government: Prime Minister Gilbert HOUNGBO (since 7 September 2008)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president and the prime minister

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (no term limits); election last held 24 April 2005 (next to be held in April 2010); prime minister appointed by the president

election results: Faure GNASSINGBE elected president; percent of vote - Faure GNASSINGBE 60.2%, Emmanuel Akitani BOB 38.3%, Nicolas LAWSON 1%, Harry OLYMPIO 0.5%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly (81 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held on 14 October 2007 (next to be held in 2012)

election results: percent of vote by party - RPT 39.4%, UFC 37.0%, CAR 8.2%, independents 2.5%, other 12.9%; seats by party - RPT 50, UFC 27, CAR 4

Judicial branch:

Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Political parties and leaders:

Action Committee for Renewal or CAR [Yawovi AGBOYIBO]; Democratic
Convention of African Peoples or CDPA; Democratic Party for Renewal
or PDR; Juvento [Monsilia DJATO]; Movement of the Believers of Peace
and Equality or MOCEP; Pan-African Patriotic Convergence or CPP;
Rally for the Support for Development and Democracy or RSDD [Harry
OLYMPIO]; Rally of the Togolese People or RPT [Faure GNASSINGBE];
Socialist Pact for Renewal or PSR; Union for Democracy and Social
Progress or UDPS [Gagou KOKOU]; Union of Forces for a Change or UFC
[Gilchrist OLYMPIO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF,
OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO,
UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Kadangha Limbiya BARIKI

chancery: 2208 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 234-4212

FAX: [1] (202) 232-3190

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Patricia McMahon HAWKINS

embassy: 4332 Blvd. Gnassingbe Eyadema, Cite OUA, Lome

mailing address: B. P. 852, Lome; 2300 Lome Place, Washington, DC 20512-2300

telephone: [228] 261-5470

FAX: [228] 261-5501

Flag description:

five equal horizontal bands of green (top and bottom) alternating with yellow; a white five-pointed star on a red square is in the upper hoist-side corner; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Economy ::Togo

Economy - overview:

This small, sub-Saharan economy is heavily dependent on both commercial and subsistence agriculture, which provides employment for 65% of the labor force. Some basic foodstuffs must still be imported. Cocoa, coffee, and cotton generate about 40% of export earnings with cotton being the most important cash crop. Togo is the world's fourth-largest producer of phosphate. The government's decade-long effort, supported by the World Bank and the IMF, to implement economic reform measures, encourage foreign investment, and bring revenues in line with expenditures has moved slowly. Progress depends on follow through on privatization, increased openness in government financial operations, progress toward legislative elections, and continued support from foreign donors. Togo is working with donors to write a Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) that could eventually lead to a debt reduction plan. Economic growth remains marginal due to declining cotton production, underinvestment in phosphate mining, and strained relations with donors.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$5.13 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 158 $5.074 billion (2007 est.)

$4.98 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$2.89 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

1.1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 172 1.9% (2007 est.)

3.9% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$900 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 216 $900 (2007 est.)

$900 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 40%

industry: 25%

services: 35% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

2.595 million (2007) country comparison to the world: 108

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 65%

industry: 5%

services: 30% (1998 est.)

Unemployment rate:

NA%

Population below poverty line:

32% (1989 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Investment (gross fixed):

20.2% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 107

Budget:

revenues: $438.1 million

expenditures: $519.9 million (2008 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

8.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 136 1% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

4.75% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 118 4.25% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

NA%

Stock of money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$624.9 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$383.9 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$674,300 (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 129 $590.7 million (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

coffee, cocoa, cotton, yams, cassava (tapioca), corn, beans, rice, millet, sorghum; livestock; fish

Industries:

phosphate mining, agricultural processing, cement, handicrafts, textiles, beverages

Industrial production growth rate:

3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 80

Electricity - production:

230 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 174

Electricity - consumption:

640 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 153

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

514 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by Ghana (2007 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 129

Oil - consumption:

20,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 125

Oil - exports:

1,547 bbl/day (2005) country comparison to the world: 118

Oil - imports:

15,270 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 123

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 125

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 123

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 130

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 103

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 126

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 129

Current account balance:

-$272 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 96 -$154 million (2007 est.)

Exports:

$777 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 156 $702 million (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

reexports, cotton, phosphates, coffee, cocoa

Exports - partners:

Ghana 12.7%, Burkina Faso 11%, Germany 9.8%, South Africa 7.3%,
Benin 6.9%, India 6.3%, Brazil 4.9%, Belgium 4.8%, Mali 4.4%,
Netherlands 4.3% (2008)

Imports:

$1.541 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 160 $1.264 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products

Imports - partners:

China 34.2%, Netherlands 7.5%, France 6.8%, India 6.5%, Thailand 4.9% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$580 million (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 137 $438 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$2 billion (2005) country comparison to the world: 136

Exchange rates:

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 447.81 (2008 est.), 482.71 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004)

note: since 1 January 1999, the West African CFA franc (XOF) has been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 CFA francs per euro; West African CFA franc (XOF) coins and banknotes are not accepted in countries using Central African CFA francs (XAF), and vice versa, even though the two currencies trade at par

Communications ::Togo

Telephones - main lines in use:

140,900 (2008) country comparison to the world: 136

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1.547 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 131

Telephone system:

general assessment: fair system based on a network of microwave radio relay routes supplemented by open-wire lines and a mobile-cellular system

domestic: microwave radio relay and open-wire lines for conventional system; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity roughly 30 telephones per 100 persons

international: country code - 228; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Symphonie

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

3 (plus 2 repeaters) (1997)

Internet country code:

.tg

Internet hosts:

784 (2009) country comparison to the world: 163

Internet users:

350,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 120

Transportation ::Togo

Airports:

8 (2009) country comparison to the world: 162

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 6

914 to 1,523 m: 4

under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Railways:

total: 532 km country comparison to the world: 114 narrow gauge: 532 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 7,520 km country comparison to the world: 145 paved: 2,376 km

unpaved: 5,144 km (2000)

Waterways:

50 km (seasonally on Mono River depending on rainfall) (2008) country comparison to the world: 104

Merchant marine:

total: 10 country comparison to the world: 113 by type: cargo 9, refrigerated cargo 1

foreign-owned: 6 (Bangladesh 1, Denmark 1, Egypt 1, Lebanon 1, Syria 2) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Kpeme, Lome

Military ::Togo

Military branches:

Togolese Armed Forces (Forces Armees Togolaise, FAT): Ground Forces,
Togolese Navy (Marine du Togo), Togolese Air Force (Force Aerienne
Togolaise, FAT), National Gendarmerie (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for selective compulsory and voluntary military service; 2-year service obligation (2006)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,365,505

females age 16-49: 1,374,993 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 929,395

females age 16-49: 943,967 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 70,775

female: 70,051 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.6% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 102

Transnational Issues ::Togo

Disputes - international:

in 2001, Benin claimed Togo moved boundary monuments - joint commission continues to resurvey the boundary; in 2006, 14,000 Togolese refugees remain in Benin and Ghana out of the 40,000 who fled there in 2005

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 5,000 (Ghana)

IDPs: 1,500 (2007)

Illicit drugs:

transit hub for Nigerian heroin and cocaine traffickers; money laundering not a significant problem

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Tokelau (Australia-Oceania)

Introduction ::Tokelau

Background:

Originally settled by Polynesian emigrants from surrounding island groups, the Tokelau Islands were made a British protectorate in 1889. They were transferred to New Zealand administration in 1925. Referenda held in 2006 and 2007 to change the status of the islands from that of a New Zealand territory to one of free association with New Zealand did not meet the needed threshold for approval.

Geography ::Tokelau

Location:

Oceania, group of three atolls in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Geographic coordinates:

9 00 S, 172 00 W

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 12 sq km country comparison to the world: 240 land: 12 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

about 17 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

101 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; moderated by trade winds (April to November)

Terrain:

low-lying coral atolls enclosing large lagoons

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed location 5 m

Natural resources:

NEGL

Land use:

arable land: 0% (soil is thin and infertile)

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

lies in Pacific typhoon belt

Environment - current issues:

limited natural resources and overcrowding are contributing to emigration to New Zealand

Geography - note:

consists of three atolls (Atafu, Fakaofo, Nukunonu), each with a lagoon surrounded by a number of reef-bound islets of varying length and rising to over 3 m above sea level

People ::Tokelau

Population:

1,416 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 232

Age structure:

0-14 years: 42%

15-64 years: 53%

65 years and over: 5% (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.011% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 203

Birth rate:

NA

Death rate:

NA

Net migration rate:

NA (2009 est.)

Urbanization:

urban population: 0% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 0% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

NA (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: NA

male: NA

female: NA (2008 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Total fertility rate:

NA (2008 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Tokelauan(s)

adjective: Tokelauan

Ethnic groups:

Polynesian

Religions:

Congregational Christian Church 70%, Roman Catholic 28%, other 2%

note: on Atafu, all Congregational Christian Church of Samoa; on Nukunonu, all Roman Catholic; on Fakaofo, both denominations, with the Congregational Christian Church predominant

Languages:

Tokelauan (a Polynesian language), English

Literacy:

NA

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 11 years

male: 10 years

female: 11 years (2004)

Education expenditures:

NA

Government ::Tokelau

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Tokelau

Dependency status:

self-administering territory of New Zealand; note - Tokelau and New Zealand have agreed to a draft constitution as Tokelau moves toward free association with New Zealand; a UN-sponsored referendum on self governance in October 2007 did not produce the two-thirds majority vote necessary for changing the political status

Government type:

NA

Capital:

none; each atoll has its own administrative center

time difference: UTC-11 (6 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

none (territory of New Zealand)

Independence:

none (territory of New Zealand)

National holiday:

Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840)

Constitution:

administered under the Tokelau Islands Act of 1948; amended in 1970

Legal system:

New Zealand and local statutes

Suffrage:

21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General of New Zealand Anand SATYANAND (since 23 August 2006); New Zealand is represented by Administrator David PAYTON (since 17 October 2006)

head of government: Foua TOLOA (since 21 February 2009); note - position rotates annually among the 3 Faipule (village leaders)

cabinet: the Council for the Ongoing Government of Tokelau, consisting of 3 Faipule (village leaders) and 3 Pulenuku (village mayors), functions as a cabinet

elections: the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade in New Zealand; the head of government is chosen from the Council of Faipule and serves a one-year term

Legislative branch:

unicameral General Fono (20 seats; based upon proportional representation from the three islands elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; Atafu has seven seats, Fakaofo has seven seats, Nukunonu has six seats); note - the Tokelau Amendment Act of 1996 confers limited legislative power to the General Fono

elections: last held 17-19 January 2008 (next to be held in 2011)

election results: independents 20

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court in New Zealand exercises civil and criminal jurisdiction in Tokelau

Political parties and leaders:

none

Political pressure groups and leaders:

none

International organization participation:

PIF (observer), SPC, UNESCO (associate), UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (territory of New Zealand)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (territory of New Zealand)

Flag description:

a yellow stylized Tokelauan canoe on a dark blue field sails toward the manu - the Southern Cross constellation of four, white, five-pointed stars at the hoist side; the Southern Cross represents the role of Christianity in Tokelauan culture and symbolizes the country's navigating into the future, the color yellow indicates happiness and peace, and the blue field represents the ocean on which the community relies

Economy ::Tokelau

Economy - overview:

Tokelau's small size (three villages), isolation, and lack of resources greatly restrain economic development and confine agriculture to the subsistence level. The people rely heavily on aid from New Zealand - about $4 million annually - to maintain public services with annual aid being substantially greater than GDP. The principal sources of revenue come from sales of copra, postage stamps, souvenir coins, and handicrafts. Money is also remitted to families from relatives in New Zealand.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$1.5 million (1993 est.) country comparison to the world: 228

GDP (official exchange rate):

$NA

GDP - real growth rate:

NA%

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,000 (1993 est.) country comparison to the world: 213

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Labor force:

440 (2001) country comparison to the world: 220

Unemployment rate:

NA%

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Budget:

revenues: $430,800

expenditures: $2.8 million (1987 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

NA%

Agriculture - products:

coconuts, copra, breadfruit, papayas, bananas; pigs, poultry, goats; fish

Industries:

small-scale enterprises for copra production, woodworking, plaited craft goods; stamps, coins; fishing

Electricity - production:

NA kWh

Electricity - consumption:

NA kWh

Exports:

$0 (2002) country comparison to the world: 223

Exports - commodities:

stamps, copra, handicrafts

Imports:

$969,200 (2002) country comparison to the world: 218

Imports - commodities:

foodstuffs, building materials, fuel

Exchange rates:

New Zealand dollars (NZD) per US dollar - 1.4151 (2008 est.), 1.3811 (2007), 1.5408 (2006), 1.4203 (2005), 1.5087 (2004)

Communications ::Tokelau

Telephones - main lines in use:

300 (2008) country comparison to the world: 228

Telephone system:

general assessment: modern satellite-based communications system

domestic: radiotelephone service between islands

international: country code - 690; radiotelephone service to Samoa; government-regulated telephone service (TeleTok); satellite earth stations - 3

Radio broadcast stations:

AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA (one radio station provides service to all islands) (2002)

Internet country code:

.tk

Internet hosts:

360 (2009) country comparison to the world: 177

Internet users:

800 (2008) country comparison to the world: 215

Transportation ::Tokelau

Ports and terminals:

none; offshore anchorage only

Military ::Tokelau

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of New Zealand

Transnational Issues ::Tokelau

Disputes - international:

Tokelau included American Samoa's Swains Island (Olohega) in its 2006 draft constitution

page last updated on November 10, 2009

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

@Tonga (Australia-Oceania)

Introduction ::Tonga

Background:

Tonga - unique among Pacific nations - never completely lost its indigenous governance. The archipelagos of "The Friendly Islands" were united into a Polynesian kingdom in 1845. Tonga became a constitutional monarchy in 1875 and a British protectorate in 1900; it withdrew from the protectorate and joined the Commonwealth of Nations in 1970. Tonga remains the only monarchy in the Pacific.

Geography ::Tonga

Location:

Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Geographic coordinates:

20 00 S, 175 00 W

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 747 sq km country comparison to the world: 189 land: 717 sq km

water: 30 sq km

Area - comparative:

four times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

419 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:

tropical; modified by trade winds; warm season (December to May), cool season (May to December)

Terrain:

most islands have limestone base formed from uplifted coral formation; others have limestone overlying volcanic base

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed location on Kao Island 1,033 m

Natural resources:

fish, fertile soil

Land use:

arable land: 20%

permanent crops: 14.67%

other: 65.33% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

cyclones (October to April); earthquakes and volcanic activity on Fonuafo'ou

Environment - current issues:

deforestation results as more and more land is being cleared for agriculture and settlement; some damage to coral reefs from starfish and indiscriminate coral and shell collectors; overhunting threatens native sea turtle populations

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

archipelago of 169 islands (36 inhabited)

People ::Tonga

Population:

120,898 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 188

Age structure:

0-14 years: 32.8% (male 20,270/female 19,428)

15-64 years: 62.9% (male 37,837/female 38,166)

65 years and over: 4.3% (male 2,163/female 3,034) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 22.3 years

male: 21.8 years

female: 22.8 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.482% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 92

Birth rate:

19.84 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 100

Death rate:

5.02 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 190

Net migration rate:

NA (2009 est.)

Urbanization:

urban population: 25% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 11.58 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 147 male: 12.74 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 10.35 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 70.73 years country comparison to the world: 140 male: 68.18 years

female: 73.41 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.25 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 112

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Tongan(s)

adjective: Tongan

Ethnic groups:

Polynesian, Europeans

Religions:

Christian (Free Wesleyan Church claims over 30,000 adherents)

Languages:

Tongan, English

Literacy:

definition: can read and write Tongan and/or English

total population: 98.9%

male: 98.8%

female: 99% (1999 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 13 years

male: 13 years

female: 13 years (2004)

Education expenditures:

5% of GDP (2004) country comparison to the world: 71

Government ::Tonga

Country name:

conventional long form: Kingdom of Tonga

conventional short form: Tonga

local long form: Pule'anga Tonga

local short form: Tonga

former: Friendly Islands

Government type:

constitutional monarchy

Capital:

name: Nuku'alofa

geographic coordinates: 21 08 S, 175 12 W

time difference: UTC+13 (18 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

3 island groups; Ha'apai, Tongatapu, Vava'u

Independence:

4 June 1970 (from UK protectorate)

National holiday:

Emancipation Day, 4 June (1970)

Constitution:

4 November 1875; revised 1 January 1967

Legal system:

based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: King George TUPOU V (since 11 September 2006)

head of government: Prime Minister Dr. Feleti SEVELE (since 11 February 2006); Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Viliami TANGI (since 16 May 2006)

cabinet: Cabinet consists of 14 members, 10 appointed by the monarch for life; 4 appointed from among the elected members of the Legislative Assembly, including 2 each from the nobles' and peoples' representatives serving three-year terms

note: there is also a Privy Council that consists of the monarch, the cabinet, and 2 governors

elections: the monarch is hereditary; prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the monarch

Legislative branch:

unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fale Alea (32 seats - 14 reserved for cabinet ministers sitting ex officio, 9 for nobles selected by the country's 33 nobles, and 9 elected by popular vote; members serve three-year terms)

elections: last held on 23-24 April 2008 (next to be held in 2011)

election results: Peoples Representatives: percent of vote - independents 54%, THRDM 28%, PDP 14%; seats - THRDM 4, independents 3, PDP 2

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the monarch); Court of Appeal (Chief Justice and high court justices from overseas chosen and approved by Privy Council)

Political parties and leaders:

Tonga Human Rights and Democracy Movement or THRDM [Uliti UATA];
People's Democratic Party or PDP [Tesina FUKO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Human Rights and Democracy Movement Tonga or HRDMT [Rev. Simote VEA, chairman]; Public Servant's Association [Finau TUTONE]

International organization participation:

ACP, ADB, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
IHO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, ITUC, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca,
SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Viliami MALOLO

chancery: 250 East 51st Street, New York, NY 10022

telephone: [1] (917) 369-1025

FAX: [1] (917) 369-1024

consulate(s) general: San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:

the US does not have an embassy in Tonga; the ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Tonga

Flag description:

red with a bold red cross on a white rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner

Economy ::Tonga

Economy - overview:

Tonga has a small, open, South Pacific island economy. It has a narrow export base in agricultural goods. Squash, vanilla beans, and yams are the main crops. Agricultural exports, including fish, make up two-thirds of total exports. The country must import a high proportion of its food, mainly from New Zealand. The country remains dependent on external aid and remittances from Tongan communities overseas to offset its trade deficit. Tourism is the second-largest source of hard currency earnings following remittances. Tonga had 41,000 visitors in 2004. The government is emphasizing the development of the private sector, especially the encouragement of investment, and is committing increased funds for health and education. Tonga has a reasonably sound basic infrastructure and well developed social services. High unemployment among the young, a continuing upturn in inflation, pressures for democratic reform, and rising civil service expenditures are major issues facing the government.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$548.1 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 212 $543.7 million (2007 est.)

$545.4 million (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$258 million (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

0.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 186 -0.3% (2007 est.)

3.2% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$4,600 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 145 $4,600 (2007 est.)

$4,800 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 25%

industry: 17%

services: 57% (FY05/06 est.)

Labor force:

39,960 (2007) country comparison to the world: 189

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 31.8%

industry: 30.6%

services: 37.6% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate:

13% (FY03/04 est.) country comparison to the world: 143

Population below poverty line:

24% (FY03/04)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $80.48 million

expenditures: $109.8 million (FY07/08 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

5.9% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 100

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

12.46% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 68 12.16% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$36.16 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 117 $46.38 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$100.7 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 120 $106.8 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$163.1 million (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

squash, coconuts, copra, bananas, vanilla beans, cocoa, coffee, ginger, black pepper; fish

Industries:

tourism, construction, fishing

Industrial production growth rate:

1% (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 122

Electricity - production:

43 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 199

Electricity - consumption:

39.99 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 199

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 130

Oil - consumption:

1,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 191

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 164

Oil - imports:

1,173 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 186

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 126

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 124

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 131

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 104

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 127

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 130

Current account balance:

-$23 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 66

Exports:

$22 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 203

Exports - commodities:

squash, fish, vanilla beans, root crops

Exports - partners:

US 29.6%, Japan 12%, NZ 12%, Fiji 7.1%, Samoa 6%, Australia 4.8%,
South Korea 4.4%, Hong Kong 4.3% (2008)

Imports:

$139 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 204

Imports - commodities:

foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, fuels, chemicals

Imports - partners:

Fiji 36.8%, NZ 23.9%, US 9.3%, Australia 8.8%, China 4.9% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$40.83 million (yearend, FY04/05) country comparison to the world: 153

Debt - external:

$80.7 million (2004) country comparison to the world: 189

Exchange rates:

pa'anga (TOP) per US dollar - NA (2007), 2.0277 (2006), 1.96 (2005), 1.9716 (2004), 2.142 (2003)

Communications ::Tonga

Telephones - main lines in use:

25,500 (2008) country comparison to the world: 183

Telephones - mobile cellular:

50,500 (2008) country comparison to the world: 193

Telephone system:

general assessment: competition between Tonga Telecommunications Corporation (TCC) and Shoreline Communications Tonga (SCT) is accelerating expansion of telecommunications; SCT granted approval to introduce high-speed digital service for telephone, Internet, and television while TCC has exclusive rights to operate the mobile-phone network; international telecom services are provided by government-owned Tonga Telecommunications International (TTI)

domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity exceeds 60 telephones per 100 persons; fully automatic switched network

international: country code - 676; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2007)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)

Television broadcast stations:

3 (2004)

Internet country code:

.to

Internet hosts:

20,107 (2009) country comparison to the world: 104

Internet users:

8,400 (2008) country comparison to the world: 201

Transportation ::Tonga

Airports:

6 (2009) country comparison to the world: 171

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 5

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 680 km country comparison to the world: 188 paved: 184 km

unpaved: 496 km (2000)

Merchant marine:

total: 13 country comparison to the world: 109 by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 8, carrier 1, liquefied gas 1, passenger/cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 1

foreign-owned: 4 (Australia 1, Cyprus 1, Switzerland 1, UK 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Nuku'alofa

Military ::Tonga

Military branches:

Tonga Defense Services (TDS): Land Force (Royal Guard), Naval Force (includes Royal Marines, Air Wing) (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 32,053

females age 16-49: 30,981 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 26,471

females age 16-49: 27,715 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 1,458

female: 1,403 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

0.9% of GDP (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 144

Transnational Issues ::Tonga

Disputes - international:

none

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Trinidad and Tobago (Central America and Caribbean)

Introduction ::Trinidad and Tobago

Background:

First colonized by the Spanish, the islands came under British control in the early 19th century. The islands' sugar industry was hurt by the emancipation of the slaves in 1834. Manpower was replaced with the importation of contract laborers from India between 1845 and 1917, which boosted sugar production as well as the cocoa industry. The discovery of oil on Trinidad in 1910 added another important export. Independence was attained in 1962. The country is one of the most prosperous in the Caribbean thanks largely to petroleum and natural gas production and processing. Tourism, mostly in Tobago, is targeted for expansion and is growing. The government is coping with a rise in violent crime.

Geography ::Trinidad and Tobago

Location:

Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic
Ocean, northeast of Venezuela

Geographic coordinates:

11 00 N, 61 00 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 5,128 sq km country comparison to the world: 173 land: 5,128 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Delaware

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

362 km

Maritime claims:

measured from claimed archipelagic baselines

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the outer edge of the continental margin

Climate:

tropical; rainy season (June to December)

Terrain:

mostly plains with some hills and low mountains

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: El Cerro del Aripo 940 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, natural gas, asphalt

Land use:

arable land: 14.62%

permanent crops: 9.16%

other: 76.22% (2005)

Irrigated land:

40 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

3.8 cu km (2000)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.31 cu km/yr (68%/26%/6%)

per capita: 237 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

outside usual path of hurricanes and other tropical storms

Environment - current issues:

water pollution from agricultural chemicals, industrial wastes, and raw sewage; oil pollution of beaches; deforestation; soil erosion

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

Pitch Lake, on Trinidad's southwestern coast, is the world's largest natural reservoir of asphalt

People ::Trinidad and Tobago

Population:

1,229,953 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 154

Age structure:

0-14 years: 19.6% (male 123,214/female 117,584)

15-64 years: 72.6% (male 457,868/female 434,486)

65 years and over: 7.9% (male 41,467/female 55,334) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 32.1 years

male: 31.6 years

female: 32.7 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.102% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 214

Birth rate:

14.36 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 147

Death rate:

8.11 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 108

Net migration rate:

-7.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 171

Urbanization:

urban population: 13% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 2.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female

total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 29.93 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 75 male: 31.14 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 28.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 70.86 years country comparison to the world: 135 male: 67.98 years

female: 73.82 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.72 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 167

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

1.5% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 44

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

14,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 89

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

1,900 (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 61

Nationality:

noun: Trinidadian(s), Tobagonian(s)

adjective: Trinidadian, Tobagonian

Ethnic groups:

Indian (South Asian) 40%, African 37.5%, mixed 20.5%, other 1.2%, unspecified 0.8% (2000 census)

Religions:

Roman Catholic 26%, Hindu 22.5%, Anglican 7.8%, Baptist 7.2%,
Pentecostal 6.8%, Muslim 5.8%, Seventh Day Adventist 4%, other
Christian 5.8%, other 10.8%, unspecified 1.4%, none 1.9% (2000
census)

Languages:

English (official), Caribbean Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi),
French, Spanish, Chinese

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 98.6%

male: 99.1%

female: 98% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 11 years

male: 11 years

female: 11 years (2005)

Education expenditures:

4.2% of GDP (2002) country comparison to the world: 100

People - note:

in 2007, the government of Trinidad and Tobago estimated the population to be 1.3 million

Government ::Trinidad and Tobago

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Trinidad and Tobago

conventional short form: Trinidad and Tobago

Government type:

parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Port-of-Spain

geographic coordinates: 10 39 N, 61 31 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

9 regional corporations, 2 city corporations, 3 borough corporations, 1 ward

regional corporations: Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo, Diego Martin, Mayaro/Rio Claro, Penal/Debe, Princes Town, Sangre Grande, San Juan/Laventille, Siparia, Tunapuna/Piarco

city corporations: Port-of-Spain, San Fernando

borough corporations: Arima, Chaguanas, Point Fortin

ward: Tobago

Independence:

31 August 1962 (from the UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 31 August (1962)

Constitution:

1 August 1976

Legal system:

based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President George Maxwell RICHARDS (since 17 March 2003)

head of government: Prime Minister Patrick MANNING (since 24 December 2001)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed from among the members of Parliament

elections: president elected by an electoral college, which consists of the members of the Senate and House of Representatives, for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 11 February 2008 (next to be held by February 2013); the president usually appoints as prime minister the leader of the majority party in the House of Representatives

election results: George Maxwell RICHARDS reelected president; percent of electoral college vote - NA

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (31 seats; 16 members appointed by the ruling party, 9 by the President, 6 by the opposition party to serve a maximum term of five years) and the House of Representatives (41 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: House of Representatives - last held on 5 November 2007 (next to be held in 2012)

election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote - PNM 46%, UNC 29.7%; seats by party - PNM 26, UNC 15

note: Tobago has a unicameral House of Assembly with 12 members serving four-year terms; last election held in January 2005; seats by party - PNM 11, DAC 1

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court of Judicature (comprised of the High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeals; the chief justice is appointed by the president after consultation with the prime minister and the leader of the opposition; other justices are appointed by the president on the advice of the Judicial and Legal Service Commission); the highest court of appeal is the Privy Council in London; member of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ)

Political parties and leaders:

Congress of the People [Winston DOOKERAN]; Democratic Action
Congress or DAC [Hochoy CHARLES] (only active in Tobago); Democratic
National Alliance or DNA [Gerald YETMING] (coalition of NAR, DDPT,
MND); Movement for National Development or MND [Garvin NICHOLAS];
National Alliance for Reconstruction or NAR [Dr. Carson CHARLES];
People's National Movement or PNM [Patrick MANNING]; United National
Congress or UNC [Basdeo PANDAY]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Jamaat-al Muslimeen [Yasin BAKR]

International organization participation:

ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITSO,
ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Glenda MOREAN-PHILLIP

chancery: 1708 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

telephone: [1] (202) 467-6490

FAX: [1] (202) 785-3130

consulate(s) general: Miami, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Roy L. AUSTIN

embassy: 15 Queen's Park West, Port-of-Spain

mailing address: P. O. Box 752, Port-of-Spain

telephone: [1] (868) 622-6371 through 6376

FAX: [1] (868) 822-5905

Flag description:

red with a white-edged black diagonal band from the upper hoist side to the lower fly side

Economy ::Trinidad and Tobago

Economy - overview:

Trinidad and Tobago has earned a reputation as an excellent investment site for international businesses and has one of the highest growth rates and per capita incomes in Latin America. Economic growth for the past seven years has averaged slightly over 8%, significantly above the regional average of about 3.7% for that same period; however, it has slowed down this year to about 5% and is expected to slow further with the global downturn. Growth has been fueled by investments in liquefied natural gas (LNG), petrochemicals, and steel. Additional petrochemical, aluminum, and plastics projects are in various stages of planning. Trinidad and Tobago is the leading Caribbean producer of oil and gas, and its economy is heavily dependent upon these resources but it also supplies manufactured goods, notably food and beverages, as well as cement to the Caribbean region. Oil and gas account for about 40% of GDP and 80% of exports, but only 5% of employment. The country is also a regional financial center, and tourism is a growing sector, although it is not proportionately as important as in many other Caribbean islands. The economy benefits from a growing trade surplus. The MANNING administration has benefited from fiscal surpluses fueled by the dynamic export sector; however, declines in oil and gas prices have reduced government revenues which will challenge his government's commitment to maintaining high levels of public investment.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$29.09 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 107 $28.11 billion (2007 est.)

$26.65 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$25.93 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

3.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 109 5.5% (2007 est.)

12.1% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$23,600 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 53 $22,800 (2007 est.)

$21,600 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 0.5%

industry: 62.3%

services: 37.2% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

620,800 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 148

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture 3.8%, manufacturing, mining, and quarrying 12.8%, construction and utilities 20.4%, services 62.9% (2007 est.)

Unemployment rate:

4.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 58 4.5% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

17% (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Investment (gross fixed):

16.7% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 133

Budget:

revenues: $7.421 billion

expenditures: $7.141 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

26.6% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 79 54.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

12% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 169 7.9% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

10.75% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 40 10% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

12.44% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 70 11.75% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$2.39 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 67 $2.646 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$3.506 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 78 $5.707 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$3.423 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 87 $3.73 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$12.16 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 70 $15.61 billion (31 December 2007)

$15.57 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

cocoa, rice, citrus, coffee, vegetables; poultry

Industries:

petroleum, chemicals, tourism, food processing, cement, beverage, cotton textiles

Industrial production growth rate:

4.1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 65

Electricity - production:

7.202 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 101

Electricity - consumption:

7.034 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 97

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

163,300 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 43

Oil - consumption:

41,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 101

Oil - exports:

248,300 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 46

Oil - imports:

92,480 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 67

Oil - proved reserves:

728.3 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 41

Natural gas - production:

39.3 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 22

Natural gas - consumption:

21.94 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 33

Natural gas - exports:

17.36 billion cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 13

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 129

Natural gas - proved reserves:

531.5 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 31

Current account balance:

$5.401 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 34 $5.364 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$15.85 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 76 $13.39 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

petroleum and petroleum products, liquefied natural gas (LNG), methanol, ammonia, urea, steel products, beverages, cereal and cereal products, sugar, cocoa, coffee, citrus fruit, vegetables, flowers

Exports - partners:

US 44.5%, Spain 7.8%, Jamaica 6.9%, Netherlands 6.9%, Mexico 4.9% (2008)

Imports:

$9.788 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 94 $7.67 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

mineral fuels, lubricants, machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods, food, chemicals, live animals

Imports - partners:

US 26.8%, Brazil 9.8%, Venezuela 7.9%, Colombia 6.2%, China 4.1%,
Gabon 4% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$9.496 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 67 $6.745 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$3.289 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 117 $2.869 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$102 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 35 $12.44 billion (2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$3.829 billion (2007) country comparison to the world: 60

Exchange rates:

Trinidad and Tobago dollars (TTD) per US dollar - 6.2896 (2008 est.), 6.3275 (2007), 6.3107 (2006), 6.2842 (2005), 6.299 (2004)

Communications ::Trinidad and Tobago

Telephones - main lines in use:

307,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 115

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1.505 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 132

Telephone system:

general assessment: excellent international service; good local service

domestic: mobile-cellular teledensity roughly 175 telephones per 100 persons

international: country code - 1-868; submarine cable systems provide connectivity to US and parts of the Caribbean and South America; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Barbados and Guyana

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 4, FM 18, shortwave 0 (2001)

Television broadcast stations:

6 (2005)

Internet country code:

.tt

Internet hosts:

162,849 (2009) country comparison to the world: 67

Internet users:

227,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 132

Transportation ::Trinidad and Tobago

Airports:

6 (2009) country comparison to the world: 175

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 3

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 659 km; oil 336 km (2008)

Roadways:

total: 8,320 km country comparison to the world: 139 paved: 4,252 km

unpaved: 4,068 km (2000)

Merchant marine:

total: 9 country comparison to the world: 118 by type: passenger 2, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 2

foreign-owned: 1 (US 1)

registered in other countries: 2 (Bahamas 1, unknown 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Point Fortin, Point Lisas, Port-of-Spain

Military ::Trinidad and Tobago

Military branches:

Trinidad and Tobago Defense Force (TTDF): Trinidad and Tobago Army,
Coast Guard, Air Guard, Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service (16 years of age with parental consent); no conscription (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 301,561

females age 16-49: 264,225 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 276,224

females age 16-49: 271,677 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 9,183

female: 8,662 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

0.3% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 169

Transnational Issues ::Trinidad and Tobago

Disputes - international:

in April 2006, the Permanent Court of Arbitration issued a decision that delimited a maritime boundary with Trinidad and Tobago and compelled Barbados to enter a fishing agreement that limited Barbadian fishermen's catches of flying fish in Trinidad and Tobago's exclusive economic zone; in 2005, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago agreed to compulsory international arbitration under UNCLOS challenging whether the northern limit of Trinidad and Tobago's and Venezuela's maritime boundary extends into Barbadian waters; Guyana has also expressed its intention to include itself in the arbitration as the Trinidad and Tobago-Venezuela maritime boundary may extend into its waters as well

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe; producer of cannabis

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Tunisia (Africa)

Introduction ::Tunisia

Background:

Rivalry between French and Italian interests in Tunisia culminated in a French invasion in 1881 and the creation of a protectorate. Agitation for independence in the decades following World War I was finally successful in getting the French to recognize Tunisia as an independent state in 1956. The country's first president, Habib BOURGUIBA, established a strict one-party state. He dominated the country for 31 years, repressing Islamic fundamentalism and establishing rights for women unmatched by any other Arab nation. In November 1987, BOURGUIBA was removed from office and replaced by Zine el Abidine BEN ALI in a bloodless coup. BEN ALI is currently serving his fourth consecutive five-year term as president; the next elections are scheduled for October 2009. Tunisia has long taken a moderate, non-aligned stance in its foreign relations. Domestically, it has sought to defuse rising pressure for a more open political society.

Geography ::Tunisia

Location:

Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Libya

Geographic coordinates:

34 00 N, 9 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 163,610 sq km country comparison to the world: 92 land: 155,360 sq km

water: 8,250 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than Georgia

Land boundaries:

total: 1,424 km

border countries: Algeria 965 km, Libya 459 km

Coastline:

1,148 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 12 nm

Climate:

temperate in north with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers; desert in south

Terrain:

mountains in north; hot, dry central plain; semiarid south merges into the Sahara

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Shatt al Gharsah -17 m

highest point: Jebel ech Chambi 1,544 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, phosphates, iron ore, lead, zinc, salt

Land use:

arable land: 17.05%

permanent crops: 13.08%

other: 69.87% (2005)

Irrigated land:

3,940 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

4.6 cu km (2003)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 2.64 cu km/yr (14%/4%/82%)

per capita: 261 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

toxic and hazardous waste disposal is ineffective and poses health risks; water pollution from raw sewage; limited natural fresh water resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:

strategic location in central Mediterranean; Malta and Tunisia are discussing the commercial exploitation of the continental shelf between their countries, particularly for oil exploration

People ::Tunisia

Population:

10,486,339 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 76

Age structure:

0-14 years: 22.7% (male 1,227,238/female 1,149,796)

15-64 years: 70.1% (male 3,701,661/female 3,652,322)

65 years and over: 7.2% (male 352,003/female 403,319) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 29.2 years

male: 28.7 years

female: 29.8 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.98% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 127

Birth rate:

15.42 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 137

Death rate:

5.2 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 183

Net migration rate:

-0.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 107

Urbanization:

urban population: 67% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1.7% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 22.57 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 98 male: 24.81 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 20.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 75.78 years country comparison to the world: 72 male: 73.98 years

female: 77.7 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.72 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 168

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 135

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

3,700 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 128

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 200 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 116

Nationality:

noun: Tunisian(s)

adjective: Tunisian

Ethnic groups:

Arab 98%, European 1%, Jewish and other 1%

Religions:

Muslim 98%, Christian 1%, Jewish and other 1%

Languages:

Arabic (official and one of the languages of commerce), French (commerce)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 74.3%

male: 83.4%

female: 65.3% (2004 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 14 years

male: 13 years

female: 14 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

7.3% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 19

Government ::Tunisia

Country name:

conventional long form: Tunisian Republic

conventional short form: Tunisia

local long form: Al Jumhuriyah at Tunisiyah

local short form: Tunis

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Tunis

geographic coordinates: 36 48 N, 10 11 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

24 governorates; Ariana (Aryanah), Beja (Bajah), Ben Arous (Bin
'Arus), Bizerte (Banzart), Gabes (Qabis), Gafsa (Qafsah), Jendouba
(Jundubah), Kairouan (Al Qayrawan), Kasserine (Al Qasrayn), Kebili
(Qibili), Kef (Al Kaf), Mahdia (Al Mahdiyah), Manouba (Manubah),
Medenine (Madanin), Monastir (Al Munastir), Nabeul (Nabul), Sfax
(Safaqis), Sidi Bou Zid (Sidi Bu Zayd), Siliana (Silyanah), Sousse
(Susah), Tataouine (Tatawin), Tozeur (Tawzar), Tunis, Zaghouan
(Zaghwan)

Independence:

20 March 1956 (from France)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 20 March (1956); also the anniversary of BEN ALI's assumption of the presidency, 7 November (1987)

Constitution:

1 June 1959; amended 1988, 2002

Legal system:

based on French civil law system and Islamic law; some judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court in joint session; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal except for active government security forces (including the police and the military), people with mental disabilities, people who have served more than three months in prison (criminal cases only), and people given a suspended sentence of more than six months

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Zine el Abidine BEN ALI (since 7 November 1987)

head of government: Prime Minister Mohamed GHANNOUCHI (since 17 November 1999)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (no term limits); election last held on 25 October 2009 (next to be held in October 2014); prime minister appointed by the president

election results: President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI reelected for a fifth term; percent of vote - Zine El Abidine BEN ALI 89.6%, Mohamed BOUCHIHA 5%, Ahmed INOUBLI 3.8%, Ahmed BRAHIM 1.6%; voter turnout 89.4%

Legislative branch:

bicameral system consists of the Chamber of Advisors (126 seats; 85 members elected by municipal counselors, deputies, mayors, and professional associations and trade unions; 41 members are presidential appointees; members serve six-year terms); and the Chamber of Deputies or Majlis al-Nuwaab (214 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: Chamber of Advisors - last held on 3 July 2005 (next to be held in July 2011); Chamber of Deputies - last held on 25 October 2009 (next to be held in October 2014);

election results: Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RCD 161, MDS 16, PUP 12, UDU 9, PSL 8, PVP 6, Et-Tajdid 2; voter turnout 89.4%

Judicial branch:

Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation

Political parties and leaders:

Al-Tajdid Movement [Ahmed IBRAHIM]; Constitutional Democratic Rally Party (Rassemblement Constitutionnel Democratique) or RCD (official ruling party) [President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI]; Democratic Forum for Labor and Liberties or FDTL [Mustapha Ben JAFAAR]; Green Party for Progress or PVP [Mongi KHAMASSI]; Liberal Social Party or PSL [Mondher THABET]; Movement of Socialist Democrats or MDS [Ismail BOULAHYA]; Popular Unity Party or PUP [Mohamed BOUCHIHA]; Progressive Democratic Party [Maya JERIBI]; Unionist Democratic Union or UDU [Ahmed INOUBLI]; note - the Islamist party, Al Nahda (Renaissance), is outlawed

Political pressure groups and leaders:

18 October Group [collective leadership]; Tunisian League for Human Rights or LTDH [Mokhtar TRIFI]

International organization participation:

ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, BSEC (observer), FAO, G-77, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA,
MONUC, NAM, OAPEC (suspended), OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, OSCE
(partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Habib MANSOUR

chancery: 1515 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005

telephone: [1] (202) 862-1850

FAX: [1] (202) 862-1858

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Robert F. GODEC

embassy: Zone Nord-Est des Berges du Lac Nord de Tunis 1053

mailing address: use embassy street address

telephone: [216] 71 107-000

FAX: [216] 71 963-263

Flag description:

red with a white disk in the center bearing a red crescent nearly encircling a red five-pointed star; the crescent and star are traditional symbols of Islam

Economy ::Tunisia

Economy - overview:

Tunisia has a diverse economy, with important agricultural, mining, tourism, and manufacturing sectors. Governmental control of economic affairs while still heavy has gradually lessened over the past decade with increasing privatization, simplification of the tax structure, and a prudent approach to debt. Progressive social policies also have helped raise living conditions in Tunisia relative to the region. Real growth, which averaged almost 5% over the past decade, declined to 4.7% in 2008 and probably will decline further in 2009 because of economic contraction and slowing of import demand in Europe - Tunisia's largest export market. However, development of non-textile manufacturing, a recovery in agricultural production, and strong growth in the services sector somewhat mitigated the economic effect of slowing exports. Tunisia will need to reach even higher growth levels to create sufficient employment opportunities for an already large number of unemployed as well as the growing population of university graduates. The challenges ahead include: privatizing industry, liberalizing the investment code to increase foreign investment, improving government efficiency, reducing the trade deficit, and reducing socioeconomic disparities in the impoverished south and west.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$81.98 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 74 $78.53 billion (2007 est.)

$73.67 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$40.84 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

4.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 99 6.6% (2007 est.)

5.3% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$7,900 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 122 $7,600 (2007 est.)

$7,200 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 10.5%

industry: 37%

services: 52.5% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

3.66 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 92

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 55%

industry: 23%

services: 22% (1995 est.)

Unemployment rate:

14.1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 150 14.1% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

7.4% (2005 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.3%

highest 10%: 31.5% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

40 (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 62 41.7 (1995 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

21.8% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 86

Budget:

revenues: $9.843 billion

expenditures: $11.3 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

48.4% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 41 59.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 86 3.1% (2007 est.)

Stock of money:

$9.892 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 44 $9.491 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$14.72 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 46 $13.56 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$26.5 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 55 $25.23 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$6.374 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 86 $5.355 billion (31 December 2007)

$4.446 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

olives, olive oil, grain, tomatoes, citrus fruit, sugar beets, dates, almonds; beef, dairy products

Industries:

petroleum, mining (particularly phosphate and iron ore), tourism, textiles, footwear, agribusiness, beverages

Industrial production growth rate:

2.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 91

Electricity - production:

13.79 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 82

Electricity - consumption:

11.9 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 77

Electricity - exports:

130 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

145 million kWh (2007 est.)

Oil - production:

86,930 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 53

Oil - consumption:

90,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 79

Oil - exports:

77,130 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 70

Oil - imports:

87,300 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 70

Oil - proved reserves:

425 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 49

Natural gas - production:

2.97 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 54

Natural gas - consumption:

4.22 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 63

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 101

Natural gas - imports:

1.25 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 53

Natural gas - proved reserves:

65.13 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 59

Current account balance:

-$1.667 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 134 -$904 million (2007 est.)

Exports:

$19.22 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 73 $15.15 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

clothing, semi-finished goods and textiles, agricultural products, mechanical goods, phosphates and chemicals, hydrocarbons, electrical equipment

Exports - partners:

France 28.3%, Italy 17.9%, Germany 9.6%, Libya 5.8%, Spain 5% (2008)

Imports:

$23.23 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 69 $18.02 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

textiles, machinery and equipment, hydrocarbons, chemicals, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:

France 21.5%, Italy 19.3%, Germany 9%, Libya 4.6%, Spain 4.5% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$8.853 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 71 $7.854 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$20.81 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 71 $20.4 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$28.67 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 59 $26.22 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$162 million (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 77 $118 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

Tunisian dinars (TND) per US dollar - 1.211 (2008 est.), 1.2776 (2007), 1.331 (2006), 1.2974 (2005), 1.2455 (2004)

Communications ::Tunisia

Telephones - main lines in use:

1.239 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 70

Telephones - mobile cellular:

8.569 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 67

Telephone system:

general assessment: above the African average and continuing to be upgraded; key centers are Sfax, Sousse, Bizerte, and Tunis; Internet access available

domestic: in an effort jumpstart expansion of the fixed-line network, the government has awarded a concession to build and operate a VSAT network with international connectivity; competition between the two mobile-cellular service providers has resulted in lower activation and usage charges and a strong surge in subscribership; expansion of mobile-cellular services to include multimedia messaging and e-mail and Internet to mobile phone services also leading to a surge in subscribership; overall fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity is about 95 telephones per 100 persons

international: country code - 216; a landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-4 submarine cable system that provides links to Europe, Middle East, and Asia; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Algeria and Libya; participant in Medarabtel; 2 international gateway digital switches

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 7, FM 38, shortwave 2 (2007)

Television broadcast stations:

26 (plus 76 repeaters) (1995)

Internet country code:

.tn

Internet hosts:

406 (2009) country comparison to the world: 175

Internet users:

2.8 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 62

Transportation ::Tunisia

Airports:

32 (2009) country comparison to the world: 114

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 16

over 3,047 m: 4

2,438 to 3,047 m: 7

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 16

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 7

under 914 m: 7 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 2,102 km; oil 1,195 km; refined products 372 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 2,159 km country comparison to the world: 69 standard gauge: 471 km 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge: 1,688 km 1.000-m gauge (65 km electrified) (2008)

Roadways:

total: 19,232 km country comparison to the world: 112 paved: 12,655 km (includes 262 km of expressways)

unpaved: 6,577 km (2004)

Merchant marine:

total: 7 country comparison to the world: 126 by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 1, chemical tanker 1, passenger/cargo 4

registered in other countries: 1 (Panama 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Bizerte, Gabes, La Goulette, Rades, Sfax, Skhira

Military ::Tunisia

Military branches:

Army, Navy, Republic of Tunisia Air Force (Al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Jamahiriyah At'tunisia) (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

20 years of age for compulsory military service, 18 years of age for voluntary military service; 1-year conscript service obligation (2007)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 2,992,249

females age 16-49: 2,912,819 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 2,569,403

females age 16-49: 2,489,651 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 100,478

female: 94,055 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.4% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 114

Transnational Issues ::Tunisia

Disputes - international:

none

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Turkey (Middle East)

Introduction ::Turkey

Background:

Modern Turkey was founded in 1923 from the Anatolian remnants of the defeated Ottoman Empire by national hero Mustafa KEMAL, who was later honored with the title Ataturk or "Father of the Turks." Under his authoritarian leadership, the country adopted wide-ranging social, legal, and political reforms. After a period of one-party rule, an experiment with multi-party politics led to the 1950 election victory of the opposition Democratic Party and the peaceful transfer of power. Since then, Turkish political parties have multiplied, but democracy has been fractured by periods of instability and intermittent military coups (1960, 1971, 1980), which in each case eventually resulted in a return of political power to civilians. In 1997, the military again helped engineer the ouster - popularly dubbed a "post-modern coup" - of the then Islamic-oriented government. Turkey intervened militarily on Cyprus in 1974 to prevent a Greek takeover of the island and has since acted as patron state to the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus," which only Turkey recognizes. A separatist insurgency begun in 1984 by the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) - now known as the People's Congress of Kurdistan or Kongra-Gel (KGK) - has dominated the Turkish military's attention and claimed more than 30,000 lives. After the capture of the group's leader in 1999, the insurgents largely withdrew from Turkey mainly to northern Iraq. In 2004, KGK announced an end to its ceasefire and attacks attributed to the KGK increased. Turkey joined the UN in 1945 and in 1952 it became a member of NATO; it holds a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council from 2009-10. In 1964, Turkey became an associate member of the European Community. Over the past decade, it has undertaken many reforms to strengthen its democracy and economy; it began accession membership talks with the European Union in 2005.

Geography ::Turkey

Location:

Southeastern Europe and Southwestern Asia (that portion of Turkey west of the Bosporus is geographically part of Europe), bordering the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and Georgia, and bordering the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, between Greece and Syria

Geographic coordinates:

39 00 N, 35 00 E

Map references:

Middle East

Area:

total: 783,562 sq km country comparison to the world: 37 land: 769,632 sq km

water: 13,930 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than Texas

Land boundaries:

total: 2,648 km

border countries: Armenia 268 km, Azerbaijan 9 km, Bulgaria 240 km, Georgia 252 km, Greece 206 km, Iran 499 km, Iraq 352 km, Syria 822 km

Coastline:

7,200 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 6 nm in the Aegean Sea; 12 nm in Black Sea and in Mediterranean Sea

exclusive economic zone: in Black Sea only: to the maritime boundary agreed upon with the former USSR

Climate:

temperate; hot, dry summers with mild, wet winters; harsher in interior

Terrain:

high central plateau (Anatolia); narrow coastal plain; several mountain ranges

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m

highest point: Mount Ararat 5,166 m

Natural resources:

coal, iron ore, copper, chromium, antimony, mercury, gold, barite, borate, celestite (strontium), emery, feldspar, limestone, magnesite, marble, perlite, pumice, pyrites (sulfur), clay, arable land, hydropower

Land use:

arable land: 29.81%

permanent crops: 3.39%

other: 66.8% (2005)

Irrigated land:

52,150 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

234 cu km (2003)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 39.78 cu km/yr (15%/11%/74%)

per capita: 544 cu m/yr (2001)

Natural hazards:

severe earthquakes, especially in northern Turkey, along an arc extending from the Sea of Marmara to Lake Van

Environment - current issues:

water pollution from dumping of chemicals and detergents; air pollution, particularly in urban areas; deforestation; concern for oil spills from increasing Bosporus ship traffic

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Geography - note:

strategic location controlling the Turkish Straits (Bosporus, Sea of Marmara, Dardanelles) that link Black and Aegean Seas; Mount Ararat, the legendary landing place of Noah's ark, is in the far eastern portion of the country

People ::Turkey

Population:

76,805,524 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 17

Age structure:

0-14 years: 27.2% (male 10,701,631/female 10,223,260)

15-64 years: 66.7% (male 25,896,326/female 25,327,403)

65 years and over: 6.1% (male 2,130,360/female 2,526,544) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 27.7 years

male: 27.4 years

female: 28.1 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.312% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 102

Birth rate:

18.66 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 110

Death rate:

6.1 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 160

Net migration rate:

0.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 63

Urbanization:

urban population: 69% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female

total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 25.78 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 85 male: 26.84 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 24.67 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 71.96 years country comparison to the world: 122 male: 70.12 years

female: 73.89 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.21 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 117

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1%; note - no country specific models provided (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 159

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA (2007 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Turk(s)

adjective: Turkish

Ethnic groups:

Turkish 70-75%, Kurdish 18%, other minorities 7-12% (2008 est.)

Religions:

Muslim 99.8% (mostly Sunni), other 0.2% (mostly Christians and Jews)

Languages:

Turkish (official), Kurdish, other minority languages

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 87.4%

male: 95.3%

female: 79.6% (2004 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 11 years

male: 12 years

female: 11 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

4% of GDP (2004) country comparison to the world: 102

Government ::Turkey

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Turkey

conventional short form: Turkey

local long form: Turkiye Cumhuriyeti

local short form: Turkiye

Government type:

republican parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Ankara

geographic coordinates: 39 56 N, 32 52 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

81 provinces (iller, singular - ili); Adana, Adiyaman,
Afyonkarahisar, Agri, Aksaray, Amasya, Ankara, Antalya, Ardahan,
Artvin, Aydin, Balikesir, Bartin, Batman, Bayburt, Bilecik, Bingol,
Bitlis, Bolu, Burdur, Bursa, Canakkale, Cankiri, Corum, Denizli,
Diyarbakir, Duzce, Edirne, Elazig, Erzincan, Erzurum, Eskisehir,
Gaziantep, Giresun, Gumushane, Hakkari, Hatay, Igdir, Isparta,
Istanbul, Izmir (Smyrna), Kahramanmaras, Karabuk, Karaman, Kars,
Kastamonu, Kayseri, Kilis, Kirikkale, Kirklareli, Kirsehir, Kocaeli,
Konya, Kutahya, Malatya, Manisa, Mardin, Mersin (Icel), Mugla, Mus,
Nevsehir, Nigde, Ordu, Osmaniye, Rize, Sakarya, Samsun, Sanliurfa,
Siirt, Sinop, Sirnak, Sivas, Tekirdag, Tokat, Trabzon (Trebizond),
Tunceli, Usak, Van, Yalova, Yozgat, Zonguldak

Independence:

29 October 1923 (successor state to the Ottoman Empire)

National holiday:

Republic Day, 29 October (1923)

Constitution:

7 November 1982; amended 17 May 1987, 1995, 2001, and 2007; note - amendment passed by referendum concerning presidential elections on 21 October 2007

Legal system:

civil law system derived from various European continental legal systems; note - member of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), although Turkey claims limited derogations on the ratified European Convention on Human Rights; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Abdullah GUL (since 28 August 2007)

head of government: Prime Minister Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN (since 14 March 2003); Deputy Prime Minister Cemil CICEK (since 29 August 2007); Deputy Prime Minister Ali BABACAN (since 1 May 2009); Deputy Prime Minister Bulent ARINC (since 1 May 2009)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the nomination of the prime minister

elections: president elected directly for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister appointed by the president from among members of parliament

election results: on 28 August 2007 the National Assembly elected Abdullah GUL president on the third ballot; National Assembly vote - 339

note: in October 2007 Turkish voters approved a referendum package of constitutional amendments including a provision for direct presidential elections

Legislative branch:

unicameral Grand National Assembly of Turkey or Turkiye Buyuk Millet Meclisi (550 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held on 22 July 2007 (next to be held in November 2012)

election results: percent of vote by party - AKP 46.7%, CHP 20.8%, MHP 14.3%, independents 5.2%, and other 13.0%; seats by party - AKP 341, CHP 112, MHP 71, independents 26; note - seats by party as of 31 January 2009 - AKP 340, CHP 97, MHP 70, DTP 21, DSP 13, ODP 1, BBP 1, independents 5, vacant 2 (DTP entered parliament as independents; DSP entered parliament on CHP's party list); only parties surpassing the 10% threshold are entitled to parliamentary seats

Judicial branch:

Constitutional Court; High Court of Appeals (Yargitay); Council of State (Danistay); Court of Accounts (Sayistay); Military High Court of Appeals; Military High Administrative Court

Political parties and leaders:

Anavatan Partisi (Motherland Party) or Anavatan [Erkan MUMCU]; note - True Path Party or DYP has merged with the Motherland Party; Democratic Party or DP [Husamettin CINDORUK]; Democratic Left Party or DSP [Masum TURKER]; Democratic Society Party or DTP [Ahmet TURK]; Felicity Party or SP [Numan KURTULMUS] (sometimes translated as Contentment Party); Freedom and Solidarity Party or ODP [Hayri KOZANOGLU]; Grand Unity Party or BBP; note - Mushin YAZICIOGLU, former leader of the Grand Unity Party was killed in an March 2009 helicopter crash; Justice and Development Party or AKP [Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN]; Nationalist Movement Party or MHP [Devlet BAHCELI] (sometimes translated as Nationalist Action Party); People's Rise Party (Halkin Yukselisi Partisi) or HYP [Yasar Nuri OZTURK]; Republican People's Party or CHP [Deniz BAYKAL]; Social Democratic People's Party or SHP [Ugur CILASUN (acting)]; Young Party or GP [Cem Cengiz UZAN]

note: the parties listed above are some of the more significant of the 49 parties that Turkey had as of 31 January 2009

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Confederation of Public Sector Unions or KESK [Sami EVREN];
Confederation of Revolutionary Workers Unions or DISK [Suleyman
CELEBI]; Independent Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association
or MUSIAD [Omer Cihad VARDAN]; Moral Rights Workers Union or Hak-Is
[Salim USLU]; Turkish Confederation of Employers' Unions or TISK
[Tugurl KUDATGOBILIK]; Turkish Confederation of Labor or Turk-Is
[Mustafa KUMLU]; Turkish Confederation of Tradesmen and Craftsmen or
TESK [Dervis GUNDAY]; Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's
Association or TUSIAD [Arzuhan Dogan YALCINDAG]; Turkish Union of
Chambers of Commerce and Commodity Exchanges or TOBB [M. Rifat
HISARCIKLIOGLU]

International organization participation:

ADB (nonregional member), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CERN
(observer), EAPC, EBRD, ECO, EU (applicant), FAO, G-20, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA,
NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SECI,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNOMIG,
UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO,
ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Nabi SENSOY

chancery: 2525 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 612-6700

FAX: [1] (202) 612-6744

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador James F. JEFFREY

embassy: 110 Ataturk Boulevard, Kavaklidere, 06100 Ankara

mailing address: PSC 93, Box 5000, APO AE 09823

telephone: [90] (312) 455-5555

FAX: [90] (312) 467-0019

consulate(s) general: Istanbul

consulate(s): Adana; note - there is a Consular Agent in Izmir

Flag description:

red with a vertical white crescent (the closed portion is toward the hoist side) and white five-pointed star centered just outside the crescent opening

Economy ::Turkey

Economy - overview:

Turkey's dynamic economy is a complex mix of modern industry and commerce along with a traditional agriculture sector that still accounts for about 30% of employment. It has a strong and rapidly growing private sector, yet the state remains a major participant in basic industry, banking, transport, and communication. The largest industrial sector is textiles and clothing, which accounts for one-third of industrial employment; it faces stiff competition in international markets with the end of the global quota system. However, other sectors, notably the automotive and electronics industries, are rising in importance within Turkey's export mix. Real GDP growth has exceeded 6% in many years, but this strong expansion has been interrupted by sharp declines in output in 1994, 1999, and 2001. Due to global contractions, annual growth is estimated to have fallen to 1.1% in 2008. Inflation fell to 7.7% in 2005 - a 30-year low - but climbed to over 10% in 2008. Despite the strong economic gains from 2002-07, which were largely due to renewed investor interest in emerging markets, IMF backing, and tighter fiscal policy, the economy is still burdened by a high current account deficit and high external debt. Further economic and judicial reforms and prospective EU membership are expected to boost foreign direct investment. The stock value of FDI stood at nearly $130 billion at year-end 2008. Privatization sales are currently approaching $21 billion. Oil began to flow through the Baku-Tblisi-Ceyhan pipeline in May 2006, marking a major milestone that will bring up to 1 million barrels per day from the Caspian to market. In 2007 and 2008, Turkish financial markets weathered significant domestic political turmoil, including turbulence sparked by controversy over the selection of former Foreign Minister Abdullah GUL as Turkey's 11th president and the possible closure of the Justice and Development Party (AKP). Economic fundamentals are sound, marked by moderate economic growth and foreign direct investment. Nevertheless, the Turkish economy may be faced with more negative economic indicators in 2009 as a result of the global economic slowdown. In addition, Turkey's high current account deficit leaves the economy vulnerable to destabilizing shifts in investor confidence.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$903.9 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 17 $895.8 billion (2007 est.)

$855.6 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$730 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

0.9% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 178 4.7% (2007 est.)

6.9% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$11,900 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 92 $12,000 (2007 est.)

$11,600 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 8.8%

industry: 27.5%

services: 63.8% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

24.06 million country comparison to the world: 25 note: about 1.2 million Turks work abroad (2008 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 29.5%

industry: 24.7%

services: 45.8% (2005)

Unemployment rate:

11% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 130 9.9% (2007 est.)

note: underemployment amounted to 4% in 2008

Population below poverty line:

20% (2002)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 1.9%

highest 10%: 33.2% (2005)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

43.6 (2003) country comparison to the world: 49

Investment (gross fixed):

20.3% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 104

Budget:

revenues: $160.5 billion

expenditures: $173.6 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

40% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 55 74.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

10.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 154 8.7% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

25% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 4 25% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$53.25 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 20 $63.88 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$248.4 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 12 $252.1 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$326.4 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 24 $355 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$117.9 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 30 $286.6 billion (31 December 2007)

$162.4 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

tobacco, cotton, grain, olives, sugar beets, hazelnuts, pulse, citrus; livestock

Industries:

textiles, food processing, autos, electronics, mining (coal, chromite, copper, boron), steel, petroleum, construction, lumber, paper

Industrial production growth rate:

-0.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 138

Electricity - production:

181.9 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 21

Electricity - consumption:

153.7 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 21

Electricity - exports:

1.063 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

790 million kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

46,120 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 64

Oil - consumption:

675,500 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 27

Oil - exports:

141,700 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 60

Oil - imports:

783,800 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 18

Oil - proved reserves:

300 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 54

Natural gas - production:

1.013 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 63

Natural gas - consumption:

37.18 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 23

Natural gas - exports:

435 million cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 38

Natural gas - imports:

36.72 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 9

Natural gas - proved reserves:

8.495 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 82

Current account balance:

-$41.69 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 183 -$37.7 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$140.7 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 32 $115.4 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

apparel, foodstuffs, textiles, metal manufactures, transport equipment

Exports - partners:

Germany 9.8%, UK 6.2%, UAE 6%, Italy 5.9%, France 5%, Russia 4.9% (2008)

Imports:

$193.9 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 23 $162 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery, chemicals, semi-finished goods, fuels, transport equipment

Imports - partners:

Russia 15.5%, Germany 9.3%, China 7.8%, US 5.9%, Italy 5.5%, France 4.5%, Iran 4.1% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$73.66 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 21 $76.51 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$278.1 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 26 $249.4 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$128.7 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 26 $110.5 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$14.8 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 41 $10.97 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

Turkish liras (TRY) per US dollar - 1.3179 (2008 est.), 1.319 (2007), 1.4286 (2006), 1.3436 (2005), 1.4255 (2004)

note: on 1 January 2005, the old Turkish lira (TRL) was converted to new Turkish lira (TRY) at a rate of 1,000,000 old to 1 new Turkish lira; on 1 January 2009, the Turkish government dropped the word "new" and the currency is now called simply the Turkish lira

Communications ::Turkey

Telephones - main lines in use:

17.502 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 18

Telephones - mobile cellular:

65.824 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 15

Telephone system:

general assessment: comprehensive telecommunications network undergoing rapid modernization and expansion especially in mobile-cellular services

domestic: additional digital exchanges are permitting a rapid increase in subscribers; the construction of a network of technologically advanced intercity trunk lines, using both fiber-optic cable and digital microwave radio relay, is facilitating communication between urban centers; remote areas are reached by a domestic satellite system; the number of subscribers to mobile-cellular telephone service is growing rapidly

international: country code - 90; international service is provided by the SEA-ME-WE-3 submarine cable and by submarine fiber-optic cables in the Mediterranean and Black Seas that link Turkey with Italy, Greece, Israel, Bulgaria, Romania, and Russia; satellite earth stations - 12 Intelsat; mobile satellite terminals - 328 in the Inmarsat and Eutelsat systems (2002)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 16, FM 107, shortwave 6 (2001)

Television broadcast stations:

635 (plus 2,934 repeaters) (1995)

Internet country code:

.tr

Internet hosts:

2.961 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 27

Internet users:

24.483 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 15

Transportation ::Turkey

Airports:

102 (2009) country comparison to the world: 59

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 90

over 3,047 m: 16

2,438 to 3,047 m: 33

1,524 to 2,437 m: 20

914 to 1,523 m: 17

under 914 m: 4 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 12

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 7

under 914 m: 4 (2009)

Heliports:

21 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 7,555 km; oil 3,636 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 8,697 km country comparison to the world: 23 standard gauge: 8,697 km 1.435-m gauge (1,920 km electrified) (2008)

Roadways:

total: 426,951 km (includes 1,987 km of expressways) (2006) country comparison to the world: 13

Waterways:

1,200 km (2008) country comparison to the world: 60

Merchant marine:

total: 612 country comparison to the world: 19 by type: bulk carrier 101, cargo 281, chemical tanker 70, combination ore/oil 1, container 35, liquefied gas 7, passenger 4, passenger/cargo 51, petroleum tanker 31, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 28, specialized tanker 2

foreign-owned: 8 (Cyprus 2, Germany 1, Greece 1, Italy 3, UAE 1)

registered in other countries: 595 (Albania 1, Antigua and Barbuda 6, Bahamas 8, Belize 15, Cambodia 26, Comoros 8, Dominica 5, Georgia 14, Greece 1, Isle of Man 2, Italy 1, Kiribati 1, Liberia 7, Malta 176, Marshall Islands 50, Moldova 3, Netherlands 1, Netherlands Antilles 10, Panama 94, Russia 80, Saint Kitts and Nevis 35, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 20, Sierra Leone 15, Slovakia 10, Tuvalu 2, UK 2, unknown 2) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Aliaga, Diliskelesi, Izmir, Kocaeli (Izmit), Mercin Limani, Nemrut
Limani

Military ::Turkey

Military branches:

Turkish Armed Forces (TSK): Turkish Land Forces (Turk Kara
Kuvvetleri), Turkish Naval Forces (Turk Deniz Kuvvetleri; includes
naval air and naval infantry), Turkish Air Force (Turk Hava
Kuvvetleri) (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

20 years of age (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 20,213,205

females age 16-49: 19,432,688 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 17,223,506

females age 16-49: 16,995,299 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 692,592

female: 663,689 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

5.3% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 17

Military - note:

a "National Security Policy Document" adopted in October 2005 increases the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) role in internal security, augmenting the General Directorate of Security and Gendarmerie General Command (Jandarma); the TSK leadership continues to play a key role in politics and considers itself guardian of Turkey's secular state; in April 2007, it warned the ruling party about any pro-Islamic appointments; despite on-going negotiations on EU accession since October 2005, progress has been limited in establishing required civilian supremacy over the military; primary domestic threats are listed as fundamentalism (with the definition in some dispute with the civilian government), separatism (the Kurdish problem), and the extreme left wing; Ankara strongly opposed establishment of an autonomous Kurdish region; an overhaul of the Turkish Land Forces Command (TLFC) taking place under the "Force 2014" program is to produce 20-30% smaller, more highly trained forces characterized by greater mobility and firepower and capable of joint and combined operations; the TLFC has taken on increasing international peacekeeping responsibilities, and took charge of a NATO International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) command in Afghanistan in April 2007; the Turkish Navy is a regional naval power that wants to develop the capability to project power beyond Turkey's coastal waters; the Navy is heavily involved in NATO, multinational, and UN operations; its roles include control of territorial waters and security for sea lines of communications; the Turkish Air Force adopted an "Aerospace and Missile Defense Concept" in 2002 and has initiated project work on an integrated missile defense system; Air Force priorities include attaining a modern deployable, survivable, and sustainable force structure, and establishing a sustainable command and control system (2008)

Transnational Issues ::Turkey

Disputes - international:

complex maritime, air, and territorial disputes with Greece in the Aegean Sea; status of north Cyprus question remains; Syria and Iraq protest Turkish hydrological projects to control upper Euphrates waters; Turkey has expressed concern over the status of Kurds in Iraq; border with Armenia remains closed over Nagorno-Karabakh

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

IDPs: 1-1.2 million (fighting 1984-99 between Kurdish PKK and
Turkish military; most IDPs in southeastern provinces) (2007)

Illicit drugs:

key transit route for Southwest Asian heroin to Western Europe and, to a lesser extent, the US - via air, land, and sea routes; major Turkish and other international trafficking organizations operate out of Istanbul; laboratories to convert imported morphine base into heroin exist in remote regions of Turkey and near Istanbul; government maintains strict controls over areas of legal opium poppy cultivation and over output of poppy straw concentrate; lax enforcement of money-laundering controls

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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@Turkmenistan (Central Asia)

Introduction ::Turkmenistan

Background:

Eastern Turkmenistan for centuries formed part of the Persian province of Khurasan; in medieval times Merv (today known as Mary) was one of the great cities of the Islamic world and an important stop on the Silk Road. Annexed by Russia between 1865 and 1885, Turkmenistan became a Soviet republic in 1924. It achieved independence upon the dissolution of the USSR in 1991. Extensive hydrocarbon/natural gas reserves could prove a boon to this underdeveloped country if extraction and delivery projects were to be expanded. The Turkmenistan Government is actively seeking to develop alternative petroleum transportation routes to break Russia's pipeline monopoly. President for Life Saparmurat NYYAZOW died in December 2006, and Turkmenistan held its first multi-candidate presidential electoral process in February 2007. Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW, a vice premier under NYYAZOW, emerged as the country's new president.

Geography ::Turkmenistan

Location:

Central Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Kazakhstan

Geographic coordinates:

40 00 N, 60 00 E

Map references:

Asia

Area:

total: 488,100 sq km country comparison to the world: 52 land: 469,930 sq km

water: 18,170 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than California

Land boundaries:

total: 3,736 km

border countries: Afghanistan 744 km, Iran 992 km, Kazakhstan 379 km, Uzbekistan 1,621 km

Coastline:

0 km; note - Turkmenistan borders the Caspian Sea (1,768 km)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

subtropical desert

Terrain:

flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes rising to mountains in the south; low mountains along border with Iran; borders Caspian Sea in west

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Vpadina Akchanaya -81 m; note - Sarygamysh Koli is a lake in northern Turkmenistan with a water level that fluctuates above and below the elevation of Vpadina Akchanaya (the lake has dropped as low as -110 m)

highest point: Gora Ayribaba 3,139 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, natural gas, sulfur, salt

Land use:

arable land: 4.51%

permanent crops: 0.14%

other: 95.35% (2005)

Irrigated land:

18,000 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

60.9 cu km (1997)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 24.65 cu km/yr (2%/1%/98%)

per capita: 5,104 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

contamination of soil and groundwater with agricultural chemicals, pesticides; salination, water logging of soil due to poor irrigation methods; Caspian Sea pollution; diversion of a large share of the flow of the Amu Darya into irrigation contributes to that river's inability to replenish the Aral Sea; desertification

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

landlocked; the western and central low-lying desolate portions of the country make up the great Garagum (Kara-Kum) desert, which occupies over 80% of the country; eastern part is plateau

People ::Turkmenistan

Population:

4,884,887 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 114

Age structure:

0-14 years: 28.9% (male 713,698/female 697,222)

15-64 years: 66.9% (male 1,618,678/female 1,646,992)

65 years and over: 4.3% (male 90,352/female 117,945) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 24.4 years

male: 24.1 years

female: 24.8 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.141% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 116

Birth rate:

19.69 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 103

Death rate:

6.31 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 152

Net migration rate:

-1.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 137

Urbanization:

urban population: 49% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 2.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 45.36 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 56 male: 53.85 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 36.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 67.87 years country comparison to the world: 153 male: 64.94 years

female: 70.95 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.22 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 115

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 158

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

fewer than 200 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 160

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 100 (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 131

Nationality:

noun: Turkmen(s)

adjective: Turkmen

Ethnic groups:

Turkmen 85%, Uzbek 5%, Russian 4%, other 6% (2003)

Religions:

Muslim 89%, Eastern Orthodox 9%, unknown 2%

Languages:

Turkmen 72%, Russian 12%, Uzbek 9%, other 7%

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 98.8%

male: 99.3%

female: 98.3% (1999 est.)

Education expenditures:

3.9% of GDP (1991) country comparison to the world: 108

Government ::Turkmenistan

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Turkmenistan

local long form: none

local short form: Turkmenistan

former: Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic

Government type:

republic; authoritarian presidential rule, with little power outside the executive branch

Capital:

name: Ashgabat (Ashkhabad)

geographic coordinates: 37 57 N, 58 23 E

time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

5 provinces (welayatlar, singular - welayat) and 1 independent city*: Ahal Welayaty (Anew), Ashgabat*, Balkan Welayaty (Balkanabat), Dashoguz Welayaty, Lebap Welayaty (Turkmenabat), Mary Welayaty

note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses)

Independence:

27 October 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 27 October (1991)

Constitution:

adopted 18 May 1992

Legal system:

based on civil law system and Islamic law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW (since 14 February 2007); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW (since 14 February 2007)

cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held on 11 February 2007 (next to be held in February 2012)

election results: Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW elected president; percent of vote - Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW 89.2%, Amanyaz ATAJYKOW 3.2%, other candidates 7.6%

Legislative branch:

unicameral parliament known as the National Assembly (Mejlis) (125 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 14 December 2008 (next to be held December 2013)

election results: 100% of elected officials are members of either the Democratic Party of Turkmenistan or its pseudo-civil society parent organization, the Revival Movement, and are preapproved by the president

note: in autumn 2008, the constitution of Turkmenistan was revised to abolish the 2,507-member legislative body known as the People's Council and to expand the number of deputies in the National Assembly from 65 to 125; the powers formerly held by the People's Council were divided up between the president and the National Assembly

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president)

Political parties and leaders:

Democratic Party of Turkmenistan or DPT [Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW]

note: formal opposition parties are outlawed; unofficial, small opposition movements exist abroad; the three most prominent opposition groups-in-exile are the National Democratic Movement of Turkmenistan (NDMT), the Republican Party of Turkmenistan, and the Watan (Fatherland) Party; the NDMT was led by former Foreign Minister Boris SHIKHMURADOV until his arrest and imprisonment in the wake of the 25 November 2002 attack on President NYYAZOW's motorcade

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ADB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO
(correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SCO (guest),
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Meret Bairamovich ORAZOW

chancery: 2207 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 588-1500

FAX: [1] (202) 588-0697

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Richard M. MILES

embassy: No. 9 1984 Street (formerly Pushkin Street), Ashgabat, Turkmenistan 744000

mailing address: 7070 Ashgabat Place, Washington, DC 20521-7070

telephone: [993] (12) 35-00-45

FAX: [993] (12) 39-26-14

Flag description:

green field with a vertical red stripe near the hoist side, containing five tribal guls (designs used in producing carpets) stacked above two crossed olive branches; a white crescent moon representing Islam with five white stars representing the regions or welayats of Turkmenistan appear in the upper corner of the field just to the fly side of the red stripe

Economy ::Turkmenistan

Economy - overview:

Turkmenistan is largely a desert country with intensive agriculture in irrigated oases and sizeable gas and oil resources. One-half of its irrigated land is planted in cotton; formerly it was the world's 10th-largest producer. Poor harvests in recent years have led to an almost 50% decline in cotton exports. With an authoritarian ex-Communist regime in power and a tribally based social structure, Turkmenistan has taken a cautious approach to economic reform, hoping to use gas and cotton sales to sustain its inefficient economy. Privatization goals remain limited. From 1998-2005, Turkmenistan suffered from the continued lack of adequate export routes for natural gas and from obligations on extensive short-term external debt. At the same time, however, total exports rose by an average of roughly 15% per year from 2003-08, largely because of higher international oil and gas prices. A new pipeline to China, set to come online in late 2009 or early 2010, will give Turkmenistan an additional export route for its gas. Overall prospects in the near future are discouraging because of widespread internal poverty, a poor educational system, government misuse of oil and gas revenues, and Ashgabat's reluctance to adopt market-oriented reforms. In the past, Turkmenistan's economic statistics were state secrets. The new government has established a State Agency for Statistics, but GDP numbers and other figures are subject to wide margins of error. In particular, the rate of GDP growth is uncertain. Since his election, President BERDIMUHAMEDOW has sought to improve the health and education systems, unified the country's dual currency exchange rate, ordered the redenomination of the manat, reduced state subsidies for gasoline, increased Internet access both in schools and Internet cafes, ordered an independent audit of Turkmenistan's gas resources, and created a special tourism zone on the Caspian Sea. Although foreign investment is encouraged, numerous bureaucratic obstacles from the NYYZOW-era remain.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$31.28 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 105 $28.49 billion (2007 est.)

$25.53 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$29.16 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

9.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 13 11.6% (2007 est.)

11.4% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$6,500 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 128 $6,000 (2007 est.)

$5,400 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 9.1%

industry: 39%

services: 51.9% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

13.51 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 41

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 48.2%

industry: 14%

services: 37.8% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:

60% (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 196

Population below poverty line:

30% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.6%

highest 10%: 31.7% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

40.8 (1998) country comparison to the world: 59

Investment (gross fixed):

1.2% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 150

Budget:

revenues: $1.667 billion

expenditures: $1.407 billion (2008 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

13% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 181 11.3% (2007 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

cotton, grain; livestock

Industries:

natural gas, oil, petroleum products, textiles, food processing

Industrial production growth rate:

-1.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 148

Electricity - production:

13.99 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 81

Electricity - consumption:

10.45 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 81

Electricity - exports:

1.46 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

189,400 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 42

Oil - consumption:

112,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 73

Oil - exports:

84,770 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 69

Oil - imports:

2,542 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 173

Oil - proved reserves:

600 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 43

Natural gas - production:

70.5 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 12

Natural gas - consumption:

21 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 35

Natural gas - exports:

48.5 billion cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 7

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 123

Natural gas - proved reserves:

2.662 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 12

Current account balance:

$4.669 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 35 $3.285 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$11.92 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 82 $7.919 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

gas, crude oil, petrochemicals, textiles, cotton fiber

Exports - partners:

Ukraine 51.7%, Poland 10%, Hungary 8.1% (2008)

Imports:

$5.654 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 111 $3.615 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:

China 16.9%, Russia 15.9%, Turkey 14%, UAE 10.3%, Ukraine 7.9%,
Germany 5.6%, Iran 5.1% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$13.88 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 60 $13.19 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$1.4 billion (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 147 note: some estimates put this figure as high as $5 billion

Exchange rates:

Turkmen manat (TMM) per US dollar - 14,250 (as of 1 May 2008 est.)

Communications ::Turkmenistan

Telephones - main lines in use:

495,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 98

Telephones - mobile cellular:

810,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 146

Telephone system:

general assessment: telecommunications network remains underdeveloped and progress toward improvement is slow; strict government control and censorship inhibits liberalization and modernization

domestic: Turkmentelekom, in cooperation with foreign partners, has installed high speed fiber-optic lines and has upgraded most of the country's telephone exchanges and switching centers with new digital technology; mobile telephone usage is expanding with Russia's Mobile Telesystems (MTS) the primary service provider

international: country code - 993; linked by fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay to other CIS republics and to other countries by leased connections to the Moscow international gateway switch; an exchange in Ashgabat switches international traffic through Turkey via Intelsat; satellite earth stations - 1 Orbita and 1 Intelsat (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 16, FM 8, shortwave 2 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

4 (government-owned and programmed) (2004)

Internet country code:

.tm

Internet hosts:

755 (2009) country comparison to the world: 164

Internet users:

75,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 161

Transportation ::Turkmenistan

Airports:

28 (2009) country comparison to the world: 120

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 22

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 10

1,524 to 2,437 m: 9

914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 6

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

under 914 m: 4 (2009)

Heliports:

1 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 6,417 km; oil 1,457 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 2,980 km country comparison to the world: 56 broad gauge: 2,980 km 1.520-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 58,592 km country comparison to the world: 75 paved: 47,577 km

unpaved: 11,015 km (2002)

Waterways:

1,300 km (Amu Darya and Kara Kum canal are important inland waterways) (2008) country comparison to the world: 56

Merchant marine:

total: 7 country comparison to the world: 127 by type: cargo 4, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 1 (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Turkmenbasy

Military ::Turkmenistan

Military branches:

Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18-30 years of age for compulsory military service; 2-year conscript service obligation (2007)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,316,698

females age 16-49: 1,331,005 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,024,884

females age 16-49: 1,147,714 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 57,021

female: 56,064 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

3.4% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 40

Transnational Issues ::Turkmenistan

Disputes - international:

cotton monoculture in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan creates water-sharing difficulties for Amu Darya river states; field demarcation of the boundaries with Kazakhstan commenced in 2005, but Caspian seabed delimitation remains stalled with Azerbaijan, Iran, and Kazakhstan due to Turkmenistan's indecision over how to allocate the sea's waters and seabed

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 11,173 (Tajikistan); less than 1,000 (Afghanistan) (2007)

Illicit drugs:

transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian and Western European markets; transit point for heroin precursor chemicals bound for Afghanistan

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Turks and Caicos Islands (Central America and Caribbean)

Introduction ::Turks and Caicos Islands

Background:

The islands were part of the UK's Jamaican colony until 1962, when they assumed the status of a separate crown colony upon Jamaica's independence. The governor of The Bahamas oversaw affairs from 1965 to 1973. With Bahamian independence, the islands received a separate governor in 1973. Although independence was agreed upon for 1982, the policy was reversed and the islands remain a British overseas territory.

Geography ::Turks and Caicos Islands

Location:

Caribbean, two island groups in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of The Bahamas, north of Haiti

Geographic coordinates:

21 45 N, 71 35 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 948 sq km country comparison to the world: 185 land: 948 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

389 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; marine; moderated by trade winds; sunny and relatively dry

Terrain:

low, flat limestone; extensive marshes and mangrove swamps

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: Blue Hills 49 m

Natural resources:

spiny lobster, conch

Land use:

arable land: 2.33%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 97.67% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

frequent hurricanes

Environment - current issues:

limited natural fresh water resources, private cisterns collect rainwater

Geography - note:

about 40 islands (eight inhabited)

People ::Turks and Caicos Islands

Population:

22,942 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 216

Age structure:

0-14 years: 30.2% (male 3,528/female 3,401)

15-64 years: 65.6% (male 7,875/female 7,164)

65 years and over: 4.2% (male 475/female 499) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 27.9 years

male: 28.7 years

female: 27.2 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.563% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 31

Birth rate:

20.79 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 93

Death rate:

4.18 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 207

Net migration rate:

9.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 9

Urbanization:

urban population: 92% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 2.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female

total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 13.89 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 131 male: 16.02 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 11.64 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 75.42 years country comparison to the world: 77 male: 73.12 years

female: 77.83 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.95 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 75

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: none

adjective: none

Ethnic groups:

black 90%, mixed, European, or North American 10%

Religions:

Baptist 40%, Anglican 18%, Methodist 16%, Church of God 12%, other 14% (1990)

Languages:

English (official)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school

total population: 98%

male: 99%

female: 98% (1970 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 11 years

male: 11 years

female: 12 years (2005)

Education expenditures:

NA

People - note:

destination and transit point for illegal Haitian immigrants bound for the Turks and Caicos Islands, The Bahamas, and the US

Government ::Turks and Caicos Islands

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Turks and Caicos Islands

abbreviation: TCI

Dependency status:

overseas territory of the UK

Government type:

NA

Capital:

name: Grand Turk (Cockburn Town)

geographic coordinates: 21 28 N, 71 08 W

time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in April; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Independence:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday:

Constitution Day, 30 August (1976)

Constitution:

Turks and Caicos Islands Constitution (Interim Amendment) Order 2009, S.I. 2009/701 - effective 14 August 2009 - suspended Ministerial government, the House of Assembly, and the constitutional right to trial by jury, and imposed direct British rule

Legal system:

based on laws of England and Wales with a few adopted from Jamaica and The Bahamas

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Gordon WETHERELL (since 5 August 2008)

head of government: Governor Gordon WETHERELL (since 14 August 2009); note - the office of premier is suspended by the Order in Council, effective 14 August 2009

cabinet: under provisions of the Order in Council, the cabinet is suspended effective 14 August 2009 and replaced by an Advisory Council appointed by the governor

elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch

note: following an investigation into allegations of widespread corruption and misconduct within the Turks and Caicos Government, the UK foreign minister directed the governor to bring into effect on 14 August 2009 an Order in Council suspending Ministerial government and the House of Assembly, and imposing direct rule for a period of up to two years

Legislative branch:

under provisions of the Order in Council, the unicameral House of Assembly is dissolved and all seats vacated for a period of up to two years; in the interim, a Consultative Forum, appointed by the governor, will be established

elections: last held 9 February 2007 (next to be held by July 2011)

election results: under provisions of the Order in Council, all seats in the House of Assembly are vacated

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court; Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders:

People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Floyd SEYMOUR]; Progressive
National Party or PNP [Michael Eugene MISICK]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description:

blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the colonial shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the shield is yellow and contains a conch shell, lobster, and cactus

Economy ::Turks and Caicos Islands

Economy - overview:

The Turks and Caicos economy is based on tourism, offshore financial services, and fishing. Most capital goods and food for domestic consumption are imported. The US is the leading source of tourists, accounting for more than three-quarters of the 175,000 visitors that arrived in 2004. Major sources of government revenue also include fees from offshore financial activities and customs receipts.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$216 million (2002 est.) country comparison to the world: 215

GDP (official exchange rate):

$NA

GDP - real growth rate:

4.9% (2000 est.) country comparison to the world: 91

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$11,500 (2002 est.) country comparison to the world: 97

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Labor force:

4,848 (1990 est.) country comparison to the world: 213

Labor force - by occupation:

note: about 33% in government and 20% in agriculture and fishing; significant numbers in tourism, financial, and other services

Unemployment rate:

10% (1997 est.) country comparison to the world: 124

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $47 million

expenditures: $33.6 million (1997-98 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

4% (1995) country comparison to the world: 65

Agriculture - products:

corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), citrus fruits; fish

Industries:

tourism, offshore financial services

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

12 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 209

Electricity - consumption:

11.16 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 210

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 131

Oil - consumption:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 203

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 165

Oil - imports:

80 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 203

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 127

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 125

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 132

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 105

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 128

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 131

Exports:

$169.2 million (2000) country comparison to the world: 184

Exports - commodities:

lobster, dried and fresh conch, conch shells

Imports:

$175.6 million

Imports - commodities:

food and beverages, tobacco, clothing, manufactures, construction materials

Debt - external:

$NA

Exchange rates:

the US dollar is used

Communications ::Turks and Caicos Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:

3,700 (2008) country comparison to the world: 217

Telephones - mobile cellular:

25,100 (2004) country comparison to the world: 203

Telephone system:

general assessment: fully digital system with international direct dialing

domestic: full range of services available; GSM wireless service available

international: country code - 1-649; the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) fiber optic telecommunications submarine cable provides connectivity to South and Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and the US; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 2, FM 7, shortwave 0 (2003)

Television broadcast stations:

0 (broadcasts received from The Bahamas; 2 cable television networks) (2003)

Internet country code:

.tc

Internet hosts:

9,445 (2009) country comparison to the world: 117

Transportation ::Turks and Caicos Islands

Airports:

8 (2009) country comparison to the world: 163

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 6

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 121 km country comparison to the world: 210 paved: 24 km

unpaved: 97 km (2003)

Merchant marine:

registered in other countries: 1 (Panama 1) (2008) country comparison to the world: 152

Ports and terminals:

Grand Turk, Providenciales

Military ::Turks and Caicos Islands

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 4,937

females age 16-49: 4,648 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 226

female: 218 (2009 est.)

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues ::Turks and Caicos Islands

Disputes - international:

have received Haitians fleeing economic and civil disorder

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe

page last updated on October 28, 2009

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

@Tuvalu (Australia-Oceania)

Introduction ::Tuvalu

Background:

In 1974, ethnic differences within the British colony of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands caused the Polynesians of the Ellice Islands to vote for separation from the Micronesians of the Gilbert Islands. The following year, the Ellice Islands became the separate British colony of Tuvalu. Independence was granted in 1978. In 2000, Tuvalu negotiated a contract leasing its Internet domain name ".tv" for $50 million in royalties over a 12-year period.

Geography ::Tuvalu

Location:

Oceania, island group consisting of nine coral atolls in the South
Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia

Geographic coordinates:

8 00 S, 178 00 E

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 26 sq km country comparison to the world: 236 land: 26 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

0.1 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

24 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; moderated by easterly trade winds (March to November); westerly gales and heavy rain (November to March)

Terrain:

low-lying and narrow coral atolls

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed location 5 m

Natural resources:

fish

Land use:

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 66.67%

other: 33.33% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

severe tropical storms are usually rare, but in 1997 there were three cyclones; low level of islands make them sensitive to changes in sea level

Environment - current issues:

since there are no streams or rivers and groundwater is not potable, most water needs must be met by catchment systems with storage facilities (the Japanese Government has built one desalination plant and plans to build one other); beachhead erosion because of the use of sand for building materials; excessive clearance of forest undergrowth for use as fuel; damage to coral reefs from the spread of the Crown of Thorns starfish; Tuvalu is concerned about global increases in greenhouse gas emissions and their effect on rising sea levels, which threaten the country's underground water table; in 2000, the government appealed to Australia and New Zealand to take in Tuvaluans if rising sea levels should make evacuation necessary

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

one of the smallest and most remote countries on Earth; six of the nine coral atolls - Nanumea, Nui, Vaitupu, Nukufetau, Funafuti, and Nukulaelae - have lagoons open to the ocean; Nanumaya and Niutao have landlocked lagoons; Niulakita does not have a lagoon

People ::Tuvalu

Population:

12,373 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 223

Age structure:

0-14 years: 29.2% (male 1,841/female 1,770)

15-64 years: 65.6% (male 3,973/female 4,141)

65 years and over: 5.2% (male 240/female 408) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 25.4 years

male: 24.4 years

female: 26.6 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.616% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 83

Birth rate:

23.11 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 79

Death rate:

6.95 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 134

Net migration rate:

NA (2009 est.)

Urbanization:

urban population: 49% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 18.43 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 112 male: 20.95 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 15.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 69.29 years country comparison to the world: 148 male: 66.99 years

female: 71.7 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.91 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 76

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Tuvaluan(s)

adjective: Tuvaluan

Ethnic groups:

Polynesian 96%, Micronesian 4%

Religions:

Church of Tuvalu (Congregationalist) 97%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1.4%, Baha'i 1%, other 0.6%

Languages:

Tuvaluan, English, Samoan, Kiribati (on the island of Nui)

Literacy:

NA

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 11 years

male: 11 years

female: 11 years (2001)

Education expenditures:

NA

Government ::Tuvalu

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Tuvalu

local long form: none

local short form: Tuvalu

former: Ellice Islands

note: "Tuvalu" means "group of eight" referring to the country's eight traditionally inhabited islands

Government type:

a parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm

Capital:

name: Funafuti

geographic coordinates: 8 30 S, 179 12 E

time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

note: administrative offices are in Vaiaku Village on Fongafale Islet

Administrative divisions:

none

Independence:

1 October 1978 (from the UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 1 October (1978)

Constitution:

1 October 1978

Legal system:

English common law supplemented by local customary law

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Filoimea TELITO (since 15 April 2005)

head of government: Prime Minister Apisai IELEMIA (since 14 August 2006)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the recommendation of the prime minister

elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister; prime minister and deputy prime minister elected by and from the members of parliament; election last held 14 August 2006 (next to be held following parliamentary elections in 2010)

election results: Apisai IELEMIA elected prime minister in a parliamentary election on 14 August 2006

Legislative branch:

unicameral Parliament or Fale I Fono, also called House of Assembly (15 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 3 August 2006 (next to be held in 2010)

election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 15

Judicial branch:

High Court (a chief justice visits twice a year to preside over its sessions; its rulings can be appealed to the Court of Appeal in Fiji); eight Island Courts (with limited jurisdiction)

Political parties and leaders:

there are no political parties but members of parliament usually align themselves in informal groupings

Political pressure groups and leaders:

none

International organization participation:

ACP, ADB, C, FAO, IFRCS (observer), IMO, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF,
Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

Tuvalu does not have an embassy in the US - the country's only diplomatic post is in Fiji - Tuvalu does, however, have a UN office located at 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400D, New York, NY 10017, telephone: [1] (212) 490-0534

Diplomatic representation from the US:

the US does not have an embassy in Tuvalu; the US ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Tuvalu

Flag description:

light blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the outer half of the flag represents a map of the country with nine yellow five-pointed stars symbolizing the nine islands

Economy ::Tuvalu

Economy - overview:

Tuvalu consists of a densely populated, scattered group of nine coral atolls with poor soil. The country has no known mineral resources and few exports and is almost entirely dependent upon imported food and fuel. Subsistence farming and fishing are the primary economic activities. Fewer than 1,000 tourists, on average, visit Tuvalu annually. Job opportunities are scarce and public sector workers make up most of those employed. About 15% of the adult male population work as seamen on merchant ships abroad, and remittances are a vital source of income contributing around $4 million in 2006. Substantial income is received annually from the Tuvalu Trust Fund (TTF) an international trust fund established in 1987 by Australia, NZ, and the UK and supported also by Japan and South Korea. Thanks to wise investments and conservative withdrawals, this fund grew from an initial $17 million to an estimated value of $77 million in 2006. The TFF contributed nearly $9 million towards the government budget in 2006 and is an important cushion for meeting shortfalls in the government's budget. The US Government is also a major revenue source for Tuvalu because of payments from a 1988 treaty on fisheries. In an effort to ensure financial stability and sustainability, the government is pursuing public sector reforms, including privatization of some government functions and personnel cuts. Tuvalu also derives royalties from the lease of its ".tv" Internet domain name with revenue of more than $2 million in 2006. A minor source of government revenue comes from the sale of stamps and coins. With merchandise exports only a fraction of merchandise imports, continued reliance must be placed on fishing and telecommunications license fees, remittances from overseas workers, official transfers, and income from overseas investments. Growing income disparities and the vulnerability of the country to climatic change are among leading concerns for the nation.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$14.94 million (2002 est.) country comparison to the world: 226

GDP (official exchange rate):

$14.94 million (2002)

GDP - real growth rate:

3% (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 127

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,600 (2002 est.) country comparison to the world: 195

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 16.6%

industry: 27.2%

services: 56.2% (2002)

Labor force:

3,615 (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 214

Labor force - by occupation:

note: people make a living mainly through exploitation of the sea, reefs, and atolls and from wages sent home by those abroad (mostly workers in the phosphate industry and sailors)

Unemployment rate:

NA%

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $21.54 million

expenditures: $23.05 million (2006)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3.8% (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 58

Agriculture - products:

coconuts; fish

Industries:

fishing, tourism, copra

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Current account balance:

-$11.68 million (2003) country comparison to the world: 64

Exports:

$1 million (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 218

Exports - commodities:

copra, fish

Imports:

$12.91 million (2005) country comparison to the world: 216

Imports - commodities:

food, animals, mineral fuels, machinery, manufactured goods

Debt - external:

$NA

Exchange rates:

Tuvaluan dollars or Australian dollars (AUD) per U 1.2059 (2008 est.), 1.2137 (2007), 1.3285 (2006), 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004)

Communications ::Tuvalu

Telephones - main lines in use:

1,500 (2008) country comparison to the world: 226

Telephones - mobile cellular:

2,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 216

Telephone system:

general assessment: serves particular needs for internal communications

domestic: radiotelephone communications between islands

international: country code - 688; international calls can be made by satellite

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004)

Television broadcast stations:

0 (2004)

Internet country code:

.tv

Internet hosts:

103,041 (2009) country comparison to the world: 73

Internet users:

4,200 (2008) country comparison to the world: 205

Transportation ::Tuvalu

Airports:

1 (2009) country comparison to the world: 214

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 8 km country comparison to the world: 219 paved: 8 km (2002)

Merchant marine:

total: 80 country comparison to the world: 55 by type: bulk carrier 7, cargo 30, chemical tanker 14, container 2, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 22, refrigerated cargo 1, specialized tanker 1

foreign-owned: 63 (China 16, Hong Kong 7, Kenya 1, South Korea 1, Malaysia 1, Maldives 1, Norway 1, Russia 2, Singapore 23, Thailand 1, Turkey 2, Ukraine 1, US 1, Vietnam 5) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Funafuti

Military ::Tuvalu

Military branches:

no regular military forces; Tuvalu Police Force (2008)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 2,462

females age 16-49: 2,631 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 125

female: 121 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

NA

Transnational Issues ::Tuvalu

Disputes - international:

none

page last updated on October 28, 2009

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

@Uganda (Africa)

Introduction ::Uganda

Background:

The colonial boundaries created by Britain to delimit Uganda grouped together a wide range of ethnic groups with different political systems and cultures. These differences prevented the establishment of a working political community after independence was achieved in 1962. The dictatorial regime of Idi AMIN (1971-79) was responsible for the deaths of some 300,000 opponents; guerrilla war and human rights abuses under Milton OBOTE (1980-85) claimed at least another 100,000 lives. The rule of Yoweri MUSEVENI since 1986 has brought relative stability and economic growth to Uganda. During the 1990s, the government promulgated non-party presidential and legislative elections. In January 2009, Uganda assumed a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2009-10 term.

Geography ::Uganda

Location:

Eastern Africa, west of Kenya

Geographic coordinates:

1 00 N, 32 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 241,038 sq km country comparison to the world: 80 land: 197,100 sq km

water: 43,938 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Oregon

Land boundaries:

total: 2,698 km

border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 765 km, Kenya 933 km, Rwanda 169 km, Sudan 435 km, Tanzania 396 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

tropical; generally rainy with two dry seasons (December to February, June to August); semiarid in northeast

Terrain:

mostly plateau with rim of mountains

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Lake Albert 621 m

highest point: Margherita Peak on Mount Stanley 5,110 m

Natural resources:

copper, cobalt, hydropower, limestone, salt, arable land, gold

Land use:

arable land: 21.57%

permanent crops: 8.92%

other: 69.51% (2005)

Irrigated land:

90 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

66 cu km (1970)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.3 cu km/yr (43%/17%/40%)

per capita: 10 cu m/yr (2002)

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

draining of wetlands for agricultural use; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; water hyacinth infestation in Lake Victoria; widespread poaching

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Geography - note:

landlocked; fertile, well-watered country with many lakes and rivers

People ::Uganda

Population:

32,369,558 country comparison to the world: 38 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 50% (male 8,152,830/female 8,034,366)

15-64 years: 47.9% (male 7,789,209/female 7,703,143)

65 years and over: 2.1% (male 286,693/female 403,317) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 15 years

male: 14.9 years

female: 15.1 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.692% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 24

Birth rate:

47.84 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 3

Death rate:

12.09 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 37

Net migration rate:

-8.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 175

Urbanization:

urban population: 13% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 4.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 64.82 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 33 male: 68.46 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 61.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 52.72 years country comparison to the world: 200 male: 51.66 years

female: 53.81 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

6.77 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 3

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

5.4% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 14

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

940,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 14

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

77,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 9

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria, plague, and African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness)

water contact disease: schistosomiasis

animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Ugandan(s)

adjective: Ugandan

Ethnic groups:

Baganda 16.9%, Banyakole 9.5%, Basoga 8.4%, Bakiga 6.9%, Iteso 6.4%, Langi 6.1%, Acholi 4.7%, Bagisu 4.6%, Lugbara 4.2%, Bunyoro 2.7%, other 29.6% (2002 census)

Religions:

Roman Catholic 41.9%, Protestant 42% (Anglican 35.9%, Pentecostal 4.6%, Seventh Day Adventist 1.5%), Muslim 12.1%, other 3.1%, none 0.9% (2002 census)

Languages:

English (official national language, taught in grade schools, used in courts of law and by most newspapers and some radio broadcasts), Ganda or Luganda (most widely used of the Niger-Congo languages, preferred for native language publications in the capital and may be taught in school), other Niger-Congo languages, Nilo-Saharan languages, Swahili, Arabic

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 66.8%

male: 76.8%

female: 57.7% (2002 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 10 years

male: 11 years

female: 10 years (2004)

Education expenditures:

5.2% of GDP (2004) country comparison to the world: 61

Government ::Uganda

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Uganda

conventional short form: Uganda

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Kampala

geographic coordinates: 0 19 N, 32 25 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

80 districts; Abim, Adjumani, Amolatar, Amuria, Amuru, Apac, Arua,
Budaka, Bududa, Bugiri, Bukedea, Bukwa, Bulisa, Bundibugyo,
Bushenyi, Busia, Butaleja, Dokolo, Gulu, Hoima, Ibanda, Iganga,
Isingiro, Jinja, Kaabong, Kabale, Kabarole, Kaberamaido, Kalangala,
Kaliro, Kampala, Kamuli, Kamwenge, Kanungu, Kapchorwa, Kasese,
Katakwi, Kayunga, Kibale, Kiboga, Kiruhara, Kisoro, Kitgum, Koboko,
Kotido, Kumi, Kyenjojo, Lira, Luwero, Lyantonde, Manafwa, Maracha,
Masaka, Masindi, Mayuge, Mbale, Mbarara, Mityana, Moroto, Moyo,
Mpigi, Mubende, Mukono, Nakapiripirit, Nakaseke, Nakasongola,
Namutumba, Nebbi, Ntungamo, Oyam, Pader, Pallisa, Rakai, Rukungiri,
Sembabule, Sironko, Soroti, Tororo, Wakiso, Yumbe

Independence:

9 October 1962 (from the UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 9 October (1962)

Constitution:

8 October 1995; amended in 2005

note: the amendments in 2005 removed presidential term limits and legalized a multiparty political system

Legal system:

in 1995, the government restored the legal system to one based on English common law and customary law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI (since seizing power 26 January 1986); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI (since seizing power 26 January 1986); Prime Minister Apolo NSIBAMBI (since 5 April 1999); note - the prime minister assists the president in the supervision of the cabinet

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among elected legislators

elections: president reelected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 23 February 2006 (next to be held in February 2011)

election results: Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI elected president; percent of vote - Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI 59.3%, Kizza BESIGYE 37.4%, other 3.3%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly (332 seats; 215 members elected by popular vote, 104 nominated by legally established special interest groups [women 79, army 10, disabled 5, youth 5, labor 5], 13 ex officio members; serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 23 February 2006 (next to be held in February 2011)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NRM 191, FDC 37, UPC 9, DP 8, CP 1, JEEMA 1, independents 36, other 49

Judicial branch:

Court of Appeal (judges are appointed by the president and approved by the legislature); High Court (judges are appointed by the president)

Political parties and leaders:

Conservative Party or CP [Ken LUKYAMUZI]; Democratic Party or DP
[Kizito SSEBAANA]; Forum for Democratic Change or FDC [Kizza
BESIGYE]; Justice Forum or JEEMA [Muhammad Kibirige MAYANJA];
National Resistance Movement or NRM [Yoweri MUSEVENI]; Peoples
Progressive Party or PPP [Bidandi SSALI]; Ugandan People's Congress
or UPC [Miria OBOTE]

note: a national referendum in July 2005 opened the way for Uganda's transition to a multi-party political system

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Lord's Resistance Army or LRA [Joseph KONY]; Young Parliamentary
Association [Henry BANYENZAKI]; Parliamentary Advocacy Forum or
PAFO; National Association of Women Organizations in Uganda or NAWOU
[Florence NEKYON]; The Ugandan Coalition for Political
Accountability to Women or COPAW

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, EAC, EADB, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT,
NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Perezi Karukubiro KAMUNANWIRE

chancery: 5911 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011

telephone: [1] (202) 726-7100 through 7102, 0416

FAX: [1] (202) 726-1727

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Steven BROWNING

embassy: 1577 Ggaba Road, Kampala

mailing address: P. O. Box 7007, Kampala

telephone: [256] (414) 259 791 through 93, 95

FAX: [256] (414) 258-794

Flag description:

six equal horizontal bands of black (top), yellow, red, black, yellow, and red; a white disk is superimposed at the center and depicts a red-crested crane (the national symbol) facing the hoist side

Economy ::Uganda

Economy - overview:

Uganda has substantial natural resources, including fertile soils, regular rainfall, sizable mineral deposits of copper, cobalt, gold, and other minerals, and recently discovered oil. Agriculture is the most important sector of the economy, employing over 80% of the work force. Coffee accounts for the bulk of export revenues. Since 1986, the government - with the support of foreign countries and international agencies - has acted to rehabilitate and stabilize the economy by undertaking currency reform, raising producer prices on export crops, increasing prices of petroleum products, and improving civil service wages. The policy changes are especially aimed at dampening inflation and boosting production and export earnings. During 1990-2001, the economy turned in a solid performance based on continued investment in the rehabilitation of infrastructure, improved incentives for production and exports, reduced inflation, gradually improved domestic security, and the return of exiled Indian-Ugandan entrepreneurs. Growth continues to be solid, despite variability in the price of coffee, Uganda's principal export, and a consistent upturn in Uganda's export markets. In 2000, Uganda qualified for enhanced Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) debt relief worth $1.3 billion and Paris Club debt relief worth $145 million. These amounts combined with the original HIPC debt relief added up to about $2 billion.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$40.08 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 95 $37 billion (2007 est.)

$34.21 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$14.57 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

8.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 22 8.2% (2007 est.)

7.1% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,300 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 204 $1,200 (2007 est.)

$1,200 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 21.5%

industry: 24.6%

services: 53.9% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

14.54 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 40

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 82%

industry: 5%

services: 13% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:

NA%

Population below poverty line:

35% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.6%

highest 10%: 34.1% (2005)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

45.7 (2002) country comparison to the world: 41 37.4 (1996)

Investment (gross fixed):

23.2% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 67

Budget:

revenues: $2.621 billion

expenditures: $2.939 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2008 est.)

Public debt:

18.8% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 99 73.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

12.1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 170 6.1% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

19.42% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 16 14.68% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

20.45% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 20 19.11% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$1.488 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 78 $1.347 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$1.485 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 90 $1.258 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$1.464 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 98 $640.3 million (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$NA (31 December 2007)

$116.3 million (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

coffee, tea, cotton, tobacco, cassava (tapioca), potatoes, corn, millet, pulses, cut flowers; beef, goat meat, milk, poultry

Industries:

sugar, brewing, tobacco, cotton textiles; cement, steel production

Industrial production growth rate:

7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 30

Electricity - production:

2.256 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 132

Electricity - consumption:

2.068 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 134

Electricity - exports:

30 million kWh (2007)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

bbl/day NA

Oil - consumption:

13,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 144

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 160

Oil - imports:

13,090 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 133

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 122

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 120

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 127

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 97

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 121

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 127

Current account balance:

-$1.088 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 123 -$744.7 million (2007 est.)

Exports:

$2.688 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 123 $1.686 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

coffee, fish and fish products, tea, cotton, flowers, horticultural products; gold

Exports - partners:

Sudan 14.3%, Kenya 9.5%, Switzerland 9%, Rwanda 7.9%, UAE 7.4%,
Democratic Republic of the Congo 7.3%, UK 6.9%, Netherlands 4.7%,
Germany 4.4% (2008)

Imports:

$3.98 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 126 $2.983 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

capital equipment, vehicles, petroleum, medical supplies; cereals

Imports - partners:

UAE 11.4%, Kenya 11.3%, India 10.4%, China 8.1%, South Africa 6.7%,
Japan 5.9% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$2.301 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 105 $2.56 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$1.835 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 137 $1.498 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$NA

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$NA

Exchange rates:

Ugandan shillings (UGX) per US dollar - 1,658.1 (2008 est.), 1,685.8 (2007), 1,834.9 (2006), 1,780.7 (2005), 1,810.3 (2004)

Communications ::Uganda

Telephones - main lines in use:

168,500 (2008) country comparison to the world: 128

Telephones - mobile cellular:

8.555 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 68

Telephone system:

general assessment: seriously inadequate; mobile cellular service is increasing rapidly, but the number of main lines is still deficient; e-mail and Internet services are available

domestic: intercity traffic by wire, microwave radio relay, and radiotelephone communication stations, fixed and mobile-cellular systems for short-range traffic

international: country code - 256; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Inmarsat; analog links to Kenya and Tanzania

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 7, FM 33, shortwave 2 (2001)

Television broadcast stations:

8 (plus 1 repeater) (2001)

Internet country code:

.ug

Internet hosts:

6,757 (2009) country comparison to the world: 131

Internet users:

2.5 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 64

Transportation ::Uganda

Airports:

35 (2009) country comparison to the world: 109

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 5

over 3,047 m: 3

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 30

over 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 6

914 to 1,523 m: 15

under 914 m: 8 (2009)

Railways:

total: 1,244 km country comparison to the world: 84 narrow gauge: 1,244 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 70,746 km country comparison to the world: 67 paved: 16,272 km

unpaved: 54,474 km (2003)

Waterways:

on Lake Victoria, 200 km on Lake Albert, Lake Kyoga, and parts of Albert Nile (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Entebbe, Jinja, Port Bell

Military ::Uganda

Military branches:

Uganda Peoples Defense Force (UPDF): Army (includes Marine Unit),
Air Force (2007)

Military service age and obligation:

18-26 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military duty; 18-30 years of age for professionals; 9-year service obligation; the government has stated that recruitment below 18 years of age could occur with proper consent and that "no person under the apparent age of 13 years shall be enrolled in the armed forces"; Ugandan citizenship and secondary education required (2009)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 6,532,894

females age 16-49: 6,352,416 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 3,996,597

females age 16-49: 3,899,717 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 399,134

female: 395,505 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

2.2% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 76

Transnational Issues ::Uganda

Disputes - international:

Uganda is subject to armed fighting among hostile ethnic groups, rebels, armed gangs, militias, and various government forces that extend across its borders; Uganda hosts 209,860 Sudanese, 27,560 Congolese, and 19,710 Rwandan refugees, while Ugandan refugees as well as members of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) seek shelter in southern Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo's Garamba National Park; LRA forces have also attacked Kenyan villages across the border

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 215,700 (Sudan); 28,880 (Democratic Republic of Congo); 24,900 (Rwanda)

IDPs: 1.27 million (350,000 IDPs returned in 2006 following ongoing peace talks between the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) and the Government of Uganda) (2007)

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Ukraine (Europe)

Introduction ::Ukraine

Background:

Ukraine was the center of the first eastern Slavic state, Kyivan Rus, which during the 10th and 11th centuries was the largest and most powerful state in Europe. Weakened by internecine quarrels and Mongol invasions, Kyivan Rus was incorporated into the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and eventually into the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The cultural and religious legacy of Kyivan Rus laid the foundation for Ukrainian nationalism through subsequent centuries. A new Ukrainian state, the Cossack Hetmanate, was established during the mid-17th century after an uprising against the Poles. Despite continuous Muscovite pressure, the Hetmanate managed to remain autonomous for well over 100 years. During the latter part of the 18th century, most Ukrainian ethnographic territory was absorbed by the Russian Empire. Following the collapse of czarist Russia in 1917, Ukraine was able to bring about a short-lived period of independence (1917-20), but was reconquered and forced to endure a brutal Soviet rule that engineered two artificial famines (1921-22 and 1932-33) in which over 8 million died. In World War II, German and Soviet armies were responsible for some 7 to 8 million more deaths. Although final independence for Ukraine was achieved in 1991 with the dissolution of the USSR, democracy remained elusive as the legacy of state control and endemic corruption stalled efforts at economic reform, privatization, and civil liberties. A peaceful mass protest "Orange Revolution" in the closing months of 2004 forced the authorities to overturn a rigged presidential election and to allow a new internationally monitored vote that swept into power a reformist slate under Viktor YUSHCHENKO. Subsequent internal squabbles in the YUSHCHENKO camp allowed his rival Viktor YANUKOVYCH to stage a comeback in parliamentary elections and become prime minister in August of 2006. An early legislative election, brought on by a political crisis in the spring of 2007, saw Yuliya TYMOSHENKO, as head of an "Orange" coalition, installed as a new prime minister in December 2007.

Geography ::Ukraine

Location:

Eastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Poland, Romania, and Moldova in the west and Russia in the east

Geographic coordinates:

49 00 N, 32 00 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 603,550 sq km country comparison to the world: 45 land: 579,330 sq km

water: 24,220 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries:

total: 4,566 km

border countries: Belarus 891 km, Hungary 103 km, Moldova 940 km, Poland 428 km, Romania (south) 176 km, Romania (southwest) 362 km, Russia 1,576 km, Slovakia 90 km

Coastline:

2,782 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 m or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:

temperate continental; Mediterranean only on the southern Crimean coast; precipitation disproportionately distributed, highest in west and north, lesser in east and southeast; winters vary from cool along the Black Sea to cold farther inland; summers are warm across the greater part of the country, hot in the south

Terrain:

most of Ukraine consists of fertile plains (steppes) and plateaus, mountains being found only in the west (the Carpathians), and in the Crimean Peninsula in the extreme south

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Black Sea 0 m

highest point: Hora Hoverla 2,061 m

Natural resources:

iron ore, coal, manganese, natural gas, oil, salt, sulfur, graphite, titanium, magnesium, kaolin, nickel, mercury, timber, arable land

Land use:

arable land: 53.8%

permanent crops: 1.5%

other: 44.7% (2005)

Irrigated land:

22,080 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

139.5 cu km (1997)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 37.53 cu km/yr (12%/35%/52%)

per capita: 807 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

inadequate supplies of potable water; air and water pollution; deforestation; radiation contamination in the northeast from 1986 accident at Chornobyl' Nuclear Power Plant

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulfur 85, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds

Geography - note:

strategic position at the crossroads between Europe and Asia; second-largest country in Europe

People ::Ukraine

Population:

45,700,395 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 27

Age structure:

0-14 years: 13.8% (male 3,238,280/female 3,066,594)

15-64 years: 70.3% (male 15,399,488/female 16,742,612)

65 years and over: 15.9% (male 2,422,311/female 4,831,110) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 39.5 years

male: 36.3 years

female: 42.7 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.632% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 230

Birth rate:

9.6 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 202

Death rate:

15.81 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 18

Net migration rate:

-0.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 93

Urbanization:

urban population: 68% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: -0.7% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.5 male(s)/female

total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 8.98 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 158 male: 11.2 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 6.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 68.25 years country comparison to the world: 150 male: 62.37 years

female: 74.5 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.26 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 211

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

1.6% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 40

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

440,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 21

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

19,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 23

Nationality:

noun: Ukrainian(s)

adjective: Ukrainian

Ethnic groups:

Ukrainian 77.8%, Russian 17.3%, Belarusian 0.6%, Moldovan 0.5%,
Crimean Tatar 0.5%, Bulgarian 0.4%, Hungarian 0.3%, Romanian 0.3%,
Polish 0.3%, Jewish 0.2%, other 1.8% (2001 census)

Religions:

Ukrainian Orthodox - Kyiv Patriarchate 50.4%, Ukrainian Orthodox -
Moscow Patriarchate 26.1%, Ukrainian Greek Catholic 8%, Ukrainian
Autocephalous Orthodox 7.2%, Roman Catholic 2.2%, Protestant 2.2%,
Jewish 0.6%, other 3.2% (2006 est.)

Languages:

Ukrainian (official) 67%, Russian 24%, other 9% (includes small
Romanian-, Polish-, and Hungarian-speaking minorities)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.4%

male: 99.7%

female: 99.2% (2001 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 14 years

male: 14 years

female: 15 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

6.3% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 36

Government ::Ukraine

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Ukraine

local long form: none

local short form: Ukrayina

former: Ukrainian National Republic, Ukrainian State, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Kyiv (Kiev)

geographic coordinates: 50 26 N, 30 31 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

24 provinces (oblasti, singular - oblast'), 1 autonomous republic* (avtonomna respublika), and 2 municipalities (mista, singular - misto) with oblast status**; Cherkasy, Chernihiv, Chernivtsi, Crimea or Avtonomna Respublika Krym* (Simferopol'), Dnipropetrovs'k, Donets'k, Ivano-Frankivs'k, Kharkiv, Kherson, Khmel'nyts'kyy, Kirovohrad, Kyiv**, Kyiv, Luhans'k, L'viv, Mykolayiv, Odesa, Poltava, Rivne, Sevastopol'**, Sumy, Ternopil', Vinnytsya, Volyn' (Luts'k), Zakarpattya (Uzhhorod), Zaporizhzhya, Zhytomyr

note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses)

Independence:

24 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 24 August (1991); note - 22 January 1918, the day Ukraine first declared its independence (from Soviet Russia) and the day the short-lived Western and Central Ukrainian republics united (1919), is now celebrated as Unity Day

Constitution:

adopted 28 June 1996

Legal system:

based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Viktor A. YUSHCHENKO (since 23 January 2005)

head of government: Prime Minister Yuliya TYMOSHENKO (since 18 December 2007); First Deputy Prime Minister Oleksandr TURCHYNOV (since 18 December 2007); Deputy Prime Ministers Hryhoriy NEMYRYA and Ivan VASYUNYK (since 18 December 2007)

cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers selected by the prime minister; the only exceptions are the foreign and defense ministers, who are chosen by the president

note: there is also a National Security and Defense Council or NSDC originally created in 1992 as the National Security Council; the NSDC staff is tasked with developing national security policy on domestic and international matters and advising the president; a Presidential Secretariat helps draft presidential edicts and provides policy support to the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); note - a special repeat runoff presidential election between Viktor YUSHCHENKO and Viktor YANUKOVYCH took place on 26 December 2004 after the earlier 21 November 2004 contest - won by YANUKOVYCH - was invalidated by the Ukrainian Supreme Court because of widespread and significant violations; under constitutional reforms that went into effect 1 January 2006, the majority in parliament takes the lead in naming the prime minister

election results: Viktor YUSHCHENKO elected president; percent of vote - Viktor YUSHCHENKO 52%, Viktor YANUKOVYCH 44.2%

Legislative branch:

unicameral Supreme Council or Verkhovna Rada (450 seats; members allocated on a proportional basis to those parties that gain 3% or more of the national electoral vote; serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 30 September 2007 (next to be held in 2012)

election results: percent of vote by party/bloc - Party of Regions 34.4%, Yuliya Tymoshenko Bloc 30.7%, Our Ukraine-People's Self Defense 14.2%, CPU 5.4%, Lytvyn bloc 4%, other parties 11.3%; seats by party/bloc - Party of Regions 175, Yuliya Tymoshenko Bloc 156, Our Ukraine-People's Self Defense 72, CPU 27, Lytvyn bloc 20

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court; Constitutional Court

Political parties and leaders:

Christian Democratic Union [Volodymyr STRETOVYCH]; Communist Party
of Ukraine or CPU [Petro SYMONENKO]; European Party of Ukraine
[Mykola KATERYNCHUK]; Fatherland Party (Batkivshchyna) [Yuliya
TYMOSHENKO]; Forward Ukraine! [Viktor MUSIYAKA]; Labor Party of
Ukraine [Mykola SYROTA]; Our Ukraine [Viktor YUSHCHENKO]; Party of
Industrialists and Entrepreneurs [Anatoliy KINAKH]; Party of the
Defenders of the Fatherland [Yuriy Karmazin]; People's Movement of
Ukraine (Rukh) [Borys TARASYUK]; People's Party [Volodymyr LYTVYN];
Peoples' Self-Defense [Yuriy LUTSENKO]; PORA! (It's Time!) party
[Vladyslav KASKIV]; Progressive Socialist Party [Natalya VITRENKO];
Reforms and Order Party [Viktor PYNZENYK]; Party of Regions [Viktor
YANUKOVYCH]; Sobor [Anatoliy MATVIYENKO]; Social Democratic Party
[Yevhen KORNICHUK]; Social Democratic Party (United) or SDPU(o)
[Yuriy ZAHORODNIY]; Socialist Party of Ukraine or SPU [Oleksandr
MOROZ]; Ukrainian People's Party [Yuriy KOSTENKO]; United Center
[Ihor Krill]; Viche [Inna BOHOSLOVSKA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Committee of Voters of Ukraine [Ihor POPOV]

International organization participation:

Australia Group, BSEC, CBSS (observer), CE, CEI, CIS, EAEC (observer), EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GCTU, GUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MONUC, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Oleh V. SHAMSHUR

chancery: 3350 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20007

telephone: [1] (202) 333-0606

FAX: [1] (202) 333-0817

consulate(s) general: Chicago, New York, San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador William B. TAYLOR Jr.

embassy: 10 Yurii Kotsiubynsky Street, 01901 Kyiv

mailing address: 5850 Kiev Place, Washington, DC 20521-5850

telephone: [380] (44) 490-4000

FAX: [380] (44) 490-4085

Flag description:

two equal horizontal bands of azure (top) and golden yellow represent grain fields under a blue sky

Economy ::Ukraine

Economy - overview:

After Russia, the Ukrainian republic was far and away the most important economic component of the former Soviet Union, producing about four times the output of the next-ranking republic. Its fertile black soil generated more than one-fourth of Soviet agricultural output, and its farms provided substantial quantities of meat, milk, grain, and vegetables to other republics. Likewise, its diversified heavy industry supplied the unique equipment (for example, large diameter pipes) and raw materials to industrial and mining sites (vertical drilling apparatus) in other regions of the former USSR. Shortly after independence was ratified in December 1991, the Ukrainian Government liberalized most prices and erected a legal framework for privatization, but widespread resistance to reform within the government and the legislature soon stalled reform efforts and led to some backtracking. Output by 1999 had fallen to less than 40% of the 1991 level. Ukraine's dependence on Russia for energy supplies and the lack of significant structural reform have made the Ukrainian economy vulnerable to external shocks. Ukraine depends on imports to meet about three-fourths of its annual oil and natural gas requirements. Ukraine concluded a deal with Russia in January 2006 that almost doubled the price Ukraine pays for Russian gas. Disputes with Russia over pricing have led to periodic gas cut-offs. Outside institutions - particularly the IMF - have encouraged Ukraine to quicken the pace and scope of reforms. Ukrainian Government officials eliminated most tax and customs privileges in a March 2005 budget law, bringing more economic activity out of Ukraine's large shadow economy, but more improvements are needed, including fighting corruption, developing capital markets, and improving the legislative framework. Ukraine's economy was buoyant despite political turmoil between the prime minister and president until mid-2008. Real GDP growth exceeded 7% in 2006-07, fueled by high global prices for steel - Ukraine's top export - and by strong domestic consumption, spurred by rising pensions and wages. The drop in steel prices and Ukraine's exposure to the global financial crisis due to aggressive foreign borrowing has lowered growth in 2008 and the economy probably will contract in 2009. Ukraine reached an agreement with the IMF for a $16.5 billion standby arrangement in November 2008 to deal with the economic crisis. However, political turmoil in Ukraine as well as deteriorating external conditions are likely to hamper efforts for economic recovery.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$338.6 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 35 $331.6 billion (2007 est.)

$307.4 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$179.6 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2.1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 157 7.9% (2007 est.)

7.3% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$7,400 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 124 $7,200 (2007 est.)

$6,600 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 9.3%

industry: 31.7%

services: 58.9% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

21.57 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 28

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 19.4%

industry: 24.2%

services: 56.4% (2005)

Unemployment rate:

3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 34 2.3% (2007 est.)

note: officially registered; large number of unregistered or underemployed workers

Population below poverty line:

37.7% (2003)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 3.4%

highest 10%: 25.7% (2006)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

31 (2006) country comparison to the world: 107 29 (1999)

Investment (gross fixed):

27.2% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 37

Budget:

revenues: $56.55 billion

expenditures: $59.24 billion; note - this is the planned, consolidated budget (2008 est.)

Public debt:

10.3% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 112 24.7% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

25.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 213 12.8% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

12% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 53 8% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

17.49% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 71 11.33% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$29.24 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 28 $35.97 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$37.32 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 31 $41.51 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$101.1 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 38 $87.13 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$24.36 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 45 $111.8 billion (31 December 2007)

$42.87 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

grain, sugar beets, sunflower seeds, vegetables; beef, milk

Industries:

coal, electric power, ferrous and nonferrous metals, machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food processing (especially sugar)

Industrial production growth rate:

-5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 167

Electricity - production:

185.2 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 20

Electricity - consumption:

153.1 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 22

Electricity - exports:

12.55 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

3.383 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Oil - production:

101,300 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 51

Oil - consumption:

353,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 37

Oil - exports:

97,200 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 67

Oil - imports:

354,100 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 29

Oil - proved reserves:

395 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 52

Natural gas - production:

19.8 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 30

Natural gas - consumption:

84 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 9

Natural gas - exports:

3.2 billion cu m (2007) country comparison to the world: 31

Natural gas - imports:

64.2 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 5

Natural gas - proved reserves:

1.104 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 24

Current account balance:

-$12.76 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 171 -$5.918 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$67.72 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 47 $49.84 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

ferrous and nonferrous metals, fuel and petroleum products, chemicals, machinery and transport equipment, food products

Exports - partners:

Russia 23.5%, Turkey 6.9%, Italy 4.4% (2008)

Imports:

$83.81 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 41 $60.41 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

energy, machinery and equipment, chemicals

Imports - partners:

Russia 22.7%, Germany 8.4%, Turkmenistan 6.6%, China 6.5%, Poland 5% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$31.54 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 41 $32.48 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$101.7 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 37 $79.96 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$41.77 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 53 $31.08 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$1.905 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 64 $895 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

hryvnia (UAH) per US dollar - 4.9523 (2008 est.), 5.05 (2007), 5.05 (2006), 5.1247 (2005), 5.3192 (2004)

Communications ::Ukraine

Telephones - main lines in use:

13.177 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 20

Telephones - mobile cellular:

55.695 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 19

Telephone system:

general assessment: Ukraine's telecommunication development plan emphasizes improving domestic trunk lines, international connections, and the mobile-cellular system

domestic: at independence in December 1991, Ukraine inherited a telephone system that was antiquated, inefficient, and in disrepair; more than 3.5 million applications for telephones could not be satisfied; telephone density is rising and the domestic trunk system is being improved; about one-third of Ukraine's networks are digital and a majority of regional centers now have digital switching stations; improvements in local networks and local exchanges continue to lag; the mobile-cellular telephone system's expansion has slowed, largely due to saturation of the market which had reached 120 mobile phones per 100 people by 2008

international: country code - 380; 2 new domestic trunk lines are a part of the fiber-optic Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) system and 3 Ukrainian links have been installed in the fiber-optic Trans-European Lines (TEL) project that connects 18 countries; additional international service is provided by the Italy-Turkey-Ukraine-Russia (ITUR) fiber-optic submarine cable and by an unknown number of earth stations in the Intelsat, Inmarsat, and Intersputnik satellite systems

Radio broadcast stations:

524 (station frequency types NA) (2006)

Television broadcast stations:

647 (2006)

Internet country code:

.ua

Internet hosts:

706,485 (2009) country comparison to the world: 46

Internet users:

10.354 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 30

Transportation ::Ukraine

Airports:

425 (2009) country comparison to the world: 18

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 189

over 3,047 m: 12

2,438 to 3,047 m: 51

1,524 to 2,437 m: 24

914 to 1,523 m: 6

under 914 m: 96 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 236

2,438 to 3,047 m: 3

1,524 to 2,437 m: 7

914 to 1,523 m: 12

under 914 m: 214 (2009)

Heliports:

7 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 33,327 km; oil 4,514 km; refined products 4,211 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 21,655 km country comparison to the world: 13 broad gauge: 21,655 km 1.524-m gauge (9,729 km electrified) (2008)

Roadways:

total: 169,422 km country comparison to the world: 30 paved: 165,611 km (includes 15 km of expressways)

unpaved: 3,811 km (2007)

Waterways:

2,176 km (most on Dnieper River) (2007) country comparison to the world: 42

Merchant marine:

total: 189 country comparison to the world: 36 by type: bulk carrier 6, cargo 141, chemical tanker 1, container 3, passenger 6, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 9, refrigerated cargo 11, roll on/roll off 7, specialized tanker 2

foreign-owned: 2 (Luxembourg 1, Russia 1)

registered in other countries: 204 (Belize 7, Cambodia 34, Comoros 8, Cyprus 4, Dominica 4, Georgia 18, Liberia 25, Lithuania 1, Malta 30, Moldova 5, Mongolia 1, Panama 10, Russia 11, Saint Kitts and Nevis 9, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 11, Sierra Leone 10, Slovakia 12, Tuvalu 1, unknown 3) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Feodosiya, Kerch, Kherson, Mariupol', Mykolayiv, Odesa, Yuzhnyy

Military ::Ukraine

Military branches:

Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces
(Viyskovo-Povitryani Syly, VPS) (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18-25 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 18 months for Army and Air Force, 24 months for Navy (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 11,457,562

females age 16-49: 11,767,357 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 7,056,742

females age 16-49: 9,234,591 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 269,311

female: 257,656 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.4% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 113

Transnational Issues ::Ukraine

Disputes - international:

1997 boundary delimitation treaty with Belarus remains un-ratified due to unresolved financial claims, stalling demarcation and reducing border security; delimitation of land boundary with Russia is complete with preparations for demarcation underway; the dispute over the boundary between Russia and Ukraine through the Kerch Strait and Sea of Azov remains unresolved despite a December 2003 framework agreement and ongoing expert-level discussions; Moldova and Ukraine operate joint customs posts to monitor transit of people and commodities through Moldova's break-away Transnistria Region, which remains under OSCE supervision; the ICJ gave Ukraine until December 2006 to reply, and Romania until June 2007 to rejoin, in their dispute submitted in 2004 over Ukrainian-administered Zmiyinyy/Serpilor (Snake) Island and Black Sea maritime boundary; Romania opposes Ukraine's reopening of a navigation canal from the Danube border through Ukraine to the Black Sea

Illicit drugs:

limited cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for CIS consumption; some synthetic drug production for export to the West; limited government eradication program; used as transshipment point for opiates and other illicit drugs from Africa, Latin America, and Turkey to Europe and Russia; Ukraine has improved anti-money-laundering controls, resulting in its removal from the Financial Action Task Force's (FATF's) Noncooperative Countries and Territories List in February 2004; Ukraine's anti-money-laundering regime continues to be monitored by FATF

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@United Arab Emirates (Middle East)

Introduction ::United Arab Emirates

Background:

The Trucial States of the Persian Gulf coast granted the UK control of their defense and foreign affairs in 19th century treaties. In 1971, six of these states - Abu Zaby, 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah, Dubayy, and Umm al Qaywayn - merged to form the United Arab Emirates (UAE). They were joined in 1972 by Ra's al Khaymah. The UAE's per capita GDP is on par with those of leading West European nations. Its generosity with oil revenues and its moderate foreign policy stance have allowed the UAE to play a vital role in the affairs of the region.

Geography ::United Arab Emirates

Location:

Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf, between Oman and Saudi Arabia

Geographic coordinates:

24 00 N, 54 00 E

Map references:

Middle East

Area:

total: 83,600 sq km country comparison to the world: 114 land: 83,600 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Maine

Land boundaries:

total: 867 km

border countries: Oman 410 km, Saudi Arabia 457 km

Coastline:

1,318 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:

desert; cooler in eastern mountains

Terrain:

flat, barren coastal plain merging into rolling sand dunes of vast desert wasteland; mountains in east

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m

highest point: Jabal Yibir 1,527 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, natural gas

Land use:

arable land: 0.77%

permanent crops: 2.27%

other: 96.96% (2005)

Irrigated land:

760 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

0.2 cu km (1997)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 2.3 cu km/yr (23%/9%/68%)

per capita: 511 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

frequent sand and dust storms

Environment - current issues:

lack of natural freshwater resources compensated by desalination plants; desertification; beach pollution from oil spills

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:

strategic location along southern approaches to Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil

People ::United Arab Emirates

Population:

4,798,491 country comparison to the world: 115 note: estimate is based on the results of the 2005 census that included a significantly higher estimate of net inmigration of non-citizens than previous estimates (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 20.4% (male 500,928/female 478,388)

15-64 years: 78.7% (male 2,768,030/female 1,008,404)

65 years and over: 0.9% (male 27,601/female 15,140)

note: 73.9% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 30.1 years

male: 32 years

female: 24.7 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

3.689% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 1

Birth rate:

16.02 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 132

Death rate:

2.11 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 222

Net migration rate:

22.98 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 1

Urbanization:

urban population: 78% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 2.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 2.74 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.82 male(s)/female

total population: 2.19 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 12.7 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 138 male: 14.86 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 10.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 76.11 years country comparison to the world: 70 male: 73.56 years

female: 78.78 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.42 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 102

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.18% (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 111

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Emirati(s)

adjective: Emirati

Ethnic groups:

Emirati 19%, other Arab and Iranian 23%, South Asian 50%, other expatriates (includes Westerners and East Asians) 8% (1982)

note: less than 20% are UAE citizens (1982)

Religions:

Muslim 96% (Shia 16%), other (includes Christian, Hindu) 4%

Languages:

Arabic (official), Persian, English, Hindi, Urdu

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 77.9%

male: 76.1%

female: 81.7% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 11 years

male: 11 years

female: 12 years (2003)

Education expenditures:

1.3% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 176

Government ::United Arab Emirates

Country name:

conventional long form: United Arab Emirates

conventional short form: none

local long form: Al Imarat al Arabiyah al Muttahidah

local short form: none

former: Trucial Oman, Trucial States

abbreviation: UAE

Government type:

federation with specified powers delegated to the UAE federal government and other powers reserved to member emirates

Capital:

name: Abu Dhabi

geographic coordinates: 24 28 N, 54 22 E

time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

7 emirates (imarat, singular - imarah); Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi), 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah (Sharjah), Dubayy (Dubai), Ra's al Khaymah, Umm al Qaywayn (Quwayn)

Independence:

2 December 1971 (from the UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 2 December (1971)

Constitution:

2 December 1971; made permanent in 1996

Legal system:

based on a dual system of Sharia and civil courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

none

Executive branch:

chief of state: President KHALIFA bin Zayid al-Nuhayyan (since 3 November 2004), ruler of Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) (since 4 November 2004); Vice President and Prime Minister MUHAMMAD BIN RASHID al-Maktum (since 5 January 2006)

head of government: Prime Minister and Vice President MUHAMMAD bin
Rashid al-Maktum (since 5 January 2006); Deputy Prime Ministers
SULTAN bin Zayid al-Nuhayyan (since 20 November 1990) and HAMDAN bin
Zayid al-Nuhayyan (since 20 October 2003)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

note: there is also a Federal Supreme Council (FSC) composed of the seven emirate rulers; the FSC is the highest constitutional authority in the UAE; establishes general policies and sanctions federal legislation; meets four times a year; Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) and Dubayy (Dubai) rulers have effective veto power

elections: president and vice president elected by the FSC for five-year terms (no term limits) from among the seven FSC members; election last held 3 November 2004 upon the death of the UAE's Founding Father and first President ZAYID bin Sultan al Nuhayyan (next to be held in 2009); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president

election results: KHALIFA bin Zayid al-Nuhayyan elected president by a unanimous vote of the FSC; MUHAMMAD bin Rashid al-Maktum unanimously affirmed vice president after the 2006 death of his brother Sheikh Maktum bin Rashid al-Maktum

Legislative branch:

unicameral Federal National Council (FNC) or Majlis al-Ittihad al-Watani (40 seats; 20 members appointed by the rulers of the constituent states, 20 members elected to serve two-year terms)

elections: elections for one half of the FNC (the other half remains appointed) held in the UAE on 18-20 December 2006; the new electoral college - a body of 6,689 Emiratis (including 1,189 women) appointed by the rulers of the seven emirates - were the only eligible voters and candidates; 456 candidates including 65 women ran for 20 contested FNC seats; one female from the Emirate of Abu Dhabi won a seat and 8 women were among the 20 appointed members

note: reviews legislation but cannot change or veto

Judicial branch:

Union Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president)

Political parties and leaders:

none; political parties are not allowed

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt
(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC,
OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Yousef bin Mani Saeed al-OTAIBA

chancery: 3522 International Court NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 243-2400

FAX: [1] (202) 243-2432

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Richard G. OLSON, Jr.

embassy: Embassies District, Plot 38 Sector W59-02, Street No. 4, Abu Dhabi

mailing address: P. O. Box 4009, Abu Dhabi

telephone: [971] (2) 414-2200

FAX: [971] (2) 414-2603

consulate(s) general: Dubai

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and black with a wider vertical red band on the hoist side

Economy ::United Arab Emirates

Economy - overview:

The UAE has an open economy with a high per capita income and a sizable annual trade surplus. Successful efforts at economic diversification have reduced the portion of GDP based on oil and gas output to 25%. Since the discovery of oil in the UAE more than 30 years ago, the UAE has undergone a profound transformation from an impoverished region of small desert principalities to a modern state with a high standard of living. The government has increased spending on job creation and infrastructure expansion and is opening up utilities to greater private sector involvement. In April 2004, the UAE signed a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement with Washington and in November 2004 agreed to undertake negotiations toward a Free Trade Agreement with the US. The country's Free Trade Zones - offering 100% foreign ownership and zero taxes - are helping to attract foreign investors. Higher oil revenue, strong liquidity, housing shortages, and cheap credit in 2005-07 led to a surge in asset prices (shares and real estate) and consumer inflation. The global financial crisis and the resulting tight international credit market and falling oil prices have already begun to deflate asset prices and will result in slower economic growth for 2009. Dependence on oil and a large expatriate workforce are significant long-term challenges. The UAE's strategic plan for the next few years focuses on diversification and creating more opportunities for nationals through improved education and increased private sector employment.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$206.3 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 51 $192 billion (2007 est.)

$181.2 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$262.2 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

7.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 28 6% (2007 est.)

14.9% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$44,600 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 12 $43,200 (2007 est.)

$42,500 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 1.5%

industry: 62.7%

services: 35.7% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

3.266 million country comparison to the world: 97 note: expatriates account for about 85% of the work force (2008 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 7%

industry: 15%

services: 78% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:

2.4% (2001) country comparison to the world: 25

Population below poverty line:

19.5% (2003)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Investment (gross fixed):

22.8% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 71

Budget:

revenues: $78.74 billion

expenditures: $48.31 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

40.7% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 51 17.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

15.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 196 14% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

NA% (31 December 2008)

Stock of money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$49.5 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$104.6 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$155.4 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$97.85 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 35 $224.7 billion (31 December 2007)

$138.5 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

dates, vegetables, watermelons; poultry, eggs, dairy products; fish

Industries:

petroleum and petrochemicals; fishing, aluminum, cement, fertilizers, commercial ship repair, construction materials, some boat building, handicrafts, textiles

Industrial production growth rate:

6.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 32

Electricity - production:

71.54 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 38

Electricity - consumption:

65.98 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 36

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

3.046 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 8

Oil - consumption:

463,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 33

Oil - exports:

2.7 million bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 4

Oil - imports:

192,900 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 51

Oil - proved reserves:

97.8 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 7

Natural gas - production:

50.24 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 18

Natural gas - consumption:

59.42 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 14

Natural gas - exports:

7.567 billion cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 24

Natural gas - imports:

16.75 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 15

Natural gas - proved reserves:

6.071 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 6

Current account balance:

$22.31 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 19 $25.84 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$239.2 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 21 $170.4 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

crude oil 45%, natural gas, reexports, dried fish, dates

Exports - partners:

Japan 23%, South Korea 9.4%, India 7.9%, Iran 6.5%, Thailand 5.3% (2008)

Imports:

$176.3 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 25 $116.6 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food

Imports - partners:

China 13.2%, India 10.4%, US 8.8%, Germany 6.5%, Japan 6.1%, Turkey 4.5%, Italy 4.3% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$31.69 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 40 $77.24 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$134.7 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 33 $61.68 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$62.69 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 47 $51.54 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$28.95 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 34 $24.95 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

Emirati dirhams (AED) per US dollar - 3.6725 (2008 est.), 3.6725 (2007), 3.6725 (2006), 3.6725 (2005), 3.6725 (2004)

note: officially pegged to the US dollar since February 2002

Communications ::United Arab Emirates

Telephones - main lines in use:

1.508 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 64

Telephones - mobile cellular:

9.358 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 62

Telephone system:

general assessment: modern fiber-optic integrated services; digital network with rapidly growing use of mobile-cellular telephones; key centers are Abu Dhabi and Dubai

domestic: microwave radio relay, fiber optic and coaxial cable

international: country code - 971; linked to the international submarine cable FLAG (Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe); landing point for both the SEA-ME-WE-3 and SEA-ME-WE-4 submarine cable networks; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 13, FM 8, shortwave 2 (2004)

Television broadcast stations:

15 (2004)

Internet country code:

.ae

Internet hosts:

379,106 (2009) country comparison to the world: 51

Internet users:

2.922 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 60

Transportation ::United Arab Emirates

Airports:

41 (2009) country comparison to the world: 102

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 24

over 3,047 m: 11

2,438 to 3,047 m: 3

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 4

under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 17

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 5

under 914 m: 5 (2009)

Heliports:

5 (2009)

Pipelines:

condensate 458 km; gas 2,129 km; liquid petroleum gas 220 km; oil 1,310 km; refined products 212 km; water 90 km (2008)

Roadways:

total: 4,080 km country comparison to the world: 156 paved: 4,080 km (includes 253 km of expressways) (2008)

Merchant marine:

total: 58 country comparison to the world: 66 by type: bulk carrier 6, cargo 9, chemical tanker 4, container 8, liquefied gas 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 24, roll on/roll off 4, specialized tanker 1

foreign-owned: 14 (Denmark 1, Greece 3, Kuwait 10)

registered in other countries: 313 (Bahamas 23, Bahrain 1, Belize 5, Cambodia 2, Comoros 7, Cyprus 9, Dominica 1, Georgia 1, Gibraltar 3, Hong Kong 1, India 6, Indonesia 2, Iran 1, Jordan 13, North Korea 8, Liberia 23, Malta 5, Marshall Islands 15, Mexico 1, Netherlands 5, Panama 109, Papua New Guinea 6, Philippines 1, Saint Kitts and Nevis 18, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 9, Saudi Arabia 1, Sierra Leone 8, Singapore 12, Somalia 1, Turkey 1, UK 9, unknown 6) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Mina' Zayid (Abu Dhabi), Al Fujayrah, Mina' Jabal 'Ali (Dubai),
Mina' Rashid (Dubai), Mina' Saqr (Ra's al Khaymah), Khawr Fakkan
(Sharjah)

Military ::United Arab Emirates

Military branches:

United Arab Emirates Armed Forces: Army, Navy (includes Marines),
Air Force and Air Defense, National Coast Guard (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age (est.) for voluntary military service; 18 years of age for officers and women; no conscription (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 2,405,884 (includes non-nationals)

females age 16-49: 884,853 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 2,081,491

females age 16-49: 788,632 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 26,659

female: 23,793 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

3.1% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 43

Transnational Issues ::United Arab Emirates

Disputes - international:

boundary agreement was signed and ratified with Oman in 2003 for entire border, including Oman's Musandam Peninsula and Al Madhah enclaves, but contents of the agreement and detailed maps showing the alignment have not been published; Iran and UAE dispute Tunb Islands and Abu Musa Island, which Iran occupies

Illicit drugs:

the UAE is a drug transshipment point for traffickers given its proximity to Southwest Asian drug-producing countries; the UAE's position as a major financial center makes it vulnerable to money laundering; anti-money-laundering controls improving, but informal banking remains unregulated

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@United Kingdom (Europe)

Introduction ::United Kingdom

Background:

As the dominant industrial and maritime power of the 19th century, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland played a leading role in developing parliamentary democracy and in advancing literature and science. At its zenith, the British Empire stretched over one-fourth of the earth's surface. The first half of the 20th century saw the UK's strength seriously depleted in two World Wars and the Irish republic withdraw from the union. The second half witnessed the dismantling of the Empire and the UK rebuilding itself into a modern and prosperous European nation. As one of five permanent members of the UN Security Council, a founding member of NATO, and of the Commonwealth, the UK pursues a global approach to foreign policy; it currently is weighing the degree of its integration with continental Europe. A member of the EU, it chose to remain outside the Economic and Monetary Union for the time being. Constitutional reform is also a significant issue in the UK. The Scottish Parliament, the National Assembly for Wales, and the Northern Ireland Assembly were established in 1999, but the latter was suspended until May 2007 due to wrangling over the peace process.

Geography ::United Kingdom

Location:

Western Europe, islands including the northern one-sixth of the island of Ireland between the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea, northwest of France

Geographic coordinates:

54 00 N, 2 00 W

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 243,610 sq km country comparison to the world: 79 land: 241,930 sq km

water: 1,680 sq km

note: includes Rockall and Shetland Islands

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Oregon

Land boundaries:

total: 360 km

border countries: Ireland 360 km

Coastline:

12,429 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: as defined in continental shelf orders or in accordance with agreed upon boundaries

Climate:

temperate; moderated by prevailing southwest winds over the North Atlantic Current; more than one-half of the days are overcast

Terrain:

mostly rugged hills and low mountains; level to rolling plains in east and southeast

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: The Fens -4 m

highest point: Ben Nevis 1,343 m

Natural resources:

coal, petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, lead, zinc, gold, tin, limestone, salt, clay, chalk, gypsum, potash, silica sand, slate, arable land

Land use:

arable land: 23.23%

permanent crops: 0.2%

other: 76.57% (2005)

Irrigated land:

1,700 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

160.6 cu km (2005)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 11.75 cu km/yr (22%/75%/3%)

per capita: 197 cu m/yr (1994)

Natural hazards:

winter windstorms; floods

Environment - current issues:

continues to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (has met Kyoto Protocol target of a 12.5% reduction from 1990 levels and intends to meet the legally binding target and move toward a domestic goal of a 20% cut in emissions by 2010); by 2005 the government reduced the amount of industrial and commercial waste disposed of in landfill sites to 85% of 1998 levels and recycled or composted at least 25% of household waste, increasing to 33% by 2015

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94,
Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental
Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals,
Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

lies near vital North Atlantic sea lanes; only 35 km from France and linked by tunnel under the English Channel; because of heavily indented coastline, no location is more than 125 km from tidal waters

People ::United Kingdom

Population:

61,113,205 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 22

Age structure:

0-14 years: 16.7% (male 5,233,756/female 4,986,131)

15-64 years: 67.1% (male 20,774,192/female 20,246,519)

65 years and over: 16.2% (male 4,259,654/female 5,612,953) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 40.2 years

male: 39.1 years

female: 41.3 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.279% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 175

Birth rate:

10.65 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 182

Death rate:

10.02 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 64

Net migration rate:

2.16 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 42

Urbanization:

urban population: 90% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 0.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 4.85 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 193 male: 5.4 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 79.01 years country comparison to the world: 36 male: 76.52 years

female: 81.63 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.66 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 175

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.2% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 95

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

77,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 52

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 500 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 97

Nationality:

noun: Briton(s), British (collective plural)

adjective: British

Ethnic groups:

white (of which English 83.6%, Scottish 8.6%, Welsh 4.9%, Northern Irish 2.9%) 92.1%, black 2%, Indian 1.8%, Pakistani 1.3%, mixed 1.2%, other 1.6% (2001 census)

Religions:

Christian (Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Methodist) 71.6%, Muslim 2.7%, Hindu 1%, other 1.6%, unspecified or none 23.1% (2001 census)

Languages:

English, Welsh (about 26% of the population of Wales), Scottish form of Gaelic (about 60,000 in Scotland)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over has completed five or more years of schooling

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 16 years

male: 16 years

female: 17 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

5.6% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 47

Government ::United Kingdom

Country name:

conventional long form: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; note - Great Britain includes England, Scotland, and Wales

conventional short form: United Kingdom

abbreviation: UK

Government type:

constitutional monarchy and Commonwealth realm

Capital:

name: London

geographic coordinates: 51 30 N, 0 10 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

note: applies to the United Kingdom proper, not to its overseas dependencies or territories

Administrative divisions:

England: 34 two-tier counties, 32 London boroughs and 1 City of London or Greater London, 36 metropolitan counties, 46 unitary authorities

two-tier counties: Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire,
Cheshire, Cornwall and Isles of Scilly, Cumbria, Derbyshire, Devon,
Dorset, Durham, East Sussex, Essex, Gloucestershire, Hampshire,
Hertfordshire, Kent, Lancashire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire,
Norfolk, North Yorkshire, Northamptonshire, Northumberland,
Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Shropshire, Somerset, Staffordshire,
Suffolk, Surrey, Warwickshire, West Sussex, Wiltshire, Worcestershire

London boroughs and City of London or Greater London: Barking and
Dagenham, Barnet, Bexley, Brent, Bromley, Camden, Croydon, Ealing,
Enfield, Greenwich, Hackney, Hammersmith and Fulham, Haringey,
Harrow, Havering, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Islington, Kensington and
Chelsea, Kingston upon Thames, Lambeth, Lewisham, City of London,
Merton, Newham, Redbridge, Richmond upon Thames, Southwark, Sutton,
Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest, Wandsworth, Westminster

metropolitan counties: Barnsley, Birmingham, Bolton, Bradford, Bury,
Calderdale, Coventry, Doncaster, Dudley, Gateshead, Kirklees,
Knowlsey, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle upon Tyne, North
Tyneside, Oldham, Rochdale, Rotherham, Salford, Sandwell, Sefton,
Sheffield, Solihull, South Tyneside, St. Helens, Stockport,
Sunderland, Tameside, Trafford, Wakefield, Walsall, Wigan, Wirral,
Wolverhampton

unitary authorities: Bath and North East Somerset, Blackburn with
Darwen, Blackpool, Bournemouth, Bracknell Forest, Brighton and Hove,
City of Bristol, Darlington, Derby, East Riding of Yorkshire,
Halton, Hartlepool, County of Herefordshire, Isle of Wight, City of
Kingston upon Hull, Leicester, Luton, Medway, Middlesbrough, Milton
Keynes, North East Lincolnshire, North Lincolnshire, North Somerset,
Nottingham, Peterborough, Plymouth, Poole, Portsmouth, Reading,
Redcar and Cleveland, Rutland, Slough, South Gloucestershire,
Southampton, Southend-on-Sea, Stockton-on-Tees, Stoke-on-Trent,
Swindon, Telford and Wrekin, Thurrock, Torbay, Warrington, West
Berkshire, Windsor and Maidenhead, Wokingham, York

Northern Ireland: 26 district council areas

district council areas: Antrim, Ards, Armagh, Ballymena, Ballymoney,
Banbridge, Belfast, Carrickfergus, Castlereagh, Coleraine,
Cookstown, Craigavon, Derry, Down, Dungannon, Fermanagh, Larne,
Limavady, Lisburn, Magherafelt, Moyle, Newry and Mourne,
Newtownabbey, North Down, Omagh, Strabane

Scotland: 32 unitary authorities

unitary authorities: Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Angus, Argyll and
Bute, Clackmannanshire, Dumfries and Galloway, Dundee City, East
Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, East Lothian, East Renfrewshire, City
of Edinburgh, Eilean Siar (Western Isles), Falkirk, Fife, Glasgow
City, Highland, Inverclyde, Midlothian, Moray, North Ayrshire, North
Lanarkshire, Orkney Islands, Perth and Kinross, Renfrewshire,
Shetland Islands, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, Stirling, The
Scottish Borders, West Dunbartonshire, West Lothian

Wales: 22 unitary authorities

unitary authorities: Blaenau Gwent; Bridgend; Caerphilly; Cardiff;
Carmarthenshire; Ceredigion; Conwy; Denbighshire; Flintshire;
Gwynedd; Isle of Anglesey; Merthyr Tydfil; Monmouthshire; Neath Port
Talbot; Newport; Pembrokeshire; Powys; Rhondda, Cynon, Taff;
Swansea; The Vale of Glamorgan; Torfaen; Wrexham

Dependent areas:

Anguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin
Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat,
Pitcairn Islands, Saint Helena, South Georgia and the South Sandwich
Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands

Independence:

1927; England has existed as a unified entity since the 10th century; the union between England and Wales, begun in 1284 with the Statute of Rhuddlan, was not formalized until 1536 with an Act of Union; in another Act of Union in 1707, England and Scotland agreed to permanently join as Great Britain; the legislative union of Great Britain and Ireland was implemented in 1801, with the adoption of the name the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland; the Anglo-Irish treaty of 1921 formalized a partition of Ireland; six northern Irish counties remained part of the United Kingdom as Northern Ireland and the current name of the country, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, was adopted in 1927

National holiday:

the UK does not celebrate one particular national holiday

Constitution:

unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice

Legal system:

based on common law tradition with early Roman and modern continental influences; has nonbinding judicial review of Acts of Parliament under the Human Rights Act of 1998; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); Heir Apparent Prince CHARLES (son of the queen, born 14 November 1948)

head of government: Prime Minister James Gordon BROWN (since 27 June 2007)

cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the prime minister

elections: the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually the prime minister

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament consists of House of Lords (618 seats; consisting of approximately 500 life peers, 92 hereditary peers, and 26 clergy) and House of Commons (646 seats since 2005 elections; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms unless the House is dissolved earlier)

elections: House of Lords - no elections (note - in 1999, as provided by the House of Lords Act, elections were held in the House of Lords to determine the 92 hereditary peers who would remain there; elections are held only as vacancies in the hereditary peerage arise); House of Commons - last held 5 May 2005 (next to be held by June 2010)

election results: House of Commons - percent of vote by party - Labor 35.2%, Conservative 32.3%, Liberal Democrats 22%, other 10.5%; seats by party - Labor 355, Conservative 198, Liberal Democrat 62, other 31; seats by party in the House of Commons as of 21 November 2008 - Labor 350, Conservative 192, Liberal Democrat 63, Scottish National Party/Plaid Cymru 10, Democratic Unionist 9, Sinn Fein 5, other 17

note: in 1998 elections were held for a Northern Ireland Assembly (because of unresolved disputes among existing parties, the transfer of power from London to Northern Ireland came only at the end of 1999 and has been suspended four times, the latest occurring in October 2002 and lasting until 8 May 2007); in 1999, the UK held the first elections for a Scottish Parliament and a Welsh Assembly, the most recent of which were held in May 2007

Judicial branch:

House of Lords (highest court of appeal; several Lords of Appeal in
Ordinary are appointed by the monarch for life); Supreme Courts of
England, Wales, and Northern Ireland (comprising the Courts of
Appeal, the High Courts of Justice, and the Crown Courts);
Scotland's Court of Session and Court of the Justiciary

Political parties and leaders:

Conservative [David CAMERON]; Democratic Unionist Party or DUP
(Northern Ireland) [Peter ROBINSON]; Labor Party [Gordon BROWN];
Liberal Democrats (Lib Dems) [Nick CLEGG]; Party of Wales (Plaid
Cymru) [Ieuan Wyn JONES]; Scottish National Party or SNP [Alex
SALMOND]; Sinn Fein (Northern Ireland) [Gerry ADAMS]; Social
Democratic and Labor Party or SDLP (Northern Ireland) [Mark DURKAN];
Ulster Unionist Party (Northern Ireland) [Sir Reg EMPEY]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament; Confederation of British Industry;
National Farmers' Union; Trades Union Congress

International organization participation:

ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council
(observer), Australia Group, BIS, C, CBSS (observer), CDB, CE, CERN,
EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G-20, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC,
MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club,
PCA, PIF (partner), SECI (observer), UN, UN Security Council,
UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOMIG,
UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Sir Nigel E. SHEINWALD

chancery: 3100 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 588-6500

FAX: [1] (202) 588-7870

consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco

consulate(s): Dallas, Denver, Orlando

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Robert Holmes TUTTLE

embassy: 24 Grosvenor Square, London, W1A 1AE

mailing address: PSC 801, Box 40, FPO AE 09498-4040

telephone: [44] (0) 20 7499-9000

FAX: [44] (0) 20 7629-9124

consulate(s) general: Belfast, Edinburgh

Flag description:

blue field with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of England) edged in white superimposed on the diagonal red cross of Saint Patrick (patron saint of Ireland), which is superimposed on the diagonal white cross of Saint Andrew (patron saint of Scotland); properly known as the Union Flag, but commonly called the Union Jack; the design and colors (especially the Blue Ensign) have been the basis for a number of other flags including other Commonwealth countries and their constituent states or provinces, and British overseas territories

Economy ::United Kingdom

Economy - overview:

The UK, a leading trading power and financial center, is one of the quintet of trillion dollar economies of Western Europe. Over the past two decades, the government has greatly reduced public ownership and contained the growth of social welfare programs. Agriculture is intensive, highly mechanized, and efficient by European standards, producing about 60% of food needs with less than 2% of the labor force. The UK has large coal, natural gas, and oil resources, but its oil and natural gas reserves are declining and the UK became a net importer of energy in 2005; energy industries now contribute about 4% to GDP. Services, particularly banking, insurance, and business services, account by far for the largest proportion of GDP while industry continues to decline in importance. Since emerging from recession in 1992, Britain's economy enjoyed the longest period of expansion on record during which time growth outpaced most of Western Europe. The global economic slowdown, tight credit, and falling home prices, however, pushed Britain back into recession in the latter half of 2008 and prompted the BROWN government to implement a number of new measures to stimulate the economy and stabilize the financial markets; these include part-nationalizing the banking system, cutting taxes, suspending public sector borrowing rules, and bringing forward public spending on capital projects. The Bank of England periodically coordinates interest rate moves with the European Central Bank, but Britain remains outside the European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), and opinion polls show a majority of Britons oppose joining the euro.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$2.236 trillion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 8 $2.22 trillion (2007 est.)

$2.164 trillion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$2.68 trillion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

0.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 188 2.6% (2007 est.)

2.9% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$36,700 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 32 $36,500 (2007 est.)

$35,700 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 1.3%

industry: 24.2%

services: 74.5% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

31.23 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 18

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 1.4%

industry: 18.2%

services: 80.4% (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate:

5.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 69 5.3% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

14% (2006 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.1%

highest 10%: 28.5% (1999)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

34 (2005) country comparison to the world: 92 36.8 (1999)

Investment (gross fixed):

16.7% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 134

Budget:

revenues: $1.056 trillion

expenditures: $1.214 trillion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

51.8% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 35 39.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 53 2.3% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

0.86% (31 December 2008)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

4.63% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 137 5.52% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

Stock of quasi money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$5.277 trillion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 5 $3.859 trillion (31 December 2007)

$3.794 trillion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

cereals, oilseed, potatoes, vegetables; cattle, sheep, poultry; fish

Industries:

machine tools, electric power equipment, automation equipment, railroad equipment, shipbuilding, aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, electronics and communications equipment, metals, chemicals, coal, petroleum, paper and paper products, food processing, textiles, clothing, other consumer goods

Industrial production growth rate:

-2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 154

Electricity - production:

368.6 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 12

Electricity - consumption:

345.8 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 12

Electricity - exports:

1.272 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

12.29 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

1.584 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 19

Oil - consumption:

1.71 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 15

Oil - exports:

1.602 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 15

Oil - imports:

1.651 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 13

Oil - proved reserves:

3.41 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 29

Natural gas - production:

69.9 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 14

Natural gas - consumption:

95.94 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 6

Natural gas - exports:

10.5 billion cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 19

Natural gas - imports:

36.54 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 10

Natural gas - proved reserves:

342.9 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 37

Current account balance:

-$45.68 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 185 -$78.78 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$466.3 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 10 $442 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals; food, beverages, tobacco

Exports - partners:

US 13.8%, Germany 11.5%, Netherlands 7.8%, France 7.6%, Ireland 7.5%, Belgium 5.3%, Spain 4.1% (2008)

Imports:

$639.3 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 7 $620.7 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

manufactured goods, machinery, fuels; foodstuffs

Imports - partners:

Germany 13.1%, US 8.7%, China 7.5%, Netherlands 7.4%, France 6.8%,
Norway 6%, Belgium 4.7%, Italy 4.1% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$52.98 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 24 $57.3 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$9.041 trillion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 2 $11.26 trillion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$1.445 trillion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 2 $1.348 trillion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$1.567 trillion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 3 $1.705 trillion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

British pounds (GBP) per US dollar - 0.5302 (2008 est.), 0.4993 (2007), 0.5418 (2006), 0.5493 (2005), 0.5462 (2004)

Communications ::United Kingdom

Telephones - main lines in use:

33.209 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 9

Telephones - mobile cellular:

75.565 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 11

Telephone system:

general assessment: technologically advanced domestic and international system

domestic: equal mix of buried cables, microwave radio relay, and fiber-optic systems

international: country code - 44; numerous submarine cables provide links throughout Europe, Asia, Australia, the Middle East, and US; satellite earth stations - 10 Intelsat (7 Atlantic Ocean and 3 Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region), and 1 Eutelsat; at least 8 large international switching centers

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 206, FM 696, shortwave 3 (2008)

Television broadcast stations:

940 (2008)

Internet country code:

.uk

Internet hosts:

9.322 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 11

Internet users:

48.755 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 7

Transportation ::United Kingdom

Airports:

506 (2009) country comparison to the world: 14

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 307

over 3,047 m: 9

2,438 to 3,047 m: 32

1,524 to 2,437 m: 125

914 to 1,523 m: 77

under 914 m: 64 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 199

over 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 22

under 914 m: 173 (2009)

Heliports:

11 (2009)

Pipelines:

condensate 43 km; gas 7,541 km; liquid petroleum gas 59 km; oil 699 km; refined products 4,417 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 16,454 km country comparison to the world: 17 broad gauge: 303 km 1.600-m gauge (in Northern Ireland)

standard gauge: 16,151 km 1.435-m gauge (5,248 km electrified) (2008)

Roadways:

total: 398,366 km country comparison to the world: 16 paved: 398,366 km (includes 3,520 km of expressways) (2006)

Waterways:

3,200 km (620 km used for commerce) (2008) country comparison to the world: 32

Merchant marine:

total: 518 country comparison to the world: 22 by type: bulk carrier 33, cargo 67, carrier 5, chemical tanker 61, container 180, liquefied gas 18, passenger 10, passenger/cargo 67, petroleum tanker 23, refrigerated cargo 12, roll on/roll off 24, vehicle carrier 18

foreign-owned: 264 (Cyprus 2, Denmark 62, Finland 1, France 23, Germany 76, Hong Kong 2, Ireland 1, Italy 5, Japan 4, NZ 1, Norway 31, South Africa 3, Spain 1, Sweden 17, Switzerland 1, Taiwan 11, Turkey 2, UAE 9, US 12)

registered in other countries: 391 (Algeria 11, Antigua and Barbuda 9, Argentina 4, Australia 5, Bahamas 56, Barbados 9, Belize 5, Bermuda 3, Brunei 1, Cape Verde 1, Cayman Islands 3, Cyprus 19, Gibraltar 2, Greece 32, Hong Kong 39, India 2, Italy 7, South Korea 1, Liberia 20, Luxembourg 8, Malta 19, Marshall Islands 18, Netherlands 2, Norway 5, Panama 59, Saint Kitts and Nevis 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 14, Sierra Leone 2, Singapore 17, Slovakia 1, Spain 5, Sweden 2, Thailand 5, Tonga 1, US 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Dover, Felixstowe, Immingham, Liverpool, London, Southampton,
Teesport (England); Forth Ports, Hound Point (Scotland); Milford
Haven (Wales)

Military ::United Kingdom

Military branches:

Army, Royal Navy (includes Royal Marines), Royal Air Force (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

16-33 years of age (officers 17-28) for voluntary military service (with parental consent under 18); women serve in military services, but are excluded from ground combat positions and some naval postings; must be citizen of the UK, Commonwealth, or Republic of Ireland; reservists serve a minimum of 3 years, to age 45 or 55; 16 years of age for voluntary military service by Nepalese citizens in the Brigade of the Gurkhas; 16-34 years of age for voluntary military service by Papua New Guinean citizens (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 14,729,500

females age 16-49: 14,125,600 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 12,123,900

females age 16-49: 11,616,769 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 393,892

female: 376,351 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

2.4% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 70

Transnational Issues ::United Kingdom

Disputes - international:

in 2002, Gibraltar residents voted overwhelmingly by referendum to reject any "shared sovereignty" arrangement between the UK and Spain; the Government of Gibraltar insists on equal participation in talks between the two countries; Spain disapproves of UK plans to grant Gibraltar greater autonomy; Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Archipelago (British Indian Ocean Territory), and its former inhabitants since their eviction in 1965; most Chagossians reside in Mauritius, and in 2001 were granted UK citizenship, where some have since resettled; in May 2006, the High Court of London reversed the UK Government's 2004 orders of council that banned habitation on the islands; UK rejects sovereignty talks requested by Argentina, which still claims the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands; territorial claim in Antarctica (British Antarctic Territory) overlaps Argentine claim and partially overlaps Chilean claim; Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm

Illicit drugs:

producer of limited amounts of synthetic drugs and synthetic precursor chemicals; major consumer of Southwest Asian heroin, Latin American cocaine, and synthetic drugs; money-laundering center

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@United States (North America)

Introduction ::United States

Background:

Britain's American colonies broke with the mother country in 1776 and were recognized as the new nation of the United States of America following the Treaty of Paris in 1783. During the 19th and 20th centuries, 37 new states were added to the original 13 as the nation expanded across the North American continent and acquired a number of overseas possessions. The two most traumatic experiences in the nation's history were the Civil War (1861-65), in which a northern Union of states defeated a secessionist Confederacy of 11 southern slave states, and the Great Depression of the 1930s, an economic downturn during which about a quarter of the labor force lost its jobs. Buoyed by victories in World Wars I and II and the end of the Cold War in 1991, the US remains the world's most powerful nation state. The economy is marked by steady growth, low unemployment and inflation, and rapid advances in technology.

Geography ::United States

Location:

North America, bordering both the North Atlantic Ocean and the North
Pacific Ocean, between Canada and Mexico

Geographic coordinates:

38 00 N, 97 00 W

Map references:

North America

Area:

total: 9,826,675 sq km country comparison to the world: 3 land: 9,161,966 sq km

water: 664,709 sq km

note: includes only the 50 states and District of Columbia

Area - comparative:

about half the size of Russia; about three-tenths the size of Africa; about half the size of South America (or slightly larger than Brazil); slightly larger than China; more than twice the size of the European Union

Land boundaries:

total: 12,034 km

border countries: Canada 8,893 km (including 2,477 km with Alaska), Mexico 3,141 km

note: US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba is leased by the US and is part of Cuba; the base boundary is 28 km

Coastline:

19,924 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: not specified

Climate:

mostly temperate, but tropical in Hawaii and Florida, arctic in Alaska, semiarid in the great plains west of the Mississippi River, and arid in the Great Basin of the southwest; low winter temperatures in the northwest are ameliorated occasionally in January and February by warm chinook winds from the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains

Terrain:

vast central plain, mountains in west, hills and low mountains in east; rugged mountains and broad river valleys in Alaska; rugged, volcanic topography in Hawaii

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Death Valley -86 m

highest point: Mount McKinley 6,198 m

Natural resources:

coal, copper, lead, molybdenum, phosphates, uranium, bauxite, gold, iron, mercury, nickel, potash, silver, tungsten, zinc, petroleum, natural gas, timber

note: the US has the world's largest coal reserves with 491 billion short tons accounting for 27% of the world's total

Land use:

arable land: 18.01%

permanent crops: 0.21%

other: 81.78% (2005)

Irrigated land:

223,850 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

3,069 cu km (1985)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 477 cu km/yr (13%/46%/41%)

per capita: 1,600 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

tsunamis; volcanoes; earthquake activity around Pacific Basin; hurricanes along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts; tornadoes in the midwest and southeast; mud slides in California; forest fires in the west; flooding; permafrost in northern Alaska, a major impediment to development

Environment - current issues:

air pollution resulting in acid rain in both the US and Canada; the US is the largest single emitter of carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels; water pollution from runoff of pesticides and fertilizers; limited natural fresh water resources in much of the western part of the country require careful management; desertification

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping,
Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Hazardous Wastes

Geography - note:

world's third-largest country by size (after Russia and Canada) and by population (after China and India); Mt. McKinley is highest point in North America and Death Valley the lowest point on the continent

People ::United States

Population:

307,212,123 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 3

Age structure:

0-14 years: 20.2% (male 31,639,127/female 30,305,704)

15-64 years: 67% (male 102,665,043/female 103,129,321)

65 years and over: 12.8% (male 16,901,232/female 22,571,696) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 36.7 years

male: 35.4 years

female: 38 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.975% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 129

Birth rate:

13.82 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 153

Death rate:

8.38 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 101

Net migration rate:

4.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 25

Urbanization:

urban population: 82% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female

total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 6.26 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 180 male: 6.94 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 5.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 78.11 years country comparison to the world: 50 male: 75.65 years

female: 80.69 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.05 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 125

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.6% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 68

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

1.2 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 9

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

22,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 21

Nationality:

noun: American(s)

adjective: American

Ethnic groups:

white 79.96%, black 12.85%, Asian 4.43%, Amerindian and Alaska native 0.97%, native Hawaiian and other Pacific islander 0.18%, two or more races 1.61% (July 2007 estimate)

note: a separate listing for Hispanic is not included because the US Census Bureau considers Hispanic to mean persons of Spanish/Hispanic/Latino origin including those of Mexican, Cuban, Puerto Rican, Dominican Republic, Spanish, and Central or South American origin living in the US who may be of any race or ethnic group (white, black, Asian, etc.); about 15.1% of the total US population is Hispanic

Religions:

Protestant 51.3%, Roman Catholic 23.9%, Mormon 1.7%, other Christian 1.6%, Jewish 1.7%, Buddhist 0.7%, Muslim 0.6%, other or unspecified 2.5%, unaffiliated 12.1%, none 4% (2007 est.)

Languages:

English 82.1%, Spanish 10.7%, other Indo-European 3.8%, Asian and
Pacific island 2.7%, other 0.7% (2000 census)

note: Hawaiian is an official language in the state of Hawaii

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 16 years

male: 15 years

female: 16 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

5.3% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 57

Government ::United States

Country name:

conventional long form: United States of America

conventional short form: United States

abbreviation: US or USA

Government type:

Constitution-based federal republic; strong democratic tradition

Capital:

name: Washington, DC

geographic coordinates: 38 53 N, 77 02 W

time difference: UTC-5 (during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November

note: the 50 United States cover six time zones

Administrative divisions:

50 states and 1 district*; Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas,
California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia*,
Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas,
Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan,
Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New
Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North
Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South
Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia,
Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming

Dependent areas:

American Samoa, Baker Island, Guam, Howland Island, Jarvis Island,
Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa Island,
Northern Mariana Islands, Palmyra Atoll, Puerto Rico, Virgin
Islands, Wake Island

note: from 18 July 1947 until 1 October 1994, the US administered the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands; it entered into a political relationship with all four political units: the Northern Mariana Islands is a commonwealth in political union with the US (effective 3 November 1986); the Republic of the Marshall Islands signed a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 21 October 1986); the Federated States of Micronesia signed a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 3 November 1986); Palau concluded a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 1 October 1994)

Independence:

4 July 1776 (from Great Britain)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 4 July (1776)

Constitution:

17 September 1787, effective 4 March 1789

Legal system:

federal court system based on English common law; each state has its own unique legal system, of which all but one (Louisiana, which is still influenced by the Napoleonic Code) is based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Barack H. OBAMA (since 20 January 2009); Vice President Joseph R. BIDEN (since 20 January 2009); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Barack H. OBAMA (since 20 January 2009); Vice President Joseph BIDEN (since 20 January 2009)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with Senate approval

elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by a college of representatives who are elected directly from each state; president and vice president serve four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 4 November 2008 (next to be held on 6 November 2012)

election results: Barack H. OBAMA elected president; percent of popular vote - Barack H. OBAMA 52.4%, John MCCAIN 46.3%, other 1.3%;

Legislative branch:

bicameral Congress consists of the Senate (100 seats, 2 members are elected from each state by popular vote to serve six-year terms; one-third are elected every two years) and the House of Representatives (435 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held 4 November 2008 (next to be held November 2010); House of Representatives - last held 4 November 2008 (next to be held in November 2010)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Democratic Party 57, Republican Party 41, independent 2; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Democratic Party 257, Republican Party 178

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (nine justices; nominated by the president and confirmed with the advice and consent of the Senate; appointed to serve for life); United States Courts of Appeal; United States District Courts; State and County Courts

Political parties and leaders:

Democratic Party [Timothy KAINE]; Green Party; Libertarian Party
[William (Bill) REDPATH]; Republican Party [Michael STEELE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

environmentalists; business groups; labor unions; churches; ethnic groups; political action committees or PAC; health groups; education groups; civic groups; youth groups; transportation groups; agricultural groups; veterans groups; women's groups; reform lobbies

International organization participation:

ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), ANZUS, APEC,
Arctic Council, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS,
BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CE (observer), CERN (observer),
CP, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, G-20, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA,
MINUSTAH, NAFTA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club,
PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), SECI (observer), SPC, UN, UN
Security Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNOMIG,
UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Flag description:

13 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing 50 small, white, five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars (top and bottom) alternating with rows of five stars; the 50 stars represent the 50 states, the 13 stripes represent the 13 original colonies; known as Old Glory; the design and colors have been the basis for a number of other flags, including Chile, Liberia, Malaysia, and Puerto Rico

Economy ::United States

Economy - overview:

The US has the largest and most technologically powerful economy in the world, with a per capita GDP of $46,900. In this market-oriented economy, private individuals and business firms make most of the decisions, and the federal and state governments buy needed goods and services predominantly in the private marketplace. US business firms enjoy greater flexibility than their counterparts in Western Europe and Japan in decisions to expand capital plant, to lay off surplus workers, and to develop new products. At the same time, they face higher barriers to enter their rivals' home markets than foreign firms face entering US markets. US firms are at or near the forefront in technological advances, especially in computers and in medical, aerospace, and military equipment; their advantage has narrowed since the end of World War II. The onrush of technology largely explains the gradual development of a "two-tier labor market" in which those at the bottom lack the education and the professional/technical skills of those at the top and, more and more, fail to get comparable pay raises, health insurance coverage, and other benefits. Since 1975, practically all the gains in household income have gone to the top 20% of households. The war in March-April 2003 between a US-led coalition and Iraq, and the subsequent occupation of Iraq, required major shifts in national resources to the military. Hurricane Katrina caused extensive damage in the Gulf Coast region in August 2005, but had a small impact on overall GDP growth for the year. Soaring oil prices between 2005 and the first half of 2008 threatened inflation and unemployment, as higher gasoline prices ate into consumers' budgets. Imported oil accounts for about two-thirds of US consumption. Long-term problems include inadequate investment in economic infrastructure, rapidly rising medical and pension costs of an aging population, sizable trade and budget deficits, and stagnation of family income in the lower economic groups. The merchandise trade deficit reached a record $819 billion in 2007 and $821 billion in 2008. The global economic downturn, the sub-prime mortgage crisis, investment bank failures, falling home prices, and tight credit pushed the United States into a recession by mid-2008. To help stabilize financial markets, the US Congress established a $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) in October 2008. The government used some of these funds to purchase equity in US banks and other industrial corporations. In January 2009 the US Congress passed and President Barack OBAMA signed a bill providing an additional $787 billion fiscal stimulus - two-thirds on additional spending and one-third on tax cuts - to create jobs and to help the economy recover.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$14.44 trillion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 2 $14.38 trillion (2007 est.)

$14.09 trillion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$14.44 trillion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

0.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 193 2.1% (2007 est.)

2.7% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$47,500 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 10 $47,700 (2007 est.)

$47,200 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 1.2%

industry: 19.2%

services: 79.6% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

154.3 million (includes unemployed) (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 4

Labor force - by occupation:

farming, forestry, and fishing 0.6%, manufacturing, extraction, transportation, and crafts 22.6%, managerial, professional, and technical 35.5%, sales and office 24.8%, other services 16.5%

note: figures exclude the unemployed (2007)

Unemployment rate:

5.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 72 4.6% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

12% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2%

highest 10%: 30% (2007 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

45 (2007) country comparison to the world: 44 40.8 (1997)

Investment (gross fixed):

14.3% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 138

Budget:

revenues: $2.524 trillion

expenditures: $2.978 trillion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

37.5% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 61 65% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 59 2.9% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

0.5% (31 March 2009) country comparison to the world: 110 4.83% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

5.09% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 105 8.05% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$1.436 trillion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 4 $1.395 trillion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$10.99 trillion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 1 $7.466 trillion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$15.06 trillion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 2 $14.21 trillion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 1 $19.95 trillion (31 December 2007)

$19.43 trillion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

wheat, corn, other grains, fruits, vegetables, cotton; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; fish; forest products

Industries:

leading industrial power in the world, highly diversified and technologically advanced; petroleum, steel, motor vehicles, aerospace, telecommunications, chemicals, electronics, food processing, consumer goods, lumber, mining

Industrial production growth rate:

-2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 152

Electricity - production:

4.11 trillion kWh (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 1

Electricity - consumption:

3.873 trillion kWh (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 1

Electricity - exports:

24.08 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

57.02 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

8.514 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 3

Oil - consumption:

19.5 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 1

Oil - exports:

1.433 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 17

Oil - imports:

13.47 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 1

Oil - proved reserves:

21.32 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 12

Natural gas - production:

582.2 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 2

Natural gas - consumption:

657.2 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 1

Natural gas - exports:

28.49 billion cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 10

Natural gas - imports:

112.7 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 1

Natural gas - proved reserves:

6.731 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 5

Current account balance:

-$706.1 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 190 -$731.2 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$1.277 trillion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 4 $1.148 trillion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

agricultural products (soybeans, fruit, corn) 9.2%, industrial supplies (organic chemicals) 26.8%, capital goods (transistors, aircraft, motor vehicle parts, computers, telecommunications equipment) 49.0%, consumer goods (automobiles, medicines) 15.0% (2003)

Exports - partners:

Canada 20.1%, Mexico 11.7%, China 5.5%, Japan 5.1%, Germany 4.2%, UK 4.1% (2008)

Imports:

$2.117 trillion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 1 $1.968 trillion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

agricultural products 4.9%, industrial supplies 32.9% (crude oil 8.2%), capital goods 30.4% (computers, telecommunications equipment, motor vehicle parts, office machines, electric power machinery), consumer goods 31.8% (automobiles, clothing, medicines, furniture, toys) (2003)

Imports - partners:

China 16.5%, Canada 15.7%, Mexico 10.1%, Japan 6.6%, Germany 4.6% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$77.65 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 19 $70.57 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$13.75 trillion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 1 $13.43 trillion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$2.367 trillion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 1 $2.093 trillion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$3.162 trillion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 1 $2.791 trillion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

British pounds per US dollar: 0.5302 (2008), 0.4993 (2007), 0.5418 (2006), 0.5493 (2005), 0.5462 (2004)

Canadian dollars per US dollar: 1.0364 (2008), 1.0724 (2007), 1.1334 (2006), 1.2118 (2005), 1.3010 (2004)

Chinese yuan per US dollar: 6.9385 (2008), 7.61 (2007), 7.97 (2006), 8.1943 (2005), 8.2768 (2004)

euros per US dollar: 0.6827 (2008), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)

Japanese yen per US dollar: 103.58 (2008), 117.99 (2007), 116.18 (2006) 110.22 (2005), 108.19 (2004)

Communications ::United States

Telephones - main lines in use:

150 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 2

Telephones - mobile cellular:

270 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 3

Telephone system:

general assessment: a large, technologically advanced, multipurpose communications system

domestic: a large system of fiber-optic cable, microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, and domestic satellites carries every form of telephone traffic; a rapidly growing cellular system carries mobile telephone traffic throughout the country

international: country code - 1; multiple ocean cable systems provide international connectivity; satellite earth stations - 61 Intelsat (45 Atlantic Ocean and 16 Pacific Ocean), 5 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region), and 4 Inmarsat (Pacific and Atlantic Ocean regions) (2000)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 4,789, FM 8,961, shortwave 19 (2006)

Television broadcast stations:

2,218 (2006)

Internet country code:

.us

Internet hosts:

383 million (2009); note - the US Internet total host count includes the following top level domain host addresses: .us, .com, .edu, .gov, .mil, .net, and .org country comparison to the world: 1

Internet users:

231 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 2

Transportation ::United States

Airports:

15,095 (2009) country comparison to the world: 1

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 5,174

over 3,047 m: 190

2,438 to 3,047 m: 229

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1,477

914 to 1,523 m: 2,309

under 914 m: 969 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 9,921

2,438 to 3,047 m: 6

1,524 to 2,437 m: 158

914 to 1,523 m: 1,757

under 914 m: 8,000 (2009)

Heliports:

126 (2009)

Pipelines:

petroleum products 244,620 km; natural gas 548,665 km (2006)

Railways:

total: 226,427 km country comparison to the world: 1 standard gauge: 226,427 km 1.435-m gauge (2007)

Roadways:

total: 6,465,799 km country comparison to the world: 1 paved: 4,209,835 km (includes 75,040 km of expressways)

unpaved: 2,255,964 km (2007)

Waterways:

41,009 km (19,312 km used for commerce) country comparison to the world: 4 note: Saint Lawrence Seaway of 3,769 km, including the Saint Lawrence River of 3,058 km, shared with Canada (2008)

Merchant marine:

total: 422 country comparison to the world: 24 by type: barge carrier 6, bulk carrier 61, cargo 69, carrier 2, chemical tanker 22, container 81, passenger 19, passenger/cargo 59, petroleum tanker 53, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 25, vehicle carrier 22

foreign-owned: 74 (Australia 1, Denmark 31, Germany 5, Japan 7, Malaysia 2, Netherlands 1, Norway 9, Singapore 12, Sweden 5, UK 1)

registered in other countries: 732 (Antigua and Barbuda 8, Australia 2, Bahamas 106, Bermuda 23, Cambodia 6, Canada 10, Cayman Islands 42, Comoros 2, Cyprus 5, Ecuador 1, Greece 8, Hong Kong 29, Ireland 2, Isle of Man 4, Italy 17, South Korea 7, Liberia 98, Luxembourg 4, Malta 23, Marshall Islands 123, Netherlands 14, Netherlands Antilles 1, Norway 8, Panama 126, Portugal 1, Puerto Rico 3, Russia 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 18, Sierra Leone 1, Singapore 22, Trinidad and Tobago 1, Tuvalu 1, UK 12, Vanuatu 1, unknown 2) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Corpus Christi, Duluth, Hampton Roads, Houston, Long Beach, Los
Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, Tampa, Texas City

Military ::United States

Military branches:

United States Armed Forces: US Army, US Navy (includes Marine Corps), US Air Force, US Coast Guard; note - Coast Guard administered in peacetime by the Department of Homeland Security, but in wartime reports to the Department of the Navy (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age (17 years of age with parental consent) for male and female voluntary service; maximum enlistment age 42 (Army), 27 (Air Force), 34 (Navy), 28 (Marines); service obligation 8 years, including 2-5 years active duty (Army), 2 years active (Navy), 4 years active (Air Force, Marines) (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 72,715,332

females age 16-49: 71,638,785 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 59,764,677

females age 16-49: 59,437,663 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 2,196,124

female: 2,085,085 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

4.06% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 28

Transnational Issues ::United States

Disputes - international:

the U.S. has intensified domestic security measures and is collaborating closely with its neighbors, Canada and Mexico, to monitor and control legal and illegal personnel, transport, and commodities across the international borders; abundant rainfall in recent years along much of the Mexico-US border region has ameliorated periodically strained water-sharing arrangements; 1990 Maritime Boundary Agreement in the Bering Sea still awaits Russian Duma ratification; managed maritime boundary disputes with Canada at Dixon Entrance, Beaufort Sea, Strait of Juan de Fuca, and around the disputed Machias Seal Island and North Rock; The Bahamas and US have not been able to agree on a maritime boundary; US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay is leased from Cuba and only mutual agreement or US abandonment of the area can terminate the lease; Haiti claims US-administered Navassa Island; US has made no territorial claim in Antarctica (but has reserved the right to do so) and does not recognize the claims of any other states; Marshall Islands claims Wake Island; Tokelau included American Samoa's Swains Island among the islands listed in its 2006 draft constitution

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): the US admitted 62,643 refugees during FY04/05 including; 10,586 (Somalia); 8,549 (Laos); 6,666 (Russia); 6,479 (Cuba); 3,100 (Haiti); 2,136 (Iran) (2006)

Illicit drugs:

world's largest consumer of cocaine (shipped from Colombia through Mexico and the Caribbean), Colombian heroin, and Mexican heroin and marijuana; major consumer of ecstasy and Mexican methamphetamine; minor consumer of high-quality Southeast Asian heroin; illicit producer of cannabis, marijuana, depressants, stimulants, hallucinogens, and methamphetamine; money-laundering center

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges (Australia-Oceania)

Introduction ::United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges

Background:

All of the following US Pacific island territories except Midway Atoll constitute the Pacific Remote Islands National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) Complex and as such are managed by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior. Midway Atoll NWR has been included in a Refuge Complex with the Hawaiian Islands NWR and also designated as part of Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument. These remote refuges are the most widespread collection of marine- and terrestrial-life protected areas on the planet under a single country's jurisdiction. They sustain many endemic species including corals, fish, shellfish, marine mammals, seabirds, water birds, land birds, insects, and vegetation not found elsewhere.

Baker Island: The US took possession of the island in 1857. Its guano deposits were mined by US and British companies during the second half of the 19th century. In 1935, a short-lived attempt at colonization began on this island but was disrupted by World War II and thereafter abandoned. The island was established as a NWR in 1974.

Howland Island: Discovered by the US early in the 19th century, the uninhabited atoll was officially claimed by the US in 1857. Both US and British companies mined for guano deposits until about 1890. In 1935, a short-lived attempt at colonization began on this island, similar to the effort on nearby Baker Island, but was disrupted by World War II and thereafter abandoned. The famed American aviatrix Amelia EARHART disappeared while seeking out Howland Island as a refueling stop during her 1937 round-the-world flight; Earhart Light, a day beacon near the middle of the west coast, was named in her memory. The island was established as a NWR in 1974.

Jarvis Island: First discovered by the British in 1821, the uninhabited island was annexed by the US in 1858 but abandoned in 1879 after tons of guano had been removed. The UK annexed the island in 1889 but never carried out plans for further exploitation. The US occupied and reclaimed the island in 1935. It was abandoned in 1942 during World War II. The island was established as a NWR in 1974.

Johnston Atoll: Both the US and the Kingdom of Hawaii annexed Johnston Atoll in 1858, but it was the US that mined the guano deposits until the late 1880s. Johnston and Sand Islands were designated wildlife refuges in 1926. The US Navy took over the atoll in 1934. Subsequently, the US Air Force assumed control in 1948. The site was used for high-altitude nuclear tests in the 1950s and 1960s. Until late in 2000 the atoll was maintained as a storage and disposal site for chemical weapons. Munitions destruction, cleanup, and closure of the facility were completed by May 2005. The Fish and Wildlife Service and the US Air Force are currently discussing future management options; in the interim, Johnston Atoll and the three-mile Naval Defensive Sea around it remain under the jurisdiction and administrative control of the US Air Force.

Kingman Reef: The US annexed the reef in 1922. Its sheltered lagoon served as a way station for flying boats on Hawaii-to-American Samoa flights during the late 1930s. There are no terrestrial plants on the reef, which is frequently awash, but it does support abundant and diverse marine fauna and flora. In 2001, the waters surrounding the reef out to 12 nm were designated a US NWR.

Midway Islands: The US took formal possession of the islands in 1867. The laying of the trans-Pacific cable, which passed through the islands, brought the first residents in 1903. Between 1935 and 1947, Midway was used as a refueling stop for trans-Pacific flights. The US naval victory over a Japanese fleet off Midway in 1942 was one of the turning points of World War II. The islands continued to serve as a naval station until closed in 1993. Today the islands are a NWR and are the site of the world's largest Laysan albatross colony.

Palmyra Atoll: The Kingdom of Hawaii claimed the atoll in 1862, and the US included it among the Hawaiian Islands when it annexed the archipelago in 1898. The Hawaii Statehood Act of 1959 did not include Palmyra Atoll, which is now partly privately owned by the Nature Conservancy with the rest owned by the Federal government and managed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. These organizations are managing the atoll as a wildlife refuge. The lagoons and surrounding waters within the 12 nm US territorial seas were transferred to the US Fish and Wildlife Service and designated as a NWR in January 2001.

Geography ::United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges

Location:

Oceania

Baker Island: atoll in the North Pacific Ocean 1,830 nm (3,389 km) southwest of Honolulu, about half way between Hawaii and Australia

Howland Island: island in the North Pacific Ocean 1,815 nm (3,361 km) southwest of Honolulu, about half way between Hawaii and Australia

Jarvis Island: island in the South Pacific Ocean 1,305 nm (2,417 km) south of Honolulu, about half way between Hawaii and Cook Islands

Johnston Atoll: atoll in the North Pacific Ocean 717 nm (1,328 km) southwest of Honolulu, about one-third of the way from Hawaii to the Marshall Islands

Kingman Reef: reef in the North Pacific Ocean 930 nm (1,722 km) south of Honolulu, about half way between Hawaii and American Samoa

Midway Islands: atoll in the North Pacific Ocean 1,260 nm (2,334 km) northwest of Honolulu near the end of the Hawaiian Archipelago, about one-third of the way from Honolulu to Tokyo

Palmyra Atoll: atoll in the North Pacific Ocean 960 nm (1,778 km) south of Honolulu, about half way between Hawaii and American Samoa

Geographic coordinates:

Baker Island: 0 13 N, 176 28 W

Howland Island: 0 48 N, 176 38 W

Jarvis Island: 0 23 S, 160 01 W

Johnston Atoll: 16 45 N, 169 31 W

Kingman Reef: 6 23 N, 162 25 W

Midway Islands: 28 12 N, 177 22 W

Palmyra Atoll: 5 53 N, 162 05 W

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total - 6,959.41 sq km; emergent land - 22.41 sq km; submerged - 6,937 sq km country comparison to the world: 237 Baker Island: total - 129.1 sq km; emergent land - 2.1 sq km; submerged - 127 sq km

Howland Island: total - 138.6 sq km; emergent land - 2.6 sq km; submerged - 136 sq km

Jarvis Island: total - 152 sq km; emergent land - 5 sq km; submerged - 147 sq km

Johnston Atoll: total - 276.6 sq km; emergent land - 2.6 sq km; submerged - 274 sq km

Kingman Reef: total - 1,958.01 sq km; emergent land - 0.01 sq km; submerged - 1,958 sq km

Midway Islands: total - 2,355.2 sq km; emergent land - 6.2 sq km; submerged - 2,349 sq km

Palmyra Atoll: total - 1,949.9 sq km; emergent land - 3.9 sq km; submerged - 1,946 sq km

Area - comparative:

Baker Island: about two and a half times the size of The Mall in
Washington, DC

Howland Island: about three times the size of The Mall in
Washington, DC

Jarvis Island: about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington,
DC

Johnston Atoll: about four and a half times the size of The Mall in
Washington, DC

Kingman Reef: a little more than one and a half times the size of
The Mall in Washington, DC

Midway Islands: about nine times the size of The Mall in Washington,
DC

Palmyra Atoll: about 20 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

none

Coastline:

Baker Island: 4.8 km

Howland Island: 6.4 km

Jarvis Island: 8 km

Johnston Atoll: 34 km

Kingman Reef: 3 km

Midway Islands: 15 km

Palmyra Atoll: 14.5 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

Baker, Howland, and Jarvis Islands: equatorial; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun

Johnston Atoll and Kingman Reef: tropical, but generally dry; consistent northeast trade winds with little seasonal temperature variation

Midway Islands: subtropical with cool, moist winters (December to February) and warm, dry summers (May to October); moderated by prevailing easterly winds; most of the 1,067 mm (42 in) of annual rainfall occurs during the winter

Palmyra Atoll: equatorial, hot; located within the low pressure area of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) where the northeast and southeast trade winds meet, it is extremely wet with between 4,000-5,000 mm (160-200 in) of rainfall each year

Terrain:

low and nearly level sandy coral islands with narrow fringing reefs that have developed at the top of submerged volcanic mountains, which in most cases rise steeply from the ocean floor

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Baker Island, unnamed location - 8 m; Howland Island, unnamed location - 3 m; Jarvis Island, unnamed location - 7 m; Johnston Atoll, Sand Island - 10 m; Kingman Reef, unnamed location - less than 2 m; Midway Islands, unnamed location - 13 m; Palmyra Atoll, unnamed location - 3 m

Natural resources:

terrestrial and aquatic wildlife

Land use:

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (2008)

Natural hazards:

Baker, Howland, and Jarvis Islands: the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard

Kingman Reef: wet or awash most of the time, maximum elevation of less than 2 m makes Kingman Reef a maritime hazard

Midway Islands, Johnston, and Palmyra Atolls: NA

Environment - current issues:

Baker, Howland, and Jarvis Islands, and Johnston Atoll: no natural fresh water resources

Kingman Reef: none

Midway Islands and Palmyra Atoll: NA

Geography - note:

Baker, Howland, and Jarvis Islands: scattered vegetation consisting of grasses, prostrate vines, and low growing shrubs; primarily a nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds, and marine wildlife; closed to the public

Johnston Atoll: Johnston Island and Sand Island are natural islands, which have been expanded by coral dredging; North Island (Akau) and East Island (Hikina) are manmade islands formed from coral dredging; the egg-shaped reef is 34 km in circumference; closed to the public

Kingman Reef: barren coral atoll with deep interior lagoon; closed to the public

Midway Islands: a coral atoll managed as a NWR and open to the public for wildlife-related recreation in the form of wildlife observation and photography

Palmyra Atoll: the high rainfall and resulting lush vegetation make the environment of this atoll unique among the US Pacific Island territories; supports a large undisturbed stand of Pisonia beach forest

People ::United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges

Population:

no indigenous inhabitants

note: public entry is by special-use permit from US Fish and Wildlife Service only and generally restricted to scientists and educators; visited annually by US Fish and Wildlife Service

Johnston Atoll: in previous years, an average of 1,100 US military and civilian contractor personnel were present; as of May 2005, all US government personnel had left the island

Midway Islands: approximately 40 people make up the staff of US Fish and Wildlife Service and their services contractor living at the atoll

Palmyra Atoll: four to 20 Nature Conservancy, US Fish and Wildlife staff, and researchers

Government ::United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Baker Island; Howland Island; Jarvis Island; Johnston Atoll; Kingman Reef; Midway Islands; Palmyra Atoll

Dependency status:

unincorporated territories of the US; administered from Washington, DC by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system

note on Palmyra Atoll: incorporated Territory of the US; partly privately owned and partly federally owned; administered from Washington, DC by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior; the Office of Insular Affairs of the US Department of the Interior continues to administer nine excluded areas comprising certain tidal and submerged lands within the 12 nm territorial sea or within the lagoon

Legal system:

the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (territories of the US)

Flag description:

the flag of the US is used

Economy ::United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges

Economy - overview:

no economic activity

Transportation ::United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges

Airports:

Baker Island: one abandoned World War II runway of 1,665 m covered with vegetation and unusable

Howland Island: airstrip constructed in 1937 for scheduled refueling stop on the round-the-world flight of Amelia EARHART and Fred NOONAN; the aviators left Lae, New Guinea, for Howland Island but were never seen again; the airstrip is no longer serviceable

Johnston Atoll: one closed and not maintained

Kingman Reef: lagoon was used as a halfway station between Hawaii and American Samoa by Pan American Airways for flying boats in 1937 and 1938

Midway Islands: 3 - one operational (2,409 m paved); no fuel for sale except emergencies

Palmyra Atoll: 1 - 1,846 m unpaved runway; privately owned (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Baker, Howland, and Jarvis Islands, and Kingman Reef: none; offshore anchorage only

Johnston Atoll: Johnston Island

Midway Islands: Sand Island

Palmyra Atoll: West Lagoon

Military ::United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues ::United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges

Disputes - international:

none

page last updated on August 26, 2009

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

@Uruguay (South America)

Introduction ::Uruguay

Background:

Montevideo, founded by the Spanish in 1726 as a military stronghold, soon took advantage of its natural harbor to become an important commercial center. Claimed by Argentina but annexed by Brazil in 1821, Uruguay declared its independence four years later and secured its freedom in 1828 after a three-year struggle. The administrations of President Jose BATLLE in the early 20th century established widespread political, social, and economic reforms that established a statist tradition. A violent Marxist urban guerrilla movement named the Tupamaros, launched in the late 1960s, led Uruguay's president to cede control of the government to the military in 1973. By yearend, the rebels had been crushed, but the military continued to expand its hold over the government. Civilian rule was not restored until 1985. In 2004, the left-of-center Frente Amplio Coalition won national elections that effectively ended 170 years of political control previously held by the Colorado and Blanco parties. Uruguay's political and labor conditions are among the freest on the continent.

Geography ::Uruguay

Location:

Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between
Argentina and Brazil

Geographic coordinates:

33 00 S, 56 00 W

Map references:

South America

Area:

total: 176,215 sq km country comparison to the world: 90 land: 175,015 sq km

water: 1,200 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than the state of Washington

Land boundaries:

total: 1,648 km

border countries: Argentina 580 km, Brazil 1,068 km

Coastline:

660 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or edge of continental margin

Climate:

warm temperate; freezing temperatures almost unknown

Terrain:

mostly rolling plains and low hills; fertile coastal lowland

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Cerro Catedral 514 m

Natural resources:

arable land, hydropower, minor minerals, fisheries

Land use:

arable land: 7.77%

permanent crops: 0.24%

other: 91.99% (2005)

Irrigated land:

2,100 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

139 cu km (2000)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 3.15 cu km/yr (2%/1%/96%)

per capita: 910 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

seasonally high winds (the pampero is a chilly and occasional violent wind that blows north from the Argentine pampas), droughts, floods; because of the absence of mountains, which act as weather barriers, all locations are particularly vulnerable to rapid changes from weather fronts

Environment - current issues:

water pollution from meat packing/tannery industry; inadequate solid/hazardous waste disposal

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:

second-smallest South American country (after Suriname); most of the low-lying landscape (three-quarters of the country) is grassland, ideal for cattle and sheep raising

People ::Uruguay

Population:

3,494,382 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 131

Age structure:

0-14 years: 22.4% (male 397,942/female 385,253)

15-64 years: 64.3% (male 1,115,963/female 1,129,478)

65 years and over: 13.3% (male 187,176/female 278,570) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 33.4 years

male: 32 years

female: 34.8 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.466% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 157

Birth rate:

13.91 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 152

Death rate:

9.09 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 84

Net migration rate:

-0.16 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 96

Urbanization:

urban population: 92% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 0.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female

total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 11.32 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 150 male: 12.73 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 9.87 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 76.35 years country comparison to the world: 68 male: 73.1 years

female: 79.72 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.92 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 141

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.6% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 67

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

10,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 102

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 500 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 87

Nationality:

noun: Uruguayan(s)

adjective: Uruguayan

Ethnic groups:

white 88%, mestizo 8%, black 4%, Amerindian (practically nonexistent)

Religions:

Roman Catholic 47.1%, non-Catholic Christians 11.1%, nondenominational 23.2%, Jewish 0.3%, atheist or agnostic 17.2%, other 1.1% (2006)

Languages:

Spanish, Portunol, or Brazilero (Portuguese-Spanish mix on the
Brazilian frontier)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 98%

male: 97.6%

female: 98.4% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 15 years

male: 14 years

female: 16 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

2.9% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 148

Government ::Uruguay

Country name:

conventional long form: Oriental Republic of Uruguay

conventional short form: Uruguay

local long form: Republica Oriental del Uruguay

local short form: Uruguay

former: Banda Oriental, Cisplatine Province

Government type:

constitutional republic

Capital:

name: Montevideo

geographic coordinates: 34 53 S, 56 11 W

time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in October; ends second Sunday in March

Administrative divisions:

19 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Artigas,
Canelones, Cerro Largo, Colonia, Durazno, Flores, Florida,
Lavalleja, Maldonado, Montevideo, Paysandu, Rio Negro, Rivera,
Rocha, Salto, San Jose, Soriano, Tacuarembo, Treinta y Tres

Independence:

25 August 1825 (from Brazil)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 25 August (1825)

Constitution:

27 November 1966; effective 15 February 1967; suspended 27 June 1973; revised 26 November 1989 and 7 January 1997

Legal system:

based on Spanish civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Tabare VAZQUEZ Rosas (since 1 March 2005); Vice President Rodolfo NIN NOVOA (since 1 March 2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Tabare VAZQUEZ Rosas (since 1 March 2005); Vice President Rodolfo NIN NOVOA (since 1 March 2005)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president with parliamentary approval

elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for five-year terms (may not serve consecutive terms); election last held 25 October 2009, with a runoff election scheduled for 29 November 2009 (next to be held in October 2014)

election results: Jose MUJICA wins first round; percent of vote - Jose MUJICA 48.5%, Luis Alberto LACALLE 29.2%, Pedro BORDABERRY 17%; other 5.3%; note - a runoff election will be held on 29 November 2009

Legislative branch:

bicameral General Assembly or Asamblea General consists of Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (30 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms; vice president has one vote in the Senate) and Chamber of Representatives or Camara de Representantes (99 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: Chamber of Senators - last held 25 October 2009 (next to be held in October 2014); Chamber of Representatives - last held 25 October 2009 (next to be held in October 2014)

election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Frente Amplio 16, Blanco 9, Colorado Party 5; Chamber of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Frente Amplio 50, Blanco 30, Colorado Party 17, Independent Party 2

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (judges are nominated by the president and elected for 10-year terms by the General Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:

Broad Front (Frente Amplio) - formerly known as the Progressive
Encounter/Broad Front Coalition or EP-FA [Jorge BROVETTO] (a broad
governing coalition that includes Movement of the Popular
Participation or MPP [Jose MUJICA], New Space Party (Nuevo Espacio)
[Rafael MICHELINI], Progressive Alliance (Alianza Progresista)
[Rodolfo NIN NOVOA], Socialist Party [Eduardo FERNANDEZ], the
Communist Party [Marina ARISMENDI], Uruguayan Assembly (Asamblea
Uruguay) [Danilo ASTORI], and Vertiente Artiguista [Mariano ARANA]);
Colorado Party (Foro Batllista) [Julio Maria SANGUINETTI]; National
Party or Blanco [Luis Alberto LACALLE and Jorge LARRANAGA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Architect's Society of Uruguay (professional organization); Chamber of Uruguayan Industries (manufacturer's association); Chemist and Pharmaceutical Association (professional organization); PIT/CNT (powerful federation of Uruguayan Unions - umbrella labor organization); Rural Association of Uruguay (rancher's association); Uruguayan Construction League; Uruguayan Network of Political Women

other: Catholic Church; students

International organization participation:

CAN (associate), FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,
ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH,
MONUC, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNASUR,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIS, UNMOGIP, UNOCI, UNOMIG,
UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Carlos Alberto GIANELLI Derois

chancery: 1913 I Street NW, Washington, DC 20006

telephone: [1] (202) 331-1313 through 1316

FAX: [1] (202) 331-8142

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York

consulate(s): San Juan (Puerto Rico)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Robin H. MATTHEWMAN

embassy: Lauro Muller 1776, Montevideo 11200

mailing address: APO AA 34035

telephone: [598] (2) 418-7777

FAX: [598] (2) 418-8611

Flag description:

nine equal horizontal stripes of white (top and bottom) alternating with blue; a white square in the upper hoist-side corner with a yellow sun bearing a human face known as the Sun of May with 16 rays that alternate between triangular and wavy

Economy ::Uruguay

Economy - overview:

Uruguay's economy is characterized by an export-oriented agricultural sector, a well-educated work force, and high levels of social spending. After averaging growth of 5% annually during 1996-98, in 1999-2002 the economy suffered a major downturn, stemming largely from the spillover effects of the economic problems of its large neighbors, Argentina and Brazil. In 2001-02, Argentine citizens made massive withdrawals of dollars deposited in Uruguayan banks after bank deposits in Argentina were frozen, which led to a plunge in the Uruguayan peso, a banking crisis, and a sharp economic contraction. Real GDP fell in four years by nearly 20%, with 2002 the worst year. The unemployment rate rose, inflation surged, and the burden of external debt doubled. Financial assistance from the IMF helped stem the damage. Uruguay restructured its external debt in 2003 without asking creditors to accept a reduction on the principal. Economic growth for Uruguay resumed, and averaged 8% annually during the period 2004-08.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$43.27 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 93 $39.73 billion (2007 est.)

$36.99 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$32.19 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

8.9% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 20 7.4% (2007 est.)

7% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$12,400 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 89 $11,500 (2007 est.)

$10,700 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 9.5%

industry: 23.4%

services: 67.1% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

1.641 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 124

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 9%

industry: 15%

services: 76% (2007 est.)

Unemployment rate:

7.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 101 9.2% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

27.4% of households (2006)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 1.7%

highest 10%: 34.8% (2006)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

45.2 (2006) country comparison to the world: 43 44.8 (1999)

Investment (gross fixed):

18.7% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 125

Budget:

revenues: $8.16 billion

expenditures: $8.555 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

59.8% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 25 64.8% of GDP (2007 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

7.9% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 126 8.1% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

10% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 39 10% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

12.45% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 118 7.25% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$2.247 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 68 $2.145 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$9.409 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 52 $7.919 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$9.096 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 73 $6.396 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 108 $159 million (31 December 2007)

$125.1 million (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

rice, wheat, soybeans, barley; livestock, beef; fish; forestry

Industries:

food processing, electrical machinery, transportation equipment, petroleum products, textiles, chemicals, beverages

Industrial production growth rate:

8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 23

Electricity - production:

9.265 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 93

Electricity - consumption:

7.14 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 95

Electricity - exports:

996 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

789 million kWh (2007 est.)

Oil - production:

946.1 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 107

Oil - consumption:

41,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 102

Oil - exports:

7,100 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 101

Oil - imports:

52,730 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 86

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl country comparison to the world: 120

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 118

Natural gas - consumption:

70 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 106

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 95

Natural gas - imports:

70 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 67

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 125

Current account balance:

-$1.484 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 132 -$82.7 million (2007 est.)

Exports:

$7.084 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 98 $5.043 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

meat, rice, leather products, wool, fish, dairy products

Exports - partners:

Brazil 18.7%, China 8.5%, Argentina 7.3%, Germany 6.5%, Mexico 4.9%,
Netherlands 4.5%, Russia 4.3% (2008)

Imports:

$8.799 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 98 $5.598 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

crude petroleum and petroleum products, machinery, chemicals, road vehicles, paper, plastics

Imports - partners:

Argentina 19.9%, Brazil 16.5%, China 11.2%, US 9.9%, Paraguay 6.6%,
Nigeria 4.6% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$6.36 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 79 $4.121 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$10.73 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 83 $11.07 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$4.19 billion (2007) country comparison to the world: 90

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$156 million (2007) country comparison to the world: 78

Exchange rates:

Uruguayan pesos (UYU) per US dollar - 20.936 (2008 est.), 23.947 (2007), 24.048 (2006), 24.479 (2005), 28.704 (2004)

Communications ::Uruguay

Telephones - main lines in use:

959,300 (2008) country comparison to the world: 83

Telephones - mobile cellular:

3.508 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 98

Telephone system:

general assessment: fully digitalized

domestic: most modern facilities concentrated in Montevideo; new nationwide microwave radio relay network; overall fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity is 130 telephones per 100 persons

international: country code - 598; the UNISOR submarine cable system provides direct connectivity to Brazil and Argentina; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2002)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 93, FM 191, shortwave 7 (2005)

Television broadcast stations:

62 (2005)

Internet country code:

.uy

Internet hosts:

498,232 (2009) country comparison to the world: 48

Internet users:

1.34 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 79

Transportation ::Uruguay

Airports:

57 (2009) country comparison to the world: 82

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 9

over 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 2

under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 48

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 20

under 914 m: 25 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 226 km; oil 155 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 1,641 km country comparison to the world: 79 standard gauge: 1,641 km 1.435-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 77,732 km country comparison to the world: 63 paved: 7,743 km

unpaved: 69,989 km (2004)

Waterways:

1,600 km (2008) country comparison to the world: 52

Merchant marine:

total: 17 country comparison to the world: 102 by type: cargo 3, chemical tanker 2, passenger/cargo 9, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 1

foreign-owned: 10 (Argentina 3, Greece 1, Spain 6)

registered in other countries: 3 (Liberia 3) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Montevideo

Military ::Uruguay

Military branches:

Uruguayan Armed Forces: Army (Ejercito), National Navy (Armada
Nacional; includes naval air arm, Marine Corps (Cuerpo de Fusileros
Navales, FUSNA), Maritime Prefecture in wartime), Air Force (Fuerza
Aerea Uruguaya, FAU) (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military service; enlistment is voluntary in peacetime, but the government has the authority to conscript in emergencies (2007)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 837,252

females age 16-49: 824,096 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 708,545

females age 16-49: 693,622 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 27,452

female: 26,479 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.6% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 103

Transnational Issues ::Uruguay

Disputes - international:

in Jan 2007, ICJ provisionally ruled Uruguay may begin construction of two paper mills on the Uruguay River, which forms the border with Argentina, while the court examines further whether Argentina has the legal right to stop such construction with potential environmental implications to both countries; uncontested dispute with Brazil over certain islands in the Quarai/Cuareim and Invernada streams and the resulting tripoint with Argentina

Illicit drugs:

small-scale transit country for drugs mainly bound for Europe, often through sea-borne containers; law enforcement corruption; money laundering because of strict banking secrecy laws; weak border control along Brazilian frontier; increasing consumption of cocaine base and synthetic drugs

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Uzbekistan (Central Asia)

Introduction ::Uzbekistan

Background:

Russia conquered Uzbekistan in the late 19th century. Stiff resistance to the Red Army after World War I was eventually suppressed and a socialist republic set up in 1924. During the Soviet era, intensive production of "white gold" (cotton) and grain led to overuse of agrochemicals and the depletion of water supplies, which have left the land poisoned and the Aral Sea and certain rivers half dry. Independent since 1991, the country seeks to gradually lessen its dependence on agriculture while developing its mineral and petroleum reserves. Current concerns include terrorism by Islamic militants, economic stagnation, and the curtailment of human rights and democratization.

Geography ::Uzbekistan

Location:

Central Asia, north of Afghanistan

Geographic coordinates:

41 00 N, 64 00 E

Map references:

Asia

Area:

total: 447,400 sq km country comparison to the world: 56 land: 425,400 sq km

water: 22,000 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than California

Land boundaries:

total: 6,221 km

border countries: Afghanistan 137 km, Kazakhstan 2,203 km, Kyrgyzstan 1,099 km, Tajikistan 1,161 km, Turkmenistan 1,621 km

Coastline:

0 km (doubly landlocked); note - Uzbekistan includes the southern portion of the Aral Sea with a 420 km shoreline

Maritime claims:

none (doubly landlocked)

Climate:

mostly midlatitude desert, long, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid grassland in east

Terrain:

mostly flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes; broad, flat intensely irrigated river valleys along course of Amu Darya, Syr Darya (Sirdaryo), and Zarafshon; Fergana Valley in east surrounded by mountainous Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan; shrinking Aral Sea in west

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Sariqarnish Kuli -12 m

highest point: Adelunga Toghi 4,301 m

Natural resources:

natural gas, petroleum, coal, gold, uranium, silver, copper, lead and zinc, tungsten, molybdenum

Land use:

arable land: 10.51%

permanent crops: 0.76%

other: 88.73% (2005)

Irrigated land:

42,810 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

72.2 cu km (2003)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 58.34 cu km/yr (5%/2%/93%)

per capita: 2,194 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

shrinkage of the Aral Sea is resulting in growing concentrations of chemical pesticides and natural salts; these substances are then blown from the increasingly exposed lake bed and contribute to desertification; water pollution from industrial wastes and the heavy use of fertilizers and pesticides is the cause of many human health disorders; increasing soil salination; soil contamination from buried nuclear processing and agricultural chemicals, including DDT

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

along with Liechtenstein, one of the only two doubly landlocked countries in the world

People ::Uzbekistan

Population:

27,606,007 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 44

Age structure:

0-14 years: 28.1% (male 3,970,386/female 3,787,371)

15-64 years: 67% (male 9,191,439/female 9,309,791)

65 years and over: 4.9% (male 576,191/female 770,829) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 24.7 years

male: 24.2 years

female: 25.2 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.935% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 133

Birth rate:

17.58 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 116

Death rate:

5.29 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 181

Net migration rate:

-2.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 148

Urbanization:

urban population: 37% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 23.43 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 92 male: 27.7 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 18.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 71.96 years country comparison to the world: 123 male: 68.95 years

female: 75.15 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.95 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 137

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 134

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

16,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 85

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 500 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 86

Nationality:

noun: Uzbekistani

adjective: Uzbekistani

Ethnic groups:

Uzbek 80%, Russian 5.5%, Tajik 5%, Kazakh 3%, Karakalpak 2.5%, Tatar 1.5%, other 2.5% (1996 est.)

Religions:

Muslim 88% (mostly Sunnis), Eastern Orthodox 9%, other 3%

Languages:

Uzbek 74.3%, Russian 14.2%, Tajik 4.4%, other 7.1%

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.3%

male: 99.6%

female: 99% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 11 years

male: 12 years

female: 11 years (2007)

Education expenditures:

9.4% of GDP (1991) country comparison to the world: 7

Government ::Uzbekistan

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Uzbekistan

conventional short form: Uzbekistan

local long form: Ozbekiston Respublikasi

local short form: Ozbekiston

former: Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic

Government type:

republic; authoritarian presidential rule, with little power outside the executive branch

Capital:

name: Tashkent (Toshkent)

geographic coordinates: 41 20 N, 69 18 E

time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

12 provinces (viloyatlar, singular - viloyat), 1 autonomous
republic* (respublika), and 1 city** (shahar); Andijon Viloyati,
Buxoro Viloyati, Farg'ona Viloyati, Jizzax Viloyati, Namangan
Viloyati, Navoiy Viloyati, Qashqadaryo Viloyati (Qarshi),
Qoraqalpog'iston Respublikasi [Karakalpakstan]* (Nukus), Samarqand
Viloyati, Sirdaryo Viloyati (Guliston), Surxondaryo Viloyati
(Termiz), Toshkent Shahri**, Toshkent Viloyati, Xorazm Viloyati
(Urganch)

note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses)

Independence:

1 September 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 1 September (1991)

Constitution:

adopted 8 December 1992

Legal system:

based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Islom KARIMOV (since 24 March 1990, when he was elected president by the then Supreme Soviet)

head of government: Prime Minister Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV (since 11 December 2003); First Deputy Prime Minister Rustam AZIMOV (since 2 January 2008)

cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president with approval of the Supreme Assembly

elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (eligible for a second term; previously was a five-year term, extended by constitutional amendment in 2002); election last held 23 December 2007 (next to be held in 2014); prime minister, ministers, and deputy ministers appointed by the president

election results: Islom KARIMOV reelected president; percent of vote - Islom KARIMOV 88.1%, Asliddin RUSTAMOV 3.2%, Dilorom T0SHMUHAMEDOVA 2.9%, Akmal SAIDOV 2.6%

Legislative branch:

bicameral Supreme Assembly or Oliy Majlis consists of an upper house or Senate (100 seats; 84 members are elected by regional governing councils and 16 appointed by the president; to serve five-year terms) and a lower house or Legislative Chamber (120 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 26 December 2004 and 9 January 2005 (next to be held in December 2009)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; Legislative Chamber - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - LDPU 41, NDP 32, Fidokorlar 17, MTP 11, Adolat 9, unaffiliated 10

note: all parties in the Supreme Assembly support President KARIMOV

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (judges are nominated by the president and confirmed by the Supreme Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:

Adolat (Justice) Social Democratic Party [Dilorom TOSHMUHAMEDOVA];
Democratic National Rebirth Party (Milliy Tiklanish) or MTP [Hurshid
DOSMUHAMMEDOV]; Fidokorlar National Democratic Party
(Self-Sacrificers) [Ahtam TURSUNOV]; Liberal Democratic Party of
Uzbekistan or LDPU [Adham SHADMANOV; People's Democratic Party or
NDP (formerly Communist Party) [Asliddin RUSTAMOV]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Agrarian and Entrepreneurs' Party [Marat ZAHIDOV]; Birlik (Unity)
Movement [Abdurahim POLAT, chairman]; Committee for the Protection
of Human Rights [Marat ZAHIDOV]; Erk (Freedom) Democratic Party
[Muhammad SOLIH, chairman] (was banned 9 December 1992); Ezgulik
Human Rights Society [Vasila INOYATOVA]; Free Farmers' Party or Ozod
Dehqonlar [Nigora HIDOYATOVA]; Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan
[Talib YAKUBOV, chairman]; Independent Human Rights Organization of
Uzbekistan [Mikhail ARDZINOV, chairman]; Mazlum; Sunshine Coalition
[Sanjar UMAROV, chairman]

International organization participation:

ADB, CIS, CSTO, EAEC, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol,
IOC, ISO, ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SCO, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
(observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Abdulaziz KAMILOV

chancery: 1746 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

telephone: [1] (202) 887-5300

FAX: [1] (202) 293-6804

consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Richard B. NORLAND

embassy: 3 Moyqo'rq'on, 5th Block, Yunusobod District, Tashkent 100093

mailing address: use embassy street address

telephone: [998] (71) 120-5450

FAX: [998] (71) 120-6335

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and green separated by red fimbriations with a white crescent moon and 12 white stars in the upper hoist-side quadrant

Economy ::Uzbekistan

Economy - overview:

Uzbekistan is a dry, landlocked country of which 11% consists of intensely cultivated, irrigated river valleys. More than 60% of its population lives in densely populated rural communities. Uzbekistan is now the world's second-largest cotton exporter and fifth largest producer; it relies heavily on cotton production as the major source of export earnings and has come under increasing international criticism for the use of child labor in its annual cotton harvest. Other major export earners include gold, natural gas, and oil. Following independence in September 1991, the government sought to prop up its Soviet-style command economy with subsidies and tight controls on production and prices. While aware of the need to improve the investment climate, the government still sponsors measures that often increase, not decrease, its control over business decisions. A sharp increase in the inequality of income distribution has hurt the lower ranks of society since independence. In 2003, the government accepted Article VIII obligations under the IMF, providing for full currency convertibility. However, strict currency controls and tightening of borders have lessened the effects of convertibility and have also led to some shortages that have further stifled economic activity. The Central Bank often delays or restricts convertibility, especially for consumer goods. Potential investment by Russia and China in Uzbekistan's gas and oil industry, as well as increased cooperation with South Korea in the realm of civil aviation, may boost growth prospects. In November 2005, Russian President Vladimir PUTIN and Uzbekistan President KARIMOV signed an "alliance," which included provisions for economic and business cooperation. Russian businesses have shown increased interest in Uzbekistan, especially in mining, telecom, and oil and gas. In 2006, Uzbekistan took steps to rejoin the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and the Eurasian Economic Community (EurASEC), which it subsequently left in 2008, both organizations dominated by Russia. Uzbek authorities have accused US and other foreign companies operating in Uzbekistan of violating Uzbek tax laws and have frozen their assets.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$71.84 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 78 $65.91 billion (2007 est.)

$60.19 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$27.92 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

9% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 18 9.5% (2007 est.)

7.3% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$2,600 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 171 $2,400 (2007 est.)

$2,200 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 25.8%

industry: 31.4%

services: 42.8% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

15.37 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 37

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 44%

industry: 20%

services: 36% (1995)

Unemployment rate:

1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 6 0.8% (2007 est.)

note: officially measured by the Ministry of Labor, plus another 20% underemployed

Population below poverty line:

33% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.8%

highest 10%: 29.6% (2003)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

36.8 (2003) country comparison to the world: 80 44.7 (1998)

Budget:

revenues: $8.884 billion

expenditures: $8.474 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

10.4% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 111 41.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

14% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 185 12% (2007 est.)

note: official data; based on independent analysis of consumer prices, inflation reached 38% in 2008

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$NA (31 December 2007)

$715.3 million (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

cotton, vegetables, fruits, grain; livestock

Industries:

textiles, food processing, machine building, metallurgy, gold, petroleum, natural gas, chemicals

Industrial production growth rate:

12.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 4

Electricity - production:

46.33 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 49

Electricity - consumption:

41.94 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 49

Electricity - exports:

11.44 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

11.36 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Oil - production:

83,820 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 54

Oil - consumption:

148,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 68

Oil - exports:

6,104 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 102

Oil - imports:

35,810 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 97

Oil - proved reserves:

594 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 45

Natural gas - production:

67.6 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 15

Natural gas - consumption:

52.6 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 15

Natural gas - exports:

15 billion cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 15

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 119

Natural gas - proved reserves:

1.841 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 18

Current account balance:

$6.257 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 31 $4.267 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$10.37 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 85 $8.026 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

cotton, gold, energy products, mineral fertilizers, ferrous and non-ferrous metals, textiles, food products, machinery, automobiles

Exports - partners:

Ukraine 27.3%, Russia 19.6%, Turkey 7.5%, Kazakhstan 5.9%,
Bangladesh 5%, China 4.3%, Japan 4.1% (2008)

Imports:

$7.07 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 105 $5.73 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, ferrous and non-ferrous metals

Imports - partners:

Russia 24.7%, China 15.4%, South Korea 13.6%, Ukraine 7.2%, Germany 5.5%, Kazakhstan 4.9%, Turkey 4.1% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$10.15 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 65 $7.413 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$4.022 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 111 $3.927 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$NA

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$NA

Exchange rates:

Uzbekistani soum (UZS) per US dollar - 1,317 (2008 est.), 1,263.8 (2007), 1,219.8 (2006), 1,020 (2005), 971.265 (2004)

Communications ::Uzbekistan

Telephones - main lines in use:

1.85 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 61

Telephones - mobile cellular:

12.734 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 49

Telephone system:

general assessment: antiquated and inadequate; in serious need of modernization

domestic: the main line telecommunications system is dilapidated and telephone density is low; the state-owned telecommunications company, Uzbektelecom, is using loans from the Japanese government and the China Development Bank to improve mainline services; completion of conversion to digital exchanges planned for 2010; mobile services are growing rapidly, with the subscriber base reaching 12.7 million in 2008

international: country code - 998; linked by fiber-optic cable or microwave radio relay with CIS member states and to other countries by leased connection via the Moscow international gateway switch; after the completion of the Uzbek link to the Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic cable, Uzbekistan plans to establish a fiber-optic connection to Afghanistan (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 4, FM 12, shortwave 3 (2008)

Television broadcast stations:

28 (includes 1 cable rebroadcaster in Tashkent and approximately 20 stations in regional capitals) (2006)

Internet country code:

.uz

Internet hosts:

50,228 (2009) country comparison to the world: 83

Internet users:

2.469 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 65

Transportation ::Uzbekistan

Airports:

54 (2009) country comparison to the world: 87

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 33

over 3,047 m: 6

2,438 to 3,047 m: 13

1,524 to 2,437 m: 6

914 to 1,523 m: 4

under 914 m: 4 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 21

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

under 914 m: 19 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 9,706 km; oil 868 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 3,645 km country comparison to the world: 47 broad gauge: 3,645 km 1.520-m gauge (620 km electrified) (2008)

Roadways:

total: 86,496 km country comparison to the world: 55 paved: 75,511 km

unpaved: 10,985 km (2000)

Waterways:

1,100 km (2008) country comparison to the world: 63

Ports and terminals:

Termiz (Amu Darya)

Military ::Uzbekistan

Military branches:

Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, National Guard

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for compulsory military service; 1-year conscript service obligation; moving toward a professional military, but conscription will continue; the military cannot accommodate everyone who wishes to enlist, and competition for entrance into the military is similar to the competition for admission to universities (2007)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 7,480,484

females age 16-49: 7,542,017 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 6,340,446

females age 16-49: 6,559,769 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 313,131

female: 310,442 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

2% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 81

Transnational Issues ::Uzbekistan

Disputes - international:

prolonged drought and cotton monoculture in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan creates water-sharing difficulties for Amu Darya river states; field demarcation of the boundaries with Kazakhstan commenced in 2004; border delimitation of 130 km of border with Kyrgyzstan is hampered by serious disputes around enclaves and other areas

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 39,202 (Tajikistan); 1,060 (Afghanistan)

IDPs: 3,400 (forced population transfers by government from villages near Tajikistan border) (2007)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Uzbekistan is a source country for women and girls trafficked to Kazakhstan, Russia, Middle East, and Asia for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation; men are trafficked to Kazakhstan and Russia for purposes of forced labor in the construction, cotton, and tobacco industries; men and women are also trafficked internally for the purposes of domestic servitude, forced labor in the agricultural and construction industries, and for commercial sexual exploitation

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Uzbekistan is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat severe forms of trafficking in 2007; the government did not amend its criminal code to increase penalties for convicted traffickers; in March 2008, Uzbekistan adopted ILO Conventions on minimum age of employment and on the elimination of the worst forms of child labor and is working with the ILO on implementation; the government also demonstrated its increasing commitment to combat trafficking in March 2008 by adopting a comprehensive anti-trafficking law; Uzbekistan has not ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2008)

Illicit drugs:

transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian and, to a lesser extent, Western European markets; limited illicit cultivation of cannabis and small amounts of opium poppy for domestic consumption; poppy cultivation almost wiped out by government crop eradication program; transit point for heroin precursor chemicals bound for Afghanistan

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Vanuatu (Australia-Oceania)

Introduction ::Vanuatu

Background:

Multiple waves of colonizers, each speaking a distinct language, migrated to the New Hebrides in the millennia preceding European exploration in the 18th century. This settlement pattern accounts for the complex linguistic diversity found on the archipelago to this day. The British and French, who settled the New Hebrides in the 19th century, agreed in 1906 to an Anglo-French Condominium, which administered the islands until independence in 1980, when the new name of Vanuatu was adopted.

Geography ::Vanuatu

Location:

Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Australia

Geographic coordinates:

16 00 S, 167 00 E

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 12,189 sq km country comparison to the world: 163 land: 12,189 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: includes more than 80 islands, about 65 of which are inhabited

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than Connecticut

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

2,528 km

Maritime claims:

measured from claimed archipelagic baselines

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:

tropical; moderated by southeast trade winds from May to October; moderate rainfall from November to April; may be affected by cyclones from December to April

Terrain:

mostly mountainous islands of volcanic origin; narrow coastal plains

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Tabwemasana 1,877 m

Natural resources:

manganese, hardwood forests, fish

Land use:

arable land: 1.64%

permanent crops: 6.97%

other: 91.39% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

tropical cyclones or typhoons (January to April); volcanic eruption on Aoba (Ambae) island began 27 November 2005, volcanism also causes minor earthquakes; tsunamis

Environment - current issues:

most of the population does not have access to a reliable supply of potable water; deforestation

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection,
Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

a Y-shaped chain of four main islands and 80 smaller islands; several of the islands have active volcanoes

People ::Vanuatu

Population:

218,519 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 185

Age structure:

0-14 years: 30.7% (male 34,263/female 32,833)

15-64 years: 65.3% (male 72,670/female 69,970)

65 years and over: 4% (male 4,516/female 4,267) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 24.2 years

male: 24.2 years

female: 24.2 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.398% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 95

Birth rate:

21.53 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 89

Death rate:

7.55 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 121

Net migration rate:

NA (2009 est.)

Urbanization:

urban population: 25% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 4.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.06 male(s)/female

total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 49.45 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 51 male: 51.97 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 46.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 63.98 years country comparison to the world: 169 male: 62.37 years

female: 65.66 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.5 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 96

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Ni-Vanuatu (singular and plural)

adjective: Ni-Vanuatu

Ethnic groups:

Ni-Vanuatu 98.5%, other 1.5% (1999 Census)

Religions:

Presbyterian 31.4%, Anglican 13.4%, Roman Catholic 13.1%, Seventh-Day Adventist 10.8%, other Christian 13.8%, indigenous beliefs 5.6% (including Jon Frum cargo cult), other 9.6%, none 1%, unspecified 1.3% (1999 Census)

Languages:

local languages (more than 100) 72.6%, pidgin (known as Bislama or Bichelama) 23.1%, English 1.9%, French 1.4%, other 0.3%, unspecified 0.7% (1999 Census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 74%

male: NA

female: NA (1999 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 10 years

male: 11 years

female: 10 years (2004)

Education expenditures:

9.5% of GDP (2003) country comparison to the world: 6

Government ::Vanuatu

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Vanuatu

conventional short form: Vanuatu

local long form: Ripablik blong Vanuatu

local short form: Vanuatu

former: New Hebrides

Government type:

parliamentary republic

Capital:

name: Port-Vila (on Efate)

geographic coordinates: 17 44 S, 168 19 E

time difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

6 provinces; Malampa, Penama, Sanma, Shefa, Tafea, Torba

Independence:

30 July 1980 (from France and the UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 30 July (1980)

Constitution:

30 July 1980

Legal system:

unified system being created from former dual French and British systems; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Iolu Johnson ABIL (since 3 September 2009)

head of government: Prime Minister Edward NATAPEI (since 22 September 2008); Deputy Prime Minister Ham LINI (since 22 September 2008)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister, responsible to parliament

elections: president elected for a five-year term by an electoral college consisting of parliament and the presidents of the regional councils; election for president last held 2 September 2009 (next to be held in 2014); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by parliament from among its members; election for prime minister last held 22 September 2008 (next to be held following general elections in 2012)

election results: Iolu Johnson ABIL elected president, with 41 votes out of 58, on the third ballot on 2 September 2009

Legislative branch:

unicameral Parliament (52 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 2 September 2008 (next to be held in 2012)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - VP 11, NUP 8, UMP 7, VRP 7, PPP 4, GC 2, MPP 1, NA 1, NAG 1, PAP 1, Shepherds Alliance 1, VFFP 1, VLP 1, VNP 1, VPRFP 1, and independent 4; note - political party associations are fluid

note: the National Council of Chiefs advises on matters of culture and language

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the president after consultation with the prime minister and the leader of the opposition, three other justices are appointed by the president on the advice of the Judicial Service Commission)

Political parties and leaders:

Greens Confederation or GC [Moana CARCASSES]; Jon Frum Movement or
JF [Song KEASPAI]; Melanesian Progressive Party or MPP [Barak SOPE];
Nagriamel movement or NAG [Havo MOLI]; Namangi Aute or NA [Paul
TELUKLUK]; National United Party or NUP [Ham LINI]; People's Action
Party or PAP [Peter VUTA]; People's Progressive Party or PPP [Sato
KILMAN]; Shepherds Alliance Party [leader NA]; Union of Moderate
Parties or UMP [Serge VOHOR]; Vanuatu Family First Party or VFFP
[Eta RORI]; Vanuatu Labor Party or VLP [Joshua KALSAKAU]; Vanuatu
National Party or VNP [Issac HAMARILIU]; Vanua'aku Pati (Our Land
Party) or VP [Edward NATAPEI]; Vanuatu Republican Party or VRP
[Maxime Carlot KORMAN]; Vanuatu Republican Farmers Party or VPRFP
[Jean RAVOU]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ACCT, ACP, ADB, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS,
ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW,
PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTO
(observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:

Vanuatu does not have an embassy in the US; it does, however, have a
Permanent Mission to the UN

Diplomatic representation from the US:

the US does not have an embassy in Vanuatu; the ambassador to Papua New Guinea is accredited to Vanuatu

Flag description:

two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a black isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) all separated by a black-edged yellow stripe in the shape of a horizontal Y (the two points of the Y face the hoist side and enclose the triangle); centered in the triangle is a boar's tusk encircling two crossed namele leaves, all in yellow

Economy ::Vanuatu

Economy - overview:

This South Pacific island economy is based primarily on small-scale agriculture, which provides a living for over 70% of the population. Fishing, offshore financial services, and tourism, with more than 167,000 visitors in 2007 are other mainstays of the economy. Mineral deposits are negligible; the country has no known petroleum deposits. A small light industry sector caters to the local market. Tax revenues come mainly from import duties. Economic development is hindered by dependence on relatively few commodity exports, vulnerability to natural disasters, and long distances from main markets and between constituent islands. In response to foreign concerns, the government has promised to tighten regulation of its offshore financial center. In mid-2002, the government stepped up efforts to boost tourism through improved air connections, resort development, and cruise ship facilities. Agriculture, especially livestock farming, is a second target for growth. Australia and New Zealand are the main suppliers of tourists and foreign aid.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$990.8 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 200 $929.5 million (2007 est.)

$870.3 million (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$573 million (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

6.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 44 6.8% (2007 est.)

7.2% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$4,600 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 144 $4,400 (2007 est.)

$4,200 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 26%

industry: 12%

services: 62% (2000 est.)

Labor force:

115,900 (2007) country comparison to the world: 175

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 65%

industry: 5%

services: 30% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:

1.7% (1999) country comparison to the world: 15

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $78.7 million

expenditures: $72.23 million (2005 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3.9% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 62

Central bank discount rate:

6% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 75 6% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

5.29% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 104 8.16% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$101.6 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 112 $107.1 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$430 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 111 $421.8 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$274 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 120 $229.5 million (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

copra, coconuts, cocoa, coffee, taro, yams, fruits, vegetables; beef; fish

Industries:

food and fish freezing, wood processing, meat canning

Electricity - production:

42 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 200

Electricity - consumption:

39.06 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 200

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 155

Oil - consumption:

1,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 195

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 149

Oil - imports:

653.6 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 195

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 150

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 146

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 146

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 143

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 148

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 153

Current account balance:

-$60 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 72

Exports:

$40 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 199

Exports - commodities:

copra, beef, cocoa, timber, kava, coffee

Exports - partners:

Thailand 83%, Japan 5.9%, Belgium 1.8% (2008)

Imports:

$156 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 201

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, fuels

Imports - partners:

Australia 17.6%, US 15.9%, Japan 12%, Singapore 10.8%, China 8.5%,
NZ 7.5%, Fiji 6.7% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$40.54 million (2003) country comparison to the world: 154

Debt - external:

$81.2 million (2004) country comparison to the world: 188

Exchange rates:

vatu (VUV) per US dollar - NA (2007), 111.93 (2006), NA (2005), 111.79 (2004), 122.19 (2003)

Communications ::Vanuatu

Telephones - main lines in use:

10,400 (2008) country comparison to the world: 203

Telephones - mobile cellular:

36,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 199

Telephone system:

general assessment: NA

domestic: NA

international: country code - 678; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 2, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (2004)

Internet country code:

.vu

Internet hosts:

1,023 (2009) country comparison to the world: 160

Internet users:

17,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 192

Transportation ::Vanuatu

Airports:

31 (2009) country comparison to the world: 115

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 28

914 to 1,523 m: 5

under 914 m: 23 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 1,070 km country comparison to the world: 183 paved: 256 km

unpaved: 814 km (1999)

Merchant marine:

total: 54 country comparison to the world: 68 by type: bulk carrier 32, cargo 8, container 1, liquefied gas 2, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 4, vehicle carrier 5

foreign-owned: 54 (Australia 2, Belgium 4, Canada 5, Estonia 1, Greece 1, Japan 29, Monaco 1, Poland 7, Russia 2, Switzerland 1, US 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Forari, Port-Vila, Santo (Espiritu Santo)

Military ::Vanuatu

Military branches:

no regular military forces; Vanuatu Police Force (VPF), Vanuatu Mobile Force (VMF; includes Police Maritime Wing (PMW)) (2009)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 58,900 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 41,533

females age 16-49: 42,837 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 2,368

female: 2,272 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

NA

Transnational Issues ::Vanuatu

Disputes - international:

Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia claimed by Vanuatu and France

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Venezuela (South America)

Introduction ::Venezuela

Background:

Venezuela was one of three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being Ecuador and New Granada, which became Colombia). For most of the first half of the 20th century, Venezuela was ruled by generally benevolent military strongmen, who promoted the oil industry and allowed for some social reforms. Democratically elected governments have held sway since 1959. Hugo CHAVEZ, president since 1999, seeks to implement his "21st Century Socialism," which purports to alleviate social ills while at the same time attacking globalization and undermining regional stability. Current concerns include: a weakening of democratic institutions, political polarization, a politicized military, drug-related violence along the Colombian border, increasing internal drug consumption, overdependence on the petroleum industry with its price fluctuations, and irresponsible mining operations that are endangering the rain forest and indigenous peoples.

Geography ::Venezuela

Location:

Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the North
Atlantic Ocean, between Colombia and Guyana

Geographic coordinates:

8 00 N, 66 00 W

Map references:

South America

Area:

total: 912,050 sq km country comparison to the world: 33 land: 882,050 sq km

water: 30,000 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly more than twice the size of California

Land boundaries:

total: 4,993 km

border countries: Brazil 2,200 km, Colombia 2,050 km, Guyana 743 km

Coastline:

2,800 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 15 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:

tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands

Terrain:

Andes Mountains and Maracaibo Lowlands in northwest; central plains (llanos); Guiana Highlands in southeast

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: Pico Bolivar (La Columna) 5,007 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, bauxite, other minerals, hydropower, diamonds

Land use:

arable land: 2.85%

permanent crops: 0.88%

other: 96.27% (2005)

Irrigated land:

5,750 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

1,233.2 cu km (2000)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 8.37 cu km/yr (6%/7%/47%)

per capita: 313 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

subject to floods, rockslides, mudslides; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:

sewage pollution of Lago de Valencia; oil and urban pollution of Lago de Maracaibo; deforestation; soil degradation; urban and industrial pollution, especially along the Caribbean coast; threat to the rainforest ecosystem from irresponsible mining operations

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection,
Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed but not ratified:: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

on major sea and air routes linking North and South America; Angel Falls in the Guiana Highlands is the world's highest waterfall

People ::Venezuela

Population:

26,814,843 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 45

Age structure:

0-14 years: 30.5% (male 4,157,194/female 4,022,595)

15-64 years: 64.3% (male 8,480,872/female 8,754,620)

65 years and over: 5.2% (male 620,657/female 778,905) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 25.5 years

male: 24.8 years

female: 26.2 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.508% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 86

Birth rate:

20.61 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 95

Death rate:

5.12 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 184

Net migration rate:

-0.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 108

Urbanization:

urban population: 93% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 21.54 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 100 male: 25.1 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 17.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 73.61 years country comparison to the world: 103 male: 70.54 years

female: 76.83 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.48 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 98

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.7%; note - no country specific models provided (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 63

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

110,000 (1999 est.) country comparison to the world: 45

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

4,100 (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 49

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea

vectorborne disease: dengue fever and malaria (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Venezuelan(s)

adjective: Venezuelan

Ethnic groups:

Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Arab, German, African, indigenous people

Religions:

nominally Roman Catholic 96%, Protestant 2%, other 2%

Languages:

Spanish (official), numerous indigenous dialects

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 93%

male: 93.3%

female: 92.7% (2001 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 12 years

male: 11 years

female: 12 years (2003)

Education expenditures:

3.7% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 124

Government ::Venezuela

Country name:

conventional long form: Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela

conventional short form: Venezuela

local long form: Republica Bolivariana de Venezuela

local short form: Venezuela

Government type:

federal republic

Capital:

name: Caracas

geographic coordinates: 10 30 N, 66 56 W

time difference: UTC-4.5 (half an hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

23 states (estados, singular - estado), 1 capital district* (distrito capital), and 1 federal dependency** (dependencia federal); Amazonas, Anzoategui, Apure, Aragua, Barinas, Bolivar, Carabobo, Cojedes, Delta Amacuro, Dependencias Federales**, Distrito Federal*, Falcon, Guarico, Lara, Merida, Miranda, Monagas, Nueva Esparta, Portuguesa, Sucre, Tachira, Trujillo, Vargas, Yaracuy, Zulia

note: the federal dependency consists of 11 federally controlled island groups with a total of 72 individual islands

Independence:

5 July 1811 (from Spain)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 5 July (1811)

Constitution:

30 December 1999

Legal system:

open, adversarial court system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Hugo CHAVEZ Frias (since 3 February 1999); Executive Vice President Ramon Alonzo CARRIZALEZ Rengifo (since 4 January 2008); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Hugo CHAVEZ Frias (since 3 February 1999); Executive Vice President Ramon Alonzo CARRIZALEZ Rengifo (since 4 January 2008)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 3 December 2006 (next to be held in December 2012)

note: in 1999, a National Constituent Assembly drafted a new constitution that increased the presidential term to six years; an election was subsequently held on 30 July 2000 under the terms of this constitution

election results: Hugo CHAVEZ Frias reelected president; percent of vote - Hugo CHAVEZ Frias 62.9%, Manuel ROSALES 36.9%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (167 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms; three seats reserved for the indigenous peoples of Venezuela)

elections: last held 4 December 2005 (next to be held in 2010)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - pro-government 167 (MVR 114, PODEMOS 15, PPT 11, indigenous 2, other 25), opposition 0; total seats by party as of 1 January 2008 - pro-government 152 (PSUV 114, PPT 11, indigenous 2, other 25), PODEMOS 15

Judicial branch:

Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Tribuna Suprema de Justicia (magistrates are elected by the National Assembly for a single 12-year term)

Political parties and leaders:

A New Time or UNT [Manuel ROSALES]; Christian Democrats or COPEI
[Cesar PEREZ Vivas]; Communist Party of Venezuela or PCV [Jeronimo
CARRERA]; Democratic Action or AD [Henry RAMOS Allup]; Fatherland
for All or PPT [Jose ALBORNOZ]; Justice First [Julio BORGES];
Movement Toward Socialism or MAS [Hector MUJICA]; United Socialist
Party of Venezuela or PSUV [Hugo CHAVEZ]; Venezuela Project or PV
[Henrique SALAS Romer]; We Can or PODEMOS [Ismael GARCIA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

FEDECAMARAS, a conservative business group; VECINOS groups; Venezuelan Confederation of Workers or CTV (labor organization dominated by the Democratic Action)

International organization participation:

Caricom (observer), CDB, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, LAS
(observer), Mercosur (associate), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW,
OPEC, PCA, RG, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union
Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Bernardo ALVAREZ Herrera

chancery: 1099 30th Street NW, Washington, DC 20007

telephone: [1] (202) 342-2214

FAX: [1] (202) 342-6820

consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Patrick DUDDY

embassy: Calle F con Calle Suapure, Urbanizacion Colinas de Valle Arriba, Caracas 1080

mailing address: P. O. Box 62291, Caracas 1060-A; APO AA 34037

telephone: [58] (212) 975-6411, 907-8400 (after hours)

FAX: [58] (212) 907-8199

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), blue, and red with the coat of arms on the hoist side of the yellow band and an arc of eight white five-pointed stars centered in the blue band

Economy ::Venezuela

Economy - overview:

Venezuela remains highly dependent on oil revenues, which account for roughly 90% of export earnings, about 50% of the federal budget revenues, and around 30% of GDP. A nationwide strike between December 2002 and February 2003 had far-reaching economic consequences - real GDP declined by around 9% in 2002 and 8% in 2003 - but economic output since then has recovered strongly. Fueled by high oil prices, record government spending helped to boost GDP by about 10% in 2006, 8% in 2007, and nearly 5% in 2008. This spending, combined with recent minimum wage hikes and improved access to domestic credit, has created a consumption boom but has come at the cost of higher inflation - roughly 20% in 2007 and more than 30% in 2008. Imports also have jumped significantly. Declining oil prices in the latter part of 2008 are expected to undermine the govenment's ability to continue the high rate of spending. President Hugo CHAVEZ in 2008 continued efforts to increase the government's contol of the economy by nationalizing firms in the cement and steel sectors. In 2007, he nationalized firms in the petroleum, communications, and electricity sectors. In July 2008, CHAVEZ implemented by decree a number of laws that further consolidate and centralize authority over the economy through his plan for "21st Century Socialism."

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$356.3 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 32 $340 billion (2007 est.)

$314.2 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$319.4 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

4.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 93 8.2% (2007 est.)

9.9% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$13,500 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 84 $13,100 (2007 est.)

$12,300 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 3.8%

industry: 37.6%

services: 58.6% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

12.59 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 42

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 13%

industry: 23%

services: 64% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate:

7.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 95 8.5% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

37.9% (end 2005 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 1.7%

highest 10%: 32.7% (2006)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

48.2 (2003) country comparison to the world: 29 49.5 (1998)

Investment (gross fixed):

19.7% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 113

Budget:

revenues: $94.14 billion

expenditures: $97.69 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

13.8% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 108 43.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

30.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 219 18.7% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

33.5% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 2 28.5% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

22.37% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 29 17.11% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$79.91 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 16 $63.18 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$10.93 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 49 $8.889 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$62.42 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 44 $50.24 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$NA (31 December 2007)

$8.251 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

corn, sorghum, sugarcane, rice, bananas, vegetables, coffee; beef, pork, milk, eggs; fish

Industries:

petroleum, construction materials, food processing, textiles; iron ore mining, steel, aluminum; motor vehicle assembly

Industrial production growth rate:

2.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 92

Electricity - production:

113.3 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 29

Electricity - consumption:

83.02 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 34

Electricity - exports:

540 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

1.651 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Oil - production:

2.643 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 10

Oil - consumption:

760,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 24

Oil - exports:

2.182 million bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 10

Oil - imports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 208

Oil - proved reserves:

99.38 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 6

Natural gas - production:

24.01 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 28

Natural gas - consumption:

25.51 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 31

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 93

Natural gas - imports:

1.5 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 49

Natural gas - proved reserves:

4.84 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 8

Current account balance:

$39.21 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 12 $20 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$93.54 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 39 $69.17 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

petroleum, bauxite and aluminum, steel, chemicals, agricultural products, basic manufactures

Exports - partners:

US 40.7%, Netherlands Antilles 7.8%, China 4.7% (2008)

Imports:

$48.1 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 51 $45.46 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

raw materials, machinery and equipment, transport equipment, construction materials

Imports - partners:

US 26.3%, Colombia 12.7%, Brazil 10.3%, China 7%, Mexico 4.8% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$42.3 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 32 $33.48 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$47.03 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 54 $43.33 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$41.38 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 54 $43.96 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$16.62 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 40 $13.81 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

bolivars (VEB) per US dollar - 2.147 (2008 est.), 2,147 (2007), 2,147 (2006), 2,089.8 (2005), 1,891.3 (2004)

note: on 1 January 2008 Venezuela revalued its currency with 1000 old bolivares equal to 1 new bolivar

Communications ::Venezuela

Telephones - main lines in use:

6.304 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 28

Telephones - mobile cellular:

27.084 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 32

Telephone system:

general assessment: modern and expanding

domestic: domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations; recent substantial improvement in telephone service in rural areas; substantial increase in digitalization of exchanges and trunk lines; installation of a national interurban fiber-optic network capable of digital multimedia services; combined fixed and mobile-cellular telephone subscribership 125 per 100 persons

international: country code - 58; submarine cable systems provide connectivity to the Caribbean, Central and South America, and US; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 PanAmSat; participating with Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia in the construction of an international fiber-optic network (2007)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 201, FM unknown, but at least 25 in Caracas, shortwave 11 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

66 (plus 45 repeaters) (1997)

Internet country code:

.ve

Internet hosts:

155,139 (2009) country comparison to the world: 68

Internet users:

7.167 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 35

Transportation ::Venezuela

Airports:

406 (2009) country comparison to the world: 20

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 131

over 3,047 m: 6

2,438 to 3,047 m: 8

1,524 to 2,437 m: 35

914 to 1,523 m: 63

under 914 m: 19 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 275

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 16

914 to 1,523 m: 103

under 914 m: 155 (2009)

Heliports:

4 (2009)

Pipelines:

extra heavy crude 980 km; gas 5,036 km; oil 6,695 km; refined products 1,484 km; unknown 141 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 806 km country comparison to the world: 101 standard gauge: 806 km 1.435-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 96,155 km country comparison to the world: 47 paved: 32,308 km

unpaved: 63,847 km (2002)

Waterways:

7,100 km country comparison to the world: 21 note: Orinoco River (400 km) and Lake de Maracaibo navigable by oceangoing vessels (2008)

Merchant marine:

total: 62 country comparison to the world: 65 by type: bulk carrier 9, cargo 16, chemical tanker 3, liquefied gas 5, passenger/cargo 10, petroleum tanker 17, refrigerated cargo 2

foreign-owned: 12 (Chile 1, Denmark 1, Greece 3, Mexico 5, Panama 1, Spain 1)

registered in other countries: 12 (Bahamas 1, Panama 10, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

La Guaira, Maracaibo, Puerto Cabello, Punta Cardon

Transportation - note:

the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the Caribbean Sea as a significant risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships; numerous vessels, including commercial shipping and pleasure craft, have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; crews have been robbed and stores or cargoes stolen

Military ::Venezuela

Military branches:

National Bolivarian Armed Forces (Fuerza Armada Nacional
Bolivariana, FANB): National Bolivarian Army (Ejercito Nacional
Bolivariano, ENB), Bolivarian National Navy (Fuerza Armada Nacional
Bolivariana (FANB); includes Naval Infantry, Coast Guard, Naval
Aviation), Bolivarian National Military Aviation (Aviacion Militar
Nacional Bolivariana, AMNB), Bolivarian National Guard (Guardia
Nacional Bolivaria, GNB) (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18-30 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; 30-month conscript service obligation; all citizens 18-50 years old are obligated to register for military service (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 6,647,124

females age 16-49: 6,801,133 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 5,391,582

females age 16-49: 5,873,563 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 276,051

female: 274,162 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.2% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 130

Transnational Issues ::Venezuela

Disputes - international:

claims all of the area west of the Essequibo River in Guyana, preventing any discussion of a maritime boundary; Guyana has expressed its intention to join Barbados in asserting claims before the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) that Trinidad and Tobago's maritime boundary with Venezuela extends into their waters; dispute with Colombia over maritime boundary and Venezuelan-administered Los Monjes islands near the Gulf of Venezuela; Colombian-organized illegal narcotics and paramilitary activities penetrate Venezuela's shared border region; in 2006, an estimated 139,000 Colombians sought protection in 150 communities along the border in Venezuela; US, France, and the Netherlands recognize Venezuela's granting full effect to Aves Island, thereby claiming a Venezuelan EEZ/continental shelf extending over a large portion of the eastern Caribbean Sea; Dominica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines protest Venezuela's full effect claim

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Venezuela is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor; Venezuelan women and girls are trafficked within the country for sexual exploitation, lured from the nation's interior to urban and tourist areas; child prostitution in urban areas and child sex tourism in resort destinations appear to be growing; Venezuelan women and girls are trafficked for commercial sexual exploitation to Western Europe, Mexico, and Caribbean destinations

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Venezuela is placed on the Tier 2 Watch List, up from Tier 3, as it showed greater resolve to address trafficking through law enforcement measures and prevention efforts in 2007, although stringent punishment of offenders and victim assistance remain lacking (2008)

Illicit drugs:

small-scale illicit producer of opium and coca for the processing of opiates and coca derivatives; however, large quantities of cocaine, heroin, and marijuana transit the country from Colombia bound for US and Europe; significant narcotics-related money-laundering activity, especially along the border with Colombia and on Margarita Island; active eradication program primarily targeting opium; increasing signs of drug-related activities by Colombian insurgents on border

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Vietnam (East & Southeast Asia)

Introduction ::Vietnam

Background:

The conquest of Vietnam by France began in 1858 and was completed by 1884. It became part of French Indochina in 1887. Vietnam declared independence after World War II, but France continued to rule until its 1954 defeat by Communist forces under Ho Chi MINH. Under the Geneva Accords of 1954, Vietnam was divided into the Communist North and anti-Communist South. US economic and military aid to South Vietnam grew through the 1960s in an attempt to bolster the government, but US armed forces were withdrawn following a cease-fire agreement in 1973. Two years later, North Vietnamese forces overran the South reuniting the country under Communist rule. Despite the return of peace, for over a decade the country experienced little economic growth because of conservative leadership policies, the persecution and mass exodus of individuals - many of them successful South Vietnamese merchants - and growing international isolation. However, since the enactment of Vietnam's "doi moi" (renovation) policy in 1986, Vietnamese authorities have committed to increased economic liberalization and enacted structural reforms needed to modernize the economy and to produce more competitive, export-driven industries. The country continues to experience small-scale protests from various groups, the vast majority connected to land-use issues and the lack of equitable mechanisms for resolving disputes. Various ethnic minorities, such as the Montagnards of the Central Highlands and the Khmer Krom in the southern delta region, have also held protests. In January 2008, Vietnam assumed a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2008-09 term.

Geography ::Vietnam

Location:

Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, Gulf of Tonkin, and South China Sea, alongside China, Laos, and Cambodia

Geographic coordinates:

16 10 N, 107 50 E

Map references:

Southeast Asia

Area:

total: 331,210 sq km country comparison to the world: 65 land: 310,070 sq km

water: 21,140 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than New Mexico

Land boundaries:

total: 4,639 km

border countries: Cambodia 1,228 km, China 1,281 km, Laos 2,130 km

Coastline:

3,444 km (excludes islands)

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:

tropical in south; monsoonal in north with hot, rainy season (May to September) and warm, dry season (October to March)

Terrain:

low, flat delta in south and north; central highlands; hilly, mountainous in far north and northwest

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: South China Sea 0 m

highest point: Fan Si Pan 3,144 m

Natural resources:

phosphates, coal, manganese, bauxite, chromate, offshore oil and gas deposits, forests, hydropower

Land use:

arable land: 20.14%

permanent crops: 6.93%

other: 72.93% (2005)

Irrigated land:

30,000 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

891.2 cu km (1999)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 71.39 cu km/yr (8%/24%/68%)

per capita: 847 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

occasional typhoons (May to January) with extensive flooding, especially in the Mekong River delta

Environment - current issues:

logging and slash-and-burn agricultural practices contribute to deforestation and soil degradation; water pollution and overfishing threaten marine life populations; groundwater contamination limits potable water supply; growing urban industrialization and population migration are rapidly degrading environment in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

extending 1,650 km north to south, the country is only 50 km across at its narrowest point

People ::Vietnam

Population:

86,967,524 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 13

Age structure:

0-14 years: 24.9% (male 11,230,402/female 10,423,901)

15-64 years: 69.4% (male 29,971,088/female 30,356,393)

65 years and over: 5.7% (male 1,920,043/female 3,065,697) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 27.4 years

male: 26.4 years

female: 28.5 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.977% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 128

Birth rate:

16.31 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 129

Death rate:

6.17 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 156

Net migration rate:

-0.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 103

Urbanization:

urban population: 28% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 3.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 22.88 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 96 male: 23.27 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 22.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 71.58 years country comparison to the world: 127 male: 68.78 years

female: 74.57 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.83 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 154

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.5% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 73

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

290,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 24

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

24,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 20

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, Japanese encephalitis, and plague

water contact disease: leptospirosis

note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Vietnamese (singular and plural)

adjective: Vietnamese

Ethnic groups:

Kinh (Viet) 86.2%, Tay 1.9%, Thai 1.7%, Muong 1.5%, Khome 1.4%, Hoa 1.1%, Nun 1.1%, Hmong 1%, others 4.1% (1999 census)

Religions:

Buddhist 9.3%, Catholic 6.7%, Hoa Hao 1.5%, Cao Dai 1.1%, Protestant 0.5%, Muslim 0.1%, none 80.8% (1999 census)

Languages:

Vietnamese (official), English (increasingly favored as a second language), some French, Chinese, and Khmer; mountain area languages (Mon-Khmer and Malayo-Polynesian)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 90.3%

male: 93.9%

female: 86.9% (2002 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 10 years

male: 11 years

female: 10 years (2000)

Education expenditures:

1.8% of GDP (1991) country comparison to the world: 171

Government ::Vietnam

Country name:

conventional long form: Socialist Republic of Vietnam

conventional short form: Vietnam

local long form: Cong Hoa Xa Hoi Chu Nghia Viet Nam

local short form: Viet Nam

abbreviation: SRV

Government type:

Communist state

Capital:

name: Hanoi (Ha Noi)

geographic coordinates: 21 02 N, 105 51 E

time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

58 provinces (tinh, singular and plural) and 5 municipalities (thanh pho, singular and plural)

provinces: An Giang, Bac Giang, Bac Kan, Bac Lieu, Bac Ninh, Ba
Ria-Vung Tau, Ben Tre, Binh Dinh, Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc, Binh
Thuan, Ca Mau, Cao Bang, Da Nang*, Dac Lak, Dac Nong, Dien Bien,
Dong Nai, Dong Thap, Gia Lai, Ha Giang, Ha Nam, Ha Tinh, Hai Duong,
Hau Giang, Hoa Binh, Hung Yen, Khanh Hoa, Kien Giang, Kon Tum, Lai
Chau, Lam Dong, Lang Son, Lao Cai, Long An, Nam Dinh, Nghe An, Ninh
Binh, Ninh Thuan, Phu Tho, Phu Yen, Quang Binh, Quang Nam, Quang
Ngai, Quang Ninh, Quang Tri, Soc Trang, Son La, Tay Ninh, Thai Binh,
Thai Nguyen, Thanh Hoa, Thua Thien-Hue, Tien Giang, Tra Vinh, Tuyen
Quang, Vinh Long, Vinh Phuc, Yen Bai

municipalities: Can Tho, Da Nang, Ha Noi, Hai Phong, Ho Chi Minh City

Independence:

2 September 1945 (from France)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 2 September (1945)

Constitution:

15 April 1992

Legal system:

based on communist legal theory and French civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Nguyen Minh TRIET (since 27 June 2006); Vice President Nguyen Thi DOAN (since 25 July 2007)

head of government: Prime Minister Nguyen Tan DUNG (since 27 June 2006); Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh HUNG (since 28 June 2006), Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung HAI (since 2 August 2007), Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien NHAN (since 2 August 2007), Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia KHIEM (since 28 June 2006), and Deputy Prime Minister Truong Vinh TRONG (since 28 June 2006)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by president based on proposal of prime minister and confirmed by National Assembly

elections: president elected by the National Assembly from among its members for five-year term; last held 27 June 2006 (next to be held in 2011); prime minister appointed by the president from among the members of the National Assembly; deputy prime ministers appointed by the prime minister; appointment of prime minister and deputy prime ministers confirmed by National Assembly

election results: Nguyen Minh TRIET elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - 94%; Nguyen Tan DUNG elected prime minister; percent of National Assembly vote - 92%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly or Quoc Hoi (500 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 20 May 2007 (next to be held in May 2012)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CPV 450, non-party CPV-approved 42, self-nominated 1; note - 493 candidates were elected; CPV and non-party CPV-approved delegates were members of the Vietnamese Fatherland Front

Judicial branch:

Supreme People's Court (chief justice is elected for a five-year term by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the president)

Political parties and leaders:

Communist Party of Vietnam or CPV [Nong Duc MANH]; other parties proscribed

Political pressure groups and leaders:

8406 Bloc; Democratic Party of Vietnam or DPV; People's Democratic Party Vietnam or PDP-VN; Alliance for Democracy

note: these groups advocate democracy but are not recognized by the government

International organization participation:

ADB, APEC, APT, ARF, ASEAN, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Le Cong PHUNG

chancery: 1233 20th Street NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20036

telephone: [1] (202) 861-0737

FAX: [1] (202) 861-0917

consulate(s) general: San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Michael W. MICHALAK

embassy: 7 Lang Ha Street, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi

mailing address: PSC 461, Box 400, FPO AP 96521-0002

telephone: [84] (4) 3850-5000

FAX: [84] (4) 3850-5010

consulate(s) general: Ho Chi Minh City

Flag description:

red field with a large yellow five-pointed star in the center

Economy ::Vietnam

Economy - overview:

Vietnam is a densely-populated developing country that in the last 30 years has had to recover from the ravages of war, the loss of financial support from the old Soviet Bloc, and the rigidities of a centrally-planned economy. Since 2001, Vietnamese authorities have reaffirmed their commitment to economic liberalization and international integration. They have moved to implement the structural reforms needed to modernize the economy and to produce more competitive export-driven industries. Vietnam's membership in the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) and entry into force of the US-Vietnam Bilateral Trade Agreement in December 2001 have led to even more rapid changes in Vietnam's trade and economic regime. Vietnam's exports to the US increased 900% from 2001 to 2007. Vietnam joined the WTO in January 2007 following over a decade long negotiation process. WTO membership has provided Vietnam an anchor to the global market and reinforced the domestic economic reform process. Among other benefits, accession allows Vietnam to take advantage of the phase-out of the Agreement on Textiles and Clothing, which eliminated quotas on textiles and clothing for WTO partners on 1 January 2005. Agriculture's share of economic output has continued to shrink from about 25% in 2000 to less than 20% in 2008. Deep poverty has declined significantly and is now smaller than that of China, India, and the Philippines. Vietnam is working to create jobs to meet the challenge of a labor force that is growing by more than one-and-a-half million people every year. The global financial crisis, however, will constrain Vietnam's ability to create jobs and further reduce poverty. As global growth sharply drops in 2009, Vietnam's export-oriented economy - exports were 68% of GDP in 2007 - will suffer from lower exports, higher unemployment and corporate bankruptcies, and decreased foreign investment.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$242.3 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 46 $228.1 billion (2007 est.)

$210.3 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$89.83 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

6.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 54 8.5% (2007 est.)

8.2% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$2,800 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 168 $2,600 (2007 est.)

$2,500 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 22%

industry: 39.9%

services: 38.1% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

47.41 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 12

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 55.6%

industry: 18.9%

services: 25.5% (July 2005)

Unemployment rate:

4.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 59 4.3% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

14.8% (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 3.1%

highest 10%: 29.8% (2006)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

37 (2004) country comparison to the world: 78 36.1 (1998)

Investment (gross fixed):

41.9% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 1

Budget:

revenues: $24.27 billion

expenditures: $28.85 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

48.8% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 39 65.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

23.1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 209 8.3% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

10.25% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 60 6.5% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

15.78% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 72 11.18% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$27.01 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$50.81 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$68.27 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$9.589 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 69 $19.54 billion (31 December 2007)

$9.093 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

paddy rice, coffee, rubber, cotton, tea, pepper, soybeans, cashews, sugar cane, peanuts, bananas; poultry; fish, seafood

Industries:

food processing, garments, shoes, machine-building; mining, coal, steel; cement, chemical fertilizer, glass, tires, oil, paper

Industrial production growth rate:

6.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 36

Electricity - production:

66.81 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 39

Electricity - consumption:

59.3 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 40

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

313,600 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 36

Oil - consumption:

288,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 44

Oil - exports:

347,400 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 36

Oil - imports:

254,000 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 40

Oil - proved reserves:

600 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 44

Natural gas - production:

6.6 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 46

Natural gas - consumption:

6.6 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 53

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 91

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 116

Natural gas - proved reserves:

192.5 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 45

Current account balance:

-$10.71 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 168 -$6.993 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$62.69 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 51 $48.56 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

crude oil, marine products, rice, coffee, rubber, tea, garments, shoes

Exports - partners:

US 18.9%, Japan 13.6%, China 7.2%, Australia 6.7%, Singapore 4.2% (2008)

Imports:

$75.47 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 43 $58.92 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, petroleum products, fertilizer, steel products, raw cotton, grain, cement, motorcycles

Imports - partners:

China 19.4%, Singapore 11.6%, South Korea 8.8%, Thailand 6.1% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$24.18 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 47 $23.75 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$25.89 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 67 $21.83 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$40.34 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 55 $32.74 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$NA

Exchange rates:

dong (VND) per US dollar - 16,548.3 (2008 est.), 16,119 (2007), 15,983 (2006), 15,746 (2005), NA (2004)

Communications ::Vietnam

Telephones - main lines in use:

29.591 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 11

Telephones - mobile cellular:

70 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 13

Telephone system:

general assessment: Vietnam is putting considerable effort into modernization and expansion of its telecommunication system

domestic: all provincial exchanges are digitalized and connected to Hanoi, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City by fiber-optic cable or microwave radio relay networks; main lines have been substantially increased, and the use of mobile telephones is growing rapidly

international: country code - 84; a landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3, the C2C, and Thailand-Vietnam-Hong Kong submarine cable systems; the Asia-America Gateway submarine cable system, scheduled for completion by the end of 2008, will provide new access links to Asia and the US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 65, FM 7, shortwave 29 (1999)

Television broadcast stations:

67 (includes 61 relay, provincial, and city TV stations) (2006)

Internet country code:

.vn

Internet hosts:

170,689 (2009) country comparison to the world: 66

Internet users:

20.834 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 18

Transportation ::Vietnam

Airports:

44 (2009) country comparison to the world: 97

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 37

over 3,047 m: 9

2,438 to 3,047 m: 5

1,524 to 2,437 m: 14

914 to 1,523 m: 9 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 7

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m: 3 (2009)

Heliports:

1 (2009)

Pipelines:

condensate/gas 42 km; gas 66 km; refined products 206 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 2,347 km country comparison to the world: 66 standard gauge: 178 km 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge: 2,169 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 222,179 km country comparison to the world: 23 paved: 42,167 km

unpaved: 180,012 km (2004)

Waterways:

17,702 km (5,000 km navigable by vessels up to 1.8 m draft) (2008) country comparison to the world: 7

Merchant marine:

total: 387 country comparison to the world: 28 by type: barge carrier 1, bulk carrier 36, cargo 280, chemical tanker 12, container 14, liquefied gas 6, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 32, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 1, specialized tanker 1

foreign-owned: 2 (Hong Kong 1, Japan 1)

registered in other countries: 64 (Honduras 1, Liberia 4, Mongolia 23, Panama 30, Tuvalu 5, unknown 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Da Nang, Hai Phong, Ho Chi Minh City

Transportation - note:

the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the South China Sea as high risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships; numerous commercial vessels have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; hijacked vessels are often disguised and cargo diverted to ports in East Asia; crews have been murdered or cast adrift

Military ::Vietnam

Military branches:

People's Armed Forces: People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) (includes
People's Navy Command (with naval infantry, coast guard), Air and
Air Defense Force (Kon Quan Nhan Dan), Border Defense Command),
People's Public Security Forces, Militia Force, Self-Defense Forces
(2005)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age (male) for compulsory military service; females may volunteer for active duty military service; conscript service obligation - 2 years (3 to 4 years in the navy); 18-45 years of age (male) or 18-40 years of age (female) for Militia Force or Self Defense Forces (2006)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 24,586,328

females age 16-49: 24,335,132 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 19,190,676

females age 16-49: 20,768,508 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 893,726

female: 834,279 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

2.5% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 68

Transnational Issues ::Vietnam

Disputes - international:

southeast Asian states have enhanced border surveillance to check the spread of avian flu; Cambodia and Laos protest Vietnamese squatters and armed encroachments along border; an estimated 300,000 Vietnamese refugees reside in China; establishment of a maritime boundary with Cambodia is hampered by unresolved dispute over the sovereignty of offshore islands; demarcation of the China-Vietnam boundary proceeds slowly and although the maritime boundary delimitation and fisheries agreements were ratified in June 2004, implementation has been delayed; China occupies the Paracel Islands also claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan; involved in complex dispute with China, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, and possibly Brunei over the Spratly Islands; the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" has eased tensions but falls short of a legally binding "code of conduct" desired by several of the disputants; Vietnam continues to expand construction of facilities in the Spratly Islands; in March 2005, the national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam signed a joint accord to conduct marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands

Illicit drugs:

minor producer of opium poppy; probable minor transit point for Southeast Asian heroin; government continues to face domestic opium/heroin/methamphetamine addiction problems despite longstanding crackdowns

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Virgin Islands (Central America and Caribbean)

Introduction ::Virgin Islands

Background:

During the 17th century, the archipelago was divided into two territorial units, one English and the other Danish. Sugarcane, produced by slave labor, drove the islands' economy during the 18th and early 19th centuries. In 1917, the US purchased the Danish portion, which had been in economic decline since the abolition of slavery in 1848.

Geography ::Virgin Islands

Location:

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

Geographic coordinates:

18 20 N, 64 50 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 1,910 sq km country comparison to the world: 181 land: 346 sq km

water: 1,564 sq km

Area - comparative:

twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

188 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season September to November

Terrain:

mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little level land

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: Crown Mountain 475 m

Natural resources:

sun, sand, sea, surf

Land use:

arable land: 5.71%

permanent crops: 2.86%

other: 91.43% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and severe droughts and floods; occasional earthquakes

Environment - current issues:

lack of natural freshwater resources

Geography - note:

important location along the Anegada Passage - a key shipping lane for the Panama Canal; Saint Thomas has one of the best natural deepwater harbors in the Caribbean

People ::Virgin Islands

Population:

109,825 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 190

Age structure:

0-14 years: 20.4% (male 11,394/female 11,048)

15-64 years: 65.9% (male 33,843/female 38,574)

65 years and over: 13.6% (male 6,747/female 8,219) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 39.1 years

male: 38.6 years

female: 39.6 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.029% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 205

Birth rate:

11.95 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 169

Death rate:

6.75 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 144

Net migration rate:

-5.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 165

Urbanization:

urban population: 95% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 0.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.88 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female

total population: 0.9 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 7.56 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 165 male: 8.28 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 6.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 79.05 years country comparison to the world: 35 male: 76.02 years

female: 82.26 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.85 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 151

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Virgin Islander(s) (US citizens)

adjective: Virgin Islander

Ethnic groups:

black 76.2%, white 13.1%, Asian 1.1%, other 6.1%, mixed 3.5% (2000 census)

Religions:

Baptist 42%, Roman Catholic 34%, Episcopalian 17%, other 7%

Languages:

English 74.7%, Spanish or Spanish Creole 16.8%, French or French
Creole 6.6%, other 1.9% (2000 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 90-95% est.

male: NA

female: NA (2005 est.)

Education expenditures:

NA

Government ::Virgin Islands

Country name:

conventional long form: United States Virgin Islands

conventional short form: Virgin Islands

former: Danish West Indies

abbreviation: USVI

Dependency status:

organized, unincorporated territory of the US with policy relations between the Virgin Islands and the US under the jurisdiction of the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior

Government type:

NA

Capital:

name: Charlotte Amalie

geographic coordinates: 18 21 N, 64 56 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

none (territory of the US); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are three islands at the second order; Saint Croix, Saint John, Saint Thomas

Independence:

none (territory of the US)

National holiday:

Transfer Day (from Denmark to the US), 31 March (1917)

Constitution:

Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954

Legal system:

based on US laws

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal; island residents are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Barack H. OBAMA (since 20 January 2009); Vice President Joseph R. BIDEN (since 20 January 2009)

head of government: Governor John DeJONGH (since 1 January 2007)

cabinet: NA

elections: under the US Constitution, residents of unincorporated territories, such as the Virgin Islands, do not vote in elections for US president and vice president; however, they may vote in the Democratic and Republican presidential primary elections; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 7 and 21 November 2006 (next to be held November 2010)

election results: John DeJONGH elected governor; percent of vote - John DeJONGH 57.3%, Kenneth MAPP 42.7%

Legislative branch:

unicameral Senate (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms)

elections: last held 4 November 2008 (next to be held in November 2010)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Democratic Party 10, ICM 2, independent 3

note: the Virgin Islands elects one non-voting representative to the US House of Representatives; election last held 4 November 2008 (next to be held in November 2010)

Judicial branch:

US District Court of the Virgin Islands (under Third Circuit jurisdiction); Superior Court of the Virgin Islands (judges appointed by the governor for 10-year terms)

Political parties and leaders:

Democratic Party [Arturo WATLINGTON]; Independent Citizens' Movement or ICM [Usie RICHARDS]; Republican Party [Gary SPRAUVE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

IOC, UPU, WFTU

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (territory of the US)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (territory of the US)

Flag description:

white field with a modified US coat of arms in the center between the large blue initials V and I; the coat of arms shows a yellow eagle holding an olive branch in one talon and three arrows in the other with a superimposed shield of vertical red and white stripes below a blue panel

Economy ::Virgin Islands

Economy - overview:

Tourism is the primary economic activity, accounting for 80% of GDP and employment. The islands hosted 2.6 million visitors in 2005. The manufacturing sector consists of petroleum refining, rum distilling, textiles, electronics, pharmaceuticals, and watch assembly. One of the world's largest petroleum refineries is at Saint Croix. The agricultural sector is small, with most food being imported. International business and financial services are small but growing components of the economy. The islands are vulnerable to substantial damage from storms. The government is working to improve fiscal discipline, to support construction projects in the private sector, to expand tourist facilities, to reduce crime, and to protect the environment.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$1.577 billion (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 191

GDP (official exchange rate):

$NA

GDP - real growth rate:

2% (2002 est.) country comparison to the world: 160

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$14,500 (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 78

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 1%

industry: 19%

services: 80% (2003 est.)

Labor force:

49,820 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 183

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 1%

industry: 19%

services: 80% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate:

6.2% (2004) country comparison to the world: 78

Population below poverty line:

28.9% (2002)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $837 million

expenditures: $837 million (FY08/09)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.2% (2003) country comparison to the world: 21

Agriculture - products:

fruit, vegetables, sorghum; Senepol cattle

Industries:

tourism, petroleum refining, watch assembly, rum distilling, construction, pharmaceuticals, textiles, electronics

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

776.4 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 153

Electricity - consumption:

722 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 151

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

17,620 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 76

Oil - consumption:

72,860 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 88

Oil - exports:

388,000 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 34

Oil - imports:

480,600 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 26

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl country comparison to the world: 117

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 115

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 123

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 90

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 115

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 122

Exports:

$4.234 billion (2001) country comparison to the world: 117

Exports - commodities:

refined petroleum products

Imports:

$4.609 billion (2001) country comparison to the world: 121

Imports - commodities:

crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, building materials

Debt - external:

$NA

Exchange rates:

the US dollar is used

Communications ::Virgin Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:

74,200 (2008) country comparison to the world: 153

Telephones - mobile cellular:

80,300 (2005) country comparison to the world: 186

Telephone system:

general assessment: modern system with total digital switching, uses fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay

domestic: full range of services available

international: country code - 1-340; submarine cable connections to US, the Caribbean, Central and South America; satellite earth stations - NA

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 6, FM 16, shortwave 0 (2005)

Television broadcast stations:

5 (2006)

Internet country code:

.vi

Internet hosts:

8,726 (2009) country comparison to the world: 121

Internet users:

30,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 180

Transportation ::Virgin Islands

Airports:

2 (2009) country comparison to the world: 202

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 2

over 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 1,257 km (2007) country comparison to the world: 179

Ports and terminals:

Charlotte Amalie, Limetree Bay

Military ::Virgin Islands

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 17,820

females age 16-49: 21,193 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 831

female: 873 (2009 est.)

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues ::Virgin Islands

Disputes - international:

none

page last updated on October 28, 2009

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

@Wake Island (Australia-Oceania)

Introduction ::Wake Island

Background:

The US annexed Wake Island in 1899 for a cable station. An important air and naval base was constructed in 1940-41. In December 1941, the island was captured by the Japanese and held until the end of World War II. In subsequent years, Wake was developed as a stopover and refueling site for military and commercial aircraft transiting the Pacific. Since 1974, the island's airstrip has been used by the US military, as well as for emergency landings. All operations on the island were suspended and all personnel evacuated in August 2006 with the approach of super typhoon IOKE (category 5), which struck the island with sustained winds of 250 kph and a 6 m storm surge inflicting major damage. A US Air Force assessment and repair team returned to the island in September and restored limited function to the airfield and facilities. The future status of activities on the island will be determined upon completion of the survey and assessment.

Geography ::Wake Island

Location:

Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to the Northern Mariana Islands

Geographic coordinates:

19 17 N, 166 39 E

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 6.5 sq km country comparison to the world: 242 land: 6.5 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

about 11 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

19.3 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical

Terrain:

atoll of three low coral islands, Peale, Wake, and Wilkes, built up on an underwater volcano; central lagoon is former crater, islands are part of the rim

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed location 6 m

Natural resources:

none

Land use:

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (2005)

Irrigated land:

0 sq km

Natural hazards:

occasional typhoons

Environment - current issues:

NA

Geography - note:

strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean; emergency landing location for transpacific flights

People ::Wake Island

Population:

no indigenous inhabitants

note: since super typhoon IOKE, a small military contingent along with 75 contractor personnel have returned to the island to conduct clean-up and restore basic operations on the island (July 2008 est.)

Government ::Wake Island

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Wake Island

Dependency status:

unorganized, unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington, DC, by the Department of the Interior; activities in the atoll are currently conducted by the US Air Force

Legal system:

the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Flag description:

the flag of the US is used

Economy ::Wake Island

Economy - overview:

Economic activity is limited to providing services to military personnel and contractors located on the island. All food and manufactured goods must be imported.

Electricity - production:

NA kWh

Communications ::Wake Island

Telephone system:

general assessment: satellite communications; 2 DSN circuits off the Overseas Telephone System (OTS)

domestic: NA

international: NA

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 0, FM 0, shortwave 0 (American Armed Forces Radio and Television
Service (AFRTS)) provides satellite radio service (2005)

Television broadcast stations:

0 (2005)

Transportation ::Wake Island

Airports:

1 (2009) country comparison to the world: 213

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2009)

Ports and terminals:

none; two offshore anchorages for large ships

Transportation - note:

there are no commercial or civilian flights to and from Wake Island, except in direct support of island missions; emergency landing is available

Military ::Wake Island

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of the US; the US Air Force is responsible for overall administration and operation of the island; the launch support facility is administered by the US Missile Defense Agency (MDA)

Transnational Issues ::Wake Island

Disputes - international:

claimed by Marshall Islands

page last updated on September 22, 2009

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

@Wallis and Futuna (Australia-Oceania)

Introduction ::Wallis and Futuna

Background:

The Futuna island group was discovered by the Dutch in 1616 and Wallis by the British in 1767, but it was the French who declared a protectorate over the islands in 1842. In 1959, the inhabitants of the islands voted to become a French overseas territory.

Geography ::Wallis and Futuna

Location:

Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Geographic coordinates:

13 18 S, 176 12 W

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 142 sq km country comparison to the world: 220 land: 142 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: includes Ile Uvea (Wallis Island), Ile Futuna (Futuna Island), Ile Alofi, and 20 islets

Area - comparative:

1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

129 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; hot, rainy season (November to April); cool, dry season (May to October); rains 2,500-3,000 mm per year (80% humidity); average temperature 26.6 degrees C

Terrain:

volcanic origin; low hills

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mont Singavi (on Futuna) 765 m

Natural resources:

NEGL

Land use:

arable land: 7.14%

permanent crops: 35.71%

other: 57.15% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

deforestation (only small portions of the original forests remain) largely as a result of the continued use of wood as the main fuel source; as a consequence of cutting down the forests, the mountainous terrain of Futuna is particularly prone to erosion; there are no permanent settlements on Alofi because of the lack of natural fresh water resources

Geography - note:

both island groups have fringing reefs

People ::Wallis and Futuna

Population:

15,289 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 220

Age structure:

0-14 years: 26.7% (male 2,141/female 1,935)

15-64 years: 66.3% (male 5,069/female 5,065)

65 years and over: 7.1% (male 488/female 591) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 27.2 years

male: 26.1 years

female: 28.5 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.347% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 169

Birth rate:

NA

Death rate:

NA

Net migration rate:

-6.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population country comparison to the world: 169 note: there has been steady emigration from Wallis and Futuna to New Caledonia (2009 est.)

Urbanization:

urban population: 0% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 0% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.11 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 5.02 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 190 male: 5.27 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.75 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 78.2 years country comparison to the world: 49 male: 75.22 years

female: 81.32 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.87 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 148

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Wallisian(s), Futunan(s), or Wallis and Futuna Islanders

adjective: Wallisian, Futunan, or Wallis and Futuna Islander

Ethnic groups:

Polynesian

Religions:

Roman Catholic 99%, other 1%

Languages:

Wallisian 58.9% (indigenous Polynesian language), Futunian 30.1%,
French 10.8%, other 0.2% (2003 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 50%

male: 50%

female: 50% (1969 est.)

Government ::Wallis and Futuna

Country name:

conventional long form: Territory of the Wallis and Futuna Islands

conventional short form: Wallis and Futuna

local long form: Territoire des Iles Wallis et Futuna

local short form: Wallis et Futuna

Dependency status:

overseas territory of France

Government type:

NA

Capital:

name: Mata-Utu (on Ile Uvea)

geographic coordinates: 13 57 S, 171 56 W

time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are three kingdoms at the second order named Alo, Sigave, Wallis

Independence:

none (overseas territory of France)

National holiday:

Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution:

4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system:

the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007); represented by High Administrator Philippe PAOLANTONI (since 28 July 2008)

head of government: President of the Territorial Assembly Pesamino TAPUTAI (since 11 April 2007)

cabinet: Council of the Territory consists of 3 kings and 3 members appointed by the high administrator on the advice of the Territorial Assembly

note: there are 3 traditional kings with limited powers

elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; high administrator appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of the Interior; the presidents of the Territorial Government and the Territorial Assembly are elected by the members of the assembly

Legislative branch:

unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale (20 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 1 April 2007 (next to be held April 2012)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 13, other 7

note: Wallis and Futuna elects one senator to the French Senate and one deputy to the French National Assembly; French Senate - elections last held 21 September 2008 (next to be held by September 2014); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats - UMP 1; French National Assembly - elections last held 17 June 2007 (next to be held by 2012); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats - PS 1

Judicial branch:

justice generally administered under French law by the high administrator, but the three traditional kings administer customary law and there is a magistrate in Mata-Utu; a court of appeal is located in Noumea, New Caledonia

Political parties and leaders:

Lua Kae Tahi (Giscardians); Mouvement des Radicaux de Gauche or MRG;
Rally for the Republic or RPR (UMP) [Clovis LOGOLOGOFOLAU];
Socialist Party or PS; Taumu'a Lelei [Soane Muni UHILA]; Union
Populaire Locale or UPL [Falakiko GATA]; Union Pour la Democratie
Francaise or UDF

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

PIF (observer), SPC, UPU, WFTU

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (overseas territory of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (overseas territory of France)

Flag description:

unofficial, local flag has a red field with four white isosceles triangles in the middle, representing the three native kings of the islands and the French administrator; the apexes of the triangles are oriented inward and at right angles to each other; the flag of France, outlined in white on two sides, is in the upper hoist quadrant

note: the flag of France used for official occasions

Economy ::Wallis and Futuna

Economy - overview:

The economy is limited to traditional subsistence agriculture, with about 80% of labor force earnings from agriculture (coconuts and vegetables), livestock (mostly pigs), and fishing. About 4% of the population is employed in government. Revenues come from French Government subsidies, licensing of fishing rights to Japan and South Korea, import taxes, and remittances from expatriate workers in New Caledonia.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$60 million (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 222

GDP (official exchange rate):

$NA

GDP - real growth rate:

NA%

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$3,800 (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 158

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Labor force:

3,104 (2003) country comparison to the world: 216

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 80%

industry: 4%

services: 16% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:

15.2% (2003) country comparison to the world: 156

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $29,730

expenditures: $31,330 (2004)

Public debt:

5.6% of GDP (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 119

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.8% (2005) country comparison to the world: 33

Agriculture - products:

breadfruit, yams, taro, bananas; pigs, goats; fish

Industries:

copra, handicrafts, fishing, lumber

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

NA kWh

Electricity - consumption:

NA kWh

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2002)

Exports:

$47,450 (2004) country comparison to the world: 222

Exports - commodities:

copra, chemicals, construction materials

Imports:

$61.17 million (2004) country comparison to the world: 213

Imports - commodities:

chemicals, machinery, passenger ships, consumer goods

Debt - external:

$3.67 million (2004) country comparison to the world: 200

Exchange rates:

Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 87.59 (2007), 94.97 (2006), 95.89 (2005), 96.04 (2004), 105.66 (2003)

Communications ::Wallis and Futuna

Telephones - main lines in use:

2,700 (2008) country comparison to the world: 219

Telephones - mobile cellular:

NA

Telephone system:

general assessment: NA

domestic: NA

international: country code - 681

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (2000)

Television broadcast stations:

2 (2000)

Internet country code:

.wf

Internet hosts:

1,480 (2009) country comparison to the world: 154

Internet users:

1,200 (2008) country comparison to the world: 212

Transportation ::Wallis and Futuna

Airports:

2 (2009) country comparison to the world: 203

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)

Merchant marine:

total: 8 country comparison to the world: 122 by type: chemical tanker 2, passenger 6

foreign-owned: 8 (France 6, French Polynesia 2) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Leava, Mata-Utu

Military ::Wallis and Futuna

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 3,273

females age 16-49: 3,297 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 175

female: 164 (2009 est.)

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues ::Wallis and Futuna

Disputes - international:

none

page last updated on October 28, 2009

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

@West Bank (Middle East)

Introduction ::West Bank

Background:

The September 1993 Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements provided for a transitional period of Palestinian self-rule in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Under a series of agreements signed between May 1994 and September 1999, Israel transferred to the Palestinian Authority (PA) security and civilian responsibility for Palestinian-populated areas of the West Bank and Gaza. Negotiations to determine the permanent status of the West Bank and Gaza stalled following the outbreak of an intifada in September 2000, as Israeli forces reoccupied most Palestinian-controlled areas. In April 2003, the Quartet (US, EU, UN, and Russia) presented a roadmap to a final settlement of the conflict by 2005 based on reciprocal steps by the two parties leading to two states, Israel and a democratic Palestine. The proposed date for a permanent status agreement was postponed indefinitely due to violence and accusations that both sides had not followed through on their commitments. Following Palestinian leader Yasir ARAFAT's death in late 2004, Mahmud ABBAS was elected PA president in January 2005. A month later, Israel and the PA agreed to the Sharm el-Sheikh Commitments in an effort to move the peace process forward. In September 2005, Israel unilaterally withdrew all its settlers and soldiers and dismantled its military facilities in the Gaza Strip and withdrew settlers and redeployed soldiers from four small northern West Bank settlements. Nonetheless, Israel controls maritime, airspace, and most access to the Gaza Strip. A November 2005 PA-Israeli agreement authorized the reopening of the Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt under joint PA and Egyptian control. In January 2006, the Islamic Resistance Movement, HAMAS, won control of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC). The international community refused to accept the HAMAS-led government because it did not recognize Israel, would not renounce violence, and refused to honor previous peace agreements between Israel and the PA. HAMAS took control of the PA government in March 2006, but President ABBAS had little success negotiating with HAMAS to present a political platform acceptable to the international community so as to lift economic sanctions on Palestinians. The PLC was unable to convene throughout most of 2006 as a result of Israel's detention of many HAMAS PLC members and Israeli-imposed travel restrictions on other PLC members. Violent clashes took place between Fatah and HAMAS supporters in the Gaza Strip in 2006 and early 2007, resulting in numerous Palestinian deaths and injuries. ABBAS and HAMAS Political Bureau Chief MISHAL in February 2007 signed the Mecca Agreement in Saudi Arabia that resulted in the formation of a Palestinian National Unity Government (NUG) headed by HAMAS member Ismail HANIYA. However, fighting continued in the Gaza Strip, and in June 2007, HAMAS militants succeeded in a violent takeover of all military and governmental institutions in the Gaza Strip. ABBAS dismissed the NUG and through a series of presidential decrees formed a PA government in the West Bank led by independent Salam FAYYAD. HAMAS rejected the NUG's dismissal and has called for resuming talks with Fatah, but ABBAS has ruled out negotiations until HAMAS agrees to a return of PA control over the Gaza Strip and recognizes the FAYYAD-led government. FAYYAD and his PA government initiated a series of security and economic reforms to improve conditions in the West Bank. ABBAS participated in talks with Israel's Prime Minister OLMERT and secured the release of some Palestinian prisoners and previously withheld customs revenue. During a November 2007 international meeting in Annapolis Maryland, ABBAS and OLMERT agreed to resume peace negotiations with the goal of reaching a final peace settlement.

Geography ::West Bank

Location:

Middle East, west of Jordan

Geographic coordinates:

32 00 N, 35 15 E

Map references:

Middle East

Area:

total: 5,860 sq km country comparison to the world: 171 land: 5,640 sq km

water: 220 sq km

note: includes West Bank, Latrun Salient, and the northwest quarter of the Dead Sea, but excludes Mt. Scopus; East Jerusalem and Jerusalem No Man's Land are also included only as a means of depicting the entire area occupied by Israel in 1967

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Delaware

Land boundaries:

total: 404 km

border countries: Israel 307 km, Jordan 97 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

temperate; temperature and precipitation vary with altitude, warm to hot summers, cool to mild winters

Terrain:

mostly rugged dissected upland, some vegetation in west, but barren in east

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m

highest point: Tall Asur 1,022 m

Natural resources:

arable land

Land use:

arable land: 16.9%

permanent crops: 18.97%

other: 64.13% (2001)

Irrigated land:

150 sq km; note - includes Gaza Strip (2003)

Natural hazards:

droughts

Environment - current issues:

adequacy of fresh water supply; sewage treatment

Geography - note:

landlocked; highlands are main recharge area for Israel's coastal aquifers; there are about 340 Israeli civilian sites - including 100 small outpost communities in the West Bank and 29 sites in East Jerusalem (July 2008 est.)

People ::West Bank

Population:

2,461,267 country comparison to the world: 140 note: in addition, there are about 187,000 Israeli settlers in the West Bank and fewer than 177,000 in East Jerusalem (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 37.3% (male 470,735/female 446,878)

15-64 years: 59.1% (male 744,822/female 708,695)

65 years and over: 3.7% (male 37,471/female 52,666) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 20.5 years

male: 20.4 years

female: 20.8 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.178% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 45

Birth rate:

25.44 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 68

Death rate:

3.66 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 210

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 81

Urbanization:

urban population: 72% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 3.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female

total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 15.96 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 123 male: 17.87 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 13.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 74.54 years country comparison to the world: 89 male: 72.54 years

female: 76.65 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3.22 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 65

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: NA

adjective: NA

Ethnic groups:

Palestinian Arab and other 83%, Jewish 17%

Religions:

Muslim 75% (predominantly Sunni), Jewish 17%, Christian and other 8%

Languages:

Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by Israeli settlers and many Palestinians),
English (widely understood)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 92.4%

male: 96.7%

female: 88% (2004 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 14 years

male: 13 years

female: 14 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

NA

Government ::West Bank

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: West Bank

Economy ::West Bank

Economy - overview:

The West Bank - the larger of the two areas comprising the Palestinian Authority (PA) - has experienced a general decline in economic conditions since the second intifada began in September 2000. The downturn has been largely a result of Israeli closure policies - the imposition of closures and access restrictions in response to security concerns in Israel - which disrupted labor and trading relationships. In 2001, and even more severely in 2002, Israeli military measures in PA areas resulted in the destruction of capital, the disruption of administrative structures, and widespread business closures. International aid of at least $1.14 billion to the West Bank and Gaza Strip in 2004 prevented the complete collapse of the economy and allowed some reforms in the government's financial operations. In 2005, high unemployment and limited trade opportunities - due to continued closures both within the West Bank and externally - stymied growth. Israel's and the international community's financial embargo of the PA when HAMAS ran the PA during March 2006 - June 2007 interrupted the provision of PA social services and the payment of PA salaries. Since then the FAYYAD government in the West Bank has restarted salary payments and the provision of services but would be unable to operate absent high levels of international assistance.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$11.95 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 142 note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$6.641 billion (2008 est.) (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

0.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 185

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$2,900 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 166 note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 8%

industry: 13%

services: 79% (includes Gaza Strip) (2007 est.)

Labor force:

605,000 (2006) country comparison to the world: 149

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 17%

industry: 15%

services: 68% (June 2008)

Unemployment rate:

16.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 158 18.6% (2006)

Population below poverty line:

46% (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $1.149 billion

expenditures: $2.31 billion

note: includes Gaza Strip (2006)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

11.5% (2008) country comparison to the world: 166 3.6% (2006)

note: data in include Gaza Strip

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

7.19% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 111 7.73% (31 December 2006)

Stock of money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$1.574 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$5.251 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 69 $3.048 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$1.367 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 101 $368.2 million (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 94 $2.475 billion (31 December 2007)

$2.729 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

olives, citrus, vegetables; beef, dairy products

Industries:

cement, quarrying, textiles, soap, olive-wood carvings, and mother-of-pearl souvenirs; the Israelis have established some small-scale, modern industries in the settlements and industrial centers

Industrial production growth rate:

2.4% (includes Gaza Strip) (2005) country comparison to the world: 96

Electricity - production:

500 million kWh; note - most electricity imported from Israel; East Jerusalem Electric Company buys and distributes electricity to Palestinians in East Jerusalem and its concession in the West Bank; the Israel Electric Company directly supplies electricity to most Jewish residents and military facilities; some Palestinian municipalities, such as Nablus and Janin, generate their own electricity from small power plants country comparison to the world: 160

Electricity - consumption:

3.265 billion kWh country comparison to the world: 121

Electricity - imports:

2.8 billion kWh

Oil - proved reserves:

NA bbl

Exports:

$339 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 172 $301 million (2005)

note: includes Gaza Strip

Exports - commodities:

olives, fruit, vegetables, limestone

Imports:

$1.3 billion (2006) country comparison to the world: 165 $2.44 billion (2005)

Imports - commodities:

food, consumer goods, construction materials

Debt - external:

$1.3 billion (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 149

Exchange rates:

new Israeli shekels (ILS) per US dollar - 3.56 (2008 est.), 4.14 (2007), 4.4565 (2006), 4.4877 (2005), 4.482 (2004)

Communications ::West Bank

Telephones - main lines in use:

348,000 (includes Gaza Strip) (2008) country comparison to the world: 111

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1.153 million (includes Gaza Strip) (2008) country comparison to the world: 140

Telephone system:

general assessment: NA

domestic: Israeli company BEZEK and the Palestinian company PALTEL are responsible for fixed line services; the Palestinian JAWAL company provides cellular services

international: country code - 970 (2004)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 0, FM 25, shortwave 0 (2008)

Television broadcast stations:

30 (2008)

Internet country code:

.ps; note - same as Gaza Strip

Internet users:

356,000 (includes Gaza Strip) (2008) country comparison to the world: 118

Transportation ::West Bank

Airports:

2 (2009) country comparison to the world: 204

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 5,147 km country comparison to the world: 153 paved: 5,147 km

note: includes Gaza Strip (2006)

Military ::West Bank

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 545,653

females age 16-49: 515,102 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 30,233

female: 28,745 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

NA

Transnational Issues ::West Bank

Disputes - international:

West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent status to be determined through further negotiation; Israel continues construction of a "seam line" separation barrier along parts of the Green Line and within the West Bank; Israel withdrew from four settlements in the northern West Bank in August 2005; since 1948, about 350 peacekeepers from the UN Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO), headquartered in Jerusalem, monitor ceasefires, supervise armistice agreements, prevent isolated incidents from escalating, and assist other UN personnel in the region

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 722,000 (Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA)) (2007)

page last updated on November 3, 2009

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

@Western Sahara (Africa)

Introduction ::Western Sahara

Background:

Morocco virtually annexed the northern two-thirds of Western Sahara (formerly Spanish Sahara) in 1976, and claimed the rest of the territory in 1979, following Mauritania's withdrawal. A guerrilla war with the Polisario Front contesting Rabat's sovereignty ended in a 1991 UN-brokered cease-fire; a UN-organized referendum on the territory's final status has been repeatedly postponed. In April 2007, Morocco presented an autonomy plan for the territory to the UN, which the U.S. considers serious and credible. The Polisario also presented a plan to the UN in 2007 that called for independence. Representatives from the Government of Morocco and the Polisario Front have met four times since June 2007 to negotiate the status of Western Sahara, but talks have stalled since the UN envoy to the territory stated in April 2008 that independence is unrealistic.

Geography ::Western Sahara

Location:

Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
Mauritania and Morocco

Geographic coordinates:

24 30 N, 13 00 W

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 266,000 sq km country comparison to the world: 77 land: 266,000 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

about the size of Colorado

Land boundaries:

total: 2,046 km

border countries: Algeria 42 km, Mauritania 1,561 km, Morocco 443 km

Coastline:

1,110 km

Maritime claims:

contingent upon resolution of sovereignty issue

Climate:

hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold offshore air currents produce fog and heavy dew

Terrain:

mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or sandy surfaces rising to small mountains in south and northeast

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Sebjet Tah -55 m

highest point: unnamed elevation 805 m

Natural resources:

phosphates, iron ore

Land use:

arable land: 0.02%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 99.98% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind can occur during winter and spring; widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of time, often severely restricting visibility

Environment - current issues:

sparse water and lack of arable land

Environment - international agreements:

party to: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

the waters off the coast are particularly rich fishing areas

People ::Western Sahara

Population:

405,210 country comparison to the world: 172 note: estimate is based on projections by age, sex, fertility, mortality, and migration; fertility and mortality are based on data from neighboring countries (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 44.9% (male 92,428/female 89,570)

15-64 years: 52.8% (male 105,191/female 108,803)

65 years and over: 2.3% (male 3,881/female 5,337) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 17.3 years

male: 16.8 years

female: 17.8 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.829% NA (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 15

Birth rate:

39.54 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 19

Death rate:

11.49 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 44

Urbanization:

urban population: 81% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 69.66 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 25 male: 69.84 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 69.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 54.32 years country comparison to the world: 195 male: 52 years

female: 56.73 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

NA 5.61 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 15

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Sahrawi(s), Sahraoui(s)

adjective: Sahrawi, Sahrawian, Sahraouian

Ethnic groups:

Arab, Berber

Religions:

Muslim

Languages:

Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic

Literacy:

NA

Government ::Western Sahara

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Western Sahara

former: Spanish Sahara

Government type:

legal status of territory and issue of sovereignty unresolved; territory contested by Morocco and Polisario Front (Popular Front for the Liberation of the Saguia el Hamra and Rio de Oro), which in February 1976 formally proclaimed a government-in-exile of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), led by President Mohamed ABDELAZIZ; territory partitioned between Morocco and Mauritania in April 1976 when Spain withdrew, with Morocco acquiring northern two-thirds; Mauritania, under pressure from Polisario guerrillas, abandoned all claims to its portion in August 1979; Morocco moved to occupy that sector shortly thereafter and has since asserted administrative control; the Polisario's government-in-exile was seated as an Organization of African Unity (OAU) member in 1984; guerrilla activities continued sporadically until a UN-monitored cease-fire was implemented on 6 September 1991 (Security Council Resolution 690) by the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara or MINURSO

Capital:

none

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

none (under de facto control of Morocco)

Suffrage:

none; a UN-sponsored voter identification campaign not yet completed

Executive branch:

none

Political pressure groups and leaders:

none

International organization participation:

WFTU

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none

Economy ::Western Sahara

Economy - overview:

Western Sahara depends on pastoral nomadism, fishing, and phosphate mining as the principal sources of income for the population. The territory lacks sufficient rainfall for sustainable agricultural production, and most of the food for the urban population must be imported. Incomes in Western Sahara are substantially below the Moroccan level. The Moroccan Government controls all trade and other economic activities in Western Sahara. Morocco and the EU signed a four-year agreement in July 2006 allowing European vessels to fish off the coast of Morocco, including the disputed waters off the coast of Western Sahara. Moroccan energy interests in 2001 signed contracts to explore for oil off the coast of Western Sahara, which has angered the Polisario. However, in 2006 the Polisario awarded similar exploration licenses in the disputed territory, which would come into force if Morocco and the Polisario resolve their dispute over Western Sahara.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$900 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 204

GDP (official exchange rate):

$NA

GDP - real growth rate:

NA%

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$2,500 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 174

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: 40% (2007 est.)

Labor force:

12,000 (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 208

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 50%

industry and services: 50% (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate:

NA%

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $NA

expenditures: $NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

NA%

Agriculture - products:

fruits and vegetables (grown in the few oases); camels, sheep, goats (kept by nomads); fish

Industries:

phosphate mining, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

90 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 192

Electricity - consumption:

83.7 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 192

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 122

Oil - consumption:

2,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 181

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 155

Oil - imports:

1,702 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 179

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 115

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 113

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 121

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 88

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 113

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 121

Exports:

$NA

Exports - commodities:

phosphates 62%

Imports:

$NA

Imports - commodities:

fuel for fishing fleet, foodstuffs

Debt - external:

$NA

Exchange rates:

Moroccan dirhams (MAD) per US dollar - 7.526 (2008 est.), 8.3563 (2007), 8.7722 (2006), 8.865 (2005), 8.868 (2004)

Communications ::Western Sahara

Telephones - main lines in use:

about 2,000 (1999 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

0 (1999) country comparison to the world: 222

Telephone system:

general assessment: sparse and limited system

domestic: NA

international: country code - 212; tied into Morocco's system by microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, and satellite; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) linked to Rabat, Morocco

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

NA

Internet country code:

.eh

Transportation ::Western Sahara

Airports:

6 (2009) country comparison to the world: 173

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 3

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Ports and terminals:

Ad Dakhla, Cabo Bojador, Laayoune (El Aaiun)

Military ::Western Sahara

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 52,267

females age 16-49: 59,221 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 4,796

female: 4,679 (2009 est.)

Transnational Issues ::Western Sahara

Disputes - international:

Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, whose sovereignty remains unresolved; UN-administered cease-fire has remained in effect since September 1991, administered by the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), but attempts to hold a referendum have failed and parties thus far have rejected all brokered proposals; several states have extended diplomatic relations to the "Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic" represented by the Polisario Front in exile in Algeria, while others recognize Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara; most of the approximately 102,000 Sahrawi refugees are sheltered in camps in Tindouf, Algeria

page last updated on October 22, 2009

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

@World (World)

Introduction ::World

Background:

Globally, the 20th century was marked by: (a) two devastating world wars; (b) the Great Depression of the 1930s; (c) the end of vast colonial empires; (d) rapid advances in science and technology, from the first airplane flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina (US) to the landing on the moon; (e) the Cold War between the Western alliance and the Warsaw Pact nations; (f) a sharp rise in living standards in North America, Europe, and Japan; (g) increased concerns about the environment, including loss of forests, shortages of energy and water, the decline in biological diversity, and air pollution; (h) the onset of the AIDS epidemic; and (i) the ultimate emergence of the US as the only world superpower. The planet's population continues to explode: from 1 billion in 1820, to 2 billion in 1930, 3 billion in 1960, 4 billion in 1974, 5 billion in 1988, and 6 billion in 2000. For the 21st century, the continued exponential growth in science and technology raises both hopes (e.g., advances in medicine) and fears (e.g., development of even more lethal weapons of war).

Geography ::World

Geographic overview:

The surface of the earth is approximately 70.9% water and 29.1% land. The former portion is divided into large water bodies termed oceans. The World Factbook recognizes and describes five oceans, which are in decreasing order of size: the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Southern Ocean, and Arctic Ocean.

The land portion is generally divided into several, large, discrete landmasses termed continents. Depending on the convention used, the number of continents can vary from five to seven. The most common classification recognizes seven, which are (from largest to smallest): Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, and Australia. Asia and Europe are sometimes lumped together into a Eurasian continent resulting in six continents. Alternatively, North and South America are sometimes grouped as simply the Americas, resulting in a continent total of six (or five, if the Eurasia designation is used).

North America is commonly understood to include the island of Greenland, the isles of the Caribbean, and to extend south all the way to the Isthmus of Panama. The easternmost extent of Europe is generally defined as being the Ural Mountains and the Ural River; on the southeast the Caspian Sea; and on the south the Caucasus Mountains, the Black Sea, and the Mediterranean. Africa's northeast extremity is frequently delimited at the Isthmus of Suez, but for geopolitical purposes, the Egyptian Sinai Peninsula is often included as part of Africa. Asia usually incorporates all the islands of the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia. The islands of the Pacific are often lumped with Australia into a "land mass" termed Oceania or Australasia.

Although the above groupings are the most common, different continental dispositions are recognized or taught in certain parts of the world, with some arrangements more heavily based on cultural spheres rather than physical geographic considerations.

Map references:

Political Map of the World , Physical Map of the World , Standard
Time Zones of the World

Area:

total: 510.072 million sq km

land: 148.94 million sq km

water: 361.132 million sq km

note: 70.9% of the world's surface is water, 29.1% is land

Area - comparative:

land area about 16 times the size of the US

top fifteen World Factbook entities ranked by size: Pacific Ocean 155.557 million sq km; Atlantic Ocean 76.762 million sq km; Indian Ocean 68.556 million sq km; Southern Ocean 20.327 million sq km; Russia 17,098,242 sq km; Arctic Ocean 14.056 million sq km; Antarctica 14 million sq km; Canada 9,984,670 sq km; United States 9,826,675 sq km; China 9,596,961 sq km; Brazil 8,514,877 sq km; Australia 7,741,220 sq km; European Union 4,324,782 sq km; India 3,287,263 sq km; Argentina 2,780,400 sq km

Land boundaries:

the land boundaries in the world total 251,060 km (not counting shared boundaries twice); two nations, China and Russia, each border 14 other countries

note: 45 nations and other areas are landlocked, these include:
Afghanistan, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bhutan,
Bolivia, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic,
Chad, Czech Republic, Ethiopia, Holy See (Vatican City), Hungary,
Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lesotho, Liechtenstein,
Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malawi, Mali, Moldova, Mongolia, Nepal,
Niger, Paraguay, Rwanda, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Swaziland,
Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Uzbekistan, West
Bank, Zambia, Zimbabwe; two of these, Liechtenstein and Uzbekistan,
are doubly landlocked

Coastline:

356,000 km

note: 94 nations and other entities are islands that border no other
countries, they include: American Samoa, Anguilla, Antigua and
Barbuda, Aruba, Ashmore and Cartier Islands, The Bahamas, Bahrain,
Baker Island, Barbados, Bermuda, Bouvet Island, British Indian Ocean
Territory, British Virgin Islands, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands,
Christmas Island, Clipperton Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands,
Comoros, Cook Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Cuba, Cyprus, Dominica,
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas), Faroe Islands, Fiji, French
Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Lands, Greenland, Grenada,
Guam, Guernsey, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Howland Island,
Iceland, Isle of Man, Jamaica, Jan Mayen, Japan, Jarvis Island,
Jersey, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Kiribati, Madagascar,
Maldives, Malta, Marshall Islands, Martinique, Mauritius, Mayotte,
Federated States of Micronesia, Midway Islands, Montserrat, Nauru,
Navassa Island, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue, Norfolk Island,
Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Palmyra Atoll, Paracel Islands,
Philippines, Pitcairn Islands, Puerto Rico, Reunion, Saint
Barthelemy, Saint Helena, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint
Pierre and Miquelon, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao
Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South
Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Spratly Islands, Sri Lanka,
Svalbard, Tokelau, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos
Islands, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Virgin Islands, Wake Island, Wallis and
Futuna, Taiwan

Maritime claims:

a variety of situations exist, but in general, most countries make the following claims measured from the mean low-tide baseline as described in the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea: territorial sea - 12 nm, contiguous zone - 24 nm, and exclusive economic zone - 200 nm; additional zones provide for exploitation of continental shelf resources and an exclusive fishing zone; boundary situations with neighboring states prevent many countries from extending their fishing or economic zones to a full 200 nm

Climate:

a wide equatorial band of hot and humid tropical climates - bordered north and south by subtropical temperate zones - that separate two large areas of cold and dry polar climates

Terrain:

the greatest ocean depth is the Mariana Trench at 10,924 m in the Pacific Ocean

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Bentley Subglacial Trench -2,555 m

note: in the oceanic realm, Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench is the lowest point, lying -10,924 m below the surface of the Pacific Ocean

highest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m

Natural resources:

the rapid depletion of nonrenewable mineral resources, the depletion of forest areas and wetlands, the extinction of animal and plant species, and the deterioration in air and water quality (especially in some countries of Eastern Europe, the former USSR, and China) pose serious long-term problems that governments and peoples are only beginning to address

Land use:

arable land: 10.57%

permanent crops: 1.04%

other: 88.38% (2005)

Irrigated land:

2,770,980 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

large areas subject to severe weather (tropical cyclones); natural disasters (earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions)

Environment - current issues:

large areas subject to overpopulation, industrial disasters, pollution (air, water, acid rain, toxic substances), loss of vegetation (overgrazing, deforestation, desertification), loss of wildlife, soil degradation, soil depletion, erosion; global warming becoming a greater concern

Geography - note:

the world is now thought to be about 4.55 billion years old, just about one-third of the 13.7-billion-year age estimated for the universe

People ::World

Population:

6,790,062,216 (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 27.2% (male 950,127,898/female 894,359,186)

15-64 years: 65.2% (male 2,235,114,476/female 2,192,071,874)

65 years and over: 7.6% (male 227,748,114/female 290,640,668) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 28.4 years

male: 27.7 years

female: 29 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.167% (2009 est.)

Birth rate:

19.95 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Death rate:

8.2 deaths/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Urbanization:

urban population: 48.6% of total population (2005)

rate of urbanization: 1.98% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

ten largest urban agglomerations: Tokyo (Japan) - 35,676,000; New York-Newark (US) - 19,040,000; Ciudad de Mexico (Mexico) - 19,028,000; Mumbai (India) - 18,978,000; Sao Paulo (Brazil) - 18,845,000; Delhi (India) - 15,926,000; Shanghai (China) - 14,987,000; Kolkata (India) - 14,787,000; Dhaka (Bangladesh) - 13,458,000; Buenos Aires (Argentina) - 12,795,000 (2007)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 40.85 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 43.85 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 37.67 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 66.57 years

male: 64.52 years

female: 68.76 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.58 children born/woman (2009 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.8% (2007 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

33 million (2007 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

2 million (2007 est.)

Religions:

Christians 33.32% (of which Roman Catholics 16.99%, Protestants 5.78%, Orthodox 3.53%, Anglicans 1.25%), Muslims 21.01%, Hindus 13.26%, Buddhists 5.84%, Sikhs 0.35%, Jews 0.23%, Baha'is 0.12%, other religions 11.78%, non-religious 11.77%, atheists 2.32% (2007 est.)

Languages:

Mandarin Chinese 13.22%, Spanish 4.88%, English 4.68%, Arabic 3.12%, Hindi 2.74%, Portuguese 2.69%, Bengali 2.59%, Russian 2.2%, Japanese 1.85%, Standard German 1.44%, French 1.2% (2005 est.)

note: percents are for "first language" speakers only

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 82%

male: 87%

female: 77%

note: over two-thirds of the world's 785 million illiterate adults are found in only eight countries (Bangladesh, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, and Pakistan); of all the illiterate adults in the world, two-thirds are women; extremely low literacy rates are concentrated in three regions, the Arab states, South and West Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa, where around one-third of the men and half of all women are illiterate (2005 est.)

Government ::World

Administrative divisions:

265 nations, dependent areas, and other entities

Legal system:

all members of the UN are parties to the statute that established the International Court of Justice (ICJ) or World Court

Economy ::World

Economy - overview:

Global output rose by 3.8% in 2008, down from 5.2% in 2007. Among major economies, growth was led by China (9.8%), Russia (7.4%), and India (7.3%). Worldwide, nations varied widely in their growth results, with Macau (15%), Azerbaijan (13.2%), and Angola (11.6%), registering the highest. Growth rates slowed in all the major industrial countries and most developing countries, because of uncertainties in the financial markets and lowered consumer confidence. Externally, the nation-state, as a bedrock economic-political institution, is steadily losing control over international flows of people, goods, funds, and technology. Internally, the central government often finds its control over resources slipping as separatist regional movements - typically based on ethnicity - gain momentum, e.g., in many of the successor states of the former Soviet Union, in the former Yugoslavia, in India, in Iraq, in Indonesia, and in Canada. Externally, the central government is losing decisionmaking powers to international bodies, notably the EU. In Western Europe, governments face the difficult political problem of channeling resources away from welfare programs in order to increase investment and strengthen incentives to seek employment. The addition of 80 million people each year to an already overcrowded globe is exacerbating the problems of pollution, desertification, underemployment, epidemics, and famine. Because of their own internal problems and priorities, the industrialized countries devote insufficient resources to deal effectively with the poorer areas of the world, which, at least from an economic point of view, are becoming further marginalized. The introduction of the euro as the common currency of much of Western Europe in January 1999, while paving the way for an integrated economic powerhouse, poses economic risks because of varying levels of income and cultural and political differences among the participating nations. The terrorist attacks on the US on 11 September 2001 accentuated a growing risk to global prosperity, illustrated, for example, by the reallocation of resources away from investment to anti-terrorist programs. The opening of war in March 2003 between a US-led coalition and Iraq added new uncertainties to global economic prospects. The complex political difficulties and the high economic cost of establishing domestic order in Iraq became major global problems that continued through 2008.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$70.14 trillion (2008 est.)

$68.08 trillion (2007 est.)

$64.77 trillion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

GWP (gross world product): $61.22 trillion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2.9% (2008 est.)

5% (2007 est.)

5% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$10,500 (2008 est.)

$10,300 (2007 est.)

$9,900 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 4%

industry: 32%

services: 64% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

3.232 billion (2008 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 40.5%

industry: 20.5%

services: 39% (2007 est.)

Unemployment rate:

30% (2007 est.)

note: combined unemployment and underemployment in many non-industrialized countries; developed countries typically 4%-12% unemployment

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.5%

highest 10%: 29.4% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

21.8% of GDP (2008 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

developed countries 1% to 4% typically; developing countries 5% to 20% typically; national inflation rates vary widely in individual cases, from declining prices in Japan to hyperinflation in one Third World country (Zimbabwe); inflation rates have declined for most countries for the last several years, held in check by increasing international competition from several low wage countries

Stock of money:

$12.35 trillion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$27.31 trillion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$69.9 trillion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA (31 December 2008 est.)

$64.99 trillion (31 December 2007)

$53.38 trillion (31 December 2006 est.)

Industries:

dominated by the onrush of technology, especially in computers, robotics, telecommunications, and medicines and medical equipment; most of these advances take place in OECD nations; only a small portion of non-OECD countries have succeeded in rapidly adjusting to these technological forces; the accelerated development of new industrial (and agricultural) technology is complicating already grim environmental problems

Industrial production growth rate:

3.2% (2008 est.)

Electricity - production:

18.83 trillion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - consumption:

17.13 trillion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - exports:

621.4 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

623.2 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

85.43 million bbl/day (2008 est.)

Oil - consumption:

85.98 million bbl/day (2008 est.)

Oil - exports:

66.13 million bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - imports:

66.68 million bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - proved reserves:

1.343 trillion bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Natural gas - production:

3.137 trillion cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

3.159 trillion cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

980.4 billion cu m (2008)

Natural gas - imports:

995.9 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

177.4 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Exports:

$16.04 trillion (2008 est.)

$13.89 trillion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

the whole range of industrial and agricultural goods and services

top ten - share of world trade: electrical machinery, including computers 14.8%; mineral fuels, including oil, coal, gas, and refined products 14.4%; nuclear reactors, boilers, and parts 14.2%; cars, trucks, and buses 8.9%; scientific and precision instruments 3.5%; plastics 3.4%; iron and steel 2.7%; organic chemicals 2.6%; pharmaceutical products 2.6%; diamonds, pearls, and precious stones 1.9% (2006 est.)

Exports - partners:

US 12.7%, Germany 7.2%, China 6.4%, France 4.5%, Japan 4.3%, UK 4.2% (2008)

Imports:

$15.97 trillion (2008 est.)

$13.74 trillion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

the whole range of industrial and agricultural goods and services

top ten - share of world trade: see listing for exports

Imports - partners:

China 10.3%, Germany 8.7%, US 8%, Japan 5% (2008)

Debt - external:

$60.96 trillion (31 December 2008 est.)

$60.26 trillion (31 December 2007 est.)

note: this figure is the sum total of all countries' external debt, both public and private

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$16.65 trillion (31 December 2008 est.)

$14.77 trillion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$16.22 trillion (31 December 2008 est.)

$15.43 trillion (31 December 2007 est.)

Communications ::World

Telephones - main lines in use:

1.268 billion (2008)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

4,017.294 million (2008)

Telephone system:

general assessment: NA

domestic: NA

international: NA

Radio broadcast stations:

AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA

Television broadcast stations:

NA

Internet users:

1.604 billion (2008)

Transportation ::World

Airports:

total airports - 43,867

top ten by passengers: Atlanta (ATL) - 89,379,287; Chicago (ORD) - 76,177,855; London (LHR) - 68,068,304; Tokyo (HND) - 66,823,414; Los Angeles (LAX) - 61,896,075; Paris (CDG) - 59,922,177; Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) - 59,786,476; Frankfurt (FRA) - 54,161,856; Beijing (PEK) - 53,583,664; Madrid (MAD) - 52,122,702

top ten by cargo (metric tons): Memphis (MEM) - 3,840,491; Hong Kong (HKG) - 3,773,964; Anchorage (ANC) - 2,825,511; Shanghai (PVG) - 2,559,310; Inch'on (ICN) - 2,555,580; Paris (CDG) - 2,297,896; Tokyo (NRT) - 2,254,421; Frankfurt (FRA) - 2,127,646; Louisville (SDF) - 2,078,947; Miami (MIA) - 1,922,985 (2009)

Heliports:

1,359 (2007)

Railways:

total: 1,134,429 km (2008)

Roadways:

total: 68,937,575 km (2008)

Waterways:

671,886 km (2004)

Ports and terminals:

top ten container ports as measured by Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs): Singapore - 27,935,500; Shanghai - 26,150,000; Hong Kong - 23,999,000; Shenzhen (China) - 21,099,100; Pusan (South Korea) - 13,254,703; - Rotterdam - 10,790,604; Dubai (UAE) - 10,650,000; Kaohsiung (Taiwan) - 10,256,829; Hamburg - 9,917,180; Qingdao (China) - 9,462,000 (2007)

Transportation - note:

As of September 2009, incidents of piracy around the world have more than doubled over the comparable time period in 2008; half of all attacks occur in the waters off Somalia, primarily in the Gulf of Aden; other high risk areas include the waters off Nigeria, the South China Sea, and waters off Malaysia

Military ::World

Military expenditures:

roughly 2% of GDP of gross world product (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues ::World

Disputes - international:

stretching over 250,000 km, the world's 322 international land boundaries separate 194 independent states and 71 dependencies, areas of special sovereignty, and other miscellaneous entities; ethnicity, culture, race, religion, and language have divided states into separate political entities as much as history, physical terrain, political fiat, or conquest, resulting in sometimes arbitrary and imposed boundaries; most maritime states have claimed limits that include territorial seas and exclusive economic zones; overlapping limits due to adjacent or opposite coasts create the potential for 430 bilateral maritime boundaries of which 209 have agreements that include contiguous and non-contiguous segments; boundary, borderland/resource, and territorial disputes vary in intensity from managed or dormant to violent or militarized; undemarcated, indefinite, porous, and unmanaged boundaries tend to encourage illegal cross-border activities, uncontrolled migration, and confrontation; territorial disputes may evolve from historical and/or cultural claims, or they may be brought on by resource competition; ethnic and cultural clashes continue to be responsible for much of the territorial fragmentation and internal displacement of the estimated 6.6 million people and cross-border displacements of 8.6 million refugees around the world as of early 2006; just over one million refugees were repatriated in the same period; other sources of contention include access to water and mineral (especially hydrocarbon) resources, fisheries, and arable land; armed conflict prevails not so much between the uniformed armed forces of independent states as between stateless armed entities that detract from the sustenance and welfare of local populations, leaving the community of nations to cope with resultant refugees, hunger, disease, impoverishment, and environmental degradation

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimated that in December 2006 there was a global population of 8.8 million registered refugees and as many as 24.5 million IDPs in more than 50 countries; the actual global population of refugees is probably closer to 10 million given the estimated 1.5 million Iraqi refugees displaced throughout the Middle East (2007)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: approximately 800,000 people, mostly women and children, are trafficked annually across national borders, not including millions trafficked within their own countries; at least 80% of the victims are female and up to 50% are minors; 75% of all victims are trafficked into commercial sexual exploitation; almost two-thirds of the global victims are trafficked intra-regionally within East Asia and the Pacific (260,000 to 280,000 people) and Europe and Eurasia (170,000 to 210,000 people)

Tier 2 Watch List: Albania, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain,
Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, China, Costa
Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Cyprus, Democratic Republic of the Congo,
Dominican Republic, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, The Gambia,
Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, India, Jordan, Libya,
Malaysia, Montenegro, Mozambique, Niger, Panama, Republic of the
Congo, Russia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan,
Venezuela, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Tier 3: Algeria, Burma, Cuba, Fiji, Iran, Kuwait, Moldova, North Korea, Oman, Papua New Guinea, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria (2008)

Illicit drugs:

cocaine: worldwide coca leaf cultivation in 2007 amounted to 232,500 hectares; Colombia produced slightly more than two-thirds of the worldwide crop, followed by Peru and Bolivia; potential pure cocaine production decreased 7% to 865 metric tons in 2007; Colombia conducts an aggressive coca eradication campaign, but both Peruvian and Bolivian Governments are hesitant to eradicate coca in key growing areas; 551 metric tons of export-quality cocaine (85% pure) is documented to have been seized or destroyed in 2005; US consumption of export quality cocaine is estimated to have been in excess of 380 metric tons

opiates: worldwide illicit opium poppy cultivation continued to increase in 2007, with a potential opium production of 8,400 metric tons, reaching the highest levels recorded since estimates began in mid-1980s; Afghanistan is world's primary opium producer, accounting for 95% of the global supply; Southeast Asia - responsible for 9% of global opium - saw marginal increases in production; Latin America produced 1% of global opium, but most was refined into heroin destined for the US market; if all potential opium was processed into pure heroin, the potential global production would be 1,000 metric tons of heroin in 2007

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Yemen (Middle East)

Introduction ::Yemen

Background:

North Yemen became independent of the Ottoman Empire in 1918. The British, who had set up a protectorate area around the southern port of Aden in the 19th century, withdrew in 1967 from what became South Yemen. Three years later, the southern government adopted a Marxist orientation. The massive exodus of hundreds of thousands of Yemenis from the south to the north contributed to two decades of hostility between the states. The two countries were formally unified as the Republic of Yemen in 1990. A southern secessionist movement in 1994 was quickly subdued. In 2000, Saudi Arabia and Yemen agreed to a delimitation of their border.

Geography ::Yemen

Location:

Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Red Sea, between Oman and Saudi Arabia

Geographic coordinates:

15 00 N, 48 00 E

Map references:

Middle East

Area:

total: 527,968 sq km country comparison to the world: 49 land: 527,968 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: includes Perim, Socotra, the former Yemen Arab Republic (YAR or North Yemen), and the former People's Democratic Republic of Yemen (PDRY or South Yemen)

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than twice the size of Wyoming

Land boundaries:

total: 1,746 km

border countries: Oman 288 km, Saudi Arabia 1,458 km

Coastline:

1,906 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:

mostly desert; hot and humid along west coast; temperate in western mountains affected by seasonal monsoon; extraordinarily hot, dry, harsh desert in east

Terrain:

narrow coastal plain backed by flat-topped hills and rugged mountains; dissected upland desert plains in center slope into the desert interior of the Arabian Peninsula

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m

highest point: Jabal an Nabi Shu'ayb 3,667 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, fish, rock salt, marble; small deposits of coal, gold, lead, nickel, and copper; fertile soil in west

Land use:

arable land: 2.91%

permanent crops: 0.25%

other: 96.84% (2005)

Irrigated land:

5,500 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

4.1 cu km (1997)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 6.63 cu km/yr (4%/1%/95%)

per capita: 316 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

sandstorms and dust storms in summer

Environment - current issues:

limited natural fresh water resources; inadequate supplies of potable water; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

strategic location on Bab el Mandeb, the strait linking the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, one of world's most active shipping lanes

People ::Yemen

Population:

23,822,783 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 48

Age structure:

0-14 years: 46.2% (male 5,602,590/female 5,398,103)

15-64 years: 51.3% (male 6,212,378/female 6,009,401)

65 years and over: 2.5% (male 288,501/female 311,810) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 16.8 years

male: 16.7 years

female: 16.8 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

3.453% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 4

Birth rate:

42.14 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 12

Death rate:

7.61 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 119

Net migration rate:

NA (2009 est.)

Urbanization:

urban population: 31% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 4.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female

total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 54.7 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 45 male: 59.12 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 50.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 63.27 years country comparison to the world: 173 male: 61.3 years

female: 65.33 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

6.32 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 7

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.1% (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 157

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

12,000 (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 96

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria

water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Yemeni(s)

adjective: Yemeni

Ethnic groups:

predominantly Arab; but also Afro-Arab, South Asians, Europeans

Religions:

Muslim including Shaf'i (Sunni) and Zaydi (Shia), small numbers of
Jewish, Christian, and Hindu

Languages:

Arabic

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 50.2%

male: 70.5%

female: 30% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 9 years

male: 11 years

female: 7 years (2005)

Education expenditures:

9.6% of GDP (2001) country comparison to the world: 5

Government ::Yemen

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Yemen

conventional short form: Yemen

local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Yamaniyah

local short form: Al Yaman

former: Yemen Arab Republic [Yemen (Sanaa) or North Yemen] and People's Democratic Republic of Yemen [Yemen (Aden) or South Yemen]

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Sanaa

geographic coordinates: 15 21 N, 44 12 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

21 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Abyan, 'Adan, Ad Dali', Al Bayda', Al Hudaydah, Al Jawf, Al Mahrah, Al Mahwit, Amanat al 'Asimah, 'Amran, Dhamar, Hadramawt, Hajjah, Ibb, Lahij, Ma'rib, Raymah, Sa'dah, San'a', Shabwah, Ta'izz

Independence:

22 May 1990 (Republic of Yemen was established with the merger of the Yemen Arab Republic [Yemen (Sanaa) or North Yemen] and the Marxist-dominated People's Democratic Republic of Yemen [Yemen (Aden) or South Yemen]); note - previously North Yemen became independent in November 1918 (from the Ottoman Empire) and became a republic with the overthrow of the theocratic Imamate in 1962; South Yemen became independent on 30 November 1967 (from the UK)

National holiday:

Unification Day, 22 May (1990)

Constitution:

16 May 1991; amended 29 September 1994 and February 2001

Legal system:

based on Islamic law, Turkish law, English common law, and local tribal customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Ali Abdallah SALIH (since 22 May 1990, the former president of North Yemen, assumed office upon the merger of North and South Yemen); Vice President Maj. Gen. Abd al-Rab Mansur al-HADI (since 3 October 1994)

head of government: Prime Minister Ali Muhammad MUJAWWAR (since 31 March 2007)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister

elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; election last held 20 September 2006 (next to be held in September 2013); vice president appointed by the president; prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president

election results: Ali Abdallah SALIH elected president; percent of vote - Ali Abdallah SALIH 77.2%, Faysal BIN SHAMLAN 21.8%

Legislative branch:

a bicameral legislature consisting of a Shura Council (111 seats; members appointed by the president) and a House of Representatives (301 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)

elections: last held on 27 April 2003 (scheduled April 2009 election postponed for two years)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - GPC 228, Islah 47, YSP 7, Nasserite Unionist Party 3, National Arab Socialist Ba'th Party 2, independents 14

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:

General People's Congress or GPC [Abdul-Kader BAJAMMAL]; Islamic
Reform Grouping or Islah [Mohammed Abdullah AL-YADOUMI (acting)];
Nasserite Unionist Party [Abdal Malik al-MAKHLAFI]; National Arab
Socialist Ba'th Party [Dr. Qasim SALAM]; Yemeni Socialist Party or
YSP [Ali Salih MUQBIL]; note - there are at least seven more active
political parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Muslim Brotherhood; Women National Committee

other: conservative tribal groups

International organization participation:

AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory),
ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, MINURCAT,
MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Abd al-Wahab Abdallah al-HAJRI

chancery: 2319 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 965-4760

FAX: [1] (202) 337-2017

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Stephen A. SECHE

embassy: Sa'awan Street, Sanaa

mailing address: P. O. Box 22347, Sanaa

telephone: [967] (1) 755-2000 ext. 2153 or 2266

FAX: [967] (1) 303-182

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black; similar to the flag of Syria, which has two green stars in the white band, and of Iraq, which has an Arabic inscription centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Egypt, which has a heraldic eagle centered in the white band

Economy ::Yemen

Economy - overview:

Yemen, one of the poorest countries in the Arab world, reported average annual growth in the range of 3-4% from 2000 through 2007. In 2008, growth declined slightly as the price of oil dropped and the slowing global economy reduced demand for oil. Yemen's economic fortunes depend mostly on declining oil resources, but the country is trying to diversify its earnings. In 2006, Yemen began an economic reform program designed to bolster non-oil sectors of the economy and foreign investment. As a result of the program, international donors pledged about $5 billion for development projects. A liquefied natural gas facility is scheduled to open in 2009. Yemen has limited exposure to the international financial system and no capital markets, however, the global financial crisis probably will reduce international aid in 2009.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$55.41 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 86 $53.69 billion (2007 est.)

$51.87 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$26.91 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

3.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 118 3.5% (2007 est.)

3.2% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$2,500 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 175 $2,500 (2007 est.)

$2,500 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 10.3%

industry: 56.5%

services: 33.2% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

6.454 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 65

Labor force - by occupation:

note: most people are employed in agriculture and herding; services, construction, industry, and commerce account for less than one-fourth of the labor force

Unemployment rate:

35% (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 183

Population below poverty line:

45.2% (2003)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.9%

highest 10%: 30.8% (2005)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

37.7 (2005) country comparison to the world: 76 33.4 (1998)

Investment (gross fixed):

25.9% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 45

Budget:

revenues: $9.243 billion

expenditures: $10.36 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

28.1% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 77 46.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

19% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 202 10% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

NA%

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

18% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 24 18% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$3.076 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$4.526 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$2.224 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

grain, fruits, vegetables, pulses, qat, coffee, cotton; dairy products, livestock (sheep, goats, cattle, camels), poultry; fish

Industries:

crude oil production and petroleum refining; small-scale production of cotton textiles and leather goods; food processing; handicrafts; small aluminum products factory; cement; commercial ship repair

Industrial production growth rate:

2.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 89

Electricity - production:

5.665 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 107

Electricity - consumption:

4.133 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 116

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

300,100 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 37

Oil - consumption:

149,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 67

Oil - exports:

274,400 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 44

Oil - imports:

65,860 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 80

Oil - proved reserves:

3 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 30

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 110

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 118

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 85

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 110

Natural gas - proved reserves:

478.5 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 32

Current account balance:

-$1.113 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 125 -$1.547 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$8.977 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 91 $7.05 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

crude oil, coffee, dried and salted fish

Exports - partners:

China 28.4%, Thailand 23.6%, India 16.1%, South Africa 13.4%, Japan 4.7% (2008)

Imports:

$8.829 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 96 $7.49 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

food and live animals, machinery and equipment, chemicals

Imports - partners:

UAE 14.7%, India 11.7%, China 11.3%, Saudi Arabia 6.9%, Kuwait 5.2% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$8.157 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 73 $7.759 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$5.977 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 101 $6.044 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

Yemeni rials (YER) per US dollar - 199.76 (2008 est.), 199.14 (2007), 197.18 (2006), 192.67 (2005), 184.78 (2004)

Communications ::Yemen

Telephones - main lines in use:

1.117 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 72

Telephones - mobile cellular:

3.7 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 96

Telephone system:

general assessment: since unification in 1990, efforts have been made to create a national telecommunications network

domestic: the national network consists of microwave radio relay, cable, tropospheric scatter, GSM and CDMA mobile-cellular telephone systems; fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity remains low by regional standards

international: country code - 967; landing point for the international submarine cable Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG); satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean), 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region), and 2 Arabsat; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia and Djibouti

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 6, FM 1, shortwave 2 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

3 (including one Egypt-based station that broadcasts in Yemen); plus several repeaters (2007)

Internet country code:

.ye

Internet hosts:

242 (2009) country comparison to the world: 184

Internet users:

370,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 115

Transportation ::Yemen

Airports:

55 (2009) country comparison to the world: 85

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 18

over 3,047 m: 4

2,438 to 3,047 m: 9

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 37

over 3,047 m: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 5

1,524 to 2,437 m: 6

914 to 1,523 m: 14

under 914 m: 9 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 96 km; liquid petroleum gas 22 km; oil 1,367 km (2008)

Roadways:

total: 71,300 km country comparison to the world: 65 paved: 6,200 km

unpaved: 65,100 km (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 4 country comparison to the world: 135 by type: cargo 1, chemical tanker 1, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1

registered in other countries: 13 (North Korea 2, Moldova 1, Panama 6, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Sierra Leone 2, unknown 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Aden, Al Hudaydah, Al Mukalla

Transportation - note:

the International Maritime Bureau reports offshore waters in the Gulf of Aden are high risk for piracy; numerous vessels, including commercial shipping and pleasure craft, have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; crew, passengers, and cargo are held for ransom

Military ::Yemen

Military branches:

Army (includes Republican Guard), Navy (includes Marines), Yemen Air
Force (Al Quwwat al Jawwiya al Jamahiriya al Yemeniya; includes Air
Defense Force) (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

voluntary military service program authorized in 2001; 2-year service obligation (2006)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 5,080,038

females age 16-49: 4,852,555 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 3,733,704

females age 16-49: 3,773,626 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 273,624

female: 263,402 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

6.6% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 7

Military - note:

a Coast Guard was established in 2002

Transnational Issues ::Yemen

Disputes - international:

Saudi Arabia has reinforced its concrete-filled security barrier along sections of the fully demarcated border with Yemen to stem illegal cross-border activities

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 91,587 (Somalia) (2007)

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Zambia (Africa)

Introduction ::Zambia

Background:

The territory of Northern Rhodesia was administered by the [British] South Africa Company from 1891 until it was taken over by the UK in 1923. During the 1920s and 1930s, advances in mining spurred development and immigration. The name was changed to Zambia upon independence in 1964. In the 1980s and 1990s, declining copper prices and a prolonged drought hurt the economy. Elections in 1991 brought an end to one-party rule, but the subsequent vote in 1996 saw blatant harassment of opposition parties. The election in 2001 was marked by administrative problems with three parties filing a legal petition challenging the election of ruling party candidate Levy MWANAWASA. The new president launched an anticorruption investigation in 2002 to probe high-level corruption during the previous administration. In 2006-07, this task force successfully prosecuted four cases, including a landmark civil case in the UK in which former President CHILUBA and numerous others were found liable for USD 41 million. MWANAWASA was reelected in 2006 in an election that was deemed free and fair. Upon his abrupt death in August 2008, he was succeeded by his Vice-president Rupiah BANDA, who subsequently won a special presidential election in October 2008.

Geography ::Zambia

Location:

Southern Africa, east of Angola

Geographic coordinates:

15 00 S, 30 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 752,618 sq km country comparison to the world: 39 land: 743,398 sq km

water: 9,220 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than Texas

Land boundaries:

total: 5,664 km

border countries: Angola 1,110 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 1,930 km, Malawi 837 km, Mozambique 419 km, Namibia 233 km, Tanzania 338 km, Zimbabwe 797 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

tropical; modified by altitude; rainy season (October to April)

Terrain:

mostly high plateau with some hills and mountains

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Zambezi river 329 m

highest point: unnamed location in Mafinga Hills 2,301 m

Natural resources:

copper, cobalt, zinc, lead, coal, emeralds, gold, silver, uranium, hydropower

Land use:

arable land: 6.99%

permanent crops: 0.04%

other: 92.97% (2005)

Irrigated land:

1,560 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

105.2 cu km (2001)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 1.74 cu km/yr (17%/7%/76%)

per capita: 149 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

periodic drought; tropical storms (November to April)

Environment - current issues:

air pollution and resulting acid rain in the mineral extraction and refining region; chemical runoff into watersheds; poaching seriously threatens rhinoceros, elephant, antelope, and large cat populations; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; lack of adequate water treatment presents human health risks

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

landlocked; the Zambezi forms a natural riverine boundary with Zimbabwe

People ::Zambia

Population:

11,862,740 country comparison to the world: 71 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 45.1% (male 2,685,142/female 2,659,771)

15-64 years: 52.6% (male 3,122,305/female 3,116,846)

65 years and over: 2.3% (male 114,477/female 164,199) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 17 years

male: 16.9 years

female: 17.2 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.631% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 82

Birth rate:

40.24 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 17

Death rate:

21.34 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 5

Net migration rate:

-2.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 146

Urbanization:

urban population: 35% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 2.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 101.2 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 9 male: 105.97 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 96.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 38.63 years country comparison to the world: 222 male: 38.53 years

female: 38.73 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

5.15 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 25

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

15.2% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 7

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

1.1 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 11

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

56,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 12

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria and plague are high risks in some locations

water contact disease: schistosomiasis

animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Zambian(s)

adjective: Zambian

Ethnic groups:

African 99.5% (includes Bemba, Tonga, Chewa, Lozi, Nsenga, Tumbuka, Ngoni, Lala, Kaonde, Lunda, and other African groups), other 0.5% (includes Europeans, Asians, and Americans) (2000 Census)

Religions:

Christian 50%-75%, Muslim and Hindu 24%-49%, indigenous beliefs 1%

Languages:

Bemba 30.1% (official), Nyanja 10.7% (official), Tonga 10.6% (official), Lozi 5.7% (official), Chewa 4.9%, Nsenga 3.4%, Tumbuka 2.5%, Lunda 2.2% (official), Kaonde 2% (official), Lala 2%, Luvale 1.7% (official), English 1.7% (official), other 22.5% (2000 Census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write English

total population: 80.6%

male: 86.8%

female: 74.8% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 7 years

male: 7 years

female: 7 years (2000)

Education expenditures:

2% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 167

Government ::Zambia

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Zambia

conventional short form: Zambia

former: Northern Rhodesia

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Lusaka

geographic coordinates: 15 25 S, 28 17 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

9 provinces; Central, Copperbelt, Eastern, Luapula, Lusaka, Northern, North-Western, Southern, Western

Independence:

24 October 1964 (from the UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 24 October (1964)

Constitution:

24 August 1991; amended in 1996 to establish presidential term limits

Legal system:

based on English common law and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in an ad hoc constitutional council; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Rupiah BANDA (since 19 August 2008); Vice President George KUNDA (since 14 November 2008); note - President BANDA was acting president since the illness and eventual death of President Levy MWANAWASA on 18 August 2008, he was then elected president on 30 October 2008 to serve out the remainder of MWANAWASA's term; the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Rupiah BANDA (since 19 August 2008); Vice President George KUNDA (since 14 November 2008)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members of the National Assembly

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 30 October 2008 (next to be held in 2011); vice president appointed by the president; note - due to the death of former President Levy MWANAWASA, early elections were held to identify a replacement to serve out the remainder of his term

election results: Rupiah BANDA elected president; percent of vote - Rupiah BANDA 40.1%, Michael SATA 38.1%, Hakainde HICHILEMA 19.7%, Godfrey MIYANDA 0.8%, other 1.3%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly (158 seats; 150 members are elected by popular vote, 8 members are appointed by the president, to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 28 September 2006 (next to be held in October 2011)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MMD 72, PF 44, UDA 27, ULP 2, NDF 1, independents 2; seats not determined 2

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (the final court of appeal; justices are appointed by the president); High Court (has unlimited jurisdiction to hear civil and criminal cases)

Political parties and leaders:

Forum for Democracy and Development or FDD [Edith NAWAKWI]; Heritage
Party or HP [Godfrey MIYANDA]; Movement for Multiparty Democracy or
MMD [vacant]; Patriotic Front or PF [Michael SATA]; Party of Unity
for Democracy and Development or PUDD [Dan PULE]; Reform Party
[Nevers MUMBA]; United Democratic Alliance or UDA (a coalition of
RP, ZADECO, PUDD, and ZRP); United Liberal Party or ULP [Sakwiba
SIKOTA]; United National Independence Party or UNIP [Tilyenji
KAUNDA]; United Party for National Development or UPND [Hakainde
HICHILEMA]; Zambia Democratic Congress or ZADECO [Langton SICHONE];
Zambian Republican Party or ZRP [Benjamin MWILA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO
(correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT, MONUC, NAM, OPCW,
PCA, SADC, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS,
UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Inonge MBIKUSITA-LEWANIKA

chancery: 2419 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 265-9717 through 9719

FAX: [1] (202) 332-0826

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Donald E. BOOTH

embassy: corner of Independence and United Nations Avenues, Lusaka

mailing address: P. O. Box 31617, Lusaka

telephone: [260] (211) 250-955

FAX: [260] (211) 252-225

Flag description:

green field with a panel of three vertical bands of red (hoist side), black, and orange below a soaring orange eagle, on the outer edge of the flag

Economy ::Zambia

Economy - overview:

Zambia's economy has experienced strong growth in recent years, with real GDP growth in 2005-08 about 6% per year. Privatization of government-owned copper mines in the 1990s relieved the government from covering mammoth losses generated by the industry and greatly improved the chances for copper mining to return to profitability and spur economic growth. Copper output has increased steadily since 2004, due to higher copper prices and foreign investment. In 2005, Zambia qualified for debt relief under the Highly Indebted Poor Country Initiative, consisting of approximately USD 6 billion in debt relief. Zambia experienced a bumper harvest in 2007, which helped to boost GDP and agricultural exports and contain inflation. Although poverty continues to be significant problem in Zambia, its economy has strengthened, featuring single-digit inflation, a relatively stable currency, decreasing interest rates, and increasing levels of trade. The decline in world commodity prices and demand will hurt GDP growth in 2009, and elections and campaign promises are likely to weaken Zambia's improved fiscal stance.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$17.54 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 129 $16.55 billion (2007 est.)

$15.58 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$14.65 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 60 6.2% (2007 est.)

6.2% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,500 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 200 $1,400 (2007 est.)

$1,400 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 16%

industry: 26.6%

services: 57.4% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

5.235 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 71

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 85%

industry: 6%

services: 9% (2004)

Unemployment rate:

50% (2000 est.) country comparison to the world: 193

Population below poverty line:

86% (1993)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 1.2%

highest 10%: 38.8% (2004)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

50.8 (2004) country comparison to the world: 20 52.6 (1998)

Investment (gross fixed):

25.5% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 48

Budget:

revenues: $3.291 billion

expenditures: $3.578 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

29.5% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 72 127.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

12.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 172 10.6% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

14.49% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 29 11.73% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

19.06% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 21 18.89% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$1.034 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 86 $995.8 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$1.618 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 87 $1.709 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$2.138 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 91 $1.968 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 96 $2.346 billion (31 December 2007)

$1.186 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

corn, sorghum, rice, peanuts, sunflower seed, vegetables, flowers, tobacco, cotton, sugarcane, cassava (tapioca), coffee; cattle, goats, pigs, poultry, milk, eggs, hides

Industries:

copper mining and processing, construction, foodstuffs, beverages, chemicals, textiles, fertilizer, horticulture

Industrial production growth rate:

6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 40

Electricity - production:

9.752 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 91

Electricity - consumption:

8.838 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 88

Electricity - exports:

268 million kWh (2007)

Electricity - imports:

222 million kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

159.3 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 109

Oil - consumption:

16,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 132

Oil - exports:

275.3 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 128

Oil - imports:

14,730 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 125

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl country comparison to the world: 112

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 109

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 117

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 84

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 109

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 118

Current account balance:

-$977 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 117 -$198 million (2007 est.)

Exports:

$4.818 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 110 $4.594 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

copper/cobalt 64%, cobalt, electricity; tobacco, flowers, cotton

Exports - partners:

China 14.2%, South Africa 8.5%, Democratic Republic of the Congo 8.1%, Saudi Arabia 7.9%, South Korea 7.9%, Egypt 7.7%, Italy 6.9%, Belgium 4.1% (2008)

Imports:

$4.694 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 119 $3.611 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery, transportation equipment, petroleum products, electricity, fertilizer; foodstuffs, clothing

Imports - partners:

South Africa 51.7%, UAE 8%, China 6.8%, India 4.5% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$1.096 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 125 $1.09 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$3.095 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 124 $2.596 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$40.34 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 56

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$NA

Exchange rates:

Zambian kwacha (ZMK) per US dollar - 3,512.9 (2008 est.), 3,990.2 (2007), 3,601.5 (2006), 4,463.5 (2005), 4,778.9 (2004)

Communications ::Zambia

Telephones - main lines in use:

90,600 (2008) country comparison to the world: 146

Telephones - mobile cellular:

3.539 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 97

Telephone system:

general assessment: facilities are aging but still among the best in Sub-Saharan Africa

domestic: high-capacity microwave radio relay connects most larger towns and cities; several cellular telephone services in operation and network coverage is improving; Internet service is widely available; very small aperture terminal (VSAT) networks are operated by private firms

international: country code - 260; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 19, FM 5, shortwave 4 (2001)

Television broadcast stations:

9 (2001)

Internet country code:

.zm

Internet hosts:

14,951 (2009) country comparison to the world: 109

Internet users:

700,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 100

Transportation ::Zambia

Airports:

97 (2009) country comparison to the world: 64

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 9

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 88

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 65

under 914 m: 18 (2009)

Pipelines:

oil 771 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 2,157 km country comparison to the world: 70 narrow gauge: 2,157 km 1.067-m gauge

note: includes 891 km of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) (2008)

Roadways:

total: 91,440 km country comparison to the world: 54 paved: 20,117 km

unpaved: 71,323 km (2001)

Waterways:

2,250 km (includes Lake Tanganyika and the Zambezi and Luapula rivers) (2008) country comparison to the world: 40

Ports and terminals:

Mpulungu

Military ::Zambia

Military branches:

Zambian National Defense Force (ZNDF): Zambian Army, Zambian Air
Force, National Service (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18-27 years of age for voluntary military service (16 years of age with parental consent); Zambian citizenship required; mandatory HIV testing on enlistment; no conscription (2009)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 2,678,668

females age 16-49: 2,567,433 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,364,173

females age 16-49: 1,245,220 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 149,567

female: 148,889 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.8% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 92

Transnational Issues ::Zambia

Disputes - international:

in 2004, Zimbabwe dropped objections to plans between Botswana and Zambia to build a bridge over the Zambezi River, thereby de facto recognizing a short, but not clearly delimited, Botswana-Zambia boundary in the river

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 42,565 (Angola); 60,874 (Democratic Republic of the Congo); 4,100 (Rwanda) (2007)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Zambia is a source, transit, and destination country for women and children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and sexual exploitation; many Zambian child laborers, particularly those in the agriculture, domestic service, and fishing sectors, are also victims of human trafficking; Zambian women, lured by false employment or marriage offers abroad, are trafficked to South Africa via Zimbabwe and to Europe via Malawi for sexual exploitation; Zambia is a transit point for regional trafficking of women and children, particularly from Angola to Namibia and from the Democratic Republic of the Congo to South Africa for agricultural labor

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Zambia is on the Tier 2 Watch List for failing to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat severe forms of trafficking, particularly in regard to its inability to bring alleged traffickers to justice through prosecutions and convictions; unlike 2006, there were no new prosecutions or convictions of alleged traffickers in 2007; government efforts to protect victims of trafficking remained extremely limited throughout the year (2008)

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for moderate amounts of methaqualone, small amounts of heroin, and cocaine bound for southern Africa and possibly Europe; a poorly developed financial infrastructure coupled with a government commitment to combating money laundering make it an unattractive venue for money launderers; major consumer of cannabis

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Zimbabwe (Africa)

Introduction ::Zimbabwe

Background:

The UK annexed Southern Rhodesia from the [British] South Africa Company in 1923. A 1961 constitution was formulated that favored whites in power. In 1965 the government unilaterally declared its independence, but the UK did not recognize the act and demanded more complete voting rights for the black African majority in the country (then called Rhodesia). UN sanctions and a guerrilla uprising finally led to free elections in 1979 and independence (as Zimbabwe) in 1980. Robert MUGABE, the nation's first prime minister, has been the country's only ruler (as president since 1987) and has dominated the country's political system since independence. His chaotic land redistribution campaign, which began in 2000, caused an exodus of white farmers, crippled the economy, and ushered in widespread shortages of basic commodities. Ignoring international condemnation, MUGABE rigged the 2002 presidential election to ensure his reelection. The ruling ZANU-PF party used fraud and intimidation to win a two-thirds majority in the March 2005 parliamentary election, allowing it to amend the constitution at will and recreate the Senate, which had been abolished in the late 1980s. In April 2005, Harare embarked on Operation Restore Order, ostensibly an urban rationalization program, which resulted in the destruction of the homes or businesses of 700,000 mostly poor supporters of the opposition. President MUGABE in June 2007 instituted price controls on all basic commodities causing panic buying and leaving store shelves empty for months. General elections held in March 2008 contained irregularities but still amounted to a censure of the ZANU-PF-led government with significant gains in opposition seats in parliament. MDC opposition leader Morgan TSVANGIRAI won the presidential polls, and may have won an out right majority, but official results posted by the Zimbabwe Electoral Committee did not reflect this. In the lead up to a run-off election in late June 2008, considerable violence enacted against opposition party members led to the withdrawal of TSVANGIRAI from the ballot. Extensive evidence of vote tampering and ballot-box stuffing resulted in international condemnation of the process. Difficult negotiations over a power sharing agreement, allowing MUGABE to remain as president and creating the new position of prime minister for TSVANGIRAI, were finally settled in February 2009.

Geography ::Zimbabwe

Location:

Southern Africa, between South Africa and Zambia

Geographic coordinates:

20 00 S, 30 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 390,757 sq km country comparison to the world: 60 land: 386,847 sq km

water: 3,910 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than Montana

Land boundaries:

total: 3,066 km

border countries: Botswana 813 km, Mozambique 1,231 km, South Africa 225 km, Zambia 797 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

tropical; moderated by altitude; rainy season (November to March)

Terrain:

mostly high plateau with higher central plateau (high veld); mountains in east

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: junction of the Runde and Save rivers 162 m

highest point: Inyangani 2,592 m

Natural resources:

coal, chromium ore, asbestos, gold, nickel, copper, iron ore, vanadium, lithium, tin, platinum group metals

Land use:

arable land: 8.24%

permanent crops: 0.33%

other: 91.43% (2005)

Irrigated land:

1,740 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

20 cu km (1987)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 4.21 cu km/yr (14%/7%/79%)

per capita: 324 cu m/yr (2002)

Natural hazards:

recurring droughts; floods and severe storms are rare

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; soil erosion; land degradation; air and water pollution; the black rhinoceros herd - once the largest concentration of the species in the world - has been significantly reduced by poaching; poor mining practices have led to toxic waste and heavy metal pollution

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

landlocked; the Zambezi forms a natural riverine boundary with Zambia; in full flood (February-April) the massive Victoria Falls on the river forms the world's largest curtain of falling water

People ::Zimbabwe

Population:

11,392,629 country comparison to the world: 73 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 43.9% (male 2,523,119/female 2,473,928)

15-64 years: 52.2% (male 2,666,928/female 3,283,474)

65 years and over: 3.9% (male 194,360/female 250,820) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 17.6 years

male: 16.3 years

female: 18.8 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.53% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 85

Birth rate:

31.49 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 46

Death rate:

16.19 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 14

Net migration rate:

NA

note: there is an increasing flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa and Botswana in search of better economic opportunities (2009 est.)

Urbanization:

urban population: 37% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 2.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.81 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female

total population: 0.9 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 32.31 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 71 male: 34.9 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 29.64 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 45.77 years country comparison to the world: 213 male: 46.36 years

female: 45.16 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3.69 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 52

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

15.3% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 6

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

1.3 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 7

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

140,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 5

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: malaria

water contact disease: schistosomiasis

animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Zimbabwean(s)

adjective: Zimbabwean

Ethnic groups:

African 98% (Shona 82%, Ndebele 14%, other 2%), mixed and Asian 1%, white less than 1%

Religions:

syncretic (part Christian, part indigenous beliefs) 50%, Christian 25%, indigenous beliefs 24%, Muslim and other 1%

Languages:

English (official), Shona, Sindebele (the language of the Ndebele, sometimes called Ndebele), numerous but minor tribal dialects

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write English

total population: 90.7%

male: 94.2%

female: 87.2% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 9 years

male: 9 years

female: 9 years (2003)

Education expenditures:

4.6% of GDP (2000) country comparison to the world: 84

Government ::Zimbabwe

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Zimbabwe

conventional short form: Zimbabwe

former: Southern Rhodesia, Rhodesia

Government type:

parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Harare

geographic coordinates: 17 50 S, 31 03 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

8 provinces and 2 cities* with provincial status; Bulawayo*,
Harare*, Manicaland, Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland East,
Mashonaland West, Masvingo, Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South,
Midlands

Independence:

18 April 1980 (from the UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 18 April (1980)

Constitution:

21 December 1979

Legal system:

mixture of Roman-Dutch and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since 31 December 1987); Vice President Joseph MSIKA (since December 1999) and Vice President Joyce MUJURU (since 6 December 2004)

head of government: Prime Minister Morgan TSVANGIRAI (since 11 February 2009); Deputy Prime Minister Arthur MUTAMBARA

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president; responsible to the House of Assembly

elections: presidential candidates nominated with a nomination paper signed by at least 10 registered voters (at least one from each province) and elected by popular vote for a five-year term (no term limits); elections last held 28 March 2008 followed by a run-off on 27 June 2008 (next to be held in 2013); co-vice presidents appointed by the president

election results: Robert Gabriel MUGABE reelected president; percent of vote - Robert Gabriel MUGABE 85.5%, Morgan TSVANGIRAI 9.3%, other 5.2%; note - first round voting results - Morgan TSVANGIRAI 47.9%, Robert Gabriel MUGABE 43.2%, Simba MAKONI 8.3%, other 0.6%; first-round round polls were deemed to be flawed suppressing TSVANGIRAI's results; the 27 June 2008 run-off between MUGABE and TSVANGIRAI were severely flawed and internationally condemned

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament consists of a Senate (93 seats - 60 elected by popular vote for a five-year term, 10 provincial governors nominated by the president, 16 traditional chiefs elected by the Council of Chiefs, 2 held by the president and deputy president of the Council of Chiefs, and 5 appointed by the president) and a House of Assembly (210 seats - all elected by popular vote for five-year terms)

elections: last held 28 March 2008 (next to be held in 2013)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - MDC 51.6%, ZANU-PF 45.8%, other 2.6%; seats by party - MDC 30, ZANU-PF 30; House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - MDC 51.3%, ZANU-PF 45.8%, other 2.9%; seats by party - MDC 109, ZANU-PF 97, other 4

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court; High Court

Political parties and leaders:

African National Party or ANP [Egypt DZINEMUNHENZVA]; Movement for
Democratic Change or MDC [Morgan TSVANGIRAI]; Movement for
Democratic Change - Mutambara or MDC-M [splinter faction under
Arthur MUTAMBARA]; Peace Action is Freedom for All or PAFA; United
Parties [Abel MUZOREWA]; United People's Party or UPP [Daniel
SHUMBA]; Zimbabwe African National Union-Ndonga or ZANU-Ndonga
[Wilson KUMBULA]; Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front or
ZANU-PF [Robert Gabriel MUGABE]; Zimbabwe African Peoples Union or
ZAPU [Agrippa MADLELA]; Zimbabwe Youth in Alliance or ZIYA

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition [Xolani ZITHA]; National Constitutional
Assembly or NCA [Lovemore MADHUKU]; Women of Zimbabwe Arise or WOZA
[Jenny WILLIAMS]; Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions or ZCTU
[Wellington CHIBEBE]

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Machivenyika MAPURANGA

chancery: 1608 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone: [1] (202) 332-7100

FAX: [1] (202) 483-9326

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador James D. MCGEE

embassy: 172 Herbert Chitepo Avenue, Harare

mailing address: P. O. Box 3340, Harare

telephone: [263] (4) 250-593 through 250-594

FAX: [263] (4) 796-488, or 722-618

Flag description:

seven equal horizontal bands of green, yellow, red, black, red, yellow, and green with a white isosceles triangle edged in black with its base on the hoist side; a yellow Zimbabwe bird representing the long history of the country is superimposed on a red five-pointed star in the center of the triangle, which symbolizes peace; green symbolizes agriculture, yellow - mineral wealth, red - blood shed to achieve independence, and black stands for the native people

Economy ::Zimbabwe

Economy - overview:

The government of Zimbabwe faces a wide variety of difficult economic problems as it struggles with an unsustainable fiscal deficit, an overvalued official exchange rate, hyperinflation, and bare store shelves. Its 1998-2002 involvement in the war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo drained hundreds of millions of dollars from the economy. The government's land reform program, characterized by chaos and violence, has badly damaged the commercial farming sector, the traditional source of exports and foreign exchange and the provider of 400,000 jobs, turning Zimbabwe into a net importer of food products. The EU and the US provide food aid on humanitarian grounds. Badly needed support from the IMF has been suspended because of the government's arrears on past loans and the government's unwillingness to enact reforms that would stabilize the economy. The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe routinely prints money to fund the budget deficit, causing the official annual inflation rate to rise from 32% in 1998, to 133% in 2004, 585% in 2005, past 1,000% in 2006, and 26,000% in November 2007, and to 11.2 million percent in 2008. Meanwhile, the official exchange rate fell from approximately 1 (revalued) Zimbabwean dollar per US dollar in 2003 to 30,000 per US dollar in September 2007.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$1.925 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 183 $2.241 billion (2007 est.)

$2.371 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$10.58 billion

note: hyperinflation and the plunging value of the Zimbabwean dollar makes Zimbabwe's GDP at the official exchange rate a highly inaccurate statistic (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

-14.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 217 -5.6% (2007 est.)

-4.6% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$200 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 229 $200 (2007 est.)

$200 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 18.1%

industry: 22.6%

services: 59.3% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

4.039 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 89

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 66%

industry: 10%

services: 24% (1996)

Unemployment rate:

80% (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 198

Population below poverty line:

68% (2004)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2%

highest 10%: 40.4% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

50.1 (2006) country comparison to the world: 24 50.1 (1995)

Investment (gross fixed):

17.7% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 132

Budget:

revenues: $941,600

expenditures: $1.092 million (2008 est.)

Public debt:

265.6% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 1 52.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

14.93 billion% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 222 12,563% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

NA% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 1 975% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

NA% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 1 578.96% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$14.18 billion (31 December 2007)

note: this number reflects the vastly overvalued official exchange rate of 30,000 Zimbabwe dollars per US dollar; at an unofficial rate of 800,000 Zimbabwe dollars per US dollar, the stock of Zimbabwe dollars would equal only about US$500 million and Zimbabwe's velocity of money (the number of times money turns over in the course of a year) would be nine, in line with the velocity of money for other countries in the region

Stock of quasi money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$5.349 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$24.91 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 87 $5.333 billion (31 December 2007)

$26.56 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

corn, cotton, tobacco, wheat, coffee, sugarcane, peanuts; sheep, goats, pigs

Industries:

mining (coal, gold, platinum, copper, nickel, tin, clay, numerous metallic and nonmetallic ores), steel; wood products, cement, chemicals, fertilizer, clothing and footwear, foodstuffs, beverages

Industrial production growth rate:

-14.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 168

Electricity - production:

8.89 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 95

Electricity - consumption:

10.89 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 80

Electricity - exports:

32 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

2.691 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 119

Oil - consumption:

13,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 143

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 162

Oil - imports:

13,830 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 131

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 111

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 108

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 116

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 83

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 108

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 117

Current account balance:

-$584.6 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 107 -$494.8 million (2007 est.)

Exports:

$1.396 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 140 $1.467 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

platinum, cotton, tobacco, gold, ferroalloys, textiles/clothing

Exports - partners:

South Africa 32.1%, Democratic Republic of the Congo 9.7%, Botswana 8.7%, China 5.6%, Zambia 4.8%, Japan 4.5%, Italy 4.4%, US 4.3% (2008)

Imports:

$1.915 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 151 $1.975 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and transport equipment, other manufactures, chemicals, fuels

Imports - partners:

South Africa 60.1%, China 4.2%, Botswana 3.7% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$96 million (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 148 $117 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$5.669 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 103 $5.155 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$NA

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$NA

Exchange rates:

Zimbabwean dollars (ZWD) per US dollar - NA (2008 est.), 30,000 (2007), 162.07 (2006), 77.965 (2005), 5.729 (2004)

note: these are official exchange rates; non-official rates vary significantly

Communications ::Zimbabwe

Telephones - main lines in use:

354,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 109

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1.655 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 130

Telephone system:

general assessment: system was once one of the best in Africa, but now suffers from poor maintenance; more than 100,000 outstanding requests for connection despite an equally large number of installed but unused main lines

domestic: consists of microwave radio relay links, open-wire lines, radiotelephone communication stations, fixed wireless local loop installations, and a substantial mobile-cellular network; Internet connection is available in Harare and planned for all major towns and for some of the smaller ones

international: country code - 263; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat; 2 international digital gateway exchanges (in Harare and Gweru)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 7, FM 20 (plus 17 repeater stations), shortwave 1 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

16 (1997)

Internet country code:

.zw

Internet hosts:

29,094 (2009) country comparison to the world: 91

Internet users:

1.421 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 78

Transportation ::Zimbabwe

Airports:

215 (2009) country comparison to the world: 28

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 19

over 3,047 m: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 5

914 to 1,523 m: 9 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 196

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 119

under 914 m: 74 (2009)

Pipelines:

refined products 270 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 3,077 km country comparison to the world: 55 narrow gauge: 3,077 km 1.067-m gauge (313 km electrified) (2008)

Roadways:

total: 97,267 km country comparison to the world: 45 paved: 18,481 km

unpaved: 78,786 km (2002)

Waterways:

on Lake Kariba (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Binga, Kariba

Military ::Zimbabwe

Military branches:

Zimbabwe Defense Forces (ZDF): Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA), Air
Force of Zimbabwe (AFZ), Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18-24 years of age for compulsory military service; women are eligible to serve (2007)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 3,264,258

females age 16-49: 3,048,049 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,198,727

females age 16-49: 1,436,232 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 149,592

female: 149,717 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

3.8% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 35

Transnational Issues ::Zimbabwe

Disputes - international:

Botswana built electric fences and South Africa has placed military along the border to stem the flow of thousands of Zimbabweans fleeing to find work and escape political persecution; Namibia has supported, and in 2004 Zimbabwe dropped objections to, plans between Botswana and Zambia to build a bridge over the Zambezi River, thereby de facto recognizing a short, but not clearly delimited, Botswana-Zambia boundary in the river

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 2,500 (Democratic Republic of Congo)

IDPs: 569,685 (MUGABE-led political violence, human rights violations, land reform, and economic collapse) (2007)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Zimbabwe is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and sexual exploitation; large scale migration of Zimbabweans to surrounding countries - as they flee a progressively more desperate situation at home - has increased; rural Zimbabwean men, women, and children are trafficked internally to farms for agricultural labor and domestic servitude and to cities for domestic labor and commercial sexual exploitation; young men and boys are trafficked to South Africa for farm work, often laboring for months in South Africa without pay before "employers" have them arrested and deported as illegal immigrants; young women and girls are lured abroad with false employment offers that result in involuntary domestic servitude or commercial sexual exploitation; men, women, and children from neighboring states are trafficked through Zimbabwe en route to South Africa

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Zimbabwe is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat severe forms of human trafficking, and because the absolute number of victims of severe forms of trafficking is significantly increasing; the trafficking situation in the country is worsening as more of the population is made vulnerable by declining socio-economic conditions (2008)

Illicit drugs:

transit point for cannabis and South Asian heroin, mandrax, and methamphetamines en route to South Africa

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@2001

Field Listing :: GDP (purchasing power parity)

This entry gives the gross domestic product (GDP) or value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year. A nation's GDP at purchasing power parity (PPP) exchange rates is the sum value of all goods and services produced in the country valued at prices prevailing in the United States. This is the measure most economists prefer when looking at per-capita welfare and when comparing living conditions or use of resources across countries. The measure is difficult to compute, as a US dollar value has to be assigned to all goods and services in the country regardless of whether these goods and services have a direct equivalent in the United States (for example, the value of an ox-cart or non-US military equipment); as a result, PPP estimates for some countries are based on a small and sometimes different set of goods and services. In addition, many countries do not formally participate in the World Bank's PPP project that calculates these measures, so the resulting GDP estimates for these countries may lack precision. For many developing countries, PPP-based GDP measures are multiples of the official exchange rate (OER) measure. The differences between the OER- and PPP-denominated GDP values for most of the wealthy industrialized countries are generally much smaller. Country Comparison to the World Country

GDP (purchasing power parity)

Afghanistan
  $22.32 billion (2008 est.)
  $21.58 billion (2007 est.)
  $19.25 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Albania
  $21.86 billion (2008 est.)
  $20.61 billion (2007 est.)
  $19.44 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars
  Albania has an informal, and unreported, sector that may be as large
  as 50% of official GDP

Algeria
  $233.5 billion (2008 est.)
  $225.6 billion (2007 est.)
  $218.8 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

American Samoa
  $575.3 million (2007 est.)
  $510.1 million (2003 est.)

Andorra
  $3.66 billion (2007)
  $3.588 billion (2006)
  $2.77 billion (2005)

Angola
  $112.8 billion (2008 est.)
  $100.5 billion (2007 est.)
  $82.94 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Anguilla
  $108.9 million (2004 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  $1.639 billion (2008 est.)
  $1.594 billion (2007 est.)
  $1.491 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Argentina
  $575.2 billion (2008 est.)
  $538.6 billion (2007 est.)
  $495.5 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Armenia
  $18.81 billion (2008 est.)
  $17.62 billion (2007 est.)
  $15.48 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Aruba
  $2.258 billion (2005 est.)
  $2.205 billion (2004 est.)

Australia
  $802.9 billion (2008 est.)
  $784.1 billion (2007 est.)
  $753.9 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Austria
  $331.2 billion (2008 est.)
  $324.7 billion (2007 est.)
  $313.7 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Azerbaijan
  $77.79 billion (2008 est.)
  $70.21 billion (2007 est.)
  $56.17 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Bahamas, The
  $9.352 billion (2008 est.)
  $9.495 billion (2007 est.)
  $9.236 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Bahrain
  $26.89 billion (2008 est.)
  $25.29 billion (2007 est.)
  $23.34 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Bangladesh
  $226.4 billion (2008 est.)
  $214 billion (2007 est.)
  $201.5 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Barbados
  $5.367 billion (2008 est.)
  $5.329 billion (2007 est.)
  $5.159 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Belarus
  $114.3 billion (2008 est.)
  $103.9 billion (2007 est.)
  $96.06 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Belgium
  $390.2 billion (2008 est.)
  $386.3 billion (2007 est.)
  $376.5 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Belize
  $2.542 billion (2008 est.)
  $2.468 billion (2007 est.)
  $2.43 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Benin
  $12.86 billion (2008 est.)
  $12.28 billion (2007 est.)
  $11.75 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Bermuda
  $4.5 billion (2004 est.)

Bhutan
  $3.533 billion (2008 est.)
  $2.91 billion (2007 est.)
  $2.738 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Bolivia
  $43.38 billion (2008 est.)
  $40.88 billion (2007 est.)
  $39.08 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Bosnia and Herzegovina $29.77 billion (2008 est.) $28.22 billion (2007 est.) $26.62 billion (2006 est.) note: data are in 2008 US dollars Bosnia has a large informal sector that may be as much as 50% of official GDP

Botswana
  $27.11 billion (2008 est.)
  $26.35 billion (2007 est.)
  $25.23 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Brazil
  $1.998 trillion (2008 est.)
  $1.901 trillion (2007 est.)
  $1.798 trillion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

British Virgin Islands
  $853.4 million (2004 est.)

Brunei
  $19.58 billion (2008 est.)
  $19.96 billion (2007 est.)
  $19.92 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Bulgaria
  $93.98 billion (2008 est.)
  $88.66 billion (2007 est.)
  $83.48 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Burkina Faso
  $17.96 billion (2008 est.)
  $17.11 billion (2007 est.)
  $16.5 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Burma
  $55.27 billion (2008 est.)
  $54.66 billion (2007 est.)
  $52.87 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Burundi
  $3.109 billion (2008 est.)
  $2.976 billion (2007 est.)
  $2.872 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Cambodia
  $28.01 billion (2008 est.)
  $26.67 billion (2007 est.)
  $24.2 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Cameroon
  $42.69 billion (2008 est.)
  $41.33 billion (2007 est.)
  $39.93 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Canada
  $1.303 trillion (2008 est.)
  $1.298 trillion (2007 est.)
  $1.266 trillion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Cape Verde
  $1.63 billion (2008 est.)
  $1.545 billion (2007 est.)
  $1.446 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Cayman Islands $1.939 billion (2004 est.) $1.922 billion (2003 est.)

Central African Republic
  $3.184 billion (2008 est.)
  $3.115 billion (2007 est.)
  $3.004 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Chad
  $15.82 billion (2008 est.)
  $15.85 billion (2007 est.)
  $15.82 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Chile
  $245.1 billion (2008 est.)
  $237.5 billion (2007 est.)
  $226.8 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

China
  $7.992 trillion (2008 est.)
  $7.332 trillion (2007 est.)
  $6.489 trillion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Christmas Island
  $NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  $NA

Colombia
  $396 billion (2008 est.)
  $386.7 billion (2007 est.)
  $359.7 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Comoros
  $741.7 million (2008 est.)
  $738 million (2007 est.)
  $745.5 million (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  $20.76 billion (2008 est.)
  $19.61 billion (2007 est.)
  $18.32 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Congo, Republic of the
  $15.39 billion (2008 est.)
  $14.46 billion (2007 est.)
  $14.7 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Cook Islands
  $183.2 million (2005 est.)

Costa Rica
  $48.84 billion (2008 est.)
  $47.6 billion (2007 est.)
  $44.16 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Cote d'Ivoire
  $34.12 billion (2008 est.)
  $33.36 billion (2007 est.)
  $32.79 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Croatia
  $82.58 billion (2008 est.)
  $80.65 billion (2007 est.)
  $76.44 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Cuba
  $108.4 billion (2008 est.)
  $103.9 billion (2007 est.)
  $96.9 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Cyprus
  $22.76 billion (2008 est.)
  $21.94 billion (2007 est.)
  $21.02 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Czech Republic
  $264.8 billion (2008 est.)
  $258.1 billion (2007 est.)
  $243.2 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Denmark
  $204.1 billion (2008 est.)
  $206.6 billion (2007 est.)
  $203.3 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Djibouti
  $1.891 billion (2008 est.)
  $1.786 billion (2007 est.)
  $1.696 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Dominica
  $726.3 million (2008 est.)
  $703.8 million (2007 est.)
  $691.4 million (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Dominican Republic
  $78.19 billion (2008 est.)
  $74.25 billion (2007 est.)
  $68.43 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Ecuador
  $108 billion (2008 est.)
  $101.4 billion (2007 est.)
  $98.93 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Egypt
  $444.8 billion (2008 est.)
  $414.9 billion (2007 est.)
  $387.4 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

El Salvador
  $43.73 billion (2008 est.)
  $42.66 billion (2007 est.)
  $40.75 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Equatorial Guinea
  $23 billion (2008 est.)
  $20.8 billion (2007 est.)
  $16.98 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Eritrea
  $3.954 billion (2008 est.)
  $3.876 billion (2007 est.)
  $3.838 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Estonia
  $28.03 billion (2008 est.)
  $29.08 billion (2007 est.)
  $27.13 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Ethiopia
  $70.23 billion (2008 est.)
  $62.93 billion (2007 est.)
  $56.64 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

European Union
  $14.94 trillion (2008 est.)
  $14.82 trillion (2007 est.)
  $14.39 trillion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  $105.1 million (2002 est.)

Faroe Islands
  $1 billion (2001 est.)

Fiji
  $3.587 billion (2008 est.)
  $3.58 billion (2007 est.)
  $3.833 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Finland
  $194 billion (2008 est.)
  $192.4 billion (2007 est.)
  $184.8 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

France
  $2.133 trillion (2008 est.)
  $2.126 trillion (2007 est.)
  $2.078 trillion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

French Polynesia
  $4.718 billion (2004 est.)
  $4.58 billion (2003 est.)

Gabon
  $21.16 billion (2008 est.)
  $20.74 billion (2007 est.)
  $19.64 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Gambia, The
  $2.277 billion (2008 est.)
  $2.15 billion (2007 est.)
  $2.023 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Gaza Strip
  $11.95 billion (2008 est.)
  $5.034 billion (2006 est.)
  $5.327 billion (2005 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Georgia
  $21.56 billion (2008 est.)
  $21.12 billion (2007 est.)
  $18.81 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Germany
  $2.925 trillion (2008 est.)
  $2.887 trillion (2007 est.)
  $2.817 trillion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Ghana
  $34.52 billion (2008 est.)
  $32.17 billion (2007 est.)
  $30.27 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Gibraltar
  $1.066 billion (2005 est.)
  $769 million (2000 est.)

Greece
  $343.8 billion (2008 est.)
  $334.1 billion (2007 est.)
  $321.3 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Greenland
  $1.1 billion (2001 est.)

Grenada
  $1.19 billion (2008 est.)
  $1.165 billion (2007 est.)
  $1.11 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Guam
  $2.5 billion (2005 est.)

Guatemala
  $68.75 billion (2008 est.)
  $66.1 billion (2007 est.)
  $62.18 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Guernsey
  $2.742 billion (2005)

Guinea
  $10.62 billion (2008 est.)
  $10.17 billion (2007 est.)
  $10.02 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Guinea-Bissau
  $896.5 million (2008 est.)
  $867.9 million (2007 est.)
  $845.1 million (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Guyana
  $2.973 billion (2008 est.)
  $2.887 billion (2007 est.)
  $2.739 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Haiti
  $11.53 billion (2008 est.)
  $11.38 billion (2007 est.)
  $11 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Holy See (Vatican City)
  $NA

Honduras
  $33.8 billion (2008 est.)
  $32.5 billion (2007 est.)
  $30.57 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Hong Kong
  $307.3 billion (2008 est.)
  $300.1 billion (2007 est.)
  $282.1 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Hungary
  $196.7 billion (2008 est.)
  $195.5 billion (2007 est.)
  $193.2 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Iceland
  $12.87 billion (2008 est.)
  $12.7 billion (2007 est.)
  $12.03 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

India
  $3.304 trillion (2008 est.)
  $3.077 trillion (2007 est.)
  $2.823 trillion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Indonesia
  $916.7 billion (2008 est.)
  $864 billion (2007 est.)
  $812.8 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Iran
  $843.7 billion (2008 est.)
  $792.2 billion (2007 est.)
  $734.7 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Iraq
  $90.23 billion (2008 est.)
  $83.7 billion (2007 est.)
  $82.46 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Ireland
  $189 billion (2008 est.)
  $194.9 billion (2007 est.)
  $183.9 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Isle of Man
  $2.719 billion (2005 est.)

Israel
  $203.4 billion (2008 est.)
  $195.2 billion (2007 est.)
  $185.6 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Italy
  $1.827 trillion (2008 est.)
  $1.845 trillion (2007 est.)
  $1.818 trillion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Jamaica
  $24.04 billion (2008 est.)
  $24.19 billion (2007 est.)
  $23.85 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Japan
  $4.34 trillion (2008 est.)
  $4.37 trillion (2007 est.)
  $4.272 trillion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Jersey
  $5.1 billion (2005 est.)

Jordan
  $31.68 billion (2008 est.)
  $30 billion (2007 est.)
  $28.14 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Kazakhstan
  $176.2 billion (2008 est.)
  $172.1 billion (2007 est.)
  $158.6 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Kenya
  $61.65 billion (2008 est.)
  $60.62 billion (2007 est.)
  $56.68 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Kiribati
  $580.8 million (2008 est.)
  $561.7 million (2007 est.)
  $564.6 million (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Korea, North
  $40 billion (2008 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Korea, South
  $1.338 trillion (2008 est.)
  $1.309 trillion (2007 est.)
  $1.245 trillion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Kosovo
  $5 billion (2007 est.)

Kuwait
  $149.5 billion (2008 est.)
  $137.8 billion (2007 est.)
  $131.6 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Kyrgyzstan
  $11.64 billion (2008 est.)
  $10.82 billion (2007 est.)
  $9.971 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Laos
  $14.01 billion (2008 est.)
  $13.04 billion (2007 est.)
  $12.13 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Latvia
  $38.95 billion (2008 est.)
  $40.83 billion (2007 est.)
  $37.12 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Lebanon
  $44.16 billion (2008 est.)
  $41.54 billion (2007 est.)
  $39.95 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Lesotho
  $3.301 billion (2008 est.)
  $3.091 billion (2007 est.)
  $2.949 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Liberia
  $1.531 billion (2008 est.)
  $1.43 billion (2007 est.)
  $1.306 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Libya
  $87.72 billion (2008 est.)
  $82.83 billion (2007 est.)
  $78.44 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Liechtenstein
  $4.16 billion (2007)
  $4.035 billion (2006 est.)

Lithuania
  $63.37 billion (2008 est.)
  $61.52 billion (2007 est.)
  $56.49 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Luxembourg
  $39.47 billion (2008 est.)
  $39.84 billion (2007 est.)
  $37.87 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Macau
  $18.14 billion (2008 est.)
  $12.5 billion (2006)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Macedonia
  $18.83 billion (2008 est.)
  $17.88 billion (2007 est.)
  $16.88 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars
  Macedonia has a large informal sector

Madagascar
  $20.18 billion (2008 est.)
  $18.86 billion (2007 est.)
  $17.76 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Malawi
  $11.95 billion (2008 est.)
  $10.9 billion (2007 est.)
  $10.1 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Malaysia
  $385.2 billion (2008 est.)
  $368.3 billion (2007 est.)
  $346.8 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Maldives
  $1.723 billion (2008 est.)
  $1.628 billion (2007 est.)
  $1.519 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Mali
  $14.75 billion (2008 est.)
  $14.04 billion (2007 est.)
  $13.65 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Malta
  $9.933 billion (2008 est.)
  $9.707 billion (2007 est.)
  $9.317 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Marshall Islands
  $133.5 million (2008 est.)
  $115 million (2001 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Mauritania
  $6.323 billion (2008 est.)
  $6.109 billion (2007 est.)
  $6.048 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Mauritius
  $15.43 billion (2008 est.)
  $14.65 billion (2007 est.)
  $13.89 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Mayotte
  $953.6 million (2005 est.)

Mexico
  $1.567 trillion (2008 est.)
  $1.547 trillion (2007 est.)
  $1.498 trillion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Micronesia, Federated States of $238.1 million (2008 est.) $277 million (2002 est.) note: data are in 2008 US dollars GDP supplemented by grant aid, averaging perhaps $100 million annually

Moldova
  $10.8 billion (2008 est.)
  $10.07 billion (2007 est.)
  $9.684 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Monaco
  $976.3 million (2006 est.)
  note: Monaco does not publish national income figures; the estimates
  are extremely rough

Mongolia
  $9.499 billion (2008 est.)
  $8.714 billion (2007 est.)
  $7.929 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Montenegro
  $6.832 billion (2008 est.)
  $6.355 billion (2007 est.)
  $5.804 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Montserrat
  $29 million (2002 est.)

Morocco
  $137.9 billion (2008 est.)
  $129.9 billion (2007 est.)
  $125.9 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Mozambique
  $19.11 billion (2008 est.)
  $17.89 billion (2007 est.)
  $16.66 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Namibia
  $13.28 billion (2008 est.)
  $12.9 billion (2007 est.)
  $12.23 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Nauru
  $60 million (2005 est.)

Nepal
  $31.39 billion (2008 est.)
  $29.81 billion (2007 est.)
  $28.86 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Netherlands
  $673.5 billion (2008 est.)
  $660.3 billion (2007 est.)
  $637.4 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Netherlands Antilles
  $2.8 billion (2004 est.)

New Caledonia
  $3.158 billion (2003 est.)

New Zealand
  $116.6 billion (2008 est.)
  $116.6 billion (2007 est.)
  $113 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Nicaragua
  $16.83 billion (2008 est.)
  $16.31 billion (2007 est.)
  $15.8 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Niger
  $10.29 billion (2008 est.)
  $9.398 billion (2007 est.)
  $9.097 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Nigeria
  $336.2 billion (2008 est.)
  $319.3 billion (2007 est.)
  $300.1 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Niue
  $10.01 million (2003 est.)

Norfolk Island
  $NA

Northern Mariana Islands
  $900 million (2000 est.)
  note: GDP estimate includes US subsidy

Norway
  $276.3 billion (2008 est.)
  $269.6 billion (2007 est.)
  $253.8 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Oman
  $66.87 billion (2008 est.)
  $62.84 billion (2007 est.)
  $59.4 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Pakistan
  $431.2 billion (2008 est.)
  $417 billion (2007 est.)
  $393.4 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Palau
  $164 million (2008 est.)
  $124.5 million (2004 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars
  GDP estimate includes US subsidy

Panama
  $38.92 billion (2008 est.)
  $35.64 billion (2007 est.)
  $31.96 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Papua New Guinea
  $13.17 billion (2008 est.)
  $12.3 billion (2007 est.)
  $11.65 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Paraguay
  $28.95 billion (2008 est.)
  $27.37 billion (2007 est.)
  $25.62 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Peru
  $247.9 billion (2008 est.)
  $225.8 billion (2007 est.)
  $207.3 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Philippines
  $318.2 billion (2008 est.)
  $306.6 billion (2007 est.)
  $286.2 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Pitcairn Islands
  $NA

Poland
  $670.7 billion (2008 est.)
  $638.8 billion (2007 est.)
  $598.1 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Portugal
  $237.3 billion (2008 est.)
  $237.3 billion (2007 est.)
  $232.9 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Puerto Rico
  $70.23 billion (2008 est.)
  $72.03 billion (2007 est.)
  $73.35 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Qatar
  $91.55 billion (2008 est.)
  $80.73 billion (2007 est.)
  $68.82 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Romania
  $272 billion (2008 est.)
  $254 billion (2007 est.)
  $239.2 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Russia
  $2.271 trillion (2008 est.)
  $2.151 trillion (2007 est.)
  $1.99 trillion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Rwanda
  $9.729 billion (2008 est.)
  $8.749 billion (2007 est.)
  $8.108 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Saint Helena
  $18 million (1998 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  $759.5 million (2008 est.)
  $742 million (2007 est.)
  $735.8 million (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Saint Lucia
  $1.774 billion (2008 est.)
  $1.762 billion (2007 est.)
  $1.733 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Saint Pierre and Miquelon $48.3 million (2003 est.) note: supplemented by annual payments from France of about $60 million

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  $1.072 billion (2008 est.)
  $1.063 billion (2007 est.)
  $993.4 million (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Samoa
  $1.021 billion (2008 est.)
  $1.057 billion (2007 est.)
  $996.5 million (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

San Marino $1.662 billion (2007) $850 million (2004 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  $277.1 million (2008 est.)
  $262.7 million (2007 est.)
  $247.8 million (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Saudi Arabia
  $577.9 billion (2008 est.)
  $553.5 billion (2007 est.)
  $535.8 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Senegal
  $21.78 billion (2008 est.)
  $21.25 billion (2007 est.)
  $20.27 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Serbia
  $79.77 billion (2008 est.)
  $75.68 billion (2007 est.)
  $70.8 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Seychelles
  $1.821 billion (2008 est.)
  $1.838 billion (2007 est.)
  $1.675 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Sierra Leone
  $4.388 billion (2008 est.)
  $4.159 billion (2007 est.)
  $3.909 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Singapore
  $237.9 billion (2008 est.)
  $235.3 billion (2007 est.)
  $218.3 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Slovakia
  $119.8 billion (2008 est.)
  $112.6 billion (2007 est.)
  $102 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Slovenia
  $59.49 billion (2008 est.)
  $57.47 billion (2007 est.)
  $53.81 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Solomon Islands
  $1.546 billion (2008 est.)
  $1.441 billion (2007 est.)
  $1.306 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Somalia
  $5.524 billion (2008 est.)
  $5.387 billion (2007 est.)
  $5.252 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

South Africa
  $492.2 billion (2008 est.)
  $477.4 billion (2007 est.)
  $454.2 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Spain
  $1.402 trillion (2008 est.)
  $1.39 trillion (2007 est.)
  $1.341 trillion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Sri Lanka
  $92.09 billion (2008 est.)
  $86.88 billion (2007 est.)
  $81.35 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Sudan
  $88.37 billion (2008 est.)
  $82.9 billion (2007 est.)
  $75.22 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Suriname
  $4.226 billion (2008 est.)
  $3.987 billion (2007 est.)
  $3.779 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Svalbard
  $NA

Swaziland
  $5.826 billion (2008 est.)
  $5.673 billion (2007 est.)
  $5.481 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Sweden
  $345.1 billion (2008 est.)
  $346.5 billion (2007 est.)
  $337.4 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Switzerland
  $318.1 billion (2008 est.)
  $312.4 billion (2007 est.)
  $301.6 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Syria
  $99.06 billion (2008 est.)
  $94.26 billion (2007 est.)
  $88.65 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Taiwan
  $713.7 billion (2008 est.)
  $713 billion (2007 est.)
  $674.5 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Tajikistan
  $13.19 billion (2008 est.)
  $12.22 billion (2007 est.)
  $11.34 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Tanzania
  $54.38 billion (2008 est.)
  $50.77 billion (2007 est.)
  $47.38 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Thailand
  $548.7 billion (2008 est.)
  $534.8 billion (2007 est.)
  $509.8 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Timor-Leste
  $2.526 billion (2008 est.)
  $2.239 billion (2007 est.)
  $2.066 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Togo
  $5.13 billion (2008 est.)
  $5.074 billion (2007 est.)
  $4.98 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Tokelau
  $1.5 million (1993 est.)

Tonga
  $548.1 million (2008 est.)
  $543.7 million (2007 est.)
  $545.4 million (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Trinidad and Tobago
  $29.09 billion (2008 est.)
  $28.11 billion (2007 est.)
  $26.65 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Tunisia
  $81.98 billion (2008 est.)
  $78.53 billion (2007 est.)
  $73.67 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Turkey
  $903.9 billion (2008 est.)
  $895.8 billion (2007 est.)
  $855.6 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Turkmenistan
  $31.28 billion (2008 est.)
  $28.49 billion (2007 est.)
  $25.53 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Turks and Caicos Islands
  $216 million (2002 est.)

Tuvalu
  $14.94 million (2002 est.)

Uganda
  $40.08 billion (2008 est.)
  $37 billion (2007 est.)
  $34.21 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Ukraine
  $338.6 billion (2008 est.)
  $331.6 billion (2007 est.)
  $307.4 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

United Arab Emirates
  $206.3 billion (2008 est.)
  $192 billion (2007 est.)
  $181.2 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

United Kingdom
  $2.236 trillion (2008 est.)
  $2.22 trillion (2007 est.)
  $2.164 trillion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

United States
  $14.44 trillion (2008 est.)
  $14.38 trillion (2007 est.)
  $14.09 trillion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Uruguay
  $43.27 billion (2008 est.)
  $39.73 billion (2007 est.)
  $36.99 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Uzbekistan
  $71.84 billion (2008 est.)
  $65.91 billion (2007 est.)
  $60.19 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Vanuatu
  $990.8 million (2008 est.)
  $929.5 million (2007 est.)
  $870.3 million (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Venezuela
  $356.3 billion (2008 est.)
  $340 billion (2007 est.)
  $314.2 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Vietnam
  $242.3 billion (2008 est.)
  $228.1 billion (2007 est.)
  $210.3 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Virgin Islands
  $1.577 billion (2004 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
  $60 million (2004 est.)

West Bank
  $11.95 billion (2008 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Western Sahara
  $900 million (2007 est.)

World
  $70.14 trillion (2008 est.)
  $68.08 trillion (2007 est.)
  $64.77 trillion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Yemen
  $55.41 billion (2008 est.)
  $53.69 billion (2007 est.)
  $51.87 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Zambia
  $17.54 billion (2008 est.)
  $16.55 billion (2007 est.)
  $15.58 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Zimbabwe
  $1.925 billion (2008 est.)
  $2.241 billion (2007 est.)
  $2.371 billion (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

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

@2002

Field Listing :: Population growth rate

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

Population growth rate(%)

Afghanistan
  2.629% (2009 est.)

Albania
  0.546% (2009 est.)

Algeria
  1.196% (2009 est.)

American Samoa
  1.222% (2009 est.)

Andorra
  1.135% (2009 est.)

Angola
  2.095% (2009 est.)

Anguilla
  2.272% (2009 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  1.303% (2009 est.)

Argentina
  1.053% (2009 est.)

Armenia
  -0.03% (2009 est.)

Aruba
  1.478% (2009 est.)

Australia
  1.195% (2009 est.)

Austria
  0.052% (2009 est.)

Azerbaijan
  0.762% (2009 est.)

Bahamas, The
  0.536% (2009 est.)

Bahrain
  1.285% (2009 est.)

Bangladesh
  1.292% (2009 est.)

Barbados
  0.383% (2009 est.)

Belarus
  -0.378% (2009 est.)

Belgium
  0.094% (2009 est.)

Belize
  2.154% (2009 est.)

Benin
  2.977% (2009 est.)

Bermuda
  0.647% (2009 est.)

Bhutan
  1.267% (2009 est.)

Bolivia
  1.772% (2009 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  0.339% (2009 est.)

Botswana
  1.937% (2009 est.)

Brazil
  1.199% (2009 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  1.837% (2009 est.)

Brunei
  1.759% (2009 est.)

Bulgaria
  -0.79% (2009 est.)

Burkina Faso
  3.103% (2009 est.)

Burma
  0.783% (2009 est.)

Burundi
  3.279% (2009 est.)

Cambodia
  1.765% (2009 est.)

Cameroon
  2.19% (2009 est.)

Canada
  0.817% (2009 est.)

Cape Verde
  0.561% (2009 est.)

Cayman Islands
  2.394% (2009 est.)

Central African Republic
  1.491% (2009 est.)

Chad
  2.069% (2009 est.)

Chile
  0.881% (2009 est.)

China
  0.655% (2009 est.)

Christmas Island
  0% (2009 est.)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  0% (2009 est.)

Colombia
  1.377% (2009 est.)

Comoros
  2.766% (2009 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  3.208% (2009 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  2.754% (2009 est.)

Cook Islands
  -3.302% (2009 est.)

Costa Rica
  1.356% (2009 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  2.133% (2009 est.)

Croatia
  -0.052% (2009 est.)

Cuba
  0.233% (2009 est.)

Cyprus
  0.519% (2009 est.)

Czech Republic
  -0.094% (2009 est.)

Denmark
  0.28% (2009 est.)

Djibouti
  1.903% (2009 est.)

Dominica
  0.208% (2009 est.)

Dominican Republic
  1.489% (2009 est.)

Ecuador
  1.497% (2009 est.)

Egypt
  1.642% (2009 est.)

El Salvador
  1.656% (2009 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  2.703% (2009 est.)

Eritrea
  2.577% (2009 est.)

Estonia
  -0.632% (2009 est.)

Ethiopia
  3.208% (2009 est.)

European Union
  0.108 % (2009 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  0.011% (2009 est.)

Faroe Islands
  0.397% (2009 est.)

Fiji
  1.379% (2009 est.)

Finland
  0.098% (2009 est.)

France
  0.549% (2009 est.)

French Polynesia
  1.391% (2009 est.)

Gabon
  1.934% (2009 est.)

Gambia, The
  2.668% (2009 est.)

Gaza Strip
  3.349% (2009 est.)

Georgia
  -0.325% (2009 est.)

Germany
  -0.053% (2009 est.)

Ghana
  1.882% (2009 est.)

Gibraltar
  0.111% (2009 est.)

Greece
  0.127% (2009 est.)

Greenland
  0.062% (2009 est.)

Grenada
  0.468% (2009 est.)

Guam
  1.365% (2009 est.)

Guatemala
  2.066% (2009 est.)

Guernsey
  0.21% (2009 est.)

Guinea
  2.572% (2009 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  2.019% (2009 est.)

Guyana
  0.181% (2009 est.)

Haiti
  1.838% (2009 est.)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  0.003% (2009 est.)

Honduras
  1.956% (2009 est.)

Hong Kong
  0.504% (2009 est.)

Hungary
  -0.257% (2009 est.)

Iceland
  0.741% (2009 est.)

India
  1.548% (2009 est.)

Indonesia
  1.136% (2009 est.)

Iran
  0.883% (2009 est.)

Iraq
  2.507% (2009 est.)

Ireland
  1.12% (2009 est.)

Isle of Man
  0.524% (2009 est.)

Israel
  1.671% (2009 est.)

Italy
  -0.047% (2009 est.)

Jamaica
  0.755% (2009 est.)

Japan
  -0.191% (2009 est.)

Jersey
  0.211% (2009 est.)

Jordan
  2.264% (2009 est.)

Kazakhstan
  0.392% (2009 est.)

Kenya
  2.691% (2009 est.)

Kiribati
  2.235% (2009 est.)

Korea, North
  0.42% (2009 est.)

Korea, South
  0.266% (2009 est.)

Kuwait
  3.547%
  note: this rate reflects a return to pre-Gulf crisis immigration of
  expatriates (2009 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  1.396% (2009 est.)

Laos
  2.316% (2009 est.)

Latvia
  -0.614% (2009 est.)

Lebanon
  1.107% (2009 est.)

Lesotho
  0.116% (2009 est.)

Liberia
  2.665% (2009 est.)

Libya
  2.17% (2009 est.)

Liechtenstein
  0.702% (2009 est.)

Lithuania
  -0.279% (2009 est.)

Luxembourg
  1.172% (2009 est.)

Macau
  1.995% (2009 est.)

Macedonia
  0.262% (2009 est.)

Madagascar
  3% (2009 est.)

Malawi
  2.388% (2009 est.)

Malaysia
  1.723% (2009 est.)

Maldives
  -0.168% (2009 est.)

Mali
  2.765% (2009 est.)

Malta
  0.4% (2009 est.)

Marshall Islands
  2.08% (2009 est.)

Mauritania
  2.399% (2009 est.)

Mauritius
  0.776% (2009 est.)

Mayotte
  3.317% (2009 est.)

Mexico
  1.13% (2009 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  -0.238% (2009 est.)

Moldova
  -0.079% (2009 est.)

Monaco
  0.394% (2009 est.)

Mongolia
  1.493% (2009 est.)

Montenegro
  -0.851% (2009 est.)

Montserrat
  0.392% (2009 est.)

Morocco
  1.479% (2009 est.)

Mozambique
  1.791% (2009 est.)

Namibia
  0.95% (2009 est.)

Nauru
  1.748% (2009 est.)

Nepal
  1.281% (2009 est.)

Netherlands
  0.412% (2009 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  0.732% (2009 est.)

New Caledonia
  1.136% (2009 est.)

New Zealand
  0.935% (2009 est.)

Nicaragua
  1.784% (2009 est.)

Niger
  3.677% (2009 est.)

Nigeria
  1.999% (2009 est.)

Niue
  -0.032% (2009 est.)

Norfolk Island
  0.006% (2009 est.)

Northern Mariana Islands
  2.292% (2009 est.)

Norway
  0.341% (2009 est.)

Oman
  3.138% (2009 est.)

Pakistan
  1.947% (2009 est.)

Palau
  0.428% (2009 est.)

Panama
  1.503% (2009 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  2.069% (2009 est.)

Paraguay
  2.364% (2009 est.)

Peru
  1.229% (2009 est.)

Philippines
  1.957% (2009 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  0% (2009 est.)

Poland
  -0.047% (2009 est.)

Portugal
  0.275% (2009 est.)

Puerto Rico
  0.34% (2009 est.)

Qatar
  0.957% (2009 est.)

Romania
  -0.147% (2009 est.)

Russia
  -0.467% (2009 est.)

Rwanda
  2.782% (2009 est.)

Saint Helena
  0.445% (2009 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  0.847% (2009 est.)

Saint Lucia
  0.416% (2009 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  0.085% (2009 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  -0.344% (2009 est.)

Samoa
  1.346% (2009 est.)

San Marino
  1.148% (2009 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  3.093% (2009 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  1.848% (2009 est.)

Senegal
  2.709% (2009 est.)

Serbia
  -0.468% (2009 est.)

Seychelles
  0.999% (2009 est.)

Sierra Leone
  2.282% (2009 est.)

Singapore
  0.998% (2009 est.)

Slovakia
  0.137% (2009 est.)

Slovenia
  -0.113% (2009 est.)

Solomon Islands
  2.392% (2009 est.)

Somalia
  2.815% (2009 est.)

South Africa
  0.281% (2009 est.)

Spain
  0.072% (2009 est.)

Sri Lanka
  0.904% (2009 est.)

Sudan
  2.143% (2009 est.)

Suriname
  1.103% (2009 est.)

Svalbard
  -0.023% (2009 est.)

Swaziland
  -0.459% (2009 est.)

Sweden
  0.158% (2009 est.)

Switzerland
  0.276% (2009 est.)

Syria
  2.129% (2009 est.)

Taiwan
  0.227% (2009 est.)

Tajikistan
  1.878% (2009 est.)

Tanzania
  2.04% (2009 est.)

Thailand
  0.615% (2009 est.)

Timor-Leste
  2.027% (2009 est.)

Togo
  2.711% (2009 est.)

Tokelau
  -0.011% (2009 est.)

Tonga
  1.482% (2009 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  -0.102% (2009 est.)

Tunisia
  0.98% (2009 est.)

Turkey
  1.312% (2009 est.)

Turkmenistan
  1.141% (2009 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  2.563% (2009 est.)

Tuvalu
  1.616% (2009 est.)

Uganda
  2.692% (2009 est.)

Ukraine
  -0.632% (2009 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  3.689% (2009 est.)

United Kingdom
  0.279% (2009 est.)

United States
  0.975% (2009 est.)

Uruguay
  0.466% (2009 est.)

Uzbekistan
  0.935% (2009 est.)

Vanuatu
  1.398% (2009 est.)

Venezuela
  1.508% (2009 est.)

Vietnam
  0.977% (2009 est.)

Virgin Islands
  -0.029% (2009 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
  0.347% (2009 est.)

West Bank
  2.178% (2009 est.)

Western Sahara
  2.829% NA (2009 est.)

World
  1.167% (2009 est.)

Yemen
  3.453% (2009 est.)

Zambia
  1.631% (2009 est.)

Zimbabwe
  1.53% (2009 est.)

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

@2003

Field Listing :: GDP - real growth rate

  This entry gives GDP growth on an annual basis adjusted for
  inflation and expressed as a percent.
  Country Comparison to the World
  Country

GDP - real growth rate(%)

Afghanistan
  3.4% (2008 est.)
  12.1% (2007 est.)
  8.2% (2006 est.)

Albania
  6.1% (2008 est.)
  6% (2007 est.)
  5.5% (2006 est.)

Algeria
  3.5% (2008 est.)
  3.1% (2007 est.)
  2.1% (2006 est.)

American Samoa
  3% (2003)

Andorra
  2% (2007 est.)
  3.5% (2005 est.)

Angola
  12.3% (2008 est.)
  21.1% (2007 est.)
  18.6% (2006 est.)

Anguilla
  10.2% (2004 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  2.8% (2008 est.)
  6.9% (2007 est.)
  12.4% (2006 est.)

Argentina
  6.8% (2008 est.)
  8.7% (2007 est.)
  8.5% (2006 est.)

Armenia
  6.8% (2008 est.)
  13.8% (2007 est.)
  13.2% (2006 est.)

Aruba
  2.4% (2005 est.)

Australia
  2.4% (2008 est.)
  4% (2007 est.)
  2.8% (2006 est.)

Austria
  2% (2008 est.)
  3.5% (2007 est.)
  3.5% (2006 est.)

Azerbaijan
  10.8% (2008 est.)
  25% (2007 est.)
  34.5% (2006 est.)

Bahamas, The
  -1.5% (2008 est.)
  2.8% (2007 est.)
  4.6% (2006 est.)

Bahrain
  6.3% (2008 est.)
  8.4% (2007 est.)
  6.7% (2006 est.)

Bangladesh
  5.8% (2008 est.)
  6.2% (2007 est.)
  6.4% (2006 est.)

Barbados
  0.7% (2008 est.)
  3.3% (2007 est.)
  3.9% (2006 est.)

Belarus
  10% (2008 est.)
  8.2% (2007 est.)
  9.9% (2006 est.)

Belgium
  1% (2008 est.)
  2.6% (2007 est.)
  3% (2006 est.)

Belize
  3% (2008 est.)
  1.6% (2007 est.)
  5.3% (2006 est.)

Benin
  4.8% (2008 est.)
  4.5% (2007 est.)
  3.8% (2006 est.)

Bermuda
  4.6% (2004 est.)

Bhutan
  21.4% (2008 est.)
  6.3% (2007 est.)
  6.5% (2006 est.)

Bolivia
  6.1% (2008 est.)
  4.6% (2007 est.)
  4.8% (2006 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  5.5% (2008 est.)
  6% (2007 est.)
  6.9% (2006 est.)

Botswana
  2.9% (2008 est.)
  4.4% (2007 est.)
  5.1% (2006 est.)

Brazil
  5.1% (2008 est.)
  5.7% (2007 est.)
  4% (2006 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  1% (2002 est.)

Brunei
  -1.9% (2008 est.)
  0.2% (2007 est.)
  4.4% (2006 est.)

Bulgaria
  6% (2008 est.)
  6.2% (2007 est.)
  6.3% (2006 est.)

Burkina Faso
  5% (2008 est.)
  3.7% (2007 est.)
  5.5% (2006 est.)

Burma
  1.1% (2008 est.)
  3.4% (2007 est.)
  3.4% (2006 est.)

Burundi
  4.5% (2008 est.)
  3.6% (2007 est.)
  5.1% (2006 est.)

Cambodia
  5% (2008 est.)
  10.2% (2007 est.)
  10.8% (2006 est.)

Cameroon
  3.3% (2008 est.)
  3.5% (2007 est.)
  3.2% (2006 est.)

Canada
  0.4% (2008 est.)
  2.5% (2007 est.)
  2.9% (2006 est.)

Cape Verde
  5.5% (2008 est.)
  6.9% (2007 est.)
  10.8% (2006 est.)

Cayman Islands
  0.9% (2004 est.)

Central African Republic
  2.2% (2008 est.)
  3.7% (2007 est.)
  3.8% (2006 est.)

Chad
  -0.2% (2008 est.)
  0.2% (2007 est.)
  0.2% (2006 est.)

Chile
  3.2% (2008 est.)
  4.7% (2007 est.)
  4.6% (2006 est.)

China
  9% (2008 est.)
  13% (2007 est.)
  11.6% (2006 est.)

Colombia
  2.4% (2008 est.)
  7.5% (2007 est.)
  6.9% (2006 est.)

Comoros
  0.5% (2008 est.)
  -1% (2007 est.)
  1.3% (2006 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  5.9% (2008 est.)
  7% (2007 est.)
  6.4% (2006 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  6.4% (2008 est.)
  -1.6% (2007 est.)
  6.2% (2006 est.)

Cook Islands
  0.1% (2005 est.)

Costa Rica
  2.6% (2008 est.)
  7.8% (2007 est.)
  8.8% (2006 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  2.3% (2008 est.)
  1.7% (2007 est.)
  0.7% (2006 est.)

Croatia
  2.4% (2008 est.)
  5.5% (2007 est.)
  4.7% (2006 est.)

Cuba
  4.3% (2008 est.)
  7.3% (2007 est.)
  12.1% (2006 est.)

Cyprus
  3.7% (2008 est.)
  4.4% (2007 est.)
  4.1% (2006 est.)

Czech Republic
  2.6% (2008 est.)
  6.1% (2007 est.)
  6.8% (2006 est.)

Denmark
  -1.2% (2008 est.)
  1.6% (2007 est.)
  3.3% (2006 est.)

Djibouti
  5.9% (2008 est.)
  5.3% (2007 est.)
  4.8% (2006 est.)

Dominica
  3.2% (2008 est.)
  1.8% (2007 est.)
  3.8% (2006 est.)

Dominican Republic
  5.3% (2008 est.)
  8.5% (2007 est.)
  10.7% (2006 est.)

Ecuador
  6.5% (2008 est.)
  2.5% (2007 est.)
  3.9% (2006 est.)

Egypt
  7.2% (2008 est.)
  7.1% (2007 est.)
  6.8% (2006 est.)

El Salvador
  2.5% (2008 est.)
  4.7% (2007 est.)
  4.2% (2006 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  10.6% (2008 est.)
  22.5% (2007 est.)
  1.2% (2006 est.)

Eritrea
  2% (2008 est.)
  1% (2007 est.)
  -1% (2006 est.)

Estonia
  -3.6% (2008 est.)
  7.2% (2007 est.)
  10% (2006 est.)

Ethiopia
  11.6% (2008 est.)
  11.1% (2007 est.)
  10.9% (2006 est.)

European Union
  0.9% (2008 est.)
  3% (2007 est.)
  3.4% (2006 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  NA%

Faroe Islands
  2.4% (2005 est.)

Fiji
  0.2% (2008 est.)
  -6.6% (2007 est.)
  3.4% (2006 est.)

Finland
  0.8% (2008 est.)
  4.1% (2007 est.)
  4.9% (2006 est.)

France
  0.3% (2008 est.)
  2.3% (2007 est.)
  2.4% (2006 est.)

French Polynesia
  2.7% (2005)
  5.1% (2002)

Gabon
  2% (2008 est.)
  5.6% (2007 est.)
  1.2% (2006 est.)

Gambia, The
  5.9% (2008 est.)
  6.3% (2007 est.)
  6.5% (2006 est.)

Gaza Strip
  0.8% (2008 est.)
  -8% (2006 est.)
  4.9% (2005 est.)

Georgia
  2.1% (2008 est.)
  12.3% (2007 est.)
  9.4% (2006 est.)

Germany
  1.3% (2008 est.)
  2.5% (2007 est.)
  3.2% (2006 est.)

Ghana
  7.3% (2008 est.)
  6.3% (2007 est.)
  6.4% (2006 est.)

Gibraltar
  7% (2005 est.)

Greece
  2.9% (2008 est.)
  4% (2007 est.)
  4.5% (2006 est.)

Greenland
  2% (2005 est.)

Grenada
  2.2% (2008 est.)
  4.9% (2007 est.)
  -2.3% (2006 est.)

Guam
  NA%

Guatemala 4% (2008 est.) 6.3% (2007 est.) 5.4% (2006 est.)

Guernsey
  3% (2005 est.)

Guinea
  4.5% (2008 est.)
  1.5% (2007 est.)
  2.2% (2006 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  3.3% (2008 est.)
  2.7% (2007 est.)
  0.6% (2006 est.)

Guyana
  3% (2008 est.)
  5.4% (2007 est.)
  5.1% (2006 est.)

Haiti
  1.3% (2008 est.)
  3.4% (2007 est.)
  2.3% (2006 est.)

Honduras
  4% (2008 est.)
  6.3% (2007 est.)
  6.6% (2006 est.)

Hong Kong
  2.4% (2008 est.)
  6.4% (2007 est.)
  7% (2006 est.)

Hungary
  0.6% (2008 est.)
  1.2% (2007 est.)
  3.9% (2006 est.)

Iceland
  1.3% (2008 est.)
  5.5% (2007 est.)
  4.5% (2006 est.)

India
  7.4% (2008 est.)
  9% (2007 est.)
  9.7% (2006 est.)

Indonesia
  6.1% (2008 est.)
  6.3% (2007 est.)
  5.5% (2006 est.)

Iran
  6.5% (2008 est.)
  7.8% (2007 est.)
  5.8% (2006 est.)

Iraq
  7.8% (2008 est.)
  1.5% (2007 est.)
  6.2% (2006 est.)

Ireland
  -3% (2008 est.)
  6% (2007 est.)
  5.4% (2006 est.)

Isle of Man
  5.2% (2005)

Israel
  4.2% (2008 est.)
  5.2% (2007 est.)
  5.3% (2006 est.)

Italy
  -1% (2008 est.)
  1.5% (2007 est.)
  2.1% (2006 est.)

Jamaica
  -0.6% (2008 est.)
  1.4% (2007 est.)
  2.7% (2006 est.)

Japan
  -0.7% (2008 est.)
  2.3% (2007 est.)
  2% (2006 est.)

Jersey
  NA%

Jordan
  5.6% (2008 est.)
  6.6% (2007 est.)
  8% (2006 est.)

Kazakhstan
  2.4% (2008 est.)
  8.5% (2007 est.)
  10.6% (2006 est.)

Kenya
  1.7% (2008 est.)
  7% (2007 est.)
  6.4% (2006 est.)

Kiribati
  3.4% (2008 est.)
  -0.5% (2007 est.)
  3.2% (2006 est.)

Korea, North
  3.7% (2008 est.)

Korea, South 2.2% (2008 est.) 5.1% (2007 est.) 5.2% (2006 est.)

Kosovo
  5.1% (2007 est.)

Kuwait
  8.5% (2008 est.)
  4.7% (2007 est.)
  6.3% (2006 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  7.6% (2008 est.)
  8.5% (2007 est.)
  3.1% (2006 est.)

Laos
  7.5% (2008 est.)
  7.5% (2007 est.)
  8.3% (2006 est.)

Latvia
  -4.6% (2008 est.)
  10% (2007 est.)
  12.2% (2006 est.)

Lebanon
  6.3% (2008 est.)
  4% (2007 est.)
  -4.3% (2006 est.)

Lesotho
  6.8% (2008 est.)
  4.8% (2007 est.)
  6.2% (2006 est.)

Liberia
  7.1% (2008 est.)
  9.5% (2007 est.)
  7.8% (2006 est.)

Libya
  5.9% (2008 est.)
  5.6% (2007 est.)
  5.9% (2006 est.)

Liechtenstein
  3.1% (2007 est.)

Lithuania
  3% (2008 est.)
  8.9% (2007 est.)
  7.8% (2006 est.)

Luxembourg
  -0.9% (2008 est.)
  5.2% (2007 est.)
  6.4% (2006 est.)

Macau 15% (2008) 16.6% (2006)

Macedonia
  5.3% (2008 est.)
  5.9% (2007 est.)
  3.7% (2006 est.)

Madagascar
  7% (2008 est.)
  6.2% (2007 est.)
  5% (2006 est.)

Malawi
  9.7% (2008 est.)
  7.9% (2007 est.)
  8.2% (2006 est.)

Malaysia
  4.6% (2008 est.)
  6.2% (2007 est.)
  5.8% (2006 est.)

Maldives
  5.8% (2008 est.)
  7.2% (2007 est.)
  18% (2006 est.)

Mali
  5.1% (2008 est.)
  2.8% (2007 est.)
  5.3% (2006 est.)

Malta
  2.3% (2008 est.)
  4.2% (2007 est.)
  3.5% (2006 est.)

Marshall Islands -0.3% (2008 est.) 3.5% (2005 est.)

Mauritania
  3.5% (2008 est.)
  1% (2007 est.)
  11.4% (2006 est.)

Mauritius
  5.3% (2008 est.)
  5.5% (2007 est.)
  5.1% (2006 est.)

Mayotte
  NA%

Mexico
  1.3% (2008 est.)
  3.3% (2007 est.)
  5.1% (2006 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  NA
  0.3% (2005 est.)

Moldova 7.2% (2008 est.) 4% (2007 est.) 4.8% (2006 est.)

Monaco 0.9% (2000 est.)

Mongolia
  9% (2008 est.)
  9.9% (2007 est.)
  8.6% (2006 est.)

Montenegro
  7.5% (2008 est.)
  9.5% (2007 est.)
  8.6% (2006 est.)

Montserrat
  -1% (2002 est.)

Morocco
  6.2% (2008 est.)
  3.2% (2007 est.)
  7.8% (2006 est.)

Mozambique
  6.8% (2008 est.)
  7.4% (2007 est.)
  8.5% (2006 est.)

Namibia
  2.9% (2008 est.)
  5.5% (2007 est.)
  7.1% (2006 est.)

Nauru
  NA%

Nepal
  5.3% (2008 est.)
  3.3% (2007 est.)
  3.4% (2006 est.)

Netherlands
  2% (2008 est.)
  3.6% (2007 est.)
  3.4% (2006 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  1% (2004 est.)

New Caledonia
  NA%

New Zealand
  0% (2008 est.)
  3.2% (2007 est.)
  1.9% (2006 est.)

Nicaragua
  3.2% (2008 est.)
  3.2% (2007 est.)
  3.9% (2006 est.)

Niger
  9.5% (2008 est.)
  3.3% (2007 est.)
  5.8% (2006 est.)

Nigeria
  5.3% (2008 est.)
  6.4% (2007 est.)
  6.2% (2006 est.)

Niue
  6.2% (2003 est.)

Northern Mariana Islands
  NA%

Norway
  2.5% (2008 est.)
  6.2% (2007 est.)
  4.4% (2006 est.)

Oman
  6.4% (2008 est.)
  5.8% (2007 est.)
  7.5% (2006 est.)

Pakistan
  3.4% (2008 est.)
  6% (2007 est.)
  6% (2006 est.)

Palau
  5.5% (2005 est.)

Panama
  9.2% (2008 est.)
  11.5% (2007 est.)
  8.5% (2006 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  7% (2008 est.)
  5.6% (2007 est.)
  2.3% (2006 est.)

Paraguay
  5.8% (2008 est.)
  6.8% (2007 est.)
  4.3% (2006 est.)

Peru
  9.8% (2008 est.)
  8.9% (2007 est.)
  7.7% (2006 est.)

Philippines
  3.8% (2008 est.)
  7.1% (2007 est.)
  5.3% (2006 est.)

Poland
  5% (2008 est.)
  6.8% (2007 est.)
  6.2% (2006 est.)

Portugal
  0% (2008 est.)
  1.9% (2007 est.)
  1.4% (2006 est.)

Puerto Rico
  -2.5% (2008 est.)
  -1.8% (2007 est.)
  0.5% (2006 est.)

Qatar
  13.4% (2008 est.)
  17.3% (2007 est.)
  12.2% (2006 est.)

Romania
  7.1% (2008 est.)
  6.2% (2007 est.)
  7.9% (2006 est.)

Russia
  5.6% (2008 est.)
  8.1% (2007 est.)
  7.7% (2006 est.)

Rwanda
  11.2% (2008 est.)
  7.9% (2007 est.)
  7.3% (2006 est.)

Saint Helena
  NA%

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  2.4% (2008 est.)
  0.9% (2007 est.)
  5.3% (2006 est.)

Saint Lucia
  0.7% (2008 est.)
  1.7% (2007 est.)
  5% (2006 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  NA%

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  0.9% (2008 est.)
  7% (2007 est.)
  7.6% (2006 est.)

Samoa
  -3.4% (2008 est.)
  6.1% (2007 est.)
  1.9% (2006 est.)

San Marino
  4.3% (2007 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  5.5% (2008 est.)
  6% (2007 est.)
  6.7% (2006 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  4.4% (2008 est.)
  3.3% (2007 est.)
  3.1% (2006 est.)

Senegal
  2.5% (2008 est.)
  4.8% (2007 est.)
  2.3% (2006 est.)

Serbia
  5.4% (2008 est.)
  6.9% (2007 est.)
  5.2% (2006 est.)

Seychelles
  -0.9% (2008 est.)
  9.7% (2007 est.)
  9.3% (2006 est.)

Sierra Leone
  5.5% (2008 est.)
  6.4% (2007 est.)
  7.4% (2006 est.)

Singapore
  1.1% (2008 est.)
  7.8% (2007 est.)
  8.4% (2006 est.)

Slovakia
  6.4% (2008 est.)
  10.4% (2007 est.)
  8.5% (2006 est.)

Slovenia
  3.5% (2008 est.)
  6.8% (2007 est.)
  5.9% (2006 est.)

Solomon Islands
  7.3% (2008 est.)
  10.3% (2007 est.)
  6.1% (2006 est.)

Somalia
  2.6% (2008 est.)
  2.6% (2007 est.)
  2.6% (2006 est.)

South Africa
  3.1% (2008 est.)
  5.1% (2007 est.)
  5.3% (2006 est.)

Spain
  0.9% (2008 est.)
  3.6% (2007 est.)
  4% (2006 est.)

Sri Lanka
  6% (2008 est.)
  6.8% (2007 est.)
  7.7% (2006 est.)

Sudan
  6.6% (2008 est.)
  10.2% (2007 est.)
  11.3% (2006 est.)

Suriname
  6% (2008 est.)
  5.5% (2007 est.)
  4.8% (2006 est.)

Svalbard
  NA%

Swaziland
  2.7% (2008 est.)
  3.5% (2007 est.)
  2.8% (2006 est.)

Sweden
  -0.4% (2008 est.)
  2.7% (2007 est.)
  4.5% (2006 est.)

Switzerland
  1.8% (2008 est.)
  3.6% (2007 est.)
  3.6% (2006 est.)

Syria
  5.1% (2008 est.)
  6.3% (2007 est.)
  5.2% (2006 est.)

Taiwan
  0.1% (2008 est.)
  5.7% (2007 est.)
  4.8% (2006 est.)

Tajikistan
  7.9% (2008 est.)
  7.8% (2007 est.)
  7% (2006 est.)

Tanzania
  7.1% (2008 est.)
  7.1% (2007 est.)
  6.7% (2006 est.)

Thailand
  2.6% (2008 est.)
  4.9% (2007 est.)
  5.2% (2006 est.)

Timor-Leste
  12.8% (2008 est.)
  8.4% (2007 est.)
  -5.8% (2006 est.)

Togo
  1.1% (2008 est.)
  1.9% (2007 est.)
  3.9% (2006 est.)

Tokelau
  NA%

Tonga
  0.8% (2008 est.)
  -0.3% (2007 est.)
  3.2% (2006 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  3.5% (2008 est.)
  5.5% (2007 est.)
  12.1% (2006 est.)

Tunisia
  4.4% (2008 est.)
  6.6% (2007 est.)
  5.3% (2006 est.)

Turkey
  0.9% (2008 est.)
  4.7% (2007 est.)
  6.9% (2006 est.)

Turkmenistan
  9.8% (2008 est.)
  11.6% (2007 est.)
  11.4% (2006 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  4.9% (2000 est.)

Tuvalu
  3% (2006 est.)

Uganda
  8.3% (2008 est.)
  8.2% (2007 est.)
  7.1% (2006 est.)

Ukraine
  2.1% (2008 est.)
  7.9% (2007 est.)
  7.3% (2006 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  7.4% (2008 est.)
  6% (2007 est.)
  14.9% (2006 est.)

United Kingdom
  0.7% (2008 est.)
  2.6% (2007 est.)
  2.9% (2006 est.)

United States
  0.4% (2008 est.)
  2.1% (2007 est.)
  2.7% (2006 est.)

Uruguay
  8.9% (2008 est.)
  7.4% (2007 est.)
  7% (2006 est.)

Uzbekistan
  9% (2008 est.)
  9.5% (2007 est.)
  7.3% (2006 est.)

Vanuatu
  6.6% (2008 est.)
  6.8% (2007 est.)
  7.2% (2006 est.)

Venezuela
  4.8% (2008 est.)
  8.2% (2007 est.)
  9.9% (2006 est.)

Vietnam
  6.2% (2008 est.)
  8.5% (2007 est.)
  8.2% (2006 est.)

Virgin Islands
  2% (2002 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
  NA%

West Bank
  0.8% (2008 est.)

Western Sahara
  NA%

World
  2.9% (2008 est.)
  5% (2007 est.)
  5% (2006 est.)

Yemen
  3.2% (2008 est.)
  3.5% (2007 est.)
  3.2% (2006 est.)

Zambia
  6% (2008 est.)
  6.2% (2007 est.)
  6.2% (2006 est.)

Zimbabwe
  -14.4% (2008 est.)
  -5.6% (2007 est.)
  -4.6% (2006 est.)

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

@2004

Field Listing :: GDP - per capita (PPP)

  This entry shows GDP on a purchasing power parity basis divided by
  population as of 1 July for the same year.
  Country Comparison to the World
  Country

GDP - per capita (PPP)

Afghanistan
  $800 (2008 est.)
  $800 (2007 est.)
  $700 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Albania
  $6,000 (2008 est.)
  $5,700 (2007 est.)
  $5,400 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Algeria
  $6,900 (2008 est.)
  $6,800 (2007 est.)
  $6,600 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

American Samoa
  $8,000 (2007 est.)
  $5,800 (2005 est.)

Andorra
  $42,500 (2007)
  $38,800 (2005)

Angola
  $9,000 (2008 est.)
  $8,200 (2007 est.)
  $6,900 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Anguilla
  $8,800 (2004 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  $19,400 (2008 est.)
  $19,100 (2007 est.)
  $18,100 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Argentina
  $14,200 (2008 est.)
  $13,400 (2007 est.)
  $12,500 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Armenia
  $6,300 (2008 est.)
  $5,900 (2007 est.)
  $5,200 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Aruba
  $21,800 (2004 est.)

Australia
  $38,200 (2008 est.)
  $37,800 (2007 est.)
  $36,800 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Austria
  $40,400 (2008 est.)
  $39,600 (2007 est.)
  $38,300 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Azerbaijan
  $9,500 (2008 est.)
  $8,600 (2007 est.)
  $7,000 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Bahamas, The
  $30,700 (2008 est.)
  $31,400 (2007 est.)
  $30,900 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Bahrain
  $37,400 (2008 est.)
  $35,700 (2007 est.)
  $33,400 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Bangladesh
  $1,500 (2008 est.)
  $1,400 (2007 est.)
  $1,300 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Barbados
  $18,900 (2008 est.)
  $18,900 (2007 est.)
  $18,300 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Belarus
  $11,800 (2008 est.)
  $10,700 (2007 est.)
  $9,800 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Belgium
  $37,500 (2008 est.)
  $37,200 (2007 est.)
  $36,300 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Belize
  $8,400 (2008 est.)
  $8,400 (2007 est.)
  $8,400 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Benin
  $1,500 (2008 est.)
  $1,500 (2007 est.)
  $1,500 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Bermuda
  $69,900 (2004 est.)

Bhutan
  $5,200 (2008 est.)
  $4,300 (2007 est.)
  $4,100 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Bolivia
  $4,500 (2008 est.)
  $4,300 (2007 est.)
  $4,200 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  $6,500 (2008 est.)
  $6,200 (2007 est.)
  $5,900 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Botswana
  $13,900 (2008 est.)
  $13,800 (2007 est.)
  $13,400 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Brazil
  $10,200 (2008 est.)
  $9,800 (2007 est.)
  $9,400 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

British Virgin Islands
  $38,500 (2004 est.)

Brunei
  $51,300 (2008 est.)
  $53,300 (2007 est.)
  $54,200 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Bulgaria
  $12,900 (2008 est.)
  $12,100 (2007 est.)
  $11,300 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Burkina Faso
  $1,200 (2008 est.)
  $1,200 (2007 est.)
  $1,200 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Burma
  $1,200 (2008 est.)
  $1,200 (2007 est.)
  $1,100 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Burundi
  $300 (2008 est.)
  $300 (2007 est.)
  $300 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Cambodia
  $2,000 (2008 est.)
  $1,900 (2007 est.)
  $1,800 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Cameroon
  $2,300 (2008 est.)
  $2,300 (2007 est.)
  $2,300 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Canada
  $39,200 (2008 est.)
  $39,400 (2007 est.)
  $38,800 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Cape Verde
  $3,800 (2008 est.)
  $3,600 (2007 est.)
  $3,400 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Cayman Islands
  $43,800 (2004 est.)

Central African Republic
  $700 (2008 est.)
  $700 (2007 est.)
  $700 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Chad
  $1,600 (2008 est.)
  $1,600 (2007 est.)
  $1,600 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Chile
  $14,900 (2008 est.)
  $14,600 (2007 est.)
  $14,000 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

China
  $6,000 (2008 est.)
  $5,500 (2007 est.)
  $4,900 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Colombia
  $9,200 (2008 est.)
  $9,100 (2007 est.)
  $8,600 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Comoros
  $1,000 (2008 est.)
  $1,000 (2007 est.)
  $1,100 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  $300 (2008 est.)
  $300 (2007 est.)
  $300 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Congo, Republic of the
  $3,900 (2008 est.)
  $3,800 (2007 est.)
  $4,000 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Cook Islands
  $9,100 (2005 est.)

Costa Rica
  $11,600 (2008 est.)
  $11,500 (2007 est.)
  $10,800 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Cote d'Ivoire
  $1,700 (2008 est.)
  $1,700 (2007 est.)
  $1,700 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Croatia
  $18,400 (2008 est.)
  $17,900 (2007 est.)
  $17,000 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Cuba
  $9,500 (2008 est.)
  $9,100 (2007 est.)
  $8,500 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Cyprus
  $21,300 (2008 est.)
  $20,900 (2007 est.)
  $20,400 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Czech Republic
  $25,900 (2008 est.)
  $25,200 (2007 est.)
  $23,800 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Denmark
  $37,200 (2008 est.)
  $37,800 (2007 est.)
  $37,300 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Djibouti
  $2,700 (2008 est.)
  $2,600 (2007 est.)
  $2,500 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Dominica
  $10,000 (2008 est.)
  $9,700 (2007 est.)
  $9,600 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Dominican Republic
  $8,200 (2008 est.)
  $7,900 (2007 est.)
  $7,400 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Ecuador
  $7,500 (2008 est.)
  $7,200 (2007 est.)
  $7,100 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Egypt
  $5,800 (2008 est.)
  $5,500 (2007 est.)
  $5,200 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

El Salvador
  $6,200 (2008 est.)
  $6,100 (2007 est.)
  $6,000 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Equatorial Guinea
  $37,300 (2008 est.)
  $34,700 (2007 est.)
  $29,100 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Eritrea
  $700 (2008 est.)
  $700 (2007 est.)
  $700 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Estonia
  $21,400 (2008 est.)
  $22,100 (2007 est.)
  $20,500 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Ethiopia
  $900 (2008 est.)
  $800 (2007 est.)
  $700 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

European Union
  $33,700 (2008 est.)
  $33,500 (2007 est.)
  $32,700 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  $35,400 (2002 est.)

Faroe Islands
  $31,000 (2001 est.)

Fiji
  $3,800 (2008 est.)
  $3,900 (2007 est.)
  $4,200 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Finland
  $37,000 (2008 est.)
  $36,700 (2007 est.)
  $35,300 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

France
  $33,300 (2008 est.)
  $33,400 (2007 est.)
  $32,800 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

French Polynesia
  $18,000 (2004 est.)
  $17,500 (2003 est.)

Gabon
  $14,200 (2008 est.)
  $14,200 (2007 est.)
  $13,800 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Gambia, The
  $1,300 (2008 est.)
  $1,300 (2007 est.)
  $1,200 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Gaza Strip
  $2,900 (2008 est.)
  $1,100 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Georgia
  $4,700 (2008 est.)
  $4,500 (2007 est.)
  $4,000 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Germany
  $35,500 (2008 est.)
  $35,000 (2007 est.)
  $34,200 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Ghana
  $1,500 (2008 est.)
  $1,400 (2007 est.)
  $1,300 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Gibraltar
  $38,200 (2005 est.)
  $27,900 (2000 est.)

Greece
  $32,100 (2008 est.)
  $31,200 (2007 est.)
  $30,100 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Greenland
  $20,000 (2001 est.)

Grenada
  $13,200 (2008 est.)
  $12,900 (2007 est.)
  $12,400 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Guam
  $15,000 (2005 est.)

Guatemala $5,300 (2008 est.) $5,200 (2007 est.) $5,000 (2006 est.) note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Guernsey
  $44,600 (2005)

Guinea
  $1,100 (2008 est.)
  $1,100 (2007 est.)
  $1,100 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Guinea-Bissau
  $600 (2008 est.)
  $600 (2007 est.)
  $600 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Guyana
  $3,900 (2008 est.)
  $3,800 (2007 est.)
  $3,600 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Haiti
  $1,300 (2008 est.)
  $1,300 (2007 est.)
  $1,300 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Honduras
  $4,400 (2008 est.)
  $4,300 (2007 est.)
  $4,200 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Hong Kong
  $43,800 (2008 est.)
  $43,000 (2007 est.)
  $40,600 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Hungary
  $19,800 (2008 est.)
  $19,600 (2007 est.)
  $19,400 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Iceland
  $42,300 (2008 est.)
  $42,100 (2007 est.)
  $40,200 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

India
  $2,900 (2008 est.)
  $2,700 (2007 est.)
  $2,500 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Indonesia
  $3,900 (2008 est.)
  $3,700 (2007 est.)
  $3,500 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Iran
  $12,800 (2008 est.)
  $12,100 (2007 est.)
  $11,300 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Iraq
  $3,200 (2008 est.)
  $3,000 (2007 est.)
  $3,100 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Ireland
  $45,500 (2008 est.)
  $47,400 (2007 est.)
  $45,300 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Isle of Man
  $35,000 (2005 est.)

Israel
  $28,600 (2008 est.)
  $27,900 (2007 est.)
  $27,000 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Italy
  $31,400 (2008 est.)
  $31,700 (2007 est.)
  $31,300 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Jamaica
  $8,600 (2008 est.)
  $8,700 (2007 est.)
  $8,600 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Japan
  $34,100 (2008 est.)
  $34,300 (2007 est.)
  $33,500 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Jersey
  $57,000 (2005 est.)

Jordan
  $5,200 (2008 est.)
  $5,000 (2007 est.)
  $5,000 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Kazakhstan
  $11,500 (2008 est.)
  $11,300 (2007 est.)
  $10,400 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Kenya
  $1,600 (2008 est.)
  $1,600 (2007 est.)
  $1,600 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Kiribati
  $5,300 (2008 est.)
  $5,200 (2007 est.)
  $5,400 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Korea, North $1,800 (2008 est.) note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Korea, South $27,700 (2008 est.) $27,100 (2007 est.) $25,900 (2006 est.) note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Kosovo
  $2,300 (2007 est.)

Kuwait
  $57,500 (2008 est.)
  $55,000 (2007 est.)
  $54,400 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Kyrgyzstan
  $2,200 (2008 est.)
  $2,000 (2007 est.)
  $1,900 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Laos
  $2,100 (2008 est.)
  $2,000 (2007 est.)
  $1,900 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Latvia
  $17,300 (2008 est.)
  $18,100 (2007 est.)
  $16,300 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Lebanon
  $11,100 (2008 est.)
  $10,600 (2007 est.)
  $10,300 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Lesotho
  $1,600 (2008 est.)
  $1,500 (2007 est.)
  $1,400 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Liberia
  $500 (2008 est.)
  $400 (2007 est.)
  $400 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Libya
  $14,200 (2008 est.)
  $13,700 (2007 est.)
  $13,300 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Liechtenstein
  $118,000 (2007 est.)

Lithuania
  $17,800 (2008 est.)
  $17,200 (2007 est.)
  $15,800 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Luxembourg
  $81,200 (2008 est.)
  $83,000 (2007 est.)
  $79,800 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Macau
  $30,000 (2007)
  $28,400 (2006)

Macedonia
  $9,100 (2008 est.)
  $8,700 (2007 est.)
  $8,200 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Madagascar
  $1,000 (2008 est.)
  $1,000 (2007 est.)
  $900 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Malawi
  $800 (2008 est.)
  $800 (2007 est.)
  $700 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Malaysia
  $15,200 (2008 est.)
  $14,800 (2007 est.)
  $14,200 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Maldives
  $4,500 (2008 est.)
  $4,500 (2007 est.)
  $4,400 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Mali
  $1,100 (2008 est.)
  $1,100 (2007 est.)
  $1,100 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Malta
  $24,600 (2008 est.)
  $24,200 (2007 est.)
  $23,300 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Marshall Islands $2,500 (2008 est.) $2,900 (2005 est.) note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Mauritania
  $2,100 (2008 est.)
  $2,000 (2007 est.)
  $2,100 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Mauritius
  $12,100 (2008 est.)
  $11,600 (2007 est.)
  $11,100 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Mayotte
  $4,900 (2005 est.)

Mexico
  $14,300 (2008 est.)
  $14,200 (2007 est.)
  $13,900 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Micronesia, Federated States of
  $2,200 (2008 est.)
  $2,300 (2005 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Moldova
  $2,500 (2008 est.)
  $2,300 (2007 est.)
  $2,200 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Monaco
  $30,000 (2006 est.)

Mongolia
  $3,200 (2008 est.)
  $3,000 (2007 est.)
  $2,700 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Montenegro
  $10,100 (2008 est.)
  $9,300 (2007 est.)
  $8,400 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Montserrat
  $3,400 (2002 est.)

Morocco
  $4,500 (2008 est.)
  $4,200 (2007 est.)
  $4,200 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Mozambique
  $900 (2008 est.)
  $900 (2007 est.)
  $800 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Namibia
  $6,400 (2008 est.)
  $6,200 (2007 est.)
  $6,000 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Nauru
  $5,000 (2005 est.)

Nepal
  $1,100 (2008 est.)
  $1,100 (2007 est.)
  $1,100 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Netherlands
  $40,500 (2008 est.)
  $39,900 (2007 est.)
  $38,700 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Netherlands Antilles
  $16,000 (2004 est.)

New Caledonia
  $15,000 (2003 est.)

New Zealand
  $27,900 (2008 est.)
  $28,200 (2007 est.)
  $27,600 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Nicaragua
  $2,900 (2008 est.)
  $2,900 (2007 est.)
  $2,800 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Niger
  $700 (2008 est.)
  $700 (2007 est.)
  $700 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Nigeria
  $2,300 (2008 est.)
  $2,200 (2007 est.)
  $2,100 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Niue
  $5,800 (2003 est.)

Northern Mariana Islands
  $12,500 (2000 est.)

Norway
  $59,500 (2008 est.)
  $58,200 (2007 est.)
  $55,100 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Oman
  $20,200 (2008 est.)
  $19,600 (2007 est.)
  $19,100 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Pakistan
  $2,500 (2008 est.)
  $2,500 (2007 est.)
  $2,400 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Palau
  $8,100 (2008 est.)
  $7,600 (2005 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Panama
  $11,800 (2008 est.)
  $10,900 (2007 est.)
  $10,000 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Papua New Guinea
  $2,300 (2008 est.)
  $2,200 (2007 est.)
  $2,100 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Paraguay
  $4,200 (2008 est.)
  $4,100 (2007 est.)
  $3,900 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Peru
  $8,500 (2008 est.)
  $7,800 (2007 est.)
  $7,300 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Philippines
  $3,300 (2008 est.)
  $3,300 (2007 est.)
  $3,100 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Poland
  $17,400 (2008 est.)
  $16,600 (2007 est.)
  $15,500 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Portugal
  $22,200 (2008 est.)
  $22,300 (2007 est.)
  $22,000 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Puerto Rico
  $17,800 (2008 est.)
  $18,300 (2007 est.)
  $18,700 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Qatar
  $111,000 (2008 est.)
  $99,100 (2007 est.)
  $85,800 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Romania
  $12,200 (2008 est.)
  $11,400 (2007 est.)
  $10,700 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Russia
  $16,100 (2008 est.)
  $15,200 (2007 est.)
  $14,000 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Rwanda
  $900 (2008 est.)
  $900 (2007 est.)
  $800 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Saint Helena
  $2,500 (1998 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  $19,100 (2008 est.)
  $18,800 (2007 est.)
  $18,700 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Saint Lucia
  $11,100 (2008 est.)
  $11,100 (2007 est.)
  $11,000 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  $7,000 (2001 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  $10,200 (2008 est.)
  $10,100 (2007 est.)
  $9,400 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Samoa
  $4,700 (2008 est.)
  $4,900 (2007 est.)
  $4,700 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

San Marino
  $41,900 (2007)

Sao Tome and Principe
  $1,300 (2008 est.)
  $1,300 (2007 est.)
  $1,300 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Saudi Arabia
  $20,500 (2008 est.)
  $20,100 (2007 est.)
  $19,800 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Senegal
  $1,600 (2008 est.)
  $1,600 (2007 est.)
  $1,600 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Serbia
  $10,800 (2008 est.)
  $10,200 (2007 est.)
  $9,500 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Seychelles
  $21,000 (2008 est.)
  $21,400 (2007 est.)
  $19,800 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Sierra Leone
  $900 (2008 est.)
  $800 (2007 est.)
  $800 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Singapore
  $51,600 (2008 est.)
  $51,700 (2007 est.)
  $48,600 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Slovakia
  $22,000 (2008 est.)
  $20,700 (2007 est.)
  $18,700 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Slovenia
  $29,600 (2008 est.)
  $28,600 (2007 est.)
  $26,800 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Solomon Islands
  $2,700 (2008 est.)
  $2,500 (2007 est.)
  $2,400 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Somalia
  $600 (2008 est.)
  $600 (2007 est.)
  $600 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

South Africa
  $10,100 (2008 est.)
  $9,900 (2007 est.)
  $9,500 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Spain
  $34,600 (2008 est.)
  $34,400 (2007 est.)
  $33,200 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Sri Lanka
  $4,400 (2008 est.)
  $4,200 (2007 est.)
  $3,900 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Sudan
  $2,200 (2008 est.)
  $2,100 (2007 est.)
  $1,900 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Suriname
  $8,900 (2008 est.)
  $8,500 (2007 est.)
  $8,100 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Swaziland
  $4,400 (2008 est.)
  $4,400 (2007 est.)
  $4,300 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Sweden
  $38,200 (2008 est.)
  $38,400 (2007 est.)
  $37,400 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Switzerland
  $42,000 (2008 est.)
  $41,400 (2007 est.)
  $40,100 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Syria
  $4,600 (2008 est.)
  $4,600 (2007 est.)
  $4,600 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Taiwan
  $31,100 (2008 est.)
  $31,200 (2007 est.)
  $29,600 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Tajikistan
  $1,800 (2008 est.)
  $1,700 (2007 est.)
  $1,600 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Tanzania
  $1,400 (2008 est.)
  $1,300 (2007 est.)
  $1,200 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Thailand
  $8,400 (2008 est.)
  $8,200 (2007 est.)
  $7,900 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Timor-Leste
  $2,300 (2008 est.)
  $2,100 (2007 est.)
  $1,900 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Togo
  $900 (2008 est.)
  $900 (2007 est.)
  $900 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Tokelau
  $1,000 (1993 est.)

Tonga
  $4,600 (2008 est.)
  $4,600 (2007 est.)
  $4,800 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Trinidad and Tobago
  $23,600 (2008 est.)
  $22,800 (2007 est.)
  $21,600 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Tunisia
  $7,900 (2008 est.)
  $7,600 (2007 est.)
  $7,200 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Turkey
  $11,900 (2008 est.)
  $12,000 (2007 est.)
  $11,600 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Turkmenistan
  $6,500 (2008 est.)
  $6,000 (2007 est.)
  $5,400 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Turks and Caicos Islands
  $11,500 (2002 est.)

Tuvalu
  $1,600 (2002 est.)

Uganda
  $1,300 (2008 est.)
  $1,200 (2007 est.)
  $1,200 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Ukraine
  $7,400 (2008 est.)
  $7,200 (2007 est.)
  $6,600 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

United Arab Emirates
  $44,600 (2008 est.)
  $43,200 (2007 est.)
  $42,500 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

United Kingdom
  $36,700 (2008 est.)
  $36,500 (2007 est.)
  $35,700 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

United States
  $47,500 (2008 est.)
  $47,700 (2007 est.)
  $47,200 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Uruguay
  $12,400 (2008 est.)
  $11,500 (2007 est.)
  $10,700 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Uzbekistan
  $2,600 (2008 est.)
  $2,400 (2007 est.)
  $2,200 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Vanuatu
  $4,600 (2008 est.)
  $4,400 (2007 est.)
  $4,200 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Venezuela
  $13,500 (2008 est.)
  $13,100 (2007 est.)
  $12,300 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Vietnam
  $2,800 (2008 est.)
  $2,600 (2007 est.)
  $2,500 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Virgin Islands
  $14,500 (2004 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
  $3,800 (2004 est.)

West Bank $2,900 (2008 est.) note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Western Sahara
  $2,500 (2007 est.)

World
  $10,500 (2008 est.)
  $10,300 (2007 est.)
  $9,900 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Yemen
  $2,500 (2008 est.)
  $2,500 (2007 est.)
  $2,500 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Zambia
  $1,500 (2008 est.)
  $1,400 (2007 est.)
  $1,400 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Zimbabwe
  $200 (2008 est.)
  $200 (2007 est.)
  $200 (2006 est.)
  note: data are in 2008 US dollars

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

@2005

Field Listing :: Affiliation

Country

Affiliation

Akrotiri
  (UK Sovereign Base Area)

American Samoa
  (territory of the US)

Anguilla
  (overseas territory of the UK)

Aruba
  (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  (territory of Australia)

Bermuda
  (overseas territory of the UK)

Bouvet Island
  (territory of Norway)

British Indian Ocean Territory
  (overseas territory of the UK)

British Virgin Islands
  (overseas territory of the UK)

Cayman Islands
  (overseas territory of the UK)

China
  (also see separate Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan entries)

Christmas Island
  (territory of Australia)

Clipperton Island
  (possession of France)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  (territory of Australia)

Cook Islands
  (self-governing in free association with New Zealand)

Coral Sea Islands
  (territory of Australia)

Dhekelia
  (UK sovereign base area)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina)

Faroe Islands
  (part of the Kingdom of Denmark)

French Polynesia
  (overseas lands of France)

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  (overseas territory of France)

Gibraltar
  (overseas territory of the UK)

Greenland
  (part of the Kingdom of Denmark)

Guam
  (territory of the US)

Guernsey
  (British crown dependency)

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  (territory of Australia)

Hong Kong
  (special administrative region of China)

Isle of Man
  (British crown dependency)

Israel
  (also see separate Gaza Strip and West Bank entries)

Jan Mayen
  (territory of Norway)

Jersey
  (British crown dependency)

Macau
  (special administrative region of China)

Mayotte
  (overseas collectivity of France)

Montserrat
  (overseas territory of the UK)

Navassa Island
  (territory of the US)

Netherlands Antilles
  (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

New Caledonia
  (self-governing territory of France)

Niue
  (self-governing in free association with New Zealand)

Norfolk Island
  (territory of Australia)

Northern Mariana Islands
  (commonwealth in political union with the
  US)

Pitcairn Islands
  (overseas territory of the UK)

Puerto Rico
  (territory of the US with commonwealth status)

Saint Barthelemy
  (overseas collectivity of France)

Saint Helena
  (overseas territory of the UK)

Saint Martin
  (overseas collectivity of France)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  (territorial overseas collectivity of
  France)

South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
  (overseas territory of the
  UK, also claimed by Argentina)

Svalbard
  (territory of Norway)

Tokelau
  (territory of New Zealand)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  (overseas territory of the UK)

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges
  (territories of the US)

Virgin Islands
  (territory of the US)

Wake Island
  (territory of the US)

Wallis and Futuna
  (overseas collectivity of France)

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

@2006

Field Listing :: Dependency status

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

Dependency status

Akrotiri
  a special form of UK overseas territory; administered by an
  administrator who is also the Commander, British Forces Cyprus

American Samoa
  unincorporated and unorganized territory of the US;
  administered by the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the
  Interior

Anguilla
  overseas territory of the UK

Aruba
  member country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full
  autonomy in internal affairs obtained in 1986 upon separation from
  the Netherlands Antilles; Dutch Government responsible for defense
  and foreign affairs

Ashmore and Cartier Islands territory of Australia; administered by the Australian Government Attorney-General's Department

Bermuda
  overseas territory of the UK

Bouvet Island
  territory of Norway; administered by the Polar
  Department of the Ministry of Justice and Oslo Police

British Indian Ocean Territory overseas territory of the UK; administered by a commissioner, resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London

British Virgin Islands overseas territory of the UK; internal self-governing

Cayman Islands
  overseas territory of the UK

Christmas Island
  non-self governing territory of Australia;
  administered from Canberra by the Australian Government
  Attorney-General's Department

Clipperton Island
  possession of France; administered directly by the
  Minister of Overseas France

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  non-self governing territory of Australia;
  administered from Canberra by the Australian Government
  Attorney-General's Department

Cook Islands
  self-governing in free association with New Zealand;
  Cook Islands is fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand
  retains responsibility for external affairs and defense, in
  consultation with the Cook Islands

Coral Sea Islands
  territory of Australia; administered from Canberra
  by the Australian Government Attorney-General's Department

Dhekelia
  a special form of UK overseas territory; administered by an
  administrator who is also the Commander, British Forces Cyprus

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  overseas territory of the UK; also
  claimed by Argentina

Faroe Islands
  part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing
  overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1948

French Polynesia
  overseas lands of France; overseas territory of
  France from 1946-2004

French Southern and Antarctic Lands overseas territory of France since 1955; administered from Paris by Administrateur Superieur Eric PILLOTON (since 10 April 2007)

Gibraltar
  overseas territory of the UK

Greenland
  part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas
  administrative division of Denmark since 1979

Guam
  organized, unincorporated territory of the US with policy
  relations between Guam and the US under the jurisdiction of the
  Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior

Guernsey
  British crown dependency

Heard Island and McDonald Islands territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Antarctic Division of the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts

Hong Kong
  special administrative region of China

Isle of Man
  British crown dependency

Jan Mayen
  territory of Norway; since August 1994, administered from
  Oslo through the county governor (fylkesmann) of Nordland; however,
  authority has been delegated to a station commander of the Norwegian
  Defense Communication Service

Jersey
  British crown dependency

Macau
  special administrative region of China

Mayotte
  departmental collectivity of France

Montserrat
  overseas territory of the UK

Navassa Island
  unorganized, unincorporated territory of the US;
  administered by the Fish and Wildlife Service, US Department of the
  Interior from the Caribbean Islands National Wildlife Refuge in
  Boqueron, Puerto Rico; in September 1996 the Coast Guard ceased
  operations and maintenance of Navassa Island Light a 46-meter-tall
  lighthouse on the southern side of the island; there has also been a
  private claim advanced against the island

Netherlands Antilles
  an autonomous country within the Kingdom of the
  Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs granted in 1954;
  Dutch Government responsible for defense and foreign affairs

New Caledonia
  territorial collectivity of France since 1998

Niue
  self-governing in free association with New Zealand since 1974;
  Niue fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retains
  responsibility for external affairs and defense; however, these
  responsibilities confer no rights of control and are only exercised
  at the request of the Government of Niue

Norfolk Island
  self governing territory of Australia; administered
  from Canberra by the Australian Government Attorney-General's
  Department

Northern Mariana Islands
  commonwealth in political union with the
  US; federal funds to the Commonwealth administered by the US
  Department of the Interior, Office of Insular Affairs

Pitcairn Islands
  overseas territory of the UK

Puerto Rico
  unincorporated, organized territory of the US with
  commonwealth status; policy relations between Puerto Rico and the US
  conducted under the jurisdiction of the Office of the President

Saint Barthelemy
  overseas collectivity of France

Saint Helena
  overseas territory of the UK

Saint Martin
  overseas collectivity of France

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  self-governing territorial overseas
  collectivity of France

South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
  overseas territory of the
  UK, also claimed by Argentina; administered from the Falkland
  Islands by a commissioner, who is concurrently governor of the
  Falkland Islands, representing Queen ELIZABETH II

Svalbard
  territory of Norway; administered by the Polar Department
  of the Ministry of Justice, through a governor (sysselmann) residing
  in Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen; by treaty (9 February 1920)
  sovereignty was awarded to Norway

Tokelau
  self-administering territory of New Zealand; note - Tokelau
  and New Zealand have agreed to a draft constitution as Tokelau moves
  toward free association with New Zealand; a UN-sponsored referendum
  on self governance in October 2007 did not produce the two-thirds
  majority vote necessary for changing the political status

Turks and Caicos Islands
  overseas territory of the UK

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges
  unincorporated
  territories of the US; administered from Washington, DC by the Fish
  and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of
  the National Wildlife Refuge system
  note on Palmyra Atoll: incorporated Territory of the US; partly
  privately owned and partly federally owned; administered from
  Washington, DC by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department
  of the Interior; the Office of Insular Affairs of the US Department
  of the Interior continues to administer nine excluded areas
  comprising certain tidal and submerged lands within the 12 nm
  territorial sea or within the lagoon

Virgin Islands
  organized, unincorporated territory of the US with
  policy relations between the Virgin Islands and the US under the
  jurisdiction of the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the
  Interior

Wake Island
  unorganized, unincorporated territory of the US;
  administered from Washington, DC, by the Department of the Interior;
  activities in the atoll are currently conducted by the US Air Force

Wallis and Futuna
  overseas territory of France

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

@2007

Field Listing :: Diplomatic representation from the US

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

Afghanistan
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Deputy Ambassador
  Francis J. RICCIARDONE, Jr.
  embassy: The Great Masood Road, Kabul
  mailing address: U.S. Embassy Kabul, APO, AE 09806
  telephone: [93] 0700 108 001
  FAX: [93] 0700 108 564

Akrotiri
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Albania
  chief of mission: Ambassador John L. WITHERS, II
  embassy: Rruga e Elbasanit, Labinoti #103, Tirana
  mailing address: US Department of State, 9510 Tirana Place, Dulles,
  VA 20189-9510
  telephone: [355] (4) 2247285
  FAX: [355] (4) 2232222

Algeria
  chief of mission: Ambassador David D. PEARCE
  embassy: 05 Chemin Cheikh Bachir, El-Ibrahimi, El-Biar 16000 Algiers
  mailing address: B. P. 408, Alger-Gare, 16030 Algiers
  telephone: [213] 770-08-2000
  FAX: [213] 21-60-7355

American Samoa
  none (territory of the US)

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

Angola
  chief of mission: Ambassador Dan MOZENA
  embassy: number 32 Rua Houari Boumedienne (in the Miramar area of
  Luanda), Luanda
  mailing address: international mail: Caixa Postal 6468, Luanda;
  pouch: US Embassy Luanda, US Department of State, 2550 Luanda Place,
  Washington, DC 20521-2550
  telephone: [244] (222) 64-1000
  FAX: [244] (222) 64-1232

Anguilla
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Antigua and Barbuda
  the US does not have an embassy in Antigua and
  Barbuda; the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Antigua and
  Barbuda

Argentina
  chief of mission: Ambassador Earl Anthony WAYNE
  embassy: Avenida Colombia 4300, C1425GMN Buenos Aires
  mailing address: international mail: use embassy street address; APO
  address: US Embassy Buenos Aires, Unit 4334, APO AA 34034
  telephone: [54] (11) 5777-4533
  FAX: [54] (11) 5777-4240

Armenia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Marie L. YOVANOVITCH
  embassy: 1 American Ave., Yerevan 0082
  mailing address: American Embassy Yerevan, US Department of State,
  7020 Yerevan Place, Washington, DC 20521-7020
  telephone: [374](10) 464-700
  FAX: [374](10) 464-742

Aruba
  the US does not have an embassy in Aruba; the Consul General
  to Netherlands Antilles is accredited to Aruba

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  none (territory of Australia)

Australia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Robert D. McCALLUM, Jr.
  embassy: Moonah Place, Yarralumla, Canberra, Australian Capital
  Territory 2600
  mailing address: APO AP 96549
  telephone: [61] (02) 6214-5600
  FAX: [61] (02) 6214-5970
  consulate(s) general: Melbourne, Perth, Sydney

Austria
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires
  Scott F. KILNER
  embassy: Boltzmanngasse 16, A-1090, Vienna
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [43] (1) 31339-0
  FAX: [43] (1) 3100682

Azerbaijan
  chief of mission: Ambassador Anne E. DERSE
  embassy: 83 Azadlig Prospecti, Baku AZ1007
  mailing address: American Embassy Baku, US Department of State, 7050
  Baku Place, Washington, DC 20521-7050
  telephone: [994] (12) 4980-335 through 337
  FAX: [994] (12) 4656-671

Bahamas, The
  chief of mission: Ambassador Ned L. SIEGEL
  embassy: 42 Queen Street, Nassau, New Providence
  mailing address: local or express mail address: P. O. Box N-8197,
  Nassau; US Department of State, 3370 Nassau Place, Washington, DC
  20521-3370
  telephone: [1] (242) 322-1181, 328-2206 (after hours)
  FAX: [1] (242) 328-2206

Bahrain
  chief of mission: Ambassador J. Adam ERELI
  embassy: Building #979, Road 3119 (next to Al-Ahli Sports Club),
  Block 331, Zinj District, Manama
  mailing address: PSC 451, Box 660, FPO AE 09834-5100; international
  mail: American Embassy, Box 26431, Manama
  telephone: [973] 1724-2700
  FAX: [973] 1727-0547

Bangladesh
  chief of mission: Ambassador James F. MORIARTY
  embassy: Madani Avenue, Baridhara, Dhaka 1212
  mailing address: G. P. O. Box 323, Dhaka 1000
  telephone: [880] (2) 885-5500
  FAX: [880] (2) 882-3744

Barbados
  chief of mission: Ambassador Mary M. OURISMAN
  embassy: U.S. Embassy, Wildey Business Park, Wildey, St. Michael BB
  14006
  mailing address: P. O. Box 302, Bridgetown BB 11000; CMR 1014, APO
  AA 34055
  telephone: [1] (246) 227-4399
  FAX: [1] (246) 431-0179

Belarus
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires
  Jonathan MOORE
  embassy: 46 Starovilenskaya Street, Minsk 220002
  mailing address: PSC 78, Box B Minsk, APO 09723
  telephone: [375] (17) 210-12-83, 217-7347 through 7348
  FAX: [375] (17) 234-7853

Belgium
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires
  Wayne BUSH
  embassy: 27 Boulevard du Regent [Regentlaan], B-1000 Brussels
  mailing address: PSC 82, Box 002, APO AE 09710
  telephone: [32] (2) 508-2111
  FAX: [32] (2) 511-2725

Belize
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires J.A.
  DIFFILY
  embassy: Floral Park Road, Belmopan City, Cayo District
  mailing address: P.O. Box 497, Belmopan City, Cayo District, Belize
  telephone: [501] 822-4011
  FAX: [501] 822-4012

Benin
  chief of mission: Ambassador Gayleatha B. BROWN
  embassy: Rue Caporal Bernard Anani, Cotonou
  mailing address: 01 B. P. 2012, Cotonou
  telephone: [229] 21-30-06-50
  FAX: [229] 21-30-03-84

Bermuda
  chief of mission: Consul General Gregory W. SLAYTON
  consulate(s) general: Crown Hill, 16 Middle Road, Devonshire DVO3
  mailing address: P. O. Box HM325, Hamilton HMBX; American Consulate
  General Hamilton, US Department of State, 5300 Hamilton Place,
  Washington, DC 20520-5300
  telephone: [1] (441) 295-1342
  FAX: [1] (441) 295-1592, 296-9233

Bhutan
  the US and Bhutan have no formal diplomatic relations,
  although informal contact is maintained between the Bhutanese and US
  Embassy in New Delhi (India)

Bolivia
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires
  Krishna URS
  embassy: Avenida Arce 2780, Casilla 425, La Paz
  mailing address: P. O. Box 425, La Paz; APO AA 34032
  telephone: [591] (2) 216-8000
  FAX: [591] (2) 216-8111
  note: as of September 2008, the Bolivian Government has expelled the
  US Ambassador to Bolivia

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  chief of mission: Ambassador Charles L.
  ENGLISH
  embassy: Alipasina 43, 71000 Sarajevo
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [387] (33) 445-700
  FAX: [387] (33) 659-722
  branch office(s): Banja Luka, Mostar

Botswana
  chief of mission: Ambassador Stephen J. NOLAN
  embassy: Embassy Enclave (off Khama Crescent), Gaborone
  mailing address: Embassy Enclave, P. O. Box 90, Gaborone
  telephone: [267] 395-3982
  FAX: [267] 395-6947

Brazil
  chief of mission: Ambassador Clifford M. SOBEL
  embassy: Avenida das Nacoes, Quadra 801, Lote 3, Distrito Federal
  Cep 70403-900, Brasilia
  mailing address: Unit 3500, APO AA 34030
  telephone: [55] (61) 3312-7000
  FAX: [55] (61) 3225-9136
  consulate(s) general: Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo
  consulate(s): Recife

British Indian Ocean Territory
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

British Virgin Islands
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Brunei
  chief of mission: Ambassador William E. TODD
  embassy: Third Floor, Teck Guan Plaza, Jalan Sultan, Bandar Seri
  Begawan, BS8811
  mailing address: PSC 470 (BSB), FPO AP 96507; P.O. Box 2991, Bandar
  Seri Begawan BS8675, Negara Brunei Darussalam
  telephone: [673] 222-0384
  FAX: [673] 222-5293

Bulgaria
  chief of mission: Ambassador Nancy McELDOWNEY
  embassy: 16 Kozyak Street, Sofia 1407
  mailing address: American Embassy Sofia, US Department of State,
  5740 Sofia Place, Washington, DC 20521-5740
  telephone: [359] (2) 937-5100
  FAX: [359] (2) 937-5320

Burkina Faso
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge
  d'Affaires Samuel C. LAEUCHLI
  embassy: 602 Avenue Raoul Follereau, Koulouba, Secteur 4
  mailing address: 01 B. P. 35, Ouagadougou 01; pouch mail - US
  Department of State, 2440 Ouagadougou Place, Washington, DC
  20521-2440
  telephone: [226] 50-30-67-23
  FAX: [226] 50-30-38-90

Burma
  chief of mission: Charge d'Affaires Larry M. DINGER - note:
  The United States does not maintain an ambassador in Burma
  embassy: 110 University Avenue, Kamayut Township, Rangoon
  mailing address: Box B, APO AP 96546
  telephone: [95] (1) 536-509, 535-756, 538-038
  FAX: [95] (1) 650-306

Burundi
  chief of mission: Ambassador Patricia Newton MOLLER
  embassy: Avenue des Etats-Unis, Bujumbura
  mailing address: B. P. 1720, Bujumbura
  telephone: [257] 223454
  FAX: [257] 222926

Cambodia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Carol A. RODLEY
  embassy: #1, Street 96, Sangkat Wat Phnom, Khan Daun Penh, Phnom Penh
  mailing address: Box P, APO AP 96546
  telephone: [855] (23) 728-000
  FAX: [855] (23) 728-600

Cameroon
  chief of mission: Ambassador Janet E. GARVEY
  embassy: Avenue Rosa Parks, Yaounde
  mailing address: P. O. Box 817, Yaounde; pouch: American Embassy, US
  Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2520
  telephone: [237] 2220 15 00; Consular: [237] 2220 16 03
  FAX: [237] 2220 16 00 Ext. 4531; Consular FAX: [237] 2220 17 52
  branch office(s): Douala

Canada
  chief of mission: Ambassador David H. WILKINS
  embassy: 490 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 1G8
  mailing address: P. O. Box 5000, Ogdensburg, NY 13669-0430; P.O. Box
  866, Station B, Ottawa, Ontario K1P 5T1
  telephone: [1] (613) 688-5335
  FAX: [1] (613) 688-3082
  consulate(s) general: Calgary, Halifax, Montreal, Quebec, Toronto,
  Vancouver, Winnipeg

Cape Verde
  chief of mission: Ambassador Marianne M. MYLES
  embassy: Rua Abilio Macedo n6, Praia
  mailing address: C. P. 201, Praia
  telephone: [238] 2-60-89-00
  FAX: [238] 2-61-13-55

Cayman Islands
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Central African Republic
  chief of mission: Ambassador Frederick B.
  COOK
  embassy: Avenue David Dacko, Bangui
  mailing address: B. P. 924, Bangui
  telephone: [236] 61 02 00
  FAX: [236] 61 44 94
  note: the embassy is currently operating with a minimal staff

Chad
  chief of mission: Ambassador Louis NIGRO
  embassy: Avenue Felix Eboue, N'Djamena
  mailing address: B. P. 413, N'Djamena
  telephone: [235] 251-62-11, 251-70-09, 251-77-59
  FAX: [235] 251-56-54

Chile
  chief of mission: Ambassador Paul E. SIMONS
  embassy: Avenida Andres Bello 2800, Las Condes, Santiago
  mailing address: APO AA 34033
  telephone: [56] (2) 330-3000
  FAX: [56] (2) 330-3710, 330-3160

China
  chief of mission: Ambassador Jon M. HUNTSMAN, Jr.
  embassy: 55 An Jia Lou Lu, 100600 Beijing
  mailing address: PSC 461, Box 50, FPO AP 96521-0002
  telephone: [86] (10) 8531-3000
  FAX: [86] (10) 8531-3300
  consulate(s) general: Chengdu, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Shenyang, Wuhan

Christmas Island
  none (territory of Australia)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  none (territory of Australia)

Colombia
  chief of mission: Ambassador William R. BROWNFIELD
  embassy: Calle 24 Bis No. 48-50, Bogota, D.C.
  mailing address: Carrera 45 No. 24B-27, Bogota, D.C.
  telephone: [57] (1) 315-0811
  FAX: [57] (1) 315-2197

Comoros
  the US does not have an embassy in Comoros; the ambassador
  to Madagascar is accredited to Comoros

Congo, Democratic Republic of the chief of mission: Ambassador William GARVELINK embassy: 310 Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa mailing address: Unit 31550, APO AE 09828 telephone: [243] (81) 225-5872 FAX: [243] (81) 301-0561

Congo, Republic of the
  chief of mission: Ambassador Allan EASTHAM
  embassy: Boulevard de la Revolution, BDEAC Building, 4th Floor,
  Brazzaville; note - a new embassy is expected to open in 2009
  mailing address: B.P. 1015, Brazzaville
  telephone: [242] 281-1481, 281-3368; note - until the new embassy in
  Brazzaville becomes operational, some duties will still be handled
  in the US embassy in Kinshasha, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Cook Islands
  none (self-governing in free association with New
  Zealand)

Coral Sea Islands
  none (territory of Australia)

Costa Rica
  chief of mission: Ambassador Peter CIANCHETTE
  embassy: Calle 120 Avenida O, Pavas, San Jose
  mailing address: APO AA 34020
  telephone: [506] 519-2000
  FAX: [506] 519-2305

Cote d'Ivoire
  chief of mission: Ambassador Wanda L. NESBITT
  embassy: Cocody Riviera Golf 01, Abidjan
  mailing address: B. P. 1712, Abidjan 01
  telephone: [225] 22 49 40 00
  FAX: [225] 22 49 43 32

Croatia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Robert A. BRADTKE
  embassy: 2 Thomas Jefferson Street, 10010 Zagreb
  mailing address: use street address
  telephone: [385] (1) 661-2200
  FAX: [385] (1) 661-2373

Cuba
  none; note - the US has an Interests Section in the Swiss
  Embassy, headed by Chief of Mission Jonathan D. FARRAR; address:
  USINT, Swiss Embassy, Calzada between L and M Streets, Vedado,
  Havana; telephone: [53] (7) 833-3551 through 3559 (operator
  assistance required); FAX: [53] (7) 833-1653; protecting power in
  Cuba is Switzerland

Cyprus
  chief of mission: Ambassador Frank C. URBANCIC, Jr.
  embassy: corner of Metochiou and Ploutarchou Streets, 2407 Engomi,
  Nicosia
  mailing address: P. O. Box 24536, 1385 Nicosia
  telephone: [357] (22) 393939
  FAX: [357] (22) 780944

Czech Republic
  chief of mission: Ambassador Richard W. GRABER
  embassy: Trziste 15, 118 01 Prague 1
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [420] 257 022 000
  FAX: [420] 257 022 809

Denmark
  chief of mission: Ambassador James P. CAIN
  embassy: Dag Hammarskjolds Alle 24, 2100 Copenhagen
  mailing address: PSC 73, APO AE 09716
  telephone: [45] 33 41 71 00
  FAX: [45] 35 43 02 23

Dhekelia
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Djibouti
  chief of mission: Ambassador James C. SWAN
  embassy: Plateau du Serpent, Boulevard Marechal Joffre, Djibouti
  mailing address: B. P. 185, Djibouti
  telephone: [253] 35 39 95
  FAX: [253] 35 39 40

Dominica
  the US does not have an embassy in Dominica; the US
  Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Dominica

Dominican Republic
  chief of mission: Ambassador P. Robert FANNIN
  embassy: corner of Calle Cesar Nicolas Penson and Calle Leopoldo
  Navarro, Santo Domingo
  mailing address: Unit 5500, APO AA 34041-5500
  telephone: [1] (809) 221-2171
  FAX: [1] (809) 686-7437

Ecuador
  chief of mission: Ambassador Heather HODGES
  embassy: Avenida Avigiras E12-170 y Avenida Eloy Alfaro, Quito
  mailing address: Avenida Guayacanes N52-205 y Avenida Avigiras
  telephone: [593] (2) 398-5000
  FAX: [593] (2) 398-5100
  consulate(s) general: Guayaquil

Egypt
  chief of mission: Ambassador Margaret SCOBEY
  embassy: 8 Kamal El Din Salah St., Garden City, Cairo
  mailing address: Unit 64900, Box 15, APO AE 09839-4900; 5 Tawfik
  Diab Street, Garden City, Cairo
  telephone: [20] (2) 2797-3300
  FAX: [20] (2) 2797-3200

El Salvador
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires
  Robert BLAU
  embassy: Final Boulevard Santa Elena Sur, Antiguo Cuscatlan, La
  Libertad, San Salvador
  mailing address: Unit 3450, APO AA 34023; 3450 San Salvador Place,
  Washington, DC 20521-3450
  telephone: [503] 2501-2999
  FAX: [503] 2501-2150

Equatorial Guinea
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)
  embassy: K-3, Carreterade Aeropuerto, al lado de Restaurante El
  Paraiso, Malabo; note - relocated embassy is opened for limited
  functions; inquiries should continue to be directed to the US
  Embassy in Yaounde, Cameroon
  mailing address: B.P. 817, Yaounde, Cameroon; US Embassy Yaounde, US
  Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2520
  telephone: [237] 2220-1500
  FAX: [237] 2220-1572

Eritrea
  chief of mission: Ambassador Ronald MCMULLEN
  embassy: 179 Ala Street, Asmara
  mailing address: P. O. Box 211, Asmara
  telephone: [291] (1) 120004
  FAX: [291] (1) 127584

Estonia
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires
  Karen DECKER
  embassy: Kentmanni 20, 15099 Tallinn
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [372] 668-8100
  FAX: [372] 668-8265

Ethiopia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Donald Y. YAMAMOTO
  embassy: Entoto Street, Addis Ababa
  mailing address: P. O. Box 1014, Addis Ababa
  telephone: [251] 11-517-40-00
  FAX: [251] 11-517-40-01

European Union
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge
  d'Affaires Christopher MURRAY
  embassy: 13 Zinnerstraat/Rue Zinner, B-1000 Brussels
  mailing address: same as above
  telephone: [32] (2) 508-2111
  FAX: [32] (2) 508-2063

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  none (overseas territory of the
  UK; also claimed by Argentina)

Faroe Islands
  none (self-governing overseas administrative division
  of Denmark)

Fiji
  chief of mission: Ambassador C. Steven McGANN
  embassy: 31 Loftus Street, Suva
  mailing address: P. O. Box 218, Suva
  telephone: [679] 331-4466
  FAX: [679] 330-0081

Finland
  chief of mission: Ambassador Barbara BARRETT
  embassy: Itainen Puistotie 14B, 00140 Helsinki
  mailing address: APO AE 09723
  telephone: [358] (9) 616250
  FAX: [358] (9) 6162 5800

France
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Mark
  A. PEKALA
  embassy: 2 Avenue Gabriel, 75382 Paris Cedex 08
  mailing address: PSC 116, APO AE 09777
  telephone: [33] (1) 43-12-22-22
  FAX: [33] (1) 42 66 97 83
  consulate(s) general: Marseille, Strasbourg

French Polynesia
  none (overseas lands of France)

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  none (overseas territory of
  France)

Gabon
  chief of mission: Ambassador Eunice S. REDDICK
  embassy: Boulevard du Bord de Mer, Libreville
  mailing address: Centre Ville, B. P. 4000, Libreville; pouch:2270
  Libreville Place, Washington, DC 20521-2270
  telephone: [241] 76 20 03 through 76 20 04, after hours - 07380171
  FAX: [241] 74 55 07

Gambia, The
  chief of mission: Ambassador Barry L. WELLS
  embassy: Kairaba Avenue, Fajara, Banjul
  mailing address: P. M. B. No. 19, Banjul
  telephone: [220] 439-2856, 437-6169, 437-6170
  FAX: [220] 439-2475

Georgia
  chief of mission: Ambassador John F. TEFFT
  embassy: 11 George Balanchine Street, T'bilisi 0131
  mailing address: 7060 T'bilisi Place, Washington, DC 20521-7060
  telephone: [995] (32) 27-70-00
  FAX: [995] (32) 53-23-10

Germany
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires
  John KOENIG
  embassy: Pariser Platz 2, 10117 Berlin; note - new embassy opened 4
  July 2008
  mailing address: PSC 120, Box 1000, APO AE 09265, Clayallee 170,
  14195 Berlin
  telephone: [49] (030) 2385174
  FAX: [49] (030) 8305-1215
  consulate(s) general: Duesseldorf, Frankfurt am Main, Hamburg,
  Leipzig, Munich

Ghana
  chief of mission: Ambassador Donald G. TEITELBAUM
  embassy: 24 4th Circular Rd. Cantonments, Accra
  mailing address: P. O. Box 194, Accra
  telephone: [233] (21) 741-000
  FAX: [233] (21) 741-389

Gibraltar
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Greece
  chief of mission: Ambassador Daniel V. SPECKHARD
  embassy: 91 Vasilisis Sophias Avenue, 10160 Athens
  mailing address: PSC 108, APO AE 09842-0108
  telephone: [30] (210) 721-2951
  FAX: [30] (210) 645-6282
  consulate(s) general: Thessaloniki

Greenland
  none (self-governing overseas administrative division of
  Denmark)

Grenada
  chief of mission: the US Ambassador to Barbados is
  accredited to Grenada
  embassy: Lance-aux-Epines Stretch, Saint George's
  mailing address: P. O. Box 54, Saint George's
  telephone: [1] (473) 444-1173 through 1177
  FAX: [1] (473) 444-4820

Guam
  none (territory of the US)

Guatemala
  chief of mission: Ambassador Stephen G. MCFARLAND
  embassy: 7-01 Avenida Reforma, Zone 10, Guatemala City
  mailing address: APO AA 34024
  telephone: [502] 2326-4000
  FAX: [502] 2326-4654

Guernsey
  none (British crown dependency)

Guinea
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires
  Elizabeth RASPOLIC
  embassy: Koloma, Conakry, east of Hamdallaye Circle
  mailing address: B. P. 603, Transversale No. 2, Centre Administratif
  de Koloma, Commune de Ratoma, Conakry
  telephone: [224] 65-10-40-00
  FAX: [224] 65-10-42-97

Guinea-Bissau
  the US Embassy suspended operations on 14 June 1998 in
  the midst of violent conflict between forces loyal to then President
  VIEIRA and military-led junta; the US Ambassador to Senegal is
  accredited to Guinea-Bissau

Guyana
  chief of mission: Ambassador John Melvin JONES
  embassy: US Embassy, 100 Young and Duke Streets, Kingston, Georgetown
  mailing address: P. O. Box 10507, Georgetown; US Embassy, 3170
  Georgetown Place, Washington DC 20521-3170
  telephone: [592] 225-4900 through 4909
  FAX: [592] 225-8497

Haiti
  chief of mission: Ambassador Janet A. SANDERSON
  embassy: Tabarre 41, Route de Tabarre, Port-au-Prince
  mailing address: use mailing address
  telephone: [509] 229-8000
  FAX: [509] 229-8028

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  none (territory of Australia)

Holy See (Vatican City) chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Julieta NOYES embassy: Villa Domiziana, Via delle Terme Deciane 26, 00153 Rome mailing address: PSC 833, Box 66, APO AE 09624 telephone: [39] (06) 4674-3428 FAX: [39] (06) 575-3411

Honduras
  chief of mission: Ambassador Hugo LLORENS
  embassy: Avenida La Paz, Apartado Postal No. 3453, Tegucigalpa
  mailing address: American Embassy, APO AA 34022, Tegucigalpa
  telephone: [504] 236-9320, 238-5114
  FAX: [504] 238-4357

Hong Kong
  chief of mission: Acting Consul General Christopher J.
  MARUT
  consulate(s) general: 26 Garden Road, Hong Kong
  mailing address: PSC 461, Box 1, FPO AP 96521-0006
  telephone: [852] 2523-9011
  FAX: [852] 2845-1598

Hungary
  chief of mission: Ambassador April H. FOLEY
  embassy: Szabadsag ter 12, H-1054 Budapest
  mailing address: pouch: American Embassy Budapest, 5270 Budapest
  Place, US Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-5270
  telephone: [36] (1) 475-4400
  FAX: [36] (1) 475-4764

Iceland
  chief of mission: Ambassador Hjalmar HANNESSON
  embassy: Laufasvegur 21, 101 Reykjavik
  mailing address: US Department of State, 5640 Reykjavik Place,
  Washington, D.C. 20521-5640
  telephone: [354] 562-9100
  FAX: [354] 562-9118

India
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires A.
  Peter BURLEIGH
  embassy: Shantipath, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi 110021
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [91] (011) 2419-8000
  FAX: [91] (11) 2419-0017
  consulate(s) general: Chennai (Madras), Kolkata (Calcutta), Mumbai
  (Bombay)

Indonesia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Cameron R. HUME
  embassy: Jalan 1 Medan Merdeka Selatan 4-5, Jakarta 10110
  mailing address: Unit 8129, Box 1, FPO AP 96520
  telephone: [62] (21) 3435-9000
  FAX: [62] (21) 3435-9922
  consulate(s) general: Surabaya

Iran
  none; note - the US Interests Section is located in the Embassy
  of Switzerland No. 39 Shahid Mousavi (Golestan 5th), Pasdaran Ave.,
  Tehran, Iran; telephone [98] 21 2254 2178/2256 5273; FAX [98] 21
  2258 0432

Iraq
  chief of mission: Ambassador Christopher R. HILL
  embassy: Baghdad
  mailing address: APO AE 09316
  telephone: 1-240-553-0589 ext. 5340 or 5635; note - Consular Section
  FAX: NA

Ireland
  chief of mission: Ambassador Daniel ROONEY; note - has not
  yet presented his credentials to Ireland
  embassy: 42 Elgin Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [353] (1) 668-8777
  FAX: [353] (1) 668-9946

Isle of Man
  none (British crown dependency)

Israel
  chief of mission: Ambassador James B. CUNNINGHAM
  embassy: 71 Hayarkon Street, Tel Aviv 63903
  mailing address: PSC 98, Box 29, APO AE 09830
  telephone: [972] (3) 519-7575
  FAX: [972] (3) 516-4390
  consulate(s) general: Jerusalem; note - an independent US mission,
  established in 1928, whose members are not accredited to a foreign
  government

Italy
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires
  Elizabeth DIBBLE
  embassy: Via Vittorio Veneto 121, 00187-Rome
  mailing address: PSC 59, Box 100, APO AE 09624
  telephone: [39] (06) 46741
  FAX: [39] (06) 488-2672, 4674-2356
  consulate(s) general: Florence, Milan, Naples

Jamaica
  chief of mission: Ambassador Brenda LaGrange JOHNSON
  embassy: 142 Old Hope Road, Kingston 6
  mailing address: P.O. Box 541, Kingston 5
  telephone: [1] (876) 702-6000
  FAX: [1] (876) 702-6001

Japan
  chief of mission: Ambassador James V. ROOS
  embassy: 1-10-5 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-8420
  mailing address: Unit 9800, Box 300, APO AP 96303-0300
  telephone: [81] (03) 3224-5000
  FAX: [81] (03) 3505-1862
  consulate(s) general: Naha (Okinawa), Osaka-Kobe, Sapporo
  consulate(s): Fukuoka, Nagoya

Jersey
  none (British crown dependency)

Jordan
  chief of mission: Ambassador Robert S. BEECROFT
  embassy: Abdoun, Amman
  mailing address: P. O. Box 354, Amman 11118 Jordan; Unit 70200, Box
  5, DPO AE 09892-0200
  telephone: [962] (6) 590-6000
  FAX: [962] (6) 592-0121

Kazakhstan
  chief of mission: Ambassador Richard E. HOAGLAND
  embassy: Ak Bulak 4, Str. 23-22, Building #3, Astana 010010
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [7] (7172) 70-21-00
  FAX: [7] (7172) 34-08-90

Kenya
  chief of mission: Ambassador Michael RANNEBERGER
  embassy: US Embassy, United Nations Avenue, Nairobi; P. O. Box 606
  Village Market, Nairobi 00621
  mailing address: Box 21A, Unit 64100, APO AE 09831
  telephone: [254] (20) 363-6000
  FAX: [254] (20) 363-410

Kiribati
  the US does not have an embassy in Kiribati; the ambassador
  to Fiji is accredited to Kiribati

Korea, North
  none; note - Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang represents
  the US as consular protecting power

Korea, South
  chief of mission: Ambassador Kathleen STEPHENS
  embassy: 32 Sejongno, Jongno-gu, Seoul 110-710
  mailing address: US Embassy Seoul, APO AP 96205-5550
  telephone: [82] (2) 397-4114
  FAX: [82] (2) 738-8845

Kosovo
  chief of mission: Ambassador Tina KAIDANOW
  embassy: Arberia/Dragodan, Nazim Hikmet 30, Pristina, Kosovo
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [381] 38 59 59 3000
  FAX: [381] 38 549 890

Kuwait
  chief of mission: Ambassador Deborah K. JONES
  embassy: Bayan 36302, Block 13, Al-Masjed Al-Aqsa Street (near the
  Bayan palace), Kuwait City
  mailing address: P. O. Box 77 Safat 13001 Kuwait; or PSC 1280 APO AE
  09880-9000
  telephone: [965] 259-1001
  FAX: [965] 538-0282

Kyrgyzstan
  chief of mission: Ambassador Tatiana C. GFOELLER
  embassy: 171 Prospect Mira, Bishkek 720016
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [996] (312) 551-241, (517) 777-217
  FAX: [996] (312) 551-264

Laos
  chief of mission: Ambassador Ravic R. HUSO
  embassy: 19 Rue Bartholonie, That Dam, Vientiane
  mailing address: American Embassy Vientiane, APO AP 96546
  telephone: [856] 21-26-7000
  FAX: [856] 21-26-7190

Latvia
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires
  Bruce ROGERS
  embassy: 7 Raina Boulevard, Riga LV-1510
  mailing address: American Embassy Riga, PSC 78, Box Riga, APO AE
  09723
  telephone: [371] 670-36200
  FAX: [371] 678-20047

Lebanon
  chief of mission: Ambassador Michele J. SISON
  embassy: Awkar, Lebanon; (Awkar facing the Municipality)
  mailing address: P. O. Box 70-840, Antelias, Lebanon; from US: US
  Embassy Beirut, 6070 Beirut Place, Washington, DC 20521-6070
  telephone: [961] (4) 542600, 543600
  FAX: [961] (4) 544136

Lesotho
  chief of mission: Ambassador Robert NOLAN
  embassy: 254 Kingsway, Maseru West (Consular Section)
  mailing address: P. O. Box 333, Maseru 100, Lesotho
  telephone: [266] 22 312666
  FAX: [266] 22 310116

Liberia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Linda THOMAS-GREENFIELD
  embassy: 111 United Nations Drive, P. O. Box 98, Mamba Point, 1000
  Monrovia, 10
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [231] 7-705-4826
  FAX: [231] 7-701-0370

Libya
  chief of mission: Ambassador Gene A. CRETZ
  embassy: off Jaraba Street, behind the Libyan-Swiss clinic, Ben
  Ashour
  mailing address: US Embassy, 8850 Tripoli Place, Washington, DC
  20521-8850
  telephone: [218] 91-220-3239

Liechtenstein
  the US does not have an embassy in Liechtenstein; the
  US Ambassador to Switzerland is accredited to Liechtenstein

Lithuania
  chief of mission: Ambassador John A. CLOUD
  embassy: Akmenu gatve 6, Vilnius, LT-03106
  mailing address: American Embassy, Akmenu Gatve 6, Vilnius LT-03106
  telephone: [370] (5) 266 5500
  FAX: [370] (5) 266 5510

Luxembourg
  chief of mission: Ambassador Ann WAGNER
  embassy: 22 Boulevard Emmanuel Servais, L-2535 Luxembourg City
  mailing address: American Embassy Luxembourg, Unit 1410, APO AE
  09126-1410 (official mail); American Embassy Luxembourg, PSC 9, Box
  9500, APO AE 09123 (personal mail)
  telephone: [352] 46 01 23
  FAX: [352] 46 14 01

Macau
  the US has no offices in Macau; US Consulate General in Hong
  Kong is accredited to Macau

Macedonia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Philip T. REEKER
  embassy: Bul. Ilindenska bb, 1000 Skopje
  mailing address: American Embassy Skopje, US Department of State,
  7120 Skopje Place, Washington, DC 20521-7120 (pouch)
  telephone: [389] 2 311-6180
  FAX: [389] 2 311-7103

Madagascar
  chief of mission: Ambassador R. Niels MARQUARDT
  embassy: 14-16 Rue Rainitovo, Antsahavola, Antananarivo 101
  mailing address: B. P. 620, Antsahavola, Antananarivo
  telephone: [261] (20) 22-212-57, 22-212-73, 22-209-56
  FAX: [261] (20) 22-345-39

Malawi
  chief of mission: Ambassador Peter W. BODDE
  embassy: 16 Jomo Kenyatta Road, Lilongwe 3
  mailing address: P. O. Box 30016, Lilongwe 3, Malawi
  telephone: [265] (1) 773 166
  FAX: [265] (1) 770 471

Malaysia
  chief of mission: Ambassador James R. KEITH
  embassy: 376 Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur
  mailing address: US Embassy Kuala Lumpur, APO AP 96535-8152
  telephone: [60] (3) 2168-5000
  FAX: [60] (3) 2142-2207

Maldives
  the US does not have an embassy in Maldives; the US
  Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Ambassador Robert O. BLAKE, Jr., is
  accredited to Maldives and makes periodic visits

Mali
  chief of mission: Ambassador Gillian A. MILOVANOVIC
  embassy: located just off the Roi Bin Fahad Aziz Bridge just west of
  the Bamako central district
  mailing address: ACI 2000, Rue 243, Porte 297, Bamako
  telephone: [223] 270-2300
  FAX: [223] 270-2479

Malta
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Jason
  DAVIS
  embassy: 3rd Floor, Development House, Saint Anne Street, Floriana,
  VLT 01
  mailing address: P. O. Box 535, Valletta, CMR01
  telephone: [356] 2561 4000
  FAX: [356] 21 243229

Marshall Islands
  chief of mission: Ambassador Clyde BISHOP
  embassy: Oceanside, Mejen Weto, Long Island, Majuro
  mailing address: P. O. Box 1379, Majuro, Republic of the Marshall
  Islands 96960-1379
  telephone: [692] 247-4011
  FAX: [692] 247-4012

Mauritania
  chief of mission: Ambassador Mark M. BOULWARE
  embassy: 288 Rue Abdallaye, Rue 42-100 (between Presidency building
  and Spanish Embassy), Nouakchott
  mailing address: BP 222, Nouakchott
  telephone: [222] 525-2660 through 2663
  FAX: [222] 525-1592

Mauritius
  chief of mission: Ambassador Cesar CABRERA
  embassy: 4th Floor, Rogers House, John Kennedy Street, Port Louis
  mailing address: international mail: P. O. Box 544, Port Louis; US
  mail: American Embassy, Port Louis, US Department of State,
  Washington, DC 20521-2450
  telephone: [230] 202-4400
  FAX: [230] 208-9534

Mayotte
  none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)

Mexico
  chief of mission: Ambassador Antonio O. GARZA, Jr.
  embassy: Paseo de la Reforma 305, Colonia Cuauhtemoc, 06500 Mexico,
  Distrito Federal
  mailing address: P. O. Box 9000, Brownsville, TX 78520-9000
  telephone: [52] (55) 5080-2000
  FAX: [52] (55) 5511-9980
  consulate(s) general: Ciudad Juarez, Guadalajara, Monterrey, Tijuana
  consulate(s): Hermosillo, Matamoros, Merida, Nogales, Nuevo Laredo

Micronesia, Federated States of
  chief of mission: Ambassador Miriam
  K. HUGHES
  embassy: 101 Upper Pics Road, Kolonia
  mailing address: P. O. Box 1286, Kolonia, Pohnpei, 96941
  telephone: [691] 320-2187
  FAX: [691] 320-2186

Moldova
  chief of mission: Ambassador Asif CHAUDHRY
  embassy: 103 Mateevici Street, Chisinau MD-2009
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [373] (22) 40-8300
  FAX: [373] (22) 23-3044

Monaco
  the US does not have an embassy in Monaco; the US Ambassador
  to France is accredited to Monaco; the US Consul General in
  Marseille (France), under the authority of the US ambassador to
  France, handles routine diplomatic and consular matters concerning
  Monaco

Mongolia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Mark C. MINTON
  embassy: Big Ring Road, 11th Micro Region, Ulaanbaatar, 14171
  Mongolia
  mailing address: PSC 461, Box 300, FPO AP 96521-0002; P.O. Box 1021,
  Ulaanbaatar-13
  telephone: [976] (11) 329-095
  FAX: [976] (11) 320-776

Montenegro
  chief of mission: Ambassador Roderick W. MOORE
  embassy: Ljubljanska bb, 81000 Podgorica, Montenegro
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [382] 81 225 417
  FAX: [382] 81 241 358

Montserrat
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Morocco
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires
  Robert P. JACKSON
  embassy: 2 Avenue de Mohamed El Fassi, Rabat
  mailing address: PSC 74, Box 021, APO AE 09718
  telephone: [212] (37) 76 22 65
  FAX: [212] (37) 76 56 61
  consulate(s) general: Casablanca

Mozambique
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires
  Todd C. CHAPMAN
  embassy: Avenida Kenneth Kuanda 193, Maputo
  mailing address: P. O. Box 783, Maputo
  telephone: [258] (21) 492797
  FAX: [258] (21) 490114

Namibia
  chief of mission: Ambassador G. Dennise MATHIEU
  embassy: 14 Lossen Street, Windhoek
  mailing address: Private Bag 12029 Ausspannplatz, Windhoek
  telephone: [264] (61) 295-8500
  FAX: [264] (61) 295-8603

Nauru
  the US does not have an embassy in Nauru; the US Ambassador to
  Fiji is accredited to Nauru

Navassa Island
  none (territory of the US)

Nepal
  chief of mission: Ambassador Nancy J. POWELL
  embassy: Maharajgunj, Kathmandu
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [977] (1) 400-7200
  FAX: [977] (1) 400-7272

Netherlands
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires
  Michael GALLAGHER
  embassy: Lange Voorhout 102, 2514 EJ, The Hague
  mailing address: PSC 71, Box 1000, APO AE 09715
  telephone: [31] (70) 310-2209
  FAX: [31] (70) 361-4688
  consulate(s) general: Amsterdam

Netherlands Antilles
  chief of mission: Consul General Robert E.
  SORENSON
  consulate(s) general: J. B. Gorsiraweg #1, Willemstad, Curacao
  mailing address: P. O. Box 158, Willemstad, Curacao
  telephone: [599] (9) 461-3066
  FAX: [599] (9) 461-6489

New Caledonia
  none (overseas territory of France)

New Zealand
  chief of mission: Ambassador William P. McCORMICK
  embassy: 29 Fitzherbert Terrace, Thorndon, Wellington
  mailing address: P. O. Box 1190, Wellington; PSC 467, Box 1, APO AP
  96531-1034
  telephone: [64] (4) 462-6000
  FAX: [64] (4) 499-0490
  consulate(s) general: Auckland

Nicaragua
  chief of mission: Ambassador Robert J. CALLAHAN
  embassy: Kilometer 5.5 Carretera Sur, Managua
  mailing address: American Embassy Managua, APO AA 34021
  telephone: [505] 252-7100, 252-7888; 252-7634 (after hours)
  FAX: [505] 252-7304

Niger
  chief of mission: Ambassador Bernadette M. ALLEN
  embassy: Rue Des Ambassades, Niamey
  mailing address: B. P. 11201, Niamey
  telephone: [227] 20-72-26-61 thru 64
  FAX: [227] 20-73-31-67

Nigeria
  chief of mission: Ambassador Robin SANDERS
  embassy: 1075 Diplomatic Drive, Central District Area, Abuja
  mailing address: P. O. Box 5760, Garki, Abuja
  telephone: [234] (9) 461-4000
  FAX: [234] (9) 461-4036

Niue
  none (self-governing territory in free association with New
  Zealand)

Norfolk Island
  none (territory of Australia)

Norway
  chief of mission: Ambassador Benson K. WHITNEY
  embassy: Henrik Ibsens gate 48, 0244 Oslo; note - the embassy will
  move to Huseby in the near future
  mailing address: PSC 69, Box 1000, APO AE 09707
  telephone: [47] (22) 44 85 50
  FAX: [47] (22) 44 33 63, 56 27 51

Oman
  chief of mission: Ambassador Gary A. GRAPPO
  embassy: Jameat A'Duwal Al Arabiya Street, Al Khuwair area, Muscat
  mailing address: P. O. Box 202, P.C. 115, Madinat Sultan Qaboos,
  Muscat
  telephone: [968] 24-643-400
  FAX: [968] 24-699771

Pakistan
  chief of mission: Ambassador Anne W. PATTERSON
  embassy: Diplomatic Enclave, Ramna 5, Islamabad
  mailing address: P. O. Box 1048, Unit 62200, APO AE 09812-2200
  telephone: [92] (51) 208-0000
  FAX: [92] (51) 2276427
  consulate(s) general: Karachi
  consulate(s): Lahore, Peshawar

Palau
  chief of mission: Charge d'Affaires Mark BEZNER
  embassy: Koror (no street address)
  mailing address: P. O. Box 6028, Republic of Palau 96940
  telephone: [680] 488-2920, 2990
  FAX: [680] 488-2911

Panama
  chief of mission: Ambassador Barbara J. STEPHENSON
  embassy: Edificio 783, Avenida Demetrio Basilio Lakas Panama,
  Apartado Postal 0816-02561, Zona 5, Panama City
  mailing address: American Embassy Panama, Unit 0945, APO AA 34002
  telephone: [507] 207-7000
  FAX: [507] 317-5568

Papua New Guinea
  chief of mission: Ambassador Teddy B. TAYLOR
  embassy: Douglas Street, Port Moresby, N.C.D.
  mailing address: 4240 Port Moresby PI, US Department of State,
  Washington DC 20521-4240
  telephone: [675] 321-1455
  FAX: [675] 321-3423

Paraguay
  Ambassador Liliana AYALDE
  embassy: 1776 Avenida Mariscal Lopez, Casilla Postal 402, Asuncion
  mailing address: Unit 4711, APO AA 34036-0001
  telephone: [595] (21) 213-715
  FAX: [595] (21) 228-603

Peru
  chief of mission: Ambassador P. Michael MCKINLEY
  embassy: Avenida La Encalada, Cuadra 17s/n, Surco, Lima 33
  mailing address: P. O. Box 1995, Lima 1; American Embassy (Lima),
  APO AA 34031-5000
  telephone: [51] (1) 434-3000
  FAX: [51] (1) 618-2397

Philippines
  chief of mission: Ambassador Kristie A. KENNEY
  embassy: 1201 Roxas Boulevard, Ermita 1000, Manila
  mailing address: PSC 500, FPO AP 96515-1000
  telephone: [63] (2) 301-2000
  FAX: [63] (2) 301-2399

Pitcairn Islands
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Poland
  chief of mission: Ambassador Victor ASHE
  embassy: Aleje Ujazdowskie 29/31 00-540 Warsaw
  mailing address: American Embassy Warsaw, US Department of State,
  Washington, DC 20521-5010 (pouch)
  telephone: [48] (22) 504-2000
  FAX: [48] (22) 504-2688
  consulate(s) general: Krakow

Portugal
  chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas F. STEPHENSON
  embassy: Avenida das Forcas Armadas, 1600-081 Lisbon
  mailing address: Apartado 43033, 1601-301 Lisboa; PSC 83, APO AE
  09726
  telephone: [351] (21) 727-3300
  FAX: [351] (21) 726-9109
  consulate(s): Ponta Delgada (Azores)

Puerto Rico
  none (territory of the US with commonwealth status)

Qatar
  chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph E. LEBARON
  embassy: Al-Luqta District, 22 February Road, Doha
  mailing address: P. O. Box 2399, Doha
  telephone: [974] 488 4161
  FAX: [974] 488 4150

Romania
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge D'Affaires
  Jeri GUTHRIE-CORN
  embassy: Strada Tudor Arghezi 7-9, Bucharest
  mailing address: pouch: American Embassy Bucharest, US Department of
  State, 5260 Bucharest Place, Washington, DC 20521-5260 (pouch)
  telephone: [40] (21) 200-3300
  FAX: [40] (21) 200-3442

Russia
  chief of mission: Ambassador John R. BEYRLE
  embassy: Bolshoy Deviatinskiy Pereulok No. 8, 121099 Moscow
  mailing address: PSC-77, APO AE 09721
  telephone: [7] (495) 728-5000
  FAX: [7] (495) 728-5090
  consulate(s) general: Saint Petersburg, Vladivostok, Yekaterinburg

Rwanda
  chief of mission: Ambassador W. Stuart SYMINGTON
  embassy: 2657 Avenue de la Gendarmerie, Kigali
  mailing address: B. P. 28, Kigali
  telephone: [250] 596-400
  FAX: [250] 596-591

Saint Barthelemy
  none (overseas collectivity of France)

Saint Helena
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  the US does not have an embassy in Saint Kitts
  and Nevis; the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Saint
  Kitts and Nevis

Saint Lucia
  the US does not have an embassy in Saint Lucia; the US
  Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Saint Lucia

Saint Martin
  none (overseas collectivity of France)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  none (territorial overseas collectivity of
  France)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  the US does not have an embassy in
  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; the US Ambassador to Barbados is
  accredited to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Samoa
  chief of mission: none; US Ambassador to New Zealand is
  accredited to Samoa
  embassy: Accident Corporation Building, 5th Floor, Matafele, Apia
  mailing address: P. O. Box 3430, Matafele, Apia
  telephone: [685] 21436/21631/21452/22696
  FAX: [685] 22030

San Marino
  the US does not have an embassy in San Marino; the
  ambassador to Italy is accredited to San Marino

Sao Tome and Principe
  the US does not have an embassy in Sao Tome
  and Principe; the Ambassador to Gabon is accredited to Sao Tome and
  Principe on a nonresident basis and makes periodic visits to the
  islands

Saudi Arabia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Ford M. FRAKER
  embassy: Collector Road M, Diplomatic Quarter, Riyadh
  mailing address: American Embassy, Unit 61307, APO AE 09803-1307;
  International Mail: P. O. Box 94309, Riyadh 11693
  telephone: [966] (1) 488-3800
  FAX: [966] (1) 488-7360
  consulate(s) general: Dhahran, Jiddah (Jeddah)

Senegal
  chief of mission: Ambassador Marcia S. BERNICAT
  embassy: Avenue Jean XXIII at the corner of Rue Kleber, Dakar
  mailing address: B. P. 49, Dakar
  telephone: [221] 33-829-2100
  FAX: [221] 33-822-2991

Serbia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Cameron MUNTER
  embassy: Kneza Milosa 50, 11000 Belgrade
  mailing address: 5070 Belgrade Place, Washington, DC 20521-5070
  telephone: [381] (11) 361-9344
  FAX: [381] (11) 361-8230

Seychelles
  the US does not have an embassy in Seychelles; the
  ambassador to Mauritius is accredited to Seychelles

Sierra Leone
  chief of mission: Ambassador June Carter PERRY
  embassy: Southridge-Hill Station, Freetown
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [232] (22) 515 000 or (76) 515 000
  FAX: [232] (22) 515 355

Singapore
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires
  Daniel L. SHIELDS III
  embassy: 27 Napier Road, Singapore 258508
  mailing address: FPO AP 96507-0001
  telephone: [65] 6476-9100
  FAX: [65] 6476-9340

Slovakia
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires
  Keith EDDINS
  embassy: Hviezdoslavovo Namestie 4, 81102 Bratislava
  mailing address: P.O. Box 309, 814 99 Bratislava
  telephone: [421] (2) 5443-3338
  FAX: [421] (2) 5441-8861

Slovenia
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires
  Brad FREDEN
  embassy: Presernova 31, 1000 Ljubljana
  mailing address: American Embassy Ljubljana, US Department of State,
  7140 Ljubljana Place, Washington, DC 20521-7140
  telephone: [386] (1) 200-5500
  FAX: [386] (1) 200-5555

Solomon Islands
  the US does not have an embassy in Solomon Islands
  (embassy closed July 1993); the ambassador to Papua New Guinea is
  accredited to the Solomon Islands

Somalia
  the US does not have an embassy in Somalia; US interests are
  represented by the US Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya at United Nations
  Avenue, Nairobi; mailing address: Unit 64100, Nairobi; APO AE 09831;
  telephone: [254] (20) 363-6000; FAX [254] (20) 363-6157

South Africa
  chief of mission: Ambassador Eric BOST
  embassy: 877 Pretorius Street, Pretoria
  mailing address: P. O. Box 9536, Pretoria 0001
  telephone: [27] (12) 431-4000
  FAX: [27] (12) 342-2299
  consulate(s) general: Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg

South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
  none (overseas territory of
  the UK, also claimed by Argentina)

Spain
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires
  Arnold A. CHACON
  embassy: Serrano 75, 28006 Madrid
  mailing address: PSC 61, APO AE 09642
  telephone: [34] (91) 587-2200
  FAX: [34] (91) 587-2303
  consulate(s) general: Barcelona

Sri Lanka
  chief of mission: Ambassador Robert O. BLAKE, Jr.
  embassy: 210 Galle Road, Colombo 3
  mailing address: P. O. Box 106, Colombo
  telephone: [94] (11) 249-8500
  FAX: [94] (11) 243-7345

Sudan
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires
  Robert E. WHITEHEAD
  embassy: Sharia Ali Abdul Latif Street, Khartoum
  mailing address: P.O. Box 699, Khartoum; APO AE 09829
  telephone: [249] (183) 774700 through 704
  FAX: [249] (183) 774137

Suriname
  chief of mission: Ambassador Lisa Bobbie SCHREIBER HUGHES
  embassy: Dr. Sophie Redmondstraat 129, Paramaribo
  mailing address: US Department of State, PO Box 1821, Paramaribo
  telephone: [597] 472-900
  FAX: [597] 410-025

Swaziland
  chief of mission: Ambassador Maurice S. PARKER
  embassy: 2350 Mbabane Place, Mbabane
  mailing address: P. O. Box 199, Mbabane
  telephone: [268] 404-2445
  FAX: [268] 404-2059

Sweden
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires
  Robert J. SILVERMAN
  embassy: Dag Hammarskjolds Vag 31, SE-11589 Stockholm
  mailing address: American Embassy Stockholm, US Department of State,
  5750 Stockholm Place, Washington, DC 20521-5750
  telephone: [46] (08) 783 53 00
  FAX: [46] (08) 661 19 64

Switzerland
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires
  Leigh CARTER
  embassy: Sulgeneckstrasse 19, CH-3007 Bern
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [41] (031) 357 70 11
  FAX: [41] (031) 357 73 44

Syria
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Maura
  CONNELLY
  embassy: Abou Roumaneh, Al-Mansour Street, No. 2, Damascus
  mailing address: P. O. Box 29, Damascus
  telephone: [963] (11) 3391-4444
  FAX: [963] (11) 3391-3999

Taiwan
  none; commercial and cultural relations with the people on
  Taiwan are maintained through an unofficial instrumentality, the
  American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), a private nonprofit corporation
  that performs citizen and consular services similar to those at
  diplomatic posts
  director: William A. STANTON
  office: #7 Lane 134, Hsin Yi Road, Section 3, Taipei, Taiwan
  telephone: [1] [886] (02) 2162-2000
  FAX: [1] [886] (07) 238-7744
  other offices: Kaohsiung

Tajikistan
  chief of mission: Ambassador Tracey Ann JACOBSON
  embassy: 109-A Ismoili Somoni Avenue, Dushanbe 734019
  mailing address: 7090 Dushanbe Place, Dulles, VA 20189
  telephone: [992] (37) 229-20-00
  FAX: [992] (37) 229-20-50

Tanzania
  chief of mission: Ambassador Mark GREEN
  embassy: 686 Old Bagamoyo Road, Msasani, Dar es Salaam
  mailing address: P. O. Box 9123, Dar es Salaam
  telephone: [255] (22) 266-8001
  FAX: [255] (22) 266-8238, 266-8373

Thailand
  chief of mission: Ambassador Eric G. JOHN
  embassy: 120-122 Wireless Road, Bangkok 10330
  mailing address: APO AP 96546
  telephone: [66] (2) 205-4000
  FAX: [66] (2) 254-2990, 205-4131
  consulate(s) general: Chiang Mai

Timor-Leste
  chief of mission: Ambassador Hans G. KLEMM
  embassy: Avenida de Portugal, Praia dos Conqueiros, Dili
  mailing address: US Department of State, 8250 Dili Place,
  Washington, DC 20521-8250
  telephone: (670) 332-4684
  FAX: (670) 331-3206

Togo
  chief of mission: Ambassador Patricia McMahon HAWKINS
  embassy: 4332 Blvd. Gnassingbe Eyadema, Cite OUA, Lome
  mailing address: B. P. 852, Lome; 2300 Lome Place, Washington, DC
  20512-2300
  telephone: [228] 261-5470
  FAX: [228] 261-5501

Tokelau
  none (territory of New Zealand)

Tonga
  the US does not have an embassy in Tonga; the ambassador to
  Fiji is accredited to Tonga

Trinidad and Tobago
  chief of mission: Ambassador Roy L. AUSTIN
  embassy: 15 Queen's Park West, Port-of-Spain
  mailing address: P. O. Box 752, Port-of-Spain
  telephone: [1] (868) 622-6371 through 6376
  FAX: [1] (868) 822-5905

Tunisia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Robert F. GODEC
  embassy: Zone Nord-Est des Berges du Lac Nord de Tunis 1053
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [216] 71 107-000
  FAX: [216] 71 963-263

Turkey
  chief of mission: Ambassador James F. JEFFREY
  embassy: 110 Ataturk Boulevard, Kavaklidere, 06100 Ankara
  mailing address: PSC 93, Box 5000, APO AE 09823
  telephone: [90] (312) 455-5555
  FAX: [90] (312) 467-0019
  consulate(s) general: Istanbul
  consulate(s): Adana; note - there is a Consular Agent in Izmir

Turkmenistan
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge
  d'Affaires Richard M. MILES
  embassy: No. 9 1984 Street (formerly Pushkin Street), Ashgabat,
  Turkmenistan 744000
  mailing address: 7070 Ashgabat Place, Washington, DC 20521-7070
  telephone: [993] (12) 35-00-45
  FAX: [993] (12) 39-26-14

Turks and Caicos Islands
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Tuvalu
  the US does not have an embassy in Tuvalu; the US ambassador
  to Fiji is accredited to Tuvalu

Uganda
  chief of mission: Ambassador Steven BROWNING
  embassy: 1577 Ggaba Road, Kampala
  mailing address: P. O. Box 7007, Kampala
  telephone: [256] (414) 259 791 through 93, 95
  FAX: [256] (414) 258-794

Ukraine
  chief of mission: Ambassador William B. TAYLOR Jr.
  embassy: 10 Yurii Kotsiubynsky Street, 01901 Kyiv
  mailing address: 5850 Kiev Place, Washington, DC 20521-5850
  telephone: [380] (44) 490-4000
  FAX: [380] (44) 490-4085

United Arab Emirates
  chief of mission: Ambassador Richard G. OLSON,
  Jr.
  embassy: Embassies District, Plot 38 Sector W59-02, Street No. 4,
  Abu Dhabi
  mailing address: P. O. Box 4009, Abu Dhabi
  telephone: [971] (2) 414-2200
  FAX: [971] (2) 414-2603
  consulate(s) general: Dubai

United Kingdom
  chief of mission: Ambassador Robert Holmes TUTTLE
  embassy: 24 Grosvenor Square, London, W1A 1AE
  mailing address: PSC 801, Box 40, FPO AE 09498-4040
  telephone: [44] (0) 20 7499-9000
  FAX: [44] (0) 20 7629-9124
  consulate(s) general: Belfast, Edinburgh

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges
  none (territories of
  the US)

Uruguay
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires
  Robin H. MATTHEWMAN
  embassy: Lauro Muller 1776, Montevideo 11200
  mailing address: APO AA 34035
  telephone: [598] (2) 418-7777
  FAX: [598] (2) 418-8611

Uzbekistan
  chief of mission: Ambassador Richard B. NORLAND
  embassy: 3 Moyqo'rq'on, 5th Block, Yunusobod District, Tashkent
  100093
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [998] (71) 120-5450
  FAX: [998] (71) 120-6335

Vanuatu
  the US does not have an embassy in Vanuatu; the ambassador
  to Papua New Guinea is accredited to Vanuatu

Venezuela
  chief of mission: Ambassador Patrick DUDDY
  embassy: Calle F con Calle Suapure, Urbanizacion Colinas de Valle
  Arriba, Caracas 1080
  mailing address: P. O. Box 62291, Caracas 1060-A; APO AA 34037
  telephone: [58] (212) 975-6411, 907-8400 (after hours)
  FAX: [58] (212) 907-8199

Vietnam
  chief of mission: Ambassador Michael W. MICHALAK
  embassy: 7 Lang Ha Street, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi
  mailing address: PSC 461, Box 400, FPO AP 96521-0002
  telephone: [84] (4) 3850-5000
  FAX: [84] (4) 3850-5010
  consulate(s) general: Ho Chi Minh City

Virgin Islands
  none (territory of the US)

Wallis and Futuna
  none (overseas territory of France)

Western Sahara
  none

Yemen
  chief of mission: Ambassador Stephen A. SECHE
  embassy: Sa'awan Street, Sanaa
  mailing address: P. O. Box 22347, Sanaa
  telephone: [967] (1) 755-2000 ext. 2153 or 2266
  FAX: [967] (1) 303-182

Zambia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Donald E. BOOTH
  embassy: corner of Independence and United Nations Avenues, Lusaka
  mailing address: P. O. Box 31617, Lusaka
  telephone: [260] (211) 250-955
  FAX: [260] (211) 252-225

Zimbabwe
  chief of mission: Ambassador James D. MCGEE
  embassy: 172 Herbert Chitepo Avenue, Harare
  mailing address: P. O. Box 3340, Harare
  telephone: [263] (4) 250-593 through 250-594
  FAX: [263] (4) 796-488, or 722-618

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

@2008

Field Listing :: Transportation - note

This entry includes miscellaneous transportation information of significance not included elsewhere. Country

Transportation - note

Antarctica
  US coastal stations include McMurdo (77 51 S, 166 40 E)
  and Palmer (64 43 S, 64 03 W); government use only except by permit
  (see Permit Office under "Legal System"); all ships at port are
  subject to inspection in accordance with Article 7, Antarctic
  Treaty; relevant legal instruments and authorization procedures
  adopted by the states parties to the Antarctic Treaty regulating
  access to the Antarctic Treaty area to all areas between 60 and 90
  degrees of latitude south have to be complied with (see "Legal
  System"); The Hydrographic Commission on Antarctica (HCA), a
  commission of the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO), is
  responsible for hydrographic surveying and nautical charting matters
  in Antarctic Treaty area; it coordinates and facilitates provision
  of accurate and appropriate charts and other aids to navigation in
  support of safety of navigation in region; membership of HCA is open
  to any IHO Member State whose government has acceded to the
  Antarctic Treaty and which contributes resources or data to IHO
  Chart coverage of the area

Arctic Ocean
  sparse network of air, ocean, river, and land routes;
  the Northwest Passage (North America) and Northern Sea Route
  (Eurasia) are important seasonal waterways

Atlantic Ocean
  Kiel Canal and Saint Lawrence Seaway are two
  important waterways; significant domestic commercial and
  recreational use of Intracoastal Waterway on central and south
  Atlantic seaboard and Gulf of Mexico coast of US; the International
  Maritime Bureau reports the territorial waters of littoral states
  and offshore Atlantic waters as high risk for piracy and armed
  robbery against ships, particularly in the Gulf of Guinea off West
  Africa, the east coast of Brazil, and the Caribbean Sea; numerous
  commercial vessels have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor
  and while underway; hijacked vessels are often disguised and cargoes
  stolen; crews have been robbed and stores or cargoes stolen

Bangladesh
  the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial
  waters of Bangladesh as high risk for armed robbery against ships;
  numerous commercial vessels have been attacked both at anchor and
  while underway; crews have been robbed and stores or cargoes stolen

Brazil
  the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and
  offshore waters in the Atlantic Ocean as a significant risk for
  piracy and armed robbery against ships; numerous commercial vessels
  have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway;
  crews have been robbed and stores or cargoes stolen

Djibouti
  the International Maritime Bureau reports offshore waters
  in the Gulf of Aden are high risk for piracy; numerous vessels,
  including commercial shipping and pleasure craft, have been attacked
  and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; crew, passengers,
  and cargo are held for ransom

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  aids to navigation -
  lighthouses: Europa Island 18m; Juan de Nova Island (W side) 37m;
  Tromelin Island (NW point) 11m (all in the Iles Eparses district)

Georgia
  large parts of transportation network are in poor condition
  because of lack of maintenance and repair

Indian Ocean
  the International Maritime Bureau reports the
  territorial waters of littoral states and offshore waters as high
  risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships, particularly in the
  Gulf of Aden, along the east coast of Africa, the Bay of Bengal, and
  the Strait of Malacca; numerous vessels, including commercial
  shipping and pleasure craft, have been attacked and hijacked both at
  anchor and while underway; hijacked vessels are often disguised and
  cargoes stolen; crew and passengers are often held for ransom,
  murdered, or cast adrift; the presence of several naval task forces
  in the Gulf of Aden and additional anti-piracy measures on the part
  of ship operators have reduced the piracy incidents; in response
  local pirates shifted operations farther south along the east coast
  of Somalia and eastward along the coast of Oman

Indonesia
  the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial
  and offshore waters in the Strait of Malacca and South China Sea as
  high risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships; numerous
  commercial vessels have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor
  and while underway; hijacked vessels are often disguised and cargo
  diverted to ports in East Asia; crews have been murdered or cast
  adrift

Malaysia
  the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial
  and offshore waters in the Strait of Malacca and South China Sea as
  high risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships; numerous
  commercial vessels have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor
  and while underway; hijacked vessels are often disguised and cargo
  diverted to ports in East Asia; crews have been murdered or cast
  adrift; increased naval patrols in 2009 resulted in significantly
  reduced numbers of incidents

Nigeria
  the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial
  and offshore waters in the Niger Delta and Gulf of Guinea as high
  risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships; numerous commercial
  vessels have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while
  underway; crews have been robbed and stores or cargoes stolen

Pacific Ocean
  Inside Passage offers protected waters from southeast
  Alaska to Puget Sound (Washington state); the International Maritime
  Bureau reports the territorial waters of littoral states and
  offshore waters in the South China Sea as high risk for piracy and
  armed robbery against ships; numerous commercial vessels have been
  attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; hijacked
  vessels are often disguised and cargoes stolen; crew and passengers
  are often held for ransom, murdered, or cast adrift

Philippines
  the International Maritime Bureau reports the
  territorial and offshore waters in the South China Sea as high risk
  for piracy and armed robbery against ships; numerous commercial
  vessels have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while
  underway; hijacked vessels are often disguised and cargo diverted to
  ports in East Asia; crews have been murdered or cast adrift

Saint Barthelemy
  nearest airport for international flights is
  Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) located in Sint Maarten
  (Netherlands Antilles)

Saint Helena
  there is no air connection to Saint Helena or Tristan
  da Cunha; an international airport for Saint Helena is in
  development for 2010

Saint Martin
  nearest airport for international flights is Princess
  Juliana International Airport (SXM) located in Sint Maarten

Singapore
  the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial
  and offshore waters in the South China Sea as high risk for piracy
  and armed robbery against ships; numerous commercial vessels have
  been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway;
  hijacked vessels are often disguised and cargo diverted to ports in
  East Asia; crews have been murdered or cast adrift

Somalia
  the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial
  and offshore waters in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean are high
  risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships; numerous vessels,
  including commercial shipping and pleasure craft, have been attacked
  and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; crew, passengers,
  and cargo are held for ransom; the presence of several naval task
  forces in the Gulf of Aden and additional anti-piracy measures on
  the part of ship operators have reduced the piracy incidents; in
  response local pirates shifted operations farther south along the
  east coast of Somalia and eastward along the coast of Oman

Southern Ocean
  Drake Passage offers alternative to transit through
  the Panama Canal

Tanzania
  the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial
  and offshore waters in the Indian Ocean are high risk for piracy and
  armed robbery against ships; numerous commercial vessels have been
  attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; crews have
  been robbed and stores or cargoes stolen

Venezuela
  the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial
  and offshore waters in the Caribbean Sea as a significant risk for
  piracy and armed robbery against ships; numerous vessels, including
  commercial shipping and pleasure craft, have been attacked and
  hijacked both at anchor and while underway; crews have been robbed
  and stores or cargoes stolen

Vietnam
  the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial
  and offshore waters in the South China Sea as high risk for piracy
  and armed robbery against ships; numerous commercial vessels have
  been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway;
  hijacked vessels are often disguised and cargo diverted to ports in
  East Asia; crews have been murdered or cast adrift

Wake Island
  there are no commercial or civilian flights to and from
  Wake Island, except in direct support of island missions; emergency
  landing is available

World
  As of September 2009, incidents of piracy around the world
  have more than doubled over the comparable time period in 2008; half
  of all attacks occur in the waters off Somalia, primarily in the
  Gulf of Aden; other high risk areas include the waters off Nigeria,
  the South China Sea, and waters off Malaysia

Yemen
  the International Maritime Bureau reports offshore waters in
  the Gulf of Aden are high risk for piracy; numerous vessels,
  including commercial shipping and pleasure craft, have been attacked
  and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; crew, passengers,
  and cargo are held for ransom

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

@2010

Field Listing :: Age structure

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

Age structure(%)

Afghanistan
  0-14 years: 44.5% (male 7,664,670/female 7,300,446)
  15-64 years: 53% (male 9,147,846/female 8,679,800)
  65 years and over: 2.4% (male 394,572/female 422,603) (2009 est.)

Albania
  0-14 years: 23.1% (male 440,528/female 400,816)
  15-64 years: 67.1% (male 1,251,001/female 1,190,841)
  65 years and over: 9.8% (male 165,557/female 190,710) (2009 est.)

Algeria
  0-14 years: 25.4% (male 4,436,591/female 4,259,729)
  15-64 years: 69.5% (male 11,976,965/female 11,777,618)
  65 years and over: 5.1% (male 798,576/female 928,709) (2009 est.)

American Samoa
  0-14 years: 33.4% (male 11,159/female 10,768)
  15-64 years: 62.7% (male 20,848/female 20,271)
  65 years and over: 3.9% (male 1,211/female 1,371) (2009 est.)

Andorra
  0-14 years: 15.5% (male 6,710/female 6,305)
  15-64 years: 72.2% (male 31,604/female 28,925)
  65 years and over: 12.3% (male 5,113/female 5,231) (2009 est.)

Angola
  0-14 years: 43.5% (male 2,812,359/female 2,759,047)
  15-64 years: 53.7% (male 3,496,726/female 3,382,440)
  65 years and over: 2.7% (male 153,678/female 195,043) (2009 est.)

Anguilla
  0-14 years: 24.5% (male 1,815/female 1,725)
  15-64 years: 67.8% (male 4,665/female 5,125)
  65 years and over: 7.7% (male 534/female 572) (2009 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  0-14 years: 26.8% (male 11,660/female 11,303)
  15-64 years: 66.6% (male 26,597/female 30,414)
  65 years and over: 6.6% (male 2,456/female 3,202) (2009 est.)

Argentina
  0-14 years: 25.6% (male 5,369,477/female 5,122,260)
  15-64 years: 63.5% (male 12,961,725/female 13,029,265)
  65 years and over: 10.8% (male 1,819,057/female 2,611,800) (2009
  est.)

Armenia
  0-14 years: 18.2% (male 289,119/female 252,150)
  15-64 years: 71.1% (male 986,764/female 1,123,708)
  65 years and over: 10.6% (male 122,996/female 192,267) (2009 est.)

Aruba
  0-14 years: 19.1% (male 9,921/female 9,758)
  15-64 years: 70.3% (male 34,676/female 37,752)
  65 years and over: 10.6% (male 4,351/female 6,607) (2009 est.)

Australia
  0-14 years: 18.6% (male 2,026,975/female 1,923,828)
  15-64 years: 67.9% (male 7,318,743/female 7,121,613)
  65 years and over: 13.5% (male 1,306,329/female 1,565,153) (2009
  est.)

Austria
  0-14 years: 14.5% (male 609,748/female 581,144)
  15-64 years: 67.5% (male 2,785,091/female 2,756,402)
  65 years and over: 18% (male 612,613/female 865,283) (2009 est.)

Azerbaijan
  0-14 years: 23.9% (male 1,042,132/female 926,495)
  15-64 years: 69.4% (male 2,807,717/female 2,908,221)
  65 years and over: 6.7% (male 204,410/female 349,697) (2009 est.)

Bahamas, The
  0-14 years: 25.9% (male 40,085/female 39,959)
  15-64 years: 67.2% (male 102,154/female 105,482)
  65 years and over: 6.9% (male 8,772/female 12,704) (2009 est.)

Bahrain
  0-14 years: 25.9% (male 95,224/female 93,241)
  15-64 years: 70.2% (male 292,941/female 217,729)
  65 years and over: 3.9% (male 15,106/female 13,544) (2009 est.)

Bangladesh
  0-14 years: 34.6% (male 27,065,625/female 26,913,961)
  15-64 years: 61.4% (male 45,222,182/female 50,537,052)
  65 years and over: 4% (male 3,057,255/female 3,254,808) (2009 est.)

Barbados
  0-14 years: 19.2% (male 27,383/female 27,352)
  15-64 years: 71.3% (male 99,829/female 103,049)
  65 years and over: 9.5% (male 10,464/female 16,512) (2009 est.)

Belarus
  0-14 years: 14.3% (male 707,550/female 667,560)
  15-64 years: 71.3% (male 3,337,253/female 3,540,916)
  65 years and over: 14.5% (male 446,746/female 948,508) (2009 est.)

Belgium
  0-14 years: 16.1% (male 857,373/female 822,303)
  15-64 years: 66.3% (male 3,480,072/female 3,419,721)
  65 years and over: 17.6% (male 760,390/female 1,074,477) (2009 est.)

Belize
  0-14 years: 37.9% (male 59,462/female 57,117)
  15-64 years: 58.6% (male 91,298/female 89,170)
  65 years and over: 3.5% (male 5,185/female 5,667) (2009 est.)

Benin
  0-14 years: 45.2% (male 2,028,493/female 1,948,353)
  15-64 years: 52.1% (male 2,275,662/female 2,308,945)
  65 years and over: 2.6% (male 94,569/female 135,810) (2009 est.)

Bermuda
  0-14 years: 18.3% (male 6,271/female 6,163)
  15-64 years: 67.5% (male 22,555/female 23,215)
  65 years and over: 14.2% (male 3,979/female 5,654) (2009 est.)

Bhutan
  0-14 years: 30.2% (male 106,410/female 102,164)
  15-64 years: 64.3% (male 235,988/female 208,484)
  65 years and over: 5.5% (male 20,169/female 17,926) (2009 est.)

Bolivia
  0-14 years: 35.5% (male 1,767,310/female 1,701,744)
  15-64 years: 60% (male 2,877,605/female 2,992,043)
  65 years and over: 4.5% (male 193,196/female 243,348) (2009 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  0-14 years: 14.5% (male 344,760/female
  323,303)
  15-64 years: 70.7% (male 1,645,274/female 1,617,136)
  65 years and over: 14.8% (male 279,781/female 403,160) (2009 est.)

Botswana
  0-14 years: 34.8% (male 352,399/female 340,058)
  15-64 years: 61.4% (male 613,714/female 608,003)
  65 years and over: 3.9% (male 31,155/female 45,547) (2009 est.)

Brazil
  0-14 years: 26.7% (male 27,092,880/female 26,062,244)
  15-64 years: 66.8% (male 65,804,108/female 67,047,725)
  65 years and over: 6.4% (male 5,374,230/female 7,358,082) (2009 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  0-14 years: 19.8% (male 2,454/female 2,387)
  15-64 years: 74.4% (male 9,346/female 8,881)
  65 years and over: 5.8% (male 734/female 689) (2009 est.)

Brunei
  0-14 years: 26.6% (male 53,282/female 50,141)
  15-64 years: 70.1% (male 135,640/female 136,292)
  65 years and over: 3.3% (male 6,199/female 6,636) (2009 est.)

Bulgaria
  0-14 years: 13.8% (male 509,544/female 484,816)
  15-64 years: 68.5% (male 2,426,060/female 2,508,772)
  65 years and over: 17.7% (male 518,711/female 756,784) (2009 est.)

Burkina Faso
  0-14 years: 46.2% (male 3,646,661/female 3,621,648)
  15-64 years: 51.3% (male 4,025,917/female 4,054,865)
  65 years and over: 2.5% (male 156,895/female 240,246) (2009 est.)

Burma
  0-14 years: 25.3% (male 6,193,263/female 5,990,658)
  15-64 years: 69.3% (male 16,510,648/female 16,828,462)
  65 years and over: 5.4% (male 1,121,412/female 1,493,298) (2009 est.)

Burundi
  0-14 years: 46.2% (male 2,087,315/female 2,063,518)
  15-64 years: 51.3% (male 2,291,123/female 2,320,839)
  65 years and over: 2.5% (male 89,444/female 135,852) (2009 est.)

Cambodia
  0-14 years: 32.6% (male 2,388,922/female 2,336,439)
  15-64 years: 63.8% (male 4,498,568/female 4,743,677)
  65 years and over: 3.6% (male 197,649/female 329,038) (2009 est.)

Cameroon
  0-14 years: 40.9% (male 3,891,762/female 3,822,870)
  15-64 years: 55.9% (male 5,298,143/female 5,250,493)
  65 years and over: 3.3% (male 283,289/female 332,744) (2009 est.)

Canada
  0-14 years: 16.1% (male 2,761,711/female 2,626,836)
  15-64 years: 68.7% (male 11,633,950/female 11,381,735)
  65 years and over: 15.2% (male 2,220,189/female 2,862,787) (2009
  est.)

Cape Verde
  0-14 years: 35.2% (male 76,012/female 74,993)
  15-64 years: 58.5% (male 123,376/female 127,653)
  65 years and over: 6.4% (male 10,040/female 17,400) (2009 est.)

Cayman Islands
  0-14 years: 19.6% (male 4,824/female 4,783)
  15-64 years: 71.1% (male 16,994/female 17,884)
  65 years and over: 9.3% (male 2,139/female 2,411) (2009 est.)

Central African Republic
  0-14 years: 40.9% (male 928,277/female
  917,739)
  15-64 years: 55% (male 1,235,940/female 1,244,958)
  65 years and over: 4.1% (male 71,439/female 113,135) (2009 est.)

Chad
  0-14 years: 46.7% (male 2,445,841/female 2,381,319)
  15-64 years: 50.4% (male 2,386,428/female 2,816,050)
  65 years and over: 2.9% (male 126,351/female 173,219) (2009 est.)

Chile
  0-14 years: 23.2% (male 1,966,017/female 1,877,963)
  15-64 years: 67.8% (male 5,625,963/female 5,628,146)
  65 years and over: 9.1% (male 627,746/female 875,872) (2009 est.)

China
  0-14 years: 19.8% (male 140,877,745/female 124,290,090)
  15-64 years: 72.1% (male 495,724,889/female 469,182,087)
  65 years and over: 8.1% (male 51,774,115/female 56,764,042) (2009
  est.)

Christmas Island
  0-14 years: NA
  15-64 years: NA
  65 years and over: NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  0-14 years: NA
  15-64 years: NA
  65 years and over: NA

Colombia
  0-14 years: 28.9% (male 6,679,701/female 6,522,976)
  15-64 years: 65.4% (male 14,571,536/female 15,297,179)
  65 years and over: 5.6% (male 1,103,391/female 1,469,240) (2009 est.)

Comoros
  0-14 years: 42.2% (male 159,282/female 158,073)
  15-64 years: 54.8% (male 203,533/female 208,591)
  65 years and over: 3.1% (male 10,474/female 12,485) (2009 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  0-14 years: 46.9% (male
  16,161,301/female 16,038,024)
  15-64 years: 50.6% (male 17,289,453/female 17,483,027)
  65 years and over: 2.5% (male 699,667/female 1,021,070) (2009 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  0-14 years: 45.9% (male 927,599/female
  915,540)
  15-64 years: 51.2% (male 1,021,975/female 1,034,119)
  65 years and over: 2.8% (male 46,687/female 66,889) (2009 est.)

Cook Islands
  0-14 years: 27.1% (male 1,704/female 1,508)
  15-64 years: 63.7% (male 3,898/female 3,664)
  65 years and over: 9.2% (male 540/female 556) (2009 est.)

Costa Rica
  0-14 years: 26.7% (male 581,916/female 555,216)
  15-64 years: 67.1% (male 1,443,606/female 1,411,168)
  65 years and over: 6.2% (male 120,969/female 141,002) (2009 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  0-14 years: 40.6% (male 4,215,912/female 4,146,077)
  15-64 years: 56.6% (male 5,942,642/female 5,720,108)
  65 years and over: 2.9% (male 296,074/female 296,255) (2009 est.)

Croatia
  0-14 years: 15.6% (male 358,360/female 340,098)
  15-64 years: 67.5% (male 1,506,364/female 1,522,789)
  65 years and over: 17% (male 295,960/female 465,838) (2009 est.)

Cuba
  0-14 years: 18.3% (male 1,077,745/female 1,020,393)
  15-64 years: 70.4% (male 4,035,691/female 4,030,103)
  65 years and over: 11.2% (male 584,478/female 703,242) (2009 est.)

Cyprus
  0-14 years: 19.1% (male 77,959/female 74,591)
  15-64 years: 68.5% (male 276,890/female 269,267)
  65 years and over: 12.3% (male 42,961/female 55,072) (2009 est.)

Czech Republic
  0-14 years: 13.6% (male 712,045/female 673,657)
  15-64 years: 71% (male 3,641,887/female 3,604,044)
  65 years and over: 15.5% (male 623,882/female 956,389) (2009 est.)

Denmark
  0-14 years: 18.1% (male 511,882/female 485,782)
  15-64 years: 65.8% (male 1,817,800/female 1,798,964)
  65 years and over: 16.1% (male 387,142/female 498,940) (2009 est.)

Djibouti
  0-14 years: 43.3% (male 112,135/female 111,343)
  15-64 years: 53% (male 141,298/female 132,360)
  65 years and over: 3.7% (male 9,502/female 9,417) (2009 est.)

Dominica
  0-14 years: 24% (male 8,910/female 8,518)
  15-64 years: 65.8% (male 24,532/female 23,301)
  65 years and over: 10.2% (male 3,187/female 4,212) (2009 est.)

Dominican Republic
  0-14 years: 31.4% (male 1,543,141/female
  1,488,016)
  15-64 years: 62.7% (male 3,087,351/female 2,960,319)
  65 years and over: 5.9% (male 264,476/female 306,751) (2009 est.)

Ecuador
  0-14 years: 31.1% (male 2,312,610/female 2,220,378)
  15-64 years: 62.7% (male 4,506,908/female 4,636,703)
  65 years and over: 6.2% (male 432,144/female 464,358) (2009 est.)

Egypt
  0-14 years: 31.4% (male 13,345,500/female 12,743,878)
  15-64 years: 63.8% (male 26,823,127/female 26,169,421)
  65 years and over: 4.8% (male 1,701,068/female 2,299,875) (2009 est.)

El Salvador
  0-14 years: 35.4% (male 1,299,608/female 1,245,617)
  15-64 years: 59.3% (male 2,033,423/female 2,225,810)
  65 years and over: 5.3% (male 166,224/female 214,536) (2009 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  0-14 years: 41.9% (male 134,823/female 130,308)
  15-64 years: 54% (male 167,820/female 174,238)
  65 years and over: 4.1% (male 11,574/female 14,678) (2009 est.)

Eritrea
  0-14 years: 42.8% (male 1,212,848/female 1,202,240)
  15-64 years: 53.7% (male 1,483,169/female 1,547,078)
  65 years and over: 3.6% (male 92,009/female 109,824) (2009 est.)

Estonia
  0-14 years: 14.9% (male 99,748/female 94,051)
  15-64 years: 67.5% (male 417,816/female 459,246)
  65 years and over: 17.6% (male 75,486/female 153,024) (2009 est.)

Ethiopia
  0-14 years: 46.1% (male 19,596,784/female 19,688,887)
  15-64 years: 51.2% (male 21,376,495/female 22,304,812)
  65 years and over: 2.7% (male 975,923/female 1,294,437) (2009 est.)

European Union
  0-14 years: 15.44% (male 38,975,981/female 36,925,704)
  15-64 years: 67.22% (male 166,277,341/female 164,183,829)
  65 years and over: 17.34% (male 35,372,684/female 49,847,313) (2009
  est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  0-14 years: NA
  15-64 years: NA
  65 years and over: NA

Faroe Islands
  0-14 years: 21.6% (male 5,451/female 5,108)
  15-64 years: 64% (male 16,708/female 14,544)
  65 years and over: 14.4% (male 3,324/female 3,721) (2009 est.)

Fiji
  0-14 years: 30.3% (male 146,327/female 140,327)
  15-64 years: 64.9% (male 307,077/female 305,886)
  65 years and over: 4.8% (male 20,300/female 24,803) (2009 est.)

Finland
  0-14 years: 16.4% (male 438,425/female 422,777)
  15-64 years: 66.8% (male 1,773,495/female 1,732,792)
  65 years and over: 16.8% (male 357,811/female 524,975) (2009 est.)

France
  0-14 years: 18.6% (male 6,129,729/female 5,838,925)
  15-64 years: 65% (male 20,963,124/female 20,929,280)
  65 years and over: 16.4% (male 4,403,248/female 6,155,767) (2009
  est.)

French Polynesia
  0-14 years: 24.3% (male 35,631/female 34,097)
  15-64 years: 68.9% (male 102,537/female 95,317)
  65 years and over: 6.8% (male 9,821/female 9,629) (2009 est.)

Gabon
  0-14 years: 42.1% (male 320,414/female 318,027)
  15-64 years: 53.9% (male 407,461/female 409,633)
  65 years and over: 3.9% (male 24,799/female 34,659) (2009 est.)

Gambia, The
  0-14 years: 43.6% (male 390,806/female 387,172)
  15-64 years: 53.6% (male 473,478/female 481,315)
  65 years and over: 2.8% (male 25,071/female 25,051) (2009 est.)

Gaza Strip
  0-14 years: 44.4% (male 353,489/female 334,770)
  15-64 years: 53% (male 420,618/female 402,297)
  65 years and over: 2.6% (male 16,483/female 24,202) (2009 est.)

Georgia
  0-14 years: 16.1% (male 395,929/female 345,071)
  15-64 years: 67.6% (male 1,503,360/female 1,616,234)
  65 years and over: 16.4% (male 302,103/female 453,110) (2009 est.)

Germany
  0-14 years: 13.7% (male 5,768,366/female 5,470,516)
  15-64 years: 66.1% (male 27,707,761/female 26,676,759)
  65 years and over: 20.3% (male 7,004,805/female 9,701,551) (2009
  est.)

Ghana
  0-14 years: 37.3% (male 4,503,331/female 4,393,104)
  15-64 years: 59.1% (male 7,039,696/female 7,042,208)
  65 years and over: 3.6% (male 393,364/female 460,792) (2009 est.)

Gibraltar
  0-14 years: 16.7% (male 2,393/female 2,276)
  15-64 years: 66.9% (male 9,532/female 9,219)
  65 years and over: 16.5% (male 2,125/female 2,489) (2009 est.)

Greece
  0-14 years: 14.3% (male 788,722/female 742,270)
  15-64 years: 66.6% (male 3,568,660/female 3,578,344)
  65 years and over: 19.2% (male 902,617/female 1,156,815) (2009 est.)

Greenland
  0-14 years: 23% (male 6,727/female 6,533)
  15-64 years: 70.1% (male 21,696/female 18,669)
  65 years and over: 6.9% (male 2,000/female 1,975) (2009 est.)

Grenada
  0-14 years: 32% (male 14,608/female 14,410)
  15-64 years: 65.2% (male 31,278/female 27,873)
  65 years and over: 2.8% (male 1,268/female 1,302) (2009 est.)

Guam
  0-14 years: 27.8% (male 25,651/female 23,904)
  15-64 years: 65.2% (male 59,304/female 56,995)
  65 years and over: 7% (male 5,786/female 6,790) (2009 est.)

Guatemala
  0-14 years: 39.4% (male 2,664,058/female 2,573,006)
  15-64 years: 56.8% (male 3,655,184/female 3,884,331)
  65 years and over: 3.8% (male 231,652/female 268,286) (2009 est.)

Guernsey
  0-14 years: 14.4% (male 4,793/female 4,668)
  15-64 years: 67.5% (male 22,058/female 22,433)
  65 years and over: 18.1% (male 5,078/female 6,840) (2009 est.)

Guinea
  0-14 years: 42.8% (male 2,175,852/female 2,128,518)
  15-64 years: 53.7% (male 2,701,184/female 2,704,161)
  65 years and over: 3.5% (male 153,053/female 195,207) (2009 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  0-14 years: 40.8% (male 312,253/female 313,609)
  15-64 years: 56.1% (male 414,924/female 445,639)
  65 years and over: 3.1% (male 19,191/female 28,348) (2009 est.)

Guyana
  0-14 years: 25.7% (male 101,319/female 97,505)
  15-64 years: 68.7% (male 268,058/female 262,595)
  65 years and over: 5.5% (male 17,938/female 24,883) (2009 est.)

Haiti
  0-14 years: 38.1% (male 1,735,917/female 1,704,383)
  15-64 years: 58.5% (male 2,621,059/female 2,665,447)
  65 years and over: 3.4% (male 120,040/female 188,690) (2009 est.)

Honduras
  0-14 years: 38.1% (male 1,514,544/female 1,451,862)
  15-64 years: 58.3% (male 2,278,508/female 2,267,527)
  65 years and over: 3.6% (male 125,991/female 154,422) (2009 est.)

Hong Kong
  0-14 years: 12.2% (male 450,833/female 411,997)
  15-64 years: 74.6% (male 2,551,256/female 2,713,532)
  65 years and over: 13.1% (male 434,090/female 493,363) (2009 est.)

Hungary
  0-14 years: 15% (male 763,553/female 720,112)
  15-64 years: 69.3% (male 3,384,961/female 3,475,135)
  65 years and over: 15.8% (male 566,067/female 995,768) (2009 est.)

Iceland
  0-14 years: 20.7% (male 32,268/female 31,308)
  15-64 years: 67.1% (male 104,158/female 101,584)
  65 years and over: 12.2% (male 16,952/female 20,424) (2009 est.)

India
  0-14 years: 31.1% (male 190,075,426/female 172,799,553)
  15-64 years: 63.6% (male 381,446,079/female 359,802,209)
  65 years and over: 5.3% (male 29,364,920/female 32,591,030) (2009
  est.)

Indonesia
  0-14 years: 28.1% (male 34,337,341/female 33,162,207)
  15-64 years: 66% (male 79,549,569/female 78,918,321)
  65 years and over: 6% (male 6,335,208/female 7,968,876) (2009 est.)

Iran
  0-14 years: 21.7% (male 7,394,841/female 7,022,076)
  15-64 years: 72.9% (male 24,501,544/female 23,914,172)
  65 years and over: 5.4% (male 1,725,828/female 1,870,823) (2009 est.)

Iraq
  0-14 years: 38.8% (male 5,709,688/female 5,531,359)
  15-64 years: 58.2% (male 8,529,956/female 8,310,164)
  65 years and over: 3% (male 408,266/female 456,224) (2009 est.)

Ireland
  0-14 years: 20.9% (male 454,571/female 424,022)
  15-64 years: 67.1% (male 1,411,336/female 1,409,760)
  65 years and over: 12% (male 224,850/female 278,661) (2009 est.)

Isle of Man
  0-14 years: 16.9% (male 6,612/female 6,300)
  15-64 years: 66% (male 25,433/female 25,083)
  65 years and over: 17.1% (male 5,408/female 7,676) (2009 est.)

Israel
  0-14 years: 27.9% (male 1,031,629/female 984,230)
  15-64 years: 62.3% (male 2,283,034/female 2,221,301)
  65 years and over: 9.9% (male 311,218/female 402,289) (2009 est.)

Italy
  0-14 years: 13.5% (male 4,056,156/female 3,814,070)
  15-64 years: 66.3% (male 19,530,696/female 18,981,084)
  65 years and over: 20.2% (male 4,903,762/female 6,840,444) (2009
  est.)

Jamaica
  0-14 years: 31.4% (male 451,310/female 436,466)
  15-64 years: 61.1% (male 851,372/female 875,132)
  65 years and over: 7.5% (male 94,833/female 116,815) (2009 est.)

Japan
  0-14 years: 13.5% (male 8,804,465/female 8,344,800)
  15-64 years: 64.3% (male 41,187,425/female 40,533,876)
  65 years and over: 22.2% (male 11,964,694/female 16,243,419) (2009
  est.)

Jersey
  0-14 years: 16.1% (male 7,623/female 7,087)
  15-64 years: 67.7% (male 30,914/female 31,081)
  65 years and over: 16.3% (male 6,614/female 8,307) (2009 est.)

Jordan
  0-14 years: 31.3% (male 1,014,183/female 973,538)
  15-64 years: 64.5% (male 2,183,638/female 1,904,420)
  65 years and over: 4.2% (male 128,759/female 138,410) (2009 est.)

Kazakhstan
  0-14 years: 21.8% (male 1,717,469/female 1,643,920)
  15-64 years: 70.2% (male 5,279,292/female 5,534,607)
  65 years and over: 7.9% (male 426,494/female 797,655) (2009 est.)

Kenya
  0-14 years: 42.3% (male 8,300,393/female 8,181,898)
  15-64 years: 55.1% (male 10,784,119/female 10,702,999)
  65 years and over: 2.6% (male 470,218/female 563,145) (2009 est.)

Kiribati
  0-14 years: 37.6% (male 21,488/female 20,899)
  15-64 years: 59% (male 32,871/female 33,690)
  65 years and over: 3.5% (male 1,656/female 2,246) (2009 est.)

Korea, North
  0-14 years: 21.3% (male 2,440,439/female 2,376,557)
  15-64 years: 69.4% (male 7,776,889/female 7,945,399)
  65 years and over: 9.4% (male 820,504/female 1,305,557) (2009 est.)

Korea, South
  0-14 years: 16.8% (male 4,278,581/female 3,887,516)
  15-64 years: 72.3% (male 17,897,053/female 17,196,840)
  65 years and over: 10.8% (male 2,104,589/female 3,144,393) (2009
  est.)

Kosovo
  0-14 years: 27.7% (male 260,678/female 239,779)
  15-64 years: 65.7% (male 617,890/female 567,939)
  65 years and over: 6.6% (male 50,463/female 68,089) (2009 est.)

Kuwait
  0-14 years: 26.4% (male 361,150/female 348,518)
  15-64 years: 70.7% (male 1,219,075/female 683,587)
  65 years and over: 2.9% (male 49,163/female 29,665) (2009 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  0-14 years: 29.7% (male 822,128/female 789,425)
  15-64 years: 64.5% (male 1,717,497/female 1,787,551)
  65 years and over: 5.8% (male 123,045/female 192,101) (2009 est.)

Laos
  0-14 years: 40.8% (male 1,400,126/female 1,386,480)
  15-64 years: 56.1% (male 1,898,995/female 1,936,892)
  65 years and over: 3.1% (male 92,070/female 120,379) (2009 est.)

Latvia
  0-14 years: 13.3% (male 152,472/female 145,161)
  15-64 years: 69.6% (male 756,469/female 797,505)
  65 years and over: 17% (male 124,432/female 255,464) (2009 est.)

Lebanon
  0-14 years: 25.8% (male 528,047/female 506,838)
  15-64 years: 67.1% (male 1,294,485/female 1,399,047)
  65 years and over: 7.2% (male 130,148/female 158,530) (2009 est.)

Lesotho
  0-14 years: 34.8% (male 373,159/female 368,271)
  15-64 years: 60.2% (male 629,346/female 654,054)
  65 years and over: 5% (male 42,074/female 63,915) (2009 est.)

Liberia
  0-14 years: 44.1% (male 760,989/female 758,554)
  15-64 years: 53% (male 904,770/female 920,704)
  65 years and over: 2.8% (male 47,013/female 49,760) (2009 est.)

Libya
  0-14 years: 33% (male 1,064,866/female 1,019,790)
  15-64 years: 62.7% (male 2,033,478/female 1,920,755)
  65 years and over: 4.3% (male 133,092/female 138,453) (2009 est.)

Liechtenstein
  0-14 years: 16.6% (male 2,877/female 2,901)
  15-64 years: 69.4% (male 11,917/female 12,220)
  65 years and over: 13.9% (male 2,085/female 2,761) (2009 est.)

Lithuania
  0-14 years: 14.2% (male 258,423/female 245,115)
  15-64 years: 69.6% (male 1,214,743/female 1,261,413)
  65 years and over: 16.2% (male 198,714/female 376,771) (2009 est.)

Luxembourg
  0-14 years: 18.5% (male 46,918/female 44,052)
  15-64 years: 66.7% (male 165,342/female 162,681)
  65 years and over: 14.8% (male 29,839/female 42,943) (2009 est.)

Macau
  0-14 years: 16.1% (male 47,853/female 42,019)
  15-64 years: 76.2% (male 199,593/female 227,010)
  65 years and over: 7.7% (male 20,245/female 23,126) (2009 est.)

Macedonia
  0-14 years: 19.2% (male 206,054/female 191,354)
  15-64 years: 69.4% (male 722,823/female 710,830)
  65 years and over: 11.4% (male 102,231/female 133,426) (2009 est.)

Madagascar
  0-14 years: 43.5% (male 4,523,033/female 4,460,473)
  15-64 years: 53.5% (male 5,483,684/female 5,557,098)
  65 years and over: 3% (male 280,677/female 348,591) (2009 est.)

Malawi
  0-14 years: 45.8% (male 3,272,790/female 3,258,893)
  15-64 years: 51.5% (male 3,696,857/female 3,656,918)
  65 years and over: 2.7% (male 162,863/female 220,390) (2009 est.)

Malaysia
  0-14 years: 31.4% (male 4,153,621/female 3,914,962)
  15-64 years: 63.6% (male 8,210,373/female 8,143,043)
  65 years and over: 5% (male 569,245/female 724,575) (2009 est.)

Maldives
  0-14 years: 22.3% (male 45,038/female 43,291)
  15-64 years: 73.8% (male 180,874/female 111,703)
  65 years and over: 3.9% (male 7,711/female 7,717) (2009 est.)

Mali
  0-14 years: 48.3% (male 3,089,406/female 3,023,341)
  15-64 years: 48.7% (male 3,065,167/female 3,101,914)
  65 years and over: 3.1% (male 151,718/female 235,441) (2009 est.)

Malta
  0-14 years: 16.1% (male 33,526/female 31,780)
  15-64 years: 69.4% (male 142,491/female 138,769)
  65 years and over: 14.5% (male 25,406/female 33,193) (2009 est.)

Marshall Islands
  0-14 years: 38.6% (male 12,683/female 12,217)
  15-64 years: 58.5% (male 19,302/female 18,459)
  65 years and over: 2.9% (male 902/female 959) (2009 est.)

Mauritania
  0-14 years: 41% (male 643,436/female 638,793)
  15-64 years: 55.7% (male 818,778/female 923,046)
  65 years and over: 3.4% (male 44,836/female 60,597) (2009 est.)

Mauritius
  0-14 years: 22.5% (male 147,136/female 142,121)
  15-64 years: 70.4% (male 449,176/female 455,057)
  65 years and over: 7.1% (male 36,309/female 54,465) (2009 est.)

Mayotte
  0-14 years: 45.3% (male 50,985/female 50,413)
  15-64 years: 52.9% (male 63,395/female 54,882)
  65 years and over: 1.8% (male 2,085/female 2,005) (2009 est.)

Mexico
  0-14 years: 29.1% (male 16,544,223/female 15,861,141)
  15-64 years: 64.6% (male 34,734,571/female 37,129,793)
  65 years and over: 6.2% (male 3,130,518/female 3,811,543) (2009 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of 0-14 years: 34.8% (male 19,010/female 18,411) 15-64 years: 62.3% (male 33,286/female 33,629) 65 years and over: 2.9% (male 1,317/female 1,781) (2009 est.)

Moldova
  0-14 years: 15.9% (male 353,495/female 334,592)
  15-64 years: 73.3% (male 1,536,263/female 1,629,882)
  65 years and over: 10.8% (male 172,070/female 294,446) (2009 est.)

Monaco
  0-14 years: 14.6% (male 2,466/female 2,349)
  15-64 years: 62.4% (male 10,184/female 10,395)
  65 years and over: 23% (male 3,068/female 4,503) (2009 est.)

Mongolia
  0-14 years: 28.1% (male 436,391/female 418,923)
  15-64 years: 67.9% (male 1,031,819/female 1,033,806)
  65 years and over: 4% (male 52,430/female 67,773) (2009 est.)

Montenegro
  0-14 years: 16% (male 52,645/female 54,846)
  15-64 years: 70.3% (male 244,949/female 227,794)
  65 years and over: 13.7% (male 37,217/female 54,729) (2009 est.)

Montserrat
  0-14 years: 27.6% (male 731/female 678)
  15-64 years: 65.5% (male 1,599/female 1,738)
  65 years and over: 6.9% (male 232/female 119) (2009 est.)

Morocco
  0-14 years: 30% (male 5,333,396/female 5,131,886)
  15-64 years: 64.7% (male 11,261,139/female 11,305,792)
  65 years and over: 5.2% (male 781,089/female 1,046,062) (2009 est.)

Mozambique
  0-14 years: 44.3% (male 4,829,272/female 4,773,209)
  15-64 years: 52.8% (male 5,605,227/female 5,842,679)
  65 years and over: 2.9% (male 257,119/female 361,772) (2009 est.)

Namibia
  0-14 years: 35.9% (male 381,904/female 375,059)
  15-64 years: 60.2% (male 641,995/female 627,146)
  65 years and over: 3.9% (male 36,894/female 45,667) (2009 est.)

Nauru
  0-14 years: 34.7% (male 2,482/female 2,384)
  15-64 years: 63.2% (male 4,362/female 4,495)
  65 years and over: 2.1% (male 151/female 145) (2009 est.)

Nepal
  0-14 years: 36.6% (male 5,327,484/female 5,127,178)
  15-64 years: 59.2% (male 8,094,494/female 8,812,675)
  65 years and over: 4.2% (male 566,666/female 634,880) (2009 est.)

Netherlands
  0-14 years: 17.4% (male 1,485,873/female 1,416,999)
  15-64 years: 67.7% (male 5,720,387/female 5,604,014)
  65 years and over: 14.9% (male 1,070,496/female 1,418,230) (2009
  est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  0-14 years: 22.7% (male 26,429/female 25,162)
  15-64 years: 67.7% (male 74,183/female 79,434)
  65 years and over: 9.6% (male 8,875/female 12,966) (2009 est.)

New Caledonia
  0-14 years: 26.8% (male 31,191/female 29,870)
  15-64 years: 65.8% (male 75,189/female 74,552)
  65 years and over: 7.3% (male 7,681/female 8,953) (2009 est.)

New Zealand
  0-14 years: 20.7% (male 447,174/female 424,522)
  15-64 years: 66.5% (male 1,404,143/female 1,399,530)
  65 years and over: 12.8% (male 244,986/female 293,063) (2009 est.)

Nicaragua
  0-14 years: 33.8% (male 1,013,866/female 976,430)
  15-64 years: 62.9% (male 1,847,756/female 1,857,264)
  65 years and over: 3.3% (male 85,782/female 110,101) (2009 est.)

Niger
  0-14 years: 49.6% (male 3,840,379/female 3,758,674)
  15-64 years: 48% (male 3,658,361/female 3,690,373)
  65 years and over: 2.3% (male 159,984/female 198,481) (2009 est.)

Nigeria
  0-14 years: 41.5% (male 31,624,050/female 30,242,637)
  15-64 years: 55.5% (male 42,240,641/female 40,566,672)
  65 years and over: 3.1% (male 2,211,840/female 2,343,250) (2009 est.)

Niue
  0-14 years: NA
  15-64 years: NA
  65 years and over: NA (2009 est.)

Norfolk Island
  0-14 years: 20.2%
  15-64 years: 63.9%
  65 years and over: 15.9% (2009 est.)

Northern Mariana Islands
  0-14 years: 18% (male 8,372/female 7,616)
  15-64 years: 80.3% (male 28,602/female 42,557)
  65 years and over: 1.7% (male 786/female 729) (2009 est.)

Norway
  0-14 years: 18.5% (male 441,508/female 422,050)
  15-64 years: 66.2% (male 1,564,482/female 1,522,519)
  65 years and over: 15.2% (male 305,120/female 404,860) (2009 est.)

Oman
  0-14 years: 42.7% (male 744,265/female 714,116)
  15-64 years: 54.5% (male 1,079,511/female 783,243)
  65 years and over: 2.8% (male 55,180/female 41,770) (2009 est.)

Pakistan
  0-14 years: 37.2% (male 33,739,547/female 31,868,065)
  15-64 years: 58.6% (male 52,849,607/female 50,378,198)
  65 years and over: 4.2% (male 3,475,927/female 3,931,605) (2009 est.)

Palau
  0-14 years: 22.9% (male 2,458/female 2,314)
  15-64 years: 70.8% (male 8,207/female 6,521)
  65 years and over: 6.2% (male 401/female 895) (2009 est.)

Panama
  0-14 years: 29.3% (male 501,950/female 481,750)
  15-64 years: 63.9% (male 1,085,435/female 1,061,530)
  65 years and over: 6.8% (male 106,934/female 122,875) (2009 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  0-14 years: 36.9% (male 1,137,796/female 1,099,365)
  15-64 years: 59% (male 1,836,272/female 1,735,298)
  65 years and over: 4.1% (male 114,789/female 133,743) (2009 est.)

Paraguay
  0-14 years: 36.7% (male 1,304,115/female 1,260,560)
  15-64 years: 58.1% (male 2,043,509/female 2,023,317)
  65 years and over: 5.2% (male 168,554/female 195,600) (2009 est.)

Peru
  0-14 years: 29.1% (male 4,370,923/female 4,216,364)
  15-64 years: 65.2% (male 9,695,270/female 9,574,018)
  65 years and over: 5.7% (male 796,631/female 893,757) (2009 est.)

Philippines
  0-14 years: 35.2% (male 17,606,352/female 16,911,376)
  15-64 years: 60.6% (male 29,679,327/female 29,737,919)
  65 years and over: 4.1% (male 1,744,248/female 2,297,381) (2009 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  0-14 years: NA
  15-64 years: NA
  65 years and over: NA (2009 est.)

Poland
  0-14 years: 15% (male 2,964,995/female 2,802,278)
  15-64 years: 71.6% (male 13,713,078/female 13,845,251)
  65 years and over: 13.4% (male 1,966,406/female 3,190,911) (2009
  est.)

Portugal
  0-14 years: 16.3% (male 912,147/female 834,941)
  15-64 years: 66.1% (male 3,525,717/female 3,554,513)
  65 years and over: 17.6% (male 772,413/female 1,108,193) (2009 est.)

Puerto Rico
  0-14 years: 19.9% (male 404,635/female 386,733)
  15-64 years: 66% (male 1,260,114/female 1,361,193)
  65 years and over: 14.1% (male 240,318/female 318,027) (2009 est.)

Qatar
  0-14 years: 21.8% (male 93,805/female 88,040)
  15-64 years: 76.8% (male 454,714/female 185,004)
  65 years and over: 1.4% (male 6,792/female 4,930) (2009 est.)

Romania
  0-14 years: 15.5% (male 1,772,583/female 1,681,539)
  15-64 years: 69.7% (male 7,711,062/female 7,784,041)
  65 years and over: 14.7% (male 1,332,120/female 1,934,076) (2009
  est.)

Russia
  0-14 years: 14.8% (male 10,644,833/female 10,095,011)
  15-64 years: 71.5% (male 48,004,040/female 52,142,313)
  65 years and over: 13.7% (male 5,880,877/female 13,274,173) (2009
  est.)

Rwanda
  0-14 years: 42.1% (male 2,216,352/female 2,196,327)
  15-64 years: 55.4% (male 2,897,003/female 2,909,994)
  65 years and over: 2.4% (male 100,920/female 152,686) (2009 est.)

Saint Barthelemy
  0-14 years: 19.2% (male 734/female 696)
  15-64 years: 70.6% (male 2,855/female 2,402)
  65 years and over: 10.2% (male 378/female 383) (2009 est.)

Saint Helena
  0-14 years: 18.3% (male 712/female 685)
  15-64 years: 70.4% (male 2,744/female 2,629)
  65 years and over: 11.4% (male 412/female 455) (2009 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  0-14 years: 26.3% (male 5,397/female 5,138)
  15-64 years: 65.9% (male 13,231/female 13,196)
  65 years and over: 7.9% (male 1,326/female 1,843) (2009 est.)

Saint Lucia
  0-14 years: 24.4% (male 20,035/female 19,021)
  15-64 years: 66.4% (male 51,593/female 54,843)
  65 years and over: 9.2% (male 6,668/female 8,107) (2009 est.)

Saint Martin
  0-14 years: 27% (male 3,991/female 4,048)
  15-64 years: 67.5% (male 9,596/female 10,532)
  65 years and over: 5.5% (male 742/female 911) (2009 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  0-14 years: 21.9% (male 788/female 756)
  15-64 years: 66.5% (male 2,378/female 2,312)
  65 years and over: 11.6% (male 379/female 438) (2009 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 0-14 years: 25.9% (male 13,637/female 13,425) 15-64 years: 66.4% (male 35,693/female 33,701) 65 years and over: 7.8% (male 3,659/female 4,459) (2009 est.)

Samoa
  0-14 years: 37.6% (male 42,117/female 40,603)
  15-64 years: 56.7% (male 65,541/female 59,292)
  65 years and over: 5.7% (male 5,538/female 6,907) (2009 est.)

San Marino
  0-14 years: 16.8% (male 2,636/female 2,451)
  15-64 years: 65.8% (male 9,539/female 10,428)
  65 years and over: 17.4% (male 2,273/female 2,997) (2009 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  0-14 years: 46.9% (male 50,475/female 49,188)
  15-64 years: 49.7% (male 51,325/female 54,289)
  65 years and over: 3.5% (male 3,335/female 4,067) (2009 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  0-14 years: 38% (male 5,557,453/female 5,340,614)
  15-64 years: 59.5% (male 9,608,032/female 7,473,543)
  65 years and over: 2.5% (male 363,241/female 343,750) (2009 est.)

Senegal
  0-14 years: 42.2% (male 2,911,324/female 2,877,804)
  15-64 years: 54.8% (male 3,728,664/female 3,786,000)
  65 years and over: 3% (male 190,343/female 217,462) (2009 est.)

Serbia
  0-14 years: 15.4% (male 586,806/female 549,900)
  15-64 years: 67.8% (male 2,503,194/female 2,502,807)
  65 years and over: 16.8% (male 508,606/female 728,026) (2009 est.)

Seychelles
  0-14 years: 22.8% (male 10,201/female 9,732)
  15-64 years: 70.1% (male 31,870/female 29,439)
  65 years and over: 7.1% (male 2,321/female 3,913) (2009 est.)

Sierra Leone
  0-14 years: 44.5% (male 1,407,226/female 1,460,366)
  15-64 years: 52.2% (male 1,613,554/female 1,750,250)
  65 years and over: 3.2% (male 95,533/female 113,124) (2009 est.)

Singapore
  0-14 years: 14.4% (male 348,382/female 324,050)
  15-64 years: 76.7% (male 1,737,972/female 1,833,415)
  65 years and over: 8.9% (male 184,393/female 229,330) (2009 est.)

Slovakia
  0-14 years: 15.8% (male 442,168/female 422,055)
  15-64 years: 71.7% (male 1,952,527/female 1,965,646)
  65 years and over: 12.5% (male 254,510/female 426,140) (2009 est.)

Slovenia
  0-14 years: 13.5% (male 139,880/female 131,826)
  15-64 years: 69.9% (male 707,219/female 695,470)
  65 years and over: 16.5% (male 129,662/female 201,635) (2009 est.)

Solomon Islands
  0-14 years: 39.5% (male 119,875/female 115,127)
  15-64 years: 57.1% (male 171,792/female 168,023)
  65 years and over: 3.5% (male 9,849/female 10,947) (2009 est.)

Somalia
  0-14 years: 45% (male 2,215,331/female 2,204,503)
  15-64 years: 52.6% (male 2,588,356/female 2,579,737)
  65 years and over: 2.5% (male 101,764/female 142,326) (2009 est.)

South Africa
  0-14 years: 28.9% (male 7,093,328/female 7,061,579)
  15-64 years: 65.8% (male 16,275,424/female 15,984,181)
  65 years and over: 5.4% (male 1,075,117/female 1,562,860) (2009 est.)

Spain
  0-14 years: 14.5% (male 3,021,822/female 2,842,597)
  15-64 years: 67.4% (male 13,705,107/female 13,601,399)
  65 years and over: 18.1% (male 3,071,394/female 4,282,683) (2009
  est.)

Sri Lanka
  0-14 years: 23.9% (male 2,594,815/female 2,493,002)
  15-64 years: 68% (male 7,089,307/female 7,418,123)
  65 years and over: 8.1% (male 803,172/female 926,372) (2009 est.)

Sudan
  0-14 years: 40.7% (male 8,535,551/female 8,173,616)
  15-64 years: 56.8% (male 11,745,683/female 11,603,906)
  65 years and over: 2.5% (male 532,968/female 496,101) (2009 est.)

Suriname
  0-14 years: 27.1% (male 66,603/female 64,035)
  15-64 years: 66.6% (male 159,525/female 160,871)
  65 years and over: 6.3% (male 13,004/female 17,229) (2009 est.)

Svalbard
  0-14 years: NA
  15-64 years: NA
  65 years and over: NA (2009 est.)

Swaziland
  0-14 years: 39.4% (male 223,420/female 219,420)
  15-64 years: 56.9% (male 308,251/female 331,623)
  65 years and over: 3.7% (male 15,261/female 25,938) (2009 est.)

Sweden
  0-14 years: 15.7% (male 733,597/female 692,194)
  15-64 years: 65.5% (male 3,003,358/female 2,927,038)
  65 years and over: 18.8% (male 753,293/female 950,171) (2009 est.)

Switzerland
  0-14 years: 15.6% (male 616,561/female 571,610)
  15-64 years: 68.1% (male 2,609,673/female 2,567,245)
  65 years and over: 16.3% (male 514,761/female 724,617) (2009 est.)

Syria
  0-14 years: 35.9% (male 3,724,770/female 3,510,182)
  15-64 years: 60.8% (male 6,285,866/female 5,980,029)
  65 years and over: 3.4% (male 318,646/female 358,992) (2009 est.)

Taiwan
  0-14 years: 16.7% (male 1,996,905/female 1,844,611)
  15-64 years: 72.6% (male 8,416,300/female 8,267,675)
  65 years and over: 10.7% (male 1,183,382/female 1,265,474) (2009
  est.)

Tajikistan
  0-14 years: 34.3% (male 1,282,681/female 1,238,607)
  15-64 years: 62.1% (male 2,260,552/female 2,303,034)
  65 years and over: 3.6% (male 112,334/female 151,937) (2009 est.)

Tanzania
  0-14 years: 43% (male 8,853,529/female 8,805,810)
  15-64 years: 54.1% (male 10,956,133/female 11,255,868)
  65 years and over: 2.9% (male 513,959/female 663,233) (2009 est.)

Thailand
  0-14 years: 20.8% (male 7,009,845/female 6,691,470)
  15-64 years: 70.5% (male 22,977,945/female 23,512,538)
  65 years and over: 8.7% (male 2,594,387/female 3,119,225) (2009 est.)

Timor-Leste
  0-14 years: 34.7% (male 199,237/female 192,900)
  15-64 years: 61.9% (male 356,772/female 344,103)
  65 years and over: 3.4% (male 18,403/female 20,197) (2009 est.)

Togo
  0-14 years: 41.5% (male 1,252,662/female 1,245,379)
  15-64 years: 55.7% (male 1,640,982/female 1,714,278)
  65 years and over: 2.8% (male 65,427/female 101,149) (2009 est.)

Tokelau
  0-14 years: 42%
  15-64 years: 53%
  65 years and over: 5% (2009 est.)

Tonga
  0-14 years: 32.8% (male 20,270/female 19,428)
  15-64 years: 62.9% (male 37,837/female 38,166)
  65 years and over: 4.3% (male 2,163/female 3,034) (2009 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  0-14 years: 19.6% (male 123,214/female 117,584)
  15-64 years: 72.6% (male 457,868/female 434,486)
  65 years and over: 7.9% (male 41,467/female 55,334) (2009 est.)

Tunisia
  0-14 years: 22.7% (male 1,227,238/female 1,149,796)
  15-64 years: 70.1% (male 3,701,661/female 3,652,322)
  65 years and over: 7.2% (male 352,003/female 403,319) (2009 est.)

Turkey
  0-14 years: 27.2% (male 10,701,631/female 10,223,260)
  15-64 years: 66.7% (male 25,896,326/female 25,327,403)
  65 years and over: 6.1% (male 2,130,360/female 2,526,544) (2009 est.)

Turkmenistan
  0-14 years: 28.9% (male 713,698/female 697,222)
  15-64 years: 66.9% (male 1,618,678/female 1,646,992)
  65 years and over: 4.3% (male 90,352/female 117,945) (2009 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  0-14 years: 30.2% (male 3,528/female 3,401)
  15-64 years: 65.6% (male 7,875/female 7,164)
  65 years and over: 4.2% (male 475/female 499) (2009 est.)

Tuvalu
  0-14 years: 29.2% (male 1,841/female 1,770)
  15-64 years: 65.6% (male 3,973/female 4,141)
  65 years and over: 5.2% (male 240/female 408) (2009 est.)

Uganda
  0-14 years: 50% (male 8,152,830/female 8,034,366)
  15-64 years: 47.9% (male 7,789,209/female 7,703,143)
  65 years and over: 2.1% (male 286,693/female 403,317) (2009 est.)

Ukraine
  0-14 years: 13.8% (male 3,238,280/female 3,066,594)
  15-64 years: 70.3% (male 15,399,488/female 16,742,612)
  65 years and over: 15.9% (male 2,422,311/female 4,831,110) (2009
  est.)

United Arab Emirates
  0-14 years: 20.4% (male 500,928/female 478,388)
  15-64 years: 78.7% (male 2,768,030/female 1,008,404)
  65 years and over: 0.9% (male 27,601/female 15,140)
  note: 73.9% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national
  (2009 est.)

United Kingdom
  0-14 years: 16.7% (male 5,233,756/female 4,986,131)
  15-64 years: 67.1% (male 20,774,192/female 20,246,519)
  65 years and over: 16.2% (male 4,259,654/female 5,612,953) (2009
  est.)

United States
  0-14 years: 20.2% (male 31,639,127/female 30,305,704)
  15-64 years: 67% (male 102,665,043/female 103,129,321)
  65 years and over: 12.8% (male 16,901,232/female 22,571,696) (2009
  est.)

Uruguay
  0-14 years: 22.4% (male 397,942/female 385,253)
  15-64 years: 64.3% (male 1,115,963/female 1,129,478)
  65 years and over: 13.3% (male 187,176/female 278,570) (2009 est.)

Uzbekistan
  0-14 years: 28.1% (male 3,970,386/female 3,787,371)
  15-64 years: 67% (male 9,191,439/female 9,309,791)
  65 years and over: 4.9% (male 576,191/female 770,829) (2009 est.)

Vanuatu
  0-14 years: 30.7% (male 34,263/female 32,833)
  15-64 years: 65.3% (male 72,670/female 69,970)
  65 years and over: 4% (male 4,516/female 4,267) (2009 est.)

Venezuela
  0-14 years: 30.5% (male 4,157,194/female 4,022,595)
  15-64 years: 64.3% (male 8,480,872/female 8,754,620)
  65 years and over: 5.2% (male 620,657/female 778,905) (2009 est.)

Vietnam
  0-14 years: 24.9% (male 11,230,402/female 10,423,901)
  15-64 years: 69.4% (male 29,971,088/female 30,356,393)
  65 years and over: 5.7% (male 1,920,043/female 3,065,697) (2009 est.)

Virgin Islands
  0-14 years: 20.4% (male 11,394/female 11,048)
  15-64 years: 65.9% (male 33,843/female 38,574)
  65 years and over: 13.6% (male 6,747/female 8,219) (2009 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
  0-14 years: 26.7% (male 2,141/female 1,935)
  15-64 years: 66.3% (male 5,069/female 5,065)
  65 years and over: 7.1% (male 488/female 591) (2009 est.)

West Bank
  0-14 years: 37.3% (male 470,735/female 446,878)
  15-64 years: 59.1% (male 744,822/female 708,695)
  65 years and over: 3.7% (male 37,471/female 52,666) (2009 est.)

Western Sahara
  0-14 years: 44.9% (male 92,428/female 89,570)
  15-64 years: 52.8% (male 105,191/female 108,803)
  65 years and over: 2.3% (male 3,881/female 5,337) (2009 est.)

World
  0-14 years: 27.2% (male 950,127,898/female 894,359,186)
  15-64 years: 65.2% (male 2,235,114,476/female 2,192,071,874)
  65 years and over: 7.6% (male 227,748,114/female 290,640,668) (2009
  est.)

Yemen
  0-14 years: 46.2% (male 5,602,590/female 5,398,103)
  15-64 years: 51.3% (male 6,212,378/female 6,009,401)
  65 years and over: 2.5% (male 288,501/female 311,810) (2009 est.)

Zambia
  0-14 years: 45.1% (male 2,685,142/female 2,659,771)
  15-64 years: 52.6% (male 3,122,305/female 3,116,846)
  65 years and over: 2.3% (male 114,477/female 164,199) (2009 est.)

Zimbabwe
  0-14 years: 43.9% (male 2,523,119/female 2,473,928)
  15-64 years: 52.2% (male 2,666,928/female 3,283,474)
  65 years and over: 3.9% (male 194,360/female 250,820) (2009 est.)

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

@2011

Field Listing :: Geographic coordinates

This entry includes rounded latitude and longitude figures for the purpose of finding the approximate geographic center of an entity and is based on the locations provided in the Geographic Names Server (GNS), maintained by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency on behalf of the US Board on Geographic Names. Country

Geographic coordinates

Afghanistan
  33 00 N, 65 00 E

Akrotiri
  34 37 N, 32 58 E

Albania
  41 00 N, 20 00 E

Algeria
  28 00 N, 3 00 E

American Samoa
  14 20 S, 170 00 W

Andorra
  42 30 N, 1 30 E

Angola
  12 30 S, 18 30 E

Anguilla
  18 15 N, 63 10 W

Antarctica
  90 00 S, 0 00 E

Antigua and Barbuda
  17 03 N, 61 48 W

Arctic Ocean
  90 00 N, 0 00 E

Argentina
  34 00 S, 64 00 W

Armenia
  40 00 N, 45 00 E

Aruba
  12 30 N, 69 58 W

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  12 14 S, 123 05 E

Atlantic Ocean
  0 00 N, 25 00 W

Australia
  27 00 S, 133 00 E

Austria
  47 20 N, 13 20 E

Azerbaijan
  40 30 N, 47 30 E

Bahamas, The
  24 15 N, 76 00 W

Bahrain
  26 00 N, 50 33 E

Bangladesh
  24 00 N, 90 00 E

Barbados
  13 10 N, 59 32 W

Belarus
  53 00 N, 28 00 E

Belgium
  50 50 N, 4 00 E

Belize
  17 15 N, 88 45 W

Benin
  9 30 N, 2 15 E

Bermuda
  32 20 N, 64 45 W

Bhutan
  27 30 N, 90 30 E

Bolivia
  17 00 S, 65 00 W

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  44 00 N, 18 00 E

Botswana
  22 00 S, 24 00 E

Bouvet Island
  54 26 S, 3 24 E

Brazil
  10 00 S, 55 00 W

British Indian Ocean Territory 6 00 S, 71 30 E; note - Diego Garcia 7 20 S, 72 25 E

British Virgin Islands
  18 30 N, 64 30 W

Brunei
  4 30 N, 114 40 E

Bulgaria
  43 00 N, 25 00 E

Burkina Faso
  13 00 N, 2 00 W

Burma
  22 00 N, 98 00 E

Burundi
  3 30 S, 30 00 E

Cambodia
  13 00 N, 105 00 E

Cameroon
  6 00 N, 12 00 E

Canada
  60 00 N, 95 00 W

Cape Verde
  16 00 N, 24 00 W

Cayman Islands
  19 30 N, 80 30 W

Central African Republic
  7 00 N, 21 00 E

Chad
  15 00 N, 19 00 E

Chile
  30 00 S, 71 00 W

China
  35 00 N, 105 00 E

Christmas Island
  10 30 S, 105 40 E

Clipperton Island
  10 17 N, 109 13 W

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  12 30 S, 96 50 E

Colombia
  4 00 N, 72 00 W

Comoros
  12 10 S, 44 15 E

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  0 00 N, 25 00 E

Congo, Republic of the
  1 00 S, 15 00 E

Cook Islands
  21 14 S, 159 46 W

Coral Sea Islands
  18 00 S, 152 00 E

Costa Rica
  10 00 N, 84 00 W

Cote d'Ivoire
  8 00 N, 5 00 W

Croatia
  45 10 N, 15 30 E

Cuba
  21 30 N, 80 00 W

Cyprus
  35 00 N, 33 00 E

Czech Republic
  49 45 N, 15 30 E

Denmark
  56 00 N, 10 00 E

Dhekelia
  34 59 N, 33 45 E

Djibouti
  11 30 N, 43 00 E

Dominica
  15 25 N, 61 20 W

Dominican Republic
  19 00 N, 70 40 W

Ecuador
  2 00 S, 77 30 W

Egypt
  27 00 N, 30 00 E

El Salvador
  13 50 N, 88 55 W

Equatorial Guinea
  2 00 N, 10 00 E

Eritrea
  15 00 N, 39 00 E

Estonia
  59 00 N, 26 00 E

Ethiopia
  8 00 N, 38 00 E

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  51 45 S, 59 00 W

Faroe Islands
  62 00 N, 7 00 W

Fiji
  18 00 S, 175 00 E

Finland
  64 00 N, 26 00 E

France
  metropolitan France: 46 00 N, 2 00 E
  French Guiana: 4 00 N, 53 00 W
  Guadeloupe: 16 15 N, 61 35 W
  Martinique: 14 40 N, 61 00 W
  Reunion: 21 06 S, 55 36 E

French Polynesia
  15 00 S, 140 00 W

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  Ile Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et
  Ile Saint-Paul): 37 50 S, 77 32 E
  Ile Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): 38 72 S, 77 53 E
  Iles Crozet: 46 25 S, 51 00 E
  Iles Kerguelen: 49 15 S, 69 35 E
  Bassas da India (Iles Eparses): 21 30 S, 39 50 E
  Europa Island (Iles Eparses): 22 20 S, 40 22 E
  Glorioso Islands (Iles Eparses): 11 30 S, 47 20 E
  Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses): 17 03 S, 42 45 E
  Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): 15 52 S, 54 25 E

Gabon
  1 00 S, 11 45 E

Gambia, The
  13 28 N, 16 34 W

Gaza Strip
  31 25 N, 34 20 E

Georgia
  42 00 N, 43 30 E

Germany
  51 00 N, 9 00 E

Ghana
  8 00 N, 2 00 W

Gibraltar
  36 08 N, 5 21 W

Greece
  39 00 N, 22 00 E

Greenland
  72 00 N, 40 00 W

Grenada
  12 07 N, 61 40 W

Guam
  13 28 N, 144 47 E

Guatemala
  15 30 N, 90 15 W

Guernsey
  49 28 N, 2 35 W

Guinea
  11 00 N, 10 00 W

Guinea-Bissau
  12 00 N, 15 00 W

Guyana
  5 00 N, 59 00 W

Haiti
  19 00 N, 72 25 W

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  53 06 S, 72 31 E

Holy See (Vatican City)
  41 54 N, 12 27 E

Honduras
  15 00 N, 86 30 W

Hong Kong
  22 15 N, 114 10 E

Hungary
  47 00 N, 20 00 E

Iceland
  65 00 N, 18 00 W

India
  20 00 N, 77 00 E

Indian Ocean
  20 00 S, 80 00 E

Indonesia
  5 00 S, 120 00 E

Iran
  32 00 N, 53 00 E

Iraq
  33 00 N, 44 00 E

Ireland
  53 00 N, 8 00 W

Isle of Man
  54 15 N, 4 30 W

Israel
  31 30 N, 34 45 E

Italy
  42 50 N, 12 50 E

Jamaica
  18 15 N, 77 30 W

Jan Mayen
  71 00 N, 8 00 W

Japan
  36 00 N, 138 00 E

Jersey
  49 15 N, 2 10 W

Jordan
  31 00 N, 36 00 E

Kazakhstan
  48 00 N, 68 00 E

Kenya
  1 00 N, 38 00 E

Kiribati
  1 25 N, 173 00 E

Korea, North
  40 00 N, 127 00 E

Korea, South
  37 00 N, 127 30 E

Kosovo
  42 35 N, 21 00 E

Kuwait
  29 30 N, 45 45 E

Kyrgyzstan
  41 00 N, 75 00 E

Laos
  18 00 N, 105 00 E

Latvia
  57 00 N, 25 00 E

Lebanon
  33 50 N, 35 50 E

Lesotho
  29 30 S, 28 30 E

Liberia
  6 30 N, 9 30 W

Libya
  25 00 N, 17 00 E

Liechtenstein
  47 16 N, 9 32 E

Lithuania
  56 00 N, 24 00 E

Luxembourg
  49 45 N, 6 10 E

Macau
  22 10 N, 113 33 E

Macedonia
  41 50 N, 22 00 E

Madagascar
  20 00 S, 47 00 E

Malawi
  13 30 S, 34 00 E

Malaysia
  2 30 N, 112 30 E

Maldives
  3 15 N, 73 00 E

Mali
  17 00 N, 4 00 W

Malta
  35 50 N, 14 35 E

Marshall Islands
  9 00 N, 168 00 E

Mauritania
  20 00 N, 12 00 W

Mauritius
  20 17 S, 57 33 E

Mayotte
  12 50 S, 45 10 E

Mexico
  23 00 N, 102 00 W

Micronesia, Federated States of
  6 55 N, 158 15 E

Moldova
  47 00 N, 29 00 E

Monaco
  43 44 N, 7 24 E

Mongolia
  46 00 N, 105 00 E

Montenegro
  42 30 N, 19 18 E

Montserrat
  16 45 N, 62 12 W

Morocco
  32 00 N, 5 00 W

Mozambique
  18 15 S, 35 00 E

Namibia
  22 00 S, 17 00 E

Nauru
  0 32 S, 166 55 E

Navassa Island
  18 25 N, 75 02 W

Nepal
  28 00 N, 84 00 E

Netherlands
  52 30 N, 5 45 E

Netherlands Antilles
  Bonaire: 12 12 N, 68 15 W
  Curacao: 12 10 N, 69 00 W
  Saba: 17 38 N, 63 14 W
  Sint Eustatius: 17 30 N, 62 58 W
  Sint Maarten: 18 04 N, 63 04 W

New Caledonia
  21 30 S, 165 30 E

New Zealand
  41 00 S, 174 00 E

Nicaragua
  13 00 N, 85 00 W

Niger
  16 00 N, 8 00 E

Nigeria
  10 00 N, 8 00 E

Niue
  19 02 S, 169 52 W

Norfolk Island
  29 02 S, 167 57 E

Northern Mariana Islands
  15 12 N, 145 45 E

Norway
  62 00 N, 10 00 E

Oman
  21 00 N, 57 00 E

Pacific Ocean
  0 00 N, 160 00 W

Pakistan
  30 00 N, 70 00 E

Palau
  7 30 N, 134 30 E

Panama
  9 00 N, 80 00 W

Papua New Guinea
  6 00 S, 147 00 E

Paracel Islands
  16 30 N, 112 00 E

Paraguay
  23 00 S, 58 00 W

Peru
  10 00 S, 76 00 W

Philippines
  13 00 N, 122 00 E

Pitcairn Islands
  25 04 S, 130 06 W

Poland
  52 00 N, 20 00 E

Portugal
  39 30 N, 8 00 W

Puerto Rico
  18 15 N, 66 30 W

Qatar
  25 30 N, 51 15 E

Romania
  46 00 N, 25 00 E

Russia
  60 00 N, 100 00 E

Rwanda
  2 00 S, 30 00 E

Saint Barthelemy
  17 90 N, 62 85 W

Saint Helena
  Saint Helena: 15 57 S, 5 42 W
  Ascension Island: 7 57 S, 14 22 W
  Tristan da Cunha island group: 37 15 S, 12 30 W

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  17 20 N, 62 45 W

Saint Lucia
  13 53 N, 60 58 W

Saint Martin
  18 05 N, 63 57 W

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  46 50 N, 56 20 W

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  13 15 N, 61 12 W

Samoa
  13 35 S, 172 20 W

San Marino
  43 46 N, 12 25 E

Sao Tome and Principe
  1 00 N, 7 00 E

Saudi Arabia
  25 00 N, 45 00 E

Senegal
  14 00 N, 14 00 W

Serbia
  44 00 N, 21 00 E

Seychelles
  4 35 S, 55 40 E

Sierra Leone
  8 30 N, 11 30 W

Singapore
  1 22 N, 103 48 E

Slovakia
  48 40 N, 19 30 E

Slovenia
  46 07 N, 14 49 E

Solomon Islands
  8 00 S, 159 00 E

Somalia
  10 00 N, 49 00 E

South Africa
  29 00 S, 24 00 E

South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
  54 30 S, 37 00 W

Southern Ocean
  60 00 S, 90 00 E (nominally), but the Southern Ocean
  has the unique distinction of being a large circumpolar body of
  water totally encircling the continent of Antarctica; this ring of
  water lies between 60 degrees south latitude and the coast of
  Antarctica and encompasses 360 degrees of longitude

Spain
  40 00 N, 4 00 W

Spratly Islands
  8 38 N, 111 55 E

Sri Lanka
  7 00 N, 81 00 E

Sudan
  15 00 N, 30 00 E

Suriname
  4 00 N, 56 00 W

Svalbard
  78 00 N, 20 00 E

Swaziland
  26 30 S, 31 30 E

Sweden
  62 00 N, 15 00 E

Switzerland
  47 00 N, 8 00 E

Syria
  35 00 N, 38 00 E

Taiwan
  23 30 N, 121 00 E

Tajikistan
  39 00 N, 71 00 E

Tanzania
  6 00 S, 35 00 E

Thailand
  15 00 N, 100 00 E

Timor-Leste
  8 50 S, 125 55 E

Togo
  8 00 N, 1 10 E

Tokelau
  9 00 S, 172 00 W

Tonga
  20 00 S, 175 00 W

Trinidad and Tobago
  11 00 N, 61 00 W

Tunisia
  34 00 N, 9 00 E

Turkey
  39 00 N, 35 00 E

Turkmenistan
  40 00 N, 60 00 E

Turks and Caicos Islands
  21 45 N, 71 35 W

Tuvalu
  8 00 S, 178 00 E

Uganda
  1 00 N, 32 00 E

Ukraine
  49 00 N, 32 00 E

United Arab Emirates
  24 00 N, 54 00 E

United Kingdom
  54 00 N, 2 00 W

United States
  38 00 N, 97 00 W

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges
  Baker Island: 0 13 N,
  176 28 W
  Howland Island: 0 48 N, 176 38 W
  Jarvis Island: 0 23 S, 160 01 W
  Johnston Atoll: 16 45 N, 169 31 W
  Kingman Reef: 6 23 N, 162 25 W
  Midway Islands: 28 12 N, 177 22 W
  Palmyra Atoll: 5 53 N, 162 05 W

Uruguay
  33 00 S, 56 00 W

Uzbekistan
  41 00 N, 64 00 E

Vanuatu
  16 00 S, 167 00 E

Venezuela
  8 00 N, 66 00 W

Vietnam
  16 10 N, 107 50 E

Virgin Islands
  18 20 N, 64 50 W

Wake Island
  19 17 N, 166 39 E

Wallis and Futuna
  13 18 S, 176 12 W

West Bank
  32 00 N, 35 15 E

Western Sahara
  24 30 N, 13 00 W

Yemen
  15 00 N, 48 00 E

Zambia
  15 00 S, 30 00 E

Zimbabwe
  20 00 S, 30 00 E

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

@2012

Field Listing :: GDP - composition by sector

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

GDP - composition by sector(%)

Afghanistan agriculture: 31% industry: 26% services: 43% note: data exclude opium production (2008 est.)

Albania
  agriculture: 20.5%
  industry: 19.8%
  services: 59.7% (2008 est.)

Algeria
  agriculture: 8.3%
  industry: 62.3%
  services: 29.4% (2008 est.)

American Samoa
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Andorra
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Angola
  agriculture: 9.2%
  industry: 65.8%
  services: 24.6% (2008 est.)

Anguilla
  agriculture: 4%
  industry: 18%
  services: 78% (2002 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  agriculture: 3.8%
  industry: 22%
  services: 74.3% (2002 est.)

Argentina
  agriculture: 9.9%
  industry: 32.7%
  services: 57.4% (2008 est.)

Armenia
  agriculture: 16.7%
  industry: 33.8%
  services: 49.4% (2008 est.)

Aruba
  agriculture: 0.4%
  industry: 33.3%
  services: 66.3% (2002 est.)

Australia
  agriculture: 3.4%
  industry: 26.8%
  services: 69.8% (2008 est.)

Austria
  agriculture: 1.9%
  industry: 30.7%
  services: 67.4% (2008 est.)

Azerbaijan
  agriculture: 6%
  industry: 60.5%
  services: 33.5% (2008 est.)

Bahamas, The
  agriculture: 3%
  industry: 7%
  services: 90% (2001 est.)

Bahrain
  agriculture: 0.4%
  industry: 66.2%
  services: 33.3% (2008 est.)

Bangladesh
  agriculture: 19.1%
  industry: 28.6%
  services: 52.3% (2008 est.)

Barbados
  agriculture: 6%
  industry: 16%
  services: 78% (2000 est.)

Belarus
  agriculture: 8.5%
  industry: 41.2%
  services: 50.3% (2008 est.)

Belgium
  agriculture: 0.8%
  industry: 23.2%
  services: 76.1% (2008 est.)

Belize
  agriculture: 29%
  industry: 16.9%
  services: 54.1% (2008 est.)

Benin
  agriculture: 33.2%
  industry: 14.5%
  services: 52.3% (2007 est.)

Bermuda
  agriculture: 1%
  industry: 10%
  services: 89% (2002 est.)

Bhutan
  agriculture: 22.3%
  industry: 37.9%
  services: 39.8% (2006)

Bolivia
  agriculture: 11.3%
  industry: 36.9%
  services: 51.8% (2008 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  agriculture: 10.2%
  industry: 23.9%
  services: 66% (2006 est.)

Botswana
  agriculture: 1.6%
  industry: 52.6% (including 36% mining)
  services: 45.8% (2008 est.)

Brazil
  agriculture: 6.7%
  industry: 28%
  services: 65.3% (2008 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  agriculture: 1.8%
  industry: 6.2%
  services: 92% (1996 est.)

Brunei
  agriculture: 0.7%
  industry: 75%
  services: 25% (2005 est.)

Bulgaria
  agriculture: 7.3%
  industry: 30.5%
  services: 62.2% (2008 est.)

Burkina Faso
  agriculture: 29.1%
  industry: 19.9%
  services: 51% (2008 est.)

Burma
  agriculture: 40.9%
  industry: 19.8%
  services: 39.2% (2008 est.)

Burundi
  agriculture: 33.4%
  industry: 21%
  services: 45.6% (2008 est.)

Cambodia
  agriculture: 29%
  industry: 30%
  services: 41% (2007 est.)

Cameroon
  agriculture: 43.6%
  industry: 15.9%
  services: 40.5% (2008 est.)

Canada
  agriculture: 2%
  industry: 28.4%
  services: 69.6% (2008 est.)

Cape Verde
  agriculture: 9.1%
  industry: 16.6%
  services: 74.4% (2008 est.)

Cayman Islands
  agriculture: 1.4%
  industry: 3.2%
  services: 95.4% (1994 est.)

Central African Republic
  agriculture: 55%
  industry: 20%
  services: 25% (2001 est.)

Chad
  agriculture: 20.5%
  industry: 48%
  services: 31.5% (2008 est.)

Chile
  agriculture: 4.8%
  industry: 50.5%
  services: 44.7% (2008 est.)

China
  agriculture: 11.3%
  industry: 48.6%
  services: 40.1% (2008 est.)

Colombia
  agriculture: 9%
  industry: 38.1%
  services: 52.9% (2008 est.)

Comoros
  agriculture: 40%
  industry: 4%
  services: 56% (2001 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  agriculture: 55%
  industry: 11%
  services: 34% (2000 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  agriculture: 5.6%
  industry: 57.1%
  services: 37.3% (2006 est.)

Cook Islands
  agriculture: 15.1%
  industry: 9.6%
  services: 75.3% (2004)

Costa Rica
  agriculture: 6.5%
  industry: 25.9%
  services: 67.6% (2008 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  agriculture: 28%
  industry: 21.6%
  services: 50.4% (2008 est.)

Croatia
  agriculture: 6%
  industry: 27.7%
  services: 66.3% (2008 est.)

Cuba
  agriculture: 4.4%
  industry: 22.8%
  services: 72.8% (2008 est.)

Cyprus
  agriculture: 2.1%
  industry: 19.6%
  services: 78.3% (2008 est.)

Czech Republic
  agriculture: 2.3%
  industry: 37.6%
  services: 60.1% (2008 est.)

Denmark
  agriculture: 1.3%
  industry: 26.1%
  services: 72.6% (2008 est.)

Djibouti
  agriculture: 3.2%
  industry: 14.9%
  services: 81.9% (2006 est.)

Dominica
  agriculture: 17.7%
  industry: 32.8%
  services: 49.5% (2004 est.)

Dominican Republic
  agriculture: 10.8%
  industry: 22.9%
  services: 66.3% (2008 est.)

Ecuador
  agriculture: 6.7%
  industry: 34.3%
  services: 59% (2008 est.)

Egypt
  agriculture: 13.2%
  industry: 38.7%
  services: 48.1% (2008 est.)

El Salvador
  agriculture: 10.7%
  industry: 28.8%
  services: 60.6% (2008 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  agriculture: 2.3%
  industry: 93.7%
  services: 3.9% (2008 est.)

Eritrea
  agriculture: 17.4%
  industry: 23.2%
  services: 59.4% (2008 est.)

Estonia
  agriculture: 2.6%
  industry: 29%
  services: 68.4% (2008 est.)

Ethiopia
  agriculture: 44.9%
  industry: 12.8%
  services: 42.3% (2008 est.)

European Union
  agriculture: 2%
  industry: 27.1%
  services: 70.9% (2008 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  agriculture: 95%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA% (1996)

Faroe Islands
  agriculture: 27%
  industry: 11%
  services: 62% (1999)

Fiji
  agriculture: 8.9%
  industry: 13.5%
  services: 77.6% (2004 est.)

Finland
  agriculture: 2.8%
  industry: 32.4%
  services: 64.9% (2008 est.)

France
  agriculture: 2%
  industry: 20.4%
  services: 77.6% (2008 est.)

French Polynesia
  agriculture: 3.5%
  industry: 20.4%
  services: 76.1% (2005)

Gabon
  agriculture: 5.6%
  industry: 57.8%
  services: 36.6% (2008 est.)

Gambia, The
  agriculture: 33.3%
  industry: 7.6%
  services: 59% (2008 est.)

Gaza Strip
  agriculture: 8%
  industry: 13%
  services: 79% (includes West Bank) (2007 est.)

Georgia
  agriculture: 12.5%
  industry: 27.9%
  services: 59.6% (2008 est.)

Germany
  agriculture: 0.9%
  industry: 30.1%
  services: 69.1% (2008 est.)

Ghana
  agriculture: 37.3%
  industry: 25.3%
  services: 37.5% (2006 est.)

Gibraltar
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Greece
  agriculture: 3.7%
  industry: 20.6%
  services: 75.7% (2008 est.)

Greenland
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Grenada
  agriculture: 5.4%
  industry: 18%
  services: 76.6% (2003)

Guam
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Guatemala
  agriculture: 13.1%
  industry: 25%
  services: 61.9% (2008 est.)

Guernsey
  agriculture: 3%
  industry: 10%
  services: 87% (2000)

Guinea
  agriculture: 23.2%
  industry: 39.5%
  services: 37.3% (2008 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  agriculture: 62%
  industry: 12%
  services: 26% (1999 est.)

Guyana
  agriculture: 24.9%
  industry: 24.9%
  services: 50.2% (2008 est.)

Haiti
  agriculture: 28%
  industry: 20%
  services: 52% (2004 est.)

Honduras
  agriculture: 13.1%
  industry: 30%
  services: 56.9% (2008 est.)

Hong Kong
  agriculture: 0%
  industry: 7.4%
  services: 92.7% (2008 est.)

Hungary
  agriculture: 2.9%
  industry: 36.9%
  services: 60.2% (2008 est.)

Iceland
  agriculture: 5%
  industry: 25.2%
  services: 69.8% (2008 est.)

India
  agriculture: 17.6%
  industry: 29%
  services: 53.4% (2008 est.)

Indonesia
  agriculture: 14.4%
  industry: 48.1%
  services: 37.5% (2008 est.)

Iran
  agriculture: 10.2%
  industry: 41.9%
  services: 47.8% (2008 est.)

Iraq
  agriculture: 5%
  industry: 68%
  services: 27% (2006 est.)

Ireland
  agriculture: 5%
  industry: 46%
  services: 49% (2002 est.)

Isle of Man
  agriculture: 1%
  industry: 13%
  services: 86% (2000 est.)

Israel
  agriculture: 2.6%
  industry: 32.4%
  services: 65% (2008 est.)

Italy
  agriculture: 2%
  industry: 27%
  services: 71% (2008 est.)

Jamaica
  agriculture: 5.2%
  industry: 32.6%
  services: 62.2% (2008 est.)

Japan
  agriculture: 1.5%
  industry: 26.3%
  services: 72.3% (2008 est.)

Jersey
  agriculture: 1%
  industry: 2%
  services: 97% (2005)

Jordan
  agriculture: 3.6%
  industry: 29.9%
  services: 66.5% (2008 est.)

Kazakhstan
  agriculture: 5.3%
  industry: 40.9%
  services: 53.8% (2008 est.)

Kenya
  agriculture: 23.8%
  industry: 16.7%
  services: 59.5% (2007 est.)

Kiribati
  agriculture: 8.9%
  industry: 24.2%
  services: 66.8% (2004)

Korea, North
  agriculture: 23.3%
  industry: 43.1%
  services: 33.6% (2002 est.)

Korea, South
  agriculture: 3%
  industry: 39.5%
  services: 57.6% (2008 est.)

Kosovo
  agriculture: 20%
  industry: 20%
  services: 60% (2007 est.)

Kuwait
  agriculture: 0.3%
  industry: 52.2%
  services: 47.5% (2008 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  agriculture: 29.8%
  industry: 19.7%
  services: 50.6% (2008 est.)

Laos
  agriculture: 39.2%
  industry: 34.3%
  services: 26.5% (2008 est.)

Latvia
  agriculture: 3.1%
  industry: 22.7%
  services: 74.2% (2008 est.)

Lebanon
  agriculture: 5.1%
  industry: 18.8%
  services: 76.1% (2008 est.)

Lesotho
  agriculture: 15.1%
  industry: 46.4%
  services: 38.5% (2008 est.)

Liberia
  agriculture: 76.9%
  industry: 5.4%
  services: 17.7% (2002 est.)

Libya
  agriculture: 1.7%
  industry: 70.9%
  services: 27.4% (2008 est.)

Liechtenstein
  agriculture: 8%
  industry: 39%
  services: 54% (2007)

Lithuania
  agriculture: 4.5%
  industry: 32.2%
  services: 63.3% (2008 est.)

Luxembourg
  agriculture: 0.4%
  industry: 13.6%
  services: 86% (2007 est.)

Macau
  agriculture: 0.1%
  industry: 2.8%
  services: 97.1% (2007 est.)

Macedonia
  agriculture: 11.5%
  industry: 27.8%
  services: 60.7% (2008 est.)

Madagascar
  agriculture: 26.2%
  industry: 15.2%
  services: 58.5% (2008 est.)

Malawi
  agriculture: 39.2%
  industry: 16.8%
  services: 44% (2008 est.)

Malaysia
  agriculture: 10.1%
  industry: 43.7%
  services: 46.3% (2008 est.)

Maldives
  agriculture: 7%
  industry: 17%
  services: 76% (2006 est.)

Mali
  agriculture: 45%
  industry: 17%
  services: 38% (2001 est.)

Malta
  agriculture: 1.4%
  industry: 18%
  services: 80.6% (2007 est.)

Marshall Islands
  agriculture: 31.7%
  industry: 14.9%
  services: 53.4% (2004 est.)

Mauritania
  agriculture: 12.5%
  industry: 46.7%
  services: 40.7% (2008 est.)

Mauritius
  agriculture: 4.6%
  industry: 24.9%
  services: 70.5% (2008 est.)

Mayotte
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Mexico
  agriculture: 3.8%
  industry: 35.2%
  services: 61% (2008 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  agriculture: 28.9%
  industry: 15.2%
  services: 55.9% (2004 est.)

Moldova
  agriculture: 19.4%
  industry: 20%
  services: 60.6% (2008 est.)

Monaco
  agriculture: 0%
  industry: 4.9%
  services: 95.1% (2005)

Mongolia
  agriculture: 18.8%
  industry: 38.5%
  services: 42.7% (2008)

Montenegro
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Montserrat
  agriculture: 1.2%
  industry: 23.1%
  services: 75.7% (1999 est.)

Morocco
  agriculture: 15.7%
  industry: 30.1%
  services: 54.1% (2008 est.)

Mozambique
  agriculture: 23.5%
  industry: 30.9%
  services: 45.6% (2008 est.)

Namibia
  agriculture: 9%
  industry: 37%
  services: 54% (2008 est.)

Nauru
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Nepal
  agriculture: 32.5%
  industry: 16.6%
  services: 50.9% (FY07 est.)

Netherlands
  agriculture: 1.7%
  industry: 25.5%
  services: 72.9% (2008 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  agriculture: 1%
  industry: 15%
  services: 84% (2000 est.)

New Caledonia
  agriculture: 15%
  industry: 8.8%
  services: 76.2% (2003)

New Zealand
  agriculture: 4.4%
  industry: 25.7%
  services: 69.9% (2008 est.)

Nicaragua
  agriculture: 16.9%
  industry: 25.8%
  services: 57.3% (2008 est.)

Niger
  agriculture: 39%
  industry: 17%
  services: 44% (2001)

Nigeria
  agriculture: 18.1%
  industry: 50.8%
  services: 31.1% (2008 est.)

Niue
  agriculture: 23.5%
  industry: 26.9%
  services: 49.5% (2003)

Northern Mariana Islands
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Norway
  agriculture: 2%
  industry: 44.2%
  services: 53.8% (2008 est.)

Oman
  agriculture: 2.1%
  industry: 36.1%
  services: 61.8% (2008 est.)

Pakistan
  agriculture: 20.4%
  industry: 26.6%
  services: 53% (2008 est.)

Palau
  agriculture: 6.2%
  industry: 12%
  services: 81.8% (2003)

Panama
  agriculture: 6.4%
  industry: 17.2%
  services: 76.4% (2008 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  agriculture: 33.3%
  industry: 36.3%
  services: 30.4% (2008 est.)

Paraguay
  agriculture: 23.4%
  industry: 18.4%
  services: 58.2% (2008 est.)

Peru
  agriculture: 8.5%
  industry: 21.2%
  services: 70.3% (2008 est.)

Philippines
  agriculture: 14.7%
  industry: 31.6%
  services: 53.7% (2008 est.)

Poland
  agriculture: 4.5%
  industry: 31.2%
  services: 64.3% (2008 est.)

Portugal
  agriculture: 2.8%
  industry: 25%
  services: 72.2% (2008 est.)

Puerto Rico
  agriculture: 1%
  industry: 45%
  services: 54% (2005 est.)

Qatar
  agriculture: 0.1%
  industry: 74.9%
  services: 25.1% (2008 est.)

Romania
  agriculture: 8.1%
  industry: 36%
  services: 55.9% (2008 est.)

Russia
  agriculture: 4.7%
  industry: 37.6%
  services: 57.7% (2008 est.)

Rwanda
  agriculture: 43.2%
  industry: 22.3%
  services: 34.5% (2008 est.)

Saint Helena
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  agriculture: 3.5%
  industry: 25.8%
  services: 70.7% (2001)

Saint Lucia
  agriculture: 5%
  industry: 15%
  services: 80% (2005 est.)

Saint Martin
  agriculture: 1%
  industry: 15%
  services: 84% (2000)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  agriculture: 10%
  industry: 26%
  services: 64% (2001 est.)

Samoa
  agriculture: 11.6%
  industry: 13.1%
  services: 75.3% (2004 est.)

San Marino
  agriculture: 0.1%
  industry: 46.5%
  services: 53.4% (2007)

Sao Tome and Principe
  agriculture: 14.6%
  industry: 14.6%
  services: 70.8% (2008 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  agriculture: 3.1%
  industry: 61.9%
  services: 35% (2008 est.)

Senegal
  agriculture: 16.1%
  industry: 19.3%
  services: 64.6% (2008 est.)

Serbia
  agriculture: 12.3%
  industry: 24.2%
  services: 63.5% (2007 est.)

Seychelles
  agriculture: 2%
  industry: 28.9%
  services: 69.2% (2008 est.)

Sierra Leone
  agriculture: 49%
  industry: 31%
  services: 21% (2005 est.)

Singapore
  agriculture: 0%
  industry: 27.8%
  services: 72.2% (2008 est.)

Slovakia
  agriculture: 3.7%
  industry: 37.2%
  services: 59% (2008 est.)

Slovenia
  agriculture: 2.2%
  industry: 33.4%
  services: 64.3% (2008 est.)

Solomon Islands
  agriculture: 42%
  industry: 11%
  services: 47% (2005 est.)

Somalia
  agriculture: 65%
  industry: 10%
  services: 25% (2005 est.)

South Africa
  agriculture: 3.3%
  industry: 33.7%
  services: 63% (2008 est.)

Spain
  agriculture: 3.4%
  industry: 29%
  services: 67.6% (2008 est.)

Sri Lanka
  agriculture: 13.4%
  industry: 29.4%
  services: 57.3% (2008 est.)

Sudan
  agriculture: 31%
  industry: 34.7%
  services: 34.3% (2008 est.)

Suriname
  agriculture: 10.8%
  industry: 24.4%
  services: 64.8% (2005 est.)

Swaziland
  agriculture: 11.2%
  industry: 46%
  services: 42.8% (2008 est.)

Sweden
  agriculture: 1.6%
  industry: 28%
  services: 70.5% (2008 est.)

Switzerland
  agriculture: 1.5%
  industry: 34%
  services: 64.5% (2003 est.)

Syria
  agriculture: 18.5%
  industry: 26.9%
  services: 54.6% (2008 est.)

Taiwan
  agriculture: 1.7%
  industry: 25.1%
  services: 73.2% (2008 est.)

Tajikistan
  agriculture: 22.7%
  industry: 27.1%
  services: 50.2% (2008 est.)

Tanzania
  agriculture: 27.1%
  industry: 22.5%
  services: 50.4% (2008 est.)

Thailand
  agriculture: 11.6%
  industry: 45.1%
  services: 43.3% (2008 est.)

Timor-Leste
  agriculture: 32.2%
  industry: 12.8%
  services: 55% (2005)

Togo
  agriculture: 40%
  industry: 25%
  services: 35% (2008 est.)

Tokelau
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Tonga
  agriculture: 25%
  industry: 17%
  services: 57% (FY05/06 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  agriculture: 0.5%
  industry: 62.3%
  services: 37.2% (2008 est.)

Tunisia
  agriculture: 10.5%
  industry: 37%
  services: 52.5% (2008 est.)

Turkey
  agriculture: 8.8%
  industry: 27.5%
  services: 63.8% (2008 est.)

Turkmenistan
  agriculture: 9.1%
  industry: 39%
  services: 51.9% (2008 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Tuvalu
  agriculture: 16.6%
  industry: 27.2%
  services: 56.2% (2002)

Uganda
  agriculture: 21.5%
  industry: 24.6%
  services: 53.9% (2008 est.)

Ukraine
  agriculture: 9.3%
  industry: 31.7%
  services: 58.9% (2008 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  agriculture: 1.5%
  industry: 62.7%
  services: 35.7% (2008 est.)

United Kingdom
  agriculture: 1.3%
  industry: 24.2%
  services: 74.5% (2008 est.)

United States
  agriculture: 1.2%
  industry: 19.2%
  services: 79.6% (2008 est.)

Uruguay
  agriculture: 9.5%
  industry: 23.4%
  services: 67.1% (2008 est.)

Uzbekistan
  agriculture: 25.8%
  industry: 31.4%
  services: 42.8% (2008 est.)

Vanuatu
  agriculture: 26%
  industry: 12%
  services: 62% (2000 est.)

Venezuela
  agriculture: 3.8%
  industry: 37.6%
  services: 58.6% (2008 est.)

Vietnam
  agriculture: 22%
  industry: 39.9%
  services: 38.1% (2008 est.)

Virgin Islands
  agriculture: 1%
  industry: 19%
  services: 80% (2003 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

West Bank
  agriculture: 8%
  industry: 13%
  services: 79% (includes Gaza Strip) (2007 est.)

Western Sahara
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: 40% (2007 est.)

World
  agriculture: 4%
  industry: 32%
  services: 64% (2008 est.)

Yemen
  agriculture: 10.3%
  industry: 56.5%
  services: 33.2% (2008 est.)

Zambia
  agriculture: 16%
  industry: 26.6%
  services: 57.4% (2008 est.)

Zimbabwe
  agriculture: 18.1%
  industry: 22.6%
  services: 59.3% (2008 est.)

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

@2013

Field Listing :: Radio broadcast stations

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

Radio broadcast stations

Afghanistan
  AM 21, FM 5, shortwave 1 (broadcasts in Pashto, Dari
  (Afghan Persian), Urdu, and English) (2006)

Akrotiri
  AM NA, FM 1, shortwave NA (British Forces Broadcasting
  Service (BFBS) provides Radio 1 and Radio 2 service to Akrotiri,
  Dhekelia, and Nicosia) (2006)

Albania
  AM 13, FM 46, shortwave 1 (2005)

Algeria
  AM 25, FM 1, shortwave 8 (1999)

American Samoa
  AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2005)

Andorra
  AM 0, FM 1, shortwave 0 (easy access to radio and television
  broadcasts originating in France and Spain) (2007)

Angola
  AM 21, FM 6, shortwave 7 (2001)

Anguilla
  AM 2, FM 7, shortwave 0 (2004)

Antarctica
  FM 2, shortwave 1 (information for US bases only); note -
  many research stations have a local FM radio station (2007)

Antigua and Barbuda
  AM 4, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)

Argentina
  AM 260, FM (probably more than 1,000, mostly unlicensed),
  shortwave 6 (1998)

Armenia
  AM 9, FM 16, shortwave 1 (2006)

Aruba
  AM 2, FM 16, shortwave 0 (2004)

Australia
  AM 262, FM 345, shortwave 1 (1998)

Austria
  AM 2, FM 65 (plus several hundred repeaters), shortwave 1
  (2001)

Azerbaijan
  AM 10, FM 17, shortwave 1 (1998)

Bahamas, The
  AM 3, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2006)

Bahrain
  AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)

Bangladesh
  AM 15, FM 13, shortwave 2 (2006)

Barbados
  AM 2, FM 6, shortwave 0 (2004)

Belarus
  AM 28, FM 37, shortwave 11 (1998)

Belgium
  AM 7, FM 79, shortwave 1 (1998)

Belize
  AM 1, FM 16, shortwave 0 (2006)

Benin
  AM 1, FM 34, shortwave 1 (2007)

Bermuda
  AM 5, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2005)

Bhutan
  AM 0, FM 9, shortwave 1 (2007)

Bolivia
  AM 171, FM 73, shortwave 77 (1999)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  AM 8, FM 16, shortwave 1 (1998)

Botswana
  AM 8, FM 13, shortwave 4 (2001)

Brazil
  AM 1,365, FM 296, shortwave 161 (of which 91 are collocated
  with AM stations) (1999)

British Indian Ocean Territory
  AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)

British Virgin Islands
  AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2004)

Brunei
  AM 1, FM 2 (transmitting on 18 different frequencies),
  shortwave 0 (British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) station
  transmits two FM signals with English and Nepali service) (2006)

Bulgaria
  AM 31, FM 63, shortwave 2 (2001)

Burkina Faso
  AM 2, FM 26, shortwave 3 (2007)

Burma
  AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 3 (2007)

Burundi
  AM 0, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)

Cambodia
  AM 1, FM 50, shortwave NA (2008)

Cameroon
  AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 3 (2001)

Canada
  AM 245, FM 582, shortwave 6 (2004)

Cape Verde
  AM 0, FM 22 (plus 12 repeaters), shortwave 0 (2001)

Cayman Islands
  AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (2004)

Central African Republic
  AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2001)

Chad
  AM 2, FM 4, shortwave 5 (2001)

Chile
  AM 180, FM 64, shortwave 17 (1998)

China
  AM 369, FM 259, shortwave 45 (1998)

Christmas Island
  AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2006)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2004)

Colombia
  AM 454, FM 34, shortwave 27 (1999)

Comoros
  AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  AM 3, FM 11, shortwave 2 (2001)

Congo, Republic of the
  AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 3 (2001)

Cook Islands
  AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004)

Costa Rica
  AM 65, FM 51, shortwave 19 (2002)

Cote d'Ivoire
  AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 3 (1998)

Croatia
  AM 16, FM 98, shortwave 5 (1999)

Cuba
  AM 169, FM 55, shortwave 1 (1998)

Cyprus
  area under government control: AM 5, FM 76, shortwave 0
  area administered by Turkish Cypriots: AM 1, FM 20, shortwave 1
  (2004)

Czech Republic
  AM 31, FM 304, shortwave 17 (2000)

Denmark
  AM 1, FM 355, shortwave 0 (1998)

Dhekelia
  AM NA, FM 1 (located in Akrotiri), shortwave NA (British
  Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides Radio 1 and Radio 2
  service to Akrotiri, Dhekelia, and Nicosia) (2006)

Djibouti
  AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2001)

Dominica
  AM 2, FM 4, shortwave 0 (2003)

Dominican Republic
  AM 120, FM 56, shortwave 4 (1998)

Ecuador
  AM 392, FM 35, shortwave 29 (2001)

Egypt
  AM 42 (plus 15 repeaters), FM 11, shortwave 3 (1999)

El Salvador
  AM 52, FM 144, shortwave 0 (2005)

Equatorial Guinea
  AM 0, FM 3, shortwave 5 (2001)

Eritrea
  AM 2, FM NA, shortwave 2 (2000)

Estonia
  AM 0, FM 32, shortwave 0 (2007)

Ethiopia
  AM 8, FM 0, shortwave 1 (2001)

European Union
  AM 930, FM 13,655, shortwave 71 (1998); note - sum of
  individual country radio broadcast stations; there is also a
  European-wide station (Euroradio)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  AM 1, FM 7, shortwave 0 (British
  Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides Radio 1 and Radio 2
  service) (2006)

Faroe Islands
  AM 1, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998)

Fiji
  AM 13, FM 40, shortwave 0 (1998)

Finland
  AM 2, FM 59, shortwave 2 (2008)

France
  AM 41, FM about 3,500 (this figure is an approximation and
  includes many repeaters), shortwave 2 (1998)

French Polynesia
  AM 2, FM 14, shortwave 2 (1998)

Gabon
  AM 6, FM 7 (plus 11 repeaters), shortwave 4 (2001)

Gambia, The
  AM 3, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2001)

Gaza Strip
  AM 0, FM 10, shortwave 0 (2008)

Georgia
  AM 7, FM 12, shortwave 4 (1998)

Germany
  AM 51, FM 787, shortwave 4 (1998)

Ghana
  AM 0, FM 86, shortwave 3 (2007)

Gibraltar
  AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998)

Greece
  AM 26, FM 88, shortwave 4 (1998)

Greenland
  AM 5, FM 14, shortwave 0 (2008)

Grenada
  AM 2, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998)

Guam
  AM 3, FM 11, shortwave 2 (2005)

Guatemala
  AM 130, FM 487, shortwave 15 (2000)

Guernsey
  AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Guinea
  AM 0, FM 5, shortwave 3 (2006)

Guinea-Bissau
  AM 1 (transmitter out of service), FM 4, shortwave 0
  (2001)

Guyana
  AM 3, FM 3, shortwave 1 (1998)

Haiti
  AM 41, FM 26, shortwave 0 (1999)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  AM 5, FM 3, shortwave 5 (2008)

Honduras
  AM 241, FM 53, shortwave 12 (1998)

Hong Kong
  AM 6, FM 10, shortwave 0 (2008)

Hungary
  AM 5, FM 90, shortwave 1 (2008)

Iceland
  AM 3, FM about 70, shortwave 1 (2008)

India
  AM 153, FM 91, shortwave 68 (1998)

Indonesia
  AM 678, FM 43, shortwave 82 (1998)

Iran
  AM 72, FM 6, shortwave 5 (1998)

Iraq
  52 (station frequency types NA) (2008)

Ireland
  AM 9, FM 106, shortwave 0 (1998)

Isle of Man
  AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Israel
  AM 23, FM 15, shortwave 2 (1998)

Italy
  AM about 100, FM about 4,600, shortwave 9 (1998)

Jamaica
  AM 10, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998)

Jan Mayen
  NA; note - there is one radio and meteorological station
  (1998)

Japan
  AM 215 (plus 370 repeaters), FM 89 (plus 485 repeaters),
  shortwave 21 (2001)

Jersey
  AM NA, FM 1, shortwave 0 (UK radio broadcasts carried via
  local relays) (2008)

Jordan
  FM 31 (2007)

Kazakhstan
  AM 60, FM 18, shortwave 9 (2008)

Kenya
  AM 24, FM 82, shortwave 6 (2008)

Kiribati
  AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (may be inactive) (2002)

Korea, North
  AM 17 (including 11 stations of Korean Central
  Broadcasting Station; North Korea has a "national intercom" cable
  radio station wired throughout the country that is a significant
  source of information for the average North Korean citizen; it is
  wired into most residences and workplaces and carries news and
  commentary), FM 14, shortwave 14 (2006)

Korea, South
  AM 96, FM 322, shortwave 1 (2008)

Kuwait
  AM 6, FM 11, shortwave 1 (1998)

Kyrgyzstan
  AM 3 (plus 10 repeater stations), FM 23, shortwave NA
  (2007)

Laos
  AM 7, FM 14, shortwave 2 (2006)

Latvia
  AM 8, FM 62, shortwave 1 (2008)

Lebanon
  AM 20, FM 32 (plus about a dozen unlicensed stations
  operating), shortwave 4 (2007)

Lesotho
  AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 1 (2007)

Liberia
  AM 0, FM 10, shortwave 2 (2007)

Libya
  AM 16, FM 3, shortwave 3 (2001)

Liechtenstein
  AM 0, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)

Lithuania
  AM 29, FM 142, shortwave 1 (2001)

Luxembourg
  AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999)

Macau
  AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2008)

Macedonia
  AM 29, FM 32, shortwave 0 (2008)

Madagascar
  AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 6 (2001)

Malawi
  AM 9, FM 5 (plus 15 repeater stations), shortwave 2 (plus one
  shortwave station on standby) (2001)

Malaysia
  AM 35, FM 391, shortwave 15 (2001)

Maldives
  AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998)

Mali
  AM 1, FM 230 (27 regional and government stations, and 203
  private stations), shortwave 1 (2001)

Malta
  AM 1, FM 18, shortwave 6 (1999)

Marshall Islands
  AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 0 (additionally, the American
  Armed Forces Radio and Television Service (Central Pacific Network)
  operates one FM and one AM station on Kwajalein Island) (2005)

Mauritania
  AM 1, FM 14, shortwave 1 (2001)

Mauritius
  AM 4, FM 9, shortwave 0 (2001)

Mayotte
  AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2001)

Mexico
  AM 850, FM 545, shortwave 15 (2003)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  AM 5, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004)

Moldova
  AM 2, FM 29, shortwave NA (2006)

Monaco
  AM 1, FM 11, shortwave 1 (2008)

Mongolia
  AM 7, FM 115 (includes 20 national radio broadcaster
  repeaters), shortwave 4 (2006)

Montenegro
  31 (station frequency types NA) (2004)

Montserrat
  AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)

Morocco
  AM 27, FM 25, shortwave 6 (1998)

Mozambique
  AM 13, FM 17, shortwave 11 (2001)

Namibia
  AM 2, FM 39, shortwave 4 (2001)

Nauru
  AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)

Nepal
  AM 6, FM 80, shortwave 4 (2008)

Netherlands
  AM 4, FM 567, shortwave 1 (2008)

Netherlands Antilles
  AM 8, FM 19, shortwave 0 (2003)

New Caledonia
  AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998)

New Zealand
  AM 124, FM 290, shortwave 4 (1998)

Nicaragua
  AM 63, FM 32, shortwave 1 (1998)

Niger
  AM 5, FM 6, shortwave 4 (2001)

Nigeria
  AM 83, FM 36, shortwave 11 (2001)

Niue
  AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Norfolk Island
  AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2005)

Northern Mariana Islands
  AM 1, FM 6, shortwave 1 (2005)

Norway
  AM 5, FM 160, shortwave 1 (2008)

Oman
  AM 3, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999)

Pakistan
  AM 31, FM 68, shortwave NA (2006)

Palau
  AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)

Panama
  AM 101, FM 134, shortwave 0 (1998)

Papua New Guinea
  AM 8, FM 19, shortwave 28 (1998)

Paraguay
  AM 41, FM 121, shortwave 6 (2006)

Peru
  AM 472, FM 198, shortwave 189 (1999)

Philippines
  AM 381, FM 628, shortwave 4 (2007)

Pitcairn Islands
  AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (15 ham radio operators
  (VP6)) (2004)

Poland
  AM 14, FM 63, shortwave 2 (2008)

Portugal
  AM 2, FM 63, shortwave 1 (2008)

Puerto Rico
  AM 74, FM 53, shortwave 0 (2008)

Qatar
  AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1998)

Romania
  698 (station frequency type NA) (2006)

Russia
  AM 323, FM 1,500 est., shortwave 62 (2004)

Rwanda
  AM 0, FM 10 (two main FM programs are broadcast through a
  system of repeaters; international FM programming includes the BBC,
  VOA, and Deutchewelle) (2007)

Saint Helena
  Saint Helena: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0
  Ascension: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (2005)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  AM 3, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2003)

Saint Lucia
  AM 2, FM 7, shortwave 0 (2003)

Saint Martin
  AM 0, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2007)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  AM 1, FM 6, shortwave 0 (2004)

Samoa
  AM 2, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2004)

San Marino
  AM 0, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2008)

Sao Tome and Principe
  AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2001)

Saudi Arabia
  AM 43, FM 31, shortwave 2 (1998)

Senegal
  AM 8, FM 20, shortwave 1 (2001)

Serbia
  153 (station types NA) (2001)

Seychelles
  AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 2 (2001)

Sierra Leone
  AM 1, FM 9, shortwave 1 (2001)

Singapore
  AM 0, FM 19, shortwave 1 (2008)

Slovakia
  AM 1, FM 22, shortwave 1 (2008)

Slovenia
  AM 10, FM 230, shortwave 0 (2006)

Solomon Islands
  AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (2004)

Somalia
  AM 0, FM 11 (also 1 station each in Puntland and
  Somaliland), shortwave 1 (in Mogadishu) (2001)

South Africa
  AM 14, FM 347 (plus 243 repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998)

South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
  0 (2003)

Spain
  AM 18, FM 250, shortwave 2 (2008)

Sri Lanka
  AM 15, FM 52, shortwave 4 (2007)

Sudan
  AM 12, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998)

Suriname
  AM 4, FM 13, shortwave 1 (1998)

Svalbard
  AM 1, FM 1 (plus 2 repeaters), shortwave 0 (1998)

Swaziland
  AM 3, FM 2 (plus 4 repeaters), shortwave 3 (2004)

Sweden
  AM 1, FM 124, shortwave 0 (2008)

Switzerland
  AM 3, FM 106 (plus many low-power stations), shortwave 3
  (2008)

Syria
  AM 14, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998)

Taiwan
  AM 21, FM 143, shortwave 1 (2008)

Tajikistan
  16 (number of licensed stations with only about 10
  broadcasting) (2009)

Tanzania
  AM 12, FM 11, shortwave 2 (1998)

Thailand
  AM 238, FM 351, shortwave 6 (2007)

Timor-Leste
  at least 21 (Timor-Leste has one national public
  broadcaster and 20 community and church radio stations - station
  frequency types NA) (2007)

Togo
  AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (1998)

Tokelau
  AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA (one radio station provides
  service to all islands) (2002)

Tonga
  AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)

Trinidad and Tobago
  AM 4, FM 18, shortwave 0 (2001)

Tunisia
  AM 7, FM 38, shortwave 2 (2007)

Turkey
  AM 16, FM 107, shortwave 6 (2001)

Turkmenistan
  AM 16, FM 8, shortwave 2 (1998)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  AM 2, FM 7, shortwave 0 (2003)

Tuvalu
  AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004)

Uganda
  AM 7, FM 33, shortwave 2 (2001)

Ukraine
  524 (station frequency types NA) (2006)

United Arab Emirates
  AM 13, FM 8, shortwave 2 (2004)

United Kingdom
  AM 206, FM 696, shortwave 3 (2008)

United States
  AM 4,789, FM 8,961, shortwave 19 (2006)

Uruguay
  AM 93, FM 191, shortwave 7 (2005)

Uzbekistan
  AM 4, FM 12, shortwave 3 (2008)

Vanuatu
  AM 2, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)

Venezuela
  AM 201, FM unknown, but at least 25 in Caracas, shortwave
  11 (1998)

Vietnam
  AM 65, FM 7, shortwave 29 (1999)

Virgin Islands
  AM 6, FM 16, shortwave 0 (2005)

Wake Island
  AM 0, FM 0, shortwave 0 (American Armed Forces Radio and
  Television Service (AFRTS)) provides satellite radio service (2005)

Wallis and Futuna
  AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (2000)

West Bank
  AM 0, FM 25, shortwave 0 (2008)

Western Sahara
  AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)

World
  AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA

Yemen
  AM 6, FM 1, shortwave 2 (1998)

Zambia
  AM 19, FM 5, shortwave 4 (2001)

Zimbabwe
  AM 7, FM 20 (plus 17 repeater stations), shortwave 1 (1998)

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

@2014

Field Listing :: Radios

Country

Radios

Afghanistan
  167,000 (1999)

Albania
  1 million (2001)

Algeria
  7.1 million (1997)

American Samoa
  57,000 (1997)

Andorra
  16,000 (1997)

Angola
  815,000 (2000)

Anguilla
  3,000 (1997)

Antarctica
  NA

Antigua and Barbuda
  36,000 (1997)

Argentina
  24.3 million (1997)

Armenia
  850,000 (1997)

Aruba
  50,000 (1997)

Australia
  25.5 million (1997)

Austria
  6.08 million (1997)

Azerbaijan
  175,000 (1997)

Bahamas, The
  215,000 (1997)

Bahrain
  338,000 (1997)

Bangladesh
  6.15 million (1997)

Barbados
  237,000 (1997)

Belarus
  3.02 million (1997)

Belgium
  8.075 million (1997)

Belize
  133,000 (1997)

Benin
  660,000 (2000)

Bermuda
  82,000 (1997)

Bhutan
  37,000 (1997)

Bolivia
  5.25 million (1997)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  940,000 (1997)

Botswana
  252,720 (2000)

Brazil
  71 million (1997)

British Indian Ocean Territory
  NA

British Virgin Islands
  9,000 (1997)

Brunei
  329,000 (1998)

Bulgaria
  4.51 million (1997)

Burkina Faso
  394,020 (2000)

Burma
  4.2 million (1997)

Burundi
  440,000 (2001)

Cambodia
  1.34 million (1997)

Cameroon
  2.27 million (1997)

Canada
  32.3 million (1997)

Cape Verde
  100,000 (2002 est.)

Cayman Islands
  36,000 (1997)

Central African Republic
  283,000 (1997)

Chad
  1.67 million (1997)

Chile
  5.18 million (1997)

China
  417 million (1997)

Christmas Island
  1,000 (1997)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  300 (1992)

Colombia
  21 million (1997)

Comoros
  90,000 (1997)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  18.03 million (1997)

Congo, Republic of the
  341,000 (1997)

Cook Islands
  14,000 (1997)

Costa Rica
  980,000 (1997)

Cote d'Ivoire
  2.26 million (1997)

Croatia
  1.51 million (1997)

Cuba
  3.9 million (1997)

Cyprus
  Greek Cypriot area: 310,000 (1997); Turkish Cypriot area:
  56,450 (1994)

Czech Republic
  3,159,134 (December 2000)

Denmark
  6.02 million (1997)

Djibouti
  52,000 (1997)

Dominica
  46,000 (1997)

Dominican Republic
  1.44 million (1997)

Ecuador
  5 million (2001)

Egypt
  20.5 million (1997)

El Salvador
  2.75 million (1997)

Equatorial Guinea
  180,000 (1997)

Eritrea
  345,000 (1997)

Estonia
  1.01 million (1997)

Ethiopia
  15.2 million (2002)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  1,000 (1997)

Faroe Islands
  26,000 (1997)

Fiji
  541,476 (1999)

Finland
  7.7 million (1997)

France
  55.3 million (1997)

French Polynesia
  128,000 (1997)

Gabon
  208,000 (1997)

Gambia, The
  196,000 (1997)

Gaza Strip
  NA; note - most Palestinian households have radios (1999)

Georgia
  3.02 million (1997)

Germany
  77.8 million (1997)

Ghana
  12.5 million (2001)

Gibraltar
  37,000 (1997)

Greece
  5.02 million (1997)

Greenland
  30,000 (1998 est.)

Grenada
  57,000 (1997)

Guam
  221,000 (1997)

Guatemala
  835,000 (1997)

Guernsey
  NA

Guinea
  357,000 (1997)

Guinea-Bissau
  49,000 (1997)

Guyana
  420,000 (1997)

Haiti
  415,000 (1997)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  NA

Honduras
  2.45 million (1997)

Hong Kong
  4.45 million (1997)

Hungary
  7.01 million (1997)

Iceland
  260,000 (1997)

India
  116 million (1997)

Indonesia
  31.5 million (1997)

Iran
  17 million (1997)

Iraq
  4.85 million (1997)

Ireland
  2.55 million (1997)

Isle of Man
  NA

Israel
  3.07 million (1997)

Italy
  50.5 million (1997)

Jamaica
  1.215 million (1997)

Japan
  120.5 million (1997)

Jersey
  NA

Jordan
  1.66 million (1997)

Kazakhstan
  6.47 million (1997)

Kenya
  3.07 million (1997)

Kiribati
  17,000 (1997)

Korea, North
  3.36 million (1997)

Korea, South
  47.5 million (2000)

Kuwait
  1.175 million (1997)

Kyrgyzstan
  520,000 (1997)

Laos
  730,000 (1997)

Latvia
  1.76 million (1997)

Lebanon
  2.85 million (1997)

Lesotho
  NA (2002)

Liberia
  790,000 (1997)

Libya
  1.35 million (1997)

Liechtenstein
  21,000 (1997)

Lithuania
  1.9 million (1997)

Luxembourg
  285,000 (1997)

Macau
  160,000 (1997)

Macedonia
  410,000 (1997)

Madagascar
  3.05 million (1997)

Malawi
  2.6 million (1997)

Malaysia
  10.9 million (1999)

Maldives
  35,000 (1999)

Mali
  570,000 (1997)

Malta
  255,000 (1997)

Marshall Islands
  NA

Mauritania
  410,000 (2001)

Mauritius
  420,000 (1997)

Mayotte
  NA

Mexico
  31 million (1997)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  9,400 (1996)

Moldova
  3.22 million (1997)

Monaco
  34,000 (1997)

Mongolia
  155,900 (1999)

Montserrat
  7,000 (1997)

Morocco
  6.64 million (1997)

Mozambique
  730,000 (1997)

Namibia
  232,000 (1997)

Nauru
  7,000 (1997)

Nepal
  840,000 (1997)

Netherlands
  15.3 million (1996)

Netherlands Antilles
  217,000 (1997)

New Caledonia
  107,000 (1997)

New Zealand
  3.75 million (1997)

Nicaragua
  1.24 million (1997)

Niger
  680,000 (1997)

Nigeria
  23.5 million (1997)

Niue
  1,000 (1997)

Norfolk Island
  2,500 (1996)

Northern Mariana Islands
  NA

Norway
  4.03 million (1997)

Oman
  1.4 million (1997)

Pakistan
  13.5 million (1997)

Palau
  12,000 (1997)

Panama
  815,000 (1997)

Papua New Guinea
  410,000 (1997)

Paraguay
  925,000 (1997)

Peru
  6.65 million (1997)

Philippines
  11.5 million (1997)

Pitcairn Islands
  NA

Poland
  20.2 million (1997)

Portugal
  3.02 million (1997)

Puerto Rico
  2.7 million (1997)

Qatar
  256,000 (1997)

Romania
  7.2 million (1997)

Russia
  61.5 million (1997)

Rwanda
  601,000 (1997)

Saint Helena
  3,000 (1997)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  28,000 (1997)

Saint Lucia
  111,000 (1997)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  4,000 (1997)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  77,000 (1997)

Samoa
  174,849 (1997)

San Marino
  16,000 (1997)

Sao Tome and Principe
  38,000 (1997)

Saudi Arabia
  6.25 million (1997)

Senegal
  1.24 million (1997)

Seychelles
  42,000 (1997)

Sierra Leone
  1.12 million (1997)

Singapore
  2.6 million (2000)

Slovakia
  3.12 million (1997)

Slovenia
  805,000 (1997)

Solomon Islands
  57,000 (1997)

Somalia
  470,000 (1997)

South Africa
  17 million (2001)

Spain
  13.1 million (1997)

Sri Lanka
  3.85 million (1997)

Sudan
  7.55 million (1997)

Suriname
  300,000 (1997)

Svalbard
  NA

Swaziland
  170,000 (1999)

Sweden
  8.25 million (1997)

Switzerland
  7.1 million (1997)

Syria
  4.15 million (1997)

Taiwan
  16 million (1994)

Tajikistan
  1.291 million (1991)

Tanzania
  8.8 million (1997)

Thailand
  13.96 million (1997)

Timor-Leste
  NA

Togo
  940,000 (1997)

Tokelau
  1,000 (1997)

Tonga
  61,000 (1997)

Trinidad and Tobago
  680,000 (1997)

Tunisia
  2.06 million (1997)

Turkey
  11.3 million (1997)

Turkmenistan
  1.225 million (1997)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  8,000 (1997)

Tuvalu
  4,000 (1997)

Uganda
  5 million (2001)

Ukraine
  45.05 million (1997)

United Arab Emirates
  820,000 (1997)

United Kingdom
  84.5 million (1997)

United States
  575 million (1997)

Uruguay
  1.97 million (1997)

Uzbekistan
  10.8 million (1997)

Vanuatu
  67,000 (1997)

Venezuela
  10.75 million (1997)

Vietnam
  8.2 million (1997)

Virgin Islands
  107,000 (1997)

Wallis and Futuna
  NA

West Bank
  NA; note - most Palestinian households have radios (1999)

Western Sahara
  56,000 (1997)

World
  NA

Yemen
  1.05 million (1997)

Zambia
  1.2 million (2001)

Zimbabwe
  1.14 million (1997)

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

@2015

Field Listing :: Television broadcast stations

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

Television broadcast stations

Afghanistan
  at least 7 (1 government-run central television station
  in Kabul and regional stations in 6 of the 34 provinces) (2006)

Akrotiri
  0 (British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides
  multi-channel satellite service to Akrotiri, Dhekelia, and Nicosia)
  (2006)

Albania
  65 (3 national, 62 local); 2 cable networks (2005)

Algeria
  46 (plus 216 repeaters) (1995)

American Samoa
  1 (2006)

Andorra
  1 (2007)

Angola
  6 (2000)

Anguilla
  1 (1997)

Antarctica
  1 (cable system with 6 channels; American Forces
  Antarctic Network-McMurdo - information for US bases only) (2002)

Antigua and Barbuda
  2 (1997)

Argentina
  42 (plus 444 repeaters) (1997)

Armenia
  48 (private television stations alongside 2 public networks;
  major Russian channels widely available) (2006)

Aruba
  1 (1997)

Australia
  104 (1997)

Austria
  10 (plus more than 1,000 repeaters) (2001)

Azerbaijan
  2 (1997)

Bahamas, The
  2 (2006)

Bahrain
  4 (1997)

Bangladesh
  15 (1999)

Barbados
  1 (plus 2 cable channels) (2004)

Belarus
  47 (plus 27 repeaters) (1995)

Belgium
  25 (plus 10 repeaters) (1997)

Belize
  7 (2008)

Benin
  6 (2007)

Bermuda
  3 (2005)

Bhutan
  1 (2007)

Bolivia
  48 (1997)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  33 (plus 277 repeaters) (September 1995)

Botswana
  2 (1 state-owned, 1 private)

Brazil
  138 (1997)

British Indian Ocean Territory
  1 (1997)

British Virgin Islands
  1 (plus 1 cable company) (1997)

Brunei
  4 (includes 2 UHF stations broadcasting a subscription
  service) (2006)

Bulgaria
  39 (plus 1,242 repeaters) (2001)

Burkina Faso
  3 (1 national, 2 private)

Burma
  4 (2008)

Burundi
  1 (2001)

Cambodia
  8 (including 2 TV relay stations with French and Vietnamese
  broadcasts); excludes 18 regional relay stations (2008)

Cameroon
  1 (2001)

Canada
  148 (2007)

Cape Verde
  1 (plus 7 repeaters) (2001)

Cayman Islands
  4 with cable system (2004)

Central African Republic
  1 (2001)

Chad
  1 (2001)

Chile
  63 (plus 121 repeaters) (1997)

China
  3,240 (of which 209 are operated by China Central Television,
  31 are provincial TV stations, and nearly 3,000 are local city
  stations) (1997)

Christmas Island 0 (TV broadcasts received via satellite from mainland Australia) (2006)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  4 (2007)

Colombia
  60 (1997)

Comoros
  NA

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  4 (2001)

Congo, Republic of the
  1 (2001)

Cook Islands
  1 (outer islands receive satellite broadcasts) (2004)

Costa Rica
  20 (plus 43 repeaters) (2002)

Cote d'Ivoire
  14 (1998)

Croatia
  36 (plus 321 repeaters) (1995)

Cuba
  58 (1997)

Cyprus
  area under government control: 8
  area administered by Turkish Cypriots: 2 (plus 4 relay) (2004)

Czech Republic
  71 (2008)

Denmark
  172 (2008)

Dhekelia
  0 (British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides
  multi-channel satellite service to Akrotiri, Dhekelia, and Nicosia)
  (2006)

Djibouti
  1 (2001)

Dominica
  1 (2004)

Dominican Republic
  25 (2003)

Ecuador
  7 (plus 14 repeaters) (2000)

Egypt
  98 (September 1995)

El Salvador
  5 (1997)

Equatorial Guinea
  1 (2001)

Eritrea
  2 (2006)

Estonia
  4 (2007)

Ethiopia
  1 (plus 24 repeaters) (2001)

European Union
  2,700 (1995); note - sum of individual country
  television broadcast stations excluding repeaters; there is also a
  European-wide station (Eurovision)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 2 (British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides multi-channel satellite service to members of UK Forces as well as islanders); cable television is available in Stanley (2006)

Faroe Islands
  3 (plus 43 repeaters) (September 1995)

Fiji
  NA

Finland
  120 (plus 431 repeaters) (1999); note - on 1 September 2007,
  Finland began broadcasting all television signals digitally; analog
  broadcasts via cable networks were discontinued 29 February 2008

France
  584 (plus 9,676 repeaters) (1995)

French Polynesia
  7 (plus 17 repeaters) (1997)

Gabon
  4 (plus 4 repeaters) (2001)

Gambia, The
  1 (government-owned) (1997)

Gaza Strip
  1 (2008)

Georgia
  12 (plus repeaters) (1998)

Germany
  373 (plus 8,042 repeaters) (1995)

Ghana
  7 (2007)

Gibraltar
  1 (plus 3 repeaters) (1997)

Greece
  36 (plus 1,341 repeaters); also 2 stations in the American
  Armed Forces Radio and Television Service (1995)

Greenland
  1 (plus some local low-power stations, and 3 American
  Forces Radio and Television Service (AFRTS) stations (1997)

Grenada
  2 (1997)

Guam
  3 (2006)

Guatemala
  26 (plus 27 repeaters) (1997)

Guernsey
  1 (1997)

Guinea
  6 (2001)

Guinea-Bissau
  1 (2007)

Guyana
  3 (1 public station; 2 private stations which relay US
  satellite services) (1997)

Haiti
  2 (plus a cable TV service) (1997)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  1 (2008)

Honduras
  11 (plus 17 repeaters) (1997)

Hong Kong
  2 (2 TV networks, each broadcasting on 2 channels) (2008)

Hungary
  95 (2008)

Iceland
  14 (plus 156 repeaters) (1997)

India
  562 (1997)

Indonesia
  54 local TV stations (11 national TV networks; each with
  its group of local transmitters) (2006)

Iran
  29 (plus 450 repeaters) (1997)

Iraq
  47 (2008)

Ireland
  4 (many repeaters); (projected digital broadcasting
  scheduled to be launched in 2009) (2008)

Isle of Man
  0 (receives broadcasts from the UK and satellite) (1999)

Israel
  17 (plus 36 repeaters) (1995)

Italy
  358 (plus 4,728 repeaters) (1995)

Jamaica
  7 (1997)

Japan
  211 (plus 7,341 repeaters); in addition, US Forces are served
  by 3 TV stations and 2 TV cable services (1999)

Jersey
  2 (UK television carried by local relays with a switch to
  digital broadcasts scheduled for 2010) (2008)

Jordan
  22 (2007)

Kazakhstan
  12 (plus 9 repeaters) (1998)

Kenya
  8 (2008)

Kiribati
  1 (possibly inactive) (2002)

Korea, North
  4 (includes Korean Central Television, Mansudae
  Television, Korean Educational and Cultural Network, and Kaesong
  Television targeting South Korea) (2003)

Korea, South
  57 (plus 103 cable operators and 119 relay cable
  operators) (2008)

Kuwait
  13 (plus several satellite channels) (1997)

Kyrgyzstan
  8 (2 countrywide and 6 regional stations; state-owned);
  note - there are about 20 private TV stations, most of which
  rebroadcast other channels (2007)

Laos
  7 (includes 1 station relaying Vietnam Television from Hanoi)
  (2006)

Latvia
  37 (plus 31 repeaters) (2008)

Lebanon
  15 (plus 5 repeaters) (1995)

Lesotho
  1 (2007)

Liberia
  4 (plus 4 repeaters) (2007)

Libya
  12 (plus 1 repeater) (1999)

Liechtenstein
  NA (linked to Swiss networks) (1997)

Lithuania
  44 (may have as many as 100 transmitters, including
  repeater stations) (2008)

Luxembourg
  5 (1999)

Macau
  1 (2008)

Macedonia
  52 (2007)

Madagascar
  1 (plus 36 repeaters) (2001)

Malawi
  1 (2001)

Malaysia
  88 (mainland Malaysia 51, Sabah 16, and Sarawak 21) (2006)

Maldives
  1 (2006)

Mali
  2 (plus repeaters) (2007)

Malta
  5 (2006)

Marshall Islands
  2 (both are US military stations; Marshalls
  Broadcasting Service, a cable company, operates on Majuro) (2005)

Mauritania
  1 (2002)

Mauritius
  2 (plus several repeaters) (1997)

Mayotte
  3 (2001)

Mexico
  236 (plus repeaters) (1997)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  3 (cable TV also available) (2004)

Moldova
  40 (2006)

Monaco
  5 (1998)

Mongolia
  68 (2008)

Montenegro
  13 (2004)

Montserrat
  1 (1997)

Morocco
  35 (plus 66 repeaters) (1995)

Mozambique
  4 (2008)

Namibia
  2 (2007)

Nauru
  1 (1997)

Nepal
  9 (plus 9 repeaters) (2008)

Netherlands
  342 (2008)

Netherlands Antilles
  3 (there is also a cable service that supplies
  programs received from various US satellite networks and 4
  Venezuelan channels) (2003)

New Caledonia
  6 (plus 25 repeaters) (1997)

New Zealand
  41 (plus about 700 repeaters) (1997)

Nicaragua
  3 (plus 7 repeaters) (1997)

Niger
  5 (2007)

Nigeria
  3 (the government controls 2 of the broadcasting stations
  and 15 repeater stations) (2001)

Niue
  1 (1997)

Norfolk Island
  1 (local programming station plus 2 repeaters that
  air Australian programs by satellite) (2005)

Northern Mariana Islands
  1 (on Saipan; in addition, 2 cable services
  on Saipan provide varied programming from satellite networks) (2006)

Norway
  69 (2008)

Oman
  13 (plus 25 repeaters) (1999)

Pakistan
  20 (5 state-run channels and 15 privately-owned satellite
  channels) (2006)

Palau
  1 (cable) (2005)

Panama
  38 (including repeaters) (1998)

Papua New Guinea
  3 (all in the Port Moresby area; stations at Mt.
  Hagen, Goroka, Lae, and Rabaul are planned) (2004)

Paraguay
  5 (2007)

Peru
  13 (plus 112 repeaters) (1997)

Philippines
  250 (plus 1,501 CATV networks) (2007)

Poland
  75 (2008)

Portugal
  42 (2008)

Puerto Rico
  34 (2008)

Qatar
  1 (plus 3 repeaters) (2001)

Romania
  623 (plus 200 repeaters) (2006)

Russia
  7,306 (1998)

Rwanda
  2 (2004)

Saint Helena
  0 (3 television channels are received via satellite and
  distributed by UHF) (2005)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  1 (plus 3 repeaters) (2003)

Saint Lucia
  2 (1 commercial broadcast station and 1 community
  antenna television or CATV channel) (2003)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  0 (2 repeaters rebroadcast programs from
  France, Canada, and the US) (1997)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  1 (plus 3 repeaters) (2004)

Samoa
  2 (2002)

San Marino
  1 (San Marino residents also receive broadcasts from
  Italy) (1997)

Sao Tome and Principe
  2 (2001)

Saudi Arabia
  117 (1997)

Senegal
  4 (2007)

Seychelles
  2 (plus 9 repeaters) (1997)

Sierra Leone
  2 (1999)

Singapore
  1 (broadcasting on 8 channels); additional reception of
  numerous UHF and VHF signals originating in Malaysia and Indonesia
  (2008)

Slovakia
  37 (2008)

Slovenia
  31 (2006)

Somalia
  4 (2 in Mogadishu and 2 in Hargeisa) (2001)

South Africa
  556 (plus 144 network repeaters) (1997)

South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
  0 (2003)

Spain
  379 (2008)

Sri Lanka
  14 (2006)

Sudan
  3 (1997)

Suriname
  3 (plus 7 repeaters) (2000)

Svalbard
  NA

Swaziland
  12 (includes 7 relay stations) (2004)

Sweden
  252 (2008)

Switzerland
  106 (2007)

Syria
  44 (plus 17 repeaters) (1995)

Taiwan
  76 (5 television networks with 46 digital and 30 analog
  stations) (2007)

Tajikistan
  24 (number of licensed stations with only about 15
  active) (2009)

Tanzania
  3 (1999)

Thailand
  111 (2006)

Timor-Leste
  1 (Timor-Leste has one national public broadcaster)

Togo
  3 (plus 2 repeaters) (1997)

Tonga
  3 (2004)

Trinidad and Tobago
  6 (2005)

Tunisia
  26 (plus 76 repeaters) (1995)

Turkey
  635 (plus 2,934 repeaters) (1995)

Turkmenistan
  4 (government-owned and programmed) (2004)

Turks and Caicos Islands 0 (broadcasts received from The Bahamas; 2 cable television networks) (2003)

Tuvalu
  0 (2004)

Uganda
  8 (plus 1 repeater) (2001)

Ukraine
  647 (2006)

United Arab Emirates
  15 (2004)

United Kingdom
  940 (2008)

United States
  2,218 (2006)

Uruguay
  62 (2005)

Uzbekistan
  28 (includes 1 cable rebroadcaster in Tashkent and
  approximately 20 stations in regional capitals) (2006)

Vanuatu
  1 (2004)

Venezuela
  66 (plus 45 repeaters) (1997)

Vietnam
  67 (includes 61 relay, provincial, and city TV stations)
  (2006)

Virgin Islands
  5 (2006)

Wake Island
  0 (2005)

Wallis and Futuna
  2 (2000)

West Bank
  30 (2008)

Western Sahara
  NA

World
  NA

Yemen
  3 (including one Egypt-based station that broadcasts in
  Yemen); plus several repeaters (2007)

Zambia
  9 (2001)

Zimbabwe
  16 (1997)

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

@2016

Field Listing :: Televisions

Country

Televisions

Afghanistan
  100,000 (1999)

Albania
  700,000 (2001)

Algeria
  3.1 million (1997)

American Samoa
  14,000 (1997)

Andorra
  27,000 (1997)

Angola
  196,000 (2000)

Anguilla
  1,000 (1997)

Antarctica
  several hundred at McMurdo Station (US)
  note: information for US bases only (2001)

Antigua and Barbuda
  31,000 (1997)

Argentina
  7.95 million (1997)

Armenia
  825,000 (1997)

Aruba
  20,000 (1997)

Australia
  10.15 million (1997)

Austria
  4.25 million (1997)

Azerbaijan
  170,000 (1997)

Bahamas, The
  67,000 (1997)

Bahrain
  275,000 (1997)

Bangladesh
  770,000 (1997)

Barbados
  76,000 (1997)

Belarus
  2.52 million (1997)

Belgium
  4.72 million (1997)

Belize
  41,000 (1997)

Benin
  66,000 (2000)

Bermuda
  66,000 (1997)

Bhutan
  11,000 (1997)

Bolivia
  900,000 (1997)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  NA

Botswana
  31,000 (1997)

Brazil
  36.5 million (1997)

British Indian Ocean Territory
  NA

British Virgin Islands
  4,000 (1997)

Brunei
  201,900 (1998)

Bulgaria
  3.31 million (1997)

Burkina Faso
  131,340 (2002)

Burma
  320,000 (2000)

Burundi
  25,000 (1997)

Cambodia
  94,000 (1997)

Cameroon
  450,000 (1997)

Canada
  21.5 million (1997)

Cape Verde
  15,000 (2002 est.)

Cayman Islands
  7,000 (1997)

Central African Republic
  18,000 (1997)

Chad
  10,000 (1997)

Chile
  3.15 million (1997)

China
  400 million (1997)

Christmas Island
  600 (1997)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  NA

Colombia
  4.59 million (1997)

Comoros
  1,000 (1997)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  6.478 million (1997)

Congo, Republic of the
  33,000 (1997)

Cook Islands
  4,000 (1997)

Costa Rica
  525,000 (1997)

Cote d'Ivoire
  1.09 million (2000)

Croatia
  1.22 million (1997)

Cuba
  2.64 million (1997)

Cyprus
  Greek Cypriot area: 248,000 (1997); Turkish Cypriot area:
  52,300 (1994)

Czech Republic
  3,405,834 (December 2000)

Denmark
  3.121 million (1997)

Djibouti
  28,000 (1997)

Dominica
  6,000 (1997)

Dominican Republic
  770,000 (1997)

Ecuador
  2.5 million (2001)

Egypt
  7.7 million (1997)

El Salvador
  600,000 (1990)

Equatorial Guinea
  4,000 (1997)

Eritrea
  1,000 (1997)

Estonia
  605,000 (1997)

Ethiopia
  682,000 (2002)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  1,000 (1997)

Faroe Islands
  15,000 (1997)

Fiji
  88,110 (1999)

Finland
  3.2 million (1997)

France
  34.8 million (1997)

French Polynesia
  40,000 (1997)

Gabon
  63,000 (1997)

Gambia, The
  5,000 (2000)

Gaza Strip
  NA; note - most Palestinian households have televisions
  (1997)

Georgia
  2.57 million (1997)

Germany
  51.4 million (1998)

Ghana
  1.9 million (2001)

Gibraltar
  10,000 (1997)

Greece
  2.54 million (1997)

Greenland
  30,000 (1998 est.)

Grenada
  33,000 (1997)

Guam
  106,000 (1997)

Guatemala
  1.323 million (1997)

Guernsey
  NA

Guinea
  85,000 (1997)

Guinea-Bissau
  NA

Guyana
  46,000 (1997)

Haiti
  38,000 (1997)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  NA

Honduras
  570,000 (1997)

Hong Kong
  1.84 million (1997)

Hungary
  4.42 million (1997)

Iceland
  98,000 (1997)

India
  63 million (1997)

Indonesia
  13.75 million (1997)

Iran
  4.61 million (1997)

Iraq
  1.75 million (1997)

Ireland
  1.82 million (2001)

Isle of Man
  27,490 (1999)

Israel
  1.69 million (1997)

Italy
  30.3 million (1997)

Jamaica
  460,000 (1997)

Japan
  86.5 million (1997)

Jersey
  NA

Jordan
  500,000 (1997)

Kazakhstan
  3.88 million (1997)

Kenya
  730,000 (1997)

Kiribati
  1,000 (1997)

Korea, North
  1.2 million (1997)

Korea, South
  15.9 million (1997)

Kuwait
  875,000 (1997)

Kyrgyzstan
  210,000 (1997)

Laos
  52,000 (1997)

Latvia
  1.22 million (1997)

Lebanon
  1.18 million (1997)

Lesotho
  NA

Liberia
  70,000 (1997)

Libya
  730,000 (1997)

Liechtenstein
  12,000 (1997)

Lithuania
  1.7 million (1997)

Luxembourg
  285,000 (1998 est.)

Macau
  49,000 (1997)

Macedonia
  510,000 (1997)

Madagascar
  325,000 (1997)

Malawi
  NA

Malaysia
  10.8 million (1999)

Maldives
  10,000 (1999)

Mali
  45,000 (1997)

Malta
  280,000 (1997)

Marshall Islands
  NA

Mauritania
  98,000 (2001)

Mauritius
  258,000 (1997)

Mayotte
  3,500 (1994)

Mexico
  25.6 million (1997)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  2,800 (1999)

Moldova
  1.26 million (1997)

Monaco
  25,000 (1997)

Mongolia
  168,800 (1999)

Montserrat
  3,000 (1997)

Morocco
  3.1 million (1997)

Mozambique
  67,600 (2000)

Namibia
  60,000 (1997)

Nauru
  500 (1997)

Nepal
  130,000 (1997)

Netherlands
  8.1 million (1997)

Netherlands Antilles
  69,000 (1997)

New Caledonia
  52,000 (1997)

New Zealand
  1.926 million (1997)

Nicaragua
  320,000 (1997)

Niger
  125,000 (1997)

Nigeria
  6.9 million (1997)

Niue
  NA

Norfolk Island
  1,200 (1996)

Northern Mariana Islands
  NA

Norway
  2.03 million (1997)

Oman
  1.6 million (1997)

Pakistan
  3.1 million (1997)

Palau
  11,000 (1997)

Panama
  510,000 (1997)

Papua New Guinea
  59,841 (1999)

Paraguay
  990,000 (2001)

Peru
  3.06 million (1997)

Philippines
  3.7 million (1997)

Pitcairn Islands
  NA

Poland
  13.05 million (1997)

Portugal
  3.31 million (1997)

Puerto Rico
  1.021 million (1997)

Qatar
  230,000 (1997)

Romania
  5.25 million (1997)

Russia
  60.5 million (1997)

Rwanda
  NA; probably less than 1,000 (1997)

Saint Helena
  2,000 (1997)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  10,000 (1997)

Saint Lucia
  32,000 (1997)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  4,000 (1997)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  18,000 (1997)

Samoa
  8,634 (1999)

San Marino
  9,000 (1997)

Sao Tome and Principe
  23,000 (1997)

Saudi Arabia
  5.1 million (1997)

Senegal
  361,000 (1997)

Seychelles
  11,000 (1997)

Sierra Leone
  53,000 (1997)

Singapore
  1.33 million (1997)

Slovakia
  2.62 million (1997)

Slovenia
  710,000 (1997)

Solomon Islands
  3,000 (1997)

Somalia
  135,000 (1997)

South Africa
  6 million (2000)

Spain
  16.2 million (1997)

Sri Lanka
  1.53 million (1997)

Sudan
  2.38 million (1997)

Suriname
  63,000 (1997)

Svalbard
  NA

Swaziland
  23,000 (2000)

Sweden
  4.6 million (1997)

Switzerland
  3.31 million (1997)

Syria
  1.05 million (1997)

Taiwan
  8.8 million (1998)

Tajikistan
  820,000 (1997)

Tanzania
  103,000 (1997)

Thailand
  15.19 million (1997)

Timor-Leste
  NA

Togo
  73,000 (1997)

Tonga
  2,000 (1997)

Trinidad and Tobago
  425,000 (1997)

Tunisia
  920,000 (1997)

Turkey
  20.9 million (1997)

Turkmenistan
  820,000 (1997)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  NA

Tuvalu
  800

Uganda
  500,000 (2001)

Ukraine
  18.05 million (1997)

United Arab Emirates
  310,000 (1997)

United Kingdom
  30.5 million (1997)

United States
  219 million (1997)

Uruguay
  782,000 (1997)

Uzbekistan
  6.4 million (1997)

Vanuatu
  2,300 (1999)

Venezuela
  4.1 million (1997)

Vietnam
  3.57 million (1997)

Virgin Islands
  68,000 (1997)

Wallis and Futuna
  NA

West Bank
  NA; note - many Palestinian households have televisions
  (1999)

Western Sahara
  6,000 (1997)

World
  NA

Yemen
  470,000 (1997)

Zambia
  277,000 (1997)

Zimbabwe
  370,000 (1997)

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

@2018

Field Listing :: Sex ratio

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

Sex ratio(male(s)/female)

Afghanistan
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Albania
  at birth: 1.1 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Algeria
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

American Samoa
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Andorra
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.98 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Angola
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Anguilla
  at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.87 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Argentina
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Armenia
  at birth: 1.14 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.15 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.88 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.89 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Aruba
  at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.9 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Australia
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Austria
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Azerbaijan
  at birth: 1.13 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.12 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.58 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Bahamas, The
  at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Bahrain
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.34 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.12 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.24 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Bangladesh
  at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Barbados
  at birth: 1.01 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Belarus
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.47 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.87 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Belgium
  at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Belize
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Benin
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Bermuda
  at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Bhutan
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.13 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.12 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Bolivia
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Botswana
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Brazil
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.06 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Brunei
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Bulgaria
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Burkina Faso
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Burma
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Burundi
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Cambodia
  at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.6 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Cameroon
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Canada
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Cape Verde
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.58 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Cayman Islands
  at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Central African Republic
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Chad
  at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.85 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Chile
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

China
  at birth: 1.1 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.13 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Christmas Island
  NA (2009 est.)

Colombia
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Comoros
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Cook Islands
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.13 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Costa Rica
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Croatia
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Cuba
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Cyprus
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Czech Republic
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Denmark
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Djibouti
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Dominica
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Dominican Republic
  at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Ecuador
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Egypt
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

El Salvador
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Eritrea
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Estonia
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.49 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.84 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Ethiopia
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

European Union
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Faroe Islands
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.15 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.09 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Fiji
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Finland
  at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

France
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

French Polynesia
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Gabon
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Gambia, The
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Gaza Strip
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Georgia
  at birth: 1.13 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.15 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Germany
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Ghana
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Gibraltar
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Greece
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Greenland
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.16 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.12 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Grenada
  at birth: 1 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.12 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.08 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Guam
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Guatemala
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Guernsey
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Guinea
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Guyana
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Haiti
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Honduras
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Hong Kong
  at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Hungary
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.57 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Iceland
  at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

India
  at birth: 1.12 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Indonesia
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Iran
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Iraq
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Ireland
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Isle of Man
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Israel
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Italy
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Jamaica
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Japan
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Jersey
  at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Jordan
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.15 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Kazakhstan
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.54 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Kenya
  at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Kiribati
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Korea, North
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Korea, South
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Kosovo
  at birth: 1.09 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Kuwait
  at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.78 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.66 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.54 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Laos
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Latvia
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.49 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Lebanon
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Lesotho
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Liberia
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Libya
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Liechtenstein
  at birth: 1.01 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Lithuania
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.53 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.89 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Luxembourg
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Macau
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.14 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.88 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Macedonia
  at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Madagascar
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Malawi
  at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Malaysia
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Maldives
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.62 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.44 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Mali
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Malta
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Marshall Islands
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Mauritania
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.89 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Mauritius
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Mayotte
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.16 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.04 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.08 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Mexico
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Moldova
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.58 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Monaco
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Mongolia
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Montenegro
  at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Montserrat
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.95 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Morocco
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Mozambique
  at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Namibia
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Nauru
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.04 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Nepal
  at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Netherlands
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

New Caledonia
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

New Zealand
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Nicaragua
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Niger
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Nigeria
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Niue
  NA (2009 est.)

Norfolk Island
  NA (2009 est.)

Northern Mariana Islands
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.67 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.08 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.74 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Norway
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Oman
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.38 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.32 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.22 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Pakistan
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Palau
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.26 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.45 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.14 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Panama
  at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Paraguay
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Peru
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Philippines
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  NA (2009 est.)

Poland
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Portugal
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Puerto Rico
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Qatar
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 2.46 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.38 male(s)/female
  total population: 2 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Romania
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Russia
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.44 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Rwanda
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Saint Barthelemy
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.19 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.99 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.14 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Saint Helena
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Saint Lucia
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Saint Martin
  at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Samoa
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

San Marino
  at birth: 1.09 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.29 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.06 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.18 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Senegal
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Serbia
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and above: 0.7 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Seychelles
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Sierra Leone
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Singapore
  at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Slovakia
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.6 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Slovenia
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Solomon Islands
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Somalia
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

South Africa
  at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Spain
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Sri Lanka
  at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Sudan
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.07 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Suriname
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Svalbard
  NA (2009 est.)

Swaziland
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Sweden
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Switzerland
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Syria
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Taiwan
  at birth: 1.09 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Tajikistan
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Tanzania
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Thailand
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Timor-Leste
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Togo
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Tokelau
  NA (2009 est.)

Tonga
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Tunisia
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Turkey
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Turkmenistan
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Tuvalu
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Uganda
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Ukraine
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.5 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 2.74 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.82 male(s)/female
  total population: 2.19 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

United Kingdom
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

United States
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Uruguay
  at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Uzbekistan
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Vanuatu
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.06 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Venezuela
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Vietnam
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Virgin Islands
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.88 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.9 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.11 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

West Bank
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Western Sahara
  at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

World
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Yemen
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Zambia
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Zimbabwe
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.81 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.9 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

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

@2019

Field Listing :: Heliports

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

Heliports

Afghanistan
  11 (2009)

Albania
  1 (2009)

Algeria
  2 (2009)

Antarctica
  53
  note: all year-round and seasonal stations operated by National
  Antarctic Programs stations have some kind of helicopter landing
  facilities, prepared (helipads) or unprepared (2007)

Argentina
  2 (2009)

Australia
  1 (2009)

Austria
  1 (2009)

Azerbaijan
  1 (2009)

Bahamas, The
  1 (2009)

Bahrain
  1 (2009)

Belarus
  1 (2009)

Belgium
  1 (2009)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  5 (2009)

Brazil
  13 (2009)

Brunei
  3 (2009)

Bulgaria
  3 (2009)

Burma
  5 (2009)

Burundi
  1 (2009)

Cambodia
  1 (2009)

Canada
  12 (2009)

China
  45 (2009)

Colombia
  2 (2009)

Croatia
  1 (2009)

Cyprus
  9 (2009)

Czech Republic
  1 (2009)

Ecuador
  2 (2009)

Egypt
  6 (2009)

El Salvador
  1 (2009)

Eritrea
  1 (2009)

Estonia
  1 (2009)

European Union
  100 (2007)

France
  1 (2009)

French Polynesia
  1 (2009)

Gaza Strip
  1 (2009)

Georgia
  3 (2009)

Germany
  25 (2009)

Greece
  9 (2009)

Hong Kong
  9 (2009)

Hungary
  5 (2009)

India
  37 (2009)

Indonesia
  36 (2009)

Iran
  19 (2009)

Iraq
  21 (2009)

Israel
  3 (2009)

Italy
  6 (2009)

Japan
  15 (2009)

Jordan
  1 (2009)

Kazakhstan
  4 (2009)

Korea, North
  22 (2009)

Korea, South
  516 (2009)

Kosovo
  2 (2009)

Kuwait
  4 (2009)

Libya
  2 (2009)

Luxembourg
  1 (2009)

Macau
  2 (2009)

Malaysia
  2 (2009)

Mexico
  1 (2009)

Monaco
  1 (2007)

Mongolia
  1 (2009)

Montenegro
  1 (2007)

Morocco
  1 (2009)

Netherlands
  1 (2009)

New Caledonia
  8 (2009)

Nigeria
  3 (2009)

Northern Mariana Islands
  1 (2009)

Norway
  1 (2009)

Oman
  3 (2009)

Pakistan
  19 (2009)

Panama
  3 (2009)

Papua New Guinea
  2 (2009)

Peru
  1 (2009)

Philippines
  2 (2009)

Poland
  7 (2009)

Qatar
  1 (2009)

Romania
  2 (2009)

Russia
  48 (2009)

Saudi Arabia
  9 (2009)

Serbia
  2 (2007)

Sierra Leone
  2 (2009)

Slovakia
  1 (2009)

Solomon Islands
  3 (2009)

South Africa
  1 (2009)

Spain
  9 (2009)

Spratly Islands
  3 (2009)

Sudan
  4 (2009)

Svalbard
  1 (2009)

Sweden
  2 (2009)

Switzerland
  1 (2009)

Syria
  7 (2009)

Taiwan
  4 (2009)

Thailand
  4 (2009)

Timor-Leste
  8 (2009)

Turkey
  21 (2009)

Turkmenistan
  1 (2009)

Ukraine
  7 (2009)

United Arab Emirates
  5 (2009)

United Kingdom
  11 (2009)

United States
  126 (2009)

Venezuela
  4 (2009)

Vietnam
  1 (2009)

World
  1,359 (2007)

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

@2020

Field Listing :: Elevation extremes

  This entry includes both the highest point and the lowest point.
  Country

Elevation extremes(m)

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

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

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

American Samoa
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Lata Mountain 964 m

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

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

Anguilla
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Crocus Hill 65 m

Antarctica
  lowest point: Bentley Subglacial Trench -2,540 m
  highest point: Vinson Massif 4,897 m
  note: the lowest known land point in Antarctica is hidden in the
  Bentley Subglacial Trench; at its surface is the deepest ice yet
  discovered and the world's lowest elevation not under seawater

Antigua and Barbuda
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Boggy Peak 402 m

Arctic Ocean
  lowest point: Fram Basin -4,665 m
  highest point: sea level 0 m

Argentina
  lowest point: Laguna del Carbon -105 m (located between
  Puerto San Julian and Comandante Luis Piedra Buena in the province
  of Santa Cruz)
  highest point: Cerro Aconcagua 6,960 m (located in the northwestern
  corner of the province of Mendoza)

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

Aruba
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Mount Jamanota 188 m

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location 3 m

Atlantic Ocean
  lowest point: Milwaukee Deep in the Puerto Rico
  Trench -8,605 m
  highest point: sea level 0 m

Australia
  lowest point: Lake Eyre -15 m
  highest point: Mount Kosciuszko 2,229 m

Austria
  lowest point: Neusiedler See 115 m
  highest point: Grossglockner 3,798 m

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

Bahamas, The
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mount Alvernia, on Cat Island 63 m

Bahrain
  lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
  highest point: Jabal ad Dukhan 122 m

Bangladesh
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Keokradong 1,230 m

Barbados
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mount Hillaby 336 m

Belarus
  lowest point: Nyoman River 90 m
  highest point: Dzyarzhynskaya Hara 346 m

Belgium
  lowest point: North Sea 0 m
  highest point: Signal de Botrange 694 m

Belize
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Doyle's Delight 1,160 m

Benin
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mont Sokbaro 658 m

Bermuda
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Town Hill 76 m

Bhutan
  lowest point: Drangme Chhu 97 m
  highest point: Kula Kangri 7,553 m

Bolivia
  lowest point: Rio Paraguay 90 m
  highest point: Nevado Sajama 6,542 m

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
  highest point: Maglic 2,386 m

Botswana
  lowest point: junction of the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers 513
  m
  highest point: Tsodilo Hills 1,489 m

Bouvet Island
  lowest point: South Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Olav Peak 935 m

Brazil
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Pico da Neblina 3,014 m

British Indian Ocean Territory
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 m

British Virgin Islands
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Mount Sage 521 m

Brunei
  lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
  highest point: Bukit Pagon 1,850 m

Bulgaria
  lowest point: Black Sea 0 m
  highest point: Musala 2,925 m

Burkina Faso
  lowest point: Mouhoun (Black Volta) River 200 m
  highest point: Tena Kourou 749 m

Burma
  lowest point: Andaman Sea 0 m
  highest point: Hkakabo Razi 5,881 m

Burundi
  lowest point: Lake Tanganyika 772 m
  highest point: Heha 2,670 m

Cambodia
  lowest point: Gulf of Thailand 0 m
  highest point: Phnum Aoral 1,810 m

Cameroon
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Fako 4,095 m (on Mt. Cameroon)

Canada
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mount Logan 5,959 m

Cape Verde
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mt. Fogo 2,829 m (a volcano on Fogo Island)

Cayman Islands
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: The Bluff (Cayman Brac) 43 m

Central African Republic
  lowest point: Oubangui River 335 m
  highest point: Mont Ngaoui 1,420 m

Chad
  lowest point: Djourab Depression 160 m
  highest point: Emi Koussi 3,415 m

Chile
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Nevado Ojos del Salado 6,880 m

China
  lowest point: Turpan Pendi -154 m
  highest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m

Christmas Island
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Murray Hill 361 m

Clipperton Island
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Rocher Clipperton 29 m

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location 5 m

Colombia
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Pico Cristobal Colon 5,775 m
  note: nearby Pico Simon Bolivar also has the same elevation

Comoros
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Le Karthala 2,360 m

Congo, Democratic Republic of the lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Pic Marguerite on Mont Ngaliema (Mount Stanley) 5,110 m

Congo, Republic of the
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mount Berongou 903 m

Cook Islands
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Te Manga 652 m

Coral Sea Islands
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location on Cato Island 6 m

Costa Rica
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Cerro Chirripo 3,810 m

Cote d'Ivoire
  lowest point: Gulf of Guinea 0 m
  highest point: Mont Nimba 1,752 m

Croatia
  lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
  highest point: Dinara 1,830 m

Cuba
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Pico Turquino 2,005 m

Cyprus
  lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Mount Olympus 1,951 m

Czech Republic
  lowest point: Elbe River 115 m
  highest point: Snezka 1,602 m

Denmark
  lowest point: Lammefjord -7 m
  highest point: Yding Skovhoej 173 m

Djibouti
  lowest point: Lac Assal -155 m
  highest point: Moussa Ali 2,028 m

Dominica
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Morne Diablatins 1,447 m

Dominican Republic
  lowest point: Lago Enriquillo -46 m
  highest point: Pico Duarte 3,175 m

Ecuador
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Chimborazo 6,267 m
  note: due to the fact that the earth is not a perfect sphere and has
  an equatorial bulge, the highest point on the planet furthest from
  its center is Mount Chimborazo not Mount Everest, which is merely
  the highest point above sea-level

Egypt
  lowest point: Qattara Depression -133 m
  highest point: Mount Catherine 2,629 m

El Salvador
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Cerro El Pital 2,730 m

Equatorial Guinea
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Pico Basile 3,008 m

Eritrea
  lowest point: near Kulul within the Danakil Depression -75 m
  highest point: Soira 3,018 m

Estonia
  lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
  highest point: Suur Munamagi 318 m

Ethiopia
  lowest point: Danakil Depression -125 m
  highest point: Ras Dejen 4,533 m

European Union
  lowest point: Lammefjord, Denmark -7 m;
  Zuidplaspolder, Netherlands -7 m
  highest point: Mont Blanc 4,807 m; note - situated on the border
  between France and Italy

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mount Usborne 705 m

Faroe Islands
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Slaettaratindur 882 m

Fiji
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Tomanivi 1,324 m

Finland
  lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
  highest point: Haltiatunturi 1,328 m

France
  lowest point: Rhone River delta -2 m
  highest point: Mont Blanc 4,807 m
  note: in order to assess the possible effects of climate change on
  the ice and snow cap of Mont Blanc, its surface and peak have been
  extensively and periodically measured in recent years; these new
  peak measurements have exceeded the traditional height of 4,807 m
  and have varied between 4,808 m and 4,811 m; the actual rock summit
  is 4,792 m and is 40 m away from the ice-covered summit

French Polynesia lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Orohena 2,241 m

French Southern and Antarctic Lands lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont de la Dives on Ile Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul) 867 m; unnamed location on Ile Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul) 272 m; Pic Marion-Dufresne in Iles Crozet 1,090 m; Mont Ross in Iles Kerguelen 1,850 m; unnamed location on Bassas de India (Iles Eparses) 2.4 m; unnamed location on Europa Island (Iles Eparses) 24 m; unnamed location on Glorioso Islands (Iles Eparses) 12 m; unnamed location on Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses) 10 m; unnamed location on Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses) 7 m

Gabon
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mont Iboundji 1,575 m

Gambia, The
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location 53 m

Gaza Strip
  lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Abu 'Awdah (Joz Abu 'Auda) 105 m

Georgia
  lowest point: Black Sea 0 m
  highest point: Mt'a Shkhara 5,201 m

Germany
  lowest point: Neuendorf bei Wilster -3.54 m
  highest point: Zugspitze 2,963 m

Ghana
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mount Afadjato 880 m

Gibraltar
  lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Rock of Gibraltar 426 m

Greece
  lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Mount Olympus 2,917 m

Greenland
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Gunnbjorn 3,700 m

Grenada
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Mount Saint Catherine 840 m

Guam
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mount Lamlam 406 m

Guatemala
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Volcan Tajumulco 4,211 m

Guernsey
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location on Sark 114 m

Guinea
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mont Nimba 1,752 m

Guinea-Bissau
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location in the northeast corner of the
  country 300 m

Guyana
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mount Roraima 2,835 m

Haiti
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Chaine de la Selle 2,680 m

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mawson Peak, on Big Ben volcano 2,745 m

Holy See (Vatican City)
  lowest point: unnamed location 19 m
  highest point: unnamed location 75 m

Honduras
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Cerro Las Minas 2,870 m

Hong Kong
  lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
  highest point: Tai Mo Shan 958 m

Hungary
  lowest point: Tisza River 78 m
  highest point: Kekes 1,014 m

Iceland
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Hvannadalshnukur 2,110 m (at Vatnajokull glacier)

India
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Kanchenjunga 8,598 m

Indian Ocean
  lowest point: Java Trench -7,258 m
  highest point: sea level 0 m

Indonesia
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Puncak Jaya 5,030 m

Iran
  lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m
  highest point: Kuh-e Damavand 5,671 m

Iraq
  lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
  highest point: unnamed peak; 3,611 m; note - this peak is neither
  Gundah Zhur 3,607 m nor Kuh-e Hajji-Ebrahim 3,595 m

Ireland
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Carrauntoohil 1,041 m

Isle of Man
  lowest point: Irish Sea 0 m
  highest point: Snaefell 621 m

Israel
  lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m
  highest point: Har Meron 1,208 m

Italy
  lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Mont Blanc (Monte Bianco) de Courmayeur 4,748 m (a
  secondary peak of Mont Blanc)

Jamaica
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Blue Mountain Peak 2,256 m

Jan Mayen
  lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m
  highest point: Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg 2,277 m

Japan
  lowest point: Hachiro-gata -4 m
  highest point: Mount Fuji 3,776 m

Jersey
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location 143 m

Jordan
  lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m
  highest point: Jabal Ram 1,734 m

Kazakhstan
  lowest point: Vpadina Kaundy -132 m
  highest point: Khan Tangiri Shyngy (Pik Khan-Tengri) 6,995 m

Kenya
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mount Kenya 5,199 m

Kiribati
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location on Banaba 81 m

Korea, North
  lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m
  highest point: Paektu-san 2,744 m

Korea, South
  lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m
  highest point: Halla-san 1,950 m

Kosovo
  lowest point: Drini i Bardhe/Beli Drim 297 m (located on the
  border with Albania)
  highest point: Gjeravica/Deravica 2,656 m

Kuwait
  lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location 306 m

Kyrgyzstan
  lowest point: Kara-Daryya (Karadar'ya) 132 m
  highest point: Jengish Chokusu (Pik Pobedy) 7,439 m

Laos
  lowest point: Mekong River 70 m
  highest point: Phou Bia 2,817 m

Latvia
  lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
  highest point: Galzina Kalns 312 m

Lebanon
  lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Qurnat as Sawda' 3,088 m

Lesotho
  lowest point: junction of the Orange and Makhaleng Rivers
  1,400 m
  highest point: Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 m

Liberia
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mount Wuteve 1,380 m

Libya
  lowest point: Sabkhat Ghuzayyil -47 m
  highest point: Bikku Bitti 2,267 m

Liechtenstein
  lowest point: Ruggeller Riet 430 m
  highest point: Vorder-Grauspitz 2,599 m

Lithuania
  lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
  highest point: Juozapines Kalnas 294 m

Luxembourg
  lowest point: Moselle River 133 m
  highest point: Buurgplaatz 559 m

Macau
  lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
  highest point: Coloane Alto 172 m

Macedonia
  lowest point: Vardar River 50 m
  highest point: Golem Korab (Maja e Korabit) 2,764 m

Madagascar
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Maromokotro 2,876 m

Malawi
  lowest point: junction of the Shire River and international
  boundary with Mozambique 37 m
  highest point: Sapitwa (Mount Mlanje) 3,002 m

Malaysia
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Gunung Kinabalu 4,100 m

Maldives
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location on Wilingili island in the Addu
  Atoll 2.4 m

Mali
  lowest point: Senegal River 23 m
  highest point: Hombori Tondo 1,155 m

Malta
  lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Ta'Dmejrek 253 m (near Dingli)

Marshall Islands
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location on Likiep 10 m

Mauritania
  lowest point: Sebkhet Te-n-Dghamcha -5 m
  highest point: Kediet Ijill 915 m

Mauritius
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mont Piton 828 m

Mayotte
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Benara 660 m

Mexico
  lowest point: Laguna Salada -10 m
  highest point: Volcan Pico de Orizaba 5,700 m

Micronesia, Federated States of
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Dolohmwar (Totolom) 791 m

Moldova
  lowest point: Dniester River 2 m
  highest point: Dealul Balanesti 430 m

Monaco
  lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Mont Agel 140 m

Mongolia
  lowest point: Hoh Nuur 518 m
  highest point: Nayramadlin Orgil (Huyten Orgil) 4,374 m

Montenegro
  lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
  highest point: Bobotov Kuk 2,522 m

Montserrat
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: lava dome in English's Crater (in the Soufriere Hills
  volcanic complex) estimated at over 930 m (2006)

Morocco
  lowest point: Sebkha Tah -55 m
  highest point: Jebel Toubkal 4,165 m

Mozambique
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Monte Binga 2,436 m

Namibia
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Konigstein 2,606 m

Nauru
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location along plateau rim 61 m

Navassa Island
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location on southwest side 77 m

Nepal
  lowest point: Kanchan Kalan 70 m
  highest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m

Netherlands
  lowest point: Zuidplaspolder -7 m
  highest point: Vaalserberg 322 m

Netherlands Antilles
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Mount Scenery 862 m

New Caledonia
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mont Panie 1,628 m

New Zealand
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Aoraki-Mount Cook 3,754 m

Nicaragua
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mogoton 2,438 m

Niger
  lowest point: Niger River 200 m
  highest point: Mont Bagzane 2,022 m

Nigeria
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Chappal Waddi 2,419 m

Niue
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location near Mutalau settlement 68 m

Norfolk Island
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mount Bates 319 m

Northern Mariana Islands
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location on Agrihan 965 m

Norway
  lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m
  highest point: Galdhopiggen 2,469 m

Oman
  lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m
  highest point: Jabal Shams 2,980 m

Pacific Ocean
  lowest point: Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench
  -10,924 m
  highest point: sea level 0 m

Pakistan
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: K2 (Mt. Godwin-Austen) 8,611 m

Palau
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mount Ngerchelchuus 242 m

Panama
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Volcan Baru 3,475 m

Papua New Guinea
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mount Wilhelm 4,509 m

Paracel Islands
  lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location on Rocky Island 14 m

Paraguay
  lowest point: junction of Rio Paraguay and Rio Parana 46 m
  highest point: Cerro Pero (Cerro Tres Kandu) 842 m

Peru
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Nevado Huascaran 6,768 m

Philippines
  lowest point: Philippine Sea 0 m
  highest point: Mount Apo 2,954 m

Pitcairn Islands
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Pawala Valley Ridge 347 m

Poland
  lowest point: near Raczki Elblaskie -2 m
  highest point: Rysy 2,499 m

Portugal
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Ponta do Pico (Pico or Pico Alto) on Ilha do Pico in
  the Azores 2,351 m

Puerto Rico
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Cerro de Punta 1,339 m

Qatar
  lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
  highest point: Qurayn Abu al Bawl 103 m

Romania
  lowest point: Black Sea 0 m
  highest point: Moldoveanu 2,544 m

Russia
  lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m
  highest point: Gora El'brus 5,633 m

Rwanda
  lowest point: Rusizi River 950 m
  highest point: Volcan Karisimbi 4,519 m

Saint Barthelemy
  lowest point: Caribbean Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Morne du Vitet 286 m

Saint Helena
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Queen Mary's Peak on Tristan da Cunha 2,062 m; Green
  Mountain on Ascension Island 859 m; Mount Actaeon on Saint Helena
  Island 818 m

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Mount Liamuiga 1,156 m

Saint Lucia
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Mount Gimie 950 m

Saint Martin
  lowest point: Caribbean Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Pic du Paradis 424 m

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Morne de la Grande Montagne 240 m

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: La Soufriere 1,234 m

Samoa
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mauga Silisili (Savaii) 1,857 m

San Marino
  lowest point: Torrente Ausa 55 m
  highest point: Monte Titano 755 m

Sao Tome and Principe
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Pico de Sao Tome 2,024 m

Saudi Arabia
  lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
  highest point: Jabal Sawda' 3,133 m

Senegal
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed feature near Nepen Diakha 581 m

Serbia
  lowest point: NA
  highest point: Midzor 2,169 m

Seychelles
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Morne Seychellois 905 m

Sierra Leone
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Loma Mansa (Bintimani) 1,948 m

Singapore
  lowest point: Singapore Strait 0 m
  highest point: Bukit Timah 166 m

Slovakia
  lowest point: Bodrok River 94 m
  highest point: Gerlachovsky Stit 2,655 m

Slovenia
  lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
  highest point: Triglav 2,864 m

Solomon Islands
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mount Makarakomburu 2,447 m

Somalia
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Shimbiris 2,416 m

South Africa
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Njesuthi 3,408 m

South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
  lowest point: Atlantic
  Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mount Paget (South Georgia) 2,934 m

Southern Ocean
  lowest point: -7,235 m at the southern end of the
  South Sandwich Trench
  highest point: sea level 0 m

Spain
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Pico de Teide (Tenerife) on Canary Islands 3,718 m

Spratly Islands
  lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location on Southwest Cay 4 m

Sri Lanka
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Pidurutalagala 2,524 m

Sudan
  lowest point: Red Sea 0 m
  highest point: Kinyeti 3,187 m

Suriname
  lowest point: unnamed location in the coastal plain -2 m
  highest point: Juliana Top 1,230 m

Svalbard
  lowest point: Arctic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Newtontoppen 1,717 m

Swaziland
  lowest point: Great Usutu River 21 m
  highest point: Emlembe 1,862 m

Sweden
  lowest point: reclaimed bay of Lake Hammarsjon, near
  Kristianstad -2.4 m
  highest point: Kebnekaise 2,111 m

Switzerland
  lowest point: Lake Maggiore 195 m
  highest point: Dufourspitze 4,634 m

Syria
  lowest point: unnamed location near Lake Tiberias -200 m
  highest point: Mount Hermon 2,814 m

Taiwan
  lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
  highest point: Yu Shan 3,952 m

Tajikistan
  lowest point: Syr Darya (Sirdaryo) 300 m
  highest point: Qullai Ismoili Somoni 7,495 m

Tanzania
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Kilimanjaro 5,895 m

Thailand
  lowest point: Gulf of Thailand 0 m
  highest point: Doi Inthanon 2,576 m

Timor-Leste
  lowest point: Timor Sea, Savu Sea, and Banda Sea 0 m
  highest point: Foho Tatamailau 2,963 m

Togo
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mont Agou 986 m

Tokelau
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location 5 m

Tonga
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location on Kao Island 1,033 m

Trinidad and Tobago
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: El Cerro del Aripo 940 m

Tunisia
  lowest point: Shatt al Gharsah -17 m
  highest point: Jebel ech Chambi 1,544 m

Turkey
  lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Mount Ararat 5,166 m

Turkmenistan
  lowest point: Vpadina Akchanaya -81 m; note -
  Sarygamysh Koli is a lake in northern Turkmenistan with a water
  level that fluctuates above and below the elevation of Vpadina
  Akchanaya (the lake has dropped as low as -110 m)
  highest point: Gora Ayribaba 3,139 m

Turks and Caicos Islands
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Blue Hills 49 m

Tuvalu
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location 5 m

Uganda
  lowest point: Lake Albert 621 m
  highest point: Margherita Peak on Mount Stanley 5,110 m

Ukraine
  lowest point: Black Sea 0 m
  highest point: Hora Hoverla 2,061 m

United Arab Emirates
  lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
  highest point: Jabal Yibir 1,527 m

United Kingdom
  lowest point: The Fens -4 m
  highest point: Ben Nevis 1,343 m

United States
  lowest point: Death Valley -86 m
  highest point: Mount McKinley 6,198 m

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges
  lowest point: Pacific
  Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Baker Island, unnamed location - 8 m; Howland Island,
  unnamed location - 3 m; Jarvis Island, unnamed location - 7 m;
  Johnston Atoll, Sand Island - 10 m; Kingman Reef, unnamed location -
  less than 2 m; Midway Islands, unnamed location - 13 m; Palmyra
  Atoll, unnamed location - 3 m

Uruguay
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Cerro Catedral 514 m

Uzbekistan
  lowest point: Sariqarnish Kuli -12 m
  highest point: Adelunga Toghi 4,301 m

Vanuatu
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Tabwemasana 1,877 m

Venezuela
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Pico Bolivar (La Columna) 5,007 m

Vietnam
  lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
  highest point: Fan Si Pan 3,144 m

Virgin Islands
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Crown Mountain 475 m

Wake Island
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location 6 m

Wallis and Futuna
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mont Singavi (on Futuna) 765 m

West Bank
  lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m
  highest point: Tall Asur 1,022 m

Western Sahara
  lowest point: Sebjet Tah -55 m
  highest point: unnamed elevation 805 m

World
  lowest point: Bentley Subglacial Trench -2,555 m
  note: in the oceanic realm, Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench is
  the lowest point, lying -10,924 m below the surface of the Pacific
  Ocean
  highest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m

Yemen
  lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m
  highest point: Jabal an Nabi Shu'ayb 3,667 m

Zambia
  lowest point: Zambezi river 329 m
  highest point: unnamed location in Mafinga Hills 2,301 m

Zimbabwe
  lowest point: junction of the Runde and Save rivers 162 m
  highest point: Inyangani 2,592 m

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

@2021

Field Listing :: Natural hazards

  This entry lists potential natural disasters.
  Country

Natural hazards

Afghanistan
  damaging earthquakes occur in Hindu Kush mountains;
  flooding; droughts

Albania
  destructive earthquakes; tsunamis occur along southwestern
  coast; floods; drought

Algeria
  mountainous areas subject to severe earthquakes; mudslides
  and floods in rainy season

American Samoa
  typhoons common from December to March

Andorra
  avalanches

Angola
  locally heavy rainfall causes periodic flooding on the plateau

Anguilla
  frequent hurricanes and other tropical storms (July to
  October)

Antarctica
  katabatic (gravity-driven) winds blow coastward from the
  high interior; frequent blizzards form near the foot of the plateau;
  cyclonic storms form over the ocean and move clockwise along the
  coast; volcanism on Deception Island and isolated areas of West
  Antarctica; other seismic activity rare and weak; large icebergs may
  calve from ice shelf

Antigua and Barbuda
  hurricanes and tropical storms (July to
  October); periodic droughts

Arctic Ocean
  ice islands occasionally break away from northern
  Ellesmere Island; icebergs calved from glaciers in western Greenland
  and extreme northeastern Canada; permafrost in islands; virtually
  ice locked from October to June; ships subject to superstructure
  icing from October to May

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

Armenia
  occasionally severe earthquakes; droughts

Aruba
  hurricanes; lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt and is
  rarely threatened

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  surrounded by shoals and reefs that can
  pose maritime hazards

Atlantic Ocean
  icebergs common in Davis Strait, Denmark Strait, and
  the northwestern Atlantic Ocean from February to August and have
  been spotted as far south as Bermuda and the Madeira Islands; ships
  subject to superstructure icing in extreme northern Atlantic from
  October to May; persistent fog can be a maritime hazard from May to
  September; hurricanes (May to December)

Australia
  cyclones along the coast; severe droughts; forest fires

Austria
  landslides; avalanches; earthquakes

Azerbaijan
  droughts

Bahamas, The
  hurricanes and other tropical storms cause extensive
  flood and wind damage

Bahrain
  periodic droughts; dust storms

Bangladesh
  droughts; cyclones; much of the country routinely
  inundated during the summer monsoon season

Barbados
  infrequent hurricanes; periodic landslides

Belarus
  NA

Belgium
  flooding is a threat along rivers and in areas of reclaimed
  coastal land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes

Belize
  frequent, devastating hurricanes (June to November) and
  coastal flooding (especially in south)

Benin
  hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north from December
  to March

Bermuda
  hurricanes (June to November)

Bhutan
  violent storms from the Himalayas are the source of the
  country's name, which translates as Land of the Thunder Dragon;
  frequent landslides during the rainy season

Bolivia
  flooding in the northeast (March-April)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  destructive earthquakes

Botswana
  periodic droughts; seasonal August winds blow from the
  west, carrying sand and dust across the country, which can obscure
  visibility

Bouvet Island
  NA

Brazil
  recurring droughts in northeast; floods and occasional frost
  in south

British Indian Ocean Territory
  NA

British Virgin Islands
  hurricanes and tropical storms (July to
  October)

Brunei
  typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are rare

Bulgaria
  earthquakes; landslides

Burkina Faso
  recurring droughts

Burma
  destructive earthquakes and cyclones; flooding and landslides
  common during rainy season (June to September); periodic droughts

Burundi
  flooding; landslides; drought

Cambodia
  monsoonal rains (June to November); flooding; occasional
  droughts

Cameroon
  volcanic activity with periodic releases of poisonous gases
  from Lake Nyos and Lake Monoun volcanoes

Canada
  continuous permafrost in north is a serious obstacle to
  development; cyclonic storms form east of the Rocky Mountains, a
  result of the mixing of air masses from the Arctic, Pacific, and
  North American interior, and produce most of the country's rain and
  snow east of the mountains

Cape Verde
  prolonged droughts; seasonal harmattan wind produces
  obscuring dust; volcanically and seismically active

Cayman Islands
  hurricanes (July to November)

Central African Republic
  hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds affect
  northern areas; floods are common

Chad
  hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds occur in north; periodic
  droughts; locust plagues

Chile
  severe earthquakes; active volcanism; tsunamis

China
  frequent typhoons (about five per year along southern and
  eastern coasts); damaging floods; tsunamis; earthquakes; droughts;
  land subsidence

Christmas Island
  the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can
  be a maritime hazard

Clipperton Island
  NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  cyclone season is October to April

Colombia
  highlands subject to volcanic eruptions; occasional
  earthquakes; periodic droughts

Comoros
  cyclones possible during rainy season (December to April);
  Le Karthala on Grand Comore is an active volcano

Congo, Democratic Republic of the periodic droughts in south; Congo River floods (seasonal); in the east, in the Great Rift Valley, there are active volcanoes

Congo, Republic of the
  seasonal flooding

Cook Islands
  typhoons (November to March)

Coral Sea Islands
  occasional tropical cyclones

Costa Rica
  occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast;
  frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and
  landslides; active volcanoes

Cote d'Ivoire
  coast has heavy surf and no natural harbors; during
  the rainy season torrential flooding is possible

Croatia
  destructive earthquakes

Cuba
  the east coast is subject to hurricanes from August to November
  (in general, the country averages about one hurricane every other
  year); droughts are common

Cyprus
  moderate earthquake activity; droughts

Czech Republic
  flooding

Denmark
  flooding is a threat in some areas of the country (e.g.,
  parts of Jutland, along the southern coast of the island of Lolland)
  that are protected from the sea by a system of dikes

Djibouti
  earthquakes; droughts; occasional cyclonic disturbances
  from the Indian Ocean bring heavy rains and flash floods

Dominica
  flash floods are a constant threat; destructive hurricanes
  can be expected during the late summer months

Dominican Republic
  lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and
  subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding;
  periodic droughts

Ecuador
  frequent earthquakes; landslides; volcanic activity; floods;
  periodic droughts

Egypt
  periodic droughts; frequent earthquakes; flash floods;
  landslides; hot, driving windstorm called khamsin occurs in spring;
  dust storms; sandstorms

El Salvador
  known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes
  destructive earthquakes and volcanic activity; extremely susceptible
  to hurricanes

Equatorial Guinea
  violent windstorms; flash floods

Eritrea
  frequent droughts; locust swarms

Estonia
  sometimes flooding occurs in the spring

Ethiopia
  geologically active Great Rift Valley susceptible to
  earthquakes, volcanic eruptions; frequent droughts

European Union
  flooding along coasts; avalanches in mountainous
  area; earthquakes in the south; volcanic eruptions in Italy;
  periodic droughts in Spain; ice floes in the Baltic

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  strong winds persist throughout
  the year

Faroe Islands
  NA

Fiji
  cyclonic storms can occur from November to January

Finland
  NA

France
  metropolitan France: flooding; avalanches; midwinter
  windstorms; drought; forest fires in south near the Mediterranean
  overseas departments: hurricanes (cyclones); flooding; volcanic
  activity (Guadeloupe, Martinique, Reunion)

French Polynesia
  occasional cyclonic storms in January

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul
  are inactive volcanoes; Iles Eparses subject to periodic cyclones;
  Bassas da India is a maritime hazard since it is under water for a
  period of three hours prior to and following the high tide and
  surrounded by reefs

Gabon
  NA

Gambia, The
  drought (rainfall has dropped by 30% in the last 30
  years)

Gaza Strip
  droughts

Georgia
  earthquakes

Germany
  flooding

Ghana
  dry, dusty, northeastern harmattan winds occur from January to
  March; droughts

Gibraltar
  NA

Greece
  severe earthquakes

Greenland
  continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds of the
  island

Grenada
  lies on edge of hurricane belt; hurricane season lasts from
  June to November

Guam
  frequent squalls during rainy season; relatively rare but
  potentially destructive typhoons (June - December)

Guatemala
  numerous volcanoes in mountains, with occasional violent
  earthquakes; Caribbean coast extremely susceptible to hurricanes and
  other tropical storms

Guernsey
  NA

Guinea
  hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during
  dry season

Guinea-Bissau
  hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility
  during dry season; brush fires

Guyana
  flash floods are a constant threat during rainy seasons

Haiti
  lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe
  storms from June to October; occasional flooding and earthquakes;
  periodic droughts

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  Mawson Peak, an active volcano, is
  on Heard Island

Holy See (Vatican City)
  NA

Honduras
  frequent, but generally mild, earthquakes; extremely
  susceptible to damaging hurricanes and floods along the Caribbean
  coast

Hong Kong
  occasional typhoons

Iceland
  earthquakes and volcanic activity

India
  droughts; flash floods, as well as widespread and destructive
  flooding from monsoonal rains; severe thunderstorms; earthquakes

Indian Ocean
  occasional icebergs pose navigational hazard in
  southern reaches

Indonesia
  occasional floods; severe droughts; tsunamis; earthquakes;
  volcanoes; forest fires

Iran
  periodic droughts, floods; dust storms, sandstorms; earthquakes

Iraq
  dust storms; sandstorms; floods

Ireland
  NA

Isle of Man
  NA

Israel
  sandstorms may occur during spring and summer; droughts;
  periodic earthquakes

Italy
  regional risks include landslides, mudflows, avalanches,
  earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, flooding; land subsidence in Venice

Jamaica
  hurricanes (especially July to November)

Jan Mayen
  dominated by the volcano Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg;
  volcanic activity resumed in 1970; the most recent eruption occurred
  in 1985

Japan
  many dormant and some active volcanoes; about 1,500 seismic
  occurrences (mostly tremors) every year; tsunamis; typhoons

Jersey
  NA

Jordan
  droughts; periodic earthquakes

Kazakhstan
  earthquakes in the south; mudslides around Almaty

Kenya
  recurring drought; flooding during rainy seasons

Kiribati
  typhoons can occur any time, but usually November to March;
  occasional tornadoes; low level of some of the islands make them
  sensitive to changes in sea level

Korea, North
  late spring droughts often followed by severe flooding;
  occasional typhoons during the early fall

Korea, South
  occasional typhoons bring high winds and floods;
  low-level seismic activity common in southwest

Kuwait
  sudden cloudbursts are common from October to April and bring
  heavy rain, which can damage roads and houses; sandstorms and dust
  storms occur throughout the year but are most common between March
  and August

Kyrgyzstan
  NA

Laos
  floods, droughts

Latvia
  NA

Lebanon
  dust storms, sandstorms

Lesotho
  periodic droughts

Liberia
  dust-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to
  March)

Libya
  hot, dry, dust-laden ghibli is a southern wind lasting one to
  four days in spring and fall; dust storms, sandstorms

Liechtenstein
  NA

Lithuania
  NA

Luxembourg
  NA

Macau
  typhoons

Macedonia
  high seismic risks

Madagascar
  periodic cyclones; drought; and locust infestation

Malawi
  NA

Malaysia
  flooding; landslides; forest fires

Maldives
  tsunamis; low elevation of islands makes them sensitive to
  sea level rise

Mali
  hot, dust-laden harmattan haze common during dry seasons;
  recurring droughts; occasional Niger River flooding

Malta
  NA

Marshall Islands
  infrequent typhoons

Mauritania
  hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind blows primarily in
  March and April; periodic droughts

Mauritius
  cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded
  by reefs that may pose maritime hazards

Mayotte
  cyclones during rainy season

Mexico
  tsunamis along the Pacific coast, volcanoes and destructive
  earthquakes in the center and south, and hurricanes on the Pacific,
  Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean coasts

Micronesia, Federated States of
  typhoons (June to December)

Moldova
  landslides

Monaco
  NA

Mongolia
  dust storms; grassland and forest fires; drought; "zud,"
  which is harsh winter conditions

Montenegro
  destructive earthquakes

Montserrat
  severe hurricanes (June to November); volcanic eruptions
  (Soufriere Hills volcano has erupted continuously since 1995)

Morocco
  northern mountains geologically unstable and subject to
  earthquakes; periodic droughts

Mozambique
  severe droughts; devastating cyclones and floods in
  central and southern provinces

Namibia
  prolonged periods of drought

Nauru
  periodic droughts

Navassa Island
  hurricanes

Nepal
  severe thunderstorms; flooding; landslides; drought and famine
  depending on the timing, intensity, and duration of the summer
  monsoons

Netherlands
  flooding

Netherlands Antilles
  Sint Maarten, Saba, and Sint Eustatius are
  subject to hurricanes from July to October; Curacao and Bonaire are
  south of Caribbean hurricane belt and are rarely threatened

New Caledonia
  cyclones, most frequent from November to March

New Zealand
  earthquakes are common, though usually not severe;
  volcanic activity

Nicaragua
  destructive earthquakes; volcanoes; landslides; extremely
  susceptible to hurricanes

Niger
  recurring droughts

Nigeria
  periodic droughts; flooding

Niue
  typhoons

Norfolk Island
  typhoons (especially May to July)

Northern Mariana Islands active volcanoes on Pagan and Agrihan; typhoons (especially August to November)

Norway
  rockslides, avalanches

Oman
  summer winds often raise large sandstorms and dust storms in
  interior; periodic droughts

Pacific Ocean
  surrounded by a zone of violent volcanic and
  earthquake activity sometimes referred to as the "Pacific Ring of
  Fire"; subject to tropical cyclones (typhoons) in southeast and east
  Asia from May to December (most frequent from July to October);
  tropical cyclones (hurricanes) may form south of Mexico and strike
  Central America and Mexico from June to October (most common in
  August and September); cyclical El Nino/La Nina phenomenon occurs in
  the equatorial Pacific, influencing weather in the Western
  Hemisphere and the western Pacific; ships subject to superstructure
  icing in extreme north from October to May; persistent fog in the
  northern Pacific can be a maritime hazard from June to December

Pakistan
  frequent earthquakes, occasionally severe especially in
  north and west; flooding along the Indus after heavy rains (July and
  August)

Palau
  typhoons (June to December)

Panama
  occasional severe storms and forest fires in the Darien area

Papua New Guinea
  active volcanism; situated along the Pacific "Ring
  of Fire"; the country is subject to frequent and sometimes severe
  earthquakes; mud slides; tsunamis

Paracel Islands
  typhoons

Paraguay
  local flooding in southeast (early September to June);
  poorly drained plains may become boggy (early October to June)

Peru
  earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding, landslides, mild volcanic
  activity

Philippines
  astride typhoon belt, usually affected by 15 and struck
  by five to six cyclonic storms per year; landslides; active
  volcanoes; destructive earthquakes; tsunamis

Pitcairn Islands
  typhoons (especially November to March)

Poland
  flooding

Portugal
  Azores subject to severe earthquakes

Puerto Rico
  periodic droughts; hurricanes

Qatar
  haze, dust storms, sandstorms common

Romania
  earthquakes, most severe in south and southwest; geologic
  structure and climate promote landslides

Russia
  permafrost over much of Siberia is a major impediment to
  development; volcanic activity in the Kuril Islands; volcanoes and
  earthquakes on the Kamchatka Peninsula; spring floods and
  summer/autumn forest fires throughout Siberia and parts of European
  Russia

Rwanda
  periodic droughts; the volcanic Virunga mountains are in the
  northwest along the border with Democratic Republic of the Congo

Saint Helena
  active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha, last eruption in
  1961

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  hurricanes (July to October)

Saint Lucia
  hurricanes; volcanic activity

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  persistent fog throughout the year can be
  a maritime hazard

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  hurricanes; Soufriere volcano on
  the island of Saint Vincent is a constant threat

Samoa
  occasional typhoons; active volcanism

San Marino
  NA

Sao Tome and Principe
  NA

Saudi Arabia
  frequent sand and dust storms

Senegal
  lowlands seasonally flooded; periodic droughts

Serbia
  destructive earthquakes

Seychelles
  lies outside the cyclone belt, so severe storms are rare;
  short droughts possible

Sierra Leone
  dry, sand-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara
  (December to February); sandstorms, dust storms

Singapore
  NA

Slovakia
  NA

Slovenia
  flooding; earthquakes

Solomon Islands
  typhoons, but rarely destructive; geologically
  active region with frequent earthquakes, tremors, and volcanic
  activity; tsunamis

Somalia
  recurring droughts; frequent dust storms over eastern plains
  in summer; floods during rainy season

South Africa
  prolonged droughts

South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands the South Sandwich Islands have prevailing weather conditions that generally make them difficult to approach by ship; they are also subject to active volcanism

Southern Ocean
  huge icebergs with drafts up to several hundred
  meters; smaller bergs and iceberg fragments; sea ice (generally 0.5
  to 1 m thick) with sometimes dynamic short-term variations and with
  large annual and interannual variations; deep continental shelf
  floored by glacial deposits varying widely over short distances;
  high winds and large waves much of the year; ship icing, especially
  May-October; most of region is remote from sources of search and
  rescue

Spain
  periodic droughts

Spratly Islands
  typhoons; numerous reefs and shoals pose a serious
  maritime hazard

Sri Lanka
  occasional cyclones and tornadoes

Sudan
  dust storms and periodic persistent droughts

Suriname
  NA

Svalbard
  ice floes often block the entrance to Bellsund (a transit
  point for coal export) on the west coast and occasionally make parts
  of the northeastern coast inaccessible to maritime traffic

Swaziland
  drought

Sweden
  ice floes in the surrounding waters, especially in the Gulf
  of Bothnia, can interfere with maritime traffic

Switzerland
  avalanches, landslides; flash floods

Syria
  dust storms, sandstorms

Taiwan
  earthquakes; typhoons

Tajikistan
  earthquakes; floods

Tanzania
  flooding on the central plateau during the rainy season;
  drought

Thailand
  land subsidence in Bangkok area resulting from the
  depletion of the water table; droughts

Timor-Leste
  floods and landslides are common; earthquakes; tsunamis;
  tropical cyclones

Togo
  hot, dry harmattan wind can reduce visibility in north during
  winter; periodic droughts

Tokelau
  lies in Pacific typhoon belt

Tonga
  cyclones (October to April); earthquakes and volcanic activity
  on Fonuafo'ou

Trinidad and Tobago
  outside usual path of hurricanes and other
  tropical storms

Tunisia
  NA

Turkey
  severe earthquakes, especially in northern Turkey, along an
  arc extending from the Sea of Marmara to Lake Van

Turkmenistan
  NA

Turks and Caicos Islands
  frequent hurricanes

Tuvalu
  severe tropical storms are usually rare, but in 1997 there
  were three cyclones; low level of islands make them sensitive to
  changes in sea level

Uganda
  NA

Ukraine
  NA

United Arab Emirates
  frequent sand and dust storms

United Kingdom
  winter windstorms; floods

United States
  tsunamis; volcanoes; earthquake activity around
  Pacific Basin; hurricanes along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico
  coasts; tornadoes in the midwest and southeast; mud slides in
  California; forest fires in the west; flooding; permafrost in
  northern Alaska, a major impediment to development

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges
  Baker, Howland, and
  Jarvis Islands: the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can
  be a maritime hazard
  Kingman Reef: wet or awash most of the time, maximum elevation of
  less than 2 m makes Kingman Reef a maritime hazard
  Midway Islands, Johnston, and Palmyra Atolls: NA

Uruguay
  seasonally high winds (the pampero is a chilly and
  occasional violent wind that blows north from the Argentine pampas),
  droughts, floods; because of the absence of mountains, which act as
  weather barriers, all locations are particularly vulnerable to rapid
  changes from weather fronts

Uzbekistan
  NA

Vanuatu
  tropical cyclones or typhoons (January to April); volcanic
  eruption on Aoba (Ambae) island began 27 November 2005, volcanism
  also causes minor earthquakes; tsunamis

Venezuela
  subject to floods, rockslides, mudslides; periodic droughts

Vietnam
  occasional typhoons (May to January) with extensive
  flooding, especially in the Mekong River delta

Virgin Islands
  several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and
  severe droughts and floods; occasional earthquakes

Wake Island
  occasional typhoons

Wallis and Futuna
  NA

West Bank
  droughts

Western Sahara
  hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind can occur
  during winter and spring; widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of
  time, often severely restricting visibility

World
  large areas subject to severe weather (tropical cyclones);
  natural disasters (earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis, volcanic
  eruptions)

Yemen
  sandstorms and dust storms in summer

Zambia
  periodic drought; tropical storms (November to April)

Zimbabwe
  recurring droughts; floods and severe storms are rare

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

@2022

Field Listing :: People - note

This entry includes miscellaneous demographic information of significance not included elsewhere. Country

People - note

Cook Islands
  2001 census counted a resident population of 15,017

Cuba
  illicit emigration is a continuing problem; Cubans attempt to
  depart the island and enter the US using homemade rafts, alien
  smugglers, direct flights, or falsified visas; Cubans also use
  non-maritime routes to enter the US including direct flights to
  Miami and over-land via the southwest border

Germany
  second most populous country in Europe after Russia

Papua New Guinea
  the indigenous population of Papua New Guinea is
  one of the most heterogeneous in the world; PNG has several thousand
  separate communities, most with only a few hundred people; divided
  by language, customs, and tradition, some of these communities have
  engaged in low-scale tribal conflict with their neighbors for
  millennia; the advent of modern weapons and modern migrants into
  urban areas has greatly magnified the impact of this lawlessness

Rwanda
  Rwanda is the most densely populated country in Africa

Trinidad and Tobago
  in 2007, the government of Trinidad and Tobago
  estimated the population to be 1.3 million

Turks and Caicos Islands
  destination and transit point for illegal
  Haitian immigrants bound for the Turks and Caicos Islands, The
  Bahamas, and the US

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

@2023

Field Listing :: Area - comparative

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

Area - comparative(sq km)

Afghanistan
  slightly smaller than Texas

Akrotiri
  about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC

Albania
  slightly smaller than Maryland

Algeria
  slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Texas

American Samoa
  slightly larger than Washington, DC

Andorra
  2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Angola
  slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Anguilla
  about one-half the size of Washington, DC

Antarctica
  slightly less than 1.5 times the size of the US

Antigua and Barbuda
  2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Arctic Ocean
  slightly less than 1.5 times the size of the US

Argentina
  slightly less than three-tenths the size of the US

Armenia
  slightly smaller than Maryland

Aruba
  slightly larger than Washington, DC

Ashmore and Cartier Islands about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Atlantic Ocean
  slightly less than 6.5 times the size of the US

Australia
  slightly smaller than the US contiguous 48 states

Austria
  slightly smaller than Maine

Azerbaijan
  slightly smaller than Maine

Bahamas, The
  slightly smaller than Connecticut

Bahrain
  3.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Bangladesh
  slightly smaller than Iowa

Barbados
  2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Belarus
  slightly smaller than Kansas

Belgium
  about the size of Maryland

Belize
  slightly smaller than Massachusetts

Benin
  slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Bermuda
  about one-third the size of Washington, DC

Bhutan
  about one-half the size of Indiana

Bolivia
  slightly less than three times the size of Montana

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  slightly smaller than West Virginia

Botswana
  slightly smaller than Texas

Bouvet Island
  about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Brazil
  slightly smaller than the US

British Indian Ocean Territory land area is about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC

British Virgin Islands
  about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC

Brunei
  slightly smaller than Delaware

Bulgaria
  slightly larger than Tennessee

Burkina Faso
  slightly larger than Colorado

Burma
  slightly smaller than Texas

Burundi
  slightly smaller than Maryland

Cambodia
  slightly smaller than Oklahoma

Cameroon
  slightly larger than California

Canada
  somewhat larger than the US

Cape Verde
  slightly larger than Rhode Island

Cayman Islands
  1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Central African Republic
  slightly smaller than Texas

Chad
  slightly more than three times the size of California

Chile
  slightly smaller than twice the size of Montana

China
  slightly smaller than the US

Christmas Island
  about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC

Clipperton Island
  about 12 times the size of The Mall in Washington,
  DC

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  about 24 times the size of The Mall in
  Washington, DC

Colombia
  slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Comoros
  slightly more than 12 times the size of Washington, DC

Congo, Democratic Republic of the slightly less than one-fourth the size of the US

Congo, Republic of the
  slightly smaller than Montana

Cook Islands
  1.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Coral Sea Islands
  NA

Costa Rica
  slightly smaller than West Virginia

Cote d'Ivoire
  slightly larger than New Mexico

Croatia
  slightly smaller than West Virginia

Cuba
  slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Cyprus
  about 0.6 times the size of Connecticut

Czech Republic
  slightly smaller than South Carolina

Denmark
  slightly less than twice the size of Massachusetts

Dhekelia
  about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC

Djibouti
  slightly smaller than Massachusetts

Dominica
  slightly more than four times the size of Washington, DC

Dominican Republic
  slightly more than twice the size of New Hampshire

Ecuador
  slightly smaller than Nevada

Egypt
  slightly more than three times the size of New Mexico

El Salvador
  slightly smaller than Massachusetts

Equatorial Guinea
  slightly smaller than Maryland

Eritrea
  slightly larger than Pennsylvania

Estonia
  slightly smaller than New Hampshire and Vermont combined

Ethiopia
  slightly less than twice the size of Texas

European Union
  less than one-half the size of the US

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  slightly smaller than Connecticut

Faroe Islands
  eight times the size of Washington, DC

Fiji
  slightly smaller than New Jersey

Finland
  slightly smaller than Montana

France
  slightly less than the size of Texas

French Polynesia
  slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  Ile Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et
  Ile Saint-Paul): less than one-half the size of Washington, DC
  Ile Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): more than 10 times
  the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
  Iles Crozet: about twice the size of Washington, DC
  Iles Kerguelen: slightly larger than Delaware
  Bassas da India (Iles Eparses): land area about one-third the size
  of The Mall in Washington, DC
  Europa Island (Iles Eparses): about one-sixth the size of
  Washington, DC
  Glorioso Islands (Iles Eparses): about eight times the size of The
  Mall in Washington, DC
  Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses): about seven times the size of
  The Mall in Washington, DC
  Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): about 1.7 times the size of The Mall
  in Washington, DC

Gabon
  slightly smaller than Colorado

Gambia, The
  slightly less than twice the size of Delaware

Gaza Strip
  slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Georgia
  slightly smaller than South Carolina

Germany
  slightly smaller than Montana

Ghana
  slightly smaller than Oregon

Gibraltar
  slightly less than one-half the size of Rhode Island

Greece
  slightly smaller than Alabama

Greenland
  slightly more than three times the size of Texas

Grenada
  twice the size of Washington, DC

Guam
  three times the size of Washington, DC

Guatemala
  slightly smaller than Tennessee

Guernsey
  about one-half the size of Washington, DC

Guinea
  slightly smaller than Oregon

Guinea-Bissau
  slightly less than three times the size of Connecticut

Guyana
  slightly smaller than Idaho

Haiti
  slightly smaller than Maryland

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  slightly more than two times the
  size of Washington, DC

Holy See (Vatican City)
  about 0.7 times the size of The Mall in
  Washington, DC

Honduras
  slightly larger than Tennessee

Hong Kong
  six times the size of Washington, DC

Hungary
  slightly smaller than Indiana

Iceland
  slightly smaller than Kentucky

India
  slightly more than one-third the size of the US

Indian Ocean
  about 5.5 times the size of the US

Indonesia
  slightly less than three times the size of Texas

Iran
  slightly smaller than Alaska

Iraq
  slightly more than twice the size of Idaho

Ireland
  slightly larger than West Virginia

Isle of Man
  slightly more than three times the size of Washington, DC

Israel
  slightly smaller than New Jersey

Italy
  slightly larger than Arizona

Jamaica
  slightly smaller than Connecticut

Jan Mayen
  slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Japan
  slightly smaller than California

Jersey
  about two-thirds the size of Washington, DC

Jordan
  slightly smaller than Indiana

Kazakhstan
  slightly less than four times the size of Texas

Kenya
  slightly more than twice the size of Nevada

Kiribati
  four times the size of Washington, DC

Korea, North
  slightly smaller than Mississippi

Korea, South
  slightly larger than Indiana

Kosovo
  slightly larger than Delaware

Kuwait
  slightly smaller than New Jersey

Kyrgyzstan
  slightly smaller than South Dakota

Laos
  slightly larger than Utah

Latvia
  slightly larger than West Virginia

Lebanon
  about 0.7 times the size of Connecticut

Lesotho
  slightly smaller than Maryland

Liberia
  slightly larger than Tennessee

Libya
  slightly larger than Alaska

Liechtenstein
  about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC

Lithuania
  slightly larger than West Virginia

Luxembourg
  slightly smaller than Rhode Island

Macau
  less than one-sixth the size of Washington, DC

Macedonia
  slightly larger than Vermont

Madagascar
  slightly less than twice the size of Arizona

Malawi
  slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Malaysia
  slightly larger than New Mexico

Maldives
  about 1.7 times the size of Washington, DC

Mali
  slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Malta
  slightly less than twice the size of Washington, DC

Marshall Islands
  about the size of Washington, DC

Mauritania
  slightly larger than three times the size of New Mexico

Mauritius
  almost 11 times the size of Washington, DC

Mayotte
  slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Mexico
  slightly less than three times the size of Texas

Micronesia, Federated States of
  four times the size of Washington,
  DC (land area only)

Moldova
  slightly larger than Maryland

Monaco
  about three times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Mongolia
  slightly smaller than Alaska

Montenegro
  slightly smaller than Connecticut

Montserrat
  about 0.6 times the size of Washington, DC

Morocco
  slightly larger than California

Mozambique
  slightly less than twice the size of California

Namibia
  slightly more than half the size of Alaska

Nauru
  about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC

Navassa Island
  about nine times the size of The Mall in Washington,
  DC

Nepal
  slightly larger than Arkansas

Netherlands
  slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey

Netherlands Antilles
  more than five times the size of Washington, DC

New Caledonia
  slightly smaller than New Jersey

New Zealand
  about the size of Colorado

Nicaragua
  slightly smaller than New York state

Niger
  slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Nigeria
  slightly more than twice the size of California

Niue
  1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Norfolk Island
  about 0.2 times the size of Washington, DC

Northern Mariana Islands
  2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Norway
  slightly larger than New Mexico

Oman
  slightly smaller than Kansas

Pacific Ocean
  about 15 times the size of the US; covers about 28% of
  the global surface; almost equal to the total land area of the world

Pakistan
  slightly less than twice the size of California

Palau
  slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Panama
  slightly smaller than South Carolina

Papua New Guinea
  slightly larger than California

Paracel Islands
  NA

Paraguay
  slightly smaller than California

Peru
  slightly smaller than Alaska

Philippines
  slightly larger than Arizona

Pitcairn Islands
  about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Poland
  slightly smaller than New Mexico

Portugal
  slightly smaller than Indiana

Puerto Rico
  slightly less than three times the size of Rhode Island

Qatar
  slightly smaller than Connecticut

Romania
  slightly smaller than Oregon

Russia
  approximately 1.8 times the size of the US

Rwanda
  slightly smaller than Maryland

Saint Barthelemy
  less than an eighth of the size of Washington, DC

Saint Helena
  slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Saint Lucia
  3.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Saint Martin
  more than one-third the size of Washington, DC

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  twice the size of Washington, DC

Samoa
  slightly smaller than Rhode Island

San Marino
  about one third times the size of Washington, DC

Sao Tome and Principe
  more than five times the size of Washington, DC

Saudi Arabia
  slightly more than one-fifth the size of the US

Senegal
  slightly smaller than South Dakota

Serbia
  slightly smaller than South Carolina

Seychelles
  2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Sierra Leone
  slightly smaller than South Carolina

Singapore
  slightly more than 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Slovakia
  about twice the size of New Hampshire

Slovenia
  slightly smaller than New Jersey

Solomon Islands
  slightly smaller than Maryland

Somalia
  slightly smaller than Texas

South Africa
  slightly less than twice the size of Texas

South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
  slightly larger than Rhode
  Island

Southern Ocean
  slightly more than twice the size of the US

Spain
  slightly more than twice the size of Oregon

Spratly Islands
  NA

Sri Lanka
  slightly larger than West Virginia

Sudan
  slightly more than one-quarter the size of the US

Suriname
  slightly larger than Georgia

Svalbard
  slightly smaller than West Virginia

Swaziland
  slightly smaller than New Jersey

Sweden
  slightly larger than California

Switzerland
  slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey

Syria
  slightly larger than North Dakota

Taiwan
  slightly smaller than Maryland and Delaware combined

Tajikistan
  slightly smaller than Wisconsin

Tanzania
  slightly larger than twice the size of California

Thailand
  slightly more than twice the size of Wyoming

Timor-Leste
  slightly larger than Connecticut

Togo
  slightly smaller than West Virginia

Tokelau
  about 17 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Tonga
  four times the size of Washington, DC

Trinidad and Tobago
  slightly smaller than Delaware

Tunisia
  slightly larger than Georgia

Turkey
  slightly larger than Texas

Turkmenistan
  slightly larger than California

Turks and Caicos Islands
  2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Tuvalu
  0.1 times the size of Washington, DC

Uganda
  slightly smaller than Oregon

Ukraine
  slightly smaller than Texas

United Arab Emirates
  slightly smaller than Maine

United Kingdom
  slightly smaller than Oregon

United States
  about half the size of Russia; about three-tenths the
  size of Africa; about half the size of South America (or slightly
  larger than Brazil); slightly larger than China; more than twice the
  size of the European Union

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges
  Baker Island: about
  two and a half times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
  Howland Island: about three times the size of The Mall in
  Washington, DC
  Jarvis Island: about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington,
  DC
  Johnston Atoll: about four and a half times the size of The Mall in
  Washington, DC
  Kingman Reef: a little more than one and a half times the size of
  The Mall in Washington, DC
  Midway Islands: about nine times the size of The Mall in Washington,
  DC
  Palmyra Atoll: about 20 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Uruguay
  slightly smaller than the state of Washington

Uzbekistan
  slightly larger than California

Vanuatu
  slightly larger than Connecticut

Venezuela
  slightly more than twice the size of California

Vietnam
  slightly larger than New Mexico

Virgin Islands
  twice the size of Washington, DC

Wake Island
  about 11 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Wallis and Futuna
  1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

West Bank
  slightly smaller than Delaware

Western Sahara
  about the size of Colorado

World
  land area about 16 times the size of the US
  top fifteen World Factbook entities ranked by size: Pacific Ocean
  155.557 million sq km; Atlantic Ocean 76.762 million sq km; Indian
  Ocean 68.556 million sq km; Southern Ocean 20.327 million sq km;
  Russia 17,098,242 sq km; Arctic Ocean 14.056 million sq km;
  Antarctica 14 million sq km; Canada 9,984,670 sq km; United States
  9,826,675 sq km; China 9,596,961 sq km; Brazil 8,514,877 sq km;
  Australia 7,741,220 sq km; European Union 4,324,782 sq km; India
  3,287,263 sq km; Argentina 2,780,400 sq km

Yemen
  slightly larger than twice the size of Wyoming

Zambia
  slightly larger than Texas

Zimbabwe
  slightly larger than Montana

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

@2024

Field Listing :: Military service age and obligation

This entry gives the required ages for voluntary or conscript military service and the length of service obligation. Country

Military service age and obligation(years of age)

Afghanistan
  22 years of age; inductees are contracted into service
  for a 4-year term (2005)

Albania
  19 years of age (2004)

Algeria
  19-30 years of age for compulsory military service;
  conscript service obligation - 18 months (6 months basic training,
  12 months civil projects) (2006)

Angola
  22-24 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript
  service obligation - 2 years; Angolan citizenship required (2009)

Antigua and Barbuda
  18 years of age for voluntary military service;
  no conscription (2008)

Argentina
  18-24 years of age for voluntary military service (18-21
  requires parental permission); no conscription (2001)

Armenia
  18-27 years of age for voluntary or compulsory military
  service; 2-year conscript service obligation (2007)

Australia
  17 years of age for voluntary military service (with
  parental consent); no conscription; women allowed to serve in Army
  combat units in non-combat support roles (2008)

Austria
  18-35 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years
  of age for male or female voluntary service; service obligation 6
  months of training, followed by an 8-year reserve obligation (2009)

Azerbaijan
  men between 18 and 35 are liable for military service; 18
  years of age for voluntary military service; length of military
  service is 18 months and 12 months for university graduates (2006)

Bahamas, The
  18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2008)

Bahrain
  17 years of age for voluntary military service; 15 years of
  age for NCOs, technicians, and cadets; no conscription (2008)

Bangladesh
  16 years of age for voluntary military service; 17 years
  of age for officers (both with parental consent); conscription
  legally possible in emergency, but has never been implemented (2008)

Barbados
  18 years of age for voluntary military service (younger
  requires parental consent); no conscription (2008)

Belarus
  18-27 years of age for compulsory military service;
  conscript service obligation - 18 months (2005)

Belgium
  18 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription
  suspended (2008)

Belize
  18 years of age for voluntary military service; laws allow
  for conscription only if volunteers are insufficient; conscription
  has never been implemented; volunteers typically outnumber available
  positions by 3:1 (2008)

Benin
  21 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service;
  in practice, volunteers may be taken at the age of 18; both sexes
  are eligible for military service; conscript tour of duty - 18
  months (2006)

Bermuda
  18-30 years of age for voluntary or compulsory enlistment in
  the Bermuda Regiment; males must register at age 18; term of service
  is 38 months (2009)

Bhutan
  18 years of age for voluntary military service; no
  conscription (2008)

Bolivia
  18-49 years of age for 12-month compulsory military service;
  when annual number of volunteers falls short of goal, compulsory
  recruitment is effected, including conscription of boys as young as
  14; 15-19 years of age for voluntary premilitary service, provides
  exemption from further military service (2009)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  18 years of age for voluntary military
  service; conscription abolished January 2006; 4-month service
  obligation (2009)

Botswana
  18 is the apparent age of voluntary military service; the
  official qualifications for determining minimum age are unknown
  (2001)

Brazil
  21-45 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript
  service obligation - 9 to 12 months; 17-45 years of age for
  voluntary service; an increasing percentage of the ranks are
  "long-service" volunteer professionals; women were allowed to serve
  in the armed forces beginning in early 1980s when the Brazilian Army
  became the first army in South America to accept women into career
  ranks; women serve in Navy and Air Force only in Women's Reserve
  Corps (2001)

Brunei
  18 years of age (est.) for voluntary military service;
  non-Malays are ineligible to serve (2007)

Bulgaria
  18-27 years of age for voluntary military service; as of
  May 2006, 67% of the Bulgarian Army comprised of professional
  soldiers; conscription ended January 2008; Air Forces and Naval
  Forces became fully professional at the end of 2006 (2008)

Burkina Faso
  18 years of age for voluntary military service; women
  may serve in supporting roles (2009)

Burma
  18 years of age for voluntary military service for both sexes;
  forced conscription of children, although officially prohibited,
  reportedly continues (2007)

Burundi
  military service is voluntary; the armed forces law of 31
  December 2004 did not specify a minimum age for enlistment, but the
  government had previously specified that each recruit would need to
  have a primary school leaving certificate (2009)

Cambodia
  conscription law of October 2006 requires all males between
  18-30 to register for military service; 18-month service obligation
  (2006)

Cameroon
  18 years of age for male and female voluntary military
  service; no conscription; the government makes periodic calls for
  volunteers (2009)

Canada
  17 years of age for male and female voluntary military
  service (with parental consent); 16 years of age for reserve and
  military college applicants; Canadian citizenship or permanent
  residence status required; maximum 34 years of age; service
  obligation 3-9 years (2008)

Cape Verde
  18 years of age (est.) for selective compulsory military
  service; 14-month conscript service obligation (2006)

Central African Republic
  18 years of age for selective military
  service; 2-year conscript service obligation (2009)

Chad
  20 years of age for conscripts, with 3-year service obligation;
  18 years of age for volunteers; no minimum age restriction for
  volunteers with consent from a guardian; women are subject to 1 year
  of compulsory military or civic service at age of 21 (2004)

Chile
  18-45 years of age for voluntary male and female military
  service, although the right to compulsory recruitment is retained;
  service obligation - 12 months for Army, 22 months for Navy and Air
  Force (2008)

China
  18-22 years of age for selective compulsory military service,
  with 24-month service obligation; no minimum age for voluntary
  service (all officers are volunteers); 18-19 years of age for women
  high school graduates who meet requirements for specific military
  jobs (2009)

Colombia
  18-24 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military
  service; service obligation - 18 months (2004)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  18-45 years of age for voluntary
  military service (2009)

Congo, Republic of the
  18 years of age for voluntary military
  service; women allowed to serve (2007)

Cote d'Ivoire
  18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary male and
  female military service (2008)

Croatia
  18-27 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years
  of age with consent for voluntary service; 6-month conscript service
  obligation; full conversion to voluntary military service by 2010
  (2006)

Cuba
  17-28 years of age for compulsory military service; 2-year
  service obligation; both sexes subject to military service (2006)

Cyprus
  Greek Cypriot National Guard (GCNG): 18-50 years of age for
  compulsory military service for all Greek Cypriot males; 17 years of
  age for voluntary service; women may volunteer for a 3-year term;
  length of normal service is 25 months (2009)

Czech Republic
  18-28 years of age for voluntary and 19-28 for
  compulsory military service (2008)

Denmark
  18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military
  service; conscripts serve an initial training period that varies
  from 4 to 12 months according to specialization; reservists are
  assigned to mobilization units following completion of their
  conscript service; women eligible to volunteer for military service
  (2004)

Djibouti
  18 years of age for voluntary military service; 16-25 years
  of age for voluntary military training; no conscription (2008)

Dominican Republic
  18 years of age for voluntary military service
  (2007)

Ecuador
  20 years of age for selective conscript military service;
  12-month service obligation (2008)

Egypt
  18-30 years of age for male conscript military service;
  service obligation 12-36 months, followed by a 9-year reserve
  obligation (2008)

El Salvador
  18 years of age for selective compulsory military
  service; 16-22 years of age for voluntary male or female service;
  service obligation - 12 months, with 11 months for officers and NCOs
  (2009)

Equatorial Guinea
  18 years of age (est.) for compulsory military
  service; women hold only administrative positions in the Coast Guard
  (2009)

Eritrea
  18-40 years of age for male and female voluntary and
  compulsory military service; 16-month conscript service obligation
  (2006)

Estonia
  obligation for compulsory service ages 16-60, with
  conscription "likely" ages 18-27; service requirement 8-11 months
  (2009)

Ethiopia
  18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military
  service; theoretically, no compulsory military service, but the
  military can conduct call-ups when necessary and compliance is
  compulsory (2008)

Fiji
  18 years of age for voluntary military service; reserve
  obligation to age 45 (2006)

Finland
  18 years of age for male voluntary and compulsory - and
  female voluntary - national military and nonmilitary service;
  service obligation 6-12 months; mandatory retirement at age 60 (2008)

France
  17-40 years of age for male or female voluntary military
  service; no conscription; 12-month service obligation; women serve
  in noncombat military posts (2008)

Gabon
  20 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service
  (2007)

Gambia, The
  18 years of age for voluntary military service; no
  conscription (2008)

Georgia
  18 to 34 years of age for compulsory and voluntary active
  duty military service; conscript service obligation - 18 months
  (2005)

Germany
  18 years of age (conscripts serve a 9-month tour of
  compulsory military service) (2004)

Ghana
  18 years of age for voluntary military service; no
  conscription (2008)

Greece
  19-45 years of age for compulsory military service; during
  wartime the law allows for recruitment beginning January of the year
  of inductee's 18th birthday, thus including 17 year olds; 17 years
  of age for volunteers; conscript service obligation - 1 year for all
  services; women are eligible for voluntary military service (2008)

Guatemala
  all male citizens between the ages of 18 and 50 are liable
  for military service; conscript service obligation varies from 12 to
  24 months; women can serve as officers (2008)

Guinea
  18-25 years of age for compulsory or voluntary military
  service; 18-month conscript service obligation (2009)

Guinea-Bissau
  18-25 years of age for selective compulsory military
  service; 16 years of age or younger with parental consent, for
  voluntary service (2009)

Guyana
  18-25 years of age for voluntary military service; no
  conscription (2008)

Honduras
  18 years of age for voluntary 2 to 3-year military service
  (2004)

Hungary
  18-50 years of age for voluntary military service; no
  conscription; 6-month service obligation (2008)

India
  16 years of age for voluntary military service; no
  conscription; women officers allowed in noncombat roles only (2008)

Indonesia
  18 years of age for selective compulsory and voluntary
  military service; 2-year conscript service obligation, with reserve
  obligation to age 45 (officers); Indonesian citizens only (2008)

Iran
  19 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of
  age for volunteers; 17 years of age for Law Enforcement Forces; 15
  years of age for Basij Forces (Popular Mobilization Army); conscript
  military service obligation - 18 months; women exempt from military
  service (2008)

Iraq
  18-49 years of age for voluntary military service (2008)

Ireland
  17-25 years of age for male or female voluntary military
  service (17-27 years of age for the Naval Service); enlistees 16
  years of age can be recruited for apprentice specialist positions;
  maximum obligation 12 years; 17-35 years of age for the Reserve
  Defense Forces; EU citizenship or 5-year residence in Ireland
  required (2008)

Israel
  18 years of age for compulsory (Jews, Druzes) and voluntary
  (Christians, Muslims, Circassians) military service; both sexes are
  obligated to military service; conscript service obligation - 36
  months for enlisted men, 21 months for enlisted women, 48 months for
  officers; reserve obligation to age 41-51 (men), 24 (women) (2008)

Italy
  18-27 year of age for voluntary military service; conscription
  abolished January 2005; women may serve in any military branch;
  10-month service obligation, with a reserve obligation to age 45
  (Army and Air Force) or 39 (Navy) (2006)

Jamaica
  18 years of age for voluntary military service; younger
  recruits may be conscripted with parental consent (2001)

Japan
  18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Jordan
  17 years of age for voluntary military service; male
  conscription at age 18 - suspended in 1999 - resurrected in July
  2007 in order to provide youth training necessary for job market
  needs; all males under age 37 are required to register; women not
  subject to conscription, but can volunteer to serve in non-combat
  military positions in the Royal Jordanian Arab Army Women's Corps
  (2009)

Kazakhstan
  18 years of age for compulsory military service;
  conscript service obligation - 2 years; minimum age for volunteers
  NA (2004)

Kenya
  18 years of age (est.) for voluntary service, with a 9-year
  obligation (2007)

Korea, North
  17 years of age (2004)

Korea, South
  20-30 years of age for compulsory military service,
  with middle school education required; conscript service obligation
  - 24-28 months, depending on the military branch involved (to be
  reduced to 18 months beginning 2016); 18-26 years of age for
  voluntary military service; women, in service since 1950, admitted
  to 7 service branches, including infantry, but excluded from
  artillery, armor, anti-air, and chaplaincy corps; some 4,000 women
  serve as commissioned and noncommissioned officers, approx. 2.3% of
  all officers (2008)

Kuwait
  18-30 years of age for compulsory and 18-25 years of age for
  voluntary military service; women age 18-30 may be subject to
  compulsory military service; conscription suspended in 2001 (2009)

Kyrgyzstan
  18 years of age for compulsory military service (2001)

Laos
  15 years of age for compulsory military service; minimum
  18-month conscript service obligation (2006)

Latvia
  18 years of age for voluntary male and female military
  service; conscription abolished January 2007; under current law,
  every citizen is entitled to serve in the armed forces for life
  (2009)

Lebanon
  18-30 years of age for voluntary military service; no
  conscription (2007)

Lesotho
  18-24 years of age for voluntary military service; no
  conscription (2008)

Liberia
  16 years of age for voluntary military service; no
  conscription (2008)

Libya
  17 years of age (2004)

Lithuania
  19-26 years of age for compulsory military service; 18
  years of age for volunteers; 12-month conscript service obligation;
  male registration required at age 16 (2009)

Luxembourg
  17-25 years of age for male and female voluntary military
  service; soldiers under 18 are not deployed into combat or with
  peacekeeping missions; no conscription; Luxembourg citizen or EU
  citizen with 3-year residence in Luxembourg (2008)

Macedonia
  18 years of age for voluntary military service; no
  conscription (2007)

Madagascar
  18-25 years of age for male-only compulsory military
  service; 18-month conscript service obligation (either military or
  equivalent civil service); 20-30 years of age for National
  Gendarmerie recruits (35 years of age for those with military
  experience) (2008)

Malawi
  18 years of age for voluntary military service; standard
  obligation is 2 years of active duty and 5 years of reserve service
  (2007)

Malaysia
  18 years of age for voluntary military service (2005)

Maldives
  18 years of age for voluntary military service; no
  conscription (2008)

Mali
  18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service;
  conscript service obligation - 2 years (2008)

Malta
  17 years 6 months of age for voluntary military service; no
  conscription (2008)

Mauritania
  18 years of age (est.); conscript service obligation - 2
  years; majority of servicemen believed to be volunteers; service in
  Air Force and Navy is voluntary (2006)

Mexico
  18 years of age for compulsory military service, conscript
  service obligation - 12 months; 16 years of age with consent for
  voluntary enlistment; conscripts serve only in the Army; Navy and
  Air Force service is all voluntary; women are eligible for voluntary
  military service (2007)

Moldova
  18 years of age for compulsory military service; 17 years of
  age for voluntary service; male registration required at age 16;
  12-month service obligation (2009)

Mongolia
  18-25 years of age for compulsory military service;
  conscript service obligation - 12 months in land or air defense
  forces or police; a small portion of Mongolian land forces (2.5
  percent) is comprised of contract soldiers; women cannot be deployed
  overseas for military operations (2006)

Montenegro
  compulsory national military service abolished August 2006

Morocco
  18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military
  service; conscript service obligation - 18 months (2004)

Mozambique
  19-35 years of age for compulsory military service; 18
  years of age for voluntary service; 2-year service obligation (2009)

Namibia
  18-25 years of age for voluntary military service; no
  conscription (2008)

Nepal
  18 years of age for voluntary military service; 15 years of
  age for military training; no conscription (2008)

Netherlands
  20 years of age for an all-volunteer force (2004)

Netherlands Antilles
  16 years of age for National Guard recruitment;
  no conscription (2004)

New Zealand
  17 years of age for voluntary military service; soldiers
  cannot be deployed until the age of 18; no conscription (2008)

Nicaragua
  17 years of age for voluntary military service; tour of
  duty 18-36 months (2008)

Niger
  17-21 years of age for selective compulsory or voluntary
  military service; enlistees must be Nigerien citizens and unmarried;
  2-year service term; women may serve in health care (2009)

Nigeria
  18 years of age for voluntary military service (2007)

Norway
  18-44 years of age for male compulsory military service; 16
  years of age in wartime; 17 years of age for male volunteers; 18
  years of age for women; 12-month service obligation, in practice
  shortened to 8 to 9 months; although all males between ages of 18
  and 44 are liable for service, in practice they are seldom called to
  duty after age 30; reserve obligation to age 35-60; 16 years of age
  for volunteers to the Home Guard, who serve 6-month duty tours (2009)

Oman
  18-30 years of age for voluntary military service; no
  conscription (2008)

Pakistan
  17-23 years of age for voluntary military service; soldiers
  cannot be deployed for combat until age 18; the Pakistani Air Force
  and Pakistani Navy have inducted their first female pilots and
  sailors (2009)

Papua New Guinea
  16 years of age for voluntary military service
  (with parental consent); no conscription (2008)

Paraguay
  18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military
  service; conscript service obligation - 12 months for Army, 24
  months for Navy (2007)

Peru
  18-30 years of age for voluntary male and female military
  service; no conscription (2008)

Philippines
  18-25 years of age (officers 21-29) for compulsory and
  voluntary military service; applicants must be single male or female
  Philippine citizens (2007)

Poland
  18-28 years of age for male voluntary or compulsory military
  service; service obligation shortened from 12 to 9 months in 2005;
  conscription is to end in 2012; only soldiers who have completed
  their conscript service are allowed to volunteer for professional
  service; as of April 2004, women are only allowed to serve as
  officers and noncommissioned officers; reserve obligation to age 50
  (2009)

Portugal
  18 years of age for voluntary military service; compulsory
  military service ended in 2004; women serve in the armed forces, on
  naval ships since 1993, but are prohibited from serving in some
  combatant specialties; reserve obligation to age 35 (2007)

Qatar
  18 years of age for voluntary military service; no
  conscription (2008)

Romania
  18-35 years of age for male and female voluntary military
  service; conscription officially ended October 2006; all military
  inductees (including women) contract for an initial 5-year term of
  service, with subsequent successive contracts for 3-year terms until
  age 36 (2009)

Russia
  18-27 years of age for compulsory or voluntary military
  service; males are registered for the draft at 17 years of age;
  service obligation - 1 year; reserve obligation to age 50; as of
  July 2008, a draft military strategy called for the draft to
  continue up to the year 2030 (2009)

Rwanda
  18 years of age for voluntary military service; no
  conscription (2008)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  18 years of age for voluntary military
  service; no conscription (2008)

San Marino
  16-55 for voluntary service in Voluntary Military Force
  (2006)

Sao Tome and Principe
  18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Saudi Arabia
  18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2004)

Senegal
  18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military
  service; conscript service obligation - 2 years (2004)

Serbia
  19-35 years of age for male compulsory military service;
  under a state of war or impending war, conscription can begin at age
  16; conscription is to be abolished in 2010; 6-month service
  obligation, with a reserve obligation to age 60 for men and 50 for
  women (2007)

Seychelles
  18 years of age for voluntary military service (younger
  with parental consent); no conscription (2008)

Sierra Leone
  17 years 6 months of age for voluntary military service
  (younger with parental consent); no conscription (2008)

Singapore
  18-21 years of age for male compulsory military service;
  16 years of age for volunteers; 2-year conscript service obligation,
  with a reserve obligation to age 40 (enlisted) or age 50 (officers)
  (2008)

Slovakia
  17-30 years of age for voluntary military service;
  conscription abolished in 2006; women are eligible to serve (2007)

Slovenia
  17 years of age for voluntary military service;
  conscription abolished in 2003 (2007)

South Africa
  18 years of age for voluntary military service; women
  are eligible to serve in noncombat roles; 2-year service obligation
  (2007)

Spain
  20 years of age (2004)

Sri Lanka
  18 years of age for voluntary military service; 5-year
  service obligation (2007)

Sudan
  18-33 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military
  service; 12-24 month service obligation (2009)

Suriname
  18 years of age (est.); recruitment is voluntary, with
  personnel drawn almost exclusively from the Creole community (2007)

Swaziland
  18-30 years of age for male and female voluntary military
  service; no conscription (2008)

Sweden
  18-47 years of age for male compulsory or voluntary military
  service; conscript service obligation: 7.5 months (Army), 7-15
  months (Navy), 8-12 months (Air Force); after completing initial
  service, soldiers have a reserve commitment until age 47; women are
  eligible for voluntary military service (2009)

Switzerland
  19 years of age for male compulsory military service; 18
  years of age for voluntary male and female military service; the
  Swiss Constitution states that "every Swiss male is obliged to do
  military service"; every Swiss male has to serve at least 260 days
  in the armed forces; conscripts receive 18 weeks of mandatory
  training, followed by seven 3-week intermittent recalls for training
  during the next 10 years (2008)

Syria
  18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript
  service obligation - 30 months (18 months in the Syrian Arab Navy);
  women are not conscripted but may volunteer to serve (2004)

Taiwan
  19-35 years of age for male compulsory military service;
  service obligation 14 months (reducing to 1 year in 2009); women may
  enlist; women in Air Force service are restricted to noncombat
  roles; reserve obligation to age 30 (Army); the Ministry of Defense
  has announced plans to implement an incremental voluntary enlistment
  system beginning 2010, with 10% fewer conscripts each year
  thereafter, although nonvolunteers will still be required to perform
  alternative service or go through 3-4 months of military training
  (2009)

Tajikistan
  18 years of age for compulsory military service; 2-year
  conscript service obligation (2007)

Tanzania
  18 years of age for voluntary military service (2007)

Thailand
  21 years of age for compulsory military service; 18 years
  of age for voluntary military service; males are registered at 18
  years of age; 2-year conscript service obligation (2007)

Timor-Leste
  18 years of age for voluntary military service; no
  conscription (2008)

Togo
  18 years of age for selective compulsory and voluntary military
  service; 2-year service obligation (2006)

Tonga
  18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2008)

Trinidad and Tobago
  18 years of age for voluntary military service
  (16 years of age with parental consent); no conscription (2008)

Tunisia
  20 years of age for compulsory military service, 18 years of
  age for voluntary military service; 1-year conscript service
  obligation (2007)

Turkey
  20 years of age (2004)

Turkmenistan
  18-30 years of age for compulsory military service;
  2-year conscript service obligation (2007)

Uganda
  18-26 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military
  duty; 18-30 years of age for professionals; 9-year service
  obligation; the government has stated that recruitment below 18
  years of age could occur with proper consent and that "no person
  under the apparent age of 13 years shall be enrolled in the armed
  forces"; Ugandan citizenship and secondary education required (2009)

Ukraine
  18-25 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military
  service; conscript service obligation - 18 months for Army and Air
  Force, 24 months for Navy (2004)

United Arab Emirates
  18 years of age (est.) for voluntary military
  service; 18 years of age for officers and women; no conscription
  (2008)

United Kingdom
  16-33 years of age (officers 17-28) for voluntary
  military service (with parental consent under 18); women serve in
  military services, but are excluded from ground combat positions and
  some naval postings; must be citizen of the UK, Commonwealth, or
  Republic of Ireland; reservists serve a minimum of 3 years, to age
  45 or 55; 16 years of age for voluntary military service by Nepalese
  citizens in the Brigade of the Gurkhas; 16-34 years of age for
  voluntary military service by Papua New Guinean citizens (2008)

United States
  18 years of age (17 years of age with parental
  consent) for male and female voluntary service; maximum enlistment
  age 42 (Army), 27 (Air Force), 34 (Navy), 28 (Marines); service
  obligation 8 years, including 2-5 years active duty (Army), 2 years
  active (Navy), 4 years active (Air Force, Marines) (2008)

Uruguay
  18 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military
  service; enlistment is voluntary in peacetime, but the government
  has the authority to conscript in emergencies (2007)

Uzbekistan
  18 years of age for compulsory military service; 1-year
  conscript service obligation; moving toward a professional military,
  but conscription will continue; the military cannot accommodate
  everyone who wishes to enlist, and competition for entrance into the
  military is similar to the competition for admission to universities
  (2007)

Venezuela
  18-30 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military
  service; 30-month conscript service obligation; all citizens 18-50
  years old are obligated to register for military service (2008)

Vietnam
  18 years of age (male) for compulsory military service;
  females may volunteer for active duty military service; conscript
  service obligation - 2 years (3 to 4 years in the navy); 18-45 years
  of age (male) or 18-40 years of age (female) for Militia Force or
  Self Defense Forces (2006)

Yemen
  voluntary military service program authorized in 2001; 2-year
  service obligation (2006)

Zambia
  18-27 years of age for voluntary military service (16 years
  of age with parental consent); Zambian citizenship required;
  mandatory HIV testing on enlistment; no conscription (2009)

Zimbabwe
  18-24 years of age for compulsory military service; women
  are eligible to serve (2007)

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

@2025

Field Listing :: Manpower fit for military service

This entry gives the number of males and females falling in the military age range for a country (defined as being ages 16-49) and who are not otherwise disqualified for health reasons; accounts for the health situation in the country and provides a more realistic estimate of the actual number fit to serve. Country

Manpower fit for military service

Afghanistan
  males age 16-49: 4,371,193
  females age 16-49: 4,072,945 (2009 est.)

Albania
  males age 16-49: 800,665
  females age 16-49: 768,536 (2009 est.)

Algeria
  males age 16-49: 8,317,473
  females age 16-49: 8,367,005 (2009 est.)

American Samoa
  males age 16-49: 13,875
  females age 16-49: 13,517 (2009 est.)

Andorra
  males age 16-49: 18,617
  females age 16-49: 17,613 (2009 est.)

Angola
  males age 16-49: 1,467,833
  females age 16-49: 1,411,468 (2009 est.)

Anguilla
  males age 16-49: 2,955
  females age 16-49: 3,308 (2009 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  males age 16-49: 17,271
  females age 16-49: 19,586 (2009 est.)

Argentina
  males age 16-49: 8,264,853
  females age 16-49: 8,268,498 (2009 est.)

Armenia
  males age 16-49: 642,734
  females age 16-49: 729,047 (2009 est.)

Aruba
  males age 16-49: 20,287
  females age 16-49: 21,232 (2009 est.)

Australia
  males age 16-49: 4,341,591
  females age 16-49: 4,179,659 (2009 est.)

Austria
  males age 16-49: 1,607,456
  females age 16-49: 1,576,335 (2009 est.)

Azerbaijan
  males age 16-49: 1,727,464
  females age 16-49: 1,944,260 (2009 est.)

Bahamas, The
  males age 16-49: 50,764
  females age 16-49: 51,690 (2009 est.)

Bahrain
  males age 16-49: 171,004
  females age 16-49: 144,555 (2009 est.)

Bangladesh
  males age 16-49: 24,946,041
  females age 16-49: 31,409,069 (2009 est.)

Barbados
  males age 16-49: 58,596
  females age 16-49: 58,866 (2009 est.)

Belarus
  males age 16-49: 1,720,049
  females age 16-49: 2,069,898 (2009 est.)

Belgium
  males age 16-49: 1,962,409
  females age 16-49: 1,905,178 (2009 est.)

Belize
  males age 16-49: 56,135
  females age 16-49: 54,732 (2009 est.)

Benin
  males age 16-49: 1,279,053
  females age 16-49: 1,292,438 (2009 est.)

Bermuda
  males age 16-49: 12,496
  females age 16-49: 12,486 (2009 est.)

Bhutan
  males age 16-49: 150,210
  females age 16-49: 135,991 (2009 est.)

Bolivia
  males age 16-49: 1,666,697
  females age 16-49: 1,906,396 (2009 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  males age 16-49: 991,953
  females age 16-49: 959,226 (2009 est.)

Botswana
  males age 16-49: 341,190
  females age 16-49: 315,588 (2009 est.)

Brazil
  males age 16-49: 38,043,555
  females age 16-49: 44,267,520 (2009 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  males age 16-49: 5,979
  females age 16-49: 5,738 (2009 est.)

Brunei
  males age 16-49: 92,543
  females age 16-49: 95,301 (2009 est.)

Bulgaria
  males age 16-49: 1,351,312
  females age 16-49: 1,381,017 (2009 est.)

Burkina Faso
  males age 16-49: 2,197,557
  females age 16-49: 2,191,978 (2009 est.)

Burma
  males age 16-49: 9,146,312
  females age 16-49: 9,520,852 (2009 est.)

Burundi
  males age 16-49: 1,124,072
  females age 16-49: 1,102,729 (2009 est.)

Cambodia
  males age 16-49: 2,673,383
  females age 16-49: 2,763,256 (2009 est.)

Cameroon
  males age 16-49: 2,645,601
  females age 16-49: 2,574,948 (2009 est.)

Canada
  males age 16-49: 6,647,513
  females age 16-49: 6,413,748 (2009 est.)

Cape Verde
  males age 16-49: 84,967
  females age 16-49: 90,154 (2009 est.)

Cayman Islands
  males age 16-49: 9,735
  females age 16-49: 10,145 (2009 est.)

Central African Republic
  males age 16-49: 552,907
  females age 16-49: 512,611 (2009 est.)

Chad
  males age 16-49: 1,103,006
  females age 16-49: 1,315,620 (2009 est.)

Chile
  males age 16-49: 3,573,165
  females age 16-49: 3,523,649 (2009 est.)

China
  males age 16-49: 314,459,083
  females age 16-49: 296,763,134 (2009 est.)

Colombia
  males age 16-49: 8,212,944
  females age 16-49: 10,045,435 (2009 est.)

Comoros
  males age 16-49: 125,747
  females age 16-49: 135,707 (2009 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  males age 16-49: 8,925,355
  females age 16-49: 9,047,356 (2009 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  males age 16-49: 538,202
  females age 16-49: 527,649 (2009 est.)

Cook Islands
  males age 16-49: 2,334
  females age 16-49: 2,286 (2009 est.)

Costa Rica
  males age 16-49: 971,224
  females age 16-49: 936,978 (2009 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  males age 16-49: 3,122,106
  females age 16-49: 2,936,391 (2009 est.)

Croatia
  males age 16-49: 770,798
  females age 16-49: 849,957 (2009 est.)

Cuba
  males age 16-49: 2,532,495
  females age 16-49: 2,468,631 (2009 est.)

Cyprus
  Greek Cypriot National Guard (GCNG):
  males age 16-49: 165,615
  females age 16-49: 159,362 (2009 est.)

Czech Republic
  males age 16-49: 2,095,038
  females age 16-49: 2,011,531 (2009 est.)

Denmark
  males age 16-49: 1,013,223
  females age 16-49: 998,837 (2009 est.)

Djibouti
  males age 16-49: 55,173
  females age 16-49: 52,825 (2009 est.)

Dominica
  males age 16-49: 15,821
  females age 16-49: 15,291 (2009 est.)

Dominican Republic
  males age 16-49: 2,056,774
  females age 16-49: 1,921,836 (2009 est.)

Ecuador
  males age 16-49: 2,708,470
  females age 16-49: 3,165,489 (2009 est.)

Egypt
  males age 16-49: 18,490,522
  females age 16-49: 17,719,905 (2009 est.)

El Salvador
  males age 16-49: 1,201,290
  females age 16-49: 1,547,278 (2009 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  males age 16-49: 105,468
  females age 16-49: 107,919 (2009 est.)

Eritrea
  males age 16-49: 834,018
  females age 16-49: 887,495 (2009 est.)

Estonia
  males age 16-49: 216,483
  females age 16-49: 260,408 (2009 est.)

Ethiopia
  males age 16-49: 11,078,847
  females age 16-49: 12,017,073 (2009 est.)

Faroe Islands
  males age 16-49: 9,759
  females age 16-49: 8,311 (2009 est.)

Fiji
  males age 16-49: 192,363
  females age 16-49: 204,410 (2009 est.)

Finland
  males age 16-49: 962,479
  females age 16-49: 920,297 (2009 est.)

France
  males age 16-49: 12,087,606
  females age 16-49: 11,811,260 (2009 est.)

French Polynesia
  males age 16-49: 65,408
  females age 16-49: 64,421 (2009 est.)

Gabon
  males age 16-49: 195,519
  females age 16-49: 190,519 (2009 est.)

Gambia, The
  males age 16-49: 238,454
  females age 16-49: 253,680 (2009 est.)

Gaza Strip
  males age 16-49: 312,003
  females age 16-49: 297,380 (2009 est.)

Georgia
  males age 16-49: 908,282
  females age 16-49: 959,290 (2009 est.)

Germany
  males age 16-49: 15,747,493
  females age 16-49: 14,899,416 (2009 est.)

Ghana
  males age 16-49: 3,849,113
  females age 16-49: 3,840,083 (2009 est.)

Gibraltar
  males age 16-49: 5,234
  females age 16-49: 5,242 (2009 est.)

Greece
  males age 16-49: 2,067,878
  females age 16-49: 2,050,289 (2009 est.)

Greenland
  males age 16-49: 10,809
  females age 16-49: 11,437 (2009 est.)

Grenada
  males age 16-49: 20,483
  females age 16-49: 20,923 (2009 est.)

Guam
  males age 16-49: 37,563
  females age 16-49: 36,083 (2009 est.)

Guatemala
  males age 16-49: 2,401,297
  females age 16-49: 2,725,572 (2009 est.)

Guernsey
  males age 16-49: 12,447
  females age 16-49: 12,566 (2009 est.)

Guinea
  males age 16-49: 1,396,278
  females age 16-49: 1,435,387 (2009 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  males age 16-49: 194,110
  females age 16-49: 200,660 (2009 est.)

Guyana
  males age 16-49: 150,307
  females age 16-49: 144,622 (2009 est.)

Haiti
  males age 16-49: 1,518,840
  females age 16-49: 1,530,043 (2009 est.)

Honduras
  males age 16-49: 1,397,938
  females age 16-49: 1,402,398 (2009 est.)

Hong Kong
  males age 16-49: 1,421,406
  females age 16-49: 1,543,443 (2009 est.)

Hungary
  males age 16-49: 1,887,755
  females age 16-49: 1,934,019 (2009 est.)

Iceland
  males age 16-49: 62,576
  females age 16-49: 61,159 (2009 est.)

India
  males age 16-49: 237,042,868
  females age 16-49: 243,276,310 (2009 est.)

Indonesia
  males age 16-49: 52,997,922
  females age 16-49: 52,503,046 (2009 est.)

Iran
  males age 16-49: 17,658,573
  females age 16-49: 17,148,290 (2009 est.)

Iraq
  males age 16-49: 6,203,425
  females age 16-49: 6,065,009 (2009 est.)

Ireland
  males age 16-49: 857,162
  females age 16-49: 854,416 (2009 est.)

Isle of Man
  males age 16-49: 14,691
  females age 16-49: 14,338 (2009 est.)

Israel
  males age 16-49: 1,474,966
  females age 16-49: 1,404,712 (2009 est.)

Italy
  males age 16-49: 11,197,487
  females age 16-49: 10,574,250 (2009 est.)

Jamaica
  males age 16-49: 573,520
  females age 16-49: 586,426 (2009 est.)

Japan
  males age 16-49: 22,757,136
  females age 16-49: 21,920,703 (2009 est.)

Jersey
  males age 16-49: 16,920
  females age 16-49: 16,826 (2009 est.)

Jordan
  males age 16-49: 1,593,919
  females age 16-49: 1,382,097 (2009 est.)

Kazakhstan
  males age 16-49: 2,888,931
  females age 16-49: 3,550,014 (2009 est.)

Kenya
  males age 16-49: 5,935,480
  females age 16-49: 5,662,755 (2009 est.)

Kiribati
  males age 16-49: 18,129
  females age 16-49: 20,643 (2009 est.)

Korea, North
  males age 16-49: 4,104,964
  females age 16-49: 4,492,374 (2009 est.)

Korea, South
  males age 16-49: 10,991,263
  females age 16-49: 10,356,604 (2009 est.)

Kosovo
  males age 16-49: 428,685
  females age 16-49: 388,848 (2009 est.)

Kuwait
  males age 16-49: 935,525
  females age 16-49: 519,854 (2009 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  males age 16-49: 1,083,777
  females age 16-49: 1,229,406 (2009 est.)

Laos
  males age 16-49: 1,023,205
  females age 16-49: 1,085,197 (2009 est.)

Latvia
  males age 16-49: 410,374
  females age 16-49: 463,144 (2009 est.)

Lebanon
  males age 16-49: 948,765
  females age 16-49: 954,663 (2009 est.)

Lesotho
  males age 16-49: 267,083
  females age 16-49: 240,868 (2009 est.)

Liberia
  males age 16-49: 387,417
  females age 16-49: 382,334 (2009 est.)

Libya
  males age 16-49: 1,466,578
  females age 16-49: 1,409,684 (2009 est.)

Liechtenstein
  males age 16-49: 6,584
  females age 16-49: 6,801 (2009 est.)

Lithuania
  males age 16-49: 677,689
  females age 16-49: 743,468 (2009 est.)

Luxembourg
  males age 16-49: 95,840
  females age 16-49: 94,641 (2009 est.)

Macau
  males age 16-49: 122,962
  females age 16-49: 148,809 (2009 est.)

Macedonia
  males age 16-49: 444,247
  females age 16-49: 427,556 (2009 est.)

Madagascar
  males age 16-49: 3,150,043
  females age 16-49: 3,404,988 (2009 est.)

Malawi
  males age 16-49: 1,732,621
  females age 16-49: 1,562,107 (2009 est.)

Malaysia
  males age 16-49: 5,493,946
  females age 16-49: 5,409,524 (2009 est.)

Maldives
  males age 16-49: 138,746
  females age 16-49: 82,247 (2009 est.)

Mali
  males age 16-49: 1,649,772
  females age 16-49: 1,579,601 (2009 est.)

Malta
  males age 16-49: 80,186
  females age 16-49: 76,426 (2009 est.)

Marshall Islands
  males age 16-49: 13,041
  females age 16-49: 13,199 (2009 est.)

Mauritania
  males age 16-49: 450,289
  females age 16-49: 544,598 (2009 est.)

Mauritius
  males age 16-49: 277,690
  females age 16-49: 282,211 (2009 est.)

Mayotte
  males age 16-49: 35,849
  females age 16-49: 34,456 (2009 est.)

Mexico
  males age 16-49: 22,541,654
  females age 16-49: 25,149,027 (2009 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  males age 16-49: 21,845
  females age 16-49: 23,401 (2009 est.)

Moldova
  males age 16-49: 877,665
  females age 16-49: 987,356 (2009 est.)

Monaco
  males age 16-49: 5,495
  females age 16-49: 5,406 (2009 est.)

Mongolia
  males age 16-49: 706,774
  females age 16-49: 740,550 (2009 est.)

Montenegro
  males age 16-49: 154,029
  females age 16-49: 136,847 (2009 est.)

Montserrat
  males age 16-49: 1,126
  females age 16-49: 1,226 (2009 est.)

Morocco
  males age 16-49: 7,779,589
  females age 16-49: 7,881,024 (2009 est.)

Mozambique
  males age 16-49: 2,366,897
  females age 16-49: 2,209,764 (2009 est.)

Namibia
  males age 16-49: 329,614
  females age 16-49: 294,490 (2009 est.)

Nauru
  males age 16-49: 2,592
  females age 16-49: 2,966 (2009 est.)

Nepal
  males age 16-49: 4,886,103
  females age 16-49: 5,525,764 (2009 est.)

Netherlands
  males age 16-49: 3,224,790
  females age 16-49: 3,143,096 (2009 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  males age 16-49: 46,461
  females age 16-49: 47,325 (2009 est.)

New Caledonia
  males age 16-49: 48,288
  females age 16-49: 48,959 (2009 est.)

New Zealand
  males age 16-49: 837,553
  females age 16-49: 825,981 (2009 est.)

Nicaragua
  males age 16-49: 1,277,878
  females age 16-49: 1,339,413 (2009 est.)

Niger
  males age 16-49: 2,019,553
  females age 16-49: 2,046,906 (2009 est.)

Nigeria
  males age 16-49: 19,763,535
  females age 16-49: 18,850,650 (2009 est.)

Northern Mariana Islands
  males age 16-49: 19,209
  females age 16-49: 33,074 (2009 est.)

Norway
  males age 16-49: 888,219
  females age 16-49: 863,255 (2009 est.)

Oman
  males age 16-49: 675,454
  females age 16-49: 563,890 (2009 est.)

Pakistan
  males age 16-49: 33,690,322
  females age 16-49: 32,602,910 (2009 est.)

Palau
  males age 16-49: 5,177
  females age 16-49: 3,936 (2009 est.)

Panama
  males age 16-49: 705,160
  females age 16-49: 710,521 (2009 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  males age 16-49: 1,110,175
  females age 16-49: 1,127,758 (2009 est.)

Paraguay
  males age 16-49: 1,363,746
  females age 16-49: 1,390,799 (2009 est.)

Peru
  males age 16-49: 5,920,716
  females age 16-49: 6,359,803 (2009 est.)

Philippines
  males age 16-49: 19,169,298
  females age 16-49: 20,636,853 (2009 est.)

Poland
  males age 16-49: 7,898,892
  females age 16-49: 7,888,035 (2009 est.)

Portugal
  males age 16-49: 2,103,558
  females age 16-49: 2,049,032 (2009 est.)

Puerto Rico
  males age 16-49: 699,784
  females age 16-49: 790,482 (2009 est.)

Qatar
  males age 16-49: 318,388
  females age 16-49: 136,841 (2009 est.)

Romania
  males age 16-49: 4,542,720
  females age 16-49: 4,604,484 (2009 est.)

Russia
  males age 16-49: 21,098,306
  females age 16-49: 27,968,883 (2009 est.)

Rwanda
  males age 16-49: 1,452,768
  females age 16-49: 1,456,207 (2009 est.)

Saint Barthelemy
  males age 16-49: 1,594
  females age 16-49: 1,340 (2009 est.)

Saint Helena
  males age 16-49: 1,586
  females age 16-49: 1,600 (2009 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  males age 16-49: 8,159
  females age 16-49: 8,517 (2009 est.)

Saint Lucia
  males age 16-49: 32,094
  females age 16-49: 36,110 (2009 est.)

Saint Martin
  males age 16-49: 6,336
  females age 16-49: 6,925 (2009 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  males age 16-49: 1,427
  females age 16-49: 1,406 (2009 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  males age 16-49: 22,975
  females age 16-49: 22,250 (2009 est.)

Samoa
  males age 16-49: 43,169
  females age 16-49: 40,957 (2009 est.)

San Marino
  males age 16-49: 5,343
  females age 16-49: 6,048 (2009 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  males age 16-49: 35,216
  females age 16-49: 38,329 (2009 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  males age 16-49: 7,486,622
  females age 16-49: 5,652,819 (2009 est.)

Senegal
  males age 16-49: 2,038,508
  females age 16-49: 2,207,510 (2009 est.)

Serbia
  males age 16-49: 1,415,007
  females age 16-49: 1,379,541 (2009 est.)

Seychelles
  males age 16-49: 19,702
  females age 16-49: 19,780 (2009 est.)

Sierra Leone
  males age 16-49: 692,469
  females age 16-49: 762,239 (2009 est.)

Singapore
  males age 16-49: 1,033,961
  females age 16-49: 1,104,952 (2009 est.)

Slovakia
  males age 16-49: 1,165,470
  females age 16-49: 1,152,941 (2009 est.)

Slovenia
  males age 16-49: 402,484
  females age 16-49: 390,559 (2009 est.)

Solomon Islands
  males age 16-49: 121,368
  females age 16-49: 122,821 (2009 est.)

Somalia
  males age 16-49: 1,301,026
  females age 16-49: 1,351,649 (2009 est.)

South Africa
  males age 16-49: 7,641,557
  females age 16-49: 6,518,793 (2009 est.)

Spain
  males age 16-49: 8,139,020
  females age 16-49: 7,899,157 (2009 est.)

Sri Lanka
  males age 16-49: 4,498,667
  females age 16-49: 4,693,895 (2009 est.)

Sudan
  males age 16-49: 5,836,971
  females age 16-49: 5,942,043 (2009 est.)

Suriname
  males age 16-49: 107,367
  females age 16-49: 111,000 (2009 est.)

Swaziland
  males age 16-49: 124,132
  females age 16-49: 118,570 (2009 est.)

Sweden
  males age 16-49: 1,705,746
  females age 16-49: 1,645,070 (2009 est.)

Switzerland
  males age 16-49: 1,510,259
  females age 16-49: 1,475,993 (2009 est.)

Syria
  males age 16-49: 4,360,934
  females age 16-49: 4,344,895 (2009 est.)

Taiwan
  males age 16-49: 5,106,730
  females age 16-49: 5,008,563 (2009 est.)

Tajikistan
  males age 16-49: 1,428,218
  females age 16-49: 1,603,779 (2009 est.)

Tanzania
  males age 16-49: 5,473,552
  females age 16-49: 5,493,188 (2009 est.)

Thailand
  males age 16-49: 13,086,106
  females age 16-49: 14,126,398 (2009 est.)

Timor-Leste
  males age 16-49: 230,534
  females age 16-49: 238,610 (2009 est.)

Togo
  males age 16-49: 929,395
  females age 16-49: 943,967 (2009 est.)

Tonga
  males age 16-49: 26,471
  females age 16-49: 27,715 (2009 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  males age 16-49: 276,224
  females age 16-49: 271,677 (2009 est.)

Tunisia
  males age 16-49: 2,569,403
  females age 16-49: 2,489,651 (2009 est.)

Turkey
  males age 16-49: 17,223,506
  females age 16-49: 16,995,299 (2009 est.)

Turkmenistan
  males age 16-49: 1,024,884
  females age 16-49: 1,147,714 (2009 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  males age 16-49: 4,937
  females age 16-49: 4,648 (2009 est.)

Tuvalu
  males age 16-49: 2,462
  females age 16-49: 2,631 (2009 est.)

Uganda
  males age 16-49: 3,996,597
  females age 16-49: 3,899,717 (2009 est.)

Ukraine
  males age 16-49: 7,056,742
  females age 16-49: 9,234,591 (2009 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  males age 16-49: 2,081,491
  females age 16-49: 788,632 (2009 est.)

United Kingdom
  males age 16-49: 12,123,900
  females age 16-49: 11,616,769 (2009 est.)

United States
  males age 16-49: 59,764,677
  females age 16-49: 59,437,663 (2009 est.)

Uruguay
  males age 16-49: 708,545
  females age 16-49: 693,622 (2009 est.)

Uzbekistan
  males age 16-49: 6,340,446
  females age 16-49: 6,559,769 (2009 est.)

Vanuatu
  males age 16-49: 41,533
  females age 16-49: 42,837 (2009 est.)

Venezuela
  males age 16-49: 5,391,582
  females age 16-49: 5,873,563 (2009 est.)

Vietnam
  males age 16-49: 19,190,676
  females age 16-49: 20,768,508 (2009 est.)

Virgin Islands
  males age 16-49: 17,820
  females age 16-49: 21,193 (2009 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
  males age 16-49: 3,273
  females age 16-49: 3,297 (2009 est.)

West Bank
  males age 16-49: 545,653
  females age 16-49: 515,102 (2009 est.)

Western Sahara
  males age 16-49: 52,267
  females age 16-49: 59,221 (2009 est.)

Yemen
  males age 16-49: 3,733,704
  females age 16-49: 3,773,626 (2009 est.)

Zambia
  males age 16-49: 1,364,173
  females age 16-49: 1,245,220 (2009 est.)

Zimbabwe
  males age 16-49: 1,198,727
  females age 16-49: 1,436,232 (2009 est.)

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

@2026

Field Listing :: Manpower reaching militarily significant age

annually

This entry gives the number of males and females entering the military manpower pool (i.e., reaching age 16) in any given year and is a measure of the availability of military-age young adults. Country

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

Afghanistan
  male: 382,720
  female: 361,733 (2009 est.)

Albania
  male: 34,778
  female: 31,673 (2009 est.)

Algeria
  male: 375,852
  female: 362,158 (2009 est.)

American Samoa
  male: 820
  female: 802 (2009 est.)

Andorra
  male: 402
  female: 373 (2009 est.)

Angola
  male: 146,738
  female: 143,478 (2009 est.)

Anguilla
  male: 107
  female: 106 (2009 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  male: 744
  female: 743 (2009 est.)

Argentina
  male: 341,590
  female: 326,342 (2009 est.)

Armenia
  male: 27,293
  female: 25,574 (2009 est.)

Aruba
  male: 722
  female: 711 (2009 est.)

Australia
  male: 144,959
  female: 137,333 (2009 est.)

Austria
  male: 50,540
  female: 48,042 (2009 est.)

Azerbaijan
  male: 90,416
  female: 85,344 (2009 est.)

Bahamas, The
  male: 2,992
  female: 3,003 (2009 est.)

Bahrain
  male: 6,612
  female: 6,499 (2009 est.)

Bangladesh
  male: 1,538,865
  female: 1,666,670 (2009 est.)

Barbados
  male: 2,015
  female: 2,007 (2009 est.)

Belarus
  male: 60,009
  female: 56,834 (2009 est.)

Belgium
  male: 62,722
  female: 59,969 (2009 est.)

Belize
  male: 3,632
  female: 3,500 (2009 est.)

Benin
  male: 101,549
  female: 97,856 (2009 est.)

Bermuda
  male: 426
  female: 413 (2009 est.)

Bhutan
  male: 7,668
  female: 7,379 (2009 est.)

Bolivia
  male: 108,304
  female: 104,882 (2009 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  male: 27,368
  female: 25,644 (2009 est.)

Botswana
  male: 23,420
  female: 22,904 (2009 est.)

Brazil
  male: 1,690,031
  female: 1,630,851 (2009 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  male: 178
  female: 173 (2009 est.)

Brunei
  male: 3,460
  female: 3,399 (2009 est.)

Bulgaria
  male: 38,263
  female: 36,374 (2009 est.)

Burkina Faso
  male: 182,540
  female: 180,051 (2009 est.)

Burma
  male: 426,110
  female: 417,674 (2009 est.)

Burundi
  male: 101,402
  female: 101,897 (2009 est.)

Cambodia
  male: 177,881
  female: 175,332 (2009 est.)

Cameroon
  male: 213,027
  female: 208,642 (2009 est.)

Canada
  male: 223,238
  female: 210,797 (2009 est.)

Cape Verde
  male: 5,471
  female: 5,349 (2009 est.)

Cayman Islands
  male: 334
  female: 345 (2009 est.)

Central African Republic
  male: 55,484
  female: 55,168 (2009 est.)

Chad
  male: 121,080
  female: 121,585 (2009 est.)

Chile
  male: 145,766
  female: 139,648 (2009 est.)

China
  male: 10,621,373
  female: 9,533,880 (2009 est.)

Colombia
  male: 446,432
  female: 437,164 (2009 est.)

Comoros
  male: 8,203
  female: 8,188 (2009 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  male: 814,199
  female: 811,238 (2009 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  male: 46,976
  female: 46,490 (2009 est.)

Cook Islands
  male: 148
  female: 125 (2009 est.)

Costa Rica
  male: 40,698
  female: 38,808 (2009 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  male: 236,159
  female: 232,617 (2009 est.)

Croatia
  male: 27,620
  female: 26,154 (2009 est.)

Cuba
  male: 75,969
  female: 72,253 (2009 est.)

Cyprus
  male: 6,241
  female: 5,979 (2009 est.)

Czech Republic
  male: 60,150
  female: 57,157 (2009 est.)

Denmark
  male: 37,231
  female: 35,306 (2009 est.)

Djibouti
  male: 5,778
  female: 5,771 (2009 est.)

Dominica
  male: 776
  female: 731 (2009 est.)

Dominican Republic
  male: 97,766
  female: 93,922 (2009 est.)

Ecuador
  male: 148,010
  female: 143,291 (2009 est.)

Egypt
  male: 831,157
  female: 792,330 (2009 est.)

El Salvador
  male: 77,473
  female: 74,655 (2009 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  male: 6,983
  female: 6,726 (2009 est.)

Eritrea
  male: 62,265
  female: 62,328 (2009 est.)

Estonia
  male: 7,583
  female: 7,111 (2009 est.)

Ethiopia
  male: 908,384
  female: 916,354 (2009 est.)

Faroe Islands
  male: 386
  female: 375 (2009 est.)

Fiji
  male: 9,107
  female: 8,755 (2009 est.)

Finland
  male: 33,784
  female: 32,621 (2009 est.)

France
  male: 391,480
  female: 373,334 (2009 est.)

French Polynesia
  male: 2,665
  female: 2,552 (2009 est.)

Gabon
  male: 16,933
  female: 16,942 (2009 est.)

Gambia, The
  male: 20,238
  female: 20,167 (2009 est.)

Gaza Strip
  male: 19,147
  female: 18,200 (2009 est.)

Georgia
  male: 32,355
  female: 30,809 (2009 est.)

Germany
  male: 431,508
  female: 409,111 (2009 est.)

Ghana
  male: 272,954
  female: 266,186 (2009 est.)

Gibraltar
  male: 186
  female: 179 (2009 est.)

Greece
  male: 53,401
  female: 50,084 (2009 est.)

Greenland
  male: 532
  female: 491 (2009 est.)

Grenada
  male: 982
  female: 937 (2009 est.)

Guam
  male: 1,677
  female: 1,581 (2009 est.)

Guatemala
  male: 165,910
  female: 163,760 (2009 est.)

Guernsey
  male: 362
  female: 351 (2009 est.)

Guinea
  male: 110,281
  female: 107,879 (2009 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  male: 16,957
  female: 17,172 (2009 est.)

Guyana
  male: 6,625
  female: 6,365 (2009 est.)

Haiti
  male: 108,444
  female: 106,243 (2009 est.)

Honduras
  male: 92,638
  female: 88,993 (2009 est.)

Hong Kong
  male: 42,330
  female: 38,797 (2009 est.)

Hungary
  male: 60,248
  female: 57,280 (2009 est.)

Iceland
  male: 2,369
  female: 2,349 (2009 est.)

India
  male: 11.795 million
  female: 10,820,590 (2009 est.)

Indonesia
  male: 2,197,323
  female: 2,126,412 (2009 est.)

Iran
  male: 700,213
  female: 664,846 (2009 est.)

Iraq
  male: 313,500
  female: 304,923 (2009 est.)

Ireland
  male: 28,072
  female: 26,400 (2009 est.)

Isle of Man
  male: 466
  female: 446 (2009 est.)

Israel
  male: 61,223
  female: 58,219 (2009 est.)

Italy
  male: 287,845
  female: 270,384 (2009 est.)

Jamaica
  male: 31,833
  female: 31,257 (2009 est.)

Japan
  male: 621,254
  female: 589,270 (2009 est.)

Jersey
  male: 586
  female: 541 (2009 est.)

Jordan
  male: 69,830
  female: 67,292 (2009 est.)

Kazakhstan
  male: 139,262
  female: 133,047 (2009 est.)

Kenya
  male: 412,656
  female: 408,657 (2009 est.)

Kiribati
  male: 1,264
  female: 1,242 (2009 est.)

Korea, North
  male: 191,759
  female: 184,641 (2009 est.)

Korea, South
  male: 371,728
  female: 322,605 (2009 est.)

Kuwait
  male: 18,122
  female: 18,865 (2009 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  male: 57,659
  female: 55,557 (2009 est.)

Laos
  male: 75,310
  female: 74,498 (2009 est.)

Latvia
  male: 12,901
  female: 12,497 (2009 est.)

Lebanon
  male: 33,018
  female: 31,800 (2009 est.)

Lesotho
  male: 26,039
  female: 25,964 (2009 est.)

Liberia
  male: 34,059
  female: 33,281 (2009 est.)

Libya
  male: 60,710
  female: 58,219 (2009 est.)

Liechtenstein
  male: 199
  female: 222 (2009 est.)

Lithuania
  male: 23,556
  female: 22,404 (2009 est.)

Luxembourg
  male: 3,170
  female: 2,995 (2009 est.)

Macau
  male: 4,578
  female: 4,052 (2009 est.)

Macedonia
  male: 14,596
  female: 13,881 (2009 est.)

Madagascar
  male: 236,500
  female: 235,994 (2009 est.)

Malawi
  male: 174,044
  female: 173,828 (2009 est.)

Malaysia
  male: 266,267
  female: 252,543 (2009 est.)

Maldives
  male: 4,576
  female: 3,942 (2009 est.)

Mali
  male: 147,846
  female: 140,543 (2009 est.)

Malta
  male: 2,695
  female: 2,533 (2009 est.)

Marshall Islands
  male: 540
  female: 521 (2009 est.)

Mauritania
  male: 34,546
  female: 35,272 (2009 est.)

Mauritius
  male: 10,901
  female: 10,796 (2009 est.)

Mayotte
  male: 2,517
  female: 2,511 (2009 est.)

Mexico
  male: 1,109,981
  female: 1,072,094 (2009 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  male: 1,273
  female: 1,212 (2009 est.)

Moldova
  male: 31,633
  female: 30,214 (2009 est.)

Monaco
  male: 190
  female: 182 (2009 est.)

Mongolia
  male: 28,251
  female: 27,344 (2009 est.)

Montenegro
  male: 3,945
  female: 3,907 (2009 est.)

Montserrat
  male: 36
  female: 33 (2009 est.)

Morocco
  male: 356,014
  female: 343,520 (2009 est.)

Mozambique
  male: 263,994
  female: 265,058 (2009 est.)

Namibia
  male: 25,857
  female: 25,505 (2009 est.)

Nauru
  male: 179
  female: 174 (2009 est.)

Nepal
  male: 365,567
  female: 352,643 (2009 est.)

Netherlands
  male: 105,194
  female: 100,341 (2009 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  male: 1,920
  female: 1,827 (2009 est.)

New Caledonia
  male: 2,160
  female: 2,087 (2009 est.)

New Zealand
  male: 31,461
  female: 29,809 (2009 est.)

Nicaragua
  male: 72,366
  female: 70,118 (2009 est.)

Niger
  male: 170,060
  female: 163,996 (2009 est.)

Nigeria
  male: 1,697,030
  female: 1,618,561 (2009 est.)

Northern Mariana Islands
  male: 570
  female: 587 (2009 est.)

Norway
  male: 31,980
  female: 30,543 (2009 est.)

Oman
  male: 35,647
  female: 34,407 (2009 est.)

Pakistan
  male: 2,089,936
  female: 1,964,090 (2009 est.)

Palau
  male: 207
  female: 214 (2009 est.)

Panama
  male: 31,089
  female: 29,939 (2009 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  male: 64,636
  female: 62,803 (2009 est.)

Paraguay
  male: 73,660
  female: 72,046 (2009 est.)

Peru
  male: 310,575
  female: 300,838 (2009 est.)

Philippines
  male: 1,023,431
  female: 986,434 (2009 est.)

Poland
  male: 246,667
  female: 235,698 (2009 est.)

Portugal
  male: 64,047
  female: 57,630 (2009 est.)

Puerto Rico
  male: 30,422
  female: 29,396 (2009 est.)

Qatar
  male: 6,337
  female: 5,059 (2009 est.)

Romania
  male: 124,356
  female: 118,430 (2009 est.)

Russia
  male: 741,692
  female: 706,081 (2009 est.)

Rwanda
  male: 106,741
  female: 106,935 (2009 est.)

Saint Barthelemy
  male: 21
  female: 20 (2009 est.)

Saint Helena
  male: 47
  female: 45 (2009 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  male: 376
  female: 362 (2009 est.)

Saint Lucia
  male: 1,607
  female: 1,511 (2009 est.)

Saint Martin
  male: 177
  female: 162 (2009 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  male: 61
  female: 57 (2009 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  male: 1,020
  female: 1,009 (2009 est.)

Samoa
  male: 2,597
  female: 2,477 (2009 est.)

San Marino
  male: 161
  female: 160 (2009 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  male: 2,534
  female: 2,485 (2009 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  male: 278,179
  female: 267,905 (2009 est.)

Senegal
  male: 154,249
  female: 153,679 (2009 est.)

Serbia
  male: 44,601
  female: 41,845 (2009 est.)

Seychelles
  male: 714
  female: 685 (2009 est.)

Sierra Leone
  male: 71,524
  female: 75,491 (2009 est.)

Singapore
  male: 27,715
  female: 26,290 (2009 est.)

Slovakia
  male: 36,552
  female: 34,783 (2009 est.)

Slovenia
  male: 10,192
  female: 9,717 (2009 est.)

Solomon Islands
  male: 7,091
  female: 6,837 (2009 est.)

Somalia
  male: 93,763
  female: 93,738 (2009 est.)

South Africa
  male: 511,616
  female: 510,540 (2009 est.)

Spain
  male: 199,124
  female: 187,224 (2009 est.)

Sri Lanka
  male: 173,256
  female: 167,645 (2009 est.)

Sudan
  male: 498,376
  female: 479,005 (2009 est.)

Suriname
  male: 4,251
  female: 4,265 (2009 est.)

Swaziland
  male: 15,985
  female: 15,754 (2009 est.)

Sweden
  male: 62,262
  female: 59,340 (2009 est.)

Switzerland
  male: 48,076
  female: 44,049 (2009 est.)

Syria
  male: 213,513
  female: 201,055 (2009 est.)

Taiwan
  male: 165,738
  female: 154,123 (2009 est.)

Tajikistan
  male: 80,819
  female: 78,460 (2009 est.)

Tanzania
  male: 487,742
  female: 489,462 (2009 est.)

Thailand
  male: 532,977
  female: 510,737 (2009 est.)

Timor-Leste
  male: 12,887
  female: 12,529 (2009 est.)

Togo
  male: 70,775
  female: 70,051 (2009 est.)

Tonga
  male: 1,458
  female: 1,403 (2009 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  male: 9,183
  female: 8,662 (2009 est.)

Tunisia
  male: 100,478
  female: 94,055 (2009 est.)

Turkey
  male: 692,592
  female: 663,689 (2009 est.)

Turkmenistan
  male: 57,021
  female: 56,064 (2009 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  male: 226
  female: 218 (2009 est.)

Tuvalu
  male: 125
  female: 121 (2009 est.)

Uganda
  male: 399,134
  female: 395,505 (2009 est.)

Ukraine
  male: 269,311
  female: 257,656 (2009 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  male: 26,659
  female: 23,793 (2009 est.)

United Kingdom
  male: 393,892
  female: 376,351 (2009 est.)

United States
  male: 2,196,124
  female: 2,085,085 (2009 est.)

Uruguay
  male: 27,452
  female: 26,479 (2009 est.)

Uzbekistan
  male: 313,131
  female: 310,442 (2009 est.)

Vanuatu
  male: 2,368
  female: 2,272 (2009 est.)

Venezuela
  male: 276,051
  female: 274,162 (2009 est.)

Vietnam
  male: 893,726
  female: 834,279 (2009 est.)

Virgin Islands
  male: 831
  female: 873 (2009 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
  male: 175
  female: 164 (2009 est.)

West Bank
  male: 30,233
  female: 28,745 (2009 est.)

Western Sahara
  male: 4,796
  female: 4,679 (2009 est.)

Yemen
  male: 273,624
  female: 263,402 (2009 est.)

Zambia
  male: 149,567
  female: 148,889 (2009 est.)

Zimbabwe
  male: 149,592
  female: 149,717 (2009 est.)

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

@2028

Field Listing :: Background

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

Background

Afghanistan
  Ahmad Shah DURRANI unified the Pashtun tribes and
  founded Afghanistan in 1747. The country served as a buffer between
  the British and Russian empires until it won independence from
  notional British control in 1919. A brief experiment in democracy
  ended in a 1973 coup and a 1978 Communist counter-coup. The Soviet
  Union invaded in 1979 to support the tottering Afghan Communist
  regime, touching off a long and destructive war. The USSR withdrew
  in 1989 under relentless pressure by internationally supported
  anti-Communist mujahedin rebels. A series of subsequent civil wars
  saw Kabul finally fall in 1996 to the Taliban, a hardline
  Pakistani-sponsored movement that emerged in 1994 to end the
  country's civil war and anarchy. Following the 11 September 2001
  terrorist attacks in New York City, a US, Allied, and anti-Taliban
  Northern Alliance military action toppled the Taliban for sheltering
  Osama BIN LADIN. The UN-sponsored Bonn Conference in 2001
  established a process for political reconstruction that included the
  adoption of a new constitution, a presidential election in 2004, and
  National Assembly elections in 2005. In December 2004, Hamid KARZAI
  became the first democratically elected president of Afghanistan and
  the National Assembly was inaugurated the following December.
  Despite gains toward building a stable central government, a
  resurgent Taliban and continuing provincial instability -
  particularly in the south and the east - remain serious challenges
  for the Afghan Government.

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

Albania
  Albania declared its independence from the Ottoman Empire in
  1912, but was conquered by Italy in 1939. Communist partisans took
  over the country in 1944. Albania allied itself first with the USSR
  (until 1960), and then with China (to 1978). In the early 1990s,
  Albania ended 46 years of xenophobic Communist rule and established
  a multiparty democracy. The transition has proven challenging as
  successive governments have tried to deal with high unemployment,
  widespread corruption, a dilapidated physical infrastructure,
  powerful organized crime networks, and combative political
  opponents. Albania has made progress in its democratic development
  since first holding multiparty elections in 1991, but deficiencies
  remain. International observers judged elections to be largely free
  and fair since the restoration of political stability following the
  collapse of pyramid schemes in 1997; however, there have been claims
  of electoral fraud in every one of Albania's post-communist
  elections. In the 2005 general elections, the Democratic Party and
  its allies won a decisive victory on pledges to reduce crime and
  corruption, promote economic growth, and decrease the size of
  government. The election, and particularly the orderly transition of
  power, was considered an important step forward. Albania joined NATO
  in April 2009 and is a potential candidate for EU accession.
  Although Albania's economy continues to grow, the country is still
  one of the poorest in Europe, hampered by a large informal economy
  and an inadequate energy and transportation infrastructure.

Algeria
  After more than a century of rule by France, Algerians
  fought through much of the 1950s to achieve independence in 1962.
  Algeria's primary political party, the National Liberation Front
  (FLN), has dominated politics ever since. Many Algerians in the
  subsequent generation were not satisfied, however, and moved to
  counter the FLN's centrality in Algerian politics. The surprising
  first round success of the Islamic Salvation Front (FIS) in the
  December 1991 balloting spurred the Algerian army to intervene and
  postpone the second round of elections to prevent what the secular
  elite feared would be an extremist-led government from assuming
  power. The army began a crackdown on the FIS that spurred FIS
  supporters to begin attacking government targets. The government
  later allowed elections featuring pro-government and moderate
  religious-based parties, but did not appease the activists who
  progressively widened their attacks. The fighting escalated into an
  insurgency, which saw intense fighting between 1992-98 and which
  resulted in over 100,000 deaths - many attributed to indiscriminate
  massacres of villagers by extremists. The government gained the
  upper hand by the late-1990s and FIS's armed wing, the Islamic
  Salvation Army, disbanded in January 2000. However, small numbers of
  armed militants persist in confronting government forces and
  conducting ambushes and occasional attacks on villages. The army
  placed Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA in the presidency in 1999 in a
  fraudulent election but claimed neutrality in his 2004 landslide
  reelection victory. Longstanding problems continue to face
  BOUTEFLIKA in his second term, including large-scale unemployment, a
  shortage of housing, unreliable electrical and water supplies,
  government inefficiencies and corruption, and the continuing
  activities of extremist militants. The Salafist Group for Preaching
  and Combat (GSPC) in 2006 merged with al-Qaida to form al-Qaida in
  the Lands of the Islamic Maghreb, which since has launched an
  ongoing series of kidnappings and bombings - including high-profile,
  mass-casualty suicide attacks targeted against the Algerian
  government and Western interests. Algeria must also diversify its
  petroleum-based economy, which has yielded a large cash reserve but
  which has not been used to redress Algeria's many social and
  infrastructure problems.

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

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

Angola
  Angola is rebuilding its country after the end of a 27-year
  civil war in 2002. Fighting between the Popular Movement for the
  Liberation of Angola (MPLA), led by Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS, and the
  National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), led by
  Jonas SAVIMBI, followed independence from Portugal in 1975. Peace
  seemed imminent in 1992 when Angola held national elections, but
  fighting picked up again by 1996. Up to 1.5 million lives may have
  been lost - and 4 million people displaced - in the quarter century
  of fighting. SAVIMBI's death in 2002 ended UNITA's insurgency and
  strengthened the MPLA's hold on power. President DOS SANTOS held
  legislative elections in September 2008, and announced plans to hold
  presidential elections in 2009.

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

Antarctica
  Speculation over the existence of a "southern land" was
  not confirmed until the early 1820s when British and American
  commercial operators and British and Russian national expeditions
  began exploring the Antarctic Peninsula region and other areas south
  of the Antarctic Circle. Not until 1840 was it established that
  Antarctica was indeed a continent and not just a group of islands.
  Several exploration "firsts" were achieved in the early 20th
  century. Following World War II, there was an upsurge in scientific
  research on the continent. A number of countries have set up a range
  of year-round and seasonal stations, camps, and refuges to support
  scientific research in Antarctica. Seven have made territorial
  claims, but not all countries recognize these claims. In order to
  form a legal framework for the activities of nations on the
  continent, an Antarctic Treaty was negotiated that neither denies
  nor gives recognition to existing territorial claims; signed in
  1959, it entered into force in 1961.

Antigua and Barbuda
  The Siboney were the first to inhabit the
  islands of Antigua and Barbuda in 2400 B.C., but Arawak Indians
  populated the islands when COLUMBUS landed on his second voyage in
  1493. Early settlements by the Spanish and French were succeeded by
  the English who formed a colony in 1667. Slavery, established to run
  the sugar plantations on Antigua, was abolished in 1834. The islands
  became an independent state within the British Commonwealth of
  Nations in 1981.

Arctic Ocean
  The Arctic Ocean is the smallest of the world's five
  oceans (after the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, and
  the recently delimited Southern Ocean). The Northwest Passage (US
  and Canada) and Northern Sea Route (Norway and Russia) are two
  important seasonal waterways. A sparse network of air, ocean, river,
  and land routes circumscribes the Arctic Ocean.

Argentina
  In 1816, the United Provinces of the Rio Plata declared
  their independence from Spain. After Bolivia, Paraguay, and Uruguay
  went their separate ways, the area that remained became Argentina.
  The country's population and culture were heavily shaped by
  immigrants from throughout Europe, but most particularly Italy and
  Spain, which provided the largest percentage of newcomers from 1860
  to 1930. Up until about the mid-20th century, much of Argentina's
  history was dominated by periods of internal political conflict
  between Federalists and Unitarians and between civilian and military
  factions. After World War II, an era of Peronist populism and direct
  and indirect military interference in subsequent governments was
  followed by a military junta that took power in 1976. Democracy
  returned in 1983 after a failed bid to seize the Falkland (Malvinas)
  Islands by force, and has persisted despite numerous challenges, the
  most formidable of which was a severe economic crisis in 2001-02
  that led to violent public protests and the resignation of several
  interim presidents.

Armenia
  Armenia prides itself on being the first nation to formally
  adopt Christianity (early 4th century). Despite periods of autonomy,
  over the centuries Armenia came under the sway of various empires
  including the Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Persian, and Ottoman. During
  World War I in the western portion of Armenia, Ottoman Turkey
  instituted a policy of forced resettlement coupled with other harsh
  practices that resulted in an estimated 1 million Armenian deaths.
  The eastern area of Armenia was ceded by the Ottomans to Russia in
  1828; this portion declared its independence in 1918, but was
  conquered by the Soviet Red Army in 1920. Armenian leaders remain
  preoccupied by the long conflict with Azerbaijan over
  Nagorno-Karabakh, a primarily Armenian-populated region, assigned to
  Soviet Azerbaijan in the 1920s by Moscow. Armenia and Azerbaijan
  began fighting over the area in 1988; the struggle escalated after
  both countries attained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.
  By May 1994, when a cease-fire took hold, ethnic Armenian forces
  held not only Nagorno-Karabakh but also a significant portion of
  Azerbaijan proper. The economies of both sides have been hurt by
  their inability to make substantial progress toward a peaceful
  resolution. Turkey closed the common border with Armenia because of
  the Armenian separatists' control of Nagorno-Karabakh and
  surrounding areas.

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

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  These uninhabited islands came under
  Australian authority in 1931; formal administration began two years
  later. Ashmore Reef supports a rich and diverse avian and marine
  habitat; in 1983, it became a National Nature Reserve. Cartier
  Island, a former bombing range, became a marine reserve in 2000.

Atlantic Ocean
  The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the
  world's five oceans (after the Pacific Ocean, but larger than the
  Indian Ocean, Southern Ocean, and Arctic Ocean). The Kiel Canal
  (Germany), Oresund (Denmark-Sweden), Bosporus (Turkey), Strait of
  Gibraltar (Morocco-Spain), and the Saint Lawrence Seaway (Canada-US)
  are important strategic access waterways. The decision by the
  International Hydrographic Organization in the spring of 2000 to
  delimit a fifth world ocean, the Southern Ocean, removed the portion
  of the Atlantic Ocean south of 60 degrees south latitude.

Australia
  Aboriginal settlers arrived on the continent from
  Southeast Asia about 40,000 years before the first Europeans began
  exploration in the 17th century. No formal territorial claims were
  made until 1770, when Capt. James COOK took possession in the name
  of Great Britain. Six colonies were created in the late 18th and
  19th centuries; they federated and became the Commonwealth of
  Australia in 1901. The new country took advantage of its natural
  resources to rapidly develop agricultural and manufacturing
  industries and to make a major contribution to the British effort in
  World Wars I and II. In recent decades, Australia has transformed
  itself into an internationally competitive, advanced market economy.
  It boasted one of the OECD's fastest growing economies during the
  1990s, a performance due in large part to economic reforms adopted
  in the 1980s. Long-term concerns include climate-change issues such
  as the depletion of the ozone layer and more frequent droughts, and
  management and conservation of coastal areas, especially the Great
  Barrier Reef.

Austria
  Once the center of power for the large Austro-Hungarian
  Empire, Austria was reduced to a small republic after its defeat in
  World War I. Following annexation by Nazi Germany in 1938 and
  subsequent occupation by the victorious Allies in 1945, Austria's
  status remained unclear for a decade. A State Treaty signed in 1955
  ended the occupation, recognized Austria's independence, and forbade
  unification with Germany. A constitutional law that same year
  declared the country's "perpetual neutrality" as a condition for
  Soviet military withdrawal. The Soviet Union's collapse in 1991 and
  Austria's entry into the European Union in 1995 have altered the
  meaning of this neutrality. A prosperous, democratic country,
  Austria entered the EU Economic and Monetary Union in 1999. In
  January 2009, Austria assumed a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security
  Council for the 2009-10 term.

Azerbaijan
  Azerbaijan - a nation with a majority-Turkic and
  majority-Muslim population - was briefly independent from 1918 to
  1920; it regained its independence after the collapse of the Soviet
  Union in 1991. Despite a 1994 cease-fire, Azerbaijan has yet to
  resolve its conflict with Armenia over the Azerbaijani
  Nagorno-Karabakh region (largely Armenian populated). Azerbaijan has
  lost 16% of its territory and must support some 600,000 internally
  displaced persons as a result of the conflict. Corruption is
  ubiquitous, and the government has been accused of authoritarianism.
  Although the poverty rate has been reduced in recent years, the
  promise of widespread wealth from development of Azerbaijan's energy
  sector remains largely unfulfilled.

Bahamas, The
  Lucayan Indians inhabited the islands when Christopher
  COLUMBUS first set foot in the New World on San Salvador in 1492.
  British settlement of the islands began in 1647; the islands became
  a colony in 1783. Since attaining independence from the UK in 1973,
  The Bahamas have prospered through tourism and international banking
  and investment management. Because of its geography, the country is
  a major transshipment point for illegal drugs, particularly
  shipments to the US and Europe, and its territory is used for
  smuggling illegal migrants into the US.

Bahrain
  In 1783, the al-Khalifa family captured Bahrain from the
  Persians. In order to secure these holdings, it entered into a
  series of treaties with the UK during the 19th century that made
  Bahrain a British protectorate. The archipelago attained its
  independence in 1971. Bahrain's small size and central location
  among Persian Gulf countries require it to play a delicate balancing
  act in foreign affairs among its larger neighbors. Facing declining
  oil reserves, Bahrain has turned to petroleum processing and
  refining and has transformed itself into an international banking
  center. King HAMAD bin Isa al-Khalifa, after coming to power in
  1999, pushed economic and political reforms to improve relations
  with the Shia community. Shia political societies participated in
  2006 parliamentary and municipal elections. Al Wifaq, the largest
  Shia political society, won the largest number of seats in the
  elected chamber of the legislature. However, Shia discontent has
  resurfaced in recent years with street demonstrations and occasional
  low-level violence.

Bangladesh
  Europeans began to set up trading posts in the area of
  Bangladesh in the 16th century; eventually the British came to
  dominate the region and it became part of British India. In 1947,
  West Pakistan and East Bengal (both primarily Muslim) separated from
  India (largely Hindu) and jointly became the new country of
  Pakistan. East Bengal became East Pakistan in 1955, but the awkward
  arrangement of a two-part country with its territorial units
  separated by 1,600 km left the Bengalis marginalized and
  dissatisfied. East Pakistan seceded from its union with West
  Pakistan in 1971 and was renamed Bangladesh. A military-backed,
  emergency caretaker regime suspended parliamentary elections planned
  for January 2007 in an effort to reform the political system and
  root out corruption. In contrast to the strikes and violent street
  rallies that had marked Bangladeshi politics in previous years, the
  parliamentary elections finally held in late December 2008 were
  mostly peaceful. Sheikh HASINA Wajed was reappointed prime minister.
  About a third of this extremely poor country floods annually during
  the monsoon rainy season, hampering economic development.

Barbados
  The island was uninhabited when first settled by the
  British in 1627. Slaves worked the sugar plantations established on
  the island until 1834 when slavery was abolished. The economy
  remained heavily dependent on sugar, rum, and molasses production
  through most of the 20th century. The gradual introduction of social
  and political reforms in the 1940s and 1950s led to complete
  independence from the UK in 1966. In the 1990s, tourism and
  manufacturing surpassed the sugar industry in economic importance.

Belarus
  After seven decades as a constituent republic of the USSR,
  Belarus attained its independence in 1991. It has retained closer
  political and economic ties to Russia than any of the other former
  Soviet republics. Belarus and Russia signed a treaty on a two-state
  union on 8 December 1999 envisioning greater political and economic
  integration. Although Belarus agreed to a framework to carry out the
  accord, serious implementation has yet to take place. Since his
  election in July 1994 as the country's first president, Aleksandr
  LUKASHENKO has steadily consolidated his power through authoritarian
  means. Government restrictions on freedom of speech and the press,
  peaceful assembly, and religion remain in place.

Belgium
  Belgium became independent from the Netherlands in 1830; it
  was occupied by Germany during World Wars I and II. The country
  prospered in the past half century as a modern, technologically
  advanced European state and member of NATO and the EU. Tensions
  between the Dutch-speaking Flemings of the north and the
  French-speaking Walloons of the south have led in recent years to
  constitutional amendments granting these regions formal recognition
  and autonomy.

Belize
  Belize was the site of several Mayan city states until their
  decline at the end of the first millennium A.D. The British and
  Spanish disputed the region in the 17th and 18th centuries; it
  formally became the colony of British Honduras in 1854. Territorial
  disputes between the UK and Guatemala delayed the independence of
  Belize until 1981. Guatemala refused to recognize the new nation
  until 1992 and the two countries are involved in an ongoing border
  dispute. Guatemala and Belize are gearing up for a simultaneous
  referendum to determine if this dispute will go before the
  International Court of Justice at The Hague. Tourism has become the
  mainstay of the economy. Current concerns include an unsustainable
  foreign debt, high unemployment, growing involvement in the South
  American drug trade, growing urban crime, and increasing incidences
  of HIV/AIDS.

Benin
  Present day Benin was the site of Dahomey, a prominent West
  African kingdom that rose in the 15th century. The territory became
  a French Colony in 1872 and achieved independence on 1 August 1960,
  as the Republic of Benin. A succession of military governments ended
  in 1972 with the rise to power of Mathieu KEREKOU and the
  establishment of a government based on Marxist-Leninist principles.
  A move to representative government began in 1989. Two years later,
  free elections ushered in former Prime Minister Nicephore SOGLO as
  president, marking the first successful transfer of power in Africa
  from a dictatorship to a democracy. KEREKOU was returned to power by
  elections held in 1996 and 2001, though some irregularities were
  alleged. KEREKOU stepped down at the end of his second term in 2006
  and was succeeded by Thomas YAYI Boni, a political outsider and
  independent. YAYI has begun a high profile fight against corruption
  and has strongly promoted accelerating Benin's economic growth.

Bermuda
  Bermuda was first settled in 1609 by shipwrecked English
  colonists headed for Virginia. Tourism to the island to escape North
  American winters first developed in Victorian times. Tourism
  continues to be important to the island's economy, although
  international business has overtaken it in recent years. Bermuda has
  developed into a highly successful offshore financial center.
  Although a referendum on independence from the UK was soundly
  defeated in 1995, the present government has reopened debate on the
  issue.

Bhutan
  In 1865, Britain and Bhutan signed the Treaty of Sinchulu,
  under which Bhutan would receive an annual subsidy in exchange for
  ceding some border land to British India. Under British influence, a
  monarchy was set up in 1907; three years later, a treaty was signed
  whereby the British agreed not to interfere in Bhutanese internal
  affairs and Bhutan allowed Britain to direct its foreign affairs.
  This role was assumed by independent India after 1947. Two years
  later, a formal Indo-Bhutanese accord returned the areas of Bhutan
  annexed by the British, formalized the annual subsidies the country
  received, and defined India's responsibilities in defense and
  foreign relations. A refugee issue of over 100,000 Bhutanese in
  Nepal remains unresolved; 90% of the refugees are housed in seven
  United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
  camps. In March 2005, King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK unveiled the
  government's draft constitution - which would introduce major
  democratic reforms - and pledged to hold a national referendum for
  its approval. In December 2006, the King abdicated the throne to his
  son, Jigme Khesar Namgyel WANGCHUCK, in order to give him experience
  as head of state before the democratic transition. In early 2007,
  India and Bhutan renegotiated their treaty to allow Bhutan greater
  autonomy in conducting its foreign policy, although Thimphu
  continues to coordinate policy decisions in this area with New
  Delhi. In July 2007, seven ministers of Bhutan's ten-member cabinet
  resigned to join the political process, and the cabinet acted as a
  caretaker regime until democratic elections for seats to the
  country's first parliament were completed in March 2008. The king
  ratified the country's first constitution in July 2008.

Bolivia
  Bolivia, named after independence fighter Simon BOLIVAR,
  broke away from Spanish rule in 1825; much of its subsequent history
  has consisted of a series of nearly 200 coups and countercoups.
  Democratic civilian rule was established in 1982, but leaders have
  faced difficult problems of deep-seated poverty, social unrest, and
  illegal drug production. In December 2005, Bolivians elected
  Movement Toward Socialism leader Evo MORALES president - by the
  widest margin of any leader since the restoration of civilian rule
  in 1982 - after he ran on a promise to change the country's
  traditional political class and empower the nation's poor,
  indigenous majority. However, since taking office, his controversial
  strategies have exacerbated racial and economic tensions between the
  Amerindian populations of the Andean west and the non-indigenous
  communities of the eastern lowlands.

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  Bosnia and Herzegovina's declaration of
  sovereignty in October 1991 was followed by a declaration of
  independence from the former Yugoslavia on 3 March 1992 after a
  referendum boycotted by ethnic Serbs. The Bosnian Serbs - supported
  by neighboring Serbia and Montenegro - responded with armed
  resistance aimed at partitioning the republic along ethnic lines and
  joining Serb-held areas to form a "Greater Serbia." In March 1994,
  Bosniaks and Croats reduced the number of warring factions from
  three to two by signing an agreement creating a joint Bosniak/Croat
  Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. On 21 November 1995, in
  Dayton, Ohio, the warring parties initialed a peace agreement that
  brought to a halt three years of interethnic civil strife (the final
  agreement was signed in Paris on 14 December 1995). The Dayton Peace
  Accords retained Bosnia and Herzegovina's international boundaries
  and created a joint multi-ethnic and democratic government charged
  with conducting foreign, diplomatic, and fiscal policy. Also
  recognized was a second tier of government comprised of two entities
  roughly equal in size: the Bosniak/Croat Federation of Bosnia and
  Herzegovina and the Bosnian Serb-led Republika Srpska (RS). The
  Federation and RS governments were charged with overseeing most
  government functions. The Office of the High Representative (OHR)
  was established to oversee the implementation of the civilian
  aspects of the agreement. In 1995-96, a NATO-led international
  peacekeeping force (IFOR) of 60,000 troops served in Bosnia to
  implement and monitor the military aspects of the agreement. IFOR
  was succeeded by a smaller, NATO-led Stabilization Force (SFOR)
  whose mission was to deter renewed hostilities. European Union
  peacekeeping troops (EUFOR) replaced SFOR in December 2004; their
  mission is to maintain peace and stability throughout the country.
  EUFOR's mission changed from peacekeeping to civil policing in
  October 2007, with its presence reduced from nearly 7,000 to less
  than 2,500 troops.

Botswana
  Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana
  adopted its new name upon independence in 1966. Four decades of
  uninterrupted civilian leadership, progressive social policies, and
  significant capital investment have created one of the most dynamic
  economies in Africa. Mineral extraction, principally diamond mining,
  dominates economic activity, though tourism is a growing sector due
  to the country's conservation practices and extensive nature
  preserves. Botswana has one of the world's highest known rates of
  HIV/AIDS infection, but also one of Africa's most progressive and
  comprehensive programs for dealing with the disease.

Bouvet Island
  This uninhabited volcanic island is almost entirely
  covered by glaciers and is difficult to approach. It was discovered
  in 1739 by a French naval officer after whom the island was named.
  No claim was made until 1825, when the British flag was raised. In
  1928, the UK waived its claim in favor of Norway, which had occupied
  the island the previous year. In 1971, Norway designated Bouvet
  Island and the adjacent territorial waters a nature reserve. Since
  1977, it has run an automated meteorological station on the island.

Brazil
  Following more than three centuries under Portuguese rule,
  Brazil peacefully gained its independence in 1822, maintaining a
  monarchical system of government until the abolition of slavery in
  1888 and the subsequent proclamation of a republic by the military
  in 1889. Brazilian coffee exporters politically dominated the
  country until populist leader Getulio VARGAS rose to power in 1930.
  By far the largest and most populous country in South America,
  Brazil underwent more than half a century of populist and military
  government until 1985, when the military regime peacefully ceded
  power to civilian rulers. Brazil continues to pursue industrial and
  agricultural growth and development of its interior. Exploiting vast
  natural resources and a large labor pool, it is today South
  America's leading economic power and a regional leader. Highly
  unequal income distribution and crime remain pressing problems.

British Indian Ocean Territory
  Formerly administered as part of the
  British Crown Colony of Mauritius, the British Indian Ocean
  Territory (BIOT) was established as an overseas territory of the UK
  in 1965. A number of the islands of the territory were later
  transferred to the Seychelles when it attained independence in 1976.
  Subsequently, BIOT has consisted only of the six main island groups
  comprising the Chagos Archipelago. The largest and most southerly of
  the islands, Diego Garcia, contains a joint UK-US naval support
  facility. All of the remaining islands are uninhabited. Between 1967
  and 1973, former agricultural workers, earlier residents in the
  islands, were relocated primarily to Mauritius, but also to the
  Seychelles. Negotiations between 1971 and 1982 resulted in the
  establishment of a trust fund by the British Government as
  compensation for the displaced islanders, known as Chagossians.
  Beginning in 1998, the islanders pursued a series of lawsuits
  against the British Government seeking further compensation and the
  right to return to the territory. In 2006 and 2007, British court
  rulings invalidated the immigration policies contained in the 2004
  BIOT Constitution Order that had excluded the islanders from the
  archipelago, but upheld the special military status of Diego Garcia.
  In 2008, the House of Lords, as the final court of appeal in the UK,
  ruled in favor of the British Government by overturning the lower
  court rulings and finding no right of return on the part of the
  Chagossians.

British Virgin Islands
  First inhabited by Arawak and later by Carib
  Indians, the Virgin Islands were settled by the Dutch in 1648 and
  then annexed by the English in 1672. The islands were part of the
  British colony of the Leeward Islands from 1872-1960; they were
  granted autonomy in 1967. The economy is closely tied to the larger
  and more populous US Virgin Islands to the west; the US dollar is
  the legal currency.

Brunei
  The Sultanate of Brunei's influence peaked between the 15th
  and 17th centuries when its control extended over coastal areas of
  northwest Borneo and the southern Philippines. Brunei subsequently
  entered a period of decline brought on by internal strife over royal
  succession, colonial expansion of European powers, and piracy. In
  1888, Brunei became a British protectorate; independence was
  achieved in 1984. The same family has ruled Brunei for over six
  centuries. Brunei benefits from extensive petroleum and natural gas
  fields, the source of one of the highest per capita GDPs in Asia.

Bulgaria
  The Bulgars, a Central Asian Turkic tribe, merged with the
  local Slavic inhabitants in the late 7th century to form the first
  Bulgarian state. In succeeding centuries, Bulgaria struggled with
  the Byzantine Empire to assert its place in the Balkans, but by the
  end of the 14th century the country was overrun by the Ottoman
  Turks. Northern Bulgaria attained autonomy in 1878 and all of
  Bulgaria became independent from the Ottoman Empire in 1908. Having
  fought on the losing side in both World Wars, Bulgaria fell within
  the Soviet sphere of influence and became a People's Republic in
  1946. Communist domination ended in 1990, when Bulgaria held its
  first multiparty election since World War II and began the
  contentious process of moving toward political democracy and a
  market economy while combating inflation, unemployment, corruption,
  and crime. The country joined NATO in 2004 and the EU in 2007.

Burkina Faso
  Burkina Faso (formerly Upper Volta) achieved
  independence from France in 1960. Repeated military coups during the
  1970s and 1980s were followed by multiparty elections in the early
  1990s. Current President Blaise COMPAORE came to power in a 1987
  military coup and has won every election since then. Burkina Faso's
  high population density and limited natural resources result in poor
  economic prospects for the majority of its citizens. Recent unrest
  in Cote d'Ivoire and northern Ghana has hindered the ability of
  several hundred thousand seasonal Burkinabe farm workers to find
  employment in neighboring countries. In January 2008, Burkina Faso
  assumed a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council for the
  2008-09 term.

Burma
  Britain conquered Burma over a period of 62 years (1824-1886)
  and incorporated it into its Indian Empire. Burma was administered
  as a province of India until 1937 when it became a separate,
  self-governing colony; independence from the Commonwealth was
  attained in 1948. Gen. NE WIN dominated the government from 1962 to
  1988, first as military ruler, then as self-appointed president, and
  later as political kingpin. In September 1988, the military deposed
  NE WIN and established a new ruling junta. Despite multiparty
  legislative elections in 1990 that resulted in the main opposition
  party - the National League for Democracy (NLD) - winning a
  landslide victory, the junta refused to hand over power. NLD leader
  and Nobel Peace Prize recipient AUNG SAN SUU KYI, who was under
  house arrest from 1989 to 1995 and 2000 to 2002, was imprisoned in
  May 2003 and subsequently transferred to house arrest. After the
  ruling junta in August 2007 unexpectedly increased fuel prices, tens
  of thousands of Burmese marched in protest, led by prodemocracy
  activists and Buddhist monks. In late September 2007, the government
  brutally suppressed the protests, killing at least 13 people and
  arresting thousands for participating in the demonstrations. Since
  then, the regime has continued to raid homes and monasteries and
  arrest persons suspected of participating in the pro-democracy
  protests. The junta appointed Labor Minister AUNG KYI in October
  2007 as liaison to AUNG SAN SUU KYI, who remains under house arrest
  and virtually incommunicado with her party and supporters. Burma in
  early May 2008 was struck by Cyclone Nargis which official estimates
  claimed left over 80,000 dead and 50,000 injured. Despite this
  tragedy, the junta proceeded with its May constitutional referendum,
  the first vote in Burma since 1990, setting the stage for the 2010
  parliamentary elections.

Burundi
  Burundi's first democratically elected president was
  assassinated in October 1993 after only 100 days in office,
  triggering widespread ethnic violence between Hutu and Tutsi
  factions. More than 200,000 Burundians perished during the conflict
  that spanned almost a dozen years. Hundreds of thousands of
  Burundians were internally displaced or became refugees in
  neighboring countries. An internationally brokered power-sharing
  agreement between the Tutsi-dominated government and the Hutu rebels
  in 2003 paved the way for a transition process that led to an
  integrated defense force, established a new constitution in 2005,
  and elected a majority Hutu government in 2005. The new government,
  led by President Pierre NKURUNZIZA, signed a South African brokered
  ceasefire with the country's last rebel group in September of 2006
  but still faces many challenges.

Cambodia
  Most Cambodians consider themselves to be Khmers,
  descendants of the Angkor Empire that extended over much of
  Southeast Asia and reached its zenith between the 10th and 13th
  centuries. Attacks by the Thai and Cham (from present-day Vietnam)
  weakened the empire, ushering in a long period of decline. The king
  placed the country under French protection in 1863 and it became
  part of French Indochina in 1887. Following Japanese occupation in
  World War II, Cambodia gained full independence from France in 1953.
  In April 1975, after a five-year struggle, Communist Khmer Rouge
  forces captured Phnom Penh and evacuated all cities and towns. At
  least 1.5 million Cambodians died from execution, forced hardships,
  or starvation during the Khmer Rouge regime under POL POT. A
  December 1978 Vietnamese invasion drove the Khmer Rouge into the
  countryside, began a 10-year Vietnamese occupation, and touched off
  almost 13 years of civil war. The 1991 Paris Peace Accords mandated
  democratic elections and a ceasefire, which was not fully respected
  by the Khmer Rouge. UN-sponsored elections in 1993 helped restore
  some semblance of normalcy under a coalition government. Factional
  fighting in 1997 ended the first coalition government, but a second
  round of national elections in 1998 led to the formation of another
  coalition government and renewed political stability. The remaining
  elements of the Khmer Rouge surrendered in early 1999. Some of the
  surviving Khmer Rouge leaders are awaiting trial by a UN-sponsored
  tribunal for crimes against humanity. Elections in July 2003 were
  relatively peaceful, but it took one year of negotiations between
  contending political parties before a coalition government was
  formed. In October 2004, King Norodom SIHANOUK abdicated the throne
  and his son, Prince Norodom SIHAMONI, was selected to succeed him.
  Local elections were held in Cambodia in April 2007, and there was
  little in the way of pre-election violence that preceded prior
  elections. National elections in July 2008 were relatively peaceful.

Cameroon
  The former French Cameroon and part of British Cameroon
  merged in 1961 to form the present country. Cameroon has generally
  enjoyed stability, which has permitted the development of
  agriculture, roads, and railways, as well as a petroleum industry.
  Despite a slow movement toward democratic reform, political power
  remains firmly in the hands of President Paul BIYA.

Canada
  A land of vast distances and rich natural resources, Canada
  became a self-governing dominion in 1867 while retaining ties to the
  British crown. Economically and technologically the nation has
  developed in parallel with the US, its neighbor to the south across
  an unfortified border. Canada faces the political challenges of
  meeting public demands for quality improvements in health care and
  education services, as well as responding to separatist concerns in
  predominantly francophone Quebec. Canada also aims to develop its
  diverse energy resources while maintaining its commitment to the
  environment.

Cape Verde
  The uninhabited islands were discovered and colonized by
  the Portuguese in the 15th century; Cape Verde subsequently became a
  trading center for African slaves and later an important coaling and
  resupply stop for whaling and transatlantic shipping. Following
  independence in 1975, and a tentative interest in unification with
  Guinea-Bissau, a one-party system was established and maintained
  until multi-party elections were held in 1990. Cape Verde continues
  to exhibit one of Africa's most stable democratic governments.
  Repeated droughts during the second half of the 20th century caused
  significant hardship and prompted heavy emigration. As a result,
  Cape Verde's expatriate population is greater than its domestic one.
  Most Cape Verdeans have both African and Portuguese antecedents.

Cayman Islands
  The Cayman Islands were colonized from Jamaica by the
  British during the 18th and 19th centuries and were administered by
  Jamaica after 1863. In 1959, the islands became a territory within
  the Federation of the West Indies. When the Federation dissolved in
  1962, the Cayman Islands chose to remain a British dependency.

Central African Republic
  The former French colony of Ubangi-Shari
  became the Central African Republic upon independence in 1960. After
  three tumultuous decades of misrule - mostly by military governments
  - civilian rule was established in 1993 and lasted for one decade.
  President Ange-Felix PATASSE's civilian government was plagued by
  unrest, and in March 2003 he was deposed in a military coup led by
  General Francois BOZIZE, who established a transitional government.
  Though the government has the tacit support of civil society groups
  and the main parties, a wide field of candidates contested the
  municipal, legislative, and presidential elections held in March and
  May of 2005 in which General BOZIZE was affirmed as president. The
  government still does not fully control the countryside, where
  pockets of lawlessness persist. Unrest in neighboring nations, Chad,
  Sudan, and the DRC, continues to affect stability in the Central
  African Republic as well.

Chad
  Chad, part of France's African holdings until 1960, endured
  three decades of civil warfare as well as invasions by Libya before
  a semblance of peace was finally restored in 1990. The government
  eventually drafted a democratic constitution, and held flawed
  presidential elections in 1996 and 2001. In 1998, a rebellion broke
  out in northern Chad, which has sporadically flared up despite
  several peace agreements between the government and the rebels. In
  2005, new rebel groups emerged in western Sudan and made probing
  attacks into eastern Chad, despite signing peace agreements in
  December 2006 and October 2007. Power remains in the hands of an
  ethnic minority. In June 2005, President Idriss DEBY held a
  referendum successfully removing constitutional term limits and won
  another controversial election in 2006. Sporadic rebel campaigns
  continued throughout 2006 and 2007, and the capital experienced a
  significant rebel threat in early 2008.

Chile
  Prior to the coming of the Spanish in the 16th century,
  northern Chile was under Inca rule while the indigenous Mapuche
  inhabited central and southern Chile. Although Chile declared its
  independence in 1810, decisive victory over the Spanish was not
  achieved until 1818. In the War of the Pacific (1879-83), Chile
  defeated Peru and Bolivia and won its present northern regions. It
  was not until the 1880s that the Mapuche Indians were completely
  subjugated. After a series of elected governments, a three-year-old
  Marxist government of Salvador ALLENDE was overthrown in 1973 by a
  military coup led by Augusto PINOCHET, who ruled until a freely
  elected president was installed in 1990. Sound economic policies,
  maintained consistently since the 1980s, have contributed to steady
  growth, reduced poverty rates by over half, and have helped secure
  the country's commitment to democratic and representative
  government. Chile has increasingly assumed regional and
  international leadership roles befitting its status as a stable,
  democratic nation.

China
  For centuries China stood as a leading civilization, outpacing
  the rest of the world in the arts and sciences, but in the 19th and
  early 20th centuries, the country was beset by civil unrest, major
  famines, military defeats, and foreign occupation. After World War
  II, the Communists under MAO Zedong established an autocratic
  socialist system that, while ensuring China's sovereignty, imposed
  strict controls over everyday life and cost the lives of tens of
  millions of people. After 1978, MAO's successor DENG Xiaoping and
  other leaders focused on market-oriented economic development and by
  2000 output had quadrupled. For much of the population, living
  standards have improved dramatically and the room for personal
  choice has expanded, yet political controls remain tight.

Christmas Island
  Named in 1643 for the day of its discovery, the
  island was annexed and settlement began by the UK in 1888. Phosphate
  mining began in the 1890s. The UK transferred sovereignty to
  Australia in 1958. Almost two-thirds of the island has been declared
  a national park.

Clipperton Island
  This isolated island was named for John
  CLIPPERTON, a pirate who made it his hideout early in the 18th
  century. Annexed by France in 1855, it was seized by Mexico in 1897.
  Arbitration eventually awarded the island to France, which took
  possession in 1935.

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  There are 27 coral islands in the group.
  Captain William KEELING discovered the islands in 1609, but they
  remained uninhabited until the 19th century. From the 1820s to 1978,
  members of the CLUNIE-ROSS family controlled the islands and the
  copra produced from local coconuts. Annexed by the UK in 1857, the
  Cocos Islands were transferred to the Australian Government in 1955.
  The population on the two inhabited islands generally is split
  between the ethnic Europeans on West Island and the ethnic Malays on
  Home Island.

Colombia
  Colombia was one of the three countries that emerged from
  the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others are Ecuador and
  Venezuela). A four-decade long conflict between government forces
  and anti-government insurgent groups, principally the Revolutionary
  Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) heavily funded by the drug trade,
  escalated during the 1990s. The insurgents lack the military or
  popular support necessary to overthrow the government and violence
  has been decreasing since about 2002, but insurgents continue
  attacks against civilians and large areas of the countryside are
  under guerrilla influence or are contested by security forces. More
  than 31,000 former paramilitaries had demobilized by the end of 2006
  and the United Self Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC) as a formal
  organization had ceased to function. In the wake of the paramilitary
  demobilization, emerging criminal groups arose, whose members
  include some former paramilitaries. The Colombian Government has
  stepped up efforts to reassert government control throughout the
  country, and now has a presence in every one of its administrative
  departments. However, neighboring countries worry about the violence
  spilling over their borders.

Comoros
  Comoros has endured more than 20 coups or attempted coups
  since gaining independence from France in 1975. In 1997, the islands
  of Anjouan and Moheli declared independence from Comoros. In 1999,
  military chief Col. AZALI seized power in a bloodless coup, and
  helped negotiate the 2000 Fomboni Accords power-sharing agreement in
  which the federal presidency rotates among the three islands, and
  each island maintains its own local government. AZALI won the 2002
  Presidential election, and each island in the archipelago elected
  its own president. AZALI stepped down in 2006 and President SAMBI
  was elected to office. In 2007, BACAR effected Anjouan's de-facto
  secession from the Union, refusing to step down in favor of fresh
  Anjouanais elections when Comoros' other islands held legitimate
  elections in July. The African Union (AU) initially attempted to
  resolve the political crisis by applying sanctions and a naval
  blockade on Anjouan, but in March 2008, AU and Comoran soldiers
  seized the island. The move was generally welcomed by the island's
  inhabitants.

Congo, Democratic Republic of the Established as a Belgian colony in 1908, the Republic of the Congo gained its independence in 1960, but its early years were marred by political and social instability. Col. Joseph MOBUTU seized power and declared himself president in a November 1965 coup. He subsequently changed his name - to MOBUTU Sese Seko - as well as that of the country - to Zaire. MOBUTU retained his position for 32 years through several sham elections, as well as through the use of brutal force. Ethnic strife and civil war, touched off by a massive inflow of refugees in 1994 from fighting in Rwanda and Burundi, led in May 1997 to the toppling of the MOBUTU regime by a rebellion backed by Rwanda and Uganda and fronted by Laurent KABILA. He renamed the country the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), but in August 1998 his regime was itself challenged by a second insurrection again backed by Rwanda and Uganda. Troops from Angola, Chad, Namibia, Sudan, and Zimbabwe intervened to support KABILA's regime. A cease-fire was signed in July 1999 by the DRC, Congolese armed rebel groups, Angola, Namibia, Rwanda, Uganda, and Zimbabwe but sporadic fighting continued. Laurent KABILA was assassinated in January 2001 and his son, Joseph KABILA, was named head of state. In October 2002, the new president was successful in negotiating the withdrawal of Rwandan forces occupying eastern Congo; two months later, the Pretoria Accord was signed by all remaining warring parties to end the fighting and establish a government of national unity. A transitional government was set up in July 2003. Joseph KABILA as president and four vice presidents represented the former government, former rebel groups, the political opposition, and civil society. The transitional government held a successful constitutional referendum in December 2005 and elections for the presidency, National Assembly, and provincial legislatures in 2006. KABILA was inaugurated president in December 2006. The National Assembly was installed in September 2006. Its president, Vital KAMERHE, was chosen in December. Provincial assemblies were constituted in early 2007, and elected governors and national senators in January 2007.

Congo, Republic of the
  Upon independence in 1960, the former French
  region of Middle Congo became the Republic of the Congo. A quarter
  century of experimentation with Marxism was abandoned in 1990 and a
  democratically elected government took office in 1992. A brief civil
  war in 1997 restored former Marxist President Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO,
  and ushered in a period of ethnic and political unrest.
  Southern-based rebel groups agreed to a final peace accord in March
  2003, but the calm is tenuous and refugees continue to present a
  humanitarian crisis. The Republic of Congo was once one of Africa's
  largest petroleum producers, but with declining production it will
  need new offshore oil finds to sustain its oil earnings over the
  long term.

Cook Islands
  Named after Captain COOK, who sighted them in 1770, the
  islands became a British protectorate in 1888. By 1900,
  administrative control was transferred to New Zealand; in 1965,
  residents chose self-government in free association with New
  Zealand. The emigration of skilled workers to New Zealand and
  government deficits are continuing problems.

Coral Sea Islands
  Scattered over more than three-quarters of a
  million square kilometers of ocean, the Coral Sea Islands were
  declared a territory of Australia in 1969. They are uninhabited
  except for a small meteorological staff on the Willis Islets.
  Automated weather stations, beacons, and a lighthouse occupy many
  other islands and reefs.

Costa Rica
  Although explored by the Spanish early in the 16th
  century, initial attempts at colonizing Costa Rica proved
  unsuccessful due to a combination of factors, including: disease
  from mosquito-infested swamps, brutal heat, resistance by natives,
  and pirate raids. It was not until 1563 that a permanent settlement
  of Cartago was established in the cooler, fertile central highlands.
  The area remained a colony for some two and a half centuries. In
  1821, Costa Rica became one of several Central American provinces
  that jointly declared their independence from Spain. Two years later
  it joined the United Provinces of Central America, but this
  federation disintegrated in 1838, at which time Costa Rica
  proclaimed its sovereignty and independence. Since the late 19th
  century, only two brief periods of violence have marred the
  country's democratic development. Although it still maintains a
  large agricultural sector, Costa Rica has expanded its economy to
  include strong technology and tourism industries. The standard of
  living is relatively high. Land ownership is widespread. In January
  2008, Costa Rica assumed a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security
  Council for the 2008-09 term.

Cote d'Ivoire
  Close ties to France since independence in 1960, the
  development of cocoa production for export, and foreign investment
  made Cote d'Ivoire one of the most prosperous of the West African
  states, but did not protect it from political turmoil. In December
  1999, a military coup - the first ever in Cote d'Ivoire's history -
  overthrew the government. Junta leader Robert GUEI blatantly rigged
  elections held in late 2000 and declared himself the winner. Popular
  protest forced him to step aside and brought Laurent GBAGBO into
  power. Ivorian dissidents and disaffected members of the military
  launched a failed coup attempt in September 2002. Rebel forces
  claimed the northern half of the country, and in January 2003 were
  granted ministerial positions in a unity government under the
  auspices of the Linas-Marcoussis Peace Accord. President GBAGBO and
  rebel forces resumed implementation of the peace accord in December
  2003 after a three-month stalemate, but issues that sparked the
  civil war, such as land reform and grounds for citizenship, remained
  unresolved. In March 2007 President GBAGBO and former New Force
  rebel leader Guillaume SORO signed the Ouagadougou Political
  Agreement. As a result of the agreement, SORO joined GBAGBO's
  government as Prime Minister and the two agreed to reunite the
  country by dismantling the zone of confidence separating North from
  South, integrate rebel forces into the national armed forces, and
  hold elections. Several thousand French and UN troops remain in Cote
  d'Ivoire to help the parties implement their commitments and to
  support the peace process.

Croatia
  The lands that today comprise Croatia were part of the
  Austro-Hungarian Empire until the close of World War I. In 1918, the
  Croats, Serbs, and Slovenes formed a kingdom known after 1929 as
  Yugoslavia. Following World War II, Yugoslavia became a federal
  independent Communist state under the strong hand of Marshal TITO.
  Although Croatia declared its independence from Yugoslavia in 1991,
  it took four years of sporadic, but often bitter, fighting before
  occupying Serb armies were mostly cleared from Croatian lands. Under
  UN supervision, the last Serb-held enclave in eastern Slavonia was
  returned to Croatia in 1998. In January 2008, Croatia assumed a
  nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2008-09 term,
  and in April 2008 it joined NATO. Croatia is a candidate for
  eventual EU accession.

Cuba
  The native Amerindian population of Cuba began to decline after
  the European discovery of the island by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1492
  and following its development as a Spanish colony during the next
  several centuries. Large numbers of African slaves were imported to
  work the coffee and sugar plantations, and Havana became the
  launching point for the annual treasure fleets bound for Spain from
  Mexico and Peru. Spanish rule eventually provoked an independence
  movement and occasional rebellions that were harshly suppressed. US
  intervention during the Spanish-American War in 1898 assisted the
  Cubans in overthrowing Spanish rule. The Treaty of Paris established
  Cuban independence from the US in 1902 after which the island
  experienced a string of governments mostly dominated by the military
  and corrupt politicians. Fidel CASTRO led a rebel army to victory in
  1959; his iron rule held the subsequent regime together for nearly
  five decades. He stepped down as president in February 2008 in favor
  of his younger brother Raul CASTRO. Cuba's Communist revolution,
  with Soviet support, was exported throughout Latin America and
  Africa during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. The country faced a
  severe economic downturn in 1990 following the withdrawal of former
  Soviet subsidies worth $4 billion to $6 billion annually. Cuba
  portrays its difficulties as the result of the US embargo in place
  since 1961. Illicit migration to the US - using homemade rafts,
  alien smugglers, air flights, or via the southwest border - is a
  continuing problem. The US Coast Guard intercepted 2,656 individuals
  attempting to cross the Straits of Florida in fiscal year 2007.

Cyprus
  A former British colony, Cyprus became independent in 1960
  following years of resistance to British rule. Tensions between the
  Greek Cypriot majority and Turkish Cypriot minority came to a head
  in December 1963, when violence broke out in the capital of Nicosia.
  Despite the deployment of UN peacekeepers in 1964, sporadic
  intercommunal violence continued forcing most Turkish Cypriots into
  enclaves throughout the island. In 1974, a Greek
  Government-sponsored attempt to seize control of Cyprus was met by
  military intervention from Turkey, which soon controlled more than a
  third of the island. In 1983, the Turkish-held area declared itself
  the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" ("TRNC"), but it is
  recognized only by Turkey. The election of a new Cypriot president
  in 2008 served as the impetus for the UN to encourage both the
  Turkish and Cypriot Governments to reopen unification negotiations.
  In September 2008, the leaders of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish
  Cypriot communities started negotiations under UN auspices aimed at
  reuniting the divided island. The entire island entered the EU on 1
  May 2004, although the EU acquis - the body of common rights and
  obligations - applies only to the areas under direct government
  control, and is suspended in the areas administered by Turkish
  Cypriots. However, individual Turkish Cypriots able to document
  their eligibility for Republic of Cyprus citizenship legally enjoy
  the same rights accorded to other citizens of European Union states.

Czech Republic
  Following the First World War, the closely related
  Czechs and Slovaks of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire merged to
  form Czechoslovakia. During the interwar years, the new country's
  leaders were frequently preoccupied with meeting the demands of
  other ethnic minorities within the republic, most notably the
  Sudeten Germans and the Ruthenians (Ukrainians). After World War II,
  a truncated Czechoslovakia fell within the Soviet sphere of
  influence. In 1968, an invasion by Warsaw Pact troops ended the
  efforts of the country's leaders to liberalize Communist party rule
  and create "socialism with a human face." Anti-Soviet demonstrations
  the following year ushered in a period of harsh repression. With the
  collapse of Soviet authority in 1989, Czechoslovakia regained its
  freedom through a peaceful "Velvet Revolution." On 1 January 1993,
  the country underwent a "velvet divorce" into its two national
  components, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The Czech Republic
  joined NATO in 1999 and the European Union in 2004.

Denmark
  Once the seat of Viking raiders and later a major north
  European power, Denmark has evolved into a modern, prosperous nation
  that is participating in the general political and economic
  integration of Europe. It joined NATO in 1949 and the EEC (now the
  EU) in 1973. However, the country has opted out of certain elements
  of the European Union's Maastricht Treaty, including the European
  Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), European defense cooperation, and
  issues concerning certain justice and home affairs.

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

Djibouti
  The French Territory of the Afars and the Issas became
  Djibouti in 1977. Hassan Gouled APTIDON installed an authoritarian
  one-party state and proceeded to serve as president until 1999.
  Unrest among the Afars minority during the 1990s led to a civil war
  that ended in 2001 following the conclusion of a peace accord
  between Afar rebels and the Issa-dominated government. In 1999,
  Djibouti's first multi-party presidential elections resulted in the
  election of Ismail Omar GUELLEH; he was re-elected to a second and
  final term in 2005. Djibouti occupies a strategic geographic
  location at the mouth of the Red Sea and serves as an important
  transshipment location for goods entering and leaving the east
  African highlands. The present leadership favors close ties to
  France, which maintains a significant military presence in the
  country, but also has strong ties with the US. Djibouti hosts the
  only US military base in sub-Saharan Africa and is a front-line
  state in the global war on terrorism.

Dominica
  Dominica was the last of the Caribbean islands to be
  colonized by Europeans due chiefly to the fierce resistance of the
  native Caribs. France ceded possession to Great Britain in 1763,
  which made the island a colony in 1805. In 1980, two years after
  independence, Dominica's fortunes improved when a corrupt and
  tyrannical administration was replaced by that of Mary Eugenia
  CHARLES, the first female prime minister in the Caribbean, who
  remained in office for 15 years. Some 3,000 Carib Indians still
  living on Dominica are the only pre-Columbian population remaining
  in the eastern Caribbean.

Dominican Republic
  Explored and claimed by Christopher COLUMBUS on
  his first voyage in 1492, the island of Hispaniola became a
  springboard for Spanish conquest of the Caribbean and the American
  mainland. In 1697, Spain recognized French dominion over the western
  third of the island, which in 1804 became Haiti. The remainder of
  the island, by then known as Santo Domingo, sought to gain its own
  independence in 1821 but was conquered and ruled by the Haitians for
  22 years; it finally attained independence as the Dominican Republic
  in 1844. In 1861, the Dominicans voluntarily returned to the Spanish
  Empire, but two years later they launched a war that restored
  independence in 1865. A legacy of unsettled, mostly
  non-representative rule followed, capped by the dictatorship of
  Rafael Leonidas TRUJILLO from 1930-61. Juan BOSCH was elected
  president in 1962 but was deposed in a military coup in 1963. In
  1965, the United States led an intervention in the midst of a civil
  war sparked by an uprising to restore BOSCH. In 1966, Joaquin
  BALAGUER defeated BOSCH in an election to become president. BALAGUER
  maintained a tight grip on power for most of the next 30 years when
  international reaction to flawed elections forced him to curtail his
  term in 1996. Since then, regular competitive elections have been
  held in which opposition candidates have won the presidency. Former
  President (1996-2000) Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna won election to a
  second term in 2004 following a constitutional amendment allowing
  presidents to serve more than one term.

Ecuador
  What is now Ecuador formed part of the northern Inca Empire
  until the Spanish conquest in 1533. Quito became a seat of Spanish
  colonial government in 1563 and part of the Viceroyalty of New
  Granada in 1717. The territories of the Viceroyalty - New Granada
  (Colombia), Venezuela, and Quito - gained their independence between
  1819 and 1822 and formed a federation known as Gran Colombia. When
  Quito withdrew in 1830, the traditional name was changed in favor of
  the "Republic of the Equator." Between 1904 and 1942, Ecuador lost
  territories in a series of conflicts with its neighbors. A border
  war with Peru that flared in 1995 was resolved in 1999. Although
  Ecuador marked 25 years of civilian governance in 2004, the period
  has been marred by political instability. Protests in Quito have
  contributed to the mid-term ouster of Ecuador's last three
  democratically elected Presidents. In September 2008, voters
  approved a new constitution; Ecuador's twentieth since gaining
  independence. General elections, under the new constitutional
  framework, are expected in April 2009.

Egypt
  The regularity and richness of the annual Nile River flood,
  coupled with semi-isolation provided by deserts to the east and
  west, allowed for the development of one of the world's great
  civilizations. A unified kingdom arose circa 3200 B.C., and a series
  of dynasties ruled in Egypt for the next three millennia. The last
  native dynasty fell to the Persians in 341 B.C., who in turn were
  replaced by the Greeks, Romans, and Byzantines. It was the Arabs who
  introduced Islam and the Arabic language in the 7th century and who
  ruled for the next six centuries. A local military caste, the
  Mamluks took control about 1250 and continued to govern after the
  conquest of Egypt by the Ottoman Turks in 1517. Following the
  completion of the Suez Canal in 1869, Egypt became an important
  world transportation hub, but also fell heavily into debt.
  Ostensibly to protect its investments, Britain seized control of
  Egypt's government in 1882, but nominal allegiance to the Ottoman
  Empire continued until 1914. Partially independent from the UK in
  1922, Egypt acquired full sovereignty with the overthrow of the
  British-backed monarchy in 1952. The completion of the Aswan High
  Dam in 1971 and the resultant Lake Nasser have altered the
  time-honored place of the Nile River in the agriculture and ecology
  of Egypt. A rapidly growing population (the largest in the Arab
  world), limited arable land, and dependence on the Nile all continue
  to overtax resources and stress society. The government has
  struggled to meet the demands of Egypt's growing population through
  economic reform and massive investment in communications and
  physical infrastructure.

El Salvador
  El Salvador achieved independence from Spain in 1821 and
  from the Central American Federation in 1839. A 12-year civil war,
  which cost about 75,000 lives, was brought to a close in 1992 when
  the government and leftist rebels signed a treaty that provided for
  military and political reforms.

Equatorial Guinea
  Equatorial Guinea gained independence in 1968
  after 190 years of Spanish rule. This tiny country, composed of a
  mainland portion plus five inhabited islands, is one of the smallest
  on the African continent. President Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO
  has ruled the country since 1979 when he seized power in a coup.
  Although nominally a constitutional democracy since 1991, the 1996
  and 2002 presidential elections - as well as the 1999 and 2004
  legislative elections - were widely seen as flawed. The president
  exerts almost total control over the political system and has
  discouraged political opposition. Equatorial Guinea has experienced
  rapid economic growth due to the discovery of large offshore oil
  reserves, and in the last decade has become Sub-Saharan Africa's
  third largest oil exporter. Despite the country's economic windfall
  from oil production resulting in a massive increase in government
  revenue in recent years, there have been few improvements in the
  population's living standards.

Eritrea
  Eritrea was awarded to Ethiopia in 1952 as part of a
  federation. Ethiopia's annexation of Eritrea as a province 10 years
  later sparked a 30-year struggle for independence that ended in 1991
  with Eritrean rebels defeating governmental forces; independence was
  overwhelmingly approved in a 1993 referendum. A two-and-a-half-year
  border war with Ethiopia that erupted in 1998 ended under UN
  auspices in December 2000. Eritrea hosted a UN peacekeeping
  operation that monitored a 25 km-wide Temporary Security Zone (TSZ)
  on the border with Ethiopia. Eritrea's denial of fuel to the mission
  caused the UN to withdraw the mission and terminate its mandate 31
  July 2008. An international commission, organized to resolve the
  border dispute, posted its findings in 2002. However, both parties
  have been unable to reach agreement on implementing the decision. On
  30 November 2007, the Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission remotely
  demarcated the border by coordinates and dissolved itself, leaving
  Ethiopia still occupying several tracts of disputed territory,
  including the town of Badme. Eritrea accepted the EEBC's "virtual
  demarcation" decision and called on Ethiopia to remove its troops
  from the TSZ which it states is Eritrean territory. Ethiopia has not
  accepted the virtual demarcation decision.

Estonia
  After centuries of Danish, Swedish, German, and Russian
  rule, Estonia attained independence in 1918. Forcibly incorporated
  into the USSR in 1940 - an action never recognized by the US - it
  regained its freedom in 1991, with the collapse of the Soviet Union.
  Since the last Russian troops left in 1994, Estonia has been free to
  promote economic and political ties with Western Europe. It joined
  both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004.

Ethiopia
  Unique among African countries, the ancient Ethiopian
  monarchy maintained its freedom from colonial rule with the
  exception of a short-lived Italian occupation from 1936-41. In 1974,
  a military junta, the Derg, deposed Emperor Haile SELASSIE (who had
  ruled since 1930) and established a socialist state. Torn by bloody
  coups, uprisings, wide-scale drought, and massive refugee problems,
  the regime was finally toppled in 1991 by a coalition of rebel
  forces, the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front
  (EPRDF). A constitution was adopted in 1994, and Ethiopia's first
  multiparty elections were held in 1995. A border war with Eritrea
  late in the 1990s ended with a peace treaty in December 2000. The
  Eritrea-Ethiopia Border Commission in November 2007 remotely
  demarcated the border by geographical coordinates, but final
  demarcation of the boundary on the ground is currently on hold
  because of Ethiopian objections to an international commission's
  finding requiring it to surrender territory considered sensitive to
  Ethiopia.

European Union
  Following the two devastating World Wars in the first
  half of the 20th century, a number of European leaders in the late
  1940s became convinced that the only way to establish a lasting
  peace was to unite the two chief belligerent nations - France and
  Germany - both economically and politically. In 1950, the French
  Foreign Minister Robert SCHUMAN proposed an eventual union of all
  Europe, the first step of which would be the integration of the coal
  and steel industries of Western Europe. The following year the
  European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) was set up when six
  members, Belgium, France, West Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and the
  Netherlands, signed the Treaty of Paris.
  The ECSC was so successful that within a few years the decision was
  made to integrate other parts of the countries' economies. In 1957,
  the Treaties of Rome created the European Economic Community (EEC)
  and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom), and the six
  member states undertook to eliminate trade barriers among themselves
  by forming a common market. In 1967, the institutions of all three
  communities were formally merged into the European Community (EC),
  creating a single Commission, a single Council of Ministers, and the
  European Parliament. Members of the European Parliament were
  initially selected by national parliaments, but in 1979 the first
  direct elections were undertaken and they have been held every five
  years since.
  In 1973, the first enlargement of the EC took place with the
  addition of Denmark, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. The 1980s saw
  further membership expansion with Greece joining in 1981 and Spain
  and Portugal in 1986. The 1992 Treaty of Maastricht laid the basis
  for further forms of cooperation in foreign and defense policy, in
  judicial and internal affairs, and in the creation of an economic
  and monetary union - including a common currency. This further
  integration created the European Union (EU). In 1995, Austria,
  Finland, and Sweden joined the EU, raising the membership total to
  15.
  A new currency, the euro, was launched in world money markets on 1
  January 1999; it became the unit of exchange for all of the EU
  states except the United Kingdom, Sweden, and Denmark. In 2002,
  citizens of the 12 euro-area countries began using the euro
  banknotes and coins. Ten new countries joined the EU in 2004 -
  Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania,
  Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia - and in 2007 Bulgaria and
  Romania joined, bringing the current membership to 27. In order to
  ensure that the EU can continue to function efficiently with an
  expanded membership, the Treaty of Nice (in force as of 1 February
  2003) set forth rules streamlining the size and procedures of EU
  institutions. An effort to establish an EU constitution, begun in
  October 2004, failed to attain unanimous ratification. A new effort,
  undertaken in June 2007, created an Intergovernmental Conference to
  formulate a political agreement - initially known as the Reform
  Treaty but subsequently referred to as the Treaty of Lisbon - which
  would serve as a constitution. Unlike the constitution, however, the
  Treaty of Lisbon sought to amend existing treaties rather than
  replace them. In October 2009, an Irish referendum approved the
  Treaty (overturning a previous rejection) and cleared the way for an
  ultimate unanimous endorsement - the Czech Republic signed on soon
  after. Treaty implementation is set to begin on 1 December 2009.

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  Although first sighted by an
  English navigator in 1592, the first landing (English) did not occur
  until almost a century later in 1690, and the first settlement
  (French) was not established until 1764. The colony was turned over
  to Spain two years later and the islands have since been the subject
  of a territorial dispute, first between Britain and Spain, then
  between Britain and Argentina. The UK asserted its claim to the
  islands by establishing a naval garrison there in 1833. Argentina
  invaded the islands on 2 April 1982. The British responded with an
  expeditionary force that landed seven weeks later and after fierce
  fighting forced an Argentine surrender on 14 June 1982.

Faroe Islands
  The population of the Faroe Islands is largely
  descended from Viking settlers who arrived in the 9th century. The
  islands have been connected politically to Denmark since the 14th
  century. A high degree of self government was attained in 1948.

Fiji
  Fiji became independent in 1970 after nearly a century as a
  British colony. Democratic rule was interrupted by two military
  coups in 1987 caused by concern over a government perceived as
  dominated by the Indian community (descendants of contract laborers
  brought to the islands by the British in the 19th century). The
  coups and a 1990 constitution that cemented native Melanesian
  control of Fiji led to heavy Indian emigration; the population loss
  resulted in economic difficulties, but ensured that Melanesians
  became the majority. A new constitution enacted in 1997 was more
  equitable. Free and peaceful elections in 1999 resulted in a
  government led by an Indo-Fijian, but a civilian-led coup in May
  2000 ushered in a prolonged period of political turmoil.
  Parliamentary elections held in August 2001 provided Fiji with a
  democratically elected government led by Prime Minister Laisenia
  QARASE. Re-elected in May 2006, QARASE was ousted in a December 2006
  military coup led by Commodore Voreqe BAINIMARAMA, who initially
  appointed himself acting president but in January 2007 became
  interim prime minister. Since taking power BAINIMARAMA has
  neutralized his opponents, crippled Fiji's democratic institutions,
  and refused to hold elections.

Finland
  Finland was a province and then a grand duchy under Sweden
  from the 12th to the 19th centuries, and an autonomous grand duchy
  of Russia after 1809. It won its complete independence in 1917.
  During World War II, it was able to successfully defend its freedom
  and resist invasions by the Soviet Union - albeit with some loss of
  territory. In the subsequent half century, the Finns made a
  remarkable transformation from a farm/forest economy to a
  diversified modern industrial economy; per capita income is now
  among the highest in Western Europe. A member of the European Union
  since 1995, Finland was the only Nordic state to join the euro
  system at its initiation in January 1999.

France
  Although ultimately a victor in World Wars I and II, France
  suffered extensive losses in its empire, wealth, manpower, and rank
  as a dominant nation-state. Nevertheless, France today is one of the
  most modern countries in the world and is a leader among European
  nations. Since 1958, it has constructed a hybrid
  presidential-parliamentary governing system resistant to the
  instabilities experienced in earlier more purely parliamentary
  administrations. In recent years, its reconciliation and cooperation
  with Germany have proved central to the economic integration of
  Europe, including the introduction of a common exchange currency,
  the euro, in January 1999. At present, France is at the forefront of
  efforts to develop the EU's military capabilities to supplement
  progress toward an EU foreign policy.

French Polynesia
  The French annexed various Polynesian island groups
  during the 19th century. In September 1995, France stirred up
  widespread protests by resuming nuclear testing on the Mururoa atoll
  after a three-year moratorium. The tests were suspended in January
  1996. In recent years, French Polynesia's autonomy has been
  considerably expanded.

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  In February 2007, the Iles
  Eparses became an integral part of the French Southern and Antarctic
  Lands (TAAF). The Southern Lands are now divided into five
  administrative districts, two of which are archipelagos, Iles Crozet
  and Iles Kerguelen; the third is a district composed of two volcanic
  islands, Ile Saint-Paul and Ile Amsterdam; the fourth, Iles Eparses,
  consists of five scattered tropical islands around Madagascar. They
  contain no permanent inhabitants and are visited only by researchers
  studying the native fauna, scientists at the various scientific
  stations, fishermen, and military personnel. The fifth district is
  the Antarctic portion, which consists of "Adelie Land," a thin slice
  of the Antarctic continent discovered and claimed by the French in
  1840.
  Ile Amsterdam: Discovered but not named in 1522 by the Spanish, the
  island subsequently received the appellation of Nieuw Amsterdam from
  a Dutchman; it was claimed by France in 1843. A short-lived attempt
  at cattle farming began in 1871. A French meteorological station
  established on the island in 1949 is still in use.
  Ile Saint Paul: Claimed by France since 1893, the island was a
  fishing industry center from 1843 to 1914. In 1928, a spiny lobster
  cannery was established, but when the company went bankrupt in 1931,
  seven workers were abandoned. Only two survived until 1934 when
  rescue finally arrived.
  Iles Crozet: A large archipelago formed from the Crozet Plateau,
  Iles Crozet is divided into two main groups: L'Occidental (the
  West), which includes Ile aux Cochons, Ilots des Apotres, Ile des
  Pingouins, and the reefs Brisants de l'Heroine; and L'Oriental (the
  east), which includes Ile d'Est and Ile de la Possession (the
  largest island of the Crozets). Discovered and claimed by France in
  1772, the islands were used for seal hunting and as a base for
  whaling. Originally administered as a dependency of Madagascar, they
  became part of the TAAF in 1955.
  Iles Kerguelen: This island group, discovered in 1772, is made up of
  one large island (Ile Kerguelen) and about 300 smaller islands. A
  permanent group of 50 to 100 scientists resides at the main base at
  Port-aux-Francais.
  Adelie Land: The only non-insular district of the TAAF is the
  Antarctic claim known as "Adelie Land." The US Government does not
  recognize it as a French dependency.
  Bassas da India: A French possession since 1897, this atoll is a
  volcanic rock surrounded by reefs and is awash at high tide.
  Europa Island: This heavily wooded island has been a French
  possession since 1897; it is the site of a small military garrison
  that staffs a weather station.
  Glorioso Islands: A French possession since 1892, the Glorioso
  Islands are composed of two lushly vegetated coral islands (Ile
  Glorieuse and Ile du Lys) and three rock islets. A military garrison
  operates a weather and radio station on Ile Glorieuse.
  Juan de Nova Island: Named after a famous 15th century Spanish
  navigator and explorer, the island has been a French possession
  since 1897. It has been exploited for its guano and phosphate.
  Presently a small military garrison oversees a meteorological
  station.
  Tromelin Island: First explored by the French in 1776, the island
  came under the jurisdiction of Reunion in 1814. At present, it
  serves as a sea turtle sanctuary and is the site of an important
  meteorological station.

Gabon
  Until recently, only two autocratic presidents had ruled Gabon
  since its independence from France in 1960. The recent president of
  Gabon, El Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba -one of the longest-serving heads
  of state in the world - had dominated the country's political scene
  for four decades. President BONGO introduced a nominal multiparty
  system and a new constitution in the early 1990s. However,
  allegations of electoral fraud during local elections in 2002-03 and
  the presidential elections in 2005 exposed the weaknesses of formal
  political structures in Gabon. President BONGO died in June 2009 and
  was replaced in accordance with the constitution by Rose Francine
  ROGOMBE, the president of the Senate. New elections are planned for
  the summer of 2009. This will be the first Gabonese elections in
  which BONGO is not participating. Despite political conditions, a
  small population, abundant natural resources, and considerable
  foreign support have helped make Gabon one of the more prosperous
  and stable African countries.

Gambia, The
  The Gambia gained its independence from the UK in 1965.
  Geographically surrounded by Senegal, it formed a short-lived
  federation of Senegambia between 1982 and 1989. In 1991 the two
  nations signed a friendship and cooperation treaty, but tensions
  have flared up intermittently since then. Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH led
  a military coup in 1994 that overthrew the president and banned
  political activity. A new constitution and presidential elections in
  1996, followed by parliamentary balloting in 1997, completed a
  nominal return to civilian rule. JAMMEH has been elected president
  in all subsequent elections, including most recently in late 2006.

Gaza Strip The September 1993 Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements provided for a transitional period of Palestinian self-rule in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Under a series of agreements signed between May 1994 and September 1999, Israel transferred to the Palestinian Authority (PA) security and civilian responsibility for Palestinian-populated areas of the West Bank and Gaza. Negotiations to determine the permanent status of the West Bank and Gaza stalled following the outbreak of an intifada in September 2000, as Israeli forces reoccupied most Palestinian-controlled areas. In April 2003, the Quartet (US, EU, UN, and Russia) presented a roadmap to a final settlement of the conflict by 2005 based on reciprocal steps by the two parties leading to two states, Israel and a democratic Palestine. The proposed date for a permanent status agreement was postponed indefinitely due to violence and accusations that both sides had not followed through on their commitments. Following Palestinian leader Yasir ARAFAT's death in late 2004, Mahmud ABBAS was elected PA president in January 2005. A month later, Israel and the PA agreed to the Sharm el-Sheikh Commitments in an effort to move the peace process forward. In September 2005, Israel unilaterally withdrew all its settlers and soldiers and dismantled its military facilities in the Gaza Strip and withdrew settlers and redeployed soldiers from four small northern West Bank settlements. Nonetheless, Israel controls maritime, airspace, and most access to the Gaza Strip. A November 2005 PA-Israeli agreement authorized the reopening of the Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt under joint PA and Egyptian control. In January 2006, the Islamic Resistance Movement, HAMAS, won control of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC). The international community refused to accept the HAMAS-led government because it did not recognize Israel, would not renounce violence, and refused to honor previous peace agreements between Israel and the PA. HAMAS took control of the PA government in March 2006, but President ABBAS had little success negotiating with HAMAS to present a political platform acceptable to the international community so as to lift economic sanctions on Palestinians. The PLC was unable to convene throughout most of 2006 as a result of Israel's detention of many HAMAS PLC members and Israeli-imposed travel restrictions on other PLC members. Violent clashes took place between Fatah and HAMAS supporters in the Gaza Strip in 2006 and early 2007, resulting in numerous Palestinian deaths and injuries. ABBAS and HAMAS Political Bureau Chief MISHAL in February 2007 signed the Mecca Agreement in Saudi Arabia that resulted in the formation of a Palestinian National Unity Government (NUG) headed by HAMAS member Ismail HANIYA. However, fighting continued in the Gaza Strip, and in June, HAMAS militants succeeded in a violent takeover of all military and governmental institutions in the Gaza Strip. ABBAS dismissed the NUG and through a series of Presidential decrees formed a PA government in the West Bank led by independent Salam FAYYAD. HAMAS rejected the NUG's dismissal and has called for resuming talks with Fatah, but ABBAS has ruled out negotiations until HAMAS agrees to a return of PA control over the Gaza Strip and recognizes the FAYYAD-led government. FAYYAD and his PA government initiated a series of security and economic reforms to improve conditions in the West Bank. ABBAS participated in talks with Israel's Prime Minister OLMERT and secured the release of some Palestinian prisoners and previously withheld customs revenue. During a November 2007 international meeting in Annapolis Maryland, ABBAS and OLMERT agreed to resume peace negotiations with the goal of reaching a final peace settlement. Late November 2007 through June 2008 witnessed a substantial increase in Israeli-Palestinian violence. An Egyptian-brokered truce in June 2008 between Israel and HAMAS brought about a five-month pause in hostilities, but spiraling end-of-year violence culminated with massive Israeli air assaults on HAMAS installations in late December followed by Israeli ground attacks in early January 2009. Israel in mid January unilaterally stopped the attacks and HAMAS responded by suspending rocket and mortar fire. The fighting resulted in the deaths of an estimated 1,100 to 1,400 Palestinians and left tens of thousands of people homeless. International donors pledged $4.5 billion in aid to rebuild the Gaza Strip, but by mid-May 2009 only a small fraction of the aid had been delivered.

Georgia
  The region of present-day Georgia contained the ancient
  kingdoms of Colchis and Kartli-Iberia. The area came under Roman
  influence in the first centuries A.D. and Christianity became the
  state religion in the 330s. Domination by Persians, Arabs, and Turks
  was followed by a Georgian golden age (11th-13th centuries) that was
  cut short by the Mongol invasion of 1236. Subsequently, the Ottoman
  and Persian empires competed for influence in the region. Georgia
  was absorbed into the Russian Empire in the 19th century.
  Independent for three years (1918-1921) following the Russian
  revolution, it was forcibly incorporated into the USSR until the
  Soviet Union dissolved in 1991. An attempt by the incumbent Georgian
  government to manipulate national legislative elections in November
  2003 touched off widespread protests that led to the resignation of
  Eduard SHEVARDNADZE, president since 1995. New elections in early
  2004 swept Mikheil SAAKASHVILI into power along with his National
  Movement party. Progress on market reforms and democratization has
  been made in the years since independence, but this progress has
  been complicated by Russian assistance and support to the breakaway
  regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. After a series of Russian and
  separatist provocations in summer 2008, Georgian military action in
  South Ossetia in early August led to a Russian military response
  that not only occupied the breakaway areas, but large portions of
  Georgia proper as well. Russian troops pulled back from most
  occupied Georgian territory, but in late August 2008 Russia
  unilaterally recognized the independence of Abkhazia and South
  Ossetia. This action was strongly condemned by most of the world's
  nations and international organizations.

Germany
  As Europe's largest economy and second most populous nation
  (after Russia), Germany is a key member of the continent's economic,
  political, and defense organizations. European power struggles
  immersed Germany in two devastating World Wars in the first half of
  the 20th century and left the country occupied by the victorious
  Allied powers of the US, UK, France, and the Soviet Union in 1945.
  With the advent of the Cold War, two German states were formed in
  1949: the western Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) and the eastern
  German Democratic Republic (GDR). The democratic FRG embedded itself
  in key Western economic and security organizations, the EC, which
  became the EU, and NATO, while the Communist GDR was on the front
  line of the Soviet-led Warsaw Pact. The decline of the USSR and the
  end of the Cold War allowed for German unification in 1990. Since
  then, Germany has expended considerable funds to bring Eastern
  productivity and wages up to Western standards. In January 1999,
  Germany and 10 other EU countries introduced a common European
  exchange currency, the euro.

Ghana
  Formed from the merger of the British colony of the Gold Coast
  and the Togoland trust territory, Ghana in 1957 became the first
  sub-Saharan country in colonial Africa to gain its independence.
  Ghana endured a long series of coups before Lt. Jerry RAWLINGS took
  power in 1981 and banned political parties. After approving a new
  constitution and restoring multiparty politics in 1992, RAWLINGS won
  presidential elections in 1992 and 1996, but was constitutionally
  prevented from running for a third term in 2000. John KUFUOR
  succeeded him and was reelected in 2004. John Atta MILLS took over
  as head of state in early 2009.

Gibraltar
  Strategically important, Gibraltar was reluctantly ceded
  to Great Britain by Spain in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht; the British
  garrison was formally declared a colony in 1830. In a referendum
  held in 1967, Gibraltarians voted overwhelmingly to remain a British
  dependency. The subsequent granting of autonomy in 1969 by the UK
  led to Spain closing the border and severing all communication
  links. A series of talks were held by the UK and Spain between 1997
  and 2002 on establishing temporary joint sovereignty over Gibraltar.
  In response to these talks, the Gibraltar Government called a
  referendum in late 2002 in which the majority of citizens voted
  overwhelmingly against any sharing of sovereignty with Spain. Since
  the referendum, tripartite talks on other issues have been held with
  Spain, the UK, and Gibraltar, and in September 2006 a three-way
  agreement was signed. Spain agreed to remove restrictions on air
  movements, to speed up customs procedures, to implement
  international telephone dialing, and to allow mobile roaming
  agreements. Britain agreed to pay increased pensions to Spaniards
  who had been employed in Gibraltar before the border closed. Spain
  will be allowed to open a cultural institute from which the Spanish
  flag will fly. A new noncolonial constitution came into effect in
  2007, but the UK retains responsibility for defense, foreign
  relations, internal security, and financial stability.

Greece
  Greece achieved independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1829.
  During the second half of the 19th century and the first half of the
  20th century, it gradually added neighboring islands and
  territories, most with Greek-speaking populations. In World War II,
  Greece was first invaded by Italy (1940) and subsequently occupied
  by Germany (1941-44); fighting endured in a protracted civil war
  between supporters of the king and Communist rebels. Following the
  latter's defeat in 1949, Greece joined NATO in 1952. A military
  dictatorship, which in 1967 suspended many political liberties and
  forced the king to flee the country, lasted seven years. The 1974
  democratic elections and a referendum created a parliamentary
  republic and abolished the monarchy. In 1981, Greece joined the EC
  (now the EU); it became the 12th member of the European Economic and
  Monetary Union in 2001.

Greenland
  Greenland, the world's largest island, is about 81%
  ice-capped. Vikings reached the island in the 10th century from
  Iceland; Danish colonization began in the 18th century, and
  Greenland was made an integral part of Denmark in 1953. It joined
  the European Community (now the EU) with Denmark in 1973, but
  withdrew in 1985 over a dispute centered on stringent fishing
  quotas. Greenland was granted self-government in 1979 by the Danish
  parliament; the law went into effect the following year. Greenland
  voted in favor of increased self-rule in November 2008 and acquired
  complete responsibilty for internal affairs in June 2009. Denmark,
  however, continues to exercise control of Greenland's foreign
  affairs, security, and financial policy in consultation with
  Greenland's Home Rule Government.

Grenada
  Carib Indians inhabited Grenada when COLUMBUS discovered the
  island in 1498, but it remained uncolonized for more than a century.
  The French settled Grenada in the 17th century, established sugar
  estates, and imported large numbers of African slaves. Britain took
  the island in 1762 and vigorously expanded sugar production. In the
  19th century, cacao eventually surpassed sugar as the main export
  crop; in the 20th century, nutmeg became the leading export. In
  1967, Britain gave Grenada autonomy over its internal affairs. Full
  independence was attained in 1974 making Grenada one of the smallest
  independent countries in the Western Hemisphere. Grenada was seized
  by a Marxist military council on 19 October 1983. Six days later the
  island was invaded by US forces and those of six other Caribbean
  nations, which quickly captured the ringleaders and their hundreds
  of Cuban advisers. Free elections were reinstituted the following
  year and have continued since that time. Hurricane Ivan struck
  Grenada in September of 2004 causing severe damage.

Guam
  Guam was ceded to the US by Spain in 1898. Captured by the
  Japanese in 1941, it was retaken by the US three years later. The
  military installation on the island is one of the most strategically
  important US bases in the Pacific.

Guatemala
  The Mayan civilization flourished in Guatemala and
  surrounding regions during the first millennium A.D. After almost
  three centuries as a Spanish colony, Guatemala won its independence
  in 1821. During the second half of the 20th century, it experienced
  a variety of military and civilian governments, as well as a 36-year
  guerrilla war. In 1996, the government signed a peace agreement
  formally ending the conflict, which had left more than 100,000
  people dead and had created, by some estimates, some 1 million
  refugees.

Guernsey
  Guernsey and the other Channel Islands represent the last
  remnants of the medieval Dukedom of Normandy, which held sway in
  both France and England. The islands were the only British soil
  occupied by German troops in World War II. Guernsey is a British
  crown dependency, but is not part of the UK. However, the UK
  Government is constitutionally responsible for its defense and
  international representation.

Guinea
  Guinea has had a history of authoritarian rule since gaining
  its independence from France in 1958. Lansana CONTE came to power in
  1984 when the military seized the government after the death of the
  first president, Sekou TOURE. Guinea did not hold democratic
  elections until 1993 when Gen. CONTE (head of the military
  government) was elected president of the civilian government. He was
  reelected in 1998 and again in 2003, though all the polls were
  marred by irregularities. History repeated itself in December 2008
  when following President CONTE's death, Capt. Moussa Dadis CAMARA
  led a military coup, seizing power and suspending the constitution
  as well as political and union activity. Guinea has maintained some
  semblance of internal stability despite spillover effects from
  conflict in Sierra Leone and Liberia. As those countries have
  rebuilt, however, Guinea's own vulnerability to political and
  economic crisis has increased. Declining economic conditions and
  popular dissatisfaction with corruption and bad governance prompted
  two massive strikes in 2006, and a third nationwide strike in early
  2007.

Guinea-Bissau
  Since independence from Portugal in 1974,
  Guinea-Bissau has experienced considerable political and military
  upheaval. In 1980, a military coup established authoritarian
  dictator Joao Bernardo 'Nino' VIEIRA as president. Despite setting a
  path to a market economy and multiparty system, VIEIRA's regime was
  characterized by the suppression of political opposition and the
  purging of political rivals. Several coup attempts through the 1980s
  and early 1990s failed to unseat him. In 1994 VIEIRA was elected
  president in the country's first free elections. A military mutiny
  and resulting civil war in 1998 eventually led to VIEIRA's ouster in
  May 1999. In February 2000, a transitional government turned over
  power to opposition leader Kumba YALA, after he was elected
  president in transparent polling. In September 2003, after only
  three years in office, YALA was ousted by the military in a
  bloodless coup, and businessman Henrique ROSA was sworn in as
  interim president. In 2005, former President VIEIRA was re-elected
  president pledging to pursue economic development and national
  reconciliation. He was assassinated in March 2009; new elections are
  to take place in June 2009.

Guyana
  Originally a Dutch colony in the 17th century, by 1815 Guyana
  had become a British possession. The abolition of slavery led to
  black settlement of urban areas and the importation of indentured
  servants from India to work the sugar plantations. This
  ethnocultural divide has persisted and has led to turbulent
  politics. Guyana achieved independence from the UK in 1966, and
  since then it has been ruled mostly by socialist-oriented
  governments. In 1992, Cheddi JAGAN was elected president in what is
  considered the country's first free and fair election since
  independence. After his death five years later, his wife, Janet
  JAGAN, became president but resigned in 1999 due to poor health. Her
  successor, Bharrat JAGDEO, was reelected in 2001 and again in 2006.

Haiti
  The native Taino Amerindians - who inhabited the island of
  Hispaniola when it was discovered by COLUMBUS in 1492 - were
  virtually annihilated by Spanish settlers within 25 years. In the
  early 17th century, the French established a presence on Hispaniola.
  In 1697, Spain ceded to the French the western third of the island,
  which later became Haiti. The French colony, based on forestry and
  sugar-related industries, became one of the wealthiest in the
  Caribbean but only through the heavy importation of African slaves
  and considerable environmental degradation. In the late 18th
  century, Haiti's nearly half million slaves revolted under Toussaint
  L'OUVERTURE. After a prolonged struggle, Haiti became the first
  black republic to declare independence in 1804. The poorest country
  in the Western Hemisphere, Haiti has been plagued by political
  violence for most of its history. After an armed rebellion led to
  the forced resignation and exile of President Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE
  in February 2004, an interim government took office to organize new
  elections under the auspices of the United Nations Stabilization
  Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH). Continued violence and technical delays
  prompted repeated postponements, but Haiti finally did inaugurate a
  democratically elected president and parliament in May of 2006.

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  These uninhabited, barren,
  sub-Antarctic islands were transferred from the UK to Australia in
  1947. Populated by large numbers of seal and bird species, the
  islands have been designated a nature preserve.

Holy See (Vatican City)
  Popes in their secular role ruled portions
  of the Italian peninsula for more than a thousand years until the
  mid 19th century, when many of the Papal States were seized by the
  newly united Kingdom of Italy. In 1870, the pope's holdings were
  further circumscribed when Rome itself was annexed. Disputes between
  a series of "prisoner" popes and Italy were resolved in 1929 by
  three Lateran Treaties, which established the independent state of
  Vatican City and granted Roman Catholicism special status in Italy.
  In 1984, a concordat between the Holy See and Italy modified certain
  of the earlier treaty provisions, including the primacy of Roman
  Catholicism as the Italian state religion. Present concerns of the
  Holy See include religious freedom, international development, the
  environment, the Middle East, China, the decline of religion in
  Europe, terrorism, interreligious dialogue and reconciliation, and
  the application of church doctrine in an era of rapid change and
  globalization. About one billion people worldwide profess the
  Catholic faith.

Honduras
  Once part of Spain's vast empire in the New World, Honduras
  became an independent nation in 1821. After two and a half decades
  of mostly military rule, a freely elected civilian government came
  to power in 1982. During the 1980s, Honduras proved a haven for
  anti-Sandinista contras fighting the Marxist Nicaraguan Government
  and an ally to Salvadoran Government forces fighting leftist
  guerrillas. The country was devastated by Hurricane Mitch in 1998,
  which killed about 5,600 people and caused approximately $2 billion
  in damage.

Hong Kong
  Occupied by the UK in 1841, Hong Kong was formally ceded
  by China the following year; various adjacent lands were added later
  in the 19th century. Pursuant to an agreement signed by China and
  the UK on 19 December 1984, Hong Kong became the Hong Kong Special
  Administrative Region (SAR) of the People's Republic of China on 1
  July 1997. In this agreement, China promised that, under its "one
  country, two systems" formula, China's socialist economic system
  would not be imposed on Hong Kong and that Hong Kong would enjoy a
  high degree of autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense
  affairs for the next 50 years.

Hungary
  Hungary became a Christian kingdom in A.D. 1000 and for many
  centuries served as a bulwark against Ottoman Turkish expansion in
  Europe. The kingdom eventually became part of the polyglot
  Austro-Hungarian Empire, which collapsed during World War I. The
  country fell under Communist rule following World War II. In 1956, a
  revolt and an announced withdrawal from the Warsaw Pact were met
  with a massive military intervention by Moscow. Under the leadership
  of Janos KADAR in 1968, Hungary began liberalizing its economy,
  introducing so-called "Goulash Communism." Hungary held its first
  multiparty elections in 1990 and initiated a free market economy. It
  joined NATO in 1999 and the EU in 2004.

Iceland
  Settled by Norwegian and Celtic (Scottish and Irish)
  immigrants during the late 9th and 10th centuries A.D., Iceland
  boasts the world's oldest functioning legislative assembly, the
  Althing, established in 930. Independent for over 300 years, Iceland
  was subsequently ruled by Norway and Denmark. Fallout from the Askja
  volcano of 1875 devastated the Icelandic economy and caused
  widespread famine. Over the next quarter century, 20% of the
  island's population emigrated, mostly to Canada and the US. Limited
  home rule from Denmark was granted in 1874 and complete independence
  attained in 1944. Literacy, longevity, and social cohesion are
  first-rate by world standards.

India
  The Indus Valley civilization, one of the world's oldest,
  flourished during the 3rd and 2nd centuries B.C. and extended into
  northwestern India. Aryan tribes from the northwest infiltrated onto
  the Indian subcontinent about 1500 B.C.; their merger with the
  earlier Dravidian inhabitants created the classical Indian culture.
  The Maurya Empire of the 4th and 3rd centuries B.C. - which reached
  its zenith under ASHOKA - united much of South Asia. The Golden Age
  ushered in by the Gupta dynasty (4th to 6th centuries A.D.) saw a
  flowering of Indian science, art, and culture. Arab incursions
  starting in the 8th century and Turkic in the 12th were followed by
  those of European traders, beginning in the late 15th century. By
  the 19th century, Britain had assumed political control of virtually
  all Indian lands. Indian armed forces in the British army played a
  vital role in both World Wars. Nonviolent resistance to British
  colonialism led by Mohandas GANDHI and Jawaharlal NEHRU brought
  independence in 1947. The subcontinent was divided into the secular
  state of India and the smaller Muslim state of Pakistan. A third war
  between the two countries in 1971 resulted in East Pakistan becoming
  the separate nation of Bangladesh. India's nuclear weapons testing
  in 1998 caused Pakistan to conduct its own tests that same year.
  Despite impressive gains in economic investment and output, India
  faces pressing problems such as significant overpopulation,
  environmental degradation, extensive poverty, and widespread
  corruption.

Indian Ocean
  The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's
  five oceans (after the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean, but larger
  than the Southern Ocean and Arctic Ocean). Four critically important
  access waterways are the Suez Canal (Egypt), Bab el Mandeb
  (Djibouti-Yemen), Strait of Hormuz (Iran-Oman), and Strait of
  Malacca (Indonesia-Malaysia). The decision by the International
  Hydrographic Organization in the spring of 2000 to delimit a fifth
  ocean, the Southern Ocean, removed the portion of the Indian Ocean
  south of 60 degrees south latitude.

Indonesia
  The Dutch began to colonize Indonesia in the early 17th
  century; Japan occupied the islands from 1942 to 1945. Indonesia
  declared its independence after Japan's surrender, but it required
  four years of intermittent negotiations, recurring hostilities, and
  UN mediation before the Netherlands agreed to transfer sovereignty
  in 1949. Indonesia's first free parliamentary election after decades
  of repressive rule took place in 1999. Indonesia is now the world's
  third-largest democracy, the world's largest archipelagic state, and
  home to the world's largest Muslim population. Current issues
  include: alleviating poverty, improving education, preventing
  terrorism, consolidating democracy after four decades of
  authoritarianism, implementing economic and financial reforms,
  stemming corruption, holding the military and police accountable for
  past human rights violations, addressing climate change, and
  controlling avian influenza. In 2005, Indonesia reached a historic
  peace agreement with armed separatists in Aceh, which led to
  democratic elections in December 2006. Indonesia continues to face a
  low intensity separatist movement in Papua.

Iran
  Known as Persia until 1935, Iran became an Islamic republic in
  1979 after the ruling monarchy was overthrown and Shah Mohammad Reza
  PAHLAVI was forced into exile. Conservative clerical forces
  established a theocratic system of government with ultimate
  political authority vested in a learned religious scholar referred
  to commonly as the Supreme Leader who, according to the
  constitution, is accountable only to the Assembly of Experts.
  US-Iranian relations have been strained since a group of Iranian
  students seized the US Embassy in Tehran on 4 November 1979 and held
  it until 20 January 1981. During 1980-88, Iran fought a bloody,
  indecisive war with Iraq that eventually expanded into the Persian
  Gulf and led to clashes between US Navy and Iranian military forces
  between 1987 and 1988. Iran has been designated a state sponsor of
  terrorism for its activities in Lebanon and elsewhere in the world
  and remains subject to US, UN, and EU economic sanctions and export
  controls because of its continued involvement in terrorism and its
  nuclear weapons ambitions. Following the election of reformer Hojjat
  ol-Eslam Mohammad KHATAMI as president in 1997 and similarly a
  reformer Majles (parliament) in 2000, a campaign to foster political
  reform in response to popular dissatisfaction was initiated. The
  movement floundered as conservative politicians, through the control
  of unelected institutions, prevented reform measures from being
  enacted and increased repressive measures. Starting with nationwide
  municipal elections in 2003 and continuing through Majles elections
  in 2004, conservatives reestablished control over Iran's elected
  government institutions, which culminated with the August 2005
  inauguration of hardliner Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD as president. The UN
  Security Council has passed a number of resolutions (1696 in July
  2006, 1737 in December 2006, 1747 in March 2007, 1803 in March 2008,
  and 1835 in September 2008) calling for Iran to suspend its uranium
  enrichment and reprocessing activities and comply with its IAEA
  obligations and responsibilities. Resolutions 1737, 1477, and 1803
  subject a number of Iranian individuals and entities involved in
  Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programs to sanctions.
  Additionally, several Iranian entities are subject to US sanctions
  under Executive Order 13382 designations for proliferation
  activities and EO 13224 designations for support of terrorism.

Iraq
  Formerly part of the Ottoman Empire, Iraq was occupied by
  Britain during the course of World War I; in 1920, it was declared a
  League of Nations mandate under UK administration. In stages over
  the next dozen years, Iraq attained its independence as a kingdom in
  1932. A "republic" was proclaimed in 1958, but in actuality a series
  of strongmen ruled the country until 2003. The last was SADDAM
  Husayn. Territorial disputes with Iran led to an inconclusive and
  costly eight-year war (1980-88). In August 1990, Iraq seized Kuwait
  but was expelled by US-led, UN coalition forces during the Gulf War
  of January-February 1991. Following Kuwait's liberation, the UN
  Security Council (UNSC) required Iraq to scrap all weapons of mass
  destruction and long-range missiles and to allow UN verification
  inspections. Continued Iraqi noncompliance with UNSC resolutions
  over a period of 12 years led to the US-led invasion of Iraq in
  March 2003 and the ouster of the SADDAM Husayn regime. US forces
  remained in Iraq under a UNSC mandate until 31 December 2008 and
  under a bilateral Security Agreement thereafter, helping to provide
  security and to support the freely elected government. In October
  2005, Iraqis approved a constitution in a national referendum and,
  pursuant to this document, elected a 275-member Council of
  Representatives (CoR) in December 2005. After the election, Ibrahim
  al-JAAFARI was selected as prime minister; he was replaced by Nuri
  al-MALIKI in May 2006. The CoR approved most cabinet ministers in
  May 2006, marking the transition to Iraq's first constitutional
  government in nearly a half century. On 31 January 2009, Iraq held
  elections for provincial councils in all provinces except for the
  three provinces comprising the Kurdistan Regional Government and
  at-Ta'mim (Kirkuk) province.

Ireland
  Celtic tribes arrived on the island between 600-150 B.C.
  Invasions by Norsemen that began in the late 8th century were
  finally ended when King Brian BORU defeated the Danes in 1014.
  English invasions began in the 12th century and set off more than
  seven centuries of Anglo-Irish struggle marked by fierce rebellions
  and harsh repressions. A failed 1916 Easter Monday Rebellion touched
  off several years of guerrilla warfare that in 1921 resulted in
  independence from the UK for 26 southern counties; six northern
  (Ulster) counties remained part of the UK. In 1949, Ireland withdrew
  from the British Commonwealth; it joined the European Community in
  1973. Irish governments have sought the peaceful unification of
  Ireland and have cooperated with Britain against terrorist groups. A
  peace settlement for Northern Ireland is gradually being implemented
  despite some difficulties. In 2006, the Irish and British
  governments developed and began to implement the St. Andrews
  Agreement, building on the Good Friday Agreement approved in 1998.

Isle of Man
  Part of the Norwegian Kingdom of the Hebrides until the
  13th century when it was ceded to Scotland, the isle came under the
  British crown in 1765. Current concerns include reviving the almost
  extinct Manx Gaelic language. Isle of Man is a British crown
  dependency but is not part of the UK. However, the UK Government
  remains constitutionally responsible for its defense and
  international representation.

Israel
  Following World War II, the British withdrew from their
  mandate of Palestine, and the UN partitioned the area into Arab and
  Jewish states, an arrangement rejected by the Arabs. Subsequently,
  the Israelis defeated the Arabs in a series of wars without ending
  the deep tensions between the two sides. The territories Israel
  occupied since the 1967 war are not included in the Israel country
  profile, unless otherwise noted. On 25 April 1982, Israel withdrew
  from the Sinai pursuant to the 1979 Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty. In
  keeping with the framework established at the Madrid Conference in
  October 1991, bilateral negotiations were conducted between Israel
  and Palestinian representatives and Syria to achieve a permanent
  settlement. Israel and Palestinian officials signed on 13 September
  1993 a Declaration of Principles (also known as the "Oslo Accords")
  guiding an interim period of Palestinian self-rule. Outstanding
  territorial and other disputes with Jordan were resolved in the 26
  October 1994 Israel-Jordan Treaty of Peace. In addition, on 25 May
  2000, Israel withdrew unilaterally from southern Lebanon, which it
  had occupied since 1982. In April 2003, US President BUSH, working
  in conjunction with the EU, UN, and Russia - the "Quartet" - took
  the lead in laying out a roadmap to a final settlement of the
  conflict by 2005, based on reciprocal steps by the two parties
  leading to two states, Israel and a democratic Palestine. However,
  progress toward a permanent status agreement was undermined by
  Israeli-Palestinian violence between September 2003 and February
  2005. An Israeli-Palestinian agreement reached at Sharm al-Sheikh in
  February 2005, along with an internally-brokered Palestinian
  cease-fire, significantly reduced the violence. In the summer of
  2005, Israel unilaterally disengaged from the Gaza Strip, evacuating
  settlers and its military while retaining control over most points
  of entry into the Gaza Strip. The election of HAMAS in January 2006
  to head the Palestinian Legislative Council froze relations between
  Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA). Ehud OLMERT became prime
  minister in March 2006; he shelved plans to unilaterally evacuate
  from most of the West Bank following an Israeli military operation
  in Gaza in June-July 2006 and a 34-day conflict with Hizballah in
  Lebanon in June-August 2006. OLMERT in June 2007 resumed talks with
  the PA after HAMAS seized control of the Gaza Strip and PA President
  Mahmoud ABBAS formed a new government without HAMAS. OLMERT in
  September 2008 resigned in the wake of several corruption
  allegations, but remained prime minister until the new coalition
  government under former Prime Minister Binyamin NETANYAHU was
  completed in late March 2009, following the February general
  election.

Italy
  Italy became a nation-state in 1861 when the regional states
  of the peninsula, along with Sardinia and Sicily, were united under
  King Victor EMMANUEL II. An era of parliamentary government came to
  a close in the early 1920s when Benito MUSSOLINI established a
  Fascist dictatorship. His alliance with Nazi Germany led to Italy's
  defeat in World War II. A democratic republic replaced the monarchy
  in 1946 and economic revival followed. Italy was a charter member of
  NATO and the European Economic Community (EEC). It has been at the
  forefront of European economic and political unification, joining
  the Economic and Monetary Union in 1999. Persistent problems include
  illegal immigration, organized crime, corruption, high unemployment,
  sluggish economic growth, and the low incomes and technical
  standards of southern Italy compared with the prosperous north.

Jamaica
  The island - discovered by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1494 -
  was settled by the Spanish early in the 16th century. The native
  Taino Indians, who had inhabited Jamaica for centuries, were
  gradually exterminated and replaced by African slaves. England
  seized the island in 1655 and established a plantation economy based
  on sugar, cocoa, and coffee. The abolition of slavery in 1834 freed
  a quarter million slaves, many of whom became small farmers. Jamaica
  gradually obtained increasing independence from Britain. In 1958 it
  joined other British Caribbean colonies in forming the Federation of
  the West Indies. Jamaica gained full independence when it withdrew
  from the Federation in 1962. Deteriorating economic conditions
  during the 1970s led to recurrent violence as rival gangs affiliated
  with the major political parties evolved into powerful organized
  crime networks involved in international drug smuggling and money
  laundering. Violent crime, drug trafficking, and poverty pose
  significant challenges to the government today. Nonetheless, many
  rural and resort areas remain relatively safe and contribute
  substantially to the economy.

Jan Mayen
  This desolate, arctic, mountainous island was named after
  a Dutch whaling captain who indisputably discovered it in 1614
  (earlier claims are inconclusive). Visited only occasionally by seal
  hunters and trappers over the following centuries, the island came
  under Norwegian sovereignty in 1929. The long dormant Haakon VII
  Toppen/Beerenberg volcano resumed activity in 1970; the most recent
  eruption occurred in 1985. It is the northernmost active volcano on
  earth.

Japan
  In 1603, a Tokugawa shogunate (military dictatorship) ushered
  in a long period of isolation from foreign influence in order to
  secure its power. For more than two centuries this policy enabled
  Japan to enjoy stability and a flowering of its indigenous culture.
  Following the Treaty of Kanagawa with the US in 1854, Japan opened
  its ports and began to intensively modernize and industrialize.
  During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Japan became a
  regional power that was able to defeat the forces of both China and
  Russia. It occupied Korea, Formosa (Taiwan), and southern Sakhalin
  Island. In 1931-32 Japan occupied Manchuria, and in 1937 it launched
  a full-scale invasion of China. Japan attacked US forces in 1941 -
  triggering America's entry into World War II - and soon occupied
  much of East and Southeast Asia. After its defeat in World War II,
  Japan recovered to become an economic power and a staunch ally of
  the US. While the emperor retains his throne as a symbol of national
  unity, elected politicians - with heavy input from bureaucrats and
  business executives - wield actual decisionmaking power. The economy
  experienced a major slowdown starting in the 1990s following three
  decades of unprecedented growth, but Japan still remains a major
  economic power, both in Asia and globally. In January 2009, Japan
  assumed a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council for the
  2009-10 term.

Jersey
  Jersey and the other Channel Islands represent the last
  remnants of the medieval Dukedom of Normandy that held sway in both
  France and England. These islands were the only British soil
  occupied by German troops in World War II. Jersey is a British crown
  dependency but is not part of the UK. However, the UK Government is
  constitutionally responsible for its defense and international
  representation.

Jordan
  Following World War I and the dissolution of the Ottoman
  Empire, the UK received a mandate to govern much of the Middle East.
  Britain separated out a semi-autonomous region of Transjordan from
  Palestine in the early 1920s, and the area gained its independence
  in 1946; it adopted the name of Jordan in 1950. The country's
  long-time ruler was King HUSSEIN (1953-99). A pragmatic leader, he
  successfully navigated competing pressures from the major powers
  (US, USSR, and UK), various Arab states, Israel, and a large
  internal Palestinian population. Jordan lost the West Bank to Israel
  in the 1967 war and barely managed to defeat Palestinian rebels who
  threatened to overthrow the monarchy in 1970. King HUSSEIN in 1988
  permanently relinquished Jordanian claims to the West Bank. In 1989,
  he reinstituted parliamentary elections and initiated a gradual
  political liberalization; political parties were legalized in 1992.
  In 1994, he signed a peace treaty with Israel. King ABDALLAH II, the
  son of King HUSSEIN, assumed the throne following his father's death
  in February 1999. Since then, he has consolidated his power and
  undertaken an aggressive economic reform program. Jordan acceded to
  the World Trade Organization in 2000, and began to participate in
  the European Free Trade Association in 2001. In 2003, Jordan
  staunchly supported the Coalition ouster of Saddam in Iraq and
  following the outbreak of insurgent violence in Iraq, absorbed
  thousands of displaced Iraqis. Municipal elections were held in July
  2007 under a system in which 20% of seats in all municipal councils
  were reserved by quota for women. Parliamentary elections were held
  in November 2007 and saw independent pro-government candidates win
  the vast majority of seats. In November 2007, King ABDALLAH
  instructed his new prime minister to focus on socioeconomic reform,
  developing a healthcare and housing network for civilians and
  military personnel, and improving the educational system.

Kazakhstan
  Native Kazakhs, a mix of Turkic and Mongol nomadic tribes
  who migrated into the region in the 13th century, were rarely united
  as a single nation. The area was conquered by Russia in the 18th
  century, and Kazakhstan became a Soviet Republic in 1936. During the
  1950s and 1960s agricultural "Virgin Lands" program, Soviet citizens
  were encouraged to help cultivate Kazakhstan's northern pastures.
  This influx of immigrants (mostly Russians, but also some other
  deported nationalities) skewed the ethnic mixture and enabled
  non-Kazakhs to outnumber natives. Independence in 1991 caused many
  of these newcomers to emigrate. Kazakhstan's economy is larger than
  those of all the other Central Asian states combined, largely due to
  the country's vast natural resources and a recent history of
  political stability. Current issues include: developing a cohesive
  national identity; expanding the development of the country's vast
  energy resources and exporting them to world markets; achieving a
  sustainable economic growth; diversifying the economy outside the
  oil, gas, and mining sectors; enhancing Kazakhstan's
  competitiveness; and strengthening relations with neighboring states
  and other foreign powers.

Kenya
  Founding president and liberation struggle icon Jomo KENYATTA
  led Kenya from independence in 1963 until his death in 1978, when
  President Daniel Toroitich arap MOI took power in a constitutional
  succession. The country was a de facto one-party state from 1969
  until 1982 when the ruling Kenya African National Union (KANU) made
  itself the sole legal party in Kenya. MOI acceded to internal and
  external pressure for political liberalization in late 1991. The
  ethnically fractured opposition failed to dislodge KANU from power
  in elections in 1992 and 1997, which were marred by violence and
  fraud, but were viewed as having generally reflected the will of the
  Kenyan people. President MOI stepped down in December 2002 following
  fair and peaceful elections. Mwai KIBAKI, running as the candidate
  of the multiethnic, united opposition group, the National Rainbow
  Coalition (NARC), defeated KANU candidate Uhuru KENYATTA and assumed
  the presidency following a campaign centered on an anticorruption
  platform. KIBAKI's NARC coalition splintered in 2005 over the
  constitutional review process. Government defectors joined with KANU
  to form a new opposition coalition, the Orange Democratic Movement,
  which defeated the government's draft constitution in a popular
  referendum in November 2005. KIBAKI's reelection in December 2007
  brought charges of vote rigging from ODM candidate Raila ODINGA and
  unleashed two months of violence in which as many as 1,500 people
  died. UN-sponsored talks in late February produced a powersharing
  accord bringing ODINGA into the government in the restored position
  of prime minister.

Kiribati
  The Gilbert Islands became a British protectorate in 1892
  and a colony in 1915; they were captured by the Japanese in the
  Pacific War in 1941. The islands of Makin and Tarawa were the sites
  of major US amphibious victories over entrenched Japanese garrisons
  in 1943. The Gilbert Islands were granted self-rule by the UK in
  1971 and complete independence in 1979 under the new name of
  Kiribati. The US relinquished all claims to the sparsely inhabited
  Phoenix and Line Island groups in a 1979 treaty of friendship with
  Kiribati.

Korea, North
  An independent kingdom for much of its long history,
  Korea was occupied by Japan beginning in 1905 following the
  Russo-Japanese War. Five years later, Japan formally annexed the
  entire peninsula. Following World War II, Korea was split with the
  northern half coming under Soviet-sponsored Communist control. After
  failing in the Korean War (1950-53) to conquer the US-backed
  Republic of Korea (ROK) in the southern portion by force, North
  Korea (DPRK), under its founder President KIM Il Sung, adopted a
  policy of ostensible diplomatic and economic "self-reliance" as a
  check against outside influence. The DPRK demonized the US as the
  ultimate threat to its social system through state-funded
  propaganda, and molded political, economic, and military policies
  around the core ideological objective of eventual unification of
  Korea under Pyongyang's control. KIM's son, the current ruler KIM
  Jong Il, was officially designated as his father's successor in
  1980, assuming a growing political and managerial role until the
  elder KIM's death in 1994. After decades of economic mismanagement
  and resource misallocation, the DPRK since the mid-1990s has relied
  heavily on international aid to feed its population. North Korea's
  history of regional military provocations, proliferation of
  military-related items, long-range missile development, WMD programs
  including nuclear weapons test in 2006 and 2009, and massive
  conventional armed forces are of major concern to the international
  community.

Korea, South
  An independent Korean state or collection of states has
  existed almost continuously for several millennia. Between its
  initial unification in the 7th century - from three predecessor
  Korean states - until the 20th century, Korea existed as a single
  independent country. In 1905, following the Russo-Japanese War,
  Korea became a protectorate of imperial Japan, and in 1910 it was
  annexed as a colony. Korea regained its independence following
  Japan's surrender to the United States in 1945. After World War II,
  a Republic of Korea (ROK) was set up in the southern half of the
  Korean Peninsula while a Communist-style government was installed in
  the north (the DPRK). During the Korean War (1950-53), US troops and
  UN forces fought alongside soldiers from the ROK to defend South
  Korea from DPRK attacks supported by China and the Soviet Union. An
  armistice was signed in 1953, splitting the peninsula along a
  demilitarized zone at about the 38th parallel. Thereafter, South
  Korea achieved rapid economic growth with per capita income rising
  to roughly 14 times the level of North Korea. In 1993, KIM Young-sam
  became South Korea's first civilian president following 32 years of
  military rule. South Korea today is a fully functioning modern
  democracy. In June 2000, a historic first North-South summit took
  place between the South's President KIM Dae-jung and the North's
  leader KIM Jong Il. In October 2007, a second North-South summit
  took place between the South's President ROH Moo-hyun and the North
  Korean leader. Harsh rhetoric and unwillingness by North Korea to
  engage with President LEE Myung-bak following his February 2008
  inauguration has strained inter-Korean relations.

Kosovo
  Ethnic Serbs migrated to the territories of modern Kosovo in
  the 7th century but did not fully incorporate them into the Serbian
  realm until the early 13th century. The defeat of the Serbian empire
  at the Battle of Kosovo in 1389 led to five centuries of Ottoman
  rule during which large numbers of Turks and Albanians moved to
  Kosovo. By the end of the 19th century, Albanians replaced the Serbs
  as the dominant ethnic group in Kosovo. Serbia reacquired control
  over Kosovo from the Ottoman Empire during the First Balkan War of
  1912. Kosovo became an autonomous province of Serbia with status
  almost equivalent to that of a republic under the 1974 Constitution
  of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Despite legislative
  concessions, Albanian nationalism increased in the 1980s, which led
  to riots and calls for Kosovo's independence. At the same time, Serb
  nationalist leaders, such as Slobodan MILOSEVIC, exploited Kosovo
  Serb claims of maltreatment to secure votes from supporters, many of
  whom viewed Kosovo as their cultural heartland. Under MILOSEVIC's
  leadership, Serbia instituted a new constitution in 1989 that
  revoked Kosovo's status as an autonomous province of Serbia. Kosovo
  Albanian leaders responded in 1991 by organizing a referendum that
  declared Kosovo independent. Under MILOSEVIC, Serbia carried out
  repressive measures against the Albanians in the early 1990s as the
  unofficial Kosovo government, led by Ibrahim RUGOVA, used passive
  resistance in an attempt to try to gain international assistance and
  recognition of an independent Kosovo. Albanians dissatisfied with
  RUGOVA's passive strategy in the 1990s created the Kosovo Liberation
  Army and launched an insurgency. Starting in 1998, Serbian military,
  police, and paramilitary forces conducted a counterinsurgency
  campaign that resulted in massacres and massive expulsions of ethnic
  Albanians. International attempts to mediate the conflict failed,
  and MILOSEVIC's rejection of a proposed settlement led to a
  three-month NATO bombing campaign against Serbia beginning in March
  1999 that forced Serbia to agree to withdraw its military and police
  forces from Kosovo. UN Security Council Resolution 1244 (1999)
  placed Kosovo under a transitional administration, the UN Interim
  Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), pending a determination of
  Kosovo's future status. A UN-led process began in late 2005 to
  determine Kosovo's final status. The negotiations ran in stages
  between 2006 and 2007, but ended without agreement between Belgrade
  and Pristina. On 17 February 2008, the Kosovo Assembly declared
  Kosovo independent. Since then, over fifty countries have recognized
  Kosovo. Serbia continues to reject Kosovo's independence and
  subsequently has sought an advisory opinion with the backing of the
  General Assembly from the International Court of Justice on the
  legality under international law of Kosovo's independence
  declaration.

Kuwait
  Britain oversaw foreign relations and defense for the ruling
  Kuwaiti AL-SABAH dynasty from 1899 until independence in 1961.
  Kuwait was attacked and overrun by Iraq on 2 August 1990. Following
  several weeks of aerial bombardment, a US-led, UN coalition began a
  ground assault on 23 February 1991 that liberated Kuwait in four
  days. Kuwait spent more than $5 billion to repair oil infrastructure
  damaged during 1990-91. The AL-SABAH family has ruled since
  returning to power in 1991 and reestablished an elected legislature
  that in recent years has become increasingly assertive. The country
  witnessed the historic election in May 2009 of four women to its
  National Assembly.

Kyrgyzstan
  A Central Asian country of incredible natural beauty and
  proud nomadic traditions, most of Kyrgyzstan was formally annexed to
  Russia in 1876. The Kyrgyz staged a major revolt against the Tsarist
  Empire in 1916 in which almost one-sixth of the Kyrgyz population
  was killed. Kyrgyzstan became a Soviet republic in 1936 and achieved
  independence in 1991 when the USSR dissolved. Nationwide
  demonstrations in the spring of 2005 resulted in the ouster of
  President Askar AKAEV, who had run the country since 1990.
  Subsequent presidential elections in July 2005 were won
  overwhelmingly by former prime minister Kurmanbek BAKIEV. The
  political opposition organized demonstrations in Bishkek in April,
  May, and November 2006 resulting in the adoption of a new
  constitution that transferred some of the president's powers to
  parliament and the government. In December 2006, the Kyrgyzstani
  parliament voted to adopt new amendments, restoring some of the
  presidential powers lost in the November 2006 constitutional change.
  By late-September 2007, both previous versions of the constitution
  were declared illegal, and the country reverted to the AKAEV-era
  2003 constitution, which was subsequently modified in a flawed
  referendum initiated by BAKIEV. The president then dissolved
  parliament, called for early elections, and gained control of the
  new parliament through his newly-created political party, Ak Jol, in
  December 2007 elections. Current concerns include: privatization of
  state-owned enterprises, negative trends in democracy and political
  freedoms, endemic corruption, improving interethnic relations,
  electricity generation, rising food prices, and combating terrorism.

Laos
  Modern-day Laos has its roots in the ancient Lao kingdom of Lan
  Xang, established in the 14th Century under King FA NGUM. For 300
  years Lan Xang had influence reaching into present-day Cambodia and
  Thailand, as well as over all of what is now Laos. After centuries
  of gradual decline, Laos came under the domination of Siam
  (Thailand) from the late 18th century until the late 19th century
  when it became part of French Indochina. The Franco-Siamese Treaty
  of 1907 defined the current Lao border with Thailand. In 1975, the
  Communist Pathet Lao took control of the government ending a
  six-century-old monarchy and instituting a strict socialist regime
  closely aligned to Vietnam. A gradual return to private enterprise
  and the liberalization of foreign investment laws began in 1986.
  Laos became a member of ASEAN in 1997.

Latvia
  The name "Latvia" originates from the ancient Latgalians, one
  of four eastern Baltic tribes that formed the ethnic core of the
  Latvian people (ca. 8th-12th centuries A.D.). The region
  subsequently came under the control of Germans, Poles, Swedes, and
  finally, Russians. A Latvian republic emerged following World War I,
  but it was annexed by the USSR in 1940 - an action never recognized
  by the US and many other countries. Latvia reestablished its
  independence in 1991 following the breakup of the Soviet Union.
  Although the last Russian troops left in 1994, the status of the
  Russian minority (some 30% of the population) remains of concern to
  Moscow. Latvia joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004.

Lebanon
  Following World War I, France acquired a mandate over the
  northern portion of the former Ottoman Empire province of Syria. The
  French separated out the region of Lebanon in 1920, and granted this
  area independence in 1943. A lengthy civil war (1975-1990)
  devastated the country, but Lebanon has since made progress toward
  rebuilding its political institutions. Under the Ta'if Accord - the
  blueprint for national reconciliation - the Lebanese established a
  more equitable political system, particularly by giving Muslims a
  greater voice in the political process while institutionalizing
  sectarian divisions in the government. Since the end of the war,
  Lebanon has conducted several successful elections. Most militias
  have been disbanded, with the exception of Hizballah, designated by
  the US State Department as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, and
  Palestinian militant groups. During Lebanon's civil war, the Arab
  League legitimized in the Ta'if Accord Syria's troop deployment,
  numbering about 16,000 based mainly east of Beirut and in the Bekaa
  Valley. Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon in May 2000 and
  the passage in September 2004 of UNSCR 1559 - a resolution calling
  for Syria to withdraw from Lebanon and end its interference in
  Lebanese affairs - encouraged some Lebanese groups to demand that
  Syria withdraw its forces as well. The assassination of former Prime
  Minister Rafiq HARIRI and 22 others in February 2005 led to massive
  demonstrations in Beirut against the Syrian presence ("the Cedar
  Revolution"), and Syria withdrew the remainder of its military
  forces in April 2005. In May-June 2005, Lebanon held its first
  legislative elections since the end of the civil war free of foreign
  interference, handing a majority to the bloc led by Saad HARIRI, the
  slain prime minister's son. In July 2006, Hizballah kidnapped two
  Israeli soldiers leading to a 34-day conflict with Israel in which
  approximately 1,200 Lebanese civilians were killed. UNSCR 1701 ended
  the war in August 2006, and Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) deployed
  throughout the country for the first time in decades, charged with
  securing Lebanon's borders against weapons smuggling and maintaining
  a weapons-free zone in south Lebanon with the help of the UN Interim
  Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). The LAF in May-September 2007 battled
  Sunni extremist group Fatah al-Islam in the Nahr al-Barid
  Palestinian refugee camp, winning a decisive victory, but destroying
  the camp and displacing 30,000 Palestinian residents. Lebanese
  politicians in November 2007 were unable to agree on a successor to
  Emile LAHUD when he stepped down as president, creating a political
  vacuum until the election of Army Commander Michel SULAYMAN in May
  2008 and the formation of a new unity government in July 2008.

Lesotho
  Basutoland was renamed the Kingdom of Lesotho upon
  independence from the UK in 1966. The Basuto National Party ruled
  for the first two decades. King MOSHOESHOE was exiled in 1990, but
  returned to Lesotho in 1992 and was reinstated in 1995.
  Constitutional government was restored in 1993 after seven years of
  military rule. In 1998, violent protests and a military mutiny
  following a contentious election prompted a brief but bloody
  intervention by South African and Botswanan military forces under
  the aegis of the Southern African Development Community. Subsequent
  constitutional reforms restored relative political stability.
  Peaceful parliamentary elections were held in 2002, but the National
  Assembly elections of February 2007 were hotly contested and
  aggrieved parties continue to periodically demonstrate their
  distrust of the results.

Liberia
  Settlement of freed slaves from the US in what is today
  Liberia began in 1822; by 1847, the Americo-Liberians were able to
  establish a republic. William TUBMAN, president from 1944-71, did
  much to promote foreign investment and to bridge the economic,
  social, and political gaps between the descendents of the original
  settlers and the inhabitants of the interior. In 1980, a military
  coup led by Samuel DOE ushered in a decade of authoritarian rule. In
  December 1989, Charles TAYLOR launched a rebellion against DOE's
  regime that led to a prolonged civil war in which DOE himself was
  killed. A period of relative peace in 1997 allowed for elections
  that brought TAYLOR to power, but major fighting resumed in 2000. An
  August 2003 peace agreement ended the war and prompted the
  resignation of former president Charles TAYLOR, who faces war crimes
  charges in The Hague related to his involvement in Sierra Leone's
  civil war. After two years of rule by a transitional government,
  democratic elections in late 2005 brought President Ellen JOHNSON
  SIRLEAF to power. The UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) maintains a
  strong presence throughout the country, but the security situation
  is still fragile and the process of rebuilding the social and
  economic structure of this war-torn country will take many years.

Libya
  The Italians supplanted the Ottoman Turks in the area around
  Tripoli in 1911 and did not relinquish their hold until 1943 when
  defeated in World War II. Libya then passed to UN administration and
  achieved independence in 1951. Following a 1969 military coup, Col.
  Muammar Abu Minyar al-QADHAFI began to espouse his own political
  system, the Third Universal Theory. The system is a combination of
  socialism and Islam derived in part from tribal practices and is
  supposed to be implemented by the Libyan people themselves in a
  unique form of "direct democracy." QADHAFI has always seen himself
  as a revolutionary and visionary leader. He used oil funds during
  the 1970s and 1980s to promote his ideology outside Libya,
  supporting subversives and terrorists abroad to hasten the end of
  Marxism and capitalism. In addition, beginning in 1973, he engaged
  in military operations in northern Chad's Aozou Strip - to gain
  access to minerals and to use as a base of influence in Chadian
  politics - but was forced to retreat in 1987. UN sanctions in 1992
  isolated QADHAFI politically following the downing of Pan AM Flight
  103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. During the 1990s, QADHAFI began to
  rebuild his relationships with Europe. UN sanctions were suspended
  in April 1999 and finally lifted in September 2003 after Libya
  accepted responsibility for the Lockerbie bombing. In December 2003,
  Libya announced that it had agreed to reveal and end its programs to
  develop weapons of mass destruction and to renounce terrorism.
  QADHAFI has made significant strides in normalizing relations with
  Western nations since then. He has received various Western European
  leaders as well as many working-level and commercial delegations,
  and made his first trip to Western Europe in 15 years when he
  traveled to Brussels in April 2004. The US rescinded Libya's
  designation as a state sponsor of terrorism in June 2006. In January
  2008, Libya assumed a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council
  for the 2008-09 term. In August 2008, the US and Libya signed a
  bilateral comprehensive claims settlement agreement to compensate
  claimants in both countries who allege injury or death at the hands
  of the other country, including the Lockerbie bombing, the LaBelle
  disco bombing, and the UTA 772 bombing. In October 2008, the US
  Government received $1.5 billion pursuant to the agreement to
  distribute to US national claimants, and as a result effectively
  normalized its bilateral relationship with Libya. The two countries
  then exchanged ambassadors for the first time since 1973 in January
  2009.

Liechtenstein
  The Principality of Liechtenstein was established
  within the Holy Roman Empire in 1719. Occupied by both French and
  Russian troops during the Napoleanic wars, it became a sovereign
  state in 1806 and joined the Germanic Confederation in 1815.
  Liechtenstein became fully independent in 1866 when the
  Confederation dissolved. Until the end of World War I, it was
  closely tied to Austria, but the economic devastation caused by that
  conflict forced Liechtenstein to enter into a customs and monetary
  union with Switzerland. Since World War II (in which Liechtenstein
  remained neutral), the country's low taxes have spurred outstanding
  economic growth. In 2000, shortcomings in banking regulatory
  oversight resulted in concerns about the use of financial
  institutions for money laundering. However, Liechtenstein
  implemented anti-money-laundering legislation and a Mutual Legal
  Assistance Treaty with the US that went into effect in 2003.

Lithuania
  Lithuanian lands were united under MINDAUGAS in 1236; over
  the next century, through alliances and conquest, Lithuania extended
  its territory to include most of present-day Belarus and Ukraine. By
  the end of the 14th century Lithuania was the largest state in
  Europe. An alliance with Poland in 1386 led the two countries into a
  union through the person of a common ruler. In 1569, Lithuania and
  Poland formally united into a single dual state, the
  Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. This entity survived until 1795,
  when its remnants were partitioned by surrounding countries.
  Lithuania regained its independence following World War I but was
  annexed by the USSR in 1940 - an action never recognized by the US
  and many other countries. On 11 March 1990, Lithuania became the
  first of the Soviet republics to declare its independence, but
  Moscow did not recognize this proclamation until September of 1991
  (following the abortive coup in Moscow). The last Russian troops
  withdrew in 1993. Lithuania subsequently restructured its economy
  for integration into Western European institutions; it joined both
  NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004.

Luxembourg
  Founded in 963, Luxembourg became a grand duchy in 1815
  and an independent state under the Netherlands. It lost more than
  half of its territory to Belgium in 1839, but gained a larger
  measure of autonomy. Full independence was attained in 1867. Overrun
  by Germany in both World Wars, it ended its neutrality in 1948 when
  it entered into the Benelux Customs Union and when it joined NATO
  the following year. In 1957, Luxembourg became one of the six
  founding countries of the European Economic Community (later the
  European Union), and in 1999 it joined the euro currency area.

Macau
  Colonized by the Portuguese in the 16th century, Macau was the
  first European settlement in the Far East. Pursuant to an agreement
  signed by China and Portugal on 13 April 1987, Macau became the
  Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the People's Republic
  of China on 20 December 1999. In this agreement, China promised
  that, under its "one country, two systems" formula, China's
  socialist economic system would not be practiced in Macau, and that
  Macau would enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all matters except
  foreign and defense affairs for the next 50 years.

Macedonia
  Macedonia gained its independence peacefully from
  Yugoslavia in 1991, but Greece's objection to the new state's use of
  what it considered a Hellenic name and symbols delayed international
  recognition, which occurred under the provisional designation of
  "the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia." In 1995, Greece lifted
  a 20-month trade embargo and the two countries agreed to normalize
  relations. The United States began referring to Macedonia by its
  constitutional name, Republic of Macedonia, in 2004 and negotiations
  continue between Greece and Macedonia to resolve the name issue.
  Some ethnic Albanians, angered by perceived political and economic
  inequities, launched an insurgency in 2001 that eventually won the
  support of the majority of Macedonia's Albanian population and led
  to the internationally-brokered Framework Agreement, which ended the
  fighting by establishing a set of new laws enhancing the rights of
  minorities. Fully implementing the Framework Agreement and
  stimulating economic growth and development continue to be
  challenges for Macedonia, although progress has been made on both
  fronts over the past several years.

Madagascar
  Formerly an independent kingdom, Madagascar became a
  French colony in 1896 but regained independence in 1960. During
  1992-93, free presidential and National Assembly elections were held
  ending 17 years of single-party rule. In 1997, in the second
  presidential race, Didier RATSIRAKA, the leader during the 1970s and
  1980s, was returned to the presidency. The 2001 presidential
  election was contested between the followers of Didier RATSIRAKA and
  Marc RAVALOMANANA, nearly causing secession of half of the country.
  In April 2002, the High Constitutional Court announced RAVALOMANANA
  the winner. RAVALOMANANA achieved a second term following a
  landslide victory in the generally free and fair presidential
  elections of 2006. In early 2009, protests due to increasing
  restrictions on opposition press and activities resulted in
  RAVALOMANANA stepping down and the presidency was conferred to the
  mayor of Antananarivo, Andry RAJOELINA. Following negotiations in
  July and August of 2009, a power-sharing agreement with a 15-month
  transitional period was established. Elections are expected in the
  fall of 2010.

Malawi
  Established in 1891, the British protectorate of Nyasaland
  became the independent nation of Malawi in 1964. After three decades
  of one-party rule under President Hastings Kamuzu BANDA the country
  held multiparty elections in 1994, under a provisional constitution
  that came into full effect the following year. Current President
  Bingu wa MUTHARIKA, elected in May 2004 after a failed attempt by
  the previous president to amend the constitution to permit another
  term, struggled to assert his authority against his predecessor and
  subsequently started his own party, the Democratic Progressive Party
  (DPP) in 2005. As president, MUTHARIKA has overseen substantial
  economic improvement but because of political deadlock in the
  legislature, his minority party has been unable to pass significant
  legislation, and anti-corruption measures have stalled. Population
  growth, increasing pressure on agricultural lands, corruption, and
  the spread of HIV/AIDS pose major problems for Malawi.

Malaysia
  During the late 18th and 19th centuries, Great Britain
  established colonies and protectorates in the area of current
  Malaysia; these were occupied by Japan from 1942 to 1945. In 1948,
  the British-ruled territories on the Malay Peninsula formed the
  Federation of Malaya, which became independent in 1957. Malaysia was
  formed in 1963 when the former British colonies of Singapore and the
  East Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak on the northern coast of
  Borneo joined the Federation. The first several years of the
  country's history were marred by a Communist insurgency, Indonesian
  confrontation with Malaysia, Philippine claims to Sabah, and
  Singapore's secession from the Federation in 1965. During the
  22-year term of Prime Minister MAHATHIR bin Mohamad (1981-2003),
  Malaysia was successful in diversifying its economy from dependence
  on exports of raw materials to expansion in manufacturing, services,
  and tourism.

Maldives
  The Maldives was long a sultanate, first under Dutch and
  then under British protection. It became a republic in 1968, three
  years after independence. President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM dominated
  the islands' political scene for 30 years, elected to six successive
  terms by single-party referendums. Following riots in the capital
  Male in August 2004, the president and his government pledged to
  embark upon democratic reforms including a more representative
  political system and expanded political freedoms. Progress was
  sluggish, however, and many promised reforms were slow to be
  realized. Nonetheless, political parties were legalized in 2005. In
  June 2008, a constituent assembly - termed the "Special Majlis" -
  finalized a new constitution, which was ratified by the president in
  August. The first-ever presidential elections under a
  multi-candidate, multi-party system were held in October 2008.
  GAYOOM was defeated in a runoff poll by Mohamed NASHEED, a political
  activist who had been jailed several years earlier by the former
  regime. Challenges facing the new president include strengthening
  democracy and combating poverty and drug abuse.

Mali
  The Sudanese Republic and Senegal became independent of France
  in 1960 as the Mali Federation. When Senegal withdrew after only a
  few months, what formerly made up the Sudanese Republic was renamed
  Mali. Rule by dictatorship was brought to a close in 1991 by a
  military coup - led by the current president Amadou TOURE - enabling
  Mali's emergence as one of the strongest democracies on the
  continent. President Alpha KONARE won Mali's first democratic
  presidential election in 1992 and was reelected in 1997. In keeping
  with Mali's two-term constitutional limit, KONARE stepped down in
  2002 and was succeeded by Amadou TOURE, who was subsequently elected
  to a second term in 2007. The elections were widely judged to be
  free and fair.

Malta
  Great Britain formally acquired possession of Malta in 1814.
  The island staunchly supported the UK through both World Wars and
  remained in the Commonwealth when it became independent in 1964. A
  decade later Malta became a republic. Since about the mid-1980s, the
  island has transformed itself into a freight transshipment point, a
  financial center, and a tourist destination. Malta became an EU
  member in May 2004 and began using the euro as currency in 2008.

Marshall Islands
  After almost four decades under US administration
  as the easternmost part of the UN Trust Territory of the Pacific
  Islands, the Marshall Islands attained independence in 1986 under a
  Compact of Free Association. Compensation claims continue as a
  result of US nuclear testing on some of the atolls between 1947 and
  1962. The Marshall Islands hosts the US Army Kwajalein Atoll (USAKA)
  Reagan Missile Test Site, a key installation in the US missile
  defense network.

Mauritania
  Independent from France in 1960, Mauritania annexed the
  southern third of the former Spanish Sahara (now Western Sahara) in
  1976, but relinquished it after three years of raids by the
  Polisario guerrilla front seeking independence for the territory.
  Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA seized power in a coup in 1984 and ruled
  Mauritania with a heavy hand for more than two decades. A series of
  presidential elections that he held were widely seen as flawed. A
  bloodless coup in August 2005 deposed President TAYA and ushered in
  a military council that oversaw a transition to democratic rule.
  Independent candidate Sidi Ould Cheikh ABDALLAHI was inaugurated in
  April 2007 as Mauritania's first freely and fairly elected
  president. His term ended prematurely in August 2008 when a military
  junta deposed him and ushered in a military council government.
  Meanwhile, the country continues to experience ethnic tensions among
  its black population (Afro-Mauritanians) and White and Black Moor
  (Arab-Berber) communities.

Mauritius
  Although known to Arab and Malay sailors as early as the
  10th century, Mauritius was first explored by the Portuguese in the
  16th century and subsequently settled by the Dutch - who named it in
  honor of Prince Maurits van NASSAU - in the 17th century. The French
  assumed control in 1715, developing the island into an important
  naval base overseeing Indian Ocean trade, and establishing a
  plantation economy of sugar cane. The British captured the island in
  1810, during the Napoleonic Wars. Mauritius remained a strategically
  important British naval base, and later an air station, playing an
  important role during World War II for anti-submarine and convoy
  operations, as well as the collection of signals intelligence.
  Independence from the UK was attained in 1968. A stable democracy
  with regular free elections and a positive human rights record, the
  country has attracted considerable foreign investment and has earned
  one of Africa's highest per capita incomes. Recent poor weather,
  declining sugar prices, and declining textile and apparel
  production, have slowed economic growth, leading to some protests
  over standards of living in the Creole community.

Mayotte
  Mayotte was ceded to France along with the other islands of
  the Comoros group in 1843. It was the only island in the archipelago
  that voted in 1974 to retain its link with France and forego
  independence.

Mexico
  The site of advanced Amerindian civilizations, Mexico came
  under Spanish rule for three centuries before achieving independence
  early in the 19th century. A devaluation of the peso in late 1994
  threw Mexico into economic turmoil, triggering the worst recession
  in over half a century. The nation had been making an impressive
  recovery until the global financial crisis hit in late 2008. Ongoing
  economic and social concerns include low real wages, underemployment
  for a large segment of the population, inequitable income
  distribution, and few advancement opportunities for the largely
  Amerindian population in the impoverished southern states. The
  elections held in 2000 marked the first time since the 1910 Mexican
  Revolution that an opposition candidate - Vicente FOX of the
  National Action Party (PAN) - defeated the party in government, the
  Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). He was succeeded in 2006 by
  another PAN candidate Felipe CALDERON. In January 2009, Mexico
  assumed a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council for the
  2009-10 term.

Micronesia, Federated States of
  In 1979 the Federated States of
  Micronesia, a UN Trust Territory under US administration, adopted a
  constitution. In 1986 independence was attained under a Compact of
  Free Association with the US, which was amended and renewed in 2004.
  Present concerns include large-scale unemployment, overfishing, and
  overdependence on US aid.

Moldova
  Part of Romania during the interwar period, Moldova was
  incorporated into the Soviet Union at the close of World War II.
  Although independent from the USSR since 1991, Russian forces have
  remained on Moldovan territory east of the Dniester River supporting
  the Slavic majority population, mostly Ukrainians and Russians, who
  have proclaimed a "Transnistria" republic. One of the poorest
  nations in Europe, Moldova became the first former Soviet state to
  elect a Communist as its president in 2001.

Monaco
  The Genoese built a fortress on the site of present-day
  Monaco in 1215. The current ruling Grimaldi family secured control
  in the late 13th century, and a principality was established in
  1338. Economic development was spurred in the late 19th century with
  a railroad linkup to France and the opening of a casino. Since then,
  the principality's mild climate, splendid scenery, and gambling
  facilities have made Monaco world famous as a tourist and recreation
  center.

Mongolia
  The Mongols gained fame in the 13th century when under
  Chinggis KHAN they established a huge Eurasian empire through
  conquest. After his death the empire was divided into several
  powerful Mongol states, but these broke apart in the 14th century.
  The Mongols eventually retired to their original steppe homelands
  and in the late 17th century came under Chinese rule. Mongolia won
  its independence in 1921 with Soviet backing and a Communist regime
  was installed in 1924. The modern country of Mongolia, however,
  represents only part of the Mongols' historical homeland; more
  Mongols live in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in the People's
  Republic of China than in Mongolia. Following a peaceful democratic
  revolution, the ex-Communist Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party
  (MPRP) won elections in 1990 and 1992, but was defeated by the
  Democratic Union Coalition (DUC) in the 1996 parliamentary election.
  The MPRP won an overwhelming majority in the 2000 parliamentary
  election, but the party lost seats in the 2004 election and shared
  power with democratic coalition parties from 2004-08. The MPRP
  regained a solid majority in the 2008 parliamentary elections but
  nevertheless formed a coalition government with the Democratic
  Party. The prime minister and most cabinet members are MPRP members.

Montenegro
  The use of the name Montenegro began in the 15th century
  when the Crnojevic dynasty began to rule the Serbian principality of
  Zeta; over subsequent centuries Montenegro was able to maintain its
  independence from the Ottoman Empire. From the 16th to 19th
  centuries, Montenegro became a theocracy ruled by a series of bishop
  princes; in 1852, it was transformed into a secular principality.
  After World War I, Montenegro was absorbed by the Kingdom of Serbs,
  Croats, and Slovenes, which became the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in
  1929; at the conclusion of World War II, it became a constituent
  republic of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. When the
  latter dissolved in 1992, Montenegro federated with Serbia, first as
  the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and, after 2003, in a looser
  union of Serbia and Montenegro. In May 2006, Montenegro invoked its
  right under the Constitutional Charter of Serbia and Montenegro to
  hold a referendum on independence from the state union. The vote for
  severing ties with Serbia exceeded 55% - the threshold set by the EU
  - allowing Montenegro to formally declare its independence on 3 June
  2006.

Montserrat
  English and Irish colonists from St. Kitts first settled
  on Montserrat in 1632; the first African slaves arrived three
  decades later. The British and French fought for possession of the
  island for most of the 18th century, but it finally was confirmed as
  a British possession in 1783. The island's sugar plantation economy
  was converted to small farm landholdings in the mid 19th century.
  Much of this island was devastated and two-thirds of the population
  fled abroad because of the eruption of the Soufriere Hills Volcano
  that began on 18 July 1995. Montserrat has endured volcanic activity
  since, with the last eruption occurring in July 2003.

Morocco
  In 788, about a century after the Arab conquest of North
  Africa, successive Moorish dynasties began to rule in Morocco. In
  the 16th century, the Sa'adi monarchy, particularly under Ahmad
  AL-MANSUR (1578-1603), repelled foreign invaders and inaugurated a
  golden age. In 1860, Spain occupied northern Morocco and ushered in
  a half century of trade rivalry among European powers that saw
  Morocco's sovereignty steadily erode; in 1912, the French imposed a
  protectorate over the country. A protracted independence struggle
  with France ended successfully in 1956. The internationalized city
  of Tangier and most Spanish possessions were turned over to the new
  country that same year. Morocco virtually annexed Western Sahara
  during the late 1970s, but final resolution on the status of the
  territory remains unresolved. Gradual political reforms in the 1990s
  resulted in the establishment of a bicameral legislature, which
  first met in 1997. The country has made improvements in human rights
  under King MOHAMMED VI and its press is moderately free. Despite the
  continuing reforms, ultimate authority remains in the hands of the
  monarch.

Mozambique
  Almost five centuries as a Portuguese colony came to a
  close with independence in 1975. Large-scale emigration, economic
  dependence on South Africa, a severe drought, and a prolonged civil
  war hindered the country's development until the mid 1990's. The
  ruling Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (FRELIMO) party
  formally abandoned Marxism in 1989, and a new constitution the
  following year provided for multiparty elections and a free market
  economy. A UN-negotiated peace agreement between FRELIMO and rebel
  Mozambique National Resistance (RENAMO) forces ended the fighting in
  1992. In December 2004, Mozambique underwent a delicate transition
  as Joaquim CHISSANO stepped down after 18 years in office. His
  elected successor, Armando Emilio GUEBUZA, promised to continue the
  sound economic policies that have encouraged foreign investment.
  Mozambique has seen very strong economic growth since the end of the
  civil war largely due to post-conflict reconstruction.

Namibia
  South Africa occupied the German colony of South-West Africa
  during World War I and administered it as a mandate until after
  World War II, when it annexed the territory. In 1966 the Marxist
  South-West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) guerrilla group
  launched a war of independence for the area that became Namibia, but
  it was not until 1988 that South Africa agreed to end its
  administration in accordance with a UN peace plan for the entire
  region. Namibia has been governed by SWAPO since the country won
  independence in 1990. Hifikepunye POHAMBA was elected president in
  November 2004 in a landslide victory replacing Sam NUJOMA who led
  the country during its first 14 years of self rule.

Nauru
  The exact origins of the Nauruans are unclear since their
  language does not resemble any other in the Pacific. The island was
  annexed by Germany in 1888. Its phosphate deposits began to be mined
  early in the 20th century by a German-British consortium. Nauru was
  occupied by Australian forces in World War I and subsequently became
  a League of Nations mandate. After the Second World War - and a
  brutal occupation by Japan - Nauru became a UN trust territory. It
  achieved independence in 1968 and joined the UN in 1999 as the
  world's smallest independent republic.

Navassa Island
  This uninhabited island was claimed by the US in 1857
  for its guano. Mining took place between 1865 and 1898. The
  lighthouse, built in 1917, was shut down in 1996 and administration
  of Navassa Island transferred from the Coast Guard to the Department
  of the Interior. A 1998 scientific expedition to the island
  described it as a unique preserve of Caribbean biodiversity; the
  following year it became a National Wildlife Refuge and annual
  scientific expeditions have continued.

Nepal
  In 1951, the Nepalese monarch ended the century-old system of
  rule by hereditary premiers and instituted a cabinet system of
  government. Reforms in 1990 established a multiparty democracy
  within the framework of a constitutional monarchy. An insurgency led
  by Maoist extremists broke out in 1996. The ensuing ten-year civil
  war between insurgents and government forces witnessed the
  dissolution of the cabinet and parliament and assumption of absolute
  power by the king. Several weeks of mass protests in April 2006 were
  followed by several months of peace negotiations between the Maoists
  and government officials, and culminated in a November 2006 peace
  accord and the promulgation of an interim constitution. Following a
  nation-wide election in April 2008, the newly formed Constituent
  Assembly declared Nepal a federal democratic republic and abolished
  the monarchy at its first meeting the following month. The
  Constituent Assembly elected the country's first president in July.
  The Maoists, who received a plurality of votes in the Constituent
  Assembly election, formed a coalition government in August 2008.

Netherlands
  The Dutch United Provinces declared their independence
  from Spain in 1579; during the 17th century, they became a leading
  seafaring and commercial power, with settlements and colonies around
  the world. After a 20-year French occupation, a Kingdom of the
  Netherlands was formed in 1815. In 1830 Belgium seceded and formed a
  separate kingdom. The Netherlands remained neutral in World War I,
  but suffered invasion and occupation by Germany in World War II. A
  modern, industrialized nation, the Netherlands is also a large
  exporter of agricultural products. The country was a founding member
  of NATO and the EEC (now the EU), and participated in the
  introduction of the euro in 1999.

Netherlands Antilles
  Once the center of the Caribbean slave trade,
  the island of Curacao was hard hit by the abolition of slavery in
  1863. Its prosperity (and that of neighboring Aruba) was restored in
  the early 20th century with the construction of oil refineries to
  service newly discovered Venezuelan oil fields. The island of Saint
  Martin is shared with France; its southern portion is named Sint
  Maarten and is part of the Netherlands Antilles; its northern
  portion, called Saint Martin, is an overseas collectivity of France.

New Caledonia
  Settled by both Britain and France during the first
  half of the 19th century, the island was made a French possession in
  1853. It served as a penal colony for four decades after 1864.
  Agitation for independence during the 1980s and early 1990s ended in
  the 1998 Noumea Accord, which over a period of 15 to 20 years will
  transfer an increasing amount of governing responsibility from
  France to New Caledonia. The agreement also commits France to
  conduct as many as three referenda between 2013 and 2018, to decide
  whether New Caledonia should assume full sovereignty and
  independence.

New Zealand
  The Polynesian Maori reached New Zealand in about A.D.
  800. In 1840, their chieftains entered into a compact with Britain,
  the Treaty of Waitangi, in which they ceded sovereignty to Queen
  Victoria while retaining territorial rights. In that same year, the
  British began the first organized colonial settlement. A series of
  land wars between 1843 and 1872 ended with the defeat of the native
  peoples. The British colony of New Zealand became an independent
  dominion in 1907 and supported the UK militarily in both World Wars.
  New Zealand's full participation in a number of defense alliances
  lapsed by the 1980s. In recent years, the government has sought to
  address longstanding Maori grievances.

Nicaragua
  The Pacific coast of Nicaragua was settled as a Spanish
  colony from Panama in the early 16th century. Independence from
  Spain was declared in 1821 and the country became an independent
  republic in 1838. Britain occupied the Caribbean Coast in the first
  half of the 19th century, but gradually ceded control of the region
  in subsequent decades. Violent opposition to governmental
  manipulation and corruption spread to all classes by 1978 and
  resulted in a short-lived civil war that brought the Marxist
  Sandinista guerrillas to power in 1979. Nicaraguan aid to leftist
  rebels in El Salvador caused the US to sponsor anti-Sandinista
  contra guerrillas through much of the 1980s. Free elections in 1990,
  1996, and 2001, saw the Sandinistas defeated, but voting in 2006
  announced the return of former Sandinista President Daniel ORTEGA
  Saavedra. The 2008 municipal elections were characterized by
  widespread irregularities. Nicaragua's infrastructure and economy -
  hard hit by the earlier civil war and by Hurricane Mitch in 1998 -
  are slowly being rebuilt, but democratic institutions face new
  challenges under the ORTEGA administration.

Niger
  Niger became independent from France in 1960 and experienced
  single-party and military rule until 1991, when Gen. Ali SAIBOU was
  forced by public pressure to allow multiparty elections, which
  resulted in a democratic government in 1993. Political infighting
  brought the government to a standstill and in 1996 led to a coup by
  Col. Ibrahim BARE. In 1999, BARE was killed in a coup by military
  officers who promptly restored democratic rule and held elections
  that brought Mamadou TANDJA to power in December of that year.
  TANDJA was reelected in 2004. Niger is one of the poorest countries
  in the world with minimal government services and insufficient funds
  to develop its resource base. The largely agrarian and
  subsistence-based economy is frequently disrupted by extended
  droughts common to the Sahel region of Africa. A predominately
  Tuareg ethnic group emerged in February 2007, the Nigerien Movement
  for Justice (MNJ), and attacked several military targets in Niger's
  northern region throughout 2007 and 2008. Events have since evolved
  into a fledging insurgency.

Nigeria
  British influence and control over what would become Nigeria
  and Africa's most populous country grew through the 19th century. A
  series of constitutions after World War II granted Nigeria greater
  autonomy; independence came in 1960. Following nearly 16 years of
  military rule, a new constitution was adopted in 1999, and a
  peaceful transition to civilian government was completed. The
  government continues to face the daunting task of reforming a
  petroleum-based economy, whose revenues have been squandered through
  corruption and mismanagement, and institutionalizing democracy. In
  addition, Nigeria continues to experience longstanding ethnic and
  religious tensions. Although both the 2003 and 2007 presidential
  elections were marred by significant irregularities and violence,
  Nigeria is currently experiencing its longest period of civilian
  rule since independence. The general elections of April 2007 marked
  the first civilian-to-civilian transfer of power in the country's
  history.

Niue
  Niue's remoteness, as well as cultural and linguistic
  differences between its Polynesian inhabitants and those of the rest
  of the Cook Islands, have caused it to be separately administered.
  The population of the island continues to drop (from a peak of 5,200
  in 1966 to an estimated 1,398 in 2009) with substantial emigration
  to New Zealand 2,400 km to the southwest.

Norfolk Island
  Two British attempts at establishing the island as a
  penal colony (1788-1814 and 1825-55) were ultimately abandoned. In
  1856, the island was resettled by Pitcairn Islanders, descendants of
  the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian companions.

Northern Mariana Islands
  Under US administration as part of the UN
  Trust Territory of the Pacific, the people of the Northern Mariana
  Islands decided in the 1970s not to seek independence but instead to
  forge closer links with the US. Negotiations for territorial status
  began in 1972. A covenant to establish a commonwealth in political
  union with the US was approved in 1975, and came into force on 24
  March 1976. A new government and constitution went into effect in
  1978.

Norway
  Two centuries of Viking raids into Europe tapered off
  following the adoption of Christianity by King Olav TRYGGVASON in
  994. Conversion of the Norwegian kingdom occurred over the next
  several decades. In 1397, Norway was absorbed into a union with
  Denmark that lasted more than four centuries. In 1814, Norwegians
  resisted the cession of their country to Sweden and adopted a new
  constitution. Sweden then invaded Norway but agreed to let Norway
  keep its constitution in return for accepting the union under a
  Swedish king. Rising nationalism throughout the 19th century led to
  a 1905 referendum granting Norway independence. Although Norway
  remained neutral in World War I, it suffered heavy losses to its
  shipping. Norway proclaimed its neutrality at the outset of World
  War II, but was nonetheless occupied for five years by Nazi Germany
  (1940-45). In 1949, neutrality was abandoned and Norway became a
  member of NATO. Discovery of oil and gas in adjacent waters in the
  late 1960s boosted Norway's economic fortunes. The current focus is
  on containing spending on the extensive welfare system and planning
  for the time when petroleum reserves are depleted. In referenda held
  in 1972 and 1994, Norway rejected joining the EU.

Oman
  The inhabitants of the area of Oman have long prospered on
  Indian Ocean trade. In the late 18th century, a newly established
  sultanate in Muscat signed the first in a series of friendship
  treaties with Britain. Over time, Oman's dependence on British
  political and military advisors increased, but it never became a
  British colony. In 1970, QABOOS bin Said al-Said overthrew the
  restrictive rule of his father; he has ruled as sultan ever since.
  His extensive modernization program has opened the country to the
  outside world while preserving the longstanding close ties with the
  UK. Oman's moderate, independent foreign policy has sought to
  maintain good relations with all Middle Eastern countries.

Pacific Ocean
  The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the world's five
  oceans (followed by the Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Southern
  Ocean, and Arctic Ocean). Strategically important access waterways
  include the La Perouse, Tsugaru, Tsushima, Taiwan, Singapore, and
  Torres Straits. The decision by the International Hydrographic
  Organization in the spring of 2000 to delimit a fifth ocean, the
  Southern Ocean, removed the portion of the Pacific Ocean south of 60
  degrees south.

Pakistan
  The Indus Valley civilization, one of the oldest in the
  world and dating back at least 5,000 years, spread over much of what
  is presently Pakistan. During the second millennium B.C., remnants
  of this culture fused with the migrating Indo-Aryan peoples. The
  area underwent successive invasions in subsequent centuries from the
  Persians, Greeks, Scythians, Arabs (who brought Islam), Afghans, and
  Turks. The Mughal Empire flourished in the 16th and 17th centuries;
  the British came to dominate the region in the 18th century. The
  separation in 1947 of British India into the Muslim state of
  Pakistan (with West and East sections) and largely Hindu India was
  never satisfactorily resolved, and India and Pakistan fought two
  wars - in 1947-48 and 1965 - over the disputed Kashmir territory. A
  third war between these countries in 1971 - in which India
  capitalized on Islamabad's marginalization of Bengalis in Pakistani
  politics - resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate nation of
  Bangladesh. In response to Indian nuclear weapons testing, Pakistan
  conducted its own tests in 1998. The dispute over the state of
  Kashmir is ongoing, but discussions and confidence-building measures
  have led to decreased tensions since 2002. Mounting public
  dissatisfaction with President MUSHARRAF, coupled with the
  assassination of the prominent and popular political leader, Benazir
  BHUTTO, in late 2007, and MUSHARRAF's resignation in August 2008,
  led to the September presidential election of Asif ZARDARI, BHUTTO's
  widower. Pakistani government and military leaders are struggling to
  control Islamist militants, many of whom are located in the tribal
  areas adjacent to the border with Afghanistan. The November 2008
  Mumbai attacks again inflamed Indo-Pakistan relations. The Pakistani
  Government is also faced with a deteriorating economy as foreign
  exchange reserves decline, the currency depreciates, and the current
  account deficit widens.

Palau
  After three decades as part of the UN Trust Territory of the
  Pacific under US administration, this westernmost cluster of the
  Caroline Islands opted for independence in 1978 rather than join the
  Federated States of Micronesia. A Compact of Free Association with
  the US was approved in 1986 but not ratified until 1993. It entered
  into force the following year when the islands gained independence.

Panama
  Explored and settled by the Spanish in the 16th century,
  Panama broke with Spain in 1821 and joined a union of Colombia,
  Ecuador, and Venezuela - named the Republic of Gran Colombia. When
  the latter dissolved in 1830, Panama remained part of Colombia. With
  US backing, Panama seceded from Colombia in 1903 and promptly signed
  a treaty with the US allowing for the construction of a canal and US
  sovereignty over a strip of land on either side of the structure
  (the Panama Canal Zone). The Panama Canal was built by the US Army
  Corps of Engineers between 1904 and 1914. In 1977, an agreement was
  signed for the complete transfer of the Canal from the US to Panama
  by the end of the century. Certain portions of the Zone and
  increasing responsibility over the Canal were turned over in the
  subsequent decades. With US help, dictator Manuel NORIEGA was
  deposed in 1989. The entire Panama Canal, the area supporting the
  Canal, and remaining US military bases were transferred to Panama by
  the end of 1999. In October 2006, Panamanians approved an ambitious
  plan to expand the Canal. The project, which began in 2007 and could
  double the Canal's capacity, is expected to be completed in 2014-15.

Papua New Guinea
  The eastern half of the island of New Guinea -
  second largest in the world - was divided between Germany (north)
  and the UK (south) in 1885. The latter area was transferred to
  Australia in 1902, which occupied the northern portion during World
  War I and continued to administer the combined areas until
  independence in 1975. A nine-year secessionist revolt on the island
  of Bougainville ended in 1997 after claiming some 20,000 lives.

Paracel Islands
  The Paracel Islands are surrounded by productive
  fishing grounds and by potential oil and gas reserves. In 1932,
  French Indochina annexed the islands and set up a weather station on
  Pattle Island; maintenance was continued by its successor, Vietnam.
  China has occupied the Paracel Islands since 1974, when its troops
  seized a South Vietnamese garrison occupying the western islands.
  China built a military installation on Mischief Reef in 1999. The
  islands are claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam.

Paraguay
  Paraguay achieved its independence from Spain in 1811. In
  the disastrous War of the Triple Alliance (1865-70) - between
  Paraguay and Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay - Paraguay lost
  two-thirds of all adult males and much of its territory. The country
  stagnated economically for the next half century. Following the
  Chaco War of 1932-35 with Bolivia, Paraguay gained a large part of
  the Chaco lowland region. The 35-year military dictatorship of
  Alfredo STROESSNER ended in 1989, and, despite a marked increase in
  political infighting in recent years, Paraguay has held relatively
  free and regular presidential elections since then.

Peru
  Ancient Peru was the seat of several prominent Andean
  civilizations, most notably that of the Incas whose empire was
  captured by the Spanish conquistadors in 1533. Peruvian independence
  was declared in 1821, and remaining Spanish forces defeated in 1824.
  After a dozen years of military rule, Peru returned to democratic
  leadership in 1980, but experienced economic problems and the growth
  of a violent insurgency. President Alberto FUJIMORI's election in
  1990 ushered in a decade that saw a dramatic turnaround in the
  economy and significant progress in curtailing guerrilla activity.
  Nevertheless, the president's increasing reliance on authoritarian
  measures and an economic slump in the late 1990s generated mounting
  dissatisfaction with his regime, which led to his ouster in 2000. A
  caretaker government oversaw new elections in the spring of 2001,
  which ushered in Alejandro TOLEDO Manrique as the new head of
  government - Peru's first democratically elected president of Native
  American ethnicity. The presidential election of 2006 saw the return
  of Alan GARCIA Perez who, after a disappointing presidential term
  from 1985 to 1990, has overseen a robust macroeconomic performance.

Philippines
  The Philippine Islands became a Spanish colony during
  the 16th century; they were ceded to the US in 1898 following the
  Spanish-American War. In 1935 the Philippines became a
  self-governing commonwealth. Manuel QUEZON was elected president and
  was tasked with preparing the country for independence after a
  10-year transition. In 1942 the islands fell under Japanese
  occupation during World War II, and US forces and Filipinos fought
  together during 1944-45 to regain control. On 4 July 1946 the
  Republic of the Philippines attained its independence. The 20-year
  rule of Ferdinand MARCOS ended in 1986, when a "people power"
  movement in Manila ("EDSA 1") forced him into exile and installed
  Corazon AQUINO as president. Her presidency was hampered by several
  coup attempts, which prevented a return to full political stability
  and economic development. Fidel RAMOS was elected president in 1992
  and his administration was marked by greater stability and progress
  on economic reforms. In 1992, the US closed its last military bases
  on the islands. Joseph ESTRADA was elected president in 1998, but
  was succeeded by his vice-president, Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, in
  January 2001 after ESTRADA's stormy impeachment trial on corruption
  charges broke down and another "people power" movement ("EDSA 2")
  demanded his resignation. MACAPAGAL-ARROYO was elected to a six-year
  term as president in May 2004. The Philippine Government faces
  threats from three terrorist groups on the US Government's Foreign
  Terrorist Organization list, but in 2006 and 2007 scored some major
  successes in capturing or killing key wanted terrorists. Decades of
  Muslim insurgency in the southern Philippines have led to a peace
  accord with one group and on-again/off-again peace talks with
  another.

Pitcairn Islands
  Pitcairn Island was discovered in 1767 by the
  British and settled in 1790 by the Bounty mutineers and their
  Tahitian companions. Pitcairn was the first Pacific island to become
  a British colony (in 1838) and today remains the last vestige of
  that empire in the South Pacific. Outmigration, primarily to New
  Zealand, has thinned the population from a peak of 233 in 1937 to
  less than 50 today.

Poland
  Poland is an ancient nation that was conceived near the
  middle of the 10th century. Its golden age occurred in the 16th
  century. During the following century, the strengthening of the
  gentry and internal disorders weakened the nation. In a series of
  agreements between 1772 and 1795, Russia, Prussia, and Austria
  partitioned Poland amongst themselves. Poland regained its
  independence in 1918 only to be overrun by Germany and the Soviet
  Union in World War II. It became a Soviet satellite state following
  the war, but its government was comparatively tolerant and
  progressive. Labor turmoil in 1980 led to the formation of the
  independent trade union "Solidarity" that over time became a
  political force and by 1990 had swept parliamentary elections and
  the presidency. A "shock therapy" program during the early 1990s
  enabled the country to transform its economy into one of the most
  robust in Central Europe, but Poland still faces the lingering
  challenges of high unemployment, underdeveloped and dilapidated
  infrastructure, and a poor rural underclass. Solidarity suffered a
  major defeat in the 2001 parliamentary elections when it failed to
  elect a single deputy to the lower house of Parliament, and the new
  leaders of the Solidarity Trade Union subsequently pledged to reduce
  the Trade Union's political role. Poland joined NATO in 1999 and the
  European Union in 2004. With its transformation to a democratic,
  market-oriented country largely completed, Poland is an increasingly
  active member of Euro-Atlantic organizations.

Portugal
  Following its heyday as a global maritime power during the
  15th and 16th centuries, Portugal lost much of its wealth and status
  with the destruction of Lisbon in a 1755 earthquake, occupation
  during the Napoleonic Wars, and the independence of its wealthiest
  colony of Brazil in 1822. A 1910 revolution deposed the monarchy;
  for most of the next six decades, repressive governments ran the
  country. In 1974, a left-wing military coup installed broad
  democratic reforms. The following year, Portugal granted
  independence to all of its African colonies. Portugal is a founding
  member of NATO and entered the EC (now the EU) in 1986.

Puerto Rico
  Populated for centuries by aboriginal peoples, the
  island was claimed by the Spanish Crown in 1493 following COLUMBUS'
  second voyage to the Americas. In 1898, after 400 years of colonial
  rule that saw the indigenous population nearly exterminated and
  African slave labor introduced, Puerto Rico was ceded to the US as a
  result of the Spanish-American War. Puerto Ricans were granted US
  citizenship in 1917. Popularly-elected governors have served since
  1948. In 1952, a constitution was enacted providing for internal
  self government. In plebiscites held in 1967, 1993, and 1998, voters
  chose not to alter the existing political status.

Qatar
  Ruled by the al-Thani family since the mid-1800s, Qatar
  transformed itself from a poor British protectorate noted mainly for
  pearling into an independent state with significant oil and natural
  gas revenues. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Qatari
  economy was crippled by a continuous siphoning off of petroleum
  revenues by the Amir, who had ruled the country since 1972. His son,
  the current Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa al-Thani, overthrew him in a
  bloodless coup in 1995. In 2001, Qatar resolved its longstanding
  border disputes with both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. As of 2007, oil
  and natural gas revenues had enabled Qatar to attain the
  second-highest per capita income in the world.

Romania
  The principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia - for centuries
  under the suzerainty of the Turkish Ottoman Empire - secured their
  autonomy in 1856; they united in 1859 and a few years later adopted
  the new name of Romania. The country gained recognition of its
  independence in 1878. It joined the Allied Powers in World War I and
  acquired new territories - most notably Transylvania - following the
  conflict. In 1940, Romania allied with the Axis powers and
  participated in the 1941 German invasion of the USSR. Three years
  later, overrun by the Soviets, Romania signed an armistice. The
  post-war Soviet occupation led to the formation of a Communist
  "people's republic" in 1947 and the abdication of the king. The
  decades-long rule of dictator Nicolae CEAUSESCU, who took power in
  1965, and his Securitate police state became increasingly oppressive
  and draconian through the 1980s. CEAUSESCU was overthrown and
  executed in late 1989. Former Communists dominated the government
  until 1996 when they were swept from power. Romania joined NATO in
  2004 and the EU in 2007.

Russia
  Founded in the 12th century, the Principality of Muscovy, was
  able to emerge from over 200 years of Mongol domination (13th-15th
  centuries) and to gradually conquer and absorb surrounding
  principalities. In the early 17th century, a new Romanov Dynasty
  continued this policy of expansion across Siberia to the Pacific.
  Under PETER I (ruled 1682-1725), hegemony was extended to the Baltic
  Sea and the country was renamed the Russian Empire. During the 19th
  century, more territorial acquisitions were made in Europe and Asia.
  Defeat in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-05 contributed to the
  Revolution of 1905, which resulted in the formation of a parliament
  and other reforms. Repeated devastating defeats of the Russian army
  in World War I led to widespread rioting in the major cities of the
  Russian Empire and to the overthrow in 1917 of the imperial
  household. The Communists under Vladimir LENIN seized power soon
  after and formed the USSR. The brutal rule of Iosif STALIN (1928-53)
  strengthened Communist rule and Russian dominance of the Soviet
  Union at a cost of tens of millions of lives. The Soviet economy and
  society stagnated in the following decades until General Secretary
  Mikhail GORBACHEV (1985-91) introduced glasnost (openness) and
  perestroika (restructuring) in an attempt to modernize Communism,
  but his initiatives inadvertently released forces that by December
  1991 splintered the USSR into Russia and 14 other independent
  republics. Since then, Russia has shifted its post-Soviet democratic
  ambitions in favor of a centralized semi-authoritarian state whose
  legitimacy is buttressed, in part, by carefully managed national
  elections, former President PUTIN's genuine popularity, and the
  prudent management of Russia's windfall energy wealth. Russia has
  severely disabled a Chechen rebel movement, although violence still
  occurs throughout the North Caucasus.

Rwanda
  In 1959, three years before independence from Belgium, the
  majority ethnic group, the Hutus, overthrew the ruling Tutsi king.
  Over the next several years, thousands of Tutsis were killed, and
  some 150,000 driven into exile in neighboring countries. The
  children of these exiles later formed a rebel group, the Rwandan
  Patriotic Front (RPF), and began a civil war in 1990. The war, along
  with several political and economic upheavals, exacerbated ethnic
  tensions, culminating in April 1994 in the genocide of roughly
  800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus. The Tutsi rebels defeated the
  Hutu regime and ended the killing in July 1994, but approximately 2
  million Hutu refugees - many fearing Tutsi retribution - fled to
  neighboring Burundi, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zaire. Since then, most
  of the refugees have returned to Rwanda, but several thousand
  remained in the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC;
  the former Zaire) and formed an extremist insurgency bent on
  retaking Rwanda, much as the RPF tried in 1990. Despite substantial
  international assistance and political reforms - including Rwanda's
  first local elections in March 1999 and its first post-genocide
  presidential and legislative elections in August and September 2003
  - the country continues to struggle to boost investment and
  agricultural output, and ethnic reconciliation is complicated by the
  real and perceived Tutsi political dominance. Kigali's increasing
  centralization and intolerance of dissent, the nagging Hutu
  extremist insurgency across the border, and Rwandan involvement in
  two wars in recent years in the neighboring DRC continue to hinder
  Rwanda's efforts to escape its bloody legacy.

Saint Barthelemy
  Discovered in 1493 by Christopher COLUMBUS who
  named it for his brother Bartolomeo, St. Barthelemy was first
  settled by the French in 1648. In 1784, the French sold the island
  to Sweden, who renamed the largest town Gustavia, after the Swedish
  King GUSTAV III, and made it a free port; the island prospered as a
  trade and supply center during the colonial wars of the 18th
  century. France repurchased the island in 1878 and placed it under
  the administration of Guadeloupe. St. Barthelemy retained its free
  port status along with various Swedish appellations such as Swedish
  street and town names, and the three-crown symbol on the coat of
  arms. In 2003, the populace of the island voted to secede from
  Guadeloupe and in 2007, the island became a French overseas
  collectivity.

Saint Helena
  Saint Helena is a British Overseas Territory consisting
  of Saint Helena and Ascension Islands, and the island group of
  Tristan da Cunha.
  Saint Helena: Uninhabited when first discovered by the Portuguese in
  1502, Saint Helena was garrisoned by the British during the 17th
  century. It acquired fame as the place of Napoleon BONAPARTE's exile
  from 1815 until his death in 1821, but its importance as a port of
  call declined after the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869. During
  the Anglo-Boer War in South Africa, several thousand Boer prisoners
  were confined on the island between 1900 and 1903.
  Ascension Island: This barren and uninhabited island was discovered
  and named by the Portuguese in 1503. The British garrisoned the
  island in 1815 to prevent a rescue of Napoleon from Saint Helena. It
  served as a provisioning station for the Royal Navy's West Africa
  Squadron on anti-slavery patrol. The island remained under Admiralty
  control until 1922, when it became a dependency of Saint Helena.
  During World War II, the UK permitted the US to construct an
  airfield on Ascension in support of trans-Atlantic flights to Africa
  and anti-submarine operations in the South Atlantic. In the 1960s
  the island became an important space tracking station for the US. In
  1982, Ascension was an essential staging area for British forces
  during the Falklands War. It remains a critical refueling point in
  the air-bridge from the UK to the South Atlantic.
  Tristan da Cunha: The island group consists of the islands of
  Tristan da Cunha, Nightingale, Inaccessible, and Gough. Tristan da
  Cunha is named after its Portuguese discoverer (1506); it was
  garrisoned by the British in 1816 to prevent any attempt to rescue
  Napoleon from Saint Helena. Gough and Inaccessible Islands have been
  designated World Heritage Sites. South Africa leases a site for a
  meteorological station on Gough Island.

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  Carib Indians occupied the islands for
  hundreds of years before the British began settlement in 1623. The
  islands became an associated state of the UK with full internal
  autonomy in 1967. The island of Anguilla rebelled and was allowed to
  secede in 1971. Saint Kitts and Nevis achieved independence in 1983.
  In 1998, a vote in Nevis on a referendum to separate from Saint
  Kitts fell short of the two-thirds majority needed. Nevis continues
  in its efforts to separate from Saint Kitts.

Saint Lucia
  The island, with its fine natural harbor at Castries,
  was contested between England and France throughout the 17th and
  early 18th centuries (changing possession 14 times); it was finally
  ceded to the UK in 1814. Even after the abolition of slavery on its
  plantations in 1834, Saint Lucia remained an agricultural island,
  dedicated to producing tropical commodity crops. Self-government was
  granted in 1967 and independence in 1979.

Saint Martin
  Although sighted by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1493 and
  claimed for Spain, it was the Dutch who occupied the island in 1631
  and set about exploiting its salt deposits. The Spanish retook the
  island in 1633, but continued to be harassed by the Dutch. The
  Spanish finally relinquished St. Martin to the French and Dutch, who
  divided it amongst themselves in 1648. The cultivation of sugar cane
  introduced slavery to the island in the late 18th century; the
  practice was not abolished until 1848. The island became a free port
  in 1939; the tourism industry was dramatically expanded during the
  1970s and 1980s. In 2003, the populace of St. Martin voted to secede
  from Guadeloupe and in 2007, the northern portion of the island
  became a French overseas collectivity.

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  First settled by the French in the early
  17th century, the islands represent the sole remaining vestige of
  France's once vast North American possessions.

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  Resistance by native Caribs
  prevented colonization on St. Vincent until 1719. Disputed between
  France and the United Kingdom for most of the 18th century, the
  island was ceded to the latter in 1783. Between 1960 and 1962, Saint
  Vincent and the Grenadines was a separate administrative unit of the
  Federation of the West Indies. Autonomy was granted in 1969 and
  independence in 1979.

Samoa
  New Zealand occupied the German protectorate of Western Samoa
  at the outbreak of World War I in 1914. It continued to administer
  the islands as a mandate and then as a trust territory until 1962,
  when the islands became the first Polynesian nation to reestablish
  independence in the 20th century. The country dropped the "Western"
  from its name in 1997.

San Marino
  The third smallest state in Europe (after the Holy See
  and Monaco), San Marino also claims to be the world's oldest
  republic. According to tradition, it was founded by a Christian
  stonemason named Marinus in A.D. 301. San Marino's foreign policy is
  aligned with that of Italy; social and political trends in the
  republic also track closely with those of its larger neighbor.

Sao Tome and Principe
  Discovered and claimed by Portugal in the late
  15th century, the islands' sugar-based economy gave way to coffee
  and cocoa in the 19th century - all grown with plantation slave
  labor, a form of which lingered into the 20th century. While
  independence was achieved in 1975, democratic reforms were not
  instituted until the late 1980s. The country held its first free
  elections in 1991, but frequent internal wrangling between the
  various political party's precipitated repeated changes in
  leadership and two failed coup attempts in 1995 and 2003. The recent
  discovery of oil in the Gulf of Guinea promises to attract increased
  attention to the small island nation.

Saudi Arabia
  Saudi Arabia is the birthplace of Islam and home to
  Islam's two holiest shrines in Mecca and Medina. The king's official
  title is the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. The modern Saudi
  state was founded in 1932 by ABD AL-AZIZ bin Abd al-Rahman AL SAUD
  (Ibn Saud) after a 30-year campaign to unify most of the Arabian
  Peninsula. A male descendent of Ibn Saud, his son ABDALLAH bin Abd
  al-Aziz, rules the country today as required by the country's 1992
  Basic Law. Following Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990, Saudi Arabia
  accepted the Kuwaiti royal family and 400,000 refugees while
  allowing Western and Arab troops to deploy on its soil for the
  liberation of Kuwait the following year. The continuing presence of
  foreign troops on Saudi soil after the liberation of Kuwait became a
  source of tension between the royal family and the public until all
  operational US troops left the country in 2003. Major terrorist
  attacks in May and November 2003 spurred a strong on-going campaign
  against domestic terrorism and extremism. King ABDALLAH has
  continued the cautious reform program begun when he was crown
  prince. To promote increased political participation, the government
  held elections nationwide from February through April 2005 for half
  the members of 179 municipal councils. In December 2005, King
  ABDALLAH completed the process by appointing the remaining members
  of the advisory municipal councils. The king instituted an
  Inter-Faith Dialogue initiative in 2008 to encourage religious
  tolerance on a global level; in February 2009, he reshuffled the
  cabinet, which led to more moderates holding ministerial and
  judicial positions, and appointed the first female to the cabinet.
  The country remains a leading producer of oil and natural gas and
  holds more than 20% of the world's proven oil reserves. The
  government continues to pursue economic reform and diversification,
  particularly since Saudi Arabia's accession to the WTO in December
  2005, and promotes foreign investment in the kingdom. A burgeoning
  population, aquifer depletion, and an economy largely dependent on
  petroleum output and prices are all ongoing governmental concerns.

Senegal
  The French colonies of Senegal and the French Sudan were
  merged in 1959 and granted their independence as the Mali Federation
  in 1960. The union broke up after only a few months. Senegal joined
  with The Gambia to form the nominal confederation of Senegambia in
  1982, but the envisaged integration of the two countries was never
  carried out, and the union was dissolved in 1989. The Movement of
  Democratic Forces in the Casamance (MFDC) has led a low-level
  separatist insurgency in southern Senegal since the 1980s, and
  several peace deals have failed to resolve the conflict.
  Nevertheless, Senegal remains one of the most stable democracies in
  Africa. Senegal was ruled by a Socialist Party for 40 years until
  current President Abdoulaye WADE was elected in 2000. He was
  reelected in February 2007, but complaints of fraud led opposition
  parties to boycott June 2007 legislative polls. Senegal has a long
  history of participating in international peacekeeping.

Serbia The Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes was formed in 1918; its name was changed to Yugoslavia in 1929. Various paramilitary bands resisted Nazi Germany's occupation and division of Yugoslavia from 1941 to 1945, but fought each other and ethnic opponents as much as the invaders. The military and political movement headed by Josip TITO (Partisans) took full control of Yugoslavia when German and Croatian separatist forces were defeated in 1945. Although Communist, TITO's new government and his successors (he died in 1980) managed to steer their own path between the Warsaw Pact nations and the West for the next four and a half decades. In 1989, Slobodan MILOSEVIC became president of the Serbian Republic and his ultranationalist calls for Serbian domination led to the violent breakup of Yugoslavia along ethnic lines. In 1991, Croatia, Slovenia, and Macedonia declared independence, followed by Bosnia in 1992. The remaining republics of Serbia and Montenegro declared a new Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) in April 1992 and under MILOSEVIC's leadership, Serbia led various military campaigns to unite ethnic Serbs in neighboring republics into a "Greater Serbia." These actions led to Yugoslavia being ousted from the UN in 1992, but Serbia continued its - ultimately unsuccessful - campaign until signing the Dayton Peace Accords in 1995. MILOSEVIC kept tight control over Serbia and eventually became president of the FRY in 1997. In 1998, an ethnic Albanian insurgency in the formerly autonomous Serbian province of Kosovo provoked a Serbian counterinsurgency campaign that resulted in massacres and massive expulsions of ethnic Albanians living in Kosovo. The MILOSEVIC government's rejection of a proposed international settlement led to NATO's bombing of Serbia in the spring of 1999 and to the eventual withdrawal of Serbian military and police forces from Kosovo in June 1999. UNSC Resolution 1244 in June 1999 authorized the stationing of a NATO-led force (KFOR) in Kosovo to provide a safe and secure environment for the region's ethnic communities, created a UN interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) to foster self-governing institutions, and reserved the issue of Kosovo's final status for an unspecified date in the future. In 2001, UNMIK promulgated a constitutional framework that allowed Kosovo to establish institutions of self-government and led to Kosovo's first parliamentary election. FRY elections in September 2000 led to the ouster of MILOSEVIC and installed Vojislav KOSTUNICA as president. A broad coalition of democratic reformist parties known as DOS (the Democratic Opposition of Serbia) was subsequently elected to parliament in December 2000 and took control of the government. DOS arrested MILOSEVIC in 2001 and allowed for him to be tried in The Hague for crimes against humanity. (MILOSEVIC died in March 2006 before the completion of his trial.) In 2001, the country's suspension from the UN was lifted. In 2003, the FRY became Serbia and Montenegro, a loose federation of the two republics with a federal level parliament. Widespread violence predominantly targeting ethnic Serbs in Kosovo in March 2004 caused the international community to open negotiations on the future status of Kosovo in January 2006. In May 2006, Montenegro invoked its right to secede from the federation and - following a successful referendum - it declared itself an independent nation on 3 June 2006. Two days later, Serbia declared that it was the successor state to the union of Serbia and Montenegro. A new Serbian constitution was approved in October 2006 and adopted the following month. After 15 months of inconclusive negotiations mediated by the UN and four months of further inconclusive negotiations mediated by the US, EU, and Russia, on 17 February 2008, the UNMIK-administered province of Kosovo declared itself independent of Serbia.

Seychelles
  A lengthy struggle between France and Great Britain for
  the islands ended in 1814, when they were ceded to the latter.
  Independence came in 1976. Socialist rule was brought to a close
  with a new constitution and free elections in 1993. President
  France-Albert RENE, who had served since 1977, was re-elected in
  2001, but stepped down in 2004. Vice President James MICHEL took
  over the presidency and in July 2006 was elected to a new five-year
  term.

Sierra Leone
  Democracy is slowly being reestablished after the civil
  war from 1991 to 2002 that resulted in tens of thousands of deaths
  and the displacement of more than 2 million people (about one-third
  of the population). The military, which took over full
  responsibility for security following the departure of UN
  peacekeepers at the end of 2005, is increasingly developing as a
  guarantor of the country's stability. The armed forces remained on
  the sideline during the 2007 presidential election, but still look
  to the UN Integrated Office in Sierra Leone (UNIOSIL) - a civilian
  UN mission - to support efforts to consolidate peace. The new
  government's priorities include furthering development, creating
  jobs, and stamping out endemic corruption.

Singapore
  Singapore was founded as a British trading colony in 1819.
  It joined the Malaysian Federation in 1963 but separated two years
  later and became independent. Singapore subsequently became one of
  the world's most prosperous countries with strong international
  trading links (its port is one of the world's busiest in terms of
  tonnage handled) and with per capita GDP equal to that of the
  leading nations of Western Europe.

Slovakia
  The dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the close
  of World War I allowed the Slovaks to join the closely related
  Czechs to form Czechoslovakia. Following the chaos of World War II,
  Czechoslovakia became a Communist nation within Soviet-dominated
  Eastern Europe. Soviet influence collapsed in 1989 and
  Czechoslovakia once more became free. The Slovaks and the Czechs
  agreed to separate peacefully on 1 January 1993. Slovakia joined
  both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004 and the euro area on 1
  January 2009.

Slovenia
  The Slovene lands were part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire
  until the latter's dissolution at the end of World War I. In 1918,
  the Slovenes joined the Serbs and Croats in forming a new
  multinational state, which was named Yugoslavia in 1929. After World
  War II, Slovenia became a republic of the renewed Yugoslavia, which
  though Communist, distanced itself from Moscow's rule. Dissatisfied
  with the exercise of power by the majority Serbs, the Slovenes
  succeeded in establishing their independence in 1991 after a short
  10-day war. Historical ties to Western Europe, a strong economy, and
  a stable democracy have assisted in Slovenia's transformation to a
  modern state. Slovenia acceded to both NATO and the EU in the spring
  of 2004.

Solomon Islands
  The UK established a protectorate over the Solomon
  Islands in the 1890s. Some of the most bitter fighting of World War
  II occurred on this archipelago. Self-government was achieved in
  1976 and independence two years later. Ethnic violence, government
  malfeasance, and endemic crime have undermined stability and civil
  society. In June 2003, then Prime Minister Sir Allan KEMAKEZA sought
  the assistance of Australia in reestablishing law and order; the
  following month, an Australian-led multinational force arrived to
  restore peace and disarm ethnic militias. The Regional Assistance
  Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) has generally been effective
  in restoring law and order and rebuilding government institutions.

Somalia Britain withdrew from British Somaliland in 1960 to allow its protectorate to join with Italian Somaliland and form the new nation of Somalia. In 1969, a coup headed by Mohamed SIAD Barre ushered in an authoritarian socialist rule that managed to impose a degree of stability in the country for a couple of decades. After the regime's collapse early in 1991, Somalia descended into turmoil, factional fighting, and anarchy. In May 1991, northern clans declared an independent Republic of Somaliland that now includes the administrative regions of Awdal, Woqooyi Galbeed, Togdheer, Sanaag, and Sool. Although not recognized by any government, this entity has maintained a stable existence and continues efforts to establish a constitutional democracy, including holding municipal, parliamentary, and presidential elections. The regions of Bari, Nugaal, and northern Mudug comprise a neighboring self-declared autonomous state of Puntland, which has been self-governing since 1998 but does not aim at independence; it has also made strides toward reconstructing a legitimate, representative government but has suffered some civil strife. Puntland disputes its border with Somaliland as it also claims portions of eastern Sool and Sanaag. Beginning in 1993, a two-year UN humanitarian effort (primarily in the south) was able to alleviate famine conditions, but when the UN withdrew in 1995, having suffered significant casualties, order still had not been restored. A two-year peace process, led by the Government of Kenya under the auspices of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), concluded in October 2004 with the election of Abdullahi YUSUF Ahmed as President of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) of Somalia and the formation of an interim government, known as the Somalia Transitional Federal Institutions (TFIs). The TFIs included a 275-member parliamentary body, known as the Transitional Federal Assembly (TFA). President YUSUF resigned late in 2008 while United Nations-sponsored talks between the TFG and the opposition Alliance for the Re-Liberation of Somalia (ARS) were underway in Djibouti. In January 2009, following the creation of a TFG-ARS unity government, Ethiopian military forces, which had entered Somalia in December 2006 to support the TFG in the face of advances by the opposition Council of Islamic Courts (CIC), withdrew from the country. The TFA was increased to 550 seats with the addition of 275 ARS members of parliament. The expanded parliament elected Sheikh SHARIF Sheikh Ahmed, the former CIC and ARS chairman as president on 31 January 2009, in Djibouti. Subsequently, President SHARIF appointed Omar Abdirashid ali SHARMARKE, son of a former president of Somalia, as prime minister on 13 February 2009. The TFIs are based on the Transitional Federal Charter (TFC), which outlines a five-year mandate leading to the establishment of a new Somali constitution and a transition to a representative government following national elections. However, in January 2009 the TFA amended the TFC to extend TFG's mandate until 2011. While its institutions remain weak, the TFG continues to reach out to Somali stakeholders and work with international donors to help build the governance capacity of the TFIs and work toward national elections in 2011.

South Africa
  Dutch traders landed at the southern tip of modern day
  South Africa in 1652 and established a stopover point on the spice
  route between the Netherlands and the East, founding the city of
  Cape Town. After the British seized the Cape of Good Hope area in
  1806, many of the Dutch settlers (the Boers) trekked north to found
  their own republics. The discovery of diamonds (1867) and gold
  (1886) spurred wealth and immigration and intensified the
  subjugation of the native inhabitants. The Boers resisted British
  encroachments but were defeated in the Boer War (1899-1902);
  however, the British and the Afrikaners, as the Boers became known,
  ruled together under the Union of South Africa. In 1948, the
  National Party was voted into power and instituted a policy of
  apartheid - the separate development of the races. The first
  multi-racial elections in 1994 brought an end to apartheid and
  ushered in black majority rule under the African National Congress
  (ANC). ANC infighting, which has grown in recent years, came to a
  head in September 2008 after President Thabo MBEKI resigned. Kgalema
  MOTLANTHE, the party's General-Secretary, succeeded as interim
  president until general elections scheduled for 2009.

South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
  The islands, which have
  large bird and seal populations, lie approximately 1,000 km east of
  the Falkland Islands and have been under British administration
  since 1908 - except for a brief period in 1982 when Argentina
  occupied them. Grytviken, on South Georgia, was a 19th and early
  20th century whaling station. Famed explorer Ernest SHACKLETON
  stopped there in 1914 en route to his ill-fated attempt to cross
  Antarctica on foot. He returned some 20 months later with a few
  companions in a small boat and arranged a successful rescue for the
  rest of his crew, stranded off the Antarctic Peninsula. He died in
  1922 on a subsequent expedition and is buried in Grytviken. Today,
  the station houses scientists from the British Antarctic Survey.
  Recognizing the importance of preserving the marine stocks in
  adjacent waters, the UK, in 1993, extended the exclusive fishing
  zone from 12 nm to 200 nm around each island.

Southern Ocean
  A large body of recent oceanographic research has
  shown that the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC), an ocean current
  that flows from west to east around Antarctica, plays a crucial role
  in global ocean circulation. The region where the cold waters of the
  ACC meet and mingle with the warmer waters of the north defines a
  distinct border - the Antarctic Convergence - which fluctuates with
  the seasons, but which encompasses a discrete body of water and a
  unique ecologic region. The Convergence concentrates nutrients,
  which promotes marine plant life, and which in turn allows for a
  greater abundance of animal life. In the spring of 2000, the
  International Hydrographic Organization decided to delimit the
  waters within the Convergence as a fifth world ocean - the Southern
  Ocean - by combining the southern portions of the Atlantic Ocean,
  Indian Ocean, and Pacific Ocean. The Southern Ocean extends from the
  coast of Antarctica north to 60 degrees south latitude, which
  coincides with the Antarctic Treaty Limit and which approximates the
  extent of the Antarctic Convergence. As such, the Southern Ocean is
  now the fourth largest of the world's five oceans (after the Pacific
  Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, and Indian Ocean, but larger than the Arctic
  Ocean). It should be noted that inclusion of the Southern Ocean does
  not imply recognition of this feature as one of the world's primary
  oceans by the US Government.

Spain
  Spain's powerful world empire of the 16th and 17th centuries
  ultimately yielded command of the seas to England. Subsequent
  failure to embrace the mercantile and industrial revolutions caused
  the country to fall behind Britain, France, and Germany in economic
  and political power. Spain remained neutral in World Wars I and II
  but suffered through a devastating civil war (1936-39). A peaceful
  transition to democracy following the death of dictator Francisco
  FRANCO in 1975, and rapid economic modernization (Spain joined the
  EU in 1986) gave Spain a dynamic and rapidly growing economy and
  made it a global champion of freedom and human rights. The
  government continues to battle the Basque Fatherland and Liberty
  (ETA) terrorist organization, but its major focus for the immediate
  future will be on measures to reverse the severe economic recession
  that started in mid-2008.

Spratly Islands
  The Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small
  islands or reefs. They are surrounded by rich fishing grounds and
  potentially by gas and oil deposits. They are claimed in their
  entirety by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam, while portions are claimed
  by Malaysia and the Philippines. About 45 islands are occupied by
  relatively small numbers of military forces from China, Malaysia,
  the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Brunei has established a
  fishing zone that overlaps a southern reef but has not made any
  formal claim.

Sri Lanka
  The first Sinhalese arrived in Sri Lanka late in the 6th
  century B.C. probably from northern India. Buddhism was introduced
  in about the mid-third century B.C., and a great civilization
  developed at the cities of Anuradhapura (kingdom from circa 200 B.C.
  to circa A.D. 1000) and Polonnaruwa (from about 1070 to 1200). In
  the 14th century, a south Indian dynasty established a Tamil kingdom
  in northern Sri Lanka. The coastal areas of the island were
  controlled by the Portuguese in the 16th century and by the Dutch in
  the 17th century. The island was ceded to the British in 1796,
  became a crown colony in 1802, and was united under British rule by
  1815. As Ceylon, it became independent in 1948; its name was changed
  to Sri Lanka in 1972. Tensions between the Sinhalese majority and
  Tamil separatists erupted into war in 1983. Tens of thousands have
  died in the ethnic conflict that continues to fester. After two
  decades of fighting, the government and Liberation Tigers of Tamil
  Eelam (LTTE) formalized a cease-fire in February 2002 with Norway
  brokering peace negotiations. Violence between the LTTE and
  government forces intensified in 2006 and the government regained
  control of the Eastern Province in 2007. In May 2009, the government
  announced that its military had finally defeated the remnants of the
  LTTE and that its leader, Velupillai PRABHAKARAN, had been killed.

Sudan
  Military regimes favoring Islamic-oriented governments have
  dominated national politics since independence from the UK in 1956.
  Sudan was embroiled in two prolonged civil wars during most of the
  remainder of the 20th century. These conflicts were rooted in
  northern economic, political, and social domination of largely
  non-Muslim, non-Arab southern Sudanese. The first civil war ended in
  1972 but broke out again in 1983. The second war and famine-related
  effects resulted in more than four million people displaced and,
  according to rebel estimates, more than two million deaths over a
  period of two decades. Peace talks gained momentum in 2002-04 with
  the signing of several accords. The final North/South Comprehensive
  Peace Agreement (CPA), signed in January 2005, granted the southern
  rebels autonomy for six years. After which, a referendum for
  independence is scheduled to be held. A separate conflict, which
  broke out in the western region of Darfur in 2003, has displaced
  nearly two million people and caused an estimated 200,000 to 400,000
  deaths. The UN took command of the Darfur peacekeeping operation
  from the African Union on 31 December 2007. As of early 2009,
  peacekeeping troops were struggling to stabilize the situation,
  which has become increasingly regional in scope, and has brought
  instability to eastern Chad, and Sudanese incursions into the
  Central African Republic. Sudan also has faced large refugee
  influxes from neighboring countries, primarily Ethiopia and Chad.
  Armed conflict, poor transport infrastructure, and lack of
  government support have chronically obstructed the provision of
  humanitarian assistance to affected populations.

Suriname
  First explored by the Spaniards in the 16th century and
  then settled by the English in the mid-17th century, Suriname became
  a Dutch colony in 1667. With the abolition of slavery in 1863,
  workers were brought in from India and Java. Independence from the
  Netherlands was granted in 1975. Five years later the civilian
  government was replaced by a military regime that soon declared a
  socialist republic. It continued to exert control through a
  succession of nominally civilian administrations until 1987, when
  international pressure finally forced a democratic election. In
  1990, the military overthrew the civilian leadership, but a
  democratically elected government - a four-party New Front coalition
  - returned to power in 1991 and has ruled since; the coalition
  expanded to eight parties in 2005.

Svalbard
  First discovered by the Norwegians in the 12th century, the
  islands served as an international whaling base during the 17th and
  18th centuries. Norway's sovereignty was recognized in 1920; five
  years later it officially took over the territory.

Swaziland
  Autonomy for the Swazis of southern Africa was guaranteed
  by the British in the late 19th century; independence was granted in
  1968. Student and labor unrest during the 1990s pressured King
  MSWATI III, the world's last absolute monarch, to grudgingly allow
  political reform and greater democracy, although he has backslid on
  these promises in recent years. A constitution came into effect in
  2006, but political parties remain banned. The African United
  Democratic Party tried unsuccessfully to register as an official
  political party in mid 2006. Talks over the constitution broke down
  between the government and progressive groups in 2007. Swaziland
  recently surpassed Botswana as the country with the world's highest
  known HIV/AIDS prevalence rate.

Sweden
  A military power during the 17th century, Sweden has not
  participated in any war in almost two centuries. An armed neutrality
  was preserved in both World Wars. Sweden's long-successful economic
  formula of a capitalist system interlarded with substantial welfare
  elements was challenged in the 1990s by high unemployment and in
  2000-02 by the global economic downturn, but fiscal discipline over
  the past several years has allowed the country to weather economic
  vagaries. Sweden joined the EU in 1995, but the public rejected the
  introduction of the euro in a 2003 referendum.

Switzerland
  The Swiss Confederation was founded in 1291 as a
  defensive alliance among three cantons. In succeeding years, other
  localities joined the original three. The Swiss Confederation
  secured its independence from the Holy Roman Empire in 1499. A
  constitution of 1848, subsequently modified in 1874, replaced the
  confederation with a centralized federal government. Switzerland's
  sovereignty and neutrality have long been honored by the major
  European powers, and the country was not involved in either of the
  two World Wars. The political and economic integration of Europe
  over the past half century, as well as Switzerland's role in many UN
  and international organizations, has strengthened Switzerland's ties
  with its neighbors. However, the country did not officially become a
  UN member until 2002. Switzerland remains active in many UN and
  international organizations but retains a strong commitment to
  neutrality.

Syria
  Following World War I, France acquired a mandate over the
  northern portion of the former Ottoman Empire province of Syria. The
  French administered the area as Syria until granting it independence
  in 1946. The new country lacked political stability, however, and
  experienced a series of military coups during its first decades.
  Syria united with Egypt in February 1958 to form the United Arab
  Republic. In September 1961, the two entities separated, and the
  Syrian Arab Republic was reestablished. In November 1970, Hafiz
  al-ASAD, a member of the Socialist Ba'th Party and the minority
  Alawite sect, seized power in a bloodless coup and brought political
  stability to the country. In the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Syria lost
  the Golan Heights to Israel. During the 1990s, Syria and Israel held
  occasional peace talks over its return. Following the death of
  President al-ASAD, his son, Bashar al-ASAD, was approved as
  president by popular referendum in July 2000. Syrian troops -
  stationed in Lebanon since 1976 in an ostensible peacekeeping role -
  were withdrawn in April 2005. During the July-August 2006 conflict
  between Israel and Hizballah, Syria placed its military forces on
  alert but did not intervene directly on behalf of its ally Hizballah.

Taiwan
  In 1895, military defeat forced China to cede Taiwan to
  Japan. Taiwan reverted to Chinese control after World War II.
  Following the Communist victory on the mainland in 1949, 2 million
  Nationalists fled to Taiwan and established a government using the
  1946 constitution drawn up for all of China. Over the next five
  decades, the ruling authorities gradually democratized and
  incorporated the local population within the governing structure. In
  2000, Taiwan underwent its first peaceful transfer of power from the
  Nationalist to the Democratic Progressive Party. Throughout this
  period, the island prospered and became one of East Asia's economic
  "Tigers." The dominant political issues continue to be the
  relationship between Taiwan and China - specifically the question of
  Taiwan's eventual status - as well as domestic political and
  economic reform.

Tajikistan
  The Tajik people came under Russian rule in the 1860s and
  1870s, but Russia's hold on Central Asia weakened following the
  Revolution of 1917. Bolshevik control of the area was fiercely
  contested and not fully reestablished until 1925. Much of
  present-day Sughd province was transferred from the Uzbek SSR to the
  newly formed Tajik SSR in 1929. Ethnic Uzbeks form a substantial
  minority in Sughd province. Tajikistan became independent in 1991
  following the breakup of the Soviet Union, and experienced a civil
  war between regional factions from 1992-97. There have been no major
  security incidents in recent years, although the country remains the
  poorest in the former Soviet sphere. Attention by the international
  community since the beginning of the NATO intervention in
  Afghanistan has brought increased economic development and security
  assistance, which could create jobs and strengthen stability in the
  long term. Tajikistan is in the early stages of seeking World Trade
  Organization membership and has joined NATO's Partnership for Peace.

Tanzania
  Shortly after achieving independence from Britain in the
  early 1960s, Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged to form the nation of
  Tanzania in 1964. One-party rule came to an end in 1995 with the
  first democratic elections held in the country since the 1970s.
  Zanzibar's semi-autonomous status and popular opposition have led to
  two contentious elections since 1995, which the ruling party won
  despite international observers' claims of voting irregularities.

Thailand
  A unified Thai kingdom was established in the mid-14th
  century. Known as Siam until 1939, Thailand is the only Southeast
  Asian country never to have been taken over by a European power. A
  bloodless revolution in 1932 led to a constitutional monarchy. In
  alliance with Japan during World War II, Thailand became a US treaty
  ally following the conflict. A military coup in September 2006
  ousted then Prime Minister THAKSIN Chinnawat. The interim government
  held elections in December 2007 that saw the former pro-THAKSIN
  People's Power Party (PPP) emerge at the head of a coalition
  government. The anti-THAKSIN People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD)
  in May 2008 began street demonstrations against the new government,
  eventually occupying the prime minister's office in August. Clashes
  in October 2008 between PAD protesters blocking parliament and
  police resulted in the death of at least two people. The PAD
  occupied Bangkok's international airports briefly, ending their
  protests in early December 2008 following a court ruling that
  dissolved the ruling PPP and two other coalition parties for
  election violations. The Democrat Party then formed a new coalition
  government with the support of some of THAKSIN's former political
  allies, and ABHISIT Wetchachiwa became prime minister. Since January
  2004, thousands have been killed as separatists in Thailand's
  southern ethnic Malay-Muslim provinces increased the violence
  associated with their cause.

Timor-Leste
  The Portuguese began to trade with the island of Timor
  in the early 16th century and colonized it in mid-century.
  Skirmishing with the Dutch in the region eventually resulted in an
  1859 treaty in which Portugal ceded the western portion of the
  island. Imperial Japan occupied Portuguese Timor from 1942 to 1945,
  but Portugal resumed colonial authority after the Japanese defeat in
  World War II. East Timor declared itself independent from Portugal
  on 28 November 1975 and was invaded and occupied by Indonesian
  forces nine days later. It was incorporated into Indonesia in July
  1976 as the province of Timor Timur (East Timor). An unsuccessful
  campaign of pacification followed over the next two decades, during
  which an estimated 100,000 to 250,000 individuals lost their lives.
  On 30 August 1999, in a UN-supervised popular referendum, an
  overwhelming majority of the people of Timor-Leste voted for
  independence from Indonesia. Between the referendum and the arrival
  of a multinational peacekeeping force in late September 1999,
  anti-independence Timorese militias - organized and supported by the
  Indonesian military - commenced a large-scale, scorched-earth
  campaign of retribution. The militias killed approximately 1,400
  Timorese and forcibly pushed 300,000 people into western Timor as
  refugees. The majority of the country's infrastructure, including
  homes, irrigation systems, water supply systems, and schools, and
  nearly 100% of the country's electrical grid were destroyed. On 20
  September 1999, the Australian-led peacekeeping troops of the
  International Force for East Timor (INTERFET) deployed to the
  country and brought the violence to an end. On 20 May 2002,
  Timor-Leste was internationally recognized as an independent state.
  In late April 2006, internal tensions threatened the new nation's
  security when a military strike led to violence and a near breakdown
  of law and order in Dili. At the request of the Government of
  Timor-Leste, an Australian-led International Stabilization Force
  (ISF) deployed to Timor-Leste in late May. In August, the UN
  Security Council established the UN Integrated Mission in
  Timor-Leste (UNMIT), which included an authorized police presence of
  over 1,600 personnel. The ISF and UNMIT restored stability, allowing
  the Government of Timor-Leste to hold presidential and parliamentary
  elections in April and June 2007 in a largely peaceful atmosphere.
  In February 2008, a rebel group staged an unsuccessful attack
  against the president and prime minister. The ringleader was killed
  in the attack and the majority of the rebels surrendered to the
  government in April 2008.

Togo
  French Togoland became Togo in 1960. Gen. Gnassingbe EYADEMA,
  installed as military ruler in 1967, ruled Togo with a heavy hand
  for almost four decades. Despite the facade of multiparty elections
  instituted in the early 1990s, the government was largely dominated
  by President EYADEMA, whose Rally of the Togolese People (RPT) party
  has maintained power almost continually since 1967 and maintains a
  majority of seats in today's legislature. Upon EYADEMA's death in
  February 2005, the military installed the president's son, Faure
  GNASSINGBE, and then engineered his formal election two months
  later. Democratic gains since then allowed Togo to hold its first
  relatively free and fair legislative elections in October 2007.
  After years of political unrest and fire from international
  organizations for human rights abuses, Togo is finally being
  re-welcomed into the international community.

Tokelau
  Originally settled by Polynesian emigrants from surrounding
  island groups, the Tokelau Islands were made a British protectorate
  in 1889. They were transferred to New Zealand administration in
  1925. Referenda held in 2006 and 2007 to change the status of the
  islands from that of a New Zealand territory to one of free
  association with New Zealand did not meet the needed threshold for
  approval.

Tonga
  Tonga - unique among Pacific nations - never completely lost
  its indigenous governance. The archipelagos of "The Friendly
  Islands" were united into a Polynesian kingdom in 1845. Tonga became
  a constitutional monarchy in 1875 and a British protectorate in
  1900; it withdrew from the protectorate and joined the Commonwealth
  of Nations in 1970. Tonga remains the only monarchy in the Pacific.

Trinidad and Tobago
  First colonized by the Spanish, the islands came
  under British control in the early 19th century. The islands' sugar
  industry was hurt by the emancipation of the slaves in 1834.
  Manpower was replaced with the importation of contract laborers from
  India between 1845 and 1917, which boosted sugar production as well
  as the cocoa industry. The discovery of oil on Trinidad in 1910
  added another important export. Independence was attained in 1962.
  The country is one of the most prosperous in the Caribbean thanks
  largely to petroleum and natural gas production and processing.
  Tourism, mostly in Tobago, is targeted for expansion and is growing.
  The government is coping with a rise in violent crime.

Tunisia
  Rivalry between French and Italian interests in Tunisia
  culminated in a French invasion in 1881 and the creation of a
  protectorate. Agitation for independence in the decades following
  World War I was finally successful in getting the French to
  recognize Tunisia as an independent state in 1956. The country's
  first president, Habib BOURGUIBA, established a strict one-party
  state. He dominated the country for 31 years, repressing Islamic
  fundamentalism and establishing rights for women unmatched by any
  other Arab nation. In November 1987, BOURGUIBA was removed from
  office and replaced by Zine el Abidine BEN ALI in a bloodless coup.
  BEN ALI is currently serving his fourth consecutive five-year term
  as president; the next elections are scheduled for October 2009.
  Tunisia has long taken a moderate, non-aligned stance in its foreign
  relations. Domestically, it has sought to defuse rising pressure for
  a more open political society.

Turkey
  Modern Turkey was founded in 1923 from the Anatolian remnants
  of the defeated Ottoman Empire by national hero Mustafa KEMAL, who
  was later honored with the title Ataturk or "Father of the Turks."
  Under his authoritarian leadership, the country adopted wide-ranging
  social, legal, and political reforms. After a period of one-party
  rule, an experiment with multi-party politics led to the 1950
  election victory of the opposition Democratic Party and the peaceful
  transfer of power. Since then, Turkish political parties have
  multiplied, but democracy has been fractured by periods of
  instability and intermittent military coups (1960, 1971, 1980),
  which in each case eventually resulted in a return of political
  power to civilians. In 1997, the military again helped engineer the
  ouster - popularly dubbed a "post-modern coup" - of the then
  Islamic-oriented government. Turkey intervened militarily on Cyprus
  in 1974 to prevent a Greek takeover of the island and has since
  acted as patron state to the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus,"
  which only Turkey recognizes. A separatist insurgency begun in 1984
  by the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) - now known as the People's
  Congress of Kurdistan or Kongra-Gel (KGK) - has dominated the
  Turkish military's attention and claimed more than 30,000 lives.
  After the capture of the group's leader in 1999, the insurgents
  largely withdrew from Turkey mainly to northern Iraq. In 2004, KGK
  announced an end to its ceasefire and attacks attributed to the KGK
  increased. Turkey joined the UN in 1945 and in 1952 it became a
  member of NATO; it holds a non-permanent seat on the UN Security
  Council from 2009-10. In 1964, Turkey became an associate member of
  the European Community. Over the past decade, it has undertaken many
  reforms to strengthen its democracy and economy; it began accession
  membership talks with the European Union in 2005.

Turkmenistan
  Eastern Turkmenistan for centuries formed part of the
  Persian province of Khurasan; in medieval times Merv (today known as
  Mary) was one of the great cities of the Islamic world and an
  important stop on the Silk Road. Annexed by Russia between 1865 and
  1885, Turkmenistan became a Soviet republic in 1924. It achieved
  independence upon the dissolution of the USSR in 1991. Extensive
  hydrocarbon/natural gas reserves could prove a boon to this
  underdeveloped country if extraction and delivery projects were to
  be expanded. The Turkmenistan Government is actively seeking to
  develop alternative petroleum transportation routes to break
  Russia's pipeline monopoly. President for Life Saparmurat NYYAZOW
  died in December 2006, and Turkmenistan held its first
  multi-candidate presidential electoral process in February 2007.
  Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW, a vice premier under NYYAZOW, emerged as
  the country's new president.

Turks and Caicos Islands
  The islands were part of the UK's Jamaican
  colony until 1962, when they assumed the status of a separate crown
  colony upon Jamaica's independence. The governor of The Bahamas
  oversaw affairs from 1965 to 1973. With Bahamian independence, the
  islands received a separate governor in 1973. Although independence
  was agreed upon for 1982, the policy was reversed and the islands
  remain a British overseas territory.

Tuvalu
  In 1974, ethnic differences within the British colony of the
  Gilbert and Ellice Islands caused the Polynesians of the Ellice
  Islands to vote for separation from the Micronesians of the Gilbert
  Islands. The following year, the Ellice Islands became the separate
  British colony of Tuvalu. Independence was granted in 1978. In 2000,
  Tuvalu negotiated a contract leasing its Internet domain name ".tv"
  for $50 million in royalties over a 12-year period.

Uganda
  The colonial boundaries created by Britain to delimit Uganda
  grouped together a wide range of ethnic groups with different
  political systems and cultures. These differences prevented the
  establishment of a working political community after independence
  was achieved in 1962. The dictatorial regime of Idi AMIN (1971-79)
  was responsible for the deaths of some 300,000 opponents; guerrilla
  war and human rights abuses under Milton OBOTE (1980-85) claimed at
  least another 100,000 lives. The rule of Yoweri MUSEVENI since 1986
  has brought relative stability and economic growth to Uganda. During
  the 1990s, the government promulgated non-party presidential and
  legislative elections. In January 2009, Uganda assumed a
  nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2009-10 term.

Ukraine
  Ukraine was the center of the first eastern Slavic state,
  Kyivan Rus, which during the 10th and 11th centuries was the largest
  and most powerful state in Europe. Weakened by internecine quarrels
  and Mongol invasions, Kyivan Rus was incorporated into the Grand
  Duchy of Lithuania and eventually into the Polish-Lithuanian
  Commonwealth. The cultural and religious legacy of Kyivan Rus laid
  the foundation for Ukrainian nationalism through subsequent
  centuries. A new Ukrainian state, the Cossack Hetmanate, was
  established during the mid-17th century after an uprising against
  the Poles. Despite continuous Muscovite pressure, the Hetmanate
  managed to remain autonomous for well over 100 years. During the
  latter part of the 18th century, most Ukrainian ethnographic
  territory was absorbed by the Russian Empire. Following the collapse
  of czarist Russia in 1917, Ukraine was able to bring about a
  short-lived period of independence (1917-20), but was reconquered
  and forced to endure a brutal Soviet rule that engineered two
  artificial famines (1921-22 and 1932-33) in which over 8 million
  died. In World War II, German and Soviet armies were responsible for
  some 7 to 8 million more deaths. Although final independence for
  Ukraine was achieved in 1991 with the dissolution of the USSR,
  democracy remained elusive as the legacy of state control and
  endemic corruption stalled efforts at economic reform,
  privatization, and civil liberties. A peaceful mass protest "Orange
  Revolution" in the closing months of 2004 forced the authorities to
  overturn a rigged presidential election and to allow a new
  internationally monitored vote that swept into power a reformist
  slate under Viktor YUSHCHENKO. Subsequent internal squabbles in the
  YUSHCHENKO camp allowed his rival Viktor YANUKOVYCH to stage a
  comeback in parliamentary elections and become prime minister in
  August of 2006. An early legislative election, brought on by a
  political crisis in the spring of 2007, saw Yuliya TYMOSHENKO, as
  head of an "Orange" coalition, installed as a new prime minister in
  December 2007.

United Arab Emirates
  The Trucial States of the Persian Gulf coast
  granted the UK control of their defense and foreign affairs in 19th
  century treaties. In 1971, six of these states - Abu Zaby, 'Ajman,
  Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah, Dubayy, and Umm al Qaywayn - merged to
  form the United Arab Emirates (UAE). They were joined in 1972 by
  Ra's al Khaymah. The UAE's per capita GDP is on par with those of
  leading West European nations. Its generosity with oil revenues and
  its moderate foreign policy stance have allowed the UAE to play a
  vital role in the affairs of the region.

United Kingdom
  As the dominant industrial and maritime power of the
  19th century, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland played
  a leading role in developing parliamentary democracy and in
  advancing literature and science. At its zenith, the British Empire
  stretched over one-fourth of the earth's surface. The first half of
  the 20th century saw the UK's strength seriously depleted in two
  World Wars and the Irish republic withdraw from the union. The
  second half witnessed the dismantling of the Empire and the UK
  rebuilding itself into a modern and prosperous European nation. As
  one of five permanent members of the UN Security Council, a founding
  member of NATO, and of the Commonwealth, the UK pursues a global
  approach to foreign policy; it currently is weighing the degree of
  its integration with continental Europe. A member of the EU, it
  chose to remain outside the Economic and Monetary Union for the time
  being. Constitutional reform is also a significant issue in the UK.
  The Scottish Parliament, the National Assembly for Wales, and the
  Northern Ireland Assembly were established in 1999, but the latter
  was suspended until May 2007 due to wrangling over the peace process.

United States
  Britain's American colonies broke with the mother
  country in 1776 and were recognized as the new nation of the United
  States of America following the Treaty of Paris in 1783. During the
  19th and 20th centuries, 37 new states were added to the original 13
  as the nation expanded across the North American continent and
  acquired a number of overseas possessions. The two most traumatic
  experiences in the nation's history were the Civil War (1861-65), in
  which a northern Union of states defeated a secessionist Confederacy
  of 11 southern slave states, and the Great Depression of the 1930s,
  an economic downturn during which about a quarter of the labor force
  lost its jobs. Buoyed by victories in World Wars I and II and the
  end of the Cold War in 1991, the US remains the world's most
  powerful nation state. The economy is marked by steady growth, low
  unemployment and inflation, and rapid advances in technology.

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges All of the following US Pacific island territories except Midway Atoll constitute the Pacific Remote Islands National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) Complex and as such are managed by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior. Midway Atoll NWR has been included in a Refuge Complex with the Hawaiian Islands NWR and also designated as part of Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument. These remote refuges are the most widespread collection of marine- and terrestrial-life protected areas on the planet under a single country's jurisdiction. They sustain many endemic species including corals, fish, shellfish, marine mammals, seabirds, water birds, land birds, insects, and vegetation not found elsewhere. Baker Island: The US took possession of the island in 1857. Its guano deposits were mined by US and British companies during the second half of the 19th century. In 1935, a short-lived attempt at colonization began on this island but was disrupted by World War II and thereafter abandoned. The island was established as a NWR in 1974. Howland Island: Discovered by the US early in the 19th century, the uninhabited atoll was officially claimed by the US in 1857. Both US and British companies mined for guano deposits until about 1890. In 1935, a short-lived attempt at colonization began on this island, similar to the effort on nearby Baker Island, but was disrupted by World War II and thereafter abandoned. The famed American aviatrix Amelia EARHART disappeared while seeking out Howland Island as a refueling stop during her 1937 round-the-world flight; Earhart Light, a day beacon near the middle of the west coast, was named in her memory. The island was established as a NWR in 1974. Jarvis Island: First discovered by the British in 1821, the uninhabited island was annexed by the US in 1858 but abandoned in 1879 after tons of guano had been removed. The UK annexed the island in 1889 but never carried out plans for further exploitation. The US occupied and reclaimed the island in 1935. It was abandoned in 1942 during World War II. The island was established as a NWR in 1974. Johnston Atoll: Both the US and the Kingdom of Hawaii annexed Johnston Atoll in 1858, but it was the US that mined the guano deposits until the late 1880s. Johnston and Sand Islands were designated wildlife refuges in 1926. The US Navy took over the atoll in 1934. Subsequently, the US Air Force assumed control in 1948. The site was used for high-altitude nuclear tests in the 1950s and 1960s. Until late in 2000 the atoll was maintained as a storage and disposal site for chemical weapons. Munitions destruction, cleanup, and closure of the facility were completed by May 2005. The Fish and Wildlife Service and the US Air Force are currently discussing future management options; in the interim, Johnston Atoll and the three-mile Naval Defensive Sea around it remain under the jurisdiction and administrative control of the US Air Force. Kingman Reef: The US annexed the reef in 1922. Its sheltered lagoon served as a way station for flying boats on Hawaii-to-American Samoa flights during the late 1930s. There are no terrestrial plants on the reef, which is frequently awash, but it does support abundant and diverse marine fauna and flora. In 2001, the waters surrounding the reef out to 12 nm were designated a US NWR. Midway Islands: The US took formal possession of the islands in 1867. The laying of the trans-Pacific cable, which passed through the islands, brought the first residents in 1903. Between 1935 and 1947, Midway was used as a refueling stop for trans-Pacific flights. The US naval victory over a Japanese fleet off Midway in 1942 was one of the turning points of World War II. The islands continued to serve as a naval station until closed in 1993. Today the islands are a NWR and are the site of the world's largest Laysan albatross colony. Palmyra Atoll: The Kingdom of Hawaii claimed the atoll in 1862, and the US included it among the Hawaiian Islands when it annexed the archipelago in 1898. The Hawaii Statehood Act of 1959 did not include Palmyra Atoll, which is now partly privately owned by the Nature Conservancy with the rest owned by the Federal government and managed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. These organizations are managing the atoll as a wildlife refuge. The lagoons and surrounding waters within the 12 nm US territorial seas were transferred to the US Fish and Wildlife Service and designated as a NWR in January 2001.

Uruguay
  Montevideo, founded by the Spanish in 1726 as a military
  stronghold, soon took advantage of its natural harbor to become an
  important commercial center. Claimed by Argentina but annexed by
  Brazil in 1821, Uruguay declared its independence four years later
  and secured its freedom in 1828 after a three-year struggle. The
  administrations of President Jose BATLLE in the early 20th century
  established widespread political, social, and economic reforms that
  established a statist tradition. A violent Marxist urban guerrilla
  movement named the Tupamaros, launched in the late 1960s, led
  Uruguay's president to cede control of the government to the
  military in 1973. By yearend, the rebels had been crushed, but the
  military continued to expand its hold over the government. Civilian
  rule was not restored until 1985. In 2004, the left-of-center Frente
  Amplio Coalition won national elections that effectively ended 170
  years of political control previously held by the Colorado and
  Blanco parties. Uruguay's political and labor conditions are among
  the freest on the continent.

Uzbekistan
  Russia conquered Uzbekistan in the late 19th century.
  Stiff resistance to the Red Army after World War I was eventually
  suppressed and a socialist republic set up in 1924. During the
  Soviet era, intensive production of "white gold" (cotton) and grain
  led to overuse of agrochemicals and the depletion of water supplies,
  which have left the land poisoned and the Aral Sea and certain
  rivers half dry. Independent since 1991, the country seeks to
  gradually lessen its dependence on agriculture while developing its
  mineral and petroleum reserves. Current concerns include terrorism
  by Islamic militants, economic stagnation, and the curtailment of
  human rights and democratization.

Vanuatu
  Multiple waves of colonizers, each speaking a distinct
  language, migrated to the New Hebrides in the millennia preceding
  European exploration in the 18th century. This settlement pattern
  accounts for the complex linguistic diversity found on the
  archipelago to this day. The British and French, who settled the New
  Hebrides in the 19th century, agreed in 1906 to an Anglo-French
  Condominium, which administered the islands until independence in
  1980, when the new name of Vanuatu was adopted.

Venezuela
  Venezuela was one of three countries that emerged from the
  collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being Ecuador and New
  Granada, which became Colombia). For most of the first half of the
  20th century, Venezuela was ruled by generally benevolent military
  strongmen, who promoted the oil industry and allowed for some social
  reforms. Democratically elected governments have held sway since
  1959. Hugo CHAVEZ, president since 1999, seeks to implement his
  "21st Century Socialism," which purports to alleviate social ills
  while at the same time attacking globalization and undermining
  regional stability. Current concerns include: a weakening of
  democratic institutions, political polarization, a politicized
  military, drug-related violence along the Colombian border,
  increasing internal drug consumption, overdependence on the
  petroleum industry with its price fluctuations, and irresponsible
  mining operations that are endangering the rain forest and
  indigenous peoples.

Vietnam
  The conquest of Vietnam by France began in 1858 and was
  completed by 1884. It became part of French Indochina in 1887.
  Vietnam declared independence after World War II, but France
  continued to rule until its 1954 defeat by Communist forces under Ho
  Chi MINH. Under the Geneva Accords of 1954, Vietnam was divided into
  the Communist North and anti-Communist South. US economic and
  military aid to South Vietnam grew through the 1960s in an attempt
  to bolster the government, but US armed forces were withdrawn
  following a cease-fire agreement in 1973. Two years later, North
  Vietnamese forces overran the South reuniting the country under
  Communist rule. Despite the return of peace, for over a decade the
  country experienced little economic growth because of conservative
  leadership policies, the persecution and mass exodus of individuals
  - many of them successful South Vietnamese merchants - and growing
  international isolation. However, since the enactment of Vietnam's
  "doi moi" (renovation) policy in 1986, Vietnamese authorities have
  committed to increased economic liberalization and enacted
  structural reforms needed to modernize the economy and to produce
  more competitive, export-driven industries. The country continues to
  experience small-scale protests from various groups, the vast
  majority connected to land-use issues and the lack of equitable
  mechanisms for resolving disputes. Various ethnic minorities, such
  as the Montagnards of the Central Highlands and the Khmer Krom in
  the southern delta region, have also held protests. In January 2008,
  Vietnam assumed a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council for
  the 2008-09 term.

Virgin Islands During the 17th century, the archipelago was divided into two territorial units, one English and the other Danish. Sugarcane, produced by slave labor, drove the islands' economy during the 18th and early 19th centuries. In 1917, the US purchased the Danish portion, which had been in economic decline since the abolition of slavery in 1848.

Wake Island
  The US annexed Wake Island in 1899 for a cable station.
  An important air and naval base was constructed in 1940-41. In
  December 1941, the island was captured by the Japanese and held
  until the end of World War II. In subsequent years, Wake was
  developed as a stopover and refueling site for military and
  commercial aircraft transiting the Pacific. Since 1974, the island's
  airstrip has been used by the US military, as well as for emergency
  landings. All operations on the island were suspended and all
  personnel evacuated in August 2006 with the approach of super
  typhoon IOKE (category 5), which struck the island with sustained
  winds of 250 kph and a 6 m storm surge inflicting major damage. A US
  Air Force assessment and repair team returned to the island in
  September and restored limited function to the airfield and
  facilities. The future status of activities on the island will be
  determined upon completion of the survey and assessment.

Wallis and Futuna
  The Futuna island group was discovered by the
  Dutch in 1616 and Wallis by the British in 1767, but it was the
  French who declared a protectorate over the islands in 1842. In
  1959, the inhabitants of the islands voted to become a French
  overseas territory.

West Bank
  The September 1993 Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles on
  Interim Self-Government Arrangements provided for a transitional
  period of Palestinian self-rule in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
  Under a series of agreements signed between May 1994 and September
  1999, Israel transferred to the Palestinian Authority (PA) security
  and civilian responsibility for Palestinian-populated areas of the
  West Bank and Gaza. Negotiations to determine the permanent status
  of the West Bank and Gaza stalled following the outbreak of an
  intifada in September 2000, as Israeli forces reoccupied most
  Palestinian-controlled areas. In April 2003, the Quartet (US, EU,
  UN, and Russia) presented a roadmap to a final settlement of the
  conflict by 2005 based on reciprocal steps by the two parties
  leading to two states, Israel and a democratic Palestine. The
  proposed date for a permanent status agreement was postponed
  indefinitely due to violence and accusations that both sides had not
  followed through on their commitments. Following Palestinian leader
  Yasir ARAFAT's death in late 2004, Mahmud ABBAS was elected PA
  president in January 2005. A month later, Israel and the PA agreed
  to the Sharm el-Sheikh Commitments in an effort to move the peace
  process forward. In September 2005, Israel unilaterally withdrew all
  its settlers and soldiers and dismantled its military facilities in
  the Gaza Strip and withdrew settlers and redeployed soldiers from
  four small northern West Bank settlements. Nonetheless, Israel
  controls maritime, airspace, and most access to the Gaza Strip. A
  November 2005 PA-Israeli agreement authorized the reopening of the
  Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt under joint
  PA and Egyptian control. In January 2006, the Islamic Resistance
  Movement, HAMAS, won control of the Palestinian Legislative Council
  (PLC). The international community refused to accept the HAMAS-led
  government because it did not recognize Israel, would not renounce
  violence, and refused to honor previous peace agreements between
  Israel and the PA. HAMAS took control of the PA government in March
  2006, but President ABBAS had little success negotiating with HAMAS
  to present a political platform acceptable to the international
  community so as to lift economic sanctions on Palestinians. The PLC
  was unable to convene throughout most of 2006 as a result of
  Israel's detention of many HAMAS PLC members and Israeli-imposed
  travel restrictions on other PLC members. Violent clashes took place
  between Fatah and HAMAS supporters in the Gaza Strip in 2006 and
  early 2007, resulting in numerous Palestinian deaths and injuries.
  ABBAS and HAMAS Political Bureau Chief MISHAL in February 2007
  signed the Mecca Agreement in Saudi Arabia that resulted in the
  formation of a Palestinian National Unity Government (NUG) headed by
  HAMAS member Ismail HANIYA. However, fighting continued in the Gaza
  Strip, and in June 2007, HAMAS militants succeeded in a violent
  takeover of all military and governmental institutions in the Gaza
  Strip. ABBAS dismissed the NUG and through a series of presidential
  decrees formed a PA government in the West Bank led by independent
  Salam FAYYAD. HAMAS rejected the NUG's dismissal and has called for
  resuming talks with Fatah, but ABBAS has ruled out negotiations
  until HAMAS agrees to a return of PA control over the Gaza Strip and
  recognizes the FAYYAD-led government. FAYYAD and his PA government
  initiated a series of security and economic reforms to improve
  conditions in the West Bank. ABBAS participated in talks with
  Israel's Prime Minister OLMERT and secured the release of some
  Palestinian prisoners and previously withheld customs revenue.
  During a November 2007 international meeting in Annapolis Maryland,
  ABBAS and OLMERT agreed to resume peace negotiations with the goal
  of reaching a final peace settlement.

Western Sahara
  Morocco virtually annexed the northern two-thirds of
  Western Sahara (formerly Spanish Sahara) in 1976, and claimed the
  rest of the territory in 1979, following Mauritania's withdrawal. A
  guerrilla war with the Polisario Front contesting Rabat's
  sovereignty ended in a 1991 UN-brokered cease-fire; a UN-organized
  referendum on the territory's final status has been repeatedly
  postponed. In April 2007, Morocco presented an autonomy plan for the
  territory to the UN, which the U.S. considers serious and credible.
  The Polisario also presented a plan to the UN in 2007 that called
  for independence. Representatives from the Government of Morocco and
  the Polisario Front have met four times since June 2007 to negotiate
  the status of Western Sahara, but talks have stalled since the UN
  envoy to the territory stated in April 2008 that independence is
  unrealistic.

World
  Globally, the 20th century was marked by: (a) two devastating
  world wars; (b) the Great Depression of the 1930s; (c) the end of
  vast colonial empires; (d) rapid advances in science and technology,
  from the first airplane flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina (US) to
  the landing on the moon; (e) the Cold War between the Western
  alliance and the Warsaw Pact nations; (f) a sharp rise in living
  standards in North America, Europe, and Japan; (g) increased
  concerns about the environment, including loss of forests, shortages
  of energy and water, the decline in biological diversity, and air
  pollution; (h) the onset of the AIDS epidemic; and (i) the ultimate
  emergence of the US as the only world superpower. The planet's
  population continues to explode: from 1 billion in 1820, to 2
  billion in 1930, 3 billion in 1960, 4 billion in 1974, 5 billion in
  1988, and 6 billion in 2000. For the 21st century, the continued
  exponential growth in science and technology raises both hopes
  (e.g., advances in medicine) and fears (e.g., development of even
  more lethal weapons of war).

Yemen
  North Yemen became independent of the Ottoman Empire in 1918.
  The British, who had set up a protectorate area around the southern
  port of Aden in the 19th century, withdrew in 1967 from what became
  South Yemen. Three years later, the southern government adopted a
  Marxist orientation. The massive exodus of hundreds of thousands of
  Yemenis from the south to the north contributed to two decades of
  hostility between the states. The two countries were formally
  unified as the Republic of Yemen in 1990. A southern secessionist
  movement in 1994 was quickly subdued. In 2000, Saudi Arabia and
  Yemen agreed to a delimitation of their border.

Zambia
  The territory of Northern Rhodesia was administered by the
  [British] South Africa Company from 1891 until it was taken over by
  the UK in 1923. During the 1920s and 1930s, advances in mining
  spurred development and immigration. The name was changed to Zambia
  upon independence in 1964. In the 1980s and 1990s, declining copper
  prices and a prolonged drought hurt the economy. Elections in 1991
  brought an end to one-party rule, but the subsequent vote in 1996
  saw blatant harassment of opposition parties. The election in 2001
  was marked by administrative problems with three parties filing a
  legal petition challenging the election of ruling party candidate
  Levy MWANAWASA. The new president launched an anticorruption
  investigation in 2002 to probe high-level corruption during the
  previous administration. In 2006-07, this task force successfully
  prosecuted four cases, including a landmark civil case in the UK in
  which former President CHILUBA and numerous others were found liable
  for USD 41 million. MWANAWASA was reelected in 2006 in an election
  that was deemed free and fair. Upon his abrupt death in August 2008,
  he was succeeded by his Vice-president Rupiah BANDA, who
  subsequently won a special presidential election in October 2008.

Zimbabwe
  The UK annexed Southern Rhodesia from the [British] South
  Africa Company in 1923. A 1961 constitution was formulated that
  favored whites in power. In 1965 the government unilaterally
  declared its independence, but the UK did not recognize the act and
  demanded more complete voting rights for the black African majority
  in the country (then called Rhodesia). UN sanctions and a guerrilla
  uprising finally led to free elections in 1979 and independence (as
  Zimbabwe) in 1980. Robert MUGABE, the nation's first prime minister,
  has been the country's only ruler (as president since 1987) and has
  dominated the country's political system since independence. His
  chaotic land redistribution campaign, which began in 2000, caused an
  exodus of white farmers, crippled the economy, and ushered in
  widespread shortages of basic commodities. Ignoring international
  condemnation, MUGABE rigged the 2002 presidential election to ensure
  his reelection. The ruling ZANU-PF party used fraud and intimidation
  to win a two-thirds majority in the March 2005 parliamentary
  election, allowing it to amend the constitution at will and recreate
  the Senate, which had been abolished in the late 1980s. In April
  2005, Harare embarked on Operation Restore Order, ostensibly an
  urban rationalization program, which resulted in the destruction of
  the homes or businesses of 700,000 mostly poor supporters of the
  opposition. President MUGABE in June 2007 instituted price controls
  on all basic commodities causing panic buying and leaving store
  shelves empty for months. General elections held in March 2008
  contained irregularities but still amounted to a censure of the
  ZANU-PF-led government with significant gains in opposition seats in
  parliament. MDC opposition leader Morgan TSVANGIRAI won the
  presidential polls, and may have won an out right majority, but
  official results posted by the Zimbabwe Electoral Committee did not
  reflect this. In the lead up to a run-off election in late June
  2008, considerable violence enacted against opposition party members
  led to the withdrawal of TSVANGIRAI from the ballot. Extensive
  evidence of vote tampering and ballot-box stuffing resulted in
  international condemnation of the process. Difficult negotiations
  over a power sharing agreement, allowing MUGABE to remain as
  president and creating the new position of prime minister for
  TSVANGIRAI, were finally settled in February 2009.

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

@2030

Field Listing :: Airports - with paved runways

This entry gives the total number of airports with paved runways (concrete or asphalt surfaces) by length. For airports with more than one runway, only the longest runway is included according to the following five groups - (1) over 3,047 m (over 10,000 ft), (2) 2,438 to 3,047 m (8,000 to 10,000 ft), (3) 1,524 to 2,437 m (5,000 to 8,000 ft), (4) 914 to 1,523 m (3,000 to 5,000 ft), and (5) under 914 m (under 3,000 ft). Only airports with usable runways are included in this listing. Not all airports have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control. The type aircraft capable of operating from a runway of a given length is dependent upon a number of factors including elevation of the runway, runway gradient, average maximum daily temperature at the airport, engine types, flap settings, and take-off weight of the aircraft. Country

Airports - with paved runways

Afghanistan total: 16 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Albania total: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Algeria
  total: 57
  over 3,047 m: 11
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 29
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 11
  914 to 1,523 m: 5
  under 914 m: 1 (2009)

American Samoa total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Angola
  total: 30
  over 3,047 m: 5
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 12
  914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2009)

Anguilla total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Antigua and Barbuda total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Argentina total: 156 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 26 1,524 to 2,437 m: 65 914 to 1,523 m: 51 under 914 m: 10 (2009)

Armenia
  total: 10
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2009)

Aruba total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2009)

Australia
  total: 325
  over 3,047 m: 11
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 13
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 145
  914 to 1,523 m: 142
  under 914 m: 14 (2009)

Austria
  total: 25
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 14 (2009)

Azerbaijan
  total: 27
  over 3,047 m: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 13
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Bahamas, The total: 23 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 6 (2009)

Bahrain total: 3 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2009)

Bangladesh total: 15 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 4 (2009)

Barbados total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2009)

Belarus
  total: 35
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 22
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 7 (2009)

Belgium
  total: 27
  over 3,047 m: 6
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 9 (2009)

Belize
  total: 4
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Benin
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Bermuda
  total: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2009)

Bhutan
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Bolivia
  total: 16
  over 3,047 m: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 5 (2009)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  total: 7
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Botswana
  total: 9
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)

Brazil
  total: 721
  over 3,047 m: 7
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 27
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 171
  914 to 1,523 m: 460
  under 914 m: 56 (2009)

British Indian Ocean Territory total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2009)

British Virgin Islands
  total: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Brunei
  total: 2
  over 3,047 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)

Bulgaria
  total: 132
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 18
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 15
  under 914 m: 97 (2009)

Burkina Faso
  total: 2
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2009)

Burma
  total: 37
  over 3,047 m: 11
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Burundi total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2009)

Cambodia total: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)

Cameroon total: 11 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)

Canada
  total: 515
  over 3,047 m: 19
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 18
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 148
  914 to 1,523 m: 251
  under 914 m: 79 (2009)

Cape Verde total: 9 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Cayman Islands total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2009)

Central African Republic total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Chad
  total: 8
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Chile
  total: 81
  over 3,047 m: 5
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 22
  914 to 1,523 m: 24
  under 914 m: 22 (2009)

China
  total: 425
  over 3,047 m: 63
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 132
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 133
  914 to 1,523 m: 25
  under 914 m: 72 (2009)

Christmas Island
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Colombia
  total: 116
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 40
  914 to 1,523 m: 50
  under 914 m: 15 (2009)

Comoros total: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2009)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the total: 26 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 17 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Congo, Republic of the total: 6 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2009)

Cook Islands total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Costa Rica total: 38 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 22 under 914 m: 12 (2009)

Cote d'Ivoire total: 7 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2009)

Croatia
  total: 23
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 9 (2009)

Cuba
  total: 65
  over 3,047 m: 7
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 17
  914 to 1,523 m: 5
  under 914 m: 27 (2009)

Cyprus
  total: 13
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Czech Republic
  total: 44
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 12
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 18 (2009)

Denmark
  total: 28
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 12
  under 914 m: 3 (2009)

Djibouti total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Dominica total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2009)

Dominican Republic
  total: 16
  over 3,047 m: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Ecuador
  total: 103
  over 3,047 m: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 18
  914 to 1,523 m: 25
  under 914 m: 54 (2009)

Egypt
  total: 72
  over 3,047 m: 15
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 35
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 15
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 5 (2009)

El Salvador total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2009)

Equatorial Guinea total: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Eritrea total: 4 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2009)

Estonia
  total: 13
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2009)

Ethiopia
  total: 17
  over 3,047 m: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2009)

European Union
  total: 1,995
  over 3,047 m: 115
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 341
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 543
  914 to 1,523 m: 421
  under 914 m: 575 (2009)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  total: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)

Faroe Islands
  total: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)

Fiji
  total: 4
  over 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2009)

Finland
  total: 75
  over 3,047 m: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 26
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
  914 to 1,523 m: 22
  under 914 m: 14 (2009)

France
  total: 297
  over 3,047 m: 14
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 27
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 97
  914 to 1,523 m: 82
  under 914 m: 77 (2009)

French Polynesia total: 47 over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 34 under 914 m: 7 (2009)

Gabon
  total: 13
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 9
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Gambia, The
  total: 1
  over 3,047 m: 1 (2009)

Gaza Strip
  total: 1
  over 3,047 m: 1 (2009)

Georgia
  total: 18
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Germany
  total: 330
  over 3,047 m: 13
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 52
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 58
  914 to 1,523 m: 72
  under 914 m: 135 (2009)

Ghana
  total: 7
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2009)

Gibraltar
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Greece
  total: 67
  over 3,047 m: 5
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 15
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 20
  914 to 1,523 m: 18
  under 914 m: 9 (2009)

Greenland total: 10 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 6 (2009)

Grenada
  total: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Guam
  total: 4
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)

Guatemala total: 13 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 3 (2009)

Guernsey
  total: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Guinea
  total: 5
  over 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2009)

Guinea-Bissau
  total: 2
  over 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Guyana
  total: 10
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 7 (2009)

Haiti
  total: 4
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2009)

Honduras total: 12 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 3 (2009)

Hong Kong total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Hungary
  total: 20
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Iceland total: 6 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2009)

India
  total: 250
  over 3,047 m: 20
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 56
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 76
  914 to 1,523 m: 84
  under 914 m: 14 (2009)

Indonesia
  total: 164
  over 3,047 m: 4
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 18
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 51
  914 to 1,523 m: 56
  under 914 m: 35 (2009)

Iran
  total: 133
  over 3,047 m: 40
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 28
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 25
  914 to 1,523 m: 34
  under 914 m: 6 (2009)

Iraq
  total: 75
  over 3,047 m: 19
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 37
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 6
  under 914 m: 8 (2009)

Ireland
  total: 17
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 5
  under 914 m: 6 (2009)

Isle of Man
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Israel
  total: 30
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
  914 to 1,523 m: 10
  under 914 m: 6 (2009)

Italy
  total: 101
  over 3,047 m: 9
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 30
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 17
  914 to 1,523 m: 32
  under 914 m: 13 (2009)

Jamaica
  total: 12
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 7 (2009)

Japan
  total: 144
  over 3,047 m: 7
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 42
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 40
  914 to 1,523 m: 28
  under 914 m: 27 (2009)

Jersey
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Jordan
  total: 15
  over 3,047 m: 8
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Kazakhstan total: 67 over 3,047 m: 10 2,438 to 3,047 m: 26 1,524 to 2,437 m: 17 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 9 (2009)

Kenya
  total: 16
  over 3,047 m: 4
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 6 (2009)

Kiribati total: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2009)

Korea, North
  total: 37
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 22
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 8
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 4 (2009)

Korea, South
  total: 72
  over 3,047 m: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 22
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 13
  914 to 1,523 m: 12
  under 914 m: 22 (2009)

Kosovo
  total: 4
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Kuwait
  total: 4
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Kyrgyzstan total: 18 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 under 914 m: 3 (2009)

Laos
  total: 9
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2009)

Latvia
  total: 20
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 8 (2009)

Lebanon
  total: 5
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Lesotho total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Liberia total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Libya
  total: 59
  over 3,047 m: 23
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 23
  914 to 1,523 m: 6
  under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Lithuania
  total: 32
  over 3,047 m: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 19 (2009)

Luxembourg
  total: 1
  over 3,047 m: 1 (2009)

Macau
  total: 1
  over 3,047 m: 1 (2009)

Macedonia total: 10 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 under 914 m: 8 (2009)

Madagascar total: 27 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 17 under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Malawi
  total: 6
  over 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2009)

Malaysia
  total: 38
  over 3,047 m: 7
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 10
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
  914 to 1,523 m: 8
  under 914 m: 7 (2009)

Maldives
  total: 3
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)

Mali
  total: 8
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)

Malta total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2009)

Marshall Islands
  total: 4
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)

Mauritania
  total: 9
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2009)

Mauritius
  total: 2
  over 3,047 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)

Mayotte
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Mexico
  total: 246
  over 3,047 m: 12
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 29
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 85
  914 to 1,523 m: 82
  under 914 m: 38 (2009)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  total: 6
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2009)

Moldova
  total: 5
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2009)

Mongolia
  total: 14
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 11
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2009)

Montenegro total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Montserrat total: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Morocco
  total: 32
  over 3,047 m: 11
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
  914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2009)

Mozambique total: 23 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 5 (2009)

Namibia
  total: 21
  over 3,047 m: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 13
  914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2009)

Nauru
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Nepal
  total: 11
  over 3,047 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 9
  under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Netherlands
  total: 20
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 5
  under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Netherlands Antilles
  total: 5
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2009)

New Caledonia total: 12 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 1 (2009)

New Zealand total: 41 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 914 to 1,523 m: 25 under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Nicaragua total: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 3 (2009)

Niger
  total: 10
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)

Nigeria
  total: 38
  over 3,047 m: 7
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 12
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 11
  914 to 1,523 m: 5
  under 914 m: 3 (2009)

Niue
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Norfolk Island
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Northern Mariana Islands
  total: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Norway
  total: 67
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 13
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 12
  914 to 1,523 m: 17
  under 914 m: 25 (2009)

Oman
  total: 10
  over 3,047 m: 5
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)

Pakistan
  total: 98
  over 3,047 m: 16
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 19
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 38
  914 to 1,523 m: 17
  under 914 m: 8 (2009)

Palau
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Panama
  total: 54
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 17
  under 914 m: 30 (2009)

Papua New Guinea total: 21 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Paracel Islands total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Paraguay total: 14 over 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 5 (2009)

Peru
  total: 57
  over 3,047 m: 6
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 20
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
  914 to 1,523 m: 13
  under 914 m: 4 (2009)

Philippines
  total: 85
  over 3,047 m: 4
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 28
  914 to 1,523 m: 35
  under 914 m: 10 (2009)

Poland
  total: 84
  over 3,047 m: 4
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 30
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 39
  914 to 1,523 m: 7
  under 914 m: 4 (2009)

Portugal
  total: 43
  over 3,047 m: 5
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 13
  under 914 m: 11 (2009)

Puerto Rico total: 17 over 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 5 (2009)

Qatar
  total: 3
  over 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Romania
  total: 25
  over 3,047 m: 4
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 10
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 (2009)

Russia
  total: 595
  over 3,047 m: 52
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 198
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 129
  914 to 1,523 m: 99
  under 914 m: 117 (2009)

Rwanda
  total: 4
  over 3,047 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Saint Barthelemy
  total: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Saint Helena
  total: 1
  over 3,047 m: 1 (2009)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  total: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)

Saint Lucia
  total: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Saint Martin total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  total: 5
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Samoa
  total: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Sao Tome and Principe
  total: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)

Saudi Arabia total: 80 over 3,047 m: 31 2,438 to 3,047 m: 16 1,524 to 2,437 m: 27 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 4 (2009)

Senegal total: 10 over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)

Serbia
  total: 10
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2009)

Seychelles total: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Sierra Leone total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2009)

Singapore total: 8 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)

Slovakia
  total: 20
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 10 (2009)

Slovenia
  total: 6
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Solomon Islands total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)

Somalia total: 7 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

South Africa
  total: 148
  over 3,047 m: 10
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 52
  914 to 1,523 m: 68
  under 914 m: 12 (2009)

Spain
  total: 95
  over 3,047 m: 18
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 12
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 18
  914 to 1,523 m: 24
  under 914 m: 23 (2009)

Spratly Islands total: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Sri Lanka total: 14 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 7 (2009)

Sudan
  total: 19
  over 3,047 m: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
  under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Suriname total: 5 over 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 4 (2009)

Svalbard
  total: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2009)

Swaziland
  total: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2009)

Sweden
  total: 152
  over 3,047 m: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 12
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 76
  914 to 1,523 m: 25
  under 914 m: 36 (2009)

Switzerland
  total: 43
  over 3,047 m: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
  914 to 1,523 m: 5
  under 914 m: 17 (2009)

Syria
  total: 29
  over 3,047 m: 4
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 16
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 5 (2009)

Taiwan
  total: 38
  over 3,047 m: 8
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 11
  914 to 1,523 m: 7
  under 914 m: 4 (2009)

Tajikistan
  total: 18
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 3 (2009)

Tanzania total: 9 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)

Thailand
  total: 64
  over 3,047 m: 8
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 11
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 24
  914 to 1,523 m: 15
  under 914 m: 6 (2009)

Timor-Leste total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Togo
  total: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2009)

Tonga
  total: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2009)

Trinidad and Tobago total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Tunisia
  total: 16
  over 3,047 m: 4
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2009)

Turkey
  total: 90
  over 3,047 m: 16
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 33
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 20
  914 to 1,523 m: 17
  under 914 m: 4 (2009)

Turkmenistan total: 22 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2009)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  total: 6
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Uganda
  total: 5
  over 3,047 m: 3
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)

Ukraine
  total: 189
  over 3,047 m: 12
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 51
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 24
  914 to 1,523 m: 6
  under 914 m: 96 (2009)

United Arab Emirates
  total: 24
  over 3,047 m: 11
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 2 (2009)

United Kingdom
  total: 307
  over 3,047 m: 9
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 32
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 125
  914 to 1,523 m: 77
  under 914 m: 64 (2009)

United States
  total: 5,174
  over 3,047 m: 190
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 229
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1,477
  914 to 1,523 m: 2,309
  under 914 m: 969 (2009)

Uruguay
  total: 9
  over 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Uzbekistan total: 33 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 13 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 4 (2009)

Vanuatu
  total: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)

Venezuela total: 131 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 35 914 to 1,523 m: 63 under 914 m: 19 (2009)

Vietnam
  total: 37
  over 3,047 m: 9
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
  914 to 1,523 m: 9 (2009)

Virgin Islands total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Wake Island total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2009)

Wallis and Futuna
  total: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)

West Bank
  total: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Western Sahara
  total: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2009)

Yemen
  total: 18
  over 3,047 m: 4
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Zambia
  total: 9
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2009)

Zimbabwe
  total: 19
  over 3,047 m: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 9 (2009)

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

@2031

Field Listing :: Airports - with unpaved runways

This entry gives the total number of airports with unpaved runways (grass, dirt, sand, or gravel surfaces) by length. For airports with more than one runway, only the longest runway is included according to the following five groups - (1) over 3,047 m (over 10,000 ft), (2) 2,438 to 3,047 m (8,000 to 10,000 ft), (3) 1,524 to 2,437 m (5,000 to 8,000 ft), (4) 914 to 1,523 m (3,000 to 5,000 ft), and (5) under 914 m (under 3,000 ft). Only airports with usable runways are included in this listing. Not all airports have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control. The type aircraft capable of operating from a runway of a given length is dependent upon a number of factors including elevation of the runway, runway gradient, average maximum daily temperature at the airport, engine types, flap settings, and take-off weight of the aircraft. Country

Airports - with unpaved runways

Afghanistan total: 35 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 9 (2009)

Albania total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)

Algeria
  total: 86
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 19
  914 to 1,523 m: 41
  under 914 m: 23 (2009)

Angola
  total: 162
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 32
  914 to 1,523 m: 78
  under 914 m: 46 (2009)

Anguilla total: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Antarctica total: 25 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 6 (2009)

Antigua and Barbuda total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Argentina total: 974 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 44 914 to 1,523 m: 522 under 914 m: 406 (2009)

Armenia total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)

Australia
  total: 139
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 17
  914 to 1,523 m: 110
  under 914 m: 12 (2009)

Austria
  total: 30
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 26 (2009)

Azerbaijan total: 7 under 914 m: 7 (2009)

Bahamas, The total: 39 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 22 (2009)

Bangladesh total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Belarus
  total: 30
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 25 (2009)

Belgium
  total: 16
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 15 (2009)

Belize
  total: 40
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 12
  under 914 m: 27 (2009)

Benin
  total: 4
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2009)

Bhutan
  total: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)

Bolivia
  total: 936
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 58
  914 to 1,523 m: 186
  under 914 m: 687 (2009)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  total: 18
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 7
  under 914 m: 10 (2009)

Botswana
  total: 68
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 54
  under 914 m: 10 (2009)

Brazil
  total: 3,279
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 87
  914 to 1,523 m: 1,547
  under 914 m: 1,645 (2009)

British Virgin Islands total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2009)

Bulgaria
  total: 80
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 6
  under 914 m: 73 (2009)

Burkina Faso
  total: 24
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 13
  under 914 m: 7 (2009)

Burma
  total: 40
  over 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 12
  under 914 m: 23 (2009)

Burundi total: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 3 (2009)

Cambodia
  total: 11
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 9
  under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Cameroon
  total: 25
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 16
  under 914 m: 6 (2009)

Canada
  total: 873
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 73
  914 to 1,523 m: 373
  under 914 m: 427 (2009)

Cape Verde
  total: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Cayman Islands
  total: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)

Central African Republic
  total: 38
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 12
  914 to 1,523 m: 17
  under 914 m: 8 (2009)

Chad
  total: 46
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 13
  914 to 1,523 m: 20
  under 914 m: 11 (2009)

Chile
  total: 276
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 12
  914 to 1,523 m: 50
  under 914 m: 212 (2009)

China
  total: 57
  over 3,047 m: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
  914 to 1,523 m: 13
  under 914 m: 26 (2009)

Colombia total: 876 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 35 914 to 1,523 m: 228 under 914 m: 612 (2009)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  total: 168
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 19
  914 to 1,523 m: 90
  under 914 m: 59 (2009)

Congo, Republic of the
  total: 19
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 8
  914 to 1,523 m: 10
  under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Cook Islands
  total: 8
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 5
  under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Costa Rica total: 113 914 to 1,523 m: 19 under 914 m: 94 (2009)

Cote d'Ivoire
  total: 21
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
  914 to 1,523 m: 11
  under 914 m: 3 (2009)

Croatia
  total: 45
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 7
  under 914 m: 37 (2009)

Cuba
  total: 71
  914 to 1,523 m: 13
  under 914 m: 58 (2009)

Cyprus total: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Czech Republic total: 78 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 27 under 914 m: 50 (2009)

Denmark total: 64 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 61 (2009)

Djibouti
  total: 10
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 5
  under 914 m: 3 (2009)

Dominican Republic
  total: 19
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 17 (2009)

Ecuador
  total: 317
  914 to 1,523 m: 38
  under 914 m: 279 (2009)

Egypt
  total: 13
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 5
  under 914 m: 4 (2009)

El Salvador total: 61 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 47 (2009)

Equatorial Guinea total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2009)

Eritrea
  total: 10
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Estonia
  total: 6
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 3 (2009)

Ethiopia
  total: 46
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 11
  914 to 1,523 m: 23
  under 914 m: 9 (2009)

European Union total: 1,396 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 24 914 to 1,523 m: 257 under 914 m: 1,110 (2009)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  total: 4
  under 914 m: 4 (2009)

Fiji
  total: 24
  914 to 1,523 m: 5
  under 914 m: 19 (2009)

Finland
  total: 73
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 70 (2009)

France
  total: 178
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 70
  under 914 m: 107 (2009)

French Polynesia
  total: 6
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 4 (2009)

Gabon
  total: 31
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
  914 to 1,523 m: 11
  under 914 m: 14 (2009)

Georgia
  total: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Germany
  total: 220
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 33
  under 914 m: 184 (2009)

Ghana
  total: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Greece
  total: 14
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 12 (2009)

Greenland total: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Guam total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Guatemala total: 358 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 84 under 914 m: 270 (2009)

Guinea
  total: 12
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Guinea-Bissau
  total: 7
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 3 (2009)

Guyana
  total: 89
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 14
  under 914 m: 74 (2009)

Haiti
  total: 10
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 8 (2009)

Honduras total: 94 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 77 (2009)

Hungary
  total: 26
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 10
  under 914 m: 11 (2009)

Iceland
  total: 93
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 27
  under 914 m: 63 (2009)

India
  total: 99
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 8
  914 to 1,523 m: 42
  under 914 m: 47 (2009)

Indonesia total: 519 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 25 under 914 m: 489 (2009)

Iran
  total: 183
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 9
  914 to 1,523 m: 139
  under 914 m: 33 (2009)

Iraq
  total: 29
  over 3,047 m: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 13
  under 914 m: 6 (2009)

Ireland
  total: 22
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 20 (2009)

Israel
  total: 17
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 14 (2009)

Italy
  total: 31
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 11
  under 914 m: 19 (2009)

Jamaica
  total: 15
  under 914 m: 15 (2009)

Jan Mayen
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Japan
  total: 32
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 28 (2009)

Jordan total: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Kazakhstan total: 32 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 13 (2009)

Kenya
  total: 165
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
  914 to 1,523 m: 105
  under 914 m: 50 (2009)

Kiribati total: 15 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 4 (2009)

Korea, North total: 42 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 17 914 to 1,523 m: 14 under 914 m: 8 (2009)

Korea, South total: 44 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 42 (2009)

Kosovo total: 4 under 914 m: 4 (2009)

Kuwait
  total: 3
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Kyrgyzstan
  total: 11
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 9 (2009)

Laos
  total: 32
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 9
  under 914 m: 21 (2009)

Latvia
  total: 23
  under 914 m: 23 (2009)

Lebanon
  total: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2009)

Lesotho
  total: 23
  914 to 1,523 m: 5
  under 914 m: 18 (2009)

Liberia
  total: 31
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 8
  under 914 m: 18 (2009)

Libya
  total: 78
  over 3,047 m: 4
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
  914 to 1,523 m: 41
  under 914 m: 17 (2009)

Lithuania total: 55 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 51 (2009)

Luxembourg total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Macedonia total: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 3 (2009)

Madagascar
  total: 62
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 39
  under 914 m: 21 (2009)

Malawi
  total: 26
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 15
  under 914 m: 10 (2009)

Malaysia total: 80 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 73 (2009)

Maldives total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2009)

Mali
  total: 14
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 6
  under 914 m: 3 (2009)

Marshall Islands total: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Mauritania total: 18 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Mauritius total: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Mexico
  total: 1,498
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 65
  914 to 1,523 m: 426
  under 914 m: 1,005 (2009)

Moldova
  total: 6
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  under 914 m: 3 (2009)

Mongolia
  total: 31
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 24
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Montenegro
  total: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Morocco
  total: 26
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
  914 to 1,523 m: 10
  under 914 m: 8 (2009)

Mozambique
  total: 82
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 9
  914 to 1,523 m: 33
  under 914 m: 39 (2009)

Namibia
  total: 108
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 22
  914 to 1,523 m: 73
  under 914 m: 11 (2009)

Nepal
  total: 36
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 5
  under 914 m: 30 (2009)

Netherlands
  total: 7
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 4 (2009)

New Caledonia
  total: 13
  914 to 1,523 m: 5
  under 914 m: 8 (2009)

New Zealand
  total: 79
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 31
  under 914 m: 45 (2009)

Nicaragua
  total: 132
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 16
  under 914 m: 115 (2009)

Niger
  total: 18
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 14
  under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Nigeria
  total: 18
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 13
  under 914 m: 3 (2009)

Northern Mariana Islands
  total: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Norway
  total: 31
  914 to 1,523 m: 6
  under 914 m: 25 (2009)

Oman
  total: 118
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 52
  914 to 1,523 m: 33
  under 914 m: 25 (2009)

Pakistan total: 47 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 24 (2009)

Palau total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2009)

Panama
  total: 63
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 11
  under 914 m: 51 (2009)

Papua New Guinea
  total: 539
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 9
  914 to 1,523 m: 63
  under 914 m: 467 (2009)

Paraguay
  total: 784
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 25
  914 to 1,523 m: 289
  under 914 m: 470 (2009)

Peru
  total: 144
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 24
  914 to 1,523 m: 39
  under 914 m: 79 (2009)

Philippines total: 169 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 66 under 914 m: 99 (2009)

Poland
  total: 41
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 15
  under 914 m: 20 (2009)

Portugal total: 22 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 21 (2009)

Puerto Rico total: 12 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 10 (2009)

Qatar
  total: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Romania
  total: 28
  914 to 1,523 m: 7
  under 914 m: 21 (2009)

Russia
  total: 621
  over 3,047 m: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 13
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 68
  914 to 1,523 m: 84
  under 914 m: 453 (2009)

Rwanda
  total: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 3 (2009)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  total: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Samoa
  total: 2
  under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Saudi Arabia total: 137 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 72 914 to 1,523 m: 41 under 914 m: 16 (2009)

Senegal
  total: 9
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Serbia
  total: 18
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 9
  under 914 m: 8 (2009)

Seychelles
  total: 6
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 5 (2009)

Sierra Leone
  total: 8
  914 to 1,523 m: 7
  under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Slovakia
  total: 15
  914 to 1,523 m: 8
  under 914 m: 7 (2009)

Slovenia
  total: 10
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 5 (2009)

Solomon Islands
  total: 34
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 8
  under 914 m: 25 (2009)

Somalia
  total: 52
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 19
  914 to 1,523 m: 23
  under 914 m: 6 (2009)

South Africa total: 459 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 34 914 to 1,523 m: 298 under 914 m: 125 (2009)

Spain
  total: 58
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 17
  under 914 m: 39 (2009)

Spratly Islands total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)

Sri Lanka total: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 3 (2009)

Sudan
  total: 102
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 18
  914 to 1,523 m: 56
  under 914 m: 28 (2009)

Suriname total: 45 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 40 (2009)

Svalbard total: 3 under 914 m: 3 (2009)

Swaziland
  total: 13
  914 to 1,523 m: 6
  under 914 m: 7 (2009)

Sweden
  total: 97
  914 to 1,523 m: 5
  under 914 m: 92 (2009)

Switzerland
  total: 23
  under 914 m: 23 (2009)

Syria
  total: 75
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 15
  under 914 m: 59 (2009)

Taiwan
  total: 4
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Tajikistan
  total: 8
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 7 (2009)

Tanzania
  total: 116
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 19
  914 to 1,523 m: 63
  under 914 m: 34 (2009)

Thailand
  total: 41
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 13
  under 914 m: 27 (2009)

Timor-Leste
  total: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Togo
  total: 6
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Tonga
  total: 5
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Trinidad and Tobago
  total: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Tunisia
  total: 16
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 7
  under 914 m: 7 (2009)

Turkey
  total: 12
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 7
  under 914 m: 4 (2009)

Turkmenistan
  total: 6
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  under 914 m: 4 (2009)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  total: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Tuvalu
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Uganda
  total: 30
  over 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
  914 to 1,523 m: 15
  under 914 m: 8 (2009)

Ukraine
  total: 236
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
  914 to 1,523 m: 12
  under 914 m: 214 (2009)

United Arab Emirates total: 17 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 5 (2009)

United Kingdom
  total: 199
  over 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 22
  under 914 m: 173 (2009)

United States
  total: 9,921
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 158
  914 to 1,523 m: 1,757
  under 914 m: 8,000 (2009)

Uruguay
  total: 48
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 20
  under 914 m: 25 (2009)

Uzbekistan
  total: 21
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  under 914 m: 19 (2009)

Vanuatu
  total: 28
  914 to 1,523 m: 5
  under 914 m: 23 (2009)

Venezuela total: 275 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16 914 to 1,523 m: 103 under 914 m: 155 (2009)

Vietnam
  total: 7
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 3 (2009)

Western Sahara
  total: 3
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Yemen
  total: 37
  over 3,047 m: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
  914 to 1,523 m: 14
  under 914 m: 9 (2009)

Zambia
  total: 88
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 65
  under 914 m: 18 (2009)

Zimbabwe total: 196 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 119 under 914 m: 74 (2009)

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

@2032

Field Listing :: Environment - current issues

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

Environment - current issues

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

Akrotiri
  hunting around the salt lake; note - breeding place for
  loggerhead and green turtles; only remaining colony of griffon
  vultures is on the base

Albania
  deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution from industrial
  and domestic effluents

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

American Samoa
  limited natural fresh water resources; the water
  division of the government has spent substantial funds in the past
  few years to improve water catchments and pipelines

Andorra
  deforestation; overgrazing of mountain meadows contributes
  to soil erosion; air pollution; wastewater treatment and solid waste
  disposal

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

Anguilla
  supplies of potable water sometimes cannot meet increasing
  demand largely because of poor distribution system

Antarctica
  in 1998, NASA satellite data showed that the Antarctic
  ozone hole was the largest on record, covering 27 million square
  kilometers; researchers in 1997 found that increased ultraviolet
  light passing through the hole damages the DNA of icefish, an
  Antarctic fish lacking hemoglobin; ozone depletion earlier was shown
  to harm one-celled Antarctic marine plants; in 2002, significant
  areas of ice shelves disintegrated in response to regional warming

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

Arctic Ocean
  endangered marine species include walruses and whales;
  fragile ecosystem slow to change and slow to recover from
  disruptions or damage; thinning polar icepack

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

Armenia
  soil pollution from toxic chemicals such as DDT; the energy
  crisis of the 1990s led to deforestation when citizens scavenged for
  firewood; pollution of Hrazdan (Razdan) and Aras Rivers; the
  draining of Sevana Lich (Lake Sevan), a result of its use as a
  source for hydropower, threatens drinking water supplies; restart of
  Metsamor nuclear power plant in spite of its location in a
  seismically active zone

Aruba
  NA

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  illegal killing of protected wildlife by
  traditional Indonesian fisherman, as well as fishing by
  non-traditional Indonesian vessels, are ongoing problems

Atlantic Ocean
  endangered marine species include the manatee, seals,
  sea lions, turtles, and whales; drift net fishing is hastening the
  decline of fish stocks and contributing to international disputes;
  municipal sludge pollution off eastern US, southern Brazil, and
  eastern Argentina; oil pollution in Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico,
  Lake Maracaibo, Mediterranean Sea, and North Sea; industrial waste
  and municipal sewage pollution in Baltic Sea, North Sea, and
  Mediterranean Sea

Australia
  soil erosion from overgrazing, industrial development,
  urbanization, and poor farming practices; soil salinity rising due
  to the use of poor quality water; desertification; clearing for
  agricultural purposes threatens the natural habitat of many unique
  animal and plant species; the Great Barrier Reef off the northeast
  coast, the largest coral reef in the world, is threatened by
  increased shipping and its popularity as a tourist site; limited
  natural fresh water resources

Austria
  some forest degradation caused by air and soil pollution;
  soil pollution results from the use of agricultural chemicals; air
  pollution results from emissions by coal- and oil-fired power
  stations and industrial plants and from trucks transiting Austria
  between northern and southern Europe

Azerbaijan
  local scientists consider the Abseron Yasaqligi (Apsheron
  Peninsula) (including Baku and Sumqayit) and the Caspian Sea to be
  the ecologically most devastated area in the world because of severe
  air, soil, and water pollution; soil pollution results from oil
  spills, from the use of DDT pesticide, and from toxic defoliants
  used in the production of cotton

Bahamas, The
  coral reef decay; solid waste disposal

Bahrain
  desertification resulting from the degradation of limited
  arable land, periods of drought, and dust storms; coastal
  degradation (damage to coastlines, coral reefs, and sea vegetation)
  resulting from oil spills and other discharges from large tankers,
  oil refineries, and distribution stations; lack of freshwater
  resources (groundwater and seawater are the only sources for all
  water needs)

Bangladesh
  many people are landless and forced to live on and
  cultivate flood-prone land; waterborne diseases prevalent in surface
  water; water pollution, especially of fishing areas, results from
  the use of commercial pesticides; ground water contaminated by
  naturally occurring arsenic; intermittent water shortages because of
  falling water tables in the northern and central parts of the
  country; soil degradation and erosion; deforestation; severe
  overpopulation

Barbados
  pollution of coastal waters from waste disposal by ships;
  soil erosion; illegal solid waste disposal threatens contamination
  of aquifers

Belarus
  soil pollution from pesticide use; southern part of the
  country contaminated with fallout from 1986 nuclear reactor accident
  at Chornobyl' in northern Ukraine

Belgium
  the environment is exposed to intense pressures from human
  activities: urbanization, dense transportation network, industry,
  extensive animal breeding and crop cultivation; air and water
  pollution also have repercussions for neighboring countries;
  uncertainties regarding federal and regional responsibilities (now
  resolved) had slowed progress in tackling environmental challenges

Belize
  deforestation; water pollution from sewage, industrial
  effluents, agricultural runoff; solid and sewage waste disposal

Benin
  inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching threatens
  wildlife populations; deforestation; desertification

Bermuda
  sustainable development

Bhutan
  soil erosion; limited access to potable water

Bolivia
  the clearing of land for agricultural purposes and the
  international demand for tropical timber are contributing to
  deforestation; soil erosion from overgrazing and poor cultivation
  methods (including slash-and-burn agriculture); desertification;
  loss of biodiversity; industrial pollution of water supplies used
  for drinking and irrigation

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  air pollution from metallurgical plants;
  sites for disposing of urban waste are limited; water shortages and
  destruction of infrastructure because of the 1992-95 civil strife;
  deforestation

Botswana
  overgrazing; desertification; limited fresh water resources

Bouvet Island
  NA

Brazil
  deforestation in Amazon Basin destroys the habitat and
  endangers a multitude of plant and animal species indigenous to the
  area; there is a lucrative illegal wildlife trade; air and water
  pollution in Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, and several other large
  cities; land degradation and water pollution caused by improper
  mining activities; wetland degradation; severe oil spills

British Indian Ocean Territory
  NA

British Virgin Islands
  limited natural fresh water resources (except
  for a few seasonal streams and springs on Tortola, most of the
  islands' water supply comes from wells and rainwater catchments)

Brunei
  seasonal smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in Indonesia

Bulgaria
  air pollution from industrial emissions; rivers polluted
  from raw sewage, heavy metals, detergents; deforestation; forest
  damage from air pollution and resulting acid rain; soil
  contamination from heavy metals from metallurgical plants and
  industrial wastes

Burkina Faso
  recent droughts and desertification severely affecting
  agricultural activities, population distribution, and the economy;
  overgrazing; soil degradation; deforestation

Burma
  deforestation; industrial pollution of air, soil, and water;
  inadequate sanitation and water treatment contribute to disease

Burundi
  soil erosion as a result of overgrazing and the expansion of
  agriculture into marginal lands; deforestation (little forested land
  remains because of uncontrolled cutting of trees for fuel); habitat
  loss threatens wildlife populations

Cambodia
  illegal logging activities throughout the country and strip
  mining for gems in the western region along the border with Thailand
  have resulted in habitat loss and declining biodiversity (in
  particular, destruction of mangrove swamps threatens natural
  fisheries); soil erosion; in rural areas, most of the population
  does not have access to potable water; declining fish stocks because
  of illegal fishing and overfishing

Cameroon
  waterborne diseases are prevalent; deforestation;
  overgrazing; desertification; poaching; overfishing

Canada
  air pollution and resulting acid rain severely affecting
  lakes and damaging forests; metal smelting, coal-burning utilities,
  and vehicle emissions impacting on agricultural and forest
  productivity; ocean waters becoming contaminated due to
  agricultural, industrial, mining, and forestry activities

Cape Verde
  soil erosion; deforestation due to demand for wood used
  as fuel; water shortages; desertification; environmental damage has
  threatened several species of birds and reptiles; illegal beach sand
  extraction; overfishing

Cayman Islands
  no natural fresh water resources; drinking water
  supplies must be met by rainwater catchments

Central African Republic
  tap water is not potable; poaching has
  diminished the country's reputation as one of the last great
  wildlife refuges; desertification; deforestation

Chad
  inadequate supplies of potable water; improper waste disposal
  in rural areas contributes to soil and water pollution;
  desertification

Chile
  widespread deforestation and mining threaten natural
  resources; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions;
  water pollution from raw sewage

China
  air pollution (greenhouse gases, sulfur dioxide particulates)
  from reliance on coal produces acid rain; water shortages,
  particularly in the north; water pollution from untreated wastes;
  deforestation; estimated loss of one-fifth of agricultural land
  since 1949 to soil erosion and economic development;
  desertification; trade in endangered species

Christmas Island
  loss of rainforest; impact of phosphate mining

Clipperton Island
  NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  fresh water resources are limited to
  rainwater accumulations in natural underground reservoirs

Colombia
  deforestation; soil and water quality damage from overuse
  of pesticides; air pollution, especially in Bogota, from vehicle
  emissions

Comoros
  soil degradation and erosion results from crop cultivation
  on slopes without proper terracing; deforestation

Congo, Democratic Republic of the poaching threatens wildlife populations; water pollution; deforestation; refugees responsible for significant deforestation, soil erosion, and wildlife poaching; mining of minerals (coltan - a mineral used in creating capacitors, diamonds, and gold) causing environmental damage

Congo, Republic of the
  air pollution from vehicle emissions; water
  pollution from the dumping of raw sewage; tap water is not potable;
  deforestation

Cook Islands
  NA

Coral Sea Islands
  no permanent fresh water resources

Costa Rica
  deforestation and land use change, largely a result of
  the clearing of land for cattle ranching and agriculture; soil
  erosion; coastal marine pollution; fisheries protection; solid waste
  management; air pollution

Cote d'Ivoire
  deforestation (most of the country's forests - once
  the largest in West Africa - have been heavily logged); water
  pollution from sewage and industrial and agricultural effluents

Croatia
  air pollution (from metallurgical plants) and resulting acid
  rain is damaging the forests; coastal pollution from industrial and
  domestic waste; landmine removal and reconstruction of
  infrastructure consequent to 1992-95 civil strife

Cuba
  air and water pollution; biodiversity loss; deforestation

Cyprus
  water resource problems (no natural reservoir catchments,
  seasonal disparity in rainfall, sea water intrusion to island's
  largest aquifer, increased salination in the north); water pollution
  from sewage and industrial wastes; coastal degradation; loss of
  wildlife habitats from urbanization

Czech Republic
  air and water pollution in areas of northwest Bohemia
  and in northern Moravia around Ostrava present health risks; acid
  rain damaging forests; efforts to bring industry up to EU code
  should improve domestic pollution

Denmark
  air pollution, principally from vehicle and power plant
  emissions; nitrogen and phosphorus pollution of the North Sea;
  drinking and surface water becoming polluted from animal wastes and
  pesticides

Dhekelia
  netting and trapping of small migrant songbirds in the
  spring and autumn

Djibouti
  inadequate supplies of potable water; limited arable land;
  desertification; endangered species

Dominica
  NA

Dominican Republic
  water shortages; soil eroding into the sea
  damages coral reefs; deforestation

Ecuador
  deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; water
  pollution; pollution from oil production wastes in ecologically
  sensitive areas of the Amazon Basin and Galapagos Islands

Egypt
  agricultural land being lost to urbanization and windblown
  sands; increasing soil salination below Aswan High Dam;
  desertification; oil pollution threatening coral reefs, beaches, and
  marine habitats; other water pollution from agricultural pesticides,
  raw sewage, and industrial effluents; limited natural fresh water
  resources away from the Nile, which is the only perennial water
  source; rapid growth in population overstraining the Nile and
  natural resources

El Salvador
  deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution;
  contamination of soils from disposal of toxic wastes

Equatorial Guinea
  tap water is not potable; deforestation

Eritrea
  deforestation; desertification; soil erosion; overgrazing;
  loss of infrastructure from civil warfare

Estonia
  air polluted with sulfur dioxide from oil-shale burning
  power plants in northeast; however, the amount of pollutants emitted
  to the air have fallen steadily, the emissions of 2000 were 80% less
  than in 1980; the amount of unpurified wastewater discharged to
  water bodies in 2000 was one-20th the level of 1980; in connection
  with the start-up of new water purification plants, the pollution
  load of wastewater decreased; Estonia has more than 1,400 natural
  and manmade lakes, the smaller of which in agricultural areas need
  to be monitored; coastal seawater is polluted in certain locations

Ethiopia
  deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification;
  water shortages in some areas from water-intensive farming and poor
  management

European Union
  NA

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) overfishing by unlicensed vessels is a problem; reindeer were introduced to the islands in 2001 for commercial reasons; this is the only commercial reindeer herd in the world unaffected by the 1986 Chornobyl disaster

Faroe Islands
  NA

Fiji
  deforestation; soil erosion

Finland
  air pollution from manufacturing and power plants
  contributing to acid rain; water pollution from industrial wastes,
  agricultural chemicals; habitat loss threatens wildlife populations

France
  some forest damage from acid rain; air pollution from
  industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution from urban wastes,
  agricultural runoff

French Polynesia
  NA

French Southern and Antarctic Lands introduction of foreign species on Iles Crozet has caused severe damage to the original ecosystem; overfishing of Patagonian toothfish around Iles Crozet and Iles Kerguelen

Gabon
  deforestation; poaching

Gambia, The
  deforestation; desertification; water-borne diseases
  prevalent

Gaza Strip
  desertification; salination of fresh water; sewage
  treatment; water-borne disease; soil degradation; depletion and
  contamination of underground water resources

Georgia
  air pollution, particularly in Rust'avi; heavy pollution of
  Mtkvari River and the Black Sea; inadequate supplies of potable
  water; soil pollution from toxic chemicals

Germany
  emissions from coal-burning utilities and industries
  contribute to air pollution; acid rain, resulting from sulfur
  dioxide emissions, is damaging forests; pollution in the Baltic Sea
  from raw sewage and industrial effluents from rivers in eastern
  Germany; hazardous waste disposal; government established a
  mechanism for ending the use of nuclear power over the next 15
  years; government working to meet EU commitment to identify nature
  preservation areas in line with the EU's Flora, Fauna, and Habitat
  directive

Ghana
  recurrent drought in north severely affects agricultural
  activities; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; poaching and
  habitat destruction threatens wildlife populations; water pollution;
  inadequate supplies of potable water

Gibraltar
  limited natural freshwater resources: large concrete or
  natural rock water catchments collect rainwater (no longer used for
  drinking water) and adequate desalination plant

Greece
  air pollution; water pollution

Greenland
  protection of the arctic environment; preservation of the
  Inuit traditional way of life, including whaling and seal hunting

Grenada
  NA

Guam
  extirpation of native bird population by the rapid
  proliferation of the brown tree snake, an exotic, invasive species

Guatemala
  deforestation in the Peten rainforest; soil erosion; water
  pollution

Guernsey
  NA

Guinea
  deforestation; inadequate supplies of potable water;
  desertification; soil contamination and erosion; overfishing,
  overpopulation in forest region; poor mining practices have led to
  environmental damage

Guinea-Bissau
  deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; overfishing

Guyana
  water pollution from sewage and agricultural and industrial
  chemicals; deforestation

Haiti
  extensive deforestation (much of the remaining forested land
  is being cleared for agriculture and used as fuel); soil erosion;
  inadequate supplies of potable water

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  NA

Holy See (Vatican City)
  NA

Honduras
  urban population expanding; deforestation results from
  logging and the clearing of land for agricultural purposes; further
  land degradation and soil erosion hastened by uncontrolled
  development and improper land use practices such as farming of
  marginal lands; mining activities polluting Lago de Yojoa (the
  country's largest source of fresh water), as well as several rivers
  and streams, with heavy metals

Hong Kong
  air and water pollution from rapid urbanization

Hungary
  the upgrading of Hungary's standards in waste management,
  energy efficiency, and air, soil, and water pollution to meet EU
  requirements will require large investments

Iceland
  water pollution from fertilizer runoff; inadequate
  wastewater treatment

India
  deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; desertification; air
  pollution from industrial effluents and vehicle emissions; water
  pollution from raw sewage and runoff of agricultural pesticides; tap
  water is not potable throughout the country; huge and growing
  population is overstraining natural resources

Indian Ocean
  endangered marine species include the dugong, seals,
  turtles, and whales; oil pollution in the Arabian Sea, Persian Gulf,
  and Red Sea

Indonesia
  deforestation; water pollution from industrial wastes,
  sewage; air pollution in urban areas; smoke and haze from forest
  fires

Iran
  air pollution, especially in urban areas, from vehicle
  emissions, refinery operations, and industrial effluents;
  deforestation; overgrazing; desertification; oil pollution in the
  Persian Gulf; wetland losses from drought; soil degradation
  (salination); inadequate supplies of potable water; water pollution
  from raw sewage and industrial waste; urbanization

Iraq
  government water control projects have drained most of the
  inhabited marsh areas east of An Nasiriyah by drying up or diverting
  the feeder streams and rivers; a once sizable population of Marsh
  Arabs, who inhabited these areas for thousands of years, has been
  displaced; furthermore, the destruction of the natural habitat poses
  serious threats to the area's wildlife populations; inadequate
  supplies of potable water; development of the Tigris and Euphrates
  rivers system contingent upon agreements with upstream riparian
  Turkey; air and water pollution; soil degradation (salination) and
  erosion; desertification

Ireland
  water pollution, especially of lakes, from agricultural
  runoff

Isle of Man
  waste disposal (both household and industrial);
  transboundary air pollution

Israel
  limited arable land and natural fresh water resources pose
  serious constraints; desertification; air pollution from industrial
  and vehicle emissions; groundwater pollution from industrial and
  domestic waste, chemical fertilizers, and pesticides

Italy
  air pollution from industrial emissions such as sulfur
  dioxide; coastal and inland rivers polluted from industrial and
  agricultural effluents; acid rain damaging lakes; inadequate
  industrial waste treatment and disposal facilities

Jamaica
  heavy rates of deforestation; coastal waters polluted by
  industrial waste, sewage, and oil spills; damage to coral reefs; air
  pollution in Kingston results from vehicle emissions

Jan Mayen
  NA

Japan
  air pollution from power plant emissions results in acid rain;
  acidification of lakes and reservoirs degrading water quality and
  threatening aquatic life; Japan is one of the largest consumers of
  fish and tropical timber, contributing to the depletion of these
  resources in Asia and elsewhere

Jersey
  NA

Jordan
  limited natural fresh water resources; deforestation;
  overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

Kazakhstan
  radioactive or toxic chemical sites associated with
  former defense industries and test ranges scattered throughout the
  country pose health risks for humans and animals; industrial
  pollution is severe in some cities; because the two main rivers that
  flowed into the Aral Sea have been diverted for irrigation, it is
  drying up and leaving behind a harmful layer of chemical pesticides
  and natural salts; these substances are then picked up by the wind
  and blown into noxious dust storms; pollution in the Caspian Sea;
  soil pollution from overuse of agricultural chemicals and salination
  from poor infrastructure and wasteful irrigation practices

Kenya
  water pollution from urban and industrial wastes; degradation
  of water quality from increased use of pesticides and fertilizers;
  water hyacinth infestation in Lake Victoria; deforestation; soil
  erosion; desertification; poaching

Kiribati
  heavy pollution in lagoon of south Tarawa atoll due to
  heavy migration mixed with traditional practices such as lagoon
  latrines and open-pit dumping; ground water at risk

Korea, North
  water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water;
  waterborne disease; deforestation; soil erosion and degradation

Korea, South
  air pollution in large cities; acid rain; water
  pollution from the discharge of sewage and industrial effluents;
  drift net fishing

Kuwait
  limited natural fresh water resources; some of world's
  largest and most sophisticated desalination facilities provide much
  of the water; air and water pollution; desertification

Kyrgyzstan
  water pollution; many people get their water directly
  from contaminated streams and wells; as a result, water-borne
  diseases are prevalent; increasing soil salinity from faulty
  irrigation practices

Laos
  unexploded ordnance; deforestation; soil erosion; most of the
  population does not have access to potable water

Latvia
  Latvia's environment has benefited from a shift to service
  industries after the country regained independence; the main
  environmental priorities are improvement of drinking water quality
  and sewage system, household, and hazardous waste management, as
  well as reduction of air pollution; in 2001, Latvia closed the EU
  accession negotiation chapter on environment committing to full
  enforcement of EU environmental directives by 2010

Lebanon
  deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; air pollution
  in Beirut from vehicular traffic and the burning of industrial
  wastes; pollution of coastal waters from raw sewage and oil spills

Lesotho
  population pressure forcing settlement in marginal areas
  results in overgrazing, severe soil erosion, and soil exhaustion;
  desertification; Highlands Water Project controls, stores, and
  redirects water to South Africa

Liberia
  tropical rain forest deforestation; soil erosion; loss of
  biodiversity; pollution of coastal waters from oil residue and raw
  sewage

Libya
  desertification; limited natural fresh water resources; the
  Great Manmade River Project, the largest water development scheme in
  the world, is being built to bring water from large aquifers under
  the Sahara to coastal cities

Liechtenstein
  NA

Lithuania
  contamination of soil and groundwater with petroleum
  products and chemicals at military bases

Luxembourg
  air and water pollution in urban areas, soil pollution of
  farmland

Macau
  NA

Macedonia
  air pollution from metallurgical plants

Madagascar
  soil erosion results from deforestation and overgrazing;
  desertification; surface water contaminated with raw sewage and
  other organic wastes; several endangered species of flora and fauna
  unique to the island

Malawi
  deforestation; land degradation; water pollution from
  agricultural runoff, sewage, industrial wastes; siltation of
  spawning grounds endangers fish populations

Malaysia
  air pollution from industrial and vehicular emissions;
  water pollution from raw sewage; deforestation; smoke/haze from
  Indonesian forest fires

Maldives
  depletion of freshwater aquifers threatens water supplies;
  global warming and sea level rise; coral reef bleaching

Mali
  deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; inadequate
  supplies of potable water; poaching

Malta
  limited natural fresh water resources; increasing reliance on
  desalination

Marshall Islands
  inadequate supplies of potable water; pollution of
  Majuro lagoon from household waste and discharges from fishing
  vessels

Mauritania
  overgrazing, deforestation, and soil erosion aggravated
  by drought are contributing to desertification; limited natural
  fresh water resources away from the Senegal, which is the only
  perennial river; locust infestation

Mauritius
  water pollution, degradation of coral reefs

Mayotte
  NA

Mexico
  scarcity of hazardous waste disposal facilities; rural to
  urban migration; natural fresh water resources scarce and polluted
  in north, inaccessible and poor quality in center and extreme
  southeast; raw sewage and industrial effluents polluting rivers in
  urban areas; deforestation; widespread erosion; desertification;
  deteriorating agricultural lands; serious air and water pollution in
  the national capital and urban centers along US-Mexico border; land
  subsidence in Valley of Mexico caused by groundwater depletion
  note: the government considers the lack of clean water and
  deforestation national security issues

Micronesia, Federated States of
  overfishing, climate change,
  pollution

Moldova
  heavy use of agricultural chemicals, including banned
  pesticides such as DDT, has contaminated soil and groundwater;
  extensive soil erosion from poor farming methods

Monaco
  NA

Mongolia
  limited natural fresh water resources in some areas; the
  policies of former Communist regimes promoted rapid urbanization and
  industrial growth that had negative effects on the environment; the
  burning of soft coal in power plants and the lack of enforcement of
  environmental laws severely polluted the air in Ulaanbaatar;
  deforestation, overgrazing, and the converting of virgin land to
  agricultural production increased soil erosion from wind and rain;
  desertification and mining activities had a deleterious effect on
  the environment

Montenegro
  pollution of coastal waters from sewage outlets,
  especially in tourist-related areas such as Kotor

Montserrat
  land erosion occurs on slopes that have been cleared for
  cultivation

Morocco
  land degradation/desertification (soil erosion resulting
  from farming of marginal areas, overgrazing, destruction of
  vegetation); water supplies contaminated by raw sewage; siltation of
  reservoirs; oil pollution of coastal waters

Mozambique
  a long civil war and recurrent drought in the hinterlands
  have resulted in increased migration of the population to urban and
  coastal areas with adverse environmental consequences;
  desertification; pollution of surface and coastal waters; elephant
  poaching for ivory is a problem

Namibia
  limited natural fresh water resources; desertification;
  wildlife poaching; land degradation has led to few conservation areas

Nauru
  limited natural fresh water resources, roof storage tanks
  collect rainwater but mostly dependent on a single, aging
  desalination plant; intensive phosphate mining during the past 90
  years - mainly by a UK, Australia, and NZ consortium - has left the
  central 90% of Nauru a wasteland and threatens limited remaining
  land resources

Navassa Island
  NA

Nepal
  deforestation (overuse of wood for fuel and lack of
  alternatives); contaminated water (with human and animal wastes,
  agricultural runoff, and industrial effluents); wildlife
  conservation; vehicular emissions

Netherlands
  water pollution in the form of heavy metals, organic
  compounds, and nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates; air
  pollution from vehicles and refining activities; acid rain

Netherlands Antilles
  NA

New Caledonia
  erosion caused by mining exploitation and forest fires

New Zealand
  deforestation; soil erosion; native flora and fauna
  hard-hit by invasive species

Nicaragua
  deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution

Niger
  overgrazing; soil erosion; deforestation; desertification;
  wildlife populations (such as elephant, hippopotamus, giraffe, and
  lion) threatened because of poaching and habitat destruction

Nigeria
  soil degradation; rapid deforestation; urban air and water
  pollution; desertification; oil pollution - water, air, and soil;
  has suffered serious damage from oil spills; loss of arable land;
  rapid urbanization

Niue
  increasing attention to conservationist practices to counter
  loss of soil fertility from traditional slash and burn agriculture

Norfolk Island
  NA

Northern Mariana Islands
  contamination of groundwater on Saipan may
  contribute to disease; clean-up of landfill; protection of
  endangered species conflicts with development

Norway
  water pollution; acid rain damaging forests and adversely
  affecting lakes, threatening fish stocks; air pollution from vehicle
  emissions

Oman
  rising soil salinity; beach pollution from oil spills; limited
  natural fresh water resources

Pacific Ocean
  endangered marine species include the dugong, sea
  lion, sea otter, seals, turtles, and whales; oil pollution in
  Philippine Sea and South China Sea

Pakistan
  water pollution from raw sewage, industrial wastes, and
  agricultural runoff; limited natural fresh water resources; most of
  the population does not have access to potable water; deforestation;
  soil erosion; desertification

Palau
  inadequate facilities for disposal of solid waste; threats to
  the marine ecosystem from sand and coral dredging, illegal fishing
  practices, and overfishing

Panama
  water pollution from agricultural runoff threatens fishery
  resources; deforestation of tropical rain forest; land degradation
  and soil erosion threatens siltation of Panama Canal; air pollution
  in urban areas; mining threatens natural resources

Papua New Guinea
  rain forest subject to deforestation as a result of
  growing commercial demand for tropical timber; pollution from mining
  projects; severe drought

Paracel Islands
  NA

Paraguay
  deforestation; water pollution; inadequate means for waste
  disposal pose health risks for many urban residents; loss of wetlands

Peru
  deforestation (some the result of illegal logging); overgrazing
  of the slopes of the costa and sierra leading to soil erosion;
  desertification; air pollution in Lima; pollution of rivers and
  coastal waters from municipal and mining wastes

Philippines
  uncontrolled deforestation especially in watershed
  areas; soil erosion; air and water pollution in major urban centers;
  coral reef degradation; increasing pollution of coastal mangrove
  swamps that are important fish breeding grounds

Pitcairn Islands
  deforestation (only a small portion of the original
  forest remains because of burning and clearing for settlement)

Poland
  situation has improved since 1989 due to decline in heavy
  industry and increased environmental concern by post-Communist
  governments; air pollution nonetheless remains serious because of
  sulfur dioxide emissions from coal-fired power plants, and the
  resulting acid rain has caused forest damage; water pollution from
  industrial and municipal sources is also a problem, as is disposal
  of hazardous wastes; pollution levels should continue to decrease as
  industrial establishments bring their facilities up to EU code, but
  at substantial cost to business and the government

Portugal
  soil erosion; air pollution caused by industrial and
  vehicle emissions; water pollution, especially in coastal areas

Puerto Rico
  erosion; occasional drought causing water shortages

Qatar
  limited natural fresh water resources are increasing
  dependence on large-scale desalination facilities

Romania
  soil erosion and degradation; water pollution; air pollution
  in south from industrial effluents; contamination of Danube delta
  wetlands

Russia
  air pollution from heavy industry, emissions of coal-fired
  electric plants, and transportation in major cities; industrial,
  municipal, and agricultural pollution of inland waterways and
  seacoasts; deforestation; soil erosion; soil contamination from
  improper application of agricultural chemicals; scattered areas of
  sometimes intense radioactive contamination; groundwater
  contamination from toxic waste; urban solid waste management;
  abandoned stocks of obsolete pesticides

Rwanda
  deforestation results from uncontrolled cutting of trees for
  fuel; overgrazing; soil exhaustion; soil erosion; widespread poaching

Saint Barthelemy
  with no natural rivers or streams, fresh water is
  in short supply, especially in summer, and provided by
  desalinization of sea water, collection of rain water, or imported
  via water tanker

Saint Helena
  NA

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  NA

Saint Lucia
  deforestation; soil erosion, particularly in the
  northern region

Saint Martin
  fresh water supply is dependent on desalinization of
  sea water

Saint Pierre and Miquelon recent test drilling for oil in waters around Saint Pierre and Miquelon may bring future development that would impact the environment

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines pollution of coastal waters and shorelines from discharges by pleasure yachts and other effluents; in some areas, pollution is severe enough to make swimming prohibitive

Samoa
  soil erosion, deforestation, invasive species, overfishing

San Marino
  NA

Sao Tome and Principe
  deforestation; soil erosion and exhaustion

Saudi Arabia
  desertification; depletion of underground water
  resources; the lack of perennial rivers or permanent water bodies
  has prompted the development of extensive seawater desalination
  facilities; coastal pollution from oil spills

Senegal
  wildlife populations threatened by poaching; deforestation;
  overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; overfishing

Serbia
  air pollution around Belgrade and other industrial cities;
  water pollution from industrial wastes dumped into the Sava which
  flows into the Danube

Seychelles
  water supply depends on catchments to collect rainwater

Sierra Leone
  rapid population growth pressuring the environment;
  overharvesting of timber, expansion of cattle grazing, and
  slash-and-burn agriculture have resulted in deforestation and soil
  exhaustion; civil war depleted natural resources; overfishing

Singapore
  industrial pollution; limited natural fresh water
  resources; limited land availability presents waste disposal
  problems; seasonal smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in
  Indonesia

Slovakia
  air pollution from metallurgical plants presents human
  health risks; acid rain damaging forests

Slovenia
  Sava River polluted with domestic and industrial waste;
  pollution of coastal waters with heavy metals and toxic chemicals;
  forest damage near Koper from air pollution (originating at
  metallurgical and chemical plants) and resulting acid rain

Solomon Islands
  deforestation; soil erosion; many of the surrounding
  coral reefs are dead or dying

Somalia
  famine; use of contaminated water contributes to human
  health problems; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion;
  desertification

South Africa
  lack of important arterial rivers or lakes requires
  extensive water conservation and control measures; growth in water
  usage outpacing supply; pollution of rivers from agricultural runoff
  and urban discharge; air pollution resulting in acid rain; soil
  erosion; desertification

South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
  NA

Southern Ocean
  increased solar ultraviolet radiation resulting from
  the Antarctic ozone hole in recent years, reducing marine primary
  productivity (phytoplankton) by as much as 15% and damaging the DNA
  of some fish; illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing in recent
  years, especially the landing of an estimated five to six times more
  Patagonian toothfish than the regulated fishery, which is likely to
  affect the sustainability of the stock; large amount of incidental
  mortality of seabirds resulting from long-line fishing for toothfish
  note: the now-protected fur seal population is making a strong
  comeback after severe overexploitation in the 18th and 19th centuries

Spain
  pollution of the Mediterranean Sea from raw sewage and
  effluents from the offshore production of oil and gas; water quality
  and quantity nationwide; air pollution; deforestation;
  desertification

Spratly Islands
  NA

Sri Lanka
  deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations
  threatened by poaching and urbanization; coastal degradation from
  mining activities and increased pollution; freshwater resources
  being polluted by industrial wastes and sewage runoff; waste
  disposal; air pollution in Colombo

Sudan
  inadequate supplies of potable water; wildlife populations
  threatened by excessive hunting; soil erosion; desertification;
  periodic drought

Suriname
  deforestation as timber is cut for export; pollution of
  inland waterways by small-scale mining activities

Svalbard
  NA

Swaziland
  limited supplies of potable water; wildlife populations
  being depleted because of excessive hunting; overgrazing; soil
  degradation; soil erosion

Sweden
  acid rain damage to soils and lakes; pollution of the North
  Sea and the Baltic Sea

Switzerland
  air pollution from vehicle emissions and open-air
  burning; acid rain; water pollution from increased use of
  agricultural fertilizers; loss of biodiversity

Syria
  deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification;
  water pollution from raw sewage and petroleum refining wastes;
  inadequate potable water

Taiwan
  air pollution; water pollution from industrial emissions, raw
  sewage; contamination of drinking water supplies; trade in
  endangered species; low-level radioactive waste disposal

Tajikistan
  inadequate sanitation facilities; increasing levels of
  soil salinity; industrial pollution; excessive pesticides

Tanzania
  soil degradation; deforestation; desertification;
  destruction of coral reefs threatens marine habitats; recent
  droughts affected marginal agriculture; wildlife threatened by
  illegal hunting and trade, especially for ivory

Thailand
  air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from
  organic and factory wastes; deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife
  populations threatened by illegal hunting

Timor-Leste
  widespread use of slash and burn agriculture has led to
  deforestation and soil erosion

Togo
  deforestation attributable to slash-and-burn agriculture and
  the use of wood for fuel; water pollution presents health hazards
  and hinders the fishing industry; air pollution increasing in urban
  areas

Tokelau
  limited natural resources and overcrowding are contributing
  to emigration to New Zealand

Tonga
  deforestation results as more and more land is being cleared
  for agriculture and settlement; some damage to coral reefs from
  starfish and indiscriminate coral and shell collectors; overhunting
  threatens native sea turtle populations

Trinidad and Tobago
  water pollution from agricultural chemicals,
  industrial wastes, and raw sewage; oil pollution of beaches;
  deforestation; soil erosion

Tunisia
  toxic and hazardous waste disposal is ineffective and poses
  health risks; water pollution from raw sewage; limited natural fresh
  water resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion;
  desertification

Turkey
  water pollution from dumping of chemicals and detergents; air
  pollution, particularly in urban areas; deforestation; concern for
  oil spills from increasing Bosporus ship traffic

Turkmenistan
  contamination of soil and groundwater with agricultural
  chemicals, pesticides; salination, water logging of soil due to poor
  irrigation methods; Caspian Sea pollution; diversion of a large
  share of the flow of the Amu Darya into irrigation contributes to
  that river's inability to replenish the Aral Sea; desertification

Turks and Caicos Islands
  limited natural fresh water resources,
  private cisterns collect rainwater

Tuvalu
  since there are no streams or rivers and groundwater is not
  potable, most water needs must be met by catchment systems with
  storage facilities (the Japanese Government has built one
  desalination plant and plans to build one other); beachhead erosion
  because of the use of sand for building materials; excessive
  clearance of forest undergrowth for use as fuel; damage to coral
  reefs from the spread of the Crown of Thorns starfish; Tuvalu is
  concerned about global increases in greenhouse gas emissions and
  their effect on rising sea levels, which threaten the country's
  underground water table; in 2000, the government appealed to
  Australia and New Zealand to take in Tuvaluans if rising sea levels
  should make evacuation necessary

Uganda
  draining of wetlands for agricultural use; deforestation;
  overgrazing; soil erosion; water hyacinth infestation in Lake
  Victoria; widespread poaching

Ukraine
  inadequate supplies of potable water; air and water
  pollution; deforestation; radiation contamination in the northeast
  from 1986 accident at Chornobyl' Nuclear Power Plant

United Arab Emirates
  lack of natural freshwater resources
  compensated by desalination plants; desertification; beach pollution
  from oil spills

United Kingdom
  continues to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (has met
  Kyoto Protocol target of a 12.5% reduction from 1990 levels and
  intends to meet the legally binding target and move toward a
  domestic goal of a 20% cut in emissions by 2010); by 2005 the
  government reduced the amount of industrial and commercial waste
  disposed of in landfill sites to 85% of 1998 levels and recycled or
  composted at least 25% of household waste, increasing to 33% by 2015

United States
  air pollution resulting in acid rain in both the US
  and Canada; the US is the largest single emitter of carbon dioxide
  from the burning of fossil fuels; water pollution from runoff of
  pesticides and fertilizers; limited natural fresh water resources in
  much of the western part of the country require careful management;
  desertification

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges
  Baker, Howland, and
  Jarvis Islands, and Johnston Atoll: no natural fresh water resources
  Kingman Reef: none
  Midway Islands and Palmyra Atoll: NA

Uruguay
  water pollution from meat packing/tannery industry;
  inadequate solid/hazardous waste disposal

Uzbekistan
  shrinkage of the Aral Sea is resulting in growing
  concentrations of chemical pesticides and natural salts; these
  substances are then blown from the increasingly exposed lake bed and
  contribute to desertification; water pollution from industrial
  wastes and the heavy use of fertilizers and pesticides is the cause
  of many human health disorders; increasing soil salination; soil
  contamination from buried nuclear processing and agricultural
  chemicals, including DDT

Vanuatu
  most of the population does not have access to a reliable
  supply of potable water; deforestation

Venezuela
  sewage pollution of Lago de Valencia; oil and urban
  pollution of Lago de Maracaibo; deforestation; soil degradation;
  urban and industrial pollution, especially along the Caribbean
  coast; threat to the rainforest ecosystem from irresponsible mining
  operations

Vietnam
  logging and slash-and-burn agricultural practices contribute
  to deforestation and soil degradation; water pollution and
  overfishing threaten marine life populations; groundwater
  contamination limits potable water supply; growing urban
  industrialization and population migration are rapidly degrading
  environment in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City

Virgin Islands
  lack of natural freshwater resources

Wake Island
  NA

Wallis and Futuna
  deforestation (only small portions of the original
  forests remain) largely as a result of the continued use of wood as
  the main fuel source; as a consequence of cutting down the forests,
  the mountainous terrain of Futuna is particularly prone to erosion;
  there are no permanent settlements on Alofi because of the lack of
  natural fresh water resources

West Bank
  adequacy of fresh water supply; sewage treatment

Western Sahara
  sparse water and lack of arable land

World
  large areas subject to overpopulation, industrial disasters,
  pollution (air, water, acid rain, toxic substances), loss of
  vegetation (overgrazing, deforestation, desertification), loss of
  wildlife, soil degradation, soil depletion, erosion; global warming
  becoming a greater concern

Yemen
  limited natural fresh water resources; inadequate supplies of
  potable water; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

Zambia
  air pollution and resulting acid rain in the mineral
  extraction and refining region; chemical runoff into watersheds;
  poaching seriously threatens rhinoceros, elephant, antelope, and
  large cat populations; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification;
  lack of adequate water treatment presents human health risks

Zimbabwe
  deforestation; soil erosion; land degradation; air and
  water pollution; the black rhinoceros herd - once the largest
  concentration of the species in the world - has been significantly
  reduced by poaching; poor mining practices have led to toxic waste
  and heavy metal pollution

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

@2033

Field Listing :: Environment - international agreements

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

Environment - international agreements

Afghanistan
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping,
  Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Life Conservation

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

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

Andorra
  party to: Biodiversity, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes,
  Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Angola
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone
  Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

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

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

Armenia
  party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Australia
  party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
  Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
  Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life
  Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
  Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Austria
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
  Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
  Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
  Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

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

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

Bahrain
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone
  Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

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

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

Belarus
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Sulfur 85, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Belgium
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
  Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
  Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
  Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

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

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

Bhutan
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
  Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Bolivia
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
  of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
  Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life
  Conservation

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity,
  Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone
  Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

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

Brazil
  party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine
  Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
  Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
  Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

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

Bulgaria
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
  Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
  Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
  Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
  Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Burkina Faso
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone
  Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Burma
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone
  Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
  Timber 94
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Burundi
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
  Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Cambodia
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection,
  Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Cameroon
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical
  Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Canada
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
  Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
  Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
  Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
  Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
  Marine Life Conservation

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

Central African Republic
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 94,
  Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Chad
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection,
  Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping

Chile
  party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine
  Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
  Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
  Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

China
  party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty,
  Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
  Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Colombia
  party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection,
  Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

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

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate
  Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone
  Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Congo, Republic of the
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Cook Islands
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
  Sea, Ozone Layer Protection

Costa Rica
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Cote d'Ivoire
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
  Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Croatia
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94,
  Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate
  Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone
  Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Cuba
  party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Cyprus
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94,
  Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Czech Republic
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen
  Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air
  Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile
  Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic
  Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Denmark
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
  Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
  Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
  Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
  Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

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

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

Dominican Republic
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone
  Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Ecuador
  party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic
  Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
  Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Egypt
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
  Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
  Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

El Salvador
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

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

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

Estonia
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
  Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty,
  Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
  Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Ethiopia
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea

European Union
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen
  Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air
  Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
  Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
  Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94
  signed but not ratified: Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds

Faroe Islands
  party to: Marine Dumping - associate member to the
  London Convention and Ship Pollution

Fiji
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea,
  Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber
  83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Finland
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
  Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
  Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
  Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
  Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
  Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

France
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
  Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
  Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
  Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life
  Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
  Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Gabon
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
  of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
  Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

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

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

Germany
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
  Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
  Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
  Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
  Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Ghana
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
  Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Greece
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Sulfur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
  Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
  Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
  Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds

Grenada
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone
  Layer Protection, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

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

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

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

Guyana
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
  of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber
  83, Tropical Timber 94
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Haiti
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine
  Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: Hazardous Wastes

Holy See (Vatican City)
  party to: Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution, Environmental Modification

Honduras
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
  Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Hong Kong
  party to: Marine Dumping (associate member), Ship
  Pollution (associate member)

Hungary
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
  Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
  Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
  Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Iceland
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
  Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Transboundary Air Pollution, Wetlands,
  Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life
  Conservation

India
  party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine
  Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone
  Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
  Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Indonesia
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Iran
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
  Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the
  Sea, Marine Life Conservation

Iraq
  party to: Biodiversity, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Ireland
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Sulfur 94, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
  Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Marine Life Conservation

Israel
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
  Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Italy
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
  Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
  Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
  Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
  Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Jamaica
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
  of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Japan
  party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine
  Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
  Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
  Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

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

Kazakhstan
  party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
  Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Kenya
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
  of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Kiribati
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
  Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Korea, North
  party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate
  Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Korea, South
  party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
  Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
  Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
  Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Kuwait
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
  Protection
  signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping

Kyrgyzstan
  party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes,
  Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Laos
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Latvia
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
  of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Lebanon
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone
  Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life
  Conservation

Lesotho
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
  of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection,
  Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Liberia
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
  of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber
  83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life
  Conservation

Libya
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
  Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Liechtenstein
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen
  Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air
  Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile
  Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Lithuania
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides,
  Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur
  85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic
  Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Luxembourg
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides,
  Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur
  85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic
  Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
  of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
  Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Macau
  party to: Marine Dumping (associate member), Ship Pollution
  (associate member)

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

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

Malawi
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone
  Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Malaysia
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone
  Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
  Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Maldives
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
  Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

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

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

Marshall Islands
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
  Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

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

Mauritius
  party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity,
  Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
  Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection,
  Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Mexico
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
  of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Micronesia, Federated States of
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate
  Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous
  Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Moldova
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
  Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Monaco
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air
  Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

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

Montenegro
  party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes,
  Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone
  Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Morocco
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
  of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
  Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

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

Namibia
  party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity,
  Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Nauru
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Nepal
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
  of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
  Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Netherlands
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides,
  Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur
  85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic
  Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
  Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Kyoto Protocol, Law of
  the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
  Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

New Zealand
  party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
  Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
  Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
  Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Antarctic Seals, Marine Life Conservation

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

Niger
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Nigeria
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
  of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Niue
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection

Norway
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
  Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
  Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
  Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
  Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Oman
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Pakistan
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Palau
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,
  Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Panama
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
  Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
  Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Papua New Guinea
  party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate
  Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
  Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
  Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

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

Peru
  party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine
  Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Philippines
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
  Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Poland
  party to: Air Pollution, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
  Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
  Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
  Hazardous Wastes, Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
  Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94

Portugal
  party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life
  Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
  Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Environmental
  Modification

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

Romania
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty,
  Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Russia
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Sulfur 85, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
  Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
  Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Sulfur 94

Rwanda
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
  Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

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

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate
  Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
  Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

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

San Marino
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution

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

Saudi Arabia
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Senegal
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
  of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Serbia
  party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life
  Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

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

Sierra Leone
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of
  the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

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

Slovakia
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
  Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
  Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Slovenia
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94,
  Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Solomon Islands
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Environmental Modification,
  Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone
  Layer Protection, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Somalia
  party to: Biodiversity, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

South Africa
  party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
  Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
  Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
  Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Southern Ocean
  the Southern Ocean is subject to all international
  agreements regarding the world's oceans; in addition, it is subject
  to these agreements specific to the Antarctic region: International
  Whaling Commission (prohibits commercial whaling south of 40 degrees
  south [south of 60 degrees south between 50 degrees and 130 degrees
  west]); Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Seals (limits
  sealing); Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living
  Resources (regulates fishing)
  note: many nations (including the US) prohibit mineral resource
  exploration and exploitation south of the fluctuating Polar Front
  (Antarctic Convergence), which is in the middle of the Antarctic
  Circumpolar Current and serves as the dividing line between the cold
  polar surface waters to the south and the warmer waters to the north

Spain
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
  Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
  Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
  Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
  Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Sri Lanka
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone
  Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

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

Suriname
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of
  the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
  Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Swaziland
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Sweden
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
  Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
  Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
  Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
  Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
  Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Switzerland
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides,
  Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur
  85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic
  Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine
  Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
  Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Syria
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
  Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Taiwan
  party to: none of the selected agreements because of Taiwan's
  international status

Tajikistan
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Environmental Modification,
  Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

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

Thailand
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection,
  Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Timor-Leste
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Togo
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone
  Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
  Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Tonga
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine
  Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Trinidad and Tobago
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life
  Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
  Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Tunisia
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
  Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Turkey
  party to: Air Pollution, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
  Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous
  Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Turkmenistan
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone
  Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

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

Uganda
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
  of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection,
  Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Ukraine
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Sulfur 85, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
  Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
  Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
  Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic
  Compounds

United Arab Emirates
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

United Kingdom
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen
  Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air
  Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
  Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
  Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

United States
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen
  Oxides, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
  Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Climate Change,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
  Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection,
  Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands,
  Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity,
  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Hazardous Wastes

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

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

Vanuatu
  party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity,
  Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Venezuela
  party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection,
  Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed but not ratified:: none of the selected agreements

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

Western Sahara
  party to: none of the selected agreements

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

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

Zimbabwe
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

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

@2034

Field Listing :: Military expenditures

This entry gives spending on defense programs for the most recent year available as a percent of gross domestic product (GDP); the GDP is calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in terms of purchasing power parity (PPP). Country Comparison to the World Country

Military expenditures(% of GDP)

Afghanistan
  1.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

Albania
  1.49% of GDP (2005 est.)

Algeria
  3.3% of GDP (2006)

Angola
  5.7% of GDP (2006)

Antigua and Barbuda
  NA

Argentina
  1.3% of GDP (2005 est.)

Armenia
  6.5% of GDP (FY01)

Australia
  2.4% of GDP (2006)

Austria
  0.9% of GDP (2005 est.)

Azerbaijan
  2.6% of GDP (2005 est.)

Bahamas, The
  0.5% of GDP (2006)

Bahrain
  4.5% of GDP (2006)

Bangladesh
  1.5% of GDP (2006)

Barbados
  0.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Belarus
  1.4% of GDP (2005 est.)

Belgium
  1.3% of GDP (2005 est.)

Belize
  1.4% of GDP (2006)

Benin
  1.7% of GDP (2006)

Bermuda
  0.11% of GDP (2005 est.)

Bhutan
  1% of GDP (2005 est.)

Bolivia
  1.9% of GDP (2006)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  4.5% of GDP (2005 est.)

Botswana
  3.3% of GDP (2006)

Brazil
  2.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Brunei
  4.5% of GDP (2006)

Bulgaria
  2.6% of GDP (2005 est.)

Burkina Faso
  1.2% of GDP (2006)

Burma
  2.1% of GDP (2005 est.)

Burundi
  5.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

Cambodia
  3% of GDP (2005 est.)

Cameroon
  1.3% of GDP (2006)

Canada
  1.1% of GDP (2005 est.)

Cape Verde
  0.7% of GDP (2005)

Central African Republic
  1.1% of GDP (2006 est.)

Chad
  4.2% of GDP (2006)

Chile
  2.7% of GDP (2006)

China
  4.3% of GDP (2006)

Colombia
  3.4% of GDP (2005 est.)

Comoros
  2.8% of GDP (2006)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  2.5% of GDP (2006)

Congo, Republic of the
  3.1% of GDP (2006)

Costa Rica
  0.4% of GDP (2006)

Cote d'Ivoire
  1.6% of GDP (2005 est.)

Croatia
  2.39% of GDP (2005 est.)

Cuba
  3.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Cyprus
  3.8% of GDP (2005 est.)

Czech Republic
  1.46% of GDP (2007 est.)

Denmark
  1.3% of GDP (2007 est.)

Djibouti
  3.8% of GDP (2006)

Dominica
  NA (2006)

Dominican Republic
  0.8% of GDP (2006)

Ecuador
  2.8% of GDP (2006)

Egypt
  3.4% of GDP (2005 est.)

El Salvador
  5% of GDP (2006)

Equatorial Guinea
  0.1% of GDP (2006 est.)

Eritrea
  6.3% of GDP (2006 est.)

Estonia
  2% of GDP (2005 est.)

Ethiopia
  3% of GDP (2006)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  NA

Faroe Islands
  NA

Fiji
  2.2% of GDP (2005 est.)

Finland
  2% of GDP (2005 est.)

France
  2.6% of GDP (2005 est.)

Gabon
  3.4% of GDP (2005 est.)

Gambia, The
  0.5% of GDP (2006)

Gaza Strip
  NA

Georgia
  0.59% of GDP (2005 est.)

Germany
  1.5% of GDP (2005 est.)

Ghana
  0.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Greece
  4.3% of GDP (2005 est.)

Grenada
  NA

Guatemala
  0.4% of GDP (2006)

Guinea
  1.7% of GDP (2006)

Guinea-Bissau
  3.1% of GDP (2005 est.)

Guyana
  1.8% of GDP (2006)

Haiti
  0.4% of GDP (2006)

Honduras
  0.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Hong Kong
  NA

Hungary
  1.75% of GDP (2005 est.)

Iceland
  0% of GDP (2005 est.)

India
  2.5% of GDP (2006)

Indonesia
  3% of GDP (2005 est.)

Iran
  2.5% of GDP (2006)

Iraq
  8.6% of GDP (2006)

Ireland
  0.9% of GDP (2005 est.)

Israel
  7.3% of GDP (2006)

Italy
  1.8% of GDP (2005 est.)

Jamaica
  0.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Japan
  0.8% of GDP (2006)

Jordan
  8.6% of GDP (2006)

Kazakhstan
  0.9% of GDP (Ministry of Defense expenditures) (FY02)

Kenya
  2.8% of GDP (2006)

Kiribati
  NA

Korea, North
  NA

Korea, South
  2.7% of GDP (2006)

Kuwait
  5.3% of GDP (2006)

Kyrgyzstan
  1.4% of GDP (2005 est.)

Laos
  0.5% of GDP (2006)

Latvia
  1.2% of GDP (2005 est.)

Lebanon
  3.1% of GDP (2005 est.)

Lesotho
  2.6% of GDP (2006)

Liberia
  1.3% of GDP (2006 est.)

Libya
  3.9% of GDP (2005 est.)

Lithuania
  1.2% of GDP (2007 est.)

Luxembourg
  0.9% of GDP (2005 est.)

Macedonia
  6% of GDP (2005 est.)

Madagascar
  1% of GDP (2006)

Malawi
  1.3% of GDP (2006)

Malaysia
  2.03% of GDP (2005 est.)

Maldives
  5.5% of GDP (2005 est.)

Mali
  1.9% of GDP (2006)

Malta
  0.7% of GDP (2006 est.)

Marshall Islands
  NA

Mauritania
  5.5% of GDP (2006)

Mauritius
  0.3% of GDP (2006 est.)

Mexico
  0.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Moldova
  0.4% of GDP (2005 est.)

Mongolia
  1.4% of GDP (2006)

Morocco
  5% of GDP (2003 est.)

Mozambique
  0.8% of GDP (2006)

Namibia
  3.7% of GDP (2006)

Nauru
  NA

Nepal
  1.6% of GDP (2006)

Netherlands
  1.6% of GDP (2005 est.)

New Caledonia
  NA

New Zealand
  1% of GDP (2005 est.)

Nicaragua
  0.6% of GDP (2006)

Niger
  1.3% of GDP (2006)

Nigeria
  1.5% of GDP (2006)

Norway
  1.9% of GDP (2005 est.)

Oman
  11.4% of GDP (2005 est.)

Pakistan
  3% of GDP (2007 est.)

Palau
  NA

Panama
  1% of GDP (2006)

Papua New Guinea
  1.4% of GDP (2005 est.)

Paraguay
  1% of GDP (2006 est.)

Peru
  1.5% of GDP (2006)

Philippines
  0.9% of GDP (2005 est.)

Poland
  1.71% of GDP (2005 est.)

Portugal
  2.3% of GDP (2005 est.)

Qatar
  10% of GDP (2005 est.)

Romania
  1.9% of GDP (2007 est.)

Russia
  3.9% of GDP (2005)

Rwanda
  2.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  NA

Saint Lucia
  NA

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  NA

Samoa
  NA

San Marino
  NA

Sao Tome and Principe
  0.8% of GDP (2006)

Saudi Arabia
  10% of GDP (2005 est.)

Senegal
  1.4% of GDP (2005 est.)

Seychelles
  2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Sierra Leone
  2.3% of GDP (2006)

Singapore
  4.9% of GDP (2005 est.)

Slovakia
  1.87% of GDP (2005 est.)

Slovenia
  1.7% of GDP (2005 est.)

Solomon Islands
  3% of GDP (2006)

Somalia
  0.9% of GDP (2005 est.)

South Africa
  1.7% of GDP (2006)

Spain
  1.2% of GDP (2005 est.)

Sri Lanka
  2.6% of GDP (2006)

Sudan
  3% of GDP (2005 est.)

Suriname
  0.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Swaziland
  4.7% of GDP (2006)

Sweden
  1.5% of GDP (2005 est.)

Switzerland
  1% of GDP (2005 est.)

Syria
  5.9% of GDP (2005 est.)

Taiwan
  2.2% of GDP (2006)

Tajikistan
  3.9% of GDP (2005 est.)

Tanzania
  0.2% of GDP (2005 est.)

Thailand
  1.8% of GDP (2005 est.)

Timor-Leste
  NA

Togo
  1.6% of GDP (2005 est.)

Tonga
  0.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  0.3% of GDP (2006)

Tunisia
  1.4% of GDP (2006)

Turkey
  5.3% of GDP (2005 est.)

Turkmenistan
  3.4% of GDP (2005 est.)

Tuvalu
  NA

Uganda
  2.2% of GDP (2006)

Ukraine
  1.4% of GDP (2005 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  3.1% of GDP (2005 est.)

United Kingdom
  2.4% of GDP (2005 est.)

United States
  4.06% of GDP (2005 est.)

Uruguay
  1.6% of GDP (2006)

Uzbekistan
  2% of GDP (2005 est.)

Vanuatu
  NA

Venezuela
  1.2% of GDP (2005 est.)

Vietnam
  2.5% of GDP (2005 est.)

West Bank
  NA

World
  roughly 2% of GDP of gross world product (2005 est.)

Yemen
  6.6% of GDP (2006)

Zambia
  1.8% of GDP (2005 est.)

Zimbabwe
  3.8% of GDP (2006)

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

@2038

Field Listing :: Electricity - production

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

Electricity - production(kWh)

Afghanistan
  839 million kWh (2007 est.)

Albania
  2.888 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Algeria
  34.98 billion kWh (2007 est.)

American Samoa
  185 million kWh (2007 est.)

Andorra
  NA kWh

Angola
  3.722 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Anguilla
  NA kWh

Antigua and Barbuda
  110 million kWh (2007 est.)

Argentina
  109.5 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Armenia
  5.584 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Aruba
  850 million kWh (2007 est.)

Australia
  239.9 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Austria
  58.64 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Azerbaijan
  19.35 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Bahamas, The
  2.045 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Bahrain
  10.25 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Bangladesh
  22.99 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Barbados
  1.003 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Belarus
  29.92 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Belgium
  82.17 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Belize
  213.5 million kWh (2007 est.)

Benin
  124 million kWh (2007 est.)

Bermuda
  675.6 million kWh (2007 est.)

Bhutan
  4.475 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Bolivia
  5.495 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  11.32 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Botswana
  1.052 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Brazil
  438.8 billion kWh (2007 est.)

British Indian Ocean Territory
  NA kWh; note - electricity supplied
  by the US military

British Virgin Islands
  45 million kWh (2007 est.)

Brunei
  3.091 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Bulgaria
  40.25 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Burkina Faso
  611.6 million kWh (2007 est.)

Burma
  6.286 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Burundi
  92 million kWh (2007 est.)

Cambodia
  1.273 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Cameroon
  5.601 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Canada
  620.7 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Cape Verde
  250 million kWh (2007 est.)

Cayman Islands
  546 million kWh (2007 est.)

Central African Republic
  115 million kWh (2007 est.)

Chad
  100 million kWh (2007 est.)

Chile
  60.6 billion kWh (2007 est.)

China
  3.041 trillion kWh (2007 est.)

Colombia
  50.58 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Comoros
  22 million kWh (2007 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  8.217 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  400 million kWh (2007 est.)

Cook Islands
  31 million kWh (2007 est.)

Costa Rica
  8.808 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  5.275 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Croatia
  11.47 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Cuba
  16.89 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Cyprus
  4.502 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Czech Republic
  82.72 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Denmark
  36.92 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Djibouti
  280 million kWh (2007 est.)

Dominica
  85 million kWh (2007 est.)

Dominican Republic
  14.02 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Ecuador
  16.75 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Egypt
  118.4 billion kWh (2007 est.)

El Salvador
  5.559 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  28 million kWh (2007 est.)

Eritrea
  271 million kWh (2007 est.)

Estonia
  11.46 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Ethiopia
  3.46 billion kWh (2007 est.)

European Union
  3.044 trillion kWh (2007 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  16 million kWh (2007 est.)

Faroe Islands
  243.7 million kWh (2007 est.)

Fiji
  928 million kWh (2007 est.)

Finland
  77.24 billion kWh (2007 est.)

France
  535.7 billion kWh (2007 est.)

French Polynesia
  650 million kWh (2007 est.)

Gabon
  1.774 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Gambia, The
  160 million kWh (2007 est.)

Gaza Strip
  140,000 kWh (2005)

Georgia
  8.17 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Germany
  593.4 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Ghana
  6.746 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Gibraltar
  146 million kWh (2007 est.)

Greece
  58.79 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Greenland
  325 million kWh (2007 est.)

Grenada
  178.7 million kWh (2007 est.)

Guam
  1.767 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Guatemala
  8.425 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Guernsey
  NA kWh

Guinea
  850 million kWh
  note: excludes electricity generated at interior mining sites (2007
  est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  65 million kWh (2007 est.)

Guyana
  821 million kWh (2007 est.)

Haiti
  448 million kWh (2007 est.)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  NA kWh

Honduras
  6.05 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Hong Kong
  38.4 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Hungary
  37.74 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Iceland
  11.71 billion kWh (2007 est.)

India
  761.7 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Indonesia
  134.4 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Iran
  192.6 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Iraq
  36.92 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Ireland
  26.06 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Israel
  50.41 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Italy
  289.7 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Jamaica
  7.324 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Japan
  1.058 trillion kWh (2007 est.)

Jordan
  12.21 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Kazakhstan
  72.41 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Kenya
  5.223 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Kiribati
  14 million kWh (2007 est.)

Korea, North
  20.9 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Korea, South
  440 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Kosovo
  832 million kWh (2006)

Kuwait
  45.83 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  15.96 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Laos
  3.075 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Latvia
  4.62 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Lebanon
  9.03 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Lesotho 502 million kWh note: electricity supplied by South Africa (2007 est.)

Liberia
  350 million kWh (2007 est.)

Libya
  23.98 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Lithuania
  12.09 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Luxembourg
  2.696 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Macau
  1.106 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Macedonia
  6.376 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Madagascar
  1.045 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Malawi
  1.69 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Malaysia
  103.2 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Maldives
  205 million kWh (2007 est.)

Mali
  515 million kWh (2007 est.)

Malta
  2.146 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Mauritania
  415.3 million kWh (2007 est.)

Mauritius
  2.321 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Mayotte
  NA kWh

Mexico
  245 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  192 million kWh (2002)

Moldova
  3.617 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Mongolia
  3.979 billion kWh (2008)

Montenegro
  2.864 billion kWh (2005 est.)

Montserrat
  22 million kWh (2007 est.)

Morocco
  21.56 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Mozambique
  15.91 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Namibia
  1.65 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Nauru
  31 million kWh (2007 est.)

Nepal
  2.781 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Netherlands
  97.19 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  1.22 billion kWh (2007 est.)

New Caledonia
  1.825 billion kWh (2007 est.)

New Zealand
  42.4 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Nicaragua
  3.286 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Niger
  150 million kWh (2007 est.)

Nigeria
  21.92 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Niue
  3 million kWh (2007 est.)

Norfolk Island
  NA kWh

Northern Mariana Islands
  60,600 kWh (January 2009)

Norway
  142.7 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Oman
  13.58 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Pakistan
  90.8 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Panama
  6.322 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  2.885 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Paraguay
  53.19 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Peru
  30.57 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Philippines
  56.57 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  NA kWh; note - electric power is provided by a
  small diesel-powered generator

Poland
  149.1 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Portugal
  44.47 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Puerto Rico
  23.72 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Qatar
  15.11 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Romania
  58.28 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Russia
  958 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Rwanda
  120 million kWh (2007 est.)

Saint Helena
  8 million kWh (2007 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  130 million kWh (2007 est.)

Saint Lucia
  325 million kWh (2007 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  53 million kWh (2007 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  133.8 million kWh (2007 est.)

Samoa
  109 million kWh (2007 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  19 million kWh (2007 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  179.1 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Senegal
  1.88 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Serbia
  33.87 billion kWh (2004)

Seychelles
  250 million kWh (2007 est.)

Sierra Leone
  80 million kWh (2007 est.)

Singapore
  38.67 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Slovakia
  26.53 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Slovenia
  14.14 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Solomon Islands
  71 million kWh (2007 est.)

Somalia
  280 million kWh (2007 est.)

South Africa
  240.3 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Spain
  283.2 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Sri Lanka
  9.507 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Sudan
  4.341 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Suriname
  1.605 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Swaziland
  441 million kWh (2007 est.)

Sweden
  144 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Switzerland
  63.93 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Syria
  36.5 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Taiwan
  225 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Tajikistan
  17.3 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Tanzania
  3.786 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Thailand
  135.2 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Timor-Leste
  kWh NA

Togo
  230 million kWh (2007 est.)

Tokelau
  NA kWh

Tonga
  43 million kWh (2007 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  7.202 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Tunisia
  13.79 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Turkey
  181.9 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Turkmenistan
  13.99 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  12 million kWh (2007 est.)

Uganda
  2.256 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Ukraine
  185.2 billion kWh (2007 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  71.54 billion kWh (2007 est.)

United Kingdom
  368.6 billion kWh (2007 est.)

United States
  4.11 trillion kWh (2008 est.)

Uruguay
  9.265 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Uzbekistan
  46.33 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Vanuatu
  42 million kWh (2007 est.)

Venezuela
  113.3 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Vietnam
  66.81 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Virgin Islands
  776.4 million kWh (2007 est.)

Wake Island
  NA kWh

Wallis and Futuna
  NA kWh

West Bank
  500 million kWh; note - most electricity imported from
  Israel; East Jerusalem Electric Company buys and distributes
  electricity to Palestinians in East Jerusalem and its concession in
  the West Bank; the Israel Electric Company directly supplies
  electricity to most Jewish residents and military facilities; some
  Palestinian municipalities, such as Nablus and Janin, generate their
  own electricity from small power plants

Western Sahara
  90 million kWh (2007 est.)

World
  18.83 trillion kWh (2007 est.)

Yemen
  5.665 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Zambia
  9.752 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Zimbabwe
  8.89 billion kWh (2007 est.)

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

@2042

Field Listing :: Electricity - consumption

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

Electricity - consumption(kWh)

Afghanistan
  1.01 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Albania
  3.603 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Algeria
  28.34 billion kWh (2007 est.)

American Samoa
  172.1 million kWh (2007 est.)

Andorra
  NA kWh

Angola
  3.173 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  102.3 million kWh (2007 est.)

Argentina
  99.21 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Armenia
  4.776 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Aruba
  790.5 million kWh (2007 est.)

Australia
  222 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Austria
  61.89 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Azerbaijan
  15.68 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Bahamas, The
  1.902 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Bahrain
  10.1 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Bangladesh
  21.38 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Barbados
  939.9 million kWh (2007 est.)

Belarus
  30.54 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Belgium
  84.88 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Belize
  198.5 million kWh (2007 est.)

Benin
  597 million kWh (2007 est.)

Bermuda
  628.3 million kWh (2007 est.)

Bhutan
  528.8 million kWh (2007 est.)

Bolivia
  4.665 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  8.488 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Botswana
  2.648 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Brazil
  404.3 billion kWh (2007 est.)

British Indian Ocean Territory
  NA kWh

British Virgin Islands
  41.85 million kWh (2007 est.)

Brunei
  2.926 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Bulgaria
  31.08 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Burkina Faso
  568.8 million kWh (2007 est.)

Burma
  4.403 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Burundi
  125.6 million kWh (2007 est.)

Cambodia
  1.272 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Cameroon
  4.801 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Canada
  536.1 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Cape Verde
  232.5 million kWh (2007 est.)

Cayman Islands
  507.8 million kWh (2007 est.)

Central African Republic
  107 million kWh (2007 est.)

Chad
  93 million kWh (2007 est.)

Chile
  57.29 billion kWh (2007 est.)

China
  2.835 trillion kWh (2007 est.)

Colombia
  38.59 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Comoros
  20.46 million kWh (2007 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  5.997 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  471 million kWh (2007 est.)

Cook Islands
  28.83 million kWh (2007 est.)

Costa Rica
  8.064 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  3.231 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Croatia
  15.42 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Cuba
  13.93 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Cyprus
  4.277 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Czech Republic
  61.65 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Denmark
  35.79 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Djibouti
  260.4 million kWh (2007 est.)

Dominica
  79.05 million kWh (2007 est.)

Dominican Republic
  12.7 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Ecuador
  9.888 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Egypt
  104.1 billion kWh (2007 est.)

El Salvador
  4.676 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  26.04 million kWh (2007 est.)

Eritrea
  228 million kWh (2007 est.)

Estonia
  7.686 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Ethiopia
  3.13 billion kWh (2007 est.)

European Union
  2.884 trillion kWh (2007 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  14.88 million kWh (2007 est.)

Faroe Islands
  226.6 million kWh (2007 est.)

Fiji
  863 million kWh (2007 est.)

Finland
  86.9 billion kWh (2008)

France
  447.2 billion kWh (2007 est.)

French Polynesia
  604.5 million kWh (2007 est.)

Gabon
  1.446 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Gambia, The
  148.8 million kWh (2007 est.)

Gaza Strip
  230,000 kWh (2005)

Georgia
  6.902 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Germany
  547.3 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Ghana
  5.702 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Gibraltar
  146 million kWh (2007 est.)

Greece
  58.28 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Greenland
  302.3 million kWh (2007 est.)

Grenada
  155.7 million kWh (2007 est.)

Guam
  1.644 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Guatemala
  7.115 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Guernsey
  NA kWh

Guinea
  790.5 million kWh (2007 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  60.45 million kWh (2007 est.)

Guyana
  667 million kWh (2007 est.)

Haiti
  273 million kWh (2007 est.)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  NA kWh

Honduras
  4.696 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Hong Kong
  44.6 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Hungary
  37.77 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Iceland
  11.22 billion kWh (2007 est.)

India
  568 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Indonesia
  119.3 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Iran
  153.8 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Iraq
  39.88 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Ireland
  25.12 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Israel
  46.15 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Italy
  315 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Jamaica
  6.345 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Japan
  1.007 trillion kWh (2007 est.)

Jersey
  630.1 million kWh (2004 est.)

Jordan
  10.4 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Kazakhstan
  64.69 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Kenya
  4.863 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Kiribati
  13.02 million kWh (2007 est.)

Korea, North
  17.49 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Korea, South
  385.1 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Kosovo
  4.281 billion kWh (2006)

Kuwait
  40.21 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  9 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Laos
  3.068 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Latvia
  6.822 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Lebanon
  8.42 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Lesotho
  516.9 million kWh (2007 est.)

Liberia
  325.5 million kWh (2007 est.)

Libya
  22.17 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Lithuania
  9.612 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Luxembourg
  6.525 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Macau
  3.311 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Macedonia
  7.358 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Madagascar
  971.4 million kWh (2007 est.)

Malawi
  1.572 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Malaysia
  99.25 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Maldives
  190.7 million kWh (2007 est.)

Mali
  479 million kWh (2007 est.)

Malta
  1.832 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Mauritania
  386.2 million kWh (2007 est.)

Mauritius
  2.158 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Mayotte
  139.2 million kWh (2005)

Mexico
  200.9 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  178.6 million kWh (2002)

Moldova
  4.37 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Monaco
  NA kWh

Mongolia
  3.491 billion kWh (2008)

Montenegro
  18.6 million kWh (2005)

Montserrat
  20.46 million kWh (2007 est.)

Morocco
  20.78 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Mozambique
  10.16 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Namibia
  3.175 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Nauru
  28.83 million kWh (2007 est.)

Nepal
  2.243 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Netherlands
  110.2 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  1.013 billion kWh (2007 est.)

New Caledonia
  1.697 billion kWh (2007 est.)

New Zealand
  39.24 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Nicaragua
  2.569 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Niger
  589.5 million kWh (2007 est.)

Nigeria
  19.21 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Niue
  2.79 million kWh (2007 est.)

Norfolk Island
  NA kWh

Northern Mariana Islands
  48,300 kWh (January 2009)

Norway
  128.8 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Oman
  11.36 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Pakistan
  72.2 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Panama
  5.17 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  2.683 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Paraguay
  5.337 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Peru
  28.97 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Philippines
  48.96 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Poland
  129.3 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Portugal
  48.78 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Puerto Rico
  22.06 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Qatar
  13.73 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Romania
  49.44 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Russia
  840.4 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Rwanda
  231.6 million kWh (2007 est.)

Saint Helena
  7.44 million kWh (2007 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  120.9 million kWh (2007 est.)

Saint Lucia
  302.2 million kWh (2007 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  49.29 million kWh (2007 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  124.4 million kWh (2007 est.)

Samoa
  101.4 million kWh (2007 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  17.67 million kWh (2007 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  165.1 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Senegal
  1.384 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Serbia
  NA kWh

Seychelles
  232.5 million kWh (2007 est.)

Sierra Leone
  74.4 million kWh (2007 est.)

Singapore
  36.6 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Slovakia
  26.81 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Slovenia
  13.5 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Solomon Islands
  66.03 million kWh (2007 est.)

Somalia
  260.4 million kWh (2007 est.)

South Africa
  215.1 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Spain
  276.1 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Sri Lanka
  7.946 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Sudan
  3.438 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Suriname
  1.467 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Swaziland
  1.266 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Sweden
  134.5 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Switzerland
  57.62 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Syria
  27.35 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Taiwan
  233 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Tajikistan
  17.8 billion kWh (2008)

Tanzania
  3.182 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Thailand
  129.5 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Timor-Leste
  kWh NA

Togo
  640 million kWh (2007 est.)

Tokelau
  NA kWh

Tonga
  39.99 million kWh (2007 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  7.034 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Tunisia
  11.9 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Turkey
  153.7 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Turkmenistan
  10.45 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  11.16 million kWh (2007 est.)

Uganda
  2.068 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Ukraine
  153.1 billion kWh (2007 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  65.98 billion kWh (2007 est.)

United Kingdom
  345.8 billion kWh (2007 est.)

United States
  3.873 trillion kWh (2008 est.)

Uruguay
  7.14 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Uzbekistan
  41.94 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Vanuatu
  39.06 million kWh (2007 est.)

Venezuela
  83.02 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Vietnam
  59.3 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Virgin Islands
  722 million kWh (2007 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
  NA kWh

West Bank
  3.265 billion kWh

Western Sahara
  83.7 million kWh (2007 est.)

World
  17.13 trillion kWh (2007 est.)

Yemen
  4.133 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Zambia
  8.838 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Zimbabwe
  10.89 billion kWh (2007 est.)

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

@2043

Field Listing :: Electricity - imports

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

Electricity - imports(kWh)

Afghanistan
  230 million kWh (2007 est.)

Albania
  2.475 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Algeria
  279 million kWh (2007 est.)

American Samoa
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

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

Angola
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Argentina
  10.28 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Armenia
  418.7 million kWh; note - imports an unknown quantity from
  Iran (2007 est.)

Aruba
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Australia
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Austria
  19.8 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Azerbaijan
  548 million kWh (2007 est.)

Bahamas, The
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Bahrain
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Bangladesh
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Barbados
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Belarus
  9.406 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Belgium
  17.16 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Belize
  248.4 million kWh (2005)

Benin
  588 million kWh (2007 est.)

Bermuda
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Bhutan
  11 million kWh (2007 est.)

Bolivia
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  3.743 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Botswana
  2.181 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Brazil
  42.06 billion kWh; note - supplied by Paraguay (2008 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Brunei
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Bulgaria
  3.097 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Burkina Faso
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Burma
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Burundi
  40 million kWh; note - supplied by the Democratic Republic
  of the Congo (2007 est.)

Cambodia
  167 million kWh (2007 est.)

Cameroon
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Canada
  23.5 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Cape Verde
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Cayman Islands
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Central African Republic
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Chad
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Chile
  1.628 billion kWh (2007 est.)

China
  3.842 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Colombia
  39.4 million kWh (2007 est.)

Comoros
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  6 million kWh (2007 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  449 million kWh (2007 est.)

Cook Islands
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Costa Rica
  203.2 million kWh (2007 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Croatia
  8.249 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Cuba
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Cyprus
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Czech Republic
  8.52 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Denmark
  12.82 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Djibouti
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Dominica
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Dominican Republic
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Ecuador
  861 million kWh (2007 est.)

Egypt
  251 million kWh (2007 est.)

El Salvador
  38 million kWh (2007 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Eritrea
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Estonia
  1.369 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Ethiopia
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

European Union
  NA kWh

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Faroe Islands
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Fiji
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Finland
  16.11 billion kWh (2008 est.)

France
  10.68 billion kWh (2008 est.)

French Polynesia
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Gabon
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Gambia, The
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Gaza Strip
  90,000 kWh; note - from Israeli Electric Company (2005)

Georgia
  430 million kWh (2007 est.)

Germany
  41.67 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Ghana
  435 million kWh (2007 est.)

Gibraltar
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Greece
  7.575 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Greenland
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Grenada
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Guam
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Guatemala
  8.11 million kWh (2007 est.)

Guernsey
  0 kWh (2002)

Guinea
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Guyana
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Haiti
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by
  Italy; a small portion of electricity is self-produced from solar
  panels

Honduras
  11.8 million kWh (2007 est.)

Hong Kong
  11 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Hungary
  12.77 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Iceland
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

India
  4.96 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Indonesia
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Iran
  1.842 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Iraq
  2.95 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Ireland
  753 million kWh (2008 est.)

Israel
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Italy
  43 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Jamaica
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Japan
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Jersey
  NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by France

Jordan
  200 million kWh (2007 est.)

Kazakhstan
  3.27 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Kenya
  22.5 million kWh (2007 est.)

Kiribati
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Korea, North
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Korea, South
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Kuwait
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Laos
  475.9 million kWh (2007 est.)

Latvia
  4.643 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Lebanon
  972 million kWh (2007 est.)

Lesotho
  50 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa
  (2008 est.)

Liberia
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Libya
  77 million kWh (2007 est.)

Lithuania
  5.649 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Luxembourg
  6.83 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Macau
  2.215 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Macedonia
  2.491 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Madagascar
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Malawi
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Malaysia
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Maldives
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Mali
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Malta
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Mauritania
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Mauritius
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Mexico
  584 million kWh (2008 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  0 kWh (2002)

Moldova
  2.931 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Monaco
  NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by France

Mongolia
  197.5 million kWh (2008)

Montenegro
  0 kWh (2005)

Montserrat
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Morocco
  3.455 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Mozambique
  8.278 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Namibia
  2.045 billion kWh; note - electricity supplied by South
  Africa (2007 est.)

Nauru
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Nepal
  213 million kWh (2008 est.)

Netherlands
  25.01 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

New Caledonia
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

New Zealand
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Nicaragua
  63.95 million kWh (2007 est.)

Niger
  450 million kWh (2007 est.)

Nigeria
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Niue
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Northern Mariana Islands
  0 kWh (January 2009 est.)

Norway
  3.414 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Oman
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Pakistan
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Panama
  8.74 million kWh (2007 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Paraguay
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Peru
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Philippines
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Poland
  8.48 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Portugal
  10.74 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Puerto Rico
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Qatar
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Romania
  921 million kWh (2008 est.)

Russia
  3.105 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Rwanda
  130 million kWh (2007 est.)

Saint Helena
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Saint Lucia
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Samoa
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Senegal
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Serbia
  11.23 billion kWh (2004)

Seychelles
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Sierra Leone
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Singapore
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Slovakia
  9.412 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Slovenia
  6.218 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Solomon Islands
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Somalia
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

South Africa
  10.57 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Spain
  5.88 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Sri Lanka
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Sudan
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Suriname
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Swaziland
  770 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South
  Africa (2008 est.)

Sweden
  12.75 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Switzerland
  31.6 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Syria
  1.4 billion kWh (2007)

Taiwan
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Tajikistan
  4.361 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Tanzania
  200 million kWh (2007 est.)

Thailand
  2.784 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Timor-Leste
  0 kWh (2007 est.)

Togo
  514 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by Ghana (2007
  est.)

Tonga
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Tunisia
  145 million kWh (2007 est.)

Turkey
  790 million kWh (2008 est.)

Turkmenistan
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Uganda
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Ukraine
  3.383 billion kWh (2007 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

United Kingdom
  12.29 billion kWh (2008 est.)

United States
  57.02 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Uruguay
  789 million kWh (2007 est.)

Uzbekistan
  11.36 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Vanuatu
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Venezuela
  1.651 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Vietnam
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Virgin Islands
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
  0 kWh (2002)

West Bank
  2.8 billion kWh

Western Sahara
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

World
  623.2 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Yemen
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Zambia
  222 million kWh (2008 est.)

Zimbabwe
  2.691 billion kWh (2007 est.)

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

@2044

Field Listing :: Electricity - exports

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

Electricity - exports(kWh)

Afghanistan
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Albania
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Algeria
  273 million kWh (2007 est.)

American Samoa
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Andorra
  NA kWh

Angola
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Argentina
  2.628 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Armenia
  451.3 million kWh; note - exports an unknown quantity to
  Georgia; includes exports to Nagorno-Karabakh region in Azerbaijan
  (2007 est.)

Aruba
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Australia
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Austria
  14.93 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Azerbaijan
  786 million kWh (2007 est.)

Bahamas, The
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Bahrain
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Bangladesh
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Barbados
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Belarus
  5.062 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Belgium
  6.561 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Belize
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Benin
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Bermuda
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Bhutan
  3.644 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Bolivia
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  4.344 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Botswana
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Brazil
  2.034 billion kWh (2007 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Brunei
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Bulgaria
  8.441 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Burkina Faso
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Burma
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Burundi
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Cambodia
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Cameroon
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Canada
  55.73 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Cape Verde
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Cayman Islands
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Central African Republic
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Chad
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Chile
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

China
  16.64 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Colombia
  876.7 million kWh (2007 est.)

Comoros
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  1.916 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Cook Islands
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Costa Rica
  77.16 million kWh (2008 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  772 million kWh (2007 est.)

Croatia
  2.14 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Cuba
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Cyprus
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Czech Republic
  19.99 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Denmark
  11.36 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Djibouti
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Dominica
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Dominican Republic
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Ecuador
  38.53 million kWh (2007 est.)

Egypt
  814 million kWh (2007 est.)

El Salvador
  7 million kWh (2007 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Eritrea
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Estonia
  2.31 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Ethiopia
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

European Union
  NA kWh

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Faroe Islands
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Fiji
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Finland
  3.335 billion kWh (2008 est.)

France
  58.69 billion kWh (2008 est.)

French Polynesia
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Gabon
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Gambia, The
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Gaza Strip
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Georgia
  628 million kWh (2007 est.)

Germany
  61.7 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Ghana
  249 million kWh (2007 est.)

Gibraltar
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Greece
  1.962 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Greenland
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Grenada
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Guam
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Guatemala
  131.9 million kWh (2007 est.)

Guernsey
  0 kWh (2002)

Guinea
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Guyana
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Haiti
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Honduras
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Hong Kong
  3.553 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Hungary
  8.871 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Iceland
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

India
  216 million kWh (2007 est.)

Indonesia
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Iran
  2.52 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Iraq
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Ireland
  303 million kWh (2008 est.)

Israel
  2.081 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Italy
  3.431 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Jamaica
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Japan
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Jordan
  176 million kWh (2007 est.)

Kazakhstan
  3.617 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Kenya
  58.3 million kWh (2007 est.)

Kiribati
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Korea, North
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Korea, South
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Kuwait
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  2.379 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Laos
  268 million kWh (2007 est.)

Latvia
  2.123 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Lebanon
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Lesotho
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Liberia
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Libya
  104 million kWh (2007 est.)

Lithuania
  6.606 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Luxembourg
  2.483 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Macau
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Macedonia
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Madagascar
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Malawi
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Malaysia
  2.268 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Maldives
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Mali
  0 kWh; note - recent hydropower developments may be providing
  electricity to Senegal and Mauritania (2008 est.)

Malta
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Mauritania
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Mauritius
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Mexico
  1.288 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  0 kWh (2002)

Moldova
  240 million kWh (2007 est.)

Mongolia
  15.8 million kWh (2008)

Montenegro
  0 kWh (2005)

Montserrat
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Morocco
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Mozambique
  11.82 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Namibia
  40 million kWh (2007 est.)

Nauru
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Nepal
  140 million kWh (2007 est.)

Netherlands
  9.28 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

New Caledonia
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

New Zealand
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Nicaragua
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Niger
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Nigeria
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Niue
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Northern Mariana Islands
  0 kWh (January 2009 est.)

Norway
  17.29 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Oman
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Pakistan
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Panama
  124.9 million kWh (2007 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Paraguay
  45.14 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Peru
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Philippines
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Poland
  9.703 billion kWh (2008)

Portugal
  1.313 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Puerto Rico
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Qatar
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Romania
  5.169 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Russia
  18.6 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Rwanda
  10 million kWh (2007 est.)

Saint Helena
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Saint Lucia
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Samoa
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  0 kWh (2008)

Saudi Arabia
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Senegal
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Serbia
  12.05 billion kWh (2004 est.)

Seychelles
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Sierra Leone
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Singapore
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Slovakia
  8.891 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Slovenia
  7.82 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Solomon Islands
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Somalia
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

South Africa
  14.16 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Spain
  16.92 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Sri Lanka
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Sudan
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Suriname
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Swaziland
  0 kWh (2008)

Sweden
  14.71 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Switzerland
  32.74 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Syria
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Taiwan
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Tajikistan
  1 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Tanzania
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Thailand
  773 million kWh (2008 est.)

Timor-Leste
  0 kWh (2007 est.)

Togo
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Tonga
  0 kWh (2008)

Trinidad and Tobago
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Tunisia
  130 million kWh (2007 est.)

Turkey
  1.063 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Turkmenistan
  1.46 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Uganda
  30 million kWh (2007)

Ukraine
  12.55 billion kWh (2007 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

United Kingdom
  1.272 billion kWh (2008 est.)

United States
  24.08 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Uruguay
  996 million kWh (2007 est.)

Uzbekistan
  11.44 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Vanuatu
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Venezuela
  540 million kWh (2007 est.)

Vietnam
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Virgin Islands
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
  0 kWh (2002)

Western Sahara
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

World
  621.4 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Yemen
  0 kWh (2008 est.)

Zambia
  268 million kWh (2007)

Zimbabwe
  32 million kWh (2007 est.)

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

@2045

Field Listing :: Electricity - production by source

Country

Electricity - production by source(%)

Afghanistan
  fossil fuel: 36.3%
  hydro: 63.7%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Albania
  fossil fuel: 2.9%
  hydro: 97.1%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Algeria
  fossil fuel: 99.7%
  hydro: 0.3%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

American Samoa
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Andorra
  NA

Angola
  fossil fuel: 36.4%
  hydro: 63.6%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Anguilla
  fossil fuel: NA
  hydro: NA
  nuclear: NA
  other: NA

Antigua and Barbuda
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Argentina
  fossil fuel: 52.2%
  hydro: 40.8%
  nuclear: 6.7%
  other: 0.2% (2001)

Armenia
  fossil fuel: 42.3%
  hydro: 27%
  nuclear: 30.7%
  other: 0% (2001)

Aruba
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Australia
  fossil fuel: 90.8%
  hydro: 8.3%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0.9% (2001)

Austria
  fossil fuel: 29.3%
  hydro: 67.2%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 3.5% (2001)

Azerbaijan
  fossil fuel: 89.7%
  hydro: 10.3%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Bahamas, The
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Bahrain
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Bangladesh
  fossil fuel: 93.7%
  hydro: 6.3%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Barbados
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Belarus
  fossil fuel: 99.5%
  hydro: 0.1%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0.4% (2001)

Belgium
  fossil fuel: 38.4%
  hydro: 0.6%
  nuclear: 59.3%
  other: 1.8% (2001)

Belize
  fossil fuel: 59.9%
  hydro: 40.1%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Benin
  fossil fuel: 14.2%
  hydro: 85.8%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Bermuda
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Bhutan
  fossil fuel: 0.1%
  hydro: 99.9%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Bolivia
  fossil fuel: 44.4%
  hydro: 54%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 1.5% (2001)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  fossil fuel: 53.5%
  hydro: 46.5%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Botswana
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Brazil
  fossil fuel: 8.3%
  hydro: 82.7%
  nuclear: 4.4%
  other: 4.6% (2001)

British Virgin Islands
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Brunei
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Bulgaria
  fossil fuel: 47.8%
  hydro: 8.1%
  nuclear: 44.1%
  other: 0% (2001)

Burkina Faso
  fossil fuel: 69.9%
  hydro: 30.1%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Burma
  fossil fuel: 44.5%
  hydro: 43.4%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 12.1% (2002)

Burundi
  fossil fuel: 0.6%
  hydro: 99.4%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Cambodia
  fossil fuel: 65%
  hydro: 35%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Cameroon
  fossil fuel: 2.7%
  hydro: 97.3%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Canada
  fossil fuel: 28%
  hydro: 57.9%
  nuclear: 12.9%
  other: 1.3% (2001)

Cape Verde
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Cayman Islands
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Central African Republic
  fossil fuel: 19.8%
  hydro: 80.2%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Chad
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Chile
  fossil fuel: 47%
  hydro: 51.5%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 1.4% (2001)

China
  fossil fuel: 80.2%
  hydro: 18.5%
  nuclear: 1.2%
  other: 0.1% (2001)

Christmas Island
  fossil fuel: NA
  hydro: NA
  nuclear: NA
  other: NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  fossil fuel: NA
  hydro: NA
  nuclear: NA
  other: NA

Colombia
  fossil fuel: 26%
  hydro: 72.7%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 1.3% (2001)

Comoros
  fossil fuel: 90.6%
  hydro: 9.4%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  fossil fuel: 1.8%
  hydro: 98.2%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Congo, Republic of the
  fossil fuel: 0.3%
  hydro: 99.7%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Cook Islands
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Costa Rica
  fossil fuel: 1.5%
  hydro: 81.9%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 16.6% (2001)

Cote d'Ivoire
  fossil fuel: 61.9%
  hydro: 38.1%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Croatia
  fossil fuel: 33.6%
  hydro: 66%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0.4% (2001)

Cuba
  fossil fuel: 93.9%
  hydro: 0.6%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 5.4% (2001)

Cyprus
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Czech Republic
  fossil fuel: 76.1%
  hydro: 2.9%
  nuclear: 20%
  other: 1% (2001)

Denmark
  fossil fuel: 82.7%
  hydro: 0.1%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 17.3% (2001)

Djibouti
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Dominica
  fossil fuel: 47.1%
  hydro: 52.9%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Dominican Republic
  fossil fuel: 92%
  hydro: 7.6%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0.4% (2001)

Ecuador
  fossil fuel: 81%
  hydro: 19%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Egypt
  fossil fuel: 81%
  hydro: 19%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

El Salvador
  fossil fuel: 44%
  hydro: 30.9%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 25.1% (2001)

Equatorial Guinea
  fossil fuel: 94.3%
  hydro: 5.7%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Eritrea
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Estonia
  fossil fuel: 99.8%
  hydro: 0.1%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0.2% (2001)

Ethiopia
  fossil fuel: 1.3%
  hydro: 97.6%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 1.2% (2001)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Faroe Islands
  fossil fuel: 62.4%
  hydro: 37.6%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Fiji
  fossil fuel: 18.5%
  hydro: 81.5%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Finland
  fossil fuel: 39%
  hydro: 18.7%
  nuclear: 30.4%
  other: 11.8% (2001)

France
  fossil fuel: 8.2%
  hydro: 14%
  nuclear: 77.1%
  other: 0.7% (2001)

French Polynesia
  fossil fuel: 60.7%
  hydro: 39.3%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Gabon
  fossil fuel: 34.5%
  hydro: 65.5%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Gambia, The
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Georgia
  fossil fuel: 19.7%
  hydro: 80.3%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Germany
  fossil fuel: 61.8%
  hydro: 4.2%
  nuclear: 29.9%
  other: 4.1% (2001)

Ghana
  fossil fuel: 5%
  hydro: 95%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Gibraltar
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Greece
  fossil fuel: 94.5%
  hydro: 3.8%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 1.7% (2001)

Greenland
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0%
  note: Greenland is shifting its electricity production from fossil
  fuel to hydropower production (2001)

Grenada
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Guam
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Guatemala
  fossil fuel: 51.9%
  hydro: 35.2%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 12.9% (2001)

Guernsey
  fossil fuel: NA
  hydro: NA
  nuclear: NA
  other: NA

Guinea
  fossil fuel: 45.5%
  hydro: 54.5%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Guinea-Bissau
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Guyana
  fossil fuel: 99.4%
  hydro: 0.6%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Haiti
  fossil fuel: 60.3%
  hydro: 39.7%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Honduras
  fossil fuel: 50.2%
  hydro: 49.8%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Hong Kong
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Hungary
  fossil fuel: 60.1%
  hydro: 0.5%
  nuclear: 39%
  other: 0.3% (2001)

Iceland
  fossil fuel: 0.1%
  hydro: 82.5%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 17.5% (geothermal) (2001)

India
  fossil fuel: 81.7%
  hydro: 14.5%
  nuclear: 3.4%
  other: 0.3% (2001)

Indonesia
  fossil fuel: 86.9%
  hydro: 10.5%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 2.6% (2001)

Iran
  fossil fuel: 97.1%
  hydro: 2.9%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Iraq
  fossil fuel: 98.4%
  hydro: 1.6%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Ireland
  fossil fuel: 95.9%
  hydro: 2.3%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 1.7% (2001)

Israel
  fossil fuel: 99.9%
  hydro: 0.1%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Italy
  fossil fuel: 78.6%
  hydro: 18.4%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 3% (2001)

Jamaica
  fossil fuel: 96.8%
  hydro: 1.8%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 1.4% (2001)

Japan
  fossil fuel: 60%
  hydro: 8.4%
  nuclear: 29.8%
  other: 1.8% (2001)

Jordan
  fossil fuel: 99.4%
  hydro: 0.6%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Kazakhstan
  fossil fuel: 84.3%
  hydro: 15.7%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Kenya
  fossil fuel: 17.7%
  hydro: 71%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 11.3% (2001)

Kiribati
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Korea, North
  fossil fuel: 29%
  hydro: 71%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Korea, South
  fossil fuel: 62.4%
  hydro: 0.8%
  nuclear: 36.6%
  other: 0.2% (2001)

Kuwait
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Kyrgyzstan
  fossil fuel: 7.6%
  hydro: 92.4%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Laos
  fossil fuel: 1.4%
  hydro: 98.6%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Latvia
  fossil fuel: 29.1%
  hydro: 70.9%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Lebanon
  fossil fuel: 97.2%
  hydro: 2.8%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Liberia
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Libya
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Lithuania
  fossil fuel: 16.5%
  hydro: 5.7%
  nuclear: 77.7%
  other: 0% (2001)

Luxembourg
  fossil fuel: 57.3%
  hydro: 25.2%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 17.5% (2001)

Macau
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Macedonia
  fossil fuel: 83.7%
  hydro: 16.3%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Madagascar
  fossil fuel: 36.1%
  hydro: 63.9%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Malawi
  fossil fuel: 3.3%
  hydro: 96.7%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Malaysia
  fossil fuel: 89.5%
  hydro: 10.5%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Maldives
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Mali
  fossil fuel: 41.7%
  hydro: 58.3%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Malta
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Marshall Islands
  fossil fuel: 99%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 1% (solar)

Mauritania
  fossil fuel: 85.9%
  hydro: 14.1%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Mauritius
  fossil fuel: 90.8%
  hydro: 9.2%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Mayotte
  fossil fuel: 0%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0%

Mexico
  fossil fuel: 78.7%
  hydro: 14.2%
  nuclear: 4.2%
  other: 2.9% (2001)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  NA

Moldova
  fossil fuel: 90.6%
  hydro: 9.4%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Mongolia
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Montserrat
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Morocco
  fossil fuel: 95.4%
  hydro: 4.6%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Mozambique
  fossil fuel: 2.9%
  hydro: 97.1%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Namibia
  NA

Nauru
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Nepal
  fossil fuel: 8.5%
  hydro: 91.5%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Netherlands
  fossil fuel: 89.9%
  hydro: 0.1%
  nuclear: 4.3%
  other: 5.7% (2001)

Netherlands Antilles
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

New Caledonia
  fossil fuel: 76.3%
  hydro: 23.7%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

New Zealand
  fossil fuel: 31.6%
  hydro: 57.8%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 10.7% (2001)

Nicaragua
  fossil fuel: 83.9%
  hydro: 7.7%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 8.4% (2001)

Niger
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Nigeria
  fossil fuel: 61.9%
  hydro: 38.1%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Niue
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Norfolk Island
  fossil fuel: 0%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2002)

Norway
  fossil fuel: 0.4%
  hydro: 99.3%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0.4% (2001)

Oman
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Pakistan
  fossil fuel: 68.8%
  hydro: 28.2%
  nuclear: 3%
  other: 0% (2001)

Palau
  NA

Panama
  fossil fuel: 37%
  hydro: 61.3%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 1.7% (2001)

Papua New Guinea
  fossil fuel: 54.1%
  hydro: 45.9%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Paraguay
  fossil fuel: 0%
  hydro: 99.9%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0.1% (2001)

Peru
  fossil fuel: 14.5%
  hydro: 84.7%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0.8% (2001)

Philippines
  fossil fuel: 55.6%
  hydro: 17.5%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 26.9% (2001)

Poland
  fossil fuel: 98.1%
  hydro: 1.5%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0.4% (2001)

Portugal
  fossil fuel: 64.5%
  hydro: 31.3%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 4.1% (2001)

Puerto Rico
  fossil fuel: 99.2%
  hydro: 0.8%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Qatar
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Romania
  fossil fuel: 62.5%
  hydro: 27.6%
  nuclear: 9.9%
  other: 0% (2001)

Russia
  fossil fuel: 66.3%
  hydro: 17.2%
  nuclear: 16.4%
  other: 0.1% (2003)

Rwanda
  fossil fuel: 2.3%
  hydro: 97.7%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Saint Helena
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Saint Lucia
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  fossil fuel: 69.3%
  hydro: 30.7%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Samoa
  fossil fuel: 58%
  hydro: 42%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Sao Tome and Principe
  fossil fuel: 41.2%
  hydro: 58.8%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Saudi Arabia
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Senegal
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Seychelles
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Sierra Leone
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Singapore
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Slovakia
  fossil fuel: 30.3%
  hydro: 16%
  nuclear: 53.6%
  other: 0% (2001)

Slovenia
  fossil fuel: 35.2%
  hydro: 27.3%
  nuclear: 36.8%
  other: 0.7% (2001)

Solomon Islands
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Somalia
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

South Africa
  fossil fuel: 93.5%
  hydro: 1.1%
  nuclear: 5.5%
  other: 0% (2001)

Spain
  fossil fuel: 50.4%
  hydro: 18.2%
  nuclear: 27.2%
  other: 4.1% (2001)

Sri Lanka
  fossil fuel: 51.7%
  hydro: 48.3%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Sudan
  fossil fuel: 52.1%
  hydro: 47.9%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Suriname
  fossil fuel: 25.2%
  hydro: 74.8%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Svalbard
  fossil fuel: 57.9984%
  hydro: 42.0016%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0%

Swaziland
  fossil fuel: 58%
  hydro: 42%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Sweden
  fossil fuel: 4%
  hydro: 50.8%
  nuclear: 43%
  other: 2.3% (2001)

Switzerland
  fossil fuel: 1.3%
  hydro: 59.5%
  nuclear: 37.1%
  other: 2% (2001)

Syria
  fossil fuel: 57.6%
  hydro: 42.4%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Taiwan
  fossil fuel: 71.4%
  hydro: 6%
  nuclear: 22.6%
  other: 0% (2001)

Tajikistan
  fossil fuel: 1.9%
  hydro: 98.1%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Tanzania
  fossil fuel: 18.9%
  hydro: 81.1%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Thailand
  fossil fuel: 91.3%
  hydro: 6.4%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 2.4% (2001)

Timor-Leste
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Togo
  fossil fuel: 98.7%
  hydro: 1.3%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Tokelau
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Tonga
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Trinidad and Tobago
  fossil fuel: 99.8%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0.2% (2001)

Tunisia
  fossil fuel: 99.5%
  hydro: 0.5%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Turkey
  fossil fuel: 79.3%
  hydro: 20.4%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0.3% (2001)

Turkmenistan
  fossil fuel: 99.9%
  hydro: 0.1%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Tuvalu
  fossil fuel: NA
  hydro: NA
  nuclear: NA
  other: NA

Uganda
  fossil fuel: 0.9%
  hydro: 99.1%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Ukraine
  fossil fuel: 48.6%
  hydro: 7.9%
  nuclear: 43.5%
  other: 0% (2001)

United Arab Emirates
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

United Kingdom
  fossil fuel: 73.8%
  hydro: 0.9%
  nuclear: 23.7%
  other: 1.6% (2001)

United States
  fossil fuel: 71.4%
  hydro: 5.6%
  nuclear: 20.7%
  other: 2.3% (2001)

Uruguay
  fossil fuel: 0.7%
  hydro: 99.1%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0.3% (2001)

Uzbekistan
  fossil fuel: 88.2%
  hydro: 11.8%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Vanuatu
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Venezuela
  fossil fuel: 31.7%
  hydro: 68.3%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Vietnam
  fossil fuel: 43.7%
  hydro: 56.3%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Virgin Islands
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Wallis and Futuna
  fossil fuel: 0%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0%

West Bank
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Western Sahara
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

World
  fossil fuel: NA
  hydro: NA
  nuclear: NA
  other: NA

Yemen
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Zambia
  fossil fuel: 0.5%
  hydro: 99.5%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

Zimbabwe
  fossil fuel: 47%
  hydro: 53%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (2001)

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

@2046

Field Listing :: Population below poverty line

Country

Population below poverty line(%)

Afghanistan
  53% (2003)

Albania
  25% (2004 est.)

Algeria
  23% (2006 est.)

American Samoa
  NA%

Andorra
  NA%

Angola
  40.5% (2006 est.)

Anguilla
  23% (2002)

Antigua and Barbuda
  NA%

Argentina
  23.4% (January-June 2007)

Armenia
  26.5% (2006 est.)

Aruba
  NA%

Australia
  NA%

Austria
  5.9% (2004)

Azerbaijan
  24% (2005 est.)

Bahamas, The
  9.3% (2004)

Bahrain
  NA%

Bangladesh
  45% (2004 est.)

Barbados
  NA%

Belarus
  27.1% (2003 est.)

Belgium
  15.2% (2007 est.)

Belize
  33.5% (2002 est.)

Benin
  37.4% (2007 est.)

Bermuda
  19% (2000)

Bhutan
  31.7% (2003)

Bolivia
  60% (2006 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  25% (2004 est.)

Botswana
  30.3% (2003)

Brazil
  31% (2005)

British Virgin Islands
  NA%

Brunei
  NA%

Bulgaria
  14.1% (2003 est.)

Burkina Faso
  46.4% (2004)

Burma
  32.7% (2007 est.)

Burundi
  68% (2002 est.)

Cambodia
  35% (2004)

Cameroon
  48% (2000 est.)

Canada
  10.8%; note - this figure is the Low Income Cut-Off (LICO), a
  calculation that results in higher figures than found in many
  comparable economies; Canada does not have an official poverty line
  (2005)

Cape Verde
  30% (2000)

Cayman Islands
  NA%

Central African Republic
  NA%

Chad
  80% (2001 est.)

Chile
  18.2% (2005)

China
  8%
  note: 21.5 million rural population live below the official
  "absolute poverty" line (approximately $90 per year); and an
  additional 35.5 million rural population above that but below the
  official "low income" line (approximately $125 per year) (2006 est.)

Colombia
  49.2% (2005)

Comoros
  60% (2002 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  NA%

Congo, Republic of the
  NA%

Cook Islands
  NA%

Costa Rica
  16% (2006 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  42% (2006 est.)

Croatia
  11% (2003)

Cuba
  NA%

Cyprus
  NA%

Czech Republic
  NA%

Denmark
  NA%

Djibouti
  42% (2007 est.)

Dominica
  30% (2002 est.)

Dominican Republic
  42.2% (2004)

Ecuador
  38.3% (2006)

Egypt
  20% (2005 est.)

El Salvador
  30.7% (2006 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  NA%

Eritrea
  50% (2004 est.)

Estonia
  5% (2003)

Ethiopia
  38.7% (FY05/06 est.)

European Union
  note - see individual country entries of member states

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  NA%

Faroe Islands
  NA%

Fiji
  25.5% (FY90/91)

Finland
  NA%

France
  6.2% (2004)

French Polynesia
  NA%

Gabon
  NA%

Gambia, The
  NA%

Gaza Strip
  80% (2007 est.)

Georgia
  31% (2006)

Germany
  11% (2001 est.)

Ghana
  28.5% (2007 est.)

Gibraltar
  NA%

Greece
  NA%

Greenland
  NA%

Grenada
  32% (2000)

Guam
  23% (2001 est.)

Guatemala
  56.2% (2004 est.)

Guernsey
  NA%

Guinea
  47% (2006 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  NA%

Guyana
  NA%

Haiti
  80% (2003 est.)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  NA%

Honduras
  50.7% (2004)

Hong Kong
  NA%

Hungary
  8.6% (1993 est.)

Iceland
  NA%

India
  25% (2007 est.)

Indonesia
  17.8% (2006)

Iran
  18% (2007 est.)

Iraq
  NA%

Ireland
  7% (2005 est.)

Isle of Man
  NA%

Israel
  21.6%
  note: Israel's poverty line is $7.30 per person per day (2005)

Italy
  NA%

Jamaica
  14.8% (2003 est.)

Japan
  NA%

Jersey
  NA%

Jordan
  14.2% (2002)

Kazakhstan
  13.8% (2007)

Kenya
  50% (2000 est.)

Kiribati
  NA%

Korea, North
  NA%

Korea, South
  15% (2003 est.)

Kosovo
  37% (2007 est.)

Kuwait
  NA%

Kyrgyzstan
  40% (2004 est.)

Laos
  30.7% (2005 est.)

Latvia
  NA%

Lebanon
  28% (1999 est.)

Lesotho
  49% (1999)

Liberia
  80% (2000 est.)

Libya
  7.4% (2005 est.)

Liechtenstein
  NA%

Lithuania
  4% (2003)

Luxembourg
  NA%

Macau
  NA%

Macedonia
  29.8% (2006)

Madagascar
  50% (2004 est.)

Malawi
  53% (2004)

Malaysia
  5.1% (2002 est.)

Maldives
  21% (2004)

Mali
  36.1% (2005 est.)

Malta
  NA%

Marshall Islands
  NA%

Mauritania
  40% (2004 est.)

Mauritius
  8% (2006 est.)

Mayotte
  NA%

Mexico
  13.8% using food-based definition of poverty; asset based
  poverty amounted to more than 40% (2006)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  26.7% (2000)

Moldova
  29.5% (2005)

Monaco
  NA%

Mongolia
  36.1% (2004)

Montenegro
  7% (2007 est.)

Montserrat
  NA%

Morocco
  15% (2007 est.)

Mozambique
  70% (2001 est.)

Namibia
  the UNDP's 2005 Human Development Report indicated that
  34.9% of the population live on $1 per day and 55.8% live on $2 per
  day

Nauru
  NA%

Nepal
  30.9% (2004)

Netherlands
  10.5% (2005)

Netherlands Antilles
  NA%

New Caledonia
  NA%

New Zealand
  NA%

Nicaragua
  48% (2005)

Niger
  63% (1993 est.)

Nigeria
  70% (2007 est.)

Niue
  NA%

Northern Mariana Islands
  NA%

Norway
  NA%

Oman
  NA%

Pakistan
  24% (FY05/06 est.)

Palau
  NA%

Panama
  28.6% (2006 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  37% (2002 est.)

Paraguay
  32% (2005 est.)

Peru
  44.5% (2006)

Philippines
  30% (2003 est.)

Poland
  17% (2003 est.)

Portugal
  18% (2006)

Puerto Rico
  NA%

Qatar
  NA%

Romania
  25% (2005 est.)

Russia
  15.8% (November 2007)

Rwanda
  60% (2001 est.)

Saint Helena
  NA%

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  NA%

Saint Lucia
  NA%

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  NA%

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  NA%

Samoa
  NA%

San Marino
  NA%

Sao Tome and Principe
  54% (2004 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  NA%

Senegal
  54% (2001 est.)

Serbia
  6.5% (2007 est.)

Seychelles
  NA%

Sierra Leone
  70.2% (2004)

Singapore
  NA%

Slovakia
  21% (2002)

Slovenia
  12.9% (2004)

Solomon Islands
  NA%

Somalia
  NA%

South Africa
  50% (2000 est.)

Spain
  19.8% (2005)

Sri Lanka
  22% (2002 est.)

Sudan
  40% (2004 est.)

Suriname
  70% (2002 est.)

Swaziland
  69% (2006)

Sweden
  NA%

Switzerland
  NA%

Syria
  11.9% (2006 est.)

Taiwan
  0.95% (2007 est.)

Tajikistan
  60% (2007 est.)

Tanzania
  36% (2002 est.)

Thailand
  10% (2004 est.)

Timor-Leste
  42% (2003 est.)

Togo
  32% (1989 est.)

Tokelau
  NA%

Tonga
  24% (FY03/04)

Trinidad and Tobago
  17% (2007 est.)

Tunisia
  7.4% (2005 est.)

Turkey
  20% (2002)

Turkmenistan
  30% (2004 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  NA%

Tuvalu
  NA%

Uganda
  35% (2001 est.)

Ukraine
  37.7% (2003)

United Arab Emirates
  19.5% (2003)

United Kingdom
  14% (2006 est.)

United States
  12% (2004 est.)

Uruguay
  27.4% of households (2006)

Uzbekistan
  33% (2004 est.)

Vanuatu
  NA%

Venezuela
  37.9% (end 2005 est.)

Vietnam
  14.8% (2007 est.)

Virgin Islands
  28.9% (2002)

Wallis and Futuna
  NA%

West Bank
  46% (2007 est.)

Western Sahara
  NA%

Yemen
  45.2% (2003)

Zambia
  86% (1993)

Zimbabwe
  68% (2004)

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

@2047

Field Listing :: Household income or consumption by percentage share

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

Household income or consumption by percentage share(%)

Afghanistan
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Albania
  lowest 10%: 3.2%
  highest 10%: 25.9% (2005)

Algeria
  lowest 10%: 2.8%
  highest 10%: 26.8% (1995)

American Samoa
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Andorra
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Angola
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Anguilla
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Antigua and Barbuda
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Argentina
  lowest 10%: 1%
  highest 10%: 35% (January-March 2007)

Armenia
  lowest 10%: 1.6%
  highest 10%: 41.3% (2004)

Aruba
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Australia
  lowest 10%: 2%
  highest 10%: 25.4% (1994)

Austria
  lowest 10%: 3.3%
  highest 10%: 22.5% (2004)

Azerbaijan
  lowest 10%: 6.1%
  highest 10%: 17.5% (2005)

Bahamas, The
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: 27% (2000)

Bahrain
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Bangladesh
  lowest 10%: 4.3%
  highest 10%: 26.6% (2005)

Barbados
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Belarus
  lowest 10%: 3.6%
  highest 10%: 22% (2005)

Belgium
  lowest 10%: 3.4%
  highest 10%: 28.4% (2000)

Belize
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Benin
  lowest 10%: 3.1%
  highest 10%: 29% (2003)

Bermuda
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Bhutan
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Bolivia
  lowest 10%: 0.5%
  highest 10%: 44.1% (2005)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  lowest 10%: 2.8%
  highest 10%: 27.4% (2004)

Botswana
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Brazil
  lowest 10%: 1.1%
  highest 10%: 43% (2007)

British Virgin Islands
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Brunei
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Bulgaria
  lowest 10%: 3%
  highest 10%: 25.5% (2007)

Burkina Faso
  lowest 10%: 2.8%
  highest 10%: 32.2% (2004)

Burma
  lowest 10%: 2.8%
  highest 10%: 32.4% (1998)

Burundi
  lowest 10%: 4.1%
  highest 10%: 28% (2006)

Cambodia
  lowest 10%: 3%
  highest 10%: 34.2% (2007)

Cameroon
  lowest 10%: 2.3%
  highest 10%: 35.4% (2001)

Canada
  lowest 10%: 2.6%
  highest 10%: 24.8% (2000)

Cape Verde
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Cayman Islands
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Central African Republic
  lowest 10%: 2.1%
  highest 10%: 33% (2003)

Chad
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Chile
  lowest 10%: 1.6%
  highest 10%: 41.7% (2006)

China
  lowest 10%: 2.4%
  highest 10%: 31.4% (2004)

Colombia
  lowest 10%: 0.8%
  highest 10%: 45.9% (2006)

Comoros
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Congo, Republic of the
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Cook Islands
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Costa Rica
  lowest 10%: 1.5%
  highest 10%: 35.5% (2005)

Cote d'Ivoire
  lowest 10%: 2%
  highest 10%: 34% (2002)

Croatia
  lowest 10%: 3.6%
  highest 10%: 23.1% (2005 est.)

Cuba
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Cyprus
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Czech Republic
  lowest 10%: 4.3%
  highest 10%: 22.4% (1996)

Denmark
  lowest 10%: 2%
  highest 10%: 24% (2000 est.)

Djibouti
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Dominica
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Dominican Republic
  lowest 10%: 1.5%
  highest 10%: 38.7% (2005)

Ecuador
  lowest 10%: 1.2%
  highest 10%: 43.3%
  note: data for urban households only (2007)

Egypt
  lowest 10%: 3.9%
  highest 10%: 27.6% (2005)

El Salvador
  lowest 10%: 1%
  highest 10%: 37% (2005)

Equatorial Guinea
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Eritrea
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Estonia
  lowest 10%: 2.7%
  highest 10%: 27.7% (2004)

Ethiopia
  lowest 10%: 4.1%
  highest 10%: 25.6% (2005)

European Union
  lowest 10%: 2.8%
  highest 10%: 25.2% (2001 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Faroe Islands
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Fiji
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Finland
  lowest 10%: 3.6%
  highest 10%: 24.7% (2007)

France
  lowest 10%: 3%
  highest 10%: 24.8% (2004)

French Polynesia
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Gabon
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Gambia, The
  lowest 10%: 2%
  highest 10%: 36.9% (2003)

Gaza Strip
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Georgia
  lowest 10%: 2.4%
  highest 10%: 27% (2005)

Germany
  lowest 10%: 3.2%
  highest 10%: 22.1% (2000)

Ghana
  lowest 10%: 2%
  highest 10%: 32.8% (2006)

Gibraltar
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Greece
  lowest 10%: 2.5%
  highest 10%: 26% (2000 est.)

Greenland
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Grenada
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Guam
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Guatemala
  lowest 10%: 1.3%
  highest 10%: 42.4% (2006)

Guernsey
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Guinea
  lowest 10%: 1.9%
  highest 10%: 41% (2006)

Guinea-Bissau
  lowest 10%: 2.9%
  highest 10%: 28% (2002)

Guyana
  lowest 10%: 1.3%
  highest 10%: 33.8% (1999)

Haiti
  lowest 10%: 0.7%
  highest 10%: 47.7% (2001)

Honduras
  lowest 10%: 0.7%
  highest 10%: 42.2% (2006)

Hong Kong
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Hungary
  lowest 10%: 3.5%
  highest 10%: 24.1% (2004)

Iceland
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

India
  lowest 10%: 3.6%
  highest 10%: 31.1% (2005)

Indonesia
  lowest 10%: 3%
  highest 10%: 32.3% (2006)

Iran
  lowest 10%: 2.6%
  highest 10%: 29.6% (2005)

Iraq
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Ireland
  lowest 10%: 2.9%
  highest 10%: 27.2% (2000)

Isle of Man
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Israel
  lowest 10%: 2.6%
  highest 10%: 24.2% (2007)

Italy
  lowest 10%: 2.3%
  highest 10%: 26.8% (2000)

Jamaica
  lowest 10%: 2.1%
  highest 10%: 35.8% (2004)

Japan
  lowest 10%: 4.8%
  highest 10%: 21.7% (1993)

Jersey
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Jordan
  lowest 10%: 3%
  highest 10%: 30.7% (2006)

Kazakhstan
  lowest 10%: 3.3%
  highest 10%: 26.5% (2004 est.)

Kenya
  lowest 10%: 1.8%
  highest 10%: 37.8% (2005)

Kiribati
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Korea, North
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Korea, South
  lowest 10%: 2.7%
  highest 10%: 24.2% (2007)

Kuwait
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Kyrgyzstan
  lowest 10%: 3.6%
  highest 10%: 25.9% (2004)

Laos
  lowest 10%: 3.4%
  highest 10%: 28.5% (2002)

Latvia
  lowest 10%: 2.7%
  highest 10%: 27.4% (2004)

Lebanon
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Lesotho
  lowest 10%: 1%
  highest 10%: 39.4% (2003)

Liberia
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Libya
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Liechtenstein
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Lithuania
  lowest 10%: 2.7%
  highest 10%: 27.4% (2003)

Luxembourg
  lowest 10%: 3.5%
  highest 10%: 23.8% (2000)

Macau
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Macedonia
  lowest 10%: 2.4%
  highest 10%: 29.6% (2003)

Madagascar
  lowest 10%: 2.6%
  highest 10%: 41.5% (2005)

Malawi
  lowest 10%: 3%
  highest 10%: 31.9% (2004)

Malaysia
  lowest 10%: 2.6%
  highest 10%: 28.5% (2004 est.)

Maldives
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Mali
  lowest 10%: 2.7%
  highest 10%: 30.5% (2006)

Malta
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Marshall Islands
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Mauritania
  lowest 10%: 2.5%
  highest 10%: 29.5% (2000)

Mauritius
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Mayotte
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Mexico
  lowest 10%: 1.8%
  highest 10%: 37.9% (2006)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Moldova
  lowest 10%: 3%
  highest 10%: 28.2% (2004)

Monaco
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Mongolia
  lowest 10%: 2.9%
  highest 10%: 24.9% (2005)

Montserrat
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Morocco
  lowest 10%: 2.7%
  highest 10%: 33.2% (2007)

Mozambique
  lowest 10%: 2.1%
  highest 10%: 39.2% (2003)

Namibia
  lowest 10%: 0.5%
  highest 10%: 64.5% (2003)

Nauru
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Nepal
  lowest 10%: 2.7%
  highest 10%: 40.6% (2006)

Netherlands
  lowest 10%: 2.5%
  highest 10%: 22.9% (1999)

Netherlands Antilles
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

New Caledonia
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

New Zealand
  lowest 10%: %NA
  highest 10%: %NA

Nicaragua
  lowest 10%: 1.4%
  highest 10%: 41.8% (2005)

Niger
  lowest 10%: 2.3%
  highest 10%: 35.7% (2005)

Nigeria
  lowest 10%: 2%
  highest 10%: 32.4% (2004)

Niue
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Northern Mariana Islands
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Norway
  lowest 10%: 3.9%
  highest 10%: 23.4% (2000)

Oman
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Pakistan
  lowest 10%: 3.9%
  highest 10%: 26.5% (2005)

Palau
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Panama
  lowest 10%: 0.8%
  highest 10%: 41.4% (2006)

Papua New Guinea
  lowest 10%: 1.7%
  highest 10%: 40.5% (1996)

Paraguay
  lowest 10%: 1.1%
  highest 10%: 42.3% (2007)

Peru
  lowest 10%: 1.5%
  highest 10%: 37.9% (2006)

Philippines
  lowest 10%: 2.4%
  highest 10%: 31.2% (2006)

Poland
  lowest 10%: 3%
  highest 10%: 27.2% (2005)

Portugal
  lowest 10%: 3.1%
  highest 10%: 28.4% (1995 est.)

Puerto Rico
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Qatar
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Romania
  lowest 10%: 1.2%
  highest 10%: 20.8% (2006)

Russia
  lowest 10%: 1.9%
  highest 10%: 30.4% (September 2007)

Rwanda
  lowest 10%: 2.1%
  highest 10%: 38.2% (2000)

Saint Helena
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Saint Lucia
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Samoa
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

San Marino
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Sao Tome and Principe
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Saudi Arabia
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Senegal
  lowest 10%: 2.5%
  highest 10%: 30.1% (2005)

Seychelles
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Sierra Leone
  lowest 10%: 2.6%
  highest 10%: 33.6% (2003)

Singapore
  lowest 10%: 4.4%
  highest 10%: 23.2% (2008)

Slovakia
  lowest 10%: 3.1%
  highest 10%: 20.9% (1996)

Slovenia
  lowest 10%: 3.4%
  highest 10%: 24.6% (2004)

Solomon Islands
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Somalia
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

South Africa
  lowest 10%: 1.3%
  highest 10%: 44.7% (2000)

Spain
  lowest 10%: 2.6%
  highest 10%: 26.6% (2000)

Sri Lanka
  lowest 10%: 1.1%
  highest 10%: 39.7% (2004)

Sudan
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Suriname
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Swaziland
  lowest 10%: 1.6%
  highest 10%: 40.7% (2001)

Sweden
  lowest 10%: 3.6%
  highest 10%: 22.2% (2000)

Switzerland
  lowest 10%: 2.9%
  highest 10%: 25.9% (2000)

Syria
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Taiwan
  lowest 10%: 6.7%
  highest 10%: 41.1% (2002 est.)

Tajikistan
  lowest 10%: 3.3%
  highest 10%: 25.6% (2007 est.)

Tanzania
  lowest 10%: 2.9%
  highest 10%: 26.9% (2000)

Thailand
  lowest 10%: 2.6%
  highest 10%: 33.7% (2004)

Timor-Leste
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Togo
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Tonga
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Trinidad and Tobago
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Tunisia
  lowest 10%: 2.3%
  highest 10%: 31.5% (2000)

Turkey
  lowest 10%: 1.9%
  highest 10%: 33.2% (2005)

Turkmenistan
  lowest 10%: 2.6%
  highest 10%: 31.7% (1998)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Tuvalu
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Uganda
  lowest 10%: 2.6%
  highest 10%: 34.1% (2005)

Ukraine
  lowest 10%: 3.4%
  highest 10%: 25.7% (2006)

United Arab Emirates
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

United Kingdom
  lowest 10%: 2.1%
  highest 10%: 28.5% (1999)

United States
  lowest 10%: 2%
  highest 10%: 30% (2007 est.)

Uruguay
  lowest 10%: 1.7%
  highest 10%: 34.8% (2006)

Uzbekistan
  lowest 10%: 2.8%
  highest 10%: 29.6% (2003)

Vanuatu
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Venezuela
  lowest 10%: 1.7%
  highest 10%: 32.7% (2006)

Vietnam
  lowest 10%: 3.1%
  highest 10%: 29.8% (2006)

Virgin Islands
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Wallis and Futuna
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

West Bank
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Western Sahara
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

World
  lowest 10%: 2.5%
  highest 10%: 29.4% (2003 est.)

Yemen
  lowest 10%: 2.9%
  highest 10%: 30.8% (2005)

Zambia
  lowest 10%: 1.2%
  highest 10%: 38.8% (2004)

Zimbabwe
  lowest 10%: 2%
  highest 10%: 40.4% (1995)

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

@2048

Field Listing :: Labor force - by occupation

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

Labor force - by occupation(%)

Afghanistan
  agriculture: 80%
  industry: 10%
  services: 10% (2004 est.)

Albania
  agriculture: 58%
  industry: 15%
  services: 27% (September 2006 est.)

Algeria
  agriculture 14%, industry 13.4%, construction and public
  works 10%, trade 14.6%, government 32%, other 16% (2003 est.)

American Samoa
  agriculture: 34%
  industry: 33%
  services: 33% (1990)

Andorra
  agriculture: 0.3%
  industry: 20.8%
  services: 79% (2007)

Angola
  agriculture: 85%
  industry and services: 15% (2003 est.)

Anguilla
  agriculture/fishing/forestry/mining 4%, manufacturing 3%,
  construction 18%, transportation and utilities 10%, commerce 36%,
  services 29% (2000 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  agriculture: 7%
  industry: 11%
  services: 82% (1983)

Argentina
  agriculture: 1%
  industry: 23%
  services: 76% (2008 est.)

Armenia
  agriculture: 46.2%
  industry: 15.6%
  services: 38.2% (2006 est.)

Aruba
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%
  note: most employment is in wholesale and retail trade and repair,
  followed by hotels and restaurants; oil refining

Australia
  agriculture: 3.6%
  industry: 21.1%
  services: 75% (2005 est.)

Austria
  agriculture: 5.5%
  industry: 27.5%
  services: 67% (2005 est.)

Azerbaijan
  agriculture: 39.3%
  industry: 12.1%
  services: 48.6% (2005)

Bahamas, The
  agriculture 5%, industry 5%, tourism 50%, other
  services 40% (2005 est.)

Bahrain
  agriculture: 1%
  industry: 79%
  services: 20% (1997 est.)

Bangladesh
  agriculture: 63%
  industry: 11%
  services: 26% (FY95/96)

Barbados
  agriculture: 10%
  industry: 15%
  services: 75% (1996 est.)

Belarus
  agriculture: 14%
  industry: 34.7%
  services: 51.3% (2003 est.)

Belgium
  agriculture: 2%
  industry: 25%
  services: 73% (2007 est.)

Belize
  agriculture: 10.2%
  industry: 18.1%
  services: 71.7% (2007)

Bermuda
  agriculture and fishing 3%, laborers 17%, clerical 19%,
  professional and technical 21%, administrative and managerial 15%,
  sales 7%, services 19% (2004 est.)

Bhutan
  agriculture: 63%
  industry: 6%
  services: 31% (2004 est.)

Bolivia
  agriculture: 40%
  industry: 17%
  services: 43% (2006 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  agriculture: 19.8%
  industry: 32.6%
  services: 47.6% (2007)

Botswana
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Brazil
  agriculture: 20%
  industry: 14%
  services: 66% (2003 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  agriculture: 0.6%
  industry: 40%
  services: 59.4% (2005)

Brunei
  agriculture: 4.5%
  industry: 63.1%
  services: 32.4% (2003 est.)

Bulgaria
  agriculture: 7.5%
  industry: 35.5%
  services: 57% (2007 est.)

Burkina Faso
  agriculture: 90%
  industry and services: 10% (2000 est.)

Burma
  agriculture: 70%
  industry: 7%
  services: 23% (2001)

Burundi
  agriculture: 93.6%
  industry: 2.3%
  services: 4.1% (2002 est.)

Cambodia
  agriculture: 75%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA% (2004 est.)

Cameroon
  agriculture: 70%
  industry: 13%
  services: 17% (2001 est.)

Canada
  agriculture 2%, manufacturing 13%, construction 6%, services
  76%, other 3% (2006)

Cayman Islands
  agriculture: 1.4%
  industry: 12.6%
  services: 86% (1995)

Chad
  agriculture: 80% (subsistence farming, herding, and fishing)
  industry and services: 20% (2006 est.)

Chile
  agriculture: 13.2%
  industry: 23%
  services: 63.9% (2005)

China
  agriculture: 43%
  industry: 25%
  services: 32% (2006 est.)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  note: the Cocos Islands Cooperative Society
  Ltd. employs construction workers, stevedores, and lighterage
  workers; tourism employs others

Colombia
  agriculture: 22.4%
  industry: 18.8%
  services: 58.8% (2005 est.)

Comoros agriculture: 80% industry and services: 20% (1996 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Cook Islands
  agriculture: 29%
  industry: 15%
  services: 56% (1995)

Costa Rica
  agriculture: 14%
  industry: 22%
  services: 64% (2006 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire agriculture: 68% industry and services: NA (2007 est.)

Croatia
  agriculture: 5%
  industry: 31.3%
  services: 63.6% (2008)

Cuba
  agriculture: 20%
  industry: 19.4%
  services: 60.6% (2005)

Cyprus
  agriculture: 8.5%
  industry: 20.5%
  services: 71% (2006 est.)

Czech Republic
  agriculture: 3.6%
  industry: 40.2%
  services: 56.2% (2007)

Denmark
  agriculture: 2.9%
  industry: 23.8%
  services: 72.7% (2005 est.)

Djibouti
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Dominica
  agriculture: 40%
  industry: 32%
  services: 28% (2000 est.)

Dominican Republic
  agriculture: 14.6%
  industry: 22.3%
  services: 63.1% (2005)

Ecuador
  agriculture: 8.3%
  industry: 21.2%
  services: 70.4% (2005)

Egypt
  agriculture: 32%
  industry: 17%
  services: 51% (2001 est.)

El Salvador
  agriculture: 19%
  industry: 23%
  services: 58% (2006 est.)

Eritrea
  agriculture: 80%
  industry and services: 20% (2004 est.)

Estonia
  agriculture: 4.7%
  industry: 33.7%
  services: 61.6% (2007)

Ethiopia
  agriculture: 80.2%
  industry: 6.6%
  services: 13.2% (2005)

European Union
  agriculture: 5.6%
  industry: 27.7%
  services: 66.7% (2007 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  agriculture: 95% (mostly
  sheepherding and fishing)
  industry and services: 5% (1996)

Faroe Islands
  agriculture: 11.2%
  industry: 21.9%
  services: 66.9% (2007)

Fiji
  agriculture: 70%
  industry and services: 30% (2001 est.)

Finland
  agriculture and forestry 4.5%, industry 18.3%, construction
  7.3%, commerce 16%, finance, insurance, and business services 14.5%,
  transport and communications 7%, public services 32.4% (2008)

France
  agriculture: 3.8%
  industry: 24.3%
  services: 71.8% (2005)

French Polynesia
  agriculture: 13%
  industry: 19%
  services: 68% (2002)

Gabon
  agriculture: 60%
  industry: 15%
  services: 25% (2000 est.)

Gambia, The
  agriculture: 75%
  industry: 19%
  services: 6% (1996)

Gaza Strip
  agriculture: 12%
  industry: 5%
  services: 83% (June 2008)

Georgia
  agriculture: 55.6%
  industry: 8.9%
  services: 35.5% (2006 est.)

Germany
  agriculture: 2.4%
  industry: 29.7%
  services: 67.8% (2005)

Ghana
  agriculture: 56%
  industry: 15%
  services: 29% (2005 est.)

Gibraltar
  agriculture: negligible
  industry: 40%
  services: 60% (2001)

Greece
  agriculture: 12.4%
  industry: 22.4%
  services: 65.1% (2005 est.)

Grenada
  agriculture: 24%
  industry: 14%
  services: 62% (1999 est.)

Guam
  agriculture: 26%
  industry: 10%
  services: 64% (2004 est.)

Guatemala
  agriculture: 50%
  industry: 15%
  services: 35% (1999 est.)

Guinea
  agriculture: 76%
  industry and services: 24% (2006 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  agriculture: 82%
  industry and services: 18% (2000 est.)

Guyana
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Haiti
  agriculture: 66%
  industry: 9%
  services: 25% (1995)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  note: essentially services with a small
  amount of industry; nearly all dignitaries, priests, nuns, guards,
  and the approximately 3,000 lay workers live outside the Vatican

Honduras
  agriculture: 39.2%
  industry: 20.9%
  services: 39.8% (2005 est.)

Hong Kong
  manufacturing 6.1%, construction 1.9%, wholesale and
  retail trade, restaurants, and hotels 42.9%, financing, insurance,
  and real estate 21.4%, transport and communications 7.9%, community
  and social services 19.7%
  note: above data exclude public sector (2008 est.)

Hungary
  agriculture: 5%
  industry: 32.4%
  services: 62.6% (2005)

Iceland
  agriculture: 3%
  industry: 19%
  services: 78% (2007)

India
  agriculture: 60%
  industry: 12%
  services: 28% (2003)

Indonesia
  agriculture: 42.1%
  industry: 18.6%
  services: 39.3% (2006 est.)

Iran
  agriculture: 25%
  industry: 31%
  services: 45% (June 2007)

Iraq
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Ireland
  agriculture: 6%
  industry: 27%
  services: 67% (2006 est.)

Isle of Man
  agriculture, forestry, and fishing 3%, manufacturing
  11%, construction 10%, transport and communication 8%, wholesale and
  retail distribution 11%, professional and scientific services 18%,
  public administration 6%, banking and finance 18%, tourism 2%,
  entertainment and catering 3%, miscellaneous services 10% (2001)

Israel
  agriculture: 2%
  industry: 16%
  services: 82% (30 September 2008)

Italy
  agriculture: 4.2%
  industry: 30.7%
  services: 65.1% (2005)

Jamaica
  agriculture: 17%
  industry: 19%
  services: 64% (2006)

Japan
  agriculture: 4.4%
  industry: 27.9%
  services: 66.4% (2005)

Jordan
  agriculture: 2.7%
  industry: 20%
  services: 77.4% (2001 est.)

Kazakhstan
  agriculture: 31.5%
  industry: 18.4%
  services: 50% (2006)

Kenya
  agriculture: 75%
  industry and services: 25% (2003 est.)

Kiribati agriculture: 2.7% industry: 32% services: 65.3% (2000)

Korea, North agriculture: 37% industry and services: 63% (2004 est.)

Korea, South
  agriculture: 7.2%
  industry: 25.1%
  services: 67.7% (2007)

Kosovo
  agriculture: 16.5%
  industry: NA
  services: NA (2007 est.)

Kuwait
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Kyrgyzstan
  agriculture: 48%
  industry: 12.5%
  services: 39.5% (2005 est.)

Laos
  agriculture: 80%
  industry and services: 20% (2005 est.)

Latvia
  agriculture: 12.1%
  industry: 25.8%
  services: 61.8% (2005 est.)

Lebanon
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Lesotho
  agriculture: 86% of resident population engaged in
  subsistence agriculture; roughly 35% of the active male wage earners
  work in South Africa
  industry and services: 14% (2002 est.)

Liberia
  agriculture: 70%
  industry: 8%
  services: 22% (2000 est.)

Libya
  agriculture: 17%
  industry: 23%
  services: 59% (2004 est.)

Liechtenstein
  agriculture: 1.7%
  industry: 43.5%
  services: 55.4% (31 December 2006)

Lithuania
  agriculture: 14%
  industry: 29.1%
  services: 56.9% (2005)

Luxembourg
  agriculture: 2.2%
  industry: 17.2%
  services: 80.6% (2007 est.)

Macau
  manufacturing 7.4%, construction 12.6%, transport and
  communications 5%, wholesale and retail trade 12.5%, restaurants and
  hotels 12.7%, gambling 14%, public sector 6%, financial services
  2.1%, other services and agriculture 27.7% (2008 est.)

Macedonia agriculture: 19.6% industry: 30.4% services: 50% (September 2007)

Malawi agriculture: 90% industry and services: 10% (2003 est.)

Malaysia
  agriculture: 13%
  industry: 36%
  services: 51% (2005 est.)

Maldives
  agriculture: 22%
  industry: 18%
  services: 60% (1995)

Mali
  agriculture: 80%
  industry and services: 20% (2005 est.)

Malta
  agriculture: 2.3%
  industry: 29.6%
  services: 68% (2005 est.)

Marshall Islands
  agriculture: 21.4%
  industry: 20.9%
  services: 57.7% (2000)

Mauritania
  agriculture: 50%
  industry: 10%
  services: 40% (2001 est.)

Mauritius
  agriculture and fishing 9%, construction and industry 30%,
  transportation and communication 7%, trade, restaurants, hotels 22%,
  finance 6%, other services 25% (2007)

Mexico
  agriculture: 15.1%
  industry: 25.7%
  services: 59% (2005)

Micronesia, Federated States of agriculture: 0.9% industry: 34.4% services: 64.7% note: two-thirds are government employees (FY05 est.)

Moldova
  agriculture: 40.6%
  industry: 16%
  services: 43.3% (2005)

Mongolia
  agriculture: 34%
  industry: 5%
  services: 61% (2008)

Montenegro
  agriculture: 2%
  industry: 30%
  services: 68% (2004 est.)

Morocco
  agriculture: 44.6%
  industry: 19.8%
  services: 35.5% (2006 est.)

Mozambique
  agriculture: 81%
  industry: 6%
  services: 13% (1997 est.)

Namibia
  agriculture: 47%
  industry: 20%
  services: 33% (1999 est.)

Nauru
  note: employed in mining phosphates, public administration,
  education, and transportation (1992)

Nepal
  agriculture: 76%
  industry: 6%
  services: 18% (2004 est.)

Netherlands
  agriculture: 2%
  industry: 18%
  services: 80% (2005 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  agriculture: 1%
  industry: 20%
  services: 79% (2005 est.)

New Caledonia
  agriculture: 20%
  industry: 20%
  services: 60% (2002)

New Zealand
  agriculture: 7%
  industry: 19%
  services: 74% (2006 est.)

Nicaragua
  agriculture: 29%
  industry: 19%
  services: 52% (2006 est.)

Niger
  agriculture: 90%
  industry: 6%
  services: 4% (1995)

Nigeria
  agriculture: 70%
  industry: 10%
  services: 20% (1999 est.)

Niue
  note: most work on family plantations; paid work exists only in
  government service, small industry, and the Niue Development Board

Norfolk Island
  agriculture: 10%
  industry and services: 90%

Northern Mariana Islands
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Norway
  agriculture: 2.9%
  industry: 21.1%
  services: 76% (2008)

Oman
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Pakistan
  agriculture: 43%
  industry: 20.3%
  services: 36.6% (2005 est.)

Palau
  agriculture: 20%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA% (1990)

Panama
  agriculture: 15%
  industry: 18%
  services: 67% (2006)

Papua New Guinea
  agriculture: 85%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA% (2005 est.)

Paraguay
  agriculture: 31%
  industry: 17%
  services: 52% (2007)

Peru
  agriculture: 0.7%
  industry: 23.8%
  services: 75.5% (2005)

Philippines
  agriculture: 35%
  industry: 15%
  services: 50% (2008 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  note: no business community in the usual sense;
  some public works; subsistence farming and fishing

Poland
  agriculture: 17.4%
  industry: 29.2%
  services: 53.4% (2005)

Portugal
  agriculture: 10%
  industry: 30%
  services: 60% (2007 est.)

Puerto Rico
  agriculture: 2.1%
  industry: 19%
  services: 79% (2005)

Romania
  agriculture: 29.7%
  industry: 23.2%
  services: 47.1% (2006)

Russia
  agriculture: 10.2%
  industry: 27.4%
  services: 62.4% (2007 est.)

Rwanda agriculture: 90% industry and services: 10% (2000)

Saint Helena
  agriculture: 6%
  industry: 48%
  services: 46% (1987 est.)

Saint Lucia
  agriculture: 21.7%
  industry: 24.7%
  services: 53.6% (2002 est.)

Saint Martin
  85% directly or indirectly employed in tourist industry

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  agriculture: 18%
  industry: 41%
  services: 41% (1996 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  agriculture: 26%
  industry: 17%
  services: 57% (1980 est.)

Samoa
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

San Marino
  agriculture: 0.1%
  industry: 37.7%
  services: 62.2% (2008 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe note: population mainly engaged in subsistence agriculture and fishing; shortages of skilled workers

Saudi Arabia agriculture: 6.7% industry: 21.4% services: 71.9% (2005 est.)

Senegal agriculture: 77.5% industry and services: 22.5% (2007 est.)

Serbia
  agriculture: 30%
  industry: 46%
  services: 24% (2002)

Seychelles
  agriculture: 3%
  industry: 23%
  services: 74% (2006)

Sierra Leone
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Singapore
  agriculture 0%, industry 22.6%, services 77.4% (2007)

Slovakia
  agriculture 4%, industry 39%, services 56.9% (30 September
  2008)

Slovenia
  agriculture: 2.5%
  industry: 36%
  services: 61.5% (2007)

Solomon Islands
  agriculture: 75%
  industry: 5%
  services: 20% (2000 est.)

Somalia agriculture: 71% industry and services: 29% (1975)

South Africa
  agriculture: 9%
  industry: 26%
  services: 65% (2007 est.)

Spain
  agriculture: 4%
  industry: 26.4%
  services: 69.5% (2008 est.)

Sri Lanka
  agriculture: 34.7%
  industry: 26.1%
  services: 39.2% (30 September 2008 est.)

Sudan
  agriculture: 80%
  industry: 7%
  services: 13% (1998 est.)

Suriname
  agriculture: 8%
  industry: 14%
  services: 78% (2004)

Swaziland
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Sweden
  agriculture: 1.1%
  industry: 28.2%
  services: 70.7% (2008 est.)

Switzerland
  agriculture: 3.9%
  industry: 22.8%
  services: 73.2% (2005)

Syria
  agriculture: 19.2%
  industry: 14.5%
  services: 66.3% (2006 est.)

Taiwan
  agriculture: 5.1%
  industry: 36.8%
  services: 58% (2008 est.)

Tajikistan
  agriculture: 67.2%
  industry: 7.5%
  services: 25.3% (2000 est.)

Tanzania agriculture: 80% industry and services: 20% (2002 est.)

Thailand
  agriculture: 42.6%
  industry: 20.2%
  services: 37.1% (2005 est.)

Timor-Leste
  agriculture: 90%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA% (2006 est.)

Togo
  agriculture: 65%
  industry: 5%
  services: 30% (1998 est.)

Tonga
  agriculture: 31.8%
  industry: 30.6%
  services: 37.6% (2003 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  agriculture 3.8%, manufacturing, mining, and
  quarrying 12.8%, construction and utilities 20.4%, services 62.9%
  (2007 est.)

Tunisia
  agriculture: 55%
  industry: 23%
  services: 22% (1995 est.)

Turkey
  agriculture: 29.5%
  industry: 24.7%
  services: 45.8% (2005)

Turkmenistan
  agriculture: 48.2%
  industry: 14%
  services: 37.8% (2004 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  note: about 33% in government and 20% in
  agriculture and fishing; significant numbers in tourism, financial,
  and other services

Tuvalu
  note: people make a living mainly through exploitation of the
  sea, reefs, and atolls and from wages sent home by those abroad
  (mostly workers in the phosphate industry and sailors)

Uganda
  agriculture: 82%
  industry: 5%
  services: 13% (1999 est.)

Ukraine
  agriculture: 19.4%
  industry: 24.2%
  services: 56.4% (2005)

United Arab Emirates
  agriculture: 7%
  industry: 15%
  services: 78% (2000 est.)

United Kingdom
  agriculture: 1.4%
  industry: 18.2%
  services: 80.4% (2006 est.)

United States
  farming, forestry, and fishing 0.6%, manufacturing,
  extraction, transportation, and crafts 22.6%, managerial,
  professional, and technical 35.5%, sales and office 24.8%, other
  services 16.5%
  note: figures exclude the unemployed (2007)

Uruguay
  agriculture: 9%
  industry: 15%
  services: 76% (2007 est.)

Uzbekistan
  agriculture: 44%
  industry: 20%
  services: 36% (1995)

Vanuatu
  agriculture: 65%
  industry: 5%
  services: 30% (2000 est.)

Venezuela
  agriculture: 13%
  industry: 23%
  services: 64% (1997 est.)

Vietnam
  agriculture: 55.6%
  industry: 18.9%
  services: 25.5% (July 2005)

Virgin Islands
  agriculture: 1%
  industry: 19%
  services: 80% (2003 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
  agriculture: 80%
  industry: 4%
  services: 16% (2001 est.)

West Bank
  agriculture: 17%
  industry: 15%
  services: 68% (June 2008)

Western Sahara
  agriculture: 50%
  industry and services: 50% (2005 est.)

World
  agriculture: 40.5%
  industry: 20.5%
  services: 39% (2007 est.)

Yemen
  note: most people are employed in agriculture and herding;
  services, construction, industry, and commerce account for less than
  one-fourth of the labor force

Zambia
  agriculture: 85%
  industry: 6%
  services: 9% (2004)

Zimbabwe
  agriculture: 66%
  industry: 10%
  services: 24% (1996)

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

@2049

Field Listing :: Exports - commodities

This entry provides a listing of the highest-valued exported products; it sometimes includes the percent of total dollar value. Country

Exports - commodities(%)

Afghanistan
  opium, fruits and nuts, handwoven carpets, wool, cotton,
  hides and pelts, precious and semi-precious gems

Albania
  textiles and footwear; asphalt, metals and metallic ores,
  crude oil; vegetables, fruits, tobacco

Algeria
  petroleum, natural gas, and petroleum products 97%

American Samoa
  canned tuna 93% (2004 est.)

Andorra
  tobacco products, furniture

Angola
  crude oil, diamonds, refined petroleum products, coffee,
  sisal, fish and fish products, timber, cotton

Anguilla
  lobster, fish, livestock, salt, concrete blocks, rum

Antigua and Barbuda
  petroleum products, bedding, handicrafts,
  electronic components, transport equipment, food and live animals

Argentina
  soybeans and derivatives, petroleum and gas, vehicles,
  corn, wheat

Armenia
  pig iron, unwrought copper, nonferrous metals, diamonds,
  mineral products, foodstuffs, energy

Aruba
  live animals and animal products, art and collectibles,
  machinery and electrical equipment, transport equipment

Australia
  coal, iron ore, gold, meat, wool, alumina, wheat,
  machinery and transport equipment

Austria
  machinery and equipment, motor vehicles and parts, paper and
  paperboard, metal goods, chemicals, iron and steel, textiles,
  foodstuffs

Azerbaijan
  oil and gas 90%, machinery, cotton, foodstuffs

Bahamas, The
  mineral products and salt, animal products, rum,
  chemicals, fruit and vegetables

Bahrain
  petroleum and petroleum products, aluminum, textiles

Bangladesh
  garments, jute and jute goods, leather, frozen fish and
  seafood

Barbados
  manufactures, sugar and molasses, rum, other foods and
  beverages, chemicals, electrical components

Belarus
  machinery and equipment, mineral products, chemicals,
  metals, textiles, foodstuffs

Belgium
  machinery and equipment, chemicals, finished diamonds,
  metals and metal products, foodstuffs

Belize
  sugar, bananas, citrus, clothing, fish products, molasses,
  wood, crude oil

Benin
  cotton, cashews, shea butter, textiles, palm products, seafood

Bermuda
  reexports of pharmaceuticals

Bhutan
  electricity (to India), cardamom, gypsum, timber,
  handicrafts, cement, fruit, precious stones, spices

Bolivia
  natural gas, soybeans and soy products, crude petroleum,
  zinc ore, tin

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  metals, clothing, wood products

Botswana
  diamonds, copper, nickel, soda ash, meat, textiles

Brazil
  transport equipment, iron ore, soybeans, footwear, coffee,
  autos

British Virgin Islands
  rum, fresh fish, fruits, animals; gravel, sand

Brunei
  crude oil, natural gas, garments

Bulgaria
  clothing, footwear, iron and steel, machinery and
  equipment, fuels

Burkina Faso
  cotton, livestock, gold

Burma
  natural gas, wood products, pulses, beans, fish, rice,
  clothing, jade and gems

Burundi
  coffee, tea, sugar, cotton, hides

Cambodia
  clothing, timber, rubber, rice, fish, tobacco, footwear

Cameroon
  crude oil and petroleum products, lumber, cocoa beans,
  aluminum, coffee, cotton

Canada
  motor vehicles and parts, industrial machinery, aircraft,
  telecommunications equipment; chemicals, plastics, fertilizers; wood
  pulp, timber, crude petroleum, natural gas, electricity, aluminum

Cape Verde
  fuel, shoes, garments, fish, hides

Cayman Islands
  turtle products, manufactured consumer goods

Central African Republic
  diamonds, timber, cotton, coffee, tobacco

Chad
  oil, cattle, cotton, gum arabic

Chile
  copper, fruit, fish products, paper and pulp, chemicals, wine

China
  electrical and other machinery, including data processing
  equipment, apparel, textiles, iron and steel, optical and medical
  equipment

Christmas Island
  phosphate

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  copra

Colombia
  petroleum, coffee, coal, nickel, emeralds, apparel,
  bananas, cut flowers

Comoros
  vanilla, ylang-ylang (perfume essence), cloves, copra

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  diamonds, gold, copper, cobalt,
  wood products, crude oil, coffee

Congo, Republic of the
  petroleum, lumber, plywood, sugar, cocoa,
  coffee, diamonds

Cook Islands
  copra, papayas, fresh and canned citrus fruit, coffee;
  fish; pearls and pearl shells; clothing

Costa Rica
  bananas, pineapples, coffee, melons, ornamental plants,
  sugar; seafood; electronic components, medical equipment

Cote d'Ivoire
  cocoa, coffee, timber, petroleum, cotton, bananas,
  pineapples, palm oil, fish

Croatia
  transport equipment, machinery, textiles, chemicals,
  foodstuffs, fuels

Cuba
  sugar, nickel, tobacco, fish, medical products, citrus, coffee

Cyprus
  citrus, potatoes, pharmaceuticals, cement, and clothing

Czech Republic
  machinery and transport equipment 52%, raw materials
  and fuel 9%, chemicals 5% (2003)

Denmark
  machinery and instruments, meat and meat products, dairy
  products, fish, pharmaceuticals, furniture, windmills

Djibouti
  reexports, hides and skins, coffee (in transit)

Dominica
  bananas, soap, bay oil, vegetables, grapefruit, oranges

Dominican Republic
  ferronickel, sugar, gold, silver, coffee, cocoa,
  tobacco, meats, consumer goods

Ecuador
  petroleum, bananas, cut flowers, shrimp, cacao, coffee,
  hemp, wood, fish

Egypt
  crude oil and petroleum products, cotton, textiles, metal
  products, chemicals

El Salvador
  offshore assembly exports, coffee, sugar, textiles and
  apparel, gold, ethanol, chemicals, electricity, iron and steel
  manufactures

Equatorial Guinea
  petroleum, methanol, timber, cocoa

Eritrea
  livestock, sorghum, textiles, food, small manufactures

Estonia
  machinery and equipment 29%, wood and paper 13%, metals 10%,
  food products 8%, textiles 5%, chemical products (2007)

Ethiopia
  coffee, qat, gold, leather products, live animals, oilseeds

European Union
  machinery, motor vehicles, aircraft, plastics,
  pharmaceuticals and other chemicals, fuels, iron and steel,
  nonferrous metals, wood pulp and paper products, textiles, meat,
  dairy products, fish, alcoholic beverages.

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  wool, hides, meat, fish, squid

Faroe Islands
  fish and fish products 94%, stamps, ships (1999)

Fiji
  sugar, garments, gold, timber, fish, molasses, coconut oil

Finland
  electrical and optical equipment, machinery, transport
  equipment, paper and pulp, chemicals, basic metals; timber

France
  machinery and transportation equipment, aircraft, plastics,
  chemicals, pharmaceutical products, iron and steel, beverages

French Polynesia
  cultured pearls, coconut products, mother-of-pearl,
  vanilla, shark meat

Gabon
  crude oil 70%, timber, manganese, uranium (2001)

Gambia, The
  peanut products, fish, cotton lint, palm kernels,
  re-exports

Gaza Strip
  citrus, flowers, textiles

Georgia
  scrap metal, wine, mineral water, ores, vehicles, fruits and
  nuts

Germany
  machinery, vehicles, chemicals, metals and manufactures,
  foodstuffs, textiles

Ghana
  gold, cocoa, timber, tuna, bauxite, aluminum, manganese ore,
  diamonds, horticulture

Gibraltar
  (principally reexports) petroleum 51%, manufactured goods
  41%, other 8%

Greece
  food and beverages, manufactured goods, petroleum products,
  chemicals, textiles

Greenland
  fish and fish products 94% (prawns 63%) (2001 est.)

Grenada
  bananas, cocoa, nutmeg, fruit and vegetables, clothing, mace

Guam
  transshipments of refined petroleum products, construction
  materials, fish, food and beverage products

Guatemala
  coffee, sugar, petroleum, apparel, bananas, fruits and
  vegetables, cardamom

Guernsey
  tomatoes, flowers and ferns, sweet peppers, eggplant, other
  vegetables

Guinea
  bauxite, alumina, gold, diamonds, coffee, fish, agricultural
  products

Guinea-Bissau
  cashew nuts, shrimp, peanuts, palm kernels, sawn lumber

Guyana
  sugar, gold, bauxite, alumina, rice, shrimp, molasses, rum,
  timber

Haiti
  apparel, manufactures, oils, cocoa, mangoes, coffee

Honduras
  coffee, shrimp, bananas, gold, palm oil, fruit, lobster,
  lumber

Hong Kong
  electrical machinery and appliances, textiles, apparel,
  footwear, watches and clocks, toys, plastics, precious stones,
  printed material

Hungary
  machinery and equipment 61.1%, other manufactures 28.7%,
  food products 6.5%, raw materials 2%, fuels and electricity 1.6%
  (2003)

Iceland
  fish and fish products 70%, aluminum, animal products,
  ferrosilicon, diatomite

India
  petroleum products, textile goods, gems and jewelry,
  engineering goods, chemicals, leather manufactures

Indonesia
  oil and gas, electrical appliances, plywood, textiles,
  rubber

Iran
  petroleum 80%, chemical and petrochemical products, fruits and
  nuts, carpets

Iraq
  crude oil 84%, crude materials excluding fuels 8%, food and
  live animals 5%

Ireland
  machinery and equipment, computers, chemicals,
  pharmaceuticals; live animals, animal products

Isle of Man
  tweeds, herring, processed shellfish, beef, lamb

Israel
  machinery and equipment, software, cut diamonds, agricultural
  products, chemicals, textiles and apparel

Italy
  engineering products, textiles and clothing, production
  machinery, motor vehicles, transport equipment, chemicals; food,
  beverages and tobacco; minerals, and nonferrous metals

Jamaica
  alumina, bauxite, sugar, rum, coffee, yams, beverages,
  chemicals, wearing apparel, mineral fuels

Japan
  transport equipment, motor vehicles, semiconductors,
  electrical machinery, chemicals

Jersey
  light industrial and electrical goods, dairy cattle,
  foodstuffs, textiles

Jordan
  clothing, fertilizers, potash, phosphates, vegetables,
  pharmaceuticals

Kazakhstan
  oil and oil products 59%, ferrous metals 19%, chemicals
  5%, machinery 3%, grain, wool, meat, coal (2001)

Kenya
  tea, horticultural products, coffee, petroleum products, fish,
  cement

Kiribati
  copra 62%, coconuts, seaweed, fish

Korea, North
  minerals, metallurgical products, manufactures
  (including armaments), textiles, agricultural and fishery products

Korea, South
  semiconductors, wireless telecommunications equipment,
  motor vehicles, computers, steel, ships, petrochemicals

Kosovo
  mining and processed metal products, scrap metals, leather
  products, machinery, appliances

Kuwait
  oil and refined products, fertilizers

Kyrgyzstan
  cotton, wool, meat, tobacco; gold, mercury, uranium,
  natural gas, hydropower; machinery; shoes

Laos
  wood products, coffee, electricity, tin, copper, gold

Latvia
  wood and wood products, machinery and equipment, metals,
  textiles, foodstuffs

Lebanon
  jewelry, base metals, chemicals, miscellaneous consumer
  goods, fruit and vegetables, tobacco, construction minerals,
  electric power machinery and switchgear, textile fibers, paper

Lesotho
  manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool
  and mohair, food and live animals (2000)

Liberia
  rubber, timber, iron, diamonds, cocoa, coffee

Libya
  crude oil, refined petroleum products, natural gas, chemicals

Liechtenstein
  small specialty machinery, connectors for audio and
  video, parts for motor vehicles, dental products, hardware, prepared
  foodstuffs, electronic equipment, optical products

Lithuania
  mineral products 23%, textiles and clothing 16%, machinery
  and equipment 11%, chemicals 6%, wood and wood products 5%,
  foodstuffs 5% (2001)

Luxembourg
  machinery and equipment, steel products, chemicals,
  rubber products, glass

Macau
  clothing, textiles, footwear, toys, electronics, machinery and
  parts

Macedonia
  food, beverages, tobacco; textiles, miscellaneous
  manufactures, iron and steel

Madagascar
  coffee, vanilla, shellfish, sugar, cotton cloth,
  chromite, petroleum products

Malawi
  tobacco 53%, tea, sugar, cotton, coffee, peanuts, wood
  products, apparel

Malaysia
  electronic equipment, petroleum and liquefied natural gas,
  wood and wood products, palm oil, rubber, textiles, chemicals

Maldives
  fish

Mali
  cotton, gold, livestock

Malta
  machinery and transport equipment, manufactures

Marshall Islands
  copra cake, coconut oil, handicrafts, fish

Mauritania
  iron ore, fish and fish products, gold, copper, petroleum

Mauritius
  clothing and textiles, sugar, cut flowers, molasses, fish

Mayotte
  ylang-ylang (perfume essence), vanilla, copra, coconuts,
  coffee, cinnamon

Mexico
  manufactured goods, oil and oil products, silver, fruits,
  vegetables, coffee, cotton

Micronesia, Federated States of
  fish, garments, bananas, black
  pepper, sakau (kava), betel nut

Moldova
  foodstuffs, textiles, machinery

Mongolia
  copper, apparel, livestock, animal products, cashmere,
  wool, hides, fluorspar, other nonferrous metals, coal

Montserrat
  electronic components, plastic bags, apparel; hot
  peppers, limes, live plants; cattle

Morocco
  clothing and textiles, electric components, inorganic
  chemicals, transistors, crude minerals, fertilizers (including
  phosphates), petroleum products, citrus fruits, vegetables, fish

Mozambique
  aluminum, prawns, cashews, cotton, sugar, citrus, timber;
  bulk electricity

Namibia
  diamonds, copper, gold, zinc, lead, uranium; cattle,
  processed fish, karakul skins

Nauru
  phosphates

Nepal
  clothing, carpets, leather goods, jute goods, pulses, grain

Netherlands
  machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels; foodstuffs

Netherlands Antilles
  petroleum products

New Caledonia
  ferronickels, nickel ore, fish

New Zealand
  dairy products, meat, wood and wood products, fish,
  machinery

Nicaragua
  coffee, beef, shrimp and lobster, tobacco, sugar, gold,
  peanuts

Niger
  uranium ore, livestock, cowpeas, onions

Nigeria
  petroleum and petroleum products 95%, cocoa, rubber

Niue
  canned coconut cream, copra, honey, vanilla, passion fruit
  products, pawpaws, root crops, limes, footballs, stamps, handicrafts

Norfolk Island
  postage stamps, seeds of the Norfolk Island pine and
  Kentia palm, small quantities of avocados

Northern Mariana Islands
  garments

Norway
  petroleum and petroleum products, machinery and equipment,
  metals, chemicals, ships, fish

Oman
  petroleum, reexports, fish, metals, textiles

Pakistan
  textiles (garments, bed linen, cotton cloth, yarn), rice,
  leather goods, sports goods, chemicals, manufactures, carpets and
  rugs

Palau
  shellfish, tuna, copra, garments

Panama
  bananas, shrimp, sugar, coffee, clothing

Papua New Guinea
  oil, gold, copper ore, logs, palm oil, coffee,
  cocoa, crayfish, prawns

Paraguay
  soybeans, feed, cotton, meat, edible oils, electricity,
  wood, leather

Peru
  copper, gold, zinc, crude petroleum and petroleum products,
  coffee, potatoes, asparagus, textiles, fishmeal

Philippines
  semiconductors and electronic products, transport
  equipment, garments, copper products, petroleum products, coconut
  oil, fruits

Pitcairn Islands
  fruits, vegetables, curios, stamps

Poland
  machinery and transport equipment 37.8%, intermediate
  manufactured goods 23.7%, miscellaneous manufactured goods 17.1%,
  food and live animals 7.6% (2003)

Portugal
  agricultural products, food products, oil products,
  chemical products, plastics and rubber, skins and leather, wood and
  cork, wood pulp and paper, textile materials, clothing, footwear,
  minerals and mineral products, base metals, machinery and tools,
  vehicles and other transport material, and optical and precision
  instruments

Puerto Rico
  chemicals, electronics, apparel, canned tuna, rum,
  beverage concentrates, medical equipment

Qatar
  liquefied natural gas (LNG), petroleum products, fertilizers,
  steel

Romania
  machinery and equipment, textiles and footwear, metals and
  metal products, machinery and equipment, minerals and fuels,
  chemicals, agricultural products

Russia
  petroleum and petroleum products, natural gas, wood and wood
  products, metals, chemicals, and a wide variety of civilian and
  military manufactures

Rwanda
  coffee, tea, hides, tin ore

Saint Helena
  fish (frozen, canned, and salt-dried skipjack, tuna),
  coffee, handicrafts

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  machinery, food, electronics, beverages,
  tobacco

Saint Lucia
  bananas 41%, clothing, cocoa, vegetables, fruits,
  coconut oil

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  fish and fish products, soybeans, animal
  feed, mollusks and crustaceans, fox and mink pelts

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  bananas, eddoes and dasheen (taro),
  arrowroot starch; tennis racquets

Samoa
  fish, coconut oil and cream, copra, taro, automotive parts,
  garments, beer

San Marino
  building stone, lime, wood, chestnuts, wheat, wine, baked
  goods, hides, ceramics

Sao Tome and Principe
  cocoa 80%, copra, coffee, palm oil

Saudi Arabia
  petroleum and petroleum products 90%

Senegal
  fish, groundnuts (peanuts), petroleum products, phosphates,
  cotton

Serbia
  manufactured goods, food and live animals, machinery and
  transport equipment

Seychelles
  canned tuna, frozen fish, cinnamon bark, copra, petroleum
  products (reexports)

Sierra Leone
  diamonds, rutile, cocoa, coffee, fish

Singapore
  machinery and equipment (including electronics), consumer
  goods, pharmaceuticals and other chemicals, mineral fuels

Slovakia
  vehicles 25.9%, machinery and electrical equipment 21.3%,
  base metals 14.6%, chemicals and minerals 10.1%, plastics 5.4% (2004)

Slovenia
  manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment,
  chemicals, food

Solomon Islands
  timber, fish, copra, palm oil, cocoa

Somalia
  livestock, bananas, hides, fish, charcoal, scrap metal

South Africa
  gold, diamonds, platinum, other metals and minerals,
  machinery and equipment

Spain
  machinery, motor vehicles; foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals,
  medicines, other consumer goods

Sri Lanka
  textiles and apparel, tea and spices; diamonds, emeralds,
  rubies; coconut products, rubber manufactures, fish

Sudan
  oil and petroleum products; cotton, sesame, livestock,
  groundnuts, gum arabic, sugar

Suriname
  alumina, gold, crude oil, lumber, shrimp and fish, rice,
  bananas

Swaziland
  soft drink concentrates, sugar, wood pulp, cotton yarn,
  refrigerators, citrus and canned fruit

Sweden
  machinery 35%, motor vehicles, paper products, pulp and wood,
  iron and steel products, chemicals

Switzerland
  machinery, chemicals, metals, watches, agricultural
  products

Syria
  crude oil, minerals, petroleum products, fruits and
  vegetables, cotton fiber, textiles, clothing, meat and live animals,
  wheat

Taiwan
  electronics, flat panels, machinery, metals, textiles,
  plastics, chemicals, auto parts (2008)

Tajikistan
  aluminum, electricity, cotton, fruits, vegetable oil,
  textiles

Tanzania
  gold, coffee, cashew nuts, manufactures, cotton

Thailand
  textiles and footwear, fishery products, rice, rubber,
  jewelry, automobiles, computers and electrical appliances

Timor-Leste
  coffee, sandalwood, marble; note - potential for oil and
  vanilla exports

Togo
  reexports, cotton, phosphates, coffee, cocoa

Tokelau
  stamps, copra, handicrafts

Tonga
  squash, fish, vanilla beans, root crops

Trinidad and Tobago
  petroleum and petroleum products, liquefied
  natural gas (LNG), methanol, ammonia, urea, steel products,
  beverages, cereal and cereal products, sugar, cocoa, coffee, citrus
  fruit, vegetables, flowers

Tunisia
  clothing, semi-finished goods and textiles, agricultural
  products, mechanical goods, phosphates and chemicals, hydrocarbons,
  electrical equipment

Turkey
  apparel, foodstuffs, textiles, metal manufactures, transport
  equipment

Turkmenistan
  gas, crude oil, petrochemicals, textiles, cotton fiber

Turks and Caicos Islands
  lobster, dried and fresh conch, conch shells

Tuvalu
  copra, fish

Uganda
  coffee, fish and fish products, tea, cotton, flowers,
  horticultural products; gold

Ukraine
  ferrous and nonferrous metals, fuel and petroleum products,
  chemicals, machinery and transport equipment, food products

United Arab Emirates
  crude oil 45%, natural gas, reexports, dried
  fish, dates

United Kingdom
  manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals; food,
  beverages, tobacco

United States
  agricultural products (soybeans, fruit, corn) 9.2%,
  industrial supplies (organic chemicals) 26.8%, capital goods
  (transistors, aircraft, motor vehicle parts, computers,
  telecommunications equipment) 49.0%, consumer goods (automobiles,
  medicines) 15.0% (2003)

Uruguay
  meat, rice, leather products, wool, fish, dairy products

Uzbekistan
  cotton, gold, energy products, mineral fertilizers,
  ferrous and non-ferrous metals, textiles, food products, machinery,
  automobiles

Vanuatu
  copra, beef, cocoa, timber, kava, coffee

Venezuela
  petroleum, bauxite and aluminum, steel, chemicals,
  agricultural products, basic manufactures

Vietnam
  crude oil, marine products, rice, coffee, rubber, tea,
  garments, shoes

Virgin Islands
  refined petroleum products

Wallis and Futuna
  copra, chemicals, construction materials

West Bank
  olives, fruit, vegetables, limestone

Western Sahara
  phosphates 62%

World
  the whole range of industrial and agricultural goods and
  services
  top ten - share of world trade: electrical machinery, including
  computers 14.8%; mineral fuels, including oil, coal, gas, and
  refined products 14.4%; nuclear reactors, boilers, and parts 14.2%;
  cars, trucks, and buses 8.9%; scientific and precision instruments
  3.5%; plastics 3.4%; iron and steel 2.7%; organic chemicals 2.6%;
  pharmaceutical products 2.6%; diamonds, pearls, and precious stones
  1.9% (2006 est.)

Yemen
  crude oil, coffee, dried and salted fish

Zambia
  copper/cobalt 64%, cobalt, electricity; tobacco, flowers,
  cotton

Zimbabwe
  platinum, cotton, tobacco, gold, ferroalloys,
  textiles/clothing

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

@2050

Field Listing :: Exports - partners

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

Exports - partners(%)

Afghanistan
  India 20.5%, Pakistan 18.5%, US 17.2%, Tajikistan 13.3%,
  Netherlands 7.2% (2008)

Albania
  Italy 55.9%, Greece 11.6%, China 7.2% (2008)

Algeria
  US 23.9%, Italy 15.5%, Spain 11.4%, France 8%, Netherlands
  7.8%, Canada 6.8% (2008)

Angola
  China 33%, US 28.7%, France 6%, South Africa 4.6%, Canada
  4.1% (2008)

Argentina
  Brazil 18.9%, China 9.1%, US 7.9%, Chile 6.7%, Netherlands
  4.2% (2008)

Armenia
  Russia 20.2%, Germany 17.2%, Netherlands 12.2%, Belgium
  8.5%, Georgia 7.7%, Bulgaria 5.7%, US 4.9% (2008)

Aruba
  Panama 22.3%, Colombia 19.5%, Venezuela 17.1%, US 13.8%,
  Netherlands Antilles 10.8%, Netherlands 7.3% (2008)

Australia
  Japan 22.2%, China 14.6%, South Korea 8.2%, India 6.1%, US
  5.5%, NZ 4.3%, UK 4.2% (2008)

Austria
  Germany 29.5%, Italy 8.6%, US 4.3%, Switzerland 4.2% (2008)

Azerbaijan
  Italy 40.2%, US 12.6%, Israel 7.6%, India 5.1%, France
  4.9% (2008)

Bahamas, The
  US 21.6%, Singapore 19%, Poland 18.2%, Germany 7.7%,
  Japan 7.5% (2008)

Bahrain
  Saudi Arabia 3.4%, India 2.7%, UAE 2.2% (2008)

Bangladesh
  US 21%, Germany 13.2%, UK 8.6%, France 6.3%, Netherlands
  4.7% (2008)

Barbados
  Trinidad and Tobago 15.6%, Jamaica 13.9%, Brazil 9.9%, US
  8.7%, UK 7.8%, Saint Lucia 7.3%, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  4.5% (2008)

Belarus
  Russia 32.2%, Netherlands 16.9%, Ukraine 8.5%, Latvia 6.6%,
  Poland 5.5%, UK 4.4% (2008)

Belgium
  Germany 19.8%, France 17.4%, Netherlands 12.2%, UK 7.2%, US
  4.8%, Italy 4.7% (2008)

Belize
  US 35.6%, UK 21.5%, Cote d'Ivoire 5.3%, Italy 4.5%, Nigeria
  4% (2008)

Benin
  China 15.6%, India 12%, Japan 8.5%, Niger 4.9%, US 4.6%,
  Nigeria 4.3% (2008)

Bermuda
  Brazil 24.7%, US 16.2%, Germany 12.2%, South Africa 8.9%
  (2008)

Bhutan
  India 89%, Bangladesh 6.5%, Italy 1.2% (2008)

Bolivia
  Brazil 60.1%, US 8.3%, Japan 4.1% (2008)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  Croatia 20.7%, Slovenia 16.7%, Italy 16.7%,
  Germany 13%, Austria 10.3%, Hungary 4.8% (2008)

Brazil
  US 14.4%, China 12.4%, Argentina 8.4%, Netherlands 5%,
  Germany 4.5% (2008)

Brunei
  Japan 40.8%, Indonesia 21.6%, South Korea 15.4%, Australia
  10% (2008)

Bulgaria
  Greece 9.9%, Germany 9.2%, Turkey 8.9%, Italy 8.5%, Romania
  7.2%, Belgium 5.9%, France 4.1% (2008)

Burkina Faso
  Singapore 17%, Belgium 12.9%, China 11.3%, Thailand
  9.1%, Ghana 7%, Niger 5.2%, Denmark 4.9% (2008)

Burma
  Thailand 52.3%, India 12.7%, China 8.9%, Japan 4.4% (2008)

Burundi
  Switzerland 27.9%, UK 11%, Pakistan 9.5%, Belgium 5.1%,
  Rwanda 5%, Egypt 4.7% (2008)

Cambodia
  US 54.4%, Germany 7.7%, Canada 5.9%, UK 5.5%, Vietnam 4.5%
  (2008)

Cameroon
  Spain 19.8%, Italy 13.5%, US 10.6%, France 8.2%,
  Netherlands 8.1%, China 7.9%, Belgium 4% (2008)

Canada
  US 77.7%, UK 2.7%, Japan 2.3% (2008)

Cape Verde
  Japan 37.5%, Spain 28.5%, Portugal 17.5%, Morocco 4.8%
  (2008)

Central African Republic
  Japan 40.4%, Belgium 9.8%, China 8.2%,
  Morocco 6%, Indonesia 5.6%, France 4.4%, Italy 4.1%, Democratic
  Republic of the Congo 4% (2008)

Chad
  US 92.8%, Japan 2.2%, France 1.5% (2008)

Chile
  China 14.2%, US 11.3%, Japan 10.4%, Brazil 5.9%, South Korea
  5.7%, Netherlands 5.2%, Italy 4.4% (2008)

China
  US 17.7%, Hong Kong 13.3%, Japan 8.1%, South Korea 5.2%,
  Germany 4.1% (2008)

Colombia
  US 38%, Venezuela 16.2%, Ecuador 4% (2008)

Comoros
  France 27.1%, Turkey 15.2%, India 9.5%, Greece 9.4%, Brazil
  8.9%, Algeria 7%, Singapore 6.8%, Saudi Arabia 4.3% (2008)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  China 48.4%, Belgium 15.8%,
  Finland 9.8%, US 8.3%, Zambia 4.5% (2008)

Congo, Republic of the
  US 45.1%, China 32.3%, France 6% (2008)

Costa Rica
  US 23.9%, Netherlands 13.3%, China 12.9%, UK 5%, Mexico
  4.9% (2008)

Cote d'Ivoire
  Germany 10.9%, US 10.1%, Netherlands 9.7%, Nigeria
  9.3%, France 6.4%, Burkina Faso 4% (2008)

Croatia
  Italy 18.9%, Bosnia and Herzegovina 15.3%, Germany 10.7%,
  Slovenia 7.7%, Austria 5.7% (2008)

Cuba
  Canada 27.8%, China 26.6%, Spain 6.2%, Netherlands 5.5% (2008)

Cyprus
  Greece 20.1%, UK 10.8%, Germany 6% (2008)

Czech Republic
  Germany 30.6%, Slovakia 9.2%, Poland 6.5%, France
  5.3%, UK 4.8%, Austria 4.7%, Italy 4.6% (2008)

Denmark
  Germany 18%, Sweden 14.5%, UK 8.2%, Norway 5.7%, US 5.3%,
  France 4.8%, Netherlands 4.6% (2008)

Djibouti
  Somalia 79.9%, UAE 4.1%, Yemen 4.1% (2008)

Dominica
  Japan 33.5%, China 17.8%, Antigua and Barbuda 6.7%, Guyana
  5.7%, Jamaica 4.7%, UK 4.7% (2008)

Dominican Republic
  US 58.1%, Haiti 9.3%, Netherlands 2.9% (2008)

Ecuador
  US 45.3%, Peru 9.2%, Chile 8.1%, Panama 4.8%, Colombia 4.2%
  (2008)

Egypt
  Italy 9.4%, US 7.1%, India 6.2%, Spain 6.1%, Syria 4.7%, Saudi
  Arabia 4.6%, Japan 4.5%, Germany 4.5% (2008)

El Salvador
  US 47.5%, Guatemala 14.2%, Honduras 11.5%, Nicaragua
  4.6% (2008)

Equatorial Guinea
  US 22.7%, Spain 18.2%, China 14.7%, France 7.9%,
  Italy 6%, South Korea 5.4% (2008)

Eritrea
  Itlay 25.3%, Sudan 17.2%, China 15.8%, India 8.8%, France
  6.7%, Saudi Arabia 6.5%, Russia 4.1% (2008)

Estonia
  Finland 18.3%, Sweden 13.8%, Russia 10.3%, Latvia 10%,
  Lithuania 5.7%, Germany 5.1%, US 4.8% (2008)

Ethiopia
  Germany 11.8%, Saudi Arabia 8.7%, Netherlands 8.6%, US
  8.1%, Switzerland 7.7%, Italy 6.1%, China 6%, Sudan 5.5%, Japan 4.4%
  (2008)

Faroe Islands
  Denmark 27.3%, UK 18.6%, Croatia 12%, Norway 11.7%,
  Nigeria 10%, Netherlands 5.5% (2008)

Fiji
  US 15.2%, UK 11.6%, Australia 10.2%, Samoa 5.2%, Tonga 4.6%,
  Japan 4.1% (2008)

Finland
  Russia 11.6%, Sweden 10%, Germany 10%, US 6.4%, UK 5.5%,
  Netherlands 5.1% (2008)

France
  Germany 14.3%, Italy 8.7%, Spain 8.3%, UK 7.8%, Belgium 7.6%,
  US 5.8%, Netherlands 4.2% (2008)

Gabon
  US 25.4%, China 19.1%, Japan 10.2%, France 5.4%, Spain 4%
  (2008)

Gambia, The
  India 30.5%, Japan 25.6%, Belgium 6.3%, China 5.5%, UK
  5.3%, Spain 4.1% (2008)

Georgia
  Turkey 16.9%, Azerbaijan 12.4%, Ukraine 8.5%, Canada 8.4%,
  Bulgaria 8.2%, Armenia 7.7%, US 7.1%, UK 4.2% (2008)

Germany
  France 9.7%, US 7.1%, UK 6.7%, Netherlands 6.6%, Italy 6.4%,
  Austria 5.4%, Belgium 5.2%, Spain 4.4%, Poland 4% (2008)

Ghana
  Netherlands 13.5%, Ukraine 11.8%, UK 8%, France 5.7%, US 5.2%
  (2008)

Greece
  Italy 11.5%, Germany 10.5%, Bulgaria 7%, Cyprus 6.2%, US 5%,
  UK 4.7%, Romania 4.4% (2008)

Greenland
  Denmark 63.5%, Japan 11.1%, China 4.9%, Canada 4.8% (2008)

Grenada
  Saint Lucia 16.4%, US 11.4%, UK 11.3%, Antigua and Barbuda
  11.1%, Saint Kitts & Nevis 10%, Dominica 10%, France 6.4% (2008)

Guatemala
  US 39.4%, El Salvador 12.6%, Honduras 9.5%, Mexico 6.6%,
  Nicaragua 4.2%, Costa Rica 4.1% (2008)

Guinea
  India 28.9%, Spain 10%, Russia 9.5%, Germany 6.7%, US 5.8%,
  Ireland 4.2%, France 4.1% (2008)

Guinea-Bissau
  India 56.8%, Nigeria 35.6%, Pakistan 1.2% (2008)

Guyana
  Canada 20.8%, US 15.2%, UK 12.3%, Netherlands 7.2%, Portugal
  4.7%, Trinidad and Tobago 4.7%, Jamaica 4.5%, Ukraine 4.3% (2008)

Haiti
  US 70.7%, Dominican Republic 8.9%, Canada 3.1% (2008)

Honduras
  US 62.1%, Guatemala 5.2%, El Salvador 5%, Mexico 4.1% (2008)

Hong Kong
  China 48.5%, US 12.8%, Japan 4.3% (2008)

Hungary
  Germany 26.5%, Italy 5.4%, Romania 5.3%, Austria 4.9%,
  Slovakia 4.7%, France 4.7%, UK 4.5%, Czech Republic 4% (2008)

Iceland
  Netherlands 33.8%, UK 11.7%, Germany 11.5%, US 5.8%, Japan
  4.9%, Norway 4.1% (2008)

India
  US 12.3%, UAE 9.4%, China 9.3% (2008)

Indonesia
  Japan 20.2%, US 9.5%, Singapore 9.4%, China 8.5%, South
  Korea 6.7%, India 5.2%, Malaysia 4.7% (2008)

Iran
  China 15.3%, Japan 14.3%, India 10.4%, South Korea 6.4%, Turkey
  6.4%, Italy 4.5% (2008)

Iraq
  US 37.3%, India 13.8%, Italy 9.4%, South Korea 6.8% (2008)

Ireland
  UK 18.6%, US 18.6%, Belgium 14.7%, Germany 7%, France 5.9%,
  Spain 4.2% (2008)

Israel
  US 32.5%, Belgium 7.5%, Hong Kong 6.7% (2008)

Italy
  Germany 12.8%, France 11.2%, Spain 6.6%, US 6.3%, UK 5.3%
  (2008)

Jamaica
  US 40.3%, Canada 10.6%, UK 9.2%, Netherlands 7.9%, France
  5.4%, Russia 5.2% (2008)

Japan
  US 17.8%, China 16%, South Korea 7.6%, Hong Kong 5.1% (2008)

Jordan
  India 16.2%, Iraq 16.1%, US 13.2%, Saudi Arabia 6.9%, UAE
  4.6% (2008)

Kazakhstan
  China 13.5%, Russia 12%, Germany 10.6%, Italy 6.9%,
  Romania 6.6%, France 5.7%, Ukraine 5.4%, Turkey 4.1% (2008)

Kenya
  UK 10%, Netherlands 9.2%, Uganda 9%, Tanzania 8.7%, US 6.3%,
  Pakistan 5.6% (2008)

Korea, North
  South Korea 45%, China 35%, India 5% (2007)

Korea, South
  China 21.4%, US 10.9%, Japan 6.6%, Hong Kong 4.6% (2008)

Kuwait
  Japan 18.4%, South Korea 14.6%, India 11.5%, US 8.9%,
  Singapore 7.9%, China 6.1% (2008)

Kyrgyzstan
  Switzerland 27.2%, Russia 19.2%, Uzbekistan 14.3%,
  Kazakhstan 11.4%, France 6.7% (2008)

Laos
  Thailand 35.5%, Vietnam 15.5%, China 8.5% (2008)

Latvia
  Lithuania 15.5%, Russia 14.7%, Estonia 13.2%, Germany 7.7%,
  Sweden 6.2%, Denmark 4.3% (2008)

Lebanon
  Syria 24.9%, UAE 12.9%, Switzerland 6.6%, Saudi Arabia 6.1%,
  Turkey 4.2% (2008)

Lesotho
  US 58.9%, Belgium 37%, Madagascar 1.2% (2008)

Liberia
  India 26.5%, US 17.9%, Poland 13.9%, Germany 10.1%, Belgium
  6.8% (2008)

Libya
  Italy 38%, Germany 12%, France 7.4%, Spain 6.9%, US 6.4%,
  Switzerland 4.6% (2008)

Lithuania
  Russia 16%, Latvia 11.6%, Germany 7.2%, Poland 5.8%,
  Estonia 5.7%, France 4.9%, UK 4.7%, Denmark 4.7%, Belarus 4.5% (2008)

Luxembourg
  Germany 21.8%, France 17.4%, Belgium 10%, Italy 6.9%, UK
  6.5%, Netherlands 6%, Spain 4.9% (2008)

Macau
  US 39.9%, Hong Kong 19.7%, China 12.3%, Germany 4% (2008)

Macedonia
  Serbia and Montenegro 20.4%, Germany 15.4%, Greece 12.4%,
  Bulgaria 10.1%, Italy 8.8%, Croatia 6.5% (2008)

Madagascar
  France 38.9%, US 20.3%, Germany 5% (2008)

Malawi
  South Africa 14.2%, Egypt 9.8%, Zimbabwe 8.6%, US 7.4%,
  Netherlands 7%, Russia 5.7%, Germany 5.7% (2008)

Malaysia
  Singapore 14.7%, US 12.5%, Japan 10.8%, China 9.5%,
  Thailand 4.8%, Hong Kong 4.3% (2008)

Maldives
  Thailand 34.4%, UK 13.8%, France 12.2%, Italy 9%, Sri Lanka
  8.5% (2008)

Mali
  China 26.7%, Thailand 10.7%, Denmark 6.4%, Pakistan 5.2%,
  Morocco 5% (2008)

Malta
  Germany 13.5%, Singapore 13%, France 12.2%, US 9.6%, UK 8.2%,
  Hong Kong 6.7%, Japan 6.4%, Italy 4.7% (2008)

Mauritania
  China 41.4%, France 10.2%, Spain 7%, Italy 6.9%,
  Netherlands 5.4%, Belgium 4.7%, Cote d'Ivoire 4% (2008)

Mauritius
  UK 30.8%, France 15.1%, US 8.6%, Italy 6.5%, Belgium 5.3%,
  UAE 5.1%, Madagascar 4.1% (2008)

Mexico
  US 80.2%, Canada 2.4%, Germany 1.7% (2008)

Moldova
  Morocco 48.3%, Russia 15.2%, Romania 8.1%, Italy 5% (2008)

Mongolia
  China 74%, Canada 9.4%, Russia 3.3% (2008)

Morocco
  Spain 19.2%, France 17.6%, Brazil 7.1%, US 4.5%, Belgium
  4.5%, Italy 4.3% (2008)

Mozambique
  Netherlands 55.5%, South Africa 9.2%, Zimbabwe 2.1% (2008)

Nepal
  India 59.2%, US 8.7%, Bangladesh 8.3%, Germany 4.3% (2008)

Netherlands
  Germany 25.5%, Belgium 13.8%, France 8.9%, UK 8.8%,
  Italy 5.2% (2008)

Netherlands Antilles
  US 19%, Guatemala 10.6%, Dominican Republic
  9.3%, Haiti 7.4%, Singapore 6.7%, Bahamas, The 5.9%, Italy 4.5%,
  Honduras 4.4%, Mexico 4.1% (2008)

New Caledonia
  France 18.9%, Japan 18.3%, Spain 7.3%, China 6.5%,
  Belgium 5.4%, Australia 4.6% (2008)

New Zealand
  Australia 23.1%, US 10.1%, Japan 8.4%, China 5.8% (2008)

Nicaragua
  US 32.3%, El Salvador 14.6%, Costa Rica 6.9%, Honduras
  6.8%, Mexico 5.3%, Canada 5%, Guatemala 5% (2008)

Niger
  Japan 80.4%, Nigeria 8.5%, France 2.9% (2008)

Nigeria
  US 41.4%, India 10.4%, Brazil 9.4%, Spain 7.2%, France 4.6%
  (2008)

Norway
  UK 27%, Germany 12.8%, Netherlands 10.4%, France 9.4%, Sweden
  6.5%, US 4.5% (2008)

Oman
  China 31.7%, South Korea 17%, UAE 11.7%, Japan 11%, Thailand
  7.1% (2008)

Pakistan
  US 16%, UAE 11.7%, Afghanistan 8.6%, UK 4.5%, China 4.2%
  (2008)

Panama
  US 39.2%, Netherlands 10.7%, Costa Rica 5.8%, Sweden 5.4%, UK
  5.4%, Spain 5%, China 4.1% (2008)

Papua New Guinea
  Australia 27.2%, Japan 9.2%, China 5.1% (2008)

Paraguay
  Argentina 31.7%, Brazil 15.9%, Uruguay 11.7%, Chile 6.4%,
  Russia 5.7% (2008)

Peru
  US 20%, China 15.2%, Canada 8.3%, Japan 7%, Chile 5.8%, Brazil
  4.2% (2008)

Philippines
  US 16.7%, Japan 15.7%, China 11.1%, Hong Kong 10.1%,
  Netherlands 7.5%, Singapore 5.3%, South Korea 5.1%, Germany 5% (2008)

Poland
  Germany 24.9%, France 6.2%, Italy 6%, UK 5.7%, Czech Republic
  5.6%, Russia 5.3% (2008)

Portugal
  Spain 25.7%, Germany 12.7%, France 11.1%, Angola 5.9%, UK
  5.3% (2008)

Qatar
  Japan 38.5%, South Korea 20.9%, Singapore 11.1%, India 4.5%,
  Thailand 4.4% (2008)

Romania
  Germany 16.5%, Italy 15.6%, France 7.4%, Turkey 6.6%,
  Hungary 5.1%, Bulgaria 4.2% (2008)

Russia
  Netherlands 11.2%, Italy 8.1%, Germany 8%, Turkey 6%, Ukraine
  5.1%, Poland 4.5%, China 4.3% (2008)

Rwanda
  China 9.1%, Thailand 8.6%, Germany 7.3%, US 4.5%, Belgium
  4.1% (2008)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  US 65.7%, Azerbaijan 7.5%, Canada 6% (2008)

Saint Lucia
  UK 23.6%, US 19.3%, South Korea 16.6%, Antigua and
  Barbuda 5.9%, Dominica 5.8%, Barbados 5.2%, Trinidad and Tobago 4.8%
  (2008)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  Greece 31.8%, France 18.9%, India
  9.9%, China 8.3%, Italy 7.5% (2008)

Samoa
  Australia 36.8%, American Samoa 35.3%, US 2.9% (2008)

Sao Tome and Principe
  Japan 77.5%, Belgium 7.7%, Netherlands 6.4%
  (2008)

Saudi Arabia
  US 17.1%, Japan 15.2%, South Korea 10.1%, China 9.3%,
  India 7%, Singapore 4.4% (2008)

Senegal
  Mali 19.6%, India 7.2%, France 5.5%, Gambia, The 5.4%, Italy
  4.9% (2008)

Seychelles
  UK 21.1%, France 19.1%, Mauritius 10.1%, Japan 7.9%,
  Italy 7.8%, Netherlands 6% (2008)

Sierra Leone
  Belgium 35.6%, US 20.1%, India 15.2%, France 4.9% (2008)

Singapore
  Malaysia 12.1%, Indonesia 10.5%, Hong Kong 10.3%, China
  9.2%, US 7.1%, Japan 4.9%, Australia 4.1% (2008)

Slovakia
  Germany 20%, Czech Republic 13.1%, France 6.7%, Poland
  6.6%, Hungary 6.3%, Austria 5.9%, Italy 5.8%, UK 4.7% (2008)

Slovenia
  Germany 18.7%, Italy 11.7%, Croatia 8.3%, Austria 7.5%,
  France 5.7%, Russia 4.8% (2008)

Solomon Islands
  China 47.7%, Thailand 6.7%, Spain 5.4%, South Korea
  5.2%, Philippines 4.6% (2008)

Somalia
  UAE 56.2%, Yemen 21%, Saudi Arabia 3.6% (2008)

South Africa
  Japan 11.1%, US 11.1%, Germany 8%, UK 6.8%, China 6%,
  Netherlands 5.2% (2008)

Spain
  France 18.4%, Germany 10.6%, Portugal 8.7%, Italy 8%, UK 6.7%,
  US 4.2% (2008)

Sri Lanka
  US 21.6%, UK 11.9%, India 6.8%, Germany 5.1%, Belgium
  4.8%, Italy 4.7% (2008)

Sudan
  China 49.8%, Japan 33.4%, Indonesia 5.5% (2008)

Suriname
  Canada 36.2%, Belgium 12.5%, Norway 12.4%, UAE 8.9%, US
  7.7% (2008)

Sweden
  Germany 10.4%, Norway 9.5%, Denmark 7.4%, UK 7.3%, US 6.6%,
  Finland 6.3%, Netherlands 5.1%, France 4.9%, Belgium 4.4% (2008)

Switzerland
  Germany 19.8%, US 9.6%, Italy 8.7%, France 8.6%, UK 5.2%
  (2008)

Syria
  Iraq 30.9%, Germany 9.8%, Lebanon 9.7%, Italy 6.4%, France
  5.5%, Egypt 5.4%, Saudi Arabia 5.1% (2008)

Taiwan
  China 29.2%, US 12%, Hong Kong 9.8%, Japan 6.9%, Singapore
  4.6% (2008 est.)

Tajikistan
  Netherlands 36.7%, Turkey 26.5%, Russia 8.6%, Iran 6.6%,
  China 5.7%, Uzbekistan 5.1% (2008)

Tanzania
  India 8.1%, Japan 6.5%, China 6.3%, UAE 5.7%, Netherlands
  5.6%, Germany 5.1% (2008)

Thailand
  US 11.4%, Japan 11.4%, China 9.2%, Singapore 5.7%, Hong
  Kong 5.6%, Malaysia 5.6%, Australia 4.3% (2008)

Togo
  Ghana 12.7%, Burkina Faso 11%, Germany 9.8%, South Africa 7.3%,
  Benin 6.9%, India 6.3%, Brazil 4.9%, Belgium 4.8%, Mali 4.4%,
  Netherlands 4.3% (2008)

Tonga
  US 29.6%, Japan 12%, NZ 12%, Fiji 7.1%, Samoa 6%, Australia
  4.8%, South Korea 4.4%, Hong Kong 4.3% (2008)

Trinidad and Tobago
  US 44.5%, Spain 7.8%, Jamaica 6.9%, Netherlands
  6.9%, Mexico 4.9% (2008)

Tunisia
  France 28.3%, Italy 17.9%, Germany 9.6%, Libya 5.8%, Spain
  5% (2008)

Turkey
  Germany 9.8%, UK 6.2%, UAE 6%, Italy 5.9%, France 5%, Russia
  4.9% (2008)

Turkmenistan
  Ukraine 51.7%, Poland 10%, Hungary 8.1% (2008)

Uganda
  Sudan 14.3%, Kenya 9.5%, Switzerland 9%, Rwanda 7.9%, UAE
  7.4%, Democratic Republic of the Congo 7.3%, UK 6.9%, Netherlands
  4.7%, Germany 4.4% (2008)

Ukraine
  Russia 23.5%, Turkey 6.9%, Italy 4.4% (2008)

United Arab Emirates
  Japan 23%, South Korea 9.4%, India 7.9%, Iran
  6.5%, Thailand 5.3% (2008)

United Kingdom
  US 13.8%, Germany 11.5%, Netherlands 7.8%, France
  7.6%, Ireland 7.5%, Belgium 5.3%, Spain 4.1% (2008)

United States
  Canada 20.1%, Mexico 11.7%, China 5.5%, Japan 5.1%,
  Germany 4.2%, UK 4.1% (2008)

Uruguay
  Brazil 18.7%, China 8.5%, Argentina 7.3%, Germany 6.5%,
  Mexico 4.9%, Netherlands 4.5%, Russia 4.3% (2008)

Uzbekistan
  Ukraine 27.3%, Russia 19.6%, Turkey 7.5%, Kazakhstan
  5.9%, Bangladesh 5%, China 4.3%, Japan 4.1% (2008)

Vanuatu
  Thailand 83%, Japan 5.9%, Belgium 1.8% (2008)

Venezuela
  US 40.7%, Netherlands Antilles 7.8%, China 4.7% (2008)

Vietnam
  US 18.9%, Japan 13.6%, China 7.2%, Australia 6.7%, Singapore
  4.2% (2008)

World
  US 12.7%, Germany 7.2%, China 6.4%, France 4.5%, Japan 4.3%,
  UK 4.2% (2008)

Yemen
  China 28.4%, Thailand 23.6%, India 16.1%, South Africa 13.4%,
  Japan 4.7% (2008)

Zambia
  China 14.2%, South Africa 8.5%, Democratic Republic of the
  Congo 8.1%, Saudi Arabia 7.9%, South Korea 7.9%, Egypt 7.7%, Italy
  6.9%, Belgium 4.1% (2008)

Zimbabwe
  South Africa 32.1%, Democratic Republic of the Congo 9.7%,
  Botswana 8.7%, China 5.6%, Zambia 4.8%, Japan 4.5%, Italy 4.4%, US
  4.3% (2008)

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

@2051

Field Listing :: Administrative divisions

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

Administrative divisions

Afghanistan
  34 provinces (welayat, singular - welayat); Badakhshan,
  Badghis, Baghlan, Balkh, Bamyan, Daykundi, Farah, Faryab, Ghazni,
  Ghor, Helmand, Herat, Jowzjan, Kabul, Kandahar, Kapisa, Khost,
  Kunar, Kunduz, Laghman, Logar, Nangarhar, Nimroz, Nuristan, Paktika,
  Paktiya, Panjshir, Parwan, Samangan, Sar-e Pul, Takhar, Uruzgan,
  Wardak, Zabul

Albania
  12 counties (qarqe, singular - qark); Berat, Diber, Durres,
  Elbasan, Fier, Gjirokaster, Korce, Kukes, Lezhe, Shkoder, Tirane,
  Vlore

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

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

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

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

Anguilla
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

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

Argentina
  23 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1
  autonomous city* (distrito federal); Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires
  Capital Federal*, Catamarca, Chaco, Chubut, Cordoba, Corrientes,
  Entre Rios, Formosa, Jujuy, La Pampa, La Rioja, Mendoza, Misiones,
  Neuquen, Rio Negro, Salta, San Juan, San Luis, Santa Cruz, Santa Fe,
  Santiago del Estero, Tierra del Fuego - Antartida e Islas del
  Atlantico Sur, Tucuman
  note: the US does not recognize any claims to Antarctica

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

Aruba
  none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

Australia
  6 states and 2 territories*; Australian Capital
  Territory*, New South Wales, Northern Territory*, Queensland, South
  Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia

Austria
  9 states (Bundeslaender, singular - Bundesland); Burgenland,
  Kaernten (Carinthia), Niederoesterreich (Lower Austria),
  Oberoesterreich (Upper Austria), Salzburg, Steiermark (Styria),
  Tirol (Tyrol), Vorarlberg, Wien (Vienna)

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

Bahamas, The
  21 districts; Acklins and Crooked Islands, Bimini, Cat
  Island, Exuma, Freeport, Fresh Creek, Governor's Harbour, Green
  Turtle Cay, Harbour Island, High Rock, Inagua, Kemps Bay, Long
  Island, Marsh Harbour, Mayaguana, New Providence, Nichollstown and
  Berry Islands, Ragged Island, Rock Sound, Sandy Point, San Salvador,
  and Rum Cay

Bahrain
  5 governorates; Asamah, Janubiyah, Muharraq, Shamaliyah,
  Wasat
  note: each governorate administered by an appointed governor

Bangladesh
  6 divisions; Barisal, Chittagong, Dhaka, Khulna,
  Rajshahi, Sylhet

Barbados
  11 parishes and 1 city*; Bridgetown*, Christ Church, Saint
  Andrew, Saint George, Saint James, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint
  Lucy, Saint Michael, Saint Peter, Saint Philip, Saint Thomas

Belarus
  6 provinces (voblastsi, singular - voblasts') and 1
  municipality* (horad); Brest, Homyel', Horad Minsk*, Hrodna,
  Mahilyow, Minsk, Vitsyebsk
  note: administrative divisions have the same names as their
  administrative centers

Belgium
  3 regions (French: regions, singular - region; Dutch:
  gewesten, singular - gewest); Brussels-Capital Region, also known as
  Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest (Dutch), Region de Bruxelles-Capitale
  (French long form), Bruxelles-Capitale (French short form); Flemish
  Region (Flanders), also known as Vlaams Gewest (Dutch long form),
  Vlaanderen (Dutch short form), Region Flamande (French long form),
  Flandre (French short form); Walloon Region (Wallonia), also known
  as Region Wallone (French long form), Wallonie (French short form),
  Waals Gewest (Dutch long form), Wallonie (Dutch short form)
  note: as a result of the 1993 constitutional revision that furthered
  devolution into a federal state, there are now three levels of
  government (federal, regional, and linguistic community) with a
  complex division of responsibilities

Belize
  6 districts; Belize, Cayo, Corozal, Orange Walk, Stann Creek,
  Toledo

Benin
  12 departments; Alibori, Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou,
  Collines, Kouffo, Donga, Littoral, Mono, Oueme, Plateau, Zou

Bermuda
  9 parishes and 2 municipalities*; Devonshire, Hamilton,
  Hamilton*, Paget, Pembroke, Saint George*, Saint George's, Sandys,
  Smith's, Southampton, Warwick

Bhutan
  20 districts (dzongkhag, singular and plural); Bumthang,
  Chhukha, Chirang, Daga, Gasa, Geylegphug, Ha, Lhuntshi, Mongar,
  Paro, Pemagatsel, Punakha, Samchi, Samdrup Jongkhar, Shemgang,
  Tashigang, Tashi Yangtse, Thimphu, Tongsa, Wangdi Phodrang

Bolivia
  9 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento);
  Beni, Chuquisaca, Cochabamba, La Paz, Oruro, Pando, Potosi, Santa
  Cruz, Tarija

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  2 first-order administrative divisions and 1
  internationally supervised district* - Brcko district (Brcko
  Distrikt)*, the Bosniak/Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
  (Federacija Bosna i Hercegovina) and the Bosnian Serb-led Republika
  Srpska; note - Brcko district is in northeastern Bosnia and is an
  administrative unit under the sovereignty of Bosnia and Herzegovina;
  the district remains under international supervision

Botswana
  9 districts and 5 town councils*; Central, Francistown*,
  Gaborone*, Ghanzi, Jwaneng*, Kgalagadi, Kgatleng, Kweneng, Lobatse*,
  Northeast, Northwest, Selebi-Pikwe*, Southeast, Southern

Brazil
  26 states (estados, singular - estado) and 1 federal
  district* (distrito federal); Acre, Alagoas, Amapa, Amazonas, Bahia,
  Ceara, Distrito Federal*, Espirito Santo, Goias, Maranhao, Mato
  Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, Para, Paraiba, Parana,
  Pernambuco, Piaui, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Norte, Rio Grande
  do Sul, Rondonia, Roraima, Santa Catarina, Sao Paulo, Sergipe,
  Tocantins

British Virgin Islands
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Brunei
  4 districts (daerah-daerah, singular - daerah); Belait,
  Brunei-Muara, Temburong, Tutong

Bulgaria
  28 provinces (oblasti, singular - oblast); Blagoevgrad,
  Burgas, Dobrich, Gabrovo, Khaskovo, Kurdzhali, Kyustendil, Lovech,
  Montana, Pazardzhik, Pernik, Pleven, Plovdiv, Razgrad, Ruse, Shumen,
  Silistra, Sliven, Smolyan, Sofiya, Sofiya-Grad, Stara Zagora,
  Turgovishte, Varna, Veliko Turnovo, Vidin, Vratsa, Yambol

Burkina Faso
  45 provinces; Bale, Bam, Banwa, Bazega, Bougouriba,
  Boulgou, Boulkiemde, Comoe, Ganzourgou, Gnagna, Gourma, Houet, Ioba,
  Kadiogo, Kenedougou, Komondjari, Kompienga, Kossi, Koulpelogo,
  Kouritenga, Kourweogo, Leraba, Loroum, Mouhoun, Nahouri, Namentenga,
  Nayala, Noumbiel, Oubritenga, Oudalan, Passore, Poni, Sanguie,
  Sanmatenga, Seno, Sissili, Soum, Sourou, Tapoa, Tuy, Yagha, Yatenga,
  Ziro, Zondoma, Zoundweogo

Burma
  7 divisions (taing-myar, singular - taing) and 7 states* (pyi
  ne-myar, singular - pyi ne)
  divisions: Ayeyarwady, Bago, Magway, Mandalay, Sagaing, Tanintharyi,
  Yangon
  states: Chin, Kachin, Kayah, Kayin, Mon, Rakhine, Shan

Burundi
  17 provinces; Bubanza, Bujumbura Mairie, Bujumbura Rurale,
  Bururi, Cankuzo, Cibitoke, Gitega, Karuzi, Kayanza, Kirundo,
  Makamba, Muramvya, Muyinga, Mwaro, Ngozi, Rutana, Ruyigi

Cambodia
  23 provinces (khett, singular and plural) and 1
  municipality (krong, singular and plural)
  provinces: Banteay Mean Cheay, Batdambang, Kampong Cham, Kampong
  Chhnang, Kampong Spoe, Kampong Thum, Kampot, Kandal, Kaoh Kong, Keb,
  Krachen, Mondol Kiri, Otdar Mean Cheay, Pailin, Pouthisat, Preah
  Seihanu (Sihanoukville), Preah Vihear, Prey Veng, Rotanah Kiri, Siem
  Reab, Stoeng Treng, Svay Rieng, Takev
  municipalities: Phnum Penh (Phnom Penh)

Cameroon
  10 regions (regions, singular - region); Adamaoua, Centre,
  Est, Extreme-Nord, Littoral, Nord, North-West (Nord-Ouest), Ouest,
  Sud, South-West (Sud-Ouest)

Canada
  10 provinces and 3 territories*; Alberta, British Columbia,
  Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest
  Territories*, Nova Scotia, Nunavut*, Ontario, Prince Edward Island,
  Quebec, Saskatchewan, Yukon Territory*

Cape Verde
  17 municipalities (concelhos, singular - concelho); Boa
  Vista, Brava, Maio, Mosteiros, Paul, Praia, Porto Novo, Ribeira
  Grande, Sal, Santa Catarina, Santa Cruz, Sao Domingos, Sao Filipe,
  Sao Miguel, Sao Nicolau, Sao Vicente, Tarrafal

Cayman Islands
  8 districts; Creek, Eastern, Midland, South Town,
  Spot Bay, Stake Bay, West End, Western

Central African Republic
  14 prefectures (prefectures, singular -
  prefecture), 2 economic prefectures* (prefectures economiques,
  singular - prefecture economique), and 1 commune**;
  Bamingui-Bangoran, Bangui**, Basse-Kotto, Haute-Kotto, Haut-Mbomou,
  Kemo, Lobaye, Mambere-Kadei, Mbomou, Nana-Grebizi*, Nana-Mambere,
  Ombella-Mpoko, Ouaka, Ouham, Ouham-Pende, Sangha-Mbaere*, Vakaga

Chad
  18 regions (regions, singular - region); Batha,
  Borkou-Ennedi-Tibesti, Chari-Baguirmi, Guera, Hadjer-Lamis, Kanem,
  Lac, Logone Occidental, Logone Oriental, Mandoul, Mayo-Kebbi Est,
  Mayo-Kebbi Ouest, Moyen-Chari, Ouaddai, Salamat, Tandjile, Ville de
  N'Djamena, Wadi Fira

Chile
  15 regions (regiones, singular - region); Aisen del General
  Carlos Ibanez del Campo, Antofagasta, Araucania, Arica y Parinacota,
  Atacama, Biobio, Coquimbo, Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins,
  Los Lagos, Los Rios, Magallanes y de la Antartica Chilena, Maule,
  Region Metropolitana (Santiago), Tarapaca, Valparaiso
  note: the US does not recognize claims to Antarctica

China
  23 provinces (sheng, singular and plural), 5 autonomous
  regions (zizhiqu, singular and plural), and 4 municipalities (shi,
  singular and plural)
  provinces: Anhui, Fujian, Gansu, Guangdong, Guizhou, Hainan, Hebei,
  Heilongjiang, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Jilin,
  Liaoning, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, Sichuan, Yunnan,
  Zhejiang; (see note on Taiwan)
  autonomous regions: Guangxi, Nei Mongol, Ningxia, Xinjiang Uygur,
  Xizang (Tibet)
  municipalities: Beijing, Chongqing, Shanghai, Tianjin
  note: China considers Taiwan its 23rd province; see separate entries
  for the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau

Christmas Island
  none (territory of Australia)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  none (territory of Australia)

Colombia
  32 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and
  1 capital district* (distrito capital); Amazonas, Antioquia, Arauca,
  Atlantico, Bogota*, Bolivar, Boyaca, Caldas, Caqueta, Casanare,
  Cauca, Cesar, Choco, Cordoba, Cundinamarca, Guainia, Guaviare,
  Huila, La Guajira, Magdalena, Meta, Narino, Norte de Santander,
  Putumayo, Quindio, Risaralda, San Andres y Providencia, Santander,
  Sucre, Tolima, Valle del Cauca, Vaupes, Vichada

Comoros
  3 islands and 4 municipalities*; Grande Comore (N'gazidja),
  Anjouan (Ndzuwani), Domoni*, Fomboni*, Moheli (Mwali), Moroni*,
  Moutsamoudou*

Congo, Democratic Republic of the 10 provinces (provinces, singular - province) and 1 city* (ville); Bandundu, Bas-Congo, Equateur, Kasai-Occidental, Kasai-Oriental, Katanga, Kinshasa*, Maniema, Nord-Kivu, Orientale, Sud-Kivu note: according to the Constitution adopted in December 2005, the current administrative divisions will be subdivided into 26 new provinces by 2009

Congo, Republic of the
  10 regions (regions, singular - region) and 1
  commune*; Bouenza, Brazzaville*, Cuvette, Cuvette-Ouest, Kouilou,
  Lekoumou, Likouala, Niari, Plateaux, Pool, Sangha

Cook Islands
  none

Costa Rica
  7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Alajuela,
  Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose

Cote d'Ivoire
  19 regions; Agneby, Bafing, Bas-Sassandra, Denguele,
  Dix-Huit Montagnes, Fromager, Haut-Sassandra, Lacs, Lagunes,
  Marahoue, Moyen-Cavally, Moyen-Comoe, N'zi-Comoe, Savanes,
  Sud-Bandama, Sud-Comoe, Vallee du Bandama, Worodougou, Zanzan

Croatia
  20 counties (zupanije, zupanija - singular) and 1 city*
  (grad - singular); Bjelovarsko-Bilogorska, Brodsko-Posavska,
  Dubrovacko-Neretvanska (Dubrovnik-Neretva), Istarska (Istria),
  Karlovacka, Koprivnicko-Krizevacka, Krapinsko-Zagorska,
  Licko-Senjska (Lika-Senj), Medimurska, Osjecko-Baranjska,
  Pozesko-Slavonska (Pozega-Slavonia), Primorsko-Goranska,
  Sibensko-Kninska, Sisacko-Moslavacka, Splitsko-Dalmatinska
  (Split-Dalmatia), Varazdinska, Viroviticko-Podravska,
  Vukovarsko-Srijemska, Zadarska, Zagreb*, Zagrebacka

Cuba
  14 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 special
  municipality* (municipio especial); Camaguey, Ciego de Avila,
  Cienfuegos, Ciudad de La Habana, Granma, Guantanamo, Holguin, Isla
  de la Juventud*, La Habana, Las Tunas, Matanzas, Pinar del Rio,
  Sancti Spiritus, Santiago de Cuba, Villa Clara

Cyprus
  6 districts; Famagusta, Kyrenia, Larnaca, Limassol, Nicosia,
  Paphos; note - Turkish Cypriot area's administrative divisions
  include Kyrenia, all but a small part of Famagusta, and small parts
  of Nicosia (Lefkosia)

Czech Republic
  13 regions (kraje, singular - kraj) and 1 capital
  city* (hlavni mesto); Jihocesky (South Bohemia), Jihomoravsky (South
  Moravia), Karlovarsky, Kralovehradecky, Liberecky, Moravskoslezsky
  (Moravia-Silesia), Olomoucky, Pardubicky, Plzensky (Pilsen), Praha
  (Prague)*, Stredocesky (Central Bohemia), Ustecky, Vysocina, Zlinsky

Denmark
  metropolitan Denmark - 5 regions (regioner, singular -
  region); Hovedstaden, Midtjylland, Nordjylland, Sjaelland, Syddanmark
  note: an extensive local government reform merged 271 municipalities
  into 98 and 13 counties into five regions, effective 1 January 2007

Djibouti
  6 districts (cercles, singular - cercle); Ali Sabieh, Arta,
  Dikhil, Djibouti, Obock, Tadjourah

Dominica
  10 parishes; Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint
  John, Saint Joseph, Saint Luke, Saint Mark, Saint Patrick, Saint
  Paul, Saint Peter

Dominican Republic
  31 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia)
  and 1 district* (distrito); Azua, Bahoruco, Barahona, Dajabon,
  Distrito Nacional*, Duarte, El Seibo, Elias Pina, Espaillat, Hato
  Mayor, Independencia, La Altagracia, La Romana, La Vega, Maria
  Trinidad Sanchez, Monsenor Nouel, Monte Cristi, Monte Plata,
  Pedernales, Peravia, Puerto Plata, Salcedo, Samana, San Cristobal,
  San Jose de Ocoa, San Juan, San Pedro de Macoris, Sanchez Ramirez,
  Santiago, Santiago Rodriguez, Santo Domingo, Valverde

Ecuador
  24 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Azuay,
  Bolivar, Canar, Carchi, Chimborazo, Cotopaxi, El Oro, Esmeraldas,
  Galapagos, Guayas, Imbabura, Loja, Los Rios, Manabi,
  Morona-Santiago, Napo, Orellana, Pastaza, Pichincha, Santa Elena,
  Santo Domingo de los Tsachilas, Sucumbios, Tungurahua,
  Zamora-Chinchipe

Egypt
  26 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Ad
  Daqahliyah, Al Bahr al Ahmar (Red Sea), Al Buhayrah (El Beheira), Al
  Fayyum (El Faiyum), Al Gharbiyah, Al Iskandariyah (Alexandria), Al
  Isma'iliyah (Ismailia), Al Jizah (Giza), Al Minufiyah (El Monofia),
  Al Minya, Al Qahirah (Cairo), Al Qalyubiyah, Al Wadi al Jadid (New
  Valley), As Suways (Suez), Ash Sharqiyah, Aswan, Asyut, Bani Suwayf
  (Beni Suef), Bur Sa'id (Port Said), Dumyat (Damietta), Janub Sina'
  (South Sinai), Kafr ash Shaykh, Matruh (Western Desert), Qina
  (Qena), Shamal Sina' (North Sinai), Suhaj (Sohag)

El Salvador
  14 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento);
  Ahuachapan, Cabanas, Chalatenango, Cuscatlan, La Libertad, La Paz,
  La Union, Morazan, San Miguel, San Salvador, San Vicente, Santa Ana,
  Sonsonate, Usulutan

Equatorial Guinea
  7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia);
  Annobon, Bioko Norte, Bioko Sur, Centro Sur, Kie-Ntem, Litoral,
  Wele-Nzas

Eritrea
  6 regions (zobatat, singular - zoba); Anseba, Debub
  (Southern), Debubawi K'eyih Bahri (Southern Red Sea), Gash Barka,
  Ma'akel (Central), Semenawi Keyih Bahri (Northern Red Sea)

Estonia
  15 counties (maakonnad, singular - maakond); Harjumaa
  (Tallinn), Hiiumaa (Kardla), Ida-Virumaa (Johvi), Jarvamaa (Paide),
  Jogevamaa (Jogeva), Laanemaa (Haapsalu), Laane-Virumaa (Rakvere),
  Parnumaa (Parnu), Polvamaa (Polva), Raplamaa (Rapla), Saaremaa
  (Kuressaare), Tartumaa (Tartu), Valgamaa (Valga), Viljandimaa
  (Viljandi), Vorumaa (Voru)
  note: counties have the administrative center name following in
  parentheses

Ethiopia
  9 ethnically based states (kililoch, singular - kilil) and
  2 self-governing administrations* (astedaderoch, singular -
  astedader); Adis Abeba* (Addis Ababa), Afar, Amara (Amhara),
  Binshangul Gumuz, Dire Dawa*, Gambela Hizboch (Gambela Peoples),
  Hareri Hizb (Harari People), Oromiya (Oromia), Sumale (Somali),
  Tigray, Ye Debub Biheroch Bihereseboch na Hizboch (Southern Nations,
  Nationalities and Peoples)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  none (overseas territory of the
  UK; also claimed by Argentina)

Faroe Islands
  none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing
  overseas administrative division of Denmark); there are no
  first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US
  Government, but there are 34 municipalities

Fiji
  4 divisions and 1 dependency*; Central, Eastern, Northern,
  Rotuma*, Western

Finland
  6 provinces (laanit, singular - laani); Ahvenanmaan Laani
  (Aland), Etela-Suomen Laani (Southern Finland), Ita-Suomen Laani
  (Eastern Finland), Lansi-Suomen Laani (Western Finland), Lapin Laani
  (Lapland), Oulun Laani

France
  26 regions (regions, singular - region); Alsace, Aquitaine,
  Auvergne, Basse-Normandie (Lower Normandy), Bourgogne (Burgundy),
  Bretagne (Brittany), Centre, Champagne-Ardenne, Corse (Corsica),
  Franche-Comte, Guadeloupe, Guyane (French Guiana), Haute-Normandie
  (Upper Normandy), Ile-de-France, Languedoc-Roussillon, Limousin,
  Lorraine, Martinique, Midi-Pyrenees, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, Pays de la
  Loire, Picardie, Poitou-Charentes, Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur,
  Reunion, Rhone-Alpes
  note: France is divided into 22 metropolitan regions (including the
  "territorial collectivity" of Corse or Corsica) and 4 overseas
  regions (including French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, and
  Reunion) and is subdivided into 96 metropolitan departments and 4
  overseas departments (which are the same as the overseas regions)

French Polynesia
  none (overseas lands of France); there are no
  first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US
  Government, but there are five archipelagic divisions named Archipel
  des Marquises, Archipel des Tuamotu, Archipel des Tubuai, Iles du
  Vent, Iles Sous-le-Vent

French Southern and Antarctic Lands none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are five administrative districts named Iles Crozet, Iles Eparses, Iles Kerguelen, Ile Saint-Paul et Ile Amsterdam; the fifth district is the "Adelie Land" claim in Antarctica that is not recognized by the US

Gabon
  9 provinces; Estuaire, Haut-Ogooue, Moyen-Ogooue, Ngounie,
  Nyanga, Ogooue-Ivindo, Ogooue-Lolo, Ogooue-Maritime, Woleu-Ntem

Gambia, The
  5 divisions and 1 city*; Banjul*, Central River, Lower
  River, North Bank, Upper River, Western

Georgia
  9 regions (mkharebi, singular - mkhare), 1 city (k'alak'i),
  and 2 autonomous republics (avtomnoy respubliki, singular - avtom
  respublika)
  regions: Guria, Imereti, Kakheti, Kvemo Kartli, Mtskheta-Mtianeti,
  Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti, Samegrelo and Zemo Svaneti,
  Samtskhe-Javakheti, Shida Kartli
  city: Tbilisi
  autonomous republics: Abkhazia or Ap'khazet'is Avtonomiuri
  Respublika (Sokhumi), Ajaria or Acharis Avtonomiuri Respublika
  (Bat'umi)
  note: the administrative centers of the two autonomous republics are
  shown in parentheses

Germany
  16 states (Laender, singular - Land); Baden-Wurttemberg,
  Bayern (Bavaria), Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Hessen,
  Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania),
  Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony), Nordrhein-Westfalen (North
  Rhine-Westphalia), Rheinland-Pfalz (Rhineland-Palatinate), Saarland,
  Sachsen (Saxony), Sachsen-Anhalt (Saxony-Anhalt),
  Schleswig-Holstein, Thuringen (Thuringia); note - Bayern, Sachsen,
  and Thuringen refer to themselves as free states (Freistaaten,
  singular - Freistaat)

Ghana
  10 regions; Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo, Central, Eastern, Greater
  Accra, Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Volta, Western

Gibraltar
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Greece
  51 prefectures (nomoi, singular - nomos) and 1 autonomous
  region*; Achaia, Agion Oros* (Mt. Athos), Aitolia kai Akarnania,
  Argolis, Arkadia, Arta, Attiki, Chalkidiki, Chanion, Chios,
  Dodekanisos, Drama, Evros, Evrytania, Evvoia, Florina, Fokidos,
  Fthiotis, Grevena, Ileia, Imathia, Ioannina, Irakleion, Karditsa,
  Kastoria, Kavala, Kefallinia, Kerkyra, Kilkis, Korinthia, Kozani,
  Kyklades, Lakonia, Larisa, Lasithi, Lefkas, Lesvos, Magnisia,
  Messinia, Pella, Pieria, Preveza, Rethynnis, Rodopi, Samos, Serrai,
  Thesprotia, Thessaloniki, Trikala, Voiotia, Xanthi, Zakynthos

Greenland
  3 districts (landsdele); Avannaa (Nordgronland), Tunu
  (Ostgronland), Kitaa (Vestgronland)
  note: there are 18 municipalities in Greenland

Grenada
  6 parishes and 1 dependency*; Carriacou and Petite
  Martinique*, Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint John,
  Saint Mark, Saint Patrick

Guam
  none (territory of the US)

Guatemala
  22 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento);
  Alta Verapaz, Baja Verapaz, Chimaltenango, Chiquimula, El Progreso,
  Escuintla, Guatemala, Huehuetenango, Izabal, Jalapa, Jutiapa, Peten,
  Quetzaltenango, Quiche, Retalhuleu, Sacatepequez, San Marcos, Santa
  Rosa, Solola, Suchitepequez, Totonicapan, Zacapa

Guernsey
  none (British crown dependency); there are no first-order
  administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there
  are 10 parishes including Castel, Forest, Saint Andrew, Saint
  Martin, Saint Peter Port, Saint Pierre du Bois, Saint Sampson, Saint
  Saviour, Torteval, Vale

Guinea
  33 prefectures and 1 special zone (zone special)*; Beyla,
  Boffa, Boke, Conakry*, Coyah, Dabola, Dalaba, Dinguiraye, Dubreka,
  Faranah, Forecariah, Fria, Gaoual, Gueckedou, Kankan, Kerouane,
  Kindia, Kissidougou, Koubia, Koundara, Kouroussa, Labe, Lelouma,
  Lola, Macenta, Mali, Mamou, Mandiana, Nzerekore, Pita, Siguiri,
  Telimele, Tougue, Yomou

Guinea-Bissau
  9 regions (regioes, singular - regiao); Bafata,
  Biombo, Bissau, Bolama, Cacheu, Gabu, Oio, Quinara, Tombali; note -
  Bolama may have been renamed Bolama/Bijagos

Guyana
  10 regions; Barima-Waini, Cuyuni-Mazaruni, Demerara-Mahaica,
  East Berbice-Corentyne, Essequibo Islands-West Demerara,
  Mahaica-Berbice, Pomeroon-Supenaam, Potaro-Siparuni, Upper
  Demerara-Berbice, Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo

Haiti
  10 departments (departements, singular - departement);
  Artibonite, Centre, Grand 'Anse, Nippes, Nord, Nord-Est, Nord-Ouest,
  Ouest, Sud, Sud-Est

Holy See (Vatican City)
  none

Honduras
  18 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento);
  Atlantida, Choluteca, Colon, Comayagua, Copan, Cortes, El Paraiso,
  Francisco Morazan, Gracias a Dios, Intibuca, Islas de la Bahia, La
  Paz, Lempira, Ocotepeque, Olancho, Santa Barbara, Valle, Yoro

Hong Kong
  none (special administrative region of China)

Hungary
  19 counties (megyek, singular - megye), 23 urban counties
  (singular - megyei varos), and 1 capital city (fovaros)
  counties: Bacs-Kiskun, Baranya, Bekes, Borsod-Abauj-Zemplen,
  Csongrad, Fejer, Gyor-Moson-Sopron, Hajdu-Bihar, Heves,
  Jasz-Nagykun-Szolnok, Komarom-Esztergom, Nograd, Pest, Somogy,
  Szabolcs-Szatmar-Bereg, Tolna, Vas, Veszprem, Zala
  urban counties: Bekescsaba, Debrecen, Dunaujvaros, Eger, Erd, Gyor,
  Hodmezovasarhely, Kaposvar, Kecskemet, Miskolc, Nagykanizsa,
  Nyiregyhaza, Pecs, Salgotarjan, Sopron, Szeged, Szekesfehervar,
  Szekszard, Szolnok, Szombathely, Tatabanya, Veszprem, Zalaegerszeg
  capital city: Budapest

Iceland
  8 regions; Austurland, Hofudhborgarsvaedhi, Nordhurland
  Eystra, Nordhurland Vestra, Sudhurland, Sudhurnes, Vestfirdhir,
  Vesturland

India
  28 states and 7 union territories*; Andaman and Nicobar
  Islands*, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar,
  Chandigarh*, Chhattisgarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli*, Daman and Diu*,
  Delhi*, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir,
  Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Lakshadweep*, Madhya Pradesh,
  Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Orissa,
  Puducherry*, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar
  Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal

Indonesia
  30 provinces (provinsi-provinsi, singular - provinsi), 2
  special regions* (daerah-daerah istimewa, singular - daerah
  istimewa), and 1 special capital city district** (daerah khusus
  ibukota); Aceh*, Bali, Banten, Bengkulu, Gorontalo, Jakarta Raya**,
  Jambi, Jawa Barat, Jawa Tengah, Jawa Timur, Kalimantan Barat,
  Kalimantan Selatan, Kalimantan Tengah, Kalimantan Timur, Kepulauan
  Bangka Belitung, Kepulauan Riau, Lampung, Maluku, Maluku Utara, Nusa
  Tenggara Barat, Nusa Tenggara Timur, Papua, Papua Barat, Riau,
  Sulawesi Barat, Sulawesi Selatan, Sulawesi Tengah, Sulawesi
  Tenggara, Sulawesi Utara, Sumatera Barat, Sumatera Selatan, Sumatera
  Utara, Yogyakarta*
  note: following the implementation of decentralization beginning on
  1 January 2001, the 465 regencies and municipalities have become the
  key administrative units responsible for providing most government
  services

Iran
  30 provinces (ostanha, singular - ostan); Ardabil, Azarbayjan-e
  Gharbi, Azarbayjan-e Sharqi, Bushehr, Chahar Mahal va Bakhtiari,
  Esfahan, Fars, Gilan, Golestan, Hamadan, Hormozgan, Ilam, Kerman,
  Kermanshah, Khorasan-e Jonubi, Khorasan-e Razavi, Khorasan-e
  Shomali, Khuzestan, Kohgiluyeh va Bowyer Ahmad, Kordestan, Lorestan,
  Markazi, Mazandaran, Qazvin, Qom, Semnan, Sistan va Baluchestan,
  Tehran, Yazd, Zanjan

Iraq
  18 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah) and 1
  region*; Al Anbar, Al Basrah, Al Muthanna, Al Qadisiyah, An Najaf,
  Arbil, As Sulaymaniyah, At Ta'mim, Babil, Baghdad, Dahuk, Dhi Qar,
  Diyala, Karbala', Kurdistan Regional Government*, Maysan, Ninawa,
  Salah ad Din, Wasit

Ireland
  29 counties and 5 cities*; Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Cork,
  Cork*, Donegal, Dublin*, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, Fingal, Galway,
  Galway*, Kerry, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Leitrim, Limerick,
  Limerick*, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, North Tipperary,
  Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, South Dublin, South Tipperary, Waterford,
  Waterford*, Westmeath, Wexford, Wicklow

Isle of Man
  none; there are no first-order administrative divisions
  as defined by the US Government, but there are 24 local authorities
  each with its own elections

Israel
  6 districts (mehozot, singular - mehoz); Central, Haifa,
  Jerusalem, Northern, Southern, Tel Aviv

Italy
  15 regions (regioni, singular - regione) and 5 autonomous
  regions (regioni autonome, singular - regione autonoma)
  regions: Abruzzo, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Emilia-Romagna,
  Lazio (Latium), Liguria, Lombardia, Marche, Molise, Piemonte
  (Piedmont), Puglia (Apulia), Toscana (Tuscany), Umbria, Veneto
  (Venetia)
  autonomous regions: Friuli-Venezia Giulia; Sardegna (Sardinia);
  Sicilia (Sicily); Trentino-South Tyrol, also known as Trentino-Alto
  Adige (Italian), Trentino-Suedtirol (German); Aosta Valley, also
  known as Valle d'Aosta (Italian), Vallee d'Aoste (French)

Jamaica
  14 parishes; Clarendon, Hanover, Kingston, Manchester,
  Portland, Saint Andrew, Saint Ann, Saint Catherine, Saint Elizabeth,
  Saint James, Saint Mary, Saint Thomas, Trelawny, Westmoreland
  note: for local government purposes, Kingston and Saint Andrew were
  amalgamated in 1923 into the present single corporate body known as
  the Kingston and Saint Andrew Corporation

Japan
  47 prefectures; Aichi, Akita, Aomori, Chiba, Ehime, Fukui,
  Fukuoka, Fukushima, Gifu, Gunma, Hiroshima, Hokkaido, Hyogo,
  Ibaraki, Ishikawa, Iwate, Kagawa, Kagoshima, Kanagawa, Kochi,
  Kumamoto, Kyoto, Mie, Miyagi, Miyazaki, Nagano, Nagasaki, Nara,
  Niigata, Oita, Okayama, Okinawa, Osaka, Saga, Saitama, Shiga,
  Shimane, Shizuoka, Tochigi, Tokushima, Tokyo, Tottori, Toyama,
  Wakayama, Yamagata, Yamaguchi, Yamanashi

Jersey
  none (British crown dependency); there are no first-order
  administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there
  are 12 parishes including Grouville, Saint Brelade, Saint Clement,
  Saint Helier, Saint John, Saint Lawrence, Saint Martin, Saint Mary,
  Saint Ouen, Saint Peter, Saint Saviour, and Trinity

Jordan
  12 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Ajlun, Al
  'Aqabah, Al Balqa', Al Karak, Al Mafraq, 'Amman, At Tafilah, Az
  Zarqa', Irbid, Jarash, Ma'an, Madaba

Kazakhstan
  14 provinces (oblystar, singular - oblys) and 3 cities*
  (qalalar, singular - qala); Almaty Oblysy, Almaty Qalasy*, Aqmola
  Oblysy (Astana), Aqtobe Oblysy, Astana Qalasy*, Atyrau Oblysy, Batys
  Qazaqstan Oblysy (Oral), Bayqongyr Qalasy*, Mangghystau Oblysy
  (Aqtau), Ongtustik Qazaqstan Oblysy (Shymkent), Pavlodar Oblysy,
  Qaraghandy Oblysy, Qostanay Oblysy, Qyzylorda Oblysy, Shyghys
  Qazaqstan Oblysy (Oskemen), Soltustik Qazaqstan Oblysy
  (Petropavlovsk), Zhambyl Oblysy (Taraz)
  note: administrative divisions have the same names as their
  administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center
  name following in parentheses); in 1995, the Governments of
  Kazakhstan and Russia entered into an agreement whereby Russia would
  lease for a period of 20 years an area of 6,000 sq km enclosing the
  Baykonur space launch facilities and the city of Bayqongyr
  (Baykonur, formerly Leninsk); in 2004, a new agreement extended the
  lease to 2050

Kenya
  7 provinces and 1 area*; Central, Coast, Eastern, Nairobi
  Area*, North Eastern, Nyanza, Rift Valley, Western

Kiribati
  3 units; Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, Phoenix Islands;
  note - in addition, there are 6 districts (Banaba, Central Gilberts,
  Line Islands, Northern Gilberts, Southern Gilberts, Tarawa) and 21
  island councils - one for each of the inhabited islands (Abaiang,
  Abemama, Aranuka, Arorae, Banaba, Beru, Butaritari, Kanton,
  Kiritimati, Kuria, Maiana, Makin, Marakei, Nikunau, Nonouti, Onotoa,
  Tabiteuea, Tabuaeran, Tamana, Tarawa, Teraina)

Korea, North
  9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 2
  municipalities (si, singular and plural)
  provinces: Chagang-do (Chagang), Hamgyong-bukto (North Hamgyong),
  Hamgyong-namdo (South Hamgyong), Hwanghae-bukto (North Hwanghae),
  Hwanghae-namdo (South Hwanghae), Kangwon-do (Kangwon),
  P'yongan-bukto (North P'yongan), P'yongan-namdo (South P'yongan),
  Yanggang-do (Yanggang)
  municipalities: Nason-si, P'yongyang-si

Korea, South
  9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 7
  metropolitan cities (gwangyoksi, singular and plural)
  provinces: Cheju-do, Cholla-bukto (North Cholla), Cholla-namdo
  (South Cholla), Ch'ungch'ong-bukto (North Ch'ungch'ong),
  Ch'ungch'ong-namdo (South Ch'ungch'ong), Kangwon-do, Kyonggi-do,
  Kyongsang-bukto (North Kyongsang), Kyongsang-namdo (South Kyongsang)
  metropolitan cities: Inch'on-gwangyoksi, Kwangju-gwangyoksi,
  Pusan-gwangyoksi, Soul-t'ukpyolsi, Taegu-gwangyoksi,
  Taejon-gwangyoksi, Ulsan-gwangyoksi

Kosovo
  30 municipalities (komunat, singular - komuna in Albanian;
  opstine, singular - opstina in Serbian); Decan (Decani), Dragash
  (Dragas), Ferizaj (Urosevac), Fushe Kosove (Kosovo Polje), Gjakove
  (Dakovica), Gjilan (Gnjilane), Gllogovc/Drenas (Glogovac), Istog
  (Istok), Kacanik, Kamenice/Dardana (Kamenica), Kline (Klina),
  Leposaviq (Leposavic), Lipjan (Lipljan), Malisheve (Malisevo),
  Mitrovice (Mitrovica), Novoberde (Novo Brdo), Obiliq (Obilic), Peje
  (Pec), Podujeve (Podujevo), Prishtine (Pristina), Prizren, Rahovec
  (Orahovac), Shterpce (Strpce), Shtime (Stimlje), Skenderaj (Srbica),
  Suhareke (Suva Reka), Viti (Vitina), Vushtrri (Vucitrn), Zubin
  Potok, Zvecan

Kuwait
  6 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Ahmadi,
  Al 'Asimah, Al Farwaniyah, Al Jahra', Hawalli, Mubarak al Kabir

Kyrgyzstan
  7 provinces (oblastlar, singular - oblasty) and 1 city*
  (shaar); Batken Oblasty, Bishkek Shaary*, Chuy Oblasty (Bishkek),
  Jalal-Abad Oblasty, Naryn Oblasty, Osh Oblasty, Talas Oblasty,
  Ysyk-Kol Oblasty (Karakol)
  note: administrative divisions have the same names as their
  administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center
  name following in parentheses)

Laos
  16 provinces (khoueng, singular and plural) and 1 capital city*
  (nakhon luang, singular and plural); Attapu, Bokeo, Bolikhamxai,
  Champasak, Houaphan, Khammouan, Louangnamtha, Louangphrabang,
  Oudomxai, Phongsali, Salavan, Savannakhet, Viangchan (Vientiane)*,
  Viangchan, Xaignabouli, Xekong, Xiangkhoang

Latvia
  26 counties (singular - rajons) and 7 municipalities*:
  Aizkraukles Rajons, Aluksnes Rajons, Balvu Rajons, Bauskas Rajons,
  Cesu Rajons, Daugavpils*, Daugavpils Rajons, Dobeles Rajons,
  Gulbenes Rajons, Jekabpils Rajons, Jelgava*, Jelgavas Rajons,
  Jurmala*, Kraslavas Rajons, Kuldigas Rajons, Liepaja*, Liepajas
  Rajons, Limbazu Rajons, Ludzas Rajons, Madonas Rajons, Ogres Rajons,
  Preilu Rajons, Rezekne*, Rezeknes Rajons, Riga*, Rigas Rajons,
  Saldus Rajons, Talsu Rajons, Tukuma Rajons, Valkas Rajons, Valmieras
  Rajons, Ventspils*, Ventspils Rajons

Lebanon
  6 governorates (mohafazat, singular - mohafazah); Beqaa,
  Beyrouth (Beirut), Liban-Nord, Liban-Sud, Mont-Liban, Nabatiye
  note: two new governorates - Aakar and Baalbek-Hermel - have been
  legislated but not yet implemented

Lesotho
  10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru,
  Mohale's Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka

Liberia
  15 counties; Bomi, Bong, Gbarpolu, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape
  Mount, Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru, Lofa, Margibi, Maryland, Montserrado,
  Nimba, River Cess, River Gee, Sinoe

Libya
  25 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ajdabiya,
  Al 'Aziziyah, Al Fatih, Al Jabal al Akhdar, Al Jufrah, Al Khums, Al
  Kufrah, An Nuqat al Khams, Ash Shati', Awbari, Az Zawiyah, Banghazi,
  Darnah, Ghadamis, Gharyan, Misratah, Murzuq, Sabha, Sawfajjin, Surt,
  Tarabulus, Tarhunah, Tubruq, Yafran, Zlitan; note - the 25
  municipalities may have been replaced by 13 regions

Liechtenstein
  11 communes (Gemeinden, singular - Gemeinde); Balzers,
  Eschen, Gamprin, Mauren, Planken, Ruggell, Schaan, Schellenberg,
  Triesen, Triesenberg, Vaduz

Lithuania
  10 counties (apskritys, singular - apskritis); Alytaus,
  Kauno, Klaipedos, Marijampoles, Panevezio, Siauliu, Taurages,
  Telsiu, Utenos, Vilniaus

Luxembourg
  3 districts; Diekirch, Grevenmacher, Luxembourg

Macau
  none (special administrative region of the People's Republic
  of China)

Macedonia
  84 municipalities (opstini, singular - opstina); Aerodrom
  (Skopje), Aracinovo, Berovo, Bitola, Bogdanci, Bogovinje, Bosilovo,
  Brvenica, Butel (Skopje), Cair (Skopje), Caska, Centar (Skopje),
  Centar Zupa, Cesinovo, Cucer Sandevo, Debar, Debarca, Delcevo, Demir
  Hisar, Demir Kapija, Dojran, Dolneni, Dorce Petrov (Gjorce Petrov)
  (Skopje), Drugovo, Gazi Baba (Skopje), Gevgelija, Gostivar, Gradsko,
  Ilinden, Jegunovce, Karbinci, Karpos (Skopje), Kavadarci, Kicevo,
  Kisela Voda (Skopje), Kocani, Konce, Kratovo, Kriva Palanka,
  Krivogastani, Krusevo, Kumanovo, Lipkovo, Lozovo, Makedonska
  Kamenica, Makedonski Brod, Mavrovo i Rostusa, Mogila, Negotino,
  Novaci, Novo Selo, Ohrid, Oslomej, Pehcevo, Petrovec, Plasnica,
  Prilep, Probistip, Radovis, Rankovce, Resen, Rosoman, Saraj
  (Skopje), Sopiste, Staro Nagoricane, Stip, Struga, Strumica,
  Studenicani, Suto Orizari (Skopje), Sveti Nikole, Tearce, Tetovo,
  Valandovo, Vasilevo, Veles, Vevcani, Vinica, Vranestica, Vrapciste,
  Zajas, Zelenikovo, Zelino, Zrnovci
  note: the 10 municipalities followed by Skopje in parentheses
  collectively constitute the larger Skopje Municipality

Madagascar
  6 provinces (faritany); Antananarivo, Antsiranana,
  Fianarantsoa, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara

Malawi
  28 districts; Balaka, Blantyre, Chikwawa, Chiradzulu,
  Chitipa, Dedza, Dowa, Karonga, Kasungu, Likoma, Lilongwe, Machinga
  (Kasupe), Mangochi, Mchinji, Mulanje, Mwanza, Mzimba, Neno, Ntcheu,
  Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota, Nsanje, Ntchisi, Phalombe, Rumphi, Salima,
  Thyolo, Zomba

Malaysia
  13 states (negeri-negeri, singular - negeri) Johor, Kedah,
  Kelantan, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Pulau
  Pinang, Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor, and Terengganu; and 1 federal
  territory (wilayah persekutuan) with three components, city of Kuala
  Lumpur, Labuan, and Putrajaya

Maldives
  19 atolls (atholhu, singular and plural) and 1 capital
  city*; Alifu, Baa, Dhaalu, Faafu, Gaafu Alifu, Gaafu Dhaalu,
  Gnaviyani, Haa Alifu, Haa Dhaalu, Kaafu, Laamu, Lhaviyani, Maale*
  (Male), Meemu, Noonu, Raa, Seenu, Shaviyani, Thaa, Vaavu

Mali
  8 regions (regions, singular - region); Gao, Kayes, Kidal,
  Koulikoro, Mopti, Segou, Sikasso, Tombouctou

Malta
  none (administered directly from Valletta); note - local
  councils carry out administrative orders

Marshall Islands
  33 municipalities; Ailinginae, Ailinglaplap, Ailuk,
  Arno, Aur, Bikar, Bikini, Bokak, Ebon, Enewetak, Erikub, Jabat,
  Jaluit, Jemo, Kili, Kwajalein, Lae, Lib, Likiep, Majuro, Maloelap,
  Mejit, Mili, Namorik, Namu, Rongelap, Rongrik, Toke, Ujae, Ujelang,
  Utirik, Wotho, Wotje

Mauritania
  12 regions (regions, singular - region) and 1 capital
  district*; Adrar, Assaba, Brakna, Dakhlet Nouadhibou, Gorgol,
  Guidimaka, Hodh Ech Chargui, Hodh El Gharbi, Inchiri, Nouakchott*,
  Tagant, Tiris Zemmour, Trarza

Mauritius
  9 districts and 3 dependencies*; Agalega Islands*, Black
  River, Cargados Carajos Shoals*, Flacq, Grand Port, Moka,
  Pamplemousses, Plaines Wilhems, Port Louis, Riviere du Rempart,
  Rodrigues*, Savanne

Mayotte
  none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)

Mexico
  31 states (estados, singular - estado) and 1 federal
  district* (distrito federal); Aguascalientes, Baja California, Baja
  California Sur, Campeche, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Coahuila de Zaragoza,
  Colima, Distrito Federal*, Durango, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Hidalgo,
  Jalisco, Mexico, Michoacan de Ocampo, Morelos, Nayarit, Nuevo Leon,
  Oaxaca, Puebla, Queretaro de Arteaga, Quintana Roo, San Luis Potosi,
  Sinaloa, Sonora, Tabasco, Tamaulipas, Tlaxcala, Veracruz-Llave,
  Yucatan, Zacatecas

Micronesia, Federated States of
  4 states; Chuuk (Truk), Kosrae
  (Kosaie), Pohnpei (Ponape), Yap

Moldova
  32 raions (raioane, singular - raionul), 3 municipalities
  (municipiul), 1 autonomous territorial unit (unitatea teritoriala
  autonoma), and 1 territorial unit (unitatea teritoriala)
  raions: Anenii Noi, Basarabeasca, Briceni, Cahul, Cantemir,
  Calarasi, Causeni, Cimislia, Criuleni, Donduseni, Drochia, Dubasari,
  Edinet, Falesti, Floresti, Glodeni, Hincesti, Ialoveni, Leova,
  Nisporeni, Ocnita, Orhei, Rezina, Riscani, Singerei, Soldanesti,
  Soroca, Stefan-Voda, Straseni, Taraclia, Telenesti, Ungheni
  municipalities: Balti, Bender, Chisinau
  autonomous territorial unit: Gagauzia
  territorial unit: Stinga Nistrului (Transnistria)

Monaco
  none; there are no first-order administrative divisions as
  defined by the US Government, but there are four quarters
  (quartiers, singular - quartier); Fontvieille, La Condamine,
  Monaco-Ville, Monte-Carlo

Mongolia
  21 provinces (aymguud, singular - aymag) and 1
  municipality* (singular - hot); Arhangay, Bayanhongor, Bayan-Olgiy,
  Bulgan, Darhan-Uul, Dornod, Dornogovi, Dundgovi, Dzavhan (Zavkhan),
  Govi-Altay, Govisumber, Hentiy, Hovd, Hovsgol, Omnogovi, Orhon,
  Ovorhangay, Selenge, Suhbaatar, Tov, Ulaanbaatar*, Uvs

Montenegro
  21 municipalities (opstine, singular - opstina);
  Andrijevica, Bar, Berane, Bijelo Polje, Budva, Cetinje, Danilovgrad,
  Herceg Novi, Kolasin, Kotor, Mojkovac, Niksic, Plav, Pljevlja,
  Pluzine, Podgorica, Rozaje, Savnik, Tivat, Ulcinj, Zabljak

Montserrat
  3 parishes; Saint Anthony, Saint Georges, Saint Peter

Morocco
  15 regions; Grand Casablanca, Chaouia-Ouardigha,
  Doukkala-Abda, Fes-Boulemane, Gharb-Chrarda-Beni Hssen, Guelmim-Es
  Smara, Laayoune-Boujdour-Sakia El Hamra, Marrakech-Tensift-Al Haouz,
  Meknes-Tafilalet, Oriental, Rabat-Sale-Zemmour-Zaer,
  Souss-Massa-Draa, Tadla-Azilal, Tanger-Tetouan, Taza-Al
  Hoceima-Taounate
  note: Morocco claims the territory of Western Sahara, the political
  status of which is considered undetermined by the US Government;
  portions of the regions Guelmim-Es Smara and Laayoune-Boujdour-Sakia
  El Hamra as claimed by Morocco lie within Western Sahara; Morocco
  also claims Oued Eddahab-Lagouira, another region which falls
  entirely within Western Sahara

Mozambique
  10 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia), 1 city
  (cidade)*; Cabo Delgado, Gaza, Inhambane, Manica, Maputo, Cidade de
  Maputo*, Nampula, Niassa, Sofala, Tete, Zambezia

Namibia
  13 regions; Caprivi, Erongo, Hardap, Karas, Khomas, Kunene,
  Ohangwena, Okavango, Omaheke, Omusati, Oshana, Oshikoto, Otjozondjupa

Nauru
  14 districts; Aiwo, Anabar, Anetan, Anibare, Baiti, Boe,
  Buada, Denigomodu, Ewa, Ijuw, Meneng, Nibok, Uaboe, Yaren

Nepal
  14 zones (anchal, singular and plural); Bagmati, Bheri,
  Dhawalagiri, Gandaki, Janakpur, Karnali, Kosi, Lumbini, Mahakali,
  Mechi, Narayani, Rapti, Sagarmatha, Seti

Netherlands
  12 provinces (provincies, singular - provincie);
  Drenthe, Flevoland, Friesland (Fryslan), Gelderland, Groningen,
  Limburg, Noord-Brabant (North Brabant), Noord-Holland (North
  Holland), Overijssel, Utrecht, Zeeland (Zealand), Zuid-Holland
  (South Holland)

Netherlands Antilles
  none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
  note: each island has its own government

New Caledonia
  none (overseas territory of France); there are no
  first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US
  Government, but there are 3 provinces named Province des Iles,
  Province Nord, and Province Sud

New Zealand
  16 regions and 1 territory*; Auckland, Bay of Plenty,
  Canterbury, Chatham Islands*, Gisborne, Hawke's Bay,
  Manawatu-Wanganui, Marlborough, Nelson, Northland, Otago, Southland,
  Taranaki, Tasman, Waikato, Wellington, West Coast

Nicaragua
  15 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento)
  and 2 autonomous regions* (regiones autonomistas, singular - region
  autonoma); Atlantico Norte*, Atlantico Sur*, Boaco, Carazo,
  Chinandega, Chontales, Esteli, Granada, Jinotega, Leon, Madriz,
  Managua, Masaya, Matagalpa, Nueva Segovia, Rio San Juan, Rivas

Niger
  8 regions (regions, singular - region) includes 1 capital
  district* (communite urbaine); Agadez, Diffa, Dosso, Maradi,
  Niamey*, Tahoua, Tillaberi, Zinder

Nigeria
  36 states and 1 territory*; Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom,
  Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi,
  Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Federal Capital Territory*, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa,
  Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nassarawa, Niger,
  Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara

Niue
  none; note - there are no first-order administrative divisions
  as defined by the US Government, but there are 14 villages at the
  second order

Norfolk Island
  none (territory of Australia)

Northern Mariana Islands
  none (commonwealth in political union with
  the US); there are no first-order administrative divisions as
  defined by the US Government, but there are four municipalities at
  the second order: Northern Islands, Rota, Saipan, Tinian

Norway
  19 counties (fylker, singular - fylke); Akershus, Aust-Agder,
  Buskerud, Finnmark, Hedmark, Hordaland, More og Romsdal, Nordland,
  Nord-Trondelag, Oppland, Oslo, Ostfold, Rogaland, Sogn og Fjordane,
  Sor-Trondelag, Telemark, Troms, Vest-Agder, Vestfold

Oman
  5 regions (manatiq, singular - mintaqat) and 4 governorates*
  (muhafazat, singular - muhafazat) Ad Dakhiliyah, Al Batinah, Al
  Buraymi*, Al Wusta, Ash Sharqiyah, Az Zahirah, Masqat (Muscat)*,
  Musandam*, Zufar (Dhofar)*

Pakistan
  4 provinces, 1 territory*, and 1 capital territory**;
  Balochistan, Federally Administered Tribal Areas*, Islamabad Capital
  Territory**, North-West Frontier Province, Punjab, Sindh
  note: the Pakistani-administered portion of the disputed Jammu and
  Kashmir region consists of two administrative entities: Azad Kashmir
  and Gilgit-Baltistan

Palau
  16 states; Aimeliik, Airai, Angaur, Hatohobei, Kayangel,
  Koror, Melekeok, Ngaraard, Ngarchelong, Ngardmau, Ngatpang,
  Ngchesar, Ngeremlengui, Ngiwal, Peleliu, Sonsorol

Panama
  11 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1
  territory* (comarca); Bocas del Toro, Comarca Kuna Yala, Comarca
  Ngobe-Bugle, Chiriqui, Cocle, Colon, Darien, Herrera, Los Santos,
  Panama, San Blas* (Kuna Yala), and Veraguas

Papua New Guinea
  20 provinces; Bougainville (autonomous region),
  Central, Chimbu, Eastern Highlands, East New Britain, East Sepik,
  Enga, Gulf, Madang, Manus, Milne Bay, Morobe, National Capital, New
  Ireland, Northern, Sandaun, Southern Highlands, Western, Western
  Highlands, West New Britain

Paraguay
  17 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and
  1 capital city*; Alto Paraguay, Alto Parana, Amambay, Asuncion*,
  Boqueron, Caaguazu, Caazapa, Canindeyu, Central, Concepcion,
  Cordillera, Guaira, Itapua, Misiones, Neembucu, Paraguari,
  Presidente Hayes, San Pedro

Peru
  25 regions (regiones, singular - region) and 1 province*
  (provincia); Amazonas, Ancash, Apurimac, Arequipa, Ayacucho,
  Cajamarca, Callao, Cusco, Huancavelica, Huanuco, Ica, Junin, La
  Libertad, Lambayeque, Lima, Lima*, Loreto, Madre de Dios, Moquegua,
  Pasco, Piura, Puno, San Martin, Tacna, Tumbes, Ucayali

Philippines
  80 provinces and 120 chartered cities
  provinces: Abra, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Aklan, Albay,
  Antique, Apayao, Aurora, Basilan, Bataan, Batanes, Batangas,
  Biliran, Benguet, Bohol, Bukidnon, Bulacan, Cagayan, Camarines
  Norte, Camarines Sur, Camiguin, Capiz, Catanduanes, Cavite, Cebu,
  Compostela, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, Dinagat
  Islands, Eastern Samar, Guimaras, Ifugao, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur,
  Iloilo, Isabela, Kalinga, Laguna, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, La
  Union, Leyte, Maguindanao, Marinduque, Masbate, Mindoro Occidental,
  Mindoro Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Mountain
  Province, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, North Cotabato,
  Northern Samar, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Palawan, Pampanga,
  Pangasinan, Quezon, Quirino, Rizal, Romblon, Samar, Sarangani,
  Siquijor, Sorsogon, South Cotabato, Southern Leyte, Sultan Kudarat,
  Sulu, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Tarlac, Tawi-Tawi,
  Zambales, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay
  chartered cities: Alaminos, Angeles, Antipolo, Bacolod, Bago,
  Baguio, Bais, Balanga, Batac, Batangas, Bayawan, Bislig, Butuan,
  Cabadbaran, Cabanatuan, Cadiz, Cagayan de Oro, Calamba, Calapan,
  Calbayog, Candon, Canlaon, Cauayan, Cavite, Cebu, Cotabato, Dagupan,
  Danao, Dapitan, Davao, Digos, Dipolog, Dumaguete, Escalante, Gapan,
  General Santos, Gingoog, Himamaylan, Iligan, Iloilo, Isabela, Iriga,
  Kabankalan, Kalookan, Kidapawan, Koronadal, La Carlota, Laoag,
  Lapu-Lapu, Las Pinas, Legazpi, Ligao, Lipa, Lucena, Maasin, Makati,
  Malabon, Malaybalay, Malolos, Mandaluyong, Mandaue, Manila, Marawi,
  Marikina, Masbate, Mati, Meycauayan, Muntinlupa, Munoz, Naga,
  Navotas, Olongapo, Ormoc, Oroquieta, Ozamis, Pagadian, Palayan,
  Panabo, Paranaque, Pasay, Pasig, Passi, Puerto Princesa, Quezon,
  Roxas, Sagay, Samal, San Carlos (in Negros Occidental), San Carlos
  (in Pangasinan), San Fernando (in La Union), San Fernando (in
  Pampanga), San Jose, San Jose del Monte, San Juan, San Pablo, Santa
  Rosa, Santiago, Silay, Sipalay, Sorsogon, Surigao, Tabaco, Tacloban,
  Tacurong, Tagaytay, Tagbilaran, Taguig, Tagum, Talisay (in Cebu),
  Talisay (in Negros Occidental), Tanauan, Tangub, Tanjay, Tarlac,
  Toledo, Tuguegarao, Trece Martires, Urdaneta, Valencia, Valenzuela,
  Victorias, Vigan, Zamboanga (2009)

Pitcairn Islands
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Poland
  16 provinces (wojewodztwa, singular - wojewodztwo);
  Dolnoslaskie (Lower Silesia), Kujawsko-Pomorskie
  (Kuyavia-Pomerania), Lodzkie, Lubelskie (Lublin), Lubuskie (Lubusz),
  Malopolskie (Lesser Poland), Mazowieckie (Masovia), Opolskie,
  Podkarpackie (Subcarpathia), Podlaskie, Pomorskie (Pomerania),
  Slaskie (Silesia), Swietokrzyskie, Warminsko-Mazurskie
  (Warmia-Masuria), Wielkopolskie (Greater Poland), Zachodniopomorskie
  (West Pomerania)

Portugal
  18 districts (distritos, singular - distrito) and 2
  autonomous regions* (regioes autonomas, singular - regiao autonoma);
  Aveiro, Acores (Azores)*, Beja, Braga, Braganca, Castelo Branco,
  Coimbra, Evora, Faro, Guarda, Leiria, Lisboa (Lisbon), Madeira*,
  Portalegre, Porto, Santarem, Setubal, Viana do Castelo, Vila Real,
  Viseu

Puerto Rico
  none (territory of the US with commonwealth status);
  there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the
  US Government, but there are 78 municipalities (municipios, singular
  - municipio) at the second order; Adjuntas, Aguada, Aguadilla, Aguas
  Buenas, Aibonito, Anasco, Arecibo, Arroyo, Barceloneta,
  Barranquitas, Bayamon, Cabo Rojo, Caguas, Camuy, Canovanas,
  Carolina, Catano, Cayey, Ceiba, Ciales, Cidra, Coamo, Comerio,
  Corozal, Culebra, Dorado, Fajardo, Florida, Guanica, Guayama,
  Guayanilla, Guaynabo, Gurabo, Hatillo, Hormigueros, Humacao,
  Isabela, Jayuya, Juana Diaz, Juncos, Lajas, Lares, Las Marias, Las
  Piedras, Loiza, Luquillo, Manati, Maricao, Maunabo, Mayaguez, Moca,
  Morovis, Naguabo, Naranjito, Orocovis, Patillas, Penuelas, Ponce,
  Quebradillas, Rincon, Rio Grande, Sabana Grande, Salinas, San
  German, San Juan, San Lorenzo, San Sebastian, Santa Isabel, Toa
  Alta, Toa Baja, Trujillo Alto, Utuado, Vega Alta, Vega Baja,
  Vieques, Villalba, Yabucoa, Yauco

Qatar
  10 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ad
  Dawhah, Al Ghuwayriyah, Al Jumayliyah, Al Khawr, Al Wakrah, Ar
  Rayyan, Jarayan al Batinah, Madinat ash Shamal, Umm Sa'id, Umm Salal

Romania
  41 counties (judete, singular - judet) and 1 municipality*
  (municipiu); Alba, Arad, Arges, Bacau, Bihor, Bistrita-Nasaud,
  Botosani, Braila, Brasov, Bucuresti (Bucharest)*, Buzau, Calarasi,
  Caras-Severin, Cluj, Constanta, Covasna, Dimbovita, Dolj, Galati,
  Gorj, Giurgiu, Harghita, Hunedoara, Ialomita, Iasi, Ilfov,
  Maramures, Mehedinti, Mures, Neamt, Olt, Prahova, Salaj, Satu Mare,
  Sibiu, Suceava, Teleorman, Timis, Tulcea, Vaslui, Vilcea, Vrancea

Russia
  46 oblasts (oblastey, singular - oblast), 21 republics
  (respublik, singular - respublika), 4 autonomous okrugs (avtonomnykh
  okrugov, singular - avtonomnyy okrug), 9 krays (krayev, singular -
  kray), 2 federal cities (goroda, singular - gorod), and 1 autonomous
  oblast (avtonomnaya oblast')
  oblasts: Amur (Blagoveshchensk), Arkhangel'sk, Astrakhan', Belgorod,
  Bryansk, Chelyabinsk, Irkutsk, Ivanovo, Kaliningrad, Kaluga,
  Kemerovo, Kirov, Kostroma, Kurgan, Kursk, Leningrad, Lipetsk,
  Magadan, Moscow, Murmansk, Nizhniy Novgorod, Novgorod, Novosibirsk,
  Omsk, Orenburg, Orel, Penza, Pskov, Rostov, Ryazan', Sakhalin
  (Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk), Samara, Saratov, Smolensk, Sverdlovsk
  (Yekaterinburg), Tambov, Tomsk, Tula, Tver', Tyumen', Ul'yanovsk,
  Vladimir, Volgograd, Vologda, Voronezh, Yaroslavl'
  republics: Adygeya (Maykop), Altay (Gorno-Altaysk), Bashkortostan
  (Ufa), Buryatiya (Ulan-Ude), Chechnya (Groznyy), Chuvashiya
  (Cheboksary), Dagestan (Makhachkala), Ingushetiya (Magas),
  Kabardino-Balkariya (Nal'chik), Kalmykiya (Elista),
  Karachayevo-Cherkesiya (Cherkessk), Kareliya (Petrozavodsk),
  Khakasiya (Abakan), Komi (Syktyvkar), Mariy-El (Yoshkar-Ola),
  Mordoviya (Saransk), North Ossetia (Vladikavkaz), Sakha [Yakutiya]
  (Yakutsk), Tatarstan (Kazan'), Tyva (Kyzyl), Udmurtiya (Izhevsk)
  autonomous okrugs: Chukotka (Anadyr'), Khanty-Mansi
  (Khanty-Mansiysk), Nenets (Nar'yan-Mar), Yamalo-Nenets (Salekhard)
  krays: Altay (Barnaul), Kamchatka (Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy),
  Khabarovsk, Krasnodar, Krasnoyarsk, Perm', Primorskiy [Maritime]
  (Vladivostok), Stavropol', Zabaykal'sk (Chita)
  federal cities: Moscow [Moskva], Saint Petersburg [Sankt-Peterburg]
  autonomous oblast: Yevrey [Jewish] (Birobidzhan)
  note: administrative divisions have the same names as their
  administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center
  name following in parentheses)

Rwanda
  4 provinces (in French - provinces, singular - province; in
  Kinyarwanda - intara for singular and plural) and 1 city* (in French
  - ville; in Kinyarwanda - umujyi); Est (Eastern), Kigali*, Nord
  (Northern), Ouest (Western), Sud (Southern)

Saint Helena
  1 administrative area and 2 dependencies*; Ascension*,
  Saint Helena, Tristan da Cunha*

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  14 parishes; Christ Church Nichola Town, Saint
  Anne Sandy Point, Saint George Basseterre, Saint George Gingerland,
  Saint James Windward, Saint John Capesterre, Saint John Figtree,
  Saint Mary Cayon, Saint Paul Capesterre, Saint Paul Charlestown,
  Saint Peter Basseterre, Saint Thomas Lowland, Saint Thomas Middle
  Island, Trinity Palmetto Point

Saint Lucia
  11 quarters; Anse-la-Raye, Castries, Choiseul, Dauphin,
  Dennery, Gros-Islet, Laborie, Micoud, Praslin, Soufriere, Vieux-Fort

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  none (territorial overseas collectivity of
  France); note - there are no first-order administrative divisions as
  defined by the US Government, but there are two communes - Saint
  Pierre, Miquelon at the second order

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  6 parishes; Charlotte, Grenadines,
  Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint Patrick

Samoa
  11 districts; A'ana, Aiga-i-le-Tai, Atua, Fa'asaleleaga,
  Gaga'emauga, Gagaifomauga, Palauli, Satupa'itea, Tuamasaga,
  Va'a-o-Fonoti, Vaisigano

San Marino
  9 municipalities (castelli, singular - castello);
  Acquaviva, Borgo Maggiore, Chiesanuova, Domagnano, Faetano,
  Fiorentino, Montegiardino, San Marino Citta, Serravalle

Sao Tome and Principe
  2 provinces; Principe, Sao Tome
  note: Principe has had self government since 29 April 1995

Saudi Arabia
  13 provinces (mintaqat, singular - mintaqah); Al Bahah,
  Al Hudud ash Shamaliyah (Northern Border), Al Jawf, Al Madinah, Al
  Qasim, Ar Riyad (Riyadh), Ash Sharqiyah (Eastern), 'Asir, Ha'il,
  Jizan, Makkah, Najran, Tabuk

Senegal
  14 regions (regions, singular - region); Dakar, Diourbel,
  Fatick, Kaffrine, Kaolack, Kedougou, Kolda, Louga, Matam,
  Saint-Louis, Sedhiou, Tambacounda, Thies, Ziguinchor

Serbia
  167 municipalities (opcstine, singular - opcstina)
  Serbia Proper: Belgrade City (Beograd): Barajevo, Cukarica, Grocka,
  Lazarevac, Mladenovac, Novi Beograd, Obrenovac, Palilula, Rakovica,
  Savski Venac, Sopot, Stari Grad, Surcin, Vozdovac, Vracar, Zemun,
  Zvezdara; Bor: Bor, Kladovo, Majdanpek, Negotin; Branicevo: Golubac,
  Kucevo, Malo Crnice, Petrovac, Pozarevac, Veliko Gradiste, Zabari,
  Zagubica; Grad Nis: Crveni Krst, Mediana, Niska Banja, Palilula,
  Pantelej Jablanica: Bojnik, Crna Trava, Lebane, Leskovac, Medveda,
  Vlasotince; Kolubara: Lajkovac, Ljig, Mionica, Osecina, Ub, Valjevo;
  Macva: Bogatic, Koceljeva, Krupanj, Ljubovija, Loznica, Mali
  Zvornik, Sabac, Vladimirci; Moravica: Cacak, Gornkji Milanovac,
  Ivanjica, Lucani; Nisava: Aleksinac, Doljevac, Gadzin Han, Merosina,
  Nis, Razanj, Svrljig; Pcinja: Bosilegrad, Bujanovac, Presevo,
  Surdulica, Trgoviste, Vladicin Han, Vranje; Pirot: Babusnica, Bela
  Palanka, Dimitrovgrad, Pirot; Podunavlje: Smederevo, Smederevskia
  Palanka, Velika Plana; Pomoravlje: Cuprija, Despotovac, Jagodina,
  Paracin, Rekovac, Svilajnac; Rasina: Aleksandrovac, Brus, Cicevac,
  Krusevac, Trstenik, Varvarin; Raska: Kraljevo, Novi Pazar, Raska,
  Tutin, Vrnjacka Banja; Sumadija: Arandelovac, Batocina, Knic,
  Kragujevac, Lapovo, Raca, Topola; Toplica: Blace, Kursumlija,
  Prokuplje, Zitorada; Zajecar: Boljevac, Knjazevac, Sokobanja,
  Zajecar; Zlatibor: Arilje, Bajina Basta, Cajetina, Kosjeric, Nova
  Varos, Pozega, Priboj, Prijepolje, Sjenica, Uzice
  Vojvodina Autonomous Province: South Backa: Bac, Backa Palanka,
  Backi Petrovac, Becej, Beocin, Novi Sad, Sremski Karlovci,
  Srobobran, Temerin, Titel, Vrbas, Zabalj; South Banat: Alibunar,
  Bela Crkva, Kovacica, Kovin, Opovo, Pancevo, Plandiste, Vrsac; North
  Backa: Backa Topola, Mali Idjos, Subotica; North Banat: Ada, Coka,
  Kanjiza, Kikinda, Novi Knezevac, Senta; Central Banat: Nova Crnja,
  Novi Becej, Secanj, Zitiste, Zrenjanin; Srem: Indija, Irig, Pecinci,
  Ruma, Sid, Sremska Mitrovica, Stara Pazova; West Backa: Apatin,
  Kula, Odzaci, Sombor

Seychelles
  23 administrative districts; Anse aux Pins, Anse Boileau,
  Anse Etoile, Anse Louis, Anse Royale, Baie Lazare, Baie Sainte Anne,
  Beau Vallon, Bel Air, Bel Ombre, Cascade, Glacis, Grand' Anse (on
  Mahe), Grand' Anse (on Praslin), La Digue, La Riviere Anglaise, Mont
  Buxton, Mont Fleuri, Plaisance, Pointe La Rue, Port Glaud, Saint
  Louis, Takamaka

Sierra Leone
  3 provinces and 1 area*; Eastern, Northern, Southern,
  Western*

Singapore
  none

Slovakia
  8 regions (kraje, singular - kraj); Banskobystricky,
  Bratislavsky, Kosicky, Nitriansky, Presovsky, Trenciansky, Trnavsky,
  Zilinsky

Slovenia
  182 municipalities (obcine, singular - obcina) and 11 urban
  municipalities* (mestne obcine , singular - mestna obcina )
  Ajdovscina, Beltinci, Benedikt, Bistrica ob Sotli, Bled, Bloke,
  Bohinj, Borovnica, Bovec, Braslovce, Brda, Brezice, Brezovica,
  Cankova, Celje*, Cerklje na Gorenjskem, Cerknica, Cerkno,
  Cerkvenjak, Crensovci, Crna na Koroskem, Crnomelj, Destrnik, Divaca,
  Dobje, Dobrepolje, Dobrna, Dobrova-Horjul-Polhov Gradec,
  Dobrovnik-Dobronak, Dolenjske Toplice, Dol pri Ljubljani, Domzale,
  Dornava, Dravograd, Duplek, Gorenja Vas-Poljane, Gorisnica, Gornja
  Radgona, Gornji Grad, Gornji Petrovci, Grad, Grosuplje, Hajdina,
  Hoce-Slivnica, Hodos-Hodos, Horjul, Hrastnik, Hrpelje-Kozina,
  Idrija, Ig, Ilirska Bistrica, Ivancna Gorica, Izola-Isola, Jesenice,
  Jezersko, Jursinci, Kamnik, Kanal, Kidricevo, Kobarid, Kobilje,
  Kocevje, Komen, Komenda, Koper-Capodistria*, Kostel, Kozje, Kranj*,
  Kranjska Gora, Krizevci, Krsko, Kungota, Kuzma, Lasko, Lenart,
  Lendava-Lendva, Litija, Ljubljana*, Ljubno, Ljutomer, Logatec, Loska
  Dolina, Loski Potok, Lovrenc na Pohorju, Luce, Lukovica, Majsperk,
  Maribor*, Markovci, Medvode, Menges, Metlika, Mezica, Miklavz na
  Dravskem Polju, Miren-Kostanjevica, Mirna Pec, Mislinja, Moravce,
  Moravske Toplice, Mozirje, Murska Sobota*, Muta, Naklo, Nazarje,
  Nova Gorica*, Novo Mesto*, Odranci, Oplotnica, Ormoz, Osilnica,
  Pesnica, Piran-Pirano, Pivka, Podcetrtek, Podlehnik, Podvelka,
  Polzela, Postojna, Prebold, Preddvor, Prevalje, Ptuj*, Puconci,
  Race-Fram, Radece, Radenci, Radlje ob Dravi, Radovljica, Ravne na
  Koroskem, Razkrizje, Ribnica, Ribnica na Pohorju, Rogasovci, Rogaska
  Slatina, Rogatec, Ruse, Salovci, Selnica ob Dravi, Semic,
  Sempeter-Vrtojba, Sencur, Sentilj, Sentjernej, Sentjur pri Celju,
  Sevnica, Sezana, Skocjan, Skofja Loka, Skofljica, Slovenj Gradec*,
  Slovenska Bistrica, Slovenske Konjice, Smarje pri Jelsah, Smartno ob
  Paki, Smartno pri Litiji, Sodrazica, Solcava, Sostanj, Starse,
  Store, Sveta Ana, Sveti Andraz v Slovenskih Goricah, Sveti Jurij,
  Tabor, Tisina, Tolmin, Trbovlje, Trebnje, Trnovska Vas, Trzic,
  Trzin, Turnisce, Velenje*, Velika Polana, Velike Lasce, Verzej,
  Videm, Vipava, Vitanje, Vodice, Vojnik, Vransko, Vrhnika, Vuzenica,
  Zagorje ob Savi, Zalec, Zavrc, Zelezniki, Zetale, Ziri, Zirovnica,
  Zuzemberk, Zrece
  note: the Government of Slovenia has reported 210 municipalities

Solomon Islands
  9 provinces and 1 capital territory*; Central,
  Choiseul, Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Rennell
  and Bellona, Temotu, Western

Somalia
  18 regions (plural - NA, singular - gobolka); Awdal, Bakool,
  Banaadir, Bari, Bay, Galguduud, Gedo, Hiiraan, Jubbada Dhexe,
  Jubbada Hoose, Mudug, Nugaal, Sanaag, Shabeellaha Dhexe, Shabeellaha
  Hoose, Sool, Togdheer, Woqooyi Galbeed

South Africa
  9 provinces; Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng,
  KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, North-West,
  Western Cape

Spain
  17 autonomous communities (comunidades autonomas, singular -
  comunidad autonoma) and 2 autonomous cities* (ciudades autonomas,
  singular - ciudad autonoma); Andalucia, Aragon, Asturias, Baleares
  (Balearic Islands), Ceuta*, Canarias (Canary Islands), Cantabria,
  Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla y Leon, Cataluna (Catalonia), Comunidad
  Valenciana (Valencian Community), Extremadura, Galicia, La Rioja,
  Madrid, Melilla*, Murcia, Navarra, Pais Vasco (Basque Country)
  note: the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla plus three small
  islands of Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de Velez
  de la Gomera, administered directly by the Spanish central
  government, are all along the coast of Morocco and are collectively
  referred to as Places of Sovereignty (Plazas de Soberania)

Sri Lanka
  8 provinces; Central, North Central, North Eastern, North
  Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Uva, Western
  note: in October 2006, a Sri Lankan Supreme Court ruling voided a
  presidential directive merging the North and Eastern Provinces; many
  have defended the merger as a prerequisite for a negotiated
  settlement to the ethnic conflict; a parliamentary decision on the
  issue is pending

Sudan
  25 states (wilayat, singular - wilayah); A'ali an Nil (Upper
  Nile), Al Bahr al Ahmar (Red Sea), Al Buhayrat (Lakes), Al Jazira
  (Gezira), Al Khartoum (Khartoum), Al Qadarif (Gedaref), Al Wahda
  (Unity), An Nil al Abyad (White Nile), An Nil al Azraq (Blue Nile),
  Ash Shimaliyya (Northern), Bahr al Jabal (Central Equatoria), Gharb
  al Istiwa'iyya (Western Equatoria), Gharb Bahr al Ghazal (Western
  Bahr el Ghazal), Gharb Darfur (Western Darfur), Janub Darfur
  (Southern Darfur), Janub Kurdufan (Southern Kordofan), Junqoley
  (Jonglei), Kassala (Kassala), Nahr an Nil (River Nile), Shimal Bahr
  al Ghazal (Northern Bahr el Ghazal), Shimal Darfur (Northern
  Darfur), Shimal Kurdufan (Northern Kordofan), Sharq al Istiwa'iyya
  (Eastern Equatoria), Sinnar (Sinnar), Warab (Warab)

Suriname
  10 districts (distrikten, singular - distrikt); Brokopondo,
  Commewijne, Coronie, Marowijne, Nickerie, Para, Paramaribo,
  Saramacca, Sipaliwini, Wanica

Swaziland
  4 districts; Hhohho, Lubombo, Manzini, Shiselweni

Sweden
  21 counties (lan, singular and plural); Blekinge, Dalarna,
  Gavleborg, Gotland, Halland, Jamtland, Jonkoping, Kalmar, Kronoberg,
  Norrbotten, Orebro, Ostergotland, Skane, Sodermanland, Stockholm,
  Uppsala, Varmland, Vasterbotten, Vasternorrland, Vastmanland, Vastra
  Gotaland

Switzerland
  26 cantons, singular - canton in French; cantoni,
  singular - cantone in Italian; Kantone, singular - Kanton in
  German); Aargau, Appenzell Ausser-Rhoden, Appenzell Inner-Rhoden,
  Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Bern, Fribourg, Geneve, Glarus,
  Graubunden, Jura, Luzern, Neuchatel, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Sankt
  Gallen, Schaffhausen, Schwyz, Solothurn, Thurgau, Ticino, Uri,
  Valais, Vaud, Zug, Zurich
  note: 6 of the cantons - Appenzell Ausser-Rhoden,
  Appenzell-Inner-Rhoden, Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Nidwalden,
  Obwalden - are styled half cantons because they elect only one
  member to the Council of States and, in popular referendums where a
  majority of popular votes and a majority of cantonal votes are
  required, these six cantons only have a half vote

Syria
  14 provinces (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Hasakah, Al
  Ladhiqiyah (Latakia), Al Qunaytirah, Ar Raqqah, As Suwayda', Dar'a,
  Dayr az Zawr, Dimashq, Halab, Hamah, Hims, Idlib, Rif Dimashq
  (Damascus), Tartus

Taiwan
  includes main island of Taiwan plus smaller islands nearby
  and off coast of China's Fujian Province; Taiwan is divided into 18
  counties (hsien, singular and plural), 5 municipalities (shih,
  singular and plural), and 2 special municipalities (chih-hsia-shih,
  singular and plural)
  note: Taiwan uses a variety of romanization systems; while a
  modified Wade-Giles system still dominates, the city of Taipei has
  adopted a Pinyin romanization for street and place names within its
  boundaries; other local authorities use different romanization
  systems; names for administrative divisions that follow are taken
  from the Taiwan Yearbook 2007 published by the Government
  Information Office in Taipei.
  counties: Changhua, Chiayi [county], Hsinchu [county], Hualien,
  Kaohsiung [county], Kinmen, Lienchiang, Miaoli, Nantou, Penghu,
  Pingtung, Taichung [county], Tainan [county], Taipei [county],
  Taitung, Taoyuan, Yilan, and Yunlin
  municipalities: Chiayi [city], Hsinchu [city], Keelung, Taichung
  [city], Tainan [city]
  special municipalities: Kaohsiung [city], Taipei [city]

Tajikistan
  2 provinces (viloyatho, singular - viloyat) and 1
  autonomous province* (viloyati mukhtor); Viloyati Khatlon
  (Qurghonteppa), Viloyati Mukhtori Kuhistoni Badakhshon*
  [Gorno-Badakhshan] (Khorugh), Viloyati Sughd (Khujand)
  note: the administrative center name follows in parentheses

Tanzania
  26 regions; Arusha, Dar es Salaam, Dodoma, Iringa, Kagera,
  Kigoma, Kilimanjaro, Lindi, Manyara, Mara, Mbeya, Morogoro, Mtwara,
  Mwanza, Pemba North, Pemba South, Pwani, Rukwa, Ruvuma, Shinyanga,
  Singida, Tabora, Tanga, Zanzibar Central/South, Zanzibar North,
  Zanzibar Urban/West

Thailand
  76 provinces (changwat, singular and plural); Amnat
  Charoen, Ang Thong, Buriram, Chachoengsao, Chai Nat, Chaiyaphum,
  Chanthaburi, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Chon Buri, Chumphon, Kalasin,
  Kamphaeng Phet, Kanchanaburi, Khon Kaen, Krabi, Krung Thep
  Mahanakhon (Bangkok), Lampang, Lamphun, Loei, Lop Buri, Mae Hong
  Son, Maha Sarakham, Mukdahan, Nakhon Nayok, Nakhon Pathom, Nakhon
  Phanom, Nakhon Ratchasima, Nakhon Sawan, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Nan,
  Narathiwat, Nong Bua Lamphu, Nong Khai, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani,
  Pattani, Phangnga, Phatthalung, Phayao, Phetchabun, Phetchaburi,
  Phichit, Phitsanulok, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Phrae, Phuket,
  Prachin Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Ranong, Ratchaburi, Rayong, Roi
  Et, Sa Kaeo, Sakon Nakhon, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, Samut
  Songkhram, Sara Buri, Satun, Sing Buri, Sisaket, Songkhla,
  Sukhothai, Suphan Buri, Surat Thani, Surin, Tak, Trang, Trat, Ubon
  Ratchathani, Udon Thani, Uthai Thani, Uttaradit, Yala, Yasothon

Timor-Leste
  13 administrative districts; Aileu, Ainaro, Baucau,
  Bobonaro (Maliana), Cova-Lima (Suai), Dili, Ermera (Gleno), Lautem
  (Los Palos), Liquica, Manatuto, Manufahi (Same), Oecussi (Ambeno),
  Viqueque
  note: administrative divisions have the same names as their
  administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center
  name following in parentheses)

Togo
  5 regions (regions, singular - region); Centrale, Kara,
  Maritime, Plateaux, Savanes

Tokelau
  none (territory of New Zealand)

Tonga
  3 island groups; Ha'apai, Tongatapu, Vava'u

Trinidad and Tobago
  9 regional corporations, 2 city corporations, 3
  borough corporations, 1 ward
  regional corporations: Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo, Diego Martin,
  Mayaro/Rio Claro, Penal/Debe, Princes Town, Sangre Grande, San
  Juan/Laventille, Siparia, Tunapuna/Piarco
  city corporations: Port-of-Spain, San Fernando
  borough corporations: Arima, Chaguanas, Point Fortin
  ward: Tobago

Tunisia
  24 governorates; Ariana (Aryanah), Beja (Bajah), Ben Arous
  (Bin 'Arus), Bizerte (Banzart), Gabes (Qabis), Gafsa (Qafsah),
  Jendouba (Jundubah), Kairouan (Al Qayrawan), Kasserine (Al Qasrayn),
  Kebili (Qibili), Kef (Al Kaf), Mahdia (Al Mahdiyah), Manouba
  (Manubah), Medenine (Madanin), Monastir (Al Munastir), Nabeul
  (Nabul), Sfax (Safaqis), Sidi Bou Zid (Sidi Bu Zayd), Siliana
  (Silyanah), Sousse (Susah), Tataouine (Tatawin), Tozeur (Tawzar),
  Tunis, Zaghouan (Zaghwan)

Turkey
  81 provinces (iller, singular - ili); Adana, Adiyaman,
  Afyonkarahisar, Agri, Aksaray, Amasya, Ankara, Antalya, Ardahan,
  Artvin, Aydin, Balikesir, Bartin, Batman, Bayburt, Bilecik, Bingol,
  Bitlis, Bolu, Burdur, Bursa, Canakkale, Cankiri, Corum, Denizli,
  Diyarbakir, Duzce, Edirne, Elazig, Erzincan, Erzurum, Eskisehir,
  Gaziantep, Giresun, Gumushane, Hakkari, Hatay, Igdir, Isparta,
  Istanbul, Izmir (Smyrna), Kahramanmaras, Karabuk, Karaman, Kars,
  Kastamonu, Kayseri, Kilis, Kirikkale, Kirklareli, Kirsehir, Kocaeli,
  Konya, Kutahya, Malatya, Manisa, Mardin, Mersin (Icel), Mugla, Mus,
  Nevsehir, Nigde, Ordu, Osmaniye, Rize, Sakarya, Samsun, Sanliurfa,
  Siirt, Sinop, Sirnak, Sivas, Tekirdag, Tokat, Trabzon (Trebizond),
  Tunceli, Usak, Van, Yalova, Yozgat, Zonguldak

Turkmenistan
  5 provinces (welayatlar, singular - welayat) and 1
  independent city*: Ahal Welayaty (Anew), Ashgabat*, Balkan Welayaty
  (Balkanabat), Dashoguz Welayaty, Lebap Welayaty (Turkmenabat), Mary
  Welayaty
  note: administrative divisions have the same names as their
  administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center
  name following in parentheses)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Tuvalu
  none

Uganda
  80 districts; Abim, Adjumani, Amolatar, Amuria, Amuru, Apac,
  Arua, Budaka, Bududa, Bugiri, Bukedea, Bukwa, Bulisa, Bundibugyo,
  Bushenyi, Busia, Butaleja, Dokolo, Gulu, Hoima, Ibanda, Iganga,
  Isingiro, Jinja, Kaabong, Kabale, Kabarole, Kaberamaido, Kalangala,
  Kaliro, Kampala, Kamuli, Kamwenge, Kanungu, Kapchorwa, Kasese,
  Katakwi, Kayunga, Kibale, Kiboga, Kiruhara, Kisoro, Kitgum, Koboko,
  Kotido, Kumi, Kyenjojo, Lira, Luwero, Lyantonde, Manafwa, Maracha,
  Masaka, Masindi, Mayuge, Mbale, Mbarara, Mityana, Moroto, Moyo,
  Mpigi, Mubende, Mukono, Nakapiripirit, Nakaseke, Nakasongola,
  Namutumba, Nebbi, Ntungamo, Oyam, Pader, Pallisa, Rakai, Rukungiri,
  Sembabule, Sironko, Soroti, Tororo, Wakiso, Yumbe

Ukraine
  24 provinces (oblasti, singular - oblast'), 1 autonomous
  republic* (avtonomna respublika), and 2 municipalities (mista,
  singular - misto) with oblast status**; Cherkasy, Chernihiv,
  Chernivtsi, Crimea or Avtonomna Respublika Krym* (Simferopol'),
  Dnipropetrovs'k, Donets'k, Ivano-Frankivs'k, Kharkiv, Kherson,
  Khmel'nyts'kyy, Kirovohrad, Kyiv**, Kyiv, Luhans'k, L'viv,
  Mykolayiv, Odesa, Poltava, Rivne, Sevastopol'**, Sumy, Ternopil',
  Vinnytsya, Volyn' (Luts'k), Zakarpattya (Uzhhorod), Zaporizhzhya,
  Zhytomyr
  note: administrative divisions have the same names as their
  administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center
  name following in parentheses)

United Arab Emirates
  7 emirates (imarat, singular - imarah); Abu
  Zaby (Abu Dhabi), 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah (Sharjah),
  Dubayy (Dubai), Ra's al Khaymah, Umm al Qaywayn (Quwayn)

United Kingdom
  England: 34 two-tier counties, 32 London boroughs and
  1 City of London or Greater London, 36 metropolitan counties, 46
  unitary authorities
  two-tier counties: Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire,
  Cheshire, Cornwall and Isles of Scilly, Cumbria, Derbyshire, Devon,
  Dorset, Durham, East Sussex, Essex, Gloucestershire, Hampshire,
  Hertfordshire, Kent, Lancashire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire,
  Norfolk, North Yorkshire, Northamptonshire, Northumberland,
  Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Shropshire, Somerset, Staffordshire,
  Suffolk, Surrey, Warwickshire, West Sussex, Wiltshire, Worcestershire
  London boroughs and City of London or Greater London: Barking and
  Dagenham, Barnet, Bexley, Brent, Bromley, Camden, Croydon, Ealing,
  Enfield, Greenwich, Hackney, Hammersmith and Fulham, Haringey,
  Harrow, Havering, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Islington, Kensington and
  Chelsea, Kingston upon Thames, Lambeth, Lewisham, City of London,
  Merton, Newham, Redbridge, Richmond upon Thames, Southwark, Sutton,
  Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest, Wandsworth, Westminster
  metropolitan counties: Barnsley, Birmingham, Bolton, Bradford, Bury,
  Calderdale, Coventry, Doncaster, Dudley, Gateshead, Kirklees,
  Knowlsey, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle upon Tyne, North
  Tyneside, Oldham, Rochdale, Rotherham, Salford, Sandwell, Sefton,
  Sheffield, Solihull, South Tyneside, St. Helens, Stockport,
  Sunderland, Tameside, Trafford, Wakefield, Walsall, Wigan, Wirral,
  Wolverhampton
  unitary authorities: Bath and North East Somerset, Blackburn with
  Darwen, Blackpool, Bournemouth, Bracknell Forest, Brighton and Hove,
  City of Bristol, Darlington, Derby, East Riding of Yorkshire,
  Halton, Hartlepool, County of Herefordshire, Isle of Wight, City of
  Kingston upon Hull, Leicester, Luton, Medway, Middlesbrough, Milton
  Keynes, North East Lincolnshire, North Lincolnshire, North Somerset,
  Nottingham, Peterborough, Plymouth, Poole, Portsmouth, Reading,
  Redcar and Cleveland, Rutland, Slough, South Gloucestershire,
  Southampton, Southend-on-Sea, Stockton-on-Tees, Stoke-on-Trent,
  Swindon, Telford and Wrekin, Thurrock, Torbay, Warrington, West
  Berkshire, Windsor and Maidenhead, Wokingham, York
  Northern Ireland: 26 district council areas
  district council areas: Antrim, Ards, Armagh, Ballymena, Ballymoney,
  Banbridge, Belfast, Carrickfergus, Castlereagh, Coleraine,
  Cookstown, Craigavon, Derry, Down, Dungannon, Fermanagh, Larne,
  Limavady, Lisburn, Magherafelt, Moyle, Newry and Mourne,
  Newtownabbey, North Down, Omagh, Strabane
  Scotland: 32 unitary authorities
  unitary authorities: Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Angus, Argyll and
  Bute, Clackmannanshire, Dumfries and Galloway, Dundee City, East
  Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, East Lothian, East Renfrewshire, City
  of Edinburgh, Eilean Siar (Western Isles), Falkirk, Fife, Glasgow
  City, Highland, Inverclyde, Midlothian, Moray, North Ayrshire, North
  Lanarkshire, Orkney Islands, Perth and Kinross, Renfrewshire,
  Shetland Islands, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, Stirling, The
  Scottish Borders, West Dunbartonshire, West Lothian
  Wales: 22 unitary authorities
  unitary authorities: Blaenau Gwent; Bridgend; Caerphilly; Cardiff;
  Carmarthenshire; Ceredigion; Conwy; Denbighshire; Flintshire;
  Gwynedd; Isle of Anglesey; Merthyr Tydfil; Monmouthshire; Neath Port
  Talbot; Newport; Pembrokeshire; Powys; Rhondda, Cynon, Taff;
  Swansea; The Vale of Glamorgan; Torfaen; Wrexham

United States
  50 states and 1 district*; Alabama, Alaska, Arizona,
  Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of
  Columbia*, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa,
  Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts,
  Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska,
  Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North
  Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode
  Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah,
  Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming

Uruguay
  19 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento);
  Artigas, Canelones, Cerro Largo, Colonia, Durazno, Flores, Florida,
  Lavalleja, Maldonado, Montevideo, Paysandu, Rio Negro, Rivera,
  Rocha, Salto, San Jose, Soriano, Tacuarembo, Treinta y Tres

Uzbekistan
  12 provinces (viloyatlar, singular - viloyat), 1
  autonomous republic* (respublika), and 1 city** (shahar); Andijon
  Viloyati, Buxoro Viloyati, Farg'ona Viloyati, Jizzax Viloyati,
  Namangan Viloyati, Navoiy Viloyati, Qashqadaryo Viloyati (Qarshi),
  Qoraqalpog'iston Respublikasi [Karakalpakstan]* (Nukus), Samarqand
  Viloyati, Sirdaryo Viloyati (Guliston), Surxondaryo Viloyati
  (Termiz), Toshkent Shahri**, Toshkent Viloyati, Xorazm Viloyati
  (Urganch)
  note: administrative divisions have the same names as their
  administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center
  name following in parentheses)

Vanuatu
  6 provinces; Malampa, Penama, Sanma, Shefa, Tafea, Torba

Venezuela
  23 states (estados, singular - estado), 1 capital
  district* (distrito capital), and 1 federal dependency**
  (dependencia federal); Amazonas, Anzoategui, Apure, Aragua, Barinas,
  Bolivar, Carabobo, Cojedes, Delta Amacuro, Dependencias Federales**,
  Distrito Federal*, Falcon, Guarico, Lara, Merida, Miranda, Monagas,
  Nueva Esparta, Portuguesa, Sucre, Tachira, Trujillo, Vargas,
  Yaracuy, Zulia
  note: the federal dependency consists of 11 federally controlled
  island groups with a total of 72 individual islands

Vietnam
  58 provinces (tinh, singular and plural) and 5
  municipalities (thanh pho, singular and plural)
  provinces: An Giang, Bac Giang, Bac Kan, Bac Lieu, Bac Ninh, Ba
  Ria-Vung Tau, Ben Tre, Binh Dinh, Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc, Binh
  Thuan, Ca Mau, Cao Bang, Da Nang*, Dac Lak, Dac Nong, Dien Bien,
  Dong Nai, Dong Thap, Gia Lai, Ha Giang, Ha Nam, Ha Tinh, Hai Duong,
  Hau Giang, Hoa Binh, Hung Yen, Khanh Hoa, Kien Giang, Kon Tum, Lai
  Chau, Lam Dong, Lang Son, Lao Cai, Long An, Nam Dinh, Nghe An, Ninh
  Binh, Ninh Thuan, Phu Tho, Phu Yen, Quang Binh, Quang Nam, Quang
  Ngai, Quang Ninh, Quang Tri, Soc Trang, Son La, Tay Ninh, Thai Binh,
  Thai Nguyen, Thanh Hoa, Thua Thien-Hue, Tien Giang, Tra Vinh, Tuyen
  Quang, Vinh Long, Vinh Phuc, Yen Bai
  municipalities: Can Tho, Da Nang, Ha Noi, Hai Phong, Ho Chi Minh City

Virgin Islands
  none (territory of the US); there are no first-order
  administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there
  are three islands at the second order; Saint Croix, Saint John,
  Saint Thomas

Wallis and Futuna
  none (overseas territory of France); there are no
  first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US
  Government, but there are three kingdoms at the second order named
  Alo, Sigave, Wallis

Western Sahara
  none (under de facto control of Morocco)

World
  265 nations, dependent areas, and other entities

Yemen
  21 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Abyan,
  'Adan, Ad Dali', Al Bayda', Al Hudaydah, Al Jawf, Al Mahrah, Al
  Mahwit, Amanat al 'Asimah, 'Amran, Dhamar, Hadramawt, Hajjah, Ibb,
  Lahij, Ma'rib, Raymah, Sa'dah, San'a', Shabwah, Ta'izz

Zambia
  9 provinces; Central, Copperbelt, Eastern, Luapula, Lusaka,
  Northern, North-Western, Southern, Western

Zimbabwe
  8 provinces and 2 cities* with provincial status;
  Bulawayo*, Harare*, Manicaland, Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland
  East, Mashonaland West, Masvingo, Matabeleland North, Matabeleland
  South, Midlands

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

@2052

Field Listing :: Agriculture - products

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

Agriculture - products

Afghanistan
  opium, wheat, fruits, nuts; wool, mutton, sheepskins,
  lambskins

Albania
  wheat, corn, potatoes, vegetables, fruits, sugar beets,
  grapes; meat, dairy products

Algeria
  wheat, barley, oats, grapes, olives, citrus, fruits; sheep,
  cattle

American Samoa
  bananas, coconuts, vegetables, taro, breadfruit,
  yams, copra, pineapples, papayas; dairy products, livestock

Andorra
  small quantities of rye, wheat, barley, oats, vegetables;
  sheep

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

Anguilla
  small quantities of tobacco, vegetables; cattle raising

Antigua and Barbuda
  cotton, fruits, vegetables, bananas, coconuts,
  cucumbers, mangoes, sugarcane; livestock

Argentina
  sunflower seeds, lemons, soybeans, grapes, corn, tobacco,
  peanuts, tea, wheat; livestock

Armenia
  fruit (especially grapes), vegetables; livestock

Aruba
  aloes; livestock; fish

Australia
  wheat, barley, sugarcane, fruits, cattle, sheep, poultry

Austria
  grains, potatoes, sugar beets, wine, fruit; dairy products,
  cattle, pigs, poultry; lumber

Azerbaijan
  cotton, grain, rice, grapes, fruit, vegetables, tea,
  tobacco; cattle, pigs, sheep, goats

Bahamas, The
  citrus, vegetables; poultry

Bahrain
  fruit, vegetables; poultry, dairy products; shrimp, fish

Bangladesh
  rice, jute, tea, wheat, sugarcane, potatoes, tobacco,
  pulses, oilseeds, spices, fruit; beef, milk, poultry

Barbados
  sugarcane, vegetables, cotton

Belarus
  grain, potatoes, vegetables, sugar beets, flax; beef, milk

Belgium
  sugar beets, fresh vegetables, fruits, grain, tobacco; beef,
  veal, pork, milk

Belize
  bananas, cacao, citrus, sugar; fish, cultured shrimp; lumber;
  garments

Benin
  cotton, corn, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans, palm oil,
  peanuts, cashews; livestock

Bermuda
  bananas, vegetables, citrus, flowers; dairy products, honey

Bhutan
  rice, corn, root crops, citrus, foodgrains; dairy products,
  eggs

Bolivia
  soybeans, coffee, coca, cotton, corn, sugarcane, rice,
  potatoes; timber

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  wheat, corn, fruits, vegetables; livestock

Botswana
  livestock, sorghum, maize, millet, beans, sunflowers,
  groundnuts

Brazil
  coffee, soybeans, wheat, rice, corn, sugarcane, cocoa,
  citrus; beef

British Virgin Islands
  fruits, vegetables; livestock, poultry; fish

Brunei
  rice, vegetables, fruits; chickens, water buffalo, cattle,
  goats, eggs

Bulgaria
  vegetables, fruits, tobacco, wine, wheat, barley,
  sunflowers, sugar beets; livestock

Burkina Faso
  cotton, peanuts, shea nuts, sesame, sorghum, millet,
  corn, rice; livestock

Burma
  rice, pulses, beans, sesame, groundnuts, sugarcane; hardwood;
  fish and fish products

Burundi
  coffee, cotton, tea, corn, sorghum, sweet potatoes, bananas,
  manioc (tapioca); beef, milk, hides

Cambodia
  rice, rubber, corn, vegetables, cashews, tapioca, silk

Cameroon
  coffee, cocoa, cotton, rubber, bananas, oilseed, grains,
  root starches; livestock; timber

Canada
  wheat, barley, oilseed, tobacco, fruits, vegetables; dairy
  products; forest products; fish

Cape Verde
  bananas, corn, beans, sweet potatoes, sugarcane, coffee,
  peanuts; fish

Cayman Islands
  vegetables, fruit; livestock; turtle farming

Central African Republic
  timber, cotton, coffee, tobacco, manioc
  (tapioca), yams, millet, corn, bananas; timber

Chad
  cotton, sorghum, millet, peanuts, rice, potatoes, manioc
  (tapioca); cattle, sheep, goats, camels

Chile
  grapes, apples, pears, onions, wheat, corn, oats, peaches,
  garlic, asparagus, beans; beef, poultry, wool; fish; timber

China
  rice, wheat, potatoes, corn, peanuts, tea, millet, barley,
  apples, cotton, oilseed; pork; fish

Christmas Island
  NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  vegetables, bananas, pawpaws, coconuts

Colombia
  coffee, cut flowers, bananas, rice, tobacco, corn,
  sugarcane, cocoa beans, oilseed, vegetables; forest products; shrimp

Comoros
  vanilla, cloves, ylang-ylang, perfume essences, copra,
  coconuts, bananas, cassava (tapioca)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber, tea, quinine, cassava (tapioca), palm oil, bananas, root crops, corn, fruits; wood products

Congo, Republic of the
  cassava (tapioca), sugar, rice, corn,
  peanuts, vegetables, coffee, cocoa; forest products

Cook Islands
  copra, citrus, pineapples, tomatoes, beans, pawpaws,
  bananas, yams, taro, coffee; pigs, poultry

Costa Rica
  bananas, pineapples, coffee, melons, ornamental plants,
  sugar, corn, rice, beans, potatoes; beef, poultry, dairy; timber

Cote d'Ivoire
  coffee, cocoa beans, bananas, palm kernels, corn,
  rice, manioc (tapioca), sweet potatoes, sugar, cotton, rubber; timber

Croatia
  wheat, corn, sugar beets, sunflower seed, barley, alfalfa,
  clover, olives, citrus, grapes, soybeans, potatoes; livestock, dairy
  products

Cuba
  sugar, tobacco, citrus, coffee, rice, potatoes, beans; livestock

Cyprus
  citrus, vegetables, barley, grapes, olives, vegetables;
  poultry, pork, lamb; dairy, cheese

Czech Republic
  wheat, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit; pigs,
  poultry

Denmark
  barley, wheat, potatoes, sugar beets; pork, dairy products;
  fish

Djibouti
  fruits, vegetables; goats, sheep, camels, animal hides

Dominica
  bananas, citrus, mangoes, root crops, coconuts, cocoa;
  forest and fishery potential not exploited

Dominican Republic
  sugarcane, coffee, cotton, cocoa, tobacco, rice,
  beans, potatoes, corn, bananas; cattle, pigs, dairy products, beef,
  eggs

Ecuador
  bananas, coffee, cocoa, rice, potatoes, manioc (tapioca),
  plantains, sugarcane; cattle, sheep, pigs, beef, pork, dairy
  products; balsa wood; fish, shrimp

Egypt
  cotton, rice, corn, wheat, beans, fruits, vegetables; cattle,
  water buffalo, sheep, goats

El Salvador
  coffee, sugar, corn, rice, beans, oilseed, cotton,
  sorghum; beef, dairy products

Equatorial Guinea
  coffee, cocoa, rice, yams, cassava (tapioca),
  bananas, palm oil nuts; livestock; timber

Eritrea
  sorghum, lentils, vegetables, corn, cotton, tobacco, sisal;
  livestock, goats; fish

Estonia
  potatoes, vegetables; livestock and dairy products; fish

Ethiopia
  cereals, pulses, coffee, oilseed, cotton, sugarcane,
  potatoes, qat, cut flowers; hides, cattle, sheep, goats; fish

European Union
  wheat, barley, oilseeds, sugar beets, wine, grapes;
  dairy products, cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry; fish

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  fodder and vegetable crops; sheep,
  dairy products; fish, squid

Faroe Islands
  milk, potatoes, vegetables; sheep; salmon, other fish

Fiji
  sugarcane, coconuts, cassava (tapioca), rice, sweet potatoes,
  bananas; cattle, pigs, horses, goats; fish

Finland
  barley, wheat, sugar beets, potatoes; dairy cattle; fish

France
  wheat, cereals, sugar beets, potatoes, wine grapes; beef,
  dairy products; fish

French Polynesia
  fish; coconuts, vanilla, vegetables, fruits,
  coffee; poultry, beef, dairy products

Gabon
  cocoa, coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber; cattle; okoume (a
  tropical softwood); fish

Gambia, The
  rice, millet, sorghum, peanuts, corn, sesame, cassava
  (tapioca), palm kernels; cattle, sheep, goats

Gaza Strip
  olives, citrus fruit, vegetables, flowers, beef, dairy
  products

Georgia
  citrus, grapes, tea, hazelnuts, vegetables; livestock

Germany
  potatoes, wheat, barley, sugar beets, fruit, cabbages;
  cattle, pigs, poultry

Ghana
  cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), peanuts, corn, shea nuts,
  bananas; timber

Gibraltar
  none

Greece
  wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, olives, tomatoes, wine,
  tobacco, potatoes; beef, dairy products

Greenland
  forage crops, garden and greenhouse vegetables; sheep,
  reindeer; fish

Grenada
  bananas, cocoa, nutmeg, mace, citrus, avocados, root crops,
  sugarcane, corn, vegetables

Guam
  fruits, copra, vegetables; eggs, pork, poultry, beef

Guatemala
  sugarcane, corn, bananas, coffee, beans, cardamom; cattle,
  sheep, pigs, chickens

Guernsey
  tomatoes, greenhouse flowers, sweet peppers, eggplant,
  fruit; Guernsey cattle

Guinea
  rice, coffee, pineapples, palm kernels, cassava (tapioca),
  bananas, sweet potatoes; cattle, sheep, goats; timber

Guinea-Bissau
  rice, corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), cashew nuts,
  peanuts, palm kernels, cotton; timber; fish

Guyana
  sugarcane, rice, shrimp, fish, edible oils; beef, pork,
  poultry

Haiti
  coffee, mangoes, sugarcane, rice, corn, sorghum; wood

Honduras
  bananas, coffee, citrus; beef; timber; shrimp, tilapia,
  lobster; corn, African palm

Hong Kong
  fresh vegetables; poultry, pork; fish

Hungary
  wheat, corn, sunflower seed, potatoes, sugar beets; pigs,
  cattle, poultry, dairy products

Iceland
  potatoes, green vegetables; mutton, dairy products; fish

India
  rice, wheat, oilseed, cotton, jute, tea, sugarcane, potatoes;
  onions, dairy products, sheep, goats, poultry; fish

Indonesia
  rice, cassava (tapioca), peanuts, rubber, cocoa, coffee,
  palm oil, copra; poultry, beef, pork, eggs

Iran
  wheat, rice, other grains, sugar beets, sugar cane, fruits,
  nuts, cotton; dairy products, wool; caviar

Iraq
  wheat, barley, rice, vegetables, dates, cotton; cattle, sheep,
  poultry

Ireland
  turnips, barley, potatoes, sugar beets, wheat; beef, dairy
  products

Isle of Man
  cereals, vegetables; cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry

Israel
  citrus, vegetables, cotton; beef, poultry, dairy products

Italy
  fruits, vegetables, grapes, potatoes, sugar beets, soybeans,
  grain, olives; beef, dairy products; fish

Jamaica
  sugarcane, bananas, coffee, citrus, yams, ackees,
  vegetables; poultry, goats, milk; crustaceans, mollusks

Japan
  rice, sugar beets, vegetables, fruit; pork, poultry, dairy
  products, eggs; fish

Jersey
  potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes; beef, dairy products

Jordan
  citrus, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives; sheep, poultry, stone
  fruits, strawberries, dairy

Kazakhstan
  grain (mostly spring wheat), cotton; livestock

Kenya
  tea, coffee, corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruit, vegetables; dairy
  products, beef, pork, poultry, eggs

Kiribati
  copra, taro, breadfruit, sweet potatoes, vegetables; fish

Korea, North
  rice, corn, potatoes, soybeans, pulses; cattle, pigs,
  pork, eggs

Korea, South
  rice, root crops, barley, vegetables, fruit; cattle,
  pigs, chickens, milk, eggs; fish

Kosovo
  wheat, corn, berries, potatoes, peppers

Kuwait
  practically no crops; fish

Kyrgyzstan
  tobacco, cotton, potatoes, vegetables, grapes, fruits and
  berries; sheep, goats, cattle, wool

Laos
  sweet potatoes, vegetables, corn, coffee, sugarcane, tobacco,
  cotton, tea, peanuts, rice; water buffalo, pigs, cattle, poultry

Latvia
  grain, sugar beets, potatoes, vegetables; beef, pork, milk,
  eggs; fish

Lebanon
  citrus, grapes, tomatoes, apples, vegetables, potatoes,
  olives, tobacco; sheep, goats

Lesotho
  corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock

Liberia
  rubber, coffee, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), palm oil,
  sugarcane, bananas; sheep, goats; timber

Libya
  wheat, barley, olives, dates, citrus, vegetables, peanuts,
  soybeans; cattle

Liechtenstein
  wheat, barley, corn, potatoes; livestock, dairy
  products

Lithuania
  grain, potatoes, sugar beets, flax, vegetables; beef,
  milk, eggs; fish

Luxembourg
  wine, grapes, barley, oats, potatoes, wheat, fruits;
  dairy products, livestock products

Macau
  only 2% of land area is cultivated, mainly by vegetable
  growers; fishing, mostly for crustaceans, is important; some of the
  catch is exported to Hong Kong

Macedonia
  grapes, wine, tobacco, vegetables, fruits; milk, eggs

Madagascar
  coffee, vanilla, sugarcane, cloves, cocoa, rice, cassava
  (tapioca), beans, bananas, peanuts; livestock products

Malawi
  tobacco, sugarcane, cotton, tea, corn, potatoes, cassava
  (tapioca), sorghum, pulses, groundnuts, Macadamia nuts; cattle, goats

Malaysia
  Peninsular Malaysia - rubber, palm oil, cocoa, rice; Sabah
  - subsistence crops, rubber, timber, coconuts, rice; Sarawak -
  rubber, pepper, timber

Maldives
  coconuts, corn, sweet potatoes; fish

Mali
  cotton, millet, rice, corn, vegetables, peanuts; cattle, sheep,
  goats

Malta
  potatoes, cauliflower, grapes, wheat, barley, tomatoes,
  citrus, cut flowers, green peppers; pork, milk, poultry, eggs

Marshall Islands
  coconuts, tomatoes, melons, taro, breadfruit,
  fruits; pigs, chickens

Mauritania
  dates, millet, sorghum, rice, corn; cattle, sheep

Mauritius
  sugarcane, tea, corn, potatoes, bananas, pulses; cattle,
  goats; fish

Mayotte
  vanilla, ylang-ylang (perfume essence), coffee, copra, fish,
  livestock

Mexico
  corn, wheat, soybeans, rice, beans, cotton, coffee, fruit,
  tomatoes; beef, poultry, dairy products; wood products

Micronesia, Federated States of
  black pepper, tropical fruits and
  vegetables, coconuts, bananas, cassava (tapioca), sakau (kava),
  betel nuts, sweet potatoes; pigs, chickens; fish; Kosraen citrus

Moldova
  vegetables, fruits, wine, grain, sugar beets, sunflower
  seed, tobacco; beef, milk

Monaco
  none

Mongolia
  wheat, barley, vegetables, forage crops; sheep, goats,
  cattle, camels, horses

Montenegro
  grains, tobacco, potatoes, citrus fruits, olives, grapes;
  sheepherding; commercial fishing negligible

Montserrat
  cabbages, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, peppers;
  livestock products

Morocco
  barley, wheat, citrus, wine, vegetables, olives; livestock

Mozambique
  cotton, cashew nuts, sugarcane, tea, cassava (tapioca),
  corn, coconuts, sisal, citrus and tropical fruits, potatoes,
  sunflowers; beef, poultry

Namibia
  millet, sorghum, peanuts, grapes; livestock; fish

Nauru
  coconuts

Nepal
  pulses, rice, corn, wheat, sugarcane, jute, root crops; milk,
  water buffalo meat

Netherlands
  grains, potatoes, sugar beets, fruits, vegetables;
  livestock

Netherlands Antilles
  aloes, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical
  fruit

New Caledonia
  vegetables; beef, deer, other livestock products; fish

New Zealand
  dairy products, lamb and mutton; wheat, barley,
  potatoes, pulses, fruits, vegetables; wool, beef; fish

Nicaragua
  coffee, bananas, sugarcane, cotton, rice, corn, tobacco,
  sesame, soya, beans; beef, veal, pork, poultry, dairy products;
  shrimp, lobsters

Niger
  cowpeas, cotton, peanuts, millet, sorghum, cassava (tapioca),
  rice; cattle, sheep, goats, camels, donkeys, horses, poultry

Nigeria
  cocoa, peanuts, palm oil, corn, rice, sorghum, millet,
  cassava (tapioca), yams, rubber; cattle, sheep, goats, pigs; timber;
  fish

Niue
  coconuts, passion fruit, honey, limes, taro, yams, cassava
  (tapioca), sweet potatoes; pigs, poultry, beef cattle

Norfolk Island
  Norfolk Island pine seed, Kentia palm seed, cereals,
  vegetables, fruit; cattle, poultry

Northern Mariana Islands vegetables and melons, fruits and nuts, ornamental plants, livestock, poultry and eggs, fish and aquaculture products

Norway
  barley, wheat, potatoes; pork, beef, veal, milk; fish

Oman
  dates, limes, bananas, alfalfa, vegetables; camels, cattle; fish

Pakistan
  cotton, wheat, rice, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; milk,
  beef, mutton, eggs

Palau
  coconuts, copra, cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes; fish

Panama
  bananas, rice, corn, coffee, sugarcane, vegetables;
  livestock; shrimp

Papua New Guinea
  coffee, cocoa, copra, palm kernels, tea, sugar,
  rubber, sweet potatoes, fruit, vegetables, vanilla; shell fish,
  poultry, pork

Paraguay
  cotton, sugarcane, soybeans, corn, wheat, tobacco, cassava
  (tapioca), fruits, vegetables; beef, pork, eggs, milk; timber

Peru
  asparagus, coffee, cocoa, cotton, sugarcane, rice, potatoes,
  corn, plantains, grapes, oranges, pineapples, guavas, bananas,
  apples, lemons, pears, coca, tomatoes, mango, barley, medicinal
  plants, palm oil, marigold, onion, wheat, dry beans; poultry, beef,
  dairy products; fish, guinea pigs

Philippines
  sugarcane, coconuts, rice, corn, bananas, cassavas,
  pineapples, mangoes; pork, eggs, beef; fish

Pitcairn Islands
  honey; wide variety of fruits and vegetables;
  goats, chickens, fish

Poland
  potatoes, fruits, vegetables, wheat; poultry, eggs, pork,
  dairy

Portugal
  grain, potatoes, tomatoes, olives, grapes; sheep, cattle,
  goats, swine, poultry, dairy products; fish

Puerto Rico
  sugarcane, coffee, pineapples, plantains, bananas;
  livestock products, chickens

Qatar
  fruits, vegetables; poultry, dairy products, beef; fish

Romania
  wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, sunflower seed, potatoes,
  grapes; eggs, sheep

Russia
  grain, sugar beets, sunflower seed, vegetables, fruits; beef,
  milk

Rwanda
  coffee, tea, pyrethrum (insecticide made from
  chrysanthemums), bananas, beans, sorghum, potatoes; livestock

Saint Helena
  coffee, corn, potatoes, vegetables; timber; fish,
  lobster (on Tristan da Cunha); livestock

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  sugarcane, rice, yams, vegetables, bananas;
  fish

Saint Lucia
  bananas, coconuts, vegetables, citrus, root crops, cocoa

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  vegetables; poultry, cattle, sheep, pigs;
  fish

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  bananas, coconuts, sweet potatoes,
  spices; small numbers of cattle, sheep, pigs, goats; fish

Samoa
  coconuts, bananas, taro, yams, coffee, cocoa

San Marino
  wheat, grapes, corn, olives; cattle, pigs, horses, beef,
  cheese, hides

Sao Tome and Principe
  cocoa, coconuts, palm kernels, copra,
  cinnamon, pepper, coffee, bananas, papayas, beans; poultry; fish

Saudi Arabia
  wheat, barley, tomatoes, melons, dates, citrus; mutton,
  chickens, eggs, milk

Senegal
  peanuts, millet, corn, sorghum, rice, cotton, tomatoes,
  green vegetables; cattle, poultry, pigs; fish

Serbia
  wheat, maize, sugar beets, sunflower, raspberries, beef,
  pork, milk

Seychelles
  coconuts, cinnamon, vanilla, sweet potatoes, cassava
  (tapioca), bananas; poultry; tuna

Sierra Leone
  rice, coffee, cocoa, palm kernels, palm oil, peanuts;
  poultry, cattle, sheep, pigs; fish

Singapore
  orchids, vegetables; poultry, eggs; fish, ornamental fish

Slovakia
  grains, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit; pigs, cattle,
  poultry; forest products

Slovenia
  potatoes, hops, wheat, sugar beets, corn, grapes; cattle,
  sheep, poultry

Solomon Islands
  cocoa beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes,
  vegetables, fruit; timber; cattle, pigs; fish

Somalia
  bananas, sorghum, corn, coconuts, rice, sugarcane, mangoes,
  sesame seeds, beans; cattle, sheep, goats; fish

South Africa
  corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; beef,
  poultry, mutton, wool, dairy products

Spain
  grain, vegetables, olives, wine grapes, sugar beets, citrus;
  beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; fish

Sri Lanka
  rice, sugarcane, grains, pulses, oilseed, spices, tea,
  rubber, coconuts; milk, eggs, hides, beef; fish

Sudan
  cotton, groundnuts (peanuts), sorghum, millet, wheat, gum
  arabic, sugarcane, cassava (tapioca), mangos, papaya, bananas, sweet
  potatoes, sesame; sheep, livestock

Suriname
  paddy rice, bananas, palm kernels, coconuts, plantains,
  peanuts; beef, chickens; shrimp; forest products

Swaziland
  sugarcane, cotton, corn, tobacco, rice, citrus,
  pineapples, sorghum, peanuts; cattle, goats, sheep

Sweden
  barley, wheat, sugar beets; meat, milk

Switzerland
  grains, fruits, vegetables; meat, eggs

Syria
  wheat, barley, cotton, lentils, chickpeas, olives, sugar
  beets; beef, mutton, eggs, poultry, milk

Taiwan
  rice, corn, vegetables, fruit, tea; pigs, poultry, beef,
  milk; fish

Tajikistan
  cotton, grain, fruits, grapes, vegetables; cattle, sheep,
  goats

Tanzania
  coffee, sisal, tea, cotton, pyrethrum (insecticide made
  from chrysanthemums), cashew nuts, tobacco, cloves, corn, wheat,
  cassava (tapioca), bananas, fruits, vegetables; cattle, sheep, goats

Thailand
  rice, cassava (tapioca), rubber, corn, sugarcane, coconuts,
  soybeans

Timor-Leste
  coffee, rice, corn, cassava, sweet potatoes, soybeans,
  cabbage, mangoes, bananas, vanilla

Togo
  coffee, cocoa, cotton, yams, cassava (tapioca), corn, beans,
  rice, millet, sorghum; livestock; fish

Tokelau
  coconuts, copra, breadfruit, papayas, bananas; pigs,
  poultry, goats; fish

Tonga
  squash, coconuts, copra, bananas, vanilla beans, cocoa,
  coffee, ginger, black pepper; fish

Trinidad and Tobago
  cocoa, rice, citrus, coffee, vegetables; poultry

Tunisia
  olives, olive oil, grain, tomatoes, citrus fruit, sugar
  beets, dates, almonds; beef, dairy products

Turkey
  tobacco, cotton, grain, olives, sugar beets, hazelnuts,
  pulse, citrus; livestock

Turkmenistan
  cotton, grain; livestock

Turks and Caicos Islands corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), citrus fruits; fish

Tuvalu
  coconuts; fish

Uganda
  coffee, tea, cotton, tobacco, cassava (tapioca), potatoes,
  corn, millet, pulses, cut flowers; beef, goat meat, milk, poultry

Ukraine
  grain, sugar beets, sunflower seeds, vegetables; beef, milk

United Arab Emirates
  dates, vegetables, watermelons; poultry, eggs,
  dairy products; fish

United Kingdom
  cereals, oilseed, potatoes, vegetables; cattle,
  sheep, poultry; fish

United States
  wheat, corn, other grains, fruits, vegetables, cotton;
  beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; fish; forest products

Uruguay
  rice, wheat, soybeans, barley; livestock, beef; fish;
  forestry

Uzbekistan
  cotton, vegetables, fruits, grain; livestock

Vanuatu
  copra, coconuts, cocoa, coffee, taro, yams, fruits,
  vegetables; beef; fish

Venezuela
  corn, sorghum, sugarcane, rice, bananas, vegetables,
  coffee; beef, pork, milk, eggs; fish

Vietnam
  paddy rice, coffee, rubber, cotton, tea, pepper, soybeans,
  cashews, sugar cane, peanuts, bananas; poultry; fish, seafood

Virgin Islands
  fruit, vegetables, sorghum; Senepol cattle

Wallis and Futuna
  breadfruit, yams, taro, bananas; pigs, goats; fish

West Bank
  olives, citrus, vegetables; beef, dairy products

Western Sahara
  fruits and vegetables (grown in the few oases);
  camels, sheep, goats (kept by nomads); fish

Yemen
  grain, fruits, vegetables, pulses, qat, coffee, cotton; dairy
  products, livestock (sheep, goats, cattle, camels), poultry; fish

Zambia
  corn, sorghum, rice, peanuts, sunflower seed, vegetables,
  flowers, tobacco, cotton, sugarcane, cassava (tapioca), coffee;
  cattle, goats, pigs, poultry, milk, eggs, hides

Zimbabwe
  corn, cotton, tobacco, wheat, coffee, sugarcane, peanuts;
  sheep, goats, pigs

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

@2053

Field Listing :: Airports

This entry gives the total number of airports or airfields recognizable from the air. The runway(s) may be paved (concrete or asphalt surfaces) or unpaved (grass, earth, sand, or gravel surfaces) and may include closed or abandoned installations. Airports or airfields that are no longer recognizable (overgrown, no facilities, etc.) are not included. Note that not all airports have accommodations for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control. Country Comparison to the World Country

Airports

Afghanistan
  51 (2009)

Albania
  5 (2009)

Algeria
  143 (2009)

American Samoa
  3 (2009)

Angola
  192 (2009)

Anguilla
  3 (2009)

Antarctica
  25 (2009)

Antigua and Barbuda
  3 (2009)

Argentina
  1,130 (2009)

Armenia
  11 (2009)

Aruba
  1 (2009)

Australia
  464 (2009)

Austria
  55 (2009)

Azerbaijan
  34 (2009)

Bahamas, The
  62 (2009)

Bahrain
  3 (2009)

Bangladesh
  17 (2009)

Barbados
  1 (2009)

Belarus
  65 (2009)

Belgium
  43 (2009)

Belize
  44 (2009)

Benin
  5 (2009)

Bermuda
  1 (2009)

Bhutan
  2 (2009)

Bolivia
  952 (2009)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  25 (2009)

Botswana
  77 (2009)

Brazil
  4,000 (2009)

British Indian Ocean Territory
  1 (2009)

British Virgin Islands
  4 (2009)

Brunei
  2 (2009)

Bulgaria
  212 (2009)

Burkina Faso
  26 (2009)

Burma
  77 (2009)

Burundi
  8 (2009)

Cambodia
  17 (2009)

Cameroon
  36 (2009)

Canada
  1,388 (2009)

Cape Verde
  10 (2009)

Cayman Islands
  3 (2009)

Central African Republic
  40 (2009)

Chad
  54 (2009)

Chile
  357 (2009)

China
  482 (2009)

Christmas Island
  1 (2009)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  1 (2009)

Colombia
  992 (2009)

Comoros
  4 (2009)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  194 (2009)

Congo, Republic of the
  25 (2009)

Cook Islands
  9 (2009)

Costa Rica
  151 (2009)

Cote d'Ivoire
  28 (2009)

Croatia
  68 (2009)

Cuba
  136 (2009)

Cyprus
  15 (2009)

Czech Republic
  122 (2009)

Denmark
  92 (2009)

Djibouti
  13 (2009)

Dominica
  2 (2009)

Dominican Republic
  35 (2009)

Ecuador
  420 (2009)

Egypt
  85 (2009)

El Salvador
  65 (2009)

Equatorial Guinea
  7 (2009)

Eritrea
  14 (2009)

Estonia
  19 (2009)

Ethiopia
  63 (2009)

European Union
  3,391 (2009)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  6 (2009)

Faroe Islands
  1 (2009)

Fiji
  28 (2009)

Finland
  148 (2009)

France
  475 (2009)

French Polynesia
  53 (2009)

French Southern and Antarctic Lands 4 (note - one each on Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island, and Tromelin Island in the Iles Eparses district) (2006)

Gabon
  44 (2009)

Gambia, The
  1 (2009)

Gaza Strip
  1 (2009)

Georgia
  22 (2009)

Germany
  550 (2009)

Ghana
  11 (2009)

Gibraltar
  1 (2009)

Greece
  81 (2009)

Greenland
  15 (2009)

Grenada
  3 (2009)

Guam
  5; note - 2 serviceable (2009)

Guatemala
  371 (2009)

Guernsey
  2 (2009)

Guinea
  17 (2009)

Guinea-Bissau
  9 (2009)

Guyana
  99 (2009)

Haiti
  14 (2009)

Honduras
  106 (2009)

Hong Kong
  2 (2009)

Hungary
  46 (2009)

Iceland
  99 (2009)

India
  349 (2009)

Indonesia
  683 (2009)

Iran
  316 (2009)

Iraq
  104 (2009)

Ireland
  39 (2009)

Isle of Man
  1 (2009)

Israel
  47 (2009)

Italy
  132 (2009)

Jamaica
  27 (2009)

Jan Mayen
  1 (2009)

Japan
  176 (2009)

Jersey
  1 (2009)

Jordan
  17 (2009)

Kazakhstan
  99 (2009)

Kenya
  181 (2009)

Kiribati
  19 (2009)

Korea, North
  79 (2009)

Korea, South
  116 (2009)

Kosovo
  8 (2009)

Kuwait
  7 (2009)

Kyrgyzstan
  29 (2009)

Laos
  41 (2009)

Latvia
  43 (2009)

Lebanon
  7 (2009)

Lesotho
  26 (2009)

Liberia
  33 (2009)

Libya
  137 (2009)

Lithuania
  87 (2009)

Luxembourg
  2 (2009)

Macau
  1 (2009)

Macedonia
  14 (2009)

Madagascar
  89 (2009)

Malawi
  32 (2009)

Malaysia
  118 (2009)

Maldives
  5 (2009)

Mali
  22 (2009)

Malta
  1 (2009)

Marshall Islands
  15 (2009)

Mauritania
  27 (2009)

Mauritius
  5 (2009)

Mayotte
  1 (2009)

Mexico
  1,744 (2009)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  6 (2009)

Moldova
  11 (2009)

Mongolia
  45 (2009)

Montenegro
  5 (2009)

Montserrat
  2 (2009)

Morocco
  58 (2009)

Mozambique
  105 (2009)

Namibia
  129 (2009)

Nauru
  1 (2009)

Nepal
  47 (2009)

Netherlands
  27 (2009)

Netherlands Antilles
  5 (2009)

New Caledonia
  25 (2009)

New Zealand
  120 (2009)

Nicaragua
  143 (2009)

Niger
  28 (2009)

Nigeria
  56 (2009)

Niue
  1 (2009)

Norfolk Island
  1 (2009)

Northern Mariana Islands
  5 (2009)

Norway
  98 (2009)

Oman
  128 (2009)

Pakistan
  145 (2009)

Palau
  3 (2009)

Panama
  117 (2009)

Papua New Guinea
  560 (2009)

Paracel Islands
  1 (2009)

Paraguay
  798 (2009)

Peru
  201 (2009)

Philippines
  254 (2009)

Poland
  125 (2009)

Portugal
  65 (2009)

Puerto Rico
  29 (2009)

Qatar
  5 (2009)

Romania
  53 (2009)

Russia
  1,216 (2009)

Rwanda
  9 (2009)

Saint Barthelemy
  1 (2009)

Saint Helena
  1 (2009)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  2 (2009)

Saint Lucia
  2 (2009)

Saint Martin
  1 (2009)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  2 (2009)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  6 (2009)

Samoa
  4 (2009)

Sao Tome and Principe
  2 (2009)

Saudi Arabia
  217 (2009)

Senegal
  19 (2009)

Serbia
  28 (2009)

Seychelles
  14 (2009)

Sierra Leone
  9 (2009)

Singapore
  8 (2009)

Slovakia
  35 (2009)

Slovenia
  16 (2009)

Solomon Islands
  36 (2009)

Somalia
  59 (2009)

South Africa
  607 (2009)

Spain
  153 (2009)

Spratly Islands
  4 (2009)

Sri Lanka
  18 (2009)

Sudan
  121 (2009)

Suriname
  50 (2009)

Svalbard
  4 (2009)

Swaziland
  14 (2009)

Sweden
  249 (2009)

Switzerland
  66 (2009)

Syria
  104 (2009)

Taiwan
  42 (2009)

Tajikistan
  26 (2009)

Tanzania
  125 (2009)

Thailand
  105 (2009)

Timor-Leste
  6 (2009)

Togo
  8 (2009)

Tonga
  6 (2009)

Trinidad and Tobago
  6 (2009)

Tunisia
  32 (2009)

Turkey
  102 (2009)

Turkmenistan
  28 (2009)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  8 (2009)

Tuvalu
  1 (2009)

Uganda
  35 (2009)

Ukraine
  425 (2009)

United Arab Emirates
  41 (2009)

United Kingdom
  506 (2009)

United States
  15,095 (2009)

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges
  Baker Island: one
  abandoned World War II runway of 1,665 m covered with vegetation and
  unusable
  Howland Island: airstrip constructed in 1937 for scheduled refueling
  stop on the round-the-world flight of Amelia EARHART and Fred
  NOONAN; the aviators left Lae, New Guinea, for Howland Island but
  were never seen again; the airstrip is no longer serviceable
  Johnston Atoll: one closed and not maintained
  Kingman Reef: lagoon was used as a halfway station between Hawaii
  and American Samoa by Pan American Airways for flying boats in 1937
  and 1938
  Midway Islands: 3 - one operational (2,409 m paved); no fuel for
  sale except emergencies
  Palmyra Atoll: 1 - 1,846 m unpaved runway; privately owned (2008)

Uruguay
  57 (2009)

Uzbekistan
  54 (2009)

Vanuatu
  31 (2009)

Venezuela
  406 (2009)

Vietnam
  44 (2009)

Virgin Islands
  2 (2009)

Wake Island
  1 (2009)

Wallis and Futuna
  2 (2009)

West Bank
  2 (2009)

Western Sahara
  6 (2009)

World
  total airports - 43,867
  top ten by passengers: Atlanta (ATL) - 89,379,287; Chicago (ORD) -
  76,177,855; London (LHR) - 68,068,304; Tokyo (HND) - 66,823,414; Los
  Angeles (LAX) - 61,896,075; Paris (CDG) - 59,922,177; Dallas/Fort
  Worth (DFW) - 59,786,476; Frankfurt (FRA) - 54,161,856; Beijing
  (PEK) - 53,583,664; Madrid (MAD) - 52,122,702
  top ten by cargo (metric tons): Memphis (MEM) - 3,840,491; Hong Kong
  (HKG) - 3,773,964; Anchorage (ANC) - 2,825,511; Shanghai (PVG) -
  2,559,310; Inch'on (ICN) - 2,555,580; Paris (CDG) - 2,297,896; Tokyo
  (NRT) - 2,254,421; Frankfurt (FRA) - 2,127,646; Louisville (SDF) -
  2,078,947; Miami (MIA) - 1,922,985 (2009)

Yemen
  55 (2009)

Zambia
  97 (2009)

Zimbabwe
  215 (2009)

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

@2054

Field Listing :: Birth rate

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

Birth rate(births/1,000 population)

Afghanistan
  45.46 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Albania
  15.29 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Algeria
  16.9 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

American Samoa
  23.31 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Andorra
  10.35 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Angola
  43.69 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Anguilla
  13.02 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  16.59 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Argentina
  17.94 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Armenia
  12.65 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Aruba
  12.79 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Australia
  12.47 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Austria
  8.65 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Azerbaijan
  17.62 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Bahamas, The
  16.81 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Bahrain
  17.02 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Bangladesh
  24.68 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Barbados
  12.55 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Belarus
  9.71 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Belgium
  10.15 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Belize
  27.33 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Benin
  39.22 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Bermuda
  11.57 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Bhutan
  20.07 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Bolivia
  25.82 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  8.85 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Botswana
  22.89 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Brazil
  18.43 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  14.62 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Brunei
  18.2 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Bulgaria
  9.51 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Burkina Faso
  44.33 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Burma
  16.97 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Burundi
  41.42 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Cambodia
  25.73 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Cameroon
  34.1 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Canada
  10.28 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Cape Verde
  23.5 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Cayman Islands
  12.36 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Central African Republic
  32.75 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Chad
  40.86 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Chile
  14.64 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

China
  14 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Christmas Island
  NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  NA

Colombia
  19.57 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Comoros
  35.23 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the 42.63 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  41.37 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Cook Islands
  16.18 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Costa Rica
  17.43 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  32.11 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Croatia
  9.64 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Cuba
  11.13 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Cyprus
  12.57 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Czech Republic
  8.83 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Denmark
  10.54 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Djibouti
  38.13 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Dominica
  15.73 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Dominican Republic
  22.39 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Ecuador
  20.77 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Egypt
  21.7 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

El Salvador
  25.31 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  36.52 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Eritrea
  34.2 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Estonia
  10.37 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Ethiopia
  43.66 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

European Union
  9.9 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  NA

Faroe Islands
  13.04 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Fiji
  21.92 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Finland
  10.38 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

France
  12.57 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

French Polynesia
  15.91 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Gabon
  35.57 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Gambia, The
  37.87 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Gaza Strip
  36.93 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Georgia
  10.66 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Germany
  8.18 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Ghana
  28.58 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Gibraltar
  10.67 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Greece
  9.45 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Greenland
  14.76 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Grenada
  21.32 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Guam
  18.22 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Guatemala
  27.98 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Guernsey
  8.46 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Guinea
  37.52 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  35.97 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Guyana
  17.56 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Haiti
  29.1 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Honduras
  26.27 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Hong Kong
  7.42 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Hungary
  9.51 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Iceland
  13.43 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

India
  21.76 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Indonesia
  18.84 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Iran
  17.17 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Iraq
  30.1 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Ireland
  14.23 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Isle of Man
  10.77 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Israel
  19.77 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Italy
  8.18 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Jamaica
  19.68 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Japan
  7.64 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Jersey
  8.63 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Jordan
  19.55 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Kazakhstan
  16.6 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Kenya
  36.64 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Kiribati
  30.2 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Korea, North
  14.82 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Korea, South
  8.93 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Kuwait
  21.81 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  23.44 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Laos
  33.94 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Latvia
  9.78 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Lebanon
  17.1 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Lesotho
  24.14 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Liberia
  42.25 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Libya
  25.15 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Liechtenstein
  9.75 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Lithuania
  9.11 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Luxembourg
  11.73 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Macau
  8.88 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Macedonia
  11.97 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Madagascar
  38.14 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Malawi
  41.48 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Malaysia
  22.24 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Maldives
  14.55 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Mali
  49.15 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Malta
  10.36 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Marshall Islands
  30.7 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Mauritania
  34.11 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Mauritius
  14.41 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Mayotte
  39.26 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Mexico
  19.71 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of 23.1 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Moldova
  11.12 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Monaco
  9.1 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Mongolia
  21.05 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Montenegro
  11.14 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Montserrat
  12.36 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Morocco
  20.96 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Mozambique
  37.98 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Namibia
  22.51 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Nauru
  23.9 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Nepal
  23.18 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Netherlands
  10.4 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  14.19 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

New Caledonia
  17.04 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

New Zealand
  13.94 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Nicaragua
  23.25 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Niger
  51.6 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Nigeria
  36.65 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Niue
  NA

Norfolk Island
  NA

Northern Mariana Islands
  18.77 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Norway
  10.99 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Oman
  34.79 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Pakistan
  27.62 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Palau
  11.2 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Panama
  20.18 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  27.55 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Paraguay
  28.17 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Peru
  19.38 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Philippines
  26.01 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  NA

Poland
  10.04 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Portugal
  10.29 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Puerto Rico
  12.12 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Qatar
  15.61 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Romania
  10.53 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Russia
  11.1 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Rwanda
  39.67 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Saint Helena
  11.13 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  17.67 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Saint Lucia
  15.1 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  12.76 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 15.27 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Samoa
  28.06 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

San Marino
  9.63 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  38.54 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  28.55 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Senegal
  36.84 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Serbia
  9.19 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Seychelles
  15.87 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Sierra Leone
  44.73 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Singapore
  8.82 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Slovakia
  10.6 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Slovenia
  8.97 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Solomon Islands
  27.69 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Somalia
  43.7 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

South Africa
  19.93 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Spain
  9.72 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Sri Lanka
  16.26 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Sudan
  33.74 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Suriname
  16.8 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Svalbard
  NA

Swaziland
  26.25 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Sweden
  10.13 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Switzerland
  9.59 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Syria
  25.9 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Taiwan
  8.99 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Tajikistan
  26.9 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Tanzania
  34.29 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Thailand
  13.4 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Timor-Leste
  26.25 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Togo
  36.44 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Tokelau
  NA

Tonga
  19.84 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  14.36 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Tunisia
  15.42 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Turkey
  18.66 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Turkmenistan
  19.69 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  20.79 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Tuvalu
  23.11 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Uganda
  47.84 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Ukraine
  9.6 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  16.02 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

United Kingdom
  10.65 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

United States
  13.82 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Uruguay
  13.91 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Uzbekistan
  17.58 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Vanuatu
  21.53 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Venezuela
  20.61 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Vietnam
  16.31 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Virgin Islands
  11.95 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
  NA

West Bank
  25.44 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Western Sahara
  39.54 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

World
  19.95 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Yemen
  42.14 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Zambia
  40.24 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Zimbabwe
  31.49 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

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

@2055

Field Listing :: Military branches

  This entry lists the service branches subordinate to defense
  ministries or the equivalent (typically ground, naval, air, and
  marine forces).
  Country

Military branches

Afghanistan
  Afghan Armed Forces: Afghan National Army (ANA, includes
  Afghan National Army Air Corps) (2009)

Albania
  Joint Force Command (includes Land, Naval, and Aviation
  Brigade Commands), Joint Support Command (includes Logistic
  Command), Training and Doctrine Command (2009)

Algeria
  People's National Army (Armee Nationale Populaire, ANP),
  Land Forces (Forces Terrestres, FT), Navy of the Republic of Algeria
  (Marine de la Republique Algerienne, MRA), Air Force (Al-Quwwat
  al-Jawwiya al-Jaza'eriya, QJJ), Territorial Air Defense Force (2009)

Andorra
  no regular military forces, Police Service of Andorra (2008)

Angola
  Angolan Armed Forces (FAA): Army, Navy (Marinha de Guerra
  Angola, MGA), Angolan National Air Force (Forca Aerea Nacional
  Angolana, FANA) (2009)

Antigua and Barbuda
  Royal Antigua and Barbuda Defense Force (2009)

Argentina
  Argentine Army (Ejercito Argentino), Navy of the Argentine
  Republic (Armada Republica; includes naval aviation and naval
  infantry), Argentine Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Argentina, FAA) (2009)

Armenia
  Armed Forces: Ground Forces, Air Force and Air Defense,
  Nagorno-Karabakh Self Defense Force (NKSDF) (2009)

Aruba
  no regular military forces; the Netherlands maintains a
  detachment of marines, a frigate, and an amphibious combat
  detachment in the neighboring Netherlands Antilles (2009)

Australia
  Australian Defense Force (ADF): Australian Army, Royal
  Australian Navy, Royal Australian Air Force, Special Operations
  Command (2006)

Austria
  Land Forces (KdoLdSK), Air Forces (KdoLuSK)

Azerbaijan
  Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces (2008)

Bahamas, The
  Royal Bahamian Defense Force: Land Force, Navy, Air
  Wing (2009)

Bahrain
  Bahrain Defense Forces (BDF): Ground Force (includes Air
  Defense), Naval Force, Air Force, National Guard

Bangladesh
  Bangladesh Defense Force: Bangladesh Army (Sena Bahini),
  Bangladesh Navy (Noh Bahini, BN), Bangladesh Air Force (Biman
  Bahini, BAF) (2009)

Barbados
  Royal Barbados Defense Force: Troops Command, Barbados
  Coast Guard (2009)

Belarus
  Belarus Armed Forces: Land Force, Air and Air Defense Force
  (2009)

Belgium
  Belgian Armed Forces: Land Operations Command, Naval
  Operations Command, Air Operations Command (2009)

Belize
  Belize Defense Force (BDF): Army, BDF Air Wing, BDF Volunteer
  Guard (2009)

Benin
  Benin Armed Forces (FAB): Army (l'Arme de Terre), Benin Navy
  (Forces Navales Beninois, FNB), Benin People's Air Force (Force
  Aerienne Populaire de Benin, FAPB) (2008)

Bermuda
  Bermuda Regiment (2008)

Bhutan
  Royal Bhutan Army (includes Royal Bodyguard and Royal Bhutan
  Police) (2009)

Bolivia
  Bolivian Armed Forces: Bolivian Army (Ejercito Boliviano,
  EB), Bolivian Navy (Fuerza Naval Boliviana, FNB; includes marines),
  Bolivian Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Boliviana, FAB) (2009)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  Bosnia and Herzegovina Armed Forces (OSBiH):
  Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Air and Air Defense Forces of Bosnia
  and Herzegovina (Zrakoplovstvo i Protuzracna Obrana, ZPO) (2009)

Botswana
  Botswana Defense Force: Ground Forces (includes Air Arm)
  (2009)

Brazil
  Brazilian Army (Exercito Brasileiro, EB), Brazilian Navy
  (Marinha do Brasil (MB), includes Naval Air and Marine Corps (Corpo
  de Fuzileiros Navais)), Brazilian Air Force (Forca Aerea Brasileira,
  FAB) (2009)

British Indian Ocean Territory
  no regular military forces; Royal
  Overseas Police Officers (ROPOs) (2008)

Brunei
  Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF): Royal Brunei Land Forces,
  Royal Brunei Navy, Royal Brunei Air Force (Tentera Udara Diraja
  Brunei) (2009)

Bulgaria
  Bulgarian Armed Forces: Ground Forces, Naval Forces,
  Bulgarian Air Forces (Bulgarski Voennovazdyshni Sily, BVVS) (2009)

Burkina Faso
  Army, Air Force of Burkina Faso (Force Aerienne de
  Burkina Faso, FABF), National Gendarmerie (2009)

Burma
  Myanmar Armed Forces (Tatmadaw): Army, Navy, Air Force
  (Tatmadaw Lay) (2008)

Burundi
  National Defense Force (Forces de Defense Nationale, FDN):
  Army (includes naval detachment and Air Wing), Gendarmerie (2009)

Cambodia
  Royal Cambodian Armed Forces: Royal Cambodian Army, Royal
  Khmer Navy, Royal Cambodian Air Force (2009)

Cameroon
  Cameroon Armed Forces (Forces Armees Camerounaises, FAC):
  Army (L'Armee de Terre), Navy (includes naval infantry), Air Force
  (Armee de l'Air du Cameroun, AAC) (2009)

Canada
  Canadian Forces: Land Forces Command (LFC), Maritime Command
  (MARCOM), Air Command (AIRCOM), Canada Command (homeland security)
  (2009)

Cape Verde
  People's Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARP): Army, Coast
  Guard (includes maritime air wing) (2007)

Cayman Islands
  no regular military forces; Royal Cayman Islands
  Police Force (2008)

Central African Republic
  Central African Armed Forces (Forces Armees
  Centrafricaines, FACA): Ground Forces, General Directorate of
  Gendarmerie Inspection (DGIG), Military Air Service, National Police
  (2008)

Chad
  Armed Forces: Chadian National Army (Armee Nationale du Tchad,
  ANT), Chadian Air Force (Force Aerienne Tchadienne, FAT),
  Gendarmerie (2008)

Chile
  Army of the Nation, Chilean Navy (Armada de Chile, includes
  naval air, marine corps, and Maritime Territory and Merchant Marine
  Directorate (Directemar)), Chilean Air Force (Fuerza Aerea de Chile,
  FACh), Carabineros Corps (Cuerpo de Carabineros) (2008)

China
  People's Liberation Army (PLA): Ground Forces, Navy (includes
  marines and naval aviation), Air Force (includes airborne forces),
  and Second Artillery Corps (strategic missile force); People's Armed
  Police (PAP); PLA Reserve Force (2009)

Colombia
  National Army (Ejercito Nacional), National Navy (Armada
  Nacional, includes Naval Aviation, Naval Infantry (Infanteria de
  Marina, IM), and Coast Guard), Colombian Air Force (Fuerza Aerea de
  Colombia, FAC) (2008)

Comoros
  National Development Army (AND): Comoran Security Force;
  Comoran Federal Police (2008)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  Armed Forces of the Democratic
  Republic of the Congo (Forces d'Armees de la Republique Democratique
  du Congo, FARDC): Army, National Navy (La Marine Nationale),
  Congolese Air Force (Force Aerienne Congolaise, FAC) (2009)

Congo, Republic of the
  Congolese Armed Forces (Forces Armees
  Congolaises, FAC): Army (Armee de Terre), Navy, Congolese Air Force
  (Armee de l'Air Congolaise), Gendarmerie, Special Presidential
  Security Guard (GSSP) (2009)

Cook Islands
  no regular military forces; National Police Department
  (2009)

Costa Rica
  no regular military forces; Ministry of Public Security,
  Government, and Police (2009)

Cote d'Ivoire
  Cote d'Ivoire Defense and Security Forces (FDSCI):
  Army, Navy, Air Force (2006)

Croatia
  Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia (Oruzane Snage
  Republike Hrvatske, OSRH), consists of five major commands directly
  subordinate to a General Staff: Ground Forces (Hrvatska Kopnena
  Vojska, HKoV), Naval Forces (Hrvatska Ratna Mornarica, HRM; includes
  coast guard), Air Force and Air Defense Command, Joint Education and
  Training Command, Logistics Command; Military Police Force supports
  each of the three Croatian military forces (2009)

Cuba
  Revolutionary Armed Forces (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias,
  FAR): Revolutionary Army (ER; includes Territorial Militia Troops
  (Milicia de Tropas de Territoriales, MTT)), Revolutionary Navy
  (Marina de Guerra Revolucionaria, MGR; includes Marine Corps),
  Revolutionary Air and Air Defense Force (DAAFAR), Youth Labor Army
  (Ejercito Juvenil del Trabajo, EJT) (2009)

Cyprus
  Republic of Cyprus: Greek Cypriot National Guard (Ethniki
  Forea, EF; includes naval and air elements); northern Cyprus:
  Turkish Cypriot Security Force (GKK) (2009)

Czech Republic
  Army of the Czech Republic (ACR): Joint Forces
  Command (includes Land Forces and Air Forces), Support and Training
  Forces Command (2009)

Denmark
  Defense Command: Army Operational Command, Admiral Danish
  Fleet, Island Command Greenland, Tactical Air Command, Home Guard
  (2008)

Djibouti
  Djibouti National Army (includes Navy and Air Force)

Dominica
  no regular military forces; Commonwealth of Dominica Police
  Force (includes Coast Guard) (2008)

Dominican Republic
  Army, Navy, Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Dominicana,
  FAD) (2009)

Ecuador
  Army, Navy (includes Naval Infantry, Naval Aviation, Coast
  Guard), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Ecuatoriana, FAE) (2007)

Egypt
  Army, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Command

El Salvador
  Salvadoran Army (ES), Salvadoran Navy (FNES), Salvadoran
  Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Salvadorena, FAS) (2008)

Equatorial Guinea
  National Guard (Guardia Nacional de Guinea
  Ecuatoria, GNGE (Army), with Coast Guard (Navy) and Air Wing) (2009)

Eritrea
  Eritrean Armed Forces: Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force (2008)

Estonia
  Estonian Defense Forces: Land Force, Navy, Air Force (Eesti
  Ohuvagi), Volunteer Defense League (Kaitseliit, KL) (2009)

Ethiopia
  Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF): Ground Forces,
  Ethiopian Air Force (ETAF) (2008)
  note: Ethiopia is landlocked and has no navy; following the
  secession of Eritrea, Ethiopian naval facilities remained in
  Eritrean possession

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  no regular military forces

Faroe Islands
  no regular military forces

Fiji
  Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF): Land Forces, Naval
  Forces (2009)

Finland
  Finnish Defense Forces (FDF): Army, Navy (includes Coastal
  Defense Forces), Air Force (Suomen Ilmavoimat) (2007)

France
  Army (Armee de Terre; includes Marines, Foreign Legion, Army
  Light Aviation), Navy (Marine Nationale, includes Naval Air,
  Maritime Gendarmerie (Coast Guard)), Air Force (Armee de l'Air,
  includes Air Defense), National Gendarmerie (2009)

French Polynesia
  no regular military forces (2009)

Gabon
  Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Police

Gambia, The
  Office of the Chief of Defense: Gambian National Army
  (National Guard, GNA), Gambian Navy (GN) (2009)

Gaza Strip
  Palestinian Authority security forces have operated only
  in the West Bank, not in the Gaza Strip, since Hamas seized power in
  June 2007; law and order and other security functions are performed
  by Hamas security organizations (2008)

Georgia
  Georgian Armed Forces: Land Forces, Air and Air Defense
  Forces
  note: naval forces have been incorporated into the coast guard (2009)

Germany
  Federal Armed Forces (Bundeswehr): Army (Heer), Navy
  (Deutsche Marine, includes naval air arm), Air Force (Luftwaffe),
  Joint Support Services (Streitkraeftbasis), Central Medical Service
  (Zentraler Sanitaetsdienst) (2009)

Ghana
  Ghanaian Army, Ghanaian Navy, Ghanaian Air Force (2008)

Gibraltar
  Royal Gibraltar Regiment (2009)

Greece
  Hellenic Army (Ellinikos Stratos, ES), Hellenic Navy
  (Ellinikos Polemiko Navtiko, EPN), Hellenic Air Force (Elliniki
  Polimiki Aeroporia, EPA) (2009)

Greenland
  no regular military forces

Grenada
  no regular military forces; Royal Grenada Police Force
  (includes Coast Guard) (2008)

Guatemala
  Army, Navy (includes Marines), Air Force

Guinea
  National Armed Forces: Army, Navy (Armee de Mer or Marine
  Guineenne, includes Marines), Air Force (2009)

Guinea-Bissau
  People's Revolutionary Armed Force (FARP): Army, Navy,
  Air Force; paramilitary force

Guyana
  Guyana Defense Force: Army (includes Coast Guard, Air Corps)
  (2008)

Haiti
  no regular military forces - small Coast Guard; the regular
  Haitian Armed Forces (FAdH) - Army, Navy, and Air Force - have been
  demobilized but still exist on paper until or unless they are
  constitutionally abolished (2009)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  Pontifical Swiss Guard Corps (Corpo della
  Guardia Svizzera Pontificia) (2009)

Honduras
  Army, Navy (includes Naval Infantry), Honduran Air Force
  (Fuerza Aerea Hondurena, FAH) (2008)

Hong Kong
  no regular indigenous military forces; Hong Kong garrison
  of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) includes elements of the
  PLA Ground Forces, PLA Navy, and PLA Air Force; these forces are
  under the direct leadership of the Central Military Commission in
  Beijing and under administrative control of the adjacent Guangzhou
  Military Region (2009)

Hungary
  Ground Forces, Hungarian Air Force (Magyar Legiero, ML)
  (2009)

Iceland
  no regular military forces; Icelandic National Police (2008)

India
  Army, Navy (includes naval air arm), Air Force (Bharatiya Vayu
  Sena), Coast Guard (2009)

Indonesia
  Indonesian Armed Forces (Tentara Nasional Indonesia, TNI):
  Army (TNI-Angkatan Darat (TNI-AD)), Navy (TNI-Angkatan Laut
  (TNI-AL); includes marines, naval air arm), Air Force (TNI-Angkatan
  Udara (TNI-AU)), National Air Defense Command (Kommando Pertahanan
  Udara Nasional (Kohanudnas)) (2009)

Iran
  Islamic Republic of Iran Regular Forces (Artesh): Ground
  Forces, Navy, Air Force of the Military of the Islamic Republic of
  Iran (Niru-ye Hava'i-ye Artesh-e Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Iran, IRIAF;
  Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (Sepah-e Pasdaran-e Enqelab-e
  Eslami, IRGC): Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force, Qods Force (special
  operations), Basij Force (Popular Mobilization Army); Law
  Enforcement Forces (2008)

Iraq
  Iraqi Armed Forces: Iraqi Army (includes Iraqi Special
  Operations Force, Iraqi Intervention Force), Iraqi Navy (former
  Iraqi Coastal Defense Force), Iraqi Air Force (former Iraqi Army Air
  Corps) (2005)

Ireland
  Irish Defense Forces (Oglaigh na h-Eireann): Army (includes
  Naval Service and Air Corps (Aer-Chor na h-Eireann)) (2009)

Israel
  Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Israel Naval Forces (INF),
  Israel Air Force (IAF) (2009)

Italy
  Italian Army (Esercito Italiano, EI), Italian Navy (Marina
  Militare Italiana, MMI), Italian Air Force (Aeronautica Militare
  Italiana, AMI), Carabinieri Corps (Arma dei Carabinieri, CC) (2009)

Jamaica
  Jamaica Defense Force: Ground Forces, Coast Guard, Air Wing
  (2009)

Japan
  Japanese Ministry of Defense (MOD): Ground Self-Defense Force
  (Rikujou Jietai, GSDF), Maritime Self-Defense Force (Kaijou Jietai,
  MSDF), Air Self-Defense Force (Koku Jieitai, ASDF) (2009)

Jordan
  Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF): Royal Jordanian Land Force
  (RJLF), Royal Jordanian Navy, Royal Jordanian Air Force (Al-Quwwat
  al-Jawwiya al-Malakiya al-Urduniya, RJAF), Special Operations
  Command (Socom); Public Security Directorate (normally falls under
  Ministry of Interior, but comes under JAF in wartime or crisis)
  (2008)

Kazakhstan
  Kazakh Armed Forces: Ground Forces, Navy, Air Mobile
  Forces, Air Defense Forces (2009)

Kenya
  Kenyan Armed Forces: Kenyan Army, Kenyan Navy, Kenyan Air
  Force (2008)

Kiribati
  no regular military forces (constitutionally prohibited);
  Police Force (2009)

Korea, North
  North Korean People's Army: Ground Forces, Navy, Air
  Force; civil security forces (2005)

Korea, South
  Republic of Korea Army, Navy (includes Marine Corps),
  Air Force (2009)

Kuwait
  Kuwaiti Land Forces (KLF), Kuwaiti Navy, Kuwaiti Air Force
  (Al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Kuwaitiya), Kuwaiti National Guard (KNG)
  (2008)

Kyrgyzstan
  Ground Forces, Air Force (includes Air Defense Forces),
  National Guard (2009)

Laos
  Lao People's Armed Forces (LPAF): Lao People's Army (LPA;
  includes Riverine Force), Air Force (2009)

Latvia
  National Armed Forces (Nacionalo Brunoto Speku): Ground
  Forces, Navy (Latvijas Juras Speki; includes Coast Guard (Latvijas
  Kara Flotes)), Latvian Air Force (Latvijas Gaisa Speki), Border
  Guard, Latvian Home Guard (Latvijas Zemessardze) (2009)

Lebanon
  Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF): Army (includes Navy), Air Force
  (Al Quwwat al Jawwiya al Lubnaniya) (2009)

Lesotho
  Lesotho Defense Force (LDF): Army (includes Air Wing) (2008)

Liberia
  Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL): Army, Navy, Air Force

Libya
  Armed Peoples on Duty (APOD, Army), Libyan Arab Navy, Libyan
  Arab Air Force (Al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Jamahiriya al-Arabia
  al-Libyya, LAAF), Libyan Coast Guard (2008)

Liechtenstein
  no regular military forces (constitutionally
  prohibited); Principality of Liechtenstein National Police
  (Landespolizei, LP) (2008)

Lithuania
  Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Air Forces (Karines Oro
  Pajegos, KOP), National Defense Volunteer Forces (2009)

Luxembourg
  Army (2009)

Macau
  no regular military forces; defense is the responsibility of
  China (2009)

Macedonia
  Army of the Republic of Macedonia (ARM): Joint Operational
  Command, with subordinate Air Wing (Makedonsko Voeno
  Vozduhoplovstvo, MVV), Special Operations Regiment (2009)

Madagascar
  People's Armed Forces: Intervention Force, Development
  Force, and Aeronaval Force (navy and air); National Gendarmerie

Malawi
  Malawi Armed Forces: Army (includes Air Wing and Naval
  Detachment) (2009)

Malaysia
  Malaysian Armed Forces (Angkatan Tentera Malaysia, ATM):
  Malaysian Army (Tentera Darat Malaysia), Royal Malaysian Navy
  (Tentera Laut Diraja Malaysia, TLDM), Royal Malaysian Air Force
  (Tentera Udara Diraja Malaysia, TUDM) (2009)

Maldives
  Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF): Rapid Reaction
  Force, Security Protection Group, Coast Guard (2009)

Mali
  Malian Armed Forces: Army, Republic of Mali Air Force (Force
  Aerienne de la Republique du Mali, FARM), National Guard (2008)

Malta
  Armed Forces of Malta (AFM; includes air and maritime
  elements) (2007)

Marshall Islands
  no regular military forces; under the 1983 Compact
  of Free Association, the US has full authority and responsibility
  for security and defense of the Marshall Islands; Marshall Islands
  Police (2009)

Mauritania
  Mauritanian Armed Forces: Army, Mauritanian Navy (Marine
  Mauritanienne; includes naval infantry), Islamic Air Force of
  Mauritania (Force Aerienne Islamique de Mauritanie, FAIM) (2008)

Mauritius
  no regular military forces; Mauritius Police Force,
  Special Mobile Force, National Coast Guard (2009)

Mexico
  Secretariat of National Defense (Secretaria de Defensa
  Nacional, Sedena): Army (Ejercito, includes Mexican Air Force
  (Fuerza Aerea Mexicana, FAM)); Secretariat of the Navy (Secretaria
  de Marina, Semar): Mexican Navy (Armada de Mexico, ARM, includes
  Naval Air Force (FAN) and naval infantry) (2009)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  no regular military forces; defense
  is the responsibility of the US (2009)

Moldova
  National Army: Land Forces, Rapid Reaction Forces, Air and
  Air Defense Forces (2009)

Monaco
  no regular military forces; the Palace Guard performs
  ceremonial duties

Mongolia
  Mongolian Armed Forces: Mongolian Army, Mongolian Air
  Force; there is no navy (2009)

Montenegro
  Armed Forces of the Republic of Montenegro: Army, Navy,
  Air Force (2009)

Montserrat
  no regular military forces; Royal Montserrat Police Force
  (2008)

Morocco
  Royal Armed Forces (Forces Armees Royales, FAR): Royal
  Moroccan Army (includes Air Defense), Navy (includes Marines), Royal
  Moroccan Air Force (Al Quwwat al Jawyiya al Malakiya Marakishiya;
  Force Aerienne Royale Marocaine) (2008)

Mozambique
  Mozambique Armed Defense Forces (FADM): Mozambique Army,
  Mozambique Navy (Marinha Mocambique, MM), Mozambique Air Force
  (Forca Aerea de Mocambique, FAM) (2006)

Namibia
  Namibian Defense Force: Army, Navy, Air Wing (2008)

Nauru
  no regular military forces; Nauru Police Force (2009)

Nepal
  Nepal Army (2009)

Netherlands
  Royal Netherlands Army, Royal Netherlands Navy (includes
  Naval Air Service and Marine Corps), Royal Netherlands Air Force
  (Koninklijke Luchtmacht, KLu), Royal Military Police (2009)

Netherlands Antilles
  no regular military forces; National Guard
  (2008)

New Caledonia
  no regular military forces; French police and
  gendarmerie (2009)

New Zealand
  New Zealand Defense Force (NZDF): New Zealand Army,
  Royal New Zealand Navy, Royal New Zealand Air Force (2009)

Nicaragua
  National Army of Nicaragua (ENN; includes Navy, Air Force)
  (2008)

Niger
  Nigerien Armed Forces (Forces Armees Nigeriennes, FAN): Army,
  Niger Air Force (Force Aerienne du Niger) (2009)

Nigeria
  Nigerian Armed Forces: Army, Navy, Air Force (2008)

Niue
  no regular indigenous military forces; Police Force

Norway
  Norwegian Army (Haeren), Royal Norwegian Navy (Kongelige
  Norske Sjoeforsvaret, RNoN; includes Coastal Rangers and Coast Guard
  (Kystvakt)), Royal Norwegian Air Force (Kongelige Norske
  Luftforsvaret, RNoAF), Home Guard (Heimevernet, HV) (2007)

Oman
  Sultan's Armed Forces (SAF): Royal Army of Oman, Royal Navy of
  Oman, Royal Air Force of Oman (al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Sultanat)
  (2009)

Pakistan
  Army (includes National Guard), Navy (includes Marines and
  Maritime Security Agency), Pakistan Air Force (Pakistan Fiza'ya)
  (2008)

Palau
  no regular military forces; Palau National Police (2009)

Panama
  no regular military forces; Panamanian public forces include:
  Panamanian National Police (PNP), National Air-Naval Service
  (SENAN), National Border Service (SENAFRONT) (2009)

Papua New Guinea
  Papua New Guinea Defense Force (PNGDF; includes
  Maritime Operations Element, Air Operations Element) (2009)

Paraguay
  Army, National Navy (Armada Nacional, includes Naval
  Aviation, Marine Corps, General Naval Prefecture), Air Force (Fuerza
  Aerea Paraguay, FAP) (2008)

Peru
  Army of Peru (Ejercito Peruano), Navy of Peru (Marina de Guerra
  del Peru, MGP (includes naval air, naval infantry, and Coast
  Guard)), Air Force of Peru (Fuerza Aerea del Peru, FAP) (2008)

Philippines
  Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP): Army, Navy
  (includes Marine Corps and Coast Guard), Air Force (2009)

Poland
  Polish Armed Forces: Land Forces, Navy, Air and Air Defense
  Aviation Forces, Special Forces (2008)

Portugal
  Portuguese Army (Exercito Portugues), Portuguese Navy
  (Marinha Portuguesa; includes Marine Corps), Portuguese Air Force
  (Forca Aerea Portuguesa, FAP) (2009)

Puerto Rico
  no regular indigenous military forces; paramilitary
  National Guard, Police Force

Qatar
  Qatari Amiri Land Force (QALF), Qatari Amiri Navy (QAN),
  Qatari Amiri Air Force (QAAF) (2009)

Romania
  Land Forces, Naval Forces, Romanian Air Force (Fortele
  Aeriene Romane, FAR), Special Operations (2009)

Russia
  Ground Forces (Sukhoputnyye Voyskia, SV), Navy
  (Voyenno-Morskoy Flot, VMF), Air Forces (Voyenno-Vozdushniye Sily,
  VVS); Airborne Troops (VDV), Strategic Rocket Forces (Raketnyye
  Voyska Strategicheskogo Naznacheniya, RVSN), and Space Troops
  (Kosmicheskiye Voyska, KV) are independent "combat arms," not
  subordinate to any of the three branches; Russian Ground Forces
  include the following combat arms: motorized-rifle troops, tank
  troops, missile and artillery troops, air defense of ground troops
  (2009)

Rwanda
  Rwandan Defense Forces: Army, Air Force

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  Royal Saint Kitts and Nevis Defense Force
  (includes Coast Guard), Royal Saint Kitts and Nevis Police Force
  (2009)

Saint Lucia
  no regular military forces; Royal Saint Lucia Police
  Force (includes Special Service Unit and Coast Guard) (2008)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  no regular military forces; Royal
  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force, Coast Guard (2009)

Samoa
  no regular military forces; Samoa Police Force (2008)

San Marino
  no regular military forces; Voluntary Military Force
  (Corpi Militari Voluntar) performs ceremonial duties and limited
  police support functions (2008)

Sao Tome and Principe
  Armed Forces of Sao Tome and Principe (FASTP):
  Army, Coast Guard of Sao Tome e Principe (Guarda Costeira de Sao
  Tome e Principe, GCSTP), Presidential Guard (2007)

Saudi Arabia
  Ministry of Defense and Aviation Forces: Royal Saudi
  Land Forces, Royal Saudi Naval Forces (includes Marine Forces and
  Special Forces), Royal Saudi Air Force (Al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya
  al-Malakiya as-Sa'udiya), Royal Saudi Air Defense Forces, Royal
  Saudi Strategic Rocket Forces, Saudi Arabian National Guard (SANG)

Senegal
  Army, Senegalese Navy (Marine Senegalaise), Senegalese Air
  Force (Armee de l'Air du Senegal) (2008)

Serbia
  Serbian Armed Forces (Vojska Srbije, VS): Land Forces Command
  (includes Riverine Component, consisting of a river flotilla on the
  Danube), Joint Operations Command, Air and Air Defense Forces
  Command (2009)

Seychelles
  Seychelles Defense Force: Army, Coast Guard (includes
  Naval Wing, Air Wing), National Guard (2005)

Sierra Leone
  Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF): Army
  (includes Maritime Wing and Air Wing) (2008)

Singapore
  Singapore Armed Forces: Army, Navy, Air Force (includes
  Air Defense) (2009)

Slovakia
  Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic (Ozbrojene Sily
  Slovenskej Republiky): Land Forces (Pozemne Sily), Air Forces
  (Vzdusne Sily) (2009)

Slovenia
  Slovenian Army (includes air and naval forces)

Solomon Islands
  no regular military forces; Solomon Islands Police
  Force (2009)

Somalia
  no national-level armed forces (2008)

South Africa
  South African National Defense Force (SANDF): South
  African Army, South African Navy (SAN), South African Air Force
  (SAAF), Joint Operations Command, Military Intelligence, South
  African Military Health Services (2009)

Spain
  Spanish Armed Forces: Army (Ejercito de Tierra), Spanish Navy
  (Armada Espanola, AE; includes Marine Corps), Spanish Air Force
  (Ejercito del Aire Espanola, EdA) (2009)

Sri Lanka
  Sri Lanka Army, Sri Lanka Navy, Sri Lanka Air Force (2009)

Sudan
  Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF): Land Forces, Navy (includes
  Marines), Sudanese Air Force (Sikakh al-Jawwiya as-Sudaniya),
  Popular Defense Forces; Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA): Land
  Forces (2009)

Suriname
  National Army (Nationaal Leger, NL; includes Naval Wing,
  Air Wing) (2007)

Svalbard
  no regular military forces

Swaziland
  Umbutfo Swaziland Defense Force (USDF): Ground Force
  (includes air wing) (2008)

Sweden
  Swedish Armed Forces (Forsvarsmakten): Army (Armen), Royal
  Swedish Navy (Marinen), Swedish Air Force (Svenska Flygvapnet) (2008)

Switzerland
  Swiss Armed Forces: Land Forces, Swiss Air Force
  (Schweizer Luftwaffe) (2009)

Syria
  Syrian Armed Forces: Syrian Arab Army, Syrian Arab Navy,
  Syrian Arab Air and Air Defense Forces (includes Air Defense
  Command) (2008)

Taiwan
  Army, Navy (includes Marine Corps), Air Force, Coast Guard
  Administration, Armed Forces Reserve Command, Combined Service
  Forces Command, Armed Forces Police Command

Tajikistan
  Ground Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces, Mobile Forces
  (2008)

Tanzania
  Tanzanian People's Defense Force (Jeshi la Wananchi la
  Tanzania, JWTZ): Army, Naval Wing (includes Coast Guard), Air
  Defense Command (includes Air Wing), National Service (2007)

Thailand
  Royal Thai Army (Kongthap Bok Thai, RTA), Royal Thai Navy
  (Kongthap Ruea Thai, RTN, includes Royal Thai Marine Corps), Royal
  Thai Air Force (Kongtap Agard Thai, RTAF) (2009)

Timor-Leste
  Timor-Leste Defense Force (Forcas de Defesa de
  Timor-L'este, Falintil (F-FDTL)): Army, Navy (Armada) (2009)

Togo
  Togolese Armed Forces (Forces Armees Togolaise, FAT): Ground
  Forces, Togolese Navy (Marine du Togo), Togolese Air Force (Force
  Aerienne Togolaise, FAT), National Gendarmerie (2009)

Tonga
  Tonga Defense Services (TDS): Land Force (Royal Guard), Naval
  Force (includes Royal Marines, Air Wing) (2009)

Trinidad and Tobago
  Trinidad and Tobago Defense Force (TTDF):
  Trinidad and Tobago Army, Coast Guard, Air Guard, Trinidad and
  Tobago Police Service (2008)

Tunisia
  Army, Navy, Republic of Tunisia Air Force (Al-Quwwat
  al-Jawwiya al-Jamahiriyah At'tunisia) (2008)

Turkey
  Turkish Armed Forces (TSK): Turkish Land Forces (Turk Kara
  Kuvvetleri), Turkish Naval Forces (Turk Deniz Kuvvetleri; includes
  naval air and naval infantry), Turkish Air Force (Turk Hava
  Kuvvetleri) (2009)

Turkmenistan
  Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces (2009)

Tuvalu
  no regular military forces; Tuvalu Police Force (2008)

Uganda
  Uganda Peoples Defense Force (UPDF): Army (includes Marine
  Unit), Air Force (2007)

Ukraine
  Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces
  (Viyskovo-Povitryani Syly, VPS) (2009)

United Arab Emirates
  United Arab Emirates Armed Forces: Army, Navy
  (includes Marines), Air Force and Air Defense, National Coast Guard
  (2008)

United Kingdom
  Army, Royal Navy (includes Royal Marines), Royal Air
  Force (2009)

United States
  United States Armed Forces: US Army, US Navy (includes
  Marine Corps), US Air Force, US Coast Guard; note - Coast Guard
  administered in peacetime by the Department of Homeland Security,
  but in wartime reports to the Department of the Navy (2009)

Uruguay
  Uruguayan Armed Forces: Army (Ejercito), National Navy
  (Armada Nacional; includes naval air arm, Marine Corps (Cuerpo de
  Fusileros Navales, FUSNA), Maritime Prefecture in wartime), Air
  Force (Fuerza Aerea Uruguaya, FAU) (2008)

Uzbekistan
  Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, National Guard

Vanuatu
  no regular military forces; Vanuatu Police Force (VPF),
  Vanuatu Mobile Force (VMF; includes Police Maritime Wing (PMW))
  (2009)

Venezuela
  National Bolivarian Armed Forces (Fuerza Armada Nacional
  Bolivariana, FANB): National Bolivarian Army (Ejercito Nacional
  Bolivariano, ENB), Bolivarian National Navy (Fuerza Armada Nacional
  Bolivariana (FANB); includes Naval Infantry, Coast Guard, Naval
  Aviation), Bolivarian National Military Aviation (Aviacion Militar
  Nacional Bolivariana, AMNB), Bolivarian National Guard (Guardia
  Nacional Bolivaria, GNB) (2009)

Vietnam
  People's Armed Forces: People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN)
  (includes People's Navy Command (with naval infantry, coast guard),
  Air and Air Defense Force (Kon Quan Nhan Dan), Border Defense
  Command), People's Public Security Forces, Militia Force,
  Self-Defense Forces (2005)

Yemen
  Army (includes Republican Guard), Navy (includes Marines),
  Yemen Air Force (Al Quwwat al Jawwiya al Jamahiriya al Yemeniya;
  includes Air Defense Force) (2009)

Zambia
  Zambian National Defense Force (ZNDF): Zambian Army, Zambian
  Air Force, National Service (2009)

Zimbabwe
  Zimbabwe Defense Forces (ZDF): Zimbabwe National Army
  (ZNA), Air Force of Zimbabwe (AFZ), Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP)
  (2009)

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

@2056

Field Listing :: Budget

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

Budget

Afghanistan
  revenues: $890 million
  expenditures: $2.7 billion
  note: Afghanistan has also received $2.6 billion from the
  Reconstruction Trust Fund and $63 million from the Law and Order
  Trust Fund (2007 est.)

Albania
  revenues: $3.458 billion
  expenditures: $4.175 billion (2008 est.)

Algeria
  revenues: $70.06 billion
  expenditures: $56.04 billion (2008 est.)

American Samoa
  revenues: $155.4 million (37% in local revenue and
  63% in US grants)
  expenditures: $183.6 million (FY07)

Andorra
  revenues: $496.9 million
  expenditures: $496.8 million (2007)

Angola
  revenues: $28.99 billion
  expenditures: $21.44 billion (2008 est.)

Anguilla
  revenues: $22.8 million
  expenditures: $22.5 million (2000 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  revenues: $123.7 million
  expenditures: $145.9 million (2000 est.)

Argentina
  revenues: $86.65 billion
  expenditures: $82.85 billion (2008 est.)

Armenia
  revenues: $2.481 billion
  expenditures: $2.626 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2008 est.)

Aruba
  revenues: $507.9 million
  expenditures: $577.9 million (2005 est.)

Australia
  revenues: $350.3 billion
  expenditures: $332.4 billion (2008 est.)

Austria
  revenues: $196.4 billion
  expenditures: $200.7 billion (2008 est.)

Azerbaijan
  revenues: $12.69 billion
  expenditures: $15.67 billion (2008 est.)

Bahamas, The
  revenues: $1.03 billion
  expenditures: $1.03 billion (FY04/05)

Bahrain
  revenues: $6.934 billion
  expenditures: $5.612 billion (2008 est.)

Bangladesh
  revenues: $8.825 billion
  expenditures: $12.54 billion (2008 est.)

Barbados
  revenues: $847 million (including grants)
  expenditures: $886 million (2000 est.)

Belarus
  revenues: $25.15 billion
  expenditures: $25.97 billion (2008 est.)

Belgium
  revenues: $239.4 billion
  expenditures: $245.7 billion (2008 est.)

Belize
  revenues: $347 million
  expenditures: $386.5 million (2008 est.)

Benin
  revenues: $1.407 billion
  expenditures: $1.291 billion (2008 est.)

Bermuda
  revenues: $738 million
  expenditures: $665 million (FY04/05)

Bhutan
  revenues: $272 million
  expenditures: $350 million
  note: the government of India finances nearly three-fifths of
  Bhutan's budget expenditures (2005)

Bolivia
  revenues: $8.039 billion
  expenditures: $7.5 billion (2008 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  revenues: $8.516 billion
  expenditures: $8.867 billion (2008 est.)

Botswana
  revenues: $4.326 billion
  expenditures: $4.808 billion (2008 est.)

Brazil
  revenues: NA
  expenditures: NA

British Virgin Islands
  revenues: $204.7 million
  expenditures: $180.4 million (2004)

Brunei
  revenues: $6.889 billion
  expenditures: $4 billion (2008 est.)

Bulgaria
  revenues: $22.24 billion
  expenditures: $20.74 billion (2008 est.)

Burkina Faso
  revenues: $1.409 billion
  expenditures: $1.786 billion (2008 est.)

Burma
  revenues: $1 billion
  expenditures: $1.805 billion (2008 est.)

Burundi
  revenues: $295.2 million
  expenditures: $355 million; including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2008 est.)

Cambodia
  revenues: $1.274 billion
  expenditures: $1.592 billion (2008 est.)

Cameroon
  revenues: $4.714 billion
  expenditures: $4.261 billion (2008 est.)

Canada
  revenues: $594.1 billion
  expenditures: $573.7 billion (2008 est.)

Cape Verde
  revenues: $508 million
  expenditures: $540.2 million (2008 est.)

Cayman Islands
  revenues: $423.8 million
  expenditures: $392.6 million (2004)

Central African Republic
  revenues: $250 million
  expenditures: $273 million (2007 est.)

Chad
  revenues: $2.324 billion
  expenditures: $1.91 billion (2008 est.)

Chile
  revenues: $44.79 billion
  expenditures: $35.09 billion (2008 est.)

China
  revenues: $847.8 billion
  expenditures: $861.6 billion (2008 est.)

Christmas Island
  revenues: $NA
  expenditures: $NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  revenues: $NA
  expenditures: $NA

Colombia
  revenues: $83.22 billion
  expenditures: $82.92 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2008 est.)

Comoros
  revenues: $27.6 million
  expenditures: $NA (2001 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  revenues: $700 million
  expenditures: $2 billion (2006 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  revenues: $4.515 billion
  expenditures: $2.721 billion (2008 est.)

Cook Islands
  revenues: $70.95 million
  expenditures: $69.05 million (FY05/06)

Costa Rica
  revenues: $4.6 billion
  expenditures: $4.531 billion (2008 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  revenues: $4.823 billion
  expenditures: $4.915 billion (2008 est.)

Croatia
  revenues: $26.86 billion
  expenditures: $28.54 billion (2008 est.)

Cuba
  revenues: $45.42 billion
  expenditures: $49.96 billion (2008 est.)

Cyprus
  revenues:: $11.19 billion
  expenditures:: $10.96 billion (2008 est.)

Czech Republic
  revenues: $93.42 billion
  expenditures: $96.09 billion (2008 est.)

Denmark
  revenues: $188.6 billion
  expenditures: $176.3 billion (2008 est.)

Djibouti
  revenues: $135 million
  expenditures: $182 million (1999 est.)

Dominica
  revenues: $73.9 million
  expenditures: $84.4 million (2001)

Dominican Republic
  revenues: $7.46 billion
  expenditures: $9.027 billion (2008 est.)

Ecuador
  revenues: $21.09 billion
  expenditures: planned $21.35 billion (2008 est.)

Egypt
  revenues: $40.22 billion
  expenditures: $51.07 billion (2008 est.)

El Salvador
  revenues: $4.016 billion
  expenditures: $4.242 billion (2008 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  revenues: $6.599 billion
  expenditures: $3.601 billion (2008 est.)

Eritrea
  revenues: $234.6 million
  expenditures: $523.3 million (2008 est.)

Estonia
  revenues: $8.798 billion
  expenditures: $9.488 billion (2008 est.)

Ethiopia
  revenues: $4.517 billion
  expenditures: $5.34 billion (2008 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  revenues: $66.2 million
  expenditures: $67.9 million (FY98/99 est.)

Faroe Islands
  revenues: $588 million
  expenditures: $623 million (2005)

Fiji
  revenues: $1.363 billion
  expenditures: $1.376 billion (2006)

Finland
  revenues: $143.8 billion
  expenditures: $132.3 billion (2008 est.)

France
  revenues: $1.407 trillion
  expenditures: $1.506 trillion (2008 est.)

French Polynesia
  revenues: $865 million
  expenditures: $644.1 million (1999)

Gabon
  revenues: $4.511 billion
  expenditures: $2.932 billion (2008 est.)

Gambia, The
  revenues: $155.6 million
  expenditures: $167.3 million (2008 est.)

Gaza Strip
  revenues: $1.149 billion
  expenditures: $2.31 billion
  note: includes West Bank (2006)

Georgia
  revenues: $4.596 billion
  expenditures: $5.345 billion (2008 est.)

Germany
  revenues: $1.591 trillion
  expenditures: $1.591 trillion (2008 est.)

Ghana
  revenues: $5.256 billion
  expenditures: $7.492 billion (2008 est.)

Gibraltar
  revenues: $455.1 million
  expenditures: $423.6 million (2005 est.)

Greece
  revenues: $126.5 billion
  expenditures: $144.4 billion (2008 est.)

Greenland
  revenues: $1.36 billion
  expenditures: $1.27 billion (2005)

Grenada
  revenues: $85.8 million
  expenditures: $102.1 million (1997)

Guam
  revenues: $319.6 million
  expenditures: $427.8 million (2002 est.)

Guatemala
  revenues: $4.693 billion
  expenditures: $5.338 billion (2008 est.)

Guernsey
  revenues: $563.6 million
  expenditures: $530.9 million (2005)

Guinea
  revenues: $769.7 million
  expenditures: $837.7 million (2008 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  revenues: $NA
  expenditures: $NA

Guyana
  revenues: $488.7 million
  expenditures: $552.6 million (2008 est.)

Haiti
  revenues: $967.5 million
  expenditures: $1.162 billion (2008 est.)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  revenues: $374 million
  expenditures: $388 million (2007)

Honduras
  revenues: $2.754 billion
  expenditures: $3.09 billion; including capital expenditures of $106
  million (2008 est.)

Hong Kong
  revenues: $39.04 billion
  expenditures: $39.76 billion (2008 est.)

Hungary
  revenues: $67.7 billion
  expenditures: $73 billion (2008 est.)

Iceland
  revenues: $6.657 billion
  expenditures: $6.856 billion (2008 est.)

India
  revenues: $126.7 billion
  expenditures: $202.6 billion (2008 est.)

Indonesia
  revenues: $92.62 billion
  expenditures: $98.88 billion (2008 est.)

Iran
  revenues: $51 billion
  expenditures: $103 billion (FY09/10 est.)

Iraq
  revenues: $42.4 billion
  expenditures: $49.9 billion (FY08 est.)

Ireland
  revenues: $92.57 billion
  expenditures: $109.9 billion (2008 est.)

Isle of Man
  revenues: $965 million
  expenditures: $943 million (FY05/06 est.)

Israel
  revenues: $59.98 billion
  expenditures: $64.21 billion (2008 est.)

Italy
  revenues: $1.068 trillion
  expenditures: $1.132 trillion (2008 est.)

Jamaica
  revenues: $3.794 billion
  expenditures: $4.829 billion (2008 est.)

Japan
  revenues: $1.72 trillion
  expenditures: $1.788 trillion (2008 est.)

Jersey
  revenues: $829 million
  expenditures: $851 million (2005)

Jordan
  revenues: $5.67 billion
  expenditures: $7.66 billion (2008 est.)

Kazakhstan
  revenues: $33.47 billion
  expenditures: $36.23 billion (2008 est.)

Kenya
  revenues: $6.648 billion
  expenditures: $8.167 billion (2008 est.)

Kiribati
  revenues: $55.52 million
  expenditures: $59.71 million (FY05)

Korea, North
  revenues: $2.88 billion
  expenditures: $2.98 billion (2005)

Korea, South
  revenues: $227.5 billion
  expenditures: $216.7 billion (2008 est.)

Kosovo
  revenues: $1.19 billion
  expenditures: $1.22 billion (2007 est.)

Kuwait
  revenues: $105.2 billion
  expenditures: $58.08 billion (2008 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  revenues: $1.274 billion
  expenditures: $1.231 billion (2008 est.)

Laos
  revenues: $811.6 million
  expenditures: $955.9 million (2008 est.)

Latvia
  revenues: $12.06 billion
  expenditures: $13.41 billion (2008 est.)

Lebanon
  revenues: $6.998 billion
  expenditures: $9.955 billion (2008 est.)

Lesotho
  revenues: $825.1 million
  expenditures: $758.7 million (2008 est.)

Liberia
  revenues: NA
  expenditures: NA

Libya
  revenues: $58.04 billion
  expenditures: $35.22 billion (2008 est.)

Liechtenstein
  revenues: $424.2 million
  expenditures: $414.1 million (1998 est.)

Lithuania
  revenues: $15.15 billion
  expenditures: $16.66 billion (2008 est.)

Luxembourg
  revenues: $22.42 billion
  expenditures: $21 billion (2008 est.)

Macau
  revenues: $6.2 billion
  expenditures: $2.9 billion (2008)

Macedonia
  revenues: $3.167 billion
  expenditures: $3.239 billion (2008 est.)

Madagascar
  revenues: $1.612 billion
  expenditures: $2.05 billion (2008 est.)

Malawi
  revenues: $1.254 billion
  expenditures: $1.351 billion (2008 est.)

Malaysia
  revenues: $48.49 billion
  expenditures: $58.85 billion (2008 est.)

Maldives
  revenues: $762 million (including foreign grants)
  expenditures: $884 million (2008 est.)

Mali
  revenues: $1.5 billion
  expenditures: $1.8 billion (2006 est.)

Malta
  revenues: $3.378 billion
  expenditures: $3.77 billion (2008 est.)

Marshall Islands
  revenues: $123.3 million
  expenditures: $1.213 billion (2008)

Mauritania
  revenues: $770 million
  expenditures: $770 million (2007 est.)

Mauritius
  revenues: $1.871 billion
  expenditures: $2.163 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2008 est.)

Mayotte
  revenues: $420 million
  expenditures: $394 million (2005)

Mexico
  revenues: $257.1 billion
  expenditures: $258.1 billion (2008 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  revenues: $166 million ($69 million
  less grants)
  expenditures: $152.7 million (FY07 est.)

Moldova
  revenues: $2.453 billion
  expenditures: $2.513 billion (2008 est.)

Monaco
  revenues: $863 million
  expenditures: $920.6 million (2005 est.)

Mongolia
  revenues: $1.71 billion
  expenditures: $1.95 billion (2008)

Montenegro
  revenues: NA
  expenditures: NA

Montserrat
  revenues: $31.4 million
  expenditures: $31.6 million (1997 est.)

Morocco
  revenues: $26.16 billion
  expenditures: $27.93 billion (2008 est.)

Mozambique
  revenues: $2.801 billion
  expenditures: $3.28 billion (2008 est.)

Namibia
  revenues: $2.661 billion
  expenditures: $2.745 billion (2008 est.)

Nauru
  revenues: $13.5 million
  expenditures: $13.5 million (2005)

Nepal
  revenues: $1.7 billion
  expenditures: $2.3 billion (FY08)

Netherlands
  revenues: $405.9 billion
  expenditures: $397.3 billion (2008 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  revenues: $757.9 million
  expenditures: $949.5 million (2004)

New Caledonia
  revenues: $996 million
  expenditures: $1.072 billion (2001 est.)

New Zealand
  revenues: $54.41 billion
  expenditures: $55.93 billion (2008 est.)

Nicaragua
  revenues: $1.271 billion
  expenditures: $1.594 billion (2008 est.)

Niger
  revenues: $320 million (includes $134 million from foreign
  sources)
  expenditures: $320 million (2002 est.)

Nigeria
  revenues: $19.76 billion
  expenditures: $24.72 billion (2008 est.)

Niue
  revenues: $15.07 million
  expenditures: $16.33 million (FY0405)

Norfolk Island
  revenues: $4.6 million
  expenditures: $4.8 million (FY99/00)

Northern Mariana Islands
  revenues: $193 million
  expenditures: $223 million (FY01/02 est.)

Norway
  revenues: $266.2 billion
  expenditures: $178.1 billion (2008 est.)

Oman
  revenues: $18.13 billion
  expenditures: $15.95 billion (2008 est.)

Pakistan
  revenues: $22.3 billion
  expenditures: $32.35 billion (2008 est.)

Palau
  revenues: $114.8 million
  expenditures: $99.5 million (2008 est.)

Panama
  revenues: $6.02 billion
  expenditures: $5.923 billion (2008 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  revenues: $2.62 billion
  expenditures: $2.797 billion (2008 est.)

Paraguay
  revenues: $2.856 billion
  expenditures: $2.826 billion (2008 est.)

Peru
  revenues: $38.01 billion
  expenditures: $35.29 billion (2008 est.)

Philippines
  revenues: $27.05 billion
  expenditures: $28.58 billion (2008 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  revenues: $746,000
  expenditures: $1.028 million (FY04/05)

Poland
  revenues: $105.5 billion
  expenditures: $115.7 billion (2008 est.)

Portugal
  revenues: $105.5 billion
  expenditures: $111.9 billion (2008 est.)

Puerto Rico
  revenues: $6.7 billion
  expenditures: $9.6 billion (FY99/00)

Qatar
  revenues: $36.59 billion
  expenditures: $27.14 billion (2008 est.)

Romania
  revenues: $65.29 billion
  expenditures: $74.99 billion (2008 est.)

Russia
  revenues: $364.6 billion
  expenditures: $304.6 billion (2008 est.)

Rwanda
  revenues: $930.4 million
  expenditures: $1.023 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2008 est.)

Saint Helena
  revenues: $12.33 million
  expenditures: $30.28 million
  note: revenue data reflect locally raised revenues only; the budget
  deficit is resolved by grant aid from the United Kingdom (FY06/07
  est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  revenues: $89.7 million
  expenditures: $128.2 million (2003 est.)

Saint Lucia
  revenues: $141.2 million
  expenditures: $146.7 million (2000 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  revenues: $70 million
  expenditures: $60 million (1996 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  revenues: $94.6 million
  expenditures: $85.8 million (2000 est.)

Samoa
  revenues: $171.3 million
  expenditures: $78.1 million (FY04/05 est.)

San Marino
  revenues: $690.6 million
  expenditures: $652.9 million (2006)

Sao Tome and Principe
  revenues: $47.65 million
  expenditures: $51.48 million (2008 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  revenues: $293.7 billion
  expenditures: $136 billion (2008 est.)

Senegal
  revenues: $3.077 billion
  expenditures: $3.802 billion (2008 est.)

Serbia
  revenues: $9.6 billion
  expenditures: $9.8 billion (2007 est.)

Seychelles
  revenues: $260.5 million
  expenditures: $291.2 million (2008 est.)

Sierra Leone
  revenues: $96 million
  expenditures: $351 million (2000 est.)

Singapore
  revenues: $29.25 billion
  expenditures: $26.48 billion (2008 est.)

Slovakia
  revenues: $31.23 billion
  expenditures: $33.32 billion (2008 est.)

Slovenia
  revenues: $22.55 billion
  expenditures: $22.7 billion (2008 est.)

Solomon Islands
  revenues: $49.7 million
  expenditures: $75.1 million (2003)

Somalia
  revenues: $NA
  expenditures: $NA

South Africa
  revenues: $77.43 billion
  expenditures: $79.9 billion (2008 est.)

Spain
  revenues: $598.1 billion
  expenditures: $659.1 billion (2008 est.)

Sri Lanka
  revenues: $7.8 billion
  expenditures: $11 billion (2009 est.)

Sudan
  revenues: $11.55 billion
  expenditures: $12.67 billion (2008 est.)

Suriname
  revenues: $392.6 million
  expenditures: $425.9 million (2004)

Svalbard
  revenues: $25.07 million
  expenditures: $NA (2004 est.)

Swaziland
  revenues: $1.055 billion
  expenditures: $1.083 billion (2008 est.)

Sweden
  revenues: $259.9 billion
  expenditures: $248.1 billion (2008 est.)

Switzerland
  revenues: $189.8 billion
  expenditures: $185.2 billion (2008 est.)

Syria
  revenues: $11.23 billion
  expenditures: $12.85 billion (2008 est.)

Taiwan
  revenues: $73.02 billion
  expenditures: $77.96 billion (2008 est.)

Tajikistan
  revenues: $996.8 million
  expenditures: $899.6 million (2008 est.)

Tanzania
  revenues: $4.099 billion
  expenditures: $4.517 billion (2008 est.)

Thailand
  revenues: $48.24 billion
  expenditures: $51.33 billion (2008 est.)

Timor-Leste
  revenues: $733 million
  expenditures: $309 million
  note: the government in 2008 moved to a fiscal year calendar; it
  passed a supplementary spending package to cover the latter half of
  2008 (FY06/07 est.)

Togo
  revenues: $438.1 million
  expenditures: $519.9 million (2008 est.)

Tokelau
  revenues: $430,800
  expenditures: $2.8 million (1987 est.)

Tonga
  revenues: $80.48 million
  expenditures: $109.8 million (FY07/08 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  revenues: $7.421 billion
  expenditures: $7.141 billion (2008 est.)

Tunisia
  revenues: $9.843 billion
  expenditures: $11.3 billion (2008 est.)

Turkey
  revenues: $160.5 billion
  expenditures: $173.6 billion (2008 est.)

Turkmenistan
  revenues: $1.667 billion
  expenditures: $1.407 billion (2008 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  revenues: $47 million
  expenditures: $33.6 million (1997-98 est.)

Tuvalu
  revenues: $21.54 million
  expenditures: $23.05 million (2006)

Uganda
  revenues: $2.621 billion
  expenditures: $2.939 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA
  (2008 est.)

Ukraine
  revenues: $56.55 billion
  expenditures: $59.24 billion; note - this is the planned,
  consolidated budget (2008 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  revenues: $78.74 billion
  expenditures: $48.31 billion (2008 est.)

United Kingdom
  revenues: $1.056 trillion
  expenditures: $1.214 trillion (2008 est.)

United States
  revenues: $2.524 trillion
  expenditures: $2.978 trillion (2008 est.)

Uruguay
  revenues: $8.16 billion
  expenditures: $8.555 billion (2008 est.)

Uzbekistan
  revenues: $8.884 billion
  expenditures: $8.474 billion (2008 est.)

Vanuatu
  revenues: $78.7 million
  expenditures: $72.23 million (2005 est.)

Venezuela
  revenues: $94.14 billion
  expenditures: $97.69 billion (2008 est.)

Vietnam
  revenues: $24.27 billion
  expenditures: $28.85 billion (2008 est.)

Virgin Islands
  revenues: $837 million
  expenditures: $837 million (FY08/09)

Wallis and Futuna
  revenues: $29,730
  expenditures: $31,330 (2004)

West Bank
  revenues: $1.149 billion
  expenditures: $2.31 billion
  note: includes Gaza Strip (2006)

Western Sahara
  revenues: $NA
  expenditures: $NA

Yemen
  revenues: $9.243 billion
  expenditures: $10.36 billion (2008 est.)

Zambia
  revenues: $3.291 billion
  expenditures: $3.578 billion (2008 est.)

Zimbabwe
  revenues: $941,600
  expenditures: $1.092 million (2008 est.)

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

@2057

Field Listing :: Capital

This entry gives the name of the seat of government, its geographic coordinates, the time difference relative to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and the time observed in Washington, DC, and, if applicable, information on daylight saving time (DST). Where appropriate, a special note has been added to highlight those countries that have multiple time zones. Country

Capital

Afghanistan
  name: Kabul
  geographic coordinates: 34 31 N, 69 11 E
  time difference: UTC+4.5 (9.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Akrotiri
  name: Episkopi Cantonment (base administrative center for
  Akrotiri and Dhekelia)
  geographic coordinates: 34 40 N, 32 51 E
  time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
  Sunday in October

Albania
  name: Tirana (Tirane)
  geographic coordinates: 41 19 N, 19 49 E
  time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
  Sunday in October

Algeria
  name: Algiers
  geographic coordinates: 36 45 N, 3 03 E
  time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

American Samoa
  name: Pago Pago
  geographic coordinates: 14 16 S, 170 42 W
  time difference: UTC-11 (6 hours behind Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Andorra
  name: Andorra la Vella
  geographic coordinates: 42 30 N, 1 31 E
  time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
  Sunday in October

Angola
  name: Luanda
  geographic coordinates: 8 50 S, 13 14 E
  time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Anguilla
  name: The Valley
  geographic coordinates: 18 13 N, 63 03 W
  time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Antigua and Barbuda
  name: Saint John's
  geographic coordinates: 17 07 N, 61 51 W
  time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Argentina
  name: Buenos Aires
  geographic coordinates: 34 36 S, 58 40 W
  time difference: UTC-3 (3 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in October; ends
  third Saturday in March; note - a new policy of daylight saving time
  was initiated by the government on 30 December 2007

Armenia
  name: Yerevan
  geographic coordinates: 40 10 N, 44 30 E
  time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
  Sunday in October

Aruba
  name: Oranjestad
  geographic coordinates: 12 31 N, 70 02 W
  time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Australia
  name: Canberra
  geographic coordinates: 35 17 S, 149 13 E
  time difference: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in October; ends last
  Sunday in March
  note: Australia is divided into three time zones

Austria
  name: Vienna
  geographic coordinates: 48 12 N, 16 22 E
  time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
  Sunday in October

Azerbaijan
  name: Baku (Baki, Baky)
  geographic coordinates: 40 23 N, 49 52 E
  time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
  Sunday in October

Bahamas, The
  name: Nassau
  geographic coordinates: 25 05 N, 77 21 W
  time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard
  Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends
  first Sunday in November

Bahrain
  name: Manama
  geographic coordinates: 26 14 N, 50 34 E
  time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Bangladesh
  name: Dhaka
  geographic coordinates: 23 43 N, 90 24 E
  time difference: UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Barbados
  name: Bridgetown
  geographic coordinates: 13 06 N, 59 37 W
  time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Belarus
  name: Minsk
  geographic coordinates: 53 54 N, 27 34 E
  time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
  Sunday in October

Belgium
  name: Brussels
  geographic coordinates: 50 50 N, 4 20 E
  time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
  Sunday in October

Belize
  name: Belmopan
  geographic coordinates: 17 15 N, 88 46 W
  time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard
  Time)

Benin
  name: Porto-Novo (official capital)
  geographic coordinates: 6 29 N, 2 37 E
  time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  note: Cotonou (seat of government)

Bermuda
  name: Hamilton
  geographic coordinates: 32 17 N, 64 47 W
  time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends
  first Sunday in November

Bhutan
  name: Thimphu
  geographic coordinates: 27 29 N, 89 36 E
  time difference: UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Bolivia
  name: La Paz (administrative capital)
  geographic coordinates: 16 30 S, 68 09 W
  time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  note: Sucre (constitutional capital)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  name: Sarajevo
  geographic coordinates: 43 52 N, 18 25 E
  time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
  Sunday in October

Botswana
  name: Gaborone
  geographic coordinates: 24 45 S, 25 55 E
  time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Brazil
  name: Brasilia
  geographic coordinates: 15 47 S, 47 55 W
  time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins third Sunday in October; ends
  third Sunday in February
  note: Brazil is divided into four time zones, including one for the
  Fernando de Noronha Islands

British Virgin Islands
  name: Road Town
  geographic coordinates: 18 27 N, 64 37 W
  time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Brunei
  name: Bandar Seri Begawan
  geographic coordinates: 4 53 N, 114 56 E
  time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Bulgaria
  name: Sofia
  geographic coordinates: 42 41 N, 23 19 E
  time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
  Sunday in October

Burkina Faso
  name: Ouagadougou
  geographic coordinates: 12 22 N, 1 31 W
  time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Burma
  name: Rangoon (Yangon)
  geographic coordinates: 16 48 N, 96 09 E
  time difference: UTC+6.5 (11.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  note: Nay Pyi Taw is administrative capital

Burundi
  name: Bujumbura
  geographic coordinates: 3 22 S, 29 21 E
  time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Cambodia
  name: Phnom Penh
  geographic coordinates: 11 33 N, 104 55 E
  time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Cameroon
  name: Yaounde
  geographic coordinates: 3 52 N, 11 31 E
  time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Canada
  name: Ottawa
  geographic coordinates: 45 25 N, 75 42 W
  time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard
  Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends
  first Sunday in November
  note: Canada is divided into six time zones

Cape Verde
  name: Praia
  geographic coordinates: 14 55 N, 23 31 W
  time difference: UTC-1 (4 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Cayman Islands
  name: George Town (on Grand Cayman)
  geographic coordinates: 19 18 N, 81 23 W
  time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard
  Time)

Central African Republic
  name: Bangui
  geographic coordinates: 4 22 N, 18 35 E
  time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Chad
  name: N'Djamena
  geographic coordinates: 12 06 N, 15 02 E
  time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Chile
  name: Santiago
  geographic coordinates: 33 27 S, 70 40 W
  time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in October; ends
  second Sunday in March

China
  name: Beijing
  geographic coordinates: 39 55 N, 116 23 E
  time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  note: despite its size, all of China falls within one time zone;
  many people in Xinjiang Province observe an unofficial "Xinjiang
  timezone" of UTC+6, two hours behind Beijing

Christmas Island
  name: The Settlement
  geographic coordinates: 10 25 S, 105 43 E
  time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  name: West Island
  geographic coordinates: 12 10 S, 96 50 E
  time difference: UTC+6.5 (11.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Colombia
  name: Bogota
  geographic coordinates: 4 36 N, 74 05 W
  time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard
  Time)

Comoros
  name: Moroni
  geographic coordinates: 11 42 S, 43 14 E
  time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  name: Kinshasa
  geographic coordinates: 4 19 S, 15 18 E
  time difference: UTC+1 (six hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Congo, Republic of the
  name: Brazzaville
  geographic coordinates: 4 15 S, 15 17 E
  time difference: UTC+1 (six hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Cook Islands
  name: Avarua
  geographic coordinates: 21 12 S, 159 46 W
  time difference: UTC-10 (5 hours behind Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Costa Rica
  name: San Jose
  geographic coordinates: 9 56 N, 84 05 W
  time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard
  Time)

Cote d'Ivoire
  name: Yamoussoukro
  geographic coordinates: 6 49 N, 5 17 W
  time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  note: although Yamoussoukro has been the official capital since
  1983, Abidjan remains the commercial and administrative center; the
  US, like other countries, maintains its Embassy in Abidjan

Croatia
  name: Zagreb
  geographic coordinates: 45 48 N, 16 00 E
  time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
  Sunday in October

Cuba
  name: Havana
  geographic coordinates: 23 07 N, 82 21 W
  time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard
  Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
  Sunday in October

Cyprus
  name: Nicosia (Lefkosia)
  geographic coordinates: 35 10 N, 33 22 E
  time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
  Sunday in October

Czech Republic
  name: Prague
  geographic coordinates: 50 05 N, 14 28 E
  time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
  Sunday in October

Denmark
  name: Copenhagen
  geographic coordinates: 55 40 N, 12 35 E
  time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
  Sunday in October
  note: applies to continental Denmark only, not to its North Atlantic
  components

Dhekelia
  name: Episkopi Cantonment (base administrative center for
  Akrotiri and Dhekelia); located in Akrotiri
  geographic coordinates: 34 40 N, 32 51 E
  time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
  Sunday in October

Djibouti
  name: Djibouti
  geographic coordinates: 11 35 N, 43 09 E
  time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Dominica
  name: Roseau
  geographic coordinates: 15 18 N, 61 24 W
  time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Dominican Republic
  name: Santo Domingo
  geographic coordinates: 18 28 N, 69 54 W
  time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Ecuador
  name: Quito
  geographic coordinates: 0 13 S, 78 30 W
  time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard
  Time)

Egypt
  name: Cairo
  geographic coordinates: 30 03 N, 31 15 E
  time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Friday in April; ends last
  Thursday in September

El Salvador
  name: San Salvador
  geographic coordinates: 13 42 N, 89 12 W
  time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard
  Time)

Equatorial Guinea
  name: Malabo
  geographic coordinates: 3 45 N, 8 47 E
  time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Eritrea
  name: Asmara (Asmera)
  geographic coordinates: 15 20 N, 38 56 E
  time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Estonia
  name: Tallinn
  geographic coordinates: 59 26 N, 24 43 E
  time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
  Sunday in October

Ethiopia
  name: Addis Ababa
  geographic coordinates: 9 02 N, 38 42 E
  time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

European Union
  name: Brussels (Belgium), Strasbourg (France),
  Luxembourg
  geographic coordinates: 50 50 N, 4 20 E
  time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
  Sunday in October
  note: the Council of the European Union meets in Brussels, Belgium;
  the European Parliament meets in Brussels and Strasbourg, France;
  the Court of Justice of the European Communities meets in Luxembourg

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  name: Stanley
  geographic coordinates: 51 42 S, 57 51 W
  time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in September; ends
  third Sunday in April

Faroe Islands
  name: Torshavn
  geographic coordinates: 62 01 N, 6 46 W
  time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
  Sunday in October

Fiji
  name: Suva (on Viti Levu)
  geographic coordinates: 18 08 S, 178 25 E
  time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Finland
  name: Helsinki
  geographic coordinates: 60 10 N, 24 56 E
  time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
  Sunday in October

France
  name: Paris
  geographic coordinates: 48 52 N, 2 20 E
  time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
  Sunday in October
  note: applies to metropolitan France only, not to its overseas
  departments, collectivities, or territories

French Polynesia
  name: Papeete
  geographic coordinates: 17 32 S, 149 34 W
  time difference: UTC-10 (5 hours behind Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Gabon
  name: Libreville
  geographic coordinates: 0 23 N, 9 27 E
  time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Gambia, The
  name: Banjul
  geographic coordinates: 13 27 N, 16 34 W
  time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Georgia
  name: T'bilisi
  geographic coordinates: 41 43 N, 44 47 E
  time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Germany
  name: Berlin
  geographic coordinates: 52 31 N, 13 24 E
  time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
  Sunday in October

Ghana
  name: Accra
  geographic coordinates: 5 33 N, 0 13 W
  time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Gibraltar
  name: Gibraltar
  geographic coordinates: 36 08 N, 5 21 W
  time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
  Sunday in October

Greece
  name: Athens
  geographic coordinates: 37 59 N, 23 44 E
  time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
  Sunday in October

Greenland
  name: Nuuk (Godthab)
  geographic coordinates: 64 11 N, 51 45 W
  time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
  Sunday in October
  note: Greenland is divided into four time zones

Grenada
  name: Saint George's
  geographic coordinates: 12 03 N, 61 45 W
  time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Guam
  name: Hagatna (Agana)
  geographic coordinates: 13 28 N, 144 44 E
  time difference: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Guatemala
  name: Guatemala City
  geographic coordinates: 14 37 N, 90 31 W
  time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard
  Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in April; ends last
  Friday in September; note - there is no DST planned for 2007-2009

Guernsey
  name: Saint Peter Port
  geographic coordinates: 49 27 N, 2 32 W
  time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
  Sunday in October

Guinea
  name: Conakry
  geographic coordinates: 9 33 N, 13 42 W
  time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Guinea-Bissau
  name: Bissau
  geographic coordinates: 11 51 N, 15 35 W
  time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Guyana
  name: Georgetown
  geographic coordinates: 6 48 N, 58 10 W
  time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Haiti
  name: Port-au-Prince
  geographic coordinates: 18 32 N, 72 20 W
  time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard
  Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in April; ends last
  Sunday in October

Holy See (Vatican City)
  name: Vatican City
  geographic coordinates: 41 54 N, 12 27 E
  time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
  Sunday in October

Honduras
  name: Tegucigalpa
  geographic coordinates: 14 06 N, 87 13 W
  time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard
  Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends
  first Sunday in November

Hungary
  name: Budapest
  geographic coordinates: 47 30 N, 19 05 E
  time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
  Sunday in October

Iceland
  name: Reykjavik
  geographic coordinates: 64 09 N, 21 57 W
  time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

India
  name: New Delhi
  geographic coordinates: 28 36 N, 77 12 E
  time difference: UTC+5.5 (10.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Indonesia
  name: Jakarta
  geographic coordinates: 6 10 S, 106 49 E
  time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  note: Indonesia is divided into three time zones

Iran
  name: Tehran
  geographic coordinates: 35 40 N, 51 25 E
  time difference: UTC+3.5 (8.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Iraq
  name: Baghdad
  geographic coordinates: 33 20 N, 44 23 E
  time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Ireland
  name: Dublin
  geographic coordinates: 53 19 N, 6 14 W
  time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
  Sunday in October

Isle of Man
  name: Douglas
  geographic coordinates: 54 09 N, 4 29 W
  time difference: UTC 0 (five hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
  Sunday in October

Israel
  name: Jerusalem
  geographic coordinates: 31 46 N, 35 14 E
  time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Friday in March; ends the
  Sunday between the holidays of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur
  note: Israel proclaimed Jerusalem as its capital in 1950, but the
  US, like nearly all other countries, maintains its Embassy in Tel
  Aviv

Italy
  name: Rome
  geographic coordinates: 41 54 N, 12 29 E
  time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
  Sunday in October

Jamaica
  name: Kingston
  geographic coordinates: 18 00 N, 76 48 W
  time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard
  Time)

Japan
  name: Tokyo
  geographic coordinates: 35 41 N, 139 45 E
  time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Jersey
  name: Saint Helier
  geographic coordinates: 49 11 N, 2 06 W
  time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
  Sunday in October

Jordan
  name: Amman
  geographic coordinates: 31 57 N, 35 56 E
  time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Thursday in March; ends last
  Friday in September

Kazakhstan
  name: Astana
  geographic coordinates: 51 10 N, 71 25 E
  time difference: UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  note: Kazakhstan is divided into two time zones

Kenya
  name: Nairobi
  geographic coordinates: 1 17 S, 36 49 E
  time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Kiribati
  name: Tarawa
  geographic coordinates: 1 19 N, 172 58 E
  time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Korea, North
  name: Pyongyang
  geographic coordinates: 39 01 N, 125 45 E
  time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Korea, South
  name: Seoul
  geographic coordinates: 37 33 N, 126 59 E
  time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Kosovo
  name: Pristina (Prishtine, Prishtina)
  geographic coordinates: 42 40 N, 21 10 E
  time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
  Sunday in October

Kuwait
  name: Kuwait City
  geographic coordinates: 29 22 N, 47 58 E
  time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Kyrgyzstan
  name: Bishkek
  geographic coordinates: 42 52 N, 74 36 E
  time difference: UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Laos
  name: Vientiane (Viangchan)
  geographic coordinates: 17 58 N, 102 36 E
  time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Latvia
  name: Riga
  geographic coordinates: 56 57 N, 24 06 E
  time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
  Sunday in October

Lebanon
  name: Beirut
  geographic coordinates: 33 52 N, 35 30 E
  time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
  Sunday in October

Lesotho
  name: Maseru
  geographic coordinates: 29 19 S, 27 29 E
  time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Liberia
  name: Monrovia
  geographic coordinates: 6 18 N, 10 48 W
  time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Libya
  name: Tripoli (Tarabulus)
  geographic coordinates: 32 53 N, 13 10 E
  time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Liechtenstein
  name: Vaduz
  geographic coordinates: 47 08 N, 9 31 E
  time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
  Sunday in October

Lithuania
  name: Vilnius
  geographic coordinates: 54 41 N, 25 19 E
  time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
  Sunday in October

Luxembourg
  name: Luxembourg
  geographic coordinates: 49 36 N, 6 07 E
  time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
  Sunday in October

Macedonia
  name: Skopje
  geographic coordinates: 42 00 N, 21 26 E
  time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
  Sunday in October

Madagascar
  name: Antananarivo
  geographic coordinates: 18 55 S, 47 31 E
  time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Malawi
  name: Lilongwe
  geographic coordinates: 13 59 S, 33 47 E
  time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Malaysia
  name: Kuala Lumpur
  geographic coordinates: 3 10 N, 101 42 E
  time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  note: Putrajaya is referred to as administrative center not capital;
  Parliament meets in Kuala Lumpur

Maldives
  name: Male
  geographic coordinates: 4 10 N, 73 30 E
  time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Mali
  name: Bamako
  geographic coordinates: 12 39 N, 8 00 W
  time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Malta
  name: Valletta
  geographic coordinates: 35 53 N, 14 30 E
  time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
  Sunday in October

Marshall Islands
  name: Majuro
  geographic coordinates: 7 06 N, 171 23 E
  time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Mauritania
  name: Nouakchott
  geographic coordinates: 18 07 N, 16 02 W
  time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Mauritius
  name: Port Louis
  geographic coordinates: 20 09 S, 57 29 E
  time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Mayotte
  name: Mamoudzou
  geographic coordinates: 12 46 S, 45 13 E
  time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Mexico
  name: Mexico City (Distrito Federal)
  geographic coordinates: 19 26 N, 99 08 W
  time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard
  Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in April; ends last
  Sunday in October
  note: Mexico is divided into three time zones

Micronesia, Federated States of
  name: Palikir
  geographic coordinates: 6 55 N, 158 09 E
  time difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Moldova
  name: Chisinau (Kishinev)
  note: pronounced kee-shee-now
  geographic coordinates: 47 00 N, 28 51 E
  time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
  Sunday in October

Monaco
  name: Monaco
  geographic coordinates: 43 44 N, 7 25 E
  time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
  Sunday in October

Mongolia
  name: Ulaanbaatar
  geographic coordinates: 47 55 N, 106 55 E
  time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Montenegro
  name: Podgorica
  geographic coordinates: 42 26 N, 19 16 E
  time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1 hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
  Sunday in October

Montserrat
  name: Plymouth
  geographic coordinates: 16 42 N, 62 13 W
  time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  note: Plymouth was abandoned in 1997 because of volcanic activity;
  interim government buildings have been built at Brades Estate in the
  Carr's Bay/Little Bay vicinity at the northwest end of Montserrat

Morocco
  name: Rabat
  geographic coordinates: 34 01 N, 6 49 W
  time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Mozambique
  name: Maputo
  geographic coordinates: 25 57 S, 32 35 E
  time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Namibia
  name: Windhoek
  geographic coordinates: 22 34 S, 17 05 E
  time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in September; ends
  first Sunday in April

Nauru
  no official capital; government offices in Yaren District
  time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Nepal
  name: Kathmandu
  geographic coordinates: 27 43 N, 85 19 E
  time difference: UTC+5.75 (10.75 hours ahead of Washington, DC
  during Standard Time)

Netherlands
  name: Amsterdam
  geographic coordinates: 52 23 N, 4 54 E
  time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
  Sunday in October
  note: The Hague is the seat of government; time descriptions apply
  to the continental Netherlands only, not to the Caribbean components

Netherlands Antilles
  name: Willemstad (on Curacao)
  geographic coordinates: 12 06 N, 68 56 W
  time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

New Caledonia
  name: Noumea
  geographic coordinates: 22 16 S, 166 27 E
  time difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

New Zealand
  name: Wellington
  geographic coordinates: 41 28 S, 174 51 E
  time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in September; ends
  first Sunday in April
  note: New Zealand is divided into two time zones - New Zealand
  standard time (12 hours in advance of UTC), and Chatham Islands time
  (45 minutes in advance of New Zealand standard time)

Nicaragua
  name: Managua
  geographic coordinates: 12 09 N, 86 17 W
  time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard
  Time)

Niger
  name: Niamey
  geographic coordinates: 13 31 N, 2 07 E
  time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Nigeria
  name: Abuja
  geographic coordinates: 9 05 N, 7 32 E
  time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Niue
  name: Alofi
  geographic coordinates: 19 01 S, 169 55 W
  time difference: UTC-11 (6 hours behind Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Norfolk Island
  name: Kingston
  geographic coordinates: 29 03 S, 167 58 E
  time difference: UTC+11.5 (16.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Northern Mariana Islands
  name: Saipan
  geographic coordinates: 15 12 N, 145 45 E
  time difference: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Norway
  name: Oslo
  geographic coordinates: 59 55 N, 10 45 E
  time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
  Sunday in October

Oman
  name: Muscat
  geographic coordinates: 23 37 N, 58 35 E
  time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Pakistan
  name: Islamabad
  geographic coordinates: 33 42 N, 73 10 E
  time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, in 2009 - begins third Wednesday in
  April; ends first Sunday in November; note - a new policy of
  daylight saving time was initiated by the government in 2008; the
  specific date of the start of DST has varied over the last two years

Palau
  name: Melekeok
  geographic coordinates: 7 29 N, 134 38 E
  time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Panama
  name: Panama City
  geographic coordinates: 8 58 N, 79 32 W
  time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard
  Time)

Papua New Guinea
  name: Port Moresby
  geographic coordinates: 9 30 S, 147 10 E
  time difference: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Paraguay
  name: Asuncion
  geographic coordinates: 25 16 S, 57 40 W
  time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Peru
  name: Lima
  geographic coordinates: 12 03 S, 77 03 W
  time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard
  Time)

Philippines
  name: Manila
  geographic coordinates: 14 35 N, 121 00 E
  time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Pitcairn Islands
  name: Adamstown
  geographic coordinates: 25 04 S, 130 05 W
  time difference: UTC-9 (4 hours behind Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Poland
  name: Warsaw
  geographic coordinates: 52 15 N, 21 00 E
  time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
  Sunday in October

Portugal
  name: Lisbon
  geographic coordinates: 38 43 N, 9 08 W
  time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
  Sunday in October

Puerto Rico
  name: San Juan
  geographic coordinates: 18 28 N, 66 07 W
  time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Qatar
  name: Doha
  geographic coordinates: 25 17 N, 51 32 E
  time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Romania
  name: Bucharest
  geographic coordinates: 44 26 N, 26 06 E
  time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
  Sunday in October

Russia
  name: Moscow
  geographic coordinates: 55 45 N, 37 35 E
  time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
  Sunday in October
  note: Russia is divided into 11 time zones

Rwanda
  name: Kigali
  geographic coordinates: 1 57 S, 30 04 E
  time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Saint Barthelemy
  name: Gustavia
  geographic coordinates: 17 53 N, 62 51 W
  time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during
  Standard Time)

Saint Helena
  name: Jamestown
  geographic coordinates: 15 56 S, 5 44 W
  time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  name: Basseterre
  geographic coordinates: 17 18 N, 62 43 W
  time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Saint Lucia
  name: Castries
  geographic coordinates: 14 01 N, 61 00 W
  time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Saint Martin
  name: Marigot
  geographical coordinates: 18 04 N, 63 05 W
  time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour behind Washington, DC, during
  Standard Time)
  daylight savings: +1 hour

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  name: Saint-Pierre
  geographic coordinates: 46 46 N, 56 11 W
  time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends
  first Sunday in November

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  name: Kingstown
  geographic coordinates: 13 09 N, 61 14 W
  time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Samoa
  name: Apia
  geographic coordinates: 13 50 S, 171 44 W
  time difference: UTC-11 (6 hours behind Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

San Marino
  name: San Marino
  geographic coordinates: 43 56 N, 12 25 E
  time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
  Sunday in October

Sao Tome and Principe
  name: Sao Tome
  geographic coordinates: 0 12 N, 6 39 E
  time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Saudi Arabia
  name: Riyadh
  geographic coordinates: 24 38 N, 46 43 E
  time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Senegal
  name: Dakar
  geographic coordinates: 14 40 N, 17 26 W
  time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Serbia
  name: Belgrade (Beograd)
  geographic coordinates: 44 50 N, 20 30 E
  time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
  Sunday in October

Seychelles
  name: Victoria
  geographic coordinates: 4 38 S, 55 27 E
  time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Sierra Leone
  name: Freetown
  geographic coordinates: 8 30 N, 13 15 W
  time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Singapore
  name: Singapore
  geographic coordinates: 1 17 N, 103 51 E
  time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Slovakia
  name: Bratislava
  geographic coordinates: 48 09 N, 17 07 E
  time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
  Sunday in October

Slovenia
  name: Ljubljana
  geographic coordinates: 46 03 N, 14 31 E
  time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
  Sunday in October

Solomon Islands
  name: Honiara
  geographic coordinates: 9 26 S, 159 57 E
  time difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Somalia
  name: Mogadishu
  geographic coordinates: 2 04 N, 45 22 E
  time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

South Africa
  name: Pretoria (administrative capital)
  geographic coordinates: 25 42 S, 28 13 E
  time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  note: Cape Town (legislative capital); Bloemfontein (judicial
  capital)

Spain
  name: Madrid
  geographic coordinates: 40 24 N, 3 41 W
  time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
  Sunday in October
  note: Spain is divided into two time zones including the Canary
  Islands

Sri Lanka
  name: Colombo
  geographic coordinates: 6 56 N, 79 51 E
  time difference: UTC+5.5 (10.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  note: Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte (legislative capital)

Sudan
  name: Khartoum
  geographic coordinates: 15 36 N, 32 32 E
  time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Suriname
  name: Paramaribo
  geographic coordinates: 5 50 N, 55 10 W
  time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Svalbard
  name: Longyearbyen
  geographic coordinates: 78 13 N, 15 33 E
  time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
  Sunday in October

Swaziland
  name: Mbabane
  geographic coordinates: 26 18 S, 31 06 E
  time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  note: Lobamba (royal and legislative capital)

Sweden
  name: Stockholm
  geographic coordinates: 59 20 N, 18 03 E
  time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
  Sunday in October

Switzerland
  name: Bern
  geographic coordinates: 46 57 N, 7 26 E
  time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
  Sunday in October

Syria
  name: Damascus
  geographic coordinates: 33 30 N, 36 18 E
  time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins 1 April; ends 30 September

Taiwan
  name: Taipei
  geographic coordinates: 25 03 N, 121 30 E
  time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Tajikistan
  name: Dushanbe
  geographic coordinates: 38 35 N, 68 48 E
  time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Tanzania
  name: Dar es Salaam
  geographic coordinates: 6 48 S, 39 17 E
  time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  note: legislative offices have been transferred to Dodoma, which is
  planned as the new national capital; the National Assembly now meets
  there on a regular basis

Thailand
  name: Bangkok
  geographic coordinates: 13 45 N, 100 31 E
  time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Timor-Leste
  name: Dili
  geographic coordinates: 8 35 S, 125 36 E
  time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Togo
  name: Lome
  geographic coordinates: 6 08 N, 1 13 E
  time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Tokelau
  none; each atoll has its own administrative center
  time difference: UTC-11 (6 hours behind Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Tonga
  name: Nuku'alofa
  geographic coordinates: 21 08 S, 175 12 W
  time difference: UTC+13 (18 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Trinidad and Tobago
  name: Port-of-Spain
  geographic coordinates: 10 39 N, 61 31 W
  time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Tunisia
  name: Tunis
  geographic coordinates: 36 48 N, 10 11 E
  time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
  Sunday in October

Turkey
  name: Ankara
  geographic coordinates: 39 56 N, 32 52 E
  time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
  Sunday in October

Turkmenistan
  name: Ashgabat (Ashkhabad)
  geographic coordinates: 37 57 N, 58 23 E
  time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  name: Grand Turk (Cockburn Town)
  geographic coordinates: 21 28 N, 71 08 W
  time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard
  Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in April; ends last
  Sunday in October

Tuvalu
  name: Funafuti
  geographic coordinates: 8 30 S, 179 12 E
  time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  note: administrative offices are in Vaiaku Village on Fongafale Islet

Uganda
  name: Kampala
  geographic coordinates: 0 19 N, 32 25 E
  time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Ukraine
  name: Kyiv (Kiev)
  geographic coordinates: 50 26 N, 30 31 E
  time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
  Sunday in October

United Arab Emirates
  name: Abu Dhabi
  geographic coordinates: 24 28 N, 54 22 E
  time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

United Kingdom
  name: London
  geographic coordinates: 51 30 N, 0 10 W
  time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
  Sunday in October
  note: applies to the United Kingdom proper, not to its overseas
  dependencies or territories

United States
  name: Washington, DC
  geographic coordinates: 38 53 N, 77 02 W
  time difference: UTC-5 (during Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends
  first Sunday in November
  note: the 50 United States cover six time zones

Uruguay
  name: Montevideo
  geographic coordinates: 34 53 S, 56 11 W
  time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in October; ends
  second Sunday in March

Uzbekistan
  name: Tashkent (Toshkent)
  geographic coordinates: 41 20 N, 69 18 E
  time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Vanuatu
  name: Port-Vila (on Efate)
  geographic coordinates: 17 44 S, 168 19 E
  time difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Venezuela
  name: Caracas
  geographic coordinates: 10 30 N, 66 56 W
  time difference: UTC-4.5 (half an hour ahead of Washington, DC
  during Standard Time)

Vietnam
  name: Hanoi (Ha Noi)
  geographic coordinates: 21 02 N, 105 51 E
  time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Virgin Islands
  name: Charlotte Amalie
  geographic coordinates: 18 21 N, 64 56 W
  time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Wallis and Futuna
  name: Mata-Utu (on Ile Uvea)
  geographic coordinates: 13 57 S, 171 56 W
  time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Western Sahara
  none
  time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Yemen
  name: Sanaa
  geographic coordinates: 15 21 N, 44 12 E
  time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Zambia
  name: Lusaka
  geographic coordinates: 15 25 S, 28 17 E
  time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

Zimbabwe
  name: Harare
  geographic coordinates: 17 50 S, 31 03 E
  time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
  Standard Time)

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

@2058

Field Listing :: Imports - commodities

This entry provides a listing of the highest-valued imported products; it sometimes includes the percent of total dollar value. Country

Imports - commodities(%)

Afghanistan
  capital goods, food, textiles, petroleum products

Albania
  machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, textiles, chemicals

Algeria
  capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods

American Samoa
  materials for canneries 56%, food 8%, petroleum
  products 7%, machinery and parts 6% (2004 est.)

Andorra
  consumer goods, food, electricity

Angola
  machinery and electrical equipment, vehicles and spare parts;
  medicines, food, textiles, military goods

Anguilla
  fuels, foodstuffs, manufactures, chemicals, trucks, textiles

Antigua and Barbuda
  food and live animals, machinery and transport
  equipment, manufactures, chemicals, oil

Argentina
  machinery, motor vehicles, petroleum and natural gas,
  organic chemicals, plastics

Armenia
  natural gas, petroleum, tobacco products, foodstuffs,
  diamonds

Aruba
  machinery and electrical equipment, crude oil for refining and
  reexport, chemicals; foodstuffs

Australia
  machinery and transport equipment, computers and office
  machines, telecommunication equipment and parts; crude oil and
  petroleum products

Austria
  machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, metal
  goods, oil and oil products; foodstuffs

Azerbaijan
  machinery and equipment, oil products, foodstuffs,
  metals, chemicals

Bahamas, The
  machinery and transport equipment, manufactures,
  chemicals, mineral fuels; food and live animals

Bahrain
  crude oil, machinery, chemicals

Bangladesh
  machinery and equipment, chemicals, iron and steel,
  textiles, foodstuffs, petroleum products, cement

Barbados
  consumer goods, machinery, foodstuffs, construction
  materials, chemicals, fuel, electrical components

Belarus
  mineral products, machinery and equipment, chemicals,
  foodstuffs, metals

Belgium
  raw materials, machinery and equipment, chemicals, raw
  diamonds, pharmaceuticals, foodstuffs, transportation equipment, oil
  products

Belize
  machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods; fuels,
  chemicals, pharmaceuticals; food, beverages, tobacco

Benin
  foodstuffs, capital goods, petroleum products

Bermuda
  clothing, fuels, machinery and transport equipment,
  construction materials, chemicals, food and live animals

Bhutan
  fuel and lubricants, grain, aircraft, machinery and parts,
  vehicles, fabrics, rice

Bolivia
  petroleum products, plastics, paper, aircraft and aircraft
  parts, prepared foods, automobiles, insecticides, soybeans

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels,
  foodstuffs

Botswana
  foodstuffs, machinery, electrical goods, transport
  equipment, textiles, fuel and petroleum products, wood and paper
  products, metal and metal products

Brazil
  machinery, electrical and transport equipment, chemical
  products, oil, automotive parts, electronics

British Virgin Islands
  building materials, automobiles, foodstuffs,
  machinery

Brunei
  machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food,
  chemicals

Bulgaria
  machinery and equipment; metals and ores; chemicals and
  plastics; fuels, minerals, and raw materials

Burkina Faso
  capital goods, foodstuffs, petroleum

Burma
  fabric, petroleum products, fertilizer, plastics, machinery,
  transport equipment; cement, construction materials, crude oil; food
  products, edible oil

Burundi
  capital goods, petroleum products, foodstuffs

Cambodia
  petroleum products, cigarettes, gold, construction
  materials, machinery, motor vehicles, pharmaceutical products

Cameroon
  machinery, electrical equipment, transport equipment, fuel,
  food

Canada
  machinery and equipment, motor vehicles and parts, crude oil,
  chemicals, electricity, durable consumer goods

Cape Verde
  foodstuffs, industrial products, transport equipment,
  fuels

Cayman Islands
  foodstuffs, manufactured goods

Central African Republic
  food, textiles, petroleum products,
  machinery, electrical equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals,
  pharmaceuticals

Chad
  machinery and transportation equipment, industrial goods,
  foodstuffs, textiles

Chile
  petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, electrical and
  telecommunications equipment, industrial machinery, vehicles,
  natural gas

China
  electrical and other machinery, oil and mineral fuels, optical
  and medical equipment, metal ores, plastics, organic chemicals

Christmas Island
  consumer goods

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  foodstuffs

Colombia
  industrial equipment, transportation equipment, consumer
  goods, chemicals, paper products, fuels, electricity

Comoros
  rice and other foodstuffs, consumer goods, petroleum
  products, cement, transport equipment

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  foodstuffs, mining and other
  machinery, transport equipment, fuels

Congo, Republic of the
  capital equipment, construction materials,
  foodstuffs

Cook Islands
  foodstuffs, textiles, fuels, timber, capital goods

Costa Rica
  raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment,
  petroleum, construction materials

Cote d'Ivoire
  fuel, capital equipment, foodstuffs

Croatia
  machinery, transport and electrical equipment; chemicals,
  fuels and lubricants; foodstuffs

Cuba
  petroleum, food, machinery and equipment, chemicals

Cyprus
  consumer goods, petroleum and lubricants, intermediate goods,
  machinery, transport equipment

Czech Republic
  machinery and transport equipment 46%, raw materials
  and fuels 15%, chemicals 10% (2003)

Denmark
  machinery and equipment, raw materials and semimanufactures
  for industry, chemicals, grain and foodstuffs, consumer goods

Djibouti
  foods, beverages, transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum
  products

Dominica
  manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, food, chemicals

Dominican Republic
  foodstuffs, petroleum, cotton and fabrics,
  chemicals and pharmaceuticals

Ecuador
  industrial materials, fuels and lubricants, nondurable
  consumer goods

Egypt
  machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, wood products,
  fuels

El Salvador
  raw materials, consumer goods, capital goods, fuels,
  foodstuffs, petroleum, electricity

Equatorial Guinea
  petroleum sector equipment, other equipment

Eritrea
  machinery, petroleum products, food, manufactured goods

Estonia
  machinery and equipment 35%, textiles 19%, mineral fuels
  19%, chemical products 9%, foodstuffs 6% (2001)

Ethiopia
  food and live animals, petroleum and petroleum products,
  chemicals, machinery, motor vehicles, cereals, textiles

European Union
  machinery, vehicles, aircraft, plastics, crude oil,
  chemicals, textiles, metals, foodstuffs, clothing

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  fuel, food and drink, building
  materials, clothing

Faroe Islands
  consumer goods 36%, raw materials and
  semi-manufactures 32%, machinery and transport equipment 29%, fuels,
  fish, salt (1999)

Fiji
  manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment,
  petroleum products, food, chemicals

Finland
  foodstuffs, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals,
  transport equipment, iron and steel, machinery, textile yarn and
  fabrics, grains

France
  machinery and equipment, vehicles, crude oil, aircraft,
  plastics, chemicals

French Polynesia
  fuels, foodstuffs, machinery and equipment

Gabon
  machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, construction
  materials

Gambia, The
  foodstuffs, manufactures, fuel, machinery and transport
  equipment

Gaza Strip
  food, consumer goods, construction materials

Georgia
  fuels, vehicles, machinery and parts, grain and other foods,
  pharmaceuticals

Germany
  machinery, vehicles, chemicals, foodstuffs, textiles, metals

Ghana
  capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs

Gibraltar
  fuels, manufactured goods, and foodstuffs

Greece
  machinery, transport equipment, fuels, chemicals

Greenland
  machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods,
  food, petroleum products

Grenada
  food, manufactured goods, machinery, chemicals, fuel

Guam
  petroleum and petroleum products, food, manufactured goods

Guatemala
  fuels, machinery and transport equipment, construction
  materials, grain, fertilizers, electricity

Guernsey
  coal, gasoline, oil, machinery and equipment

Guinea
  petroleum products, metals, machinery, transport equipment,
  textiles, grain and other foodstuffs

Guinea-Bissau
  foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment,
  petroleum products

Guyana
  manufactures, machinery, petroleum, food

Haiti
  food, manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment,
  fuels, raw materials

Honduras
  machinery and transport equipment, industrial raw
  materials, chemical products, fuels, foodstuffs

Hong Kong
  raw materials and semi-manufactures, consumer goods,
  capital goods, foodstuffs, fuel (most is re-exported)

Hungary
  machinery and equipment 51.6%, other manufactures 35.7%,
  fuels and electricity 7.7%, food products 3.1%, raw materials 2.0%
  (2003)

Iceland
  machinery and equipment, petroleum products, foodstuffs,
  textiles

India
  crude oil, machinery, gems, fertilizer, chemicals

Indonesia
  machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, foodstuffs

Iran
  industrial raw materials and intermediate goods, capital goods,
  foodstuffs and other consumer goods, technical services

Iraq
  food, medicine, manufactures

Ireland
  data processing equipment, other machinery and equipment,
  chemicals, petroleum and petroleum products, textiles, clothing

Isle of Man
  timber, fertilizers, fish

Israel
  raw materials, military equipment, investment goods, rough
  diamonds, fuels, grain, consumer goods

Italy
  engineering products, chemicals, transport equipment, energy
  products, minerals and nonferrous metals, textiles and clothing;
  food, beverages, and tobacco

Jamaica
  food and other consumer goods, industrial supplies, fuel,
  parts and accessories of capital goods, machinery and transport
  equipment, construction materials

Japan
  machinery and equipment, fuels, foodstuffs, chemicals,
  textiles, raw materials

Jersey
  machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods,
  foodstuffs, mineral fuels, chemicals

Jordan
  crude oil, machinery, transport equipment, iron, cereals

Kazakhstan
  machinery and equipment, metal products, foodstuffs

Kenya
  machinery and transportation equipment, petroleum products,
  motor vehicles, iron and steel, resins and plastics

Kiribati
  foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, miscellaneous
  manufactured goods, fuel

Korea, North
  petroleum, coking coal, machinery and equipment,
  textiles, grain

Korea, South
  machinery, electronics and electronic equipment, oil,
  steel, transport equipment, organic chemicals, plastics

Kosovo
  foodstuffs, wood, petroleum, chemicals, machinery and
  electrical equipment

Kuwait
  food, construction materials, vehicles and parts, clothing

Kyrgyzstan
  oil and gas, machinery and equipment, chemicals,
  foodstuffs

Laos
  machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, consumer goods

Latvia
  machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, vehicles

Lebanon
  petroleum products, cars, medicinal products, clothing, meat
  and live animals, consumer goods, paper, textile fabrics, tobacco,
  electrical machinery and equipment, chemicals

Lesotho
  food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines,
  petroleum products

Liberia
  fuels, chemicals, machinery, transportation equipment,
  manufactured goods; foodstuffs

Libya
  machinery, semi-finished goods, food, transport equipment,
  consumer products

Liechtenstein
  agricultural products, raw materials, energy products,
  machinery, metal goods, textiles, foodstuffs, motor vehicles

Lithuania
  mineral products, machinery and equipment, transport
  equipment, chemicals, textiles and clothing, metals

Luxembourg
  minerals, metals, foodstuffs, quality consumer goods

Macau
  raw materials and semi-manufactured goods, consumer goods
  (foodstuffs, beverages, tobacco), capital goods, mineral fuels and
  oils

Macedonia
  machinery and equipment, automobiles, chemicals, fuels,
  food products

Madagascar
  capital goods, petroleum, consumer goods, food

Malawi
  food, petroleum products, semimanufactures, consumer goods,
  transportation equipment

Malaysia
  electronics, machinery, petroleum products, plastics,
  vehicles, iron and steel products, chemicals

Maldives
  petroleum products, ships, foodstuffs, clothing,
  intermediate and capital goods

Mali
  petroleum, machinery and equipment, construction materials,
  foodstuffs, textiles

Malta
  machinery and transport equipment, manufactured and
  semi-manufactured goods; food, drink, tobacco

Marshall Islands
  foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels,
  beverages and tobacco

Mauritania
  machinery and equipment, petroleum products, capital
  goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods

Mauritius
  manufactured goods, capital equipment, foodstuffs,
  petroleum products, chemicals

Mayotte
  food, machinery and equipment, transportation equipment,
  metals, chemicals

Mexico
  metalworking machines, steel mill products, agricultural
  machinery, electrical equipment, car parts for assembly, repair
  parts for motor vehicles, aircraft, and aircraft parts

Micronesia, Federated States of
  food, manufactured goods, machinery
  and equipment, beverages

Moldova
  mineral products and fuel, machinery and equipment,
  chemicals, textiles

Mongolia
  machinery and equipment, fuel, cars, food products,
  industrial consumer goods, chemicals, building materials, sugar, tea

Montserrat
  machinery and transportation equipment, foodstuffs,
  manufactured goods, fuels, lubricants, and related materials

Morocco
  crude petroleum, textile fabric, telecommunications
  equipment, wheat, gas and electricity, transistors, plastics

Mozambique
  machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, chemicals, metal
  products, foodstuffs, textiles

Namibia
  foodstuffs; petroleum products and fuel, machinery and
  equipment, chemicals

Nauru
  food, fuel, manufactures, building materials, machinery

Nepal
  petroleum products, machinery and equipment, electrical goods

Netherlands
  machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, fuels,
  foodstuffs, clothing

Netherlands Antilles
  crude petroleum, food, manufactures

New Caledonia
  machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, foodstuffs

New Zealand
  machinery and equipment, vehicles and aircraft,
  petroleum, electronics, textiles, plastics

Nicaragua
  consumer goods, machinery and equipment, raw materials,
  petroleum products

Niger
  foodstuffs, machinery, vehicles and parts, petroleum, cereals

Nigeria
  machinery, chemicals, transport equipment, manufactured
  goods, food and live animals

Niue
  food, live animals, manufactured goods, machinery, fuels,
  lubricants, chemicals, drugs

Norfolk Island
  NA

Northern Mariana Islands food, construction equipment and materials, petroleum products

Norway
  machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals, foodstuffs

Oman
  machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food,
  livestock, lubricants

Pakistan
  petroleum, petroleum products, machinery, plastics,
  transportation equipment, edible oils, paper and paperboard, iron
  and steel, tea

Palau
  machinery and equipment, fuels, metals; foodstuffs

Panama
  capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods, chemicals

Papua New Guinea
  machinery and transport equipment, manufactured
  goods, food, fuels, chemicals

Paraguay
  road vehicles, consumer goods, tobacco, petroleum products,
  electrical machinery, tractors, chemicals, vehicle parts

Peru
  petroleum and petroleum products, plastics, machinery,
  vehicles, iron and steel, wheat, paper

Philippines
  electronic products, mineral fuels, machinery and
  transport equipment, iron and steel, textile fabrics, grains,
  chemicals, plastic

Pitcairn Islands
  fuel oil, machinery, building materials, flour,
  sugar, other foodstuffs

Poland
  machinery and transport equipment 38%, intermediate
  manufactured goods 21%, chemicals 14.8%, minerals, fuels,
  lubricants, and related materials 9.1% (2003)

Portugal
  agricultural products, food products, oil products,
  chemical products, plastics and rubber, skins and leather, wood and
  cork, wood pulp and paper, textile materials, clothing, footwear,
  minerals and mineral products, base metals, machinery and tools,
  vehicles and other transport material, and optical and precision
  instruments, computer accessories and parts, semi-conductors and
  related devices, household goods, passenger cars new and used, and
  wine products

Puerto Rico
  chemicals, machinery and equipment, clothing, food,
  fish, petroleum products

Qatar
  machinery and transport equipment, food, chemicals

Romania
  machinery and equipment, fuels and minerals, chemicals,
  textile and products, metals, agricultural products

Russia
  vehicles, machinery and equipment, plastics, medicines, iron
  and steel, consumer goods, meat, fruits and nuts, semifinished metal
  products

Rwanda
  foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, steel, petroleum
  products, cement and construction material

Saint Helena
  food, beverages, tobacco, fuel oils, animal feed,
  building materials, motor vehicles and parts, machinery and parts

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  machinery, manufactures, food, fuels

Saint Lucia
  food 23%, manufactured goods 21%, machinery and
  transportation equipment 19%, chemicals, fuels

Saint Martin
  crude petroleum, food, manufactured items

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  meat, clothing, fuel, electrical
  equipment, machinery, building materials

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  foodstuffs, machinery and
  equipment, chemicals and fertilizers, minerals and fuels

Samoa
  machinery and equipment, industrial supplies, foodstuffs

San Marino
  wide variety of consumer manufactures, food

Sao Tome and Principe
  machinery and electrical equipment, food
  products, petroleum products

Saudi Arabia
  machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, motor
  vehicles, textiles

Senegal
  food and beverages, capital goods, fuels

Seychelles
  machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products,
  chemicals

Sierra Leone
  foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels and
  lubricants, chemicals

Singapore
  machinery and equipment, mineral fuels, chemicals,
  foodstuffs, consumer goods

Slovakia
  machinery and transport equipment 41.1%, intermediate
  manufactured goods 19.3%, fuels 12.3%, chemicals 9.8%, miscellaneous
  manufactured goods 10.2% (2003)

Slovenia
  machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods,
  chemicals, fuels and lubricants, food

Solomon Islands
  food, plant and equipment, manufactured goods,
  fuels, chemicals

Somalia
  manufactures, petroleum products, foodstuffs, construction
  materials, qat

South Africa
  machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum products,
  scientific instruments, foodstuffs

Spain
  machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, semifinished goods,
  foodstuffs, consumer goods, measuring and medical control instruments

Sri Lanka
  textile fabrics, mineral products, petroleum, foodstuffs,
  machinery and transportation equipment

Sudan
  foodstuffs, manufactured goods, refinery and transport
  equipment, medicines and chemicals, textiles, wheat

Suriname
  capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs, cotton, consumer
  goods

Swaziland
  motor vehicles, machinery, transport equipment,
  foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals

Sweden
  machinery, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, motor
  vehicles, iron and steel; foodstuffs, clothing

Switzerland
  machinery, chemicals, vehicles, metals; agricultural
  products, textiles

Syria
  machinery and transport equipment, electric power machinery,
  food and livestock, metal and metal products, chemicals and chemical
  products, plastics, yarn, paper

Taiwan
  electronics, machinery, petroleum, precision instruments,
  organic chemicals, metals (2008)

Tajikistan
  electricity, petroleum products, aluminum oxide,
  machinery and equipment, foodstuffs

Tanzania
  consumer goods, machinery and transportation equipment,
  industrial raw materials, crude oil

Thailand
  capital goods, intermediate goods and raw materials,
  consumer goods, fuels

Timor-Leste
  food, gasoline, kerosene, machinery

Togo
  machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products

Tokelau
  foodstuffs, building materials, fuel

Tonga
  foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, fuels, chemicals

Trinidad and Tobago
  mineral fuels, lubricants, machinery,
  transportation equipment, manufactured goods, food, chemicals, live
  animals

Tunisia
  textiles, machinery and equipment, hydrocarbons, chemicals,
  foodstuffs

Turkey
  machinery, chemicals, semi-finished goods, fuels, transport
  equipment

Turkmenistan
  machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs

Turks and Caicos Islands food and beverages, tobacco, clothing, manufactures, construction materials

Tuvalu
  food, animals, mineral fuels, machinery, manufactured goods

Uganda
  capital equipment, vehicles, petroleum, medical supplies;
  cereals

Ukraine
  energy, machinery and equipment, chemicals

United Arab Emirates machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food

United Kingdom
  manufactured goods, machinery, fuels; foodstuffs

United States
  agricultural products 4.9%, industrial supplies 32.9%
  (crude oil 8.2%), capital goods 30.4% (computers, telecommunications
  equipment, motor vehicle parts, office machines, electric power
  machinery), consumer goods 31.8% (automobiles, clothing, medicines,
  furniture, toys) (2003)

Uruguay
  crude petroleum and petroleum products, machinery,
  chemicals, road vehicles, paper, plastics

Uzbekistan
  machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, ferrous
  and non-ferrous metals

Vanuatu
  machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, fuels

Venezuela
  raw materials, machinery and equipment, transport
  equipment, construction materials

Vietnam
  machinery and equipment, petroleum products, fertilizer,
  steel products, raw cotton, grain, cement, motorcycles

Virgin Islands
  crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, building
  materials

Wallis and Futuna
  chemicals, machinery, passenger ships, consumer
  goods

West Bank
  food, consumer goods, construction materials

Western Sahara
  fuel for fishing fleet, foodstuffs

World
  the whole range of industrial and agricultural goods and
  services
  top ten - share of world trade: see listing for exports

Yemen
  food and live animals, machinery and equipment, chemicals

Zambia
  machinery, transportation equipment, petroleum products,
  electricity, fertilizer; foodstuffs, clothing

Zimbabwe
  machinery and transport equipment, other manufactures,
  chemicals, fuels

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

@2059

Field Listing :: Climate

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

Climate

Afghanistan
  arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers

Akrotiri
  temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool
  winters

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

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

American Samoa
  tropical marine, moderated by southeast trade winds;
  annual rainfall averages about 3 m; rainy season (November to
  April), dry season (May to October); little seasonal temperature
  variation

Andorra
  temperate; snowy, cold winters and warm, dry summers

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

Anguilla
  tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds

Antarctica
  severe low temperatures vary with latitude, elevation,
  and distance from the ocean; East Antarctica is colder than West
  Antarctica because of its higher elevation; Antarctic Peninsula has
  the most moderate climate; higher temperatures occur in January
  along the coast and average slightly below freezing

Antigua and Barbuda
  tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature
  variation

Arctic Ocean
  polar climate characterized by persistent cold and
  relatively narrow annual temperature ranges; winters characterized
  by continuous darkness, cold and stable weather conditions, and
  clear skies; summers characterized by continuous daylight, damp and
  foggy weather, and weak cyclones with rain or snow

Argentina
  mostly temperate; arid in southeast; subantarctic in
  southwest

Armenia
  highland continental, hot summers, cold winters

Aruba
  tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  tropical

Atlantic Ocean
  tropical cyclones (hurricanes) develop off the coast
  of Africa near Cape Verde and move westward into the Caribbean Sea;
  hurricanes can occur from May to December but are most frequent from
  August to November

Australia
  generally arid to semiarid; temperate in south and east;
  tropical in north

Austria
  temperate; continental, cloudy; cold winters with frequent
  rain and some snow in lowlands and snow in mountains; moderate
  summers with occasional showers

Azerbaijan
  dry, semiarid steppe

Bahamas, The
  tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream

Bahrain
  arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers

Bangladesh
  tropical; mild winter (October to March); hot, humid
  summer (March to June); humid, warm rainy monsoon (June to October)

Barbados
  tropical; rainy season (June to October)

Belarus
  cold winters, cool and moist summers; transitional between
  continental and maritime

Belgium
  temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy

Belize
  tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to November);
  dry season (February to May)

Benin
  tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north

Bermuda
  subtropical; mild, humid; gales, strong winds common in
  winter

Bhutan
  varies; tropical in southern plains; cool winters and hot
  summers in central valleys; severe winters and cool summers in
  Himalayas

Bolivia
  varies with altitude; humid and tropical to cold and semiarid

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  hot summers and cold winters; areas of high
  elevation have short, cool summers and long, severe winters; mild,
  rainy winters along coast

Botswana
  semiarid; warm winters and hot summers

Bouvet Island
  antarctic

Brazil
  mostly tropical, but temperate in south

British Indian Ocean Territory
  tropical marine; hot, humid,
  moderated by trade winds

British Virgin Islands
  subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by
  trade winds

Brunei
  tropical; hot, humid, rainy

Bulgaria
  temperate; cold, damp winters; hot, dry summers

Burkina Faso
  tropical; warm, dry winters; hot, wet summers

Burma
  tropical monsoon; cloudy, rainy, hot, humid summers (southwest
  monsoon, June to September); less cloudy, scant rainfall, mild
  temperatures, lower humidity during winter (northeast monsoon,
  December to April)

Burundi
  equatorial; high plateau with considerable altitude
  variation (772 m to 2,670 m above sea level); average annual
  temperature varies with altitude from 23 to 17 degrees centigrade
  but is generally moderate as the average altitude is about 1,700 m;
  average annual rainfall is about 150 cm; two wet seasons (February
  to May and September to November), and two dry seasons (June to
  August and December to January)

Cambodia
  tropical; rainy, monsoon season (May to November); dry
  season (December to April); little seasonal temperature variation

Cameroon
  varies with terrain, from tropical along coast to semiarid
  and hot in north

Canada
  varies from temperate in south to subarctic and arctic in
  north

Cape Verde
  temperate; warm, dry summer; precipitation meager and
  very erratic

Cayman Islands
  tropical marine; warm, rainy summers (May to October)
  and cool, relatively dry winters (November to April)

Central African Republic
  tropical; hot, dry winters; mild to hot,
  wet summers

Chad
  tropical in south, desert in north

Chile
  temperate; desert in north; Mediterranean in central region;
  cool and damp in south

China
  extremely diverse; tropical in south to subarctic in north

Christmas Island
  tropical with a wet season (December to April) and
  dry season; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds

Clipperton Island
  tropical; humid, average temperature 20-32 degrees
  C, wet season (May to October)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  tropical with high humidity, moderated by
  the southeast trade winds for about nine months of the year

Colombia
  tropical along coast and eastern plains; cooler in highlands

Comoros
  tropical marine; rainy season (November to May)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the tropical; hot and humid in equatorial river basin; cooler and drier in southern highlands; cooler and wetter in eastern highlands; north of Equator - wet season (April to October), dry season (December to February); south of Equator - wet season (November to March), dry season (April to October)

Congo, Republic of the
  tropical; rainy season (March to June); dry
  season (June to October); persistent high temperatures and humidity;
  particularly enervating climate astride the Equator

Cook Islands
  tropical oceanic; moderated by trade winds; a dry
  season from April to November and a more humid season from December
  to March

Coral Sea Islands
  tropical

Costa Rica
  tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April);
  rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands

Cote d'Ivoire
  tropical along coast, semiarid in far north; three
  seasons - warm and dry (November to March), hot and dry (March to
  May), hot and wet (June to October)

Croatia
  Mediterranean and continental; continental climate
  predominant with hot summers and cold winters; mild winters, dry
  summers along coast

Cuba
  tropical; moderated by trade winds; dry season (November to
  April); rainy season (May to October)

Cyprus
  temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool
  winters

Czech Republic
  temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters

Denmark
  temperate; humid and overcast; mild, windy winters and cool
  summers

Dhekelia
  temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool
  winters

Djibouti
  desert; torrid, dry

Dominica
  tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds; heavy rainfall

Dominican Republic
  tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature
  variation; seasonal variation in rainfall

Ecuador
  tropical along coast, becoming cooler inland at higher
  elevations; tropical in Amazonian jungle lowlands

Egypt
  desert; hot, dry summers with moderate winters

El Salvador
  tropical; rainy season (May to October); dry season
  (November to April); tropical on coast; temperate in uplands

Equatorial Guinea
  tropical; always hot, humid

Eritrea
  hot, dry desert strip along Red Sea coast; cooler and wetter
  in the central highlands (up to 61 cm of rainfall annually, heaviest
  June to September); semiarid in western hills and lowlands

Estonia
  maritime; wet, moderate winters, cool summers

Ethiopia
  tropical monsoon with wide topographic-induced variation

European Union
  cold temperate; potentially subarctic in the north to
  temperate; mild wet winters; hot dry summers in the south

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) cold marine; strong westerly winds, cloudy, humid; rain occurs on more than half of days in year; average annual rainfall is 24 inches in Stanley; occasional snow all year, except in January and February, but does not accumulate

Faroe Islands
  mild winters, cool summers; usually overcast; foggy,
  windy

Fiji
  tropical marine; only slight seasonal temperature variation

Finland
  cold temperate; potentially subarctic but comparatively mild
  because of moderating influence of the North Atlantic Current,
  Baltic Sea, and more than 60,000 lakes

France
  metropolitan France: generally cool winters and mild summers,
  but mild winters and hot summers along the Mediterranean; occasional
  strong, cold, dry, north-to-northwesterly wind known as mistral
  French Guiana: tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature
  variation
  Guadeloupe and Martinique: subtropical tempered by trade winds;
  moderately high humidity; rainy season (June to October); vulnerable
  to devastating cyclones (hurricanes) every eight years on average
  Reunion: tropical, but temperature moderates with elevation; cool
  and dry (May to November), hot and rainy (November to April)

French Polynesia
  tropical, but moderate

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul:
  oceanic with persistent westerly winds and high humidity
  Iles Crozet: windy, cold, wet, and cloudy
  Iles Kerguelen: oceanic, cold, overcast, windy
  Iles Eparses: tropical

Gabon
  tropical; always hot, humid

Gambia, The
  tropical; hot, rainy season (June to November); cooler,
  dry season (November to May)

Gaza Strip
  temperate, mild winters, dry and warm to hot summers

Georgia
  warm and pleasant; Mediterranean-like on Black Sea coast

Germany
  temperate and marine; cool, cloudy, wet winters and summers;
  occasional warm mountain (foehn) wind

Ghana
  tropical; warm and comparatively dry along southeast coast;
  hot and humid in southwest; hot and dry in north

Gibraltar
  Mediterranean with mild winters and warm summers

Greece
  temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers

Greenland
  arctic to subarctic; cool summers, cold winters

Grenada
  tropical; tempered by northeast trade winds

Guam
  tropical marine; generally warm and humid, moderated by
  northeast trade winds; dry season (January to June), rainy season
  (July to December); little seasonal temperature variation

Guatemala
  tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands

Guernsey
  temperate with mild winters and cool summers; about 50% of
  days are overcast

Guinea
  generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to
  November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May)
  with northeasterly harmattan winds

Guinea-Bissau
  tropical; generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type
  rainy season (June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season
  (December to May) with northeasterly harmattan winds

Guyana
  tropical; hot, humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; two
  rainy seasons (May to August, November to January)

Haiti
  tropical; semiarid where mountains in east cut off trade winds

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  antarctic

Holy See (Vatican City)
  temperate; mild, rainy winters (September to
  May) with hot, dry summers (May to September)

Honduras
  subtropical in lowlands, temperate in mountains

Hong Kong
  subtropical monsoon; cool and humid in winter, hot and
  rainy from spring through summer, warm and sunny in fall

Hungary
  temperate; cold, cloudy, humid winters; warm summers

Iceland
  temperate; moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy
  winters; damp, cool summers

India
  varies from tropical monsoon in south to temperate in north

Indian Ocean
  northeast monsoon (December to April), southwest
  monsoon (June to October); tropical cyclones occur during May/June
  and October/November in the northern Indian Ocean and
  January/February in the southern Indian Ocean

Indonesia
  tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands

Iran
  mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast

Iraq
  mostly desert; mild to cool winters with dry, hot, cloudless
  summers; northern mountainous regions along Iranian and Turkish
  borders experience cold winters with occasionally heavy snows that
  melt in early spring, sometimes causing extensive flooding in
  central and southern Iraq

Ireland
  temperate maritime; modified by North Atlantic Current; mild
  winters, cool summers; consistently humid; overcast about half the
  time

Isle of Man
  temperate; cool summers and mild winters; overcast about
  a third of the time

Israel
  temperate; hot and dry in southern and eastern desert areas

Italy
  predominantly Mediterranean; Alpine in far north; hot, dry in
  south

Jamaica
  tropical; hot, humid; temperate interior

Jan Mayen
  arctic maritime with frequent storms and persistent fog

Japan
  varies from tropical in south to cool temperate in north

Jersey
  temperate; mild winters and cool summers

Jordan
  mostly arid desert; rainy season in west (November to April)

Kazakhstan
  continental, cold winters and hot summers, arid and
  semiarid

Kenya
  varies from tropical along coast to arid in interior

Kiribati
  tropical; marine, hot and humid, moderated by trade winds

Korea, North
  temperate with rainfall concentrated in summer

Korea, South
  temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter

Kosovo
  influenced by continental air masses resulting in relatively
  cold winters with heavy snowfall and hot, dry summers and autumns;
  Mediterranean and alpine influences create regional variation;
  maximum rainfall between October and December

Kuwait
  dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters

Kyrgyzstan
  dry continental to polar in high Tien Shan Mountains;
  subtropical in southwest (Fergana Valley); temperate in northern
  foothill zone

Laos
  tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season
  (December to April)

Latvia
  maritime; wet, moderate winters

Lebanon
  Mediterranean; mild to cool, wet winters with hot, dry
  summers; Lebanon mountains experience heavy winter snows

Lesotho
  temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers

Liberia
  tropical; hot, humid; dry winters with hot days and cool to
  cold nights; wet, cloudy summers with frequent heavy showers

Libya
  Mediterranean along coast; dry, extreme desert interior

Liechtenstein
  continental; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow
  or rain; cool to moderately warm, cloudy, humid summers

Lithuania
  transitional, between maritime and continental; wet,
  moderate winters and summers

Luxembourg
  modified continental with mild winters, cool summers

Macau
  subtropical; marine with cool winters, warm summers

Macedonia
  warm, dry summers and autumns; relatively cold winters
  with heavy snowfall

Madagascar
  tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south

Malawi
  sub-tropical; rainy season (November to May); dry season (May
  to November)

Malaysia
  tropical; annual southwest (April to October) and northeast
  (October to February) monsoons

Maldives
  tropical; hot, humid; dry, northeast monsoon (November to
  March); rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August)

Mali
  subtropical to arid; hot and dry (February to June); rainy,
  humid, and mild (June to November); cool and dry (November to
  February)

Malta
  Mediterranean; mild, rainy winters; hot, dry summers

Marshall Islands
  tropical; hot and humid; wet season May to
  November; islands border typhoon belt

Mauritania
  desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty

Mauritius
  tropical, modified by southeast trade winds; warm, dry
  winter (May to November); hot, wet, humid summer (November to May)

Mayotte
  tropical; marine; hot, humid, rainy season during
  northeastern monsoon (November to May); dry season is cooler (May to
  November)

Mexico
  varies from tropical to desert

Micronesia, Federated States of tropical; heavy year-round rainfall, especially in the eastern islands; located on southern edge of the typhoon belt with occasionally severe damage

Moldova
  moderate winters, warm summers

Monaco
  Mediterranean with mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers

Mongolia
  desert; continental (large daily and seasonal temperature
  ranges)

Montenegro
  Mediterranean climate, hot dry summers and autumns and
  relatively cold winters with heavy snowfalls inland

Montserrat
  tropical; little daily or seasonal temperature variation

Morocco
  Mediterranean, becoming more extreme in the interior

Mozambique
  tropical to subtropical

Namibia
  desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic

Nauru
  tropical with a monsoonal pattern; rainy season (November to
  February)

Navassa Island
  marine, tropical

Nepal
  varies from cool summers and severe winters in north to
  subtropical summers and mild winters in south

Netherlands
  temperate; marine; cool summers and mild winters

Netherlands Antilles
  tropical; ameliorated by northeast trade winds

New Caledonia
  tropical; modified by southeast trade winds; hot, humid

New Zealand
  temperate with sharp regional contrasts

Nicaragua
  tropical in lowlands, cooler in highlands

Niger
  desert; mostly hot, dry, dusty; tropical in extreme south

Nigeria
  varies; equatorial in south, tropical in center, arid in
  north

Niue
  tropical; modified by southeast trade winds

Norfolk Island
  subtropical; mild, little seasonal temperature
  variation

Northern Mariana Islands
  tropical marine; moderated by northeast
  trade winds, little seasonal temperature variation; dry season
  December to June, rainy season July to October

Norway
  temperate along coast, modified by North Atlantic Current;
  colder interior with increased precipitation and colder summers;
  rainy year-round on west coast

Oman
  dry desert; hot, humid along coast; hot, dry interior; strong
  southwest summer monsoon (May to September) in far south

Pacific Ocean
  planetary air pressure systems and resultant wind
  patterns exhibit remarkable uniformity in the south and east; trade
  winds and westerly winds are well-developed patterns, modified by
  seasonal fluctuations; tropical cyclones (hurricanes) may form south
  of Mexico from June to October and affect Mexico and Central
  America; continental influences cause climatic uniformity to be much
  less pronounced in the eastern and western regions at the same
  latitude in the North Pacific Ocean; the western Pacific is
  monsoonal - a rainy season occurs during the summer months, when
  moisture-laden winds blow from the ocean over the land, and a dry
  season during the winter months, when dry winds blow from the Asian
  landmass back to the ocean; tropical cyclones (typhoons) may strike
  southeast and east Asia from May to December

Pakistan
  mostly hot, dry desert; temperate in northwest; arctic in
  north

Palau
  tropical; hot and humid; wet season May to November

Panama
  tropical maritime; hot, humid, cloudy; prolonged rainy season
  (May to January), short dry season (January to May)

Papua New Guinea
  tropical; northwest monsoon (December to March),
  southeast monsoon (May to October); slight seasonal temperature
  variation

Paracel Islands
  tropical

Paraguay
  subtropical to temperate; substantial rainfall in the
  eastern portions, becoming semiarid in the far west

Peru
  varies from tropical in east to dry desert in west; temperate
  to frigid in Andes

Philippines
  tropical marine; northeast monsoon (November to April);
  southwest monsoon (May to October)

Pitcairn Islands
  tropical; hot and humid; modified by southeast
  trade winds; rainy season (November to March)

Poland
  temperate with cold, cloudy, moderately severe winters with
  frequent precipitation; mild summers with frequent showers and
  thundershowers

Portugal
  maritime temperate; cool and rainy in north, warmer and
  drier in south

Puerto Rico
  tropical marine, mild; little seasonal temperature
  variation

Qatar
  arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers

Romania
  temperate; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow and fog;
  sunny summers with frequent showers and thunderstorms

Russia
  ranges from steppes in the south through humid continental in
  much of European Russia; subarctic in Siberia to tundra climate in
  the polar north; winters vary from cool along Black Sea coast to
  frigid in Siberia; summers vary from warm in the steppes to cool
  along Arctic coast

Rwanda
  temperate; two rainy seasons (February to April, November to
  January); mild in mountains with frost and snow possible

Saint Barthelemy
  tropical, with practically no variation in
  temperature; has two seasons (dry and humid)

Saint Helena
  Saint Helena: tropical marine; mild, tempered by trade
  winds
  Ascension Island: tropical marine; mild, semi-arid
  Tristan da Cunha: temperate marine; mild, tempered by trade winds
  (tends to be cooler than Saint Helena)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  tropical, tempered by constant sea breezes;
  little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May to November)

Saint Lucia
  tropical, moderated by northeast trade winds; dry season
  January to April, rainy season May to August

Saint Martin
  temperature averages 80-85 degrees all year long; low
  humidity, gentle trade winds, brief, intense rain showers;
  July-November is the hurricane season

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  cold and wet, with much mist and fog;
  spring and autumn are windy

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  tropical; little seasonal
  temperature variation; rainy season (May to November)

Samoa
  tropical; rainy season (November to April), dry season (May to
  October)

San Marino
  Mediterranean; mild to cool winters; warm, sunny summers

Sao Tome and Principe
  tropical; hot, humid; one rainy season
  (October to May)

Saudi Arabia
  harsh, dry desert with great temperature extremes

Senegal
  tropical; hot, humid; rainy season (May to November) has
  strong southeast winds; dry season (December to April) dominated by
  hot, dry, harmattan wind

Serbia
  in the north, continental climate (cold winters and hot,
  humid summers with well distributed rainfall); in other parts,
  continental and Mediterranean climate (relatively cold winters with
  heavy snowfall and hot, dry summers and autumns)

Seychelles
  tropical marine; humid; cooler season during southeast
  monsoon (late May to September); warmer season during northwest
  monsoon (March to May)

Sierra Leone
  tropical; hot, humid; summer rainy season (May to
  December); winter dry season (December to April)

Singapore
  tropical; hot, humid, rainy; two distinct monsoon seasons
  - Northeastern monsoon (December to March) and Southwestern monsoon
  (June to September); inter-monsoon - frequent afternoon and early
  evening thunderstorms

Slovakia
  temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters

Slovenia
  Mediterranean climate on the coast, continental climate
  with mild to hot summers and cold winters in the plateaus and
  valleys to the east

Solomon Islands
  tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and
  weather

Somalia
  principally desert; northeast monsoon (December to
  February), moderate temperatures in north and hot in south;
  southwest monsoon (May to October), torrid in the north and hot in
  the south, irregular rainfall, hot and humid periods (tangambili)
  between monsoons

South Africa
  mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny
  days, cool nights

South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
  variable, with mostly
  westerly winds throughout the year interspersed with periods of
  calm; nearly all precipitation falls as snow

Southern Ocean
  sea temperatures vary from about 10 degrees Celsius
  to -2 degrees Celsius; cyclonic storms travel eastward around the
  continent and frequently are intense because of the temperature
  contrast between ice and open ocean; the ocean area from about
  latitude 40 south to the Antarctic Circle has the strongest average
  winds found anywhere on Earth; in winter the ocean freezes outward
  to 65 degrees south latitude in the Pacific sector and 55 degrees
  south latitude in the Atlantic sector, lowering surface temperatures
  well below 0 degrees Celsius; at some coastal points intense
  persistent drainage winds from the interior keep the shoreline
  ice-free throughout the winter

Spain
  temperate; clear, hot summers in interior, more moderate and
  cloudy along coast; cloudy, cold winters in interior, partly cloudy
  and cool along coast

Spratly Islands
  tropical

Sri Lanka
  tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March);
  southwest monsoon (June to October)

Sudan
  tropical in south; arid desert in north; rainy season varies
  by region (April to November)

Suriname
  tropical; moderated by trade winds

Svalbard
  arctic, tempered by warm North Atlantic Current; cool
  summers, cold winters; North Atlantic Current flows along west and
  north coasts of Spitsbergen, keeping water open and navigable most
  of the year

Swaziland
  varies from tropical to near temperate

Sweden
  temperate in south with cold, cloudy winters and cool, partly
  cloudy summers; subarctic in north

Switzerland
  temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy,
  rainy/snowy winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with
  occasional showers

Syria
  mostly desert; hot, dry, sunny summers (June to August) and
  mild, rainy winters (December to February) along coast; cold weather
  with snow or sleet periodically in Damascus

Taiwan
  tropical; marine; rainy season during southwest monsoon (June
  to August); cloudiness is persistent and extensive all year

Tajikistan
  midlatitude continental, hot summers, mild winters;
  semiarid to polar in Pamir Mountains

Tanzania
  varies from tropical along coast to temperate in highlands

Thailand
  tropical; rainy, warm, cloudy southwest monsoon (mid-May to
  September); dry, cool northeast monsoon (November to mid-March);
  southern isthmus always hot and humid

Timor-Leste
  tropical; hot, humid; distinct rainy and dry seasons

Togo
  tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north

Tokelau
  tropical; moderated by trade winds (April to November)

Tonga
  tropical; modified by trade winds; warm season (December to
  May), cool season (May to December)

Trinidad and Tobago
  tropical; rainy season (June to December)

Tunisia
  temperate in north with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry
  summers; desert in south

Turkey
  temperate; hot, dry summers with mild, wet winters; harsher
  in interior

Turkmenistan
  subtropical desert

Turks and Caicos Islands
  tropical; marine; moderated by trade winds;
  sunny and relatively dry

Tuvalu
  tropical; moderated by easterly trade winds (March to
  November); westerly gales and heavy rain (November to March)

Uganda
  tropical; generally rainy with two dry seasons (December to
  February, June to August); semiarid in northeast

Ukraine
  temperate continental; Mediterranean only on the southern
  Crimean coast; precipitation disproportionately distributed, highest
  in west and north, lesser in east and southeast; winters vary from
  cool along the Black Sea to cold farther inland; summers are warm
  across the greater part of the country, hot in the south

United Arab Emirates
  desert; cooler in eastern mountains

United Kingdom
  temperate; moderated by prevailing southwest winds
  over the North Atlantic Current; more than one-half of the days are
  overcast

United States
  mostly temperate, but tropical in Hawaii and Florida,
  arctic in Alaska, semiarid in the great plains west of the
  Mississippi River, and arid in the Great Basin of the southwest; low
  winter temperatures in the northwest are ameliorated occasionally in
  January and February by warm chinook winds from the eastern slopes
  of the Rocky Mountains

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges
  Baker, Howland, and
  Jarvis Islands: equatorial; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning
  sun
  Johnston Atoll and Kingman Reef: tropical, but generally dry;
  consistent northeast trade winds with little seasonal temperature
  variation
  Midway Islands: subtropical with cool, moist winters (December to
  February) and warm, dry summers (May to October); moderated by
  prevailing easterly winds; most of the 1,067 mm (42 in) of annual
  rainfall occurs during the winter
  Palmyra Atoll: equatorial, hot; located within the low pressure area
  of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) where the northeast and
  southeast trade winds meet, it is extremely wet with between
  4,000-5,000 mm (160-200 in) of rainfall each year

Uruguay
  warm temperate; freezing temperatures almost unknown

Uzbekistan
  mostly midlatitude desert, long, hot summers, mild
  winters; semiarid grassland in east

Vanuatu
  tropical; moderated by southeast trade winds from May to
  October; moderate rainfall from November to April; may be affected
  by cyclones from December to April

Venezuela
  tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands

Vietnam
  tropical in south; monsoonal in north with hot, rainy season
  (May to September) and warm, dry season (October to March)

Virgin Islands
  subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds,
  relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation;
  rainy season September to November

Wake Island
  tropical

Wallis and Futuna
  tropical; hot, rainy season (November to April);
  cool, dry season (May to October); rains 2,500-3,000 mm per year
  (80% humidity); average temperature 26.6 degrees C

West Bank
  temperate; temperature and precipitation vary with
  altitude, warm to hot summers, cool to mild winters

Western Sahara
  hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold offshore air
  currents produce fog and heavy dew

World
  a wide equatorial band of hot and humid tropical climates -
  bordered north and south by subtropical temperate zones - that
  separate two large areas of cold and dry polar climates

Yemen
  mostly desert; hot and humid along west coast; temperate in
  western mountains affected by seasonal monsoon; extraordinarily hot,
  dry, harsh desert in east

Zambia
  tropical; modified by altitude; rainy season (October to
  April)

Zimbabwe
  tropical; moderated by altitude; rainy season (November to
  March)

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

@2060

Field Listing :: Coastline

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

Coastline(km)

Afghanistan
  0 km (landlocked)

Akrotiri
  56.3 km

Albania
  362 km

Algeria
  998 km

American Samoa
  116 km

Andorra
  0 km (landlocked)

Angola
  1,600 km

Anguilla
  61 km

Antarctica
  17,968 km

Antigua and Barbuda
  153 km

Arctic Ocean
  45,389 km

Argentina
  4,989 km

Armenia
  0 km (landlocked)

Aruba
  68.5 km

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  74.1 km

Atlantic Ocean
  111,866 km

Australia
  25,760 km

Austria
  0 km (landlocked)

Azerbaijan
  0 km (landlocked); note - Azerbaijan borders the Caspian
  Sea (713 km)

Bahamas, The
  3,542 km

Bahrain
  161 km

Bangladesh
  580 km

Barbados
  97 km

Belarus
  0 km (landlocked)

Belgium
  66.5 km

Belize
  386 km

Benin
  121 km

Bermuda
  103 km

Bhutan
  0 km (landlocked)

Bolivia
  0 km (landlocked)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  20 km

Botswana
  0 km (landlocked)

Bouvet Island
  29.6 km

Brazil
  7,491 km

British Indian Ocean Territory
  698 km

British Virgin Islands
  80 km

Brunei
  161 km

Bulgaria
  354 km

Burkina Faso
  0 km (landlocked)

Burma
  1,930 km

Burundi
  0 km (landlocked)

Cambodia
  443 km

Cameroon
  402 km

Canada
  202,080 km

Cape Verde
  965 km

Cayman Islands
  160 km

Central African Republic
  0 km (landlocked)

Chad
  0 km (landlocked)

Chile
  6,435 km

China
  14,500 km

Christmas Island
  138.9 km

Clipperton Island
  11.1 km

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  26 km

Colombia
  3,208 km (Caribbean Sea 1,760 km, North Pacific Ocean 1,448
  km)

Comoros
  340 km

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  37 km

Congo, Republic of the
  169 km

Cook Islands
  120 km

Coral Sea Islands
  3,095 km

Costa Rica
  1,290 km

Cote d'Ivoire
  515 km

Croatia
  5,835 km (mainland 1,777 km, islands 4,058 km)

Cuba
  3,735 km

Cyprus
  648 km

Czech Republic
  0 km (landlocked)

Denmark
  7,314 km

Dhekelia
  27.5 km

Djibouti
  314 km

Dominica
  148 km

Dominican Republic
  1,288 km

Ecuador
  2,237 km

Egypt
  2,450 km

El Salvador
  307 km

Equatorial Guinea
  296 km

Eritrea
  2,234 km (mainland on Red Sea 1,151 km, islands in Red Sea
  1,083 km)

Estonia
  3,794 km

Ethiopia
  0 km (landlocked)

European Union
  65,992.9 km

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  1,288 km

Faroe Islands
  1,117 km

Fiji
  1,129 km

Finland
  1,250 km

France total: 4,668 km metropolitan France: 3,427 km

French Polynesia
  2,525 km

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  Ile Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et
  Ile Saint-Paul): 28 km
  Ile Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul):
  Iles Kerguelen: 2,800 km
  Bassas da India (Iles Eparses): 35.2 km
  Europa Island (Iles Eparses): 22.2 km
  Glorioso Islands (Iles Eparses): 35.2 km
  Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses): 24.1 km
  Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): 3.7 km

Gabon
  885 km

Gambia, The
  80 km

Gaza Strip
  40 km

Georgia
  310 km

Germany
  2,389 km

Ghana
  539 km

Gibraltar
  12 km

Greece
  13,676 km

Greenland
  44,087 km

Grenada
  121 km

Guam
  125.5 km

Guatemala
  400 km

Guernsey
  50 km

Guinea
  320 km

Guinea-Bissau
  350 km

Guyana
  459 km

Haiti
  1,771 km

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  101.9 km

Holy See (Vatican City)
  0 km (landlocked)

Honduras
  820 km

Hong Kong
  733 km

Hungary
  0 km (landlocked)

Iceland
  4,970 km

India
  7,000 km

Indian Ocean
  66,526 km

Indonesia
  54,716 km

Iran
  2,440 km; note - Iran also borders the Caspian Sea (740 km)

Iraq
  58 km

Ireland
  1,448 km

Isle of Man
  160 km

Israel
  273 km

Italy
  7,600 km

Jamaica
  1,022 km

Jan Mayen
  124.1 km

Japan
  29,751 km

Jersey
  70 km

Jordan
  26 km

Kazakhstan
  0 km (landlocked); note - Kazakhstan borders the Aral
  Sea, now split into two bodies of water (1,070 km), and the Caspian
  Sea (1,894 km)

Kenya
  536 km

Kiribati
  1,143 km

Korea, North
  2,495 km

Korea, South
  2,413 km

Kosovo
  0 km (landlocked)

Kuwait
  499 km

Kyrgyzstan
  0 km (landlocked)

Laos
  0 km (landlocked)

Latvia
  498 km

Lebanon
  225 km

Lesotho
  0 km (landlocked)

Liberia
  579 km

Libya
  1,770 km

Liechtenstein
  0 km (doubly landlocked)

Lithuania
  90 km

Luxembourg
  0 km (landlocked)

Macau
  41 km

Macedonia
  0 km (landlocked)

Madagascar
  4,828 km

Malawi
  0 km (landlocked)

Malaysia
  4,675 km (Peninsular Malaysia 2,068 km, East Malaysia 2,607
  km)

Maldives
  644 km

Mali
  0 km (landlocked)

Malta
  196.8 km (excludes 56.01 km for the island of Gozo)

Marshall Islands
  370.4 km

Mauritania
  754 km

Mauritius
  177 km

Mayotte
  185.2 km

Mexico
  9,330 km

Micronesia, Federated States of
  6,112 km

Moldova
  0 km (landlocked)

Monaco
  4.1 km

Mongolia
  0 km (landlocked)

Montenegro
  293.5 km

Montserrat
  40 km

Morocco
  1,835 km

Mozambique
  2,470 km

Namibia
  1,572 km

Nauru
  30 km

Navassa Island
  8 km

Nepal
  0 km (landlocked)

Netherlands
  451 km

Netherlands Antilles
  364 km

New Caledonia
  2,254 km

New Zealand
  15,134 km

Nicaragua
  910 km

Niger
  0 km (landlocked)

Nigeria
  853 km

Niue
  64 km

Norfolk Island
  32 km

Northern Mariana Islands
  1,482 km

Norway
  25,148 km (includes mainland 2,650 km, as well as long
  fjords, numerous small islands, and minor indentations 22,498 km;
  length of island coastlines 58,133 km)

Oman
  2,092 km

Pacific Ocean
  135,663 km

Pakistan
  1,046 km

Palau
  1,519 km

Panama
  2,490 km

Papua New Guinea
  5,152 km

Paracel Islands
  518 km

Paraguay
  0 km (landlocked)

Peru
  2,414 km

Philippines
  36,289 km

Pitcairn Islands
  51 km

Poland
  440 km

Portugal
  1,793 km

Puerto Rico
  501 km

Qatar
  563 km

Romania
  225 km

Russia
  37,653 km

Rwanda
  0 km (landlocked)

Saint Helena
  Saint Helena: 60 km
  Ascension Island: NA
  Tristan da Cunha: 40 km

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  135 km

Saint Lucia
  158 km

Saint Martin
  58.9 km (for entire island)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  120 km

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  84 km

Samoa
  403 km

San Marino
  0 km (landlocked)

Sao Tome and Principe
  209 km

Saudi Arabia
  2,640 km

Senegal
  531 km

Serbia
  0 km (landlocked)

Seychelles
  491 km

Sierra Leone
  402 km

Singapore
  193 km

Slovakia
  0 km (landlocked)

Slovenia
  46.6 km

Solomon Islands
  5,313 km

Somalia
  3,025 km

South Africa
  2,798 km

South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
  NA

Southern Ocean
  17,968 km

Spain
  4,964 km

Spratly Islands
  926 km

Sri Lanka
  1,340 km

Sudan
  853 km

Suriname
  386 km

Svalbard
  3,587 km

Swaziland
  0 km (landlocked)

Sweden
  3,218 km

Switzerland
  0 km (landlocked)

Syria
  193 km

Taiwan
  1,566.3 km

Tajikistan
  0 km (landlocked)

Tanzania
  1,424 km

Thailand
  3,219 km

Timor-Leste
  706 km

Togo
  56 km

Tokelau
  101 km

Tonga
  419 km

Trinidad and Tobago
  362 km

Tunisia
  1,148 km

Turkey
  7,200 km

Turkmenistan
  0 km; note - Turkmenistan borders the Caspian Sea
  (1,768 km)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  389 km

Tuvalu
  24 km

Uganda
  0 km (landlocked)

Ukraine
  2,782 km

United Arab Emirates
  1,318 km

United Kingdom
  12,429 km

United States
  19,924 km

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges
  Baker Island: 4.8 km
  Howland Island: 6.4 km
  Jarvis Island: 8 km
  Johnston Atoll: 34 km
  Kingman Reef: 3 km
  Midway Islands: 15 km
  Palmyra Atoll: 14.5 km

Uruguay
  660 km

Uzbekistan
  0 km (doubly landlocked); note - Uzbekistan includes the
  southern portion of the Aral Sea with a 420 km shoreline

Vanuatu
  2,528 km

Venezuela
  2,800 km

Vietnam
  3,444 km (excludes islands)

Virgin Islands
  188 km

Wake Island
  19.3 km

Wallis and Futuna
  129 km

West Bank
  0 km (landlocked)

Western Sahara
  1,110 km

World
  356,000 km
  note: 94 nations and other entities are islands that border no other
  countries, they include: American Samoa, Anguilla, Antigua and
  Barbuda, Aruba, Ashmore and Cartier Islands, The Bahamas, Bahrain,
  Baker Island, Barbados, Bermuda, Bouvet Island, British Indian Ocean
  Territory, British Virgin Islands, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands,
  Christmas Island, Clipperton Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands,
  Comoros, Cook Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Cuba, Cyprus, Dominica,
  Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas), Faroe Islands, Fiji, French
  Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Lands, Greenland, Grenada,
  Guam, Guernsey, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Howland Island,
  Iceland, Isle of Man, Jamaica, Jan Mayen, Japan, Jarvis Island,
  Jersey, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Kiribati, Madagascar,
  Maldives, Malta, Marshall Islands, Martinique, Mauritius, Mayotte,
  Federated States of Micronesia, Midway Islands, Montserrat, Nauru,
  Navassa Island, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue, Norfolk Island,
  Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Palmyra Atoll, Paracel Islands,
  Philippines, Pitcairn Islands, Puerto Rico, Reunion, Saint
  Barthelemy, Saint Helena, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint
  Pierre and Miquelon, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao
  Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South
  Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Spratly Islands, Sri Lanka,
  Svalbard, Tokelau, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos
  Islands, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Virgin Islands, Wake Island, Wallis and
  Futuna, Taiwan

Yemen
  1,906 km

Zambia
  0 km (landlocked)

Zimbabwe
  0 km (landlocked)

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

@2061

Field Listing :: Imports - partners

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

Imports - partners(%)

Afghanistan
  Pakistan 36.9%, US 9.5%, Germany 7.7%, India 5.2% (2008)

Albania
  Italy 32.2%, Greece 13.1%, Turkey 7.2%, Germany 6.6%, China
  4.5%, Russia 4.4% (2008)

Algeria
  France 16.5%, Italy 11%, China 10.3%, Spain 7.4%, Germany
  6.1%, US 5.5% (2008)

Angola
  Portugal 17.6%, China 15.7%, US 11.3%, Brazil 7.6%, South
  Korea 6.8%, South Africa 4.8% (2008)

Argentina
  Brazil 31.3%, China 12.4%, US 12.2%, Germany 4.4% (2008)

Armenia
  Russia 19.3%, China 8.7%, Ukraine 7%, Turkey 6.1%, Germany
  5.8%, US 4.9%, Iran 4.6% (2008)

Aruba
  US 53.3%, Netherlands 11.8%, UK 4.6% (2008)

Australia
  China 15.4%, US 12%, Japan 9.1%, Singapore 7%, Germany 5%,
  Thailand 4.5%, UK 4.3%, Malaysia 4.1% (2008)

Austria
  Germany 44.5%, Italy 7.1%, Switzerland 5.2%, Netherlands
  4.1% (2008)

Azerbaijan
  Russia 18.8%, Turkey 11.3%, Germany 8.4%, Ukraine 7.9%,
  China 6.7%, UK 5.4% (2008)

Bahamas, The
  US 25.1%, South Korea 18.8%, Japan 16.4%, Singapore
  7.3%, Venezuela 5% (2008)

Bahrain
  Saudi Arabia 26.7%, Japan 8.9%, US 7.8%, China 6.2%, Germany
  4.8%, South Korea 4.7%, UK 4.5% (2008)

Bangladesh
  China 14.7%, India 14.7%, Kuwait 7.5%, Singapore 7.1%,
  Japan 4.1% (2008)

Barbados
  US 27.1%, Trinidad and Tobago 25.6%, Russia 7.1%, Colombia
  6.4%, Germany 4.1% (2008)

Belarus
  Russia 59.8%, Germany 7.1%, Ukraine 5.4% (2008)

Belgium
  Netherlands 19.4%, Germany 17.2%, France 11%, UK 5.7%, US
  5.6%, China 4.2% (2008)

Belize
  US 37.4%, Mexico 12.9%, Cuba 7.7%, Guatemala 6.1%, Russia 5%,
  China 4.2% (2008)

Benin
  China 35.9%, US 13.2%, Thailand 6.5%, France 6.5%, Malaysia
  6.2%, India 4.4% (2008)

Bermuda
  Italy 26.3%, US 18%, South Korea 17.3%, UK 8.3%, Singapore
  5.3%, France 5.1%, Norway 4.4% (2008)

Bhutan
  India 59.5%, Japan 13.4%, China 5.6% (2008)

Bolivia
  Brazil 26.7%, Argentina 16.3%, US 10.5%, Chile 9.5%, Peru
  7.1%, China 4.8% (2008)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  Croatia 24.6%, Slovenia 12.7%, Germany 12.3%,
  Italy 10.5%, Hungary 6.6%, Turkey 6.5%, Austria 6.3% (2008)

Brazil
  US 14.9%, China 11.6%, Argentina 7.9%, Germany 7% (2008)

Brunei
  Singapore 36.5%, Malaysia 19%, Japan 7.7%, China 5.5%,
  Thailand 5%, US 4.7%, UK 4.7% (2008)

Bulgaria
  Russia 14.6%, Germany 11.8%, Italy 7.9%, Ukraine 7.3%,
  Romania 5.6%, Turkey 5.5%, Greece 5.4%, Austria 4.1% (2008)

Burkina Faso
  Cote d'Ivoire 26.7%, France 18.4%, Togo 7.4%, Libya
  4.2% (2008)

Burma
  China 31.9%, Thailand 21.2%, Singapore 20.7%, Malaysia 5.1%,
  Indonesia 4% (2008)

Burundi
  Saudi Arabia 20.7%, Belgium 12.6%, Uganda 8.4%, Kenya 7.4%,
  China 5.9%, France 5.4%, Germany 4.9%, India 4.1%, Tanzania 4.1%,
  Japan 4% (2008)

Cambodia
  Thailand 26.8%, Vietnam 19%, China 14.5%, Hong Kong 8.1%,
  Singapore 6.9% (2008)

Cameroon
  France 21.1%, Nigeria 13.8%, China 9.5%, Belgium 6.1% (2008)

Canada
  US 52.4%, China 9.8%, Mexico 4.1% (2008)

Cape Verde
  Portugal 40.3%, Netherlands 11.8%, Spain 6.7%, UK 6.5%,
  Cote d'Ivoire 4.6%, Brazil 4.1% (2008)

Central African Republic
  South Korea 20.2%, France 13.6%, Cameroon
  7.7%, Netherlands 5.8%, US 5.3% (2008)

Chad
  France 17.5%, Cameroon 14.8%, China 9.8%, Ukraine 9.5%, US
  7.7%, Germany 5.6%, Saudi Arabia 4.7%, Netherlands 4% (2008)

Chile
  US 19.1%, China 11.9%, Brazil 9.3%, Argentina 8.8%, South
  Korea 5.6%, Japan 4.6% (2008)

China
  Japan 13.3%, South Korea 9.9%, US 7.2%, Germany 4.9% (2008)

Colombia
  US 29.2%, China 11.5%, Mexico 7.9%, Brazil 5.9% (2008)

Comoros
  Brazil 13.4%, France 13.1%, China 11.5%, UAE 9.1%, India
  5.8%, Italy 5.3%, Pakistan 5.3%, Singapore 4.2%, Kenya 4.2% (2008)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  South Africa 28.7%, Belgium 10%,
  Zambia 7.2%, Zimbabwe 6%, China 5.9%, Kenya 5.1%, France 4.7% (2008)

Congo, Republic of the
  France 22.1%, China 18.7%, US 5.6%, Italy
  5.2%, India 5.1%, Belgium 4.4% (2008)

Costa Rica
  US 42.9%, Mexico 6.9%, Venezuela 6.3%, Japan 5.4%, China
  4.7%, Brazil 4.2% (2008)

Cote d'Ivoire
  Nigeria 31.5%, France 14.9%, China 7.2% (2008)

Croatia
  Italy 17.1%, Germany 13.4%, Russia 10.5%, China 6.1%,
  Slovenia 5.6%, Austria 4.9% (2008)

Cuba
  Venezuela 30%, China 11.9%, Spain 10.1%, Canada 6.4%, US 6.3%
  (2008)

Cyprus
  Greece 16.9%, Italy 10.7%, UK 8.7%, Germany 8.3%, Israel
  8.2%, China 5.3%, Netherlands 4.1%, France 4% (2008)

Czech Republic
  Germany 30.3%, Slovakia 6.6%, Poland 6.4%, Russia
  6.2%, Netherlands 5.6%, Austria 5.2%, China 4.9%, Italy 4.1% (2008)

Denmark
  Germany 20.9%, Sweden 14%, Netherlands 6.7%, Norway 6.3%,
  China 5.7%, UK 5.1% (2008)

Djibouti
  Saudi Arabia 20.5%, India 20.5%, China 10.6%, US 6%,
  Malaysia 6% (2008)

Dominica
  Japan 43.2%, US 17%, China 12.1%, Trinidad and Tobago 8.4%
  (2008)

Dominican Republic
  US 39.2%, Venezuela 7.7%, Mexico 5.4%, Colombia
  4.9% (2008)

Ecuador
  US 19.1%, Venezuela 13.8%, Colombia 9.9%, China 8.4%, Brazil
  4.8%, Japan 4.1% (2008)

Egypt
  US 10.3%, China 9.9%, Italy 7.3%, Germany 6.8%, Saudi Arabia
  4.9% (2008)

El Salvador
  US 29.9%, Guatemala 11.8%, Mexico 9.7%, China 4.5%,
  France 4.4% (2008)

Equatorial Guinea
  China 17.7%, Spain 13.3%, US 11.8%, France 10.9%,
  Cote d'Ivoire 10.4%, Italy 5.5%, UK 5.1% (2008)

Eritrea
  India 28.5%, Saudi Arabia 17.8%, Italy 10.9%, China 8.5%, US
  4.4%, Germany 4% (2008)

Estonia
  Finland 14.2%, Germany 13.3%, Sweden 10%, Lithuania 8.9%,
  Latvia 8.9%, Russia 7.4%, Poland 4.6% (2008)

Ethiopia
  China 16.3%, Saudi Arabia 12%, India 8.7%, Italy 6%, Japan
  4.9%, US 4.5% (2008)

Faroe Islands
  Denmark 50.4%, Norway 20.2%, Sweden 6.4%, UK 4.2%,
  Iceland 4.1% (2008)

Fiji
  Singapore 30.5%, Australia 20.5%, NZ 15.5%, China 5.4% (2008)

Finland
  Russia 16.3%, Germany 15.7%, Sweden 13.6%, Netherlands 6.3%,
  China 5.1%, UK 4.2% (2008)

France
  Germany 17.9%, Belgium 11.7%, Italy 8.3%, Spain 6.9%,
  Netherlands 6.8%, UK 5.1%, US 4.3% (2008)

Gabon
  France 32.2%, US 11.1%, China 5.4%, Belgium 4.7%, Cameroon
  4.4%, Netherlands 4.2% (2008)

Gambia, The
  China 20.6%, Senegal 12.1%, Cote d'Ivoire 8.7%, Brazil
  7.7%, Netherlands 5% (2008)

Georgia
  Turkey 14.9%, Ukraine 10.4%, Azerbaijan 9.6%, Germany 7.9%,
  Russia 6.8%, US 5.7%, China 4.7%, UAE 4.4% (2008)

Germany
  Netherlands 12.5%, France 8.3%, Belgium 7.5%, China 6.2%,
  Italy 5.7%, UK 5.4%, Austria 4.3%, Russia 4.2%, US 4.2% (2008)

Ghana
  China 15.6%, Nigeria 14.7%, India 7.4%, US 5.5%, France 4.4%,
  UK 4.4% (2008)

Greece
  Germany 13.3%, Italy 12.8%, China 6.2%, France 5.6%,
  Netherlands 5.1%, Russia 4.7% (2008)

Greenland
  Denmark 59.1%, Sweden 20.9%, Norway 4.7%, UK 4.4% (2008)

Grenada
  Trinidad and Tobago 39.6%, US 22.5%, Barbados 3.3% (2008)

Guatemala
  US 36.7%, Mexico 9.7%, China 5.8%, El Salvador 4.8% (2008)

Guinea
  China 9.6%, France 7.8%, Netherlands 7.6% (2008)

Guinea-Bissau
  Portugal 24.5%, Senegal 17.2%, Pakistan 4.8%, France
  4.6% (2008)

Guyana
  US 23.4%, Trinidad and Tobago 22.3%, Finland 7.7%, Cuba 6.1%,
  China 5.7% (2008)

Haiti
  US 34%, Dominican Republic 23.1%, Netherlands Antilles 10.6%,
  China 4.5% (2008)

Honduras
  US 50%, Guatemala 7.6%, El Salvador 5.3%, Mexico 4.7%,
  Costa Rica 4.2% (2008)

Hong Kong
  China 46.6%, Japan 9.8%, Singapore 6.4%, US 5% (2008)

Hungary
  Germany 25.4%, Russia 9%, China 7.6%, Austria 6.1%,
  Netherlands 4.4%, France 4.4%, Italy 4.3% (2008)

Iceland
  Norway 10.9%, Germany 10.4%, Sweden 9%, US 8%, Denmark 7.4%,
  China 6.8%, Netherlands 6%, UK 4.4%, Japan 4% (2008)

India
  China 11.1%, Saudi Arabia 7.5%, US 6.6%, UAE 5.1%, Iran 4.2%,
  Singapore 4.2%, Germany 4.2% (2008)

Indonesia
  Singapore 16.9%, China 11.8%, Japan 11.7%, Malaysia 6.9%,
  US 6.1%, South Korea 5.4%, Thailand 4.9% (2008)

Iran
  UAE 19.3%, China 13%, Germany 9.2%, South Korea 7%, Italy 5.1%,
  France 4.3%, Russia 4.2% (2008)

Iraq
  Syria 26.4%, Turkey 19.7%, US 10.7%, Jordan 6.5%, China 6%
  (2008)

Ireland
  UK 37.7%, US 11.6%, Germany 8.7%, Netherlands 5.6% (2008)

Israel
  US 12.3%, Belgium 6.5%, China 6.5%, Switzerland 6.1%, Germany
  6% (2008)

Italy
  Germany 16%, France 8.6%, China 6.2%, Netherlands 5.3%, Libya
  4.6%, Russia 4.3% (2008)

Jamaica
  US 39.4%, Trinidad and Tobago 17.5%, Venezuela 11.6% (2008)

Japan
  China 18.9%, US 10.4%, Saudi Arabia 6.7%, Australia 6.2%, UAE
  6.1%, Indonesia 4.3% (2008)

Jordan
  Saudi Arabia 21.2%, China 10.4%, Germany 6%, US 4.6%, Egypt
  4.5%, Ukraine 4.3% (2008)

Kazakhstan
  Russia 35.9%, China 24.3%, Germany 6%, Ukraine 4.5% (2008)

Kenya
  India 14.1%, UAE 11.5%, China 10%, Saudi Arabia 8%, South
  Africa 5.7%, Japan 5.1% (2008)

Korea, North
  China 46%, South Korea 34%, Thailand 6%, Russia 4%
  (2007)

Korea, South
  China 17.7%, Japan 14%, US 8.9%, Saudi Arabia 7.8%, UAE
  4.4%, Australia 4.1% (2008)

Kuwait
  US 11.9%, Japan 9.2%, Germany 8.1%, China 7.6%, Saudi Arabia
  7%, Italy 4.8%, UK 4.2% (2008)

Kyrgyzstan
  Russia 36.6%, China 17.9%, Kazakhstan 9.2%, Germany 8.2%
  (2008)

Laos
  Thailand 68.5%, China 10.5%, Vietnam 5.8% (2008)

Latvia
  Lithuania 16.1%, Germany 12.9%, Russia 10.7%, Poland 7%,
  Estonia 7%, Sweden 4.4%, Finland 4.3% (2008)

Lebanon
  Syria 10.5%, France 9.5%, US 9.3%, Italy 7.3%, China 6.8%,
  Germany 4.9%, Saudi Arabia 4.8%, Turkey 4.2% (2008)

Lesotho
  China 35.5%, Hong Kong 22.1%, South Korea 19.1%, Germany
  5.9%, Pakistan 4.6% (2008)

Liberia
  South Korea 27.2%, Singapore 25.5%, Japan 11.8%, China 11%
  (2008)

Libya
  Italy 22.2%, China 9.3%, Germany 8.6%, Turkey 6.1%, Tunisia
  5.8%, South Korea 4.7%, US 4.1%, France 4.1% (2008)

Lithuania
  Russia 30.1%, Germany 11.8%, Poland 10%, Latvia 5.2% (2008)

Luxembourg
  Belgium 28%, Germany 24%, China 18.9%, France 10%,
  Netherlands 4.8% (2008)

Macau
  China 39.3%, Hong Kong 10.1%, Japan 8.5%, US 5.5%, France
  5.3%, Switzerland 4.7% (2008)

Macedonia
  Germany 13.3%, Greece 12.4%, Bulgaria 9.9%, Serbia and
  Montenegro 6.9%, Italy 6.3%, Turkey 5.6%, Slovenia 5.3%, Poland 4.4%
  (2008)

Madagascar
  China 20.1%, Bahrain 8.7%, France 6.3%, South Africa
  5.7%, US 4.9%, India 4.4% (2008)

Malawi
  South Africa 41.5%, China 7.3%, India 6.1%, Tanzania 5.4%, US
  4.1% (2008)

Malaysia
  China 12.8%, Japan 12.5%, Singapore 11%, US 10.8%, Thailand
  5.6%, South Korea 4.6%, Indonesia 4.6%, Germany 4.3% (2008)

Maldives
  Singapore 27.2%, UAE 16.9%, Malaysia 9.7%, India 7.7%,
  Thailand 4.9%, Sri Lanka 4.6%, Germany 4.1% (2008)

Mali
  Senegal 13.1%, France 11.4%, Cote d'Ivoire 11.2%, China 5.9%
  (2008)

Malta
  Italy 28.1%, UK 13.5%, France 8.2%, Germany 7.4%, Singapore
  6.4% (2008)

Mauritania
  France 16.7%, China 8.8%, Netherlands 6.4%, Spain 6%,
  Belgium 5.4%, US 5.1%, Brazil 4.5% (2008)

Mauritius
  India 21.1%, France 11.8%, South Africa 9.9%, China 8.2%
  (2008)

Mexico
  US 49%, China 11.2%, Japan 5.3%, South Korea 4.4%, Germany
  4.1% (2008)

Moldova
  Ukraine 20.6%, Russia 19.5%, Romania 14.6%, Germany 8.1%,
  Italy 5.1%, Belarus 4.3% (2008)

Mongolia
  Russia 34.1%, China 29.1%, South Korea 7.6%, Japan 7.4%
  (2008)

Morocco
  France 16.1%, Spain 13.5%, Italy 6.5%, China 6%, Germany
  5.6%, Saudi Arabia 5.4%, Moldova 5% (2008)

Mozambique
  South Africa 27.4%, Netherlands 15.7%, China 4.3% (2008)

Nepal
  India 55.4%, China 13.3%, Singapore 2% (2008)

Netherlands
  Germany 16.6%, China 10.1%, Belgium 8.7%, US 7.5%, UK
  5.8%, Russia 5.4%, France 4.4% (2008)

Netherlands Antilles
  Venezuela 58.8%, US 19%, Brazil 5.9% (2008)

New Caledonia
  France 36.6%, Singapore 17.7%, Australia 11.5%, NZ
  4.7% (2008)

New Zealand
  Australia 18.1%, China 13.2%, US 9.5%, Japan 8.3%,
  Singapore 4.7%, Malaysia 4.4%, Germany 4.3% (2008)

Nicaragua
  US 21%, Venezuela 14.3%, Mexico 8.4%, Costa Rica 8%, China
  7.8%, Guatemala 6.1%, El Salvador 5.2% (2008)

Niger
  France 16.6%, China 10.9%, Algeria 9.6%, Nigeria 7.4%, French
  Polynesia 6.5%, Belgium 4.2%, Cote d'Ivoire 4.2% (2008)

Nigeria
  China 13.8%, Netherlands 9.6%, US 8.4%, UK 5.3%, South Korea
  5.2%, France 4.3% (2008)

Norway
  Sweden 14.4%, Germany 13.4%, Denmark 6.9%, China 6.4%, UK
  5.9%, US 5.4%, Netherlands 4.2% (2008)

Oman
  UAE 27.2%, Japan 15.6%, US 5.7%, China 4.6%, India 4.5%, South
  Korea 4.2%, Germany 4.2% (2008)

Pakistan
  China 14.1%, Saudi Arabia 12%, UAE 11.2%, Kuwait 5.4%,
  India 4.8%, US 4.7%, Malaysia 4.1% (2008)

Panama
  US 29.6%, Costa Rica 5%, China 5%, Japan 4.2% (2008)

Papua New Guinea
  Australia 42.6%, Singapore 15.6%, China 11%, Japan
  5.8%, Malaysia 4.3% (2008)

Paraguay
  Brazil 27.2%, US 22.1%, Argentina 14.9%, China 10.4% (2008)

Peru
  US 23.7%, China 10.6%, Brazil 7.5%, Ecuador 6.5%, Chile 5.1%,
  Argentina 5%, Mexico 4.5% (2008)

Philippines
  US 12.8%, Japan 11.8%, Singapore 10.3%, Saudi Arabia
  8.5%, China 7.5%, South Korea 5.2%, Thailand 5%, Malaysia 4.3% (2008)

Poland
  Germany 28.3%, Russia 9.9%, Italy 6.2%, Netherlands 5.4%,
  France 4.8%, China 4.5%, Czech Republic 4% (2008)

Portugal
  Spain 28.9%, Germany 11.6%, France 8%, Italy 4.9%,
  Netherlands 4.4% (2008)

Qatar
  US 12.1%, Germany 9%, Italy 8.9%, Japan 8%, South Korea 7.5%,
  France 6.2%, UAE 5.5%, UK 4.9%, Saudi Arabia 4.6%, Turkey 4.2%,
  China 4.2% (2008)

Romania
  Germany 16.3%, Italy 11.4%, Hungary 7.4%, Russia 6%, France
  5.7%, Turkey 4.9%, Austria 4.9%, Kazakhstan 4.6%, China 4.2% (2008)

Russia
  Germany 13.5%, China 13.2%, Japan 6.5%, Ukraine 6%, US 4.5%,
  Italy 4.3% (2008)

Rwanda
  Kenya 15.2%, Uganda 13.3%, China 6.3%, Belgium 5.3%, Germany
  4.5% (2008)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  US 46.8%, Trinidad and Tobago 14.8%, UK 4.1%
  (2008)

Saint Lucia
  Brazil 68%, US 11.7%, Trinidad and Tobago 7.4% (2008)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  Singapore 27.1%, Trinidad and
  Tobago 13.2%, US 12.1%, China 8.5%, Italy 7.1%, Norway 5.1% (2008)

Samoa
  NZ 20.1%, Fiji 18.2%, Singapore 18.1%, China 8.7%, Australia
  6.4% (2008)

Sao Tome and Principe
  Portugal 55.8%, Belgium 9.6%, Japan 9.3% (2008)

Saudi Arabia
  US 12.2%, China 10.5%, Japan 7.7%, Germany 7.4%, South
  Korea 5.1%, Italy 4.8%, India 4.2%, UK 4.1% (2008)

Senegal
  France 19.7%, UK 15.2%, China 6.7%, Belgium 4.6%, Thailand
  4.4%, Netherlands 4.1% (2008)

Seychelles
  Saudi Arabia 17.5%, Singapore 12.4%, France 10.3%, Spain
  8.1%, Germany 7%, India 5.4%, South Africa 4.7% (2008)

Sierra Leone
  China 10.3%, Cote d'Ivoire 8.8%, US 7.8%, Belgium 6.6%,
  UK 6.6%, Thailand 5.2%, India 4.2% (2008)

Singapore
  Malaysia 11.9%, US 11.8%, China 10.5%, Japan 8.1%, South
  Korea 5.6%, Indonesia 5.5%, Saudi Arabia 4.6% (2008)

Slovakia
  Germany 20%, Czech Republic 17.7%, Russia 10.6%, Hungary
  6.9%, South Korea 5.2%, Austria 5%, Poland 4.9%, China 4.1% (2008)

Slovenia
  Germany 17.2%, Italy 16.6%, Austria 11.2%, France 4.7%,
  Croatia 4.1% (2008)

Solomon Islands
  Singapore 26.7%, Australia 18.1%, India 7.5%, Fiji
  4.4%, Malaysia 4.4%, Papua New Guinea 4.3%, NZ 4% (2008)

Somalia
  Djibouti 29.2%, India 11.9%, Kenya 7.6%, US 6%, Oman 5.6%,
  UAE 5.5%, Yemen 4.7% (2008)

South Africa
  Germany 11.2%, China 11.1%, US 7.9%, Saudi Arabia 6.2%,
  Japan 5.5%, UK 4% (2008)

Spain
  Germany 14.5%, France 11.1%, Italy 7.4%, China 6.3%, UK 4.6%,
  Netherlands 4.4% (2008)

Sri Lanka
  India 20.3%, China 12.2%, Iran 7.6%, Singapore 7.4%, South
  Korea 4.7% (2008)

Sudan
  China 20%, Saudi Arabia 8.4%, UAE 6.2%, India 6.1%, Egypt
  5.5%, Italy 4.1% (2008)

Suriname
  US 31.2%, Netherlands 15.5%, Trinidad and Tobago 14.2%,
  China 7.7%, Japan 6.4% (2008)

Sweden
  Germany 17.5%, Denmark 9.4%, Norway 8.6%, UK 6.2%, Finland
  5.7%, Netherlands 5.6%, France 5%, Russia 4.4%, China 4.2% (2008)

Switzerland
  Germany 33.3%, Italy 11%, France 9.4%, US 5.8%,
  Netherlands 4.6%, Austria 4% (2008)

Syria
  Saudi Arabia 11.7%, China 8.7%, Russia 6.4%, Italy 5.9%, Egypt
  5.8%, UAE 5.8%, Turkey 4.3%, Iran 4.2% (2008)

Taiwan
  Japan 19.3%, China 13%, US 10.9%, Saudi Arabia 6.3%, South
  Korea 5.5% (2008 est.)

Tajikistan
  Russia 32.3%, China 11.9%, Kazakhstan 8.8%, Uzbekistan
  4.7% (2008)

Tanzania
  China 14.4%, India 9%, South Africa 7.7%, Kenya 6.9%, UAE
  5.9% (2008)

Thailand
  Japan 18.8%, China 11.2%, US 6.4%, UAE 6%, Malaysia 5.5%,
  Saudi Arabia 4.1%, Singapore 4% (2008)

Togo
  China 34.2%, Netherlands 7.5%, France 6.8%, India 6.5%,
  Thailand 4.9% (2008)

Tonga
  Fiji 36.8%, NZ 23.9%, US 9.3%, Australia 8.8%, China 4.9%
  (2008)

Trinidad and Tobago
  US 26.8%, Brazil 9.8%, Venezuela 7.9%, Colombia
  6.2%, China 4.1%, Gabon 4% (2008)

Tunisia
  France 21.5%, Italy 19.3%, Germany 9%, Libya 4.6%, Spain
  4.5% (2008)

Turkey
  Russia 15.5%, Germany 9.3%, China 7.8%, US 5.9%, Italy 5.5%,
  France 4.5%, Iran 4.1% (2008)

Turkmenistan
  China 16.9%, Russia 15.9%, Turkey 14%, UAE 10.3%,
  Ukraine 7.9%, Germany 5.6%, Iran 5.1% (2008)

Uganda
  UAE 11.4%, Kenya 11.3%, India 10.4%, China 8.1%, South Africa
  6.7%, Japan 5.9% (2008)

Ukraine
  Russia 22.7%, Germany 8.4%, Turkmenistan 6.6%, China 6.5%,
  Poland 5% (2008)

United Arab Emirates
  China 13.2%, India 10.4%, US 8.8%, Germany
  6.5%, Japan 6.1%, Turkey 4.5%, Italy 4.3% (2008)

United Kingdom
  Germany 13.1%, US 8.7%, China 7.5%, Netherlands 7.4%,
  France 6.8%, Norway 6%, Belgium 4.7%, Italy 4.1% (2008)

United States
  China 16.5%, Canada 15.7%, Mexico 10.1%, Japan 6.6%,
  Germany 4.6% (2008)

Uruguay
  Argentina 19.9%, Brazil 16.5%, China 11.2%, US 9.9%,
  Paraguay 6.6%, Nigeria 4.6% (2008)

Uzbekistan
  Russia 24.7%, China 15.4%, South Korea 13.6%, Ukraine
  7.2%, Germany 5.5%, Kazakhstan 4.9%, Turkey 4.1% (2008)

Vanuatu
  Australia 17.6%, US 15.9%, Japan 12%, Singapore 10.8%, China
  8.5%, NZ 7.5%, Fiji 6.7% (2008)

Venezuela
  US 26.3%, Colombia 12.7%, Brazil 10.3%, China 7%, Mexico
  4.8% (2008)

Vietnam
  China 19.4%, Singapore 11.6%, South Korea 8.8%, Thailand
  6.1% (2008)

World
  China 10.3%, Germany 8.7%, US 8%, Japan 5% (2008)

Yemen
  UAE 14.7%, India 11.7%, China 11.3%, Saudi Arabia 6.9%, Kuwait
  5.2% (2008)

Zambia
  South Africa 51.7%, UAE 8%, China 6.8%, India 4.5% (2008)

Zimbabwe
  South Africa 60.1%, China 4.2%, Botswana 3.7% (2008)

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

@2062

Field Listing :: Economic aid - donor

Country

Economic aid - donor

Australia
  ODA, $2.123 billion (2006)

Austria
  ODA, $1.498 billion (2006)

Belgium
  ODA, $1.978 billion (2006)

Canada
  ODA, $3.9 billion (2007)

Cyprus
  $25.9 million (2006)

Denmark
  ODA, $2.236 billion (2006)

Finland
  ODA, $1.023 billion (2007)

France
  ODA, $10.6 billion (2006)

Germany
  ODA, $10.44 billion (2006)

Greece
  $424 million (2006)

Iceland
  $6.7 million (2004)

Ireland
  ODA, $1.022 billion (2006)

Italy
  ODA, $3.641 billion (2006)

Japan
  ODA, $11.19 billion (2006)

Korea, South
  ODA, $455.3 million (2006)

Luxembourg
  ODA, $291 million (2006)

Netherlands
  ODA, $5.452 billion (2006)

New Zealand
  ODA, $259 million (2006)

Norway
  ODA, $2.954 billion (2006)

Portugal
  ODA, $396 million (2006)

Saudi Arabia
  since 2002, Saudi Arabia has provided more than $480
  million in budgetary support to the Palestinian Authority, supported
  Palestinian refugees through contributions to the UN Relief and
  Works Agency (UNRWA), provided more than $250 million to Arab League
  funds for the Palestinians, and pledged $500 million in assistance
  over the next three years at the Donors Conference in Dec 2007;
  pledged $230 million to development in Afghanistan; pledged $1
  billion in export guarantees and soft loans to Iraq; pledged $133
  million in direct grant aid, $187 million in concessional loans, and
  $153 million in export credits for Pakistan earthquake relief;
  pledged a total of $1.59 billion to Lebanon in assistance and
  deposits to the Central Bank of Lebanon in 2006 and pledged an
  additional $1.1 billion in early 2007

Spain
  ODA, $3.814 billion (2006)

Sweden
  ODA, $3.955 billion (2006)

Switzerland
  ODA, $1.646 billion (2006)

United Arab Emirates
  since its founding in 1971, the Abu Dhabi Fund
  for Development has given about $5.2 billion in aid to 56 countries
  (2004)

United Kingdom
  ODA, $12.46 billion (2006)

United States
  ODA, $23.53 billion (2006)

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

@2063

Field Listing :: Constitution

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

Constitution

Afghanistan
  new constitution drafted 14 December 2003-4 January
  2004; signed 16 January 2004; ratified 26 January 2004

Akrotiri
  Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia Order in
  Council 1960, effective 16 August 1960, functions as a basic legal
  document

Albania
  approved by parliament on 21 October 1998; adopted by
  popular referendum on 22 November 1998; promulgated 28 November 1998

Algeria
  8 September 1963; revised 19 November 1976; effective 22
  November 1976; revised 3 November 1988, 23 February 1989, 28
  November 1996, 10 April 2002, and 12 November 2008

American Samoa
  ratified 2 June 1966; effective 1 July 1967

Andorra
  Andorra's first written constitution was drafted in 1991;
  approved by referendum 14 March 1993; effective 28 April 1993

Angola
  adopted by People's Assembly 25 August 1992

Anguilla
  Anguilla Constitutional Order 1 April 1982; amended 1990

Antigua and Barbuda
  1 November 1981

Argentina
  1 May 1853; amended many times starting in 1860

Armenia
  adopted by nationwide referendum 5 July 1995; amendments
  adopted through a nationwide referendum 27 November 2005

Aruba
  1 January 1986

Australia
  9 July 1900; effective 1 January 1901

Austria
  1920; revised 1929; reinstated 1 May 1945; note - during the
  period 1 May 1934-1 May 1945 there was a fascist (corporative)
  constitution in place

Azerbaijan
  adopted 12 November 1995; modified by referendum 24
  August 2002

Bahamas, The
  10 July 1973

Bahrain
  adopted 14 February 2002

Bangladesh
  4 November 1972; effective 16 December 1972; suspended
  following coup of 24 March 1982; restored 10 November 1986; amended
  many times

Barbados
  30 November 1966

Belarus
  15 March 1994; revised by national referendum of 24 November
  1996 giving the presidency greatly expanded powers and became
  effective 27 November 1996; revised again 17 October 2004 removing
  presidential term limits

Belgium
  7 February 1831; amended many times; revised 14 July 1993 to
  create a federal state

Belize
  21 September 1981

Benin
  adopted by referendum 2 December 1990

Bermuda
  8 June 1968; amended 1989 and 2003

Bhutan
  ratified 18 July 2008

Bolivia
  2 February 1967; revised in August 1994; voters approved a
  new constitution on 25 January 2009

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  the Dayton Peace Accords, signed 14 December
  1995 in Paris, included a new constitution now in force; note - each
  of the entities also has its own constitution

Botswana
  March 1965; effective 30 September 1966

Brazil
  5 October 1988

British Virgin Islands
  13 June 2007

Brunei
  29 September 1959 (some provisions suspended under a State of
  Emergency since December 1962, others since independence on 1
  January 1984)

Bulgaria
  adopted 12 July 1991

Burkina Faso
  approved by referendum 2 June 1991; formally adopted 11
  June 1991; last amended January 2002

Burma
  3 January 1974; suspended since 18 September 1988; a new
  constitution was approved on 10 May 2008; note - new constitution
  will take effect when a new parliament is convened following
  elections scheduled for 2010

Burundi
  ratified by popular referendum 28 February 2005

Cambodia
  promulgated 21 September 1993

Cameroon
  approved by referendum 20 May 1972; adopted 2 June 1972;
  revised January 1996

Canada
  made up of unwritten and written acts, customs, judicial
  decisions, and traditions; the written part of the constitution
  consists of the Constitution Act of 29 March 1867, which created a
  federation of four provinces, and the Constitution Act of 17 April
  1982, which transferred formal control over the constitution from
  Britain to Canada, and added a Canadian Charter of Rights and
  Freedoms as well as procedures for constitutional amendments

Cape Verde
  25 September 1992; a major revision on 23 November 1995
  substantially increased the powers of the president; a 1999 revision
  created the position of national ombudsman (Provedor de Justica)

Cayman Islands
  The Cayman Islands Constitution Order 2009, 6
  November 2009

Central African Republic
  ratified by popular referendum 5 December
  2004; effective 27 December 2004

Chad
  passed by referendum 31 March 1996; a June 2005 referendum
  removed constitutional term limits

Chile
  11 September 1980, effective 11 March 1981; amended 1989,
  1991, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2003, and 2005

China
  most recent promulgation 4 December 1982 with amendments in
  1988 and 1993

Christmas Island
  Christmas Island Act of 1958-59 (1 October 1958) as
  amended by the Territories Law Reform Act of 1992

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act of 1955 (23
  November 1955) as amended by the Territories Law Reform Act of 1992

Colombia
  5 July 1991; amended many times

Comoros
  23 December 2001

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  18 February 2006

Congo, Republic of the
  approved by referendum 20 January 2002

Cook Islands
  4 August 1965

Costa Rica
  7 November 1949

Cote d'Ivoire
  approved by referendum 23 July 2000

Croatia
  adopted on 22 December 1990; revised 2000, 2001

Cuba
  24 February 1976; amended July 1992 and June 2002

Cyprus
  16 August 1960
  note: from December 1963, the Turkish Cypriots no longer
  participated in the government; negotiations to create the basis for
  a new or revised constitution to govern the island and for better
  relations between Greek and Turkish Cypriots have been held
  intermittently since the mid-1960s; in 1975, following the 1974
  Turkish intervention, Turkish Cypriots created their own
  constitution and governing bodies within the "Turkish Federated
  State of Cyprus," which became the "Turkish Republic of Northern
  Cyprus (TRNC)" when the Turkish Cypriots declared their independence
  in 1983; a new constitution for the "TRNC" passed by referendum on 5
  May 1985, although the "TRNC" remains unrecognized by any country
  other than Turkey

Czech Republic
  ratified 16 December 1992, effective 1 January 1993;
  amended 1997, 2000, 2001 (twice), 2002

Denmark
  5 June 1953; note - constitution allowed for a unicameral
  legislature and a female chief of state

Dhekelia
  Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia Order in
  Council 1960, effective 16 August 1960, functions as a basic legal
  document

Djibouti
  approved by referendum 4 September 1992; note -
  constitution allows for multiparties

Dominica
  3 November 1978

Dominican Republic
  28 November 1966; amended 25 July 2002

Ecuador
  20 October 2008

Egypt
  11 September 1971; amended 22 May 1980, 25 May 2005, and 26
  March 2007

El Salvador
  20 December 1983

Equatorial Guinea
  approved by national referendum 17 November 1991;
  amended January 1995

Eritrea
  adopted on 23 May 1997, but has not yet been fully
  implemented

Estonia
  adopted 28 June 1992

Ethiopia
  ratified 8 December 1994, effective 22 August 1995

European Union
  none
  note: based on a series of treaties: the Treaty of Paris, which set
  up the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) in 1951; the
  Treaties of Rome, which set up the European Economic Community (EEC)
  and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) in 1957; the
  Single European Act in 1986; the Treaty on European Union
  (Maastricht) in 1992; the Treaty of Amsterdam in 1997; and the
  Treaty of Nice in 2003; note - a new draft Constitutional Treaty,
  signed on 29 October 2004 in Rome, gave member states two years for
  ratification either by parliamentary vote or national referendum
  before it was scheduled to take effect on 1 November 2006; defeat in
  French and Dutch referenda in May-June 2005 dealt a severe setback
  to the ratification process; in June 2007, the European Council
  agreed on a clear and concise mandate for an Intergovernmental
  Conference to form a political agreement and put it into legal form;
  this agreement, known as the Reform Treaty, would have served as a
  constitution and was presented to the European Council in October
  2007 for individual country ratification; it was rejected by Irish
  voters in June 2008, again stalling the ratification process; the
  Reform Treaty, more recently known as the Treaty of Lisbon, was
  again circulated for ratification, and by November 2009 was approved
  by all 27 countries; it is scheduled to come into effect on 1
  December 2009

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 3 October 1985; amended 1997 and 1998

Faroe Islands
  5 June 1953 (Danish constitution)

Fiji
  enacted 25 July 1997; effective 28 July 1998; note - it
  encourages multiculturalism and makes multiparty government mandatory

Finland
  1 March 2000

France
  adopted by referendum 28 September 1958; effective 4 October
  1958; amended many times
  note: amended concerning election of president in 1962; amended to
  comply with provisions of 1992 EC Maastricht Treaty, 1997 Amsterdam
  Treaty, 2003 Treaty of Nice; amended to tighten immigration laws in
  1993; amended in 2000 to change the seven-year presidential term to
  a five-year term; amended in 2005 to make the EU constitutional
  treaty compatible with the Constitution of France and to ensure that
  the decision to ratify EU accession treaties would be made by
  referendum

French Polynesia
  4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

Gabon
  adopted 14 March 1991

Gambia, The
  approved by national referendum 8 August 1996; effective
  16 January 1997

Georgia
  adopted 24 August 1995

Germany
  23 May 1949, known as Basic Law; became constitution of the
  united Germany 3 October 1990

Ghana
  approved 28 April 1992

Gibraltar
  5 June 2006; came into force 2 January 2007

Greece
  11 June 1975; amended March 1986 and April 2001

Greenland
  (November 2008) Act on Greenland Self Government

Grenada
  19 December 1973

Guam
  Organic Act of Guam, 1 August 1950

Guatemala
  31 May 1985, effective 14 January 1986; suspended 25 May
  1993; reinstated 5 June 1993; amended November 1993

Guernsey
  unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice

Guinea
  23 December 1990 (Loi Fundamentale)

Guinea-Bissau
  16 May 1984; amended 4 May 1991, 4 December 1991, 26
  February 1993, 9 June 1993, and in 1996

Guyana
  6 October 1980

Haiti
  approved March 1987
  note: suspended June 1988 with most articles reinstated March 1989;
  constitutional government ousted in a military coup in September
  1991, although in October 1991 military government claimed to be
  observing the constitution; returned to constitutional rule in
  October 1994; constitution, while technically in force between
  2004-2006, was not enforced; returned to constitutional rule in May
  2006

Holy See (Vatican City)
  Fundamental Law promulgated by Pope JOHN
  PAUL II on 26 November 2000, effective 22 February 2001 (replaced
  the first Fundamental Law of 1929)

Honduras
  11 January 1982, effective 20 January 1982; amended many
  times

Hong Kong
  Basic Law, approved in March 1990 by China's National
  People's Congress, is Hong Kong's "mini-constitution"

Hungary
  18 August 1949, effective 20 August 1949; revised 19 April
  1972; 18 October 1989; and 1997
  note: 18 October 1989 revision ensured legal rights for individuals
  and constitutional checks on the authority of the prime minister and
  also established the principle of parliamentary oversight; 1997
  amendment streamlined the judicial system

Iceland
  16 June 1944, effective 17 June 1944; amended many times

India
  26 January 1950; amended many times

Indonesia
  August 1945; abrogated by Federal Constitution of 1949 and
  Provisional Constitution of 1950, restored 5 July 1959; series of
  amendments concluded in 2002

Iran
  2-3 December 1979; revised in 1989
  note: the revision in 1989 expanded powers of the presidency and
  eliminated the prime ministership

Iraq
  ratified on 15 October 2005 (subject to review by the
  Constitutional Review Committee and a possible public referendum )

Ireland
  adopted 1 July 1937 by plebiscite; effective 29 December 1937

Isle of Man
  unwritten; note - The Isle of Man Constitution Act of
  1961 does not embody the unwritten Manx Constitution

Israel
  no formal constitution; some of the functions of a
  constitution are filled by the Declaration of Establishment (1948),
  the Basic Laws of the parliament (Knesset), and the Israeli
  citizenship law; note - since May 2003 the Constitution, Law, and
  Justice Committee of the Knesset has been working on a draft
  constitution

Italy
  passed 11 December 1947, effective 1 January 1948; amended
  many times

Jamaica
  6 August 1962

Japan
  3 May 1947

Jersey
  unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice

Jordan
  1 January 1952; amended many times

Kazakhstan
  first post-independence constitution adopted 28 January
  1993; new constitution adopted by national referendum 30 August 1995

Kenya
  12 December 1963; amended as a republic 1964; reissued with
  amendments 1979, 1982, 1986, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1997, 2001; note - a
  new draft constitution was defeated by popular referendum in 2005

Kiribati
  12 July 1979

Korea, North
  adopted 1948; revised several times

Korea, South
  17 July 1948; note - amended or rewritten nine times;
  current constitution approved on 29 October 1987

Kosovo
  adopted by the Kosovo Assembly on 9 April 2008; effective 15
  June 2008

Kuwait
  approved and promulgated 11 November 1962

Kyrgyzstan
  approved by referendum in November 2006
  note: under the old constitution adopted on 5 May 1993, an amendment
  proposed by President Askar AKAEV and passed in a national
  referendum on 2 February 2003 significantly expanded the powers of
  the president at the expense of the legislature; during large-scale
  demonstrations in November 2006, President BAKIEV and the opposition
  negotiated a new constitution granting greater powers to the
  parliament and the government; amendments added on 30 December 2006
  redistributed some power back to the president, but both November
  and December 2006 versions were annulled in September 2007, and a
  new version was approved by referendum on 21 October 2007; the
  BAKIEV-initiated referendum was criticized by Western observers for
  voting irregularities, particularly ballot stuffing

Laos
  promulgated 14 August 1991

Latvia
  15 February 1922; restored to force by the Constitutional Law
  of the Republic of Latvia adopted by the Supreme Council on 21
  August 1991; multiple amendments since

Lebanon
  23 May 1926; amended a number of times, most recently
  Charter of Lebanese National Reconciliation (Ta'if Accord) of
  October 1989

Lesotho
  2 April 1993

Liberia
  6 January 1986

Libya
  none; note - following the September 1969 military overthrow
  of the Libyan government, the Revolutionary Command Council replaced
  the existing constitution with the Constitutional Proclamation in
  December 1969; in March 1977, Libya adopted the Declaration of the
  Establishment of the People's Authority

Liechtenstein
  5 October 1921; amended 15 September 2003

Lithuania
  adopted 25 October 1992; last amended 13 July 2004

Luxembourg
  17 October 1868; occasional revisions

Macau
  Basic Law, approved on 31 March 1993 by China's National
  People's Congress, is Macau's "mini-constitution"

Macedonia
  adopted 17 November 1991, effective 20 November 1991;
  amended November 2001 and in 2005
  note: amended November 2001 by a series of new constitutional
  amendments strengthening minority rights and in 2005 with amendments
  related to the judiciary

Madagascar
  passed by referendum 19 August 1992

Malawi
  18 May 1994

Malaysia
  31 August 1957; amended many times, the latest in 2007

Maldives
  new constitution ratified 7 August 2008

Mali
  adopted 12 January 1992

Malta
  1964; amended many times

Marshall Islands
  1 May 1979

Mauritania
  12 July 1991

Mauritius
  12 March 1968; amended 12 March 1992

Mayotte
  4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

Mexico
  5 February 1917

Micronesia, Federated States of
  10 May 1979

Moldova
  adopted 29 July 1994; effective 27 August 1994; note -
  replaced 1979 Soviet constitution

Monaco
  17 December 1962; modified 2 April 2002

Mongolia
  13 January 1992

Montenegro
  approved 19 October 2007 (by the Assembly)

Montserrat
  effective 19 December 1989

Morocco
  10 March 1972; revised 4 September 1992, amended September
  1996
  note: the amendment of September 1996 was to create a bicameral
  legislature

Mozambique
  30 November 1990

Namibia
  ratified 9 February 1990, effective 12 March 1990

Nauru
  29 January 1968; amended 17 May 1968

Nepal
  15 January 2007 (interim Constitution); note - in April 2008,
  a Constituent Assembly was elected to draft and promulgate a new
  constitution by May 2010

Netherlands
  adopted 1815; amended many times, most recently in 2002

Netherlands Antilles
  29 December 1954, Statute of the Realm of the
  Netherlands, as amended

New Caledonia
  4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

New Zealand
  consists of a series of legal documents, including
  certain acts of the UK and New Zealand parliaments, as well as The
  Constitution Act 1986, which is the principal formal charter;
  adopted 1 January 1987, effective 1 January 1987

Nicaragua
  9 January 1987; revised in 1995, 2000, and 2005

Niger
  adopted 18 July 1999

Nigeria
  adopted 5 May 1999; effective 29 May 1999

Niue
  19 October 1974 (Niue Constitution Act)

Norfolk Island
  Norfolk Island Act of 1979 as amended in 2005

Northern Mariana Islands
  Constitution of the Commonwealth of the
  Northern Mariana Islands effective 1 January 1978; Covenant
  Agreement fully effective 4 November 1986

Norway
  17 May 1814; amended many times

Oman
  none; note - on 6 November 1996, Sultan QABOOS issued a royal
  decree promulgating a basic law considered by the government to be a
  constitution which, among other things, clarifies the royal
  succession, provides for a prime minister, bars ministers from
  holding interests in companies doing business with the government,
  establishes a bicameral legislature, and guarantees basic civil
  liberties for Omani citizens

Pakistan
  12 April 1973; suspended 5 July 1977, restored 30 December
  1985; suspended 15 October 1999, restored in stages in 2002; amended
  31 December 2003; suspended 3 November 2007; restored on 15 December
  2007

Palau
  1 January 1981

Panama
  11 October 1972; revised in 1978, 1983, 1994, and 2004

Papua New Guinea
  16 September 1975

Paraguay
  promulgated 20 June 1992

Peru
  29 December 1993

Philippines
  2 February 1987, effective 11 February 1987

Pitcairn Islands
  30 November 1838; reformed 1904 with additional
  reforms in 1940; further refined by the Local Government Ordinance
  of 1964

Poland
  adopted by the National Assembly 2 April 1997; passed by
  national referendum 25 May 1997; effective 17 October 1997

Portugal
  adopted 2 April 1976; subsequently revised
  note: the revisions placed the military under strict civilian
  control, trimmed the powers of the president, and laid the
  groundwork for a stable, pluralistic liberal democracy; and they
  allowed for the privatization of nationalized firms and the
  government-owned communications media

Puerto Rico
  ratified 3 March 1952; approved by US Congress 3 July
  1952; effective 25 July 1952

Qatar
  ratified by public referendum on 29 April 2003, endorsed by
  the Amir on 8 June 2004, effective on 9 June 2005

Romania
  8 December 1991; revised 29 October 2003

Russia
  adopted 12 December 1993

Rwanda
  new constitution passed by referendum 26 May 2003

Saint Barthelemy
  4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

Saint Helena
  1 January 1989

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  19 September 1983

Saint Lucia
  22 February 1979

Saint Martin
  4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  27 October 1979

Samoa
  1 January 1962

San Marino
  8 October 1600; electoral law of 1926 serves some of the
  functions of a constitution

Sao Tome and Principe
  approved March 1990, effective 10 September
  1990

Saudi Arabia
  governed according to Islamic law; the Basic Law that
  articulates the government's rights and responsibilities was
  promulgated by royal decree in 1992

Senegal
  adopted 7 January 2001

Serbia
  adopted 8 November 2006; effective 10 November 2006

Seychelles
  18 June 1993

Sierra Leone
  1 October 1991; amended several times

Singapore
  3 June 1959; amended 1965 (based on pre-independence State
  of Singapore Constitution)

Slovakia
  ratified 1 September 1992, effective 1 January 1993;
  changed in September 1998; amended February 2001
  note: the change in September 1998 allowed direct election of the
  president; the amendment of February 2001 allowed Slovakia to apply
  for NATO and EU membership

Slovenia
  adopted 23 December 1991, amended 14 July 1997 and 25 July
  2000

Solomon Islands
  7 July 1978

Somalia
  25 August 1979, presidential approval 23 September 1979
  note: the formation of transitional governing institutions, known as
  the Transitional Federal Government, is currently ongoing

South Africa
  10 December 1996; note - certified by the
  Constitutional Court on 4 December 1996; was signed by then
  President MANDELA on 10 December 1996; and entered into effect on 4
  February 1997

Spain
  approved by legislature 31 October 1978; passed by referendum
  6 December 1978; signed by the king 27 December 1978

Sri Lanka
  adopted 16 August 1978, certified 31 August 1978; amended
  20 December 2000

Sudan
  Interim National Constitution ratified 5 July 2005
  note: under the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, the Interim National
  Constitution was ratified 5 July 2005; Constitution of Southern
  Sudan was signed December 2005

Suriname
  ratified 30 September 1987; effective 30 October 1987

Swaziland
  signed by the King in July 2005 went into effect on 8
  February 2006

Sweden
  1 January 1975

Switzerland
  revision of Constitution of 1874 approved by the Federal
  Parliament 18 December 1998, adopted by referendum 18 April 1999,
  officially entered into force 1 January 2000

Syria
  13 March 1973

Taiwan
  adopted on 25 December 1946; effective 25 December 1947;
  amended in 1991, 1992, 1994, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2005

Tajikistan
  6 November 1994

Tanzania
  25 April 1977; major revisions October 1984

Thailand
  24 August 2007

Timor-Leste
  22 March 2002 (based on the Portuguese model)

Togo
  adopted by public referendum 27 September 1992

Tokelau
  administered under the Tokelau Islands Act of 1948; amended
  in 1970

Tonga
  4 November 1875; revised 1 January 1967

Trinidad and Tobago
  1 August 1976

Tunisia
  1 June 1959; amended 1988, 2002

Turkey
  7 November 1982; amended 17 May 1987, 1995, 2001, and 2007;
  note - amendment passed by referendum concerning presidential
  elections on 21 October 2007

Turkmenistan
  adopted 18 May 1992

Turks and Caicos Islands
  Turks and Caicos Islands Constitution
  (Interim Amendment) Order 2009, S.I. 2009/701 - effective 14 August
  2009 - suspended Ministerial government, the House of Assembly, and
  the constitutional right to trial by jury, and imposed direct
  British rule

Tuvalu
  1 October 1978

Uganda
  8 October 1995; amended in 2005
  note: the amendments in 2005 removed presidential term limits and
  legalized a multiparty political system

Ukraine
  adopted 28 June 1996

United Arab Emirates
  2 December 1971; made permanent in 1996

United Kingdom
  unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and
  practice

United States
  17 September 1787, effective 4 March 1789

Uruguay
  27 November 1966; effective 15 February 1967; suspended 27
  June 1973; revised 26 November 1989 and 7 January 1997

Uzbekistan
  adopted 8 December 1992

Vanuatu
  30 July 1980

Venezuela
  30 December 1999

Vietnam
  15 April 1992

Virgin Islands
  Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954

Wallis and Futuna
  4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

Yemen
  16 May 1991; amended 29 September 1994 and February 2001

Zambia
  24 August 1991; amended in 1996 to establish presidential
  term limits

Zimbabwe
  21 December 1979

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

@2064

Field Listing :: Economic aid - recipient

Country

Economic aid - recipient

Afghanistan $2.775 billion (2005)

Albania ODA: $318.7 million note: top donors were Italy, EU, Germany (2005 est.)

Algeria
  $370.6 million (2005 est.)

American Samoa
  important financial support from the US, more than
  $40 million in 1994

Andorra
  $0

Angola
  $441.8 million (2005)

Anguilla
  $9 million (2004 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  $7.23 million (2005)

Argentina
  $99.66 million (2005)

Armenia
  ODA, $180 million (2007)

Aruba
  $11.3 million (2004)

Azerbaijan
  ODA, $223.4 million (2005 est.)

Bahamas, The
  $4.78 million (2004)

Bahrain
  $103.9 million (2004)

Bangladesh
  $1.321 billion (2005)

Barbados
  $2.07 million (2005)

Belarus
  $53.76 million (2005)

Belize
  $12.91 million (2005)

Benin
  $374.7 million (2006)

Bermuda
  $90,000 (2004)

Bhutan
  $941.2 million; note - substantial aid from India (2006)

Bolivia
  $582.9 million (2005 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  $546.1 million (2005 est.)

Botswana
  $70.89 million (2005)

Brazil
  $191.9 million (2005)

British Virgin Islands
  $NA

Brunei
  $770,000 (2004)

Bulgaria
  $742 million (2005-06 est.)

Burkina Faso
  $659.6 million (2005)

Burma
  $144.7 million (2005 est.)

Burundi
  $365 million (2005)

Cambodia
  $698.2 million pledged in grants and concession loans for
  2007 by international donors (2007)

Cameroon
  $413.8 million (2005)

Cape Verde
  $160.6 million (2005)

Cayman Islands
  $390,000 (2004)

Central African Republic
  ODA, $95.29 million; note - traditional
  budget subsidies from France (2005 est.)

Chad
  ODA, $379.8 million (2005)

Chile
  $0 (2006)

China
  $1.641 billion (FY07)

Christmas Island
  $NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  $NA

Colombia
  $511.1 million (2005)

Comoros
  $25.23 million (2005 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  $1.828 billion (2005)

Congo, Republic of the
  $1.449 billion (2005)

Cook Islands
  $13.1 million; note - New Zealand continues to furnish
  the greater part (1995)

Costa Rica
  $29.51 million (2005)

Cote d'Ivoire
  ODA, $60 million (2007 est.)

Croatia
  ODA, $125.4 million (2005)

Cuba
  $87.8 million (2005 est.)

Cyprus
  $15 million (2006)

Czech Republic
  $278.7 million in available EU structural adjustment
  and cohesion funds (2004)

Djibouti
  $78.6 million (2005)

Dominica
  $15.17 million (2005 est.)

Dominican Republic
  $76.99 million (2005)

Ecuador
  $209.5 million (2005)

Egypt
  ODA, $925.9 million (2005)

El Salvador
  $267.6 million of which $55 million from US (2005)

Equatorial Guinea
  $39 million (2005)

Eritrea
  $355.2 million (2005)

Estonia
  $135.5 million (2004)

Ethiopia
  $1.6 billion (FY05/06)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  $0 (1997 est.)

Faroe Islands
  $105 million; note - annual subsidy from Denmark (2005)

Fiji
  $63.96 million (2005)

French Polynesia
  $579.8 million (2004)

Gabon
  $53.87 million (2005)

Gambia, The
  $58.15 million (2005)

Gaza Strip
  $1.4 billion; (includes West Bank) (2006 est.)

Georgia
  ODA, $309.8 million (2005 est.)

Ghana
  $1.316 billion in loans and grants (2007)

Gibraltar
  $NA

Greece
  $8 billion annually from EU (2000-06); Greece will receive
  about $3.8 billion per year between 2007-13 under the EU's Community
  Support Funds IV

Greenland
  $512 million; note - subsidy from Denmark (2005)

Grenada
  $44.87 million (2005)

Guam
  Guam receives large transfer payments from the US Federal
  Treasury into which Guamanians pay no income or excise taxes; under
  the provisions of a special law of Congress, the Guam Treasury,
  rather than the US Treasury, receives federal income taxes paid by
  military and civilian Federal employees stationed in Guam (2001 est.)

Guatemala
  $253.6 million (2005 est.)

Guernsey
  $NA

Guinea
  $182.1 million (2005)

Guinea-Bissau
  $79.12 million (2005)

Guyana
  $136.8 million (2005)

Haiti
  $515 million (2005 est.)

Honduras
  $680.8 million (2005)

Hong Kong
  $6.95 million (2004)

Hungary
  $302.6 million (2004)

India
  $1.724 billion (2005)

Indonesia
  ODA, $2.524 billion (2006 est.)
  note: Indonesia ended 2006 with $67 billion in official foreign debt
  (about 25% of GDP), with Japan ($25 billion), the World Bank ($8.5
  billion) and the Asian Development Bank ($8.4 billion) as the
  largest creditors; about $6 billion in grant assistance was pledged
  to rebuild Aceh after the December 2004 tsunami; President YUDHOYONO
  disbanded the Consultative Group on Indonesia (CGI) donor forum in
  January 2007

Iran
  $104 million (2005 est.)

Iraq
  $21.65 billion (2005)

Isle of Man
  $NA

Israel
  $240 million from US (FY06)

Jamaica
  $35.74 million (2005)

Jordan
  ODA, $752 million (2005 est.)

Kazakhstan
  $229.2 million (2005)

Kenya
  $768.3 million (2005)

Kiribati
  $27.84 million largely from UK and Japan (2005)

Korea, North
  $372 million
  note: approximately 65,000 metric tons in food aid through the World
  Food Program appeals in 2007, plus additional aid from bilateral
  donors and non-governmental organizations (2007 est.)

Korea, South
  $68.07 million (2004)

Kosovo
  $324 million (2007)

Kuwait
  $2.6 million (2004)

Kyrgyzstan
  $268.5 million from the US (2005)

Laos
  $379 million (2006 est.)

Latvia
  $162 million (2004)

Lebanon
  of the $7.6 billion in grants and loans pledged to Lebanon
  at the Paris III conference in January 2007, Beirut as of
  mid-December 2007 had signed agreements for $3 billion, including $1
  billion in project financing, $750 million in direct budget support,
  $750 million in private sector credit, and $285 million in in-kind
  aid; about $500 million of the $1.7 billion pledged for direct
  budget support has been disbursed to Lebanon; donors in August 2006
  also pledged nearly $1.8 billion in aid to help Lebanon recover from
  the 2006 Israel-Hizballah war; during the conflict, Saudi Arabia and
  Kuwait provided $1.5 billion in concessional loans to the Lebanese
  central bank to maintain confidence in the Lebanese currency. (2005)

Lesotho
  $68.82 million (2005)

Liberia
  $236.2 million (2005)

Libya
  ODA, $24.44 million (2005 est.)

Lithuania
  $249.7 million (2004)

Macau
  $13.7 million (2004)

Macedonia
  $230.3 million (2005)

Madagascar
  $929.2 million (2005)

Malawi
  $575.3 million (2005)

Malaysia
  $31.6 million (2005)

Maldives
  $66.83 million (2005)

Mali
  $691.5 million (2005)

Malta
  $6.19 million (2004)

Marshall Islands
  $56.56 million (2005)

Mauritania
  $190.4 million (2005)

Mauritius
  $31.93 million (2005)

Mayotte
  $201.3 million; note - extensive French financial assistance
  (2005)

Mexico
  $189.4 million (2005)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  $106.4 million (2005)

Moldova
  $191.8 million (2005)

Monaco
  $NA

Mongolia
  $159.5 million (2006)

Montenegro
  $NA

Montserrat
  Country Policy Plan (2001) is a three-year program for
  spending $122.8 million in British budgetary assistance (2002 est.)

Morocco
  ODA, $651.8 million (2005)

Mozambique
  $1.286 billion (2005)

Namibia
  ODA, $123.4 million (2005 est.)

Nauru
  $20 million mostly from Australia (2005)

Nepal
  $427.9 million (2005)

Netherlands Antilles
  $21.32 million (2004)

New Caledonia
  $524.3 million annual subsidy from France (2004)

Nicaragua
  $471 million (2006 est.)

Niger
  $515.4 million (2005)

Nigeria
  $6.437 billion (2005)

Niue
  $2.6 million from New Zealand (2002)

Norfolk Island
  $NA

Northern Mariana Islands
  extensive funding from US

Oman
  $30.68 million (2005)

Pakistan
  $1.666 billion (2005)

Palau
  $23.46 million (2005)

Panama
  $19.54 million (2005)

Papua New Guinea
  $266.1 million (2005)

Paraguay
  $51.09 million (2005)

Peru
  $397.8 million (2005)

Philippines
  ODA, $451.4 million in commitments (2006)

Pitcairn Islands
  $3.465 million (2004)

Poland
  $1.524 billion in available EU structural adjustment and
  cohesion funds (2004)

Puerto Rico
  $NA

Qatar
  $2.18 million (2004)

Romania
  $914.3 million (2004)

Russia
  $982.7 million in FY06 from US, including $847 million in
  non-proliferation subsidies

Rwanda
  $576 million (2005)

Saint Helena
  $27.84 million obtained in a grant from the United
  Kingdom (FY06/07)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  $3.52 million (2005)

Saint Lucia
  $11.06 million (2005)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  approximately $60 million in annual grants
  from France

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  $4.89 million (1995); note - EU
  $34.5 million (2005)

Samoa
  $43.95 million (2005)

San Marino
  $NA

Sao Tome and Principe
  $31.9 million in December 2000 under the
  Heavily Indebted Poor Country Initiative (HIPC) program (2005)

Saudi Arabia
  $26.29 million (2005)

Senegal
  $477 million (2007 est.)

Serbia
  $2 billion pledged in 2001 to Serbia and Montenegro
  (disbursements to follow over several years; some aid pledged by EU
  and US has been placed on hold because of lack of cooperation by
  Serbia in handing over General Ratko MLADIC to the criminal court in
  The Hague)

Seychelles
  $18.81 million (2005)

Sierra Leone
  $343.4 million (2005 est.)

Singapore
  $0 (2007)

Slovakia
  $235 million in available EU structural adjustment and
  cohesion funds (2004)

Slovenia
  ODA, $484 million (2004-06)

Solomon Islands
  $198.2 million annually, mainly from Australia (2005
  est.)

Somalia
  $236.4 million (2005 est.)

South Africa
  $700 million (2005)

Sri Lanka
  $1.189 billion (2005)

Sudan
  $1.829 billion (2005)

Suriname
  $43.97 million (2005)

Svalbard
  $8.2 million from Norway (1998)

Swaziland
  $46.03 million (2005)

Syria
  $213 million (2008 est.)

Tajikistan
  $241.4 million from US (2005)

Tanzania
  $1.505 billion (2005)

Thailand
  $171.1 million (2005)

Timor-Leste
  $184.7 million (2005 est.)

Togo
  ODA, $86.71 million (2005 est.)

Tonga
  $31.75 million (2005)

Trinidad and Tobago
  $200,000 (2007 est.)

Tunisia
  $376.5 million (2005)

Turkey
  ODA, $464 million (2005)

Turkmenistan
  $28.25 million from the US (2005)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  $4.1 million (1997)

Tuvalu $10.49 million note: includes distributions from the Tuvalu Trust Fund (2006)

Uganda
  $1.198 billion (2005)

Ukraine
  $409.6 million (1995); IMF Extended Funds Facility $2.2
  billion (2005)

United Arab Emirates
  $5.36 million (2004)

Uruguay
  $14.62 million (2005)

Uzbekistan
  $172.3 million from the US (2005)

Vanuatu
  $39.48 million (2005)

Venezuela
  $48.66 million (2005)

Vietnam
  $5.4 billion in credits and grants pledged by the 2007
  Consultative Group meeting in Hanoi (2007)

Virgin Islands
  $NA

Wallis and Futuna
  assistance from France, $NA

West Bank
  $1.4 billion; (includes Gaza Strip) (2006 est.)

Western Sahara
  $NA

World
  ODA, $106.4 billion (2005)

Yemen
  $2.3 billion (2003-07 disbursements)

Zambia
  $504 million (2007)

Zimbabwe
  $367.7 million (2005 est.)

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

@2065

Field Listing :: Currency (code)

Country

Currency (code)

Afghanistan
  afghani (AFA)

Akrotiri
  euro (EUR) adopted 1 January 2008; note - the Cypriot pound
  (CYP) formerly used

Albania
  lek (ALL)
  note: the plural of lek is leke

Algeria
  Algerian dinar (DZD)

American Samoa
  US dollar (USD)

Andorra
  euro (EUR)

Angola
  kwanza (AOA)

Anguilla
  East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Antigua and Barbuda
  East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Argentina
  Argentine peso (ARS)

Armenia
  dram (AMD)

Aruba
  Aruban guilder/florin (AWG)

Australia
  Australian dollar (AUD)

Austria
  euro (EUR)

Azerbaijan
  Azerbaijani manat (AZN)

Bahamas, The
  Bahamian dollar (BSD)

Bahrain
  Bahraini dinar (BHD)

Bangladesh
  taka (BDT)

Barbados
  Barbadian dollar (BBD)

Belarus
  Belarusian ruble (BYB/BYR)

Belgium
  euro (EUR)

Belize
  Belizean dollar (BZD)

Benin
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note -
  responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Bermuda
  Bermudian dollar (BMD)

Bhutan
  ngultrum (BTN); Indian rupee (INR)

Bolivia
  boliviano (BOB)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  konvertibilna marka (convertible mark) (BAM)

Botswana
  pula (BWP)

Brazil
  real (BRL)

British Indian Ocean Territory
  US Dollar (USD)

British Virgin Islands
  US dollar (USD)

Brunei
  Bruneian dollar (BND)

Bulgaria
  lev (BGN)

Burkina Faso
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note -
  responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Burma
  kyat (MMK)

Burundi
  Burundi franc (BIF)

Cambodia
  riel (KHR)

Cameroon
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note -
  responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Canada
  Canadian dollar (CAD)

Cape Verde
  Cape Verdean escudo (CVE)

Cayman Islands
  Caymanian dollar (KYD)

Central African Republic
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc
  (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central
  African States

Chad
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible
  authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Chile
  Chilean peso (CLP)

China
  Renminbi (RMB); note - also referred to by the unit yuan (CNY)

Christmas Island
  Australian dollar (AUD)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  Australian dollar (AUD)

Colombia
  Colombian peso (COP)

Comoros
  Comoran franc (KMF)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  Congolese franc (CDF)

Congo, Republic of the
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF);
  note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African
  States

Cook Islands
  NZ dollar (NZD)

Costa Rica
  Costa Rican colon (CRC)

Cote d'Ivoire
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note -
  responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Croatia
  kuna (HRK)

Cuba
  Cuban peso (CUP) and Convertible peso (CUC)

Cyprus
  Cypriot pound (CYP); euro (EUR) after 1 January 2008

Czech Republic
  Czech koruna (CZK)

Denmark
  Danish krone (DKK)

Dhekelia
  euro (EUR) adopted 1 January 2008; note - the Cypriot pound
  (CYP) formerly used

Djibouti
  Djiboutian franc (DJF)

Dominica
  East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Dominican Republic
  Dominican peso (DOP)

Ecuador
  US dollar (USD)

Egypt
  Egyptian pound (EGP)

El Salvador
  US dollar (USD)

Equatorial Guinea
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note
  - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Eritrea
  nakfa (ERN)

Estonia
  Estonian kroon (EEK)

Ethiopia
  birr (ETB)

European Union
  euro, British pound, Bulgarian lev, Czech koruna,
  Danish krone, Estonian kroon, Hungarian forint, Latvian lat,
  Lithuanian litas, Polish zloty, Romanian leu, Slovak koruna, Swedish
  krona

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  Falkland pound (FKP)

Faroe Islands
  Danish krone (DKK)

Fiji
  Fijian dollar (FJD)

Finland
  euro (EUR)

France
  euro (EUR)

French Polynesia
  Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF)

Gabon
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note -
  responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Gambia, The
  dalasi (GMD)

Gaza Strip
  new Israeli shekel (ILS)

Georgia
  lari (GEL)

Germany
  euro (EUR)

Ghana
  Ghana cedi (GHC)

Gibraltar
  Gibraltar pound (GIP)

Greece
  euro (EUR)

Greenland
  Danish krone (DKK)

Grenada
  East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Guam
  US dollar (USD)

Guatemala
  quetzal (GTQ), US dollar (USD), others allowed

Guernsey
  Guernsey pound
  note: the British pound is also legal tender

Guinea
  Guinean franc (GNF)

Guinea-Bissau
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note -
  responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Guyana
  Guyanese dollar (GYD)

Haiti
  gourde (HTG)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  euro (EUR)

Honduras
  lempira (HNL)

Hong Kong
  Hong Kong dollar (HKD)

Hungary
  forint (HUF)

Iceland
  Icelandic krona (ISK)

India
  Indian rupee (INR)

Indonesia
  Indonesian rupiah (IDR)

Iran
  Iranian rial (IRR)

Iraq
  New Iraqi dinar (NID) as of 22 January 2004

Ireland
  euro (EUR)

Isle of Man
  Isle of Man pound (IMP), also known as the Manx pound
  note: the British pound is also legal tender, but change is given in
  IMP

Israel
  new Israeli shekel (ILS); note - NIS is the currency
  abbreviation; ILS is the International Organization for
  Standardization (ISO) code for the NIS

Italy
  euro (EUR)

Jamaica
  Jamaican dollar (JMD)

Japan
  yen (JPY)

Jersey
  Jersey pound
  note: the British pound is also legal tender

Jordan
  Jordanian dinar (JOD)

Kazakhstan
  tenge (KZT)

Kenya
  Kenyan shilling (KES)

Kiribati
  Australian dollar (AUD)

Korea, North
  North Korean won (KPW)

Korea, South
  South Korean won (KRW)

Kosovo
  euro (EUR); Serbian Dinar (RSD) is also in circulation

Kuwait
  Kuwaiti dinar (KD)

Kyrgyzstan
  som (KGS)

Laos
  kip (LAK)

Latvia
  lat (LVL)

Lebanon
  Lebanese pound (LBP)

Lesotho
  loti (LSL); South African rand (ZAR)

Liberia
  Liberian dollar (LRD)

Libya
  Libyan dinar (LYD)

Liechtenstein
  Swiss franc (CHF)

Lithuania
  litas (LTL)

Luxembourg
  euro (EUR)

Macau
  pataca (MOP)

Macedonia
  Macedonian denar (MKD)

Madagascar
  ariary (MGA)

Malawi
  Malawian kwacha (MWK)

Malaysia
  ringgit (MYR)

Maldives
  rufiyaa (MVR)

Mali
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible
  authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Malta
  euro (EUR) as of 1 January 2008; Maltese lira (MTL) before then

Marshall Islands
  US dollar (USD)

Mauritania
  ouguiya (MRO)

Mauritius
  Mauritian rupee (MUR)

Mayotte
  euro (EUR)

Mexico
  Mexican peso (MXN)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  US dollar (USD)

Moldova
  Moldovan leu (MDL)

Monaco
  euro (EUR)

Mongolia
  togrog/tugrik (MNT)

Montenegro
  euro (EUR)

Montserrat
  East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Morocco
  Moroccan dirham (MAD)

Mozambique
  metical (MZM)

Namibia
  Namibian dollar (NAD); South African rand (ZAR)

Nauru
  Australian dollar (AUD)

Nepal
  Nepalese rupee (NPR)

Netherlands
  euro (EUR)

Netherlands Antilles
  Netherlands Antillean guilder (ANG)

New Caledonia
  Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF)

New Zealand
  New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Nicaragua
  gold cordoba (NIO)

Niger
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note -
  responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Nigeria
  naira (NGN)

Niue
  New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Norfolk Island
  Australian dollar (AUD)

Northern Mariana Islands
  US dollar (USD)

Norway
  Norwegian krone (NOK)

Oman
  Omani rial (OMR)

Pakistan
  Pakistani rupee (PKR)

Palau
  US dollar (USD)

Panama
  balboa (PAB); US dollar (USD)

Papua New Guinea
  kina (PGK)

Paraguay
  guarani (PYG)

Peru
  nuevo sol (PEN)

Philippines
  Philippine peso (PHP)

Pitcairn Islands
  New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Poland
  zloty (PLN)

Portugal
  euro (EUR)

Puerto Rico
  US dollar (USD)

Qatar
  Qatari rial (QAR)

Romania
  "new" leu (RON) was introduced in 2005; "old" leu (ROL) was
  phased out in 2006; note - because of currency revaluation, 10,000
  ROL = 1 RON

Russia
  Russian ruble (RUB)

Rwanda
  Rwandan franc (RWF)

Saint Barthelemy
  euro (EUR); note - US dollar (USD) widely used

Saint Helena
  Saint Helenian pound (SHP)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Saint Lucia
  East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Saint Martin
  euro (EUR); note - US dollar (USD) widely used

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  euro (EUR)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Samoa
  tala (SAT)

San Marino
  euro (EUR)

Sao Tome and Principe
  dobra (STD)

Saudi Arabia
  Saudi riyal (SAR)

Senegal
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note -
  responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Serbia
  Serbian dinar (RSD)

Seychelles
  Seychelles rupee (SCR)

Sierra Leone
  leone (SLL)

Singapore
  Singapore dollar (SGD)

Slovakia
  Slovak koruna (SKK)

Slovenia
  euro (EUR)
  note: on 1 January 2007, the euro became Slovenia's currency; both
  the tolar and the euro were in circulation from 1 January until 15
  January 2007

Solomon Islands
  Solomon Islands dollar (SBD)

Somalia
  Somali shilling (SOS)

South Africa
  rand (ZAR)

Spain
  euro (EUR)

Sri Lanka
  Sri Lankan rupee (LKR)

Sudan
  Sudanese pounds (SDG)

Suriname
  Surinam dollar (SRD)

Svalbard
  Norwegian krone (NOK)

Swaziland
  lilangeni (SZL)

Sweden
  Swedish krona (SEK)

Switzerland
  Swiss franc (CHF)

Syria
  Syrian pound (SYP)

Taiwan
  New Taiwan dollar (TWD)

Tajikistan
  somoni (TJS)

Tanzania
  Tanzanian shilling (TZS)

Thailand
  baht (THB)

Timor-Leste
  US dollar (USD)

Togo
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible
  authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Tokelau
  New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Tonga
  pa'anga (TOP)

Trinidad and Tobago
  Trinidad and Tobago dollar (TTD)

Tunisia
  Tunisian dinar (TND)

Turkey
  Turkish lira (TRY); old Turkish lira (TRL) before 1 January
  2005

Turkmenistan
  Turkmen manat (TMM)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  US dollar (USD)

Tuvalu
  Australian dollar (AUD); note - there is also a Tuvaluan
  dollar

Uganda
  Ugandan shilling (UGX)

Ukraine
  hryvnia (UAH)

United Arab Emirates
  Emirati dirham (AED)

United Kingdom
  British pound (GBP)

United States
  US dollar (USD)

Uruguay
  Uruguayan peso (UYU)

Uzbekistan
  soum (UZS)

Vanuatu
  vatu (VUV)

Venezuela
  bolivar (VEB)

Vietnam
  dong (VND)

Virgin Islands
  US dollar (USD)

Wallis and Futuna
  Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF)

West Bank
  new Israeli shekel (ILS); Jordanian dinar (JOD)

Western Sahara
  Moroccan dirham (MAD)

Yemen
  Yemeni rial (YER)

Zambia
  Zambian kwacha (ZMK)

Zimbabwe
  Zimbabwean dollar (ZWD)

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

@2066

Field Listing :: Death rate

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

Death rate(deaths/1,000 population)

Afghanistan
  19.18 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Albania
  5.55 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Algeria
  4.64 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

American Samoa
  4.1 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Andorra
  5.89 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Angola
  24.08 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Anguilla
  4.36 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  5.94 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Argentina
  7.41 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Armenia
  8.39 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Aruba
  7.71 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Australia
  6.74 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Austria
  9.98 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Azerbaijan
  8.3 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Bahamas, The
  9.32 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Bahrain
  4.37 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Bangladesh
  9.23 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Barbados
  8.41 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Belarus
  13.86 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Belgium
  10.44 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Belize
  5.8 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Benin
  9.45 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Bermuda
  7.3 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Bhutan
  7.39 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Bolivia
  7.05 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  8.63 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Botswana
  8.52 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Brazil
  6.35 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  4.37 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Brunei
  3.29 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Bulgaria
  14.31 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Burkina Faso
  13.3 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Burma
  9.14 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Burundi
  12.67 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Cambodia
  8.08 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Cameroon
  12.2 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Canada
  7.74 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Cape Verde
  6.22 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Cayman Islands
  4.89 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Central African Republic 17.84 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Chad
  16.09 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Chile
  5.84 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

China
  7.06 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Christmas Island
  NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  NA

Colombia
  5.54 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Comoros
  7.57 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  11.63 deaths/1,000 population
  (July 2009 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  12.01 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Cook Islands
  NA

Costa Rica
  4.34 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  10.78 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Croatia
  11.75 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Cuba
  7.24 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Cyprus
  7.8 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Czech Republic
  10.74 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Denmark
  10.22 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Djibouti
  19.1 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Dominica
  8.2 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Dominican Republic
  5.28 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Ecuador
  4.99 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Egypt
  5.08 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

El Salvador
  5.47 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  9.49 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Eritrea
  8.43 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Estonia
  13.42 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Ethiopia
  11.55 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

European Union
  10.28 deaths/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  NA

Faroe Islands
  8.66 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Fiji
  5.66 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Finland
  10.07 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

France
  8.56 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

French Polynesia
  4.73 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Gabon
  12.76 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Gambia, The
  11.49 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Gaza Strip
  3.44 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Georgia
  9.65 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Germany
  10.9 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Ghana
  9.24 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Gibraltar
  9.56 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Greece
  10.51 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Greenland
  8.14 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Grenada
  6.09 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Guam
  4.57 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Guatemala
  5.11 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Guernsey
  10.16 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Guinea
  11 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  15.79 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Guyana
  8.31 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Haiti
  8.65 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Honduras
  5.41 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Hong Kong
  6.76 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Hungary
  12.94 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Iceland
  6.85 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

India
  6.23 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Indonesia
  6.25 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Iran
  5.72 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Iraq
  5.03 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Ireland
  7.75 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Isle of Man
  10.76 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Israel
  5.43 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Italy
  10.72 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Jamaica
  6.43 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Japan
  9.54 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Jersey
  9.26 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Jordan
  2.75 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Kazakhstan
  9.39 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Kenya
  9.72 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Kiribati
  7.85 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Korea, North
  10.52 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Korea, South
  5.94 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Kuwait
  2.35 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  6.91 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Laos
  10.78 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Latvia
  13.62 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Lebanon
  6.03 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Lesotho
  22.2 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Liberia
  20.73 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Libya
  3.45 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Liechtenstein
  7.39 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Lithuania
  11.18 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Luxembourg
  8.44 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Macau
  3.5 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Macedonia
  8.83 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Madagascar
  8.14 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Malawi
  17.6 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Malaysia
  5.02 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Maldives
  3.65 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Mali
  15.82 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Malta
  8.38 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Marshall Islands
  4.49 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Mauritania
  9.16 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Mauritius
  6.59 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Mayotte
  7.2 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Mexico
  4.8 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of 4.46 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Moldova
  10.78 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Monaco
  12.74 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Mongolia
  6.12 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Montenegro
  8.63 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Montserrat
  8.44 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Morocco
  5.45 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Mozambique
  20.07 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Namibia
  13.3 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Nauru
  6.42 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Nepal
  6.97 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Netherlands
  8.74 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  6.48 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

New Caledonia
  5.68 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

New Zealand
  7.05 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Nicaragua
  4.3 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Niger
  14.83 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Nigeria
  16.56 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Niue
  NA

Norfolk Island
  NA

Northern Mariana Islands 2.32 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Norway
  9.29 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Oman
  3.65 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Pakistan
  7.68 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Palau
  7.89 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Panama
  4.66 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  6.86 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Paraguay
  4.46 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Peru
  6.14 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Philippines
  5.1 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  NA

Poland
  10.05 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Portugal
  10.68 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Puerto Rico
  7.75 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Qatar
  2.46 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Romania
  11.88 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Russia
  16.06 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Rwanda
  14.02 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Saint Helena
  6.68 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  8.05 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Saint Lucia
  6.8 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  6.95 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009
  est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  6.91 deaths/1,000 population (July
  2009 est.)

Samoa
  5.79 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

San Marino
  8.48 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  5.8 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  2.47 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Senegal
  9.75 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Serbia
  13.86 deaths/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Seychelles
  6.93 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Sierra Leone
  21.91 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Singapore
  4.66 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Slovakia
  9.53 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Slovenia
  10.62 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Solomon Islands
  3.77 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Somalia
  15.55 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

South Africa
  16.99 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Spain
  9.99 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Sri Lanka
  6.13 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Sudan
  12.94 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Suriname
  5.51 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Svalbard
  NA

Swaziland
  30.83 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Sweden
  10.21 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Switzerland
  8.59 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Syria
  4.61 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Taiwan
  6.76 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Tajikistan
  6.83 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Tanzania
  12.59 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Thailand
  7.25 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Timor-Leste
  5.98 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Togo
  9.33 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Tokelau
  NA

Tonga
  5.02 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  8.11 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Tunisia
  5.2 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Turkey
  6.1 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Turkmenistan
  6.31 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands 4.18 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Tuvalu
  6.95 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Uganda
  12.09 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Ukraine
  15.81 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  2.11 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

United Kingdom
  10.02 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

United States
  8.38 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Uruguay
  9.09 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Uzbekistan
  5.29 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Vanuatu
  7.55 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Venezuela
  5.12 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Vietnam
  6.17 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Virgin Islands
  6.75 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
  NA

West Bank
  3.66 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Western Sahara
  11.49 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

World
  8.2 deaths/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Yemen
  7.61 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Zambia
  21.34 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Zimbabwe
  16.19 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

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

@2068

Field Listing :: Dependent areas

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

Dependent areas

Australia
  Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos
  (Keeling) Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Heard Island and McDonald
  Islands, Macquarie Island, Norfolk Island

France
  Clipperton Island, French Polynesia, French Southern and
  Antarctic Lands, Mayotte, New Caledonia, Saint Barthelemy, Saint
  Martin, Wallis and Futuna
  note: the US does not recognize claims to Antarctica; New Caledonia
  has been considered a "sui generis" collectivity of France since
  1998, a unique status falling between that of an independent country
  and a French overseas department

Netherlands
  Aruba, Netherlands Antilles

New Zealand
  Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau

Norway
  Bouvet Island, Jan Mayen, Svalbard

United Kingdom
  Anguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory,
  British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar,
  Montserrat, Pitcairn Islands, Saint Helena, South Georgia and the
  South Sandwich Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands

United States
  American Samoa, Baker Island, Guam, Howland Island,
  Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa
  Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palmyra Atoll, Puerto Rico, Virgin
  Islands, Wake Island
  note: from 18 July 1947 until 1 October 1994, the US administered
  the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands; it entered into a
  political relationship with all four political units: the Northern
  Mariana Islands is a commonwealth in political union with the US
  (effective 3 November 1986); the Republic of the Marshall Islands
  signed a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 21
  October 1986); the Federated States of Micronesia signed a Compact
  of Free Association with the US (effective 3 November 1986); Palau
  concluded a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 1
  October 1994)

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

@2070

Field Listing :: Disputes - international

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

Disputes - international

Afghanistan
  Pakistan has built fences in some portions of its border
  with Afghanistan which remains open in some areas to foreign
  terrorists and other illegal activities

Albania
  the Albanian Government calls for the protection of the
  rights of ethnic Albanians in neighboring countries, and the
  peaceful resolution of interethnic disputes; some ethnic Albanian
  groups in neighboring countries advocate for a "greater Albania,"
  but the idea has little appeal among Albanian nationals; the mass
  emigration of unemployed Albanians remains a problem for developed
  countries, chiefly Greece and Italy

Algeria
  Algeria, and many other states, rejects Moroccan
  administration of Western Sahara; the Polisario Front, exiled in
  Algeria, represents the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic; Algeria's
  border with Morocco remains an irritant to bilateral relations, each
  nation accusing the other of harboring militants and arms smuggling;
  Algeria remains concerned about armed bandits operating throughout
  the Sahel who sometimes destabilize southern Algerian towns; dormant
  disputes include Libyan claims of about 32,000 sq km still reflected
  on its maps of southeastern Algeria and the FLN's assertions of a
  claim to Chirac Pastures in southeastern Morocco

American Samoa
  Tokelau periodically asserts claims to American
  Samoa's Swains Island (Olohega), such as in its 2006 draft
  independence constitution

Andorra
  none

Angola
  Cabindan separatists continue to return to the Angolan
  exclave from exile in neighboring states and Europe since the 2006
  ceasefire and peace agreement

Anguilla
  none

Antarctica
  the Antarctic Treaty freezes, and most states do not
  recognize, the land and maritime territorial claims made by
  Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New Zealand, Norway, and the
  United Kingdom (some overlapping) for three-fourths of the
  continent; the US and Russia reserve the right to make claims; no
  claims have been made in the sector between 90 degrees west and 150
  degrees west; the International Whaling Commission created a
  sanctuary around the entire continent to deter catches by countries
  claiming to conduct scientific whaling; Australia has established a
  similar preserve in the waters around its territorial claim

Antigua and Barbuda
  none

Arctic Ocean
  the littoral states are engaged in various stages of
  demonstrating the limits of their continental shelves beyond 200
  nautical miles from their declared baselines in accordance with
  Article 76, paragraph 8, of the United Nations Convention on the Law
  of the Sea; record summer melting of sea ice in the Arctic has
  restimulated interest in maritime shipping lanes and sea floor
  exploration

Argentina
  Argentina continues to assert its claims to the
  UK-administered Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas), South Georgia,
  and the South Sandwich Islands in its constitution, forcibly
  occupying the Falklands in 1982, but in 1995 agreed no longer to
  seek settlement by force; territorial claim in Antarctica partially
  overlaps UK and Chilean claims; unruly region at convergence of
  Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay borders is locus of money laundering,
  smuggling, arms and illegal narcotics trafficking, and fundraising
  for extremist organizations; uncontested dispute between Brazil and
  Uruguay over Braziliera/Brasiliera Island in the Quarai/Cuareim
  River leaves the tripoint with Argentina in question; in 2006,
  Argentina went to the ICJ to protest, on environmental grounds, the
  construction of two pulp mills in Uruguay on the Uruguay River,
  which forms the boundary; both parties presented their pleadings in
  2007 with Argentina's reply in January and Uruguay's rejoinder in
  July 2008; the joint boundary commission, established by Chile and
  Argentina in 2001 has yet to map and demarcate the delimited
  boundary in the inhospitable Andean Southern Ice Field (Campo de
  Hielo Sur)

Armenia
  Armenia supports ethnic Armenian secessionists in
  Nagorno-Karabakh and since the early 1990s, has militarily occupied
  16% of Azerbaijan - Organization for Security and Cooperation in
  Europe (OSCE) continues to mediate dispute; over 800,000 mostly
  ethnic Azerbaijanis were driven from the occupied lands and Armenia;
  about 230,000 ethnic Armenians were driven from their homes in
  Azerbaijan into Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh; Azerbaijan seeks
  transit route through Armenia to connect to Naxcivan exclave; border
  with Turkey remains closed over Nagorno-Karabakh dispute; ethnic
  Armenian groups in Javakheti region of Georgia seek greater
  autonomy; Armenians continue to emigrate, primarily to Russia,
  seeking employment

Aruba
  none

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  as the closest Australian territory to
  Indonesia, these islands became the target of human traffickers for
  the landing of illegal immigrants; in 2001, the Australian
  government removed these islands from the Australian Migration Zone
  making illegal arrivals ineligible for temporary visas and entry
  into Australia

Atlantic Ocean
  some maritime disputes (see littoral states)

Australia
  Timor-Leste and Australia agreed in 2005 to defer the
  disputed portion of the boundary for 50 years and to split
  hydrocarbon revenues evenly outside the Joint Petroleum Development
  Area covered by the 2002 Timor Sea Treaty; dispute with Timor-Leste
  hampers creation of a revised maritime boundary with Indonesia in
  the Timor Sea; regional states continue to express concern over
  Australia's 2004 declaration of a 1,000-nautical mile-wide maritime
  identification zone; Australia asserts land and maritime claims to
  Antarctica; in 2004 Australia submitted its claims to Commission on
  the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) to extend its continental
  margins covering over 3.37 million square kilometers, expanding its
  seabed roughly 30 percent more than its claimed exclusive economic
  zone; since 2003, Australia has led the Regional Assistance Mission
  to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) to maintain civil and political order
  and reinforce regional security

Austria
  while threats of international legal action never
  materialized in 2007, 915,220 Austrians, with the support of the
  newly elected Freedom Party, signed a petition in January 2008,
  demanding that Austria block the Czech Republic's accession to the
  EU unless Prague closed its nuclear power plant in Temelin,
  bordering Austria

Azerbaijan
  Armenia supports ethnic Armenian secessionists in
  Nagorno-Karabakh and since the early 1990s has militarily occupied
  16% of Azerbaijan; over 800,000 mostly ethnic Azerbaijanis were
  driven from the occupied lands and Armenia; about 230,000 ethnic
  Armenians were driven from their homes in Azerbaijan into Armenia
  and Nagorno-Karabakh; Azerbaijan seeks transit route through Armenia
  to connect to Naxcivan exclave; Organization for Security and
  Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) continues to mediate dispute;
  Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Russia have ratified Caspian seabed
  delimitation treaties based on equidistance, while Iran continues to
  insist on an even one-fifth allocation and challenges Azerbaijan's
  hydrocarbon exploration in disputed waters; bilateral talks continue
  with Turkmenistan on dividing the seabed and contested oilfields in
  the middle of the Caspian; Azerbaijan and Georgia continue to
  discuss the alignment of their boundary at certain crossing areas

Bahamas, The
  disagrees with the US on the alignment the northern
  axis of a potential maritime boundary; continues to monitor and
  interdict drug dealers and Haitian and Cuban refugees in Bahamian
  waters

Bahrain
  none

Bangladesh
  discussions with India remain stalled to delimit a small
  section of river boundary, exchange territory for 51 small
  Bangladeshi exclaves in India and 111 small Indian exclaves in
  Bangladesh, allocate divided villages, and stop illegal cross-border
  trade, migration, violence, and transit of terrorists through the
  porous border; Bangladesh protests India's fencing and walling off
  high-traffic sections of the porous boundary; a joint
  Bangladesh-India boundary commission resurveyed and reconstructed 92
  missing pillars in 2007; dispute with India over New Moore/South
  Talpatty/Purbasha Island in the Bay of Bengal deters maritime
  boundary delimitation; after 21 years, Bangladesh resumes talks with
  Burma on delimiting a maritime boundary

Barbados
  Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago abide by the April 2006
  Permanent Court of Arbitration decision delimiting a maritime
  boundary and limiting catches of flying fish in Trinidad and
  Tobago's exclusive economic zone; joins other Caribbean states to
  counter Venezuela's claim that Aves Island sustains human
  habitation, a criterion under the UN Convention on the Law of the
  Sea (UNCLOS), which permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental
  shelf over a large portion of the eastern Caribbean Sea

Belarus
  Boundary demarcated with Latvia and Lithuania in 2006; 1997
  boundary delimitation treaty with Ukraine remains unratified over
  unresolved financial claims, preventing demarcation and diminishing
  border security

Belgium
  none

Belize
  OAS-initiated Agreement on the Framework for Negotiations and
  Confidence Building Measures saw cooperation in repatriation of
  Guatemalan squatters and other areas, but Guatemalan land and
  maritime claims in Belize and the Caribbean Sea remain unresolved;
  the Line of Adjacency created under the 2002 Differendum serves in
  lieu of the contiguous international boundary to control squatting
  in the sparsely inhabited rain forests of Belize's border region;
  Honduras claims Belizean-administered Sapodilla Cays in its
  constitution but agreed to a joint ecological park under the
  Differendum

Benin
  in September 2007, Economic Community of West African States
  (ECOWAS) intervened to attempt to resolve the dispute over two
  villages along the Benin-Burkina Faso border that remain from 2005
  ICJ decision; much of Benin-Niger boundary, including tripoint with
  Nigeria, remains undemarcated; in 2005, Nigeria ceded thirteen
  villages to Benin, but border relations remain strained by rival
  cross-border gang clashes; talks continue between Benin and Togo on
  funding the Adjrala hydroelectric dam on the Mona River

Bermuda
  none

Bhutan
  Bhutan cooperates with India to expel Indian Nagaland
  separatists; lacking any treaty describing the boundary, Bhutan and
  China continue negotiations to establish a common boundary alignment
  to resolve territorial disputes arising from substantial
  cartographic discrepancies, the largest of which lie in Bhutan's
  northwest and along the Chumbi salient

Bolivia
  Chile and Peru rebuff Bolivia's reactivated claim to restore
  the Atacama corridor, ceded to Chile in 1884, but Chile offers
  instead unrestricted but not sovereign maritime access through Chile
  for Bolivian natural gas and other commodities; an accord placed the
  long-disputed Isla Suarez/Ilha de Guajara-Mirim, a fluvial island on
  the Rio Mamore, under Bolivian administration in 1958, but
  sovereignty remains in dispute

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  sections along the Drina River remain in
  dispute between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia; discussions
  continue with Croatia on several small disputed sections of the
  boundary related to maritime access that hinder final ratification
  of the 1999 border agreement

Botswana
  Botswana still struggles to seal its border from thousands
  of Zimbabweans who flee economic collapse and political persecution;
  Namibia has long supported, and in 2004 Zimbabwe dropped objections
  to, plans between Botswana and Zambia to build a bridge over the
  Zambezi River at Kazungula crossing, thereby de facto recognizing
  the short, but not clearly delimited, Botswana-Zambia boundary

Bouvet Island
  none

Brazil
  unruly region at convergence of Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay
  borders is locus of money laundering, smuggling, arms and illegal
  narcotics trafficking, and fundraising for extremist organizations;
  uncontested boundary dispute with Uruguay over Isla Brasilera at the
  confluence of the Quarai/Cuareim and Invernada rivers, that form a
  tripoint with Argentina; the Itaipu Dam reservoir covers over a once
  contested section of Brazil-Paraguay boundary west of Guaira Falls
  on the Rio Parana; an accord placed the long-disputed Isla
  Suarez/Ilha de Guajara-Mirim, a fluvial island on the Rio Mamore,
  under Bolivian administration in 1958, but sovereignty remains in
  dispute

British Indian Ocean Territory
  Mauritius claims the Chagos
  Archipelago including Diego Garcia; in 2001, the former inhabitants
  of the Chagos Archipelago, evicted in 1967 and 1973 and now residing
  chiefly in Mauritius, were granted UK citizenship and the right to
  repatriation; in May 2007, the UK Court of Appeals upheld the May
  2006 High Court of London judgment reversing the UK government's
  2004 Orders of Council that banned habitation on the islands; a
  small group of Chagossians visited Diego Garcia in April 2006;
  repatriation is complicated by the exclusive US military lease of
  Diego Garcia that restricts access to the largest viable island in
  the chain

British Virgin Islands
  none

Brunei
  Brunei and Malaysia agreed in September 2008 to resolve their
  offshore and deepwater seabed dispute, resume hydrocarbon
  exploration, and renounce any territorial claims on land; Brunei
  established an exclusive economic fishing zone encompassing Louisa
  Reef in the southern Spratly Islands in 1984, but makes no public
  territorial claim to the offshore reefs; the 2002 "Declaration on
  the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" has eased tensions in
  the Spratly Islands but falls short of a legally binding "code of
  conduct" desired by several of the disputants

Bulgaria
  none

Burkina Faso
  in September 2007, Economic Community of West African
  States (ECOWAS) intervened to attempt to resolve the dispute over
  two villages along the Benin-Burkina Faso border that remain from a
  2005 ICJ decision; in recent years citizens and rogue security
  forces rob and harass local populations on both sides of the poorly
  defined Burkina Faso-Niger border; despite the presence of more than
  9,000 UN forces (UNOCI) in Cote d'Ivoire since 2004, ethnic conflict
  continues to spread into neighboring states who can no longer send
  their migrant workers to work in Ivorian cocoa plantations

Burma
  over half of Burma's population consists of diverse ethnic
  groups who have substantial numbers of kin in neighboring countries;
  Thailand must deal with Karen and other ethnic refugees, asylum
  seekers, and rebels, as well as illegal cross-border activities from
  Burma; Thailand is studying the feasibility of jointly constructing
  the Hatgyi Dam on the Salween River near the border with Burma;
  citing environmental, cultural, and social concerns, China is
  reconsidering construction of 13 dams on the Salween River but
  energy-starved Burma with backing from Thailand remains intent on
  building five hydro-electric dams downstream, despite identical
  regional and international protests; India seeks cooperation from
  Burma to keep Indian Nagaland separatists, such as the United
  Liberation Front of Assam, from hiding in remote Burmese Uplands;
  after 21 years, Bangladesh resumes talks with Burma on delimiting a
  maritime boundary in January 2008

Burundi
  Burundi and Rwanda dispute sections of border on the
  Akanyaru/Kanyaru and the Kagera/Nyabarongo rivers, which have
  changed course since the 1960s, when the boundary was delimited;
  cross-border conflicts among Tutsi, Hutu, other ethnic groups,
  associated political rebels, armed gangs, and various government
  forces persist in the Great Lakes region

Cambodia
  Cambodia and Thailand dispute sections of boundary with
  missing boundary markers and claims of Thai encroachments into
  Cambodian territory; maritime boundary with Vietnam is hampered by
  unresolved dispute over sovereignty of offshore islands; Thailand
  accuses Cambodia of obstructing inclusion of Thai areas near Preah
  Vihear temple ruins, awarded to Cambodia by ICJ decision in 1962, as
  part of a planned UN World Heritage site

Cameroon
  Joint Border Commission with Nigeria reviewed 2002 ICJ
  ruling on the entire boundary and bilaterally resolved differences,
  including June 2006 Greentree Agreement that immediately ceded
  sovereignty of the Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon with a full
  phase-out of Nigerian control and patriation of residents in 2008;
  Cameroon and Nigeria agree on maritime delimitation in March 2008;
  sovereignty dispute between Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon over an
  island at the mouth of the Ntem River; only Nigeria and Cameroon
  have heeded the Lake Chad Commission's admonition to ratify the
  delimitation treaty, which also includes the Chad-Niger and
  Niger-Nigeria boundaries

Canada
  managed maritime boundary disputes with the US at Dixon
  Entrance, Beaufort Sea, Strait of Juan de Fuca, and the Gulf of
  Maine including the disputed Machias Seal Island and North Rock;
  Canada, the US, and other countries dispute the status of the
  Northwest Passage; US works closely with Canada to intensify
  security measures for monitoring and controlling legal and illegal
  movement of people, transport, and commodities across the
  international border; sovereignty dispute with Denmark over Hans
  Island in the Kennedy Channel between Ellesmere Island and
  Greenland; commencing the collection of technical evidence for
  submission to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf
  in support of claims for continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles
  from its declared baselines in the Arctic, as stipulated in Article
  76, paragraph 8, of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the
  Sea

Cape Verde
  none

Cayman Islands
  none

Central African Republic
  periodic skirmishes over water and grazing
  rights among related pastoral populations along the border with
  southern Sudan persist

Chad
  since 2003, Janjawid armed militia and the Sudanese military
  have driven hundreds of thousands of Darfur residents into Chad;
  Chad remains an important mediator in the Sudanese civil conflict,
  reducing tensions with Sudan arising from cross-border banditry;
  Chadian Aozou rebels reside in southern Libya; only Nigeria and
  Cameroon have heeded the Lake Chad Commission's admonition to ratify
  the delimitation treaty, which also includes the Chad-Niger and
  Niger-Nigeria boundaries

Chile
  Chile and Peru rebuff Bolivia's reinvigorated claim to restore
  the Atacama corridor, ceded to Chile in 1884, but Chile has offered
  instead unrestricted but not sovereign maritime access through Chile
  to Bolivian gas and other commodities; Chile rejects Peru's
  unilateral legislation to change its latitudinal maritime boundary
  with Chile to an equidistance line with a southwestern axis favoring
  Peru, in October 2007, Peru took its maritime complaint with Chile
  to the ICJ; territorial claim in Antarctica (Chilean Antarctic
  Territory) partially overlaps Argentine and British claims; the
  joint boundary commission, established by Chile and Argentina in
  2001, has yet to map and demarcate the delimited boundary in the
  inhospitable Andean Southern Ice Field (Campo de Hielo Sur)

China continuing talks and confidence-building measures work toward reducing tensions over Kashmir that nonetheless remains militarized with portions under the de facto administration of China (Aksai Chin), India (Jammu and Kashmir), and Pakistan (Azad Kashmir and Northern Areas); India does not recognize Pakistan's ceding historic Kashmir lands to China in 1964; China and India continue their security and foreign policy dialogue started in 2005 related to the dispute over most of their rugged, militarized boundary, regional nuclear proliferation, and other matters; China claims most of India's Arunachal Pradesh to the base of the Himalayas; lacking any treaty describing the boundary, Bhutan and China continue negotiations to establish a common boundary alignment to resolve territorial disputes due to cartographic discrepancies; Chinese maps show an international boundary symbol off the coasts of the littoral states of the South China Seas, where China has interrupted Vietnamese hydrocarbon exploration; China asserts sovereignty over the Spratly Islands together with Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei; the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" eased tensions in the Spratly's but is not the legally binding "code of conduct" sought by some parties; Vietnam and China continue to expand construction of facilities in the Spratly's and in March 2005, the national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam signed a joint accord on marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands; China occupies some of the Paracel Islands also claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan; China and Taiwan continue to reject both Japan's claims to the uninhabited islands of Senkaku-shoto (Diaoyu Tai) and Japan's unilaterally declared equidistance line in the East China Sea, the site of intensive hydrocarbon exploration and exploitation; certain islands in the Yalu and Tumen rivers are in dispute with North Korea; North Korea and China seek to stem illegal migration to China by North Koreans, fleeing privations and oppression, by building a fence along portions of the border and imprisoning North Koreans deported by China; China and Russia have demarcated the once disputed islands at the Amur and Ussuri confluence and in the Argun River in accordance with their 2004 Agreement; China and Tajikistan have begun demarcating the revised boundary agreed to in the delimitation of 2002; the decade-long demarcation of the China-Vietnam land boundary is expected to be completed by the end of 2008, while the maritime boundary delimitation and fisheries agreements in the Gulf of Tonkin, ratified in June 2004, have been implemented; citing environmental, cultural, and social concerns, China has reconsidered construction of 13 dams on the Salween River, but energy-starved Burma, with backing from Thailand, remains intent on building five hydro-electric dams downstream despite regional and international protests; Chinese and Hong Kong authorities met in March 2008 to resolve ownership and use of lands recovered in Shenzhen River channelization, including 96-hectare Lok Ma Chau Loop; Hong Kong developing plans to reduce 2,000 out of 2,800 hectares of its restricted Closed Area by 2010

Christmas Island
  none

Clipperton Island
  none

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  none

Colombia
  in December 2007, ICJ allocates San Andres, Providencia,
  and Santa Catalina islands to Colombia under 1928 Treaty but does
  not rule on 82 degrees W meridian as maritime boundary with
  Nicaragua; managed dispute with Venezuela over maritime boundary and
  Venezuelan-administered Los Monjes Islands near the Gulf of
  Venezuela; Colombian-organized illegal narcotics, guerrilla, and
  paramilitary activities penetrate all neighboring borders and have
  caused Colombian citizens to flee mostly into neighboring countries;
  Colombia, Honduras, Nicaragua, Jamaica, and the US assert various
  claims to Bajo Nuevo and Serranilla Bank

Comoros
  claims French-administered Mayotte and challenges France's
  and Madagascar's claims to Banc du Geyser, a drying reef in the
  Mozambique Channel; in May 2008, African Union forces are called in
  to assist the Comoros military recapture Anjouan Island from rebels
  who seized it in 2001

Congo, Democratic Republic of the heads of the Great Lakes states and UN pledged in 2004 to abate tribal, rebel, and militia fighting in the region, including northeast Congo, where the UN Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC), organized in 1999, maintains over 16,500 uniformed peacekeepers; members of Uganda's Lords Resistance Army forces continue to seek refuge in Congo's Garamba National Park as peace talks with the Uganda government evolve; the location of the boundary in the broad Congo River with the Republic of the Congo is indefinite except in the Pool Malebo/Stanley Pool area; Uganda and DROC dispute Rukwanzi island in Lake Albert and other areas on the Semliki River with hydrocarbon potential; boundary commission continues discussions over Congolese-administered triangle of land on the right bank of the Lunkinda river claimed by Zambia near the DROC village of Pweto

Congo, Republic of the
  the location of the boundary in the broad
  Congo River with the Democratic Republic of the Congo is indefinite
  except in the Pool Malebo/Stanley Pool area

Cook Islands
  none

Coral Sea Islands
  none

Costa Rica
  the ICJ has given Costa Rica until January 2008 to reply
  and Nicaragua until July 2008 to rejoin before rendering its
  decision on the navigation, security, and commercial rights of Costa
  Rican vessels on the Rio San Juan over which Nicaragua retains
  sovereignty

Cote d'Ivoire
  despite the presence of over 9,000 UN forces (UNOCI)
  in Cote d'Ivoire since 2004, ethnic conflict still leaves displaced
  hundreds of thousands of Ivorians in and out of the country as well
  as driven out migrants from neighboring states who worked in Ivorian
  cocoa plantations; the March 2007 peace deal between Ivorian rebels
  and the government brought significant numbers of rebels out of
  hiding in neighboring states

Croatia
  dispute remains with Bosnia and Herzegovina over several
  small sections of the boundary related to maritime access that
  hinders ratification of the 1999 border agreement; the
  Croatia-Slovenia land and maritime boundary agreement, which would
  have ceded most of Pirin Bay and maritime access to Slovenia and
  several villages to Croatia, remains unratified and in dispute;
  Slovenia also protests Croatia's 2003 claim to an exclusive economic
  zone in the Adriatic; as a European Union peripheral state, Slovenia
  imposed a hard border Schengen regime with non-member Croatia in
  December 2007

Cuba
  US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay is leased to US and only mutual
  agreement or US abandonment of the facility can terminate the lease

Cyprus
  hostilities in 1974 divided the island into two de facto
  autonomous entities, the internationally recognized Cypriot
  Government and a Turkish-Cypriot community (north Cyprus); the
  1,000-strong UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) has served in
  Cyprus since 1964 and maintains the buffer zone between north and
  south; on 1 May 2004, Cyprus entered the European Union still
  divided, with the EU's body of legislation and standards (acquis
  communitaire) suspended in the north; Turkey protests Cypriot
  Government creating hydrocarbon blocks and maritime boundary with
  Lebanon in March 2007

Czech Republic
  while threats of international legal action never
  materialized in 2007, 915,220 Austrians, with the support of the
  popular Freedom Party, signed a petition in January 2008, demanding
  that Austria block the Czech Republic's accession to the EU unless
  Prague closes its controversial Soviet-style nuclear plant in
  Temelin, bordering Austria

Denmark
  Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute Denmark's claim that
  the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm; Faroese
  continue to study proposals for full independence; sovereignty
  dispute with Canada over Hans Island in the Kennedy Channel between
  Ellesmere Island and Greenland

Djibouti
  Djibouti maintains economic ties and border accords with
  "Somaliland" leadership while maintaining some political ties to
  various factions in Somalia; Kuwait is chief investor in the 2008
  restoration and upgrade of the Ethiopian-Djibouti rail link

Dominica
  Dominica is the only Caribbean state to challenge
  Venezuela's sovereignty claim over Aves Island and joins the other
  island nations in challenging whether the feature sustains human
  habitation, a criterion under the UN Convention on the Law of the
  Sea (UNCLOS), which permits Venezuela to extend its Exclusive
  Economic Zone (EEZ) and continental shelf claims over a large
  portion of the eastern Caribbean Sea

Dominican Republic
  Haitian migrants cross the porous border into the
  Dominican Republic to find work; illegal migrants from the Dominican
  Republic cross the Mona Passage each year to Puerto Rico to find
  better work

Ecuador
  organized illegal narcotics operations in Colombia penetrate
  across Ecuador's shared border, which thousands of Colombians also
  cross to escape the violence in their home country

Egypt
  while Sudan retains claim to the Hala'ib Triangle north of the
  1899 Treaty boundary along the 22nd Parallel, both states withdrew
  their military presence in the 1990s and Egypt has invested in and
  effectively administers the area; Egypt no longer shows its
  administration of the Bir Tawil trapezoid in Sudan on its maps;
  Gazan breaches in the security wall with Egypt in January 2008
  highlight difficulties in monitoring the Sinai border

El Salvador
  International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled on the
  delimitation of "bolsones" (disputed areas) along the El
  Salvador-Honduras boundary, in 1992, with final agreement by the
  parties in 2006 after an Organization of American States (OAS)
  survey and a further ICJ ruling in 2003; the 1992 ICJ ruling advised
  a tripartite resolution to a maritime boundary in the Gulf of
  Fonseca advocating Honduran access to the Pacific; El Salvador
  continues to claim tiny Conejo Island, not identified in the ICJ
  decision, off Honduras in the Gulf of Fonseca

Equatorial Guinea
  in 2002, ICJ ruled on an equidistance settlement
  of Cameroon-Equatorial Guinea-Nigeria maritime boundary in the Gulf
  of Guinea, but a dispute between Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon over
  an island at the mouth of the Ntem River and imprecisely defined
  maritime coordinates in the ICJ decision delay final delimitation;
  UN urges Equatorial Guinea and Gabon to resolve the sovereignty
  dispute over Gabon-occupied Mbane and lesser islands and to create a
  maritime boundary in the hydrocarbon-rich Corisco Bay

Eritrea
  Eritrea and Ethiopia agreed to abide by 2002
  Ethiopia-Eritrea Boundary Commission's (EEBC) delimitation decision
  but, neither party responded to the revised line detailed in the
  November 2006 EEBC Demarcation Statement; UN Peacekeeping Mission to
  Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE), which has monitored the 25-km-wide
  Temporary Security Zone in Eritrea since 2000, is extended for six
  months in 2007 despite Eritrean restrictions on its operations and
  reduced force of 17,000; Sudan accuses Eritrea of supporting eastern
  Sudanese rebel groups

Estonia
  Russia recalled its signature to the 1996 technical border
  agreement with Estonia in 2005, rather than concede to Estonia's
  appending prepared a unilateral declaration referencing Soviet
  occupation and territorial losses; Russia demands better
  accommodation of Russian-speaking population in Estonia; Estonian
  citizen groups continue to press for realignment of the boundary
  based on the 1920 Tartu Peace Treaty that would bring the now
  divided ethnic Setu people and parts of the Narva region within
  Estonia; as a member state that forms part of the EU's external
  border, Estonia must implement the strict Schengen border rules with
  Russia

Ethiopia
  Eritrea and Ethiopia agreed to abide by the 2002
  Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission's (EEBC) delimitation decision,
  but neither party responded to the revised line detailed in the
  November 2006 EEBC Demarcation Statement; UN Peacekeeping Mission to
  Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE), which has monitored the 25-km-wide
  Temporary Security Zone in Eritrea since 2000, is extended for six
  months in 2007 despite Eritrean restrictions on its operations and
  reduced force of 17,000; the undemarcated former British
  administrative line has little meaning as a political separation to
  rival clans within Ethiopia's Ogaden and southern Somalia's Oromo
  region; Ethiopian forces invaded southern Somalia and routed
  Islamist Courts from Mogadishu in January 2007; "Somaliland"
  secessionists provide port facilities in Berbera and trade ties to
  landlocked Ethiopia; civil unrest in eastern Sudan has hampered
  efforts to demarcate the porous boundary with Ethiopia

European Union
  as a political union, the EU has no border disputes
  with neighboring countries, but Estonia has no land boundary
  agreements with Russia, Slovenia disputes its land and maritime
  boundaries with Croatia, and Spain has territorial and maritime
  disputes with Morocco and with the UK over Gibraltar; the EU has set
  up a Schengen area - consisting of 22 EU member states that have
  signed the convention implementing the Schengen agreements or
  "acquis" (1985 and 1990) on the free movement of persons and the
  harmonization of border controls in Europe; these agreements became
  incorporated into EU law with the implementation of the 1997 Treaty
  of Amsterdam on 1 May 1999; in addition, non-EU states Iceland and
  Norway (as part of the Nordic Union) have been included in the
  Schengen area since 1996 (full members in 2001), and Switzerland
  since 2008 bringing the total current membership to 25; the UK
  (since 2000) and Ireland (since 2002) take part in only some aspects
  of the Schengen area, especially with respect to police and criminal
  matters; nine of the 12 new member states that joined the EU since
  2004 joined Schengen on 21 December 2007; of the three remaining EU
  states, Cyprus is expected to join by 2009, while Romania and
  Bulgaria continue to enhance their border security systems

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  Argentina, which claims the
  islands in its constitution and briefly occupied them by force in
  1982, agreed in 1995 to no longer seek settlement by force; UK
  continues to reject Argentine requests for sovereignty talks

Faroe Islands
  because anticipated offshore hydrocarbon resources
  have not been realized, earlier Faroese proposals for full
  independence have been deferred; Iceland, the UK, and Ireland
  dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf
  extends beyond 200 nm

Fiji
  none

Finland
  various groups in Finland advocate restoration of Karelia
  and other areas ceded to the Soviet Union, but the Finnish
  Government asserts no territorial demands

France
  Madagascar claims the French territories of Bassas da India,
  Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, and Juan de Nova Island; Comoros
  claims Mayotte; Mauritius claims Tromelin Island; territorial
  dispute between Suriname and the French overseas department of
  French Guiana; France asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica
  (Adelie Land); France and Vanuatu claim Matthew and Hunter Islands,
  east of New Caledonia

French Polynesia
  none

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  French claim to "Adelie Land" in
  Antarctica is not recognized by the US
  Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova
  Island (Iles Eparses): claimed by Madagascar
  Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): claimed by Mauritius

Gabon
  UN urges Equatorial Guinea and Gabon to resolve the
  sovereignty dispute over Gabon-occupied Mbane Island and lesser
  islands and to establish a maritime boundary in hydrocarbon-rich
  Corisco Bay

Gambia, The
  attempts to stem refugees, cross-border raids, arms
  smuggling, and other illegal activities by separatists from southern
  Senegal's Casamance region, as well as from conflicts in other west
  African states

Gaza Strip
  West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied with
  current status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement
  - permanent status to be determined through further negotiation;
  Israel removed settlers and military personnel from the Gaza Strip
  in August 2005

Georgia
  Russia and Georgia agree on delimiting 80% of their common
  border, leaving certain small, strategic segments and the maritime
  boundary unresolved; OSCE observers monitor volatile areas such as
  the Pankisi Gorge in the Akhmeti region and the Argun Gorge in
  Abkhazia; UN Observer Mission in Georgia has maintained a
  peacekeeping force in Georgia since 1993; Meshkheti Turks scattered
  throughout the former Soviet Union seek to return to Georgia;
  boundary with Armenia remains undemarcated; ethnic Armenian groups
  in Javakheti region of Georgia seek greater autonomy from the
  Georgian government; Azerbaijan and Georgia continue to discuss the
  alignment of their boundary at certain crossing areas

Germany
  none

Ghana
  Ghana struggles to accommodate returning nationals who worked
  in the cocoa plantations and escaped fighting in Cote d'Ivoire

Gibraltar
  in 2002, Gibraltar residents voted overwhelmingly by
  referendum to reject any "shared sovereignty" arrangement; the
  government of Gibraltar insists on equal participation in talks
  between the UK and Spain; Spain disapproves of UK plans to grant
  Gibraltar even greater autonomy

Greece
  Greece and Turkey continue discussions to resolve their
  complex maritime, air, territorial, and boundary disputes in the
  Aegean Sea; Cyprus question with Turkey; Greece rejects the use of
  the name Macedonia or Republic of Macedonia; the mass migration of
  unemployed Albanians still remains a problem for developed
  countries, chiefly Greece and Italy

Greenland
  managed dispute between Canada and Denmark over Hans
  Island in the Kennedy Channel between Canada's Ellesmere Island and
  Greenland

Grenada
  none

Guam
  none

Guatemala
  annual ministerial meetings under the OAS-initiated
  Agreement on the Framework for Negotiations and Confidence Building
  Measures continue to address Guatemalan land and maritime claims in
  Belize and the Caribbean Sea; the Line of Adjacency created under
  the 2002 Differendum serves in lieu of the contiguous international
  boundary to control squatting in the sparsely inhabited rain forests
  of Belize's border region; Mexico must deal with thousands of
  impoverished Guatemalans and other Central Americans who cross the
  porous border looking for work in Mexico and the United States

Guernsey
  none

Guinea
  conflicts among rebel groups, warlords, and youth gangs in
  neighboring states have spilled over into Guinea, resulting in
  domestic instability; Sierra Leone considers Guinea's definition of
  the flood plain limits to define the left bank boundary of the
  Makona and Moa rivers excessive and protests Guinea's continued
  occupation of these lands, including the hamlet of Yenga, occupied
  since 1998

Guinea-Bissau
  in 2006, political instability within Senegal's
  Casamance region resulted in thousands of Senegalese refugees,
  cross-border raids, and arms smuggling into Guinea-Bissau

Guyana
  all of the area west of the Essequibo River is claimed by
  Venezuela preventing any discussion of a maritime boundary; Guyana
  has expressed its intention to join Barbados in asserting claims
  before UNCLOS that Trinidad and Tobago's maritime boundary with
  Venezuela extends into their waters; Suriname claims a triangle of
  land between the New and Kutari/Koetari rivers in a historic dispute
  over the headwaters of the Courantyne; Guyana seeks arbitration
  under provisions of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)
  to resolve the long-standing dispute with Suriname over the axis of
  the territorial sea boundary in potentially oil-rich waters

Haiti
  since 2004, about 8,000 peacekeepers from the UN Stabilization
  Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) maintain civil order in Haiti; despite
  efforts to control illegal migration, Haitians cross into the
  Dominican Republic and sail to neighboring countries; Haiti claims
  US-administered Navassa Island

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  none

Holy See (Vatican City)
  none

Honduras
  International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled on the
  delimitation of "bolsones" (disputed areas) along the El
  Salvador-Honduras border in 1992 with final settlement by the
  parties in 2006 after an Organization of American States (OAS)
  survey and a further ICJ ruling in 2003; the 1992 ICJ ruling advised
  a tripartite resolution to a maritime boundary in the Gulf of
  Fonseca with consideration of Honduran access to the Pacific; El
  Salvador continues to claim tiny Conejo Island, not mentioned in the
  ICJ ruling, off Honduras in the Gulf of Fonseca; Honduras claims the
  Belizean-administered Sapodilla Cays off the coast of Belize in its
  constitution, but agreed to a joint ecological park around the cays
  should Guatemala consent to a maritime corridor in the Caribbean
  under the OAS-sponsored 2002 Belize-Guatemala Differendum; memorials
  and countermemorials were filed by the parties in Nicaragua's 1999
  and 2001 proceedings against Honduras and Colombia at the ICJ over
  the maritime boundary and territorial claims in the western
  Caribbean Sea - final public hearings are scheduled for 2007

Hong Kong
  none

Hungary
  bilateral government, legal, technical and economic working
  group negotiations continue in 2006 with Slovakia over Hungary's
  failure to complete its portion of the Gabcikovo-Nagymaros
  hydroelectric dam project along the Danube; as a member state that
  forms part of the EU's external border, Hungary has implemented the
  strict Schengen border rules

Iceland
  Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute Denmark's claim that
  the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm

India
  since China and India launched a security and foreign policy
  dialogue in 2005, consolidated discussions related to the dispute
  over most of their rugged, militarized boundary, regional nuclear
  proliferation, Indian claims that China transferred missiles to
  Pakistan, and other matters continue; various talks and
  confidence-building measures have cautiously begun to defuse
  tensions over Kashmir, particularly since the October 2005
  earthquake in the region; Kashmir nevertheless remains the site of
  the world's largest and most militarized territorial dispute with
  portions under the de facto administration of China (Aksai Chin),
  India (Jammu and Kashmir), and Pakistan (Azad Kashmir and Northern
  Areas); India and Pakistan have maintained the 2004 cease fire in
  Kashmir and initiated discussions on defusing the armed stand-off in
  the Siachen glacier region; Pakistan protests India's fencing the
  highly militarized Line of Control and construction of the Baglihar
  Dam on the Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir, which is part of the
  larger dispute on water sharing of the Indus River and its
  tributaries; UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan
  (UNMOGIP) has maintained a small group of peacekeepers since 1949;
  India does not recognize Pakistan's ceding historic Kashmir lands to
  China in 1964; to defuse tensions and prepare for discussions on a
  maritime boundary, India and Pakistan seek technical resolution of
  the disputed boundary in Sir Creek estuary at the mouth of the Rann
  of Kutch in the Arabian Sea; Pakistani maps continue to show its
  Junagadh claim in Indian Gujarat State; discussions with Bangladesh
  remain stalled to delimit a small section of river boundary, to
  exchange territory for 51 Bangladeshi exclaves in India and 111
  Indian exclaves in Bangladesh, to allocate divided villages, and to
  stop illegal cross-border trade, migration, violence, and transit of
  terrorists through the porous border; Bangladesh protests India's
  attempts to fence off high-traffic sections of the border; dispute
  with Bangladesh over New Moore/South Talpatty/Purbasha Island in the
  Bay of Bengal deters maritime boundary delimitation; India seeks
  cooperation from Bhutan and Burma to keep Indian Nagaland and Assam
  separatists from hiding in remote areas along the borders; Joint
  Border Committee with Nepal continues to examine contested boundary
  sections, including the 400 square kilometer dispute over the source
  of the Kalapani River; India maintains a strict border regime to
  keep out Maoist insurgents and control illegal cross-border
  activities from Nepal

Indian Ocean
  some maritime disputes (see littoral states)

Indonesia
  Indonesia has a stated foreign policy objective of
  establishing stable fixed land and maritime boundaries with all of
  its neighbors; Timor-Leste-Indonesia Boundary Committee has resolved
  all but a small portion of the land boundary, but discussions on
  maritime boundaries are stalemated over sovereignty of the
  uninhabited coral island of Pulau Batek/Fatu Sinai in the north and
  alignment with Australian claims in the south; many refugees from
  Timor-Leste who left in 2003 still reside in Indonesia and refuse
  repatriation; a 1997 treaty between Indonesia and Australia settled
  some parts of their maritime boundary but outstanding issues remain;
  ICJ's award of Sipadan and Ligitan islands to Malaysia in 2002 left
  the sovereignty of Unarang rock and the maritime boundary in the
  Ambalat oil block in the Celebes Sea in dispute; the ICJ decision
  has prompted Indonesia to assert claims to and to establish a
  presence on its smaller outer islands; Indonesia and Singapore
  continue to work on finalization of their 1973 maritime boundary
  agreement by defining unresolved areas north of Indonesia's Batam
  Island; Indonesian secessionists, squatters, and illegal migrants
  create repatriation problems for Papua New Guinea; piracy remains a
  problem in the Malacca Strait; maritime delimitation talks continue
  with Palau; Indonesian groups challenge Australia's claim to Ashmore
  Reef; Australia has closed parts of the Ashmore and Cartier Reserve
  to Indonesian traditional fishing and placed restrictions on certain
  catches

Iran
  Iran protests Afghanistan's limiting flow of dammed tributaries
  to the Helmand River in periods of drought; Iraq's lack of a
  maritime boundary with Iran prompts jurisdiction disputes beyond the
  mouth of the Shatt al Arab in the Persian Gulf; Iran and UAE dispute
  Tunb Islands and Abu Musa Island, which are occupied by Iran; Iran
  stands alone among littoral states in insisting upon a division of
  the Caspian Sea into five equal sectors

Iraq
  coalition forces assist Iraqis in monitoring internal and
  cross-border security; approximately two million Iraqis have fled
  the conflict in Iraq, with the majority taking refuge in Syria and
  Jordan, and lesser numbers to Egypt, Lebanon, Iran, and Turkey;
  Iraq's lack of a maritime boundary with Iran prompts jurisdiction
  disputes beyond the mouth of the Shatt al Arab in the Persian Gulf;
  Turkey has expressed concern over the autonomous status of Kurds in
  Iraq

Ireland
  Ireland, Iceland, and the UK dispute Denmark's claim that
  the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm

Isle of Man
  none

Israel
  West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied with current
  status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement -
  permanent status to be determined through further negotiation;
  Israel continues construction of a "seam line" separation barrier
  along parts of the Green Line and within the West Bank; Israel
  withdrew its settlers and military from the Gaza Strip and from four
  settlements in the West Bank in August 2005; Golan Heights is
  Israeli-occupied (Lebanon claims the Shab'a Farms area of Golan
  Heights); since 1948, about 350 peacekeepers from the UN Truce
  Supervision Organization (UNTSO) headquartered in Jerusalem monitor
  ceasefires, supervise armistice agreements, prevent isolated
  incidents from escalating, and assist other UN personnel in the
  region

Italy
  Italy's long coastline and developed economy entices tens of
  thousands of illegal immigrants from southeastern Europe and
  northern Africa

Jamaica
  none

Jan Mayen
  none

Japan
  the sovereignty dispute over the islands of Etorofu,
  Kunashiri, and Shikotan, and the Habomai group, known in Japan as
  the "Northern Territories" and in Russia as the "Southern Kuril
  Islands," occupied by the Soviet Union in 1945, now administered by
  Russia and claimed by Japan, remains the primary sticking point to
  signing a peace treaty formally ending World War II hostilities;
  Japan and South Korea claim Liancourt Rocks (Take-shima/Dokdo)
  occupied by South Korea since 1954; China and Taiwan dispute both
  Japan's claims to the uninhabited islands of the Senkaku-shoto
  (Diaoyu Tai) and Japan's unilaterally declared exclusive economic
  zone in the East China Sea, the site of intensive hydrocarbon
  prospecting

Jersey
  none

Jordan
  approximately two million Iraqis have fled the conflict in
  Iraq, with the majority taking refuge in Syria and Jordan; 2004
  Agreement settles border dispute with Syria pending demarcation

Kazakhstan
  Kyrgyzstan has yet to ratify the 2001 boundary
  delimitation with Kazakhstan; field demarcation of the boundaries
  with Turkmenistan commenced in 2005, and with Uzbekistan in 2004;
  demarcation is scheduled to get underway with Russia in 2007;
  demarcation with China was completed in 2002; creation of a seabed
  boundary with Turkmenistan in the Caspian Sea remains under
  discussion; equidistant seabed treaties have been ratified with
  Azerbaijan and Russia in the Caspian Sea, but no resolution has been
  made on dividing the water column among any of the littoral states

Kenya
  Kenya served as an important mediator in brokering Sudan's
  north-south separation in February 2005; Kenya provides shelter to
  almost a quarter of a million refugees, including Ugandans who flee
  across the border periodically to seek protection from Lord's
  Resistance Army (LRA) rebels; Kenya works hard to prevent the clan
  and militia fighting in Somalia from spreading across the border,
  which has long been open to nomadic pastoralists; the boundary that
  separates Kenya's and Sudan's sovereignty is unclear in the "Ilemi
  Triangle," which Kenya has administered since colonial times

Kiribati
  none

Korea, North
  risking arrest, imprisonment, and deportation, tens of
  thousands of North Koreans cross into China to escape famine,
  economic privation, and political oppression; North Korea and China
  dispute the sovereignty of certain islands in Yalu and Tumen rivers;
  Military Demarcation Line within the 4-km wide Demilitarized Zone
  has separated North from South Korea since 1953; periodic incidents
  in the Yellow Sea with South Korea which claims the Northern
  Limiting Line as a maritime boundary; North Korea supports South
  Korea in rejecting Japan's claim to Liancourt Rocks
  (Tok-do/Take-shima)

Korea, South
  Military Demarcation Line within the 4-km wide
  Demilitarized Zone has separated North from South Korea since 1953;
  periodic incidents with North Korea in the Yellow Sea over the
  Northern Limiting Line, which South Korea claims as a maritime
  boundary; South Korea and Japan claim Liancourt Rocks
  (Tok-do/Take-shima), occupied by South Korea since 1954

Kosovo
  Serbia with several other states protest the US and other
  states' recognition of Kosovo's declaring itself as a sovereign and
  independent state in February 2008; ethnic Serbian municipalities
  along Kosovo's northern border challenge final status of
  Kosovo-Serbia boundary; several thousand NATO-led KFOR peacekeepers
  under UNMIK authority continue to keep the peace within Kosovo
  between the ethnic Albanian majority and the Serb minority in
  Kosovo; Kosovo and Macedonia completed demarcation of their boundary
  in September 2008

Kuwait
  Kuwait and Saudi Arabia continue negotiating a joint maritime
  boundary with Iran; no maritime boundary exists with Iraq in the
  Persian Gulf

Kyrgyzstan
  Kyrgyzstan has yet to ratify the 2001 boundary
  delimitation with Kazakhstan; disputes in Isfara Valley delay
  completion of delimitation with Tajikistan; delimitation of 130 km
  of border with Uzbekistan is hampered by serious disputes around
  enclaves and other areas

Laos
  Southeast Asian states have enhanced border surveillance to
  check the spread of avian flu; talks continue on completion of
  demarcation with Thailand but disputes remain over islands in the
  Mekong River; concern among Mekong Commission members that China's
  construction of dams on the Mekong River will affect water levels

Latvia
  Russia demands better Latvian treatment of ethnic Russians in
  Latvia; as of January 2007, ground demarcation of the boundary with
  Belarus was complete and mapped with final ratification
  documentation in preparation; the Latvian parliament has not
  ratified its 1998 maritime boundary treaty with Lithuania, primarily
  due to concerns over oil exploration rights; as a member state that
  forms part of the EU's external border, Latvia has implemented the
  strict Schengen border rules with Russia

Lebanon
  lacking a treaty or other documentation describing the
  boundary, portions of the Lebanon-Syria boundary are unclear with
  several sections in dispute; since 2000, Lebanon has claimed Shab'a
  Farms area in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights; the roughly
  2,000-strong UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has been in place
  since 1978

Lesotho
  none

Liberia
  although civil unrest continues to abate with the assistance
  of 18,000 UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) peacekeepers, as of January
  2007, Liberian refugees still remain in Guinea, Cote d'Ivoire,
  Sierra Leone, and Ghana; Liberia, in turn, shelters refugees fleeing
  turmoil in Cote d'Ivoire; despite the presence of over 9,000 UN
  forces (UNOCI) in Cote d'Ivoire since 2004, ethnic conflict
  continues to spread into neighboring states who can no longer send
  their migrant workers to Ivorian cocoa plantations; UN sanctions ban
  Liberia from exporting diamonds and timber

Libya
  Libya has claimed more than 32,000 sq km in southeastern
  Algeria and about 25,000 sq km in the Tommo region of Niger in a
  currently dormant dispute; various Chadian rebels from the Aozou
  region reside in southern Libya

Liechtenstein
  none

Lithuania
  Lithuania and Russia committed to demarcating their
  boundary in 2006 in accordance with the land and maritime treaty
  ratified by Russia in May 2003 and by Lithuania in 1999; Lithuania
  operates a simplified transit regime for Russian nationals traveling
  from the Kaliningrad coastal exclave into Russia, while still
  conforming, as a EU member state having an external border with a
  non-EU member, to strict Schengen border rules; the Latvian
  parliament has not ratified its 1998 maritime boundary treaty with
  Lithuania, primarily due to concerns over potential hydrocarbons; as
  of January 2007, ground demarcation of the boundary with Belarus was
  complete and mapped with final ratification documents in preparation

Luxembourg
  none

Macau
  none

Macedonia
  Kosovo and Macedonia completed demarcation of their
  boundary in September 2008; Greece continues to reject the use of
  the name Macedonia or Republic of Macedonia

Madagascar
  claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands,
  and Juan de Nova Island (all administered by France)

Malawi
  disputes with Tanzania over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake
  Malawi) and the meandering Songwe River remain dormant

Malaysia
  Malaysia has asserted sovereignty over the Spratly Islands
  together with China, Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, and possibly
  Brunei; while the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the
  South China Sea" has eased tensions over the Spratly Islands, it is
  not the legally binding "code of conduct" sought by some parties;
  Malaysia was not party to the March 2005 joint accord among the
  national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam on
  conducting marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands;
  disputes continue over deliveries of fresh water to Singapore,
  Singapore's land reclamation, bridge construction, and maritime
  boundaries in the Johor and Singapore Straits; in November 2007, the
  ICJ will hold public hearings in response to the memorials and
  countermemorials filed by the parties in 2003 and 2005 over
  sovereignty of Pedra Branca Island/Pulau Batu Puteh, Middle Rocks
  and South Ledge; ICJ awarded Ligitan and Sipadan islands, also
  claimed by Indonesia and Philippines, to Malaysia but left maritime
  boundary and sovereignty of Unarang rock in the hydrocarbon-rich
  Celebes Sea in dispute; separatist violence in Thailand's
  predominantly Muslim southern provinces prompts measures to close
  and monitor border with Malaysia to stem terrorist activities;
  Philippines retains a dormant claim to Malaysia's Sabah State in
  northern Borneo; Brunei and Malaysia agreed in September 2008 to
  resolve their offshore and deepwater seabed dispute, resume
  hydrocarbon exploration and renounce any territorial claims on land;
  piracy remains a problem in the Malacca Strait

Maldives
  none

Mali
  none

Malta
  none

Marshall Islands
  claims US territory of Wake Island

Mauritania
  Mauritanian claims to Western Sahara remain dormant

Mauritius
  Mauritius claims the Chagos Archipelago (UK-administered
  British Indian Ocean Territory), and its former inhabitants, who
  reside chiefly in Mauritius; claims French-administered Tromelin
  Island

Mayotte
  claimed by Comoros

Mexico
  abundant rainfall in recent years along much of the Mexico-US
  border region has ameliorated periodically strained water-sharing
  arrangements; the US has intensified security measures to monitor
  and control legal and illegal personnel, transport, and commodities
  across its border with Mexico; Mexico must deal with thousands of
  impoverished Guatemalans and other Central Americans who cross the
  porous border looking for work in Mexico and the United States

Micronesia, Federated States of
  none

Moldova
  Moldova and Ukraine operate joint customs posts to monitor
  the transit of people and commodities through Moldova's break-away
  Transnistria region, which remains under OSCE supervision

Monaco
  none

Mongolia
  none

Montenegro
  none

Montserrat
  none

Morocco
  claims and administers Western Sahara whose sovereignty
  remains unresolved - UN-administered cease-fire has remained in
  effect since September 1991, but attempts to hold a referendum have
  failed and parties thus far have rejected all brokered proposals;
  Morocco protests Spain's control over the coastal enclaves of Ceuta,
  Melilla, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera, the islands of Penon de
  Alhucemas and Islas Chafarinas, and surrounding waters; discussions
  have not progressed on a comprehensive maritime delimitation,
  setting limits on resource exploration and refugee interdiction,
  since Morocco's 2002 rejection of Spain's unilateral designation of
  a median line from the Canary Islands; Morocco serves as one of the
  primary launching areas of illegal migration into Spain from North
  Africa

Mozambique
  none

Namibia
  concerns from international experts and local populations
  over the Okavango Delta ecology in Botswana and human displacement
  scuttled Namibian plans to construct a hydroelectric dam on Popa
  Falls along the Angola-Namibia border; managed dispute with South
  Africa over the location of the boundary in the Orange River;
  Namibia has supported, and in 2004 Zimbabwe dropped objections to,
  plans between Botswana and Zambia to build a bridge over the Zambezi
  River, thereby de facto recognizing a short, but not clearly
  delimited, Botswana-Zambia boundary in the river

Nauru
  none

Navassa Island
  claimed by Haiti, source of subsistence fishing

Nepal
  joint border commission continues to work on contested
  sections of boundary with India, including the 400 square kilometer
  dispute over the source of the Kalapani River; India has instituted
  a stricter border regime to restrict transit of Maoist insurgents
  and illegal cross-border activities; approximately 106,000 Bhutanese
  Lhotshampas (Hindus) have been confined in refugee camps in
  southeastern Nepal since 1990

Netherlands
  none

Netherlands Antilles
  none

New Caledonia
  Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia
  claimed by France and Vanuatu

New Zealand
  asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica (Ross
  Dependency)

Nicaragua
  memorials and countermemorials were filed by the parties
  in Nicaragua's 1999 and 2001 proceedings against Honduras and
  Colombia at the ICJ over the maritime boundary and territorial
  claims in the western Caribbean Sea, final public hearings are
  scheduled for 2007; the 1992 ICJ ruling for El Salvador and Honduras
  advised a tripartite resolution to establish a maritime boundary in
  the Gulf of Fonseca, which considers Honduran access to the Pacific;
  legal dispute over navigational rights of San Juan River on border
  with Costa Rica

Niger
  Libya claims about 25,000 sq km in a currently dormant dispute
  in the Tommo region; much of Benin-Niger boundary, including
  tripoint with Nigeria, remains undemarcated; only Nigeria and
  Cameroon have heeded the Lake Chad Commission's admonition to ratify
  the delimitation treaty which also includes the Chad-Niger and
  Niger-Nigeria boundaries

Nigeria
  Joint Border Commission with Cameroon reviewed 2002 ICJ
  ruling on the entire boundary and bilaterally resolved differences,
  including June 2006 Greentree Agreement that immediately cedes
  sovereignty of the Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon with a phase-out of
  Nigerian control within two years while resolving patriation issues;
  the ICJ ruled on an equidistance settlement of Cameroon-Equatorial
  Guinea-Nigeria maritime boundary in the Gulf of Guinea, but
  imprecisely defined coordinates in the ICJ decision and a
  sovereignty dispute between Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon over an
  island at the mouth of the Ntem River all contribute to the delay in
  implementation; only Nigeria and Cameroon have heeded the Lake Chad
  Commission's admonition to ratify the delimitation treaty which also
  includes the Chad-Niger and Niger-Nigeria boundaries

Niue
  none

Norfolk Island
  none

Northern Mariana Islands
  none

Norway
  Norway asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica (Queen Maud
  Land and its continental shelf); despite dialogue, Russia and Norway
  continue to dispute their maritime limits in the Barents Sea and
  Russia's fishing rights beyond Svalbard's territorial limits within
  the Svalbard Treaty zone

Oman
  boundary agreement reportedly signed and ratified with UAE in
  2003 for entire border, including Oman's Musandam Peninsula and Al
  Madhah exclave, but details of the alignment have not been made
  public

Pacific Ocean
  some maritime disputes (see littoral states)

Pakistan
  various talks and confidence-building measures cautiously
  have begun to defuse tensions over Kashmir, particularly since the
  October 2005 earthquake in the region; Kashmir nevertheless remains
  the site of the world's largest and most militarized territorial
  dispute with portions under the de facto administration of China
  (Aksai Chin), India (Jammu and Kashmir), and Pakistan (Azad Kashmir
  and Northern Areas); UN Military Observer Group in India and
  Pakistan (UNMOGIP) has maintained a small group of peacekeepers
  since 1949; India does not recognize Pakistan's ceding historic
  Kashmir lands to China in 1964; India and Pakistan have maintained
  their 2004 cease fire in Kashmir and initiated discussions on
  defusing the armed stand-off in the Siachen glacier region; Pakistan
  protests India's fencing the highly militarized Line of Control and
  construction of the Baglihar Dam on the Chenab River in Jammu and
  Kashmir, which is part of the larger dispute on water sharing of the
  Indus River and its tributaries; to defuse tensions and prepare for
  discussions on a maritime boundary, India and Pakistan seek
  technical resolution of the disputed boundary in Sir Creek estuary
  at the mouth of the Rann of Kutch in the Arabian Sea; Pakistani maps
  continue to show the Junagadh claim in India's Gujarat State; by
  2005, Pakistan, with UN assistance, repatriated 2.3 million Afghan
  refugees leaving slightly more than a million, many of whom remain
  at their own choosing; Pakistan has proposed and Afghanistan
  protests construction of a fence and laying of mines along portions
  of their porous border; Pakistan has sent troops into remote tribal
  areas to monitor and control the border with Afghanistan and to stem
  terrorist or other illegal activities

Palau
  maritime delineation negotiations continue with Philippines,
  Indonesia

Panama
  organized illegal narcotics operations in Colombia operate
  within the remote border region with Panama

Papua New Guinea
  relies on assistance from Australia to keep out
  illegal cross-border activities from primarily Indonesia, including
  goods smuggling, illegal narcotics trafficking, and squatters and
  secessionists

Paracel Islands
  occupied by China, also claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam

Paraguay
  unruly region at convergence of Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay
  borders is locus of money laundering, smuggling, arms and illegal
  narcotics trafficking, and fundraising for extremist organizations

Peru
  Chile and Ecuador rejected Peru's November 2005 unilateral
  legislation to shift the axis of their joint treaty-defined maritime
  boundaries along the parallels of latitude to equidistance lines
  which favor Peru; organized illegal narcotics operations in Colombia
  have penetrated Peru's shared border; Peru rejects Bolivia's claim
  to restore maritime access through a sovereign corridor through
  Chile along the Peruvian border

Philippines
  Philippines claims sovereignty over certain of the
  Spratly Islands, known locally as the Kalayaan (Freedom) Islands,
  also claimed by China, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Vietnam; the 2002
  "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea," has
  eased tensions in the Spratly Islands but falls short of a legally
  binding "code of conduct" desired by several of the disputants; in
  March 2005, the national oil companies of China, the Philippines,
  and Vietnam signed a joint accord to conduct marine seismic
  activities in the Spratly Islands; Philippines retains a dormant
  claim to Malaysia's Sabah State in northern Borneo based on the
  Sultanate of Sulu's granting the Philippines Government power of
  attorney to pursue a sovereignty claim on his behalf; maritime
  delimitation negotiations continue with Palau

Pitcairn Islands
  none

Poland
  as a member state that forms part of the EU's external
  border, Poland has implemented the strict Schengen border rules to
  restrict illegal immigration and trade along its eastern borders
  with Belarus and Ukraine

Portugal
  Portugal does not recognize Spanish sovereignty over the
  territory of Olivenza based on a difference of interpretation of the
  1815 Congress of Vienna and the 1801 Treaty of Badajoz

Puerto Rico
  increasing numbers of illegal migrants from the
  Dominican Republic cross the Mona Passage to Puerto Rico each year
  looking for work

Qatar
  none

Romania
  the ICJ gave Ukraine until December 2006 to reply, and
  Romania until June 2007 to issue a rejoinder, in their dispute
  submitted in 2004 over Ukrainian-administered Zmiyinyy/Serpilor
  (Snake) Island and Black Sea maritime boundary delimitation; Romania
  also opposes Ukraine's reopening of a navigation canal from the
  Danube border through Ukraine to the Black Sea

Russia
  China and Russia have demarcated the once disputed islands at
  the Amur and Ussuri confluence and in the Argun River in accordance
  with the 2004 Agreement, ending their centuries-long border
  disputes; the sovereignty dispute over the islands of Etorofu,
  Kunashiri, Shikotan, and the Habomai group, known in Japan as the
  "Northern Territories" and in Russia as the "Southern Kurils,"
  occupied by the Soviet Union in 1945, now administered by Russia,
  and claimed by Japan, remains the primary sticking point to signing
  a peace treaty formally ending World War II hostilities; Russia and
  Georgia agree on delimiting all but small, strategic segments of the
  land boundary and the maritime boundary; OSCE observers monitor
  volatile areas such as the Pankisi Gorge in the Akhmeti region and
  the Kodori Gorge in Abkhazia; Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Russia
  signed equidistance boundaries in the Caspian seabed but the
  littoral states have no consensus on dividing the water column;
  Russia and Norway dispute their maritime limits in the Barents Sea
  and Russia's fishing rights beyond Svalbard's territorial limits
  within the Svalbard Treaty zone; various groups in Finland advocate
  restoration of Karelia (Kareliya) and other areas ceded to the
  Soviet Union following the Second World War but the Finnish
  Government asserts no territorial demands; in May 2005, Russia
  recalled its signatures to the 1996 border agreements with Estonia
  (1996) and Latvia (1997), when the two Baltic states announced
  issuance of unilateral declarations referencing Soviet occupation
  and ensuing territorial losses; Russia demands better treatment of
  ethnic Russians in Estonia and Latvia; Estonian citizen groups
  continue to press for realignment of the boundary based on the 1920
  Tartu Peace Treaty that would bring the now divided ethnic Setu
  people and parts of the Narva region within Estonia; Lithuania and
  Russia committed to demarcating their boundary in 2006 in accordance
  with the land and maritime treaty ratified by Russia in May 2003 and
  by Lithuania in 1999; Lithuania operates a simplified transit regime
  for Russian nationals traveling from the Kaliningrad coastal exclave
  into Russia, while still conforming, as an EU member state with an
  EU external border, where strict Schengen border rules apply;
  preparations for the demarcation delimitation of land boundary with
  Ukraine have commenced; the dispute over the boundary between Russia
  and Ukraine through the Kerch Strait and Sea of Azov remains
  unresolved despite a December 2003 framework agreement and on-going
  expert-level discussions; Kazakhstan and Russia boundary
  delimitation was ratified on November 2005 and field demarcation
  should commence in 2007; Russian Duma has not yet ratified 1990
  Bering Sea Maritime Boundary Agreement with the US

Rwanda
  fighting among ethnic groups - loosely associated political
  rebels, armed gangs, and various government forces in Great Lakes
  region transcending the boundaries of Burundi, Democratic Republic
  of the Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda - abated substantially from a
  decade ago due largely to UN peacekeeping, international mediation,
  and efforts by local governments to create civil societies;
  nonetheless, 57,000 Rwandan refugees still reside in 21 African
  states, including Zambia, Gabon, and 20,000 who fled to Burundi in
  2005 and 2006 to escape drought and recriminations from traditional
  courts investigating the 1994 massacres; the 2005 DROC and Rwanda
  border verification mechanism to stem rebel actions on both sides of
  the border remains in place

Saint Helena
  none

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  joins other Caribbean states to counter
  Venezuela's claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation, a
  criterion under UNCLOS, which permits Venezuela to extend its
  EEZ/continental shelf over a large portion of the eastern Caribbean
  Sea

Saint Lucia
  joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's
  claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under
  UNCLOS, which permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf
  over a large portion of the eastern Caribbean Sea

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  none

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under UNCLOS, which permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf over a large portion of the eastern Caribbean Sea

Samoa
  none

San Marino
  none

Sao Tome and Principe
  none

Saudi Arabia
  Saudi Arabia has reinforced its concrete-filled
  security barrier along sections of the now fully demarcated border
  with Yemen to stem illegal cross-border activities; Kuwait and Saudi
  Arabia continue discussions on a maritime boundary with Iran

Senegal
  The Gambia and Guinea-Bissau attempt to stem separatist
  violence, cross border raids, and arms smuggling into their
  countries from Senegal's Casamance region, and in 2006, respectively
  accepted 6,000 and 10,000 Casamance residents fleeing the conflict;
  2,500 Guinea-Bissau residents fled into Senegal in 2006 to escape
  armed confrontations along the border

Serbia
  Serbia with several other states protest the U.S. and other
  states' recognition of Kosovo's declaring itself as a sovereign and
  independent state in February 2008; ethnic Serbian municipalities
  along Kosovo's northern border challenge final status of
  Kosovo-Serbia boundary; several thousand NATO-led KFOR peacekeepers
  under UNMIK authority continue to keep the peace within Kosovo
  between the ethnic Albanian majority and the Serb minority in
  Kosovo; Serbia delimited about half of the boundary with Bosnia and
  Herzegovina, but sections along the Drina River remain in dispute

Seychelles
  together with Mauritius, Seychelles claims the Chagos
  Archipelago (UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory)

Sierra Leone
  as domestic fighting among disparate ethnic groups,
  rebel groups, warlords, and youth gangs in Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea,
  Liberia, and Sierra Leone gradually abate, the number of refugees in
  border areas has begun to slowly dwindle; Sierra Leone considers
  excessive Guinea's definition of the flood plain limits to define
  the left bank boundary of the Makona and Moa rivers and protests
  Guinea's continued occupation of these lands including the hamlet of
  Yenga occupied since 1998

Singapore
  disputes persist with Malaysia over deliveries of fresh
  water to Singapore, Singapore's extensive land reclamation works,
  bridge construction, and maritime boundaries in the Johor and
  Singapore Straits; in November 2007, the ICJ will hold public
  hearings as a consequence of the Memorials and Countermemorials
  filed by the parties in 2003 and 2005 over sovereignty of Pedra
  Branca Island/Pulau Batu Puteh, Middle Rocks and South Ledge;
  Indonesia and Singapore continue to work on finalization of their
  1973 maritime boundary agreement by defining unresolved areas north
  of Indonesia's Batam Island; piracy remains a problem in the Malacca
  Strait

Slovakia
  bilateral government, legal, technical and economic working
  group negotiations continued in 2006 between Slovakia and Hungary
  over Hungary's completion of its portion of the Gabcikovo-Nagymaros
  hydroelectric dam project along the Danube; as a member state that
  forms part of the EU's external border, Slovakia has implemented the
  strict Schengen border rules

Slovenia
  the Croatia-Slovenia land and maritime boundary agreement,
  which would have ceded most of Piran Bay and maritime access to
  Slovenia and several villages to Croatia, remains unratified and in
  dispute; Slovenia also protests Croatia's 2003 claim to an exclusive
  economic zone in the Adriatic; as a member state that forms part of
  the EU's external border, Slovenia has implemented the strict
  Schengen border rules to curb illegal migration and commerce through
  southeastern Europe while encouraging close cross-border ties with
  Croatia

Solomon Islands
  since 2003, RAMSI, consisting of police, military,
  and civilian advisors drawn from 15 countries, has assisted in
  reestablishing and maintaining civil and political order while
  reinforcing regional stability and security

Somalia
  Ethiopian forces invaded southern Somalia and routed
  Islamist Courts from Mogadishu in January 2007; "Somaliland"
  secessionists provide port facilities in Berbera to landlocked
  Ethiopia and have established commercial ties with other regional
  states; "Puntland" and "Somaliland" "governments" seek international
  support in their secessionist aspirations and overlapping border
  claims; the undemarcated former British administrative line has
  little meaning as a political separation to rival clans within
  Ethiopia's Ogaden and southern Somalia's Oromo region; Kenya works
  hard to prevent the clan and militia fighting in Somalia from
  spreading south across the border, which has long been open to
  nomadic pastoralists

South Africa
  South Africa has placed military along the border to
  apprehend the thousands of Zimbabweans fleeing economic dysfunction
  and political persecution; as of January 2007, South Africa also
  supports large numbers of refugees and asylum seekers from the
  Democratic Republic of the Congo (33,000), Somalia (20,000), Burundi
  (6,500), and other states in Africa (26,000); managed dispute with
  Namibia over the location of the boundary in the Orange River; in
  2006, Swazi king advocates resort to ICJ to claim parts of
  Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal from South Africa

South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
  Argentina, which claims the
  islands in its constitution and briefly occupied them by force in
  1982, agreed in 1995 to no longer seek settlement by force

Southern Ocean
  Antarctic Treaty defers claims (see Antarctica
  entry), but Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, NZ, Norway, and UK
  assert claims (some overlapping), including the continental shelf in
  the Southern Ocean; several states have expressed an interest in
  extending those continental shelf claims under the United Nations
  Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to include undersea
  ridges; the US and most other states do not recognize the land or
  maritime claims of other states and have made no claims themselves
  (the US and Russia have reserved the right to do so); no formal
  claims exist in the waters in the sector between 90 degrees west and
  150 degrees west

Spain
  in 2002, Gibraltar residents voted overwhelmingly by
  referendum to remain a British colony and against a "total shared
  sovereignty" arrangement while demanding participation in talks
  between the UK and Spain; Spain disapproves of UK plans to grant
  Gibraltar greater autonomy; Morocco protests Spain's control over
  the coastal enclaves of Ceuta, Melilla, and the islands of Penon de
  Velez de la Gomera, Penon de Alhucemas, and Islas Chafarinas, and
  surrounding waters; Morocco serves as the primary launching site of
  illegal migration into Spain from North Africa; Portugal does not
  recognize Spanish sovereignty over the territory of Olivenza based
  on a difference of interpretation of the 1815 Congress of Vienna and
  the 1801 Treaty of Badajoz

Spratly Islands
  all of the Spratly Islands are claimed by China,
  Taiwan, and Vietnam; parts of them are claimed by Malaysia and the
  Philippines; in 1984, Brunei established an exclusive fishing zone
  that encompasses Louisa Reef in the southern Spratly Islands but has
  not publicly claimed the reef; claimants in November 2002 signed the
  "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea,"
  which has eased tensions but falls short of a legally binding "code
  of conduct"; in March 2005, the national oil companies of China, the
  Philippines, and Vietnam signed a joint accord to conduct marine
  seismic activities in the Spratly Islands

Sri Lanka
  none

Sudan
  the effects of Sudan's almost constant ethnic and rebel
  militia fighting since the mid-20th century have penetrated all of
  the neighboring states; as of 2006, Chad, Ethiopia, Kenya, Central
  African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Uganda
  provided shelter for over half a million Sudanese refugees, which
  includes 240,000 Darfur residents driven from their homes by
  Janjawid armed militia and the Sudanese military forces; Sudan, in
  turn, hosted about 116,000 Eritreans, 20,000 Chadians, and smaller
  numbers of Ethiopians, Ugandans, Central Africans, and Congolese as
  refugees; in February 2006, Sudan and DROC signed an agreement to
  repatriate 13,300 Sudanese and 6,800 Congolese; Sudan accuses
  Eritrea of supporting Sudanese rebel groups; efforts to demarcate
  the porous boundary with Ethiopia proceed slowly due to civil and
  ethnic fighting in eastern Sudan; the boundary that separates Kenya
  and Sudan's sovereignty is unclear in the "Ilemi Triangle," which
  Kenya has administered since colonial times; Sudan claims to
  administer the Hala'ib Triangle north of the 1899 Treaty boundary
  with Egypt along the 22nd Parallel; both states withdrew their
  military presence in the 1990s, but Egypt has invested in and
  effectively administers the area; periodic violent skirmishes with
  Sudanese residents over water and grazing rights persist among
  related pastoral populations along the border with the Central
  African Republic

Suriname
  area claimed by French Guiana between Riviere Litani and
  Riviere Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa); Suriname claims a
  triangle of land between the New and Kutari/Koetari rivers in a
  historic dispute over the headwaters of the Courantyne; Guyana seeks
  United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) arbitration
  to resolve the long-standing dispute with Suriname over the axis of
  the territorial sea boundary in potentially oil-rich waters

Svalbard
  despite recent discussions, Russia and Norway dispute their
  maritime limits in the Barents Sea and Russia's fishing rights
  beyond Svalbard's territorial limits within the Svalbard Treaty zone

Swaziland
  in 2006, Swazi king advocates resort to ICJ to claim parts
  of Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal from South Africa

Sweden
  none

Switzerland
  none

Syria
  Golan Heights is Israeli-occupied with the almost 1,000-strong
  UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) patrolling a buffer zone
  since 1964; lacking a treaty or other documentation describing the
  boundary, portions of the Lebanon-Syria boundary are unclear with
  several sections in dispute; since 2000, Lebanon has claimed Shabaa
  farms in the Golan Heights; 2004 Agreement and pending demarcation
  settles border dispute with Jordan; approximately two million Iraqis
  have fled the conflict in Iraq with the majority taking refuge in
  Syria and Jordan

Taiwan
  involved in complex dispute with China, Malaysia,
  Philippines, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei over the Spratly Islands;
  the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China
  Sea" has eased tensions but falls short of a legally binding "code
  of conduct" desired by several of the disputants; Paracel Islands
  are occupied by China, but claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam; in 2003,
  China and Taiwan became more vocal in rejecting both Japan's claims
  to the uninhabited islands of the Senkaku-shoto (Diaoyu Tai) and
  Japan's unilaterally declared exclusive economic zone in the East
  China Sea where all parties engage in hydrocarbon prospecting

Tajikistan
  in 2006, China and Tajikistan pledged to commence
  demarcation of the revised boundary agreed to in the delimitation of
  2002; talks continue with Uzbekistan to delimit border and remove
  minefields; disputes in Isfara Valley delay delimitation with
  Kyrgyzstan

Tanzania
  Tanzania still hosts more than a half-million refugees,
  more than any other African country, mainly from Burundi and the
  Democratic Republic of the Congo, despite the international
  community's efforts at repatriation; disputes with Malawi over the
  boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and the meandering Songwe River
  remain dormant

Thailand
  separatist violence in Thailand's predominantly Muslim
  southern provinces prompt border closures and controls with Malaysia
  to stem terrorist activities; Southeast Asian states have enhanced
  border surveillance to check the spread of avian flu; talks continue
  on completion of demarcation with Laos but disputes remain over
  several islands in the Mekong River; despite continuing border
  committee talks, Thailand must deal with Karen and other ethnic
  rebels, refugees, and illegal cross-border activities, and as of
  2006, over 116,000 Karen, Hmong, and other refugees and asylum
  seekers from Burma; Cambodia and Thailand dispute sections of
  historic boundary with missing boundary markers; Cambodia claims
  Thai encroachments into Cambodian territory and obstructing access
  to Preah Vihear temple ruins awarded to Cambodia by ICJ decision in
  1962; Thailand is studying the feasibility of jointly constructing
  the Hatgyi Dam on the Salween river near the border with Burma; in
  2004, international environmentalist pressure prompted China to halt
  construction of 13 dams on the Salween River that flows through
  China, Burma, and Thailand

Timor-Leste
  Timor-Leste-Indonesia Boundary Committee has resolved
  all but a small portion of the land boundary, but discussions on
  maritime boundaries are stalemated over sovereignty of the
  uninhabited coral island of Pulau Batek/Fatu Sinai in the north and
  alignment with Australian claims in the south; many refugees who
  left Timor-Leste in 2003 still reside in Indonesia and refuse
  repatriation; Australia and Timor-Leste agreed in 2005 to defer the
  disputed portion of the boundary for 50 years and to split
  hydrocarbon revenues evenly outside the Joint Petroleum Development
  Area covered by the 2002 Timor Sea Treaty

Togo
  in 2001, Benin claimed Togo moved boundary monuments - joint
  commission continues to resurvey the boundary; in 2006, 14,000
  Togolese refugees remain in Benin and Ghana out of the 40,000 who
  fled there in 2005

Tokelau
  Tokelau included American Samoa's Swains Island (Olohega) in
  its 2006 draft constitution

Tonga
  none

Trinidad and Tobago
  in April 2006, the Permanent Court of
  Arbitration issued a decision that delimited a maritime boundary
  with Trinidad and Tobago and compelled Barbados to enter a fishing
  agreement that limited Barbadian fishermen's catches of flying fish
  in Trinidad and Tobago's exclusive economic zone; in 2005, Barbados
  and Trinidad and Tobago agreed to compulsory international
  arbitration under UNCLOS challenging whether the northern limit of
  Trinidad and Tobago's and Venezuela's maritime boundary extends into
  Barbadian waters; Guyana has also expressed its intention to include
  itself in the arbitration as the Trinidad and Tobago-Venezuela
  maritime boundary may extend into its waters as well

Tunisia
  none

Turkey
  complex maritime, air, and territorial disputes with Greece
  in the Aegean Sea; status of north Cyprus question remains; Syria
  and Iraq protest Turkish hydrological projects to control upper
  Euphrates waters; Turkey has expressed concern over the status of
  Kurds in Iraq; border with Armenia remains closed over
  Nagorno-Karabakh

Turkmenistan
  cotton monoculture in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan
  creates water-sharing difficulties for Amu Darya river states; field
  demarcation of the boundaries with Kazakhstan commenced in 2005, but
  Caspian seabed delimitation remains stalled with Azerbaijan, Iran,
  and Kazakhstan due to Turkmenistan's indecision over how to allocate
  the sea's waters and seabed

Turks and Caicos Islands have received Haitians fleeing economic and civil disorder

Tuvalu
  none

Uganda
  Uganda is subject to armed fighting among hostile ethnic
  groups, rebels, armed gangs, militias, and various government forces
  that extend across its borders; Uganda hosts 209,860 Sudanese,
  27,560 Congolese, and 19,710 Rwandan refugees, while Ugandan
  refugees as well as members of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) seek
  shelter in southern Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo's
  Garamba National Park; LRA forces have also attacked Kenyan villages
  across the border

Ukraine
  1997 boundary delimitation treaty with Belarus remains
  un-ratified due to unresolved financial claims, stalling demarcation
  and reducing border security; delimitation of land boundary with
  Russia is complete with preparations for demarcation underway; the
  dispute over the boundary between Russia and Ukraine through the
  Kerch Strait and Sea of Azov remains unresolved despite a December
  2003 framework agreement and ongoing expert-level discussions;
  Moldova and Ukraine operate joint customs posts to monitor transit
  of people and commodities through Moldova's break-away Transnistria
  Region, which remains under OSCE supervision; the ICJ gave Ukraine
  until December 2006 to reply, and Romania until June 2007 to rejoin,
  in their dispute submitted in 2004 over Ukrainian-administered
  Zmiyinyy/Serpilor (Snake) Island and Black Sea maritime boundary;
  Romania opposes Ukraine's reopening of a navigation canal from the
  Danube border through Ukraine to the Black Sea

United Arab Emirates
  boundary agreement was signed and ratified with
  Oman in 2003 for entire border, including Oman's Musandam Peninsula
  and Al Madhah enclaves, but contents of the agreement and detailed
  maps showing the alignment have not been published; Iran and UAE
  dispute Tunb Islands and Abu Musa Island, which Iran occupies

United Kingdom
  in 2002, Gibraltar residents voted overwhelmingly by
  referendum to reject any "shared sovereignty" arrangement between
  the UK and Spain; the Government of Gibraltar insists on equal
  participation in talks between the two countries; Spain disapproves
  of UK plans to grant Gibraltar greater autonomy; Mauritius and
  Seychelles claim the Chagos Archipelago (British Indian Ocean
  Territory), and its former inhabitants since their eviction in 1965;
  most Chagossians reside in Mauritius, and in 2001 were granted UK
  citizenship, where some have since resettled; in May 2006, the High
  Court of London reversed the UK Government's 2004 orders of council
  that banned habitation on the islands; UK rejects sovereignty talks
  requested by Argentina, which still claims the Falkland Islands
  (Islas Malvinas) and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands;
  territorial claim in Antarctica (British Antarctic Territory)
  overlaps Argentine claim and partially overlaps Chilean claim;
  Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe
  Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm

United States
  the U.S. has intensified domestic security measures
  and is collaborating closely with its neighbors, Canada and Mexico,
  to monitor and control legal and illegal personnel, transport, and
  commodities across the international borders; abundant rainfall in
  recent years along much of the Mexico-US border region has
  ameliorated periodically strained water-sharing arrangements; 1990
  Maritime Boundary Agreement in the Bering Sea still awaits Russian
  Duma ratification; managed maritime boundary disputes with Canada at
  Dixon Entrance, Beaufort Sea, Strait of Juan de Fuca, and around the
  disputed Machias Seal Island and North Rock; The Bahamas and US have
  not been able to agree on a maritime boundary; US Naval Base at
  Guantanamo Bay is leased from Cuba and only mutual agreement or US
  abandonment of the area can terminate the lease; Haiti claims
  US-administered Navassa Island; US has made no territorial claim in
  Antarctica (but has reserved the right to do so) and does not
  recognize the claims of any other states; Marshall Islands claims
  Wake Island; Tokelau included American Samoa's Swains Island among
  the islands listed in its 2006 draft constitution

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges
  none

Uruguay
  in Jan 2007, ICJ provisionally ruled Uruguay may begin
  construction of two paper mills on the Uruguay River, which forms
  the border with Argentina, while the court examines further whether
  Argentina has the legal right to stop such construction with
  potential environmental implications to both countries; uncontested
  dispute with Brazil over certain islands in the Quarai/Cuareim and
  Invernada streams and the resulting tripoint with Argentina

Uzbekistan
  prolonged drought and cotton monoculture in Uzbekistan
  and Turkmenistan creates water-sharing difficulties for Amu Darya
  river states; field demarcation of the boundaries with Kazakhstan
  commenced in 2004; border delimitation of 130 km of border with
  Kyrgyzstan is hampered by serious disputes around enclaves and other
  areas

Vanuatu
  Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia claimed by
  Vanuatu and France

Venezuela
  claims all of the area west of the Essequibo River in
  Guyana, preventing any discussion of a maritime boundary; Guyana has
  expressed its intention to join Barbados in asserting claims before
  the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) that
  Trinidad and Tobago's maritime boundary with Venezuela extends into
  their waters; dispute with Colombia over maritime boundary and
  Venezuelan-administered Los Monjes islands near the Gulf of
  Venezuela; Colombian-organized illegal narcotics and paramilitary
  activities penetrate Venezuela's shared border region; in 2006, an
  estimated 139,000 Colombians sought protection in 150 communities
  along the border in Venezuela; US, France, and the Netherlands
  recognize Venezuela's granting full effect to Aves Island, thereby
  claiming a Venezuelan EEZ/continental shelf extending over a large
  portion of the eastern Caribbean Sea; Dominica, Saint Kitts and
  Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines protest
  Venezuela's full effect claim

Vietnam
  southeast Asian states have enhanced border surveillance to
  check the spread of avian flu; Cambodia and Laos protest Vietnamese
  squatters and armed encroachments along border; an estimated 300,000
  Vietnamese refugees reside in China; establishment of a maritime
  boundary with Cambodia is hampered by unresolved dispute over the
  sovereignty of offshore islands; demarcation of the China-Vietnam
  boundary proceeds slowly and although the maritime boundary
  delimitation and fisheries agreements were ratified in June 2004,
  implementation has been delayed; China occupies the Paracel Islands
  also claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan; involved in complex dispute with
  China, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, and possibly Brunei over the
  Spratly Islands; the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in
  the South China Sea" has eased tensions but falls short of a legally
  binding "code of conduct" desired by several of the disputants;
  Vietnam continues to expand construction of facilities in the
  Spratly Islands; in March 2005, the national oil companies of China,
  the Philippines, and Vietnam signed a joint accord to conduct marine
  seismic activities in the Spratly Islands

Virgin Islands
  none

Wake Island
  claimed by Marshall Islands

Wallis and Futuna
  none

West Bank
  West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied with current
  status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement -
  permanent status to be determined through further negotiation;
  Israel continues construction of a "seam line" separation barrier
  along parts of the Green Line and within the West Bank; Israel
  withdrew from four settlements in the northern West Bank in August
  2005; since 1948, about 350 peacekeepers from the UN Truce
  Supervision Organization (UNTSO), headquartered in Jerusalem,
  monitor ceasefires, supervise armistice agreements, prevent isolated
  incidents from escalating, and assist other UN personnel in the
  region

Western Sahara
  Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, whose
  sovereignty remains unresolved; UN-administered cease-fire has
  remained in effect since September 1991, administered by the UN
  Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), but attempts
  to hold a referendum have failed and parties thus far have rejected
  all brokered proposals; several states have extended diplomatic
  relations to the "Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic" represented by
  the Polisario Front in exile in Algeria, while others recognize
  Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara; most of the approximately
  102,000 Sahrawi refugees are sheltered in camps in Tindouf, Algeria

World
  stretching over 250,000 km, the world's 322 international land
  boundaries separate 194 independent states and 71 dependencies,
  areas of special sovereignty, and other miscellaneous entities;
  ethnicity, culture, race, religion, and language have divided states
  into separate political entities as much as history, physical
  terrain, political fiat, or conquest, resulting in sometimes
  arbitrary and imposed boundaries; most maritime states have claimed
  limits that include territorial seas and exclusive economic zones;
  overlapping limits due to adjacent or opposite coasts create the
  potential for 430 bilateral maritime boundaries of which 209 have
  agreements that include contiguous and non-contiguous segments;
  boundary, borderland/resource, and territorial disputes vary in
  intensity from managed or dormant to violent or militarized;
  undemarcated, indefinite, porous, and unmanaged boundaries tend to
  encourage illegal cross-border activities, uncontrolled migration,
  and confrontation; territorial disputes may evolve from historical
  and/or cultural claims, or they may be brought on by resource
  competition; ethnic and cultural clashes continue to be responsible
  for much of the territorial fragmentation and internal displacement
  of the estimated 6.6 million people and cross-border displacements
  of 8.6 million refugees around the world as of early 2006; just over
  one million refugees were repatriated in the same period; other
  sources of contention include access to water and mineral
  (especially hydrocarbon) resources, fisheries, and arable land;
  armed conflict prevails not so much between the uniformed armed
  forces of independent states as between stateless armed entities
  that detract from the sustenance and welfare of local populations,
  leaving the community of nations to cope with resultant refugees,
  hunger, disease, impoverishment, and environmental degradation

Yemen
  Saudi Arabia has reinforced its concrete-filled security
  barrier along sections of the fully demarcated border with Yemen to
  stem illegal cross-border activities

Zambia
  in 2004, Zimbabwe dropped objections to plans between
  Botswana and Zambia to build a bridge over the Zambezi River,
  thereby de facto recognizing a short, but not clearly delimited,
  Botswana-Zambia boundary in the river

Zimbabwe
  Botswana built electric fences and South Africa has placed
  military along the border to stem the flow of thousands of
  Zimbabweans fleeing to find work and escape political persecution;
  Namibia has supported, and in 2004 Zimbabwe dropped objections to,
  plans between Botswana and Zambia to build a bridge over the Zambezi
  River, thereby de facto recognizing a short, but not clearly
  delimited, Botswana-Zambia boundary in the river

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

@2075

Field Listing :: Ethnic groups

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

Ethnic groups(%)

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

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

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

American Samoa
  native Pacific islander 91.6%, Asian 2.8%, white
  1.1%, mixed 4.2%, other 0.3% (2000 census)

Andorra
  Spanish 43%, Andorran 33%, Portuguese 11%, French 7%, other
  6% (1998)

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

Anguilla
  black (predominant) 90.1%, mixed, mulatto 4.6%, white 3.7%,
  other 1.5% (2001 census)

Antigua and Barbuda
  black 91%, mixed 4.4%, white 1.7%, other 2.9%
  (2001 census)

Argentina
  white (mostly Spanish and Italian) 97%, mestizo (mixed
  white and Amerindian ancestry), Amerindian, or other non-white
  groups 3%

Armenia
  Armenian 97.9%, Yezidi (Kurd) 1.3%, Russian 0.5%, other 0.3%
  (2001 census)

Aruba
  mixed white/Caribbean Amerindian 80%, other 20%

Australia
  white 92%, Asian 7%, aboriginal and other 1%

Austria
  Austrians 91.1%, former Yugoslavs 4% (includes Croatians,
  Slovenes, Serbs, and Bosniaks), Turks 1.6%, German 0.9%, other or
  unspecified 2.4% (2001 census)

Azerbaijan
  Azeri 90.6%, Dagestani 2.2%, Russian 1.8%, Armenian 1.5%,
  other 3.9% (1999 census)
  note: almost all Armenians live in the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh
  region

Bahamas, The
  black 85%, white 12%, Asian and Hispanic 3%

Bahrain
  Bahraini 62.4%, non-Bahraini 37.6% (2001 census)

Bangladesh
  Bengali 98%, other 2% (includes tribal groups,
  non-Bengali Muslims) (1998)

Barbados
  black 90%, white 4%, Asian and mixed 6%

Belarus
  Belarusian 81.2%, Russian 11.4%, Polish 3.9%, Ukrainian
  2.4%, other 1.1% (1999 census)

Belgium
  Fleming 58%, Walloon 31%, mixed or other 11%

Belize
  mestizo 48.7%, Creole 24.9%, Maya 10.6%, Garifuna 6.1%, other
  9.7% (2000 census)

Benin
  Fon and related 39.2%, Adja and related 15.2%, Yoruba and
  related 12.3%, Bariba and related 9.2%, Peulh and related 7%,
  Ottamari and related 6.1%, Yoa-Lokpa and related 4%, Dendi and
  related 2.5%, other 1.6% (includes Europeans), unspecified 2.9%
  (2002 census)

Bermuda
  black 54.8%, white 34.1%, mixed 6.4%, other races 4.3%,
  unspecified 0.4% (2000 census)

Bhutan
  Bhote 50%, ethnic Nepalese 35% (includes Lhotsampas - one of
  several Nepalese ethnic groups), indigenous or migrant tribes 15%

Bolivia
  Quechua 30%, mestizo (mixed white and Amerindian ancestry)
  30%, Aymara 25%, white 15%

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  Bosniak 48%, Serb 37.1%, Croat 14.3%, other
  0.6% (2000)
  note: Bosniak has replaced Muslim as an ethnic term in part to avoid
  confusion with the religious term Muslim - an adherent of Islam

Botswana
  Tswana (or Setswana) 79%, Kalanga 11%, Basarwa 3%, other,
  including Kgalagadi and white 7%

Brazil
  white 53.7%, mulatto (mixed white and black) 38.5%, black
  6.2%, other (includes Japanese, Arab, Amerindian) 0.9%, unspecified
  0.7% (2000 census)

British Virgin Islands
  black 83.4%, white 7%, other 9.6% (includes
  Indian and mixed) (2004 Census)

Brunei
  Malay 66.3%, Chinese 11.2%, indigenous 3.4%, other 19.1%
  (2004 est.)

Bulgaria
  Bulgarian 83.9%, Turk 9.4%, Roma 4.7%, other 2% (including
  Macedonian, Armenian, Tatar, Circassian) (2001 census)

Burkina Faso
  Mossi over 40%, other approximately 60% (includes
  Gurunsi, Senufo, Lobi, Bobo, Mande, and Fulani)

Burma
  Burman 68%, Shan 9%, Karen 7%, Rakhine 4%, Chinese 3%, Indian
  2%, Mon 2%, other 5%

Burundi
  Hutu (Bantu) 85%, Tutsi (Hamitic) 14%, Twa (Pygmy) 1%,
  Europeans 3,000, South Asians 2,000

Cambodia
  Khmer 90%, Vietnamese 5%, Chinese 1%, other 4%

Cameroon
  Cameroon Highlanders 31%, Equatorial Bantu 19%, Kirdi 11%,
  Fulani 10%, Northwestern Bantu 8%, Eastern Nigritic 7%, other
  African 13%, non-African less than 1%

Canada
  British Isles origin 28%, French origin 23%, other European
  15%, Amerindian 2%, other, mostly Asian, African, Arab 6%, mixed
  background 26%

Cape Verde
  Creole (mulatto) 71%, African 28%, European 1%

Cayman Islands
  mixed 40%, white 20%, black 20%, expatriates of
  various ethnic groups 20%

Central African Republic
  Baya 33%, Banda 27%, Mandjia 13%, Sara 10%,
  Mboum 7%, M'Baka 4%, Yakoma 4%, other 2%

Chad
  Sara 27.7%, Arab 12.3%, Mayo-Kebbi 11.5%, Kanem-Bornou 9%,
  Ouaddai 8.7%, Hadjarai 6.7%, Tandjile 6.5%, Gorane 6.3%, Fitri-Batha
  4.7%, other 6.4%, unknown 0.3% (1993 census)

Chile
  white and white-Amerindian 95.4%, Mapuche 4%, other indigenous
  groups 0.6% (2002 census)

China
  Han Chinese 91.5%, Zhuang, Manchu, Hui, Miao, Uyghur, Tujia,
  Yi, Mongol, Tibetan, Buyi, Dong, Yao, Korean, and other
  nationalities 8.5% (2000 census)

Christmas Island
  Chinese 70%, European 20%, Malay 10%
  note: no indigenous population (2001)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  Europeans, Cocos Malays

Colombia
  mestizo 58%, white 20%, mulatto 14%, black 4%, mixed
  black-Amerindian 3%, Amerindian 1%

Comoros
  Antalote, Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha, Sakalava

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  over 200 African ethnic groups of
  which the majority are Bantu; the four largest tribes - Mongo, Luba,
  Kongo (all Bantu), and the Mangbetu-Azande (Hamitic) make up about
  45% of the population

Congo, Republic of the
  Kongo 48%, Sangha 20%, M'Bochi 12%, Teke 17%,
  Europeans and other 3%

Cook Islands
  Cook Island Maori (Polynesian) 87.7%, part Cook Island
  Maori 5.8%, other 6.5% (2001 census)

Costa Rica
  white (including mestizo) 94%, black 3%, Amerindian 1%,
  Chinese 1%, other 1%

Cote d'Ivoire
  Akan 42.1%, Voltaiques or Gur 17.6%, Northern Mandes
  16.5%, Krous 11%, Southern Mandes 10%, other 2.8% (includes 130,000
  Lebanese and 14,000 French) (1998)

Croatia
  Croat 89.6%, Serb 4.5%, other 5.9% (including Bosniak,
  Hungarian, Slovene, Czech, and Roma) (2001 census)

Cuba
  white 65.1%, mulatto and mestizo 24.8%, black 10.1% (2002
  census)

Cyprus
  Greek 77%, Turkish 18%, other 5% (2001)

Czech Republic
  Czech 90.4%, Moravian 3.7%, Slovak 1.9%, other 4%
  (2001 census)

Denmark
  Scandinavian, Inuit, Faroese, German, Turkish, Iranian,
  Somali

Djibouti
  Somali 60%, Afar 35%, other 5% (includes French, Arab,
  Ethiopian, and Italian)

Dominica
  black 86.8%, mixed 8.9%, Carib Amerindian 2.9%, white 0.8%,
  other 0.7% (2001 census)

Dominican Republic
  mixed 73%, white 16%, black 11%

Ecuador
  mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 65%, Amerindian 25%,
  Spanish and others 7%, black 3%

Egypt
  Egyptian 99.6%, other 0.4% (2006 census)

El Salvador
  mestizo 90%, white 9%, Amerindian 1%

Equatorial Guinea
  Fang 85.7%, Bubi 6.5%, Mdowe 3.6%, Annobon 1.6%,
  Bujeba 1.1%, other 1.4% (1994 census)

Eritrea
  Tigrinya 50%, Tigre and Kunama 40%, Afar 4%, Saho (Red Sea
  coast dwellers) 3%, other 3%

Estonia
  Estonian 67.9%, Russian 25.6%, Ukrainian 2.1%, Belarusian
  1.3%, Finn 0.9%, other 2.2% (2000 census)

Ethiopia
  Oromo 32.1%, Amara 30.1%, Tigraway 6.2%, Somalie 5.9%,
  Guragie 4.3%, Sidama 3.5%, Welaita 2.4%, other 15.4% (1994 census)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  British

Faroe Islands
  Scandinavian

Fiji
  Fijian 57.3% (predominantly Melanesian with a Polynesian
  admixture), Indian 37.6%, Rotuman 1.2%, other 3.9% (European, other
  Pacific Islanders, Chinese) (2007 census)

Finland
  Finn 93.4%, Swede 5.6%, Russian 0.5%, Estonian 0.3%, Roma
  (Gypsy) 0.1%, Sami 0.1% (2006)

France
  Celtic and Latin with Teutonic, Slavic, North African,
  Indochinese, Basque minorities
  overseas departments: black, white, mulatto, East Indian, Chinese,
  Amerindian

French Polynesia
  Polynesian 78%, Chinese 12%, local French 6%,
  metropolitan French 4%

Gabon
  Bantu tribes, including four major tribal groupings (Fang,
  Bapounou, Nzebi, Obamba); other Africans and Europeans, 154,000,
  including 10,700 French and 11,000 persons of dual nationality

Gambia, The
  African 99% (Mandinka 42%, Fula 18%, Wolof 16%, Jola
  10%, Serahuli 9%, other 4%), non-African 1% (2003 census)

Gaza Strip
  Palestinian Arab

Georgia
  Georgian 83.8%, Azeri 6.5%, Armenian 5.7%, Russian 1.5%,
  other 2.5% (2002 census)

Germany
  German 91.5%, Turkish 2.4%, other 6.1% (made up largely of
  Greek, Italian, Polish, Russian, Serbo-Croatian, Spanish)

Ghana
  Akan 45.3%, Mole-Dagbon 15.2%, Ewe 11.7%, Ga-Dangme 7.3%, Guan
  4%, Gurma 3.6%, Grusi 2.6%, Mande-Busanga 1%, other tribes 1.4%,
  other 7.8% (2000 census)

Gibraltar
  Spanish, Italian, English, Maltese, Portuguese, German,
  North Africans

Greece
  population: Greek 93%, other (foreign citizens) 7% (2001
  census)
  note: percents represent citizenship, since Greece does not collect
  data on ethnicity

Greenland
  Greenlander 88% (Inuit and Greenland-born whites), Danish
  and others 12% (2000)

Grenada
  black 82%, mixed black and European 13%, European and East
  Indian 5%, and trace of Arawak/Carib Amerindian

Guam
  Chamorro 37.1%, Filipino 26.3%, other Pacific islander 11.3%,
  white 6.9%, other Asian 6.3%, other ethnic origin or race 2.3%,
  mixed 9.8% (2000 census)

Guatemala
  Mestizo (mixed Amerindian-Spanish - in local Spanish
  called Ladino) and European 59.4%, K'iche 9.1%, Kaqchikel 8.4%, Mam
  7.9%, Q'eqchi 6.3%, other Mayan 8.6%, indigenous non-Mayan 0.2%,
  other 0.1% (2001 census)

Guernsey
  UK and Norman-French descent with small percentages from
  other European countries

Guinea
  Peuhl 40%, Malinke 30%, Soussou 20%, smaller ethnic groups 10%

Guinea-Bissau
  African 99% (includes Balanta 30%, Fula 20%, Manjaca
  14%, Mandinga 13%, Papel 7%), European and mulatto less than 1%

Guyana
  East Indian 43.5%, black (African) 30.2%, mixed 16.7%,
  Amerindian 9.1%, other 0.5% (2002 census)

Haiti
  black 95%, mulatto and white 5%

Holy See (Vatican City)
  Italians, Swiss, other

Honduras
  mestizo (mixed Amerindian and European) 90%, Amerindian 7%,
  black 2%, white 1%

Hong Kong
  Chinese 95%, Filipino 1.6%, Indonesian 1.3%, other 2.1%
  (2006 census)

Hungary
  Hungarian 92.3%, Roma 1.9%, other or unknown 5.8% (2001
  census)

Iceland
  homogeneous mixture of descendants of Norse and Celts 94%,
  population of foreign origin 6%

India
  Indo-Aryan 72%, Dravidian 25%, Mongoloid and other 3% (2000)

Indonesia
  Javanese 40.6%, Sundanese 15%, Madurese 3.3%, Minangkabau
  2.7%, Betawi 2.4%, Bugis 2.4%, Banten 2%, Banjar 1.7%, other or
  unspecified 29.9% (2000 census)

Iran
  Persian 51%, Azeri 24%, Gilaki and Mazandarani 8%, Kurd 7%,
  Arab 3%, Lur 2%, Baloch 2%, Turkmen 2%, other 1%

Iraq
  Arab 75%-80%, Kurdish 15%-20%, Turkoman, Assyrian, or other 5%

Ireland
  Irish 87.4%, other white 7.5%, Asian 1.3%, black 1.1%, mixed
  1.1%, unspecified 1.6% (2006 census)

Isle of Man
  Manx (Norse-Celtic descent), Britons

Israel
  Jewish 76.4% (of which Israel-born 67.1%, Europe/America-born
  22.6%, Africa-born 5.9%, Asia-born 4.2%), non-Jewish 23.6% (mostly
  Arab) (2004)

Italy
  Italian (includes small clusters of German-, French-, and
  Slovene-Italians in the north and Albanian-Italians and
  Greek-Italians in the south)

Jamaica
  black 91.2%, mixed 6.2%, other or unknown 2.6% (2001 census)

Japan
  Japanese 98.5%, Koreans 0.5%, Chinese 0.4%, other 0.6%
  note: up to 230,000 Brazilians of Japanese origin migrated to Japan
  in the 1990s to work in industries; some have returned to Brazil
  (2004)

Jersey
  Jersey 51.1%, Britons 34.8%, Irish, French, and other white
  6.6%, Portuguese/Madeiran 6.4%, other 1.1% (2001 census)

Jordan
  Arab 98%, Circassian 1%, Armenian 1%

Kazakhstan
  Kazakh (Qazaq) 53.4%, Russian 30%, Ukrainian 3.7%, Uzbek
  2.5%, German 2.4%, Tatar 1.7%, Uygur 1.4%, other 4.9% (1999 census)

Kenya
  Kikuyu 22%, Luhya 14%, Luo 13%, Kalenjin 12%, Kamba 11%, Kisii
  6%, Meru 6%, other African 15%, non-African (Asian, European, and
  Arab) 1%

Kiribati
  Micronesian 98.8%, other 1.2% (2000 census)

Korea, North
  racially homogeneous; there is a small Chinese
  community and a few ethnic Japanese

Korea, South
  homogeneous (except for about 20,000 Chinese)

Kosovo
  Albanians 88%, Serbs 7%, other 5% (Bosniak, Gorani, Roma,
  Turk, Ashkali, Egyptian)

Kuwait
  Kuwaiti 45%, other Arab 35%, South Asian 9%, Iranian 4%,
  other 7%

Kyrgyzstan
  Kyrgyz 64.9%, Uzbek 13.8%, Russian 12.5%, Dungan 1.1%,
  Ukrainian 1%, Uygur 1%, other 5.7% (1999 census)

Laos
  Lao 55%, Khmou 11%, Hmong 8%, other (over 100 minor ethnic
  groups) 26% (2005 census)

Latvia
  Latvian 57.7%, Russian 29.6%, Belarusian 4.1%, Ukrainian
  2.7%, Polish 2.5%, Lithuanian 1.4%, other 2% (2002)

Lebanon
  Arab 95%, Armenian 4%, other 1%
  note: many Christian Lebanese do not identify themselves as Arab but
  rather as descendents of the ancient Canaanites and prefer to be
  called Phoenicians

Lesotho
  Sotho 99.7%, Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3%,

Liberia
  indigenous African 95% (including Kpelle, Bassa, Gio, Kru,
  Grebo, Mano, Krahn, Gola, Gbandi, Loma, Kissi, Vai, Dei, Bella,
  Mandingo, and Mende), Americo-Liberians 2.5% (descendants of
  immigrants from the US who had been slaves), Congo People 2.5%
  (descendants of immigrants from the Caribbean who had been slaves)

Libya
  Berber and Arab 97%, other 3% (includes Greeks, Maltese,
  Italians, Egyptians, Pakistanis, Turks, Indians, and Tunisians)

Liechtenstein
  Liechtensteiner 65.6%, other 34.4% (2000 census)

Lithuania
  Lithuanian 83.4%, Polish 6.7%, Russian 6.3%, other or
  unspecified 3.6% (2001 census)

Luxembourg
  Luxembourger 63.1%, Portuguese 13.3%, French 4.5%,
  Italian 4.3%, German 2.3%, other EU 7.3%, other 5.2% (2000 census)

Macau
  Chinese 94.3%, other 5.7% (includes Macanese - mixed
  Portuguese and Asian ancestry) (2006 census)

Macedonia
  Macedonian 64.2%, Albanian 25.2%, Turkish 3.9%, Roma
  (Gypsy) 2.7%, Serb 1.8%, other 2.2% (2002 census)

Madagascar
  Malayo-Indonesian (Merina and related Betsileo), Cotiers
  (mixed African, Malayo-Indonesian, and Arab ancestry -
  Betsimisaraka, Tsimihety, Antaisaka, Sakalava), French, Indian,
  Creole, Comoran

Malawi
  Chewa, Nyanja, Tumbuka, Yao, Lomwe, Sena, Tonga, Ngoni,
  Ngonde, Asian, European

Malaysia
  Malay 50.4%, Chinese 23.7%, indigenous 11%, Indian 7.1%,
  others 7.8% (2004 est.)

Maldives
  South Indians, Sinhalese, Arabs

Mali
  Mande 50% (Bambara, Malinke, Soninke), Peul 17%, Voltaic 12%,
  Songhai 6%, Tuareg and Moor 10%, other 5%

Malta
  Maltese (descendants of ancient Carthaginians and Phoenicians
  with strong elements of Italian and other Mediterranean stock)

Marshall Islands
  Marshallese 92.1%, mixed Marshallese 5.9%, other 2%
  (2006)

Mauritania
  mixed Moor/black 40%, Moor 30%, black 30%

Mauritius
  Indo-Mauritian 68%, Creole 27%, Sino-Mauritian 3%,
  Franco-Mauritian 2%

Mayotte
  NA

Mexico
  mestizo (Amerindian-Spanish) 60%, Amerindian or predominantly
  Amerindian 30%, white 9%, other 1%

Micronesia, Federated States of
  Chuukese 48.8%, Pohnpeian 24.2%,
  Kosraean 6.2%, Yapese 5.2%, Yap outer islands 4.5%, Asian 1.8%,
  Polynesian 1.5%, other 6.4%, unknown 1.4% (2000 census)

Moldova
  Moldovan/Romanian 78.2%, Ukrainian 8.4%, Russian 5.8%,
  Gagauz 4.4%, Bulgarian 1.9%, other 1.3% (2004 census)
  note: internal disputes with ethnic Slavs in the Transnistrian region

Monaco
  French 47%, Monegasque 16%, Italian 16%, other 21%

Mongolia
  Mongol (mostly Khalkha) 94.9%, Turkic (mostly Kazakh) 5%,
  other (including Chinese and Russian) 0.1% (2000)

Montenegro
  Montenegrin 43%, Serbian 32%, Bosniak 8%, Albanian 5%,
  other (Muslims, Croats, Roma (Gypsy)) 12% (2003 census)

Montserrat
  black, white

Morocco
  Arab-Berber 99.1%, other 0.7%, Jewish 0.2%

Mozambique
  African 99.66% (Makhuwa, Tsonga, Lomwe, Sena, and
  others), Europeans 0.06%, Euro-Africans 0.2%, Indians 0.08%

Namibia
  black 87.5%, white 6%, mixed 6.5%
  note: about 50% of the population belong to the Ovambo tribe and 9%
  to the Kavangos tribe; other ethnic groups include Herero 7%, Damara
  7%, Nama 5%, Caprivian 4%, Bushmen 3%, Baster 2%, Tswana 0.5%

Nauru
  Nauruan 58%, other Pacific Islander 26%, Chinese 8%, European
  8%

Nepal
  Chhettri 15.5%, Brahman-Hill 12.5%, Magar 7%, Tharu 6.6%,
  Tamang 5.5%, Newar 5.4%, Muslim 4.2%, Kami 3.9%, Yadav 3.9%, other
  32.7%, unspecified 2.8% (2001 census)

Netherlands
  Dutch 80.7%, EU 5%, Indonesian 2.4%, Turkish 2.2%,
  Surinamese 2%, Moroccan 2%, Netherlands Antilles & Aruba 0.8%, other
  4.8% (2008 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  mixed black 85%, other 15% (includes Carib
  Amerindian, white, East Asian)

New Caledonia
  Melanesian 44.1%, European 34.1%, Wallisian & Futunian
  9%, Tahitian 2.6%, Indonesian 2.5%, Vietnamese 1.4%, Ni-Vanuatu
  1.1%, other 5.2% (1996 census)

New Zealand
  European 69.8%, Maori 7.9%, Asian 5.7%, Pacific islander
  4.4%, other 0.5%, mixed 7.8%, unspecified 3.8% (2001 census)

Nicaragua
  mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 69%, white 17%, black
  9%, Amerindian 5%

Niger
  Haoussa 55.4%, Djerma Sonrai 21%, Tuareg 9.3%, Peuhl 8.5%,
  Kanouri Manga 4.7%, other 1.2% (2001 census)

Nigeria
  Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, is composed of more
  than 250 ethnic groups; the following are the most populous and
  politically influential: Hausa and Fulani 29%, Yoruba 21%, Igbo
  (Ibo) 18%, Ijaw 10%, Kanuri 4%, Ibibio 3.5%, Tiv 2.5%

Niue
  Niuen 78.2%, Pacific islander 10.2%, European 4.5%, mixed 3.9%,
  Asian 0.2%, unspecified 3% (2001 census)

Norfolk Island
  descendants of the Bounty mutineers, Australian, New
  Zealander, Polynesian

Northern Mariana Islands
  Asian 56.3%, Pacific islander 36.3%,
  Caucasian 1.8%, other 0.8%, mixed 4.8% (2000 census)

Norway
  Norwegian 94.4% (includes Sami, about 60,000), other European
  3.6%, other 2% (2007 estimate)

Oman
  Arab, Baluchi, South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan,
  Bangladeshi), African

Pakistan
  Punjabi 44.68%, Pashtun (Pathan) 15.42%, Sindhi 14.1%,
  Sariaki 8.38%, Muhagirs 7.57%, Balochi 3.57%, other 6.28%

Palau
  Palauan (Micronesian with Malayan and Melanesian admixtures)
  69.9%, Filipino 15.3%, Chinese 4.9%, other Asian 2.4%, white 1.9%,
  Carolinian 1.4%, other Micronesian 1.1%, other or unspecified 3.2%
  (2000 census)

Panama
  mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 70%, Amerindian and
  mixed (West Indian) 14%, white 10%, Amerindian 6%

Papua New Guinea
  Melanesian, Papuan, Negrito, Micronesian, Polynesian

Paraguay
  mestizo (mixed Spanish and Amerindian) 95%, other 5%

Peru
  Amerindian 45%, mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 37%, white
  15%, black, Japanese, Chinese, and other 3%

Philippines
  Tagalog 28.1%, Cebuano 13.1%, Ilocano 9%,
  Bisaya/Binisaya 7.6%, Hiligaynon Ilonggo 7.5%, Bikol 6%, Waray 3.4%,
  other 25.3% (2000 census)

Pitcairn Islands
  descendants of the Bounty mutineers and their
  Tahitian wives

Poland
  Polish 96.7%, German 0.4%, Belarusian 0.1%, Ukrainian 0.1%,
  other and unspecified 2.7% (2002 census)

Portugal
  homogeneous Mediterranean stock; citizens of black African
  descent who immigrated to mainland during decolonization number less
  than 100,000; since 1990 East Europeans have entered Portugal

Puerto Rico
  white (mostly Spanish origin) 76.2%, black 6.9%, Asian
  0.3%, Amerindian 0.2%, mixed 4.4%, other 12% (2007)

Qatar
  Arab 40%, Indian 18%, Pakistani 18%, Iranian 10%, other 14%

Romania
  Romanian 89.5%, Hungarian 6.6%, Roma 2.5%, Ukrainian 0.3%,
  German 0.3%, Russian 0.2%, Turkish 0.2%, other 0.4% (2002 census)

Russia
  Russian 79.8%, Tatar 3.8%, Ukrainian 2%, Bashkir 1.2%,
  Chuvash 1.1%, other or unspecified 12.1% (2002 census)

Rwanda
  Hutu (Bantu) 84%, Tutsi (Hamitic) 15%, Twa (Pygmy) 1%

Saint Barthelemy
  white, Creole (mulatto), black, Guadeloupe Mestizo
  (French-East Asia)

Saint Helena
  African descent 50%, white 25%, Chinese 25%

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  predominantly black; some British, Portuguese,
  and Lebanese

Saint Lucia
  black 82.5%, mixed 11.9%, East Indian 2.4%, other or
  unspecified 3.1% (2001 census)

Saint Martin
  creole (mulatto), black, Guadeloupe Mestizo
  (French-East Asia), white, East Indian

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  Basques and Bretons (French fishermen)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  black 66%, mixed 19%, East Indian
  6%, European 4%, Carib Amerindian 2%, other 3%

Samoa
  Samoan 92.6%, Euronesians (persons of European and Polynesian
  blood) 7%, Europeans 0.4% (2001 census)

San Marino
  Sammarinese, Italian

Sao Tome and Principe
  mestico, angolares (descendants of Angolan
  slaves), forros (descendants of freed slaves), servicais (contract
  laborers from Angola, Mozambique, and Cape Verde), tongas (children
  of servicais born on the islands), Europeans (primarily Portuguese)

Saudi Arabia
  Arab 90%, Afro-Asian 10%

Senegal
  Wolof 43.3%, Pular 23.8%, Serer 14.7%, Jola 3.7%, Mandinka
  3%, Soninke 1.1%, European and Lebanese 1%, other 9.4%

Serbia
  Serb 82.9%, Hungarian 3.9%, Romany (Gypsy) 1.4%, Yugoslavs
  1.1%, Bosniaks 1.8%, Montenegrin 0.9%, other 8% (2002 census)

Seychelles
  mixed French, African, Indian, Chinese, and Arab

Sierra Leone
  20 African ethnic groups 90% (Temne 30%, Mende 30%,
  other 30%), Creole (Krio) 10% (descendants of freed Jamaican slaves
  who were settled in the Freetown area in the late-18th century),
  refugees from Liberia's recent civil war, small numbers of
  Europeans, Lebanese, Pakistanis, and Indians

Singapore
  Chinese 76.8%, Malay 13.9%, Indian 7.9%, other 1.4% (2000
  census)

Slovakia
  Slovak 85.8%, Hungarian 9.7%, Roma 1.7%,
  Ruthenian/Ukrainian 1%, other and unspecified 1.8% (2001 census)

Slovenia
  Slovene 83.1%, Serb 2%, Croat 1.8%, Bosniak 1.1%, other or
  unspecified 12% (2002 census)

Solomon Islands
  Melanesian 94.5%, Polynesian 3%, Micronesian 1.2%,
  other 1.1%, unspecified 0.2% (1999 census)

Somalia
  Somali 85%, Bantu and other non-Somali 15% (including Arabs
  30,000)

South Africa
  black African 79%, white 9.6%, colored 8.9%,
  Indian/Asian 2.5% (2001 census)

Spain
  composite of Mediterranean and Nordic types

Sri Lanka
  Sinhalese 73.8%, Sri Lankan Moors 7.2%, Indian Tamil 4.6%,
  Sri Lankan Tamil 3.9%, other 0.5%, unspecified 10% (2001 census
  provisional data)

Sudan
  black 52%, Arab 39%, Beja 6%, foreigners 2%, other 1%

Suriname
  Hindustani (also known locally as "East Indians"; their
  ancestors emigrated from northern India in the latter part of the
  19th century) 37%, Creole (mixed white and black) 31%, Javanese 15%,
  "Maroons" (their African ancestors were brought to the country in
  the 17th and 18th centuries as slaves and escaped to the interior)
  10%, Amerindian 2%, Chinese 2%, white 1%, other 2%

Svalbard
  Norwegian 55.4%, Russian and Ukrainian 44.3%, other 0.3%
  (1998)

Swaziland
  African 97%, European 3%

Sweden
  indigenous population: Swedes with Finnish and Sami
  minorities; foreign-born or first-generation immigrants: Finns,
  Yugoslavs, Danes, Norwegians, Greeks, Turks

Switzerland
  German 65%, French 18%, Italian 10%, Romansch 1%, other
  6%

Syria
  Arab 90.3%, Kurds, Armenians, and other 9.7%

Taiwan
  Taiwanese (including Hakka) 84%, mainland Chinese 14%,
  indigenous 2%

Tajikistan
  Tajik 79.9%, Uzbek 15.3%, Russian 1.1%, Kyrgyz 1.1%,
  other 2.6% (2000 census)

Tanzania
  mainland - African 99% (of which 95% are Bantu consisting
  of more than 130 tribes), other 1% (consisting of Asian, European,
  and Arab); Zanzibar - Arab, African, mixed Arab and African

Thailand
  Thai 75%, Chinese 14%, other 11%

Timor-Leste
  Austronesian (Malayo-Polynesian), Papuan, small Chinese
  minority

Togo
  African (37 tribes; largest and most important are Ewe, Mina,
  and Kabre) 99%, European and Syrian-Lebanese less than 1%

Tokelau
  Polynesian

Tonga
  Polynesian, Europeans

Trinidad and Tobago
  Indian (South Asian) 40%, African 37.5%, mixed
  20.5%, other 1.2%, unspecified 0.8% (2000 census)

Tunisia
  Arab 98%, European 1%, Jewish and other 1%

Turkey
  Turkish 70-75%, Kurdish 18%, other minorities 7-12% (2008
  est.)

Turkmenistan
  Turkmen 85%, Uzbek 5%, Russian 4%, other 6% (2003)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  black 90%, mixed, European, or North
  American 10%

Tuvalu
  Polynesian 96%, Micronesian 4%

Uganda
  Baganda 16.9%, Banyakole 9.5%, Basoga 8.4%, Bakiga 6.9%,
  Iteso 6.4%, Langi 6.1%, Acholi 4.7%, Bagisu 4.6%, Lugbara 4.2%,
  Bunyoro 2.7%, other 29.6% (2002 census)

Ukraine
  Ukrainian 77.8%, Russian 17.3%, Belarusian 0.6%, Moldovan
  0.5%, Crimean Tatar 0.5%, Bulgarian 0.4%, Hungarian 0.3%, Romanian
  0.3%, Polish 0.3%, Jewish 0.2%, other 1.8% (2001 census)

United Arab Emirates
  Emirati 19%, other Arab and Iranian 23%, South
  Asian 50%, other expatriates (includes Westerners and East Asians)
  8% (1982)
  note: less than 20% are UAE citizens (1982)

United Kingdom
  white (of which English 83.6%, Scottish 8.6%, Welsh
  4.9%, Northern Irish 2.9%) 92.1%, black 2%, Indian 1.8%, Pakistani
  1.3%, mixed 1.2%, other 1.6% (2001 census)

United States
  white 79.96%, black 12.85%, Asian 4.43%, Amerindian
  and Alaska native 0.97%, native Hawaiian and other Pacific islander
  0.18%, two or more races 1.61% (July 2007 estimate)
  note: a separate listing for Hispanic is not included because the US
  Census Bureau considers Hispanic to mean persons of
  Spanish/Hispanic/Latino origin including those of Mexican, Cuban,
  Puerto Rican, Dominican Republic, Spanish, and Central or South
  American origin living in the US who may be of any race or ethnic
  group (white, black, Asian, etc.); about 15.1% of the total US
  population is Hispanic

Uruguay
  white 88%, mestizo 8%, black 4%, Amerindian (practically
  nonexistent)

Uzbekistan
  Uzbek 80%, Russian 5.5%, Tajik 5%, Kazakh 3%, Karakalpak
  2.5%, Tatar 1.5%, other 2.5% (1996 est.)

Vanuatu
  Ni-Vanuatu 98.5%, other 1.5% (1999 Census)

Venezuela
  Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Arab, German, African,
  indigenous people

Vietnam
  Kinh (Viet) 86.2%, Tay 1.9%, Thai 1.7%, Muong 1.5%, Khome
  1.4%, Hoa 1.1%, Nun 1.1%, Hmong 1%, others 4.1% (1999 census)

Virgin Islands
  black 76.2%, white 13.1%, Asian 1.1%, other 6.1%,
  mixed 3.5% (2000 census)

Wallis and Futuna
  Polynesian

West Bank
  Palestinian Arab and other 83%, Jewish 17%

Western Sahara
  Arab, Berber

Yemen
  predominantly Arab; but also Afro-Arab, South Asians, Europeans

Zambia
  African 99.5% (includes Bemba, Tonga, Chewa, Lozi, Nsenga,
  Tumbuka, Ngoni, Lala, Kaonde, Lunda, and other African groups),
  other 0.5% (includes Europeans, Asians, and Americans) (2000 Census)

Zimbabwe
  African 98% (Shona 82%, Ndebele 14%, other 2%), mixed and
  Asian 1%, white less than 1%

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

@2076

Field Listing :: Exchange rates

This entry provides the official value of a country's monetary unit at a given date or over a given period of time, as expressed in units of local currency per US dollar and as determined by international market forces or official fiat. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 4217 alphabetic currency code for the national medium of exchange is presented in parenthesis. Country

Exchange rates

Afghanistan
  afghanis (AFA) per US dollar - 50 (2007), 46 (2006),
  47.7 (2005), 48 (2004), 49 (2003)

Akrotiri
  euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827
  note: on 1 January 2008 Akrotiri and Dhekelia adopted the euro along
  with the rest of Cyprus

Albania
  leke (ALL) per US dollar - 79.546 (2008 est.), 92.668
  (2007), 98.384 (2006), 102.649 (2005), 102.78 (2004)

Algeria
  Algerian dinars (DZD) per US dollar - 63.25 (2008 est.),
  69.9 (2007), 72.647 (2006), 73.276 (2005), 72.061 (2004)

American Samoa
  the US dollar is used

Andorra
  euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008 est.), 0.7306
  (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)

Angola
  kwanza (AOA) per US dollar - 75.023 (2008 est.), 76.6 (2007),
  80.4 (2006), 88.6 (2005), 83.541 (2004)

Anguilla
  East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar - 2.7 (2007),
  2.7 (2006), 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003)
  note: fixed rate since 1976

Antigua and Barbuda
  East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar - 2.7
  (2007), 2.7 (2006), 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003)
  note: fixed rate since 1976

Argentina
  Argentine pesos (ARS) per US dollar - 3.1636 (2008 est.),
  3.1105 (2007), 3.0543 (2006), 2.9037 (2005), 2.9233 (2004)

Armenia
  drams (AMD) per US dollar - 303.93 (2008 est.), 344.06
  (2007), 414.69 (2006), 457.69 (2005), 533.45 (2004)

Aruba
  Aruban guilders/florins (AWG) per US dollar - NA (2007), 1.79
  (2006), 1.79 (2005), 1.79 (2004), 1.79 (2003)

Australia
  Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar - 1.2059 (2008
  est.), 1.2137 (2007), 1.3285 (2006), 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004)

Austria
  euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008 est.), 0.7345
  (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)

Azerbaijan
  Azerbaijani manats (AZN) per US dollar - 0.8219 (2008
  est.), 0.8581 (2007), 0.8934 (2006), 4,727.1 (2005), 4,913.48 (2004)
  note: on 1 January 2006 Azerbaijan revalued its currency, with 5,000
  old manats equal to 1 new manat

Bahamas, The
  Bahamian dollars (BSD) per US dollar - 1 (2008 est.), 1
  (2007), 1 (2006), 1 (2005), 1 (2004)

Bahrain
  Bahraini dinars (BHD) per US dollar - 0.376 (2008 est.),
  0.376 (2007), 0.376 (2006), 0.376 (2005), 0.376 (2004)

Bangladesh
  taka (BDT) per US dollar - 68.554 (2008 est.), 69.893
  (2007), 69.031 (2006), 64.328 (2005), 59.513 (2004)

Barbados
  Barbadian dollars (BBD) per US dollar - NA (2007), 2
  (2006), 2 (2005), 2 (2004), 2 (2003)

Belarus
  Belarusian rubles (BYB/BYR) per US dollar - 2,130 (2008
  est.), 2,145 (2007), 2,144.6 (2006), 2,150 (2005), 2,160.26 (2004)

Belgium
  euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008), 0.7345 (2007),
  0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)

Belize
  Belizean dollars (BZD) per US dollar - 2 (2008), 2 (2007), 2
  (2006), 2 (2005), 2 (2004)

Benin
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -
  447.81 (2008 est.), 493.51 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005),
  528.29 (2004)
  note: since 1 January 1999, the West African CFA franc (XOF) has
  been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 CFA francs per euro;
  West African CFA franc (XOF) coins and banknotes are not accepted in
  countries using Central African CFA francs (XAF), and vice versa,
  even though the two currencies trade at par

Bermuda
  Bermudian dollars (BMD) per US dollar - 1.0000 (fixed rate
  pegged to the US dollar)

Bhutan
  ngultrum (BTN) per US dollar - 41.487 (2007), 45.279 (2006),
  44.101 (2005), 45.317 (2004), 46.583 (2003)
  note: the ngultrum is pegged to the Indian rupee

Bolivia
  bolivianos (BOB) per US dollar - 7.253 (2008 est.), 7.8616
  (2007), 8.0159 (2006), 8.0661 (2005), 7.9363 (2004)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  konvertibilna markas (BAM) per US dollar -
  1.3083 (2008 est.), 1.4419 (2007), 1.5576 (2006), 1.5727 (2005),
  1.5752 (2004)
  note: the convertible mark is pegged to the euro

Botswana
  pulas (BWP) per US dollar - 6.7907 (2008 est.), 6.2035
  (2007), 5.8447 (2006), 5.1104 (2005), 4.6929 (2004)

Brazil
  reals (BRL) per US dollar - 1.8644 (2008 est.), 1.85 (2007
  est.), 2.1761 (2006), 2.4344 (2005), 2.9251 (2004)

British Indian Ocean Territory
  the US dollar is used

British Virgin Islands
  the US dollar is used

Brunei
  Bruneian dollars (BND) per US dollar - NA (2007), 1.5886
  (2006), 1.6644 (2005), 1.6902 (2004), 1.7422 (2003)

Bulgaria
  leva (BGN) per US dollar - 1.3171 (2008 est.), 1.4366
  (2007), 1.5576 (2006), 1.5741 (2005), 1.5751 (2004)

Burkina Faso
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US
  dollar - 447.81 (2008 est.), 493.51 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47
  (2005), 528.29 (2004)
  note: since 1 January 1999, the West African CFA franc (XOF) has
  been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 CFA francs per euro;
  West African CFA franc (XOF) coins and banknotes are not accepted in
  countries using Central African CFA francs (XAF), and vice versa,
  even though the two currencies trade at par

Burma
  kyats (MMK) per US dollar - 1,205 (2008 est.), 1,296 (2007),
  1,280 (2006), 5.761 (2005), 5.7459 (2004)
  note: unofficial exchange rates ranged in 2004 from 815 kyat/US
  dollar to nearly 970 kyat/US dollar, and by yearend 2005, the
  unofficial exchange rate was 1,075 kyat/US dollar; data shown for
  2003-05 are official exchange rates

Burundi
  Burundi francs (BIF) per US dollar - 1,198 (2008 est.),
  1,065 (2007), 1,030 (2006), 1,138 (2005), 1,100.91 (2004)

Cambodia
  riels (KHR) per US dollar - 4,070.94 (2008 est.), 4,006
  (2007), 4,103 (2006), 4,092.5 (2005), 4,016.25 (2004)

Cameroon
  Cooperation Financiere en Afrique Centrale francs (XAF) per
  US dollar - 447.81 (2008 est.), 493.51 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47
  (2005), 528.29 (2004)
  note: since 1 January 1999, the Central African CFA franc (XAF) has
  been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 CFA francs per euro;
  Central African CFA franc (XAF) coins and banknotes are not accepted
  in countries using West African CFA francs (XOF), and vice versa,
  even though the two currencies trade at par

Canada
  Canadian dollars (CAD) per US dollar - 1.0364 (2008 est.),
  1.0724 (2007), 1.1334 (2006), 1.2118 (2005), 1.301 (2004)

Cape Verde
  Cape Verdean escudos (CVE) per US dollar - 73.84 (2008
  est.), 81.235 (2007), 87.946 (2006), 88.67 (2005), 88.808 (2004)

Cayman Islands
  Caymanian dollars (KYD) per US dollar - NA (2007),
  0.8496 (2006)

Central African Republic
  Cooperation Financiere en Afrique Centrale
  francs (XAF) per US dollar - 447.81 (2008 est.), 481.8 (2007),
  522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004)
  note: since 1 January 1999, the Central African CFA franc (XAF) has
  been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 CFA francs per euro;
  Central African CFA franc (XAF) coins and banknotes are not accepted
  in countries using West African CFA francs (XOF), and vice versa,
  even though the two currencies trade at par

Chad
  Cooperation Financiere en Afrique Centrale francs (XAF) per US
  dollar - 447.81 (2008 est.), 480.1 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47
  (2005), 528.29 (2004)
  note: since 1 January 1999, the Central African CFA franc (XAF) has
  been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 CFA francs per euro;
  Central African CFA franc (XAF) coins and banknotes are not accepted
  in countries using West African CFA francs (XOF), and vice versa,
  even though the two currencies trade at par

Chile
  Chilean pesos (CLP) per US dollar - 509.02 (2008 est.), 526.25
  (2007), 530.29 (2006), 560.09 (2005), 609.37 (2004)

China
  Renminbi yuan (RMB) per US dollar - 6.9385 (2008 est.), 7.61
  (2007), 7.97 (2006), 8.1943 (2005), 8.2768 (2004)

Christmas Island
  Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar - 1.2059
  (2008 est.), 1.2137 (2007), 1.3285 (2006), 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598
  (2004)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar -
  1.2059 (2008 est.), 1.2137 (2007), 1.3285 (2006), 1.3095 (2005),
  1.3598 (2004)

Colombia
  Colombian pesos (COP) per US dollar - 2,243.6 (2008),
  2,013.8 (2007), 2,358.6 (2006), 2,320.75 (2005), 2,628.61 (2004)

Comoros
  Comoran francs (KMF) per US dollar - 361.4 (2007), 391.8
  (2006), 395.6 (2005), 396.21 (2004), 435.9 (2003)
  note: the Comoran franc is pegged to the euro at a rate of 491.9677
  Comoran francs per euro

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  Congolese francs (CDF) per US
  dollar - NA (2007), 464.69 (2006), 437.86 (2005), 401.04 (2004),
  405.34 (2003)

Congo, Republic of the
  Cooperation Financiere en Afrique Centrale
  francs (XAF) per US dollar - 447.81 (2008 est.), 483.6 (2007),
  522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004)
  note: since 1 January 1999, the Central African CFA franc (XAF) has
  been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 CFA francs per euro;
  Central African CFA franc (XAF) coins and banknotes are not accepted
  in countries using West African CFA francs (XOF), and vice versa,
  even though the two currencies trade at par

Cook Islands
  NZ dollars (NZD) per US dollar - 1.4151 (2008 est.),
  1.3811 (2007), 1.5408 (2006), 1.4203 (2005), 1.5087 (2004)

Costa Rica
  Costa Rican colones (CRC) per US dollar - 530.41 (2008
  est.), 519.53 (2007), 511.3 (2006), 477.79 (2005), 437.91 (2004)

Cote d'Ivoire
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US
  dollar - 447.81 (2008 est.), 481.83 (2007), 522.89 (2006), 527.47
  (2005), 528.29 (2004)
  note: since 1 January 1999, the West African CFA franc (XOF) has
  been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 CFA francs per euro;
  West African CFA franc (XOF) coins and banknotes are not accepted in
  countries using Central African CFA francs (XAF), and vice versa,
  even though the two currencies trade at par

Croatia
  kuna (HRK) per US dollar - 4.98 (2008 est.), 5.3735 (2007),
  5.8625 (2006), 5.9473 (2005), 6.0358 (2004)

Cuba
  Cuban pesos (CUP) per US dollar - 0.9259 (2008 est.), 0.9259
  (2007), 0.9231 (2006)
  note: Cuba has two currencies in circulation: the Cuban peso (CUP)
  and the convertible peso (CUC); in April 2005 the official exchange
  rate changed from $1 per CUC to $1.08 per CUC (0.93 CUC per $1) both
  for individuals and enterprises; individuals can buy 24 Cuban pesos
  (CUP) for each CUC sold or sell 25 Cuban pesos for each CUC bought;
  enterprises, however, must exchange CUP and CUC at a 1:1 ratio.

Cyprus
  euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008 est.), Cypriot
  pounds (CYP) per US dollar - 0.4286 (2007), 0.4586 (2006), 0.4641
  (2005), 0.4686 (2004)

Czech Republic
  koruny (CZK) per US dollar - 17.064 (2008), 20.53
  (2007), 22.596 (2006), 23.957 (2005), 25.7 (2004)

Denmark
  Danish kroner (DKK) per US dollar - 5.0236 (2008 est.),
  5.4797 (2007), 5.9468 (2006), 5.9969 (2005), 5.9911 (2004)

Dhekelia
  euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008)
  note: on 1 January 2008, Dhekelia and Akrotiri adopted the euro
  along with the rest of Cyprus

Djibouti
  Djiboutian francs (DJF) per US dollar - 177.71 (2007),
  174.75 (2006), 177.72 (2005), 177.72 (2004), 177.72 (2003)

Dominica
  East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar - 2.7 (2007),
  2.7 (2006), 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003)

Dominican Republic
  Dominican pesos (DOP) per US dollar - 34.775
  (2008 est.), 33.113 (2007), 33.406 (2006), 30.409 (2005), 42.12
  (2004)

Ecuador
  the US dollar is used; the sucre was eliminated in 2000

Egypt
  Egyptian pounds (EGP) per US dollar - 5.4 (2008 est.), 5.67
  (2007), 5.725 (2006), 5.78 (2005), 6.1962 (2004)

El Salvador
  the US dollar became El Salvador's currency in 2001

Equatorial Guinea
  Cooperation Financiere en Afrique Centrale francs
  (XAF) per US dollar - 447.81 (2008 est.), 481.83 (2007), 522.4
  (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004)
  note: since 1 January 1999, the Central African CFA franc (XAF) has
  been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 CFA francs per euro;
  Central African CFA franc (XAF) coins and banknotes are not accepted
  in countries using West African CFA francs (XOF), and vice versa,
  even though the two currencies trade at par

Eritrea
  nakfa (ERN) per US dollar - 15.38 (2008 est.), 15.5 (2007),
  15.4 (2006), 14.5 (2005), 13.788 (2004)
  note: the official exchange rate is 15 nakfa to the dollar

Estonia
  krooni (EEK) per US dollar - 10.7 (2008), 11.535 (2007),
  12.473 (2006), 12.584 (2005), 12.596 (2004)
  note: the krooni is pegged to the euro

Ethiopia
  birr (ETB) per US dollar - 9.57 (2008 est.), 8.96 (2007),
  8.69 (2006), 8.68 (2005), 8.6356 (2004)
  note: since 24 October 2001, exchange rates are determined on a
  daily basis via interbank transactions regulated by the Central Bank

European Union
  euros per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008 est.), 0.7345
  (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  Falkland pounds (FKP) per US
  dollar - 0.5302 (2008), 0.4993 (2007), 0.5418 (2006), 0.5493 (2005),
  0.5462 (2004)
  note: the Falkland pound is at par with the British pound

Faroe Islands
  Danish kroner (DKK) per US dollar - 5.0236 (2008
  est.), 5.4797 (2007), 5.9468 (2006), 5.9969 (2005), 5.9911 (2004)

Fiji
  Fijian dollars (FJD) per US dollar - NA (2007), 1.7313 (2006),
  1.691 (2005), 1.7331 (2004), 1.8958 (2003)

Finland
  euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008 est.), 0.7345
  (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)

France
  euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008 est.), 0.7345
  (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)

French Polynesia
  Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US
  dollar - 87.59 (2007), 94.97 (2006), 95.89 (2005), 96.04 (2004),
  105.66 (2003)
  note: pegged at the rate of 119.25 XPF to the euro

Gabon
  Cooperation Financiere en Afrique Centrale francs (XAF) per US
  dollar - 447.81 (2008 est.), 481.83 (2007), 522.89 (2006), 527.47
  (2005), 528.29 (2004)
  note: since 1 January 1999, the Central African CFA franc (XAF) has
  been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 CFA francs per euro;
  Central African CFA franc (XAF) coins and banknotes are not accepted
  in countries using West African CFA francs (XOF), and vice versa,
  even though the two currencies trade at par

Gambia, The
  dalasis (GMD) per US dollar - 22.75 (2008 est.), 27.79
  (2007), 28.066 (2006), 28.575 (2005), 30.03 (2004)

Gaza Strip
  new Israeli shekels (ILS) per US dollar - 3.56 (2008
  est.), 4.14 (2007), 4.4565 (2006), 4.4877 (2005), 4.482 (2004)

Georgia
  laris (GEL) per US dollar - 1.47 (2008 est.), 1.7 (2007),
  1.78 (2006), 1.8127 (2005), 1.9167 (2004)

Germany
  euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008 est.), 0.7345
  (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)

Ghana
  cedis (GHC) per US dollar - 1.1 (2008 est.), 0.95 (2007),
  9,174.8 (2006), 9,072.5 (2005), 9,004.6 (2004)
  note: in 2007 Ghana revalued its currency with 10,000 old cedis
  equal to 1 new cedis

Gibraltar
  Gibraltar pounds (GIP) per US dollar - 0.4993 (2007),
  0.5434 (2006), 0.5504 (2005), 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003)
  note: the Gibraltar pound is at par with the British pound

Greece
  euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008 est.), 0.7345
  (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)

Greenland
  Danish kroner (DKK) per US dollar - 5.0236 (2008 est.),
  5.4797 (2007), 5.9468 (2006), 5.9969 (2005), 5.9911 (2004)

Grenada
  East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar - 2.7 (2007), 2.7
  (2006), 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003)

Guam
  the US dollar is used

Guatemala
  quetzales (GTQ) per US dollar - 7.5895 (2008 est.), 7.6833
  (2007), 7.6026 (2006), 7.6339 (2005), 7.9465 (2004)

Guernsey
  Guernsey pound 0.5302 (2008 est.), 0.4993 (2007), 0.5418
  (2006), 0.5493 (2005), 0.5462 (2004)
  note: the Guernsey pound is at par with the British pound

Guinea
  Guinean francs (GNF) per US dollar - 5,500 (2008 est.),
  4,122.8 (2007), 5,350 (2006), 3,644.3 (2005), 2,225 (2004)

Guinea-Bissau
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US
  dollar - 447.81 (2008 est.), 493.51 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47
  (2005), 528.29 (2004)
  note: since 1 January 1999, the West African CFA franc (XOF) has
  been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 CFA francs per euro;
  West African CFA franc (XOF) coins and banknotes are not accepted in
  countries using Central African CFA francs (XAF), and vice versa,
  even though the two currencies trade at par

Guyana
  Guyanese dollars (GYD) per US dollar - 203.86 (2008 est.),
  201.89 (2007), 200.28 (2006), 200.79 (2005), 198.31 (2004)

Haiti
  gourdes (HTG) per US dollar - 39.216 (2008 est.), 37.138
  (2007), 40.232 (2006), 40.449 (2005), 38.352 (2004)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008
  est.), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)

Honduras
  lempiras (HNL) per US dollar - 18.983 (2008 est.), 18.9
  (2007), 18.895 (2006), 18.92 (2005), 18.206 (2004)

Hong Kong
  Hong Kong dollars (HKD) per US dollar - 7.751 (2008),
  7.802 (2007), 7.7678 (2006), 7.7773 (2005), 7.788 (2004)

Hungary
  forints (HUF) per US dollar - 171.8 (2008), 183.83 (2007),
  210.39 (2006), 199.58 (2005), 202.75 (2004)

Iceland
  Icelandic kronur (ISK) per US dollar - 85.619 (2008 est.),
  63.391 (2007), 70.195 (2006), 62.982 (2005), 70.192 (2004)

India
  Indian rupees (INR) per US dollar - 43.319 (2008 est.), 41.487
  (2007), 45.3 (2006), 44.101 (2005), 45.317 (2004)

Indonesia
  Indonesian rupiah (IDR) per US dollar - 9,698.9 (2008),
  9,143 (2007), 9,159.3 (2006), 9,704.7 (2005), 8,938.9 (2004)

Iran
  Iranian rials (IRR) per US dollar - 9,142.8 (2008 est.),
  9,407.5 (2007), 9,227.1 (2006), 8,964 (2005), 8,614 (2004)
  note: Iran has been using a managed floating exchange rate regime
  since unifying multiple exchange rates in March 2002

Iraq
  New Iraqi dinars (NID) per US dollar - 1,176 (2008), 1,255
  (2007), 1,466 (2006), 1,475 (2005), 1,890 (second half, 2003)

Ireland
  euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008 est.), 0.7345
  (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)

Isle of Man
  Manx pounds (IMP) per US dollar - 0.5302 (2008 est.),
  0.4993 (2007), 0.5418 (2006), 0.5493 (2005), 0.5462 (2004)
  note: the Manx pound is at par with the British pound

Israel
  new Israeli shekels (ILS) per US dollar - 3.56 (2008 est.),
  4.14 (2007), 4.4565 (2006), 4.4877 (2005), 4.482 (2004)

Italy
  euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008 est.), 0.7345 (2007),
  0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)

Jamaica
  Jamaican dollars (JMD) per US dollar - 72.236 (2008 est.),
  69.034 (2007), 65.768 (2006), 62.51 (2005), 61.197 (2004)

Japan
  yen (JPY) per US dollar - 103.58 (2008 est.), 117.99 (2007),
  116.18 (2006), 110.22 (2005), 108.19 (2004)

Jersey
  Jersey pounds per US dollar 0.5302 (2008 est.), 0.4993
  (2007), 0.5418 (2006), 0.5493 (2005), 0.5462 (2004)
  note: the Jersey pound is at par with the British pound

Jordan
  Jordanian dinars (JOD) per US dollar - 0.709 (2008 est.),
  0.709 (2007), 0.709 (2006), 0.709 (2005), 0.709 (2004)

Kazakhstan
  tenge (KZT) per US dollar - 120.25 (2008 est.), 122.55
  (2007), 126.09 (2006), 132.88 (2005), 136.04 (2004)

Kenya
  Kenyan shillings (KES) per US dollar - 68.358 (2008 est.),
  68.309 (2007), 72.101 (2006), 75.554 (2005), 79.174 (2004)

Kiribati
  Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar - 1.2059 (2008
  est.), 1.2137 (2007), 1.3285 (2006), 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004)

Korea, North
  North Korean won (KPW) per US dollar - 140 (2007), 141
  (2006), 170 (December 2004), market rate: North Korean won per US
  dollar - 3,400 (October 2008)

Korea, South
  South Korean won (KRW) per US dollar - 1,101.7 (2008
  est.), 929.2 (2007), 954.8 (2006), 1,024.1 (2005), 1,145.3 (2004)

Kosovo
  euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008), 0.7345 (2007)

Kuwait
  Kuwaiti dinars (KD) per US dollar - 0.2679 (2008 est.),
  0.2844 (2007), 0.29 (2006), 0.292 (2005), 0.2947 (2004)

Kyrgyzstan
  soms (KGS) per US dollar - 36.108 (2008 est.), 37.746
  (2007), 40.149 (2006), 41.012 (2005), 42.65 (2004)

Laos
  kips (LAK) per US dollar - 8,760.69 (2008 est.), 9,658 (2007),
  10,235 (2006), 10,820 (2005), 10,585.5 (2004)

Latvia
  lati (LVL) per US dollar - 0.4701 (2008 est.), 0.5162 (2007),
  0.5597 (2006), 0.5647 (2005), 0.5402 (2004)

Lebanon
  Lebanese pounds (LBP) per US dollar - 1,507.5 (2008 est.),
  1,507.5 (2007), 1,507.5 (2006), 1,507.5 (2005), 1,507.5 (2004)

Lesotho
  maloti (LSL) per US dollar - 7.75 (2008 est.), 7.25 (2007),
  6.85 (2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004)

Liberia
  Liberian dollars (LRD) per US dollar - NA (2007), 59.43
  (2006), 53.098 (2005), 54.906 (2004), 59.379 (2003)

Libya
  Libyan dinars (LYD) per US dollar - 1.2112 (2008 est.), 1.2604
  (2007), 1.3108 (2006), 1.3084 (2005), 1.305 (2004)

Liechtenstein
  Swiss francs (CHF) per US dollar - 1.0774 (2008 est.),
  1.1973 (2007), 1.2539 (2006), 1.2452 (2005), 1.2435 (2004)

Lithuania
  litai (LTL) per US dollar - 2.3251 (2008 est.), 2.5362
  (2007), 2.7498 (2006), 2.774 (2005), 2.7806 (2004)

Luxembourg
  euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008 est.), 0.7345
  (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)

Macau
  patacas (MOP) per US dollar - 8.011 (2007), 8.0015 (2006),
  8.011 (2005), 8.022 (2004), 8.021 (2003)

Macedonia
  Macedonian denars (MKD) per US dollar - 41.414 (2008
  est.), 44.732 (2007), 48.978 (2006), 48.92 (2005), 49.41 (2004)

Madagascar
  Malagasy ariary (MGA) per US dollar - 1,654.78 (2008
  est.), 1,880 (2007), 2,161.4 (2006), 2,003 (2005), 1,868.9 (2004)

Malawi
  Malawian kwachas (MWK) per US dollar - 142.41 (2008 est.),
  141.12 (2007), 135.96 (2006), 108.894 (2005), 108.898 (2004)

Malaysia
  ringgits (MYR) per US dollar - 3.33 (2008 est.), 3.46
  (2007), 3.6683 (2006), 3.8 (2005), 3.8 (2004)

Maldives
  rufiyaa (MVR) per US dollar - 12.8 (2008), 12.8 (2007),
  12.8 (2006), 12.8 (2005), 12.8 (2004)

Mali
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -
  447.81 (2008 est.), 493.51 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005),
  528.29 (2004)
  note: since 1 January 1999, the West African CFA franc (XOF) has
  been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 CFA francs per euro;
  West African CFA franc (XOF) coins and banknotes are not accepted in
  countries using Central African CFA francs (XAF), and vice versa,
  even though the two currencies trade at par

Malta
  euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008 est.), Maltese liri
  per US dollar - 0.3106 (2007), 0.37 (2006), 0.34578 (2005), 0.34466
  (2004), 0.37723 (2003)

Marshall Islands
  the US dollar is used

Mauritania
  ouguiyas (MRO) per US dollar - NA (2007), 271.3 (2006),
  267.04 (2005), 265.8 (2004), 263.03 (2003)

Mauritius
  Mauritian rupees (MUR) per US dollar - 27.973 (2008 est.),
  31.798 (2007), 31.656 (2006), 29.496 (2005), 27.499 (2004)

Mayotte
  euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6734 (2008 est.), 0.7345
  (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)

Mexico
  Mexican pesos (MXN) per US dollar - 11.016 (2008 est.), 10.8
  (2007), 10.899 (2006), 10.898 (2005), 11.286 (2004)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  the US dollar is used

Moldova
  Moldovan lei (MDL) per US dollar - 10.326 (2008 est.),
  12.177 (2007), 13.131 (2006), 12.6 (2005), 12.33 (2004)

Monaco
  euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008 est.), 0.7345
  (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)

Mongolia
  togrog/tugriks (MNT) per US dollar - 1,267.51 (2008), 1,170
  (2007), 1,165 (2006), 1,205 (2005), 1,185.3 (2004)

Montenegro
  euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008 est.), 0.7345
  (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)

Montserrat
  East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar - 2.7 (2007),
  2.7 (2006), 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003)
  note: fixed rate since 1976

Morocco
  Moroccan dirhams (MAD) per US dollar - 7.526 (2008 est.),
  8.3563 (2007), 8.7722 (2006), 8.865 (2005), 8.868 (2004)

Mozambique
  meticais (MZM) per US dollar - 24.125 (2008 est.), 26.264
  (2007), 25.4 (2006), 23,061 (2005), 22,581 (2004)
  note: in 2006 Mozambique revalued its currency, with 1000 old
  meticais equal to 1 new meticais

Namibia
  Namibian dollars (NAD) per US dollar - 7.75 (2008 est.),
  7.18 (2007), 6.7649 (2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004)

Nauru
  Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar - 1.2059 (2008 est.),
  1.2137 (2007), 1.3285 (2006), 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004)

Nepal
  Nepalese rupees (NPR) per US dollar - 65.21 (2008), 70.35
  (2007), 72.446 (2006), 72.16 (2005), 73.674 (2004)

Netherlands
  euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008 est.), 0.7345
  (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)

Netherlands Antilles
  Netherlands Antillean guilders (ANG) per US
  dollar - NA (2007), 1.79 (2006), 1.79 (2005), 1.79 (2004), 1.79
  (2003)

New Caledonia
  Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US
  dollar - 87.59 (2007), 94.97 (2006), 95.89 (2005), 96.04 (2004),
  105.66 (2003)

New Zealand
  New Zealand dollars (NZD) per US dollar - 1.4151 (2008
  est.), 1.3811 (2007), 1.5408 (2006), 1.4203 (2005), 1.5087 (2004)

Nicaragua
  cordobas (NIO) per US dollar - 19.374 (2008 est.), 18.457
  (2007), 17.582 (2006), 16.733 (2005), 15.937 (2004)

Niger
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -
  447.81 (2008 est.), 493.51 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005),
  528.29 (2004)
  note: since 1 January 1999, the West African CFA franc (XOF) has
  been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 CFA francs per euro;
  West African CFA franc (XOF) coins and banknotes are not accepted in
  countries using Central African CFA francs (XAF), and vice versa,
  even though the two currencies trade at par

Nigeria
  nairas (NGN) per US dollar - 117.8 (2008 est.), 127.46
  (2007), 127.38 (2006), 132.59 (2005), 132.89 (2004)

Niue
  New Zealand dollars (NZD) per US dollar - 1.4151 (2008 est.),
  1.3811 (2007), 1.5408 (2006), 1.4203 (2005), 1.5087 (2004)

Norfolk Island
  Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar - 1.2059 (2008
  est.), 1.2137 (2007), 1.3285 (2006), 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004)

Northern Mariana Islands
  the US dollar is used

Norway
  Norwegian kroner (NOK) per US dollar - 5.6361 (2008), 5.86
  (2007), 6.418 (2006), 6.445 (2005), 6.7327 (2004)

Oman
  Omani rials (OMR) per US dollar - 0.3845 (2008 est.), 0.3845
  (2007), 0.3845 (2006), 0.3845 (2005), 0.3845 (2004)

Pakistan
  Pakistani rupees (PKR) per US dollar - 70.64 (2008 est.),
  60.6295 (2007), 60.35 (2006), 59.515 (2005), 58.258 (2004)

Palau
  the US dollar is used

Panama
  balboas (PAB) per US dollar - 1 (2008 est.), 1 (2007), 1
  (2006), 1 (2005), 1 (2004)
  note: the US dollar is the legal currency

Papua New Guinea
  kina (PGK) per US dollar - 2.6956 (2008 est.), 3.03
  (2007), 3.0643 (2006), 3.08 (2005), 3.2225 (2004)

Paraguay
  guarani (PYG) per US dollar - 4,337.7 (2008 est.), 5,031
  (2007), 5,672.8 (2006), 6,178 (2005), 5,974.6 (2004)

Peru
  nuevo sol (PEN) per US dollar - 2.91 (2008 est.), 3.1731
  (2007), 3.2742 (2006), 3.2958 (2005), 3.4132 (2004)

Philippines
  Philippine pesos (PHP) per US dollar - 44.439 (2008
  est.), 46.148 (2007), 51.246 (2006), 55.086 (2005), 56.04 (2004)

Pitcairn Islands
  New Zealand dollars (NZD) per US dollar - 1.4151
  (2008 est.), 1.3811 (2007), 1.5408 (2006), 1.4203 (2005), 1.5087
  (2004)

Poland
  zlotych (PLN) per US dollar - 2.3 (2008 est.), 2.81 (2007),
  3.1032 (2006), 3.2355 (2005), 3.6576 (2004)
  note: zlotych is the plural form of zloty

Portugal
  euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008 est.), 0.7345
  (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)

Puerto Rico
  the US dollar is used

Qatar
  Qatari rials (QAR) per US dollar - 3.64 (2008 est.), 3.64
  (2007), 3.64 (2006), 3.64 (2005), 3.64 (2004)

Romania
  lei (RON) per US dollar - 2.5 (2008 est.), 2.43 (2007),
  2.809 (2006), 3 (2005), 3 (2004)

Russia
  Russian rubles (RUB) per US dollar - 24.3 (2008 est.), 25.659
  (2007), 27.19 (2006), 28.284 (2005), 28.814 (2004)

Rwanda
  Rwandan francs (RWF) per US dollar - 550 (2008 est.), 585
  (2007), 560 (2006), 610 (2005), 574.62 (2004)

Saint Barthelemy
  euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964
  (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003)

Saint Helena
  Saint Helenian pounds (SHP) per US dollar - 0.5302
  (2008), 0.4993 (2007), 0.5418 (2006), 0.5493 (2005), 0.5462 (2004)
  note: the Saint Helenian pound is on par with the British pound

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar -
  2.7 (2007), 2.7 (2006), 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003)

Saint Lucia
  East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar - 2.7 (2007),
  2.7 (2006), 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003)

Saint Martin
  euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008), 0.7345
  (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6734 (2008
  est.), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US
  dollar - 2.7 (2007), 2.7 (2006), 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003)

Samoa
  tala (SAT) per US dollar - NA (2007), 2.7594 (2006), 2.7103
  (2005), 2.7807 (2004), 2.9732 (2003)

San Marino
  euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6734 (2008 est.), 0.7345
  (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)

Sao Tome and Principe
  dobras (STD) per US dollar - 14,900 (2008
  est.), 13,700 (2007), 12,050 (2006), 9,900.4 (2005), 9,902.3 (2004)

Saudi Arabia
  Saudi riyals (SAR) per US dollar - 3.75 (2008 est.),
  3.745 (2007), 3.745 (2006), 3.747 (2005), 3.75 (2004)

Senegal
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -
  447.81 (2008 est.), 481.83 (2007), 522.89 (2006), 527.47 (2005),
  528.29 (2004)
  note: since 1 January 1999, the West African CFA franc (XOF) has
  been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 CFA francs per euro;
  West African CFA franc (XOF) coins and banknotes are not accepted in
  countries using Central African CFA francs (XAF), and vice versa,
  even though the two currencies trade at par

Serbia
  Serbian dinars (RSD) per US dollar - 54.5 (2007), 59.98 (2006)

Seychelles
  Seychelles rupees (SCR) per US dollar - 8 (2008 est.),
  6.5 (2007), 5.5 (2006), 5.5 (2005), 5.5 (2004)

Sierra Leone
  leones (SLL) per US dollar - NA (2007), 2,961.7 (2006),
  2,889.6 (2005), 2,701.3 (2004), 2,347.9 (2003)

Singapore
  Singapore dollars (SGD) per US dollar - 1.415 (2008 est.),
  1.507 (2007), 1.5889 (2006), 1.6644 (2005), 1.6902 (2004)

Slovakia
  Slovak koruny (SKK) per US dollar - 21.05 (2008 est.),
  24.919 (2007), 29.611 (2006), 31.018 (2005), 32.257 (2004)
  note: on 1 January 2009 Slovakia adopted the euro as legal tender

Slovenia
  euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008 est.), 0.7345
  (2007)
  note: Slovenia adopted the euro as its currency on 1 January 2007

Solomon Islands
  Solomon Islands dollars (SBD) per US dollar - NA
  (2007), 7.3447 (2006), 7.5299 (2005), 7.4847 (2004), 7.5059 (2003)

Somalia
  Somali shillings (SOS) per US dollar - NA (2007-08), 1,438.3
  (2006) official rate; the unofficial black market rate was about
  23,000 shillings per dollar as of February 2007
  note: the Republic of Somaliland, a self-declared independent
  country not recognized by any foreign government, issues its own
  currency, the Somaliland shilling

South Africa
  rand (ZAR) per US dollar - 7.9576 (2008 est.), 7.05
  (2007), 6.7649 (2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004)

Spain
  euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008 est.), 0.7345 (2007),
  0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)

Sri Lanka
  Sri Lankan rupees (LKR) per US dollar - 108.33 (2008),
  110.78 (2007), 103.99 (2006), 100.498 (2005), 101.194 (2004)

Sudan
  Sudanese pounds (SDG) per US dollar - 2.1 (2008 est.), 2.06
  (2007), 2.172 (2006), 2.4361 (2005), 2.5791 (2004)
  note: in October 2007 Sudan redenominated its currency by
  transforming 100 units of Sudanese dinar into one unit of Sudanese
  pound

Suriname
  Surinamese dollars (SRD) per US dollar - 2.745 (2007),
  2.745 (2006), 2.7317 (2005), 2.7336 (2004), 2.6013 (2003)
  note: in January 2004, the government replaced the guilder with the
  Surinamese dollar, tied to a US dollar-dominated currency basket

Svalbard
  Norwegian kroner (NOK) per US dollar - 5.6361 (2008), 5.86
  (2007), 6.418 (2006), 6.445 (2005), 6.7327 (2004)

Swaziland
  emalangeni per US dollar - 7.75 (2008 est.), 7.4 (2007),
  6.85 (2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004)

Sweden
  Swedish kronor (SEK) per US dollar - 6.4074 (2008 est.),
  6.7629 (2007), 7.3731 (2006), 7.4731 (2005), 7.3489 (2004)

Switzerland
  Swiss francs (CHF) per US dollar - 1.0774 (2008 est.),
  1.1973 (2007), 1.2539 (2006), 1.2452 (2005), 1.2435 (2004)

Syria
  Syrian pounds (SYP) per US dollar - 46.5281 (2008 est.),
  50.0085 (2007), 51.689 (2006), 50 (2005), 48.5 (2004)
  note: data for 2004-06 are the public sector rate; data for 2002-03
  are the parallel market rate in 'Amman and Beirut; the official rate
  for repaying loans was 11.25 Syrian pounds per US dollars during
  2004-06,

Taiwan
  New Taiwan dollars (TWD) per US dollar - 31.53 (2008 est.),
  32.84 (2007), 32.534 (2006), 31.71 (2005), 34.418 (2004)

Tajikistan
  Tajikistani somoni (TJS) per US dollar - 3.4563 (2008
  est.), 3.4418 (2007), 3.3 (2006), 3.1166 (2005), 2.9705 (2004)

Tanzania
  Tanzanian shillings (TZS) per US dollar - 1,178.1 (2008
  est.), 1,255 (2007), 1,251.9 (2006), 1,128.93 (2005), 1,089.33 (2004)

Thailand
  baht per US dollar - 33.37 (2008 est.), 34.52 (2007),
  37.882 (2006), 40.22 (2005), 40.222 (2004)

Timor-Leste
  the US dollar is used

Togo
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -
  447.81 (2008 est.), 482.71 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005),
  528.29 (2004)
  note: since 1 January 1999, the West African CFA franc (XOF) has
  been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 CFA francs per euro;
  West African CFA franc (XOF) coins and banknotes are not accepted in
  countries using Central African CFA francs (XAF), and vice versa,
  even though the two currencies trade at par

Tokelau
  New Zealand dollars (NZD) per US dollar - 1.4151 (2008
  est.), 1.3811 (2007), 1.5408 (2006), 1.4203 (2005), 1.5087 (2004)

Tonga
  pa'anga (TOP) per US dollar - NA (2007), 2.0277 (2006), 1.96
  (2005), 1.9716 (2004), 2.142 (2003)

Trinidad and Tobago
  Trinidad and Tobago dollars (TTD) per US dollar
  - 6.2896 (2008 est.), 6.3275 (2007), 6.3107 (2006), 6.2842 (2005),
  6.299 (2004)

Tunisia
  Tunisian dinars (TND) per US dollar - 1.211 (2008 est.),
  1.2776 (2007), 1.331 (2006), 1.2974 (2005), 1.2455 (2004)

Turkey
  Turkish liras (TRY) per US dollar - 1.3179 (2008 est.), 1.319
  (2007), 1.4286 (2006), 1.3436 (2005), 1.4255 (2004)
  note: on 1 January 2005, the old Turkish lira (TRL) was converted to
  new Turkish lira (TRY) at a rate of 1,000,000 old to 1 new Turkish
  lira; on 1 January 2009, the Turkish government dropped the word
  "new" and the currency is now called simply the Turkish lira

Turkmenistan
  Turkmen manat (TMM) per US dollar - 14,250 (as of 1 May
  2008 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  the US dollar is used

Tuvalu
  Tuvaluan dollars or Australian dollars (AUD) per U 1.2059
  (2008 est.), 1.2137 (2007), 1.3285 (2006), 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598
  (2004)

Uganda
  Ugandan shillings (UGX) per US dollar - 1,658.1 (2008 est.),
  1,685.8 (2007), 1,834.9 (2006), 1,780.7 (2005), 1,810.3 (2004)

Ukraine
  hryvnia (UAH) per US dollar - 4.9523 (2008 est.), 5.05
  (2007), 5.05 (2006), 5.1247 (2005), 5.3192 (2004)

United Arab Emirates
  Emirati dirhams (AED) per US dollar - 3.6725
  (2008 est.), 3.6725 (2007), 3.6725 (2006), 3.6725 (2005), 3.6725
  (2004)
  note: officially pegged to the US dollar since February 2002

United Kingdom
  British pounds (GBP) per US dollar - 0.5302 (2008
  est.), 0.4993 (2007), 0.5418 (2006), 0.5493 (2005), 0.5462 (2004)

United States
  British pounds per US dollar: 0.5302 (2008), 0.4993
  (2007), 0.5418 (2006), 0.5493 (2005), 0.5462 (2004)
  Canadian dollars per US dollar: 1.0364 (2008), 1.0724 (2007), 1.1334
  (2006), 1.2118 (2005), 1.3010 (2004)
  Chinese yuan per US dollar: 6.9385 (2008), 7.61 (2007), 7.97 (2006),
  8.1943 (2005), 8.2768 (2004)
  euros per US dollar: 0.6827 (2008), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006),
  0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)
  Japanese yen per US dollar: 103.58 (2008), 117.99 (2007), 116.18
  (2006) 110.22 (2005), 108.19 (2004)

Uruguay
  Uruguayan pesos (UYU) per US dollar - 20.936 (2008 est.),
  23.947 (2007), 24.048 (2006), 24.479 (2005), 28.704 (2004)

Uzbekistan
  Uzbekistani soum (UZS) per US dollar - 1,317 (2008 est.),
  1,263.8 (2007), 1,219.8 (2006), 1,020 (2005), 971.265 (2004)

Vanuatu
  vatu (VUV) per US dollar - NA (2007), 111.93 (2006), NA
  (2005), 111.79 (2004), 122.19 (2003)

Venezuela
  bolivars (VEB) per US dollar - 2.147 (2008 est.), 2,147
  (2007), 2,147 (2006), 2,089.8 (2005), 1,891.3 (2004)
  note: on 1 January 2008 Venezuela revalued its currency with 1000
  old bolivares equal to 1 new bolivar

Vietnam
  dong (VND) per US dollar - 16,548.3 (2008 est.), 16,119
  (2007), 15,983 (2006), 15,746 (2005), NA (2004)

Virgin Islands
  the US dollar is used

Wallis and Futuna
  Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per
  US dollar - 87.59 (2007), 94.97 (2006), 95.89 (2005), 96.04 (2004),
  105.66 (2003)

West Bank
  new Israeli shekels (ILS) per US dollar - 3.56 (2008
  est.), 4.14 (2007), 4.4565 (2006), 4.4877 (2005), 4.482 (2004)

Western Sahara
  Moroccan dirhams (MAD) per US dollar - 7.526 (2008
  est.), 8.3563 (2007), 8.7722 (2006), 8.865 (2005), 8.868 (2004)

Yemen
  Yemeni rials (YER) per US dollar - 199.76 (2008 est.), 199.14
  (2007), 197.18 (2006), 192.67 (2005), 184.78 (2004)

Zambia
  Zambian kwacha (ZMK) per US dollar - 3,512.9 (2008 est.),
  3,990.2 (2007), 3,601.5 (2006), 4,463.5 (2005), 4,778.9 (2004)

Zimbabwe
  Zimbabwean dollars (ZWD) per US dollar - NA (2008 est.),
  30,000 (2007), 162.07 (2006), 77.965 (2005), 5.729 (2004)
  note: these are official exchange rates; non-official rates vary
  significantly

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

@2077

Field Listing :: Executive branch

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

Executive branch

Afghanistan
  chief of state: President of the Islamic Republic of
  Afghanistan Hamid KARZAI (since 7 December 2004); First Vice
  President Ahmad Zia MASOOD; Second Vice President Abdul Karim
  KHALILI (since 7 December 2004); note - the president is both the
  chief of state and head of government; former King ZAHIR Shah held
  the honorific, "Father of the Country," and presided symbolically
  over certain occasions but lacked any governing authority; the
  honorific is not hereditary; King ZAHIR Shah died on 23 July 2007
  head of government: President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
  Hamid KARZAI (since 7 December 2004); First Vice President Ahmad Zia
  MASOOD; Second Vice President Abdul Karim KHALILI (since 7 December
  2004)
  cabinet: 25 ministers; note - under the new constitution, ministers
  are appointed by the president and approved by the National Assembly
  elections: the president and two vice presidents are elected by
  direct vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); if no
  candidate receives 50% or more of the vote in the first round of
  voting, the two candidates with the most votes will participate in a
  second round; a president can only be elected for two terms;
  election last held 20 August 2009 (next to be held in 2014)
  election results: Hamid KARZAI reelected president; percent of vote
  - Hamid KARZAI 54.6%, Abdullah ABDULLAH 27.8%, Ramazan BASHARDOST
  9.2%, Ashraf GHANI 2.7% (as reported by the Independent Election
  Commission of Afghanistan on 16 September 2009)
  note: on 2 November 2009, following the cancellation of the planned
  7 November election runoff, the UN-backed Electoral Complaints
  Commission officially declared Hamid KARZAI the winner of the 20
  August presidential election

Akrotiri
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
  head of government: Administrator Major General Jamie GORDON (since
  October 2008); note - reports to the British Ministry of Defense
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the administrator is
  appointed by the monarch

Albania
  chief of state: President of the Republic Bamir TOPI (since
  24 July 2007)
  head of government: Prime Minister Sali BERISHA (since 10 September
  2005)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister,
  nominated by the president, and approved by parliament
  elections: president elected by the Assembly for a five-year term
  (eligible for a second term); four election rounds held between 8
  and 20 July 2007 (next election to be held in 2012); prime minister
  appointed by the president
  election results: Bamir TOPI elected president; Assembly vote,
  fourth round (three-fifths majority (84 votes) required): Bamir TOPI
  85 votes, Neritan CEKA 5 votes

Algeria
  chief of state: President Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA (since 28
  April 1999)
  head of government: Prime Minister Ahmed OUYAHIA (since 23 June 2008)
  cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  note - a November 2008 constitutional amendment abolished
  presidential term limits; election last held 9 April 2009 (next to
  be held in April 2014); prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA reelected president for third
  term; percent of vote - Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA 90.2%, Louisa HANOUNE
  4.2%, Moussa TOUATI 2.3%, Djahid YOUNSI 1.4%, Ali Fawzi REBIANE less
  than 1%, Mohamed SAID less than 1%

American Samoa
  chief of state: President Barack H. OBAMA (since 20
  January 2009); Vice President Joseph R. BIDEN (since 20 January 2009)
  head of government: Governor Togiola TULAFONO (since 7 April 2003)
  cabinet: Cabinet made up of 12 department directors
  elections: under the US Constitution, residents of unincorporated
  territories, such as American Samoa, do not vote in elections for US
  president and vice president; however, they may vote in Democratic
  and Republican presidential primary elections; governor and
  lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for
  four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 4
  and 18 November 2008 (next to be held in November 2012)
  election results: Togiola TULAFONO reelected governor; percent of
  vote - Togiola TULAFONO 56.5%, Afoa Moega LUTU 43.5%

Andorra
  chief of state: French Coprince Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16
  May 2007); represented by Philippe MASSONI (since 26 July 2002) and
  Spanish Coprince Bishop Joan-Enric VIVES i SICILIA (since 12 May
  2003); represented by Nemesi MARQUES i OSTE (since 30 July 2003)
  head of government: Executive Council President Jaume BARTUMEU
  Cassany (since 5 June 2009)
  cabinet: Executive Council or Govern designated by the Executive
  Council president
  elections: Executive Council president elected by the General
  Council and formally appointed by the coprinces for a four-year
  term; election last held 26 April 2009 (next to be held in April-May
  2013)
  election results: Jaume BARTUMEU CASSANY elected executive council
  president; percent of General Council vote - NA

Angola
  chief of state: President Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS (since 21
  September 1979); note - the president is both chief of state and
  head of government
  head of government: President Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS (since 21
  September 1979); Antonio Paulo KASSOMA was named prime minister by
  MPLA on 26 September 2008
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by universal ballot for a five-year
  term (eligible for a second consecutive or discontinuous term) under
  the 1992 constitution; President DOS SANTOS was selected by the
  party to take over after the death of former President Augustino
  NETO(1979) under a one-party system and stood for reelection in
  Angola's first multiparty elections 29-30 September 1992 (next were
  to be held in September 2009 but have been postponed)
  election results: Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS 49.6%, Jonas SAVIMBI
  40.1%, making a run-off election necessary; the run-off was never
  held leaving DOS SANTOS in his current position as the president

Anguilla
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952);
  represented by Governor Alistair HARRISON (since 21 April 2009)
  head of government: Chief Minister Osbourne FLEMING (since 3 March
  2000)
  cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor from among the
  elected members of the House of Assembly
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the
  monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority
  party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed
  chief minister by the governor

Antigua and Barbuda
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6
  February 1952); represented by Governor General Louisse LAKE-TACK
  (since 17 July 2007)
  head of government: Prime Minister Winston Baldwin SPENCER (since 24
  March 2004)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the governor general on
  the advice of the prime minister
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general chosen by the
  monarch on the advice of the prime minister; following legislative
  elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the
  majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the
  governor general

Argentina
  chief of state: President Cristina FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER
  (since 10 December 2007); Vice President Julio COBOS (since 10
  December 2007); note - the president is both the chief of state and
  head of government
  head of government: President Cristina FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER (since
  10 December 2007); Vice President Julio COBOS (since 10 December
  2007)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term);
  election last held 28 October 2007 (next election to be held in 2011)
  election results: Cristina FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER elected president;
  percent of vote - Cristina FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER 45%, Elisa CARRIO
  23%, Roberto LAVAGNA 17%, Alberto Rodriguez SAA 8%

Armenia
  chief of state: President Serzh SARGSIAN (since 9 April 2008)
  head of government: Prime Minister Tigran SARGSIAN (since 9 April
  2008)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
  (eligible for a second term); election last held 19 February 2008
  (next to be held February 2013); prime minister appointed by the
  president based on majority or plurality support in parliament; the
  prime minister and Council of Ministers must resign if the National
  Assembly refuses to accept their program
  election results: Serzh SARGSIAN elected president; percent of vote
  - Serzh SARGSIAN 52.9%, Levon TER-PETROSSIAN 21.5%, Artur
  BAGHDASARIAN 16.7%

Aruba
  chief of state: Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30
  April 1980); represented by Governor General Fredis REFUNJOL (since
  11 May 2004)
  head of government: Prime Minister Mike EMAN (since 30 October 2009)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the Staten
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed for
  a six-year term by the monarch; prime minister and deputy prime
  minister elected by the Staten for four-year terms; election last
  held in 2005 (next to be held by 2009)
  election results: Nelson O. ODUBER elected prime minister; percent
  of legislative vote - NA

Australia
  chief of state: Queen of Australia ELIZABETH II (since 6
  February 1952); represented by Governor General Quentin BRYCE (since
  5 September 2008)
  head of government: Prime Minister Kevin RUDD (since 3 December
  2007); Deputy Prime Minister Julia GILLARD (since 3 December 2007)
  cabinet: prime minister nominates, from among members of Parliament,
  candidates who are subsequently sworn in by the governor general to
  serve as government ministers
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by
  the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister; following
  legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of
  a majority coalition is sworn in as prime minister by the governor
  general

Austria
  chief of state: President Heinz FISCHER (SPOe) (since 8 July
  2004)
  head of government: Chancellor Werner FAYMANN (SPOe) (since 2
  December 2008); Vice Chancellor Josef PROELL (OeVP) (since 2
  December 2008)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers chosen by the president on the advice
  of the chancellor
  elections: president elected by direct popular vote for a six-year
  term (eligible for a second term); presidential election last held
  25 April 2004 (next to be held in April 2010); chancellor formally
  chosen by the president but determined by the coalition parties
  forming a parliamentary majority; vice chancellor chosen by the
  president on the advice of the chancellor
  election results: Heinz FISCHER elected president; percent of vote -
  Heinz FISCHER 52.4%, Benita FERRERO-WALDNER 47.6%
  note: government coalition - SPOe and OeVP

Azerbaijan
  chief of state: President Ilham ALIYEV (since 31 October
  2003)
  head of government: Prime Minister Artur RASIZADE (since 4 November
  2003); First Deputy Prime Minister Yaqub EYYUBOV (since June 2006)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president and
  confirmed by the National Assembly
  elections: president elected by popular vote to a five-year term
  (eligible for a second term); election last held 15 October 2008
  (next to be held in October 2013); prime minister and first deputy
  prime minister appointed by the president and confirmed by the
  National Assembly
  election results: Ilham ALIYEV reelected president; percent of vote
  - Ilham ALIYEV 89%, Igbal AGHAZADE 2.9%, five other candidates with
  smaller percentages
  note: several political parties boycotted the election due to unfair
  conditions; OSCE observers concluded that the election did not meet
  international standards

Bahamas, The
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
  1952); represented by Governor General Arthur D. HANNA (since 1
  February 2006)
  head of government: Prime Minister Hubert A. INGRAHAM (since 4 May
  2007)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the prime
  minister's recommendation
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by
  the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the
  majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually
  appointed prime minister by the governor general; the prime minister
  recommends the deputy prime minister

Bahrain
  chief of state: King HAMAD bin Isa Al-Khalifa (since 6 March
  1999); Heir Apparent Crown Prince SALMAN bin Hamad (son of the
  monarch, born 21 October 1969)
  head of government: Prime Minister KHALIFA bin Salman Al-Khalifa
  (since 1971); Deputy Prime Ministers ALI bin Khalifa bin Salman
  Al-Khalifa, MUHAMMAD bin Mubarak Al-Khalifa, Jawad al-ARAIDH
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch
  elections: the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister appointed by
  the monarch

Bangladesh
  chief of state: President Zillur RAHMAN (since 12
  February 2009)
  head of government: Prime Minister Sheikh HASINA Wajed (since 6
  January 2009)
  cabinet: Cabinet selected by the prime minister and appointed by the
  president
  elections: president elected by National Parliament for a five-year
  term (eligible for a second term); last election held on 11 February
  2009 (next scheduled election to be held in 2014)
  election results: Zillur RAHMAN declared president-elect by the
  Election Commission on 11 February 2009 (sworn in on 12 February);
  he ran unopposed as president; percent of National Parliament vote -
  NA

Barbados
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952);
  represented by Governor General Sir Clifford Straughn HUSBANDS
  (since 1 June 1996)
  head of government: Prime Minister David THOMPSON (since 16 January
  2008)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of
  the prime minister
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by
  the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the
  majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually
  appointed prime minister by the governor general; the prime minister
  recommends the deputy prime minister

Belarus
  chief of state: President Aleksandr LUKASHENKO (since 20
  July 1994)
  head of government: Prime Minister Sergey SIDORSKIY (since 19
  December 2003); First Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir SEMASHKO (since
  December 2003)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  first election took place 23 June and 10 July 1994; according to the
  1994 constitution, the next election should have been held in 1999,
  however, Aleksandr LUKASHENKO extended his term to 2001 via a
  November 1996 referendum; subsequent election held 9 September 2001;
  an October 2004 referendum ended presidential term limits and
  allowed the president to run in a third election, which was held on
  19 March 2006; prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed
  by the president
  election results: Aleksandr LUKASHENKO reelected president; percent
  of vote - Aleksandr LUKASHENKO 82.6%, Aleksandr MILINKEVICH 6%,
  Aleksandr KOZULIN 2.3%; note - election marred by electoral fraud

Belgium
  chief of state: King ALBERT II (since 9 August 1993); Heir
  Apparent Prince PHILIPPE, son of the monarch
  head of government: Prime Minister Herman VAN ROMPUY (30 December
  2008)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers are formally appointed by the monarch
  elections: the monarchy is hereditary and constitutional; following
  legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the
  leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister
  by the monarch and then approved by parliament

Belize
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952);
  represented by Governor General Sir Colville YOUNG, Sr. (since 17
  November 1993)
  head of government: Prime Minister Dean Oliver BARROW (since 8
  February 2008); Deputy Prime Minister Gaspar VEGA (since 12 February
  2008)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of
  the prime minister
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by
  the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the
  majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually
  appointed prime minister by the governor general; prime minister
  recommends the deputy prime minister

Benin
  chief of state: President Thomas YAYI Boni (since 6 April
  2006); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Thomas YAYI Boni (since 6 April 2006)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
  (eligible for a second term); runoff election held 19 March 2006
  (next to be held in March 2011)
  election results: Thomas YAYI Boni elected president; percent of
  vote - Thomas YAYI Boni 74.5%, Adrien HOUNGBEDJI 25.5%

Bermuda
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952);
  represented by Governor Sir Richard GOZNEY (since 12 December 2007)
  head of government: Premier Ewart BROWN (since 30 October 2006);
  Deputy Premier Paula COX
  cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the premier, appointed by the governor
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the
  monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority
  party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed
  premier by the governor

Bhutan
  chief of state: King Jigme Khesar Namgyel WANGCHUCK (since 14
  December 2006); note - King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK abdicated the
  throne on 14 December 2006 and his son immediately succeeded him;
  the nearly two-year delay between the former King's abdication and
  his son's coronation on 6 November 2008 was to ensure an
  astrologically auspicious coronation date and to give the new
  King-who had limited experience-deeper administrative expertise
  under the guidance of this father
  head of government: Prime Minister Jigme THINLEY (since 9 April 2008)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers (Lhengye Shungtsog) nominated by the
  monarch, approved by the National Assembly; members serve fixed,
  five-year terms; note - there is also a Royal Advisory Council
  (Lodoi Tsokde), members nominated by the monarch
  elections: the monarch is hereditary, but democratic reforms in July
  1998 grant the National Assembly authority to remove the monarch
  with two-thirds vote; election of a new National Assembly occurred
  in March 2008; the leader of the majority party is nominated as the
  prime minister

Bolivia
  chief of state: President Juan Evo MORALES Ayma (since 22
  January 2006); Vice President Alvaro GARCIA Linera (since 22 January
  2006); note - the president is both chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Juan Evo MORALES Ayma (since 22
  January 2006); Vice President Alvaro GARCIA Linera (since 22 January
  2006)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for a single five-year term; election last held 18
  December 2005 (next to be held in December 2009)
  election results: Juan Evo MORALES Ayma elected president; percent
  of vote - Juan Evo MORALES Ayma 53.7%; Jorge Fernando QUIROGA
  Ramirez 28.6%; Samuel DORIA MEDINA Arana 7.8%; Michiaki NAGATANI
  Morishit 6.5%; Felipe QUISPE Huanca 2.2%; Guildo ANGULA Cabrera 0.7%

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  chief of state: Chairman of the Presidency
  Zeljko KOMSIC (chairman since 6 July 2009; presidency member since 1
  October 2006 - Croat); other members of the three-member presidency
  rotating (every eight months): Haris SILAJDZIC (presidency member
  since 1 October 2006 - Bosniak); and Nebojsa RADMANOVIC (presidency
  member since 1 October 2006 - Serb)
  head of government: Chairman of the Council of Ministers Nikola
  SPIRIC (since 11 January 2007)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the council chairman;
  approved by the National House of Representatives
  elections: the three members of the presidency (one Bosniak, one
  Croat, one Serb) are elected by popular vote for a four-year term
  (eligible for a second term, but then ineligible for four years);
  the chairmanship rotates every eight months and resumes where it
  left off following each national election; election last held 1
  October 2006 (next to be held in 2010); the chairman of the Council
  of Ministers is appointed by the presidency and confirmed by the
  National House of Representatives
  election results: percent of vote - Nebojsa RADMANOVIC with 53.3% of
  the votes for the Serb seat; Zeljko KOMSIC with 39.6% of the votes
  for the Croat seat; Haris SILAJDZIC with 62.8% of the votes for the
  Bosniak seat
  note: President of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina: Borjana
  KRISTO (since 21 February 2007); Vice Presidents Spomenka MICIC
  (since NA 2007) and Mirsad KEBO (since NA 2007); President of the
  Republika Srpska: Rajko KUSMANOVIC (since 28 December 2007)

Botswana
  chief of state: President Seretse Khama Ian KHAMA (since 1
  April 2008); Vice President Mompati MERAFHE (since 1 April 2008);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Seretse Khama Ian KHAMA (since 1 April
  2008); Vice President Mompati MERAFHE (since 1 April 2008)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
  elections: president indirectly elected for a five-year term
  (eligible for a second term); election last held 20 October 2004
  (next to be held on 9 October 2009); vice president appointed by the
  president
  election results: Festus G. MOGAE elected president; percent of
  National Assembly vote - 52%: note - MOGAE stepped down on 1 April
  2008 and designated KHAMA to serve out the remainder of his term

Brazil
  chief of state: President Luiz Inacio LULA da Silva (since 1
  January 2003); Vice President Jose ALENCAR (since 1 January 2003);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Luiz Inacio LULA da Silva (since 1
  January 2003); Vice President Jose ALENCAR (since 1 January 2003)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for a single four-year term; election last held 1
  October 2006 with runoff 29 October 2006 (next to be held 3 October
  2010 and, if necessary, 31 October 2010)
  election results: Luiz Inacio LULA da Silva (PT) reelected president
  - 60.83%, Geraldo ALCKMIN (PSDB) 39.17%

British Indian Ocean Territory
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II
  (since 6 February 1952)
  head of government: Commissioner Colin ROBERTS (since July 2008);
  Administrator Joanne YEADON (since December 2007); note - both
  reside in the UK and are represented by the officer commanding
  British Forces on Diego Garcia
  cabinet: NA
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; commissioner and
  administrator appointed by the monarch

British Virgin Islands
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6
  February 1952); represented by Governor David PEAREY (since 18 April
  2006)
  head of government: Premier Ralph T. O'NEAL (since 23 August 2007)
  cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor from members of
  the House of Assembly
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the
  monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority
  party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed
  premier by the governor

Brunei
  chief of state: Sultan and Prime Minister Sir HASSANAL
  Bolkiah (since 5 October 1967); note - the monarch is both the chief
  of state and head of government
  head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister Sir HASSANAL Bolkiah
  (since 5 October 1967)
  cabinet: Council of Cabinet Ministers appointed and presided over by
  the monarch; deals with executive matters; note - there is also a
  Religious Council (members appointed by the monarch) that advises on
  religious matters, a Privy Council (members appointed by the
  monarch) that deals with constitutional matters, and the Council of
  Succession (members appointed by the monarch) that determines the
  succession to the throne if the need arises
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary

Bulgaria
  chief of state: President Georgi PARVANOV (since 22 January
  2002); Vice President Angel MARIN (since 22 January 2002)
  head of government: Prime Minister Boyko BORISSOV (since 27 July
  2009); Deputy Prime Ministers Simeon DJANKOV and Tsvetan TSVETANOV
  (since 27 July 2009);
  cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and
  elected by the National Assembly
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term);
  election last held 22 and 29 October 2006 (next to be held in 2011);
  chairman of the Council of Ministers (prime minister) elected by the
  National Assembly; deputy prime ministers nominated by the prime
  minister and elected by the National Assembly
  election results: Georgi PARVANOV reelected president; percent of
  vote - Georgi PARVANOV 77.3%, Volen SIDEROV 22.7%; Sergei STANISHEV
  elected prime minister, result of legislative vote - 168 to 67

Burkina Faso
  chief of state: President Blaise COMPAORE (since 15
  October 1987)
  head of government: Prime Minister Tertius ZONGO (since 4 June 2007)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
  recommendation of the prime minister
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
  (eligible for a second term); election last held 13 November 2005
  (next to be held in 2010); in April 2000, the constitution was
  amended reducing the presidential term from seven to five years,
  enforceable as of 2005; prime minister appointed by the president
  with the consent of the legislature
  election results: Blaise COMPAORE reelected president; percent of
  popular vote - Blaise COMPAORE 80.3%, Benewende Stanislas SANKARA
  4.9%

Burma
  chief of state: Chairman of the State Peace and Development
  Council (SPDC) Sr. Gen. THAN SHWE (since 23 April 1992)
  head of government: Prime Minister, Lt. Gen THEIN SEIN (since 24
  October 2007)
  cabinet: Cabinet is overseen by SPDC; military junta assumed power
  18 September 1988 under name State Law and Order Restoration Council
  (SLORC)
  elections: none

Burundi
  chief of state: President Pierre NKURUNZIZA (since 26 August
  2005); First Vice President Yves SAVINGUVU - Tutsi (since 9 November
  2007); Second Vice President Gabriel NTISEZERANA - Hutu (since 9
  February 2007); note - the president is both the chief of state and
  head of government
  head of government: President Pierre NKURUNZIZA (since 26 August
  2005); First Vice President Yves SAVINGUVU - Tutsi (since 9 November
  2007); Second Vice President Gabriel NTISEZERANA - Hutu (since 9
  February 2007)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by president
  elections: the president is elected by popular vote to a five-year
  term (eligible for a second term); note - the constitution adopted
  in February 2005 permits the post-transition president to be elected
  by a two-thirds majority of the parliament; next elections to be
  held in August 2010; vice presidents nominated by the president,
  endorsed by parliament
  election results: Pierre NKURUNZIZA was elected president by the
  parliament by a vote of 151 to 9; note - the constitution adopted in
  February 2005 permits the post-transition president to be elected by
  a two-thirds majority of the legislature

Cambodia
  chief of state: King Norodom SIHAMONI (since 29 October
  2004)
  head of government: Prime Minister HUN SEN (since 14 January 1985)
  [co-prime minister from 1993 to 1997]; Permanent Deputy Prime
  Minister MEN SAM AN (since 25 September 2008); Deputy Prime
  Ministers SAR KHENG (since 3 February 1992); SOK AN, TEA BANH, HOR
  NAMHONG, NHEK BUNCHHAY (since 16 July 2004); BIN CHHIN (since 5
  September 2007); KEAT CHHON, YIM CHHAI LY (since 24 September 2008);
  KE KIMYAN (since 12 March 2009)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers named by the prime minister and
  appointed by the monarch
  elections: the king is chosen by a Royal Throne Council from among
  all eligible males of royal descent; following legislative
  elections, a member of the majority party or majority coalition is
  named prime minister by the Chairman of the National Assembly and
  appointed by the king

Cameroon
  chief of state: President Paul BIYA (since 6 November 1982)
  head of government: Prime Minister Philemon YANG (since 30 June 2009)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from proposals submitted
  by the prime minister
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term
  (eligible for a second term); election last held 11 October 2004
  (next to be held by October 2011); prime minister appointed by the
  president
  election results: President Paul BIYA reelected; percent of vote -
  Paul BIYA 70.9%, John FRU NDI 17.4%, Adamou Ndam NJOYA 4.5%, Garga
  Haman ADJI 3.7%

Canada
  head of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952);
  represented by Governor General Michaelle JEAN (since 27 September
  2005)
  head of government: Prime Minister Stephen HARPER (since 6 February
  2006)
  cabinet: Federal Ministry chosen by the prime minister usually from
  among the members of his own party sitting in Parliament
  elections: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by
  the monarch on the advice of the prime minister for a five-year
  term; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority
  party or the leader of the majority coalition in the House of
  Commons is automatically designated prime minister by the governor
  general

Cape Verde
  chief of state: President Pedro Verona Rodriques PIRES
  (since 22 March 2001)
  head of government: Prime Minister Jose Maria Pereira NEVES (since 1
  February 2001)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
  recommendation of the prime minister
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
  (eligible for a second term); election last held 12 February 2006
  (next to be held in February 2011); prime minister nominated by the
  National Assembly and appointed by the president
  election results: Pedro PIRES reelected president; percent of vote -
  Pedro PIRES (PAICV) 51.2%, Carlos VIEGA (MPD) 48.8%

Cayman Islands
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
  1952); represented by Governor Stuart JACK (since 23 November 2005)
  head of government: Premier McKeeva BUSH (since 6 November 2009)
  cabinet: The Cabinet (six members appointed by the governor on the
  advice of the premier, selected from among the elected members of
  the Legislative Assembly)
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; the governor is appointed by
  the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the
  majority party or coalition is appointed by the governor as premier

Central African Republic
  chief of state: President Francois BOZIZE
  (since 15 March 2003 coup)
  head of government: Prime Minister Faustin-Archange TOUADERA (since
  22 January 2008)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers
  elections: under the new constitution, the president elected to a
  five-year term (eligible for a second term); elections last held 13
  March and 8 May 2005 (next to be held in 2010); prime minister
  appointed by the political party with a parliamentary majority
  election results: Francois BOZIZE elected president; percent of
  second round balloting - Francois BOZIZE (KNK) 64.6%, Martin ZIGUELE
  (MLPC) 35.4%

Chad
  chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY Itno (since 4
  December 1990)
  head of government: Prime Minister Youssof Saleh ABBAS (since 16
  April 2008)
  cabinet: Council of State, members appointed by the president on the
  recommendation of the prime minister
  elections: president elected by popular vote to serve five-year
  term; if no candidate receives at least 50% of the total vote, the
  two candidates receiving the most votes must stand for a second
  round of voting; last held 3 May 2006 (next to be held by May 2011);
  prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY Itno reelected president;
  percent of vote - Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY 64.7%, Delwa Kassire
  KOUMAKOYE 15.1%, Albert Pahimi PADACKE 7.8%, Mahamat ABDOULAYE 7.1%,
  Brahim KOULAMALLAH 5.3%; note - a June 2005 national referendum
  altered the constitution removing presidential term limits and
  permitting Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY Itno to run for reelection

Chile
  chief of state: President Michelle BACHELET Jeria (since 11
  March 2006); note - the president is both the chief of state and
  head of government
  head of government: President Michelle BACHELET Jeria (since 11
  March 2006)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a single four-year
  term; election last held 11 December 2005, with runoff election held
  15 January 2006 (next to be held in December 2009)
  election results: Michelle BACHELET Jeria elected president; percent
  of vote - Michelle BACHELET Jeria 53.5%; Sebastian PINERA Echenique
  46.5%

China
  chief of state: President HU Jintao (since 15 March 2003);
  Vice President XI Jinping (since 15 March 2008)
  head of government: Premier WEN Jiabao (since 16 March 2003);
  Executive Vice Premier LI Keqiang (17 March 2008), Vice Premier HUI
  Liangyu (since 17 March 2003), Vice Premier ZHANG Deijiang (since 17
  March 2008), and Vice Premier WANG Qishan (since 17 March 2008)
  cabinet: State Council appointed by National People's Congress
  elections: president and vice president elected by National People's
  Congress for a five-year term (eligible for a second term);
  elections last held 15-17 March 2008 (next to be held in mid-March
  2013); premier nominated by president, confirmed by National
  People's Congress
  election results: HU Jintao elected president by National People's
  Congress with a total of 2,963 votes; XI Jinping elected vice
  president with a total of 2,919 votes

Christmas Island
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6
  February 1952) represented by the Australian governor general
  head of government: Administrator Brian LACY (since 5 October 2009)
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the
  governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and
  Australia

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6
  February 1952); represented by the Australian governor general
  head of government: Administrator (nonresident) Brian LACY (since 5
  October 2009)
  cabinet: NA
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the
  governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and
  Australia

Colombia
  chief of state: President Alvaro URIBE Velez (since 7
  August 2002); Vice President Francisco SANTOS Calderon (since 7
  August 2002); note - the president is both the chief of state and
  head of government
  head of government: President Alvaro URIBE Velez (since 7 August
  2002); Vice President Francisco SANTOS Calderon (since 7 August 2002)
  cabinet: Cabinet consists of a coalition of the three largest
  parties that supported President URIBE's reelection - the PSUN, PC,
  and CR - and independents
  elections: president and vice president elected by popular vote for
  a four-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 28
  May 2006 (next to be held in May 2010)
  election results: President Alvaro URIBE Velez reelected president;
  percent of vote - Alvaro URIBE Velez 62%, Carlos GAVIRIA Diaz 22%,
  Horacio SERPA Uribe 12%, other 4%

Comoros
  chief of state: President Ahmed Abdallah SAMBI (since 26 May
  2006)
  head of government: President Ahmed Abdallah SAMBI (since 26 May
  2006)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: as defined by the 2001 constitution, the presidency
  rotates every four years among the elected presidents from the three
  main islands in the Union; election last held 14 May 2006 (next to
  be held in 2011)
  election results: Ahmed Abdallah SAMBI elected president; percent of
  vote - Ahmed Abdallah SAMBI 58.0%, Ibrahim HALIDI 28.3%, Mohamed
  DJAANFAMI 13.7%

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  chief of state: President Joseph
  KABILA (since 17 January 2001); note - following the assassination
  of his father, Joseph KABILA succeeded to the presidency which he
  retained through the 2003-06 transition; he was subsequently elected
  president in October 2006
  head of government: Prime Minister Adolphe MUZITO (since 10 October
  2008)
  cabinet: Ministers of State appointed by the president
  elections: under the new constitution the president is elected by
  popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term);
  elections last held 30 July 2006 and 29 October 2006 (next to be
  held in October 2011); prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: Joseph KABILA elected president; percent of vote
  (second round) - Joseph KABILA 58%, Jean-Pierre BEMBA Gombo 42%
  note: Joseph KABILA succeeded his father, Laurent Desire KABILA,
  following the latter's assassination in January 2001; negotiations
  with rebel leaders led to the establishment of a transitional
  government in July 2003 with free elections held on 30 July 2006 and
  a run-off on 29 October 2006 confirming Joseph KABILA as president

Congo, Republic of the
  chief of state: President Denis
  SASSOU-Nguesso (since 25 October 1997, following the civil war in
  which he toppled elected president Pascal LISSOUBA); note - the
  president is both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Denis SASSOU-Nguesso (since 25 October
  1997); note - the position of Prime Minister was abolished in
  September 2009
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term
  (eligible for a second term); election last held 12 July 2009 (next
  to be held in 2016)
  election results: Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO reelected president; percent
  of vote - Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO 78.6%, Joseph Kignoumbi Kia MBOUNGOU
  7.5%, Nicephore Fylla de SAINT-EUDES 7%

Cook Islands
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
  1952) represented by Sir Frederick GOODWIN (since 9 February 2001);
  New Zealand High Commissioner Tia BARRETT (since December 2008),
  representative of New Zealand
  head of government: Prime Minister Jim MARURAI (since 14 December
  2004); Deputy Prime Minister Terepai MAOATE (since 9 August 2005)
  cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister; collectively
  responsible to Parliament
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; the UK representative is
  appointed by the monarch; the New Zealand high commissioner is
  appointed by the New Zealand Government; following legislative
  elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the
  majority coalition usually becomes prime minister

Coral Sea Islands
  administered from Canberra by the Australian
  Attorney-General's Department

Costa Rica
  chief of state: President Oscar ARIAS Sanchez (since 8
  May 2006); First Vice President (vacant); Second Vice President
  (vacant); note - the president is both the chief of state and head
  of government
  head of government: President Oscar ARIAS Sanchez (since 8 May
  2006); First Vice President (vacant); Second Vice President (vacant)
  cabinet: Cabinet selected by the president
  elections: president and vice presidents elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for a single four-year term; election last held 5
  February 2006 (next to be held in February 2010)
  election results: Oscar ARIAS Sanchez elected president; percent of
  vote - Oscar ARIAS Sanchez (PLN) 40.9%; Otton SOLIS (PAC) 39.8%,
  Otto GUEVARA Guth (PML) 8%, Ricardo TOLEDO (PUSC) 3%

Cote d'Ivoire
  chief of state: President Laurent GBAGBO (since 26
  October 2000)
  head of government: Prime Minister Guillaume SORO (since 4 April
  2007)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president; note -
  under the current power-sharing agreement the prime minister and the
  president share the authority to appoint ministers
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
  (no term limits); election last held 26 October 2000 (next to be
  held 29 November 2009 after being repeatedly postponed by the
  government; the UN Security Council has extended the government's
  mandate); prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: Laurent GBAGBO elected president; percent of vote
  - Laurent GBAGBO 59.4%, Robert GUEI 32.7%, Francis WODIE 5.7%, other
  2.2%

Croatia
  chief of state: President Stjepan (Stipe) MESIC (since 18
  February 2000)
  head of government: Prime Minister Jadranka KOSOR (since 6 July
  2009); Deputy Prime Ministers Bozidar PANKRETIC (since 6 July 2009),
  Damir POLANCEC (since 15 February 2005), Djurdja ADLESIC (since 12
  January 2008), Slobodan UZELAC (since 12 January 2008)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers named by the prime minister and
  approved by the parliamentary assembly
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
  (eligible for a second term); election last held 16 January 2005
  (next to be held in January 2010); the leader of the majority party
  or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime
  minister by the president and then approved by the assembly
  election results: Stjepan MESIC reelected president; percent of vote
  in the second round - Stjepan MESIC 66%, Jadranka KOSOR 34%

Cuba
  chief of state: President of the Council of State and President
  of the Council of Ministers Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz (president since 24
  February 2008); First Vice President of the Council of State and
  First Vice President of the Council of Ministers Gen. Jose Ramon
  MACHADO Ventura (since 24 February 2008); note - the president is
  both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President of the Council of State and President
  of the Council of Ministers Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz (president since 24
  February 2008); First Vice President of the Council of State and
  First Vice President of the Council of Ministers Gen. Jose Ramon
  MACHADO Ventura (since 24 February 2008)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the president of the
  Council of State and appointed by the National Assembly or the
  31-member Council of State, elected by the assembly to act on its
  behalf when it is not in session
  elections: president and vice presidents elected by the National
  Assembly for a term of five years; election last held 24 February
  2008 (next to be held in 2013)
  election results: Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz elected president; percent of
  legislative vote - 100%; Gen. Jose Ramon MACHADO Ventura elected
  vice president; percent of legislative vote - 100%

Cyprus
  chief of state: President Demetris CHRISTOFIAS (since 28
  February 2008); note - the president is both the chief of state and
  head of government; post of vice president is currently vacant;
  under the 1960 constitution, the post is reserved for a Turkish
  Cypriot
  head of government: President Demetris CHRISTOFIAS (since 28
  February 2008)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed jointly by the president and
  vice president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 17 and 24 February 2008 (next to be held in
  February 2013)
  election results: Demetris CHRISTOFIAS elected president; percent of
  vote (first round) - Ioannis KASOULIDES 33.5%, Demetris CHRISTOFIAS
  33.3%, Tassos PAPADOPOULOS 31.8%; (second round) Demetris
  CHRISTOFIAS 53.4%, Ioannis KASOULIDES 46.6%
  note: Mehmet Ali TALAT became "president" of the "TRNC", 24 April
  2005, after "presidential" elections on 17 April 2005; results -
  Mehmet Ali TALAT 55.6%, Dervis EROGLU 22.7%; Ferdi Sabit SOYER is
  "TRNC prime minister" and heads the Council of Ministers (cabinet)
  in coalition with "Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister"
  Turgay AVCI

Czech Republic
  chief of state: President Vaclav KLAUS (since 7 March
  2003)
  head of government: Prime Minister Jan FISCHER (since 9 April 2009);
  Deputy Prime Ministers Petr NECAS (since 9 January 2007), Martin
  BURSIK (since 9 January 2007), and Vlasta PARKANOVA (since 23
  January 2008)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of
  the prime minister
  elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term
  (eligible for a second term); last successful election held 15
  February 2008 (after earlier elections held 8 and 9 February 2008
  were inconclusive; next election to be held in 2013); prime minister
  appointed by the president
  election results: Vaclav KLAUS reelected president on 15 February
  2008; Vaclav KLAUS 141 votes, Jan SVEJNAR 111 votes (third round;
  combined votes of both chambers of parliament)

Denmark
  chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II (since 14 January 1972);
  Heir Apparent Crown Prince FREDERIK, elder son of the monarch (born
  26 May 1968)
  head of government: Prime Minister Lars Lokke RASMUSSEN (since 5
  April 2009)
  cabinet: Council of State appointed by the monarch
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; following legislative
  elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the
  majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch

Dhekelia
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
  head of government: Administrator Major General Jamie GORDON (since
  October 2008); note - reports to the British Ministry of Defense
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the administrator is
  appointed by the monarch

Djibouti
  chief of state: President Ismail Omar GUELLEH (since 8 May
  1999)
  head of government: Prime Minister Mohamed Dileita DILEITA (since 4
  March 2001)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers responsible to the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term
  (eligible for a second term); election last held 8 April 2005 (next
  to be held by April 2011); prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: Ismail Omar GUELLEH reelected president; percent
  of vote - Ismail Omar GUELLEH 100%

Dominica
  chief of state: President Nicholas J. O. LIVERPOOL (since
  October 2003)
  head of government: Prime Minister Roosevelt SKERRIT (since 8
  January 2004)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the
  prime minister
  elections: president elected by the House of Assembly for a
  five-year term; election last held 1 October 2003 (next to be held
  in 2013); prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: Nicholas LIVERPOOL consented to a second term in
  2008 at the request of the prime minister and leader of the
  opposition

Dominican Republic
  chief of state: President Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna
  (since 16 August 2004); Vice President Rafael ALBURQUERQUE de Castro
  (since 16 August 2004); note - the president is both the chief of
  state and head of government
  head of government: President Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna (since 16
  August 2004); Vice President Rafael ALBURQUERQUE de Castro (since 16
  August 2004)
  cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the president
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second
  consecutive term); election last held 16 May 2008 (next to be held
  in May 2012)
  election results: Leonel FERNANDEZ reelected president; percent of
  vote - Leonel FERNANDEZ 53.6%, Miguel VARGAS 41%, Amable ARISTY less
  than 5%

Ecuador
  chief of state: President Rafael CORREA Delgado (since 15
  January 2007); Vice President Lenin MORENO Garces (since 15 January
  2007); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Rafael CORREA Delgado (since 15
  January 2007); Vice President Lenin MORENO Garces (since 15 January
  2007)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
  elections: the president and vice president are elected on the same
  ticket by popular vote for a four-year term and can be re-elected
  for another consecutive term; election last held 26 April 2009 (next
  to be held 2013)
  election results: President Rafael CORREA Delgado reelected
  president; percent of vote - Rafael CORREA Delgado 51.7%; Lucio
  GUTIERREZ 28%; Alvaro NOBOA 11.6%; other 8.7%; note - official
  results pending

Egypt
  chief of state: President Mohamed Hosni MUBARAK (since 14
  October 1981)
  head of government: Prime Minister Ahmed Mohamed NAZIF (since 9 July
  2004)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for six-year term (no
  term limits); note - a national referendum in May 2005 approved a
  constitutional amendment that changed the presidential election to a
  multicandidate popular vote; previously the president was nominated
  by the People's Assembly and the nomination was validated by a
  national, popular referendum; last referendum held 26 September
  1999; first election under terms of constitutional amendment held 7
  September 2005; next election scheduled for 2011
  election results: Hosni MUBARAK reelected president; percent of vote
  - Hosni MUBARAK 88.6%, Ayman NOUR 7.6%, Noman GOMAA 2.9%

El Salvador
  chief of state: President Mauricio FUNES Cartagena
  (since 1 June 2009); Vice President Salvador SANCHEZ CEREN (since 1
  June 2009); note - the president is both the chief of state and head
  of government
  head of government: President Mauricio FUNES Cartagena (since 1 June
  2009); Vice President Salvador SANCHEZ CEREN (since 1 June 2009)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the president
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for a single five-year term; election last held 15
  March 2009 (next to be held in March 2014)
  election results: Mauricio FUNES Cartagena elected president;
  percent of vote - Mauricio FUNES Cartagena 51.3%, Rodrigo AVILA 48.7%

Equatorial Guinea
  chief of state: President Brig. Gen. (Ret.)
  Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO (since 3 August 1979 when he seized
  power in a military coup)
  head of government: Prime Minister Ignacio Milan TANG (since 8 July
  2008);
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term
  (no term limits); election last held 15 December 2002 (next to be
  held in 2010); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed
  by the president
  election results: Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO reelected president;
  percent of vote - Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO 97.1%, Celestino
  Bonifacio BACALE 2.2%; elections marred by widespread fraud

Eritrea
  chief of state: President ISAIAS Afworki (since 8 June
  1993); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government and is head of the State Council and National Assembly
  head of government: President ISAIAS Afworki (since 8 June 1993)
  cabinet: State Council is the collective executive authority;
  members appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a
  five-year term (eligible for a second term); the most recent and
  only election held 8 June 1993 (next election date uncertain as the
  National Assembly did not hold a presidential election in December
  2001 as anticipated)
  election results: ISAIAS Afworki elected president; percent of
  National Assembly vote - ISAIAS Afworki 95%, other 5%

Estonia
  chief of state: President Toomas Hendrik ILVES (since 9
  October 2006)
  head of government: Prime Minister Andrus ANSIP (since 12 April 2005)
  cabinet: Ministers appointed by the prime minister, approved by
  Parliament
  elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term
  (eligible for a second term); if a candidate does not secure
  two-thirds of the votes after three rounds of balloting in the
  Parliament, then an electoral assembly (made up of Parliament plus
  members of local councils) elects the president, choosing between
  the two candidates with the largest number of votes; election last
  held 23 September 2006 (next to be held in the fall of 2011); prime
  minister nominated by the president and approved by Parliament
  election results: Toomas Hendrik ILVES elected president on 23
  September 2006 by a 345-member electoral assembly; ILVES received
  174 votes to incumbent Arnold RUUTEL's 162; remaining 9 ballots left
  blank or invalid

Ethiopia
  chief of state: President GIRMA Woldegiorgis (since 8
  October 2001)
  head of government: Prime Minister MELES Zenawi (since August 1995)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers as provided for in the December 1994
  constitution; ministers are selected by the prime minister and
  approved by the House of People's Representatives
  elections: president elected by the House of People's
  Representatives for a six-year term (eligible for a second term);
  election last held 9 October 2007 (next to be held in October 2013);
  prime minister designated by the party in power following
  legislative elections
  election results: GIRMA Woldegiorgis elected president; percent of
  vote by the House of People's Representatives - 79%

European Union
  chief of union: President of the European Commission
  Jose Manuel DURAO BARROSO (since 22 November 2004)
  cabinet: European Commission (composed of 27 members, one from each
  member country; each commissioner responsible for one or more policy
  areas)
  elections: the president of the European Commission is designated by
  member governments and is confirmed by the European Parliament;
  working from member state recommendations, the Commission president
  then assembles a "college" of Commission members; the European
  Parliament confirms the entire Commission for a five-year term; the
  last confirmation process was held 16 September 2009 (next to be
  held in 2014)
  election results: European Parliament approved the European
  Commission by a vote of 382 to 219 with 117 abstentions
  note: the European Council brings together heads of state and
  government and the president of the European Commission and meets at
  least four times a year; its aim is to provide the impetus for the
  major political issues relating to European integration and to issue
  general policy guidelines

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II
  (since 6 February 1952)
  head of government: Governor Alan HUCKLE (since 25 August 2006);
  Chief Executive Dr. Tim THOROGOOD (since 3 January 2008)
  cabinet: Executive Council; three members elected by the Legislative
  Council, two ex officio members (chief executive and the financial
  secretary), and the governor
  elections: the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by the
  monarch

Faroe Islands
  chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since
  14 January 1972), represented by High Commissioner Birgit KLEIS,
  chief administrative officer (since 1 November 2001)
  head of government: Prime Minister Kaj Leo JOHANNESSEN (since 26
  September 2008)
  cabinet: Landsstyri appointed by the prime minister
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; high commissioner appointed by
  the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the
  majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually
  elected prime minister by the Faroese Parliament; election last held
  19 January 2008 (next to be held no later than January 2012)
  election results: Joannes EIDESGAARD elected prime minister;
  governing coalition collapses in September 2008, Kaj Leo JOHANNESSEN
  becomes Prime Minister

Fiji
  chief of state: President Ratu Epeli NAILATIKAU (since 30 July
  2009)
  head of government: Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE (since 10
  September 2000); note - although QARASE is still the legal prime
  minister, he has been confined to his home island; former President
  ILOILOVATU appointed Commodore Voreqe BAINIMARAMA interim prime
  minister under the military regime
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among the
  members of Parliament and is responsible to Parliament; note - coup
  leader Commodore Voreqe BAINIMARAMA has appointed an interim cabinet
  elections: under the constitution, president elected by the Great
  Council of Chiefs for a five-year term (eligible for a second term);
  in 2007 the Great Council of Chiefs was suspended from its role in
  electing the president; prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: Ratu Epeli NAILATIKAU was appointed by Chief
  Justice Anthony GATES

Finland
  chief of state: President Tarja HALONEN (since 1 March 2000)
  head of government: Prime Minister Matti VANHANEN (since 24 June
  2003); Deputy Prime Minister Jyrki KATAINEN (since 19 April 2007)
  cabinet: Council of State or Valtioneuvosto appointed by the
  president, responsible to parliament
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term
  (eligible for a second term); election last held 15 January 2006
  (next to be held in January 2012); the president appoints the prime
  minister and deputy prime minister from the majority party or the
  majority coalition after parliamentary elections and the parliament
  must approve the appointment; Prime Minister VANHANEN reelected 17
  April 2007
  election results: percent of vote - Tarja HALONEN (SDP) 46.3%, Sauli
  NIINISTO (Kok) 24.1%, Matti VANHANEN (Kesk) 18.6%, Heidi HAUTALA
  (VIHR) 3.5%; a runoff election between HALONEN and NIINISTO was held
  29 January 2006 - HALONEN 51.8%, NIINISTO 48.2%; Matti VANHANEN
  reelected prime minister; election results 121-71
  note: government coalition - Kesk, KOK, VIHR, and SFP

France
  chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007)
  head of government: Prime Minister Francois FILLON (since 17 May
  2007)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president at the
  suggestion of the prime minister
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
  (changed from seven-year term in October 2000); election last held
  22 April and 6 May 2007 (next to be held spring 2012); prime
  minister appointed by the president
  election results: Nicolas SARKOZY wins the election; first round:
  percent of vote - Nicolas SARKOZY 31.18%, Segolene ROYAL 25.87%,
  Francois BAYROU 18.57%, Jean-Marie LE PEN 10.44%, others 13.94%;
  second round: SARKOZY 53.1% and ROYAL 46.9%

French Polynesia
  chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16
  May 2007), represented by High Commissioner of the Republic Adolphe
  COLRAT (since 7 July 2008)
  head of government: President of French Polynesia Oscar TEMARU
  (since 7 February 2009); President of the Territorial Assembly
  Eduoard FRITCH (since 12 February 2009)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers; president submits a list of members
  of the Territorial Assembly for approval by them to serve as
  ministers
  elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
  term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the
  advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the
  territorial government and the president of the Territorial Assembly
  are elected by the members of the assembly for five-year terms (no
  term limits)

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  chief of state: President
  Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007), represented by Senior
  Administrator Rollon MOUCHEL-BLAISOT (16 October 2008)

Gabon
  chief of state: President Ali BONGO Ondimba (since 16 October
  2009)
  head of government: Prime Minister Paul BIYOGHE MBA (since 15 July
  2009)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister in
  consultation with the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term
  (no term limits); election last held 30 August 2009 (next to be held
  in 2016); prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: President Ali BONGO Ondimba elected; percent of
  vote - Ali BONGO Ondimba 41.7%, Andre MBA OBAME 25.9%, Pierre
  MAMBOUNDOU 25.2%, Zacharie MYBOTO 3.9%, other 3.3%
  note: President BONGO died on 8 June 2009 after serving as president
  for 32 years, in accordance with the constitution he was replaced on
  an interim basis by the president of the Senate, Rose Francine
  ROGOMBE on 10 June 2009, new elections where held on 30 August 2009
  and the son of the former president, Ali BONGO Ondimba, was elected
  president

Gambia, The
  chief of state: President Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH (since
  18 October 1996); note - from 1994 to 1996 he was chairman of the
  Junta; Vice President Isatou NJIE-SAIDY (since 20 March 1997); note
  - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH (since 18
  October 1996); Vice President Isatou NJIE-SAIDY (since 20 March 1997)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
  (no term limits); election last held 22 September 2006 (next to be
  held in 2011)
  election results: Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH reelected president; percent
  of vote - Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH 67.3%, Ousainou DARBOE 26.6%, Halifa
  SALLAH 6.0%

Georgia
  chief of state: President Mikheil SAAKASHVILI (since 25
  January 2004); the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government for the power ministries: state security (includes
  interior) and defense
  head of government: President Mikheil SAAKASHVILI (since 25 January
  2004); Prime Minister Nikoloz GILAURI (since 6 February 2009); the
  president is both the chief of state and head of government for the
  power ministries: state security (includes interior) and defense;
  the prime minister is head of the remaining ministries of government
  cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
  (eligible for a second term); election last held 5 January 2008
  (next to be held January 2013)
  election results: Mikheil SAAKASHVILI reelected president; percent
  of vote - Mikheil SAAKASHVILI 53.5%, Levan GACHECHILADZE 25.7%,
  Badri PATARKATSISHVILI 7.1%

Germany
  chief of state: President Horst KOEHLER (since 1 July 2004)
  head of government: Chancellor Angela MERKEL (since 22 November 2005)
  cabinet: Cabinet or Bundesminister (Federal Ministers) appointed by
  the president on the recommendation of the chancellor
  elections: president elected for a five-year term (eligible for a
  second term) by a Federal Convention, including all members of the
  Federal Assembly and an equal number of delegates elected by the
  state parliaments; election last held 23 May 2004 (next scheduled
  for 23 May 2009); chancellor elected by an absolute majority of the
  Federal Assembly for a four-year term; Bundestag vote for Chancellor
  last held 22 November 2005 (next will follow the national elections
  to be held by 27 September 2009)
  election results: Horst KOEHLER elected president; received 604
  votes of the Federal Convention against 589 for Gesine SCHWAN;
  Angela MERKEL elected chancellor; vote by Federal Assembly 397 to
  202 with 12 abstentions

Ghana
  chief of state: President John Evans Atta MILLS (since 7
  January 2009); Vice President John Dramani MAHAMA (since 7 January
  2009); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President John Evans Atta MILLS (since 7 January
  2009); Vice President John Dramani MAHAMA (since 7 January 2009)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers; president nominates members subject
  to approval by Parliament
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term);
  election last held 7 December 2008 with a second round held 28
  December 2008 (next to be held 7 December 2012)
  election results: John Evans Atta MILLS elected president in run-off
  election; percent of vote - John Evans Atta MILLS 50.23%, Nana Addo
  Dankwa AKUFO-ADDO 49.77%

Gibraltar
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
  1952); represented by Governor Sir Robert FULTON (since 27 October
  2006)
  head of government: Chief Minister Peter CARUANA (since 17 May 1996)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed from among the 17 elected
  members of the Parliament by the governor in consultation with the
  chief minister
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the
  monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority
  party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed
  chief minister by the governor

Greece
  chief of state: President Karolos PAPOULIAS (since 12 March
  2005)
  head of government: Prime Minister Yeoryios PAPANDREOU (since 6
  October 2009)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of
  the prime minister
  elections: president elected by parliament for a five-year term
  (eligible for a second term); election last held 8 February 2005
  (next to be held by February 2010); president appoints leader of the
  party securing plurality of vote in election to become prime
  minister and form a government
  election results: Karolos PAPOULIAS elected president; number of
  parliamentary votes, 279 out of 300

Greenland
  chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since 14
  January 1972), represented by High Commissioner Soren MOLLER (since
  April 2005)
  head of government: Prime Minister Kuupik KLEIST (since 12 June 2009)
  cabinet: Home Rule Government is elected by the Parliament
  (Landsting) on the basis of the strength of parties
  elections: the monarchy is hereditary; high commissioner appointed
  by the monarch; prime minister is elected by parliament (usually the
  leader of the majority party)
  election results: Kuupik KLEIST elected prime minister

Grenada
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952);
  represented by Governor General Carlyle Arnold GLEAN (since 27
  November 2008)
  head of government: Prime Minister Tillman THOMAS (since 9 July 2008)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of
  the prime minister
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by
  the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the
  majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually
  appointed prime minister by the governor general

Guam
  chief of state: President Barack H. OBAMA (since 20 January
  2009); Vice President Joseph R. BIDEN (since 20 January 2009)
  head of government: Governor Felix P. CAMACHO (since 6 January
  2003); Lieutenant Governor Dr. Michael W. CRUZ (since 1 January 2007)
  cabinet: heads of executive departments; appointed by the governor
  with the consent of the Guam legislature
  elections: under the US Constitution, residents of unincorporated
  territories, such as Guam, do not vote in elections for US president
  and vice president; however, they may vote in Democratic and
  Republican presidential primary elections; governor and lieutenant
  governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year
  term (can serve two consecutive terms, then must wait a full term
  before running again); election last held 7 November 2006 (next to
  be held in November 2010)
  election results: Felix P. CAMACHO reelected governor; Dr. Michael
  W. CRUZ elected lieutenant governor; percent of vote - NA

Guatemala
  chief of state: President Alvaro COLOM Caballeros (since
  14 January 2008); Vice President Jose Rafael ESPADA (since 14
  January 2008); note - the president is both the chief of state and
  head of government
  head of government: President Alvaro COLOM Caballeros (since 14
  January 2008); Vice President Jose Rafael ESPADA (since 14 January
  2008)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term
  (may not serve consecutive terms); election last held 9 September
  2007; runoff held 4 November 2007 (next to be held September 2011)
  election results: Alvaro COLOM Caballeros elected president; percent
  of vote - Alvaro COLOM Caballeros 52.8%, Otto PEREZ Molina 47.2%

Guernsey
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
  represented by Lieutenant Governor Sir Fabian MALBON (since 28
  October 2005)
  head of government: Chief Minister Lyndon TROTT (since 1 May 2008)
  cabinet: Policy Council elected by the States of Deliberation
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor appointed
  by the monarch; chief minister is elected by States of Deliberation
  election results: Lyndon TROTT elected chief minister, percent of
  vote of the States of Deliberation NA

Guinea
  chief of state: Capt. Moussa Dadis CAMARA, President of the
  National Council for Democracy and Development, who led a military
  coup following the death of President Lansana CONTE on 22 December
  2008
  head of government: Prime Minister Kabine KOMARA (since 30 December
  2008)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term
  (no term limits); candidate must receive a majority of the votes
  cast to be elected president; election last held 21 December 2003
  (ad hoc election scheduled for 31 January 2010); the prime minister
  is appointed by the president
  election results: Lansana CONTE reelected president; percent of vote
  - Lansana CONTE 95.3%, Mamadou Bhoye BARRY 4.6%

Guinea-Bissau
  chief of state: President Malam Bacai SANHA (since 8
  September 2009)
  head of government: Prime Minister Carlos GOMES Junior (since 25
  December 2008)
  cabinet: NA
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
  (no term limits); election last held 28 June 2009 with a runoff
  between the two leading candidates held on 26 July 2009 (next to be
  held by 2014); prime minister appointed by the president after
  consultation with party leaders in the legislature
  election results: Malam Bacai SANHA elected president; percent of
  vote, second ballot - Malam Bacai SANHA 63.5%, Kumba YALA 36.5%

Guyana
  chief of state: President Bharrat JAGDEO (since 11 August
  1999); note - assumed presidency after resignation of President
  Janet JAGAN and was reelected in 2001, and again in 2006
  head of government: Prime Minister Samuel HINDS (since October 1992,
  except for a period as chief of state after the death of President
  Cheddi JAGAN on 6 March 1997)
  cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president,
  responsible to the legislature
  elections: president elected by popular vote as leader of a party
  list in parliamentary elections, which must be held at least every
  five years (no term limits); elections last held 28 August 2006
  (next to be held by August 2011); prime minister appointed by the
  president
  election results: President Bharrat JAGDEO reelected; percent of
  vote 54.6%

Haiti
  chief of state: President Rene PREVAL (since 14 May 2006)
  head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Max BELLERIVE (since 7
  November 2009)
  cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation with
  the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
  (may not serve consecutive terms); election last held 7 February
  2006 (next to be held in 2011); prime minister appointed by the
  president, ratified by the National Assembly
  election results: Rene PREVAL elected president; percent of vote -
  Rene PREVAL 51%

Holy See (Vatican City)
  chief of state: Pope BENEDICT XVI (since 19
  April 2005)
  head of government: Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio BERTONE
  (since 15 September 2006)
  cabinet: Pontifical Commission for the State of Vatican City
  appointed by the pope
  elections: pope elected for life by the College of Cardinals;
  election last held 19 April 2005 (next to be held after the death of
  the current pope); secretary of state appointed by the pope
  election results: Joseph RATZINGER elected Pope BENEDICT XVI

Honduras
  chief of state: President Jose Manuel ZELAYA Rosales (since
  27 January 2006); Vice President Commissioner Aristides MEJIA
  Carranza (since 1 February 2009); note - the president is both the
  chief of state and head of government; because the president and
  vice president are elected on the same ticket, the position of "vice
  president commissioner" was created after Vice President Elvin
  SANTOS resigned in late 2008 to run for president in the November
  2009 election
  head of government: President Jose Manuel ZELAYA Rosales (since 27
  January 2006); Vice President Commissioner Aristides MEJIA Carranza
  (since 1 February 2009)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term;
  election last held 27 November 2005 (next to be held in November
  2009)
  election results: Jose Manuel ZELAYA Rosales elected president -
  49.8%, Porfirio "Pepe" LOBO Sosa 46.1%, other 4.1%

Hong Kong
  chief of state: President of China HU Jintao (since 15
  March 2003)
  head of government: Chief Executive Donald TSANG Yam-kuen (since 24
  June 2005)
  cabinet: Executive Council or ExCo consists of 15 official members
  and 14 non-official members
  elections: chief executive elected for five-year term by 800-member
  electoral committee; last held on 25 March 2007 (next to be held in
  2012)
  election results: Donald TSANG elected chief executive receiving
  84.1% of the vote of the election committee; Alan LEONG Kah-kit
  received 15.9%

Hungary
  chief of state: President Laszlo SOLYOM (since 5 August 2005)
  head of government: Prime Minister Gordon BAJNAI (since 20 April
  2009)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers prime minister elected by the National
  Assembly on the recommendation of the president; other ministers
  proposed by the prime minister and appointed and relieved of their
  duties by the president
  elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a
  five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 6-7
  June 2005 (next to be held by June 2010); prime minister elected by
  the National Assembly on the recommendation of the president;
  election last held 14 April 2009
  election results: Laszlo SOLYOM elected president by a simple
  majority in the third round of voting, 185 to 182; Gordon BAJNAI
  elected prime minister; result of legislative vote - 204 to 0
  note: to be elected, the president must win two-thirds of
  legislative vote in the first two rounds or a simple majority in the
  third round

Iceland
  chief of state: President Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON (since 1
  August 1996)
  head of government: Prime Minister Johanna SIGURDARDOTTIR (since 1
  February 2009);
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister
  elections: president, a largely ceremonial post, is elected by
  popular vote for a four-year term (no term limits); election last
  held 28 June 2004 (next to be held in June 2012); following
  legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the
  leader of the majority coalition is usually the prime minister
  note: the presidential election of 28 June 2008 was never held
  because Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON had no challengers; he was sworn in
  on 1 August 2008
  2004 election results: Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON elected president;
  percent of vote - Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON 85.6%, Baldur AGUSTSSON
  12.5%, Astthor MAGNUSSON 1.9%;

India
  chief of state: President Pratibha PATIL (since 25 July 2007);
  Vice President Hamid ANSARI (since 11 August 2007)
  head of government: Prime Minister Manmohan SINGH (since 22 May 2004)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of
  the prime minister
  elections: president elected by an electoral college consisting of
  elected members of both houses of Parliament and the legislatures of
  the states for a five-year term (no term limits); election last held
  in July 2007 (next to be held in July 2012); vice president elected
  by both houses of Parliament for a five-year term; election last
  held in August 2007 (next to be held August 2012); prime minister
  chosen by parliamentary members of the majority party following
  legislative elections; election last held April - May 2004 (next to
  be held no later than May 2009)
  election results: Pratibha PATIL elected president; percent of vote
  - Pratibha PATIL 65.8%, Bhairon Singh SHEKHAWAT - 34.2%

Indonesia
  chief of state: President Susilo Bambang YUDHOYONO (since
  20 October 2004); Vice President BOEDIONO (since 20 October 2009);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Susilo Bambang YUDHOYONO (since 20
  October 2004); Vice President Muhammad Yusuf KALLA (since 20 October
  2004)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
  elections: president and vice president are elected for five-year
  terms (eligible for a second term) by direct vote of the citizenry;
  last held on 8 July 2009 (next to be held in July 2014)
  election results: Susilo Bambang YUDHOYONO elected president;
  percent of vote - Susilo Bambang YUDHOYONO 60.8%, MEGAWATI
  Sukarnoputri 26.8%, Jusuf KALLA 12.4%

Iran
  chief of state: Supreme Leader Ali Hoseini-KHAMENEI (since 4
  June 1989)
  head of government: President Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD (since 3 August
  2005); First Vice President Mohammad Reza RAHIMI (since 13 September
  2009)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the president with
  legislative approval; the Supreme Leader has some control over
  appointments to the more sensitive ministries
  note: also considered part of the Executive branch of government are
  three oversight bodies: 1) Assembly of Experts (Majles-Khebregan), a
  popularly elected body charged with determining the succession of
  the Supreme Leader, reviewing his performance, and deposing him if
  deemed necessary; 2) Expediency Council or the Council for the
  Discernment of Expediency (Majma-e-Tashkise-Maslahat-e-Nezam) exerts
  supervisory authority over the executive, judicial, and legislative
  branches and resolves legislative issues on which the Majles and the
  Council of Guardians disagree and since 1989 has been used to advise
  national religious leaders on matters of national policy; in 2005
  the Council's powers were expanded to act as a supervisory body for
  the government; 3) Council of Guardians of the Constitution or
  Council of Guardians or Guardians Council (Shora-ye Negaban-e
  Qanun-e Assassi) determines whether proposed legislation is both
  constitutional and faithful to Islamic law, vets candidates for
  suitability, and supervises national elections
  elections: Supreme Leader is appointed for life by the Assembly of
  Experts; president is elected by popular vote for a four-year term
  (eligible for a second term and third nonconsecutive term); last
  held 12 June 2009;(next presidential election slated for June 2013)
  election results: Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD reelected president; percent
  of vote - Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD 62.6%, Mir-Hosein MUSAVI-Khamenei
  33.8%, other 3.6%; voter turnout 85%

Iraq
  chief of state: President Jalal TALABANI (since 6 April 2005);
  Vice Presidents Adil ABD AL-MAHDI and Tariq al-HASHIMI (since 22
  April 2006); note - the president and vice presidents comprise the
  Presidency Council)
  head of government: Prime Minister Nuri al-MALIKI (since 20 May
  2006); Rafi al-ISSAWI (since 19 July 2008)
  cabinet: 36 ministers appointed by the Presidency Council, plus
  Prime Minister Nuri al-MALIKI and Deputy Prime Ministers Barham
  SALIH and Rafi al-ISSAWI
  elections: held 15 December 2005 to elect a 275-member Council of
  Representatives

Ireland
  chief of state: President Mary MCALEESE (since 11 November
  1997)
  head of government: Prime Minister Brian COWEN (since 7 May 2008)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with previous nomination
  by the prime minister and approval of the House of Representatives
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term
  (eligible for a second term); election last held 31 October 1997
  (next scheduled for October 2011); note - Mary MCALEESE appointed to
  a second term when no other candidate qualified for the 2004
  presidential election; prime minister (taoiseach) nominated by the
  House of Representatives and appointed by the president
  election results: Mary MCALEESE elected president; percent of vote -
  Mary MCALEESE 44.8%, Mary BANOTTI 29.6%
  note: government coalition - Fianna Fail, the Green Party, the
  Progressive Democrats (disbanding), and independent members of
  Parliament

Isle of Man
  chief of state: Lord of Mann Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6
  February 1952); represented by Lieutenant Governor Sir Paul K.
  HADDACKS (since 17 October 2005)
  head of government: Chief Minister Tony BROWN (since 14 December
  2006)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor appointed
  by the monarch; the chief minister is elected by the Tynwald for a
  five-year term; election last held 14 December 2006 (next to be held
  in December 2011)
  election results: House of Keys speaker Tony BROWN elected chief
  minister by the Tynwald

Israel
  chief of state: President Shimon PERES (since 15 July 2007)
  head of government: Prime Minister Binjamin NETANYAHU (since 31
  March 2009); Vice Prime Minister Silvan SHALOM (since 31 March
  2009); Vice Prime Minister Moshe YAALON (since 31 March 2009)
  cabinet: Cabinet selected by prime minister and approved by the
  Knesset
  elections: president is largely a ceremonial role and is elected by
  the Knesset for a seven-year term (one-term limit); election last
  held 13 June 2007 (next to be held in 2014 but can be called
  earlier); following legislative elections, the president assigns a
  Knesset member - traditionally the leader of the largest party - the
  task of forming a governing coalition
  election results: Shimon PERES elected president; number of votes in
  first round - Shimon PERES 58, Reuven RIVLIN 37, Colette AVITAL 21;
  PERES elected president in second round with 86 votes (unopposed)

Italy
  chief of state: President Giorgio NAPOLITANO (since 15 May
  2006)
  head of government: Prime Minister Silvio BERLUSCONI (since 8 May
  2008) note - in Italy the prime minister is referred to as the
  president of the Council of Ministers
  cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and
  approved by the president
  elections: president elected by an electoral college consisting of
  both houses of parliament and 58 regional representatives for a
  seven-year term (no term limits); election last held 10 May 2006
  (next to be held in May 2013); prime minister appointed by the
  president and confirmed by parliament
  election results: Giorgio NAPOLITANO elected president on the fourth
  round of voting; electoral college vote - 543

Jamaica
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952);
  represented by Governor General Dr. Patrick L. ALLEN (since 26
  February 2009)
  head of government: Prime Minister Bruce GOLDING (since 11 September
  2007)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of
  the prime minister
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by
  the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister; following
  legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the
  leader of the majority coalition in the House of Representatives is
  appointed prime minister by the governor general; the deputy prime
  minister is recommended by the prime minister

Japan
  chief of state: Emperor AKIHITO (since 7 January 1989)
  head of government: Prime Minister Yukio HATOYAMA (since 16
  September 2009); Deputy Prime Minister Naoto KAN (since 16 September
  2009)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister
  elections: Diet designates prime minister; constitution requires
  that prime minister commands parliamentary majority; following
  legislative elections, leader of majority party or leader of
  majority coalition in House of Representatives usually becomes prime
  minister; monarch is hereditary

Jersey
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952);
  represented by Lieutenant Governor Andrew RIDGEWAY (since 14 June
  2006)
  head of government: Chief Minister Terry LE SUEUR (12 December
  2008); Bailiff Philip Martin BAILHACHE (since February 1995)
  cabinet: Cabinet (since December 2005)
  elections: ministers of the Cabinet including the chief minister are
  elected by the Assembly of States; the monarch is hereditary;
  lieutenant governor and bailiff appointed by the monarch

Jordan
  chief of state: King ABDALLAH II (since 7 February 1999);
  Crown Prince HUSSEIN (born 28 June 1994), eldest son of King
  ABDALLAH II
  head of government: Prime Minister Nader al-DAHABI (since 25
  November 2007)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister in consultation
  with the monarch
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by
  the monarch

Kazakhstan
  chief of state: President Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV
  (chairman of the Supreme Soviet from 22 February 1990, elected
  president 1 December 1991)
  head of government: Prime Minister Karim MASIMOV (since 10 January
  2007); First Deputy Prime Minister Umirzak SHUKEYEV (since 3 March
  2009) and Deputy Prime Ministers Yerbol ORYNBAYEV (since 29 October
  2007) and Serik AKHMETOV (since 3 March 2009)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 4 December 2005 (next to be held in 2012); prime
  minister and first deputy prime minister appointed by the president,
  with Mazhilis approval; note - constitutional amendments of May 2007
  shortened the presidential term from seven years to five years and
  established a two-consecutive-term limit; changes will take effect
  after NAZARBAYEV's term ends; he, and only he, is allowed to run for
  president indefinitely
  election results: Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV reelected president;
  percent of vote - Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV 91.1%, Zharmakhan A.
  TUYAKBAI 6.6%, Alikhan M. BAIMENOV 1.6%

Kenya
  chief of state: President Mwai KIBAKI (since 30 December
  2002); Vice President Stephene Kalonzo MUSYOKA (since 10 January
  2008);
  head of government: President Mwai KIBAKI (since 30 December 2002);
  Vice President Stephene Kalonzo MUSYOKA (since 10 January 2008);
  note - the roles of the president and prime minister are not well
  defined at this juncture; constitutionally, the president remains
  chief of state and head of government, but the prime minister is
  charged with coordinating government business
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president and headed by the prime
  minister, who is the leader of the largest party in parliament
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
  (eligible for a second term); in addition to receiving the largest
  number of votes in absolute terms, the presidential candidate must
  also win 25% or more of the vote in at least five of Kenya's seven
  provinces and one area to avoid a runoff; election last held 27
  December 2007 (next to be held in December 2012); vice president
  appointed by the president
  election results: President Mwai KIBAKI reelected; percent of vote -
  Mwai KIBAKI 46%, Raila ODINGA 44%, Kalonzo MUSYOKA 9%

Kiribati
  chief of state: President Anote TONG (since 10 July 2003);
  Vice President Teima ONORIO; note - the president is both the chief
  of state and head of government
  head of government: President Anote TONG (since 10 July 2003); Vice
  President Teima ONORIO
  cabinet: 12-member cabinet appointed by the president from among the
  members of the House of Parliament
  elections: the House of Parliament chooses the presidential
  candidates from among its members and then those candidates compete
  in a general election; president is elected by popular vote for a
  four-year term (eligible for two more terms); election last held 17
  October 2007 (next to be held in 2011); vice president appointed by
  the president
  election results: Anote TONG 63.7%, Nabuti MWEMWENIKARAWA 32.9%

Korea, North
  chief of state: KIM Jong Il (since July 1994); note -
  on 9 April 2009, rubberstamp Supreme People's Assembly (SPA)
  reelected KIM Jong Il chairman of the National Defense Commission, a
  position accorded nation's "highest administrative authority"; SPA
  reelected KIM Yong Nam in 2003 president of its Presidium also with
  responsibility of representing state and receiving diplomatic
  credentials
  head of government: Premier KIM Yong Il (since 11 April 2007); Vice
  Premier KWAK Pom Gi (since 5 September 1998), Vice Premier O Su Yong
  (since 13 April 2009), Vice Premier PAK Su Gil (since 18 September
  2009), Vice Premier PAK Myong Su (since 4 September 2009), Vice
  Premier RO Tu Chol (since 3 September 2003)
  cabinet: Naegak (cabinet) members, except for Minister of People's
  Armed Forces, are appointed by SPA
  elections: last held in September 2003; date of next election NA
  election results: KIM Jong Il and KIM Yong Nam were only nominees
  for positions and ran unopposed

Korea, South
  chief of state: President LEE Myung-bak (since 25
  February 2008)
  head of government: Prime Minister CHUNG Un-chan (since 30 September
  2009)
  cabinet: State Council appointed by the president on the prime
  minister's recommendation
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a single five-year
  term; election last held 19 December 2007 (next to be held in
  December 2012); prime minister appointed by president with consent
  of National Assembly
  election results: LEE Myung-bak elected president on 19 December
  2007; percent of vote - LEE Myung-bak (GNP) 48.7%; CHUNG Dong-young
  (UNDP) 26.1%); LEE Hoi-chang (independent) 15.1; others 10.1%

Kosovo
  chief of state: President Fatmir SEJDIU (since 10 February
  2006)
  head of government: Prime Minister Hashim THACI (since 9 January
  2008)
  cabinet: ministers; elected by the Kosovo Assembly
  elections: the president is elected for a five-year term by the
  Kosovo Assembly; election last held 9 January 2008 (next to be held
  by in 2013); the prime minister is elected by the Kosovo Assembly
  election results: Fatmir SEJDIU reelected president after three
  rounds; Hashim THACI elected prime minister by the Assembly

Kuwait
  chief of state: Amir SABAH al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah (since
  29 January 2006); Crown Prince NAWAF al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah
  head of government: Prime Minister NASIR AL-MUHAMMAD al-Ahmad
  al-Sabah (since 3 April 2007); First Deputy Prime Minister JABIR
  AL-MUBAREK al-Hamad al-Sabah (since 9 February 2006); Deputy Prime
  Minister MUHAMMAD AL-SABAH al-Salim al-Sabah (since 9 February 2006)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister and
  approved by the amir
  elections: none; the amir is hereditary; the amir appoints the prime
  minister and deputy prime ministers

Kyrgyzstan
  chief of state: President Kurmanbek BAKIEV (since 14
  August 2005)
  head of government: Prime Minister Daniyar USENOV (since 21 October
  2009); First Deputy Prime Minister Akylbek JAPAROV (since 22 October
  2009)
  cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers proposed by the prime minister,
  appointed by the president; ministers in charge of defense and
  security, appointed solely by the president
  elections: Kurmanbek BAKIEV reelected by popular vote for a
  five-year term; election last held 23 July 2009 (next scheduled for
  2014); prime minister nominated by the parliamentary party holding
  more than 50% of the seats; if no such party exists, the president
  selects the party that will nominate a prime minister
  election results: Kurmanbek BAKIEV elected president; percent of
  vote - Kurmanbek BAKIEV 76.1%, Almaz ATAMBAYEV 8.4%, Temir SARIYEV
  6.7%, other candidates 8.8%

Laos
  chief of state: President Lt. Gen. CHOUMMALI Saignason (since 8
  June 2006); Vice President BOUN-GNANG Volachit (since 8 June 2006)
  head of government: Prime Minister BOUASONE Bouphavanh (since 8 June
  2006); Deputy Prime Ministers Maj. Gen. ASANG Laoli (since May
  2002), Maj. Gen. DOUANGCHAI Phichit (since 8 June 2006), SOMSAVAT
  Lengsavat (since 26 February 1998), and THONGLOUN Sisoulit (since 27
  March 2001)
  cabinet: Ministers appointed by president, approved by National
  Assembly
  elections: president and vice president elected by National Assembly
  for five-year terms; election last held 8 June 2006 (next to be held
  in 2011); prime minister nominated by president and elected by
  National Assembly for five-year term
  election results: CHOUMMALI Saignason elected president; BOUN-GNANG
  Volachit elected vice president; percent of National Assembly vote -
  100%; BOUASONE Bouphavanh elected prime minister; percent of
  National Assembly vote - 97%

Latvia
  chief of state: President Valdis ZATLERS (since 8 July 2007)
  head of government: Prime Minister Valdis DOMBROVSKIS (since 12
  March 2009)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and
  appointed by Parliament
  elections: president elected by Parliament for a four-year term
  (eligible for a second term); election last held 31 May 2007 (next
  to be held in 2011); prime minister appointed by the president,
  confirmed by Parliament
  election results: Valdis ZATLERS elected president; parliamentary
  vote - Valdis ZATLERS 58, Aivars ENDZINS 39

Lebanon
  chief of state: President Michel SULAYMAN (since 25 May 2008)
  head of government: Prime Minister Sa'ad AL-HARIRI (since 9 November
  2009);Deputy Prime Minister Elias MURR (since 9 November 2009)
  cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation with
  the president and members of the National Assembly
  elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a six-year
  term (may not serve consecutive terms); election last held 25 May
  2008 (next to be held in 2014); the prime minister and deputy prime
  minister appointed by the president in consultation with the
  National Assembly
  election results: Michel SULAYMAN elected president; National
  Assembly vote - 118 for, 6 abstentions, 3 invalidated

Lesotho
  chief of state: King LETSIE III (since 7 February 1996);
  note - King LETSIE III formerly occupied the throne from November
  1990 to February 1995 while his father was in exile
  head of government: Prime Minister Pakalitha MOSISILI (since 23 May
  1998)
  cabinet: Cabinet
  elections: according to the constitution, the leader of the majority
  party in the Assembly automatically becomes prime minister; the
  monarch is hereditary, but, under the terms of the constitution that
  came into effect after the March 1993 election, the monarch is a
  "living symbol of national unity" with no executive or legislative
  powers; under traditional law the college of chiefs has the power to
  depose the monarch, determine who is next in the line of succession,
  or who shall serve as regent in the event that the successor is not
  of mature age

Liberia
  chief of state: President Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF (since 16
  January 2006); note - the President is both the chief of state and
  head of government
  head of government: President Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF (since 16
  January 2006)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president and confirmed by the
  Senate
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term
  (eligible for a second term); election last held 8 November 2005
  (next to be held in October 2011)
  election results: Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF elected president; percent
  of vote, second round - Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF 59.6%, George WEAH
  40.4%

Libya
  chief of state: Revolutionary Leader Col. Muammar Abu Minyar
  al-QADHAFI (since 1 September 1969); note - holds no official title,
  but is de facto chief of state
  head of government: Secretary of the General People's Committee
  (Prime Minister) al-Baghdadi Ali al-MAHMUDI (since 5 March 2006)
  cabinet: General People's Committee established by the General
  People's Congress
  elections: national elections are indirect through a hierarchy of
  people's committees; head of government elected by the General
  People's Congress; election last held March 2006 (next to be held
  March 2009)
  election results: NA

Liechtenstein
  chief of state: Prince HANS ADAM II (since 13 November
  1989, assumed executive powers 26 August 1984); Heir Apparent Prince
  ALOIS, son of the monarch (born 11 June 1968); note - on 15 August
  2004, HANS ADAM transferred the official duties of the ruling prince
  to ALOIS, but HANS ADAM retains status of chief of state
  head of government: Head of Government Klaus TSCHUTSCHER (since 25
  March 2009)
  cabinet: Cabinet elected by the Parliament, confirmed by the monarch
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; following legislative
  elections, the leader of the majority party in the Landtag is
  usually appointed the head of government by the monarch and the
  leader of the largest minority party in the Landtag is usually
  appointed the deputy head of government by the monarch if there is a
  coalition government

Lithuania
  chief of state: President Dalia GRYBAUSKAITE (since 12
  July 2009)
  head of government: Prime Minister Andrius KUBILIUS (since 27
  November 2008)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
  nomination of the prime minister
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
  (eligible for a second term); election last held 17 May 2009 (next
  to be held in May 2014); prime minister appointed by the president
  on the approval of the Parliament
  election results: Dalia GRYBAUSKAITE elected president; percent of
  vote - Dalia GRYBAUSKAITE 69.1%, Algirdas BUTKEVICIUS 11.8%,
  Valentinas MAZURONIS 6.2%, others 12.9%; Andrius KUBILIUS'
  government approved by Parliament 83-40 with 5 abstentions

Luxembourg
  chief of state: Grand Duke HENRI (since 7 October 2000);
  Heir Apparent Prince GUILLAUME (son of the monarch, born 11 November
  1981)
  head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Claude JUNCKER (since 20
  January 1995); Deputy Prime Minister Jean ASSELBORN (since 31 July
  2004)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers recommended by the prime minister and
  appointed by the monarch
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; following popular elections to
  the Chamber of Deputies, the leader of the majority party or the
  leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister
  by the monarch; the deputy prime minister is appointed by the
  monarch; they are responsible to the Chamber of Deputies
  note: government coalition - CSV and LSAP

Macau
  chief of state: President of China HU Jintao (since 15 March
  2003)
  head of government: Chief Executive Edmund HO Hau-wah (since 20
  December 1999)
  cabinet: Executive Council consists of 1 government secretary, 3
  legislators, 4 businessmen, 1 pro-Beijing unionist, and 1
  pro-Beijing educator
  elections: chief executive chosen by a 300-member Election Committee
  for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last
  held 26 July 2009 (next to be held on in July 2014)
  election results: Edmund HO Hau-wah reelected with 296 votes in 2004
  election; Fernando CHUI Sai-on elected in 2009 with 282 votes, takes
  office on 20 December 2009

Macedonia
  chief of state: President Gjorge IVANOV (since 12 May 2009)
  head of government: Prime Minister Nikola GRUEVSKI (since 26 August
  2006)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the majority vote of all
  the deputies in the Assembly; note - current cabinet formed by the
  government coalition parties VMRO/DPMNE, BDI/DUI, and several small
  parties
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
  (eligible for a second term); two-round election: first round held
  22 March 2009, second round held 5 April 2009 (next to be held in
  March 2014); prime minister elected by the Assembly following
  legislative elections
  election results: Gjorge IVANOV elected president on second-round
  ballot; percent of vote - Gjorge IVANOV 63.14%, Ljubomir FRCKOSKI
  36.86%

Madagascar
  chief of state: President Andry RAJOELINA (since 18 March
  2009)
  head of government: Prime Minister Monja Roindefo ZAFITSIMIVALO
  (since 18 March 2009)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
  (eligible for a second term); election last held 3 December 2006
  (next to be held in October 2011); prime minister appointed by the
  president
  election results: percent of vote - Marc RAVALOMANANA 54.8%, Jean
  LAHINIRIKO 11.7%, Roland RATSIRAKA 10.1%, Herizo RAZAFIMAHALEO 9.1%,
  Norbert RATSIRAHONANA 4.2%, Ny Hasina ANDRIAMANJATO 4.2%, Elia
  RAVELOMANANTSOA 2.6%, Pety RAKOTONIAINA 1.7%, other 1.6%; note -
  RAVALOMANANA stepped down on 17 March 2009
  note:: on 17 March 2009, democratically elected President Marc
  RAVALOMANANA stepped down handing the government over to the
  military, which in turn conferred the presidency on opposition
  leader and Antananarivo mayor Andry RAJOELINA, who will head the
  High Transition Authority; a power-sharing agreement reached in
  August 2009 established a 15-month transition period, concluding in
  general elections

Malawi
  chief of state: President Bingu wa MUTHARIKA (since 24 May
  2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Bingu wa MUTHARIKA (since 24 May 2004)
  cabinet: 46-member Cabinet named by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
  (eligible for a second term); election last held 19 May 2009 (next
  to be held in May 2014)
  election results: Bingu wa MUTHARIKA elected president; percent of
  vote - Bingu wa MUTHARIKA 66%, John TEMBO 30.7%, other 3.3%

Malaysia
  chief of state: King - Sultan MIZAN Zainal Abidin (since 13
  December 2006); (the position of the king is primarily ceremonial)
  head of government: Prime Minister Mohamed NAJIB bin Abdul Razak
  (since 3 April 2009); Deputy Prime Minister MUHYIDDIN bin Mohamed
  Yassin (since 9 April 2009)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among the
  members of Parliament with consent of the king
  elections: kings are elected by and from the hereditary rulers of
  nine of the states for five-year terms; election last held on 3
  November 2006 (next to be held in 2011); prime minister designated
  from among the members of the House of Representatives; following
  legislative elections, the leader who commands the support of the
  majority of members in the House becomes prime minister (since
  independence this has been the leader of the UMNO party)
  election results: Sultan MIZAN Zainal Abidin elected king; in
  practice, selection is based on principle of rotation among rulers
  of states

Maldives
  chief of state: President Mohamed "Anni" NASHEED (since 11
  November 2008); Vice President Mohamed WAHEED Hassan Maniku (since
  11 November 2008); note - the president is both the chief of state
  and head of government
  head of government: President Mohamed "Anni" NASHEED (since 11
  November 2008); Vice President Mohamed WAHEED Hassan Maniku (since
  11 November 2008)
  cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: under the new constitution, the president is elected by
  direct vote; president elected for a five-year term (eligible for a
  second term); election last held 8 and 28 October 2008 (next to be
  held in 2013)
  election results: Mohamed NASHEED elected president; percent of vote
  - NASHEED 54.25%, Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM 45.75%

Mali
  chief of state: President Amadou Toumani TOURE (since 8 June
  2002)
  head of government: Prime Minister Modibo SIDIBE (since 28 September
  2007)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
  (eligible for a second term); election last held on 29 April 2007
  (next to be held in April 2012); prime minister appointed by the
  president
  election results: Amadou Toumani TOURE reelected president; percent
  of vote - Amadou Toumani TOURE 71.2%, Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA 19.2%,
  other 9.6%

Malta
  chief of state: President George ABELA (since 4 April 2009)
  head of government: Prime Minister Lawrence GONZI (since 23 March
  2004)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the
  prime minister
  elections: president elected by the House of Representatives for a
  five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on
  12 January 2009 (next to be held by April 2014); following
  legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of
  a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the
  president for a five-year term; the deputy prime minister is
  appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister
  election results: George ABELA elected president by the House of
  Representatives

Marshall Islands
  chief of state: President Jurelang ZEDKAIA (since 2
  November 2009); note - the president is both the chief of state and
  head of government
  head of government: President Jurelang ZEDKAIA (since 2 November
  2009)
  cabinet: Cabinet selected by the president from among the members of
  the legislature
  elections: president elected by Nitijela (legislature) from among
  its members for a four-year term; election last held 7 January 2008
  (next to be held in 2012)
  election results: Litokwa TOMEING removed as president by no
  confidence vote on 21 October 2009; legislature elects ZEDKAIA
  president on 26 October 2009

Mauritania
  chief of state: President Mohamed Ould Abdel AZIZ (since
  5 August 2009) note - AZIZ, who deposed democratically elected
  President Sidi Ould Cheikh ABDELLAHI in a coup and installed himself
  as President of Military High Council of State on 6 August 2008, was
  elected president in an election held 18 July 2009
  head of government: Prime Minister Moulaye Ould Mohamed LAGHDAF
  (since 14 August 2008)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers
  elections: following the August 2008 coup, the Military High Council
  of State pledged to hold a new presidential election which was
  subsequently scheduled and held on 18 July 2009; under Mauritania's
  constitution, the president is elected by popular vote for a
  five-year term; election last held on 18 July 2009 (next to be held
  by 2014)
  election results: percent of vote - Mohamed Ould Abdel AZIZ 52.6%,
  Messaoud Ould BOULKHEIR 16.3%, Ahmed Ould DADDAH 13.7%, Other 17.4%

Mauritius
  chief of state: President Sir Anerood JUGNAUTH (since 7
  October 2003); Vice President Abdool Raouf BUNDHUN (since 25
  February 2002)
  head of government: Prime Minister Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM (since 5
  July 2005)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
  recommendation of the prime minister
  elections: president and vice president elected by the National
  Assembly for five-year terms (eligible for a second term); election
  last held 19 September 2008 (next to be held in 2013); prime
  minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president,
  responsible to the National Assembly
  election results: Sir Anerood JUGNAUTH reelected president by
  unanimous vote; percent of vote by the National Assembly - NA%

Mayotte
  chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May
  2007); represented by Prefect Hubert DERACHE (since 22 July 2009)
  head of government: President of the General Council Ahmed Attoumani
  DOUCHINA (since March 2008)
  cabinet: NA
  elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
  term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the
  French Ministry of the Interior; president of the General Council
  elected by the members of the General Council for a six-year term;
  next election to be held in 2010

Mexico
  chief of state: President Felipe de Jesus CALDERON Hinojosa
  (since 1 December 2006); note - the president is both the chief of
  state and head of government
  head of government: President Felipe de Jesus CALDERON Hinojosa
  (since 1 December 2006)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president; note - appointment of
  attorney general requires consent of the Senate
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a single six-year
  term; election last held on 2 July 2006 (next to be held 1 July 2012)
  election results: Felipe CALDERON elected president; percent of vote
  - Felipe CALDERON 35.89%, Andres Manuel LOPEZ OBRADOR 35.31%,
  Roberto MADRAZO 22.26%, other 6.54%

Micronesia, Federated States of
  chief of state: President Emanuel
  MORI (since 11 May 2007); Vice President Alik L. ALIK (since 11 May
  2007); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Emanuel MORI (since 11 May 2007); Vice
  President Alik L. ALIK (since 11 May 2007)
  cabinet: Cabinet includes the vice president and the heads of the 8
  executive departments
  elections: president and vice president elected by Congress from
  among the four senators at large for a four-year term (eligible for
  a second term); election last held 11 May 2007 (next to be held May
  2011); note - a proposed constitutional amendment to establish
  popular elections for president and vice president failed
  election results: Emanuel MORI elected president; percent of
  Congress vote - NA; Alik L. ALIK elected vice president; percent of
  Congress vote - NA

Moldova
  chief of state: Acting President Mihai GHIMPU (since 11
  September 2009)
  note: Vladimir VORONIN, president since 4 April 2001, resigned on 11
  September 2009; Mihai GHIMPU, the Parliamentary Speaker, replaced
  him until new elections can be held
  head of government: Prime Minister Vladimir FILAT (since 25
  September 2009); Deputy Prime Minister Iurie LEANCA (since 25
  September 2009)
  cabinet: Cabinet selected by president, subject to approval of
  Parliament
  elections: president elected by Parliament for a four-year term
  (eligible for a second term); election last held 4 April 2005 (next
  to have been held 5 April 2009); note - prime minister designated by
  the president upon consultation with Parliament; within 15 days from
  designation, the prime minister-designate must request a vote of
  confidence from the Parliament regarding his/her work program and
  entire cabinet; prime minister designated 17 September 2009; cabinet
  received a vote of confidence 25 September 2009
  election results: Vladimir VORONIN reelected president;
  parliamentary votes - Vladimir VORONIN 75, Gheorghe DUCA 1; Vladimir
  FILAT designated prime minister; parliamentary votes of confidence -
  53 of 101

Monaco
  chief of state: Prince ALBERT II (since 6 April 2005)
  head of government: Minister of State Jean-Paul PROUST (since 1 June
  2005)
  cabinet: Council of Government is under the authority of the monarch
  elections: the monarchy is hereditary; minister of state appointed
  by the monarch from a list of three French national candidates
  presented by the French Government

Mongolia
  chief of state: President Tsakhia ELBEGDORJ (since 18 June
  2009)
  head of government: Prime Minister Sukhbaatar BATBOLD (since 29
  October 2009); First Deputy Prime Minister (Norov ALTANKHUYAG (since
  20 September 2008); Vice Prime Minister Miegombyn ENKHBOLD (since 6
  December 2007)
  cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the prime minister in consultation
  with the president and confirmed by the State Great Hural
  (parliament)
  elections: presidential candidates nominated by political parties
  represented in State Great Hural and elected by popular vote for a
  four-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 24
  May 2009 (next to be held in May 2013); following legislative
  elections, leader of majority party or majority coalition is usually
  elected prime minister by State Great Hural
  election results: in elections in May 2009, Tsakhia ELBEGDORJ
  elected president; percent of vote - Tsakhia ELBEGDORJ 51.24%,
  Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR 47.44%, others 1.32%

Montenegro
  chief of state: President Filip VUJANOVIC (since 6 April
  2008)
  head of government: Prime Minister Milo DJUKANOVIC (since 29
  February 2008)
  cabinet: Ministries act as cabinet
  elections: president elected by direct vote for five-year term
  (eligible for a second term); election last held 6 April 2008 (next
  to be held in 2013); prime minister proposed by president, accepted
  by Assembly
  election results: Filip VUJANOVIC reelected president; Filip
  VUJANOVIC 51.89%, Andrija MANDIC 19.55%, Nebojsa MEDOJEVIC 16.64%,
  Srdan MILIC 11.92%

Montserrat
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
  1952); represented by Governor Peter A. WATERWORTH (since 27 July
  2007)
  head of government: Chief Minister Rueben MEADE (since 10 September
  2009)
  cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, the chief
  minister, 3 other ministers, the attorney general, and the finance
  secretary
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the
  monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority
  party usually becomes chief minister

Morocco
  chief of state: King MOHAMMED VI (since 30 July 1999)
  head of government: Prime Minister Abbas EL FASSI (since 19
  September 2007)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by
  the monarch following legislative elections

Mozambique
  chief of state: President Armando GUEBUZA (since 2
  February 2005)
  head of government: Prime Minister Luisa DIOGO (since 17 February
  2004)
  cabinet: Cabinet
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
  (eligible for a second term); election last held 28 October 2009
  (next to be held in 2014); prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: Armando GUEBUZA relected president; percent of
  vote - Armando GUEBUZA 76.3%, Afonso DHLAKAMA 14.9%, Daviz SIMANGO
  8.8%

Namibia
  chief of state: President Hifikepunye POHAMBA (since 21
  March 2005)
  head of government: Prime Minister Nahas ANGULA (since 21 March 2005)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members
  of the National Assembly
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
  (eligible for a second term); election last held 15 November 2004
  (next to be held in November 2009)
  election results: Hifikepunye POHAMBA elected president; percent of
  vote - Hifikepunye POHAMBA 76.4%, Den ULENGA 7.3%, Katuutire KAURA
  5.1%, Kuaima RIRUAKO 4.2%, Justus GAROEB 3.8%, other 3.2%

Nauru
  chief of state: President Marcus STEPHEN (since 19 December
  2007); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Marcus STEPHEN (since 19 December
  2007); note - President Ludwig SCOTTY defeated in a no confidence
  vote in parliament on 19 December 2007
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members
  of parliament
  elections: president elected by parliament for a three-year term;
  election last held 19 December 2007 (next to be held in 2010)
  election results: NA

Nepal
  chief of state: President Ram Baran YADAV (as of 23 July
  2008); Vice President Paramananda JHA (as of 23 July 2008)
  head of government: Prime Minister Madhav Kumar NEPAL (as of 25 May
  2009); Deputy Prime Minister Bijay Kumar GACHHEDAR
  cabinet: cabinet formed in August 2008 by a majority coalition made
  up of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), Communist Party of
  Nepal-United Marxist-Leninist, Madhesi People's Rights Forum, and
  several smaller parties
  elections: president elected by Parliament; term extends until the
  new constitution is promulgated; election last held 21 July 2008;
  date of next election NA
  election results: Ram Baran YADAV elected president by the
  Constituent Assembly in a second round of voting on 21 July 2008;
  Ram Baran YADAV 308, Ram Jaja Prasad SINGH 282

Netherlands
  chief of state: Queen BEATRIX (since 30 April 1980);
  Heir Apparent WILLEM-ALEXANDER (born 27 April 1967), son of the
  monarch
  head of government: Prime Minister Jan Peter BALKENENDE (since 22
  July 2002); Deputy Prime Ministers Wouter BOS (since 22 February
  2007) and Andre ROUVOET (since 22 February 2007)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch
  elections: the monarchy is hereditary; following Second Chamber
  elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority
  coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch; deputy
  prime ministers appointed by the monarch
  note: there is also a Council of State composed of the monarch, heir
  apparent, and councilors that provides consultations to the cabinet
  on legislative and administrative policy

Netherlands Antilles
  chief of state: Queen BEATRIX of the
  Netherlands (since 30 April 1980); represented by Governor General
  Frits GOEDGEDRAG (since 1 July 2002)
  head of government: Prime Minister Emily de JONGH-ELHAGE (since 26
  March 2006)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the Staten (legislature)
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by
  the monarch for a six-year term; following legislative elections,
  the leader of the majority party is usually elected prime minister
  by the Staten; election last held 27 January 2006 (next to be held
  by 2010)
  note: government coalition - PAR, PNP, DP-St. M, UPB, WIPM Saba,
  DP-St. E

New Caledonia
  chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16
  May 2007); represented by High Commissioner Yves DASSONVILLE (since
  9 November 2007)
  head of government: President of the Government Philippe GOMES
  (since 5 June 2009)
  cabinet: Cabinet consisting of 11 members elected from and by the
  Territorial Congress
  elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
  term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the
  advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the
  government elected by the members of the Territorial Congress for a
  five-year term (no term limits); note - last election held 7 August
  2007 when Harold MARTIN was elected following the resignation of
  Marie-Noelle THEMEREAU as president on 24 July 2007 (next to be held
  in 2012)

New Zealand
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
  1952); represented by Governor General Anand SATYANAND (since 23
  August 2006)
  head of government: Prime Minister John KEY (since 19 November
  2008); Deputy Prime Minister Bill ENGLISH (since 19 November 2008)
  cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor general on the
  recommendation of the prime minister
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by
  the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the
  majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually
  appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy prime
  minister appointed by the governor general

Nicaragua
  chief of state: President Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (since 10
  January 2007); Vice President Jaime MORALES Carazo (since 10 January
  2007); note - the president is both chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (since 10
  January 2007); Vice President Jaime MORALES Carazo (since 10 January
  2007)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term so
  long as it is not consecutive); election last held 5 November 2006
  (next to be held by November 2011)
  election results: Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra elected president - 38.07%,
  Eduardo MONTEALEGRE 29%, Jose RIZO 26.21%, Edmundo JARQUIN 6.44%

Niger
  chief of state: President Mamadou TANDJA (since 22 December
  1999)
  head of government: Prime Minister Ali Badjo GAMATIE (since 2
  October 2009); appointed by the president and shares some executive
  responsibilities with the president
  cabinet: 26-member Cabinet appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
  (eligible for a second term); second round of election last held 4
  December 2004 (next to be held December 2009)
  election results: Mamadou TANDJA reelected president; percent of
  vote - Mamadou TANDJA 65.5%, Mahamadou ISSOUFOU 34.5%

Nigeria
  chief of state: President Umaru Musa YAR'ADUA (since 29 May
  2007); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Umaru Musa YAR'ADUA (since 29 May 2007)
  cabinet: Federal Executive Council
  elections: president is elected by popular vote for a four-year term
  (eligible for a second term); election last held 21 April 2007 (next
  to be held in April 2011)
  election results: Umaru Musa YAR'ADUA elected president; percent of
  vote - Umaru Musa YAR'ADUA 69.8%, Muhammadu BUHARI 18.7%, Atiku
  ABUBAKAR 7.5%, Orji Uzor KALU 1.7%, other 2.3%

Niue
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952);
  represented by Governor General of New Zealand Anand SATYANAND
  (since 23 August 2006); the UK and New Zealand are represented by
  New Zealand High Commissioner John BRYAN (since May 2000)
  head of government: Premier Toke TALAGI (since 18 June 2008)
  cabinet: Cabinet consists of the premier and 3 ministers
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; premier elected by the
  Legislative Assembly for a three-year term; election last held 18
  June 2008 (next to be held in 2011)
  election results: Toke TALAGI defeats incumbent Young VIVIAN in
  Legislative Assembly vote; Toke TALAGI - 14, Young VIVIAN - 5

Norfolk Island
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
  1952); represented by the Australian governor general
  head of government: Acting Administrator Owen WALSH (since October
  2007)
  cabinet: Executive Council is made up of 4 of the 9 members of the
  Legislative Assembly; the council devises government policy and acts
  as an advisor to the administrator
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the
  governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and
  Australia

Northern Mariana Islands
  chief of state: President Barack H. OBAMA
  (since 20 January 2009); Vice President Joseph R. BIDEN (since 20
  January 2009)
  head of government: Governor Benigno R. FITIAL (since 9 January
  2006); Lieutenant Governor Eloy S. INOS (since 1 May 2009)
  cabinet: the cabinet consists of the heads of the 10 principal
  departments under the executive branch who are appointed by the
  governor with the advice and consent of the Senate; other members
  include Special Assistants to the governor and office heads
  appointed by and reporting directly to the governor
  elections: under the US Constitution, residents of unincorporated
  territories, such as the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
  Islands, do not vote in elections for US president and vice
  president; however, they may vote in the Democratic and Republican
  party presidential primary elections; governor and lieutenant
  governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year
  terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 7 November
  2009 (run-off election to be held on 23 November 2009)
  election results: percent of vote - Benigno R. FITIAL 36%, Heinz
  HOFSCHNEIDER 36%, Juan GUERRERO 20%, Ramon Deleon GUERRERO 8%; a
  run-off election between FITIAL and HOFSCHNEIDER will held on 23
  November 2009

Norway
  chief of state: King HARALD V (since 17 January 1991); Heir
  Apparent Crown Prince HAAKON MAGNUS, son of the monarch (born 20
  July 1973)
  head of government: Prime Minister Jens STOLTENBERG (since 17
  October 2005)
  cabinet: State Council appointed by the monarch with the approval of
  parliament
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; following parliamentary
  elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the
  majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the
  monarch with the approval of the parliament

Oman
  chief of state: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said
  al-Said (sultan since 23 July 1970 and prime minister since 23 July
  1972); note - the monarch is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said
  al-Said (sultan since 23 July 1970 and prime minister since 23 July
  1972)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch
  elections: the monarch is hereditary

Pakistan
  chief of state: President Asif Ali ZARDARI (since 9
  September 2008)
  note: following President Pervez MUSHARRAF's resignation on 18
  August 2008, elections were held on 6 September in which Asif Ali
  ZARDARI won a clear majority; ZARDARI'S inauguration as president of
  Pakistan on 9 September solidified the country's return to civilian
  government after more than eight years of military rule
  head of government: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza GILANI (since 25
  March 2008)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president upon the advice of the
  prime minister
  elections: the president is elected by secret ballot through an
  Electoral College comprising the members of the Senate, National
  Assembly, and the provincial assemblies for a five-year term;
  election last held on 6 September 2008 (next to be held not later
  than 2013); note - any person who is a Muslim and not less than 45
  years of age and is qualified to be elected as a member of the
  National Assembly can contest the presidential election; the prime
  minister is selected by the National Assembly; election last held on
  24 March 2008
  election results: Asif Ali ZARDARI elected president; ZARDARI 481
  votes, SIDDIQUE 153 votes, SYED 44 votes; Syed Yousuf Raza GILANI
  elected prime minister; GILANI 264 votes, Pervaiz ELAHI 42 votes;
  several abstentions

Palau
  chief of state: President Johnson TORIBIONG (since 15 January
  2009); Vice President Kerai MARIUR (since 15 January 2009); note -
  the president is both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Johnson TORIBIONG (since 15 January
  2009); Vice President Kerai MARIUR (since 15 January 2009)
  cabinet: NA
  elections: president and vice president elected on separate tickets
  by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term);
  election last held 4 November 2008 (next to be held in November 2012)
  election results: Johnson TORIBIONG (51%) defeats Elias Camsek CHIN
  (49%) for president; Kerai MARIUR elected vice president

Panama
  chief of state: President Ricardo MARTINELLI Berrocal (since
  1 July 2009); Vice President Juan Carlos VARELA (since 1 July 2009);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Ricardo MARTINELLI Berrocal (since 1
  July 2009); Vice President Juan Carlos VARELA (since 1 July 2009)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for five-year terms (not eligible for immediate
  reelection; president and vice president must sit out two additional
  terms (10 years) before becoming eligible for reelection); election
  last held 3 May 2009 (next to be held in 2014)
  election results: Ricardo MARTINELLI Berrocal elected president;
  percent of vote - Ricardo MARTINELLI Berrocal 60%, Balbina HERRERA
  38%, Guillermo ENDARA Galimany 2%
  note: government coalition - PRD (Democratic Revolutionary Party),
  PP (Popular Party)

Papua New Guinea
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6
  February 1952); represented by governor general Sir Paulius MATANE
  (since 29 June 2004)
  head of government: Prime Minister Sir Michael SOMARE (since 2
  August 2002); Deputy Prime Minister Puka TEMU (since 29 August 2007)
  cabinet: National Executive Council appointed by the governor
  general on the recommendation of the prime minister
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; the governor general is
  nominated by parliament and appointed by the chief of state;
  following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or
  leader of the majority coalition usually is appointed prime minister
  by the governor general acting in accordance with a decision of the
  parliament

Paraguay
  chief of state: President Fernando Armindo LUGO Mendez
  (since 15 August 2008); Vice President Federico FRANCO (since 15
  August 2008); note - the president is both the chief of state and
  head of government
  head of government: President Fernando Armindo LUGO Mendez (since 15
  August 2008); Vice President Federico FRANCO (since 15 August 2008)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for a single five-year term; election last held 20
  April 2008 (next to be held April 2013)
  election results: Fernando Armindo LUGO Mendez elected president;
  percent of vote - Fernando Armindo LUGO Mendez 40.8%, Blanca OVELAR
  30.6%, Lino OVIEDO 21.9%, Pedro FADUL 2.4%, other 4.3%

Peru
  chief of state: President Alan GARCIA Perez (since 28 July
  2006); First Vice President Luis GIAMPIETRI Rojas (since 28 July
  2006); Second Vice President Lourdes MENDOZA del Solar (since 28
  July 2006); note - the president is both the chief of state and head
  of government
  head of government: President Alan GARCIA Perez (since 28 July
  2006); First Vice President Luis GIAMPIETRI Rojas (since 28 July
  2006); Second Vice President Lourdes MENDOZA del Solar (since 28
  July 2006)
  note: Prime Minister Javier VELASQUEZ Quesquen (since 12 July 2009)
  does not exercise executive power; this power is in the hands of the
  president
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
  (eligible for a nonconsecutive reelection); presidential and
  congressional elections held 9 April 2006 with runoff election held
  4 June 2006; next to be held in April 2011
  election results: Alan GARCIA Perez elected president in runoff
  election; percent of vote - Alan GARCIA Perez 52.5%, Ollanta HUMALA
  Tasso 47.5%

Philippines
  chief of state: President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO (since
  20 January 2001); Vice President (Manuel "Noli" DE CASTRO (since 10
  May 2004); note - president is both chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO (since 20
  January 2001)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with consent of
  Commission of Appointments
  elections: president and vice president elected on separate tickets
  by popular vote for a single six-year term; election last held on 10
  May 2004 (next to be held in May 2010)
  election results: Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO elected president; percent
  of vote - Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO 40%, Fernando POE 37%, three
  others 23%

Pitcairn Islands
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6
  February 1952); represented by UK High Commissioner to New Zealand
  and Governor (nonresident) of the Pitcairn Islands George FERGUSSON
  (since April 2006); Commissioner (nonresident) Leslie JAQUES (since
  September 2003) serves as liaison between the governor and the
  Island Council
  head of government: Governor George FERGUSSON (since April 2006);
  Mayor and Chairman of the Island Council Mike WARREN (since 1
  January 2008)
  cabinet: NA
  elections: the monarchy is hereditary; governor and commissioner
  appointed by the monarch; island mayor elected by popular vote for a
  three-year term; election last held December 2007 (next to be held
  in December 2010)
  election results: Mike WARREN elected mayor and chairman of the
  Island Council

Poland
  chief of state: President Lech KACZYNSKI (since 23 December
  2005)
  head of government: Prime Minister Donald TUSK (since 16 November
  2007); Deputy Prime Minister Waldemar PAWLAK (since 16 November 2007)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers responsible to the prime minister and
  the Sejm; the prime minister proposes, the president appoints, and
  the Sejm approves the Council of Ministers
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
  (eligible for a second term); election last held 9 and 23 October
  2005 (next to be held in the fall 2010); prime minister and deputy
  prime ministers appointed by the president and confirmed by the Sejm
  election results: Lech KACZYNSKI elected president; percent of
  popular vote - Lech KACZYNSKI 54%, Donald Tusk 46%

Portugal
  chief of state: President Anibal CAVACO SILVA (since 9
  March 2006)
  head of government: Prime Minister Jose SOCRATES Carvalho Pinto de
  Sousa (since 12 March 2005)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
  recommendation of the prime minister
  note: there is also a Council of State that acts as a consultative
  body to the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
  (eligible for a second term); election last held 22 January 2006
  (next to be held in January 2011); following legislative elections,
  the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition
  is usually appointed prime minister by the president
  election results: Anibal CAVACO SILVA elected president; percent of
  vote - Anibal CAVACO SILVA 50.6%, Manuel ALEGRE 20.7%, Mario Alberto
  Nobre Lopes SOARES 14.3%, Jeronimo DE SOUSA 8.5%, Franciso LOUCA 5.3%

Puerto Rico
  chief of state: President Barack H. OBAMA (since 20
  January 2009); Vice President Joseph R. BIDEN (since 20 January 2009)
  head of government: Governor Luis FORTUNO (since 2 January 2009)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor with the consent of the
  legislature
  elections: under the US Constitution, residents of unincorporated
  territories, such as Puerto Rico, do not vote in elections for US
  president and vice president; however, they may vote in Democratic
  and Republican party presidential primary elections; governor
  elected by popular vote for a four-year term (no term limits);
  election last held 4 November 2008 (next to be held in November 2012)
  election results: Luis FORTUNO elected governor with 52.8% of the
  vote

Qatar
  chief of state: Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa al-Thani (since 27 June
  1995 when, as heir apparent, he ousted his father, Amir KHALIFA bin
  Hamad al-Thani, in a bloodless coup); Heir Apparent TAMIM bin Hamad
  bin Khalifa al-Thani, fourth son of the monarch (selected Heir
  Apparent by the monarch on 5 August 2003); note - Amir HAMAD also
  holds the positions of Minister of Defense and Commander-in-Chief of
  the Armed Forces
  head of government: Prime Minister HAMAD bin Jasim bin Jabir
  al-Thani (since 3 April 2007); Deputy Prime Minister Abdallah bin
  Hamad al-ATIYAH (since 3 April 2007)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch
  elections: the monarch is hereditary
  note: in April 2007, Qatar held nationwide elections for a 29-member
  Central Municipal Council (CMC), which has limited consultative
  powers aimed at improving the provision of municipal services; the
  first election for the CMC was held in March 1999

Romania
  chief of state: President Traian BASESCU (since 20 December
  2004); note - President Traian BASESCU was suspended by vote of
  parliament on 19 April 2007, but resumed his duties on 23 May 2007
  after a popular referendum confirmed that his impeachment should not
  stand
  head of government: Prime Minister Emil BOC (since 22 December 2008)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
  (eligible for a second term); election last held 28 November 2004
  with runoff between the top two candidates held 12 December 2004
  (next to be held in November-December 2009); prime minister
  appointed by the president with the consent of the Parliament
  election results: percent of vote - Traian BASESCU 51.23%, Adrian
  NASTASE 48.77%

Russia
  chief of state: President Dmitriy Anatolyevich MEDVEDEV
  (since 7 May 2008)
  head of government: Premier Vladimir Vladimirovich PUTIN (since 8
  May 2008); First Deputy Premiers Igor Ivanovich SHUVALOV and Viktor
  Alekseyevich ZUBKOV (since 12 May 2008); Deputy Premiers Sergey
  Borisovich IVANOV (since 12 May 2008), Dmitriy Nikolayevich KOZAK
  (since 14 October 2008), Aleksey Leonidovich KUDRIN (since 24
  September 2007), Igor Ivanovich SECHIN (since 12 May 2008), Sergey
  Semenovich SOBYANIN (since 12 May 2008), Aleksandr Dmitriyevich
  ZHUKOV (since 9 March 2004), and Dmitry Nikolayevich KOZAK (since 14
  October 2008)
  cabinet: Ministries of the Government or "Government" composed of
  the premier and his deputies, ministers, and selected other
  individuals; all are appointed by the president
  note: there is also a Presidential Administration (PA) that provides
  staff and policy support to the president, drafts presidential
  decrees, and coordinates policy among government agencies; a
  Security Council also reports directly to the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term
  (eligible for a second term); election last held 2 March 2008 (next
  to be held in March 2012); note - no vice president; if the
  president dies in office, cannot exercise his powers because of ill
  health, is impeached, or resigns, the premier serves as acting
  president until a new presidential election is held, which must be
  within three months; premier appointed by the president with the
  approval of the Duma
  election results: Dmitriy MEDVEDEV elected president; percent of
  vote - Dmitry MEDVEDEV 70.2%, Gennady ZYUGANOV 17.7%, Vladimir
  ZHIRINOVSKY 9.4%, Andrey BOGDANOV 1.3%

Rwanda
  chief of state: President Paul KAGAME (since 22 April 2000)
  head of government: Prime Minister Bernard MAKUZA (since 8 March
  2000)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: President elected by popular vote for a seven-year term
  (eligible for a second term); elections last held 25 August 2003
  (next to be held in September 2010)
  election results: Paul KAGAME elected president in first direct
  popular vote; Paul KAGAME 95.05%, Faustin TWAGIRAMUNGU 3.62%,
  Jean-Nepomuscene NAYINZIRA 1.33%

Saint Barthelemy
  chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16
  May 2007), represented by Prefect Dominique LACROIX (since 21 March
  2007)
  head of government: President of the Territorial Council Bruno
  MAGRAS (since 16 July 2007)
  cabinet: Executive Council; note - there is also an advisory,
  economic, social, and cultural council
  elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
  term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the
  French Ministry of Interior; president of the Territorial Council is
  elected by the members of the Council for a five-year term
  election results: Bruno MAGRAS unanimously elected president by the
  Territorial Council on 16 July 2007

Saint Helena
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
  1952)
  head of government: Governor and Commander in Chief Andrew GURR
  (since 11 November 2007)
  cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, 3 ex-officio
  officers, and 5 elected members of the Legislative Council
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor is appointed by the
  monarch

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6
  February 1952); represented by Governor General Cuthbert Montraville
  SEBASTIAN (since 1 January 1996)
  head of government: Prime Minister Dr. Denzil DOUGLAS (since 6 July
  1995); Deputy Prime Minister Sam CONDOR (since 6 July 1995)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general in consultation
  with the prime minister
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; the governor general is
  appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the
  leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is
  usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy
  prime minister appointed by the governor general

Saint Lucia
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
  1952); represented by Governor General Dame Pearlette LOUISY (since
  September 1997)
  head of government: Prime Minister Stephenson KING (since 9
  September 2007); note - Sir John COMPTON died in office 7 September
  2007
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of
  the prime minister
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; the governor general is
  appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the
  leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition
  is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy
  prime minister appointed by the governor general

Saint Martin
  chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May
  2007), represented by Prefect Dominique LACROIX (since 21 March 2007)
  head of government: President of the Territorial Council Frantz
  GUMBS (since 5 May 2009)
  cabinet: Executive Council; note - there is also an advisory
  economic, social, and cultural council
  election: French president elected by popular vote to a five-year
  term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the
  French Ministry of Interior; president of the Territorial Council is
  elected by the members of the Council for a five-year term
  election results: Frantz GUMBS elected president by the Territorial
  Council on 7 August 2008 but election was declared invalid on 10
  April 2009

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY
  (since 16 May 2007); represented by Prefect Jean-Pierre BERCOT
  (since 28 July 2008)
  head of government: President of the Territorial Council Stephane
  ARTANO (since 21 February 2007)
  cabinet: NA
  elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
  term; election last held 6 May 2007 (next to be held in 2012);
  prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the
  French Ministry of Interior; president of the Territorial Council is
  elected by the members of the council

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II
  (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Sir
  Fredrick Nathaniel BALLANTYNE (since 2 September 2002)
  head of government: Prime Minister Ralph E. GONSALVES (since 29
  March 2001)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of
  the prime minister
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; the governor general is
  appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the
  leader of the majority party is usually appointed prime minister by
  the governor general; deputy prime minister appointed by the
  governor general on the advice of the prime minister

Samoa
  chief of state: TUIATUA Tupua Tamasese Efi (since 20 June 2007)
  head of government: Prime Minister Sailele Malielegaoi TUILA'EPA
  (since 1998); Deputy Prime Minister MISA Telefoni (since 2001)
  cabinet: Cabinet consists of 12 members appointed by the chief of
  state on the prime minister's advice
  elections: chief of state is elected by the Legislative Assembly to
  serve a five-year term (no term limits); election last held 15 June
  2007 (next to be held in 2012); following legislative elections, the
  leader of the majority party is usually appointed prime minister by
  the chief of state with the approval of the Legislative Assembly
  election results: TUIATUA Tupua Tamasese Efi unanimously elected by
  the Legislative Assembly

San Marino
  chief of state: Co-chiefs of State Captain Regent
  Francesco MUSSONI and Captain Regent Stefano PALMIERI (for the
  period 1 October 2009-31 March 2010)
  head of government: Secretary of State for Foreign and Political
  Affairs Antonella MULARONI (since 3 December 2008)
  cabinet: Congress of State elected by the Great and General Council
  for a five-year term
  elections: co-chiefs of state (captains regent) elected by the Great
  and General Council for a six-month term; election last held in
  September 2009 (next to be held in March 2010); secretary of state
  for foreign and political affairs elected by the Great and General
  Council for a five-year term; election last held 9 November 2008
  (next to be held by 2013)
  election results: Francesco MUSSONI and Stefano PALMIERI elected
  captains regent; percent of legislative vote - NA; Antonella
  MULARONI elected secretary of state for foreign and political
  affairs; percent of legislative vote - NA
  note: the popularly elected parliament (Grand and General Council)
  selects two of its members to serve as the Captains Regent
  (co-chiefs of state) for a six-month period; they preside over
  meetings of the Grand and General Council and its cabinet (Congress
  of State), which has 10 other members, all selected by the Grand and
  General Council; assisting the captains regent are 10 secretaries of
  state; the secretary of state for Foreign Affairs has assumed some
  prime ministerial roles

Sao Tome and Principe
  chief of state: President Fradique Bandiera
  Melo DE MENEZES (since 3 September 2001)
  head of government: Prime Minister Joachim Rafael BRANCO (since 22
  June 2008)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
  proposal of the prime minister
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
  (eligible for a second term); election last held 30 July 2006 (next
  to be held July 2011); prime minister chosen by the National
  Assembly and approved by the president
  election results: Fradique DE MENEZES elected president; percent of
  vote - Fradique DE MENEZES 60%, Patrice TROVOADA 38.5%

Saudi Arabia
  chief of state: King and Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin
  Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (since 1 August 2005); Heir Apparent Crown
  Prince SULTAN bin Abd al- Aziz Al Saud (half brother of the
  monarch); note - the monarch is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: King and Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Abd al-Aziz
  Al Saud (since 1 August 2005); Deputy Prime Minister SULTAN bin Abd
  al-Aziz Al Saud; Second Deputy Prime Minister NAYIF bin Abd Al-Aziz
  Al Saud
  cabinet: Council of Ministers is appointed by the monarch every four
  years and includes many royal family members
  elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; note - a new Allegiance
  Commission created by royal decree in October 2006 established a
  committee of Saudi princes that will play a role in selecting future
  Saudi kings, but the new system will not take effect until after
  Crown Prince Sultan becomes king

Senegal
  chief of state: President Abdoulaye WADE (since 1 April 2000)
  head of government: Prime Minister Soulayemane Ndene NDIAYE (since 1
  May 2009)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister in
  consultation with the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
  (eligible for a second term) under new constitution; election last
  held on 25 February 2007 (next to be held in 2012); prime minister
  appointed by the president
  election results: Abdoulaye WADE reelected president; percent of
  vote - Abdoulaye WADE 55.9%, Idrissa SECK 14.9%, Ousmane Tanor DIENG
  13.6%, Moustapha NIASSE 5.9%, other 9.7%

Serbia
  chief of state: President Boris TADIC (since 11 July 2004)
  head of government: Prime Minister Mirko CVETKOVIC (since 7 July
  2008)
  cabinet: Federal Ministries act as cabinet
  elections: president elected by direct vote for a five-year term
  (eligible for a second term); election last held 3 February 2008
  (next to be held in 2013); prime minister elected by the National
  Assembly
  election results: Boris TADIC elected president in the second round
  of voting; Boris TADIC received 51.2% of the vote and Tomislav
  NIKOLIC 48.8%

Seychelles
  chief of state: President James Alix MICHEL (since 14
  April 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and
  head of government
  head of government: President James MICHEL (since 14 April 2004)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
  (eligible for two more terms); election last held 28-30 July 2006
  (next to be held in 2011)
  election results: President James MICHEL elected president; percent
  of vote - James MICHEL 53.73%, Wavel RAMKALAWAN 45.71%, Philippe
  BOULLE 0.56%; note - this was the first election in which President
  James MICHEL participated; he was originally sworn in as president
  after former president France Albert RENE stepped down in April 2004

Sierra Leone
  chief of state: President Ernest Bai KOROMA (since 17
  September 2007); note - the president is both the chief of state and
  head of government
  head of government: President Ernest Bai KOROMA (since 17 September
  2007)
  cabinet: Ministers of State appointed by the president with the
  approval of the House of Representatives; the cabinet is responsible
  to the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
  (eligible for a second term); election last held 11 August 2007 and
  8 September 2007 (next to be held in 2012)
  election results: second round results; percent of vote - Ernest Bai
  KOROMA 54.6%, Solomon BEREWA 45.4%

Singapore
  chief of state: President S R NATHAN (since 1 September
  1999)
  note: uses S R NATHAN but his full name and the one used in formal
  communications is Sellapan RAMANATHAN
  head of government: Prime Minister LEE Hsien Loong (since 12 August
  2004); Senior Minister GOH Chok Tong (since 12 August 2004); Senior
  Minister Shunmugam JAYAKUMAR (since 1 April 2009); Minister Mentor
  LEE Kuan Yew (since 12 August 2004); Deputy Prime Minister TEO Chee
  Huan (since 1 April 2009) and Deputy Prime Minister WONG Kan Seng
  (since 1 September 2005)
  cabinet: appointed by president, responsible to parliament
  elections: president elected by popular vote for six-year term;
  appointed on 17 August 2005 (next election to be held by August
  2011); following legislative elections, leader of majority party or
  leader of majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by
  president; deputy prime ministers appointed by president
  election results: Sellapan Rama (S R) NATHAN appointed president in
  August 2005 after Presidential Elections Committee disqualified
  three other would-be candidates; scheduled election not held

Slovakia
  chief of state: President Ivan GASPAROVIC (since 15 June
  2004)
  head of government: Prime Minister Robert FICO (since 4 July 2006);
  Deputy Prime Ministers Dusan CAPLOVIC, Robert KALINAK, Stefan
  HARABIN, Jan MIKOLAJ (since 4 July 2006)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of
  the prime minister
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
  (eligible for a second term); election last held 21 March and 4
  April 2009 (next to be held no later than April 2014); following
  National Council elections, the leader of the majority party or the
  leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister
  by the president
  election results: Ivan GASPAROVIC reelected president in runoff;
  percent of vote - Ivan GASPAROVIC 55.5%, Iveta RADICOVA 44.5%

Slovenia
  chief of state: President Danilo TURK (since 22 December
  2007)
  head of government: Prime Minister Borut PAHOR (since 7 November
  2008)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and
  elected by the National Assembly
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
  (eligible for a second term); election last held 21 October and 11
  November 2007 (next to be held in the 8 October 2012); following
  National Assembly elections, the leader of the majority party or the
  leader of a majority coalition is usually nominated to become prime
  minister by the president and elected by the National Assembly;
  election last held on 21 September 2008 (next National Assembly
  elections to be held in 8 October 2012)
  election results: Danilo TURK elected president; percent of vote -
  Danilo TURK 68.2%, Alojze PETERLE 31.8%; Borut PAHOR elected prime
  minister by National Assembly vote

Solomon Islands
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
  1952); represented by Governor General Frank KABUI (since 7 July
  2009)
  head of government: Prime Minister Derek SIKUA (since 20 December
  2007); note - Prime Minister Manasseh SOGAVARE defeated in a no
  confidence vote in parliament on 13 December 2007; SIKUA elected on
  20 December 2007
  cabinet: Cabinet consists of 20 members appointed by the governor
  general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members
  of Parliament
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by
  the monarch on the advice of parliament for up to five years
  (eligible for a second term); following legislative elections, the
  leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition
  is usually elected prime minister by parliament; deputy prime
  minister appointed by the governor general on the advice of the
  prime minister from among the members of parliament

Somalia
  chief of state: Transitional Federal President Sheikh SHARIF
  Sheikh Ahmed (since 31 January 2009); note - a transitional
  governing entity with a five-year mandate, known as the Transitional
  Federal Institutions (TFIs), was established in October 2004; the
  TFIs relocated to Somalia in June 2004
  head of government: Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Ali SHARMARKE
  (since 13 February 2009)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister and approved by the
  Transitional Federal Assembly
  election results: Sheikh SHARIF Sheikh Ahmed was elected president
  by the expanded Transitional Federal Assembly in Djibouti

South Africa
  chief of state: President Jacob ZUMA (since 9 May
  2009); Executive Deputy President Kgalema MOTLANTHE (since 11 May
  2009); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Jacob ZUMA (since 9 May 2009);
  Executive Deputy President Kgalema MOTLANTHE (since 11 May 2009)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a
  five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 6
  May 2009 (next to be held in 2014)
  election results: Jacob ZUMA elected president; National Assembly
  vote - Jacob ZUMA 277, Mvume DANDALA 47, other 76

Spain
  chief of state: King JUAN CARLOS I (since 22 November 1975);
  Heir Apparent Prince FELIPE, son of the monarch, born 30 January 1968
  head of government: President of the Government (Prime Minister
  equivalent) Jose Luis Rodriguez ZAPATERO (since 17 April 2004);
  First Vice President (and Minister of the Presidency) Maria Teresa
  FERNANDEZ DE LA VEGA (since 18 April 2004), Second Vice President
  (and Minister of Economy and Finance) Elena SALGADO Mendez (since 8
  April 2009), and Third Vice President (and Minister of Regional
  Affairs) Manuel CHAVES Gonzalez (since 8 April 2009)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers designated by the president
  note: there is also a Council of State that is the supreme
  consultative organ of the government, but its recommendations are
  non-binding
  elections: the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative
  elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the
  majority coalition is usually proposed president by the monarch and
  elected by the National Assembly; election last held on 9 and 11
  April 2008 (next to be held in March 2012); vice presidents
  appointed by the monarch on the proposal of the president
  election results: Jose Luis Rodriguez ZAPATERO reelected President
  of the Government; percent of National Assembly vote - 46.94%

Sri Lanka
  chief of state: President Mahinda Percy RAJAPAKSA (since
  19 November 2005); note - the president is both the chief of state
  and head of government; Ratnasiri WICKREMANAYAKE (since 21 November
  2005) holds the largely ceremonial title of prime minister
  head of government: President Mahinda Percy RAJAPAKSA (since 19
  November 2005)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president in consultation with the
  prime minister
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term
  (eligible for a second term); election last held on 17 November 2005
  (next to be held in 2011)
  election results: Mahinda RAJAPAKSA elected president; percent of
  vote - Mahinda RAJAPAKSA 50.3%, Ranil WICKREMESINGHE 48.4%, other
  1.3%

Sudan
  chief of state: President Umar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR (since
  16 October 1993); First Vice President Salva KIIR (since 4 August
  2005), Vice President Ali Osman TAHA (since 20 September 2005); note
  - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Umar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR (since 16
  October 1993); First Vice President Salva KIIR (since 4 August
  2005), Vice President Ali Osman TAHA (since 20 September 2005)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president; note - the
  National Congress Party or NCP (formerly the National Islamic Front
  or NIF) dominates al-BASHIR's cabinet
  elections: election last held 13-23 December 2000; next to be held
  February 2010
  election results: Umar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR reelected president;
  percent of vote - Umar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR 86.5%, Ja'afar
  Muhammed NUMAYRI 9.6%, three other candidates received a combined
  vote of 3.9%; election widely viewed as rigged; all popular
  opposition parties boycotted elections because of a lack of
  guarantees for a free and fair election
  note: al-BASHIR assumed power as chairman of Sudan's Revolutionary
  Command Council for National Salvation (RCC) in June 1989 and served
  concurrently as chief of state, chairman of the RCC, prime minister,
  and minister of defense until mid-October 1993 when he was appointed
  president by the RCC; he was elected president by popular vote for
  the first time in March 1996

Suriname
  chief of state: President Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN (since
  12 August 2000); Vice President Ramdien SARDJOE (since 3 August
  2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN (since 12
  August 2000); Vice President Ram SARDJOE (since 3 August 2005)
  cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president and vice president elected by the National
  Assembly or, if no presidential or vice presidential candidate
  receives a two-thirds constitutional majority in the National
  Assembly after two votes, by a simple majority in the larger United
  People's Assembly (893 representatives from the national, local, and
  regional councils), for five-year terms (no term limits); election
  last held on 25 May 2005 (next to be held in 2010)
  election results: Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN reelected president;
  percent of vote - Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN 62.9%, Rabin PARMESSAR
  35.4%, other 1.7%; note - after two votes in the parliament failed
  to secure a two-thirds majority for a candidate, the vote then went
  to a special session of the United People's Assembly on 3 August 2005

Svalbard
  chief of state: King HARALD V of Norway (since 17 January
  1991)
  head of government: Governor Per SEFLAND (since 1 October 2005);
  Assistant Governor Rune Baard HANSEN (since 2003)
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor and assistant
  governor responsible to the Polar Department of the Ministry of
  Justice

Swaziland
  chief of state: King MSWATI III (since 25 April 1986)
  head of government: Prime Minister Barnabas Sibusiso DLAMINI (since
  16 October 2008)
  cabinet: Cabinet recommended by the prime minister and confirmed by
  the monarch
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by
  the monarch from among the elected members of the House of Assembly

Sweden
  chief of state: King CARL XVI GUSTAF (since 19 September
  1973); Heir Apparent Princess VICTORIA Ingrid Alice Desiree,
  daughter of the monarch (born 14 July 1977)
  head of government: Prime Minister Fredrik REINFELDT (since 5
  October 2006)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister
  elections: the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative
  elections, the prime minister is elected by the parliament; election
  last held on 17 September 2006 (next to be held in September 2010)
  election results: Center-right coalition of Moderate, Center,
  Liberal, and Christian Democrats parties win 175 out of 349 votes;
  Fredrik REINFELDT becomes prime minister

Switzerland
  chief of state: President Hans-Rudolf MERZ (since 1
  January 2009); Vice President Doris LEUTHARD (since 1 January 2009);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government representing the Federal Council; the Federal Council is
  the formal chief of state and head of government whose council
  members, rotating in one-year terms as federal president, represent
  the Council
  head of government: President Hans-Rudolf MERZ (since 1 January
  2009); Vice President Doris LEUTHARD (since 1 January 2009);
  cabinet: Federal Council or Bundesrat (in German), Conseil Federal
  (in French), Consiglio Federale (in Italian) elected by the Federal
  Assembly usually from among its members for a four-year term
  elections: president and vice president elected by the Federal
  Assembly from among the members of the Federal Council for a
  one-year term (they may not serve consecutive terms); election last
  held on 10 December 2008 (next to be held in December 2009)
  election results: Hans-Rudolf MERZ elected president; percent of
  Federal Assembly vote - 88.5%; Doris LEUTHARD elected vice
  president; percent of Federal Assembly vote - 87.4%

Syria
  chief of state: President Bashar al-ASAD (since 17 July 2000);
  Vice President Farouk al-SHARA (since 11 February 2006) oversees
  foreign policy; Vice President Najah al-ATTAR (since 23 March 2006)
  oversees cultural policy
  head of government: Prime Minister Muhammad Naji al-UTRI (since 10
  September 2003); Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Abdallah
  al-DARDARI (since 14 June 2005)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president approved by popular referendum for a second
  seven-year term (no term limits); referendum last held on 27 May
  2007 (next to be held in May 2014); the president appoints the vice
  presidents, prime minister, and deputy prime ministers
  election results: Bashar al-ASAD approved as president; percent of
  vote - Bashar al-ASAD 97.6%

Taiwan
  chief of state: President MA Ying-jeou (since 20 May 2008);
  Vice President Vincent SIEW (since 20 May 2008)
  head of government: Premier (President of the Executive Yuan) WU
  Den-yih (since 10 September 2009); Vice Premier (Vice President of
  Executive Yuan) Eric Liluan CHU (since 10 September 2009)
  cabinet: Executive Yuan - (ministers appointed by president on
  recommendation of premier)
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term);
  election last held 22 March 2008 (next to be held in March 2012);
  premier appointed by the president; vice premiers appointed by the
  president on the recommendation of the premier
  election results: MA Ying-jeou elected president; percent of vote -
  MA Ying-jeou 58.45%, Frank HSIEH 41.55%

Tajikistan
  chief of state: President Emomali RAHMON (since 6
  November 1994; head of state and Supreme Assembly chairman since 19
  November 1992)
  head of government: Prime Minister Oqil OQILOV (since 20 January
  1999)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president, approved
  by the Supreme Assembly
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term
  (eligible for a second term); election last held 6 November 2006
  (next to be held in November 2013); prime minister appointed by the
  president
  election results: Emomali RAHMON reelected president; percent of
  vote - Emomali RAHMON 79.3%, Olimjon BOBOEV 6.2%, other 14.5%

Tanzania
  chief of state: President Jakaya KIKWETE (since 21 December
  2005); Vice President Dr. Ali Mohammed SHEIN (since 5 July 2001);
  note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Jakaya KIKWETE (since 21 December
  2005); Vice President Dr. Ali Mohammed SHEIN (since 5 July 2001)
  note: Zanzibar elects a president who is head of government for
  matters internal to Zanzibar; Amani Abeid KARUME was reelected to
  that office on 30 October 2005
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members
  of the National Assembly
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ballot
  by popular vote for five-year terms (eligible for a second term);
  election last held 14 December 2005 (next to be held in December
  2010); prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: Jakaya KIKWETE elected president; percent of vote
  - Jakaya KIKWETE 80.3%, Ibrahim LIPUMBA 11.7%, Freeman MBOWE 5.9%

Thailand
  chief of state: King PHUMIPHON Adunyadet, also spelled
  BHUMIBOL Adulyadej (since 9 June 1946)
  head of government: Prime Minister ABHISIT Wetchachiwa, also spelled
  ABHISIT Vejjajiva (since 17 December 2008); Deputy Prime Minister
  KORBSAK Saphawasu, also spelled KORBSAK Sabhavasu (since 22 December
  2008); Deputy Prime Minister SANAN Kachornprasat, also spelled SANAN
  Kachornparsart (since 7 February 2008); Deputy Prime Minister SUTHEP
  Thueaksuban, also spelled SUTHEP Thaugsuban (since 22 December 2008)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers
  note: there is also a Privy Council advising the king
  elections: monarch is hereditary; according to 2007 constitution,
  prime minister is elected from among members of House of
  Representatives; following national elections for House of
  Representatives, leader of party that could organize a majority
  coalition usually was appointed prime minister by king; prime
  minister is limited to two 4-year terms

Timor-Leste
  chief of state: President Jose RAMOS-HORTA (since 20 May
  2007); note - the president plays a largely symbolic role but is
  able to veto legislation, dissolve parliament, and call national
  elections
  head of government: Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO (since 8
  August 2007), note - he formerly used the name Jose Alexandre
  GUSMAO; Vice Prime Minister Mario Viegas CARRASCALAO (since 5 March
  2009); Vice Prime Minister Jose Luis GUTERRES (since 8 August 2007)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
  (eligible for a second term); election last held on 9 April 2007
  with run-off on 8 May 2007 (next to be held in May 2012); following
  elections, president appoints leader of majority party or majority
  coalition as prime minister
  election results: Jose RAMOS-HORTA elected president; percent of
  vote - Jose RAMOS-HORTA 69.2%, Francisco GUTTERES 30.8%

Togo
  chief of state: President Faure GNASSINGBE (since 4 May 2005);
  note - Gnassingbe EYADEMA died on 5 February 2005 and was succeeded
  by his son, Faure GNASSINGBE, with the support of the military;
  following international condemnation for the unconstitutional move
  he then stepped aside pending elections, and Abass BONFOH served as
  interim president; Faure GNASSINGBE later won popular elections in
  April 2005
  head of government: Prime Minister Gilbert HOUNGBO (since 7
  September 2008)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president and the
  prime minister
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
  (no term limits); election last held 24 April 2005 (next to be held
  in April 2010); prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: Faure GNASSINGBE elected president; percent of
  vote - Faure GNASSINGBE 60.2%, Emmanuel Akitani BOB 38.3%, Nicolas
  LAWSON 1%, Harry OLYMPIO 0.5%

Tokelau
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952);
  represented by Governor General of New Zealand Anand SATYANAND
  (since 23 August 2006); New Zealand is represented by Administrator
  David PAYTON (since 17 October 2006)
  head of government: Foua TOLOA (since 21 February 2009); note -
  position rotates annually among the 3 Faipule (village leaders)
  cabinet: the Council for the Ongoing Government of Tokelau,
  consisting of 3 Faipule (village leaders) and 3 Pulenuku (village
  mayors), functions as a cabinet
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the
  Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade in New Zealand; the head of
  government is chosen from the Council of Faipule and serves a
  one-year term

Tonga
  chief of state: King George TUPOU V (since 11 September 2006)
  head of government: Prime Minister Dr. Feleti SEVELE (since 11
  February 2006); Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Viliami TANGI (since 16
  May 2006)
  cabinet: Cabinet consists of 14 members, 10 appointed by the monarch
  for life; 4 appointed from among the elected members of the
  Legislative Assembly, including 2 each from the nobles' and peoples'
  representatives serving three-year terms
  note: there is also a Privy Council that consists of the monarch,
  the cabinet, and 2 governors
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; prime minister and deputy
  prime minister appointed by the monarch

Trinidad and Tobago
  chief of state: President George Maxwell
  RICHARDS (since 17 March 2003)
  head of government: Prime Minister Patrick MANNING (since 24
  December 2001)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed from among the members of Parliament
  elections: president elected by an electoral college, which consists
  of the members of the Senate and House of Representatives, for a
  five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on
  11 February 2008 (next to be held by February 2013); the president
  usually appoints as prime minister the leader of the majority party
  in the House of Representatives
  election results: George Maxwell RICHARDS reelected president;
  percent of electoral college vote - NA

Tunisia
  chief of state: President Zine el Abidine BEN ALI (since 7
  November 1987)
  head of government: Prime Minister Mohamed GHANNOUCHI (since 17
  November 1999)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
  (no term limits); election last held on 25 October 2009 (next to be
  held in October 2014); prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI reelected for a
  fifth term; percent of vote - Zine El Abidine BEN ALI 89.6%, Mohamed
  BOUCHIHA 5%, Ahmed INOUBLI 3.8%, Ahmed BRAHIM 1.6%; voter turnout
  89.4%

Turkey
  chief of state: President Abdullah GUL (since 28 August 2007)
  head of government: Prime Minister Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN (since 14
  March 2003); Deputy Prime Minister Cemil CICEK (since 29 August
  2007); Deputy Prime Minister Ali BABACAN (since 1 May 2009); Deputy
  Prime Minister Bulent ARINC (since 1 May 2009)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
  nomination of the prime minister
  elections: president elected directly for a five-year term (eligible
  for a second term); prime minister appointed by the president from
  among members of parliament
  election results: on 28 August 2007 the National Assembly elected
  Abdullah GUL president on the third ballot; National Assembly vote -
  339
  note: in October 2007 Turkish voters approved a referendum package
  of constitutional amendments including a provision for direct
  presidential elections

Turkmenistan
  chief of state: President Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW
  (since 14 February 2007); note - the president is both the chief of
  state and head of government
  head of government: President Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW (since 14
  February 2007)
  cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held on 11 February 2007 (next to be held in February
  2012)
  election results: Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW elected president;
  percent of vote - Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW 89.2%, Amanyaz ATAJYKOW
  3.2%, other candidates 7.6%

Turks and Caicos Islands
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6
  February 1952); represented by Governor Gordon WETHERELL (since 5
  August 2008)
  head of government: Governor Gordon WETHERELL (since 14 August
  2009); note - the office of premier is suspended by the Order in
  Council, effective 14 August 2009
  cabinet: under provisions of the Order in Council, the cabinet is
  suspended effective 14 August 2009 and replaced by an Advisory
  Council appointed by the governor
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the
  monarch
  note: following an investigation into allegations of widespread
  corruption and misconduct within the Turks and Caicos Government,
  the UK foreign minister directed the governor to bring into effect
  on 14 August 2009 an Order in Council suspending Ministerial
  government and the House of Assembly, and imposing direct rule for a
  period of up to two years

Tuvalu
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952);
  represented by Governor General Filoimea TELITO (since 15 April 2005)
  head of government: Prime Minister Apisai IELEMIA (since 14 August
  2006)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the
  recommendation of the prime minister
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by
  the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister; prime
  minister and deputy prime minister elected by and from the members
  of parliament; election last held 14 August 2006 (next to be held
  following parliamentary elections in 2010)
  election results: Apisai IELEMIA elected prime minister in a
  parliamentary election on 14 August 2006

Uganda
  chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI
  (since seizing power 26 January 1986); note - the president is both
  chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI (since
  seizing power 26 January 1986); Prime Minister Apolo NSIBAMBI (since
  5 April 1999); note - the prime minister assists the president in
  the supervision of the cabinet
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among elected
  legislators
  elections: president reelected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 23 February 2006 (next to be held in February
  2011)
  election results: Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI elected president;
  percent of vote - Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI 59.3%, Kizza
  BESIGYE 37.4%, other 3.3%

Ukraine
  chief of state: President Viktor A. YUSHCHENKO (since 23
  January 2005)
  head of government: Prime Minister Yuliya TYMOSHENKO (since 18
  December 2007); First Deputy Prime Minister Oleksandr TURCHYNOV
  (since 18 December 2007); Deputy Prime Ministers Hryhoriy NEMYRYA
  and Ivan VASYUNYK (since 18 December 2007)
  cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers selected by the prime minister; the
  only exceptions are the foreign and defense ministers, who are
  chosen by the president
  note: there is also a National Security and Defense Council or NSDC
  originally created in 1992 as the National Security Council; the
  NSDC staff is tasked with developing national security policy on
  domestic and international matters and advising the president; a
  Presidential Secretariat helps draft presidential edicts and
  provides policy support to the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
  (eligible for a second term); note - a special repeat runoff
  presidential election between Viktor YUSHCHENKO and Viktor
  YANUKOVYCH took place on 26 December 2004 after the earlier 21
  November 2004 contest - won by YANUKOVYCH - was invalidated by the
  Ukrainian Supreme Court because of widespread and significant
  violations; under constitutional reforms that went into effect 1
  January 2006, the majority in parliament takes the lead in naming
  the prime minister
  election results: Viktor YUSHCHENKO elected president; percent of
  vote - Viktor YUSHCHENKO 52%, Viktor YANUKOVYCH 44.2%

United Arab Emirates
  chief of state: President KHALIFA bin Zayid
  al-Nuhayyan (since 3 November 2004), ruler of Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi)
  (since 4 November 2004); Vice President and Prime Minister MUHAMMAD
  BIN RASHID al-Maktum (since 5 January 2006)
  head of government: Prime Minister and Vice President MUHAMMAD bin
  Rashid al-Maktum (since 5 January 2006); Deputy Prime Ministers
  SULTAN bin Zayid al-Nuhayyan (since 20 November 1990) and HAMDAN bin
  Zayid al-Nuhayyan (since 20 October 2003)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  note: there is also a Federal Supreme Council (FSC) composed of the
  seven emirate rulers; the FSC is the highest constitutional
  authority in the UAE; establishes general policies and sanctions
  federal legislation; meets four times a year; Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi)
  and Dubayy (Dubai) rulers have effective veto power
  elections: president and vice president elected by the FSC for
  five-year terms (no term limits) from among the seven FSC members;
  election last held 3 November 2004 upon the death of the UAE's
  Founding Father and first President ZAYID bin Sultan al Nuhayyan
  (next to be held in 2009); prime minister and deputy prime minister
  appointed by the president
  election results: KHALIFA bin Zayid al-Nuhayyan elected president by
  a unanimous vote of the FSC; MUHAMMAD bin Rashid al-Maktum
  unanimously affirmed vice president after the 2006 death of his
  brother Sheikh Maktum bin Rashid al-Maktum

United Kingdom
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
  1952); Heir Apparent Prince CHARLES (son of the queen, born 14
  November 1948)
  head of government: Prime Minister James Gordon BROWN (since 27 June
  2007)
  cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
  elections: the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative
  elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the
  majority coalition is usually the prime minister

United States
  chief of state: President Barack H. OBAMA (since 20
  January 2009); Vice President Joseph R. BIDEN (since 20 January
  2009); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Barack H. OBAMA (since 20 January
  2009); Vice President Joseph BIDEN (since 20 January 2009)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with Senate approval
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
  by a college of representatives who are elected directly from each
  state; president and vice president serve four-year terms (eligible
  for a second term); election last held 4 November 2008 (next to be
  held on 6 November 2012)
  election results: Barack H. OBAMA elected president; percent of
  popular vote - Barack H. OBAMA 52.4%, John MCCAIN 46.3%, other 1.3%;

Uruguay
  chief of state: President Tabare VAZQUEZ Rosas (since 1
  March 2005); Vice President Rodolfo NIN NOVOA (since 1 March 2005);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Tabare VAZQUEZ Rosas (since 1 March
  2005); Vice President Rodolfo NIN NOVOA (since 1 March 2005)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president with
  parliamentary approval
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for five-year terms (may not serve consecutive
  terms); election last held 25 October 2009, with a runoff election
  scheduled for 29 November 2009 (next to be held in October 2014)
  election results: Jose MUJICA wins first round; percent of vote -
  Jose MUJICA 48.5%, Luis Alberto LACALLE 29.2%, Pedro BORDABERRY 17%;
  other 5.3%; note - a runoff election will be held on 29 November 2009

Uzbekistan
  chief of state: President Islom KARIMOV (since 24 March
  1990, when he was elected president by the then Supreme Soviet)
  head of government: Prime Minister Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV (since 11
  December 2003); First Deputy Prime Minister Rustam AZIMOV (since 2
  January 2008)
  cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president with
  approval of the Supreme Assembly
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term
  (eligible for a second term; previously was a five-year term,
  extended by constitutional amendment in 2002); election last held 23
  December 2007 (next to be held in 2014); prime minister, ministers,
  and deputy ministers appointed by the president
  election results: Islom KARIMOV reelected president; percent of vote
  - Islom KARIMOV 88.1%, Asliddin RUSTAMOV 3.2%, Dilorom
  T0SHMUHAMEDOVA 2.9%, Akmal SAIDOV 2.6%

Vanuatu
  chief of state: President Iolu Johnson ABIL (since 3
  September 2009)
  head of government: Prime Minister Edward NATAPEI (since 22
  September 2008); Deputy Prime Minister Ham LINI (since 22 September
  2008)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister,
  responsible to parliament
  elections: president elected for a five-year term by an electoral
  college consisting of parliament and the presidents of the regional
  councils; election for president last held 2 September 2009 (next to
  be held in 2014); following legislative elections, the leader of the
  majority party or majority coalition is usually elected prime
  minister by parliament from among its members; election for prime
  minister last held 22 September 2008 (next to be held following
  general elections in 2012)
  election results: Iolu Johnson ABIL elected president, with 41 votes
  out of 58, on the third ballot on 2 September 2009

Venezuela
  chief of state: President Hugo CHAVEZ Frias (since 3
  February 1999); Executive Vice President Ramon Alonzo CARRIZALEZ
  Rengifo (since 4 January 2008); note - the president is both the
  chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Hugo CHAVEZ Frias (since 3 February
  1999); Executive Vice President Ramon Alonzo CARRIZALEZ Rengifo
  (since 4 January 2008)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term
  (eligible for a second term); election last held 3 December 2006
  (next to be held in December 2012)
  note: in 1999, a National Constituent Assembly drafted a new
  constitution that increased the presidential term to six years; an
  election was subsequently held on 30 July 2000 under the terms of
  this constitution
  election results: Hugo CHAVEZ Frias reelected president; percent of
  vote - Hugo CHAVEZ Frias 62.9%, Manuel ROSALES 36.9%

Vietnam
  chief of state: President Nguyen Minh TRIET (since 27 June
  2006); Vice President Nguyen Thi DOAN (since 25 July 2007)
  head of government: Prime Minister Nguyen Tan DUNG (since 27 June
  2006); Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh HUNG (since 28
  June 2006), Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung HAI (since 2 August
  2007), Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien NHAN (since 2 August
  2007), Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia KHIEM (since 28 June 2006),
  and Deputy Prime Minister Truong Vinh TRONG (since 28 June 2006)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by president based on proposal of prime
  minister and confirmed by National Assembly
  elections: president elected by the National Assembly from among its
  members for five-year term; last held 27 June 2006 (next to be held
  in 2011); prime minister appointed by the president from among the
  members of the National Assembly; deputy prime ministers appointed
  by the prime minister; appointment of prime minister and deputy
  prime ministers confirmed by National Assembly
  election results: Nguyen Minh TRIET elected president; percent of
  National Assembly vote - 94%; Nguyen Tan DUNG elected prime
  minister; percent of National Assembly vote - 92%

Virgin Islands
  chief of state: President Barack H. OBAMA (since 20
  January 2009); Vice President Joseph R. BIDEN (since 20 January 2009)
  head of government: Governor John DeJONGH (since 1 January 2007)
  cabinet: NA
  elections: under the US Constitution, residents of unincorporated
  territories, such as the Virgin Islands, do not vote in elections
  for US president and vice president; however, they may vote in the
  Democratic and Republican presidential primary elections; governor
  and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote
  for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held
  7 and 21 November 2006 (next to be held November 2010)
  election results: John DeJONGH elected governor; percent of vote -
  John DeJONGH 57.3%, Kenneth MAPP 42.7%

Wallis and Futuna
  chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since
  16 May 2007); represented by High Administrator Philippe PAOLANTONI
  (since 28 July 2008)
  head of government: President of the Territorial Assembly Pesamino
  TAPUTAI (since 11 April 2007)
  cabinet: Council of the Territory consists of 3 kings and 3 members
  appointed by the high administrator on the advice of the Territorial
  Assembly
  note: there are 3 traditional kings with limited powers
  elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
  term; high administrator appointed by the French president on the
  advice of the French Ministry of the Interior; the presidents of the
  Territorial Government and the Territorial Assembly are elected by
  the members of the assembly

Western Sahara
  none

Yemen
  chief of state: President Ali Abdallah SALIH (since 22 May
  1990, the former president of North Yemen, assumed office upon the
  merger of North and South Yemen); Vice President Maj. Gen. Abd
  al-Rab Mansur al-HADI (since 3 October 1994)
  head of government: Prime Minister Ali Muhammad MUJAWWAR (since 31
  March 2007)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
  advice of the prime minister
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
  election last held 20 September 2006 (next to be held in September
  2013); vice president appointed by the president; prime minister and
  deputy prime ministers appointed by the president
  election results: Ali Abdallah SALIH elected president; percent of
  vote - Ali Abdallah SALIH 77.2%, Faysal BIN SHAMLAN 21.8%

Zambia
  chief of state: President Rupiah BANDA (since 19 August
  2008); Vice President George KUNDA (since 14 November 2008); note -
  President BANDA was acting president since the illness and eventual
  death of President Levy MWANAWASA on 18 August 2008, he was then
  elected president on 30 October 2008 to serve out the remainder of
  MWANAWASA's term; the president is both the chief of state and head
  of government
  head of government: President Rupiah BANDA (since 19 August 2008);
  Vice President George KUNDA (since 14 November 2008)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members
  of the National Assembly
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
  (eligible for a second term); election last held 30 October 2008
  (next to be held in 2011); vice president appointed by the
  president; note - due to the death of former President Levy
  MWANAWASA, early elections were held to identify a replacement to
  serve out the remainder of his term
  election results: Rupiah BANDA elected president; percent of vote -
  Rupiah BANDA 40.1%, Michael SATA 38.1%, Hakainde HICHILEMA 19.7%,
  Godfrey MIYANDA 0.8%, other 1.3%

Zimbabwe
  chief of state: Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE
  (since 31 December 1987); Vice President Joseph MSIKA (since
  December 1999) and Vice President Joyce MUJURU (since 6 December
  2004)
  head of government: Prime Minister Morgan TSVANGIRAI (since 11
  February 2009); Deputy Prime Minister Arthur MUTAMBARA
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president; responsible to the
  House of Assembly
  elections: presidential candidates nominated with a nomination paper
  signed by at least 10 registered voters (at least one from each
  province) and elected by popular vote for a five-year term (no term
  limits); elections last held 28 March 2008 followed by a run-off on
  27 June 2008 (next to be held in 2013); co-vice presidents appointed
  by the president
  election results: Robert Gabriel MUGABE reelected president; percent
  of vote - Robert Gabriel MUGABE 85.5%, Morgan TSVANGIRAI 9.3%, other
  5.2%; note - first round voting results - Morgan TSVANGIRAI 47.9%,
  Robert Gabriel MUGABE 43.2%, Simba MAKONI 8.3%, other 0.6%;
  first-round round polls were deemed to be flawed suppressing
  TSVANGIRAI's results; the 27 June 2008 run-off between MUGABE and
  TSVANGIRAI were severely flawed and internationally condemned

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

@2078

Field Listing :: Exports

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

Exports

Afghanistan
  $327 million (2007)
  $274 million (2006); note - not including illicit exports or
  reexports

Albania
  $1.345 billion (2008 est.)
  $1.076 billion (2007 est.)

Algeria
  $78.23 billion (2008 est.)
  $60.6 billion (2007 est.)

American Samoa
  $445.6 million (FY04 est.)

Andorra
  $117.1 million (2007)
  $148.7 million (2005)

Angola
  $66.3 billion (2008 est.)
  $44.4 billion (2007 est.)

Anguilla
  $13 million (2006)

Antigua and Barbuda
  $84.3 million (2007 est.)

Argentina
  $70.02 billion (2008 est.)
  $55.78 billion (2007 est.)

Armenia
  $1.124 billion (2008 est.)
  $1.197 billion (2007 est.)

Aruba
  $124 million (2006); note - includes oil reexports

Australia
  $189.9 billion (2008 est.)
  $142.4 billion (2007 est.)

Austria
  $179.1 billion (2008 est.)
  $162.1 billion (2007 est.)

Azerbaijan
  $30.59 billion (2008 est.)
  $21.27 billion (2007 est.)

Bahamas, The
  $674 million (2006)

Bahrain
  $17.49 billion (2008 est.)
  $13.79 billion (2007 est.)

Bangladesh
  $15.44 billion (2008 est.)
  $12.47 billion (2007 est.)

Barbados
  $385 million (2006)

Belarus
  $33.04 billion (2008 est.)
  $24.33 billion (2007 est.)

Belgium
  $371.5 billion (2008 est.)
  $323.4 billion (2007 est.)

Belize
  $464.7 million (2008 est.)
  $425.6 million (2007 est.)

Benin
  $1.127 billion (2008 est.)
  $819 million (2007 est.)

Bermuda
  $763 million (2006)

Bhutan
  $350 million (2006)

Bolivia
  $6.448 billion (2008 est.)
  $4.49 billion (2007 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  $5.194 billion (2008 est.)
  $4.243 billion (2007 est.)

Botswana
  $4.707 billion (2008 est.)
  $5.158 billion (2007 est.)

Brazil
  $197.9 billion (2008 est.)
  $160.6 billion (2007 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  $25.3 million (2002)
  $25.3 million (2002)

Brunei
  $8.25 billion (2007)
  $6.767 billion (2006)

Bulgaria
  $22.71 billion (2008 est.)
  $18.58 billion (2007 est.)

Burkina Faso
  $544 million (2008 est.)
  $618 million (2007 est.)

Burma
  $6.677 billion (2008 est.)
  $6.17 billion (2007 est.)
  note: official export figures are grossly underestimated due to the
  value of timber, gems, narcotics, rice, and other products smuggled
  to Thailand, China, and Bangladesh

Burundi
  $79 million (2008 est.)
  $52.9 million (2007 est.)

Cambodia
  $4.708 billion (2008 est.)
  $4.089 billion (2007 est.)

Cameroon
  $4.707 billion (2008 est.)
  $4.345 billion (2007 est.)

Canada
  $459.1 billion (2008 est.)
  $431.2 billion (2007 est.)

Cape Verde
  $105 million (2008 est.)
  $76.5 million (2007 est.)

Cayman Islands
  $2.52 million (2004)

Central African Republic
  $146.7 million (2007 est.)

Chad
  $4.342 billion (2008 est.)
  $3.674 billion (2007 est.)

Chile
  $66.46 billion (2008 est.)
  $67.67 billion (2007 est.)

China
  $1.435 trillion (2008 est.)
  $1.22 trillion (2007 est.)

Christmas Island
  $NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  $NA

Colombia
  $38.53 billion (2008 est.)
  $30.58 billion (2007 est.)

Comoros
  $32 million (2006)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  $6.1 billion (2007)
  $1.587 billion (2006)

Congo, Republic of the
  $10.85 billion (2008 est.)
  $5.808 billion (2007 est.)

Cook Islands
  $5.222 million (2005)

Costa Rica
  $9.738 billion (2008 est.)
  $9.266 billion (2007 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  $10.09 billion (2008 est.)
  $8.476 billion (2007 est.)

Croatia
  $14.36 billion (2008 est.)
  $12.62 billion (2007 est.)

Cuba
  $3.68 billion (2008 est.)
  $3.701 billion (2007 est.)

Cyprus
  $1.906 billion (2008 est.)
  $1.483 billion (2007 est.)

Czech Republic
  $145.7 billion (2008 est.)
  $122.7 billion (2007 est.)

Denmark
  $114.9 billion (2008 est.)
  $100.5 billion (2007 est.)

Djibouti
  $340 million (2006)

Dominica
  $94 million (2006)

Dominican Republic
  $6.95 billion (2008 est.)
  $7.16 billion (2007 est.)

Ecuador
  $19.15 billion (2008 est.)
  $14.87 billion (2007 est.)

Egypt
  $29.85 billion (2008 est.)
  $24.45 billion (2007 est.)

El Salvador
  $4.611 billion (2008 est.)
  $4.035 billion (2007 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  $13.03 billion (2008 est.)
  $10.25 billion (2007 est.)

Eritrea
  $13 million (2008 est.)
  $12 million (2007 est.)

Estonia
  $12.63 billion (2008 est.)
  $11.08 billion (2007 est.)

Ethiopia
  $1.555 billion (2008 est.)
  $1.285 billion (2007 est.)

European Union $1.952 trillion (2007) $1.33 trillion (2005) note: external exports, excluding intra-EU trade

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  $125 million (2004 est.)

Faroe Islands
  $634 million (2006)

Fiji
  $1.202 billion (2006)

Finland
  $96.62 billion (2008 est.)
  $90.2 billion (2007 est.)

France
  $601.9 billion (2008 est.)
  $546 billion (2007 est.)

French Polynesia
  $211 million (2005 est.)

Gabon
  $9.333 billion (2008 est.)
  $7.046 billion (2007 est.)

Gambia, The
  $85 million (2008 est.)
  $91.4 million (2007 est.)

Gaza Strip
  $339 million (2006)

Georgia
  $2.428 billion (2008 est.)
  $2.088 billion (2007 est.)

Germany
  $1.498 trillion (2008 est.)
  $1.35 trillion (2007 est.)

Ghana
  $5.275 billion (2008 est.)
  $4.172 billion (2007 est.)

Gibraltar
  $271 million (2004 est.)

Greece
  $29.14 billion (2008 est.)
  $23.91 billion (2007 est.)

Greenland
  $480 million (2006)

Grenada
  $38 million (2006)

Guam
  $45 million (2004 est.)

Guatemala
  $7.848 billion (2008 est.)
  $7.012 billion (2007 est.)

Guernsey
  $NA

Guinea
  $1.392 billion (2008 est.)
  $1.203 billion (2007 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  $133 million (2006)

Guyana
  $797 million (2008 est.)
  $674.9 million (2007 est.)

Haiti
  $490 million (2008 est.)
  $522 million (2007 est.)

Honduras
  $6.046 billion (2008 est.)
  $5.642 billion (2007 est.)

Hong Kong
  $365.2 billion (2008 est.)
  $345.9 billion (2007 est.)

Hungary
  $106.6 billion (2008 est.)
  $93.86 billion (2007 est.)

Iceland
  $5.399 billion (2008 est.)
  $4.793 billion (2007 est.)

India
  $187.9 billion (2008 est.)
  $150.7 billion (2007 est.)

Indonesia
  $139.3 billion (2008 est.)
  $118 billion (2007 est.)

Iran
  $98.42 billion (2008 est.)
  $97.4 billion (2007 est.)

Iraq
  $58.81 billion (2008 est.)
  $36.08 billion (2007 est.)

Ireland
  $119.8 billion (2008 est.)
  $115.5 billion (2007 est.)

Isle of Man
  $NA

Israel
  $57.16 billion (2008 est.)
  $50.07 billion (2007 est.)

Italy
  $546.9 billion (2008 est.)
  $502.4 billion (2007 est.)

Jamaica
  $2.602 billion (2008 est.)
  $2.226 billion (2007 est.)

Japan
  $746.5 billion (2008 est.)
  $678.1 billion (2007 est.)

Jersey
  $NA

Jordan
  $7.782 billion (2008 est.)
  $5.7 billion (2007 est.)

Kazakhstan
  $71.97 billion (2008 est.)
  $48.35 billion (2007 est.)

Kenya
  $5.04 billion (2008 est.)
  $4.123 billion (2007 est.)

Kiribati
  $17 million (2004 est.)

Korea, North
  $1.684 billion (2007)

Korea, South $433.5 billion (2008 est.) $379 billion (2007 est.)

Kosovo
  $527 million

Kuwait
  $86.94 billion (2008 est.)
  $63.68 billion (2007 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  $1.847 billion (2008 est.)
  $1.337 billion (2007 est.)

Laos
  $1.163 billion (2008 est.)
  $922.7 million (2007 est.)

Latvia
  $9.634 billion (2008 est.)
  $8.227 billion (2007 est.)

Lebanon
  $5.023 billion (2008 est.)
  $4.077 billion (2007 est.)

Lesotho
  $956 million (2008 est.)
  $805 million (2007 est.)

Liberia
  $1.197 billion (2006)

Libya
  $64.5 billion (2008 est.)
  $46.97 billion (2007 est.)

Liechtenstein
  $2.47 billion

Lithuania
  $23.74 billion (2008 est.)
  $17.16 billion (2007 est.)

Luxembourg
  $21.43 billion (2008 est.)
  $18.26 billion (2007 est.)

Macau
  $2 billion (2008 est.)
  $2.557 billion (2006 est.); note - includes reexports

Macedonia
  $3.971 billion (2008 est.)
  $3.35 billion (2007 est.)

Madagascar
  $1.254 billion (2008 est.)
  $1.095 billion (2007 est.)

Malawi
  $830 million (2008 est.)
  $721 million (2007 est.)

Malaysia
  $198.7 billion (2008 est.)
  $176.4 billion (2007 est.)

Maldives
  $113 million (2008 est.)
  $167 million (2006 est.)

Mali
  $294 million (2006)

Malta
  $3.06 billion (2008 est.)
  $3.305 billion (2007 est.)

Marshall Islands
  $19.4 million (2008 est.)
  $9.1 million (2000 est.)

Mauritania
  $1.395 billion (2006)

Mauritius $2.4 billion (2008 est.) $2.231 billion (2007 est.)

Mayotte
  $6.5 million (2005)

Mexico
  $291.3 billion (2008 est.)
  $271.9 billion (2007 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  $14 million (2004 est.)

Moldova
  $1.641 billion (2008 est.)
  $1.368 billion (2007 est.)

Monaco
  $716.3 million (2005)
  note: full customs integration with France, which collects and
  rebates Monegasque trade duties; also participates in EU market
  system through customs union with France

Mongolia $2.539 billion (2008) $1.889 billion (2007)

Montenegro
  $171.3 million (2003)

Montserrat
  $700,000 (2001)

Morocco
  $20.17 billion (2008 est.)
  $15.15 billion (2007 est.)

Mozambique
  $2.653 billion (2008 est.)
  $2.412 billion (2007 est.)

Namibia
  $3.167 billion (2008 est.)
  $2.922 billion (2007 est.)

Nauru
  $64,000 (2005 est.)

Nepal
  $868 million (2008)
  $830 million (2006)

Netherlands
  $531.7 billion (2008 est.)
  $461 billion (2007 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  $3.71 billion (2006)

New Caledonia
  $1.341 billion (2006)

New Zealand
  $31.19 billion (2008 est.)
  $27.29 billion (2007 est.)

Nicaragua
  $2.675 billion (2008 est.)
  $2.313 billion (2007 est.)

Niger
  $428 million (2006)
  $428 million (2006)

Nigeria
  $76.03 billion (2008 est.)
  $61.82 billion (2007 est.)

Niue
  $201,400 (2004)

Norfolk Island
  $1.5 million (FY91/92)

Northern Mariana Islands
  $98.2 million (2008)

Norway
  $173.6 billion (2008 est.)
  $137.3 billion (2007 est.)

Oman
  $37.72 billion (2008 est.)
  $24.72 billion (2007 est.)

Pakistan
  $21.09 billion (2008 est.)
  $18.12 billion (2007 est.)

Palau
  $5.882 million (2004 est.)

Panama
  $10.29 billion (2008 est.)
  $9.338 billion (2007 est.)
  note: includes the Colon Free Zone

Papua New Guinea
  $5.719 billion (2008 est.)
  $4.748 billion (2007 est.)

Paraguay
  $7.769 billion (2008 est.)
  $5.463 billion (2007 est.)

Peru
  $31.53 billion (2008 est.)
  $27.88 billion (2007 est.)

Philippines
  $48.2 billion (2008 est.)
  $49.51 billion (2007 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  $NA

Poland
  $178.4 billion (2008 est.)
  $145.3 billion (2007 est.)

Portugal
  $56.42 billion (2008 est.)
  $51.81 billion (2007 est.)

Puerto Rico
  $46.9 billion (2001)

Qatar
  $55.73 billion (2008 est.)
  $42.02 billion (2007 est.)

Romania
  $49.41 billion (2008 est.)
  $40.32 billion (2007 est.)

Russia
  $471.6 billion (2008 est.)
  $354.4 billion (2007 est.)

Rwanda
  $210 million (2008 est.)
  $184 million (2007 est.)

Saint Helena
  $19 million (2004 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  $84 million (2006)

Saint Lucia
  $288 million (2006)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  $5.5 million (2005 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  $193 million (2006)

Samoa
  $131 million (2006)

San Marino
  $4.628 billion (2007)
  $1.291 billion (2004)

Sao Tome and Principe
  $8 million (2008 est.)
  $7 million (2007 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  $313.4 billion (2008 est.)
  $234.1 billion (2007 est.)

Senegal
  $2.053 billion (2008 est.)
  $1.65 billion (2007 est.)

Serbia
  $8.824 billion (2007 est.)

Seychelles $495 million (2008 est.) $391.7 million (2007 est.)

Sierra Leone
  $216 million (2006)

Singapore
  $342.7 billion (2008 est.)
  $303.1 billion (2007 est.)

Slovakia
  $72.57 billion (2008 est.)
  $64.5 billion (2007 est.)

Slovenia
  $29.61 billion (2008 est.)
  $27.09 billion (2007 est.)

Solomon Islands
  $237 million (2006)

Somalia
  $300 million (2006)

South Africa
  $86.12 billion (2008 est.)
  $75.92 billion (2007 est.)

Spain
  $285.9 billion (2008 est.)
  $256.7 billion (2007 est.)

Sri Lanka
  $8.137 billion (2008 est.)
  $7.741 billion (2007 est.)

Sudan
  $11.67 billion (2008 est.)
  $8.879 billion (2007 est.)

Suriname
  $1.391 billion (2006 est.)

Svalbard
  $197.6 million

Swaziland
  $1.756 billion (2008 est.)
  $1.95 billion (2007 est.)

Sweden
  $185.9 billion (2008 est.)
  $170.5 billion (2007 est.)

Switzerland
  $241.3 billion (2008 est.)
  $200.5 billion (2007 est.)

Syria
  $13.97 billion (2008 est.)
  $11.75 billion (2007 est.)

Taiwan
  $254.9 billion (2008 est.)
  $246.5 billion (2007 est.)

Tajikistan
  $1.575 billion (2008 est.)
  $1.557 billion (2007 est.)

Tanzania
  $2.413 billion (2008 est.)
  $2.227 billion (2007 est.)

Thailand
  $175.3 billion (2008 est.)
  $150 billion (2007 est.)

Timor-Leste
  $10 million (2005 est.); note - excludes oil

Togo
  $777 million (2008 est.)
  $702 million (2007 est.)

Tokelau
  $0 (2002)

Tonga
  $22 million (2006)

Trinidad and Tobago
  $15.85 billion (2008 est.)
  $13.39 billion (2007 est.)

Tunisia
  $19.22 billion (2008 est.)
  $15.15 billion (2007 est.)

Turkey
  $140.7 billion (2008 est.)
  $115.4 billion (2007 est.)

Turkmenistan
  $11.92 billion (2008 est.)
  $7.919 billion (2007 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  $169.2 million (2000)

Tuvalu
  $1 million (2004 est.)

Uganda
  $2.688 billion (2008 est.)
  $1.686 billion (2007 est.)

Ukraine
  $67.72 billion (2008 est.)
  $49.84 billion (2007 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  $239.2 billion (2008 est.)
  $170.4 billion (2007 est.)

United Kingdom
  $466.3 billion (2008 est.)
  $442 billion (2007 est.)

United States
  $1.277 trillion (2008 est.)
  $1.148 trillion (2007 est.)

Uruguay
  $7.084 billion (2008 est.)
  $5.043 billion (2007 est.)

Uzbekistan
  $10.37 billion (2008 est.)
  $8.026 billion (2007 est.)

Vanuatu
  $40 million (2006)

Venezuela
  $93.54 billion (2008 est.)
  $69.17 billion (2007 est.)

Vietnam
  $62.69 billion (2008 est.)
  $48.56 billion (2007 est.)

Virgin Islands
  $4.234 billion (2001)

Wallis and Futuna
  $47,450 (2004)

West Bank
  $339 million (2006)
  $301 million (2005)
  note: includes Gaza Strip

Western Sahara
  $NA

World
  $16.04 trillion (2008 est.)
  $13.89 trillion (2007 est.)

Yemen
  $8.977 billion (2008 est.)
  $7.05 billion (2007 est.)

Zambia
  $4.818 billion (2008 est.)
  $4.594 billion (2007 est.)

Zimbabwe
  $1.396 billion (2008 est.)
  $1.467 billion (2007 est.)

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

@2079

Field Listing :: Debt - external

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

Debt - external

Afghanistan
  $8 billion (2004)

Albania
  $1.55 billion (2004)

Algeria
  $3.753 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $3.957 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

American Samoa
  $NA

Andorra
  $NA

Angola
  $14.09 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $8.357 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Anguilla
  $8.8 million (1998)

Antigua and Barbuda
  $359.8 million (June 2006)

Argentina
  $128.2 billion (31 December 2008)
  $124 billion (31 December 2007)

Armenia
  $3.449 billion (31 December 2008)
  $2.909 billion (31 December 2007)

Aruba
  $478.6 million (2005 est.)

Australia
  $799.8 billion (31 December 2008)
  $820.4 billion (31 December 2007)

Austria
  $832.8 billion (31 December 2008)
  $801.4 billion (31 December 2007)

Azerbaijan
  $2.635 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $2.439 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Bahamas, The
  $342.6 million (2004 est.)

Bahrain
  $10.33 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $7.858 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Bangladesh
  $22.83 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $21.23 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Barbados
  $668 million (2003)

Belarus
  $15.15 billion (31 December 2008)
  $12.49 billion (31 December 2007)

Belgium
  $1.354 trillion (31 December 2008)
  $1.539 trillion (31 December 2007)

Belize
  $954.1 million (2008 est.)
  $1.2 billion (June 2005 est.)

Benin
  $1.2 billion (2007)

Bermuda
  $160 million (FY99/00)

Bhutan
  $713.3 million (2006)

Bolivia
  $5.931 billion (31 December 2008)
  $5.385 billion (31 December 2007)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  $7.388 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $6.734 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Botswana
  $409 million (31 December 2008 est.)
  $408 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Brazil
  $262.9 billion (31 December 2008)
  $240.5 billion (31 December 2007)

British Virgin Islands
  $36.1 million (1997)

Brunei
  $0 (2005)

Bulgaria
  $51.46 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $42.62 billion (31 December 2007)

Burkina Faso
  $1.665 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $1.33 billion (2007)

Burma
  $7.946 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $7.022 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Burundi
  $1.2 billion (2003)

Cambodia
  $4.127 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $3.89 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Cameroon
  $3.066 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $2.554 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Canada
  $781.1 billion (31 December 2008)
  $806.9 billion (31 December 2007)

Cape Verde
  $325 million (2002)

Cayman Islands
  $70 million (1996)

Central African Republic
  $1.153 billion (2007 est.)

Chad
  $1.6 billion (2005 est.)

Chile
  $64.77 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $55.67 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

China
  $400.6 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $363 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Colombia
  $46.38 billion (31 December 2008)
  $44.55 billion (31 December 2007)

Comoros
  $232 million (2000 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the $10 billion (2007 est.) $10 billion (2006 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  $5 billion (2000 est.)

Cook Islands
  $141 million (1996 est.)

Costa Rica
  $9.249 billion (31 December 2008)
  $8.416 billion (31 December 2007)

Cote d'Ivoire
  $14.05 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $13.79 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Croatia
  $54.79 billion (31 December 2008)
  $48.93 billion (31 December 2007)

Cuba
  $19.04 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $16.79 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Cyprus
  $32.86 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $26.97 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Czech Republic
  $80.43 billion (31 December 2008)
  $76.04 billion (31 December 2007)

Denmark
  $588.8 billion (31 December 2008)
  $567.4 billion (31 December 2007)

Djibouti
  $428 million (2006)

Dominica
  $213 million (2004)

Dominican Republic
  $11.42 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $10.21 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Ecuador
  $18.11 billion (31 December 2008)
  $NA (31 December 2007)

Egypt
  $32.12 billion (31 December 2008)
  $32.84 billion (31 December 2007)

El Salvador
  $10.69 billion (31 December 2008)
  $9.808 billion (31 December 2007)

Equatorial Guinea
  $190 million (31 December 2008 est.)
  $338 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Eritrea
  $311 million (2000 est.)

Estonia
  $26.84 billion (31 December 2008)
  $25.25 billion (31 December 2007)

Ethiopia
  $3.155 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $2.621 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  $NA

Faroe Islands
  $64 million (1999)

Fiji
  $127 million (2004 est.)

Finland
  $339.5 billion (31 December 2008)
  $314.1 billion (31 December 2007)

France
  $4.935 trillion (31 December 2008)
  $4.88 trillion (31 December 2007)

French Polynesia
  $NA

Gabon
  $2.986 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $4.895 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Gambia, The
  $628.8 million (2003 est.)

Gaza Strip
  $1.3 billion (2007 est.)

Georgia
  $7.711 billion (31 December 2008)
  $5.343 billion (31 December 2007)

Germany
  $5.158 trillion (31 December 2008)
  $5.155 trillion (31 December 2007)

Ghana
  $5.055 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $4.891 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Gibraltar
  $NA

Greece
  $504.6 billion (31 December 2008)
  $454.2 billion (31 December 2007)

Greenland
  $25 million (1999)

Grenada
  $347 million (2004)

Guam
  $NA

Guatemala
  $6.5 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $5.908 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Guernsey
  $NA

Guinea
  $3.222 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $3.351 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  $941.5 million (2000 est.)

Guyana
  $804.3 million (30 September 2008)
  $1.2 billion (2002)

Haiti
  $1.817 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $1.475 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Honduras
  $3.209 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $3.411 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Hong Kong
  $659.9 billion (31 December 2008)
  $711.1 billion (31 December 2007)

Hungary
  $212.1 billion (31 December 2008)
  $167.7 billion (31 December 2007)

Iceland
  $3.073 billion (2002)

India
  $229.3 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $206 billion (31 December 2007)

Indonesia
  $155.1 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $141.2 billion (31 December 2007)

Iran
  $21.06 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $20.68 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Iraq
  $67.74 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $100.9 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Ireland
  $2.356 trillion (31 December 2008)
  $2.263 trillion (31 December 2007)

Isle of Man
  $NA

Israel
  $86.08 billion (31 December 2008)
  $89.58 billion (31 December 2007)

Italy
  $2.328 trillion (31 December 2008)
  $2.5 trillion (31 December 2007)

Jamaica
  $10.65 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $9.657 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Japan
  $2.231 trillion (31 December 2008)
  $1.768 trillion (31 December 2007)

Jersey
  $NA

Jordan
  $6.794 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $8.133 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Kazakhstan
  $107.8 billion (31 December 2008)
  $96.91 billion (31 December 2007)

Kenya
  $7.855 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $6.713 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Kiribati
  $10 million (1999 est.)

Korea, North
  $12.5 billion (2001 est.)

Korea, South
  $381.1 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $383.2 billion (31 December 2007)

Kosovo
  $NA

Kuwait
  $36.89 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $33.62 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  $3.467 billion (31 December 2008)
  $3.162 billion (31 December 2007)

Laos
  $3.179 billion (2006)

Latvia
  $42.26 billion (31 December 2008)
  $38.95 billion (31 December 2007)

Lebanon
  $33.28 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $31.6 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Lesotho
  $619 million (31 December 2008 est.)
  $689 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Liberia
  $3.2 billion (2005 est.)

Libya
  $6.223 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $4.837 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Liechtenstein
  $0 (2001)

Lithuania
  $32.47 billion (31 December 2008)
  $30.1 billion (31 December 2007)

Luxembourg
  $2.02 trillion (31 December 2008)
  $NA (31 December 2007)

Macau
  $0 (2006)

Macedonia
  $4.667 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $3.967 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Madagascar
  $2.023 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $4.6 billion (2002)

Malawi
  $1.005 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $894 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Malaysia
  $75.33 billion (31 December 2008)
  $62.33 billion (31 December 2007)

Maldives
  $477 million (2008 est.)
  $482 million (2006 est.)

Mali
  $2.8 billion (2002)

Malta
  $188.8 million (2005)

Marshall Islands
  $87 million (2008 est.)
  $86.5 million (FY99/00 est.)

Mauritania
  $NA

Mauritius
  $5.077 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $2.149 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Mayotte
  $NA

Mexico
  $200.4 billion (31 December 2008)
  $193.1 billion (31 December 2007)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  $60.8 million (FY05 est.)

Moldova
  $4.125 billion (31 December 2008)
  $3.326 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Monaco
  $18 billion (2000 est.)

Mongolia $1.6 billion (2008) $1.438 billion (2007)

Montenegro
  $650 million (2006)

Montserrat
  $8.9 million (1997)

Morocco
  $20.12 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $19.91 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Mozambique
  $3.826 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $4.189 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Namibia
  $807.3 million (31 December 2008 est.)
  $1.003 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Nauru
  $33.3 million

Nepal
  $3.285 billion (2008)
  $3.07 billion (March 2006)

Netherlands
  $2.461 trillion (31 December 2008)
  $2.59 trillion (31 December 2007)

Netherlands Antilles
  $2.68 billion (2004)

New Caledonia
  $79 million (1998 est.)

New Zealand
  $59.08 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $51.44 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Nicaragua
  $4.596 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $3.341 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Niger
  $2.1 billion (2003 est.)

Nigeria
  $9.996 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $8.007 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Niue
  $418,000 (2002 est.)

Norfolk Island
  $NA

Northern Mariana Islands
  $NA

Norway
  $475.9 billion (31 December 2008)
  $540.3 billion (31 December 2007)
  note: Norway is a net external creditor

Oman
  $7.68 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $5.297 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Pakistan
  $46.39 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $38.8 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Palau
  $0 (FY99/00)

Panama
  $11.26 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $10.45 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  $2.511 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $1.646 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Paraguay
  $3.507 billion (31 December 2008)
  $3.096 billion (31 December 2007)

Peru
  $34.59 billion (31 December 2008)
  $32.57 billion (31 December 2007)

Philippines
  $66.27 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $61.78 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Poland
  $243.5 billion (31 December 2008)
  $233.1 billion (31 December 2007)

Portugal
  $484.7 billion (31 December 2008)
  $483.9 billion (31 December 2007)

Puerto Rico
  $NA

Qatar
  $57.37 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $33.09 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Romania
  $102.2 billion (31 December 2008)
  $NA (31 December 2007 est.)

Russia
  $483.5 billion (31 December 2008)
  $471 billion (31 December 2007)

Rwanda
  $1.4 billion (2004 est.)

Saint Helena
  $NA

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  $314 million (2004)

Saint Lucia
  $257 million (2004)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  $NA

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  $223 million (2004)

Samoa
  $177 million (2004)

San Marino
  $NA

Sao Tome and Principe
  $318 million (2002)

Saudi Arabia
  $82.13 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $58.6 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Senegal
  $2.627 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $2.19 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Serbia
  $26.24 billion (2007 est.)

Seychelles
  $1.422 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $1.059 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Sierra Leone
  $1.61 billion (2003 est.)

Singapore
  $25.52 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $25.59 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Slovakia
  $52.53 billion (31 December 2008)
  $44.31 billion (31 December 2007)

Slovenia
  $54.61 billion (31 December 2008)
  $50.58 billion (31 December 2007)

Solomon Islands
  $166 million (2004)

Somalia
  $3 billion (2001 est.)

South Africa
  $71.81 billion (31 December 2008)
  $75.28 billion (31 December 2007)

Spain
  $2.317 trillion (31 December 2008)
  $2.299 trillion (31 December 2007)

Sri Lanka
  $16.78 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $12.2 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Sudan
  $33.72 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $29.42 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Suriname
  $504.3 million (2005 est.)

Swaziland
  $554 million (31 December 2008 est.)
  $524 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Sweden
  $617.3 billion (31 December 2008)
  $598.2 billion (30 June 2006)

Switzerland
  $1.305 trillion (31 December 2008)
  $1.565 trillion (31 December 2007)

Syria
  $7.167 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $6.633 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Taiwan
  $93.02 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $97.85 billion (31 December 2007)

Tajikistan
  $1.503 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $1.56 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Tanzania
  $6.195 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $4.382 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Thailand
  $65.09 billion (31 December 2008)
  $61.74 billion (31 December 2007)

Togo
  $2 billion (2005)

Tonga
  $80.7 million (2004)

Trinidad and Tobago
  $3.289 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $2.869 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Tunisia
  $20.81 billion (31 December 2008)
  $20.4 billion (31 December 2007)

Turkey
  $278.1 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $249.4 billion (31 December 2007)

Turkmenistan
  $1.4 billion (2004 est.)
  note: some estimates put this figure as high as $5 billion

Turks and Caicos Islands
  $NA

Tuvalu
  $NA

Uganda
  $1.835 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $1.498 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Ukraine
  $101.7 billion (31 December 2008)
  $79.96 billion (31 December 2007)

United Arab Emirates
  $134.7 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $61.68 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

United Kingdom
  $9.041 trillion (31 December 2008)
  $11.26 trillion (31 December 2007)

United States
  $13.75 trillion (31 December 2008)
  $13.43 trillion (31 December 2007)

Uruguay
  $10.73 billion (31 December 2008)
  $11.07 billion (31 December 2007)

Uzbekistan
  $4.022 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $3.927 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Vanuatu
  $81.2 million (2004)

Venezuela
  $47.03 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $43.33 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Vietnam
  $25.89 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $21.83 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Virgin Islands
  $NA

Wallis and Futuna
  $3.67 million (2004)

West Bank
  $1.3 billion (2007 est.)

Western Sahara
  $NA

World
  $60.96 trillion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $60.26 trillion (31 December 2007 est.)
  note: this figure is the sum total of all countries' external debt,
  both public and private

Yemen
  $5.977 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $6.044 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Zambia
  $3.095 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $2.596 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Zimbabwe
  $5.669 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $5.155 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

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

@2080

Field Listing :: Fiscal year

Country

Fiscal year

Afghanistan
  21 March - 20 March

Albania
  calendar year

Algeria
  calendar year

American Samoa
  1 October - 30 September

Andorra
  calendar year

Angola
  calendar year

Anguilla
  1 April - 31 March

Antigua and Barbuda
  1 April - 31 March

Argentina
  calendar year

Armenia
  calendar year

Aruba
  calendar year

Australia
  1 July - 30 June

Austria
  calendar year

Azerbaijan
  calendar year

Bahamas, The
  1 July - 30 June

Bahrain
  calendar year

Bangladesh
  1 July - 30 June

Barbados
  1 April - 31 March

Belarus
  calendar year

Belgium
  calendar year

Belize
  1 April - 31 March

Benin
  calendar year

Bermuda
  1 April - 31 March

Bhutan
  1 July - 30 June

Bolivia
  calendar year

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  calendar year

Botswana
  1 April - 31 March

Brazil
  calendar year

British Virgin Islands
  1 April - 31 March

Brunei
  1 April - 31 March

Bulgaria
  calendar year

Burkina Faso
  calendar year

Burma
  1 April - 31 March

Burundi
  calendar year

Cambodia
  calendar year

Cameroon
  1 July - 30 June

Canada
  1 April - 31 March

Cape Verde
  calendar year

Cayman Islands
  1 April - 31 March

Central African Republic
  calendar year

Chad
  calendar year

Chile
  calendar year

China
  calendar year

Christmas Island
  1 July - 30 June

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  1 July - 30 June

Colombia
  calendar year

Comoros
  calendar year

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  calendar year

Congo, Republic of the
  calendar year

Cook Islands
  1 April - 31 March

Costa Rica
  calendar year

Cote d'Ivoire
  calendar year

Croatia
  calendar year

Cuba
  calendar year

Cyprus
  calendar year

Czech Republic
  calendar year

Denmark
  calendar year

Djibouti
  calendar year

Dominica
  1 July - 30 June

Dominican Republic
  calendar year

Ecuador
  calendar year

Egypt
  1 July - 30 June

El Salvador
  calendar year

Equatorial Guinea
  calendar year

Eritrea
  calendar year

Estonia
  calendar year

Ethiopia
  8 July - 7 July

European Union
  NA

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  1 April - 31 March

Faroe Islands
  calendar year

Fiji
  calendar year

Finland
  calendar year

France
  calendar year

French Polynesia
  calendar year

Gabon
  calendar year

Gambia, The
  calendar year

Gaza Strip
  calendar year

Georgia
  calendar year

Germany
  calendar year

Ghana
  calendar year

Gibraltar
  1 July - 30 June

Greece
  calendar year

Greenland
  calendar year

Grenada
  calendar year

Guam
  1 October - 30 September

Guatemala
  calendar year

Guernsey
  calendar year

Guinea
  calendar year

Guinea-Bissau
  calendar year

Guyana
  calendar year

Haiti
  1 October - 30 September

Holy See (Vatican City)
  calendar year

Honduras
  calendar year

Hong Kong
  1 April - 31 March

Hungary
  calendar year

Iceland
  calendar year

India
  1 April - 31 March

Indonesia
  calendar year

Iran
  21 March - 20 March

Iraq
  calendar year

Ireland
  calendar year

Isle of Man
  1 April - 31 March

Israel
  calendar year

Italy
  calendar year

Jamaica
  1 April - 31 March

Japan
  1 April - 31 March

Jersey
  1 April - 31 March

Jordan
  calendar year

Kazakhstan
  calendar year

Kenya
  1 July - 30 June

Kiribati
  NA

Korea, North
  calendar year

Korea, South
  calendar year

Kuwait
  1 April - 31 March

Kyrgyzstan
  calendar year

Laos
  1 October - 30 September

Latvia
  calendar year

Lebanon
  calendar year

Lesotho
  1 April - 31 March

Liberia
  calendar year

Libya
  calendar year

Liechtenstein
  calendar year

Lithuania
  calendar year

Luxembourg
  calendar year

Macau
  calendar year

Macedonia
  calendar year

Madagascar
  calendar year

Malawi
  1 July - 30 June

Malaysia
  calendar year

Maldives
  calendar year

Mali
  calendar year

Malta
  calendar year

Marshall Islands
  1 October - 30 September

Mauritania
  calendar year

Mauritius
  1 July - 30 June

Mayotte
  calendar year

Mexico
  calendar year

Micronesia, Federated States of
  1 October - 30 September

Moldova
  calendar year

Monaco
  calendar year

Mongolia
  calendar year

Montenegro
  calendar year

Montserrat
  1 April - 31 March

Morocco
  calendar year

Mozambique
  calendar year

Namibia
  1 April - 31 March

Nauru
  1 July - 30 June

Nepal
  16 July - 15 July

Netherlands
  calendar year

Netherlands Antilles
  calendar year

New Caledonia
  calendar year

New Zealand 1 April - 31 March note: this is the fiscal year for tax purposes

Nicaragua
  calendar year

Niger
  calendar year

Nigeria
  calendar year

Niue
  1 April - 31 March

Norfolk Island
  1 July - 30 June

Northern Mariana Islands
  1 October - 30 September

Norway
  calendar year

Oman
  calendar year

Pakistan
  1 July - 30 June

Palau
  1 October - 30 September

Panama
  calendar year

Papua New Guinea
  calendar year

Paraguay
  calendar year

Peru
  calendar year

Philippines
  calendar year

Pitcairn Islands
  1 April - 31 March

Poland
  calendar year

Portugal
  calendar year

Puerto Rico
  1 July - 30 June

Qatar
  1 April - 31 March

Romania
  calendar year

Russia
  calendar year

Rwanda
  calendar year

Saint Helena
  1 April - 31 March

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  calendar year

Saint Lucia
  1 April - 31 March

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  calendar year

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  calendar year

Samoa
  June 1 - May 31

San Marino
  calendar year

Sao Tome and Principe
  calendar year

Saudi Arabia
  calendar year

Senegal
  calendar year

Seychelles
  calendar year

Sierra Leone
  calendar year

Singapore
  1 April - 31 March

Slovakia
  calendar year

Slovenia
  calendar year

Solomon Islands
  calendar year

Somalia
  NA

South Africa
  1 April - 31 March

Spain
  calendar year

Sri Lanka
  calendar year

Sudan
  calendar year

Suriname
  calendar year

Swaziland
  1 April - 31 March

Sweden
  calendar year

Switzerland
  calendar year

Syria
  calendar year

Taiwan
  calendar year

Tajikistan
  calendar year

Tanzania
  1 July - 30 June

Thailand
  1 October - 30 September

Timor-Leste
  calendar year

Togo
  calendar year

Tokelau
  1 April - 31 March

Tonga
  1 July - 30 June

Trinidad and Tobago
  1 October - 30 September

Tunisia
  calendar year

Turkey
  calendar year

Turkmenistan
  calendar year

Turks and Caicos Islands
  calendar year

Tuvalu
  calendar year

Uganda
  1 July - 30 June

Ukraine
  calendar year

United Arab Emirates
  calendar year

United Kingdom
  6 April - 5 April

United States
  1 October - 30 September

Uruguay
  calendar year

Uzbekistan
  calendar year

Vanuatu
  calendar year

Venezuela
  calendar year

Vietnam
  calendar year

Virgin Islands
  1 October - 30 September

Wallis and Futuna
  calendar year

West Bank
  calendar year

Western Sahara
  calendar year

Yemen
  calendar year

Zambia
  calendar year

Zimbabwe
  calendar year

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

@2081

Field Listing :: Flag description

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

Flag description

Afghanistan
  three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), red,
  and green, with the national emblem in white centered on the red
  band and slightly overlapping the other two bands; the center of the
  emblem features a mosque with pulpit and flags on either side, below
  the mosque are numerals for the solar year 1298 (1919 in the
  Gregorian calendar, the year of Afghan independence from the UK);
  this central image is circled by a border consisting of sheaves of
  wheat on the left and right, in the upper-center is an Arabic
  inscription of the Shahada (Muslim creed) below which are rays of
  the rising sun over the Takbir (Arabic expression meaning "God is
  great"), and at bottom center is a scroll bearing the name
  Afghanistan

Akrotiri
  the flag of the UK is used

Albania
  red with a black two-headed eagle in the center; the design
  is claimed to be that of 15th-century hero George Castriota
  SKANDERBERG, who led a successful uprising against the Turks that
  resulted in a short-lived independence for some Albanian regions
  (1443-1478)

Algeria
  two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and white; a
  red, five-pointed star within a red crescent centered over the
  two-color boundary; the colors represent Islam (green), purity and
  peace (white), and liberty (red); the crescent and star are also
  Islamic symbols, but the crescent is more closed than those of other
  Muslim countries because the Algerians believe the long crescent
  horns bring happiness

American Samoa
  blue, with a white triangle edged in red that is
  based on the fly side and extends to the hoist side; a brown and
  white American bald eagle flying toward the hoist side is carrying
  two traditional Samoan symbols of authority, a war club known as a
  "Fa'alaufa'i" (upper; left talon), and a coconut fiber fly whisk
  known as a "Fue" (lower; right talon); the combination of symbols
  broadly mimics that seen on the US Great Seal and reflects the
  relationship between the United States and American Samoa

Andorra
  three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and
  red, with the national coat of arms centered in the yellow band; the
  coat of arms features a quartered shield; the flag combines the blue
  and red French colors with the red and yellow of Spain to show
  Franco-Spanish protection
  note: similar to the flags of Chad and Romania, which do not have a
  national coat of arms in the center, and the flag of Moldova, which
  does bear a national emblem

Angola
  two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and black with a
  centered yellow emblem consisting of a five-pointed star within half
  a cogwheel crossed by a machete (in the style of a hammer and
  sickle); red represents liberty, black the African continent, the
  symbols characterize workers and peasants

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

Antigua and Barbuda
  red, with an inverted isosceles triangle based
  on the top edge of the flag; the triangle contains three horizontal
  bands of black (top), light blue, and white, with a yellow rising
  sun in the black band; the sun symbolizes the dawn of a new era,
  black represents the African heritage of most of the population,
  blue is for hope, and red is for the dynamism of the people; the "V"
  stands for victory; the successive yellow, blue, and white coloring
  is also meant to evoke the country's tourist attractions of sun,
  sea, and sand

Argentina
  three equal horizontal bands of light blue (top), white,
  and light blue; centered in the white band is a radiant yellow sun
  with a human face known as the Sun of May; the colors represent the
  clear skies and snow of the Andes; the sun symbol commemorates the
  appearance of the sun through cloudy skies on 25 May 1810 during the
  first mass demonstration in favor of independence; the sun features
  are those of Inti, the Inca god of the sun

Armenia
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, and orange;
  the color red recalls the blood shed for liberty, blue the Armenian
  skies as well as hope, and orange the land and the courage of the
  workers who farm it

Aruba
  blue, with two narrow, horizontal, yellow stripes across the
  lower portion and a red, four-pointed star outlined in white in the
  upper hoist-side corner; the star represents Aruba and its red soil
  and white beaches, its four points the four major languages
  (Papiamento, Dutch, Spanish, English) as well as the four points of
  a compass, to indicate that its inhabitants come from all over the
  world; the blue symbolizes Caribbean waters and skies; the stripes
  represent the island's two main "industries": the flow of tourists
  to the sun-drenched beaches and the flow of minerals from the earth

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  the flag of Australia is used

Australia
  blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
  quadrant and a large seven-pointed star in the lower hoist-side
  quadrant known as the Commonwealth or Federation Star, representing
  the federation of the colonies of Australia in 1901; the star
  depicts one point for each of the six original states and one
  representing all of Australia's internal and external territories;
  on the fly half is a representation of the Southern Cross
  constellation in white with one small five-pointed star and four
  larger, seven-pointed stars

Austria
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and red;
  the flag design is certainly one of the oldest - if not the oldest -
  national banners in the world; according to tradition, following a
  fierce battle in the Third Crusade, Duke Leopold V of Austria's
  white tunic became completely blood-spattered; upon removal of his
  wide belt or sash, a white band was revealed; the red-white-red
  color combination was subsequently adopted as his banner

Azerbaijan
  three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), red, and
  green; a crescent and eight-pointed star in white are centered in
  red band

Bahamas, The
  three equal horizontal bands of aquamarine (top), gold,
  and aquamarine, with a black equilateral triangle based on the hoist
  side; the band colors represent the golden beaches of the islands
  surrounded by the aquamarine sea; black represents the vigor and
  force of a united people, while the pointing triangle indicates the
  enterprise and determination of the Bahamian people to develop the
  rich resources of land and sea

Bahrain
  red, the traditional color for flags of Persian Gulf states,
  with a white serrated band (five white points) on the hoist side;
  the five points represent the five pillars of Islam

Bangladesh
  green field with a large red disk shifted slightly to the
  hoist side of center; the red disk represents the rising sun and the
  sacrifice to achieve independence; the green field symbolizes the
  lush vegetation of Bangladesh

Barbados
  three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), gold, and
  blue with the head of a black trident centered on the gold band; the
  band colors represent the blue of the sea and sky and the gold of
  the beaches; the trident head represents independence and a break
  with the past (the colonial coat of arms contained a complete
  trident)

Belarus
  red horizontal band (top) and green horizontal band one-half
  the width of the red band; a white vertical stripe on the hoist side
  bears Belarusian national ornamentation in red; the red band color
  recalls past struggles from oppression, the green band represents
  hope and the many forests of the country

Belgium
  three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), yellow,
  and red; the vertical design was based on the flag of France; the
  colors are those of the arms of the duchy of Brabant (yellow lion
  with red claws and tongue on a black field)

Belize
  blue with a narrow red stripe along the top and the bottom
  edges; centered is a large white disk bearing the coat of arms; the
  coat of arms features a shield flanked by two workers in front of a
  mahogany tree with the related motto SUB UMBRA FLOREO (I Flourish in
  the Shade) on a scroll at the bottom, all encircled by a green
  garland

Benin
  two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red (bottom)
  with a vertical green band on the hoist side

Bermuda
  red, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
  quadrant and the Bermudian coat of arms (white and green shield with
  a red lion holding a scrolled shield showing the sinking of the ship
  Sea Venture off Bermuda in 1609) centered on the outer half of the
  flag

Bhutan
  divided diagonally from the lower hoist-side corner; the
  upper triangle is yellow and the lower triangle is orange; centered
  along the dividing line is a large black and white dragon facing
  away from the hoist side

Bolivia
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green
  with the coat of arms centered on the yellow band
  note: similar to the flag of Ghana, which has a large black
  five-pointed star centered in the yellow band; in 2009, a
  presidential decree made it mandatory for a so-called wiphala - a
  square, multi-colored flag representing the country's indigenous
  peoples - to be used alongside the traditional flag

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  a wide medium blue vertical band on the fly
  side with a yellow isosceles triangle abutting the band and the top
  of the flag; the remainder of the flag is medium blue with seven
  full five-pointed white stars and two half stars top and bottom
  along the hypotenuse of the triangle

Botswana
  light blue with a horizontal white-edged black stripe in
  the center

Bouvet Island
  the flag of Norway is used

Brazil
  green with a large yellow diamond in the center bearing a
  blue celestial globe with 27 white five-pointed stars (one for each
  state and the Federal District) arranged in the same pattern as the
  night sky over Brazil; the globe has a white equatorial band with
  the motto ORDEM E PROGRESSO (Order and Progress)

British Indian Ocean Territory white with six blue wavy horizontal stripes; the flag of the UK is in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the striped section bears a palm tree and yellow crown centered on the outer half of the flag

British Virgin Islands
  blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper
  hoist-side quadrant and the Virgin Islander coat of arms centered in
  the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms depicts a woman flanked
  on either side by a vertical column of six oil lamps above a scroll
  bearing the Latin word VIGILATE (Be Watchful)

Brunei
  yellow with two diagonal bands of white (top, almost double
  width) and black starting from the upper hoist side; the national
  emblem in red is superimposed at the center; the emblem includes a
  swallow-tailed flag on top of a winged column within an upturned
  crescent above a scroll and flanked by two upraised hands

Bulgaria
  three equal horizontal bands of white (top), green, and red
  note: the national emblem, formerly on the hoist side of the white
  stripe, has been removed

Burkina Faso
  two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with
  a yellow five-pointed star in the center
  note: uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Burma
  red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner
  bearing 14, white, five-pointed stars encircling a cogwheel
  containing a stalk of rice; the 14 stars represent the seven
  administrative divisions and seven states

Burundi
  divided by a white diagonal cross into red panels (top and
  bottom) and green panels (hoist side and fly side) with a white disk
  superimposed at the center bearing three red six-pointed stars
  outlined in green arranged in a triangular design (one star above,
  two stars below)

Cambodia
  three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (double width),
  and blue with a white three-towered temple representing Angkor Wat
  outlined in black in the center of the red band
  note: only national flag to incorporate an actual building in its
  design

Cameroon
  three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), red, and
  yellow, with a yellow five-pointed star centered in the red band
  note: uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Canada
  two vertical bands of red (hoist and fly side, half width)
  with white square between them; an 11-pointed red maple leaf is
  centered in the white square; the official colors of Canada are red
  and white

Cape Verde
  five unequal horizontal bands; the top-most band of blue
  - equal to one half the width of the flag - is followed by three
  bands of white, red, and white, each equal to 1/12 of the width, and
  a bottom stripe of blue equal to one quarter of the flag width; a
  circle of 10, yellow, five-pointed stars, each representing one of
  the islands, is centered on the red stripe and positioned 3/8 of the
  length of the flag from the hoist side

Cayman Islands
  a blue field, with the flag of the UK in the upper
  hoist-side quadrant and the Caymanian coat of arms centered on the
  outer half of the flag; the coat of arms includes a crest with a
  pineapple, representing the connection with Jamaica, and a turtle,
  representing Cayman's seafaring tradition, above a shield bearing a
  golden lion, symbolizing Great Britain, below which are three green
  stars (representing the three islands) surmounting white and blue
  wavy lines representing the sea and a scroll at the bottom bearing
  the motto HE HATH FOUNDED IT UPON THE SEAS

Central African Republic
  four equal horizontal bands of blue (top),
  white, green, and yellow with a vertical red band in center; a
  yellow five-pointed star to the hoist side of the blue band

Chad
  three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red
  note: similar to the flag of Romania; also similar to the flags of
  Andorra and Moldova, both of which have a national coat of arms
  centered in the yellow band; design was based on the flag of France

Chile
  two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; a blue
  square the same height as the white band at the hoist-side end of
  the white band; the square bears a white five-pointed star in the
  center representing a guide to progress and honor; blue symbolizes
  the sky, white is for the snow-covered Andes, and red represents the
  blood spilled to achieve independence
  note: design was influenced by the US flag

China
  red with a large yellow five-pointed star and four smaller
  yellow five-pointed stars (arranged in a vertical arc toward the
  middle of the flag) in the upper hoist-side corner

Christmas Island
  territorial flag; divided diagonally from upper
  hoist to lower fly; the upper triangle is green with a yellow image
  of the Golden Bosun Bird superimposed, the lower triangle is blue
  with the Southern Cross constellation, representing Australia,
  superimposed; a centered yellow disk displays a green map of the
  island
  note: the flag of Australia is used for official purposes

Clipperton Island
  the flag of France is used

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  the flag of Australia is used

Colombia
  three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double-width), blue,
  and red
  note: similar to the flag of Ecuador, which is longer and bears the
  Ecuadorian coat of arms superimposed in the center

Comoros
  four equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), white, red, and
  blue, with a green isosceles triangle based on the hoist; centered
  within the triangle is a white crescent with the convex side facing
  the hoist and four white, five-pointed stars placed vertically in a
  line between the points of the crescent; the horizontal bands and
  the four stars represent the four main islands of the archipelago -
  Mwali, N'gazidja, Nzwani, and Mahore (Mayotte - territorial
  collectivity of France, but claimed by Comoros)
  note: the crescent, stars, and color green are traditional symbols
  of Islam

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  sky blue field divided diagonally
  from the lower hoist corner to upper fly corner by a red stripe
  bordered by two narrow yellow stripes; a yellow, five-pointed star
  appears in the upper hoist corner

Congo, Republic of the
  divided diagonally from the lower hoist side
  by a yellow band; the upper triangle (hoist side) is green and the
  lower triangle is red
  note: uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Cook Islands
  blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
  quadrant and a large circle of 15 white five-pointed stars (one for
  every island) centered in the outer half of the flag

Coral Sea Islands
  the flag of Australia is used

Costa Rica
  five horizontal bands of blue (top), white, red (double
  width), white, and blue, with the coat of arms in a white elliptical
  disk on the hoist side of the red band; above the coat of arms a
  light blue ribbon contains the words, AMERICA CENTRAL, and just
  below it near the top of the coat of arms is a white ribbon with the
  words, REPUBLICA COSTA RICA

Cote d'Ivoire
  three equal vertical bands of orange (hoist side),
  white, and green
  note: similar to the flag of Ireland, which is longer and has the
  colors reversed - green (hoist side), white, and orange; also
  similar to the flag of Italy, which is green (hoist side), white,
  and red; design was based on the flag of France

Croatia
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue,
  superimposed by the Croatian coat of arms (red and white checkered)

Cuba
  five equal horizontal bands of blue (top, center, and bottom)
  alternating with white; a red equilateral triangle based on the
  hoist side bears a white, five-pointed star in the center

Cyprus
  white with a copper-colored silhouette of the island (the
  name Cyprus is derived from the Greek word for copper) above two
  green crossed olive branches in the center of the flag; the branches
  symbolize the hope for peace and reconciliation between the Greek
  and Turkish communities
  note: the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" flag has a white
  field with narrow horizontal red stripes positioned a small distance
  from the top and bottom edges between which is centered a red
  crescent and a red five-pointed star

Czech Republic
  two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red
  with a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side
  note: identical to the flag of the former Czechoslovakia

Denmark
  red with a white cross that extends to the edges of the
  flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side;
  the banner is referred to as the Dannebrog (Danish flag) and is one
  of the oldest national flags in the world; traditions as to the
  origin of the flag design vary, but the best known is a legend that
  the banner fell from the sky during an early-13th century battle;
  caught up by the Danish king before it ever touched the earth, this
  heavenly talisman inspired the royal army to victory
  note: the shifted design element was subsequently adopted by the
  other Nordic countries of Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden

Dhekelia
  the flag of the UK is used

Djibouti
  two equal horizontal bands of light blue (top) and light
  green with a white isosceles triangle based on the hoist side
  bearing a red five-pointed star in the center

Dominica
  green, with a centered cross of three equal bands - the
  vertical part is yellow (hoist side), black, and white and the
  horizontal part is yellow (top), black, and white; superimposed in
  the center of the cross is a red disk bearing a sisserou parrot
  encircled by 10 green, five-pointed stars edged in yellow; the 10
  stars represent the 10 administrative divisions (parishes)

Dominican Republic
  a centered white cross that extends to the edges
  divides the flag into four rectangles - the top ones are blue (hoist
  side) and red, and the bottom ones are red (hoist side) and blue; a
  small coat of arms featuring a shield supported by an olive branch
  (left) and a palm branch (right) is at the center of the cross;
  above the shield a blue ribbon displays the motto, DIOS, PATRIA,
  LIBERTAD (God, Fatherland, Liberty), and below the shield, REPUBLICA
  DOMINICANA appears on a red ribbon

Ecuador
  three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double width), blue,
  and red with the coat of arms superimposed at the center of the
  flag; similar to the flag of Colombia, which is shorter and does not
  bear a coat of arms

Egypt
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black;
  the national emblem (a gold Eagle of Saladin facing the hoist side
  with a shield superimposed on its chest above a scroll bearing the
  name of the country in Arabic) centered in the white band; design is
  based on the Arab Liberation flag and similar to the flag of Syria,
  which has two green stars in the white band, Iraq, which has an
  Arabic inscription centered in the white band, and Yemen, which has
  a plain white band

El Salvador
  three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and
  blue with the national coat of arms centered in the white band; the
  coat of arms features a round emblem encircled by the words
  REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL; similar to the flag
  of Nicaragua, which has a different coat of arms centered in the
  white band - it features a triangle encircled by the words REPUBLICA
  DE NICARAGUA on top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom; also similar
  to the flag of Honduras, which has five blue stars arranged in an X
  pattern centered in the white band

Equatorial Guinea
  three equal horizontal bands of green (top),
  white, and red, with a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist
  side and the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of
  arms has six yellow six-pointed stars (representing the mainland and
  five offshore islands) above a gray shield bearing a silk-cotton
  tree and below which is a scroll with the motto UNIDAD, PAZ,
  JUSTICIA (Unity, Peace, Justice)

Eritrea
  red isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) dividing
  the flag into two right triangles; the upper triangle is green, the
  lower one is blue; a gold wreath encircling a gold olive branch is
  centered on the hoist side of the red triangle

Estonia
  pre-1940 flag restored by Supreme Soviet in May 1990 - three
  equal horizontal bands of blue (top), black, and white

Ethiopia
  three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and
  red, with a yellow pentagram and single yellow rays emanating from
  the angles between the points on a light blue disk centered on the
  three bands; Ethiopia is the oldest independent country in Africa,
  and the three main colors of her flag were so often adopted by other
  African countries upon independence that they became known as the
  pan-African colors

European Union
  blue field with 12 five-pointed gold stars arranged
  in a circle in the center, representing the union of the peoples of
  Europe; the number of stars is fixed

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Falkland Island coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms contains a white ram (sheep raising was once the major economic activity) above the sailing ship Desire (whose crew discovered the islands) with a scroll at the bottom bearing the motto DESIRE THE RIGHT

Faroe Islands
  white with a red cross outlined in blue extending to
  the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted
  toward the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag);
  the flag resembles those of neighboring Iceland and Norway, and uses
  the same three colors - but in a different sequence

Fiji
  light blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
  quadrant and the Fijian shield centered on the outer half of the
  flag; the shield depicts a yellow lion above a white field quartered
  by the cross of Saint George featuring stalks of sugarcane, a palm
  tree, bananas, and a white dove

Finland
  white with a blue cross extending to the edges of the flag;
  the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the
  style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag); the blue represents the
  thousands of lakes scattered across the country, while the white is
  for the snow that covers the land in winter

France
  three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), white, and
  red; known as the "Le drapeau tricolore" (French Tricolor), the
  origin of the flag dates to 1790 and the French Revolution; the
  design and/or colors are similar to a number of other flags,
  including those of Belgium, Chad, Ireland, Cote d'Ivoire,
  Luxembourg, and Netherlands; the official flag for all French
  dependent areas

French Polynesia
  two narrow red horizontal bands encase a wide white
  band; centered on the white band is a disk with a blue and white
  wave pattern on the lower half and a gold and white ray pattern on
  the upper half; a stylized red, blue, and white ship rides on the
  wave pattern
  note: the flag of France is used for official occasions

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  the flag of France is used

Gabon
  three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and blue

Gambia, The
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue with
  white edges, and green

Georgia
  white rectangle, in its central portion a red cross
  connecting all four sides of the flag; in each of the four corners
  is a small red bolnur-katskhuri cross; the five-cross flag appears
  to date back to the 14th century

Germany
  three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and gold;
  these colors have played an important role in German history and can
  be traced back to the medieval banner of the Holy Roman Emperor - a
  black eagle with red claws and beak on a gold field

Ghana
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green,
  with a large black five-pointed star centered in the yellow band;
  uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia; similar to the flag
  of Bolivia, which has a coat of arms centered in the yellow band

Gibraltar
  two horizontal bands of white (top, double width) and red
  with a three-towered red castle in the center of the white band;
  hanging from the castle gate is a gold key centered in the red band

Greece
  nine equal horizontal stripes of blue alternating with white;
  there is a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a
  white cross; the cross symbolizes Greek Orthodoxy, the established
  religion of the country

Greenland
  two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a
  large disk slightly to the hoist side of center - the top half of
  the disk is red, the bottom half is white; the design represents the
  sun reflecting off a field of ice; the colors are the same as those
  of the Danish flag and symbolize Greenland's links to the Kingdom of
  Denmark

Grenada
  a rectangle divided diagonally into yellow triangles (top
  and bottom) and green triangles (hoist side and outer side), with a
  red border around the flag; there are seven yellow, five-pointed
  stars with three centered in the top red border, three centered in
  the bottom red border, and one on a red disk superimposed at the
  center of the flag; there is also a symbolic nutmeg pod on the
  hoist-side triangle (Grenada is the world's second-largest producer
  of nutmeg, after Indonesia); the seven stars represent the seven
  administrative divisions

Guam
  territorial flag is dark blue with a narrow red border on all
  four sides; centered is a red-bordered, pointed, vertical ellipse
  containing a beach scene, outrigger canoe with sail, and a palm tree
  with the word GUAM superimposed in bold red letters; US flag is the
  national flag

Guatemala
  three equal vertical bands of light blue (hoist side),
  white, and light blue, with the coat of arms centered in the white
  band; the coat of arms includes a green and red quetzal (the
  national bird) and a scroll bearing the inscription LIBERTAD 15 DE
  SEPTIEMBRE DE 1821 (the original date of independence from Spain)
  all superimposed on a pair of crossed rifles and a pair of crossed
  swords and framed by a wreath

Guernsey
  white with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of
  England) extending to the edges of the flag and a yellow equal-armed
  cross of William the Conqueror superimposed on the Saint George cross

Guinea
  three equal vertical bands of red (hoist side), yellow, and
  green; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Guinea-Bissau
  two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and green
  with a vertical red band on the hoist side; there is a black
  five-pointed star centered in the red band; uses the popular
  pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Guyana
  green, with a red isosceles triangle (based on the hoist
  side) superimposed on a long, yellow arrowhead; there is a narrow,
  black border between the red and yellow, and a narrow, white border
  between the yellow and the green

Haiti
  two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a
  centered white rectangle bearing the coat of arms, which contains a
  palm tree flanked by flags and two cannons above a scroll bearing
  the motto L'UNION FAIT LA FORCE (Union Makes Strength); the colors
  are taken from the French Tricolor and represent the union of blacks
  and mulattoes

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  the flag of Australia is used

Holy See (Vatican City)
  two vertical bands of yellow (hoist side)
  and white with the arms of the Holy See, consisting of the crossed
  keys of Saint Peter surmounted by the three-tiered papal tiara,
  centered in the white band

Honduras
  three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and
  blue, with five blue, five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern
  centered in the white band; the stars represent the members of the
  former Federal Republic of Central America - Costa Rica, El
  Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua; similar to the flag of
  El Salvador, which features a round emblem encircled by the words
  REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL centered in the white
  band; also similar to the flag of Nicaragua, which features a
  triangle encircled by the word REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on top and
  AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom, centered in the white band

Hong Kong
  red with a stylized, white, five-petal bauhinia flower in
  the center

Hungary
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and green

Iceland
  blue with a red cross outlined in white extending to the
  edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the
  hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag); the colors
  represent three of the elements that make up the island: red is for
  the island's volcanic fires, white recalls the snow and ice fields
  of the island, and blue is for the surrounding ocean

India
  three equal horizontal bands of saffron (subdued orange)
  (top), white, and green, with a blue chakra (24-spoked wheel)
  centered in the white band; similar to the flag of Niger, which has
  a small orange disk centered in the white band

Indonesia
  two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; similar
  to the flag of Monaco, which is shorter; also similar to the flag of
  Poland, which is white (top) and red

Iran
  three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red;
  the national emblem (a stylized representation of the word Allah in
  the shape of a tulip, a symbol of martyrdom) in red is centered in
  the white band; ALLAH AKBAR (God is Great) in white Arabic script is
  repeated 11 times along the bottom edge of the green band and 11
  times along the top edge of the red band

Iraq
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black;
  the Takbir (Arabic expression meaning "God is great") in green
  Arabic script is centered in the white band; similar to the flag of
  Syria, which has two stars but no script, Yemen, which has a plain
  white band, and that of Egypt, which has a gold Eagle of Saladin
  centered in the white band; design is based upon the Arab Liberation
  colors; Council of Representatives approved this flag as a
  compromise temporary replacement for Ba'athist Saddam-era flag

Ireland
  three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and
  orange; similar to the flag of Cote d'Ivoire, which is shorter and
  has the colors reversed - orange (hoist side), white, and green;
  also similar to the flag of Italy, which is shorter and has colors
  of green (hoist side), white, and red

Isle of Man
  red with the Three Legs of Man emblem (Trinacria), in
  the center; the three legs are joined at the thigh and bent at the
  knee; in order to have the toes pointing clockwise on both sides of
  the flag, a two-sided emblem is used

Israel
  white with a blue hexagram (six-pointed linear star) known as
  the Magen David (Shield of David) centered between two equal
  horizontal blue bands near the top and bottom edges of the flag

Italy
  three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and
  red; similar to the flag of Ireland, which is longer and is green
  (hoist side), white, and orange; also similar to the flag of the
  Cote d'Ivoire, which has the colors reversed - orange (hoist side),
  white, and green; inspired by the French flag brought to Italy by
  Napoleon in 1797

Jamaica
  diagonal yellow cross divides the flag into four triangles -
  green (top and bottom) and black (hoist side and outer side); green
  represents hope, vegetation, and agriculture, black reflects
  hardships overcome and to be faced, and yellow recalls golden
  sunshine and the island's natural resources

Jan Mayen
  the flag of Norway is used

Japan
  white with a large red disk (representing the sun without
  rays) in the center

Jersey
  white with a diagonal red cross extending to the corners of
  the flag; in the upper quadrant, surmounted by a yellow crown, a red
  shield with the three lions of England in yellow

Jordan
  three equal horizontal bands of black (top), representing the
  Abbassid Caliphate, white, representing the Ummayyad Caliphate, and
  green, representing the Fatimid Caliphate; a red isosceles triangle
  on the hoist side, representing the Great Arab Revolt of 1916, and
  bearing a small white seven-pointed star symbolizing the seven
  verses of the opening Sura (Al-Fatiha) of the Holy Koran; the seven
  points on the star represent faith in One God, humanity, national
  spirit, humility, social justice, virtue, and aspirations; design is
  based on the Arab Revolt flag of World War I

Kazakhstan
  sky blue background representing the endless sky and a
  gold sun with 32 rays above a soaring golden steppe eagle in the
  center; on the hoist side is a "national ornamentation" in gold

Kenya
  three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green;
  the red band is edged in white; a large warrior's shield covering
  crossed spears is superimposed at the center

Kiribati
  the upper half is red with a yellow frigate bird flying
  over a yellow rising sun, and the lower half is blue with three
  horizontal wavy white stripes to represent the ocean

Korea, North
  three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple
  width), and blue; the red band is edged in white; on the hoist side
  of the red band is a white disk with a red five-pointed star

Korea, South
  white with a red (top) and blue yin-yang symbol in the
  center; there is a different black trigram from the ancient I Ching
  (Book of Changes) in each corner of the white field

Kosovo
  centered on a dark blue field is the geographical shape of
  Kosovo in a gold color surmounted by six white, five-pointed stars -
  each representing one of the major ethnic groups of Kosovo - arrayed
  in a slight arc

Kuwait
  three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red
  with a black trapezoid based on the hoist side; design, which dates
  to 1961, based on the Arab revolt flag of World War I

Kyrgyzstan
  red field with a yellow sun in the center having 40 rays
  representing the 40 Kyrgyz tribes; on the obverse side the rays run
  counterclockwise, on the reverse, clockwise; in the center of the
  sun is a red ring crossed by two sets of three lines, a stylized
  representation of the roof of the traditional Kyrgyz yurt

Laos
  three horizontal bands of red (top), blue (double width), and
  red with a large white disk centered in the blue band

Latvia
  three horizontal bands of maroon (top), white (half-width),
  and maroon

Lebanon
  three horizontal bands consisting of red (top), white
  (middle, double width), and red (bottom) with a green cedar tree
  centered in the white band

Lesotho
  three horizontal stripes of blue (top), white, and green in
  the proportions of 3:4:3; the colors represent rain, peace, and
  prosperity respectively; centered in the white stripe is a black
  Basotho hat representing the indigenous people; the flag was
  unfurled in October 2006 to celebrate 40 years of independence

Liberia
  11 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom)
  alternating with white; there is a white five-pointed star on a blue
  square in the upper hoist-side corner; the design was based on the
  US flag

Libya
  plain green; green is the traditional color of Islam (the
  state religion)

Liechtenstein
  two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with
  a gold crown on the hoist side of the blue band; the colors may
  derive from the blue and red livery design used in the
  principality's household in the 18th century; the prince's crown was
  introduced in 1937 to distinguish the flag from that of Haiti

Lithuania
  three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), green, and
  red

Luxembourg
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and
  light blue; similar to the flag of the Netherlands, which uses a
  darker blue and is shorter; the coloring is derived from the Grand
  Duke's coat of arms (a red lion on a white and blue striped field)

Macau
  light green with a lotus flower above a stylized bridge and
  water in white, beneath an arc of five gold, five-pointed stars: one
  large in the center of the arc and two smaller on either side; the
  lotus is the floral emblem of Macau, the three petals represent the
  peninsula and two islands that make up Macau; the five stars echo
  those on the flag of China

Macedonia
  a yellow sun with eight broadening rays extending to the
  edges of the red field

Madagascar
  two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a
  vertical white band of the same width on hoist side

Malawi
  three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green
  with a radiant, rising, red sun centered in the black band

Malaysia
  14 equal horizontal stripes of red (top) alternating with
  white (bottom); there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side
  corner bearing a yellow crescent and a yellow 14-pointed star; the
  crescent and the star are traditional symbols of Islam; the design
  was based on the flag of the US

Maldives
  red with a large green rectangle in the center bearing a
  vertical white crescent; the closed side of the crescent is on the
  hoist side of the flag

Mali
  three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), yellow, and
  red; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Malta
  two equal vertical bands of white (hoist side) and red; in the
  upper hoist-side corner is a representation of the George Cross,
  edged in red

Marshall Islands
  blue with two stripes radiating from the lower
  hoist-side corner - orange (top) and white; there is a white star
  with four large rays and 20 small rays on the hoist side above the
  two stripes

Mauritania
  green with a yellow five-pointed star above a yellow,
  horizontal crescent; the closed side of the crescent is down; the
  crescent, star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam

Mauritius
  four equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, yellow,
  and green

Mayotte
  unofficial, local flag with the coat of arms of Mayotte
  centered on a white field, above which the name of the island
  appears in red capital letters; the main elements of the coat of
  arms, flanked on either side by a seahorse, appear above a scroll
  with the motto RA HACHIRI (We are Vigilant)
  note: the flag of France used for official occasions

Mexico
  three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and
  red; the coat of arms (an eagle with a snake in its beak perched on
  a cactus) is centered in the white band

Micronesia, Federated States of
  light blue with four white
  five-pointed stars centered; the stars are arranged in a diamond
  pattern

Moldova
  three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and
  red; emblem in center of flag is of a Roman eagle of gold outlined
  in black with a red beak and talons carrying a yellow cross in its
  beak and a green olive branch in its right talons and a yellow
  scepter in its left talons; on its breast is a shield divided
  horizontally red over blue with a stylized ox head, star, rose, and
  crescent all in black-outlined yellow; same color scheme as Romania

Monaco
  two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; similar to
  the flag of Indonesia which is longer and the flag of Poland which
  is white (top) and red

Mongolia
  three equal, vertical bands of red (hoist side), blue, and
  red; centered on the hoist-side red band in yellow is the national
  emblem ("soyombo" - a columnar arrangement of abstract and geometric
  representation for fire, sun, moon, earth, water, and the yin-yang
  symbol)

Montenegro
  a red field bordered by a narrow golden-yellow stripe
  with the Montenegrin coat of arms centered

Montserrat
  blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
  quadrant and the Montserratian coat of arms centered in the outer
  half of the flag; the coat of arms features a woman standing beside
  a yellow harp with her arm around a black cross

Morocco
  red with a green pentacle (five-pointed, linear star) known
  as Sulayman's (Solomon's) seal in the center of the flag; red and
  green are traditional colors in Arab flags, although the use of red
  is more commonly associated with the Arab states of the Persian
  gulf; design dates to 1912

Mozambique
  three equal horizontal bands of green (top), black, and
  yellow with a red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side; the
  black band is edged in white; centered in the triangle is a yellow
  five-pointed star bearing a crossed rifle and hoe in black
  superimposed on an open white book

Namibia
  a wide red stripe edged by narrow white stripes divides the
  flag diagonally from lower hoist corner to upper fly corner; the
  upper hoist-side triangle is blue and charged with a yellow,
  12-rayed sunburst; the lower fly-side triangle is green

Nauru
  blue with a narrow, horizontal, yellow stripe across the
  center and a large white 12-pointed star below the stripe on the
  hoist side; the star indicates the country's location in relation to
  the Equator (the yellow stripe) and the 12 points symbolize the 12
  original tribes of Nauru

Navassa Island
  the flag of the US is used

Nepal
  red with a blue border around the unique shape of two
  overlapping right triangles; the smaller, upper triangle bears a
  white stylized moon and the larger, lower triangle bears a white
  12-pointed sun

Netherlands
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and
  blue; similar to the flag of Luxembourg, which uses a lighter blue
  and is longer; the colors were those of WILLIAM I, Prince of Orange,
  who led the Dutch Revolt against Spanish sovereignty in the latter
  half of the 16th century; originally the upper band was orange, but
  because it tended to fade to red over time, the red shade was
  eventually made the permanent color; the banner is perhaps the
  oldest tricolor in continuous use

Netherlands Antilles
  white, with a horizontal blue stripe in the
  center superimposed on a vertical red band, also centered; five
  white, five-pointed stars are arranged in an oval pattern in the
  center of the blue band; the five stars represent the five main
  islands of Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten

New Caledonia
  the flag of France is used

New Zealand
  blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
  quadrant with four red five-pointed stars edged in white centered in
  the outer half of the flag; the stars represent the Southern Cross
  constellation

Nicaragua
  three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and
  blue with the national coat of arms centered in the white band; the
  coat of arms features a triangle encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE
  NICARAGUA on the top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom; similar to
  the flag of El Salvador, which features a round emblem encircled by
  the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL centered in
  the white band; also similar to the flag of Honduras, which has five
  blue stars arranged in an X pattern centered in the white band

Niger
  three equal horizontal bands of orange (top), white, and green
  with a small orange disk (representing the sun) centered in the
  white band; similar to the flag of India, which has a blue spoked
  wheel centered in the white band

Nigeria
  three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and
  green

Niue
  yellow with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
  quadrant; the flag of the UK bears five yellow five-pointed stars -
  a large star on a blue disk in the center and a smaller star on each
  arm of the bold red cross

Norfolk Island
  three vertical bands of green (hoist side), white,
  and green with a large green Norfolk Island pine tree centered in
  the slightly wider white band

Northern Mariana Islands
  blue, with a white, five-pointed star
  superimposed on the gray silhouette of a latte stone (a traditional
  foundation stone used in building) in the center, surrounded by a
  wreath

Norway
  red with a blue cross outlined in white that extends to the
  edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the
  hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag); the colors
  recall Norway's past political unions with Denmark (red and white)
  and Sweden (blue)

Oman
  three horizontal bands of white, red, and green of equal width
  with a broad, vertical, red band on the hoist side; the national
  emblem (a khanjar dagger in its sheath superimposed on two crossed
  swords in scabbards) in white is centered near the top of the
  vertical band

Pakistan
  green with a vertical white band (symbolizing the role of
  religious minorities) on the hoist side; a large white crescent and
  star are centered in the green field; the crescent, star, and color
  green are traditional symbols of Islam

Palau
  light blue with a large yellow disk (representing the moon)
  shifted slightly to the hoist side

Panama
  divided into four, equal rectangles; the top quadrants are
  white (hoist side) with a blue five-pointed star in the center and
  plain red; the bottom quadrants are plain blue (hoist side) and
  white with a red five-pointed star in the center

Papua New Guinea
  divided diagonally from upper hoist-side corner;
  the upper triangle is red with a soaring yellow bird of paradise
  centered; the lower triangle is black with five, white, five-pointed
  stars of the Southern Cross constellation centered

Paraguay
  three equal, horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue
  with an emblem centered in the white band; unusual flag in that the
  emblem is different on each side; the obverse (hoist side at the
  left) bears the national coat of arms (a yellow five-pointed star
  within a green wreath capped by the words REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY,
  all within two circles); the reverse (hoist side at the right) bears
  the seal of the treasury (a yellow lion below a red Cap of Liberty
  and the words Paz y Justicia (Peace and Justice) capped by the words
  REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY, all within two circles)

Peru
  three equal, vertical bands of red (hoist side), white, and red
  with the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms
  features a shield bearing a vicuna, cinchona tree (the source of
  quinine), and a yellow cornucopia spilling out gold coins, all
  framed by a green wreath

Philippines
  two equal horizontal bands of blue (top; representing
  peace and justice) and red (representing courage); a white
  equilateral triangle based on the hoist side represents equality;
  the center of the triangle displays a yellow sun with eight primary
  rays, each representing one of the first eight provinces that sought
  independence from Spain; each corner of the triangle contains a
  small, yellow, five-pointed star representing the three major
  geographical divisions of the country: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao;
  the design of the flag dates to 1897; in wartime the flag is flown
  upside down with the red band at the top

Pitcairn Islands
  blue with the flag of the UK in the upper
  hoist-side quadrant and the Pitcairn Islander coat of arms centered
  on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms is yellow, green,
  and light blue with a shield featuring a yellow anchor

Poland
  two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; similar to
  the flags of Indonesia and Monaco which are red (top) and white

Portugal
  two vertical bands of green (hoist side, two-fifths) and
  red (three-fifths) with the Portuguese coat of arms centered on the
  dividing line

Puerto Rico
  five equal horizontal bands of red (top and bottom)
  alternating with white; a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist
  side bears a large, white, five-pointed star in the center; design
  initially influenced by the US flag, but similar to the Cuban flag,
  with the colors of the bands and triangle reversed

Qatar
  maroon with a broad white serrated band (nine white points) on
  the hoist side

Romania
  three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and
  red; the national coat of arms that used to be centered in the
  yellow band has been removed; now similar to the flag of Chad, also
  resembles the flags of Andorra and Moldova

Russia
  three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red

Rwanda
  three horizontal bands of sky blue (top, double width),
  yellow, and green, with a golden sun with 24 rays near the fly end
  of the blue band

Saint Barthelemy
  the flag of France is used

Saint Helena
  blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
  quadrant and the Saint Helenian shield centered on the outer half of
  the flag; the shield features a rocky coastline and three-masted
  sailing ship

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  divided diagonally from the lower hoist side
  by a broad black band bearing two white, five-pointed stars; the
  black band is edged in yellow; the upper triangle is green, the
  lower triangle is red

Saint Lucia
  blue, with a gold isosceles triangle below a black
  arrowhead; the upper edges of the arrowhead have a white border

Saint Martin
  the flag of France is used

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  a yellow three-masted sailing ship facing
  the hoist side rides on a blue background with scattered, white,
  wavy lines under the ship; a continuous black-over-white wavy line
  divides the ship from the white wavy lines; on the hoist side, a
  vertical band is divided into three parts: the top part (called
  ikkurina) is red with a green diagonal cross extending to the
  corners overlaid by a white cross dividing the rectangle into four
  sections; the middle part has a white background with an ermine
  pattern; the third part has a red background with two stylized
  yellow lions outlined in black, one above the other; these three
  heraldic arms represent settlement by colonists from the Basque
  Country (top), Brittany, and Normandy
  note: the flag of France used for official occasions

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  three vertical bands of blue (hoist
  side), gold (double width), and green; the gold band bears three
  green diamonds arranged in a V pattern

Samoa
  red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side quadrant
  bearing five white five-pointed stars representing the Southern
  Cross constellation

San Marino
  two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and light blue
  with the national coat of arms superimposed in the center; the coat
  of arms has a shield (featuring three towers on three peaks) flanked
  by a wreath, below a crown and above a scroll bearing the word
  LIBERTAS (Liberty)

Sao Tome and Principe
  three horizontal bands of green (top), yellow
  (double width), and green with two black five-pointed stars placed
  side by side in the center of the yellow band and a red isosceles
  triangle based on the hoist side; uses the popular pan-African
  colors of Ethiopia

Saudi Arabia
  green, a traditional color in Islamic flags, with the
  Shahada or Muslim creed in large white Arabic script (translated as
  "There is no god but God; Muhammad is the Messenger of God") above a
  white horizontal saber (the tip points to the hoist side); design
  dates to the early twentieth century and is closely associated with
  the Al Saud family which established the kingdom in 1932

Senegal
  three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), yellow,
  and red with a small green five-pointed star centered in the yellow
  band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Serbia
  three equal horizontal stripes of red (top), blue, and white;
  charged with the coat of arms of Serbia shifted slightly to the
  hoist side

Seychelles
  five oblique bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, red,
  white, and green (bottom) radiating from the bottom of the hoist side

Sierra Leone
  three equal horizontal bands of light green (top),
  white, and light blue

Singapore
  two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; near
  the hoist side of the red band, there is a vertical, white crescent
  (closed portion is toward the hoist side) partially enclosing five
  white five-pointed stars arranged in a circle

Slovakia
  three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red
  superimposed with the coat of arms of Slovakia (consisting of a red
  shield bordered in white and bearing a white Cross of Lorraine
  surmounting three blue hills); the coat of arms is centered
  vertically and offset slightly to the hoist side

Slovenia
  three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red,
  with the Slovenian seal (a shield with the image of Triglav,
  Slovenia's highest peak, in white against a blue background at the
  center; beneath it are two wavy blue lines depicting seas and
  rivers, and above it are three six-pointed stars arranged in an
  inverted triangle, which are taken from the coat of arms of the
  Counts of Celje, the great Slovene dynastic house of the late 14th
  and early 15th centuries); the seal is in the upper hoist side of
  the flag centered on the white and blue bands

Solomon Islands
  divided diagonally by a thin yellow stripe from the
  lower hoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is blue
  with five white five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern; the
  lower triangle is green

Somalia
  light blue with a large white five-pointed star in the
  center; blue field influenced by the flag of the UN

South Africa
  two equal width horizontal bands of red (top) and blue
  separated by a central green band that splits into a horizontal Y,
  the arms of which end at the corners of the hoist side; the Y
  embraces a black isosceles triangle from which the arms are
  separated by narrow yellow bands; the red and blue bands are
  separated from the green band and its arms by narrow white stripes

South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
  blue, with the flag of the
  UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the South Georgia and South
  Sandwich Islands coat of arms centered on the outer half of the
  flag; the coat of arms features a shield with a golden lion
  centered; the shield is supported by a fur seal on the left and a
  penguin on the right; a reindeer appears above the shield, and below
  it on a scroll is the motto LEO TERRAM PROPRIAM PROTEGAT (Let the
  Lion Protect its Own Land)

Spain
  three horizontal bands of red (top), yellow (double width),
  and red with the national coat of arms on the hoist side of the
  yellow band; the coat of arms is quartered to display the emblems of
  the traditional kingdoms of Spain (clockwise from upper left,
  Castile, Leon, Navarre, and Aragon) while Granada is represented by
  the stylized pomegranate at the bottom of the shield; the arms are
  framed by two columns representing the Pillars of Hercules, which
  are the two promontories (Gibraltar and Ceuta) on either side of the
  eastern end of the Strait of Gibraltar; the red scroll across the
  two columns bears the imperial motto of "Plus Ultra" (further
  beyond) referring to Spanish lands beyond Europe

Sri Lanka
  yellow with two panels; the smaller hoist-side panel has
  two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and orange; the other
  panel is a large dark red rectangle with a yellow lion holding a
  sword, and there is a yellow bo leaf in each corner; the yellow
  field appears as a border around the entire flag and extends between
  the two panels

Sudan
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black
  with a green isosceles triangle based on the hoist side

Suriname
  five horizontal bands of green (top, double width), white,
  red (quadruple width), white, and green (double width); there is a
  large, yellow, five-pointed star centered in the red band

Svalbard
  the flag of Norway is used

Swaziland
  three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple width),
  and blue; the red band is edged in yellow; centered in the red band
  is a large black and white shield covering two spears and a staff
  decorated with feather tassels, all placed horizontally

Sweden
  blue with a golden yellow cross extending to the edges of the
  flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in
  the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag); the colors reflect those
  of the Swedish coat of arms - three gold crowns on a blue field

Switzerland
  red square with a bold, equilateral white cross in the
  center that does not extend to the edges of the flag; various
  medieval legends purport to describe the origin of the flag; a white
  cross used as identification for troops of the Swiss Confederation
  is first attested at the Battle of Laupen (1339)

Syria
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black,
  colors associated with the Arab Liberation flag; two small, green,
  five-pointed stars in a horizontal line centered in the white band;
  former flag of the United Arab Republic where the two stars
  represented the constituent states of Syria and Egypt; similar to
  the flag of Yemen, which has a plain white band, Iraq, which has an
  Arabic inscription centered in the white band, and that of Egypt,
  which has a gold Eagle of Saladin centered in the white band; the
  current design dates to 1980

Taiwan
  red field with a dark blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side
  corner bearing a white sun with 12 triangular rays

Tajikistan
  three horizontal stripes of red (top), a wider stripe of
  white, and green; a gold crown surmounted by seven gold,
  five-pointed stars is located in the center of the white stripe

Tanzania
  divided diagonally by a yellow-edged black band from the
  lower hoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is green
  and the lower triangle is blue

Thailand
  five horizontal bands of red (top), white, blue (double
  width), white, and red

Timor-Leste
  red, with a black isosceles triangle (based on the hoist
  side) superimposed on a slightly longer yellow arrowhead that
  extends to the center of the flag; a white star is in the center of
  the black triangle

Togo
  five equal horizontal bands of green (top and bottom)
  alternating with yellow; a white five-pointed star on a red square
  is in the upper hoist-side corner; uses the popular pan-African
  colors of Ethiopia

Tokelau
  a yellow stylized Tokelauan canoe on a dark blue field sails
  toward the manu - the Southern Cross constellation of four, white,
  five-pointed stars at the hoist side; the Southern Cross represents
  the role of Christianity in Tokelauan culture and symbolizes the
  country's navigating into the future, the color yellow indicates
  happiness and peace, and the blue field represents the ocean on
  which the community relies

Tonga
  red with a bold red cross on a white rectangle in the upper
  hoist-side corner

Trinidad and Tobago
  red with a white-edged black diagonal band from
  the upper hoist side to the lower fly side

Tunisia
  red with a white disk in the center bearing a red crescent
  nearly encircling a red five-pointed star; the crescent and star are
  traditional symbols of Islam

Turkey
  red with a vertical white crescent (the closed portion is
  toward the hoist side) and white five-pointed star centered just
  outside the crescent opening

Turkmenistan
  green field with a vertical red stripe near the hoist
  side, containing five tribal guls (designs used in producing
  carpets) stacked above two crossed olive branches; a white crescent
  moon representing Islam with five white stars representing the
  regions or welayats of Turkmenistan appear in the upper corner of
  the field just to the fly side of the red stripe

Turks and Caicos Islands
  blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper
  hoist-side quadrant and the colonial shield centered on the outer
  half of the flag; the shield is yellow and contains a conch shell,
  lobster, and cactus

Tuvalu
  light blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
  quadrant; the outer half of the flag represents a map of the country
  with nine yellow five-pointed stars symbolizing the nine islands

Uganda
  six equal horizontal bands of black (top), yellow, red,
  black, yellow, and red; a white disk is superimposed at the center
  and depicts a red-crested crane (the national symbol) facing the
  hoist side

Ukraine
  two equal horizontal bands of azure (top) and golden yellow
  represent grain fields under a blue sky

United Arab Emirates
  three equal horizontal bands of green (top),
  white, and black with a wider vertical red band on the hoist side

United Kingdom
  blue field with the red cross of Saint George (patron
  saint of England) edged in white superimposed on the diagonal red
  cross of Saint Patrick (patron saint of Ireland), which is
  superimposed on the diagonal white cross of Saint Andrew (patron
  saint of Scotland); properly known as the Union Flag, but commonly
  called the Union Jack; the design and colors (especially the Blue
  Ensign) have been the basis for a number of other flags including
  other Commonwealth countries and their constituent states or
  provinces, and British overseas territories

United States
  13 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom)
  alternating with white; there is a blue rectangle in the upper
  hoist-side corner bearing 50 small, white, five-pointed stars
  arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars (top and
  bottom) alternating with rows of five stars; the 50 stars represent
  the 50 states, the 13 stripes represent the 13 original colonies;
  known as Old Glory; the design and colors have been the basis for a
  number of other flags, including Chile, Liberia, Malaysia, and
  Puerto Rico

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges
  the flag of the US is
  used

Uruguay
  nine equal horizontal stripes of white (top and bottom)
  alternating with blue; a white square in the upper hoist-side corner
  with a yellow sun bearing a human face known as the Sun of May with
  16 rays that alternate between triangular and wavy

Uzbekistan
  three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and
  green separated by red fimbriations with a white crescent moon and
  12 white stars in the upper hoist-side quadrant

Vanuatu
  two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a
  black isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) all separated by
  a black-edged yellow stripe in the shape of a horizontal Y (the two
  points of the Y face the hoist side and enclose the triangle);
  centered in the triangle is a boar's tusk encircling two crossed
  namele leaves, all in yellow

Venezuela
  three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), blue, and
  red with the coat of arms on the hoist side of the yellow band and
  an arc of eight white five-pointed stars centered in the blue band

Vietnam
  red field with a large yellow five-pointed star in the center

Virgin Islands
  white field with a modified US coat of arms in the
  center between the large blue initials V and I; the coat of arms
  shows a yellow eagle holding an olive branch in one talon and three
  arrows in the other with a superimposed shield of vertical red and
  white stripes below a blue panel

Wake Island
  the flag of the US is used

Wallis and Futuna
  unofficial, local flag has a red field with four
  white isosceles triangles in the middle, representing the three
  native kings of the islands and the French administrator; the apexes
  of the triangles are oriented inward and at right angles to each
  other; the flag of France, outlined in white on two sides, is in the
  upper hoist quadrant
  note: the flag of France used for official occasions

Yemen
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black;
  similar to the flag of Syria, which has two green stars in the white
  band, and of Iraq, which has an Arabic inscription centered in the
  white band; also similar to the flag of Egypt, which has a heraldic
  eagle centered in the white band

Zambia
  green field with a panel of three vertical bands of red
  (hoist side), black, and orange below a soaring orange eagle, on the
  outer edge of the flag

Zimbabwe
  seven equal horizontal bands of green, yellow, red, black,
  red, yellow, and green with a white isosceles triangle edged in
  black with its base on the hoist side; a yellow Zimbabwe bird
  representing the long history of the country is superimposed on a
  red five-pointed star in the center of the triangle, which
  symbolizes peace; green symbolizes agriculture, yellow - mineral
  wealth, red - blood shed to achieve independence, and black stands
  for the native people

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

@2085

Field Listing :: Roadways

  This entry gives the total length of the road network and includes
  the length of the paved and unpaved portions.
  Country Comparison to the World
  Country

Roadways(km)

Afghanistan
  total: 42,150 km
  paved: 12,350 km
  unpaved: 29,800 km (2006)

Albania
  total: 18,000 km
  paved: 7,020 km
  unpaved: 10,980 km (2002)

Algeria
  total: 108,302 km
  paved: 76,028 km (includes 645 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 32,274 km (2004)

American Samoa
  total: 221 km (2007)

Andorra
  total: 270 km (1994)

Angola
  total: 51,429 km
  paved: 5,349 km
  unpaved: 46,080 km (2001)

Anguilla
  total: 175 km
  paved: 82 km
  unpaved: 93 km (2004)

Antigua and Barbuda
  total: 1,165 km
  paved: 384 km
  unpaved: 781 km (2002)

Argentina
  total: 231,374 km
  paved: 69,412 km (includes 734 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 161,962 km (2004)

Armenia total: 7,700 km paved: 7,700 km (includes 1,561 km of expressways) (2006)

Australia total: 812,972 km paved: 341,448 km unpaved: 471,524 km (2004)

Austria total: 107,262 km paved: 107,262 km (includes 1,677 km of expressways) (2006)

Azerbaijan
  total: 59,141 km
  paved: 29,210 km
  unpaved: 29,931 km (2004)

Bahamas, The
  total: 2,717 km
  paved: 1,560 km
  unpaved: 1,157 km (2002)

Bahrain
  total: 3,498 km
  paved: 2,768 km
  unpaved: 730 km (2003)

Bangladesh
  total: 239,226 km
  paved: 22,726 km
  unpaved: 216,500 km (2003)

Barbados
  total: 1,600 km
  paved: 1,600 km (2004)

Belarus
  total: 94,797 km
  paved: 84,028 km
  unpaved: 10,769 km (2005)

Belgium
  total: 152,256 km
  paved: 119,079 km (includes 1,763 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 33,177 km (2006)

Belize
  total: 3,007 km
  paved: 575 km
  unpaved: 2,432 km (2006)

Benin
  total: 16,000 km
  paved: 1,400 km
  unpaved: 14,600 km (2006)

Bermuda
  total: 447 km
  paved: 447 km
  note: public roads - 225 km; private roads - 222 km (2007)

Bhutan
  total: 8,050 km
  paved: 4,991 km
  unpaved: 3,059 km (2003)

Bolivia
  total: 62,479 km
  paved: 3,749 km
  unpaved: 58,730 km (2004)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  total: 21,846 km
  paved: 11,425 km (4,714 km of interurban roads)
  unpaved: 10,421 km (2006)

Botswana
  total: 25,798 km
  paved: 8,410 km
  unpaved: 17,388 km (2005)

Brazil
  total: 1,751,868 km
  paved: 96,353 km
  unpaved: 1,655,515 km (2004)

British Indian Ocean Territory
  note: short section of paved road
  between port and airfield on Diego Garcia

British Virgin Islands
  total: 200 km
  paved: 200 km (2007)

Brunei
  total: 3,650 km
  paved: 2,819 km
  unpaved: 831 km (2005)

Bulgaria
  total: 40,231 km
  paved: 39,587 km (includes 331 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 644 km (2005)

Burkina Faso
  total: 92,495 km
  paved: 3,857 km
  unpaved: 88,638 km (2004)

Burma
  total: 27,000 km
  paved: 3,200 km
  unpaved: 23,800 km (2006)

Burundi
  total: 12,322 km
  paved: 1,286 km
  unpaved: 11,036 km (2004)

Cambodia
  total: 38,093 km
  paved: 2,977 km
  unpaved: 35,116 km (2007)

Cameroon
  total: 50,000 km
  paved: 5,000 km
  unpaved: 45,000 km (2004)

Canada
  total: 1,042,300 km
  paved: 415,600 km (includes 17,000 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 626,700 km (2006)

Cape Verde
  total: 1,350 km
  paved: 932 km
  unpaved: 418 km (2000)

Cayman Islands total: 785 km paved: 785 km (2007)

Central African Republic
  total: 24,307 km (2000)

Chad
  total: 33,400 km
  paved: 267 km
  unpaved: 33,133 km (2002)

Chile
  total: 80,505 km
  paved: 16,745 km (includes 2,414 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 63,760 km (2004)

China
  total: 1,930,544 km
  paved: 1,575,571 km (includes 41,005 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 354,973 km (2005)

Christmas Island
  total: 140 km
  paved: 30 km
  unpaved: 110 km (2007)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  total: 22 km
  paved: 10 km
  unpaved: 12 km (2006)

Colombia
  total: 164,257 km (2005)

Comoros
  total: 880 km
  paved: 673 km
  unpaved: 207 km (2002)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  total: 153,497 km
  paved: 2,794 km
  unpaved: 150,703 km (2004)

Congo, Republic of the
  total: 17,289 km
  paved: 864 km
  unpaved: 16,425 km (2004)

Cook Islands
  total: 320 km
  paved: 33 km
  unpaved: 287 km (2003)

Costa Rica
  total: 35,330 km
  paved: 8,621 km
  unpaved: 26,709 km (2004)

Cote d'Ivoire
  total: 80,000 km
  paved: 6,500 km
  unpaved: 73,500 km
  note: includes intercity and urban roads; another 20,000 km of dirt
  roads are in poor condition and 150,000 km of dirt roads are
  impassable (2006)

Croatia
  total: 28,788 km (includes 877 km of expressways) (2006)

Cuba
  total: 60,858 km
  paved: 29,820 km (includes 638 km of expressway)
  unpaved: 31,038 km (2000)

Cyprus
  total: 14,630 km (area under government control: 12,280 km;
  area administered by Turkish Cypriots: 2,350 km)
  paved: area under government control: 7,979 km (includes 257 km of
  expressways); area administered by Turkish Cypriots: 1,370 km
  unpaved: area under government control: 4,301 km; area administered
  by Turkish Cypriots: 980 km (2006)

Czech Republic
  total: 128,512 km
  paved: 128,512 km (includes 657 km of expressways) (2007)

Denmark
  total: 72,362 km
  paved: 72,362 km (includes 1,032 km of expressways) (2006)

Djibouti
  total: 3,065 km
  paved: 1,226 km
  unpaved: 1,839 km (2000)

Dominica
  total: 780 km
  paved: 393 km
  unpaved: 387 km (2000)

Dominican Republic
  total: 19,705 km
  paved: 9,872 km
  unpaved: 9,833 km (2002)

Ecuador
  total: 43,670 km
  paved: 6,472 km
  unpaved: 37,198 km (2006)

Egypt
  total: 92,370 km
  paved: 74,820 km
  unpaved: 17,550 km (2004)

El Salvador
  total: 10,886 km
  paved: 2,827 km (includes 327 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 8,059 km (2000)

Equatorial Guinea
  total: 2,880 km (2000)

Eritrea
  total: 4,010 km
  paved: 874 km
  unpaved: 3,136 km (2000)

Estonia
  total: 57,016 km
  paved: 12,926 km (includes 99 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 44,090 km (2005)

Ethiopia
  total: 36,469 km
  paved: 6,980 km
  unpaved: 29,489 km (2004)

European Union
  total: 5,454,446 km (2008)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) total: 440 km paved: 50 km unpaved: 390 km (2008)

Faroe Islands
  total: 463 km (2006)

Fiji
  total: 3,440 km
  paved: 1,692 km
  unpaved: 1,748 km (2000)

Finland
  total: 78,141 km
  paved: 50,914 km (includes 700 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 27,227 km (2009)

France
  total: 951,500 km
  paved: 951,500 km (metropolitan France; includes 10,950 km of
  expressways)
  note: there are another 5,100 km of roadways in overseas departments
  (2006)

French Polynesia
  total: 2,590 km
  paved: 1,735 km
  unpaved: 855 km (1999)

Gabon
  total: 9,170 km
  paved: 937 km
  unpaved: 8,233 km (2004)

Gambia, The
  total: 3,742 km
  paved: 723 km
  unpaved: 3,019 km (2004)

Gaza Strip
  note: see entry for West Bank

Georgia
  total: 20,329 km
  paved: 7,854 km (includes 13 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 12,475 km (2006)

Germany
  total: 644,480 km
  paved: 644,480 km (includes 12,400 km of expressways)
  note: includes local roads (2006)

Ghana
  total: 62,221 km
  paved: 9,955 km
  unpaved: 52,266 km (2006)

Gibraltar
  total: 29 km
  paved: 29 km (2007)

Greece
  total: 117,533 km
  paved: 107,895 km (includes 880 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 9,638 km (2005)

Greenland
  note: although there are short roads in towns, there are
  no roads between towns; inter-urban transport takes place either by
  sea or air (2005)

Grenada
  total: 1,127 km
  paved: 687 km
  unpaved: 440 km (2000)

Guam
  total: 1,045 km (2007)

Guatemala
  total: 14,095 km
  paved: 4,863 km (includes 75 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 9,232 km (2000)

Guinea
  total: 44,348 km
  paved: 4,342 km
  unpaved: 40,006 km (2003)

Guinea-Bissau
  total: 3,455 km
  paved: 965 km
  unpaved: 2,490 km (2002)

Guyana
  total: 7,970 km
  paved: 590 km
  unpaved: 7,380 km (2000)

Haiti
  total: 4,160 km
  paved: 1,011 km
  unpaved: 3,149 km (2000)

Honduras
  total: 13,600 km
  paved: 2,775 km
  unpaved: 10,825 km (2000)

Hong Kong
  total: 2,040 km
  paved: 2,040 km (2008)

Hungary
  total: 159,568 km
  paved: 70,050 km (30,874 km of interurban roads including 626 km of
  expressways)
  unpaved: 89,518 km (2005)

Iceland
  total: 13,058 km
  paved/oiled gravel: 4,397 km (does not include urban roads)
  unpaved: 8,661 km (2007)

India
  total: 3,316,452 km (includes 200 km of expressways) (2006)

Indonesia
  total: 391,009 km
  paved: 216,714 km
  unpaved: 174,295 km (2005)

Iran
  total: 172,927 km
  paved: 125,908 km (includes 1,429 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 47,019 km (2006)

Iraq
  total: 44,900 km
  paved: 37,851 km
  unpaved: 7,049 km (2002)

Ireland total: 96,602 km paved: 96,602 km (includes 200 km of expressways) (2003)

Isle of Man total: 500 km (2008)

Israel
  total: 17,870 km
  paved: 17,870 km (includes 146 km of expressways) (2007)

Italy
  total: 487,700 km
  paved: 487,700 km (includes 6,700 km of expressways) (2005)

Jamaica
  total: 21,552 km
  paved: 15,937 km (includes 33 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 5,615 km (2005)

Japan
  total: 1,196,999 km
  paved: 949,101 km (includes 7,383 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 247,898 km (2006)

Jersey
  total: 358 km (2002)

Jordan total: 8,002 km paved: 8,002 km (2007)

Kazakhstan total: 91,563 km paved: 83,717 km unpaved: 7,846 km (2006)

Kenya
  total: 63,574 km (interurban roads)
  paved: 9,273 km
  unpaved: 54,301 km
  note: there also are 114,226 km of unclassified roads, 2,000 km
  paved and 112,226 unpaved, for a national total of 177,800 km (2008)

Kiribati
  total: 670 km (2000)

Korea, North
  total: 25,554 km
  paved: 724 km
  unpaved: 24,830 km (2006)

Korea, South
  total: 103,029 km
  paved: 80,642 km (includes 3,367 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 22,387 km (2008)

Kosovo
  total: 1,924 km
  paved: 1,666 km
  unpaved: 258 km (2006)

Kuwait
  total: 5,749 km
  paved: 4,887 km
  unpaved: 862 km (2004)

Kyrgyzstan
  total: 18,500 km
  paved: 16,909 km (includes 140 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 1,591 km (2003)

Laos
  total: 29,811 km
  paved: 4,010 km
  unpaved: 25,801 km (2006)

Latvia total: 69,675 km paved: 69,675 km (2006)

Lebanon total: 6,970 km (includes 170 km of expressways) (2005)

Lesotho
  total: 7,091 km
  paved: 1,404 km
  unpaved: 5,687 km (2003)

Liberia
  total: 10,600 km
  paved: 657 km
  unpaved: 9,943 km (2000)

Libya
  total: 100,024 km
  paved: 57,214 km
  unpaved: 42,810 km (2003)

Liechtenstein
  total: 380 km
  paved: 380 km (2007)

Lithuania
  total: 80,715 km
  paved: 71,301 km (includes 309 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 9,414 km (2007)

Luxembourg
  total: 5,227 km
  paved: 5,227 km (includes 147 km of expressways) (2004)

Macau
  total: 404 km
  paved: 404 km (2008)

Macedonia
  total: 13,182 km (includes 208 km of expressways) (2002)

Madagascar
  total: 65,663 km
  paved: 7,617 km
  unpaved: 58,046 km (2003)

Malawi
  total: 15,451 km
  paved: 6,956 km
  unpaved: 8,495 km (2003)

Malaysia
  total: 98,721 km
  paved: 80,280 km (includes 1,821 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 18,441 km (2004)

Maldives
  total: 88 km
  paved roads: 88 km - 60 km in Male; 14 km on Addu Atolis; 14 km on
  Laamu
  note: village roads are mainly compacted coral (2006)

Mali
  total: 18,709 km
  paved: 3,368 km
  unpaved: 15,341 km (2004)

Malta
  total: 2,227 km
  paved: 2,014 km
  unpaved: 213 km (2005)

Marshall Islands
  total: 2,028 km (includes 75 km of expressways)
  (2007)

Mauritania total: 11,066 km paved: 2,966 km unpaved: 8,100 km (2006)

Mauritius total: 2,028 km paved: 2,028 km (includes 75 km of expressways) (2007)

Mexico
  total: 356,945 km
  paved: 178,473 km (includes 6,279 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 178,472 km (2006)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  total: 240 km
  paved: 42 km
  unpaved: 198 km (2000)

Moldova
  total: 12,666 km
  paved: 12,117 km
  unpaved: 549 km (2007)

Monaco total: 50 km paved: 50 km (2007)

Mongolia
  total: 49,249 km
  paved: 2,671 km
  unpaved: 46,578 km (2008)

Montenegro
  total: 7,368 km
  paved: 4,742 km
  unpaved: 2,626 km (2006)

Montserrat
  note: volcanic eruptions that began in 1995 destroyed
  most of the 227 km road system; a new road infrastructure has been
  built in the north end of the island (2008)

Morocco
  total: 57,625 km
  paved: 35,664 km (includes 639 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 21,961 km (2006)

Mozambique
  total: 30,400 km
  paved: 5,685 km
  unpaved: 24,715 km (2000)

Namibia
  total: 42,237 km
  paved: 5,406 km
  unpaved: 36,831 km (2002)

Nauru
  total: 24 km
  paved: 24 km (2002)

Nepal
  total: 17,282 km
  paved: 10,142 km
  unpaved: 7,140 km (2007)

Netherlands
  total: 135,470 km (includes 2,582 km of expressways)
  (2007)

Netherlands Antilles
  total: 845

New Caledonia
  total: 5,622 km (2006)

New Zealand
  total: 93,576 km
  paved: 61,564 km (includes 172 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 32,012 km (2006)

Nicaragua
  total: 19,036 km
  paved: 2,299 km
  unpaved: 16,737 km (2005)

Niger
  total: 18,550 km
  paved: 3,803 km
  unpaved: 14,747 km (2006)

Nigeria
  total: 193,200 km
  paved: 28,980 km
  unpaved: 164,220 km (2004)

Niue
  total: 120 km
  paved: 120 km (2008)

Norfolk Island total: 80 km paved: 53 km unpaved: 27 km (2008)

Northern Mariana Islands
  total: 536 km (2007)

Norway
  total: 92,946 km
  paved: 72,033 km (includes 664 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 20,913 km (2007)

Oman
  total: 42,300 km
  paved: 16,500 km (includes 550 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 25,800 km (2005)

Pakistan
  total: 259,197 km
  paved: 172,827 km (includes 711 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 86,370 km (2007)

Palau
  note: estimated to have 60 km of roads as of 1996

Panama
  total: 11,978 km
  paved: 4,300 km
  unpaved: 7,678 km (2002)

Papua New Guinea
  total: 19,600 km
  paved: 686 km
  unpaved: 18,914 km (2000)

Paraguay
  total: 29,500 km
  paved: 14,986 km
  unpaved: 14,514 km (2000)

Peru
  total: 78,829 km
  paved: 11,351 km (includes 276 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 67,478 km (2004)

Philippines
  total: 201,910 km
  paved: 21,677 km
  unpaved: 180,233 km (2008)

Poland
  total: 423,997 km
  paved: 295,356 km (includes 662 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 128,641 km (2006)

Portugal
  total: 82,900 km
  paved: 71,294 km (includes 2,300 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 11,606 km (2005)

Puerto Rico
  total: 26,186 km
  paved: 24,877 km (includes 427 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 1,309 km (2007)

Qatar
  total: 7,790 km (2006)

Romania
  total: 198,817 km
  paved: 60,043 km (includes 228 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 138,774 km (2004)

Russia
  total: 933,000 km
  paved: 754,984 km (includes 30,000 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 178,016 km
  note: includes public, local, and departmental roads (2006)

Rwanda
  total: 14,008 km
  paved: 2,662 km
  unpaved: 11,346 km (2004)

Saint Helena
  total: 198 km (Saint Helena 138 km, Ascension 40 km,
  Tristan da Cunha 20 km)
  paved: 168 km (Saint Helena 118 km, Ascension 40 km, Tristan da
  Cunha 10 km)
  unpaved: 30 km (Saint Helena 20 km, Ascension 0 km, Tristan da Cunha
  10 km) (2002)

Saint Kitts and Nevis total: 383 km paved: 163 km unpaved: 220 km (2002)

Saint Lucia total: 1,210 km (2002)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  total: 117 km
  paved: 80 km
  unpaved: 37 km (2000)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  total: 829 km
  paved: 580 km
  unpaved: 249 km (2003)

Samoa
  total: 2,337 km
  paved: 332 km
  unpaved: 2,005 km (2001)

San Marino total: 292 km paved: 292 km (2006)

Sao Tome and Principe
  total: 320 km
  paved: 218 km
  unpaved: 102 km (2000)

Saudi Arabia
  total: 221,372 km
  paved: 47,529 km (includes 3,891 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 173,843 km (2006)

Senegal
  total: 13,576 km
  paved: 3,972 km (includes 7 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 9,604 km (2003)

Serbia
  total: 36,875 km
  paved: 31,392 km
  unpaved: 5,483 km (2006)

Seychelles
  total: 458 km
  paved: 440 km
  unpaved: 18 km (2003)

Sierra Leone
  total: 11,300 km
  paved: 904 km
  unpaved: 10,396 km (2002)

Singapore
  total: 3,297 km
  paved: 3,297 km (includes 150 km of expressways) (2007)

Slovakia
  total: 43,761 km
  paved: 38,085 km (includes 316 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 5,676 km (2006)

Slovenia total: 38,709 km paved: 38,709 km (includes 579 km of expressways) (2007)

Solomon Islands total: 1,360 km paved: 33 km unpaved: 1,327 km note: includes 800 km of private plantation roads (2002)

Somalia
  total: 22,100 km
  paved: 2,608 km
  unpaved: 19,492 km (2000)

South Africa
  total: 362,099 km
  paved: 73,506 km (includes 239 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 288,593 km (2002)

Spain
  total: 681,224 km
  paved: 681,224 km (includes 13,872 km of expressways) (2006)

Sri Lanka
  total: 97,286 km
  paved: 78,802 km
  unpaved: 18,484 km (2003)

Sudan
  total: 11,900 km
  paved: 4,320 km
  unpaved: 7,580 km (2000)

Suriname
  total: 4,304 km
  paved: 1,130 km
  unpaved: 3,174 km (2003)

Swaziland
  total: 3,594 km
  paved: 1,078 km
  unpaved: 2,516 km (2002)

Sweden
  total: 425,300 km
  paved: 139,300 km (includes 1,740 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 286,000 km (2008)

Switzerland
  total: 71,298 km
  paved: 71,298 km (includes 1,758 of expressways) (2006)

Syria
  total: 97,401 km
  paved: 19,490 km (includes 1,103 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 77,911 km (2006)

Taiwan
  total: 40,262 km
  paved: 38,171 km (includes 976 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 2,091 km (2007)

Tajikistan
  total: 27,767 km (2000)

Tanzania total: 78,891 km paved: 6,808 km unpaved: 72,083 km (2003)

Thailand total: 180,053 km (includes 450 km of expressways) (2006)

Timor-Leste
  total: 6,040 km
  paved: 2,600 km
  unpaved: 3,440 km (2005)

Togo
  total: 7,520 km
  paved: 2,376 km
  unpaved: 5,144 km (2000)

Tonga
  total: 680 km
  paved: 184 km
  unpaved: 496 km (2000)

Trinidad and Tobago
  total: 8,320 km
  paved: 4,252 km
  unpaved: 4,068 km (2000)

Tunisia
  total: 19,232 km
  paved: 12,655 km (includes 262 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 6,577 km (2004)

Turkey
  total: 426,951 km (includes 1,987 km of expressways) (2006)

Turkmenistan
  total: 58,592 km
  paved: 47,577 km
  unpaved: 11,015 km (2002)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  total: 121 km
  paved: 24 km
  unpaved: 97 km (2003)

Tuvalu
  total: 8 km
  paved: 8 km (2002)

Uganda
  total: 70,746 km
  paved: 16,272 km
  unpaved: 54,474 km (2003)

Ukraine
  total: 169,422 km
  paved: 165,611 km (includes 15 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 3,811 km (2007)

United Arab Emirates
  total: 4,080 km
  paved: 4,080 km (includes 253 km of expressways) (2008)

United Kingdom
  total: 398,366 km
  paved: 398,366 km (includes 3,520 km of expressways) (2006)

United States
  total: 6,465,799 km
  paved: 4,209,835 km (includes 75,040 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 2,255,964 km (2007)

Uruguay
  total: 77,732 km
  paved: 7,743 km
  unpaved: 69,989 km (2004)

Uzbekistan
  total: 86,496 km
  paved: 75,511 km
  unpaved: 10,985 km (2000)

Vanuatu
  total: 1,070 km
  paved: 256 km
  unpaved: 814 km (1999)

Venezuela
  total: 96,155 km
  paved: 32,308 km
  unpaved: 63,847 km (2002)

Vietnam
  total: 222,179 km
  paved: 42,167 km
  unpaved: 180,012 km (2004)

Virgin Islands
  total: 1,257 km (2007)

West Bank total: 5,147 km paved: 5,147 km note: includes Gaza Strip (2006)

World
  total: 68,937,575 km (2008)

Yemen
  total: 71,300 km
  paved: 6,200 km
  unpaved: 65,100 km (2005)

Zambia
  total: 91,440 km
  paved: 20,117 km
  unpaved: 71,323 km (2001)

Zimbabwe
  total: 97,267 km
  paved: 18,481 km
  unpaved: 78,786 km (2002)

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

@2086

Field Listing :: Illicit drugs

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

Illicit drugs

Afghanistan
  world's largest producer of opium; poppy cultivation
  decreased 22% to 157,000 hectares in 2008 but remains at a
  historically high level; less favorable growing conditions in 2008
  reduced potential opium production to 5,500 metric tons, down 31
  percent from 2007; if the entire opium crop were processed, 648
  metric tons of pure heroin potentially could be produced; the
  Taliban and other antigovernment groups participate in and profit
  from the opiate trade, which is a key source of revenue for the
  Taliban inside Afghanistan; widespread corruption and instability
  impede counterdrug efforts; most of the heroin consumed in Europe
  and Eurasia is derived from Afghan opium; vulnerable to drug money
  laundering through informal financial networks; regional source of
  hashish (2008)

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

Angola
  used as a transshipment point for cocaine destined for
  Western Europe and other African states, particularly South Africa

Anguilla
  transshipment point for South American narcotics destined
  for the US and Europe

Antigua and Barbuda
  considered a minor transshipment point for
  narcotics bound for the US and Europe; more significant as an
  offshore financial center

Argentina
  a transshipment country for cocaine headed for Europe,
  heroin headed for the US, and ephedrine and pseudoephedrine headed
  for Mexico; some money-laundering activity, especially in the
  Tri-Border Area; law enforcement corruption; a source for precursor
  chemicals; increasing domestic consumption of drugs in urban
  centers, especially cocaine base and synthetic drugs (2008)

Armenia
  illicit cultivation of small amount of cannabis for domestic
  consumption; minor transit point for illicit drugs - mostly opium
  and hashish - moving from Southwest Asia to Russia and to a lesser
  extent the rest of Europe

Aruba
  transit point for US- and Europe-bound narcotics with some
  accompanying money-laundering activity; relatively high percentage
  of population consumes cocaine

Australia
  Tasmania is one of the world's major suppliers of licit
  opiate products; government maintains strict controls over areas of
  opium poppy cultivation and output of poppy straw concentrate; major
  consumer of cocaine and amphetamines

Austria
  transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and South
  American cocaine destined for Western Europe; increasing consumption
  of European-produced synthetic drugs

Azerbaijan
  limited illicit cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy,
  mostly for CIS consumption; small government eradication program;
  transit point for Southwest Asian opiates bound for Russia and to a
  lesser extent the rest of Europe

Bahamas, The
  transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for
  US and Europe; offshore financial center

Bangladesh
  transit country for illegal drugs produced in neighboring
  countries

Barbados
  one of many Caribbean transshipment points for narcotics
  bound for Europe and the US; offshore financial center

Belarus
  limited cultivation of opium poppy and cannabis, mostly for
  the domestic market; transshipment point for illicit drugs to and
  via Russia, and to the Baltics and Western Europe; a small and
  lightly regulated financial center; anti-money-laundering
  legislation does not meet international standards and was weakened
  further when know-your-customer requirements were curtailed in 2008;
  few investigations or prosecutions of money-laundering activities
  (2008)

Belgium
  growing producer of synthetic drugs and cannabis; transit
  point for US-bound ecstasy; source of precursor chemicals for South
  American cocaine processors; transshipment point for cocaine,
  heroin, hashish, and marijuana entering Western Europe; despite a
  strengthening of legislation, the country remains vulnerable to
  money laundering related to narcotics, automobiles, alcohol, and
  tobacco; significant domestic consumption of ecstasy

Belize
  transshipment point for cocaine; small-scale illicit producer
  of cannabis, primarily for local consumption; offshore sector
  money-laundering activity related to narcotics trafficking and other
  crimes (2008)

Benin
  transshipment point used by traffickers for cocaine destined
  for Western Europe; vulnerable to money laundering due to poorly
  enforced financial regulations (2008)

Bolivia
  world's third-largest cultivator of coca (after Colombia and
  Peru) with an estimated 29,500 hectares under cultivation in 2007,
  increased slightly when compared to 2006; third largest producer of
  cocaine, estimated at 120 metric tons potential pure cocaine in
  2007; transit country for Peruvian and Colombian cocaine destined
  for Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, and Europe; cultivation
  generally increasing since 2000, despite eradication and alternative
  crop programs; weak border controls; some money-laundering activity
  related to narcotics trade; major cocaine consumption (2008)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  increasingly a transit point for heroin being
  trafficked to Western Europe; minor transit point for marijuana;
  remains highly vulnerable to money-laundering activity given a
  primarily cash-based and unregulated economy, weak law enforcement,
  and instances of corruption

Brazil
  second-largest consumer of cocaine in the world; illicit
  producer of cannabis; trace amounts of coca cultivation in the
  Amazon region, used for domestic consumption; government has a
  large-scale eradication program to control cannabis; important
  transshipment country for Bolivian, Colombian, and Peruvian cocaine
  headed for Europe; also used by traffickers as a way station for
  narcotics air transshipments between Peru and Colombia; upsurge in
  drug-related violence and weapons smuggling; important market for
  Colombian, Bolivian, and Peruvian cocaine; illicit narcotics
  proceeds are often laundered through the financial system;
  significant illicit financial activity in the Tri-Border Area (2008)

British Virgin Islands
  transshipment point for South American
  narcotics destined for the US and Europe; large offshore financial
  center makes it vulnerable to money laundering

Brunei
  drug trafficking and illegally importing controlled
  substances are serious offenses in Brunei and carry a mandatory
  death penalty

Bulgaria
  major European transshipment point for Southwest Asian
  heroin and, to a lesser degree, South American cocaine for the
  European market; limited producer of precursor chemicals; vulnerable
  to money laundering because of corruption, organized crime; some
  money laundering of drug-related proceeds through financial
  institutions (2008)

Burma
  remains world's second largest producer of illicit opium with
  an estimated production in 2008 of 340 metric tons, an increase of
  26%, and poppy cultivation in 2008 totaled 22,500 hectares, a 4%
  increase from 2007; production in the United Wa State Army's areas
  of greatest control remains low; Shan state is the source of 94% of
  Burma's poppy cultivation; lack of government will to take on major
  narcotrafficking groups and lack of serious commitment against money
  laundering continues to hinder the overall antidrug effort; major
  source of methamphetamine and heroin for regional consumption (2008)

Cambodia
  narcotics-related corruption reportedly involving some in
  the government, military, and police; limited methamphetamine
  production; vulnerable to money laundering due to its cash-based
  economy and porous borders

Canada
  illicit producer of cannabis for the domestic drug market and
  export to US; use of hydroponics technology permits growers to plant
  large quantities of high-quality marijuana indoors; increasing
  ecstasy production, some of which is destined for the US; vulnerable
  to narcotics money laundering because of its mature financial
  services sector

Cape Verde
  used as a transshipment point for Latin American cocaine
  destined for Western Europe, particularly because of Lusophone links
  to Brazil, Portugal, and Guinea-Bissau; has taken steps to deter
  drug money laundering, including a 2002 anti-money laundering reform
  that criminalizes laundering the proceeds of narcotics trafficking
  and other crimes and the establishment in 2008 of a Financial
  Intelligence Unit (2008)

Cayman Islands
  major offshore financial center; vulnerable to drug
  transshipment to the US and Europe (2008)

Chile
  transshipment country for cocaine destined for Europe and the
  region; some money laundering activity, especially through the
  Iquique Free Trade Zone; imported precursors passed on to Bolivia;
  domestic cocaine consumption is rising, making Chile a significant
  consumer of cocaine (2008)

China
  major transshipment point for heroin produced in the Golden
  Triangle region of Southeast Asia; growing domestic consumption of
  synthetic drugs, and heroin from Southeast and Southwest Asia;
  source country for methamphetamine and heroin chemical precursors,
  despite new regulations on its large chemical industry (2008)

Colombia
  illicit producer of coca, opium poppy, and cannabis;
  world's leading coca cultivator with 167,000 hectares in coca
  cultivation in 2007, a 6% increase over 2006, producing a potential
  of 535 mt of pure cocaine; the world's largest producer of coca
  derivatives; supplies cocaine to nearly all of the US market and the
  great majority of other international drug markets; in 2005, aerial
  eradication dispensed herbicide to treat over 130,000 hectares but
  aggressive replanting on the part of coca growers means Colombia
  remains a key producer; a significant portion of narcotics proceeds
  are either laundered or invested in Colombia through the black
  market peso exchange; important supplier of heroin to the US market;
  opium poppy cultivation is estimated to have fallen 25% between 2006
  and 2007; most Colombian heroin is destined for the US market (2008)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the one of Africa's biggest producers of cannabis, but mostly for domestic consumption; traffickers exploit lax shipping controls to transit pseudoephedrine through the capital; while rampant corruption and inadequate supervision leaves the banking system vulnerable to money laundering, the lack of a well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a money-laundering center (2008)

Costa Rica
  transshipment country for cocaine and heroin from South
  America; illicit production of cannabis in remote areas; domestic
  cocaine consumption, particularly crack cocaine, is rising;
  significant consumption of amphetamines; seizures of smuggled cash
  in Costa Rica and at the main border crossing to enter Costa Rica
  from Nicaragua have risen in recent years (2008)

Cote d'Ivoire
  illicit producer of cannabis, mostly for local
  consumption; utility as a narcotic transshipment point to Europe
  reduced by ongoing political instability; while rampant corruption
  and inadequate supervision leave the banking system vulnerable to
  money laundering, the lack of a developed financial system limits
  the country's utility as a major money-laundering center (2008)

Croatia
  transit point along the Balkan route for Southwest Asian
  heroin to Western Europe; has been used as a transit point for
  maritime shipments of South American cocaine bound for Western
  Europe (2008)

Cuba
  territorial waters and air space serve as transshipment zone
  for US- and European-bound drugs; established the death penalty for
  certain drug-related crimes in 1999 (2008)

Cyprus
  minor transit point for heroin and hashish via air routes and
  container traffic to Europe, especially from Lebanon and Turkey;
  some cocaine transits as well; despite a strengthening of
  anti-money-laundering legislation, remains vulnerable to money
  laundering; reporting of suspicious transactions in offshore sector
  remains weak (2008)

Czech Republic
  transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and
  minor transit point for Latin American cocaine to Western Europe;
  producer of synthetic drugs for local and regional markets;
  susceptible to money laundering related to drug trafficking,
  organized crime; significant consumer of ecstasy (2008)

Dominica
  transshipment point for narcotics bound for the US and
  Europe; minor cannabis producer (2008)

Dominican Republic
  transshipment point for South American drugs
  destined for the US and Europe; has become a transshipment point for
  ecstasy from the Netherlands and Belgium destined for US and Canada;
  substantial money laundering activity in particular by Colombian
  narcotics traffickers; significant amphetamine consumption (2008)

Ecuador
  significant transit country for cocaine originating in
  Colombia and Peru, with much of the US-bound cocaine passing through
  Ecuadorian Pacific waters; importer of precursor chemicals used in
  production of illicit narcotics; attractive location for
  cash-placement by drug traffickers laundering money because of
  dollarization and weak anti-money-laundering regime; increased
  activity on the northern frontier by trafficking groups and
  Colombian insurgents (2008)

Egypt
  transit point for cannabis, heroin, and opium moving to
  Europe, Israel, and North Africa; transit stop for Nigerian drug
  couriers; concern as money laundering site due to lax enforcement of
  financial regulations

El Salvador
  transshipment point for cocaine; small amounts of
  marijuana produced for local consumption; significant use of cocaine

Estonia
  growing producer of synthetic drugs; increasingly important
  transshipment zone for cannabis, cocaine, opiates, and synthetic
  drugs since joining the European Union and the Schengen Accord;
  potential money laundering related to organized crime and drug
  trafficking is a concern, as is possible use of the gambling sector
  to launder funds; major use of opiates and ecstasy

Ethiopia
  transit hub for heroin originating in Southwest and
  Southeast Asia and destined for Europe, as well as cocaine destined
  for markets in southern Africa; cultivates qat (khat) for local use
  and regional export, principally to Djibouti and Somalia (legal in
  all three countries); the lack of a well-developed financial system
  limits the country's utility as a money laundering center

France
  metropolitan France: transshipment point for South American
  cocaine, Southwest Asian heroin, and European synthetics
  French Guiana: small amount of marijuana grown for local
  consumption; minor transshipment point to Europe
  Martinique: transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for
  the US and Europe

Georgia
  limited cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for
  domestic consumption; used as transshipment point for opiates via
  Central Asia to Western Europe and Russia

Germany
  source of precursor chemicals for South American cocaine
  processors; transshipment point for and consumer of Southwest Asian
  heroin, Latin American cocaine, and European-produced synthetic
  drugs; major financial center

Ghana
  illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade;
  major transit hub for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin and, to a
  lesser extent, South American cocaine destined for Europe and the
  US; widespread crime and money laundering problem, but the lack of a
  well developed financial infrastructure limits the country's utility
  as a money laundering center; significant domestic cocaine and
  cannabis use

Greece
  a gateway to Europe for traffickers smuggling cannabis and
  heroin from the Middle East and Southwest Asia to the West and
  precursor chemicals to the East; some South American cocaine
  transits or is consumed in Greece; money laundering related to drug
  trafficking and organized crime

Grenada
  small-scale cannabis cultivation; lesser transshipment point
  for marijuana and cocaine to US

Guatemala
  major transit country for cocaine and heroin; in 2005,
  cultivated 100 hectares of opium poppy after reemerging as a
  potential source of opium in 2004; potential production of less than
  1 metric ton of pure heroin; marijuana cultivation for mostly
  domestic consumption; proximity to Mexico makes Guatemala a major
  staging area for drugs (particularly for cocaine); money laundering
  is a serious problem; corruption is a major problem

Guinea-Bissau
  increasingly important transit country for South
  American cocaine enroute to Europe; enabling environment for
  trafficker operations thanks to pervasive corruption;
  archipelago-like geography around the capital facilitates drug
  smuggling

Guyana
  transshipment point for narcotics from South America -
  primarily Venezuela - to Europe and the US; producer of cannabis;
  rising money laundering related to drug trafficking and human
  smuggling

Haiti
  Caribbean transshipment point for cocaine en route to the US
  and Europe; substantial bulk cash smuggling activity; Colombian
  narcotics traffickers favor Haiti for illicit financial
  transactions; pervasive corruption; significant consumer of cannabis

Honduras
  transshipment point for drugs and narcotics; illicit
  producer of cannabis, cultivated on small plots and used principally
  for local consumption; corruption is a major problem; some
  money-laundering activity

Hong Kong
  despite strenuous law enforcement efforts, faces difficult
  challenges in controlling transit of heroin and methamphetamine to
  regional and world markets; modern banking system provides conduit
  for money laundering; rising indigenous use of synthetic drugs,
  especially among young people

Hungary
  transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and cannabis
  and for South American cocaine destined for Western Europe; limited
  producer of precursor chemicals, particularly for amphetamine and
  methamphetamine; efforts to counter money laundering, related to
  organized crime and drug trafficking, are improving, but remain
  vulnerable; significant consumer of ecstasy

India
  world's largest producer of licit opium for the pharmaceutical
  trade, but an undetermined quantity of opium is diverted to illicit
  international drug markets; transit point for illicit narcotics
  produced in neighboring countries and throughout Southwest Asia;
  illicit producer of methaqualone; vulnerable to narcotics money
  laundering through the hawala system; licit ketamine and precursor
  production

Indonesia
  illicit producer of cannabis largely for domestic use;
  producer of methamphetamine and ecstasy

Iran
  despite substantial interdiction efforts and considerable
  control measures along the border with Afghanistan, Iran remains one
  of the primary transshipment routes for Southwest Asian heroin to
  Europe; suffers one of the highest opiate addiction rates in the
  world, and has an increasing problem with synthetic drugs; lacks
  anti-money laundering laws; has reached out to neighboring countries
  to share counter-drug intelligence

Ireland
  transshipment point for and consumer of hashish from North
  Africa to the UK and Netherlands and of European-produced synthetic
  drugs; increasing consumption of South American cocaine; minor
  transshipment point for heroin and cocaine destined for Western
  Europe; despite recent legislation, narcotics-related money
  laundering - using bureaux de change, trusts, and shell companies
  involving the offshore financial community - remains a concern

Israel
  increasingly concerned about ecstasy, cocaine, and heroin
  abuse; drugs arrive in country from Lebanon and, increasingly, from
  Jordan; money-laundering center

Italy
  important gateway for and consumer of Latin American cocaine
  and Southwest Asian heroin entering the European market; money
  laundering by organized crime and from smuggling

Jamaica
  transshipment point for cocaine from South America to North
  America and Europe; illicit cultivation and consumption of cannabis;
  government has an active manual cannabis eradication program;
  corruption is a major concern; substantial money-laundering
  activity; Colombian narcotics traffickers favor Jamaica for illicit
  financial transactions

Kazakhstan
  significant illicit cultivation of cannabis for CIS
  markets, as well as limited cultivation of opium poppy and ephedra
  (for the drug ephedrine); limited government eradication of illicit
  crops; transit point for Southwest Asian narcotics bound for Russia
  and the rest of Europe; significant consumer of opiates

Kenya
  widespread harvesting of small plots of marijuana; transit
  country for South Asian heroin destined for Europe and North
  America; Indian methaqualone also transits on way to South Africa;
  significant potential for money-laundering activity given the
  country's status as a regional financial center; massive corruption,
  and relatively high levels of narcotics-associated activities

Korea, North
  for years, from the 1970s into the 2000s, citizens of
  the Democratic People's Republic of (North) Korea (DPRK), many of
  them diplomatic employees of the government, were apprehended abroad
  while trafficking in narcotics, including two in Turkey in December
  2004; police investigations in Taiwan and Japan in recent years have
  linked North Korea to large illicit shipments of heroin and
  methamphetamine, including an attempt by the North Korean merchant
  ship Pong Su to deliver 150 kg of heroin to Australia in April 2003

Kyrgyzstan
  limited illicit cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy
  for CIS markets; limited government eradication of illicit crops;
  transit point for Southwest Asian narcotics bound for Russia and the
  rest of Europe; major consumer of opiates

Laos
  estimated opium poppy cultivation in 2008 was 1,900 hectares,
  about a 73% increase from 2007; estimated potential opium production
  in 2008 more than tripled to 17 metric tons; unsubstantiated reports
  of domestic methamphetamine production; growing domestic
  methamphetamine problem (2007)

Latvia
  transshipment and destination point for cocaine, synthetic
  drugs, opiates, and cannabis from Southwest Asia, Western Europe,
  Latin America, and neighboring Balkan countries; despite improved
  legislation, vulnerable to money laundering due to nascent
  enforcement capabilities and comparatively weak regulation of
  offshore companies and the gaming industry; CIS organized crime
  (including counterfeiting, corruption, extortion, stolen cars, and
  prostitution) accounts for most laundered proceeds

Lebanon
  cannabis cultivation dramatically reduced to 2,500 hectares
  in 2002 despite continued significant cannabis consumption; opium
  poppy cultivation minimal; small amounts of Latin American cocaine
  and Southwest Asian heroin transit country on way to European
  markets and for Middle Eastern consumption; money laundering of drug
  proceeds fuels concern that extremists are benefiting from drug
  trafficking

Liberia
  transshipment point for Southeast and Southwest Asian heroin
  and South American cocaine for the European and US markets;
  corruption, criminal activity, arms-dealing, and diamond trade
  provide significant potential for money laundering, but the lack of
  well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a
  major money-laundering center

Liechtenstein
  has strengthened money laundering controls, but money
  laundering remains a concern due to Liechtenstein's sophisticated
  offshore financial services sector

Lithuania
  transshipment and destination point for cannabis, cocaine,
  ecstasy, and opiates from Southwest Asia, Latin America, Western
  Europe, and neighboring Baltic countries; growing production of
  high-quality amphetamines, but limited production of cannabis,
  methamphetamines; susceptible to money laundering despite changes to
  banking legislation

Macau
  transshipment point for drugs going into mainland China;
  consumer of opiates and amphetamines

Macedonia
  major transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and
  hashish; minor transit point for South American cocaine destined for
  Europe; although not a financial center and most criminal activity
  is thought to be domestic, money laundering is a problem due to a
  mostly cash-based economy and weak enforcement

Madagascar
  illicit producer of cannabis (cultivated and wild
  varieties) used mostly for domestic consumption; transshipment point
  for heroin

Malaysia
  drug trafficking prosecuted vigorously and carries severe
  penalties; heroin still primary drug of abuse, but synthetic drug
  demand remains strong; continued ecstasy and methamphetamine
  producer for domestic users and, to a lesser extent, the regional
  drug market

Malta
  minor transshipment point for hashish from North Africa to
  Western Europe

Mauritius
  consumer and transshipment point for heroin from South
  Asia; small amounts of cannabis produced and consumed locally;
  significant offshore financial industry creates potential for money
  laundering, but corruption levels are relatively low and the
  government appears generally to be committed to regulating its
  banking industry

Mexico
  major drug-producing nation; cultivation of opium poppy in
  2007 rose to 6,900 hectares yielding a potential production of 18
  metric tons of pure heroin, or 50 metric tons of "black tar" heroin,
  the dominant form of Mexican heroin in the western United States;
  marijuana cultivation increased to 8,900 hectares in 2007 and
  yielded a potential production of 15,800 metric tons; government
  conducts the largest independent illicit-crop eradication program in
  the world; continues as the primary transshipment country for
  US-bound cocaine from South America, with an estimated 90% of annual
  cocaine movements toward the US stopping in Mexico; major drug
  syndicates control the majority of drug trafficking throughout the
  country; producer and distributor of ecstasy; significant
  money-laundering center; major supplier of heroin and largest
  foreign supplier of marijuana and methamphetamine to the US market
  (2007)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  major consumer of cannabis

Moldova
  limited cultivation of opium poppy and cannabis, mostly for
  CIS consumption; transshipment point for illicit drugs from
  Southwest Asia via Central Asia to Russia, Western Europe, and
  possibly the US; widespread crime and underground economic activity

Montserrat
  transshipment point for South American narcotics destined
  for the US and Europe

Morocco
  one of the world's largest producers of illicit hashish;
  shipments of hashish mostly directed to Western Europe; transit
  point for cocaine from South America destined for Western Europe;
  significant consumer of cannabis

Mozambique
  southern African transit point for South Asian hashish
  and heroin, and South American cocaine probably destined for the
  European and South African markets; producer of cannabis (for local
  consumption) and methaqualone (for export to South Africa);
  corruption and poor regulatory capability makes the banking system
  vulnerable to money laundering, but the lack of a well-developed
  financial infrastructure limits the country's utility as a
  money-laundering center

Nepal
  illicit producer of cannabis and hashish for the domestic and
  international drug markets; transit point for opiates from Southeast
  Asia to the West

Netherlands
  major European producer of synthetic drugs, including
  ecstasy, and cannabis cultivator; important gateway for cocaine,
  heroin, and hashish entering Europe; major source of US-bound
  ecstasy; large financial sector vulnerable to money laundering;
  significant consumer of ecstasy

Netherlands Antilles transshipment point for South American drugs bound for the US and Europe; money-laundering center

New Zealand
  significant consumer of amphetamines

Nicaragua
  transshipment point for cocaine destined for the US and
  transshipment point for arms-for-drugs dealing

Nigeria
  a transit point for heroin and cocaine intended for
  European, East Asian, and North American markets; consumer of
  amphetamines; safe haven for Nigerian narcotraffickers operating
  worldwide; major money-laundering center; massive corruption and
  criminal activity; Nigeria has improved some anti-money-laundering
  controls, resulting in its removal from the Financial Action Task
  Force's (FATF's) Noncooperative Countries and Territories List in
  June 2006; Nigeria's anti-money-laundering regime continues to be
  monitored by FATF

Pakistan
  significant transit area for Afghan drugs, including
  heroin, opium, morphine, and hashish, bound for Iran, Western
  markets, the Gulf States, Africa, and Asia; financial crimes related
  to drug trafficking, terrorism, corruption, and smuggling remain
  problems; opium poppy cultivation estimated to be 2,300 hectares in
  2007 with 600 of those hectares eradicated; federal and provincial
  authorities continue to conduct anti-poppy campaigns that utilizes
  forced eradication, fines, and arrests

Panama
  major cocaine transshipment point and primary
  money-laundering center for narcotics revenue; money-laundering
  activity is especially heavy in the Colon Free Zone; offshore
  financial center; negligible signs of coca cultivation; monitoring
  of financial transactions is improving; official corruption remains
  a major problem

Papua New Guinea
  major consumer of cannabis

Paraguay
  major illicit producer of cannabis, most or all of which is
  consumed in Brazil, Argentina, and Chile; transshipment country for
  Andean cocaine headed for Brazil, other Southern Cone markets, and
  Europe; weak border controls, extensive corruption and
  money-laundering activity, especially in the Tri-Border Area; weak
  anti-money-laundering laws and enforcement

Peru
  until 1996 the world's largest coca leaf producer, Peru is now
  the world's second largest producer of coca leaf, though it lags far
  behind Colombia; cultivation of coca in Peru declined to 36,000
  hectares in 2007; second largest producer of cocaine, estimated at
  210 metric tons of potential pure cocaine in 2007; finished cocaine
  is shipped out from Pacific ports to the international drug market;
  increasing amounts of base and finished cocaine, however, are being
  moved to Brazil, Chile, Argentina, and Bolivia for use in the
  Southern Cone or transshipment to Europe and Africa; increasing
  domestic drug consumption

Philippines
  domestic methamphetamine production has been a growing
  problem in recent years despite government crackdowns; major
  consumer of amphetamines; longstanding marijuana producer mainly in
  rural areas where Manila's control is limited

Poland
  despite diligent counternarcotics measures and international
  information sharing on cross-border crimes, a major illicit producer
  of synthetic drugs for the international market; minor transshipment
  point for Southwest Asian heroin and Latin American cocaine to
  Western Europe

Portugal
  seizing record amounts of Latin American cocaine destined
  for Europe; a European gateway for Southwest Asian heroin;
  transshipment point for hashish from North Africa to Europe;
  consumer of Southwest Asian heroin

Romania
  major transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin
  transiting the Balkan route and small amounts of Latin American
  cocaine bound for Western Europe; although not a significant
  financial center, role as a narcotics conduit leaves it vulnerable
  to laundering, which occurs via the banking system, currency
  exchange houses, and casinos

Russia
  limited cultivation of illicit cannabis and opium poppy and
  producer of methamphetamine, mostly for domestic consumption;
  government has active illicit crop eradication program; used as
  transshipment point for Asian opiates, cannabis, and Latin American
  cocaine bound for growing domestic markets, to a lesser extent
  Western and Central Europe, and occasionally to the US; major source
  of heroin precursor chemicals; corruption and organized crime are
  key concerns; major consumer of opiates

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  transshipment point for South American drugs
  destined for the US and Europe; some money-laundering activity

Saint Lucia
  transit point for South American drugs destined for the
  US and Europe

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  transshipment point for South
  American drugs destined for the US and Europe; small-scale cannabis
  cultivation

Saudi Arabia
  death penalty for traffickers; improving
  anti-money-laundering legislation and enforcement

Senegal
  transshipment point for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin
  and South American cocaine moving to Europe and North America;
  illicit cultivator of cannabis

Serbia
  transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin moving to
  Western Europe on the Balkan route; economy vulnerable to money
  laundering

Singapore
  drug abuse limited because of aggressive law enforcement
  efforts; as a transportation and financial services hub, Singapore
  is vulnerable, despite strict laws and enforcement, as a venue for
  money laundering

Slovakia
  transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin bound for
  Western Europe; producer of synthetic drugs for regional market;
  consumer of ecstasy

Slovenia
  minor transit point for cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin
  bound for Western Europe, and for precursor chemicals

South Africa
  transshipment center for heroin, hashish, and cocaine,
  as well as a major cultivator of marijuana in its own right; cocaine
  and heroin consumption on the rise; world's largest market for
  illicit methaqualone, usually imported illegally from India through
  various east African countries, but increasingly producing its own
  synthetic drugs for domestic consumption; attractive venue for money
  launderers given the increasing level of organized criminal and
  narcotics activity in the region and the size of the South African
  economy

Spain
  despite rigorous law enforcement efforts, North African, Latin
  American, Galician, and other European traffickers take advantage of
  Spain's long coastline to land large shipments of cocaine and
  hashish for distribution to the European market; consumer for Latin
  American cocaine and North African hashish; destination and minor
  transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin; money-laundering
  site for Colombian narcotics trafficking organizations and organized
  crime

Suriname
  growing transshipment point for South American drugs
  destined for Europe via the Netherlands and Brazil; transshipment
  point for arms-for-drugs dealing

Switzerland
  a major international financial center vulnerable to the
  layering and integration stages of money laundering; despite
  significant legislation and reporting requirements, secrecy rules
  persist and nonresidents are permitted to conduct business through
  offshore entities and various intermediaries; transit country for
  and consumer of South American cocaine, Southwest Asian heroin, and
  Western European synthetics; domestic cannabis cultivation and
  limited ecstasy production

Syria
  a transit point for opiates, hashish, and cocaine bound for
  regional and Western markets; weak anti-money-laundering controls
  and bank privatization may leave it vulnerable to money laundering

Taiwan
  regional transit point for heroin, methamphetamine, and
  precursor chemicals; transshipment point for drugs to Japan; major
  problem with domestic consumption of methamphetamine and heroin;
  rising problems with use of ketamine and club drugs

Tajikistan
  major transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for
  Russian and, to a lesser extent, Western European markets; limited
  illicit cultivation of opium poppy for domestic consumption;
  Tajikistan seizes roughly 80% of all drugs captured in Central Asia
  and stands third worldwide in seizures of opiates (heroin and raw
  opium); significant consumer of opiates

Tanzania
  targeted by traffickers moving hashish, Afghan heroin, and
  South American cocaine transported down the East African coastline,
  through airports, or overland through Central Africa; Zanzibar
  likely used by traffickers for drug smuggling; traffickers in the
  past have recruited Tanzanian couriers to move drugs through Iran
  into East Asia.

Thailand
  a minor producer of opium, heroin, and marijuana; transit
  point for illicit heroin en route to the international drug market
  from Burma and Laos; eradication efforts have reduced the area of
  cannabis cultivation and shifted some production to neighboring
  countries; opium poppy cultivation has been reduced by eradication
  efforts; also a drug money-laundering center; minor role in
  methamphetamine production for regional consumption; major consumer
  of methamphetamine since the 1990s despite a series of government
  crackdowns

Timor-Leste
  NA

Togo
  transit hub for Nigerian heroin and cocaine traffickers; money
  laundering not a significant problem

Trinidad and Tobago
  transshipment point for South American drugs
  destined for the US and Europe; producer of cannabis

Turkey
  key transit route for Southwest Asian heroin to Western
  Europe and, to a lesser extent, the US - via air, land, and sea
  routes; major Turkish and other international trafficking
  organizations operate out of Istanbul; laboratories to convert
  imported morphine base into heroin exist in remote regions of Turkey
  and near Istanbul; government maintains strict controls over areas
  of legal opium poppy cultivation and over output of poppy straw
  concentrate; lax enforcement of money-laundering controls

Turkmenistan
  transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian
  and Western European markets; transit point for heroin precursor
  chemicals bound for Afghanistan

Turks and Caicos Islands
  transshipment point for South American
  narcotics destined for the US and Europe

Ukraine
  limited cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for
  CIS consumption; some synthetic drug production for export to the
  West; limited government eradication program; used as transshipment
  point for opiates and other illicit drugs from Africa, Latin
  America, and Turkey to Europe and Russia; Ukraine has improved
  anti-money-laundering controls, resulting in its removal from the
  Financial Action Task Force's (FATF's) Noncooperative Countries and
  Territories List in February 2004; Ukraine's anti-money-laundering
  regime continues to be monitored by FATF

United Arab Emirates
  the UAE is a drug transshipment point for
  traffickers given its proximity to Southwest Asian drug-producing
  countries; the UAE's position as a major financial center makes it
  vulnerable to money laundering; anti-money-laundering controls
  improving, but informal banking remains unregulated

United Kingdom
  producer of limited amounts of synthetic drugs and
  synthetic precursor chemicals; major consumer of Southwest Asian
  heroin, Latin American cocaine, and synthetic drugs;
  money-laundering center

United States
  world's largest consumer of cocaine (shipped from
  Colombia through Mexico and the Caribbean), Colombian heroin, and
  Mexican heroin and marijuana; major consumer of ecstasy and Mexican
  methamphetamine; minor consumer of high-quality Southeast Asian
  heroin; illicit producer of cannabis, marijuana, depressants,
  stimulants, hallucinogens, and methamphetamine; money-laundering
  center

Uruguay
  small-scale transit country for drugs mainly bound for
  Europe, often through sea-borne containers; law enforcement
  corruption; money laundering because of strict banking secrecy laws;
  weak border control along Brazilian frontier; increasing consumption
  of cocaine base and synthetic drugs

Uzbekistan
  transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian
  and, to a lesser extent, Western European markets; limited illicit
  cultivation of cannabis and small amounts of opium poppy for
  domestic consumption; poppy cultivation almost wiped out by
  government crop eradication program; transit point for heroin
  precursor chemicals bound for Afghanistan

Venezuela
  small-scale illicit producer of opium and coca for the
  processing of opiates and coca derivatives; however, large
  quantities of cocaine, heroin, and marijuana transit the country
  from Colombia bound for US and Europe; significant narcotics-related
  money-laundering activity, especially along the border with Colombia
  and on Margarita Island; active eradication program primarily
  targeting opium; increasing signs of drug-related activities by
  Colombian insurgents on border

Vietnam
  minor producer of opium poppy; probable minor transit point
  for Southeast Asian heroin; government continues to face domestic
  opium/heroin/methamphetamine addiction problems despite longstanding
  crackdowns

World
  cocaine: worldwide coca leaf cultivation in 2007 amounted to
  232,500 hectares; Colombia produced slightly more than two-thirds of
  the worldwide crop, followed by Peru and Bolivia; potential pure
  cocaine production decreased 7% to 865 metric tons in 2007; Colombia
  conducts an aggressive coca eradication campaign, but both Peruvian
  and Bolivian Governments are hesitant to eradicate coca in key
  growing areas; 551 metric tons of export-quality cocaine (85% pure)
  is documented to have been seized or destroyed in 2005; US
  consumption of export quality cocaine is estimated to have been in
  excess of 380 metric tons
  opiates: worldwide illicit opium poppy cultivation continued to
  increase in 2007, with a potential opium production of 8,400 metric
  tons, reaching the highest levels recorded since estimates began in
  mid-1980s; Afghanistan is world's primary opium producer, accounting
  for 95% of the global supply; Southeast Asia - responsible for 9% of
  global opium - saw marginal increases in production; Latin America
  produced 1% of global opium, but most was refined into heroin
  destined for the US market; if all potential opium was processed
  into pure heroin, the potential global production would be 1,000
  metric tons of heroin in 2007

Zambia
  transshipment point for moderate amounts of methaqualone,
  small amounts of heroin, and cocaine bound for southern Africa and
  possibly Europe; a poorly developed financial infrastructure coupled
  with a government commitment to combating money laundering make it
  an unattractive venue for money launderers; major consumer of
  cannabis

Zimbabwe
  transit point for cannabis and South Asian heroin, mandrax,
  and methamphetamines en route to South Africa

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

@2087

Field Listing :: Imports

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

Imports

Afghanistan
  $4.85 billion (2007)
  $3.823 billion (2006)

Albania
  $4.898 billion (2008 est.)
  $3.999 billion (2007 est.)

Algeria
  $39.16 billion (2008 est.)
  $26.4 billion (2007 est.)

American Samoa
  $308.8 million (FY04 est.)

Andorra
  $1.789 billion (2007)
  $1.879 billion (2005)

Angola
  $17.08 billion (2008 est.)
  $13.66 billion (2007 est.)

Anguilla
  $143 million (2006)

Antigua and Barbuda
  $522.8 million (2007 est.)

Argentina
  $54.56 billion (2008 est.)
  $42.53 billion (2007 est.)

Armenia
  $3.763 billion (2008 est.)
  $2.797 billion (2007 est.)

Aruba
  $1.054 billion (2006)

Australia
  $194.2 billion (2008 est.)
  $160.2 billion (2007 est.)

Austria
  $179.2 billion (2008 est.)
  $160.3 billion (2007 est.)

Azerbaijan
  $7.575 billion (2008 est.)
  $6.045 billion (2007 est.)

Bahamas, The
  $2.401 billion (2006)

Bahrain
  $14.25 billion (2008 est.)
  $10.93 billion (2007 est.)

Bangladesh
  $21.51 billion (2008 est.)
  $16.67 billion (2007 est.)

Barbados
  $1.586 billion (2006)

Belarus
  $39.16 billion (2008 est.)
  $28.4 billion (2007 est.)

Belgium
  $387.7 billion (2008 est.)
  $320.9 billion (2007 est.)

Belize
  $788.1 million (2008 est.)
  $642 million (2007 est.)

Benin
  $1.843 billion (2008 est.)
  $1.194 billion (2007 est.)

Bermuda
  $1.162 billion (2006)

Bhutan
  $320 million (2006)

Bolivia
  $4.641 billion (2008 est.)
  $3.24 billion (2007 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  $12.29 billion (2008 est.)
  $9.947 billion (2007 est.)

Botswana
  $4.486 billion (2008 est.)
  $3.447 billion (2007 est.)

Brazil
  $173.1 billion (2008 est.)
  $120.6 billion (2007 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  $187 million f.o.b.

Brunei
  $2.055 billion (2007 est.)
  $2 billion (2006 est.)

Bulgaria
  $35.64 billion (2008 est.)
  $28.65 billion (2007 est.)

Burkina Faso
  $1.343 billion (2008 est.)
  $1.221 billion (2007 est.)

Burma
  $3.388 billion (2008 est.)
  $2.964 billion (2007 est.)
  note: import figures are grossly underestimated due to the value of
  consumer goods, diesel fuel, and other products smuggled in from
  Thailand, China, Malaysia, and India

Burundi
  $350 million (2008 est.)
  $257.6 million (2007 est.)

Cambodia
  $6.534 billion (2008 est.)
  $5.424 billion (2007 est.)

Cameroon
  $4.303 billion (2008 est.)
  $4.05 billion (2007 est.)

Canada
  $415.2 billion (2008 est.)
  $386.6 billion (2007 est.)

Cape Verde
  $864 million (2008 est.)
  $743.6 million (2007 est.)

Cayman Islands
  $866.9 million (2004)

Central African Republic
  $237.3 million (2007 est.)

Chad
  $1.927 billion (2008 est.)
  $1.541 billion (2007 est.)

Chile
  $57.61 billion (2008 est.)
  $44.03 billion (2007 est.)

China
  $1.074 trillion (2008 est.)
  $904.6 billion (2007 est.)

Christmas Island
  $NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  $NA

Colombia
  $37.56 billion (2008 est.)
  $31.17 billion (2007 est.)

Comoros
  $143 million (2006)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  $5.2 billion (2007)
  $2.263 billion (2006)

Congo, Republic of the
  $3.105 billion (2008 est.)
  $2.858 billion (2007 est.)

Cook Islands
  $81.04 million (2005)

Costa Rica
  $14.55 billion (2008 est.)
  $12.29 billion (2007 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  $6.76 billion (2008 est.)
  $5.932 billion (2007 est.)

Croatia
  $30.42 billion (2008 est.)
  $25.56 billion (2007 est.)

Cuba
  $14.25 billion (2008 est.)
  $10.08 billion (2007 est.)

Cyprus
  $10.54 billion (2008 est.)
  $7.957 billion (2007 est.)

Czech Republic
  $139.4 billion (2008 est.)
  $116.8 billion (2007 est.)

Denmark
  $116.4 billion (2008 est.)
  $100.8 billion (2007 est.)

Djibouti
  $1.555 billion (2006)

Dominica
  $296 million (2006)

Dominican Republic
  $16.1 billion (2008 est.)
  $13.6 billion (2007 est.)

Ecuador
  $17.79 billion (2008 est.)
  $13.05 billion (2007 est.)

Egypt
  $56.62 billion (2008 est.)
  $44.95 billion (2007 est.)

El Salvador
  $9.003 billion (2008 est.)
  $8.108 billion (2007 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  $3.114 billion (2008 est.)
  $2.365 billion (2007 est.)

Eritrea
  $601 million (2008 est.)
  $580 million (2007 est.)

Estonia
  $15.35 billion (2008 est.)
  $14.75 billion (2007 est.)

Ethiopia
  $7.206 billion (2008 est.)
  $5.156 billion (2007 est.)

European Union $1.69 trillion (2007) $1.466 trillion (2005) note: external imports, excluding intra-EU trade

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  $90 million (2004 est.)

Faroe Islands
  $751 million (2006)

Fiji
  $3.12 billion (2006)

Finland
  $87.51 billion (2008 est.)
  $78.22 billion (2007 est.)

France
  $692 billion (2008 est.)
  $600.9 billion (2007 est.)

French Polynesia
  $1.706 billion (2005 est.)

Gabon
  $2.577 billion (2008 est.)
  $2.2 billion (2007 est.)

Gambia, The
  $299 million (2008 est.)
  $262.9 million (2007 est.)

Gaza Strip
  $2.84 billion (2006)
  $2.44 billion (2005)

Georgia
  $6.261 billion (2008 est.)
  $4.984 billion (2007 est.)

Germany
  $1.232 trillion (2008 est.)
  $1.079 trillion (2007 est.)

Ghana
  $10.26 billion (2008 est.)
  $8.066 billion (2007 est.)

Gibraltar
  $2.967 billion (2004 est.)

Greece
  $93.91 billion (2008 est.)
  $80.79 billion (2007 est.)

Greenland
  $712 million (2006)

Grenada
  $343 million (2006)

Guam
  $701 million (2004 est.)

Guatemala
  $13.42 billion (2008 est.)
  $12.48 billion (2007 est.)

Guernsey
  $NA

Guinea
  $1.389 billion (2008 est.)
  $1.218 billion (2007 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  $200 million (2006)

Guyana
  $1.294 billion (2008 est.)
  $982.9 million (2007 est.)

Haiti
  $2.107 billion (2008 est.)
  $1.618 billion (2007 est.)

Honduras
  $10.39 billion (2008 est.)
  $8.82 billion (2007 est.)

Hong Kong
  $388.4 billion (2008 est.)
  $365.6 billion (2007 est.)

Hungary
  $106.5 billion (2008 est.)
  $93.4 billion (2007 est.)

Iceland
  $5.699 billion (2008 est.)
  $6.181 billion (2007 est.)

India
  $315.1 billion (2008 est.)
  $231.6 billion (2007 est.)

Indonesia
  $116 billion (2008 est.)
  $85.26 billion (2007 est.)

Iran
  $67.25 billion (2008 est.)
  $56.58 billion (2007 est.)

Iraq
  $37.22 billion (2008 est.)
  $25.67 billion (2007 est.)

Ireland
  $84.82 billion (2008 est.)
  $84.76 billion (2007 est.)

Isle of Man
  $NA

Israel
  $64.4 billion (2008 est.)
  $55.93 billion (2007 est.)

Italy
  $546.9 billion (2008 est.)
  $498.1 billion (2007 est.)

Jamaica
  $7.185 billion (2008 est.)
  $5.789 billion (2007 est.)

Japan
  $708.3 billion (2008 est.)
  $573.3 billion (2007 est.)

Jersey
  $NA

Jordan
  $14.99 billion (2008 est.)
  $12.02 billion (2007 est.)

Kazakhstan
  $38.45 billion (2008 est.)
  $33.26 billion (2007 est.)

Kenya
  $10.69 billion (2008 est.)
  $8.381 billion (2007 est.)

Kiribati
  $62 million (2004 est.)

Korea, North
  $3.055 billion (2007)
  $2.879 billion (2006)

Korea, South
  $427.4 billion (2008 est.)
  $349.6 billion (2007 est.)

Kosovo
  $2.6 billion f.o.b.

Kuwait
  $22.94 billion (2008 est.)
  $20.63 billion (2007 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  $3.754 billion (2008 est.)
  $2.636 billion (2007 est.)

Laos
  $1.384 billion (2008 est.)
  $1.065 billion (2007 est.)

Latvia
  $15.65 billion (2008 est.)
  $15.13 billion (2007 est.)

Lebanon
  $16.25 billion (2008 est.)
  $11.93 billion (2007 est.)

Lesotho
  $1.88 billion (2008 est.)
  $1.604 billion (2007 est.)

Liberia
  $7.143 billion (2006)

Libya
  $26.55 billion (2008 est.)
  $17.7 billion (2007 est.)

Liechtenstein
  $917.3 million

Lithuania
  $29.3 billion (2008 est.)
  $23.04 billion (2007 est.)

Luxembourg
  $27.73 billion (2008 est.)
  $23.09 billion (2007 est.)

Macau
  $5.4 billion (2008 est.)
  $4.559 billion (2006 est.)

Macedonia
  $6.523 billion (2008 est.)
  $4.976 billion (2007 est.)

Madagascar
  $2.419 billion (2008 est.)
  $1.944 billion (2007 est.)

Malawi
  $1.587 billion (2008 est.)
  $1.323 billion (2007 est.)

Malaysia
  $154.7 billion (2008 est.)
  $139.1 billion (2007 est.)

Maldives
  $1.276 billion (2008 est.)
  $930 million (2006 est.)

Mali
  $2.358 billion (2006)

Malta
  $4.792 billion (2008 est.)
  $4.655 billion (2007 est.)

Marshall Islands
  $79.4 million (2008 est.)
  $54.7 million (2000 est.)

Mauritania
  $1.475 billion (2006)

Mauritius
  $4.399 billion (2008 est.)
  $3.656 billion (2007 est.)

Mayotte
  $341 million (2005)

Mexico
  $308.6 billion (2008 est.)
  $281.9 billion (2007 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  $132.7 million (2004)

Moldova
  $4.87 billion (2008 est.)
  $3.676 billion (2007 est.)

Monaco
  $916.1 million (2005)
  note: full customs integration with France, which collects and
  rebates Monegasque trade duties; also participates in EU market
  system through customs union with France

Mongolia $3.615 billion (2008) $2.117 billion (2007)

Montenegro
  $601.7 million (2003)

Montserrat
  $17 million

Morocco
  $39.35 billion (2008 est.)
  $29.32 billion (2007 est.)

Mozambique
  $3.458 billion (2008 est.)
  $2.811 billion (2007 est.)

Namibia
  $3.849 billion (2008 est.)
  $3.102 billion (2007 est.)

Nauru
  $20 million (2004 est.)

Nepal
  $3.229 billion (2008)
  $2.398 billion (2006)

Netherlands
  $474.8 billion (2008 est.)
  $406.2 billion (2007 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  $15.74 billion (2006)

New Caledonia
  $1.998 billion (2006)

New Zealand
  $32.76 billion (2008 est.)
  $29.05 billion (2007 est.)

Nicaragua
  $4.848 billion (2008 est.)
  $4.117 billion (2007 est.)

Niger
  $800 million (2006)

Nigeria
  $46.3 billion (2008 est.)
  $38.8 billion (2007 est.)

Niue
  $9.038 million (2004)

Norfolk Island
  $17.9 million c.i.f.

Northern Mariana Islands
  $214.4 million (2001)

Norway
  $85.95 billion (2008 est.)
  $77.03 billion (2007 est.)

Oman
  $20.71 billion (2008 est.)
  $14.34 billion (2007 est.)

Pakistan
  $38.19 billion (2008 est.)
  $28.76 billion (2007 est.)

Palau
  $107.3 million (2004 est.)

Panama
  $15 billion (2008 est.)
  $12.52 billion (2007 est.)
  note: includes the Colon Free Zone

Papua New Guinea
  $3.124 billion (2008 est.)
  $2.629 billion (2007 est.)

Paraguay
  $8.809 billion (2008 est.)
  $6.008 billion (2007 est.)

Peru
  $28.44 billion (2008 est.)
  $19.6 billion (2007 est.)

Philippines
  $60.78 billion (2008 est.)
  $57.9 billion (2007 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  $NA

Poland
  $204.4 billion (2008 est.)
  $162.4 billion (2007 est.)

Portugal
  $87.83 billion (2008 est.)
  $75.98 billion (2007 est.)

Puerto Rico
  $29.1 billion c.i.f.

Qatar
  $25.11 billion (2008 est.)
  $19.82 billion (2007 est.)

Romania
  $76.17 billion (2008 est.)
  $64.54 billion (2007 est.)

Russia
  $291.9 billion (2008 est.)
  $223.5 billion (2007 est.)

Rwanda
  $834 million (2008 est.)
  $637 million (2007 est.)

Saint Helena
  $45 million (2004 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  $383 million (2006)

Saint Lucia
  $791 million (2006)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  $68.2 million (2005 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  $578 million (2006)

Samoa
  $324 million (2006)

San Marino
  $3.744 billion (2007)
  $2.035 billion (2004)

Sao Tome and Principe
  $87 million (2008 est.)
  $65 million (2007 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  $108.3 billion (2008 est.)
  $82.6 billion (2007 est.)

Senegal
  $4.263 billion (2008 est.)
  $3.732 billion (2007 est.)

Serbia
  $18.35 billion (2007 est.)

Seychelles $1.018 billion (2008 est.) $804 million (2007 est.)

Sierra Leone
  $560 million (2006)

Singapore
  $309.6 billion (2008 est.)
  $254 billion (2007 est.)

Slovakia
  $73.62 billion (2008 est.)
  $65.47 billion (2007 est.)

Slovenia
  $33.49 billion (2008 est.)
  $29.42 billion (2007 est.)

Solomon Islands
  $256 million (2006)

Somalia
  $798 million (2006)

South Africa
  $90.57 billion (2008 est.)
  $81.66 billion (2007 est.)

Spain
  $415.5 billion (2008 est.)
  $380.2 billion (2007 est.)

Sri Lanka
  $12.61 billion (2008 est.)
  $10.17 billion (2007 est.)

Sudan
  $8.229 billion (2008 est.)
  $7.722 billion (2007 est.)

Suriname
  $1.297 billion (2006 est.)

Svalbard
  $NA

Swaziland
  $1.855 billion (2008 est.)
  $1.926 billion (2007 est.)

Sweden
  $167.8 billion (2008 est.)
  $152.2 billion (2007 est.)

Switzerland
  $227.4 billion (2008 est.)
  $187.7 billion (2007 est.)

Syria
  $15.97 billion (2008 est.)
  $12.27 billion (2007 est.)

Taiwan
  $236.7 billion (2008 est.)
  $216.1 billion (2007 est.)

Tajikistan
  $3.699 billion (2008 est.)
  $3.115 billion (2007 est.)

Tanzania
  $7.08 billion (2008 est.)
  $4.861 billion (2007 est.)

Thailand
  $157.3 billion (2008 est.)
  $124.5 billion (2007 est.)

Timor-Leste
  $202 million (2004 est.)

Togo
  $1.541 billion (2008 est.)
  $1.264 billion (2007 est.)

Tokelau
  $969,200 (2002)

Tonga
  $139 million (2006)

Trinidad and Tobago
  $9.788 billion (2008 est.)
  $7.67 billion (2007 est.)

Tunisia
  $23.23 billion (2008 est.)
  $18.02 billion (2007 est.)

Turkey
  $193.9 billion (2008 est.)
  $162 billion (2007 est.)

Turkmenistan
  $5.654 billion (2008 est.)
  $3.615 billion (2007 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  $175.6 million

Tuvalu
  $12.91 million (2005)

Uganda
  $3.98 billion (2008 est.)
  $2.983 billion (2007 est.)

Ukraine
  $83.81 billion (2008 est.)
  $60.41 billion (2007 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  $176.3 billion (2008 est.)
  $116.6 billion (2007 est.)

United Kingdom
  $639.3 billion (2008 est.)
  $620.7 billion (2007 est.)

United States
  $2.117 trillion (2008 est.)
  $1.968 trillion (2007 est.)

Uruguay
  $8.799 billion (2008 est.)
  $5.598 billion (2007 est.)

Uzbekistan
  $7.07 billion (2008 est.)
  $5.73 billion (2007 est.)

Vanuatu
  $156 million (2006)

Venezuela
  $48.1 billion (2008 est.)
  $45.46 billion (2007 est.)

Vietnam
  $75.47 billion (2008 est.)
  $58.92 billion (2007 est.)

Virgin Islands
  $4.609 billion (2001)

Wallis and Futuna
  $61.17 million (2004)

West Bank
  $1.3 billion (2006)
  $2.44 billion (2005)

Western Sahara
  $NA

World
  $15.97 trillion (2008 est.)
  $13.74 trillion (2007 est.)

Yemen
  $8.829 billion (2008 est.)
  $7.49 billion (2007 est.)

Zambia
  $4.694 billion (2008 est.)
  $3.611 billion (2007 est.)

Zimbabwe
  $1.915 billion (2008 est.)
  $1.975 billion (2007 est.)

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

@2088

Field Listing :: Independence

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

Independence

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

Albania
  28 November 1912 (from the Ottoman Empire)

Algeria
  5 July 1962 (from France)

American Samoa
  none (territory of the US)

Andorra
  1278 (formed under the joint suzerainty of the French Count
  of Foix and the Spanish Bishop of Urgel)

Angola
  11 November 1975 (from Portugal)

Anguilla
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Antigua and Barbuda
  1 November 1981 (from the UK)

Argentina
  9 July 1816 (from Spain)

Armenia
  21 September 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

Aruba
  none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

Australia
  1 January 1901 (federation of UK colonies)

Austria
  976 (Margravate of Austria established); 17 September 1156
  (Duchy of Austria founded); 11 August 1804 (Austrian Empire
  proclaimed); 12 November 1918 (republic proclaimed)

Azerbaijan
  30 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

Bahamas, The
  10 July 1973 (from the UK)

Bahrain
  15 August 1971 (from the UK)

Bangladesh
  16 December 1971 (from West Pakistan); note - 26 March
  1971 is the date of independence from West Pakistan, 16 December
  1971 is known as Victory Day and commemorates the official creation
  of the state of Bangladesh

Barbados
  30 November 1966 (from the UK)

Belarus
  25 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

Belgium
  4 October 1830 (a provisional government declared
  independence from the Netherlands); 21 July 1831 (King LEOPOLD I
  ascended to the throne)

Belize
  21 September 1981 (from the UK)

Benin
  1 August 1960 (from France)

Bermuda
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Bhutan
  1907 (became a unified kingdom under its first hereditary
  king)

Bolivia
  6 August 1825 (from Spain)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  1 March 1992 (from Yugoslavia; referendum for
  independence completed 1 March 1992; independence declared 3 March
  1992)

Botswana
  30 September 1966 (from the UK)

Brazil
  7 September 1822 (from Portugal)

British Virgin Islands
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Brunei
  1 January 1984 (from the UK)

Bulgaria
  3 March 1878 (as an autonomous principality within the
  Ottoman Empire); 22 September 1908 (complete independence from the
  Ottoman Empire)

Burkina Faso
  5 August 1960 (from France)

Burma
  4 January 1948 (from the UK)

Burundi
  1 July 1962 (from UN trusteeship under Belgian
  administration)

Cambodia
  9 November 1953 (from France)

Cameroon
  1 January 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship)

Canada
  1 July 1867 (union of British North American colonies); 11
  December 1931 (recognized by UK)

Cape Verde
  5 July 1975 (from Portugal)

Cayman Islands
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Central African Republic
  13 August 1960 (from France)

Chad
  11 August 1960 (from France)

Chile
  18 September 1810 (from Spain)

China
  221 BC (unification under the Qin or Ch'in Dynasty); 1 January
  1912 (Qing or Ch'ing Dynasty replaced by the Republic of China); 1
  October 1949 (People's Republic of China established)

Christmas Island
  none (territory of Australia)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  none (territory of Australia)

Colombia
  20 July 1810 (from Spain)

Comoros
  6 July 1975 (from France)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  30 June 1960 (from Belgium)

Congo, Republic of the
  15 August 1960 (from France)

Cook Islands
  none (became self-governing in free association with
  New Zealand on 4 August 1965 and has the right at any time to move
  to full independence by unilateral action)

Costa Rica
  15 September 1821 (from Spain)

Cote d'Ivoire
  7 August 1960 (from France)

Croatia
  25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)

Cuba
  20 May 1902 (from Spain 10 December 1898; administered by the
  US from 1898 to 1902); not acknowledged by the Cuban Government as a
  day of independence

Cyprus
  16 August 1960 (from the UK); note - Turkish Cypriots
  proclaimed self-rule on 13 February 1975 and independence in 1983,
  but these proclamations are only recognized by Turkey

Czech Republic
  1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech
  Republic and Slovakia)

Denmark
  first organized as a unified state in 10th century; in 1849
  became a constitutional monarchy

Djibouti
  27 June 1977 (from France)

Dominica
  3 November 1978 (from the UK)

Dominican Republic
  27 February 1844 (from Haiti)

Ecuador
  24 May 1822 (from Spain)

Egypt
  28 February 1922 (from the UK)

El Salvador
  15 September 1821 (from Spain)

Equatorial Guinea
  12 October 1968 (from Spain)

Eritrea
  24 May 1993 (from Ethiopia)

Estonia
  20 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

Ethiopia
  oldest independent country in Africa and one of the oldest
  in the world - at least 2,000 years

European Union
  7 February 1992 (Maastricht Treaty signed
  establishing the EU); 1 November 1993 (Maastricht Treaty entered
  into force)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  none (overseas territory of the
  UK; also claimed by Argentina)

Faroe Islands
  none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing
  overseas administrative division of Denmark)

Fiji
  10 October 1970 (from the UK)

Finland
  6 December 1917 (from Russia)

France
  486 (Frankish tribes unified); 843 (Western Francia
  established from the division of the Carolingian Empire)

French Polynesia
  none (overseas lands of France)

Gabon
  17 August 1960 (from France)

Gambia, The
  18 February 1965 (from the UK)

Georgia
  9 April 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

Germany
  18 January 1871 (German Empire unification); divided into
  four zones of occupation (UK, US, USSR, and later, France) in 1945
  following World War II; Federal Republic of Germany (FRG or West
  Germany) proclaimed 23 May 1949 and included the former UK, US, and
  French zones; German Democratic Republic (GDR or East Germany)
  proclaimed 7 October 1949 and included the former USSR zone; West
  Germany and East Germany unified 3 October 1990; all four powers
  formally relinquished rights 15 March 1991

Ghana
  6 March 1957 (from the UK)

Gibraltar
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Greece
  1829 (from the Ottoman Empire)

Greenland
  none (extensive self-rule as part of the Kingdom of
  Denmark; foreign affairs is the responsibility of Denmark, but
  Greenland actively participates in international agreements relating
  to Greenland)

Grenada
  7 February 1974 (from the UK)

Guam
  none (territory of the US)

Guatemala
  15 September 1821 (from Spain)

Guernsey
  none (British crown dependency)

Guinea
  2 October 1958 (from France)

Guinea-Bissau
  24 September 1973 (declared); 10 September 1974 (from
  Portugal)

Guyana
  26 May 1966 (from the UK)

Haiti
  1 January 1804 (from France)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  11 February 1929 (from Italy); note - the
  three treaties signed with Italy on 11 February 1929 acknowledged,
  among other things, the full sovereignty of the Vatican and
  established its territorial extent; however, the origin of the Papal
  States, which over the years have varied considerably in extent, may
  be traced back to the 8th century

Honduras
  15 September 1821 (from Spain)

Hong Kong
  none (special administrative region of China)

Hungary
  25 December 1000 (crowning of King STEPHEN I, traditional
  founding date)

Iceland
  1 December 1918 (became a sovereign state under the Danish
  Crown); 17 June 1944 (from Denmark)

India
  15 August 1947 (from the UK)

Indonesia
  17 August 1945 (declared); 27 December 1949 (by the
  Netherlands)
  note: in August 2005, the Netherlands announced it recognized de
  facto Indonesian independence on 17 August 1945

Iran
  1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed)

Iraq
  3 October 1932 (from League of Nations mandate under British
  administration); note - on 28 June 2004 the Coalition Provisional
  Authority transferred sovereignty to the Iraqi-controlled Government

Ireland
  6 December 1921 (from the UK by treaty)

Isle of Man
  none (British crown dependency)

Israel
  14 May 1948 (from League of Nations mandate under British
  administration)

Italy
  17 March 1861 (Kingdom of Italy proclaimed; Italy was not
  finally unified until 1870)

Jamaica
  6 August 1962 (from the UK)

Japan
  660 B.C. (traditional date of the founding of the nation by
  Emperor JIMMU; first recognized by Emperor Meiji in 1873)

Jersey
  none (British crown dependency)

Jordan
  25 May 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under British
  administration)

Kazakhstan
  16 December 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

Kenya
  12 December 1963 (from the UK)

Kiribati
  12 July 1979 (from the UK)

Korea, North
  15 August 1945 (from Japan)

Korea, South
  15 August 1945 (from Japan)

Kosovo
  17 February 2008 (from Serbia)

Kuwait
  19 June 1961 (from the UK)

Kyrgyzstan
  31 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

Laos
  19 July 1949 (from France)

Latvia
  18 November 1918 (from the Soviet Russia)

Lebanon
  22 November 1943 (from League of Nations mandate under
  French administration)

Lesotho
  4 October 1966 (from the UK)

Liberia
  26 July 1847

Libya
  24 December 1951 (from UN trusteeship)

Liechtenstein
  23 January 1719 (Principality of Liechtenstein
  established); 12 July 1806 (independence from the Holy Roman Empire)

Lithuania
  11 March 1990 (declared); 6 September 1991 (recognized by
  the Soviet Union)

Luxembourg
  1839 (from the Netherlands)

Macau
  none (special administrative region of China)

Macedonia
  8 September 1991 (referendum by registered voters endorsed
  independence from Yugoslavia)

Madagascar
  26 June 1960 (from France)

Malawi
  6 July 1964 (from the UK)

Malaysia
  31 August 1957 (from the UK)

Maldives
  26 July 1965 (from the UK)

Mali
  22 September 1960 (from France)

Malta
  21 September 1964 (from the UK)

Marshall Islands 21 October 1986 (from the US-administered UN trusteeship)

Mauritania
  28 November 1960 (from France)

Mauritius
  12 March 1968 (from the UK)

Mayotte
  none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)

Mexico
  16 September 1810 (declared); 27 September 1821 (recognized
  by Spain)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  3 November 1986 (from the
  US-administered UN trusteeship)

Moldova
  27 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

Monaco
  1419 (beginning of rule by the House of Grimaldi)

Mongolia
  11 July 1921 (from China)

Montenegro
  3 June 2006 (from Serbia and Montenegro)

Montserrat
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Morocco
  2 March 1956 (from France)

Mozambique
  25 June 1975 (from Portugal)

Namibia
  21 March 1990 (from South African mandate)

Nauru
  31 January 1968 (from the Australia-, NZ-, and UK-administered
  UN trusteeship)

Nepal
  1768 (unified by Prithvi Narayan SHAH)

Netherlands
  23 January 1579 (the northern provinces of the Low
  Countries conclude the Union of Utrecht breaking with Spain; on 26
  July 1581 they formally declared their independence with an Act of
  Abjuration; however, it was not until 30 January 1648 and the Peace
  of Westphalia that Spain recognized this independence)

Netherlands Antilles
  none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

New Caledonia
  none (overseas territory of France); note - a
  referendum on independence was held in 1998 but did not pass; a new
  referendum is scheduled for 2014

New Zealand
  26 September 1907 (from the UK)

Nicaragua
  15 September 1821 (from Spain)

Niger
  3 August 1960 (from France)

Nigeria
  1 October 1960 (from the UK)

Niue
  on 19 October 1974, Niue became a self-governing parliamentary
  government in free association with New Zealand

Norfolk Island
  none (territory of Australia)

Northern Mariana Islands
  none (commonwealth in political union with
  the US)

Norway
  7 June 1905 (Norway declared the union with Sweden
  dissolved); 26 October 1905 (Sweden agreed to the repeal of the
  union)

Oman
  1650 (expulsion of the Portuguese)

Pakistan
  14 August 1947 (from British India)

Palau
  1 October 1994 (from the US-administered UN trusteeship)

Panama
  3 November 1903 (from Colombia; became independent from Spain
  28 November 1821)

Papua New Guinea
  16 September 1975 (from the Australian-administered
  UN trusteeship)

Paraguay
  14 May 1811 (from Spain)

Peru
  28 July 1821 (from Spain)

Philippines
  12 June 1898 (independence proclaimed from Spain); 4
  July 1946 (from the US)

Pitcairn Islands
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Poland
  11 November 1918 (republic proclaimed)

Portugal
  1143 (Kingdom of Portugal recognized); 5 October 1910
  (republic proclaimed)

Puerto Rico
  none (territory of the US with commonwealth status)

Qatar
  3 September 1971 (from the UK)

Romania
  9 May 1877 (independence proclaimed from the Ottoman Empire;
  independence recognized 13 July 1878 by the Treaty of Berlin); 26
  March 1881 (kingdom proclaimed); 30 December 1947 (republic
  proclaimed)

Russia
  24 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

Rwanda
  1 July 1962 (from Belgium-administered UN trusteeship)

Saint Barthelemy
  none (overseas collectivity of France)

Saint Helena
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  19 September 1983 (from the UK)

Saint Lucia
  22 February 1979 (from the UK)

Saint Martin
  none (overseas collectivity of France)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon none (territorial collectivity of France; has been under French control since 1763)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  27 October 1979 (from the UK)

Samoa
  1 January 1962 (from New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship)

San Marino
  3 September 301

Sao Tome and Principe
  12 July 1975 (from Portugal)

Saudi Arabia
  23 September 1932 (unification of the kingdom)

Senegal
  4 April 1960 (from France); note - complete independence
  achieved upon dissolution of federation with Mali on 20 August 1960

Serbia
  5 June 2006 (from Serbia and Montenegro)

Seychelles
  29 June 1976 (from the UK)

Sierra Leone
  27 April 1961 (from the UK)

Singapore
  9 August 1965 (from Malaysian Federation)

Slovakia
  1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech
  Republic and Slovakia)

Slovenia
  25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)

Solomon Islands
  7 July 1978 (from the UK)

Somalia
  1 July 1960 (from a merger of British Somaliland, which
  became independent from the UK on 26 June 1960, and Italian
  Somaliland, which became independent from the Italian-administered
  UN trusteeship on 1 July 1960, to form the Somali Republic)

South Africa
  31 May 1910 (Union of South Africa formed from four
  British colonies: Cape Colony, Natal, Transvaal, and Orange Free
  State); 31 May 1961 (republic declared) 27 April 1994 (majority rule)

Spain
  1492; the Iberian peninsula was characterized by a variety of
  independent kingdoms prior to the Muslim occupation that began in
  the early 8th century A.D. and lasted nearly seven centuries; the
  small Christian redoubts of the north began the reconquest almost
  immediately, culminating in the seizure of Granada in 1492; this
  event completed the unification of several kingdoms and is
  traditionally considered the forging of present-day Spain

Sri Lanka
  4 February 1948 (from the UK)

Sudan
  1 January 1956 (from Egypt and the UK)

Suriname
  25 November 1975 (from the Netherlands)

Svalbard
  none (territory of Norway)

Swaziland
  6 September 1968 (from the UK)

Sweden
  6 June 1523 (Gustav VASA elected king)

Switzerland
  1 August 1291 (founding of the Swiss Confederation)

Syria
  17 April 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under French
  administration)

Tajikistan
  9 September 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

Tanzania
  26 April 1964; Tanganyika became independent 9 December
  1961 (from UK-administered UN trusteeship); Zanzibar became
  independent 19 December 1963 (from UK); Tanganyika united with
  Zanzibar 26 April 1964 to form the United Republic of Tanganyika and
  Zanzibar; renamed United Republic of Tanzania 29 October 1964

Thailand
  1238 (traditional founding date; never colonized)

Timor-Leste
  28 November 1975 (independence proclaimed from
  Portugal); note - 20 May 2002 is the official date of international
  recognition of Timor-Leste's independence from Indonesia

Togo
  27 April 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship)

Tokelau
  none (territory of New Zealand)

Tonga
  4 June 1970 (from UK protectorate)

Trinidad and Tobago
  31 August 1962 (from the UK)

Tunisia
  20 March 1956 (from France)

Turkey
  29 October 1923 (successor state to the Ottoman Empire)

Turkmenistan
  27 October 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Tuvalu
  1 October 1978 (from the UK)

Uganda
  9 October 1962 (from the UK)

Ukraine
  24 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

United Arab Emirates
  2 December 1971 (from the UK)

United Kingdom
  1927; England has existed as a unified entity since
  the 10th century; the union between England and Wales, begun in 1284
  with the Statute of Rhuddlan, was not formalized until 1536 with an
  Act of Union; in another Act of Union in 1707, England and Scotland
  agreed to permanently join as Great Britain; the legislative union
  of Great Britain and Ireland was implemented in 1801, with the
  adoption of the name the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
  Ireland; the Anglo-Irish treaty of 1921 formalized a partition of
  Ireland; six northern Irish counties remained part of the United
  Kingdom as Northern Ireland and the current name of the country, the
  United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, was adopted in
  1927

United States
  4 July 1776 (from Great Britain)

Uruguay
  25 August 1825 (from Brazil)

Uzbekistan
  1 September 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

Vanuatu
  30 July 1980 (from France and the UK)

Venezuela
  5 July 1811 (from Spain)

Vietnam
  2 September 1945 (from France)

Virgin Islands
  none (territory of the US)

Wallis and Futuna
  none (overseas territory of France)

Yemen
  22 May 1990 (Republic of Yemen was established with the merger
  of the Yemen Arab Republic [Yemen (Sanaa) or North Yemen] and the
  Marxist-dominated People's Democratic Republic of Yemen [Yemen
  (Aden) or South Yemen]); note - previously North Yemen became
  independent in November 1918 (from the Ottoman Empire) and became a
  republic with the overthrow of the theocratic Imamate in 1962; South
  Yemen became independent on 30 November 1967 (from the UK)

Zambia
  24 October 1964 (from the UK)

Zimbabwe
  18 April 1980 (from the UK)

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

@2089

Field Listing :: Industrial production growth rate

  This entry gives the annual percentage increase in industrial
  production (includes manufacturing, mining, and construction).
  Country Comparison to the World
  Country

Industrial production growth rate(%)

Afghanistan
  NA%

Albania
  3% (2008 est.)

Algeria
  3.2% (2008 est.)

American Samoa
  NA%

Andorra
  NA%

Angola
  14.3% (2008 est.)

Anguilla
  NA

Antigua and Barbuda
  NA%

Argentina
  4.3% (2008 est.)

Armenia
  2.4% (2008 est.)

Aruba
  NA%

Australia
  3% (2008 est.)

Austria
  2.4% (2008 est.)

Azerbaijan
  6% (2008 est.)

Bahamas, The
  NA%

Bahrain
  6.3% (2008 est.)

Bangladesh
  6.9% (2008 est.)

Barbados
  -3.2% (2000 est.)

Belarus
  12% (2008 est.)

Belgium
  2% (2008 est.)

Belize
  1.8% (2008 est.)

Benin
  3.5% (2008 est.)

Bermuda
  NA%

Bhutan
  NA

Bolivia
  10.6% (2008 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  11.6% (2008 est.)

Botswana
  -2.4% (2008 est.)

Brazil
  4.3% (2008 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  NA%

Brunei
  1.8% (2006 est.)

Bulgaria
  1.5% (2008 est.)

Burkina Faso
  4.5% (2008 est.)

Burma
  7.8% (2008 est.)

Burundi
  5% (2008 est.)

Cambodia
  8% (2008 est.)

Cameroon
  4.2% (2008 est.)

Canada
  -2.8% (2008 est.)

Cape Verde
  5% (2008 est.)

Cayman Islands
  NA%

Central African Republic
  3% (2002)

Chad
  2% (2008 est.)

Chile
  0.7% (2008 est.)

China
  9.3% (2008 est.)

Colombia
  0.8% (2008 est.)

Comoros
  -2% (1999 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  NA%

Congo, Republic of the
  7% (2008 est.)

Cook Islands
  1% (2002)

Costa Rica
  -1.1% (2008 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  3% (2008 est.)

Croatia
  1.7% (2008 est.)

Cuba
  1.9% (2008 est.)

Cyprus
  4.1% (2008 est.)

Czech Republic
  3.8% (2008 est.)

Denmark
  -3% (2008 est.)

Dominica
  NA

Dominican Republic
  1.3% (2008 est.)

Ecuador
  5.5% (2008 est.)

Egypt
  6.1% (2008 est.)

El Salvador
  1.5% (2008 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  11.3% (2008 est.)

Eritrea
  2% (2008 est.)

Estonia
  -4.8% (2008 est.)

Ethiopia
  10.4% (2008 est.)

European Union
  -0.6% (2008 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  NA%

Faroe Islands
  8% (1999 est.)

Fiji
  NA%

Finland
  0.4% (2008 est.)

France
  -1.8% (2008 est.)

French Polynesia
  NA%

Gabon
  1% (2008 est.)

Gambia, The
  0.3% (2008 est.)

Gaza Strip
  2.4% (includes West Bank) (2005)

Georgia
  -1% (2008 est.)

Germany
  0.1% (2008 est.)

Ghana
  8.1% (2008 est.)

Gibraltar
  NA%

Greece
  3.2% (2008 est.)

Greenland
  NA%

Guam
  NA%

Guatemala
  1.4% (2008 est.)

Guernsey
  NA%

Guinea
  7% (2008 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  4.7% (2003 est.)

Guyana
  2.4% (2008 est.)

Haiti
  0% (2008 est.)

Honduras
  4.4% (2008 est.)

Hong Kong
  -1.2% (2008 est.)

Hungary
  -1% (2008 est.)

Iceland
  0% (2008 est.)

India
  4.8% (2008 est.)

Indonesia
  3.7% (2008 est.)

Iran
  4.5% excluding oil (2008 est.)

Iraq
  10.5% (2008 est.)

Ireland
  5% (2007 est.)

Israel
  3.5% (2008 est.)

Italy
  -2.8% (2008 est.)

Jamaica
  -0.5% (2008 est.)

Japan
  -2% (2008 est.)

Jersey
  NA%

Jordan
  5.7% (2008 est.)

Kazakhstan
  2.4% (2008 est.)

Kenya
  4.8% (2008 est.)

Kiribati
  NA

Korea, North
  NA%

Korea, South
  2.2% (2008 est.)

Kuwait
  8% (2008 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  10.7% (2008 est.)

Laos
  11% (2008 est.)

Latvia
  -4.5% (2008 est.)

Lebanon
  NA%

Lesotho
  10% (2008 est.)

Liberia
  NA%

Libya
  6.2% (2008 est.)

Liechtenstein
  NA%

Lithuania
  1.5% (2008 est.)

Luxembourg
  1.7% (2007 est.)

Macau
  NA

Macedonia
  4% (2008 est.)

Madagascar
  3% (2008 est.)

Malawi
  4% (2008 est.)

Malaysia
  1% (2008 est.)

Maldives
  -0.9% (2004 est.)

Mali
  NA%

Malta
  NA%

Marshall Islands
  NA%

Mauritania
  2% (2000 est.)

Mauritius
  5% (2008 est.)

Mayotte
  NA%

Mexico
  -0.7% (2008 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  NA%

Moldova
  -1% (2008 est.)

Monaco
  NA%

Mongolia
  3% (2006 est.)

Montserrat
  NA%

Morocco
  4.7% (2008 est.)

Mozambique
  9% (2008 est.)

Namibia
  0.8% (2008 est.)

Nauru
  NA%

Nepal
  1.8% (FY08)

Netherlands
  2.9% (2008 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  NA%

New Zealand
  -2.2% (2008 est.)

Nicaragua
  3% (2008 est.)

Niger
  5.1% (2003 est.)

Nigeria
  2.8% (2008 est.)

Niue
  NA%

Northern Mariana Islands
  NA%

Norway
  -0.2% (2008 est.)

Oman
  3.5% (2008 est.)

Pakistan
  4.6% (2008 est.)

Palau
  NA%

Panama
  14.2% (2008 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  5.6% (2008 est.)

Paraguay
  4% (2008 est.)

Peru
  8% (2008 est.)

Philippines
  5% (2008 est.)

Poland
  4.8% (2008 est.)

Portugal
  -2.2% (2008 est.)

Puerto Rico
  NA%

Qatar
  13% (2008 est.)

Romania
  7.1% (2008 est.)

Russia
  3.5% (2008 est.)

Rwanda
  7.5% (2008 est.)

Saint Helena
  NA%

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  NA%

Saint Lucia
  NA

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  NA%

Samoa
  2.8% (2000)

San Marino
  3.1% (2007)

Sao Tome and Principe
  9.5% (2008 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  2.4% (2008 est.)

Senegal
  4.5% (2008 est.)

Serbia
  1.8% (2007 est.)

Seychelles
  2% (2008 est.)

Sierra Leone
  NA%

Singapore
  -0.8% (2008 est.)

Slovakia
  -3.7% (2008 est.)

Slovenia
  1.7% (2008 est.)

Solomon Islands
  NA%

Somalia
  NA%

South Africa
  1% (2008 est.)

Spain
  -2.3% (2008 est.)

Sri Lanka
  5.9% (2008 est.)

Sudan
  0.1% (2008 est.)

Suriname
  6.5% (1994 est.)

Swaziland
  1.1% (2008 est.)

Sweden
  -1.8% (2008 est.)

Switzerland
  6.5% (2006 est.)

Syria
  2.3% (2008 est.)

Taiwan
  -1.2% (2008 est.)

Tajikistan
  -4% (2008 est.)

Tanzania
  9.1% (2008 est.)

Thailand
  3.4% (2008 est.)

Timor-Leste
  8.5% (2004 est.)

Togo
  3% (2008 est.)

Tonga
  1% (2003 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  4.1% (2008 est.)

Tunisia
  2.7% (2008 est.)

Turkey
  -0.6% (2008 est.)

Turkmenistan
  -1.5% (2008 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  NA%

Tuvalu
  NA%

Uganda
  7% (2008 est.)

Ukraine
  -5% (2008 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  6.7% (2008 est.)

United Kingdom
  -2% (2008 est.)

United States
  -2% (2008 est.)

Uruguay
  8% (2008 est.)

Uzbekistan
  12.7% (2008 est.)

Venezuela
  2.5% (2008 est.)

Vietnam
  6.3% (2008 est.)

Virgin Islands
  NA%

Wallis and Futuna
  NA%

West Bank
  2.4% (includes Gaza Strip) (2005)

Western Sahara
  NA%

World
  3.2% (2008 est.)

Yemen
  2.8% (2008 est.)

Zambia
  6% (2008 est.)

Zimbabwe
  -14.7% (2008 est.)

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

@2090

Field Listing :: Industries

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

Industries

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

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

Algeria
  petroleum, natural gas, light industries, mining,
  electrical, petrochemical, food processing

American Samoa
  tuna canneries (largely supplied by foreign fishing
  vessels), handicrafts

Andorra
  tourism (particularly skiing), cattle raising, timber,
  banking, tobacco, furniture

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

Anguilla
  tourism, boat building, offshore financial services

Antigua and Barbuda
  tourism, construction, light manufacturing
  (clothing, alcohol, household appliances)

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

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

Aruba
  tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining

Australia
  mining, industrial and transportation equipment, food
  processing, chemicals, steel

Austria
  construction, machinery, vehicles and parts, food, metals,
  chemicals, lumber and wood processing, paper and paperboard,
  communications equipment, tourism

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

Bahamas, The
  tourism, banking, cement, oil transshipment, salt, rum,
  aragonite, pharmaceuticals, spiral-welded steel pipe

Bahrain
  petroleum processing and refining, aluminum smelting, iron
  pelletization, fertilizers, Islamic and offshore banking, insurance,
  ship repairing, tourism

Bangladesh
  cotton textiles, jute, garments, tea processing, paper
  newsprint, cement, chemical fertilizer, light engineering, sugar

Barbados
  tourism, sugar, light manufacturing, component assembly for
  export

Belarus
  metal-cutting machine tools, tractors, trucks, earthmovers,
  motorcycles, televisions, synthetic fibers, fertilizer, textiles,
  radios, refrigerators

Belgium
  engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly,
  transportation equipment, scientific instruments, processed food and
  beverages, chemicals, basic metals, textiles, glass, petroleum

Belize
  garment production, food processing, tourism, construction,
  oil

Benin
  textiles, food processing, construction materials, cement

Bermuda
  international business, tourism, light manufacturing

Bhutan
  cement, wood products, processed fruits, alcoholic beverages,
  calcium carbide, tourism

Bolivia
  mining, smelting, petroleum, food and beverages, tobacco,
  handicrafts, clothing

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  steel, coal, iron ore, lead, zinc, manganese,
  bauxite, vehicle assembly, textiles, tobacco products, wooden
  furniture, tank and aircraft assembly, domestic appliances, oil
  refining

Botswana
  diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash; livestock
  processing; textiles

Brazil
  textiles, shoes, chemicals, cement, lumber, iron ore, tin,
  steel, aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, other machinery and
  equipment

British Virgin Islands
  tourism, light industry, construction, rum,
  concrete block, offshore financial center

Brunei
  petroleum, petroleum refining, liquefied natural gas,
  construction

Bulgaria
  electricity, gas, water; food, beverages, tobacco;
  machinery and equipment, base metals, chemical products, coke,
  refined petroleum, nuclear fuel

Burkina Faso
  cotton lint, beverages, agricultural processing, soap,
  cigarettes, textiles, gold

Burma
  agricultural processing; wood and wood products; copper, tin,
  tungsten, iron; cement, construction materials; pharmaceuticals;
  fertilizer; oil and natural gas; garments, jade and gems

Burundi
  light consumer goods such as blankets, shoes, soap; assembly
  of imported components; public works construction; food processing

Cambodia
  tourism, garments, construction, rice milling, fishing,
  wood and wood products, rubber, cement, gem mining, textiles

Cameroon
  petroleum production and refining, aluminum production,
  food processing, light consumer goods, textiles, lumber, ship repair

Canada
  transportation equipment, chemicals, processed and
  unprocessed minerals, food products, wood and paper products, fish
  products, petroleum and natural gas

Cape Verde
  food and beverages, fish processing, shoes and garments,
  salt mining, ship repair

Cayman Islands
  tourism, banking, insurance and finance,
  construction, construction materials, furniture

Central African Republic
  gold and diamond mining, logging, brewing,
  textiles, footwear, assembly of bicycles and motorcycles

Chad
  oil, cotton textiles, meatpacking, brewing, natron (sodium
  carbonate), soap, cigarettes, construction materials

Chile
  copper, other minerals, foodstuffs, fish processing, iron and
  steel, wood and wood products, transport equipment, cement, textiles

China
  mining and ore processing, iron, steel, aluminum, and other
  metals, coal; machine building; armaments; textiles and apparel;
  petroleum; cement; chemicals; fertilizers; consumer products,
  including footwear, toys, and electronics; food processing;
  transportation equipment, including automobiles, rail cars and
  locomotives, ships, and aircraft; telecommunications equipment,
  commercial space launch vehicles, satellites

Christmas Island
  tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  copra products and tourism

Colombia
  textiles, food processing, oil, clothing and footwear,
  beverages, chemicals, cement; gold, coal, emeralds

Comoros
  fishing, tourism, perfume distillation

Congo, Democratic Republic of the mining (diamonds, gold, copper, cobalt, coltan, zinc), mineral processing, consumer products (including textiles, footwear, cigarettes, processed foods and beverages), cement, commercial ship repair

Congo, Republic of the
  petroleum extraction, cement, lumber,
  brewing, sugar, palm oil, soap, flour, cigarettes

Cook Islands
  fruit processing, tourism, fishing, clothing,
  handicrafts

Costa Rica
  microprocessors, food processing, medical equipment,
  textiles and clothing, construction materials, fertilizer, plastic
  products

Cote d'Ivoire
  foodstuffs, beverages; wood products, oil refining,
  truck and bus assembly, textiles, fertilizer, building materials,
  electricity, ship construction and repair

Croatia
  chemicals and plastics, machine tools, fabricated metal,
  electronics, pig iron and rolled steel products, aluminum, paper,
  wood products, construction materials, textiles, shipbuilding,
  petroleum and petroleum refining, food and beverages, tourism

Cuba
  sugar, petroleum, tobacco, construction, nickel, steel, cement,
  agricultural machinery, pharmaceuticals

Cyprus
  tourism, food and beverage processing, cement and gypsum
  production, ship repair and refurbishment, textiles, light
  chemicals, metal products, wood, paper, stone, and clay products

Czech Republic
  motor vehicles, metallurgy, machinery and equipment,
  glass, armaments

Denmark
  iron, steel, nonferrous metals, chemicals, food processing,
  machinery and transportation equipment, textiles and clothing,
  electronics, construction, furniture and other wood products,
  shipbuilding and refurbishment, windmills, pharmaceuticals, medical
  equipment

Dhekelia
  none

Djibouti
  construction, agricultural processing

Dominica
  soap, coconut oil, tourism, copra, furniture, cement
  blocks, shoes

Dominican Republic
  tourism, sugar processing, ferronickel and gold
  mining, textiles, cement, tobacco

Ecuador
  petroleum, food processing, textiles, wood products,
  chemicals

Egypt
  textiles, food processing, tourism, chemicals,
  pharmaceuticals, hydrocarbons, construction, cement, metals, light
  manufactures

El Salvador
  food processing, beverages, petroleum, chemicals,
  fertilizer, textiles, furniture, light metals

Equatorial Guinea
  petroleum, fishing, sawmilling, natural gas

Eritrea
  food processing, beverages, clothing and textiles, light
  manufacturing, salt, cement

Estonia
  engineering, electronics, wood and wood products, textiles;
  information technology, telecommunications

Ethiopia
  food processing, beverages, textiles, leather, chemicals,
  metals processing, cement

European Union
  among the world's largest and most technologically
  advanced, the EU industrial base includes: ferrous and non-ferrous
  metal production and processing, metal products, petroleum, coal,
  cement, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, aerospace, rail transportation
  equipment, passenger and commercial vehicles, construction
  equipment, industrial equipment, shipbuilding, electrical power
  equipment, machine tools and automated manufacturing systems,
  electronics and telecommunications equipment, fishing, food and
  beverage processing, furniture, paper, textiles, tourism

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  fish and wool processing; tourism

Faroe Islands
  fishing, fish processing, small ship repair and
  refurbishment, handicrafts

Fiji
  tourism, sugar, clothing, copra, gold, silver, lumber, small
  cottage industries

Finland
  metals and metal products, electronics, machinery and
  scientific instruments, shipbuilding, pulp and paper, foodstuffs,
  chemicals, textiles, clothing

France
  machinery, chemicals, automobiles, metallurgy, aircraft,
  electronics; textiles, food processing; tourism

French Polynesia
  tourism, pearls, agricultural processing,
  handicrafts, phosphates

Gabon
  petroleum extraction and refining; manganese, gold; chemicals,
  ship repair, food and beverages, textiles, lumbering and plywood,
  cement

Gambia, The
  processing peanuts, fish, and hides; tourism, beverages,
  agricultural machinery assembly, woodworking, metalworking, clothing

Gaza Strip
  textiles, food processing

Georgia
  steel, aircraft, machine tools, electrical appliances,
  mining (manganese and copper), chemicals, wood products, wine

Germany
  among the world's largest and most technologically advanced
  producers of iron, steel, coal, cement, chemicals, machinery,
  vehicles, machine tools, electronics, food and beverages,
  shipbuilding, textiles

Ghana
  mining, lumbering, light manufacturing, aluminum smelting,
  food processing, cement, small commercial ship building

Gibraltar
  tourism, banking and finance, ship repairing, tobacco

Greece
  tourism, food and tobacco processing, textiles, chemicals,
  metal products; mining, petroleum

Greenland
  fish processing (mainly shrimp and Greenland halibut);
  gold, niobium, tantalite, uranium, iron and diamond mining;
  handicrafts, hides and skins, small shipyards

Grenada
  food and beverages, textiles, light assembly operations,
  tourism, construction

Guam
  US military, tourism, construction, transshipment services,
  concrete products, printing and publishing, food processing, textiles

Guatemala
  sugar, textiles and clothing, furniture, chemicals,
  petroleum, metals, rubber, tourism

Guernsey
  tourism, banking

Guinea
  bauxite, gold, diamonds, iron; alumina refining; light
  manufacturing, and agricultural processing

Guinea-Bissau
  agricultural products processing, beer, soft drinks

Guyana
  bauxite, sugar, rice milling, timber, textiles, gold mining

Haiti
  sugar refining, flour milling, textiles, cement, light
  assembly based on imported parts

Holy See (Vatican City) printing; production of coins, medals, postage stamps; mosaics and staff uniforms; worldwide banking and financial activities

Honduras
  sugar, coffee, textiles, clothing, wood products

Hong Kong
  textiles, clothing, tourism, banking, shipping,
  electronics, plastics, toys, watches, clocks

Hungary
  mining, metallurgy, construction materials, processed foods,
  textiles, chemicals (especially pharmaceuticals), motor vehicles

Iceland
  fish processing; aluminum smelting, ferrosilicon production;
  geothermal power, tourism

India
  textiles, chemicals, food processing, steel, transportation
  equipment, cement, mining, petroleum, machinery, software

Indonesia
  petroleum and natural gas, textiles, apparel, footwear,
  mining, cement, chemical fertilizers, plywood, rubber, food, tourism

Iran
  petroleum, petrochemicals, fertilizers, caustic soda, textiles,
  cement and other construction materials, food processing
  (particularly sugar refining and vegetable oil production), ferrous
  and non-ferrous metal fabrication, armaments

Iraq
  petroleum, chemicals, textiles, leather, construction
  materials, food processing, fertilizer, metal fabrication/processing

Ireland
  steel, lead, zinc, silver, aluminum, barite, and gypsum
  mining processing; food products, brewing, textiles, clothing;
  chemicals, pharmaceuticals; machinery, rail transportation
  equipment; glass and crystal; software, tourism

Isle of Man
  financial services, light manufacturing, tourism

Israel
  high-technology projects (including aviation, communications,
  computer-aided design and manufactures, medical electronics, fiber
  optics), wood and paper products, potash and phosphates, food,
  beverages, and tobacco, caustic soda, cement, construction, metals
  products, chemical products, plastics, diamond cutting, textiles,
  footwear

Italy
  tourism, machinery, iron and steel, chemicals, food
  processing, textiles, motor vehicles, clothing, footwear, ceramics

Jamaica
  tourism, bauxite/alumina, agro processing, light
  manufactures, rum, cement, metal, paper, chemical products,
  telecommunications

Japan
  among world's largest and technologically advanced producers
  of motor vehicles, electronic equipment, machine tools, steel and
  nonferrous metals, ships, chemicals, textiles, processed foods

Jersey
  tourism, banking and finance, dairy, electronics

Jordan
  clothing, fertilizers, potash, phosphate mining,
  pharmaceuticals, petroleum refining, cement, inorganic chemicals,
  light manufacturing, tourism

Kazakhstan
  oil, coal, iron ore, manganese, chromite, lead, zinc,
  copper, titanium, bauxite, gold, silver, phosphates, sulfur, iron
  and steel; tractors and other agricultural machinery, electric
  motors, construction materials

Kenya
  small-scale consumer goods (plastic, furniture, batteries,
  textiles, clothing, soap, cigarettes, flour), agricultural products,
  horticulture, oil refining; aluminum, steel, lead; cement,
  commercial ship repair, tourism

Kiribati
  fishing, handicrafts

Korea, North
  military products; machine building, electric power,
  chemicals; mining (coal, iron ore, limestone, magnesite, graphite,
  copper, zinc, lead, and precious metals), metallurgy; textiles, food
  processing; tourism

Korea, South
  electronics, telecommunications, automobile production,
  chemicals, shipbuilding, steel

Kosovo
  mineral mining, construction materials, base metals, leather,
  machinery, appliances

Kuwait
  petroleum, petrochemicals, cement, shipbuilding and repair,
  water desalination, food processing, construction materials

Kyrgyzstan
  small machinery, textiles, food processing, cement,
  shoes, sawn logs, refrigerators, furniture, electric motors, gold,
  rare earth metals

Laos
  copper, tin, gold, and gypsum mining; timber, electric power,
  agricultural processing, construction, garments, cement, tourism

Latvia
  buses, vans, street and railroad cars; synthetic fibers,
  agricultural machinery, fertilizers, washing machines, radios,
  electronics, pharmaceuticals, processed foods, textiles; note -
  dependent on imports for energy and raw materials

Lebanon
  banking, tourism, food processing, wine, jewelry, cement,
  textiles, mineral and chemical products, wood and furniture
  products, oil refining, metal fabricating

Lesotho
  food, beverages, textiles, apparel assembly, handicrafts,
  construction, tourism

Liberia
  rubber processing, palm oil processing, timber, diamonds

Libya
  petroleum, iron and steel, food processing, textiles,
  handicrafts, cement

Liechtenstein
  electronics, metal manufacturing, dental products,
  ceramics, pharmaceuticals, food products, precision instruments,
  tourism, optical instruments

Lithuania
  metal-cutting machine tools, electric motors, television
  sets, refrigerators and freezers, petroleum refining, shipbuilding
  (small ships), furniture making, textiles, food processing,
  fertilizers, agricultural machinery, optical equipment, electronic
  components, computers, amber jewelry

Luxembourg
  banking and financial services, iron and steel,
  information technology, telecommunications, cargo transportation,
  food processing, chemicals, metal products, engineering, tires,
  glass, aluminum, tourism

Macau
  tourism, gambling, clothing, textiles, electronics, footwear,
  toys

Macedonia
  food processing, beverages, textiles, chemicals, iron,
  steel, cement, energy, pharmaceuticals

Madagascar
  meat processing, seafood, soap, breweries, tanneries,
  sugar, textiles, glassware, cement, automobile assembly plant,
  paper, petroleum, tourism

Malawi
  tobacco, tea, sugar, sawmill products, cement, consumer goods

Malaysia
  Peninsular Malaysia - rubber and oil palm processing and
  manufacturing, light manufacturing, electronics, tin mining and
  smelting, logging, timber processing; Sabah - logging, petroleum
  production; Sarawak - agriculture processing, petroleum production
  and refining, logging

Maldives
  tourism, fish processing, shipping, boat building, coconut
  processing, garments, woven mats, rope, handicrafts, coral and sand
  mining

Mali
  food processing; construction; phosphate and gold mining

Malta
  tourism, electronics, ship building and repair, construction,
  food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, footwear, clothing, tobacco

Marshall Islands
  copra, tuna processing, tourism, craft items (from
  seashells, wood, and pearls)

Mauritania
  fish processing, oil production, mining of iron ore,
  gold, and copper; gypsum deposits have never been exploited

Mauritius
  food processing (largely sugar milling), textiles,
  clothing, mining, chemicals, metal products, transport equipment,
  nonelectrical machinery, tourism

Mayotte
  newly created lobster and shrimp industry, construction

Mexico
  food and beverages, tobacco, chemicals, iron and steel,
  petroleum, mining, textiles, clothing, motor vehicles, consumer
  durables, tourism

Micronesia, Federated States of
  tourism, construction; fish
  processing, specialized aquaculture; craft items (from shell, wood,
  and pearls)

Moldova
  sugar, vegetable oil, food processing, agricultural
  machinery; foundry equipment, refrigerators and freezers, washing
  machines; hosiery, shoes, textiles

Monaco
  tourism, construction, small-scale industrial and consumer
  products

Mongolia
  construction and construction materials; mining (coal,
  copper, molybdenum, fluorspar, tin, tungsten, and gold); oil; food
  and beverages; processing of animal products, cashmere and natural
  fiber manufacturing

Montenegro
  steelmaking, aluminum, agricultural processing, consumer
  goods, tourism

Montserrat
  tourism, rum, textiles, electronic appliances

Morocco
  phosphate rock mining and processing, food processing,
  leather goods, textiles, construction, tourism

Mozambique
  food, beverages, chemicals (fertilizer, soap, paints),
  aluminum, petroleum products, textiles, cement, glass, asbestos,
  tobacco

Namibia
  meatpacking, fish processing, dairy products; mining
  (diamonds, lead, zinc, tin, silver, tungsten, uranium, copper)

Nauru
  phosphate mining, offshore banking, coconut products

Nepal
  tourism, carpets, textiles; small rice, jute, sugar, and
  oilseed mills; cigarettes, cement and brick production

Netherlands
  agroindustries, metal and engineering products,
  electrical machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum,
  construction, microelectronics, fishing

Netherlands Antilles
  tourism (Curacao, Sint Maarten, and Bonaire),
  petroleum refining (Curacao), petroleum transshipment facilities
  (Curacao and Bonaire), light manufacturing (Curacao)

New Caledonia
  nickel mining and smelting

New Zealand
  food processing, wood and paper products, textiles,
  machinery, transportation equipment, banking and insurance, tourism,
  mining

Nicaragua
  food processing, chemicals, machinery and metal products,
  textiles, clothing, petroleum refining and distribution, beverages,
  footwear, wood

Niger
  uranium mining, cement, brick, soap, textiles, food
  processing, chemicals, slaughterhouses

Nigeria
  crude oil, coal, tin, columbite; palm oil, peanuts, cotton,
  rubber, wood; hides and skins, textiles, cement and other
  construction materials, food products, footwear, chemicals,
  fertilizer, printing, ceramics, steel, small commercial ship
  construction and repair

Niue
  tourism, handicrafts, food processing

Norfolk Island
  tourism, light industry, ready mixed concrete

Northern Mariana Islands
  banking, construction, fishing, garment,
  tourism, handicrafts

Norway
  petroleum and gas, food processing, shipbuilding, pulp and
  paper products, metals, chemicals, timber, mining, textiles, fishing

Oman
  crude oil production and refining, natural and liquefied
  natural gas (LNG) production; construction, cement, copper, steel,
  chemicals, optic fiber

Pakistan
  textiles and apparel, food processing, pharmaceuticals,
  construction materials, paper products, fertilizer, shrimp

Palau
  tourism, craft items (from shell, wood, pearls), construction,
  garment making

Panama
  construction, brewing, cement and other construction
  materials, sugar milling

Papua New Guinea
  copra crushing, palm oil processing, plywood
  production, wood chip production; mining of gold, silver, and
  copper; crude oil production, petroleum refining; construction,
  tourism

Paraguay
  sugar, cement, textiles, beverages, wood products, steel,
  metallurgic, electric power

Peru
  mining and refining of minerals; steel, metal fabrication;
  petroleum extraction and refining, natural gas; fishing and fish
  processing, textiles, clothing, food processing

Philippines
  electronics assembly, garments, footwear,
  pharmaceuticals, chemicals, wood products, food processing,
  petroleum refining, fishing

Pitcairn Islands
  postage stamps, handicrafts, beekeeping, honey

Poland
  machine building, iron and steel, coal mining, chemicals,
  shipbuilding, food processing, glass, beverages, textiles

Portugal
  textiles, clothing, footwear, wood and cork, paper,
  chemicals, auto-parts manufacturing, base metals, diary products,
  wine and other foods, porcelain and ceramics, glassware, technology,
  telecommunications; ship construction and refurbishment; tourism

Puerto Rico
  pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, food products,
  tourism

Qatar
  crude oil production and refining, ammonia, fertilizers,
  petrochemicals, steel reinforcing bars, cement, commercial ship
  repair

Romania
  electric machinery and equipment, textiles and footwear,
  light machinery and auto assembly, mining, timber, construction
  materials, metallurgy, chemicals, food processing, petroleum refining

Russia
  complete range of mining and extractive industries producing
  coal, oil, gas, chemicals, and metals; all forms of machine building
  from rolling mills to high-performance aircraft and space vehicles;
  defense industries including radar, missile production, and advanced
  electronic components, shipbuilding; road and rail transportation
  equipment; communications equipment; agricultural machinery,
  tractors, and construction equipment; electric power generating and
  transmitting equipment; medical and scientific instruments; consumer
  durables, textiles, foodstuffs, handicrafts

Rwanda
  cement, agricultural products, small-scale beverages, soap,
  furniture, shoes, plastic goods, textiles, cigarettes

Saint Helena
  construction, crafts (furniture, lacework, fancy
  woodwork), fishing, philatelic sales

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  tourism, cotton, salt, copra, clothing,
  footwear, beverages

Saint Lucia
  clothing, assembly of electronic components, beverages,
  corrugated cardboard boxes, tourism; lime processing, coconut
  processing

Saint Martin
  tourism, light industry and manufacturing, heavy
  industry

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  fish processing and supply base for
  fishing fleets; tourism

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  food processing, cement, furniture,
  clothing, starch

Samoa
  food processing, building materials, auto parts

San Marino
  tourism, banking, textiles, electronics, ceramics,
  cement, wine

Sao Tome and Principe
  light construction, textiles, soap, beer, fish
  processing, timber

Saudi Arabia
  crude oil production, petroleum refining, basic
  petrochemicals, ammonia, industrial gases, sodium hydroxide (caustic
  soda), cement, fertilizer, plastics, metals, commercial ship repair,
  commercial aircraft repair, construction

Senegal
  agricultural and fish processing, phosphate mining,
  fertilizer production, petroleum refining; iron ore, zircon, and
  gold mining, construction materials, ship construction and repair

Serbia
  sugar, agricultural machinery, electrical and communication
  equipment, paper and pulp, lead, transportation equipment

Seychelles
  fishing, tourism, processing of coconuts and vanilla,
  coir (coconut fiber) rope, boat building, printing, furniture;
  beverages

Sierra Leone
  diamond mining; small-scale manufacturing (beverages,
  textiles, cigarettes, footwear); petroleum refining, small
  commercial ship repair

Singapore
  electronics, chemicals, financial services, oil drilling
  equipment, petroleum refining, rubber processing and rubber
  products, processed food and beverages, ship repair, offshore
  platform construction, life sciences, entrepot trade

Slovakia
  metal and metal products; food and beverages; electricity,
  gas, coke, oil, nuclear fuel; chemicals and manmade fibers;
  machinery; paper and printing; earthenware and ceramics; transport
  vehicles; textiles; electrical and optical apparatus; rubber products

Slovenia
  ferrous metallurgy and aluminum products, lead and zinc
  smelting; electronics (including military electronics), trucks,
  automobiles, electric power equipment, wood products, textiles,
  chemicals, machine tools

Solomon Islands
  fish (tuna), mining, timber

Somalia
  a few light industries, including sugar refining, textiles,
  wireless communication

South Africa
  mining (world's largest producer of platinum, gold,
  chromium), automobile assembly, metalworking, machinery, textiles,
  iron and steel, chemicals, fertilizer, foodstuffs, commercial ship
  repair

Spain
  textiles and apparel (including footwear), food and beverages,
  metals and metal manufactures, chemicals, shipbuilding, automobiles,
  machine tools, tourism, clay and refractory products, footwear,
  pharmaceuticals, medical equipment

Sri Lanka
  processing of rubber, tea, coconuts, tobacco and other
  agricultural commodities; telecommunications, insurance, banking;
  clothing, textiles; cement, petroleum refining, information
  technology services

Sudan
  oil, cotton ginning, textiles, cement, edible oils, sugar,
  soap distilling, shoes, petroleum refining, pharmaceuticals,
  armaments, automobile/light truck assembly

Suriname
  bauxite and gold mining, alumina production; oil,
  lumbering, food processing, fishing

Swaziland
  coal, wood pulp, sugar, soft drink concentrates, textiles
  and apparel

Sweden
  iron and steel, precision equipment (bearings, radio and
  telephone parts, armaments), wood pulp and paper products, processed
  foods, motor vehicles

Switzerland
  machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision
  instruments, tourism, banking, and insurance

Syria
  petroleum, textiles, food processing, beverages, tobacco,
  phosphate rock mining, cement, oil seeds crushing, car assembly

Taiwan
  electronics, petroleum refining, armaments, chemicals,
  textiles, iron and steel, machinery, cement, food processing,
  vehicles, consumer products, pharmaceuticals

Tajikistan
  aluminum, zinc, lead; chemicals and fertilizers, cement,
  vegetable oil, metal-cutting machine tools, refrigerators and
  freezers

Tanzania
  agricultural processing (sugar, beer, cigarettes, sisal
  twine); diamond, gold, and iron mining, salt, soda ash; cement, oil
  refining, shoes, apparel, wood products, fertilizer

Thailand
  tourism, textiles and garments, agricultural processing,
  beverages, tobacco, cement, light manufacturing such as jewelry and
  electric appliances, computers and parts, integrated circuits,
  furniture, plastics, automobiles and automotive parts; world's
  second-largest tungsten producer and third-largest tin producer

Timor-Leste
  printing, soap manufacturing, handicrafts, woven cloth

Togo
  phosphate mining, agricultural processing, cement, handicrafts,
  textiles, beverages

Tokelau
  small-scale enterprises for copra production, woodworking,
  plaited craft goods; stamps, coins; fishing

Tonga
  tourism, construction, fishing

Trinidad and Tobago
  petroleum, chemicals, tourism, food processing,
  cement, beverage, cotton textiles

Tunisia
  petroleum, mining (particularly phosphate and iron ore),
  tourism, textiles, footwear, agribusiness, beverages

Turkey
  textiles, food processing, autos, electronics, mining (coal,
  chromite, copper, boron), steel, petroleum, construction, lumber,
  paper

Turkmenistan
  natural gas, oil, petroleum products, textiles, food
  processing

Turks and Caicos Islands
  tourism, offshore financial services

Tuvalu
  fishing, tourism, copra

Uganda
  sugar, brewing, tobacco, cotton textiles; cement, steel
  production

Ukraine
  coal, electric power, ferrous and nonferrous metals,
  machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food processing
  (especially sugar)

United Arab Emirates
  petroleum and petrochemicals; fishing,
  aluminum, cement, fertilizers, commercial ship repair, construction
  materials, some boat building, handicrafts, textiles

United Kingdom
  machine tools, electric power equipment, automation
  equipment, railroad equipment, shipbuilding, aircraft, motor
  vehicles and parts, electronics and communications equipment,
  metals, chemicals, coal, petroleum, paper and paper products, food
  processing, textiles, clothing, other consumer goods

United States
  leading industrial power in the world, highly
  diversified and technologically advanced; petroleum, steel, motor
  vehicles, aerospace, telecommunications, chemicals, electronics,
  food processing, consumer goods, lumber, mining

Uruguay
  food processing, electrical machinery, transportation
  equipment, petroleum products, textiles, chemicals, beverages

Uzbekistan
  textiles, food processing, machine building, metallurgy,
  gold, petroleum, natural gas, chemicals

Vanuatu
  food and fish freezing, wood processing, meat canning

Venezuela
  petroleum, construction materials, food processing,
  textiles; iron ore mining, steel, aluminum; motor vehicle assembly

Vietnam
  food processing, garments, shoes, machine-building; mining,
  coal, steel; cement, chemical fertilizer, glass, tires, oil, paper

Virgin Islands
  tourism, petroleum refining, watch assembly, rum
  distilling, construction, pharmaceuticals, textiles, electronics

Wallis and Futuna
  copra, handicrafts, fishing, lumber

West Bank
  cement, quarrying, textiles, soap, olive-wood carvings,
  and mother-of-pearl souvenirs; the Israelis have established some
  small-scale, modern industries in the settlements and industrial
  centers

Western Sahara
  phosphate mining, handicrafts

World
  dominated by the onrush of technology, especially in
  computers, robotics, telecommunications, and medicines and medical
  equipment; most of these advances take place in OECD nations; only a
  small portion of non-OECD countries have succeeded in rapidly
  adjusting to these technological forces; the accelerated development
  of new industrial (and agricultural) technology is complicating
  already grim environmental problems

Yemen
  crude oil production and petroleum refining; small-scale
  production of cotton textiles and leather goods; food processing;
  handicrafts; small aluminum products factory; cement; commercial
  ship repair

Zambia
  copper mining and processing, construction, foodstuffs,
  beverages, chemicals, textiles, fertilizer, horticulture

Zimbabwe
  mining (coal, gold, platinum, copper, nickel, tin, clay,
  numerous metallic and nonmetallic ores), steel; wood products,
  cement, chemicals, fertilizer, clothing and footwear, foodstuffs,
  beverages

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

@2091

Field Listing :: Infant mortality rate

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

Infant mortality rate(deaths/1,000 live births)

Afghanistan
  total: 151.95 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 156.01 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 147.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Albania
  total: 18.62 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 19.05 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 18.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Algeria
  total: 27.73 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 30.86 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 24.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

American Samoa
  total: 10.18 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 13.3 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 6.88 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Andorra
  total: 3.76 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 3.78 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.74 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Angola
  total: 180.21 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 192.24 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 167.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Anguilla
  total: 3.52 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 3.97 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  total: 16.25 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 18.76 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 13.62 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Argentina
  total: 11.44 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 12.76 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 10.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Armenia
  total: 20.21 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 24.97 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 14.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Aruba
  total: 13.79 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 18.28 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 9.22 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Australia
  total: 4.75 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 5.08 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Austria
  total: 4.42 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 5.39 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Azerbaijan
  total: 54.6 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 60.2 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 48.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Bahamas, The
  total: 23.17 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 28.21 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 18.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Bahrain
  total: 15.25 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 17.81 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 12.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Bangladesh
  total: 59.02 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 66.12 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 51.64 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Barbados
  total: 12.29 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 13.89 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 10.67 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Belarus
  total: 6.43 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 7.45 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 5.36 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Belgium
  total: 4.44 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 4.99 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.87 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Belize
  total: 23.07 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 26 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 19.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Benin
  total: 64.64 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 68.07 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 61.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Bermuda
  total: 2.46 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 2.57 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 2.35 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Bhutan
  total: 49.36 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 50.38 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 48.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Bolivia
  total: 44.66 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 48.56 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 40.57 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  total: 9.1 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 10.44 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 7.67 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Botswana
  total: 12.59 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 13.43 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 11.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Brazil
  total: 22.58 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 26.16 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 18.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  total: 14.65 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 16.61 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 12.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Brunei
  total: 12.27 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 14.68 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 9.75 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Bulgaria
  total: 17.87 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 21.28 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 14.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Burkina Faso
  total: 84.49 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 92.09 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 76.66 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Burma
  total: 47.61 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 53.78 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 41.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Burundi
  total: 59.64 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 66.32 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 52.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Cambodia
  total: 54.79 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 61.84 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 47.42 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Cameroon
  total: 63.34 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 68.08 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 58.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Canada
  total: 5.04 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 5.37 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Cape Verde
  total: 41.35 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 47.39 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 35.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Cayman Islands
  total: 6.94 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 7.96 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 5.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Central African Republic
  total: 80.62 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 87.22 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 73.82 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Chad
  total: 98.69 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 104.72 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 92.42 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Chile
  total: 7.71 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 8.49 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 6.88 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

China
  total: 20.25 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 18.87 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 21.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Christmas Island
  total: NA
  male: NA
  female: NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  total: NA
  male: NA
  female: NA

Colombia
  total: 18.9 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 22.53 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 15.14 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Comoros
  total: 66.57 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 74.5 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 58.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  total: 81.21 deaths/1,000 live
  births
  male: 89.11 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 73.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  total: 79.78 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 85.29 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 74.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Cook Islands
  total: 16.9 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 20.57 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 13.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Costa Rica
  total: 8.77 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 9.66 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 7.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  total: 68.06 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 75.17 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 60.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Croatia
  total: 6.37 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 6.42 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 6.33 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Cuba
  total: 5.82 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 6.51 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 5.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Cyprus
  total: 6.6 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 8.14 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Czech Republic
  total: 3.79 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 4.13 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Denmark
  total: 4.34 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 4.39 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Djibouti
  total: 97.51 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 104.98 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 89.82 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Dominica
  total: 13.65 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 18.34 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 8.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Dominican Republic
  total: 25.96 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 28 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 23.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Ecuador
  total: 20.9 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 24.4 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 17.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Egypt
  total: 27.26 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 28.93 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 25.51 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

El Salvador
  total: 21.52 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 24.38 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 18.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  total: 81.58 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 82.68 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 80.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Eritrea
  total: 43.33 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 48.97 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 37.51 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Estonia
  total: 7.32 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 8.48 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 6.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Ethiopia
  total: 80.8 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 92.06 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 69.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

European Union
  total: 5.72 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 6.38 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 5.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  total: NA
  male: NA
  female: NA (2008 est.)

Faroe Islands
  total: 6.32 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 6.56 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 6.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Fiji
  total: 11.58 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 12.74 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 10.35 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Finland
  total: 3.47 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 3.78 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

France
  total: 3.33 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 3.66 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 2.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

French Polynesia
  total: 7.55 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 8.67 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 6.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Gabon
  total: 51.78 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 60.17 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 43.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Gambia, The
  total: 67.33 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 73.56 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 60.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Gaza Strip
  total: 18.35 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 19.53 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 17.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Georgia
  total: 16.22 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 18.21 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 13.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Germany
  total: 3.99 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 4.41 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Ghana
  total: 51.09 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 55.32 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 46.74 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Gibraltar
  total: 4.83 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 5.37 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Greece
  total: 5.16 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 5.68 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.62 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Greenland
  total: 10.72 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 12.26 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 9.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Grenada
  total: 13.23 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 12.95 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 13.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Guam
  total: 6.05 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 6.47 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 5.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Guatemala
  total: 27.84 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 30.2 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 25.35 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Guernsey
  total: 4.47 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 4.98 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Guinea
  total: 65.22 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 68.7 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 61.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  total: 99.82 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 109.89 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 89.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Guyana
  total: 29.65 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 33.02 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 26.11 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Haiti
  total: 59.69 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 66.18 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 53.01 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Honduras
  total: 24.03 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 26.97 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 20.94 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Hong Kong
  total: 2.92 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 3.1 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 2.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Hungary
  total: 7.86 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 8.57 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 7.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Iceland
  total: 3.23 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 3.38 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

India
  total: 30.15 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 34.61 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 25.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Indonesia
  total: 29.97 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 34.93 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 24.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Iran
  total: 35.78 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 35.98 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 35.56 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Iraq
  total: 43.82 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 49.38 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 37.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Ireland
  total: 5.05 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 5.53 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Isle of Man
  total: 5.37 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 6.11 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Israel
  total: 4.22 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 4.39 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Italy
  total: 5.51 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 6.07 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Jamaica
  total: 15.22 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 15.81 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 14.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Japan
  total: 2.79 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 2.99 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 2.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Jersey
  total: 4.73 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 5.09 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Jordan
  total: 14.97 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 17.91 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 11.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Kazakhstan
  total: 25.73 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 30.15 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 21.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Kenya
  total: 54.7 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 57.56 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 51.78 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Kiribati
  total: 43.48 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 48.35 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 38.36 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Korea, North
  total: 51.34 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 58.64 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 43.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Korea, South
  total: 4.26 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 4.49 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Kuwait
  total: 8.96 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 9.94 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 7.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  total: 31.26 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 36.19 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 26.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Laos
  total: 77.82 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 86.94 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 68.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Latvia
  total: 8.77 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 10.63 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 6.82 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Lebanon
  total: 21.82 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 24.26 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 19.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Lesotho
  total: 77.4 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 81.75 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 72.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Liberia
  total: 138.24 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 153.55 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 122.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Libya
  total: 21.05 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 23.21 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 18.78 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Liechtenstein
  total: 4.25 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 5.54 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 2.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Lithuania
  total: 6.47 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 7.73 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 5.13 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Luxembourg
  total: 4.56 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 4.56 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Macau
  total: 3.22 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 3.37 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Macedonia
  total: 9.01 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 9.21 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 8.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Madagascar
  total: 54.2 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 59.12 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 49.13 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Malawi
  total: 89.05 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 93.15 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 84.88 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Malaysia
  total: 15.87 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 18.32 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 13.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Maldives
  total: 29.53 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 32.04 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 26.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Mali
  total: 102.05 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 111.56 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 92.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Malta
  total: 3.75 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 4.2 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Marshall Islands
  total: 25.45 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 28.58 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 22.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Mauritania
  total: 63.42 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 68.65 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 58.03 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Mauritius
  total: 12.2 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 14.51 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 9.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Mayotte
  total: 56.29 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 61.89 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 50.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Mexico
  total: 18.42 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 20.3 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 16.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  total: 26.1 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 28.79 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 23.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Moldova
  total: 13.13 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 14.57 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 11.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Monaco
  total: 5 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 5.77 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Mongolia
  total: 39.88 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 42.99 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 36.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Montserrat
  total: 16.08 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 12.01 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 20.36 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Morocco
  total: 36.88 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 40.35 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 33.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Mozambique
  total: 105.8 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 108.57 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 103 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Namibia
  total: 45.51 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 48.98 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 41.94 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Nauru
  total: 9.25 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 11.58 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 6.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Nepal
  total: 47.46 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 47.4 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 47.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Netherlands
  total: 4.73 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 5.25 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  total: 9.09 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 9.76 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 8.39 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

New Caledonia
  total: 7.05 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 7.7 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 6.36 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

New Zealand
  total: 4.92 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 5.53 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Nicaragua
  total: 25.02 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 28.09 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 21.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Niger
  total: 116.66 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 121.72 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 111.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Nigeria
  total: 94.35 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 100.38 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 87.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Niue
  total: NA
  male: NA
  female: NA (2008 est.)

Norfolk Island
  total: NA
  male: NA
  female: NA (2008 est.)

Northern Mariana Islands
  total: 6.59 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 6.56 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 6.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Norway
  total: 3.58 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 3.92 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.22 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Oman
  total: 16.88 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 19.29 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 14.35 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Pakistan
  total: 65.14 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 65.24 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 65.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Palau
  total: 13.14 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 14.83 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 11.36 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Panama
  total: 12.67 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 13.53 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 11.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  total: 45.23 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 49.17 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 41.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Paraguay
  total: 24.68 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 28.77 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 20.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Peru
  total: 28.62 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 31.07 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 26.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Philippines
  total: 20.56 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 23.17 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 17.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  total: NA
  male: NA
  female: NA (2008 est.)

Poland
  total: 6.8 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 7.52 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 6.03 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Portugal
  total: 4.78 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 5.24 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Puerto Rico
  total: 8.42 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 9.69 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 7.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Qatar
  total: 12.66 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 13.51 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 11.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Romania
  total: 22.9 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 25.94 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 19.66 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Russia
  total: 10.56 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 12.08 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 8.94 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Rwanda
  total: 81.61 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 86.68 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 76.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Saint Helena
  total: 17.63 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 20.71 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 14.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  total: 13.94 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 15.66 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 12.11 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Saint Lucia
  total: 13.43 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 12.47 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 14.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  total: 6.87 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 7.86 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 5.82 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  total: 15.14 deaths/1,000 live
  births
  male: 16.48 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 13.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Samoa
  total: 24.22 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 28.61 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 19.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

San Marino
  total: 5.34 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 5.76 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.88 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  total: 37.12 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 38.84 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 35.35 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  total: 11.57 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 13.15 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 9.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Senegal
  total: 58.94 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 65.7 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 51.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Serbia
  total: 6.75 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 7.79 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 5.64 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Seychelles
  total: 12.3 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 15.44 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 9.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Sierra Leone
  total: 154.43 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 171.57 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 136.78 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Singapore
  total: 2.31 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 2.51 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 2.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Slovakia
  total: 6.84 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 7.99 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 5.64 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Slovenia
  total: 4.25 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 4.82 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Solomon Islands
  total: 19.03 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 21.65 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 16.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Somalia
  total: 109.19 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 118.31 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 99.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

South Africa
  total: 44.42 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 48.66 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 40.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Spain
  total: 4.21 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 4.59 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Sri Lanka
  total: 18.57 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 20.33 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 16.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Sudan
  total: 82.43 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 82.48 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 82.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Suriname
  total: 18.81 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 22.21 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 15.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Svalbard
  total: NA
  male: NA
  female: NA (2008 est.)

Swaziland
  total: 68.63 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 71.87 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 65.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Sweden
  total: 2.75 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 2.91 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 2.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Switzerland
  total: 4.18 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 4.64 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.68 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Syria
  total: 25.87 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 26.13 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 25.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Taiwan
  total: 5.35 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 5.64 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 5.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Tajikistan
  total: 41.03 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 45.9 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 35.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Tanzania
  total: 69.28 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 76.24 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 62.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Thailand
  total: 17.63 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 18.9 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 16.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Timor-Leste
  total: 40.65 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 46.72 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 34.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Togo
  total: 56.24 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 63.5 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 48.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Tokelau
  total: NA
  male: NA
  female: NA (2008 est.)

Tonga
  total: 11.58 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 12.74 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 10.35 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  total: 29.93 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 31.14 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 28.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Tunisia
  total: 22.57 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 24.81 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 20.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Turkey
  total: 25.78 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 26.84 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 24.67 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Turkmenistan
  total: 45.36 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 53.85 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 36.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  total: 13.89 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 16.02 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 11.64 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Tuvalu
  total: 18.43 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 20.95 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 15.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Uganda
  total: 64.82 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 68.46 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 61.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Ukraine
  total: 8.98 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 11.2 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 6.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  total: 12.7 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 14.86 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 10.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

United Kingdom
  total: 4.85 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 5.4 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

United States
  total: 6.26 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 6.94 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 5.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Uruguay
  total: 11.32 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 12.73 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 9.87 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Uzbekistan
  total: 23.43 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 27.7 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 18.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Vanuatu
  total: 49.45 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 51.97 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 46.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Venezuela
  total: 21.54 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 25.1 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 17.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Vietnam
  total: 22.88 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 23.27 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 22.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Virgin Islands
  total: 7.56 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 8.28 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 6.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
  total: 5.02 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 5.27 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.75 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

West Bank
  total: 15.96 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 17.87 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 13.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Western Sahara
  total: 69.66 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 69.84 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 69.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

World
  total: 40.85 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 43.85 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 37.67 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Yemen
  total: 54.7 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 59.12 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 50.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Zambia
  total: 101.2 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 105.97 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 96.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Zimbabwe
  total: 32.31 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 34.9 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 29.64 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

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

@2092

Field Listing :: Inflation rate (consumer prices)

  This entry furnishes the annual percent change in consumer prices
  compared with the previous year's consumer prices.
  Country Comparison to the World
  Country

Inflation rate (consumer prices)(%)

Afghanistan 13% (2007 est.)

Albania
  3.4% (2008 est.)
  2.9% (2007 est.)

Algeria
  4.4% (2008 est.)
  3.5% (2007 est.)

American Samoa
  NA%

Andorra
  3.9% (2007)
  3.2% (2005)

Angola
  12.5% (2008 est.)
  12.2% (2007 est.)

Anguilla
  5.3% (2006 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  1.5% (2007 est.)

Argentina
  8.6% (2008 est.)
  8.8% (2007 est.)
  note: based on official estimates, which lack credibility;
  non-official estimates put inflation at 22% in 2008

Armenia 9% (2008 est.) 4.4% (2007 est.)

Aruba 3.4% (2005)

Australia
  4.4% (2008 est.)
  2.3% (2007 est.)

Austria
  3.2% (2008 est.)
  2.2% (2007 est.)

Azerbaijan
  20.8% (2008 est.)
  16.7% (2007 est.)

Bahamas, The
  2.4% (2007 est.)

Bahrain
  7% (2008 est.)
  3.3% (2007 est.)

Bangladesh
  8.9% (2008 est.)
  9.1% (2007 est.)

Barbados
  5.5% (2007 est.)

Belarus
  14.8% (2008 est.)
  8.4% (2007 est.)

Belgium
  4.5% (2008 est.)
  1.8% (2007 est.)

Belize
  6.4% (2008 est.)
  2.3% (2007 est.)

Benin
  7.9% (2008 est.)
  1.3% (2007 est.)

Bermuda
  2.8% (November 2005)

Bhutan
  4.9% (2007 est.)

Bolivia
  14% (2008 est.)
  8.7% (2007 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  7.3% (2008 est.)
  1.6% (2007 est.)

Botswana
  12.6% (2008 est.)
  7.1% (2007 est.)

Brazil
  5.7% (2008 est.)
  3.6% (2007 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  2% (2005)

Brunei
  0.3% (2007 est.)

Bulgaria
  12.3% (2008 est.)
  9.8% (2007 est.)

Burkina Faso
  10.7% (2008 est.)
  -0.2% (2007 est.)

Burma
  26.8% (2008 est.)
  35% (2007 est.)

Burundi
  24.1% (2008 est.)
  8.3% (2007 est.)

Cambodia
  25% (2008 est.)
  5.9% (2007 est.)

Cameroon
  5.3% (2008 est.)
  1.1% (2007 est.)

Canada
  2.4% (2008 est.)
  2.1% (2007 est.)

Cape Verde
  6.8% (2008 est.)
  4.4% (2007 est.)

Cayman Islands
  4.4% (2004)

Central African Republic
  0.9% (2007 est.)

Chad
  10.3% (2008 est.)
  4% (2007 est.)

Chile
  8.7% (2008 est.)
  4.4% (2007 est.)

China
  5.9% (2008 est.)
  4.8% (2007 est.)

Colombia
  7% (2008 est.)
  5.5% (2007 est.)

Comoros
  3% (2007 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  16.7% (2007 est.)

Congo, Republic of the 7.3% (2008 est.) 2.7% (2007 est.)

Cook Islands 2.1% (2005 est.)

Costa Rica
  13.4% (2008 est.)
  9.4% (2007 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  6.3% (2008 est.)
  1.9% (2007 est.)

Croatia
  6.1% (2008 est.)
  4.5% (2007 est.)

Cuba
  3.4% (2008 est.)
  3.1% (2007 est.)

Cyprus
  4.7% (2008 est.)
  2.4% (2007 est.)

Czech Republic
  6.3% (2008 est.)
  2.9% (2007 est.)

Denmark
  3.4% (2008 est.)
  1.7% (2007 est.)

Djibouti
  5% (2007 est.)

Dominica
  2.7% (2007 est.)

Dominican Republic
  10.6% (2008 est.)
  6.1% (2007 est.)

Ecuador
  8.3% (2008 est.)
  2.3% (2007 est.)

Egypt
  18.3% (2008 est.)
  9.5% (2007 est.)

El Salvador
  7.3% (2008 est.)
  4.6% (2007 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  7.5% (2008 est.)
  6% (2007 est.)

Eritrea
  18% (2008 est.)
  17% (2007 est.)

Estonia
  10.4% (2008 est.)
  6.6% (2007 est.)

Ethiopia
  44.4% (2008 est.)
  17.2% (2007 est.)

European Union
  3.5% (2008 est.)
  1.8% (2006 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  3.6% (1998)

Faroe Islands
  1.8% (2005)

Fiji
  4.8% (2007)

Finland
  4.1% (2008 est.)
  2.5% (2007 est.)

France
  2.8% (2008 est.)
  1.5% (2007 est.)

French Polynesia
  1.1% (2007)
  1.1% (2006 est.)

Gabon
  5.3% (2008 est.)
  5% (2007 est.)

Gambia, The
  4.5% (2008 est.)
  5.1% (2007 est.)

Gaza Strip 11.5% (2008) 3.6% (2006) note: includes West Bank

Georgia
  10% (2008 est.)
  9.3% (2007 est.)

Germany
  2.7% (2008 est.)
  2.3% (2007 est.)

Ghana
  16.5% (2008 est.)
  10.7% (2007 est.)

Gibraltar
  2.9% (2005)

Greece 4.1% (2008 est.) 2.9% (2007 est.)

Greenland
  1% (2005 est.)

Grenada
  3.7% (2007 est.)

Guam
  2.5% (2005 est.)

Guatemala 11.4% (2008 est.) 6.8% (2007 est.)

Guernsey 3.4% (June 2006)

Guinea 15% (2008 est.) 23.4% (2007 est.)

Guinea-Bissau 3.8% (2007 est.)

Guyana
  8.3% (2008 est.)
  12.3% (2007 est.)

Haiti
  15.5% (2008 est.)
  8.5% (2007 est.)

Honduras
  11.4% (2008 est.)
  6.9% (2007 est.)

Hong Kong
  4.3% (2008 est.)
  2% (2007 est.)

Hungary
  6.1% (2008 est.)
  8% (2007 est.)

Iceland
  12.7% (2008 est.)
  5.1% (2007 est.)

India
  8.3% (2008 est.)
  6.4% (2007 est.)

Indonesia
  9.9% (2008 est.)
  6.3% (2007 est.)

Iran
  25.6% (2008 est.)
  17.1% (2007 est.)
  note: official Iranian estimate

Iraq
  2.8% (2008 est.)
  4.7% (2007 est.)

Ireland
  4.1% (2008 est.)
  4.9% (2007 est.)

Isle of Man
  3.1% (December 2006 est.)

Israel
  4.6% (2008 est.)
  0.5% (2007 est.)

Italy
  3.4% (2008 est.)
  1.8% (2007 est.)

Jamaica
  22% (2008 est.)
  9.5% (2007 est.)

Japan
  1.4% (2008 est.)
  0.1% (2007 est.)

Jersey
  3.7% (December 2006)

Jordan
  14.9% (2008 est.)
  5.4% (2007 est.)

Kazakhstan
  17% (2008 est.)
  10.8% (2007 est.)

Kenya
  26.2% (2008 est.)
  9.7% (2007 est.)

Kiribati
  0.2% (2007 est.)

Korea, North
  NA%

Korea, South 4.7% (2008 est.) 2.5% (2007 est.)

Kosovo
  5.3% (2007 est.)

Kuwait
  10.6% (2008 est.)
  5.5% (2007 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  24.5% (2008 est.)
  10.2% (2007 est.)

Laos
  8.6% (2008 est.)
  4.5% (2007 est.)

Latvia
  15.4% (2008 est.)
  10.1% (2007 est.)

Lebanon
  10% (2008 est.)
  4.2% (2007 est.)

Lesotho
  10.7% (2008 est.)
  8% (2007 est.)

Liberia
  11.2% (2007 est.)

Libya
  10.4% (2008 est.)
  6.3% (2007 est.)

Liechtenstein
  1% (2001)

Lithuania
  10.9% (2008 est.)
  5.7% (2007 est.)

Luxembourg
  3.4% (2008 est.)
  2.3% (2007 est.)

Macau
  6.2% (December 2008)
  7.2% (2006)

Macedonia
  8.3% (2008 est.)
  2.3% (2007 est.)

Madagascar
  9.2% (2008 est.)
  10.3% (2007 est.)

Malawi
  8.7% (2008 est.)
  7.9% (2007 est.)

Malaysia
  5.4% (2008 est.)
  2% (2007 est.)
  note: approximately 30% of goods are price-controlled

Maldives
  12.8% (October 2008 est.)
  5% (2007 est.)

Mali
  2.5% (2007 est.)

Malta
  4.3% (2008 est.)
  1.3% (2007 est.)

Marshall Islands
  12.9% (2008 est.)
  3% (2005 est.)

Mauritania
  7.3% (2007 est.)

Mauritius 9.7% (2008 est.) 8.8% (2007 est.)

Mayotte 1.7% (2005)

Mexico 5.1% (2008 est.) 4% (2007 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of 2.2% (2005)

Moldova 12.8% (2008 est.) 12.3% (2007 est.)

Monaco 1.9% (2000)

Mongolia 28% (2008 est.) 9% (2007 est.)

Montenegro
  3.4% (2007)

Montserrat
  2.6% (2002 est.)

Morocco
  3.8% (2008 est.)
  2% (2007 est.)

Mozambique
  10.3% (2008 est.)
  8.2% (2007 est.)

Namibia
  10.3% (2008 est.)
  6.7% (2007 est.)

Nauru
  NA%

Nepal
  7.7% (2008 est.)
  6.4% (2007 est.)

Netherlands
  2.5% (2008 est.)
  1.6% (2007 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  2.1% (2003 est.)

New Caledonia
  1.4% (2000 est.)

New Zealand
  4% (2008 est.)
  2.4% (2007 est.)

Nicaragua
  19.8% (2008 est.)
  11.1% (2007 est.)

Niger
  0.1% (2007 est.)

Nigeria 11.6% (2008 est.) 5.4% (2007 est.)

Niue
  4% (2005)

Northern Mariana Islands
  -0.8% (2000)

Norway
  3.8% (2008 est.)
  0.8% (2007 est.)

Oman
  12.5% (2008 est.)
  5.9% (2007 est.)

Pakistan
  20.3% (2008 est.)
  7.6% (2007 est.)

Palau
  2.7% (2005 est.)

Panama
  8.8% (2008 est.)
  4.2% (2007 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  10.7% (2008 est.)
  0.9% (2007 est.)

Paraguay
  10.2% (2008 est.)
  8.1% (2007 est.)

Peru
  5.8% (2008 est.)
  1.8% (2007 est.)

Philippines
  9.3% (2008 est.)
  2.8% (2007 est.)

Poland
  4.2% (2008 est.)
  2.5% (2007 est.)

Portugal
  2.6% (2008 est.)
  2.4% (2007 est.)

Puerto Rico
  6.5% (2003 est.)

Qatar
  15.2% (2008 est.)
  13.7% (2007 est.)

Romania
  7.8% (2008 est.)
  4.8% (2007 est.)

Russia
  14.1% (2008 est.)
  9% (2007 est.)

Rwanda
  15.4% (2008 est.)
  9.1% (2007 est.)

Saint Helena
  3.2% (1997 est.)
  3.2% (1997 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  4.5% (2007 est.)

Saint Lucia
  1.9% (2007 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  8.1% (2005)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  6.1% (2007 est.)

Samoa
  6% (2007 est.)

San Marino
  -3.5% (2008)
  -1.5% (2006)

Sao Tome and Principe
  26% (2008 est.)
  18% (2007 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  9.9% (2008 est.)
  4.1% (2007 est.)

Senegal
  5.8% (2008 est.)
  5.9% (2007 est.)

Serbia
  6.8% (2007)

Seychelles 37% (2008 est.) 5.3% (2007 est.)

Sierra Leone 11.7% (2007 est.)

Singapore
  6.5% (2008 est.)
  2.1% (2007 est.)

Slovakia
  4.6% (2008 est.)
  2.8% (2007 est.)

Slovenia
  5.7% (2008 est.)
  3.6% (2007 est.)

Solomon Islands
  6.3% (2007 est.)

Somalia
  NA%
  note: businesses print their own money, so inflation rates cannot be
  easily determined

South Africa
  11.3% (2008 est.)
  6.5% (2007 est.)

Spain
  4.1% (2008 est.)
  2.8% (2007 est.)

Sri Lanka
  22.6% (2008 est.)
  15.8% (2007 est.)

Sudan
  14.3% (2008 est.)
  8% (2007 est.)

Suriname
  6.4% (2007 est.)

Swaziland
  13.4% (2008 est.)
  8.1% (2007 est.)

Sweden
  3.5% (2008 est.)
  2.2% (2007 est.)

Switzerland
  2.4% (2008 est.)
  0.7% (2007 est.)

Syria
  15.7% (2008 est.)
  12.2% (2007 est.)

Taiwan
  3.5% (2008 est.)
  1.8% (2007 est.)

Tajikistan
  20.5% (2008 est.)
  13.1% (2007 est.)

Tanzania
  10.3% (2008 est.)
  7% (2007 est.)

Thailand
  5.5% (2008 est.)
  2.2% (2007 est.)

Timor-Leste
  7.8% (2007 est.)

Togo
  8.7% (2008 est.)
  1% (2007 est.)

Tokelau
  NA%

Tonga
  5.9% (2007 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  12% (2008 est.)
  7.9% (2007 est.)

Tunisia
  5% (2008 est.)
  3.1% (2007 est.)

Turkey
  10.4% (2008 est.)
  8.7% (2007 est.)

Turkmenistan
  13% (2008 est.)
  11.3% (2007 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  4% (1995)

Tuvalu
  3.8% (2006 est.)

Uganda
  12.1% (2008 est.)
  6.1% (2007 est.)

Ukraine
  25.2% (2008 est.)
  12.8% (2007 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  15.8% (2008 est.)
  14% (2007 est.)

United Kingdom
  3.6% (2008 est.)
  2.3% (2007 est.)

United States
  3.8% (2008 est.)
  2.9% (2007 est.)

Uruguay
  7.9% (2008 est.)
  8.1% (2007 est.)

Uzbekistan
  14% (2008 est.)
  12% (2007 est.)
  note: official data; based on independent analysis of consumer
  prices, inflation reached 38% in 2008

Vanuatu
  3.9% (2007 est.)

Venezuela
  30.4% (2008 est.)
  18.7% (2007 est.)

Vietnam
  23.1% (2008 est.)
  8.3% (2007 est.)

Virgin Islands
  2.2% (2003)

Wallis and Futuna
  2.8% (2005)

West Bank
  11.5% (2008)
  3.6% (2006)
  note: data in include Gaza Strip

Western Sahara
  NA%

World
  developed countries 1% to 4% typically; developing countries
  5% to 20% typically; national inflation rates vary widely in
  individual cases, from declining prices in Japan to hyperinflation
  in one Third World country (Zimbabwe); inflation rates have declined
  for most countries for the last several years, held in check by
  increasing international competition from several low wage countries

Yemen
  19% (2008 est.)
  10% (2007 est.)

Zambia
  12.4% (2008 est.)
  10.6% (2007 est.)

Zimbabwe
  14.93 billion% (2008 est.)
  12,563% (2007 est.)

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

@2093

Field Listing :: Waterways

  This entry gives the total length of navigable rivers, canals, and
  other inland bodies of water.
  Country Comparison to the World
  Country

Waterways(km)

Afghanistan
  1,200 km (chiefly Amu Darya, which handles vessels up to
  500 DWT) (2008)

Albania
  43 km (2008)

Angola
  1,300 km (2008)

Argentina
  11,000 km (2007)

Australia
  2,000 km (mainly used for recreation on Murray and
  Murray-Darling river systems) (2006)

Austria
  358 km (2007)

Bangladesh
  8,370 km
  note: includes up to 3,060 km main cargo routes; network reduced to
  5,200 km in dry season (2007)

Belarus
  2,500 km (use limited by location on perimeter of country
  and by shallowness) (2003)

Belgium
  2,043 km (1,528 km in regular commercial use) (2008)

Belize
  825 km (navigable only by small craft) (2008)

Benin
  150 km (on River Niger along northern border) (2007)

Bolivia
  10,000 km (commercially navigable) (2007)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  Sava River (northern border) open to shipping
  but use limited (2008)

Brazil
  50,000 km (most in areas remote from industry and population)
  (2008)

Brunei
  209 km (navigable by craft drawing less than 1.2 m) (2008)

Bulgaria
  470 km (2008)

Burma
  12,800 km (2008)

Burundi
  mainly on Lake Tanganyika (2008)

Cambodia
  2,400 km (mainly on Mekong River) (2008)

Cameroon
  navigation mainly on Benue River; limited during rainy
  season (2008)

Canada
  636 km
  note: Saint Lawrence Seaway of 3,769 km, including the Saint
  Lawrence River of 3,058 km, shared with United States (2008)

Central African Republic
  2,800 km (primarily on the Oubangui and
  Sangha rivers) (2007)

Chad
  Chari and Legone rivers are navigable only in wet season (2008)

China
  110,000 km navigable (2008)

Colombia
  18,000 km (2008)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  15,000 km (2008)

Congo, Republic of the
  1,120 km (commercially navigable on Congo and
  Oubanqui rivers) (2008)

Costa Rica
  730 km (seasonally navigable by small craft) (2008)

Cote d'Ivoire
  980 km (navigable rivers, canals, and numerous coastal
  lagoons) (2008)

Croatia
  785 km (2008)

Cuba
  240 km (2008)

Czech Republic
  664 km (principally on Elbe, Vltava, Oder, and other
  navigable rivers, lakes, and canals) (2008)

Denmark
  400 km (2008)

Ecuador
  1,500 km (most inaccessible) (2008)

Egypt
  3,500 km
  note: includes Nile River, Lake Nasser, Alexandria-Cairo Waterway,
  and numerous smaller canals in delta; Suez Canal (193.5 km including
  approaches) navigable by oceangoing vessels drawing up to 17.68 m
  (2007)

El Salvador
  Rio Lempa partially navigable for small craft (2008)

Estonia
  320 km (2008)

European Union
  52,332 km (2006)

Fiji
  203 km
  note: 122 km navigable by motorized craft and 200-metric-ton barges
  (2008)

Finland
  7,842 km
  note: includes Saimaa Canal system of 3,577 km; southern part leased
  from Russia (2008)

France
  metropolitan France: 8,501 km (1,621 km accessible to craft
  of 3,000 metric tons)
  French Guiana: 3,760 km (460 km navigable by small oceangoing
  vessels and coastal and river steamers, 3,300 km by native craft)
  (2008)

Gabon
  1,600 km (310 km on Ogooue River) (2008)

Gambia, The
  390 km (on River Gambia; small ocean-going vessels can
  reach 190 km) (2008)

Germany
  7,467 km
  note: Rhine River carries most goods; Main-Danube Canal links North
  Sea and Black Sea (2008)

Ghana
  1,293 km
  note: 168 km for launches and lighters on Volta, Ankobra, and Tano
  rivers; 1,125 km of arterial and feeder waterways on Lake Volta
  (2008)

Greece
  6 km
  note: Corinth Canal (6 km) crosses the Isthmus of Corinth; shortens
  sea voyage by 325 km (2008)

Guatemala
  990 km
  note: 260 km navigable year round; additional 730 km navigable
  during high-water season (2007)

Guinea
  1,300 km (navigable by shallow-draft native craft) (2008)

Guinea-Bissau
  rivers are navigable for some distance; many inlets
  and creeks give shallow-water access to much of interior (2008)

Guyana
  330 km
  note: Berbice, Demerara, and Essequibo rivers are navigable by
  oceangoing vessels for 150 km, 100 km, and 80 km respectively (2008)

Honduras
  465 km (most navigable only by small craft) (2008)

Hungary
  1,622 km (most on Danube River) (2008)

India
  14,500 km
  note: 5,200 km on major rivers and 485 km on canals suitable for
  mechanized vessels (2008)

Indonesia
  21,579 km (2008)

Iran
  850 km (on Karun River; additional service on Lake Urmia) (2008)

Iraq
  5,279 km
  note: Euphrates River (2,815 km), Tigris River (1,899 km), and Third
  River (565 km) are principal waterways (2008)

Ireland
  956 km (pleasure craft only) (2008)

Italy
  2,400 km
  note: used for commercial traffic; of limited overall value compared
  to road and rail (2008)

Japan
  1,770 km (seagoing vessels use inland seas) (2007)

Kazakhstan
  4,000 km (on the Ertis ((Irtysh)) River (80%) and Syr
  Darya ((Syrdariya)) River) (2008)

Kenya
  part of Lake Victoria system is within boundaries of Kenya
  (2007)

Kiribati
  5 km (small network of canals in Line Islands) (2007)

Korea, North
  2,250 km (most navigable only by small craft) (2008)

Korea, South
  1,608 km (most navigable only by small craft) (2008)

Kyrgyzstan
  600 km (2008)

Laos
  4,600 km
  note: primarily Mekong and tributaries; 2,900 additional km are
  intermittently navigable by craft drawing less than 0.5 m (2008)

Latvia
  300 km (2007)

Liechtenstein
  28 km (2008)

Lithuania
  441 km (2007)

Luxembourg
  37 km (on Moselle River) (2008)

Madagascar 600 km note: 432 km navigable (2008)

Malawi
  700 km (on Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and Shire River) (2008)

Malaysia
  7,200 km
  note: Peninsular Malaysia 3,200 km; Sabah 1,500 km; Sarawak 2,500 km
  (2008)

Mali
  1,800 km (2008)

Mauritania
  some navigation possible on Senegal River

Mexico
  2,900 km (navigable rivers and coastal canals) (2008)

Moldova
  424 km (on Dniester and Prut rivers) (2008)

Mongolia
  580 km
  note: only waterway in operation is Lake Hovsgol (135 km); Selenge
  River (270 km) and Orhon River (175 km) are navigable but carry
  little traffic; lakes and rivers freeze in winter, are open from May
  to September (2007)

Mozambique
  460 km (Zambezi River navigable to Tete and along Cahora
  Bassa Lake) (2008)

Netherlands
  6,215 km (navigable for ships of 50 tons) (2007)

Nicaragua
  2,220 km (including lakes Managua and Nicaragua) (2008)

Niger
  300 km (the Niger, the only major river, is navigable to Gaya
  between September and March) (2008)

Nigeria
  8,600 km (Niger and Benue rivers and smaller rivers and
  creeks) (2008)

Norway
  1,577 km (2008)

Panama
  800 km (includes 82 km Panama Canal) (2008)

Papua New Guinea
  11,000 km (2006)

Paraguay
  3,100 km (2008)

Peru
  8,808 km
  note: 8,600 km of navigable tributaries of Amazon system and 208 km
  of Lago Titicaca (2008)

Philippines
  3,219 km (limited to vessels with draft less than 1.5 m)
  (2008)

Poland
  3,997 km (navigable rivers and canals) (2007)

Portugal
  210 km (on Douro River from Porto) (2008)

Romania
  1,731 km
  note: includes 1,075 km on Danube River, 524 km on secondary
  branches, and 132 km on canals (2006)

Russia
  102,000 km (including 33,000 km with guaranteed depth)
  note: 72,000 km system in European Russia links Baltic Sea, White
  Sea, Caspian Sea, Sea of Azov, and Black Sea (2007)

Rwanda
  Lac Kivu navigable by shallow-draft barges and native craft
  (2008)

Senegal
  1,000 km (primarily on Senegal, Saloum, and Casamance
  rivers) (2008)

Serbia
  587 km (primarily on Danube and Sava rivers) (2008)

Sierra Leone
  800 km (600 km year round) (2007)

Slovakia
  172 km (on Danube River) (2008)

Slovenia
  some transport on Danube River (2008)

Spain
  1,000 km (2008)

Sri Lanka
  160 km (primarily on rivers in southwest) (2008)

Sudan
  4,068 km (1,723 km open year round on White and Blue Nile
  rivers) (2008)

Suriname
  1,200 km (most navigable by ships with drafts up to 7 m)
  (2008)

Sweden
  2,052 km (2007)

Switzerland
  65 km (Rhine River between Basel-Rheinfelden and
  Schaffhausen-Bodensee) (2008)

Syria
  900 km (not economically significant) (2008)

Tajikistan
  200 km (along Vakhsh River) (2008)

Tanzania
  Lake Tanganyika, Lake Victoria, and Lake Nyasa principal
  avenues of commerce with neighboring countries; rivers not navigable
  (2007)

Thailand 4,000 km note: 3,701 km navigable by boats with drafts up to 0.9 m (2008)

Togo
  50 km (seasonally on Mono River depending on rainfall) (2008)

Turkey
  1,200 km (2008)

Turkmenistan
  1,300 km (Amu Darya and Kara Kum canal are important
  inland waterways) (2008)

Uganda
  on Lake Victoria, 200 km on Lake Albert, Lake Kyoga, and
  parts of Albert Nile (2008)

Ukraine
  2,176 km (most on Dnieper River) (2007)

United Kingdom
  3,200 km (620 km used for commerce) (2008)

United States
  41,009 km (19,312 km used for commerce)
  note: Saint Lawrence Seaway of 3,769 km, including the Saint
  Lawrence River of 3,058 km, shared with Canada (2008)

Uruguay
  1,600 km (2008)

Uzbekistan
  1,100 km (2008)

Venezuela
  7,100 km
  note: Orinoco River (400 km) and Lake de Maracaibo navigable by
  oceangoing vessels (2008)

Vietnam
  17,702 km (5,000 km navigable by vessels up to 1.8 m draft)
  (2008)

World
  671,886 km (2004)

Zambia
  2,250 km (includes Lake Tanganyika and the Zambezi and
  Luapula rivers) (2008)

Zimbabwe
  on Lake Kariba (2008)

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

@2094

Field Listing :: Judicial branch

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

Judicial branch

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

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

Algeria
  Supreme Court

American Samoa
  High Court (chief justice and associate justices are
  appointed by the US Secretary of the Interior)

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

Angola
  Supreme Court and separate provincial courts (judges are
  appointed by the president)

Anguilla
  High Court (judge provided by Eastern Caribbean Supreme
  Court)

Antigua and Barbuda
  Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court consisting of a
  High Court of Justice and a Court of Appeal (based in Saint Lucia;
  two judges of the Supreme Court are residents of the islands and
  preside over the Court of Summary Jurisdiction); Magistrates'
  Courts; member of the Caribbean Court of Justice

Argentina
  Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (the Supreme Court judges
  are appointed by the president with approval of the Senate)
  note: the Supreme Court has seven judges; the Argentine Congress in
  2006 passed a bill to gradually reduce the number of Supreme Court
  judges to five

Armenia
  Constitutional Court; Court of Cassation (Appeals Court)

Aruba
  Common Court of Justice of Aruba (judges are appointed by the
  monarch)

Australia
  High Court (the chief justice and six other justices are
  appointed by the governor general)

Austria
  Supreme Judicial Court or Oberster Gerichtshof;
  Administrative Court or Verwaltungsgerichtshof; Constitutional Court
  or Verfassungsgerichtshof

Azerbaijan
  Supreme Court

Bahamas, The
  Privy Council in London; Courts of Appeal; Supreme
  (lower) Court; Magistrates' Courts

Bahrain
  High Civil Appeals Court

Bangladesh
  Supreme Court (the chief justices and other judges are
  appointed by the president)

Barbados
  Supreme Court of Judicature consists of a High Court and a
  Court of Appeal (judges are appointed by the Service Commissions for
  the Judicial and Legal Services); Caribbean Court of Justice or CCJ
  is the highest court of appeal; based in Port of Spain, Trinidad and
  Tobago

Belarus
  Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president);
  Constitutional Court (half of the judges appointed by the president
  and half appointed by the Chamber of Representatives)

Belgium
  Supreme Court of Justice or Hof van Cassatie (in Dutch) or
  Cour de Cassation (in French) (judges are appointed for life by the
  government; candidacies have to be submitted by the High Justice
  Council)

Belize
  Summary Jurisdiction Courts (criminal) and District Courts
  (civil jurisdiction); Supreme Court (the chief justice is appointed
  by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister); Court
  of Appeal; Privy Council in the UK; member of the Caribbean Court of
  Justice (CCJ)

Benin
  Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle; Supreme Court
  or Cour Supreme; High Court of Justice

Bermuda
  Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrate Courts

Bhutan
  Supreme Court of Appeal (the monarch); High Court (judges
  appointed by the monarch); note - the draft constitution establishes
  a Supreme Court that will serve as chief court of appeal

Bolivia
  Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges appointed for 10-year
  terms by National Congress); District Courts (one in each
  department); provincial and local courts (to try minor cases);
  Constitutional Tribunal (five primary or titulares and five
  alternate or suplente magistrates appointed by Congress; to rule on
  constitutional issues); National Electoral Court (six members
  elected by Congress, Supreme Court, the president, and the political
  party with the highest vote in the last election for four-year
  terms); note - under the 2009 Constitution, all Constitutional and
  Supreme Court judges will be elected by popular vote

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  BH Constitutional Court (consists of nine
  members: four members are selected by the Bosniak/Croat Federation's
  House of Representatives, two members by the Republika Srpska's
  National Assembly, and three non-Bosnian members by the president of
  the European Court of Human Rights); BH State Court (consists of
  nine judges and three divisions - Administrative, Appellate and
  Criminal - having jurisdiction over cases related to state-level law
  and appellate jurisdiction over cases initiated in the entities); a
  War Crimes Chamber opened in March 2005
  note: the entities each have a Supreme Court; each entity also has a
  number of lower courts; there are 10 cantonal courts in the
  Federation, plus a number of municipal courts; the Republika Srpska
  has five municipal courts

Botswana
  High Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrates' Courts (one in
  each district)

Brazil
  Supreme Federal Tribunal or STF (11 ministers are appointed
  for life by the president and confirmed by the Senate); Higher
  Tribunal of Justice; Regional Federal Tribunals (judges are
  appointed for life); note - though appointed "for life," judges,
  like all federal employees, have a mandatory retirement age of 70

British Virgin Islands
  Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting
  of the High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeal (one judge of
  the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the
  High Court); Magistrate's Court; Juvenile Court; Court of Summary
  Jurisdiction

Brunei
  Supreme Court - chief justice and judges are sworn in by
  monarch for three-year terms; Judicial Committee of Privy Council in
  London is final court of appeal for civil cases; Sharia courts deal
  with Islamic laws (2006)

Bulgaria
  independent judiciary comprised of judges, prosecutors and
  investigating magistrates who are appointed, promoted, demoted, and
  dismissed by a 25-member Supreme Judicial Council (consists of the
  chairmen of the two Supreme Courts, the Chief Prosecutor, and 22
  members, half of whom are elected by the National Assembly and the
  other half by the bodies of the judiciary for a 5-year term in
  office); three levels of case review; 182 courts of which two
  Supreme Courts act as the last instance on civil and criminal cases
  (the Supreme Court of Cassation) and appeals of government decisions
  (the Supreme Administrative Court)

Burkina Faso
  Supreme Court; Appeals Court

Burma
  remnants of the British-era legal system are in place, but
  there is no guarantee of a fair public trial; the judiciary is not
  independent of the executive

Burundi
  Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Constitutional Court; High
  Court of Justice (composed of the Supreme Court and the
  Constitutional Court)

Cambodia
  Supreme Council of the Magistracy (provided for in the
  constitution and formed in December 1997); Supreme Court (and lower
  courts) exercises judicial authority

Cameroon
  Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president); High
  Court of Justice (consists of nine judges and six substitute judges;
  elected by the National Assembly)

Canada
  Supreme Court of Canada (judges are appointed by the prime
  minister through the governor general); Federal Court of Canada;
  Federal Court of Appeal; Provincial Courts (these are named
  variously Court of Appeal, Court of Queens Bench, Superior Court,
  Supreme Court, and Court of Justice)

Cape Verde
  Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Supremo Tribunal de Justia

Cayman Islands
  Grand Court; Cayman Islands Court of Appeal; Summary
  Court

Central African Republic
  Supreme Court or Cour Supreme;
  Constitutional Court (three judges appointed by the president, three
  by the president of the National Assembly, and three by fellow
  judges); Court of Appeal; Criminal Courts; Inferior Courts

Chad
  Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Criminal Courts; Magistrate
  Courts

Chile
  Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are appointed by the
  president and ratified by the Senate from lists of candidates
  provided by the court itself; the president of the Supreme Court is
  elected every three years by the 20-member court); Constitutional
  Tribunal (eight-members - two each from the Senate, Chamber of
  Deputies, Supreme Court, and National Security Council - review the
  constitutionality of laws approved by Congress)

China
  Supreme People's Court (judges appointed by the National
  People's Congress); Local People's Courts (comprise higher,
  intermediate, and basic courts); Special People's Courts (primarily
  military, maritime, railway transportation, and forestry courts)

Christmas Island
  Supreme Court; District Court; Magistrate's Court

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  Supreme Court; Magistrate's Court

Colombia
  four roughly coequal, supreme judicial organs; Supreme
  Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (highest court of
  criminal law; judges are selected by their peers from the nominees
  of the Superior Judicial Council for eight-year terms); Council of
  State (highest court of administrative law; judges are selected from
  the nominees of the Superior Judicial Council for eight-year terms);
  Constitutional Court (guards integrity and supremacy of the
  constitution; rules on constitutionality of laws, amendments to the
  constitution, and international treaties); Superior Judicial Council
  (administers and disciplines the civilian judiciary; resolves
  jurisdictional conflicts arising between other courts; members are
  elected by three sister courts and Congress for eight-year terms)

Comoros
  Supreme Court or Cour Supremes (two members appointed by the
  president, two members elected by the Federal Assembly, one elected
  by the Council of each island, and others are former presidents of
  the republic)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  Constitutional Court; Appeals
  Court or Cour de Cassation; Council of State; High Military Court;
  plus civil and military courts and tribunals

Congo, Republic of the
  Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Cook Islands
  High Court

Costa Rica
  Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (22 justices are elected
  for renewable eight-year terms by the Legislative Assembly)

Cote d'Ivoire
  Supreme Court or Cour Supreme consists of four
  chambers: Judicial Chamber for criminal cases, Audit Chamber for
  financial cases, Constitutional Chamber for judicial review cases,
  and Administrative Chamber for civil cases; there is no legal limit
  to the number of members

Croatia
  Supreme Court; Constitutional Court; judges for both courts
  are appointed for eight-year terms by the Judicial Council of the
  Republic, which is elected by the Assembly

Cuba
  People's Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo Popular (president,
  vice president, and other judges are elected by the National
  Assembly)

Cyprus
  Supreme Court (judges are appointed jointly by the president
  and vice president)
  note: there is also a Supreme Court in the area administered by
  Turkish Cypriots

Czech Republic
  Supreme Court; Constitutional Court; chairman and
  deputy chairmen are appointed by the president for a 10-year term

Denmark
  Supreme Court (judges are appointed for life by the monarch)

Djibouti
  Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Dominica
  Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting of the Court of
  Appeal and the High Court (located in Saint Lucia; one of the six
  judges must reside in Dominica and preside over the Court of Summary
  Jurisdiction)

Dominican Republic
  Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are
  appointed by the National Judicial Council comprised of the
  president, the leaders of both chambers of congress, the president
  of the Supreme Court, and an additional non-governing party
  congressional representative)

Ecuador
  Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (according to the
  Constitution, new justices are elected by the full Supreme Court; in
  December 2004, however, Congress successfully replaced the entire
  court by a simple majority resolution)

Egypt
  Supreme Constitutional Court

El Salvador
  Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (15 judges are selected
  by the Legislative Assembly; the 15 judges are assigned to four
  Supreme Court chambers - constitutional, civil, penal, and
  administrative conflict)

Equatorial Guinea
  Supreme Tribunal

Eritrea
  High Court - regional, subregional, and village courts; also
  have military and special courts

Estonia
  Supreme Court (chairman appointed for life by Parliament)

Ethiopia
  Federal Supreme Court (the president and vice president of
  the Federal Supreme Court are recommended by the prime minister and
  appointed by the House of People's Representatives; for other
  federal judges, the prime minister submits to the House of People's
  Representatives for appointment candidates selected by the Federal
  Judicial Administrative Council)

European Union
  Court of Justice of the European Communities (ensures
  that the treaties are interpreted and applied uniformly throughout
  the EU; resolve constitutional issues among the EU institutions) -
  27 justices (one from each member state) appointed for a six-year
  term; note - for the sake of efficiency, the court can sit with 13
  justices known as the "Grand Chamber"; Court of First Instance - 27
  justices appointed for a six-year term

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) Supreme Court (chief justice is a nonresident); Magistrates Court (senior magistrate presides over civil and criminal divisions); Court of Summary Jurisdiction

Faroe Islands
  none

Fiji
  Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president); Court of
  Appeal; High Court; Magistrates' Courts

Finland
  Supreme Court or Korkein Oikeus (judges appointed by the
  president)

France
  Supreme Court of Appeals or Cour de Cassation (judges are
  appointed by the president from nominations of the High Council of
  the Judiciary); Constitutional Council or Conseil Constitutionnel
  (three members appointed by the president, three appointed by the
  president of the National Assembly, and three appointed by the
  president of the Senate); Council of State or Conseil d'Etat

French Polynesia
  Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Court of the First
  Instance or Tribunal de Premiere Instance; Court of Administrative
  Law or Tribunal Administratif

Gabon
  Supreme Court or Cour Supreme consisting of three chambers -
  Judicial, Administrative, and Accounts; Constitutional Court; Courts
  of Appeal; Court of State Security; County Courts

Gambia, The
  Supreme Court

Georgia
  Supreme Court (judges elected by the Supreme Council on the
  president's or chairman of the Supreme Court's recommendation);
  Constitutional Court; first and second instance courts

Germany
  Federal Constitutional Court or Bundesverfassungsgericht
  (half the judges are elected by the Bundestag and half by the
  Bundesrat)

Ghana
  Supreme Court

Gibraltar
  Supreme Court; Court of Appeal

Greece
  Supreme Judicial Court; Special Supreme Tribunal; all judges
  are appointed for life by the president after consultation with a
  judicial council

Greenland
  High Court or Landsret (appeals can be made to the Ostre
  Landsret or Eastern Division of the High Court or Supreme Court in
  Copenhagen)

Grenada
  Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting of a court of
  Appeal and a High Court of Justice (two High Court judges are
  assigned to and reside in Grenada); Itinerant Court of Appeal three
  judges; member of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ)

Guam
  Federal District Court (judge is appointed by the president);
  Territorial Superior Court (judges appointed for eight-year terms by
  the governor)

Guatemala
  Constitutional Court or Corte de Constitucionalidad is
  Guatemala's highest court (five judges are elected for concurrent
  five-year terms); Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de
  Justicia (13 members serve concurrent five-year terms and elect a
  president of the Court each year from among their number; the
  president of the Supreme Court of Justice also supervises trial
  judges around the country, who are named to five-year terms)

Guernsey
  Royal Court (judges elected by an electoral college and the
  bailiff)

Guinea
  Court of First Instance or Tribunal de Premiere Instance;
  Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Guinea-Bissau
  Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal da Justica (consists
  of nine justices appointed by the president and serve at his
  pleasure; final court of appeals in criminal and civil cases);
  Regional Courts (one in each of nine regions; first court of appeals
  for Sectoral Court decisions; hear all felony cases and civil cases
  valued at more than $1,000); 24 Sectoral Courts (judges are not
  necessarily trained lawyers; they hear civil cases valued at less
  than $1,000 and misdemeanor criminal cases)

Guyana
  Supreme Court of Judicature, consisting of the High Court and
  the Court of Appeal, with right of final appeal to the Caribbean
  Court of Justice (CCJ)

Haiti
  Supreme Court or Cour de Cassation

Holy See (Vatican City)
  there are three tribunals responsible for
  civil and criminal matters within Vatican City; three other
  tribunals rule on issues pertaining to the Holy See
  note: judicial duties were established by the Motu Proprio of Pope
  PIUS XII on 1 May 1946

Honduras
  Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (15
  judges are elected for seven-year terms by the National Congress)

Hong Kong
  Court of Final Appeal in the Hong Kong Special
  Administrative Region

Hungary
  Constitutional Court (judges are elected by the National
  Assembly for nine-year terms)

Iceland
  Supreme Court or Haestirettur (justices are appointed for
  life by the Minister of Justice); eight district courts (justices
  are appointed for life by the Minister of Justice)

India
  Supreme Court (one chief justice and 25 associate justices are
  appointed by the president and remain in office until they reach the
  age of 65 or are removed for "proved misbehavior")

Indonesia
  Supreme Court or Mahkamah Agung is the final court of
  appeal but does not have the power of judicial review (justices are
  appointed by the president from a list of candidates selected by the
  legislature); in March 2004 the Supreme Court assumed administrative
  and financial responsibility for the lower court system from the
  Ministry of Justice and Human Rights; Constitutional Court or
  Mahkamah Konstitusi (invested by the president on 16 August 2003)
  has the power of judicial review, jurisdiction over the results of a
  general election, and reviews actions to dismiss a president from
  office; Labor Court under supervision of Supreme Court began
  functioning in January 2006; the Anti-Corruption Court has
  jurisdiction over corruption cases brought by the independent
  Corruption Eradication Commission; in 2006, the Constitutional Court
  declared the mechanism by which the Anti-Corruption Court was
  established unconstitutional and gave the parliament until the end
  of 2009 to pass Anti-Corruption Court legislation

Iran
  The Supreme Court (Qeveh Qazaieh) and the four-member High
  Council of the Judiciary have a single head and overlapping
  responsibilities; together they supervise the enforcement of all
  laws and establish judicial and legal policies; lower courts include
  a special clerical court, a revolutionary court, and a special
  administrative court

Iraq
  the Iraq Constitution calls for the federal judicial power to
  be comprised of the Higher Judicial Council, Federal Supreme Court,
  Federal Court of Cassation, Public Prosecution Department, Judiciary
  Oversight Commission and other federal courts that are regulated in
  accordance with the law

Ireland
  Supreme Court (judges appointed by the president on the
  advice of the prime minister and cabinet)

Isle of Man
  High Court of Justice (justices are appointed by the
  Lord Chancellor of England on the nomination of the lieutenant
  governor)

Israel
  Supreme Court (justices appointed by Judicial Selection
  Committee - made up of all three branches of the government;
  mandatory retirement age is 70)

Italy
  Constitutional Court or Corte Costituzionale (composed of 15
  judges: one-third appointed by the president, one-third elected by
  parliament, one-third elected by the ordinary and administrative
  Supreme Courts)

Jamaica
  Supreme Court (judges appointed by the governor general on
  the advice of the prime minister); Court of Appeal; Privy Council in
  UK; member of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ)

Japan
  Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the monarch after
  designation by the cabinet; all other justices are appointed by the
  cabinet)

Jersey
  Royal Court (judges elected by an electoral college and the
  bailiff)

Jordan
  Court of Cassation (Supreme Court)

Kazakhstan
  Supreme Court (44 members); Constitutional Council (seven
  members)

Kenya
  Court of Appeal (chief justice is appointed by the president);
  High Court

Kiribati
  Court of Appeal; High Court; 26 Magistrates' courts; judges
  at all levels are appointed by the president

Korea, North
  Central Court (judges are elected by the Supreme
  People's Assembly)

Korea, South
  Supreme Court (justices appointed by the president with
  consent of National Assembly); Constitutional Court (justices
  appointed by the president based partly on nominations by National
  Assembly and Chief Justice of the court)

Kosovo
  Supreme Court; district courts; municipal courts
  note: the Kosovo Constitution dictates that the Supreme Court of
  Kosovo is the highest judicial authority, and provides for a Kosovo
  Judicial Council (KJC) that proposes to the president candidates for
  appointment or reappointment as judges and prosecutors; the KJC is
  also responsible for decisions on the promotion and transfer of
  judges and disciplinary proceedings against judges; at least 15
  percent of Supreme Court and district court judges shall be from
  non-majority communities

Kuwait
  High Court of Appeal

Kyrgyzstan
  Supreme Court; Constitutional Court (judges of both the
  Supreme and Constitutional Courts are appointed for 10-year terms by
  the Jorgorku Kengesh on the recommendation of the president; their
  mandatory retirement age is 70 years); Higher Court of Arbitration;
  Local Courts (judges appointed by the president on the
  recommendation of the National Council on Legal Affairs for a
  probationary period of five years, then 10 years)

Laos
  People's Supreme Court (the president of the People's Supreme
  Court is elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of
  the National Assembly Standing Committee; the vice president of the
  People's Supreme Court and the judges are appointed by the National
  Assembly Standing Committee)

Latvia
  Supreme Court (judges' appointments are confirmed by
  parliament); Constitutional Court (judges' appointments are
  confirmed by parliament)

Lebanon
  four Courts of Cassation (three courts for civil and
  commercial cases and one court for criminal cases); Constitutional
  Council (called for in Ta'if Accord - rules on constitutionality of
  laws); Supreme Council (hears charges against the president and
  prime minister as needed)

Lesotho
  High Court (chief justice appointed by the monarch acting on
  the advice of the prime minister); Court of Appeal; Magistrate
  Courts; customary or traditional court

Liberia
  Supreme Court

Libya
  Supreme Court

Liechtenstein
  Supreme Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; Court of Appeal
  or Obergericht

Lithuania
  Constitutional Court; Supreme Court; Court of Appeal;
  judges for all courts appointed by the president

Luxembourg
  judicial courts and tribunals (three Justices of the
  Peace, two district courts, and one Supreme Court of Appeals);
  administrative courts and tribunals (State Prosecutor's Office,
  administrative courts and tribunals, and the Constitutional Court);
  judges for all courts are appointed for life by the monarch

Macau
  Court of Final Appeal in Macau Special Administrative Region

Macedonia
  Supreme Court; Constitutional Court; Republican Judicial
  Council
  note: the Assembly appoints the judges

Madagascar
  Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Constitutional Court
  or Haute Cour Constitutionnelle

Malawi
  Supreme Court of Appeal; High Court (chief justice appointed
  by the president, puisne judges appointed on the advice of the
  Judicial Service Commission); magistrate's courts

Malaysia
  Civil Courts include Federal Court, Court of Appeal, High
  Court of Malaya on peninsula Malaysia, and High Court of Sabah and
  Sarawak in states of Borneo (judges are appointed by the king on the
  advice of the prime minister); Sharia Courts include Sharia Appeal
  Court, Sharia High Court, and Sharia Subordinate Courts at
  state-level and deal with religious and family matters such as
  custody, divorce, and inheritance only for Muslims; decisions of
  Sharia courts cannot be appealed to civil courts

Maldives
  Supreme Court; Supreme Court judges are appointed by the
  president with approval of voting members of the People's Council;
  High Court; Trial Courts; all lower court judges are appointed by
  the Judicial Service Commission

Mali
  Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Malta
  Constitutional Court; Court of Appeal; judges for both courts
  are appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister

Marshall Islands
  Supreme Court; High Court; Traditional Rights Court

Mauritania
  Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Court of Appeals; lower
  courts

Mauritius
  Supreme Court

Mayotte
  Supreme Court or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel

Mexico
  Supreme Court of Justice or Suprema Corte de Justicia de la
  Nacion (justices or ministros are appointed by the president with
  consent of the Senate)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  Supreme Court

Moldova
  Supreme Court; Constitutional Court (the sole authority for
  constitutional judicature)

Monaco
  Supreme Court or Tribunal Supreme (judges appointed by the
  monarch on the basis of nominations by the National Council)

Mongolia
  Supreme Court (serves as appeals court for people's and
  provincial courts but rarely overturns verdicts of lower courts;
  judges are nominated by the General Council of Courts and approved
  by the president)

Montenegro
  Constitutional Court (five judges with nine-year terms);
  Supreme Court (judges have life tenure)

Montserrat
  Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based in Saint Lucia,
  one judge of the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and
  presides over the High Court)

Morocco
  Supreme Court (judges are appointed on the recommendation of
  the Supreme Council of the Judiciary, presided over by the monarch)

Mozambique
  Supreme Court (the court of final appeal; some of its
  professional judges are appointed by the president, and some are
  elected by the Assembly); other courts include an Administrative
  Court, Constitutional Court, customs courts, maritime courts, courts
  marshal, labor courts

Namibia
  Supreme Court (judges appointed by the president on the
  recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission)

Nauru
  Supreme Court

Nepal
  Supreme Court or Sarbochha Adalat (the president appoints the
  chief justice is appointed by the monarch on recommendation of the
  Constitutional Council; the chief justice appoints other judges on
  the recommendation of the Judicial Council)

Netherlands
  Supreme Court or Hoge Raad (justices are nominated for
  life by the monarch)

Netherlands Antilles
  Joint High Court of Justice (judges appointed
  by the monarch)

New Caledonia
  Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; County Courts; Joint
  Commerce Tribunal Court; Children's Court

New Zealand
  Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; High Court; note -
  judges appointed by the governor general

Nicaragua
  Supreme Court or Corte Suprema de Justicia (16 judges
  elected for five-year terms by the National Assembly)

Niger
  State Court or Cour d'Etat; Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel

Nigeria
  Supreme Court (judges recommended by the National Judicial
  Council and appointed by the president); Federal Court of Appeal
  (judges are appointed by the federal government from a pool of
  judges recommended by the National Judicial Council)

Niue
  Supreme Court of New Zealand; High Court of Niue

Norfolk Island
  Supreme Court; Court of Petty Sessions

Northern Mariana Islands
  Commonwealth Supreme Court; Superior Court;
  Federal District Court

Norway
  Supreme Court or Hoyesterett (justices appointed by the
  monarch)

Oman
  Supreme Court
  note: the nascent civil court system, administered by region, has
  judges who practice secular and Sharia law

Pakistan
  Supreme Court (justices appointed by the president);
  Federal Islamic or Sharia Court

Palau
  Supreme Court; Court of Common Pleas; Land Court

Panama
  Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (nine
  judges appointed for 10-year terms); five superior courts; three
  courts of appeal

Papua New Guinea
  Supreme Court (the chief justice is appointed by
  the governor general on the proposal of the National Executive
  Council after consultation with the minister responsible for
  justice; other judges are appointed by the Judicial and Legal
  Services Commission)

Paraguay
  Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (nine
  judges appointed on the proposal of the Council of Magistrates or
  Consejo de la Magistratura)

Peru
  Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (judges
  are appointed by the National Council of the Judiciary)

Philippines
  Supreme Court (15 justices are appointed by the
  president on the recommendation of the Judicial and Bar Council and
  serve until 70 years of age); Court of Appeals; Sandigan-bayan
  (special court for hearing corruption cases of government officials)

Pitcairn Islands
  Magistrate's Court; Supreme Court; Court of Appeal;
  judicial officers are appointed by the governor

Poland
  Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president on the
  recommendation of the National Council of the Judiciary for an
  indefinite period); Constitutional Tribunal (judges are chosen by
  the Sejm for nine-year terms)

Portugal
  Supreme Court (Supremo Tribunal de Justica); judges
  appointed for life by the Conselho Superior da Magistratura

Puerto Rico
  Supreme Court; Appellate Court; Court of First Instance
  composed of two sections: a Superior Court and a Municipal Court
  (justices for all these courts appointed by the governor with the
  consent of the Senate)

Qatar
  Courts of First Instance, Appeal, and Cassation; an
  Administrative Court and a Constitutional Court were established in
  2007; note - all judges are appointed by Amiri Decree based on the
  recommendation of the Supreme Judiciary Council for renewable
  three-year terms

Romania
  Supreme Court of Justice (comprised of 11 judges appointed
  for three-year terms by the president in consultation with the
  Superior Council of Magistrates, which is comprised of the minister
  of justice, the prosecutor general, two civil society
  representatives appointed by the Senate, and 14 judges and
  prosecutors elected by their peers); a separate body, the
  Constitutional Court, validates elections and makes decisions
  regarding the constitutionality of laws, treaties, ordinances, and
  internal rules of the Parliament; it is comprised of nine members
  serving nine-year terms, with three members each appointed by the
  president, the Senate, and the Chamber of Deputies

Russia
  Constitutional Court; Supreme Court; Supreme Arbitration
  Court; judges for all courts are appointed for life by the
  Federation Council on the recommendation of the president

Rwanda
  Supreme Court; High Courts of the Republic; Provincial
  Courts; District Courts; mediation committees

Saint Helena
  Magistrate's Court; Supreme Court; Court of Appeal

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (consisting of
  a Court of Appeal and a High Court; based on Saint Lucia; two judges
  of the Supreme Court reside in Saint Kitts and Nevis); member of the
  Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ)

Saint Lucia
  Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (consists of a High
  Court and a Court of Appeals; based on Saint Lucia; three judges of
  the Supreme Court reside in Saint Lucia); member of the Caribbean
  Court of Justice (CCJ)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  Superior Tribunal of Appeals or Tribunal
  Superieur d'Appel

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court
  (consisting of a High Court and Court of Appeals; based on Saint
  Lucia; two judges of the Supreme Court reside in Saint Vincent and
  the Grenadines)

Samoa
  Court of Appeal; Supreme Court; District Court; Land and
  Titles Court

San Marino
  Council of Twelve or Consiglio dei XII

Sao Tome and Principe
  Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the
  National Assembly)

Saudi Arabia
  Supreme Council of Justice

Senegal
  Constitutional Court; Council of State; Court of Final
  Appeals or Cour de Cassation; Court of Appeals

Serbia
  Constitutional Court, Supreme Court (to become court of
  cassation under new constitution), appellate courts, district
  courts, municipal courts

Seychelles
  Court of Appeal; Supreme Court; judges for both courts
  are appointed by the president

Sierra Leone
  Supreme Court; Appeals Court; High Court

Singapore
  Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the president
  with the advice of the prime minister, other judges are appointed by
  the president with the advice of the chief justice); Court of Appeals

Slovakia
  Supreme Court (judges are elected by the National Council);
  Constitutional Court (judges appointed by president from group of
  nominees approved by the National Council); Special Court (judges
  elected by a council of judges and appointed by president)

Slovenia
  Supreme Court (judges are elected by the National Assembly
  on the recommendation of the Judicial Council); Constitutional Court
  (judges elected for nine-year terms by the National Assembly and
  nominated by the president)

Solomon Islands
  Court of Appeal

Somalia
  following the breakdown of the central government, most
  regions have reverted to local forms of conflict resolution, either
  secular, traditional Somali customary law, or Sharia (Islamic) law
  with a provision for appeal of all sentences

South Africa
  Constitutional Court; Supreme Court of Appeals; High
  Courts; Magistrate Courts

Spain
  Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo

Sri Lanka
  Supreme Court; Court of Appeals; judges for both courts
  are appointed by the president

Sudan
  Constitutional Court of nine justices; National Supreme Court;
  National Courts of Appeal; other national courts; National Judicial
  Service Commission will undertake overall management of the National
  Judiciary

Suriname
  Cantonal Courts and a Court of Justice as an appellate
  court (justices are nominated for life); member of the Caribbean
  Court of Justice (CCJ)

Swaziland
  High Court; Supreme Court; judges for both courts are
  appointed by the monarch

Sweden
  Supreme Court or Hogsta Domstolen (judges are appointed by
  the prime minister and the cabinet)

Switzerland
  Federal Supreme Court (judges elected for six-year terms
  by the Federal Assembly)

Syria
  Supreme Judicial Council (appoints and dismisses judges;
  headed by the president); national level - Supreme Constitutional
  Court (adjudicates electoral disputes and rules on constitutionality
  of laws and decrees; justices appointed for four-year terms by the
  president); Court of Cassation; Appeals Courts (Appeals Courts
  represent an intermediate level between the Court of Cassation and
  local level courts); local level - Magistrate Courts; Courts of
  First Instance; Juvenile Courts; Customs Courts; specialized courts
  - Economic Security Courts (hear cases related to economic crimes);
  Supreme State Security Court (hear cases related to national
  security); Personal Status Courts (religious; hear cases related to
  marriage and divorce)

Taiwan
  Judicial Yuan (justices appointed by the president with
  consent of the Legislative Yuan)

Tajikistan
  Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president)

Tanzania
  Permanent Commission of Enquiry (official ombudsman); Court
  of Appeal (consists of a chief justice and four judges); High Court
  (consists of a Jaji Kiongozi and 29 judges appointed by the
  president; holds regular sessions in all regions); District Courts;
  Primary Courts (limited jurisdiction and appeals can be made to the
  higher courts)

Thailand
  Supreme Court or Sandika (judges appointed by the monarch)

Timor-Leste
  Supreme Court of Justice - constitution calls for one
  judge to be appointed by National Parliament and rest appointed by
  Superior Council for Judiciary; note - until Supreme Court is
  established, Court of Appeals is highest court

Togo
  Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Tokelau
  Supreme Court in New Zealand exercises civil and criminal
  jurisdiction in Tokelau

Tonga
  Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the monarch); Court of
  Appeal (Chief Justice and high court justices from overseas chosen
  and approved by Privy Council)

Trinidad and Tobago
  Supreme Court of Judicature (comprised of the
  High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeals; the chief justice is
  appointed by the president after consultation with the prime
  minister and the leader of the opposition; other justices are
  appointed by the president on the advice of the Judicial and Legal
  Service Commission); the highest court of appeal is the Privy
  Council in London; member of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ)

Tunisia
  Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation

Turkey
  Constitutional Court; High Court of Appeals (Yargitay);
  Council of State (Danistay); Court of Accounts (Sayistay); Military
  High Court of Appeals; Military High Administrative Court

Turkmenistan
  Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  Supreme Court; Court of Appeal

Tuvalu
  High Court (a chief justice visits twice a year to preside
  over its sessions; its rulings can be appealed to the Court of
  Appeal in Fiji); eight Island Courts (with limited jurisdiction)

Uganda
  Court of Appeal (judges are appointed by the president and
  approved by the legislature); High Court (judges are appointed by
  the president)

Ukraine
  Supreme Court; Constitutional Court

United Arab Emirates
  Union Supreme Court (judges are appointed by
  the president)

United Kingdom
  House of Lords (highest court of appeal; several
  Lords of Appeal in Ordinary are appointed by the monarch for life);
  Supreme Courts of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland (comprising
  the Courts of Appeal, the High Courts of Justice, and the Crown
  Courts); Scotland's Court of Session and Court of the Justiciary

United States
  Supreme Court (nine justices; nominated by the
  president and confirmed with the advice and consent of the Senate;
  appointed to serve for life); United States Courts of Appeal; United
  States District Courts; State and County Courts

Uruguay
  Supreme Court (judges are nominated by the president and
  elected for 10-year terms by the General Assembly)

Uzbekistan
  Supreme Court (judges are nominated by the president and
  confirmed by the Supreme Assembly)

Vanuatu
  Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the president
  after consultation with the prime minister and the leader of the
  opposition, three other justices are appointed by the president on
  the advice of the Judicial Service Commission)

Venezuela
  Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Tribuna Suprema de Justicia
  (magistrates are elected by the National Assembly for a single
  12-year term)

Vietnam
  Supreme People's Court (chief justice is elected for a
  five-year term by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the
  president)

Virgin Islands
  US District Court of the Virgin Islands (under Third
  Circuit jurisdiction); Superior Court of the Virgin Islands (judges
  appointed by the governor for 10-year terms)

Wallis and Futuna
  justice generally administered under French law by
  the high administrator, but the three traditional kings administer
  customary law and there is a magistrate in Mata-Utu; a court of
  appeal is located in Noumea, New Caledonia

Yemen
  Supreme Court

Zambia
  Supreme Court (the final court of appeal; justices are
  appointed by the president); High Court (has unlimited jurisdiction
  to hear civil and criminal cases)

Zimbabwe
  Supreme Court; High Court

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

@2095

Field Listing :: Labor force

  This entry contains the total labor force figure.
  Country Comparison to the World
  Country

Labor force

Afghanistan
  15 million (2004 est.)

Albania
  1.103 million (not including 352,000 emigrant workers) (2007
  est.)

Algeria
  9.464 million (2008 est.)

American Samoa
  17,630 (2005)

Andorra
  42,230 (2007)

Angola
  7.569 million (2008 est.)

Anguilla
  6,049 (2001)

Antigua and Barbuda
  30,000 (1991)

Argentina 16.27 million note: urban areas only (2008 est.)

Armenia
  1.481 million (2007 est.)

Aruba
  41,500 (2004 est.)

Australia
  11.25 million (2008 est.)

Austria
  3.633 million (2008 est.)

Azerbaijan
  5.782 million (2008 est.)

Bahamas, The
  175,500 (2007)

Bahrain
  557,000
  note: 44% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national
  (2008 est.)

Bangladesh
  70.86 million
  note: extensive export of labor to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Oman,
  Qatar, and Malaysia; workers' remittances estimated at $4.8 billion
  in 2005-06. (2008 est.)

Barbados
  175,000 (2007 est.)

Belarus
  4.869 million (2007)

Belgium
  4.99 million (2008)

Belize
  122,300
  note: shortage of skilled labor and all types of technical personnel
  (2008 est.)

Benin
  3.662 million (2007 est.)

Bermuda
  38,360 (2004)

Bhutan
  NA
  note: major shortage of skilled labor

Bolivia
  4.454 million (2008 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  1.863 million (2007)

Botswana
  685,300 formal sector employees (2007)

Brazil
  93.65 million (2008 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  12,770 (2004)

Brunei
  188,800 (2008 est.)

Bulgaria
  2.67 million (2008 est.)

Burkina Faso
  6.668 million
  note: a large part of the male labor force migrates annually to
  neighboring countries for seasonal employment (2007)

Burma
  30.04 million (2008 est.)

Burundi
  4.245 million (2007)

Cambodia
  8.6 million (2008 est.)

Cameroon
  6.759 million (2008 est.)

Canada
  18.22 million (2008 est.)

Cape Verde
  196,100 (2007)

Cayman Islands
  23,450 (2004)

Central African Republic
  1.926 million (2007)

Chad
  4.293 million (2007)

Chile
  7.267 million (2008 est.)

China
  807.3 million (2008 est.)

Christmas Island
  NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  NA

Colombia
  21.3 million (2008 est.)

Comoros
  268,500 (2007 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  23.53 million (2007 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  NA

Cook Islands
  6,820 (2001)

Costa Rica
  2.06 million
  note: this official estimate excludes Nicaraguans living in Costa
  Rica (2008 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  7.346 million (68% agricultural) (2008 est.)

Croatia
  1.731 million (2008 est.)

Cuba
  4.962 million
  note: state sector 78%, non-state sector 22% (2008 est.)

Cyprus
  397,000 (2008 est.)

Czech Republic
  5.36 million (2008 est.)

Denmark
  2.88 million (2008 est.)

Djibouti
  351,700 (2007)

Dominica
  25,000 (2000 est.)

Dominican Republic
  4.119 million (2008 est.)

Ecuador
  4.64 million (urban) (2008 est.)

Egypt
  24.6 million (2008 est.)

El Salvador
  2.947 million (2008 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  NA

Eritrea
  NA

Estonia
  693,000 (2008 est.)

Ethiopia
  37.9 million (2007)

European Union
  224.4 million (2008 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  1,724 (est.) (1996)

Faroe Islands
  24,250 (October 2000)

Fiji
  335,000 (2007 est.)

Finland
  2.703 million (2008 est.)

France
  27.97 million (2008 est.)

French Polynesia
  116,000 (2007)

Gabon
  581,000 (2008 est.)

Gambia, The
  777,100 (2007)

Gaza Strip
  267,000 (2006)

Georgia
  2.317 million (2007 est.)

Germany
  43.6 million (2008 est.)

Ghana
  10.12 million (2008 est.)

Gibraltar
  12,690 (including non-Gibraltar laborers) (2001)

Greece
  4.96 million (2008 est.)

Greenland
  32,120 (2004)

Grenada
  42,300 (1996)

Guam
  82,950 (2007 est.)

Guatemala
  4.056 million (2008 est.)

Guernsey
  31,470 (March 2006)

Guinea
  4.392 million (2007 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  632,700 (2007)

Guyana
  333,900 (2007 est.)

Haiti
  3.643 million
  note: shortage of skilled labor, unskilled labor abundant (2007)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  NA

Honduras
  2.991 million (2008 est.)

Hong Kong
  3.66 million (2008 est.)

Hungary
  4.2 million (2008 est.)

Iceland
  184,000 (2008 est.)

India
  523.5 million (2008 est.)

Indonesia
  112 million (2008 est.)

Iran
  24.35 million
  note: shortage of skilled labor (2008 est.)

Iraq
  7.74 million (2008 est.)

Ireland
  2.241 million (2008 est.)

Isle of Man
  39,690 (2001)

Israel
  2.957 million (2008 est.)

Italy
  25.11 million (2008 est.)

Jamaica
  1.304 million (2008 est.)

Japan
  66.5 million (2008 est.)

Jersey
  53,560 (June 2006)

Jordan
  1.615 million (2008 est.)

Kazakhstan
  8.412 million (2008 est.)

Kenya
  17.37 million (2007 est.)

Kiribati
  7,870 economically active, not including subsistence
  farmers (2001 est.)

Korea, North
  20 million
  note: estimates vary widely (2004 est.)

Korea, South
  24.35 million (2008 est.)

Kosovo
  550,000 (2007 est.)

Kuwait 2.088 million note: non-Kuwaitis represent about 60% of the labor force (2008 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  2.344 million (2007)

Laos
  2.1 million (2006 est.)

Latvia
  1.193 million (2008 est.)

Lebanon
  1.481 million
  note: in addition, there are as many as 1 million foreign workers
  (2007 est.)

Lesotho
  854,600 (2007 est.)

Libya
  1.64 million (2008 est.)

Liechtenstein
  32,440 of whom 13,900 commute from Austria,
  Switzerland, and Germany to work each day (2007)

Lithuania
  1.614 million (2008 est.)

Luxembourg
  206,000 of whom 125,400 are foreign cross-border workers
  commuting primarily from France, Belgium, and Germany (2008 est.)

Macau
  337,400 (2008 est.)

Macedonia
  925,000 (2008 est.)

Madagascar
  9.504 million (2007)

Malawi
  5.747 million (2007 est.)

Malaysia
  11.09 million (2008 est.)

Maldives
  136,100 (2007)

Mali
  3.241 million (2007 est.)

Malta
  173,000 (2008)

Marshall Islands
  14,680 (2000)

Mauritania
  1.318 million (2007)

Mauritius
  584,000 (2008 est.)

Mayotte
  44,560 (2002)

Mexico
  45.32 million (2008 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  16,360 (2008)

Moldova
  1.327 million (2008 est.)

Monaco 44,000 note: includes workers from all foreign countries (2005 est.)

Mongolia
  1.068 million (2008)

Montenegro
  259,100 (2004)

Montserrat
  NA

Morocco
  11.29 million (2008 est.)

Mozambique
  9.65 million (2008 est.)

Namibia
  686,000 (2008 est.)

Nepal 14.6 million note: severe lack of skilled labor (2008 est.)

Netherlands
  7.715 million (2008 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  91,470 (2007)

New Caledonia
  102,600 (2007)

New Zealand
  2.25 million (2008 est.)

Nicaragua
  2.322 million (2008 est.)

Niger
  4.688 million (2007)

Nigeria
  51.04 million (2008 est.)

Niue
  663 (2001)

Norfolk Island
  NA

Northern Mariana Islands 38,450 total indigenous labor force; 2,699 unemployed; 28,717 foreign workers (2005 est.)

Norway 2.591 million (2008 est.)

Oman 968,800 note: about 60% of the labor force is non-national (2007)

Pakistan
  50.58 million
  note: extensive export of labor, mostly to the Middle East, and use
  of child labor (2008 est.)

Palau
  9,777 (2005)

Panama
  1.392 million
  note: shortage of skilled labor, but an oversupply of unskilled
  labor (2008 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  3.639 million (2008 est.)

Paraguay
  2.839 million (2008 est.)

Peru
  10.2 million (2008 est.)

Philippines
  36.81 million (2008 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  15 able-bodied men (2004)

Poland
  17.01 million (2008 est.)

Portugal
  5.625 million (2008 est.)

Puerto Rico
  1.479 million (2007)

Qatar
  1.119 million (2008 est.)

Romania
  9.32 million (2008 est.)

Russia
  75.7 million (2008 est.)

Rwanda
  4.446 million (2007)

Saint Helena 2,486 note: 1,200 work offshore (1998 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  18,170 (June 1995)

Saint Lucia
  79,700 (2007)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  3,450 (2005)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  57,520 (2007 est.)

Samoa
  66,270 (2007 est.)

San Marino
  22,660 (2008)

Sao Tome and Principe
  52,490 (2007)

Saudi Arabia 6.74 million note: about 80% of the labor force is non-national (2008 est.)

Senegal
  4.973 million (2008 est.)

Serbia
  2.961 million (2002 est.)

Seychelles
  39,560 (2006)

Sierra Leone
  2.207 million (2007 est.)

Singapore
  2.94 million (2008 est.)

Slovakia
  2.254 million (2008 est.)

Slovenia
  940,000 (2008 est.)

Solomon Islands
  202,500 (2007)

Somalia
  3.447 million (few skilled laborers) (2007)

South Africa
  17.79 million economically active (2008 est.)

Spain
  22.85 million (2008 est.)

Sri Lanka 7.569 million note: excludes northern and eastern provinces (2008 est.)

Sudan
  11.92 million (2007 est.)

Suriname
  165,600 (2007)

Svalbard
  NA

Swaziland
  457,900 (2007)

Sweden
  4.897 million (2008 est.)

Switzerland
  4.053 million (2008 est.)

Syria
  5.593 million (2008 est.)

Taiwan
  10.85 million (2008 est.)

Tajikistan
  2.1 million (2008)

Tanzania
  21.06 million (2008 est.)

Thailand
  37.78 million (2008 est.)

Timor-Leste
  NA

Togo
  2.595 million (2007)

Tokelau
  440 (2001)

Tonga
  39,960 (2007)

Trinidad and Tobago
  620,800 (2008 est.)

Tunisia
  3.66 million (2008 est.)

Turkey 24.06 million note: about 1.2 million Turks work abroad (2008 est.)

Turkmenistan
  13.51 million (2007 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  4,848 (1990 est.)

Tuvalu
  3,615 (2004 est.)

Uganda
  14.54 million (2008 est.)

Ukraine
  21.57 million (2008 est.)

United Arab Emirates 3.266 million note: expatriates account for about 85% of the work force (2008 est.)

United Kingdom
  31.23 million (2008 est.)

United States
  154.3 million (includes unemployed) (2008 est.)

Uruguay
  1.641 million (2008 est.)

Uzbekistan
  15.37 million (2008 est.)

Vanuatu
  115,900 (2007)

Venezuela
  12.59 million (2008 est.)

Vietnam
  47.41 million (2008 est.)

Virgin Islands
  49,820 (2007 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
  3,104 (2003)

West Bank
  605,000 (2006)

Western Sahara
  12,000 (2005 est.)

World
  3.232 billion (2008 est.)

Yemen
  6.454 million (2008 est.)

Zambia
  5.235 million (2008 est.)

Zimbabwe
  4.039 million (2008 est.)

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

@2096

Field Listing :: Land boundaries

This entry contains the total length of all land boundaries and the individual lengths for each of the contiguous border countries. When available, official lengths published by national statistical agencies are used. Because surveying methods may differ, country border lengths reported by contiguous countries may differ. Country

Land boundaries(km)

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

Akrotiri
  total: 47.4 km
  border countries: Cyprus 47.4 km

Albania
  total: 717 km
  border countries: Greece 282 km, Macedonia 151 km, Montenegro 172
  km, Kosovo 112 km

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

American Samoa
  0 km

Andorra
  total: 120.3 km
  border countries: France 56.6 km, Spain 63.7 km

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

Anguilla
  0 km

Antarctica 0 km note: see entry on Disputes - international

Antigua and Barbuda
  0 km

Argentina
  total: 9,861 km
  border countries: Bolivia 832 km, Brazil 1,261 km, Chile 5,308 km,
  Paraguay 1,880 km, Uruguay 580 km

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

Aruba
  0 km

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  0 km

Australia
  0 km

Austria
  total: 2,562 km
  border countries: Czech Republic 362 km, Germany 784 km, Hungary 366
  km, Italy 430 km, Liechtenstein 35 km, Slovakia 91 km, Slovenia 330
  km, Switzerland 164 km

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

Bahamas, The
  0 km

Bahrain
  0 km

Bangladesh total: 4,246 km border countries: Burma 193 km, India 4,053 km

Barbados
  0 km

Belarus
  total: 3,306 km
  border countries: Latvia 171 km, Lithuania 680 km, Poland 605 km,
  Russia 959 km, Ukraine 891 km

Belgium
  total: 1,385 km
  border countries: France 620 km, Germany 167 km, Luxembourg 148 km,
  Netherlands 450 km

Belize
  total: 516 km
  border countries: Guatemala 266 km, Mexico 250 km

Benin
  total: 1,989 km
  border countries: Burkina Faso 306 km, Niger 266 km, Nigeria 773 km,
  Togo 644 km

Bermuda
  0 km

Bhutan
  total: 1,075 km
  border countries: China 470 km, India 605 km

Bolivia
  total: 6,940 km
  border countries: Argentina 832 km, Brazil 3,423 km, Chile 860 km,
  Paraguay 750 km, Peru 1,075 km

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  total: 1,538 km
  border countries: Croatia 932 km, Montenegro 249 km, Serbia 357 km

Botswana
  total: 4,013 km
  border countries: Namibia 1,360 km, South Africa 1,840 km, Zimbabwe
  813 km

Bouvet Island
  0 km

Brazil
  total: 16,885 km
  border countries: Argentina 1,261 km, Bolivia 3,423 km, Colombia
  1,644 km, French Guiana 730 km, Guyana 1,606 km, Paraguay 1,365 km,
  Peru 2,995 km, Suriname 593 km, Uruguay 1,068 km, Venezuela 2,200 km

British Indian Ocean Territory
  0 km

British Virgin Islands
  0 km

Brunei
  total: 381 km
  border countries: Malaysia 381 km

Bulgaria
  total: 1,808 km
  border countries: Greece 494 km, Macedonia 148 km, Romania 608 km,
  Serbia 318 km, Turkey 240 km

Burkina Faso
  total: 3,193 km
  border countries: Benin 306 km, Cote d'Ivoire 584 km, Ghana 549 km,
  Mali 1,000 km, Niger 628 km, Togo 126 km

Burma
  total: 5,876 km
  border countries: Bangladesh 193 km, China 2,185 km, India 1,463 km,
  Laos 235 km, Thailand 1,800 km

Burundi
  total: 974 km
  border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 233 km, Rwanda
  290 km, Tanzania 451 km

Cambodia
  total: 2,572 km
  border countries: Laos 541 km, Thailand 803 km, Vietnam 1,228 km

Cameroon
  total: 4,591 km
  border countries: Central African Republic 797 km, Chad 1,094 km,
  Republic of the Congo 523 km, Equatorial Guinea 189 km, Gabon 298
  km, Nigeria 1,690 km

Canada total: 8,893 km border countries: US 8,893 km (includes 2,477 km with Alaska)

Cape Verde
  0 km

Cayman Islands
  0 km

Central African Republic
  total: 5,203 km
  border countries: Cameroon 797 km, Chad 1,197 km, Democratic
  Republic of the Congo 1,577 km, Republic of the Congo 467 km, Sudan
  1,165 km

Chad
  total: 5,968 km
  border countries: Cameroon 1,094 km, Central African Republic 1,197
  km, Libya 1,055 km, Niger 1,175 km, Nigeria 87 km, Sudan 1,360 km

Chile
  total: 6,339 km
  border countries: Argentina 5,308 km, Bolivia 860 km, Peru 171 km

China
  total: 22,117 km
  border countries: Afghanistan 76 km, Bhutan 470 km, Burma 2,185 km,
  India 3,380 km, Kazakhstan 1,533 km, North Korea 1,416 km,
  Kyrgyzstan 858 km, Laos 423 km, Mongolia 4,677 km, Nepal 1,236 km,
  Pakistan 523 km, Russia (northeast) 3,605 km, Russia (northwest) 40
  km, Tajikistan 414 km, Vietnam 1,281 km
  regional borders: Hong Kong 30 km, Macau 0.34 km

Christmas Island
  0 km

Clipperton Island
  0 km

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  0 km

Colombia
  total: 6,309 km
  border countries: Brazil 1,644 km, Ecuador 590 km, Panama 225 km,
  Peru 1,800 km, Venezuela 2,050 km

Comoros
  0 km

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  total: 10,730 km
  border countries: Angola 2,511 km (of which 225 km is the boundary
  of Angola's discontiguous Cabinda Province), Burundi 233 km, Central
  African Republic 1,577 km, Republic of the Congo 2,410 km, Rwanda
  217 km, Sudan 628 km, Tanzania 459 km, Uganda 765 km, Zambia 1,930 km

Congo, Republic of the
  total: 5,504 km
  border countries: Angola 201 km, Cameroon 523 km, Central African
  Republic 467 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 2,410 km, Gabon
  1,903 km

Cook Islands
  0 km

Coral Sea Islands
  0 km

Costa Rica
  total: 639 km
  border countries: Nicaragua 309 km, Panama 330 km

Cote d'Ivoire
  total: 3,110 km
  border countries: Burkina Faso 584 km, Ghana 668 km, Guinea 610 km,
  Liberia 716 km, Mali 532 km

Croatia
  total: 1,982 km
  border countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina 932 km, Hungary 329 km,
  Serbia 241 km, Montenegro 25 km, Slovenia 455 km

Cuba
  total: 29 km
  border countries: US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay 29 km
  note: Guantanamo Naval Base is leased by the US and remains part of
  Cuba

Cyprus
  total: 150.4 km (approximately)
  border sovereign base areas: Akrotiri 47.4 km, Dhekelia 103 km
  (approximately)

Czech Republic
  total: 1,989 km
  border countries: Austria 362 km, Germany 815 km, Poland 615 km,
  Slovakia 197 km

Denmark
  total: 68 km
  border countries: Germany 68 km

Dhekelia
  total: 103 km (approximately)
  border countries: Cyprus 103 km (approximately)

Djibouti
  total: 516 km
  border countries: Eritrea 109 km, Ethiopia 349 km, Somalia 58 km

Dominica
  0 km

Dominican Republic
  total: 360 km
  border countries: Haiti 360 km

Ecuador
  total: 2,010 km
  border countries: Colombia 590 km, Peru 1,420 km

Egypt
  total: 2,665 km
  border countries: Gaza Strip 11 km, Israel 266 km, Libya 1,115 km,
  Sudan 1,273 km

El Salvador
  total: 545 km
  border countries: Guatemala 203 km, Honduras 342 km

Equatorial Guinea
  total: 539 km
  border countries: Cameroon 189 km, Gabon 350 km

Eritrea
  total: 1,626 km
  border countries: Djibouti 109 km, Ethiopia 912 km, Sudan 605 km

Estonia
  total: 633 km
  border countries: Latvia 343 km, Russia 290 km

Ethiopia
  total: 5,328 km
  border countries: Djibouti 349 km, Eritrea 912 km, Kenya 861 km,
  Somalia 1,600 km, Sudan 1,606 km

European Union
  total: 12,440.8 km
  border countries: Albania 282 km, Andorra 120.3 km, Belarus 1,050
  km, Croatia 999 km, Holy See 3.2 km, Liechtenstein 34.9 km,
  Macedonia 394 km, Moldova 450 km, Monaco 4.4 km, Norway 2,348 km,
  Russia 2,257 km, San Marino 39 km, Serbia 945 km, Switzerland 1,811
  km, Turkey 446 km, Ukraine 1,257 km
  note: data for European Continent only

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  0 km

Faroe Islands
  0 km

Fiji
  0 km

Finland
  total: 2,654 km
  border countries: Norway 727 km, Sweden 614 km, Russia 1,313 km

France
  metropolitan France - total: 2,889 km
  border countries: Andorra 56.6 km, Belgium 620 km, Germany 451 km,
  Italy 488 km, Luxembourg 73 km, Monaco 4.4 km, Spain 623 km,
  Switzerland 573 km
  French Guiana - total: 1,183 km
  border countries: Brazil 673 km, Suriname 510 km

French Polynesia
  0 km

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  0 km

Gabon
  total: 2,551 km
  border countries: Cameroon 298 km, Republic of the Congo 1,903 km,
  Equatorial Guinea 350 km

Gambia, The
  total: 740 km
  border countries: Senegal 740 km

Gaza Strip
  total: 62 km
  border countries: Egypt 11 km, Israel 51 km

Georgia
  total: 1,461 km
  border countries: Armenia 164 km, Azerbaijan 322 km, Russia 723 km,
  Turkey 252 km

Germany
  total: 3,621 km
  border countries: Austria 784 km, Belgium 167 km, Czech Republic 646
  km, Denmark 68 km, France 451 km, Luxembourg 138 km, Netherlands 577
  km, Poland 456 km, Switzerland 334 km

Ghana
  total: 2,094 km
  border countries: Burkina Faso 549 km, Cote d'Ivoire 668 km, Togo
  877 km

Gibraltar
  total: 1.2 km
  border countries: Spain 1.2 km

Greece
  total: 1,228 km
  border countries: Albania 282 km, Bulgaria 494 km, Turkey 206 km,
  Macedonia 246 km

Greenland
  0 km

Grenada
  0 km

Guam
  0 km

Guatemala
  total: 1,687 km
  border countries: Belize 266 km, El Salvador 203 km, Honduras 256
  km, Mexico 962 km

Guernsey
  0 km

Guinea
  total: 3,399 km
  border countries: Cote d'Ivoire 610 km, Guinea-Bissau 386 km,
  Liberia 563 km, Mali 858 km, Senegal 330 km, Sierra Leone 652 km

Guinea-Bissau
  total: 724 km
  border countries: Guinea 386 km, Senegal 338 km

Guyana
  total: 2,949 km
  border countries: Brazil 1,606 km, Suriname 600 km, Venezuela 743 km

Haiti
  total: 360 km
  border countries: Dominican Republic 360 km

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  0 km

Holy See (Vatican City)
  total: 3.2 km
  border countries: Italy 3.2 km

Honduras
  total: 1,520 km
  border countries: Guatemala 256 km, El Salvador 342 km, Nicaragua
  922 km

Hong Kong
  total: 30 km
  regional border: China 30 km

Hungary
  total: 2,185 km
  border countries: Austria 366 km, Croatia 329 km, Romania 443 km,
  Serbia 166 km, Slovakia 676 km, Slovenia 102 km, Ukraine 103 km

Iceland
  0 km

India
  total: 14,103 km
  border countries: Bangladesh 4,053 km, Bhutan 605 km, Burma 1,463
  km, China 3,380 km, Nepal 1,690 km, Pakistan 2,912 km

Indonesia
  total: 2,830 km
  border countries: Timor-Leste 228 km, Malaysia 1,782 km, Papua New
  Guinea 820 km

Iran
  total: 5,440 km
  border countries: Afghanistan 936 km, Armenia 35 km,
  Azerbaijan-proper 432 km, Azerbaijan-Naxcivan exclave 179 km, Iraq
  1,458 km, Pakistan 909 km, Turkey 499 km, Turkmenistan 992 km

Iraq
  total: 3,650 km
  border countries: Iran 1,458 km, Jordan 181 km, Kuwait 240 km, Saudi
  Arabia 814 km, Syria 605 km, Turkey 352 km

Ireland total: 360 km border countries: UK 360 km

Isle of Man
  0 km

Israel
  total: 1,017 km
  border countries: Egypt 266 km, Gaza Strip 51 km, Jordan 238 km,
  Lebanon 79 km, Syria 76 km, West Bank 307 km

Italy
  total: 1,899.2 km
  border countries: Austria 430 km, France 488 km, Holy See (Vatican
  City) 3.2 km, San Marino 39 km, Slovenia 199 km, Switzerland 740 km

Jamaica
  0 km

Jan Mayen
  0 km

Japan
  0 km

Jersey
  0 km

Jordan
  total: 1,635 km
  border countries: Iraq 181 km, Israel 238 km, Saudi Arabia 744 km,
  Syria 375 km, West Bank 97 km

Kazakhstan
  total: 12,185 km
  border countries: China 1,533 km, Kyrgyzstan 1,224 km, Russia 6,846
  km, Turkmenistan 379 km, Uzbekistan 2,203 km

Kenya
  total: 3,477 km
  border countries: Ethiopia 861 km, Somalia 682 km, Sudan 232 km,
  Tanzania 769 km, Uganda 933 km

Kiribati
  0 km

Korea, North
  total: 1,673 km
  border countries: China 1,416 km, South Korea 238 km, Russia 19 km

Korea, South
  total: 238 km
  border countries: North Korea 238 km

Kosovo
  total: 702 km
  border countries: Albania 112 km, Macedonia 159 km, Montenegro 79
  km, Serbia 352 km

Kuwait
  total: 462 km
  border countries: Iraq 240 km, Saudi Arabia 222 km

Kyrgyzstan
  total: 3,051 km
  border countries: China 858 km, Kazakhstan 1,224 km, Tajikistan 870
  km, Uzbekistan 1,099 km

Laos
  total: 5,083 km
  border countries: Burma 235 km, Cambodia 541 km, China 423 km,
  Thailand 1,754 km, Vietnam 2,130 km

Latvia
  total: 1,382 km
  border countries: Belarus 171 km, Estonia 343 km, Lithuania 576 km,
  Russia 292 km

Lebanon
  total: 454 km
  border countries: Israel 79 km, Syria 375 km

Lesotho
  total: 909 km
  border countries: South Africa 909 km

Liberia
  total: 1,585 km
  border countries: Guinea 563 km, Cote d'Ivoire 716 km, Sierra Leone
  306 km

Libya
  total: 4,348 km
  border countries: Algeria 982 km, Chad 1,055 km, Egypt 1,115 km,
  Niger 354 km, Sudan 383 km, Tunisia 459 km

Liechtenstein
  total: 76 km
  border countries: Austria 34.9 km, Switzerland 41.1 km

Lithuania
  total: 1,574 km
  border countries: Belarus 680 km, Latvia 576 km, Poland 91 km,
  Russia (Kaliningrad) 227 km

Luxembourg
  total: 359 km
  border countries: Belgium 148 km, France 73 km, Germany 138 km

Macau
  total: 0.34 km
  regional border: China 0.34 km

Macedonia
  total: 766 km
  border countries: Albania 151 km, Bulgaria 148 km, Greece 246 km,
  Kosovo 159 km, Serbia 62 km

Madagascar
  0 km

Malawi
  total: 2,881 km
  border countries: Mozambique 1,569 km, Tanzania 475 km, Zambia 837 km

Malaysia
  total: 2,669 km
  border countries: Brunei 381 km, Indonesia 1,782 km, Thailand 506 km

Maldives
  0 km

Mali
  total: 7,243 km
  border countries: Algeria 1,376 km, Burkina Faso 1,000 km, Guinea
  858 km, Cote d'Ivoire 532 km, Mauritania 2,237 km, Niger 821 km,
  Senegal 419 km

Malta
  0 km

Marshall Islands
  0 km

Mauritania
  total: 5,074 km
  border countries: Algeria 463 km, Mali 2,237 km, Senegal 813 km,
  Western Sahara 1,561 km

Mauritius
  0 km

Mayotte
  0 km

Mexico total: 4,353 km border countries: Belize 250 km, Guatemala 962 km, US 3,141 km

Micronesia, Federated States of 0 km

Moldova
  total: 1,390 km
  border countries: Romania 450 km, Ukraine 940 km

Monaco
  total: 4.4 km
  border countries: France 4.4 km

Mongolia
  total: 8,220 km
  border countries: China 4,677 km, Russia 3,543 km

Montenegro
  total: 625 km
  border countries: Albania 172 km, Bosnia and Herzegovina 225 km,
  Croatia 25 km, Kosovo 79 km, Serbia 124 km

Montserrat
  0 km

Morocco
  total: 2,017.9 km
  border countries: Algeria 1,559 km, Western Sahara 443 km, Spain
  (Ceuta) 6.3 km, Spain (Melilla) 9.6 km

Mozambique
  total: 4,571 km
  border countries: Malawi 1,569 km, South Africa 491 km, Swaziland
  105 km, Tanzania 756 km, Zambia 419 km, Zimbabwe 1,231 km

Namibia
  total: 3,936 km
  border countries: Angola 1,376 km, Botswana 1,360 km, South Africa
  967 km, Zambia 233 km

Nauru
  0 km

Navassa Island
  0 km

Nepal
  total: 2,926 km
  border countries: China 1,236 km, India 1,690 km

Netherlands
  total: 1,027 km
  border countries: Belgium 450 km, Germany 577 km

Netherlands Antilles
  total: 15 km
  border countries: Saint Martin 15 km

New Caledonia
  0 km

New Zealand
  0 km

Nicaragua
  total: 1,231 km
  border countries: Costa Rica 309 km, Honduras 922 km

Niger
  total: 5,697 km
  border countries: Algeria 956 km, Benin 266 km, Burkina Faso 628 km,
  Chad 1,175 km, Libya 354 km, Mali 821 km, Nigeria 1,497 km

Nigeria
  total: 4,047 km
  border countries: Benin 773 km, Cameroon 1,690 km, Chad 87 km, Niger
  1,497 km

Niue
  0 km

Norfolk Island
  0 km

Northern Mariana Islands
  0 km

Norway
  total: 2,542 km
  border countries: Finland 727 km, Sweden 1,619 km, Russia 196 km

Oman
  total: 1,374 km
  border countries: Saudi Arabia 676 km, UAE 410 km, Yemen 288 km

Pakistan
  total: 6,774 km
  border countries: Afghanistan 2,430 km, China 523 km, India 2,912
  km, Iran 909 km

Palau
  0 km

Panama
  total: 555 km
  border countries: Colombia 225 km, Costa Rica 330 km

Papua New Guinea
  total: 820 km
  border countries: Indonesia 820 km

Paracel Islands
  0 km

Paraguay
  total: 3,995 km
  border countries: Argentina 1,880 km, Bolivia 750 km, Brazil 1,365 km

Peru
  total: 7,461 km
  border countries: Bolivia 1,075 km, Brazil 2,995 km, Chile 171 km,
  Colombia 1,800 km, Ecuador 1,420 km

Philippines
  0 km

Pitcairn Islands
  0 km

Poland
  total: 3,047 km
  border countries: Belarus 605 km, Czech Republic 615 km, Germany 456
  km, Lithuania 91 km, Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast) 432 km, Slovakia
  420 km, Ukraine 428 km

Portugal total: 1,214 km border countries: Spain 1,214 km

Puerto Rico 0 km

Qatar total: 60 km border countries: Saudi Arabia 60 km

Romania
  total: 2,508 km
  border countries: Bulgaria 608 km, Hungary 443 km, Moldova 450 km,
  Serbia 476 km, Ukraine (north) 362 km, Ukraine (east) 169 km

Russia
  total: 20,241.5 km
  border countries: Azerbaijan 284 km, Belarus 959 km, China
  (southeast) 3,605 km, China (south) 40 km, Estonia 290 km, Finland
  1,313 km, Georgia 723 km, Kazakhstan 6,846 km, North Korea 17.5 km,
  Latvia 292 km, Lithuania (Kaliningrad Oblast) 227 km, Mongolia 3,441
  km, Norway 196 km, Poland (Kaliningrad Oblast) 432 km, Ukraine 1,576
  km

Rwanda
  total: 893 km
  border countries: Burundi 290 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo
  217 km, Tanzania 217 km, Uganda 169 km

Saint Barthelemy
  0 km

Saint Helena
  0 km

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  0 km

Saint Lucia
  0 km

Saint Martin total: 15 km border countries: Netherlands Antilles (Sint Maarten) 15 km

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  0 km

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  0 km

Samoa
  0 km

San Marino total: 39 km border countries: Italy 39 km

Sao Tome and Principe
  0 km

Saudi Arabia
  total: 4,431 km
  border countries: Iraq 814 km, Jordan 744 km, Kuwait 222 km, Oman
  676 km, Qatar 60 km, UAE 457 km, Yemen 1,458 km

Senegal
  total: 2,640 km
  border countries: The Gambia 740 km, Guinea 330 km, Guinea-Bissau
  338 km, Mali 419 km, Mauritania 813 km

Serbia
  total: 2,026 km
  border countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina 302 km, Bulgaria 318 km,
  Croatia 241 km, Hungary 151 km, Kosovo 352 km, Macedonia 62 km,
  Montenegro 124 km, Romania 476 km

Seychelles
  0 km

Sierra Leone total: 958 km border countries: Guinea 652 km, Liberia 306 km

Singapore
  0 km

Slovakia
  total: 1,474 km
  border countries: Austria 91 km, Czech Republic 197 km, Hungary 676
  km, Poland 420 km, Ukraine 90 km

Slovenia
  total: 1,086 km
  border countries: Austria 330 km, Croatia 455 km, Hungary 102 km,
  Italy 199 km

Solomon Islands
  0 km

Somalia
  total: 2,340 km
  border countries: Djibouti 58 km, Ethiopia 1,600 km, Kenya 682 km

South Africa
  total: 4,862 km
  border countries: Botswana 1,840 km, Lesotho 909 km, Mozambique 491
  km, Namibia 967 km, Swaziland 430 km, Zimbabwe 225 km

South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
  0 km

Spain
  total: 1,917.8 km
  border countries: Andorra 63.7 km, France 623 km, Gibraltar 1.2 km,
  Portugal 1,214 km, Morocco (Ceuta) 6.3 km, Morocco (Melilla) 9.6 km

Spratly Islands
  0 km

Sri Lanka
  0 km

Sudan
  total: 7,687 km
  border countries: Central African Republic 1,165 km, Chad 1,360 km,
  Democratic Republic of the Congo 628 km, Egypt 1,273 km, Eritrea 605
  km, Ethiopia 1,606 km, Kenya 232 km, Libya 383 km, Uganda 435 km

Suriname total: 1,703 km border countries: Brazil 593 km, French Guiana 510 km, Guyana 600 km

Svalbard 0 km

Swaziland
  total: 535 km
  border countries: Mozambique 105 km, South Africa 430 km

Sweden
  total: 2,233 km
  border countries: Finland 614 km, Norway 1,619 km

Switzerland
  total: 1,852 km
  border countries: Austria 164 km, France 573 km, Italy 740 km,
  Liechtenstein 41 km, Germany 334 km

Syria
  total: 2,253 km
  border countries: Iraq 605 km, Israel 76 km, Jordan 375 km, Lebanon
  375 km, Turkey 822 km

Taiwan
  0 km

Tajikistan
  total: 3,651 km
  border countries: Afghanistan 1,206 km, China 414 km, Kyrgyzstan 870
  km, Uzbekistan 1,161 km

Tanzania
  total: 3,861 km
  border countries: Burundi 451 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo
  459 km, Kenya 769 km, Malawi 475 km, Mozambique 756 km, Rwanda 217
  km, Uganda 396 km, Zambia 338 km

Thailand
  total: 4,863 km
  border countries: Burma 1,800 km, Cambodia 803 km, Laos 1,754 km,
  Malaysia 506 km

Timor-Leste
  total: 228 km
  border countries: Indonesia 228 km

Togo
  total: 1,647 km
  border countries: Benin 644 km, Burkina Faso 126 km, Ghana 877 km

Tokelau
  0 km

Tonga
  0 km

Trinidad and Tobago
  0 km

Tunisia
  total: 1,424 km
  border countries: Algeria 965 km, Libya 459 km

Turkey
  total: 2,648 km
  border countries: Armenia 268 km, Azerbaijan 9 km, Bulgaria 240 km,
  Georgia 252 km, Greece 206 km, Iran 499 km, Iraq 352 km, Syria 822 km

Turkmenistan
  total: 3,736 km
  border countries: Afghanistan 744 km, Iran 992 km, Kazakhstan 379
  km, Uzbekistan 1,621 km

Turks and Caicos Islands
  0 km

Tuvalu
  0 km

Uganda
  total: 2,698 km
  border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 765 km, Kenya 933
  km, Rwanda 169 km, Sudan 435 km, Tanzania 396 km

Ukraine
  total: 4,566 km
  border countries: Belarus 891 km, Hungary 103 km, Moldova 940 km,
  Poland 428 km, Romania (south) 176 km, Romania (southwest) 362 km,
  Russia 1,576 km, Slovakia 90 km

United Arab Emirates
  total: 867 km
  border countries: Oman 410 km, Saudi Arabia 457 km

United Kingdom
  total: 360 km
  border countries: Ireland 360 km

United States
  total: 12,034 km
  border countries: Canada 8,893 km (including 2,477 km with Alaska),
  Mexico 3,141 km
  note: US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba is leased by the US and
  is part of Cuba; the base boundary is 28 km

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges
  none

Uruguay
  total: 1,648 km
  border countries: Argentina 580 km, Brazil 1,068 km

Uzbekistan
  total: 6,221 km
  border countries: Afghanistan 137 km, Kazakhstan 2,203 km,
  Kyrgyzstan 1,099 km, Tajikistan 1,161 km, Turkmenistan 1,621 km

Vanuatu
  0 km

Venezuela
  total: 4,993 km
  border countries: Brazil 2,200 km, Colombia 2,050 km, Guyana 743 km

Vietnam
  total: 4,639 km
  border countries: Cambodia 1,228 km, China 1,281 km, Laos 2,130 km

Virgin Islands
  0 km

Wake Island
  0 km

Wallis and Futuna
  0 km

West Bank
  total: 404 km
  border countries: Israel 307 km, Jordan 97 km

Western Sahara
  total: 2,046 km
  border countries: Algeria 42 km, Mauritania 1,561 km, Morocco 443 km

World
  the land boundaries in the world total 251,060 km (not
  counting shared boundaries twice); two nations, China and Russia,
  each border 14 other countries
  note: 45 nations and other areas are landlocked, these include:
  Afghanistan, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bhutan,
  Bolivia, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic,
  Chad, Czech Republic, Ethiopia, Holy See (Vatican City), Hungary,
  Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lesotho, Liechtenstein,
  Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malawi, Mali, Moldova, Mongolia, Nepal,
  Niger, Paraguay, Rwanda, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Swaziland,
  Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Uzbekistan, West
  Bank, Zambia, Zimbabwe; two of these, Liechtenstein and Uzbekistan,
  are doubly landlocked

Yemen
  total: 1,746 km
  border countries: Oman 288 km, Saudi Arabia 1,458 km

Zambia
  total: 5,664 km
  border countries: Angola 1,110 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo
  1,930 km, Malawi 837 km, Mozambique 419 km, Namibia 233 km, Tanzania
  338 km, Zimbabwe 797 km

Zimbabwe
  total: 3,066 km
  border countries: Botswana 813 km, Mozambique 1,231 km, South Africa
  225 km, Zambia 797 km

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

@2097

Field Listing :: Land use

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

Land use(%)

Afghanistan
  arable land: 12.13%
  permanent crops: 0.21%
  other: 87.66% (2005)

Albania
  arable land: 20.1%
  permanent crops: 4.21%
  other: 75.69% (2005)

Algeria
  arable land: 3.17%
  permanent crops: 0.28%
  other: 96.55% (2005)

American Samoa
  arable land: 10%
  permanent crops: 15%
  other: 75% (2005)

Andorra
  arable land: 2.13%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 97.87% (2005)

Angola
  arable land: 2.65%
  permanent crops: 0.23%
  other: 97.12% (2005)

Anguilla
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (mostly rock with sparse scrub oak, few trees, some
  commercial salt ponds) (2005)

Antarctica
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (ice 98%, barren rock 2%) (2005)

Antigua and Barbuda
  arable land: 18.18%
  permanent crops: 4.55%
  other: 77.27% (2005)

Argentina
  arable land: 10.03%
  permanent crops: 0.36%
  other: 89.61% (2005)

Armenia
  arable land: 16.78%
  permanent crops: 2.01%
  other: 81.21% (2005)

Aruba
  arable land: 10.53%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 89.47% (2005)

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (all grass and sand) (2005)

Australia
  arable land: 6.15% (includes about 27 million hectares of
  cultivated grassland)
  permanent crops: 0.04%
  other: 93.81% (2005)

Austria
  arable land: 16.59%
  permanent crops: 0.85%
  other: 82.56% (2005)

Azerbaijan
  arable land: 20.62%
  permanent crops: 2.61%
  other: 76.77% (2005)

Bahamas, The
  arable land: 0.58%
  permanent crops: 0.29%
  other: 99.13% (2005)

Bahrain
  arable land: 2.82%
  permanent crops: 5.63%
  other: 91.55% (2005)

Bangladesh
  arable land: 55.39%
  permanent crops: 3.08%
  other: 41.53% (2005)

Barbados
  arable land: 37.21%
  permanent crops: 2.33%
  other: 60.46% (2005)

Belarus
  arable land: 26.77%
  permanent crops: 0.6%
  other: 72.63% (2005)

Belgium
  arable land: 27.42%
  permanent crops: 0.69%
  other: 71.89%
  note: includes Luxembourg (2005)

Belize
  arable land: 3.05%
  permanent crops: 1.39%
  other: 95.56% (2005)

Benin
  arable land: 23.53%
  permanent crops: 2.37%
  other: 74.1% (2005)

Bermuda
  arable land: 20%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 80% (55% developed, 45% rural/open space) (2005)

Bhutan
  arable land: 2.3%
  permanent crops: 0.43%
  other: 97.27% (2005)

Bolivia
  arable land: 2.78%
  permanent crops: 0.19%
  other: 97.03% (2005)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  arable land: 19.61%
  permanent crops: 1.89%
  other: 78.5% (2005)

Botswana
  arable land: 0.65%
  permanent crops: 0.01%
  other: 99.34% (2005)

Bouvet Island
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (93% ice) (2005)

Brazil
  arable land: 6.93%
  permanent crops: 0.89%
  other: 92.18% (2005)

British Indian Ocean Territory
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (2005)

British Virgin Islands
  arable land: 20%
  permanent crops: 6.67%
  other: 73.33% (2005)

Brunei
  arable land: 2.08%
  permanent crops: 0.87%
  other: 97.05% (2005)

Bulgaria
  arable land: 29.94%
  permanent crops: 1.9%
  other: 68.16% (2005)

Burkina Faso
  arable land: 17.66%
  permanent crops: 0.22%
  other: 82.12% (2005)

Burma
  arable land: 14.92%
  permanent crops: 1.31%
  other: 83.77% (2005)

Burundi
  arable land: 35.57%
  permanent crops: 13.12%
  other: 51.31% (2005)

Cambodia
  arable land: 20.44%
  permanent crops: 0.59%
  other: 78.97% (2005)

Cameroon
  arable land: 12.54%
  permanent crops: 2.52%
  other: 84.94% (2005)

Canada
  arable land: 4.57%
  permanent crops: 0.65%
  other: 94.78% (2005)

Cape Verde
  arable land: 11.41%
  permanent crops: 0.74%
  other: 87.85% (2005)

Cayman Islands
  arable land: 3.85%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 96.15% (2005)

Central African Republic
  arable land: 3.1%
  permanent crops: 0.15%
  other: 96.75% (2005)

Chad
  arable land: 2.8%
  permanent crops: 0.02%
  other: 97.18% (2005)

Chile
  arable land: 2.62%
  permanent crops: 0.43%
  other: 96.95% (2005)

China
  arable land: 14.86%
  permanent crops: 1.27%
  other: 83.87% (2005)

Christmas Island arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (mainly tropical rainforest; 63% of the island is a national park) (2005)

Clipperton Island
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (all coral) (2005)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (2005)

Colombia
  arable land: 2.01%
  permanent crops: 1.37%
  other: 96.62% (2005)

Comoros
  arable land: 35.87%
  permanent crops: 23.32%
  other: 40.81% (2005)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  arable land: 2.86%
  permanent crops: 0.47%
  other: 96.67% (2005)

Congo, Republic of the
  arable land: 1.45%
  permanent crops: 0.15%
  other: 98.4% (2005)

Cook Islands
  arable land: 16.67%
  permanent crops: 8.33%
  other: 75% (2005)

Coral Sea Islands
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (mostly grass or scrub cover) (2005)

Costa Rica
  arable land: 4.4%
  permanent crops: 5.87%
  other: 89.73% (2005)

Cote d'Ivoire
  arable land: 10.23%
  permanent crops: 11.16%
  other: 78.61% (2005)

Croatia
  arable land: 25.82%
  permanent crops: 2.19%
  other: 71.99% (2005)

Cuba
  arable land: 27.63%
  permanent crops: 6.54%
  other: 65.83% (2005)

Cyprus
  arable land: 10.81%
  permanent crops: 4.32%
  other: 84.87% (2005)

Czech Republic
  arable land: 38.82%
  permanent crops: 3%
  other: 58.18% (2005)

Denmark
  arable land: 52.59%
  permanent crops: 0.19%
  other: 47.22% (2005)

Djibouti
  arable land: 0.04%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 99.96% (2005)

Dominica
  arable land: 6.67%
  permanent crops: 21.33%
  other: 72% (2005)

Dominican Republic
  arable land: 22.49%
  permanent crops: 10.26%
  other: 67.25% (2005)

Ecuador
  arable land: 5.71%
  permanent crops: 4.81%
  other: 89.48% (2005)

Egypt
  arable land: 2.92%
  permanent crops: 0.5%
  other: 96.58% (2005)

El Salvador
  arable land: 31.37%
  permanent crops: 11.88%
  other: 56.75% (2005)

Equatorial Guinea
  arable land: 4.63%
  permanent crops: 3.57%
  other: 91.8% (2005)

Eritrea
  arable land: 4.78%
  permanent crops: 0.03%
  other: 95.19% (2005)

Estonia
  arable land: 12.05%
  permanent crops: 0.35%
  other: 87.6% (2005)

Ethiopia
  arable land: 10.01%
  permanent crops: 0.65%
  other: 89.34% (2005)

European Union
  arable land: NA
  permanent crops: NA
  other: NA

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (99% permanent pastures, 1% other) (2005)

Faroe Islands
  arable land: 2.14%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 97.86% (2005)

Fiji
  arable land: 10.95%
  permanent crops: 4.65%
  other: 84.4% (2005)

Finland
  arable land: 6.54%
  permanent crops: 0.02%
  other: 93.44% (2005)

France
  arable land: 33.46%
  permanent crops: 2.03%
  other: 64.51%
  note: French Guiana - arable land 0.13%, permanent crops 0.04%,
  other 99.83% (90% forest, 10% other); Guadeloupe - arable land
  11.70%, permanent crops 2.92%, other 85.38%; Martinique - arable
  land 9.09%, permanent crops 10.0%, other 80.91%; Reunion - arable
  land 13.94%, permanent crops 1.59%, other 84.47% (2005)

French Polynesia
  arable land: 0.75%
  permanent crops: 5.5%
  other: 93.75% (2005)

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  Ile Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et
  Ile Saint-Paul) - 100% trees, grasses, ferns, and moss; Ile
  Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul) - 100% grass, ferns,
  and moss; Iles Crozet - 100% tossock grass, heath, and fern; Iles
  Kerguelen - 100% tossock grass and Kerguelen cabbage; Bassas da
  India (Iles Eparses) - 100% rock, coral reef, and sand; Europa
  Island (Iles Eparses) - 100% mangrove swamp and dry woodlands;
  Glorioso Islands (Iles Eparses) - 100% lush vegetation and coconut
  palms; Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses) - 90% forest, 10% other;
  Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses) - 100% grasses and scattered brush
  (2005)

Gabon
  arable land: 1.21%
  permanent crops: 0.64%
  other: 98.15% (2005)

Gambia, The
  arable land: 27.88%
  permanent crops: 0.44%
  other: 71.68% (2005)

Gaza Strip
  arable land: 29%
  permanent crops: 21%
  other: 50% (2002)

Georgia
  arable land: 11.51%
  permanent crops: 3.79%
  other: 84.7% (2005)

Germany
  arable land: 33.13%
  permanent crops: 0.6%
  other: 66.27% (2005)

Ghana
  arable land: 17.54%
  permanent crops: 9.22%
  other: 73.24% (2005)

Gibraltar
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (2005)

Greece
  arable land: 20.45%
  permanent crops: 8.59%
  other: 70.96% (2005)

Greenland
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (2005)

Grenada
  arable land: 5.88%
  permanent crops: 29.41%
  other: 64.71% (2005)

Guam
  arable land: 3.64%
  permanent crops: 18.18%
  other: 78.18% (2005)

Guatemala
  arable land: 13.22%
  permanent crops: 5.6%
  other: 81.18% (2005)

Guernsey
  arable land: NA
  permanent crops: NA
  other: NA

Guinea
  arable land: 4.47%
  permanent crops: 2.64%
  other: 92.89% (2005)

Guinea-Bissau
  arable land: 8.31%
  permanent crops: 6.92%
  other: 84.77% (2005)

Guyana
  arable land: 2.23%
  permanent crops: 0.14%
  other: 97.63% (2005)

Haiti
  arable land: 28.11%
  permanent crops: 11.53%
  other: 60.36% (2005)

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (2005)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (urban area) (2005)

Honduras
  arable land: 9.53%
  permanent crops: 3.21%
  other: 87.26% (2005)

Hong Kong
  arable land: 5.05%
  permanent crops: 1.01%
  other: 93.94% (2001)

Hungary
  arable land: 49.58%
  permanent crops: 2.06%
  other: 48.36% (2005)

Iceland
  arable land: 0.07%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 99.93% (2005)

India
  arable land: 48.83%
  permanent crops: 2.8%
  other: 48.37% (2005)

Indonesia
  arable land: 11.03%
  permanent crops: 7.04%
  other: 81.93% (2005)

Iran
  arable land: 9.78%
  permanent crops: 1.29%
  other: 88.93% (2005)

Iraq
  arable land: 13.12%
  permanent crops: 0.61%
  other: 86.27% (2005)

Ireland
  arable land: 16.82%
  permanent crops: 0.03%
  other: 83.15% (2005)

Isle of Man
  arable land: 9%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 91% (permanent pastures, forests, mountain, and heathland)
  (2002)

Israel
  arable land: 15.45%
  permanent crops: 3.88%
  other: 80.67% (2005)

Italy
  arable land: 26.41%
  permanent crops: 9.09%
  other: 64.5% (2005)

Jamaica
  arable land: 15.83%
  permanent crops: 10.01%
  other: 74.16% (2005)

Jan Mayen
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (2005)

Japan
  arable land: 11.64%
  permanent crops: 0.9%
  other: 87.46% (2005)

Jersey
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (2005)

Jordan
  arable land: 3.32%
  permanent crops: 1.18%
  other: 95.5% (2005)

Kazakhstan
  arable land: 8.28%
  permanent crops: 0.05%
  other: 91.67% (2005)

Kenya
  arable land: 8.01%
  permanent crops: 0.97%
  other: 91.02% (2005)

Kiribati
  arable land: 2.74%
  permanent crops: 47.95%
  other: 49.31% (2005)

Korea, North
  arable land: 22.4%
  permanent crops: 1.66%
  other: 75.94% (2005)

Korea, South
  arable land: 16.58%
  permanent crops: 2.01%
  other: 81.41% (2005)

Kuwait
  arable land: 0.84%
  permanent crops: 0.17%
  other: 98.99% (2005)

Kyrgyzstan
  arable land: 6.55%
  permanent crops: 0.28%
  other: 93.17%
  note: Kyrgyzstan has the world's largest natural-growth walnut
  forest (2005)

Laos
  arable land: 4.01%
  permanent crops: 0.34%
  other: 95.65% (2005)

Latvia
  arable land: 28.19%
  permanent crops: 0.45%
  other: 71.36% (2005)

Lebanon
  arable land: 16.35%
  permanent crops: 13.75%
  other: 69.9% (2005)

Lesotho
  arable land: 10.87%
  permanent crops: 0.13%
  other: 89% (2005)

Liberia
  arable land: 3.43%
  permanent crops: 1.98%
  other: 94.59% (2005)

Libya
  arable land: 1.03%
  permanent crops: 0.19%
  other: 98.78% (2005)

Liechtenstein
  arable land: 25%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 75% (2005)

Lithuania
  arable land: 44.81%
  permanent crops: 0.9%
  other: 54.29% (2005)

Luxembourg
  arable land: 27.42%
  permanent crops: 0.69%
  other: 71.89% (includes Belgium) (2005)

Macau
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (2005)

Macedonia
  arable land: 22.01%
  permanent crops: 1.79%
  other: 76.2% (2005)

Madagascar
  arable land: 5.03%
  permanent crops: 1.02%
  other: 93.95% (2005)

Malawi
  arable land: 20.68%
  permanent crops: 1.18%
  other: 78.14% (2005)

Malaysia
  arable land: 5.46%
  permanent crops: 17.54%
  other: 77% (2005)

Maldives
  arable land: 13.33%
  permanent crops: 30%
  other: 56.67% (2005)

Mali
  arable land: 3.76%
  permanent crops: 0.03%
  other: 96.21% (2005)

Malta
  arable land: 31.25%
  permanent crops: 3.13%
  other: 65.62% (2005)

Marshall Islands
  arable land: 11.11%
  permanent crops: 44.44%
  other: 44.45% (2005)

Mauritania
  arable land: 0.2%
  permanent crops: 0.01%
  other: 99.79% (2005)

Mauritius
  arable land: 49.02%
  permanent crops: 2.94%
  other: 48.04% (2005)

Mayotte
  arable land: NA%
  permanent crops: NA%
  other: NA%

Mexico
  arable land: 12.66%
  permanent crops: 1.28%
  other: 86.06% (2005)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  arable land: 5.71%
  permanent crops: 45.71%
  other: 48.58% (2005)

Moldova
  arable land: 54.52%
  permanent crops: 8.81%
  other: 36.67% (2005)

Monaco
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (urban area) (2005)

Mongolia
  arable land: 0.76%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 99.24% (2005)

Montenegro
  arable land: 13.7%
  permanent crops: 1%
  other: 85.3%

Montserrat
  arable land: 20%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 80% (2005)

Morocco
  arable land: 19%
  permanent crops: 2%
  other: 79% (2005)

Mozambique
  arable land: 5.43%
  permanent crops: 0.29%
  other: 94.28% (2005)

Namibia
  arable land: 0.99%
  permanent crops: 0.01%
  other: 99% (2005)

Nauru
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (2005)

Navassa Island
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (2005)

Nepal
  arable land: 16.07%
  permanent crops: 0.85%
  other: 83.08% (2005)

Netherlands
  arable land: 21.96%
  permanent crops: 0.77%
  other: 77.27% (2005)

Netherlands Antilles
  arable land: 10%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 90% (2005)

New Caledonia
  arable land: 0.32%
  permanent crops: 0.22%
  other: 99.46% (2005)

New Zealand
  arable land: 5.54%
  permanent crops: 6.92%
  other: 87.54% (2005)

Nicaragua
  arable land: 14.81%
  permanent crops: 1.82%
  other: 83.37% (2005)

Niger
  arable land: 11.43%
  permanent crops: 0.01%
  other: 88.56% (2005)

Nigeria
  arable land: 33.02%
  permanent crops: 3.14%
  other: 63.84% (2005)

Niue
  arable land: 11.54%
  permanent crops: 15.38%
  other: 73.08% (2005)

Norfolk Island
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (2005)

Northern Mariana Islands
  arable land: 13.04%
  permanent crops: 4.35%
  other: 82.61% (2005)

Norway
  arable land: 2.7%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 97.3% (2005)

Oman
  arable land: 0.12%
  permanent crops: 0.14%
  other: 99.74% (2005)

Pakistan
  arable land: 24.44%
  permanent crops: 0.84%
  other: 74.72% (2005)

Palau
  arable land: 8.7%
  permanent crops: 4.35%
  other: 86.95% (2005)

Panama
  arable land: 7.26%
  permanent crops: 1.95%
  other: 90.79% (2005)

Papua New Guinea
  arable land: 0.49%
  permanent crops: 1.4%
  other: 98.11% (2005)

Paracel Islands
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (2005)

Paraguay
  arable land: 7.47%
  permanent crops: 0.24%
  other: 92.29% (2005)

Peru
  arable land: 2.88%
  permanent crops: 0.47%
  other: 96.65% (2005)

Philippines
  arable land: 19%
  permanent crops: 16.67%
  other: 64.33% (2005)

Pitcairn Islands
  arable land: NA
  permanent crops: NA
  other: NA

Poland
  arable land: 40.25%
  permanent crops: 1%
  other: 58.75% (2005)

Portugal
  arable land: 17.29%
  permanent crops: 7.84%
  other: 74.87% (2005)

Puerto Rico
  arable land: 3.69%
  permanent crops: 5.59%
  other: 90.72% (2005)

Qatar
  arable land: 1.64%
  permanent crops: 0.27%
  other: 98.09% (2005)

Romania
  arable land: 39.49%
  permanent crops: 1.92%
  other: 58.59% (2005)

Russia
  arable land: 7.17%
  permanent crops: 0.11%
  other: 92.72% (2005)

Rwanda
  arable land: 45.56%
  permanent crops: 10.25%
  other: 44.19% (2005)

Saint Helena
  arable land: 12.9%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 87.1% (2005)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  arable land: 19.44%
  permanent crops: 2.78%
  other: 77.78% (2005)

Saint Lucia
  arable land: 6.45%
  permanent crops: 22.58%
  other: 70.97% (2005)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  arable land: 12.5%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 87.5% (2005)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  arable land: 17.95%
  permanent crops: 17.95%
  other: 64.1% (2005)

Samoa
  arable land: 21.13%
  permanent crops: 24.3%
  other: 54.57% (2005)

San Marino
  arable land: 16.67%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 83.33% (2005)

Sao Tome and Principe
  arable land: 8.33%
  permanent crops: 48.96%
  other: 42.71% (2005)

Saudi Arabia
  arable land: 1.67%
  permanent crops: 0.09%
  other: 98.24% (2005)

Senegal
  arable land: 12.51%
  permanent crops: 0.24%
  other: 87.25% (2005)

Serbia
  arable land: NA
  permanent crops: NA
  other: NA

Seychelles
  arable land: 2.17%
  permanent crops: 13.04%
  other: 84.79% (2005)

Sierra Leone
  arable land: 7.95%
  permanent crops: 1.05%
  other: 91% (2005)

Singapore
  arable land: 1.47%
  permanent crops: 1.47%
  other: 97.06% (2005)

Slovakia
  arable land: 29.23%
  permanent crops: 2.67%
  other: 68.1% (2005)

Slovenia
  arable land: 8.53%
  permanent crops: 1.43%
  other: 90.04% (2005)

Solomon Islands
  arable land: 0.62%
  permanent crops: 2.04%
  other: 97.34% (2005)

Somalia
  arable land: 1.64%
  permanent crops: 0.04%
  other: 98.32% (2005)

South Africa
  arable land: 12.1%
  permanent crops: 0.79%
  other: 87.11% (2005)

South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (largely covered by permanent ice and snow with some
  sparse vegetation consisting of grass, moss, and lichen) (2005)

Spain
  arable land: 27.18%
  permanent crops: 9.85%
  other: 62.97% (2005)

Spratly Islands
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (2005)

Sri Lanka
  arable land: 13.96%
  permanent crops: 15.24%
  other: 70.8% (2005)

Sudan
  arable land: 6.78%
  permanent crops: 0.17%
  other: 93.05% (2005)

Suriname
  arable land: 0.36%
  permanent crops: 0.06%
  other: 99.58% (2005)

Svalbard
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (no trees; the only bushes are crowberry and cloudberry)
  (2005)

Swaziland
  arable land: 10.25%
  permanent crops: 0.81%
  other: 88.94% (2005)

Sweden
  arable land: 5.93%
  permanent crops: 0.01%
  other: 94.06% (2005)

Switzerland
  arable land: 9.91%
  permanent crops: 0.58%
  other: 89.51% (2005)

Syria
  arable land: 24.8%
  permanent crops: 4.47%
  other: 70.73% (2005)

Taiwan
  arable land: 24%
  permanent crops: 1%
  other: 75% (2001)

Tajikistan
  arable land: 6.52%
  permanent crops: 0.89%
  other: 92.59% (2005)

Tanzania
  arable land: 4.23%
  permanent crops: 1.16%
  other: 94.61% (2005)

Thailand
  arable land: 27.54%
  permanent crops: 6.93%
  other: 65.53% (2005)

Timor-Leste
  arable land: 8.2%
  permanent crops: 4.57%
  other: 87.23% (2005)

Togo
  arable land: 44.2%
  permanent crops: 2.11%
  other: 53.69% (2005)

Tokelau
  arable land: 0% (soil is thin and infertile)
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (2005)

Tonga
  arable land: 20%
  permanent crops: 14.67%
  other: 65.33% (2005)

Trinidad and Tobago
  arable land: 14.62%
  permanent crops: 9.16%
  other: 76.22% (2005)

Tunisia
  arable land: 17.05%
  permanent crops: 13.08%
  other: 69.87% (2005)

Turkey
  arable land: 29.81%
  permanent crops: 3.39%
  other: 66.8% (2005)

Turkmenistan
  arable land: 4.51%
  permanent crops: 0.14%
  other: 95.35% (2005)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  arable land: 2.33%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 97.67% (2005)

Tuvalu
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 66.67%
  other: 33.33% (2005)

Uganda
  arable land: 21.57%
  permanent crops: 8.92%
  other: 69.51% (2005)

Ukraine
  arable land: 53.8%
  permanent crops: 1.5%
  other: 44.7% (2005)

United Arab Emirates
  arable land: 0.77%
  permanent crops: 2.27%
  other: 96.96% (2005)

United Kingdom
  arable land: 23.23%
  permanent crops: 0.2%
  other: 76.57% (2005)

United States
  arable land: 18.01%
  permanent crops: 0.21%
  other: 81.78% (2005)

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (2008)

Uruguay
  arable land: 7.77%
  permanent crops: 0.24%
  other: 91.99% (2005)

Uzbekistan
  arable land: 10.51%
  permanent crops: 0.76%
  other: 88.73% (2005)

Vanuatu
  arable land: 1.64%
  permanent crops: 6.97%
  other: 91.39% (2005)

Venezuela
  arable land: 2.85%
  permanent crops: 0.88%
  other: 96.27% (2005)

Vietnam
  arable land: 20.14%
  permanent crops: 6.93%
  other: 72.93% (2005)

Virgin Islands
  arable land: 5.71%
  permanent crops: 2.86%
  other: 91.43% (2005)

Wake Island
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (2005)

Wallis and Futuna
  arable land: 7.14%
  permanent crops: 35.71%
  other: 57.15% (2005)

West Bank
  arable land: 16.9%
  permanent crops: 18.97%
  other: 64.13% (2001)

Western Sahara
  arable land: 0.02%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 99.98% (2005)

World
  arable land: 10.57%
  permanent crops: 1.04%
  other: 88.38% (2005)

Yemen
  arable land: 2.91%
  permanent crops: 0.25%
  other: 96.84% (2005)

Zambia
  arable land: 6.99%
  permanent crops: 0.04%
  other: 92.97% (2005)

Zimbabwe
  arable land: 8.24%
  permanent crops: 0.33%
  other: 91.43% (2005)

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

@2098

Field Listing :: Languages

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

Languages(%)

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

Akrotiri
  English, Greek

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

Algeria
  Arabic (official), French, Berber dialects

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

Andorra
  Catalan (official), French, Castilian, Portuguese

Angola
  Portuguese (official), Bantu and other African languages

Anguilla
  English (official)

Antigua and Barbuda
  English (official), local dialects

Argentina
  Spanish (official), Italian, English, German, French

Armenia
  Armenian 97.7%, Yezidi 1%, Russian 0.9%, other 0.4% (2001
  census)

Aruba
  Papiamento (a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect) 66.3%,
  Spanish 12.6%, English (widely spoken) 7.7%, Dutch (official) 5.8%,
  other 2.2%, unspecified or unknown 5.3% (2000 census)

Australia
  English 78.5%, Chinese 2.5%, Italian 1.6%, Greek 1.3%,
  Arabic 1.2%, Vietnamese 1%, other 8.2%, unspecified 5.7% (2006
  Census)

Austria
  German (official nationwide) 88.6%, Turkish 2.3%, Serbian
  2.2%, Croatian (official in Burgenland) 1.6%, other (includes
  Slovene, official in Carinthia, and Hungarian, official in
  Burgenland) 5.3% (2001 census)

Azerbaijan
  Azerbaijani (Azeri) 90.3%, Lezgi 2.2%, Russian 1.8%,
  Armenian 1.5%, other 3.3%, unspecified 1% (1999 census)

Bahamas, The
  English (official), Creole (among Haitian immigrants)

Bahrain
  Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu

Bangladesh
  Bangla (official, also known as Bengali), English

Barbados
  English

Belarus
  Belarusian, Russian, other

Belgium
  Dutch (official) 60%, French (official) 40%, German
  (official) less than 1%, legally bilingual (Dutch and French)

Belize
  Spanish 46%, Creole 32.9%, Mayan dialects 8.9%, English 3.9%
  (official), Garifuna 3.4% (Carib), German 3.3%, other 1.4%, unknown
  0.2% (2000 census)

Benin
  French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in
  south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north)

Bermuda
  English (official), Portuguese

Bhutan
  Dzongkha (official), Bhotes speak various Tibetan dialects,
  Nepalese speak various Nepalese dialects

Bolivia
  Spanish 60.7% (official), Quechua 21.2% (official), Aymara
  14.6% (official), foreign languages 2.4%, other 1.2% (2001 census)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian

Botswana
  Setswana 78.2%, Kalanga 7.9%, Sekgalagadi 2.8%, English
  2.1% (official), other 8.6%, unspecified 0.4% (2001 census)

Brazil
  Portuguese (official and most widely spoken language); note -
  less common languages include Spanish (border areas and schools),
  German, Italian, Japanese, English, and a large number of minor
  Amerindian languages

British Virgin Islands
  English (official)

Brunei
  Malay (official), English, Chinese

Bulgaria
  Bulgarian 84.5%, Turkish 9.6%, Roma 4.1%, other and
  unspecified 1.8% (2001 census)

Burkina Faso
  French (official), native African languages belonging
  to Sudanic family spoken by 90% of the population

Burma
  Burmese, minority ethnic groups have their own languages

Burundi
  Kirundi (official), French (official), Swahili (along Lake
  Tanganyika and in the Bujumbura area)

Cambodia
  Khmer (official) 95%, French, English

Cameroon
  24 major African language groups, English (official),
  French (official)

Canada
  English (official) 58.8%, French (official) 21.6%, other
  19.6% (2006 Census)

Cape Verde
  Portuguese, Crioulo (a blend of Portuguese and West
  African words)

Cayman Islands
  English 95%, Spanish 3.2%, other 1.8% (1999 census)

Central African Republic
  French (official), Sangho (lingua franca
  and national language), tribal languages

Chad
  French (official), Arabic (official), Sara (in south), more
  than 120 different languages and dialects

Chile
  Spanish (official), Mapudungun, German, English

China
  Standard Chinese or Mandarin (Putonghua, based on the Beijing
  dialect), Yue (Cantonese), Wu (Shanghainese), Minbei (Fuzhou),
  Minnan (Hokkien-Taiwanese), Xiang, Gan, Hakka dialects, minority
  languages (see Ethnic groups entry)

Christmas Island
  English (official), Chinese, Malay

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  Malay (Cocos dialect), English

Colombia
  Spanish

Comoros
  Arabic (official), French (official), Shikomoro (a blend of
  Swahili and Arabic)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  French (official), Lingala (a
  lingua franca trade language), Kingwana (a dialect of Kiswahili or
  Swahili), Kikongo, Tshiluba

Congo, Republic of the
  French (official), Lingala and Monokutuba
  (lingua franca trade languages), many local languages and dialects
  (of which Kikongo is the most widespread)

Cook Islands
  English (official), Maori

Costa Rica
  Spanish (official), English

Cote d'Ivoire
  French (official), 60 native dialects with Dioula the
  most widely spoken

Croatia
  Croatian 96.1%, Serbian 1%, other and undesignated 2.9%
  (including Italian, Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, and German) (2001
  census)

Cuba
  Spanish

Cyprus
  Greek, Turkish, English

Czech Republic
  Czech 94.9%, Slovak 2%, other 2.3%, unidentified 0.8%
  (2001 census)

Denmark
  Danish, Faroese, Greenlandic (an Inuit dialect), German
  (small minority)
  note: English is the predominant second language

Dhekelia
  English, Greek

Djibouti
  French (official), Arabic (official), Somali, Afar

Dominica
  English (official), French patois

Dominican Republic
  Spanish

Ecuador
  Spanish (official), Amerindian languages (especially Quechua)

Egypt
  Arabic (official), English and French widely understood by
  educated classes

El Salvador
  Spanish, Nahua (among some Amerindians)

Equatorial Guinea
  Spanish 67.6% (official), other 32.4% (includes
  French (official), Fang, Bubi) (1994 census)

Eritrea
  Afar, Arabic, Tigre and Kunama, Tigrinya, other Cushitic
  languages

Estonia
  Estonian (official) 67.3%, Russian 29.7%, other 2.3%,
  unknown 0.7% (2000 census)

Ethiopia
  Amarigna 32.7%, Oromigna 31.6%, Tigrigna 6.1%, Somaligna
  6%, Guaragigna 3.5%, Sidamigna 3.5%, Hadiyigna 1.7%, other 14.8%,
  English (major foreign language taught in schools) (1994 census)

European Union
  Bulgarian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian,
  Finnish, French, Gaelic, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Latvian,
  Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak, Slovene,
  Spanish, Swedish
  note: only official languages are listed; German, the major language
  of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, is the most widely spoken
  mother tongue - over 19% of the EU population; English is the most
  widely spoken language - about 49% of the EU population is
  conversant with it (2007)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  English

Faroe Islands
  Faroese (derived from Old Norse), Danish

Fiji
  English (official), Fijian (official), Hindustani

Finland
  Finnish 91.2% (official), Swedish 5.5% (official), other
  3.3% (small Sami- and Russian-speaking minorities) (2007)

France
  French 100%, rapidly declining regional dialects and
  languages (Provencal, Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan, Basque,
  Flemish)
  overseas departments: French, Creole patois

French Polynesia
  French 61.1% (official), Polynesian 31.4%
  (official), Asian languages 1.2%, other 0.3%, unspecified 6% (2002
  census)

Gabon
  French (official), Fang, Myene, Nzebi, Bapounou/Eschira,
  Bandjabi

Gambia, The
  English (official), Mandinka, Wolof, Fula, other
  indigenous vernaculars

Gaza Strip
  Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by many Palestinians), English
  (widely understood)

Georgia
  Georgian 71% (official), Russian 9%, Armenian 7%, Azeri 6%,
  other 7%
  note: Abkhaz is the official language in Abkhazia

Germany
  German

Ghana
  Asante 14.8%, Ewe 12.7%, Fante 9.9%, Boron (Brong) 4.6%,
  Dagomba 4.3%, Dangme 4.3%, Dagarte (Dagaba) 3.7%, Akyem 3.4%, Ga
  3.4%, Akuapem 2.9%, other 36.1% (includes English (official)) (2000
  census)

Gibraltar
  English (used in schools and for official purposes),
  Spanish, Italian, Portuguese

Greece
  Greek 99% (official), other 1% (includes English and French)

Greenland
  Greenlandic (East Inuit) (official), Danish, English

Grenada
  English (official), French patois

Guam
  English 38.3%, Chamorro 22.2%, Philippine languages 22.2%,
  other Pacific island languages 6.8%, Asian languages 7%, other
  languages 3.5% (2000 census)

Guatemala
  Spanish 60%, Amerindian languages 40% (23 officially
  recognized Amerindian languages, including Quiche, Cakchiquel,
  Kekchi, Mam, Garifuna, and Xinca)

Guernsey
  English, French, Norman-French dialect spoken in country
  districts

Guinea
  French (official); note - each ethnic group has its own
  language

Guinea-Bissau
  Portuguese (official), Crioulo, African languages

Guyana
  English, Amerindian dialects, Creole, Caribbean Hindustani (a
  dialect of Hindi), Urdu

Haiti
  French (official), Creole (official)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  Italian, Latin, French, various other
  languages

Honduras
  Spanish, Amerindian dialects

Hong Kong
  Chinese (Cantonese) 89.2% (official), other Chinese
  dialects 6.4%, English 3.2% (official), other 1.2% (2001 census)

Hungary
  Hungarian 93.6%, other or unspecified 6.4% (2001 census)

Iceland
  Icelandic, English, Nordic languages, German widely spoken

India
  Hindi 41%, Bengali 8.1%, Telugu 7.2%, Marathi 7%, Tamil 5.9%,
  Urdu 5%, Gujarati 4.5%, Kannada 3.7%, Malayalam 3.2%, Oriya 3.2%,
  Punjabi 2.8%, Assamese 1.3%, Maithili 1.2%, other 5.9%
  note: English enjoys associate status but is the most important
  language for national, political, and commercial communication;
  Hindi is the most widely spoken language and primary tongue of 41%
  of the people; there are 14 other official languages: Bengali,
  Telugu, Marathi, Tamil, Urdu, Gujarati, Malayalam, Kannada, Oriya,
  Punjabi, Assamese, Kashmiri, Sindhi, and Sanskrit; Hindustani is a
  popular variant of Hindi/Urdu spoken widely throughout northern
  India but is not an official language (2001 census)

Indonesia
  Bahasa Indonesia (official, modified form of Malay),
  English, Dutch, local dialects (the most widely spoken of which is
  Javanese)

Iran
  Persian and Persian dialects 58%, Turkic and Turkic dialects
  26%, Kurdish 9%, Luri 2%, Balochi 1%, Arabic 1%, Turkish 1%, other 2%

Iraq
  Arabic, Kurdish (official in Kurdish regions), Turkoman (a
  Turkish dialect), Assyrian (Neo-Aramaic), Armenian

Ireland
  English (official) is the language generally used, Irish
  (Gaelic or Gaeilge) (official) spoken mainly in areas along the
  western coast

Isle of Man
  English, Manx Gaelic

Israel
  Hebrew (official), Arabic used officially for Arab minority,
  English most commonly used foreign language

Italy
  Italian (official), German (parts of Trentino-Alto Adige
  region are predominantly German speaking), French (small
  French-speaking minority in Valle d'Aosta region), Slovene
  (Slovene-speaking minority in the Trieste-Gorizia area)

Jamaica
  English, English patois

Japan
  Japanese

Jersey
  English 94.5% (official), Portuguese 4.6%, other 0.9% (2001
  census)

Jordan
  Arabic (official), English widely understood among upper and
  middle classes

Kazakhstan
  Kazakh (Qazaq, state language) 64.4%, Russian (official,
  used in everyday business, designated the "language of interethnic
  communication") 95% (2001 est.)

Kenya
  English (official), Kiswahili (official), numerous indigenous
  languages

Kiribati
  I-Kiribati, English (official)

Korea, North
  Korean

Korea, South
  Korean, English widely taught in junior high and high
  school

Kosovo
  Albanian (official), Serbian (official), Bosnian, Turkish,
  Roma

Kuwait
  Arabic (official), English widely spoken

Kyrgyzstan
  Kyrgyz 64.7% (official), Uzbek 13.6%, Russian 12.5%
  (official), Dungun 1%, other 8.2% (1999 census)

Laos
  Lao (official), French, English, and various ethnic languages

Latvia
  Latvian (official) 58.2%, Russian 37.5%, Lithuanian and other
  4.3% (2000 census)

Lebanon
  Arabic (official), French, English, Armenian

Lesotho
  Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa

Liberia
  English 20% (official), some 20 ethnic group languages few
  of which can be written or used in correspondence

Libya
  Arabic, Italian, English, all are widely understood in the
  major cities

Liechtenstein
  German (official), Alemannic dialect

Lithuania
  Lithuanian (official) 82%, Russian 8%, Polish 5.6%, other
  and unspecified 4.4% (2001 census)

Luxembourg
  Luxembourgish (national language), German (administrative
  language), French (administrative language)

Macau
  Cantonese 85.7%, Hokkien 4%, Mandarin 3.2%, other Chinese
  dialects 2.7%, English 1.5%, Tagalog 1.3%, other 1.6% (2001 census)

Macedonia
  Macedonian 66.5%, Albanian 25.1%, Turkish 3.5%, Roma 1.9%,
  Serbian 1.2%, other 1.8% (2002 census)

Madagascar
  English (official), French (official), Malagasy (official)

Malawi
  Chichewa 57.2% (official), Chinyanja 12.8%, Chiyao 10.1%,
  Chitumbuka 9.5%, Chisena 2.7%, Chilomwe 2.4%, Chitonga 1.7%, other
  3.6% (1998 census)

Malaysia
  Bahasa Malaysia (official), English, Chinese (Cantonese,
  Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil, Telugu,
  Malayalam, Panjabi, Thai
  note: in East Malaysia there are several indigenous languages; most
  widely spoken are Iban and Kadazan

Maldives
  Maldivian Dhivehi (dialect of Sinhala, script derived from
  Arabic), English spoken by most government officials

Mali
  French (official), Bambara 80%, numerous African languages

Malta
  Maltese (official) 90.2%, English (official) 6%, multilingual
  3%, other 0.8% (2005 census)

Marshall Islands
  Marshallese (official) 98.2%, other languages 1.8%
  (1999 census)
  note: English (official), widely spoken as a second language

Mauritania
  Arabic (official and national), Pulaar, Soninke, Wolof
  (all national languages), French, Hassaniya

Mauritius
  Creole 80.5%, Bhojpuri 12.1%, French 3.4%, English
  (official; spoken by less than 1% of the population), other 3.7%,
  unspecified 0.3% (2000 census)

Mayotte
  Mahorian (a Swahili dialect), French (official language)
  spoken by 35% of the population

Mexico
  Spanish only 92.7%, Spanish and indigenous languages 5.7%,
  indigenous only 0.8%, unspecified 0.8%; note - indigenous languages
  include various Mayan, Nahuatl, and other regional languages (2005)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  English (official and common
  language), Chuukese, Kosrean, Pohnpeian, Yapese, Ulithian, Woleaian,
  Nukuoro, Kapingamarangi

Moldova
  Moldovan (official, virtually the same as the Romanian
  language), Russian, Gagauz (a Turkish dialect)

Monaco
  French (official), English, Italian, Monegasque

Mongolia
  Khalkha Mongol 90%, Turkic, Russian (1999)

Montenegro
  Serbian 63.6%, Montenegrin (official) 22%, Bosnian 5.5%,
  Albanian 5.3%, unspecified 3.7% (2003 census)

Montserrat
  English

Morocco
  Arabic (official), Berber dialects, French often the
  language of business, government, and diplomacy

Mozambique
  Emakhuwa 26.1%, Xichangana 11.3%, Portuguese 8.8%
  (official; spoken by 27% of population as a second language), Elomwe
  7.6%, Cisena 6.8%, Echuwabo 5.8%, other Mozambican languages 32%,
  other foreign languages 0.3%, unspecified 1.3% (1997 census)

Namibia
  English 7% (official), Afrikaans common language of most of
  the population and about 60% of the white population, German 32%,
  indigenous languages 1% (includes Oshivambo, Herero, Nama)

Nauru
  Nauruan (official; a distinct Pacific Island language),
  English widely understood, spoken, and used for most government and
  commercial purposes

Nepal
  Nepali 47.8%, Maithali 12.1%, Bhojpuri 7.4%, Tharu
  (Dagaura/Rana) 5.8%, Tamang 5.1%, Newar 3.6%, Magar 3.3%, Awadhi
  2.4%, other 10%, unspecified 2.5% (2001 census)
  note: many in government and business also speak English (2001 est.)

Netherlands
  Dutch (official), Frisian (official)

Netherlands Antilles
  Papiamento 65.4% (a
  Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect), English 15.9% (widely
  spoken), Dutch 7.3% (official), Spanish 6.1%, Creole 1.6%, other
  1.9%, unspecified 1.8% (2001 census)

New Caledonia
  French (official), 33 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects

New Zealand
  English (official), Maori (official), Sign Language
  (official)

Nicaragua
  Spanish 97.5% (official), Miskito 1.7%, other 0.8% (1995
  census)
  note: English and indigenous languages on Atlantic coast

Niger
  French (official), Hausa, Djerma

Nigeria
  English (official), Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo (Ibo), Fulani

Niue
  Niuean, a Polynesian language closely related to Tongan and
  Samoan; English

Norfolk Island
  English (official), Norfolk - a mixture of 18th
  century English and ancient Tahitian

Northern Mariana Islands
  Philippine languages 24.4%, Chinese 23.4%,
  Chamorro 22.4%, English 10.8%, other Pacific island languages 9.5%,
  other 9.6% (2000 census)

Norway
  Bokmal Norwegian (official), Nynorsk Norwegian (official),
  small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities; note - Sami is official
  in six municipalities

Oman
  Arabic (official), English, Baluchi, Urdu, Indian dialects

Pakistan
  Punjabi 48%, Sindhi 12%, Siraiki (a Punjabi variant) 10%,
  Pashtu 8%, Urdu (official) 8%, Balochi 3%, Hindko 2%, Brahui 1%,
  English (official; lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most
  government ministries), Burushaski, and other 8%

Palau
  Palauan 64.7% official in all islands except Sonsoral
  (Sonsoralese and English are official), Tobi (Tobi and English are
  official), and Angaur (Angaur, Japanese, and English are official),
  Filipino 13.5%, English 9.4%, Chinese 5.7%, Carolinian 1.5%,
  Japanese 1.5%, other Asian 2.3%, other languages 1.5% (2000 census)

Panama
  Spanish (official), English 14%; note - many Panamanians
  bilingual

Papua New Guinea
  Tok Pisin, English, and Hiri Motu are official
  languages; some 860 indigenous languages spoken (over one-tenth of
  the world's total)
  note: Tok Pisin, a creole language, is widely used and understood;
  English is spoken by 1%-2%; Hiri Motu is spoken by less than 2%

Paraguay
  Spanish (official), Guarani (official)

Peru
  Spanish (official), Quechua (official), Aymara, and a large
  number of minor Amazonian languages

Philippines
  Filipino (official; based on Tagalog) and English
  (official); eight major dialects - Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocano,
  Hiligaynon or Ilonggo, Bicol, Waray, Pampango, and Pangasinan

Pitcairn Islands
  English (official), Pitkern (mixture of an 18th
  century English dialect and a Tahitian dialect)

Poland
  Polish 97.8%, other and unspecified 2.2% (2002 census)

Portugal
  Portuguese (official), Mirandese (official - but locally
  used)

Puerto Rico
  Spanish, English

Qatar
  Arabic (official), English commonly used as a second language

Romania
  Romanian 91% (official), Hungarian 6.7%, Romany (Gypsy)
  1.1%, other 1.2%

Russia
  Russian, many minority languages

Rwanda
  Kinyarwanda (official) universal Bantu vernacular, French
  (official), English (official), Kiswahili (Swahili) used in
  commercial centers

Saint Barthelemy
  French (primary), English

Saint Helena
  English

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  English

Saint Lucia
  English (official), French patois

Saint Martin
  French (official language), English, Dutch, French
  Patois, Spanish, Papiamento (dialect of Netherlands Antilles)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  French (official)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  English, French patois

Samoa
  Samoan (Polynesian), English

San Marino
  Italian

Sao Tome and Principe
  Portuguese (official)

Saudi Arabia
  Arabic

Senegal
  French (official), Wolof, Pulaar, Jola, Mandinka

Serbia
  Serbian 88.3% (official), Hungarian 3.8%, Bosniak 1.8%,
  Romany (Gypsy) 1.1%, other 4.1%, unknown 0.9% (2002 census)
  note: Romanian, Hungarian, Slovak, Ukrainian, and Croatian all
  official in Vojvodina

Seychelles
  Creole 91.8%, English 4.9% (official), other 3.1%,
  unspecified 0.2% (2002 census)

Sierra Leone
  English (official, regular use limited to literate
  minority), Mende (principal vernacular in the south), Temne
  (principal vernacular in the north), Krio (English-based Creole,
  spoken by the descendants of freed Jamaican slaves who were settled
  in the Freetown area, a lingua franca and a first language for 10%
  of the population but understood by 95%)

Singapore
  Mandarin 35%, English 23%, Malay 14.1%, Hokkien 11.4%,
  Cantonese 5.7%, Teochew 4.9%, Tamil 3.2%, other Chinese dialects
  1.8%, other 0.9% (2000 census)

Slovakia
  Slovak (official) 83.9%, Hungarian 10.7%, Roma 1.8%,
  Ukrainian 1%, other or unspecified 2.6% (2001 census)

Slovenia
  Slovenian 91.1%, Serbo-Croatian 4.5%, other or unspecified
  4.4% (2002 census)

Solomon Islands
  Melanesian pidgin in much of the country is lingua
  franca; English (official but spoken by only 1%-2% of the
  population); 120 indigenous languages

Somalia
  Somali (official), Arabic, Italian, English

South Africa
  IsiZulu 23.8%, IsiXhosa 17.6%, Afrikaans 13.3%, Sepedi
  9.4%, English 8.2%, Setswana 8.2%, Sesotho 7.9%, Xitsonga 4.4%,
  other 7.2% (2001 census)

Spain
  Castilian Spanish (official) 74%, Catalan 17%, Galician 7%,
  Basque 2%, are official regionally

Sri Lanka
  Sinhala (official and national language) 74%, Tamil
  (national language) 18%, other 8%
  note: English is commonly used in government and is spoken
  competently by about 10% of the population

Sudan
  Arabic (official), English (official), Nubian, Ta Bedawie,
  diverse dialects of Nilotic, Nilo-Hamitic, Sudanic languages
  note: program of "Arabization" in process

Suriname
  Dutch (official), English (widely spoken), Sranang Tongo
  (Surinamese, sometimes called Taki-Taki, is native language of
  Creoles and much of the younger population and is lingua franca
  among others), Caribbean Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Javanese

Svalbard
  Norwegian, Russian

Swaziland
  English (official, government business conducted in
  English), siSwati (official)

Sweden
  Swedish, small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities

Switzerland
  German (official) 63.7%, French (official) 20.4%,
  Italian (official) 6.5%, Serbo-Croatian 1.5%, Albanian 1.3%,
  Portuguese 1.2%, Spanish 1.1%, English 1%, Romansch (official) 0.5%,
  other 2.8% (2000 census)
  note: German, French, Italian, and Romansch are all national and
  official languages

Syria
  Arabic (official); Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, Circassian
  widely understood; French, English somewhat understood

Taiwan
  Mandarin Chinese (official), Taiwanese (Min), Hakka dialects

Tajikistan
  Tajik (official), Russian widely used in government and
  business

Tanzania
  Kiswahili or Swahili (official), Kiunguja (name for Swahili
  in Zanzibar), English (official, primary language of commerce,
  administration, and higher education), Arabic (widely spoken in
  Zanzibar), many local languages
  note: Kiswahili (Swahili) is the mother tongue of the Bantu people
  living in Zanzibar and nearby coastal Tanzania; although Kiswahili
  is Bantu in structure and origin, its vocabulary draws on a variety
  of sources including Arabic and English; it has become the lingua
  franca of central and eastern Africa; the first language of most
  people is one of the local languages

Thailand
  Thai, English (secondary language of the elite), ethnic and
  regional dialects

Timor-Leste
  Tetum (official), Portuguese (official), Indonesian,
  English
  note: there are about 16 indigenous languages; Tetum, Galole,
  Mambae, and Kemak are spoken by significant numbers of people

Togo
  French (official and the language of commerce), Ewe and Mina
  (the two major African languages in the south), Kabye (sometimes
  spelled Kabiye) and Dagomba (the two major African languages in the
  north)

Tokelau
  Tokelauan (a Polynesian language), English

Tonga
  Tongan, English

Trinidad and Tobago
  English (official), Caribbean Hindustani (a
  dialect of Hindi), French, Spanish, Chinese

Tunisia
  Arabic (official and one of the languages of commerce),
  French (commerce)

Turkey
  Turkish (official), Kurdish, other minority languages

Turkmenistan
  Turkmen 72%, Russian 12%, Uzbek 9%, other 7%

Turks and Caicos Islands
  English (official)

Tuvalu
  Tuvaluan, English, Samoan, Kiribati (on the island of Nui)

Uganda
  English (official national language, taught in grade schools,
  used in courts of law and by most newspapers and some radio
  broadcasts), Ganda or Luganda (most widely used of the Niger-Congo
  languages, preferred for native language publications in the capital
  and may be taught in school), other Niger-Congo languages,
  Nilo-Saharan languages, Swahili, Arabic

Ukraine
  Ukrainian (official) 67%, Russian 24%, other 9% (includes
  small Romanian-, Polish-, and Hungarian-speaking minorities)

United Arab Emirates
  Arabic (official), Persian, English, Hindi, Urdu

United Kingdom
  English, Welsh (about 26% of the population of
  Wales), Scottish form of Gaelic (about 60,000 in Scotland)

United States
  English 82.1%, Spanish 10.7%, other Indo-European
  3.8%, Asian and Pacific island 2.7%, other 0.7% (2000 census)
  note: Hawaiian is an official language in the state of Hawaii

Uruguay
  Spanish, Portunol, or Brazilero (Portuguese-Spanish mix on
  the Brazilian frontier)

Uzbekistan
  Uzbek 74.3%, Russian 14.2%, Tajik 4.4%, other 7.1%

Vanuatu
  local languages (more than 100) 72.6%, pidgin (known as
  Bislama or Bichelama) 23.1%, English 1.9%, French 1.4%, other 0.3%,
  unspecified 0.7% (1999 Census)

Venezuela
  Spanish (official), numerous indigenous dialects

Vietnam
  Vietnamese (official), English (increasingly favored as a
  second language), some French, Chinese, and Khmer; mountain area
  languages (Mon-Khmer and Malayo-Polynesian)

Virgin Islands
  English 74.7%, Spanish or Spanish Creole 16.8%,
  French or French Creole 6.6%, other 1.9% (2000 census)

Wallis and Futuna
  Wallisian 58.9% (indigenous Polynesian language),
  Futunian 30.1%, French 10.8%, other 0.2% (2003 census)

West Bank
  Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by Israeli settlers and many
  Palestinians), English (widely understood)

Western Sahara
  Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic

World
  Mandarin Chinese 13.22%, Spanish 4.88%, English 4.68%, Arabic
  3.12%, Hindi 2.74%, Portuguese 2.69%, Bengali 2.59%, Russian 2.2%,
  Japanese 1.85%, Standard German 1.44%, French 1.2% (2005 est.)
  note: percents are for "first language" speakers only

Yemen
  Arabic

Zambia
  Bemba 30.1% (official), Nyanja 10.7% (official), Tonga 10.6%
  (official), Lozi 5.7% (official), Chewa 4.9%, Nsenga 3.4%, Tumbuka
  2.5%, Lunda 2.2% (official), Kaonde 2% (official), Lala 2%, Luvale
  1.7% (official), English 1.7% (official), other 22.5% (2000 Census)

Zimbabwe
  English (official), Shona, Sindebele (the language of the
  Ndebele, sometimes called Ndebele), numerous but minor tribal
  dialects

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

@2100

Field Listing :: Legal system

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

Legal system

Afghanistan
  based on mixed civil and Sharia law; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Akrotiri
  the Sovereign Base Area Administration has its own court
  system to deal with civil and criminal matters; laws applicable to
  the Cypriot population are, as far as possible, the same as the laws
  of the Republic of Cyprus

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

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

American Samoa
  NA

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

Angola
  based on Portuguese civil law system and customary law;
  modified to accommodate political pluralism and increased use of
  free markets; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Anguilla
  based on English common law

Antarctica
  Antarctica is administered through meetings of the
  consultative member nations; decisions from these meetings are
  carried out by these member nations (with respect to their own
  nationals and operations) in accordance with their own national
  laws; more generally, access to the Antarctic Treaty area, that is
  to all areas between 60 and 90 degrees south latitude, is subject to
  a number of relevant legal instruments and authorization procedures
  adopted by the states party to the Antarctic Treaty; note - US law,
  including certain criminal offenses by or against US nationals, such
  as murder, may apply extraterritorially; some US laws directly apply
  to Antarctica; for example, the Antarctic Conservation Act, 16
  U.S.C. section 2401 et seq., provides civil and criminal penalties
  for the following activities unless authorized by regulation of
  statute: the taking of native mammals or birds; the introduction of
  nonindigenous plants and animals; entry into specially protected
  areas; the discharge or disposal of pollutants; and the importation
  into the US of certain items from Antarctica; violation of the
  Antarctic Conservation Act carries penalties of up to $10,000 in
  fines and one year in prison; the National Science Foundation and
  Department of Justice share enforcement responsibilities; Public Law
  95-541, the US Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978, as amended in
  1996, requires expeditions from the US to Antarctica to notify, in
  advance, the Office of Oceans, Room 5805, Department of State,
  Washington, DC 20520, which reports such plans to other nations as
  required by the Antarctic Treaty; for more information, contact
  Permit Office, Office of Polar Programs, National Science
  Foundation, Arlington, Virginia 22230; telephone: (703) 292-8030, or
  visit its website at www.nsf.gov

Antigua and Barbuda
  based on English common law

Argentina
  mixture of US and West European legal systems; has not
  accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Armenia
  based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

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

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  the laws of the Commonwealth of
  Australia and the laws of the Northern Territory of Australia, where
  applicable, apply

Australia
  based on English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction with reservations

Austria
  civil law system with Roman law origin; judicial review of
  legislative acts by the Constitutional Court; separate
  administrative and civil/penal supreme courts; accepts compulsory
  ICJ jurisdiction

Azerbaijan
  based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory
  ICJ jurisdiction

Bahamas, The
  based on English common law

Bahrain
  based on Islamic law and English common law; has not
  accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Bangladesh
  based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory
  ICJ jurisdiction

Barbados
  English common law; no judicial review of legislative acts;
  accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Belarus
  based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Belgium
  based on civil law system influenced by English
  constitutional theory; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Belize
  English law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Benin
  based on French civil law and customary law; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Bermuda
  English law

Bhutan
  based on Indian law and English common law; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Bolivia
  based on Spanish law and Napoleonic Code; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; the 2009 Constitution incorporates
  indigenous community justice into Bolivia's judicial system

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  based on civil law system; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Botswana
  based on Roman-Dutch law and local customary law; judicial
  review limited to matters of interpretation; accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction with reservations

Bouvet Island
  the laws of Norway, where applicable, apply

Brazil
  based on Roman codes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

British Indian Ocean Territory
  the laws of the UK, where applicable,
  apply

British Virgin Islands
  English law

Brunei
  based on English common law; for Muslims, Islamic Sharia law
  supersedes civil law in a number of areas; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Bulgaria
  civil and criminal law based on Roman law; accepts
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Burkina Faso
  based on French civil law system and customary law; has
  not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Burma
  based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Burundi
  based on German and Belgian civil codes and customary law;
  has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Cambodia
  primarily a civil law mixture of French-influenced codes
  from the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC)
  period, royal decrees, and acts of the legislature, with influences
  of customary law and remnants of communist legal theory; increasing
  influence of common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with
  reservations

Cameroon
  based on French civil law system, with common law
  influence; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Canada
  based on English common law, except in Quebec, where civil
  law system based on French law prevails; accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction with reservations

Cape Verde
  based on the legal system of Portugal; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Cayman Islands
  British common law and local statutes

Central African Republic
  based on French law; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Chad
  based on French civil law system and Chadian customary law; has
  not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Chile
  based on Code of 1857 derived from Spanish law and subsequent
  codes influenced by French and Austrian law; judicial review of
  legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory
  ICJ jurisdiction; note - in June 2005, Chile completed overhaul of
  its criminal justice system to a new, US-style adversarial system

China
  based on civil law system; derived from Soviet and continental
  civil code legal principles; legislature retains power to interpret
  statutes; constitution ambiguous on judicial review of legislation;
  has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Christmas Island
  under the authority of the governor general of
  Australia and Australian law

Clipperton Island
  the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  based upon the laws of Australia and local
  laws

Colombia
  based on Spanish law; a new criminal code modeled after US
  procedures was enacted into law in 2004 and reached full
  implementation in January 2008; judicial review of executive and
  legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Comoros
  French and Islamic law in a new consolidated code; has not
  accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Congo, Democratic Republic of the civil law based on Belgian law with Napleonic Civil Code influence; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Congo, Republic of the based on French civil law system and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Cook Islands
  based on New Zealand law and English common law

Coral Sea Islands
  the laws of Australia, where applicable, apply

Costa Rica
  based on Spanish civil law system; judicial review of
  legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has accepted compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Cote d'Ivoire
  based on French civil law system and customary law;
  judicial review in the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court;
  accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Croatia
  based on Austro-Hungarian law system with Communist law
  influences; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Cuba
  based on Spanish civil law and influenced by American legal
  concepts with large elements of Communist legal theory; has not
  accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Cyprus
  based on English common law, with civil law modifications;
  accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Czech Republic
  civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes;
  legal code modified to bring it in line with Organization on
  Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) obligations and to expunge
  Marxist-Leninist legal theory

Denmark
  civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts;
  accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Dhekelia
  the Sovereign Base Area Administration has its own court
  system to deal with civil and criminal matters; laws applicable to
  the Cypriot population are, as far as possible, the same as the laws
  of the Republic of Cyprus

Djibouti
  based on French civil law system, traditional practices,
  and Islamic law; accepts ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Dominica
  based on English common law; accepts ICJ jurisdiction

Dominican Republic
  based on French civil codes; Criminal Procedures
  Code modified in 2004 to include important elements of an accusatory
  system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Ecuador
  based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Egypt
  based on Islamic and civil law (particularly Napoleonic
  codes); judicial review by Supreme Court and Council of State
  (oversees validity of administrative decisions); accepts compulsory
  ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

El Salvador
  based on civil and Roman law with traces of common law;
  judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not
  accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Equatorial Guinea
  partly based on Spanish civil law and tribal
  custom; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Eritrea
  primary basis is the Ethiopian legal code of 1957 with
  revisions; new civil, commercial, and penal codes have not yet been
  promulgated; government also issues unilateral proclamations setting
  laws and policies; also relies on customary and
  post-independence-enacted laws and, for civil cases involving
  Muslims, Islamic law; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Estonia
  based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction with reservations

Ethiopia
  based on civil law; currently transitional mix of national
  and regional courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

European Union
  comparable to the legal systems of member states;
  first supranational law system

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  English common law

Faroe Islands
  the laws of Denmark, where applicable, apply

Fiji
  based on British system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Finland
  civil law system based on Swedish law; the president may
  request the Supreme Court to review laws; accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction with reservations

France
  civil law system with indigenous concepts; review of
  administrative but not legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory
  ICJ jurisdiction

French Polynesia
  the laws of France, where applicable, apply

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  the laws of France, where
  applicable, apply

Gabon
  based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial
  review of legislative acts in Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme
  Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Gambia, The
  based on a composite of English common law, Islamic law,
  and customary law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with
  reservations

Georgia
  based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Germany
  civil law system with indigenous concepts; judicial review
  of legislative acts in the Federal Constitutional Court; has not
  accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Ghana
  based on English common law and customary law; has not
  accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Gibraltar
  the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply

Greece
  based on codified Roman law; judiciary divided into civil,
  criminal, and administrative courts; accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction with reservations

Greenland
  the laws of Denmark, where applicable, apply

Grenada
  based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Guam
  modeled on US; US federal laws apply

Guatemala
  civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; has
  not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Guernsey
  the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply; justice is
  administered by the Royal Court

Guinea
  based on French civil law system, customary law, and decree;
  accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Guinea-Bissau
  based on French civil law; accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Guyana
  based on English common law with certain admixtures of
  Roman-Dutch law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Haiti
  based on Roman civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  the laws of Australia, where
  applicable, apply

Holy See (Vatican City)
  based on Code of Canon Law and revisions to
  it

Honduras
  rooted in Roman and Spanish civil law with increasing
  influence of English common law; recent judicial reforms include
  abandoning Napoleonic legal codes in favor of the oral adversarial
  system; accepts ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Hong Kong
  based on English common law

Hungary
  based on the German-Austrian legal system; accepts
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Iceland
  civil law system based on Danish law; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

India
  based on English common law; judicial review of legislative
  acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations;
  separate personal law codes apply to Muslims, Christians, and Hindus

Indonesia
  based on Roman-Dutch law, substantially modified by
  indigenous concepts and by new criminal procedures and election
  codes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Iran
  based on Sharia law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Iraq
  based on European civil and Islamic law under the framework
  outlined in the Iraqi Constitution; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Ireland
  based on English common law substantially modified by
  indigenous concepts; judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme
  Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Isle of Man
  the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply and Manx
  statutes

Israel
  mixture of English common law, British Mandate regulations,
  and, in personal matters, Jewish, Christian, and Muslim legal
  systems; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Italy
  based on civil law system; appeals treated as new trials;
  judicial review under certain conditions in Constitutional Court;
  has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Jamaica
  based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Jan Mayen
  the laws of Norway, where applicable, apply

Japan
  modeled after German civil law system with English-American
  influence; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court;
  accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Jersey
  the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply and local
  statutes; justice is administered by the Royal Court

Jordan
  based on Islamic law and French codes; judicial review of
  legislative acts in a specially provided High Tribunal; has not
  accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Kazakhstan
  based on Islamic law and Roman law; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Kenya
  based on Kenyan statutory law, Kenyan and English common law,
  tribal law, and Islamic law; judicial review in High Court; accepts
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; constitutional
  amendment of 1982 making Kenya a de jure one-party state repealed in
  1991

Kiribati
  English common law supplemented by local, customary law

Korea, North
  based on Prussian civil law system with Japanese
  influences and Communist legal theory; no judicial review of
  legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Korea, South
  combines elements of continental European civil law
  systems, Anglo-American law, and Chinese classical thought; has not
  accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Kosovo
  evolving legal system based on terms of UN Special Envoy
  Martti AHTISAARI's Plan for Kosovo's supervised independence

Kuwait
  civil law system with Islamic law significant in personal
  matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Kyrgyzstan
  based on French and Russian laws; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Laos
  based on traditional customs, French legal norms and
  procedures, and socialist practice; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Latvia
  based on civil law system with traces of Socialist legal
  traditions and practices; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Lebanon
  mixture of Ottoman law, canon law, Napoleonic code, and
  civil law; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Lesotho
  based on English common law and Roman-Dutch law; judicial
  review of legislative acts in High Court and Court of Appeal;
  accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Liberia
  dual system of statutory law based on Anglo-American common
  law for the modern sector and customary law based on unwritten
  tribal practices for indigenous sector; accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction with reservations

Libya
  based on Italian and French civil law systems and Islamic law;
  separate religious courts; no constitutional provision for judicial
  review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Liechtenstein
  local civil and penal codes based on civil law system;
  accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Lithuania
  based on civil law system; legislative acts can be
  appealed to the constitutional court; has not accepted compulsory
  ICJ jurisdiction

Luxembourg
  based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Macau
  based on Portuguese civil law system

Macedonia
  based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative
  acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Madagascar
  based on French civil law system and traditional Malagasy
  law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Malawi
  based on English common law and customary law; judicial
  review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court of Appeal; accepts
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Malaysia
  based on English common law; judicial review of legislative
  acts in the Supreme Court at request of supreme head of the
  federation; Islamic law is applied to Muslims in matters of family
  law and religion; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Maldives
  based on Islamic law with admixtures of English common law
  primarily in commercial matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Mali
  based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial
  review of legislative acts in Constitutional Court; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Malta
  based on English common law and Roman civil law; accepts
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Marshall Islands
  based on adapted Trust Territory laws, acts of the
  legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Mauritania
  a combination of Islamic law and French civil law; has
  not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Mauritius
  based on French civil law system with elements of English
  common law in certain areas; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
  with reservations

Mayotte
  the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Mexico
  mixture of US constitutional theory and civil law system;
  judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction with reservations

Micronesia, Federated States of
  based on adapted Trust Territory
  laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary
  laws; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Moldova
  based on civil law system; Constitutional Court reviews
  legality of legislative acts and governmental decisions of
  resolution; accepts many UN and Organization for Security and
  Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) documents; has not accepted compulsory
  ICJ jurisdiction

Monaco
  based on French law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Mongolia
  blend of Soviet and German systems that employ
  "continental" or "civil" code; case-precedent may be used to inform
  judges, but all decisions must refer to the law as written;
  constitution ambiguous on judicial review of legislative acts; has
  not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Montenegro
  based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory
  ICJ jurisdiction

Montserrat
  English common law and statutory law

Morocco
  based on Islamic law and French and Spanish civil law
  systems; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional
  Chamber of Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Mozambique
  based on Portuguese civil law system and customary law;
  has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Namibia
  based on Roman-Dutch law and 1990 constitution; has not
  accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Nauru
  acts of the Nauru Parliament and British common law; accepts
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Navassa Island
  the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Nepal
  based on Hindu legal concepts and English common law; has not
  accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Netherlands
  based on civil law system incorporating French penal
  theory; constitution does not permit judicial review of acts of the
  States General; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Netherlands Antilles
  based on Dutch civil law system with some
  English common law influence

New Caledonia
  based on French civil law; the 1988 Matignon Accords
  grant substantial autonomy to the islands

New Zealand
  based on English law, with special land legislation and
  land courts for the Maori; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with
  reservations

Nicaragua
  civil law system; Supreme Court may review administrative
  acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Niger
  based on French civil law system and customary law; has not
  accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Nigeria
  based on English common law, Islamic law (in 12 northern
  states), and traditional law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
  with reservations

Niue
  English common law; note - Niue is self-governing with the
  power to make its laws

Norfolk Island
  based on the laws of Australia, local ordinances and
  acts; English common law applies in matters not covered by either
  Australian or Norfolk Island law

Northern Mariana Islands
  based on US system, except for customs,
  wages, immigration laws, and taxation

Norway
  mixture of customary law, civil law system, and common law
  traditions; Supreme Court renders advisory opinions to legislature
  when asked; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Oman
  based on English common law and Islamic law; ultimate appeal to
  the monarch; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Pakistan
  based on English common law with provisions to accommodate
  Pakistan's status as an Islamic state; accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction with reservations

Palau
  based on Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature,
  municipal, common, and customary laws; has not accepted compulsory
  ICJ jurisdiction

Panama
  based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative
  acts in the Supreme Court of Justice; accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction with reservations

Papua New Guinea
  based on English common law; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Paraguay
  based on Argentine codes, Roman law, and French codes;
  judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme Court of Justice;
  accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Peru
  based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
  with reservations

Philippines
  based on Spanish and Anglo-American law; accepts
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Pitcairn Islands
  local island by-laws

Poland
  based on a mixture of Continental (Napoleonic) civil law and
  holdover Communist legal theory; changes being gradually introduced
  as part of broader democratization process; limited judicial review
  of legislative acts, but rulings of the Constitutional Tribunal are
  final; court decisions can be appealed to the European Court of
  Justice in Strasbourg; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with
  reservations

Portugal
  based on civil law system; the Constitutional Tribunal
  reviews the constitutionality of legislation; accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction with reservations

Puerto Rico
  based on Spanish civil code and within the US Federal
  system of justice

Qatar
  based on Islamic and civil law codes; discretionary system of
  law controlled by the Amir, although civil codes are being
  implemented; Islamic law dominates family and personal matters; has
  not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Romania
  based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Russia
  based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative
  acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Rwanda
  based on German and Belgian civil law systems and customary
  law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has
  not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Saint Barthelemy
  the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Saint Helena
  English common law and statutes supplemented by local
  statutes

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  based on English common law; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Saint Lucia
  based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory
  ICJ jurisdiction

Saint Martin
  the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  based on English common law; has
  not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Samoa
  based on English common law and local customs; judicial review
  of legislative acts with respect to fundamental rights of the
  citizen; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

San Marino
  based on civil law system with Italian law influences;
  has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Sao Tome and Principe
  based on Portuguese legal system and customary
  law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Saudi Arabia
  based on Sharia law, several secular codes have been
  introduced; commercial disputes handled by special committees; has
  not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Senegal
  based on French civil law system; judicial review of
  legislative acts in Constitutional Court; the Council of State
  audits the government's accounting office; accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction with reservations

Serbia
  based on civil law system

Seychelles
  based on English common law, French civil law, and
  customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Sierra Leone
  based on English law and customary laws indigenous to
  local tribes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Singapore
  based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory
  ICJ jurisdiction

Slovakia
  civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes; accepts
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; legal code modified
  to comply with the obligations of Organization on Security and
  Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and to expunge Marxist-Leninist legal
  theory

Slovenia
  based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Solomon Islands
  English common law, which is widely disregarded; has
  not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Somalia
  no national system; a mixture of English common law, Italian
  law, Islamic Sharia, and Somali customary law; accepts compulsory
  ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

South Africa
  based on Roman-Dutch law and English common law; has
  not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
  the laws of the UK, where
  applicable, apply; the senior magistrate from the Falkland Islands
  presides over the Magistrates Court

Spain
  civil law system, with regional applications; accepts
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Sri Lanka
  a highly complex mixture of English common law,
  Roman-Dutch, Kandyan, and Jaffna Tamil law; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Sudan
  based on English common law and Islamic law; as of 20 January
  1991, the now defunct Revolutionary Command Council imposed Islamic
  law in the northern states; Islamic law applies to all residents of
  the northern states regardless of their religion; however, the CPA
  establishes some protections for non-Muslims in Khartoum; some
  separate religious courts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with
  reservations; the southern legal system is still developing under
  the CPA following the civil war; Islamic law will not apply to the
  southern states

Suriname
  based on Dutch legal system incorporating French penal
  theory; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Svalbard
  the laws of Norway, where applicable, apply

Swaziland
  based on South African Roman-Dutch law in statutory courts
  and Swazi traditional law and custom in traditional courts; accepts
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Sweden
  civil law system influenced by customary law; accepts
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Switzerland
  civil law system influenced by customary law; judicial
  review of legislative acts, except with respect to federal decrees
  of general obligatory character; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
  with reservations

Syria
  based on a combination of French and Ottoman civil law;
  Islamic law is used in the family court system; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Taiwan
  based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Tajikistan
  based on civil law system; no judicial review of
  legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Tanzania
  based on English common law; judicial review of legislative
  acts limited to matters of interpretation; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Thailand
  based on civil law system with influences of common law;
  has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Timor-Leste
  UN-drafted legal system based on Indonesian law remains
  in place but is to be replaced by civil and penal codes based on
  Portuguese law; these have passed but have not been promulgated; has
  not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Togo
  French-based court system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
  with reservations

Tokelau
  New Zealand and local statutes

Tonga
  based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Trinidad and Tobago
  based on English common law; judicial review of
  legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory
  ICJ jurisdiction

Tunisia
  based on French civil law system and Islamic law; some
  judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court in joint
  session; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Turkey
  civil law system derived from various European continental
  legal systems; note - member of the European Court of Human Rights
  (ECHR), although Turkey claims limited derogations on the ratified
  European Convention on Human Rights; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Turkmenistan
  based on civil law system and Islamic law; has not
  accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Turks and Caicos Islands
  based on laws of England and Wales with a
  few adopted from Jamaica and The Bahamas

Tuvalu
  English common law supplemented by local customary law

Uganda
  in 1995, the government restored the legal system to one
  based on English common law and customary law; accepts compulsory
  ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Ukraine
  based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative
  acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

United Arab Emirates
  based on a dual system of Sharia and civil
  courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

United Kingdom
  based on common law tradition with early Roman and
  modern continental influences; has nonbinding judicial review of
  Acts of Parliament under the Human Rights Act of 1998; accepts
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

United States
  federal court system based on English common law; each
  state has its own unique legal system, of which all but one
  (Louisiana, which is still influenced by the Napoleonic Code) is
  based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts;
  has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges
  the laws of the US,
  where applicable, apply

Uruguay
  based on Spanish civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Uzbekistan
  based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory
  ICJ jurisdiction

Vanuatu
  unified system being created from former dual French and
  British systems; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Venezuela
  open, adversarial court system; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Vietnam
  based on communist legal theory and French civil law system;
  has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Virgin Islands
  based on US laws

Wake Island
  the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Wallis and Futuna
  the laws of France, where applicable, apply

World
  all members of the UN are parties to the statute that
  established the International Court of Justice (ICJ) or World Court

Yemen
  based on Islamic law, Turkish law, English common law, and
  local tribal customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Zambia
  based on English common law and customary law; judicial
  review of legislative acts in an ad hoc constitutional council; has
  not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Zimbabwe
  mixture of Roman-Dutch and English common law; has not
  accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

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

@2101

Field Listing :: Legislative branch

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

Legislative branch

Afghanistan
  the bicameral National Assembly consists of the Meshrano
  Jirga or House of Elders (102 seats, one-third elected from
  provincial councils for four-year terms, one-third elected from
  local district councils for three-year terms, and one-third
  nominated by the president for five-year terms) and the Wolesi Jirga
  or House of People (no more than 249 seats), directly elected for
  five-year terms
  note: on rare occasions the government may convene a Loya Jirga
  (Grand Council) on issues of independence, national sovereignty, and
  territorial integrity; it can amend the provisions of the
  constitution and prosecute the president; it is made up of members
  of the National Assembly and chairpersons of the provincial and
  district councils
  elections: last held 18 September 2005 (next election expected in
  2010)
  election results: the single non-transferable vote (SNTV) system
  used in the election did not make use of political party slates;
  most candidates ran as independents

Albania
  unicameral Assembly or Kuvendi (140 seats; 100 members
  elected by direct popular vote and 40 by proportional vote to serve
  four-year terms)
  elections: last held 3 July 2005 (next to be held in 2009)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PD
  56, PS 42, PR 11, PSD 7, LSI 5, other 19
  note: Parliament in November 2008 approved an electoral reform
  package that will transform the electoral system from a majority
  system to a regional proportional system; the code will also
  establish an electoral threshold limiting smaller party
  representation

Algeria
  bicameral Parliament consists of the Council of Nations
  (Senate) (144 seats; one-third of the members appointed by the
  president, two-thirds elected by indirect vote to serve six-year
  terms; the constitution requires half the council to be renewed
  every three years) and the National People's Assembly or Al-Majlis
  Al-Shabi Al-Watani (389 seats; members elected by popular vote to
  serve five-year terms)
  elections: National People's Assembly - last held 17 May 2007 (next
  to be held in 2012); Council of Nations (Senate) - last held 28
  December 2006 (next to be held in 2009)
  election results: National People's Assembly - percent of vote by
  party - NA; seats by party - FLN 136, RND 61, MSP 52, PT 26, RCD 19,
  FNA 13, other 49, independents 33; Council of Nations - percent of
  vote by party - NA; seats by party - FLN 29, RND 12, MSP 3, RCD 1,
  independents 3, presidential appointees (unknown affiliation) 24;
  note - Council seating reflects the number of replaced council
  members rather than the whole Council

American Samoa
  bicameral Fono or Legislative Assembly consists of
  the Senate (18 seats; members are elected from local chiefs to serve
  four-year terms)and the House of Representatives (21 seats; 20
  members are elected by popular vote and 1 is an appointed, nonvoting
  delegate from Swains Island; members serve two-year terms)
  elections: House of Representatives - last held 4 November 2008
  (next to be held in November 2010); Senate - last held 4 November
  2008 (next to be held in November 2012)
  election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by
  party - NA; seats by party - NA; Senate - percent of vote by party -
  NA; seats by party - independents 18
  note: American Samoa elects one nonvoting representative to the US
  House of Representatives; election last held on 4 November 2008
  (next to be held in November 2010); results - Eni F. H. FALEOMAVAEGA
  reelected as delegate

Andorra
  unicameral General Council of the Valleys or Consell General
  de las Valls (28 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote,
  14 from a single national constituency and 14 to represent each of
  the seven parishes; to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held on 26 April 2009 (next to be held in
  March-April 2013)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PS 45.03%, Reformist
  Coaliton 32.34%, Andorra for Change 18.86%, other 3.77%; seats by
  party - PS 14, Reformist Coalition 11, Andorra for Change 3

Angola
  unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (220
  seats; members elected by proportional vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 5-6 September 2008 (next to be held in
  September 2012)
  election results: percent of vote by party - MPLA 81.6%, UNITA
  10.4%, PRS 3.2%, ND 1.2%, FNLA 1.1%, other 2.5%; seats by party -
  MPLA 191, UNITA 16, PRS 8, FNLA 3, ND 2

Anguilla
  unicameral House of Assembly (11 seats; 7 members elected
  by direct popular vote, 2 ex officio members, and 2 appointed;
  members serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 21 February 2005 (next to be held in 2010)
  election results: percent of vote by party - AUF 38.9%, AUM 19.4%,
  ANSA 19.2%, APP 9.5%, independents 13%; seats by party - AUF 4, ANSA
  2, AUM 1

Antigua and Barbuda
  bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (17
  seats; members appointed by the governor general) and the House of
  Representatives (17 seats; members are elected by proportional
  representation to serve five-year terms)
  elections: House of Representatives - last held 12 March 2009 (next
  to be held in 2014)
  election results: percent of vote by party - UPP 50.9%, ALP 47.2%,
  BPM 1.1%; seats by party - UPP 9, ALP 7, BPM 1

Argentina
  bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists
  of the Senate (72 seats; members are elected by direct vote;
  presently one-third of the members elected every two years to serve
  six-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies (257 seats; members are
  elected by direct vote; one-half of the members elected every two
  years to serve four-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 28 October 2007 (next to be held in
  2009); Chamber of Deputies - last held last held 28 October 2007
  (next to be held in 2009)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by bloc or party - NA;
  seats by bloc or party - FpV 12, UCR 4, CC 4, other 4; Chamber of
  Deputies - percent of vote by bloc or party - NA; seats by bloc or
  party - FpV 5, UCR 10, PJ 10, PRO 6, CC 16, FJ 2, other 31; note -
  as of 1 January 2009, the composition of the entire legislature is
  as follows: Senate - seats by bloc or party - FpV 42, UCR 8, CC 2,
  other 20; Chamber of Deputies - seats by bloc or party - FpV 119,
  UCR 24, CC 18, PS 10, PRO 9, other 77

Armenia
  unicameral National Assembly (Parliament) or Azgayin Zhoghov
  (131 seats; members elected by popular vote, 90 members elected by
  party list and 41 by direct vote; to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 12 May 2007 (next to be held in the spring of
  2012)
  election results: percent of vote by party - HHK 33.9%, Prosperous
  Armenia 15.1%, ARF (Dashnak) 13.2%, Rule of Law 7.1%, Heritage Party
  6%, other 24.7%; seats by party - HHK 64, Prosperous Armenia 18, ARF
  (Dashnak) 16, Rule of Law 9, Heritage Party 7, independent 17

Aruba
  unicameral Legislature or Staten (21 seats; members elected by
  direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 25 September 2009 (next to be held in 2013)
  election results: percent of vote by party - AVP 48%, MEP 35.9%, PDR
  5.7%; seats by party - AVP 12, MEP 8, PDR 1

Australia
  bicameral Federal Parliament consists of the Senate (76
  seats; 12 members from each of the six states and 2 from each of the
  two mainland territories; one-half of state members are elected
  every three years by popular vote to serve six-year terms while all
  territory members are elected every three years) and the House of
  Representatives (150 seats; members elected by popular preferential
  vote to serve terms of up to three-years; no state can have fewer
  than 5 representatives)
  elections: Senate - last held 24 November 2007 (next to be held no
  later than 2010); House of Representatives - last held 24 November
  2007 (next to be called no later than 2010)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
  party - Liberal Party-National Party coalition 37, Australian Labor
  Party 32, Australian Greens 5, Family First Party 1, independent 1;
  House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
  party - Australian Labor Party 83, Liberal Party 55, National Party
  10, independents 2

Austria
  bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung consists of
  Federal Council or Bundesrat (62 seats; members chosen by state
  parliaments with each state receiving 3 to 12 members in proportion
  to its population; members serve five- or six-year terms) and the
  National Council or Nationalrat (183 seats; members elected by
  direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: National Council - last held 28 September 2008 (next to
  be held by September 2013)
  election results: National Council - percent of vote by party - SPOe
  29.3%, OeVP 26%, FPOe 17.5%, BZOe 10.7%, Greens 10.4%, other 6.1%;
  seats by party - SPOe 57, OeVP 51, FPOe 34, BZOe 21, Greens 20

Azerbaijan
  unicameral National Assembly or Milli Mejlis (125 seats;
  members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 6 November 2005 (next to be held in November
  2010)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
  Yeni 58, Azadliq coalition 8, CSP 2, Motherland 2, other parties
  with single seats 9, independents 42, undetermined 4

Bahamas, The
  bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (16 seats;
  members appointed by the governor general upon the advice of the
  prime minister and the opposition leader to serve five-year terms)
  and the House of Assembly (41 seats; members elected by direct
  popular vote to serve five-year terms); the government may dissolve
  the parliament and call elections at any time
  elections: last held 2 May 2007 (next to be held by May 2012)
  election results: percent of vote by party - FNM 49.86%, PLP 47.02%;
  seats by party - FNM 23, PLP 18

Bahrain
  bicameral legislature consists of the Consultative Council
  (40 members appointed by the King) and the Council of
  Representatives or Chamber of Deputies (40 seats; members directly
  elected to serve four-year terms)
  elections: Council of Representatives - last held November-December
  2006 (next election to be held in 2010)
  election results: Council of Representatives - percent of vote by
  society - NA; seats by society - al Wifaq (Shia) 17, al Asala (Sunni
  Salafi) 5, al Minbar (Sunni Muslim Brotherhood) 7, independents 11;
  note - seats by society as of February 2007 - al Wifaq 17, al Asala
  8, al Minbar 7, al Mustaqbal (Moderate Sunni pro-government) 4,
  unassociated independents (all Sunni) 3, independent affiliated with
  al Wifaq (Sunni oppositionist) 1

Bangladesh
  unicameral National Parliament or Jatiya Sangsad; 300
  seats elected by popular vote from single territorial
  constituencies; members serve five-year terms
  elections: last held 29 December 2008 (next to be held in 2013)
  election results: percent of vote by party - AL 49%, BNP 33.2%, JP
  7%, JIB 4.6%, other 6.2%; seats by party - AL 230, BNP 30, JP 27,
  JIB 2, other 11

Barbados
  bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (21 seats;
  members appointed by the governor general - 12 on the advice of the
  Prime Minister, 2 on the advice of the opposition leader, and 7 at
  his discretion) and the House of Assembly (30 seats; members are
  elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: House of Assembly - last held 15 January 2008 (next to be
  called in 2013)
  election results: House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - DLP
  52.5%, BLP 47.3%; seats by party - DLP 20, BLP 10

Belarus
  bicameral National Assembly or Natsionalnoye Sobranie
  consists of the Council of the Republic or Soviet Respubliki (64
  seats; 56 members elected by regional councils and eight members
  appointed by the president, to serve four-year terms) and the
  Chamber of Representatives or Palata Predstaviteley (110 seats;
  members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: Palata Predstaviteley - last held 28 September and 3
  October 2008 (next to be held fall of 2012); international observers
  determined that despite minor improvements the election ultimately
  fell short of democratic standards; pro-LUKASHENKO candidates won
  every seat
  election results: Soviet Respubliki - percent of vote by party - NA;
  seats by party - NA; Palata Predstaviteley - percent of vote by
  party - NA; seats by party - NA

Belgium
  bicameral Parliament consists of a Senate or Senaat in
  Dutch, Senat in French (71 seats; 40 members are directly elected by
  popular vote, 31 are indirectly elected; members serve four-year
  terms) and a Chamber of Deputies or Kamer van
  Volksvertegenwoordigers in Dutch, Chambre des Representants in
  French (150 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote on
  the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
  elections: Senate and Chamber of Deputies - last held 10 June 2007
  (next to be held no later than June 2011)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - CDV/N-VA
  19.4%, Open VLD 12.4%, MR 12.3%, VB 11.9%, PS 10.2%, SP.A-Spirit
  10%, CDH 5.9%, Ecolo 5.8%, Groen! 3.6%, Dedecker List 3.4%, FN 2.3%,
  other 2.8%; seats by party - CDV 12, MR 11, Open VLD 9, VB 8, PS 7,
  SP.A 6, CDH 5, Ecolo 5, Groen! 2, LDD 1, FN 1, independents 4;
  Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - CDV/N-VA 18.5%, MR
  12.5%, VB 12%, Open VLD 11.8%, PS 10.9%, SP.A-Spirit 10.3%, CDH
  6.1%, Ecolo 5.1%, Dedecker List 4%, Groen! 4%, FN 2%, other 2.8%;
  seats by party - CDV 23, N-VA 7, MR 23, VB 17, Open VLD 18, PS 20,
  SP.A 14, CDH 10, Ecolo 8, Dedecker List 5, Groen! 4, FN 1
  note: as a result of the 1993 constitutional revision that furthered
  devolution into a federal state, there are now three levels of
  government (federal, regional, and linguistic community) with a
  complex division of responsibilities; this reality leaves six
  governments, each with its own legislative assembly

Belize
  bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (12 seats;
  members appointed by the governor general - 6 on the advice of the
  prime minister, 3 on the advice of the leader of the opposition, and
  1 each on the advice of the Belize Council of Churches and
  Evangelical Association of Churches, the Belize Chamber of Commerce
  and Industry and the Belize Better Business Bureau, and the National
  Trade Union Congress and the Civil Society Steering Committee; to
  serve five-year terms) and the House of Representatives (31 seats;
  members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: House of Representatives - last held 6 February 2008
  (next to be held in 2013)
  election results: percent of vote by party - UDP 56.3%, PUP 40.9%;
  seats by party - UDP 25, PUP 6

Benin
  unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (83 seats;
  members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 31 March 2007 (next to be held by March 2011)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
  FCBE 35, ADD 20, PRD 10, other and independents 18

Bermuda
  bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (11 seats;
  members appointed by the governor, the premier, and the opposition)
  and the House of Assembly (36 seats; members are elected by popular
  vote to serve up to five-year terms)
  elections: last general election held 18 December 2007 (next to be
  held not later than 2012)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PLP 52.5%, UBP 47.3%;
  seats by party - PLP 22, UBP 14

Bhutan
  bicameral Parliament consists of the non-partisan National
  Council (25 seats; 20 members elected by each of the 20 electoral
  districts (dzongkhags) for four-year terms and 5 members nominated
  by the King); and the National Assembly (47 seats; members elected
  by direct, popular vote for five-year terms)
  elections: National Council elections last held on 31 December 2007
  and 29 January 2008 (next to be held by December 2012); National
  Assembly elections last held on 24 March 2008 (next to be held by
  March 2013)
  election results: National Council - NA; National Assembly - percent
  of vote by party - DPT 67%, PDP 33%; seats by party - DPT 45, PDP 2

Bolivia
  bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of
  Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (27 seats; members are
  elected by proportional representation from party lists to serve
  five-year terms) and Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (130
  seats; 70 members are directly elected from their districts and 60
  are elected by proportional representation from party lists to serve
  five-year terms); note - under representational rules established by
  the 2009 Constitution, the National Congress will become the
  Plurinational Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa
  Plurinacional; the number of Deputies will remain at 130, but the
  number of Senators will rise to 36
  elections: Chamber of Senators and Chamber of Deputies - last held
  18 December 2005 (next to be held in December 2009)
  election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party -
  NA; seats by party - PODEMOS 13, MAS 12, UN 1, MNR 1; Chamber of
  Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MAS 73,
  PODEMOS 43, UN 8, MNR 6

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  bicameral Parliamentary Assembly or Skupstina
  consists of the House of Peoples or Dom Naroda (15 seats, 5 Bosniak,
  5 Croat, 5 Serb; members elected by the Bosniak/Croat Federation's
  House of Representatives and the Republika Srpska's National
  Assembly to serve four-year terms); and the national House of
  Representatives or Predstavnicki Dom (42 seats, 28 seats allocated
  for the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and 14 seats for the
  Republika Srpska; members elected by popular vote on the basis of
  proportional representation, to serve four-year terms); note -
  Bosnia's election law specifies four-year terms for the state and
  first-order administrative division entity legislatures
  elections: House of Peoples - last constituted in January 2003 (next
  to be constituted in 2007); national House of Representatives -
  elections last held 1 October 2006 (next to be held in 2010)
  election results: House of Peoples - percent of vote by
  party/coalition - NA; seats by party/coalition - NA; national House
  of Representatives - percent of vote by party/coalition - NA; seats
  by party/coalition - SDA 9, SBiH 8, SNSD 7, SDP 5, SDS 3, HDZ-BH 3,
  HDZ1990 2, other 5
  note: the Bosniak/Croat Federation has a bicameral legislature that
  consists of a House of Peoples (58 seats - 17 Bosniak, 17 Croat, 17
  Serb, 7 other); last constituted December 2002; and a House of
  Representatives (98 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve
  four-year terms); elections last held 1 October 2006 (next to be
  held in October 2010); percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
  party/coalition - SDA 28, SBiH 24, SDP 17, HDZ-BH 8, HDZ1990 7,
  other 14; the Republika Srpska has a National Assembly (83 seats;
  members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms); elections
  last held 1 October 2006 (next to be held in the fall of 2010);
  percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party/coalition - SNSD 41,
  SDS 17, PDP 8, DNS 4, SBiH 4, SPRS 3, SDA 3, other 3; as a result of
  the 2002 constitutional reform process, a 28-member Republika Srpska
  Council of Peoples (COP) was established in the Republika Srpska
  National Assembly including eight Croats, eight Bosniaks, eight
  Serbs, and four members of the smaller communities

Botswana
  bicameral Parliament consists of the House of Chiefs (a
  largely advisory 15-member body with 8 ex-officio members consisting
  of the chiefs of the principal tribes, and 7 non-permanent members
  serving 5-year terms, consisting of 4 elected subchiefs and 3
  members selected by the other 12 members) and the National Assembly
  (63 seats, 57 members are directly elected by popular vote, 4 are
  appointed by the majority party, and 2, the President and
  Attorney-General, serve as ex-officio members; members serve
  five-year terms)
  elections: National Assembly elections last held 16 October 2009
  (next to be held in 2014)
  election results: percent of vote by party - BDP 53.3%, BNF 21.9%,
  BCP 19.2%, 2.3%, other 4.3%; seats by party - BDP 45, BNF 6, BCP 4,
  BAM 1, other 1

Brazil
  bicameral National Congress or Congresso Nacional consists of
  the Federal Senate or Senado Federal (81 seats; 3 members from each
  state and federal district elected according to the principle of
  majority to serve eight-year terms; one-third and two-thirds elected
  every four years, alternately) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara
  dos Deputados (513 seats; members are elected by proportional
  representation to serve four-year terms)
  elections: Federal Senate - last held 1 October 2006 for one-third
  of the Senate (next to be held in October 2010 for two-thirds of the
  Senate); Chamber of Deputies - last held 1 October 2006 (next to be
  held in October 2010)
  election results: Federal Senate - percent of vote by party - NA;
  seats by party - PFL 6, PSDB 5, PMDB 4, PTB 3, PT 2, PDT 1, PSB 1,
  PL 1, PPS 1, PRTB 1, PP 1, PCdoB 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of
  vote by party - NA; seats by party - PMDB 89, PT 83, PFL 65, PSDB
  65, PP 42, PSB 27, PDT 24, PL 23, PTB 22, PPS 21, PCdoB 13, PV 13,
  PSC 9, other 17; note - as of 1 January 2009, the composition of the
  entire legislature is as follows: Federal Senate - seats by party -
  PMDB 21, DEM (formerly PFL) 12, PSDB 13, PT 12, PTB 7, PDT 5, PR 4,
  PSB 2, PCdoB 1, PRB 1, PP 1, PSC 1, PSOL 1; Chamber of Deputies -
  seats by party - PMDB 95, PT 79, PSDB 59, DEM (formerly PFL) 53, PR
  44, PP 40, PSB 29, PDT 25, PTB 19, PPS 14, PV 14, PCdoB 13, PSC 11,
  PMN 5, PRB 4, PHS 3, PSOL 3, PTC 1, PTdoB 1

British Virgin Islands
  unicameral House of Assembly (13 elected
  seats and 1 non-voting ex officio member in the attorney general;
  members are elected by direct popular vote, 1 member from each of
  nine electoral districts, 4 at-large members; members serve
  four-year terms)
  elections: last held 20 August 2007 (next to be held in 2011)
  election results: percent of vote by party - VIP 45.2%, NDP 39.6%,
  independent 15.2%; seats by party - VIP 10, NDP 2, independent 1

Brunei
  The Sultan appointed a council with 29 members as of 2
  September 2005; the council has met in March of each year since then
  elections: last held in March 1962 (date of next election NA)
  note: The Legislative Council met on 25 September 2004 for first
  time in 20 years with 21 members appointed by the Sultan; it passed
  constitutional amendments calling for a 45-seat council with 15
  elected members

Bulgaria
  unicameral National Assembly or Narodno Sabranie (240
  seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 5 July 2009 (next to be held mid-2013)
  election results: percent of vote by party - GERB 39.7%, BSP 17.7%,
  MRF 14.4%, ATAKA 9.4%, Blue Coalition 6.8%, RZS 4.1%, other 7.9%;
  seats by party - GERB 116, BSP 40, MRF 38, ATAKA 21, Blue Coalition
  15, RZS 10

Burkina Faso
  unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale
  (111 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year
  terms)
  elections: National Assembly election last held 6 May 2007 (next to
  be held in May 2012)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
  CDP 73, ADF-RDA 14, UPR 5, UNIR-MS 4, CFD-B 3, UPS 2, PDP-PS 2, RDB
  2, PDS 2, PAREN 1, PAI 1, RPC 1, UDPS 1

Burma
  a unicameral People's Assembly or Pyithu Hluttaw consisting of
  485 seats with members elected by popular vote was elected in 1990
  but was never seated; according to the terms of the constitution
  approved on 10 May 2008, a bicameral Pyidaungsu Hluttaw consisting
  of an upper house with a maximum of 224 seats and a lower house with
  a maximum of 440 seats will be selected in elections in 2010
  elections: last held 27 May 1990, but Assembly never allowed by
  junta to convene (junta has announced plans to hold elections in
  2010)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
  NLD 392 (opposition), SNLD 23 (opposition), NUP 10 (pro-government),
  other 60

Burundi
  bicameral Parliament or Parlement, consists of a Senate (54
  seats; 34 members elected by indirect vote to serve five-year terms,
  with remaining seats assigned to ethnic groups and former chiefs of
  state) and a National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (minimum 100
  seats, 60% Hutu and 40% Tutsi with at least 30% being women;
  additional seats appointed by a National Independent Electoral
  Commission to ensure ethnic representation; members are elected by
  popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 29 July 2005 (next to be held in July
  2010); National Assembly - last held 4 July 2005 (next to be held in
  July 2010)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - CNDD-FDD 30, FRODEBU 3, CNDD 1; National Assembly - percent
  of vote by party - CNDD-FDD 58.6%, FRODEBU 21.7%, UPRONA 7.2%, CNDD
  4.1%, MRC-Rurenzangemero 2.1%, others 6.2%; seats by party -
  CNDD-FDD 59, FRODEBU 25, UPRONA 10, CNDD 4, MRC-Rurenzangemero 2

Cambodia
  bicameral, consists of the Senate (61 seats; 2 members
  appointed by the monarch, 2 elected by the National Assembly, and 57
  elected by parliamentarians and commune councils; members serve
  five-year terms) and the National Assembly (123 seats; members
  elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 22 January 2006 (next to be held in
  January 2011); National Assembly - last held 27 July 2008 (next to
  be held in July 2013)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - CPP 69%,
  FUNCINPEC 21%, SRP 10%; seats by party - CPP 45, FUNCINPEC 10, SRP
  2; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - CPP 58%, SRP 22%,
  HRP 7%; NRP 6%; FUNCINPEC 5%; others 2%; seats by party - CPP 90,
  SRP 26, HRP 3, FUNCINPEC 2, NRP 2

Cameroon
  unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (180
  seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year
  terms); note - the president can either lengthen or shorten the term
  of the legislature
  elections: last held 22 July 2007 (next to be held in 2012)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
  CPDM 140, SDF 14, UDC 4, UNDP 4, MP 1, vacant 17
  note: the constitution calls for an upper chamber for the
  legislature, to be called a Senate, but it has yet to be established

Canada
  bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate or
  Senat (105 seats; members appointed by the governor general with the
  advice of the prime minister and serve until reaching 75 years of
  age) and the House of Commons or Chambre des Communes (308 seats;
  members elected by direct, popular vote to serve a maximum of
  five-year terms starting in 2009 elections)
  elections: House of Commons - last held 14 October 2008 (next to be
  held no later than 19 October 2012)
  election results: House of Commons - percent of vote by party -
  Conservative Party 37.6%, Liberal Party 26.2%, New Democratic Party
  18.2%, Bloc Quebecois 10%, Greens 6.8%, other 1%; seats by party -
  Conservative Party 143, Liberal Party 77, New Democratic Party 37,
  Bloc Quebecois 49, other 2

Cape Verde
  unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (72
  seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 22 January 2006 (next to be held in January
  2011)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PAICV 52.3%, MPD 44%,
  UCID 2.7%; seats by party - PAICV 41, MPD 29, UCID 2

Cayman Islands
  unicameral Legislative Assembly (20 seats; 18 elected
  by popular vote and 2 ex officio members from The Cabinet; to serve
  four-year terms)
  elections: last held 20 May 2009 (next to be held not later than May
  2013)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
  UDP 9, PPM 5, independent 1

Central African Republic
  unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee
  Nationale (105 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
  five-year terms)
  elections: last held 13 March 2005 and 8 May 2005 (next to be held
  in 2010)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
  KNK 42, MLPC 11, RDC 8, PSD 4, FPP 2, ADP 2, LONDO 1, independents
  34, other 1

Chad
  unicameral National Assembly (155 seats; members elected by
  popular vote to serve four-year terms); note - the 1996 constitution
  called for a Senate that has never been formed
  elections: National Assembly - last held 21 April 2002 (next to be
  held by 2009); note - legislative elections, originally scheduled
  for 2006, were first delayed by National Assembly action and
  subsequently by an accord, signed in August 2007, between government
  and opposition parties
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
  MPS 110, RDP 12, FAR 9, RNDP 5, UNDR 5, URD 3, other 11

Chile
  bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of
  the Senate or Senado (38 seats; members elected by popular vote to
  serve eight-year terms; one-half elected every four years) and the
  Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (120 seats; members are
  elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 11 December 2005 (next to be held in
  December 2009); Chamber of Deputies - last held 11 December 2005
  (next to be held in December 2009)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
  party - CPD 20 (PDC 6, PS 8, PPD 3, PRSD 3), APC 17 (UDI 9, RN 8),
  independent 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA;
  seats by party - CPD 65 (PDC 21, PPD 22, PS 15, PRSD 7), APC 54 (UDI
  34, RN 20), independent 1; note - as of 8 January 2008: Senate -
  seats by party - CPD 18, (PDC 5, PS 8, PPD 2, PRSD 3), APC 16 (UDI
  9, RN 7), independent 4; Chamber of Deputies - seats by party - CPD
  57 (PDC 16, PPD 19, PS 15, PRSD 7), APC 53 (UDI 33, RN 20),
  independent 10.

China
  unicameral National People's Congress or Quanguo Renmin
  Daibiao Dahui (2,987 seats; members elected by municipal, regional,
  and provincial people's congresses, and People's Liberation Army to
  serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held December 2007-February 2008; date of next
  election - late 2012 to early 2013
  election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - 2,987
  note: only members of the CCP, its eight allied parties, and
  sympathetic independent candidates are elected

Christmas Island
  unicameral Christmas Island Shire Council (9 seats;
  members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: held every two years with half the members standing for
  election; last held 20 October 2007 (next to be held in 2009)
  election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 9

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  unicameral Cocos (Keeling) Islands Shire
  Council (7 seats)
  elections: held every two years with half the members standing for
  election; last held in May 2007 (next to be held in May 2009)

Colombia
  bicameral Congress or Congreso consists of the Senate or
  Senado (102 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
  four-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Camara de
  Representantes (166 seats; members are elected by popular vote to
  serve four-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 12 March 2006 (next to be held in
  March 2010); House of Representatives - last held 12 March 2006
  (next to be held in March 2010)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
  party - PSUN 20, PC 18, PL 18, CR 15, PDI 10, other parties 21;
  House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
  party - PL 35, PSUN 33, PC 29, CR 20, PDA 8, other parties 41

Comoros
  unicameral Assembly of the Union (33 seats; 15 deputies are
  selected by the individual islands' local assemblies and 18 by
  universal suffrage; to serve for five years);
  elections: last held 18 and 25 April 2004 (next to be held on 2
  August 2009)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
  CdIA 12, CRC 6; note - 15 additional seats are filled by deputies
  from local island assemblies

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  bicameral legislature consists of
  a Senate (108 seats; members elected by provincial assemblies to
  serve five-year terms) and a National Assembly (500 seats; 61
  members elected by majority vote in single-member constituencies,
  439 members elected by open list proportional-representation in
  multi-member constituencies; to serve five-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 19 January 2007 (next to be held by
  2012); National Assembly - last held 30 July 2006 (next to be held
  in July 2011)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
  party - PPRD 22, MLC 14, FR 7, RCD 7, PDC 6, CDC 3, MSR 3, PALU 2,
  independents 26, others 18 (political parties that won a single
  seat); National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
  party - PPRD 111, MLC 64, PALU 34, MSR 27, FR 26, RCD 15,
  independents 63, others 160 (includes 63 political parties that won
  10 or fewer seats)

Congo, Republic of the
  bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate
  (72 seats; members are elected by indirect vote to serve five-year
  terms) and the National Assembly (137 seats; members are elected by
  popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 5 August 2008 (next to be held in
  2013); National Assembly - last held 24 June and 5 August 2007 (next
  to be held in 2012)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
  party - RMP 33, FDU 23, UPADS 2, independents 7, other 7; National
  Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PCT 46,
  MCDDI 11, UPADS 11, MAR 5, MSD 5, independents 37, other 22

Cook Islands
  bicameral Parliament consisting of a House of Ariki (or
  upper house) made up of traditional leaders and a Legislative
  Assembly (or lower house) (24 seats; members elected by popular vote
  to serve four-year terms)
  note: the House of Ariki advises on traditional matters and
  maintains considerable influence but has no legislative powers
  elections: last held 26 September 2006 (next to be held by 2011)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Demo 51.9%, CIP 45.5%,
  independent 2.7%; seats by party - Demo 15, CIP 8, independent 1

Costa Rica
  unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa
  (57 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve
  four-year terms)
  elections: last held 5 February 2006 (next to be held in February
  2010)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
  PLN 25, PAC 17, PML 6, PUSC 5, PASE 1, PFA 1, PRN 1, PUN 1; note -
  as of 1 January 2009: seats by party - PLN 25, PAC 16, PML 5, PUSC
  5, PASE 1, PFA 1, PRN 1, independent 3

Cote d'Ivoire
  unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale
  (225 seats; members are elected in single- and multi-district
  elections by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: elections last held 10 December 2000 with by-elections on
  14 January 2001 (elections originally scheduled for 2005 have been
  repeatedly postponed by the government)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
  FPI 96, PDCI-RDA 94, RDR 5, PIT 4, other 2, independents 22, vacant 2
  note: a Senate was scheduled to be created in October 2006 elections
  that never took place

Croatia
  unicameral Assembly or Sabor (153 seats; members elected
  from party lists by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 25 November 2007 (next to be held in November
  2011)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; number of seats by
  party - HDZ 66, SDP 57, HNS 6, HSS 6, HDSSB 3, IDS 3, SDSS 3, other 9

Cuba
  unicameral National Assembly of People's Power or Asemblea
  Nacional del Poder Popular (number of seats in the National Assembly
  is based on population; 614 seats; members elected directly from
  slates approved by special candidacy commissions to serve five-year
  terms)
  elections: last held 20 January 2008 (next to be held in January
  2013)
  election results: Cuba's Communist Party is the only legal party,
  and officially sanctioned candidates run unopposed

Cyprus
  unicameral - area under government control: House of
  Representatives or Vouli Antiprosopon (80 seats; 56 assigned to the
  Greek Cypriots, 24 to Turkish Cypriots; note - only those assigned
  to Greek Cypriots are filled; members are elected by popular vote to
  serve five-year terms); area administered by Turkish Cypriots:
  Assembly of the Republic or Cumhuriyet Meclisi (50 seats; members
  are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: area under government control: last held 21 May 2006
  (next to be held in 2010); area administered by Turkish Cypriots:
  last held 19 April 2009 (next to be held in 2014)
  election results: area under government control: House of
  Representatives - percent of vote by party - AKEL 31.1%, DISY 30.3%,
  DIKO 17.9%, EDEK 8.9%, EURO.KO 5.8%, Greens 2.0%; seats by party -
  AKEL 18, DISY 18, DIKO 11, EDEK 4, EURO.KO 4, Greens 1; area
  administered by Turkish Cypriots: Assembly of the Republic - percent
  of vote by party - UBP 44.1%, CTP 29.3%, DP 10.6%, other 16%; seats
  by party - UBP 26, CTP 15, DP 5, other 4

Czech Republic
  bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the
  Senate or Senat (81 seats; members are elected by popular vote to
  serve six-year terms; one-third elected every two years) and the
  Chamber of Deputies or Poslanecka Snemovna (200 seats; members are
  elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held in two rounds 17-18 and 24-25 October
  2008 (next to be held by October 2010); Chamber of Deputies - last
  held 2-3 June 2006 (next to be held by June 2010)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
  party - ODS 36, CSSD 29, KDU-CSL 7, Open Democracy Club 6, others 3;
  Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - ODS 35.4%, CSSD
  32.3%, KSCM 12.8%, KDU-CSL 7.2%, Greens 6.3%, other 6%; seats by
  party - ODS 81, CSSD 74, KSCM 26, KDU-CSL 13, Greens 6; note - seats
  by party as of December 2008 - ODS 79, CSSD 71, KSCM 26, KDU-CSL 13,
  Greens 4, unaffiliated 7 (former CSSD, ODS, and Green Party members)

Denmark
  unicameral People's Assembly or Folketing (179 seats,
  including 2 from Greenland and 2 from the Faroe Islands; members are
  elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation
  to serve four-year terms unless the Folketing is dissolved earlier)
  elections: last held 13 November 2007 (next to be held in 2011)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Liberal Party 26.2%,
  Social Democrats 25.5%, Danish People's Party 13.9%, Socialist
  People's Party 13.0%, Conservative People's Party 10.4%, Social
  Liberal Party 5.1%, New Alliance 2.8%, Red-Green Unity List 2.2%,
  other 0.9%; seats by party - Liberal Party 46, Social Democrats 45,
  Danish People's Party 25, Socialist People's Party 23, Conservative
  People's Party 18, Social Liberal Party 9, New Alliance 5, Red-Green
  Alliance 4; note - does not include the two seats from Greenland and
  the two seats from the Faroe Islands

Djibouti
  unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (65
  seats; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms)
  elections: last held 8 February 2008 (next to be held 2013)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats - UMP
  (coalition of parties associated with President Ismail Omar GUELLAH)
  65

Dominica
  unicameral House of Assembly (30 seats; 9 members
  appointed, 21 elected by popular vote; to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 5 May 2005 (next to be held by 5 August 2010);
  note - tradition dictates that the election will be held within five
  years of the last election, but technically it is five years from
  the first seating of parliament (12 May 2005) plus a 90-day grace
  period
  election results: percent of vote by party - DLP 52.1%, UWP 43.6%,
  DFP 3.2%, other 1.1%; seats by party - DLP 12, UWP 8, independent 1

Dominican Republic
  bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional
  consists of the Senate or Senado (32 seats; members are elected by
  popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the House of
  Representatives or Camara de Diputados (178 seats; members are
  elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 16 May 2006 (next to be held in May
  2010); House of Representatives - last held 16 May 2006 (next to be
  held in May 2010)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
  party - PLD 22, PRD 6, PRSC 4; House of Representatives - percent of
  vote by party - NA; seats by party - PLD 96, PRD 60, PRSC 22

Ecuador
  unicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional (100
  seats; members are elected through a party-list proportional
  representation system to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 15 October 2006 (next to be held 26 April 2009)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
  PRIAN 28; PSP 24; PSC 13; ID 7; PRE 6; MUPP-NP 6; RED 5; UDC 5;
  other 6; note - defections by members of National Congress are
  commonplace, resulting in frequent changes in the numbers of seats
  held by the various parties
  note: when a Constituent Assembly was convened to draft a new
  constitution, the National Congress was placed on indefinite recess
  and replaced by a legislative committee; the legislative committee
  will continue to function until a new National Assembly is elected
  in April 2009

Egypt
  bicameral system consists of the Advisory Council or Majlis
  al-Shura (Shura Council) that traditionally functions only in a
  consultative role but 2007 constitutional amendments could grant the
  Council new powers (264 seats; 176 elected by popular vote, 88
  appointed by the president; members serve six-year terms; mid-term
  elections for half of the elected members) and the People's Assembly
  or Majlis al-Sha'b (454 seats; 444 elected by popular vote, 10
  appointed by the president; members serve five-year terms)
  elections: Advisory Council - last held June 2007 (next to be held
  May-June 2010); People's Assembly - three-phase voting - last held 7
  and 20 November, 1 December 2005; (next to be held November-December
  2010)
  election results: Advisory Council - percent of vote by party - NA;
  seats by party - NDP 84, Tagammu 1, independents 3; People's
  Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NDP 311,
  NWP 6, Tagammu 2, Tomorrow Party 1, independents 112 (12 seats to be
  determined by rerun elections, 10 seats appointed by President)

El Salvador
  unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa
  (84 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve
  three-year terms)
  elections: last held 18 January 2009 (next to be held in March 2012)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
  FMLN 35, ARENA 32, PCN 11, PDC 5, CD 1

Equatorial Guinea
  unicameral House of People's Representatives or
  Camara de Representantes del Pueblo (100 seats; members directly
  elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 4 May 2008 (next to be held in 2012)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
  PDGE 89, EC 10, CPDS 1
  note: Parliament has little power since the constitution vests all
  executive authority in the president

Eritrea
  unicameral National Assembly (150 seats; members elected by
  direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: in May 1997, following the adoption of the new
  constitution, 75 members of the PFDJ Central Committee (the old
  Central Committee of the EPLF), 60 members of the 527-member
  Constituent Assembly, which had been established in 1997 to discuss
  and ratify the new constitution, and 15 representatives of Eritreans
  living abroad were formed into a Transitional National Assembly to
  serve as the country's legislative body until countrywide elections
  to a National Assembly were held; although only 75 of 150 members of
  the Transitional National Assembly were elected, the constitution
  stipulates that once past the transition stage, all members of the
  National Assembly will be elected by secret ballot of all eligible
  voters; National Assembly elections scheduled for December 2001 were
  postponed indefinitely

Estonia
  unicameral Parliament or Riigikogu (101 seats; members are
  elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 4 March 2007 (next to be held in March 2011)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Estonian Reform Party
  27.8%, Center Party of Estonia 26.1%, Union of Pro Patria and Res
  Publica 17.9%, Social Democratic Party 10.6%, Estonian Greens 7.1%,
  Estonian People's Union 7.1%, other 5%; seats by party - Estonian
  Reform Party 31, Center Party 29, Union of Pro Patria and Res
  Publica 19, Social Democratic Party 10, Estonian Greens 6, Estonian
  People's Union 6

Ethiopia
  bicameral Parliament consists of the House of Federation
  (or upper chamber responsible for interpreting the constitution and
  federal-regional issues) (108 seats; members are chosen by state
  assemblies to serve five-year terms) and the House of People's
  Representatives (or lower chamber responsible for passing
  legislation) (547 seats; members are directly elected by popular
  vote from single-member districts to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 15 May 2005 (next to be held in 2010)
  election results: percent of vote - NA; seats by party - EPRDF 327,
  CUD 109, UEDF 52, SPDP 23, OFDM 11, BGPDUF 8, ANDP 8, independent 1,
  others 6, undeclared 2
  note: some seats still remain vacant as detained opposition MPs did
  not take their seats

European Union
  two legislative bodies consisting of the Council of
  the European Union (27 member-state ministers having 345 votes; the
  number of votes is roughly proportional to member-states'
  population; note - the Council is the main decision-making body of
  the EU) and the European Parliament (736 seats; seats allocated
  among member states in proportion to population; members elected by
  direct universal suffrage for a five-year term)
  elections: last held 4-7 June 2009 (next to be held in June 2014)
  election results: percent of vote - EPP 35.9%, PES 21.9%, ALDE
  10.9%, Greens/EFA 7.2%, UEN 4.8%, GUE/NGL 4.3%, IND/DEM 2.4%, others
  12.6%; seats by party - EPP 266, PES 161, ALDE 80, Greens/EFA 53,
  UEN 35, GUE/NGL 32, IND/DEM 18, others 93

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  unicameral Legislative Council (10
  seats; 2 members are ex officio and 8 are elected by popular vote;
  to serve four-year terms); presided over by the governor
  elections: last held 17 November 2005 (next to be held in November
  2009)
  election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 8

Faroe Islands
  unicameral Faroese Parliament or Logting (33 seats;
  members are elected by popular vote on a proportional basis from the
  seven constituencies to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 19 January 2008 (next to be held no later than
  January 2012)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Union Party 21%, Social
  Democratic Party 19.4%, Republican Party 23.3%, People's Party
  20.1%, Center Party 8.4%, Self-Government Party 7.2%, other 0.6%;
  seats by party - Republican Party 8, Union Party 7, Social
  Democratic Party 6, People's Party 7, Center Party 3, Independence
  Party 2
  note: election of two seats to the Danish Parliament was last held
  on 13 November 2007 (next to be held no later than November 2011);
  results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Republican
  Party 1, Union Party 1

Fiji
  bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (32 seats; 14
  appointed by the president on the advice of the Great Council of
  Chiefs, 9 appointed by the president on the advice of the Prime
  Minister, 8 on the advice of the opposition leader, and 1 appointed
  on the advice of the council of Rotuma) and the House of
  Representatives (71 seats; 23 reserved for ethnic Fijians, 19
  reserved for ethnic Indians, 3 reserved for other ethnic groups, 1
  reserved for the council of Rotuma constituency encompassing the
  whole of Fiji, and 25 open seats; members serve five-year terms)
  elections: House of Representatives - last held 6-13 May 2006 (next
  to be held in 2011)
  election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by
  party - SDL 44.6%, FLP 39.2%, UPP 0.8%, independents 4.9%, other
  10.5%; seats by party - SDL 36, FLP 31, UPP 2, independents 2

Finland
  unicameral Parliament or Eduskunta (200 seats; members are
  elected by popular vote on a proportional basis to serve four-year
  terms)
  elections: last held 18 March 2007 (next to be held March 2011)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Kesk 23.1%, Kok 22.3%,
  SDP 21.4%, VAS 8.8%, VIHR 8.5%, KD 4.9%, SFP 4.5%, True Finns 4.1%,
  other 3.4%; seats by party - Kesk 51, Kok 50, SDP 45, VAS 17, VIHR
  15, SFP 9, KD 7, True Finns 5, other 1

France
  bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate or
  Senat (343 seats, 321 for metropolitan France and overseas
  departments, 2 for New Caledonia, 2 for Mayotte, 1 for Saint-Pierre
  and Miquelon, 1 for Saint-Barthelemy, 1 for Saint-Martin, 3 for
  overseas territories, and 12 for French nationals abroad; members
  are indirectly elected by an electoral college to serve six-year
  terms; one third elected every three years); note - between 2006 and
  2011, 15 new seats will be added to the Senate for a total of 348
  seats - 326 for metropolitan France and overseas departments, 2 for
  New Caledonia, 2 for Mayotte, 1 for Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, 1 for
  Saint-Barthelemy, 1 for Saint-Martin, 3 for overseas territories,
  and 12 for French nationals abroad; starting in 2008, members will
  be indirectly elected by an electoral college to serve six-year
  terms with one-half elected every three years; and the National
  Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (577 seats, 555 for metropolitan
  France, 15 for overseas departments, 7 for dependencies; members are
  elected by popular vote under a single-member majority system to
  serve five-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 21 September 2008 (next to be held in
  September 2014); National Assembly - last held 10 and 17 June 2007
  (next to be held in June 2012)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
  party - UMP 151, PS 116, UC-UDF 29, CRC 23, RDSE 17, other 7;
  National Assembly - percent of vote by party - UMP 46.37%, PS
  42.25%, miscellaneous left wing parties 2.47%, PCF 2.28%, NC 2.12%,
  PRG 1.65%, miscellaneous right wing parties 1.17%, the Greens 0.45%,
  other 1.24%; seats by party - UMP 313, PS 186, NC 22, miscellaneous
  left wing parties 15, PCF 15, miscellaneous right wing parties 9,
  PRG 7, the Greens 4, other 6

French Polynesia
  unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee
  Territoriale (57 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
  five-year terms)
  elections: last held 27 January 2008 (first round) and 10 February
  2008 (second round) (next to be held in 2013)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Our Home alliance
  45.2%, Union for Democracy alliance 37.2%, Popular Rally (Tahoeraa
  Huiraatira) 17.2% other 0.5%; seats by party - Our Home alliance 27,
  Union for Democracy alliance 20, Popular Rally 10
  note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on 21 September 2008
  (next to be held in September 2014); results - percent of vote by
  party - NA; seats by party - PS 1, independent 1; two seats were
  elected to the French National Assembly on 10-17 June 2007 (next to
  be held in 2012); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
  party - UMP 2

Gabon
  bicameral legislature consists of the Senate (102 seats;
  members elected by members of municipal councils and departmental
  assemblies to serve six-year terms) and the National Assembly or
  Assemblee Nationale (120 seats; members are elected by direct,
  popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 18 January 2009 (next to be held in
  January 2015); National Assembly - last held 17 and 24 December 2006
  (next to be held in December 2011)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
  party - PDG 75, GPR 6, UGDD 3, CLR 2, PGCI 2, UPG 2, ADERE 1,
  independents 9; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA;
  seats by party - PDG 82, RPG 8, UPG 8, UGDD 4, ADERE 3, CLR 2,
  PGP-Ndaot 2, PSD 2, independents 4, others 5

Gambia, The
  unicameral National Assembly (53 seats; 48 members
  elected by popular vote, 5 appointed by the president; to serve
  five-year terms)
  elections: last held 25 January 2007 (next to be held in 2012)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
  APRC 47, UDP 4, NADD 1, independent 1

Georgia
  unicameral Parliament or Parlamenti (also known as Supreme
  Council or Umaghlesi Sabcho) (150 seats; 75 members elected by
  proportional representation, 75 from single-seat constituencies; to
  serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 21 May 2008 (next to be held in spring 2012)
  election results: percent of vote by party - United National
  Movement 59.2%, National Council-New Rights 17.7%, Christian
  Democratic Movement 8.8%, Labor Party 7.4%, Republican Party 3.8%;
  seats by party - United National Movement 120, National Council-New
  Rights 16, Christian Democratic Movement 6, Labor Party 6,
  Republican Party 2

Germany
  bicameral legislature consists of the Federal Council or
  Bundesrat (69 votes; state governments sit in the Council; each has
  three to six votes in proportion to population and are required to
  vote as a block)and the Federal Assembly or Bundestag (622 seats;
  members elected by popular vote for a four-year term under a system
  of personalized proportional representation; a party must win 5% of
  the national vote or three direct mandates to gain proportional
  representation and caucus recognition)
  elections: Bundestag - last held on 27 September 2009 (next to be
  held no later than autumn 2013); note - there are no elections for
  the Bundesrat; composition is determined by the composition of the
  state-level governments; the composition of the Bundesrat has the
  potential to change any time one of the 16 states holds an election
  election results: Bundestag - percent of vote by party - CDU/CSU
  33.8%, SPD 23%, FDP 14.6%, Left 11.9%, Greens 10.7%, other 6%; seats
  by party - CDU/CSU 239, SPD 146, FDP 93, Left 76, Greens 68

Ghana
  unicameral Parliament (230 seats; members are elected by
  direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 7 December 2008 (next to be held 7 December
  2012)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
  NDC 114, NPP 107, PNC 2, CPP 1, independent 4, other 2

Gibraltar
  unicameral Parliament (18 seats: 17 members elected by
  popular vote, 1 for the Speaker appointed by Parliament; members
  serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 11 October 2007 (next to be held not later than
  October 2011)
  election results: percent of vote by party - GSD 49.3%, GSLP 31.8%,
  Gibraltar Liberal Party 13.6%; seats by party - GSD 10, GSLP 4,
  Gibraltar Liberal Party 3

Greece
  unicameral Parliament or Vouli ton Ellinon (300 seats;
  members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 4 October 2009 (next to be held by 2013)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PASOK 43.9%, ND 33.5%,
  KKE 7.5%, LAOS 5.6%, SYRIZA 4.6%, other 4.9%; seats by party - PASOK
  160, ND 91, KKE 21, LAOS 15, SYRIZA 13

Greenland
  unicameral Parliament or Landsting (31 seats; members are
  elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation
  to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held on 2 June 2009 (next to be held by 2014)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Inuit Ataqatigiit
  43.7%, Siumut 26.5%, Demokratiit 12.7%, Atassut 10.9%;
  Kattusseqatigiit 3.8%, other 2.4%; seats by party - IA 14, Siumut 9,
  Demokraatiit 4, Atassut 3, Kattusseqatigiit 1
  note: two representatives were elected to the Danish Parliament or
  Folketing on 13 November 2007 (next to be held in November 2011);
  percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Siumut 1, Inuit
  Ataqatigiit 1

Grenada
  bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (13 seats, 10
  appointed by the government and 3 by the leader of the opposition)
  and the House of Representatives (15 seats; members are elected by
  popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held on 8 July 2008 (next to be held in 2013)
  election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by
  party - NA; seats by party - NDC 11, NNP 4

Guam
  unicameral Legislature (15 seats; members are elected by
  popular vote to serve two-year terms)
  elections: last held 4 November 2008 (next to be held in November
  2010)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
  Democratic Party 10, Republican Party 5
  note: Guam elects one nonvoting delegate to the US House of
  Representatives; election last held 4 November 2008 (next to be held
  in November 2010); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
  party - Democratic Party 1

Guatemala
  unicameral Congress of the Republic or Congreso de la
  Republica (158 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
  four-year terms)
  elections: last held 9 September 2007 (next to be held in September
  2011)
  election results: percent of vote by party - UNE 30.4%, GANA 23.4%,
  PP 18.9%, FRG 9.5%, PU 5.1%, other 12.7%; seats by party - UNE 48,
  GANA 37, PP 30, FRG 15, PU 8, CASA 5, EG 4, PAN 4, UCN 4, URNG 2, UD
  1

Guernsey
  unicameral States of Deliberation (45 seats; members are
  elected by popular vote for four years); note - Alderney and Sark
  have parliaments
  elections: last held 23 April 2008 (next to be held in 2012)
  election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - all independents

Guinea
  unicameral People's National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale
  Populaire (114 seats; members are elected by a mixed system of
  direct popular vote and proportional party lists)
  elections: last held 30 June 2002 (legislative elections due in 2007
  were first rescheduled for 2008 and subsequently rescheduled for 26
  March 2010)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PUP 61.6%, UPR 26.6%,
  other 11.8%; seats by party - PUP 85, UPR 20, other 9

Guinea-Bissau
  unicameral National People's Assembly or Assembleia
  Nacional Popular (100 seats; members are elected by popular vote to
  serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 16 November 2008 (next to be held 2012)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PAIGC 49.8%, PRS 25.3%,
  PRID 7.5%, PND 2.4%, AD 1.4%, other parties 13.6%; seats by party -
  PAIGC 67, PRS 28, PRID 3, PND 1, AD 1

Guyana
  unicameral National Assembly (65 seats; members elected by
  popular vote, also not more than 4 non-elected non-voting ministers
  and 2 non-elected non-voting parliamentary secretaries appointed by
  the president; to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 28 August 2006 (next to be held by August 2011)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PPP/C 54.6%, PNC/R 34%,
  AFC 8.1%, other 3.3%; seats by party - PPP/C 36, PNC/R 22, AFC 5,
  other 2

Haiti
  bicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale consists of
  the Senate (30 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve
  six-year terms; one-third elected every two years) and the Chamber
  of Deputies (99 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
  four-year terms); note - in reestablishing the Senate, the candidate
  in each department receiving the most votes in the last election
  serves six years, the candidate with the second most votes serves
  four years, and the candidate with the third most votes serves two
  years
  elections: Senate - last held 21 April 2006 with run-off elections
  on 3 December 2006 (next regular election, for one third of seats,
  to be held in 2008); Chamber of Deputies - last held 21 April 2006
  with run-off elections on 3 December 2006 and 29 April 2007 (next
  regular election to be held in 2010)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
  party - L'ESPWA 11, FUSION 5, OPL 4, FL 3, LAAA 2, UNCRH 2, PONT 2,
  ALYANS 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats
  by party - L'ESPWA 23, FUSION 17, FRN 12, OPL 10, ALYANS 10, LAAA 5,
  MPH 3, MOCHRENA 3, other 10; results for six other seats contested
  on 3 December 2006 remain unknown

Holy See (Vatican City)
  unicameral Pontifical Commission for Vatican
  City State

Honduras
  unicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional (128
  seats; members are elected proportionally by department to serve
  four-year terms)
  elections: last held 27 November 2005 (next to be held in November
  2009)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PL
  62, PN 55, PUD 5, PDC 4, PINU 2

Hong Kong
  unicameral Legislative Council or LegCo (60 seats; 30
  seats indirectly elected by functional constituencies, 30 elected by
  popular vote; members serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 7 September 2008 (next to be held in September
  2012)
  election results: percent of vote by party - pro-democracy 57%;
  pro-Beijing 40%, independent 3%; seats by parties - (pro-Beijing 35)
  DAB 13, Liberal Party 7, FTU 1, others 14; (pro-democracy 23)
  Democratic Party 8, Civic Party 5, CTU 3, League of Social Democrats
  3, ADPL 2, The Frontier 1, NWSC 1; others 11; independents and
  non-voting LegCo president 2

Hungary
  unicameral National Assembly or Orszaggyules (386 seats;
  members are elected by popular vote under a system of proportional
  and direct representation to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 9 and 23 April 2006 (next to be held in April
  2010)
  election results: percent of vote by party (5% or more of the vote
  required for parliamentary representation in the first round) - MSzP
  43.2%, Fidesz-KDNP 42%, SzDSz 6.5%, MDF 5%, other 3.3%; seats by
  party - MSzP 190, Fidesz-KDNP 164, SzDSz 20, MDF 11, independent 1;
  seats by party as of January 2009 - MSzP 190, Fidesz-KDNP 161, SzDSz
  19, MDF 10, independent 5, vacant 1

Iceland
  unicameral Parliament or Althing (63 seats; members are
  elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 25 April 2009 (next to be held in 2013)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Social Democratic
  Alliance 29.8%, Independence Party 23.7%, Left-Green Movement 21.7%,
  Progressive Party 14.8%, Citizens' Movement 7.2%, other 2.8%; seats
  by party - Social Democratic Alliance 20, Independence Party 16,
  Left-Green Alliance 14, Progressive Party 9, Citizens' Movement 4

India
  bicameral Parliament or Sansad consists of the Council of
  States or Rajya Sabha (a body consisting of not more than 250
  members up to 12 of whom are appointed by the president, the
  remainder are chosen by the elected members of the state and
  territorial assemblies; members serve six-year terms) and the
  People's Assembly or Lok Sabha (545 seats; 543 elected by popular
  vote, 2 appointed by the president; members serve five-year terms)
  elections: People's Assembly - last held in five phases 16, 22-23,
  30 April and 7, 13 May 2009 (next must be held by May 2014)
  election results: People's Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA;
  seats by party - INC 206, BJP 116, SP 23, BSP 21, JD (U) 20, AITC
  19, DMK 18, CPI-M 16, BJD 14, SS 11, AIADMK 9, NCP 9, other 61,
  vacant 2

Indonesia
  People's Consultative Assembly (Majelis Permusyawaratan
  Rakyat or MPR) is the upper house, consists of members of DPR and
  DPD, has role in inaugurating and impeaching the president and in
  amending the constitution, does not formulate national policy; House
  of Representatives or Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat (DPR) (550 seats,
  members elected to serve five-year terms), formulates and passes
  legislation at the national level; House of Regional Representatives
  (Dewan Perwakilan Daerah or DPD), constitutionally mandated role
  includes providing legislative input to DPR on issues affecting
  regions
  elections: last held 9 April 2009 (next to be held in 2014)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PD 20.9%, GOLKAR 14.5%,
  PDI-P 14.0%, PKS 7.9%, PAN 6.0%, PPP 5.3%, PKB 4.9%, GERINDRA 4.5%,
  HANURA 3.8%, others 18.2%; seats by party - PD 148, GOLKAR 108,
  PDI-P 93, PKS 59, PAN 42, PPP 39, PKB 26, GERINDRA 30, HANURA 15
  note: 29 other parties received less than 2.5% of the vote so did
  not obtain any seats; because of election rules, the number of seats
  won does not always follow the percentage of votes received by
  parties

Iran
  unicameral Islamic Consultative Assembly or
  Majles-e-Shura-ye-Eslami or Majles (290 seats; members elected by
  popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 14 March 2008 with a runoff held 25 April 2008
  (next to be held in 2012)
  election results: percent of vote - NA; seats by party -
  conservatives/Islamists 167, reformers 39, independents 74,
  religious minorities 5, other 5

Iraq
  unicameral Council of Representatives (consisting of 275
  members elected by a closed-list, proportional representation system)
  elections: last held 15 December 2005 to elect a 275-member Council
  of Representatives (next to be held on 18 January 2010); the Council
  of Representatives elected the Presidency Council and approved the
  prime minister and two deputy prime ministers
  election results: Council of Representatives - percent of vote by
  party - Unified Iraqi Alliance 41%, Kurdistan Alliance 22%, Tawafuq
  Coalition 15%, Iraqi National List 8%, Iraqi Front for National
  Dialogue 4%, other 10%; number of seats by party (as of November
  2007) - Unified Iraqi Alliance (including the Sadrist bloc with 30
  and Fadilah with 15) 130, Kurdistan Alliance 53, Tawafuq Front 44,
  Iraqi National List 25, Fadilah 15, Iraqi Front for National
  Dialogue 11, other 12

Ireland
  bicameral Parliament or Oireachtas consists of the Senate or
  Seanad Eireann (60 seats; 49 members elected by the universities and
  from candidates put forward by five vocational panels, 11 are
  nominated by the prime minister; members serve five-year terms) and
  the House of Representatives or Dail Eireann (166 seats; members are
  elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation
  to serve five-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held in July 2007 (next to be held by July
  2012); House of Representatives - last held 24 May 2007 (next to be
  held by May 2012)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
  party - Fianna Fail 28, Fine Gael 14, Labor Party 6, Progressive
  Democrats 2, Green Party 2, Sein Fein 1, independents 7; House of
  Representatives - percent of vote by party - Fianna Fail 41.6%, Fine
  Gael 27.3%, Labor Party 10.1%, Sinn Fein 6.9%, Green Party 4.7%,
  Progressive Democrats 2.7%, other 6.7%; seats by party - Fianna Fail
  78, Fine Gael 51, Labor Party 20, Sinn Fein 4, Green Party 6,
  Progressive Democrats 2, independents 4, Speaker of the Dail 1
  note: on 8 November 2008, delegates voted to disband the party, but
  as of January 2009, the party was still operating

Isle of Man
  bicameral Tynwald consists of the Legislative Council
  (11 seats; members composed of the President of Tynwald, the Lord
  Bishop of Sodor and Man, a nonvoting attorney general, and 8 others
  named by the House of Keys) and the House of Keys (24 seats; members
  are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: House of Keys - last held 23 November 2006 (next to be
  held in November 2011)
  election results: House of Keys - percent of vote by party - NA;
  seats by party - Liberal Vannin Party 2, Man Labor Party 1,
  independents 21

Israel
  unicameral Knesset (120 seats; members elected by popular
  vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 10 February 2009 (next scheduled election to be
  held in 2013)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Kadima 23.2%, Likud-Ahi
  22.3%, YB 12.1%, Labor 10.2%, SHAS 8.8%, United Torah Judaism 4.5%,
  United Arab List 3.5%, NU 3.4%, Hadash 3.4%, The Jewish Home 3%, The
  New Movement-Meretz 3%, Balad 2.6%; seats by party - Kadima 28,
  Likud-Ahi 27, YB 15, Labor 13, SHAS 11, United Torah Judaism 5,
  United Arab List 4, NU 4, HADASH 4, The Jewish Home 3, The New
  Movement-Meretz 3, Balad 3

Italy
  bicameral Parliament or Parlamento consists of the Senate or
  Senato della Repubblica (315 seats; members elected by proportional
  vote with the winning coalition in each region receiving 55% of
  seats from that region; to serve five-year terms) and the Chamber of
  Deputies or Camera dei Deputati (630 seats; members elected by
  popular vote with the winning national coalition receiving 54% of
  chamber seats; to serve five-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 13-14 April 2008 (next to be held
  April 2013); Chamber of Deputies - last held 13-14 April 2008 (next
  to be held April 2013)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
  party - S. BERLUSCONI coalition 174 (PdL 147, LN 25, MpA 2), W.
  VELTRONI coalition 132 (PD 118, IdV 3), UdC 3, other 6; Chamber of
  Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - S.
  BERLUSCONI coalition 344 (PdL 276, LN 60, MpA 8), W. VELTRONI
  coalition 246 (PD 217, IdV 29), UdC 36, other 4

Jamaica
  bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (a 21-member
  body appointed by the governor general on the recommendations of the
  prime minister and the leader of the opposition; ruling party is
  allocated 13 seats, and the opposition is allocated 8 seats) and the
  House of Representatives (60 seats; members are elected by popular
  vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 3 September 2007 (next to be held no later than
  October 2012)
  election results: percent of vote by party - JLP 50.1%, PNP 49.8%;
  seats by party - JLP 33, PNP 27

Japan
  bicameral Diet or Kokkai consists of the House of Councillors
  or Sangi-in (242 seats - members elected for fixed six-year terms;
  half reelected every three years; 146 members in multi-seat
  constituencies and 96 by proportional representation) and the House
  of Representatives or Shugi-in (480 seats - members elected for
  maximum four-year terms; 300 in single-seat constituencies; 180
  members by proportional representation in 11 regional blocs); the
  prime minister has the right to dissolve the House of
  Representatives at any time with the concurrence of the cabinet.
  elections: House of Councillors - last held 29 July 2007 (next to be
  held in July 2010); House of Representatives - last held 30 August
  2009 (next to be held by August 2013)
  election results: House of Councillors - percent of vote by party -
  NA; seats by party - DPJ 109, LDP 83, Komeito 20, JCP 7, SDP 5,
  others 18
  House of Representatives - percent of vote by party (in single-seat
  constituencies) - DPJ 42.4%, LDP 26.7%, Komeito 11.5%, JCP 7.0%, SDP
  4.3%, others 8.1%; seats by party - DPJ 308, LDP 119, Komeito 21,
  JCP 9, SDP 7, others 16 (2009)

Jersey
  unicameral Assembly of the States of Jersey (58 seats; 55 are
  voting members, of which 12 are senators elected for six-year terms,
  12 are constables or heads of parishes elected for three-year terms,
  29 are deputies elected for three-year terms, the bailiff and the
  deputy bailiff, and 3 non-voting members includes the Dean of
  Jersey, the Attorney General, and the Solicitor General appointed by
  the monarch)
  elections: last held 15 October 2008 for senators and 26 November
  2008 for deputies (next to be held in 2011)
  election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 55

Jordan
  bicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-'Umma consists of
  the Senate, also called the House of Notables or Majlis al-Ayan (55
  seats; members appointed by the monarch to serve four-year terms)
  and the Chamber of Deputies, also called the House of
  Representatives or Majlis al-Nuwaab (110 seats; members elected
  using a single, non-transferable vote system in multi-member
  districts to serve four-year terms); note - six seats are reserved
  for women, nine seats are reserved for Christian candidates, nine
  seats are reserved for Bedouin candidates, and three seats are
  reserved for Jordanians of Chechen or Circassian descent
  elections: Chamber of Deputies - last held 20 November 2007 (next
  scheduled to be held in 2011)
  election results: Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party -
  NA; seats by party - IAF 6, independents and other 104; note - seven
  women serve in the Assembly, six of whom filled women's quota seats
  and one was directly elected

Kazakhstan
  bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (47 seats; 15
  members are appointed by the president; other members are elected by
  local assemblies; members serve six-year terms, but elections are
  staggered with half of the members up for re-election every three
  years) and the Mazhilis (107 seats; 9 out of the 107 Mazhilis
  members are elected by the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan, a
  presidentially appointed advisory body designed to represent the
  country's ethnic minorities; non-appointed members are popularly
  elected to serve five-year terms)
  elections: Senate - (indirect) last held October 2008; next to be
  held in 2011; Mazhilis - last held 18 August 2007 (next to be held
  in 2012)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
  party - Nur Otan 16; Mazhilis - percent of vote by party - Nur-Otan
  88.1%, NSDP 4.6%, Ak Zhol 3.3%, Auyl 1.6%, Communist People's Party
  1.3%, Patriots Party .8% Ruhaniyat .4%; seats by party - Nur-Otan
  98; note - parties must achieve a threshold of 7% of the electorate
  to qualify for seats in the Mazhilis

Kenya
  unicameral National Assembly or Bunge usually referred to as
  Parliament (224 seats; 210 members elected by popular vote to serve
  five-year terms, 12 nominated members who are appointed by the
  president but selected by the parties in proportion to their
  parliamentary vote totals, 2 ex-officio members)
  elections: last held 27 December 2007 (next to be held in December
  2012)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
  ODM 99, PNU 46, ODM-K 16, KANU 14 other 35; ex-officio 2; seats
  appointed by the president - ODM 6, PNU 3, ODM-K 2, KANU 1

Kiribati
  unicameral House of Parliament or Maneaba Ni Maungatabu (46
  seats; 44 members elected by popular vote, 1 ex officio member - the
  attorney general, 1 nominated by the Rabi Council of Leaders
  (representing Banaba Island); serve four-year terms)
  elections: legislative elections were held in two rounds - the first
  round on 22 August 2007 and the second round on 30 August 2007 (next
  to be held in 2011)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
  NA, other 2 (includes attorney general)

Korea, North
  unicameral Supreme People's Assembly or Ch'oego Inmin
  Hoeui (687 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year
  terms)
  elections: last held 8 March 2009 (next due to be held in March 2014)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
  NA; ruling party approves a list of candidates who are elected
  without opposition; a token number of seats are reserved for minor
  parties

Korea, South
  unicameral National Assembly or Kukhoe (299 seats; 243
  members elected in single-seat constituencies, 56 elected by
  proportional representation; to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 9 April 2008 (next to be held in April 2012)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
  GNP 172, UDP 83, LFP 20, Pro-Park Alliance 8, DLP 5, CKP 1,
  independents 9

Kosovo
  unicameral national Assembly (120 seats; 100 seats directly
  elected, 10 seats guaranteed for ethnic Serbs, 10 seats guaranteed
  for other ethnic minorities; to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 17 November 2007 (next to be held in 2011)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PDK 34.3%, LDK 22.6%,
  AKR 12.3%, LDD 10.0%, AAK 9.6%, other 11.2%; seats by party - PDK
  37, LDK 25, AKR 13, LDD 11, AAK 10, other 4

Kuwait
  unicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-Umma (50 seats;
  members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms; all
  cabinet ministers are also ex officio voting members of the National
  Assembly)
  elections: last held 16 May 2009 (next election to be held in 2013)
  election results: percent of vote by bloc - NA; seats by bloc -
  Sunni Muslim groups 11, liberals 7, Shiite Muslim groups 6, Popular
  Action Bloc 3, unaffiliated tribal groups 23

Kyrgyzstan
  unicameral Supreme Council or Jorgorku Kengesh (90 seats;
  members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 16 December 2007 (next to be held in 2012)
  election results: Supreme Council - percent of vote by party - NA;
  seats by party - Ak Jol 71, Social Democratic Party 11, KCP 8

Laos
  unicameral National Assembly (115 seats; members elected by
  popular vote from a list of candidates selected by the Lao People's
  Revolutionary Party to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 30 April 2006 (next to be held in 2011)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
  LPRP 113, independents 2

Latvia
  unicameral Parliament or Saeima (100 seats; members are
  elected by proportional representation from party lists by popular
  vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 7 October 2006 (next to be held in October 2010)
  election results: percent of vote by party - TP 19.5%, ZZS 16.7%, JL
  16.4%, SC 14.4%; LPP/LC 8.6%; TB/LNNK 6.9%; PCTVL 6%; seats by party
  - TP 23, ZZS 18, JL 18, SC 17, LPP/LC 10, TB/LNNK 8, PCTVL 6; note -
  seats by party as of January 2009 - TP 21, SC 18, ZZS 17, JL 14,
  LPP/LC 10, Civic Union 7, TB/LNNK 5, PCTVL 5, independents 3

Lebanon
  unicameral National Assembly or Majlis Alnuwab (Arabic) or
  Assemblee Nationale (French) (128 seats; members elected by popular
  vote on the basis of sectarian proportional representation to serve
  four-year terms)
  elections: last held on 7 June 2009 (next to be held in 2013)
  election results: percent of vote by group - March 8 Coalition
  54.7%, March 14 Coalition 45.3%; seats by group - March 14 Coalition
  71; March 8 Coalition 57

Lesotho
  bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (33 members - 22
  principal chiefs and 11 other members appointed by the ruling party)
  and the Assembly (120 seats, 80 by popular vote and 40 by
  proportional vote; members elected by popular vote for five-year
  terms)
  elections: last held 17 February 2007 (next to be held in 2012)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
  LCD 61, NIP 21, ABC 17, LWP 10, ACP 4, BNP 3, other 4

Liberia
  bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (30
  seats; note - number of seats changed in 11 October 2005 elections;
  members elected by popular vote to serve nine-year terms) and the
  House of Representatives (64 seats; members elected by popular vote
  to serve six-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 11 October 2005 (next to be held in
  October 2011); House of Representatives - last held 11 October 2005
  (next to be held in October 2011)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
  party - COTOL 7, NPP 4, CDC 3, LP 3, UP 3, APD 3, other 7; House of
  Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
  CDC 15, LP 9, COTOL 8, UP 8, APD 5, NPP 4, other 15
  note: junior senators - those who received the second most votes in
  each county in the 11 October 2005 election - will only serve a
  six-year first term because the Liberian constitution mandates
  staggered Senate elections to ensure continuity of government; all
  senators will be eligible for nine-year terms thereafter

Libya
  unicameral General People's Congress (760 seats; members
  elected indirectly through a hierarchy of people's committees)

Liechtenstein
  unicameral Parliament or Landtag (25 seats; members
  are elected by popular vote under proportional representation to
  serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 8 February 2009 (next to be held February 2013)
  election results: percent of vote by party - VU 47.6%, FBP 43.5%, FL
  8.9%; seats by party - VU 13, FBP 11, FL 1

Lithuania
  unicameral Parliament or Seimas (141 seats; 71 members are
  elected by popular vote, 70 are elected by proportional
  representation; serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 12 and 26 October 2008 (next to be held October
  2012)
  election results: percent of vote by party - TS-LKD 19.7%, TPP
  15.1%, TT 12.7%, LSDP 11.7%, KDP+J 9%, LRLS 5.7%, LCS 5.3%, LLRA
  4.8%, LVLS 3.7%, NS 3.6%, other 8.7%; seats by faction - TS-LKD 44,
  LSDP 26, TPP 16, TT 15, LRLS 11, KDP+J 10, LCS 8, LLRA 3, LVLS 3, NS
  1, independent 4

Luxembourg
  unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (60
  seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 7 June 2009 (next to be held by June 2014)
  election results: percent of vote by party - CSV 38%, LSAP 21.6%, DP
  15%, Green Party 11.7%, ADR 8.1%, The Left 3.3%, other 2.3%; seats
  by party - CSV 26, LSAP 13, DP 9, Green Party 7, ADR 4, The Left 1
  note: there is also a Council of State that serves as an advisory
  body to the Chamber of Deputies; the Council of State has 21 members
  appointed by the Grand Duke on the advice of the prime minister

Macau
  unicameral Legislative Assembly (29 seats; 12 members elected
  by popular vote, 10 by indirect vote, and 7 appointed by the chief
  executive; serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 25 September 2005 (next to be held on 20
  September 2009)
  election results: percent of vote - New Democratic Macau Association
  18.8%, Macau United Citizens' Association 16.6%, Union for
  Development 13.3%, Union for Promoting Progress 9.6%, Macau
  Development Alliance 9.3%, others 32.4%; seats by political group -
  New Democratic Macau Association 2, Macau United Citizens'
  Association 2, Union for Development 2, Union for Promoting Progress
  2, Macau Development Alliance 1, New Hope 1, Convergence for
  Development 1, General Union for the Good of Macau 1; 10 seats
  filled by professional and business groups; seven members appointed
  by chief executive

Macedonia
  unicameral Assembly or Sobranie (120 seats; members
  elected by popular vote from party lists based on the percentage of
  the overall vote the parties gain in each of six electoral
  districts; members serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 1 June and 15 June 2008 (next to be held by
  July 2012)
  election results: percent of vote by party - VMRO-DPMNE-led block
  49%, SDSM-led block 24%, BDI/DUI 13%, PDSh/DPA 8%, other 6%; seats
  by party - VMRO-DPMNE-led block 63, SDSM-led block 27, BDI/DUI 18,
  PDSh/DPA 11, PEI 1

Madagascar
  bicameral legislature consists of a Senate or Senat (100
  seats; two-thirds of the seats filled by regional assemblies; the
  remaining one-third of seats appointed by the president; to serve
  four-year terms) and a National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (127
  seats - reduced from 160 seats by an April 2007 national referendum;
  members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: National Assembly - last held 23 September 2007 (next to
  be held in late 2010); note - a power-sharing agreement in the
  summer of 2009 established a 15-month transition, concluding in
  general elections
  election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA;
  seats by party - TIM 106, LEADER/Fanilo 1, independents 20

Malawi
  unicameral National Assembly (193 seats; members elected by
  popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 19 May 2009 (next to be held in May 2014)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
  DPP 114, MCP 26, UDF 17, independents 32, other 4

Malaysia
  bicameral Parliament or Parlimen consists of Senate or
  Dewan Negara (70 seats; 44 appointed by the king, 26 elected by 13
  state legislatures; serve three-year terms with limit of two terms)
  and House of Representatives or Dewan Rakyat (222 seats; members
  elected by popular vote; serve up to five-year terms)
  elections: House of Representatives - last held on 8 March 2008
  (next to be held by June 2013)
  election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote - BN
  coalition 50.3%, opposition parties 46.8%, others 2.9%; seats - BN
  coalition 140, opposition parties 82

Maldives
  unicameral People's Council or People's Majlis (77 seats;
  members elected by direct vote to serve five-year terms); note - the
  Majlis in February 2009 passed legislation that incresed the number
  of seats to 77 from 50
  elections: last held 9 May 2009 (next to be held in 2014)
  election results: percent of vote - DRP 36.8%, MDP 32.9 %, PA 9.2%,
  DQP 2.6% AP 1.3%, independents 17.1%; seats by party - DRP 28, MDP
  25, PA 7, DQP 2, AP 1, independents 13; note - one seat unfilled

Mali
  unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (147 seats;
  members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held on 1 and 22 July 2007 (next to be held in July
  2012)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
  ADP coalition 113 (including ADEMA 51, URD 34, MPR 8, CNID 7, UDD 3,
  and other 10), FDR coalition 15 (including RPM 11, PARENA 4), SADI
  4, independent 15

Malta
  unicameral House of Representatives (normally 65 seats;
  members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional
  representation to serve five-year terms; note - the current
  Parliament is composed of 69 seats; when the political party winning
  the plurality of votes does not win a majority of seats, the
  constitution provides that a sufficient number of seats will be
  added to Parliament to ensure that the party that won the elections
  has a majority in Parliament)
  elections: last held on 8 March 2008 (next to be held by March 2013)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PN 49.3%, MLP 48.9%,
  other 1.8%; seats by party - PN 35, MLP 34

Marshall Islands
  unicameral legislature or Nitijela (33 seats;
  members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 19 November 2007 (next to be held by November
  2011)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
  independents 4
  note: the Council of Chiefs or Ironij is a 12-member body comprised
  of tribal chiefs that advises on matters affecting customary law and
  practice

Mauritania
  bicameral legislature consists of the Senate or Majlis
  al-Shuyukh (56 seats; 53 members elected by municipal leaders and 3
  members elected by Mauritanians abroad to serve six-year terms; a
  portion of seats up for election every two years) and the National
  Assembly or Majlis al-Watani (95 seats; members elected by popular
  vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 21 January and 4 February 2007 (next
  to be held in 2009); National Assembly - last held 19 November and 3
  December 2006 (next to be held in 2011); note - it is unclear when
  the Senate elections originally scheduled for 2009 will be held
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
  party - Mithaq (coalition of independents and parties associated
  with the former regime) 37, CFCD (coalition of political parties)
  15, representatives of the diaspora 3, undecided 1; National
  Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Mithaq 51
  (independents 37, PRDR 7, UDP 3, RDU 3, Alternative (El-Badil) 1),
  CFCD 41 (RFD 16, UFP 9, APP 6, Centrist Reformists 4, HATEM-PMUC 3,
  RD 2, PUDS 1), RNDLE 1, UCD 1, FP 1

Mauritius
  unicameral National Assembly (70 seats; 62 members elected
  by popular vote, 8 appointed by the election commission to give
  representation to various ethnic minorities; to serve five-year
  terms)
  elections: last held on 3 July 2005 (next to be held in July 2010)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - AS
  38, MSM/MMM 22, OPR 2; appointed seats - AS 4, MSM/MMM 2, OPR 2

Mayotte
  unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats;
  members are elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms)
  elections: last held 9 and 16 March 2008 (next to be held in 2011)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
  UMP 8, Diverse Right 4, independents 4, Citizens and Republic
  Movement 1, Democratic Movement 1, Diverse Left 1; note - political
  parties are the same as parties in France
  note: Mayotte elects two members of the French Senate; elections
  last held 21 September 2008 (next to be held in September 2014);
  results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UC-UDF 1,
  UMP 1; Mayotte also elects one member to the French National
  Assembly; elections last held 10-17 June 2007 (next to be held in
  2012); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
  independent 1

Mexico
  bicameral National Congress or Congreso de la Union consists
  of the Senate or Camara de Senadores (128 seats; 96 members are
  elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms, and 32 seats are
  allocated on the basis of each party's popular vote) and the Chamber
  of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (500 seats; 300 members are
  elected by popular vote; remaining 200 members are allocated on the
  basis of each party's popular vote; to serve three-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 2 July 2006 for all of the seats (next
  to be held 1 July 2012); Chamber of Deputies - last held 2 July 2006
  (next to be held 5 July 2009)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
  party - PAN 52, PRI 33, PRD 26, PVEM 6, CD 5, PT 5, independent 1;
  Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party
  - PAN 207, PRD 127, PRI 106, PVEM 17, CD 17, PT 11, other 15

Micronesia, Federated States of unicameral Congress (14 seats; 4 - one elected from each state to serve four-year terms and 10 - elected from single-member districts delineated by population to serve two-year terms; members elected by popular vote) elections: last held 3 March 2009 (next to be held in March 2011) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 14

Moldova
  unicameral Parliament or Parlamentul (101 seats; members
  elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 29 July 2009 (next to be held in 2013); note -
  this was the second parliamentary election in less than four months;
  the earlier parliament (elected 5 April 2009) could not agree on a
  presidential candidate
  election results: percent of vote by party - PCRM 44.7%, PLDM 16.6%,
  PL 14.7%, PD 12.5%, AMN 7.4%; seats by party - PCRM 48, PLDM 18, PL
  15, PD 13, AMN 7

Monaco
  unicameral National Council or Conseil National (24 seats; 16
  members elected by list majority system, 8 by proportional
  representation; to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 3 February 2008 (next to be held in February
  2013)
  election results: percent of vote by party - UPM 52.2%, REM 40.5%,
  Monaco Together 7.3%; seats by party - UPM 21, REM 3

Mongolia
  unicameral State Great Hural 76 seats; members elected by
  popular vote to serve four-year terms
  elections: last held 29 June 2008 (next to be held in June 2012)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
  MPRP 45, DP 27, others 4; note - 1 seat disputed and unfilled

Montenegro
  unicameral Assembly (81 seats; members elected by direct
  vote for four-year terms; changed from 74 seats in 2006)
  elections: last held 29 March 2009 (next to be held in 2013)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Coalition for European
  Montenegro 51.94%, SNP 16.83%, NSD 9.22%, PZP 6.03%, other
  (including Albanian minority parties) 15.98%; seats by party -
  Coalition for European Montenegro 48, SNP 16, NSD 8, PZP 5, Albanian
  minority parties 4

Montserrat
  unicameral Legislative Council (11 seats, 9 popularly
  elected; members serve five-year terms)
  note: expanded in 2001 from 7 to 9 elected members with attorney
  general and financial secretary sitting as ex-officio members
  elections: last held 8 September 2009 (next to be held by 2014)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
  MCAP 6, independents 3
  note: in 2001, the Elections Commission instituted a single
  constituency/voter-at-large system whereby all eligible voters cast
  ballots for all nine seats of the Legislative Council

Morocco
  bicameral Parliament consists of a Chamber of Counselors (or
  upper house) (270 seats; members elected indirectly by local
  councils, professional organizations, and labor syndicates for
  nine-year terms; one-third of the members are elected every three
  years) and Chamber of Representatives (or lower house) (325 seats;
  295 members elected by multi-seat constituencies and 30 from
  national lists of women; members elected by popular vote for
  five-year terms)
  elections: Chamber of Counselors - last held 8 September 2006 (next
  to be held in 2009); Chamber of Representatives - last held 7
  September 2007 (next to be held in 2012)
  election results: Chamber of Counselors - percent of vote by party -
  NA; seats by party - PI 17, MP 14, RNI 13, USFP 11, UC 6, PND 4, PPS
  4, Al Ahd 4, other 17; Chamber of Representatives - percent of vote
  by party - NA; seats by party - PI 52, PJD 46, MP 41, RNI 39, USFP
  38, UC 27, PPS 17, FFD 9, MDS 9, Al Ahd 8, other 39

Mozambique
  unicameral Assembly of the Republic or Assembleia da
  Republica (250 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote
  to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 1-2 December 2004 (next to be held on 28
  October 2009)
  election results: percent of vote by party - FRELIMO 62%, RENAMO
  29.7%, other 8.3%; seats by party - FRELIMO 160, RENAMO 90

Namibia
  bicameral legislature consists of the National Council (26
  seats; two members are chosen from each regional council to serve
  six-year terms) and the National Assembly (72 seats; members are
  elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: National Council - elections for regional councils to
  determine members of the National Council held 29-30 November 2004
  (next to be held in November 2010); National Assembly - last held
  15-16 November 2004 (next to be held in November 2009)
  election results: National Council - percent of vote by party -
  SWAPO 89.7%, UDF 4.7%, NUDO 2.8%, DTA 1.9%, other 0.9%; seats by
  party - SWAPO 24, UDF 1, DTA 1; National Assembly - percent of vote
  by party - SWAPO 76.1%, COD 7.3%, DTA 5.1%, NUDO 4.2%, UDF 3.6%, RP
  1.9%, MAG 0.8%, other 1.0%; seats by party - SWAPO 55, COD 5, DTA 4,
  NUDO 3, UDF 3, RP 1, MAG 1
  note: the National Council is primarily an advisory body

Nauru
  unicameral parliament (18 seats; members elected by popular
  vote to serve three-year terms)
  elections: last held 26 April 2008 (next to be held in 2011)
  election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 18;
  note - President Marcus STEPHEN called a snap election to break a
  parliamentary stalemate blocking legislative action

Nepal
  unicameral Constituent Assembly (601 seats; 240 seats decided
  by direct popular vote; 335 seats by proportional representation; 26
  appointed by the Cabinet (Council of Ministers))
  elections: last held 10 April 2008 (next to be held NA)
  election results: percent of vote by party - CPN-M 38%, NC 19%,
  CPN-UML 19%,Madhesi People's Right Forum 9%, Terai-Madhes Democratic
  Party and Sadbhavana Party 5%, other 10%; seats by party - CPN-M
  220, NC 110, CPN-UML 103, Madhesi People's Rights Forum 52,
  Terai-Madhes Democratic Party 20, Sadbhawana Party 9, other smaller
  parties 61; note - 26 seats filled by the new Cabinet

Netherlands
  bicameral States General or Staten Generaal consists of
  the First Chamber or Eerste Kamer (75 seats; members indirectly
  elected by the country's 12 provincial councils to serve four-year
  terms) and the Second Chamber or Tweede Kamer (150 seats; members
  elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: First Chamber - last held 29 May 2007 (next to be held in
  May 2011); Second Chamber - last held 22 November 2006 (next to be
  held by early 2011)
  election results: First Chamber - percent of vote by party - NA%;
  seats by party - CDA 21, PvdA 14, VVD 14, Socialist Party 11,
  Christian Union 4, Green Left Party 4, D66 2, other 5; Second
  Chamber - percent of vote by party - CDA 26.5%, PvdA 21.2%,
  Socialist Party 16.6%, VVD 14.6%, Party for Freedom 5.9%, Green
  Party 4.6%, Christian Union 4.0%, other 6.6%; seats by party - CDA
  41, PvdA 33, Socialist Party 25, VVD 22, Party for Freedom 9, Green
  Party 7, Christian Union 6, other 7

Netherlands Antilles
  unicameral States or Staten (22 seats, Curacao
  14, Bonaire 3, St. Maarten 3, St. Eustatius 1, Saba 1; members are
  elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 27 January 2006 (next to be held in 2010)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
  PAR 5, MAN 3, FOL 2, Forsa Korsou 2, National Alliance 2, PNP 2, UPB
  2, DP-St. E 1, DP-St. M 1, PDB 1, WIPM 1
  note: the government is a coalition of several parties

New Caledonia
  elections: unicameral Territorial Congress or Congres
  du territoire (54 seats; members belong to the three Provincial
  Assemblies or Assemblees Provinciales elected by popular vote to
  serve five-year terms) last held 9 May 2009 (next to be held in 10
  May 2014)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
  UMP 13, Caledonia Together 10, UC 8, UNI 8, AE 6, FLNKS 3, Labor
  Party 3, other 3
  note: New Caledonia holds two seats in the French Senate; elections
  last held 21 September 2008 (next to be held not later than
  September 2014); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
  party - UMP 2; New Caledonia also elects two seats to the French
  National Assembly; elections last held 10 and 17 June 2007 (next to
  be held on June 2012); results - percent of vote by party - NA;
  seats by party - UMP 2

New Zealand
  unicameral House of Representatives - commonly called
  Parliament (usually 120 seats; 69 members elected by popular vote in
  single-member constituencies including 7 Maori constituencies, and
  51 proportional seats chosen from party lists; serve three-year
  terms)
  elections: last held 8 November 2008 (next to be held not later than
  27 November 2011)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NP 44.9%, NZLP 34%,
  Green Party 6.7%, NZ First 4%, ACT New Zealand 3.7%, Maori 2.4%,
  Progressive 0.9%, UF 0.9%, other 6.6%; seats by party - NP 58, NZLP
  43, Green Party 9, ACT New Zealand 5, Maori 5, Progressive 1, UF 1
  note: results of 2008 election saw the total number of seats
  increase to 122

Nicaragua
  unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (92
  seats; 90 members are elected by proportional representation and
  party lists to serve five-year terms; 1 seat for the previous
  president, 1 seat for the runner-up in previous presidential
  election)
  elections: last held 5 November 2006 (next to be held by November
  2011)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
  FSLN 38, PLC 25, ALN 23 (22 plus one for presidential candidate
  Eduardo MONTEALEGRE, runner-up in the 2006 presidential election),
  MRS 5, APRE 1 (outgoing President Enrique BOLANOS); note - as of 1
  January 2009: seats by party - FSLN 38, PLC 25, BDN 15, ALN 6, MRS
  3, APRE 1, Independent 4

Niger
  unicameral National Assembly (113 seats; members elected by
  popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 20 October 2009 (next to be held in 2014)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
  MNSD 76, RSD 15, RDP 7, PNA-Alouma 1, Alkalami 1, Nigerien Party of
  the Masses for Labor 1, independents 12

Nigeria
  bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (109
  seats, 3 from each state plus 1 from Abuja; members elected by
  popular vote to serve four-year terms) and House of Representatives
  (360 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 21 April 2007 (next to be held in
  April 2011); House of Representatives - last held 21 April 2007
  (next to be held in April 2011)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - PDP 53.7%,
  ANPP 27.9%, AD 9.7%, other 8.7%; seats by party - PDP 76, ANPP 27,
  AD 6; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - PDP
  54.5%, ANPP 27.4%, AD 8.8%, UNPP 2.8%, NPD 1.9%, APGA 1.6%, PRP
  0.8%; seats by party - PDP 76, ANPP 27, AD 6, UNPP 2, APGA 2, NPD 1,
  PRP 1, vacant 1

Niue
  unicameral Legislative Assembly (20 seats; members elected by
  popular vote to serve three-year terms; six elected from a common
  roll and 14 are village representatives)
  elections: last held 7 June 2008 (next to be held in 2011)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - 20
  independents

Norfolk Island
  unicameral Legislative Assembly (9 seats; members
  elected by electors who have nine equal votes each but only four
  votes can be given to any one candidate; to serve three-year terms)
  elections: last held 21 March 2007 (next to be held by 28 March 2010)
  election results: seats - independents 9 (note - no political
  parties)

Northern Mariana Islands
  bicameral legislature consists of the
  Senate (9 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
  four-year staggered terms) and the House of Representatives (20
  seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 3 November 2007 (next to be held in
  November 2009); House of Representatives - last held 3 November 2007
  (next to be held in November 2009)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
  party - Covenant Party 3, Republican Party 3, Democratic Party 1,
  independents 2; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party
  - NA; seats by party - Republican Party 12, Covenant Party 4,
  Democratic Party 1, independents 3
  note: the Northern Mariana Islands elects one nonvoting delegate to
  the US House of Representatives; election last held 4 November 2008
  (next to be held in November 2010); seats by party - independent 1

Norway
  modified unicameral Parliament or Storting (169 seats;
  members are elected by popular vote by proportional representation
  to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 14 September 2009 (next to be held in September
  2013)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Labor Party 35.4%,
  Progress Party 22.9%, Conservative Party 17.2%, Socialist Left Party
  6.2%, Center Party 6.2%, Christian People's Party 5.5%, Liberal
  Party 3.9%, other 2.7%; seats by party - Labor Party 64, Progress
  Party 41, Conservative Party 30, Socialist Left Party 11, Center
  Party 11, Christian People's Party 10, Liberal Party 2
  note: for certain purposes, the parliament divides itself into two
  chambers and elects one-fourth of its membership in the Lagting and
  three-fourths of its membership in the Odelsting

Oman
  bicameral Majlis Oman consists of Majlis al-Dawla or upper
  chamber (71 seats; members appointed by the monarch; has advisory
  powers only) and Majlis al-Shura or lower chamber (84 seats; members
  elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms; body has only
  advisory powers)
  elections: last held 27 October 2007 (next to be held in 2011)
  election results: new candidates won 46 seats and 38 members of the
  outgoing Majlis kept their positions; none of the 20 female
  candidates were elected

Pakistan
  bicameral parliament or Majlis-e-Shoora consists of the
  Senate (100 seats; members indirectly elected by provincial
  assemblies and the territories' representatives in the National
  Assembly to serve six-year terms; one half are elected every three
  years) and the National Assembly (342 seats; 272 members elected by
  popular vote; 60 seats reserved for women; 10 seats reserved for
  non-Muslims; serve five-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held on 3 March 2009 (next to be held in
  March 2012); National Assembly - last held on 18 February 2008 with
  by-elections on 26 June 2008 (next to be held in 2013)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
  party - PPPP 27, PML-Q 21, MMA 9, PML-N 7, ANP 6, MQM 6, JUI-F 4,
  BNP-A 2, JWP 1, NPP 1, PKMAP 1, PML-F 1, PPP 1, independents 13;
  National Assembly - percent of votes by party - NA; seats by party -
  PPPP 124, PML-N 91, PML 54, MQM 25, ANP 13, MMA 7, PML-F 5, BNP-A 1,
  NPP 1, PPP-S 1, independents 17; note - 3 seats remain unfilled

Palau
  bicameral National Congress or Olbiil Era Kelulau (OEK)
  consists of the Senate (9 seats; members elected by popular vote on
  a population basis to serve four-year terms) and the House of
  Delegates (16 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve
  four-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 4 November 2008 (next to be held in
  November 2012); House of Delegates - last held 4 November 2008 (next
  to be held in November 2012)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote - NA; seats -
  independents 9; House of Delegates - percent of vote - NA; seats -
  independents 16

Panama
  unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (71 seats;
  members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 3 May 2009 (next to be held May 2014)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
  PRD 26, Panamenista 22, CD 14, PU 4, Independent 2, MOLIRENA 2, PP 1
  note: legislators from outlying rural districts are chosen on a
  plurality basis while districts located in more populous towns and
  cities elect multiple legislators by means of a proportion-based
  formula

Papua New Guinea
  unicameral National Parliament (109 seats, 89
  filled from open electorates and 20 from provinces and national
  capital district; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year
  terms); constitution allows up to 126 seats
  elections: last held from 30 June to 10 July 2007; next to be held
  in June 2012
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
  National Alliance 27, PNGP 8, PAP 6, URP 6, PANGU 5, PDM 5,
  independents 19, others 33; note - election to 1 seat was nullified
  note: 15 other parties won 4 or fewer seats; association with
  political parties is fluid

Paraguay
  bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists
  of the Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (45 seats; members
  are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the
  Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (80 seats; members are
  elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: Chamber of Senators - last held 20 April 2008 (next to be
  held in April 2013); Chamber of Deputies - last held 20 April 2008
  (next to be held in April 2013)
  election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party -
  NA; seats by party - ANR 15, PLRA 14, UNACE 9, PPQ 4, other 3;
  Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party
  - ANR 30, PLRA 27, UNACE 15, PPQ 3, APC 2, other 3

Peru
  unicameral Congress of the Republic of Peru or Congreso de la
  Republica del Peru (120 seats; members are elected by popular vote
  to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 9 April 2006 (next to be held in April 2011)
  election results: percent of vote by party - UPP 21.2%, PAP 20.6%,
  UN 15.3%, AF 13.1%, FC 7.1%, PP 4.1%, RN 4.0%, other 14.6%; seats by
  party - UPP 45, PAP 36, UN 17, AF 13, FC 5, PP 2, RN 2

Philippines
  bicameral Congress or Kongreso consists of the Senate or
  Senado (24 seats - one-half elected every three years; members
  elected at large by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the
  House of Representatives or Kapulungan Ng Nga Kinatawan (as a result
  of May 2007 election it has 240 seats including 218 members
  representing districts and 22 sectoral party-list members
  representing special minorities elected on the basis of 1 seat for
  every 2% of the total vote but limited to 3 seats; members elected
  by popular vote to serve three-year terms; note - the Constitution
  prohibits the House of Representatives from having more than 250
  members)
  elections: Senate - last held on 14 May 2007 (next to be held in May
  2010); House of Representatives - elections last held on 14 May 2007
  (next to be held in May 2010)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
  party - Lakas 4, LP 4, Nacionalista 3, NPC 2, PDP-Laban 2, PMP 2,
  Kampi 1, LDP 1, PRP 1, independents 3; note - there are 23 rather
  than 24 sitting senators because one senator was elected mayor of
  Manila; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA;
  seats by party - Lakas 92, Kampi 54, NPC 25, LP 21, Party-list 22,
  independents 3, others 26; there are 238 rather than 240 sitting
  representatives because two died in office

Pitcairn Islands
  unicameral Island Council (10 seats; 5 members
  elected by popular vote, 1 nominated by the 5 elected members, 2
  appointed by the governor including 1 seat for the Island Secretary,
  the Island Mayor, and a commissioner liaising between the governor
  and council; elected members serve one-year terms)
  elections: last held 24 December 2008 (next to be held in 24
  December 2009)
  election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - all independents

Poland
  bicameral legislature consists of an upper house, the Senate
  or Senat (100 seats; members are elected by a majority vote on a
  provincial basis to serve four-year terms), and a lower house, the
  Sejm (460 seats; members are elected under a complex system of
  proportional representation to serve four-year terms); the
  designation of National Assembly or Zgromadzenie Narodowe is only
  used on those rare occasions when the two houses meet jointly
  elections: Senate - last held 21 October 2007 (next to be held by
  October 2011); Sejm elections last held 21 October 2007 (next to be
  held by October 2011)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
  party - PO 60, PiS 39, independents 1; Sejm - percent of vote by
  party - PO 41.5%, PiS 32.1%, LiD 13.2%, PSL 8.9%, other 4.3%; seats
  by party - PO 209, PiS 166, LiD 53, PSL 31, German minorities 1;
  note - seats by parliamentary grouping as of February 2009 - PO 208,
  PiS 156, Left 42, PSL 31, SDPL-New Left 5, Polska XXI 6, Democratic
  Caucus 3, German minorities 1, nonaffiliated 8
  note: one seat is assigned to ethnic minority parties in the Sejm
  only

Portugal
  unicameral Assembly of the Republic or Assembleia da
  Republica (230 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
  four-year terms)
  elections: last held 27 September 2009 (next to be held in fall 2013)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PS 37.7%, PSD 30%,
  CDS/PP 10.8%, BE 10.2%, CDU 8.1%, other 3.2%; seats by party - PS
  96, PSD 78, CDS/PP 21, BE 16, CDU 15

Puerto Rico
  bicameral Legislative Assembly consists of the Senate
  (at least 27 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to
  serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives (51 seats;
  members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 4 November 2008 (next to be held
  November 2012); House of Representatives - last held 4 November 2008
  (next to be held in November 2012)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - PNP 81.5%, PPD
  18.5%; seats by party - PNP 22, PPD 5; House of Representatives -
  percent of vote by party - PNP 72.5%, PPD 27.5%; seats by party -
  PNP 37, PPD 14
  note: Puerto Rico elects, by popular vote, a resident commissioner
  to serve a four-year term as a nonvoting representative in the US
  House of Representatives; aside from not voting on the House floor,
  he enjoys all the rights of a member of Congress; elections last
  held 4 November 2008 (next to be held in November 2012); results -
  percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PNP 1

Qatar
  unicameral Advisory Council or Majlis al-Shura (35 seats;
  members appointed)
  note: no legislative elections have been held since 1970 when there
  were partial elections to the body; Council members have had their
  terms extended every year since the new constitution came into force
  on 9 June 2005; the constitution provides for a new 45-member
  Advisory Council or Majlis al-Shura; the public would elect
  two-thirds of the Majlis al-Shura; the Amir would appoint the
  remaining members; preparations are underway to conduct elections to
  the Majlis al-Shura

Romania
  bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the Senate or
  Senat (137 seats; members are elected by popular vote in a mixed
  electoral system to serve four-year terms) and the Chamber of
  Deputies or Camera Deputatilor (334 seats; members are elected by
  popular vote in a mixed electoral system to serve four-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 30 November 2008 (next expected to be
  held in November 2012); Chamber of Deputies - last held 30 November
  2008 (next expected to be held November 2012)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by alliance/party -
  PSD-PC 34.2%, PDL 33.6%, PNL 18.7%, UDMR 6.4%, other 7.1%; seats by
  alliance/party - PSD-PC 49, PDL 51, PNL 28, UDMR 9; Chamber of
  Deputies - percent of vote by alliance/party - PSD-PC 33.1%, PDL
  32.4%, PNL 18.6%, UDMR 6.2%, ethnic minorities 3.6%, other 6.1%;
  seats by alliance/party - PSD-PC 114, PDL 115, PNL 65, UDMR 22,
  ethnic minorities 18

Russia
  bicameral Federal Assembly or Federalnoye Sobraniye consists
  of an upper house, the Federation Council or Sovet Federatsii (168
  seats; as of July 2000, members appointed by the top executive and
  legislative officials in each of the 84 federal administrative units
  - oblasts, krays, republics, autonomous okrugs and oblasts, and the
  federal cities of Moscow and Saint Petersburg; serve four-year
  terms) and a lower house, the State Duma or Gosudarstvennaya Duma
  (450 seats; as of 2007, all members elected by proportional
  representation from party lists winning at least 7% of the vote;
  members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: State Duma - last held 2 December 2007 (next to be held
  in December 2011)
  election results: State Duma - United Russia 64.3%, CPRF 11.5%, LDPR
  8.1%, Just Russia 7.7%, other 8.4%; total seats by party - United
  Russia 315, CPRF 57, LDPR 40, Just Russia 38

Rwanda
  bicameral Parliament consists of Senate (26 seats; 12 members
  elected by local councils, 8 appointed by the president, 4 by the
  Political Organizations Forum, 2 represent institutions of higher
  learning; to serve eight-year terms) and Chamber of Deputies (80
  seats; 53 members elected by popular vote, 24 women elected by local
  bodies, 3 selected by youth and disability organizations; serve
  five-year terms)
  elections: Senate - members appointed as part of the transitional
  government (next to be held in 2011); Chamber of Deputies - last
  held 15 September 2008 (next to be held September 2013)
  election results: percent of vote by party - RPF 78.8%, PSD 13.1%,
  PL 7.5%; seats by party - RPF 42, PSD 7, PL 4, additional 27 members
  indirectly elected

Saint Barthelemy
  unicameral Territorial Council (19 seats; members
  are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 1 and 8 July 2007 (next to be held in July 2012)
  election results: percent of vote by party - SBA 72.2%,
  Action-Equilibre-Transparence 9.9%, Ensemble pour Saint-Barthelemy
  7.9%, Tous Unis pour Saint-Barthelemy 9.9%; seats by party - SBA 16,
  Action-Equilibre-Transparence 1, Ensemble pour Saint-Barthelemy 1,
  Tous Unis pour Saint-Barthelemy 1
  note: Saint Barthelemy elects one seat to the French Senate;
  elections last held 21 September 2008 (next to be held in September
  2014); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP
  1

Saint Helena
  unicameral Legislative Council (16 seats, including the
  speaker, three ex officio and 12 elected members; members are
  elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 31 August 2005 (next to be held in November
  2009)
  election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 12

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  unicameral National Assembly (14 seats, 3
  appointed and 11 popularly elected from single-member
  constituencies; members serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 25 October 2004 (next to be held by 2009)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
  SKNLP 7, CCM 2, NRP 1, PAM 1

Saint Lucia
  bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (11 seats;
  six members appointed on the advice of the prime minister, three on
  the advice of the leader of the opposition, and two after
  consultation with religious, economic, and social groups) and the
  House of Assembly (17 seats; members are elected by popular vote to
  serve five-year terms)
  elections: House of Assembly - last held 11 December 2006 (next to
  be held in December 2011)
  election results: House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - UWP
  50%, SLP 46.9%, other 3.1%; seats by party - UWP 11, SLP 6

Saint Martin
  unicameral Territorial Council (23 seats; members are
  elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 1 and 8 July 2007 (next to be held in July 2012)
  election results: percent of seats by party - UPP 49%, RRR 42.2%,
  Reussir Saint-Martin 8.9%; seats by party - UPP 16, RRR 6, Reussir
  Saint-Martin 1
  note: Saint Martin elects one seat to the French Senate; election
  last held 21 September 2008 (next to be held in September 2014);
  results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 1

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  unicameral Territorial Council or Conseil
  Territorial (19 seats, 15 from Saint Pierre and four from Miquelon;
  members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
  elections: elections last held 19 and 26 in March 2006 (next to be
  held in March 2012)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - AD
  16, Cap sur l'Avenir 2, SPM 2000/AM 1
  note: Saint Pierre and Miquelon elect one seat to the French Senate;
  elections last held 21 September 2008 (next to be held in September
  2014); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP
  1; Saint Pierre and Miquelon also elects one seat to the French
  National Assembly; elections last held, first round - 10 June 2007,
  second round - 17 June 2007 (next to be held in 2012); results -
  percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Left Radical Party 1

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines unicameral House of Assembly (21 seats, 15 elected representatives and six appointed senators; representatives are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 7 December 2005 (next to be held in 2010) election results: percent of vote by party - ULP 55.3%, NDP 44.7%; seats by party - ULP 12, NDP 3

Samoa
  unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fono (49 seats, 47 elected
  by voters affiliated with traditional village-based electoral
  districts, 2 elected by independent, mostly non-Samoan or
  part-Samoan, voters who cannot, (or choose not to) establish a
  village affiliation; only chiefs (matai) may stand for election to
  the Fono from the 47 village-based electorates; members serve
  five-year terms)
  elections: election last held 31 March 2006 (next election to be
  held not later than March 2011)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
  HRPP 35, SDUP 10, independents 4

San Marino
  unicameral Grand and General Council or Consiglio Grande
  e Generale (60 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
  five-year terms)
  elections: last held 9 November 2008 (next to be held by June 2013)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Pact for San Marino
  coalition 54.2%: PDCS 31.9%, AP 11.5%, Freedom List 6.3%, San Marino
  Union of Moderates 4.2%; Reforms and Freedom coalition 45.8%: Party
  of Socialists and Democrats 32%, United Left 8.6%, Democrats of the
  Center 4.9%; seats by party - Pact for San Marino coalition 35: PDCS
  22, AP 7, the Freedom List 4, San Marino Union of Moderates 2;
  Reforms and Freedom coalition 25: Party of Socialists and Democrats
  18, United Left 5, Democrats of the Center 2

Sao Tome and Principe
  unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia
  Nacional (55 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
  four-year terms)
  elections: last held on 26 March 2006 (next to be held in March 2010)
  election results: percent of vote by party - MDFM-PCD 37.2%, MLSTP
  28.9%, ADI 20.0%, NR 4.7%, others 9.2%; seats by party - MDFM-PCD
  23, MLSTP 19, ADI 12, NR 1

Saudi Arabia
  Consultative Council or Majlis al-Shura (150 members
  and a chairman appointed by the monarch for four-year terms); note -
  though the Council of Ministers announced in October 2003 its intent
  to introduce elections for half of the members of local and
  provincial assemblies and a third of the members of the national
  Consultative Council or Majlis al-Shura incrementally over a period
  of four to five years, to date no such elections have been held or
  announced

Senegal
  bicameral Parliament consisting of the Senate, reinstituted
  in 2007, (100 seats; 35 indirectly elected with the remaining 65
  members to be appointed by the president) and the National Assembly
  or Assemblee Nationale (150 seats; 90 members elected by direct
  popular vote with the remaining members elected by proportional
  representation from party lists to serve five-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 19 August 2007 (next to be held - NA);
  National Assembly - last held on 3 June 2007 (next to be held 2012);
  note - the National Assembly in December 2005 voted to postpone
  legislative elections originally scheduled for 2006; legislative
  elections were first rescheduled to coincide with the 25 February
  2007 presidential elections and later rescheduled for 3 June 2007;
  the June election was boycotted by 12 opposition parties, including
  the former ruling Socialist Party, which resulted in a record-low
  35% voter turnout
  election results: Senate results - percent of vote by party - NA;
  seats by party - PDS 34, AJ/PADS 1, 65 appointed by the president;
  National Assembly results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
  party - SOPI Coalition 131, other 19

Serbia
  unicameral National Assembly (250 seats; deputies elected
  according to party lists to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held on 11 May 2008 (next to be held in May 2012)
  election results: percent of vote by party - For a European Serbia
  coalition 38.4%, SRS 29.5%, DSS-NS 11.6%, SPS-led coalition 7.6%,
  LPD 5.2%, other 7.7%; seats by party - For a European Serbia
  coalition 102, SRS 77, DSS-NS 30, SNS 21, SPS-led coalition 20, LDP
  13, other 7; note - the seat allocation for the SNS and SRS is
  uncertain because of an ongoing dispute with the SRS

Seychelles
  unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (34
  seats; 25 members elected by popular vote, 9 allocated on a
  proportional basis to parties winning at least 10% of the vote; to
  serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 10-12 May 2007 (next to be held in 2012)
  election results: percent of vote by party - SPPF 56.2%, SNP 43.8%;
  seats by party - SPPF 23, SNP 11

Sierra Leone
  unicameral Parliament (124 seats; 112 members elected
  by popular vote, 12 filled by paramount chiefs elected in separate
  elections; serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held on 11 August 2007 (next to be held in 2012)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
  APC 59, SLPP 43, PMDC 10

Singapore
  unicameral Parliament (84 seats; members elected by
  popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - in addition, there
  are up to nine nominated members; up to three losing opposition
  candidates who came closest to winning seats may be appointed as
  "nonconstituency" members
  elections: last held on 6 May 2006 (next to be held by 2011)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PAP 66.6%, WP 16.3%,
  SDA 13%, SDP 4.1%; seats by party - PAP 82, WP 1, SDA 1

Slovakia
  unicameral National Council of the Slovak Republic or
  Narodna Rada Slovenskej Republiky (150 seats; members are elected on
  the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 17 June 2006 (next to be held in 2010)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Smer 29.1%, SDKU 18.4%,
  SMK 11.7%, SNS 11.7%, LS-HZDS 8.8%, KDH 8.3%, other 12%; seats by
  party - Smer 50, SDKU-DS 31, SMK 20, SNS 19, LS-HZDS 16, KDH 14;
  note - seats by party as of December 2008 - Smer 50, SDKU-DS 28, SMK
  20, SNS 19, LS-HZDS 15, KDH 9, nonaffiliated 9

Slovenia
  bicameral Parliament consists of a National Council or
  Drzavni Svet (40 seats; members indirectly elected by an electoral
  college to serve five-year terms; note - this is primarily an
  advisory body with limited legislative powers; it may propose laws,
  ask to review any National Assembly decision, and call national
  referenda) and the National Assembly or Drzavni Zbor (90 seats; 40
  members are directly elected and 50 are elected on a proportional
  basis; note - the number of directly elected and proportionally
  elected seats varies with each election; the constitution mandates 1
  seat each for Slovenia's Hungarian and Italian minorities; members
  are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: National Assembly - last held 21 September 2008 (next to
  be held 8 October 2012)
  election results: percent of vote by party - SD 30.5%, SDS 29.3%,
  ZARES 9.4%, DeSUS 7.5%, SNS 5.5%, SLS+SMS 5.2%, LDS 5.2%, other
  7.4%; seats by party - SD 29, SDS 28, ZARES 9, DeSUS 7, SNS 5,
  SLS+SMS 5, LDS 5, Hungarian minority 1, Italian minority 1

Solomon Islands
  unicameral National Parliament (50 seats; members
  elected from single-member constituencies by popular vote to serve
  four-year terms)
  elections: last held on 5 April 2006 (next to be held in 2010)
  election results: percent of vote by party - National Party 6.9%,
  PAP 6.3%, SIPRA 6.3%, Liberal 5%, Democratic 4.9%, SOCRED 4.3%,
  LAFARI 2.8%, independents 60.3%; seats by party - National Party 4,
  SIPRA 4, Democratic 3, PAP 3, LAFARI 2, Liberal 2, SOCRED 2,
  independents 30

Somalia
  unicameral National Assembly
  note: unicameral Transitional Federal Assembly (TFA) (550 seats; 475
  members appointed according to the 4.5 clan formula, with the
  remaining 75 seats reserved for civil society and business persons)

South Africa
  bicameral Parliament consisting of the National Council
  of Provinces (90 seats, 10 members elected by each of the nine
  provincial legislatures for five-year terms; has special powers to
  protect regional interests, including the safeguarding of cultural
  and linguistic traditions among ethnic minorities) and the National
  Assembly (400 seats; members are elected by popular vote under a
  system of proportional representation to serve five-year terms);
  note - following the implementation of the new constitution on 4
  February 1997, the former Senate was disbanded and replaced by the
  National Council of Provinces with essentially no change in
  membership and party affiliations, although the new institution's
  responsibilities have been changed somewhat by the new constitution
  elections: National Assembly and National Council of Provinces -
  last held on 22 April 2009 (next to be held in April 2014)
  election results: National Council of Provinces - percent of vote by
  party - NA; seats by party - NA; National Assembly - percent of vote
  by party - ANC 65.9%, DA 16.7%, COPE 7.4%, IFP 4.6%, other 5.4%;
  seats by party - ANC 264, DA 67, COPE 30, IFP 18, other 21

Spain
  bicameral; General Courts or Las Cortes Generales (National
  Assembly) consists of the Senate or Senado (264 seats as of 2008;
  208 members directly elected by popular vote and the other 56 - as
  of 2008 - appointed by the regional legislatures; to serve four-year
  terms) and the Congress of Deputies or Congreso de los Diputados
  (350 seats; each of the 50 electoral provinces fills a minimum of
  two seats and the North African enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla fill
  one seat each with members serving a four-year term; the other 248
  members are determined by proportional representation based on
  popular vote on block lists who serve four-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held on 9 March 2008 (next to be held not
  later than March 2012); Congress of Deputies - last held on 9 March
  2008 (next to be held not later than March 2012)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
  party - PP 101, PSOE 88, Entesa Catalona de Progress 12, CiU 4, PNV
  2, CC 1, members appointed by regional legislatures 56; Congress of
  Deputies - percent of vote by party - PSOE 43.6%, PP 40.1%, CiU
  3.1%, PNV 1.2%, ERC 1.2%, other 10.8%; seats by party - PSOE 169, PP
  154, CiU 10, PNV 6, ERC 3, other 8

Sri Lanka
  unicameral Parliament (225 seats; members elected by
  popular vote on the basis of an open-list, proportional
  representation system by electoral district to serve six-year terms)
  elections: last held on 2 April 2004 (next to be held by 2010)
  election results: percent of vote by party or electoral alliance -
  SLFP and JVP (no longer in United People's Freedom Alliance) 45.6%,
  UNP 37.8%, TNA 6.8%, JHU 6%, SLMC 2%, UPF 0.5%, EPDP 0.3%, other 1%;
  seats by party - UNP 68, SLFP 57, JVP 39, TNA 22, CWC 8, JHU 7, SLMC
  6, SLMC dissidents 4, Communist Party 2, JHU dissidents 2, LSSP 2,
  MEP 2, NUA 2, UPF 2, EPDP 1, UNP dissident 1

Sudan
  bicameral National Legislature consists of a Council of States
  (50 seats; members indirectly elected by state legislatures to serve
  six-year terms) and a National Assembly (450 seats; members
  presently appointed, but in the future 60% from geographic
  constituencies, 25% from a women's list, and 15% from party lists;
  to serve six-year terms)
  elections: last held 13-22 December 2000 (next to be held February
  2010)
  election results: NCP 355, others 5; note - replaced by appointments
  under the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement

Suriname
  unicameral National Assembly or Nationale Assemblee (51
  seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held on 25 May 2005 (next to be held in 2010)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NF 39.7%, NDP 22.2%,
  VVV 13.8%, A-Com 7.2%, A-1 5.9%, other 11.2%; seats by party - NF
  23, NDP 15, VVV 5, A-Com 5, A-1 3

Swaziland
  bicameral Parliament or Libandla consists of the Senate
  (30 seats; 10 members appointed by the House of Assembly and 20
  appointed by the monarch; to serve five-year terms) and the House of
  Assembly (65 seats; 10 members appointed by the monarch and 55
  elected by popular vote; serve five-year terms)
  elections: House of Assembly - last held 19 September 2008 (next to
  be held in 2013)
  election results: House of Assembly - balloting is done on a
  nonparty basis; candidates for election are nominated by the local
  council of each constituency and for each constituency the three
  candidates with the most votes in the first round of voting are
  narrowed to a single winner by a second round

Sweden
  unicameral Parliament or Riksdag (349 seats; members are
  elected by popular vote on a proportional representation basis to
  serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held on 17 September 2006 (next to be held in
  September 2010)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Social Democrats 37.2%,
  Moderates 27.8%, Center Party 8.3%, Liberal People's Party 8.0%,
  Christian Democrats 6.9%, Left Party 6.3%, Greens 5.4%; seats by
  party - Social Democrats 130, Moderates 97, Center Party 29, Liberal
  People's Party 28, Christian Democrats 24, Left Party 22, Greens 19

Switzerland
  bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung (in
  German), Assemblee Federale (in French), Assemblea Federale (in
  Italian) consists of the Council of States or Standerat (in German),
  Conseil des Etats (in French), Consiglio degli Stati (in Italian)
  (46 seats; membership consists of 2 representatives from each canton
  and 1 from each half canton; to serve four-year terms) and the
  National Council or Nationalrat (in German), Conseil National (in
  French), Consiglio Nazionale (in Italian) (200 seats; members are
  elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation
  to serve four-year terms)
  elections: Council of States - last held in most cantons in October
  2007 (each canton determines when the next election will be held);
  National Council - last held on 21 October 2007 (next to be held in
  October 2011)
  election results: Council of States - percent of vote by party - NA;
  seats by party - CVP 15, FDP 12, SVP 7, SPS 9, other 3; National
  Council - percent of vote by party - SVP 29%, SPS 19.5%, FDP 15.6%,
  CVP 14.6%, Greens 9.6%, other 11.7%; seats by party - SVP 62, SPS
  43, FDP 31, CVP 31, Green Party 20, other small parties 13

Syria
  unicameral People's Council or Majlis al-Shaab (250 seats;
  members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held on 22-23 April 2007 (next to be held in 2011)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
  NPF 172, independents 78

Taiwan
  unicameral Legislative Yuan (113 seats - 73 district members
  elected by popular vote, 34 at-large members elected on basis of
  proportion of islandwide votes received by participating political
  parties, 6 elected by popular vote among aboriginal populations; to
  serve four-year terms); parties must receive 5% of vote to qualify
  for at-large seats
  elections: Legislative Yuan - last held 12 January 2008 (next to be
  held in December 2011 or January 2012)
  election results: Legislative Yuan - percent of vote by party - KMT
  53.5%, DPP 38.2%, NPSU 2.4%, PFP 0.3%, others 1.6%, independents 4%;
  seats by party - KMT 81, DPP 27, NPSU 3, PFP 1, independent 1

Tajikistan
  bicameral Supreme Assembly or Majlisi Oli consists of the
  National Assembly (upper chamber) or Majlisi Milliy (34 seats; 25
  members selected by local deputies, 8 appointed by the president; 1
  seat reserved for the former president; to serve five-year terms)
  and the Assembly of Representatives (lower chamber) or Majlisi
  Namoyandagon (63 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
  five-year terms)
  elections: National Assembly - last held 25 March 2005 (next to be
  held in February 2010); Assembly of Representatives 27 February and
  13 March 2005 (next to be held in February 2010)
  election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA;
  seats by party - PDPT 29, CPT 2, independents 3; Assembly of
  Representatives - percent of vote by party - PDPT 74.9%, CPT 13.6%,
  Islamic Revival Party 8.9%, other 2.5%; seats by party - PDPT 51,
  CPT 5, Islamic Revival Party 2, independents 5

Tanzania
  unicameral National Assembly or Bunge (274 seats; 232
  members elected by popular vote, 37 allocated to women nominated by
  the president, 5 to members of the Zanzibar House of
  Representatives; to serve five-year terms); note - in addition to
  enacting laws that apply to the entire United Republic of Tanzania,
  the Assembly enacts laws that apply only to the mainland; Zanzibar
  has its own House of Representatives to make laws especially for
  Zanzibar (the Zanzibar House of Representatives has 50 seats elected
  by universal suffrage to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 14 December 2005 (next to be held in December
  2010)
  election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA;
  seats by party - CCM 206, CUF 19, CHADEMA 5, other 2, women
  appointed by the president 37, Zanzibar representatives 5 Zanzibar
  House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
  party - CCM 30, CUF 19; 1 seat was nullified with a rerun to take
  place soon

Thailand
  bicameral National Assembly or Rathasapha consisted of the
  Senate or Wuthisapha (150 seats; 76 members elected by popular vote
  representing 76 provinces, 74 appointed by judges and independent
  government bodies; all serve six-year terms) and the House of
  Representatives or Sapha Phuthaen Ratsadon (480 seats; 400 members
  elected from 157 multi-seat constituencies and 80 elected on
  proportional party-list basis of 10 per eight zones or groupings of
  provinces; all serve four-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held on 2 March 2008 (next to be held in
  March 2014); House of Representatives - last election held on 23
  December 2007 (next to be held by December 2011)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
  party - NA; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party -
  NA; seats by party - PPP 233, DP 164, TNP 34, Motherland 24, Middle
  Way 11, Unity 9, Royalist People's 5
  note: 74 senators were appointed on 19 February 2008 by a
  seven-member committee headed by the chief of the Constitutional
  Court; 76 senators were elected on 2 March 2008; elections to the
  Senate are non-partisan; registered political party members are
  disqualified from being senators

Timor-Leste
  unicameral National Parliament (number of seats can vary
  from 52 to 65; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year
  terms)
  elections: last held on 30 June 2007 (next elections due by June
  2012)
  election results: percent of vote by party - FRETILIN 29%, CNRT
  24.1%, ASDT-PSD 15.8%, PD 11.3%, PUN 4.5%, KOTA-PPT (Democratic
  Alliance) 3.2%, UNDERTIM 3.2%, others 8.9%; seats by party -
  FRETILIN 21, CNRT 18, ASDT-PSD 11, PD 8, PUN 3, KOTA-PPT 2, UNDERTIM
  2

Togo
  unicameral National Assembly (81 seats; members are elected by
  popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held on 14 October 2007 (next to be held in 2012)
  election results: percent of vote by party - RPT 39.4%, UFC 37.0%,
  CAR 8.2%, independents 2.5%, other 12.9%; seats by party - RPT 50,
  UFC 27, CAR 4

Tokelau
  unicameral General Fono (20 seats; based upon proportional
  representation from the three islands elected by popular vote to
  serve three-year terms; Atafu has seven seats, Fakaofo has seven
  seats, Nukunonu has six seats); note - the Tokelau Amendment Act of
  1996 confers limited legislative power to the General Fono
  elections: last held 17-19 January 2008 (next to be held in 2011)
  election results: independents 20

Tonga
  unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fale Alea (32 seats - 14
  reserved for cabinet ministers sitting ex officio, 9 for nobles
  selected by the country's 33 nobles, and 9 elected by popular vote;
  members serve three-year terms)
  elections: last held on 23-24 April 2008 (next to be held in 2011)
  election results: Peoples Representatives: percent of vote -
  independents 54%, THRDM 28%, PDP 14%; seats - THRDM 4, independents
  3, PDP 2

Trinidad and Tobago
  bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (31
  seats; 16 members appointed by the ruling party, 9 by the President,
  6 by the opposition party to serve a maximum term of five years) and
  the House of Representatives (41 seats; members are elected by
  popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: House of Representatives - last held on 5 November 2007
  (next to be held in 2012)
  election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote - PNM
  46%, UNC 29.7%; seats by party - PNM 26, UNC 15
  note: Tobago has a unicameral House of Assembly with 12 members
  serving four-year terms; last election held in January 2005; seats
  by party - PNM 11, DAC 1

Tunisia
  bicameral system consists of the Chamber of Advisors (126
  seats; 85 members elected by municipal counselors, deputies, mayors,
  and professional associations and trade unions; 41 members are
  presidential appointees; members serve six-year terms); and the
  Chamber of Deputies or Majlis al-Nuwaab (214 seats; members elected
  by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: Chamber of Advisors - last held on 3 July 2005 (next to
  be held in July 2011); Chamber of Deputies - last held on 25 October
  2009 (next to be held in October 2014);
  election results: Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party -
  NA; seats by party - RCD 161, MDS 16, PUP 12, UDU 9, PSL 8, PVP 6,
  Et-Tajdid 2; voter turnout 89.4%

Turkey
  unicameral Grand National Assembly of Turkey or Turkiye Buyuk
  Millet Meclisi (550 seats; members are elected by popular vote to
  serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held on 22 July 2007 (next to be held in November
  2012)
  election results: percent of vote by party - AKP 46.7%, CHP 20.8%,
  MHP 14.3%, independents 5.2%, and other 13.0%; seats by party - AKP
  341, CHP 112, MHP 71, independents 26; note - seats by party as of
  31 January 2009 - AKP 340, CHP 97, MHP 70, DTP 21, DSP 13, ODP 1,
  BBP 1, independents 5, vacant 2 (DTP entered parliament as
  independents; DSP entered parliament on CHP's party list); only
  parties surpassing the 10% threshold are entitled to parliamentary
  seats

Turkmenistan
  unicameral parliament known as the National Assembly
  (Mejlis) (125 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
  five-year terms)
  elections: last held 14 December 2008 (next to be held December 2013)
  election results: 100% of elected officials are members of either
  the Democratic Party of Turkmenistan or its pseudo-civil society
  parent organization, the Revival Movement, and are preapproved by
  the president
  note: in autumn 2008, the constitution of Turkmenistan was revised
  to abolish the 2,507-member legislative body known as the People's
  Council and to expand the number of deputies in the National
  Assembly from 65 to 125; the powers formerly held by the People's
  Council were divided up between the president and the National
  Assembly

Turks and Caicos Islands
  under provisions of the Order in Council,
  the unicameral House of Assembly is dissolved and all seats vacated
  for a period of up to two years; in the interim, a Consultative
  Forum, appointed by the governor, will be established
  elections: last held 9 February 2007 (next to be held by July 2011)
  election results: under provisions of the Order in Council, all
  seats in the House of Assembly are vacated

Tuvalu
  unicameral Parliament or Fale I Fono, also called House of
  Assembly (15 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve
  four-year terms)
  elections: last held 3 August 2006 (next to be held in 2010)
  election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 15

Uganda
  unicameral National Assembly (332 seats; 215 members elected
  by popular vote, 104 nominated by legally established special
  interest groups [women 79, army 10, disabled 5, youth 5, labor 5],
  13 ex officio members; serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 23 February 2006 (next to be held in February
  2011)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
  NRM 191, FDC 37, UPC 9, DP 8, CP 1, JEEMA 1, independents 36, other
  49

Ukraine
  unicameral Supreme Council or Verkhovna Rada (450 seats;
  members allocated on a proportional basis to those parties that gain
  3% or more of the national electoral vote; serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 30 September 2007 (next to be held in 2012)
  election results: percent of vote by party/bloc - Party of Regions
  34.4%, Yuliya Tymoshenko Bloc 30.7%, Our Ukraine-People's Self
  Defense 14.2%, CPU 5.4%, Lytvyn bloc 4%, other parties 11.3%; seats
  by party/bloc - Party of Regions 175, Yuliya Tymoshenko Bloc 156,
  Our Ukraine-People's Self Defense 72, CPU 27, Lytvyn bloc 20

United Arab Emirates
  unicameral Federal National Council (FNC) or
  Majlis al-Ittihad al-Watani (40 seats; 20 members appointed by the
  rulers of the constituent states, 20 members elected to serve
  two-year terms)
  elections: elections for one half of the FNC (the other half remains
  appointed) held in the UAE on 18-20 December 2006; the new electoral
  college - a body of 6,689 Emiratis (including 1,189 women) appointed
  by the rulers of the seven emirates - were the only eligible voters
  and candidates; 456 candidates including 65 women ran for 20
  contested FNC seats; one female from the Emirate of Abu Dhabi won a
  seat and 8 women were among the 20 appointed members
  note: reviews legislation but cannot change or veto

United Kingdom
  bicameral Parliament consists of House of Lords (618
  seats; consisting of approximately 500 life peers, 92 hereditary
  peers, and 26 clergy) and House of Commons (646 seats since 2005
  elections; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year
  terms unless the House is dissolved earlier)
  elections: House of Lords - no elections (note - in 1999, as
  provided by the House of Lords Act, elections were held in the House
  of Lords to determine the 92 hereditary peers who would remain
  there; elections are held only as vacancies in the hereditary
  peerage arise); House of Commons - last held 5 May 2005 (next to be
  held by June 2010)
  election results: House of Commons - percent of vote by party -
  Labor 35.2%, Conservative 32.3%, Liberal Democrats 22%, other 10.5%;
  seats by party - Labor 355, Conservative 198, Liberal Democrat 62,
  other 31; seats by party in the House of Commons as of 21 November
  2008 - Labor 350, Conservative 192, Liberal Democrat 63, Scottish
  National Party/Plaid Cymru 10, Democratic Unionist 9, Sinn Fein 5,
  other 17
  note: in 1998 elections were held for a Northern Ireland Assembly
  (because of unresolved disputes among existing parties, the transfer
  of power from London to Northern Ireland came only at the end of
  1999 and has been suspended four times, the latest occurring in
  October 2002 and lasting until 8 May 2007); in 1999, the UK held the
  first elections for a Scottish Parliament and a Welsh Assembly, the
  most recent of which were held in May 2007

United States
  bicameral Congress consists of the Senate (100 seats,
  2 members are elected from each state by popular vote to serve
  six-year terms; one-third are elected every two years) and the House
  of Representatives (435 seats; members are directly elected by
  popular vote to serve two-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 4 November 2008 (next to be held
  November 2010); House of Representatives - last held 4 November 2008
  (next to be held in November 2010)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
  party - Democratic Party 57, Republican Party 41, independent 2;
  House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
  party - Democratic Party 257, Republican Party 178

Uruguay
  bicameral General Assembly or Asamblea General consists of
  Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (30 seats; members are
  elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms; vice president has
  one vote in the Senate) and Chamber of Representatives or Camara de
  Representantes (99 seats; members are elected by popular vote to
  serve five-year terms)
  elections: Chamber of Senators - last held 25 October 2009 (next to
  be held in October 2014); Chamber of Representatives - last held 25
  October 2009 (next to be held in October 2014)
  election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party -
  NA; seats by party - Frente Amplio 16, Blanco 9, Colorado Party 5;
  Chamber of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
  party - Frente Amplio 50, Blanco 30, Colorado Party 17, Independent
  Party 2

Uzbekistan
  bicameral Supreme Assembly or Oliy Majlis consists of an
  upper house or Senate (100 seats; 84 members are elected by regional
  governing councils and 16 appointed by the president; to serve
  five-year terms) and a lower house or Legislative Chamber (120
  seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 26 December 2004 and 9 January 2005 (next to be
  held in December 2009)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
  party - NA; Legislative Chamber - percent of vote by party - NA;
  seats by party - LDPU 41, NDP 32, Fidokorlar 17, MTP 11, Adolat 9,
  unaffiliated 10
  note: all parties in the Supreme Assembly support President KARIMOV

Vanuatu
  unicameral Parliament (52 seats; members elected by popular
  vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 2 September 2008 (next to be held in 2012)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - VP
  11, NUP 8, UMP 7, VRP 7, PPP 4, GC 2, MPP 1, NA 1, NAG 1, PAP 1,
  Shepherds Alliance 1, VFFP 1, VLP 1, VNP 1, VPRFP 1, and independent
  4; note - political party associations are fluid
  note: the National Council of Chiefs advises on matters of culture
  and language

Venezuela
  unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (167
  seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms;
  three seats reserved for the indigenous peoples of Venezuela)
  elections: last held 4 December 2005 (next to be held in 2010)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
  pro-government 167 (MVR 114, PODEMOS 15, PPT 11, indigenous 2, other
  25), opposition 0; total seats by party as of 1 January 2008 -
  pro-government 152 (PSUV 114, PPT 11, indigenous 2, other 25),
  PODEMOS 15

Vietnam
  unicameral National Assembly or Quoc Hoi (500 seats; members
  elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 20 May 2007 (next to be held in May 2012)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
  CPV 450, non-party CPV-approved 42, self-nominated 1; note - 493
  candidates were elected; CPV and non-party CPV-approved delegates
  were members of the Vietnamese Fatherland Front

Virgin Islands
  unicameral Senate (15 seats; members are elected by
  popular vote to serve two-year terms)
  elections: last held 4 November 2008 (next to be held in November
  2010)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
  Democratic Party 10, ICM 2, independent 3
  note: the Virgin Islands elects one non-voting representative to the
  US House of Representatives; election last held 4 November 2008
  (next to be held in November 2010)

Wallis and Futuna
  unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee
  Territoriale (20 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
  five-year terms)
  elections: last held 1 April 2007 (next to be held April 2012)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
  UMP 13, other 7
  note: Wallis and Futuna elects one senator to the French Senate and
  one deputy to the French National Assembly; French Senate -
  elections last held 21 September 2008 (next to be held by September
  2014); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats - UMP 1;
  French National Assembly - elections last held 17 June 2007 (next to
  be held by 2012); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats -
  PS 1

Yemen
  a bicameral legislature consisting of a Shura Council (111
  seats; members appointed by the president) and a House of
  Representatives (301 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve
  six-year terms)
  elections: last held on 27 April 2003 (scheduled April 2009 election
  postponed for two years)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
  GPC 228, Islah 47, YSP 7, Nasserite Unionist Party 3, National Arab
  Socialist Ba'th Party 2, independents 14

Zambia
  unicameral National Assembly (158 seats; 150 members are
  elected by popular vote, 8 members are appointed by the president,
  to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 28 September 2006 (next to be held in October
  2011)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
  MMD 72, PF 44, UDA 27, ULP 2, NDF 1, independents 2; seats not
  determined 2

Zimbabwe
  bicameral Parliament consists of a Senate (93 seats - 60
  elected by popular vote for a five-year term, 10 provincial
  governors nominated by the president, 16 traditional chiefs elected
  by the Council of Chiefs, 2 held by the president and deputy
  president of the Council of Chiefs, and 5 appointed by the
  president) and a House of Assembly (210 seats - all elected by
  popular vote for five-year terms)
  elections: last held 28 March 2008 (next to be held in 2013)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - MDC 51.6%,
  ZANU-PF 45.8%, other 2.6%; seats by party - MDC 30, ZANU-PF 30;
  House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - MDC 51.3%, ZANU-PF
  45.8%, other 2.9%; seats by party - MDC 109, ZANU-PF 97, other 4

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

@2102

Field Listing :: Life expectancy at birth

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

Life expectancy at birth(years)

Afghanistan
  total population: 44.64 years
  male: 44.47 years
  female: 44.81 years (2009 est.)

Albania
  total population: 77.96 years
  male: 75.28 years
  female: 80.89 years (2009 est.)

Algeria
  total population: 74.02 years
  male: 72.35 years
  female: 75.77 years (2009 est.)

American Samoa
  total population: 73.72 years
  male: 70.8 years
  female: 76.82 years (2009 est.)

Andorra
  total population: 82.51 years
  male: 80.33 years
  female: 84.84 years (2009 est.)

Angola
  total population: 38.2 years
  male: 37.24 years
  female: 39.22 years (2009 est.)

Anguilla
  total population: 80.65 years
  male: 78.11 years
  female: 83.26 years (2009 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  total population: 74.76 years
  male: 72.81 years
  female: 76.81 years (2009 est.)

Argentina
  total population: 76.56 years
  male: 73.32 years
  female: 79.97 years (2009 est.)

Armenia
  total population: 72.68 years
  male: 69.06 years
  female: 76.81 years (2009 est.)

Aruba
  total population: 75.28 years
  male: 72.25 years
  female: 78.38 years (2009 est.)

Australia
  total population: 81.63 years
  male: 79.25 years
  female: 84.14 years (2009 est.)

Austria
  total population: 79.5 years
  male: 76.6 years
  female: 82.56 years (2009 est.)

Azerbaijan
  total population: 66.66 years
  male: 62.53 years
  female: 71.34 years (2009 est.)

Bahamas, The
  total population: 65.78 years
  male: 62.63 years
  female: 68.98 years (2009 est.)

Bahrain
  total population: 75.16 years
  male: 72.64 years
  female: 77.76 years (2009 est.)

Bangladesh
  total population: 60.25 years
  male: 57.57 years
  female: 63.03 years (2009 est.)

Barbados
  total population: 73.94 years
  male: 71.65 years
  female: 76.26 years (2009 est.)

Belarus
  total population: 70.63 years
  male: 64.95 years
  female: 76.67 years (2009 est.)

Belgium
  total population: 79.22 years
  male: 76.06 years
  female: 82.53 years (2009 est.)

Belize
  total population: 68.2 years
  male: 66.44 years
  female: 70.05 years (2009 est.)

Benin
  total population: 59 years
  male: 57.83 years
  female: 60.23 years (2009 est.)

Bermuda
  total population: 80.43 years
  male: 77.2 years
  female: 83.72 years (2009 est.)

Bhutan
  total population: 66.13 years
  male: 65.33 years
  female: 66.97 years (2009 est.)

Bolivia
  total population: 66.89 years
  male: 64.2 years
  female: 69.72 years (2009 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  total population: 78.5 years
  male: 74.92 years
  female: 82.34 years (2009 est.)

Botswana
  total population: 61.85 years
  male: 61.72 years
  female: 61.99 years (2009 est.)

Brazil
  total population: 71.99 years
  male: 68.43 years
  female: 75.73 years (2009 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  total population: 77.26 years
  male: 76.03 years
  female: 78.55 years (2009 est.)

Brunei
  total population: 75.74 years
  male: 73.52 years
  female: 78.07 years (2009 est.)

Bulgaria
  total population: 73.09 years
  male: 69.48 years
  female: 76.91 years (2009 est.)

Burkina Faso
  total population: 52.95 years
  male: 51.04 years
  female: 54.91 years (2009 est.)

Burma
  total population: 63.39 years
  male: 61.17 years
  female: 65.74 years (2009 est.)

Burundi
  total population: 52.09 years
  male: 51.2 years
  female: 53.01 years (2009 est.)

Cambodia
  total population: 62.1 years
  male: 60.03 years
  female: 64.27 years (2009 est.)

Cameroon
  total population: 53.69 years
  male: 52.89 years
  female: 54.52 years (2009 est.)

Canada
  total population: 81.23 years
  male: 78.69 years
  female: 83.91 years (2009 est.)

Cape Verde
  total population: 71.61 years
  male: 68.27 years
  female: 75.05 years (2009 est.)

Cayman Islands
  total population: 80.44 years
  male: 77.8 years
  female: 83.14 years (2009 est.)

Central African Republic
  total population: 44.47 years
  male: 44.4 years
  female: 44.54 years (2009 est.)

Chad
  total population: 47.7 years
  male: 46.67 years
  female: 48.77 years (2009 est.)

Chile
  total population: 77.34 years
  male: 74.07 years
  female: 80.77 years (2009 est.)

China
  total population: 73.47 years
  male: 71.61 years
  female: 75.52 years (2009 est.)

Christmas Island
  total population: NA
  male: NA
  female: NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  total population: NA
  male: NA
  female: NA

Colombia
  total population: 72.81 years
  male: 68.98 years
  female: 76.76 years (2009 est.)

Comoros
  total population: 63.47 years
  male: 61.07 years
  female: 65.94 years (2009 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  total population: 54.36 years
  male: 52.58 years
  female: 56.2 years (2009 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  total population: 54.15 years
  male: 52.9 years
  female: 55.43 years (2009 est.)

Cook Islands
  total population: 74.22 years
  male: 71.46 years
  female: 77.13 years (2009 est.)

Costa Rica
  total population: 77.58 years
  male: 74.96 years
  female: 80.34 years (2009 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  total population: 55.45 years
  male: 54.64 years
  female: 56.28 years (2009 est.)

Croatia
  total population: 75.35 years
  male: 71.72 years
  female: 79.18 years (2009 est.)

Cuba
  total population: 77.45 years
  male: 75.19 years
  female: 79.85 years (2009 est.)

Cyprus
  total population: 78.33 years
  male: 75.91 years
  female: 80.86 years (2009 est.)

Czech Republic
  total population: 76.81 years
  male: 73.54 years
  female: 80.28 years (2009 est.)

Denmark
  total population: 78.3 years
  male: 75.96 years
  female: 80.78 years (2009 est.)

Djibouti
  total population: 43.37 years
  male: 41.89 years
  female: 44.89 years (2009 est.)

Dominica
  total population: 75.55 years
  male: 72.61 years
  female: 78.64 years (2009 est.)

Dominican Republic
  total population: 73.7 years
  male: 71.88 years
  female: 75.6 years (2009 est.)

Ecuador
  total population: 75.3 years
  male: 72.37 years
  female: 78.37 years (2009 est.)

Egypt
  total population: 72.12 years
  male: 69.56 years
  female: 74.81 years (2009 est.)

El Salvador
  total population: 72.33 years
  male: 68.72 years
  female: 76.11 years (2009 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  total population: 61.61 years
  male: 60.71 years
  female: 62.54 years (2009 est.)

Eritrea
  total population: 61.78 years
  male: 59.71 years
  female: 63.9 years (2009 est.)

Estonia
  total population: 72.82 years
  male: 67.45 years
  female: 78.53 years (2009 est.)

Ethiopia
  total population: 55.41 years
  male: 52.92 years
  female: 57.97 years (2009 est.)

European Union
  total population: 78.67 years
  male: 75.54 years
  female: 81.97 years (2009 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  total population: NA
  male: NA
  female: NA

Faroe Islands
  total population: 79.44 years
  male: 77 years
  female: 82.05 years (2009 est.)

Fiji
  total population: 70.73 years
  male: 68.18 years
  female: 73.41 years (2009 est.)

Finland
  total population: 78.97 years
  male: 75.48 years
  female: 82.61 years (2009 est.)

France
  total population: 80.98 years
  male: 77.79 years
  female: 84.33 years (2009 est.)

French Polynesia
  total population: 76.71 years
  male: 74.26 years
  female: 79.29 years (2009 est.)

Gabon
  total population: 53.11 years
  male: 52.19 years
  female: 54.05 years (2009 est.)

Gambia, The
  total population: 55.35 years
  male: 53.43 years
  female: 57.34 years (2009 est.)

Gaza Strip
  total population: 73.42 years
  male: 71.82 years
  female: 75.12 years (2009 est.)

Georgia
  total population: 76.72 years
  male: 73.41 years
  female: 80.45 years (2009 est.)

Germany
  total population: 79.26 years
  male: 76.26 years
  female: 82.42 years (2009 est.)

Ghana
  total population: 59.85 years
  male: 58.98 years
  female: 60.75 years (2009 est.)

Gibraltar
  total population: 80.19 years
  male: 77.3 years
  female: 83.22 years (2009 est.)

Greece
  total population: 79.66 years
  male: 77.11 years
  female: 82.37 years (2009 est.)

Greenland
  total population: 70.07 years
  male: 67.44 years
  female: 72.85 years (2009 est.)

Grenada
  total population: 65.95 years
  male: 64.06 years
  female: 67.85 years (2009 est.)

Guam
  total population: 78.01 years
  male: 74.97 years
  female: 81.23 years (2009 est.)

Guatemala
  total population: 70.29 years
  male: 68.49 years
  female: 72.19 years (2009 est.)

Guernsey
  total population: 80.77 years
  male: 77.76 years
  female: 83.88 years (2009 est.)

Guinea
  total population: 57.09 years
  male: 55.63 years
  female: 58.6 years (2009 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  total population: 47.9 years
  male: 46.07 years
  female: 49.79 years (2009 est.)

Guyana
  total population: 66.68 years
  male: 64.09 years
  female: 69.4 years (2009 est.)

Haiti
  total population: 60.78 years
  male: 59.13 years
  female: 62.48 years (2009 est.)

Honduras
  total population: 69.4 years
  male: 67.86 years
  female: 71.02 years (2009 est.)

Hong Kong
  total population: 81.86 years
  male: 79.16 years
  female: 84.79 years (2009 est.)

Hungary
  total population: 73.44 years
  male: 69.27 years
  female: 77.87 years (2009 est.)

Iceland
  total population: 80.67 years
  male: 78.53 years
  female: 82.9 years (2009 est.)

India
  total population: 69.89 years
  male: 67.46 years
  female: 72.61 years (2009 est.)

Indonesia
  total population: 70.76 years
  male: 68.26 years
  female: 73.38 years (2009 est.)

Iran
  total population: 71.14 years
  male: 69.65 years
  female: 72.72 years (2009 est.)

Iraq
  total population: 69.94 years
  male: 68.6 years
  female: 71.34 years (2009 est.)

Ireland
  total population: 78.24 years
  male: 75.6 years
  female: 81.06 years (2009 est.)

Isle of Man
  total population: 78.82 years
  male: 75.86 years
  female: 81.93 years (2009 est.)

Israel
  total population: 80.73 years
  male: 78.62 years
  female: 82.95 years (2009 est.)

Italy
  total population: 80.2 years
  male: 77.26 years
  female: 83.33 years (2009 est.)

Jamaica
  total population: 73.53 years
  male: 71.83 years
  female: 75.3 years (2009 est.)

Japan
  total population: 82.12 years
  male: 78.8 years
  female: 85.62 years (2009 est.)

Jersey
  total population: 79.75 years
  male: 77.23 years
  female: 82.46 years (2009 est.)

Jordan
  total population: 78.87 years
  male: 76.34 years
  female: 81.56 years (2009 est.)

Kazakhstan
  total population: 67.87 years
  male: 62.58 years
  female: 73.47 years (2009 est.)

Kenya
  total population: 57.86 years
  male: 57.49 years
  female: 58.24 years (2009 est.)

Kiribati
  total population: 63.22 years
  male: 60.14 years
  female: 66.45 years (2009 est.)

Korea, North
  total population: 63.81 years
  male: 61.23 years
  female: 66.53 years (2009 est.)

Korea, South
  total population: 78.72 years
  male: 75.45 years
  female: 82.22 years (2009 est.)

Kuwait
  total population: 77.71 years
  male: 76.51 years
  female: 78.95 years (2009 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  total population: 69.43 years
  male: 65.43 years
  female: 73.64 years (2009 est.)

Laos
  total population: 56.68 years
  male: 54.56 years
  female: 58.9 years (2009 est.)

Latvia
  total population: 72.15 years
  male: 66.98 years
  female: 77.59 years (2009 est.)

Lebanon
  total population: 73.66 years
  male: 71.15 years
  female: 76.31 years (2009 est.)

Lesotho
  total population: 40.38 years
  male: 41.18 years
  female: 39.54 years (2009 est.)

Liberia
  total population: 41.84 years
  male: 40.71 years
  female: 43 years (2009 est.)

Libya
  total population: 77.26 years
  male: 74.98 years
  female: 79.65 years (2009 est.)

Liechtenstein
  total population: 80.06 years
  male: 76.59 years
  female: 83.53 years (2009 est.)

Lithuania
  total population: 74.9 years
  male: 69.98 years
  female: 80.1 years (2009 est.)

Luxembourg
  total population: 79.33 years
  male: 76.07 years
  female: 82.81 years (2009 est.)

Macau
  total population: 84.36 years
  male: 81.39 years
  female: 87.47 years (2009 est.)

Macedonia
  total population: 74.68 years
  male: 72.18 years
  female: 77.38 years (2009 est.)

Madagascar
  total population: 62.89 years
  male: 60.93 years
  female: 64.91 years (2009 est.)

Malawi
  total population: 43.82 years
  male: 44.07 years
  female: 43.57 years (2009 est.)

Malaysia
  total population: 73.29 years
  male: 70.56 years
  female: 76.21 years (2009 est.)

Maldives
  total population: 73.97 years
  male: 71.78 years
  female: 76.28 years (2009 est.)

Mali
  total population: 50.35 years
  male: 48.38 years
  female: 52.38 years (2009 est.)

Malta
  total population: 79.44 years
  male: 77.21 years
  female: 81.8 years (2009 est.)

Marshall Islands
  total population: 71.19 years
  male: 69.15 years
  female: 73.34 years (2009 est.)

Mauritania
  total population: 60.37 years
  male: 58.22 years
  female: 62.59 years (2009 est.)

Mauritius
  total population: 74 years
  male: 70.53 years
  female: 77.65 years (2009 est.)

Mayotte
  total population: 62.91 years
  male: 60.65 years
  female: 65.24 years (2009 est.)

Mexico
  total population: 76.06 years
  male: 73.25 years
  female: 79 years (2009 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  total population: 70.94 years
  male: 69.06 years
  female: 72.93 years (2009 est.)

Moldova
  total population: 70.8 years
  male: 67.1 years
  female: 74.71 years (2009 est.)

Monaco
  total population: 80.09 years
  male: 76.3 years
  female: 84.09 years (2009 est.)

Mongolia
  total population: 67.65 years
  male: 65.23 years
  female: 70.19 years (2009 est.)

Montserrat
  total population: 72.76 years
  male: 74.74 years
  female: 70.68 years (2009 est.)

Morocco
  total population: 71.8 years
  male: 69.42 years
  female: 74.3 years (2009 est.)

Mozambique
  total population: 41.18 years
  male: 41.83 years
  female: 40.53 years (2009 est.)

Namibia
  total population: 51.24 years
  male: 51.61 years
  female: 50.86 years (2009 est.)

Nauru
  total population: 64.2 years
  male: 60.58 years
  female: 68.01 years (2009 est.)

Nepal
  total population: 65.46 years
  male: 64.3 years
  female: 66.67 years (2009 est.)

Netherlands
  total population: 79.4 years
  male: 76.8 years
  female: 82.14 years (2009 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  total population: 76.65 years
  male: 74.33 years
  female: 79.09 years (2009 est.)

New Caledonia
  total population: 74.98 years
  male: 71.99 years
  female: 78.12 years (2009 est.)

New Zealand
  total population: 80.36 years
  male: 78.43 years
  female: 82.39 years (2009 est.)

Nicaragua
  total population: 71.5 years
  male: 69.35 years
  female: 73.75 years (2009 est.)

Niger
  total population: 52.6 years
  male: 51.39 years
  female: 53.85 years (2009 est.)

Nigeria
  total population: 46.94 years
  male: 46.16 years
  female: 47.76 years (2009 est.)

Niue
  total population: NA
  male: NA
  female: NA

Norfolk Island
  total population: NA
  male: NA
  female: NA

Northern Mariana Islands
  total population: 76.7 years
  male: 74.08 years
  female: 79.47 years (2009 est.)

Norway
  total population: 79.95 years
  male: 77.29 years
  female: 82.74 years (2009 est.)

Oman
  total population: 74.16 years
  male: 71.87 years
  female: 76.55 years (2009 est.)

Pakistan
  total population: 64.49 years
  male: 63.4 years
  female: 65.64 years (2009 est.)

Palau
  total population: 71.22 years
  male: 68.08 years
  female: 74.54 years (2009 est.)

Panama
  total population: 77.25 years
  male: 74.47 years
  female: 80.16 years (2009 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  total population: 66.34 years
  male: 64.08 years
  female: 68.72 years (2009 est.)

Paraguay
  total population: 75.77 years
  male: 73.19 years
  female: 78.49 years (2009 est.)

Peru
  total population: 70.74 years
  male: 68.88 years
  female: 72.69 years (2009 est.)

Philippines
  total population: 71.09 years
  male: 68.17 years
  female: 74.15 years (2009 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  total population: NA
  male: NA
  female: NA

Poland
  total population: 75.63 years
  male: 71.65 years
  female: 79.85 years (2009 est.)

Portugal
  total population: 78.21 years
  male: 74.95 years
  female: 81.69 years (2009 est.)

Puerto Rico
  total population: 78.53 years
  male: 74.85 years
  female: 82.39 years (2009 est.)

Qatar
  total population: 75.35 years
  male: 73.66 years
  female: 77.14 years (2009 est.)

Romania
  total population: 72.45 years
  male: 68.95 years
  female: 76.16 years (2009 est.)

Russia
  total population: 66.03 years
  male: 59.33 years
  female: 73.14 years (2009 est.)

Rwanda
  total population: 50.52 years
  male: 49.25 years
  female: 51.83 years (2009 est.)

Saint Helena
  total population: 78.44 years
  male: 75.52 years
  female: 81.5 years (2009 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  total population: 73.2 years
  male: 70.33 years
  female: 76.25 years (2009 est.)

Saint Lucia
  total population: 76.45 years
  male: 73.78 years
  female: 79.27 years (2009 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  total population: 79.07 years
  male: 76.69 years
  female: 81.57 years (2009 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  total population: 73.65 years
  male: 71.82 years
  female: 75.54 years (2009 est.)

Samoa
  total population: 71.86 years
  male: 69.03 years
  female: 74.84 years (2009 est.)

San Marino
  total population: 81.97 years
  male: 78.53 years
  female: 85.72 years (2009 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  total population: 68.32 years
  male: 66.65 years
  female: 70.04 years (2009 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  total population: 76.3 years
  male: 74.23 years
  female: 78.48 years (2009 est.)

Senegal
  total population: 59 years
  male: 57.12 years
  female: 60.93 years (2009 est.)

Serbia
  total population: 73.9 years
  male: 71.09 years
  female: 76.89 years (2009 est.)

Seychelles
  total population: 73.02 years
  male: 68.33 years
  female: 77.85 years (2009 est.)

Sierra Leone
  total population: 41.24 years
  male: 38.92 years
  female: 43.64 years (2009 est.)

Singapore
  total population: 81.98 years
  male: 79.37 years
  female: 84.78 years (2009 est.)

Slovakia
  total population: 75.4 years
  male: 71.47 years
  female: 79.53 years (2009 est.)

Slovenia
  total population: 76.92 years
  male: 73.25 years
  female: 80.84 years (2009 est.)

Solomon Islands
  total population: 73.69 years
  male: 71.14 years
  female: 76.37 years (2009 est.)

Somalia
  total population: 49.63 years
  male: 47.78 years
  female: 51.53 years (2009 est.)

South Africa
  total population: 48.98 years
  male: 49.81 years
  female: 48.13 years (2009 est.)

Spain
  total population: 80.05 years
  male: 76.74 years
  female: 83.57 years (2009 est.)

Sri Lanka
  total population: 75.14 years
  male: 73.08 years
  female: 77.28 years (2009 est.)

Sudan
  total population: 51.42 years
  male: 50.49 years
  female: 52.4 years (2009 est.)

Suriname
  total population: 73.73 years
  male: 71 years
  female: 76.65 years (2009 est.)

Svalbard
  total population: NA
  male: NA
  female: NA

Swaziland
  total population: 31.99 years
  male: 31.69 years
  female: 32.3 years (2009 est.)

Sweden
  total population: 80.86 years
  male: 78.59 years
  female: 83.26 years (2009 est.)

Switzerland
  total population: 80.85 years
  male: 78.03 years
  female: 83.83 years (2009 est.)

Syria
  total population: 71.19 years
  male: 69.8 years
  female: 72.68 years (2009 est.)

Taiwan
  total population: 77.96 years
  male: 75.12 years
  female: 81.05 years (2009 est.)

Tajikistan
  total population: 65.33 years
  male: 62.29 years
  female: 68.52 years (2009 est.)

Tanzania
  total population: 52.01 years
  male: 50.56 years
  female: 53.51 years (2009 est.)

Thailand
  total population: 73.1 years
  male: 70.77 years
  female: 75.55 years (2009 est.)

Timor-Leste
  total population: 67.27 years
  male: 64.92 years
  female: 69.75 years (2009 est.)

Togo
  total population: 58.69 years
  male: 56.56 years
  female: 60.88 years (2009 est.)

Tokelau
  total population: NA
  male: NA
  female: NA

Tonga
  total population: 70.73 years
  male: 68.18 years
  female: 73.41 years (2009 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  total population: 70.86 years
  male: 67.98 years
  female: 73.82 years (2009 est.)

Tunisia
  total population: 75.78 years
  male: 73.98 years
  female: 77.7 years (2009 est.)

Turkey
  total population: 71.96 years
  male: 70.12 years
  female: 73.89 years (2009 est.)

Turkmenistan
  total population: 67.87 years
  male: 64.94 years
  female: 70.95 years (2009 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  total population: 75.42 years
  male: 73.12 years
  female: 77.83 years (2009 est.)

Tuvalu
  total population: 69.29 years
  male: 66.99 years
  female: 71.7 years (2009 est.)

Uganda
  total population: 52.72 years
  male: 51.66 years
  female: 53.81 years (2009 est.)

Ukraine
  total population: 68.25 years
  male: 62.37 years
  female: 74.5 years (2009 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  total population: 76.11 years
  male: 73.56 years
  female: 78.78 years (2009 est.)

United Kingdom
  total population: 79.01 years
  male: 76.52 years
  female: 81.63 years (2009 est.)

United States
  total population: 78.11 years
  male: 75.65 years
  female: 80.69 years (2009 est.)

Uruguay
  total population: 76.35 years
  male: 73.1 years
  female: 79.72 years (2009 est.)

Uzbekistan
  total population: 71.96 years
  male: 68.95 years
  female: 75.15 years (2009 est.)

Vanuatu
  total population: 63.98 years
  male: 62.37 years
  female: 65.66 years (2009 est.)

Venezuela
  total population: 73.61 years
  male: 70.54 years
  female: 76.83 years (2009 est.)

Vietnam
  total population: 71.58 years
  male: 68.78 years
  female: 74.57 years (2009 est.)

Virgin Islands
  total population: 79.05 years
  male: 76.02 years
  female: 82.26 years (2009 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
  total population: 78.2 years
  male: 75.22 years
  female: 81.32 years (2009 est.)

West Bank
  total population: 74.54 years
  male: 72.54 years
  female: 76.65 years (2009 est.)

Western Sahara
  total population: 54.32 years
  male: 52 years
  female: 56.73 years (2009 est.)

World
  total population: 66.57 years
  male: 64.52 years
  female: 68.76 years (2009 est.)

Yemen
  total population: 63.27 years
  male: 61.3 years
  female: 65.33 years (2009 est.)

Zambia
  total population: 38.63 years
  male: 38.53 years
  female: 38.73 years (2009 est.)

Zimbabwe
  total population: 45.77 years
  male: 46.36 years
  female: 45.16 years (2009 est.)

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

@2103

Field Listing :: Literacy

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

Literacy(%)

Afghanistan
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 28.1%
  male: 43.1%
  female: 12.6% (2000 est.)

Albania
  definition: age 9 and over can read and write
  total population: 98.7%
  male: 99.2%
  female: 98.3% (2001 census)

Algeria
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 69.9%
  male: 79.6%
  female: 60.1% (2002 est.)

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

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

Angola
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 67.4%
  male: 82.9%
  female: 54.2% (2001 est.)

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

Antigua and Barbuda
  definition: age 15 and over has completed five
  or more years of schooling
  total population: 85.8%
  male: NA
  female: NA (2003 est.)

Argentina
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 97.2%
  male: 97.2%
  female: 97.2% (2001 census)

Armenia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.4%
  male: 99.7%
  female: 99.2% (2001 census)

Aruba
  definition: NA
  total population: 97.3%
  male: 97.5%
  female: 97.1% (2000 census)

Australia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99%
  male: 99%
  female: 99% (2003 est.)

Austria
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98%
  male: NA
  female: NA

Azerbaijan
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98.8%
  male: 99.5%
  female: 98.2% (1999 census)

Bahamas, The
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 95.6%
  male: 94.7%
  female: 96.5% (2003 est.)

Bahrain
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 86.5%
  male: 88.6%
  female: 83.6% (2001 census)

Bangladesh
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 47.9%
  male: 54%
  female: 41.4% (2001 Census)

Barbados
  definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
  total population: 99.7%
  male: 99.7%
  female: 99.7% (2002 est.)

Belarus
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.6%
  male: 99.8%
  female: 99.4% (1999 census)

Belgium
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99%
  male: 99%
  female: 99% (2003 est.)

Belize
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 76.9%
  male: 76.7%
  female: 77.1% (2000 census)

Benin
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 34.7%
  male: 47.9%
  female: 23.3% (2002 census)

Bermuda
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98%
  male: 98%
  female: 99% (2005 est.)

Bhutan
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 47%
  male: 60%
  female: 34% (2003 est.)

Bolivia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 86.7%
  male: 93.1%
  female: 80.7% (2001 census)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 96.7%
  male: 99%
  female: 94.4% (2000 est.)

Botswana
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 81.2%
  male: 80.4%
  female: 81.8% (2003 est.)

Brazil
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 88.6%
  male: 88.4%
  female: 88.8% (2004 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 97.8% (1991 est.)
  male: NA
  female: NA

Brunei
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 92.7%
  male: 95.2%
  female: 90.2% (2001 census)

Bulgaria
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98.2%
  male: 98.7%
  female: 97.7% (2001 census)

Burkina Faso
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 21.8%
  male: 29.4%
  female: 15.2% (2003 est.)

Burma
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 89.9%
  male: 93.9%
  female: 86.4% (2006 est.)

Burundi
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 59.3%
  male: 67.3%
  female: 52.2% (2000 est.)

Cambodia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 73.6%
  male: 84.7%
  female: 64.1% (2004 est.)

Cameroon
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 67.9%
  male: 77%
  female: 59.8% (2001 est.)

Canada
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99%
  male: 99%
  female: 99% (2003 est.)

Cape Verde
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 76.6%
  male: 85.8%
  female: 69.2% (2003 est.)

Cayman Islands
  definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
  total population: 98%
  male: 98%
  female: 98% (1970 est.)

Central African Republic
  definition: age 15 and over can read and
  write
  total population: 48.6%
  male: 64.8%
  female: 33.5% (2000 est.)

Chad
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write French or Arabic
  total population: 25.7%
  male: 40.8%
  female: 12.8% (2000 est.)

Chile
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 95.7%
  male: 95.8%
  female: 95.6% (2002 census)

China
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 90.9%
  male: 95.1%
  female: 86.5% (2000 census)

Christmas Island
  NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  NA

Colombia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 90.4%
  male: 90.1%
  female: 90.7% (2005 census)

Comoros
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 56.5%
  male: 63.6%
  female: 49.3% (2003 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  definition: age 15 and over can
  read and write French, Lingala, Kingwana, or Tshiluba
  total population: 67.2%
  male: 80.9%
  female: 54.1% (2001 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 83.8%
  male: 89.6%
  female: 78.4% (2003 est.)

Cook Islands
  definition: NA
  total population: 95%
  male: NA
  female: NA

Costa Rica
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 94.9%
  male: 94.7%
  female: 95.1% (2000 census)

Cote d'Ivoire
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 48.7%
  male: 60.8%
  female: 38.6% (2000 est.)

Croatia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98.1%
  male: 99.3%
  female: 97.1% (2001 census)

Cuba
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.8%
  male: 99.8%
  female: 99.8% (2002 census)

Cyprus
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 97.6%
  male: 98.9%
  female: 96.3% (2001 census)

Czech Republic
  definition: NA
  total population: 99%
  male: 99%
  female: 99% (2003 est.)

Denmark
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99%
  male: 99%
  female: 99% (2003 est.)

Djibouti
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 67.9%
  male: 78%
  female: 58.4% (2003 est.)

Dominica
  definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
  total population: 94%
  male: 94%
  female: 94% (2003 est.)

Dominican Republic
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 87%
  male: 86.8%
  female: 87.2% (2002 census)

Ecuador
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 91%
  male: 92.3%
  female: 89.7% (2001 census)

Egypt
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 71.4%
  male: 83%
  female: 59.4% (2005 est.)

El Salvador
  definition: age 10 and over can read and write
  total population: 80.2%
  male: 82.8%
  female: 77.7% (2003 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 87%
  male: 93.4%
  female: 80.5% (2000 est.)

Eritrea
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 58.6%
  male: 69.9%
  female: 47.6% (2003 est.)

Estonia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.8%
  male: 99.8%
  female: 99.8% (2000 census)

Ethiopia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 42.7%
  male: 50.3%
  female: 35.1% (2003 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  NA

Faroe Islands
  NA; note - probably 99%, the same as Denmark proper

Fiji
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 93.7%
  male: 95.5%
  female: 91.9% (2003 est.)

Finland
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 100%
  male: 100%
  female: 100% (2000 est.)

France
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99%
  male: 99%
  female: 99% (2003 est.)

French Polynesia
  definition: age 14 and over can read and write
  total population: 98%
  male: 98%
  female: 98% (1977 est.)

Gabon
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 63.2%
  male: 73.7%
  female: 53.3% (1995 est.)

Gambia, The
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 40.1%
  male: 47.8%
  female: 32.8% (2003 est.)

Gaza Strip
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 92.4%
  male: 96.7%
  female: 88% (2004 est.)

Georgia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 100%
  male: 100%
  female: 100% (2004 est.)

Germany
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99%
  male: 99%
  female: 99% (2003 est.)

Ghana
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 57.9%
  male: 66.4%
  female: 49.8% (2000 census)

Gibraltar
  definition: NA
  total population: above 80%
  male: NA
  female: NA

Greece
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 96%
  male: 97.8%
  female: 94.2% (2001 census)

Greenland
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 100%
  male: 100%
  female: 100% (2001 est.)

Grenada
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 96%
  male: NA
  female: NA (2003 est.)

Guam
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99%
  male: 99%
  female: 99% (1990 est.)

Guatemala
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 69.1%
  male: 75.4%
  female: 63.3% (2002 census)

Guernsey
  NA

Guinea
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 29.5%
  male: 42.6%
  female: 18.1% (2003 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 42.4%
  male: 58.1%
  female: 27.4% (2003 est.)

Guyana
  definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
  total population: 98.8%
  male: 99.1%
  female: 98.5% (2003 est.)

Haiti
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 52.9%
  male: 54.8%
  female: 51.2% (2003 est.)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  definition: NA
  total population: 100%
  male: 100%
  female: 100%

Honduras
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 80%
  male: 79.8%
  female: 80.2% (2001 census)

Hong Kong
  definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
  total population: 93.5%
  male: 96.9%
  female: 89.6% (2002)

Hungary
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.4%
  male: 99.5%
  female: 99.3% (2003 est.)

Iceland
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99%
  male: 99%
  female: 99% (2003 est.)

India
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 61%
  male: 73.4%
  female: 47.8% (2001 census)

Indonesia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 90.4%
  male: 94%
  female: 86.8% (2004 est.)

Iran
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 77%
  male: 83.5%
  female: 70.4% (2002 est.)

Iraq
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 74.1%
  male: 84.1%
  female: 64.2% (2000 est.)

Ireland
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99%
  male: 99%
  female: 99% (2003 est.)

Isle of Man
  NA

Israel
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 97.1%
  male: 98.5%
  female: 95.9% (2004 est.)

Italy
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98.4%
  male: 98.8%
  female: 98% (2001 census)

Jamaica
  definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
  total population: 87.9%
  male: 84.1%
  female: 91.6% (2003 est.)

Japan
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99%
  male: 99%
  female: 99% (2002)

Jersey
  NA

Jordan
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 89.9%
  male: 95.1%
  female: 84.7% (2003 est.)

Kazakhstan
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.5%
  male: 99.8%
  female: 99.3% (1999 est.)

Kenya
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 85.1%
  male: 90.6%
  female: 79.7% (2003 est.)

Kiribati
  NA

Korea, North
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99%
  male: 99%
  female: 99%

Korea, South
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 97.9%
  male: 99.2%
  female: 96.6% (2002)

Kosovo
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 91.9%
  male: 96.6%
  female: 87.5% (2007 Census)

Kuwait
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 93.3%
  male: 94.4%
  female: 91% (2005 census)

Kyrgyzstan
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98.7%
  male: 99.3%
  female: 98.1% (1999 census)

Laos
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 68.7%
  male: 77%
  female: 60.9% (2001 est.)

Latvia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.7%
  male: 99.8%
  female: 99.7% (2000 census)

Lebanon
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 87.4%
  male: 93.1%
  female: 82.2% (2003 est.)

Lesotho
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 84.8%
  male: 74.5%
  female: 94.5% (2003 est.)

Liberia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 57.5%
  male: 73.3%
  female: 41.6% (2003 est.)

Libya
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 82.6%
  male: 92.4%
  female: 72% (2003 est.)

Liechtenstein
  definition: age 10 and over can read and write
  total population: 100%
  male: 100%
  female: 100%

Lithuania
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.6%
  male: 99.6%
  female: 99.6% (2001 census)

Luxembourg
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 100%
  male: 100%
  female: 100% (2000 est.)

Macau
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 91.3%
  male: 95.3%
  female: 87.8% (2001 census)

Macedonia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 96.1%
  male: 98.2%
  female: 94.1% (2002 census)

Madagascar
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 68.9%
  male: 75.5%
  female: 62.5% (2003 est.)

Malawi
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 62.7%
  male: 76.1%
  female: 49.8% (2003 est.)

Malaysia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 88.7%
  male: 92%
  female: 85.4% (2000 census)

Maldives
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 96.3%
  male: 96.2%
  female: 96.4% (2000 census)

Mali
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 46.4%
  male: 53.5%
  female: 39.6% (2003 est.)

Malta
  definition: age 10 and over can read and write
  total population: 92.8%
  male: 92%
  female: 93.6% (2003 est.)

Marshall Islands
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 93.7%
  male: 93.6%
  female: 93.7% (1999)

Mauritania
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 51.2%
  male: 59.5%
  female: 43.4% (2000 census)

Mauritius
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 84.4%
  male: 88.4%
  female: 80.5% (2000 census)

Mayotte
  NA

Mexico
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 91%
  male: 92.4%
  female: 89.6% (2004 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  definition: age 15 and over can read
  and write
  total population: 89%
  male: 91%
  female: 88% (1980 est.)

Moldova
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.1%
  male: 99.7%
  female: 98.6% (2005 est.)

Monaco
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99%
  male: 99%
  female: 99% (2003 est.)

Mongolia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 97.8%
  male: 98%
  female: 97.5% (2000 census)

Montserrat
  definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
  total population: 97%
  male: 97%
  female: 97% (1970 est.)

Morocco
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 52.3%
  male: 65.7%
  female: 39.6% (2004 census)

Mozambique
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 47.8%
  male: 63.5%
  female: 32.7% (2003 est.)

Namibia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 85%
  male: 86.8%
  female: 83.5% (2001 census)

Nauru
  NA

Nepal
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 48.6%
  male: 62.7%
  female: 34.9% (2001 census)

Netherlands
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99%
  male: 99%
  female: 99% (2003 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 96.7%
  male: 96.7%
  female: 96.8% (2003 est.)

New Caledonia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 96.2%
  male: 96.8%
  female: 95.5% (1996 census)

New Zealand
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99%
  male: 99%
  female: 99% (2003 est.)

Nicaragua
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 67.5%
  male: 67.2%
  female: 67.8% (2003 est.)

Niger
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 28.7%
  male: 42.9%
  female: 15.1% (2005 est.)

Nigeria
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 68%
  male: 75.7%
  female: 60.6% (2003 est.)

Niue
  definition: NA
  total population: 95%
  male: NA
  female: NA

Norfolk Island
  NA

Northern Mariana Islands
  definition: age 15 and over can read and
  write
  total population: 97%
  male: 97%
  female: 96% (1980 est.)

Norway
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 100%
  male: 100%
  female: 100%

Oman
  definition: NA
  total population: 81.4%
  male: 86.8%
  female: 73.5% (2003 census)

Pakistan
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 49.9%
  male: 63%
  female: 36% (2005 est.)

Palau
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 92%
  male: 93%
  female: 90% (1980 est.)

Panama
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 91.9%
  male: 92.5%
  female: 91.2% (2000 census)

Papua New Guinea
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 57.3%
  male: 63.4%
  female: 50.9% (2000 census)

Paraguay
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 94%
  male: 94.9%
  female: 93% (2003 est.)

Peru
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 92.9%
  male: 96.4%
  female: 89.4% (2007 Census)

Philippines
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 92.6%
  male: 92.5%
  female: 92.7% (2000 census)

Pitcairn Islands
  NA

Poland
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.8%
  male: 99.8%
  female: 99.7% (2003 est.)

Portugal
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 93.3%
  male: 95.5%
  female: 91.3% (2003 est.)

Puerto Rico
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 94.1%
  male: 93.9%
  female: 94.4% (2002 est.)

Qatar
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 89%
  male: 89.1%
  female: 88.6% (2004 census)

Romania
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 97.3%
  male: 98.4%
  female: 96.3% (2002 census)

Russia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.4%
  male: 99.7%
  female: 99.2% (2002 census)

Rwanda
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 70.4%
  male: 76.3%
  female: 64.7% (2003 est.)

Saint Helena
  definition: age 20 and over can read and write
  total population: 97%
  male: 97%
  female: 98% (1987 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  definition: age 15 and over has ever attended
  school
  total population: 97.8%
  male: NA
  female: NA (2003 est.)

Saint Lucia
  definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
  total population: 90.1%
  male: 89.5%
  female: 90.6% (2001 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  definition: age 15 and over can read and
  write
  total population: 99%
  male: 99%
  female: 99% (1982 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  definition: age 15 and over has
  ever attended school
  total population: 96%
  male: 96%
  female: 96% (1970 est.)

Samoa
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.7%
  male: 99.6%
  female: 99.7% (2003 est.)

San Marino
  definition: age 10 and over can read and write
  total population: 96%
  male: 97%
  female: 95%

Sao Tome and Principe
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 84.9%
  male: 92.2%
  female: 77.9% (2001 census)

Saudi Arabia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 78.8%
  male: 84.7%
  female: 70.8% (2003 est.)

Senegal
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 39.3%
  male: 51.1%
  female: 29.2% (2002 est.)

Serbia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 96.4%
  male: 98.9%
  female: 94.1% (2003 census)
  note: includes Montenegro

Seychelles
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 91.8%
  male: 91.4%
  female: 92.3% (2002 census)

Sierra Leone
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write English,
  Mende, Temne, or Arabic
  total population: 35.1%
  male: 46.9%
  female: 24.4% (2004 est.)

Singapore
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 92.5%
  male: 96.6%
  female: 88.6% (2000 census)

Slovakia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.6%
  male: 99.7%
  female: 99.6% (2004)

Slovenia
  definition: NA
  total population: 99.7%
  male: 99.7%
  female: 99.6%

Solomon Islands
  NA

Somalia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 37.8%
  male: 49.7%
  female: 25.8% (2001 est.)

South Africa
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 86.4%
  male: 87%
  female: 85.7% (2003 est.)

Spain
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 97.9%
  male: 98.7%
  female: 97.2% (2003 est.)

Sri Lanka
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 90.7%
  male: 92.3%
  female: 89.1% (2001 census)

Sudan
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 61.1%
  male: 71.8%
  female: 50.5% (2003 est.)

Suriname
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 89.6%
  male: 92%
  female: 87.2% (2004 census)

Svalbard
  NA

Swaziland
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 81.6%
  male: 82.6%
  female: 80.8% (2003 est.)

Sweden
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99%
  male: 99%
  female: 99% (2003 est.)

Switzerland
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99%
  male: 99%
  female: 99% (2003 est.)

Syria
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 79.6%
  male: 86%
  female: 73.6% (2004 census)

Taiwan
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 96.1%
  male: NA
  female: NA (2003)

Tajikistan
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.5%
  male: 99.7%
  female: 99.2% (2000 census)

Tanzania
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write Kiswahili
  (Swahili), English, or Arabic
  total population: 69.4%
  male: 77.5%
  female: 62.2% (2002 census)

Thailand
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 92.6%
  male: 94.9%
  female: 90.5% (2000 census)

Timor-Leste
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 58.6%
  male: NA
  female: NA (2002)

Togo
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 60.9%
  male: 75.4%
  female: 46.9% (2003 est.)

Tokelau
  NA

Tonga
  definition: can read and write Tongan and/or English
  total population: 98.9%
  male: 98.8%
  female: 99% (1999 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98.6%
  male: 99.1%
  female: 98% (2003 est.)

Tunisia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 74.3%
  male: 83.4%
  female: 65.3% (2004 census)

Turkey
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 87.4%
  male: 95.3%
  female: 79.6% (2004 est.)

Turkmenistan
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98.8%
  male: 99.3%
  female: 98.3% (1999 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  definition: age 15 and over has ever
  attended school
  total population: 98%
  male: 99%
  female: 98% (1970 est.)

Tuvalu
  NA

Uganda
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 66.8%
  male: 76.8%
  female: 57.7% (2002 census)

Ukraine
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.4%
  male: 99.7%
  female: 99.2% (2001 census)

United Arab Emirates
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 77.9%
  male: 76.1%
  female: 81.7% (2003 est.)

United Kingdom
  definition: age 15 and over has completed five or
  more years of schooling
  total population: 99%
  male: 99%
  female: 99% (2003 est.)

United States
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99%
  male: 99%
  female: 99% (2003 est.)

Uruguay
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98%
  male: 97.6%
  female: 98.4% (2003 est.)

Uzbekistan
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.3%
  male: 99.6%
  female: 99% (2003 est.)

Vanuatu
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 74%
  male: NA
  female: NA (1999 census)

Venezuela
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 93%
  male: 93.3%
  female: 92.7% (2001 census)

Vietnam
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 90.3%
  male: 93.9%
  female: 86.9% (2002 est.)

Virgin Islands
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 90-95% est.
  male: NA
  female: NA (2005 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 50%
  male: 50%
  female: 50% (1969 est.)

West Bank
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 92.4%
  male: 96.7%
  female: 88% (2004 est.)

Western Sahara
  NA

World
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 82%
  male: 87%
  female: 77%
  note: over two-thirds of the world's 785 million illiterate adults
  are found in only eight countries (Bangladesh, China, Egypt,
  Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, and Pakistan); of all the
  illiterate adults in the world, two-thirds are women; extremely low
  literacy rates are concentrated in three regions, the Arab states,
  South and West Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa, where around one-third
  of the men and half of all women are illiterate (2005 est.)

Yemen
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 50.2%
  male: 70.5%
  female: 30% (2003 est.)

Zambia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write English
  total population: 80.6%
  male: 86.8%
  female: 74.8% (2003 est.)

Zimbabwe
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write English
  total population: 90.7%
  male: 94.2%
  female: 87.2% (2003 est.)

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

@2105

Field Listing :: Manpower available for military service

This entry gives the number of males and females falling in the military age range for a country (defined as being ages 16-49) and assumes that every individual is fit to serve. Country

Manpower available for military service

Afghanistan
  males age 16-49: 7,431,147
  females age 16-49: 7,004,819 (2008 est.)

Albania
  males age 16-49: 944,592
  females age 16-49: 908,527 (2008 est.)

Algeria
  males age 16-49: 9,736,757
  females age 16-49: 9,590,978 (2008 est.)

Andorra
  males age 16-49: 18,685 (2008 est.)

Angola
  males age 16-49: 2,856,492
  females age 16-49: 2,755,864 (2008 est.)

Anguilla
  males age 16-49: 3,538 (2008 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  males age 16-49: 19,560
  females age 16-49: 18,977 (2008 est.)

Argentina
  males age 16-49: 10,029,488
  females age 16-49: 9,889,002 (2008 est.)

Armenia
  males age 16-49: 809,576
  females age 16-49: 870,864 (2008 est.)

Aruba
  males age 16-49: 24,585
  females age 16-49: 25,742 (2008 est.)

Australia
  males age 16-49: 4,999,988
  females age 16-49: 4,870,043 (2008 est.)

Austria
  males age 16-49: 1,986,411
  females age 16-49: 1,944,834 (2008 est.)

Azerbaijan
  males age 16-49: 2,278,888
  females age 16-49: 2,291,770 (2008 est.)

Bahamas, The
  males age 16-49: 80,200 (2008 est.)

Bahrain
  males age 16-49: 210,938
  females age 16-49: 170,471 (2008 est.)

Bangladesh
  males age 16-49: 41,199,340 (2008 est.)

Barbados
  males age 16-49: 75,265
  females age 16-49: 75,389 (2008 est.)

Belarus
  males age 16-49: 2,491,643
  females age 16-49: 2,528,779 (2008 est.)

Belgium
  males age 16-49: 2,407,128
  females age 16-49: 2,340,039 (2008 est.)

Belize
  males age 16-49: 74,605
  females age 16-49: 72,926 (2008 est.)

Benin
  males age 16-49: 1,908,457
  females age 16-49: 1,882,421 (2008 est.)

Bermuda
  males age 16-49: 15,623 (2008 est.)

Bhutan
  males age 16-49: 190,104
  females age 16-49: 167,289 (2008 est.)

Bolivia
  males age 16-49: 2,295,746
  females age 16-49: 2,366,828 (2008 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  males age 16-49: 1,212,007
  females age 16-49: 1,170,645 (2008 est.)

Botswana
  males age 16-49: 487,853
  females age 16-49: 464,278 (2008 est.)

Brazil
  males age 16-49: 52,449,957
  females age 16-49: 52,375,921 (2008 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  males age 16-49: 7,101 (2008 est.)

Brunei
  males age 16-49: 108,356
  females age 16-49: 110,153 (2008 est.)

Bulgaria
  males age 16-49: 1,701,979
  females age 16-49: 1,691,092 (2008 est.)

Burkina Faso
  males age 16-49: 3,364,288 (2008 est.)

Burma
  males age 16-49: 13,402,788
  females age 16-49: 13,437,042 (2008 est.)

Burundi
  males age 16-49: 1,878,544
  females age 16-49: 1,851,676 (2008 est.)

Cambodia
  males age 16-49: 3,759,034
  females age 16-49: 3,784,333 (2008 est.)

Cameroon
  males age 16-49: 4,321,175
  females age 16-49: 4,228,625 (2008 est.)

Canada
  males age 16-49: 8,072,010
  females age 16-49: 7,813,462 (2008 est.)

Cape Verde
  males age 16-49: 103,650
  females age 16-49: 103,553 (2008 est.)

Cayman Islands
  males age 16-49: 11,790 (2008 est.)

Central African Republic
  males age 16-49: 1,032,828
  females age 16-49: 999,330 (2008 est.)

Chad
  males age 16-49: 1,906,545
  females age 16-49: 2,258,758 (2008 est.)

Chile
  males age 16-49: 4,242,912
  females age 16-49: 4,182,509 (2008 est.)

China
  males age 16-49: 375,009,345
  females age 16-49: 354,314,328 (2008 est.)

Colombia
  males age 16-49: 11,478,109
  females age 16-49: 11,809,279 (2008 est.)

Comoros
  males age 16-49: 167,850
  females age 16-49: 167,362 (2008 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  males age 16-49: 14,101,263 (2008
  est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  males age 16-49: 842,771
  females age 16-49: 833,624 (2008 est.)

Costa Rica
  males age 16-49: 1,134,205
  females age 16-49: 1,095,763 (2008 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  males age 16-49: 4,369,735
  females age 16-49: 4,287,042 (2008 est.)

Croatia
  males age 16-49: 1,035,712
  females age 16-49: 1,037,896 (2008 est.)

Cuba
  males age 16-49: 3,094,388
  females age 16-49: 3,024,876 (2008 est.)

Cyprus
  Greek Cypriot National Guard (GCNG):
  males age 16-49: 199,767
  females age 16-49: 190,665 (2008 est.)

Czech Republic
  males age 16-49: 2,522,383
  females age 16-49: 2,425,095 (2008 est.)

Denmark
  males age 16-49: 1,235,067
  females age 16-49: 1,215,418 (2008 est.)

Djibouti
  males age 16-49: 111,274
  females age 16-49: 105,168 (2008 est.)

Dominica
  males age 16-49: 18,584 (2008 est.)

Dominican Republic
  males age 16-49: 2,440,203
  females age 16-49: 2,326,694 (2008 est.)

Ecuador
  males age 16-49: 3,536,602
  females age 16-49: 3,559,188 (2008 est.)

Egypt
  males age 16-49: 21,247,777
  females age 16-49: 20,406,408 (2008 est.)

El Salvador
  males age 16-49: 1,634,816
  females age 16-49: 1,775,474 (2008 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  males age 16-49: 136,725
  females age 16-49: 138,018 (2008 est.)

Eritrea
  males age 16-49: 1,108,836
  females age 16-49: 1,096,120 (2008 est.)

Estonia
  males age 16-49: 306,273
  females age 16-49: 317,852 (2008 est.)

Ethiopia
  males age 16-49: 17,666,967
  females age 16-49: 17,530,211 (2008 est.)

Faroe Islands
  males age 16-49: 11,725 (2008 est.)

Fiji
  males age 16-49: 242,567
  females age 16-49: 238,556 (2008 est.)

Finland
  males age 16-49: 1,169,910
  females age 16-49: 1,121,187 (2008 est.)

France
  males age 16-49: 14,646,427
  females age 16-49: 14,379,630 (2008 est.)

French Polynesia
  males age 16-49: 79,540 (2008 est.)

Gabon
  males age 16-49: 331,181
  females age 16-49: 332,498 (2008 est.)

Gambia, The
  males age 16-49: 379,668
  females age 16-49: 384,438 (2008 est.)

Gaza Strip
  males age 16-49: 337,670 (2008 est.)

Georgia
  males age 16-49: 1,113,251
  females age 16-49: 1,168,021 (2008 est.)

Germany
  males age 16-49: 19,594,118
  females age 16-49: 18,543,955 (2008 est.)

Ghana
  males age 16-49: 5,802,096
  females age 16-49: 5,729,939 (2008 est.)

Gibraltar
  males age 16-49: 6,308 (2008 est.)

Greece
  males age 16-49: 2,535,174
  females age 16-49: 2,517,273 (2008 est.)

Greenland
  males age 16-49: 15,221 (2008 est.)

Grenada
  males age 16-49: 27,309 (2008 est.)

Guatemala
  males age 16-49: 2,861,696
  females age 16-49: 3,062,967 (2008 est.)

Guinea
  males age 16-49: 2,230,049
  females age 16-49: 2,193,236 (2008 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  males age 16-49: 344,087
  females age 16-49: 347,886 (2008 est.)

Guyana
  males age 16-49: 220,797 (2008 est.)

Haiti
  males age 16-49: 2,047,083
  females age 16-49: 2,047,953 (2008 est.)

Honduras
  males age 16-49: 1,868,940
  females age 16-49: 1,825,770 (2008 est.)

Hong Kong
  males age 16-49: 1,772,820
  females age 16-49: 1,941,448 (2008 est.)

Hungary
  males age 16-49: 2,391,400
  females age 16-49: 2,337,240 (2008 est.)

Iceland
  males age 16-49: 74,896 (2008 est.)

India
  males age 16-49: 301,094,084
  females age 16-49: 283,047,141 (2008 est.)

Indonesia
  males age 16-49: 63,800,825
  females age 16-49: 61,729,717 (2008 est.)

Iran
  males age 16-49: 20,212,275
  females age 16-49: 19,638,751 (2008 est.)

Iraq
  males age 16-49: 7,086,200
  females age 16-49: 6,808,954 (2008 est.)

Ireland
  males age 16-49: 1,024,635
  females age 16-49: 1,024,276 (2008 est.)

Israel
  males age 16-49: 1,717,362
  females age 16-49: 1,636,574 (2008 est.)

Italy
  males age 16-49: 13,884,079
  females age 16-49: 13,158,378 (2008 est.)

Jamaica
  males age 16-49: 688,480
  females age 16-49: 709,548 (2008 est.)

Japan
  males age 16-49: 27,819,804
  females age 16-49: 26,863,794 (2008 est.)

Jordan
  males age 16-49: 1,812,551
  females age 16-49: 1,559,155 (2008 est.)

Kazakhstan
  males age 16-49: 4,176,731
  females age 16-49: 4,219,636 (2008 est.)

Kenya
  males age 16-49: 9,044,685
  females age 16-49: 8,805,736 (2008 est.)

Kiribati
  males age 16-49: 26,377 (2008 est.)

Korea, North
  males age 16-49: 6,225,747
  females age 16-49: 6,188,270 (2008 est.)

Korea, South
  males age 16-49: 13,691,809
  females age 16-49: 13,029,859 (2008 est.)

Kuwait
  males age 16-49: 1,032,408
  females age 16-49: 568,657 (2008 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  males age 16-49: 1,398,878
  females age 16-49: 1,419,374 (2008 est.)

Laos
  males age 16-49: 1,549,774
  females age 16-49: 1,570,702 (2008 est.)

Latvia
  males age 16-49: 568,683
  females age 16-49: 565,826 (2008 est.)

Lebanon
  males age 16-49: 1,106,879
  females age 16-49: 1,122,595 (2008 est.)

Lesotho
  males age 16-49: 525,203
  females age 16-49: 522,485 (2008 est.)

Liberia
  males age 16-49: 729,813
  females age 16-49: 741,223 (2008 est.)

Libya
  males age 16-49: 1,682,183
  females age 16-49: 1,611,001 (2008 est.)

Liechtenstein
  males age 16-49: 8,102 (2008 est.)

Lithuania
  males age 16-49: 915,187
  females age 16-49: 906,097 (2008 est.)

Luxembourg
  males age 16-49: 116,305
  females age 16-49: 114,566 (2008 est.)

Macau
  males age 16-49: 121,825 (2008 est.)

Macedonia
  males age 16-49: 532,856
  females age 16-49: 513,684 (2008 est.)

Madagascar
  males age 16-49: 4,443,341
  females age 16-49: 4,441,124 (2008 est.)

Malawi
  males age 16-49: 3,050,444 (2008 est.)

Malaysia
  males age 16-49: 6,440,338
  females age 16-49: 6,280,826 (2008 est.)

Maldives
  males age 16-49: 89,505
  females age 16-49: 85,745 (2008 est.)

Mali
  males age 16-49: 2,603,700
  females age 16-49: 2,441,776 (2008 est.)

Malta
  males age 16-49: 96,309
  females age 16-49: 92,242 (2008 est.)

Marshall Islands
  males age 16-49: 15,708 (2008 est.)

Mauritania males age 16-49: 740,675 females age 16-49: 744,709 (2008 est.)

Mauritius
  males age 16-49: 341,018 (2008 est.)

Mexico
  males age 16-49: 27,774,688
  females age 16-49: 29,376,791 (2008 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  males age 16-49: 26,686 (2008 est.)

Moldova
  males age 16-49: 1,161,924
  females age 16-49: 1,187,771 (2008 est.)

Monaco
  males age 16-49: 6,687 (2008 est.)

Mongolia
  males age 16-49: 865,425
  females age 16-49: 860,669 (2008 est.)

Montserrat
  males age 16-49: 2,528 (2008 est.)

Morocco
  males age 16-49: 9,152,580
  females age 16-49: 9,080,830 (2008 est.)

Mozambique
  males age 16-49: 4,545,975 (2008 est.)

Namibia
  males age 16-49: 527,948 (2008 est.)

Nauru
  males age 16-49: 3,470 (2008 est.)

Nepal
  males age 16-49: 7,322,965
  females age 16-49: 6,859,064 (2008 est.)

Netherlands
  males age 16-49: 3,950,825
  females age 16-49: 3,850,800 (2008 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  males age 16-49: 55,365
  females age 16-49: 57,060 (2008 est.)

New Caledonia
  males age 16-49: 57,738 (2008 est.)

New Zealand
  males age 16-49: 1,009,298
  females age 16-49: 997,134 (2008 est.)

Nicaragua
  males age 16-49: 1,513,312
  females age 16-49: 1,507,999 (2008 est.)

Niger
  males age 16-49: 2,871,868
  females age 16-49: 2,696,966 (2008 est.)

Nigeria
  males age 16-49: 31,929,204
  females age 16-49: 30,638,979 (2008 est.)

Norway
  males age 16-49: 1,078,181
  females age 16-49: 1,046,550 (2008 est.)

Oman
  males age 16-49: 802,455
  females age 16-49: 626,841 (2008 est.)

Pakistan
  males age 16-49: 42,633,765
  females age 16-49: 40,114,017 (2008 est.)

Palau
  males age 16-49: 5,973 (2008 est.)

Panama
  males age 16-49: 851,044 (2008 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  males age 16-49: 1,481,417
  females age 16-49: 1,385,040 (2008 est.)

Paraguay
  males age 16-49: 1,589,873
  females age 16-49: 1,585,573 (2008 est.)

Peru
  males age 16-49: 7,653,898
  females age 16-49: 7,531,329 (2008 est.)

Philippines
  males age 16-49: 23,547,252
  females age 16-49: 23,177,487 (2008 est.)

Poland
  males age 16-49: 9,741,508
  females age 16-49: 9,514,843 (2008 est.)

Portugal
  males age 16-49: 2,573,913
  females age 16-49: 2,498,262 (2008 est.)

Qatar
  males age 16-49: 320,383
  females age 16-49: 167,475 (2008 est.)

Romania
  males age 16-49: 5,682,299
  females age 16-49: 5,557,098 (2008 est.)

Russia
  males age 16-49: 36,219,908
  females age 16-49: 37,019,853 (2008 est.)

Rwanda
  males age 16-49: 2,430,469
  females age 16-49: 2,392,933 (2008 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  males age 16-49: 10,095
  females age 16-49: 10,081 (2008 est.)

Saint Lucia
  males age 16-49: 48,358 (2008 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  males age 16-49: 34,373 (2008 est.)

Samoa
  males age 16-49: 53,417 (2008 est.)

San Marino
  males age 16-49: 6,613 (2008 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  males age 16-49: 42,340
  females age 16-49: 43,781 (2008 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  males age 16-49: 8,547,441
  females age 16-49: 6,381,098 (2008 est.)

Senegal
  males age 16-49: 2,943,619
  females age 16-49: 2,955,179 (2008 est.)

Seychelles
  males age 16-49: 23,598
  females age 16-49: 24,424 (2008 est.)

Sierra Leone
  males age 16-49: 1,315,561 (2008 est.)

Singapore
  males age 16-49: 1,277,862 (2008 est.)

Slovakia
  males age 16-49: 1,420,966
  females age 16-49: 1,386,259 (2008 est.)

Slovenia
  males age 16-49: 494,496
  females age 16-49: 481,180 (2008 est.)

Solomon Islands
  males age 16-49: 141,051 (2008 est.)

Somalia
  males age 16-49: 2,181,050
  females age 16-49: 2,125,558 (2008 est.)

South Africa
  males age 16-49: 11,622,507
  females age 16-49: 11,501,537 (2008 est.)

Spain
  males age 16-49: 10,033,069
  females age 16-49: 9,764,937 (2008 est.)

Sri Lanka
  males age 16-49: 5,458,720
  females age 16-49: 5,594,006 (2008 est.)

Sudan
  males age 16-49: 9,639,923
  females age 16-49: 9,321,106 (2008 est.)

Suriname
  males age 16-49: 130,534
  females age 16-49: 130,243 (2008 est.)

Swaziland
  males age 16-49: 266,311 (2008 est.)

Sweden
  males age 16-49: 2,052,890
  females age 16-49: 1,980,550 (2008 est.)

Switzerland
  males age 16-49: 1,852,580
  females age 16-49: 1,807,667 (2008 est.)

Syria
  males age 16-49: 5,251,875
  females age 16-49: 4,966,367 (2008 est.)

Taiwan
  males age 16-49: 6,283,134
  females age 16-49: 6,098,599 (2008 est.)

Tajikistan
  males age 16-49: 1,897,356
  females age 16-49: 1,911,594 (2008 est.)

Tanzania
  males age 16-49: 9,108,177 (2008 est.)

Thailand
  males age 16-49: 17,553,410
  females age 16-49: 17,751,268 (2008 est.)

Timor-Leste
  males age 16-49: 284,903
  females age 16-49: 272,212 (2008 est.)

Togo
  males age 16-49: 1,365,505
  females age 16-49: 1,374,993 (2008 est.)

Tonga
  males age 16-49: 32,053
  females age 16-49: 30,981 (2008 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  males age 16-49: 301,561
  females age 16-49: 264,225 (2008 est.)

Tunisia
  males age 16-49: 2,992,249
  females age 16-49: 2,912,819 (2008 est.)

Turkey
  males age 16-49: 20,213,205
  females age 16-49: 19,432,688 (2008 est.)

Turkmenistan
  males age 16-49: 1,316,698
  females age 16-49: 1,331,005 (2008 est.)

Uganda
  males age 16-49: 6,532,894
  females age 16-49: 6,352,416 (2008 est.)

Ukraine
  males age 16-49: 11,457,562
  females age 16-49: 11,767,357 (2008 est.)

United Arab Emirates males age 16-49: 2,405,884 (includes non-nationals) females age 16-49: 884,853 (2008 est.)

United Kingdom
  males age 16-49: 14,729,500
  females age 16-49: 14,125,600 (2008 est.)

United States
  males age 16-49: 72,715,332
  females age 16-49: 71,638,785 (2008 est.)

Uruguay
  males age 16-49: 837,252
  females age 16-49: 824,096 (2008 est.)

Uzbekistan
  males age 16-49: 7,480,484
  females age 16-49: 7,542,017 (2008 est.)

Vanuatu
  males age 16-49: 58,900 (2008 est.)

Venezuela
  males age 16-49: 6,647,124
  females age 16-49: 6,801,133 (2008 est.)

Vietnam
  males age 16-49: 24,586,328
  females age 16-49: 24,335,132 (2008 est.)

Yemen
  males age 16-49: 5,080,038
  females age 16-49: 4,852,555 (2008 est.)

Zambia
  males age 16-49: 2,678,668
  females age 16-49: 2,567,433 (2008 est.)

Zimbabwe
  males age 16-49: 3,264,258
  females age 16-49: 3,048,049 (2008 est.)

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

@2106

Field Listing :: Maritime claims

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

Maritime claims

Afghanistan
  none (landlocked)

Albania
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Algeria
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive fishing zone: 32-52 nm

American Samoa
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Andorra
  none (landlocked)

Angola
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Anguilla
  territorial sea: 3 nm
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Antarctica
  Australia, Chile, and Argentina claim Exclusive Economic
  Zone (EEZ) rights or similar over 200 nm extensions seaward from
  their continental claims, but like the claims themselves, these
  zones are not accepted by other countries; 21 of 28 Antarctic
  consultative nations have made no claims to Antarctic territory
  (although Russia and the US have reserved the right to do so) and do
  not recognize the claims of the other nations; also see the Disputes
  - international entry

Antigua and Barbuda
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Argentina
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Armenia
  none (landlocked)

Aruba
  territorial sea: 12 nm

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 12 nm
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Australia
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Austria
  none (landlocked)

Azerbaijan
  none (landlocked)

Bahamas, The
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Bahrain
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  continental shelf: extending to boundaries to be determined

Bangladesh
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 18 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: up to the outer limits of the continental margin

Barbados territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Belarus
  none (landlocked)

Belgium
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: geographic coordinates define outer limit
  continental shelf: median line with neighbors

Belize
  territorial sea: 12 nm in the north, 3 nm in the south; note
  - from the mouth of the Sarstoon River to Ranguana Cay, Belize's
  territorial sea is 3 nm; according to Belize's Maritime Areas Act,
  1992, the purpose of this limitation is to provide a framework for
  negotiating a definitive agreement on territorial differences with
  Guatemala
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Benin
  territorial sea: 200 nm

Bermuda
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Bhutan
  none (landlocked)

Bolivia
  none (landlocked)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  no data available

Botswana
  none (landlocked)

Bouvet Island
  territorial sea: 4 nm

Brazil
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margin

British Indian Ocean Territory
  territorial sea: 3 nm
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

British Virgin Islands
  territorial sea: 3 nm
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Brunei
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm or to median line

Bulgaria
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Burkina Faso
  none (landlocked)

Burma
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Burundi
  none (landlocked)

Cambodia
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm

Cameroon
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm

Canada
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Cape Verde
  measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Cayman Islands territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Central African Republic
  none (landlocked)

Chad
  none (landlocked)

Chile
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200/350 nm

China
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Christmas Island territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Clipperton Island
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Colombia
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Comoros
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: boundaries with neighbors

Congo, Republic of the
  territorial sea: 200 nm

Cook Islands territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Coral Sea Islands territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Costa Rica
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm

Cote d'Ivoire
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm

Croatia
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Cuba
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Cyprus
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Czech Republic
  none (landlocked)

Denmark
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Djibouti
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Dominica
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Dominican Republic
  measured from claimed archipelagic straight
  baselines
  territorial sea: 6 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Ecuador
  territorial sea: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 100 nm from 2,500-m isobath

Egypt
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

El Salvador territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Equatorial Guinea territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Eritrea
  territorial sea: 12 nm

Estonia
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: limits fixed in coordination with
  neighboring states

Ethiopia
  none (landlocked)

European Union
  NA

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Faroe Islands
  territorial sea: 3 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line

Fiji
  measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation;
  rectilinear shelf claim added

Finland
  territorial sea: 12 nm (in the Gulf of Finland - 3 nm)
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm; extends to continental shelf boundary
  with Sweden
  continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

France
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm (does not apply to the Mediterranean)
  continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

French Polynesia
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm from Iles Kerguelen and Iles Eparses
  (does not include the rest of French Southern and Antarctic Lands);
  Juan de Nova Island and Tromelin Island claim a continental shelf of
  200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Gabon
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Gambia, The
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 18 nm
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: extent not specified

Gaza Strip
  Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the
  Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent status to be
  determined through further negotiation

Georgia
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Germany
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Ghana
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm

Gibraltar
  territorial sea: 3 nm

Greece
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Greenland
  territorial sea: 3 nm
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line
  continental shelf: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line

Grenada
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Guam
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Guatemala
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Guernsey
  territorial sea: 3 nm
  exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm

Guinea
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Guinea-Bissau
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Guyana
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or to the outer edge of the continental
  margin

Haiti
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: to depth of exploitation

Heard Island and McDonald Islands territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Holy See (Vatican City)
  none (landlocked)

Honduras
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: natural extension of territory or to 200 nm

Hong Kong
  territorial sea: 3 nm

Hungary
  none (landlocked)

Iceland
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

India
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Indonesia
  measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Iran
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: bilateral agreements or median lines in the
  Persian Gulf
  continental shelf: natural prolongation

Iraq
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  continental shelf: not specified

Ireland
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Isle of Man
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm

Israel
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  continental shelf: to depth of exploitation

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

Jamaica
  measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margin

Jan Mayen
  territorial sea: 4 nm
  contiguous zone: 10 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Japan
  territorial sea: 12 nm; between 3 nm and 12 nm in the
  international straits - La Perouse or Soya, Tsugaru, Osumi, and
  Eastern and Western Channels of the Korea or Tsushima Strait
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Jersey
  territorial sea: 3 nm
  exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm

Jordan
  territorial sea: 3 nm

Kazakhstan
  none (landlocked)

Kenya
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Kiribati
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Korea, North
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  note: military boundary line 50 nm in the Sea of Japan and the
  exclusive economic zone limit in the Yellow Sea where all foreign
  vessels and aircraft without permission are banned

Korea, South
  territorial sea: 12 nm; between 3 nm and 12 nm in the
  Korea Strait
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: not specified

Kosovo
  none (landlocked)

Kuwait
  territorial sea: 12 nm

Kyrgyzstan
  none (landlocked)

Laos
  none (landlocked)

Latvia
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Lebanon
  territorial sea: 12 nm

Lesotho
  none (landlocked)

Liberia
  territorial sea: 200 nm

Libya
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  note: Gulf of Sidra closing line - 32 degrees, 30 minutes north
  exclusive fishing zone: 62 nm

Liechtenstein
  none (landlocked)

Lithuania
  territorial sea: 12 nm

Luxembourg
  none (landlocked)

Macau
  not specified

Macedonia
  none (landlocked)

Madagascar
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or 100 nm from the 2,500-m isobath

Malawi
  none (landlocked)

Malaysia
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation;
  specified boundary in the South China Sea

Maldives
  measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Mali
  none (landlocked)

Malta
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation
  exclusive fishing zone: 25 nm

Marshall Islands
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Mauritania
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Mauritius
  measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Mayotte
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Mexico
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Micronesia, Federated States of territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Moldova
  none (landlocked)

Monaco
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 12 nm

Mongolia
  none (landlocked)

Montenegro
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  continental shelf: defined by treaty

Montserrat
  territorial sea: 3 nm
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Morocco
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Mozambique
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Namibia
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Nauru
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Navassa Island territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Nepal none (landlocked)

Netherlands territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Netherlands Antilles
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm

New Caledonia
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

New Zealand
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Nicaragua
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  continental shelf: natural prolongation

Niger
  none (landlocked)

Nigeria
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Niue
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Norfolk Island
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Northern Mariana Islands
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Norway
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 10 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm

Oman
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Pakistan
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Palau
  territorial sea: 3 nm
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Panama
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm or edge of continental margin

Papua New Guinea
  measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Paracel Islands
  NA

Paraguay
  none (landlocked)

Peru
  territorial sea: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm

Philippines
  territorial sea: irregular polygon extending up to 100
  nm from coastline as defined by 1898 treaty; since late 1970s has
  also claimed polygonal-shaped area in South China Sea up to 285 nm
  in breadth
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: to depth of exploitation

Pitcairn Islands
  territorial sea: 3 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Poland
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: defined by international treaties

Portugal
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Puerto Rico
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Qatar
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: as determined by bilateral agreements or
  the median line

Romania
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Russia
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Rwanda
  none (landlocked)

Saint Helena territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Saint Lucia
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Saint Pierre and Miquelon territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm

Samoa
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

San Marino
  none (landlocked)

Sao Tome and Principe
  measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Saudi Arabia
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 18 nm
  continental shelf: not specified

Senegal
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Serbia
  none (landlocked)

Seychelles
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Sierra Leone
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm

Singapore
  territorial sea: 3 nm
  exclusive fishing zone: within and beyond territorial sea, as
  defined in treaties and practice

Slovakia
  none (landlocked)

Slovenia
  territorial sea: 12 nm

Solomon Islands measured from claimed archipelagic baselines territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm

Somalia territorial sea: 200 nm

South Africa territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margin

South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Spain
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm (applies only to the Atlantic Ocean)

Spratly Islands
  NA

Sri Lanka
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Sudan
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 18 nm
  continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Suriname
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Svalbard
  territorial sea: 4 nm
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm unilaterally claimed by Norway but
  not recognized by Russia

Swaziland
  none (landlocked)

Sweden
  territorial sea: 12 nm (adjustments made to return a portion
  of straits to high seas)
  exclusive economic zone: agreed boundaries or midlines
  continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Switzerland
  none (landlocked)

Syria
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm

Taiwan
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Tajikistan
  none (landlocked)

Tanzania
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Thailand
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Timor-Leste
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Togo
  territorial sea: 30 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Tokelau
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Tonga
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Trinidad and Tobago measured from claimed archipelagic baselines territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the outer edge of the continental margin

Tunisia
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 12 nm

Turkey
  territorial sea: 6 nm in the Aegean Sea; 12 nm in Black Sea
  and in Mediterranean Sea
  exclusive economic zone: in Black Sea only: to the maritime boundary
  agreed upon with the former USSR

Turkmenistan
  none (landlocked)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Tuvalu
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Uganda
  none (landlocked)

Ukraine
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 m or to the depth of exploitation

United Arab Emirates
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

United Kingdom
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: as defined in continental shelf orders or in
  accordance with agreed upon boundaries

United States
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: not specified

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Uruguay
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or edge of continental margin

Uzbekistan
  none (doubly landlocked)

Vanuatu
  measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Venezuela
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 15 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Vietnam
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Virgin Islands
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Wake Island
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Wallis and Futuna
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

West Bank
  none (landlocked)

Western Sahara
  contingent upon resolution of sovereignty issue

World
  a variety of situations exist, but in general, most countries
  make the following claims measured from the mean low-tide baseline
  as described in the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea:
  territorial sea - 12 nm, contiguous zone - 24 nm, and exclusive
  economic zone - 200 nm; additional zones provide for exploitation of
  continental shelf resources and an exclusive fishing zone; boundary
  situations with neighboring states prevent many countries from
  extending their fishing or economic zones to a full 200 nm

Yemen
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Zambia
  none (landlocked)

Zimbabwe
  none (landlocked)

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

@2107

Field Listing :: International organization participation

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

International organization participation

Afghanistan
  ADB, CP, ECO, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, IDA,
  IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
  (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner),
  SAARC, SACEP, SCO (guest), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU,
  WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Albania
  BSEC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
  ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
  IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO, OIC, OIF, OPCW,
  OSCE, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCO,
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Algeria
  ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, BIS, FAO, G-15, G-24,
  G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD,
  IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO,
  ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC,
  OPCW, OPEC, OSCE (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
  UNITAR, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

American Samoa
  Interpol (subbureau), IOC, SPC, UPU

Andorra
  CE, FAO, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU,
  OIF, OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, Union Latina, UNWTO, WCO, WHO,
  WIPO, WTO (observer)

Angola
  ACP, AfDB, AU, CPLP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
  (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OAS
  (observer), OPEC, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina,
  UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Anguilla
  Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), OECS, UPU,
  WFTU

Antigua and Barbuda
  ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO
  (subscriber), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Argentina
  AfDB (nonregional members), Australia Group, BCIE, BIS,
  CAN (associate), FAO, G-15, G-20, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA,
  Mercosur, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, NSG, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG,
  SICA (observer), UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO,
  Union Latina (observer), UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Armenia
  ACCT (observer), ADB, BSEC, CE, CIS, CSTO, EAEC (observer),
  EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM,
  IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO,
  ITU, MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS (observer), OIF (associate member),
  OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU,
  WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Aruba
  Caricom (observer), ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITUC, UNESCO
  (associate), UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCL, WFTU, WMO

Australia
  ADB, ANZUS, APEC, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia
  Group, BIS, C, CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO, G-20, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
  ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM (guest),
  NEA, NSG, OECD, OPCW, Paris Club, PCA, PIF, SAARC (observer),
  Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNMIS, UNMIT, UNRWA,
  UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Austria
  ACCT (observer), ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional
  member), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC,
  EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G-9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
  ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest),
  NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, Paris
  Club, PCA, PFP, Schengen Convention, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD,
  UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU,
  WCL, WCO, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Azerbaijan
  ADB, BSEC, CE, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, GCTU, GUAM,
  IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM (observer),
  OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Bahamas, The
  ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
  (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITSO, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL,
  OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU,
  WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Bahrain
  ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt
  (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA,
  NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU,
  WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Bangladesh
  ADB, ARF, BIMSTEC, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
  IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA,
  MINURCAT, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNAMID,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMIT, UNOCI, UNOMIG,
  UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Barbados
  ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
  ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO,
  ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Belarus
  BSEC (observer), CEI, CIS, CSTO, EAEC, EAPC, EBRD, FAO,
  GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMSO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, NSG, OPCW, OSCE,
  PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Belgium
  ACCT, ADB (nonregional members), AfDB (nonregional members),
  Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA,
  EU, FAO, G-9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,
  IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
  IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS
  (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, Schengen
  Convention, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
  UNIFIL, UNMIS, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WADB (nonregional), WCL, WCO, WEU,
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Belize
  ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
  IOM, ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, SICA,
  UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Benin
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA,
  MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional),
  WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Bermuda
  Caricom (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, ITUC, UPU,
  WCO, WFTU

Bhutan
  ADB, BIMSTEC, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IMF,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, NAM,
  OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO,
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Bolivia
  CAN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,
  IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO
  (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA,
  MINURCAT, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN,
  UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNMIS,
  UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, G-77, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM
  (observer), OAS (observer), OIC (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SECI,
  UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WTO (observer)

Botswana
  ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM,
  IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU,
  ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIS,
  UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Brazil
  AfDB (nonregional member), BIS, CAN (associate), CPLP, FAO,
  G-15, G-20, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM,
  IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
  IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA, MINURCAT,
  MINURSO, MINUSTAH, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG,
  SICA (observer), UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO,
  Union Latina, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMIT, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL,
  WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

British Virgin Islands
  Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol
  (subbureau), IOC, OECS, UNESCO (associate), UPU, WFTU

Brunei
  ADB, APEC, APT, ARF, ASEAN, C, EAS, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM,
  IDB, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent),
  ITSO, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO,
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Bulgaria
  ACCT, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC,
  EBRD, EIB, EU, FAO, G- 9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IFC,
  IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU,
  ITUC, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, OSCE,
  PCA, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL,
  WCO, WEU (associate affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Burkina Faso
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77,
  IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
  IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC,
  MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU,
  WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Burma
  ADB, APT, ARF, ASEAN, BIMSTEC, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
  IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OPCW (signatory), SAARC
  (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WTO

Burundi
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, CEPGL, COMESA, EAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC,
  IOM, IPU, ISO (subscriber), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN,
  UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WTO

Cambodia
  ACCT, ADB, APT, ARF, ASEAN, EAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
  IOM, IPU, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WTO

Cameroon
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, C, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
  ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent),
  ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Canada
  ACCT, ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member),
  APEC, Arctic Council, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia
  Group, BIS, C, CDB, CE (observer), EAPC, EBRD, ESA (cooperating
  state), FAO, G-20, G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
  ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINUSTAH,
  MONUC, NAFTA, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OIF, OPCW,
  OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), SECI (observer), UN, UNAMID,
  UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNMIS, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO,
  UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Cape Verde
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, CPLP, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WTO

Cayman Islands
  Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC,
  UNESCO (associate), UPU, WFTU

Central African Republic
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ,
  G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
  Interpol, IOC, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC (observer), OIF,
  OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WTO

Chad
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol,
  IOC, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNIDO, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Chile
  APEC, BIS, CAN (associate), FAO, G-15, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
  IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES,
  LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS, OECD
  (accession state), OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, SICA (observer), UN,
  UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMOGIP, UNTSO,
  UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

China
  ADB, AfDB (nonregional member), APEC, APT, Arctic Council
  (observer), ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), BIS, CDB, EAS, FAO, G-20,
  G-24 (observer), G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
  IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU,
  ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM
  (observer), NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC
  (observer), SCO, SICA (observer), UN, UN Security Council, UNAMID,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMIT,
  UNOCI, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Christmas Island
  none

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  none

Colombia
  BCIE, CAN, Caricom (observer), CDB, FAO, G-3, G-24, G-77,
  IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
  ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC,
  LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA,
  RG, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO,
  UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Comoros
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AMF, AU, COMESA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, InOC,
  Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, CEPGL,
  COMESA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
  IFC, IFRCS, IHO (suspended), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,
  ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Congo, Republic of the
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ,
  G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WTO

Cook Islands
  ACP, ADB, FAO, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IMSO,
  IOC, ITUC, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO

Costa Rica
  BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt,
  ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC,
  IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM
  (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, SICA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WTO

Cote d'Ivoire
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-24,
  G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC,
  IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC,
  MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union
  Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WTO

Croatia
  ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CE,
  CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,
  IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,
  ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, NAM (observer), NATO,
  NSG, OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SECI, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMIS,
  UNMOGIP, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO,
  ZC

Cuba
  ACP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
  IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAES,
  LAIA, NAM, OAS (excluded from formal participation since 1962),
  OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNITAR,
  UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Cyprus
  Australia Group, C, CE, EBRD, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICC, ICCt, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC,
  IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM (guest), NSG, OAS
  (observer), OIF (associate member), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WTO

Czech Republic
  ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC
  (observer), CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA (cooperating state),
  EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IEA,
  IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO,
  ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer),
  OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU
  (associate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Denmark
  ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic
  Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA,
  EU, FAO, G-9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA,
  IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,
  ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS
  (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, Schengen Convention,
  UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG,
  UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Djibouti
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW,
  UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Dominica
  ACCT, ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICCt, ICRM,
  IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO
  (subscriber), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OIF, OPANAL, OPCW,
  UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Dominican Republic
  ACP, BCIE, Caricom (observer), FAO, G-77, IADB,
  IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO
  (suspended), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO
  (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM,
  OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), PCA, RG, SICA (associated member),
  UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU,
  WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Ecuador
  CAN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM,
  IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,
  ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA,
  MINURCAT, MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, RG, UN,
  UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNMIS,
  UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Egypt
  ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, BSEC (observer), CAEU,
  COMESA, EBRD, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt
  (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, MINURCAT,
  MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OSCE
  (partner), PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL,
  UNMIS, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

El Salvador
  BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
  ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,
  ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (observer),
  OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, SICA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL,
  Union Latina, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WTO

Equatorial Guinea
  ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, CPLP (associate),
  FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
  IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW,
  UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WTO
  (observer)

Eritrea
  ACP, AfDB, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
  (signatory), IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (observer), ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, LAS (observer), MIGA,
  NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU,
  WHO, WIPO, WMO

Estonia
  Australia Group, BA, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU,
  FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
  IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA,
  NATO, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD (accession state), OPCW, OSCE,
  PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNITAR, UNTSO,
  UPU, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Ethiopia
  ACP, AfDB, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM
  (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN,
  UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO,
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

European Union
  European Union: ARF (dialogue member), ASEAN
  (dialogue member), IDA, OAS (observer), PIF (partner), SAARC
  (observer), UN (observer)
  European Community: Australian Group, CBSS, CERN, FAO, EBRD, G-10,
  LAIA, NSG (observer), OECD, UNRWA, WCO, WTO, ZC (observer)
  European Central Bank: BIS
  European Investment Bank: EBRD, WADB (nonregional member)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  UPU

Faroe Islands
  Arctic Council, FAO, IMO (associate), NC, NIB, UPU

Fiji
  ACP, ADB, C (suspended), CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM,
  IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITSO,
  ITU, ITUC, MIGA, OPCW, PCA, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNIDO, UNMIS, UNMIT, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Finland
  ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic
  Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU,
  ESA, EU, FAO, G-9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,
  IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
  IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM (guest), NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS
  (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, Schengen
  Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOGIP,
  UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

France
  ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic
  Council (observer), Australia Group, BDEAC, BIS, BSEC (observer),
  CBSS (observer), CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FZ,
  G-20, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM,
  IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, InOC,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT,
  MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF,
  OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), Schengen Convention,
  SECI (observer), SPC, UN, UN Security Council, UNAMID, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNOCI,
  UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (nonregional), WCL, WCO, WEU,
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

French Polynesia
  FZ, ITUC, PIF (associate member), SPC, UPU, WMO

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  UPU

Gabon
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC,
  MIGA, MINURCAT, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNIDO, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Gambia, The
  ABEDA, ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN,
  UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO,
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Georgia
  ACCT (observer), ADB, BSEC, CE, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GCTU,
  GUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
  IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU,
  ITUC, MIGA, OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SECI
  (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WTO

Germany
  ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic
  Council (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS,
  CDB, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G-20, G-5, G-7,
  G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD,
  IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO,
  ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer),
  OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, SECI
  (observer), SICA (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
  UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (nonregional),
  WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Ghana
  ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT,
  MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIF (associate member), OPCW,
  UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNITAR, UNMIL,
  UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Gibraltar
  Interpol (subbureau), UPU

Greece
  Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU,
  ESA, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD,
  IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO,
  ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS
  (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, SECI,
  UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIS, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU,
  WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Greenland
  Arctic Council, NC, NIB, UPU

Grenada
  ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA,
  IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, ITUC, MIGA,
  NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU,
  WHO, WIPO, WTO

Guam
  IOC, SPC, UPU

Guatemala
  BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
  ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
  IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA (observer),
  MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, SICA, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO,
  UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Guernsey
  UPU

Guinea
  ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM,
  IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,
  ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM, OIC, OIF,
  OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU,
  WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Guinea-Bissau
  ACP, AfDB, AU, CPLP, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
  IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW,
  UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WADB
  (regional), WAEMU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Guyana
  ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
  ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM
  (observer), ISO (subscriber), ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OIC,
  OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL,
  WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Haiti
  ACP, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
  (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OIF, OPANAL, OPCW,
  PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO,
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Holy See (Vatican City)
  CE (observer), IAEA, Interpol, IOM
  (observer), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, NAM (guest), OAS (observer), OPCW,
  OSCE, UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNHCR, Union Latina (observer), UNWTO
  (observer), UPU, WFTU, WIPO, WTO (observer)

Honduras
  BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM,
  IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
  (subscriber), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO,
  NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, SICA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
  Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Hong Kong
  ADB, APEC, BIS, ICC, IHO, IMF, IMO (associate), IOC, ISO
  (correspondent), ITUC, UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WMO,
  WTO

Hungary
  Australia Group, BIS, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA
  (cooperating state), EU, FAO, G-9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt,
  ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
  IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA,
  NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen
  Convention, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL,
  UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WTO, ZC

Iceland
  Arctic Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD,
  EFTA, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
  IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC,
  MIGA, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA,
  Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate),
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

India
  ADB, AfDB (nonregional member), ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner),
  BIMSTEC, BIS, C, CERN (observer), CP, EAS, FAO, G-15, G-20, G-24,
  G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
  IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAS
  (observer), MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OPCW, PCA, PIF
  (partner), SAARC, SACEP, SCO (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO,
  UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNITAR, UNMIS, UNMIT, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL,
  WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Indonesia
  ADB, APEC, APT, ARF, ASEAN, BIS, CP, EAS, FAO, G-15, G-20,
  G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
  ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO,
  ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PIF (partner), UN,
  UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOMIG, UNWTO,
  UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Iran
  CP, ECO, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt
  (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW,
  OPEC, PCA, SAARC (observer), SCO (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WTO (observer)

Iraq
  ABEDA, AFESD (suspended), AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO,
  Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPEC,
  PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WTO (observer)

Ireland
  ADB (nonregional member), Australia Group, BIS, CE, EAPC,
  EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM,
  IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
  IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NEA, NSG, OAS
  (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU
  (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Isle of Man
  UPU

Israel
  BIS, BSEC (observer), CERN (observer), EBRD, FAO, IADB, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
  IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA,
  OAS (observer), OECD (accession state), OPCW (signatory), OSCE
  (partner), PCA, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
  UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Italy
  ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic
  Council (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS
  (observer), CDB, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO,
  G-20, G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,
  IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
  IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, NAM
  (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris
  Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, SECI (observer), SICA (observer),
  UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNMOGIP,
  UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO,
  ZC

Jamaica
  ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-15, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL,
  OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WTO

Japan
  ADB, AfDB (nonregional member), APEC, APT, ARF, ASEAN
  (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, CE (observer), CERN
  (observer), CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO, G-20, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB,
  IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
  ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC,
  LAIA, MIGA, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE (partner),
  Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), SECI (observer),
  UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU,
  WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Jordan
  ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
  ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, MINURCAT, MINUSTAH,
  MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNWTO,
  UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Kazakhstan
  ADB, CIS, CSTO, EAEC, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, GCTU, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (observer), NSG,
  OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Kenya
  ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, EAC, EADB, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO,
  MONUC, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
  UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Kiribati
  ACP, ADB, C, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
  ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, ITUC, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO

Korea, North
  ARF, FAO, G-77, ICAO, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, IMO, IOC,
  IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU,
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Korea, South
  ADB, AfDB (nonregional member), APEC, APT, ARF, ASEAN
  (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO, G-20,
  IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
  IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU,
  ITUC, LAIA, MIGA, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE
  (partner), PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU,
  WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Kosovo
  ITUC, WFTU

Kuwait
  ABEDA, AfDB (nonregional member), AFESD, AMF, BDEAC, CAEU,
  FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA,
  IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU,
  ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA,
  UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WTO

Kyrgyzstan
  ADB, CIS, CSTO, EAEC, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, GCTU, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
  IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, MIGA,
  MINURCAT, NAM (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SCO, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WTO

Laos
  ADB, APT, ARF, ASEAN, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM,
  IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO
  (subscriber), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Latvia
  Australia Group, BA, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU, FAO,
  IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA,
  NATO, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA,
  Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WEU
  (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Lebanon
  ABEDA, ACCT, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO,
  Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer),
  OIC, OIF, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU,
  WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Lesotho
  ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,
  IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO (subscriber),
  ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
  UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Liberia
  ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
  ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC,
  IOM, IPU, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
  UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Libya
  ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, CAEU, COMESA, FAO, G-77,
  IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM,
  OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
  UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Liechtenstein
  CE, EBRD, EFTA, IAEA, ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol,
  IOC, IPU, ITSO, ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WCL, WIPO, WTO

Lithuania
  Australia Group, BA, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU,
  FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
  IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO, NIB, NSG,
  OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate
  partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Luxembourg
  ADB (nonregional member), Australia Group, Benelux, CE,
  EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt,
  ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
  IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer),
  OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNRWA, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WTO, ZC

Macau
  IHO, IMF, IMO (associate), ISO (correspondent), UNESCO
  (associate), UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCO, WFTU, WMO, WTO

Macedonia
  BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
  ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM
  (observer), IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP,
  SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCL,
  WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Madagascar
  ACP, AfDB, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
  ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF,
  OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO,
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Malawi
  ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
  ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO
  (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OPCW, SADC, UN,
  UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO,
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Malaysia
  ADB, APEC, APT, ARF, ASEAN, BIS, C, CP, EAS, FAO, G-15,
  G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
  ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA,
  MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, PIF (partner), UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMIT, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO,
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Maldives
  ADB, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC,
  IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, SAARC,
  SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WTO

Mali
  ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
  ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,
  ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN,
  UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WADB
  (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Malta
  Australia Group, C, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NSG, OPCW,
  OSCE, PCA, PFP, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
  UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Marshall Islands
  ACP, ADB, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, IDA,
  IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca,
  SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO

Mauritania
  ABEDA, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, CAEU, FAO, G-77,
  IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF,
  OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WTO

Mauritius
  ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, CPLP (associate), FAO, G-77,
  IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
  IMO, IMSO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC,
  MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, SAARC (observer), SADC, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Mayotte
  InOC, UPU, WFTU

Mexico
  APEC, BCIE, BIS, CAN (observer), Caricom (observer), CDB, CE
  (observer), CSN (observer), EBRD, FAO, G-20, G-3, G-15, G-24, IADB,
  IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
  IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES,
  LAIA, MIGA, NAFTA, NAM (observer), NEA, OAS, OECD, OPANAL, OPCW,
  PCA, RG, SICA (observer), UN, UNASUR (observer), UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WTO

Micronesia, Federated States of
  ACP, ADB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IOC, ITSO, ITU, MIGA, OPCW, PIF,
  Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO, WMO

Moldova
  BSEC, CE, CEI, CIS, EAEC (observer), EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GCTU,
  GUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
  ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU,
  MIGA, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union
  Latina, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WTO

Monaco
  CE, FAO, IAEA, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IFRCS, IHO,
  IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITSO, ITU, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Schengen
  Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU,
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Mongolia
  ADB, ARF, CP, EBRD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
  ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,
  ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OPCW, OSCE
  (partner), SCO (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS,
  UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Montenegro
  CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM,
  IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO
  (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SECI, UN,
  UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WTO (observer)

Montserrat
  Caricom, CDB, Interpol (subbureau), OECS, UPU, WFTU

Morocco
  ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, EBRD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
  ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC,
  LAS, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, OSCE
  (partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU,
  WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Mozambique
  ACP, AfDB, AU, C, CPLP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
  (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO,
  ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF (observer), OPCW, SADC, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO,
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Namibia
  ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM,
  IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer),
  IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC,
  UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI,
  UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Nauru
  ACP, ADB, C, FAO, ICAO, ICCt, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF,
  Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO

Nepal
  ADB, BIMSTEC, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
  IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO
  (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT, MINUSTAH, MONUC,
  NAM, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL,
  UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMIT, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO,
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Netherlands
  ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member),
  Arctic Council (observer), Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CBSS
  (observer), CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G-10,
  IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
  IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU,
  ITUC, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW,
  OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, SECI (observer), UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL,
  WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Netherlands Antilles
  Caricom (observer), ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC,
  UNESCO (associate), UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCL, WCO, WMO

New Caledonia
  ITUC, PIF (associate member), SPC, UPU, WFTU, WMO

New Zealand
  ADB, ANZUS (US suspended security obligations to NZ on
  11 August 1986), APEC, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia
  Group, BIS, C, CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt,
  ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, NAM (guest), NSG,
  OECD, OPCW, PCA, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,
  UNIDO, UNMIS, UNMIT, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Nicaragua
  BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA,
  IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU,
  ITUC, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG,
  SICA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU,
  WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Niger
  ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional),
  WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Nigeria
  ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
  IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA,
  MINURCAT, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA,
  UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI,
  UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Niue
  ACP, FAO, IFAD, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO

Norfolk Island
  UPU

Northern Mariana Islands
  SPC, UPU

Norway
  ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic
  Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA,
  ESA, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD,
  IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO,
  ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS
  (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, Schengen Convention,
  UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNITAR, UNMIS, UNRWA,
  UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO,
  ZC

Oman
  ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
  (signatory), IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO,
  Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Pakistan
  ADB, ARF, C, CP, ECO, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT,
  MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, PCA, SAARC, SACEP,
  SCO (observer), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL,
  UNMIS, UNMIT, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WTO

Palau
  ACP, ADB, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF,
  IOC, IPU, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO

Panama
  BCIE, CAN (observer), CSN (observer), FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA
  (observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, SICA, UN, UNASUR
  (observer), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCL,
  WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Papua New Guinea
  ACP, ADB, APEC, ARF, ASEAN (observer), C, CP, FAO,
  G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU,
  MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
  UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Paraguay
  CAN (associate), FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
  ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,
  ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA,
  MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA,
  RG, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNMIS,
  UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Peru
  APEC, CAN, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
  ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur
  (associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG,
  UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNMIS,
  UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Philippines
  ADB, APEC, APT, ARF, ASEAN, BIS, CP, EAS, FAO, G-24,
  G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
  IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO,
  ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS (observer), OPCW, PIF (partner),
  UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMIT,
  UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Pitcairn Islands
  SPC, UPU

Poland
  Arctic Council (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC
  (observer), CBSS, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA (cooperating
  state), EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC,
  IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO,
  ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NSG,
  OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen
  Convention, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR,
  UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO,
  WEU (associate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Portugal
  ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member),
  Australia Group, BIS, CE, CERN, CPLP, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU,
  FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC,
  IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO,
  ITU, ITUC, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURCAT, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA,
  NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention,
  SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union
  Latina, UNMIT, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO,
  ZC

Puerto Rico
  Caricom (observer), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, ITUC,
  UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCL, WFTU

Qatar
  ABEDA, ACC, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
  ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO,
  Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OAS
  (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL,
  UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Romania
  Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA
  (cooperating state), EU, FAO, G-9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt,
  ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MONUC,
  NAM (guest), NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SECI,
  UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI,
  UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Russia
  APEC, Arctic Council, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), BIS,
  BSEC, CBSS, CE, CERN (observer), CIS, CSTO, EAEC, EAPC, EBRD, G-20,
  G-8, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFC,
  IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU,
  ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM
  (guest), NSG, OAS (observer), OECD (accession state), OIC
  (observer), OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, SCO, UN, UN Security
  Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI,
  UNOMIG, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
  (observer), ZC

Rwanda
  ACP, AfDB, AU, CEPGL, COMESA, EAC, EADB, FAO, G-77, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
  IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT, NAM, OIF,
  OPCW, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL,
  WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Saint Barthelemy
  UPU, WFTU

Saint Helena
  UPU, WFTU

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
  ITU, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
  UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WTO

Saint Lucia
  ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
  (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
  IOC, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OIF, OPANAL, OPCW, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Saint Martin
  UPU, WFTU

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  UPU, WFTU

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
  IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL,
  OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WTO

Samoa
  ACP, ADB, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
  IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, IPU, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, OPCW, PIF,
  Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
  (observer)

San Marino
  CE, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ITU, ITUC, OPCW, OSCE, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO

Sao Tome and Principe
  ACP, AfDB, AU, CPLP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ITU, ITUC, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Saudi Arabia
  ABEDA, AfDB (nonregional member), AFESD, AMF, BIS, FAO,
  G-20, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
  IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS,
  MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Senegal
  ACP, AfDB, AU, CPLP (associate), ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-15,
  G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
  ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent),
  ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA,
  UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNOCI,
  UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WTO

Serbia
  BSEC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, G-9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
  ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD (suspended), IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC,
  NAM (observer), OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA,
  PFP, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO,
  UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Seychelles
  ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC,
  Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW,
  SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WTO (observer)

Sierra Leone
  ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM, IPU, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNIDO, UNMIT, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Singapore
  ADB, APEC, APT, ARF, ASEAN, BIS, C, CP, EAS, G-77, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO,
  Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNMIT, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Slovakia
  Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CE,
  CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt,
  ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
  IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS
  (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen
  Convention, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO,
  UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Slovenia
  Australia Group, BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, EU,
  FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
  ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (guest),
  NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD (accession state), OIF (observer),
  OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate partner),
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Solomon Islands
  ACP, ADB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
  (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU,
  MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO,
  WTO

Somalia
  ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, LAS, NAM, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,
  UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

South Africa
  ACP, AfDB, AU, BIS, C, FAO, G-20, G-24, G-77, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
  IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA,
  MONUC, NAM, NSG, OPCW, PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WTO, ZC

Spain
  ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic
  Council (observer), Australia Group, BCIE, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC,
  EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt,
  ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA (observer),
  MIGA, MINURCAT, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer),
  OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, SECI
  (observer), SICA (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
  UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Sri Lanka
  ADB, BIMSTEC, C, CP, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO,
  MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OPCW, PCA, SAARC, SACEP, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WTO

Sudan
  ABEDA, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, CAEU, COMESA, FAO, G-77,
  IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC,
  IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU,
  LAS, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
  UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Suriname
  ACP, Caricom, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDB,
  IFAD, IFRCS, IHO (suspended), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO
  (subscriber), ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OIC, OPANAL, OPCW,
  PCA, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WTO

Svalbard
  none

Swaziland
  ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM,
  IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent),
  ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Sweden
  ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic
  Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA,
  EU, FAO, G-9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,
  IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
  IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT, MONUC, NAM (guest), NC,
  NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA,
  PFP, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL,
  UNMIS, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer),
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Switzerland
  ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member),
  Australia Group, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, ESA, FAO, G-10,
  IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
  ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC,
  LAIA (observer), MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer),
  OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO,
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Syria
  ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
  IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC,
  OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO

Taiwan
  ADB, APEC, BCIE, ICC, IOC, ITUC, WCL, WFTU, WTO

Tajikistan
  ADB, CIS, CSTO, EAEC, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, GCTU, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, MIGA, OIC,
  OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO,
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Tanzania
  ACP, AfDB, AU, C, EAC, EADB, FAO, G-6, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW,
  SADC, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIS,
  UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Thailand
  ADB, APEC, APT, ARF, ASEAN, BIMSTEC, BIS, CP, EAS, FAO,
  G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
  IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO,
  ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC (observer), OIF
  (observer), OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, PIF (partner), UN, UNAMID,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO,
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Timor-Leste
  ACP, ADB, ARF, CPLP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, IDA,
  IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, MIGA, NAM,
  OPCW, PIF (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina,
  UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO

Togo
  ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA,
  NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL,
  UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WTO

Tokelau
  PIF (observer), SPC, UNESCO (associate), UPU

Tonga
  ACP, ADB, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
  IFRCS, IHO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, ITUC, OPCW, PIF,
  Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WTO

Trinidad and Tobago
  ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL,
  OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WTO

Tunisia
  ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, BSEC (observer), FAO,
  G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
  ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC,
  LAS, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OAPEC (suspended), OAS (observer), OIC, OIF,
  OPCW, OSCE (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOCI,
  UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Turkey
  ADB (nonregional member), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE,
  CERN (observer), EAPC, EBRD, ECO, EU (applicant), FAO, G-20, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
  IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA,
  NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SECI,
  UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNOMIG,
  UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO,
  ZC

Turkmenistan
  ADB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM,
  IDA, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer),
  ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SCO
  (guest), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO

Turks and Caicos Islands
  Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol
  (subbureau), UPU

Tuvalu
  ACP, ADB, C, FAO, IFRCS (observer), IMO, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF,
  Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO

Uganda
  ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, EAC, EADB, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA,
  MINURCAT, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,
  UNIDO, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Ukraine
  Australia Group, BSEC, CBSS (observer), CE, CEI, CIS, EAEC
  (observer), EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GCTU, GUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt
  (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA (observer), MIGA,
  MONUC, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW,
  OSCE, PCA, PFP, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL,
  UNMIS, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

United Arab Emirates
  ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
  ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA,
  NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO,
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

United Kingdom
  ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member),
  Arctic Council (observer), Australia Group, BIS, C, CBSS (observer),
  CDB, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G-20, G-5, G-7, G-8,
  G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC,
  IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO,
  ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE,
  Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), SECI (observer), UN, UN Security
  Council, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL,
  UNMIS, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WTO, ZC

United States
  ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member),
  ANZUS, APEC, Arctic Council, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner),
  Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CE
  (observer), CERN (observer), CP, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, G-20, G-5, G-7,
  G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA,
  IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
  ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAFTA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS,
  OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC (observer),
  SECI (observer), SPC, UN, UN Security Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNHCR, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU,
  WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Uruguay
  CAN (associate), FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
  ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA, MINURSO,
  MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN,
  UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIS, UNMOGIP, UNOCI,
  UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Uzbekistan
  ADB, CIS, CSTO, EAEC, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, GCTU, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
  Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SCO,
  UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WTO (observer)

Vanuatu
  ACCT, ACP, ADB, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC,
  IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer),
  OIF, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO,
  WMO, WTO (observer)

Venezuela
  Caricom (observer), CDB, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB,
  IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
  IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES,
  LAIA, LAS (observer), Mercosur (associate), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL,
  OPCW, OPEC, PCA, RG, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union
  Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Vietnam
  ADB, APEC, APT, ARF, ASEAN, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Virgin Islands
  IOC, UPU, WFTU

Wallis and Futuna
  PIF (observer), SPC, UPU, WFTU

Western Sahara
  WFTU

Yemen
  AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
  (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAS,
  MIGA, MINURCAT, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, UN,
  UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNOMIG,
  UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Zambia
  ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
  ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO
  (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT, MONUC, NAM, OPCW,
  PCA, SADC, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS,
  UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Zimbabwe
  ACP, AfDB, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA,
  SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU,
  WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

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

@2108

Field Listing :: Merchant marine

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

Merchant marine

Albania
  total: 24
  by type: cargo 22, roll on/roll off 2
  foreign-owned: 1 (Turkey 1)
  registered in other countries: 2 (Panama 2) (2008)

Algeria
  total: 33
  by type: bulk carrier 6, cargo 8, chemical tanker 1, liquefied gas
  9, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 4, roll on/roll off 2
  foreign-owned: 18 (Jordan 7, UK 11) (2008)

Angola
  total: 6
  by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 2, roll
  on/roll off 1
  foreign-owned: 1 (Spain 1)
  registered in other countries: 6 (Bahamas 6) (2008)

Antigua and Barbuda
  total: 1,146
  by type: barge carrier 2, bulk carrier 50, cargo 651, carrier 4,
  chemical tanker 5, container 392, liquefied gas 12, petroleum tanker
  1, refrigerated cargo 9, roll on/roll off 20
  foreign-owned: 1,113 (Australia 1, Colombia 2, Cyprus 18, Denmark
  19, Estonia 23, France 1, Germany 941, Greece 3, Iceland 12, Italy
  1, Latvia 13, Lithuania 5, Netherlands 20, NZ 2, Norway 8, Poland 2,
  Russia 4, Slovenia 6, Sweden 1, Switzerland 8, Turkey 6, UK 9, US 8)
  (2008)

Argentina
  total: 46
  by type: bulk carrier 3, cargo 9, chemical tanker 2, container 1,
  passenger 1, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 24, refrigerated
  cargo 2, roll on/roll off 1
  foreign-owned: 14 (Brazil 1, Chile 7, Spain 2, UK 4)
  registered in other countries: 19 (Liberia 3, Panama 8, Paraguay 5,
  Uruguay 3) (2008)

Australia
  total: 50
  by type: bulk carrier 12, cargo 5, chemical tanker 1, container 1,
  liquefied gas 4, passenger 7, passenger/cargo 7, petroleum tanker 8,
  roll on/roll off 5
  foreign-owned: 24 (Canada 9, France 1, Germany 2, Japan 1,
  Netherlands 2, Norway 1, Singapore 1, UK 5, US 2)
  registered in other countries: 28 (Antigua and Barbuda 1, Belize 1,
  Bermuda 1, Dominica 2, Fiji 1, Marshall Islands 1, NZ 1, Panama 4,
  Singapore 12, Tonga 1, US 1, Vanuatu 2) (2008)

Austria
  total: 4
  by type: cargo 2, container 2
  foreign-owned: 2 (Netherlands 2)
  registered in other countries: 4 (Cyprus 1, Malta 1, Saint Vincent
  and the Grenadines 2) (2008)

Azerbaijan
  total: 89
  by type: cargo 26, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 9, petroleum tanker
  46, roll on/roll off 3, specialized tanker 3
  registered in other countries: 3 (Malta 2, Panama 1) (2008)

Bahamas, The
  total: 1,223
  by type: barge carrier 1, bulk carrier 210, cargo 226, carrier 2,
  chemical tanker 88, combination ore/oil 12, container 65, liquefied
  gas 77, passenger 109, passenger/cargo 35, petroleum tanker 209,
  refrigerated cargo 119, roll on/roll off 16, specialized tanker 3,
  vehicle carrier 51
  foreign-owned: 1,150 (Angola 6, Belgium 15, Bermuda 12, Brazil 2,
  Canada 84, China 10, Croatia 1, Cuba 1, Cyprus 25, Denmark 67,
  Finland 9, France 30, Germany 44, Greece 209, Hong Kong 30, Iceland
  1, Indonesia 2, Ireland 2, Isle of Man 1, Italy 4, Japan 87, Jordan
  2, Kenya 1, Malaysia 13, Monaco 15, Montenegro 2, Netherlands 9,
  Nigeria 2, Norway 189, Poland 17, Russia 4, Saudi Arabia 16,
  Singapore 17, Slovenia 1, South Africa 1, Spain 14, Sweden 4,
  Switzerland 1, Thailand 5, Trinidad and Tobago 1, Turkey 8, UAE 23,
  UK 56, US 106, Venezuela 1)
  registered in other countries: 12 (Bolivia 1, Panama 9, Peru 1,
  Portugal 1) (2008)

Bahrain
  total: 9
  by type: bulk carrier 4, container 4, petroleum tanker 1
  foreign-owned: 6 (Kuwait 5, UAE 1) (2008)

Bangladesh
  total: 40
  by type: bulk carrier 3, cargo 27, container 5, passenger/cargo 1,
  petroleum tanker 4
  foreign-owned: 1 (China 1)
  registered in other countries: 10 (Comoros 2, Honduras 1, Malta 2,
  Panama 2, Singapore 2, Togo 1) (2008)

Barbados
  total: 85
  by type: bulk carrier 15, cargo 50, chemical tanker 7, passenger 1,
  passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 6, roll
  on/roll off 2
  foreign-owned: 80 (Canada 9, Greece 12, India 1, Iran 2, Lebanon 1,
  Norway 38, Sweden 7, Syria 1, UK 9)
  registered in other countries: 1 (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  1) (2008)

Belgium
  total: 79
  by type: bulk carrier 20, cargo 9, chemical tanker 1, container 6,
  liquefied gas 20, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 11, roll on/roll off
  10
  foreign-owned: 6 (Denmark 4, France 2)
  registered in other countries: 111 (Bahamas 15, Cyprus 2, France 6,
  Gibraltar 2, Greece 16, Hong Kong 3, Liberia 4, Luxembourg 7, Malta
  15, Mozambique 2, Netherlands 2, Netherlands Antilles 1, Panama 2,
  Portugal 8, Russia 4, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Saint Vincent and the
  Grenadines 8, Sierra Leone 1, Singapore 8, Vanuatu 4) (2008)

Belize
  total: 216
  by type: barge carrier 1, bulk carrier 32, cargo 152, chemical
  tanker 2, container 1, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 9, refrigerated
  cargo 12, roll on/roll off 5, specialized tanker 1
  foreign-owned: 178 (Australia 1, China 71, Croatia 2, Cyprus 1,
  Estonia 6, Greece 1, Iceland 2, Italy 3, Japan 8, South Korea 1,
  Latvia 12, Norway 3, Peru 1, Russia 31, Singapore 2, Spain 1, Turkey
  15, Ukraine 7, UAE 5, UK 5) (2008)

Bermuda
  total: 137
  by type: bulk carrier 23, chemical tanker 3, container 22, liquefied
  gas 33, passenger 24, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 18,
  refrigerated cargo 9
  foreign-owned: 115 (Australia 1, China 10, France 1, Germany 22,
  Greece 9, Hong Kong 4, Ireland 1, Israel 3, Japan 2, Nigeria 11,
  Norway 5, Sweden 20, UK 3, US 23)
  registered in other countries: 50 (Bahamas 12, Marshall Islands 4,
  Philippines 34) (2008)

Bolivia
  total: 23
  by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 11, carrier 1, passenger/cargo 1,
  petroleum tanker 7, refrigerated cargo 1, specialized tanker 1
  foreign-owned: 7 (Bahamas 1, China 1, Iran 1, Singapore 1, Syria 2,
  Taiwan 1) (2008)

Brazil
  total: 136
  by type: bulk carrier 19, cargo 22, carrier 1, chemical tanker 7,
  container 11, liquefied gas 12, passenger/cargo 12, petroleum tanker
  45, roll on/roll off 7
  foreign-owned: 25 (Chile 1, Denmark 2, Germany 6, Greece 1, Mexico
  1, Norway 5, Spain 9)
  registered in other countries: 8 (Argentina 1, Bahamas 2, Ghana 1,
  Liberia 3, Marshall Islands 1) (2008)

British Virgin Islands
  registered in other countries: 1 (Panama 1)
  (2008)

Brunei
  total: 8
  by type: liquefied gas 8
  foreign-owned: 1 (UK 1) (2008)

Bulgaria
  total: 74
  by type: bulk carrier 37, cargo 14, chemical tanker 5, container 6,
  liquefied gas 2, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll
  off 4, specialized tanker 1
  foreign-owned: 65 (Germany 63, Ireland 1, Russia 1)
  registered in other countries: 31 (Comoros 2, Malta 5, Panama 3,
  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 15, Slovakia 6) (2008)

Burma
  total: 24
  by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 17, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 3,
  specialized tanker 1
  foreign-owned: 3 (Cyprus 1, Germany 1, Japan 1)
  registered in other countries: 1 (Panama 1) (2008)

Cambodia
  total: 626
  by type: bulk carrier 41, cargo 530, carrier 3, chemical tanker 10,
  container 8, passenger/cargo 6, petroleum tanker 11, refrigerated
  cargo 15, roll on/roll off 1, vehicle carrier 1
  foreign-owned: 467 (Canada 2, China 193, Cyprus 7, Egypt 13, Gabon
  1, Greece 3, Hong Kong 8, Indonesia 2, Japan 1, South Korea 22,
  Latvia 1, Lebanon 8, Netherlands 1, Romania 1, Russia 83, Singapore
  4, Syria 48, Taiwan 1, Turkey 26, Ukraine 34, UAE 2, US 6) (2008)

Canada
  total: 175
  by type: bulk carrier 60, cargo 13, carrier 1, chemical tanker 10,
  combination ore/oil 1, container 2, passenger 6, passenger/cargo 64,
  petroleum tanker 12, roll on/roll off 6
  foreign-owned: 17 (Germany 3, Netherlands 1, Norway 3, US 10)
  registered in other countries: 206 (Australia 9, Bahamas 84,
  Barbados 9, Cambodia 2, Cyprus 2, Denmark 1, Honduras 1, Hong Kong
  44, Liberia 7, Malta 1, Marshall Islands 6, Norway 10, Panama 18,
  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Spain 4, Taiwan 2, Vanuatu 5)
  (2008)

Cape Verde
  total: 8
  by type: cargo 2, chemical tanker 1, passenger/cargo 5
  foreign-owned: 2 (Spain 1, UK 1) (2008)

Cayman Islands
  total: 109
  by type: bulk carrier 30, cargo 2, chemical tanker 42, petroleum
  tanker 15, refrigerated cargo 10, roll on/roll off 3, vehicle
  carrier 7
  foreign-owned: 107 (Denmark 3, Germany 15, Greece 16, Italy 4, Japan
  13, Norway 1, Singapore 10, UK 3, US 42) (2008)

Chile
  total: 44
  by type: bulk carrier 9, cargo 7, chemical tanker 8, container 1,
  liquefied gas 2, passenger 4, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 7,
  roll on/roll off 1, vehicle carrier 3
  registered in other countries: 40 (Argentina 7, Brazil 1, Cyprus 1,
  Isle of Man 6, Marshall Islands 4, Norway 2, Panama 12, Singapore 6,
  Venezuela 1) (2008)

China
  total: 1,826
  by type: barge carrier 4, bulk carrier 451, cargo 689, carrier 2,
  chemical tanker 69, combination ore/oil 1, container 162, liquefied
  gas 44, passenger 8, passenger/cargo 83, petroleum tanker 244,
  refrigerated cargo 33, roll on/roll off 10, specialized tanker 9,
  vehicle carrier 17
  foreign-owned: 20 (Ecuador 1, Greece 2, Hong Kong 12, Indonesia 1,
  Japan 2, South Korea 1, Norway 1)
  registered in other countries: 1,441 (Bahamas 10, Bangladesh 1,
  Belize 71, Bermuda 10, Bolivia 1, Cambodia 193, Cyprus 10, France 5,
  Georgia 10, Germany 2, Honduras 3, Hong Kong 324, India 1, Indonesia
  2, Kiribati 15, South Korea 1, Liberia 11, Malta 12, Marshall
  Islands 7, Mongolia 1, Norway 36, Panama 532, Philippines 4, Saint
  Vincent and the Grenadines 94, Sierra Leone 15, Singapore 14,
  Thailand 1, Tuvalu 16, unknown 39) (2008)

Colombia
  total: 17
  by type: cargo 13, petroleum tanker 3, specialized tanker 1
  registered in other countries: 6 (Antigua and Barbuda 2, Panama 4)
  (2008)

Comoros
  total: 136
  by type: bulk carrier 15, cargo 87, carrier 2, chemical tanker 5,
  container 2, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 9,
  refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off 8, specialized tanker 1
  foreign-owned: 68 (Bangladesh 2, Bulgaria 2, Cyprus 1, Greece 6,
  India 2, Kenya 1, Kuwait 1, Lebanon 4, Norway 1, Pakistan 4,
  Philippines 1, Russia 12, Saudi Arabia 1, Singapore 1, Syria 4,
  Turkey 8, Ukraine 8, UAE 7, US 2) (2008)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  total: 1
  by type: petroleum tanker 1
  foreign-owned: 1 (Congo, Republic of the 1) (2008)

Congo, Republic of the
  registered in other countries: 1 (Congo,
  Democratic Republic of the 1) (2008)

Cook Islands
  total: 26
  by type: cargo 14, chemical tanker 1, petroleum tanker 1,
  refrigerated cargo 8, roll on/roll off 2
  foreign-owned: 17 (Latvia 1, Lithuania 1, NZ 1, Nigeria 1, Norway 5,
  Sweden 8) (2008)

Costa Rica
  total: 1
  by type: passenger/cargo 1 (2008)

Croatia
  total: 80
  by type: bulk carrier 25, cargo 11, chemical tanker 3,
  passenger/cargo 30, petroleum tanker 8, refrigerated cargo 1, roll
  on/roll off 2
  registered in other countries: 30 (Bahamas 1, Belize 2, Liberia 2,
  Malta 9, Marshall Islands 6, Panama 3, Saint Vincent and the
  Grenadines 7) (2008)

Cuba
  total: 11
  by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 3, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 3,
  refrigerated cargo 2
  foreign-owned: 1 (Spain 1)
  registered in other countries: 13 (Bahamas 1, Cyprus 1, Netherlands
  Antilles 1, Panama 10) (2008)

Cyprus
  total: 858
  by type: bulk carrier 295, cargo 182, chemical tanker 63, container
  193, liquefied gas 10, passenger 5, passenger/cargo 24, petroleum
  tanker 58, refrigerated cargo 10, roll on/roll off 12, specialized
  tanker 1, vehicle carrier 5
  foreign-owned: 690 (Austria 1, Belgium 2, Canada 2, Chile 1, China
  10, Cuba 1, Denmark 4, Estonia 5, Germany 189, Greece 259, Hong Kong
  2, India 2, Iran 10, Ireland 3, Israel 4, Italy 7, Japan 21, South
  Korea 1, Latvia 1, Lebanon 1, Netherlands 22, Norway 18, Philippines
  1, Poland 18, Portugal 1, Russia 50, Singapore 3, Slovenia 4, Spain
  6, Sweden 2, Syria 2, Ukraine 4, UAE 9, UK 19, US 5)
  registered in other countries: 256 (Antigua and Barbuda 18, Bahamas
  25, Belize 1, Burma 1, Cambodia 7, Comoros 1, Georgia 1, Germany 2,
  Gibraltar 1, Greece 7, Liberia 63, Malta 31, Marshall Islands 37,
  Netherlands 8, Netherlands Antilles 21, Panama 19, Poland 1, Russia
  2, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1,
  Samoa 1, Singapore 1, Tonga 1, Turkey 2, UK 2, unknown 1) (2008)

Czech Republic
  registered in other countries: 1 (Saint Vincent and
  the Grenadines 1) (2008)

Denmark
  total: 327
  by type: bulk carrier 8, cargo 63, carrier 2, chemical tanker 78,
  container 84, liquefied gas 2, passenger/cargo 42, petroleum tanker
  29, refrigerated cargo 7, roll on/roll off 8, specialized tanker 4
  foreign-owned: 26 (Canada 1, Germany 1, Germany 9, Greece 4, Iceland
  2, Norway 3, Sweden 6)
  registered in other countries: 534 (Antigua and Barbuda 19, Bahamas
  67, Belgium 4, Brazil 2, Cayman Islands 3, Cyprus 4, Egypt 1,
  Estonia 1, France 2, Germany 1, Gibraltar 7, Hong Kong 24, Isle of
  Man 29, Italy 3, Jamaica 2, Liberia 12, Lithuania 5, Luxembourg 1,
  Malta 30, Marshall Islands 10, Mexico 2, Netherlands 29, Netherlands
  Antilles 2, Norway 25, Panama 40, Portugal 3, Saint Vincent and the
  Grenadines 16, Singapore 87, South Africa 1, Spain 2, Sweden 4, Togo
  1, UAE 1, UK 62, US 31, Venezuela 1) (2008)

Dominica
  total: 53
  by type: bulk carrier 14, cargo 27, chemical tanker 3, petroleum
  tanker 5, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 1, vehicle carrier 1
  foreign-owned: 47 (Australia 2, Estonia 7, Greece 10, India 2,
  Latvia 1, Norway 1, Russia 3, Saudi Arabia 2, Singapore 7, Syria 2,
  Turkey 5, Ukraine 4, UAE 1) (2008)

Dominican Republic
  total: 1
  by type: cargo 1
  registered in other countries: 1 (Panama 1) (2008)

Ecuador
  total: 37
  by type: cargo 1, chemical tanker 1, liquefied gas 1, passenger 8,
  petroleum tanker 24, refrigerated cargo 1, specialized tanker 1
  foreign-owned: 1 (US 1)
  registered in other countries: 5 (China 1, Panama 4) (2008)

Egypt
  total: 67
  by type: bulk carrier 11, cargo 28, container 2, passenger/cargo 4,
  petroleum tanker 13, roll on/roll off 9
  foreign-owned: 10 (Denmark 1, Greece 8, Lebanon 1)
  registered in other countries: 58 (Cambodia 13, Georgia 12, Honduras
  3, North Korea 1, Malta 1, Moldova 1, Panama 17, Saint Kitts and
  Nevis 2, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 3, Saudi Arabia 1, Sierra
  Leone 3, Togo 1) (2008)

Equatorial Guinea
  total: 1
  by type: cargo 1 (2008)

Eritrea
  total: 5
  by type: cargo 2, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll
  off 1 (2008)

Estonia
  total: 29
  by type: cargo 5, passenger/cargo 21, petroleum tanker 2, chemical
  tanker 1
  foreign-owned: 4 (Denmark 1, Germany 1, Norway 2)
  registered in other countries: 85 (Antigua and Barbuda 23, Belize 6,
  Cyprus 5, Dominica 7, Finland 2, Latvia 2, Liberia 1, Malta 11,
  Norway 1, Panama 5, Saint Kitts and Nevis 3, Saint Vincent and the
  Grenadines 16, Sweden 2, Vanuatu 1) (2008)

Ethiopia total: 9 by type: cargo 8, roll on/roll off 1 (2008)

Faroe Islands
  total: 12
  by type: cargo 9, passenger/cargo 3
  foreign-owned: 5 (Iceland 1, Norway 4) (2008)

Fiji
  total: 9
  by type: passenger 3, passenger/cargo 4, roll on/roll off 2
  foreign-owned: 1 (Australia 1) (2008)

Finland
  total: 98
  by type: bulk carrier 3, cargo 28, carrier 1, chemical tanker 6,
  container 3, passenger 5, passenger/cargo 18, petroleum tanker 5,
  roll on/roll off 27, vehicle carrier 2
  foreign-owned: 8 (Estonia 2, Germany 1, Norway 3, Sweden 2)
  registered in other countries: 47 (Bahamas 9, Germany 4, Gibraltar
  3, Netherlands 14, Norway 1, Panama 2, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1,
  Sweden 12, UK 1) (2008)

France
  total: 138
  by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 1, chemical tanker 32, container 25,
  liquefied gas 12, passenger 3, passenger/cargo 33, petroleum tanker
  23, roll on/roll off 7
  foreign-owned: 38 (Belgium 6, China 5, Denmark 2, Germany 1, Italy
  2, Japan 1, NZ 1, Norway 5, Saudi Arabia 1, Singapore 2, Sweden 9,
  Switzerland 3)
  registered in other countries: 127 (Antigua and Barbuda 1, Australia
  1, Bahamas 30, Belgium 2, Bermuda 1, Hong Kong 1, Indonesia 1, Isle
  of Man 1, Italy 2, Liberia 5, Luxembourg 17, Malta 5, Morocco 14,
  Netherlands 1, Norway 3, Panama 5, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  6, Singapore 1, Taiwan 1, UK 23, Wallis and Futuna 6) (2008)

French Polynesia
  total: 15
  by type: cargo 6, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 5, refrigerated cargo
  1, roll on/roll off 1
  registered in other countries: 2 (Wallis and Futuna 2) (2008)

Gabon
  registered in other countries: 2 (Cambodia 1, Panama 1) (2008)

Gambia, The
  total: 5
  by type: passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 1 (2008)

Georgia
  total: 191
  by type: bulk carrier 18, cargo 148, carrier 2, chemical tanker 1,
  container 4, liquefied gas 1, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 4,
  refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off 4, vehicle carrier 2
  foreign-owned: 153 (China 10, Cyprus 1, Egypt 12, Germany 2, Greece
  5, Hong Kong 2, Israel 2, Lebanon 4, Monaco 4, Nigeria 1, Romania
  16, Russia 12, Syria 49, Turkey 14, Ukraine 18, UAE 1) (2008)

Germany
  total: 393
  by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 43, chemical tanker 13, container
  284, liquefied gas 5, passenger 5, passenger/cargo 27, petroleum
  tanker 11, roll on/roll off 3
  foreign-owned: 11 (China 2, Cyprus 2, Denmark 1, Finland 4,
  Netherlands 1, Sweden 1)
  registered in other countries: 2,998 (Antigua and Barbuda 941,
  Australia 2, Bahamas 44, Bermuda 22, Brazil 6, Bulgaria 63, Burma 1,
  Canada 3, Cayman Islands 15, Cyprus 189, Denmark 9, Denmark 1,
  Estonia 1, Finland 1, France 1, Georgia 2, Gibraltar 129, Hong Kong
  6, India 2, Indonesia 1, Isle of Man 56, Jamaica 4, Liberia 849,
  Luxembourg 5, Malaysia 1, Malta 91, Marshall Islands 235, Mongolia
  4, Morocco 2, Netherlands 75, Netherlands Antilles 43, Norway 1, NZ
  1, Panama 44, Portugal 20, Russia 1, Saint Vincent and the
  Grenadines 3, Singapore 24, Slovakia 3, Spain 5, Sri Lanka 5, Sweden
  5, Turkey 1, UK 76, US 5) (2008)

Ghana
  total: 4
  by type: petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 3
  foreign-owned: 1 (Brazil 1) (2008)

Gibraltar
  total: 240
  by type: bulk carrier 5, cargo 125, chemical tanker 51, container
  43, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 10, roll on/roll off 5
  foreign-owned: 225 (Belgium 2, Cyprus 1, Denmark 7, Finland 3,
  Germany 129, Greece 6, Iceland 1, Morocco 4, Netherlands 21, Norway
  33, Sweden 13, UAE 3, UK 2)
  registered in other countries: 7 (Liberia 5, Panama 1, Saint Vincent
  and the Grenadines 1) (2008)

Greece
  total: 869
  by type: bulk carrier 260, cargo 66, carrier 1, chemical tanker 66,
  combination ore/oil 2, container 45, liquefied gas 10, passenger 13,
  passenger/cargo 115, petroleum tanker 274, roll on/roll off 15,
  specialized tanker 2
  foreign-owned: 64 (Belgium 16, Cyprus 7, Turkey 1, UK 32, US 8)
  registered in other countries: 2,357 (Antigua and Barbuda 3, Bahamas
  209, Barbados 12, Belize 1, Bermuda 9, Brazil 1, Cambodia 3, Cayman
  Islands 16, China 2, Comoros 6, Cyprus 259, Denmark 4, Dominica 10,
  Egypt 8, Georgia 5, Gibraltar 6, Honduras 4, Hong Kong 22, Isle of
  Man 50, Italy 6, Jamaica 6, North Korea 1, Lebanon 2, Liberia 358,
  Maldives 1, Malta 452, Marshall Islands 269, Norway 3, Panama 510,
  Philippines 4, Portugal 4, Russia 1, Saint Kitts and Nevis 3, Saint
  Vincent and the Grenadines 71, Sao Tome and Principe 1, Saudi Arabia
  3, Sierra Leone 1, Singapore 15, Slovakia 2, Turkey 1, UAE 3,
  Uruguay 1, Vanuatu 1, Venezuela 3, unknown 5) (2008)

Greenland
  total: 2
  by type: cargo 1, passenger 1 (2008)

Guyana
  total: 8
  by type: cargo 6, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 1
  registered in other countries: 3 (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  2, unknown 1) (2008)

Honduras
  total: 123
  by type: bulk carrier 10, cargo 57, chemical tanker 6, container 1,
  liquefied gas 1, passenger 4, passenger/cargo 7, petroleum tanker
  25, refrigerated cargo 7, roll on/roll off 4, specialized tanker 1
  foreign-owned: 42 (Bangladesh 1, Canada 1, China 3, Egypt 3, Greece
  4, Hong Kong 1, Israel 1, Japan 4, South Korea 6, Lebanon 1, Mexico
  1, Singapore 12, Taiwan 2, Tanzania 1, Vietnam 1) (2008)

Hong Kong
  total: 1,114
  by type: barge carrier 2, bulk carrier 525, cargo 142, carrier 3,
  chemical tanker 68, combination ore/oil 2, container 205, liquefied
  gas 22, passenger 6, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 114, roll
  on/roll off 4, specialized tanker 9, vehicle carrier 7
  foreign-owned: 703 (Belgium 3, Canada 44, China 324, Denmark 24,
  France 1, Germany 6, Greece 22, Indonesia 7, Iran 15, Japan 111,
  South Korea 3, Norway 40, Philippines 1, Portugal 1, Russia 2,
  Singapore 18, Syria 1, Taiwan 11, UAE 1, UK 39, US 29)
  registered in other countries: 357 (Bahamas 30, Bermuda 4, Cambodia
  8, China 12, Cyprus 2, Georgia 2, Honduras 1, India 1, Jamaica 1,
  Kiribati 4, Liberia 44, Malaysia 14, Malta 1, Marshall Islands 4,
  Mexico 1, Netherlands Antilles 2, Norway 20, Panama 130, Philippines
  1, Portugal 2, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 6, Seychelles 1,
  Sierra Leone 1, Singapore 47, Tuvalu 7, UK 2, Vietnam 1, unknown 8)
  (2008)

Iceland
  total: 2
  by type: passenger/cargo 2
  registered in other countries: 37 (Antigua and Barbuda 12, Bahamas
  1, Belize 2, Denmark 2, Faroe Islands 1, Gibraltar 1, Malta 5,
  Marshall Islands 3, Norway 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 7)
  (2008)

India
  total: 501
  by type: bulk carrier 102, cargo 241, carrier 1, chemical tanker 19,
  container 13, liquefied gas 18, passenger 3, passenger/cargo 11,
  petroleum tanker 92, roll on/roll off 1
  foreign-owned: 12 (China 1, Germany 2, Hong Kong 1, UAE 6, UK 2)
  registered in other countries: 61 (Barbados 1, Comoros 2, Cyprus 2,
  Dominica 2, Liberia 2, Malta 2, Marshall Islands 1, Panama 27, Saint
  Kitts and Nevis 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 7, Singapore 13,
  unknown 1) (2008)

Indonesia
  total: 971
  by type: bulk carrier 54, cargo 514, chemical tanker 35, container
  80, liquefied gas 7, passenger 44, passenger/cargo 68, petroleum
  tanker 143, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 10, specialized
  tanker 10, vehicle carrier 4
  foreign-owned: 43 (China 2, France 1, Germany 1, Japan 6, Norway 1,
  Philippines 1, Singapore 27, Taiwan 2, UAE 2)
  registered in other countries: 114 (Bahamas 2, Cambodia 2, China 1,
  Hong Kong 7, Liberia 2, Mongolia 1, Panama 31, Singapore 66, unknown
  2) (2008)

Iran
  total: 74
  by type: bulk carrier 18, cargo 34, chemical tanker 4, container 6,
  liquefied gas 1, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated
  cargo 2, roll on/roll off 3
  foreign-owned: 1 (UAE 1)
  registered in other countries: 115 (Barbados 2, Bolivia 1, Cyprus
  10, Hong Kong 15, Malta 79, Panama 7, Saint Vincent and the
  Grenadines 1) (2008)

Iraq
  total: 14
  by type: cargo 10, petroleum tanker 4 (2008)

Ireland
  total: 29
  by type: cargo 25, chemical tanker 2, container 1, roll on/roll off 1
  foreign-owned: 2 (US 2)
  registered in other countries: 21 (Bahamas 2, Bermuda 1, Bulgaria 1,
  Cyprus 3, Isle of Man 1, Marshall Islands 1, Netherlands 10,
  Slovakia 1, UK 1) (2008)

Isle of Man
  total: 273
  by type: bulk carrier 31, cargo 50, chemical tanker 48, container
  12, liquefied gas 41, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 73,
  refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 8, vehicle carrier 5
  foreign-owned: 181 (Chile 6, Denmark 29, France 1, Germany 56,
  Greece 50, Ireland 1, Japan 6, Monaco 3, Netherlands 1, Norway 20,
  Singapore 1, Sweden 1, Turkey 2, US 4)
  registered in other countries: 7 (Bahamas 1, Liberia 5, Marshall
  Islands 1) (2008)

Israel
  total: 11
  by type: cargo 2, container 9
  registered in other countries: 60 (Bermuda 3, Cyprus 4, Georgia 2,
  Honduras 1, Liberia 23, Malta 18, Panama 3, Saint Vincent and the
  Grenadines 2, Slovakia 4) (2008)

Italy
  total: 609
  by type: bulk carrier 60, cargo 47, carrier 2, chemical tanker 159,
  combination ore/oil 1, container 25, liquefied gas 27, passenger 22,
  passenger/cargo 154, petroleum tanker 35, refrigerated cargo 4, roll
  on/roll off 33, specialized tanker 13, vehicle carrier 27
  foreign-owned: 64 (Denmark 3, France 2, Greece 6, Japan 1, Lebanon
  1, Nigeria 1, Norway 2, Portugal 1, Sweden 1, Switzerland 8, Taiwan
  13, Turkey 1, UK 7, US 17)
  registered in other countries: 208 (Antigua and Barbuda 1, Bahamas
  4, Belize 3, Cayman Islands 4, Cyprus 7, France 2, Liberia 41, Malta
  50, Marshall Islands 3, Netherlands 1, Norway 4, Panama 28, Portugal
  12, Russia 4, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Saint Vincent and the
  Grenadines 17, Singapore 5, Slovakia 2, Spain 2, Sweden 9, Turkey 3,
  UK 5) (2008)

Jamaica
  total: 20
  by type: bulk carrier 6, cargo 6, carrier 1, container 4, roll
  on/roll off 3
  foreign-owned: 17 (Denmark 2, Germany 4, Greece 6, Hong Kong 1,
  Latvia 1, Russia 3) (2008)

Japan
  total: 683
  by type: bulk carrier 136, cargo 30, carrier 3, chemical tanker 27,
  container 11, liquefied gas 59, passenger 12, passenger/cargo 135,
  petroleum tanker 156, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 51,
  vehicle carrier 61
  registered in other countries: 3,074 (Australia 1, Bahamas 87,
  Belize 8, Bermuda 2, Burma 1, Cambodia 1, Cayman Islands 13, China
  2, Cyprus 21, France 1, Honduras 4, Hong Kong 111, Indonesia 6, Isle
  of Man 6, Italy 1, South Korea 20, Liberia 116, Malaysia 4, Malta 8,
  Marshall Islands 17, Nigeria 1, Norway 29, Panama 2335, Philippines
  81, Portugal 15, Saint Kitts and Nevis 3, Saint Vincent and the
  Grenadines 3, Singapore 131, Thailand 4, UK 4, US 7, Vanuatu 29,
  Vietnam 1, unknown 1) (2008)

Jordan
  total: 21
  by type: cargo 8, container 1, passenger/cargo 7, petroleum tanker
  2, roll on/roll off 3
  foreign-owned: 13 (UAE 13)
  registered in other countries: 24 (Algeria 7, Bahamas 2, Panama 13,
  Syria 2) (2008)

Kazakhstan
  total: 5
  by type: petroleum tanker 4, refrigerated cargo 1 (2008)

Kenya
  total: 1
  by type: petroleum tanker 1
  registered in other countries: 6 (Bahamas 1, Comoros 1, Saint
  Vincent and the Grenadines 2, Tuvalu 1, unknown 1) (2008)

Kiribati
  total: 43
  by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 18, chemical tanker 3, petroleum
  tanker 6, refrigerated cargo 14
  foreign-owned: 31 (China 15, Hong Kong 4, South Korea 2, Singapore
  4, Taiwan 5, Turkey 1) (2008)

Korea, North
  total: 167
  by type: bulk carrier 11, cargo 121, carrier 1, chemical tanker 4,
  container 3, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 19, refrigerated
  cargo 4, roll on/roll off 1
  foreign-owned: 19 (Egypt 1, Greece 1, Lebanon 1, Lithuania 1,
  Romania 4, Syria 1, UAE 8, Yemen 2)
  registered in other countries: 2 (Mongolia 1, Panama 1) (2008)

Korea, South
  total: 812
  by type: bulk carrier 212, cargo 226, carrier 2, chemical tanker
  133, container 80, liquefied gas 33, passenger 5, passenger/cargo
  26, petroleum tanker 61, refrigerated cargo 16, roll on/roll off 9,
  specialized tanker 4, vehicle carrier 5
  foreign-owned: 31 (China 1, Japan 20, Norway 2, UK 1, US 7)
  registered in other countries: 363 (Belize 1, Cambodia 22, China 1,
  Cyprus 1, Honduras 6, Hong Kong 3, Kiribati 2, Liberia 3, Malta 2,
  Marshall Islands 10, Mongolia 1, Netherlands 1, Panama 303, Russia
  1, Singapore 3, Tuvalu 1, unknown 2) (2008)

Kuwait
  total: 38
  by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 1, carrier 3, container 6, liquefied
  gas 4, petroleum tanker 22
  registered in other countries: 34 (Bahrain 5, Comoros 1, Libya 1,
  Panama 2, Qatar 7, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Saudi Arabia 7, UAE 10)
  (2008)

Laos
  total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 2,370 GRT/3,110 DWT
  by type: cargo 1 (2008)

Latvia
  total: 22
  by type: cargo 8, chemical tanker 3, liquefied gas 2,
  passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 2
  foreign-owned: 2 (Estonia 2)
  registered in other countries: 118 (Antigua and Barbuda 13, Belize
  12, Cambodia 1, Cook Islands 1, Cyprus 1, Dominica 1, Jamaica 1,
  Liberia 21, Malta 19, Marshall Islands 16, Panama 8, Russia 2, Saint
  Kitts and Nevis 5, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 17) (2008)

Lebanon
  total: 33
  by type: bulk carrier 3, cargo 13, carrier 11, passenger/cargo 1,
  refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 2, vehicle carrier 2
  foreign-owned: 4 (Greece 2, Syria 2)
  registered in other countries: 55 (Barbados 1, Cambodia 8, Comoros
  4, Cyprus 1, Egypt 1, Georgia 4, Honduras 1, Italy 1, North Korea 1,
  Liberia 2, Malta 11, Mongolia 2, Panama 5, Saint Vincent and the
  Grenadines 6, Sierra Leone 1, Syria 3, Togo 1, unknown 2) (2008)

Liberia
  total: 2,204
  by type: barge carrier 3, bulk carrier 390, cargo 107, chemical
  tanker 241, combination ore/oil 7, container 750, liquefied gas 84,
  passenger 1, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 460, refrigerated
  cargo 103, roll on/roll off 7, specialized tanker 12, vehicle
  carrier 36
  foreign-owned: 2,109 (Argentina 3, Belgium 4, Brazil 3, Canada 7,
  China 11, Croatia 2, Cyprus 63, Denmark 12, Estonia 1, France 5,
  Germany 849, Gibraltar 5, Greece 358, Hong Kong 44, India 2,
  Indonesia 2, Isle of Man 5, Israel 23, Italy 41, Japan 116, South
  Korea 3, Latvia 21, Lebanon 2, Mexico 2, Monaco 8, Netherlands 6,
  Nigeria 2, Norway 40, Poland 13, Qatar 4, Romania 2, Russia 94,
  Saudi Arabia 27, Singapore 32, Slovenia 3, Sweden 10, Switzerland
  13, Taiwan 91, Turkey 7, Ukraine 25, UAE 23, UK 20, US 98, Uruguay
  3, Vietnam 4) (2008)

Libya
  total: 17
  by type: cargo 9, liquefied gas 3, petroleum tanker 4, roll on/roll
  off 1
  foreign-owned: 4 (Kuwait 1, Norway 1, Syria 2)
  registered in other countries: 3 (Malta 3) (2008)

Lithuania
  total: 45
  by type: cargo 23, container 2, passenger/cargo 6, petroleum tanker
  1, refrigerated cargo 13
  foreign-owned: 6 (Denmark 5, Ukraine 1)
  registered in other countries: 28 (Antigua and Barbuda 5, Cook
  Islands 1, North Korea 1, Malta 1, Norway 1, Panama 7, Saint Vincent
  and the Grenadines 9, unknown 3) (2008)

Luxembourg
  total: 45
  by type: bulk carrier 6, cargo 3, chemical tanker 15, container 4,
  liquefied gas 1, passenger 3, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 3,
  roll on/roll off 9
  foreign-owned: 44 (Belgium 7, Denmark 1, France 17, Germany 5,
  Netherlands 2, UK 8, US 4)
  registered in other countries: 1 (Ukraine 1) (2008)

Madagascar
  total: 8
  by type: cargo 4, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 2 (2008)

Malaysia
  total: 306
  by type: bulk carrier 12, cargo 97, carrier 1, chemical tanker 34,
  container 46, liquefied gas 33, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker
  71, roll on/roll off 3, vehicle carrier 4
  foreign-owned: 40 (Germany 1, Hong Kong 14, Japan 4, Russia 2,
  Singapore 16, Sweden 3)
  registered in other countries: 68 (Bahamas 13, Marshall Islands 3,
  Norway 1, Panama 12, Philippines 1, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1,
  Singapore 27, Thailand 3, Tuvalu 1, US 2, unknown 4) (2008)

Maldives
  total: 29
  by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 23, petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated
  cargo 2
  foreign-owned: 1 (Greece 1)
  registered in other countries: 2 (Panama 1, Tuvalu 1) (2008)

Malta
  total: 1,438
  by type: bulk carrier 459, cargo 411, carrier 2, chemical tanker
  171, container 80, liquefied gas 25, passenger 29, passenger/cargo
  15, petroleum tanker 159, refrigerated cargo 32, roll on/roll off
  37, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 17
  foreign-owned: 1,343 (Austria 1, Azerbaijan 2, Bangladesh 2, Belgium
  15, Bulgaria 5, Canada 1, China 12, Croatia 9, Cyprus 31, Denmark
  30, Egypt 1, Estonia 11, France 5, Germany 91, Greece 452, Hong Kong
  1, Iceland 5, India 2, Iran 79, Israel 18, Italy 50, Japan 8, South
  Korea 2, Latvia 19, Lebanon 11, Libya 3, Lithuania 1, Norway 93,
  Pakistan 2, Poland 24, Portugal 3, Romania 8, Russia 58, Slovenia 4,
  Spain 3, Sweden 2, Switzerland 20, Syria 6, Turkey 176, Ukraine 30,
  UAE 5, UK 19, US 23)
  registered in other countries: 3 (Panama 3) (2008)

Marshall Islands
  total: 1,049
  by type: barge carrier 1, bulk carrier 284, cargo 71, carrier 1,
  chemical tanker 191, combination ore/oil 4, container 188, liquefied
  gas 47, passenger 5, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 221,
  refrigerated cargo 13, roll on/roll off 14, specialized tanker 2,
  vehicle carrier 6
  foreign-owned: 990 (Australia 1, Bermuda 4, Brazil 1, Canada 6,
  Chile 4, China 7, Croatia 6, Cyprus 37, Denmark 10, Germany 235,
  Greece 269, Hong Kong 4, Iceland 3, India 1, Ireland 1, Isle of Man
  1, Italy 3, Japan 17, South Korea 10, Latvia 16, Malaysia 3, Mexico
  4, Monaco 13, Netherlands 8, Norway 66, Pakistan 1, Panama 1,
  Romania 1, Russia 9, Saudi Arabia 5, Singapore 18, Slovenia 4, Spain
  1, Sweden 1, Switzerland 12, Taiwan 1, Turkey 50, UAE 15, UK 10, US
  123) (2008)

Mauritius
  total: 3
  by type: passenger/cargo 2, refrigerated cargo 1 (2008)

Mexico
  total: 55
  by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 7, chemical tanker 5, liquefied gas
  4, passenger/cargo 11, petroleum tanker 23, roll on/roll off 3
  foreign-owned: 4 (Denmark 2, Hong Kong 1, UAE 1)
  registered in other countries: 20 (Brazil 1, Honduras 1, Liberia 2,
  Marshall Islands 4, Panama 2, Portugal 1, Spain 3, Venezuela 5,
  unknown 1) (2008)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  total: 3
  by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 2 (2008)

Moldova
  total: 39
  by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 32, chemical tanker 2, combination
  ore/oil 2, petroleum tanker 1
  foreign-owned: 17 (Egypt 1, Romania 3, Russia 3, Syria 1, Turkey 3,
  Ukraine 5, Yemen 1) (2008)

Monaco
  registered in other countries: 70 (Bahamas 15, Georgia 4,
  Isle of Man 3, Liberia 8, Marshall Islands 13, Norway 5, Panama 16,
  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 5, Vanuatu 1) (2008)

Mongolia
  total: 77
  by type: bulk carrier 20, cargo 44, chemical tanker 2, liquefied gas
  1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 6,
  vehicle carrier 1
  foreign-owned: 53 (China 1, Germany 4, Indonesia 1, North Korea 1,
  South Korea 1, Lebanon 2, Russia 9, Singapore 9, Thailand 1, Ukraine
  1, Vietnam 23) (2008)

Montenegro
  total: 6
  by type: cargo 5, passenger/cargo 1
  registered in other countries: 3 (Bahamas 2, Saint Vincent and the
  Grenadines 1) (2008)

Morocco
  total: 35
  by type: cargo 3, chemical tanker 6, container 8, passenger/cargo
  13, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 4
  foreign-owned: 16 (France 14, Germany 2)
  registered in other countries: 4 (Gibraltar 4) (2008)

Mozambique
  total: 2
  by type: cargo 2
  foreign-owned: 2 (Belgium 2) (2008)

Namibia
  total: 1
  by type: cargo 1
  registered in other countries: 1 (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  1) (2008)

Netherlands
  total: 622
  by type: bulk carrier 9, cargo 381, carrier 19, chemical tanker 44,
  container 76, liquefied gas 15, passenger 16, passenger/cargo 15,
  petroleum tanker 11, refrigerated cargo 10, roll on/roll off 23,
  specialized tanker 3
  foreign-owned: 203 (Belgium 2, Cyprus 8, Denmark 29, Finland 14,
  France 1, Germany 75, Ireland 10, Italy 1, South Korea 1, Norway 12,
  Sweden 28, Turkey 1, UAE 5, UK 2, US 14)
  registered in other countries: 178 (Antigua and Barbuda 20,
  Australia 2, Austria 2, Bahamas 9, Cambodia 1, Canada 1, Cyprus 22,
  Germany 1, Gibraltar 21, Isle of Man 1, Liberia 6, Luxembourg 2,
  Marshall Islands 8, Netherlands Antilles 38, Panama 14, Paraguay 1,
  Philippines 23, Portugal 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 3, US
  1, unknown 1) (2008)

Netherlands Antilles
  total: 147
  by type: barge carrier 2, bulk carrier 2, cargo 72, carrier 19,
  chemical tanker 2, container 8, liquefied gas 1, passenger 2,
  petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 27, roll on/roll off 6,
  specialized tanker 3
  foreign-owned: 123 (Belgium 1, Cuba 1, Cyprus 21, Denmark 2, Germany
  43, Hong Kong 2, Netherlands 38, Norway 3, Sweden 1, Turkey 10, US
  1) (2008)

New Caledonia
  total: 2
  by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 1 (2008)

New Zealand
  total: 13
  by type: bulk carrier 3, cargo 2, chemical tanker 1, passenger/cargo
  4, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 2
  foreign-owned: 3 (Australia 1, Germany 1, South Africa 1)
  registered in other countries: 5 (Antigua and Barbuda 2, Cook
  Islands 1, France 1, UK 1) (2008)

Nigeria
  total: 68
  by type: cargo 4, chemical tanker 12, combination ore/oil 1,
  liquefied gas 2, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 46, specialized
  tanker 2
  foreign-owned: 3 (Japan 1, South Africa 1, Spain 1)
  registered in other countries: 34 (Bahamas 2, Bermuda 11, Cook
  Islands 1, Georgia 1, Italy 1, Liberia 2, Panama 10, Poland 1,
  Seychelles 1, Sierra Leone 1, unknown 3) (2008)

Norway
  total: 688
  by type: bulk carrier 46, cargo 141, carrier 3, chemical tanker 137,
  combination ore/oil 12, container 4, liquefied gas 65,
  passenger/cargo 117, petroleum tanker 85, refrigerated cargo 14,
  roll on/roll off 13, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 50
  foreign-owned: 199 (Canada 10, Chile 2, China 36, Denmark 25,
  Estonia 1, Finland 1, France 3, Germany 1, Greece 3, Hong Kong 20,
  Iceland 3, Italy 4, Japan 29, Lithuania 1, Malaysia 1, Monaco 5,
  Poland 3, Saudi Arabia 3, Singapore 1, Sweden 34, UK 5, US 8)
  registered in other countries: 923 (Antigua and Barbuda 8, Australia
  1, Bahamas 189, Barbados 38, Belize 3, Bermuda 5, Brazil 5, Canada
  3, Cayman Islands 1, China 1, Comoros 1, Cook Islands 5, Cyprus 18,
  Denmark 3, Dominica 1, Estonia 2, Faroe Islands 4, Finland 3, France
  5, Gibraltar 33, Hong Kong 40, Indonesia 1, Isle of Man 20, Italy 2,
  South Korea 2, Liberia 40, Libya 1, Malta 93, Marshall Islands 66,
  Netherlands 12, Netherlands Antilles 3, Panama 89, Philippines 10,
  Russia 2, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 13, Singapore 143, Spain
  5, Sweden 7, Tuvalu 1, UK 31, US 9, unknown 4) (2008)

Oman
  total: 3
  by type: chemical tanker 1, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1
  registered in other countries: 2 (Panama 2) (2008)

Pakistan
  total: 15
  by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 10, petroleum tanker 4
  registered in other countries: 19 (Comoros 4, Malta 2, Marshall
  Islands 1, Panama 9, Saint Kitts and Nevis 3) (2008)

Panama
  total: 6,323
  by type: barge carrier 2, bulk carrier 2,143, cargo 1,208, carrier
  13, chemical tanker 565, combination ore/oil 6, container 790,
  liquefied gas 189, passenger 44, passenger/cargo 71, petroleum
  tanker 557, refrigerated cargo 265, roll on/roll off 128,
  specialized tanker 29, vehicle carrier 313
  foreign-owned: 5,394 (Albania 2, Argentina 8, Australia 4,
  Azerbaijan 1, Bahamas 9, Bangladesh 2, Belgium 2, British Virgin
  Islands 1, Bulgaria 3, Burma 1, Canada 18, Chile 12, China 532,
  Colombia 4, Croatia 3, Cuba 10, Cyprus 19, Denmark 40, Dominican
  Republic 1, Ecuador 4, Egypt 17, Estonia 5, Finland 2, France 5,
  Gabon 1, Germany 44, Gibraltar 1, Greece 510, Hong Kong 130, India
  27, Indonesia 31, Iran 7, Israel 3, Italy 28, Japan 2,335, Jordan
  13, North Korea 1, South Korea 303, Kuwait 2, Latvia 8, Lebanon 5,
  Lithuania 7, Malaysia 12, Maldives 1, Malta 3, Mexico 2, Monaco 16,
  Netherlands 14, Nigeria 10, Norway 89, Oman 2, Pakistan 9, Peru 16,
  Philippines 7, Poland 11, Portugal 9, Qatar 1, Romania 7, Russia 18,
  Saudi Arabia 16, Singapore 100, Spain 50, Sri Lanka 1, Sweden 6,
  Switzerland 25, Syria 32, Taiwan 320, Thailand 10, Tunisia 1, Turkey
  94, Turks and Caicos Islands 1, Ukraine 10, UAE 109, UK 59, US 126,
  Venezuela 10, Vietnam 30, Yemen 6)
  registered in other countries: 3 (Marshall Islands 1, Sierra Leone
  1, Venezuela 1) (2008)

Papua New Guinea
  total: 21
  by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 17, petroleum tanker 2
  foreign-owned: 6 (UAE 6) (2008)

Paraguay
  total: 23
  by type: cargo 18, carrier 1, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 2, roll
  on/roll off 1
  foreign-owned: 6 (Argentina 5, Netherlands 1) (2008)

Peru
  total: 8
  by type: cargo 3, chemical tanker 1, petroleum tanker 4
  foreign-owned: 1 (Bahamas 1)
  registered in other countries: 17 (Belize 1, Panama 16) (2008)

Philippines
  total: 391
  by type: bulk carrier 75, cargo 125, carrier 16, chemical tanker 17,
  container 6, liquefied gas 5, passenger 6, passenger/cargo 68,
  petroleum tanker 36, refrigerated cargo 15, roll on/roll off 11,
  vehicle carrier 11
  foreign-owned: 161 (Bermuda 34, China 4, Greece 4, Hong Kong 1,
  Japan 81, Malaysia 1, Netherlands 23, Norway 10, Singapore 1, Taiwan
  1, UAE 1)
  registered in other countries: 11 (Comoros 1, Cyprus 1, Hong Kong 1,
  Indonesia 1, Panama 7) (2008)

Poland
  total: 15
  by type: cargo 8, chemical tanker 4, passenger/cargo 1, roll on/roll
  off 1, vehicle carrier 1
  foreign-owned: 2 (Cyprus 1, Nigeria 1)
  registered in other countries: 98 (Antigua and Barbuda 2, Bahamas
  17, Cyprus 18, Liberia 13, Malta 24, Norway 3, Panama 11, Saint
  Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Slovakia 2, Vanuatu 7) (2008)

Portugal
  total: 117
  by type: bulk carrier 10, cargo 36, carrier 1, chemical tanker 15,
  container 6, liquefied gas 9, passenger 10, passenger/cargo 9,
  petroleum tanker 4, roll on/roll off 1, specialized tanker 1,
  vehicle carrier 15
  foreign-owned: 84 (Bahamas 1, Belgium 8, Denmark 3, Germany 20,
  Greece 4, Hong Kong 2, Italy 12, Japan 15, Mexico 1, Netherlands 1,
  Spain 11, Sweden 3, Switzerland 2, US 1)
  registered in other countries: 15 (Cyprus 1, Hong Kong 1, Italy 1,
  Malta 3, Panama 9) (2008)

Puerto Rico
  total: 3
  by type: roll on/roll off 3
  foreign-owned: 3 (US 3)
  registered in other countries: 1 (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  1) (2008)

Qatar
  total: 22
  by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 2, chemical tanker 2, container 8,
  liquefied gas 4, petroleum tanker 4
  foreign-owned: 7 (Kuwait 7)
  registered in other countries: 5 (Liberia 4, Panama 1) (2008)

Romania
  total: 17
  by type: cargo 11, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker
  2, roll on/roll off 1
  registered in other countries: 49 (Cambodia 1, Georgia 16, North
  Korea 4, Liberia 2, Malta 8, Marshall Islands 1, Moldova 3, Panama
  7, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1,
  Sierra Leone 3, Syria 2) (2008)

Russia
  total: 1,074
  by type: bulk carrier 25, cargo 663, carrier 2, chemical tanker 27,
  combination ore/oil 34, container 11, passenger 14, passenger/cargo
  7, petroleum tanker 217, refrigerated cargo 59, roll on/roll off 10,
  specialized tanker 5
  foreign-owned: 112 (Belgium 4, Cyprus 2, Germany 1, Greece 1, Italy
  4, South Korea 1, Latvia 2, Norway 2, Switzerland 3, Turkey 80,
  Ukraine 11, US 1)
  registered in other countries: 486 (Antigua and Barbuda 4, Bahamas
  4, Belize 31, Bulgaria 1, Cambodia 83, Comoros 12, Cyprus 50,
  Dominica 3, Georgia 12, Hong Kong 2, Jamaica 3, Liberia 94, Malaysia
  2, Malta 58, Marshall Islands 9, Moldova 3, Mongolia 9, Panama 18,
  Saint Kitts and Nevis 19, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 21,
  Sierra Leone 11, Slovakia 1, Tuvalu 2, Ukraine 1, Vanuatu 2, unknown
  31) (2008)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  total: 159
  by type: bulk carrier 10, cargo 109, chemical tanker 7, container 1,
  liquefied gas 1, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker
  19, refrigerated cargo 7, roll on/roll off 1, specialized tanker 1
  foreign-owned: 121 (Belgium 1, Cyprus 1, Egypt 2, Estonia 3, Finland
  1, Greece 3, India 1, Italy 1, Japan 3, Kuwait 1, Latvia 5, Malaysia
  1, Pakistan 3, Romania 1, Russia 19, Singapore 1, Spain 1, Syria 7,
  Turkey 35, Ukraine 9, UAE 18, UK 3, Yemen 1) (2008)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  total: 525
  by type: barge carrier 1, bulk carrier 83, cargo 315, carrier 20,
  chemical tanker 2, liquefied gas 6, passenger 3, passenger/cargo 17,
  petroleum tanker 17, refrigerated cargo 20, roll on/roll off 18,
  specialized tanker 2, container 21
  foreign-owned: 476 (Austria 2, Barbados 1, Belgium 8, Bulgaria 15,
  Canada 1, China 94, Croatia 7, Cyprus 1, Czech Republic 1, Denmark
  16, Egypt 3, Estonia 16, France 6, Germany 3, Gibraltar 1, Greece
  71, Guyana 2, Hong Kong 6, Iceland 7, India 7, Iran 1, Israel 2,
  Italy 17, Japan 3, Kenya 2, Latvia 17, Lebanon 6, Lithuania 9,
  Monaco 5, Montenegro 1, Namibia 1, Netherlands 3, Norway 13, Poland
  1, Puerto Rico 1, Romania 1, Russia 21, Singapore 4, Slovenia 5,
  South Africa 1, Sweden 2, Switzerland 6, Syria 13, Turkey 20,
  Ukraine 11, UAE 9, UK 14, US 18, Venezuela 1) (2008)

Samoa
  total: 1
  by type: cargo 1
  foreign-owned: 1 (Cyprus 1) (2008)

Sao Tome and Principe
  total: 6
  by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 5
  foreign-owned: 1 (Greece 1) (2008)

Saudi Arabia
  total: 62
  by type: cargo 5, chemical tanker 13, container 5, passenger/cargo
  8, petroleum tanker 20, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 8
  foreign-owned: 12 (Egypt 1, Greece 3, Kuwait 7, UAE 1)
  registered in other countries: 71 (Bahamas 16, Comoros 1, Dominica
  2, France 1, Liberia 27, Marshall Islands 5, Norway 3, Panama 16)
  (2008)

Seychelles
  total: 8
  by type: cargo 1, carrier 1, chemical tanker 6
  foreign-owned: 3 (Hong Kong 1, Nigeria 1, South Africa 1) (2008)

Sierra Leone
  total: 182
  by type: bulk carrier 4, cargo 143, carrier 2, chemical tanker 3,
  container 6, liquefied gas 2, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 6,
  petroleum tanker 10, roll on/roll off 3, specialized tanker 2
  foreign-owned: 95 (Belgium 1, China 15, Egypt 3, Greece 1, Hong Kong
  1, Lebanon 1, Nigeria 1, Panama 1, Romania 3, Russia 11, Syria 18,
  Taiwan 1, Turkey 15, Ukraine 10, UAE 8, UK 2, US 1, Yemen 2) (2008)

Singapore
  total: 1,292
  by type: bulk carrier 167, cargo 87, carrier 5, chemical tanker 209,
  container 273, liquefied gas 96, petroleum tanker 386, refrigerated
  cargo 5, roll on/roll off 4, specialized tanker 7, vehicle carrier 53
  foreign-owned: 774 (Australia 12, Bangladesh 2, Belgium 8, Chile 6,
  China 14, Cyprus 1, Denmark 87, France 1, Germany 24, Greece 15,
  Hong Kong 47, India 13, Indonesia 66, Italy 5, Japan 131, South
  Korea 3, Malaysia 27, Norway 143, Slovenia 1, Sweden 20, Switzerland
  2, Taiwan 72, Thailand 23, UAE 12, UK 17, US 22)
  registered in other countries: 331 (Australia 1, Bahamas 17, Belize
  2, Bolivia 1, Cambodia 4, Cayman Islands 10, Comoros 1, Cyprus 3,
  Dominica 7, France 2, Honduras 12, Hong Kong 18, Indonesia 27, Isle
  of Man 1, Kiribati 4, Liberia 32, Malaysia 16, Marshall Islands 18,
  Mongolia 9, Norway 1, Panama 100, Philippines 1, Saint Kitts and
  Nevis 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 4, Thailand 2, Tuvalu 23,
  US 12, unknown 2) (2008)

Slovakia
  total: 51
  by type: bulk carrier 5, cargo 42, refrigerated cargo 4
  foreign-owned: 47 (Bulgaria 6, Germany 3, Greece 2, Ireland 1,
  Israel 4, Italy 2, Poland 2, Russia 1, Slovenia 1, Syria 2, Turkey
  10, Ukraine 12, UK 1) (2008)

Slovenia
  registered in other countries: 29 (Antigua and Barbuda 6,
  Bahamas 1, Cyprus 4, Liberia 3, Malta 4, Marshall Islands 4, Saint
  Vincent and the Grenadines 5, Singapore 1, Slovakia 1) (2008)

Somalia
  total: 1
  by type: cargo 1
  foreign-owned: 1 (UAE 1) (2008)

South Africa
  total: 3
  by type: container 1, petroleum tanker 2
  foreign-owned: 1 (Denmark 1)
  registered in other countries: 8 (Bahamas 1, Nigeria 1, NZ 1, Saint
  Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Seychelles 1, UK 3) (2008)

Spain
  total: 158
  by type: bulk carrier 9, cargo 14, chemical tanker 11, container 22,
  liquefied gas 11, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 47, petroleum tanker
  16, refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off 15, specialized tanker 2,
  vehicle carrier 5
  foreign-owned: 26 (Canada 4, Denmark 2, Germany 5, Italy 2, Mexico
  3, Norway 5, UK 5)
  registered in other countries: 110 (Angola 1, Argentina 2, Bahamas
  14, Belize 1, Brazil 9, Cape Verde 1, Cuba 1, Cyprus 6, Malta 3,
  Marshall Islands 1, Nigeria 1, Panama 50, Portugal 11, Saint Kitts
  and Nevis 1, UK 1, Uruguay 6, Venezuela 1) (2008)

Sri Lanka
  total: 26
  by type: bulk carrier 4, cargo 18, chemical tanker 1, container 1,
  petroleum tanker 2
  foreign-owned: 5 (Germany 5)
  registered in other countries: 1 (Panama 1) (2008)

Sudan
  total: 3
  by type: cargo 2, carrier 1 (2008)

Suriname
  total: 1
  by type: cargo 1 (2008)

Sweden
  total: 195
  by type: bulk carrier 6, cargo 23, carrier 1, chemical tanker 45,
  passenger 4, passenger/cargo 36, petroleum tanker 15, roll on/roll
  off 37, specialized tanker 3, vehicle carrier 25
  foreign-owned: 41 (Denmark 4, Estonia 2, Finland 12, Germany 5,
  Italy 9, Norway 7, UK 2)
  registered in other countries: 207 (Antigua and Barbuda 1, Bahamas
  4, Barbados 7, Bermuda 20, Cook Islands 8, Cyprus 2, Denmark 6,
  Finland 2, France 9, Germany 1, Gibraltar 13, Isle of Man 1, Italy
  1, Liberia 10, Malaysia 3, Malta 2, Marshall Islands 1, Netherlands
  28, Netherlands Antilles 1, Norway 34, Panama 6, Portugal 3, Saint
  Vincent and the Grenadines 2, Singapore 20, UK 17, US 5) (2008)

Switzerland
  total: 35
  by type: bulk carrier 13, cargo 9, chemical tanker 6, container 6,
  specialized tanker 1
  registered in other countries: 106 (Antigua and Barbuda 8, Bahamas
  1, France 3, Italy 8, Liberia 13, Malta 20, Marshall Islands 12,
  Panama 25, Portugal 2, Russia 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 6,
  Singapore 2, Tonga 1, UK 1, Vanuatu 1) (2008)

Syria
  total: 77
  by type: bulk carrier 5, cargo 65, carrier 4, container 1, petroleum
  tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1
  foreign-owned: 7 (Jordan 2, Lebanon 3, Romania 2)
  registered in other countries: 196 (Barbados 1, Bolivia 2, Cambodia
  48, Comoros 4, Cyprus 2, Dominica 2, Georgia 49, Hong Kong 1, North
  Korea 1, Lebanon 2, Libya 2, Malta 6, Moldova 1, Panama 32, Saint
  Kitts and Nevis 7, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 13, Sierra Leone
  18, Slovakia 2, Togo 2, unknown 1) (2008)

Taiwan
  total: 102
  by type: bulk carrier 32, cargo 19, chemical tanker 1, container 24,
  passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 14, refrigerated cargo 7, roll
  on/roll off 2
  foreign-owned: 3 (Canada 2, France 1)
  registered in other countries: 536 (Bolivia 1, Cambodia 1, Honduras
  2, Hong Kong 11, Indonesia 2, Italy 13, Kiribati 5, Liberia 91,
  Marshall Islands 1, Panama 320, Philippines 1, Sierra Leone 1,
  Singapore 72, Thailand 1, UK 11, unknown 3) (2008)

Tanzania
  total: 9
  by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 4
  registered in other countries: 1 (Honduras 1) (2008)

Thailand
  total: 398
  by type: bulk carrier 53, cargo 135, chemical tanker 15, container
  22, liquefied gas 28, passenger/cargo 10, petroleum tanker 100,
  refrigerated cargo 32, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 1
  foreign-owned: 16 (China 1, Japan 4, Malaysia 3, Singapore 2, Taiwan
  1, UK 5)
  registered in other countries: 40 (Bahamas 5, Mongolia 1, Panama 10,
  Singapore 23, Tuvalu 1) (2008)

Timor-Leste
  total: 1
  by type: passenger/cargo 1 (2008)

Togo
  total: 10
  by type: cargo 9, refrigerated cargo 1
  foreign-owned: 6 (Bangladesh 1, Denmark 1, Egypt 1, Lebanon 1, Syria
  2) (2008)

Tonga
  total: 13
  by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 8, carrier 1, liquefied gas 1,
  passenger/cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 1
  foreign-owned: 4 (Australia 1, Cyprus 1, Switzerland 1, UK 1) (2008)

Trinidad and Tobago
  total: 9
  by type: passenger 2, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 2
  foreign-owned: 1 (US 1)
  registered in other countries: 2 (Bahamas 1, unknown 1) (2008)

Tunisia
  total: 7
  by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 1, chemical tanker 1, passenger/cargo
  4
  registered in other countries: 1 (Panama 1) (2008)

Turkey
  total: 612
  by type: bulk carrier 101, cargo 281, chemical tanker 70,
  combination ore/oil 1, container 35, liquefied gas 7, passenger 4,
  passenger/cargo 51, petroleum tanker 31, refrigerated cargo 1, roll
  on/roll off 28, specialized tanker 2
  foreign-owned: 8 (Cyprus 2, Germany 1, Greece 1, Italy 3, UAE 1)
  registered in other countries: 595 (Albania 1, Antigua and Barbuda
  6, Bahamas 8, Belize 15, Cambodia 26, Comoros 8, Dominica 5, Georgia
  14, Greece 1, Isle of Man 2, Italy 1, Kiribati 1, Liberia 7, Malta
  176, Marshall Islands 50, Moldova 3, Netherlands 1, Netherlands
  Antilles 10, Panama 94, Russia 80, Saint Kitts and Nevis 35, Saint
  Vincent and the Grenadines 20, Sierra Leone 15, Slovakia 10, Tuvalu
  2, UK 2, unknown 2) (2008)

Turkmenistan
  total: 7
  by type: cargo 4, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 1 (2008)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  registered in other countries: 1 (Panama 1)
  (2008)

Tuvalu
  total: 80
  by type: bulk carrier 7, cargo 30, chemical tanker 14, container 2,
  passenger 2, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 22, refrigerated
  cargo 1, specialized tanker 1
  foreign-owned: 63 (China 16, Hong Kong 7, Kenya 1, South Korea 1,
  Malaysia 1, Maldives 1, Norway 1, Russia 2, Singapore 23, Thailand
  1, Turkey 2, Ukraine 1, US 1, Vietnam 5) (2008)

Ukraine
  total: 189
  by type: bulk carrier 6, cargo 141, chemical tanker 1, container 3,
  passenger 6, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 9, refrigerated
  cargo 11, roll on/roll off 7, specialized tanker 2
  foreign-owned: 2 (Luxembourg 1, Russia 1)
  registered in other countries: 204 (Belize 7, Cambodia 34, Comoros
  8, Cyprus 4, Dominica 4, Georgia 18, Liberia 25, Lithuania 1, Malta
  30, Moldova 5, Mongolia 1, Panama 10, Russia 11, Saint Kitts and
  Nevis 9, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 11, Sierra Leone 10,
  Slovakia 12, Tuvalu 1, unknown 3) (2008)

United Arab Emirates
  total: 58
  by type: bulk carrier 6, cargo 9, chemical tanker 4, container 8,
  liquefied gas 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 24, roll
  on/roll off 4, specialized tanker 1
  foreign-owned: 14 (Denmark 1, Greece 3, Kuwait 10)
  registered in other countries: 313 (Bahamas 23, Bahrain 1, Belize 5,
  Cambodia 2, Comoros 7, Cyprus 9, Dominica 1, Georgia 1, Gibraltar 3,
  Hong Kong 1, India 6, Indonesia 2, Iran 1, Jordan 13, North Korea 8,
  Liberia 23, Malta 5, Marshall Islands 15, Mexico 1, Netherlands 5,
  Panama 109, Papua New Guinea 6, Philippines 1, Saint Kitts and Nevis
  18, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 9, Saudi Arabia 1, Sierra Leone
  8, Singapore 12, Somalia 1, Turkey 1, UK 9, unknown 6) (2008)

United Kingdom
  total: 518
  by type: bulk carrier 33, cargo 67, carrier 5, chemical tanker 61,
  container 180, liquefied gas 18, passenger 10, passenger/cargo 67,
  petroleum tanker 23, refrigerated cargo 12, roll on/roll off 24,
  vehicle carrier 18
  foreign-owned: 264 (Cyprus 2, Denmark 62, Finland 1, France 23,
  Germany 76, Hong Kong 2, Ireland 1, Italy 5, Japan 4, NZ 1, Norway
  31, South Africa 3, Spain 1, Sweden 17, Switzerland 1, Taiwan 11,
  Turkey 2, UAE 9, US 12)
  registered in other countries: 391 (Algeria 11, Antigua and Barbuda
  9, Argentina 4, Australia 5, Bahamas 56, Barbados 9, Belize 5,
  Bermuda 3, Brunei 1, Cape Verde 1, Cayman Islands 3, Cyprus 19,
  Gibraltar 2, Greece 32, Hong Kong 39, India 2, Italy 7, South Korea
  1, Liberia 20, Luxembourg 8, Malta 19, Marshall Islands 18,
  Netherlands 2, Norway 5, Panama 59, Saint Kitts and Nevis 3, Saint
  Vincent and the Grenadines 14, Sierra Leone 2, Singapore 17,
  Slovakia 1, Spain 5, Sweden 2, Thailand 5, Tonga 1, US 1) (2008)

United States
  total: 422
  by type: barge carrier 6, bulk carrier 61, cargo 69, carrier 2,
  chemical tanker 22, container 81, passenger 19, passenger/cargo 59,
  petroleum tanker 53, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 25,
  vehicle carrier 22
  foreign-owned: 74 (Australia 1, Denmark 31, Germany 5, Japan 7,
  Malaysia 2, Netherlands 1, Norway 9, Singapore 12, Sweden 5, UK 1)
  registered in other countries: 732 (Antigua and Barbuda 8, Australia
  2, Bahamas 106, Bermuda 23, Cambodia 6, Canada 10, Cayman Islands
  42, Comoros 2, Cyprus 5, Ecuador 1, Greece 8, Hong Kong 29, Ireland
  2, Isle of Man 4, Italy 17, South Korea 7, Liberia 98, Luxembourg 4,
  Malta 23, Marshall Islands 123, Netherlands 14, Netherlands Antilles
  1, Norway 8, Panama 126, Portugal 1, Puerto Rico 3, Russia 1, Saint
  Vincent and the Grenadines 18, Sierra Leone 1, Singapore 22,
  Trinidad and Tobago 1, Tuvalu 1, UK 12, Vanuatu 1, unknown 2) (2008)

Uruguay
  total: 17
  by type: cargo 3, chemical tanker 2, passenger/cargo 9, petroleum
  tanker 2, roll on/roll off 1
  foreign-owned: 10 (Argentina 3, Greece 1, Spain 6)
  registered in other countries: 3 (Liberia 3) (2008)

Vanuatu
  total: 54
  by type: bulk carrier 32, cargo 8, container 1, liquefied gas 2,
  passenger 1, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 4, vehicle
  carrier 5
  foreign-owned: 54 (Australia 2, Belgium 4, Canada 5, Estonia 1,
  Greece 1, Japan 29, Monaco 1, Poland 7, Russia 2, Switzerland 1, US
  1) (2008)

Venezuela
  total: 62
  by type: bulk carrier 9, cargo 16, chemical tanker 3, liquefied gas
  5, passenger/cargo 10, petroleum tanker 17, refrigerated cargo 2
  foreign-owned: 12 (Chile 1, Denmark 1, Greece 3, Mexico 5, Panama 1,
  Spain 1)
  registered in other countries: 12 (Bahamas 1, Panama 10, Saint
  Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2008)

Vietnam
  total: 387
  by type: barge carrier 1, bulk carrier 36, cargo 280, chemical
  tanker 12, container 14, liquefied gas 6, passenger 1,
  passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 32, refrigerated cargo 2, roll
  on/roll off 1, specialized tanker 1
  foreign-owned: 2 (Hong Kong 1, Japan 1)
  registered in other countries: 64 (Honduras 1, Liberia 4, Mongolia
  23, Panama 30, Tuvalu 5, unknown 1) (2008)

Wallis and Futuna
  total: 8
  by type: chemical tanker 2, passenger 6
  foreign-owned: 8 (France 6, French Polynesia 2) (2008)

Yemen
  total: 4
  by type: cargo 1, chemical tanker 1, petroleum tanker 1, roll
  on/roll off 1
  registered in other countries: 13 (North Korea 2, Moldova 1, Panama
  6, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Sierra Leone 2, unknown 1) (2008)

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

@2109

Field Listing :: National holiday

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

National holiday

Afghanistan
  Independence Day, 19 August (1919)

Albania
  Independence Day, 28 November (1912)

Algeria
  Revolution Day, 1 November (1954)

American Samoa
  Flag Day, 17 April (1900)

Andorra
  Our Lady of Meritxell Day, 8 September (1278)

Angola
  Independence Day, 11 November (1975)

Anguilla
  Anguilla Day, 30 May (1967)

Antigua and Barbuda
  Independence Day (National Day), 1 November
  (1981)

Argentina
  Revolution Day, 25 May (1810)

Armenia
  Independence Day, 21 September (1991)

Aruba
  Flag Day, 18 March (1976)

Australia
  Australia Day, 26 January (1788); ANZAC Day (commemorated
  as the anniversary of the landing of troops of the Australian and
  New Zealand Army Corps during World War I at Gallipoli, Turkey), 25
  April (1915)

Austria
  National Day, 26 October (1955); note - commemorates the
  passage of the law on permanent neutrality

Azerbaijan
  Founding of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan, 28 May
  (1918)

Bahamas, The
  Independence Day, 10 July (1973)

Bahrain
  National Day, 16 December (1971); note - 15 August 1971 was
  the date of independence from the UK, 16 December 1971 was the date
  of independence from British protection

Bangladesh
  Independence Day, 26 March (1971); note - 26 March 1971
  is the date of independence from West Pakistan, 16 December 1971 is
  Victory Day and commemorates the official creation of the state of
  Bangladesh

Barbados
  Independence Day, 30 November (1966)

Belarus
  Independence Day, 3 July (1944); note - 3 July 1944 was the
  date Minsk was liberated from German troops, 25 August 1991 was the
  date of independence from the Soviet Union

Belgium
  21 July (1831) ascension to the Throne of King LEOPOLD I

Belize
  Independence Day, 21 September (1981)

Benin
  National Day, 1 August (1960)

Bermuda
  Bermuda Day, 24 May

Bhutan
  National Day (Ugyen WANGCHUCK became first hereditary king),
  17 December (1907)

Bolivia
  Independence Day, 6 August (1825)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  National Day, 25 November (1943)

Botswana
  Independence Day (Botswana Day), 30 September (1966)

Brazil
  Independence Day, 7 September (1822)

British Virgin Islands
  Territory Day, 1 July (1956)

Brunei
  National Day, 23 February (1984); note - 1 January 1984 was
  the date of independence from the UK, 23 February 1984 was the date
  of independence from British protection

Bulgaria
  Liberation Day, 3 March (1878)

Burkina Faso
  Republic Day, 11 December (1958)

Burma
  Independence Day, 4 January (1948); Union Day, 12 February
  (1947)

Burundi
  Independence Day, 1 July (1962)

Cambodia
  Independence Day, 9 November (1953)

Cameroon
  Republic Day (National Day), 20 May (1972)

Canada
  Canada Day, 1 July (1867)

Cape Verde
  Independence Day, 5 July (1975)

Cayman Islands
  Constitution Day, first Monday in July

Central African Republic
  Republic Day, 1 December (1958)

Chad
  Independence Day, 11 August (1960)

Chile
  Independence Day, 18 September (1810)

China
  Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China,
  1 October (1949)

Christmas Island
  Australia Day, 26 January (1788)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  Australia Day, 26 January (1788)

Colombia
  Independence Day, 20 July (1810)

Comoros
  Independence Day, 6 July (1975)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  Independence Day, 30 June (1960)

Congo, Republic of the
  Independence Day, 15 August (1960)

Cook Islands
  Constitution Day, first Monday in August (1965)

Costa Rica
  Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Cote d'Ivoire
  Independence Day, 7 August (1960)

Croatia
  Independence Day, 8 October (1991); note - 25 June 1991 was
  the day the Croatian parliament voted for independence; following a
  three-month moratorium to allow the European Community to solve the
  Yugoslav crisis peacefully, Parliament adopted a decision on 8
  October 1991 to sever constitutional relations with Yugoslavia

Cuba
  Triumph of the Revolution, 1 January (1959)

Cyprus
  Independence Day, 1 October (1960); note - Turkish Cypriots
  celebrate 15 November (1983) as Independence Day

Czech Republic
  Czech Founding Day, 28 October (1918)

Denmark
  none designated; Constitution Day, 5 June (1849) is
  generally viewed as the National Day

Djibouti
  Independence Day, 27 June (1977)

Dominica
  Independence Day, 3 November (1978)

Dominican Republic
  Independence Day, 27 February (1844)

Ecuador
  Independence Day (independence of Quito), 10 August (1809)

Egypt
  Revolution Day, 23 July (1952)

El Salvador
  Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Equatorial Guinea
  Independence Day, 12 October (1968)

Eritrea
  Independence Day, 24 May (1993)

Estonia
  Independence Day, 24 February (1918); note - 24 February
  1918 was the date Estonia declared its independence from Soviet
  Russia; 20 August 1991 was the date it declared its independence
  from the Soviet Union

Ethiopia
  National Day (defeat of MENGISTU regime), 28 May (1991)

European Union
  Europe Day 9 May (1950); note - a Union-wide holiday,
  the day that Robert SCHUMAN proposed the creation of the European
  Coal and Steel Community to achieve an organized Europe

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  Liberation Day, 14 June (1982)

Faroe Islands
  Olaifest (Olavasoka), 29 July

Fiji
  Independence Day, second Monday of October (1970)

Finland
  Independence Day, 6 December (1917)

France
  Fete de la Federation, 14 July (1790); note - although often
  incorrectly referred to as Bastille Day, the celebration actually
  commemorates the holiday held on the first anniversary of the
  storming of the Bastille (on 14 July 1789) and the establishment of
  a constitutional monarchy; other names for the holiday are Fete
  Nationale (National Holiday) and quatorze juillet (14th of July)

French Polynesia
  Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Gabon
  Independence Day, 17 August (1960)

Gambia, The
  Independence Day, 18 February (1965)

Georgia
  Independence Day, 26 May (1918); note - 26 May 1918 was the
  date of independence from Soviet Russia, 9 April 1991 was the date
  of independence from the Soviet Union

Germany
  Unity Day, 3 October (1990)

Ghana
  Independence Day, 6 March (1957)

Gibraltar
  National Day, 10 September (1967); note - day of the
  national referendum to decide whether to remain with the UK or go
  with Spain

Greece
  Independence Day, 25 March (1821)

Greenland
  June 21 (longest day)

Grenada
  Independence Day, 7 February (1974)

Guam
  Discovery Day, first Monday in March (1521)

Guatemala
  Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Guernsey
  Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)

Guinea
  Independence Day, 2 October (1958)

Guinea-Bissau
  Independence Day, 24 September (1973)

Guyana
  Republic Day, 23 February (1970)

Haiti
  Independence Day, 1 January (1804)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  Election Day of Pope BENEDICT XVI, 19 April
  (2005)

Honduras
  Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Hong Kong
  National Day (Anniversary of the Founding of the People's
  Republic of China), 1 October (1949); note - 1 July 1997 is
  celebrated as Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment
  Day

Hungary
  Saint Stephen's Day, 20 August

Iceland
  Independence Day, 17 June (1944)

India
  Republic Day, 26 January (1950)

Indonesia
  Independence Day, 17 August (1945)

Iran
  Republic Day, 1 April (1979)

Iraq
  Republic Day, July 14 (1958); note - the Government of Iraq has
  yet to declare an official national holiday but still observes
  Republic Day

Ireland
  Saint Patrick's Day, 17 March

Isle of Man
  Tynwald Day, 5 July

Israel
  Independence Day, 14 May (1948); note - Israel declared
  independence on 14 May 1948, but the Jewish calendar is lunar and
  the holiday may occur in April or May

Italy
  Republic Day, 2 June (1946)

Jamaica
  Independence Day, 6 August (1962)

Japan
  Birthday of Emperor AKIHITO, 23 December (1933)

Jersey
  Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)

Jordan
  Independence Day, 25 May (1946)

Kazakhstan
  Independence Day, 16 December (1991)

Kenya
  Independence Day, 12 December (1963)

Kiribati
  Independence Day, 12 July (1979)

Korea, North
  Founding of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea
  (DPRK), 9 September (1948)

Korea, South
  Liberation Day, 15 August (1945)

Kosovo
  Independence Day, 17 February (2008)

Kuwait
  National Day, 25 February (1950)

Kyrgyzstan
  Independence Day, 31 August (1991)

Laos
  Republic Day, 2 December (1975)

Latvia
  Independence Day, 18 November (1918); note - 18 November 1918
  was the date Latvia declared itself independent from Soviet Russia;
  4 May 1990 is when it declared the renewal of independence; 21
  August 1991 was the date of de facto independence from the Soviet
  Union

Lebanon
  Independence Day, 22 November (1943)

Lesotho
  Independence Day, 4 October (1966)

Liberia
  Independence Day, 26 July (1847)

Libya
  Revolution Day, 1 September (1969)

Liechtenstein
  Assumption Day, 15 August

Lithuania
  Independence Day, 16 February (1918); note - 16 February
  1918 was the date Lithuania declared its independence from Soviet
  Russia and established its statehood; 11 March 1990 was the date it
  declared its independence from the Soviet Union

Luxembourg
  National Day (Birthday of Grand Duchess Charlotte) 23
  June; note - the actual date of birth was 23 January 1896, but the
  festivities were shifted by five months to allow observance during a
  more favorable time of year

Macau
  National Day (Anniversary of the Founding of the People's
  Republic of China), 1 October (1949); note - 20 December 1999 is
  celebrated as Macau Special Administrative Region Establishment Day

Macedonia
  Ilinden Uprising Day, 2 August (1903); note - also known
  as Saint Elijah's Day

Madagascar
  Independence Day, 26 June (1960)

Malawi
  Independence Day (Republic Day), 6 July (1964)

Malaysia
  Independence Day/Malaysia Day, 31 August (1957)

Maldives
  Independence Day, 26 July (1965)

Mali
  Independence Day, 22 September (1960)

Malta
  Independence Day, 21 September (1964)

Marshall Islands
  Constitution Day, 1 May (1979)

Mauritania
  Independence Day, 28 November (1960)

Mauritius
  Independence Day, 12 March (1968)

Mayotte
  Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Mexico
  Independence Day, 16 September (1810)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  Constitution Day, 10 May (1979)

Moldova
  Independence Day, 27 August (1991)

Monaco
  National Day (Saint Rainier's Day), 19 November (1857)

Mongolia
  Independence Day/Revolution Day, 11 July (1921)

Montenegro
  National Day, 13 July (1878)

Montserrat
  Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June
  (1926)

Morocco
  Throne Day (accession of King MOHAMMED VI to the throne), 30
  July (1999)

Mozambique
  Independence Day, 25 June (1975)

Namibia
  Independence Day, 21 March (1990)

Nauru
  Independence Day, 31 January (1968)

Nepal
  Republic Day, 29 May; Democracy Day, 24 April

Netherlands
  Queen's Day (Birthday of Queen-Mother JULIANA and
  accession to the throne of her oldest daughter BEATRIX), 30 April
  (1909 and 1980)

Netherlands Antilles
  Queen's Day (Birthday of Queen-Mother JULIANA
  and accession to the throne of her oldest daughter BEATRIX), 30
  April (1909 and 1980)

New Caledonia
  Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

New Zealand
  Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British
  sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840); ANZAC Day
  (commemorated as the anniversary of the landing of troops of the
  Australian and New Zealand Army Corps during World War I at
  Gallipoli, Turkey), 25 April (1915)

Nicaragua
  Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Niger
  Republic Day, 18 December (1958)

Nigeria
  Independence Day (National Day), 1 October (1960)

Niue
  Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British
  sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840)

Norfolk Island
  Bounty Day (commemorates the arrival of Pitcairn
  Islanders), 8 June (1856)

Northern Mariana Islands
  Commonwealth Day, 8 January (1978)

Norway
  Constitution Day, 17 May (1814)

Oman
  Birthday of Sultan QABOOS, 18 November (1940)

Pakistan
  Republic Day, 23 March (1956)

Palau
  Constitution Day, 9 July (1979)

Panama
  Independence Day, 3 November (1903)

Papua New Guinea
  Independence Day, 16 September (1975)

Paraguay
  Independence Day, 14 May 1811 (observed 15 May)

Peru
  Independence Day, 28 July (1821)

Philippines
  Independence Day, 12 June (1898); note - 12 June 1898
  was date of declaration of independence from Spain; 4 July 1946 was
  date of independence from US

Pitcairn Islands
  Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in
  June (1926)

Poland
  Constitution Day, 3 May (1791)

Portugal
  Portugal Day (Dia de Portugal), 10 June (1580); note - also
  called Camoes Day, the day that revered national poet Luis de Camoes
  (1524-80) died

Puerto Rico
  US Independence Day, 4 July (1776); Puerto Rico
  Constitution Day, 25 July (1952)

Qatar
  Independence Day, 3 September (1971); also observed is
  National Day, 18 December

Romania
  Unification Day (of Romania and Transylvania), 1 December
  (1918)

Russia
  Russia Day, 12 June (1990)

Rwanda
  Independence Day, 1 July (1962)

Saint Barthelemy
  Bastille Day, 14 July (1789); note - local holiday
  is St. Barthelemy Day, 24 August

Saint Helena
  Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June
  (1926)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  Independence Day, 19 September (1983)

Saint Lucia
  Independence Day, 22 February (1979)

Saint Martin
  Bastille Day, 14 July (1789); note - local holiday is
  Schoalcher Day (Slavery Abolition Day) 12 July (1848)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  Independence Day, 27 October (1979)

Samoa
  Independence Day Celebration, 1 June (1962); note - 1 January
  1962 is the date of independence from the New Zealand-administered
  UN trusteeship; it is observed in June

San Marino
  Founding of the Republic, 3 September (AD 301)

Sao Tome and Principe
  Independence Day, 12 July (1975)

Saudi Arabia
  Unification of the Kingdom, 23 September (1932)

Senegal
  Independence Day, 4 April (1960)

Serbia
  National Day, 15 February

Seychelles
  Constitution Day (National Day), 18 June (1993)

Sierra Leone
  Independence Day, 27 April (1961)

Singapore
  National Day, 9 August (1965)

Slovakia
  Constitution Day, 1 September (1992)

Slovenia
  Independence Day/Statehood Day, 25 June (1991)

Solomon Islands
  Independence Day, 7 July (1978)

Somalia
  Foundation of the Somali Republic, 1 July (1960); note - 26
  June (1960) in Somaliland

South Africa
  Freedom Day, 27 April (1994)

Spain
  National Day, 12 October (1492); year when Columbus first set
  foot in the Americas

Sri Lanka
  Independence Day, 4 February (1948)

Sudan
  Independence Day, 1 January (1956)

Suriname
  Independence Day, 25 November (1975)

Swaziland
  Independence Day, 6 September (1968)

Sweden
  Swedish Flag Day, 6 June (1916); National Day, 6 June (1983)

Switzerland
  Founding of the Swiss Confederation, 1 August (1291)

Syria
  Independence Day, 17 April (1946)

Taiwan
  Republic Day (Anniversary of the Chinese Revolution), 10
  October (1911)

Tajikistan
  Independence Day (or National Day), 9 September (1991)

Tanzania
  Union Day (Tanganyika and Zanzibar), 26 April (1964)

Thailand
  Birthday of King PHUMIPHON (BHUMIBOL), 5 December (1927)

Timor-Leste
  Independence Day, 28 November (1975)

Togo
  Independence Day, 27 April (1960)

Tokelau
  Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British
  sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840)

Tonga
  Emancipation Day, 4 June (1970)

Trinidad and Tobago
  Independence Day, 31 August (1962)

Tunisia
  Independence Day, 20 March (1956); also the anniversary of
  BEN ALI's assumption of the presidency, 7 November (1987)

Turkey
  Republic Day, 29 October (1923)

Turkmenistan
  Independence Day, 27 October (1991)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  Constitution Day, 30 August (1976)

Tuvalu
  Independence Day, 1 October (1978)

Uganda
  Independence Day, 9 October (1962)

Ukraine
  Independence Day, 24 August (1991); note - 22 January 1918,
  the day Ukraine first declared its independence (from Soviet Russia)
  and the day the short-lived Western and Central Ukrainian republics
  united (1919), is now celebrated as Unity Day

United Arab Emirates
  Independence Day, 2 December (1971)

United Kingdom
  the UK does not celebrate one particular national
  holiday

United States
  Independence Day, 4 July (1776)

Uruguay
  Independence Day, 25 August (1825)

Uzbekistan
  Independence Day, 1 September (1991)

Vanuatu
  Independence Day, 30 July (1980)

Venezuela
  Independence Day, 5 July (1811)

Vietnam
  Independence Day, 2 September (1945)

Virgin Islands
  Transfer Day (from Denmark to the US), 31 March (1917)

Wallis and Futuna
  Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Yemen
  Unification Day, 22 May (1990)

Zambia
  Independence Day, 24 October (1964)

Zimbabwe
  Independence Day, 18 April (1980)

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

@2110

Field Listing :: Nationality

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

Nationality

Afghanistan
  noun: Afghan(s)
  adjective: Afghan

Albania
  noun: Albanian(s)
  adjective: Albanian

Algeria
  noun: Algerian(s)
  adjective: Algerian

American Samoa
  noun: American Samoan(s) (US nationals)
  adjective: American Samoan

Andorra
  noun: Andorran(s)
  adjective: Andorran

Angola
  noun: Angolan(s)
  adjective: Angolan

Anguilla
  noun: Anguillan(s)
  adjective: Anguillan

Antigua and Barbuda
  noun: Antiguan(s), Barbudan(s)
  adjective: Antiguan, Barbudan

Argentina
  noun: Argentine(s)
  adjective: Argentine

Armenia
  noun: Armenian(s)
  adjective: Armenian

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

Australia
  noun: Australian(s)
  adjective: Australian

Austria
  noun: Austrian(s)
  adjective: Austrian

Azerbaijan
  noun: Azerbaijani(s)
  adjective: Azerbaijani

Bahamas, The
  noun: Bahamian(s)
  adjective: Bahamian

Bahrain
  noun: Bahraini(s)
  adjective: Bahraini

Bangladesh
  noun: Bangladeshi(s)
  adjective: Bangladeshi

Barbados
  noun: Barbadian(s) or Bajan (colloquial)
  adjective: Barbadian or Bajan (colloquial)

Belarus
  noun: Belarusian(s)
  adjective: Belarusian

Belgium
  noun: Belgian(s)
  adjective: Belgian

Belize
  noun: Belizean(s)
  adjective: Belizean

Benin
  noun: Beninese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Beninese

Bermuda
  noun: Bermudian(s)
  adjective: Bermudian

Bhutan
  noun: Bhutanese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Bhutanese

Bolivia
  noun: Bolivian(s)
  adjective: Bolivian

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  noun: Bosnian(s), Herzegovinian(s)
  adjective: Bosnian, Herzegovinian

Botswana
  noun: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)
  adjective: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)

Brazil
  noun: Brazilian(s)
  adjective: Brazilian

British Virgin Islands
  noun: British Virgin Islander(s)
  adjective: British Virgin Islander

Brunei
  noun: Bruneian(s)
  adjective: Bruneian

Bulgaria
  noun: Bulgarian(s)
  adjective: Bulgarian

Burkina Faso
  noun: Burkinabe (singular and plural)
  adjective: Burkinabe

Burma
  noun: Burmese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Burmese

Burundi
  noun: Burundian(s)
  adjective: Burundian

Cambodia
  noun: Cambodian(s)
  adjective: Cambodian

Cameroon
  noun: Cameroonian(s)
  adjective: Cameroonian

Canada
  noun: Canadian(s)
  adjective: Canadian

Cape Verde
  noun: Cape Verdean(s)
  adjective: Cape Verdean

Cayman Islands
  noun: Caymanian(s)
  adjective: Caymanian

Central African Republic
  noun: Central African(s)
  adjective: Central African

Chad
  noun: Chadian(s)
  adjective: Chadian

Chile
  noun: Chilean(s)
  adjective: Chilean

China
  noun: Chinese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Chinese

Christmas Island
  noun: Christmas Islander(s)
  adjective: Christmas Island

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  noun: Cocos Islander(s)
  adjective: Cocos Islander

Colombia
  noun: Colombian(s)
  adjective: Colombian

Comoros
  noun: Comoran(s)
  adjective: Comoran

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  noun: Congolese (singular and
  plural)
  adjective: Congolese or Congo

Congo, Republic of the
  noun: Congolese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Congolese or Congo

Cook Islands
  noun: Cook Islander(s)
  adjective: Cook Islander

Costa Rica
  noun: Costa Rican(s)
  adjective: Costa Rican

Cote d'Ivoire
  noun: Ivoirian(s)
  adjective: Ivoirian

Croatia
  noun: Croat(s), Croatian(s)
  adjective: Croatian

Cuba
  noun: Cuban(s)
  adjective: Cuban

Cyprus
  noun: Cypriot(s)
  adjective: Cypriot

Czech Republic
  noun: Czech(s)
  adjective: Czech

Denmark
  noun: Dane(s)
  adjective: Danish

Djibouti
  noun: Djiboutian(s)
  adjective: Djiboutian

Dominica
  noun: Dominican(s)
  adjective: Dominican

Dominican Republic
  noun: Dominican(s)
  adjective: Dominican

Ecuador
  noun: Ecuadorian(s)
  adjective: Ecuadorian

Egypt
  noun: Egyptian(s)
  adjective: Egyptian

El Salvador
  noun: Salvadoran(s)
  adjective: Salvadoran

Equatorial Guinea
  noun: Equatorial Guinean(s) or Equatoguinean(s)
  adjective: Equatorial Guinean or Equatoguinean

Eritrea
  noun: Eritrean(s)
  adjective: Eritrean

Estonia
  noun: Estonian(s)
  adjective: Estonian

Ethiopia
  noun: Ethiopian(s)
  adjective: Ethiopian

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  noun: Falkland Islander(s)
  adjective: Falkland Island

Faroe Islands
  noun: Faroese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Faroese

Fiji
  noun: Fijian(s)
  adjective: Fijian

Finland
  noun: Finn(s)
  adjective: Finnish

France
  noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)
  adjective: French

French Polynesia
  noun: French Polynesian(s)
  adjective: French Polynesian

Gabon
  noun: Gabonese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Gabonese

Gambia, The
  noun: Gambian(s)
  adjective: Gambian

Gaza Strip
  noun: NA
  adjective: NA

Georgia
  noun: Georgian(s)
  adjective: Georgian

Germany
  noun: German(s)
  adjective: German

Ghana
  noun: Ghanaian(s)
  adjective: Ghanaian

Gibraltar
  noun: Gibraltarian(s)
  adjective: Gibraltar

Greece
  noun: Greek(s)
  adjective: Greek

Greenland
  noun: Greenlander(s)
  adjective: Greenlandic

Grenada
  noun: Grenadian(s)
  adjective: Grenadian

Guam
  noun: Guamanian(s) (US citizens)
  adjective: Guamanian

Guatemala
  noun: Guatemalan(s)
  adjective: Guatemalan

Guernsey
  noun: Channel Islander(s)
  adjective: Channel Islander

Guinea
  noun: Guinean(s)
  adjective: Guinean

Guinea-Bissau
  noun: Guinean(s)
  adjective: Guinean

Guyana
  noun: Guyanese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Guyanese

Haiti
  noun: Haitian(s)
  adjective: Haitian

Holy See (Vatican City)
  noun: none
  adjective: none

Honduras
  noun: Honduran(s)
  adjective: Honduran

Hong Kong
  noun: Chinese/Hong Konger
  adjective: Chinese/Hong Kong

Hungary
  noun: Hungarian(s)
  adjective: Hungarian

Iceland
  noun: Icelander(s)
  adjective: Icelandic

India
  noun: Indian(s)
  adjective: Indian

Indonesia
  noun: Indonesian(s)
  adjective: Indonesian

Iran
  noun: Iranian(s)
  adjective: Iranian

Iraq
  noun: Iraqi(s)
  adjective: Iraqi

Ireland
  noun: Irishman(men), Irishwoman(women), Irish (collective
  plural)
  adjective: Irish

Isle of Man
  noun: Manxman (men), Manxwoman (women)
  adjective: Manx

Israel
  noun: Israeli(s)
  adjective: Israeli

Italy
  noun: Italian(s)
  adjective: Italian

Jamaica
  noun: Jamaican(s)
  adjective: Jamaican

Japan
  noun: Japanese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Japanese

Jersey
  noun: Channel Islander(s)
  adjective: Channel Islander

Jordan
  noun: Jordanian(s)
  adjective: Jordanian

Kazakhstan
  noun: Kazakhstani(s)
  adjective: Kazakhstani

Kenya
  noun: Kenyan(s)
  adjective: Kenyan

Kiribati
  noun: I-Kiribati (singular and plural)
  adjective: I-Kiribati

Korea, North
  noun: Korean(s)
  adjective: Korean

Korea, South
  noun: Korean(s)
  adjective: Korean

Kosovo
  noun: Kosovar (Albanian), Kosovac (Serbian)
  adjective: Kosovar (Albanian), Kosovski (Serbian)
  note: Kosovan, a neutral term, is sometimes also used as a noun or
  adjective

Kuwait
  noun: Kuwaiti(s)
  adjective: Kuwaiti

Kyrgyzstan
  noun: Kyrgyzstani(s)
  adjective: Kyrgyzstani

Laos
  noun: Lao(s) or Laotian(s)
  adjective: Lao or Laotian

Latvia
  noun: Latvian(s)
  adjective: Latvian

Lebanon
  noun: Lebanese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Lebanese

Lesotho
  noun: Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural)
  adjective: Basotho

Liberia
  noun: Liberian(s)
  adjective: Liberian

Libya
  noun: Libyan(s)
  adjective: Libyan

Liechtenstein
  noun: Liechtensteiner(s)
  adjective: Liechtenstein

Lithuania
  noun: Lithuanian(s)
  adjective: Lithuanian

Luxembourg
  noun: Luxembourger(s)
  adjective: Luxembourg

Macau
  noun: Chinese
  adjective: Chinese

Macedonia
  noun: Macedonian(s)
  adjective: Macedonian

Madagascar
  noun: Malagasy (singular and plural)
  adjective: Malagasy

Malawi
  noun: Malawian(s)
  adjective: Malawian

Malaysia
  noun: Malaysian(s)
  adjective: Malaysian

Maldives
  noun: Maldivian(s)
  adjective: Maldivian

Mali
  noun: Malian(s)
  adjective: Malian

Malta
  noun: Maltese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Maltese

Marshall Islands
  noun: Marshallese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Marshallese

Mauritania
  noun: Mauritanian(s)
  adjective: Mauritanian

Mauritius
  noun: Mauritian(s)
  adjective: Mauritian

Mayotte
  noun: Mahorais (singular and plural)
  adjective: Mahoran

Mexico
  noun: Mexican(s)
  adjective: Mexican

Micronesia, Federated States of
  noun: Micronesian(s)
  adjective: Micronesian; Chuukese, Kosraen(s), Pohnpeian(s), Yapese

Moldova
  noun: Moldovan(s)
  adjective: Moldovan

Monaco
  noun: Monegasque(s) or Monacan(s)
  adjective: Monegasque or Monacan

Mongolia
  noun: Mongolian(s)
  adjective: Mongolian

Montenegro
  noun: Montenegrin(s)
  adjective: Montenegrin

Montserrat
  noun: Montserratian(s)
  adjective: Montserratian

Morocco
  noun: Moroccan(s)
  adjective: Moroccan

Mozambique
  noun: Mozambican(s)
  adjective: Mozambican

Namibia
  noun: Namibian(s)
  adjective: Namibian

Nauru
  noun: Nauruan(s)
  adjective: Nauruan

Nepal
  noun: Nepalese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Nepalese

Netherlands
  noun: Dutchman(men), Dutchwoman(women)
  adjective: Dutch

Netherlands Antilles
  noun: Dutch Antillean(s)
  adjective: Dutch Antillean

New Caledonia
  noun: New Caledonian(s)
  adjective: New Caledonian

New Zealand
  noun: New Zealander(s)
  adjective: New Zealand

Nicaragua
  noun: Nicaraguan(s)
  adjective: Nicaraguan

Niger
  noun: Nigerien(s)
  adjective: Nigerien

Nigeria
  noun: Nigerian(s)
  adjective: Nigerian

Niue
  noun: Niuean(s)
  adjective: Niuean

Norfolk Island
  noun: Norfolk Islander(s)
  adjective: Norfolk Islander(s)

Northern Mariana Islands
  noun: NA (US citizens)
  adjective: NA

Norway
  noun: Norwegian(s)
  adjective: Norwegian

Oman
  noun: Omani(s)
  adjective: Omani

Pakistan
  noun: Pakistani(s)
  adjective: Pakistani

Palau
  noun: Palauan(s)
  adjective: Palauan

Panama
  noun: Panamanian(s)
  adjective: Panamanian

Papua New Guinea
  noun: Papua New Guinean(s)
  adjective: Papua New Guinean

Paraguay
  noun: Paraguayan(s)
  adjective: Paraguayan

Peru
  noun: Peruvian(s)
  adjective: Peruvian

Philippines
  noun: Filipino(s)
  adjective: Philippine

Pitcairn Islands
  noun: Pitcairn Islander(s)
  adjective: Pitcairn Islander

Poland
  noun: Pole(s)
  adjective: Polish

Portugal
  noun: Portuguese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Portuguese

Puerto Rico
  noun: Puerto Rican(s) (US citizens)
  adjective: Puerto Rican

Qatar
  noun: Qatari(s)
  adjective: Qatari

Romania
  noun: Romanian(s)
  adjective: Romanian

Russia
  noun: Russian(s)
  adjective: Russian

Rwanda
  noun: Rwandan(s)
  adjective: Rwandan

Saint Helena noun: Saint Helenian(s) adjective: Saint Helenian note: referred to locally as "Saints"

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  noun: Kittitian(s), Nevisian(s)
  adjective: Kittitian, Nevisian

Saint Lucia
  noun: Saint Lucian(s)
  adjective: Saint Lucian

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)
  adjective: French

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  noun: Saint Vincentian(s) or
  Vincentian(s)
  adjective: Saint Vincentian or Vincentian

Samoa
  noun: Samoan(s)
  adjective: Samoan

San Marino
  noun: Sammarinese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Sammarinese

Sao Tome and Principe
  noun: Sao Tomean(s)
  adjective: Sao Tomean

Saudi Arabia
  noun: Saudi(s)
  adjective: Saudi or Saudi Arabian

Senegal
  noun: Senegalese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Senegalese

Serbia
  noun: Serb(s)
  adjective: Serbian

Seychelles
  noun: Seychellois (singular and plural)
  adjective: Seychellois

Sierra Leone
  noun: Sierra Leonean(s)
  adjective: Sierra Leonean

Singapore
  noun: Singaporean(s)
  adjective: Singapore

Slovakia
  noun: Slovak(s)
  adjective: Slovak

Slovenia
  noun: Slovene(s)
  adjective: Slovenian

Solomon Islands
  noun: Solomon Islander(s)
  adjective: Solomon Islander

Somalia
  noun: Somali(s)
  adjective: Somali

South Africa
  noun: South African(s)
  adjective: South African

Spain
  noun: Spaniard(s)
  adjective: Spanish

Sri Lanka
  noun: Sri Lankan(s)
  adjective: Sri Lankan

Sudan
  noun: Sudanese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Sudanese

Suriname
  noun: Surinamer(s)
  adjective: Surinamese

Swaziland
  noun: Swazi(s)
  adjective: Swazi

Sweden
  noun: Swede(s)
  adjective: Swedish

Switzerland
  noun: Swiss (singular and plural)
  adjective: Swiss

Syria
  noun: Syrian(s)
  adjective: Syrian

Taiwan
  noun: Taiwan (singular and plural)
  note: example - he or she is from Taiwan; they are from Taiwan
  adjective: Taiwan

Tajikistan
  noun: Tajikistani(s)
  adjective: Tajikistani

Tanzania
  noun: Tanzanian(s)
  adjective: Tanzanian

Thailand
  noun: Thai (singular and plural)
  adjective: Thai

Timor-Leste
  noun: Timorese
  adjective: Timorese

Togo
  noun: Togolese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Togolese

Tokelau
  noun: Tokelauan(s)
  adjective: Tokelauan

Tonga
  noun: Tongan(s)
  adjective: Tongan

Trinidad and Tobago
  noun: Trinidadian(s), Tobagonian(s)
  adjective: Trinidadian, Tobagonian

Tunisia
  noun: Tunisian(s)
  adjective: Tunisian

Turkey
  noun: Turk(s)
  adjective: Turkish

Turkmenistan
  noun: Turkmen(s)
  adjective: Turkmen

Turks and Caicos Islands
  noun: none
  adjective: none

Tuvalu
  noun: Tuvaluan(s)
  adjective: Tuvaluan

Uganda
  noun: Ugandan(s)
  adjective: Ugandan

Ukraine
  noun: Ukrainian(s)
  adjective: Ukrainian

United Arab Emirates
  noun: Emirati(s)
  adjective: Emirati

United Kingdom
  noun: Briton(s), British (collective plural)
  adjective: British

United States
  noun: American(s)
  adjective: American

Uruguay
  noun: Uruguayan(s)
  adjective: Uruguayan

Uzbekistan
  noun: Uzbekistani
  adjective: Uzbekistani

Vanuatu
  noun: Ni-Vanuatu (singular and plural)
  adjective: Ni-Vanuatu

Venezuela
  noun: Venezuelan(s)
  adjective: Venezuelan

Vietnam
  noun: Vietnamese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Vietnamese

Virgin Islands
  noun: Virgin Islander(s) (US citizens)
  adjective: Virgin Islander

Wallis and Futuna noun: Wallisian(s), Futunan(s), or Wallis and Futuna Islanders adjective: Wallisian, Futunan, or Wallis and Futuna Islander

West Bank
  noun: NA
  adjective: NA

Western Sahara
  noun: Sahrawi(s), Sahraoui(s)
  adjective: Sahrawi, Sahrawian, Sahraouian

Yemen
  noun: Yemeni(s)
  adjective: Yemeni

Zambia
  noun: Zambian(s)
  adjective: Zambian

Zimbabwe
  noun: Zimbabwean(s)
  adjective: Zimbabwean

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

@2111

Field Listing :: Natural resources

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

Natural resources

Afghanistan
  natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, chromite, talc,
  barites, sulfur, lead, zinc, iron ore, salt, precious and
  semiprecious stones

Albania
  petroleum, natural gas, coal, bauxite, chromite, copper,
  iron ore, nickel, salt, timber, hydropower

Algeria
  petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, uranium, lead,
  zinc

American Samoa
  pumice, pumicite

Andorra
  hydropower, mineral water, timber, iron ore, lead

Angola
  petroleum, diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, copper, feldspar,
  gold, bauxite, uranium

Anguilla
  salt, fish, lobster

Antarctica
  iron ore, chromium, copper, gold, nickel, platinum and
  other minerals, and coal and hydrocarbons have been found in small
  uncommercial quantities; none presently exploited; krill, finfish,
  and crab have been taken by commercial fisheries

Antigua and Barbuda
  NEGL; pleasant climate fosters tourism

Arctic Ocean
  sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits,
  polymetallic nodules, oil and gas fields, fish, marine mammals
  (seals and whales)

Argentina
  fertile plains of the pampas, lead, zinc, tin, copper,
  iron ore, manganese, petroleum, uranium

Armenia
  small deposits of gold, copper, molybdenum, zinc, bauxite

Aruba
  NEGL; white sandy beaches

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  fish

Atlantic Ocean
  oil and gas fields, fish, marine mammals (seals and
  whales), sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic
  nodules, precious stones

Australia
  bauxite, coal, iron ore, copper, tin, gold, silver,
  uranium, nickel, tungsten, mineral sands, lead, zinc, diamonds,
  natural gas, petroleum
  note: Australia is the world's largest net exporter of coal
  accounting for 29% of global coal exports

Austria
  oil, coal, lignite, timber, iron ore, copper, zinc,
  antimony, magnesite, tungsten, graphite, salt, hydropower

Azerbaijan
  petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, nonferrous metals,
  bauxite

Bahamas, The
  salt, aragonite, timber, arable land

Bahrain
  oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish, pearls

Bangladesh
  natural gas, arable land, timber, coal

Barbados
  petroleum, fish, natural gas

Belarus
  forests, peat deposits, small quantities of oil and natural
  gas, granite, dolomitic limestone, marl, chalk, sand, gravel, clay

Belgium
  construction materials, silica sand, carbonates

Belize
  arable land potential, timber, fish, hydropower

Benin
  small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber

Bermuda
  limestone, pleasant climate fostering tourism

Bhutan
  timber, hydropower, gypsum, calcium carbonate

Bolivia
  tin, natural gas, petroleum, zinc, tungsten, antimony,
  silver, iron, lead, gold, timber, hydropower

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  coal, iron ore, bauxite, copper, lead, zinc,
  chromite, cobalt, manganese, nickel, clay, gypsum, salt, sand,
  forests, hydropower

Botswana
  diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal,
  iron ore, silver

Bouvet Island
  none

Brazil
  bauxite, gold, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates,
  platinum, tin, uranium, petroleum, hydropower, timber

British Indian Ocean Territory
  coconuts, fish, sugarcane

British Virgin Islands
  NEGL

Brunei
  petroleum, natural gas, timber

Bulgaria
  bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, coal, timber, arable land

Burkina Faso
  manganese, limestone, marble; small deposits of gold,
  phosphates, pumice, salt

Burma
  petroleum, timber, tin, antimony, zinc, copper, tungsten,
  lead, coal, marble, limestone, precious stones, natural gas,
  hydropower

Burundi
  nickel, uranium, rare earth oxides, peat, cobalt, copper,
  platinum, vanadium, arable land, hydropower, niobium, tantalum,
  gold, tin, tungsten, kaolin, limestone

Cambodia
  oil and gas, timber, gemstones, iron ore, manganese,
  phosphates, hydropower potential

Cameroon
  petroleum, bauxite, iron ore, timber, hydropower

Canada
  iron ore, nickel, zinc, copper, gold, lead, molybdenum,
  potash, diamonds, silver, fish, timber, wildlife, coal, petroleum,
  natural gas, hydropower

Cape Verde
  salt, basalt rock, limestone, kaolin, fish, clay, gypsum

Cayman Islands
  fish, climate and beaches that foster tourism

Central African Republic
  diamonds, uranium, timber, gold, oil,
  hydropower

Chad
  petroleum, uranium, natron, kaolin, fish (Lake Chad), gold,
  limestone, sand and gravel, salt

Chile
  copper, timber, iron ore, nitrates, precious metals,
  molybdenum, hydropower

China
  coal, iron ore, petroleum, natural gas, mercury, tin,
  tungsten, antimony, manganese, molybdenum, vanadium, magnetite,
  aluminum, lead, zinc, uranium, hydropower potential (world's largest)

Christmas Island
  phosphate, beaches

Clipperton Island
  fish

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  fish

Colombia
  petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, nickel, gold,
  copper, emeralds, hydropower

Comoros
  NEGL

Congo, Democratic Republic of the cobalt, copper, niobium, tantalum, petroleum, industrial and gem diamonds, gold, silver, zinc, manganese, tin, uranium, coal, hydropower, timber

Congo, Republic of the petroleum, timber, potash, lead, zinc, uranium, copper, phosphates, gold, magnesium, natural gas, hydropower

Cook Islands
  NEGL

Coral Sea Islands
  NEGL

Costa Rica
  hydropower

Cote d'Ivoire
  petroleum, natural gas, diamonds, manganese, iron ore,
  cobalt, bauxite, copper, gold, nickel, tantalum, silica sand, clay,
  cocoa beans, coffee, palm oil, hydropower

Croatia
  oil, some coal, bauxite, low-grade iron ore, calcium,
  gypsum, natural asphalt, silica, mica, clays, salt, hydropower

Cuba
  cobalt, nickel, iron ore, chromium, copper, salt, timber,
  silica, petroleum, arable land

Cyprus
  copper, pyrites, asbestos, gypsum, timber, salt, marble, clay
  earth pigment

Czech Republic
  hard coal, soft coal, kaolin, clay, graphite, timber

Denmark
  petroleum, natural gas, fish, salt, limestone, chalk, stone,
  gravel and sand

Djibouti
  geothermal areas, gold, clay, granite, limestone, marble,
  salt, diatomite, gypsum, pumice, petroleum

Dominica
  timber, hydropower, arable land

Dominican Republic
  nickel, bauxite, gold, silver

Ecuador
  petroleum, fish, timber, hydropower

Egypt
  petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, manganese,
  limestone, gypsum, talc, asbestos, lead, zinc

El Salvador
  hydropower, geothermal power, petroleum, arable land

Equatorial Guinea
  petroleum, natural gas, timber, gold, bauxite,
  diamonds, tantalum, sand and gravel, clay

Eritrea
  gold, potash, zinc, copper, salt, possibly oil and natural
  gas, fish

Estonia
  oil shale, peat, phosphorite, clay, limestone, sand,
  dolomite, arable land, sea mud

Ethiopia
  small reserves of gold, platinum, copper, potash, natural
  gas, hydropower

European Union
  iron ore, natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, lead,
  zinc, bauxite, uranium, potash, salt, hydropower, arable land,
  timber, fish

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) fish, squid, wildlife, calcified seaweed, sphagnum moss

Faroe Islands
  fish, whales, hydropower, possible oil and gas

Fiji
  timber, fish, gold, copper, offshore oil potential, hydropower

Finland
  timber, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, nickel,
  gold, silver, limestone

France
  metropolitan France: coal, iron ore, bauxite, zinc, uranium,
  antimony, arsenic, potash, feldspar, fluorspar, gypsum, timber, fish
  French Guiana: gold deposits, petroleum, kaolin, niobium, tantalum,
  clay

French Polynesia
  timber, fish, cobalt, hydropower

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  fish, crayfish
  note: Glorioso Islands and Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses) have
  guano, phosphates, and coconuts

Gabon
  petroleum, natural gas, diamond, niobium, manganese, uranium,
  gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower

Gambia, The
  fish, titanium (rutile and ilmenite), tin, zircon,
  silica sand, clay, petroleum

Gaza Strip
  arable land, natural gas

Georgia
  forests, hydropower, manganese deposits, iron ore, copper,
  minor coal and oil deposits; coastal climate and soils allow for
  important tea and citrus growth

Germany
  coal, lignite, natural gas, iron ore, copper, nickel,
  uranium, potash, salt, construction materials, timber, arable land

Ghana
  gold, timber, industrial diamonds, bauxite, manganese, fish,
  rubber, hydropower, petroleum, silver, salt, limestone

Gibraltar
  none

Greece
  lignite, petroleum, iron ore, bauxite, lead, zinc, nickel,
  magnesite, marble, salt, hydropower potential

Greenland
  coal, iron ore, lead, zinc, molybdenum, diamonds, gold,
  platinum, niobium, tantalite, uranium, fish, seals, whales,
  hydropower, possible oil and gas

Grenada
  timber, tropical fruit, deepwater harbors

Guam
  aquatic wildlife (supporting tourism), fishing (largely
  undeveloped)

Guatemala
  petroleum, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle, hydropower

Guernsey
  cropland

Guinea
  bauxite, iron ore, diamonds, gold, uranium, hydropower, fish,
  salt

Guinea-Bissau
  fish, timber, phosphates, bauxite, clay, granite,
  limestone, unexploited deposits of petroleum

Guyana
  bauxite, gold, diamonds, hardwood timber, shrimp, fish

Haiti
  bauxite, copper, calcium carbonate, gold, marble, hydropower

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  fish

Holy See (Vatican City)
  none

Honduras
  timber, gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, iron ore,
  antimony, coal, fish, hydropower

Hong Kong
  outstanding deepwater harbor, feldspar

Hungary
  bauxite, coal, natural gas, fertile soils, arable land

Iceland
  fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite

India
  coal (fourth-largest reserves in the world), iron ore,
  manganese, mica, bauxite, titanium ore, chromite, natural gas,
  diamonds, petroleum, limestone, arable land

Indian Ocean
  oil and gas fields, fish, shrimp, sand and gravel
  aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules

Indonesia
  petroleum, tin, natural gas, nickel, timber, bauxite,
  copper, fertile soils, coal, gold, silver

Iran
  petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead,
  manganese, zinc, sulfur

Iraq
  petroleum, natural gas, phosphates, sulfur

Ireland
  natural gas, peat, copper, lead, zinc, silver, barite,
  gypsum, limestone, dolomite

Isle of Man
  none

Israel
  timber, potash, copper ore, natural gas, phosphate rock,
  magnesium bromide, clays, sand

Italy
  coal, mercury, zinc, potash, marble, barite, asbestos, pumice,
  fluorspar, feldspar, pyrite (sulfur), natural gas and crude oil
  reserves, fish, arable land

Jamaica
  bauxite, gypsum, limestone

Jan Mayen
  none

Japan
  negligible mineral resources, fish
  note: with virtually no energy natural resources, Japan is the
  world's largest importer of coal and liquefied natural gas as well
  as the second largest importer of oil

Jersey
  arable land

Jordan
  phosphates, potash, shale oil

Kazakhstan
  major deposits of petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore,
  manganese, chrome ore, nickel, cobalt, copper, molybdenum, lead,
  zinc, bauxite, gold, uranium

Kenya
  limestone, soda ash, salt, gemstones, fluorspar, zinc,
  diatomite, gypsum, wildlife, hydropower

Kiribati
  phosphate (production discontinued in 1979)

Korea, North
  coal, lead, tungsten, zinc, graphite, magnesite, iron
  ore, copper, gold, pyrites, salt, fluorspar, hydropower

Korea, South
  coal, tungsten, graphite, molybdenum, lead, hydropower
  potential

Kosovo
  nickel, lead, zinc, magnesium, lignite, kaolin, chrome,
  bauxite

Kuwait
  petroleum, fish, shrimp, natural gas

Kyrgyzstan
  abundant hydropower; significant deposits of gold and
  rare earth metals; locally exploitable coal, oil, and natural gas;
  other deposits of nepheline, mercury, bismuth, lead, and zinc

Laos
  timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones

Latvia
  peat, limestone, dolomite, amber, hydropower, wood, arable
  land

Lebanon
  limestone, iron ore, salt, water-surplus state in a
  water-deficit region, arable land

Lesotho
  water, agricultural and grazing land, diamonds, sand, clay,
  building stone

Liberia
  iron ore, timber, diamonds, gold, hydropower

Libya
  petroleum, natural gas, gypsum

Liechtenstein
  hydroelectric potential, arable land

Lithuania
  peat, arable land, amber

Luxembourg
  iron ore (no longer exploited), arable land

Macau
  NEGL

Macedonia
  low-grade iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite,
  manganese, nickel, tungsten, gold, silver, asbestos, gypsum, timber,
  arable land

Madagascar
  graphite, chromite, coal, bauxite, salt, quartz, tar
  sands, semiprecious stones, mica, fish, hydropower

Malawi
  limestone, arable land, hydropower, unexploited deposits of
  uranium, coal, and bauxite

Malaysia
  tin, petroleum, timber, copper, iron ore, natural gas,
  bauxite

Maldives
  fish

Mali
  gold, phosphates, kaolin, salt, limestone, uranium, gypsum,
  granite, hydropower
  note: bauxite, iron ore, manganese, tin, and copper deposits are
  known but not exploited

Malta
  limestone, salt, arable land

Marshall Islands
  coconut products, marine products, deep seabed
  minerals

Mauritania
  iron ore, gypsum, copper, phosphate, diamonds, gold, oil,
  fish

Mauritius
  arable land, fish

Mayotte
  NEGL

Mexico
  petroleum, silver, copper, gold, lead, zinc, natural gas,
  timber

Micronesia, Federated States of
  forests, marine products,
  deep-seabed minerals, phosphate

Moldova
  lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, arable land, limestone

Monaco
  none

Mongolia
  oil, coal, copper, molybdenum, tungsten, phosphates, tin,
  nickel, zinc, fluorspar, gold, silver, iron

Montenegro
  bauxite, hydroelectricity

Montserrat
  NEGL

Morocco
  phosphates, iron ore, manganese, lead, zinc, fish, salt

Mozambique
  coal, titanium, natural gas, hydropower, tantalum,
  graphite

Namibia
  diamonds, copper, uranium, gold, silver, lead, tin, lithium,
  cadmium, tungsten, zinc, salt, hydropower, fish
  note: suspected deposits of oil, coal, and iron ore

Nauru
  phosphates, fish

Navassa Island
  guano

Nepal
  quartz, water, timber, hydropower, scenic beauty, small
  deposits of lignite, copper, cobalt, iron ore

Netherlands
  natural gas, petroleum, peat, limestone, salt, sand and
  gravel, arable land

Netherlands Antilles
  phosphates (Curacao only), salt (Bonaire only)

New Caledonia
  nickel, chrome, iron, cobalt, manganese, silver, gold,
  lead, copper

New Zealand
  natural gas, iron ore, sand, coal, timber, hydropower,
  gold, limestone

Nicaragua
  gold, silver, copper, tungsten, lead, zinc, timber, fish

Niger
  uranium, coal, iron ore, tin, phosphates, gold, molybdenum,
  gypsum, salt, petroleum

Nigeria
  natural gas, petroleum, tin, iron ore, coal, limestone,
  niobium, lead, zinc, arable land

Niue
  fish, arable land

Norfolk Island
  fish

Northern Mariana Islands
  arable land, fish

Norway
  petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc,
  titanium, pyrites, nickel, fish, timber, hydropower

Oman
  petroleum, copper, asbestos, some marble, limestone, chromium,
  gypsum, natural gas

Pacific Ocean
  oil and gas fields, polymetallic nodules, sand and
  gravel aggregates, placer deposits, fish

Pakistan
  land, extensive natural gas reserves, limited petroleum,
  poor quality coal, iron ore, copper, salt, limestone

Palau
  forests, minerals (especially gold), marine products,
  deep-seabed minerals

Panama
  copper, mahogany forests, shrimp, hydropower

Papua New Guinea
  gold, copper, silver, natural gas, timber, oil,
  fisheries

Paracel Islands
  none

Paraguay
  hydropower, timber, iron ore, manganese, limestone

Peru
  copper, silver, gold, petroleum, timber, fish, iron ore, coal,
  phosphate, potash, hydropower, natural gas

Philippines
  timber, petroleum, nickel, cobalt, silver, gold, salt,
  copper

Pitcairn Islands
  miro trees (used for handicrafts), fish
  note: manganese, iron, copper, gold, silver, and zinc have been
  discovered offshore

Poland
  coal, sulfur, copper, natural gas, silver, lead, salt, amber,
  arable land

Portugal
  fish, forests (cork), iron ore, copper, zinc, tin,
  tungsten, silver, gold, uranium, marble, clay, gypsum, salt, arable
  land, hydropower

Puerto Rico
  some copper and nickel; potential for onshore and
  offshore oil

Qatar
  petroleum, natural gas, fish

Romania
  petroleum (reserves declining), timber, natural gas, coal,
  iron ore, salt, arable land, hydropower

Russia
  wide natural resource base including major deposits of oil,
  natural gas, coal, and many strategic minerals, timber
  note: formidable obstacles of climate, terrain, and distance hinder
  exploitation of natural resources

Rwanda
  gold, cassiterite (tin ore), wolframite (tungsten ore),
  methane, hydropower, arable land

Saint Barthelemy
  has few natural resources, its beaches being the
  most important

Saint Helena
  fish, lobster

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  arable land

Saint Lucia
  forests, sandy beaches, minerals (pumice), mineral
  springs, geothermal potential

Saint Martin
  salt

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  fish, deepwater ports

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  hydropower, cropland

Samoa
  hardwood forests, fish, hydropower

San Marino
  building stone

Sao Tome and Principe
  fish, hydropower

Saudi Arabia
  petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, copper

Senegal
  fish, phosphates, iron ore

Serbia
  oil, gas, coal, iron ore, copper, zinc, antimony, chromite,
  gold, silver, magnesium, pyrite, limestone, marble, salt, arable land

Seychelles
  fish, copra, cinnamon trees

Sierra Leone
  diamonds, titanium ore, bauxite, iron ore, gold,
  chromite

Singapore
  fish, deepwater ports

Slovakia
  brown coal and lignite; small amounts of iron ore, copper
  and manganese ore; salt; arable land

Slovenia
  lignite coal, lead, zinc, building stone, hydropower,
  forests

Solomon Islands
  fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead,
  zinc, nickel

Somalia
  uranium and largely unexploited reserves of iron ore, tin,
  gypsum, bauxite, copper, salt, natural gas, likely oil reserves

South Africa
  gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese,
  nickel, phosphates, tin, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper,
  vanadium, salt, natural gas

South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
  fish

Southern Ocean
  probable large and possible giant oil and gas fields
  on the continental margin; manganese nodules, possible placer
  deposits, sand and gravel, fresh water as icebergs; squid, whales,
  and seals - none exploited; krill, fish

Spain
  coal, lignite, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, uranium,
  tungsten, mercury, pyrites, magnesite, fluorspar, gypsum, sepiolite,
  kaolin, potash, hydropower, arable land

Spratly Islands
  fish, guano, undetermined oil and natural gas
  potential

Sri Lanka
  limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates,
  clay, hydropower

Sudan
  petroleum; small reserves of iron ore, copper, chromium ore,
  zinc, tungsten, mica, silver, gold, hydropower

Suriname
  timber, hydropower, fish, kaolin, shrimp, bauxite, gold,
  and small amounts of nickel, copper, platinum, iron ore

Svalbard
  coal, iron ore, copper, zinc, phosphate, wildlife, fish

Swaziland
  asbestos, coal, clay, cassiterite, hydropower, forests,
  small gold and diamond deposits, quarry stone, and talc

Sweden
  iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, gold, silver, tungsten,
  uranium, arsenic, feldspar, timber, hydropower

Switzerland
  hydropower potential, timber, salt

Syria
  petroleum, phosphates, chrome and manganese ores, asphalt,
  iron ore, rock salt, marble, gypsum, hydropower

Taiwan
  small deposits of coal, natural gas, limestone, marble, and
  asbestos

Tajikistan
  hydropower, some petroleum, uranium, mercury, brown coal,
  lead, zinc, antimony, tungsten, silver, gold

Tanzania
  hydropower, tin, phosphates, iron ore, coal, diamonds,
  gemstones, gold, natural gas, nickel

Thailand
  tin, rubber, natural gas, tungsten, tantalum, timber, lead,
  fish, gypsum, lignite, fluorite, arable land

Timor-Leste
  gold, petroleum, natural gas, manganese, marble

Togo
  phosphates, limestone, marble, arable land

Tokelau
  NEGL

Tonga
  fish, fertile soil

Trinidad and Tobago
  petroleum, natural gas, asphalt

Tunisia
  petroleum, phosphates, iron ore, lead, zinc, salt

Turkey
  coal, iron ore, copper, chromium, antimony, mercury, gold,
  barite, borate, celestite (strontium), emery, feldspar, limestone,
  magnesite, marble, perlite, pumice, pyrites (sulfur), clay, arable
  land, hydropower

Turkmenistan
  petroleum, natural gas, sulfur, salt

Turks and Caicos Islands
  spiny lobster, conch

Tuvalu
  fish

Uganda
  copper, cobalt, hydropower, limestone, salt, arable land, gold

Ukraine
  iron ore, coal, manganese, natural gas, oil, salt, sulfur,
  graphite, titanium, magnesium, kaolin, nickel, mercury, timber,
  arable land

United Arab Emirates
  petroleum, natural gas

United Kingdom
  coal, petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, lead, zinc,
  gold, tin, limestone, salt, clay, chalk, gypsum, potash, silica
  sand, slate, arable land

United States
  coal, copper, lead, molybdenum, phosphates, uranium,
  bauxite, gold, iron, mercury, nickel, potash, silver, tungsten,
  zinc, petroleum, natural gas, timber
  note: the US has the world's largest coal reserves with 491 billion
  short tons accounting for 27% of the world's total

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges terrestrial and aquatic wildlife

Uruguay
  arable land, hydropower, minor minerals, fisheries

Uzbekistan
  natural gas, petroleum, coal, gold, uranium, silver,
  copper, lead and zinc, tungsten, molybdenum

Vanuatu
  manganese, hardwood forests, fish

Venezuela
  petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, bauxite, other
  minerals, hydropower, diamonds

Vietnam
  phosphates, coal, manganese, bauxite, chromate, offshore oil
  and gas deposits, forests, hydropower

Virgin Islands
  sun, sand, sea, surf

Wake Island
  none

Wallis and Futuna
  NEGL

West Bank
  arable land

Western Sahara
  phosphates, iron ore

World
  the rapid depletion of nonrenewable mineral resources, the
  depletion of forest areas and wetlands, the extinction of animal and
  plant species, and the deterioration in air and water quality
  (especially in some countries of Eastern Europe, the former USSR,
  and China) pose serious long-term problems that governments and
  peoples are only beginning to address

Yemen
  petroleum, fish, rock salt, marble; small deposits of coal,
  gold, lead, nickel, and copper; fertile soil in west

Zambia
  copper, cobalt, zinc, lead, coal, emeralds, gold, silver,
  uranium, hydropower

Zimbabwe
  coal, chromium ore, asbestos, gold, nickel, copper, iron
  ore, vanadium, lithium, tin, platinum group metals

======================================================================

@2112

Field Listing :: Net migration rate

This entry includes the figure for the difference between the number of persons entering and leaving a country during the year per 1,000 persons (based on midyear population). An excess of persons entering the country is referred to as net immigration (e.g., 3.56 migrants/1,000 population); an excess of persons leaving the country as net emigration (e.g., -9.26 migrants/1,000 population). The net migration rate indicates the contribution of migration to the overall level of population change. High levels of migration can cause problems such as increasing unemployment and potential ethnic strife (if people are coming in) or a reduction in the labor force, perhaps in certain key sectors (if people are leaving). Country Comparison to the World Country

Net migration rate(migrant(s)/1,000 population)

Afghanistan
  21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Albania
  -4.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Algeria
  -0.29 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

American Samoa
  -6.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Andorra
  6.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Angola
  1.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Anguilla
  14.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  2.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Argentina
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Armenia
  -4.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Aruba
  9.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Australia
  6.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Austria
  1.85 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Azerbaijan
  -1.69 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Bahamas, The
  -2.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Bahrain
  0.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Bangladesh
  -2.53 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Barbados
  -0.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Belarus
  0.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Belgium
  1.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Belize
  NA (2009 est.)

Benin
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Bermuda
  2.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Bhutan
  NA

Bolivia
  -1.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  3.17 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Botswana
  5 migrant(s)/1,000 population
  note: there is an increasing flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa
  and Botswana in search of better economic opportunities (2009 est.)

Brazil
  -0.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  8.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Brunei
  2.69 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Bulgaria
  -3.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Burkina Faso
  NA

Burma
  NA

Burundi
  4.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Cambodia
  NA

Cameroon
  NA (2009 est.)

Canada
  5.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Cape Verde
  -11.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Cayman Islands
  16.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population
  note: major destination for Cubans trying to migrate to the US (2009
  est.)

Central African Republic
  NA (2009 est.)

Chad
  -4.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Chile
  NA (2009 est.)

China
  -0.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Christmas Island
  NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  NA

Colombia
  -0.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Comoros
  NA (2009 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the 1.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  -1.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Costa Rica
  0.47 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  NA (2009 est.)

Croatia
  1.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Cuba
  -1.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Cyprus
  0.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Czech Republic
  0.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Denmark
  2.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Djibouti
  NA (2009 est.)

Dominica
  -5.45 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Dominican Republic
  -2.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Ecuador
  -0.81 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Egypt
  -0.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

El Salvador
  -3.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  NA

Eritrea
  NA

Estonia
  -3.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Ethiopia
  -0.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population
  note: repatriation of Ethiopian refugees residing in Sudan is
  expected to continue for several years; some Sudanese, Somali, and
  Eritrean refugees, who fled to Ethiopia from the fighting or famine
  in their own countries, continue to return to their homes (2009 est.)

European Union
  1.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  NA

Faroe Islands
  -0.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Fiji
  -2.47 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Finland
  0.68 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

France
  1.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

French Polynesia
  2.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Gabon
  -3.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Gambia, The
  0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Gaza Strip
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Georgia
  -4.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Germany
  2.19 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Ghana
  -0.53 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Gibraltar
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Greece
  2.33 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Greenland
  -5.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Grenada
  -10.55 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Guam
  NA

Guatemala
  -2.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Guernsey
  3.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Guinea
  -0.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Guyana
  -7.44 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Haiti
  -2.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Honduras
  -1.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Hong Kong
  4.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Hungary
  0.87 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Iceland
  0.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

India
  -0.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Indonesia
  -1.24 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Iran
  -2.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Iraq
  NA (2009 est.)

Ireland
  4.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Isle of Man
  5.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Israel
  2.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Italy
  2.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Jamaica
  -5.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Japan
  NA (2009 est.)

Jersey
  2.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Jordan
  5.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Kazakhstan
  -3.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Kenya
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Kiribati
  NA (2009 est.)

Korea, North
  -0.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Korea, South
  -0.33 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Kuwait
  16.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  -2.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Laos
  NA (2009 est.)

Latvia
  -2.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Lebanon
  NA (2009 est.)

Lesotho
  -0.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Liberia
  5.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Libya
  NA (2009 est.)

Liechtenstein
  4.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Lithuania
  -0.72 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Luxembourg
  8.44 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Macau
  14.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Macedonia
  -0.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Madagascar
  NA (2009 est.)

Malawi
  NA (2009 est.)

Malaysia
  NA
  note: does not reflect net flow of an unknown number of illegal
  immigrants from other countries in the region (2009 est.)

Maldives
  -12.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Mali
  -5.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Malta
  2.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Marshall Islands
  -5.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Mauritania
  -0.96 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Mauritius
  -0.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Mayotte
  1.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Mexico
  -3.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of -21.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Moldova
  -1.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Monaco
  7.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Mongolia
  NA (2009 est.)

Montserrat
  NA

Morocco
  -0.72 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Mozambique
  NA (2009 est.)

Namibia
  0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Nauru
  NA (2009 est.)

Nepal
  -3.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Netherlands
  2.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  -0.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

New Caledonia
  NA
  note: there has been steady emigration from Wallis and Futuna to New
  Caledonia (2009 est.)

New Zealand
  2.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Nicaragua
  -1.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Niger
  -0.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Nigeria
  -0.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Niue
  NA (2009 est.)

Norfolk Island
  NA (2009 est.)

Northern Mariana Islands
  6.47 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Norway
  1.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Oman
  0.24 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Pakistan
  -0.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Palau
  0.96 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Panama
  -0.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  NA (2009 est.)

Paraguay
  -0.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Peru
  -0.95 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Philippines
  -1.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  NA (2009 est.)

Poland
  -0.47 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Portugal
  3.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Puerto Rico
  -0.96 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Qatar
  -3.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Romania
  -0.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Russia
  0.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Rwanda
  2.17 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Saint Helena
  NA (2009 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  -1.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Saint Lucia
  -4.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  -4.96 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009
  est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  -11.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population
  (2009 est.)

Samoa
  -8.81 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

San Marino
  10.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  -1.81 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  -7.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Senegal
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Serbia
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Seychelles
  1.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Sierra Leone
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
  note: refugees currently in surrounding countries are slowly
  returning (2009 est.)

Singapore
  5.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Slovakia
  0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Slovenia
  0.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Solomon Islands
  NA (2009 est.)

Somalia
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

South Africa
  -0.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population
  note: there is an increasing flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa
  and Botswana in search of better economic opportunities (2009 est.)

Spain
  0.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Sri Lanka
  -1.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Sudan
  0.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Suriname
  -0.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Svalbard
  NA (2009 est.)

Swaziland
  NA (2009 est.)

Sweden
  1.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Switzerland
  1.76 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Syria
  NA (2009 est.)

Taiwan
  0.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Tajikistan
  -1.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Tanzania
  -1.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Thailand
  NA (2009 est.)

Timor-Leste
  NA (2009 est.)

Togo
  NA (2009 est.)

Tokelau
  NA (2009 est.)

Tonga
  NA (2009 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  -7.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Tunisia
  -0.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Turkey
  0.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Turkmenistan
  -1.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  9.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Tuvalu
  NA (2009 est.)

Uganda
  -8.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Ukraine
  -0.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  22.98 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

United Kingdom
  2.16 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

United States
  4.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Uruguay
  -0.16 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Uzbekistan
  -2.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Vanuatu
  NA (2009 est.)

Venezuela
  -0.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Vietnam
  -0.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Virgin Islands
  -5.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
  -6.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population
  note: there has been steady emigration from Wallis and Futuna to New
  Caledonia (2009 est.)

West Bank
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Yemen
  NA (2009 est.)

Zambia
  -2.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Zimbabwe
  NA
  note: there is an increasing flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa
  and Botswana in search of better economic opportunities (2009 est.)

======================================================================

@2113

Field Listing :: Geography - note

This entry includes miscellaneous geographic information of significance not included elsewhere. Country

Geography - note

Afghanistan
  landlocked; the Hindu Kush mountains that run northeast
  to southwest divide the northern provinces from the rest of the
  country; the highest peaks are in the northern Vakhan (Wakhan
  Corridor)

Akrotiri
  British extraterritorial rights also extended to several
  small off-post sites scattered across Cyprus; of the Sovereign Base
  Area (SBA) land, 60% is privately owned and farmed, 20% is owned by
  the Ministry of Defense, and 20% is SBA Crown land

Albania
  strategic location along Strait of Otranto (links Adriatic
  Sea to Ionian Sea and Mediterranean Sea)

Algeria
  second-largest country in Africa (after Sudan)

American Samoa
  Pago Pago has one of the best natural deepwater
  harbors in the South Pacific Ocean, sheltered by shape from rough
  seas and protected by peripheral mountains from high winds;
  strategic location in the South Pacific Ocean

Andorra
  landlocked; straddles a number of important crossroads in
  the Pyrenees

Angola
  the province of Cabinda is an exclave, separated from the
  rest of the country by the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Anguilla
  the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser
  Antilles

Antarctica
  the coldest, windiest, highest (on average), and driest
  continent; during summer, more solar radiation reaches the surface
  at the South Pole than is received at the Equator in an equivalent
  period; mostly uninhabitable

Antigua and Barbuda
  Antigua has a deeply indented shoreline with
  many natural harbors and beaches; Barbuda has a large western harbor

Arctic Ocean
  major chokepoint is the southern Chukchi Sea (northern
  access to the Pacific Ocean via the Bering Strait); strategic
  location between North America and Russia; shortest marine link
  between the extremes of eastern and western Russia; floating
  research stations operated by the US and Russia; maximum snow cover
  in March or April about 20 to 50 centimeters over the frozen ocean;
  snow cover lasts about 10 months

Argentina
  second-largest country in South America (after Brazil);
  strategic location relative to sea lanes between the South Atlantic
  and the South Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel,
  Drake Passage); diverse geophysical landscapes range from tropical
  climates in the north to tundra in the far south; Cerro Aconcagua is
  the Western Hemisphere's tallest mountain, while Laguna del Carbon
  is the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere

Armenia
  landlocked in the Lesser Caucasus Mountains; Sevana Lich
  (Lake Sevan) is the largest lake in this mountain range

Aruba
  a flat, riverless island renowned for its white sand beaches;
  its tropical climate is moderated by constant trade winds from the
  Atlantic Ocean; the temperature is almost constant at about 27
  degrees Celsius (81 degrees Fahrenheit)

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  Ashmore Reef National Nature Reserve
  established in August 1983; Cartier Island Marine Reserve
  established in 2000

Atlantic Ocean
  major chokepoints include the Dardanelles, Strait of
  Gibraltar, access to the Panama and Suez Canals; strategic straits
  include the Strait of Dover, Straits of Florida, Mona Passage, The
  Sound (Oresund), and Windward Passage; the Equator divides the
  Atlantic Ocean into the North Atlantic Ocean and South Atlantic Ocean

Australia
  world's smallest continent but sixth-largest country;
  population concentrated along the eastern and southeastern coasts;
  the invigorating sea breeze known as the "Fremantle Doctor" affects
  the city of Perth on the west coast and is one of the most
  consistent winds in the world

Austria
  landlocked; strategic location at the crossroads of central
  Europe with many easily traversable Alpine passes and valleys; major
  river is the Danube; population is concentrated on eastern lowlands
  because of steep slopes, poor soils, and low temperatures elsewhere

Azerbaijan
  both the main area of the country and the Naxcivan
  exclave are landlocked

Bahamas, The
  strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive
  island chain of which 30 are inhabited

Bahrain
  close to primary Middle Eastern petroleum sources; strategic
  location in Persian Gulf, through which much of the Western world's
  petroleum must transit to reach open ocean

Bangladesh
  most of the country is situated on deltas of large rivers
  flowing from the Himalayas: the Ganges unites with the Jamuna (main
  channel of the Brahmaputra) and later joins the Meghna to eventually
  empty into the Bay of Bengal

Barbados
  easternmost Caribbean island

Belarus
  landlocked; glacial scouring accounts for the flatness of
  Belarusian terrain and for its 11,000 lakes

Belgium
  crossroads of Western Europe; most West European capitals
  within 1,000 km of Brussels, the seat of both the European Union and
  NATO

Belize
  only country in Central America without a coastline on the
  North Pacific Ocean

Benin
  sandbanks create difficult access to a coast with no natural
  harbors, river mouths, or islands

Bermuda
  consists of about 138 coral islands and islets with ample
  rainfall, but no rivers or freshwater lakes; some land was leased by
  US Government from 1941 to 1995

Bhutan
  landlocked; strategic location between China and India;
  controls several key Himalayan mountain passes

Bolivia
  landlocked; shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest
  navigable lake (elevation 3,805 m), with Peru

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  within Bosnia and Herzegovina's recognized
  borders, the country is divided into a joint Bosniak/Croat
  Federation (about 51% of the territory) and the Bosnian Serb-led
  Republika Srpska or RS (about 49% of the territory); the region
  called Herzegovina is contiguous to Croatia and Montenegro, and
  traditionally has been settled by an ethnic Croat majority in the
  west and an ethnic Serb majority in the east

Botswana
  landlocked; population concentrated in eastern part of the
  country

Bouvet Island
  covered by glacial ice; declared a nature reserve by
  Norway

Brazil
  largest country in South America; shares common boundaries
  with every South American country except Chile and Ecuador

British Indian Ocean Territory archipelago of 55 islands; Diego Garcia, largest and southernmost island, occupies strategic location in central Indian Ocean; island is site of joint US-UK military facility

British Virgin Islands
  strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and
  Puerto Rico

Brunei
  close to vital sea lanes through South China Sea linking
  Indian and Pacific Oceans; two parts physically separated by
  Malaysia; almost an enclave within Malaysia

Bulgaria
  strategic location near Turkish Straits; controls key land
  routes from Europe to Middle East and Asia

Burkina Faso
  landlocked savanna cut by the three principal rivers of
  the Black, Red, and White Voltas

Burma
  strategic location near major Indian Ocean shipping lanes

Burundi
  landlocked; straddles crest of the Nile-Congo watershed; the
  Kagera, which drains into Lake Victoria, is the most remote
  headstream of the White Nile

Cambodia
  a land of paddies and forests dominated by the Mekong River
  and Tonle Sap

Cameroon
  sometimes referred to as the hinge of Africa; throughout
  the country there are areas of thermal springs and indications of
  current or prior volcanic activity; Mount Cameroon, the highest
  mountain in Sub-Saharan west Africa, is an active volcano

Canada
  second-largest country in world (after Russia); strategic
  location between Russia and US via north polar route; approximately
  90% of the population is concentrated within 160 km of the US border

Cape Verde
  strategic location 500 km from west coast of Africa near
  major north-south sea routes; important communications station;
  important sea and air refueling site

Cayman Islands
  important location between Cuba and Central America

Central African Republic
  landlocked; almost the precise center of
  Africa

Chad
  landlocked; Lake Chad is the most significant water body in the
  Sahel

Chile
  strategic location relative to sea lanes between Atlantic and
  Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake Passage);
  Atacama Desert is one of world's driest regions

China
  world's fourth largest country (after Russia, Canada, and US);
  Mount Everest on the border with Nepal is the world's tallest peak

Christmas Island
  located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean

Clipperton Island
  reef 12 km in circumference

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  islands are thickly covered with coconut
  palms and other vegetation; site of a World War I naval battle in
  November 1914 between the Australian light cruiser HMAS Sydney and
  the German raider SMS Emden; after being heavily damaged in the
  engagement, the Emden was beached by her captain on North Keeling
  Island

Colombia
  only South American country with coastlines on both the
  North Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea

Comoros
  important location at northern end of Mozambique Channel

Congo, Democratic Republic of the straddles equator; has narrow strip of land that controls the lower Congo River and is only outlet to South Atlantic Ocean; dense tropical rain forest in central river basin and eastern highlands

Congo, Republic of the
  about 70% of the population lives in
  Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, or along the railroad between them

Cook Islands
  the northern Cook Islands are seven low-lying, sparsely
  populated, coral atolls; the southern Cook Islands, where most of
  the population lives, consist of eight elevated, fertile, volcanic
  isles, including the largest, Rarotonga, at 67 sq km

Coral Sea Islands
  important nesting area for birds and turtles

Costa Rica
  four volcanoes, two of them active, rise near the capital
  of San Jose in the center of the country; one of the volcanoes,
  Irazu, erupted destructively in 1963-65

Cote d'Ivoire
  most of the inhabitants live along the sandy coastal
  region; apart from the capital area, the forested interior is
  sparsely populated

Croatia
  controls most land routes from Western Europe to Aegean Sea
  and Turkish Straits; most Adriatic Sea islands lie off the coast of
  Croatia - some 1,200 islands, islets, ridges, and rocks

Cuba
  largest country in Caribbean and westernmost island of the
  Greater Antilles

Cyprus
  the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea (after
  Sicily and Sardinia)

Czech Republic
  landlocked; strategically located astride some of
  oldest and most significant land routes in Europe; Moravian Gate is
  a traditional military corridor between the North European Plain and
  the Danube in central Europe

Denmark
  controls Danish Straits (Skagerrak and Kattegat) linking
  Baltic and North Seas; about one-quarter of the population lives in
  greater Copenhagen

Dhekelia
  British extraterritorial rights also extended to several
  small off-post sites scattered across Cyprus; of the Sovereign Base
  Area land 60% is privately owned and farmed, 20% is owned by the
  Ministry of Defense, and 20% is SBA Crown land

Djibouti
  strategic location near world's busiest shipping lanes and
  close to Arabian oilfields; terminus of rail traffic into Ethiopia;
  mostly wasteland; Lac Assal (Lake Assal) is the lowest point in
  Africa

Dominica
  known as "The Nature Island of the Caribbean" due to its
  spectacular, lush, and varied flora and fauna, which are protected
  by an extensive natural park system; the most mountainous of the
  Lesser Antilles, its volcanic peaks are cones of lava craters and
  include Boiling Lake, the second-largest, thermally active lake in
  the world

Dominican Republic
  shares island of Hispaniola with Haiti

Ecuador
  Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in world

Egypt
  controls Sinai Peninsula, only land bridge between Africa and
  remainder of Eastern Hemisphere; controls Suez Canal, a sea link
  between Indian Ocean and Mediterranean Sea; size, and juxtaposition
  to Israel, establish its major role in Middle Eastern geopolitics;
  dependence on upstream neighbors; dominance of Nile basin issues;
  prone to influxes of refugees

El Salvador
  smallest Central American country and only one without a
  coastline on Caribbean Sea

Equatorial Guinea
  insular and continental regions widely separated

Eritrea
  strategic geopolitical position along world's busiest
  shipping lanes; Eritrea retained the entire coastline of Ethiopia
  along the Red Sea upon de jure independence from Ethiopia on 24 May
  1993

Estonia
  the mainland terrain is flat, boggy, and partly wooded;
  offshore lie more than 1,500 islands

Ethiopia
  landlocked - entire coastline along the Red Sea was lost
  with the de jure independence of Eritrea on 24 May 1993; the Blue
  Nile, the chief headstream of the Nile by water volume, rises in
  T'ana Hayk (Lake Tana) in northwest Ethiopia; three major crops are
  believed to have originated in Ethiopia: coffee, grain sorghum, and
  castor bean

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  deeply indented coast provides
  good natural harbors; short growing season

Faroe Islands
  archipelago of 17 inhabited islands and one
  uninhabited island, and a few uninhabited islets; strategically
  located along important sea lanes in northeastern Atlantic;
  precipitous terrain limits habitation to small coastal lowlands

Fiji
  includes 332 islands; approximately 110 are inhabited

Finland
  long boundary with Russia; Helsinki is northernmost national
  capital on European continent; population concentrated on small
  southwestern coastal plain

France
  largest West European nation

French Polynesia
  includes five archipelagoes (four volcanic, one
  coral); Makatea in French Polynesia is one of the three great
  phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba
  (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and Nauru

French Southern and Antarctic Lands islands component is widely scattered across remote locations in the southern Indian Ocean Bassas da India (Iles Eparses): the atoll is a circular reef that sits atop a long-extinct, submerged volcano Europa Island and Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses): wildlife sanctuary for seabirds and sea turtles Glorioso Island (Iles Eparses): the islands and rocks are surrounded by an extensive reef system Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): climatologically important location for forecasting cyclones in the western Indian Ocean; wildlife sanctuary (seabirds, tortoises)

Gabon
  a small population and oil and mineral reserves have helped
  Gabon become one of Africa's wealthier countries; in general, these
  circumstances have allowed the country to maintain and conserve its
  pristine rain forest and rich biodiversity

Gambia, The
  almost an enclave of Senegal; smallest country on the
  continent of Africa

Gaza Strip
  strategic strip of land along Mideast-North African trade
  routes has experienced an incredibly turbulent history; the town of
  Gaza itself has been besieged countless times in its history

Georgia
  strategically located east of the Black Sea; Georgia
  controls much of the Caucasus Mountains and the routes through them

Germany
  strategic location on North European Plain and along the
  entrance to the Baltic Sea

Ghana
  Lake Volta is the world's largest artificial lake

Gibraltar
  strategic location on Strait of Gibraltar that links the
  North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea

Greece
  strategic location dominating the Aegean Sea and southern
  approach to Turkish Straits; a peninsular country, possessing an
  archipelago of about 2,000 islands

Greenland
  dominates North Atlantic Ocean between North America and
  Europe; sparse population confined to small settlements along coast;
  close to one-quarter of the population lives in the capital, Nuuk;
  world's second largest ice cap

Grenada
  the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is
  divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada

Guam
  largest and southernmost island in the Mariana Islands
  archipelago; strategic location in western North Pacific Ocean

Guatemala
  no natural harbors on west coast

Guernsey
  large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port

Guinea
  the Niger and its important tributary the Milo have their
  sources in the Guinean highlands

Guinea-Bissau
  this small country is swampy along its western coast
  and low-lying inland

Guyana
  the third-smallest country in South America after Suriname
  and Uruguay; substantial portions of its western and eastern
  territories are claimed by Venezuela and Suriname respectively

Haiti
  shares island of Hispaniola with Dominican Republic (western
  one-third is Haiti, eastern two-thirds is the Dominican Republic)

Heard Island and McDonald Islands Mawson Peak on Heard Island is the highest Australian mountain (at 2,745 meters, it is taller than Mt. Kosciuszko in Australia proper), and one of only two active volcanoes located in Australian territory, the other being McDonald Island; in 1992, McDonald Island broke its dormancy and began erupting; it has erupted several times since, the most recent being in 2005

Holy See (Vatican City)
  landlocked; enclave in Rome, Italy; world's
  smallest state; beyond the territorial boundary of Vatican City, the
  Lateran Treaty of 1929 grants the Holy See extraterritorial
  authority over 23 sites in Rome and five outside of Rome, including
  the Pontifical Palace at Castel Gandolfo (the Pope's summer
  residence)

Honduras
  has only a short Pacific coast but a long Caribbean
  shoreline, including the virtually uninhabited eastern Mosquito Coast

Hong Kong
  more than 200 islands

Hungary
  landlocked; strategic location astride main land routes
  between Western Europe and Balkan Peninsula as well as between
  Ukraine and Mediterranean basin; the north-south flowing Duna
  (Danube) and Tisza Rivers divide the country into three large regions

Iceland
  strategic location between Greenland and Europe; westernmost
  European country; Reykjavik is the northernmost national capital in
  the world; more land covered by glaciers than in all of continental
  Europe

India
  dominates South Asian subcontinent; near important Indian
  Ocean trade routes; Kanchenjunga, third tallest mountain in the
  world, lies on the border with Nepal

Indian Ocean
  major chokepoints include Bab el Mandeb, Strait of
  Hormuz, Strait of Malacca, southern access to the Suez Canal, and
  the Lombok Strait

Indonesia
  archipelago of 17,508 islands (6,000 inhabited); straddles
  equator; strategic location astride or along major sea lanes from
  Indian Ocean to Pacific Ocean

Iran
  strategic location on the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz,
  which are vital maritime pathways for crude oil transport

Iraq
  strategic location on Shatt al Arab waterway and at the head of
  the Persian Gulf

Ireland
  strategic location on major air and sea routes between North
  America and northern Europe; over 40% of the population resides
  within 100 km of Dublin

Isle of Man
  one small islet, the Calf of Man, lies to the southwest
  and is a bird sanctuary

Israel
  there are about 340 Israeli civilian sites - including 100
  small outpost communities in the West Bank - as well as 42 sites in
  the Golan Heights, 0 in the Gaza Strip, and 29 in East Jerusalem
  (July 2008 est.); Lake Tiberias (Sea of Galilee) is an important
  freshwater source

Italy
  strategic location dominating central Mediterranean as well as
  southern sea and air approaches to Western Europe

Jamaica
  strategic location between Cayman Trench and Jamaica
  Channel, the main sea lanes for the Panama Canal

Jan Mayen
  barren volcanic island with some moss and grass

Japan
  strategic location in northeast Asia

Jersey
  largest and southernmost of Channel Islands; about 30% of
  population concentrated in Saint Helier

Jordan
  strategic location at the head of the Gulf of Aqaba and as
  the Arab country that shares the longest border with Israel and the
  occupied West Bank

Kazakhstan
  landlocked; Russia leases approximately 6,000 sq km of
  territory enclosing the Baykonur Cosmodrome; in January 2004,
  Kazakhstan and Russia extended the lease to 2050

Kenya
  the Kenyan Highlands comprise one of the most successful
  agricultural production regions in Africa; glaciers are found on
  Mount Kenya, Africa's second highest peak; unique physiography
  supports abundant and varied wildlife of scientific and economic
  value

Kiribati
  21 of the 33 islands are inhabited; Banaba (Ocean Island)
  in Kiribati is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the
  Pacific Ocean - the others are Makatea in French Polynesia, and Nauru

Korea, North
  strategic location bordering China, South Korea, and
  Russia; mountainous interior is isolated and sparsely populated

Korea, South
  strategic location on Korea Strait

Kuwait
  strategic location at head of Persian Gulf

Kyrgyzstan
  landlocked; entirely mountainous, dominated by the Tien
  Shan range; 94% of the country is 1,000 m above sea level, with an
  average elevation of 2,750 m; many tall peaks, glaciers, and
  high-altitude lakes

Laos
  landlocked; most of the country is mountainous and thickly
  forested; the Mekong River forms a large part of the western
  boundary with Thailand

Latvia
  most of the country is composed of fertile, low-lying plains,
  with some hills in the east

Lebanon
  Nahr el Litani is the only major river in Near East not
  crossing an international boundary; rugged terrain historically
  helped isolate, protect, and develop numerous factional groups based
  on religion, clan, and ethnicity

Lesotho
  landlocked, completely surrounded by South Africa;
  mountainous, more than 80% of the country is 1,800 m above sea level

Liberia
  facing the Atlantic Ocean, the coastline is characterized by
  lagoons, mangrove swamps, and river-deposited sandbars; the inland
  grassy plateau supports limited agriculture

Libya
  more than 90% of the country is desert or semidesert

Liechtenstein
  along with Uzbekistan, one of only two doubly
  landlocked countries in the world; variety of microclimatic
  variations based on elevation

Lithuania
  fertile central plains are separated by hilly uplands that
  are ancient glacial deposits

Luxembourg
  landlocked; the only Grand Duchy in the world

Macau
  essentially urban; an area of land reclaimed from the sea
  measuring 5.2 sq km and known as Cotai now connects the islands of
  Coloane and Taipa; the island area is connected to the mainland
  peninsula by three bridges

Macedonia
  landlocked; major transportation corridor from Western and
  Central Europe to Aegean Sea and Southern Europe to Western Europe

Madagascar
  world's fourth-largest island; strategic location along
  Mozambique Channel

Malawi
  landlocked; Lake Nyasa, some 580 km long, is the country's
  most prominent physical feature

Malaysia
  strategic location along Strait of Malacca and southern
  South China Sea

Maldives
  1,190 coral islands grouped into 26 atolls (200 inhabited
  islands, plus 80 islands with tourist resorts); archipelago with
  strategic location astride and along major sea lanes in Indian Ocean

Mali
  landlocked; divided into three natural zones: the southern,
  cultivated Sudanese; the central, semiarid Sahelian; and the
  northern, arid Saharan

Malta
  the country comprises an archipelago, with only the three
  largest islands (Malta, Ghawdex or Gozo, and Kemmuna or Comino)
  being inhabited; numerous bays provide good harbors; Malta and
  Tunisia are discussing the commercial exploitation of the
  continental shelf between their countries, particularly for oil
  exploration

Marshall Islands
  the islands of Bikini and Enewetak are former US
  nuclear test sites; Kwajalein atoll, famous as a World War II
  battleground, surrounds the world's largest lagoon and is used as a
  US missile test range; the island city of Ebeye is the second
  largest settlement in the Marshall Islands, after the capital of
  Majuro, and one of the most densely populated locations in the
  Pacific

Mauritania
  most of the population concentrated in the cities of
  Nouakchott and Nouadhibou and along the Senegal River in the
  southern part of the country

Mauritius
  the main island, from which the country derives its name,
  is of volcanic origin and is almost entirely surrounded by coral
  reefs; home of the dodo, a large flightless bird related to pigeons,
  driven to extinction by the end of the 17th century through a
  combination of hunting and the introduction of predatory species

Mayotte
  part of Comoro Archipelago (18 islands)

Mexico
  strategic location on southern border of US; corn (maize),
  one of the world's major grain crops, is thought to have originated
  in Mexico

Micronesia, Federated States of
  four major island groups totaling
  607 islands

Moldova
  landlocked; well endowed with various sedimentary rocks and
  minerals including sand, gravel, gypsum, and limestone

Monaco
  second-smallest independent state in the world (after Holy
  See); almost entirely urban

Mongolia
  landlocked; strategic location between China and Russia

Montenegro
  strategic location along the Adriatic coast

Montserrat
  the island is entirely volcanic in origin and comprised
  of three major volcanic centers of differing ages

Morocco
  strategic location along Strait of Gibraltar

Mozambique
  the Zambezi flows through the north-central and most
  fertile part of the country

Namibia
  first country in the world to incorporate the protection of
  the environment into its constitution; some 14% of the land is
  protected, including virtually the entire Namib Desert coastal strip

Nauru
  Nauru is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the
  Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and
  Makatea in French Polynesia; only 53 km south of Equator

Navassa Island
  strategic location 160 km south of the US Naval Base
  at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; mostly exposed rock with numerous solution
  holes but with enough grassland to support goat herds; dense stands
  of fig trees, scattered cactus

Nepal
  landlocked; strategic location between China and India;
  contains eight of world's 10 highest peaks, including Mount Everest
  and Kanchenjunga - the world's tallest and third tallest - on the
  borders with China and India respectively

Netherlands
  located at mouths of three major European rivers (Rhine,
  Maas or Meuse, and Schelde)

Netherlands Antilles
  the five islands of the Netherlands Antilles
  are divided geographically into the Leeward Islands (northern) group
  (Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten) and the Windward Islands
  (southern) group (Bonaire and Curacao); the island of Saint Martin
  is the smallest landmass in the world shared by two independent
  states, the French territory of Saint Martin and the Dutch territory
  of Sint Maarten

New Caledonia
  consists of the main island of New Caledonia (one of
  the largest in the Pacific Ocean), the archipelago of Iles Loyaute,
  and numerous small, sparsely populated islands and atolls

New Zealand
  almost 90% of the population lives in cities; Wellington
  is the southernmost national capital in the world

Nicaragua
  largest country in Central America; contains the largest
  freshwater body in Central America, Lago de Nicaragua

Niger
  landlocked; one of the hottest countries in the world;
  northern four-fifths is desert, southern one-fifth is savanna,
  suitable for livestock and limited agriculture

Nigeria
  the Niger enters the country in the northwest and flows
  southward through tropical rain forests and swamps to its delta in
  the Gulf of Guinea

Niue
  one of world's largest coral islands

Norfolk Island
  most of the 32 km coastline consists of almost
  inaccessible cliffs, but the land slopes down to the sea in one
  small southern area on Sydney Bay, where the capital of Kingston is
  situated

Northern Mariana Islands
  strategic location in the North Pacific
  Ocean

Norway
  about two-thirds mountains; some 50,000 islands off its
  much-indented coastline; strategic location adjacent to sea lanes
  and air routes in North Atlantic; one of the most rugged and longest
  coastlines in the world

Oman
  strategic location on Musandam Peninsula adjacent to Strait of
  Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil

Pacific Ocean
  the major chokepoints are the Bering Strait, Panama
  Canal, Luzon Strait, and the Singapore Strait; the Equator divides
  the Pacific Ocean into the North Pacific Ocean and the South Pacific
  Ocean; dotted with low coral islands and rugged volcanic islands in
  the southwestern Pacific Ocean

Pakistan
  controls Khyber Pass and Bolan Pass, traditional invasion
  routes between Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent

Palau
  westernmost archipelago in the Caroline chain, consists of six
  island groups totaling more than 300 islands; includes World War II
  battleground of Beliliou (Peleliu) and world-famous rock islands

Panama
  strategic location on eastern end of isthmus forming land
  bridge connecting North and South America; controls Panama Canal
  that links North Atlantic Ocean via Caribbean Sea with North Pacific
  Ocean

Papua New Guinea
  shares island of New Guinea with Indonesia; one of
  world's largest swamps along southwest coast

Paracel Islands
  composed of 130 small coral islands and reefs
  divided into the northeast Amphitrite Group and the western Crescent
  Group

Paraguay
  landlocked; lies between Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil;
  population concentrated in southern part of country

Peru
  shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest navigable
  lake, with Bolivia; a remote slope of Nevado Mismi, a 5,316 m peak,
  is the ultimate source of the Amazon River

Philippines
  the Philippine archipelago is made up of 7,107 islands;
  favorably located in relation to many of Southeast Asia's main water
  bodies: the South China Sea, Philippine Sea, Sulu Sea, Celebes Sea,
  and Luzon Strait

Pitcairn Islands
  Britain's most isolated dependency; only the larger
  island of Pitcairn is inhabited but it has no port or natural
  harbor; supplies must be transported by rowed longboat from larger
  ships stationed offshore

Poland
  historically, an area of conflict because of flat terrain and
  the lack of natural barriers on the North European Plain

Portugal
  Azores and Madeira Islands occupy strategic locations along
  western sea approaches to Strait of Gibraltar

Puerto Rico
  important location along the Mona Passage - a key
  shipping lane to the Panama Canal; San Juan is one of the biggest
  and best natural harbors in the Caribbean; many small rivers and
  high central mountains ensure land is well watered; south coast
  relatively dry; fertile coastal plain belt in north

Qatar
  strategic location in central Persian Gulf near major
  petroleum deposits

Romania
  controls most easily traversable land route between the
  Balkans, Moldova, and Ukraine

Russia
  largest country in the world in terms of area but unfavorably
  located in relation to major sea lanes of the world; despite its
  size, much of the country lacks proper soils and climates (either
  too cold or too dry) for agriculture; Mount El'brus is Europe's
  tallest peak

Rwanda
  landlocked; most of the country is savanna grassland with the
  population predominantly rural

Saint Helena
  Saint Helena harbors at least 40 species of plants
  unknown anywhere else in the world; Ascension is a breeding ground
  for sea turtles and sooty terns; Queen Mary's Peak on Tristan da
  Cunha is the highest island mountain in the South Atlantic and a
  prominent landmark on the sea lanes around southern Africa

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  with coastlines in the shape of a baseball bat
  and ball, the two volcanic islands are separated by a 3-km-wide
  channel called The Narrows; on the southern tip of long, baseball
  bat-shaped Saint Kitts lies the Great Salt Pond; Nevis Peak sits in
  the center of its almost circular namesake island and its ball shape
  complements that of its sister island

Saint Lucia
  the twin Pitons (Gros Piton and Petit Piton), striking
  cone-shaped peaks south of Soufriere, are one of the scenic natural
  highlights of the Caribbean

Saint Martin
  the island of Saint Martin is the smallest landmass in
  the world shared by two independent states, the French territory of
  Saint Martin and the Dutch territory of Sint Maarten

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  vegetation scanty

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is comprised of 32 islands and cays

Samoa
  occupies an almost central position within Polynesia

San Marino
  landlocked; smallest independent state in Europe after
  the Holy See and Monaco; dominated by the Apennines

Sao Tome and Principe
  the smallest country in Africa; the two main
  islands form part of a chain of extinct volcanoes and both are
  mountainous

Saudi Arabia
  extensive coastlines on Persian Gulf and Red Sea
  provide great leverage on shipping (especially crude oil) through
  Persian Gulf and Suez Canal

Senegal
  westernmost country on the African continent; The Gambia is
  almost an enclave within Senegal

Serbia
  controls one of the major land routes from Western Europe to
  Turkey and the Near East

Seychelles
  41 granitic and about 75 coralline islands

Sierra Leone
  rainfall along the coast can reach 495 cm (195 inches)
  a year, making it one of the wettest places along coastal, western
  Africa

Singapore
  focal point for Southeast Asian sea routes

Slovakia
  landlocked; most of the country is rugged and mountainous;
  the Tatra Mountains in the north are interspersed with many scenic
  lakes and valleys

Slovenia
  despite its small size, this eastern Alpine country
  controls some of Europe's major transit routes

Solomon Islands
  strategic location on sea routes between the South
  Pacific Ocean, the Solomon Sea, and the Coral Sea; on 2 April 2007
  an undersea earthquake measuring 8.1 on the Richter scale occurred
  345 km WNW of the capital Honiara; the resulting tsunami devastated
  coastal areas of Western and Choiseul provinces with dozens of
  deaths and thousands dislocated; the provincial capital of Gizo was
  especially hard hit

Somalia
  strategic location on Horn of Africa along southern
  approaches to Bab el Mandeb and route through Red Sea and Suez Canal

South Africa
  South Africa completely surrounds Lesotho and almost
  completely surrounds Swaziland

South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
  the north coast of South
  Georgia has several large bays, which provide good anchorage;
  reindeer, introduced early in the 20th century, live on South Georgia

Southern Ocean
  the major chokepoint is the Drake Passage between
  South America and Antarctica; the Polar Front (Antarctic
  Convergence) is the best natural definition of the northern extent
  of the Southern Ocean; it is a distinct region at the middle of the
  Antarctic Circumpolar Current that separates the cold polar surface
  waters to the south from the warmer waters to the north; the Front
  and the Current extend entirely around Antarctica, reaching south of
  60 degrees south near New Zealand and near 48 degrees south in the
  far South Atlantic coinciding with the path of the maximum westerly
  winds

Spain
  strategic location along approaches to Strait of Gibraltar;
  Spain controls a number of territories in northern Morocco including
  the enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla, and the islands of Penon de Velez
  de la Gomera, Penon de Alhucemas, and Islas Chafarinas

Spratly Islands
  strategically located near several primary shipping
  lanes in the central South China Sea; includes numerous small
  islands, atolls, shoals, and coral reefs

Sri Lanka
  strategic location near major Indian Ocean sea lanes

Sudan
  largest country in Africa; dominated by the Nile and its
  tributaries

Suriname
  smallest independent country on South American continent;
  mostly tropical rain forest; great diversity of flora and fauna
  that, for the most part, is increasingly threatened by new
  development; relatively small population, mostly along the coast

Svalbard
  northernmost part of the Kingdom of Norway; consists of
  nine main islands; glaciers and snowfields cover 60% of the total
  area; Spitsbergen Island is the site of the Svalbard Global Seed
  Vault, a seed repository established by the Global Crop Diversity
  Trust and the Norwegian Government

Swaziland
  landlocked; almost completely surrounded by South Africa

Sweden
  strategic location along Danish Straits linking Baltic and
  North Seas

Switzerland
  landlocked; crossroads of northern and southern Europe;
  along with southeastern France, northern Italy, and southwestern
  Austria, has the highest elevations in the Alps

Syria
  there are 42 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites
  in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights (August 2005 est.)

Taiwan
  strategic location adjacent to both the Taiwan Strait and the
  Luzon Strait

Tajikistan
  landlocked; mountainous region dominated by the
  Trans-Alay Range in the north and the Pamirs in the southeast;
  highest point, Qullai Ismoili Somoni (formerly Communism Peak), was
  the tallest mountain in the former USSR

Tanzania
  Kilimanjaro is highest point in Africa; bordered by three
  of the largest lakes on the continent: Lake Victoria (the world's
  second-largest freshwater lake) in the north, Lake Tanganyika (the
  world's second deepest) in the west, and Lake Nyasa in the southwest

Thailand
  controls only land route from Asia to Malaysia and Singapore

Timor-Leste
  Timor comes from the Malay word for "East"; the island
  of Timor is part of the Malay Archipelago and is the largest and
  easternmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands

Togo
  the country's length allows it to stretch through six distinct
  geographic regions; climate varies from tropical to savanna

Tokelau
  consists of three atolls (Atafu, Fakaofo, Nukunonu), each
  with a lagoon surrounded by a number of reef-bound islets of varying
  length and rising to over 3 m above sea level

Tonga
  archipelago of 169 islands (36 inhabited)

Trinidad and Tobago
  Pitch Lake, on Trinidad's southwestern coast, is
  the world's largest natural reservoir of asphalt

Tunisia
  strategic location in central Mediterranean; Malta and
  Tunisia are discussing the commercial exploitation of the
  continental shelf between their countries, particularly for oil
  exploration

Turkey
  strategic location controlling the Turkish Straits (Bosporus,
  Sea of Marmara, Dardanelles) that link Black and Aegean Seas; Mount
  Ararat, the legendary landing place of Noah's ark, is in the far
  eastern portion of the country

Turkmenistan
  landlocked; the western and central low-lying desolate
  portions of the country make up the great Garagum (Kara-Kum) desert,
  which occupies over 80% of the country; eastern part is plateau

Turks and Caicos Islands
  about 40 islands (eight inhabited)

Tuvalu
  one of the smallest and most remote countries on Earth; six
  of the nine coral atolls - Nanumea, Nui, Vaitupu, Nukufetau,
  Funafuti, and Nukulaelae - have lagoons open to the ocean; Nanumaya
  and Niutao have landlocked lagoons; Niulakita does not have a lagoon

Uganda
  landlocked; fertile, well-watered country with many lakes and
  rivers

Ukraine
  strategic position at the crossroads between Europe and
  Asia; second-largest country in Europe

United Arab Emirates
  strategic location along southern approaches to
  Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil

United Kingdom
  lies near vital North Atlantic sea lanes; only 35 km
  from France and linked by tunnel under the English Channel; because
  of heavily indented coastline, no location is more than 125 km from
  tidal waters

United States
  world's third-largest country by size (after Russia
  and Canada) and by population (after China and India); Mt. McKinley
  is highest point in North America and Death Valley the lowest point
  on the continent

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges
  Baker, Howland, and
  Jarvis Islands: scattered vegetation consisting of grasses,
  prostrate vines, and low growing shrubs; primarily a nesting,
  roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds, and marine
  wildlife; closed to the public
  Johnston Atoll: Johnston Island and Sand Island are natural islands,
  which have been expanded by coral dredging; North Island (Akau) and
  East Island (Hikina) are manmade islands formed from coral dredging;
  the egg-shaped reef is 34 km in circumference; closed to the public
  Kingman Reef: barren coral atoll with deep interior lagoon; closed
  to the public
  Midway Islands: a coral atoll managed as a NWR and open to the
  public for wildlife-related recreation in the form of wildlife
  observation and photography
  Palmyra Atoll: the high rainfall and resulting lush vegetation make
  the environment of this atoll unique among the US Pacific Island
  territories; supports a large undisturbed stand of Pisonia beach
  forest

Uruguay
  second-smallest South American country (after Suriname);
  most of the low-lying landscape (three-quarters of the country) is
  grassland, ideal for cattle and sheep raising

Uzbekistan
  along with Liechtenstein, one of the only two doubly
  landlocked countries in the world

Vanuatu
  a Y-shaped chain of four main islands and 80 smaller
  islands; several of the islands have active volcanoes

Venezuela
  on major sea and air routes linking North and South
  America; Angel Falls in the Guiana Highlands is the world's highest
  waterfall

Vietnam
  extending 1,650 km north to south, the country is only 50 km
  across at its narrowest point

Virgin Islands
  important location along the Anegada Passage - a key
  shipping lane for the Panama Canal; Saint Thomas has one of the best
  natural deepwater harbors in the Caribbean

Wake Island
  strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean; emergency
  landing location for transpacific flights

Wallis and Futuna
  both island groups have fringing reefs

West Bank
  landlocked; highlands are main recharge area for Israel's
  coastal aquifers; there are about 340 Israeli civilian sites -
  including 100 small outpost communities in the West Bank and 29
  sites in East Jerusalem (July 2008 est.)

Western Sahara
  the waters off the coast are particularly rich
  fishing areas

World
  the world is now thought to be about 4.55 billion years old,
  just about one-third of the 13.7-billion-year age estimated for the
  universe

Yemen
  strategic location on Bab el Mandeb, the strait linking the
  Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, one of world's most active shipping
  lanes

Zambia
  landlocked; the Zambezi forms a natural riverine boundary
  with Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe
  landlocked; the Zambezi forms a natural riverine boundary
  with Zambia; in full flood (February-April) the massive Victoria
  Falls on the river forms the world's largest curtain of falling water

======================================================================

@2115

Field Listing :: Political pressure groups and leaders

  This entry includes a listing of a country's political, social,
  labor, or religious organizations that are involved in politics, or
  that exert political pressure, but whose leaders do not stand for
  legislative election. International movements or organizations are
  generally not listed.
  Country

Political pressure groups and leaders

Afghanistan
  other: religious groups; tribal leaders; ethnically
  based groups

Albania
  Citizens Advocacy Office [Kreshnik SPAHIU]; Confederation of
  Trade Unions of Albania or KSSH [Kastriot MUCO]; Front for Albanian
  National Unification or FBKSH [Gafur ADILI]; Mjaft Movement; Omonia
  [Jani JANI]; Union of Independent Trade Unions of Albania or BSPSH
  [Gezim KALAJA]

Algeria
  The Algerian Human Rights League or LADDH [Hocine ZEHOUANE];
  SOS Disparus [Nacera DUTOUR]

American Samoa
  Population Pressure LAS (addresses the growing
  population pressures)

Andorra
  NA

Angola
  Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda or FLEC
  [N'zita Henriques TIAGO, Antonio Bento BEMBE]
  note: FLEC's small-scale armed struggle for the independence of
  Cabinda Province persists despite the signing of a peace accord with
  the government in August 2006

Anguilla
  NA

Antigua and Barbuda
  Antigua Trades and Labor Union or ATLU [William
  ROBINSON]; People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Hugh MARSHALL]

Argentina
  Argentine Association of Pharmaceutical Labs (CILFA);
  Argentine Industrial Union (manufacturers' association); Argentine
  Rural Confederation or CRA (small to medium landowners'
  association); Argentine Rural Society (large landowners'
  association); Central of Argentine Workers or CTA (a radical union
  for employed and unemployed workers); General Confederation of Labor
  or CGT (Peronist-leaning umbrella labor organization); White and
  Blue CGT (dissident CGT labor confederation); Roman Catholic Church
  other: business organizations; Peronist-dominated labor movement;
  Piquetero groups (popular protest organizations that can be either
  pro or anti-government); students

Armenia
  Aylentrank (Impeachment) [Nikol PASHINIAN]; Yerkrapah Union
  [Manvel GRIGORIAN]

Aruba
  other: environmental groups

Australia
  other: business groups; environmental groups; social
  groups; trade unions

Austria
  Austrian Trade Union Federation or OeGB (nominally
  independent but primarily Social Democratic); Federal Economic
  Chamber; OeVP-oriented Association of Austrian Industrialists or IV;
  Roman Catholic Church, including its chief lay organization,
  Catholic Action
  other: three composite leagues of the Austrian People's Party or
  OeVP representing business, labor, farmers, and other nongovernment
  organizations in the areas of environment and human rights

Azerbaijan
  Armenian Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (self-proclaimed);
  Karabakh Liberation Organization; Sadval, Lezgin movement; Talysh
  independence movement; Union of Pro-Azerbaijani Forces or UPAF

Bahamas, The
  Friends of the Environment
  other: trade unions

Bahrain
  Shia activists; Sunni Islamist legislators
  other: several small leftist and other groups are active

Bangladesh
  Advocacy to End Gender-based Violence through the MoWCA
  (Ministry of Women's and Children's Affairs)
  other: environmentalists; Islamist groups; religious leaders;
  teachers; union leaders

Barbados
  Barbados Secondary Teachers' Union or BSTU [Patrick FROST];
  Barbados Union of Teachers or BUT [Herbert GITTENS]; Congress of
  Trade Unions and Staff Associations of Barbados or CTUSAB, (includes
  the BWU, NUPW, BUT, and BSTU) [Leroy TROTMAN]; Barbados Workers
  Union or BWU [Leroy TROTMAN]; Clement Payne Labor Union [David
  COMISSIONG]; National Union of Public Workers [Joseph GODDARD]

Belarus
  Assembly of Pro-Democratic NGOs [Sergey MATSKEVICH];
  Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions [Aleksandr YAROSHUK];
  Belarusian Helsinki Committee [Tatiana PROTKO]; Belarusian
  Organization of Working Women [Irina ZHIKHAR]; BPF-Youth [Franak
  VYACHORKA]; Charter 97 [Andrey SANNIKOV]; For Freedom [Aleksandr
  MILINKEVICH]; Lenin Communist Union of Youth (youth wing of the
  Belarusian Party of Communists or PKB); National Strike Committee of
  Entrepreneurs [Aleksandr VASILYEV, Valery LEVONEVSKY]; Partnership
  NGO [Nikolay ASTREYKA]; Perspektiva kiosk watchdog NGO [Anatol
  SHUMCHENKO]; Vyasna [Ales BYALATSKY]; Women's Independent Democratic
  Movement [Ludmila PETINA]; Young Belarus (Malady Belarus) [Artur
  FINKEVICH]; Youth Front (Malady Front) [Dmitriy DASHKEVICH]; Zubr
  youth group [Vladimir KOBETS]

Belgium
  Christian, Socialist, and Liberal Trade Unions; Federation
  of Belgian Industries
  other: numerous other associations representing bankers,
  manufacturers, middle-class artisans, and the legal and medical
  professions; various organizations represent the cultural interests
  of Flanders and Wallonia; various peace groups such as Pax Christi
  and groups representing immigrants

Belize
  Society for the Promotion of Education and Research or SPEAR
  [Gustavo PERERA]; Association of Concerned Belizeans or ACB [David
  VASQUEZ]; National Trade Union Congress of Belize or NTUC/B [Rene
  GOMEZ]

Benin
  other: economic groups; environmentalists; political groups;
  teachers' unions and other educational groups

Bermuda
  Bermuda Employer's Union [Eddie SAINTS]; Bermuda Industrial
  Union or BIU [Derrick BURGESS]; Bermuda Public Services Union or
  BPSU [Ed BALL]; Bermuda Union of Teachers [Michael CHARLES]

Bhutan
  United Front for Democracy (exiled); Druk National Congress
  (exiled)
  other: Buddhist clergy; ethnic Nepalese organizations leading
  militant antigovernment campaign; Indian merchant community

Bolivia
  Sole Confederation of Campesino Workers of Bolivia or CSUTCB
  other: Cocalero groups; indigenous organizations; labor unions

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  other: displaced persons associations;
  student councils; war veterans

Botswana
  First People of the Kalahari (Bushman organization); Pitso
  Ya Ba Tswana; Society for the Promotion of Ikalanga Language
  (Kalanga elites)
  other: diamond mining companies

Brazil
  Landless Workers' Movement or MST
  other: labor unions and federations; large farmers' associations;
  religious groups including evangelical Christian churches and the
  Catholic Church

British Virgin Islands
  The Family Support Network; The Women's Desk
  other: environmentalists

Brunei
  NA

Bulgaria
  Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Bulgaria or
  CITUB; Podkrepa Labor Confederation
  other: numerous regional, ethnic, and national interest groups with
  various agendas

Burkina Faso
  Burkinabe General Confederation of Labor or CGTB [Tole
  SAGNON]; Burkinabe Movement for Human Rights or MBDHP [Chrysigone
  ZOUGMORE]; Group of 14 February [Benewende STANISLAS]; National
  Confederation of Burkinabe Workers or CNTB [Laurent OUEDRAOGO];
  National Organization of Free Unions or ONSL [Paul KABORE]
  other: watchdog/political action groups throughout the country in
  both organizations and communities

Burma
  Ethnic Nationalities Council or ENC (based in Thailand);
  Federation of Trade Unions-Burma or FTUB (exile trade union and
  labor advocates); National Coalition Government of the Union of
  Burma or NCGUB (self-proclaimed government in exile) ["Prime
  Minister" Dr. SEIN WIN] consists of individuals, some legitimately
  elected to the People's Assembly in 1990 (the group fled to a border
  area and joined insurgents in December 1990 to form parallel
  government in exile); Kachin Independence Organization or KIO; Karen
  National Union or KNU; Karenni National People's Party or KNPP;
  National Council-Union of Burma or NCUB (exile coalition of
  opposition groups); United Wa State Army or UWSA; Union Solidarity
  and Development Association or USDA (pro-regime, a social and
  political mass-member organization) [HTAY OO, general secretary]; 88
  Generation Students (pro-democracy movement) [TOE KYAW HLAING]
  other: several Shan factions

Burundi
  Observatoire de lutte contre la corruption et les
  malversations economiques or OLUCOME [Gabriel RUFYIRI]
  (anti-corruption pressure group)
  other: Hutu and Tutsi militias (loosely organized)

Cambodia
  Cambodian Freedom Fighters or CFF; Partnership for
  Transparency Fund or PTF (anti-corruption organization); Students
  Movement for Democracy; The Committee for Free and Fair Elections or
  Comfrel
  other: human rights organizations; vendors

Cameroon
  Human Rights Defense Group [Albert MUKONG, president];
  Southern Cameroon National Council [Ayamba Ette OTUN]

Canada
  other: agricultural sector; automobile industry; business
  groups; chemical industry; commercial banks; communications sector;
  energy industry; environmentalists; public administration groups;
  steel industry; trade unions

Cape Verde
  other: environmentalists; political pressure groups

Cayman Islands
  National Trust
  other: environmentalists

Central African Republic
  Monam (combating gender-base violence)

Chad
  rebel groups

Chile
  Roman Catholic Church, particularly conservative groups such
  as Opus Dei; United Labor Central or CUT includes trade unionists
  from the country's five largest labor confederations
  other: revitalized university student federations at all major
  universities

China
  the China Democracy Party; the Falungong spiritual movement
  note: no substantial political opposition groups exist, although the
  government has identified the organizations listed above as
  subversive groups

Christmas Island
  none

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  The Cocos Islands Youth Support Centre

Colombia
  National Liberation Army or ELN; Revolutionary Armed Forces
  of Colombia or FARC
  note: two largest insurgent groups active in Colombia

Comoros
  other: environmentalists

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  MONUC - UN organization working
  with the government; FARDC (Forces Armees de la Republique
  Democratique du Congo) - Army of the Democratic Republic of the
  Congo which commits atrocities on citizens; FDLA (Forces
  Democratiques de Liberation du Rwanda) - Rwandan militia group

Congo, Republic of the
  Congolese Trade Union Congress or CSC;
  General Union of Congolese Pupils and Students or UGEEC;
  Revolutionary Union of Congolese Women or URFC; Union of Congolese
  Socialist Youth or UJSC

Cook Islands
  Reform Conference (lobby for political system changes)
  other: various groups lobbying for political change

Costa Rica
  Authentic Confederation of Democratic Workers or CATD
  (Communist Party affiliate); Chamber of Coffee Growers; Confederated
  Union of Workers or CUT (Communist Party affiliate); Costa Rican
  Confederation of Democratic Workers or CCTD (Liberation Party
  affiliate); Costa Rican Exporter's Chamber or CADEXCO; Costa Rican
  Solidarity Movement; Costa Rican Union of Private Sector Enterprises
  or UCCAEP [Rafael CARRILLO]; Federation of Public Service Workers or
  FTSP; National Association for Economic Development or ANFE;
  National Association of Educators or ANDE; National Association of
  Public and Private Employees or ANEP [Albino VARGAS]; Rerum Novarum
  or CTRN (PLN affiliate) [Gilbert BROWN]

Cote d'Ivoire
  Federation of University and High School Students of
  Cote d'Ivoire or FESCI [Serges KOFFI]; Rally of Houphouetists for
  Democracy and Peace or RHDP [Alphonse DJEDJE MADY]; Young Patriots
  [Charles BLE GOUDE]

Croatia
  other: human rights groups

Cuba
  Human Rights Watch; National Association of Small Farmers

Cyprus
  Confederation of Cypriot Workers or SEK (pro-West);
  Confederation of Revolutionary Labor Unions or Dev-Is; Federation of
  Turkish Cypriot Labor Unions or Turk-Sen; Pan-Cyprian Labor
  Federation or PEO (Communist controlled)

Czech Republic
  Czech-Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions or CMKOS
  [Milan STECH]

Denmark
  Danish Free Press Society (freedom of speech); Danish
  National Socialist Movement or DNSB [Jonni HANSEN] (neo-Nazi
  organization)
  other: human rights groups

Djibouti
  Union for Presidential Majority UMP (coalition includes
  RPP, FRUD, PPSD and PND); Union for Democratic Changeover or UAD
  (opposition coalition includes ARD, MRDD, and UDJ)

Dominica
  Dominica Liberation Movement or DLM (a small leftist party)

Dominican Republic
  Citizen Participation Group (Participacion
  Ciudadania); Collective of Popular Organizations or COP; Foundation
  for Institution-Building and Justice (FINJUS)

Ecuador
  Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador or
  CONAIE [Marlon SANTI, president]; Coordinator of Social Movements or
  CMS [F. Napoleon SANTOS]; Federation of Indigenous Evangelists of
  Ecuador or FEINE [Marco MURILLO, president]; National Federation of
  Indigenous Afro-Ecuatorianos and Peasants or FENOCIN [Pedro DE LA
  CRUZ, president]

Egypt
  Muslim Brotherhood (technically illegal)
  note: despite a constitutional ban against religious-based parties
  and political activity, the technically illegal Muslim Brotherhood
  constitutes Hosni MUBARAK's potentially most significant political
  opposition; MUBARAK has alternated between tolerating limited
  political activity by the Brotherhood (its members, who ran as
  independents, hold 88 seats in the People's Assembly) and blocking
  its influence; civic society groups are sanctioned, but constrained
  in practical terms; only trade unions and professional associations
  affiliated with the government are officially sanctioned; Internet
  social networking groups and bloggers

El Salvador
  labor organizations - Electrical Industry Union of El
  Salvador or SIES; Federation of the Construction Industry, Similar
  Transport and other activities, or FESINCONTRANS; National
  Confederation of Salvadoran Workers or CNTS; National Union of
  Salvadoran Workers or UNTS; Port Industry Union of El Salvador or
  SIPES; Salvadoran Union of Ex-Petrolleros and Peasant Workers or
  USEPOC; Salvadoran Workers Central or CTS; Workers Union of
  Electrical Corporation or STCEL; business organizations - National
  Association of Small Enterprise or ANEP; Salvadoran Assembly
  Industry Association or ASIC; Salvadoran Industrial Association or
  ASI

Equatorial Guinea
  ASODEGUE (Madrid-based pressure group for
  democratic reform); Global Witness (anti-corruption)

Eritrea
  Eritrean Democratic Party (EDP) [HAGOS, Mesfin]; Eritrean
  Islamic Jihad or EIJ (includes Eritrean Islamic Jihad Movement or
  EIJM also known as the Abu Sihel Movement); Eritrean Islamic
  Salvation or EIS (also known as the Arafa Movement); Eritrean
  Liberation Front or ELF [ABDULLAH Muhammed]; Eritrean National
  Alliance or ENA (a coalition including EIJ, EIS, ELF, and a number
  of ELF factions) [HERUY Tedla Biru]; Eritrean Public Forum or EPF
  [ARADOM Iyob]

Estonia
  Nochnoy Dozor/Night Watch anti-fascist movement (leader
  Alexander KOROBOV)

Ethiopia
  Ethiopian People's Patriotic Front or EPPF; Ogaden National
  Liberation Front or ONLF; Oromo Liberation Front or OLF [DAOUD Ibsa]

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  Falkland Islands Association
  (supports freedom of the people from external causes)

Faroe Islands
  Sea Shepard [Paul WATSON] (preservation of small
  whales)
  other: conservationists

Fiji
  Group Against Racial Discrimination or GARD [Dr. Anirudk SINGH]
  (for restoration of a democratic government); Viti Landowners
  Association

France
  Confederation Francaise Democratique du Travail or CFDT,
  left-leaning labor union with approximately 803,000 members;
  Confederation Generale des Cadres or CGC, independent white-collar
  union with 196,000 members; Confederation Generale du Travail or
  CGT, historically communist labor union with approximately 700,000
  members; Confederation Generale du Travail - Force Ouvriere or FO,
  independent labor union with an estimated 300,000 members; Mouvement
  des Entreprises de France or MEDEF, employers' union with 750,000
  companies as members (claimed)
  French Guiana: conservationists; gold mining pressure groups;
  hunting pressure groups
  Guadeloupe: Christian Movement for the Liberation of Guadeloupe or
  KLPG; General Federation of Guadeloupe Workers or CGT-G; General
  Union of Guadeloupe Workers or UGTG; Movement for an Independent
  Guadeloupe or MPGI; The Socialist Renewal Movement
  Martinique: Caribbean Revolutionary Alliance or ARC; Central Union
  for Martinique Workers or CSTM; Frantz Fanon Circle; League of
  Workers and Peasants; Proletarian Action Group or GAP
  Reunion: NA

French Polynesia
  NA

Gabon
  NA

Gambia, The
  National Environment Agency or NEA; West African Peace
  Building Network-Gambian Chapter or WANEB-GAMBIA; Youth Employment
  Network Gambia or YENGambia
  other: special needs group advocates; teachers and principals

Georgia
  separatists in the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South
  Ossetia

Germany
  other: business associations and employers' organizations;
  religious, trade unions, immigrant, expellee, and veterans groups

Ghana
  Christian Aid (water rights); Committee for Joint Action or
  CJA (education reform); National Coalition Against the Privatization
  of Water or CAP (water rights); Oxfam (water rights); Public Citizen
  (water rights); Students Coalition Against EPA [Kwabena Ososukene
  OKAI] (education reform); Third World Network (education reform)

Gibraltar
  Chamber of Commerce; Gibraltar Representatives
  Organization; Women's Association

Greece
  Civil Servants Confederation or ADEDY [Spyros PAPASPYROS];
  Federation of Greek Industries or SEV [Dimitris DASKALOPOULOS];
  General Confederation of Greek Workers or GSEE [Ioannis PANAGOPOULOS]

Greenland
  other: conservationists; environmentalists

Grenada
  Committee for Human Rights in Grenada or CHRG; New Jewel
  Movement Support Group; The British Grenada Friendship Society; The
  New Jewel 19 Committee

Guam
  Guam Federation of Teachers' Union; Guam Waterworks Authority
  Workers
  other: activists; indigenous groups

Guatemala
  Agrarian Owners Group or UNAGRO; Alliance Against Impunity
  or AAI; Committee for Campesino Unity or CUC; Coordinating Committee
  of Agricultural, Commercial, Industrial, and Financial Associations
  or CACIF; Mutual Support Group or GAM

Guernsey
  Stop Traffic Endangering Pedestrian Safety or STEPS; No
  More Masts [Colin FALLAIZE]

Guinea
  National Confederation of Guinean Workers-Labor Union of
  Guinean Workers or CNTG-USTG Alliance (includes National
  Confederation of Guinean Workers or CNTG [Rabiatou Sarah DIALLO] and
  Labor Union of Guinean Workers or USTG [Dr. Ibrahima FOFANA]);
  National Council of Civil Society Organizations of Guinea or CNOSCG
  [Ben Sekou SYLLA]; Syndicate of Guinean Teachers and Researchers or
  SLECG [Dr. Louis M'Bemba SOUMAH]

Guinea-Bissau
  NA

Guyana
  Amerindian People's Association; Guyana Bar Association;
  Guyana Citizens Initiative; Guyana Human Rights Association; Guyana
  Public Service Union or GPSU; Private Sector Commission; Trades
  Union Congress

Haiti
  Autonomous Organizations of Haitian Workers or CATH [Fignole
  ST-CYR]; Confederation of Haitian Workers or CTH; Federation of
  Workers Trade Unions or FOS; General Organization of Independent
  Haitian Workers [Patrick NUMAS]; Grand-Anse Resistance Committee, or
  KOREGA; National Popular Assembly or APN; Papaye Peasants Movement
  or MPP [Chavannes JEAN-BAPTISTE]; Popular Organizations Gathering
  Power or PROP; Protestant Federation of Haiti; Roman Catholic Church

Holy See (Vatican City)
  none (exclusive of influence exercised by
  church officers)

Honduras
  Committee for the Defense of Human Rights in Honduras or
  CODEH; Confederation of Honduran Workers or CTH; Coordinating
  Committee of Popular Organizations or CCOP; General Workers
  Confederation or CGT; Honduran Council of Private Enterprise or
  COHEP; National Association of Honduran Campesinos or ANACH;
  National Union of Campesinos or UNC; Popular Bloc or BP; United
  Confederation of Honduran Workers or CUTH

Hong Kong
  Chinese General Chamber of Commerce (pro-China); Chinese
  Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong; Confederation of Trade
  Unions or CTU (pro-democracy) [LAU Chin-shek, president; LEE
  Cheuk-yan, general secretary]; Federation of Hong Kong Industries;
  Federation of Trade Unions or FTU (pro-China) [CHENG Yiu-tong,
  executive councilor]; Hong Kong Alliance in Support of the Patriotic
  Democratic Movement in China [Szeto WAH, chairman]; Hong Kong and
  Kowloon Trade Union Council (pro-Taiwan); Hong Kong General Chamber
  of Commerce; Hong Kong Professional Teachers' Union [CHEUNG
  Man-kwong, president]; Neighborhood and Workers' Service Center or
  NWSC [LEUNG Yiu-chung, LegCo member] (pro-democracy); Civic Act-up
  [Cyd HO Sau-lan, LegCo member] (pro-democracy)

Hungary
  Air Work Group (works to reduce air pollution in towns and
  cities); Company For Freedom Rights (Tarsasag a Szabadsagjogokert)
  or TASZ (personal data protection); Danube Circle (protests the
  building of the Gabchikovo-Nagymaros dam); Green Future (protests
  the impact of lead contamination of local factory on health of the
  people); environmentalists: Hungarian Ornithological and Nature
  Conservation Society (Magyar Madartani Egyesulet)or MME; Green
  Alternative (Zold Alternativa)

Iceland
  People's Voices [Hordur TORFARSON]; New Times; Civic Action
  Association [Gunnar SIGURDSSON]; The Association of Military
  Opponents [Stefan PALSSON]

India
  All Parties Hurriyat Conference in the Kashmir Valley
  (separatist group); Bajrang Dal (religious organization); National
  Socialist Council of Nagaland in the northeast (separatist group);
  Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (religious organization); Vishwa Hindu
  Parishad (religious organization
  other: numerous religious or militant/chauvinistic organizations;
  various separatist groups seeking greater communal and/or regional
  autonomy

Indonesia
  Indonesian Women's Coalition (Koalisi Perempuan - human
  rights group); Islamic Defenders Front or FPI; National Alliance for
  Freedom of Religion and Faith; Oil Palm Watch (environmental)

Iran
  groups that generally support the Islamic Republic: Ansar-e
  Hizballah-Islamic Coalition Party (Motalefeh); Followers of the Line
  of the Imam and the Leader; Islamic Engineers Society; Tehran
  Militant Clergy Association (Ruhaniyat); active pro-reform student
  group: Office of Strengthening Unity (OSU); opposition groups:
  Baluchistan People's Party (BPP); Freedom Movement of Iran; Marz-e
  Por Gohar; National Front; and various ethnic and Monarchist
  organizations; armed political groups that have been repressed by
  the government: Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (KDPI);
  Jundallah; Komala; Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization (MEK or MKO);
  People's Fedayeen; People's Free Life Party of Kurdistan (PJAK)

Iraq
  Sunni militias; Shia militias, some associated with political
  parties

Ireland
  Families Acting for Innocent Relatives or FAIR [Brian
  McCONNELL] (seek compensation for victims of violence); Families
  Against Intimidation and Terror or FAIT (oppose terrorism);
  Gaeltacht Civil Rights Campaign (Coiste Cearta Sibhialta na Gaeilge)
  or CCSG (encourages the use of the Irish language and campaigns for
  greater civil rights in Irish speaking areas); Irish Republican Army
  or IRA (terrorist group); Keep Ireland Open (environmental group);
  Midland Railway Action Group or MRAG [Willie ALLEN] (transportation
  promoters); Rail Users Ireland (formerly the Platform 11 -
  transportation promoters); 32 Country Sovereignty Movement or 32CSM
  (supports a fully sovereign Ireland); Ulster Defence Association or
  UDA (terrorist group)

Isle of Man
  Alliance for Progressive Government or APG (a government
  watchdog); Mec Vannin (political party advocating a sovereign state
  and environment policies); note - has only had one member elected to
  the Tynwald

Israel
  B'Tselem [Jessica MONTELL, Executive Director] monitors human
  rights abuses; Peace Now [Yariv OPPENHEIMER, Secretary General]
  supports territorial concessions in the West Bank and Gaza Strip;
  YESHA Council of Settlements [Danny DAYAN, Chairman] promotes
  settler interests and opposes territorial compromise

Italy
  manufacturers and merchants associations - Confcommercio;
  Confindustria; organized farm groups - Confcoltivatori;
  Confagricoltura; Roman Catholic Church; three major trade union
  confederations - Confederazione Generale Italiana del Lavoro or CGIL
  [Guglielmo EPIFANI] which is left wing; Confederazione Italiana dei
  Sindacati Lavoratori or CISL [Raffaele BONANNO], which is Roman
  Catholic centrist; Unione Italiana del Lavoro or UIL [Luigi
  ANGELETTI] which is lay centrist)

Jamaica
  New Beginnings Movement or NBM; Rastafarians (black
  religious/racial cultists, pan-Africanists)

Japan
  other: business groups; trade unions

Jersey
  Institute of Directors, Jersey branch (provides business
  support); Jersey Hospitality Association [Robert JONES] (trade
  association); Jersey Rights Association [David ROTHERHAM] (human
  rights); La Societe Jersiaise (education and conservation group);
  Progress Jersey [Darius J. PEARCE, Daren O'TOOLE, Gino RISOLI]
  (human rights); Royal Jersey Agriculture and Horticultural Society
  or RJA&HS (development and management of the Jersey breed of
  cattle); Save Jersey's Heritage (protects heritage through building
  preservation)

Jordan
  Anti-Normalization Committee [Ali Abu SUKKAR, president vice
  chairman]; Jordan Bar Association [Saleh al-ARMUTI, chairman];
  Jordanian Press Association [Sayf al-SHARIF, president]; Jordanian
  Muslim Brotherhood [Dr. Hamam SAID, controller general]

Kazakhstan
  Adil-Soz [Tamara KALEYEVA]; Almaty Helsinki Group [Ninel
  FOKINA]; Confederation of Free Trade Unions [Sergei BELKIN]; For
  Fair Elections [Yevgeniy ZHOVTIS, Sabit ZHUSUPOV, Sergey DUVANOV,
  Ibrash NUSUPBAYEV]; Kazakhstan International Bureau on Human Rights
  [Yevgeniy ZHOVTIS, executive director]; Pan-National Social
  Democratic Party of Kazakhstan [Zharmakhan TUYAKBAI]; Pensioners
  Movement or Pokoleniye [Irina SAVOSTINA, chairwoman]; Republican
  Network of International Monitors [Dos KUSHIM]; Transparency
  International [Sergei ZLOTNIKOV]

Kenya
  Council of Islamic Preachers of Kenya or CIPK [Sheikh Idris
  MOHAMMED]; Kenya Human Rights Commission [L. Muthoni WANYEKI];
  Muslim Human Rights Forum [Ali-Amin KIMATHI]; National Convention
  Executive Council or NCEC, a proreform coalition of political
  parties and nongovernment organizations [Ndung'u WAINANA]; National
  Muslim Leaders Forum or NAMLEF [Abdullahi ABDI]; Protestant National
  Council of Churches of Kenya or NCCK [Canon Peter Karanja MWANGI];
  Roman Catholic and other Christian churches; Supreme Council of
  Kenya Muslims or SUPKEM [Shaykh Abdul Gafur al-BUSAIDY]
  other: labor unions

Kiribati
  NA

Korea, North
  none

Korea, South
  Federation of Korean Industries; Federation of Korean
  Trade Unions; Korean Confederation of Trade Unions; Korean National
  Council of Churches; Korean Traders Association; Korean Veterans'
  Association; National Council of Labor Unions; National Democratic
  Alliance of Korea; National Federation of Farmers' Associations;
  National Federation of Student Associations

Kosovo
  Council for the Defense of Human Rights and Freedom (human
  rights); Humanitarian Law Centre (human rights); Movement for
  Self-Determination; Serb National Council (SNV)

Kuwait
  other: Islamists; merchants; political groups; secular
  liberals and pro-governmental deputies; Shia activists; tribal groups

Kyrgyzstan
  Adilet Legal Clinic [Cholpon JAKUPOVA]; Coalition for
  Democracy and Civil Society [Dinara OSHURAKHUNOVA]; Interbilim
  [Asiya SASYKBAEVA]

Laos
  NA

Latvia
  Free Trade Union Confederation of Latvia [Peteris KRIGERS],
  Employers' Confederation of Latvia [Elina EGLE], Farmers' Parliament
  [Juris LAZDINS]

Lebanon
  Hizballah military wing
  other: Palestinian militias; Maronite Christians; Sunnis and their
  militias; Shias and their militias

Lesotho
  Media Institute of Southern Africa, Lesotho chapter [Thabang
  MATJAMA] (pushes for media freedom)

Liberia
  other: demobilized former military officers

Libya
  other: Arab nationalist movements; anti-QADHAFI Libyan exile
  Movement; Islamic elements

Liechtenstein
  NA

Lithuania
  Europe House (promotes the EU); European Movement
  (promotes the EU); Lithuanian Future Forum (promotes the EU)

Luxembourg
  ABBL (bankers' association); ALEBA (financial sector
  trade union); Centrale Paysanne (federation of agricultural
  producers); CEP (professional sector chamber); CGFP (trade union
  representing civil service); Chambre de Commerce (Chamber of
  Commerce); Chambre des Metiers (Chamber of Artisans); FEDIL
  (federation of industrialists); Greenpeace (environment protection);
  LCGP (center-right trade union); Mouvement Ecologique (protection of
  ecology); OGBL (center-left trade union)

Macau
  Civic Power [Agnes LAM Lok-fong]; Macau Society of Tourism and
  Entertainment or STDM [Stanley HO]; Macau Worker's Union [HO
  Heng-kuok]; Roman Catholic Church; Union for Democracy Development
  [Antonio NG Kuok-cheong]

Macedonia
  Federation of Free Trade Unions [Svetlana PETROVIC];
  Federation of Trade Unions [Vanco MURATOVSKI]; Trade Union of
  Education, Science and Culture [Dojcin CVETANOSKI]; World Macedonian
  Congress [Todor PETROV]

Madagascar
  Committee for the Defense of Truth and Justice or KMMR;
  Committee for National Reconciliation or CRN [Albert Zafy]; National
  Council of Christian Churches or FFKM

Malawi
  Agri-Ecology Media (agriculture and environmental group);
  Council for NGOs in Malawi or CONGOMA (human rights, democracy, and
  development); Human Rights Consultative Committee or HRCC (human
  rights); Malawi Law Society (human rights and law reform); Malawi
  Movement for the Restoration of Democracy or MMRD (acts to restore
  and maintain democracy); Public Affairs Committee or PAC (promotes
  democracy, development, peace and unity)

Malaysia
  Bar Council BERSIH (electoral reform coalition); PEMBELA
  (Muslim NGO coalition)
  other: religious groups; women's groups; youth groups

Maldives
  other: various unregistered political parties

Mali
  other: the army; Islamic authorities; rebels in the northern
  region; state-run cotton company CMDT; tuaregs

Malta
  Alleanza Liberal-Demokratika Maltra or ALDM (for divorce,
  abortion, gay marriage, the rights existent in other EU member
  states); Alleanza Nazzionali Repubblikana or ANR (for traditional
  values, anti-immigration); Alternattiva Demokratika
  (pro-environment); Azzjoni Nazzjonali or AN (freedom to participate
  in democratic government); Flimkien Ghal-Ambjent Ahjar
  (pro-environment); Ghazdatal-Konsumaturi (consumer rights)
  other: environmentalists

Marshall Islands
  NA

Mauritania
  General Confederation of Mauritanian Workers or CGTM
  [Abdallahi Ould MOHAMED, secretary general]; Independent
  Confederation of Mauritanian Workers or CLTM [Samory Ould BEYE];
  Mauritanian Workers Union or UTM [Mohamed Ely Ould BRAHIM, secretary
  general]
  other: Arab nationalists; Ba'thists; Islamists

Mauritius
  other: various labor unions

Mayotte
  NA

Mexico
  Broad Progressive Front or FAP; Businessmen's Coordinating
  Council or CCE; Confederation of Employers of the Mexican Republic
  or COPARMEX; Confederation of Industrial Chambers or CONCAMIN;
  Confederation of Mexican Workers or CTM; Confederation of National
  Chambers of Commerce or CONCANACO; Coordinator for Foreign Trade
  Business Organizations or COECE; Federation of Unions Providing
  Goods and Services or FESEBES; National Chamber of Transformation
  Industries or CANACINTRA; National Peasant Confederation or CNC;
  National Small Business Chamber or CANACOPE; National Syndicate of
  Education Workers or SNTE; National Union of Workers or UNT; Popular
  Assembly of the People of Oaxaca or APPO; Roman Catholic Church

Micronesia, Federated States of
  NA

Moldova
  NA

Monaco
  NA

Mongolia
  other: human rights groups; women's groups

Montserrat
  NA

Morocco
  Democratic Confederation of Labor or CDT [Noubir AMAOUI];
  General Union of Moroccan Workers or UGTM [Abderrazzak AFILAL];
  Moroccan Employers Association or CGEM [Hassan CHAMI]; National
  Labor Union of Morocco or UNMT [Abdelslam MAATI]; Union of Moroccan
  Workers or UMT [Mahjoub BENSEDDIK]

Mozambique
  Mozambican League of Human Rights (Liga Mocambicana dos
  Direitos Humanos) or LDH [Alice MABOTE, president]

Namibia
  Earthlife Namibia [Berthchen KOHRS] (environmentalist
  group); National Society for Human Rights or NSHR; The World
  Information Services of Energy or WISE (group against nuclear power)

Nauru
  Woman Information and News Agency (women's issues)

Nepal
  other: several small armed Madhesi groups along the southern
  border with India; a variety of groups advocating regional autonomy
  for individual ethnic groups

Netherlands
  Christian Trade Union Federation or CNV [Rene PAAS];
  Confederation of Netherlands Industry and Employers or VNO-NCW
  [Bernard WIENTJES]; Federation for Small and Medium-sized businesses
  or MKB [Loek HERMANS]; Netherlands Trade Union Federation or FNV
  [Agnes JONGERIUS]; Social Economic Council or SER [Alexander RINNOOY
  KAN]; Trade Union Federation of Middle and High Personnel or MHP [Ad
  VERHOEVEN]

Netherlands Antilles
  Employers Association (VBC); Unions (AVBO)

New Caledonia
  NA

New Zealand
  Women's Electoral Lobby or WEL
  other: apartheid groups; civil rights groups; farmers groups; Maori;
  nuclear weapons groups; women's rights groups

Nicaragua
  National Workers Front or FNT (a Sandinista umbrella group
  of eight labor unions including: Farm Workers Association or ATC,
  Health Workers Federation or FETASALUD, Heroes and Martyrs
  Confederation of Professional Associations or CONAPRO, National
  Association of Educators of Nicaragua or ANDEN, National Union of
  Employees or UNE, National Union of Farmers and Ranchers or UNAG,
  Sandinista Workers Central or CST, and Union of Journalists of
  Nicaragua or UPN); Permanent Congress of Workers or CPT (an umbrella
  group of four non-Sandinista labor unions including: Autonomous
  Nicaraguan Workers Central or CTN-A, Confederation of Labor
  Unification or CUS, Independent General Confederation of Labor or
  CGT-I, and Labor Action and Unity Central or CAUS); Nicaraguan
  Workers' Central or CTN (an independent labor union); Superior
  Council of Private Enterprise or COSEP (a confederation of business
  groups)

Niger
  The Nigerien Movement for Justice or MNJ, a predominantly
  Tuareg rebel group

Nigeria
  Academic Staff Union for Universities or ASUU; Campaign for
  Democracy or CD; Civil Liberties Organization or CLO; Committee for
  the Defense of Human Rights or CDHR; Constitutional Right Project or
  CRP; Human Right Africa; National Association of Democratic Lawyers
  or NADL; National Association of Nigerian Students or NANS; Nigerian
  Bar Association or NBA; Nigerian Labor Congress or NLC; Nigerian
  Medical Association or NMA; the Press; Universal Defenders of
  Democracy or UDD

Niue
  NA

Norfolk Island
  none

Northern Mariana Islands
  NA

Norway
  Norwegian Aid Committee or NORWAC; Norwegian Association of
  the Disabled; Pure Salmon Campaign; The Consumer Council (consumer
  advocacy group)
  other: environmental groups; media; reform movements

Oman
  none

Pakistan
  other: military (most important political force); ulema
  (clergy); landowners; industrialists; small merchants

Palau
  NA

Panama
  Chamber of Commerce; National Civic Crusade; National Council
  of Organized Workers or CONATO; National Council of Private
  Enterprise or CONEP; National Union of Construction and Similar
  Workers (SUNTRACS); Panamanian Association of Business Executives or
  APEDE; Panamanian Industrialists Society or SIP; Workers
  Confederation of the Republic of Panama or CTRP

Papua New Guinea
  Ahora [Andrew MAMOKO] (represents local tribes);
  Centre for Environment Law and Community Rights or Celcor [Damien
  ASE]; Community Coalition Against Corruption

Paraguay
  Ahorristas Estafados or AE; National Coordinating Board of
  Campesino Organizations or MCNOC [Luis AGUAYO]; National Federation
  of Campesinos or FNC [Odilon ESPINOLA]; National Workers Central or
  CNT [Secretary General Juan TORRALES]; Paraguayan Workers
  Confederation or CPT; Roman Catholic Church; Unitary Workers Central
  or CUT [Jorge Guzman ALVARENGA Malgarejo]

Peru
  General Workers Confederation of Peru (Confederacion General de
  Trabajadores del Peru) or CGTP [Mario HUAMAN]; Shining Path (Sendero
  Luminoso) or SL [Abimael GUZMAN Reynoso (imprisoned), Victor QUISPE
  Palomino (top leader at-large)] (leftist guerrilla group)

Philippines
  ABONO [Robert ESTRELLA]; AKBAYAN [Anna Theresia
  BARAQUIEL]; An Waray [Florencio NOEL]; Anak Mindanao [Mujiv
  HATAMIN]; ANAKPAWIS [Rafael MARIANO]; ARC [Narciso SANTIAGO III];
  Association of Philippine Electric Cooperatives (APEC) [Ernesto
  PABLO and Edgar VALDEZ]; A TEACHER [Mariano PIAMONTE]; Bayan Muna
  [Satur OCAMPO and Teodoro CASINO, Jr.]; Black and White Movement
  [Vicente ROMANO]; BUHAY [Rene VELARDE, Carissa COSCOLLUELLA, and
  William TIENG]; BUTIL [Leonila CHAVEZ]; CIBAC [Emmanuel Joel
  VILLANUEVA]; COOP-NATCO [Jose PING-AY]; GABRIELA [Liza MAZA and
  Luzviminda ILAGAN]; Kilosbayan [Jovito SALONGA]; YACAP [Carol LOPEZ]

Pitcairn Islands
  none

Poland
  All Poland Trade Union Alliance or OPZZ (trade union) [Jan
  GUZ]; Roman Catholic Church [Cardinal Stanislaw DZIWISZ, Archbishop
  Jozef MICHALIK]; Solidarity Trade Union [Janusz SNIADEK]

Portugal
  the media; labor unions

Puerto Rico
  Boricua Popular Army or EPB (a revolutionary group also
  known as Los Macheteros); note - the following radical groups are
  considered dormant by Federal law enforcement: Armed Forces for
  National Liberation or FALN, Armed Forces of Popular Resistance,
  Volunteers of the Puerto Rican Revolution

Qatar
  none

Romania
  other: various human rights and professional associations

Russia
  All-Russian Confederation of Labor; Baikal Environmental
  Wave; Federation of Independent Labor Unions of Russia; Freedom of
  Choice Interregional Organization of Automobilists; Glasnost Defense
  Foundation; Golos Association in Defense of Voters' Rights;
  Greenpeace Russia; Human Rights Watch (Russian chapter); Institute
  for Collective Action; Memorial (human rights group); Movement
  Against Illegal Migration; Pamjat (preservation of historical
  monuments and recording of history); Russian Orthodox Church;
  Russian-Chechen Friendship Society; SOVA Analytical-Information
  Center; Union of the Committees of Soldiers' Mothers; World Wildlife
  Fund (Russian chapter)

Rwanda
  IBUKA (association of genocide survivors)

Saint Barthelemy
  The Marine Reserve (protection of fish); Rotary Club

Saint Helena
  other: private sector; unions

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  NA

Saint Lucia
  NA

Saint Martin
  NA

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  NA

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  NA

Samoa
  NA

San Marino
  NA

Sao Tome and Principe
  Association of Sao Tome and Principe NGOs or
  FONG
  other: the media

Saudi Arabia
  Ansar Al Marah (supports women's rights)
  other: gas companies; religious groups

Senegal
  other: labor; students; Sufi brotherhoods, including the
  Mourides and Tidjanes; teachers

Serbia
  NA

Seychelles
  Roman Catholic Church
  other: trade unions

Sierra Leone
  other: student unions; trade unions

Singapore
  none

Slovakia
  Association of Towns and Villages or ZMOS; Confederation of
  Trade Unions or KOZ; Entrepreneurs Association of Slovakia or ZPS;
  Federation of Employers' Associations of the Slovak Republic;
  National Union of Employers or RUZ; Slovak Chamber of Commerce and
  Industry or SOPK; The Business Alliance of Slovakia or PAS

Slovenia
  Democratic Party of Slovenian Pensioners or DeSUS
  (protecting the rights of the older generation); Slovenian Roma
  Association [Jozek Horvat MUC]
  other: Catholic Church

Solomon Islands
  Isatabu Freedom Movement (IFM); Malaita Eagle Force
  (MEF); note - these rival armed ethnic factions crippled the Solomon
  Islands in a wave of violence from 1999 to 2003

Somalia
  other: numerous clan and sub-clan factions exist both in
  support and in opposition to the transitional government

South Africa
  Congress of South African Trade Unions or COSATU
  [Zwelinzima VAVI, general secretary]; South African Communist Party
  or SACP [Blade NZIMANDE, general secretary]; South African National
  Civics Organization or SANCO [Mlungisi HLONGWANE, national president]
  note: note - COSATU and SACP are in a formal alliance with the ANC

Spain
  Association for Victims of Terrorism or AVT (grassroots
  organization devoted primarily to opposing ETA terrorist attacks and
  supporting its victims); Basta Ya (Spanish for "Enough is Enough";
  grassroots organization devoted primarily to opposing ETA terrorist
  attacks and supporting its victims); Nunca Mais (Galician for "Never
  Again"; formed in response to the oil Tanker Prestige oil spill);
  Socialist General Union of Workers or UGT and the smaller
  independent Workers Syndical Union or USO; Trade Union Confederation
  of Workers' Commissions or CC.OO.
  other: business and landowning interests; Catholic Church; free
  labor unions (authorized in April 1977); university students

Sri Lanka
  Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam or LTTE [Velupillai
  PRABHAKARAN](insurgent group fighting for a separate state); Tamil
  Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP) or Karuna Faction [Vinayagamurthi
  MURALITHARAN] (paramilitary breakaway from LTTE and fighting LTTE)
  other: Buddhist clergy; labor unions; radical chauvinist Sinhalese
  groups such as the National Movement Against Terrorism; Sinhalese
  Buddhist lay groups

Sudan
  Umma Party [SADIQ Siddiq al-Mahdi]; Popular Congress Party or
  PCP [Hassan al-TURABI]; Darfur rebel groups including the Justice
  and Equality Movement or JEM [Khalil IBRAHIM] and the Sudan
  Liberation Movement or SLM [various factional leaders]

Suriname
  Association of Indigenous Village Chiefs [Ricardo PANE];
  Association of Saramaccan Authorities or Maroon [Head Captain WASE];
  Women's Parliament Forum or PVF [Iris GILLIAD]

Svalbard
  NA

Swaziland
  Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions; Swaziland and
  Solidarity Network or SSN

Sweden
  Children's Rights in Society; Swedish Confederation of
  Professional Employees or TCO; Swedish Federation of Trade Unions or
  LO
  other: media

Switzerland
  NA

Syria
  Damascus Declaration National Council [Riyad SEIF, secretary
  general] (a broad alliance of opposition groups and individuals
  including: Committee for Revival of Civil Society [Michel KILO,
  Riyad SEIF]; Communist Action Party [Fateh JAMOUS]; Kurdish
  Democratic Alliance; Kurdish Democratic Front; Liberal Nationalists'
  Movement; National Democratic Rally; and Syrian Human Rights Society
  or HRAS [Fawed FAWUZ]); National Salvation Front (alliance between
  former Vice President Abd al-Halim KHADDAM, the SMB, and other small
  opposition groups); Syrian Muslim Brotherhood or SMB [Sadr al-Din
  al-BAYANUNI] (operates in exile in London; endorsed the Damascus
  Declaration, but is not an official member)

Taiwan
  Organization for Taiwan Nation Building; World United
  Formosans for Independence
  other: environmental groups; independence movement; various business
  groups
  note: debate on Taiwan independence has become acceptable within the
  mainstream of domestic politics on Taiwan; political liberalization
  and the increased representation of opposition parties in Taiwan's
  legislature have opened public debate on the island's national
  identity; a broad public consensus has developed that the government
  enjoys popular sovereignty and - whatever the ultimate outcome
  regarding unification or independence - that Taiwan's people must
  have the deciding voice; public opinion polls consistently show a
  substantial majority of Taiwan people supports maintaining Taiwan's
  status quo for the foreseeable future; advocates of Taiwan
  independence oppose the stand that the island will eventually unify
  with mainland China; goals of the Taiwan independence movement
  include establishing a sovereign nation on Taiwan and entering the
  UN; advocates of eventual unification predicate their goal on the
  democratic transformation of the mainland

Tajikistan
  splinter parties recognized by the government but not by
  the base of the party: Democratic Party or DPT [Masud SOBIROV]
  (splintered from ISKANDAROV's DPT); Socialist Party or SPT
  [Abduhalim GHAFFOROV] (splintered from NARZIEV's SPT)
  unregistered political parties: Agrarian Party [Hikmatullo
  NASREDDINOV]; Progressive Party [Sulton QUVVATOV]; Unity Party
  [Hikmatullo SAIDOV]

Tanzania
  Economic and Social Research Foundation or ESRF; Free
  Zanzibar; Tanzania Media Women's Association or TAMWA

Thailand
  People's Alliance for Democracy or PAD; United Front for
  Democracy Against Dictatorship

Timor-Leste
  NA

Togo
  NA

Tokelau
  none

Tonga
  Human Rights and Democracy Movement Tonga or HRDMT [Rev.
  Simote VEA, chairman]; Public Servant's Association [Finau TUTONE]

Trinidad and Tobago
  Jamaat-al Muslimeen [Yasin BAKR]

Tunisia
  18 October Group [collective leadership]; Tunisian League
  for Human Rights or LTDH [Mokhtar TRIFI]

Turkey
  Confederation of Public Sector Unions or KESK [Sami EVREN];
  Confederation of Revolutionary Workers Unions or DISK [Suleyman
  CELEBI]; Independent Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association
  or MUSIAD [Omer Cihad VARDAN]; Moral Rights Workers Union or Hak-Is
  [Salim USLU]; Turkish Confederation of Employers' Unions or TISK
  [Tugurl KUDATGOBILIK]; Turkish Confederation of Labor or Turk-Is
  [Mustafa KUMLU]; Turkish Confederation of Tradesmen and Craftsmen or
  TESK [Dervis GUNDAY]; Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's
  Association or TUSIAD [Arzuhan Dogan YALCINDAG]; Turkish Union of
  Chambers of Commerce and Commodity Exchanges or TOBB [M. Rifat
  HISARCIKLIOGLU]

Turkmenistan
  NA

Turks and Caicos Islands
  NA

Tuvalu
  none

Uganda
  Lord's Resistance Army or LRA [Joseph KONY]; Young
  Parliamentary Association [Henry BANYENZAKI]; Parliamentary Advocacy
  Forum or PAFO; National Association of Women Organizations in Uganda
  or NAWOU [Florence NEKYON]; The Ugandan Coalition for Political
  Accountability to Women or COPAW

Ukraine
  Committee of Voters of Ukraine [Ihor POPOV]

United Arab Emirates
  NA

United Kingdom
  Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament; Confederation of
  British Industry; National Farmers' Union; Trades Union Congress

United States
  environmentalists; business groups; labor unions;
  churches; ethnic groups; political action committees or PAC; health
  groups; education groups; civic groups; youth groups; transportation
  groups; agricultural groups; veterans groups; women's groups; reform
  lobbies

Uruguay
  Architect's Society of Uruguay (professional organization);
  Chamber of Uruguayan Industries (manufacturer's association);
  Chemist and Pharmaceutical Association (professional organization);
  PIT/CNT (powerful federation of Uruguayan Unions - umbrella labor
  organization); Rural Association of Uruguay (rancher's association);
  Uruguayan Construction League; Uruguayan Network of Political Women
  other: Catholic Church; students

Uzbekistan
  Agrarian and Entrepreneurs' Party [Marat ZAHIDOV]; Birlik
  (Unity) Movement [Abdurahim POLAT, chairman]; Committee for the
  Protection of Human Rights [Marat ZAHIDOV]; Erk (Freedom) Democratic
  Party [Muhammad SOLIH, chairman] (was banned 9 December 1992);
  Ezgulik Human Rights Society [Vasila INOYATOVA]; Free Farmers' Party
  or Ozod Dehqonlar [Nigora HIDOYATOVA]; Human Rights Society of
  Uzbekistan [Talib YAKUBOV, chairman]; Independent Human Rights
  Organization of Uzbekistan [Mikhail ARDZINOV, chairman]; Mazlum;
  Sunshine Coalition [Sanjar UMAROV, chairman]

Vanuatu
  NA

Venezuela
  FEDECAMARAS, a conservative business group; VECINOS
  groups; Venezuelan Confederation of Workers or CTV (labor
  organization dominated by the Democratic Action)

Vietnam
  8406 Bloc; Democratic Party of Vietnam or DPV; People's
  Democratic Party Vietnam or PDP-VN; Alliance for Democracy
  note: these groups advocate democracy but are not recognized by the
  government

Virgin Islands
  NA

Wallis and Futuna
  NA

Western Sahara
  none

Yemen
  Muslim Brotherhood; Women National Committee
  other: conservative tribal groups

Zambia
  NA

Zimbabwe
  Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition [Xolani ZITHA]; National
  Constitutional Assembly or NCA [Lovemore MADHUKU]; Women of Zimbabwe
  Arise or WOZA [Jenny WILLIAMS]; Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions or
  ZCTU [Wellington CHIBEBE]

======================================================================

@2116

Field Listing :: Economy - overview

This entry briefly describes the type of economy, including the degree of market orientation, the level of economic development, the most important natural resources, and the unique areas of specialization. It also characterizes major economic events and policy changes in the most recent 12 months and may include a statement about one or two key future macroeconomic trends. Country

Economy - overview

Afghanistan
  Afghanistan's economy is recovering from decades of
  conflict. The economy has improved significantly since the fall of
  the Taliban regime in 2001 largely because of the infusion of
  international assistance, the recovery of the agricultural sector,
  and service sector growth. Real GDP growth fell from the 10% level
  in 2006-07 to a little more than 3% in 2008. Despite the progress of
  the past few years, Afghanistan is extremely poor, landlocked, and
  highly dependent on foreign aid, agriculture, and trade with
  neighboring countries. Much of the population continues to suffer
  from shortages of housing, clean water, electricity, medical care,
  and jobs. Criminality, insecurity, and the Afghan Government's
  inability to extend rule of law to all parts of the country pose
  challenges to future economic growth. It will probably take the
  remainder of the decade and continuing donor aid and attention to
  significantly raise Afghanistan's living standards from its current
  level, among the lowest in the world. International pledges made by
  more than 60 countries and international financial institutions at
  the Berlin Donors Conference for Afghan reconstruction in March 2004
  reached $8.9 billion for 2004-09. While the international community
  remains committed to Afghanistan's development, pledging over $57
  billion at three donors' conferences since 2002, Kabul will need to
  overcome a number of challenges. Expanding poppy cultivation and a
  growing opium trade generate roughly $3 billion in illicit economic
  activity and looms as one of Kabul's most serious policy concerns.
  Other long-term challenges include: budget sustainability, job
  creation, corruption, government capacity, and rebuilding war torn
  infrastructure.

Akrotiri
  Economic activity is limited to providing services to the
  military and their families located in Akrotiri. All food and
  manufactured goods must be imported.

Albania
  Lagging behind its Balkan neighbors, Albania is making the
  difficult transition to a more modern open-market economy.
  Macroeconomic growth has averaged around 5% over the last five years
  and inflation is low and stable. The government has taken measures
  to curb violent crime, and recently adopted a fiscal reform package
  aimed at reducing the large gray economy and attracting foreign
  investment. The economy is bolstered by annual remittances from
  abroad representing about 15% of GDP, mostly from Albanians residing
  in Greece and Italy; this helps offset the towering trade deficit.
  The agricultural sector, which accounts for over half of employment
  but only about one-fifth of GDP, is limited primarily to small
  family operations and subsistence farming because of lack of modern
  equipment, unclear property rights, and the prevalence of small,
  inefficient plots of land. Energy shortages because of a reliance on
  hydropower, and antiquated and inadequate infrastructure contribute
  to Albania's poor business environment and lack of success in
  attracting new foreign investment. The completion of a new thermal
  power plant near Vlore has helped diversify generation capacity, and
  plans to upgrade transmission lines between Albania and Montenegro
  and Kosovo would help relieve the energy shortages. Also, with help
  from EU funds, the government is taking steps to improve the poor
  national road and rail network, a long-standing barrier to sustained
  economic growth.

Algeria
  The hydrocarbons sector is the backbone of the economy,
  accounting for roughly 60% of budget revenues, 30% of GDP, and over
  95% of export earnings. Algeria has the eighth-largest reserves of
  natural gas in the world and is the fourth-largest gas exporter; it
  ranks 15th in oil reserves. Sustained high oil prices in recent
  years have helped improve Algeria's financial and macroeconomic
  indicators. Algeria is running substantial trade surpluses and
  building up record foreign exchange reserves. Algeria has decreased
  its external debt to less than 5% of GDP after repaying its Paris
  Club and London Club debt in 2006. Real GDP has risen due to higher
  oil output and increased government spending. The government's
  continued efforts to diversify the economy by attracting foreign and
  domestic investment outside the energy sector, however, has had
  little success in reducing high unemployment and improving living
  standards. Structural reform within the economy, such as development
  of the banking sector and the construction of infrastructure, moves
  ahead slowly hampered by corruption and bureaucratic resistance.

American Samoa
  American Samoa has a traditional Polynesian economy
  in which more than 90% of the land is communally owned. Economic
  activity is strongly linked to the US with which American Samoa
  conducts most of its commerce. Tuna fishing and tuna processing
  plants are the backbone of the private sector, with canned tuna the
  primary export. Transfers from the US Government add substantially
  to American Samoa's economic well being. Attempts by the government
  to develop a larger and broader economy are restrained by Samoa's
  remote location, its limited transportation, and its devastating
  hurricanes. Tourism is a promising developing sector.

Andorra
  Tourism, the mainstay of Andorra's tiny, well-to-do economy,
  accounts for more than 80% of GDP. An estimated 11.6 million
  tourists visit annually, attracted by Andorra's duty-free status and
  by its summer and winter resorts. Andorra's comparative advantage
  has recently eroded as the economies of neighboring France and Spain
  have been opened up, providing broader availability of goods and
  lower tariffs. The banking sector, with its partial "tax haven"
  status, also contributes substantially to the economy. Agricultural
  production is limited - only 2% of the land is arable - and most
  food has to be imported. The principal livestock activity is sheep
  raising. Manufacturing output consists mainly of cigarettes, cigars,
  and furniture. Andorra is a member of the EU Customs Union and is
  treated as an EU member for trade in manufactured goods (no tariffs)
  and as a non-EU member for agricultural products.

Angola
  Angola's high growth rate is driven by its oil sector, which
  has taken advantage of high international oil prices. Oil production
  and its supporting activities contribute about 85% of GDP. Increased
  oil production supported growth averaging more than 15% per year
  from 2004 to 2007. A postwar reconstruction boom and resettlement of
  displaced persons has led to high rates of growth in construction
  and agriculture as well. Much of the country's infrastructure is
  still damaged or undeveloped from the 27-year-long civil war.
  Remnants of the conflict such as widespread land mines still mar the
  countryside even though an apparently durable peace was established
  after the death of rebel leader Jonas SAVIMBI in February 2002.
  Subsistence agriculture provides the main livelihood for most of the
  people, but half of the country's food must still be imported. In
  2005, the government started using a $2 billion line of credit,
  since increased to $7 billion, from China to rebuild Angola's public
  infrastructure, and several large-scale projects were completed in
  2006. Angola also has large credit lines from Brazil, Portugal,
  Germany, Spain, and the EU. The central bank in 2003 implemented an
  exchange rate stabilization program using foreign exchange reserves
  to buy kwanzas out of circulation. This policy became more
  sustainable in 2005 because of strong oil export earnings; it has
  significantly reduced inflation. Although consumer inflation
  declined from 325% in 2000 to under 13% in 2008, the stabilization
  policy has put pressure on international net liquidity. Angola
  became a member of OPEC in late 2006 and in late 2007 was assigned a
  production quota of 1.9 million barrels a day, somewhat less than
  the 2-2.5 million bbl Angola's government had wanted. To fully take
  advantage of its rich national resources - gold, diamonds, extensive
  forests, Atlantic fisheries, and large oil deposits - Angola will
  need to implement government reforms, increase transparency, and
  reduce corruption. The government has rejected a formal IMF
  monitored program, although it continues Article IV consultations
  and ad hoc cooperation. Corruption, especially in the extractive
  sectors, and the negative effects of large inflows of foreign
  exchange, are major challenges facing Angola.

Anguilla
  Anguilla has few natural resources, and the economy depends
  heavily on luxury tourism, offshore banking, lobster fishing, and
  remittances from emigrants. Increased activity in the tourism
  industry has spurred the growth of the construction sector
  contributing to economic growth. Anguillan officials have put
  substantial effort into developing the offshore financial sector,
  which is small but growing. In the medium term, prospects for the
  economy will depend largely on the tourism sector and, therefore, on
  revived income growth in the industrialized nations as well as on
  favorable weather conditions.

Antarctica
  Fishing off the coast and tourism, both based abroad,
  account for Antarctica's limited economic activity. Antarctic
  fisheries in 2006-07 (1 July-30 June) reported landing 126,976
  metric tons (estimated fishing from the area covered by the
  Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources
  (CCAMLR), which extends slightly beyond the Antarctic Treaty area).
  Unregulated fishing, particularly of Patagonian toothfish
  (Dissostichus eleginoides - also known as Chilean sea bass), is a
  serious problem. The CCAMLR determines the recommended catch limits
  for marine species. A total of 45,652 tourists visited the Antarctic
  Treaty area in the 2007-08 Antarctic summer, up from the 36,460
  visitors in 2006-2007, and the 30,877 visitors in 2005-2006
  (estimates provided to the Antarctic Treaty by the International
  Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO); this does not
  include passengers on overflights). Nearly all of them were
  passengers on commercial (nongovernmental) ships and several yachts
  that make trips during the summer. Most tourist trips last
  approximately two weeks.

Antigua and Barbuda
  Antigua has a relatively high GDP per capita in
  comparison to most other Caribbean nations. The economy experienced
  solid growth from 2003 to 2007, reaching over 12% in 2006 driven by
  a construction boom in hotels and housing associated with the
  Cricket World Cup. Growth dropped off in 2008 with the end of the
  boom. Tourism continues to dominate the economy, accounting for
  nearly 60% of GDP and 40% of investment. The dual-island nation's
  agricultural production is focused on the domestic market and
  constrained by a limited water supply and a labor shortage stemming
  from the lure of higher wages in tourism and construction.
  Manufacturing comprises enclave-type assembly for export with major
  products being bedding, handicrafts, and electronic components.
  Prospects for economic growth in the medium term will continue to
  depend on tourist arrivals from the US, Canada, and Europe and
  potential damages from natural disasters. Since taking office in
  2004, the SPENCER government has adopted an ambitious fiscal reform
  program, and has been successful in reducing its public debt-to-GDP
  ratio from 120% to about 90%.

Arctic Ocean
  Economic activity is limited to the exploitation of
  natural resources, including petroleum, natural gas, fish, and seals.

Argentina
  Argentina benefits from rich natural resources, a highly
  literate population, an export-oriented agricultural sector, and a
  diversified industrial base. Although one of the world's wealthiest
  countries 100 years ago, Argentina suffered during most of the 20th
  century from recurring economic crises, persistent fiscal and
  current account deficits, high inflation, mounting external debt,
  and capital flight. A severe depression, growing public and external
  indebtedness, and a bank run culminated in 2001 in the most serious
  economic, social, and political crisis in the country's turbulent
  history. Interim President Adolfo RODRIGUEZ SAA declared a default -
  the largest in history - on the government's foreign debt in
  December of that year, and abruptly resigned only a few days after
  taking office. His successor, Eduardo DUHALDE, announced an end to
  the peso's decade-long 1-to-1 peg to the US dollar in early 2002.
  The economy bottomed out that year, with real GDP 18% smaller than
  in 1998 and almost 60% of Argentines under the poverty line. Real
  GDP rebounded to grow by an average 9% annually over the subsequent
  five years, taking advantage of previously idled industrial capacity
  and labor, an audacious debt restructuring and reduced debt burden,
  excellent international financial conditions, and expansionary
  monetary and fiscal policies. Inflation also increased, however,
  during the administration of President Nestor KIRCHNER, which
  responded with price restraints on businesses, as well as export
  taxes and restraints, and beginning in early 2007, with understating
  inflation data. Cristina FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER succeeded her husband
  as President in late 2007, but was stymied in her efforts to hike
  export taxes still further by protesting farmers. Her government
  nationalized private pension funds in late 2008, which bolstered
  government coffers, but failed to assuage investors' concerns about
  the direction of economic policy.

Armenia Since the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991, Armenia has made progress in implementing many economic reforms including privatization, price reforms, and prudent fiscal policies. The conflict with Azerbaijan over the ethnic Armenian-dominated region of Nagorno-Karabakh contributed to a severe economic decline in the early 1990s. By 1994, however, the Armenian Government launched an ambitious IMF-sponsored economic liberalization program that resulted in positive growth rates. Economic growth has averaged over 10% in recent years. However, with the global economic downturn, Armenia's growth rate dropped to 6.8% in 2008. Armenia has managed to reduce poverty, slash inflation, stabilize its currency, and privatize most small- and medium-sized enterprises. Under the old Soviet central planning system, Armenia developed a modern industrial sector, supplying machine tools, textiles, and other manufactured goods to sister republics, in exchange for raw materials and energy. Armenia has since switched to small-scale agriculture and away from the large agroindustrial complexes of the Soviet era. Nuclear power plants built at Metsamor in the 1970s were closed following the 1988 Spitak Earthquake, though they sustained no damage. One of the two reactors was re-opened in 1995, but the Armenian government is under international pressure to close it due to concerns that the Soviet era design lacks important safeguards. Metsamor provides 40 percent of the country's electricity - hydropower accounts for about one-fourth. Economic ties with Russia remain close, especially in the energy sector. The electricity distribution system was privatized in 2002 and bought by Russia's RAO-UES in 2005. Construction of a pipeline to deliver natural gas from Iran to Armenia was completed in December 2008 and after testing is expected to be operational in Spring 2009, though it is unlikely significant quantities of gas will flow through it until the Yerevan Thermal Power Plant renovation is completed in 2010. Armenia has some mineral deposits (copper, gold, bauxite). Pig iron, unwrought copper, and other nonferrous metals are Armenia's highest valued exports. Armenia's severe trade imbalance has been offset somewhat by international aid, remittances from Armenians working abroad, and foreign direct investment. Armenia joined the WTO in January 2003. The government made some improvements in tax and customs administration in recent years, but anti-corruption measures will be more difficult to implement. Despite strong economic growth, Armenia's unemployment rate remains high. Armenia will need to pursue additional economic reforms in order to improve its economic competitiveness and to build on recent improvements in poverty and unemployment, especially given its economic isolation from two of its nearest neighbors, Turkey and Azerbaijan. The disruption of rail transit into Armenia during the Georgia-Russia conflict in August 2008 highlighted how vulnerable Armenia's supply chains for key goods - such as gasoline - are to instances of regional instability.

Aruba
  Tourism is the mainstay of the small open Aruban economy with
  offshore banking and oil refining and storage also important. The
  rapid growth of the tourism sector over the last decade has resulted
  in a substantial expansion of other activities. Over 1.5 million
  tourists per year visit Aruba with 75% of those from the US.
  Construction continues to boom with hotel capacity five times the
  1985 level. In addition, the country's oil refinery reopened in 1993
  providing a major source of employment, foreign exchange earnings,
  and growth. Tourist arrivals have rebounded strongly following a dip
  after the 11 September 2001 attacks. The island experiences only a
  brief low season. Hotel occupancy in 2004 averaged 80% compared to
  68% throughout the rest of the Caribbean. The government has made
  cutting the budget and trade deficits a high priority.

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  no economic activity

Atlantic Ocean
  The Atlantic Ocean provides some of the world's most
  heavily trafficked sea routes, between and within the Eastern and
  Western Hemispheres. Other economic activity includes the
  exploitation of natural resources, e.g., fishing, dredging of
  aragonite sands (The Bahamas), and production of crude oil and
  natural gas (Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and North Sea).

Australia
  Australia has an enviable, strong economy with a per
  capita GDP on par with the four dominant West European economies.
  Emphasis on reforms, low inflation, a housing market boom, and
  growing ties with China have been key factors over the course of the
  economy's 17 solid years of expansion. Robust business and consumer
  confidence and high export prices for raw materials and agricultural
  products fueled the economy in recent years, particularly in mining
  states. Drought, robust import demand, and a strong currency pushed
  the trade deficit up however, while infrastructure bottlenecks and a
  tight labor market constrained growth in export volumes and stoked
  inflation through mid-2008. The unwinding of the yen-based carry
  trade in late 2008 has contributed to a weakening of the Australian
  dollar. Tight global liquidity has challenged Australia's banking
  sector, which relies heavily on international wholesale markets for
  funding. The economy remains relatively healthy despite falling
  export commodity prices. The government plans to counter slowing
  growth in 2009 with fiscal stimulus efforts.

Austria
  Austria, with its well-developed market economy and high
  standard of living, is closely tied to other EU economies,
  especially Germany's. Its economy features a large service sector, a
  sound industrial sector, and a small, but highly developed
  agricultural sector. Following several years of solid foreign demand
  for Austrian exports and record employment growth, the global
  economic downturn in 2008 led to a recession that is likely to
  persist through 2009. The government's stabilization measures could
  increase the budget deficit to about 2.8% of GDP in 2009 and above
  3% in 2010, from about 0.6% in 2008. The Austrian economy has
  benefited greatly in the past from strong commercial relations,
  especially in the banking and insurance sectors, with central,
  eastern, and southeastern Europe, but these sectors have been
  vulnerable to recent international financial instabilities, and some
  of Austria's largest banks have required government support. Even
  after the global economic outlook improves, Austria will need to
  continue restructuring, emphasizing knowledge-based sectors of the
  economy, and encouraging greater labor flexibility and greater labor
  participation to offset its aging population and exceedingly low
  fertility rate.

Azerbaijan
  Azerbaijan's high economic growth during 2006-08 is
  attributable to large and growing oil exports, but the non-energy
  sector also featured double-digit growth in 2008, spurred by growth
  in the construction, banking, and real estate sectors. However, the
  current global economic slowdown presents some challenges for the
  Azerbaijani economy as oil prices have plummeted since mid-2008 and
  local banks face a more uncertain international financial
  environment. Azerbaijan's oil production declined through 1997, but
  has registered an increase every year since. Negotiation of
  production-sharing arrangements (PSAs) with foreign firms, which
  have committed $60 billion to long-term oilfield development, should
  generate the funds needed to spur future industrial development. Oil
  production under the first of these PSAs, with the Azerbaijan
  International Operating Company, began in November 1997. A
  consortium of Western oil companies built a $4 billion pipeline from
  Baku to Turkey's Mediterranean port of Ceyhan which will pump 1.2
  million barrels a day from a large offshore field when at full
  capacity. Azerbaijan shares all the formidable problems of the
  former Soviet republics in making the transition from a command to a
  market economy, but its considerable energy resources brighten its
  medium-term prospects. Baku has only recently begun making progress
  on economic reform, and old economic ties and structures are slowly
  being replaced. Several other obstacles impede Azerbaijan's economic
  progress: the need for stepped up foreign investment in the
  non-energy sector, the continuing conflict with Armenia over the
  Nagorno-Karabakh region, pervasive corruption, and potential for a
  sharp downturn in the construction and real estate sectors. Trade
  with Russia and the other former Soviet republics is declining in
  importance, while trade is building with Turkey and the nations of
  Europe. Long-term prospects will depend on world oil prices, the
  location of new oil and gas pipelines in the region, and
  Azerbaijan's ability to manage its energy wealth to promote
  sustainable growth in non-energy sectors of the economy and spur
  employment.

Bahamas, The
  The Bahamas is one of the wealthiest Caribbean
  countries with an economy heavily dependent on tourism and offshore
  banking. Tourism together with tourism-driven construction and
  manufacturing accounts for approximately 60% of GDP and directly or
  indirectly employs half of the archipelago's labor force. Steady
  growth in tourism receipts and a boom in construction of new hotels,
  resorts, and residences had led to solid GDP growth in recent years,
  but tourist arrivals have been on the decline since 2006 and will
  likely drop even further in 2009. Tourism, in turn, depends on
  growth in the US, the source of more than 80% of the visitors. To
  help offset the effect of the global economic downturn, particularly
  on employment, the INGRAHAM administration plans to engage in
  infrastructure projects. Financial services constitute the
  second-most important sector of the Bahamian economy and, when
  combined with business services, account for about 36% of GDP.
  However, since December 2000, when the government enacted new
  regulations on the financial sector, many international businesses
  have left The Bahamas. Manufacturing and agriculture combined
  contribute approximately a tenth of GDP and show little growth,
  despite government incentives aimed at those sectors. Overall growth
  prospects in the short run rest heavily on the fortunes of the
  tourism sector.

Bahrain
  With its highly developed communication and transport
  facilities, Bahrain is home to numerous multinational firms with
  business in the Gulf. Petroleum production and refining account for
  over 60% of Bahrain's export receipts, over 70% of government
  revenues, and 11% of GDP (exclusive of allied industries),
  underpinning Bahrain's strong economic growth in recent years.
  Aluminum is Bahrain's second major export after oil. Other major
  segments of Bahrain's economy are the financial and construction
  sectors. Bahrain is focused on Islamic banking and is competing on
  an international scale with Malaysia as a worldwide banking center.
  Bahrain is actively pursuing the diversification and privatization
  of its economy to reduce the country's dependence on oil. As part of
  this effort, in August 2006 Bahrain and the US implemented a Free
  Trade Agreement (FTA), the first FTA between the US and a Gulf
  state. Continued strong growth hinges on Bahrain's ability to
  acquire new natural gas supplies as feedstock to support its
  expanding petrochemical and aluminum industries. Unemployment,
  especially among the young, and the depletion of oil and underground
  water resources are long-term economic problems. The global
  financial crisis is likely to result in slower economic growth for
  Bahrain during 2009 as tight international credit and a slowing
  global economy cause funding for many non-oil projects to dry up.
  Lower oil prices may also cause Bahrain's budget to slip back into
  deficit.

Bangladesh
  The economy has grown 5-6% per year since 1996 despite
  inefficient state-owned enterprises, delays in exploiting natural
  gas resources, insufficient power supplies, and slow implementation
  of economic reforms. Bangladesh remains a poor, overpopulated, and
  inefficiently-governed nation. Although more than half of GDP is
  generated through the service sector, nearly two-thirds of
  Bangladeshis are employed in the agriculture sector, with rice as
  the single-most-important product. Garment exports and remittances
  from Bangladeshis working overseas, mainly in the Middle East and
  East Asia, fuel economic growth. In 2008 Bangladesh pursued a
  monetary policy aimed at maintaining high employment, but created
  higher inflation in the process.

Barbados
  Historically, the Barbadian economy was dependent on
  sugarcane cultivation and related activities. However, in recent
  years the economy has diversified into light industry and tourism
  with about three-quarters of GDP and 80% of exports being attributed
  to services. Growth has rebounded since 2003, bolstered by increases
  in construction projects and tourism revenues, reflecting its
  success in the higher-end segment, but the sector will likely face
  declining revenues with the global economic downturn. The country
  enjoys one of the highest per capita incomes in the region. Offshore
  finance and information services are important foreign exchange
  earners and thrive from having the same time zone as eastern US
  financial centers and a relatively highly educated workforce. The
  government continues its efforts to reduce unemployment, to
  encourage direct foreign investment, and to privatize remaining
  state-owned enterprises. The public debt-to-GDP ratio of about 80%
  will likely widen as the THOMPSON administration engages in a more
  expansionary fiscal policy.

Belarus Belarus has seen little structural reform since 1995, when President LUKASHENKO launched the country on the path of "market socialism." In keeping with this policy, LUKASHENKO reimposed administrative controls over prices and currency exchange rates and expanded the state's right to intervene in the management of private enterprises. Since 2005, the government has re-nationalized a number of private companies. In addition, businesses have been subject to pressure by central and local governments, e.g., arbitrary changes in regulations, numerous rigorous inspections, retroactive application of new business regulations, and arrests of "disruptive" businessmen and factory owners. A wide range of redistributive policies has helped those at the bottom of the ladder; the Gini coefficient is among the lowest in the world. Because of these restrictive economic policies, Belarus has had trouble attracting foreign investment. Nevertheless, government statistics indicate GDP growth has been strong in recent years, reaching 10% in 2008, despite the roadblocks of a tough, centrally directed economy with a high rate of inflation. Belarus receives discounted oil and natural gas from Russia and much of Belarus' growth can be attributed to the re-export of Russian oil at market prices. Trade with Russia - by far its largest single trade partner - decreased in 2007-08, largely as a result of a change in the way the Value Added Tax (VAT) on trade was collected. Russia has introduced an export duty on oil shipped to Belarus, which will increase gradually through 2009, and a requirement that Belarusian duties on re-exported Russian oil be shared with Russia - 80% was slated to go to Russia in 2008, and 85% in 2009. Russia also increased Belarusian natural gas prices from $47 per thousand cubic meters (tcm)in 2006 to $100 per tcm in 2007, and to $128 per tcm in 2008, and plans to increase prices gradually to world levels by 2011. Russia's recent policy of bringing energy prices for Belarus to world market levels may result in a slowdown in economic growth in Belarus over the next few years. Some policy measures, including improving energy efficiency and diversifying exports, have been introduced, but external borrowing has been the main mechanism used to manage the growing pressures on the economy. Belarus felt the effects of the global financial crisis in late 2008 and reached agreement with Russia in November for a $2 billion stabilization loan and with the IMF for a $2.5 billion stand-by agreement in January 2009. In line with IMF conditionality, Belarus devalued the ruble approximately 20% in January 2009 and has tightened some fiscal and monetary policies. Belarus's economic growth is likely to slow in 2009 as it faces decreasing demand for its exports, and will find it difficult to increase external borrowing if the credit markets continue to tighten.

Belgium
  This modern, private-enterprise economy has capitalized on
  its central geographic location, highly developed transport network,
  and diversified industrial and commercial base. Industry is
  concentrated mainly in the populous Flemish area in the north. With
  few natural resources, Belgium must import substantial quantities of
  raw materials and export a large volume of manufactures, making its
  economy unusually dependent on the state of world markets. Roughly
  three-quarters of its trade is with other EU countries. Public debt
  is more than 80% of GDP. On the positive side, the government
  succeeded in balancing its budget during the 2000-2008 period, and
  income distribution is relatively equal. Belgium began circulating
  the euro currency in January 2002. Economic growth and foreign
  direct investment dropped in 2008. In 2009 Belgium is likely to have
  negative growth, growing unemployment, and a 3% budget deficit,
  stemming from the worldwide banking crisis.

Belize
  In this small, essentially private-enterprise economy,
  tourism is the number one foreign exchange earner followed by
  exports of marine products, citrus, cane sugar, bananas, and
  garments. The government's expansionary monetary and fiscal
  policies, initiated in September 1998, led to sturdy GDP growth
  averaging nearly 4% in 1999-2007, though growth slipped to 3.8% in
  2008 as a result of the global slowdown, natural disasters, and the
  drop in the price of oil. Oil discoveries in 2006 bolstered the
  economic growth. Exploration efforts continue and a small increase
  in production is expected in 2009. Major concerns continue to be the
  sizable trade deficit and unsustainable foreign debt equivalent to
  nearly 70% of GDP. In February 2007, the government restructured
  nearly all of its public external commercial debt, which helped
  reduce interest payments and relieve some of the country's liquidity
  concerns. A key short-term objective remains the reduction of
  poverty with the help of international donors.

Benin
  The economy of Benin remains underdeveloped and dependent on
  subsistence agriculture, cotton production, and regional trade.
  Growth in real output has averaged around 5% in the past seven
  years, but rapid population growth has offset much of this increase.
  Inflation has subsided over the past several years. In order to
  raise growth still further, Benin plans to attract more foreign
  investment, place more emphasis on tourism, facilitate the
  development of new food processing systems and agricultural
  products, and encourage new information and communication
  technology. Specific projects to improve the business climate by
  reforms to the land tenure system, the commercial justice system,
  and the financial sector were included in Benin's $307 million
  Millennium Challenge Account grant signed in February 2006. The 2001
  privatization policy continues in telecommunications, water,
  electricity, and agriculture though the government annulled the
  privatization of Benin's state cotton company in November 2007 after
  the discovery of irregularities in the bidding process. The Paris
  Club and bilateral creditors have eased the external debt situation,
  with Benin benefiting from a G8 debt reduction announced in July
  2005, while pressing for more rapid structural reforms. An
  insufficient electrical supply continues to adversely affect Benin's
  economic growth though the government recently has taken steps to
  increase domestic power production.

Bermuda
  Bermuda enjoys the third highest per capita income in the
  world more than 50% higher than that of the US. Its economy is
  primarily based on providing financial services for international
  business and luxury facilities for tourists. A number of reinsurance
  companies relocated to the island following the 11 September 2001
  attacks and again after Hurricane Katrina in August 2005
  contributing to the expansion of an already robust international
  business sector. Bermuda's tourism industry - which derives over 80%
  of its visitors from the US - continues to struggle but remains the
  island's number two industry. Most capital equipment and food must
  be imported. Bermuda's industrial sector is small, although
  construction continues to be important; the average cost of a house
  in June 2003 had risen to $976,000. Agriculture is limited with only
  20% of the land being arable.

Bhutan
  The economy, one of the world's smallest and least developed,
  is based on agriculture and forestry, which provide the main
  livelihood for more than 60% of the population. Agriculture consists
  largely of subsistence farming and animal husbandry. Rugged
  mountains dominate the terrain and make the building of roads and
  other infrastructure difficult and expensive. The economy is closely
  aligned with India's through strong trade and monetary links and
  dependence on India's financial assistance. The industrial sector is
  technologically backward, with most production of the cottage
  industry type. Most development projects, such as road construction,
  rely on Indian migrant labor. Model education, social, and
  environment programs are underway with support from multilateral
  development organizations. Each economic program takes into account
  the government's desire to protect the country's environment and
  cultural traditions. For example, the government, in its cautious
  expansion of the tourist sector, encourages visits by upscale,
  environmentally conscientious tourists. Detailed controls and
  uncertain policies in areas such as industrial licensing, trade,
  labor, and finance continue to hamper foreign investment. Hydropower
  exports to India have boosted Bhutan's overall growth, even though
  GDP fell in 2008 as a result of a slowdown in India, its predominant
  export market. New hydropower projects will be the driving force
  behind Bhutan's ability to create employment and sustain growth in
  the coming years.

Bolivia
  Bolivia is one of the poorest and least developed countries
  in Latin America. Following a disastrous economic crisis during the
  early 1980s, reforms spurred private investment, stimulated economic
  growth, and cut poverty rates in the 1990s. The period 2003-05 was
  characterized by political instability, racial tensions, and violent
  protests against plans - subsequently abandoned - to export
  Bolivia's newly discovered natural gas reserves to large northern
  hemisphere markets. In 2005, the government passed a controversial
  hydrocarbons law that imposed significantly higher royalties and
  required foreign firms then operating under risk-sharing contracts
  to surrender all production to the state energy company. In early
  2008, higher earnings for mining and hydrocarbons exports pushed the
  current account surplus to 9.4% of GDP and the government's higher
  tax take produced a fiscal surplus after years of large deficits.
  Private investment as a share of GDP, however, remains among the
  lowest in Latin America, and inflation remained at double-digit
  levels in 2008. The decline in commodity prices in late 2008, the
  lack of foreign investment in the mining and hydrocarbon sectors,
  and the suspension of trade benefits with the United States will
  pose challenges for the Bolivian economy in 2009.

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  The interethnic warfare in Bosnia and
  Herzegovina caused production to plummet by 80% from 1992 to 1995
  and unemployment to soar. With an uneasy peace in place, output
  recovered in 1996-99 at high percentage rates from a low base; but
  output growth slowed in 2000-02. Part of the lag in output was made
  up in 2003-08 when GDP growth exceeded 5% per year. Banking reform
  accelerated in 2001 as all the Communist-era payments bureaus were
  shut down; foreign banks, primarily from Western Europe, now control
  most of the banking sector. The konvertibilna marka (convertible
  mark or BAM)- the national currency introduced in 1998 - is pegged
  to the euro, and confidence in the currency and the banking sector
  has increased. Bosnia's private sector is growing and foreign
  investment is slowly increasing, but government spending, at nearly
  40% of adjusted GDP, remains high because of redundant government
  offices at the state, entity and municipal level. Implementing
  privatization, however, has been slow, particularly in the
  Federation where political division between ethnically-based
  political parties makes agreement on economic policy more difficult.
  A sizeable current account deficit and high unemployment rate remain
  the two most serious macroeconomic problems. Successful
  implementation of a value-added tax in 2006 provided a predictable
  source of revenue for the government and helped rein in gray market
  activity. National-level statistics have also improved over time but
  a large share of economic activity remains unofficial and
  unrecorded. Bosnia and Herzegovina became a full member of the
  Central European Free Trade Agreement in September 2007. Bosnia's
  economy has been largely sheltered from the global financial
  downtown although key economic indicators have worsened. Key
  exporters in the metal, automobile and wood processing industries
  have reported a worsening performance and have announced layoffs and
  output reductions.

Botswana
  Botswana has maintained one of the world's highest economic
  growth rates since independence in 1966, though growth fell below 5%
  in 2007-08. Through fiscal discipline and sound management, Botswana
  has transformed itself from one of the poorest countries in the
  world to a middle-income country with a per capita GDP of $13,300 in
  2008. Two major investment services rank Botswana as the best credit
  risk in Africa. Diamond mining has fueled much of the expansion and
  currently accounts for more than one-third of GDP and for 70-80% of
  export earnings. Tourism, financial services, subsistence farming,
  and cattle raising are other key sectors. On the downside, the
  government must deal with high rates of unemployment and poverty.
  Unemployment officially was 23.8% in 2004, but unofficial estimates
  place it closer to 40%. HIV/AIDS infection rates are the second
  highest in the world and threaten Botswana's impressive economic
  gains. An expected leveling off in diamond mining production
  overshadows long-term prospects.

Bouvet Island
  no economic activity; declared a nature reserve

Brazil
  Characterized by large and well-developed agricultural,
  mining, manufacturing, and service sectors, Brazil's economy
  outweighs that of all other South American countries and Brazil is
  expanding its presence in world markets. From 2003 to 2007, Brazil
  ran record trade surpluses and recorded its first current account
  surpluses since 1992. Productivity gains coupled with high commodity
  prices contributed to the surge in exports. Brazil improved its debt
  profile in 2006 by shifting its debt burden toward real denominated
  and domestically held instruments. LULA da Silva restated his
  commitment to fiscal responsibility by maintaining the country's
  primary surplus during the 2006 election. Following his second
  inauguration in October of that year, LULA da Silva announced a
  package of further economic reforms to reduce taxes and increase
  investment in infrastructure. Brazil's debt achieved investment
  grade status early in 2008, but the government's attempt to achieve
  strong growth while reducing the debt burden created inflationary
  pressures. For most of 2008, the Central Bank embarked on a
  restrictive monetary policy to stem these pressures. Since the onset
  of the global financial crisis in September, Brazil's currency and
  its stock market - Bovespa - have significantly lost value, -41% for
  Bovespa for the year ending 30 December 2008. Brazil incurred
  another current account deficit in 2008, as world demand and prices
  for commodities dropped in the second-half of the year.

British Indian Ocean Territory All economic activity is concentrated on the largest island of Diego Garcia, where a joint UK-US military facility is located. Construction projects and various services needed to support the military installation are performed by military and contract employees from the UK, Mauritius, the Philippines, and the US. There are no industrial or agricultural activities on the islands. The territory earns foreign exchange by selling fishing licenses and postage stamps.

British Virgin Islands
  The economy, one of the most stable and
  prosperous in the Caribbean, is highly dependent on tourism
  generating an estimated 45% of the national income. An estimated
  820,000 tourists, mainly from the US, visited the islands in 2005.
  In the mid-1980s, the government began offering offshore
  registration to companies wishing to incorporate in the islands, and
  incorporation fees now generate substantial revenues. Roughly
  400,000 companies were on the offshore registry by yearend 2000. The
  adoption of a comprehensive insurance law in late 1994, which
  provides a blanket of confidentiality with regulated statutory
  gateways for investigation of criminal offenses, made the British
  Virgin Islands even more attractive to international business.
  Livestock raising is the most important agricultural activity; poor
  soils limit the islands' ability to meet domestic food requirements.
  Because of traditionally close links with the US Virgin Islands, the
  British Virgin Islands has used the US dollar as its currency since
  1959.

Brunei
  Brunei has a small well-to-do economy that encompasses a
  mixture of foreign and domestic entrepreneurship, government
  regulation, welfare measures, and village tradition. Crude oil and
  natural gas production account for just over half of GDP and more
  than 90% of exports. Per capita GDP is among the highest in Asia,
  and substantial income from overseas investment supplements income
  from domestic production. The government provides for all medical
  services and free education through the university level and
  subsidizes rice and housing. Brunei's leaders are concerned that
  steadily increased integration into the world economy will undermine
  internal social cohesion. Plans for the future include upgrading the
  labor force, reducing unemployment, strengthening the banking and
  tourist sectors, increasing agricultural production, and, in
  general, further widening the economic base beyond oil and gas.

Bulgaria
  Bulgaria, a former Communist country that entered the EU on
  1 January 2007, has experienced strong growth since a major economic
  downturn in 1996. Successive governments have demonstrated a
  commitment to economic reforms and responsible fiscal planning, but
  have failed so far to rein in rising inflation and large current
  account deficits. Bulgaria has averaged more than 6% growth since
  2004, attracting significant amounts of foreign direct investment,
  but corruption in the public administration, a weak judiciary, and
  the presence of organized crime remain significant challenges.

Burkina Faso
  One of the poorest countries in the world, landlocked
  Burkina Faso has few natural resources and a weak industrial base.
  About 90% of the population is engaged in subsistence agriculture,
  which is vulnerable to periodic drought. Cotton is the main cash
  crop and the government has joined with three other cotton producing
  countries in the region - Mali, Niger, and Chad - to lobby in the
  World Trade Organization for fewer subsidies to producers in other
  competing countries. Since 1998, Burkina Faso has embarked upon a
  gradual but successful privatization of state-owned enterprises.
  Having revised its investment code in 2004, Burkina Faso hopes to
  attract foreign investors. Thanks to this new code and other
  legislation favoring the mining sector, the country has seen an
  upswing in gold exploration and production. While the bitter
  internal crisis in neighboring Cote d'Ivoire is beginning to be
  resolved, it is still having a negative effect on Burkina Faso's
  trade and employment. Burkina Faso received a Millennium Challenge
  Corporation (MCC) threshold grant to improve girls' education at the
  primary school level, and signed an MCC compact that focuses on the
  areas of infrastructure, agriculture, and land reform in July 2008.

Burma Burma, a resource-rich country, suffers from pervasive government controls, inefficient economic policies, and rural poverty. Despite Burma's increasing oil and gas revenue, socio-economic conditions have deteriorated because of the regime's mismanagement of the economy. The economy suffers from serious macroeconomic imbalances - including rising inflation, fiscal deficits, multiple official exchange rates that overvalue the Burmese kyat, a distorted interest rate regime, unreliable statistics, and an inability to reconcile national accounts to determine a realistic GDP figure. Most overseas development assistance ceased after the junta began to suppress the democracy movement in 1988 and subsequently refused to honor the results of the 1990 legislative elections. In response to the government of Burma's attack in May 2003 on AUNG SAN SUU KYI and her convoy, the US imposed new economic sanctions in August 2003 including a ban on imports of Burmese products and a ban on provision of financial services by US persons. Further, a poor investment climate hampers the inflow of foreign investment. Foreign investors have shied away from nearly every sector except for natural gas and power generation. The business climate is widely perceived as opaque, corrupt, and highly inefficient. The most productive sectors will continue to be in extractive industries - especially oil and gas, mining, and timber - with the latter causing significant environmental degradation. Other areas, such as manufacturing and services, are struggling with inadequate infrastructure, unpredictable import/export policies, deteriorating health and education systems, and endemic corruption. A major banking crisis in 2003 shuttered 20 private banks and disrupted the economy. As of 2008, the largest private banks operated under tight restrictions, limiting the private sector's access to formal credit. The September 2007 crackdown on prodemocracy demonstrators, including thousands of monks, strained the economy as the tourism industry, which directly employs about 500,000 people, suffered dramatic declines in foreign visitor levels. In November 2007, the European Union announced new sanctions banning investment and trade in Burmese gems, timber, and precious stones, while the United States expanded its sanctions list to include more Burmese government and military officials and their family members, as well as prominent regime business cronies, their family members, and associated companies. Official statistics are inaccurate. In July 2008 the President signed into law the Tom LANTOS JADE (Junta's Anti-Democratic Efforts) Act of 2008, imposing new targeted sanctions on the regime. Published statistics on foreign trade are greatly understated because of the size of the black market and unofficial border trade - often estimated to be as large as the official economy. Though the Burmese government has good economic relations with its neighbors, better investment and business climates and an improved political situation are needed to promote serious foreign investment, exports, and tourism.

Burundi
  Burundi is a landlocked, resource-poor country with an
  underdeveloped manufacturing sector. The economy is predominantly
  agricultural with more than 90% of the population dependent on
  subsistence agriculture. Economic growth depends on coffee and tea
  exports, which account for 90% of foreign exchange earnings. The
  ability to pay for imports rests primarily on weather conditions and
  international coffee and tea prices. The Tutsi minority, 14% of the
  population, dominates the coffee trade. An ethnic-based war that
  lasted for over a decade resulted in more than 200,000 deaths,
  forced more than 48,000 refugees into Tanzania, and displaced
  140,000 others internally. Only one in two children go to school,
  and approximately one in 15 adults has HIV/AIDS. Food, medicine, and
  electricity remain in short supply. Burundi's GDP grew around 4%
  annually in 2006-08. Political stability and the end of the civil
  war have improved aid flows and economic activity has increased, but
  underlying weaknesses - a high poverty rate, poor education rates, a
  weak legal system, and low administrative capacity - risk
  undermining planned economic reforms. Burundi will continue to
  remain heavily dependent on aid from bilateral and multilateral
  donors; the delay of funds after a corruption scandal cut off
  bilateral aid in 2007 reduced government's revenues and its ability
  to pay salaries.

Cambodia
  From 2004 to 2007, the economy grew about 10% per year,
  driven largely by an expansion in the garment sector, construction,
  agriculture, and tourism. Growth dropped to below 7% in 2008 as a
  result of the global economic slowdown. With the January 2005
  expiration of a WTO Agreement on Textiles and Clothing, Cambodian
  textile producers were forced to compete directly with lower-priced
  countries such as China, India, Vietnam, and Bangladesh. The garment
  industry currently employs more than 320,000 people and contributes
  more than 85% of Cambodia's exports. In 2005, exploitable oil
  deposits were found beneath Cambodia's territorial waters,
  representing a new revenue stream for the government if commercial
  extraction begins. Mining also is attracting significant investor
  interest, particularly in the northern parts of the country. The
  government has said opportunities exist for mining bauxite, gold,
  iron and gems. In 2006, a US-Cambodia bilateral Trade and Investment
  Framework Agreement (TIFA) was signed, and several rounds of
  discussions have been held since 2007. The tourism industry has
  continued to grow rapidly, with foreign arrivals exceeding 2 million
  per year in 2007-08, however, economic troubles abroad will dampen
  growth in 2009. Rubber exports declined more than 15% in 2008 due to
  falling world market prices. The global financial crisis is
  weakening demand for Cambodian exports, and construction is
  declining due to a shortage of credit. The long-term development of
  the economy remains a daunting challenge. The Cambodian government
  is working with bilateral and multilateral donors, including the
  World Bank and IMF, to address the country's many pressing needs.
  The major economic challenge for Cambodia over the next decade will
  be fashioning an economic environment in which the private sector
  can create enough jobs to handle Cambodia's demographic imbalance.
  More than 50% of the population is less than 21 years old. The
  population lacks education and productive skills, particularly in
  the poverty-ridden countryside, which suffers from an almost total
  lack of basic infrastructure.

Cameroon
  Because of its modest oil resources and favorable
  agricultural conditions, Cameroon has one of the best-endowed
  primary commodity economies in sub-Saharan Africa. Still, it faces
  many of the serious problems facing other underdeveloped countries,
  such as stagnating per capita income, a relatively inequitable
  distribution of income, a top-heavy civil service, and a generally
  unfavorable climate for business enterprise. International oil and
  cocoa prices have a significant impact on the economy. Since 1990,
  the government has embarked on various IMF and World Bank programs
  designed to spur business investment, increase efficiency in
  agriculture, improve trade, and recapitalize the nation's banks. The
  IMF is pressing for more reforms, including increased budget
  transparency, privatization, and poverty reduction programs.

Canada
  As an affluent, high-tech industrial society in the
  trillion-dollar class, Canada resembles the US in its
  market-oriented economic system, pattern of production, and affluent
  living standards. Since World War II, the impressive growth of the
  manufacturing, mining, and service sectors has transformed the
  nation from a largely rural economy into one primarily industrial
  and urban. The 1989 US-Canada Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and the
  1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) (which includes
  Mexico) touched off a dramatic increase in trade and economic
  integration with the US, its principle trading partner. Canada
  enjoys a substantial trade surplus with the US, which absorbs nearly
  80% of Canadian exports each year. Canada is the US's largest
  foreign supplier of energy, including oil, gas, uranium, and
  electric power. Given its great natural resources, skilled labor
  force, and modern capital plant, Canada has enjoyed solid economic
  growth, and prudent fiscal management has produced consecutive
  balanced budgets from 1997 to 2007. In 2008, growth slowed sharply
  as a result of the global economic downturn, US housing slump,
  plunging auto sector demand, and a drop in world commodity prices.
  Public finances, too, are set to deteriorate for the first time in a
  decade. Tight global credit conditions have further restrained
  business and housing investment, despite the conservative lending
  practices and strong capitalization that made Canada's major banks
  among the most stable in the world.

Cape Verde
  This island economy suffers from a poor natural resource
  base, including serious water shortages exacerbated by cycles of
  long-term drought. The economy is service-oriented, with commerce,
  transport, tourism, and public services accounting for about
  three-fourths of GDP. Although nearly 70% of the population lives in
  rural areas, the share of food production in GDP is low. About 82%
  of food must be imported. The fishing potential, mostly lobster and
  tuna, is not fully exploited. Cape Verde annually runs a high trade
  deficit, financed by foreign aid and remittances from emigrants;
  remittances supplement GDP by more than 20%. Economic reforms are
  aimed at developing the private sector and attracting foreign
  investment to diversify the economy. Future prospects depend heavily
  on the maintenance of aid flows, the encouragement of tourism,
  remittances, and the momentum of the government's development
  program. Cape Verde became a member of the WTO in July 2008.

Cayman Islands
  With no direct taxation, the islands are a thriving
  offshore financial center. More than 68,000 companies were
  registered in the Cayman Islands as of 2003, including almost 500
  banks, 800 insurers, and 5,000 mutual funds. A stock exchange was
  opened in 1997. Tourism is also a mainstay, accounting for about 70%
  of GDP and 75% of foreign currency earnings. The tourist industry is
  aimed at the luxury market and caters mainly to visitors from North
  America. Total tourist arrivals exceeded 2.1 million in 2003, with
  about half from the US. About 90% of the islands' food and consumer
  goods must be imported. The Caymanians enjoy one of the highest
  outputs per capita and one of the highest standards of living in the
  world.

Central African Republic
  Subsistence agriculture, together with
  forestry, remains the backbone of the economy of the Central African
  Republic (CAR), with more than 70% of the population living in
  outlying areas. The agricultural sector generates more than half of
  GDP. Timber has accounted for about 16% of export earnings and the
  diamond industry, for 40%. Important constraints to economic
  development include the CAR's landlocked position, a poor
  transportation system, a largely unskilled work force, and a legacy
  of misdirected macroeconomic policies. Factional fighting between
  the government and its opponents remains a drag on economic
  revitalization. Distribution of income is extraordinarily unequal.
  Grants from France and the international community can only
  partially meet humanitarian needs.

Chad
  Chad's primarily agricultural economy will continue to be
  boosted by major foreign direct investment projects in the oil
  sector that began in 2000. At least 80% of Chad's population relies
  on subsistence farming and livestock raising for its livelihood.
  Chad's economy has long been handicapped by its landlocked position,
  high energy costs, and a history of instability. Chad relies on
  foreign assistance and foreign capital for most public and private
  sector investment projects. A consortium led by two US companies has
  been investing $3.7 billion to develop oil reserves - estimated at 1
  billion barrels - in southern Chad. Chinese companies are also
  expanding exploration efforts and plan to build a refinery. The
  nation's total oil reserves are estimated at 1.5 billion barrels.
  Oil production came on stream in late 2003. Chad began to export oil
  in 2004. Cotton, cattle, and gum arabic provide the bulk of Chad's
  non-oil export earnings.

Chile
  Chile has a market-oriented economy characterized by a high
  level of foreign trade and a reputation for strong financial
  institutions and sound policy that have given it the strongest
  sovereign bond rating in South America. Exports account for 40% of
  GDP, with commodities making up some three-quarters of total
  exports. Copper alone provides one-third of government revenue.
  During the early 1990s, Chile's reputation as a role model for
  economic reform was strengthened when the democratic government of
  Patricio AYLWIN - which took over from the military in 1990 -
  deepened the economic reform initiated by the military government.
  Growth in real GDP averaged 8% during 1991-97, but fell to half that
  level in 1998 because of tight monetary policies implemented to keep
  the current account deficit in check and because of lower export
  earnings - the latter a product of the global financial crisis. A
  severe drought exacerbated the situation in 1999, reducing crop
  yields and causing hydroelectric shortfalls and electricity
  rationing, and Chile experienced negative economic growth for the
  first time in more than 15 years. In the years since then, growth
  has averaged 4% per year. Chile deepened its longstanding commitment
  to trade liberalization with the signing of a free trade agreement
  with the US, which took effect on 1 January 2004. Chile claims to
  have more bilateral or regional trade agreements than any other
  country. It has 57 such agreements (not all of them full free trade
  agreements), including with the European Union, Mercosur, China,
  India, South Korea, and Mexico. Over the past five years, foreign
  direct investment inflows have quadrupled to some $17 billion in
  2008. The Chilean government conducts a rule-based countercyclical
  fiscal policy, accumulating surpluses in sovereign wealth funds
  during periods of high copper prices and economic growth, and
  allowing deficit spending only during periods of low copper prices
  and growth. As of September 2008, those sovereign wealth funds -
  kept mostly outside the country and separate from Central Bank
  reserves - amounted to more than $20 billion.

China China's economy during the past 30 years has changed from a centrally planned system that was largely closed to international trade to a more market-oriented economy that has a rapidly growing private sector and is a major player in the global economy. Reforms started in the late 1970s with the phasing out of collectivized agriculture, and expanded to include the gradual liberalization of prices, fiscal decentralization, increased autonomy for state enterprises, the foundation of a diversified banking system, the development of stock markets, the rapid growth of the non-state sector, and the opening to foreign trade and investment. Annual inflows of foreign direct investment rose to nearly $84 billion in 2007. China has generally implemented reforms in a gradualist or piecemeal fashion. In recent years, China has re-invigorated its support for leading state-owned enterprises in sectors it considers important to "economic security," explicitly looking to foster globally competitive national champions. After keeping its currency tightly linked to the US dollar for years, China in July 2005 revalued its currency by 2.1% against the US dollar and moved to an exchange rate system that references a basket of currencies. Cumulative appreciation of the renminbi against the US dollar since the end of the dollar peg was more than 20% by late 2008, but the exchange rate has changed little since the onset of the global financial crisis. The restructuring of the economy and resulting efficiency gains have contributed to a more than tenfold increase in GDP since 1978. Measured on a purchasing power parity (PPP) basis that adjusts for price differences, China in 2008 stood as the second-largest economy in the world after the US, although in per capita terms the country is still lower middle-income. The Chinese government faces numerous economic development challenges, including: (a) strengthening its social safety net, including pension and health system reform, to counteract a high domestic savings rate and correspondingly low domestic demand; (b) sustaining adequate job growth for tens of millions of migrants, new entrants to the work force, and workers laid off from state-owned enterprises deemed not worth saving; (c) reducing corruption and other economic crimes; and (d) containing environmental damage and social strife related to the economy's rapid transformation. Economic development has been more rapid in coastal provinces than in the interior, and approximately 200 million rural laborers and their dependents have relocated to urban areas to find work - in recent years many have returned to their villages. One demographic consequence of the "one child" policy is that China is now one of the most rapidly aging countries in the world. Deterioration in the environment - notably air pollution, soil erosion, and the steady fall of the water table, especially in the north - is another long-term problem. China continues to lose arable land because of erosion and economic development. In 2007 China intensified government efforts to improve environmental conditions, tying the evaluation of local officials to environmental targets, publishing a national climate change policy, and establishing a high level leading group on climate change, headed by Premier WEN Jiabao. The Chinese government seeks to add energy production capacity from sources other than coal and oil. In late 2008, as China commemorated the 30th anniversary of its historic economic reforms, the global economic downturn began to slow foreign demand for Chinese exports for the first time in many years. The government vowed to continue reforming the economy and emphasized the need to increase domestic consumption in order to make China less dependent on foreign exports for GDP growth in the future.

Christmas Island
  Phosphate mining had been the only significant
  economic activity, but in December 1987 the Australian government
  closed the mine. In 1991, the mine was reopened. With the support of
  the government, a $34 million casino opened in 1993, but closed in
  1998. The Australian government in 2001 agreed to support the
  creation of a commercial space-launching site on the island expected
  to begin operations in the near future.

Clipperton Island
  Although 115 species of fish have been identified
  in the territorial waters of Clipperton Island, the only economic
  activity is tuna fishing.

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  Grown throughout the islands, coconuts are
  the sole cash crop. Small local gardens and fishing contribute to
  the food supply, but additional food and most other necessities must
  be imported from Australia. There is a small tourist industry.

Colombia
  Colombia has experienced accelerating growth between 2002
  and 2007, with expansion above 7% in 2007, chiefly due to
  advancements in domestic security, to rising commodity prices, and
  to President URIBE's promarket economic policies. Colombia's
  sustained growth helped reduce poverty by 20% and cut unemployment
  by 25% since 2002. Additionally, investor friendly reforms to
  Colombia's hydrocarbon sector and the US-Colombia Trade Promotion
  Agreement (CTPA) negotiations have attracted record levels of
  foreign investment. Inequality, underemployment,and narcotrafficking
  remain significant challenges, and Colombia's infrastructure
  requires significant updating in order to sustain expansion.
  Economic growth slipped in 2008 as a result of the global financial
  crisis and weakening demand for Colombia's exports. In response,
  URIBE's administration has cut capital controls, arranged for
  emergency credit lines from multilateral institutions, and promoted
  investment incentives such as Colombia's modernized free trade zone
  mechanism, legal stability contracts, and new bilateral investment
  treaties and trade agreements. The government has also encouraged
  exporters to diversify their customer base away from the United
  States and Venezuela, Colombia's largest trading partners.
  Nevertheless, the business sector continues to be concerned about
  the impact of a global recession on Colombia's exports, as well as
  the approval of the CTPA, which is stalled in the US Congress.

Comoros
  One of the world's poorest countries, Comoros is made up of
  three islands that have inadequate transportation links, a young and
  rapidly increasing population, and few natural resources. The low
  educational level of the labor force contributes to a subsistence
  level of economic activity, high unemployment, and a heavy
  dependence on foreign grants and technical assistance. Agriculture,
  including fishing, hunting, and forestry, contributes 40% to GDP,
  employs 80% of the labor force, and provides most of the exports.
  The country is not self-sufficient in food production; rice, the
  main staple, accounts for the bulk of imports. The government -
  which is hampered by internal political disputes - is struggling to
  upgrade education and technical training, privatize commercial and
  industrial enterprises, improve health services, diversify exports,
  promote tourism, and reduce the high population growth rate. The
  political problems have inhibited growth, which has averaged only
  about 1% in 2006-08. Remittances from 150,000 Comorans abroad help
  supplement GDP.

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  The economy of the Democratic
  Republic of the Congo - a nation endowed with vast potential wealth
  - is slowly recovering from two decades of decline. Conflict that
  began in August 1998 has dramatically reduced national output and
  government revenue, increased external debt, and resulted in the
  deaths of more than 5 million people from violence, famine, and
  disease. Foreign businesses curtailed operations due to uncertainty
  about the outcome of the conflict, lack of infrastructure, and the
  difficult operating environment. Conditions began to improve in late
  2002 with the withdrawal of a large portion of the invading foreign
  troops. The transitional government reopened relations with
  international financial institutions and international donors, and
  President KABILA began implementing reforms, although progress has
  been slow and the International Monetary Fund curtailed their
  program for the DRC at the end of March 2006 because of fiscal
  overruns. Much economic activity still occurs in the informal
  sector, and is not reflected in GDP data. Renewed activity in the
  mining sector, the source of most export income, boosted Kinshasa's
  fiscal position and GDP growth from 2006-2008, however, renewed
  strife in the second half of 2008, combined with a fall in world
  market prices for the DRC's key mineral exports inflicted major
  damage on the economy and halted growth. Government reforms may lead
  to increased government revenues, outside budget assistance, and
  foreign direct investment, although an uncertain legal framework,
  corruption, a lack of transparency in government policy are
  long-term problems. The DRC government has applied to the IMF for an
  Exogenous Shock Facility in the amount of $200 million to help it
  deal with its deteriorating financial situation, and the World Bank
  will consider a separate $100 million in emergency funding. The
  global recession probably will cut economic growth in 2009 to half
  its 2008 level.

Congo, Republic of the
  The economy is a mixture of subsistence
  agriculture, an industrial sector based largely on oil, and support
  services, and a government characterized by budget problems and
  overstaffing. Oil has supplanted forestry as the mainstay of the
  economy, providing a major share of government revenues and exports.
  In the early 1980s, rapidly rising oil revenues enabled the
  government to finance large-scale development projects with GDP
  growth averaging 5% annually, one of the highest rates in Africa.
  The government has mortgaged a substantial portion of its oil
  earnings through oil-backed loans that have contributed to a growing
  debt burden and chronic revenue shortfalls. Economic reform efforts
  have been undertaken with the support of international
  organizations, notably the World Bank and the IMF. However, the
  reform program came to a halt in June 1997 when civil war erupted.
  Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO, who returned to power when the war ended in
  October 1997, publicly expressed interest in moving forward on
  economic reforms and privatization and in renewing cooperation with
  international financial institutions. Economic progress was badly
  hurt by slumping oil prices and the resumption of armed conflict in
  December 1998, which worsened the republic's budget deficit. The
  current administration presides over an uneasy internal peace and
  faces difficult economic challenges of stimulating recovery and
  reducing poverty. Recovery of oil prices has boosted the economy's
  GDP and near-term prospects. In March 2006, the World Bank and the
  International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved Heavily Indebted Poor
  Countries (HIPC) treatment for Congo.

Cook Islands
  Like many other South Pacific island nations, the Cook
  Islands' economic development is hindered by the isolation of the
  country from foreign markets, the limited size of domestic markets,
  lack of natural resources, periodic devastation from natural
  disasters, and inadequate infrastructure. Agriculture, employing
  more than one-quarter of the working population, provides the
  economic base with major exports made up of copra and citrus fruit.
  Black pearls are the Cook Islands' leading export. Manufacturing
  activities are limited to fruit processing, clothing, and
  handicrafts. Trade deficits are offset by remittances from emigrants
  and by foreign aid overwhelmingly from New Zealand. In the 1980s and
  1990s, the country lived beyond its means, maintaining a bloated
  public service and accumulating a large foreign debt. Subsequent
  reforms, including the sale of state assets, the strengthening of
  economic management, the encouragement of tourism, and a debt
  restructuring agreement, have rekindled investment and growth.

Coral Sea Islands
  no economic activity

Costa Rica
  Costa Rica's basically stable economy depends on tourism,
  agriculture, and electronics exports. Exports have become more
  diversified in the past 10 years due to the growth of the high-tech
  manufacturing sector, which is dominated by the microprocessor
  industry and the production of medical devices. Tourism continues to
  bring in foreign exchange, as Costa Rica's impressive biodiversity
  makes it a key destination for ecotourism. Foreign investors remain
  attracted by the country's political stability and relatively high
  education levels, as well as the fiscal incentives offered in the
  free-trade zones. Costa Rica has attracted one of the highest levels
  of foreign direct investment per capita in Latin America. Poverty
  has remained around 20% for nearly 20 years, and the strong social
  safety net that had been put into place by the government has eroded
  due to increased financial constraints on government expenditures.
  Immigration from Nicaragua has increasingly become a concern for the
  government. The estimated 300,000-500,000 Nicaraguans in Costa Rica
  legally and illegally are an important source of - mostly unskilled
  - labor, but also place heavy demands on the social welfare system.
  Under the ARIAS administration, the government has made strides in
  reducing internal and external debt - in 2007, Costa Rica had its
  first budget surplus in 50 years. Reducing inflation remains a
  difficult problem because of rising commodity import prices and
  labor market rigidities, though lower oil prices will decrease
  upward pressures. The Central Bank is moving towards a more flexible
  exchange rate system to focus on inflation targeting by 2010. The
  US-Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) entered into force
  on 1 January 2009, after significant delays within the Costa Rican
  legislature. Nevertheless, economic growth has slowed in 2009 as the
  global downturn reduced export demand and invesment inflows.

Cote d'Ivoire
  Cote d'Ivoire is the world's largest producer and
  exporter of cocoa beans and a significant producer and exporter of
  coffee and palm oil. Consequently, the economy is highly sensitive
  to fluctuations in international prices for these products, and, to
  a lesser extent, in climatic conditions. Despite government attempts
  to diversify the economy, it is still heavily dependent on
  agriculture and related activities, engaging roughly 68% of the
  population. Since 2006, oil and gas production have become more
  important engines of economic activity than cocoa. According to IMF
  statistics, earnings from oil and refined products were $1.3 billion
  in 2006, while cocoa-related revenues were $1 billion during the
  same period. Cote d'Ivoire's offshore oil and gas production has
  resulted in substantial crude oil exports and provides sufficient
  natural gas to fuel electricity exports to Ghana, Togo, Benin, Mali
  and Burkina Faso. Oil exploration by a number of consortiums of
  private companies continues offshore, and President GBAGBO has
  expressed hope that daily crude output could reach 200,000 barrels
  per day (b/d) by the end of the decade. Since the end of the civil
  war in 2003, political turmoil has continued to damage the economy,
  resulting in the loss of foreign investment and slow economic
  growth. GDP grew by nearly 2% in 2007 and 3% in 2008. Per capita
  income has declined by 15% since 1999.

Croatia
  Once one of the wealthiest of the Yugoslav republics,
  Croatia's economy suffered badly during the 1991-95 war as output
  collapsed and the country missed the early waves of investment in
  Central and Eastern Europe that followed the fall of the Berlin
  Wall. Between 2000 and 2007, however, Croatia's economic fortunes
  began to improve slowly, with moderate but steady GDP growth between
  4% and 6% led by a rebound in tourism and credit-driven consumer
  spending. Inflation over the same period has remained tame and the
  currency, the kuna, stable. Nevertheless, difficult problems still
  remain, including a stubbornly high unemployment rate, a growing
  trade deficit and uneven regional development. The state retains a
  large role in the economy, as privatization efforts often meet stiff
  public and political resistance. While macroeconomic stabilization
  has largely been achieved, structural reforms lag because of deep
  resistance on the part of the public and lack of strong support from
  politicians. The EU accession process should accelerate fiscal and
  structural reform. While long term growth prospects for the economy
  remain strong, Croatia will face significant pressure as a result of
  the global financial crisis. Croatia's high foreign debt, anemic
  export sector, strained state budget, and over-reliance on tourism
  revenue will result in higher risk to economic stability over the
  medium term.

Cuba
  The government continues to balance the need for economic
  loosening against a desire for firm political control. It has rolled
  back limited reforms undertaken in the 1990s to increase enterprise
  efficiency and alleviate serious shortages of food, consumer goods,
  and services. The average Cuban's standard of living remains at a
  lower level than before the downturn of the 1990s, which was caused
  by the loss of Soviet aid and domestic inefficiencies. Since late
  2000, Venezuela has been providing oil on preferential terms, and it
  currently supplies about 100,000 barrels per day of petroleum
  products. Cuba has been paying for the oil, in part, with the
  services of Cuban personnel in Venezuela including some 30,000
  medical professionals.

Cyprus
  The area of the Republic of Cyprus under government control
  has a market economy dominated by the service sector, which accounts
  for 78% of GDP. Tourism, financial services, and real estate are the
  most important sectors. Erratic growth rates over the past decade
  reflect the economy's reliance on tourism, which often fluctuates
  with political instability in the region and economic conditions in
  Western Europe. Nevertheless, the economy in the area under
  government control has grown at a rate well above the EU average
  since 2000. Cyprus joined the European Exchange Rate Mechanism
  (ERM2) in May 2005 and adopted the euro as its national currency on
  1 January 2008. An aggressive austerity program in the preceding
  years, aimed at paving the way for the euro, helped turn a soaring
  fiscal deficit (6.3% in 2003) into a surplus of 1.2% in 2008, and
  reduced inflation to 5.1%. This prosperity will come under pressure
  in 2009, as construction and tourism slow in the face of reduced
  foreign demand triggered by the ongoing global financial crisis.
  Growth is expected to slow to less than 2%, which would be its
  lowest level since 2003. As in the area administered by Turkish
  Cypriots, water shortages are a perennial problem; a few
  desalination plants have been added to existing plants over the last
  year and are now on line. After 10 years of drought, the country
  received substantial rainfall from 2001-04. Since then, rainfall has
  been well below average, making water rationing a necessity.

Czech Republic
  The Czech Republic is one of the most stable and
  prosperous of the post-Communist states of Central and Eastern
  Europe. Maintaining an open investment climate has been a key
  element of the Czech Republic's transition from a communist,
  centrally planned economy to a functioning market economy. As a
  member of the European Union, with an advantageous location in the
  center of Europe, a relatively low cost structure, and a
  well-qualified labor force, the Czech Republic is an attractive
  destination for foreign investment. Prior to its EU accession in
  2004, the Czech government harmonized its laws and regulations with
  those of the European Union. The government plans to meet the
  criteria for joining the euro area around 2012. The small, open,
  export-driven Czech economy grew by over 6% annually from 2005-2007
  and strong growth continued throughout the first three quarters of
  2008. Despite the global financial crisis, the conservative Czech
  financial system has remained relatively healthy. The rate of Czech
  economic growth, however, fell in the fourth quarter of 2008, mainly
  due to a significant drop in demand for Czech exports in Western
  Europe. This trend is expected to continue, with many analysts
  predicting the Czech economy to contract slightly in 2009.

Denmark
  This thoroughly modern market economy features high-tech
  agriculture, up-to-date small-scale and corporate industry,
  extensive government welfare measures, an equitable distribution of
  income, comfortable living standards, a stable currency, a stable
  political system, and high dependence on foreign trade. Unemployment
  is low and capacity constraints limit growth potential. Denmark is a
  net exporter of food and energy and enjoys a comfortable balance of
  payments surplus. The government has been successful in meeting, and
  even exceeding, the economic convergence criteria for participating
  in the third phase (a common European currency) of the European
  Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), but so far Denmark has decided
  not to join 16 other EU members in the euro. Nonetheless, the Danish
  krone remains pegged to the euro. Denmark's fiscal position is among
  the strongest in the EU. Economic growth gained momentum in 2004 and
  the upturn continued through 2006. After a long consumption-driven
  upswing, Denmark's economy began slowing in early 2007 with the end
  of a housing boom. This cyclical slowdown has been exacerbated by
  the global financial crisis through increased borrowing costs and
  lower export demand, consumer confidence, and investment. The
  slowing global economy cut GDP by 1.2% in 2008. A major long-term
  issue will be the sharp decline in the ratio of workers to retirees.

Dhekelia
  Economic activity is limited to providing services to the
  military and their families located in Dhekelia. All food and
  manufactured goods must be imported.

Djibouti
  The economy is based on service activities connected with
  the country's strategic location and status as a free trade zone in
  the Horn of Africa. Two-thirds of Djibouti's inhabitants live in the
  capital city; the remainder are mostly nomadic herders. Scanty
  rainfall limits crop production to fruits and vegetables, and most
  food must be imported. Djibouti provides services as both a transit
  port for the region and an international transshipment and refueling
  center. Imports and exports from landlocked neighbor Ethiopia
  represent 85% of port activity at Djibouti's container terminal.
  Djibouti has few natural resources and little industry. The nation
  is, therefore, heavily dependent on foreign assistance to help
  support its balance of payments and to finance development projects.
  An unemployment rate of nearly 60% in urban areas continues to be a
  major problem. While inflation is not a concern, due to the fixed
  tie of the Djiboutian franc to the US dollar, the artificially high
  value of the Djiboutian franc adversely affects Djibouti's balance
  of payments. Per capita consumption dropped an estimated 35% between
  1999 and 2006 because of recession, civil war, and a high population
  growth rate (including immigrants and refugees). Faced with a
  multitude of economic difficulties, the government has fallen in
  arrears on long-term external debt and has been struggling to meet
  the stipulations of foreign aid donors.

Dominica
  The Dominican economy depends on agriculture, primarily
  bananas, and remains highly vulnerable to climatic conditions and
  international economic developments. Tourism has increased as the
  government seeks to promote Dominica as an "ecotourism" destination
  and has developed a new tourism development plan with assistance
  from the EU. Hurricane Dean struck the island in August 2007 causing
  damages equivalent to 20% of GDP. In 2003, the government began a
  comprehensive restructuring of the economy - including elimination
  of price controls, privatization of the state banana company, and
  tax increases - to address Dominica's economic and financial crisis
  of 2001-02 and to meet IMF targets. This restructuring paved the way
  for the current economic recovery - real growth for 2006 reached a
  two-decade high - and will help to reduce the debt burden, which
  remains at about 100% of GDP. In order to diversify the island's
  production base, the government is attempting to develop an offshore
  financial sector and has signed an agreement with the EU to develop
  geothermal energy resources.

Dominican Republic
  The Dominican Republic has enjoyed strong GDP
  growth since 2005 and continued to post sound gains through
  mid-2008. The global recession, however, had a significant impact on
  GDP growth in the latter half of the year as tourism and
  remittances, two of the Dominican Republic's most important economic
  contributors, showed signs of slowing. The economy is highly
  dependent upon the US, the destination for about two-thirds of
  exports. Remittances from the US amount to about a tenth of GDP,
  equivalent to almost half of exports and three-quarters of tourism
  receipts. The country has long been viewed primarily as an exporter
  of sugar, coffee, and tobacco but in recent years the service sector
  has overtaken agriculture as the economy's largest employer due to
  growth in tourism and free trade zones. Although 2007 saw inflation
  around 6%, the rate grew to over 12% in 2008. High food prices,
  driven by the effects of consecutive tropical storms on agricultural
  products, and education prices were significant contributors to the
  jump. The effects of the global financial crisis and the US
  recession are projected to negatively affect GDP growth in 2009 with
  a rebound expected in 2010. Although the economy is growing at a
  respectable rate, high unemployment and underemployment remains an
  important challenge. The country suffers from marked income
  inequality; the poorest half of the population receives less than
  one-fifth of GNP, while the richest 10% enjoys nearly 40% of
  national income. The Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade
  Agreement (CAFTA-DR) came into force in March 2007, which should
  boost investment and exports and reduce losses to the Asian garment
  industry.

Ecuador
  Ecuador is substantially dependent on its petroleum
  resources, which have accounted for more than half of the country's
  export earnings and one-fourth of public sector revenues in recent
  years. In 1999/2000, Ecuador suffered a severe economic crisis, with
  GDP contracting by more than 6%. Poverty increased significantly,
  the banking system collapsed, and Ecuador defaulted on its external
  debt later that year. In March 2000, Congress approved a series of
  structural reforms that also provided for the adoption of the US
  dollar as legal tender. Dollarization stabilized the economy, and
  positive growth returned in the years that followed, helped by high
  oil prices, remittances, and increased non-traditional exports. From
  2002-06 the economy grew 5.5%, the highest five-year average in 25
  years. The poverty rate declined but remained high at 38% in 2006.
  In 2006 the government imposed a windfall revenue tax on foreign oil
  companies, leading to the suspension of free trade negotiations with
  the US. These measures led to a drop in petroleum production in
  2007. President Rafael CORREA raised the specter of debt default and
  followed through on those threats in December 2008 by defaulting on
  some commercial bond obligations. He also decreed a higher windfall
  revenue tax on private oil companies, then renegotiated their
  contracts to overcome the debilitating effect of the tax. This
  generated economic uncertainty; private investment has dropped and
  economic growth has slowed.

Egypt
  Occupying the northeast corner of the African continent, Egypt
  is bisected by the highly fertile Nile valley, where most economic
  activity takes place. Egypt's economy was highly centralized during
  the rule of former President Gamal Abdel NASSER but has opened up
  considerably under former President Anwar EL-SADAT and current
  President Mohamed Hosni MUBARAK. Cairo has aggressively pursued
  economic reforms to encourage inflows of foreign investment and
  facilitate GDP growth. In 2005, Prime Minister Ahmed NAZIF's
  government reduced personal and corporate tax rates, reduced energy
  subsidies, and privatized several enterprises. The stock market
  boomed, and GDP grew about 7% each year since 2006. Despite these
  achievements, the government has failed to raise living standards
  for the average Egyptian, and has had to continue providing
  subsidies for basic necessities. The subsidies have contributed to a
  sizeable budget deficit - roughly 7% of GDP in 2007-08 - and
  represent a significant drain on the economy. Foreign direct
  investment has increased significantly in the past two years, but
  the NAZIF government will need to continue its aggressive pursuit of
  reforms in order to sustain the spike in investment and growth and
  begin to improve economic conditions for the broader population.
  Egypt's export sectors - particularly natural gas - have bright
  prospects.

El Salvador
  The smallest country in Central America, El Salvador has
  the third largest economy, but growth has been modest in recent
  years. Economic growth will decelerate in 2009 due to the global
  slowdown and to El Salvador's dependence on exports to the US and
  remittances from the US. El Salvador leads the region in remittances
  per capita with inflows equivalent to nearly all export income. In
  2006 El Salvador was the first country to ratify the Central
  America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA). CAFTA has
  bolstered the export of processed foods, sugar, and ethanol, and
  supported investment in the maquila sector. The SACA administration
  has sought to diversify the economy, focusing on regional
  transportation and tourism. El Salvador has promoted an open trade
  and investment environment, and has embarked on a wave of
  privatizations extending to telecom, electricity distribution,
  banking, and pension funds. In late 2006, the government and the
  Millennium Challenge Corporation signed a five-year, $461 million
  compact to stimulate economic growth and reduce poverty in the
  country's northern region through investments in education, public
  services, enterprise development, and transportation infrastructure.
  With the adoption of the US dollar as its currency in 2001, El
  Salvador lost control over monetary policy and must concentrate on
  maintaining a disciplined fiscal policy.

Equatorial Guinea
  The discovery and exploitation of large oil
  reserves have contributed to dramatic economic growth in recent
  years. Forestry, farming, and fishing are also major components of
  GDP. Subsistence farming predominates. Although pre-independence
  Equatorial Guinea counted on cocoa production for hard currency
  earnings, the neglect of the rural economy under successive regimes
  has diminished potential for agriculture-led growth (the government
  has stated its intention to reinvest some oil revenue into
  agriculture). A number of aid programs sponsored by the World Bank
  and the IMF have been cut off since 1993, because of corruption and
  mismanagement. No longer eligible for concessional financing because
  of large oil revenues, the government has been trying to agree on a
  "shadow" fiscal management program with the World Bank and IMF.
  Government officials and their family members own most businesses.
  Undeveloped natural resources include titanium, iron ore, manganese,
  uranium, and alluvial gold. Growth remained strong in 2008, led by
  oil.

Eritrea
  Since independence from Ethiopia in 1993, Eritrea has faced
  the economic problems of a small, desperately poor country,
  accentuated by the recent implementation of restrictive economic
  policies. Eritrea has a command economy under the control of the
  sole political party, the People's Front for Democracy and Justice
  (PFDJ). Like the economies of many African nations, the economy is
  largely based on subsistence agriculture, with 80% of the population
  involved in farming and herding. The Ethiopian-Eritrea war in
  1998-2000 severely hurt Eritrea's economy. GDP growth fell to zero
  in 1999 and to -12.1% in 2000. The May 2000 Ethiopian offensive into
  northern Eritrea caused some $600 million in property damage and
  loss, including losses of $225 million in livestock and 55,000
  homes. The attack prevented planting of crops in Eritrea's most
  productive region, causing food production to drop by 62%. Despite
  the fighting, Eritrea developed its transportation infrastructure,
  asphalting new roads, improving its ports, and repairing war-damaged
  roads and bridges. Since the war's conclusion, the government has
  maintained a firm grip on the economy, expanding the use of the
  military and party-owned businesses to complete Eritrea's
  development agenda. The government strictly controls the use of
  foreign currency by limiting access and availability. Few private
  enterprises remain in Eritrea. Eritrea's economy depends heavily on
  taxes paid by members of the diaspora. Erratic rainfall and the
  delayed demobilization of agriculturalists from the military
  continue to interfere with agricultural production, and Eritrea's
  recent harvests have been unable to meet the food needs of the
  country. The Government continues to place its hope for additional
  revenue on the development of several international mining projects.
  Despite difficulties for international companies in working with the
  Eritrean Government, a Canadian mining company signed a contract
  with the Government in 2007 and plans to begin mineral extraction in
  2010. Eritrea also opened a free trade zone at the port of Massawa
  in 2008. Eritrea's economic future depends upon its ability to
  master social problems such as illiteracy, unemployment, and low
  skills, and more importantly, on the government's willingness to
  support a true market economy.

Estonia
  Estonia, a 2004 European Union entrant, has a modern
  market-based economy and one of the highest per capita income levels
  in Central Europe. Estonia's successive governments have pursued a
  free market, pro-business economic agenda and have wavered little in
  their commitment to pro-market reforms. Tallinn's priority has been
  to sustain high growth rates - on average 8% per year from 2003 to
  2007. The economy benefits from strong electronics and
  telecommunications sectors and strong trade ties with Finland,
  Sweden, and Germany. The current government has pursued relatively
  sound fiscal policies, resulting in balanced budgets and low public
  debt. Rapid growth, however, has made it difficult to keep inflation
  and large current-account deficits from soaring, putting downward
  pressure on the country's currency. The government has not given up
  on adopting the euro, but has repeatedly postponed its target date.
  Estonia's economy slowed down markedly and fell sharply into
  recession in mid-2008, primarily as a result of an investment and
  consumption slump following the bursting of the real estate market
  bubble.

Ethiopia
  Ethiopia's poverty-stricken economy is based on
  agriculture, accounting for almost half of GDP, 60% of exports, and
  80% of total employment. The agricultural sector suffers from
  frequent drought and poor cultivation practices. Coffee is critical
  to the Ethiopian economy with exports of some $350 million in 2006,
  but historically low prices have seen many farmers switching to qat
  to supplement income. The war with Eritrea in 1998-2000 and
  recurrent drought have buffeted the economy, in particular coffee
  production. In November 2001, Ethiopia qualified for debt relief
  from the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative, and in
  December 2005 the IMF forgave Ethiopia's debt. Under Ethiopia's
  constitution, the state owns all land and provides long-term leases
  to the tenants; the system continues to hamper growth in the
  industrial sector as entrepreneurs are unable to use land as
  collateral for loans. Drought struck again late in 2002, leading to
  a 3.3% decline in GDP in 2003. Normal weather patterns helped
  agricultural and GDP growth recover during 2004-08.

European Union
  Internally, the EU is attempting to lower trade
  barriers, adopt a common currency, and move toward convergence of
  living standards. Internationally, the EU aims to bolster Europe's
  trade position and its political and economic power. Because of the
  great differences in per capita income among member states (from
  $7,000 to $69,000) and historic national animosities, the EU faces
  difficulties in devising and enforcing common policies. For example,
  since 2003 Germany and France have flouted the member states' treaty
  obligation to prevent their national budgets from running more than
  a 3% deficit. Between 2004 and 2007, the EU admitted 12 countries
  that are, in general, less advanced technologically and economically
  than the other 15. Eleven established EU member states introduced
  the euro as their common currency on 1 January 1999 (Greece did so
  two years later), but the UK, Sweden, and Denmark chose not to
  participate. Of the 12 most recent member states, only Slovenia (1
  January 2007) and Cyprus and Malta (1 January 2008) have adopted the
  euro; the remaining nine are legally required to adopt the currency
  upon meeting EU's fiscal and monetary convergence criteria.

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) The economy was formerly based on agriculture, mainly sheep farming, but today fishing contributes the bulk of economic activity. In 1987, the government began selling fishing licenses to foreign trawlers operating within the Falkland Islands' exclusive fishing zone. These license fees total more than $40 million per year, which help support the island's health, education, and welfare system. Squid accounts for 75% of the fish taken. Dairy farming supports domestic consumption; crops furnish winter fodder. Exports feature shipments of high-grade wool to the UK and the sale of postage stamps and coins. The islands are now self-financing except for defense. The British Geological Survey announced a 200-mile oil exploration zone around the islands in 1993, and early seismic surveys suggest substantial reserves capable of producing 500,000 barrels per day; to date, no exploitable site has been identified. An agreement between Argentina and the UK in 1995 seeks to defuse licensing and sovereignty conflicts that would dampen foreign interest in exploiting potential oil reserves. Tourism, especially eco-tourism, is increasing rapidly, with about 30,000 visitors in 2001. Another large source of income is interest paid on money the government has in the bank. The British military presence also provides a sizeable economic boost.

Faroe Islands
  The Faroese economy is dependent on fishing, which
  makes the economy vulnerable to price swings. The sector accounts
  for 95% of exports and nearly half of GDP. Since 2003 the Faroese
  economy has picked up as a result of higher prices for fish and for
  housing. Unemployment is minimal and government finances are
  relatively sound. Oil finds close to the Islands give hope for
  economically recoverable deposits, which could eventually lay the
  basis for a more diversified economy and lessen dependence on Danish
  economic assistance. Aided by a substantial annual subsidy (about
  15% of GDP) from Denmark, the Faroese have a standard of living not
  far below the Danes and other Scandinavians.

Fiji
  Fiji, endowed with forest, mineral, and fish resources, is one
  of the most developed of the Pacific island economies though still
  with a large subsistence sector. Sugar exports, remittances from
  Fijians working abroad, and a growing tourist industry - with
  400,000 to 500,000 tourists annually - are the major sources of
  foreign exchange. Fiji's sugar has special access to European Union
  markets but will be harmed by the EU's decision to cut sugar
  subsidies. Sugar processing makes up one-third of industrial
  activity but is not efficient. Fiji's tourism industry was damaged
  by the December 2006 coup and is facing an uncertain recovery time.
  In 2007 tourist arrivals were down almost 6%, with substantial job
  losses in the service sector, and GDP dipped nearly 7%. The coup has
  created a difficult business climate. The EU has suspended all aid
  until the interim government takes steps toward new elections.
  Long-term problems include low investment, uncertain land ownership
  rights, and the government's inability to manage its budget.
  Overseas remittances from Fijians working in Kuwait and Iraq have
  decreased significantly. Fiji's current account deficit reached 23%
  of GDP in 2006.

Finland
  Finland has a highly industrialized, largely free-market
  economy with per capita output roughly that of the UK, France,
  Germany, and Italy. Its key economic sector is manufacturing -
  principally the wood, metals, engineering, telecommunications, and
  electronics industries. Trade is important; Finland's ratio of
  exports to GDP has risen from a quarter to 37% over the past 15
  years. Finland excels in high-tech exports such as mobile phones.
  Except for timber and several minerals, Finland depends on imports
  of raw materials, energy, and some components for manufactured
  goods. Because of the climate, agricultural development is limited
  to maintaining self-sufficiency in basic products. Forestry, an
  important export earner, provides a secondary occupation for the
  rural population. Although Finland has been one of the best
  performing economies within the EU in recent years and its banks and
  financial markets have avoided the worst of global financial crisis,
  the world slowdown has hit export growth and domestic demand and
  will serve as a brake on economic growth in 2009 and 2010. The
  slowdown of construction, other investment, and exports will cause
  unemployment to rise. During 2009, unemployment will climb to over
  8% of the labor force. Long-term challenges include the need to
  address a rapidly aging population and decreasing productivity that
  threaten competitiveness, fiscal sustainability, and economic growth.

France
  France is in the midst of transition from a well-to-do modern
  economy that has featured extensive government ownership and
  intervention to one that relies more on market mechanisms. The
  government has partially or fully privatized many large companies,
  banks, and insurers, and has ceded stakes in such leading firms as
  Air France, France Telecom, Renault, and Thales. It maintains a
  strong presence in some sectors, particularly power, public
  transport, and defense industries. The telecommunications sector is
  gradually being opened to competition. France's leaders remain
  committed to a capitalism in which they maintain social equity by
  means of laws, tax policies, and social spending that reduce income
  disparity and the impact of free markets on public health and
  welfare. Widespread opposition to labor reform has in recent years
  hampered the government's ability to revitalize the economy. During
  2007-08, the government implemented several important labor reforms,
  including a de facto extension of the 35-hour workweek by allowing
  employees to work longer overtime hours. During 2009, the government
  is expected to delay or even renounce other reform efforts due to
  the on-going financial crisis. GDP growth dropped to 0.3% in 2008;
  the French government plans to increase public investment and
  continue injecting capital into the banking sector to alleviate the
  negative effects of the crisis during 2009. As a result of lower
  fiscal revenues and increased expenditures the general government
  deficit is expected to exceed the euro-zone ceiling 3% of GDP.
  France's tax burden remains one of the highest in Europe - at nearly
  50% of GDP in 2005. With at least 75 million foreign tourists per
  year, France is the most visited country in the world and maintains
  the third largest income in the world from tourism.

French Polynesia
  Since 1962, when France stationed military
  personnel in the region, French Polynesia has changed from a
  subsistence agricultural economy to one in which a high proportion
  of the work force is either employed by the military or supports the
  tourist industry. With the halt of French nuclear testing in 1996,
  the military contribution to the economy fell sharply. Tourism
  accounts for about one-fourth of GDP and is a primary source of hard
  currency earnings. Other sources of income are pearl farming and
  deep-sea commercial fishing. The small manufacturing sector
  primarily processes agricultural products. The territory benefits
  substantially from development agreements with France aimed
  principally at creating new businesses and strengthening social
  services.

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  Economic activity is limited to
  servicing meteorological and geophysical research stations, military
  bases, and French and other fishing fleets. The fish catches landed
  on Iles Kerguelen by foreign ships are exported to France and
  Reunion.

Gabon
  Gabon enjoys a per capita income four times that of most
  sub-Saharan African nations, but because of high income inequality,
  a large proportion of the population remains poor. Gabon depended on
  timber and manganese until oil was discovered offshore in the early
  1970s. The oil sector now accounts for more than 50% of GDP. Gabon
  continues to face fluctuating prices for its oil, timber, and
  manganese exports. Despite the abundance of natural wealth, poor
  fiscal management hobbles the economy. In 1997, an IMF mission to
  Gabon criticized the government for overspending on off-budget
  items, overborrowing from the central bank, and slipping on its
  schedule for privatization and administrative reform. The rebound of
  oil prices since 1999 have helped growth, but drops in production
  have hampered Gabon from fully realizing potential gains, and will
  continue to temper the gains for most of this decade. In December
  2000, Gabon signed a new agreement with the Paris Club to reschedule
  its official debt. A follow-up bilateral repayment agreement with
  the US was signed in December 2001. Gabon signed a 14-month Stand-By
  Arrangement with the IMF in May 2007, and received Paris Club debt
  rescheduling later that year.

Gambia, The
  The Gambia has no confirmed mineral or natural resource
  deposits and has a limited agricultural base. About 75% of the
  population depends on crops and livestock for its livelihood.
  Small-scale manufacturing activity features the processing of
  peanuts, fish, and hides. Reexport trade normally constitutes a
  major segment of economic activity, but a 1999 government-imposed
  preshipment inspection plan, and instability of the Gambian dalasi
  (currency) have drawn some of the reexport trade away from The
  Gambia. The Gambia's natural beauty and proximity to Europe has made
  it one of the larger markets for tourism in West Africa. The
  government's 1998 seizure of the private peanut firm Alimenta
  eliminated the largest purchaser of Gambian groundnuts. Despite an
  announced program to begin privatizing key parastatals, no plans
  have been made public that would indicate that the government
  intends to follow through on its promises. Unemployment and
  underemployment rates remain extremely high; short-run economic
  progress depends on sustained bilateral and multilateral aid, on
  responsible government economic management, on continued technical
  assistance from the IMF and bilateral donors, and on expected growth
  in the construction sector.

Gaza Strip
  High population density, limited land access, and strict
  internal and external security controls have kept economic
  conditions in the Gaza Strip - the smaller of the two areas under
  the Palestinian Authority (PA) - even more degraded than in the West
  Bank. The beginning of the second intifada in September 2000 sparked
  an economic downturn, largely the result of Israeli closure
  policies; these policies, which were imposed to address security
  concerns in Israel, disrupted labor and trade access to and from the
  Gaza Strip. In 2001, and even more severely in 2003, Israeli
  military measures in PA areas resulted in the destruction of
  capital, the disruption of administrative structures, and widespread
  business closures. The Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in
  September 2005 offered some medium-term opportunities for economic
  growth, but Israeli-imposed crossings closures, which became more
  restrictive after HAMAS violently took over the territory in June
  2007, have resulted in widespread private sector layoffs and
  shortages of most goods. The status of the crossings, which are
  closed to all but the most basic goods, has not changed following
  Israel's military offensive into the Gaza Strip in early 2009.

Georgia
  Georgia's economy sustained GDP growth of close to 10% in
  2006 and 12% in 2007, based on strong inflows of foreign investment
  and robust government spending. However, growth slowed to less than
  3% in 2008 and is expected to slow further in 2009. Georgia's main
  economic activities include the cultivation of agricultural products
  such as grapes, citrus fruits, and hazelnuts; mining of manganese
  and copper; and output of a small industrial sector producing
  alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages, metals, machinery, aircraft
  and chemicals. Areas of recent improvement include growth in the
  construction, banking services, and mining sectors, but reduced
  availability of external investment and the slowing regional economy
  are emerging risks. The country imports nearly all its needed
  supplies of natural gas and oil products. It has sizeable hydropower
  capacity, a growing component of its energy supplies. Georgia has
  overcome the chronic energy shortages of the past by renovating
  hydropower plants and by bringing in newly available supplies from
  Azerbaijan. It also has an increased ability to pay for more
  expensive gas imports from Russia. The construction on the
  Baku-T'bilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline, the Baku-T'bilisi-Erzerum gas
  pipeline, and the Kars-Akhalkalaki Railroad are part of a strategy
  to capitalize on Georgia's strategic location between Europe and
  Asia and develop its role as a transit point for gas, oil and other
  goods. Georgia has historically suffered from a chronic failure to
  collect tax revenues; however, the government has made great
  progress and has reformed the tax code, improved tax administration,
  increased tax enforcement, and cracked down on corruption since
  coming to power in 2004. Government revenues have increased nearly
  four fold since 2003. Due to improvements in customs and tax
  enforcement, smuggling is a declining problem. The country is
  pinning its hopes for long-term growth on a determined effort to
  reduce regulation, taxes, and corruption in order to attract foreign
  investment, but the economy faces a more difficult investment
  climate both domestically and internationally.

Germany
  The German economy - the fifth largest economy in the world
  in PPP terms and Europe's largest - began to contract in the second
  quarter of 2008 as the strong euro, high oil prices, tighter credit
  markets, and slowing growth abroad took their toll on Germany's
  export-dependent economy. At just 1% in 2008, GDP growth is expected
  to be negative in 2009. Recent stimulus and lender relief efforts
  will make demands on Germany's federal budget and undercut plans to
  balance its budget by 2011. The reforms launched by the former
  government of Chancellor Gerhard SCHOEDER, deemed necessary due to
  chronically high unemployment and low average growth, led to strong
  growth in 2007, while unemployment in 2008 fell below 8%, a new
  post-reunification low. Germany's aging population, combined with
  high chronic unemployment, has pushed social security outlays to a
  level exceeding contributions, but higher government revenues from
  the cyclical upturn in 2006-07 and a 3% rise in the value-added tax
  cut Germany's budget deficit to within the EU's 3% debt limit in
  2007. The current government of Chancellor Angela MERKEL has
  initiated other reform measures, such as a gradual increase in the
  mandatory retirement age from 65 to 67 and measures to increase
  female participation in the labor market. The modernization and
  integration of the eastern German economy - where unemployment still
  exceeds 30% in some municipalities - continues to be a costly
  long-term process, with annual transfers from west to east amounting
  to roughly $80 billion. While corporate restructuring and growing
  capital markets have set strong foundations to help Germany meet the
  longer-term challenges of European economic integration and
  globalization, Germany's export-oriented economy has proved a
  disadvantage in the context of weak global demand.

Ghana
  Well endowed with natural resources, Ghana has roughly twice
  the per capita output of the poorest countries in West Africa. Even
  so, Ghana remains heavily dependent on international financial and
  technical assistance. Gold and cocoa production, and individual
  remittances, are major sources of foreign exchange. The domestic
  economy continues to revolve around agriculture, which accounts for
  about 35% of GDP and employs about 55% of the work force, mainly
  small landholders. Ghana signed a Millennium Challenge Corporation
  (MCC) Compact in 2006, which aims to assist in transforming Ghana's
  agricultural sector. Ghana opted for debt relief under the Heavily
  Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) program in 2002, and is also benefiting
  from the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative that took effect in
  2006. Thematic priorities under its current Growth and Poverty
  Reduction Strategy, which also provides the framework for
  development partner assistance, are: macroeconomic stability;
  private sector competitiveness; human resource development; and good
  governance and civic responsibility. Sound macro-economic management
  along with high prices for gold and cocoa helped sustain GDP growth
  in 2008.

Gibraltar
  Self-sufficient Gibraltar benefits from an extensive
  shipping trade, offshore banking, and its position as an
  international conference center. The British military presence has
  been sharply reduced and now contributes about 7% to the local
  economy, compared with 60% in 1984. The financial sector, tourism
  (almost 5 million visitors in 1998), shipping services fees, and
  duties on consumer goods also generate revenue. The financial
  sector, the shipping sector, and tourism each contribute 25%-30% of
  GDP. Telecommunications accounts for another 10%. In recent years,
  Gibraltar has seen major structural change from a public to a
  private sector economy, but changes in government spending still
  have a major impact on the level of employment.

Greece
  Greece has a capitalist economy with the public sector
  accounting for about 40% of GDP and with per capita GDP about
  two-thirds that of the leading euro-zone economies. Tourism provides
  15% of GDP. Immigrants make up nearly one-fifth of the work force,
  mainly in agricultural and unskilled jobs. Greece is a major
  beneficiary of EU aid, equal to about 3.3% of annual GDP. The Greek
  economy grew by nearly 4.0% per year between 2003 and 2007, due
  partly to infrastructural spending related to the 2004 Athens
  Olympic Games, and in part to an increased availability of credit,
  which has sustained record levels of consumer spending. But growth
  dropped to 2.9% in 2008, as a result of the world financial crisis
  and tightening credit conditions. Greece violated the EU's Growth
  and Stability Pact budget deficit criteria of no more than 3% of GDP
  from 2001 to 2006, but finally met that criteria in 2007-08. Public
  debt, inflation, and unemployment are above the euro-zone average,
  but are falling. The Greek Government continues to grapple with
  cutting government spending, reducing the size of the public sector,
  and reforming the labor and pension systems, in the face of often
  vocal opposition from the country's powerful labor unions and the
  general public. The economy remains an important domestic political
  issue in Greece and, while the ruling New Democracy government has
  had some success in improving economic growth and reducing the
  budget deficit, Athens faces long-term challenges in its effort to
  continue its economic reforms, especially social security reform and
  privatization.

Greenland
  The economy remains critically dependent on exports of
  shrimp and fish and on a substantial subsidy - about $700 million in
  2008-09 - from the Danish Government, which supplies about 60% of
  government revenues. The public sector, including publicly-owned
  enterprises and the municipalities, plays the dominant role in the
  economy. Several interesting hydrocarbon and mineral exploration
  activities are ongoing and in 2007 a US firm signed an agreement
  with the Greenland Home Rule government to study the feasibility of
  building a multi-billion dollar aluminum smelter and hydropower
  plant. Denmark plans to reduce its subsidies to Greenland as
  revenues from oil exports come onstream.

Grenada
  Grenada relies on tourism as its main source of foreign
  exchange especially since the construction of an international
  airport in 1985. Hurricanes Ivan (2004) and Emily (2005) severely
  damaged the agricultural sector - particularly nutmeg and cocoa
  cultivation - which had been a key driver of economic growth.
  Grenada has rebounded from the devastating effects of the hurricanes
  but is now saddled with the debt burden from the rebuilding process.
  Public debt-to-GDP is nearly 110%, leaving the THOMAS administration
  limited room to engage in public investments and social spending.
  Strong performances in construction and manufacturing, together with
  the development of tourism and an offshore financial industry, have
  also contributed to growth in national output; however, economic
  growth will likely slow in 2009 because of the global economic
  slowdown's effects on tourism and remittances.

Guam
  The economy depends largely on US military spending and
  tourism. Total US grants, wage payments, and procurement outlays
  amounted to $1.3 billion in 2004. Over the past 30 years, the
  tourist industry has grown to become the largest income source
  following national defense. The Guam economy continues to experience
  expansion in both its tourism and military sectors.

Guatemala
  Guatemala is the most populous of the Central American
  countries with a GDP per capita roughly one-half that of Argentina,
  Brazil, and Chile. The agricultural sector accounts for about
  one-tenth of GDP, two-fifths of exports, and half of the labor
  force. Coffee, sugar, and bananas are the main products, with sugar
  exports benefiting from increased global demand for ethanol. The
  1996 signing of peace accords, which ended 36 years of civil war,
  removed a major obstacle to foreign investment, and Guatemala since
  then has pursued important reforms and macroeconomic stabilization.
  The Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) entered into force
  in July 2006 and has since spurred increased investment in the
  export sector, but concerns over security, the lack of skilled
  workers and poor infrastructure continued to hamper foreign
  participation. The distribution of income remains highly unequal
  with more than half of the population below the national poverty
  line. Other ongoing challenges include increasing government
  revenues, negotiating further assistance from international donors,
  curtailing drug trafficking and rampant crime, and narrowing the
  trade deficit. Given Guatemala's large expatriate community in the
  United States, it is the top remittance recipient in Central
  America, with inflows serving as a primary source of foreign income
  equivalent to nearly two-thirds of exports. Economic growth will
  slow in 2009 as export demand from US and other Central American
  markets drop and foreign investment slows amid the global slowdown.

Guernsey
  Financial services - banking, fund management, insurance -
  account for about 23% of employment and about 55% of total income in
  this tiny, prosperous Channel Island economy. Tourism,
  manufacturing, and horticulture, mainly tomatoes and cut flowers,
  have been declining. Financial services, construction, retail, and
  the public sector have been growing. Light tax and death duties make
  Guernsey a popular tax haven. The evolving economic integration of
  the EU nations is changing the environment under which Guernsey
  operates.

Guinea
  Guinea possesses major mineral, hydropower, and agricultural
  resources, yet remains an underdeveloped nation. The country has
  almost half of the world's bauxite reserves. The mining sector
  accounts for more than 70% of exports. Long-run improvements in
  government fiscal arrangements, literacy, and the legal framework
  are needed if the country is to move out of poverty. Investor
  confidence has been sapped by rampant corruption, a lack of
  electricity and other infrastructure, a lack of skilled workers, and
  the political uncertainty because of the death of President Lansana
  CONTE in December 2008. Guinea is trying to reengage with the IMF
  and World Bank, which cut off most assistance in 2003, and is
  working closely with technical advisors from the U.S. Treasury
  Department, the World Bank and IMF, seeking to return to a fully
  funded program. Growth rose slightly in 2006-08, primarily due to
  increases in global demand and commodity prices on world markets,
  but the standard of living fell. The Guinea franc depreciated
  sharply as the prices for basic necessities like food and fuel rose
  beyond the reach of most Guineans. Dissatisfaction with economic
  conditions prompted nationwide strikes in February and June 2006.

Guinea-Bissau
  One of the five poorest countries in the world,
  Guinea-Bissau depends mainly on farming and fishing. Cashew crops
  have increased remarkably in recent years, and the country now ranks
  fifth in cashew production. Guinea-Bissau exports fish and seafood
  along with small amounts of peanuts, palm kernels, and timber. Rice
  is the major crop and staple food. However, intermittent fighting
  between Senegalese-backed government troops and a military junta
  destroyed much of the country's infrastructure and caused widespread
  damage to the economy in 1998; the civil war led to a 28% drop in
  GDP that year, with partial recovery in 1999-2002. Before the war,
  trade reform and price liberalization were the most successful part
  of the country's structural adjustment program under IMF
  sponsorship. The tightening of monetary policy and the development
  of the private sector had also begun to reinvigorate the economy.
  Because of high costs, the development of petroleum, phosphate, and
  other mineral resources is not a near-term prospect. Offshore oil
  prospecting is underway in several sectors but has not yet led to
  commercially viable crude deposits. The inequality of income
  distribution is one of the most extreme in the world. The government
  and international donors continue to work out plans to forward
  economic development from a lamentably low base. In December 2003,
  the World Bank, IMF, and UNDP were forced to step in to provide
  emergency budgetary support in the amount of $107 million for 2004,
  representing over 80% of the total national budget. Government drift
  and indecision, however, resulted in continued low growth in
  2002-06. Higher raw material prices boosted growth in 2007 and 2008.

Guyana
  The Guyanese economy exhibited moderate economic growth in
  recent years and is based largely on agriculture and extractive
  industries. The economy is heavily dependent upon the export of six
  commodities - sugar, gold, bauxite, shrimp, timber, and rice - which
  represent nearly 60% of the country's GDP and are highly susceptible
  to adverse weather conditions and fluctuations in commodity prices.
  Economic recovery since the 2005 flood-related contraction has been
  buoyed by increases in remittances and foreign direct investment in
  the sugar and rice industries as well as the mining sector. The
  bauxite mining sector should benefit in the near term from
  restructuring and partial privatization, and the state-owned sugar
  industry will conduct efficiency increasing modernizations. Export
  earnings from agriculture and mining have remained flat as rising
  commodity prices have offset declining production, while the import
  bill has risen, driven by higher energy costs. Chronic problems
  include a shortage of skilled labor and a deficient infrastructure.
  The government is juggling a sizable external debt against the
  urgent need for expanded public investment. In March 2007, the
  Inter-American Development Bank, Guyana's principal donor, canceled
  Guyana's nearly $470 million debt, equivalent to nearly 48% of GDP,
  which along with other Highly Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) debt
  forgiveness brought the debt-to-GDP ratio down from 183% in 2006 to
  120% in 2007. Guyana became heavily indebted as a result of the
  inward-looking, state-led development model pursued in the 1970s and
  1980s. Guyana's entrance into the Caricom Single Market and Economy
  (CSME) in January 2006 has broadened the country's export market,
  primarily in the raw materials sector.

Haiti
  Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere with
  80% of the population living under the poverty line and 54% in
  abject poverty. Two-thirds of all Haitians depend on the
  agricultural sector, mainly small-scale subsistence farming, and
  remain vulnerable to damage from frequent natural disasters,
  exacerbated by the country's widespread deforestation. While the
  economy has recovered in recent years, registering positive growth
  since 2005, four tropical storms in 2008 severely damaged the
  transportation infrastructure and agricultural sector. US economic
  engagement under the Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity through
  Partnership Encouragement (HOPE) Act, passed in December 2006, has
  boosted apparel exports and investment by providing tariff-free
  access to the US. HOPE II, passed in October 2008, has further
  improved the export environment for the apparel sector by extending
  preferences to 2018; the apparel sector accounts for two-thirds of
  Haitian exports and nearly one-tenth of GDP. Remittances are the
  primary source of foreign exchange, equaling nearly a quarter of GDP
  and more than twice the earnings from exports. Haiti suffers from
  high inflation, a lack of investment because of insecurity and
  limited infrastructure, and a severe trade deficit. In 2005, Haiti
  paid its arrears to the World Bank, paving the way for reengagement
  with the Bank. Haiti is expected to receive debt forgiveness for
  about $525 million of its debt through the Highly-Indebted Poor
  Country (HIPC) initiative by mid-2009. The government relies on
  formal international economic assistance for fiscal sustainability.

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  The islands have no indigenous
  economic activity, but the Australian Government allows limited
  fishing in the surrounding waters.

Holy See (Vatican City)
  The Holy See is supported financially by a
  variety of sources, including investments, real estate income, and
  donations from Catholic individuals, dioceses, and institutions;
  these help fund the Roman Curia (Vatican bureaucracy), diplomatic
  missions, and media outlets. The separate Vatican City State budget
  includes the Vatican museums and post office and is supported
  financially by the sale of stamps, coins, medals, and tourist
  mementos; by fees for admission to museums; and by publications
  sales. Moreover, an annual collection taken up in dioceses and
  direct donations go to a non-budgetary fund known as Peter's Pence,
  which is used directly by the Pope for charity, disaster relief, and
  aid to churches in developing nations. The incomes and living
  standards of lay workers are comparable to those of counterparts who
  work in the city of Rome.

Honduras
  Honduras, the second poorest country in Central America,
  has an extraordinarily unequal distribution of income and high
  unemployment. The economy relies heavily on a narrow range of
  exports, notably bananas and coffee, making it vulnerable to natural
  disasters and shifts in commodity prices; however, investments in
  the maquila and non-traditional export sectors are slowly
  diversifying the economy. Economic growth remains dependent on the
  US economy its largest trading partner, and will decline in 2009 as
  a result of reduction in export demand and tightening global credit
  markets. Remittances represent over a quarter of GDP or nearly
  three-quarters of exports. The US-Central America Free Trade
  Agreement (CAFTA) came into force in 2006 and has helped foster
  investment. Despite improvements in tax collections, the
  government's fiscal deficit is growing due to increases in current
  expenditures and financial losses from the state energy and
  telephone companies.

Hong Kong
  Hong Kong has a free market economy highly dependent on
  international trade and finance, which has left it heavily exposed
  to the global economic slowdown that began in 2008. The total value
  of goods and services trade, including the sizable share of
  reexports, was equivalent to 404% of GDP in 2007. The territory has
  become increasingly integrated with mainland China over the past few
  years through trade, tourism, and financial links. The mainland has
  long been Hong Kong's largest trading partner, accounting for nearly
  49% of Hong Kong's exports trade by value in 2008. As a result of
  China's easing of travel restrictions, the number of mainland
  tourists to the territory has surged from 4.5 million in 2001 to
  16.9 million in 2008, when they outnumbered visitors from all other
  countries combined. Hong Kong has also established itself as the
  premier stock market for Chinese firms seeking to list abroad. More
  than one-third of the firms listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange
  are now mainland Chinese companies. They account for 60% of the
  Exchange's market capitalization. During the past decade, as Hong
  Kong's manufacturing industry moved to the mainland, its service
  industry has grown rapidly and now accounts for more than 90% of the
  territory's GDP. Hong Kong's natural resources are limited, and food
  and raw materials must be imported. GDP growth averaged a strong 5%
  from 1989 to 2007, but the global financial crisis caused a sharp
  slowdown in the second half of 2008, pushing the territory into
  recession. Hong Kong continues to link its currency closely to the
  US dollar, maintaining an arrangement established in 1983.

Hungary
  Hungary has made the transition from a centrally planned to
  a market economy, with a per capita income nearly two-thirds that of
  the EU-25 average. The private sector accounts for more than 80% of
  GDP. Foreign ownership of and investment in Hungarian firms is
  widespread, with cumulative foreign direct investment totaling more
  than $200 billion since 1989. The government's IMF-mandated
  austerity measures, imposed since late 2006, have reduced the budget
  deficit from over 9% of GDP in 2006 to 3.3% in 2008. Hungary's
  impending inability to service its short-term debt - brought on by
  the global credit crunch in late 2008 - led Budapest to seek and
  receive an IMF-arranged financial assistance package worth over $25
  billion. The global financial crisis, declining exports, and low
  domestic consumption and fixed asset accumulation, dampened by
  government austerity measures, will result in a negative growth rate
  of about -1.5% to -2.5% in 2009.

Iceland
  Iceland's Scandinavian-type social-market economy combines a
  capitalist structure and free-market principles with an extensive
  welfare system, including generous housing subsidies. Prior to the
  2008 crisis, Iceland had achieved high growth, low unemployment, and
  a remarkably even distribution of income. Government economic
  priorities have included stabilizing the krona, reducing the current
  account deficit, containing inflation, restructuring the financial
  sector, and diversifying the economy. The economy depends heavily on
  the fishing industry, which provides 40% of export earnings, more
  than 12% of GDP, and employs 7% of the work force. It remains
  sensitive to declining fish stocks as well as to fluctuations in
  world prices for its main exports: fish and fish products, aluminum,
  and ferrosilicon. Iceland's economy has been diversifying into
  manufacturing and service industries in the last decade, with new
  developments in software production, biotechnology, and tourism.
  Abundant geothermal sources have attracted substantial foreign
  investment in the aluminum and hydropower sectors and boosted
  economic growth, although the financial crisis has put several
  investment projects on hold. Much of Iceland's economic growth in
  recent years came as the result of a boom in domestic demand
  following the rapid expansion of the country's financial sector.
  Domestic banks expanded aggressively in foreign markets, and
  consumers and businesses borrowed heavily in foreign-currency loans,
  following the privatization of the sector in the early 2000s.
  Worsening global financial conditions throughout 2008 resulted in a
  sharp depreciation of the krona vis-a-vis other major currencies.
  The foreign exposure of Icelandic banks, whose loans and other
  assets totaled more than 10 times the country's GDP, became
  unsustainable. Iceland's three largest banks collapsed in late 2008.
  The country negotiated over $10 billion in loans from the IMF and
  other countries to stabilize its currency and financial sector, and
  to guarantee foreign deposits in Icelandic banks. A protracted
  recession is expected in 2009 and 2010 with GDP likely to contract
  and unemployment likely to surpass 10%. The collapse of the
  financial system has led to a major shift in opinion in favor of
  joining the EU and adopting the euro. Previous opposition to this
  move stemmed from Icelanders' concern about losing control of their
  fishing resources. Iceland's coalition government collapsed in
  January 2009 following protests over growing joblessness and losses
  to personal savings.

India
  India's diverse economy encompasses traditional village
  farming, modern agriculture, handicrafts, a wide range of modern
  industries, and a multitude of services. Services are the major
  source of economic growth, accounting for more than half of India's
  output with less than one third of its labor force. Slightly more
  than half of the work force is in agriculture, leading the United
  Progressive Alliance (UPA) government to articulate a rural economic
  development program that includes creating basic infrastructure to
  improve the lives of the rural poor and boost economic performance.
  The government has reduced controls on foreign trade and investment.
  Higher limits on foreign direct investment were permitted in a few
  key sectors, such as telecommunications. However, tariff spikes in
  sensitive categories, including agriculture, and incremental
  progress on economic reforms still hinder foreign access to India's
  vast and growing market. Privatization of government-owned
  industries remains stalled and continues to generate political
  debate; populist pressure from within the UPA government had
  restrained needed initiatives. The economy has posted an average
  growth rate of more than 7% in the decade since 1997, reducing
  poverty by about 10 percentage points. India achieved 9.6% GDP
  growth in 2006, 9.0% in 2007, and 6.6% in 2008, significantly
  expanding manufactures through late 2008. India also is capitalizing
  on its large numbers of well-educated people skilled in the English
  language to become a major exporter of software services and
  software workers. Strong growth combined with easy consumer credit,
  a real estate boom, and fast-rising commodity prices fueled
  inflation concerns from mid-2006 to August 2008. Rising tax revenues
  from better tax administration and economic expansion helped New
  Delhi make progress in reducing its fiscal deficit for three
  straight years before skyrocketing global commodity prices more than
  doubled the cost of government energy and fertilizer subsidies. The
  ballooning subsidies, amidst slowing growth, brought the return of a
  large fiscal deficit in 2008. In the long run, the huge and growing
  population is the fundamental social, economic, and environmental
  problem.

Indian Ocean
  The Indian Ocean provides major sea routes connecting
  the Middle East, Africa, and East Asia with Europe and the Americas.
  It carries a particularly heavy traffic of petroleum and petroleum
  products from the oilfields of the Persian Gulf and Indonesia. Its
  fish are of great and growing importance to the bordering countries
  for domestic consumption and export. Fishing fleets from Russia,
  Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan also exploit the Indian Ocean, mainly
  for shrimp and tuna. Large reserves of hydrocarbons are being tapped
  in the offshore areas of Saudi Arabia, Iran, India, and western
  Australia. An estimated 40% of the world's offshore oil production
  comes from the Indian Ocean. Beach sands rich in heavy minerals and
  offshore placer deposits are actively exploited by bordering
  countries, particularly India, South Africa, Indonesia, Sri Lanka,
  and Thailand.

Indonesia
  Indonesia, a vast polyglot nation, has made significant
  economic advances under the administration of President YUDHOYONO
  but faces challenges stemming from the global financial crisis and
  world economic downturn. Indonesia's debt-to-GDP ratio in recent
  years has declined steadily because of increasingly robust GDP
  growth and sound fiscal stewardship. The government has introduced
  significant reforms in the financial sector, including in the areas
  of tax and customs, the use of Treasury bills, and capital market
  supervision. Indonesia's investment law, passed in March 2007, seeks
  to address some of the concerns of foreign and domestic investors.
  Indonesia still struggles with poverty and unemployment, inadequate
  infrastructure, corruption, a complex regulatory environment, and
  unequal resource distribution among regions. The non-bank financial
  sector, including pension funds and insurance, remains weak. Despite
  efforts to broaden and deepen capital markets, they remain
  underdeveloped. Economic difficulties in early 2008 centered on high
  global food and oil prices and their impact on Indonesia's poor and
  on the budget. The onset of the global financial crisis dampened
  inflationary pressures, but increased risk aversion for emerging
  market assets resulted in large losses in the stock market,
  significant depreciation of the rupiah, and a difficult environment
  for bond issuance. As global demand has slowed and prices for
  Indonesia's commodity exports have fallen, Indonesia faces the
  prospect of growth significantly below the 6-plus percent recorded
  in 2007 and 2008.

Iran
  Iran's economy is marked by an inefficient state sector,
  reliance on the oil sector, which provides the majority of
  government revenues, and statist policies, which create major
  distortions throughout the system. Most economic activity is
  controlled by the state. Private sector activity is typically
  limited to small-scale workshops, farming, and services. Price
  controls, subsidies, and other rigidities weigh down the economy,
  undermining the potential for private-sector-led growth. Significant
  informal market activity flourishes. Corruption and shortages of
  goods are widespread. President Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD has proposed
  reforms to Iran's system of price controls and subsidies,
  particularly on food and energy. However, previous government-led
  efforts at reform - such as fuel rationing in July 2007 and the
  imposition of the Value-Added Tax (VAT) in October 2008 - were met
  with stiff resistance and violent protests. High oil prices in
  recent years allowed Iran to greatly increase its export earnings
  and amass nearly $100 billion in foreign exchange reserves. But with
  oil prices currently below $40 per barrel, the Iranian government is
  facing difficulties. Tehran has formulated a 2009 budget that
  anticipates lower oil prices. The government has drawn down the
  country's Oil Stabilization Fund, and may be dipping into foreign
  exchange reserves. Iran continues to suffer from double-digit
  unemployment and inflation - inflation climbed to a 28% annual rate
  in 2008. Underemployment among Iran's educated youth has convinced
  many to seek jobs overseas, resulting in a significant "brain drain."

Iraq
  Decreasing insurgent attacks and an improving security
  environment in many parts of the country are helping to spur
  economic activity. Iraq's economy is dominated by the oil sector,
  which has traditionally provided over 90% of foreign exchange
  earnings. Oil exports are around levels seen before Operation Iraqi
  Freedom. Total government revenues have benefited from high oil
  prices in recent years; however, revenues have declined
  significantly since the oil price drop in fall 2008. Iraq is making
  some progress in building the institutions needed to implement
  economic policy. In March 2009 Iraq concluded a Stand-By Arrangement
  (SBA) with the IMF that details economic reforms. The SBA allows an
  80% reduction of the debt owed to Paris Club creditor nations. The
  International Compact with Iraq was established in May 2007 to
  integrate Iraq into the regional and global economy, and the Iraqi
  government is seeking to pass laws to strengthen its economy. This
  legislation includes a hydrocarbon law to establish a modern legal
  framework to allow Iraq to develop its resources and a revenue
  sharing law to equitably divide oil revenues within the nation,
  although both are still under contentious political negotiation.
  Some foreign entities have expressed interest in reinvigorating
  Iraq's industrial sector. The government of Iraq is pursuing a
  strategy to gain foreign participation in joint ventures with
  State-owned enterprises. Provincial Councils are also using their
  own budgets to promote and facilitate investment at the local level.
  The Central Bank has been successful in controlling inflation
  through appreciation of the dinar against the US dollar. However,
  Iraq's challenge will be to use macroeconomic gains to improve the
  lives of ordinary Iraqis. Reducing corruption and implementing
  structural reforms, such as bank restructuring and developing the
  private sector, will be key to Iraq's economic success.

Ireland
  Ireland is a small, modern, trade-dependent economy. GDP
  growth averaged 6% in 1995-2007, but economic activity dropped
  sharply in 2008 and Ireland entered into a recession for the first
  time in more than a decade with the onset of the world financial
  crisis and subsequent severe slowdown in the property and
  construction markets. Agriculture, once the most important sector,
  is now dwarfed by industry and services. Although the export sector,
  dominated by foreign multinationals, remains a key component of
  Ireland's economy, construction most recently fueled economic growth
  along with strong consumer spending and business investment.
  Property prices rose more rapidly in Ireland in the decade up to
  2006 than in any other developed world economy. Per capita GDP also
  surged during Ireland's high-growth years, and in 2007 surpassed
  that of the United States. The Irish Government has implemented a
  series of national economic programs designed to curb price and wage
  inflation, invest in infrastructure, increase labor force skills,
  and promote foreign investment. In 2008 the COWEN government moved
  to guarantee all bank deposits, recapitalize the banking system, and
  establish partly-public venture capital funds in response to the
  country's economic downturn. Ireland joined in circulating the euro
  on 1 January 2002 along with 11 other EU nations.

Isle of Man
  Offshore banking, manufacturing, and tourism are key
  sectors of the economy. The government offers incentives to
  high-technology companies and financial institutions to locate on
  the island; this has paid off in expanding employment opportunities
  in high-income industries. As a result, agriculture and fishing,
  once the mainstays of the economy, have declined in their
  contributions to GDP. The Isle of Man also attracts online gambling
  sites and the film industry. Trade is mostly with the UK. The Isle
  of Man enjoys free access to EU markets.

Israel
  Israel has a technologically advanced market economy with
  substantial, though diminishing, government participation. It
  depends on imports of crude oil, grains, raw materials, and military
  equipment. Despite limited natural resources, Israel has intensively
  developed its agricultural and industrial sectors over the past 20
  years. Israel imports substantial quantities of grain but is largely
  self-sufficient in other agricultural products. Cut diamonds,
  high-technology equipment, and agricultural products (fruits and
  vegetables) are the leading exports. Israel usually posts sizable
  trade deficits, which are covered by large transfer payments from
  abroad and by foreign loans. Roughly half of the government's
  external debt is owed to the US, its major source of economic and
  military aid. Israel's GDP, after contracting slightly in 2001 and
  2002 due to the Palestinian conflict and troubles in the
  high-technology sector, has grown by about 5% per year since 2003.
  The economy grew an estimated 3.9% in 2008, slowed by the global
  financial crisis. The government's prudent fiscal policy and
  structural reforms over the past few years have helped to induce
  strong foreign investment, tax revenues, and private consumption,
  setting the economy on a solid growth path.

Italy Italy has a diversified industrial economy, which is divided into a developed industrial north, dominated by private companies, and a less-developed, welfare-dependent, agricultural south, with high unemployment. The Italian economy is driven in large part by the manufacture of high-quality consumer goods produced by small and medium-sized enterprises. Italy also has a sizable underground economy, which by some estimates accounts for as much as 15% of GDP. These activities are most common within the agriculture, construction, and service sectors. Italy has moved slowly on implementing needed structural reforms, such as lightening the high tax burden and overhauling Italy's rigid labor market and over-generous pension system and these conditions will be exacerbated by the recent global financial crisis. The Italian government is seeking to rein in government spending, but the leadership faces a severe economic constraint: Italy's official debt remains above 100% of GDP, and the fiscal deficit - 1.5% of GDP in 2007 - could approach 3% in 2009 as political pressure to stimulate the economy and the costs of servicing Italy's debt rise. The economy will continue to contract through 2009 as the global demand for exports drop.

Jamaica
  The Jamaican economy is heavily dependent on services, which
  now account for more than 60% of GDP. The country continues to
  derive most of its foreign exchange from tourism, remittances, and
  bauxite/alumina. Remittances account for nearly 20% of GDP and are
  equivalent to tourism revenues. Jamaica's economy, already saddled
  with the lowest economic growth in Latin America, will face
  increasing difficulties as the global economy slows. The economy
  faces serious long-term problems: a sizable merchandise trade
  deficit, large-scale unemployment and underemployment, and a
  debt-to-GDP ratio of almost 130%. Jamaica's onerous debt burden -
  the fourth highest per capita - is the result of government bailouts
  to ailing sectors of the economy, most notably the financial sector
  in the mid-to-late 1990s. It hinders government spending on
  infrastructure and social programs as debt servicing accounts for
  nearly half of government expenditures. Inflation rose sharply in
  2008 as a result of high prices for imported food and oil and should
  fall in 2009 with the decline in international oil prices. High
  unemployment exacerbates the serious crime problem, including gang
  violence that is fueled by the drug trade. The GOLDING
  administration faces the difficult prospect of having to achieve
  fiscal discipline in order to maintain debt payments while
  simultaneously attacking a serious and growing crime problem that is
  hampering economic growth.

Jan Mayen
  Jan Mayen is a volcanic island with no exploitable natural
  resources. Economic activity is limited to providing services for
  employees of Norway's radio and meteorological stations on the
  island.

Japan In the years following World War II, government-industry cooperation, a strong work ethic, mastery of high technology, and a comparatively small defense allocation (1% of GDP) helped Japan advance with extraordinary speed to the rank of second most technologically powerful economy in the world after the US. Today, measured on a purchasing power parity (PPP) basis, Japan is the third-largest economy in the world after the US and China. Two notable characteristic of the post-war economy were the close interlocking structures of manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors, known as keiretsu, and the guarantee of lifetime employment for a substantial portion of the urban labor force. Both features are now eroding under the dual pressures of global competition and domestic demographic change. Japan's industrial sector is heavily dependent on imported raw materials and fuels. A tiny agricultural sector is highly subsidized and protected, with crop yields among the highest in the world. Usually self sufficient in rice, Japan imports about 60% of its food on a caloric basis. Japan maintains one of the world's largest fishing fleets and accounts for nearly 15% of the global catch. For three decades, overall real economic growth had been spectacular - a 10% average in the 1960s, a 5% average in the 1970s, and a 4% average in the 1980s. Growth slowed markedly in the 1990s, averaging just 1.7%, largely because of the after effects of inefficient investment and an asset price bubble in the late 1980s that required a protracted period of time for firms to reduce excess debt, capital, and labor. In October 2007 Japan's longest post-war period of economic expansion ended after 69 months and Japan entered into recession in 2008, with 2009 marking a return to near 0% interest rates. The 10-year privatization of Japan Post, which has functioned not only as the national postal delivery system but also, through its banking and insurance facilities as Japan's largest financial institution, was completed in October 2007, marking a major milestone in the process of structural reform. The Japanese financial sector was not heavily exposed to sub-prime mortgages or their derivative instruments and weathered the initial effect of the global credit crunch, but a sharp downturn in business investment and global demand for Japan's exports in late 2008 pushed Japan further into a recession. Japan's huge government debt, which totals 170% of GDP, and the aging of the population are two major long-run problems. Debate continues on the role of and effects of reform in restructuring the economy.

Jersey
  Jersey's economy is based on international financial
  services, agriculture, and tourism. In 2005 the finance sector
  accounted for about 50% of the island's output. Potatoes,
  cauliflower, tomatoes, and especially flowers are important export
  crops, shipped mostly to the UK. The Jersey breed of dairy cattle is
  known worldwide and represents an important export income earner.
  Milk products go to the UK and other EU countries. Tourism accounts
  for one-quarter of GDP. In recent years, the government has
  encouraged light industry to locate in Jersey, with the result that
  an electronics industry has developed, displacing more traditional
  industries. All raw material and energy requirements are imported,
  as well as a large share of Jersey's food needs. Light taxes and
  death duties make the island a popular tax haven. Living standards
  come close to those of the UK.

Jordan
  Jordan is a small Arab country with insufficient supplies of
  water, oil, and other natural resources. Poverty, unemployment, and
  inflation are fundamental problems, but King ABDALLAH II, since
  assuming the throne in 1999, has undertaken some broad economic
  reforms in a long-term effort to improve living standards. Since
  Jordan's graduation from its most recent IMF program in 2002, Amman
  has continued to follow IMF guidelines, practicing careful monetary
  policy, making substantial headway with privatization, and opening
  the trade regime. Jordan's exports have significantly increased
  under the free trade accord with the US and Jordanian Qualifying
  Industrial Zones (QIZ), which allow Jordan to export goods with some
  Israeli content duty free to the US. In 2006 and 2008, Jordan used
  privatization proceeds to significantly reduce its debt-to-GDP
  ratio. These measures have helped improve productivity and have made
  Jordan more attractive for foreign investment. The government ended
  subsidies for petroleum and other consumer goods in 2008 in an
  effort to control the budget. The main challenges facing Jordan are
  reducing dependence on foreign grants, reducing the growing budget
  deficit, attracting investments, and creating jobs. Jordan is
  currently exploring nuclear power generation to forestall energy
  shortfalls. Jordan's conservative banking sector has been largely
  protected from the worldwide financial crisis, but many businesses,
  particularly in the tourism and real estate sector, are predicting a
  slow-down in 2009.

Kazakhstan
  Kazakhstan, the largest of the former Soviet republics in
  territory, excluding Russia, possesses enormous fossil fuel reserves
  and plentiful supplies of other minerals and metals. It also has a
  large agricultural sector featuring livestock and grain.
  Kazakhstan's industrial sector rests on the extraction and
  processing of these natural resources. Kazakhstan enjoyed
  double-digit growth in 2000-01 and 8% or more per year in 2002-07 -
  thanks largely to its booming energy sector, but also to economic
  reform, good harvests, and increased foreign investment; growth
  slowed to 2.4% in 2008, however, as a result of declining oil prices
  and a softening world economy. Inflation reached 10% in 2007 and 17%
  in 2008. In the energy sector, the opening of the Caspian Pipeline
  Consortium in 2001, from western Kazakhstan's Tengiz oilfield to the
  Black Sea, substantially raised export capacity. In 2006, Kazakhstan
  completed the Atasu-Alashankou portion of an oil pipeline to China
  that is planned in future construction to extend from the country's
  Caspian coast eastward to the Chinese border. The country has
  embarked upon an industrial policy designed to diversify the economy
  away from overdependence on the oil sector by developing its
  manufacturing potential. The policy changed the corporate tax code
  to favor domestic industry as a means to reduce the influence of
  foreign investment and foreign personnel. The government has engaged
  in several disputes with foreign oil companies over the terms of
  production agreements, most recently, with regard to the Kashagan
  project in 2007-08. Since 2007, Astana has provided financial
  support to the banking sector which has been struggling with poor
  asset quality and large foreign loans.

Kenya
  The regional hub for trade and finance in East Africa, Kenya
  has been hampered by corruption and by reliance upon several primary
  goods whose prices have remained low. In 1997, the IMF suspended
  Kenya's Enhanced Structural Adjustment Program due to the
  government's failure to maintain reforms and curb corruption. A
  severe drought from 1999 to 2000 compounded Kenya's problems,
  causing water and energy rationing and reducing agricultural output.
  As a result, GDP contracted by 0.2% in 2000. The IMF, which had
  resumed loans in 2000 to help Kenya through the drought, again
  halted lending in 2001 when the government failed to institute
  several anticorruption measures. Despite the return of strong rains
  in 2001, weak commodity prices, endemic corruption, and low
  investment limited Kenya's economic growth to 1.2%. Growth lagged at
  1.1% in 2002 because of erratic rains, low investor confidence,
  meager donor support, and political infighting up to the elections.
  In the key December 2002 elections, Daniel Arap MOI's 24-year-old
  reign ended, and a new opposition government took on the formidable
  economic problems facing the nation. After some early progress in
  rooting out corruption and encouraging donor support, the KIBAKI
  government was rocked by high-level graft scandals in 2005 and 2006.
  In 2006, the World Bank and IMF delayed loans pending action by the
  government on corruption. The international financial institutions
  and donors have since resumed lending, despite little action on the
  government's part to deal with corruption. Post-election violence in
  early 2008, coupled with the effects of the global financial crisis
  on remittance and exports, reduced GDP growth to 2.2% in 2008, down
  from 7% the previous year.

Kiribati
  A remote country of 33 scattered coral atolls, Kiribati has
  few natural resources and is one of the least developed Pacific
  Islands. Commercially viable phosphate deposits were exhausted at
  the time of independence from the UK in 1979. Copra and fish now
  represent the bulk of production and exports. The economy has
  fluctuated widely in recent years. Economic development is
  constrained by a shortage of skilled workers, weak infrastructure,
  and remoteness from international markets. Tourism provides more
  than one-fifth of GDP. Private sector initiatives and a financial
  sector are in the early stages of development. Foreign financial aid
  from the EU, UK, US, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, UN
  agencies, and Taiwan accounts for 20-25% of GDP. Remittances from
  seamen on merchant ships abroad account for more than $5 million
  each year. Kiribati receives around $15 million annually for the
  government budget from an Australian trust fund.

Korea, North
  North Korea, one of the world's most centrally directed
  and least open economies, faces chronic economic problems.
  Industrial capital stock is nearly beyond repair as a result of
  years of underinvestment and shortages of spare parts. Large-scale
  military spending draws off resources needed for investment and
  civilian consumption. Industrial and power output have declined in
  parallel from pre-1990 levels. Severe flooding in the summer of 2007
  aggravated chronic food shortages caused by on-going systemic
  problems including a lack of arable land, collective farming
  practices, and persistent shortages of tractors and fuel.
  Large-scale international food aid deliveries have allowed the
  people of North Korea to escape widespread starvation since famine
  threatened in 1995, but the population continues to suffer from
  prolonged malnutrition and poor living conditions. Since 2002, the
  government has allowed private "farmers' markets" to begin selling a
  wider range of goods. It also permitted some private farming - on an
  experimental basis - in an effort to boost agricultural output. In
  October 2005, the government tried to reverse some of these policies
  by forbidding private sales of grains and reinstituting a
  centralized food rationing system. By December 2005, the government
  terminated most international humanitarian assistance operations in
  North Korea (calling instead for developmental assistance only) and
  restricted the activities of remaining international and
  non-governmental aid organizations such as the World Food Program.
  External food aid now comes primarily from China and South Korea in
  the form of grants and long-term concessional loans. In May 2008,
  the US agreed to give 500,000 metric tons of food to North Korea via
  the World Food Program and US nongovernmental organizations;
  Pyongyang began receiving these shipments in mid-2008. During the
  October 2007 summit, South Korea also agreed to develop some of
  North Korea's infrastructure, natural resources, and light industry,
  but inter-Korean economic cooperation slowed in 2008 as Pyongyang
  restricted tourism and manufacturing joint ventures in the North,
  and food aid from South Korea was suspended. Firm political control
  remains the Communist government's overriding concern, which will
  likely inhibit the loosening of economic regulations.

Korea, South
  Since the 1960s, South Korea has achieved an incredible
  record of growth and integration into the high-tech modern world
  economy. Four decades ago, GDP per capita was comparable with levels
  in the poorer countries of Africa and Asia. In 2004, South Korea
  joined the trillion dollar club of world economies. In 2008, its GDP
  per capita was roughly the same as that of the Czech Republic and
  New Zealand. Initially, this success was achieved by a system of
  close government/business ties including directed credit, import
  restrictions, sponsorship of specific industries, and a strong labor
  effort. The government promoted the import of raw materials and
  technology at the expense of consumer goods and encouraged savings
  and investment over consumption. The Asian financial crisis of
  1997-98 exposed longstanding weaknesses in South Korea's development
  model including high debt/equity ratios, massive foreign borrowing,
  and an undisciplined financial sector. GDP plunged by 6.9% in 1998,
  then recovered by 9% in 1999-2000. Korea adopted numerous economic
  reforms following the crisis, including greater openness to foreign
  investment and imports. Growth fell back to 3.3% in 2001 because of
  the slowing global economy, falling exports, and the perception that
  much-needed corporate and financial reforms had stalled. Led by
  consumer spending and exports, growth in 2002 was an impressive 7%
  despite anemic global growth. Between 2003 and 2007, growth
  moderated to about 4-5% annually. A downturn in consumer spending
  was offset by rapid export growth. In 2008, inflation increased in
  the face of rising oil and food prices before easing in the fourth
  quarter. Korea was hit hard by the global financial turmoil that
  began in September 2008. Stock prices fell by more than 40% for the
  year and the value of the won fell by approximately 26%. Korean GDP
  shrank in the fourth quarter and GDP growth for the year was just
  2.2%. The Korean government adopted several measures to combat the
  credit crunch and stimulate the economy.

Kosovo
  Over the past few years Kosovo's economy has shown
  significant progress in transitioning to a market-based system and
  maintaining macroeconomic stability, but it is still highly
  dependent on the international community and the diaspora for
  financial and technical assistance. Remittances from the diaspora -
  located mainly in Germany and Switzerland - are estimated to account
  for about 15% of GDP, and donor-financed activities and aid for
  another 15%. Kosovo's citizens are the poorest in Europe with an
  average annual per capita income of only $2,300. Unemployment,
  around 40% of the population, is a significant problem that
  encourages outward migration and black market activity. Most of
  Kosovo's population lives in rural towns outside of the capital,
  Pristina. Inefficient, near-subsistence farming is common - the
  result of small plots, limited mechanization, and lack of technical
  expertise. With international assistance, Kosovo has been able to
  privatize 50% of its state-owned enterprises (SOEs) by number, and
  over 90% of SOEs by value. Minerals and metals - including lignite,
  lead, zinc, nickel, chrome, aluminum, magnesium, and a wide variety
  of construction materials - once formed the backbone of industry,
  but output has declined because of ageing equipment and insufficient
  investment. A limited and unreliable electricity supply due to
  technical and financial problems is a major impediment to economic
  development. Kosovo's Ministry of Energy and Mining has solicited
  expressions of interest from private investors to develop a new
  power plant in order to address Kosovo and the region's unmet and
  growing demands for power. The official currency of Kosovo is the
  euro, but the Serbian dinar is also used in Serb enclaves. Kosovo's
  tie to the euro has helped keep core inflation low. Kosovo has one
  of the most open economies in the region, and continues to work with
  the international community on measures to improve the business
  environment and attract foreign investment.

Kuwait
  Kuwait is a small, rich, relatively open economy with
  self-reported crude oil reserves of about 104 billion barrels - 8%
  of world reserves. Petroleum accounts for nearly half of GDP, 95% of
  export revenues, and 80% of government income. Kuwait experienced
  rapid economic growth over the last several years on the back of
  high oil prices and in 2008 posted its tenth consecutive budget
  surplus. As a result of this positive fiscal situation, the need for
  economic reforms was less urgent and the government did not push
  through new initiatives. The drop in oil prices in late 2008 will
  reduce Kuwait's fiscal surplus in 2009. The global financial crisis
  may slow the pace of investment and development projects, but Kuwait
  has vowed to use its considerable financial resources to stabilize
  the economy if necessary.

Kyrgyzstan
  Kyrgyzstan is a poor, mountainous country with a
  predominantly agricultural economy. Cotton, tobacco, wool, and meat
  are the main agricultural products, although only tobacco and cotton
  are exported in any quantity. Industrial exports include gold,
  mercury, uranium, natural gas, and electricity. Following
  independence, Kyrgyzstan was progressive in carrying out market
  reforms such as an improved regulatory system and land reform.
  Kyrgyzstan was the first Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)
  country to be accepted into the World Trade Organization. Much of
  the government's stock in enterprises has been sold. Drops in
  production had been severe after the breakup of the Soviet Union in
  December 1991, but by mid-1995, production began to recover and
  exports began to increase. The economy is heavily weighted toward
  gold export and a drop in output at the main Kumtor gold mine
  sparked a 0.5% decline in GDP in 2002 and a 0.6% decline in 2005.
  The government made steady strides in controlling its substantial
  fiscal deficit, nearly closing the gap between revenues and
  expenditures in 2006, before boosting expenditures more than 20% in
  2007-08. The government and international financial institutions
  have been engaged in a comprehensive medium-term poverty reduction
  and economic growth strategy. In 2005, Bishkek agreed to pursue
  much-needed tax reform and, in 2006, became eligible for the heavily
  indebted poor countries (HIPC) initiative. Progress fighting
  corruption, further restructuring of domestic industry, and success
  in attracting foreign investment are keys to future growth. GDP grew
  more than 6% annually in 2007-08, partly due to higher gold prices
  internationally, but growth is likely to decline from that level in
  2009, due to declining demand and lower commodity prices in the wake
  of the international financial crisis.

Laos
  The government of Laos, one of the few remaining one-party
  Communist states, began decentralizing control and encouraging
  private enterprise in 1986. The results, starting from an extremely
  low base, were striking - growth averaged 6% per year from 1988-2008
  except during the short-lived drop caused by the Asian financial
  crisis that began in 1997. Despite this high growth rate, Laos
  remains a country with an underdeveloped infrastructure,
  particularly in rural areas. It has no railroads, a rudimentary road
  system, and limited external and internal telecommunications, though
  the government is sponsoring major improvements in the road system
  with support from Japan and China. Electricity is available in urban
  areas and in many rural districts. Subsistence agriculture,
  dominated by rice, accounts for about 40% of GDP and provides 80% of
  total employment. The government depends upon aid from international
  donors for over 80% of its capital investment. The economy has until
  recently benefited from high foreign investment in hydropower,
  mining, and construction. The fiscal crisis of late 2008, and the
  rapid drop in commodity prices - especially copper - has slowed
  these investments. Several policy changes since 2004 may help spur
  growth. Laos, which gained Normal Trade Relations status with the US
  in 2004, is taking steps to join the World Trade Organization.
  Related trade policy reforms will improve the business environment.
  On the fiscal side, a value-added tax (VAT) regime, which began with
  a few large businesses in early 2009, should slowly help streamline
  the government's inefficient tax system. Economic prospects will
  improve gradually as the administration continues to simplify
  investment procedures and as a more competitive banking sector
  extends credit to small farmers and small entrepreneurs. The
  government appears committed to raising the country's profile among
  investors. Foreign donors have praised the Lao government for its
  efforts to improve the investment regime. The World Bank has
  declared that Laos' goal of graduating from the UN Development
  Program's list of least-developed countries by 2020 could be
  achievable.

Latvia
  Latvia's economy experienced GDP growth of more than 10% per
  year during 2006-07; but entered a severe recession in 2008 as a
  result of an unsustainable current account deficit and large debt
  exposure amid the softening world economy. The IMF, EU, and other
  donors provided assistance to Latvia as part of an agreement to
  defend the currency's peg to the euro and reduce the fiscal deficit
  to about 5% of GDP. The majority of companies, banks, and real
  estate have been privatized, although the state still holds sizable
  stakes in a few large enterprises. Latvia officially joined the
  World Trade Organization in February 1999. EU membership, a top
  foreign policy goal, came in May 2004. The current account deficit
  and inflation remain major concerns.

Lebanon
  Lebanon has a free-market economy and a strong laissez-faire
  commercial tradition. The government does not restrict foreign
  investment; however, the investment climate suffers from red tape,
  corruption, arbitrary licensing decisions, high taxes, tariffs, and
  fees, archaic legislation, and weak intellectual property rights.
  The Lebanese economy is service-oriented; main growth sectors
  include banking and tourism. The 1975-90 civil war seriously damaged
  Lebanon's economic infrastructure, cut national output by half, and
  all but ended Lebanon's position as a Middle Eastern entrepot and
  banking hub. In the years since, Lebanon has rebuilt much of its
  war-torn physical and financial infrastructure by borrowing heavily
  - mostly from domestic banks. In an attempt to reduce the ballooning
  national debt, the Rafiq HARIRI government in 2000 began an
  austerity program, reining in government expenditures, increasing
  revenue collection, and passing legislation to privatize state
  enterprises, but economic and financial reform initiatives stalled
  and public debt continued to grow despite receipt of more than $2
  billion in bilateral assistance at the 2002 Paris II Donors
  Conference. The Israeli-Hizballah conflict in July-August 2006
  caused an estimated $3.6 billion in infrastructure damage, and
  prompted international donors to pledge nearly $1 billion in
  recovery and reconstruction assistance. Donors met again in January
  2007 at the Paris III Donor Conference and pledged more than $7.5
  billion to Lebanon for development projects and budget support,
  conditioned on progress on Beirut's fiscal reform and privatization
  program. An 18-month political stalemate and sporadic sectarian and
  political violence hampered economic activity, particularly tourism,
  retail sales, and investment, until the new government was formed in
  July 2008. Political stability since the Doha Accord of May 2008 has
  helped to boost investment and tourism, but economic growth is
  likely to slow in 2009 as a result of the global economic recession.

Lesotho
  Small, landlocked, and mountainous, Lesotho relies on
  remittances from miners employed in South Africa and customs duties
  from the Southern Africa Customs Union for the majority of
  government revenue. However, the government has recently
  strengthened its tax system to reduce dependency on customs duties.
  Completion of a major hydropower facility in January 1998 permitted
  the sale of water to South Africa and generated royalties for
  Lesotho. Lesotho produces about 90% of its own electrical power
  needs. As the number of mineworkers has declined steadily over the
  past several years, a small manufacturing base has developed based
  on farm products that support the milling, canning, leather, and
  jute industries, as well as a rapidly expanding apparel-assembly
  sector. The latter has grown significantly mainly due to Lesotho
  qualifying for the trade benefits contained in the Africa Growth and
  Opportunity Act. The economy is still primarily based on subsistence
  agriculture, especially livestock, although drought has decreased
  agricultural activity. The extreme inequality in the distribution of
  income remains a major drawback. Lesotho has signed an Interim
  Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility with the IMF. In July 2007,
  Lesotho signed a Millennium Challenge Account Compact with the US
  worth $362.5 million.

Liberia
  Civil war and government mismanagement destroyed much of
  Liberia's economy, especially the infrastructure in and around the
  capital, Monrovia. Many businesses fled the country, taking capital
  and expertise with them, but with the conclusion of fighting and the
  installation of a democratically-elected government in 2006, some
  have returned. Richly endowed with water, mineral resources,
  forests, and a climate favorable to agriculture, Liberia had been a
  producer and exporter of basic products - primarily raw timber and
  rubber. Local manufacturing, mainly foreign owned, had been small in
  scope. President JOHNSON SIRLEAF, a Harvard-trained banker and
  administrator, has taken steps to reduce corruption, build support
  from international donors, and encourage private investment.
  Embargos on timber and diamond exports have been lifted, opening new
  sources of revenue for the government. The reconstruction of
  infrastructure and the raising of incomes in this ravaged economy
  will largely depend on generous financial and technical assistance
  from donor countries and foreign investment in key sectors, such as
  infrastructure and power generation.

Libya
  The Libyan economy depends primarily upon revenues from the
  oil sector, which contribute about 95% of export earnings, about
  one-quarter of GDP, and 60% of public sector wages. The expected
  weakness in world hydrocarbon prices throughout 2009 will reduce
  Libyan government tax income and constrain Libyan economic growth in
  2009. Substantial revenues from the energy sector coupled with a
  small population give Libya one of the highest per capita GDPs in
  Africa, but little of this income flows down to the lower orders of
  society. Libyan officials in the past five years have made progress
  on economic reforms as part of a broader campaign to reintegrate the
  country into the international fold. This effort picked up steam
  after UN sanctions were lifted in September 2003 and as Libya
  announced in December 2003 that it would abandon programs to build
  weapons of mass destruction. UN Sanctions against Libya were lifted
  in September 2003. The process of lifting US unilateral sanctions
  began in the spring of 2004; all sanctions were removed by June
  2006, helping Libya attract greater foreign direct investment,
  especially in the energy sector. Libyan oil and gas licensing rounds
  continue to draw high international interest; the National Oil
  Company set a goal of nearly doubling oil production to 3 million
  bbl/day by 2012. Libya faces a long road ahead in liberalizing the
  socialist-oriented economy, but initial steps - including applying
  for WTO membership, reducing some subsidies, and announcing plans
  for privatization - are laying the groundwork for a transition to a
  more market-based economy. The non-oil manufacturing and
  construction sectors, which account for more than 20% of GDP, have
  expanded from processing mostly agricultural products to include the
  production of petrochemicals, iron, steel, and aluminum. Climatic
  conditions and poor soils severely limit agricultural output, and
  Libya imports about 75% of its food. Libya's primary agricultural
  water source remains the Great Manmade River Project, but
  significant resources are being invested in desalinization research
  to meet growing water demands.

Liechtenstein
  Despite its small size and limited natural resources,
  Liechtenstein has developed into a prosperous, highly
  industrialized, free-enterprise economy with a vital financial
  service sector and the highest per capita income in the world. The
  Liechtenstein economy is widely diversified with a large number of
  small businesses. Low business taxes - the maximum tax rate is 20% -
  and easy incorporation rules have induced many holding companies to
  establish nominal offices in Liechtenstein, providing 30% of state
  revenues. The country participates in a customs union with
  Switzerland and uses the Swiss franc as its national currency. It
  imports more than 90% of its energy requirements. Liechtenstein has
  been a member of the European Economic Area (an organization serving
  as a bridge between the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and
  the EU) since May 1995. The government is working to harmonize its
  economic policies with those of an integrated Europe. In 2008
  Liechtenstein came under renewed international pressure -
  particularly from Germany - to improve transparency in its banking
  and tax systems.

Lithuania
  Lithuania's economy grew on average 8% per year for the
  four years prior to 2008, driven by exports and domestic consumer
  demand. Unemployment stood at 4.8% in 2008, while wages grew at
  double digit rates. The current account deficit rose to roughly 15%
  of GDP in 2007-08. Lithuania has gained membership in the World
  Trade Organization and joined the EU in May 2004. Despite
  Lithuania's EU accession, Lithuania's trade with its Central and
  Eastern European neighbors, and Russia in particular, accounts for a
  growing percentage of total trade. Privatization of the large,
  state-owned utilities is nearly complete. Foreign government and
  business support have helped in the transition from the old command
  economy to a market economy.

Luxembourg
  This stable, high-income economy - benefiting from its
  proximity to France, Belgium, and Germany - has historically
  featured solid growth, low inflation, and low unemployment. The
  industrial sector, initially dominated by steel, has become
  increasingly diversified to include chemicals, rubber, and other
  products. Growth in the financial sector, which now accounts for
  about 28% of GDP, has more than compensated for the decline in
  steel. Most banks are foreign owned and have extensive foreign
  dealings. Agriculture is based on small family-owned farms. The
  economy depends on foreign and cross-border workers for about 60% of
  its labor force. Although Luxembourg, like all EU members, suffered
  from the global economic slump in the early part of this decade, the
  country continues to enjoy an extraordinarily high standard of
  living - GDP per capita ranks third in the world, after
  Liechtenstein and Qatar. After two years of strong economic growth
  in 2006-07, turmoil in the world financial markets trimmed
  Luxembourg's economy in 2008.

Macau
  Macau's economy has enjoyed strong growth in recent years on
  the back of its expanding tourism and gaming sectors. After opening
  up its locally-controlled casino industry to foreign competition in
  2001, the territory attracted tens of billions of dollars in foreign
  investment, transforming Macao into the world's largest gaming
  center. By 2006, Macau's gaming revenue surpassed that of the Las
  Vegas strip, and gaming-related taxes accounted for 75% of total
  government revenue. In 2008, government revenue from gaming was set
  to double 2006 collections. The expanding casino sector, and China's
  decision beginning in 2002 to relax travel restrictions, reenergized
  Macau's tourism industry. This city of just over 500,000 hosted more
  than 30 million visitors in 2008. Almost 60% came from mainland
  China despite increasing restrictions on travel to the SAR. Macau's
  traditional manufacturing industry has been in a slow decline since
  the termination of the Multi-Fiber Agreement in 2005. In 2008,
  exports of textiles and garments generated only $1.1 billion,
  compared to $13.7 billion in gross gaming receipts. The Closer
  Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between Macau and mainland
  China that came into effect on 1 January 2004 offers many Macau-made
  products tariff-free access to the mainland. Macau's currency, the
  Pataca, is closely tied to the Hong Kong dollar, which is also
  freely accepted in the territory.

Macedonia
  Having a small, open economy makes Macedonia vulnerable to
  economic developments in Europe and dependent on regional
  integration and progress toward EU membership for continued economic
  growth. At independence in September 1991, Macedonia was the least
  developed of the Yugoslav republics, producing a mere 5% of the
  total federal output of goods and services. The collapse of
  Yugoslavia ended transfer payments from the central government and
  eliminated advantages from inclusion in a de facto free trade area.
  An absence of infrastructure, UN sanctions on the downsized
  Yugoslavia, and a Greek economic embargo over a dispute about the
  country's constitutional name and flag hindered economic growth
  until 1996. GDP subsequently rose each year through 2000. In 2001,
  during a civil conflict, the economy shrank 4.5% because of
  decreased trade, intermittent border closures, increased deficit
  spending on security needs, and investor uncertainty. Growth
  averaged 4% per year during 2003-06 and more than 5% per year during
  2007-08. Macedonia has maintained macroeconomic stability with low
  inflation, but it has so far lagged the region in attracting foreign
  investment and creating jobs, despite making extensive fiscal and
  business sector reforms. Official unemployment remains high at
  nearly 35%, but may be overstated based on the existence of an
  extensive gray market, estimated to be more than 20% of GDP, that is
  not captured by official statistics. In the wake of the global
  economic downturn, Macedonia has experienced decreased foreign
  direct investment, lowered credit, and a slowdown of export growth.
  The Government of Macedonia now predicts growth in 2009 to be no
  more than 3%.

Madagascar
  Having discarded past socialist economic policies,
  Madagascar has since the mid 1990s followed a World Bank- and
  IMF-led policy of privatization and liberalization. This strategy
  placed the country on a slow and steady growth path from an
  extremely low level. Agriculture, including fishing and forestry, is
  a mainstay of the economy, accounting for more than one-fourth of
  GDP and employing 80% of the population. Exports of apparel have
  boomed in recent years primarily due to duty-free access to the US.
  Deforestation and erosion, aggravated by the use of firewood as the
  primary source of fuel, are serious concerns. President RAVALOMANANA
  has worked aggressively to revive the economy following the 2002
  political crisis, which triggered a 12% drop in GDP that year.
  Poverty reduction and combating corruption will be the centerpieces
  of economic policy for the next few years.

Malawi
  Landlocked Malawi ranks among the world's most densely
  populated and least developed countries. The economy is
  predominately agricultural with about 85% of the population living
  in rural areas. Agriculture accounts for more than one-third of GDP
  and 90% of export revenues. The performance of the tobacco sector is
  key to short-term growth as tobacco accounts for more than half of
  exports. The economy depends on substantial inflows of economic
  assistance from the IMF, the World Bank, and individual donor
  nations. In December 2007, the US granted Malawi eligibility status
  to receive financial support within the Millennium Challenge
  Corporation (MCC) initiative. Malawi will now begin a consultative
  process to develop a five-year program before funding can begin. In
  2006, Malawi was approved for relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor
  Countries (HIPC) program. The government faces many challenges
  including developing a market economy, improving educational
  facilities, facing up to environmental problems, dealing with the
  rapidly growing problem of HIV/AIDS, and satisfying foreign donors
  that fiscal discipline is being tightened. In 2005, President
  MUTHARIKA championed an anticorruption campaign. Since 2005
  President MUTHARIKA'S government has exhibited improved financial
  discipline under the guidance of Finance Minister Goodall GONDWE and
  signed a three year Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility worth $56
  million with the IMF. Improved relations with the IMF lead other
  international donors to resume aid as well.

Malaysia
  Malaysia, a middle-income country, has transformed itself
  since the 1970s from a producer of raw materials into an emerging
  multi-sector economy. After coming to office in 2003, former Prime
  Minister ABDULLAH tried to move the economy farther up the
  value-added production chain by attracting investments in high
  technology industries, medical technology, and pharmaceuticals. The
  Government of Malaysia is continuing efforts to boost domestic
  demand to wean the economy off of its dependence on exports.
  Nevertheless, exports - particularly of electronics - remain a
  significant driver of the economy. As an oil and gas exporter,
  Malaysia has profited from higher world energy prices, although the
  rising cost of domestic gasoline and diesel fuel forced Kuala Lumpur
  to reduce government subsidies. Malaysia "unpegged" the ringgit from
  the US dollar in 2005 and the currency appreciated 6% per year
  against the dollar in 2006-08. Although this has helped to hold down
  the price of imports, inflationary pressures began to build in 2007
  - in 2008 inflation stood at nearly 6%, year-over-year. The
  government presented its five-year national development agenda in
  April 2006 through the Ninth Malaysia Plan, a comprehensive
  blueprint for the allocation of the national budget from 2006-10.
  ABDULLAH unveiled a series of ambitious development schemes for
  several regions that have had trouble attracting business
  investment. Real GDP growth averaged about 6% per year under
  ABDULLAH, but regions outside of Kuala Lumpur and the manufacturing
  hub Penang did not fare as well. The central bank maintains healthy
  foreign exchange reserves and the regulatory regime has limited
  Malaysia's exposure to riskier financial instruments and the global
  financial crisis. Decreasing worldwide demand for consumer goods is
  expected to hurt economic growth in 2009 and beyond, however.

Maldives
  Tourism, Maldives' largest industry, accounts for 28% of
  GDP and more than 60% of foreign exchange receipts. Over 90% of
  government tax revenue comes from import duties and tourism-related
  taxes. Fishing is the second leading sector. Agriculture and
  manufacturing continue to play a lesser role in the economy,
  constrained by the limited availability of cultivable land and the
  shortage of domestic labor. Most staple foods must be imported.
  Industry, which consists mainly of garment production, boat
  building, and handicrafts, accounts for about 7% of GDP. The
  Maldivian Government began an economic reform program in 1989
  initially by lifting import quotas and opening some exports to the
  private sector. Subsequently, it has liberalized regulations to
  allow more foreign investment. Real GDP growth averaged over 7.5%
  per year for more than a decade. In late December 2004, a major
  tsunami left more than 100 dead, 12,000 displaced, and property
  damage exceeding $300 million. As a result of the tsunami, the GDP
  contracted by about 4.6% in 2005. A rebound in tourism, post-tsunami
  reconstruction, and development of new resorts helped the economy
  recover quickly, with GDP growth registering 18% in 2006. Growth
  slowed in 2007-08, but remained above 5% per year. The trade deficit
  expanded sharply as a result of high oil prices and imports of
  construction material. Government spending on social needs,
  subsidies, and civil servant salaries have created a large budget
  deficit and inflation has picked up sharply, reaching nearly 13% in
  October 2008 due to high oil and food prices. Diversifying beyond
  tourism and fishing, reforming public finance, and increasing
  employment are the major challenges facing the government. Over the
  longer term Maldivian authorities worry about the impact of erosion
  and possible global warming on their low-lying country; 80% of the
  area is 1 meter or less above sea level.

Mali
  Mali is among the 25 poorest countries in the world, with 65%
  of its land area desert or semidesert and with a highly unequal
  distribution of income. Economic activity is largely confined to the
  riverine area irrigated by the Niger. About 10% of the population is
  nomadic and some 80% of the labor force is engaged in farming and
  fishing. Industrial activity is concentrated on processing farm
  commodities. Mali is heavily dependent on foreign aid and vulnerable
  to fluctuations in world prices for gold and cotton, its main
  exports. The government has continued its successful implementation
  of an IMF-recommended structural adjustment program that is helping
  the economy grow, diversify, and attract foreign investment. Mali
  has invested in tourism and a tractor assembly factory. Mali's
  adherence to economic reform and the 50% devaluation of the CFA
  franc in January 1994 have pushed up economic growth to a 5% average
  in 1996-2008. Worker remittances and external trade routes for the
  landlocked country have been jeopardized by continued unrest in
  neighboring Cote d'Ivoire, however, Mali is building a road network
  that will connect it to all adjacent countries and it has a railway
  line to Senegal.

Malta
  Malta produces only about 20% of its food needs, has limited
  fresh water supplies, and has few domestic energy sources. Malta's
  geographic position between the EU and Africa makes it a recipient
  of illegal immigration, which has strained Malta's political and
  economic resources. The financial services industry has grown in
  recent years, but is not fully modernized. Malta's economy is
  dependent on foreign trade, manufacturing - especially electronics
  and pharmaceuticals - and tourism all of which have been negatively
  affected by the global economic downturn. Malta adopted the euro on
  1 January 2008. The Maltese government in 2009 will be challenged to
  contain the budget deficit, which ballooned in 2008 to about 4.1% of
  GDP, placing it above the euro zone's 3% maximum.

Marshall Islands
  US Government assistance is the mainstay of this
  tiny island economy. The Marshall Islands received more than $1
  billion in aid from the US from 1986-2002. Agricultural production,
  primarily subsistence, is concentrated on small farms; the most
  important commercial crops are coconuts and breadfruit. Small-scale
  industry is limited to handicrafts, tuna processing, and copra. The
  tourist industry, now a small source of foreign exchange employing
  less than 10% of the labor force, remains the best hope for future
  added income. The islands have few natural resources, and imports
  far exceed exports. Under the terms of the Amended Compact of Free
  Association, the US will provide millions of dollars per year to the
  Marshall Islands (RMI) through 2023, at which time a Trust Fund made
  up of US and RMI contributions will begin perpetual annual payouts.
  Government downsizing, drought, a drop in construction, the decline
  in tourism, and less income from the renewal of fishing vessel
  licenses have held GDP growth to an average of 1% over the past
  decade.

Mauritania
  Half the population still depends on agriculture and
  livestock for a livelihood, even though many of the nomads and
  subsistence farmers were forced into the cities by recurrent
  droughts in the 1970s and 1980s. Mauritania has extensive deposits
  of iron ore, which account for nearly 40% of total exports. The
  nation's coastal waters are among the richest fishing areas in the
  world, but overexploitation by foreigners threatens this key source
  of revenue. The country's first deepwater port opened near
  Nouakchott in 1986. Before 2000, drought and economic mismanagement
  resulted in a buildup of foreign debt. In February 2000, Mauritania
  qualified for debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries
  (HIPC) initiative and nearly all of its foreign debt has since been
  forgiven. In December 2007 donors pledged $2.1 billion at a
  triennial Consultative Group review. A new investment code approved
  in December 2001 improved the opportunities for direct foreign
  investment. Mauritania and the IMF agreed to a three-year Poverty
  Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) arrangement in 2006 and
  Mauritania made satisfactory progress, but IMF and World Bank
  suspended their programs in Mauritania following the August 2008
  coup; following the July 2009 Presidential elections, the IMF and
  World Bank agreed to meet with the Goverment to discuss a
  resumption. Oil prospects, while initially promising, have largely
  failed to materialize. The Government continues to emphasize
  reduction of poverty, improvement of health and education, and
  privatization of the economy.

Mauritius
  Since independence in 1968, Mauritius has developed from a
  low-income, agriculturally based economy to a middle-income
  diversified economy with growing industrial, financial, and tourist
  sectors. For most of the period, annual growth has been in the order
  of 5% to 6%. This remarkable achievement has been reflected in more
  equitable income distribution, increased life expectancy, lowered
  infant mortality, and a much-improved infrastructure. The economy
  rests on sugar, tourism, textiles and apparel, and financial
  services, and is expanding into fish processing, information and
  communications technology, and hospitality and property development.
  Sugarcane is grown on about 90% of the cultivated land area and
  accounts for 15% of export earnings. The government's development
  strategy centers on creating vertical and horizontal clusters of
  development in these sectors. Mauritius has attracted more than
  32,000 offshore entities, many aimed at commerce in India, South
  Africa, and China. Investment in the banking sector alone has
  reached over $1 billion. Mauritius, with its strong textile sector,
  has been well poised to take advantage of the Africa Growth and
  Opportunity Act (AGOA).

Mayotte
  Economic activity is based primarily on the agricultural
  sector, including fishing and livestock raising. Mayotte is not
  self-sufficient and must import a large portion of its food
  requirements, mainly from France. The economy and future development
  of the island are heavily dependent on French financial assistance,
  an important supplement to GDP. Mayotte's remote location is an
  obstacle to the development of tourism.

Mexico
  Mexico has a free market economy in the trillion dollar
  class. It contains a mixture of modern and outmoded industry and
  agriculture, increasingly dominated by the private sector. Recent
  administrations have expanded competition in seaports, railroads,
  telecommunications, electricity generation, natural gas
  distribution, and airports. Per capita income is roughly one-third
  that of the US; income distribution remains highly unequal. Trade
  with the US and Canada has nearly tripled since the implementation
  of NAFTA in 1994. Mexico has 12 free trade agreements with over 40
  countries including, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, the European
  Free Trade Area, and Japan, putting more than 90% of trade under
  free trade agreements. In 2007, during its first year in office, the
  Felipe CALDERON administration was able to garner support from the
  opposition to successfully pass a pension and a fiscal reform. The
  administration continues to face many economic challenges including
  the need to upgrade infrastructure, modernize labor laws, and allow
  private investment in the energy sector. CALDERON has stated that
  his top economic priorities remain reducing poverty and creating
  jobs.

Micronesia, Federated States of
  Economic activity consists primarily
  of subsistence farming and fishing. The islands have few mineral
  deposits worth exploiting, except for high-grade phosphate. The
  potential for a tourist industry exists, but the remote location, a
  lack of adequate facilities, and limited air connections hinder
  development. Under the original terms of the Compact of Free
  Association, the US provided $1.3 billion in grant aid during the
  period 1986-2001; the level of aid has been subsequently reduced.
  The Amended Compact of Free Association with the US guarantees the
  Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) millions of dollars in annual
  aid through 2023, and establishes a Trust Fund into which the US and
  the FSM make annual contributions in order to provide annual payouts
  to the FSM in perpetuity after 2023. The country's medium-term
  economic outlook appears fragile due not only to the reduction in US
  assistance but also to the current slow growth of the private sector.

Moldova
  Moldova remains one of the poorest countries in Europe
  despite recent progress from its small economic base. It enjoys a
  favorable climate and good farmland but has no major mineral
  deposits. As a result, the economy depends heavily on agriculture,
  featuring fruits, vegetables, wine, and tobacco. Moldova must import
  almost all of its energy supplies. Moldova's dependence on Russian
  energy was underscored at the end of 2005, when a Russian-owned
  electrical station in Moldova's separatist Transnistria region cut
  off power to Moldova and Russia's Gazprom cut off natural gas in
  disputes over pricing, and again in January 2009, during a similar
  dispute. Russia's decision to ban Moldovan wine and agricultural
  products, coupled with its decision to double the price Moldova paid
  for Russian natural gas, slowed GDP growth in 2006-07. However, in
  2008 growth exceeded the 6% level Moldova had achieved in 2000-05,
  boosted by Russia's partial removal of the bans, solid fixed capital
  investment, and strong domestic demand driven by remittances from
  abroad. Economic reforms have been slow because of corruption and
  strong political forces backing government controls. Nevertheless,
  the government's primary goal of EU integration has resulted in some
  market-oriented progress. The granting of EU trade preferences and
  increased exports to Russia will encourage higher growth rates, but
  the agreements are unlikely to serve as a panacea, given the extent
  to which export success depends on higher quality standards and
  other factors. The economy remains vulnerable to higher fuel prices,
  poor agricultural weather, and the skepticism of foreign investors.
  Also, the presence of an illegal separatist regime in Moldova's
  Transnistria region continues to be a drag on the Moldovan economy.
  The deteriorating global economic crisis did not seriously effect
  the Moldovan economy in 2008 due to its low exposure to the
  international financial system, but a global economic slowdown,
  particularly in the EU and Russia, could hurt the economy in 2009 as
  Moldova relies heavily on remittances from Moldovans abroad.

Monaco
  Monaco, bordering France on the Mediterranean coast, is a
  popular resort, attracting tourists to its casino and pleasant
  climate. The principality also is a major banking center and has
  successfully sought to diversify into services and small,
  high-value-added, nonpolluting industries. The state has no income
  tax and low business taxes and thrives as a tax haven both for
  individuals who have established residence and for foreign companies
  that have set up businesses and offices. The state retains
  monopolies in a number of sectors, including tobacco, the telephone
  network, and the postal service. Living standards are high, roughly
  comparable to those in prosperous French metropolitan areas.

Mongolia
  Economic activity in Mongolia has traditionally been based
  on herding and agriculture. Mongolia has extensive mineral deposits.
  Copper, coal, gold, molybdenum, fluorspar, uranium, tin, and
  tungsten account for a large part of industrial production and
  foreign direct investment. Soviet assistance, at its height
  one-third of GDP, disappeared almost overnight in 1990 and 1991 at
  the time of the dismantlement of the USSR. The following decade saw
  Mongolia endure both deep recession because of political inaction
  and natural disasters, as well as economic growth because of
  reform-embracing, free-market economics and extensive privatization
  of the formerly state-run economy. Severe winters and summer
  droughts in 2000-02 resulted in massive livestock die-off and zero
  or negative GDP growth. This was compounded by falling prices for
  Mongolia's primary sector exports and widespread opposition to
  privatization. Growth averaged nearly 9% per year in 2004-08 largely
  because of high copper prices and new gold production. Until late
  2008 Mongolia experienced a soaring inflation rate with year-to-year
  inflation reaching nearly 40% - the highest inflation rate in over a
  decade. In late 2008 falling commodity prices in this import-reliant
  country helped lower inflation but by that time, the country had
  begun to feel the effects of the global financial crisis. Falling
  prices for copper and other mineral exports have reduced government
  revenues and are forcing cuts in spending. The global credit crisis
  has stalled growth in key sectors, especially those that had been
  fueled by foreign investment. Mongolia's economy continues to be
  heavily influenced by its neighbors. Mongolia purchases 95% of its
  petroleum products and a substantial amount of electric power from
  Russia, leaving it vulnerable to price increases. Trade with China
  represents more than half of Mongolia's total external trade - China
  receives about 70% of Mongolia's exports. Remittances from
  Mongolians working abroad both legally and illegally are sizable but
  have fallen due to the economic crisis; money laundering is a
  growing concern. Mongolia settled its $11 billion debt with Russia
  at the end of 2003 on favorable terms. Mongolia, which joined the
  World Trade Organization in 1997, seeks to expand its participation
  and integration into Asian regional economic and trade regimes.

Montenegro
  Montenegro severed its economy from federal control and
  from Serbia during the MILOSEVIC era and maintained its own central
  bank, adopted the Deutchmark, then the euro - rather than the
  Yugoslav dinar - as official currency, collected customs tariffs,
  and managed its own budget. The dissolution of the loose political
  union between Serbia and Montenegro in 2006 led to separate
  membership in several international financial institutions, such as
  the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. On 18 January
  2007, Montenegro joined the World Bank and IMF. Montenegro is
  pursuing its own membership in the World Trade Organization and
  signed a Stabilization and Association agreement with the European
  Union in October 2007. On December 15, 2008, Montenegro submitted an
  EU membership application. Unemployment and regional disparities in
  development are key political and economic problems. Montenegro has
  privatized its large aluminum complex - the dominant industry - as
  well as most of its financial sector, and has begun to attract
  foreign direct investment in the tourism sector. The global
  financial crisis is likely to have a significant negative impact on
  the economy.

Montserrat
  Severe volcanic activity, which began in July 1995, has
  put a damper on this small, open economy. A catastrophic eruption in
  June 1997 closed the airports and seaports, causing further economic
  and social dislocation. Two-thirds of the 12,000 inhabitants fled
  the island. Some began to return in 1998 but lack of housing limited
  the number. The agriculture sector continued to be affected by the
  lack of suitable land for farming and the destruction of crops.
  Prospects for the economy depend largely on developments in relation
  to the volcanic activity and on public sector construction activity.
  The UK has launched a three-year $122.8 million aid program to help
  reconstruct the economy. Half of the island is expected to remain
  uninhabitable for another decade.

Morocco
  Moroccan economic policies brought macroeconomic stability
  to the country in the early 1990s but have not spurred growth
  sufficient to reduce unemployment - nearing 20% in urban areas -
  despite the Moroccan Government's ongoing efforts to diversify the
  economy. Morocco's GDP growth rose to 5.9% in 2008, with the economy
  recovering from a drought in 2007 that severely reduced agricultural
  output and necessitated wheat imports at rising world prices.
  Moroccan authorities understand that reducing poverty and providing
  jobs are key to domestic security and development. In 2005, Morocco
  launched the National Initiative for Human Development (INDH), a $2
  billion social development plan to address poverty and unemployment
  and to improve the living conditions of the country's urban slums.
  Moroccan authorities are implementing reform efforts to open the
  economy to international investors. Despite structural adjustment
  programs supported by the IMF, the World Bank, and the Paris Club,
  the dirham is only fully convertible for current account
  transactions. In 2000, Morocco entered an Association Agreement with
  the EU and, in 2006, entered a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the
  US. Long-term challenges include improving education and job
  prospects for Morocco's youth, and closing the income gap between
  the rich and the poor, which the government hopes to achieve by
  increasing tourist arrivals and boosting competitiveness in textiles.

Mozambique
  At independence in 1975, Mozambique was one of the
  world's poorest countries. Socialist mismanagement and a brutal
  civil war from 1977-92 exacerbated the situation. In 1987, the
  government embarked on a series of macroeconomic reforms designed to
  stabilize the economy. These steps, combined with donor assistance
  and with political stability since the multi-party elections in
  1994, have led to dramatic improvements in the country's growth
  rate. Inflation was reduced to single digits during the late 1990s,
  and although it returned to double digits in 2000-06, in 2007
  inflation had slowed to 8%, while GDP growth reached 7.5%. Fiscal
  reforms, including the introduction of a value-added tax and reform
  of the customs service, have improved the government's revenue
  collection abilities. In spite of these gains, Mozambique remains
  dependent upon foreign assistance for much of its annual budget, and
  the majority of the population remains below the poverty line.
  Subsistence agriculture continues to employ the vast majority of the
  country's work force. A substantial trade imbalance persists
  although the opening of the Mozal aluminum smelter, the country's
  largest foreign investment project to date, has increased export
  earnings. At the end of 2007, and after years of negotiations, the
  government took over Portugal's majority share of the Cahora Bassa
  Hydroelectricity (HCB) company, a dam that was not transferred to
  Mozambique at independence because of the ensuing civil war and
  unpaid debts. More power is needed for additional investment
  projects in titanium extraction and processing and garment
  manufacturing that could further close the import/export gap.
  Mozambique's once substantial foreign debt has been reduced through
  forgiveness and rescheduling under the IMF's Heavily Indebted Poor
  Countries (HIPC) and Enhanced HIPC initiatives, and is now at a
  manageable level. In July 2007 the Millennium Challenge Corporation
  (MCC) signed a Compact with Mozambique; the Compact entered into
  force in September 2008 and will continue for five years. Compact
  projects will focus on improving sanitation, roads, agriculture, and
  the business regulation environment in an effort to spur economic
  growth in the four northern provinces of the country.

Namibia
  The economy is heavily dependent on the extraction and
  processing of minerals for export. Mining accounts for 8% of GDP,
  but provides more than 50% of foreign exchange earnings. Rich
  alluvial diamond deposits make Namibia a primary source for
  gem-quality diamonds. Namibia is the fourth-largest exporter of
  nonfuel minerals in Africa, the world's fifth-largest producer of
  uranium, and the producer of large quantities of lead, zinc, tin,
  silver, and tungsten. The mining sector employs only about 3% of the
  population while about half of the population depends on subsistence
  agriculture for its livelihood. Namibia normally imports about 50%
  of its cereal requirements; in drought years food shortages are a
  major problem in rural areas. A high per capita GDP, relative to the
  region, hides one of the world's most unequal income distributions.
  The Namibian economy is closely linked to South Africa with the
  Namibian dollar pegged one-to-one to the South African rand.
  Increased payments from the Southern African Customs Union (SACU)
  put Namibia's budget into surplus in 2007 for the first time since
  independence, but SACU payments will decline after 2008 as part of a
  new revenue sharing formula. Increased fish production and mining of
  zinc, copper, uranium, and silver spurred growth in 2003-07, but
  growth in recent years was undercut by poor fish catches and high
  costs for metal inputs.

Nauru
  Revenues of this tiny island have traditionally come from
  exports of phosphates now significantly depleted. An Australian
  company in 2005 entered into an agreement intended to exploit
  remaining supplies. Few other resources exist with most necessities
  being imported, mainly from Australia its former occupier and later
  major source of support. The rehabilitation of mined land and the
  replacement of income from phosphates are serious long-term
  problems. Reserves of phosphates may only last until 2010 at current
  mining rates. In anticipation of the exhaustion of Nauru's phosphate
  deposits, substantial amounts of phosphate income were invested in
  trust funds to help cushion the transition and provide for Nauru's
  economic future. As a result of heavy spending from the trust funds,
  the government faces virtual bankruptcy. To cut costs the government
  has frozen wages and reduced overstaffed public service departments.
  Nauru lost further revenue in 2008 with the closure of Australia's
  refugee processing center, making it almost totally dependent on
  food imports and foreign aid. Housing, hospitals, and other capital
  plant is deteriorating. The cost to Australia of keeping the
  government and economy afloat continues to climb. Few comprehensive
  statistics on the Nauru economy exist with estimates of Nauru's GDP
  varying widely.

Navassa Island
  Subsistence fishing and commercial trawling occur
  within refuge waters.

Nepal
  Nepal is among the poorest and least developed countries in
  the world with almost one-third of its population living below the
  poverty line. Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, providing
  a livelihood for three-fourths of the population and accounting for
  about one-third of GDP. Industrial activity mainly involves the
  processing of agricultural products, including pulses, jute,
  sugarcane, tobacco, and grain. Bumper crops, better security,
  improved transportation, and increased tourism pushed growth past 5%
  in 2008, after growth had hovered around 3% - barely above the rate
  of population growth - for the previous three years. The
  deteriorating world economy in 2009 will challenge tourism and
  remittance growth, a key source of foreign exchange. Nepal has
  considerable scope for exploiting its potential in hydropower and
  tourism, areas of recent foreign investment interest. Prospects for
  foreign trade or investment in other sectors will remain poor,
  however, because of the small size of the economy, its technological
  backwardness, its remoteness and landlocked geographic location, its
  civil strife and labor unrest, and its susceptibility to natural
  disaster.

Netherlands
  The Netherlands has a prosperous and open economy, which
  depends heavily on foreign trade. The economy is noted for stable
  industrial relations, moderate unemployment and inflation, a sizable
  current account surplus, and an important role as a European
  transportation hub. Industrial activity is predominantly in food
  processing, chemicals, petroleum refining, and electrical machinery.
  A highly mechanized agricultural sector employs no more than 3% of
  the labor force but provides large surpluses for the food-processing
  industry and for exports. The Netherlands, along with 11 of its EU
  partners, began circulating the euro currency on 1 January 2002. The
  country has been one of the leading European nations for attracting
  foreign direct investment and is one of the four largest investors
  in the US. The pace of job growth reached 10-year highs in 2007, but
  economic growth fell sharply in 2008 as fallout from the world
  financial crisis constricted demand and raised the specter of a
  recession in 2009.

Netherlands Antilles
  Tourism, petroleum refining, and offshore
  finance are the mainstays of this small economy, which is closely
  tied to the outside world. Although GDP has declined or grown
  slightly in each of the past eight years, the islands enjoy a high
  per capita income and a well-developed infrastructure compared with
  other countries in the region. Most of the oil Netherlands Antilles
  imports for its refineries come from Venezuela. Almost all consumer
  and capital goods are imported, the US, Italy, and Mexico being the
  major suppliers. Poor soils and inadequate water supplies hamper the
  development of agriculture. Budgetary problems hamper reform of the
  health and pension systems of an aging population. The Netherlands
  provides financial aid to support the economy.

New Caledonia
  New Caledonia has about 25% of the world's known
  nickel resources. Only a small amount of the land is suitable for
  cultivation, and food accounts for about 20% of imports. In addition
  to nickel, substantial financial support from France - equal to more
  than 15% of GDP - and tourism are keys to the health of the economy.
  Substantial new investment in the nickel industry, combined with the
  recovery of global nickel prices, brightens the economic outlook for
  the next several years.

New Zealand
  Over the past 20 years the government has transformed
  New Zealand from an agrarian economy dependent on concessionary
  British market access to a more industrialized, free market economy
  that can compete globally. This dynamic growth has boosted real
  incomes - but left behind some at the bottom of the ladder - and
  broadened and deepened the technological capabilities of the
  industrial sector. Per capita income has risen for nine consecutive
  years and reached $27,900 in 2008 in purchasing power parity terms.
  Debt-driven consumer spending drove robust growth in the first half
  of the decade, helping fuel a large balance of payments deficit that
  posed a challenge for economic managers. Inflationary pressures
  caused the central bank to raise its key rate steadily from January
  2004 until it was among the highest in the OECD in 2007-08;
  international capital inflows attracted to the high rates further
  strengthened the currency and housing market, however, aggravating
  the current account deficit. The economy fell into recession in
  2008. In line with global peers, the central bank has cut interest
  rates aggressively; the new government is responding with plans to
  raise productivity growth and develop infrastructure.

Nicaragua
  Nicaragua has widespread underemployment and the second
  lowest per capita income in the Western Hemisphere. The US-Central
  America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) has been in effect since April
  2006 and has expanded export opportunities for many agricultural and
  manufactured goods. Textiles and apparel account for nearly 60% of
  Nicaragua's exports, but recent increases in the minimum wage will
  likely erode its comparative advantage in this industry. Nicaragua
  relies on international economic assistance to meet internal- and
  external-debt financing obligations. In early 2004, Nicaragua
  secured some $4.5 billion in foreign debt reduction under the
  Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative, and in October
  2007, the IMF approved a new poverty reduction and growth facility
  (PRGF) program. However, severe budget shortfalls resulting from the
  suspension of large amounts of direct budget support from foreign
  donors concerned with recent political developments has caused a
  slowdown in PRGF disbursements. Similarly, private sector concerns
  surrounding ORTEGA's handling of economic issues have dampened
  investment. Economic growth has slowed in 2009, due to decreased
  export demand from the US and Central American markets, lower
  commodity prices for key agricultural exports, and low remittance
  growth - remittances are equivalent to almost 15% of GDP.

Niger
  Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world, ranking
  near last on the United Nations Development Fund index of human
  development. It is a landlocked, Sub-Saharan nation, whose economy
  centers on subsistence crops, livestock, and some of the world's
  largest uranium deposits. Drought cycles, desertification, and
  strong population growth have undercut the economy. Niger shares a
  common currency, the CFA franc, and a common central bank, the
  Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO), with seven other
  members of the West African Monetary Union. In December 2000, Niger
  qualified for enhanced debt relief under the International Monetary
  Fund program for Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) and concluded
  an agreement with the Fund on a Poverty Reduction and Growth
  Facility (PRGF). Debt relief provided under the enhanced HIPC
  initiative significantly reduces Niger's annual debt service
  obligations, freeing funds for expenditures on basic health care,
  primary education, HIV/AIDS prevention, rural infrastructure, and
  other programs geared at poverty reduction. In December 2005, Niger
  received 100% multilateral debt relief from the IMF, which
  translates into the forgiveness of approximately US $86 million in
  debts to the IMF, excluding the remaining assistance under HIPC.
  Nearly half of the government's budget is derived from foreign donor
  resources. Future growth may be sustained by exploitation of oil,
  gold, coal, and other mineral resources. Uranium prices have
  increased sharply in the last few years. A drought and locust
  infestation in 2005 led to food shortages for as many as 2.5 million
  Nigeriens.

Nigeria
  Oil-rich Nigeria, long hobbled by political instability,
  corruption, inadequate infrastructure, and poor macroeconomic
  management, has undertaken several reforms over the past decade.
  Nigeria's former military rulers failed to diversify the economy
  away from its overdependence on the capital-intensive oil sector,
  which provides 95% of foreign exchange earnings and about 80% of
  budgetary revenues. Following the signing of an IMF stand-by
  agreement in August 2000, Nigeria received a debt-restructuring deal
  from the Paris Club and a $1 billion credit from the IMF, both
  contingent on economic reforms. Nigeria pulled out of its IMF
  program in April 2002, after failing to meet spending and exchange
  rate targets, making it ineligible for additional debt forgiveness
  from the Paris Club. Since 2008 the government has begun showing the
  political will to implement the market-oriented reforms urged by the
  IMF, such as to modernize the banking system, to curb inflation by
  blocking excessive wage demands, and to resolve regional disputes
  over the distribution of earnings from the oil industry. In 2003,
  the government began deregulating fuel prices, announced the
  privatization of the country's four oil refineries, and instituted
  the National Economic Empowerment Development Strategy, a
  domestically designed and run program modeled on the IMF's Poverty
  Reduction and Growth Facility for fiscal and monetary management. In
  November 2005, Abuja won Paris Club approval for a debt-relief deal
  that eliminated $18 billion of debt in exchange for $12 billion in
  payments - a total package worth $30 billion of Nigeria's total $37
  billion external debt. The deal requires Nigeria to be subject to
  stringent IMF reviews. Based largely on increased oil exports and
  high global crude prices, GDP rose strongly in 2007 and 2008.
  President YAR'ADUA has pledged to continue the economic reforms of
  his predecessor with emphasis on infrastructure improvements.
  Infrastructure is the main impediment to growth. The government is
  working toward developing stronger public-private partnerships for
  electricity and roads.

Niue
  The economy suffers from the typical Pacific island problems of
  geographic isolation, few resources, and a small population.
  Government expenditures regularly exceed revenues, and the shortfall
  is made up by critically needed grants from New Zealand that are
  used to pay wages to public employees. Niue has cut government
  expenditures by reducing the public service by almost half. The
  agricultural sector consists mainly of subsistence gardening,
  although some cash crops are grown for export. Industry consists
  primarily of small factories to process passion fruit, lime oil,
  honey, and coconut cream. The sale of postage stamps to foreign
  collectors is an important source of revenue. The island in recent
  years has suffered a serious loss of population because of
  emigration to New Zealand. Efforts to increase GDP include the
  promotion of tourism and a financial services industry, although the
  International Banking Repeal Act of 2002 resulted in the termination
  of all offshore banking licenses. Economic aid from New Zealand in
  2002 was US$2.6 million. Niue suffered a devastating typhoon in
  January 2004, which decimated nascent economic programs. While in
  the process of rebuilding, Niue has been dependent on foreign aid.

Norfolk Island
  Tourism, the primary economic activity, has steadily
  increased over the years and has brought a level of prosperity
  unusual among inhabitants of the Pacific islands. The agricultural
  sector has become self sufficient in the production of beef,
  poultry, and eggs.

Northern Mariana Islands
  The economy benefits substantially from
  financial assistance from the US. The rate of funding has declined
  as locally generated government revenues have grown. The key tourist
  industry employs about 50% of the work force and accounts for
  roughly one-fourth of GDP. Japanese tourists predominate. Annual
  tourist entries have exceeded one-half million in recent years, but
  financial difficulties in Japan have caused a temporary slowdown.
  The agricultural sector is made up of cattle ranches and small farms
  producing coconuts, breadfruit, tomatoes, and melons. Garment
  production is by far the most important industry with the employment
  of 17,500 mostly Chinese workers and sizable shipments to the US
  under duty and quota exemptions.

Norway
  The Norwegian economy is a prosperous bastion of welfare
  capitalism, featuring a combination of free market activity and
  government intervention. The government controls key areas, such as
  the vital petroleum sector, through large-scale state enterprises.
  The country is richly endowed with natural resources - petroleum,
  hydropower, fish, forests, and minerals - and is highly dependent on
  the petroleum sector, which accounts for nearly half of exports and
  over 30% of state revenue. Norway is the world's third-largest gas
  exporter; its position as an oil exporter has slipped to
  seventh-largest as production has begun to decline. Norway opted to
  stay out of the EU during a referendum in November 1994;
  nonetheless, as a member of the European Economic Area, it
  contributes sizably to the EU budget. In anticipation of eventual
  declines in oil and gas production, Norway saves almost all state
  revenue from the petroleum sector in a sovereign wealth fund. After
  lackluster growth of less than 1.5% in 2002-03, GDP growth picked up
  to 2.5-6.2% in 2004-07, partly due to higher oil prices. Growth fell
  to 2.6% in 2008 as a result of the slowing world economy and the
  drop in oil prices.

Oman
  Oman is a middle-income economy that is heavily dependent on
  dwindling oil resources, but sustained high oil prices in recent
  years have helped build Oman's budget and trade surpluses and
  foreign reserves. As a result of its dwindling oil resources, Oman
  is actively pursuing a development plan that focuses on
  diversification, industrialization, and privatization, with the
  objective of reducing the oil sector's contribution to GDP to 9% by
  2020. Some of these projects may be in jeopardy, however, because
  Muscat overestimated its ability to produce or secure the natural
  gas needed to power them. Oman actively seeks private foreign
  investors, especially in the industrial, information technology,
  tourism, and higher education fields. Industrial development plans
  focus on gas resources, metal manufacturing, petrochemicals, and
  international transshipment ports. The drop in oil prices and the
  global financial crisis in 2008 will affect Oman's fiscal position
  and it may post a deficit in 2009 if oil prices stay low. In
  addition, the global credit crisis is slowing the pace of investment
  and development projects - a trend that probably will continue into
  2009.

Pacific Ocean
  The Pacific Ocean is a major contributor to the world
  economy and particularly to those nations its waters directly touch.
  It provides low-cost sea transportation between East and West,
  extensive fishing grounds, offshore oil and gas fields, minerals,
  and sand and gravel for the construction industry. In 1996, over 60%
  of the world's fish catch came from the Pacific Ocean. Exploitation
  of offshore oil and gas reserves is playing an ever-increasing role
  in the energy supplies of the US, Australia, NZ, China, and Peru.
  The high cost of recovering offshore oil and gas, combined with the
  wide swings in world prices for oil since 1985, has led to
  fluctuations in new drillings.

Pakistan
  Pakistan, an impoverished and underdeveloped country, has
  suffered from decades of internal political disputes, low levels of
  foreign investment, and declining exports of manufactures. Faced
  with untenable budgetary deficits, high inflation, and hemorrhaging
  foreign exchange reserves, the government agreed to an International
  Monetary Fund Standby Arrangement in November 2008. Between 2004-07,
  GDP growth in the 6-8% range was spurred by gains in the industrial
  and service sectors, despite severe electricity shortfalls. Poverty
  levels decreased by 10% since 2001, and Islamabad steadily raised
  development spending in recent years. In 2008 the fiscal deficit - a
  result of chronically low tax collection and increased spending -
  exceeded Islamabad's target of 4% of GDP. Inflation remains the top
  concern among the public, jumping from 7.7% in 2007 to 20.8% in
  2008, primarily because of rising world fuel and commodity prices.
  In addition, the Pakistani rupee has depreciated significantly as a
  result of political and economic instability.

Palau
  The economy consists primarily of tourism, subsistence
  agriculture, and fishing. The government is the major employer of
  the work force relying heavily on financial assistance from the US.
  The Compact of Free Association with the US, entered into after the
  end of the UN trusteeship on 1 October 1994, provided Palau with up
  to $700 million in US aid for the following 15 years in return for
  furnishing military facilities. Business and tourist arrivals
  numbered 85,000 in 2007. The population enjoys a per capita income
  roughly 50% higher than that of the Philippines and much of
  Micronesia. Long-run prospects for the key tourist sector have been
  greatly bolstered by the expansion of air travel in the Pacific, the
  rising prosperity of leading East Asian countries, and the
  willingness of foreigners to finance infrastructure development.

Panama
  Panama's dollarized economy rests primarily on a
  well-developed services sector that accounts for 80% of GDP.
  Services include operating the Panama Canal, banking, the Colon Free
  Zone, insurance, container ports, flagship registry, and tourism.
  Economic growth will be bolstered by the Panama Canal expansion
  project that began in 2007 and is scheduled to be completed by 2014
  at a cost of $5.3 billion - about 25% of current GDP. The expansion
  project will more than double the Canal's capacity, enabling it to
  accommodate ships that are now too large to transverse the
  transoceanic crossway, and should help to reduce the high
  unemployment rate. Strong economic performance has reduced the
  national poverty level to 29% in 2008; however, Panama has the
  second most unequal income distribution in Latin America. The
  government has implemented tax reforms, as well as social security
  reforms, and backs regional trade agreements and development of
  tourism. Not a CAFTA signatory, Panama in December 2006
  independently negotiated a free trade agreement with the US, which,
  when implemented, will help promote the country's economic growth.

Papua New Guinea
  Papua New Guinea is richly endowed with natural
  resources, but exploitation has been hampered by rugged terrain and
  the high cost of developing infrastructure. Agriculture provides a
  subsistence livelihood for 75% of the population. Mineral deposits,
  including copper, gold, and oil, account for nearly two-thirds of
  export earnings. The government of Prime Minister SOMARE has
  expended much of its energy remaining in power. He was the first
  prime minister ever to serve a full five-year term. The government
  also brought stability to the national budget, largely through
  expenditure control; however, it relaxed spending constraints in
  2006 and 2007 as elections approached. Numerous challenges still
  face the government including regaining investor confidence,
  restoring integrity to state institutions, promoting economic
  efficiency by privatizing moribund state institutions, and balancing
  relations with Australia, its former colonial ruler. Other
  socio-cultural challenges could upend the economy including a
  worsening HIV/AIDS epidemic, currently the highest rate in all of
  East Asia and the Pacific, and chronic law and order and land tenure
  issues. Australia supplied more than $300 million in aid in FY07/08,
  which accounts for nearly 20% of the national budget. A consortium
  led by a major American oil company hopes to begin the
  commercialization of the country's estimated 227 billion cubic
  meters of natural gas reserves through the construction of a
  liquefied natural gas (LNG) production facility by 2010. The project
  has the potential to double the GDP of Papua New Guinea.

Paracel Islands
  The islands have the potential for oil and gas
  development. Waters around the islands support commercial fishing,
  but the islands themselves are not populated on a permanent basis.
  China announced plans in 1997 to open the islands for tourism.

Paraguay
  Landlocked Paraguay has a market economy marked by a large
  informal sector, featuring reexport of imported consumer goods to
  neighboring countries, as well as the activities of thousands of
  microenterprises and urban street vendors. A large percentage of the
  population, especially in rural areas, derives its living from
  agricultural activity, often on a subsistence basis. Because of the
  importance of the informal sector, accurate economic measures are
  difficult to obtain. On a per capita basis, real income has
  stagnated at 1980 levels. Most observers attribute Paraguay's poor
  economic performance to political uncertainty, corruption, limited
  progress on structural reform, and deficient infrastructure. The
  economy rebounded between 2003 and 2008, however, as growing world
  demand for commodities combined with high prices and favorable
  weather to support Paraguay's commodity-based export expansion.
  Paraguay is the sixth largest soy producer in the world.

Peru
  Peru's economy reflects its varied geography - an arid coastal
  region, the Andes further inland, and tropical lands bordering
  Colombia and Brazil. Abundant mineral resources are found in the
  mountainous areas, and Peru's coastal waters provide excellent
  fishing grounds. The Peruvian economy grew by more than 4% per year
  during the period 2002-06, with a stable exchange rate and low
  inflation. Growth jumped to 9% per year in 2007 and 2008, driven by
  higher world prices for minerals and metals and the government's
  aggressive trade liberalization strategies. Peru's rapid expansion
  has helped to reduce the national poverty rate by about 15% since
  2002, though underemployment and inflation remain high. Despite
  Peru's strong macroeconomic performance, overdependence on minerals
  and metals subjects the economy to fluctuations in world prices, and
  poor infrastructure precludes the spread of growth to Peru's
  non-coastal areas. Not all Peruvians therefore have shared in the
  benefits of growth. President GARCIA's pursuit of sound trade and
  macroeconomic policies has cost him political support since his
  election. Nevertheless, he remains committed to Peru's free-trade
  path. The United States and Peru completed negotiations on the
  implementation of the US-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement (PTPA), and
  the agreement entered into force February 1, 2009, opening the way
  to greater trade and investment between the two economies.

Philippines
  Economic growth has averaged 5% since President
  MACAPAGAL-ARROYO took office in 2001. MACAPAGAL-ARROYO averted a
  fiscal crisis by pushing for new revenue measures and, until
  recently, tightening expenditures. Declining fiscal deficits,
  tapering debt and debt service ratios, and increased spending on
  infrastructure and social services bolstered optimism over
  Philippine economic prospects. Although the general macroeconomic
  outlook improved significantly in recent years, the economy still
  faces several long term challenges. The Philippines must maintain
  the reform momentum in order to catch up with regional competitors,
  improve employment opportunities, and alleviate poverty. The
  Philippines will need still higher, sustained growth to make
  progress in alleviating poverty, given its high population growth
  and unequal distribution of income. The Philippine economy grew at
  its fastest pace in three decades in 2007 with real GDP growth
  exceeding 7%, but growth slowed to 3.8% in 2008 as a result of the
  world financial crisis. High government spending, a relatively small
  trade sector, a resilient service sector, and large remittances from
  the four- to five-million Filipinos who work abroad have helped
  cushion the economy from the current financial crisis.

Pitcairn Islands
  The inhabitants of this tiny isolated economy exist
  on fishing, subsistence farming, handicrafts, and postage stamps.
  The fertile soil of the valleys produces a wide variety of fruits
  and vegetables, including citrus, sugarcane, watermelons, bananas,
  yams, and beans. Bartering is an important part of the economy. The
  major sources of revenue are the sale of postage stamps to
  collectors and the sale of handicrafts to passing ships. In October
  2004, more than one-quarter of Pitcairn's small labor force was
  arrested, putting the economy in a bind, since their services were
  required as lighter crew to load or unload passing ships.

Poland
  Poland has pursued a policy of economic liberalization since
  1990 and today stands out as a success story among transition
  economies. In 2008, GDP grew an estimated 4.8%, based on rising
  private consumption, a jump in corporate investment, and EU funds
  inflows. GDP per capita is still much below the EU average, but is
  similar to that of the three Baltic states. Since 2004, EU
  membership and access to EU structural funds have provided a major
  boost to the economy. Unemployment is falling rapidly, though at
  roughly 9.7% in 2008, it remains above the EU average. In 2008
  inflation reached 4.3%, more than the upper limit of the National
  Bank of Poland's target range, but has been falling due to global
  economic slowdown. Poland's economic performance could improve
  further if the country addresses some of the remaining deficiencies
  in its business environment. An inefficient commercial court system,
  a rigid labor code, bureaucratic red tape, and persistent low-level
  corruption keep the private sector from performing up to its full
  potential. Rising demands to fund health care, education, and the
  state pension system present a challenge to the Polish Government's
  effort to hold the consolidated public sector budget deficit under
  3.0% of GDP, a target which was achieved in 2007-08. The PO/PSL
  coalition government which came to power in November 2007 plans to
  further reduce the budget deficit with the aim of eventually
  adopting the euro by 2012. The new government has also announced its
  intention to enact business-friendly reforms, reduce public sector
  spending growth, lower taxes, and accelerate privatization. The
  government, however, has moved slowly on major reforms. Pension and
  health-care bills passed through the legislature, but the
  legislature failed to overturn a presidential veto.

Portugal
  Portugal has become a diversified and increasingly
  service-based economy since joining the European Community in 1986.
  Over the past two decades, successive governments have privatized
  many state-controlled firms and liberalized key areas of the
  economy, including the financial and telecommunications sectors. The
  country qualified for the European Monetary Union (EMU) in 1998 and
  began circulating the euro on 1 January 2002 along with 11 other EU
  member economies. Economic growth had been above the EU average for
  much of the 1990s, but fell back in 2001-08. GDP per capita stands
  at roughly two-thirds of the EU-27 average. A poor educational
  system, in particular, has been an obstacle to greater productivity
  and growth. Portugal has been increasingly overshadowed by
  lower-cost producers in Central Europe and Asia as a target for
  foreign direct investment. The budget deficit surged to an all-time
  high of 6% of GDP in 2005, but the government reduced the deficit to
  2.6% in 2007 - a year ahead of Portugal's targeted schedule.
  Nonetheless, the government faces tough choices in its attempts to
  boost the economy, which declined 0.1% in 2008, while keeping the
  budget deficit within the euro-zone 3%-of-GDP ceiling.

Puerto Rico
  Puerto Rico has one of the most dynamic economies in the
  Caribbean region. A diverse industrial sector has far surpassed
  agriculture as the primary locus of economic activity and income.
  Encouraged by duty-free access to the US and by tax incentives, US
  firms have invested heavily in Puerto Rico since the 1950s. US
  minimum wage laws apply. Sugar production has lost out to dairy
  production and other livestock products as the main source of income
  in the agricultural sector. Tourism has traditionally been an
  important source of income with estimated arrivals of nearly 5
  million tourists in 2004. Growth fell off in 2001-03, largely due to
  the slowdown in the US economy, recovered in 2004-05, but declined
  again in 2006-07.

Qatar
  Qatar has experienced rapid economic growth over the last
  several years on the back of high oil prices, and in 2008 posted its
  eighth consecutive budget surplus. Economic policy is focused on
  developing Qatar's nonassociated natural gas reserves and increasing
  private and foreign investment in non-energy sectors, but oil and
  gas still account for more than 50% of GDP, roughly 85% of export
  earnings, and 70% of government revenues. Oil and gas have made
  Qatar the second highest per-capita income country - following
  Liechtenstein - and one of the world's fastest growing. Proved oil
  reserves of 15 billion barrels should enable continued output at
  current levels for 37 years. Qatar's proved reserves of natural gas
  are nearly 26 trillion cubic meters, about 14% of the world total
  and third largest in the world. The drop in oil prices in late 2008
  and the global financial crisis will reduce Qatar's budget surplus
  and may slow the pace of investment and development projects in 2009.

Romania
  Romania, which joined the European Union on 1 January 2007,
  began the transition from Communism in 1989 with a largely obsolete
  industrial base and a pattern of output unsuited to the country's
  needs. The country emerged in 2000 from a punishing three-year
  recession thanks to strong demand in EU export markets. Domestic
  consumption and investment have fueled strong GDP growth in recent
  years, but have led to large current account imbalances. Romania's
  macroeconomic gains have only recently started to spur creation of a
  middle class and address Romania's widespread poverty. Corruption
  and red tape continue to handicap its business environment.
  Inflation rose in 2007-08, driven in part by strong consumer demand
  and high wage growth, rising energy costs, a nation-wide drought
  affecting food prices, and a relaxation of fiscal discipline.
  Romania's strong GDP growth moderated markedly in the last quarter
  of 2008 as the country began to feel the effects of a global
  downturn in financial markets and trade, and growth is expected to
  be much weaker in 2009. Romania hopes to adopt the euro by 2014.

Russia Russia ended 2008 with GDP growth of 5.6%, following 10 straight years of growth averaging 7% annually since the financial crisis of 1998. Over the last six years, fixed capital investment growth and personal income growth have averaged above 10%, but both grew at slower rates in 2008. Growth in 2008 was driven largely by non-tradable services and domestic manufacturing, rather than exports. During the past decade, poverty and unemployment declined steadily and the middle class continued to expand. Russia also improved its international financial position, running balance of payments surpluses since 2000. Foreign exchange reserves grew from $12 billion in 1999 to almost $600 billion by end July 2008, which include $200 billion in two sovereign wealth funds: a reserve fund to support budgetary expenditures in case of a fall in the price of oil and a national welfare fund to help fund pensions and infrastructure development. Total foreign debt is almost one-third of GDP. The state component of foreign debt has declined, but commercial short-term debt to foreigners has risen strongly. These positive trends began to reverse in the second half of 2008. Investor concerns over the Russia-Georgia conflict, corporate governance issues, and the global credit crunch in September caused the Russian stock market to fall by roughly 70%, primarily due to margin calls that were difficult for many Russian companies to meet. The global crisis also affected Russia's banking system, which faced liquidity problems. Moscow responded quickly in early October 2008, initiating a rescue plan of over $200 billion that was designed to increase liquidity in the financial sector, to help firms refinance foreign debt, and to support the stock market. The government also unveiled a $20 billion tax cut plan and other safety nets for society and industry. Meanwhile, a 70% drop in the price of oil since mid-July further exacerbated imbalances in external accounts and the federal budget. In mid-November, mini-devaluations of the currency by the Central Bank caused increased capital flight and froze domestic credit markets, resulting in growing unemployment, wage arrears, and a severe drop in production. Foreign exchange reserves dropped to around $435 billion by end 2008, as the Central Bank defended an overvalued ruble. In the first year of his term, President MEDVEDEV outlined a number of economic priorities for Russia including improving infrastructure, innovation, investment, and institutions; reducing the state's role in the economy; reforming the tax system and banking sector; developing one of the biggest financial centers in the world, combating corruption, and improving the judiciary. The Russian government needs to diversify the economy further, as energy and other raw materials still dominate Russian export earnings and federal budget receipts. Russia's infrastructure requires large investments and must be replaced or modernized if the country is to achieve broad-based economic growth. Corruption, lack of trust in institutions, and more recently, exchange rate uncertainty and the global economic crisis continue to dampen domestic and foreign investor sentiment. Russia has made some progress in building the rule of law, the bedrock of a modern market economy, but much work remains on judicial reform. Moscow continues to seek accession to the WTO and has made some progress, but its timeline for entry into the organization continues to slip, and the negotiating atmosphere has soured in the wake of the Georgia and global economic crises.

Rwanda
  Rwanda is a poor rural country with about 90% of the
  population engaged in (mainly subsistence) agriculture. It is the
  most densely populated country in Africa and is landlocked with few
  natural resources and minimal industry. Primary foreign exchange
  earners are coffee and tea. The 1994 genocide decimated Rwanda's
  fragile economic base, severely impoverished the population,
  particularly women, and eroded the country's ability to attract
  private and external investment. However, Rwanda has made
  substantial progress in stabilizing and rehabilitating its economy
  to pre-1994 levels, although poverty levels are higher now. GDP has
  rebounded and inflation has been curbed. Despite Rwanda's fertile
  ecosystem, food production often does not keep pace with population
  growth, requiring food imports. Rwanda continues to receive
  substantial aid money and obtained IMF-World Bank Heavily Indebted
  Poor Country (HIPC) initiative debt relief in 2005-06. Rwanda also
  received Millennium Challenge Account Threshold status in 2006. The
  government has embraced an expansionary fiscal policy to reduce
  poverty by improving education, infrastructure, and foreign and
  domestic investment and pursuing market-oriented reforms, although
  energy shortages, instability in neighboring states, and lack of
  adequate transportation linkages to other countries continue to
  handicap growth.

Saint Barthelemy
  The economy of Saint Barthelemy is based upon
  high-end tourism and duty-free luxury commerce, serving visitors
  primarily from North America. The luxury hotels and villas host
  70,000 visitors each year with another 130,000 arriving by boat. The
  relative isolation and high cost of living inhibits mass tourism.
  The construction and public sectors also enjoy significant
  investment in support of tourism. With limited fresh water
  resources, all food must be imported, as must all energy resources
  and most manufactured goods. Employment is strong and attracts labor
  from Brazil and Portugal.

Saint Helena
  The economy depends largely on financial assistance
  from the UK, which amounted to about $27 million in FY06/07 or more
  than twice the level of annual budgetary revenues. The local
  population earns income from fishing, raising livestock, and sales
  of handicrafts. Because there are few jobs, 25% of the work force
  has left to seek employment on Ascension Island, on the Falklands,
  and in the UK.

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  The economy of Saint Kitts and Nevis is
  heavily dependent upon tourism revenues, which has replaced sugar,
  the traditional mainstay of the economy until the 1970s. Following
  the 2005 harvest, the government closed the sugar industry after
  decades of losses of 3-4% of GDP annually. To compensate for
  employment losses, the government has embarked on a program to
  diversify the agricultural sector and to stimulate other sectors of
  the economy, such as tourism, export-oriented manufacturing, and
  offshore banking. Economic growth was above average for Latin
  America from 2004 to 2006, but has since slowed. Like other tourist
  destinations in the Caribbean, the St. Kitts and Nevis is vulnerable
  to damage from natural disasters and shifts in tourism demand. The
  current government is constrained by a high public debt burden
  equivalent to nearly 185% of GDP by the end of 2006, largely
  attributable to public enterprise losses.

Saint Lucia
  The island nation has been able to attract foreign
  business and investment, especially in its offshore banking and
  tourism industries, with a surge in foreign direct investment in
  2006, attributed to the construction of several tourism projects.
  Although crops such as bananas, mangos, and avocados continue to be
  grown for export, tourism provides Saint Lucia's main source of
  income and the industry is the island's biggest employer. The
  tourism sector is likely to face declining revenues with the global
  economic downturn as US and European travel declines. The
  manufacturing sector is the most diverse in the Eastern Caribbean
  area, and the government is trying to revitalize the banana
  industry, although recent hurricanes have caused exports to
  contract. Saint Lucia is vulnerable to a variety of external shocks
  including volatile tourism receipts, natural disasters, and
  dependence on foreign oil. The public debt-to-GDP ratio is about 70%
  and high debt servicing obligations constrain the KING
  administration's ability to respond to adverse external shocks.
  Economic fundamentals remain solid, even though unemployment needs
  to be reduced.

Saint Martin
  The economy of Saint Martin centers around tourism with
  85% of the labor force engaged in this sector. Over one million
  visitors come to the island each year with most arriving through the
  Princess Juliana International Airport in Sint Maarten. No
  significant agriculture and limited local fishing means that almost
  all food must be imported. Energy resources and manufactured goods
  are also imported, primarily from Mexico and the United States.
  Saint Martin is reported to have the highest per capita income in
  the Caribbean.

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  The inhabitants have traditionally earned
  their livelihood by fishing and by servicing fishing fleets
  operating off the coast of Newfoundland. The economy has been
  declining, however, because of disputes with Canada over fishing
  quotas and a steady decline in the number of ships stopping at Saint
  Pierre. In 1992, an arbitration panel awarded the islands an
  exclusive economic zone of 12,348 sq km to settle a longstanding
  territorial dispute with Canada, although it represents only 25% of
  what France had sought. France heavily subsidizes the islands to the
  great betterment of living standards. The government hopes an
  expansion of tourism will boost economic prospects. Fish farming,
  crab fishing, and agriculture are being developed to diversify the
  local economy. Recent test drilling for oil may pave the way for
  development of the energy sector.

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Economic growth slowed in 2008 after reaching a 10-year high of nearly 7% in 2006, and will likely slow in 2009 with the global economic downturn, though it will be above average for Latin America. Success of the economy hinges upon seasonal variations in agriculture, tourism, and construction activity as well as remittance inflows. Much of the workforce is employed in banana production and tourism, but persistent high unemployment has prompted many to leave the islands. This lower-middle-income country is vulnerable to natural disasters - tropical storms wiped out substantial portions of crops in 1994, 1995, and 2002. In 2007, the islands had more than 200,000 tourist arrivals, mostly to the Grenadines. Saint Vincent is home to a small offshore banking sector and has moved to adopt international regulatory standards. The government's ability to invest in social programs and respond to external shocks is constrained by its high debt burden - 25% of current revenues are directed towards debt servicing. An agreement with Italy to write-off debt reduced the public debt-to-GDP ratio to about 70%. The GONSALVES administration is directing government resources to infrastructure projects, including a new international airport that is expected to be completed in 2011.

Samoa
  The economy of Samoa has traditionally been dependent on
  development aid, family remittances from overseas, agriculture, and
  fishing. The country is vulnerable to devastating storms.
  Agriculture employs two-thirds of the labor force and furnishes 90%
  of exports, featuring coconut cream, coconut oil, and copra. The
  fish catch declined during the El Nino of 2002-03 but returned to
  normal by mid-2005. The manufacturing sector mainly processes
  agricultural products. One factory in the Foreign Trade Zone employs
  3,000 people to make automobile electrical harnesses for an assembly
  plant in Australia. Tourism is an expanding sector accounting for
  25% of GDP; 122,000 tourists visited the islands in 2007. The Samoan
  Government has called for deregulation of the financial sector,
  encouragement of investment, and continued fiscal discipline, while
  at the same time protecting the environment. Observers point to the
  flexibility of the labor market as a basic strength for future
  economic advances. Foreign reserves are in a relatively healthy
  state, the external debt is stable, and inflation is low.

San Marino
  San Marino's economy relies heavily on its tourism and
  banking industries, as well as from the manufacture and export of
  ceramics, clothing, fabrics, furniture, paints, spirits, tiles, and
  wine. The economy also benefits from foreign investment due to its
  relatively low corporate taxes and low taxes on interest earnings.
  The San Marino government, sworn in on 3 December 2008, will
  continue to work towards an economic cooperation agreement with
  Italy - a longstanding priority - as well as harmonizing its fiscal
  laws with EU members. The per capita level of output and standard of
  living are comparable to those of the most prosperous regions of
  Italy, which supplies much of its food.

Sao Tome and Principe
  This small, poor island economy has become
  increasingly dependent on cocoa since independence in 1975. Cocoa
  production has substantially declined in recent years because of
  drought and mismanagement. Sao Tome has to import all fuels, most
  manufactured goods, consumer goods, and a substantial amount of
  food. Over the years, it has had difficulty servicing its external
  debt and has relied heavily on concessional aid and debt
  rescheduling. Sao Tome benefited from $200 million in debt relief in
  December 2000 under the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC)
  program, which helped bring down the country's $300 million debt
  burden. In August 2005, Sao Tome signed on to a new 3-year IMF
  Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) program worth $4.3
  million. Considerable potential exists for development of a tourist
  industry, and the government has taken steps to expand facilities in
  recent years. The government also has attempted to reduce price
  controls and subsidies. Potential exists for the development of
  petroleum resources in Sao Tome's territorial waters in the oil-rich
  Gulf of Guinea, which are being jointly developed in a 60-40 split
  with Nigeria, but any actual production is at least several years
  off. The first production licenses were sold in 2004, though a
  dispute over licensing with Nigeria delayed Sao Tome's receipt of
  more than $20 million in signing bonuses for almost a year. Real GDP
  growth averaged about 6% in 2006-08, as a result of increases in
  public expenditures and oil-related capital investment.

Saudi Arabia
  Saudi Arabia has an oil-based economy with strong
  government controls over major economic activities. It possesses
  more than 20% of the world's proven petroleum reserves, ranks as the
  largest exporter of petroleum, and plays a leading role in OPEC. The
  petroleum sector accounts for roughly 80% of budget revenues, 45% of
  GDP, and 90% of export earnings. About 40% of GDP comes from the
  private sector. Roughly 6.4 million foreign workers play an
  important role in the Saudi economy, particularly in the oil and
  service sectors. High oil prices through mid-2008 have boosted
  growth, government revenues, and Saudi ownership of foreign assets,
  while enabling Riyadh to pay down domestic debt. The government is
  encouraging private sector growth - especially in power generation,
  telecommunications, natural gas exploration, and petrochemicals - to
  lessen the kingdom's dependence on oil exports and to increase
  employment opportunities for the swelling Saudi population, nearly
  40% of which are youths under 15 years old. Unemployment is high,
  and the large youth population generally lacks the education and
  technical skills the private sector needs. Riyadh has substantially
  boosted spending on job training and education, infrastructure
  development, and government salaries. As part of its effort to
  attract foreign investment and diversify the economy, Saudi Arabia
  acceded to the WTO in December 2005 after many years of
  negotiations. The government has announced plans to establish six
  "economic cities" in different regions of the country to promote
  development and diversification. The last five years of high oil
  prices have given the Kingdom ample financial reserves to manage the
  impact of the global financial crisis, but tight international
  credit, falling oil prices, and the global economic slowdown will
  reduce Saudi economic growth in 2009.

Senegal
  In January 1994, Senegal undertook a bold and ambitious
  economic reform program with the support of the international donor
  community. This reform began with a 50% devaluation of Senegal's
  currency, the CFA franc, which was linked at a fixed rate to the
  French franc. Government price controls and subsidies have been
  steadily dismantled. After seeing its economy contract by 2.1% in
  1993, Senegal made an important turnaround, thanks to the reform
  program, with real growth in GDP averaging over 5% annually during
  1995-2008. Annual inflation had been pushed down to the single
  digits. As a member of the West African Economic and Monetary Union
  (WAEMU), Senegal is working toward greater regional integration with
  a unified external tariff and a more stable monetary policy. High
  unemployment, however, continues to prompt illegal migrants to flee
  Senegal in search of better job opportunities in Europe. Senegal was
  also beset by an energy crisis that caused widespread blackouts in
  2006 and 2007. The phosphate industry has struggled for two years to
  secure capital, and reduced output has directly impacted GDP. In
  2007, Senegal signed agreements for major new mining concessions for
  iron, zircon, and gold with foreign companies. Firms from Dubai have
  agreed to manage and modernize Dakar's maritime port, and create a
  new special economic zone. Senegal still relies heavily upon outside
  donor assistance. Under the IMF's Highly Indebted Poor Countries
  (HIPC) debt relief program, Senegal has benefited from eradication
  of two-thirds of its bilateral, multilateral, and private-sector
  debt. In 2007, Senegal and the IMF agreed to a new, non-disbursing,
  Policy Support Initiative program.

Serbia
  MILOSEVIC-era mismanagement of the economy, an extended
  period of international economic sanctions, and the damage to
  Yugoslavia's infrastructure and industry during the NATO airstrikes
  in 1999 left the economy only half the size it was in 1990. After
  the ousting of former Federal Yugoslav President MILOSEVIC in
  September 2000, the Democratic Opposition of Serbia (DOS) coalition
  government implemented stabilization measures and embarked on a
  market reform program. After renewing its membership in the IMF in
  December 2000, Yugoslavia continued to reintegrate into the
  international community by rejoining the World Bank (IBRD) and the
  European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). A World
  Bank-European Commission sponsored Donors' Conference held in June
  2001 raised $1.3 billion for economic restructuring. In November
  2001, the Paris Club agreed to reschedule the country's $4.5 billion
  public debt and wrote off 66% of the debt. In July 2004, the London
  Club of private creditors forgave $1.7 billion of debt just over
  half the total owed. Belgrade has made progress in trade
  liberalization and enterprise restructuring and privatization,
  including telecommunications and small- and medium-size firms. It
  has made halting progress towards EU membership despite signing a
  Stabilization and Association Agreement with Brussels in May 2008.
  Serbia is also pursuing membership in the World Trade Organization.
  Unemployment and the large current account deficit remain ongoing
  political and economic problems.

Seychelles
  Since independence in 1976, per capita output in this
  Indian Ocean archipelago has expanded to roughly seven times the
  pre-independence, near-subsistence level, moving the island into the
  upper-middle income group of countries. Growth has been led by the
  tourist sector, which employs about 30% of the labor force and
  provides more than 70% of hard currency earnings, and by tuna
  fishing. In recent years, the government has encouraged foreign
  investment to upgrade hotels and other services. At the same time,
  the government has moved to reduce the dependence on tourism by
  promoting the development of farming, fishing, and small-scale
  manufacturing. GDP grew about 7-8% per year in 2006-07, driven by
  tourism and a boom in tourism-related construction. The Seychelles
  rupee was allowed to depreciate in 2006 after being overvalued for
  years and fell by 10% in the first 9 months of 2007. Despite these
  actions, the Seychelles economy has struggled to maintain its gains
  and in 2008 suffered from food and oil price shocks, a foreign
  exchange shortage, high inflation and large financing gaps, with GDP
  growth reduced to about 3% in 2008. In July 2008 the government
  defaulted on a Euro amortizing note worth roughly US$80 million,
  leading to a downgrading of Seychelles credit rating. Seychelles
  requested an IMF Stand-By Agreement in December 2008.

Sierra Leone
  Sierra Leone is an extremely poor nation with
  tremendous inequality in income distribution. While it possesses
  substantial mineral, agricultural, and fishery resources, its
  physical and social infrastructure is not well developed, and
  serious social disorders continue to hamper economic development.
  Nearly half of the working-age population engages in subsistence
  agriculture. Manufacturing consists mainly of the processing of raw
  materials and of light manufacturing for the domestic market.
  Alluvial diamond mining remains the major source of hard currency
  earnings accounting for nearly half of Sierra Leone's exports. The
  fate of the economy depends upon the maintenance of domestic peace
  and the continued receipt of substantial aid from abroad, which is
  essential to offset the severe trade imbalance and supplement
  government revenues. The IMF has completed a Poverty Reduction and
  Growth Facility program that helped stabilize economic growth and
  reduce inflation. A recent increase in political stability has led
  to a revival of economic activity such as the rehabilitation of
  bauxite and rutile mining.

Singapore
  Singapore has a highly developed and successful
  free-market economy. It enjoys a remarkably open and corruption-free
  environment, stable prices, and a per capita GDP higher than that of
  most developed countries. The economy depends heavily on exports,
  particularly in consumer electronics, information technology
  products, pharmaceuticals, and on a growing service sector. Real GDP
  growth averaged 7% between 2004 and 2007, but dropped to 1.1% in
  2008 as a result of the global financial crisis. The economy
  contracted in the last three quarters of 2008. Prime Minister LEE
  and other senior officials have dampened expectations for a quick
  rebound in 2009. Over the longer term, the government hopes to
  establish a new growth path that will be less vulnerable to global
  demand cycles especially for information technology products. It has
  attracted major investments in pharmaceuticals and medical
  technology production and will continue efforts to establish
  Singapore as Southeast Asia's financial and high-tech hub.

Slovakia
  Slovakia has made significant economic reforms since its
  separation from the Czech Republic in 1993. Reforms to the taxation,
  healthcare, pension, and social welfare systems helped Slovakia to
  consolidate its budget and get on track to join the EU in 2004 and
  to adopt the euro in January 2009. Major privatizations are nearly
  complete, the banking sector is almost entirely in foreign hands,
  and the government has helped facilitate a foreign investment boom
  with business friendly policies such as labor market liberalization
  and a 19% flat tax. Foreign investment in the automotive and
  electronic sectors has been strong. Slovakia's economic growth
  exceeded expectations in 2001-08 despite the general European
  slowdown. Unemployment, at an unacceptable 18% in 2003-04, dropped
  to 8.4% in 2008 but remains the economy's Achilles heel. Despite its
  2006 pre-election promises to loosen fiscal policy and reverse the
  previous DZURINDA government's pro-market reforms, FICO's cabinet
  has thus far been careful to keep a lid on spending in order to meet
  euro adoption criteria and has focused on regulating energy and food
  prices instead. The OECD expects Slovakia's GDP growth to be
  positive in 2009.

Slovenia
  Slovenia, which on 1 January 2007 became the first 2004
  European Union entrant to adopt the euro, is a model of economic
  success and stability for the region. With the highest per capita
  GDP in Central Europe, Slovenia has excellent infrastructure, a
  well-educated work force, and a strategic location between the
  Balkans and Western Europe. Privatization has lagged since 2002, and
  the economy has one of highest levels of state control in the EU.
  Structural reforms to improve the business environment have allowed
  for somewhat greater foreign participation in Slovenia's economy and
  have helped to lower unemployment. In March 2004, Slovenia became
  the first transition country to graduate from borrower status to
  donor partner at the World Bank. In December 2007, Slovenia was
  invited to begin the accession process for joining the OECD. Despite
  its economic success, foreign direct investment (FDI) in Slovenia
  has lagged behind the region average, and taxes remain relatively
  high. Furthermore, the labor market is often seen as inflexible, and
  legacy industries are losing sales to more competitive firms in
  China, India, and elsewhere.

Solomon Islands
  The bulk of the population depends on agriculture,
  fishing, and forestry for at least part of its livelihood. Most
  manufactured goods and petroleum products must be imported. The
  islands are rich in undeveloped mineral resources such as lead,
  zinc, nickel, and gold. Prior to the arrival of RAMSI, severe ethnic
  violence, the closing of key businesses, and an empty government
  treasury culminated in economic collapse. RAMSI's efforts to restore
  law and order and economic stability have led to modest growth as
  the economy rebuilds.

Somalia
  Despite the lack of effective national governance, Somalia
  has maintained a healthy informal economy, largely based on
  livestock, remittance/money transfer companies, and
  telecommunications. Agriculture is the most important sector, with
  livestock normally accounting for about 40% of GDP and about 65% of
  export earnings. Nomads and semi-pastoralists, who are dependent
  upon livestock for their livelihood, make up a large portion of the
  population. Livestock, hides, fish, charcoal, and bananas are
  Somalia's principal exports, while sugar, sorghum, corn, qat, and
  machined goods are the principal imports. Somalia's small industrial
  sector, based on the processing of agricultural products, has
  largely been looted and sold as scrap metal. Somalia's service
  sector also has grown. Telecommunication firms provide wireless
  services in most major cities and offer the lowest international
  call rates on the continent. In the absence of a formal banking
  sector, money transfer/remittance services have sprouted throughout
  the country, handling roughly $2 billion in remittances annually.
  Mogadishu's main market offers a variety of goods from food to the
  newest electronic gadgets. Hotels continue to operate and are
  supported with private-security militias. Somalia's arrears to the
  IMF continued to grow in 2008. Statistics on Somalia's GDP, growth,
  per capita income, and inflation should be viewed skeptically.

South Africa
  South Africa is a middle-income, emerging market with
  an abundant supply of natural resources; well-developed financial,
  legal, communications, energy, and transport sectors; a stock
  exchange that is 17th largest in the world; and modern
  infrastructure supporting an efficient distribution of goods to
  major urban centers throughout the region. Growth was robust from
  2004 to 2008 as South Africa reaped the benefits of macroeconomic
  stability and a global commodities boom, but began to slow in the
  second half of 2008 due to the global financial crisis' impact on
  commodity prices and demand. However, unemployment remains high and
  outdated infrastructure has constrained growth. At the end of 2007,
  South Africa began to experience an electricity crisis because state
  power supplier Eskom suffered supply problems with aged plants,
  necessitating "load-shedding" cuts to residents and businesses in
  the major cities. Daunting economic problems remain from the
  apartheid era - especially poverty, lack of economic empowerment
  among the disadvantaged groups, and a shortage of public
  transportation. South African economic policy is fiscally
  conservative but pragmatic, focusing on controlling inflation,
  maintaining a budget surplus, and using state-owned enterprises to
  deliver basic services to low-income areas as a means to increase
  job growth and household income.

South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands Some fishing takes place in adjacent waters. There is a potential source of income from harvesting finfish and krill. The islands receive income from postage stamps produced in the UK, sale of fishing licenses, and harbor and landing fees from tourist vessels. Tourism from specialized cruise ships is increasing rapidly.

Southern Ocean
  Fisheries in 2006-07 landed 126,976 metric tons, of
  which 82% (104,586 tons) was krill (Euphausia superba) and 9.5%
  (12,027 tons) Patagonian toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides - also
  known as Chilean sea bass), compared to 127,910 tons in 2005-06 of
  which 83% (106,591 tons) was krill and 9.7% (12,396 tons) Patagonian
  toothfish (estimated fishing from the area covered by the Convention
  of the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR),
  which extends slightly beyond the Southern Ocean area).
  International agreements were adopted in late 1999 to reduce
  illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, which in the 2000-01
  season landed, by one estimate, 8,376 metric tons of Patagonian and
  Antarctic toothfish. In the 2007-08 Antarctic summer, 45,213
  tourists visited the Southern Ocean, compared to 35,552 in
  2006-2007, and 29,799 in 2005-2006 (estimates provided to the
  Antarctic Treaty by the International Association of Antarctica Tour
  Operators (IAATO), and does not include passengers on overflights
  and those flying directly in and out of Antarctica).

Spain
  The Spanish economy grew every year from 1994 through 2008
  before entering a recession that started in the third quarter of
  2008. Spain's mixed capitalist economy supports a GDP that on a per
  capita basis is approaching that of the largest West European
  economies. The Socialist president, Jose Luis Rodriguez ZAPATERO, in
  office since 2004, has made mixed progress in carrying out key
  structural reforms. The economy was greatly affected, especially
  after Zapatero's second term began in April 2008, by the bursting of
  the housing bubble and construction boom that had fueled much of the
  economic growth between 2001 and 2007. The global financial crisis
  exacerbated the economic downturn. GDP growth in 2008 was 1.2%, well
  below the 3% or higher growth the country enjoyed from 1997 through
  2007. The Spanish banking system is considered solid, thanks in part
  to conservative oversight by the European Central Bank, and
  government intervention to rescue banks on the scale seen elsewhere
  in Europe in 2008 was not necessary. After considerable success
  since the mid-1990s in reducing unemployment to a 2007 low of 8%,
  Spain suffered a major spike in unemployment in the last few months
  of 2008, finishing the year with an unemployment rate over 13%.

Spratly Islands
  Economic activity is limited to commercial fishing.
  The proximity to nearby oil- and gas-producing sedimentary basins
  suggests the potential for oil and gas deposits, but the region is
  largely unexplored. There are no reliable estimates of potential
  reserves. Commercial exploitation has yet to be developed.

Sri Lanka
  In 1977, Colombo abandoned statist economic policies and
  its import substitution trade policy for more market-oriented
  policies, export-oriented trade, and encouragement of foreign
  investment. Recent changes in government, however, have brought some
  policy reversals. Currently, the ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party has
  a more statist economic approach, which seeks to reduce poverty by
  steering investment to disadvantaged areas, developing small and
  medium enterprises, promoting agriculture, and expanding the already
  enormous civil service. The government has halted privatizations.
  Although suffering a brutal civil war that began in 1983, Sri Lanka
  saw GDP growth average 4.5% in the last 10 years with the exception
  of a recession in 2001. In late December 2004, a major tsunami took
  about 31,000 lives, left more than 6,300 missing and 443,000
  displaced, and destroyed an estimated $1.5 billion worth of
  property. Government spending on development and fighting the LTTE
  drove GDP growth to about 7% per year in 2006-07 before the global
  recession slow growth in 2008, but high government spending and high
  oil and commodity prices also raised inflation to around 15% in
  2008. Sri Lanka's most dynamic sectors now are food processing,
  textiles and apparel, food and beverages, port construction,
  telecommunications, and insurance and banking. In 2008, plantation
  crops made up only about 20% of exports (compared with more than 90%
  in 1970), while textiles and garments accounted for more than 40%.
  About 1.5 million Sri Lankans work abroad, 90% of them in the Middle
  East. They send home more than $2.5 billion a year. The 25-year
  civil conflict between LTTE and the government of Sri Lanka has been
  a serious impediment to economic activities. By mid February 2009,
  the LTTE remained in control of small and shrinking area in the
  North. The conflict continues to cast a shadow over the economy.

Sudan
  Until the second half of 2008, Sudan's economy boomed on the
  back of increases in oil production, high oil prices, and large
  inflows of foreign direct investment. GDP growth registered more
  than 10% per year in 2006 and 2007. From 1997 to date, Sudan has
  been working with the IMF to implement macroeconomic reforms,
  including a managed float of the exchange rate. Sudan began
  exporting crude oil in the last quarter of 1999. Agricultural
  production remains important, because it employs 80% of the work
  force and contributes a third of GDP. The Darfur conflict, the
  aftermath of two decades of civil war in the south, the lack of
  basic infrastructure in large areas, and a reliance by much of the
  population on subsistence agriculture ensure much of the population
  will remain at or below the poverty line for years despite rapid
  rises in average per capita income. In January 2007, the government
  introduced a new currency, the Sudanese Pound, at an initial
  exchange rate of $1.00 equals 2 Sudanese Pounds.

Suriname
  The economy is dominated by the mining industry, with
  exports of alumina, gold, and oil accounting for about 85% of
  exports and 25% of government revenues, making the economy highly
  vulnerable to mineral price volatility. Prospects for local onshore
  oil production are good, and a drilling program is underway.
  Offshore oil drilling was given a boost in 2004 when the State Oil
  Company (Staatsolie) signed exploration agreements with several
  Western oil companies. Bidding on these new offshore blocks was
  completed in July 2006. The short-term economic outlook depends on
  the government's ability to control inflation and on the development
  of projects in the bauxite and gold mining sectors, though
  investment in these projects may slow with the tightening of global
  credit markets. Suriname has received aid for these projects from
  Netherlands, Belgium, and the European Development Fund. Suriname's
  economic prospects for the medium term will depend on continued
  commitment to responsible monetary and fiscal policies and to the
  introduction of structural reforms to liberalize markets and promote
  competition. In 2000, the government of Ronald VENETIAAN, returned
  to office and inherited an economy with inflation of over 100% and a
  growing fiscal deficit. He quickly implemented an austerity program,
  raised taxes, attempted to control spending, and tamed inflation.
  The VENETIAAN administration also has created a stabilization fund
  to insulate future revenue from commodity shocks. These economic
  policies are likely to remain in effect during VENETIAAN's third
  term.

Svalbard
  Coal mining is the major economic activity on Svalbard. The
  treaty of 9 February 1920 gave the 41 signatories equal rights to
  exploit mineral deposits, subject to Norwegian regulation. Although
  US, UK, Dutch, and Swedish coal companies have mined in the past,
  the only companies still mining are Norwegian and Russian. The
  settlements on Svalbard are essentially company towns. The Norwegian
  state-owned coal company employs nearly 60% of the Norwegian
  population on the island, runs many of the local services, and
  provides most of the local infrastructure. There is also some
  hunting of seal, reindeer, and fox.

Swaziland
  In this small, landlocked economy, subsistence agriculture
  occupies approximately 70% of the population. The manufacturing
  sector has diversified since the mid-1980s. Sugar and wood pulp
  remain important foreign exchange earners. In 2007, the sugar
  industry increased efficiency and diversification efforts, in
  response to a 17% decline in EU sugar prices. Mining has declined in
  importance in recent years with only coal and quarry stone mines
  remaining active. Surrounded by South Africa, except for a short
  border with Mozambique, Swaziland is heavily dependent on South
  Africa from which it receives more than nine-tenths of its imports
  and to which it sends 60% of its exports. Swaziland's currency is
  pegged to the South African rand, subsuming Swaziland's monetary
  policy to South Africa. Customs duties from the Southern African
  Customs Union, which may equal as much as 70% of government revenue
  this year, and worker remittances from South Africa substantially
  supplement domestically earned income. Swaziland is not poor enough
  to merit an IMF program; however, the country is struggling to
  reduce the size of the civil service and control costs at public
  enterprises. The government is trying to improve the atmosphere for
  foreign investment. With an estimated 40% unemployment rate,
  Swaziland's need to increase the number and size of small and medium
  enterprises and attract foreign direct investment is acute.
  Overgrazing, soil depletion, drought, and sometimes floods persist
  as problems for the future. More than one-fourth of the population
  needed emergency food aid in 2006-07 because of drought, and nearly
  two-fifths of the adult population has been infected by HIV/AIDS.

Sweden
  Aided by peace and neutrality for the whole of the 20th
  century, Sweden has achieved an enviable standard of living under a
  mixed system of high-tech capitalism and extensive welfare benefits.
  It has a modern distribution system, excellent internal and external
  communications, and a skilled labor force. In September 2003,
  Swedish voters turned down entry into the euro system concerned
  about the impact on the economy and sovereignty. Timber, hydropower,
  and iron ore constitute the resource base of an economy heavily
  oriented toward foreign trade. Privately owned firms account for
  about 90% of industrial output, of which the engineering sector
  accounts for 50% of output and exports. Agriculture accounts for
  only 1% of GDP and of employment. Until 2008, Sweden was in the
  midst of a sustained economic upswing, boosted by increased domestic
  demand and strong exports. This and robust finances offered the
  center-right government considerable scope to implement its reform
  program aimed at increasing employment, reducing welfare dependence,
  and streamlining the state's role in the economy. Despite strong
  finances and underlying fundamentals, the Swedish economy slid into
  recession in the third quarter of 2008 and growth continued downward
  in the fourth as deteriorating global conditions reduced export
  demand and consumption. On 3 February 2009, the Swedish Government
  announced a $6 billon rescue package for the banking sector.

Switzerland
  Switzerland is a peaceful, prosperous, and stable modern
  market economy with low unemployment, a highly skilled labor force,
  and a per capita GDP among the highest in the world. Switzerland's
  economy benefits from a highly developed service sector led by
  financial services and a manufacturing industry that specializes in
  high-technology, knowledge-based production. The Swiss in recent
  years have brought their economic practices largely into conformity
  with the EU's to enhance their international competitiveness, but
  some trade protectionism remains, particularly for its small
  agricultural sector. Switzerland remains a safehaven for investors,
  because it has maintained a degree of bank secrecy and has kept up
  the franc's long-term external value. The global financial crisis
  and resulting economic downturn could, however, put Switzerland in a
  recession in 2009, particularly as global export demand stalls.
  Switzerland's largest banks suffered significant losses in 2008 and
  the country's largest bank accepted a government rescue deal in late
  2008. The Swiss National Bank, beginning in October 2008, cut
  interest rates on several consecutive occasions, effectively
  instituting a zero-rate policy in a bid to boost the economy.

Syria
  The Syrian economy grew by an estimated 2.4% in real terms in
  2008 led by the petroleum and agricultural sectors, which together
  account for about one-half of GDP. Higher crude oil prices countered
  declining oil production and led to higher budgetary and export
  receipts. Damascus has implemented modest economic reforms in the
  past few years, including cutting lending interest rates, opening
  private banks, consolidating all of the multiple exchange rates,
  raising prices on some subsidized items, most notably gasoline and
  cement, and establishing the Damascus Stock Exchange - which is set
  to begin operations in 2009. In October 2007, for example, Damascus
  raised the price of subsidized gasoline by 20%, then instituted a
  rationing system in 2008. In addition, President ASAD signed
  legislative decrees to encourage corporate ownership reform, and to
  allow the Central Bank to issue Treasury bills and bonds for
  government debt. Nevertheless, the economy remains highly controlled
  by the government. Long-run economic constraints include declining
  oil production, high unemployment and inflation, rising budget
  deficits, and increasing pressure on water supplies caused by heavy
  use in agriculture, rapid population growth, industrial expansion,
  and water pollution.

Taiwan
  Taiwan has a dynamic capitalist economy with gradually
  decreasing government guidance of investment and foreign trade. In
  keeping with this trend, some large, state-owned banks and
  industrial firms have been privatized. Exports have provided the
  primary impetus for industrialization. The island runs a large trade
  surplus, and its foreign reserves are among the world's largest.
  Recently opened cross-strait travel, transportation, and tourism
  links are likely to increase Taiwan and China's economic
  interdependence. In 2008 China overtook the US to become Taiwan's
  second-largest source of imports, after Japan. China is also the
  island's number one destination for foreign direct investment.
  Growth fell to 0.1% in 2008 because of the global slowdown.

Tajikistan
  Tajikistan has one of the lowest per capita GDPs among
  the 15 former Soviet republics. Because of a lack of employment
  opportunities in Tajikistan, nearly half of the labor force works
  abroad, primarily in Russia, supporting families in Tajikistan
  through remittances. The exact number of labor migrants is unknown,
  but estimated at around 1 million. Less than 7% of the land area is
  arable. Cotton is the most important crop, but this sector is
  burdened with debt and obsolete infrastructure. Mineral resources
  include silver, gold, uranium, and tungsten. Industry consists only
  of a large aluminum plant, hydropower facilities, and small obsolete
  factories mostly in light industry and food processing. The civil
  war (1992-97) severely damaged the already weak economic
  infrastructure and caused a sharp decline in industrial and
  agricultural production. Tajikistan's economic situation remains
  fragile due to uneven implementation of structural reforms,
  corruption, weak governance, widespread unemployment, seasonal power
  shortages, and the external debt burden. A debt restructuring
  agreement was reached with Russia in December 2002 including a $250
  million write-off of Tajikistan's $300 million debt. Completion of
  the Sangtuda I hydropower dam - built with Russian investment - and
  the Sangtuda II and Rogun dams will add substantially to electricity
  output. If finished according to Tajik plans, Rogun will be the
  world's tallest dam. Tajikistan has also received substantial
  infrastructure development loans from the Chinese government to
  improve roads and an electricity transmission network. To help
  increase north-south trade, the US funded a $36 million bridge which
  opened in August 2007 and links Tajikistan and Afghanistan. While,
  Tajikistan has experienced steady economic growth since 1997, nearly
  two-thirds of the population continues to live in poverty. Economic
  growth reached 10.6% in 2004, but dropped below 8% in 2005-08, as
  the effects of higher oil prices and then the international
  financial crisis began to register - mainly in the form of lower
  prices for key commodities and lower remittances from Tajiks working
  in Russia, due to the declining economic conditions in that country.

Tanzania
  Tanzania is in the bottom ten percent of the world's
  economies in terms of per capita income. The economy depends heavily
  on agriculture, which accounts for more than 40% of GDP, provides
  85% of exports, and employs 80% of the work force. Topography and
  climatic conditions, however, limit cultivated crops to only 4% of
  the land area. Industry traditionally featured the processing of
  agricultural products and light consumer goods. The World Bank, the
  IMF, and bilateral donors have provided funds to rehabilitate
  Tanzania's out-of-date economic infrastructure and to alleviate
  poverty. Long-term growth through 2005 featured a pickup in
  industrial production and a substantial increase in output of
  minerals led by gold. Recent banking reforms have helped increase
  private-sector growth and investment. Continued donor assistance and
  solid macroeconomic policies supported real GDP growth of 7.1% in
  2008.

Thailand
  With a well-developed infrastructure, a free-enterprise
  economy, and generally pro-investment policies, Thailand was one of
  East Asia's best performers from 2002-04, averaging more than 6%
  annual real GDP growth. However, overall economic growth has fallen
  sharply - averaging 4.9% from 2005 to 2007 - as persistent political
  crisis stalled infrastructure mega-projects, eroded investor and
  consumer confidence, and damaged the country's international image.
  The growth rate fell to 2.6% in 2008. Exports were the key economic
  driver as foreign investment and consumer demand stalled. Export
  growth from January 2005 to November 2008 averaged 17.5% annually.
  Business uncertainty escalated, however, following the September
  2006 coup when the military-installed government imposed capital
  controls and considered far-reaching changes to foreign investment
  rules and other business legislation. Although controversial capital
  controls have since been lifted and business rules largely remain
  unchanged, investor sentiment has not recovered. Moreover, the 2008
  global financial crisis further darkened Thailand's economic
  horizon. Continued political uncertainty will hamper resumption of
  infrastructure mega-projects.

Timor-Leste
  In late 1999, about 70% of the economic infrastructure
  of Timor-Leste was laid waste by Indonesian troops and
  anti-independence militias. Three hundred thousand people fled
  westward. Over the next three years a massive international program,
  manned by 5,000 peacekeepers (8,000 at peak) and 1,300 police
  officers, led to substantial reconstruction in both urban and rural
  areas. By the end of 2005, refugees had returned or had settled in
  Indonesia. The country continues to face great challenges in
  rebuilding its infrastructure, strengthening the civil
  administration, and generating jobs for young people entering the
  work force. The development of oil and gas resources in offshore
  waters has begun to supplement government revenues ahead of schedule
  and above expectations. The technology-intensive industry, however,
  has done little to create jobs for the unemployed because there are
  no production facilities in Timor. Gas is piped to Australia. In
  June 2005, the National Parliament unanimously approved the creation
  of a Petroleum Fund to serve as a repository for all petroleum
  revenues and preserve the value of Timor-Leste's petroleum wealth
  for future generations. The Fund held assets of US$3.9 billion as of
  October 2008. The economy is recovering from the mid-2006 outbreak
  of violence and civil unrest, which disrupted both private and
  public sector economic activity. The government in 2008 resettled
  tens of thousands of an estimated 100,000 internally displaced
  persons (IDPs) and planned for all IDPs to return home by early
  2009. The underlying economic policy challenge the country faces
  remains how best to use oil-and-gas wealth to lift the non-oil
  economy onto a higher growth path and to reduce poverty.

Togo
  This small, sub-Saharan economy is heavily dependent on both
  commercial and subsistence agriculture, which provides employment
  for 65% of the labor force. Some basic foodstuffs must still be
  imported. Cocoa, coffee, and cotton generate about 40% of export
  earnings with cotton being the most important cash crop. Togo is the
  world's fourth-largest producer of phosphate. The government's
  decade-long effort, supported by the World Bank and the IMF, to
  implement economic reform measures, encourage foreign investment,
  and bring revenues in line with expenditures has moved slowly.
  Progress depends on follow through on privatization, increased
  openness in government financial operations, progress toward
  legislative elections, and continued support from foreign donors.
  Togo is working with donors to write a Poverty Reduction and Growth
  Facility (PRGF) that could eventually lead to a debt reduction plan.
  Economic growth remains marginal due to declining cotton production,
  underinvestment in phosphate mining, and strained relations with
  donors.

Tokelau
  Tokelau's small size (three villages), isolation, and lack
  of resources greatly restrain economic development and confine
  agriculture to the subsistence level. The people rely heavily on aid
  from New Zealand - about $4 million annually - to maintain public
  services with annual aid being substantially greater than GDP. The
  principal sources of revenue come from sales of copra, postage
  stamps, souvenir coins, and handicrafts. Money is also remitted to
  families from relatives in New Zealand.

Tonga
  Tonga has a small, open, South Pacific island economy. It has
  a narrow export base in agricultural goods. Squash, vanilla beans,
  and yams are the main crops. Agricultural exports, including fish,
  make up two-thirds of total exports. The country must import a high
  proportion of its food, mainly from New Zealand. The country remains
  dependent on external aid and remittances from Tongan communities
  overseas to offset its trade deficit. Tourism is the second-largest
  source of hard currency earnings following remittances. Tonga had
  41,000 visitors in 2004. The government is emphasizing the
  development of the private sector, especially the encouragement of
  investment, and is committing increased funds for health and
  education. Tonga has a reasonably sound basic infrastructure and
  well developed social services. High unemployment among the young, a
  continuing upturn in inflation, pressures for democratic reform, and
  rising civil service expenditures are major issues facing the
  government.

Trinidad and Tobago
  Trinidad and Tobago has earned a reputation as
  an excellent investment site for international businesses and has
  one of the highest growth rates and per capita incomes in Latin
  America. Economic growth for the past seven years has averaged
  slightly over 8%, significantly above the regional average of about
  3.7% for that same period; however, it has slowed down this year to
  about 5% and is expected to slow further with the global downturn.
  Growth has been fueled by investments in liquefied natural gas
  (LNG), petrochemicals, and steel. Additional petrochemical,
  aluminum, and plastics projects are in various stages of planning.
  Trinidad and Tobago is the leading Caribbean producer of oil and
  gas, and its economy is heavily dependent upon these resources but
  it also supplies manufactured goods, notably food and beverages, as
  well as cement to the Caribbean region. Oil and gas account for
  about 40% of GDP and 80% of exports, but only 5% of employment. The
  country is also a regional financial center, and tourism is a
  growing sector, although it is not proportionately as important as
  in many other Caribbean islands. The economy benefits from a growing
  trade surplus. The MANNING administration has benefited from fiscal
  surpluses fueled by the dynamic export sector; however, declines in
  oil and gas prices have reduced government revenues which will
  challenge his government's commitment to maintaining high levels of
  public investment.

Tunisia
  Tunisia has a diverse economy, with important agricultural,
  mining, tourism, and manufacturing sectors. Governmental control of
  economic affairs while still heavy has gradually lessened over the
  past decade with increasing privatization, simplification of the tax
  structure, and a prudent approach to debt. Progressive social
  policies also have helped raise living conditions in Tunisia
  relative to the region. Real growth, which averaged almost 5% over
  the past decade, declined to 4.7% in 2008 and probably will decline
  further in 2009 because of economic contraction and slowing of
  import demand in Europe - Tunisia's largest export market. However,
  development of non-textile manufacturing, a recovery in agricultural
  production, and strong growth in the services sector somewhat
  mitigated the economic effect of slowing exports. Tunisia will need
  to reach even higher growth levels to create sufficient employment
  opportunities for an already large number of unemployed as well as
  the growing population of university graduates. The challenges ahead
  include: privatizing industry, liberalizing the investment code to
  increase foreign investment, improving government efficiency,
  reducing the trade deficit, and reducing socioeconomic disparities
  in the impoverished south and west.

Turkey
  Turkey's dynamic economy is a complex mix of modern industry
  and commerce along with a traditional agriculture sector that still
  accounts for about 30% of employment. It has a strong and rapidly
  growing private sector, yet the state remains a major participant in
  basic industry, banking, transport, and communication. The largest
  industrial sector is textiles and clothing, which accounts for
  one-third of industrial employment; it faces stiff competition in
  international markets with the end of the global quota system.
  However, other sectors, notably the automotive and electronics
  industries, are rising in importance within Turkey's export mix.
  Real GDP growth has exceeded 6% in many years, but this strong
  expansion has been interrupted by sharp declines in output in 1994,
  1999, and 2001. Due to global contractions, annual growth is
  estimated to have fallen to 1.1% in 2008. Inflation fell to 7.7% in
  2005 - a 30-year low - but climbed to over 10% in 2008. Despite the
  strong economic gains from 2002-07, which were largely due to
  renewed investor interest in emerging markets, IMF backing, and
  tighter fiscal policy, the economy is still burdened by a high
  current account deficit and high external debt. Further economic and
  judicial reforms and prospective EU membership are expected to boost
  foreign direct investment. The stock value of FDI stood at nearly
  $130 billion at year-end 2008. Privatization sales are currently
  approaching $21 billion. Oil began to flow through the
  Baku-Tblisi-Ceyhan pipeline in May 2006, marking a major milestone
  that will bring up to 1 million barrels per day from the Caspian to
  market. In 2007 and 2008, Turkish financial markets weathered
  significant domestic political turmoil, including turbulence sparked
  by controversy over the selection of former Foreign Minister
  Abdullah GUL as Turkey's 11th president and the possible closure of
  the Justice and Development Party (AKP). Economic fundamentals are
  sound, marked by moderate economic growth and foreign direct
  investment. Nevertheless, the Turkish economy may be faced with more
  negative economic indicators in 2009 as a result of the global
  economic slowdown. In addition, Turkey's high current account
  deficit leaves the economy vulnerable to destabilizing shifts in
  investor confidence.

Turkmenistan
  Turkmenistan is largely a desert country with intensive
  agriculture in irrigated oases and sizeable gas and oil resources.
  One-half of its irrigated land is planted in cotton; formerly it was
  the world's 10th-largest producer. Poor harvests in recent years
  have led to an almost 50% decline in cotton exports. With an
  authoritarian ex-Communist regime in power and a tribally based
  social structure, Turkmenistan has taken a cautious approach to
  economic reform, hoping to use gas and cotton sales to sustain its
  inefficient economy. Privatization goals remain limited. From
  1998-2005, Turkmenistan suffered from the continued lack of adequate
  export routes for natural gas and from obligations on extensive
  short-term external debt. At the same time, however, total exports
  rose by an average of roughly 15% per year from 2003-08, largely
  because of higher international oil and gas prices. A new pipeline
  to China, set to come online in late 2009 or early 2010, will give
  Turkmenistan an additional export route for its gas. Overall
  prospects in the near future are discouraging because of widespread
  internal poverty, a poor educational system, government misuse of
  oil and gas revenues, and Ashgabat's reluctance to adopt
  market-oriented reforms. In the past, Turkmenistan's economic
  statistics were state secrets. The new government has established a
  State Agency for Statistics, but GDP numbers and other figures are
  subject to wide margins of error. In particular, the rate of GDP
  growth is uncertain. Since his election, President BERDIMUHAMEDOW
  has sought to improve the health and education systems, unified the
  country's dual currency exchange rate, ordered the redenomination of
  the manat, reduced state subsidies for gasoline, increased Internet
  access both in schools and Internet cafes, ordered an independent
  audit of Turkmenistan's gas resources, and created a special tourism
  zone on the Caspian Sea. Although foreign investment is encouraged,
  numerous bureaucratic obstacles from the NYYZOW-era remain.

Turks and Caicos Islands
  The Turks and Caicos economy is based on
  tourism, offshore financial services, and fishing. Most capital
  goods and food for domestic consumption are imported. The US is the
  leading source of tourists, accounting for more than three-quarters
  of the 175,000 visitors that arrived in 2004. Major sources of
  government revenue also include fees from offshore financial
  activities and customs receipts.

Tuvalu
  Tuvalu consists of a densely populated, scattered group of
  nine coral atolls with poor soil. The country has no known mineral
  resources and few exports and is almost entirely dependent upon
  imported food and fuel. Subsistence farming and fishing are the
  primary economic activities. Fewer than 1,000 tourists, on average,
  visit Tuvalu annually. Job opportunities are scarce and public
  sector workers make up most of those employed. About 15% of the
  adult male population work as seamen on merchant ships abroad, and
  remittances are a vital source of income contributing around $4
  million in 2006. Substantial income is received annually from the
  Tuvalu Trust Fund (TTF) an international trust fund established in
  1987 by Australia, NZ, and the UK and supported also by Japan and
  South Korea. Thanks to wise investments and conservative
  withdrawals, this fund grew from an initial $17 million to an
  estimated value of $77 million in 2006. The TFF contributed nearly
  $9 million towards the government budget in 2006 and is an important
  cushion for meeting shortfalls in the government's budget. The US
  Government is also a major revenue source for Tuvalu because of
  payments from a 1988 treaty on fisheries. In an effort to ensure
  financial stability and sustainability, the government is pursuing
  public sector reforms, including privatization of some government
  functions and personnel cuts. Tuvalu also derives royalties from the
  lease of its ".tv" Internet domain name with revenue of more than $2
  million in 2006. A minor source of government revenue comes from the
  sale of stamps and coins. With merchandise exports only a fraction
  of merchandise imports, continued reliance must be placed on fishing
  and telecommunications license fees, remittances from overseas
  workers, official transfers, and income from overseas investments.
  Growing income disparities and the vulnerability of the country to
  climatic change are among leading concerns for the nation.

Uganda
  Uganda has substantial natural resources, including fertile
  soils, regular rainfall, sizable mineral deposits of copper, cobalt,
  gold, and other minerals, and recently discovered oil. Agriculture
  is the most important sector of the economy, employing over 80% of
  the work force. Coffee accounts for the bulk of export revenues.
  Since 1986, the government - with the support of foreign countries
  and international agencies - has acted to rehabilitate and stabilize
  the economy by undertaking currency reform, raising producer prices
  on export crops, increasing prices of petroleum products, and
  improving civil service wages. The policy changes are especially
  aimed at dampening inflation and boosting production and export
  earnings. During 1990-2001, the economy turned in a solid
  performance based on continued investment in the rehabilitation of
  infrastructure, improved incentives for production and exports,
  reduced inflation, gradually improved domestic security, and the
  return of exiled Indian-Ugandan entrepreneurs. Growth continues to
  be solid, despite variability in the price of coffee, Uganda's
  principal export, and a consistent upturn in Uganda's export
  markets. In 2000, Uganda qualified for enhanced Highly Indebted Poor
  Countries (HIPC) debt relief worth $1.3 billion and Paris Club debt
  relief worth $145 million. These amounts combined with the original
  HIPC debt relief added up to about $2 billion.

Ukraine
  After Russia, the Ukrainian republic was far and away the
  most important economic component of the former Soviet Union,
  producing about four times the output of the next-ranking republic.
  Its fertile black soil generated more than one-fourth of Soviet
  agricultural output, and its farms provided substantial quantities
  of meat, milk, grain, and vegetables to other republics. Likewise,
  its diversified heavy industry supplied the unique equipment (for
  example, large diameter pipes) and raw materials to industrial and
  mining sites (vertical drilling apparatus) in other regions of the
  former USSR. Shortly after independence was ratified in December
  1991, the Ukrainian Government liberalized most prices and erected a
  legal framework for privatization, but widespread resistance to
  reform within the government and the legislature soon stalled reform
  efforts and led to some backtracking. Output by 1999 had fallen to
  less than 40% of the 1991 level. Ukraine's dependence on Russia for
  energy supplies and the lack of significant structural reform have
  made the Ukrainian economy vulnerable to external shocks. Ukraine
  depends on imports to meet about three-fourths of its annual oil and
  natural gas requirements. Ukraine concluded a deal with Russia in
  January 2006 that almost doubled the price Ukraine pays for Russian
  gas. Disputes with Russia over pricing have led to periodic gas
  cut-offs. Outside institutions - particularly the IMF - have
  encouraged Ukraine to quicken the pace and scope of reforms.
  Ukrainian Government officials eliminated most tax and customs
  privileges in a March 2005 budget law, bringing more economic
  activity out of Ukraine's large shadow economy, but more
  improvements are needed, including fighting corruption, developing
  capital markets, and improving the legislative framework. Ukraine's
  economy was buoyant despite political turmoil between the prime
  minister and president until mid-2008. Real GDP growth exceeded 7%
  in 2006-07, fueled by high global prices for steel - Ukraine's top
  export - and by strong domestic consumption, spurred by rising
  pensions and wages. The drop in steel prices and Ukraine's exposure
  to the global financial crisis due to aggressive foreign borrowing
  has lowered growth in 2008 and the economy probably will contract in
  2009. Ukraine reached an agreement with the IMF for a $16.5 billion
  standby arrangement in November 2008 to deal with the economic
  crisis. However, political turmoil in Ukraine as well as
  deteriorating external conditions are likely to hamper efforts for
  economic recovery.

United Arab Emirates
  The UAE has an open economy with a high per
  capita income and a sizable annual trade surplus. Successful efforts
  at economic diversification have reduced the portion of GDP based on
  oil and gas output to 25%. Since the discovery of oil in the UAE
  more than 30 years ago, the UAE has undergone a profound
  transformation from an impoverished region of small desert
  principalities to a modern state with a high standard of living. The
  government has increased spending on job creation and infrastructure
  expansion and is opening up utilities to greater private sector
  involvement. In April 2004, the UAE signed a Trade and Investment
  Framework Agreement with Washington and in November 2004 agreed to
  undertake negotiations toward a Free Trade Agreement with the US.
  The country's Free Trade Zones - offering 100% foreign ownership and
  zero taxes - are helping to attract foreign investors. Higher oil
  revenue, strong liquidity, housing shortages, and cheap credit in
  2005-07 led to a surge in asset prices (shares and real estate) and
  consumer inflation. The global financial crisis and the resulting
  tight international credit market and falling oil prices have
  already begun to deflate asset prices and will result in slower
  economic growth for 2009. Dependence on oil and a large expatriate
  workforce are significant long-term challenges. The UAE's strategic
  plan for the next few years focuses on diversification and creating
  more opportunities for nationals through improved education and
  increased private sector employment.

United Kingdom
  The UK, a leading trading power and financial center,
  is one of the quintet of trillion dollar economies of Western
  Europe. Over the past two decades, the government has greatly
  reduced public ownership and contained the growth of social welfare
  programs. Agriculture is intensive, highly mechanized, and efficient
  by European standards, producing about 60% of food needs with less
  than 2% of the labor force. The UK has large coal, natural gas, and
  oil resources, but its oil and natural gas reserves are declining
  and the UK became a net importer of energy in 2005; energy
  industries now contribute about 4% to GDP. Services, particularly
  banking, insurance, and business services, account by far for the
  largest proportion of GDP while industry continues to decline in
  importance. Since emerging from recession in 1992, Britain's economy
  enjoyed the longest period of expansion on record during which time
  growth outpaced most of Western Europe. The global economic
  slowdown, tight credit, and falling home prices, however, pushed
  Britain back into recession in the latter half of 2008 and prompted
  the BROWN government to implement a number of new measures to
  stimulate the economy and stabilize the financial markets; these
  include part-nationalizing the banking system, cutting taxes,
  suspending public sector borrowing rules, and bringing forward
  public spending on capital projects. The Bank of England
  periodically coordinates interest rate moves with the European
  Central Bank, but Britain remains outside the European Economic and
  Monetary Union (EMU), and opinion polls show a majority of Britons
  oppose joining the euro.

United States The US has the largest and most technologically powerful economy in the world, with a per capita GDP of $46,900. In this market-oriented economy, private individuals and business firms make most of the decisions, and the federal and state governments buy needed goods and services predominantly in the private marketplace. US business firms enjoy greater flexibility than their counterparts in Western Europe and Japan in decisions to expand capital plant, to lay off surplus workers, and to develop new products. At the same time, they face higher barriers to enter their rivals' home markets than foreign firms face entering US markets. US firms are at or near the forefront in technological advances, especially in computers and in medical, aerospace, and military equipment; their advantage has narrowed since the end of World War II. The onrush of technology largely explains the gradual development of a "two-tier labor market" in which those at the bottom lack the education and the professional/technical skills of those at the top and, more and more, fail to get comparable pay raises, health insurance coverage, and other benefits. Since 1975, practically all the gains in household income have gone to the top 20% of households. The war in March-April 2003 between a US-led coalition and Iraq, and the subsequent occupation of Iraq, required major shifts in national resources to the military. Hurricane Katrina caused extensive damage in the Gulf Coast region in August 2005, but had a small impact on overall GDP growth for the year. Soaring oil prices between 2005 and the first half of 2008 threatened inflation and unemployment, as higher gasoline prices ate into consumers' budgets. Imported oil accounts for about two-thirds of US consumption. Long-term problems include inadequate investment in economic infrastructure, rapidly rising medical and pension costs of an aging population, sizable trade and budget deficits, and stagnation of family income in the lower economic groups. The merchandise trade deficit reached a record $819 billion in 2007 and $821 billion in 2008. The global economic downturn, the sub-prime mortgage crisis, investment bank failures, falling home prices, and tight credit pushed the United States into a recession by mid-2008. To help stabilize financial markets, the US Congress established a $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) in October 2008. The government used some of these funds to purchase equity in US banks and other industrial corporations. In January 2009 the US Congress passed and President Barack OBAMA signed a bill providing an additional $787 billion fiscal stimulus - two-thirds on additional spending and one-third on tax cuts - to create jobs and to help the economy recover.

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges
  no economic activity

Uruguay
  Uruguay's economy is characterized by an export-oriented
  agricultural sector, a well-educated work force, and high levels of
  social spending. After averaging growth of 5% annually during
  1996-98, in 1999-2002 the economy suffered a major downturn,
  stemming largely from the spillover effects of the economic problems
  of its large neighbors, Argentina and Brazil. In 2001-02, Argentine
  citizens made massive withdrawals of dollars deposited in Uruguayan
  banks after bank deposits in Argentina were frozen, which led to a
  plunge in the Uruguayan peso, a banking crisis, and a sharp economic
  contraction. Real GDP fell in four years by nearly 20%, with 2002
  the worst year. The unemployment rate rose, inflation surged, and
  the burden of external debt doubled. Financial assistance from the
  IMF helped stem the damage. Uruguay restructured its external debt
  in 2003 without asking creditors to accept a reduction on the
  principal. Economic growth for Uruguay resumed, and averaged 8%
  annually during the period 2004-08.

Uzbekistan
  Uzbekistan is a dry, landlocked country of which 11%
  consists of intensely cultivated, irrigated river valleys. More than
  60% of its population lives in densely populated rural communities.
  Uzbekistan is now the world's second-largest cotton exporter and
  fifth largest producer; it relies heavily on cotton production as
  the major source of export earnings and has come under increasing
  international criticism for the use of child labor in its annual
  cotton harvest. Other major export earners include gold, natural
  gas, and oil. Following independence in September 1991, the
  government sought to prop up its Soviet-style command economy with
  subsidies and tight controls on production and prices. While aware
  of the need to improve the investment climate, the government still
  sponsors measures that often increase, not decrease, its control
  over business decisions. A sharp increase in the inequality of
  income distribution has hurt the lower ranks of society since
  independence. In 2003, the government accepted Article VIII
  obligations under the IMF, providing for full currency
  convertibility. However, strict currency controls and tightening of
  borders have lessened the effects of convertibility and have also
  led to some shortages that have further stifled economic activity.
  The Central Bank often delays or restricts convertibility,
  especially for consumer goods. Potential investment by Russia and
  China in Uzbekistan's gas and oil industry, as well as increased
  cooperation with South Korea in the realm of civil aviation, may
  boost growth prospects. In November 2005, Russian President Vladimir
  PUTIN and Uzbekistan President KARIMOV signed an "alliance," which
  included provisions for economic and business cooperation. Russian
  businesses have shown increased interest in Uzbekistan, especially
  in mining, telecom, and oil and gas. In 2006, Uzbekistan took steps
  to rejoin the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and the
  Eurasian Economic Community (EurASEC), which it subsequently left in
  2008, both organizations dominated by Russia. Uzbek authorities have
  accused US and other foreign companies operating in Uzbekistan of
  violating Uzbek tax laws and have frozen their assets.

Vanuatu
  This South Pacific island economy is based primarily on
  small-scale agriculture, which provides a living for over 70% of the
  population. Fishing, offshore financial services, and tourism, with
  more than 167,000 visitors in 2007 are other mainstays of the
  economy. Mineral deposits are negligible; the country has no known
  petroleum deposits. A small light industry sector caters to the
  local market. Tax revenues come mainly from import duties. Economic
  development is hindered by dependence on relatively few commodity
  exports, vulnerability to natural disasters, and long distances from
  main markets and between constituent islands. In response to foreign
  concerns, the government has promised to tighten regulation of its
  offshore financial center. In mid-2002, the government stepped up
  efforts to boost tourism through improved air connections, resort
  development, and cruise ship facilities. Agriculture, especially
  livestock farming, is a second target for growth. Australia and New
  Zealand are the main suppliers of tourists and foreign aid.

Venezuela
  Venezuela remains highly dependent on oil revenues, which
  account for roughly 90% of export earnings, about 50% of the federal
  budget revenues, and around 30% of GDP. A nationwide strike between
  December 2002 and February 2003 had far-reaching economic
  consequences - real GDP declined by around 9% in 2002 and 8% in 2003
  - but economic output since then has recovered strongly. Fueled by
  high oil prices, record government spending helped to boost GDP by
  about 10% in 2006, 8% in 2007, and nearly 5% in 2008. This spending,
  combined with recent minimum wage hikes and improved access to
  domestic credit, has created a consumption boom but has come at the
  cost of higher inflation - roughly 20% in 2007 and more than 30% in
  2008. Imports also have jumped significantly. Declining oil prices
  in the latter part of 2008 are expected to undermine the govenment's
  ability to continue the high rate of spending. President Hugo CHAVEZ
  in 2008 continued efforts to increase the government's contol of the
  economy by nationalizing firms in the cement and steel sectors. In
  2007, he nationalized firms in the petroleum, communications, and
  electricity sectors. In July 2008, CHAVEZ implemented by decree a
  number of laws that further consolidate and centralize authority
  over the economy through his plan for "21st Century Socialism."

Vietnam
  Vietnam is a densely-populated developing country that in
  the last 30 years has had to recover from the ravages of war, the
  loss of financial support from the old Soviet Bloc, and the
  rigidities of a centrally-planned economy. Since 2001, Vietnamese
  authorities have reaffirmed their commitment to economic
  liberalization and international integration. They have moved to
  implement the structural reforms needed to modernize the economy and
  to produce more competitive export-driven industries. Vietnam's
  membership in the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) and entry into force
  of the US-Vietnam Bilateral Trade Agreement in December 2001 have
  led to even more rapid changes in Vietnam's trade and economic
  regime. Vietnam's exports to the US increased 900% from 2001 to
  2007. Vietnam joined the WTO in January 2007 following over a decade
  long negotiation process. WTO membership has provided Vietnam an
  anchor to the global market and reinforced the domestic economic
  reform process. Among other benefits, accession allows Vietnam to
  take advantage of the phase-out of the Agreement on Textiles and
  Clothing, which eliminated quotas on textiles and clothing for WTO
  partners on 1 January 2005. Agriculture's share of economic output
  has continued to shrink from about 25% in 2000 to less than 20% in
  2008. Deep poverty has declined significantly and is now smaller
  than that of China, India, and the Philippines. Vietnam is working
  to create jobs to meet the challenge of a labor force that is
  growing by more than one-and-a-half million people every year. The
  global financial crisis, however, will constrain Vietnam's ability
  to create jobs and further reduce poverty. As global growth sharply
  drops in 2009, Vietnam's export-oriented economy - exports were 68%
  of GDP in 2007 - will suffer from lower exports, higher unemployment
  and corporate bankruptcies, and decreased foreign investment.

Virgin Islands
  Tourism is the primary economic activity, accounting
  for 80% of GDP and employment. The islands hosted 2.6 million
  visitors in 2005. The manufacturing sector consists of petroleum
  refining, rum distilling, textiles, electronics, pharmaceuticals,
  and watch assembly. One of the world's largest petroleum refineries
  is at Saint Croix. The agricultural sector is small, with most food
  being imported. International business and financial services are
  small but growing components of the economy. The islands are
  vulnerable to substantial damage from storms. The government is
  working to improve fiscal discipline, to support construction
  projects in the private sector, to expand tourist facilities, to
  reduce crime, and to protect the environment.

Wake Island
  Economic activity is limited to providing services to
  military personnel and contractors located on the island. All food
  and manufactured goods must be imported.

Wallis and Futuna
  The economy is limited to traditional subsistence
  agriculture, with about 80% of labor force earnings from agriculture
  (coconuts and vegetables), livestock (mostly pigs), and fishing.
  About 4% of the population is employed in government. Revenues come
  from French Government subsidies, licensing of fishing rights to
  Japan and South Korea, import taxes, and remittances from expatriate
  workers in New Caledonia.

West Bank
  The West Bank - the larger of the two areas comprising the
  Palestinian Authority (PA) - has experienced a general decline in
  economic conditions since the second intifada began in September
  2000. The downturn has been largely a result of Israeli closure
  policies - the imposition of closures and access restrictions in
  response to security concerns in Israel - which disrupted labor and
  trading relationships. In 2001, and even more severely in 2002,
  Israeli military measures in PA areas resulted in the destruction of
  capital, the disruption of administrative structures, and widespread
  business closures. International aid of at least $1.14 billion to
  the West Bank and Gaza Strip in 2004 prevented the complete collapse
  of the economy and allowed some reforms in the government's
  financial operations. In 2005, high unemployment and limited trade
  opportunities - due to continued closures both within the West Bank
  and externally - stymied growth. Israel's and the international
  community's financial embargo of the PA when HAMAS ran the PA during
  March 2006 - June 2007 interrupted the provision of PA social
  services and the payment of PA salaries. Since then the FAYYAD
  government in the West Bank has restarted salary payments and the
  provision of services but would be unable to operate absent high
  levels of international assistance.

Western Sahara
  Western Sahara depends on pastoral nomadism, fishing,
  and phosphate mining as the principal sources of income for the
  population. The territory lacks sufficient rainfall for sustainable
  agricultural production, and most of the food for the urban
  population must be imported. Incomes in Western Sahara are
  substantially below the Moroccan level. The Moroccan Government
  controls all trade and other economic activities in Western Sahara.
  Morocco and the EU signed a four-year agreement in July 2006
  allowing European vessels to fish off the coast of Morocco,
  including the disputed waters off the coast of Western Sahara.
  Moroccan energy interests in 2001 signed contracts to explore for
  oil off the coast of Western Sahara, which has angered the
  Polisario. However, in 2006 the Polisario awarded similar
  exploration licenses in the disputed territory, which would come
  into force if Morocco and the Polisario resolve their dispute over
  Western Sahara.

World
  Global output rose by 3.8% in 2008, down from 5.2% in 2007.
  Among major economies, growth was led by China (9.8%), Russia
  (7.4%), and India (7.3%). Worldwide, nations varied widely in their
  growth results, with Macau (15%), Azerbaijan (13.2%), and Angola
  (11.6%), registering the highest. Growth rates slowed in all the
  major industrial countries and most developing countries, because of
  uncertainties in the financial markets and lowered consumer
  confidence. Externally, the nation-state, as a bedrock
  economic-political institution, is steadily losing control over
  international flows of people, goods, funds, and technology.
  Internally, the central government often finds its control over
  resources slipping as separatist regional movements - typically
  based on ethnicity - gain momentum, e.g., in many of the successor
  states of the former Soviet Union, in the former Yugoslavia, in
  India, in Iraq, in Indonesia, and in Canada. Externally, the central
  government is losing decisionmaking powers to international bodies,
  notably the EU. In Western Europe, governments face the difficult
  political problem of channeling resources away from welfare programs
  in order to increase investment and strengthen incentives to seek
  employment. The addition of 80 million people each year to an
  already overcrowded globe is exacerbating the problems of pollution,
  desertification, underemployment, epidemics, and famine. Because of
  their own internal problems and priorities, the industrialized
  countries devote insufficient resources to deal effectively with the
  poorer areas of the world, which, at least from an economic point of
  view, are becoming further marginalized. The introduction of the
  euro as the common currency of much of Western Europe in January
  1999, while paving the way for an integrated economic powerhouse,
  poses economic risks because of varying levels of income and
  cultural and political differences among the participating nations.
  The terrorist attacks on the US on 11 September 2001 accentuated a
  growing risk to global prosperity, illustrated, for example, by the
  reallocation of resources away from investment to anti-terrorist
  programs. The opening of war in March 2003 between a US-led
  coalition and Iraq added new uncertainties to global economic
  prospects. The complex political difficulties and the high economic
  cost of establishing domestic order in Iraq became major global
  problems that continued through 2008.

Yemen
  Yemen, one of the poorest countries in the Arab world,
  reported average annual growth in the range of 3-4% from 2000
  through 2007. In 2008, growth declined slightly as the price of oil
  dropped and the slowing global economy reduced demand for oil.
  Yemen's economic fortunes depend mostly on declining oil resources,
  but the country is trying to diversify its earnings. In 2006, Yemen
  began an economic reform program designed to bolster non-oil sectors
  of the economy and foreign investment. As a result of the program,
  international donors pledged about $5 billion for development
  projects. A liquefied natural gas facility is scheduled to open in
  2009. Yemen has limited exposure to the international financial
  system and no capital markets, however, the global financial crisis
  probably will reduce international aid in 2009.

Zambia
  Zambia's economy has experienced strong growth in recent
  years, with real GDP growth in 2005-08 about 6% per year.
  Privatization of government-owned copper mines in the 1990s relieved
  the government from covering mammoth losses generated by the
  industry and greatly improved the chances for copper mining to
  return to profitability and spur economic growth. Copper output has
  increased steadily since 2004, due to higher copper prices and
  foreign investment. In 2005, Zambia qualified for debt relief under
  the Highly Indebted Poor Country Initiative, consisting of
  approximately USD 6 billion in debt relief. Zambia experienced a
  bumper harvest in 2007, which helped to boost GDP and agricultural
  exports and contain inflation. Although poverty continues to be
  significant problem in Zambia, its economy has strengthened,
  featuring single-digit inflation, a relatively stable currency,
  decreasing interest rates, and increasing levels of trade. The
  decline in world commodity prices and demand will hurt GDP growth in
  2009, and elections and campaign promises are likely to weaken
  Zambia's improved fiscal stance.

Zimbabwe
  The government of Zimbabwe faces a wide variety of
  difficult economic problems as it struggles with an unsustainable
  fiscal deficit, an overvalued official exchange rate,
  hyperinflation, and bare store shelves. Its 1998-2002 involvement in
  the war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo drained hundreds of
  millions of dollars from the economy. The government's land reform
  program, characterized by chaos and violence, has badly damaged the
  commercial farming sector, the traditional source of exports and
  foreign exchange and the provider of 400,000 jobs, turning Zimbabwe
  into a net importer of food products. The EU and the US provide food
  aid on humanitarian grounds. Badly needed support from the IMF has
  been suspended because of the government's arrears on past loans and
  the government's unwillingness to enact reforms that would stabilize
  the economy. The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe routinely prints money to
  fund the budget deficit, causing the official annual inflation rate
  to rise from 32% in 1998, to 133% in 2004, 585% in 2005, past 1,000%
  in 2006, and 26,000% in November 2007, and to 11.2 million percent
  in 2008. Meanwhile, the official exchange rate fell from
  approximately 1 (revalued) Zimbabwean dollar per US dollar in 2003
  to 30,000 per US dollar in September 2007.

======================================================================

@2117

Field Listing :: Pipelines

This entry gives the lengths and types of pipelines for transporting products like natural gas, crude oil, or petroleum products. Country

Pipelines(km)

Afghanistan
  gas 466 km (2008)

Albania
  gas 339 km; oil 207 km (2008)

Algeria
  condensate 1,937 km; gas 14,648 km; liquid petroleum gas
  2,933 km; oil 7,579 km (2008)

Angola
  gas 2 km; oil 87 km (2008)

Argentina
  gas 28,138 km; liquid petroleum gas 41 km; oil 5,939 km;
  refined products 3,629 km (2008)

Armenia
  gas 2,233 km (2008)

Australia
  gas 27,105 km; liquid petroleum gas 240 km; oil 3,258 km;
  oil/gas/water 1 km (2008)

Austria
  gas 2,721 km; oil 663 km; refined products 157 km (2008)

Azerbaijan
  condensate 1 km; gas 3,361 km; oil 1,424 km (2008)

Bahrain
  gas 20 km; oil 32 km (2008)

Bangladesh
  gas 2,597 km (2008)

Belarus
  gas 5,250 km; oil 1,528 km; refined products 1,730 km (2008)

Belgium
  gas 1,330 km; oil 158 km; refined products 535 km (2008)

Bolivia
  gas 4,883 km; liquid petroleum gas 47 km; oil 2,475 km;
  refined products 1,589 km (2008)

Brazil
  condensate/gas 62 km; gas 9,892 km; liquid petroleum gas 353
  km; oil 4,517 km; refined products 4,465 km (2008)

Brunei
  gas 37 km; oil 18 km (2008)

Bulgaria
  gas 2,926 km; oil 339 km; refined products 156 km (2008)

Burma
  gas 2,228 km; oil 558 km (2008)

Cameroon
  oil 889 km (2008)

Canada
  crude and refined oil 23,564 km; liquid petroleum gas 74,980
  km (2006)

Chad
  oil 250 km (2008)

Chile
  gas 2,676 km; liquid petroleum gas 519 km; oil 892 km; refined
  products 769 km (2008)

China
  gas 28,132 km; oil 20,204 km; refined products 9,746 km (2008)

Colombia
  gas 4,560 km; oil 6,094 km; refined products 3,383 km (2008)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the gas 37 km; oil 39 km; refined products 756 km (2008)

Congo, Republic of the
  gas 7 km; oil 207 km (2008)

Costa Rica
  refined products 796 km (2008)

Cote d'Ivoire
  condensate 86 km; gas 180 km; oil 92 km (2008)

Croatia
  gas 1,327 km; oil 583 km (2008)

Cuba
  gas 41 km; oil 230 km (2008)

Czech Republic
  gas 7,010 km; oil 547 km; refined products 94 km
  (2008)

Denmark
  gas 2,858 km; oil 107 km (2008)

Ecuador
  extra heavy crude 435 km; gas 5 km; oil 1,374 km; refined
  products 1,301 km (2008)

Egypt
  condensate 320 km; condensate/gas 13 km; gas 5,586 km; liquid
  petroleum gas 956 km; oil 4,314 km; oil/gas/water 3 km; refined
  products 895 km; unknown 59 km; water 9 km (2008)

Equatorial Guinea
  gas 38 km (2008)

Estonia
  gas 859 km (2008)

Finland
  gas 694 km (2008)

France
  gas 14,688 km; oil 3,036 km; refined products 5,080 km (2008)

Gabon
  gas 240 km; oil 723 km (2008)

Georgia
  gas 1,591 km; oil 1,253 km (2008)

Germany
  gas 24,364 km; oil 3,379 km; refined products 3,843 km (2008)

Ghana
  oil 5 km; refined products 309 km (2008)

Greece
  gas 1,197 km; oil 75 km (2008)

Guatemala
  oil 480 km (2008)

Hungary
  gas 4,407 km; oil 987 km; refined products 335 km (2008)

India
  condensate/gas 2 km; gas 6,061 km; liquid petroleum gas 2,156
  km; oil 7,678 km; refined products 6,876 km (2008)

Indonesia
  condensate 735 km; condensate/gas 73 km; gas 5,797 km; oil
  5,721 km; oil/gas/water 12 km; refined products 1,370 km; water 44
  km (2008)

Iran
  condensate 7 km; condensate/gas 12 km; gas 19,246 km; liquid
  petroleum gas 570 km; oil 7,018 km; refined products 7,936 km (2008)

Iraq
  gas 2,501 km; liquid petroleum gas 918 km; oil 5,418 km;
  refined products 1,637 km (2008)

Ireland
  gas 1,550 km (2008)

Israel
  gas 176 km; oil 442 km; refined products 261 km (2008)

Italy
  gas 17,544 km; oil 1,241 km (2008)

Japan
  gas 3,862 km; oil 167 km; oil/gas/water 53 km (2008)

Jordan
  gas 439 km; oil 49 km (2008)

Kazakhstan
  condensate 658 km; gas 11,146 km; oil 10,376 km; refined
  products 1,095 km; water 1,465 km (2008)

Kenya
  oil 4 km; refined products 928 km (2008)

Korea, North
  oil 154 km (2008)

Korea, South
  gas 1,423 km; refined products 827 km (2008)

Kuwait
  gas 269 km; oil 540 km; refined products 57 km (2008)

Kyrgyzstan
  gas 254 km; oil 16 km (2008)

Laos
  refined products 540 km (2008)

Latvia
  gas 948 km; refined products 415 km (2008)

Lebanon
  gas 43 km (2008)

Libya
  condensate 776 km; gas 2,860 km; oil 6,987 km (2008)

Liechtenstein
  gas 20 km (2008)

Lithuania
  gas 1,695 km; refined products 114 km (2008)

Luxembourg
  gas 155 km (2008)

Macedonia
  gas 268 km; oil 120 km (2008)

Malaysia
  condensate 3 km; gas 1,965 km; oil 31 km; refined products
  114 km (2008)

Mexico
  gas 22,705 km; liquid petroleum gas 1,875 km; oil 8,688 km;
  oil/gas/water 228 km; refined products 6,520 km (2006)

Moldova
  gas 1,906 km (2008)

Morocco
  gas 830 km; oil 439 km (2008)

Mozambique
  gas 918 km; refined products 278 km (2008)

Netherlands
  gas 3,816 km; oil 365 km; refined products 716 km (2008)

New Zealand
  condensate 331 km; gas 1,838 km; liquid petroleum gas
  172 km; oil 288 km; refined products 198 km (2008)

Nicaragua
  oil 54 km (2008)

Nigeria
  condensate 21 km; gas 2,560 km; liquid petroleum gas 97 km;
  oil 3,396 km; refined products 4,090 km (2008)

Norway
  condensate 31 km; gas 64 km (2008)

Oman
  gas 4,126 km; oil 3,558 km; refined products 263 km (2008)

Pakistan
  gas 10,402 km; oil 2,076 km; refined products 792 km (2008)

Papua New Guinea
  oil 195 km (2008)

Peru
  extra heavy crude 533 km; gas 1,078 km; liquid petroleum gas
  654 km; oil 1,018 km; refined products 15 km (2008)

Philippines
  oil 107 km; refined products 112 km (2008)

Poland
  gas 13,631 km; oil 1,384 km; refined products 777 km (2008)

Portugal
  gas 1,098 km; oil 11 km; refined products 188 km (2008)

Qatar
  condensate 145 km; condensate/gas 132 km; gas 978 km; liquid
  petroleum gas 90 km; oil 382 km (2008)

Romania
  gas 3,588 km; oil 2,424 km (2008)

Russia
  condensate 122 km; gas 158,767 km; liquid petroleum gas 127
  km; oil 74,285 km; refined products 13,658 km; water 23 km (2008)

Saudi Arabia
  condensate 212 km; gas 1,880 km; liquid petroleum gas
  1,183 km; oil 4,239 km; refined products 1,148 km (2008)

Senegal
  gas 43 km; refined products 8 km (2008)

Serbia
  gas 1,921 km; oil 323 km (2008)

Singapore
  gas 106 km (2008)

Slovakia
  gas 6,769 km; oil 416 km (2008)

Slovenia
  gas 840 km; oil 11 km (2008)

South Africa
  condensate 11 km; gas 908 km; oil 980 km; refined
  products 1,379 km (2008)

Spain
  gas 7,738 km; oil 560 km; refined products 3,445 km (2008)

Sudan
  gas 156 km; oil 4,070 km; refined products 1,613 km (2008)

Suriname
  oil 50 km (2008)

Sweden
  gas 786 km (2008)

Switzerland
  gas 1,662 km; oil 94 km; refined products 7 km (2008)

Syria
  gas 2,900 km; oil 2,000 km (2008)

Taiwan
  gas 406 km (2008)

Tajikistan
  gas 549 km; oil 38 km (2008)

Tanzania
  gas 253 km; oil 888 km; refined products 8 km (2008)

Thailand
  gas 1,348 km; refined products 323 km (2008)

Trinidad and Tobago
  gas 659 km; oil 336 km (2008)

Tunisia
  gas 2,102 km; oil 1,195 km; refined products 372 km (2008)

Turkey
  gas 7,555 km; oil 3,636 km (2008)

Turkmenistan
  gas 6,417 km; oil 1,457 km (2008)

Ukraine
  gas 33,327 km; oil 4,514 km; refined products 4,211 km (2008)

United Arab Emirates
  condensate 458 km; gas 2,129 km; liquid
  petroleum gas 220 km; oil 1,310 km; refined products 212 km; water
  90 km (2008)

United Kingdom
  condensate 43 km; gas 7,541 km; liquid petroleum gas
  59 km; oil 699 km; refined products 4,417 km (2008)

United States
  petroleum products 244,620 km; natural gas 548,665 km
  (2006)

Uruguay
  gas 226 km; oil 155 km (2008)

Uzbekistan
  gas 9,706 km; oil 868 km (2008)

Venezuela
  extra heavy crude 980 km; gas 5,036 km; oil 6,695 km;
  refined products 1,484 km; unknown 141 km (2008)

Vietnam
  condensate/gas 42 km; gas 66 km; refined products 206 km
  (2008)

Yemen
  gas 96 km; liquid petroleum gas 22 km; oil 1,367 km (2008)

Zambia
  oil 771 km (2008)

Zimbabwe
  refined products 270 km (2008)

======================================================================

@2118

Field Listing :: Political parties and leaders

  This entry includes a listing of significant political organizations
  and their leaders.
  Country

Political parties and leaders

Afghanistan
  Afghanistan Peoples' Treaty Party [Sayyed Amir TAHSEEN];
  Afghanistan's Islamic Mission Organization [Abdul Rasoul SAYYAF];
  Afghanistan's Islamic Nation Party [Toran Noor Aqa Ahmad ZAI];
  Afghanistan's National Islamic Party [Rohullah LOUDIN];
  Afghanistan's Welfare Party [Meer Asef ZAEEFI]; Afghan Social
  Democratic Party [Anwarul Haq AHADI]; Afghan Society for the Call to
  the Koran and Sunna [Mawlawee Samiullah NAJEEBEE]; Comprehensive
  Movement of Democracy and Development of Afghanistan Party [Sher
  Mohammad BAZGAR]; Democratic Party of Afghanistan [Tawos ARAB];
  Democratic Party of Afghanistan [Abdul Kabir RANJBAR]; Elites People
  of Afghanistan Party [Abdul Hamid JAWAD]; Freedom and Democracy
  Movement of Afghanistan [Abdul Raqib Jawid KOHISTANEE]; Freedom
  Party of Afghanistan [Ilaj Abdul MALEK]; Freedom Party of
  Afghanistan [Dr. Ghulam Farooq NEJRABEE]; Hizullah-e-Afghanistan
  [Qari Ahmad ALI]; Human Rights Protection and Development Party of
  Afghanistan [Baryalai NASRATI]; Islamic Justice Party of Afghanistan
  [Mohammad Kabir MARZBAN]; Islamic Movement of Afghanistan [Mohammad
  Ali JAWID]; Islamic Movement of Afghanistan Party [Mohammad Mukhtar
  MUFLEH]; Islamic Party of Afghanistan [Mohammad Khalid FAROOQI,
  Abdul Hadi ARGHANDIWAL]; Islamic Party of the Afghan Land [Mohammad
  Hassan FEROZKHEL]; Islamic People's Movement of Afghanistan [Ilhaj
  Said Hussain ANWARY]; Islamic Society of Afghanistan [Ustad
  RABBANI]; Islamic Unity of the Nation of Afghanistan Party [Qurban
  Ali URFANI]; Islamic Unity Party of Afghanistan [Mohammad Karim
  KHALILI]; Islamic Unity Party of the People of Afghanistan [Ustad
  Mohammad MOHAQQEQ]; Labor and Progress of Afghanistan Party
  [Zulfiqar OMID]; Muslim People of Afghanistan Party [Besmellah
  JOYAN]; Muslim Unity Movement Party of Afghanistan [Wazir Mohammad
  WAHDAT]; National and Islamic Sovereignty Movement Party of
  Afghanistan [Ahmad Shah AHMADZAI]; National Congress Party of
  Afghanistan [Abdul Latif PEDRAM]; National Country Party [Ghulam
  MOHAMMAD]; National Development Party of Afghanistan [Dr. Aref
  BAKTASH]; National Freedom Seekers Party [Abdul Hadi DABEER];
  National Independence Party of Afghanistan [Taj Mohammad WARDAK];
  National Islamic Fighters Party of Afghanistan [Amanat NINGARHAREE];
  National Islamic Front of Afghanistan [Pir Sayed Ahmad GAILANEE];
  National Islamic Moderation Party of Afghanistan [Qara Bik Eized
  YAAR]; National Islamic Movement of Afghanistan [Sayed NOORULLAH]
  National Islamic Unity Party of Afghanistan [Mohammad AKBAREE];
  National Movement of Afghanistan [Ahmad Wali MASOOUD]; National
  Party of Afghanistan [Abdul Rashid ARYAN]; National Patch of
  Afghanistan Party [Sayed Kamal SADAT]; National Peace Islamic Party
  of Afghanistan [Shah Mohammood Popal ZAI]; National Peace & Islamic
  Party of the Tribes of Afghanistan [Abdul Qaher SHARIATEE]; National
  Peace & Unity Party of Afghanistan [Abdul Qader IMAMI]; National
  Prosperity and Islamic Party of Afghanistan [Mohammad Osman
  SALEKZADA]; National Prosperity Party [Mohammad Hassan JAHFAREE];
  National Solidarity Movement of Afghanistan [Pir Sayed Eshaq
  GAILANEE]; National Solidarity Party of Afghanistan [Sayed Mansoor
  NADREEI]; National Sovereignty Party [Sayed Mustafa KAZEMI];
  National Stability Party [Mohammad Same KHAROTI]; National Stance
  Party [Habibullah JANEBDAR]; National Tribal Unity Islamic Party of
  Afghanistan [Mohammad Shah KHOGYANI]; National United Front
  [Burhanuddin RABBANI] (a coalition); National Unity Movement [Sultan
  Mohammad GHAZI]; National Unity Movement of Afghanistan [Mohammad
  Nadir AATASH]; National Unity Party of Afghanistan [Abdul Rashid
  JALILI]; New Afghanistan Party [Mohammad Yunis QANUNI]; Peace and
  National Welfare Activists Society [Shamsul Haq Noor SHAMS]; Peace
  Movement [Shahnawaz TANAI]; People's Aspirations Party of
  Afghanistan [Ilhaj Saraj-u-din ZAFAREE]; People's Freedom Seekers
  Party of Afghanistan [Feda Mohammad EHSAS]; People's Liberal Freedom
  Seekers Party of Afghanistan [Ajmal SUHAIL]; People's Message Party
  of Afghanistan [Noor Aqa WAINEE]; People's Movement of the National
  Unity of Afghanistan [Abdul Hakim NOORZAI]; People's Party of
  Afghanistan [Ahmad Shah ASAR]; People's Prosperity Party of
  Afghanistan [Ustad Mohammad ZAREEF]; People's Sovereignty Movement
  of Afghanistan [Hayatullah SUBHANEE]; People's Uprising Party of
  Afghanistan [Sayed Zahir Qayed Omul BELADI]; People's Welfare Party
  of Afghanistan [Mia Gul WASIQ]; People's Welfare Party of
  Afghanistan [Mohammad Zubair PAIROZ]; Progressive Democratic Party
  of Afghanistan [Wali ARYA]; Republican Party [Sebghatullah SANJAR];
  Solidarity Party of Afghanistan [Abdul Khaleq NEMAT]; The
  Afghanistan's Mujahid Nation's Islamic Unity Movement [Saeedullah
  SAEED]; The People of Afghanistan's Democratic Movement [Sharif
  NAZARI]; Tribes Solidarity Party of Afghanistan [Mohammad Zarif
  NASERI]; Understanding and Democracy Party of Afghanistan [Ahamad
  SHAHEEN]
  United Afghanistan Party [Mohammad Wasil RAHIMEE]; United Islamic
  Party of Afghanistan [Wahidullah SABAWOON]; Young Afghanistan's
  Islamic Organization [Sayed Jawad HUSSINEE]; Youth Solidarity Party
  of Afghanistan [Mohammad Jamil KARZAI]; note - includes only
  political parties approved by the Ministry of Justice

Albania
  Agrarian Environmentalist Party or PAA [Lufter XHUVELI];
  Christian Democratic Party or PDK [Nard NDOKA]; Communist Party of
  Albania or PKSH [Hysni MILLOSHI]; Democratic Alliance Party or AD
  [Neritan CEKA]; Democratic Party or PD [Sali BERISHA]; G99 Political
  Movement [Erion VELIAJ]; Liberal Union Party or BLD [Arjan STAROVA];
  National Front Party (Balli Kombetar) or PBK [Artur ROSHI]; New
  Democratic Party or PDR [Genc POLLO]; Republican Party or PR [Fatmir
  MEDIU]; Social Democracy Party of Albania or PDSSh [Paskal MILO];
  Social Democratic Party or PSD [Skender GJINUSHI]; Socialist
  Movement for Integration or LSI [Ilir META]; Socialist Party or PS
  [Edi RAMA]; Socialist Party 1991 [Petro KOCI]; Union for Human
  Rights Party or PBDNj [Vangjel DULE]

Algeria
  Ahd 54 [Ali Fauzi REBAINE]; Algerian National Front or FNA
  [Moussa TOUATI]; National Democratic Rally (Rassemblement National
  Democratique) or RND [Ahmed OUYAHIA]; National Liberation Front or
  FLN [Abdelaziz BELKHADEM, secretary general]; National Reform
  Movement or Islah (formerly MRN) [Ahmed ABDESLAM]; Rally for Culture
  and Democracy or RCD [Said SADI]; Renaissance Movement or EnNahda
  Movement [Fatah RABEI]; Socialist Forces Front or FFS [Hocine Ait
  AHMED]; Society of Peace Movement or MSP [Boudjerra SOLTANI];
  Workers Party or PT [Louisa HANOUNE]
  note: a law banning political parties based on religion was enacted
  in March 1997

American Samoa
  Democratic Party [Oreta M. TOGAFAU]; Republican Party
  [Tautai A. F. FAALEVAO]

Andorra
  Andorra for Change [Juan Eusebio NOMEN CALVET]; New Center
  [Vicenc MATEU] (formerly Andorran Democratic Center Party); Liberal
  Party of Andorra or PLA [Joan Gabriel i ESTANY] (formerly Liberal
  Union or UL); Reformist Coalition (includes the Liberal Party and
  New Center) [Joan Gabriel i ESTANY]; Social Democratic Party or PS
  [Jaume BARTUMEU CASSANY] (formerly part of National Democratic Group
  or AND)

Angola
  National Front for the Liberation of Angola or FNLA [Ngola
  KABANGU]; National Union for the Total Independence of Angola or
  UNITA (largest opposition party) [Isaias SAMAKUVA]; Popular Movement
  for the Liberation of Angola or MPLA (ruling party in power since
  1975) [Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS]; Social Renewal Party or PRS
  [Eduardo KUANGANA]
  note: nine other parties participated in the legislative election in
  September but won no seats

Anguilla
  Anguilla United Front or AUF [Osbourne FLEMING, Victor
  BANKS] (a coalition of the Anguilla Democratic Party or ADP and the
  Anguilla National Alliance or ANA); Anguilla United Movement or AUM
  [Hubert HUGHES]; Anguilla Progressive Party or APP [Roy ROGERS];
  Anguilla Strategic Alternative or ANSA [Edison BAIRD]

Antigua and Barbuda
  Antigua Labor Party or ALP [Lester Bryant BIRD];
  Barbudans for a Better Barbuda [Ordrick SAMUEL]; Barbuda People's
  Movement or BPM [Thomas H. FRANK]; Barbuda People's Movement for
  Change [Arthur NIBBS]; United Progressive Party or UPP [Baldwin
  SPENCER] (a coalition of three parties - Antigua Caribbean
  Liberation Movement or ACLM, Progressive Labor Movement or PLM,
  United National Democratic Party or UNDP)

Argentina
  Coalicion Civica (a broad coalition loosely affiliated
  with Elisa CARRIO); Front for Victory or FpV (a broad coalition,
  including elements of the UCR and numerous provincial parties)
  [Nestor KIRCHNER]; Interbloque Federal or IF (a broad coalition of
  approximately 12 parties including PRO); Justicialist Party or PJ
  [Nestor KIRCHNER]; Radical Civic Union or UCR [Gerardo MORALES];
  Republican Proposal or PRO [Mauricio MACRI] (including Federal
  Recreate Movement or RECREAR [Esteban BULLRICH]; Socialist Party or
  PS [Ruben GIUSTINIANI]; Union For All [Patricia BULLRICH]; several
  provincial parties

Armenia
  Armenian National Congress or ANC [Levon TER-PETROSSIAN];
  Armenian National Movement or ANM [Ararat ZURABIAN]; Armenian
  People's Party [Tigran KARAPETIAN]; Armenian Ramkavar Azadagan Party
  Alliance or HRAK (includes former Dashink Party, National Revival
  Party, and Ramkavar Liberal Party); Armenian Revolutionary
  Federation ("Dashnak" Party) or ARF [Hrant MARKARIAN]; Heritage
  Party [Raffi HOVHANNISIAN]; National Democratic Party [Shavarsh
  KOCHARIAN]; National Democratic Union or NDU [Vazgen MANUKIAN];
  National Unity Party [Artashes GEGHAMIAN]; People's Party of Armenia
  [Stepan DEMIRCHIAN]; Prosperous Armenia [Gagik TSAROUKIAN]; Republic
  Party [Aram SARKISIAN]; Republican Party of Armenia or HHK [Serzh
  SARGSIAN]; Rule of Law Party (Orinats Yerkir) [Artur BAGHDASARIAN];
  Union of Constitutional Rights [Hrant KHACHATURIAN]; United Labor
  Party [Gurgen ARSENIAN]

Aruba
  Aliansa/Aruban Social Movement or MSA [Robert WEVER]; Aruban
  Liberal Organization or OLA [Glenbert CROES]; Aruban Patriotic
  Movement or MPA [Monica ARENDS-KOCK]; Aruban Patriotic Party or PPA
  [Benny NISBET]; Aruban People's Party or AVP [Mike EMAN]; People's
  Electoral Movement Party or MEP [Nelson O. ODUBER]; Real Democracy
  or PDR [Andin BIKKER]; RED [Rudy LAMPE]; Workers Political Platform
  or PTT [Gregorio WOLFF]

Australia
  Australian Democrats [Lyn ALLISON]; Australian Greens [Bob
  BROWN]; Australian Labor Party [Kevin RUDD]; Country Liberal Party
  [Terry MILLS]; Family First Party [Steve FIELDING]; Liberal Party
  [Malcolm TURNBULL]; The Nationals [Warren TRUSS]

Austria
  Alliance for the Future of Austria or BZOe [Josef BUCHER];
  Austrian People's Party or OeVP [Josef PROELL]; Freedom Party of
  Austria or FPOe [Heinz Christian STRACHE]; Social Democratic Party
  of Austria or SPOe [Werner FAYMANN]; The Greens [Eva GLAWISCHNIG]

Azerbaijan
  Azadliq (Freedom) coalition (Popular Front Party, Liberal
  Party, Citizens' Development Party); Azerbaijan Democratic Party or
  ADP [Sardar JALALOGLU]; Azerbaijan Democratic Reforms Party (ADRP)
  Youth Movement [Ramin HAJILI]; Azerbaijan Popular Front or APF, now
  split in two [Ali KARIMLI, leader of "Reform" APF party; Mirmahmud
  MIRALI-OGLU, leader of "Classic" APF party]; Azerbaijan Public Forum
  [Eldar NAMAZOV]; Citizens' Development Party [Ali ALIYEV]; Civil
  Solidarity Party or CSP [Sabir RUSTAMKHANLY]; Dalga Youth Movement
  [Vafa JAFAROVA]; Green Party [Mais GULALIYEV and Tarana MAMMADOVA];
  Hope (Umid) Party [Iqbal AGAZADE]; Ireli Youth Movement [Jeyhun
  OSMANLI, Roya TALIBOVA, Farhad MAMMADOV, Elnara GARIBOVA, Elnur
  MAMMADOV, Ziya ALIYEV]; Justice Party [Ilyas ISMAILOV]; Liberal
  Party of Azerbaijan [Lala Shovkat HACIYEVA]; Magam Youth Movement
  [Emin HUSEYNOV]; Motherland Party [Fazail AGAMALI]; Musavat
  (Equality) [Isa GAMBAR, chairman]; Musavat Party Youth Movement
  [Elnur MAMMADLI]; National Democratic Party or Grey Wolves
  (Nationalist, Pan-Turkic) [Iskender HAMIDOV]; Open Society Party
  [Rasul GULIYEV, in exile in the US]; Party for National Independence
  of Azerbaijan or PNIA [Ayaz RUSTAMOV]; Popular Front Party Youth
  Movement [Seymur KHAZIYEV]; Social Democratic Party of Azerbaijan or
  SDP [Araz ALIZADE and Ayaz MUTALIBOV (in exile)]; Turkish
  Nationalist Party [Vugar BAYTURAN]; United Azerbaijan Party [Karrar
  ABILOV]; United Azerbaijan National Unity Party [Hajibaba AZIMOV];
  United Party [Tahir KARIMLI]; Yeni (New) Azerbaijan Party [President
  Ilham ALIYEV]; Yeni Azerbaijan Party Youth Movement [Ramil HASANOV];
  Yox (No) Youth Movement [Ali ISMAYILOV]
  note: opposition parties regularly factionalize and form new parties;

Bahamas, The
  Free National Movement or FNM [Hubert INGRAHAM];
  Progressive Liberal Party or PLP [Perry CHRISTIE]

Bahrain
  political parties prohibited but political societies were
  legalized per a July 2005 law

Bangladesh
  Awami League or AL [Sheikh HASINA]; Bangladesh Communist
  Party or BCP [Manjurul A. KHAN]; Bangladesh Nationalist Party or BNP
  [Khaleda ZIA]; Islami Oikya Jote or IOJ [Mufti Fazlul Haq AMINI];
  Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh or JIB [Matiur Rahman NIZAMI]; Jatiya
  Party or JP (Ershad faction) [Hussain Mohammad ERSHAD]; Jatiya Party
  (Manzur faction) [Naziur Rahman MANZUR]; Liberal Democratic Party or
  LDP [Badrudozza CHOWDHURY and Oli AHMED]

Barbados
  Barbados Labor Party or BLP [Mia MOTTLEY]; Democratic Labor
  Party or DLP [David THOMPSON]; People's Empowerment Party or PEP
  [David COMISSIONG]

Belarus
  pro-government parties: Agrarian Party or AP [Mikhail
  SHIMANSKY]; Communist Party of Belarus or KPB; Belarusian Patriotic
  Movement (Belarusian Patriotic Party) or BPR [Nikolay ULAKHOVICH,
  chairman]; Liberal Democratic Party [Sergey GAYDUKEVICH]; Republican
  Party of Labor and Justice [Viktor SOKOLOV]; Social-Sports Party
  [Vladimir ALEXANDROVICH]
  opposition parties: Belarusian Christian Democracy Party
  (unregistered) [Pavel SEVERINETS]; Belarusian Party of Communists or
  PKB [Sergey KALYAKIN]; Belarusian Party of Labor (unregistered)
  [Aleksandr BUKHVOSTOV, Leonid LEMESHONAK]; Belarusian Popular Front
  or BPF [Levon BARSHCHEVSKIY]; Belarusian Social-Democratic Gramada
  [Stanislav SHUSHKEVICH]; Belarusian Social Democratic Party Hramada
  (People's Assembly) or BSDPH [Anatoliy LEVKOVICH]; European
  Coalition [Nikolay STATKEVICH]; Green Party [Oleg GROMYKO]; Party of
  Freedom and Progress (unregistered) [Vladimir NOVOSYAD]; United
  Civic Party or UCP [Anatoliy LEBEDKO]; Women's Party Hope (Nadezhda)
  [Valentina MATUSEVICH, chairperson]
  other opposition includes: Christian Conservative BPF [Zyanon
  PAZNIAK]; Ecological Party of Greens [Mikhail KARTASH]; Party of
  Popular Accord [Sergey YERMAKK]; Republican Party [Vladimir BELAZOR]

Belgium
  Flemish parties: Christian Democratic and Flemish or CDV
  [Marianne THYSSEN]; Dedecker List [Jean-Marie DEDECKER]; Flemish
  Liberals and Democrats or Open VLD [Bart SOMERS]; Groen! [Mieke
  VOGELS] (formerly AGALEV, Flemish Greens); New Flemish Alliance or
  N-VA [Bart DE WEVER]; Social Liberal Party or SLP [Geert LAMBERT];
  note - prior to 19 April 2008, known as Spirit; Social Progressive
  Alternative or SP.A [Caroline GENNEZ]; Vlaams Belang (Flemish
  Interest) or VB [Bruno VALKENIERS]
  Francophone parties: Ecolo (Francophone Greens) [Jean-Michel JAVAUX,
  Isabelle DURANT]; Humanist and Democratic Center or CDH [Joelle
  MILQUET]; National Front or FN [Daniel HUYGENS]; Reform Movement or
  MR [Didier REYNDERS]; Socialist Party or PS [Elio DI RUPO]; other
  minor parties

Belize
  National Alliance for Belizean Rights or NABR; National
  Reform Party or NRP [Cornelius DUECK]; People's National Party or
  PNP [Wil MAHEIA]; People's United Party or PUP [John BRICENO];
  United Democratic Party or UDP [Dean BARROW]; Vision Inspired by the
  People or VIP [Paul MORGAN]; We the People Reform Movement or WTP
  [Hipolito BAUTISTA]

Benin
  Alliance for Dynamic Democracy or ADD; Alliance of Progress
  Forces or AFP; African Movement for Democracy and Progress or MADEP
  [Sefou FAGBOHOUN]; Benin Renaissance or RB [Rosine SOGLO];
  Democratic Renewal Party or PRD [Adrien HOUNGBEDJI]; Force Cowrie
  for an Emerging Benin or FCBE; Impulse for Progress and Democracy or
  IPD [Theophile NATA]; Key Force or FC [Lazare SEHOUETO]; Movement
  for the People's Alternative or MAP [Olivier CAPO-CHICHI]; Rally for
  Democracy and Progress or RDP [Dominique HOUNGNINOU]; Social
  Democrat Party or PSD [Bruno AMOUSSOU]; Union for the Relief or UPR
  [Issa SALIFOU]; Union for Democracy and National Solidarity or UDS
  [Sacca LAFIA]
  note: approximately 20 additional minor parties

Bermuda
  Progressive Labor Party or PLP [Ewart BROWN]; United Bermuda
  Party or UBP [Kim SWAN]

Bhutan
  Bhutan Peace and Prosperity Party (Druk Phuensum Tshogpa) or
  DPT [Jigme THINLEY]; People's Democratic Party or PDP [Tshering
  TOBGAY]

Bolivia
  Free Bolivia Movement or MBL [Franz BARRIOS]; Movement
  Toward Socialism or MAS [Juan Evo MORALES Ayma]; Movement Without
  Fear or MSM [Juan DEL GRANADO]; National Revolutionary Movement or
  MNR [Mirta QUEVEDO]; National Unity [Samuel DORIA MEDINA Arana];
  Poder Democratico Nacional or PODEMOS [Jorge Fernando QUIROGA
  Ramirez]; Social Alliance [Rene JOAQUINO]

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  Alliance of Independent Social Democrats or
  SNSD [Milorad DODIK]; Bosnian Party or BOSS [Mirnes AJANOVIC];
  Bosnian Patriotic Party of BPS [Sefer HALILOVIC]; Civic Democratic
  Party or GDS [Ibrahim SPAHIC]; Croat Christian Democratic Union of
  Bosnia and Herzegovina or HKDU [Marin TOPIC]; Croat Party of Rights
  or HSP [Zvonko JURISIC]; Croat Peasants Party or HSS [Marko TADIC];
  Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina or HDZ-BH
  [Dragan COVIC]; Croatian Democratic Union 1990 or HDZ1990 [Bozo
  LJUBIC]; Croatian Peoples Union [Milenko BRKIC]; Democratic National
  Union or DNZ [Rifet DOLIC]; Democratic Party of DP [Dragan CAVIC];
  Democratic Peoples Alliance or DNS [Marko PAVIC]; Liberal Democratic
  Party or LDS [Rasim KADIC]; Nasa Stranka or NS [Bojan BAJIC]; New
  Croat Initiative or NHI [Kresimir ZUBAK]; Party for Bosnia and
  Herzegovina or SBiH [Haris SILAJDZIC]; Party for Democratic Action
  or SDA [Sulejman TIHIC]; Party for Work and Progress or RzB [Mladen
  IVANKOVIC-LIJANOVIC]; Party of Democratic Progress or PDP [Mladen
  IVANIC]; Serb Democratic Party or SDS [Mladen BOSIC]; Serb Radical
  Party of the Republika Srpska or SRS-RS [Milanko MIHAJLICA]; Serb
  Radical Party-Dr. Vojislav Seselj or SRS-VS [Radislav KANJERIC];
  Social Democratic Party of BIH or SDP [Zlatko LAGUMDZIJA]; Social
  Democratic Union or SDU [Sejfudin TOKIC]; Socialist Party of
  Republika Srpska or SPRS [Petar DJOKIC]

Botswana
  Botswana Alliance Movement or BAM [Ephraim Lepetu
  SETSHWAELO]; Botswana Congress Party or BCP [Gilson SALESHANDO];
  Botswana Democratic Party or BDP [Daniel KWELAGOBE]; Botswana
  National Front or BNF [Otswoletse MOUPO]; Botswana Peoples Party or
  BPP [Bernard BALIKANI]; MELS Movement of Botswana or MELS [Themba
  JOINA]; New Democratic Front or NDF [Dick BAYFORD]
  note: a number of minor parties joined forces in 1999 to form the
  BAM but did not capture any parliamentary seats - includes the
  United Action Party [Ephraim Lepetu SETSHWAELO]; the Independence
  Freedom Party or IFP [Motsamai MPHO]; the Botswana Progressive Union
  [D. K. KWELE]

Brazil
  Brazilian Democratic Movement Party or PMDB [Federal Deputy
  Michel TEMER]; Brazilian Labor Party or PTB [Roberto JEFFERSON];
  Brazilian Renewal Labor Party or PRTB [Jose Levy FIDELIX da Cruz];
  Brazilian Republican Party or PRB [Vitor Paulo Araujo DOS SANTOS];
  Brazilian Social Democracy Party or PSDB [Senator Sergio GUERRA];
  Brazilian Socialist Party or PSB [Governor Eduardo Henrique Accioly
  CAMPOS]; Christian Labor Party or PTC [Daniel TOURINHO]; Communist
  Party of Brazil or PCdoB [Jose Renato RABELO]; Democratic Labor
  Party or PDT [Carlos Roberto LUPI]; the Democrats or DEM (formerly
  Liberal Front Party or PFL) [Federal Deputy Rodrigo MAIA]; Freedom
  and Socialism Party or PSOL [Heloisa HELENA]; Green Party or PV
  [Jose Luiz de Franca PENNA]; Humanist Party of Solidarity or PHS
  [Paulo Roberto MATOS]; Labor Party of Brazil or PTdoB [Luis Henrique
  de Oliveira RESENDE]; Liberal Front Party or PFL (now known as the
  Democrats or DEM); National Mobilization Party or PMN [Oscar Noronha
  FILHO]; Party of the Republic or PR [Sergio TAMER]; Popular
  Socialist Party or PPS [Federal Deputy Fernando CORUJA]; Progressive
  Party or PP [Francisco DORNELLES]; Social Christian Party or PSC
  [Vitor Jorge Abdala NOSSEIS]; Workers' Party or PT [Ricardo Jose
  Ribeiro BERZOINI]

British Virgin Islands
  Concerned Citizens Movement or CCM [Ethlyn
  SMITH]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Orlando SMITH]; United
  Party or UP [Gregory MADURO]; Virgin Islands Party or VIP [Ralph T.
  O'NEAL]

Brunei
  National Development Party or NDP [YASSIN Affendi]
  note: Brunei National Solidarity Party or PPKB [Abdul LATIF bin
  Chuchu] and People's Awareness Party or PAKAR [Awang Haji MAIDIN bin
  Haji Ahmad] were deregistered; parties are small and have limited
  activity

Bulgaria
  ATAKA (Attack Coalition) (coalition of parties headed by
  the Attack National Union); Attack National Union [Volen SIDEROV];
  Agrarian National Union or ANU [Stefan LICHEV]; Blue Coalition (a
  coalition of center-right parties dominated by UDF and DSB);
  Bulgarian New Democracy [Borislav RALCHEV]; Bulgarian Socialist
  Party or BSP [Sergei STANISHEV]; Citizens for the European
  Development of Bulgaria or GERB [Tsvetan TSVETANOV]; Coalition for
  Bulgaria or CfB (coalition of parties dominated by BSP) [Sergei
  STANISHEV]; Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria or DSB [Ivan KOSTOV];
  Gergyovden [Petar STOYANOVICH]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary
  Organization or IMRO [Krasimir KARAKACHANOV]; Liberal Initiative for
  Democratic European Development or LIDER [Khristo KOVACHKI];
  Movement for Rights and Freedoms or MRF [Ahmed DOGAN]; Movement
  Forward (LIDER, IMRO, ANU, Gergyovden); National Movement for
  Stability and Progress or NDSV [Simeon SAXE-COBURG-GOTHA] (formerly
  National Movement Simeon II or NMS2); New Time [Emil KOSHLUKOV];
  Order, Law, Justice or RZS [Yane YANEV]; Union of Democratic Forces
  or UDF [Martin DIMITROV]; Union of Free Democrats or UFD [Stefan
  SOFIYANSKI]; United Agrarians [Anastasia MOZER]

Burkina Faso
  African Democratic Rally-Alliance for Democracy and
  Federation or ADF-RDA [Gilbert OUEDRAOGO]; Citizen's Popular Rally
  or RPC [Antoine QUARE]; Coalition of Democratic Forces of Burkina or
  CFD-B [Amadou Diemdioda DICKO]; Congress for Democracy and Progress
  or CDP [Roch Marc-Christian KABORE]; Democratic and Popular Rally or
  RDP [Nana THIBAUT]; Movement for Tolerance and Progress or MTP
  [Nayabtigungou Congo KABORE]; Party for African Independence or PAI
  [Soumane TOURE]; Party for Democracy and Progress-Socialist Party or
  PDP-PS [Ali LANKOANDE]; Party for Democracy and Socialism or PDS
  [Felix SOUBEIGA]; Party for National Rebirth or PAREN [Jeanne
  TRAORE]; Rally for the Development of Burkina or RDB [Antoine
  KARGOUGOU]; Rally of Ecologists of Burkina Faso or RDEB [Ram
  OUEDRAGO]; Republican Party for Integration and Solidarity or PARIS;
  Union for Democracy and Social Progress or UDPS [Fidele HIEN]; Union
  for Rebirth - Sankarist Movement or UNIR-MS [Benewende STANISLAS];
  Union for the Republic or UPR [Toussaint Abel COULIBALY]; Union of
  Sankarist Parties or UPS [Ernest Nongma OUEDRAOGO]

Burma
  National League for Democracy or NLD [AUNG SHWE, AUNG SAN SUU
  KYI]; National Unity Party or NUP (pro-regime) [TUN YE]; Shan
  Nationalities League for Democracy or SNLD [HKUN HTUN OO]; and
  numerous other smaller parties

Burundi
  governing parties: Burundi Democratic Front or FRODEBU
  [Leonce NGENDAKUMANA]; National Council for the Defense of Democracy
  - Front for the Defense of Democracy or CNDD-FDD [Jeremie
  NGENDAKUMANA]; Unity for National Progress or UPRONA [Aloys RUBUKA]
  note: a multiparty system was introduced after 1998, included are:
  National Council for the Defense of Democracy or CNDD [Leonard
  NYANGOMA]; National Resistance Movement for the Rehabilitation of
  the Citizen or MRC-Rurenzangemero [Epitace BANYAGANAKANDI]; Party
  for National Redress or PARENA [Jean-Baptiste BAGAZA]

Cambodia
  Cambodian People's Party or CPP [CHEA SIM]; Human Rights
  Party or HRP [KHEM SOKHA, also spelled KEM SOKHA]; National United
  Front for an Independent, Neutral, Peaceful, and Cooperative
  Cambodia or FUNCINPEC [KEV PUT REAKSMEI]; Norodom Ranariddh Party or
  NRP [CHHIM SEAK LENG]; Sam Rangsi Party or SRP [SAM RANGSI, also
  spelled SAM RAINSY]

Cameroon
  Cameroonian Democratic Union or UDC [Adamou Ndam NJOYA];
  Cameroon People's Democratic Movement or CPDM [Paul BIYA]; Movement
  for the Defense of the Republic or MDR [Dakole DAISSALA]; Movement
  for the Liberation and Development of Cameroon or MLDC [Marcel
  YONDO]; National Union for Democracy and Progress or UNDP [Maigari
  BELLO BOUBA]; Progressive Movement or MP; Social Democratic Front or
  SDF [John FRU NDI]; Union of Peoples of Cameroon or UPC [Augustin
  Frederic KODOCK]

Canada
  Bloc Quebecois [Gilles DUCEPPE]; Conservative Party of Canada
  [Stephen HARPER] (a merger of the Canadian Alliance and the
  Progressive Conservative Party); Green Party [Elizabeth MAY];
  Liberal Party [Michael IGNATIEFF]; New Democratic Party [Jack LAYTON]

Cape Verde
  African Party for Independence of Cape Verde or PAICV
  [Jose Maria Pereira NEVES, chairman]; Democratic Christian Party or
  PDC [Manuel RODRIGUES]; Democratic Renovation Party or PRD [Victor
  FIDALGO]; Democratic and Independent Cape Verdean Union or UCID
  [Antonio MONTEIRO]; Movement for Democracy or MPD [Jorge SANTOS];
  Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Dr. Eurico MONTEIRO]; Party
  of Work and Solidarity or PTS [Isaias RODRIGUES]; Social Democratic
  Party or PSD [Joao ALEM]

Cayman Islands
  United Democratic Party or UDP [McKeeva BUSH];
  People's Progressive Movement or PPM [Kurt TIBBETTS]

Central African Republic
  Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ADP
  [Jacques MBOLIEDAS]; Central African Democratic Rally or RDC [Andre
  KOLINGBA]; Civic Forum or FC [Gen. Timothee MALENDOMA]; Democratic
  Forum for Modernity or FODEM [Charles MASSI]; Liberal Democratic
  Party or PLD [Nestor KOMBO-NAGUEMON]; Londo Association or LONDO;
  Movement for Democracy and Development or MDD [David DACKO];
  Movement for the Liberation of the Central African People or MLPC
  [Ange-Felix PATASSE] (the party of deposed president); National
  Convergence or KNK; Patriotic Front for Progress or FPP [Abel
  GOUMBA]; People's Union for the Republic or UPR [Pierre Sammy
  MAKFOY]; National Unity Party or PUN [Jean-Paul NGOUPANDE]; Social
  Democratic Party or PSD [Enoch LAKOUE]

Chad
  Federation Action for the Republic or FAR [Ngarledjy YORONGAR];
  National Rally for Development and Progress or RNDP [Delwa Kassire
  KOUMAKOYE]; National Union for Democracy and Renewal or UNDR [Saleh
  KEBZABO]; Party for Liberty and Development or PLD [Ibni Oumar
  Mahamat SALEH]; Patriotic Salvation Movement or MPS [Mahamat Saleh
  AHMAT, chairman]; Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Lol
  Mahamat CHOUA]; Union for Renewal and Democracy or URD [Gen. Wadal
  Abdelkader KAMOUGUE]

Chile
  Alliance for Chile (Alianza) or APC (including National
  Renewal or RN [Carlos LARRAIN Pena] and Independent Democratic Union
  or UDI [Juan Antonio COLOMA Correa]); Coalition of Parties for
  Democracy (Concertacion) or CPD (including Christian Democratic
  Party or PDC [Juan Carlos LATORRE Carmona], Socialist Party or PS
  [Camilo ESCALONA Medina], Party for Democracy or PPD [Pepe AUTH
  Stewart], and Radical Social Democratic Party or PRSD [Jose Antonio
  GOMEZ Urrutia]); Communist Party or PC [Guillermo TEILLIER del
  Valle]; Humanist Party [Marilen CABRERA Olmos]

China
  Chinese Communist Party or CCP [HU Jintao]; eight registered
  small parties controlled by CCP

Christmas Island
  none

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  none

Colombia
  Colombian Conservative Party or PC [Efrain Jose CEPEDA
  Sarabia]; Alternative Democratic Pole or PDA [Carlos GAVIRIA Diaz];
  Liberal Party or PL [Cesar GAVIRIA Trujillo]; Radical Change or CR
  [German VARGAS Lleras]; Social National Unity Party or U Party
  [Carlos FERRO Solanilla]
  note: Colombia has 15 formally recognized political parties, and
  numerous unofficial parties that did not meet the vote threshold in
  the March 2006 legislative elections required for recognition

Comoros
  Convention for the Renewal of the Comoros or CRC [AZALI
  Assowmani]; Camp of the Autonomous Islands or CdIA (a coalition of
  parties organized by the islands' presidents in opposition to the
  Union President); Front National pour la Justice or FNJ [Ahmed
  RACHID] (Islamic party in opposition); Mouvement pour la Democratie
  et le Progress or MDP-NGDC [Abbas DJOUSSOUF]; Parti Comorien pour la
  Democratie et le Progress or PCDP [Ali MROUDJAE]; Rassemblement
  National pour le Development or RND [Omar TAMOU, Abdoulhamid
  AFFRAITANE]

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  Christian Democrat Party or PDC
  [Jose ENDUNDO]; Congolese Rally for Democracy or RCD [Azarias
  RUBERWA]; Convention of Christian Democrats or CDC; Forces of
  Renewal or FR [Mbusa NYAMWISI]; Movement for the Liberation of the
  Congo or MLC [Jean-Pierre BEMBA]; People's Party for Reconstruction
  and Democracy or PPRD [Joseph KABILA]; Social Movement for Renewal
  or MSR [Pierre LUMBI]; Unified Lumumbist Party or PALU [Antoine
  GIZENGA]; Union for Democracy and Social Progress or UDPS [Etienne
  TSHISEKEDI]; Union of Mobutuist Democrats or UDEMO [MOBUTU Nzanga]

Congo, Republic of the
  Action Movement for Renewal or MAR; Congolese
  Movement for Democracy and Integral Development or MCDDI [Michel
  MAMPOUYA]; Congolese Labour Party or PCT; Movement for Solidarity
  and Development or MSD; Pan-African Union for Social Development or
  UPADS [Martin MBERI]; Rally of the Presidential Majority or RMP;
  Rally for Democracy and Social Progress or RDPS [Jean-Pierre
  Thystere TCHICAYA, president]; Rally for Democracy and the Republic
  or RDR [Raymond Damasge NGOLLO]; Union for Democracy and Republic or
  UDR; United Democratic Forces or FDU [Sebastian EBAO]; many less
  important parties

Cook Islands
  Cook Islands Party or CIP [Henry PUNA]; Democratic
  Party or Demo [Dr. Terepai MAOATE]

Costa Rica
  Authentic Member from Heredia [Jose SALAS]; Citizen
  Action Party or PAC [Epsy CAMPBELL Barr]; Costa Rican Renovation
  Party or PRC [Gerardo Justo OROZCO Alvarez]; Democratic Force Party
  or PFD [Marco NUNEZ Gonzalez]; General Union Party or PUGEN [Carlos
  Alberto FERNANDEZ Vega]; Homeland First or PP [Juan Jose VARGAS
  Fallas]; Independent Worker Party or PIO [Jose Alberto CUBERO
  Carmona]; Libertarian Movement Party or PML [Otto GUEVARA Guth];
  National Christian Alliance Party or ANC [Juan Carlos CHAVEZ Mora];
  National Integration Party or PIN [Walter MUNOZ Cespedes]; National
  Liberation Party or PLN [Francisco Antonio PACHECO Fernandez];
  National Patriotic Party or PPN [Daniel Enrique REYNOLDS Vargas];
  National Restoration Party or PRN [Fabio Enrique DELGADO Hernandez];
  National Union Party or PUN [Arturo ACOSTA Mora]; Nationalist
  Democratic Alliance or ADN [Jose Miguel VILLALOBOS Umana]; Patriotic
  Union or UP [Jose Miguel CORRALES Bolanos]; Social Christian Unity
  Party or PUSC [Luis FISHMAN Zonzinski]; Union for Change Party or
  UPC [Antonio ALVAREZ Desanti]; United Leftist Coalition or IU
  [Humberto VARGAS Carbonel]

Cote d'Ivoire
  Citizen's Democratic Union or UDCY [Theodore MEL EG];
  Democratic Party of Cote d'Ivoire or PDCI [Henri Konan BEDIE];
  Ivorian Popular Front or FPI [Pascale Affi N'GUESSAN]; Ivorian
  Worker's Party or PIT [Francis WODIE]; Opposition Movement of the
  Future or MFA [Innocent Augustin ANAKY]; Rally of the Republicans or
  RDR [Alassane OUATTARA]; Union for Democracy and Peace in Cote
  d'Ivoire or UDPCI [Toikeuse MABRI]; over 144 smaller registered
  parties

Croatia
  Croatian Democratic Congress of Slavonia and Baranja or
  HDSSB [Vladimir SISLJAGIC]; Croatian Democratic Union or HDZ [Ivo
  SANADER]; Croatian Party of the Right or HSP [Anto DJAPIC]; Croatian
  Peasant Party or HSS [Josip FRISCIC]; Croatian Pensioner Party or
  HSU [Silvano HRELJA]; Croatian People's Party or HNS [Radimir
  CACIC]; Croatian Social Liberal Party or HSLS [Djurdja ADLESIC];
  Independent Democratic Serb Party or SDSS [Vojislav STANIMIROVIC];
  Istrian Democratic Assembly or IDS [Ivan JAKOVCIC]; Social
  Democratic Party of Croatia or SDP [Zoran MILANOVIC]

Cuba
  Cuban Communist Party or PCC [Fidel CASTRO Ruz, first secretary]

Cyprus
  area under government control: Democratic Party or DIKO
  [Marios KAROYIAN]; Democratic Rally or DISY [Nikos ANASTASIADES];
  European Party or EURO.KO [Demetris SYLLOURIS]; Fighting Democratic
  Movement or ADIK [Dinos MIKHAILIDES]; Green Party of Cyprus [George
  PERDIKIS]; Movement for Social Democrats or EDEK [Yiannakis OMIROU];
  Progressive Party of the Working People or AKEL (Communist Party)
  [Andros KYPRIANOU]; United Democrats or EDI [Michalis PAPAPETROU]
  area administered by Turkish Cypriots: Centrist Party or HP [Rasit
  PERTEV]; Communal Democracy Party or TDP [Mehmet CAKICIL]; Cyprus
  Socialist Party or KSP [Yusuf ALKIM]; Democratic Party or DP [Serder
  DENKTASH]; Freedom and Reform Party or ORP [Turgay AVCI]; National
  Unity Party or UBP [Dervis EROGLU]; Nationalist Justice Party or MAP
  [Ata TEPE]; New Cyprus Party or YKP [Murat KANATLI]; Politics for
  the People Party or HIS [Ahmet YONLUER]; Republican Turkish Party or
  CTP [Ferdi Sabit SOYER]; United Cyprus Party or BKP [Izzet IZCAN]

Czech Republic
  Association of Independent Candidates-European
  Democrats or SNK-ED [Helmut DOHNALEK]; Christian Democratic
  Union-Czechoslovak People's Party or KDU-CSL [Jiri CUNEK]; Civic
  Democratic Party or ODS [Mirek TOPOLANEK]; Communist Party of
  Bohemia and Moravia or KSCM [Vojtech FILIP]; Czech Social Democratic
  Party or CSSD [Jiri PAROUBEK]; Free Citizens' Party or SSO [Petr
  MACH]; Green Party [Martin BURSIK]; Independent Democrats (NEZDEM)
  [Vladimir ZELEZNY]; Party of Open Society (SOS) [Pavel NOVACEK];
  Path of Change [Jiri LOBKOWITZ]; Union of Freedom-Democratic Union
  or US-DEU [Jan CERNY]

Denmark
  Christian Democrats [Bjarne Hartung KIRKEGAARD] (was
  Christian People's Party); Conservative Party [Lene ESPERSEN]
  (sometimes known as Conservative People's Party); Danish People's
  Party [Pia KJAERSGAARD]; Liberal Party [Anders Fogh RASMUSSEN];
  Liberal Alliance [Naser KHADER](formerly known as New Alliance);
  Red-Green Unity List (Alliance) [collective leadership] (bloc
  includes Left Socialist Party, Communist Party of Denmark, Socialist
  Workers' Party); Social Democratic Party [Helle THORNING-SCHMIDT];
  Social Liberal Party [Margrethe VESTAGER]; Socialist People's Party
  [Villy SOEVNDAL]

Djibouti
  Democratic National Party or PND [ADEN Robleh Awaleh];
  Democratic Renewal Party or PRD [Abdillahi HAMARITEH]; Djibouti
  Development Party or PDD [Mohamed Daoud CHEHEM]; Front pour la
  Restauration de l'Unite Democratique or FRUD [Ali Mohamed DAOUD];
  People's Progress Assembly or RPP [Ismail Omar GUELLEH] (governing
  party); Peoples Social Democratic Party or PPSD [Moumin Bahdon
  FARAH]; Republican Alliance for Democracy or ARD [Ahmed YOUSSOUF];
  Union for a Presidential Majority or UMP (a coalition of parties
  including RPP, FRUD, PND, and PPSD) [Mohamed Dileita DILEITA]; Union
  for Democracy and Justice or UDJ

Dominica
  Dominica Freedom Party or DFP [Charles SAVARIN]; Dominica
  Labor Party or DLP [Roosevelt SKERRIT]; Dominica United Workers
  Party or UWP [Earl WILLIAMS]

Dominican Republic
  Dominican Liberation Party or PLD [Leonel
  FERNANDEZ Reyna]; Dominican Revolutionary Party or PRD [Ramon
  ALBURQUERQUE]; National Progressive Front [Vincent CASTILLO,
  Pelegrin CASTILLO]; Social Christian Reformist Party or PRSC
  [Enrique ANTUN]

Ecuador
  Alianza PAIS Movement [Rafael Vicente CORREA Delgado];
  Christian Democratic Union or UDC [Diego ORDONEZ Guerrero];
  Democratic Left or ID [Andres PAEZ Benalcazar]; Ethical and
  Democratic Network or RED [Leon ROLDOS]; Institutional Renewal and
  National Action Party or PRIAN [Alvaro NOBOA]; Pachakutik
  Plurinational Unity Movement - New Country or MUPP-NP [Jorge
  GUAMAN]; Patriotic Society Party or PSP [Lucio GUTIERREZ Borbua];
  Popular Democratic Movement or MPD [Ciro GUZMAN Aldaz]; Roldosist
  Party or PRE [Abdala BUCARAM Ortiz, director]; Social Christian
  Party or PSC [Pascual DEL CIOPPO]; Socialist Party - Broad Front or
  PS-FA [Gustavo AYALA Cruz]

Egypt
  National Democratic Party or NDP (governing party) [Mohamed
  Hosni MUBARAK]; National Progressive Unionist Grouping or Tagammu
  [Rifaat EL-SAID]; New Wafd Party or NWP [Mahmoud ABAZA]; Tomorrow
  Party [Moussa Mustafa MOUSSA]
  note: formation of political parties must be approved by the
  government; only parties with representation in elected bodies are
  listed

El Salvador
  Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Rodolfo PARKER];
  Democratic Convergence or CD [Hector DADA HIREZI] (formerly United
  Democratic Center or CDU); Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front
  or FMLN [Medardo GONZALEZ]; National Conciliation Party or PCN [Ciro
  CRUZ ZEPEDA]; Nationalist Republican Alliance or ARENA [Rodrigo
  AVILA]; Popular Social Christian Party or PPSC [Rene AGUILUZ];
  Revolutionary Democratic Front or FDR [Julio Cesar HERNANDEZ Carcamo]

Equatorial Guinea
  Convergence Party for Social Democracy or CPDS
  [Placido MICO Abogo]; Democratic Party for Equatorial Guinea or PDGE
  (ruling party) [Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO]; Electoral Coalition
  or EC; Party for Progress of Equatorial Guinea or PPGE [Severo
  MOTO]; Popular Action of Equatorial Guinea or APGE [Avelino
  MOCACHE]; Popular Union or UP

Eritrea
  People's Front for Democracy and Justice or PFDJ [ISAIAS
  Afworki] (the only party recognized by the government); note - a
  National Assembly committee drafted a law on political parties in
  January 2001, but the full National Assembly has yet to debate or
  vote on it

Estonia
  Center Party of Estonia (Keskerakond) [Edgar SAVISAAR];
  Estonian Greens (Rohelised) [Marek STRANDBERG]; Estonian People's
  Union (Rahvaliit) [Villu REILJAN]; Estonian Reform Party
  (Reformierakond) [Andrus ANSIP]; Social Democratic Party (formerly
  People's Party Moodukad or Moderates) [Ivari PADAR]; Union of Pro
  Patria and Res Publica (Isamaa je Res Publica Liit) [Mart LAAR]

Ethiopia
  Afar National Democratic Party or ANDP [Mohammed Kedir];
  Benishangul Gumuz People's Democratic Unity Front or BGPDUF
  [Mulualem BESSE]; Coalition for Unity and Democratic Party or CUDP;
  Gurage Nationalities' Democratic Movement or GNDM; Oromo Federalist
  Democratic Movement or OFDM [BULCHA Demeksa]; Omoro People's
  Congress or OPC [IMERERA Gudina]; Somali People's Democratic Party
  or SPDP; United Ethiopian Democratic Forces or UEDF [BEYENE Petros]

European Union
  Confederal Group of the European United Left-Nordic
  Green Left or GUE/NGL [Francis WURTZ]; European People's
  Party-European Democrats or EPP-ED [Joseph DAUL]; Group of the
  Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe or ALDE [Graham R.
  WATSON]; Group of Greens/European Free Alliance or Greens/EFA
  [Monica FRASSONI and Daniel Marc COHN-BENDIT]; Identity, Tradition,
  Sovereignty Group or ITS [Bruno GOLLNISCH]; Independence/Democracy
  Group or IND/DEM [Hanne DAHL and Nigel FARAGE]; Socialist Group in
  the European Parliament or PES [Martin SCHULZ]; Union for Europe of
  the Nations Group or UEN [Brian CROWLEY and Cristiana MUSCARDINI]

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  none; all independents

Faroe Islands
  Center Party [Jenis A. RANA]; Independence Party [Kari
  P. HOJGAARD]; People's Party [Jorgen NICLASEN]; Republican Party
  [Hogni HOYDAL]; Social Democratic Party [Joannes EIDESGAARD];
  Self-Government Party [Kari P. HOJGAARD]; Union Party [Kaj Leo
  JOHANNESEN]

Fiji
  Dodonu Ni Taukei Party or DNT [Fereti S. DEWA]; Fiji Democratic
  Party or FDP [Filipe BOLE] (a merger of the Christian Democrat
  Alliance or VLV [Poesci Waqalevu BUNE], Fijian Association Party or
  FAP, Fijian Political Party or SVT (primarily Fijian) [Sitiveni
  RABUKA], and New Labor Unity Party or NLUP [Ofa SWANN]); Fiji Labor
  Party or FLP [Mahendra CHAUDHRY]; General Voters Party or GVP
  (became part of United General Party); Girmit Heritage Party or GHP;
  Justice and Freedom Party or AIM; Lio 'On Famor Rotuma Party or LFR;
  National Federation Party or NFP (primarily Indian) [Pramond RAE];
  Nationalist Vanua Takolavo Party or NVTLP [Saula TELAWA]; Party of
  National Unity or PANU [Ponipate LESAVUA]; Party of the Truth or
  POTT; United Fiji Party/Sogosogo Duavata ni Lewenivanua or SDL
  [Laisenia QARASE]; United Peoples Party or UPP [Millis Mick BEDDOES]

Finland
  Center Party or Kesk [Matti VANHANEN]; Christian Democrats
  or KD [Paivi RASANEN]; Green Party or VIHR [Tarja CRONBERG]; Left
  Alliance or VAS [Martti KORHONEN] (composed of People's Democratic
  League and Democratic Alternative); National Coalition Party
  (conservative) or Kok [Jyrki KATAINEN]; Social Democratic Party or
  SDP [Jutta URPILAINEN]; Swedish People's Party or SFP [Stefan
  WALLIN]; True Finns [Timo SOINI]

France
  Communist, Republican and Citizen or CRC; Democratic Movement
  or MoDem [Francois BAYROU] (previously Union for French Democracy or
  UDF); Democratic and Social European Rally or RDSE [Yvon COLLIN]
  (mainly Radical Republican and Socialist Parties, and PRG); French
  Communist Party or PCF [Marie-George BUFFET]; Greens [Cecile
  DUFLOT]; Left Radical Party or PRG [Jean-Michel BAYLET] (previously
  Radical Socialist Party or PRS and the Left Radical Movement or
  MRG); Movement for France or MPF [Philippe DE VILLIERS]; National
  Front or FN [Jean-Marie LE PEN]; New Center or NC [Herve MORIN];
  Radical Party [Jean-Louis BORLOO]; Rally for France or RPF [Charles
  PASQUA]; Republican and Citizen Movement or MRC [Jean Pierre
  CHEVENEMENT and Georges SARRE]; Socialist Party or PS [Martine
  AUBRY]; Union Centrist-UDF or UC-UDF [Michel MERCIER]; Union for a
  Popular Movement or UMP [Xavier BERTRAND]

French Polynesia
  Alliance for a New Democracy or ADN [Nicole BOUTEAU
  and Philip SCHYLE](includes the parties The New Star and This
  Country is Yours); Independent Front for the Liberation of Polynesia
  (Tavini Huiraatira) [Oscar TEMARU]; New Fatherland Party (Ai'a Api)
  [Emile VERNAUDON]; Our Home alliance; Popular Rally (Tahoeraa
  Huiraatira) [Gaston FLOSSE]; Union for Democracy alliance or UPD
  [Oscar TEMARU]

Gabon
  Circle of Liberal Reformers or CLR [General Jean Boniface
  ASSELE]; Congress for Democracy and Justice or CDJ [Jules Aristide
  Bourdes OGOULIGUENDE]; Democratic and Republican Alliance or ADERE
  [Divungui-di-Ndinge DIDJOB]; Gabonese Democratic Party or PDG
  (former sole party) [Simplice Nguedet MANZELA]; Gabonese Party for
  Progress or PGP [Benoit Mouity NZAMBA]; Gabonese Union for Democracy
  and Development or UGDD [Zacherie MYBOTO]; National Rally of
  Woodcutters or RNB; National Rally of Woodcutters-Rally for Gabon or
  RNB-RPG (Bucherons) [Fr. Paul M'BA-ABESSOLE]; Party of Development
  and Social Solidarity or PDS [Seraphin Ndoat REMBOGO]; People's
  Unity Party or PUP [Louis Gaston MAYILA]; Social Democratic Party or
  PSD [Pierre Claver MAGANGA-MOUSSAVOU]; Union for Democracy and
  Social Integration or UDIS; Union of Gabonese Patriots or UPG
  [Pierre MAMBOUNDOU]

Gambia, The
  Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction or
  APRC (the ruling party) [Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH]; Gambia People's
  Democratic Party or GPDP [Henry GOMEZ]; National Alliance for
  Democracy and Development or NADD [Halifa SALLAH]; National
  Convention Party or NCP [Sheriff DIBBA]; National Reconciliation
  Party or NRP [Hamat N. K. BAH]; People's Democratic Organization for
  Independence and Socialism or PDOIS [Halifa SALLAH]; United
  Democratic Party or UDP [Ousainou DARBOE]

Georgia
  Christian Democratic Movement [Giorgi TARGAMADZE];
  Democratic Movement United Georgia [Nino BURJANADZE]; Georgian
  People's Front [Nodar NATADZE]; Georgian United Communist Party or
  UCPG [Panteleimon GIORGADZE]; Georgia's Way Party [Salome
  ZOURABICHVILI]; Greens [Giorgi GACHECHILADZE]; Industry Will Save
  Georgia (Industrialists) or IWSG [Georgi TOPADZE]; Labor Party
  [Shalva NATELASHVILI]; National Council-New Rights (bloc forming
  joint opposition) [Levan GACHECHILADZE]; National Democratic Party
  or NDP [Bachuki KARDAVA]; United National Movement [Mikheil
  SAAKASHVILI]; New Rights [David GAMKRELIDZE]; Republican Party
  [David USUPASHVILI]; Socialist Party or SPG [Irakli MINDELI];
  Traditionalists [Akaki ASATIANI]; Union of National
  Forces-Conservatives [Koba DAVITASHVILI and Zviad DZIDZIGURI]

Germany
  Alliance '90/Greens [Claudia ROTH and Cem OZDEMIR];
  Christian Democratic Union or CDU [Angela MERKEL]; Christian Social
  Union or CSU [Horst SEEHOFER]; Free Democratic Party or FDP [Guido
  WESTERWELLE]; Left Party or Die Linke [Lothar BISKY and Oskar
  LAFONTAINE]; Social Democratic Party or SPD [Franz MUENTEFERING]

Ghana
  Convention People's Party or CPP [Ladi NYLANDER]; Democratic
  Freedom Party or DFP [Alhaji Abudu Rahman ISSAKAH]; Every Ghanaian
  Living Everywhere or EGLE; Great Consolidated Popular Party or GCPP
  [Dan LARTEY]; National Democratic Congress or NDC [Dr. Kwabena
  ADJEI]; New Patriotic Party or NPP [Peter MAC-MANU]; People's
  National Convention or PNC [Alhaji Amed RAMADAN]; Reform Party
  [Kyeretwie OPUKU]; United Renaissance Party or URP [Charles WAYO]

Gibraltar
  Gibraltar Liberal Party [Joseph GARCIA]; Gibraltar Social
  Democrats or GSD [Peter CARUANA]; Gibraltar Socialist Labor Party or
  GSLP [Joseph John BOSSANO]

Greece
  Coalition of the Radical Left or SYRIZA [Alekos ALAVANOS];
  Communist Party (Marxist-Leninist) [Gr. KONSTANTOPOULOS]; Communist
  Party of Greece or KKE [Aleka PAPARIGA]; Democratic Revival [Stelios
  PAPATHEMELIS]; Democratic Universal Hellas [Stergio KRIKELISI];
  Ecologist Greens [Ioanna KONTOULI]; Fighting Socialist Party [Nikos
  KARGOPOULOS]; Greek Ecologists [Dimosthenis VERGIS]; Liberal
  Alliance [Foris PERIKOS]; Liberal Party [Manolis KALIGIANNIS];
  Light-Truth-Justice [Konstantinos MELISSOURGOS]; New Democracy or ND
  [Konstandinos KARAMANLIS]; Organization for the Reconstruction of
  the Communist Party of Greece [Ilias ZAFIROPOULOS]; Panhellenic
  Socialist Movement or PASOK [Yiorgos PAPANDREOU]; Popular Orthodox
  Rally or LAOS [Yeoryios KARATZAFERIS]; Radical Left Front [D.
  DESILLAS]; Regional Urban Development [Nikolaos KOLITIS]; Salvation
  Party Christian Democracy [Alkiviadis STOILIS]; Union of Centrists
  [Vassilis LEVENTIS]; United Anti-Capitalist Left [Konstantinos
  PAPDAKIS]

Greenland
  Atassut Party (Solidarity) [Finn KARLSEN] (a conservative
  party favoring continuing close relations with Denmark); Demokratiit
  [Per BERTHELSEN]; Inuit Ataqatigiit or IA (Eskimo Brotherhood)
  [Josef MOTZFELDT] (a leftist party favoring complete independence
  from Denmark rather than home rule); Kattusseqatigiit (Candidate
  List) (an independent right-of-center party with no official
  platform); Siumut (Forward Party) [Hans ENOKSEN] (a social
  democratic party advocating more distinct Greenlandic identity and
  greater autonomy from Denmark)

Grenada
  Grenada United Labor Party or GULP [Gloria Payne BANFIELD];
  National Democratic Congress or NDC [Tillman THOMAS]; New National
  Party or NNP [Keith MITCHELL]

Guam
  Democratic Party [leader Michael PHILLIPS]; Republican Party
  [Philip J. FLORES] (controls the legislature)

Guatemala
  Center of Social Action or CASA [Eduardo SUGER]; Democracy
  Front or FRENTE [Alfonso CABRERA]; Democratic Union or UD [Manuel
  CONDE Orellana]; Encounter for Guatemala or EG [Nineth MONTENGRO];
  Grand National Alliance or GANA [Alfredo VILLA]; Guatemalan National
  Revolutionary Unity or URNG [Hector NUILA]; Guatemalan Republican
  Front or FRG [Efrain RIOS Montt]; National Advancement Party or PAN
  [Juan Guillermo GUTIERREZ]; National Unity for Hope or UNE [Juan
  Jose ALFARO Lemus]; Nationalist Change Union or UCN [Mario ESTRADA];
  Patriot Party or PP [Ret. Gen. Otto PEREZ Molina]; Unionista Party
  or PU [Fritz GARCIA-GALLONT]

Guernsey
  none; all independents

Guinea
  National Union for Progress or UPN [Mamadou Bhoye BARRY];
  Party for Unity and Progress or PUP (the governing party) [Sekou
  KONATE]; People's Party of Guinea or PPG [Charles Pascal TOLNO];
  Rally for the Guinean People or RPG [Alpha CONDE]; Union of
  Democratic Forces of Guinea or UFDG [Cellou Dalein DIALLO]; Union of
  Republican Forces or UFR [Sidya TOURE]; Union for Progress of Guinea
  or UPG [Jean-Marie DORE, secretary-general]; Union for Progress and
  Renewal or UPR [Ousmane BAH]

Guinea-Bissau
  African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau
  and Cape Verde or PAIGC [Carlos GOMES Junior]; Party for Social
  Renewal or PRS [Kumba YALA]; Democratic Alliance or AD [Victor
  MANDINGA]; Democratic Social Front or FDS [Rafael BARBOSA];
  Electoral Union or UE [Joaquim BALDE]; Guinea-Bissau Civic
  Forum/Social Democracy or FCGSD [Antonieta Rosa GOMES];
  Guinea-Bissau Democratic Party or PDG; Guinea-Bissau Socialist
  Democratic Party or PDSG [Serifo BALDE]; Labor and Solidarity Party
  or PST [Iancuba INDJAI]; New Democracy Party or PND; Party for
  Democratic Convergence or PCD [Victor MANDINGA]; Party for Renewal
  and Progress or PRP; Progress Party or PP; Republican Party for
  Independence and Development or PRID [Aristides GOMES]; Union for
  Change or UM [Amine SAAD]; Union of Guinean Patriots or UPG
  [Francisca VAZ]; United Platform or UP (coalition formed by PCD,
  FDS, FLING, and RGB-MB); United Popular Alliance or APU; United
  Social Democratic Party or PUSD [Frnacisco FADUL]

Guyana
  Alliance for Change or AFC [Raphael TROTMAN and Khemraj
  RAMJATTAN]; Guyana Action Party or GAP [Paul HARDY]; Justice for All
  Party [C.N. SHARMA]; People's National Congress/Reform or PNC/R
  [Robert Herman Orlando CORBIN]; People's Progressive Party/Civic or
  PPP/C [Bharrat JAGDEO]; Rise, Organize, and Rebuild or ROAR [Ravi
  DEV]; The United Force or TUF [Manzoor NADIR]; The Unity Party [Joey
  JAGAN]; Vision Guyana [Peter RAMSAROOP]; Working People's Alliance
  or WPA [Rupert ROOPNARAINE]

Haiti
  Artibonite in Action or LAAA [Youri LATORTUE]; Assembly of
  Progressive National Democrats or RDNP [Leslie MANIGAT]; Convention
  for Democratic Unity or KID [Evans PAUL]; Cooperative Action to
  Build Haiti or KONBA [Evans LESCOUFALIR]; Democratic Alliance or
  ALYANS [Evans PAUL] (coalition composed of KID and PPRH); Effort and
  Solidarity to Create an Alternative for the People or ESKAMP [Joseph
  JASME]; For Us All or PONT [Jean-Marie CHERESTAL]; Front for Hope or
  L'ESPWA [Rene PREVAL] (alliance of ESKAMP, PLB, and grass-roots
  organizations Grand-Anse Resistance Committee, the Central Plateau
  Peasants' Group, and Kombit Sudest); Haitian Christian Democratic
  Party or PDCH [Osner FEVRY and Marie-Denise CLAUDE]; Haitian
  Democratic and Reform Movement or MODEREH [Dany TOUSSAINT and Pierre
  Soncon PRINCE]; Heads Together or Tet-Ansanm [Dr. Gerard BLOT];
  Independent Movement for National Reconciliation or MIRN [Luc
  FLEURINORD]; Justice for Peace and National Development or JPDN
  [Rigaud DUPLAN]; Fanmi Lavalas or FL [Rudy HERIVEAUX]; Liberal Party
  of Haiti or PLH [Gehy MICHEL]; Merging of Haitian Social Democratic
  Parties or FUSION or FPSDH [Serge GILLES] (coalition of Ayiti
  Capable, Haitian National Revolutionary Party, and National Congress
  of Democratic Movements); Mobilization for Haiti's Development or
  MPH [Samir MOURRA]; Mobilization for National Development or MDN
  [Hubert de RONCERAY]; Movement for National Reconstruction or MRN
  [Jean Henold BUTEAU]; Movement for the Installation of Democracy in
  Haiti or MIDH [Marc BAZIN]; National Christian Union for the
  Reconstruction of Haiti or UNCRH [Marie Claude GERMAIN]; National
  Front for the Reconstruction of Haiti or FRN [Guy PHILIPPE]; New
  Christian Movement for a New Haiti or MOCHRENA [Luc MESADIEU]; Open
  the Gate Party or PLB [Anes LUBIN]; Popular Party for the Renewal of
  Haiti or PPRH [Claude ROMAIN]; Struggling People's Organization or
  OPL [Edgard LEBLANC]; Union of Nationalist and Progressive Haitians
  or UNITE [Edouard FRANCISQUE]

Holy See (Vatican City)
  none

Honduras
  Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Felicito AVILA];
  Democratic Unification Party or PUD [Cesar HAM]; Liberal Party or PL
  [Patricia RODAS]; National Innovation and Unity Party or PINU [Jorge
  AQUILAR Paredes]; National Party of Honduras or PN [Porfirio LOBO]

Hong Kong
  Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood or ADPL
  [Frederick FUNG Kin-kee]; Civic Party [KUAN Hsin-chi]; Democratic
  Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong or DAB [TAM
  Yiu Cheng]; Democratic Party [Albert HO Chun-yan]; League of Social
  Democrats [Raymond WONG Yuk-man]; Liberal Party [Miriam LAU Kin-yee]
  note: political blocs include: pro-democracy - ADPL, Civic Party;
  Democratic Party, League of Social Democrats; pro-Beijing - DAB,
  Liberal Party, The Professional Forum (an informal group of three
  generally pro-government and pro-business LegCo members from
  functional constituencies and one independent elected from a
  geographic constituency); there is no political party ordinance, so
  there are no registered political parties; politically active groups
  register as societies or companies

Hungary
  Alliance of Free Democrats or SzDSz [Gabor FODOR]; Christian
  Democratic People's Party or KDNP [Zsolt SEMJEN]; Hungarian Civic
  Alliance or Fidesz [Viktor ORBAN, chairman]; Hungarian Democratic
  Forum or MDF [Ibolya DAVID]; Hungarian Socialist Party or MSzP
  [Ildiko LENDVAI]

Iceland
  Citizens' Movement; Independence Party or IP [Bjarni
  BENEDIKTSSON, Jr.]; Left-Green Movement or LGM [Steingrimur
  SIGFUSSON]; Liberal Party or LP [Gudjon KRISTJANSSON]; Progressive
  Party or PP [Sigmundur David GUNNLAUGSSON; Social Democratic
  Alliance or SDA [Johanna SIGUROARDOTTIR] (includes People's Alliance
  or PA, Social Democratic Party or SDP, Women's List)

India
  All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam or AIADMK [J.
  JAYALALITHAA]; All India Trinamool Congress or AITC [Mamata
  BANERJEE]; Bahujan Samaj Party or BSP [Kumari MAYAWATI]; Bharatiya
  Janata Party or BJP [Rajnath SINGH]; Biju Janata Dal or BJD [Naveen
  PATNAIK]; Communist Party of India or CPI [Ardhendu Bhushan
  BARDHAN]; Communist Party of India-Marxist or CPI-M [Prakash KARAT];
  Dravida Munnetra Kazagham or DMK [M. KARUNANIDHI]; Indian National
  Congress or INC [Sonia GANDHI]; Janata Dal (United) or JD(U) [Sharad
  YADAV]; Jharkhand Mukti Morcha or JMM [Shibu SOREN]; Left Front (an
  alliance of Indian leftist parties); Lok Jan Shakti Party or LJSP
  [Ram Vilas PASWAN]; Nationalist Congress Party or NCP [Sharad
  PAWAR]; Pattali Makkal Katchi or PMK [S. RAMADOSS]; Rashtriya Janata
  Dal or RJD [Laloo Prasad YADAV]; Samajwadi Party or SP [Mulayam
  Singh YADAV]; Shiromani Akali Dal or SAD [Parkash Singh BADAL]; Shiv
  Sena or SS [Bal THACKERAY]; note - India has dozens of national and
  regional political parties; only parties or coalitions with four or
  more seats in the People's Assembly are listed

Indonesia
  Democrat Party or PD [Hadi UTOMO]; Functional Groups Party
  or GOLKAR [Aburizal BAKRIE]; Great Indonesia Movement Party or
  GERINDRA [WIRANTO]; Indonesia Democratic Party-Struggle or PDI-P
  [MEGAWATI Sukarnoputri]; National Awakening Party or PKB [Muhaiman
  ISKANDAR]; National Mandate Party or PAN [Sutrisno BACHIR]; People's
  Conscience Party or HANURA [SUHARDI]; Prosperous Justice Party or
  PKS [Tifatul SEMBIRING]; United Development Party or PPP
  [Suryadharma ALI]

Iran
  formal political parties are a relatively new phenomenon in
  Iran and most conservatives still prefer to work through political
  pressure groups rather than parties; often political parties or
  coalitions are formed prior to elections and disbanded soon
  thereafter; a loose pro-reform coalition called the 2nd Khordad
  Front, which includes political parties as well as less formal
  groups and organizations, achieved considerable success in elections
  for the sixth Majles in early 2000; groups in the coalition included
  the Islamic Iran Participation Front (IIPF), Executives of
  Construction Party (Kargozaran), Solidarity Party, Islamic Labor
  Party, Mardom Salari, Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution
  Organization (MIRO), and Militant Clerics Society (Ruhaniyun); the
  coalition participated in the seventh Majles elections in early
  2004; following his defeat in the 2005 presidential elections,
  former MCS Secretary General and sixth Majles Speaker Mehdi KARUBI
  formed the National Trust Party; a new conservative group, Islamic
  Iran Developers Coalition (Abadgaran), took a leading position in
  the new Majles after winning a majority of the seats in February
  2004; following the 2004 Majles elections, traditional and hardline
  conservatives have attempted to close ranks under the United Front
  of Principlists and the Broad Popular Coalition of Principlists;
  several reformist groups, such as the Islamic Revolution, came
  together as a reformist coalition in advance of the 2008 Majles
  elections; the IIPF has repeatedly complained that the overwhelming
  majority of its candidates have been unfairly disqualified from the
  2008 elections

Iraq
  Assyrian Democratic Movement [Yunadim KANNA]; Badr Organization
  [Hadi al-AMIRI]; Constitutional Monarchy Movement or CMM [Sharif Ali
  Bin al-HUSAYN]; Da'wa al-Islamiya Party [Nuri al-MALIKI]; General
  Conference of Iraqi People [Adnan al-DULAYMI]; Independent Iraqi
  Alliance or IIA [Falah al-NAQIB]; Iraqi Communist Party [Hamid
  MAJID]; Iraqi Front for National Dialogue [Salih al-MUTLAQ]; Iraqi
  Hizballah [Karim Mahmud al-MUHAMMADAWI]; Iraqi Independent Democrats
  or IID [Adnan PACHACHI, Mahdi al-HAFIZ]; Iraqi Islamic Party or IIP
  [Tariq al-HASHIMI]; Iraqi National Accord or INA [Ayad ALLAWI];
  Iraqi National Congress or INC [Ahmad CHALABI]; Iraqi National
  Council for Dialogue or INCD [Khalaf Ulayan al-Khalifawi
  al-DULAYMI]; Iraqi National Unity Movement or INUM [Ahmad
  al-KUBAYSI]; Islamic Action Organization or IAO [Ayatollah Muhammad
  al-MUDARRISI]; Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq or ISCI [Abd al-Aziz
  al-HAKIM]; Jama'at al Fadilah or JAF [Muhammad Ali al-YAQUBI];
  Kurdistan Democratic Party or KDP [Masud BARZANI]; Kurdistan Islamic
  Union [Salah ad-Din Muhammad BAHA al-DIN]; Patriotic Union of
  Kurdistan or PUK [Jalal TALABANI]; Sadrist Trend [Muqtada al-SADR]
  (not an organized political party, but it fields independent
  candidates affiliated with Muqtada al-SADR); Sahawa al-Iraq [Ahmad
  al-RISHAWI]
  note: the Kurdistan Alliance, Iraqi National List, Tawafuq Front,
  Iraqi Front for National Dialogue, and Unified Iraqi Alliance were
  only electoral slates consisting of the representatives from the
  various Iraqi political parties

Ireland
  Fianna Fail [Brian COWEN]; Fine Gael [Enda KENNY]; Green
  Party [John GORMLEY]; Labor Party [Eamon GILMORE]; Progressive
  Democrats [Ciaran CANNON] (disbanding); Sinn Fein [Gerry ADAMS];
  Socialist Party [Joe HIGGINS]; The Workers' Party [Mick FINNEGAN]

Isle of Man
  Alliance for Progressive Government; Liberal Vannin
  Party [Peter KARRAN]; Man Labor Party; Man Nationalist Party (Mec
  Vannin) [Bernard MOFFATT]
  note: most members sit as independents

Israel
  Balad [Azmi BISHARA]; Democratic Front for Peace and Equality
  (HADASH) [Muhammad BARAKEH]; Kadima [Tzipora "Tzipi" LIVNI]; Labor
  Party [Ehud BARAK]; Likud [Binyamin NETANYAHU]; National Union
  [Yaakov KATZ]; The Jewish Home (HaBayit HaYehudi) [Daniel
  HERSCHKOWITZ]; SHAS [Eliyahu YISHAI]; The New Movement-Meretz [Haim
  ORON]; United Arab List-Ta'al [Ibrahim SARSUR]; United Torah Judaism
  or UTJ [Yaakov LITZMAN]; Yisrael Beiteinu or YB [Avigdor LIEBERMAN]

Italy
  Silvio BERLUSCONI coalition: People of Freedom or PdL [Silvio
  BERLUSCONI]; Lega Nord or LN [Umberto BOSSI]; Movement for Autonomy
  or MpA [Raffaele LOMBARDO]
  Walter VELTRONI coalition: Democratic Party or PD [Walter VELTRONI];
  Italy of Values or IdV [Antonio DI PIETRO]
  other non-allied parties: Union of the Center or UdC [Savino
  PEZZOTTA]

Jamaica
  Jamaica Labor Party or JLP [Bruce GOLDING]; People's
  National Party or PNP [Portia SIMPSON-MILLER]; National Democratic
  Movement or NDM [Michael WILLIAMS]

Japan
  Democratic Party of Japan or DPJ [Yukio HATOYAMA]; Japan
  Communist Party or JCP [Kazuo SHII]; Komeito [Natsuo YAMAGUCHI];
  Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Sadakazu TANIGAKI]; Social
  Democratic Party or SDP [Mizuho FUKUSHIMA]

Jersey
  two declared parties: Centre Party; Jersey Democratic Alliance
  note: all senators and deputies elected in 2008 were independents

Jordan
  Arab Ba'ath Socialist Party [Fuad DABBOUR]; Ba'ath Arab
  Progressive Party [Tayseer al-HAMSI]; Call Party [Mohammed Abu
  BAKR]; Democratic People's Party [Ahmad Yusuf 'ALIYA]; Democratic
  Popular Unity Party [Sa'ed DIAB]; Islamic Action Front or IAF [Ishaq
  al-FARHAN]; Islamic Center Party [Marwan al-FA'OURI; Jordanian
  Communist Party [Munir HAMARNEH]; Jordanian National Party [Mona Abu
  BAKR]; Jordanian United Front [Amjad al-MAJALI]; Life Party [Thaher
  'AMROU]; Message Party [Hazem QASHOU]; National Constitution Party
  [Ahmed al-SHUNAQ]; National Movement for Direct Democracy [Mohammed
  al-QAQ];

Kazakhstan
  Adilet (Justice) [Maksut NARIKBAYEV, Zeynulla
  ALSHIMBAYEV, Serik ABDRAHMANOV, Bakhytbek AKHMETZHAN, Yerkin
  ONGARBAYEV, Tolegan SYDYKOV] (formerly Democratic Party of
  Kazakhstan); Agrarian and Industrial Union of Workers Block or AIST
  (Agrarian Party and Civic Party); Ak Zhol Party (Bright Path)
  [Alikhan BAIMENOV]; Alga [Vladimir KOZLOV] (unregistered); Auyl
  (Village) [Gani KALIYEV]; Azat Party (formerly True Ak Zhol Party)
  [Bolat ABILOV]; Communist Party of Kazakhstan or KPK [Serikbolsyn
  ABDILDIN]; Communist People's Party of Kazakhstan [Vladislav
  KOSAREV]; National Social Democratic Party (NSDP)[Zharmakhan
  TUYAKBAY]; Nur-Otan [Bakhytzhan ZHUMAGULOV] (the Agrarian, Asar, and
  Civic parties merged with Otan); Patriots' Party [Gani KASYMOV];
  Rukhaniyat (Spirituality) [Altynshash ZHAGANOVA]

Kenya
  Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-Kenya or FORD-Kenya
  [Musikari KOMBO]; Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-People or
  FORD-People [Reuben OYONDI]; Kenya African National Union or KANU
  [Uhuru KENYATTA]; National Rainbow Coalition-Kenya or NARC-Kenya
  [Martha KARUA]; Orange Democratic Movement or ODM [Raila ODINGA];
  Orange Democratic Movement-Kenya or ODM-K [Kalonzo MUSYOKA]; Party
  of National Unity or PNU [Mwai KIBAKI]; Shirikisho Party of Kenya or
  SPK [Chirau Ali MWAKWERE]

Kiribati
  Boutokaan Te Koaua Party or BTK [Taberannang TIMEON];
  Maneaban Te Mauri Party or MTM [Teburoro TITO]; Maurin Kiribati Pati
  or MKP; National Progressive Party or NPP [Dr. Harry TONG]
  note: there is no tradition of formally organized political parties
  in Kiribati; they more closely resemble factions or interest groups
  because they have no party headquarters, formal platforms, or party
  structures

Korea, North
  major party - Korean Workers' Party or KWP [KIM Jong
  Il]; minor parties - Chondoist Chongu Party [RYU Mi Yong] (under KWP
  control), Social Democratic Party [KIM Yong Dae] (under KWP control)

Korea, South
  Democratic Party or DP [CHUNG Sye-kyun] (formerly the
  United Democratic Party or UDP); Democratic Labor Party or DLP [KANG
  Ki-kabi]; Grand National Party or GNP [CHUNG Mong-joon]; Liberty
  Forward Party or LFP [LEE Hoi-chang]; Pro-Park Alliance or PPA [SUH
  Choung-won]; Renewal Korea Party or RKP [MOON Kook-hyun]

Kosovo
  Albanian Christian Democratic Party of Kosovo or PShDK [Tome
  MARKU]; Alliance for the Future of Kosovo or AAK [Ramush HARADINAJ];
  Alliance for a New Kosovo or AKR [Behgjet PACOLLI]; Alliance of
  Independent Social Democrats of Kosovo and Metohija or SDSKIM
  [Slavisa PETKOVIC]; Autonomous Liberal Party of SLS [Slobodan
  PETROVIC]; Bosniak Vakat Coalition [Dzezair MURATI]; Citizens'
  Initiative of Gora or GIG [Murselj HALJILJI]; Council of Independent
  Social Democrats of Kosovo or SNSDKIM [Ljubisa ZIVIC]; Democratic
  Action Party or SDA [Numan BALIC]; Democratic Ashkali Party of
  Kosovo or PDAK; Democratic League of Dardania or LDD [Nexhat DACI];
  Democratic League of Kosovo or LDK [Fatmir SEJDIU]; Democratic Party
  of Ashkali of Kosovo or PDAK [Sabit RAHMANI]; Democratic Party of
  Kosovo or PDK [Hashim THACI]; Democratic Party Vatan [Sadik IDRIZI];
  Democratic Union of Ashkalis or BDA [Sabit RRAHMANI]; Justice Party
  or PD [Sylejman QERKEZI]; Kosovo Democratic Turkish Party of KDTP
  [Mahir YAGCILAR]; Liberal Party of Kosovo or PLK [Gjergi DEDAJ]; New
  Democratic Initiative of Kosovo or IRDK [Xhevdet NEZIRAJ]; New
  Democratic Party or ND [Branislav GRBIC]; New Kosovo Alliance or AKR
  [Behxhet PACOLLI]; Popular Movement of Kosovo or LPK [Emrush
  XHEMAJLI]; Reform Party Ora [Teuta SAHATCIA]; Serb National Party or
  SNS [Mihailo SCEPANOVIC]; Serbian Kosovo and Metohija Party or SKMS
  [Dragisa MIRIC]; Serbian List for Kosovo and Metohija [Oliver
  IVANOVIC]; Social Democratic Party of Kosovo or PSDK [Agim CEKU];
  United Roma Party of Kosovo or PREBK [Haxhi Zylfi MERXHA]

Kuwait
  none; formation of political parties is in practice illegal
  but is not forbidden by law

Kyrgyzstan
  Ak Jol (Good Luck) [Avtandil ARABAEV, Elmira IBRAIMOVA,
  Vladimir NIFADYEV, co-chairs]; Ak Shumkar (Gerfalcon) [Temir
  SARIYEV]; Ar-Namys (Dignity) Party [Emil ALIEV]; Asaba (Banner
  National Revival Party) [Sovetbek JAMALDINOV]]; Ata-Meken
  (Fatherland) [Omurbek TEKEBAEV]; Democratic Movement of Kyrgyzstan
  or DDK [Viktor TCHETRNOMORETS]; Erkindik (Freedom) Party [Topchubek
  TURGUNALIEV]; For Justice Movement [Alikbek JEKSHENKULOV]; Green
  Party [Erkin BULEKBAEV]; Moya Strana (My Country Party of Action)
  [Medet SADYRKULOV]; Party of Communists of Kyrgyzstan or KCP [Iskhak
  MASALIEV]; Party of Justice and Progress [Muratbek IMANALIEV]; Party
  of Peasants [Esengul ISAKOV]; Republican Party of Labor and Unity
  [Tabaldy OROZALIEV]; Revolutionary Committee [Azimbek BEKNAZAROV];
  Sanjira (Tree of Life) [Ednan KARABAEV]; Social Democratic Party of
  Kyrgyzstan [Almaz ATAMBAEV]; Svoboda Vybora (Free Choice) Party
  [Vyacheslav LISOVSKIY]; Turan Party [Kanybek IMANALIYEV]; Uluu
  Birimdik (Solidarity) Party [Emilbek KAPTAGAEV]; Union of Democratic
  Forces [Osmon ARTYKBAEV]; United Kyrgyzstan [Amangeldi MURALIEV]

Laos
  Lao People's Revolutionary Party or LPRP [CHOUMMALI Saignason];
  other parties proscribed

Latvia
  Civic Union [Sandra KALNIETE, Girts Valdis KRISTOVSKIS];
  First Party of Latvia/Latvia's Way or LPP/LC [Ainars SLESERS, Ivars
  GODMANIS]; For Human Rights in a United Latvia or PCTVL [Jakovs
  PLINERS, Tatjana ZDANOKA]; For the Fatherland and Freedom/Latvian
  National Independence Movement or TB/LNNK [Roberts ZILE, Maris
  GRINBLATS]; Harmony Center or SC [Nils USAKOVS, Janis URBANOVICS];
  New Era Party or JL [Solvita ABOLTINA, Dzintars ZAKIS]; People's
  Party or TP [Mareks SEGLINS]; Society for Different Politics or SCP
  [Aigars STOKENBERGS; Artis PABRIKS]; The Union of Latvian Greens and
  Farmers Party or ZZS [Augusts BRIGMANIS]

Lebanon
  14 March Coalition: Democratic Gathering Bloc [Walid
  JUNBLATT, leader of Progressive Socialist Party]; Democratic Left
  [Ilyas ATALLAH]; Democratic Renewal Movement [Nassib LAHUD]; Future
  Movement Bloc [Sa'ad al-HARIRI]; Kataeb Party [Amine GEMAYEL];
  Lebanese Forces [Samir JA'JA]; Tripoli Independent Bloc
  8 March Coalition: Development and Resistance Bloc [Nabih BERRI,
  leader of Amal Movement]; Free Patriotic Movement [Michel AWN];
  Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc [Mohammad RA'AD] (includes Hizballah
  Party [Hassan NASRALLAH]); Nasserite Popular Movement [Ussama SAAD];
  Popular Bloc [Elias SKAFF]; Syrian Ba'th Party [Sayez SHUKR]; Syrian
  Social Nationalist Party [Ali QANSO]
  Independent: Metn Bloc [Michel MURR]; Tashnaq

Lesotho
  Alliance of Congress Parties or ACP including the Lesotho
  People's Congress or LCP [Kelebone MAOPE], the Basotholand African
  Congress or BAC [Khauhelo RALITAPOLE], and a faction of the Basotho
  Congress Party or BCP [Ntsukunyane MPHANYA]; All Basotho Convention
  or ABC [Thomas THABANE]; Basotho Batho Democratic Party or BBDP;
  Basotho Congress Party or BCP; Basotho Democratic National Party or
  BDNP [Thabang NYEOE]; Basotho National Party or BNP [Maj. Gen.
  Justin Metsing LEKHANYA]; Basotholand African National Congress or
  BANC; Christian Democratic Party or CDP [Enerst RAMOKOENA]; Lesotho
  Congress for Democracy or LCD (the governing party) [Pakalitha
  MOSISILI]; Lesotho Workers Party or LWP [Macaefa BILLY]; National
  Independent Party or NIP [Anthony MANYELI]

Liberia
  Alliance for Peace and Democracy or APD [Togba-na TIPOTEH];
  Coalition for the Transformation of Liberia or COTOL [H. Varney
  SHERMAN]; Congress for Democratic Change or CDC [George WEAH];
  Liberty Party or LP [Charles BRUMSKINE]; National Patriotic Party or
  NPP [Roland MASSAQUOI]; Unity Party or UP [Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF]

Libya
  none

Liechtenstein
  Die Freie Liste (The Free List) or FL [Claudia
  HEEB-FLECK and Egon MATT]; Fortschrittliche Buergerpartei
  (Progressive Citizens' Party) or FBP [Marcus VOGT]; Vaterlaendische
  Union (Fatherland Union) or VU [Adolf HEEB]

Lithuania
  Civil Democracy Party or PDP [Viktor MUNTIANAS]; Coalition
  of Labor Party and Youth or KDP+J [Viktor USPASKICH]; Electoral
  Action of Lithuanian Poles or LLRA [Valdemar TOMASZEVSKI]; Homeland
  Union - Lithuanian Christian Democrats or TS-LKD [Andrius KUBILIUS];
  Lithuanian Peasant Popular Union or LVLS [Kazimiera PRUNSKIENE];
  Liberal and Center Union or LCS [Arturas ZUOKAS]; Liberal Movement
  or LRLS [Eligijus MASIULIS]; National Revival or TPP [Arunas
  VALINSKAS]; New Union (Social Liberal) or NS [Arturas PAULAUSKAS];
  Order and Justice Party or TT [Rolandas PAKSAS]; Social Democratic
  Party or LSDP [Gediminas KIRKILAS]; Young Lithuania and New
  Nationalists [Stanislovas BUSKEVICIUS]

Luxembourg
  Alternative Democratic Reform Party or ADR [Robert
  MEHLEN]; Christian Social People's Party or CSV [Francois BILTGEN];
  Democratic Party or DP [Claude MEISCH]; Green Party [Francois
  BAUSCH]; dei Lenk/la Gauche (the Left); Luxembourg Socialist
  Workers' Party or LSAP [Alex BODRY]; other minor parties

Macau
  New Hope [Jose Maria Pereira COUTINHO]; Development Union
  [KWAN Tsui-hang]; Macau Development Alliance [Angela LEONG On-kei];
  Macau United Citizens' Association [CHAN Meng-kam]; New Democratic
  Macau Association [Antonio NG Kuok-cheong]; Union for Promoting
  Progress [LEONG Heng-teng]
  note: there is no political party ordinance, so there are no
  registered political parties; politically active groups register as
  societies or companies

Macedonia
  Democratic Alliance [Pavle TRAJANOV]; Democratic League of
  Bosniaks [Rafet MUMINOVIC]; Democratic Party of Albanians or
  PDSh/DPA [Menduh THACI]; Democratic Party of Serbs [Ivan
  STOILJKOVIC]; Democratic Party of Turks [Kenan HASIPI]; Democratic
  Renewal of Macedonia [Liljana POPOVSKA]; Democratic Union of
  Albanians or BDSh [Bardyl MAHMUTI]; Democratic Union of Vlachs for
  Macedonia [Mitko KOSTOV]; Democratic Union for Integration or
  BDI/DUI [Ali AHMETI]; For a Better Macedonia coalition [Nikola
  GRUEVSKI] (includes VMRO-DPMNE, SP, Democratic Union, Democratic
  Renewal of Macedonia, Democratic Party of Turks, Democratic Party of
  Serbs, SR, and smaller parties); Internal Macedonian Revolutionary
  Organization-Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity or
  VMRO-DPMNE [Nikola GRUEVSKI]; League for Democracy [Gjorgi
  MARJANOVIC]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Jovan MANSIEVSKI];
  Liberal Party [Stojan ANDOV]; National Alternative [Harun ALIU];
  National Democratic Union or BDK [Hysni SHAQIR]; New Democracy of
  DR/ND [Imer SELMANI]; New Social Democratic Party or NSDP [Tito
  PETKOVSKI]; Party for Democratic Prosperity or PPD/PDP [Sefedin
  HARUNI]; Party for European Future or PEI [Fijat CANOSKI]; Party of
  Free Democrats or PSD [Ljubco JORDANOVSKI]; Social Democratic
  Alliance of Macedonia or SDSM [Zoran ZAEV]; Socialist Party of
  Macedonia or SP [Ljubisav IVANOV-ZINGO]; Sun-Coalition for Europe
  [Radmila SKERINSKA] (includes SDSM, NSDP, LDP, Liberal Party and
  smaller parties); Union of Romas or SR [Shaban SALIU]; United Party
  for Emancipation or OPE [Nezdet MUSTAFA]

Madagascar
  Association for the Rebirth of Madagascar or AREMA
  [Pierrot RAJAONARIVELO]; Democratic Party for Union in Madagascar or
  PSDUM [Jean LAHINIRIKO]; Economic Liberalism and Democratic Action
  for National Recovery or LEADER/Fanilo [Herizo RAZAFIMAHALEO];
  Fihaonana Party or FP [Guy-Willy RAZANAMASY]; I Love Madagascar or
  TIM [Marc RAVALOMANANA]; Renewal of the Social Democratic Party or
  RPSD [Evariste MARSON]

Malawi
  Alliance for Democracy or AFORD [Dindi NYASULU]; Congress of
  Democrats or CODE [Ralph KASAMBARA]; Democratic Progressive Party or
  DPP [Bingu wa MUTHARIKA]; Malawi Congress Party or MCP [John TEMBO];
  Malawi Democratic Party or MDP [Kampelo KALUA]; Malawi Forum for
  Unity and Development or MAFUNDE [George MNESA]; Maravi People's
  Party [Uladi MUSSA]; National Unity Party or NUP [Harry CHIUME]; New
  Rainbow Coalition Party [Beatrice MWALE]; New Republican Party
  [Gwanda CHAKUWAMBA]; People's Progressive Movement or PPM [Aleke
  BANDA]; People's Transformation Movement or PETRA [Kamuzu CHIBAMBO];
  Republican Party or RP [Stanley MASAULI]; United Democratic Front or
  UDF [Bakili MULUZI]; United Democratic Party [Kenedy KALAMBO]

Malaysia
  National Front (Barisan Nasional) or BN (ruling coalition)
  consists of the following parties: Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia Party or
  PGRM [KOH Tsu Koon]; Liberal Democratic Party (Parti Liberal
  Demokratik - Sabah) or LDP [LIEW Vui Keong]; Malaysian Chinese
  Association (Persatuan China Malaysia) or MCA [ONG Tee Keat];
  Malaysian Indian Congress (Kongres India Malaysia) or MIC [S. Samy
  VELLU]; Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah or PBRS [Joseph KURUP]; Parti
  Bersatu Sabah or PBS [Joseph PAIRIN Kitingan]; Parti Pesaka
  Bumiputera Bersatu or PBB [Abdul TAIB Mahmud]; Parti Rakyat Sarawak
  or PRS [James MASING]; Sarawak United People's Party (Parti Bersatu
  Rakyat Sarawak) or SUPP [George CHAN Hong Nam]; United Malays
  National Organization or UMNO [NAJIB bin Abdul Razak]; United
  Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organization (Pertubuhan Pasko
  Momogun Kadazan Dusun Bersatu) or UPKO [Bernard DOMPOK]; People's
  Progressive Party (Parti Progresif Penduduk Malaysia) or PPP
  [M.Kayveas]; Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party or SPDP [William
  MAWAN])
  People's Alliance (Pakatan Rakyat) or PR (opposition coalition)
  consists of the following parties: Democratic Action Party (Parti
  Tindakan Demokratik) or DAP [KARPAL Singh]; Islamic Party of
  Malaysia (Parti Islam se Malaysia) or PAS [Abdul HADI Awang];
  People's Justice Party (Parti Keadilan Rakyat) or PKR [WAN AZIZAH
  Wan Ismail]; Sarawak National Party or SNAP [Edwin DUNDANG]
  independent party: Sabah Progressive Party (Parti Progresif Saban)
  or SAPP [YONG Teck Lee]

Maldives
  Adhaalath (Justice) Party or AP [Abdul Majeed Abdul BARI];
  Dhivehi Quamee Party or DQP [Hassan SAEED]; Dhivehi Rayyithunge
  Party (Maldivian People's Party) or DRP [Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM];
  Islamic Democratic Party or IDP [Omar NASEER]; Maldivian Democratic
  Party or MDP [Mohamed NASHEED]; People's Alliance or PA [Abdullah
  YAMEEN]; Republican (Jumhooree) Party [Gasim IBRAHIM]; Social
  Liberal Party or SLP [Ibrahim ISMAIL]

Mali
  Alliance for Democratic Change (political group comprised
  mainly of Tuareg from Mali's northern region); African Solidarity
  for Democracy and Independence or SADI [Oumar MARIKO, secretary
  general]; Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ADP (a coalition of
  political parties including ADEMA and URD formed in December 2006 to
  support the presidential candidacy of Amadou TOURE); Alliance for
  Democracy or ADEMA [Diounconda TRAORE]; Convergence 2007 [Soumeylou
  Boubeye MAIGA]; Front for Democracy and the Republic or FDR (a
  coalition of political parties including RPM and PARENA formed to
  oppose the presidential candidacy of Amadou TOURE); National
  Congress for Democratic Initiative or CNID [Mountaga TALL]; Party
  for Democracy and Progress or PDP [Mady KONATE]; Party for National
  Renewal or PARENA [Tiebile DRAME]; Patriotic Movement for Renewal or
  MPR [Choguel MAIGA]; Rally for Democracy and Labor or RDT [Amadou
  Ali NIANGADOU]; Rally for Mali or RPM [Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA];
  Sudanese Union/African Democratic Rally or US/RDA [Mamadou Basir
  GOLOGO]; Union for Democracy and Development or UDD [Moussa Balla
  COULIBALY]; Union for Republic and Democracy or URD [Soumaila CISSE]

Malta
  Alternativa Demokratika/Alliance for Social Justice or AD
  [Arnold CASSOLA]; Azzjoni Nazzjonaili or AN [Josi MUSCAT]; Malta
  Labor Party or MLP [Joseph MUSCAT]; Nationalist Party or PN
  [Lawrence GONZI]

Marshall Islands
  traditionally there have been no formally organized
  political parties; what has existed more closely resembles factions
  or interest groups because they do not have party headquarters,
  formal platforms, or party structures; the following two "groupings"
  have competed in legislative balloting in recent years - Aelon Kein
  Ad Party [Michael KABUA] and United Democratic Party or UDP [Litokwa
  TOMEING]

Mauritania
  Alternative or El-Badil [Mohamed Yahdhi Ould MOCTAR
  HACEN]; Centrist Reformists (independent moderate Islamists)
  [Mohamed Jamil MANSOUR]; Coalition for Forces for Democratic Change
  or CFCD (coalition of political parties including APP, Centrist
  Reformists (independent moderate Islamists), HATEM-PMUC, PUDS, RD,
  RFD, UFP); Democratic Renewal or RD [Moustapha Ould
  ABDEIDARRAHMANE]; Mauritanian Party for Unity and Change or
  HATEM-PMUC [Saleh Ould HANENA]; Mithaq (coalition of independents
  and parties associated with the former regime including Alternative
  or El-Badil, PRDR, UDP, RDU); National Pact for Democracy and
  Development or PNDD-ADIL (independents supporting President
  Abdellahi) [Yahya Ould Ahmed Ould WAGHEF]; National Rally for
  Freedom, Democracy and Equality or RNDLE; National Rally for Reform
  and Development or Tawassoul (moderate Islamists) [Mohamed Jemil
  Ould MANSOUR]; Popular Front or FP [Ch'bih Ould CHEIKH MALAININE];
  Popular Progressive Alliance or APP [Messoud Ould BOULKHEIR]; Rally
  of Democratic Forces or RFD [Ahmed Ould DADDAH]; Rally for Democracy
  and Unity or RDU [Ahmed Ould SIDI BABA]; Republican Party for
  Democracy and Renewal or PRDR [Boullah Ould MOGUEYA]; Socialist and
  Democratic Unity Party or PUDS; Union for Democracy and Progress or
  UDP [Naha Mint MOUKNASS]; Union of Democratic Center or UCD [Cheikh
  Sid'Ahmed Ould BABA]; Union of the Forces for Progress or UFP
  [Mohamed Ould MAOULOUD];

Mauritius
  Alliance Sociale or AS [Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM] (governing
  coalition - includes MLD, MMSM, MR, MSD, PMXD); Mauritian Labor
  Party or MLP [Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM]; Mauritian Militant Movement
  or MMM [Paul BERENGER]; Mauritian Socialist Militant Movement or
  MMSM [Madan DULLOO]; Militant Socialist Movement or MSM [Pravind
  JUGNAUTH]; Mouvement Republicain or MR [Jayarama VALAYDEN]; Parti
  Mauricien Xavier Duval or PMXD [Xavier Luc DUVAL]; Rodrigues
  Movement or MR [Joseph (Nicholas) Von MALLY]; Rodrigues Peoples
  Organization or OPR [Serge CLAIR]

Mayotte
  Democratic Front or FD [Youssouf MOUSSA]; Mahoran Popular
  Movement or MPM [Ahmed MADI]; Federation of Mahorans or UMP-RPR
  [Mansour KAMARDINE]; Force of the Rally and the Alliance for
  Democracy or FRAP; Movement for Department Status Mayotte or MDM
  [Mouhoutar SALIM]; Renewed Communist Party of Mayotte or MRC [Omar
  SIMBA]; Socialist Party or PS [Ibrahim ABUBACAR] (local branch of
  French Parti Socialiste); Union for French Democracy or UDF [Henri
  JEAN-BAPTISTE]

Mexico
  Convergence for Democracy or CD [Luis MALDONADO Venegas];
  Institutional Revolutionary Party or PRI [Beatriz PAREDES]; Labor
  Party or PT [Alberto ANAYA Gutierrez]; Mexican Green Ecological
  Party or PVEM [Jorge Emilio GONZALEZ Martinez]; National Action
  Party (Partido Accion Nacional) or PAN [German MARTINEZ Cazares];
  New Alliance Party (Partido Nueva Alianza) or PNA [Jorge Antonio
  KAHWAGI Macari]; Party of the Democratic Revolution (Partido de la
  Revolucion Democratica) or PRD [Leonel COTA Montano]; Social
  Democratic and Peasant Alternative Party (Partido Alternativa
  Socialdemocrata y Campesina) or Alternativa [Alberto BEGNE Guerra]

Micronesia, Federated States of
  no formal parties

Moldova
  Centrist Union or UCM [Vasile TARLEV]; Christian Democratic
  People's Party or PPCD [Iurie ROSCA]; Communist Party of the
  Republic of Moldova or PCRM [Vladimir VORONIN]; Democratic Party or
  PD [Dumitru DIACOV]; Liberal Democratic Party or PLDM [Vladmir
  FILAT]; Liberal Party or PL [Mihai GHIMPU]; National Liberal Party
  or PNL [Vitalia PAVLICENKO]; Our Moldova Alliance or AMN [Serafim
  URECHEAN]; Party for Social Democracy or PDSM [Dumitru BRAGHIS]

Monaco
  Union for Monaco or UPM (including National Union for the
  Future of Monaco or UNAM); Rally and Issues for Monaco or REM;
  Monaco Together

Mongolia
  Democratic Party or DP [Norov ALTANHUYAG]; Mongolian
  People's Revolutionary Party or MPRP [Sanjaa BAYAR]

Montenegro
  Albanian Alternative or AA [Vesel SINISHTAJ]; Coalition
  for European Montenegro or DPS-SDP (bloc) [Milo DJUKANOVIC]
  (includes Democratic Party of Socialists or DPS [Milo DJUKANOVIC]
  and Social Democratic Party or SDP [Ranko KRIVOKAPIC]); Coalition
  SNP-NS-DSS (bloc) (includes Socialist People's Party or SNP [Srdjan
  MILIC], People's Party of Montenegro or NS [Predrag POPOVIC], and
  Democratic Serbian Party of Montenegro or DSS [Ranko KADIC]);
  Democratic League-Party of Democratic Prosperity or SPP [Mehmet
  BARDHIJ]; Democratic Union of Albanians or DUA [Ferhat DINOSA];
  Liberals and the Bosniak Party (bloc) [Miodrag ZIVKOVIC] (includes
  Liberal Party of Montenegro or LP [Miodrag ZIVKOVIC] and Bosniak
  Party or BS [Rafet HUSOVIC]); Movement for Changes or PZP [Nebojsa
  MEDOJEVIC]; New Serb Democracy or NSD [Andrija MANDIC]; Serbian List
  (bloc) [Andrija MANDIC] (includes Party of Serb Radicals or SSR
  [Dusko SEKULIC], People's Socialist Party or NSS [Emilo LABUDOVIC],
  and Serbian People's Party of Montenegro or SNS [Andrija MANDIC]);
  Socialist People's Party of Montenegro or SNP [Srdjan MILIC]

Montserrat
  Montserrat Democratic Party or MDP [Lowell LEWIS];
  Movement for Change and Prosperity or MCAP [Roselyn CASSELL-SEALY];
  New People's Liberation Movement or NPLM [John A. OSBORNE]

Morocco
  Action Party or PA [Mohammed EL IDRISSI]; Al Ahd (The
  Covenant) Party [Najib EL OUAZZANI]; Alliance des Libert'es
  (Alliance of Liberty) or ADL [Ali BELHAJ]; An-Nahj Ad-Dimocrati or
  An-Nahj [Abdellah EL HARIF]; Authenticity and Modernity Party or PAM
  [Mohamed Cheikh BIADILLAH, Secretary General]; Choura et Istiqlal
  (Consultation and Independence) Party or PCI [Abdelwahed MAACH];
  Citizens' Forces or FC [Abderrahman LAHJOUJI]; Citizenship and
  Development Initiative or ICD [Mohamed BENHAMOU]; Constitutional
  Union Party or UC [Mohammed ABIED]; Democratic and Social Movement
  or MDS [Mahmoud ARCHANE]; Democratic Forces Front or FFD [Touhami EL
  KHIARI]; Democratic Socialist Vanguard Party or PADS [Ahmed
  BENJELLOUN]; Democratic Society Party or PSD [Zhor CHEKKAFI];
  Democratic Union or UD [Bouazza IKKEN]; Environment and Development
  Party or PED [Ahmed EL ALAMI]; Istiqlal (Independence) Party or PI
  [Abbas EL FASSI]; Justice and Development Party or PJD [Abdelilah
  BENKIRANE]; Labor Party or PT [Abdelkrim BENATIK]; Moroccan Liberal
  Party or PML [Mohamed ZIANE]; National Democratic Party or PND
  [Abdallah KADIRI]; National Ittihadi Congress Party or CNI
  [Abdelmajid BOUZOUBAA]; National Popular Movement or MNP [Mahjoubi
  AHERDANE]; National Rally of Independents or RNI [Mustapha EL
  MANSOURI]; National Union of Popular Forces or UNFP [Abdellah
  IBRAHIM]; Popular Movement or MP [Mohamed LAENSER]; Progress and
  Socialism Party or PPS [Ismail ALAOUI]; Reform and Development Party
  or PRD [Abderrahmane EL KOUHEN]; Renaissance and Virtue Party or PRV
  [Mohamed KHALIDI]; Renewal and Equity Party or PRE [Chakir ACHABAR];
  Social Center Party or PSC [Lahcen MADIH]; Socialist Democratic
  Party or PSD [Aissa OUARDIGHI]; Socialist Union of Popular Forces or
  USFP [Abdelwahed RADI]; Unified Socialist Left Party or PGSU
  [Mohamed Ben Said AIT IDDER]

Mozambique
  Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (Frente de
  Liberatacao de Mocambique) or FRELIMO [Armando Emilio GUEBUZA];
  Mozambique National Resistance (Resistencia Nacional Mocambicana) or
  RENAMO [Afonso DHLAKAMA]

Namibia
  All People's Party or APP [Ignatius SHIXWAMENI]; Congress of
  Democrats or COD [Ben ULENGA]; Democratic Turnhalle Alliance of
  Namibia or DTA [Katuutire KAURA]; Monitor Action Group or MAG [Jurie
  VILJOEN]; National Democratic Movement for Change or NamDMC;
  National Unity Democratic Organization or NUDO [Kuaima RIRUAKO];
  Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Hidipo HAMUTENYA];
  Republican Party or RP [Henk MUDGE]; South West Africa National
  Union or SWANU [Usutuaije MAAMBERUA]; South West Africa People's
  Organization or SWAPO [Hifikepunye POHAMBA]; United Democratic Front
  or UDF [Justus GAROEB]

Nauru
  Democratic Party [Kennan ADEANG]; Nauru Party (informal);
  Nauru First (Naoero Amo) Party; note - loose multiparty system

Nepal
  Chure Bhawar Rastriya Ekata Party [Keshav Prasad MAINALI];
  Communist Party of Nepal (ML) [C.P. MAINALI]; Communist Party of
  Nepal (Unified) [Raj Singh SHRIS]; Communist Party of Nepal (United)
  [Ganesh SHAH]; Communist Party of Nepal/United Marxist-Leninist or
  CPN/UML [Jhalanath KHANAL]; Dalit Janajati Party [Vishwendraman
  PASHWAN]; Madhesi People's Rights Forum [Upendra YADAV]; National
  Democratic Party or NDP [Pashupati Shumsher RANA] (also called
  Rastriya Prajatantra Party or RPP); Nepal Loktantrik Samajbadi Dal
  [Upendra GACHCHHADAR]; Nepal Pariwar Dal [Vinod DANGI]; Nepal
  Rastriya Party [Khushilal YADAV]; Nepal Sadbhavana Party (Anandi
  Devi) [Shyam Sundar GUPTA]; Nepal Workers and Peasants Party or NWPP
  [Narayan Man BIJUKCHHE]; Nepali Congress or NC [Girija Prasad
  KOIRALA]; Nepali Janata Dal [Bharat Prasad MAHATO]; Rastriya
  Janamorcha [Chitra BAHADUR K.C.]; Rastriya Janamukti Party [Malwar
  Singh THAPA]; Rastriya Janashakti Party or RJP [Surya Bahadur
  THAPA]; Rastriya Prajatantra Party Nepal [Kamal THAPA]; Sadbhavana
  Party (Mahato) [Rajendra MAHATO]; Samajbadi Prajatantrik Janata
  Party Nepal [Prem Bahadur SINGH]; Sanghiya Loktantrik Rastriya Manch
  [Kamal CHHARAHANG]; Terai-Madhes Democratic Party [Mahantha THAKUR];
  United Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) [Pushpa Kamal DAHAL, also
  known as PRACHANDA, chairman]

Netherlands
  Christian Democratic Appeal or CDA [Pieter VAN GEEL];
  Christian Union Party [Arie SLOB]; Democrats 66 or D66 [Alexander
  PECHTOLD]; Green Left Party [Femke HALSEMA]; Labor Party or PvdA
  [Mariette HAMER]; Party for Freedom or PVV [Geert WILDERS]; Party
  for the Animals or PvdD [Marianne THIEME]; People's Party for
  Freedom and Democracy (Liberal) or VVD [Mark RUTTE]; Reformed
  Political Party of SGP [Bas VAN DER VLIES]; Socialist Party [Agnes
  KANT]; plus a few minor parties

Netherlands Antilles
  Bonaire: Democratic Party of Bonaire or PDB
  [Jopi ABRAHAM]; Patriotic Union of Bonaire or UPB [Ramonsito BOOI]
  Curacao: Ban Vota [Norbert GEORGE]; C-93 [Stanley BROWN]; Democratic
  Party of Curacao or DP [Errol HERNANDEZ]; E Mayoria [Aurelio PEDRO];
  Forsa Korsou [Nelson NAVARRO]; Liste Ni'un Paso Atras [Nelson
  PIERRE]; Movemiento Patriotiko Korsou [Reginald LAK]; New Antilles
  Movement or MAN [Charles COOPER]; Partido Akshon Pa Prosperidat I
  Seguridat [Sonja BERKEMEYER]; Partido Laboral Krusada Popular or
  PLKP [Errol COVA]; Party for the Restructured Antilles or PAR [Emily
  de JONGH-ELHAGE]; People's National Party or PNP [Ersilia DE
  LANNOOY]; Pidjin [Jasmin PINEDO]; Pueblo Soberano [Herman WIELS];
  Workers' Liberation Front or FOL [Anthony GODETT]
  Saba: Saba Labor Party [Akilah LEVENSTONE]; Windward Islands
  People's Movement or WIPM [Ray HASSELL]
  Sint Eustatius: Democratic Party of Sint Eustatius or DP-St. E
  [Julian WOODLEY]; Progressive Labor Party [Clyde VAN PUTTEN]; St.
  Eustatius Alliance [Ingrid HOUTMAN-WHITFIELD]
  Sint Maarten: Democratic Party of Sint Maarten or DP-St. M [Sarah
  WESCOTT-WILLIAMS]; Freedom Slate of National Democratic Party
  [Theophilus PRIEST]; National Alliance or NA [William MARLIN];
  People's Progressive Alliance or PPA [Gracita ARRINDELL]; St.
  Maarten People's Party [Johan LEONARD]; United People's Labor Party
  [Bienvenido RICHARDSON]
  note: political parties are indigenous to each island

New Caledonia
  Alliance pour la Caledonie or APLC [Didier LE ROUX];
  Caledonia Together [Philippe GOMES]; Caledonian Union or UC [Charles
  PIDJOT]; Federation des Comites de Coordination des Independantistes
  or FCCI [Francois BURCK]; Front National or FN [Jean-Marie LE PEN];
  Front Uni de Liberation Kanak or FULK [Ernest UNE]; Labor Party or
  PT [Louis Kora UREGEI]; Kanak Socialist Front for National
  Liberation or FLNKS (includes PALIKA, UNI, UC, and UPM); Parti de
  Liberation Kanak or PALIKA [Paul NEAOUTYINE]; Rally for Caledonia or
  RPC [Jacques LAFLEUR]; The Future Together or AE [Didier LEROUX];
  The Rally or UMP [Pierre FROGIER]; Union Nationale pour
  l'Independance or UNI; Union Progressiste Melanesienne or UPM
  [Victor TUTUGORO]

New Zealand
  ACT New Zealand [Rodney HIDE]; Green Party [Jeanette
  FITZSIMONS]; Maori Party [Tariana TURIA and Pita SHARPLES]; National
  Party or NP [John KEY]; New Zealand First Party or NZ First [Winston
  PETERS]; New Zealand Labor Party or NZLP [Phil GOFF]; Progressive
  Party [James (Jim) ANDERTON]; United Future or UF [Peter DUNNE]

Nicaragua
  Conservative Party or PC [Azalia AVILES Salmeron]; Liberal
  Constitutionalist Party or PLC [Jorge CASTILLO Quant]; Nicaraguan
  Democratic Bloc or BDN [Eduardo MONTEALEGRE]; Nicaraguan Liberal
  Alliance or ALN [Eliseo NUNEZ Sr.]; Sandinista National Liberation
  Front or FSLN [Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra]; Sandinista Renovation
  Movement or MRS [Enrique SAENZ Navarrete]

Niger
  Alkalama; Democratic and Social Convention-Rahama or
  CDS-Rahama [Mahamane OUSMANE]; National Movement for a Developing
  Society-Nassara or MNSD-Nassara [Hama AMADOU]; Niger Social
  Democratic Party or PSDN; Nigerien Alliance for Democracy and Social
  Progress-Zaman Lahiya or ANDP-Zaman Lahiya [Moumouni DJERMAKOYE];
  Nigerien Party for Autonomy or PNA-Alouma [Sanousi JACKOU]; Nigerien
  Party for Democracy and Socialism or PNDS-Tarrayya [Issifou
  MAHAMADOU]; Nigerien Party of the Masses for Labor; Nigerien
  Progressive Party or PPN-RDA; Rally for Democracy and Progress or
  RDP-jama'a [Hamid ALGABID]; Social and Democratic Rally or
  RSD-Gaskiyya [Cheiffou AMADOU]

Nigeria
  Accord Party [Ikra Aliyu BILBIS]; Action Congress or AC
  [Hassan ZUMI]; Alliance for Democracy or AD [Mojisoluwa AKINFENWA];
  All Nigeria Peoples' Party or ANPP [Edwin UME-EZEOKE]; All
  Progressives Grand Alliance or APGA [Victor C. UMEH]; Democratic
  People's Party or DPP [Jeremiah USENI]; Fresh Democratic Party
  [Chris OKOTIE]; Labor Party [Dan NWANYANWU]; Movement for the
  Restoration and Defense of Democracy or MRDD [Mohammed Gambo
  JIMETA]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Aliyu Habu FARI]; Peoples
  Democratic Party or PDP [Vincent OGBULAFOR]; Peoples Progressive
  Alliance [Clement EBRI]; Peoples Redemption Party or PRP [Abdulkadir
  Balarabe MUSA]; Peoples Salvation Party or PSP [Lawal MAITURARE];
  United Nigeria Peoples Party or UNPP [Mallam Selah JAMBO]

Niue
  Alliance of Independents or AI; Niue People's Action Party or
  NPP [Young VIVIAN]

Norfolk Island
  none

Northern Mariana Islands
  Covenant Party [Benigno R. FITIAL];
  Democratic Party [Dr. Carlos S. CAMACHO]; Republican Party [Juan S.
  REYES]

Norway
  Center Party [Liv Signe NAVARSETE]; Christian People's Party
  [Dagfinn HOYBRATEN]; Conservative Party [Erna SOLBERG]; Labor Party
  [Jens STOLTENBERG]; Liberal Party [Lars SPONHEIM]; Progress Party
  [Siv JENSEN]; Socialist Left Party [Kristin HALVORSEN]

Oman
  none

Pakistan
  Awami National Party or ANP [Asfandyar Wali KHAN];
  Balochistan National Party-Hayee Group or BNP-H [Dr. Hayee BALOCH];
  Balochistan National Party-Awami or BNP-A [Moheem Khan BALOCH];
  Balochistan National Party-Mengal or BNP-M [Sardar Ataullah MENGAL];
  Jamhoori Watan Party or JWP; Jamiat Ahle Hadith or JAH [Sajid MIR];
  Jamaat-i Islami or JI [Qazi Hussain AHMED]; Jamiat Ulema-i Islam
  Fazlur Rehman or JUI-F [Fazlur REHMAN]; Jamiat Ulema-i Islam Sami-ul
  HAQ or JUI-S [Sami ul-HAQ]; Jamiat Ulema-i Pakistan or JUP [Shah
  Faridul HAQ]; Muttahida Majlis-e Amal or MMA [Qazi Hussain AHMED];
  Muttahida Qaumi Movement or MQM [Altaf HUSSAIN]; National Alliance
  or NA [Ghulam Mustapha JATOI] (merged with PML); National Peoples
  Party or NPP; Pakhtun Khwa Milli Awami Party or PKMAP [Mahmood Khan
  ACHAKZAI]; Pakistan Awami Tehrik or PAT [Tahir ul QADRI]; Pakistan
  Muslim League-Functional or PML-F [Pir PAGARO]; Pakistan Muslim
  League-Nawaz Sharif or PML-N [Nawaz SHARIF]; Pakistan Muslim League
  or PML [Chaudhry Shujaat HUSSAIN]; Pakistan Peoples Party-SHERPAO or
  PPP-S [Aftab Ahmed Khan SHERPAO]; Pakistan Peoples Party
  Parliamentarians or PPPP [Bilawal Bhutto ZARDARI, chairman; Asif Ali
  ZARDARI, co-chairman]; Pakistan Tehrik-e Insaaf or PTI [Imran KHAN];
  Tehrik-i Islami [Allama Sajid NAQVI]
  note: political alliances in Pakistan can shift frequently

Palau
  none

Panama
  Democratic Change or CD [Ricardo MARTINELLI]; Democratic
  Revolutionary Party or PRD [Martin TORRIJOS Espino]; Nationalist
  Republican Liberal Movement or MOLIRENA [Sergio GONZALEZ-Ruiz];
  Panamenista Party [Juan Carlos VARELA] (formerly the Arnulfista
  Party); Patriotic Union Party or UP (combination of the Liberal
  National Party or PLN and the Solidarity Party or PS)[Guillermo
  "Billy" FORD and Anibal GALINDO]; Popular Party or PP [Rene ORILLAC]
  (formerly Christian Democratic Party or PDC)

Papua New Guinea
  National Alliance Party or NA [Michael SOMARE];
  Papua and Niugini Union Party or PANGU PATI [Andrew KUMBAKOR]; Papua
  New Guinea Party or PNGP [Sir Mekere MORAUTA]; People's Democratic
  Movement or PDM [Michael OGIO]; People's Action Party or PAP
  [Gabriel KAPRIS]; United Resources Party or URP [William DUMA] (2007)

Paraguay
  Alianza Patriotica por el Cambio (Patriotic Alliance for
  Change) or APC [Fernando LUGO]; Asociacion Nacional Republicana -
  Colorado Party or ANR [Lilian SAMANIEGO]; Movimiento Union Nacional
  de Ciudadanos Eticos or UNACE [Lino Cesar OVIEDO Silva]; Patria
  Querida (Beloved Fatherland Party) or PPQ [Pedro Nicolas Maraa FADUL
  Niella]; Partido del Movimiento al Socialismo or P-MAS; Partido
  Encuentro Nacional or PEN [Emilio CAMACHO Paredes]; Partido Liberal
  Radical Autentico or PLRA [Gustavo CARDOZO]; Partido Pais Solidario
  or PPS [Carlos Alberto FILIZZOLA Pallares]

Peru
  Alliance For Progress (Alianza Para El Progreso) [Cesar ACUNA
  Peralta]; Alliance For The Future (Alianza Por El Futuro) or AF (a
  coalition of pro-FUJIMORI parties including Cambio 90, Nueva
  Mayoria, and Si Cumple); Central Front (Frente Del Centro) or FC (a
  coalition of Accion Popular, Somos Peru, and Coordinadora Nacional
  de Independientes) [Victor Andres GARCIA Belaunde]; National
  Renovation Party (Partido Renovacion Nacional) [Rafael REY];
  National Restoration Party (Restauracion Nacional) or RN [Humberto
  LAY Sun]; National Solidarity Party (Partido Solidaridad Nacional)
  or SN [Luis CASTANEDA Lossio]; Peru Possible (Peru Posible) or PP
  [Alejandro TOLEDO Manrique]; Peruvian Aprista Party (Partido Aprista
  Peruano) or PAP [Alan GARCIA Perez] (also referred to by its
  original name Alianza Popular Revolucionaria Americana or APRA);
  Peruvian Nationalist Party (Partido Nacionalista Peruano) or PNP
  [Ollanta HUMALA Tasso]; Popular Christian Party (Partido Popular
  Cristiano) or PPC [Lourdes FLORES Nano]; Union for Peru (Union por
  el Peru) or UPP [Aldo ESTRADA Choque]

Philippines
  Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino or Kampi [Luis
  VILLAFUERTE]; Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (Struggle of Filipino
  Democrats) or LDP [Edgardo ANGARA]; Lakas ng EDSA-Christian Muslim
  Democrats or Lakas-CMD [Prospero NOGRALES]; Liberal Party or LP
  [Manuel ROXAS]; Nacionalista Party or NP [Manuel VILLAR];
  Nationalist People's Coalition or NPC [Frisco SAN JUAN]; PDP-Laban
  [Aquilino PIMENTEL]; People's Reform Party [Miriam Defensor
  SANTIAGO]; Puwersa ng Masang Pilipino (Force of the Philippine
  Masses) or PMP [Joseph ESTRADA]; United Opposition or UNO [Jejomar
  BINAY]
  note: Lakas-CMD and Kampi merged on 29 May 2009 to form Lakas-Kampi
  CMD

Pitcairn Islands
  none

Poland
  Civic Platform or PO [chairman Donald TUSK; parliamentary
  caucus leader Grzegorz SCHETYNA]; Democratic Caucus of the
  Democratic Party (SD) or DKP SD [parliamentary caucus leader Bogdan
  LIS]; Democratic Left Alliance or SLD [chairman Grzegorz
  NAPIERALSKI]; Democratic Party or PD [chairwoman Brygida KUZNIAK];
  Democratic Party or SD [chairman Pawel PISKORSKI]; German Minority
  of Lower Silesia or MNSO [representative Henryk KROLL]; Law and
  Justice or PiS [chairman Jaroslaw KACZYNSKI; parliamentary caucus
  leader Przemyslaw GOSIEWSKI]; League of Polish Families or LPR
  [acting chairman Arnold MASIN]; Left (Democratic Left Alliance and
  independents) [parliamentary caucus leader Grzegorz NAPIERALSKI];
  Polish People's Party or PSL [chairman Waldemar PAWLAK;
  parliamentary caucus leader Stanislaw ZELICHOWSKI]; Polska XXI
  (political grouping of former PiS members; not officially
  registered) [chairman Jaroslaw SELLIN; parliamentary caucus leader
  Kazimierz Michal UJAZDOWSKI]; Samoobrona or SO [chairman Andrzej
  LEPPER]; Social Democratic Party of Poland or SDPL [chairman
  Wojciech FILEMONOWICZ]; Social Democratic Party of Poland-New Left
  (SDPL-New Left) [parliamentary caucus leader Marek BOROWSKI]; Union
  of Labor or UP [chairman Waldemar WITKOWSKI]

Portugal
  Democratic and Social Center/Popular Party or CDS/PP [Paulo
  PORTAS]; Green Ecologist Party (The Greens) or PEV [leadership
  commission elected by members]; Portuguese Communist Party or PCP
  [Jeronimo DE SOUSA]; Portuguese Socialist Party or PS [Jose SOCRATES
  Carvalho Pinto de Sousa]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Manuela
  FERREIRA LEITE]; The Left Bloc or BE [Franciso Anacleto LOUCA];
  Unitarian Democratic Coalition or CDU [Jeronimo DE SOUSA] (includes
  PCP and PEV)

Puerto Rico
  National Democratic Party [Roberto PRATS]; National
  Republican Party of Puerto Rico [Dr. Tiody FERRE]; New Progressive
  Party or PNP [Pedro ROSSELLO] (pro-US statehood); Popular Democratic
  Party or PPD [Anibal ACEVEDO-VILA] (pro-commonwealth); Puerto Rican
  Independence Party or PIP [Ruben BERRIOS Martinez] (pro-independence)

Qatar
  none

Romania
  Conservative Party or PC [Daniela POPA] (formerly Humanist
  Party or PUR); Democratic Liberal Party or PDL [Emil BOC];
  Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania or UDMR [Bela MARKO];
  National Liberal Party or PNL [Calin Popescu-TARICEANU]; Social
  Democratic Party or PSD [Mircea Dan GEOANA] (formerly Party of
  Social Democracy in Romania or PDSR)

Russia
  A Just Russia [Sergey MIRONOV]; Communist Party of the
  Russian Federation or CPRF [Gennadiy Andreyevich ZYUGANOV]; Liberal
  Democratic Party of Russia or LDPR [Vladimir Volfovich
  ZHIRINOVSKIY]; Patriots of Russia [Gennadiy SEMIGIN]; People's Union
  [Sergey BABURIN]; Right Cause [Leonid Yakovlevich GOZMAN, Boris
  Yuriyevich TITOV, and Georgiy Georgiyevich BOVT] (registration
  pending; formed from merger of Union of Right Forces, Democratic
  Party of Russia, and Civic Force); United Russia [Vladimir
  Vladimirovich PUTIN]; Yabloko Party [Sergey Sergeyevich MITROKHIN]

Rwanda
  Centrist Democratic Party or PDC [Alfred MUKEZAMFURA];
  Democratic Popular Union of Rwanda or UDPR [Adrien RANGIRA];
  Democratic Republican Movement or MDR [Celestin KABANDA] (officially
  banned); Islamic Democratic Party or PDI [Andre BUMAYA]; Liberal
  Party or PL [Protais MITALI]; Party for Democratic Renewal
  (officially banned); Rwandan Patriotic Front or RPF [Paul KAGAME];
  Social Democratic Party or PSD [Vincent BIRUTA]

Saint Barthelemy
  Action-Equilibre-Transparence [Maxime DESOUCHES];
  Ensemble pour Saint-Barthelemy [Benoit CHAUVIN]; Saint-Barth
  d'Abord! or SBA [Bruno MAGRAS]; Tous Unis pour Saint-Barthelemy
  [Karine MIOT-RICHARD]

Saint Helena
  none

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  Concerned Citizens Movement or CCM [Vance
  AMORY]; Nevis Reformation Party or NRP [Joseph PARRY]; People's
  Action Movement or PAM [Lindsay GRANT]; Saint Kitts and Nevis Labor
  Party or SKNLP [Dr. Denzil DOUGLAS]

Saint Lucia
  National Alliance or NA [George ODLUM]; Saint Lucia
  Freedom Party or SFP [Martinus FRANCOIS]; Saint Lucia Labor Party or
  SLP [Kenneth ANTHONY]; Sou Tout Apwe Fete Fini or STAFF [Christopher
  HUNTE]; United Workers Party or UWP [Stephenson KING]

Saint Martin
  Union Pour le Progres or UPP [Louis-Constant FLEMING];
  Rassemblement Responsabilite Reussite or RRR [Alain RICHARDSON];
  Reussir Saint-Martin [Jean-Luc HAMLET]

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  Archipelago Tomorrow or AD affiliated with
  UDF/RPR list; Cap sur l'Avenir affiliated with PRG; Left Radical
  Party or PRG; Rassemblement pour la Republique or RPR (now UMP);
  Saint Pierre and Miquelon 2000/Avenir Miquelon or SPM 2000/AM;
  Socialist Party or PS; Union pour la Democratie Francaise or UDF

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  New Democratic Party or NDP [Arnhim
  EUSTACE]; Unity Labor Party or ULP [Ralph GONSALVES] (formed by the
  coalition of Saint Vincent Labor Party or SVLP and the Movement for
  National Unity or MNU)

Samoa
  Human Rights Protection Party or HRPP [Sailele Malielegaoi
  TUILA'EPA]; Samoa Christian Party or TCP [Tuala Tiresa MALIETOA];
  Samoa Democratic United Party or SDUP [LE MAMEA Ropati]; Samoa Party
  or SP [Su'a Rimoni Ah CHONG]; Samoa Progressive Political Party or
  SPPP [Toeolesulusulu SIUEVA]

San Marino
  Christian Democrats or PDCS [Pasquale VALENTINI];
  Communist Refoundation or RC [Ivan FOSHI]; Democrats of the Center
  or DdC [Giovanni LONGERNINI]; Freedom List (including NPS and We
  Sammarinesi or NS [Gabriele GATTEI]; New Socialist Party or NPS
  [Augusto CASALI]; Party of Socialists and Democrats or PDS [Paride
  ANDREOLI]; Popular Alliance or AP [Carlo FRANCIOSI]; Union of
  Moderates (including National Alliance or ANS [Glcuco SANSOVINI] and
  San Marino Populars or pop [Romeo MORRI and Angela VENTURINI];
  United Left of SU [Alessandro ROSSI]

Sao Tome and Principe
  Force for Change Democratic Movement or MDFM
  [Tome Soares da VERA CRUZ]; Independent Democratic Action or ADI
  [[Patrice TROVOADA]; Movement for the Liberation of Sao Tome and
  Principe-Social Democratic Party or MLSTP-PSD [Rafael BRANCO]; New
  Way Movement or NR; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Delfim
  NEVES]; Ue-Kedadji coalition; other small parties

Saudi Arabia
  none

Senegal
  African Party of Independence [Majhemout DIOP]; Alliance for
  the Republic-Yakaar [Macky Sall]; And-Jef/African Party for
  Democracy and Socialism or AJ/PADS [Landing SAVANE]; Alliance of
  Forces of Progress or AFP [Moustapha NIASSE]; Democratic
  League-Labor Party Movement or LD-MPT [Dr. Abdoulaye BATHILY]; Front
  for Socialism and Democracy/Benno Jubel or FSD/BJ [Cheikh Abdoulaye
  Bamba DIEYE]; Gainde Centrist Bloc or BGC [Jean-Paul DIAS];
  Independence and Labor Party or PIT [Amath DANSOKHO]; Jef-Jel [Talla
  SYLLA]; National Democratic Rally or RND [Madior DIOUF]; People's
  Labor Party or PTP [El Hadji DIOUF]; Reform Party or PR [Abdourahim
  AGNE]; Rewmi Party [Idrissa Seck]; Senegalese Democratic Party or
  PDS [Abdoulaye WADE]; Socialist Party or PS [Ousmane Tanor DIENG];
  SOPI Coalition [Abdoulaye WADE] (a coalition led by the PDS); Union
  for Democratic Renewal or URD [Djibo Leyti KA]

Serbia
  Coalition of Albanians of the Presevo Valley or KAPD [Riza
  HALIMI]; Coalition for Sandzak or KZS [Sulejman UGLJANIN];
  Democratic Party of Albanians or PDSh [Ragmi MUSTAFA]; Democratic
  Party of Serbia or DSS [Vojislav KOSTUNICA]; Democratic Party or DS
  [Boris TADIC]; Democratic Union of the Valley or BDL [Skender
  DESTANI]; For a European Serbia [Boris TADIC]; Force of Serbia
  Movement or PSS [Bogoljub KARIC]; G17 Plus [Mladjan DINKIC]; League
  of Vojvodina Hungarians or SVM [Istvan PASTOR]; Liberal Democratic
  Party or LDP [Cedomir JOVANOVIC]; Movement for Democratic Progress
  or LPD [Jonuz MUSLIU]; New Serbia or NS [Velimir ILIC]; Party of
  Democratic Action or PVD [Riza HALIMI]; People's Party or NS [Maja
  GOJKOVIC]; Roma Party or RP [Srdjan SAJN]; Serbian Progressive Party
  or SNS [Tomislav NIKOLIC]; Serbian Radical Party or SRS [Vojislav
  SESELJ (currently on trial at The Hague), with Dragan TODOROVIC as
  acting leader]; Socialist Party of Serbia or SPS [Ivica DACIC];
  Union of Roma of Serbia or URS [Rajko DJURIC]

Seychelles
  Democratic Party or DP [James MANCHAM, Paul CHOW];
  Seychelles National Party or SNP [Wavel RAMKALAWAN] (formerly the
  United Opposition or UO); People's Party (Parti Lepep) or PL [France
  Albert RENE, James MICHEL] (the governing party)

Sierra Leone
  All People's Congress or APC [Ernest Bai KOROMA]; Peace
  and Liberation Party or PLP [Darlington MORRISON]; People's Movement
  for Democratic Change or PMDC [Charles MARGAI]; Sierra Leone
  People's Party or SLPP [Solomon BEREWA]; numerous others

Singapore
  People's Action Party or PAP [LEE Hsien Loong]; Reform
  Party [NG Teck Siong]; Singapore Democratic Alliance or SDA [CHIAM
  See Tong]; Singapore Democratic Party or SDP [CHEE Soon Juan];
  Workers' Party or WP [Sylvia LIM Swee Lian]
  note: SDA includes Singapore Justice Party or SJP, Singapore
  National Malay Organization or PKMS, Singapore People's Party or SPP

Slovakia
  parties in the Parliament:: Christian Democratic Movement
  or KDH [Pavol HRUSOVSKY]; Direction-Social Democracy or Smer-SD
  [Robert FICO]; Party of the Hungarian Coalition or SMK [Pal CSAKY];
  People's Party - Movement for a Democratic Slovakia or LS-HZDS
  [Vladimir MECIAR]; Slovak Democratic and Christian Union-Democratic
  Party or SDKU-DS [Mikulas DZURINDA]; Slovak National Party or SNS
  [Jan SLOTA]
  selected parties outside the Parliament:: Agrarian Party of the
  Provinces or ASV [Vladimir GOZORA]; Alliance of the New Citizen or
  ANO [Pavol RUSKO]; Civic Conservative Party or OKS [Peter ZAJAC];
  Free Forum [Zuzana MARTINAKOVA]; Mission 21 - New Christian
  Democracy or MISIA 21 [Ivan SIMKO]; Movement for Democracy or HZD
  [Jozef GRAPA]; Party of the Democratic Left or SDL [Ladislav
  KOZMON]; Prosperita Slovenska or PS [Frantisek A. ZVRSKOVEC]; Slovak
  Communist Party or KSS [Jozef HRDLICKA]; Slovak People's Party or
  SLS [Jozef SASIK]; Union of the Workers of Slovakia or ZRS [Jan
  LUPTAK]

Slovenia
  Liberal Democracy of Slovenia or LDS [Katarina KRESAL]; New
  Slovenia or NSi [Ljudmila NOVAK (acting)]; Slovenian Democratic
  Party or SDS [Janez JANSA]; Democratic Party of Pensioners of
  Slovenia or DeSUS [Karl ERJAVEC]; Slovene National Party or SNS
  [Zmago JELINCIC]; Slovene People's Party or SLS [Bojan SROT];
  Slovene Youth Party or SMS [Darko KRANJC]; Social Democrats or SD
  [Borut PAHOR] (formerly ZLSD); ZARES [Gregor Golobic]

Solomon Islands
  Association of Independent Members or AIM [Thomas
  CHAN]; Christian Alliance Solomon Islands or CASI [Edward RONIA];
  LAFARI Party [John GARO]; National Party [Francis HILLY]; People's
  Alliance Party or PAP [Sir Allan KEMAKEZA]; Social Credit Party or
  SOCRED [Manasseh Damukana SOGAVARE]; Solomon First Party [David
  QUAN]; Solomon Islands Democratic Party [Gabriel SURI]; Solomon
  Islands Labor Party or SILP [Joses TUHANUKU]; Solomon Islands
  Liberal Party [Bartholomew ULUFA'ALU]; Solomon Islands Party for
  Rural Advancement or SIPRA [Job D. TAUSINGA]; United Party [Sir
  Peter KENILOREA]
  note: in general, Solomon Islands politics is characterized by fluid
  coalitions

Somalia
  none

South Africa
  African Christian Democratic Party or ACDP [Kenneth
  MESHOE]; African National Congress or ANC [Jacob ZUMA]; Congress of
  the People or COPE [Mosiuoa LEKOTA]; Democratic Alliance or DA
  [Helen ZILLE]; Freedom Front Plus or FF+ [Pieter MULDER];
  Independent Democrats or ID [Patricia DE LILLE]; Inkatha Freedom
  Party or IFP [Mangosuthu BUTHELEZI]; Pan-Africanist Congress or PAC
  [Motsoko PHEKO]; United Christian Democratic Party or UCDP [Lucas
  MANGOPE]; United Democratic Movement or UDM [Bantu HOLOMISA]

Spain
  Aragonese Party or CHA [Bizen FUSTER]; Basque Nationalist
  Party or PNV or EAJ [Inigo URKULLU]; Basque Solidarity or EA [Begona
  ERRAZTI]; Canarian Coalition or CC [Jose Torres STINGA] (a coalition
  of five parties); Convergence and Union or CiU [Artur MAS i Gavarro]
  (a coalition of the Democratic Convergence of Catalonia or CDC
  [Artur MAS i Gavarro] and the Democratic Union of Catalonia or UDC
  [Josep Antoni DURAN i LLEIDA]); Entesa Catalonia de Progress (a
  Senate coalition grouping four Catalan parties - PSC, ERC, ICV,
  EUA); Galician Nationalist Bloc or BNG [Anxo Manuel QUINTANA
  Gonzalez]; Initiative for Catalonia Greens or ICV [Joan SAURA i
  Laporta]; Navarra yes or Na Bai [Uxue BARKOS Berruezo] (a coalition
  of four Navarran parties); Popular Party or PP [Mariano RAJOY Brey];
  Republican Left of Catalonia or ERC [Joan RIDAO]; Spanish Socialist
  Workers Party or PSOE [Jose Luis Rodriguez ZAPATERO]; United Left or
  IU [Cayo LARA] (a coalition of parties including the Communist Party
  of Spain or PCE and other small parties)

Sri Lanka
  All Ceylon Tamil Congress or ACTC [G.PONNAMBALAM]; Ceylon
  Workers Congress or CWC [Arumugam THONDAMAN]; Communist Party or CP
  [D. GUNASEKERA]; Eelam People's Democratic Party or EPDP [Douglas
  DEVANANDA]; Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front or EPRLF
  [Suresh PREMACHANDRAN]; Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna or JVP [Somawansa
  AMARASINGHE]; Lanka Sama Samaja Party or LSSP [Tissa VITHARANA];
  Mahajana Eksath Peramuna (People's United Front) or MEP [D.
  GUNAWARDENE]; National Heritage Party or JHU [Ellawala METHANANDA];
  National Unity Alliance or NUA [Ferial ASHRAFF]; People's Liberation
  Organization of Tamil Eelam or PLOTE [D. SIDHARTHAN]; Sri Lanka
  Freedom Party or SLFP [Mahinda RAJAPAKSA]; Sri Lanka Muslim Congress
  or SLMC [Rauff HAKEEM]; Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization or TELO
  [Selvam ADAIKALANATHAN]; Tamil National Alliance or TNA [R.
  SAMPANTHAN]; Tamil United Liberation Front or TULF [V.
  ANANDASANGAREE]; United National Party or UNP [Ranil
  WICKREMASINGHE]; Up-country People's Front or UPF [P. CHANDRASEKARAN]

Sudan
  National Congress Party or NCP [Umar Hassan al-BASHIR]; Sudan
  People's Liberation Movement or SPLM [Salva KIIR]; and elements of
  the National Democratic Alliance or NDA including factions of the
  Democratic Union Party [Muhammad Uthman al-MIRGHANI] and Umma Party;
  Popular Congress Party or PCP [Hassan al-TURABI]

Suriname
  Alternative-1 or A-1 (a coalition of Amazone Party of
  Suriname or APS [Kenneth VAN GENDEREN], Democrats of the 21st
  Century or D-21 [Soewarto MOESTADJA], Nieuw Suriname or NS [Radjen
  Nanan PANDAY], Political Wing of the FAL or PVF [Jiwan SITAL],
  Trefpunt 2000 or T-2000 [Arti JESSURUN]); General Interior
  Development Party or ABOP [Ronnie BRUNSWIJK]; National Democratic
  Party or NDP [Desire BOUTERSE]; New Front for Democracy and
  Development or NF (a coalition that includes A-Combination or A-Com,
  Democratic Alternative 1991 or DA-91, an independent,
  business-oriented party [Winston JESSURUN], National Party Suriname
  or NPS [Ronald VENETIAAN], United Reform Party or VHP [Ramdien
  SARDJOE], Pertjaja Luhur or PL [Salam Paul SOMOHARDJO], Surinamese
  Labor Party or SPA [Siegfried GILDS]); Party for Democracy and
  Development in Unity or DOE [Marten SCHALKWIJK]; People's Alliance
  for Progress or VVV (a coalition of Democratic National Platform
  2000 or DNP-2000 [Jules WIJDENBOSCH], Grassroots Party for Renewal
  and Democracy or BVD [Tjan GOBARDHAN], Party for National Unity and
  Solidarity of the Highest Order or KTPI [Willy SOEMITA], Party for
  Progression, Justice, and Perseverance or PPRS [Renee KAIMAN],
  Pendawalima or PL [Raymond SAPOEN]); Progressive Laborers and
  Farmers Union or PALU [Jim HOK]; Progressive Political Party or PPP
  [Surinder MUNGRA]; Seeka [Paul ABENA]; Union of Progressive
  Surinamers or UPS [Sheoradj PANDAY]

Swaziland
  the status of political parties, previously banned, is
  unclear under the new (2006) Constitution and currently being
  debated - the following are considered political associations;
  African United Democratic Party or AUDP [Stanley MAUNDZISA,
  president]; Imbokodvo National Movement or INM; Ngwane National
  Liberatory Congress or NNLC [Obed DLAMINI, president]; People's
  United Democratic Movement or PUDEMO [Mario MASUKU, president]

Sweden
  Center Party [Maud OLOFSSON]; Christian Democratic Party
  [Goran HAGGLUND]; Environment Party the Greens [no formal leader but
  party spokespersons are Maria WETTERSTRAND and Peter ERIKSSON]; Left
  Party or V (formerly Communist) [Lars OHLY]; Liberal People's Party
  [Jan BJORKLUND]; Moderate Party (conservative) [Fredrik REINFELDT];
  Social Democratic Party [Mona SAHLIN]

Switzerland
  Green Party (Gruene Partei der Schweiz or Gruene, Parti
  Ecologiste Suisse or Les Verts, Partito Ecologista Svizzero or I
  Verdi, Partida Ecologica Svizra or La Verda) [Ueli LEUENBERGER];
  Christian Democratic People's Party (Christlichdemokratische
  Volkspartei der Schweiz or CVP, Parti Democrate-Chretien Suisse or
  PDC, Partito Democratico-Cristiano Popolare Svizzero or PDC, Partida
  Cristiandemocratica dalla Svizra or PCD) [Christophe DARBELLAY];
  Radical Free Democratic Party (Freisinnig-Demokratische Partei der
  Schweiz or FDP, Parti Radical-Democratique Suisse or PRD, Partitio
  Liberal-Radicale Svizzero or PLR) [Fulvio PELLI]; Social Democratic
  Party (Sozialdemokratische Partei der Schweiz or SPS, Parti
  Socialist Suisse or PSS, Partito Socialista Svizzero or PSS, Partida
  Socialdemocratica de la Svizra or PSS) [Christian LEVRAT]; Swiss
  People's Party (Schweizerische Volkspartei or SVP, Union
  Democratique du Centre or UDC, Unione Democratica de Centro or UDC,
  Uniun Democratica dal Center or UDC) [Toni BRUNNER]; and other minor
  parties

Syria
  legal parties: National Progressive Front or NPF [President
  Bashar al-ASAD, Dr. Suleiman QADDAH] (includes Arab Socialist
  Renaissance (Ba'th) Party [President Bashar al-ASAD]; Socialist
  Unionist Democratic Party [Fadlallah Nasr Al-DIN]; Syrian Arab
  Socialist Union or ASU [Safwan QUDSI]; Syrian Communist Party (two
  branches) [Wissal Farha BAKDASH, Yusuf Rashid FAYSAL]; Syrian Social
  Nationalist Party [Ali QANSU]; Unionist Socialist Party [Fayez
  ISMAIL])
  opposition parties not legally recognized: Arab Democratic Socialist
  Union Party [Hasan Abdul AZIM]; Arab Socialist Movement; Democratic
  Ba'th Party [Ibrahim MAHKOS]; National Democratic Front [Hasan Abdul
  AZIM, spokesman] (includes five parties - Arab Democratic Socialist
  Union Party [Hasan Abdul AZIM], Arab Socialist Movement, Democratic
  Ba'th Party [Ibrahim MAHKOS], People's Democratic Party [Riad al
  TURK], Revolutionary Workers' Party [Abdul Hafeez al HAFEZ]);
  People's Democratic Party; Revolutionary Workers' Party [Abdul
  Hafeez al HAFEZ]
  Kurdish parties (considered illegal): Azadi Party [Kheirudin MURAD];
  Future Party [Masha'l TAMMO]; Kurdish Democratic Alliance (includes
  four parties); Kurdish Democratic Front (includes three parties);
  Yekiti Party [Hasan SALEH, Fu'ad ALEYKO]
  other parties: Nahda Party [Abdul Aziz al MISLET]; Syrian Democratic
  Party [Mustafa QALAAJI]

Taiwan
  Democratic Progressive Party or DPP [TSAI Ing-wen];
  Kuomintang or KMT (Nationalist Party) [WU Po-hsiung], MA Ying-jeou
  elected in July 2009, takes office on 12 September 2009;
  Non-Partisan Solidarity Union or NPSU [LIN Pin-kuan]; People First
  Party or PFP [James SOONG]

Tajikistan
  Agrarian Party of Tajikistan or APT [Amir QARAQULOV];
  Democratic Party or DPT [Mahmadruzi ISKANDAROV (imprisoned October
  2005); Rahmatullo VALIYEV, deputy]; Islamic Revival Party [Muhiddin
  KABIRI]; Party of Economic Reform or PER [Olimjon BOBOEV]; People's
  Democratic Party of Tajikistan or PDPT [Emomali RAHMON]; Social
  Democratic Party or SDPT [Rahmatullo ZOYIROV]; Socialist Party or
  SPT [Mirhuseyn NARZIEV]; Tajik Communist Party or CPT [Shodi
  SHABDOLOV]

Tanzania
  Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Party of Democracy and
  Development) or CHADEMA [Bob MAKANI]; Chama Cha Mapinduzi or CCM
  (Revolutionary Party) [Jakaya Mrisho KIKWETE]; Civic United Front or
  CUF [Ibrahim LIPUMBA]; Democratic Party [Christopher MTIKLA]
  (unregistered); Tanzania Labor Party or TLP [Augustine Lyatonga
  MREME]; United Democratic Party or UDP [John CHEYO]

Thailand
  Chat Thai Phattana Party or CP (Thai Nation Development
  Party) [CHUMPON Silpa-archa]; Democrat Party or DP (Prachathipat
  Party) [ABHISIT Wetchachiwa, also spelled ABHISIT Vejjajiva];
  Motherland Party (Phuea Phaendin Party) [CHANCHAI Chairungrueang];
  Phuea Thai Party (For Thais Party) or PTP [CHAVALIT Yongchaiyudh];
  Phumchai (Bhumjai) Thai Party or PCT (Thai Pride) [CHAVARAT
  Charnvirakul]; Royalist People's Party (Pracharaj) [SANOH
  Thienthong]; Ruam Jai Thai Party (Thai Unity Party) [WANNARAT
  Channukul]

Timor-Leste
  Democratic Party or PD [Fernando de ARAUJO]; National
  Congress for Timorese Reconstruction or CNRT [Xanana GUSMAO];
  National Democratic Union of Timorese Resistance or UNDERTIM
  [Cornelio DA Conceicao GAMA]; National Unity Party or PUN [Fernanda
  BORGES]; People's Party of Timor or PPT [Jacob XAVIER];
  Revolutionary Front of Independent Timor-Leste or FRETILIN [Mari
  ALKATIRI]; Social Democratic Association of Timor or ASDT [Francisco
  Xavier do AMARAL]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Zacarias Albano
  da COSTA]; Sons of the Mountain Warriors or KOTA [Manuel TILMAN]
  (also known as Association of Timorese Heroes)

Togo
  Action Committee for Renewal or CAR [Yawovi AGBOYIBO];
  Democratic Convention of African Peoples or CDPA; Democratic Party
  for Renewal or PDR; Juvento [Monsilia DJATO]; Movement of the
  Believers of Peace and Equality or MOCEP; Pan-African Patriotic
  Convergence or CPP; Rally for the Support for Development and
  Democracy or RSDD [Harry OLYMPIO]; Rally of the Togolese People or
  RPT [Faure GNASSINGBE]; Socialist Pact for Renewal or PSR; Union for
  Democracy and Social Progress or UDPS [Gagou KOKOU]; Union of Forces
  for a Change or UFC [Gilchrist OLYMPIO]

Tokelau
  none

Tonga
  Tonga Human Rights and Democracy Movement or THRDM [Uliti
  UATA]; People's Democratic Party or PDP [Tesina FUKO]

Trinidad and Tobago
  Congress of the People [Winston DOOKERAN];
  Democratic Action Congress or DAC [Hochoy CHARLES] (only active in
  Tobago); Democratic National Alliance or DNA [Gerald YETMING]
  (coalition of NAR, DDPT, MND); Movement for National Development or
  MND [Garvin NICHOLAS]; National Alliance for Reconstruction or NAR
  [Dr. Carson CHARLES]; People's National Movement or PNM [Patrick
  MANNING]; United National Congress or UNC [Basdeo PANDAY]

Tunisia
  Al-Tajdid Movement [Ahmed IBRAHIM]; Constitutional
  Democratic Rally Party (Rassemblement Constitutionnel Democratique)
  or RCD (official ruling party) [President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI];
  Democratic Forum for Labor and Liberties or FDTL [Mustapha Ben
  JAFAAR]; Green Party for Progress or PVP [Mongi KHAMASSI]; Liberal
  Social Party or PSL [Mondher THABET]; Movement of Socialist
  Democrats or MDS [Ismail BOULAHYA]; Popular Unity Party or PUP
  [Mohamed BOUCHIHA]; Progressive Democratic Party [Maya JERIBI];
  Unionist Democratic Union or UDU [Ahmed INOUBLI]; note - the
  Islamist party, Al Nahda (Renaissance), is outlawed

Turkey
  Anavatan Partisi (Motherland Party) or Anavatan [Erkan
  MUMCU]; note - True Path Party or DYP has merged with the Motherland
  Party; Democratic Party or DP [Husamettin CINDORUK]; Democratic Left
  Party or DSP [Masum TURKER]; Democratic Society Party or DTP [Ahmet
  TURK]; Felicity Party or SP [Numan KURTULMUS] (sometimes translated
  as Contentment Party); Freedom and Solidarity Party or ODP [Hayri
  KOZANOGLU]; Grand Unity Party or BBP; note - Mushin YAZICIOGLU,
  former leader of the Grand Unity Party was killed in an March 2009
  helicopter crash; Justice and Development Party or AKP [Recep Tayyip
  ERDOGAN]; Nationalist Movement Party or MHP [Devlet BAHCELI]
  (sometimes translated as Nationalist Action Party); People's Rise
  Party (Halkin Yukselisi Partisi) or HYP [Yasar Nuri OZTURK];
  Republican People's Party or CHP [Deniz BAYKAL]; Social Democratic
  People's Party or SHP [Ugur CILASUN (acting)]; Young Party or GP
  [Cem Cengiz UZAN]
  note: the parties listed above are some of the more significant of
  the 49 parties that Turkey had as of 31 January 2009

Turkmenistan
  Democratic Party of Turkmenistan or DPT [Gurbanguly
  BERDIMUHAMEDOW]
  note: formal opposition parties are outlawed; unofficial, small
  opposition movements exist abroad; the three most prominent
  opposition groups-in-exile are the National Democratic Movement of
  Turkmenistan (NDMT), the Republican Party of Turkmenistan, and the
  Watan (Fatherland) Party; the NDMT was led by former Foreign
  Minister Boris SHIKHMURADOV until his arrest and imprisonment in the
  wake of the 25 November 2002 attack on President NYYAZOW's motorcade

Turks and Caicos Islands
  People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Floyd
  SEYMOUR]; Progressive National Party or PNP [Michael Eugene MISICK]

Tuvalu
  there are no political parties but members of parliament
  usually align themselves in informal groupings

Uganda
  Conservative Party or CP [Ken LUKYAMUZI]; Democratic Party or
  DP [Kizito SSEBAANA]; Forum for Democratic Change or FDC [Kizza
  BESIGYE]; Justice Forum or JEEMA [Muhammad Kibirige MAYANJA];
  National Resistance Movement or NRM [Yoweri MUSEVENI]; Peoples
  Progressive Party or PPP [Bidandi SSALI]; Ugandan People's Congress
  or UPC [Miria OBOTE]
  note: a national referendum in July 2005 opened the way for Uganda's
  transition to a multi-party political system

Ukraine
  Christian Democratic Union [Volodymyr STRETOVYCH]; Communist
  Party of Ukraine or CPU [Petro SYMONENKO]; European Party of Ukraine
  [Mykola KATERYNCHUK]; Fatherland Party (Batkivshchyna) [Yuliya
  TYMOSHENKO]; Forward Ukraine! [Viktor MUSIYAKA]; Labor Party of
  Ukraine [Mykola SYROTA]; Our Ukraine [Viktor YUSHCHENKO]; Party of
  Industrialists and Entrepreneurs [Anatoliy KINAKH]; Party of the
  Defenders of the Fatherland [Yuriy Karmazin]; People's Movement of
  Ukraine (Rukh) [Borys TARASYUK]; People's Party [Volodymyr LYTVYN];
  Peoples' Self-Defense [Yuriy LUTSENKO]; PORA! (It's Time!) party
  [Vladyslav KASKIV]; Progressive Socialist Party [Natalya VITRENKO];
  Reforms and Order Party [Viktor PYNZENYK]; Party of Regions [Viktor
  YANUKOVYCH]; Sobor [Anatoliy MATVIYENKO]; Social Democratic Party
  [Yevhen KORNICHUK]; Social Democratic Party (United) or SDPU(o)
  [Yuriy ZAHORODNIY]; Socialist Party of Ukraine or SPU [Oleksandr
  MOROZ]; Ukrainian People's Party [Yuriy KOSTENKO]; United Center
  [Ihor Krill]; Viche [Inna BOHOSLOVSKA]

United Arab Emirates
  none; political parties are not allowed

United Kingdom
  Conservative [David CAMERON]; Democratic Unionist
  Party or DUP (Northern Ireland) [Peter ROBINSON]; Labor Party
  [Gordon BROWN]; Liberal Democrats (Lib Dems) [Nick CLEGG]; Party of
  Wales (Plaid Cymru) [Ieuan Wyn JONES]; Scottish National Party or
  SNP [Alex SALMOND]; Sinn Fein (Northern Ireland) [Gerry ADAMS];
  Social Democratic and Labor Party or SDLP (Northern Ireland) [Mark
  DURKAN]; Ulster Unionist Party (Northern Ireland) [Sir Reg EMPEY]

United States
  Democratic Party [Timothy KAINE]; Green Party;
  Libertarian Party [William (Bill) REDPATH]; Republican Party
  [Michael STEELE]

Uruguay
  Broad Front (Frente Amplio) - formerly known as the
  Progressive Encounter/Broad Front Coalition or EP-FA [Jorge
  BROVETTO] (a broad governing coalition that includes Movement of the
  Popular Participation or MPP [Jose MUJICA], New Space Party (Nuevo
  Espacio) [Rafael MICHELINI], Progressive Alliance (Alianza
  Progresista) [Rodolfo NIN NOVOA], Socialist Party [Eduardo
  FERNANDEZ], the Communist Party [Marina ARISMENDI], Uruguayan
  Assembly (Asamblea Uruguay) [Danilo ASTORI], and Vertiente
  Artiguista [Mariano ARANA]); Colorado Party (Foro Batllista) [Julio
  Maria SANGUINETTI]; National Party or Blanco [Luis Alberto LACALLE
  and Jorge LARRANAGA]

Uzbekistan
  Adolat (Justice) Social Democratic Party [Dilorom
  TOSHMUHAMEDOVA]; Democratic National Rebirth Party (Milliy
  Tiklanish) or MTP [Hurshid DOSMUHAMMEDOV]; Fidokorlar National
  Democratic Party (Self-Sacrificers) [Ahtam TURSUNOV]; Liberal
  Democratic Party of Uzbekistan or LDPU [Adham SHADMANOV; People's
  Democratic Party or NDP (formerly Communist Party) [Asliddin
  RUSTAMOV]

Vanuatu
  Greens Confederation or GC [Moana CARCASSES]; Jon Frum
  Movement or JF [Song KEASPAI]; Melanesian Progressive Party or MPP
  [Barak SOPE]; Nagriamel movement or NAG [Havo MOLI]; Namangi Aute or
  NA [Paul TELUKLUK]; National United Party or NUP [Ham LINI];
  People's Action Party or PAP [Peter VUTA]; People's Progressive
  Party or PPP [Sato KILMAN]; Shepherds Alliance Party [leader NA];
  Union of Moderate Parties or UMP [Serge VOHOR]; Vanuatu Family First
  Party or VFFP [Eta RORI]; Vanuatu Labor Party or VLP [Joshua
  KALSAKAU]; Vanuatu National Party or VNP [Issac HAMARILIU];
  Vanua'aku Pati (Our Land Party) or VP [Edward NATAPEI]; Vanuatu
  Republican Party or VRP [Maxime Carlot KORMAN]; Vanuatu Republican
  Farmers Party or VPRFP [Jean RAVOU]

Venezuela
  A New Time or UNT [Manuel ROSALES]; Christian Democrats or
  COPEI [Cesar PEREZ Vivas]; Communist Party of Venezuela or PCV
  [Jeronimo CARRERA]; Democratic Action or AD [Henry RAMOS Allup];
  Fatherland for All or PPT [Jose ALBORNOZ]; Justice First [Julio
  BORGES]; Movement Toward Socialism or MAS [Hector MUJICA]; United
  Socialist Party of Venezuela or PSUV [Hugo CHAVEZ]; Venezuela
  Project or PV [Henrique SALAS Romer]; We Can or PODEMOS [Ismael
  GARCIA]

Vietnam
  Communist Party of Vietnam or CPV [Nong Duc MANH]; other
  parties proscribed

Virgin Islands
  Democratic Party [Arturo WATLINGTON]; Independent
  Citizens' Movement or ICM [Usie RICHARDS]; Republican Party [Gary
  SPRAUVE]

Wallis and Futuna
  Lua Kae Tahi (Giscardians); Mouvement des Radicaux
  de Gauche or MRG; Rally for the Republic or RPR (UMP) [Clovis
  LOGOLOGOFOLAU]; Socialist Party or PS; Taumu'a Lelei [Soane Muni
  UHILA]; Union Populaire Locale or UPL [Falakiko GATA]; Union Pour la
  Democratie Francaise or UDF

Yemen
  General People's Congress or GPC [Abdul-Kader BAJAMMAL];
  Islamic Reform Grouping or Islah [Mohammed Abdullah AL-YADOUMI
  (acting)]; Nasserite Unionist Party [Abdal Malik al-MAKHLAFI];
  National Arab Socialist Ba'th Party [Dr. Qasim SALAM]; Yemeni
  Socialist Party or YSP [Ali Salih MUQBIL]; note - there are at least
  seven more active political parties

Zambia
  Forum for Democracy and Development or FDD [Edith NAWAKWI];
  Heritage Party or HP [Godfrey MIYANDA]; Movement for Multiparty
  Democracy or MMD [vacant]; Patriotic Front or PF [Michael SATA];
  Party of Unity for Democracy and Development or PUDD [Dan PULE];
  Reform Party [Nevers MUMBA]; United Democratic Alliance or UDA (a
  coalition of RP, ZADECO, PUDD, and ZRP); United Liberal Party or ULP
  [Sakwiba SIKOTA]; United National Independence Party or UNIP
  [Tilyenji KAUNDA]; United Party for National Development or UPND
  [Hakainde HICHILEMA]; Zambia Democratic Congress or ZADECO [Langton
  SICHONE]; Zambian Republican Party or ZRP [Benjamin MWILA]

Zimbabwe
  African National Party or ANP [Egypt DZINEMUNHENZVA];
  Movement for Democratic Change or MDC [Morgan TSVANGIRAI]; Movement
  for Democratic Change - Mutambara or MDC-M [splinter faction under
  Arthur MUTAMBARA]; Peace Action is Freedom for All or PAFA; United
  Parties [Abel MUZOREWA]; United People's Party or UPP [Daniel
  SHUMBA]; Zimbabwe African National Union-Ndonga or ZANU-Ndonga
  [Wilson KUMBULA]; Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front or
  ZANU-PF [Robert Gabriel MUGABE]; Zimbabwe African Peoples Union or
  ZAPU [Agrippa MADLELA]; Zimbabwe Youth in Alliance or ZIYA

======================================================================

@2119

Field Listing :: Population

This entry gives an estimate from the US Bureau of the Census based on statistics from population censuses, vital statistics registration systems, or sample surveys pertaining to the recent past and on assumptions about future trends. The total population presents one overall measure of the potential impact of the country on the world and within its region. Note: Starting with the 1993 Factbook, demographic estimates for some countries (mostly African) have explicitly taken into account the effects of the growing impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. These countries are currently: The Bahamas, Benin, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Country Comparison to the World Country

Population

Afghanistan
  28.396 million (July 2009 est.)
  note: this is a significantly revised figure; the previous estimate
  of 33,609,937 was extrapolated from the last Afghan census held in
  1979, which was never completed because of the Soviet invasion; a
  new Afghan census is scheduled to take place in 2010

Akrotiri
  approximately 15,700 live on the Sovereign Base Areas of
  Akrotiri and Dhekelia including 7,700 Cypriots, 3,600 Service and
  UK-based contract personnel, and 4,400 dependents

Albania
  3,639,453 (July 2009 est.)

Algeria
  34,178,188 (July 2009 est.)

American Samoa
  65,628 (July 2009 est.)

Andorra
  83,888 (July 2009 est.)

Angola
  12,799,293 (July 2009 est.)

Anguilla
  14,436 (July 2009 est.)

Antarctica
  no indigenous inhabitants, but there are both permanent
  and summer-only staffed research stations
  note: 29 nations, all signatory to the Antarctic Treaty, operate
  through their National Antarctic Program a number of seasonal-only
  (summer) and year-round research stations on the continent and its
  nearby islands south of 60 degrees south latitude (the region
  covered by the Antarctic Treaty); the population doing and
  supporting science or engaged in the management and protection of
  the Antarctic region varies from approximately 4,400 in summer to
  1,100 in winter; in addition, approximately 1,000 personnel,
  including ship's crew and scientists doing onboard research, are
  present in the waters of the treaty region; peak summer
  (December-February) population - 4,490 total; Argentina 667,
  Australia 200, Australia and Romania jointly 13, Belgium 20, Brazil
  40, Bulgaria 18, Chile 359, China 90, Czech Republic 20, Ecuador 26,
  Finland 20, France 125, France and Italy jointly 60, Germany 90,
  India 65, Italy 102, Japan 125, South Korea 70, NZ 85, Norway 44,
  Peru 28, Poland 40, Russia 429, South Africa 80, Spain 50, Sweden
  20, Ukraine 24, UK 217, US 1,293, Uruguay 70 (2008-2009); winter
  (June-August) station population - 1,106 total; Argentina 176,
  Australia 62, Brazil 12, Chile 114, China 29, France 26, France and
  Italy jointly 13, Germany 9, India 25, Japan 40, South Korea 18, NZ
  10, Norway 7, Poland 12, Russia 148, South Africa 10, Ukraine 12, UK
  37, US 337, Uruguay 9 (2009); research stations operated within the
  Antarctic Treaty area (south of 60 degrees south latitude) by
  National Antarctic Programs: year-round stations - 40 total;
  Argentina 6, Australia 3, Brazil 1, Chile 6, China 2, France 1,
  France and Italy jointly 1, Germany 1, India 1, Japan 1, South Korea
  1, NZ 1, Norway 1, Poland 1, Russia 5, South Africa 1, Ukraine 1, UK
  2, US 3, Uruguay 1 (2009); a range of seasonal-only (summer)
  stations, camps, and refuges - Argentina, Australia, Belgium,
  Bulgaria, Brazil, Chile, China, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Finland,
  France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand,
  Norway, Peru, Poland, Romania (with Australia), Russia, South
  Africa, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, UK, US, and Uruguay (2008-2009); in
  addition, during the austral summer some nations have numerous
  occupied locations such as tent camps, summer-long temporary
  facilities, and mobile traverses in support of research (May 2009
  est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  85,632 (July 2009 est.)

Argentina
  40,913,584 (July 2009 est.)

Armenia
  2,967,004 (July 2009 est.)

Aruba
  103,065
  note: estimate based on a revision of the base population,
  fertility, and mortality numbers, as well as a revision of 1985-99
  migration estimates from outmigration to inmigration, which is
  assumed to continue into the future; the new results are consistent
  with the 2000 census (July 2009 est.)

Ashmore and Cartier Islands no indigenous inhabitants note: Indonesian fishermen are allowed access to the lagoon and fresh water at Ashmore Reef's West Island; access to East and Middle Islands is by permit only

Australia
  21,262,641 (July 2009 est.)

Austria
  8,210,281 (July 2009 est.)

Azerbaijan
  8,238,672 (July 2009 est.)

Bahamas, The
  309,156
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower
  population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2009 est.)

Bahrain 727,785 note: includes 235,108 non-nationals (July 2009 est.)

Bangladesh
  156,050,883 (July 2009 est.)

Barbados
  284,589 (July 2009 est.)

Belarus
  9,648,533 (July 2009 est.)

Belgium
  10,414,336 (July 2009 est.)

Belize
  307,899 (July 2009 est.)

Benin
  8,791,832
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower
  population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2009 est.)

Bermuda
  67,837 (July 2009 est.)

Bhutan
  691,141
  note: the Factbook population estimate is consistent with the first
  modern census of Bhutan, conducted in 2005; previous Factbook
  population estimates for this country, which were on the order of
  three times the total population reported here, were based on
  Bhutanese government publications that did not include the census
  (July 2009 est.)

Bolivia
  9,775,246 (July 2009 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  4,613,414 (July 2009 est.)

Botswana
  1,990,876
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower
  population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2009 est.)

Bouvet Island
  uninhabited

Brazil
  198,739,269
  note: Brazil conducted a census in August 2000, which reported a
  population of 169,872,855; that figure was about 3.8% lower than
  projections by the US Census Bureau, and is close to the implied
  underenumeration of 4.6% for the 1991 census (July 2009 est.)

British Indian Ocean Territory
  no indigenous inhabitants
  note: approximately 1,200 former agricultural workers resident in
  the Chagos Archipelago, often referred to as Chagossians or Ilois,
  were relocated to Mauritius and the Seychelles in the 1960s and
  1970s; in November 2004, approximately 4,000 UK and US military
  personnel and civilian contractors were living on the island of
  Diego Garcia

British Virgin Islands
  24,491 (July 2009 est.)

Brunei
  388,190 (July 2009 est.)

Bulgaria
  7,204,687 (July 2009 est.)

Burkina Faso
  15,746,232
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower
  population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2009 est.)

Burma
  48,137,741
  note: estimates for this country take into account the effects of
  excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life
  expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower
  population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2009 est.)

Burundi
  8,988,091
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower
  population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2009 est.)

Cambodia
  14,494,293
  note: estimates for this country take into account the effects of
  excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life
  expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower
  population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2009 est.)

Cameroon
  18,879,301
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower
  population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2009 est.)

Canada
  33,487,208 (July 2009 est.)

Cape Verde
  429,474 (July 2009 est.)

Cayman Islands
  49,035
  note: most of the population lives on Grand Cayman (July 2009 est.)

Central African Republic
  4,511,488
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower
  population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2009 est.)

Chad
  10,329,208 (July 2009 est.)

Chile
  16,601,707 (July 2009 est.)

China
  1,338,612,968 (July 2009 est.)

Christmas Island
  1,402 (July 2009 est.)

Clipperton Island
  uninhabited

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  596 (July 2009 est.)

Colombia
  45,644,023 (July 2009 est.)

Comoros
  752,438 (July 2009 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  68,692,542
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower
  population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2009 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  4,012,809
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower
  population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2009 est.)

Cook Islands
  11,870 (July 2009 est.)

Coral Sea Islands
  no indigenous inhabitants
  note: there is a staff of three to four at the meteorological
  station on Willis Island (July 2007 est.)

Costa Rica
  4,253,877 (July 2009 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  20,617,068
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower
  population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2009 est.)

Croatia
  4,489,409 (July 2009 est.)

Cuba
  11,451,652 (July 2009 est.)

Cyprus
  796,740 (July 2009 est.)

Czech Republic
  10,211,904 (July 2009 est.)

Denmark
  5,500,510 (July 2009 est.)

Dhekelia
  approximately 15,700 live on the Sovereign Base Areas of
  Akrotiri and Dhekelia including 7,700 Cypriots, 3,600 Service and UK
  Based Contract personnel, and 4,400 dependents

Djibouti
  516,055 (July 2009 est.)

Dominica
  72,660 (July 2009 est.)

Dominican Republic
  9,650,054 (July 2009 est.)

Ecuador
  14,573,101 (July 2009 est.)

Egypt
  83,082,869 (July 2009 est.)

El Salvador
  7,185,218 (July 2009 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  633,441 (July 2009 est.)

Eritrea
  5,647,168 (July 2009 est.)

Estonia
  1,299,371 (July 2009 est.)

Ethiopia
  85,237,338
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower
  population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2009 est.)

European Union
  491,582,852 (July 2009 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  3,140 (July 2008 est.)

Faroe Islands
  48,856 (July 2009 est.)

Fiji
  944,720 (July 2009 est.)

Finland
  5,250,275 (July 2009 est.)

France
  total: 64,057,792
  note: 62,150,775 in metropolitan France (July 2009 est.)

French Polynesia
  287,032 (July 2009 est.)

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  no indigenous inhabitants
  Ile Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): has no permanent
  residents but has a meteorological station
  Ile Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): is uninhabited but
  is frequently visited by fishermen and has a scientific research
  cabin for short stays
  Iles Crozet: are uninhabited except for 18 to 30 people staffing the
  Alfred Faure research station on Ile del la Possession
  Iles Kerguelen: 50 to 100 scientists are located at the main base at
  Port-aux-Francais on Ile Kerguelen
  Bassas da India (Iles Eparses): uninhabitable
  Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses):
  a small French military garrison and a few meteorologists on each
  possession; visited by scientists
  Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): uninhabited, except for visits by
  scientists

Gabon
  1,514,993
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower
  population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2009 est.)

Gambia, The
  1,782,893 (July 2009 est.)

Gaza Strip
  1,551,859 (July 2009 est.)

Georgia
  4,615,807 (July 2009 est.)

Germany
  82,329,758 (July 2009 est.)

Ghana
  23,832,495
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower
  population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2009 est.)

Gibraltar
  28,034 (July 2009 est.)

Greece
  10,737,428 (July 2009 est.)

Greenland
  57,600 (July 2009 est.)

Grenada
  90,739 (July 2009 est.)

Guam
  178,430 (July 2009 est.)

Guatemala
  13,276,517 (July 2009 est.)

Guernsey
  65,870 (July 2009 est.)

Guinea
  10,057,975 (July 2009 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  1,533,964 (July 2009 est.)

Guyana
  772,298
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower
  population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2009 est.)

Haiti
  9,035,536
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower
  population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2009 est.)

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  uninhabited

Holy See (Vatican City)
  826 (July 2009 est.)

Honduras
  7,792,854
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower
  population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2009 est.)

Hong Kong
  7,055,071 (July 2009 est.)

Hungary
  9,905,596 (July 2009 est.)

Iceland
  306,694 (July 2009 est.)

India
  1,166,079,217 (July 2009 est.)

Indonesia
  240,271,522 (July 2009 est.)

Iran
  66,429,284 (July 2009 est.)

Iraq
  28,945,657 (July 2009 est.)

Ireland
  4,203,200 (July 2009 est.)

Isle of Man
  76,512 (July 2009 est.)

Israel
  7,233,701
  note: includes about 187,000 Israeli settlers in the West Bank,
  about 20,000 in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, and fewer than
  177,000 in East Jerusalem (July 2009 est.)

Italy
  58,126,212 (July 2009 est.)

Jamaica
  2,825,928 (July 2009 est.)

Jan Mayen
  no indigenous inhabitants
  note: personnel operate the Long Range Navigation (Loran-C) base and
  the weather and coastal services radio station

Japan
  127,078,679 (July 2009 est.)

Jersey
  91,626 (July 2009 est.)

Jordan
  6,342,948 (July 2009 est.)

Kazakhstan
  15,399,437 (July 2009 est.)

Kenya
  39,002,772
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower
  population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2009 est.)

Kiribati
  112,850 (July 2009 est.)

Korea, North
  22,665,345 (July 2009 est.)

Korea, South
  48,508,972 (July 2009 est.)

Kosovo
  1,804,838 (July 2009 est.)

Kuwait 2,691,158 note: includes 1,291,354 non-nationals (July 2009 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  5,431,747 (July 2009 est.)

Laos
  6,834,942 (July 2009 est.)

Latvia
  2,231,503 (July 2009 est.)

Lebanon
  4,017,095 (July 2009 est.)

Lesotho
  2,130,819
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower
  population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2009 est.)

Liberia
  3,441,790 (July 2009 est.)

Libya 6,310,434 note: includes 166,510 non-nationals (July 2009 est.)

Liechtenstein
  34,761 (July 2009 est.)

Lithuania
  3,555,179 (July 2009 est.)

Luxembourg
  491,775 (July 2009 est.)

Macau
  559,846 (July 2009 est.)

Macedonia
  2,066,718 (July 2009 est.)

Madagascar
  20,653,556 (July 2009 est.)

Malawi
  14,268,711
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower
  population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2009 est.)

Malaysia
  25,715,819 (July 2009 est.)

Maldives
  396,334 (July 2009 est.)

Mali
  12,666,987 (July 2009 est.)

Malta
  405,165 (July 2009 est.)

Marshall Islands
  64,522 (July 2009 est.)

Mauritania
  3,129,486 (July 2009 est.)

Mauritius
  1,284,264 (July 2009 est.)

Mayotte
  223,765 (July 2009 est.)

Mexico
  111,211,789 (July 2009 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  107,434 (July 2009 est.)

Moldova
  4,320,748 (July 2009 est.)

Monaco
  32,965 (July 2009 est.)

Mongolia
  3,041,142 (July 2009 est.)

Montenegro
  672,180 (July 2009 est.)

Montserrat
  5,097
  note: an estimated 8,000 refugees left the island following the
  resumption of volcanic activity in July 1995; some have returned
  (July 2009 est.)

Morocco
  34,859,364 (July 2009 est.)

Mozambique
  21,669,278
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower
  population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected; the 1997
  Mozambican census reported a population of 16,099,246 (July 2009
  est.)

Namibia
  2,108,665
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower
  population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2009 est.)

Nauru
  14,019 (July 2009 est.)

Navassa Island uninhabited note: transient Haitian fishermen and others camp on the island

Nepal
  28,563,377 (July 2009 est.)

Netherlands
  16,715,999 (July 2009 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  227,049 (July 2009 est.)

New Caledonia
  227,436 (July 2009 est.)

New Zealand
  4,213,418 (July 2009 est.)

Nicaragua
  5,891,199 (July 2009 est.)

Niger
  15,306,252 (July 2009 est.)

Nigeria
  149,229,090
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower
  population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2009 est.)

Niue
  1,398 (July 2009 est.)

Norfolk Island
  2,141 (July 2009 est.)

Northern Mariana Islands
  88,662 (July 2009 est.)

Norway
  4,660,539 (July 2009 est.)

Oman 3,418,085 note: includes 577,293 non-nationals (July 2009 est.)

Pakistan
  176,242,949 (July 2009 est.)

Palau
  20,796 (July 2009 est.)

Panama
  3,360,474 (July 2009 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  6,057,263 (July 2009 est.)

Paracel Islands no indigenous inhabitants note: there are scattered Chinese garrisons

Paraguay
  6,995,655 (July 2009 est.)

Peru
  29,546,963 (July 2009 est.)

Philippines
  97,976,603 (July 2009 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  48 (July 2009 est.)

Poland
  38,482,919 (July 2009 est.)

Portugal
  10,707,924 (July 2009 est.)

Puerto Rico
  3,971,020 (July 2009 est.)

Qatar
  833,285 (July 2009 est.)

Romania
  22,215,421 (July 2009 est.)

Russia
  140,041,247 (July 2009 est.)

Rwanda
  10,473,282
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower
  population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2009 est.)

Saint Barthelemy
  7,448 (July 2009 est.)

Saint Helena
  7,637
  note: only Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha islands are
  inhabited (July 2009 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  40,131 (July 2009 est.)

Saint Lucia
  160,267 (July 2009 est.)

Saint Martin
  29,820 (July 2009 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  7,051 (July 2009 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  104,574 (July 2009 est.)

Samoa
  219,998
  note: prior estimates used official net migration data by sex, but a
  highly unusual pattern for 1993 lead to a significant imbalance in
  the sex ratios (more men and fewer women) and a seeming reduction in
  the female population; the revised total was calculated using a 1993
  number that was an average of the 1992 and 1994 migration figures
  (July 2009 est.)

San Marino
  30,324 (July 2009 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  212,679 (July 2009 est.)

Saudi Arabia 28,686,633 note: includes 5,576,076 non-nationals (July 2009 est.)

Senegal 13,711,597 (July 2009 est.)

Serbia 7,379,339 note: does not include the population of Kosovo (July 2009 est.)

Seychelles
  87,476 (July 2009 est.)

Sierra Leone
  6,440,053 (July 2009 est.)

Singapore
  4,657,542 (July 2009 est.)

Slovakia
  5,463,046 (July 2009 est.)

Slovenia
  2,005,692 (July 2009 est.)

Solomon Islands
  595,613 (July 2009 est.)

Somalia
  9,832,017
  note: this estimate was derived from an official census taken in
  1975 by the Somali Government; population counting in Somalia is
  complicated by the large number of nomads and by refugee movements
  in response to famine and clan warfare (July 2009 est.)

South Africa
  49,052,489
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower
  population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2009 est.)

South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands no indigenous inhabitants note: the small military garrison on South Georgia withdrew in March 2001 replaced by a permanent group of scientists of the British Antarctic Survey, which also has a biological station on Bird Island; the South Sandwich Islands are uninhabited

Spain
  40,525,002 (July 2009 est.)

Spratly Islands
  no indigenous inhabitants
  note: there are scattered garrisons occupied by personnel of several
  claimant states

Sri Lanka
  21,324,791
  note: since the outbreak of hostilities between the government and
  armed Tamil separatists in the mid-1980s, several hundred thousand
  Tamil civilians have fled the island and more than 200,000 Tamils
  have sought refuge in the West (July 2009 est.)

Sudan
  41,087,825 (July 2009 est.)

Suriname
  481,267 (July 2009 est.)

Svalbard
  2,116 (July 2009 est.)

Swaziland
  1,123,913
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower
  population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2009 est.)

Sweden
  9,059,651 (July 2009 est.)

Switzerland
  7,604,467 (July 2009 est.)

Syria
  20,178,485
  note: in addition, about 40,000 people live in the Israeli-occupied
  Golan Heights - 20,000 Arabs (18,000 Druze and 2,000 Alawites) and
  about 20,000 Israeli settlers (July 2009 est.)

Taiwan
  22,974,347 (July 2009 est.)

Tajikistan
  7,349,145 (July 2009 est.)

Tanzania
  41,048,532
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower
  population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2009 est.)

Thailand
  65,905,410
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower
  population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2009 est.)

Timor-Leste
  1,131,612
  note: other estimates range as low as 800,000 (July 2009 est.)

Togo
  6,019,877
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower
  population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2009 est.)

Tokelau
  1,416 (July 2009 est.)

Tonga
  120,898 (July 2009 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  1,229,953 (July 2009 est.)

Tunisia
  10,486,339 (July 2009 est.)

Turkey
  76,805,524 (July 2009 est.)

Turkmenistan
  4,884,887 (July 2009 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  22,942 (July 2009 est.)

Tuvalu
  12,373 (July 2009 est.)

Uganda
  32,369,558
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower
  population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2009 est.)

Ukraine
  45,700,395 (July 2009 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  4,798,491
  note: estimate is based on the results of the 2005 census that
  included a significantly higher estimate of net inmigration of
  non-citizens than previous estimates (July 2009 est.)

United Kingdom
  61,113,205 (July 2009 est.)

United States
  307,212,123 (July 2009 est.)

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges
  no indigenous
  inhabitants
  note: public entry is by special-use permit from US Fish and
  Wildlife Service only and generally restricted to scientists and
  educators; visited annually by US Fish and Wildlife Service
  Johnston Atoll: in previous years, an average of 1,100 US military
  and civilian contractor personnel were present; as of May 2005, all
  US government personnel had left the island
  Midway Islands: approximately 40 people make up the staff of US Fish
  and Wildlife Service and their services contractor living at the
  atoll
  Palmyra Atoll: four to 20 Nature Conservancy, US Fish and Wildlife
  staff, and researchers

Uruguay
  3,494,382 (July 2009 est.)

Uzbekistan
  27,606,007 (July 2009 est.)

Vanuatu
  218,519 (July 2009 est.)

Venezuela
  26,814,843 (July 2009 est.)

Vietnam
  86,967,524 (July 2009 est.)

Virgin Islands
  109,825 (July 2009 est.)

Wake Island
  no indigenous inhabitants
  note: since super typhoon IOKE, a small military contingent along
  with 75 contractor personnel have returned to the island to conduct
  clean-up and restore basic operations on the island (July 2008 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
  15,289 (July 2009 est.)

West Bank
  2,461,267
  note: in addition, there are about 187,000 Israeli settlers in the
  West Bank and fewer than 177,000 in East Jerusalem (July 2009 est.)

Western Sahara
  405,210
  note: estimate is based on projections by age, sex, fertility,
  mortality, and migration; fertility and mortality are based on data
  from neighboring countries (July 2009 est.)

World
  6,790,062,216 (July 2009 est.)

Yemen
  23,822,783 (July 2009 est.)

Zambia
  11,862,740
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower
  population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2009 est.)

Zimbabwe
  11,392,629
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower
  population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2009 est.)

======================================================================

@2120

Field Listing :: Ports and terminals

This entry lists major ports and terminals primarily on the basis of the amount of cargo tonnage shipped through the facilities on an annual basis. In some instances, the number of containers handled or ship visits were also considered. Country

Ports and terminals

Afghanistan
  Kheyrabad, Shir Khan

Albania
  Durres, Sarande, Shengjin, Vlore

Algeria
  Algiers, Annaba, Arzew, Bejaia, Djendjene, Jijel,
  Mostaganem, Oran, Skikda

American Samoa
  Pago Pago

Angola
  Cabinda, Lobito, Luanda, Namibe

Anguilla
  Blowing Point, Road Bay

Antarctica
  there are no developed ports and harbors in Antarctica;
  most coastal stations have sparse and intermittent offshore
  anchorages; a few stations have basic wharf facilities

Antigua and Barbuda
  Saint John's

Arctic Ocean
  Churchill (Canada), Murmansk (Russia), Prudhoe Bay (US)

Argentina
  Arroyo Seco, Bahia Blanca, Buenos Aires, La Plata, Punta
  Colorada, Rosario, San Lorenzo-San Martin

Aruba
  Barcadera, Oranjestad, Sint Nicolaas

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  none; offshore anchorage only

Atlantic Ocean
  Alexandria (Egypt), Algiers (Algeria), Antwerp
  (Belgium), Barcelona (Spain), Buenos Aires (Argentina), Casablanca
  (Morocco), Colon (Panama), Copenhagen (Denmark), Dakar (Senegal),
  Gdansk (Poland), Hamburg (Germany), Helsinki (Finland), Las Palmas
  (Canary Islands, Spain), Le Havre (France), Lisbon (Portugal),
  London (UK), Marseille (France), Montevideo (Uruguay), Montreal
  (Canada), Naples (Italy), New Orleans (US), New York (US), Oran
  (Algeria), Oslo (Norway), Peiraiefs or Piraeus (Greece), Rio de
  Janeiro (Brazil), Rotterdam (Netherlands), Saint Petersburg
  (Russia), Stockholm (Sweden)

Australia
  Brisbane, Dampier, Fremantle, Gladstone, Hay Point,
  Melbourne, Newcastle, Port Hedland, Port Kembla, Port Walcott, Sydney

Austria
  Enns, Krems, Linz, Vienna

Azerbaijan
  Baku (Baki)

Bahamas, The
  Freeport, Nassau, South Riding Point

Bahrain
  Mina' Salman, Sitrah

Bangladesh
  Chittagong, Mongla Port

Barbados
  Bridgetown

Belarus
  Mazyr

Belgium
  Antwerp, Gent, Liege, Zeebrugge

Belize
  Belize City, Big Creek

Benin
  Cotonou

Bermuda
  Hamilton, Saint George

Bolivia
  Puerto Aguirre (inland port on the Paraguay/Parana waterway
  at the Bolivia/Brazil border); Bolivia has free port privileges in
  maritime ports in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Paraguay

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  Bosanska Gradiska, Bosanski Brod, Bosanski
  Samac, and Brcko (all inland waterway ports on the Sava River),
  Orasje

Bouvet Island
  none; offshore anchorage only

Brazil
  Guaiba, Ilha Grande, Paranagua, Rio Grande, Santos, Sao
  Sebastiao, Tubarao

British Indian Ocean Territory
  Diego Garcia

British Virgin Islands
  Road Town

Brunei
  Lumut, Muara, Seria

Bulgaria
  Burgas, Varna

Burma
  Moulmein, Rangoon, Sittwe

Burundi
  Bujumbura

Cambodia
  Phnom Penh, Kampong Saom (Sihanoukville)

Cameroon
  Douala, Limboh Terminal

Canada
  Fraser River Port, Halifax, Hamilton, Montreal, Port-Cartier,
  Quebec City, Saint John (New Brunswick), Sept-Isles, Vancouver

Cape Verde
  Porto Grande

Cayman Islands
  Cayman Brac, George Town

Central African Republic
  Bangui, Nola, Salo, Nzinga

Chile
  Coronel, Huasco, Lirquen, Puerto Ventanas, San Antonio, San
  Vicente, Valparaiso

China
  Dalian, Guangzhou, Ningbo, Qingdao, Qinhuangdao, Shanghai,
  Shenzhen, Tianjin

Christmas Island
  Flying Fish Cove

Clipperton Island
  none; offshore anchorage only

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  Port Refuge

Colombia
  Barranquilla, Buenaventura, Cartagena, Santa Marta, Turbo

Comoros
  Mayotte, Mutsamudu

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  Banana, Boma, Bukavu, Bumba, Goma,
  Kalemie, Kindu, Kinshasa, Kisangani, Matadi, Mbandaka

Congo, Republic of the
  Brazzaville, Djeno, Impfondo, Ouesso, Oyo,
  Pointe-Noire

Cook Islands
  Avatiu

Coral Sea Islands
  none; offshore anchorage only

Costa Rica
  Caldera, Puerto Limon

Cote d'Ivoire
  Abidjan, Espoir, San-Pedro

Croatia
  Omisalj, Ploce, Rijeka, Sibenik, Vukovar (on Danube River)

Cuba
  Cienfuegos, Havana, Matanzas

Cyprus
  area under government control: Larnaca, Limassol, Vasilikos;;
  area administered by Turkish Cypriots: Famagusta, Kyrenia

Czech Republic
  Decin, Prague, Usti nad Labem

Denmark
  Aalborg, Aarhus, Copenhagen, Ensted, Esbjerg, Fredericia,
  Kalundborg

Djibouti
  Djibouti

Dominica
  Portsmouth, Roseau

Dominican Republic
  Boca Chica, Caucedo, Puerto Plata, Rio Haina,
  Santo Domingo

Ecuador
  Esmeraldas, Guayaquil, Manta, Puerto Bolivar

Egypt
  Ayn Sukhnah, Alexandria, Damietta, El Dekheila, Sidi Kurayr,
  Suez

El Salvador
  Acajutla, Puerto Cutuco

Equatorial Guinea
  Bata, Malabo

Eritrea
  Assab, Massawa

Estonia
  Kuivastu, Kunda, Muuga, Tallinn, Virtsu

Ethiopia
  Ethiopia is landlocked and uses ports of Djibouti in
  Djibouti and Berbera in Somalia

European Union
  Antwerp (Belgium), Barcelona (Spain), Braila
  (Romania), Bremen (Germany), Burgas (Bulgaria), Constanta (Romania),
  Copenhagen (Denmark), Galati (Romania), Gdansk (Poland), Hamburg
  (Germany), Helsinki (Finland), Las Palmas (Canary Islands, Spain),
  Le Havre (France), Lisbon (Portugal), London (UK), Marseille
  (France), Naples (Italy), Peiraiefs or Piraeus (Greece), Riga
  (Latvia), Rotterdam (Netherlands), Stockholm (Sweden), Talinn
  (Estonia), Tulcea (Romania), Varna (Bulgaria)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  Stanley

Faroe Islands
  Torshavn, Vagur

Fiji
  Lautoka, Suva

Finland
  Hamina, Helsinki, Kokkola, Kotka, Naantali, Pori, Raahe,
  Rauma, Turku

France
  Bordeaux, Calais, Dunkerque, Le Havre, Marseille, Nantes,
  Paris, Rouen, Strasbourg

French Polynesia
  Papeete

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  none; offshore anchorage only

Gabon
  Gamba, Libreville, Lucinda, Port-Gentil

Gambia, The
  Banjul

Gaza Strip
  Gaza

Georgia
  Bat'umi, P'ot'i

Germany
  Bremen, Bremerhaven, Duisburg, Hamburg, Karlsruhe, Lubeck,
  Rostock, Wilhemshaven

Ghana
  Tema

Gibraltar
  Gibraltar

Greece
  Agioitheodoroi, Aspropyrgos, Pachi, Piraeus, Thessaloniki

Greenland
  Sisimiut

Grenada
  Saint George's

Guam
  Apra Harbor

Guatemala
  Puerto Quetzal, Santo Tomas de Castilla

Guernsey
  Saint Peter Port, Saint Sampson

Guinea
  Conakry, Kamsar

Guinea-Bissau
  Bissau, Buba, Cacheu, Farim

Guyana
  Georgetown

Haiti
  Cap-Haitien

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  none; offshore anchorage only

Honduras
  La Ceiba, Puerto Cortes, San Lorenzo, Tela

Hong Kong
  Hong Kong

Hungary
  Budapest, Dunaujvaros, Gyor-Gonyu, Csepel, Baja, Mohacs

Iceland
  Grundartangi, Hafnarfjordur, Reykjavik

India
  Chennai, Haldia, Jawaharal Nehru, Kandla, Kolkata (Calcutta),
  Mormugao, Mumbai (Bombay), New Mangalore, Vishakhapatnam

Indian Ocean
  Chennai (Madras; India), Colombo (Sri Lanka), Durban
  (South Africa), Jakarta (Indonesia), Kolkata (Calcutta; India)
  Melbourne (Australia), Mumbai (Bombay; India), Richards Bay (South
  Africa)

Indonesia
  Banjarmasin, Belawan, Ciwandan, Kotabaru, Krueg Geukueh,
  Palembang, Panjang, Sungai Pakning, Tanjung Perak, Tanjung Priok

Iran
  Assaluyeh, Bandar Abbas, Bandar-e-Eman Khomeyni

Iraq
  Al Basrah, Khawr az Zubayr, Umm Qasr

Ireland
  Cork, Dublin, Shannon Foynes

Isle of Man
  Douglas, Ramsey

Israel
  Ashdod, Elat (Eilat), Hadera, Haifa

Italy
  Augusta, Genoa, Livorno, Ravenna, Sarroch, Taranto, Trieste,
  Venice

Jamaica
  Kingston, Port Esquivel, Port Kaiser, Port Rhoades, Rocky
  Point

Jan Mayen
  none; offshore anchorage only

Japan
  Chiba, Kawasaki, Kobe, Mizushima, Moji, Nagoya, Osaka, Tokyo,
  Tomakomai, Yohohama

Jersey
  Gorey, Saint Aubin, Saint Helier

Jordan
  Al 'Aqabah

Kazakhstan
  Aqtau (Shevchenko), Atyrau (Gur'yev), Oskemen
  (Ust-Kamenogorsk), Pavlodar, Semey (Semipalatinsk)

Kenya
  Mombasa

Kiribati
  Betio

Korea, North
  Ch'ongjin, Haeju, Hungnam (Hamhung), Kimch'aek, Kosong,
  Najin, Namp'o, Sinuiju, Songnim, Sonbong (formerly Unggi), Ungsang,
  Wonsan

Korea, South
  Inch'on, P'ohang, Pusan, Ulsan

Kuwait
  Ash Shu'aybah, Ash Shuwaykh, Az Zawr (Mina' Sa'ud), Mina'
  'Abd Allah, Mina' al Ahmadi

Kyrgyzstan
  Balykchy (Ysyk-Kol or Rybach'ye)

Latvia
  Riga, Ventspils

Lebanon
  Beirut, Tripoli

Liberia
  Buchanan, Monrovia

Libya
  As Sidrah, Az Zuwaytinah, Marsa al Burayqah, Ra's Lanuf,
  Tripoli, Zawiyah

Lithuania
  Klaipeda

Luxembourg
  Mertert

Macau
  Macau

Madagascar
  Antsiranana, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara

Malawi
  Chipoka, Monkey Bay, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota, Chilumba

Malaysia
  Bintulu, Johor Bahru, Kuantan, Labuan, George Town
  (Penang), Port Kelang, Tanjung Pelepas

Maldives
  Male

Mali
  Koulikoro

Malta
  Marsaxlokk (Malta Freeport), Valletta

Marshall Islands
  Majuro

Mauritania
  Nouadhibou, Nouakchott

Mauritius
  Port Louis

Mayotte
  Dzaoudzi

Mexico
  Altamira, Coatzacoalcos, Manzanillo, Morro Redondo, Salina
  Cruz, Tampico, Veracruz

Micronesia, Federated States of
  Tomil Harbor

Monaco
  Monaco

Montenegro
  Bar

Montserrat
  Little Bay, Plymouth

Morocco
  Agadir, Casablanca, Mohammedia, Safi

Mozambique
  Beira, Maputo, Nacala

Namibia
  Luderitz, Walvis Bay

Nauru
  Nauru

Navassa Island
  none; offshore anchorage only

Netherlands
  Amsterdam, IJmuiden, Rotterdam, Terneuzen, Vlissingen

Netherlands Antilles
  Bopec Terminal, Willemstad

New Caledonia
  Noumea

New Zealand
  Auckland, Lyttelton, Marsden Point, Tauranga,
  Wellington, Whangarei

Nicaragua
  Bluefields, Corinto, El Bluff

Nigeria
  Bonny Inshore Terminal, Calabar, Lagos

Niue
  none; offshore anchorage only

Norfolk Island
  none; loading jetties at Kingston and Cascade

Northern Mariana Islands
  Saipan, Tinian

Norway
  Bergen, Borg Havn, Haugesund, Maaloy, Mongstad, Narvik, Oslo,
  Sture

Oman
  Mina' Qabus, Salalah

Pacific Ocean
  Bangkok (Thailand), Hong Kong (China), Kao-hsiung
  (Taiwan), Los Angeles (US), Manila (Philippines), Pusan (South
  Korea), San Francisco (US), Seattle (US), Shanghai (China),
  Singapore, Sydney (Australia), Vladivostok (Russia), Wellington
  (NZ), Yokohama (Japan)

Pakistan
  Karachi, Port Muhammad Bin Qasim

Palau
  Koror

Panama
  Balboa, Colon, Cristobal

Papua New Guinea
  Kimbe, Lae, Madang, Rabaul, Wewak

Paracel Islands
  small Chinese port facilities on Woody Island and
  Duncan Island being expanded

Paraguay
  Asuncion, Villeta, San Antonio, Encarnacion

Peru
  Callao, Iquitos, Matarani, Paita, Pucallpa, Yurimaguas; note -
  Iquitos, Pucallpa, and Yurimaguas are on the upper reaches of the
  Amazon and its tributaries

Philippines
  Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Davao, Liman, Manila, Nasipit
  Harbor

Pitcairn Islands
  Adamstown (on Bounty Bay)

Poland
  Gdansk, Gdynia, Swinoujscie, Szczecin

Portugal
  Leixoes, Lisbon, Setubal, Sines

Puerto Rico
  Guayanilla, Mayaguez, San Juan

Qatar
  Doha, Ra's Laffan

Romania
  Braila, Constanta, Galati, Tulcea

Russia
  Azov, Kaliningrad, Kavkaz, Nakhodka, Novorossiysk, Primorsk,
  Saint Petersburg, Vostochnyy

Rwanda
  Cyangugu, Gisenyi, Kibuye

Saint Helena
  Saint Helena: Jamestown
  Ascension Island: Georgetown
  Tristan da Cunha: Calshot Harbor

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  Basseterre

Saint Lucia
  Castries, Cul-de-Sac, Vieux-Fort

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  Saint-Pierre

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  Kingstown

Samoa
  Apia

Sao Tome and Principe
  Sao Tome

Saudi Arabia
  Ad Dammam, Al Jubayl, Jiddah, Yanbu' al Sinaiyah

Senegal
  Dakar

Seychelles
  Victoria

Sierra Leone
  Freetown, Pepel, Sherbro Islands

Singapore
  Singapore

Slovakia
  Bratislava, Komarno

Slovenia
  Koper

Solomon Islands
  Honiara, Malloco Bay, Viru Harbor

Somalia
  Berbera, Kismaayo

South Africa
  Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, Richards Bay,
  Saldanha Bay

South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
  Grytviken

Southern Ocean
  McMurdo, Palmer, and offshore anchorages in Antarctica
  note: few ports or harbors exist on southern side of Southern Ocean;
  ice conditions limit use of most to short periods in midsummer; even
  then some cannot be entered without icebreaker escort; most
  Antarctic ports are operated by government research stations and,
  except in an emergency, are not open to commercial or private
  vessels (2007)

Spain
  Algeciras, Barcelona, Bilbao, Cartagena, Huelva, Tarragona,
  Valencia

Spratly Islands
  none; offshore anchorage only

Sri Lanka
  Colombo

Sudan
  Port Sudan

Suriname
  Paramaribo, Wageningen

Svalbard
  Barentsburg, Longyearbyen, Ny-Alesund, Pyramiden

Sweden
  Brofjorden, Goteborg, Helsingborg, Lulea, Malmo, Stenungsund,
  Stockholm, Trelleborg, Visby

Switzerland
  Basel

Syria
  Latakia, Tartus

Taiwan
  Chilung (Keelung), Kaohsiung, Taichung

Tanzania
  Dar es Salaam

Thailand
  Bangkok, Laem Chabang, Prachuap Port, Si Racha

Timor-Leste
  Dili

Togo
  Kpeme, Lome

Tokelau
  none; offshore anchorage only

Tonga
  Nuku'alofa

Trinidad and Tobago
  Point Fortin, Point Lisas, Port-of-Spain

Tunisia
  Bizerte, Gabes, La Goulette, Rades, Sfax, Skhira

Turkey
  Aliaga, Diliskelesi, Izmir, Kocaeli (Izmit), Mercin Limani,
  Nemrut Limani

Turkmenistan
  Turkmenbasy

Turks and Caicos Islands
  Grand Turk, Providenciales

Tuvalu
  Funafuti

Uganda
  Entebbe, Jinja, Port Bell

Ukraine
  Feodosiya, Kerch, Kherson, Mariupol', Mykolayiv, Odesa,
  Yuzhnyy

United Arab Emirates
  Mina' Zayid (Abu Dhabi), Al Fujayrah, Mina'
  Jabal 'Ali (Dubai), Mina' Rashid (Dubai), Mina' Saqr (Ra's al
  Khaymah), Khawr Fakkan (Sharjah)

United Kingdom
  Dover, Felixstowe, Immingham, Liverpool, London,
  Southampton, Teesport (England); Forth Ports, Hound Point
  (Scotland); Milford Haven (Wales)

United States
  Corpus Christi, Duluth, Hampton Roads, Houston, Long
  Beach, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, Tampa, Texas City

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges
  Baker, Howland, and
  Jarvis Islands, and Kingman Reef: none; offshore anchorage only
  Johnston Atoll: Johnston Island
  Midway Islands: Sand Island
  Palmyra Atoll: West Lagoon

Uruguay
  Montevideo

Uzbekistan
  Termiz (Amu Darya)

Vanuatu
  Forari, Port-Vila, Santo (Espiritu Santo)

Venezuela
  La Guaira, Maracaibo, Puerto Cabello, Punta Cardon

Vietnam
  Da Nang, Hai Phong, Ho Chi Minh City

Virgin Islands
  Charlotte Amalie, Limetree Bay

Wake Island
  none; two offshore anchorages for large ships

Wallis and Futuna
  Leava, Mata-Utu

Western Sahara
  Ad Dakhla, Cabo Bojador, Laayoune (El Aaiun)

World
  top ten container ports as measured by Twenty-Foot Equivalent
  Units (TEUs): Singapore - 27,935,500; Shanghai - 26,150,000; Hong
  Kong - 23,999,000; Shenzhen (China) - 21,099,100; Pusan (South
  Korea) - 13,254,703; - Rotterdam - 10,790,604; Dubai (UAE) -
  10,650,000; Kaohsiung (Taiwan) - 10,256,829; Hamburg - 9,917,180;
  Qingdao (China) - 9,462,000 (2007)

Yemen
  Aden, Al Hudaydah, Al Mukalla

Zambia
  Mpulungu

Zimbabwe
  Binga, Kariba

======================================================================

@2121

Field Listing :: Railways

  This entry states the total route length of the railway network and
  of its component parts by gauge: broad, standard, narrow, and dual.
  Other gauges are listed under note.
  Country Comparison to the World
  Country

Railways(km)

Albania total: 896 km standard gauge: 896 km 1.435-m gauge (2008)

Algeria
  total: 3,973 km
  standard gauge: 2,888 km 1.435-m gauge (283 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 1,085 km 1.055-m gauge (2008)

Angola
  total: 2,764 km
  narrow gauge: 2,641 km 1.067-m gauge; 123 km 0.600-m gauge (2008)

Argentina
  total: 31,409 km
  broad gauge: 27,301 km 1.676-m gauge (94 km electrified)
  standard gauge: 2,780 km 1.435-m gauge (26 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 1,328 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

Armenia
  total: 845 km
  broad gauge: 845 km 1.520-m gauge (818 km electrified)
  note: some lines are out of service (2008)

Australia
  total: 37,855 km
  broad gauge: 142 km 1.600-m gauge
  standard gauge: 24,409 km 1.435-m gauge (1,094 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 13,304 km 1.067-m gauge (1,193 km electrified) (2008)

Austria
  total: 6,399 km
  standard gauge: 5,927 km 1.435-m gauge (3,688 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 384 km 1.000-m gauge (15 km electrified); 88 km
  0.760-m gauge (10 km electrified) (2008)

Azerbaijan
  total: 2,122 km
  broad gauge: 2,122 km 1.520-m gauge (1,278 km electrified) (2008)

Bangladesh
  total: 2,768 km
  broad gauge: 946 km 1.676-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 1,822 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

Belarus
  total: 5,538 km
  broad gauge: 5,512 km 1.520-m gauge (874 km electrified)
  standard gauge: 25 km 1.435-m gauge (2008)

Belgium
  total: 3,233 km
  standard gauge: 3,233 km 1.435-m gauge (2,950 km electrified) (2008)

Benin
  total: 578 km
  narrow gauge: 578 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

Bolivia
  total: 3,504 km
  narrow gauge: 3,504 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  total: 1,000 km
  standard gauge: 1,000 km 1.435-m gauge (590 km electrified) (2008)

Botswana
  total: 888 km
  narrow gauge: 888 km 1.067-m gauge (2008)

Brazil
  total: 28,857 km
  broad gauge: 5,709 km 1.600-m gauge (459 km electrified)
  standard gauge: 194 km 1.440-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 22,954 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

Bulgaria
  total: 4,294 km
  standard gauge: 4,049 km 1.435-m gauge (2,880 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 245 km 0.760-m gauge (2008)

Burkina Faso
  total: 622 km
  narrow gauge: 622 km 1.000-m gauge
  note: another 660 km of this railway extends into Cote d'Ivoire
  (2008)

Burma
  total: 3,955 km
  narrow gauge: 3,955 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

Cambodia
  total: 602 km
  narrow gauge: 602 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

Cameroon
  total: 987 km
  narrow gauge: 987 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

Canada
  total: 46,688 km
  standard gauge: 46,688 km 1.435-m gauge (2008)

Chile
  total: 5,481 km
  broad gauge: 1,706 km 1.676-m gauge (850 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 3,777 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

China
  total: 77,834 km
  standard gauge: 77,084 km 1.435-m gauge (24,433 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 750 km 0.750-m gauge (2008)

Colombia
  total: 3,802 km
  standard gauge: 150 km 1.435-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 3,652 km 0.914-m gauge (2008)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  total: 4,007 km
  narrow gauge: 3,882 km 1.067-m gauge (858 km electrified); 125 km
  1.000-m gauge (2008)

Congo, Republic of the
  total: 795 km
  narrow gauge: 795 km 1.067-m gauge (2008)

Costa Rica
  total: 278 km
  narrow gauge: 278 km 1.067-m gauge
  note: none of the railway network is in use (2008)

Cote d'Ivoire
  total: 660 km
  narrow gauge: 660 km 1.000 meter gauge
  note: an additional 622 km of this railroad extends into Burkina
  Faso (2008)

Croatia
  total: 2,722 km
  standard gauge: 2,722 km 1.435-m gauge (980 km electrified) (2008)

Cuba
  total: 8,598 km
  standard gauge: 8,322 km 1.435-m gauge (176 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 276 km 1.000-gauge
  note: 4,533 km of the track is used by sugar plantations; 4,257 km
  is standard gauge; 276 km is narrow gauge (2006)

Czech Republic
  total: 9,620 km
  standard gauge: 9,521 km 1.435-m gauge (3,013 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 99 km 0.750-m gauge (2008)

Denmark
  total: 2,667 km
  standard gauge: 2,667 km 1.435-m gauge (640 km electrified) (2008)

Djibouti
  total: 100 km (Djibouti segment of the 781 km Addis
  Ababa-Djibouti railway)
  narrow gauge: 100 km 1.000-m gauge
  note: railway is under joint control of Djibouti and Ethiopia but is
  largely inoperable (2008)

Dominican Republic
  total: 1,784 km
  standard gauge: 375 km 1.435-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 1,368 km 1.076-m, 0.889-m, and 0.762-m gauges
  note: 1,226 km operated by sugar companies in 1.076 m, 0.889 m, and
  0.762-m gauges (2008)

Ecuador
  total: 965 km
  narrow gauge: 965 km 1.067-m gauge (2008)

Egypt
  total: 5,063 km
  standard gauge: 5,063 km 1.435-m gauge (62 km electrified) (2008)

El Salvador
  total: 283 km
  narrow gauge: 283 km 0.914-m gauge
  note: railways have been inoperable since 2005 because of disuse and
  high costs that led to a lack of maintenance (2008)

Eritrea
  total: 306 km
  narrow gauge: 306 km 0.950-m gauge (2008)

Estonia
  total: 919 km
  broad gauge: 919 km 1.520 m/1.524-m gauge (131 km electrified) (2008)

Ethiopia
  total: 681 km (Ethiopian segment of the 781 km Addis
  Ababa-Djibouti railroad)
  narrow gauge: 681 km 1.000-m gauge
  note: railway is under joint control of Djibouti and Ethiopia but is
  largely inoperable (2008)

European Union
  total: 229,450 km (2008)

Fiji
  total: 597 km
  narrow gauge: 597 km 0.600-m gauge
  note: belongs to the government-owned Fiji Sugar Corporation; used
  to haul sugarcane during the harvest season, which runs from May to
  December (2008)

Finland
  total: 5,794 km
  broad gauge: 5,794 km 1.524-m gauge (3,047 km electrified) (2008)

France
  total: 29,213 km
  standard gauge: 29,046 km 1.435-m gauge (15,164 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 167 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

Gabon
  total: 814 km
  standard gauge: 814 km 1.435-m gauge (2008)

Georgia
  total: 1,612 km
  broad gauge: 1,575 km 1.520-m gauge (1,575 electrified)
  narrow gauge: 37 km 0.912-m gauge (37 electrified) (2008)

Germany
  total: 41,896 km
  standard gauge: 41,641 km 1.435-m gauge (20,053 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 75 km 1.000-m gauge (75 km electrified); 24 km 0.750-m
  gauge (24 km electrified) (2008)

Ghana
  total: 947 km
  narrow gauge: 947 km 1.067-m gauge (2008)

Greece
  total: 2,548 km
  standard gauge: 1,565 km 1.435-m gauge (764 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 961 km 1.000-m gauge; 22 km 0.750-m gauge (2008)

Guatemala
  total: 332 km
  narrow gauge: 332 km 0.914-m gauge (2008)

Guinea
  total: 1,185 km
  standard gauge: 238 km 1.435-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 947 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

Honduras
  total: 699 km
  narrow gauge: 279 km 1.067-m gauge; 420 km 0.914-m gauge (2008)

Hungary
  total: 8,057 km
  broad gauge: 36 km 1.524-m gauge
  standard gauge: 7,802 km 1.435-m gauge (2,628 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 219 km 0.760-m gauge (2008)

India
  total: 63,327 km
  broad gauge: 49,820 km 1.676-m gauge (17,786 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 10,621 km 1.000-m gauge (135 km electrified); 2,886 km
  0.762-m gauge and 0.610-m gauge (2007)

Indonesia
  total: 8,529 km
  narrow gauge: 8,529 km 1.067-m gauge (565 km electrified) (2008)

Iran
  total: 8,442 km
  broad gauge: 94 km 1.676-m gauge
  standard gauge: 8,348 km 1.435-m gauge (148 km electrified) (2008)

Iraq
  total: 2,272 km
  standard gauge: 2,272 km 1.435-m gauge (2008)

Ireland
  total: 3,237 km
  broad gauge: 1,872 km 1.600-m gauge (37 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 1,365 km 0.914-m gauge (operated by the Irish Peat
  Board to transport peat to power stations and briquetting plants)
  (2008)

Isle of Man
  total: 63 km
  narrow gauge: 6 km 1.076-m gauge (6 km electrified); 57 km 0.914-m
  gauge (29 km electrified)
  note: primarily summer tourist attractions (2008)

Israel
  total: 913 km
  standard gauge: 913 km 1.435-m gauge (2008)

Italy
  total: 19,729 km
  standard gauge: 18,317 km 1.435-m gauge (12,458 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 123 km 1.000-m gauge (123 km electrified); 1,058 km
  0.950-m gauge (151 km electrified); 231 km 0.850-m gauge (2008)

Japan
  total: 23,506 km
  standard gauge: 3,437 km 1.435-m gauge (3,319 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 20,059 km 1.067-m gauge (11,842 km electrified); 11 km
  0.762-m gauge (11 km electrified) (2008)

Jordan
  total: 507 km
  narrow gauge: 507 km 1.050-m gauge (2008)

Kazakhstan
  total: 13,700 km
  broad gauge: 13,700 km 1.520-m gauge (3,700 km electrified) (2008)

Kenya
  total: 2,778 km
  narrow gauge: 2,778 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

Korea, North
  total: 5,235 km
  standard gauge: 5,235 km 1.435-m gauge (3,500 km electrified) (2006)

Korea, South
  total: 3,381 km
  standard gauge: 3,381 km 1.435-m gauge (1,843 km electrified) (2008)

Kosovo
  total: 430 km
  standard gauge: 430 km 1.435-m gauge (2007)

Kyrgyzstan
  total: 470 km
  broad gauge: 470 km 1.520-m gauge (2008)

Latvia
  total: 2,298 km
  broad gauge: 2,265 km 1.520-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 33 km 0.750-m gauge (2008)

Lebanon
  total: 401 km
  standard gauge: 319 km 1.435 m
  narrow gauge: 82 km 1.050 m
  note: rail system unusable because of the damage done during
  fighting in the 1980s and in 2006 (2008)

Liberia
  total: 429 km
  standard gauge: 345 km 1.435-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 84 km 1.067-m gauge
  note: most sections of the railway are inoperable because of damage
  suffered during the civil wars from 1980 to 2003 (2008)

Liechtenstein
  9 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified)
  note: belongs to the Austrian Railway System connecting Austria and
  Switzerland (2008)

Lithuania
  total: 1,765 km
  broad gauge: 1,743 km 1.524-m gauge (122 km electrified)
  standard gauge: 22 km 1.435-m gauge (2008)

Luxembourg
  total: 275 km
  standard gauge: 275 km 1.435-m gauge (243 km electrified) (2008)

Macedonia
  total: 699 km
  standard gauge: 699 km 1.435-m gauge (223 km electrified) (2008)

Madagascar
  total: 854 km
  narrow gauge: 854 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

Malawi
  total: 797 km
  narrow gauge: 797 km 1.067-m gauge (2008)

Malaysia
  total: 1,849 km
  standard gauge: 57 km 1.435-m gauge (57 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 1,792 km 1.000-m gauge (150 km electrified) (2008)

Mali
  total: 593 km
  narrow gauge: 593 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

Mauritania
  728 km
  standard gauge: 728 km 1.435-m gauge (2008)

Mexico
  total: 17,516 km
  standard gauge: 17,516 km 1.435-m gauge (2008)

Moldova
  total: 1,138 km
  broad gauge: 1,124 km 1.520-m gauge
  standard gauge: 14 km 1.435-m gauge (2008)

Mongolia
  total: 1,810 km
  broad gauge: 1,810 km 1.520-m gauge (2008)

Montenegro
  total: 250 km
  standard gauge: 250 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified 169 km) (2007)

Morocco
  total: 1,907 km
  standard gauge: 1,907 km 1.435-m gauge (1,022 km electrified) (2008)

Mozambique
  total: 4,787 km
  narrow gauge: 4,787 km 1.067-m gauge (2008)

Namibia
  total: 2,629 km
  narrow gauge: 2,629 km 1.067-m gauge (2008)

Nepal
  total: 59 km
  narrow gauge: 59 km 0.762-m gauge (2008)

Netherlands
  total: 2,811 km
  standard gauge: 2,811 km 1.435-m gauge (2,064 km electrified) (2008)

New Zealand
  total: 4,128 km
  narrow gauge: 4,128 km 1.067-m gauge (506 km electrified) (2008)

Nigeria
  total: 3,505 km
  narrow gauge: 3,505 km 1.067-m gauge (2008)

Norway
  total: 4,114 km
  standard gauge: 4,114 km 1.435-m gauge (2,552 km electrified) (2009)

Pakistan
  total: 7,791 km
  broad gauge: 7,479 km 1.676-m gauge (293 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 312 km 1.000-m gauge (2007)

Panama
  total: 76 km
  standard gauge: 76 km 1.435-m gauge (2008)

Paraguay
  total: 36 km
  standard gauge: 36 km 1.435-m gauge (2008)

Peru
  total: 1,989 km
  standard gauge: 1,726 km 1.435-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 263 km 0.914-m gauge (2008)

Philippines
  total: 897 km
  narrow gauge: 897 km 1.067-m gauge (492 km are in operation) (2008)

Poland
  total: 22,314 km
  broad gauge: 633 km 1.524-m gauge
  standard gauge: 21,681 km 1.435-m gauge (11,769 km electrified)
  (2007)

Portugal
  total: 2,786 km
  broad gauge: 2,603 km 1.668-m gauge (1,351 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 183 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

Romania
  total: 10,788 km
  broad gauge: 57 km 1.524-m gauge
  standard gauge: 10,731 km 1.435-m gauge (3,965 km electrified) (2008)

Russia
  total: 87,157 km
  broad gauge: 86,200 km 1.520-m gauge (40,300 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 957 km 1.067-m gauge (on Sakhalin Island)
  note: an additional 30,000 km of non-common carrier lines serve
  industries (2006)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  total: 50 km
  narrow gauge: 50 km 0.762-m gauge on Saint Kitts for tourists (2008)

Saudi Arabia
  total: 1,392 km
  standard gauge: 1,392 km 1.435-m gauge (with branch lines and
  sidings) (2008)

Senegal
  total: 906 km
  narrow gauge: 906 km 1.000 meter gauge (2008)

Serbia
  total: 3,379 km
  standard gauge: 3,379 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified 1,254 km) (2006)

Slovakia
  total: 3,622 km
  broad gauge: 99 km 1.520-m gauge
  standard gauge: 3,473 km 1.435-m gauge (1,577 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 50 km (1.000-m or 0.750-m gauge) (2008)

Slovenia
  total: 1,228 km
  standard gauge: 1,228 km 1.435-m gauge (503 km electrified) (2007)

South Africa
  total: 20,872 km
  narrow gauge: 20,436 km 1.065-m gauge (8,271 km electrified); 436 km
  0.610-m gauge (2008)

Spain
  total: 15,288 km
  broad gauge: 11,919 km 1.668-m gauge (6,950 km electrified)
  standard gauge: 1,392 km 1.435-m gauge (1,054 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 1,949 km 1.000-m gauge (815 km electrified); 28 km
  0.914-m gauge (28 km electrified) (2008)

Sri Lanka
  total: 1,449 km
  broad gauge: 1,449 km 1.676-m gauge (2007)

Sudan
  total: 5,978 km
  narrow gauge: 4,578 km 1.067-m gauge; 1,400 km 0.600-m gauge for
  cotton plantations (2008)

Swaziland
  total: 301 km
  narrow gauge: 301 km 1.067-m gauge (2008)

Sweden
  total: 11,633 km
  standard gauge: 11,528 km 1.435-m gauge (7,531 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 65 km 1.000-m gauge (65 km electrified) (2008)

Switzerland
  total: 4,888 km
  standard gauge: 3,397 km 1.435-m gauge (3,142 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 1,481 km 1.000-m gauge (1,378 km electrified); 10 km
  0.800-m gauge (10 km electrified) (2008)

Syria
  total: 2,052 km
  standard gauge: 1,801 km 1.435-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 251 km 1.050-m gauge (2008)

Taiwan
  total: 1,588 km
  standard gauge: 345 km 1.435-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 1,093 km 1.067-m gauge; 150 km .762-m gauge
  note: the 150 km of .762 gauge track belongs primarily to Taiwan
  Sugar Corporation and Taiwan Forestry Bureau; some to other entities
  (2007)

Tajikistan
  total: 680 km
  broad gauge: 680 km 1.520-m gauge (2008)

Tanzania
  total: 3,689 km
  narrow gauge: 969 km 1.067-m gauge; 2,720 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

Thailand
  total: 4,071 km
  standard gauge: 29 km 1.435-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 4,042 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

Togo
  total: 532 km
  narrow gauge: 532 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

Tunisia
  total: 2,159 km
  standard gauge: 471 km 1.435-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 1,688 km 1.000-m gauge (65 km electrified) (2008)

Turkey
  total: 8,697 km
  standard gauge: 8,697 km 1.435-m gauge (1,920 km electrified) (2008)

Turkmenistan
  total: 2,980 km
  broad gauge: 2,980 km 1.520-m gauge (2008)

Uganda
  total: 1,244 km
  narrow gauge: 1,244 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

Ukraine
  total: 21,655 km
  broad gauge: 21,655 km 1.524-m gauge (9,729 km electrified) (2008)

United Kingdom
  total: 16,454 km
  broad gauge: 303 km 1.600-m gauge (in Northern Ireland)
  standard gauge: 16,151 km 1.435-m gauge (5,248 km electrified) (2008)

United States
  total: 226,427 km
  standard gauge: 226,427 km 1.435-m gauge (2007)

Uruguay
  total: 1,641 km
  standard gauge: 1,641 km 1.435-m gauge (2008)

Uzbekistan
  total: 3,645 km
  broad gauge: 3,645 km 1.520-m gauge (620 km electrified) (2008)

Venezuela
  total: 806 km
  standard gauge: 806 km 1.435-m gauge (2008)

Vietnam
  total: 2,347 km
  standard gauge: 178 km 1.435-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 2,169 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

World
  total: 1,134,429 km (2008)

Zambia
  total: 2,157 km
  narrow gauge: 2,157 km 1.067-m gauge
  note: includes 891 km of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority
  (TAZARA) (2008)

Zimbabwe total: 3,077 km narrow gauge: 3,077 km 1.067-m gauge (313 km electrified) (2008)

======================================================================

@2122

Field Listing :: Religions

This entry is an ordered listing of religions by adherents starting with the largest group and sometimes includes the percent of total population. The core characteristics and beliefs of the world's major religions are described below. Baha'i - Founded by Mirza Husayn-Ali (known as Baha'u'llah) in Iran in 1852, Baha'i faith emphasizes monotheism and believes in one eternal transcendent God. Its guiding focus is to encourage the unity of all peoples on the earth so that justice and peace may be achieved on earth. Baha'i revelation contends the prophets of major world religions reflect some truth or element of the divine, believes all were manifestations of God given to specific communities in specific times, and that Baha'u'llah is an additional prophet meant to call all humankind. Bahais are an open community, located worldwide, with the greatest concentration of believers in South Asia. Buddhism - Religion or philosophy inspired by the 5th century B.C. teachings of Siddhartha Gautama (also known as Gautama Buddha "the enlightened one"). Buddhism focuses on the goal of spiritual enlightenment centered on an understanding of Gautama Buddha's Four Noble Truths on the nature of suffering, and on the Eightfold Path of spiritual and moral practice, to break the cycle of suffering of which we are a part. Buddhism ascribes to a karmic system of rebirth. Several schools and sects of Buddhism exist, differing often on the nature of the Buddha, the extent to which enlightenment can be achieved - for one or for all, and by whom - religious orders or laity. Basic Groupings Theravada Buddhism: The oldest Buddhist school, Theravada is practiced mostly in Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Laos, Burma, and Thailand, with minority representation elsewhere in Asia and the West. Theravadans follow the Pali Canon of Buddha's teachings, and believe that one may escape the cycle of rebirth, worldly attachment, and suffering for oneself; this process may take one or several lifetimes. Mahayana Buddhism, including subsets Zen and Tibetan Buddhism: Forms of Mahayana Buddhism are common in East Asia and Tibet, and parts of the West. Mahayanas have additional scriptures beyond the Pali Canon and believe the Buddha is eternal and still teaching. Unlike Theravada Buddhism, Mahayana schools maintain the Buddha-nature is present in all beings and all will ultimately achieve enlightenment. Christianity - Descending from Judaism, Christianity's central belief maintains Jesus of Nazareth is the promised messiah of the Hebrew Scriptures, and that his life, death, and resurrection are salvific for the world. Christianity is one of the three monotheistic Abrahamic faiths, along with Islam and Judaism, which traces its spiritual lineage to Abraham of the Hebrew Scriptures. Its sacred texts include the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament (or the Christian Gospels). Basic Groupings Catholicism (or Roman Catholicism): This is the oldest established western Christian church and the world's largest single religious body. It is supranational, and recognizes a hierarchical structure with the Pope, or Bishop of Rome, as its head, located at the Vatican. Catholics believe the Pope is the divinely ordered head of the Church from a direct spiritual legacy of Jesus' apostle Peter. Catholicism is comprised of 23 particular Churches, or Rites - one Western (Latin-Rite) and 22 Eastern. The Latin Rite is by far the largest, making up about 98% of Catholic membership. Eastern-Rite Churches, such as the Maronite Church and the Ukrainian Catholic Church, are in communion with Rome although they preserve their own worship traditions and their immediate hierarchy consists of clergy within their own rite. The Catholic Church has a comprehensive theological and moral doctrine specified for believers in its catechism, which makes it unique among most forms of Christianity. Mormonism (including the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints): Originating in 1830 in the United States under Joseph Smith, Mormonism is not characterized as a form of Protestant Christianity because it claims additional revealed Christian scriptures after the Hebrew Bible and New Testament. The Book of Mormon maintains there was an appearance of Jesus in the New World following the Christian account of his resurrection, and that the Americas are uniquely blessed continents. Mormonism believes earlier Christian traditions, such as the Roman Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant reform faiths, are apostasies and that Joseph Smith's revelation of the Book of Mormon is a restoration of true Christianity. Mormons have a hierarchical religious leadership structure, and actively proselytize their faith; they are located primarily in the Americas and in a number of other Western countries. Orthodox Christianity: The oldest established eastern form of Christianity, the Holy Orthodox Church, has a ceremonial head in the Bishop of Constantinople (Istanbul), also known as a Patriarch, but its various regional forms (e.g., Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, Serbian Orthodox, Ukrainian Orthodox) are autocephalous (independent of Constantinople's authority, and have their own Patriarchs). Orthodox churches are highly nationalist and ethnic. The Orthodox Christian faith shares many theological tenets with the Roman Catholic Church, but diverges on some key premises and does not recognize the governing authority of the Pope. Protestant Christianity: Protestant Christianity originated in the 16th century as an attempt to reform Roman Catholicism's practices, dogma, and theology. It encompasses several forms or denominations which are extremely varied in structure, beliefs, relationship to state, clergy, and governance. Many protestant theologies emphasize the primary role of scripture in their faith, advocating individual interpretation of Christian texts without the mediation of a final religious authority such as the Roman Pope. The oldest Protestant Christianities include Lutheranism, Calvinism (Presbyterians), and Anglican Christianity (Episcopalians), which have established liturgies, governing structure, and formal clergy. Other variants on Protestant Christianity, including Pentecostal movements and independent churches, may lack one or more of these elements, and their leadership and beliefs are individualized and dynamic. Hinduism - Originating in the Vedic civilization of India (second and first millennium B.C.), Hinduism is an extremely diverse set of beliefs and practices with no single founder or religious authority. Hinduism has many scriptures; the Vedas, the Upanishads, and the Bhagavad-Gita are among some of the most important. Hindus may worship one or many deities, usually with prayer rituals within their own home. The most common figures of devotion are the gods Vishnu, Shiva, and a mother goddess, Devi. Most Hindus believe the soul, or atman, is eternal, and goes through a cycle of birth, death, and rebirth (samsara) determined by one's positive or negative karma, or the consequences of one's actions. The goal of religious life is to learn to act so as to finally achieve liberation (moksha) of one's soul, escaping the rebirth cycle. Islam - The third of the monotheistic Abrahamic faiths, Islam originated with the teachings of Muhammad in the 7th century. Muslims believe Muhammad is the final of all religious prophets (beginning with Abraham) and that the Qu'ran, which is the Islamic scripture, was revealed to him by God. Islam derives from the word submission, and obedience to God is a primary theme in this religion. In order to live an Islamic life, believers must follow the five pillars, or tenets, of Islam, which are the testimony of faith (shahada), daily prayer (salah), giving alms (zakah), fasting during Ramadan (sawm), and the pilgrimage to Mecca (hajj). Basic Groupings The two primary branches of Islam are Sunni and Shia, which split from each other over a religio-political leadership dispute about the rightful successor to Muhammad. The Shia believe Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law, Ali, was the only divinely ordained Imam (religious leader), while the Sunni maintain the first three caliphs after Muhammad were also legitimate authorities. In modern Islam, Sunnis and Shia continue to have different views of acceptable schools of Islamic jurisprudence, and who is a proper Islamic religious authority. Islam also has an active mystical branch, Sufism, with various Sunni and Shia subsets. Sunni Islam accounts for over 75% of the world's Muslim population. It recognizes the Abu Bakr as the first caliph after Muhammad. Sunni has four schools of Islamic doctrine and law - Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'i, and Hanbali - which uniquely interpret the Hadith, or recorded oral traditions of Muhammad. A Sunni Muslim may elect to follow any one of these schools, as all are considered equally valid. Shia Islam represents 10-20% of Muslims worldwide, and its distinguishing feature is its reverence for Ali as an infallible, divinely inspired leader, and as the first Imam of the Muslim community after Muhammad. A majority of Shia are known as "Twelvers," because they believe that the 11 familial successor imams after Muhammad culminate in a 12th Imam (al-Mahdi) who is hidden in the world and will reappear at its end to redeem the righteous. Variants Ismaili faith: A sect of Shia Islam, its adherents are also known as "Seveners," because they believe that the rightful seventh Imam in Islamic leadership was Isma'il, the elder son of Imam Jafar al-Sadiq. Ismaili tradition awaits the return of the seventh Imam as the Mahdi, or Islamic messianic figure. Ismailis are located in various parts of the world, particularly South Asia and the Levant. Alawi faith: Another Shia sect of Islam, the name reflects followers' devotion to the religious authority of Ali. Alawites are a closed, secretive religious group who assert they are Shia Muslims, although outside scholars speculate their beliefs may have a syncretic mix with other faiths originating in the Middle East. Alawis live mostly in Syria, Lebanon, and Turkey. Druze faith: A highly secretive tradition and a closed community that derives from the Ismaili sect of Islam; its core beliefs are thought to emphasize a combination of Gnostic principles believing that the Fatimid caliph, al-Hakin, is the one who embodies the key aspects of goodness of the universe, which are, the intellect, the word, the soul, the preceder, and the follower. The Druze have a key presence in Syria, Lebanon, and Israel. Jainism - Originating in India, Jain spiritual philosophy believes in an eternal human soul, the eternal universe, and a principle of "the own nature of things." It emphasizes compassion for all living things, seeks liberation of the human soul from reincarnation through enlightenment, and values personal responsibility due to the belief in the immediate consequences of one's behavior. Jain philosophy teaches non-violence and prescribes vegetarianism for monks and laity alike; its adherents are a highly influential religious minority in Indian society. Judaism - One of the first known monotheistic religions, likely dating to between 2000-1500 B.C., Judaism is the native faith of the Jewish people, based upon the belief in a covenant of responsibility between a sole omnipotent creator God and Abraham, the patriarch of Judaism's Hebrew Bible, or Tanakh. Divine revelation of principles and prohibitions in the Hebrew Scriptures form the basis of Jewish law, or halakhah, which is a key component of the faith. While there are extensive traditions of Jewish halakhic and theological discourse, there is no final dogmatic authority in the tradition. Local communities have their own religious leadership. Modern Judaism has three basic categories of faith: Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform/Liberal. These differ in their views and observance of Jewish law, with the Orthodox representing the most traditional practice, and Reform/Liberal communities the most accommodating of individualized interpretations of Jewish identity and faith. Shintoism - A native animist tradition of Japan, Shinto practice is based upon the premise that every being and object has its own spirit or kami. Shinto practitioners worship several particular kamis, including the kamis of nature, and families often have shrines to their ancestors' kamis. Shintoism has no fixed tradition of prayers or prescribed dogma, but is characterized by individual ritual. Respect for the kamis in nature is a key Shinto value. Prior to the end of World War II, Shinto was the state religion of Japan, and bolstered the cult of the Japanese emperor. Sikhism - Founded by the Guru Nanak (born 1469), Sikhism believes in a non-anthropomorphic, supreme, eternal, creator God; centering one's devotion to God is seen as a means of escaping the cycle of rebirth. Sikhs follow the teachings of Nanak and nine subsequent gurus. Their scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib - also known as the Adi Granth - is considered the living Guru, or final authority of Sikh faith and theology. Sikhism emphasizes equality of humankind and disavows caste, class, or gender discrimination. Taoism - Chinese philosophy or religion based upon Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching, which centers on belief in the Tao, or the way, as the flow of the universe and the nature of things. Taoism encourages a principle of non-force, or wu-wei, as the means to live harmoniously with the Tao. Taoists believe the esoteric world is made up of a perfect harmonious balance and nature, while in the manifest world - particularly in the body - balance is distorted. The Three Jewels of the Tao - compassion, simplicity, and humility - serve as the basis for Taoist ethics. Zoroastrianism - Originating from the teachings of Zoroaster in about the 9th or 10th century B.C., Zoroastrianism may be the oldest continuing creedal religion. Its key beliefs center on a transcendent creator God, Ahura Mazda, and the concept of free will. The key ethical tenets of Zoroastrianism expressed in its scripture, the Avesta, are based on a dualistic worldview where one may prevent chaos if one chooses to serve God and exercises good thoughts, good words, and good deeds. Zoroastrianism is generally a closed religion and members are almost always born to Zoroastrian parents. Prior to the spread of Islam, Zoroastrianism dominated greater Iran. Today, though a minority, Zoroastrians remain primarily in Iran, India, and Pakistan. Country

Religions(%)

Afghanistan
  Sunni Muslim 80%, Shia Muslim 19%, other 1%

Albania
  Muslim 70%, Albanian Orthodox 20%, Roman Catholic 10%
  note: percentages are estimates; there are no available current
  statistics on religious affiliation; all mosques and churches were
  closed in 1967 and religious observances prohibited; in November
  1990, Albania began allowing private religious practice

Algeria
  Sunni Muslim (state religion) 99%, Christian and Jewish 1%

American Samoa
  Christian Congregationalist 50%, Roman Catholic 20%,
  Protestant and other 30%

Andorra
  Roman Catholic (predominant)

Angola
  indigenous beliefs 47%, Roman Catholic 38%, Protestant 15%
  (1998 est.)

Anguilla
  Anglican 29%, Methodist 23.9%, other Protestant 30.2%,
  Roman Catholic 5.7%, other Christian 1.7%, other 5.2%, none or
  unspecified 4.3% (2001 census)

Antigua and Barbuda
  Anglican 25.7%, Seventh Day Adventist 12.3%,
  Pentecostal 10.6%, Moravian 10.5%, Roman Catholic 10.4%, Methodist
  7.9%, Baptist 4.9%, Church of God 4.5%, other Christian 5.4%, other
  2%, none or unspecified 5.8% (2001 census)

Argentina
  nominally Roman Catholic 92% (less than 20% practicing),
  Protestant 2%, Jewish 2%, other 4%

Armenia
  Armenian Apostolic 94.7%, other Christian 4%, Yezidi
  (monotheist with elements of nature worship) 1.3%

Aruba
  Roman Catholic 80.8%, Evangelist 4.1%, Protestant 2.5%,
  Jehovah's Witnesses 1.5%, Methodist 1.2%, Jewish 0.2%, other 5.1%,
  none or unspecified 4.6%

Australia
  Catholic 25.8%, Anglican 18.7%, Uniting Church 5.7%,
  Presbyterian and Reformed 3%, Eastern Orthodox 2.7%, other Christian
  7.9%, Buddhist 2.1%, Muslim 1.7%, other 2.4%, unspecified 11.3%,
  none 18.7% (2006 Census)

Austria
  Roman Catholic 73.6%, Protestant 4.7%, Muslim 4.2%, other
  3.5%, unspecified 2%, none 12% (2001 census)

Azerbaijan
  Muslim 93.4%, Russian Orthodox 2.5%, Armenian Orthodox
  2.3%, other 1.8% (1995 est.)
  note: religious affiliation is still nominal in Azerbaijan;
  percentages for actual practicing adherents are much lower

Bahamas, The
  Baptist 35.4%, Anglican 15.1%, Roman Catholic 13.5%,
  Pentecostal 8.1%, Church of God 4.8%, Methodist 4.2%, other
  Christian 15.2%, none or unspecified 2.9%, other 0.8% (2000 census)

Bahrain
  Muslim (Shia and Sunni) 81.2%, Christian 9%, other 9.8%
  (2001 census)

Bangladesh
  Muslim 83%, Hindu 16%, other 1% (1998)

Barbados
  Protestant 63.4% (Anglican 28.3%, Pentecostal 18.7%,
  Methodist 5.1%, other 11.3%), Roman Catholic 4.2%, other Christian
  7%, other 4.8%, none or unspecified 20.6% (2008 est.)

Belarus
  Eastern Orthodox 80%, other (including Roman Catholic,
  Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim) 20% (1997 est.)

Belgium
  Roman Catholic 75%, other (includes Protestant) 25%

Belize
  Roman Catholic 49.6%, Protestant 27% (Pentecostal 7.4%,
  Anglican 5.3%, Seventh-Day Adventist 5.2%, Mennonite 4.1%, Methodist
  3.5%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.5%), other 14%, none 9.4% (2000)

Benin
  Christian 42.8% (Catholic 27.1%, Celestial 5%, Methodist 3.2%,
  other Protestant 2.2%, other 5.3%), Muslim 24.4%, Vodoun 17.3%,
  other 15.5% (2002 census)

Bermuda
  Anglican 23%, Roman Catholic 15%, African Methodist
  Episcopal 11%, other Protestant 18%, other 12%, unaffiliated 6%,
  unspecified 1%, none 14% (2000 census)

Bhutan
  Lamaistic Buddhist 75%, Indian- and Nepalese-influenced
  Hinduism 25%

Bolivia
  Roman Catholic 95%, Protestant (Evangelical Methodist) 5%

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  Muslim 40%, Orthodox 31%, Roman Catholic 15%,
  other 14%

Botswana
  Christian 71.6%, Badimo 6%, other 1.4%, unspecified 0.4%,
  none 20.6% (2001 census)

Brazil
  Roman Catholic (nominal) 73.6%, Protestant 15.4%,
  Spiritualist 1.3%, Bantu/voodoo 0.3%, other 1.8%, unspecified 0.2%,
  none 7.4% (2000 census)

British Virgin Islands
  Protestant 86% (Methodist 33%, Anglican 17%,
  Church of God 9%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6%, Baptist 4%, Jehovah's
  Witnesses 2%, other 15%), Roman Catholic 10%, other 2%, none 2%
  (1991)

Brunei
  Muslim (official) 67%, Buddhist 13%, Christian 10%, other
  (includes indigenous beliefs) 10%

Bulgaria
  Bulgarian Orthodox 82.6%, Muslim 12.2%, other Christian
  1.2%, other 4% (2001 census)

Burkina Faso
  Muslim 50%, indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian (mainly
  Roman Catholic) 10%

Burma
  Buddhist 89%, Christian 4% (Baptist 3%, Roman Catholic 1%),
  Muslim 4%, animist 1%, other 2%

Burundi
  Christian 67% (Roman Catholic 62%, Protestant 5%),
  indigenous beliefs 23%, Muslim 10%

Cambodia
  Buddhist 96.4%, Muslim 2.1%, other 1.3%, unspecified 0.2%
  (1998 census)

Cameroon
  indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 40%, Muslim 20%

Canada
  Roman Catholic 42.6%, Protestant 23.3% (including United
  Church 9.5%, Anglican 6.8%, Baptist 2.4%, Lutheran 2%), other
  Christian 4.4%, Muslim 1.9%, other and unspecified 11.8%, none 16%
  (2001 census)

Cape Verde
  Roman Catholic (infused with indigenous beliefs),
  Protestant (mostly Church of the Nazarene)

Cayman Islands
  Church of God 26%, United Church 11.8% (Presbyterian
  and Congregational), Roman Catholic 11%, Baptist 8.7%, Seventh Day
  Adventist 8.2%, Anglican 5.7%, Pentecostal 5.3%, other Christian
  2.7%, non-denominational 5.8%, other 3.8%, none 9.8%, unspecified
  1.1% (1999 census)

Central African Republic
  indigenous beliefs 35%, Protestant 25%,
  Roman Catholic 25%, Muslim 15%
  note: animistic beliefs and practices strongly influence the
  Christian majority

Chad
  Muslim 53.1%, Catholic 20.1%, Protestant 14.2%, animist 7.3%,
  other 0.5%, unknown 1.7%, atheist 3.1% (1993 census)

Chile
  Roman Catholic 70%, Evangelical 15.1%, Jehovah's Witness 1.1%,
  other Christian 1%, other 4.6%, none 8.3% (2002 census)

China
  Daoist (Taoist), Buddhist, Christian 3%-4%, Muslim 1%-2%
  note: officially atheist (2002 est.)

Christmas Island
  Buddhist 36%, Muslim 25%, Christian 18%, other 21%
  (1997)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  Sunni Muslim 80%, other 20% (2002 est.)

Colombia
  Roman Catholic 90%, other 10%

Comoros
  Sunni Muslim 98%, Roman Catholic 2%

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant
  20%, Kimbanguist 10%, Muslim 10%, other (includes syncretic sects
  and indigenous beliefs) 10%

Congo, Republic of the
  Christian 50%, animist 48%, Muslim 2%

Cook Islands
  Cook Islands Christian Church 55.9%, Roman Catholic
  16.8%, Seventh-Day Adventists 7.9%, Church of Latter Day Saints
  3.8%, other Protestant 5.8%, other 4.2%, unspecified 2.6%, none 3%
  (2001 census)

Costa Rica
  Roman Catholic 76.3%, Evangelical 13.7%, Jehovah's
  Witnesses 1.3%, other Protestant 0.7%, other 4.8%, none 3.2%

Cote d'Ivoire
  Muslim 38.6%, Christian 32.8%, indigenous 11.9%, none
  16.7% (2008 est.)
  note: the majority of foreigners (migratory workers) are Muslim
  (70%) and Christian (20%)

Croatia
  Roman Catholic 87.8%, Orthodox 4.4%, other Christian 0.4%,
  Muslim 1.3%, other and unspecified 0.9%, none 5.2% (2001 census)

Cuba
  nominally 85% Roman Catholic prior to CASTRO assuming power;
  Protestants, Jehovah's Witnesses, Jews, and Santeria are also
  represented

Cyprus
  Greek Orthodox 78%, Muslim 18%, other (includes Maronite and
  Armenian Apostolic) 4%

Czech Republic
  Roman Catholic 26.8%, Protestant 2.1%, other 3.3%,
  unspecified 8.8%, unaffiliated 59% (2001 census)

Denmark
  Evangelical Lutheran 95%, other Christian (includes
  Protestant and Roman Catholic) 3%, Muslim 2%

Djibouti
  Muslim 94%, Christian 6%

Dominica
  Roman Catholic 61.4%, Seventh Day Adventist 6%, Pentecostal
  5.6%, Baptist 4.1%, Methodist 3.7%, Church of God 1.2%, Jehovah's
  Witnesses 1.2%, other Christian 7.7%, Rastafarian 1.3%, other or
  unspecified 1.6%, none 6.1% (2001 census)

Dominican Republic
  Roman Catholic 95%, other 5%

Ecuador
  Roman Catholic 95%, other 5%

Egypt
  Muslim (mostly Sunni) 90%, Coptic 9%, other Christian 1%

El Salvador
  Roman Catholic 57.1%, Protestant 21.2%, Jehovah's
  Witnesses 1.9%, Mormon 0.7%, other religions 2.3%, none 16.8% (2003
  est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  nominally Christian and predominantly Roman
  Catholic, pagan practices

Eritrea
  Muslim, Coptic Christian, Roman Catholic, Protestant

Estonia
  Evangelical Lutheran 13.6%, Orthodox 12.8%, other Christian
  (including Methodist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic,
  Pentecostal) 1.4%, unaffiliated 34.1%, other and unspecified 32%,
  none 6.1% (2000 census)

Ethiopia
  Christian 60.8% (Orthodox 50.6%, Protestant 10.2%), Muslim
  32.8%, traditional 4.6%, other 1.8% (1994 census)

European Union
  Roman Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, Muslim, Jewish

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  Christian 67.2%, none 31.5%, other
  1.3% (2006 census)

Faroe Islands
  Evangelical Lutheran 83.8%, other and unspecified
  16.2% (2006 administrative data)

Fiji
  Christian 64.5% (Methodist 34.6%, Roman Catholic 9.1%, Assembly
  of God 5.7%, Seventh Day Adventist 3.9%, Anglican 0.8%, other
  10.4%), Hindu 27.9%, Muslim 6.3%, Sikh 0.3%, other or unspecified
  0.3%, none 0.7% (2007 census)

Finland
  Lutheran Church of Finland 82.5%, Orthodox Church 1.1%,
  other Christian 1.1%, other 0.1%, none 15.1% (2006)

France
  Roman Catholic 83%-88%, Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim
  5%-10%, unaffiliated 4%
  overseas departments: Roman Catholic, Protestant, Hindu, Muslim,
  Buddhist, pagan

French Polynesia
  Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 10%, no
  religion 6%

Gabon
  Christian 55%-75%, animist, Muslim less than 1%

Gambia, The
  Muslim 90%, Christian 8%, indigenous beliefs 2%

Gaza Strip
  Muslim (predominantly Sunni) 99.3%, Christian 0.7%

Georgia
  Orthodox Christian 83.9%, Muslim 9.9%, Armenian-Gregorian
  3.9%, Catholic 0.8%, other 0.8%, none 0.7% (2002 census)

Germany
  Protestant 34%, Roman Catholic 34%, Muslim 3.7%,
  unaffiliated or other 28.3%

Ghana
  Christian 68.8% (Pentecostal/Charismatic 24.1%, Protestant
  18.6%, Catholic 15.1%, other 11%), Muslim 15.9%, traditional 8.5%,
  other 0.7%, none 6.1% (2000 census)

Gibraltar
  Roman Catholic 78.1%, Church of England 7%, other
  Christian 3.2%, Muslim 4%, Jewish 2.1%, Hindu 1.8%, other or
  unspecified 0.9%, none 2.9% (2001 census)

Greece
  Greek Orthodox 98%, Muslim 1.3%, other 0.7%

Greenland
  Evangelical Lutheran

Grenada
  Roman Catholic 53%, Anglican 13.8%, other Protestant 33.2%

Guam
  Roman Catholic 85%, other 15% (1999 est.)

Guatemala
  Roman Catholic, Protestant, indigenous Mayan beliefs

Guernsey
  Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist,
  Congregational, Methodist

Guinea
  Muslim 85%, Christian 8%, indigenous beliefs 7%

Guinea-Bissau
  Muslim 50%, indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 10%

Guyana
  Hindu 28.4%, Pentecostal 16.9%, Roman Catholic 8.1%, Anglican
  6.9%, Seventh Day Adventist 5%, Methodist 1.7%, Jehovah Witness
  1.1%, other Christian 17.7%, Muslim 7.2%, other 4.3%, none 4.3%
  (2002 census)

Haiti
  Roman Catholic 80%, Protestant 16% (Baptist 10%, Pentecostal
  4%, Adventist 1%, other 1%), none 1%, other 3%
  note: roughly half of the population practices voodoo

Holy See (Vatican City)
  Roman Catholic

Honduras
  Roman Catholic 97%, Protestant 3%

Hong Kong
  eclectic mixture of local religions 90%, Christian 10%

Hungary
  Roman Catholic 51.9%, Calvinist 15.9%, Lutheran 3%, Greek
  Catholic 2.6%, other Christian 1%, other or unspecified 11.1%,
  unaffiliated 14.5% (2001 census)

Iceland
  Lutheran Church of Iceland 80.7%, Roman Catholic Church
  2.5%, Reykjavik Free Church 2.4%, Hafnarfjorour Free Church 1.6%,
  other religions 3.6%, unaffiliated 3%, other or unspecified 6.2%
  (2006 est.)

India
  Hindu 80.5%, Muslim 13.4%, Christian 2.3%, Sikh 1.9%, other
  1.8%, unspecified 0.1% (2001 census)

Indonesia
  Muslim 86.1%, Protestant 5.7%, Roman Catholic 3%, Hindu
  1.8%, other or unspecified 3.4% (2000 census)

Iran
  Muslim 98% (Shia 89%, Sunni 9%), other (includes Zoroastrian,
  Jewish, Christian, and Baha'i) 2%

Iraq
  Muslim 97% (Shia 60%-65%, Sunni 32%-37%), Christian or other 3%

Ireland
  Roman Catholic 87.4%, Church of Ireland 2.9%, other
  Christian 1.9%, other 2.1%, unspecified 1.5%, none 4.2% (2006 census)

Isle of Man
  Anglican, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Baptist,
  Presbyterian, Society of Friends

Israel
  Jewish 76.4%, Muslim 16%, Arab Christians 1.7%, other
  Christian 0.4%, Druze 1.6%, unspecified 3.9% (2004)

Italy
  Roman Catholic 90% (approximately; about one-third
  practicing), other 10% (includes mature Protestant and Jewish
  communities and a growing Muslim immigrant community)

Jamaica
  Protestant 62.5% (Seventh-Day Adventist 10.8%, Pentecostal
  9.5%, Other Church of God 8.3%, Baptist 7.2%, New Testament Church
  of God 6.3%, Church of God in Jamaica 4.8%, Church of God of
  Prophecy 4.3%, Anglican 3.6%, other Christian 7.7%), Roman Catholic
  2.6%, other or unspecified 14.2%, none 20.9%, (2001 census)

Japan
  Shintoism 83.9%, Buddhism 71.4%, Christianity 2%, other 7.8%
  note: total adherents exceeds 100% because many people belong to
  both Shintoism and Buddhism (2005)

Jersey
  Anglican, Roman Catholic, Baptist, Congregational New Church,
  Methodist, Presbyterian

Jordan
  Sunni Muslim 92%, Christian 6% (majority Greek Orthodox, but
  some Greek and Roman Catholics, Syrian Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox,
  Armenian Orthodox, and Protestant denominations), other 2% (several
  small Shia Muslim and Druze populations) (2001 est.)

Kazakhstan
  Muslim 47%, Russian Orthodox 44%, Protestant 2%, other 7%

Kenya
  Protestant 45%, Roman Catholic 33%, Muslim 10%, indigenous
  beliefs 10%, other 2%
  note: a large majority of Kenyans are Christian, but estimates for
  the percentage of the population that adheres to Islam or indigenous
  beliefs vary widely

Kiribati
  Roman Catholic 52%, Protestant (Congregational) 40%, other
  (includes Seventh-Day Adventist, Muslim, Baha'i, Latter-day Saints,
  Church of God) 8% (1999)

Korea, North
  traditionally Buddhist and Confucianist, some Christian
  and syncretic Chondogyo (Religion of the Heavenly Way)
  note: autonomous religious activities now almost nonexistent;
  government-sponsored religious groups exist to provide illusion of
  religious freedom

Korea, South
  Christian 26.3% (Protestant 19.7%, Roman Catholic
  6.6%), Buddhist 23.2%, other or unknown 1.3%, none 49.3% (1995
  census)

Kosovo
  Muslim, Serbian Orthodox, Roman Catholic

Kuwait
  Muslim 85% (Sunni 70%, Shia 30%), other (includes Christian,
  Hindu, Parsi) 15%

Kyrgyzstan
  Muslim 75%, Russian Orthodox 20%, other 5%

Laos
  Buddhist 67%, Christian 1.5%, other and unspecified 31.5% (2005
  census)

Latvia
  Lutheran 19.6%, Orthodox 15.3%, other Christian 1%, other
  0.4%, unspecified 63.7% (2006)

Lebanon
  Muslim 59.7% (Shia, Sunni, Druze, Isma'ilite, Alawite or
  Nusayri), Christian 39% (Maronite Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Melkite
  Catholic, Armenian Orthodox, Syrian Catholic, Armenian Catholic,
  Syrian Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Chaldean, Assyrian, Copt,
  Protestant), other 1.3%
  note: 17 religious sects recognized

Lesotho
  Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20%

Liberia
  Christian 40%, Muslim 20%, indigenous beliefs 40%

Libya
  Sunni Muslim 97%, other 3%

Liechtenstein
  Roman Catholic 76.2%, Protestant 7%, unknown 10.6%,
  other 6.2% (June 2002)

Lithuania
  Roman Catholic 79%, Russian Orthodox 4.1%, Protestant
  (including Lutheran and Evangelical Christian Baptist) 1.9%, other
  or unspecified 5.5%, none 9.5% (2001 census)

Luxembourg
  Roman Catholic 87%, other (includes Protestant, Jewish,
  and Muslim) 13% (2000)

Macau
  Buddhist 50%, Roman Catholic 15%, none or other 35% (1997 est.)

Macedonia
  Macedonian Orthodox 64.7%, Muslim 33.3%, other Christian
  0.37%, other and unspecified 1.63% (2002 census)

Madagascar
  indigenous beliefs 52%, Christian 41%, Muslim 7%

Malawi
  Christian 79.9%, Muslim 12.8%, other 3%, none 4.3% (1998
  census)

Malaysia
  Muslim 60.4%, Buddhist 19.2%, Christian 9.1%, Hindu 6.3%,
  Confucianism, Taoism, other traditional Chinese religions 2.6%,
  other or unknown 1.5%, none 0.8% (2000 census)

Maldives
  Sunni Muslim

Mali
  Muslim 90%, Christian 1%, indigenous beliefs 9%

Malta
  Roman Catholic 98%

Marshall Islands
  Protestant 54.8%, Assembly of God 25.8%, Roman
  Catholic 8.4%, Bukot nan Jesus 2.8%, Mormon 2.1%, other Christian
  3.6%, other 1%, none 1.5% (1999 census)

Mauritania
  Muslim 100%

Mauritius
  Hindu 48%, Roman Catholic 23.6%, Muslim 16.6%, other
  Christian 8.6%, other 2.5%, unspecified 0.3%, none 0.4% (2000 census)

Mayotte
  Muslim 97%, Christian (mostly Roman Catholic) 3%

Mexico
  Roman Catholic 76.5%, Protestant 6.3% (Pentecostal 1.4%,
  Jehovah's Witnesses 1.1%, other 3.8%), other 0.3%, unspecified
  13.8%, none 3.1% (2000 census)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 47%,
  other 3%

Moldova
  Eastern Orthodox 98%, Jewish 1.5%, Baptist and other 0.5%
  (2000)

Monaco
  Roman Catholic 90%, other 10%

Mongolia
  Buddhist Lamaist 50%, Shamanist and Christian 6%, Muslim
  4%, none 40% (2004)

Montenegro
  Orthodox 74.2%, Muslim 17.7%, Catholic 3.5%, other 0.6%,
  unspecified 3%, atheist 1% (2003 census)

Montserrat
  Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal,
  Seventh-Day Adventist, other Christian denominations

Morocco
  Muslim 98.7%, Christian 1.1%, Jewish 0.2%

Mozambique
  Catholic 23.8%, Muslim 17.8%, Zionist Christian 17.5%,
  other 17.8%, none 23.1% (1997 census)

Namibia
  Christian 80% to 90% (Lutheran 50% at least), indigenous
  beliefs 10% to 20%

Nauru
  Nauru Congregational 35.4%, Roman Catholic 33.2%, Nauru
  Independent Church 10.4%, other 14.1%, none 4.5%, unspecified 2.4%
  (2002 census)

Nepal
  Hindu 80.6%, Buddhist 10.7%, Muslim 4.2%, Kirant 3.6%, other
  0.9% (2001 census)
  note: only official Hindu state in the world

Netherlands
  Roman Catholic 30%, Dutch Reformed 11%, Calvinist 6%,
  other Protestant 3%, Muslim 5.8%, other 2.2%, none 42% (2006)

Netherlands Antilles
  Roman Catholic 72%, Pentecostal 4.9%,
  Protestant 3.5%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3.1%, Methodist 2.9%,
  Jehovah's Witnesses 1.7%, other Christian 4.2%, Jewish 1.3%, other
  or unspecified 1.2%, none 5.2% (2001 census)

New Caledonia
  Roman Catholic 60%, Protestant 30%, other 10%

New Zealand
  Anglican 14.9%, Roman Catholic 12.4%, Presbyterian
  10.9%, Methodist 2.9%, Pentecostal 1.7%, Baptist 1.3%, other
  Christian 9.4%, other 3.3%, unspecified 17.2%, none 26% (2001 census)

Nicaragua
  Roman Catholic 58.5%, Evangelical 21.6%, Moravian 1.6%,
  Jehovah's Witness 0.9%, other 1.7%, none 15.7% (2005 census)

Niger
  Muslim 80%, other (includes indigenous beliefs and Christian)
  20%

Nigeria
  Muslim 50%, Christian 40%, indigenous beliefs 10%

Niue
  Ekalesia Niue (Niuean Church - a Protestant church closely
  related to the London Missionary Society) 61.1%, Latter-Day Saints
  8.8%, Roman Catholic 7.2%, Jehovah's Witnesses 2.4%, Seventh-Day
  Adventist 1.4%, other 8.4%, unspecified 8.7%, none 1.9% (2001 census)

Norfolk Island
  Anglican 31.8%, Roman Catholic 11.5%, Uniting Church
  in Australia 10.6%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3.2%, other Christian
  5.6%, none 19.9%, unspecified 16.6% (2006 census)

Northern Mariana Islands
  Christian (Roman Catholic majority,
  although traditional beliefs and taboos may still be found)

Norway
  Church of Norway 85.7%, Pentecostal 1%, Roman Catholic 1%,
  other Christian 2.4%, Muslim 1.8%, other 8.1% (2004)

Oman
  Ibadhi Muslim 75%, other (includes Sunni Muslim, Shia Muslim,
  Hindu) 25%

Pakistan
  Muslim 95% (Sunni 75%, Shia 20%), other (includes Christian
  and Hindu) 5%

Palau
  Roman Catholic 41.6%, Protestant 23.3%, Modekngei 8.8%
  (indigenous to Palau), Seventh-Day Adventist 5.3%, Jehovah's Witness
  0.9%, Latter-Day Saints 0.6%, other 3.1%, unspecified or none 16.4%
  (2000 census)

Panama
  Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 15%

Papua New Guinea
  Roman Catholic 27%, Evangelical Lutheran 19.5%,
  United Church 11.5%, Seventh-Day Adventist 10%, Pentecostal 8.6%,
  Evangelical Alliance 5.2%, Anglican 3.2%, Baptist 2.5%, other
  Protestant 8.9%, Bahai 0.3%, indigenous beliefs and other 3.3% (2000
  census)

Paraguay
  Roman Catholic 89.6%, Protestant 6.2%, other Christian
  1.1%, other or unspecified 1.9%, none 1.1% (2002 census)

Peru
  Roman Catholic 81.3%, Evangelical 12.5%, other 3.3%,
  unspecified or none 2.9% (2007 Census)

Philippines
  Roman Catholic 80.9%, Muslim 5%, Evangelical 2.8%,
  Iglesia ni Kristo 2.3%, Aglipayan 2%, other Christian 4.5%, other
  1.8%, unspecified 0.6%, none 0.1% (2000 census)

Pitcairn Islands
  Seventh-Day Adventist 100%

Poland
  Roman Catholic 89.8% (about 75% practicing), Eastern Orthodox
  1.3%, Protestant 0.3%, other 0.3%, unspecified 8.3% (2002)

Portugal
  Roman Catholic 84.5%, other Christian 2.2%, other 0.3%,
  unknown 9%, none 3.9% (2001 census)

Puerto Rico
  Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant and other 15%

Qatar
  Muslim 77.5%, Christian 8.5%, other 14% (2004 census)

Romania
  Eastern Orthodox (including all sub-denominations) 86.8%,
  Protestant (various denominations including Reformate and
  Pentecostal) 7.5%, Roman Catholic 4.7%, other (mostly Muslim) and
  unspecified 0.9%, none 0.1% (2002 census)

Russia
  Russian Orthodox 15-20%, Muslim 10-15%, other Christian 2%
  (2006 est.)
  note: estimates are of practicing worshipers; Russia has large
  populations of non-practicing believers and non-believers, a legacy
  of over seven decades of Soviet rule

Rwanda
  Roman Catholic 56.5%, Protestant 26%, Adventist 11.1%, Muslim
  4.6%, indigenous beliefs 0.1%, none 1.7% (2001)

Saint Barthelemy
  Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jehovah's Witness

Saint Helena
  Anglican (majority), Baptist, Seventh-Day Adventist,
  Roman Catholic

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  Anglican, other Protestant, Roman Catholic

Saint Lucia
  Roman Catholic 67.5%, Seventh Day Adventist 8.5%,
  Pentecostal 5.7%, Rastafarian 2.1%, Anglican 2%, Evangelical 2%,
  other Christian 5.1%, other 1.1%, unspecified 1.5%, none 4.5% (2001
  census)

Saint Martin
  Roman Catholic, Jehovah's Witness, Protestant, Hindu

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  Roman Catholic 99%, other 1%

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  Anglican 47%, Methodist 28%, Roman
  Catholic 13%, other (includes Hindu, Seventh-Day Adventist, other
  Protestant) 12%

Samoa
  Congregationalist 34.8%, Roman Catholic 19.6%, Methodist 15%,
  Latter-Day Saints 12.7%, Assembly of God 6.6%, Seventh-Day Adventist
  3.5%, Worship Centre 1.3%, other Christian 4.5%, other 1.9%,
  unspecified 0.1% (2001 census)

San Marino
  Roman Catholic

Sao Tome and Principe
  Catholic 70.3%, Evangelical 3.4%, New
  Apostolic 2%, Adventist 1.8%, other 3.1%, none 19.4% (2001 census)

Saudi Arabia
  Muslim 100%

Senegal
  Muslim 94%, Christian 5% (mostly Roman Catholic), indigenous
  beliefs 1%

Serbia
  Serbian Orthodox 85%, Catholic 5.5%, Protestant 1.1%, Muslim
  3.2%, unspecified 2.6%, other, unknown, or atheist 2.6% (2002 census)

Seychelles
  Roman Catholic 82.3%, Anglican 6.4%, Seventh Day
  Adventist 1.1%, other Christian 3.4%, Hindu 2.1%, Muslim 1.1%, other
  non-Christian 1.5%, unspecified 1.5%, none 0.6% (2002 census)

Sierra Leone
  Muslim 60%, Christian 10%, indigenous beliefs 30%

Singapore
  Buddhist 42.5%, Muslim 14.9%, Taoist 8.5%, Hindu 4%,
  Catholic 4.8%, other Christian 9.8%, other 0.7%, none 14.8% (2000
  census)

Slovakia
  Roman Catholic 68.9%, Protestant 10.8%, Greek Catholic
  4.1%, other or unspecified 3.2%, none 13% (2001 census)

Slovenia
  Catholic 57.8%, Muslim 2.4%, Orthodox 2.3%, other Christian
  0.9%, unaffiliated 3.5%, other or unspecified 23%, none 10.1% (2002
  census)

Solomon Islands
  Church of Melanesia 32.8%, Roman Catholic 19%, South
  Seas Evangelical 17%, Seventh-Day Adventist 11.2%, United Church
  10.3%, Christian Fellowship Church 2.4%, other Christian 4.4%, other
  2.4%, unspecified 0.3%, none 0.2% (1999 census)

Somalia
  Sunni Muslim

South Africa
  Zion Christian 11.1%, Pentecostal/Charismatic 8.2%,
  Catholic 7.1%, Methodist 6.8%, Dutch Reformed 6.7%, Anglican 3.8%,
  Muslim 1.5%, other Christian 36%, other 2.3%, unspecified 1.4%, none
  15.1% (2001 census)

Spain
  Roman Catholic 94%, other 6%

Sri Lanka
  Buddhist 69.1%, Muslim 7.6%, Hindu 7.1%, Christian 6.2%,
  unspecified 10% (2001 census provisional data)

Sudan
  Sunni Muslim 70% (in north), Christian 5% (mostly in south and
  Khartoum), indigenous beliefs 25%

Suriname
  Hindu 27.4%, Protestant 25.2% (predominantly Moravian),
  Roman Catholic 22.8%, Muslim 19.6%, indigenous beliefs 5%

Swaziland
  Zionist 40% (a blend of Christianity and indigenous
  ancestral worship), Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 10%, other (includes
  Anglican, Bahai, Methodist, Mormon, Jewish) 30%

Sweden
  Lutheran 87%, other (includes Roman Catholic, Orthodox,
  Baptist, Muslim, Jewish, and Buddhist) 13%

Switzerland
  Roman Catholic 41.8%, Protestant 35.3%, Muslim 4.3%,
  Orthodox 1.8%, other Christian 0.4%, other 1%, unspecified 4.3%,
  none 11.1% (2000 census)

Syria
  Sunni Muslim 74%, other Muslim (includes Alawite, Druze) 16%,
  Christian (various denominations) 10%, Jewish (tiny communities in
  Damascus, Al Qamishli, and Aleppo)

Taiwan
  mixture of Buddhist and Taoist 93%, Christian 4.5%, other 2.5%

Tajikistan
  Sunni Muslim 85%, Shia Muslim 5%, other 10% (2003 est.)

Tanzania
  mainland - Christian 30%, Muslim 35%, indigenous beliefs
  35%; Zanzibar - more than 99% Muslim

Thailand
  Buddhist 94.6%, Muslim 4.6%, Christian 0.7%, other 0.1%
  (2000 census)

Timor-Leste
  Roman Catholic 98%, Muslim 1%, Protestant 1% (2005)

Togo
  Christian 29%, Muslim 20%, indigenous beliefs 51%

Tokelau
  Congregational Christian Church 70%, Roman Catholic 28%,
  other 2%
  note: on Atafu, all Congregational Christian Church of Samoa; on
  Nukunonu, all Roman Catholic; on Fakaofo, both denominations, with
  the Congregational Christian Church predominant

Tonga
  Christian (Free Wesleyan Church claims over 30,000 adherents)

Trinidad and Tobago
  Roman Catholic 26%, Hindu 22.5%, Anglican 7.8%,
  Baptist 7.2%, Pentecostal 6.8%, Muslim 5.8%, Seventh Day Adventist
  4%, other Christian 5.8%, other 10.8%, unspecified 1.4%, none 1.9%
  (2000 census)

Tunisia
  Muslim 98%, Christian 1%, Jewish and other 1%

Turkey
  Muslim 99.8% (mostly Sunni), other 0.2% (mostly Christians
  and Jews)

Turkmenistan
  Muslim 89%, Eastern Orthodox 9%, unknown 2%

Turks and Caicos Islands
  Baptist 40%, Anglican 18%, Methodist 16%,
  Church of God 12%, other 14% (1990)

Tuvalu
  Church of Tuvalu (Congregationalist) 97%, Seventh-Day
  Adventist 1.4%, Baha'i 1%, other 0.6%

Uganda
  Roman Catholic 41.9%, Protestant 42% (Anglican 35.9%,
  Pentecostal 4.6%, Seventh Day Adventist 1.5%), Muslim 12.1%, other
  3.1%, none 0.9% (2002 census)

Ukraine
  Ukrainian Orthodox - Kyiv Patriarchate 50.4%, Ukrainian
  Orthodox - Moscow Patriarchate 26.1%, Ukrainian Greek Catholic 8%,
  Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox 7.2%, Roman Catholic 2.2%,
  Protestant 2.2%, Jewish 0.6%, other 3.2% (2006 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  Muslim 96% (Shia 16%), other (includes
  Christian, Hindu) 4%

United Kingdom
  Christian (Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian,
  Methodist) 71.6%, Muslim 2.7%, Hindu 1%, other 1.6%, unspecified or
  none 23.1% (2001 census)

United States
  Protestant 51.3%, Roman Catholic 23.9%, Mormon 1.7%,
  other Christian 1.6%, Jewish 1.7%, Buddhist 0.7%, Muslim 0.6%, other
  or unspecified 2.5%, unaffiliated 12.1%, none 4% (2007 est.)

Uruguay
  Roman Catholic 47.1%, non-Catholic Christians 11.1%,
  nondenominational 23.2%, Jewish 0.3%, atheist or agnostic 17.2%,
  other 1.1% (2006)

Uzbekistan
  Muslim 88% (mostly Sunnis), Eastern Orthodox 9%, other 3%

Vanuatu
  Presbyterian 31.4%, Anglican 13.4%, Roman Catholic 13.1%,
  Seventh-Day Adventist 10.8%, other Christian 13.8%, indigenous
  beliefs 5.6% (including Jon Frum cargo cult), other 9.6%, none 1%,
  unspecified 1.3% (1999 Census)

Venezuela
  nominally Roman Catholic 96%, Protestant 2%, other 2%

Vietnam
  Buddhist 9.3%, Catholic 6.7%, Hoa Hao 1.5%, Cao Dai 1.1%,
  Protestant 0.5%, Muslim 0.1%, none 80.8% (1999 census)

Virgin Islands
  Baptist 42%, Roman Catholic 34%, Episcopalian 17%,
  other 7%

Wallis and Futuna
  Roman Catholic 99%, other 1%

West Bank
  Muslim 75% (predominantly Sunni), Jewish 17%, Christian
  and other 8%

Western Sahara
  Muslim

World
  Christians 33.32% (of which Roman Catholics 16.99%,
  Protestants 5.78%, Orthodox 3.53%, Anglicans 1.25%), Muslims 21.01%,
  Hindus 13.26%, Buddhists 5.84%, Sikhs 0.35%, Jews 0.23%, Baha'is
  0.12%, other religions 11.78%, non-religious 11.77%, atheists 2.32%
  (2007 est.)

Yemen
  Muslim including Shaf'i (Sunni) and Zaydi (Shia), small
  numbers of Jewish, Christian, and Hindu

Zambia
  Christian 50%-75%, Muslim and Hindu 24%-49%, indigenous
  beliefs 1%

Zimbabwe
  syncretic (part Christian, part indigenous beliefs) 50%,
  Christian 25%, indigenous beliefs 24%, Muslim and other 1%

======================================================================

@2123

Field Listing :: Suffrage

This entry gives the age at enfranchisement and whether the right to vote is universal or restricted. Country

Suffrage

Afghanistan
  18 years of age; universal

Albania
  18 years of age; universal

Algeria
  18 years of age; universal

American Samoa
  18 years of age; universal

Andorra
  18 years of age; universal

Angola
  18 years of age; universal

Anguilla
  18 years of age; universal

Antigua and Barbuda
  18 years of age; universal

Argentina
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Armenia
  18 years of age; universal

Aruba
  18 years of age; universal

Australia
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Austria
  16 years of age; universal; note - reduced from 18 years of
  age in 2007

Azerbaijan
  18 years of age; universal

Bahamas, The
  18 years of age; universal

Bahrain
  20 years of age; universal

Bangladesh
  18 years of age; universal

Barbados
  18 years of age; universal

Belarus
  18 years of age; universal

Belgium
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Belize
  18 years of age; universal

Benin
  18 years of age; universal

Bermuda
  18 years of age; universal

Bhutan
  18 years of age; universal

Bolivia
  18 years of age, universal and compulsory (married); 21
  years of age, universal and compulsory (single)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  18 years of age, 16 if employed; universal

Botswana
  18 years of age; universal

Brazil
  voluntary between 16 and 18 years of age and over 70;
  compulsory over 18 and under 70 years of age; note - military
  conscripts do not vote

British Virgin Islands
  18 years of age; universal

Brunei
  18 years of age for village elections; universal

Bulgaria
  18 years of age; universal

Burkina Faso
  18 years of age; universal

Burma
  18 years of age; universal

Burundi
  18 years of age; universal (adult)

Cambodia
  18 years of age; universal

Cameroon
  20 years of age; universal

Canada
  18 years of age; universal

Cape Verde
  18 years of age; universal

Cayman Islands
  18 years of age; universal

Central African Republic
  21 years of age; universal

Chad
  18 years of age; universal

Chile
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

China
  18 years of age; universal

Christmas Island
  18 years of age

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  18 years of age

Colombia
  18 years of age; universal

Comoros
  18 years of age; universal

Congo, Democratic Republic of the 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Congo, Republic of the
  18 years of age; universal

Cook Islands
  18 years of age; universal (adult)

Costa Rica
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Cote d'Ivoire
  18 years of age; universal

Croatia
  18 years of age; universal (16 years of age, if employed)

Cuba
  16 years of age; universal

Cyprus
  18 years of age; universal

Czech Republic
  18 years of age; universal

Denmark
  18 years of age; universal

Djibouti
  18 years of age; universal

Dominica
  18 years of age; universal

Dominican Republic
  18 years of age, universal and compulsory;
  married persons regardless of age; note - members of the armed
  forces and national police cannot vote

Ecuador
  18 years of age; universal, compulsory for literate persons
  ages 18-65, optional for other eligible voters

Egypt
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

El Salvador
  18 years of age; universal

Equatorial Guinea
  18 years of age; universal

Eritrea
  18 years of age; universal

Estonia
  18 years of age; universal for all Estonian citizens

Ethiopia
  18 years of age; universal

European Union
  18 years of age; universal

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  18 years of age; universal

Faroe Islands
  18 years of age; universal

Fiji
  21 years of age; universal

Finland
  18 years of age; universal

France
  18 years of age; universal

French Polynesia
  18 years of age; universal

Gabon
  21 years of age; universal

Gambia, The
  18 years of age; universal

Georgia
  18 years of age; universal

Germany
  18 years of age; universal

Ghana
  18 years of age; universal

Gibraltar
  18 years of age; universal; and British citizens who have
  been residents six months or more

Greece
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Greenland
  18 years of age; universal

Grenada
  18 years of age; universal

Guam
  18 years of age; universal; US citizens but do not vote in US
  presidential elections

Guatemala
  18 years of age; universal; note - active duty members of
  the armed forces may not vote and are restricted to their barracks
  on election day

Guernsey
  16 years of age; universal

Guinea
  18 years of age; universal

Guinea-Bissau
  18 years of age; universal

Guyana
  18 years of age; universal

Haiti
  18 years of age; universal

Holy See (Vatican City)
  limited to cardinals less than 80 years old

Honduras
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Hong Kong
  direct election - 18 years of age for half the legislature
  and a majority of seats in 18 district councils; universal for
  permanent residents living in the territory of Hong Kong for the
  past seven years; indirect election - limited to about 220,000
  members of functional constituencies and an 800-member election
  committee drawn from broad regional groupings, central government
  bodies, and municipal organizations

Hungary
  18 years of age; universal

Iceland
  18 years of age; universal

India
  18 years of age; universal

Indonesia
  17 years of age; universal and married persons regardless
  of age

Iran
  18 years of age; universal

Iraq
  18 years of age; universal

Ireland
  18 years of age; universal

Isle of Man
  16 years of age; universal

Israel
  18 years of age; universal

Italy
  18 years of age; universal (except in senatorial elections,
  where minimum age is 25)

Jamaica
  18 years of age; universal

Japan
  20 years of age; universal

Jersey
  16 years of age; universal

Jordan
  18 years of age; universal

Kazakhstan
  18 years of age; universal

Kenya
  18 years of age; universal

Kiribati
  18 years of age; universal

Korea, North
  17 years of age; universal

Korea, South
  19 years of age; universal

Kosovo
  18 years of age; universal

Kuwait
  21 years of age; universal (adult); note - males in the
  military or police are not allowed to vote; adult females were
  allowed to vote as of 16 May 2005; all voters must have been
  citizens for 20 years

Kyrgyzstan
  18 years of age; universal

Laos
  18 years of age; universal

Latvia
  18 years of age; universal for Latvian citizens

Lebanon
  21 years of age; compulsory for all males; authorized for
  women at age 21 with elementary education; excludes military
  personnel

Lesotho
  18 years of age; universal

Liberia
  18 years of age; universal

Libya
  18 years of age; universal and technically compulsory

Liechtenstein
  18 years of age; universal

Lithuania
  18 years of age; universal

Luxembourg
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Macau
  direct election 18 years of age for some non-executive
  positions, universal for permanent residents living in Macau for the
  past seven years; indirect election limited to organizations
  registered as "corporate voters" (257 are currently registered) and
  a 300-member Election Committee drawn from broad regional groupings,
  municipal organizations, and central government bodies

Macedonia
  18 years of age; universal

Madagascar
  18 years of age; universal

Malawi
  18 years of age; universal

Malaysia
  21 years of age; universal

Maldives
  21 years of age; universal

Mali
  18 years of age; universal

Malta
  18 years of age; universal

Marshall Islands
  18 years of age; universal

Mauritania
  18 years of age; universal

Mauritius
  18 years of age; universal

Mayotte
  18 years of age; universal

Mexico
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory (but not enforced)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  18 years of age; universal

Moldova
  18 years of age; universal

Monaco
  18 years of age; universal

Mongolia
  18 years of age; universal

Montenegro
  18 years of age; universal

Montserrat
  18 years of age; universal

Morocco
  18 years of age; universal (as of January 2003)

Mozambique
  18 years of age; universal

Namibia
  18 years of age; universal

Nauru
  20 years of age; universal and compulsory

Nepal
  18 years of age; universal

Netherlands
  18 years of age; universal

Netherlands Antilles
  18 years of age; universal

New Caledonia
  18 years of age; universal

New Zealand
  18 years of age; universal

Nicaragua
  16 years of age; universal

Niger
  18 years of age; universal

Nigeria
  18 years of age; universal

Niue
  18 years of age; universal

Norfolk Island
  18 years of age; universal

Northern Mariana Islands 18 years of age; universal; indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections

Norway
  18 years of age; universal

Oman
  21 years of age; universal; note - members of the military and
  security forces are not allowed to vote

Pakistan
  18 years of age; universal; joint electorates and reserved
  parliamentary seats for women and non-Muslims

Palau
  18 years of age; universal

Panama
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Papua New Guinea
  18 years of age; universal

Paraguay
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory up to age 75

Peru
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory until the age of 70;
  note - for the first time in recent elections, members of the
  military and national police were eligible to vote in the 2006
  elections

Philippines
  18 years of age; universal

Pitcairn Islands 18 years of age; universal with three years residency

Poland
  18 years of age; universal

Portugal
  18 years of age; universal

Puerto Rico
  18 years of age; universal; island residents are US
  citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections

Qatar
  18 years of age; universal

Romania
  18 years of age; universal

Russia
  18 years of age; universal

Rwanda
  18 years of age; universal

Saint Barthelemy
  18 years of age, universal

Saint Helena
  NA

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  18 years of age; universal

Saint Lucia
  18 years of age; universal

Saint Martin
  18 years of age, universal

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  18 years of age; universal

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  18 years of age; universal

Samoa
  21 years of age; universal

San Marino
  18 years of age; universal

Sao Tome and Principe
  18 years of age; universal

Saudi Arabia
  21 years of age; male

Senegal
  18 years of age; universal

Serbia
  18 years of age; universal

Seychelles
  17 years of age; universal

Sierra Leone
  18 years of age; universal

Singapore
  21 years of age; universal and compulsory

Slovakia
  18 years of age; universal

Slovenia
  18 years of age; universal (16 years of age, if employed)

Solomon Islands
  21 years of age; universal

Somalia
  18 years of age; universal

South Africa
  18 years of age; universal

Spain
  18 years of age; universal

Sri Lanka
  18 years of age; universal

Sudan
  17 years of age; universal

Suriname
  18 years of age; universal

Swaziland
  18 years of age

Sweden
  18 years of age; universal

Switzerland
  18 years of age; universal

Syria
  18 years of age; universal

Taiwan
  20 years of age; universal

Tajikistan
  18 years of age; universal

Tanzania
  18 years of age; universal

Thailand
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Timor-Leste
  17 years of age; universal

Togo
  18 years of age; universal (adult)

Tokelau
  21 years of age; universal

Tonga
  21 years of age; universal

Trinidad and Tobago
  18 years of age; universal

Tunisia
  18 years of age; universal except for active government
  security forces (including the police and the military), people with
  mental disabilities, people who have served more than three months
  in prison (criminal cases only), and people given a suspended
  sentence of more than six months

Turkey
  18 years of age; universal

Turkmenistan
  18 years of age; universal

Turks and Caicos Islands
  18 years of age; universal

Tuvalu
  18 years of age; universal

Uganda
  18 years of age; universal

Ukraine
  18 years of age; universal

United Arab Emirates
  none

United Kingdom
  18 years of age; universal

United States
  18 years of age; universal

Uruguay
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Uzbekistan
  18 years of age; universal

Vanuatu
  18 years of age; universal

Venezuela
  18 years of age; universal

Vietnam
  18 years of age; universal

Virgin Islands
  18 years of age; universal; island residents are US
  citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections

Wallis and Futuna
  18 years of age; universal

Western Sahara
  none; a UN-sponsored voter identification campaign
  not yet completed

Yemen
  18 years of age; universal

Zambia
  18 years of age; universal

Zimbabwe
  18 years of age; universal

======================================================================

@2124

Field Listing :: Telephone system

This entry includes a brief general assessment of the system with details on the domestic and international components. The following terms and abbreviations are used throughout the entry: Arabsat - Arab Satellite Communications Organization (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia). Autodin - Automatic Digital Network (US Department of Defense). CB - citizen's band mobile radio communications. Cellular telephone system - the telephones in this system are radio transceivers, with each instrument having its own private radio frequency and sufficient radiated power to reach the booster station in its area (cell), from which the telephone signal is fed to a telephone exchange. Central American Microwave System - a trunk microwave radio relay system that links the countries of Central America and Mexico with each other. Coaxial cable - a multichannel communication cable consisting of a central conducting wire, surrounded by and insulated from a cylindrical conducting shell; a large number of telephone channels can be made available within the insulated space by the use of a large number of carrier frequencies. Comsat - Communications Satellite Corporation (US). DSN - Defense Switched Network (formerly Automatic Voice Network or Autovon); basic general-purpose, switched voice network of the Defense Communications System (US Department of Defense). Eutelsat - European Telecommunications Satellite Organization (Paris). Fiber-optic cable - a multichannel communications cable using a thread of optical glass fibers as a transmission medium in which the signal (voice, video, etc.) is in the form of a coded pulse of light. GSM - a global system for mobile (cellular) communications devised by the Groupe Special Mobile of the pan-European standardization organization, Conference Europeanne des Posts et Telecommunications (CEPT) in 1982. HF - high frequency; any radio frequency in the 3,000- to 30,000-kHz range. Inmarsat - International Maritime Satellite Organization (London); provider of global mobile satellite communications for commercial, distress, and safety applications at sea, in the air, and on land. Intelsat - International Telecommunications Satellite Organization (Washington, DC). Intersputnik - International Organization of Space Communications (Moscow); first established in the former Soviet Union and the East European countries, it is now marketing its services worldwide with earth stations in North America, Africa, and East Asia. Landline - communication wire or cable of any sort that is installed on poles or buried in the ground. Marecs - Maritime European Communications Satellite used in the Inmarsat system on lease from the European Space Agency. Marisat - satellites of the Comsat Corporation that participate in the Inmarsat system. Medarabtel - the Middle East Telecommunications Project of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) providing a modern telecommunications network, primarily by microwave radio relay, linking Algeria, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Libya, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, and Yemen; it was initially started in Morocco in 1970 by the Arab Telecommunications Union (ATU) and was known at that time as the Middle East Mediterranean Telecommunications Network. Microwave radio relay - transmission of long distance telephone calls and television programs by highly directional radio microwaves that are received and sent on from one booster station to another on an optical path. NMT - Nordic Mobile Telephone; an analog cellular telephone system that was developed jointly by the national telecommunications authorities of the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden). Orbita - a Russian television service; also the trade name of a packet-switched digital telephone network. Radiotelephone communications - the two-way transmission and reception of sounds by broadcast radio on authorized frequencies using telephone handsets. PanAmSat - PanAmSat Corporation (Greenwich, CT). SAFE - South African Far East Cable Satellite communication system - a communication system consisting of two or more earth stations and at least one satellite that provide long distance transmission of voice, data, and television; the system usually serves as a trunk connection between telephone exchanges; if the earth stations are in the same country, it is a domestic system. Satellite earth station - a communications facility with a microwave radio transmitting and receiving antenna and required receiving and transmitting equipment for communicating with satellites. Satellite link - a radio connection between a satellite and an earth station permitting communication between them, either one-way (down link from satellite to earth station - television receive-only transmission) or two-way (telephone channels). SHF - super high frequency; any radio frequency in the 3,000- to 30,000-MHz range. Shortwave - radio frequencies (from 1.605 to 30 MHz) that fall above the commercial broadcast band and are used for communication over long distances. Solidaridad - geosynchronous satellites in Mexico's system of international telecommunications in the Western Hemisphere. Statsionar - Russia's geostationary system for satellite telecommunications. Submarine cable - a cable designed for service under water. TAT - Trans-Atlantic Telephone; any of a number of high-capacity submarine coaxial telephone cables linking Europe with North America. Telefax - facsimile service between subscriber stations via the public switched telephone network or the international Datel network. Telegraph - a telecommunications system designed for unmodulated electric impulse transmission. Telex - a communication service involving teletypewriters connected by wire through automatic exchanges. Tropospheric scatter - a form of microwave radio transmission in which the troposphere is used to scatter and reflect a fraction of the incident radio waves back to earth; powerful, highly directional antennas are used to transmit and receive the microwave signals; reliable over-the-horizon communications are realized for distances up to 600 miles in a single hop; additional hops can extend the range of this system for very long distances. Trunk network - a network of switching centers, connected by multichannel trunk lines. UHF - ultra high frequency; any radio frequency in the 300- to 3,000-MHz range. VHF - very high frequency; any radio frequency in the 30- to 300-MHz range. Country

Telephone system

Afghanistan
  general assessment: limited landline telephone service;
  an increasing number of Afghans utilize mobile-cellular phone
  networks in major cities
  domestic: aided by the presence of multiple providers,
  mobile-cellular telephone service is improving rapidly
  international: country code - 93; five VSAT's installed in Kabul,
  Herat, Mazar-e-Sharif, Kandahar, and Jalalabad provide international
  and domestic voice and data connectivity (2007)

Albania
  general assessment: despite new investment in fixed lines,
  the density of main lines remains low with roughly 10 lines per 100
  people; cellular telephone use is widespread and generally
  effective; combined fixed line and mobile telephone density is
  approaching 100 telephones per 100 persons
  domestic: offsetting the shortage of fixed line capacity, mobile
  phone service has been available since 1996; by 2003, two companies
  were providing mobile services at a greater density than some of
  Albania's neighbors; Internet broadband services initiated in 2005;
  Internet cafes are popular in Tirana and have started to spread
  outside the capital
  international: country code - 355; submarine cable provides
  connectivity to Italy, Croatia, and Greece; the Trans-Balkan Line, a
  combination submarine cable and land fiber-optic system, provides
  additional connectivity to Bulgaria, Macedonia, and Turkey;
  international traffic carried by fiber-optic cable and, when
  necessary, by microwave radio relay from the Tirana exchange to
  Italy and Greece (2008)

Algeria
  general assessment: a weak network of fixed-main lines,
  which remains at roughly 10 telephones per 100 persons, is offset by
  the rapid increase in mobile cellular subscribership; in 2008,
  combined fixed-line and mobile telephone density surpassed 100
  telephones per 100 persons
  domestic: privatization of Algeria's telecommunications sector began
  in 2000; three mobile cellular licenses have been issued and, in
  2005, a consortium led by Egypt's Orascom Telecom won a 15-year
  license to build and operate a fixed-line network in Algeria; the
  license will allow Orascom to develop high-speed data and other
  specialized services and contribute to meeting the large unfulfilled
  demand for basic residential telephony; Internet broadband services
  began in 2003
  international: country code - 213; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-4
  fiber-optic submarine cable system that provides links to Europe,
  the Middle East, and Asia; microwave radio relay to Italy, France,
  Spain, Morocco, and Tunisia; coaxial cable to Morocco and Tunisia;
  participant in Medarabtel; satellite earth stations - 51 (Intelsat,
  Intersputnik, and Arabsat) (2008)

American Samoa
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: good telex, telegraph, facsimile, and cellular telephone
  services; domestic satellite system with 1 Comsat earth station
  international: country code - 1-684; satellite earth station - 1
  (Intelsat-Pacific Ocean)

Andorra
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: modern system with microwave radio relay connections
  between exchanges
  international: country code - 376; landline circuits to France and
  Spain

Angola
  general assessment: system inadequate; fewer than one
  fixed-line per 100 persons; combined fixed line and mobile telephone
  density exceeded 50 telephones per 100 persons in 2008
  domestic: state-owned telecom had monopoly for fixed-lines until
  2005; demand outstripped capacity, prices were high, and services
  poor; Telecom Namibia, through an Angolan company, became the first
  private licensed operator in Angola's fixed-line telephone network;
  Angola Telecom established mobile-cellular service in Luanda in 1993
  and the network has been extended to larger towns; a
  privately-owned, mobile-cellular service provider began operations
  in 2001
  international: country code - 244; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC
  fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and
  Asia; satellite earth stations - 29 (2008)

Anguilla
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: modern internal telephone system
  international: country code - 1-264; landing point for the East
  Caribbean Fiber System (ECFS) submarine cable with links to 13 other
  islands in the eastern Caribbean extending from the British Virgin
  Islands to Trinidad; microwave radio relay to island of Saint Martin
  (Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles) (2007)

Antarctica
  general assessment: local systems at some research
  stations
  domestic: commercial cellular networks operating in a small number
  of locations
  international: country code - none allocated; via satellite
  (including mobile Inmarsat and Iridium systems) to and from all
  research stations, ships, aircraft, and most field parties (2007)

Antigua and Barbuda
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: good automatic telephone system
  international: country code - 1-268; landing point for the East
  Caribbean Fiber System (ECFS) submarine cable with links to 13 other
  islands in the eastern Caribbean extending from the British Virgin
  Islands to Trinidad; satellite earth stations - 2; tropospheric
  scatter to Saba (Netherlands Antilles) and Guadeloupe (2007)

Argentina
  general assessment: by opening the telecommunications
  market to competition and foreign investment with the
  "Telecommunications Liberalization Plan of 1998," Argentina
  encouraged the growth of modern telecommunications technology;
  fiber-optic cable trunk lines are being installed between all major
  cities; major networks are entirely digital and the availability of
  telephone service is improving; fixed-line telephone density is
  gradually increasing reaching nearly 25 lines per 100 people in
  2008; mobile telephone subscribership has been increasing rapidly
  and has reached a level of 115 telephones per 100 persons
  domestic: microwave radio relay, fiber-optic cable, and a domestic
  satellite system with 40 earth stations serve the trunk network;
  mobile telephone use is rapidly expanding; broadband services are
  gaining ground
  international: country code - 54; landing point for the Atlantis-2,
  UNISUR, and South America-1 optical submarine cable systems that
  provide links to Europe, Africa, South and Central America, and US;
  satellite earth stations - 112; 2 international gateways near Buenos
  Aires (2008)

Armenia
  general assessment: telecommunications investments have made
  major inroads in modernizing and upgrading the outdated
  telecommunications network inherited from the Soviet era; now 100%
  privately owned and undergoing modernization and expansion;
  mobile-cellular services monopoly terminated in late 2004 and a
  second provider began operations in mid-2005
  domestic: reliable modern landline and mobile-cellular services are
  available across Yerevan in major cities and towns; significant but
  ever-shrinking gaps remain in mobile-cellular coverage in rural areas
  international: country code - 374; Yerevan is connected to the
  Trans-Asia-Europe fiber-optic cable through Iran; additional
  international service is available by microwave radio relay and
  landline connections to the other countries of the Commonwealth of
  Independent States, through the Moscow international switch, and by
  satellite to the rest of the world; satellite earth stations - 3
  (2007)

Aruba
  general assessment: modern fully automatic telecommunications
  system
  domestic: increased competition through privatization; 3 wireless
  service providers are now licensed
  international: country code - 297; landing site for the PAN-AM
  submarine telecommunications cable system that extends from the US
  Virgin Islands through Aruba to Venezuela, Colombia, Panama, and the
  west coast of South America; extensive interisland microwave radio
  relay links (2007)

Australia
  general assessment: excellent domestic and international
  service
  domestic: domestic satellite system; significant use of
  radiotelephone in areas of low population density; rapid growth of
  mobile cellular telephones
  international: country code - 61; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3
  optical telecommunications submarine cable with links to Asia, the
  Middle East, and Europe; the Southern Cross fiber optic submarine
  cable provides links to New Zealand and the United States; satellite
  earth stations - 19 (10 Intelsat - 4 Indian Ocean and 6 Pacific
  Ocean, 2 Inmarsat - Indian and Pacific Ocean regions, 2 Globalstar,
  5 other) (2007)

Austria
  general assessment: highly developed and efficient
  domestic: fixed-line subscribership has been in decline since the
  mid-1990s with mobile-cellular subscribership eclipsing it by the
  late 1990s; the fiber-optic net is very extensive; all telephone
  applications and Internet services are available
  international: country code - 43; satellite earth stations - 15; in
  addition, there are about 600 VSATs (very small aperture terminals)
  (2007)

Azerbaijan
  general assessment: inadequate; requires considerable
  expansion and modernization; teledensity of 15 main lines per 100
  persons is low; mobile-cellular penetration has increased rapidly
  and is currently about 80 telephones per 100 persons
  domestic: fixed-line telephony and a broad range of other telecom
  services are controlled by a state-owned telecommunications monopoly
  and growth has been stagnant; more competition exists in the
  mobile-cellular market with three providers in 2006; satellite
  service connects Baku to a modern switch in its exclave of Naxcivan
  international: country code - 994; the Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE)
  fiber-optic link transits Azerbaijan providing international
  connectivity to neighboring countries; the old Soviet system of
  cable and microwave is still serviceable; satellite earth stations -
  2 (2008)

Bahamas, The
  general assessment: modern facilities
  domestic: totally automatic system; highly developed; the Bahamas
  Domestic Submarine Network links 14 of the islands and is designed
  to satisfy increasing demand for voice and broadband internet
  services
  international: country code - 1-242; landing point for the Americas
  Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) fiber-optic submarine cable
  that provides links to South and Central America, parts of the
  Caribbean, and the US; satellite earth stations - 2 (2007)

Bahrain
  general assessment: modern system
  domestic: modern fiber-optic integrated services; digital network
  with rapidly growing use of mobile-cellular telephones
  international: country code - 973; landing point for the Fiber-Optic
  Link Around the Globe (FLAG) submarine cable network that provides
  links to Asia, Middle East, Europe, and US; tropospheric scatter to
  Qatar and UAE; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia; satellite
  earth station - 1 (2007)

Bangladesh
  general assessment: inadequate for a modern country;
  fixed-line telephone density remains less than 1 per 100 persons;
  mobile-cellular telephone subscribership has been increasing rapidly
  and has reached 30 per 100 persons
  domestic: modernizing; introducing digital systems; trunk systems
  include VHF and UHF microwave radio relay links, and some
  fiber-optic cable in cities
  international: country code - 880; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-4
  fiber-optic submarine cable system that provides links to Europe,
  the Middle East, and Asia; satellite earth stations - 6;
  international radiotelephone communications and landline service to
  neighboring countries (2008)

Barbados
  general assessment: fixed-line teledensity of roughly 50
  per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone density approaching 150
  per 100 persons
  domestic: island-wide automatic telephone system
  international: country code - 1-246; landing point for the East
  Caribbean Fiber System (ECFS) submarine cable with links to 13 other
  islands in the eastern Caribbean extending from the British Virgin
  Islands to Trinidad; satellite earth stations - 1 (Intelsat
  -Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Trinidad and Saint Lucia
  (2008)

Belarus
  general assessment: Belarus lags behind its neighbors in
  upgrading telecommunications infrastructure; state-owned Beltelcom
  is the sole provider of fixed-line local and long distance service;
  fixed-line teledensity of roughly 35 per 100 persons;
  mobile-cellular telephone density of about 90 per 100 persons;
  modernization of the network progressing with roughly two-thirds of
  switching equipment now digital
  domestic: fixed-line penetration is improving although rural areas
  continue to be underserved; 3 GSM wireless networks are experiencing
  rapid growth; strict government controls on telecommunications
  technologies
  international: country code - 375; Belarus is a member of the
  Trans-European Line (TEL), Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line,
  and has access to the Trans-Siberia Line (TSL); 3 fiber-optic
  segments provide connectivity to Latvia, Poland, Russia, and
  Ukraine; worldwide service is available to Belarus through this
  infrastructure; additional analog lines to Russia; Intelsat,
  Eutelsat, and Intersputnik earth stations (2008)

Belgium
  general assessment: highly developed, technologically
  advanced, and completely automated domestic and international
  telephone and telegraph facilities
  domestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; extensive cable
  network; limited microwave radio relay network
  international: country code - 32; landing point for a number of
  submarine cables that provide links to Europe, the Middle East, and
  Asia; satellite earth stations - 7 (Intelsat - 3) (2007)

Belize
  general assessment: above-average system; fixed-line
  teledensity of 10 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone density
  roughly 55 per 100 persons
  domestic: trunk network depends primarily on microwave radio relay
  international: country code - 501; landing point for the Americas
  Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) fiber-optic
  telecommunications submarine cable that provides links to South and
  Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and the US; satellite earth
  station - 8 (Intelsat - 2, unknown - 6) (2008)

Benin
  general assessment: inadequate; fixed-line network
  characterized by aging, deteriorating equipment with fixed-line
  teledensity only about 2 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone
  subscribership has been increasing rapidly
  domestic: system of open-wire, microwave radio relay, and cellular
  connections; multiple mobile-cellular providers
  international: country code - 229; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC
  fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and
  Asia; satellite earth stations - 7 (Intelsat-Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Bermuda
  general assessment: good
  domestic: fully automatic digital telephone system; fiber optic
  trunk lines
  international: country code - 1-441; landing point for the
  Atlantica-1 telecommunications submarine cable that extends from the
  US to Brazil; satellite earth stations - 3 (2007)

Bhutan
  general assessment: urban towns and district headquarters
  have telecommunications services
  domestic: low teledensity; domestic service is very poor especially
  in rural areas; wireless service available since 2003
  international: country code - 975; international telephone and
  telegraph service via landline and microwave relay through India;
  satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (2008)

Bolivia
  general assessment: privatization begun in 1995; reliability
  has steadily improved; new subscribers face bureaucratic
  difficulties; most telephones are concentrated in La Paz and other
  cities; mobile-cellular telephone use expanding rapidly; fixed-line
  teledensity of 7 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone density
  slighly exceeds 50 per 100 persons
  domestic: primary trunk system, which is being expanded, employs
  digital microwave radio relay; some areas are served by fiber-optic
  cable; mobile cellular systems are being expanded
  international: country code - 591; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  general assessment: post-war reconstruction
  of the telecommunications network, aided by a internationally
  sponsored program under ERBD, resulted in sharp increases in the
  number of main telephone lines available; mobile cellular
  subscribership has been increasing rapidly
  domestic: fixed-line teledensity roughly 22 per 100 persons;
  mobile-cellular telephone density has reached 70 per 100 persons
  international: country code - 387; no satellite earth stations (2008)

Botswana
  general assessment: the system is expanding with the growth
  of mobile-cellular service and participation in regional
  development; system is fully digital with fiber-optic cables linking
  the major population centers in the east; fixed-line connections
  declined in recent years and now stand at roughly 8 per 100 persons;
  mobile-cellular telephone density currently is about 80 per 100
  persons
  domestic: small system of open-wire lines, microwave radio relay
  links, and a few radiotelephone communication stations;
  mobile-cellular service is growing fast
  international: country code - 267; international calls are made via
  satellite, using international direct dialing; 2 international
  exchanges; digital microwave radio relay links to Namibia, Zambia,
  Zimbabwe, and South Africa; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
  (Indian Ocean) (2008)

Brazil
  general assessment: good working system; fixed-line
  connections have remained relatively stable in recent years and
  stand at about 20 per 100 persons; less expensive mobile cellular
  technology is a major driver in expanding telephone service to the
  low-income segment of the population with mobile-cellular telephone
  density reaching 80 per 100 persons
  domestic: extensive microwave radio relay system and a domestic
  satellite system with 64 earth stations; mobile-cellular usage has
  more than tripled in the past 5 years
  international: country code - 55; landing point for a number of
  submarine cables, including Atlantis 2, that provide direct links to
  South and Central America, the Caribbean, the US, Africa, and
  Europe; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1
  Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region east), connected by microwave relay
  system to Mercosur Brazilsat B3 satellite earth station (2008)

British Indian Ocean Territory general assessment: separate facilities for military and public needs are available domestic: all commercial telephone services are available, including connection to the Internet international: country code (Diego Garcia) - 246; international telephone service is carried by satellite (2000)

British Virgin Islands
  general assessment: worldwide telephone
  service
  domestic: fixed line connections exceed 75 per 100 persons and
  mobile cellular subscribership is approaching 100 per 100 persons
  international: country code - 1-284; connected via submarine cable
  to Bermuda; the East Caribbean Fiber System (ECFS) submarine cable
  provides connectivity to 13 other islands in the eastern Caribbean
  (2008)

Brunei
  general assessment: service throughout the country is
  excellent; international service is good to Southeast Asia, Middle
  East, Western Europe, and the US
  domestic: every service available
  international: country code - 673; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3
  optical telecommunications submarine cable that provides links to
  Asia, the Middle East, and Europe; the Asia-America Gateway
  submarine cable network, scheduled for completion by late 2008, will
  provide new links to Asia and the US; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) (2007)

Bulgaria
  general assessment: an extensive but antiquated
  telecommunications network inherited from the Soviet era; quality
  has improved; the Bulgaria Telecommunications Company's fixed-line
  monopoly terminated in 2005 when alternative fixed-line operators
  were given access to its network; a drop in fixed-line connections
  in recent years has been more than offset by a sharp increase in
  mobile-cellular telephone use fostered by multiple service
  providers; the number of cellular telephone subscriptions now
  greatly exceeds the population
  domestic: a fairly modern digital cable trunk line now connects
  switching centers in most of the regions; the others are connected
  by digital microwave radio relay
  international: country code - 359; submarine cable provides
  connectivity to Ukraine and Russia; a combination submarine cable
  and land fiber-optic system provides connectivity to Italy, Albania,
  and Macedonia; satellite earth stations - 3 (1 Intersputnik in the
  Atlantic Ocean region, 2 Intelsat in the Atlantic and Indian Ocean
  regions) (2008)

Burkina Faso
  general assessment: services only fair; in 2006 the
  government sold a 51 percent stake in the national telephone company
  and ultimately plans to retain only a 23 percent stake in the
  company; fixed-line connections stand at less than 1 per 100
  persons; mobile-cellular usage, fostered by multiple providers, is
  increasing rapidly from a low base
  domestic: microwave radio relay, open-wire, and radiotelephone
  communication stations
  international: country code - 226; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Burma
  general assessment: meets minimum requirements for local and
  intercity service for business and government
  domestic: system barely capable of providing basic service; cellular
  phone system is grossly underdeveloped with a subscribership base of
  less than 1 per 100 persons
  international: country code - 95; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3
  optical telecommunications submarine cable that provides links to
  Asia, the Middle East, and Europe; satellite earth stations - 2,
  Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and ShinSat (2008)

Burundi
  general assessment: primitive system; telephone density one
  of the lowest in the world; fixed-line connections stand at well
  less than 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular usage is increasing but
  remains at a meager 5 per 100 persons
  domestic: sparse system of open-wire, radiotelephone communications,
  and low-capacity microwave radio relay
  international: country code - 257; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (2008)

Cambodia
  general assessment: mobile-phone systems are widely used in
  urban areas to bypass deficiencies in the fixed-line network;
  fixed-line connections stand at well less than 1 per 100 persons;
  mobile-cellular usage, aided by increasing competition among service
  providers, is increasing and stands at 30 per 100 persons
  domestic: adequate landline and/or cellular service in Phnom Penh
  and other provincial cities; mobile-phone coverage is rapidly
  expanding in rural areas
  international: country code - 855; adequate but expensive landline
  and cellular service available to all countries from Phnom Penh and
  major provincial cities; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik
  (Indian Ocean region) (2008)

Cameroon
  general assessment: fixed-line connections stand at less
  than 1 per 100 persons; equipment is old and outdated, and
  connections with many parts of the country are unreliable;
  mobile-cellular usage, in part a reflection of the poor condition
  and general inadequacy of the fixed-line network, has increased
  sharply, reaching a subscribership base of 33 per 100 persons
  domestic: cable, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatter
  international: country code - 237; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC
  fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and
  Asia; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Canada
  general assessment: excellent service provided by modern
  technology
  domestic: domestic satellite system with about 300 earth stations
  international: country code - 1; submarine cables provide links to
  the US and Europe; satellite earth stations - 7 (5 Intelsat - 4
  Atlantic Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean, and 2 Intersputnik - Atlantic
  Ocean region) (2007)

Cape Verde
  general assessment: effective system, extensive
  modernization from 1996-2000 following partial privatization in 1995
  domestic: major service provider is Cabo Verde Telecom (CVT);
  fiber-optic ring, completed in 2001, links all islands providing
  Internet access and ISDN services; cellular service introduced in
  1998; broadband services launched in 2004
  international: country code - 238; landing point for the Atlantis-2
  fiber-optic transatlantic telephone cable that provides links to
  South America, Senegal, and Europe; HF radiotelephone to Senegal and
  Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
  (2007)

Cayman Islands
  general assessment: reasonably good system
  domestic: liberalization of telecom market in 2003; introduction of
  competition in the mobile-cellular market in 2004
  international: country code - 1-345; landing point for the MAYA-1
  submarine telephone cable network that provides links to the US and
  parts of Central and South America; submarine cable provides
  connectivity to Jamaica; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
  (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)

Central African Republic
  general assessment: limited telephone
  service; fixed-line connections for well less than 1 per 100 persons
  coupled with mobile-cellular usage of only about 3 per 100 persons;
  most fixed-line and cellular telephone services are concentrated in
  Bangui
  domestic: network consists principally of microwave radio relay and
  low-capacity, low-powered radiotelephone communication
  international: country code - 236; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Chad
  general assessment: primitive system with high costs and low
  telephone density; fixed-line connections for only about 1 per 1000
  persons coupled with mobile-cellular subscribership base of less
  than 20 per 100 persons
  domestic: fair system of radiotelephone communication stations
  international: country code - 235; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Chile
  general assessment: privatization begun in 1988; most advanced
  telecommunications infrastructure in South America; modern system
  based on extensive microwave radio relay facilities; fixed-line
  connections have dropped in recent years as mobile-cellular usage
  continues to increase, reaching a level of 90 telephones per 100
  persons
  domestic: extensive microwave radio relay links; domestic satellite
  system with 3 earth stations
  international: country code - 56; submarine cables provide links to
  the US and to Central and South America; satellite earth stations -
  2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

China
  general assessment: domestic and international services are
  increasingly available for private use; unevenly distributed
  domestic system serves principal cities, industrial centers, and
  many towns; China continues to develop its telecommunications
  infrastructure, and is partnering with foreign providers to expand
  its global reach; China in the summer of 2008 began a major
  restructuring of its telecommunications industry, resulting in the
  consolidation of its six telecom service operators to three, China
  Telecom, China Mobile and China Unicom, each providing both
  fixed-line and mobile services
  domestic: interprovincial fiber-optic trunk lines and cellular
  telephone systems have been installed; mobile-cellular
  subscribership is increasing rapidly; the number of Internet users
  exceeded 250 million by summer 2008; a domestic satellite system
  with 55 earth stations is in place
  international: country code - 86; a number of submarine cables
  provide connectivity to Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and the US;
  satellite earth stations - 7 (5 Intelsat - 4 Pacific Ocean and 1
  Indian Ocean; 1 Intersputnik - Indian Ocean region; and 1 Inmarsat -
  Pacific and Indian Ocean regions) (2008)

Christmas Island
  general assessment: service provided by the
  Australian network
  domestic: GSM mobile telephone service replaced older analog system
  in February 2005
  international: country code - 61-8; satellite earth station - 1
  (Intelsat provides telephone and telex service) (2005)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  general assessment: connected within
  Australia's telecommunication system; a local mobile-cellular
  network is in operation
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 61; telephone, telex, and facsimile
  communications with Australia and elsewhere via satellite; satellite
  earth station - 1 (Intelsat) (2001)

Colombia
  general assessment: modern system in many respects;
  telecommunications sector liberalized during the 1990s; multiple
  providers of both fixed-line and mobile-cellular services;
  fixed-line connections stand at about 15 per 100 persons; mobile
  cellular telephone subscribership is about 90 per 100 persons;
  competition among cellular service providers is resulting in falling
  local and international calling rates and contributing to the steep
  decline in the market share of fixed line services
  domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system; domestic
  satellite system with 41 earth stations; fiber-optic network linking
  50 cities
  international: country code - 57; submarine cables provide links to
  the US, parts of the Caribbean, and Central and South America;
  satellite earth stations - 10 (6 Intelsat, 1 Inmarsat, 3 fully
  digitalized international switching centers) (2008)

Comoros
  general assessment: sparse system of microwave radio relay
  and HF radiotelephone communication stations; fixed-line connections
  only about 3 per 100 persons; mobile cellular usage about 5 per 100
  persons
  domestic: HF radiotelephone communications and microwave radio relay
  international: country code - 269; HF radiotelephone communications
  to Madagascar and Reunion

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  general assessment: fixed line
  infrastructure inadequate with the state-owned operator providing
  less than 1 connection per 1000 persons; given the backdrop of a
  wholly inadequate fixed-line infrastructure, the use of cellular
  services has surged and subscribership in 2008 approached 9.3
  million - roughly 15 per 100 persons
  domestic: barely adequate wire and microwave radio relay service in
  and between urban areas; domestic satellite system with 14 earth
  stations
  international: country code - 243; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Congo, Republic of the
  general assessment: services barely adequate
  for government use; key exchanges are in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire,
  and Loubomo; intercity lines frequently out of order; fixed-line
  infrastructure inadequate providing less than 1 connection per 100
  persons; in the absence of an adequate fixed line infrastructure,
  mobile-cellular subscribership has surged and is approaching 50 per
  100 persons
  domestic: primary network consists of microwave radio relay and
  coaxial cable
  international: country code - 242; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Cook Islands
  general assessment: Telecom Cook Islands offers
  international direct dialing, Internet, email, fax, and Telex
  domestic: individual islands are connected by a combination of
  satellite earth stations, microwave systems, and VHF and HF
  radiotelephone; within the islands, service is provided by small
  exchanges connected to subscribers by open-wire, cable, and
  fiber-optic cable
  international: country code - 682; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Costa Rica
  general assessment: good domestic telephone service in
  terms of breadth of coverage; restricted cellular telephone service;
  state-run monopoly provider is struggling with the demand for new
  lines, resulting in long waiting times
  domestic: point-to-point and point-to-multi-point microwave,
  fiber-optic, and coaxial cable link rural areas; Internet service is
  available
  international: country code - 506; landing point for the Americas
  Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) fiber-optic
  telecommunications submarine cable and the MAYA-1 submarine cable
  that provide links to South and Central America, parts of the
  Caribbean, and the US; connected to Central American Microwave
  System; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)

Cote d'Ivoire
  general assessment: well developed by African
  standards; telecommunications sector privatized in late 1990s and
  operational fixed-lines have more than quadrupled since that time;
  with multiple cellular service providers competing in the market,
  cellular usage has increased sharply to roughly 55 per 100 persons
  domestic: open-wire lines and microwave radio relay; 90% digitalized
  international: country code - 225; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC
  fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and
  Asia; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1
  Indian Ocean) (2008)

Croatia
  general assessment: the telecommunications network has
  improved steadily since the mid-1990s; the number of fixed telephone
  lines holding steady at about 40 per 100 persons; the number of
  cellular telephone subscriptions exceeds the population
  domestic: more than 90 percent of local lines are digital
  international: country code - 385; digital international service is
  provided through the main switch in Zagreb; Croatia participates in
  the Trans-Asia-Europe (TEL) fiber-optic project, which consists of 2
  fiber-optic trunk connections with Slovenia and a fiber-optic trunk
  line from Rijeka to Split and Dubrovnik; the ADRIA-1 submarine cable
  provides connectivity to Albania and Greece (2008)

Cuba
  general assessment: greater investment beginning in 1994 and
  the establishment of a new Ministry of Information Technology and
  Communications in 2000 has resulted in improvements in the system;
  wireless service is expensive and must be paid in convertible pesos,
  which effectively limits mobile cellular subscribership
  domestic: national fiber-optic system under development; 95% of
  switches digitized by end of 2006; fixed telephone line density
  remains low at less than 10 per 100 inhabitants; domestic cellular
  service expanding but remains at only about 3 per 100 persons
  international: country code - 53; fiber-optic cable laid to but not
  linked to US network; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik
  (Atlantic Ocean region) (2008)

Cyprus
  general assessment: excellent in both area under government
  control and area administered by Turkish Cypriots
  domestic: open-wire, fiber-optic cable, and microwave radio relay
  international: country code - 357 (area administered by Turkish
  Cypriots uses the country code of Turkey - 90); a number of
  submarine cables, including the SEA-ME-WE-3, combine to provide
  connectivity to Western Europe, the Middle East, and Asia;
  tropospheric scatter; satellite earth stations - 8 (3 Intelsat - 1
  Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean, 2 Eutelsat, 2 Intersputnik, and 1
  Arabsat)

Czech Republic
  general assessment: privatization and modernization
  of the Czech telecommunication system got a late start but is
  advancing steadily; access to the fixed-line telephone network
  expanded throughout the 1990s but the number of fixed line
  connections has been dropping since then; mobile telephone usage
  increased sharply beginning in the mid-1990s and the number of
  cellular telephone subscriptions now greatly exceeds the population
  domestic: virtually all exchanges now digital; existing copper
  subscriber systems enhanced with Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line
  (ADSL) equipment to accommodate Internet and other digital signals;
  trunk systems include fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay
  international: country code - 420; satellite earth stations - 6 (2
  Intersputnik - Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions, 1 Intelsat, 1
  Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat, 1 Globalstar) (2008)

Denmark
  general assessment: excellent telephone and telegraph
  services
  domestic: buried and submarine cables and microwave radio relay form
  trunk network, multiple cellular mobile communications systems
  international: country code - 45; a series of fiber-optic submarine
  cables link Denmark with Canada, Faroe Islands, Germany, Iceland,
  Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and UK; satellite earth
  stations - 18 (6 Intelsat, 10 Eutelsat, 1 Orion, 1 Inmarsat
  (Blaavand-Atlantic-East)); note - the Nordic countries (Denmark,
  Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) share the Danish earth station
  and the Eik, Norway, station for worldwide Inmarsat access (2008)

Djibouti
  general assessment: telephone facilities in the city of
  Djibouti are adequate, as are the microwave radio relay connections
  to outlying areas of the country
  domestic: microwave radio relay network; mobile cellular coverage is
  primarily limited to the area in and around Djibouti city
  international: country code - 253; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3
  optical telecommunications submarine cable with links to Asia, the
  Middle East, and Europe; satellite earth stations - 2 (1 Intelsat -
  Indian Ocean and 1 Arabsat); Medarabtel regional microwave radio
  relay telephone network (2007)

Dominica
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: fully automatic network
  international: country code - 1-767; landing point for the East
  Caribbean Fiber Optic System (ECFS) submarine cable with links to 13
  other islands in the eastern Caribbean extending from the British
  Virgin Islands to Trinidad; microwave radio relay and SHF
  radiotelephone links to Martinique and Guadeloupe; VHF and UHF
  radiotelephone links to Saint Lucia

Dominican Republic
  general assessment: relatively efficient system
  based on island-wide microwave radio relay network
  domestic: fixed telephone line density is about 10 per 100 persons;
  multiple providers of mobile cellular service with a subscribership
  of roughly 75 per 100 persons
  international: country code - 1-809; landing point for the Americas
  Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) fiber-optic
  telecommunications submarine cable that provides links to South and
  Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and US; satellite earth
  station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Ecuador
  general assessment: generally elementary but being expanded
  domestic: fixed-line services provided by three state-owned
  enterprises; plans to transfer the state-owned operators to private
  ownership have repeatedly failed; fixed-line density stands at about
  14 per 100 persons; mobile cellular use has surged and has a
  subscribership of nearly 85 per 100 persons
  international: country code - 593; landing point for the PAN-AM
  submarine telecommunications cable that provides links to the west
  coast of South America, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, and extending
  onward to Aruba and the US Virgin Islands in the Caribbean;
  satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Egypt
  general assessment: large system; underwent extensive
  upgrading during 1990s and is reasonably modern; Telecom Egypt, the
  landline monopoly, has been increasing service availability and in
  2008 fixed-line density stood at 15 per 100 persons; as of 2008
  there were three mobile-cellular networks with a total of more than
  41 million subscribers, roughly 50 per 100 persons
  domestic: principal centers at Alexandria, Cairo, Al Mansurah,
  Ismailia, Suez, and Tanta are connected by coaxial cable and
  microwave radio relay
  international: country code - 20; landing point for both the
  SEA-ME-WE-3 and SEA-ME-WE-4 submarine cable networks; linked to the
  international submarine cable FLAG (Fiber-Optic Link Around the
  Globe); satellite earth stations - 4 (2 Intelsat - Atlantic Ocean
  and Indian Ocean, 1 Arabsat, and 1 Inmarsat); tropospheric scatter
  to Sudan; microwave radio relay to Israel; a participant in
  Medarabtel (2008)

El Salvador
  general assessment: multiple mobile-cellular service
  providers are expanding services rapidly and in 2008 mobile-cellular
  density stood at nearly 100 per 100 persons; growth in fixed-line
  services has slowed in the face of mobile-cellular competition
  domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system
  international: country code - 503; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave
  System (2008)

Equatorial Guinea
  general assessment: digital fixed-line network in
  most major urban areas and good mobile coverage
  domestic: fixed-line density is about 2 per 100 persons;
  mobile-cellular subscribership has been increasing and in 2008 stood
  at about 55 percent of the population
  international: country code - 240; international communications from
  Bata and Malabo to African and European countries; satellite earth
  station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (2008)

Eritrea
  general assessment: inadequate; combined fixed-line and
  mobile cellular subscribership is only about 3 per 100 persons (2008)
  domestic: inadequate; most telephones are in Asmara; government is
  seeking international tenders to improve the system (2002)
  international: country code - 291; note - international connections
  exist

Estonia
  general assessment: foreign investment in the form of joint
  business ventures greatly improved telephone service; substantial
  fiber-optic cable systems carry telephone, TV, and radio traffic in
  the digital mode; Internet services are widely available; schools
  and libraries are connected to the Internet, a large percentage of
  the population files income-tax returns online, and online voting
  was used for the first time in the 2005 local elections
  domestic: a wide range of high quality voice, data, and Internet
  services is available throughout the country
  international: country code - 372; fiber-optic cables to Finland,
  Sweden, Latvia, and Russia provide worldwide packet-switched
  service; 2 international switches are located in Tallinn (2008)

Ethiopia
  general assessment: inadequate telephone system; the number
  of fixed lines and mobile telephones is increasing from a very small
  base; combined fixed and mobile-cellular teledensity is only about 5
  per 100 persons
  domestic: open-wire; microwave radio relay; radio communication in
  the HF, VHF, and UHF frequencies; 2 domestic satellites provide the
  national trunk service
  international: country code - 251; open-wire to Sudan and Djibouti;
  microwave radio relay to Kenya and Djibouti; satellite earth
  stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Pacific Ocean) (2008)

European Union
  note - see individual country entries of member states

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: government-operated radiotelephone and private VHF/CB
  radiotelephone networks provide effective service to almost all
  points on both islands
  international: country code - 500; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) with links through London to other
  countries

Faroe Islands
  general assessment: good international communications;
  good domestic facilities
  domestic: digitalization was completed in 1998; both NMT (analog)
  and GSM (digital) mobile telephone systems are installed
  international: country code - 298; satellite earth stations - 1
  Orion; 1 fiber-optic submarine cable to the Shetland Islands,
  linking the Faroe Islands with Denmark and Iceland; fiber-optic
  submarine cable connection to Canada-Europe cable

Fiji
  general assessment: modern local, interisland, and
  international (wire/radio integrated) public and special-purpose
  telephone, telegraph, and teleprinter facilities; regional radio
  communications center
  domestic: telephone or radio telephone links to almost all inhabited
  islands; most towns and large villages have automatic telephone
  exchanges and direct dialing; combined fixed and mobile-cellular
  density is about 80 per 100 persons
  international: country code - 679; access to important cable links
  between US and Canada as well as between NZ and Australia; satellite
  earth stations - 2 Inmarsat (Pacific Ocean) (2008)

Finland
  general assessment: modern system with excellent service
  domestic: digital fiber-optic fixed-line network and an extensive
  cellular network provide domestic needs
  international: country code - 358; submarine cables provide links to
  Estonia and Sweden; satellite earth stations - access to Intelsat
  transmission service via a Swedish satellite earth station, 1
  Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Finland shares
  the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark,
  Iceland, Norway, and Sweden)

France
  general assessment: highly developed
  domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay; extensive use
  of fiber-optic cable; domestic satellite system
  international: country code - 33; numerous submarine cables provide
  links throughout Europe, Asia, Australia, the Middle East, and US;
  satellite earth stations - more than 3 (2 Intelsat (with total of 5
  antennas - 2 for Indian Ocean and 3 for Atlantic Ocean), NA
  Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat - Atlantic Ocean region); HF radiotelephone
  communications with more than 20 countries
  overseas departments: country codes: French Guiana - 594; Guadeloupe
  - 590; Martinique - 596; Reunion - 262

French Polynesia
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: combined fixed and mobile-cellular density is roughly 85
  per 100 persons
  international: country code - 689; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2008)

Gabon
  general assessment: adequate service by African standards and
  improving with the help of a growing mobile cell network system with
  multiple providers; mobile-cellular subscribership reached nearly 90
  per 100 persons in 2008
  domestic: adequate system of cable, microwave radio relay,
  tropospheric scatter, radiotelephone communication stations, and a
  domestic satellite system with 12 earth stations
  international: country code - 241; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC
  fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and
  Asia; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Gambia, The
  general assessment: adequate; a packet switched data
  network is available; state-owned Gambia Telecommunications
  partially privatized in 2007
  domestic: adequate network of microwave radio relay and open-wire;
  combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity reached 70
  telephones per 100 persons in 2008
  international: country code - 220; microwave radio relay links to
  Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
  (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Gaza Strip
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: Israeli company BEZEK and the Palestinian company PALTEL
  are responsible for fixed line services; the Palestinian JAWAL
  company provides cellular services
  international: country code - 970 (2004)

Georgia
  general assessment: fixed-line telecommunications network
  has only limited coverage outside Tbilisi; long list of people
  waiting for fixed line connections; multiple mobile-cellular
  providers provide services to an increasing subscribership
  throughout the country
  domestic: cellular telephone networks now cover the entire country;
  mobile-cellular teledensity approaching 75 per 100 people; urban
  fixed-line telephone density is about 20 per 100 people; rural
  telephone density is about 4 per 100 people; intercity facilities
  include a fiber-optic line between T'bilisi and K'ut'aisi;
  nationwide pager service is available
  international: country code - 995; the Georgia-Russia fiber optic
  submarine cable provides connectivity to Russia; international
  service is available by microwave, landline, and satellite through
  the Moscow switch; international electronic mail and telex service
  are available

Germany
  general assessment: Germany has one of the world's most
  technologically advanced telecommunications systems; as a result of
  intensive capital expenditures since reunification, the formerly
  backward system of the eastern part of the country, dating back to
  World War II, has been modernized and integrated with that of the
  western part
  domestic: Germany is served by an extensive system of automatic
  telephone exchanges connected by modern networks of fiber-optic
  cable, coaxial cable, microwave radio relay, and a domestic
  satellite system; cellular telephone service is widely available,
  expanding rapidly, and includes roaming service to many foreign
  countries
  international: country code - 49; Germany's international service is
  excellent worldwide, consisting of extensive land and undersea cable
  facilities as well as earth stations in the Inmarsat, Intelsat,
  Eutelsat, and Intersputnik satellite systems (2001)

Ghana
  general assessment: outdated and unreliable fixed-line
  infrastructure heavily concentrated in Accra; competition among
  multiple mobile-cellular providers has spurred growth with a
  subscribership of 50 per 100 persons and rising
  domestic: primarily microwave radio relay; wireless local loop has
  been installed
  international: country code - 233; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC
  fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and
  Asia; satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean);
  microwave radio relay link to Panaftel system connects Ghana to its
  neighbors (2008)

Gibraltar
  general assessment: adequate, automatic domestic system
  and adequate international facilities
  domestic: automatic exchange facilities
  international: country code - 350; radiotelephone; microwave radio
  relay; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Greece
  general assessment: adequate, modern networks reach all
  areas; good mobile telephone and international service
  domestic: microwave radio relay trunk system; extensive open-wire
  connections; submarine cable to offshore islands
  international: country code - 30; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3
  optical telecommunications submarine cable that provides links to
  Europe, Middle East, and Asia; a number of smaller submarine cables
  provide connectivity to various parts of Europe, the Middle East,
  and Cyprus; tropospheric scatter; satellite earth stations - 4 (2
  Intelsat - 1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean, 1 Eutelsat, and 1
  Inmarsat - Indian Ocean region)

Greenland
  general assessment: adequate domestic and international
  service provided by satellite, cables and microwave radio relay;
  totally digitalized in 1995
  domestic: microwave radio relay and satellite
  international: country code - 299; satellite earth stations - 15 (12
  Intelsat, 1 Eutelsat, 2 Americom GE-2 (all Atlantic Ocean)) (2000)

Grenada
  general assessment: automatic, islandwide telephone system
  domestic: interisland VHF and UHF radiotelephone links
  international: country code - 1-473; landing point for the East
  Caribbean Fiber Optic System (ECFS) submarine cable with links to 13
  other islands in the eastern Caribbean extending from the British
  Virgin Islands to Trinidad; SHF radiotelephone links to Trinidad and
  Tobago and Saint Vincent; VHF and UHF radio links to Trinidad

Guam
  general assessment: modern system, integrated with US
  facilities for direct dialing, including free use of 800 numbers
  domestic: modern digital system, including cellular mobile service
  and local access to the Internet
  international: country code - 1-671; major landing point for
  submarine cables between Asia and the US (Guam is a trans-Pacific
  communications hub for major carriers linking the US and Asia);
  satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Guatemala
  general assessment: fairly modern network centered in the
  city of Guatemala
  domestic: state-owned telecommunications company privatized in the
  late 1990s opening the way for competition; fixed-line teledensity
  11 per 100 persons; fixed-line investments are being concentrated on
  improving rural connectivity; mobile-cellular teledensity exceeds
  100 per 100 persons
  international: country code - 502; landing point for both the
  Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) and the SAM-1 fiber
  optic submarine cable system that together provide connectivity to
  South and Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and the US;
  connected to Central American Microwave System; satellite earth
  station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Guernsey
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: fixed-line and mobile-cellular services widely available;
  combined fixed and mobile-cellular density exceeds 100 per 100
  persons
  international: 1 submarine cable

Guinea
  general assessment: inadequate system of open-wire lines,
  small radiotelephone communication stations, and new microwave radio
  relay system
  domestic: Conakry reasonably well served; coverage elsewhere remains
  inadequate and large companies tend to rely on their own systems for
  nationwide links; fixed-line density less than 1 per 100 persons;
  mobile-cellular subscribership is expanding and is roughly 25 per
  100 persons
  international: country code - 224; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Guinea-Bissau
  general assessment: small system
  domestic: combination of microwave radio relay, open-wire lines,
  radiotelephone, and cellular communications; fixed-line teledensity
  less than 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity approached
  35 per 100 in 2008
  international: country code - 245 (2008)

Guyana
  general assessment: fair system for long-distance service
  domestic: microwave radio relay network for trunk lines; fixed-line
  teledensity is about 15 per 100 persons; many areas still lack
  fixed-line telephone services; mobile-cellular teledensity reached
  37 per 100 persons in 2005
  international: country code - 592; tropospheric scatter to Trinidad;
  satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Haiti
  general assessment: telecommunications infrastructure is among
  the least developed in Latin America and the Caribbean; domestic
  facilities barely adequate; international facilities slightly
  better; mobile-cellular telephone services are expanding rapidly
  due, in part, to the introduction of low-cost GSM phones in 2006
  domestic: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay trunk service
  international: country code - 509; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  general assessment: automatic digital
  exchange
  domestic: connected via fiber optic cable to Telecom Italia network
  international: country code - 39; uses Italian system

Honduras
  general assessment: the number of fixed-line connections
  are increasing but still limited; competition among multiple
  providers of mobile-cellular services is contributing to a sharp
  increase in the number of subscribers
  domestic: beginning in 2003, private sub-operators allowed to
  provide fixed-lines in order to expand telephone coverage
  contributing to an increase in fixed-line teledensity to roughly 10
  per 100 persons; mobile-cellular subscribership exceeded 80 per 100
  persons in 2008
  international: country code - 504; landing point for both the
  Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) and the MAYA-1 fiber
  optic submarine cable system that together provide connectivity to
  South and Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and the US;
  satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to
  Central American Microwave System

Hong Kong
  general assessment: modern facilities provide excellent
  domestic and international services
  domestic: microwave radio relay links and extensive fiber-optic
  network
  international: country code - 852; multiple international submarine
  cables provide connections to Asia, US, Australia, the Middle East,
  and Western Europe; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Pacific
  Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); coaxial cable to Guangzhou, China

Hungary
  general assessment: the telephone system has been modernized
  and is capable of satisfying all requests for telecommunication
  service
  domestic: the system is digitalized and highly automated; trunk
  services are carried by fiber-optic cable and digital microwave
  radio relay; a program for fiber-optic subscriber connections was
  initiated in 1996; competition among mobile-cellular service
  providers has led to a sharp increase in the use of mobile cellular
  phones since 2000 and a decrease in the number of fixed-line
  connections
  international: country code - 36; Hungary has fiber-optic cable
  connections with all neighboring countries; the international switch
  is in Budapest; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic
  Ocean and Indian Ocean regions), 1 Inmarsat, 1 very small aperture
  terminal (VSAT) system of ground terminals

Iceland
  general assessment: telecommunications infrastructure is
  modern and fully digitized, with satellite-earth stations,
  fiber-optic cables, and an extensive broadband network
  domestic: liberalization of the telecommunications sector beginning
  in the late 1990s has led to increased competition especially in the
  mobile services segment of the market
  international: country code - 354; the CANTAT-3 and FARICE-1
  submarine cable systems provide connectivity to Canada, the Faroe
  Islands, UK, Denmark, and Germany; a planned new section of the
  Hibernia-Atlantic submarine cable will provide additional
  connectivity to Canada, US, and Ireland; satellite earth stations -
  2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean
  regions); note - Iceland shares the Inmarsat earth station with the
  other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden)

India
  general assessment: recent deregulation and liberalization of
  telecommunications laws and policies have prompted rapid growth;
  local and long distance service provided throughout all regions of
  the country, with services primarily concentrated in the urban
  areas; steady improvement is taking place with the recent admission
  of private and private-public investors, but combined fixed and
  mobile telephone density remains low at about 40 for each 100
  persons nationwide and much lower for persons in rural areas;
  extremely rapid growth in cellular service with modest declines in
  fixed lines
  domestic: mobile cellular service introduced in 1994 and organized
  nationwide into four metropolitan areas and 19 telecom circles each
  with multiple private service providers and one or more state-owned
  service providers; in recent years significant trunk capacity added
  in the form of fiber-optic cable and one of the world's largest
  domestic satellite systems, the Indian National Satellite system
  (INSAT), with 6 satellites supporting 33,000 very small aperture
  terminals (VSAT)
  international: country code - 91; a number of major international
  submarine cable systems, including Sea-Me-We-3 with landing sites at
  Cochin and Mumbai (Bombay), Sea-Me-We-4 with a landing site at
  Chennai, Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG) with a landing
  site at Mumbai (Bombay), South Africa - Far East (SAFE) with a
  landing site at Cochin, the i2i cable network linking to Singapore
  with landing sites at Mumbai (Bombay) and Chennai (Madras), and Tata
  Indicom linking Singapore and Chennai (Madras), provide a
  significant increase in the bandwidth available for both voice and
  data traffic; satellite earth stations - 8 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
  and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region); 9 gateway exchanges operating
  from Mumbai (Bombay), New Delhi, Kolkata (Calcutta), Chennai
  (Madras), Jalandhar, Kanpur, Gandhinagar, Hyderabad, and Ernakulam
  (2008)

Indonesia
  general assessment: domestic service fair, international
  service good
  domestic: interisland microwave system and HF radio police net;
  domestic satellite communications system; coverage provided by
  existing network has been expanded by use of over 200,000 telephone
  kiosks many located in remote areas; mobile cellular subscribership
  growing rapidly
  international: country code - 62; landing point for both the
  SEA-ME-WE-3 and SEA-ME-WE-4 submarine cable networks that provide
  links throughout Asia, the Middle East, and Europe; satellite earth
  stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean)

Iran
  general assessment: currently being modernized and expanded
  with the goal of not only improving the efficiency and increasing
  the volume of the urban service but also bringing telephone service
  to several thousand villages, not presently connected
  domestic: the addition of new fiber cables and modern switching and
  exchange systems installed by Iran's state-owned telecom company
  have improved and expanded the main line network greatly; main line
  availability has more than doubled to nearly 25 million lines since
  2000; additionally, mobile service has increased dramatically
  serving 43 million subscribers in 2008; combined fixed and
  mobile-cellular subscribership now exceeds 100 per 100 persons
  international: country code - 98; submarine fiber-optic cable to UAE
  with access to Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG);
  Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line runs from Azerbaijan
  through the northern portion of Iran to Turkmenistan with expansion
  to Georgia and Azerbaijan; HF radio and microwave radio relay to
  Turkey, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Syria,
  Kuwait, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan; satellite earth stations - 13 (9
  Intelsat and 4 Inmarsat) (2007)

Iraq
  general assessment: the 2003 liberation of Iraq severely
  disrupted telecommunications throughout Iraq including international
  connections; widespread government efforts to rebuild domestic and
  international communications through fiber optic links are in
  progress; the mobile cellular market has expanded rapidly and its
  subscribership base approached 18 million in 2008
  domestic: repairs to switches and lines destroyed during 2003
  continue; additional switching capacity is improving access;
  cellular service is available and centered on 3 GSM networks which
  are being expanded beyond their regional roots, improving
  country-wide connectivity; wireless local loop licenses have been
  issued with the hope of overcoming the lack of fixed-line
  infrastructure
  international: country code - 964; satellite earth stations - 4 (2
  Intelsat - 1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean, 1 Intersputnik -
  Atlantic Ocean region, and 1 Arabsat (inoperative)); local microwave
  radio relay connects border regions to Jordan, Kuwait, Syria, and
  Turkey; planned international fiber-optic connections to Iran
  (terrestrial) with a link to the Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe
  (FLAG) submarine fiber-optic cable (2008)

Ireland
  general assessment: modern digital system using cable and
  microwave radio relay
  domestic: system privatized but dominated by former state monopoly
  operator; increasing levels of broadband access
  international: country code - 353; landing point for the
  Hibernia-Atlantic submarine cable with links to the US, Canada, and
  UK; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Isle of Man
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: landline, telefax, mobile cellular telephone system
  international: fiber-optic cable, microwave radio relay, satellite
  earth station, submarine cable

Israel
  general assessment: most highly developed system in the
  Middle East although not the largest
  domestic: good system of coaxial cable and microwave radio relay;
  all systems are digital; four privately-owned mobile-cellular
  service providers with countrywide coverage
  international: country code - 972; submarine cables provide links to
  Europe, Cyprus, and parts of the Middle East; satellite earth
  stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) (2008)

Italy
  general assessment: modern, well developed, fast; fully
  automated telephone, telex, and data services
  domestic: high-capacity cable and microwave radio relay trunks
  international: country code - 39; a series of submarine cables
  provide links to Asia, Middle East, Europe, North Africa, and US;
  satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (with a total of 5 antennas -
  3 for Atlantic Ocean and 2 for Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic
  Ocean region), and NA Eutelsat

Jamaica
  general assessment: fully automatic domestic telephone
  network
  domestic: the 1999 agreement to open the market for
  telecommunications services resulted in rapid growth in
  mobile-cellular telephone usage while the number of fixed-lines in
  use has declined; combined mobile-cellular teledensity now roughly
  100 per 100 persons
  international: country code - 1-876; the Fibralink submarine cable
  network provides enhanced delivery of business and broadband traffic
  and is linked to the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1)
  submarine cable in the Dominican Republic; the link to ARCOS-1
  provides seamless connectivity to US, parts of the Caribbean,
  Central America, and South America; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Japan
  general assessment: excellent domestic and international
  service
  domestic: high level of modern technology and excellent service of
  every kind
  international: country code - 81; numerous submarine cables provide
  links throughout Asia, Australia, the Middle East, Europe, and US;
  satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (4 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian
  Ocean), 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region), and 1 Inmarsat
  (Pacific and Indian Ocean regions

Jersey
  general assessment: state owned, partially-competitive
  market; increasingly modern, with some broadband access
  domestic: digital telephone system launch announced in 2006 and
  currently being implemented; fixed-line and mobile-cellular services
  widely available; combined fixed and mobile-cellular density exceeds
  100 per 100 persons
  international: submarine cable connectivity to Guernsey, the UK, and
  France (2008)

Jordan
  general assessment: service has improved recently with
  increased use of digital switching equipment; microwave radio relay
  transmission and coaxial and fiber-optic cable are employed on trunk
  lines; growing mobile-cellular usage in both urban and rural areas
  is reducing use of fixed-line services; Internet penetration remains
  modest and slow-growing
  domestic: 1995 telecommunications law opened all non-fixed-line
  services to private competition; in 2005, monopoly over fixed-line
  services terminated and the entire telecommunications sector was
  opened to competition; mobile-cellular usage has increased and
  teledensity reached 85 per 100 persons in 2008
  international: country code - 962; landing point for the Fiber-Optic
  Link Around the Globe (FLAG) submarine cable network that provides
  links to Asia, Middle East, Europe; satellite earth stations - 33 (3
  Intelsat, 1 Arabsat, and 29 land and maritime Inmarsat terminals);
  fiber-optic cable to Saudi Arabia and microwave radio relay link
  with Egypt and Syria; participant in Medarabtel (2008)

Kazakhstan
  general assessment: inherited an outdated
  telecommunications network from the Soviet era requiring
  modernization
  domestic: intercity by landline and microwave radio relay; number of
  fixed-line connections is gradually increasing and fixed-line
  teledensity now exceeds 20 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular usage is
  increasing rapidly and the subscriber base now is roughly 100 per
  100 persons
  international: country code - 7; international traffic with other
  former Soviet republics and China carried by landline and microwave
  radio relay and with other countries by satellite and by the
  Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic cable; satellite earth stations
  - 2 Intelsat (2008)

Kenya
  general assessment: inadequate; fixed-line telephone system is
  small and inefficient; trunks are primarily microwave radio relay;
  business data commonly transferred by a very small aperture terminal
  (VSAT) system
  domestic: no recent growth in fixed-line infrastructure and the sole
  provider, Telkom Kenya, is slated for privatization; multiple
  providers in the mobile-cellular segment of the market fostering a
  boom in mobile-cellular telephone usage
  international: country code - 254; satellite earth stations - 4
  Intelsat

Kiribati
  general assessment: generally good quality national and
  international service
  domestic: wire line service available on Tarawa and Kiritimati
  (Christmas Island); connections to outer islands by HF/VHF
  radiotelephone; wireless service available in Tarawa since 1999
  international: country code - 686; Kiribati is being linked to the
  Pacific Ocean Cooperative Telecommunications Network, which should
  improve telephone service; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
  (Pacific Ocean)

Korea, North
  general assessment: inadequate system; currently mobile
  cellular telephone services are available in Pyongyang only
  domestic: fiber-optic links installed between cities; telephone
  directories unavailable; mobile cellular service, initiated in 2002,
  suspended in 2004; Orascom Telecom, an Egyptian company, launched
  mobile service on December 15, 2008 for the Pyongyang area only
  international: country code - 850; satellite earth stations - 2 (1
  Intelsat - Indian Ocean, 1 Russian - Indian Ocean region); other
  international connections through Moscow and Beijing (2008)

Korea, South
  general assessment: excellent domestic and
  international services featuring rapid incorporation of new
  technologies
  domestic: fixed-line and mobile-cellular services wide available
  with a combined telephone subscribership of roughly 140 per 100
  persons; rapid assimilation of a full range of telecommunications
  technologies leading to a boom in e-commerce
  international: country code - 82; numerous submarine cables provide
  links throughout Asia, Australia, the Middle East, Europe, and US;
  satellite earth stations - 66

Kuwait
  general assessment: the quality of service is excellent
  domestic: new telephone exchanges provide a large capacity for new
  subscribers; trunk traffic is carried by microwave radio relay,
  coaxial cable, and open-wire and fiber-optic cable; a cellular
  telephone system operates throughout Kuwait, and the country is well
  supplied with pay telephones
  international: country code - 965; linked to international submarine
  cable Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG); linked to Bahrain,
  Qatar, UAE via the Fiber-Optic Gulf (FOG) cable; coaxial cable and
  microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia; satellite earth stations - 6
  (3 Intelsat - 1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean, 1 Inmarsat -
  Atlantic Ocean, and 2 Arabsat)

Kyrgyzstan
  general assessment: telecommunications infrastructure is
  being upgraded; loans from the European Bank for Reconstruction and
  Development (EBRD) are being used to install a digital network,
  digital radio-relay stations, and fiber-optic links
  domestic: fixed line penetration remains low and concentrated in
  urban areas; multiple mobile cellular service providers with growing
  coverage; mobile cellular subscribership exceeded 60 per 100 persons
  in 2008
  international: country code - 996; connections with other CIS
  countries by landline or microwave radio relay and with other
  countries by leased connections with Moscow international gateway
  switch and by satellite; satellite earth stations - 2 (1
  Intersputnik, 1 Intelsat); connected internationally by the
  Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line (2008)

Laos
  general assessment: service to general public is poor but
  improving; the government relies on a radiotelephone network to
  communicate with remote areas
  domestic: multiple service providers; mobile cellular usage growing
  rapidly; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular subscribership
  approaching 30 per 100 persons
  international: country code - 856; satellite earth station - 1
  Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region) (2008)

Latvia
  general assessment: recent efforts focused on bringing
  competition to the telecommunications sector; the number of fixed
  lines is decreasing as wireless telephone service expands
  domestic: number of telecommunications operators has grown rapidly
  since the fixed-line market opened to competition in 2003; combined
  fixed-line and mobile-cellular subscribership exceeds 125 per 100
  persons
  international: country code - 371; the Latvian network is now
  connected via fiber optic cable to Estonia, Finland, and Sweden
  (2008)

Lebanon
  general assessment: repair of the telecommunications system,
  severely damaged during the civil war, now complete
  domestic: two wireless networks provide good service; combined
  fixed-line and mobile-cellular subscribership exceeds 50 per 100
  persons
  international: country code - 961; submarine cable links to Cyprus,
  Egypt, and Syria; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian
  Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean); coaxial cable to Syria (2008)

Lesotho
  general assessment: rudimentary system consisting of a
  modest but growing number of landlines, a small microwave radio
  relay system, and a small radiotelephone communication system;
  mobile-cellular telephone system is expanding
  domestic: privatized in 2001, Telecom Lesotho tasked with providing
  an additional 50,000 fixed-line connections within five years, a
  target not met; mobile-cellular service is expanding with a
  subscribership exceeding 25 per 100 persons; rural services are scant
  international: country code - 266; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Liberia
  general assessment: the limited services available are found
  almost exclusively in the capital Monrovia; coverage extended to a
  number of other towns and rural areas by four mobile-cellular
  network operators
  domestic: fixed line service stagnant and extremely limited;
  mobile-cellular subscription base growing and teledensity exceeding
  20 per 100 persons
  international: country code - 231; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Libya
  general assessment: telecommunications system is state-owned
  and service is poor, but investment is being made to upgrade; state
  retains monopoly in fixed-line services; mobile cellular telephone
  system became operational in 1996; multiple providers for a mobile
  telephone system that is growing rapidly; combined fixed line and
  mobile telephone density is approaching 100 telephones per 100
  persons
  domestic: microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, cellular,
  tropospheric scatter, and a domestic satellite system with 14 earth
  stations
  international: country code - 218; satellite earth stations - 4
  Intelsat, NA Arabsat, and NA Intersputnik; submarine cables to
  France and Italy; microwave radio relay to Tunisia and Egypt;
  tropospheric scatter to Greece; participant in Medarabtel (2008)

Liechtenstein
  general assessment: automatic telephone system
  domestic: fixed line and mobile-cellular services widely available;
  combined telephone service subscribership exceeds 150 per 100 persons
  international: country code - 423; linked to Swiss networks by cable
  and microwave radio relay (2008)

Lithuania
  general assessment: adequate; being modernized to provide
  improved international capability and better residential access
  domestic: rapid expansion of mobile-cellular services has resulted
  in a steady decline in the number of main line subscriptions;
  mobile-cellular teledensity has increased to about 140 per 100
  persons while fixed-line teledensity has dropped to 22 per 100
  persons
  international: country code - 370; major international connections
  to Denmark, Sweden, and Norway by submarine cable for further
  transmission by satellite; landline connections to Latvia and Poland
  (2008)

Luxembourg
  general assessment: highly developed, completely
  automated and efficient system, mainly buried cables
  domestic: fixed line teledensity over 50 per 100 persons; nationwide
  cellular telephone system with market for mobile-cellular phones
  virtually saturated
  international: country code - 352 (2008)

Macau
  general assessment: fairly modern communication facilities
  maintained for domestic and international services
  domestic: termination of monopoly over mobile-cellular telephone
  services in 2001 spurred sharp increase in subscriptions with
  mobile-cellular teledensity approaching 180 per 100 persons in 2008;
  fixed-line subscribership appears to have peaked and is now in
  decline
  international: country code - 853; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3
  submarine cable network that provides links to Asia, the Middle
  East, and Europe; HF radiotelephone communication facility;
  satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (2009)

Macedonia
  general assessment: competition from the mobile-cellular
  segment of the telecommunications market has led to a drop in
  fixed-line telephone subscriptions
  domestic: combined fixed line and mobile telephone subscribership
  approaching 150 per 100 persons
  international: country code - 389 (2008)

Madagascar
  general assessment: system is above average for the
  region; Antananarivo's main telephone exchange modernized in the
  late 1990s, but the rest of the analogue-based telephone system is
  poorly developed; have added new fixed lines since 2005
  domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile telephone density about 25
  per 100 persons
  international: country code - 261; submarine cable to Bahrain;
  satellite earth stations - 2 (1 Intelsat - Indian Ocean, 1
  Intersputnik - Atlantic Ocean region) (2008)

Malawi
  general assessment: rudimentary
  domestic: fixed-line subscribership about 2 per 100 persons;
  privatization of Malawi Telecommunications (MTL), a necessary step
  in bringing improvement to telecommunications services, completed in
  2006; mobile-cellular services are expanding but cellular network
  coverage is limited and is based around the main urban areas; mobile
  cellular subscribership approaching 15 per 100 persons
  international: country code - 265; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Malaysia
  general assessment: modern system; international service
  excellent
  domestic: good intercity service provided on Peninsular Malaysia
  mainly by microwave radio relay; adequate intercity microwave radio
  relay network between Sabah and Sarawak via Brunei; domestic
  satellite system with 2 earth stations; combined fixed-line and
  mobile cellular teledensity 125 per 100 persons
  international: country code - 60; landing point for several major
  international submarine cable networks that provide connectivity to
  Asia, Middle East, and Europe; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat
  (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Pacific Ocean) (2008)

Maldives
  general assessment: telephone services have improved; each
  island now has at least 1 public telephone, and there are mobile
  cellular networks with a rapidly expanding subscribership that
  exceeds 100 per 100 persons
  domestic: interatoll communication through microwave links; all
  inhabited islands and resorts are connected with telephone and fax
  service
  international: country code - 960; linked to international submarine
  cable Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG); satellite earth
  station - 3 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (2009)

Mali
  general assessment: domestic system unreliable but improving;
  provides only minimal service
  domestic: fixed-line subscribership remains less than 1 per 100
  persons; increasing use of local radio loops to extend network
  coverage to remote areas; mobile-cellular subscribership has
  increased sharply to about 25 per 100 persons
  international: country code - 223; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean, 1 Indian Ocean) (2008)

Malta
  general assessment: automatic system is adequate; combined
  fixed-line and mobile-cellular subscribership exceeds 150 per 100
  persons
  domestic: submarine cable and microwave radio relay between islands
  international: country code - 356; submarine cable connects to
  Italy; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Marshall Islands
  general assessment: digital switching equipment;
  modern services include telex, cellular, Internet, international
  calling, caller ID, and leased data circuits
  domestic: Majuro Atoll and Ebeye and Kwajalein islands have regular,
  seven-digit, direct-dial telephones; other islands interconnected by
  high frequency radiotelephone (used mostly for government purposes)
  and mini-satellite telephones
  international: country code - 692; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); US Government satellite communications
  system on Kwajalein (2005)

Mauritania
  general assessment: limited system of cable and open-wire
  lines, minor microwave radio relay links, and radiotelephone
  communications stations; mobile-cellular services expanding rapidly
  domestic: Mauritel, the national telecommunications company, was
  privatized in 2001 but remains the monopoly provider of fixed-line
  services; fixed-line teledensity 2 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular
  network coverage extends mainly to urban areas with a teledensity of
  60 per 100 persons; mostly cable and open-wire lines; a domestic
  satellite telecommunications system links Nouakchott with regional
  capitals
  international: country code - 222; satellite earth stations - 3 (1
  Intelsat - Atlantic Ocean, 2 Arabsat) (2008)

Mauritius
  general assessment: small system with good service
  domestic: monopoly over fixed-line services terminated in 2005;
  fixed-line teledensity roughly 30 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular
  services launched in 1989 with teledensity in 2008 reaching 80 per
  100 persons
  international: country code - 230; landing point for the SAFE
  submarine cable that provides links to Asia and South Africa where
  it connects to the SAT-3/WASC submarine cable that provides further
  links to parts of East Africa, and Europe; satellite earth station -
  1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean); new microwave link to Reunion; HF
  radiotelephone links to several countries (2008)

Mayotte
  general assessment: small system administered by French
  Department of Posts and Telecommunications
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 262; microwave radio relay and HF
  radiotelephone communications to Comoros

Mexico
  general assessment: adequate telephone service for business
  and government, but the population is poorly served; mobile
  subscribers far outnumber fixed-line subscribers; domestic satellite
  system with 120 earth stations; extensive microwave radio relay
  network; considerable use of fiber-optic cable and coaxial cable
  domestic: low telephone density with about 19 fixed lines per 100
  persons; privatized in December 1990; despite the opening to
  competition in January 1997, Telmex remains dominant; legal
  challenges to Telmex's alleged anti-competitive behavior in the
  mobile and fixed-line markets culminated in a World Trade
  Organization ruling in 2004 against Mexico prompting some
  strengthening of the powers granted Mexico's telecom regulator;
  mobile cellular teledensity approaching 70 per 100 persons
  international: country code - 52; Columbus-2 fiber-optic submarine
  cable with access to the US, Virgin Islands, Canary Islands, Spain,
  and Italy; the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) and
  the MAYA-1 submarine cable system together provide access to Central
  America, parts of South America and the Caribbean, and the US;
  satellite earth stations - 120 (32 Intelsat, 2 Solidaridad (giving
  Mexico improved access to South America, Central America, and much
  of the US as well as enhancing domestic communications), 1 Panamsat,
  numerous Inmarsat mobile earth stations); linked to Central American
  Microwave System of trunk connections (2008)

Micronesia, Federated States of general assessment: adequate system domestic: islands interconnected by shortwave radiotelephone (used mostly for government purposes), satellite (Intelsat) ground stations, and some coaxial and fiber-optic cable; cellular service available on Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap international: country code - 691; satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2002)

Moldova
  general assessment: inadequate, outmoded, poor service
  outside Chisinau; some modernization is under way
  domestic: depending on location, new subscribers may face long wait
  for service; multiple private operators of GSM mobile-cellular
  telephone service are operating; GPRS system is being introduced; a
  CDMA mobile telephone network began operations in 2007; combined
  fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity 85 per 100 persons
  international: country code - 373; service through Romania and
  Russia via landline; satellite earth stations - at least 3
  (Intelsat, Eutelsat, and Intersputnik) (2008)

Monaco
  general assessment: modern automatic telephone system; the
  country's sole fixed line operator offers a full range of services
  to residential and business customers
  domestic: combined fixed line and mobile telephone density exceeds
  100%
  international: country code - 377; no satellite earth stations;
  connected by cable into the French communications system

Mongolia
  general assessment: network is improving with international
  direct dialing available in many areas
  domestic: very low fixed-line density; there are multiple mobile
  cellular service providers and subscribership is increasing rapidly;
  a fiber-optic network has been installed that is improving broadband
  and communication services between major urban centers with multiple
  companies providing inter-city fiber-optic cable services
  international: country code - 976; satellite earth stations - 7

Montenegro
  general assessment: modern telecommunications system with
  access to European satellites
  domestic: GSM wireless service, available through 3 providers with
  national coverage, is growing
  international: country code - 382; 2 international switches connect
  the national system

Montserrat
  general assessment: modern and fully digitalized
  domestic: fixed-line and mobile-cellular telephone systems available
  international: country code - 1-664; landing point for the East
  Caribbean Fiber System (ECFS) optic submarine cable with links to 13
  other islands in the eastern Caribbean extending from the British
  Virgin Islands to Trinidad

Morocco
  general assessment: modern system with all important
  capabilities; however, density is low with only 9 fixed lines
  available for each 100 persons; mobile-cellular subscribership
  reached 65 per 100 persons in 2008
  domestic: good system composed of open-wire lines, cables, and
  microwave radio relay links; Internet available but expensive;
  principal switching centers are Casablanca and Rabat; national
  network nearly 100% digital using fiber-optic links; improved rural
  service employs microwave radio relay
  international: country code - 212; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3
  optical telecommunications submarine cable that provides
  connectivity to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe; satellite earth
  stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; microwave
  radio relay to Gibraltar, Spain, and Western Sahara; coaxial cable
  and microwave radio relay to Algeria; participant in Medarabtel;
  fiber-optic cable link from Agadir to Algeria and Tunisia (2008)

Mozambique
  general assessment: fair system with an extremely low
  density of less than 1 fixed line per 100 persons
  domestic: the telecommunications sector is shackled with a heavy
  state presence, lack of competition, and high operating costs and
  charges; stagnation in the fixed-line network contrasts with rapid
  growth in the mobile-cellular network; mobile-cellular coverage now
  includes all the main cities and key roads, including those from
  Maputo to the South African and Swaziland borders, the national
  highway through Gaza and Inhambane provinces, the Beira corridor,
  and from Nampula to Nacala
  international: country code - 258; satellite earth stations - 5
  Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 3 Indian Ocean)

Namibia
  general assessment: good system with a combined fixed-line
  and mobile-cellular teledensity of about 55 per 100 persons
  domestic: core fiber-optic network links most centers and
  connections are now digital; Namibia's first mobile-cellular
  network, launched in 1994, provides coverage to 86 percent of
  Namibia by area
  international: country code - 264; fiber-optic cable to South
  Africa, microwave radio relay link to Botswana, direct links to
  other neighboring countries; connected to the South African Far East
  (SAFE) submarine cable through South Africa; satellite earth
  stations - 4 Intelsat (2008)

Nauru
  general assessment: adequate local and international
  radiotelephone communication provided via Australian facilities
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 674; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Nepal
  general assessment: poor telephone and telegraph service; fair
  radiotelephone communication service and mobile-cellular telephone
  network
  domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular telephone service
  subscribership base only about 15 per 100 persons
  international: country code - 977; radiotelephone communications;
  microwave landline to India; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
  (Indian Ocean) (2008)

Netherlands
  general assessment: highly developed and well maintained
  domestic: extensive fixed-line fiber-optic network; large cellular
  telephone system with 5 major operators utilizing the third
  generation of the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM)
  technology; one in five households now use Voice over the Internet
  Protocol (VoIP) services
  international: country code - 31; submarine cables provide links to
  the US and Europe; satellite earth stations - 5 (3 Intelsat - 1
  Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean, 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (2007)

Netherlands Antilles
  general assessment: generally adequate
  facilities
  domestic: extensive interisland microwave radio relay links
  international: country code - 599; the Americas Region Caribbean
  Ring System (ARCOS-1) and the Americas-2 submarine cable systems
  provide connectivity to Central America, parts of South America and
  the Caribbean, and the US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat
  (Atlantic Ocean)

New Caledonia
  general assessment: a submarine cable network
  connection between New Caledonia and Australia, completed in 2007,
  is expected to significantly increase network capacity and improve
  high-speed connectivity and access to international networks
  domestic: combined fixed and mobile-cellular telephone
  subscribership exceeds 100 per 100 persons
  international: country code - 687; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2008)

New Zealand
  general assessment: excellent domestic and international
  systems
  domestic: combined fixed and mobile-cellular telephone
  subscribership exceeds 150 per 100 persons
  international: country code - 64; the Southern Cross submarine cable
  system provides links to Australia, Fiji, and the US; satellite
  earth stations - 8 (1 Inmarsat - Pacific Ocean, 7 other)

Nicaragua
  general assessment: system being upgraded by foreign
  investment; nearly all installed telecommunications capacity now
  uses digital technology, owing to investments since privatization of
  the formerly state-owned telecommunications company
  domestic: since privatization, access to fixed-line and
  mobile-cellular services has improved but teledensity still lags
  behind other Central American countries; fixed-line teledensity
  roughly 5 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone subscribership
  increasing and now exceeds 50 per 100 persons; connected to Central
  American Microwave System
  international: country code - 505; the Americas Region Caribbean
  Ring System (ARCOS-1) fiber optic submarine cable provides
  connectivity to South and Central America, parts of the Caribbean,
  and the US; satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic
  Ocean region) and 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Niger
  general assessment: inadequate; small system of wire, radio
  telephone communications, and microwave radio relay links
  concentrated in the southwestern area of Niger
  domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity only
  13 per 100 persons with cellular subscribership increasing rapidly
  from a small base; domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations
  and 1 planned
  international: country code - 227; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) (2008)

Nigeria
  general assessment: further expansion and modernization of
  the fixed-line telephone network is needed
  domestic: the addition of a second fixed-line provider in 2002
  resulted in faster growth but subscribership remains only about 1
  per 100 persons; mobile-cellular services growing rapidly, in part
  responding to the shortcomings of the fixed-line network; multiple
  cellular service providers operate nationally with subscribership
  reaching 45 per 100 persons in 2008
  international: country code - 234; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC
  fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and
  Asia; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1
  Indian Ocean) (2008)

Niue
  domestic: single-line telephone system connects all villages on
  island
  international: country code - 683 (2001)

Norfolk Island
  general assessment: adequate
  domestic: free local calls
  international: country code - 672; undersea coaxial cable links with
  Australia and New Zealand; satellite earth station - 1

Northern Mariana Islands
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 1-670; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Norway
  general assessment: modern in all respects; one of the most
  advanced telecommunications networks in Europe
  domestic: Norway has a domestic satellite system; moreover, the
  prevalence of rural areas encourages the wide use of cellular-mobile
  systems instead of fixed-wire systems
  international: country code - 47; 2 buried coaxial cable systems;
  submarine cables provide links to other Nordic countries and Europe;
  satellite earth stations - NA Eutelsat, NA Intelsat (Atlantic
  Ocean), and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note -
  Norway shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic
  countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Sweden) (1999)

Oman
  general assessment: modern system consisting of open-wire,
  microwave, and radiotelephone communication stations; limited
  coaxial cable
  domestic: fixed-line phone service gradually being introduced to
  remote villages using wireless local loop systems; fixed-line and
  mobile-cellular subscribership both increasing; open-wire,
  microwave, radiotelephone communications, and a domestic satellite
  system with 8 earth stations
  international: country code - 968; the Fiber-Optic Link Around the
  Globe (FLAG) and the SEA-ME-WE-3 submarine cable provide
  connectivity to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe; satellite earth
  stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean), 1 Arabsat (2007)

Pakistan
  general assessment: the telecommunications infrastructure
  is improving dramatically with foreign and domestic investments in
  fixed-line and mobile networks; mobile-cellular subscribership has
  skyrocketed, reaching some 91 million in 2009, up from only about
  300,000 in 2000; fiber systems are being constructed throughout the
  country to aid in network growth; main line availability has risen
  only marginally over the same period and there are still
  difficulties getting main line service to rural areas
  domestic: microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, fiber-optic cable,
  cellular, and satellite networks
  international: country code - 92; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3
  and SEA-ME-WE-4 submarine cable systems that provide links to Asia,
  the Middle East, and Europe; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat
  (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); 3 operational international
  gateway exchanges (1 at Karachi and 2 at Islamabad); microwave radio
  relay to neighboring countries (2009)

Palau
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: fixed-line and mobile-cellular services available with a
  combined subscribership of more than 90 per 100 persons
  international: country code - 680; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2008)

Panama
  general assessment: domestic and international facilities
  well developed
  domestic: mobile-cellular telephone subscribership has increased
  rapidly with combined fixed and mobile-cellular teledensity reaching
  130 per 100 persons in 2008
  international: country code - 507; landing point for the Americas
  Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1), the MAYA-1, and PAN-AM
  submarine cable systems that together provide links to the US and
  parts of the Caribbean, Central America, and South America;
  satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to
  the Central American Microwave System (2008)

Papua New Guinea
  general assessment: services are minimal;
  facilities provide radiotelephone and telegraph, coastal radio,
  aeronautical radio, and international radio communication services
  domestic: access to telephone services is not widely available;
  combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity is 11 per 100
  persons
  international: country code - 675; submarine cables to Australia and
  Guam; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean);
  international radio communication service (2008)

Paraguay
  general assessment: meager telephone service; principal
  switching center is in Asuncion
  domestic: the fixed-line market is a state monopoly; deficiencies in
  provision of fixed-line service have resulted in a rapid expansion
  of mobile-cellular services fostered by competition among multiple
  providers
  international: country code - 595; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Peru
  general assessment: adequate for most requirements
  domestic: fixed-line teledensity is only about 10 per 100 persons;
  mobile-cellular teledensity, spurred by competition among multiple
  providers, has increased to more than 70 telephones per 100 persons;
  nationwide microwave radio relay system and a domestic satellite
  system with 12 earth stations
  international: country code - 51; the South America-1 (SAM-1) and
  Pan American (PAN-AM) submarine cable systems provide links to parts
  of Central and South America, the Caribbean, and US; satellite earth
  stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Philippines
  general assessment: good international radiotelephone
  and submarine cable services; domestic and interisland service
  adequate
  domestic: domestic satellite system with 11 earth stations; cellular
  communications now dominate the industry; combined fixed-line and
  mobile-cellular telephone density about 80 telephones per 100 persons
  international: country code - 63; a series of submarine cables
  together provide connectivity to Asia, US, the Middle East, and
  Europe; multiple international gateways (2008)

Pitcairn Islands
  general assessment: satellite phone services
  domestic: domestic communication via radio (CB)
  international: country code - 872; satellite earth station - 1
  (Inmarsat)

Poland
  general assessment: modernization of the telecommunications
  network has accelerated with market based competition finalized in
  2003; fixed-line service, dominated by the former state-owned
  company, is dwarfed by the growth in wireless telephony
  domestic: mobile-cellular service available since 1993 and provided
  by three nation-wide networks with a fourth provider beginning
  operations in late 2006; cellular coverage is generally good with
  some gaps in the east; fixed-line service is growing slowly and
  still lags in rural areas
  international: country code - 48; international direct dialing with
  automated exchanges; satellite earth station - 1 with access to
  Intelsat, Eutelsat, Inmarsat, and Intersputnik (2007)

Portugal
  general assessment: Portugal's telephone system has a
  state-of-the-art network with broadband, high-speed capabilities
  domestic: integrated network of coaxial cables, open-wire, microwave
  radio relay, and domestic satellite earth stations
  international: country code - 351; a combination of submarine cables
  provide connectivity to Europe, North and East Africa, South Africa,
  the Middle East, Asia, and the US; satellite earth stations - 3
  Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), NA Eutelsat;
  tropospheric scatter to Azores (2008)

Puerto Rico
  general assessment: modern system integrated with that
  of the US by high-capacity submarine cable and Intelsat with
  high-speed data capability
  domestic: digital telephone system; cellular telephone service
  international: country code - 1-787, 939; submarine cables provide
  connectivity to the US, Caribbean, Central and South America;
  satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat

Qatar
  general assessment: modern system centered in Doha
  domestic: combined fixed and mobile-cellular telephone
  subscribership exceeds 200 telephones per 100 persons
  international: country code - 974; landing point for the Fiber-Optic
  Link Around the Globe (FLAG) submarine cable network that provides
  links to Asia, Middle East, Europe, and the US; tropospheric scatter
  to Bahrain; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia and the UAE;
  satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian
  Ocean) and 1 Arabsat (2008)

Romania
  general assessment: the telecommunications sector is being
  expanded and modernized; domestic and international service
  improving rapidly, especially mobile-cellular services
  domestic: more than 90 percent of telephone network is automatic;
  fixed-line teledensity exceeds 20 telephones per 100 persons;
  mobile-cellular teledensity, expanding rapidly, roughly 110
  telephones per 100 persons
  international: country code - 40; the Black Sea Fiber Optic System
  provides connectivity to Bulgaria and Turkey; satellite earth
  stations - 10; digital, international, direct-dial exchanges operate
  in Bucharest (2008)

Russia
  general assessment: the telephone system is experiencing
  significant changes; there are more than 1,000 companies licensed to
  offer communication services; access to digital lines has improved,
  particularly in urban centers; Internet and e-mail services are
  improving; Russia has made progress toward building the
  telecommunications infrastructure necessary for a market economy;
  the estimated number of mobile subscribers jumped from fewer than 1
  million in 1998 to nearly 188 million in 2008; a large demand for
  main line service remains unsatisfied
  domestic: cross-country digital trunk lines run from Saint
  Petersburg to Khabarovsk, and from Moscow to Novorossiysk; the
  telephone systems in 60 regional capitals have modern digital
  infrastructures; cellular services, both analog and digital, are
  available in many areas; in rural areas, the telephone services are
  still outdated, inadequate, and low density
  international: country code - 7; Russia is connected internationally
  by undersea fiber optic cables; digital switches in several cities
  provide more than 50,000 lines for international calls; satellite
  earth stations provide access to Intelsat, Intersputnik, Eutelsat,
  Inmarsat, and Orbita systems (2008)

Rwanda
  general assessment: small, inadequate telephone system
  primarily serves business and government
  domestic: the capital, Kigali, is connected to the centers of the
  provinces by microwave radio relay and, recently, by cellular
  telephone service; much of the network depends on wire and HF
  radiotelephone; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular telephone
  density is only about 13 telephones per 100 persons
  international: country code - 250; international connections employ
  microwave radio relay to neighboring countries and satellite
  communications to more distant countries; satellite earth stations -
  1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) in Kigali (includes telex and telefax
  service)

Saint Barthelemy
  general assessment: fully integrated access
  domestic: direct dial capability with both fixed and wireless systems
  international: country code - 590; undersea fiber-optic cable
  provides voice and data connectivity to Puerto Rico and Guadeloupe

Saint Helena
  general assessment: can communicate worldwide
  domestic: automatic digital network
  international: country code (Saint Helena) - 290, (Ascension Island)
  - 247; international direct dialing; satellite voice and data
  communications; satellite earth stations - 5 (Ascension Island - 4,
  Saint Helena - 1)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  general assessment: good interisland and
  international connections
  domestic: interisland links via Eastern Caribbean Fiber Optic cable;
  construction of enhanced wireless infrastructure launched in
  November 2004
  international: country code - 1-869; connected internationally by
  the East Caribbean Fiber Optic System (ECFS) and Southern Caribbean
  fiber optic system (SCF) submarine cables

Saint Lucia
  general assessment: adequate system
  domestic: system is automatically switched
  international: country code - 1-758; the East Caribbean Fiber Optic
  System (ECFS) and Southern Caribbean fiber optic system (SCF)
  submarine cables, along with Intelsat from Martinique, carry calls
  internationally; direct microwave radio relay link with Martinique
  and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; tropospheric scatter to
  Barbados

Saint Martin
  general assessment: fully integrated access
  domestic: direct dial capability with both fixed and wireless systems
  international: country code - 590; undersea fiber-optic cable
  provides voice and data connectivity to Puerto Rico and Guadeloupe

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  general assessment: adequate
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 508; radiotelephone communication with
  most countries in the world; satellite earth station - 1 in French
  domestic satellite system

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  general assessment: adequate system
  domestic: islandwide, fully automatic telephone system; VHF/UHF
  radiotelephone from Saint Vincent to the other islands of the
  Grenadines; mobile-cellular teledensity exceeds 100 telephones per
  100 persons
  international: country code - 1-784; the East Caribbean Fiber Optic
  System (ECFS) and Southern Caribbean fiber optic system (SCF)
  submarine cables carry international calls; connectivity also
  provided by VHF/UHF radiotelephone from Saint Vincent to Barbados;
  SHF radiotelephone to Grenada and Saint Lucia; access to Intelsat
  earth station in Martinique through Saint Lucia

Samoa
  general assessment: adequate
  domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity
  roughly 70 telephones per 100 persons; coverage extended to roughly
  95 percent of the country
  international: country code - 685; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

San Marino
  general assessment: adequate connections
  domestic: automatic telephone system completely integrated into
  Italian system; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity
  130 telephones per 100 persons
  international: country code - 378; connected to Italian
  international network (2008)

Sao Tome and Principe
  general assessment: local telephone network of
  adequate quality with most lines connected to digital switches
  domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity
  approaching 30 telephones per 100 persons
  international: country code - 239; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Saudi Arabia
  general assessment: modern system
  domestic: extensive microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, and
  fiber-optic cable systems; mobile-cellular subscribership has been
  increasing rapidly
  international: country code - 966; landing point for the
  international submarine cable Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe
  (FLAG) and for both the SEA-ME-WE-3 and SEA-ME-WE-4 submarine cable
  networks providing connectivity to Asia, Middle East, Europe, and
  US; microwave radio relay to Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE,
  Yemen, and Sudan; coaxial cable to Kuwait and Jordan; satellite
  earth stations - 5 Intelsat (3 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean), 1
  Arabsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region) (2008)

Senegal
  general assessment: good system
  domestic: above-average urban system with a fiber-optic network;
  nearly two-thirds of all fixed-line connections are in Dakar where a
  call-center industry is emerging; expansion of fixed-line services
  in rural areas needed; mobile-cellular service is expanding rapidly;
  microwave radio relay, coaxial cable and fiber-optic cable in trunk
  system
  international: country code - 221; the SAT-3/WASC fiber optic cable
  provides connectivity to Europe and Asia while Atlantis-2 provides
  connectivity to South America; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
  (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)

Serbia
  general assessment: modernization of the telecommunications
  network has been slow as a result of damage stemming from the 1999
  war and transition to a competitive market-based system; network was
  90% digitalized in 2006
  domestic: teledensity remains below the average for neighboring
  states; GSM wireless service, available through multiple providers
  with national coverage, is growing very rapidly; best
  telecommunications service centered in urban centers
  international: country code - 381

Seychelles
  general assessment: effective system
  domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity is 130
  telephones per 100 persons; radiotelephone communications between
  islands in the archipelago
  international: country code - 248; direct radiotelephone
  communications with adjacent island countries and African coastal
  countries; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Sierra Leone
  general assessment: marginal telephone service
  domestic: the national microwave radio relay trunk system connects
  Freetown to Bo and Kenema; mobile-cellular service is growing
  rapidly from a small base
  international: country code - 232; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Singapore
  general assessment: excellent service
  domestic: excellent domestic facilities; launched 3G wireless
  service in February 2005; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular
  teledensity is nearly 175 telephones per 100 persons
  international: country code - 65; numerous submarine cables provide
  links throughout Asia, Australia, the Middle East, Europe, and US;
  satellite earth stations -4; supplemented by VSAT coverage (2008)

Slovakia
  general assessment: Slovakia has a modern
  telecommunications system that has expanded dramatically in recent
  years with the growth in cellular services
  domestic: analog system is now receiving digital equipment and is
  being enlarged with fiber-optic cable, especially in the larger
  cities; 3 companies provide nationwide cellular services
  international: country code - 421; 3 international exchanges (1 in
  Bratislava and 2 in Banska Bystrica) are available; Slovakia is
  participating in several international telecommunications projects
  that will increase the availability of external services

Slovenia
  general assessment: well-developed telecommunications
  infrastructure
  domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity
  roughly 150 telephones per 100 persons
  international: country code - 386

Solomon Islands
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 677; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Somalia
  general assessment: the public telecommunications system was
  almost completely destroyed or dismantled during the civil war;
  private companies offer limited local fixed-line service and private
  wireless companies offer service in most major cities while charging
  the lowest international rates on the continent
  domestic: local cellular telephone systems have been established in
  Mogadishu and in several other population centers
  international: country code - 252; international connections are
  available from Mogadishu by satellite (2001)

South Africa
  general assessment: the system is the best developed
  and most modern in Africa
  domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity
  exceeds 110 telephones per 100 persons; consists of carrier-equipped
  open-wire lines, coaxial cables, microwave radio relay links,
  fiber-optic cable, radiotelephone communication stations, and
  wireless local loops; key centers are Bloemfontein, Cape Town,
  Durban, Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth, and Pretoria
  international: country code - 27; the SAT-3/WASC and SAFE fiber
  optic cable systems connect South Africa to Europe and Asia;
  satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic
  Ocean)

South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: coastal radiotelephone station at Grytviken

Spain
  general assessment: well developed, modern facilities;
  fixed-line teledensity is roughly 50 per 100 persons
  domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity is
  nearly 175 telephones per 100 persons
  international: country code - 34; submarine cables provide
  connectivity to Europe, Middle East, Asia, and US; satellite earth
  stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), NA
  Eutelsat; tropospheric scatter to adjacent countries

Sri Lanka
  general assessment: telephone services have improved
  significantly and are available in most parts of the country
  domestic: national trunk network consists mostly of digital
  microwave radio relay; fiber-optic links now in use in Colombo area
  and fixed wireless local loops have been installed; competition is
  strong in mobile cellular systems and mobile cellular subscribership
  is increasing
  international: country code - 94; the SEA-ME-WE-3 and SEA-ME-WE-4
  submarine cables provide connectivity to Asia, Australia, Middle
  East, Europe, US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian
  Ocean)

Sudan
  general assessment: well-equipped system by regional standards
  and being upgraded; cellular communications started in 1996 and have
  expanded substantially with wide coverage of most major cities
  domestic: consists of microwave radio relay, cable, fiber optic,
  radiotelephone communications, tropospheric scatter, and a domestic
  satellite system with 14 earth stations
  international: country code - 249; linked to international submarine
  cable Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG); satellite earth
  stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Arabsat (2000)

Suriname
  general assessment: international facilities are good
  domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity exceed
  100 telephones per 100 persons; microwave radio relay network
  international: country code - 597; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Svalbard
  general assessment: probably adequate
  domestic: local telephone service
  international: country code - 47-790; satellite earth station - 1 of
  unknown type (for communication with Norwegian mainland only)

Swaziland
  general assessment: a somewhat modern but not an advanced
  system
  domestic: mobile-cellular subscribership is increasing; combined
  fixed-line and mobile cellular teledensity approaching 45 telephones
  per 100 persons; telephone system consists of carrier-equipped,
  open-wire lines and low-capacity, microwave radio relay
  international: country code - 268; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)

Sweden
  general assessment: highly developed telecommunications
  infrastructure; ranked among leading countries for fixed-line,
  mobile-cellular, Internet and broadband penetration
  domestic: coaxial and multiconductor cables carry most of the voice
  traffic; parallel microwave radio relay systems carry some
  additional telephone channels
  international: country code - 46; submarine cables provide links to
  other Nordic countries and Europe; satellite earth stations - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and
  Indian Ocean regions); note - Sweden shares the Inmarsat earth
  station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland,
  and Norway)

Switzerland
  general assessment: highly developed telecommunications
  infrastructure with excellent domestic and international services
  domestic: ranked among leading countries for fixed-line teledensity
  and infrastructure; mobile-cellular subscribership roughly 115 per
  100 persons; extensive cable and microwave radio relay networks
  international: country code - 41; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean)

Syria
  general assessment: fair system currently undergoing
  significant improvement and digital upgrades, including fiber-optic
  technology
  domestic: the number of fixed-line connections has increased
  markedly since 2000; mobile-cellular service growing with telephone
  subscribership reaching 40 per 100 persons in 2008;
  international: country code - 963; submarine cable connection to
  Egypt, Lebanon, and Cyprus; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat
  (Indian Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); coaxial
  cable and microwave radio relay to Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and
  Turkey; participant in Medarabtel

Taiwan
  general assessment: provides telecommunications service for
  every business and private need
  domestic: thoroughly modern; completely digitalized
  international: country code - 886; numerous submarine cables provide
  links throughout Asia, Australia, the Middle East, Europe, and the
  US; satellite earth stations - 2

Tajikistan
  general assessment: foreign investment in the telephone
  system has resulted in major improvements
  domestic: the domestic telecommunications network has historically
  been under funded and poorly maintained; main line availability has
  not changed significantly since 1998; mobile cellular use, aided by
  competition among multiple operators, has expanded rapidly; coverage
  now extends to all major cities and towns
  international: country code - 992; linked by cable and microwave
  radio relay to other CIS republics and by leased connections to the
  Moscow international gateway switch; Dushanbe linked by Intelsat to
  international gateway switch in Ankara (Turkey); satellite earth
  stations - 3 (2 Intelsat and 1 Orbita) (2008)

Tanzania
  general assessment: telecommunications services are
  inadequate; system operating below capacity and being modernized for
  better service; small aperture terminal (VSAT) system under
  construction
  domestic: fixed-line telephone network inadequate with less than 1
  connection per 100 persons; mobile-cellular service, aided by
  multiple providers, is increasing rapidly; trunk service provided by
  open-wire, microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, and
  fiber-optic cable; some links being made digital
  international: country code - 255; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Atlantic Ocean)

Thailand
  general assessment: high quality system, especially in
  urban areas like Bangkok
  domestic: fixed line system provided by both a government owned and
  commercial provider; wireless service expanding rapidly and
  outpacing fixed lines
  international: country code - 66; connected to major submarine cable
  systems providing links throughout Asia, Australia, Middle East,
  Europe, and US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian
  Ocean, 1 Pacific Ocean)

Timor-Leste
  general assessment: rudimentary service limited to urban
  areas
  domestic: system suffered significant damage during the violence
  associated with independence; extremely limited fixed-line services;
  mobile-cellular services and coverage limited primarily to urban
  areas
  international: country code - 670; international service is
  available in major urban centers

Togo
  general assessment: fair system based on a network of microwave
  radio relay routes supplemented by open-wire lines and a
  mobile-cellular system
  domestic: microwave radio relay and open-wire lines for conventional
  system; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity roughly
  30 telephones per 100 persons
  international: country code - 228; satellite earth stations - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Symphonie

Tokelau
  general assessment: modern satellite-based communications
  system
  domestic: radiotelephone service between islands
  international: country code - 690; radiotelephone service to Samoa;
  government-regulated telephone service (TeleTok); satellite earth
  stations - 3

Tonga
  general assessment: competition between Tonga
  Telecommunications Corporation (TCC) and Shoreline Communications
  Tonga (SCT) is accelerating expansion of telecommunications; SCT
  granted approval to introduce high-speed digital service for
  telephone, Internet, and television while TCC has exclusive rights
  to operate the mobile-phone network; international telecom services
  are provided by government-owned Tonga Telecommunications
  International (TTI)
  domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity
  exceeds 60 telephones per 100 persons; fully automatic switched
  network
  international: country code - 676; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2007)

Trinidad and Tobago
  general assessment: excellent international
  service; good local service
  domestic: mobile-cellular teledensity roughly 175 telephones per 100
  persons
  international: country code - 1-868; submarine cable systems provide
  connectivity to US and parts of the Caribbean and South America;
  satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric
  scatter to Barbados and Guyana

Tunisia
  general assessment: above the African average and continuing
  to be upgraded; key centers are Sfax, Sousse, Bizerte, and Tunis;
  Internet access available
  domestic: in an effort jumpstart expansion of the fixed-line
  network, the government has awarded a concession to build and
  operate a VSAT network with international connectivity; competition
  between the two mobile-cellular service providers has resulted in
  lower activation and usage charges and a strong surge in
  subscribership; expansion of mobile-cellular services to include
  multimedia messaging and e-mail and Internet to mobile phone
  services also leading to a surge in subscribership; overall
  fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity is about 95 telephones
  per 100 persons
  international: country code - 216; a landing point for the
  SEA-ME-WE-4 submarine cable system that provides links to Europe,
  Middle East, and Asia; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat
  (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; coaxial cable and microwave radio
  relay to Algeria and Libya; participant in Medarabtel; 2
  international gateway digital switches

Turkey
  general assessment: comprehensive telecommunications network
  undergoing rapid modernization and expansion especially in
  mobile-cellular services
  domestic: additional digital exchanges are permitting a rapid
  increase in subscribers; the construction of a network of
  technologically advanced intercity trunk lines, using both
  fiber-optic cable and digital microwave radio relay, is facilitating
  communication between urban centers; remote areas are reached by a
  domestic satellite system; the number of subscribers to
  mobile-cellular telephone service is growing rapidly
  international: country code - 90; international service is provided
  by the SEA-ME-WE-3 submarine cable and by submarine fiber-optic
  cables in the Mediterranean and Black Seas that link Turkey with
  Italy, Greece, Israel, Bulgaria, Romania, and Russia; satellite
  earth stations - 12 Intelsat; mobile satellite terminals - 328 in
  the Inmarsat and Eutelsat systems (2002)

Turkmenistan
  general assessment: telecommunications network remains
  underdeveloped and progress toward improvement is slow; strict
  government control and censorship inhibits liberalization and
  modernization
  domestic: Turkmentelekom, in cooperation with foreign partners, has
  installed high speed fiber-optic lines and has upgraded most of the
  country's telephone exchanges and switching centers with new digital
  technology; mobile telephone usage is expanding with Russia's Mobile
  Telesystems (MTS) the primary service provider
  international: country code - 993; linked by fiber-optic cable and
  microwave radio relay to other CIS republics and to other countries
  by leased connections to the Moscow international gateway switch; an
  exchange in Ashgabat switches international traffic through Turkey
  via Intelsat; satellite earth stations - 1 Orbita and 1 Intelsat
  (2008)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  general assessment: fully digital system
  with international direct dialing
  domestic: full range of services available; GSM wireless service
  available
  international: country code - 1-649; the Americas Region Caribbean
  Ring System (ARCOS-1) fiber optic telecommunications submarine cable
  provides connectivity to South and Central America, parts of the
  Caribbean, and the US; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
  (Atlantic Ocean)

Tuvalu
  general assessment: serves particular needs for internal
  communications
  domestic: radiotelephone communications between islands
  international: country code - 688; international calls can be made
  by satellite

Uganda
  general assessment: seriously inadequate; mobile cellular
  service is increasing rapidly, but the number of main lines is still
  deficient; e-mail and Internet services are available
  domestic: intercity traffic by wire, microwave radio relay, and
  radiotelephone communication stations, fixed and mobile-cellular
  systems for short-range traffic
  international: country code - 256; satellite earth stations - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Inmarsat; analog links to Kenya and
  Tanzania

Ukraine
  general assessment: Ukraine's telecommunication development
  plan emphasizes improving domestic trunk lines, international
  connections, and the mobile-cellular system
  domestic: at independence in December 1991, Ukraine inherited a
  telephone system that was antiquated, inefficient, and in disrepair;
  more than 3.5 million applications for telephones could not be
  satisfied; telephone density is rising and the domestic trunk system
  is being improved; about one-third of Ukraine's networks are digital
  and a majority of regional centers now have digital switching
  stations; improvements in local networks and local exchanges
  continue to lag; the mobile-cellular telephone system's expansion
  has slowed, largely due to saturation of the market which had
  reached 120 mobile phones per 100 people by 2008
  international: country code - 380; 2 new domestic trunk lines are a
  part of the fiber-optic Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) system and 3
  Ukrainian links have been installed in the fiber-optic
  Trans-European Lines (TEL) project that connects 18 countries;
  additional international service is provided by the
  Italy-Turkey-Ukraine-Russia (ITUR) fiber-optic submarine cable and
  by an unknown number of earth stations in the Intelsat, Inmarsat,
  and Intersputnik satellite systems

United Arab Emirates
  general assessment: modern fiber-optic
  integrated services; digital network with rapidly growing use of
  mobile-cellular telephones; key centers are Abu Dhabi and Dubai
  domestic: microwave radio relay, fiber optic and coaxial cable
  international: country code - 971; linked to the international
  submarine cable FLAG (Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe); landing
  point for both the SEA-ME-WE-3 and SEA-ME-WE-4 submarine cable
  networks; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean
  and 2 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; tropospheric scatter to Bahrain;
  microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia

United Kingdom
  general assessment: technologically advanced domestic
  and international system
  domestic: equal mix of buried cables, microwave radio relay, and
  fiber-optic systems
  international: country code - 44; numerous submarine cables provide
  links throughout Europe, Asia, Australia, the Middle East, and US;
  satellite earth stations - 10 Intelsat (7 Atlantic Ocean and 3
  Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region), and 1 Eutelsat;
  at least 8 large international switching centers

United States
  general assessment: a large, technologically advanced,
  multipurpose communications system
  domestic: a large system of fiber-optic cable, microwave radio
  relay, coaxial cable, and domestic satellites carries every form of
  telephone traffic; a rapidly growing cellular system carries mobile
  telephone traffic throughout the country
  international: country code - 1; multiple ocean cable systems
  provide international connectivity; satellite earth stations - 61
  Intelsat (45 Atlantic Ocean and 16 Pacific Ocean), 5 Intersputnik
  (Atlantic Ocean region), and 4 Inmarsat (Pacific and Atlantic Ocean
  regions) (2000)

Uruguay
  general assessment: fully digitalized
  domestic: most modern facilities concentrated in Montevideo; new
  nationwide microwave radio relay network; overall fixed-line and
  mobile-cellular teledensity is 130 telephones per 100 persons
  international: country code - 598; the UNISOR submarine cable system
  provides direct connectivity to Brazil and Argentina; satellite
  earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2002)

Uzbekistan
  general assessment: antiquated and inadequate; in serious
  need of modernization
  domestic: the main line telecommunications system is dilapidated and
  telephone density is low; the state-owned telecommunications
  company, Uzbektelecom, is using loans from the Japanese government
  and the China Development Bank to improve mainline services;
  completion of conversion to digital exchanges planned for 2010;
  mobile services are growing rapidly, with the subscriber base
  reaching 12.7 million in 2008
  international: country code - 998; linked by fiber-optic cable or
  microwave radio relay with CIS member states and to other countries
  by leased connection via the Moscow international gateway switch;
  after the completion of the Uzbek link to the Trans-Asia-Europe
  (TAE) fiber-optic cable, Uzbekistan plans to establish a fiber-optic
  connection to Afghanistan (2008)

Vanuatu
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 678; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Venezuela
  general assessment: modern and expanding
  domestic: domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations; recent
  substantial improvement in telephone service in rural areas;
  substantial increase in digitalization of exchanges and trunk lines;
  installation of a national interurban fiber-optic network capable of
  digital multimedia services; combined fixed and mobile-cellular
  telephone subscribership 125 per 100 persons
  international: country code - 58; submarine cable systems provide
  connectivity to the Caribbean, Central and South America, and US;
  satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1
  PanAmSat; participating with Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia in
  the construction of an international fiber-optic network (2007)

Vietnam
  general assessment: Vietnam is putting considerable effort
  into modernization and expansion of its telecommunication system
  domestic: all provincial exchanges are digitalized and connected to
  Hanoi, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City by fiber-optic cable or
  microwave radio relay networks; main lines have been substantially
  increased, and the use of mobile telephones is growing rapidly
  international: country code - 84; a landing point for the
  SEA-ME-WE-3, the C2C, and Thailand-Vietnam-Hong Kong submarine cable
  systems; the Asia-America Gateway submarine cable system, scheduled
  for completion by the end of 2008, will provide new access links to
  Asia and the US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intersputnik (Indian
  Ocean region)

Virgin Islands
  general assessment: modern system with total digital
  switching, uses fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay
  domestic: full range of services available
  international: country code - 1-340; submarine cable connections to
  US, the Caribbean, Central and South America; satellite earth
  stations - NA

Wake Island
  general assessment: satellite communications; 2 DSN
  circuits off the Overseas Telephone System (OTS)
  domestic: NA
  international: NA

Wallis and Futuna
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 681

West Bank
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: Israeli company BEZEK and the Palestinian company PALTEL
  are responsible for fixed line services; the Palestinian JAWAL
  company provides cellular services
  international: country code - 970 (2004)

Western Sahara
  general assessment: sparse and limited system
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 212; tied into Morocco's system by
  microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, and satellite;
  satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) linked to
  Rabat, Morocco

World
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: NA

Yemen
  general assessment: since unification in 1990, efforts have
  been made to create a national telecommunications network
  domestic: the national network consists of microwave radio relay,
  cable, tropospheric scatter, GSM and CDMA mobile-cellular telephone
  systems; fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity remains low by
  regional standards
  international: country code - 967; landing point for the
  international submarine cable Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe
  (FLAG); satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Indian Ocean and 1
  Atlantic Ocean), 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region), and 2
  Arabsat; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia and Djibouti

Zambia
  general assessment: facilities are aging but still among the
  best in Sub-Saharan Africa
  domestic: high-capacity microwave radio relay connects most larger
  towns and cities; several cellular telephone services in operation
  and network coverage is improving; Internet service is widely
  available; very small aperture terminal (VSAT) networks are operated
  by private firms
  international: country code - 260; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean)

Zimbabwe
  general assessment: system was once one of the best in
  Africa, but now suffers from poor maintenance; more than 100,000
  outstanding requests for connection despite an equally large number
  of installed but unused main lines
  domestic: consists of microwave radio relay links, open-wire lines,
  radiotelephone communication stations, fixed wireless local loop
  installations, and a substantial mobile-cellular network; Internet
  connection is available in Harare and planned for all major towns
  and for some of the smaller ones
  international: country code - 263; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat; 2 international digital gateway exchanges (in Harare and
  Gweru)

======================================================================

@2125

Field Listing :: Terrain

  This entry contains a brief description of the topography.
  Country

Terrain

Afghanistan
  mostly rugged mountains; plains in north and southwest

Albania
  mostly mountains and hills; small plains along coast

Algeria
  mostly high plateau and desert; some mountains; narrow,
  discontinuous coastal plain

American Samoa
  five volcanic islands with rugged peaks and limited
  coastal plains, two coral atolls (Rose Island, Swains Island)

Andorra
  rugged mountains dissected by narrow valleys

Angola
  narrow coastal plain rises abruptly to vast interior plateau

Anguilla
  flat and low-lying island of coral and limestone

Antarctica
  about 98% thick continental ice sheet and 2% barren rock,
  with average elevations between 2,000 and 4,000 meters; mountain
  ranges up to nearly 5,000 meters; ice-free coastal areas include
  parts of southern Victoria Land, Wilkes Land, the Antarctic
  Peninsula area, and parts of Ross Island on McMurdo Sound; glaciers
  form ice shelves along about half of the coastline, and floating ice
  shelves constitute 11% of the area of the continent

Antigua and Barbuda
  mostly low-lying limestone and coral islands,
  with some higher volcanic areas

Arctic Ocean
  central surface covered by a perennial drifting polar
  icepack that, on average, is about 3 meters thick, although pressure
  ridges may be three times that thickness; clockwise drift pattern in
  the Beaufort Gyral Stream, but nearly straight-line movement from
  the New Siberian Islands (Russia) to Denmark Strait (between
  Greenland and Iceland); the icepack is surrounded by open seas
  during the summer, but more than doubles in size during the winter
  and extends to the encircling landmasses; the ocean floor is about
  50% continental shelf (highest percentage of any ocean) with the
  remainder a central basin interrupted by three submarine ridges
  (Alpha Cordillera, Nansen Cordillera, and Lomonosov Ridge)

Argentina
  rich plains of the Pampas in northern half, flat to
  rolling plateau of Patagonia in south, rugged Andes along western
  border

Armenia
  Armenian Highland with mountains; little forest land; fast
  flowing rivers; good soil in Aras River valley

Aruba
  flat with a few hills; scant vegetation

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  low with sand and coral

Atlantic Ocean
  surface usually covered with sea ice in Labrador Sea,
  Denmark Strait, and coastal portions of the Baltic Sea from October
  to June; clockwise warm-water gyre (broad, circular system of
  currents) in the northern Atlantic, counterclockwise warm-water gyre
  in the southern Atlantic; the ocean floor is dominated by the
  Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a rugged north-south centerline for the entire
  Atlantic basin

Australia
  mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast

Austria
  in the west and south mostly mountains (Alps); along the
  eastern and northern margins mostly flat or gently sloping

Azerbaijan
  large, flat Kur-Araz Ovaligi (Kura-Araks Lowland) (much
  of it below sea level) with Great Caucasus Mountains to the north,
  Qarabag Yaylasi (Karabakh Upland) in west; Baku lies on Abseron
  Yasaqligi (Apsheron Peninsula) that juts into Caspian Sea

Bahamas, The
  long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills

Bahrain
  mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central
  escarpment

Bangladesh
  mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in southeast

Barbados
  relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region

Belarus
  generally flat and contains much marshland

Belgium
  flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills,
  rugged mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast

Belize
  flat, swampy coastal plain; low mountains in south

Benin
  mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains

Bermuda
  low hills separated by fertile depressions

Bhutan
  mostly mountainous with some fertile valleys and savanna

Bolivia
  rugged Andes Mountains with a highland plateau (Altiplano),
  hills, lowland plains of the Amazon Basin

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  mountains and valleys

Botswana
  predominantly flat to gently rolling tableland; Kalahari
  Desert in southwest

Bouvet Island
  volcanic; coast is mostly inaccessible

Brazil
  mostly flat to rolling lowlands in north; some plains, hills,
  mountains, and narrow coastal belt

British Indian Ocean Territory
  flat and low (most areas do not
  exceed two meters in elevation)

British Virgin Islands
  coral islands relatively flat; volcanic
  islands steep, hilly

Brunei
  flat coastal plain rises to mountains in east; hilly lowland
  in west

Bulgaria
  mostly mountains with lowlands in north and southeast

Burkina Faso
  mostly flat to dissected, undulating plains; hills in
  west and southeast

Burma
  central lowlands ringed by steep, rugged highlands

Burundi
  hilly and mountainous, dropping to a plateau in east, some
  plains

Cambodia
  mostly low, flat plains; mountains in southwest and north

Cameroon
  diverse, with coastal plain in southwest, dissected plateau
  in center, mountains in west, plains in north

Canada
  mostly plains with mountains in west and lowlands in southeast

Cape Verde
  steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic

Cayman Islands
  low-lying limestone base surrounded by coral reefs

Central African Republic
  vast, flat to rolling, monotonous plateau;
  scattered hills in northeast and southwest

Chad
  broad, arid plains in center, desert in north, mountains in
  northwest, lowlands in south

Chile
  low coastal mountains; fertile central valley; rugged Andes in
  east

China
  mostly mountains, high plateaus, deserts in west; plains,
  deltas, and hills in east

Christmas Island
  steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central
  plateau

Clipperton Island
  coral atoll

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  flat, low-lying coral atolls

Colombia
  flat coastal lowlands, central highlands, high Andes
  Mountains, eastern lowland plains

Comoros
  volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low
  hills

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  vast central basin is a low-lying
  plateau; mountains in east

Congo, Republic of the
  coastal plain, southern basin, central
  plateau, northern basin

Cook Islands
  low coral atolls in north; volcanic, hilly islands in
  south

Coral Sea Islands
  sand and coral reefs and islands (or cays)

Costa Rica
  coastal plains separated by rugged mountains including
  over 100 volcanic cones, of which several are major volcanoes

Cote d'Ivoire
  mostly flat to undulating plains; mountains in
  northwest

Croatia
  geographically diverse; flat plains along Hungarian border,
  low mountains and highlands near Adriatic coastline and islands

Cuba
  mostly flat to rolling plains, with rugged hills and mountains
  in the southeast

Cyprus
  central plain with mountains to north and south; scattered
  but significant plains along southern coast

Czech Republic
  Bohemia in the west consists of rolling plains,
  hills, and plateaus surrounded by low mountains; Moravia in the east
  consists of very hilly country

Denmark
  low and flat to gently rolling plains

Djibouti
  coastal plain and plateau separated by central mountains

Dominica
  rugged mountains of volcanic origin

Dominican Republic
  rugged highlands and mountains with fertile
  valleys interspersed

Ecuador
  coastal plain (costa), inter-Andean central highlands
  (sierra), and flat to rolling eastern jungle (oriente)

Egypt
  vast desert plateau interrupted by Nile valley and delta

El Salvador
  mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central
  plateau

Equatorial Guinea
  coastal plains rise to interior hills; islands are
  volcanic

Eritrea
  dominated by extension of Ethiopian north-south trending
  highlands, descending on the east to a coastal desert plain, on the
  northwest to hilly terrain and on the southwest to flat-to-rolling
  plains

Estonia
  marshy, lowlands; flat in the north, hilly in the south

Ethiopia
  high plateau with central mountain range divided by Great
  Rift Valley

European Union
  fairly flat along the Baltic and Atlantic coast;
  mountainous in the central and southern areas

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  rocky, hilly, mountainous with
  some boggy, undulating plains

Faroe Islands
  rugged, rocky, some low peaks; cliffs along most of
  coast

Fiji
  mostly mountains of volcanic origin

Finland
  mostly low, flat to rolling plains interspersed with lakes
  and low hills

France
  metropolitan France: mostly flat plains or gently rolling
  hills in north and west; remainder is mountainous, especially
  Pyrenees in south, Alps in east
  French Guiana: low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small
  mountains
  Guadeloupe: Basse-Terre is volcanic in origin with interior
  mountains; Grande-Terre is low limestone formation; most of the
  seven other islands are volcanic in origin
  Martinique: mountainous with indented coastline; dormant volcano
  Reunion: mostly rugged and mountainous; fertile lowlands along coast

French Polynesia
  mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with
  reefs

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  Ile Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et
  Ile Saint-Paul): a volcanic island with steep coastal cliffs; the
  center floor of the volcano is a large plateau
  Ile Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): triangular in
  shape, the island is the top of a volcano, rocky with steep cliffs
  on the eastern side; has active thermal springs
  Iles Crozet: a large archipelago formed from the Crozet Plateau is
  divided into two groups of islands
  Iles Kerguelen: the interior of the large island of Ile Kerguelen is
  composed of rugged terrain of high mountains, hills, valleys, and
  plains with a number of peninsulas stretching off its coasts
  Bassas da India (Iles Eparses): atoll, awash at high tide; shallow
  (15 m) lagoon
  Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island: low, flat, and
  sandy
  Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): low, flat, sandy; likely volcanic
  seamount

Gabon
  narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south

Gambia, The
  flood plain of the Gambia River flanked by some low hills

Gaza Strip
  flat to rolling, sand- and dune-covered coastal plain

Georgia
  largely mountainous with Great Caucasus Mountains in the
  north and Lesser Caucasus Mountains in the south; Kolkhet'is Dablobi
  (Kolkhida Lowland) opens to the Black Sea in the west; Mtkvari River
  Basin in the east; good soils in river valley flood plains,
  foothills of Kolkhida Lowland

Germany
  lowlands in north, uplands in center, Bavarian Alps in south

Ghana
  mostly low plains with dissected plateau in south-central area

Gibraltar
  a narrow coastal lowland borders the Rock of Gibraltar

Greece
  mostly mountains with ranges extending into the sea as
  peninsulas or chains of islands

Greenland
  flat to gradually sloping icecap covers all but a narrow,
  mountainous, barren, rocky coast

Grenada
  volcanic in origin with central mountains

Guam
  volcanic origin, surrounded by coral reefs; relatively flat
  coralline limestone plateau (source of most fresh water), with steep
  coastal cliffs and narrow coastal plains in north, low hills in
  center, mountains in south

Guatemala
  mostly mountains with narrow coastal plains and rolling
  limestone plateau

Guernsey
  mostly level with low hills in southwest

Guinea
  generally flat coastal plain, hilly to mountainous interior

Guinea-Bissau
  mostly low coastal plain rising to savanna in east

Guyana
  mostly rolling highlands; low coastal plain; savanna in south

Haiti
  mostly rough and mountainous

Heard Island and McDonald Islands Heard Island - 80% ice-covered, bleak and mountainous, dominated by a large massif (Big Ben) and an active volcano (Mawson Peak); McDonald Islands - small and rocky

Holy See (Vatican City)
  urban; low hill

Honduras
  mostly mountains in interior, narrow coastal plains

Hong Kong
  hilly to mountainous with steep slopes; lowlands in north

Hungary
  mostly flat to rolling plains; hills and low mountains on
  the Slovakian border

Iceland
  mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields;
  coast deeply indented by bays and fiords

India
  upland plain (Deccan Plateau) in south, flat to rolling plain
  along the Ganges, deserts in west, Himalayas in north

Indian Ocean
  surface dominated by counterclockwise gyre (broad,
  circular system of currents) in the southern Indian Ocean; unique
  reversal of surface currents in the northern Indian Ocean; low
  atmospheric pressure over southwest Asia from hot, rising, summer
  air results in the southwest monsoon and southwest-to-northeast
  winds and currents, while high pressure over northern Asia from
  cold, falling, winter air results in the northeast monsoon and
  northeast-to-southwest winds and currents; ocean floor is dominated
  by the Mid-Indian Ocean Ridge and subdivided by the Southeast Indian
  Ocean Ridge, Southwest Indian Ocean Ridge, and Ninetyeast Ridge

Indonesia
  mostly coastal lowlands; larger islands have interior
  mountains

Iran
  rugged, mountainous rim; high, central basin with deserts,
  mountains; small, discontinuous plains along both coasts

Iraq
  mostly broad plains; reedy marshes along Iranian border in
  south with large flooded areas; mountains along borders with Iran
  and Turkey

Ireland
  mostly level to rolling interior plain surrounded by rugged
  hills and low mountains; sea cliffs on west coast

Isle of Man
  hills in north and south bisected by central valley

Israel
  Negev desert in the south; low coastal plain; central
  mountains; Jordan Rift Valley

Italy
  mostly rugged and mountainous; some plains, coastal lowlands

Jamaica
  mostly mountains, with narrow, discontinuous coastal plain

Jan Mayen
  volcanic island, partly covered by glaciers

Japan
  mostly rugged and mountainous

Jersey
  gently rolling plain with low, rugged hills along north coast

Jordan
  mostly desert plateau in east, highland area in west; Great
  Rift Valley separates East and West Banks of the Jordan River

Kazakhstan
  vast flat steppe extending from the Volga in the west to
  the Altai Mountains in the east and from the plains of western
  Siberia in the north to oases and deserts of Central Asia in the
  south

Kenya
  low plains rise to central highlands bisected by Great Rift
  Valley; fertile plateau in west

Kiribati
  mostly low-lying coral atolls surrounded by extensive reefs

Korea, North
  mostly hills and mountains separated by deep, narrow
  valleys; coastal plains wide in west, discontinuous in east

Korea, South
  mostly hills and mountains; wide coastal plains in west
  and south

Kosovo
  flat fluvial basin with an elevation of 400-700 m above sea
  level surrounded by several high mountain ranges with elevations of
  2,000 to 2,500 m

Kuwait
  flat to slightly undulating desert plain

Kyrgyzstan
  peaks of Tien Shan and associated valleys and basins
  encompass entire nation

Laos
  mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus

Latvia
  low plain

Lebanon
  narrow coastal plain; El Beqaa (Bekaa Valley) separates
  Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon Mountains

Lesotho
  mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains

Liberia
  mostly flat to rolling coastal plains rising to rolling
  plateau and low mountains in northeast

Libya
  mostly barren, flat to undulating plains, plateaus, depressions

Liechtenstein
  mostly mountainous (Alps) with Rhine Valley in western
  third

Lithuania
  lowland, many scattered small lakes, fertile soil

Luxembourg
  mostly gently rolling uplands with broad, shallow
  valleys; uplands to slightly mountainous in the north; steep slope
  down to Moselle flood plain in the southeast

Macau
  generally flat

Macedonia
  mountainous territory covered with deep basins and
  valleys; three large lakes, each divided by a frontier line; country
  bisected by the Vardar River

Madagascar
  narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center

Malawi
  narrow elongated plateau with rolling plains, rounded hills,
  some mountains

Malaysia
  coastal plains rising to hills and mountains

Maldives
  flat, with white sandy beaches

Mali
  mostly flat to rolling northern plains covered by sand; savanna
  in south, rugged hills in northeast

Malta
  mostly low, rocky, flat to dissected plains; many coastal
  cliffs

Marshall Islands
  low coral limestone and sand islands

Mauritania
  mostly barren, flat plains of the Sahara; some central
  hills

Mauritius
  small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains
  encircling central plateau

Mayotte
  generally undulating, with deep ravines and ancient volcanic
  peaks

Mexico
  high, rugged mountains; low coastal plains; high plateaus;
  desert

Micronesia, Federated States of islands vary geologically from high mountainous islands to low, coral atolls; volcanic outcroppings on Pohnpei, Kosrae, and Chuuk

Moldova
  rolling steppe, gradual slope south to Black Sea

Monaco
  hilly, rugged, rocky

Mongolia
  vast semidesert and desert plains, grassy steppe, mountains
  in west and southwest; Gobi Desert in south-central

Montenegro
  highly indented coastline with narrow coastal plain
  backed by rugged high limestone mountains and plateaus

Montserrat
  volcanic island, mostly mountainous, with small coastal
  lowland

Morocco
  northern coast and interior are mountainous with large areas
  of bordering plateaus, intermontane valleys, and rich coastal plains

Mozambique
  mostly coastal lowlands, uplands in center, high plateaus
  in northwest, mountains in west

Namibia
  mostly high plateau; Namib Desert along coast; Kalahari
  Desert in east

Nauru
  sandy beach rises to fertile ring around raised coral reefs
  with phosphate plateau in center

Navassa Island
  raised coral and limestone plateau, flat to
  undulating; ringed by vertical white cliffs (9 to 15 m high)

Nepal
  Tarai or flat river plain of the Ganges in south, central hill
  region, rugged Himalayas in north

Netherlands
  mostly coastal lowland and reclaimed land (polders);
  some hills in southeast

Netherlands Antilles
  generally hilly, volcanic interiors

New Caledonia
  coastal plains with interior mountains

New Zealand
  predominately mountainous with some large coastal plains

Nicaragua
  extensive Atlantic coastal plains rising to central
  interior mountains; narrow Pacific coastal plain interrupted by
  volcanoes

Niger
  predominately desert plains and sand dunes; flat to rolling
  plains in south; hills in north

Nigeria
  southern lowlands merge into central hills and plateaus;
  mountains in southeast, plains in north

Niue
  steep limestone cliffs along coast, central plateau

Norfolk Island
  volcanic formation with mostly rolling plains

Northern Mariana Islands
  southern islands are limestone with level
  terraces and fringing coral reefs; northern islands are volcanic

Norway
  glaciated; mostly high plateaus and rugged mountains broken
  by fertile valleys; small, scattered plains; coastline deeply
  indented by fjords; arctic tundra in north

Oman
  central desert plain, rugged mountains in north and south

Pacific Ocean
  surface currents in the northern Pacific are dominated
  by a clockwise, warm-water gyre (broad circular system of currents)
  and in the southern Pacific by a counterclockwise, cool-water gyre;
  in the northern Pacific, sea ice forms in the Bering Sea and Sea of
  Okhotsk in winter; in the southern Pacific, sea ice from Antarctica
  reaches its northernmost extent in October; the ocean floor in the
  eastern Pacific is dominated by the East Pacific Rise, while the
  western Pacific is dissected by deep trenches, including the Mariana
  Trench, which is the world's deepest

Pakistan
  flat Indus plain in east; mountains in north and northwest;
  Balochistan plateau in west

Palau
  varying geologically from the high, mountainous main island of
  Babelthuap to low, coral islands usually fringed by large barrier
  reefs

Panama
  interior mostly steep, rugged mountains and dissected, upland
  plains; coastal areas largely plains and rolling hills

Papua New Guinea
  mostly mountains with coastal lowlands and rolling
  foothills

Paracel Islands
  mostly low and flat

Paraguay
  grassy plains and wooded hills east of Rio Paraguay; Gran
  Chaco region west of Rio Paraguay mostly low, marshy plain near the
  river, and dry forest and thorny scrub elsewhere

Peru
  western coastal plain (costa), high and rugged Andes in center
  (sierra), eastern lowland jungle of Amazon Basin (selva)

Philippines
  mostly mountains with narrow to extensive coastal
  lowlands

Pitcairn Islands
  rugged volcanic formation; rocky coastline with
  cliffs

Poland
  mostly flat plain; mountains along southern border

Portugal
  mountainous north of the Tagus River, rolling plains in
  south

Puerto Rico
  mostly mountains with coastal plain belt in north;
  mountains precipitous to sea on west coast; sandy beaches along most
  coastal areas

Qatar
  mostly flat and barren desert covered with loose sand and
  gravel

Romania
  central Transylvanian Basin is separated from the Moldavian
  Plateau on the east by the Eastern Carpathian Mountains and
  separated from the Walachian Plain on the south by the Transylvanian
  Alps

Russia
  broad plain with low hills west of Urals; vast coniferous
  forest and tundra in Siberia; uplands and mountains along southern
  border regions

Rwanda
  mostly grassy uplands and hills; relief is mountainous with
  altitude declining from west to east

Saint Barthelemy
  hilly, almost completely surrounded by
  shallow-water reefs, with 20 beaches

Saint Helena
  the islands of this group result from volcanic activity
  associated with the Atlantic Mid-Ocean Ridge
  Saint Helena: rugged, volcanic; small scattered plateaus and plains
  Ascension: surface covered by lava flows and cinder cones of 44
  dormant volcanoes; ground rises to the east
  Tristan da Cunha: sheer cliffs line the coastline of the nearly
  circular island; the flanks of the central volcanic peak are deeply
  dissected; narrow coastal plain lies between The Peak and the
  coastal cliffs

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  volcanic with mountainous interiors

Saint Lucia
  volcanic and mountainous with some broad, fertile valleys

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  mostly barren rock

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  volcanic, mountainous

Samoa
  two main islands (Savaii, Upolu) and several smaller islands
  and uninhabited islets; narrow coastal plain with volcanic, rocky,
  rugged mountains in interior

San Marino
  rugged mountains

Sao Tome and Principe
  volcanic, mountainous

Saudi Arabia
  mostly uninhabited, sandy desert

Senegal
  generally low, rolling, plains rising to foothills in
  southeast

Serbia
  extremely varied; to the north, rich fertile plains; to the
  east, limestone ranges and basins; to the southeast, ancient
  mountains and hills

Seychelles
  Mahe Group is granitic, narrow coastal strip, rocky,
  hilly; others are coral, flat, elevated reefs

Sierra Leone
  coastal belt of mangrove swamps, wooded hill country,
  upland plateau, mountains in east

Singapore
  lowland; gently undulating central plateau contains water
  catchment area and nature preserve

Slovakia
  rugged mountains in the central and northern part and
  lowlands in the south

Slovenia
  a short coastal strip on the Adriatic, an alpine mountain
  region adjacent to Italy and Austria, mixed mountains and valleys
  with numerous rivers to the east

Solomon Islands
  mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls

Somalia
  mostly flat to undulating plateau rising to hills in north

South Africa
  vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow
  coastal plain

South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
  most of the islands, rising
  steeply from the sea, are rugged and mountainous; South Georgia is
  largely barren and has steep, glacier-covered mountains; the South
  Sandwich Islands are of volcanic origin with some active volcanoes

Southern Ocean
  the Southern Ocean is deep, 4,000 to 5,000 m over
  most of its extent with only limited areas of shallow water; the
  Antarctic continental shelf is generally narrow and unusually deep,
  its edge lying at depths of 400 to 800 m (the global mean is 133 m);
  the Antarctic icepack grows from an average minimum of 2.6 million
  sq km in March to about 18.8 million sq km in September, better than
  a sixfold increase in area; the Antarctic Circumpolar Current
  (21,000 km in length) moves perpetually eastward; it is the world's
  largest ocean current, transporting 130 million cubic meters of
  water per second - 100 times the flow of all the world's rivers

Spain
  large, flat to dissected plateau surrounded by rugged hills;
  Pyrenees in north

Spratly Islands
  flat

Sri Lanka
  mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in
  south-central interior

Sudan
  generally flat, featureless plain; mountains in far south,
  northeast and west; desert dominates the north

Suriname
  mostly rolling hills; narrow coastal plain with swamps

Svalbard
  wild, rugged mountains; much of high land ice covered; west
  coast clear of ice about one-half of the year; fjords along west and
  north coasts

Swaziland
  mostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping plains

Sweden
  mostly flat or gently rolling lowlands; mountains in west

Switzerland
  mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with
  a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes

Syria
  primarily semiarid and desert plateau; narrow coastal plain;
  mountains in west

Taiwan
  eastern two-thirds mostly rugged mountains; flat to gently
  rolling plains in west

Tajikistan
  Pamir and Alay Mountains dominate landscape; western
  Fergana Valley in north, Kofarnihon and Vakhsh Valleys in southwest

Tanzania
  plains along coast; central plateau; highlands in north,
  south

Thailand
  central plain; Khorat Plateau in the east; mountains
  elsewhere

Timor-Leste
  mountainous

Togo
  gently rolling savanna in north; central hills; southern
  plateau; low coastal plain with extensive lagoons and marshes

Tokelau
  low-lying coral atolls enclosing large lagoons

Tonga
  most islands have limestone base formed from uplifted coral
  formation; others have limestone overlying volcanic base

Trinidad and Tobago
  mostly plains with some hills and low mountains

Tunisia
  mountains in north; hot, dry central plain; semiarid south
  merges into the Sahara

Turkey
  high central plateau (Anatolia); narrow coastal plain;
  several mountain ranges

Turkmenistan
  flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes rising to
  mountains in the south; low mountains along border with Iran;
  borders Caspian Sea in west

Turks and Caicos Islands low, flat limestone; extensive marshes and mangrove swamps

Tuvalu
  low-lying and narrow coral atolls

Uganda
  mostly plateau with rim of mountains

Ukraine
  most of Ukraine consists of fertile plains (steppes) and
  plateaus, mountains being found only in the west (the Carpathians),
  and in the Crimean Peninsula in the extreme south

United Arab Emirates
  flat, barren coastal plain merging into rolling
  sand dunes of vast desert wasteland; mountains in east

United Kingdom
  mostly rugged hills and low mountains; level to
  rolling plains in east and southeast

United States
  vast central plain, mountains in west, hills and low
  mountains in east; rugged mountains and broad river valleys in
  Alaska; rugged, volcanic topography in Hawaii

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges
  low and nearly level
  sandy coral islands with narrow fringing reefs that have developed
  at the top of submerged volcanic mountains, which in most cases rise
  steeply from the ocean floor

Uruguay
  mostly rolling plains and low hills; fertile coastal lowland

Uzbekistan
  mostly flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes; broad,
  flat intensely irrigated river valleys along course of Amu Darya,
  Syr Darya (Sirdaryo), and Zarafshon; Fergana Valley in east
  surrounded by mountainous Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan; shrinking Aral
  Sea in west

Vanuatu
  mostly mountainous islands of volcanic origin; narrow
  coastal plains

Venezuela
  Andes Mountains and Maracaibo Lowlands in northwest;
  central plains (llanos); Guiana Highlands in southeast

Vietnam
  low, flat delta in south and north; central highlands;
  hilly, mountainous in far north and northwest

Virgin Islands
  mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little
  level land

Wake Island
  atoll of three low coral islands, Peale, Wake, and
  Wilkes, built up on an underwater volcano; central lagoon is former
  crater, islands are part of the rim

Wallis and Futuna
  volcanic origin; low hills

West Bank
  mostly rugged dissected upland, some vegetation in west,
  but barren in east

Western Sahara
  mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or
  sandy surfaces rising to small mountains in south and northeast

World
  the greatest ocean depth is the Mariana Trench at 10,924 m in
  the Pacific Ocean

Yemen
  narrow coastal plain backed by flat-topped hills and rugged
  mountains; dissected upland desert plains in center slope into the
  desert interior of the Arabian Peninsula

Zambia
  mostly high plateau with some hills and mountains

Zimbabwe
  mostly high plateau with higher central plateau (high
  veld); mountains in east

======================================================================

@2127

Field Listing :: Total fertility rate

  This entry gives a figure for the average number of children that
  would be born per woman if all women lived to the end of their
  childbearing years and bore children according to a given fertility
  rate at each age. The total fertility rate (TFR) is a more direct
  measure of the level of fertility than the crude birth rate, since
  it refers to births per woman. This indicator shows the potential
  for population change in the country. A rate of two children per
  woman is considered the replacement rate for a population, resulting
  in relative stability in terms of total numbers. Rates above two
  children indicate populations growing in size and whose median age
  is declining. Higher rates may also indicate difficulties for
  families, in some situations, to feed and educate their children and
  for women to enter the labor force. Rates below two children
  indicate populations decreasing in size and growing older. Global
  fertility rates are in general decline and this trend is most
  pronounced in industrialized countries, especially Western Europe,
  where populations are projected to decline dramatically over the
  next 50 years.
  Country Comparison to the World
  Country

Total fertility rate(children born/woman)

Afghanistan
  6.53 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Albania
  2.01 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Algeria
  1.79 children born/woman (2009 est.)

American Samoa
  3.29 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Andorra
  1.33 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Angola
  6.12 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Anguilla
  1.75 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  2.07 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Argentina
  2.35 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Armenia
  1.36 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Aruba
  1.85 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Australia
  1.78 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Austria
  1.39 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Azerbaijan
  2.04 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Bahamas, The
  2.1 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Bahrain
  2.5 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Bangladesh
  2.74 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Barbados
  1.68 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Belarus
  1.24 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Belgium
  1.65 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Belize
  3.36 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Benin
  5.49 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Bermuda
  1.99 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Bhutan
  2.38 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Bolivia
  3.17 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  1.25 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Botswana
  2.6 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Brazil
  2.21 children born/woman (2009 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  1.71 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Brunei
  1.91 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Bulgaria
  1.41 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Burkina Faso
  6.28 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Burma
  1.89 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Burundi
  6.33 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Cambodia
  3.04 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Cameroon
  4.33 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Canada
  1.58 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Cape Verde
  3.07 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Cayman Islands
  1.88 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Central African Republic
  4.14 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Chad
  5.31 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Chile
  1.92 children born/woman (2009 est.)

China
  1.79 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Christmas Island
  NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  NA

Colombia
  2.46 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Comoros
  4.84 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  6.2 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  5.84 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Cook Islands
  2.49 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Costa Rica
  2.14 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  4.12 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Croatia
  1.42 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Cuba
  1.61 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Cyprus
  1.77 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Czech Republic
  1.24 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Denmark
  1.74 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Djibouti
  5.06 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Dominica
  2.09 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Dominican Republic
  2.76 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Ecuador
  2.51 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Egypt
  2.66 children born/woman (2009 est.)

El Salvador
  3 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  5.08 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Eritrea
  4.72 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Estonia
  1.42 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Ethiopia
  6.12 children born/woman (2009 est.)

European Union
  1.51 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  NA

Faroe Islands
  2.44 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Fiji
  2.65 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Finland
  1.73 children born/woman (2009 est.)

France
  1.98 children born/woman (2009 est.)

French Polynesia
  1.92 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Gabon
  4.65 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Gambia, The
  5.04 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Gaza Strip
  5.03 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Georgia
  1.44 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Germany
  1.41 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Ghana
  3.68 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Gibraltar
  1.65 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Greece
  1.37 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Greenland
  2.19 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Grenada
  2.23 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Guam
  2.54 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Guatemala
  3.47 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Guernsey
  1.41 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Guinea
  5.2 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  4.65 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Guyana
  2.03 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Haiti
  3.81 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Honduras
  3.27 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Hong Kong
  1.02 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Hungary
  1.35 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Iceland
  1.9 children born/woman (2009 est.)

India
  2.72 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Indonesia
  2.31 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Iran
  1.71 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Iraq
  3.86 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Ireland
  1.85 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Isle of Man
  1.65 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Israel
  2.75 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Italy
  1.31 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Jamaica
  2.25 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Japan
  1.21 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Jersey
  1.57 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Jordan
  2.39 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Kazakhstan
  1.88 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Kenya
  4.56 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Kiribati
  4.04 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Korea, North
  1.96 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Korea, South
  1.21 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Kuwait
  2.76 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  2.65 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Laos
  4.41 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Latvia
  1.3 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Lebanon
  1.85 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Lesotho
  3.06 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Liberia
  5.79 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Libya
  3.08 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Liechtenstein
  1.52 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Lithuania
  1.23 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Luxembourg
  1.78 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Macau
  0.91 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Macedonia
  1.58 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Madagascar
  5.14 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Malawi
  5.59 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Malaysia
  2.95 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Maldives
  1.9 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Mali
  7.29 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Malta
  1.51 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Marshall Islands
  3.59 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Mauritania
  4.45 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Mauritius
  1.81 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Mayotte
  5.5 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Mexico
  2.34 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  2.89 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Moldova
  1.27 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Monaco
  1.75 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Mongolia
  2.23 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Montserrat
  1.23 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Morocco
  2.51 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Mozambique
  5.18 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Namibia
  2.69 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Nauru
  2.85 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Nepal
  2.64 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Netherlands
  1.66 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  1.97 children born/woman (2009 est.)

New Caledonia
  2.18 children born/woman (2009 est.)

New Zealand
  2.1 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Nicaragua
  2.57 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Niger
  7.75 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Nigeria
  4.91 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Niue
  NA (2008 est.)

Norfolk Island
  NA

Northern Mariana Islands
  1.15 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Norway
  1.78 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Oman
  5.53 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Pakistan
  3.6 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Palau
  1.82 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Panama
  2.53 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  3.62 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Paraguay
  3.75 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Peru
  2.37 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Philippines
  3.27 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  NA (2008 est.)

Poland
  1.28 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Portugal
  1.49 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Puerto Rico
  1.71 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Qatar
  2.45 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Romania
  1.39 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Russia
  1.41 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Rwanda
  5.25 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Saint Helena
  1.56 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  2.26 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Saint Lucia
  1.84 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  1.97 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  1.98 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Samoa
  4.16 children born/woman (2009 est.)

San Marino
  1.36 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  5.33 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  3.83 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Senegal
  4.95 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Serbia
  1.38 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Seychelles
  1.93 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Sierra Leone
  5.88 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Singapore
  1.09 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Slovakia
  1.35 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Slovenia
  1.28 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Solomon Islands
  3.52 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Somalia
  6.52 children born/woman (2009 est.)

South Africa
  2.38 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Spain
  1.31 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Sri Lanka
  1.99 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Sudan
  4.48 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Suriname
  1.99 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Svalbard
  NA (2008 est.)

Swaziland
  3.24 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Sweden
  1.67 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Switzerland
  1.45 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Syria
  3.12 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Taiwan
  1.14 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Tajikistan
  2.99 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Tanzania
  4.46 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Thailand
  1.65 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Timor-Leste
  3.28 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Togo
  4.79 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Tokelau
  NA (2008 est.)

Tonga
  2.25 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  1.72 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Tunisia
  1.72 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Turkey
  2.21 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Turkmenistan
  2.22 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  2.95 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Tuvalu
  2.91 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Uganda
  6.77 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Ukraine
  1.26 children born/woman (2009 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  2.42 children born/woman (2009 est.)

United Kingdom
  1.66 children born/woman (2009 est.)

United States
  2.05 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Uruguay
  1.92 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Uzbekistan
  1.95 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Vanuatu
  2.5 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Venezuela
  2.48 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Vietnam
  1.83 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Virgin Islands
  1.85 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
  1.87 children born/woman (2009 est.)

West Bank
  3.22 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Western Sahara
  NA 5.61 children born/woman (2009 est.)

World
  2.58 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Yemen
  6.32 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Zambia
  5.15 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Zimbabwe
  3.69 children born/woman (2009 est.)

======================================================================

@2128

Field Listing :: Government type

This entry gives the basic form of government. Definitions of the major governmental terms are as follows. (Note that for some countries more than one definition applies.): Absolute monarchy - a form of government where the monarch rules unhindered, i.e., without any laws, constitution, or legally organized opposition. Anarchy - a condition of lawlessness or political disorder brought about by the absence of governmental authority. Authoritarian - a form of government in which state authority is imposed onto many aspects of citizens' lives. Commonwealth - a nation, state, or other political entity founded on law and united by a compact of the people for the common good. Communist - a system of government in which the state plans and controls the economy and a single - often authoritarian - party holds power; state controls are imposed with the elimination of private ownership of property or capital while claiming to make progress toward a higher social order in which all goods are equally shared by the people (i.e., a classless society). Confederacy (Confederation) - a union by compact or treaty between states, provinces, or territories, that creates a central government with limited powers; the constituent entities retain supreme authority over all matters except those delegated to the central government. Constitutional - a government by or operating under an authoritative document (constitution) that sets forth the system of fundamental laws and principles that determines the nature, functions, and limits of that government. Constitutional democracy - a form of government in which the sovereign power of the people is spelled out in a governing constitution. Constitutional monarchy - a system of government in which a monarch is guided by a constitution whereby his/her rights, duties, and responsibilities are spelled out in written law or by custom. Democracy - a form of government in which the supreme power is retained by the people, but which is usually exercised indirectly through a system of representation and delegated authority periodically renewed. Democratic republic - a state in which the supreme power rests in the body of citizens entitled to vote for officers and representatives responsible to them. Dictatorship - a form of government in which a ruler or small clique wield absolute power (not restricted by a constitution or laws). Ecclesiastical - a government administrated by a church. Emirate - similar to a monarchy or sultanate, but a government in which the supreme power is in the hands of an emir (the ruler of a Muslim state); the emir may be an absolute overlord or a sovereign with constitutionally limited authority. Federal (Federation) - a form of government in which sovereign power is formally divided - usually by means of a constitution - between a central authority and a number of constituent regions (states, colonies, or provinces) so that each region retains some management of its internal affairs; differs from a confederacy in that the central government exerts influence directly upon both individuals as well as upon the regional units. Federal republic - a state in which the powers of the central government are restricted and in which the component parts (states, colonies, or provinces) retain a degree of self-government; ultimate sovereign power rests with the voters who chose their governmental representatives. Islamic republic - a particular form of government adopted by some Muslim states; although such a state is, in theory, a theocracy, it remains a republic, but its laws are required to be compatible with the laws of Islam. Maoism - the theory and practice of Marxism-Leninism developed in China by Mao Zedong (Mao Tse-tung), which states that a continuous revolution is necessary if the leaders of a communist state are to keep in touch with the people. Marxism - the political, economic, and social principles espoused by 19th century economist Karl Marx; he viewed the struggle of workers as a progression of historical forces that would proceed from a class struggle of the proletariat (workers) exploited by capitalists (business owners), to a socialist "dictatorship of the proletariat," to, finally, a classless society - Communism. Marxism-Leninism - an expanded form of communism developed by Lenin from doctrines of Karl Marx; Lenin saw imperialism as the final stage of capitalism and shifted the focus of workers' struggle from developed to underdeveloped countries. Monarchy - a government in which the supreme power is lodged in the hands of a monarch who reigns over a state or territory, usually for life and by hereditary right; the monarch may be either a sole absolute ruler or a sovereign - such as a king, queen, or prince - with constitutionally limited authority. Oligarchy - a government in which control is exercised by a small group of individuals whose authority generally is based on wealth or power. Parliamentary democracy - a political system in which the legislature (parliament) selects the government - a prime minister, premier, or chancellor along with the cabinet ministers - according to party strength as expressed in elections; by this system, the government acquires a dual responsibility: to the people as well as to the parliament. Parliamentary government (Cabinet-Parliamentary government) - a government in which members of an executive branch (the cabinet and its leader - a prime minister, premier, or chancellor) are nominated to their positions by a legislature or parliament, and are directly responsible to it; this type of government can be dissolved at will by the parliament (legislature) by means of a no confidence vote or the leader of the cabinet may dissolve the parliament if it can no longer function. Parliamentary monarchy - a state headed by a monarch who is not actively involved in policy formation or implementation (i.e., the exercise of sovereign powers by a monarch in a ceremonial capacity); true governmental leadership is carried out by a cabinet and its head - a prime minister, premier, or chancellor - who are drawn from a legislature (parliament). Presidential - a system of government where the executive branch exists separately from a legislature (to which it is generally not accountable). Republic - a representative democracy in which the people's elected deputies (representatives), not the people themselves, vote on legislation. Socialism - a government in which the means of planning, producing, and distributing goods is controlled by a central government that theoretically seeks a more just and equitable distribution of property and labor; in actuality, most socialist governments have ended up being no more than dictatorships over workers by a ruling elite. Sultanate - similar to a monarchy, but a government in which the supreme power is in the hands of a sultan (the head of a Muslim state); the sultan may be an absolute ruler or a sovereign with constitutionally limited authority. Theocracy - a form of government in which a Deity is recognized as the supreme civil ruler, but the Deity's laws are interpreted by ecclesiastical authorities (bishops, mullahs, etc.); a government subject to religious authority. Totalitarian - a government that seeks to subordinate the individual to the state by controlling not only all political and economic matters, but also the attitudes, values, and beliefs of its population. Country

Government type

Afghanistan
  Islamic republic

Albania
  emerging democracy

Algeria
  republic

American Samoa
  NA

Andorra
  parliamentary democracy (since March 1993) that retains as
  its chiefs of state a coprincipality; the two princes are the
  president of France and bishop of Seo de Urgel, Spain, who are
  represented locally by coprinces' representatives

Angola
  republic; multiparty presidential regime

Anguilla
  NA

Antarctica Antarctic Treaty Summary - the Antarctic Treaty, signed on 1 December 1959 and entered into force on 23 June 1961, establishes the legal framework for the management of Antarctica; the 32nd Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting was held in Baltimore, MD, USA in April 2009; at these periodic meetings, decisions are made by consensus (not by vote) of all consultative member nations; by May 2009, there were 47 treaty member nations: 28 consultative and 19 non-consultative; consultative (decision-making) members include the seven nations that claim portions of Antarctica as national territory (some claims overlap) and 21 non-claimant nations; the US and Russia have reserved the right to make claims; the US does not recognize the claims of others; Antarctica is administered through meetings of the consultative member nations; decisions from these meetings are carried out by these member nations (with respect to their own nationals and operations) in accordance with their own national laws; the years in parentheses indicate when a consultative member-nation acceded to the Treaty and when it was accepted as a consultative member, while no date indicates the country was an original 1959 treaty signatory; claimant nations are - Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, NZ, Norway, and the UK. Nonclaimant consultative nations are - Belgium, Brazil (1975/1983), Bulgaria (1978/1998) China (1983/1985), Ecuador (1987/1990), Finland (1984/1989), Germany (1979/1981), India (1983/1983), Italy (1981/1987), Japan, South Korea (1986/1989), Netherlands (1967/1990), Peru (1981/1989), Poland (1961/1977), Russia, South Africa, Spain (1982/1988), Sweden (1984/1988), Ukraine (1992/2004), Uruguay (1980/1985), and the US; non-consultative members, with year of accession in parentheses, are - Austria (1987), Belarus (2006), Canada (1988), Colombia (1989), Cuba (1984), Czech Republic (1962/1993), Denmark (1965), Estonia (2001), Greece (1987), Guatemala (1991), Hungary (1984), North Korea (1987), Monaco (2008), Papua New Guinea (1981), Romania (1971), Slovakia (1962/1993), Switzerland (1990), Turkey (1996), and Venezuela (1999); note - Czechoslovakia acceded to the Treaty in 1962 and separated into the Czech Republic and Slovakia in 1993; Article 1 - area to be used for peaceful purposes only; military activity, such as weapons testing, is prohibited, but military personnel and equipment may be used for scientific research or any other peaceful purpose; Article 2 - freedom of scientific investigation and cooperation shall continue; Article 3 - free exchange of information and personnel, cooperation with the UN and other international agencies; Article 4 - does not recognize, dispute, or establish territorial claims and no new claims shall be asserted while the treaty is in force; Article 5 - prohibits nuclear explosions or disposal of radioactive wastes; Article 6 - includes under the treaty all land and ice shelves south of 60 degrees 00 minutes south and reserves high seas rights; Article 7 - treaty-state observers have free access, including aerial observation, to any area and may inspect all stations, installations, and equipment; advance notice of all expeditions and of the introduction of military personnel must be given; Article 8 - allows for jurisdiction over observers and scientists by their own states; Article 9 - frequent consultative meetings take place among member nations; Article 10 - treaty states will discourage activities by any country in Antarctica that are contrary to the treaty; Article 11 - disputes to be settled peacefully by the parties concerned or, ultimately, by the ICJ; Articles 12, 13, 14 - deal with upholding, interpreting, and amending the treaty among involved nations; other agreements - some 200 recommendations adopted at treaty consultative meetings and ratified by governments include - Agreed Measures for Fauna and Flora (1964) which were later incorporated into the Environmental Protocol; Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals (1972); Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (1980); a mineral resources agreement was signed in 1988 but remains unratified; the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty was signed 4 October 1991 and entered into force 14 January 1998; this agreement provides for the protection of the Antarctic environment through six specific annexes: 1) environmental impact assessment, 2) conservation of Antarctic fauna and flora, 3) waste disposal and waste management, 4) prevention of marine pollution, 5) area protection and management and 6) liability arising from environmental emergencies; it prohibits all activities relating to mineral resources except scientific research; a permanent Antarctic Treaty Secretariat was established in 2004 in Buenos Aires, Argentina

Antigua and Barbuda constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system of government and a Commonwealth realm

Argentina
  republic

Armenia
  republic

Aruba
  parliamentary democracy

Australia
  federal parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm

Austria
  federal republic

Azerbaijan
  republic

Bahamas, The
  constitutional parliamentary democracy and a
  Commonwealth realm

Bahrain
  constitutional monarchy

Bangladesh
  parliamentary democracy

Barbados
  parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm

Belarus
  republic in name, although in fact a dictatorship

Belgium
  federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional
  monarchy

Belize
  parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm

Benin
  republic

Bermuda
  parliamentary; self-governing territory

Bhutan
  constitutional monarchy

Bolivia
  republic; note - the new constitution defines Bolivia as a
  "Social Unitarian State"

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  emerging federal democratic republic

Botswana
  parliamentary republic

Brazil
  federal republic

British Virgin Islands
  NA

Brunei
  constitutional sultanate

Bulgaria
  parliamentary democracy

Burkina Faso
  parliamentary republic

Burma
  military junta

Burundi
  republic

Cambodia
  multiparty democracy under a constitutional monarchy

Cameroon
  republic; multiparty presidential regime

Canada
  a parliamentary democracy, a federation, and a Commonwealth
  realm

Cape Verde
  republic

Cayman Islands
  parliamentary democracy

Central African Republic
  republic

Chad
  republic

Chile
  republic

China
  Communist state

Christmas Island
  NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  NA

Colombia
  republic; executive branch dominates government structure

Comoros
  republic

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  republic

Congo, Republic of the
  republic

Cook Islands
  self-governing parliamentary democracy

Costa Rica
  democratic republic

Cote d'Ivoire
  republic; multiparty presidential regime established
  1960
  note: the government is currently operating under a power-sharing
  agreement mandated by international mediators

Croatia
  presidential/parliamentary democracy

Cuba
  Communist state

Cyprus
  republic
  note: a separation of the two ethnic communities inhabiting the
  island began following the outbreak of communal strife in 1963; this
  separation was further solidified after the Turkish intervention in
  July 1974 that followed a Greek junta-supported coup attempt gave
  the Turkish Cypriots de facto control in the north; Greek Cypriots
  control the only internationally recognized government; on 15
  November 1983 Turkish Cypriot "President" Rauf DENKTASH declared
  independence and the formation of a "Turkish Republic of Northern
  Cyprus" ("TRNC"), which is recognized only by Turkey

Czech Republic
  parliamentary democracy

Denmark
  constitutional monarchy

Djibouti
  republic

Dominica
  parliamentary democracy

Dominican Republic
  democratic republic

Ecuador
  republic

Egypt
  republic

El Salvador
  republic

Equatorial Guinea
  republic

Eritrea
  transitional government
  note: following a successful referendum on independence for the
  Autonomous Region of Eritrea on 23-25 April 1993, a National
  Assembly, composed entirely of the People's Front for Democracy and
  Justice or PFDJ, was established as a transitional legislature; a
  Constitutional Commission was also established to draft a
  constitution; ISAIAS Afworki was elected president by the
  transitional legislature; the constitution, ratified in May 1997,
  did not enter into effect, pending parliamentary and presidential
  elections; parliamentary elections were scheduled in December 2001,
  but were postponed indefinitely; currently the sole legal party is
  the People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ)

Estonia
  parliamentary republic

Ethiopia
  federal republic

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  NA

Faroe Islands
  NA

Fiji
  republic

Finland
  republic

France
  republic

French Polynesia
  NA

Gabon
  republic; multiparty presidential regime

Gambia, The
  republic

Georgia
  republic

Germany
  federal republic

Ghana
  constitutional democracy

Gibraltar
  NA

Greece
  parliamentary republic

Greenland
  parliamentary democracy within a constitutional monarchy

Grenada
  parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm

Guam
  NA

Guatemala
  constitutional democratic republic

Guernsey
  parliamentary democracy

Guinea
  republic

Guinea-Bissau
  republic

Guyana
  republic

Haiti
  republic

Holy See (Vatican City)
  ecclesiastical

Honduras
  democratic constitutional republic

Hong Kong
  limited democracy

Hungary
  parliamentary democracy

Iceland
  constitutional republic

India
  federal republic

Indonesia
  republic

Iran
  theocratic republic

Iraq
  parliamentary democracy

Ireland
  republic, parliamentary democracy

Isle of Man
  parliamentary democracy

Israel
  parliamentary democracy

Italy
  republic

Jamaica
  constitutional parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth
  realm

Japan
  a parliamentary government with a constitutional monarchy

Jersey
  parliamentary democracy

Jordan
  constitutional monarchy

Kazakhstan
  republic; authoritarian presidential rule, with little
  power outside the executive branch

Kenya
  republic

Kiribati
  republic

Korea, North
  Communist state one-man dictatorship

Korea, South
  republic

Kosovo
  republic

Kuwait
  constitutional emirate

Kyrgyzstan
  republic

Laos
  Communist state

Latvia
  parliamentary democracy

Lebanon
  republic

Lesotho
  parliamentary constitutional monarchy

Liberia
  republic

Libya
  Jamahiriya (a state of the masses) in theory, governed by the
  populace through local councils; in practice, an authoritarian state

Liechtenstein
  constitutional monarchy

Lithuania
  parliamentary democracy

Luxembourg
  constitutional monarchy

Macau
  limited democracy

Macedonia
  parliamentary democracy

Madagascar
  republic

Malawi
  multiparty democracy

Malaysia
  constitutional monarchy
  note: nominally headed by paramount ruler (commonly referred to as
  the King) and a bicameral Parliament consisting of a nonelected
  upper house and an elected lower house; all Peninsular Malaysian
  states have hereditary rulers (commonly referred to as sultans)
  except Melaka and Pulau Pinang (Penang); those two states along with
  Sabah and Sarawak in East Malaysia have governors appointed by
  government; powers of state governments are limited by federal
  constitution; under terms of federation, Sabah and Sarawak retain
  certain constitutional prerogatives (e.g., right to maintain their
  own immigration controls)

Maldives
  republic

Mali
  republic

Malta
  republic

Marshall Islands
  constitutional government in free association with
  the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 21
  October 1986 and the Amended Compact entered into force in May 2004

Mauritania
  military junta

Mauritius
  parliamentary democracy

Mayotte
  NA

Mexico
  federal republic

Micronesia, Federated States of constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 3 November 1986 and the Amended Compact entered into force May 2004

Moldova
  republic

Monaco
  constitutional monarchy

Mongolia
  parliamentary

Montenegro
  republic

Montserrat
  NA

Morocco
  constitutional monarchy

Mozambique
  republic

Namibia
  republic

Nauru
  republic

Nepal
  federal democratic republic

Netherlands
  constitutional monarchy

Netherlands Antilles
  parliamentary

New Caledonia
  NA

New Zealand
  parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm

Nicaragua
  republic

Niger
  republic

Nigeria
  federal republic

Niue
  self-governing parliamentary democracy

Norfolk Island
  NA

Northern Mariana Islands commonwealth; self-governing with locally elected governor, lieutenant governor, and legislature

Norway
  constitutional monarchy

Oman
  monarchy

Pakistan
  federal republic

Palau
  constitutional government in free association with the US; the
  Compact of Free Association entered into force 1 October 1994

Panama
  constitutional democracy

Papua New Guinea
  constitutional parliamentary democracy and a
  Commonwealth realm

Paraguay
  constitutional republic

Peru
  constitutional republic

Philippines
  republic

Pitcairn Islands
  NA

Poland
  republic

Portugal
  republic; parliamentary democracy

Puerto Rico
  commonwealth

Qatar
  emirate

Romania
  republic

Russia
  federation

Rwanda
  republic; presidential, multiparty system

Saint Helena
  NA

Saint Kitts and Nevis parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm

Saint Lucia
  parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  NA

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  parliamentary democracy and a
  Commonwealth realm

Samoa
  parliamentary democracy

San Marino
  republic

Sao Tome and Principe
  republic

Saudi Arabia
  monarchy

Senegal
  republic

Serbia
  republic

Seychelles
  republic

Sierra Leone
  constitutional democracy

Singapore
  parliamentary republic

Slovakia
  parliamentary democracy

Slovenia
  parliamentary republic

Solomon Islands
  parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm

Somalia
  no permanent national government; transitional,
  parliamentary federal government

South Africa
  republic

Spain
  parliamentary monarchy

Sri Lanka
  republic

Sudan
  Government of National Unity (GNU) - the National Congress
  Party (NCP) and Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) formed a
  power-sharing government under the 2005 Comprehensive Peace
  Agreement (CPA); the NCP, which came to power by military coup in
  1989, is the majority partner; the agreement stipulates national
  elections in 2009

Suriname
  constitutional democracy

Svalbard
  NA

Swaziland
  monarchy

Sweden
  constitutional monarchy

Switzerland
  formally a confederation but similar in structure to a
  federal republic

Syria
  republic under an authoritarian military-dominated regime

Taiwan
  multiparty democracy

Tajikistan
  republic

Tanzania
  republic

Thailand
  constitutional monarchy

Timor-Leste
  republic

Togo
  republic under transition to multiparty democratic rule

Tokelau
  NA

Tonga
  constitutional monarchy

Trinidad and Tobago
  parliamentary democracy

Tunisia
  republic

Turkey
  republican parliamentary democracy

Turkmenistan
  republic; authoritarian presidential rule, with little
  power outside the executive branch

Turks and Caicos Islands
  NA

Tuvalu
  a parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm

Uganda
  republic

Ukraine
  republic

United Arab Emirates
  federation with specified powers delegated to
  the UAE federal government and other powers reserved to member
  emirates

United Kingdom
  constitutional monarchy and Commonwealth realm

United States
  Constitution-based federal republic; strong democratic
  tradition

Uruguay
  constitutional republic

Uzbekistan
  republic; authoritarian presidential rule, with little
  power outside the executive branch

Vanuatu
  parliamentary republic

Venezuela
  federal republic

Vietnam
  Communist state

Virgin Islands
  NA

Wallis and Futuna
  NA

Western Sahara
  legal status of territory and issue of sovereignty
  unresolved; territory contested by Morocco and Polisario Front
  (Popular Front for the Liberation of the Saguia el Hamra and Rio de
  Oro), which in February 1976 formally proclaimed a
  government-in-exile of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR),
  led by President Mohamed ABDELAZIZ; territory partitioned between
  Morocco and Mauritania in April 1976 when Spain withdrew, with
  Morocco acquiring northern two-thirds; Mauritania, under pressure
  from Polisario guerrillas, abandoned all claims to its portion in
  August 1979; Morocco moved to occupy that sector shortly thereafter
  and has since asserted administrative control; the Polisario's
  government-in-exile was seated as an Organization of African Unity
  (OAU) member in 1984; guerrilla activities continued sporadically
  until a UN-monitored cease-fire was implemented on 6 September 1991
  (Security Council Resolution 690) by the United Nations Mission for
  the Referendum in Western Sahara or MINURSO

Yemen
  republic

Zambia
  republic

Zimbabwe
  parliamentary democracy

======================================================================

@2129

Field Listing :: Unemployment rate

  This entry contains the percent of the labor force that is without
  jobs. Substantial underemployment might be noted.
  Country Comparison to the World
  Country

Unemployment rate(%)

Afghanistan 40% (2008 est.) 40% (2005 est.)

Albania
  12.5% (2008 est.)
  13.2% (2007 est.)
  note: these are official rates, but actual rates may exceed 30% due
  to preponderance of near-subsistence farming

Algeria 12.8% (2008 est.) 11.8% (2007 est.)

American Samoa 29.8% (2005)

Andorra 0% (2007) 0% (2006)

Angola
  NA

Anguilla
  8% (2002)

Antigua and Barbuda
  11% (2001 est.)

Argentina 7.9% (2008 est.) 8.5% (2007 est.)

Armenia
  7.1% (2007 est.)

Aruba
  6.9% (2005 est.)

Australia
  4.2% (2008 est.)
  4.4% (2007 est.)

Austria
  3.9% (2008 est.)
  4.4% (2007 est.)

Azerbaijan
  0.9% (2008 est.)
  1% (2007 est.)

Bahamas, The
  7.6% (2006 est.)

Bahrain
  15% (2005 est.)

Bangladesh 2.5% (2008 est.) 2.5% (2007 est.)

Barbados
  10.7% (2003 est.)

Belarus
  1.6% (2005)
  note: officially registered unemployed; large number of
  underemployed workers

Belgium
  7% (2008 est.)
  7.5% (2007 est.)

Belize
  8.1% (2008)
  9.4% (2006)

Benin
  NA%

Bermuda
  2.1% (2004 est.)

Bhutan
  2.5% (2004)

Bolivia
  7.5% (2008 est.)
  7.5% (2007 est.)
  note: data are for urban areas; widespread underemployment

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  29% (2007 est.)
  45.5% (31 December 2004 est.)
  note: official rate; gray economy may reduce actual unemployment to
  25-30%

Botswana
  7.5% (2007 est.)

Brazil 7.9% (2008 est.) 9.3% (2007 est.)

British Virgin Islands 3.6% (1997)

Brunei
  3.7% (2008)
  4% (2006)

Bulgaria
  6.3% (2008 est.)
  7.7% (2007 est.)

Burkina Faso
  77% (2004)

Burma
  5% (2008 est.)
  5.2% (2007 est.)

Burundi
  NA%

Cambodia 3.5% (2007 est.) 2.5% (2000 est.)

Cameroon 30% (2001 est.)

Canada 6.2% (2008 est.) 6% (2007 est.)

Cape Verde
  21% (2000 est.)

Cayman Islands
  4.4% (2004)

Central African Republic
  8% (2001 est.)
  note: 23% unemployment for Bangui

Chad
  NA%

Chile
  7.8% (2008 est.)
  7% (2007 est.)

China
  4% (2008 est.)
  4% (2007 est.)
  note: official data for urban areas only; including migrants may
  boost total unemployment to 9%; substantial unemployment and
  underemployment in rural areas

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  60% (2000 est.)

Colombia 11.3% (2008 est.) 11.2% (2007 est.)

Comoros
  20% (1996 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  NA%

Congo, Republic of the
  NA%

Cook Islands
  13.1% (2005)

Costa Rica 4.9% (2008 est.) 4.6% (2007 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire

note: unemployment may have climbed to 40-50% as a result of the civil war

Croatia
  13.7% (2008 est.)
  11.8% (2007 est.)

Cuba
  1.6% (2008 est.)
  1.8% (2007 est.)

Cyprus
  3.6% (2008 est.)
  3.9% (2007 est.)

Czech Republic
  5.4% (2008 est.)
  6.6% (2007 est.)

Denmark
  1.8% (2008 est.)
  2.8% (2007 est.)

Djibouti
  59% (2007 est.)
  note: data are for urban areas, 83% in rural areas

Dominica
  23% (2000 est.)

Dominican Republic
  14.1% (2008 est.)
  15.6% (2007 est.)

Ecuador
  7.3% (2008 est.)
  8.8% (2007 est.)

Egypt
  8.7% (2008 est.)
  9.1% (2007 est.)

El Salvador
  6.9% (2008 est.)
  6.2% (2007 est.)
  note: data are official rates; but the economy has much
  underemployment

Equatorial Guinea
  30% (1998 est.)

Eritrea
  NA%

Estonia
  5.7% (2008 est.)
  4.7% (2007 est.)

Ethiopia
  NA%

European Union 7.2% (2008 est.) 8.5% (2006 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Faroe Islands 1.4% (2007) 2.1% (2006)

Fiji 7.6% (1999)

Finland
  6.4% (2008 est.)
  6.9% (2007 est.)

France
  7.4% (2008 est.)
  7.9% (2007 est.)

French Polynesia
  11.7% (2005)

Gabon
  21% (2006 est.)

Gambia, The
  NA%

Gaza Strip 41.3% (June 2008) 34.8% (2006)

Georgia
  13.6% (2006 est.)

Germany
  7.8% (2008 est.)
  9% (2007 est.)
  note: this is the International Labor Organization's estimated rate
  for international comparisons; Germany's Federal Employment Office
  estimated a seasonally adjusted rate of 10.8%

Ghana
  11% (2000 est.)

Gibraltar
  3% (2005 est.)

Greece 7.7% (2008 est.) 8.3% (2007 est.)

Greenland
  9.3% (2005 est.)

Grenada
  12.5% (2000)

Guam
  11.4% (2002 est.)

Guatemala
  3.2% (2005 est.)

Guernsey
  0.9% (March 2006 est.)

Guinea
  NA%

Guinea-Bissau
  NA%

Guyana
  11% (2007)

Haiti
  NA%
  note: widespread unemployment and underemployment; more than
  two-thirds of the labor force do not have formal jobs

Honduras
  3.5% (2008 est.)
  note: high level of underemployment with up to a third of the labor
  force seeking more work.

Hong Kong
  3.5% (2008 est.)
  4% (2007 est.)

Hungary
  7.8% (2008 est.)
  7.3% (2007 est.)

Iceland
  1.6% (2008 est.)
  1% (2007 est.)
  note: this figure climbed to 9.4% as of February 2009

India
  9.1% (2008 est.)
  7.2% (2007 est.)

Indonesia
  8.4% (2008 est.)
  9.1% (2007 est.)

Iran
  12.5% (2008 est.)
  12% (2007 est.)
  note: data are according to the Iranian Government

Iraq
  18.2% (2008 est.)
  18% (2006 est.)
  note: official data; unofficial estimates as high as 30%

Ireland 6.3% (2008 est.) 4.6% (2007 est.)

Isle of Man 1.5% (December 2006 est.)

Israel
  6.1% (2008 est.)
  7.3% (2007 est.)

Italy
  6.8% (2008 est.)
  6.2% (2007 est.)

Jamaica
  11% (2008 est.)
  9.9% (2007 est.)

Japan
  4% (2008 est.)
  3.8% (2007 est.)

Jersey
  2.2% (2006 est.)

Jordan
  12.6% (2008 est.)
  13.5% (2007 est.)
  note: official rate; unofficial rate is approximately 30%

Kazakhstan
  6.6% (2008 est.)
  7.3% (2007 est.)

Kenya
  40% (2008 est.)
  40% (2001 est.)

Kiribati
  2% (1992 est.)

Korea, North
  NA%

Korea, South 3.2% (2008 est.) 3.3% (2007 est.)

Kosovo
  40% (2007 est.)

Kuwait
  2.2% (2004 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  18% (2004 est.)

Laos
  2.4% (2005 est.)

Latvia 7.5% (2008 est.) 5.7% (2007 est.)

Lebanon
  9.2% (2007 est.)

Lesotho
  45% (2002)

Liberia
  85% (2003 est.)

Libya
  30% (2004 est.)

Liechtenstein 1.5% (31 December 2007) 1.3% (September 2002)

Lithuania 5.8% (2008 est.) 3.5% (2007 est.) note: based on survey data, official registered unemployment of 5.7%

Luxembourg
  4.4% (2008 est.)
  4.4% (2007 est.)

Macau
  3% (2008)
  3.1% (2006)

Macedonia
  33.8% (2008 est.)
  34.9% (2007 est.)

Malawi
  NA%

Malaysia 3.3% (2008 est.) 3.2% (2007 est.)

Maldives
  14.4% (2006 est.)

Mali
  30% (2004 est.)

Malta
  6% (2008 est.)

Marshall Islands
  36% (2006 est.)
  30.9% (2000 est.)

Mauritania
  30% (2008 est.)
  20% (2004 est.)

Mauritius
  7.2% (2008 est.)
  8.8% (2007 est.)

Mayotte
  25.4% (2005)

Mexico
  4% (2008 est.)
  3.7% (2007 est.)
  note: underemployment is perhaps 25%

Micronesia, Federated States of
  22% (2000 est.)

Moldova
  1.5% (2008 est.)

Monaco
  0% (2005)

Mongolia 2.8% (2008) 3% (2007)

Montenegro
  14.7% (2007 est.)

Montserrat
  6% (1998 est.)

Morocco 9.5% (2008 est.) 9.8% (2007 est.)

Mozambique
  21% (1997 est.)

Namibia
  5% (2008 est.)

Nauru
  90% (2004 est.)

Nepal
  46% (2008 est.)
  42% (2004 est.)

Netherlands
  4% (2008 est.)
  4.6% (2007 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  15.5% (2002 est.)

New Caledonia
  17.1% (2004)

New Zealand 4.2% (2008 est.) 3.6% (2007 est.)

Nicaragua 5.6% (2008 est.) 4.9% (2007 est.) note: underemployment was 46.5% in 2008

Niger
  NA%

Nigeria
  4.9% (2007 est.)

Niue
  12% (2001)

Northern Mariana Islands
  8% (2005 est.)
  3.9% (2001)

Norway
  2.6% (2008 est.)
  2.5% (2007 est.)

Oman
  15% (2004 est.)

Pakistan 13.6% (2008 est.) 5.6% (2007 est.) note: substantial underemployment exists

Palau 4.2% (2005 est.)

Panama 5.6% (2008 est.) 6.4% (2007 est.)

Papua New Guinea 1.9% (2004)

Paraguay 5.4% (2008 est.) 5.6% (2007 est.)

Peru
  8.1% (2008 est.)
  6.9% (2007 est.)
  note: data are for metropolitan Lima; widespread underemployment

Philippines
  7.4% (2008 est.)
  7.3% (2007 est.)

Poland
  9.8% (2008 est.)
  12.8% (2007 est.)

Portugal
  7.6% (2008 est.)
  8% (2007 est.)

Puerto Rico
  12% (2002)

Qatar
  0.4% (2008 est.)
  0.7% (2007 est.)

Romania
  4.4% (2008 est.)
  4.1% (2007 est.)

Russia
  6.4% (2008 est.)
  6.2% (2007 est.)

Rwanda
  NA%

Saint Helena
  14% (1998 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  4.5% (1997)

Saint Lucia
  20% (2003 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  10.3% (1999)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  15% (2001 est.)

Samoa
  NA%

San Marino
  3.1% (2008)

Sao Tome and Principe
  NA%

Saudi Arabia
  11.8% (2008 est.)
  13% (2004 est.)
  note: data are for Saudi males only (local bank estimates; some
  estimates range as high as 25%)

Senegal
  48% (2007 est.)

Serbia
  18.8% (2007 est.)

Seychelles
  2% (2006 est.)

Sierra Leone
  NA%

Singapore
  2.2% (2008 est.)
  2.1% (2007 est.)

Slovakia
  7.7% (2008 est.)
  8.4% (2007 est.)

Slovenia
  6.7% (2008 est.)
  7.7% (2007 est.)

Solomon Islands
  NA%

Somalia
  NA%

South Africa
  22.9% (2008 est.)
  24.3% (2007 est.)

Spain
  11.3% (2008 est.)
  8.3% (2007 est.)

Sri Lanka
  5.2% (2008 est.)
  6% (2007 est.)

Sudan
  18.7% (2002 est.)

Suriname
  9.5% (2004)

Swaziland
  40% (2006 est.)

Sweden
  6.2% (2008 est.)
  6.1% (2007 est.)

Switzerland
  2.6% (2008 est.)
  2.8% (2007 est.)

Syria
  8.6% (2008 est.)
  9% (2007 est.)

Taiwan
  4.1% (2008 est.)
  3.9% (2007 est.)

Tajikistan
  2.3% (2008 est.)
  2.4% (2007 est.)
  note: official rates; actual unemployment is higher

Tanzania
  NA%

Thailand
  1.4% (2008 est.)
  1.4% (2007 est.)

Timor-Leste
  20% (2006 est.)
  note: data are for rural areas, unemployment rises to more than 40%
  among urban youth

Togo
  NA%

Tokelau
  NA%

Tonga
  13% (FY03/04 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  4.6% (2008 est.)
  4.5% (2007 est.)

Tunisia
  14.1% (2008 est.)
  14.1% (2007 est.)

Turkey
  11% (2008 est.)
  9.9% (2007 est.)
  note: underemployment amounted to 4% in 2008

Turkmenistan
  60% (2004 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  10% (1997 est.)

Tuvalu
  NA%

Uganda
  NA%

Ukraine
  3% (2008 est.)
  2.3% (2007 est.)
  note: officially registered; large number of unregistered or
  underemployed workers

United Arab Emirates
  2.4% (2001)

United Kingdom
  5.6% (2008 est.)
  5.3% (2007 est.)

United States
  5.8% (2008 est.)
  4.6% (2007 est.)

Uruguay
  7.6% (2008 est.)
  9.2% (2007 est.)

Uzbekistan
  1% (2008 est.)
  0.8% (2007 est.)
  note: officially measured by the Ministry of Labor, plus another 20%
  underemployed

Vanuatu
  1.7% (1999)

Venezuela
  7.4% (2008 est.)
  8.5% (2007 est.)

Vietnam
  4.7% (2008 est.)
  4.3% (2007 est.)

Virgin Islands
  6.2% (2004)

Wallis and Futuna
  15.2% (2003)

West Bank
  16.3% (2008 est.)
  18.6% (2006)

Western Sahara
  NA%

World
  30% (2007 est.)
  note: combined unemployment and underemployment in many
  non-industrialized countries; developed countries typically 4%-12%
  unemployment

Yemen
  35% (2003 est.)

Zambia
  50% (2000 est.)

Zimbabwe
  80% (2005 est.)

======================================================================

@2137

Field Listing :: Military - note

This entry includes miscellaneous military information of significance not included elsewhere. Country

Military - note

Akrotiri
  Akrotiri has a full RAF base, Headquarters for British
  Forces Cyprus, and Episkopi Support Unit

American Samoa
  defense is the responsibility of the US

Andorra
  defense is the responsibility of France and Spain

Anguilla
  defense is the responsibility of the UK

Antarctica
  the Antarctic Treaty prohibits any measures of a military
  nature, such as the establishment of military bases and
  fortifications, the carrying out of military maneuvers, or the
  testing of any type of weapon; it permits the use of military
  personnel or equipment for scientific research or for any other
  peaceful purposes

Argentina
  the Argentine military is a well-organized force
  constrained by the country's prolonged economic hardship; the
  country has recently experienced a strong recovery, and the military
  is implementing a modernization plan aimed at making the ground
  forces lighter and more responsive (2008)

Aruba
  defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  defense is the responsibility of
  Australia; periodic visits by the Royal Australian Navy and Royal
  Australian Air Force

Barbados
  the Royal Barbados Defense Force includes a land-based
  Troop Command and a small Coast Guard; the primary role of the land
  element is to defend the island against external aggression; the
  Command consists of a single, part-time battalion with a small
  regular cadre that is deployed throughout the island; it
  increasingly supports the police in patrolling the coastline to
  prevent smuggling and other illicit activities (2007)

Bermuda
  defense is the responsibility of the UK

Bouvet Island
  defense is the responsibility of Norway

British Indian Ocean Territory
  defense is the responsibility of the
  UK; the US lease on Diego Garcia expires in 2016

British Virgin Islands
  defense is the responsibility of the UK

Cayman Islands
  defense is the responsibility of the UK

Christmas Island
  defense is the responsibility of Australia

Clipperton Island
  defense is the responsibility of France

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  defense is the responsibility of Australia;
  the territory has a five-person police force

Cook Islands
  defense is the responsibility of New Zealand in
  consultation with the Cook Islands and at its request

Coral Sea Islands
  defense is the responsibility of Australia

Cuba
  the collapse of the Soviet Union deprived the Cuban Army of its
  major economic and logistic support and had a significant impact on
  equipment numbers and serviceability; the army remains well trained
  and professional in nature; while the lack of replacement parts for
  its existing equipment and the current severe shortage of fuel have
  increasingly affected operational capabilities, Cuba remains able to
  offer considerable resistance to any regional power (2008)

Dhekelia
  includes Dhekelia Garrison and Ayios Nikolaos Station
  connected by a roadway

European Union
  the five-nation Eurocorps - created in 1992 by
  France, Germany, Belgium, Spain, and Luxembourg - has deployed
  troops and police on peacekeeping missions to Bosnia-Herzegovina,
  Macedonia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo and assumed
  command of the ISAF in Afghanistan in August 2004; Eurocorps
  directly commands the 5,000-man Franco-German Brigade, the
  Multinational Command Support Brigade, and EUFOR in Bosnia and
  Herzegovina; in November 2004, the EU Council of Ministers formally
  committed to creating 13 1,500-man battle groups by the end of 2007,
  to respond to international crises on a rotating basis; 22 of the
  EU's 27 nations have agreed to supply troops; France, Italy, and the
  UK formed the first of three battle groups in 2005; Norway, Sweden,
  Estonia, and Finland established the Nordic Battle Group effective 1
  January 2008; nine other groups are to be formed; a rapid-reaction
  naval EU Maritime Task Group was stood up in March 2007 (2007)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) defense is the responsibility of the UK

Faroe Islands
  defense is the responsibility of Denmark

French Polynesia
  defense is the responsibility of France

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  defense is the responsibility of
  France

Georgia
  a CIS peacekeeping force of Russian troops is deployed in
  the Abkhazia region of Georgia together with a UN military observer
  group; a Russian peacekeeping battalion is deployed in South Ossetia

Gibraltar
  defense is the responsibility of the UK; the Royal
  Gibraltar Regiment replaced the last British regular infantry forces
  in 1992

Greenland
  defense is the responsibility of Denmark

Guam
  defense is the responsibility of the US

Guernsey
  defense is the responsibility of the UK

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  defense is the responsibility of
  Australia; Australia conducts fisheries patrols

Holy See (Vatican City) defense is the responsibility of Italy; ceremonial and limited security duties performed by Pontifical Swiss Guard

Hong Kong
  defense is the responsibility of China

Iceland
  Iceland has no standing military force; under a 1951
  bilateral agreement - still valid - its defense was provided by the
  US-manned Icelandic Defense Force (IDF) headquartered at Keflavik;
  however, all US military forces in Iceland were withdrawn as of
  October 2006; although wartime defense of Iceland remains a NATO
  commitment, in April 2007, Iceland and Norway signed a bilateral
  agreement providing for Norwegian aerial surveillance and defense of
  Icelandic airspace (2008)

Isle of Man
  defense is the responsibility of the UK

Jan Mayen
  defense is the responsibility of Norway

Jersey
  defense is the responsibility of the UK

Kiribati
  Kiribati does not have military forces; defense assistance
  is provided by Australia and NZ

Laos
  serving one of the world's least developed countries, the Lao
  People's Armed Forces (LPAF) is small, poorly funded, and
  ineffectively resourced; its mission focus is border and internal
  security, primarily in countering ethnic Hmong insurgent groups;
  together with the Lao People's Revolutionary Party and the
  government, the Lao People's Army (LPA) is the third pillar of state
  machinery, and as such is expected to suppress political and civil
  unrest and similar national emergencies, but the LPA also has
  upgraded skills to respond to avian influenza outbreaks; there is no
  perceived external threat to the state and the LPA maintains strong
  ties with the neighboring Vietnamese military (2008)

Lesotho
  Lesotho's declared policy is maintenance of its independent
  sovereignty and preservation of internal security; in practice,
  external security is guaranteed by South Africa; restructuring of
  the Lesotho Defense Force (LDF) and Ministry of Defense and Public
  Service over the past five years has focused on subordinating the
  defense apparatus to civilian control and restoring the LDF's
  cohesion; the restructuring has considerably improved capabilities
  and professionalism, but the LDF is disproportionately large for a
  small, poor country; the government has outlined a reduction to a
  planned 1,500-man strength, but these plans have met with vociferous
  resistance from the political opposition and from inside the LDF
  (2008)

Liechtenstein
  Liechtenstein has no military forces, but is
  interested in European security policy and is an active member of
  the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)

Macau
  defense is the responsibility of China

Maldives
  the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF), with its small
  size and with little serviceable equipment, is inadequate to prevent
  external aggression and is primarily tasked to reinforce the
  Maldives Police Service (MPS) and ensure security in the exclusive
  economic zone (2008)

Marshall Islands
  defense is the responsibility of the US

Mayotte
  defense is the responsibility of France; a small contingent
  of French forces is stationed on the island

Micronesia, Federated States of
  defense is the responsibility of the
  US

Monaco
  defense is the responsibility of France

Montenegro
  Montenegrin plans call for the establishment of a fully
  professional armed forces

Montserrat
  defense is the responsibility of the UK

Nauru
  Nauru maintains no defense forces; under an informal
  agreement, defense is the responsibility of Australia

Navassa Island
  defense is the responsibility of the US

Netherlands Antilles defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

New Caledonia
  defense is the responsibility of France

Niue
  defense is the responsibility of New Zealand

Norfolk Island
  defense is the responsibility of Australia

Northern Mariana Islands
  defense is the responsibility of the US

Palau
  defense is the responsibility of the US; under a Compact of
  Free Association between Palau and the US, the US military is
  granted access to the islands for 50 years, but it has not stationed
  any military forces there (2008)

Panama
  on 10 February 1990, the government of then President ENDARA
  abolished Panama's military and reformed the security apparatus by
  creating the Panamanian Public Forces; in October 1994, Panama's
  Legislative Assembly approved a constitutional amendment prohibiting
  the creation of a standing military force but allowing the temporary
  establishment of special police units to counter acts of "external
  aggression"

Paracel Islands
  occupied by China

Pitcairn Islands
  defense is the responsibility of the UK

Puerto Rico
  defense is the responsibility of the US

Saint Barthelemy
  defense is the responsibility of France

Saint Helena
  defense is the responsibility of the UK

Saint Martin
  defense is the responsibility of France

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  defense is the responsibility of France

Samoa
  Samoa has no formal defense structure or regular armed forces;
  informal defense ties exist with NZ, which is required to consider
  any Samoan request for assistance under the 1962 Treaty of Friendship

San Marino
  defense is the responsibility of Italy

Sao Tome and Principe
  Sao Tome and Principe's army is a tiny force
  with almost no resources at its disposal and would be wholly
  ineffective operating unilaterally; infantry equipment is considered
  simple to operate and maintain but may require refurbishment or
  replacement after 25 years in tropical climates; poor pay, working
  conditions, and alleged nepotism in the promotion of officers have
  been problems in the past, as reflected in the 1995 and 2003 coups;
  these issues are being addressed with foreign assistance aimed at
  improving the army and its focus on realistic security concerns;
  command is exercised from the president, through the Minister of
  Defense, to the Chief of the Armed Forces staff (2005)

South Africa
  with the end of apartheid and the establishment of
  majority rule, former military, black homelands forces, and
  ex-opposition forces were integrated into the South African National
  Defense Force (SANDF); as of 2003 the integration process was
  considered complete

South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
  defense is the
  responsibility of the UK

Spratly Islands
  Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small
  islands or reefs of which about 45 are claimed and occupied by
  China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam

Svalbard
  Svalbard is a territory of Norway, demilitarized by treaty
  on 9 February 1920

Tokelau
  defense is the responsibility of New Zealand

Turkey
  a "National Security Policy Document" adopted in October 2005
  increases the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) role in internal security,
  augmenting the General Directorate of Security and Gendarmerie
  General Command (Jandarma); the TSK leadership continues to play a
  key role in politics and considers itself guardian of Turkey's
  secular state; in April 2007, it warned the ruling party about any
  pro-Islamic appointments; despite on-going negotiations on EU
  accession since October 2005, progress has been limited in
  establishing required civilian supremacy over the military; primary
  domestic threats are listed as fundamentalism (with the definition
  in some dispute with the civilian government), separatism (the
  Kurdish problem), and the extreme left wing; Ankara strongly opposed
  establishment of an autonomous Kurdish region; an overhaul of the
  Turkish Land Forces Command (TLFC) taking place under the "Force
  2014" program is to produce 20-30% smaller, more highly trained
  forces characterized by greater mobility and firepower and capable
  of joint and combined operations; the TLFC has taken on increasing
  international peacekeeping responsibilities, and took charge of a
  NATO International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) command in
  Afghanistan in April 2007; the Turkish Navy is a regional naval
  power that wants to develop the capability to project power beyond
  Turkey's coastal waters; the Navy is heavily involved in NATO,
  multinational, and UN operations; its roles include control of
  territorial waters and security for sea lines of communications; the
  Turkish Air Force adopted an "Aerospace and Missile Defense Concept"
  in 2002 and has initiated project work on an integrated missile
  defense system; Air Force priorities include attaining a modern
  deployable, survivable, and sustainable force structure, and
  establishing a sustainable command and control system (2008)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  defense is the responsibility of the UK

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges defense is the responsibility of the US

Virgin Islands
  defense is the responsibility of the US

Wake Island
  defense is the responsibility of the US; the US Air
  Force is responsible for overall administration and operation of the
  island; the launch support facility is administered by the US
  Missile Defense Agency (MDA)

Wallis and Futuna
  defense is the responsibility of France

Yemen
  a Coast Guard was established in 2002

======================================================================

@2138

Field Listing :: Communications - note

This entry includes miscellaneous communications information of significance not included elsewhere. Country

Communications - note

Afghanistan
  Internet access is growing through Internet cafes as
  well as public "telekiosks" in Kabul (2005)

Bouvet Island
  automatic meteorological station

Coral Sea Islands there are automatic weather stations on many of the isles and reefs relaying data to the mainland

French Southern and Antarctic Lands one or more meteorological stations on each possession; note - meteorological station on Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses) is important for forecasting cyclones

Saint Helena
  South Africa maintains a meteorological station on
  Gough Island

======================================================================

@2140

Field Listing :: Government - note

This entry includes miscellaneous government information of significance not included elsewhere. Country

Government - note

French Polynesia
  under certain acts of France, French Polynesia has
  acquired autonomy in all areas except those relating to police and
  justice, monetary policy, tertiary education, immigration, and
  defense and foreign affairs; the duties of its president are
  fashioned after those of the French prime minister

Malawi
  no party has a majority in the fractured legislature

New Zealand
  while not an official symbol, the Kiwi, a small native
  flightless bird, represents New Zealand

Solomon Islands
  by the end of 2007, the Regional Assistance Mission
  to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) - originally made up of police and
  troops from Australia, NZ, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and Tonga - had
  been scaled back to 303 police officers, 197 civilian technical
  advisers, and 72 military advisers from 15 countries across the
  region

Somalia
  although an interim government was created in 2004, other
  regional and local governing bodies continue to exist and control
  various regions of the country, including the self-declared Republic
  of Somaliland in northwestern Somalia and the semi-autonomous State
  of Puntland in northeastern Somalia

======================================================================

@2141

Field Listing :: Group

Country

Group

Afghanistan
  All, NESA, Near East/South Asia, South Asia

Akrotiri
  All, Europe, Europe/French Dependencies, Europe

Albania
  All, OREA, Europe/French Dependencies, Europe

Algeria
  All, NESA, Near East/South Asia, Africa

American Samoa
  All, APLAA, Caribbean/Oceania, Australia - Oceania

Andorra
  All, OREA, Europe/French Dependencies, Europe

Angola
  All, APLAA, Sub-Saharan Africa, Africa

Anguilla
  All, APLAA, North America/Caribbean, Central America

Antarctica
  All, APLAA, South America/Global, Antarctica

Antigua and Barbuda
  All, APLAA, North America/Caribbean, Central
  America

Arctic Ocean
  All, APLAA, South America/Global, Oceans

Argentina
  All, APLAA, South America/Global, South America

Armenia
  All, OREA, Russia/Eurasia, Middle East

Aruba
  All, APLAA, North America/Caribbean, Central America

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  All, APLAA, Caribbean/Oceania, Australia
  - Oceania

Atlantic Ocean
  All, APLAA, South America/Global, Oceans

Australia
  All, APLAA, Caribbean/Oceania, Australia - Oceania

Austria
  All, OREA, Europe/French Dependencies, European Union, Europe

Azerbaijan
  All, OREA, Russia/Eurasia, Middle East

Bahamas, The
  All, APLAA, North America/Caribbean, Central America

Bahrain
  All, NESA, Near East/South Asia, Middle East

Bangladesh
  All, NESA, Near East/South Asia, South Asia

Barbados
  All, APLAA, North America/Caribbean, Central America

Belarus
  All, OREA, Russia/Eurasia, Europe

Belgium
  All, OREA, Europe/French Dependencies, European Union, Europe

Belize
  All, APLAA, South America/Meso America, Central America

Benin
  All, APLAA, Sub-Saharan Africa, Africa

Bermuda
  All, APLAA, North America/Caribbean, North America

Bhutan
  All, NESA, Near East/South Asia, South Asia

Bolivia
  All, APLAA, South America/Global, South America

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  All, OREA, Europe/French Dependencies, Europe

Botswana
  All, APLAA, Sub-Saharan Africa, Africa

Bouvet Island
  All, OREA, Europe/French Dependencies, Antarctica

Brazil
  All, APLAA, South America/Global, South America

British Indian Ocean Territory
  All, APLAA, Sub-Saharan Africa, South
  Asia

British Virgin Islands
  All, APLAA, North America/Caribbean, Central
  America

Brunei
  All, APLAA, East Asia/Southeast Asia, Southeast Asia

Bulgaria
  All, OREA, Russia/Eurasia, European Union, Europe

Burkina Faso
  All, APLAA, Sahel Region Africa, Africa

Burma
  All, APLAA, East Asia/Southeast Asia, Southeast Asia

Burundi
  All, APLAA, Sub-Saharan Africa, Africa

Cambodia
  All, APLAA, East Asia/Southeast Asia, Southeast Asia

Cameroon
  All, APLAA, Sub-Saharan Africa, Africa

Canada
  All, APLAA, Eurasia/North America, North America

Cape Verde
  All, APLAA, Sahel Region Africa, Africa

Cayman Islands
  All, APLAA, North America/Caribbean, Central America

Central African Republic
  All, APLAA, Sub-Saharan Africa, Africa

Chad
  All, APLAA, Sahel Region Africa, Africa

Chile
  All, APLAA, South America/Global, South America

China
  All, APLAA, East Asia/Southeast Asia, Southeast Asia

Christmas Island
  All, APLAA, Caribbean/Oceania, Australia - Oceania

Clipperton Island
  All, OREA, Europe/French Dependencies, North
  America

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  All, APLAA, Caribbean/Oceania, Australia -
  Oceania

Colombia
  All, APLAA, South America/Global, South America

Comoros
  All, APLAA, Sub-Saharan Africa, Africa

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  All, APLAA, Sub-Saharan Africa,
  Africa

Congo, Republic of the
  All, APLAA, Sub-Saharan Africa, Africa

Cook Islands
  All, APLAA, Caribbean/Oceania, Australia - Oceania

Coral Sea Islands
  All, APLAA, Caribbean/Oceania, Australia - Oceania

Costa Rica
  All, APLAA, South America/Meso America, Central America

Cote d'Ivoire
  All, APLAA, Sub-Saharan Africa, Africa

Croatia
  All, OREA, Europe/French Dependencies, Europe

Cuba
  All, APLAA, North America/Caribbean, Central America

Cyprus
  All, OREA, Europe/French Dependencies, European Union, Europe

Czech Republic
  All, OREA, Russia/Eurasia, European Union, Europe

Denmark
  All, OREA, Europe/French Dependencies, European Union, Europe

Dhekelia
  All, Europe, Europe/French Dependencies, Europe

Djibouti
  All, APLAA, Sahel Region Africa, Africa

Dominica
  All, APLAA, North America/Caribbean, Central America

Dominican Republic
  All, APLAA, North America/Caribbean, Central
  America

Ecuador
  All, APLAA, South America/Global, South America

Egypt
  All, NESA, Near East/South Asia, Africa

El Salvador
  All, APLAA, North America/Caribbean, Central America

Equatorial Guinea
  All, APLAA, Sub-Saharan Africa, Africa

Eritrea
  All, APLAA, Sahel Region Africa, Africa

Estonia
  All, OREA, Russia/Eurasia, European Union, Europe

Ethiopia
  All, APLAA, Sahel Region Africa, Africa

European Union
  All, Europe, Europe

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  All, APLAA, South America/Global,
  South America

Faroe Islands
  All, OREA, Europe/French Dependencies, Europe

Fiji
  All, APLAA, Caribbean/Oceania, Australia - Oceania

Finland
  All, OREA, Europe/French Dependencies, European Union, Europe

France
  All, OREA, Europe/French Dependencies, European Union, Europe

French Polynesia
  All, OREA, Europe/French Dependencies, Australia -
  Oceania

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  All, OREA, Europe/French
  Dependencies, Antarctica

Gabon
  All, APLAA, Sub-Saharan Africa, Africa

Gambia, The
  All, APLAA, Sahel Region Africa, Africa

Gaza Strip
  All, NESA, Near East/South Asia, Middle East

Georgia
  All, OREA, Russia/Eurasia, Middle East

Germany
  All, OREA, Europe/French Dependencies, European Union, Europe

Ghana
  All, APLAA, Sub-Saharan Africa, Africa

Gibraltar
  All, OREA, Europe/French Dependencies, Europe

Greece
  All, OREA, Europe/French Dependencies, European Union, Europe

Greenland
  All, OREA, Europe/French Dependencies, North America

Grenada
  All, APLAA, North America/Caribbean, Central America

Guam
  All, APLAA, Caribbean/Oceania, Australia - Oceania

Guatemala
  All, APLAA, South America/Meso America, Central America

Guernsey
  All, OREA, Europe/French Dependencies, Europe

Guinea
  All, APLAA, Sahel Region Africa, Africa

Guinea-Bissau
  All, APLAA, Sahel Region Africa, Africa

Guyana
  All, APLAA, South America/Global, South America

Haiti
  All, APLAA, North America/Caribbean, Central America

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  All, APLAA, Caribbean/Oceania,
  Antarctica

Holy See (Vatican City)
  All, OREA, Europe/French Dependencies, Europe

Honduras
  All, APLAA, North America/Caribbean, Central America

Hong Kong
  All, APLAA, East Asia/Southeast Asia, Southeast Asia

Hungary
  All, OREA, Russia/Eurasia, European Union, Europe

Iceland
  All, OREA, Europe/French Dependencies, Europe

India
  All, NESA, Near East/South Asia, South Asia

Indian Ocean
  All, APLAA, South America/Global, Oceans

Indonesia
  All, APLAA, East Asia/Southeast Asia, Southeast Asia

Iran
  All, NESA, Near East/South Asia, Middle East

Iraq
  All, NESA, Near East/South Asia, Middle East

Ireland
  All, OREA, Europe/French Dependencies, European Union, Europe

Isle of Man
  All, OREA, Europe/French Dependencies, Europe

Israel
  All, NESA, Near East/South Asia, Middle East

Italy
  All, OREA, Europe/French Dependencies, European Union, Europe

Jamaica
  All, APLAA, North America/Caribbean, Central America

Jan Mayen
  All, OREA, Europe/French Dependencies, Europe

Japan
  All, APLAA, East Asia/Southeast Asia, Southeast Asia

Jersey
  All, OREA, Europe/French Dependencies, Europe

Jordan
  All, NESA, Near East/South Asia, Middle East

Kazakhstan
  All, OREA, Russia/Eurasia, Central Asia

Kenya
  All, APLAA, Sub-Saharan Africa, Africa

Kiribati
  All, APLAA, Caribbean/Oceania, Australia - Oceania

Korea, North
  All, APLAA, East Asia/Southeast Asia, Southeast Asia

Korea, South
  All, APLAA, East Asia/Southeast Asia, Southeast Asia

Kosovo
  All, Europe

Kuwait
  All, NESA, Near East/South Asia, Middle East

Kyrgyzstan
  All, OREA, Russia/Eurasia, Central Asia

Laos
  All, APLAA, East Asia/Southeast Asia, Southeast Asia

Latvia
  All, OREA, Russia/Eurasia, European Union, Europe

Lebanon
  All, NESA, Near East/South Asia, Middle East

Lesotho
  All, APLAA, Sub-Saharan Africa, Africa

Liberia
  All, APLAA, Sub-Saharan Africa, Africa

Libya
  All, NESA, Near East/South Asia, Africa

Liechtenstein
  All, OREA, Europe/French Dependencies, Europe

Lithuania
  All, OREA, Russia/Eurasia, European Union, Europe

Luxembourg
  All, OREA, Europe/French Dependencies, European Union,
  Europe

Macau
  All, APLAA, East Asia/Southeast Asia, Southeast Asia

Macedonia
  All, OREA, Europe/French Dependencies, Europe

Madagascar
  All, APLAA, Sub-Saharan Africa, Africa

Malawi
  All, APLAA, Sub-Saharan Africa, Africa

Malaysia
  All, APLAA, East Asia/Southeast Asia, Southeast Asia

Maldives
  All, NESA, Near East/South Asia, South Asia

Mali
  All, APLAA, Sub-Saharan Africa, Africa

Malta
  All, OREA, Europe/French Dependencies, European Union, Europe

Marshall Islands
  All, APLAA, Caribbean/Oceania, Australia - Oceania

Mauritania
  All, NESA, Sahel Region Africa, Africa

Mauritius
  All, APLAA, Sub-Saharan Africa, Africa

Mayotte
  All, OREA, Europe/French Dependencies, Africa

Mexico
  All, APLAA, South America/Meso America, North America

Micronesia, Federated States of
  All, APLAA, Caribbean/Oceania,
  Australia - Oceania

Moldova
  All, OREA, Russia/Eurasia, Europe

Monaco
  All, OREA, Europe/French Dependencies, Europe

Mongolia
  All, APLAA, East Asia/Southeast Asia, Southeast Asia

Montenegro
  All, Europe/French Dependencies, Europe

Montserrat
  All, APLAA, North America/Caribbean, Central America

Morocco
  All, NESA, Near East/South Asia, Africa

Mozambique
  All, APLAA, Sub-Saharan Africa, Africa

Namibia
  All, APLAA, Sub-Saharan Africa, Africa

Nauru
  All, APLAA, Caribbean/Oceania, Australia - Oceania

Navassa Island
  All, APLAA, North America/Caribbean, Central America

Nepal
  All, NESA, Near East/South Asia, South Asia

Netherlands
  All, OREA, Europe/French Dependencies, European Union,
  Europe

Netherlands Antilles
  All, APLAA, North America/Caribbean, Central
  America

New Caledonia
  All, OREA, Europe/French Dependencies, Australia -
  Oceania

New Zealand
  All, APLAA, Caribbean/Oceania, Australia - Oceania

Nicaragua
  All, APLAA, South America/Meso America, Central America

Niger
  All, APLAA, Sahel Region Africa, Africa

Nigeria
  All, APLAA, Sub-Saharan Africa, Africa

Niue
  All, APLAA, Caribbean/Oceania, Australia - Oceania

Norfolk Island
  All, APLAA, Caribbean/Oceania, Australia - Oceania

Northern Mariana Islands
  All, APLAA, Caribbean/Oceania, Australia -
  Oceania

Norway
  All, OREA, Europe/French Dependencies, Europe

Oman
  All, NESA, Near East/South Asia, Middle East

Pacific Ocean
  All, APLAA, South America/Global, Oceans

Pakistan
  All, NESA, Near East/South Asia, South Asia

Palau
  All, APLAA, Caribbean/Oceania, Australia - Oceania

Panama
  All, APLAA, South America/Meso America, Central America

Papua New Guinea
  All, APLAA, East Asia/Southeast Asia, Southeast Asia

Paracel Islands
  All, APLAA, East Asia/Southeast Asia, Southeast Asia

Paraguay
  All, APLAA, South America/Global, South America

Peru
  All, APLAA, South America/Global, South America

Philippines
  All, APLAA, East Asia/Southeast Asia, Southeast Asia

Pitcairn Islands
  All, APLAA, Caribbean/Oceania, Australia - Oceania

Poland
  All, OREA, Russia/Eurasia, European Union, Europe

Portugal
  All, OREA, Europe/French Dependencies, European Union,
  Europe

Puerto Rico
  All, APLAA, North America/Caribbean, Central America

Qatar
  All, NESA, Near East/South Asia, Middle East

Romania
  All, OREA, Russia/Eurasia, European Union, Europe

Russia
  All, OREA, Russia/Eurasia, Central Asia

Rwanda
  All, APLAA, Sub-Saharan Africa, Africa

Saint Barthelemy
  All, Central America

Saint Helena
  All, APLAA, Sub-Saharan Africa, Africa

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  All, APLAA, North America/Caribbean, Central
  America

Saint Lucia
  All, APLAA, North America/Caribbean, Central America

Saint Martin
  All, Central America

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  All, OREA, Europe/French Dependencies,
  North America

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  All, APLAA, North
  America/Caribbean, Central America

Samoa
  All, APLAA, Caribbean/Oceania, Australia - Oceania

San Marino
  All, OREA, Europe/French Dependencies, Europe

Sao Tome and Principe
  All, APLAA, Sub-Saharan Africa, Africa

Saudi Arabia
  All, NESA, Near East/South Asia, Middle East

Senegal
  All, APLAA, Sahel Region Africa, Africa

Serbia
  All, Europe/French Dependencies, Europe

Seychelles
  All, APLAA, Sub-Saharan Africa, Africa

Sierra Leone
  All, APLAA, Sub-Saharan Africa, Africa

Singapore
  All, APLAA, East Asia/Southeast Asia, Southeast Asia

Slovakia
  All, OREA, Russia/Eurasia, European Union, Europe

Slovenia
  All, OREA, Russia/Eurasia, European Union, Europe

Solomon Islands
  All, APLAA, Caribbean/Oceania, Australia - Oceania

Somalia
  All, APLAA, Sahel Region Africa, Africa

South Africa
  All, APLAA, Sub-Saharan Africa, Africa

South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
  All, APLAA, South
  America/Global

Southern Ocean
  All, APLAA, South America/Global, Oceans

Spain
  All, OREA, Europe/French Dependencies, European Union, Europe

Spratly Islands
  All, APLAA, East Asia/Southeast Asia, Southeast Asia

Sri Lanka
  All, NESA, Near East/South Asia, South Asia

Sudan
  All, NESA, Sahel Region Africa, Africa

Suriname
  All, APLAA, South America/Global, South America

Svalbard
  All, OREA, Europe/French Dependencies, Europe

Swaziland
  All, APLAA, Sub-Saharan Africa, Africa

Sweden
  All, OREA, Europe/French Dependencies, European Union, Europe

Switzerland
  All, OREA, Europe/French Dependencies, Europe

Syria
  All, NESA, Near East/South Asia, Middle East

Taiwan
  All, APLAA, East Asia/Southeast Asia, Southeast Asia

Tajikistan
  All, OREA, Russia/Eurasia, Central Asia

Tanzania
  All, APLAA, Sub-Saharan Africa, Africa

Thailand
  All, APLAA, East Asia/Southeast Asia, Southeast Asia

Timor-Leste
  All, APLAA, East Asia/Southeast Asia, Southeast Asia

Togo
  All, APLAA, Sub-Saharan Africa, Africa

Tokelau
  All, APLAA, Caribbean/Oceania, Australia - Oceania

Tonga
  All, APLAA, Caribbean/Oceania, Australia - Oceania

Trinidad and Tobago
  All, APLAA, North America/Caribbean, Central
  America

Tunisia
  All, NESA, Near East/South Asia, Africa

Turkey
  All, OREA, Europe/French Dependencies, Middle East

Turkmenistan
  All, OREA, Russia/Eurasia, Central Asia

Turks and Caicos Islands
  All, APLAA, North America/Caribbean,
  Central America

Tuvalu
  All, APLAA, Caribbean/Oceania, Australia - Oceania

Uganda
  All, APLAA, Sub-Saharan Africa, Africa

Ukraine
  All, OREA, Russia/Eurasia, Europe

United Arab Emirates
  All, NESA, Near East/South Asia, Middle East

United Kingdom
  All, OREA, Europe/French Dependencies, European
  Union, Europe

United States
  All, APLAA, Eurasia/North America, North America

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges
  All, Australia -
  Oceania

Uruguay
  All, APLAA, South America/Global, South America

Uzbekistan
  All, OREA, Russia/Eurasia, Central Asia

Vanuatu
  All, APLAA, Caribbean/Oceania, Australia - Oceania

Venezuela
  All, APLAA, South America/Global, South America

Vietnam
  All, APLAA, East Asia/Southeast Asia, Southeast Asia

Virgin Islands
  All, APLAA, North America/Caribbean, Central America

Wake Island
  All, APLAA, Caribbean/Oceania, Australia - Oceania

Wallis and Futuna
  All, OREA, Europe/French Dependencies, Australia -
  Oceania

West Bank
  All, NESA, Near East/South Asia, Middle East

Western Sahara
  All, NESA, Near East/South Asia, Africa

World
  All, APLAA, South America/Global, Oceans

Yemen
  All, NESA, Near East/South Asia, Middle East

Zambia
  All, APLAA, Sub-Saharan Africa, Africa

Zimbabwe
  All, APLAA, Sub-Saharan Africa, Africa

======================================================================

@2142

Field Listing :: Country name

  This entry includes all forms of the country's name approved by the
  US Board on Geographic Names (Italy is used as an example):
  conventional long form (Italian Republic), conventional short form
  (Italy), local long form (Repubblica Italiana), local short form
  (Italia), former (Kingdom of Italy), as well as the abbreviation.
  Also see the Terminology note.
  Country

Country name

Afghanistan
  conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
  conventional short form: Afghanistan
  local long form: Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Afghanestan
  local short form: Afghanestan
  former: Republic of Afghanistan

Akrotiri
  conventional long form: Akrotiri Sovereign Base Area
  conventional short form: Akrotiri

Albania
  conventional long form: Republic of Albania
  conventional short form: Albania
  local long form: Republika e Shqiperise
  local short form: Shqiperia
  former: People's Socialist Republic of Albania

Algeria
  conventional long form: People's Democratic Republic of
  Algeria
  conventional short form: Algeria
  local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Jaza'iriyah ad Dimuqratiyah ash
  Sha'biyah
  local short form: Al Jaza'ir

American Samoa
  conventional long form: Territory of American Samoa
  conventional short form: American Samoa
  abbreviation: AS

Andorra
  conventional long form: Principality of Andorra
  conventional short form: Andorra
  local long form: Principat d'Andorra
  local short form: Andorra

Angola
  conventional long form: Republic of Angola
  conventional short form: Angola
  local long form: Republica de Angola
  local short form: Angola
  former: People's Republic of Angola

Anguilla
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Anguilla

Antarctica
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Antarctica

Antigua and Barbuda
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Antigua and Barbuda

Argentina
  conventional long form: Argentine Republic
  conventional short form: Argentina
  local long form: Republica Argentina
  local short form: Argentina

Armenia
  conventional long form: Republic of Armenia
  conventional short form: Armenia
  local long form: Hayastani Hanrapetut'yun
  local short form: Hayastan
  former: Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic, Armenian Republic

Aruba
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Aruba

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  conventional long form: Territory of
  Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  conventional short form: Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Australia
  conventional long form: Commonwealth of Australia
  conventional short form: Australia

Austria
  conventional long form: Republic of Austria
  conventional short form: Austria
  local long form: Republik Oesterreich
  local short form: Oesterreich

Azerbaijan
  conventional long form: Republic of Azerbaijan
  conventional short form: Azerbaijan
  local long form: Azarbaycan Respublikasi
  local short form: Azarbaycan
  former: Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic

Bahamas, The
  conventional long form: Commonwealth of The Bahamas
  conventional short form: The Bahamas

Bahrain
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Bahrain
  conventional short form: Bahrain
  local long form: Mamlakat al Bahrayn
  local short form: Al Bahrayn
  former: Dilmun

Bangladesh
  conventional long form: People's Republic of Bangladesh
  conventional short form: Bangladesh
  local long form: Gana Prajatantri Banladesh
  local short form: Banladesh
  former: East Bengal, East Pakistan

Barbados
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Barbados

Belarus
  conventional long form: Republic of Belarus
  conventional short form: Belarus
  local long form: Respublika Byelarus'
  local short form: Byelarus'
  former: Belorussian (Byelorussian) Soviet Socialist Republic

Belgium
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Belgium
  conventional short form: Belgium
  local long form: Royaume de Belgique/Koninkrijk Belgie
  local short form: Belgique/Belgie

Belize
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Belize
  former: British Honduras

Benin
  conventional long form: Republic of Benin
  conventional short form: Benin
  local long form: Republique du Benin
  local short form: Benin
  former: Dahomey

Bermuda
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Bermuda
  former: Somers Islands

Bhutan
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Bhutan
  conventional short form: Bhutan
  local long form: Druk Gyalkhap
  local short form: Druk Yul

Bolivia
  conventional long form: Plurinational State of Bolivia
  conventional short form: Bolivia
  local long form: Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia
  local short form: Bolivia

Bosnia and Herzegovina conventional long form: none conventional short form: Bosnia and Herzegovina local long form: none local short form: Bosna i Hercegovina former: People's Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Botswana
  conventional long form: Republic of Botswana
  conventional short form: Botswana
  local long form: Republic of Botswana
  local short form: Botswana
  former: Bechuanaland

Bouvet Island
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Bouvet Island

Brazil
  conventional long form: Federative Republic of Brazil
  conventional short form: Brazil
  local long form: Republica Federativa do Brasil
  local short form: Brasil

British Indian Ocean Territory
  conventional long form: British
  Indian Ocean Territory
  conventional short form: none
  abbreviation: BIOT

British Virgin Islands
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: British Virgin Islands
  abbreviation: BVI

Brunei
  conventional long form: Brunei Darussalam
  conventional short form: Brunei
  local long form: Negara Brunei Darussalam
  local short form: Brunei

Bulgaria
  conventional long form: Republic of Bulgaria
  conventional short form: Bulgaria
  local long form: Republika Balgariya
  local short form: Balgariya

Burkina Faso
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Burkina Faso
  local long form: none
  local short form: Burkina Faso
  former: Upper Volta, Republic of Upper Volta

Burma
  conventional long form: Union of Burma
  conventional short form: Burma
  local long form: Pyidaungzu Myanma Naingngandaw (translated by the
  US Government as Union of Myanma and by the Burmese as Union of
  Myanmar)
  local short form: Myanma Naingngandaw
  former: Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma
  note: since 1989 the military authorities in Burma have promoted the
  name Myanmar as a conventional name for their state; this decision
  was not approved by any sitting legislature in Burma, and the US
  Government did not adopt the name, which is a derivative of the
  Burmese short-form name Myanma Naingngandaw

Burundi
  conventional long form: Republic of Burundi
  conventional short form: Burundi
  local long form: Republique du Burundi/Republika y'u Burundi
  local short form: Burundi
  former: Urundi

Cambodia
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Cambodia
  conventional short form: Cambodia
  local long form: Preahreacheanachakr Kampuchea (phonetic
  pronunciation)
  local short form: Kampuchea
  former: Khmer Republic, Democratic Kampuchea, People's Republic of
  Kampuchea, State of Cambodia

Cameroon
  conventional long form: Republic of Cameroon
  conventional short form: Cameroon
  local long form: Republique du Cameroun/Republic of Cameroon
  local short form: Cameroun/Cameroon
  former: French Cameroon, British Cameroon, Federal Republic of
  Cameroon, United Republic of Cameroon

Canada
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Canada

Cape Verde
  conventional long form: Republic of Cape Verde
  conventional short form: Cape Verde
  local long form: Republica de Cabo Verde
  local short form: Cabo Verde

Cayman Islands
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Cayman Islands

Central African Republic
  conventional long form: Central African
  Republic
  conventional short form: none
  local long form: Republique Centrafricaine
  local short form: none
  former: Ubangi-Shari, Central African Empire
  abbreviation: CAR

Chad
  conventional long form: Republic of Chad
  conventional short form: Chad
  local long form: Republique du Tchad/Jumhuriyat Tshad
  local short form: Tchad/Tshad

Chile
  conventional long form: Republic of Chile
  conventional short form: Chile
  local long form: Republica de Chile
  local short form: Chile

China
  conventional long form: People's Republic of China
  conventional short form: China
  local long form: Zhonghua Renmin Gongheguo
  local short form: Zhongguo
  abbreviation: PRC

Christmas Island
  conventional long form: Territory of Christmas
  Island
  conventional short form: Christmas Island

Clipperton Island conventional long form: none conventional short form: Clipperton Island local long form: none local short form: Ile Clipperton former: sometimes called Ile de la Passion

Cocos (Keeling) Islands conventional long form: Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands conventional short form: Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Colombia
  conventional long form: Republic of Colombia
  conventional short form: Colombia
  local long form: Republica de Colombia
  local short form: Colombia

Comoros
  conventional long form: Union of the Comoros
  conventional short form: Comoros
  local long form: Udzima wa Komori (Comorian); Union des Comores
  (French); Jumhuriyat al Qamar al Muttahidah (Arabic)
  local short form: Komori (Comorian); Comores (French); Juzur al
  Qamar (Arabic)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the conventional long form: Democratic Republic of the Congo conventional short form: DRC local long form: Republique Democratique du Congo local short form: RDC former: Congo Free State, Belgian Congo, Congo/Leopoldville, Congo/Kinshasa, Zaire abbreviation: DRC

Congo, Republic of the conventional long form: Republic of the Congo conventional short form: Congo (Brazzaville) local long form: Republique du Congo local short form: none former: Middle Congo, Congo/Brazzaville, Congo

Cook Islands
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Cook Islands
  former: Harvey Islands

Coral Sea Islands
  conventional long form: Coral Sea Islands Territory
  conventional short form: Coral Sea Islands

Costa Rica
  conventional long form: Republic of Costa Rica
  conventional short form: Costa Rica
  local long form: Republica de Costa Rica
  local short form: Costa Rica

Cote d'Ivoire
  conventional long form: Republic of Cote d'Ivoire
  conventional short form: Cote d'Ivoire
  local long form: Republique de Cote d'Ivoire
  local short form: Cote d'Ivoire
  note: pronounced coat-div-whar
  former: Ivory Coast

Croatia
  conventional long form: Republic of Croatia
  conventional short form: Croatia
  local long form: Republika Hrvatska
  local short form: Hrvatska
  former: People's Republic of Croatia, Socialist Republic of Croatia

Cuba
  conventional long form: Republic of Cuba
  conventional short form: Cuba
  local long form: Republica de Cuba
  local short form: Cuba

Cyprus
  conventional long form: Republic of Cyprus
  conventional short form: Cyprus
  local long form: Kypriaki Dimokratia/Kibris Cumhuriyeti
  local short form: Kypros/Kibris
  note: the Turkish Cypriot community, which administers the northern
  part of the island, refers to itself as the "Turkish Republic of
  Northern Cyprus" ("TRNC")

Czech Republic
  conventional long form: Czech Republic
  conventional short form: Czech Republic
  local long form: Ceska Republika
  local short form: Cesko

Denmark
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Denmark
  conventional short form: Denmark
  local long form: Kongeriget Danmark
  local short form: Danmark

Dhekelia
  conventional long form: Dhekelia Sovereign Base Area
  conventional short form: Dhekelia

Djibouti
  conventional long form: Republic of Djibouti
  conventional short form: Djibouti
  local long form: Republique de Djibouti/Jumhuriyat Jibuti
  local short form: Djibouti/Jibuti
  former: French Territory of the Afars and Issas, French Somaliland

Dominica
  conventional long form: Commonwealth of Dominica
  conventional short form: Dominica

Dominican Republic
  conventional long form: Dominican Republic
  conventional short form: The Dominican
  local long form: Republica Dominicana
  local short form: La Dominicana

Ecuador
  conventional long form: Republic of Ecuador
  conventional short form: Ecuador
  local long form: Republica del Ecuador
  local short form: Ecuador

Egypt
  conventional long form: Arab Republic of Egypt
  conventional short form: Egypt
  local long form: Jumhuriyat Misr al-Arabiyah
  local short form: Misr
  former: United Arab Republic (with Syria)

El Salvador
  conventional long form: Republic of El Salvador
  conventional short form: El Salvador
  local long form: Republica de El Salvador
  local short form: El Salvador

Equatorial Guinea
  conventional long form: Republic of Equatorial
  Guinea
  conventional short form: Equatorial Guinea
  local long form: Republica de Guinea Ecuatorial/Republique de Guinee
  equatoriale
  local short form: Guinea Ecuatorial/Guinee equatoriale
  former: Spanish Guinea

Eritrea
  conventional long form: State of Eritrea
  conventional short form: Eritrea
  local long form: Hagere Ertra
  local short form: Ertra
  former: Eritrea Autonomous Region in Ethiopia

Estonia
  conventional long form: Republic of Estonia
  conventional short form: Estonia
  local long form: Eesti Vabariik
  local short form: Eesti
  former: Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic

Ethiopia
  conventional long form: Federal Democratic Republic of
  Ethiopia
  conventional short form: Ethiopia
  local long form: Ityop'iya Federalawi Demokrasiyawi Ripeblik
  local short form: Ityop'iya
  former: Abyssinia, Italian East Africa
  abbreviation: FDRE

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Faroe Islands
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Faroe Islands
  local long form: none
  local short form: Foroyar

Fiji
  conventional long form: Republic of the Fiji Islands
  conventional short form: Fiji
  local long form: Republic of the Fiji Islands/Matanitu ko Viti
  local short form: Fiji/Viti

Finland
  conventional long form: Republic of Finland
  conventional short form: Finland
  local long form: Suomen tasavalta/Republiken Finland
  local short form: Suomi/Finland

France
  conventional long form: French Republic
  conventional short form: France
  local long form: Republique francaise
  local short form: France

French Polynesia
  conventional long form: Overseas Lands of French
  Polynesia
  conventional short form: French Polynesia
  local long form: Pays d'outre-mer de la Polynesie Francaise
  local short form: Polynesie Francaise
  former: French Colony of Oceania

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  conventional long form:
  Territory of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  conventional short form: French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  local long form: Territoire des Terres Australes et Antarctiques
  Francaises
  local short form: Terres Australes et Antarctiques Francaises
  abbreviation: TAAF

Gabon
  conventional long form: Gabonese Republic
  conventional short form: Gabon
  local long form: Republique Gabonaise
  local short form: Gabon

Gambia, The
  conventional long form: Republic of The Gambia
  conventional short form: The Gambia

Gaza Strip
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Gaza Strip
  local long form: none
  local short form: Qita Ghazzah

Georgia
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Georgia
  local long form: none
  local short form: Sak'art'velo
  former: Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic

Germany
  conventional long form: Federal Republic of Germany
  conventional short form: Germany
  local long form: Bundesrepublik Deutschland
  local short form: Deutschland
  former: German Empire, German Republic, German Reich

Ghana
  conventional long form: Republic of Ghana
  conventional short form: Ghana
  former: Gold Coast

Gibraltar
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Gibraltar

Greece
  conventional long form: Hellenic Republic
  conventional short form: Greece
  local long form: Elliniki Dhimokratia
  local short form: Ellas or Ellada
  former: Kingdom of Greece

Greenland
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Greenland
  local long form: none
  local short form: Kalaallit Nunaat

Grenada
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Grenada

Guam
  conventional long form: Territory of Guam
  conventional short form: Guam
  local long form: Guahan
  local short form: Guahan

Guatemala
  conventional long form: Republic of Guatemala
  conventional short form: Guatemala
  local long form: Republica de Guatemala
  local short form: Guatemala

Guernsey
  conventional long form: Bailiwick of Guernsey
  conventional short form: Guernsey

Guinea
  conventional long form: Republic of Guinea
  conventional short form: Guinea
  local long form: Republique de Guinee
  local short form: Guinee
  former: French Guinea

Guinea-Bissau
  conventional long form: Republic of Guinea-Bissau
  conventional short form: Guinea-Bissau
  local long form: Republica da Guine-Bissau
  local short form: Guine-Bissau
  former: Portuguese Guinea

Guyana
  conventional long form: Cooperative Republic of Guyana
  conventional short form: Guyana
  former: British Guiana

Haiti
  conventional long form: Republic of Haiti
  conventional short form: Haiti
  local long form: Republique d'Haiti/Repiblik d' Ayiti
  local short form: Haiti/Ayiti

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  conventional long form: Territory
  of Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  conventional short form: Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  abbreviation: HIMI

Holy See (Vatican City) conventional long form: The Holy See (State of the Vatican City) conventional short form: Holy See (Vatican City) local long form: Santa Sede (Stato della Citta del Vaticano) local short form: Santa Sede (Citta del Vaticano)

Honduras
  conventional long form: Republic of Honduras
  conventional short form: Honduras
  local long form: Republica de Honduras
  local short form: Honduras

Hong Kong
  conventional long form: Hong Kong Special Administrative
  Region
  conventional short form: Hong Kong
  local long form: Xianggang Tebie Xingzhengqu
  local short form: Xianggang
  abbreviation: HK

Hungary
  conventional long form: Republic of Hungary
  conventional short form: Hungary
  local long form: Magyar Koztarsasag
  local short form: Magyarorszag

Iceland
  conventional long form: Republic of Iceland
  conventional short form: Iceland
  local long form: Lydveldid Island
  local short form: Island

India
  conventional long form: Republic of India
  conventional short form: India
  local long form: Republic of India/Bharatiya Ganarajya
  local short form: India/Bharat

Indonesia
  conventional long form: Republic of Indonesia
  conventional short form: Indonesia
  local long form: Republik Indonesia
  local short form: Indonesia
  former: Netherlands East Indies, Dutch East Indies

Iran
  conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Iran
  conventional short form: Iran
  local long form: Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Iran
  local short form: Iran
  former: Persia

Iraq
  conventional long form: Republic of Iraq
  conventional short form: Iraq
  local long form: Jumhuriyat al-Iraq
  local short form: Al Iraq

Ireland
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Ireland
  local long form: none
  local short form: Eire

Isle of Man
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Isle of Man
  abbreviation: I.O.M.

Israel
  conventional long form: State of Israel
  conventional short form: Israel
  local long form: Medinat Yisra'el
  local short form: Yisra'el

Italy
  conventional long form: Italian Republic
  conventional short form: Italy
  local long form: Repubblica Italiana
  local short form: Italia
  former: Kingdom of Italy

Jamaica
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Jamaica

Jan Mayen
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Jan Mayen

Japan
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Japan
  local long form: Nihon-koku/Nippon-koku
  local short form: Nihon/Nippon

Jersey
  conventional long form: Bailiwick of Jersey
  conventional short form: Jersey

Jordan
  conventional long form: Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
  conventional short form: Jordan
  local long form: Al Mamlakah al Urduniyah al Hashimiyah
  local short form: Al Urdun
  former: Transjordan

Kazakhstan
  conventional long form: Republic of Kazakhstan
  conventional short form: Kazakhstan
  local long form: Qazaqstan Respublikasy
  local short form: Qazaqstan
  former: Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic

Kenya
  conventional long form: Republic of Kenya
  conventional short form: Kenya
  local long form: Republic of Kenya/Jamhuri ya Kenya
  local short form: Kenya
  former: British East Africa

Kiribati
  conventional long form: Republic of Kiribati
  conventional short form: Kiribati
  local long form: Republic of Kiribati
  local short form: Kiribati
  note: pronounced keer-ree-bahss
  former: Gilbert Islands

Korea, North
  conventional long form: Democratic People's Republic of
  Korea
  conventional short form: North Korea
  local long form: Choson-minjujuui-inmin-konghwaguk
  local short form: Choson
  abbreviation: DPRK

Korea, South
  conventional long form: Republic of Korea
  conventional short form: South Korea
  local long form: Taehan-min'guk
  local short form: Han'guk
  abbreviation: ROK

Kosovo
  conventional long form: Republic of Kosovo
  conventional short form: Kosovo
  local long form: Republika e Kosoves (Republika Kosovo)
  local short form: Kosova (Kosovo)

Kuwait
  conventional long form: State of Kuwait
  conventional short form: Kuwait
  local long form: Dawlat al Kuwayt
  local short form: Al Kuwayt

Kyrgyzstan
  conventional long form: Kyrgyz Republic
  conventional short form: Kyrgyzstan
  local long form: Kyrgyz Respublikasy
  local short form: Kyrgyzstan
  former: Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic

Laos
  conventional long form: Lao People's Democratic Republic
  conventional short form: Laos
  local long form: Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao
  local short form: Pathet Lao (unofficial)

Latvia
  conventional long form: Republic of Latvia
  conventional short form: Latvia
  local long form: Latvijas Republika
  local short form: Latvija
  former: Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic

Lebanon
  conventional long form: Lebanese Republic
  conventional short form: Lebanon
  local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Lubnaniyah
  local short form: Lubnan
  former: Greater Lebanon

Lesotho
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Lesotho
  conventional short form: Lesotho
  local long form: Kingdom of Lesotho
  local short form: Lesotho
  former: Basutoland

Liberia
  conventional long form: Republic of Liberia
  conventional short form: Liberia

Libya
  conventional long form: Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab
  Jamahiriya
  conventional short form: Libya
  local long form: Al Jamahiriyah al Arabiyah al Libiyah ash Shabiyah
  al Ishtirakiyah al Uthma
  local short form: none

Liechtenstein
  conventional long form: Principality of Liechtenstein
  conventional short form: Liechtenstein
  local long form: Fuerstentum Liechtenstein
  local short form: Liechtenstein

Lithuania
  conventional long form: Republic of Lithuania
  conventional short form: Lithuania
  local long form: Lietuvos Respublika
  local short form: Lietuva
  former: Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic

Luxembourg
  conventional long form: Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
  conventional short form: Luxembourg
  local long form: Grand Duche de Luxembourg
  local short form: Luxembourg

Macau
  conventional long form: Macau Special Administrative Region
  conventional short form: Macau
  local long form: Aomen Tebie Xingzhengqu (Chinese); Regiao
  Administrativa Especial de Macau (Portuguese)
  local short form: Aomen (Chinese); Macau (Portuguese)

Macedonia
  conventional long form: Republic of Macedonia
  conventional short form: Macedonia
  local long form: Republika Makedonija
  local short form: Makedonija
  note: the provisional designation used by the UN, EU, and NATO is
  the "former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia" (FYROM)
  former: People's Republic of Macedonia, Socialist Republic of
  Macedonia

Madagascar
  conventional long form: Republic of Madagascar
  conventional short form: Madagascar
  local long form: Republique de Madagascar/Repoblikan'i Madagasikara
  local short form: Madagascar/Madagasikara
  former: Malagasy Republic

Malawi
  conventional long form: Republic of Malawi
  conventional short form: Malawi
  local long form: Dziko la Malawi
  local short form: Malawi
  former: British Central African Protectorate, Nyasaland
  Protectorate, Nyasaland

Malaysia
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Malaysia
  local long form: none
  local short form: Malaysia
  former: Federation of Malaya

Maldives
  conventional long form: Republic of Maldives
  conventional short form: Maldives
  local long form: Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa
  local short form: Dhivehi Raajje

Mali
  conventional long form: Republic of Mali
  conventional short form: Mali
  local long form: Republique de Mali
  local short form: Mali
  former: French Sudan and Sudanese Republic

Malta
  conventional long form: Republic of Malta
  conventional short form: Malta
  local long form: Repubblika ta' Malta
  local short form: Malta

Marshall Islands
  conventional long form: Republic of the Marshall
  Islands
  conventional short form: Marshall Islands
  local long form: Republic of the Marshall Islands
  local short form: Marshall Islands
  abbreviation: RMI
  former: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Marshall Islands
  District

Mauritania
  conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Mauritania
  conventional short form: Mauritania
  local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Islamiyah al Muritaniyah
  local short form: Muritaniyah

Mauritius
  conventional long form: Republic of Mauritius
  conventional short form: Mauritius
  local long form: Republic of Mauritius
  local short form: Mauritius

Mayotte
  conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of Mayotte
  conventional short form: Mayotte

Mexico
  conventional long form: United Mexican States
  conventional short form: Mexico
  local long form: Estados Unidos Mexicanos
  local short form: Mexico

Micronesia, Federated States of
  conventional long form: Federated
  States of Micronesia
  conventional short form: none
  local long form: Federated States of Micronesia
  local short form: none
  former: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Ponape, Truk, and
  Yap Districts
  abbreviation: FSM

Moldova
  conventional long form: Republic of Moldova
  conventional short form: Moldova
  local long form: Republica Moldova
  local short form: Moldova
  former: Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic, Moldovan Soviet
  Socialist Republic

Monaco
  conventional long form: Principality of Monaco
  conventional short form: Monaco
  local long form: Principaute de Monaco
  local short form: Monaco

Mongolia
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Mongolia
  local long form: none
  local short form: Mongol Uls
  former: Outer Mongolia

Montenegro
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Montenegro
  local long form: none
  local short form: Crna Gora
  former: People's Republic of Montenegro, Socialist Republic of
  Montenegro, Republic of Montenegro

Montserrat
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Montserrat

Morocco
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Morocco
  conventional short form: Morocco
  local long form: Al Mamlakah al Maghribiyah
  local short form: Al Maghrib

Mozambique
  conventional long form: Republic of Mozambique
  conventional short form: Mozambique
  local long form: Republica de Mocambique
  local short form: Mocambique
  former: Portuguese East Africa

Namibia
  conventional long form: Republic of Namibia
  conventional short form: Namibia
  local long form: Republic of Namibia
  local short form: Namibia
  former: German Southwest Africa, South-West Africa

Nauru
  conventional long form: Republic of Nauru
  conventional short form: Nauru
  local long form: Republic of Nauru
  local short form: Nauru
  former: Pleasant Island

Navassa Island
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Navassa Island

Nepal
  conventional long form: Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal
  conventional short form: Nepal
  local long form: Sanghiya Loktantrik Ganatantra Nepal
  local short form: Nepal

Netherlands
  conventional long form: Kingdom of the Netherlands
  conventional short form: Netherlands
  local long form: Koninkrijk der Nederlanden
  local short form: Nederland

Netherlands Antilles
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Netherlands Antilles
  local long form: none
  local short form: Nederlandse Antillen
  former: Curacao and Dependencies

New Caledonia
  conventional long form: Territory of New Caledonia and
  Dependencies
  conventional short form: New Caledonia
  local long form: Territoire des Nouvelle-Caledonie et Dependances
  local short form: Nouvelle-Caledonie

New Zealand
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: New Zealand
  abbreviation: NZ

Nicaragua
  conventional long form: Republic of Nicaragua
  conventional short form: Nicaragua
  local long form: Republica de Nicaragua
  local short form: Nicaragua

Niger
  conventional long form: Republic of Niger
  conventional short form: Niger
  local long form: Republique du Niger
  local short form: Niger

Nigeria
  conventional long form: Federal Republic of Nigeria
  conventional short form: Nigeria

Niue
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Niue
  note: pronunciation falls between nyu-way and new-way, but not like
  new-wee
  former: Savage Island

Norfolk Island
  conventional long form: Territory of Norfolk Island
  conventional short form: Norfolk Island

Northern Mariana Islands conventional long form: Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands conventional short form: Northern Mariana Islands abbreviation: CNMI former: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Mariana Islands District

Norway
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Norway
  conventional short form: Norway
  local long form: Kongeriket Norge
  local short form: Norge

Oman
  conventional long form: Sultanate of Oman
  conventional short form: Oman
  local long form: Saltanat Uman
  local short form: Uman
  former: Muscat and Oman

Pakistan
  conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Pakistan
  conventional short form: Pakistan
  local long form: Jamhuryat Islami Pakistan
  local short form: Pakistan
  former: West Pakistan

Palau
  conventional long form: Republic of Palau
  conventional short form: Palau
  local long form: Beluu er a Belau
  local short form: Belau
  former: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Palau District

Panama
  conventional long form: Republic of Panama
  conventional short form: Panama
  local long form: Republica de Panama
  local short form: Panama

Papua New Guinea
  conventional long form: Independent State of Papua
  New Guinea
  conventional short form: Papua New Guinea
  local short form: Papuaniugini
  former: Territory of Papua and New Guinea
  abbreviation: PNG

Paracel Islands
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Paracel Islands

Paraguay
  conventional long form: Republic of Paraguay
  conventional short form: Paraguay
  local long form: Republica del Paraguay
  local short form: Paraguay

Peru
  conventional long form: Republic of Peru
  conventional short form: Peru
  local long form: Republica del Peru
  local short form: Peru

Philippines
  conventional long form: Republic of the Philippines
  conventional short form: Philippines
  local long form: Republika ng Pilipinas
  local short form: Pilipinas

Pitcairn Islands
  conventional long form: Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie,
  and Oeno Islands
  conventional short form: Pitcairn Islands

Poland
  conventional long form: Republic of Poland
  conventional short form: Poland
  local long form: Rzeczpospolita Polska
  local short form: Polska

Portugal
  conventional long form: Portuguese Republic
  conventional short form: Portugal
  local long form: Republica Portuguesa
  local short form: Portugal

Puerto Rico
  conventional long form: Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
  conventional short form: Puerto Rico

Qatar
  conventional long form: State of Qatar
  conventional short form: Qatar
  local long form: Dawlat Qatar
  local short form: Qatar
  note: closest approximation of the native pronunciation falls
  between cutter and gutter, but not like guitar

Romania
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Romania
  local long form: none
  local short form: Romania

Russia
  conventional long form: Russian Federation
  conventional short form: Russia
  local long form: Rossiyskaya Federatsiya
  local short form: Rossiya
  former: Russian Empire, Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic

Rwanda
  conventional long form: Republic of Rwanda
  conventional short form: Rwanda
  local long form: Republika y'u Rwanda
  local short form: Rwanda
  former: Ruanda, German East Africa

Saint Barthelemy
  conventional long form: Overseas Collectivity of
  Saint Barthelemy
  conventional short form: Saint Barthelemy
  local long form: Collectivite d'outre mer de Saint-Barthelemy
  local short form: Saint-Barthelemy

Saint Helena conventional long form: none conventional short form: Saint Helena

Saint Kitts and Nevis conventional long form: Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis conventional short form: Saint Kitts and Nevis former: Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis

Saint Lucia conventional long form: none conventional short form: Saint Lucia

Saint Martin
  conventional long form: Overseas Collectivity of Saint
  Martin
  conventional short form: Saint Martin
  local long form: Collectivity d'outre mer de Saint-Martin
  local short form: Saint-Martin

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  conventional long form: Territorial
  Collectivity of Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  conventional short form: Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  local long form: Departement de Saint-Pierre et Miquelon
  local short form: Saint-Pierre et Miquelon

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Samoa
  conventional long form: Independent State of Samoa
  conventional short form: Samoa
  local long form: Malo Sa'oloto Tuto'atasi o Samoa
  local short form: Samoa
  former: Western Samoa

San Marino
  conventional long form: Republic of San Marino
  conventional short form: San Marino
  local long form: Repubblica di San Marino
  local short form: San Marino

Sao Tome and Principe conventional long form: Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe conventional short form: Sao Tome and Principe local long form: Republica Democratica de Sao Tome e Principe local short form: Sao Tome e Principe

Saudi Arabia
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
  conventional short form: Saudi Arabia
  local long form: Al Mamlakah al Arabiyah as Suudiyah
  local short form: Al Arabiyah as Suudiyah

Senegal
  conventional long form: Republic of Senegal
  conventional short form: Senegal
  local long form: Republique du Senegal
  local short form: Senegal
  former: Senegambia (along with The Gambia), Mali Federation

Serbia
  conventional long form: Republic of Serbia
  conventional short form: Serbia
  local long form: Republika Srbija
  local short form: Srbija
  former: People's Republic of Serbia, Socialist Republic of Serbia

Seychelles
  conventional long form: Republic of Seychelles
  conventional short form: Seychelles
  local long form: Republic of Seychelles
  local short form: Seychelles

Sierra Leone
  conventional long form: Republic of Sierra Leone
  conventional short form: Sierra Leone
  local long form: Republic of Sierra Leone
  local short form: Sierra Leone

Singapore
  conventional long form: Republic of Singapore
  conventional short form: Singapore
  local long form: Republic of Singapore
  local short form: Singapore

Slovakia
  conventional long form: Slovak Republic
  conventional short form: Slovakia
  local long form: Slovenska Republika
  local short form: Slovensko

Slovenia
  conventional long form: Republic of Slovenia
  conventional short form: Slovenia
  local long form: Republika Slovenija
  local short form: Slovenija
  former: People's Republic of Slovenia, Socialist Republic of Slovenia

Solomon Islands
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Solomon Islands
  local long form: none
  local short form: Solomon Islands
  former: British Solomon Islands

Somalia
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Somalia
  local long form: Jamhuuriyada Demuqraadiga Soomaaliyeed
  local short form: Soomaaliya
  former: Somali Republic, Somali Democratic Republic

South Africa
  conventional long form: Republic of South Africa
  conventional short form: South Africa
  former: Union of South Africa
  abbreviation: RSA

South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
  conventional long form:
  South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  conventional short form: South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
  abbreviation: SGSSI

Spain
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Spain
  conventional short form: Spain
  local long form: Reino de Espana
  local short form: Espana

Spratly Islands
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Spratly Islands

Sri Lanka
  conventional long form: Democratic Socialist Republic of
  Sri Lanka
  conventional short form: Sri Lanka
  local long form: Shri Lamka Prajatantrika Samajaya di
  Janarajaya/Ilankai Jananayaka Choshalichak Kutiyarachu
  local short form: Shri Lamka/Ilankai
  former: Serendib, Ceylon

Sudan
  conventional long form: Republic of the Sudan
  conventional short form: Sudan
  local long form: Jumhuriyat as-Sudan
  local short form: As-Sudan
  former: Anglo-Egyptian Sudan

Suriname
  conventional long form: Republic of Suriname
  conventional short form: Suriname
  local long form: Republiek Suriname
  local short form: Suriname
  former: Netherlands Guiana, Dutch Guiana

Svalbard
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Svalbard (sometimes referred to as
  Spitzbergen)

Swaziland
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Swaziland
  conventional short form: Swaziland
  local long form: Umbuso weSwatini
  local short form: eSwatini

Sweden
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Sweden
  conventional short form: Sweden
  local long form: Konungariket Sverige
  local short form: Sverige

Switzerland
  conventional long form: Swiss Confederation
  conventional short form: Switzerland
  local long form: Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft (German);
  Confederation Suisse (French); Confederazione Svizzera (Italian);
  Confederaziun Svizra (Romansh)
  local short form: Schweiz (German); Suisse (French); Svizzera
  (Italian); Svizra (Romansh)

Syria
  conventional long form: Syrian Arab Republic
  conventional short form: Syria
  local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Arabiyah as Suriyah
  local short form: Suriyah
  former: United Arab Republic (with Egypt)

Taiwan
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Taiwan
  local long form: none
  local short form: T'ai-wan
  former: Formosa

Tajikistan
  conventional long form: Republic of Tajikistan
  conventional short form: Tajikistan
  local long form: Jumhurii Tojikiston
  local short form: Tojikiston
  former: Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic

Tanzania
  conventional long form: United Republic of Tanzania
  conventional short form: Tanzania
  local long form: Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania
  local short form: Tanzania
  former: United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar

Thailand
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Thailand
  conventional short form: Thailand
  local long form: Ratcha Anachak Thai
  local short form: Prathet Thai
  former: Siam

Timor-Leste
  conventional long form: Democratic Republic of
  Timor-Leste (pronounced TEE-mor LESS-tay)
  conventional short form: Timor-Leste
  local long form: Republika Demokratika Timor Lorosa'e [Tetum];
  Republica Democratica de Timor-Leste [Portuguese]
  local short form: Timor Lorosa'e [Tetum]; Timor-Leste [Portuguese]
  former: East Timor, Portuguese Timor

Togo
  conventional long form: Togolese Republic
  conventional short form: Togo
  local long form: Republique togolaise
  local short form: none
  former: French Togoland

Tokelau
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Tokelau

Tonga
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Tonga
  conventional short form: Tonga
  local long form: Pule'anga Tonga
  local short form: Tonga
  former: Friendly Islands

Trinidad and Tobago
  conventional long form: Republic of Trinidad and
  Tobago
  conventional short form: Trinidad and Tobago

Tunisia
  conventional long form: Tunisian Republic
  conventional short form: Tunisia
  local long form: Al Jumhuriyah at Tunisiyah
  local short form: Tunis

Turkey
  conventional long form: Republic of Turkey
  conventional short form: Turkey
  local long form: Turkiye Cumhuriyeti
  local short form: Turkiye

Turkmenistan
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Turkmenistan
  local long form: none
  local short form: Turkmenistan
  former: Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic

Turks and Caicos Islands
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Turks and Caicos Islands
  abbreviation: TCI

Tuvalu
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Tuvalu
  local long form: none
  local short form: Tuvalu
  former: Ellice Islands
  note: "Tuvalu" means "group of eight" referring to the country's
  eight traditionally inhabited islands

Uganda
  conventional long form: Republic of Uganda
  conventional short form: Uganda

Ukraine
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Ukraine
  local long form: none
  local short form: Ukrayina
  former: Ukrainian National Republic, Ukrainian State, Ukrainian
  Soviet Socialist Republic

United Arab Emirates
  conventional long form: United Arab Emirates
  conventional short form: none
  local long form: Al Imarat al Arabiyah al Muttahidah
  local short form: none
  former: Trucial Oman, Trucial States
  abbreviation: UAE

United Kingdom
  conventional long form: United Kingdom of Great
  Britain and Northern Ireland; note - Great Britain includes England,
  Scotland, and Wales
  conventional short form: United Kingdom
  abbreviation: UK

United States
  conventional long form: United States of America
  conventional short form: United States
  abbreviation: US or USA

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges
  conventional long
  form: none
  conventional short form: Baker Island; Howland Island; Jarvis
  Island; Johnston Atoll; Kingman Reef; Midway Islands; Palmyra Atoll

Uruguay
  conventional long form: Oriental Republic of Uruguay
  conventional short form: Uruguay
  local long form: Republica Oriental del Uruguay
  local short form: Uruguay
  former: Banda Oriental, Cisplatine Province

Uzbekistan
  conventional long form: Republic of Uzbekistan
  conventional short form: Uzbekistan
  local long form: Ozbekiston Respublikasi
  local short form: Ozbekiston
  former: Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic

Vanuatu
  conventional long form: Republic of Vanuatu
  conventional short form: Vanuatu
  local long form: Ripablik blong Vanuatu
  local short form: Vanuatu
  former: New Hebrides

Venezuela
  conventional long form: Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
  conventional short form: Venezuela
  local long form: Republica Bolivariana de Venezuela
  local short form: Venezuela

Vietnam
  conventional long form: Socialist Republic of Vietnam
  conventional short form: Vietnam
  local long form: Cong Hoa Xa Hoi Chu Nghia Viet Nam
  local short form: Viet Nam
  abbreviation: SRV

Virgin Islands
  conventional long form: United States Virgin Islands
  conventional short form: Virgin Islands
  former: Danish West Indies
  abbreviation: USVI

Wake Island
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Wake Island

Wallis and Futuna
  conventional long form: Territory of the Wallis
  and Futuna Islands
  conventional short form: Wallis and Futuna
  local long form: Territoire des Iles Wallis et Futuna
  local short form: Wallis et Futuna

West Bank
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: West Bank

Western Sahara
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Western Sahara
  former: Spanish Sahara

Yemen
  conventional long form: Republic of Yemen
  conventional short form: Yemen
  local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Yamaniyah
  local short form: Al Yaman
  former: Yemen Arab Republic [Yemen (Sanaa) or North Yemen] and
  People's Democratic Republic of Yemen [Yemen (Aden) or South Yemen]

Zambia
  conventional long form: Republic of Zambia
  conventional short form: Zambia
  former: Northern Rhodesia

Zimbabwe
  conventional long form: Republic of Zimbabwe
  conventional short form: Zimbabwe
  former: Southern Rhodesia, Rhodesia

======================================================================

@2144

Field Listing :: Location

This entry identifies the country's regional location, neighboring countries, and adjacent bodies of water. Country

Location

Afghanistan
  Southern Asia, north and west of Pakistan, east of Iran

Akrotiri
  Eastern Mediterranean, peninsula on the southwest coast of
  Cyprus

Albania
  Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian
  Sea, between Greece in the south and Montenegro and Kosovo to the
  north

Algeria
  Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between
  Morocco and Tunisia

American Samoa
  Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean,
  about half way between Hawaii and New Zealand

Andorra
  Southwestern Europe, between France and Spain

Angola
  Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between
  Namibia and Democratic Republic of the Congo

Anguilla
  Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and North
  Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico

Antarctica
  continent mostly south of the Antarctic Circle

Antigua and Barbuda
  Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and
  the North Atlantic Ocean, east-southeast of Puerto Rico

Arctic Ocean
  body of water between Europe, Asia, and North America,
  mostly north of the Arctic Circle

Argentina
  Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic
  Ocean, between Chile and Uruguay

Armenia
  Southwestern Asia, east of Turkey

Aruba
  Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  Southeastern Asia, islands in the Indian
  Ocean, midway between northwestern Australia and Timor island

Atlantic Ocean
  body of water between Africa, Europe, the Southern
  Ocean, and the Western Hemisphere

Australia
  Oceania, continent between the Indian Ocean and the South
  Pacific Ocean

Austria
  Central Europe, north of Italy and Slovenia

Azerbaijan
  Southwestern Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between
  Iran and Russia, with a small European portion north of the Caucasus
  range

Bahamas, The
  Caribbean, chain of islands in the North Atlantic
  Ocean, southeast of Florida, northeast of Cuba

Bahrain
  Middle East, archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi
  Arabia

Bangladesh
  Southern Asia, bordering the Bay of Bengal, between Burma
  and India

Barbados
  Caribbean, island in the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of
  Venezuela

Belarus
  Eastern Europe, east of Poland

Belgium
  Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and
  the Netherlands

Belize
  Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between
  Guatemala and Mexico

Benin
  Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Nigeria
  and Togo

Bermuda
  North America, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean,
  east of South Carolina (US)

Bhutan
  Southern Asia, between China and India

Bolivia
  Central South America, southwest of Brazil

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic
  Sea and Croatia

Botswana
  Southern Africa, north of South Africa

Bouvet Island
  island in the South Atlantic Ocean, southwest of the
  Cape of Good Hope (South Africa)

Brazil
  Eastern South America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean

British Indian Ocean Territory
  archipelago in the Indian Ocean,
  south of India, about halfway between Africa and Indonesia

British Virgin Islands
  Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the
  North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico

Brunei
  Southeastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and Malaysia

Bulgaria
  Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between
  Romania and Turkey

Burkina Faso
  Western Africa, north of Ghana

Burma
  Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Bay of
  Bengal, between Bangladesh and Thailand

Burundi
  Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo

Cambodia
  Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, between
  Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos

Cameroon
  Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between
  Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria

Canada
  Northern North America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean on
  the east, North Pacific Ocean on the west, and the Arctic Ocean on
  the north, north of the conterminous US

Cape Verde
  Western Africa, group of islands in the North Atlantic
  Ocean, west of Senegal

Cayman Islands
  Caribbean, three-island group (Grand Cayman, Cayman
  Brac, Little Cayman) in Caribbean Sea, 240 km south of Cuba and 268
  km northwest of Jamaica

Central African Republic
  Central Africa, north of Democratic
  Republic of the Congo

Chad
  Central Africa, south of Libya

Chile
  Southern South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean,
  between Argentina and Peru

China
  Eastern Asia, bordering the East China Sea, Korea Bay, Yellow
  Sea, and South China Sea, between North Korea and Vietnam

Christmas Island
  Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean,
  south of Indonesia

Clipperton Island
  Middle America, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean,
  1,120 km southwest of Mexico

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  Southeastern Asia, group of islands in the
  Indian Ocean, southwest of Indonesia, about halfway from Australia
  to Sri Lanka

Colombia
  Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea,
  between Panama and Venezuela, and bordering the North Pacific Ocean,
  between Ecuador and Panama

Comoros
  Southern Africa, group of islands at the northern mouth of
  the Mozambique Channel, about two-thirds of the way between northern
  Madagascar and northern Mozambique

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  Central Africa, northeast of Angola

Congo, Republic of the
  Western Africa, bordering the South Atlantic
  Ocean, between Angola and Gabon

Cook Islands
  Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean,
  about half way between Hawaii and New Zealand

Coral Sea Islands
  Oceania, islands in the Coral Sea, northeast of
  Australia

Costa Rica
  Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the
  North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama

Cote d'Ivoire
  Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean,
  between Ghana and Liberia

Croatia
  Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea, between
  Bosnia and Herzegovina and Slovenia

Cuba
  Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North
  Atlantic Ocean, 150 km south of Key West, Florida

Cyprus
  Middle East, island in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Turkey

Czech Republic
  Central Europe, between Germany, Poland, Slovikia,
  and Austria

Denmark
  Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea,
  on a peninsula north of Germany (Jutland); also includes two major
  islands (Sjaelland and Fyn)

Dhekelia
  Eastern Mediterranean, on the southeast coast of Cyprus
  near Famagusta

Djibouti
  Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea,
  between Eritrea and Somalia

Dominica
  Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North
  Atlantic Ocean, about half way between Puerto Rico and Trinidad and
  Tobago

Dominican Republic
  Caribbean, eastern two-thirds of the island of
  Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean,
  east of Haiti

Ecuador
  Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the
  Equator, between Colombia and Peru

Egypt
  Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between
  Libya and the Gaza Strip, and the Red Sea north of Sudan, and
  includes the Asian Sinai Peninsula

El Salvador
  Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean,
  between Guatemala and Honduras

Equatorial Guinea
  Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra,
  between Cameroon and Gabon

Eritrea
  Eastern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Djibouti and
  Sudan

Estonia
  Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and Gulf of
  Finland, between Latvia and Russia

Ethiopia
  Eastern Africa, west of Somalia

European Union
  Europe between the North Atlantic Ocean in the west
  and Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine to the east

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  Southern South America, islands in
  the South Atlantic Ocean, east of southern Argentina

Faroe Islands
  Northern Europe, island group between the Norwegian
  Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, about half way between Iceland and
  Norway

Fiji
  Oceania, island group in the South Pacific Ocean, about
  two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Finland
  Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia,
  and Gulf of Finland, between Sweden and Russia

France
  metropolitan France: Western Europe, bordering the Bay of
  Biscay and English Channel, between Belgium and Spain, southeast of
  the UK; bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Italy and Spain
  French Guiana: Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic
  Ocean, between Brazil and Suriname
  Guadeloupe: Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the
  North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Puerto Rico
  Martinique: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North
  Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago
  Reunion: Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of
  Madagascar

French Polynesia
  Oceania, archipelagoes in the South Pacific Ocean
  about half way between South America and Australia

French Southern and Antarctic Lands southeast and east of Africa, islands in the southern Indian Ocean, some near Madagascar and others about equidistant between Africa, Antarctica, and Australia; note - French Southern and Antarctic Lands include Ile Amsterdam, Ile Saint-Paul, Iles Crozet, Iles Kerguelen, Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island, and Tromelin Island in the southern Indian Ocean, along with the French-claimed sector of Antarctica, "Adelie Land"; the US does not recognize the French claim to "Adelie Land"

Gabon
  Western Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator,
  between Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea

Gambia, The
  Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and
  Senegal

Gaza Strip
  Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between
  Egypt and Israel

Georgia
  Southwestern Asia, bordering the Black Sea, between Turkey
  and Russia

Germany
  Central Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea,
  between the Netherlands and Poland, south of Denmark

Ghana
  Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Cote
  d'Ivoire and Togo

Gibraltar
  Southwestern Europe, bordering the Strait of Gibraltar,
  which links the Mediterranean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, on
  the southern coast of Spain

Greece
  Southern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and
  the Mediterranean Sea, between Albania and Turkey

Greenland
  Northern North America, island between the Arctic Ocean
  and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Canada

Grenada
  Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic
  Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Guam
  Oceania, island in the North Pacific Ocean, about
  three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines

Guatemala
  Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean,
  between El Salvador and Mexico, and bordering the Gulf of Honduras
  (Caribbean Sea) between Honduras and Belize

Guernsey
  Western Europe, islands in the English Channel, northwest
  of France

Guinea
  Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
  Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone

Guinea-Bissau
  Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean,
  between Guinea and Senegal

Guyana
  Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean,
  between Suriname and Venezuela

Haiti
  Caribbean, western one-third of the island of Hispaniola,
  between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of the
  Dominican Republic

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  islands in the Indian Ocean, about
  two-thirds of the way from Madagascar to Antarctica

Holy See (Vatican City)
  Southern Europe, an enclave of Rome (Italy)

Honduras
  Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between
  Guatemala and Nicaragua and bordering the Gulf of Fonseca (North
  Pacific Ocean), between El Salvador and Nicaragua

Hong Kong
  Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China

Hungary
  Central Europe, northwest of Romania

Iceland
  Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the
  North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the United Kingdom

India
  Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea and the Bay of
  Bengal, between Burma and Pakistan

Indian Ocean
  body of water between Africa, the Southern Ocean, Asia,
  and Australia

Indonesia
  Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Indian Ocean
  and the Pacific Ocean

Iran
  Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and
  the Caspian Sea, between Iraq and Pakistan

Iraq
  Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iran and Kuwait

Ireland
  Western Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of
  Ireland in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain

Isle of Man
  Western Europe, island in the Irish Sea, between Great
  Britain and Ireland

Israel
  Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt
  and Lebanon

Italy
  Southern Europe, a peninsula extending into the central
  Mediterranean Sea, northeast of Tunisia

Jamaica
  Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, south of Cuba

Jan Mayen
  Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the
  Norwegian Sea, northeast of Iceland

Japan
  Eastern Asia, island chain between the North Pacific Ocean and
  the Sea of Japan, east of the Korean Peninsula

Jersey
  Western Europe, island in the English Channel, northwest of
  France

Jordan
  Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia

Kazakhstan
  Central Asia, northwest of China; a small portion west of
  the Ural (Zhayyq) River in eastern-most Europe

Kenya
  Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Somalia
  and Tanzania

Kiribati
  Oceania, group of 33 coral atolls in the Pacific Ocean,
  straddling the Equator; the capital Tarawa is about half way between
  Hawaii and Australia; note - on 1 January 1995, Kiribati proclaimed
  that all of its territory was in the same time zone as its Gilbert
  Islands group (UTC +12) even though the Phoenix Islands and the Line
  Islands under its jurisdiction were on the other side of the
  International Date Line

Korea, North
  Eastern Asia, northern half of the Korean Peninsula
  bordering the Korea Bay and the Sea of Japan, between China and
  South Korea

Korea, South
  Eastern Asia, southern half of the Korean Peninsula
  bordering the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea

Kosovo
  Southeast Europe, between Serbia and Macedonia

Kuwait
  Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iraq and
  Saudi Arabia

Kyrgyzstan
  Central Asia, west of China

Laos
  Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam

Latvia
  Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Estonia and
  Lithuania

Lebanon
  Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Israel
  and Syria

Lesotho
  Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa

Liberia
  Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
  Cote d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone

Libya
  Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between
  Egypt and Tunisia

Liechtenstein
  Central Europe, between Austria and Switzerland

Lithuania
  Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Latvia
  and Russia

Luxembourg
  Western Europe, between France and Germany

Macau
  Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China

Macedonia
  Southeastern Europe, north of Greece

Madagascar
  Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of
  Mozambique

Malawi
  Southern Africa, east of Zambia

Malaysia
  Southeastern Asia, peninsula bordering Thailand and
  northern one-third of the island of Borneo, bordering Indonesia,
  Brunei, and the South China Sea, south of Vietnam

Maldives
  Southern Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean,
  south-southwest of India

Mali
  Western Africa, southwest of Algeria

Malta
  Southern Europe, islands in the Mediterranean Sea, south of
  Sicily (Italy)

Marshall Islands
  Oceania, two archipelagic island chains of 29
  atolls, each made up of many small islets, and five single islands
  in the North Pacific Ocean, about half way between Hawaii and
  Australia

Mauritania
  Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean,
  between Senegal and Western Sahara

Mauritius
  Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of
  Madagascar

Mayotte
  Southern Indian Ocean, island in the Mozambique Channel,
  about half way between northern Madagascar and northern Mozambique

Mexico
  Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of
  Mexico, between Belize and the United States and bordering the North
  Pacific Ocean, between Guatemala and the United States

Micronesia, Federated States of
  Oceania, island group in the North
  Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to
  Indonesia

Moldova
  Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania

Monaco
  Western Europe, bordering the Mediterranean Sea on the
  southern coast of France, near the border with Italy

Mongolia
  Northern Asia, between China and Russia

Montenegro
  Southeastern Europe, between the Adriatic Sea and Serbia

Montserrat
  Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, southeast of
  Puerto Rico

Morocco
  Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and the
  Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Western Sahara

Mozambique
  Southeastern Africa, bordering the Mozambique Channel,
  between South Africa and Tanzania

Namibia
  Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between
  Angola and South Africa

Nauru
  Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, south of the
  Marshall Islands

Navassa Island
  Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, 35 miles west
  of Tiburon Peninsula of Haiti

Nepal
  Southern Asia, between China and India

Netherlands
  Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium
  and Germany

Netherlands Antilles
  Caribbean, two island groups in the Caribbean
  Sea - composed of five islands, Curacao and Bonaire located off the
  coast of Venezuela, and Sint Maarten, Saba, and Sint Eustatius lie
  east of the US Virgin Islands

New Caledonia
  Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of
  Australia

New Zealand
  Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast
  of Australia

Nicaragua
  Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the
  North Pacific Ocean, between Costa Rica and Honduras

Niger
  Western Africa, southeast of Algeria

Nigeria
  Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Benin
  and Cameroon

Niue
  Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Tonga

Norfolk Island
  Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of
  Australia

Northern Mariana Islands
  Oceania, islands in the North Pacific
  Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines

Norway
  Northern Europe, bordering the North Sea and the North
  Atlantic Ocean, west of Sweden

Oman
  Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and
  Persian Gulf, between Yemen and UAE

Pacific Ocean
  body of water between the Southern Ocean, Asia,
  Australia, and the Western Hemisphere

Pakistan
  Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea, between India on
  the east and Iran and Afghanistan on the west and China in the north

Palau
  Oceania, group of islands in the North Pacific Ocean,
  southeast of the Philippines

Panama
  Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the
  North Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica

Papua New Guinea
  Oceania, group of islands including the eastern
  half of the island of New Guinea between the Coral Sea and the South
  Pacific Ocean, east of Indonesia

Paracel Islands
  Southeastern Asia, group of small islands and reefs
  in the South China Sea, about one-third of the way from central
  Vietnam to the northern Philippines

Paraguay
  Central South America, northeast of Argentina

Peru
  Western South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean,
  between Chile and Ecuador

Philippines
  Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Philippine
  Sea and the South China Sea, east of Vietnam

Pitcairn Islands
  Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about
  midway between Peru and New Zealand

Poland
  Central Europe, east of Germany

Portugal
  Southwestern Europe, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean,
  west of Spain

Puerto Rico
  Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the
  North Atlantic Ocean, east of the Dominican Republic

Qatar
  Middle East, peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi
  Arabia

Romania
  Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between
  Bulgaria and Ukraine

Russia
  Northern Asia (the area west of the Urals is considered part
  of Europe), bordering the Arctic Ocean, between Europe and the North
  Pacific Ocean

Rwanda
  Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo

Saint Barthelemy
  located approximately 125 miles northwest of
  Guadeloupe

Saint Helena
  islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, about midway
  between South America and Africa; Ascension Island lies 700 nm
  northwest of Saint Helena; Tristan da Cunha lies 2,300 nm southwest
  of Saint Helena

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  Caribbean, islands in the Caribbean Sea, about
  one-third of the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago

Saint Lucia
  Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North
  Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Saint Martin
  island 300 km southeast of Puerto Rico

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  Northern North America, islands in the
  North Atlantic Ocean, south of Newfoundland (Canada)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  Caribbean, islands between the
  Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Samoa
  Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about
  half way between Hawaii and New Zealand

San Marino
  Southern Europe, an enclave in central Italy

Sao Tome and Principe
  Western Africa, islands in the Gulf of Guinea,
  straddling the Equator, west of Gabon

Saudi Arabia
  Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf and the Red
  Sea, north of Yemen

Senegal
  Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
  Guinea-Bissau and Mauritania

Serbia
  Southeastern Europe, between Macedonia and Hungary

Seychelles
  archipelago in the Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar

Sierra Leone
  Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean,
  between Guinea and Liberia

Singapore
  Southeastern Asia, islands between Malaysia and Indonesia

Slovakia
  Central Europe, south of Poland

Slovenia
  Central Europe, eastern Alps bordering the Adriatic Sea,
  between Austria and Croatia

Solomon Islands
  Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific
  Ocean, east of Papua New Guinea

Somalia
  Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Indian
  Ocean, east of Ethiopia

South Africa
  Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent
  of Africa

South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
  Southern South America,
  islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, east of the tip of South America

Southern Ocean
  body of water between 60 degrees south latitude and
  Antarctica

Spain
  Southwestern Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay,
  Mediterranean Sea, North Atlantic Ocean, and Pyrenees Mountains,
  southwest of France

Spratly Islands
  Southeastern Asia, group of reefs and islands in the
  South China Sea, about two-thirds of the way from southern Vietnam
  to the southern Philippines

Sri Lanka
  Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India

Sudan
  Northern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Egypt and
  Eritrea

Suriname
  Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean,
  between French Guiana and Guyana

Svalbard
  Northern Europe, islands between the Arctic Ocean, Barents
  Sea, Greenland Sea, and Norwegian Sea, north of Norway

Swaziland
  Southern Africa, between Mozambique and South Africa

Sweden
  Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia,
  Kattegat, and Skagerrak, between Finland and Norway

Switzerland
  Central Europe, east of France, north of Italy

Syria
  Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Lebanon
  and Turkey

Taiwan
  Eastern Asia, islands bordering the East China Sea,
  Philippine Sea, South China Sea, and Taiwan Strait, north of the
  Philippines, off the southeastern coast of China

Tajikistan
  Central Asia, west of China

Tanzania
  Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Kenya
  and Mozambique

Thailand
  Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Gulf
  of Thailand, southeast of Burma

Timor-Leste
  Southeastern Asia, northwest of Australia in the Lesser
  Sunda Islands at the eastern end of the Indonesian archipelago; note
  - Timor-Leste includes the eastern half of the island of Timor, the
  Oecussi (Ambeno) region on the northwest portion of the island of
  Timor, and the islands of Pulau Atauro and Pulau Jaco

Togo
  Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Benin and
  Ghana

Tokelau
  Oceania, group of three atolls in the South Pacific Ocean,
  about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Tonga
  Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about
  two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Trinidad and Tobago
  Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and
  the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela

Tunisia
  Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between
  Algeria and Libya

Turkey
  Southeastern Europe and Southwestern Asia (that portion of
  Turkey west of the Bosporus is geographically part of Europe),
  bordering the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and Georgia, and bordering
  the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, between Greece and Syria

Turkmenistan
  Central Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran
  and Kazakhstan

Turks and Caicos Islands
  Caribbean, two island groups in the North
  Atlantic Ocean, southeast of The Bahamas, north of Haiti

Tuvalu
  Oceania, island group consisting of nine coral atolls in the
  South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to
  Australia

Uganda
  Eastern Africa, west of Kenya

Ukraine
  Eastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Poland,
  Romania, and Moldova in the west and Russia in the east

United Arab Emirates
  Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the
  Persian Gulf, between Oman and Saudi Arabia

United Kingdom
  Western Europe, islands including the northern
  one-sixth of the island of Ireland between the North Atlantic Ocean
  and the North Sea, northwest of France

United States
  North America, bordering both the North Atlantic Ocean
  and the North Pacific Ocean, between Canada and Mexico

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges
  Oceania
  Baker Island: atoll in the North Pacific Ocean 1,830 nm (3,389 km)
  southwest of Honolulu, about half way between Hawaii and Australia
  Howland Island: island in the North Pacific Ocean 1,815 nm (3,361
  km) southwest of Honolulu, about half way between Hawaii and
  Australia
  Jarvis Island: island in the South Pacific Ocean 1,305 nm (2,417 km)
  south of Honolulu, about half way between Hawaii and Cook Islands
  Johnston Atoll: atoll in the North Pacific Ocean 717 nm (1,328 km)
  southwest of Honolulu, about one-third of the way from Hawaii to the
  Marshall Islands
  Kingman Reef: reef in the North Pacific Ocean 930 nm (1,722 km)
  south of Honolulu, about half way between Hawaii and American Samoa
  Midway Islands: atoll in the North Pacific Ocean 1,260 nm (2,334 km)
  northwest of Honolulu near the end of the Hawaiian Archipelago,
  about one-third of the way from Honolulu to Tokyo
  Palmyra Atoll: atoll in the North Pacific Ocean 960 nm (1,778 km)
  south of Honolulu, about half way between Hawaii and American Samoa

Uruguay
  Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean,
  between Argentina and Brazil

Uzbekistan
  Central Asia, north of Afghanistan

Vanuatu
  Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about
  three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Australia

Venezuela
  Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and
  the North Atlantic Ocean, between Colombia and Guyana

Vietnam
  Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, Gulf of
  Tonkin, and South China Sea, alongside China, Laos, and Cambodia

Virgin Islands
  Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the
  North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico

Wake Island
  Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about
  two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to the Northern Mariana Islands

Wallis and Futuna
  Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about
  two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

West Bank
  Middle East, west of Jordan

Western Sahara
  Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean,
  between Mauritania and Morocco

Yemen
  Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Red
  Sea, between Oman and Saudi Arabia

Zambia
  Southern Africa, east of Angola

Zimbabwe
  Southern Africa, between South Africa and Zambia

======================================================================

@2145

Field Listing :: Map references

This entry includes the name of the Factbook reference map on which a country may be found. Note that boundary representations on these maps are not necessarily authoritative. The entry on Geographic coordinates may be helpful in finding some smaller countries. Country

Map references

Afghanistan
  Asia

Akrotiri
  Middle East

Albania
  Europe

Algeria
  Africa

American Samoa
  Oceania

Andorra
  Europe

Angola
  Africa

Anguilla
  Central America and the Caribbean

Antarctica
  Antarctic Region

Antigua and Barbuda
  Central America and the Caribbean

Arctic Ocean
  Arctic Region

Argentina
  South America

Armenia
  Asia

Aruba
  Central America and the Caribbean

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  Southeast Asia

Atlantic Ocean
  Political Map of the World

Australia
  Oceania

Austria
  Europe

Azerbaijan
  Asia

Bahamas, The
  Central America and the Caribbean

Bahrain
  Middle East

Bangladesh
  Asia

Barbados
  Central America and the Caribbean

Belarus
  Europe

Belgium
  Europe

Belize
  Central America and the Caribbean

Benin
  Africa

Bermuda
  North America

Bhutan
  Asia

Bolivia
  South America

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  Europe

Botswana
  Africa

Bouvet Island
  Antarctic Region

Brazil
  South America

British Indian Ocean Territory
  Political Map of the World

British Virgin Islands
  Central America and the Caribbean

Brunei
  Southeast Asia

Bulgaria
  Europe

Burkina Faso
  Africa

Burma
  Southeast Asia

Burundi
  Africa

Cambodia
  Southeast Asia

Cameroon
  Africa

Canada
  North America

Cape Verde
  Political Map of the World

Cayman Islands
  Central America and the Caribbean

Central African Republic
  Africa

Chad
  Africa

Chile
  South America

China
  Asia

Christmas Island
  Southeast Asia

Clipperton Island
  Political Map of the World

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  Southeast Asia

Colombia
  South America

Comoros
  Africa

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  Africa

Congo, Republic of the
  Africa

Cook Islands
  Oceania

Coral Sea Islands
  Oceania

Costa Rica
  Central America and the Caribbean

Cote d'Ivoire
  Africa

Croatia
  Europe

Cuba
  Central America and the Caribbean

Cyprus
  Middle East

Czech Republic
  Europe

Denmark
  Europe

Dhekelia
  Middle East

Djibouti
  Africa

Dominica
  Central America and the Caribbean

Dominican Republic
  Central America and the Caribbean

Ecuador
  South America

Egypt
  Africa

El Salvador
  Central America and the Caribbean

Equatorial Guinea
  Africa

Eritrea
  Africa

Estonia
  Europe

Ethiopia
  Africa

European Union
  Europe

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  South America

Faroe Islands
  Europe

Fiji
  Oceania

Finland
  Europe

France
  metropolitan France: Europe
  French Guiana: South America
  Guadeloupe: Central America and the Caribbean
  Martinique: Central America and the Caribbean
  Reunion: World

French Polynesia
  Oceania

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  Antarctic Region, Africa

Gabon
  Africa

Gambia, The
  Africa

Gaza Strip
  Middle East

Georgia
  Asia

Germany
  Europe

Ghana
  Africa

Gibraltar
  Europe

Greece
  Europe

Greenland
  Arctic Region

Grenada
  Central America and the Caribbean

Guam
  Oceania

Guatemala
  Central America and the Caribbean

Guernsey
  Europe

Guinea
  Africa

Guinea-Bissau
  Africa

Guyana
  South America

Haiti
  Central America and the Caribbean

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  Antarctic Region

Holy See (Vatican City)
  Europe

Honduras
  Central America and the Caribbean

Hong Kong
  Southeast Asia

Hungary
  Europe

Iceland
  Arctic Region

India
  Asia

Indian Ocean
  Political Map of the World

Indonesia
  Southeast Asia

Iran
  Middle East

Iraq
  Middle East

Ireland
  Europe

Isle of Man
  Europe

Israel
  Middle East

Italy
  Europe

Jamaica
  Central America and the Caribbean

Jan Mayen
  Arctic Region

Japan
  Asia

Jersey
  Europe

Jordan
  Middle East

Kazakhstan
  Asia

Kenya
  Africa

Kiribati
  Oceania

Korea, North
  Asia

Korea, South
  Asia

Kosovo
  Europe

Kuwait
  Middle East

Kyrgyzstan
  Asia

Laos
  Southeast Asia

Latvia
  Europe

Lebanon
  Middle East

Lesotho
  Africa

Liberia
  Africa

Libya
  Africa

Liechtenstein
  Europe

Lithuania
  Europe

Luxembourg
  Europe

Macau
  Southeast Asia

Macedonia
  Europe

Madagascar
  Africa

Malawi
  Africa

Malaysia
  Southeast Asia

Maldives
  Asia

Mali
  Africa

Malta
  Europe

Marshall Islands
  Oceania

Mauritania
  Africa

Mauritius
  Political Map of the World

Mayotte
  Africa

Mexico
  North America

Micronesia, Federated States of
  Oceania

Moldova
  Europe

Monaco
  Europe

Mongolia
  Asia

Montenegro
  Europe

Montserrat
  Central America and the Caribbean

Morocco
  Africa

Mozambique
  Africa

Namibia
  Africa

Nauru
  Oceania

Navassa Island
  Central America and the Caribbean

Nepal
  Asia

Netherlands
  Europe

Netherlands Antilles
  Central America and the Caribbean

New Caledonia
  Oceania

New Zealand
  Oceania

Nicaragua
  Central America and the Caribbean

Niger
  Africa

Nigeria
  Africa

Niue
  Oceania

Norfolk Island
  Oceania

Northern Mariana Islands
  Oceania

Norway
  Europe

Oman
  Middle East

Pacific Ocean
  Political Map of the World

Pakistan
  Asia

Palau
  Oceania

Panama
  Central America and the Caribbean

Papua New Guinea
  Oceania

Paracel Islands
  Southeast Asia

Paraguay
  South America

Peru
  South America

Philippines
  Southeast Asia

Pitcairn Islands
  Oceania

Poland
  Europe

Portugal
  Europe

Puerto Rico
  Central America and the Caribbean

Qatar
  Middle East

Romania
  Europe

Russia
  Asia

Rwanda
  Africa

Saint Barthelemy
  Central America and the Caribbean

Saint Helena
  Africa

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  Central America and the Caribbean

Saint Lucia
  Central America and the Caribbean

Saint Martin
  Central America and the Caribbean

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  North America

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  Central America and the Caribbean

Samoa
  Oceania

San Marino
  Europe

Sao Tome and Principe
  Africa

Saudi Arabia
  Middle East

Senegal
  Africa

Serbia
  Europe

Seychelles
  Africa

Sierra Leone
  Africa

Singapore
  Southeast Asia

Slovakia
  Europe

Slovenia
  Europe

Solomon Islands
  Oceania

Somalia
  Africa

South Africa
  Africa

South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
  Antarctic Region

Southern Ocean
  Antarctic Region

Spain
  Europe

Spratly Islands
  Southeast Asia

Sri Lanka
  Asia

Sudan
  Africa

Suriname
  South America

Svalbard
  Arctic Region

Swaziland
  Africa

Sweden
  Europe

Switzerland
  Europe

Syria
  Middle East

Taiwan
  Southeast Asia

Tajikistan
  Asia

Tanzania
  Africa

Thailand
  Southeast Asia

Timor-Leste
  Southeast Asia

Togo
  Africa

Tokelau
  Oceania

Tonga
  Oceania

Trinidad and Tobago
  Central America and the Caribbean

Tunisia
  Africa

Turkey
  Middle East

Turkmenistan
  Asia

Turks and Caicos Islands
  Central America and the Caribbean

Tuvalu
  Oceania

Uganda
  Africa

Ukraine
  Asia, Europe

United Arab Emirates
  Middle East

United Kingdom
  Europe

United States
  North America

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges
  Oceania

Uruguay
  South America

Uzbekistan
  Asia

Vanuatu
  Oceania

Venezuela
  South America

Vietnam
  Southeast Asia

Virgin Islands
  Central America and the Caribbean

Wake Island
  Oceania

Wallis and Futuna
  Oceania

West Bank
  Middle East

Western Sahara
  Africa

World
  Physical Map of the World, Political Map of the World,
  Standard Time Zones of the World

Yemen
  Middle East

Zambia
  Africa

Zimbabwe
  Africa

======================================================================

@2146

Field Listing :: Irrigated land

This entry gives the number of square kilometers of land area that is artificially supplied with water. Country

Irrigated land(sq km)

Afghanistan
  27,200 sq km (2003)

Albania
  3,530 sq km (2003)

Algeria
  5,690 sq km (2003)

American Samoa
  NA

Andorra
  NA

Angola
  800 sq km (2003)

Anguilla
  NA

Antigua and Barbuda
  NA

Argentina
  15,500 sq km (2003)

Armenia
  2,860 sq km (2003)

Aruba
  0.01 sq km (1998 est.)

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  0 sq km

Australia
  25,450 sq km (2003)

Austria
  40 sq km (2003)

Azerbaijan
  14,550 sq km (2003)

Bahamas, The
  10 sq km (2003)

Bahrain
  40 sq km (2003)

Bangladesh
  47,250 sq km (2003)

Barbados
  50 sq km (2003)

Belarus
  1,310 sq km (2003)

Belgium
  400 sq km (2003)

Belize
  30 sq km (2003)

Benin
  120 sq km (2003)

Bermuda
  NA

Bhutan
  400 sq km (2003)

Bolivia
  1,320 sq km (2003)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  30 sq km (2003)

Botswana
  10 sq km (2003)

Bouvet Island
  0 sq km

Brazil
  29,200 sq km (2003)

British Indian Ocean Territory
  0 sq km

British Virgin Islands
  NA

Brunei
  10 sq km (2003)

Bulgaria
  5,880 sq km (2003)

Burkina Faso
  250 sq km (2003)

Burma
  18,700 sq km (2003)

Burundi
  210 sq km (2003)

Cambodia
  2,700 sq km (2003)

Cameroon
  260 sq km (2003)

Canada
  7,850 sq km (2003)

Cape Verde
  30 sq km (2003)

Cayman Islands
  NA

Central African Republic
  20 sq km (2003)

Chad
  300 sq km (2003)

Chile
  19,000 sq km (2003)

China
  545,960 sq km (2003)

Christmas Island
  NA

Clipperton Island
  0 sq km

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  NA

Colombia
  9,000 sq km (2003)

Comoros
  NA

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  110 sq km (2003)

Congo, Republic of the
  20 sq km (2003)

Cook Islands
  NA

Coral Sea Islands
  0 sq km

Costa Rica
  1,080 sq km (2003)

Cote d'Ivoire
  730 sq km (2003)

Croatia
  110 sq km (2003)

Cuba
  8,700 sq km (2003)

Cyprus
  400 sq km (2003)

Czech Republic
  240 sq km (2003)

Denmark
  4,490 sq km (2003)

Djibouti
  10 sq km (2003)

Dominica
  NA

Dominican Republic
  2,750 sq km (2003)

Ecuador
  8,650 sq km (2003)

Egypt
  34,220 sq km (2003)

El Salvador
  450 sq km (2003)

Equatorial Guinea
  NA

Eritrea
  210 sq km (2003)

Estonia
  40 sq km (2003)

Ethiopia
  2,900 sq km (2003)

European Union
  168,050 sq km (2003 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  NA

Faroe Islands
  0 sq km

Fiji
  30 sq km (2003)

Finland
  640 sq km (2003)

France
  total: 26,190 sq km;
  metropolitan France: 26,000 sq km (2003)

French Polynesia
  10 sq km (2003)

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  0 sq km

Gabon
  70 sq km (2003)

Gambia, The
  20 sq km (2003)

Gaza Strip
  155 sq km; (note - includes West Bank) (2003)

Georgia
  4,690 sq km (2003)

Germany
  4,850 sq km (2003)

Ghana
  310 sq km (2003)

Gibraltar
  NA

Greece
  14,530 sq km (2003)

Greenland
  NA

Grenada
  NA

Guam
  NA

Guatemala
  1,300 sq km (2003)

Guernsey
  NA

Guinea
  950 sq km (2003)

Guinea-Bissau
  250 sq km (2003)

Guyana
  1,500 sq km (2003)

Haiti
  920 sq km (2003)

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  0 sq km

Holy See (Vatican City)
  0 sq km

Honduras
  800 sq km (2003)

Hong Kong
  20 sq km (1998 est.)

Hungary
  2,300 sq km (2003)

Iceland
  NA

India
  558,080 sq km (2003)

Indonesia
  45,000 sq km (2003)

Iran
  76,500 sq km (2003)

Iraq
  35,250 sq km (2003)

Ireland
  NA

Isle of Man
  0 sq km

Israel
  1,940 sq km (2003)

Italy
  27,500 sq km (2003)

Jamaica
  250 sq km (2002)

Jan Mayen
  0 sq km

Japan
  25,920 sq km (2003)

Jersey
  NA

Jordan
  750 sq km (2003)

Kazakhstan
  35,560 sq km (2003)

Kenya
  1,030 sq km (2003)

Kiribati
  NA

Korea, North
  14,600 sq km (2003)

Korea, South
  8,780 sq km (2003)

Kuwait
  130 sq km (2003)

Kyrgyzstan
  10,720 sq km (2003)

Laos
  1,750 sq km (2003)

Latvia
  200 sq km
  note: land in Latvia is often too wet and in need of drainage not
  irrigation; approximately 16,000 sq km or 85% of agricultural land
  has been improved by drainage (2003)

Lebanon
  1,040 sq km (2003)

Lesotho
  30 sq km (2003)

Liberia
  30 sq km (2003)

Libya
  4,700 sq km (2003)

Liechtenstein
  NA

Lithuania
  70 sq km (2003)

Luxembourg
  NA

Macau
  NA

Macedonia
  550 sq km (2003)

Madagascar
  10,860 sq km (2003)

Malawi
  560 sq km (2003)

Malaysia
  3,650 sq km (2003)

Maldives
  NA

Mali
  2,360 sq km (2003)

Malta
  20 sq km (2003)

Marshall Islands
  0 sq km

Mauritania
  490 sq km (2002)

Mauritius
  220 sq km (2003)

Mayotte
  NA

Mexico
  63,200 sq km (2003)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  NA

Moldova
  3,000 sq km (2003)

Monaco
  NA

Mongolia
  840 sq km (2003)

Montenegro
  NA

Montserrat
  NA

Morocco
  14,450 sq km (2003)

Mozambique
  1,180 sq km (2003)

Namibia
  80 sq km (2003)

Nauru
  NA

Nepal
  11,700 sq km (2003)

Netherlands
  5,650 sq km (2003)

Netherlands Antilles
  NA

New Caledonia
  100 sq km (2003)

New Zealand
  2,850 sq km (2003)

Nicaragua
  610 sq km (2003)

Niger
  730 sq km (2003)

Nigeria
  2,820 sq km (2003)

Niue
  NA

Norfolk Island
  NA

Northern Mariana Islands
  NA

Norway
  1,270 sq km (2003)

Oman
  720 sq km (2003)

Pakistan
  182,300 sq km (2003)

Palau
  NA

Panama
  430 sq km (2003)

Papua New Guinea
  NA

Paracel Islands
  0 sq km

Paraguay
  670 sq km (2003)

Peru
  12,000 sq km (2003)

Philippines
  15,500 sq km (2003)

Pitcairn Islands
  NA

Poland
  1,000 sq km (2003)

Portugal
  6,500 sq km (2003)

Puerto Rico
  400 sq km (2003)

Qatar
  130 sq km (2002)

Romania
  30,770 sq km (2003)

Russia
  46,000 sq km (2003)

Rwanda
  90 sq km (2003)

Saint Helena
  NA

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  NA

Saint Lucia
  30 sq km (2003)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  NA

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  10 sq km (2003)

Samoa
  NA

San Marino
  NA

Sao Tome and Principe
  100 sq km (2003)

Saudi Arabia
  16,200 sq km (2003)

Senegal
  1,200 sq km (2003)

Serbia
  NA

Seychelles
  NA

Sierra Leone
  300 sq km (2003)

Singapore
  NA

Slovakia
  1,830 sq km (2003)

Slovenia
  30 sq km (2003)

Solomon Islands
  NA

Somalia
  2,000 sq km (2003)

South Africa
  14,980 sq km (2003)

South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
  0 sq km

Spain
  37,800 sq km (2003)

Spratly Islands
  0 sq km

Sri Lanka
  7,430 sq km (2003)

Sudan
  18,630 sq km (2003)

Suriname
  510 sq km (2003)

Svalbard
  NA

Swaziland
  500 sq km (2003)

Sweden
  1,150 sq km (2003)

Switzerland
  250 sq km (2003)

Syria
  13,330 sq km (2003)

Taiwan
  NA

Tajikistan
  7,220 sq km (2003)

Tanzania
  1,840 sq km (2003)

Thailand
  49,860 sq km (2003)

Timor-Leste
  1,065 sq km (2003)

Togo
  70 sq km (2003)

Tokelau
  NA

Tonga
  NA

Trinidad and Tobago
  40 sq km (2003)

Tunisia
  3,940 sq km (2003)

Turkey
  52,150 sq km (2003)

Turkmenistan
  18,000 sq km (2003)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  NA

Tuvalu
  NA

Uganda
  90 sq km (2003)

Ukraine
  22,080 sq km (2003)

United Arab Emirates
  760 sq km (2003)

United Kingdom
  1,700 sq km (2003)

United States
  223,850 sq km (2003)

Uruguay
  2,100 sq km (2003)

Uzbekistan
  42,810 sq km (2003)

Vanuatu
  NA

Venezuela
  5,750 sq km (2003)

Vietnam
  30,000 sq km (2003)

Virgin Islands
  NA

Wake Island
  0 sq km

Wallis and Futuna
  NA

West Bank
  150 sq km; note - includes Gaza Strip (2003)

Western Sahara
  NA

World
  2,770,980 sq km (2003)

Yemen
  5,500 sq km (2003)

Zambia
  1,560 sq km (2003)

Zimbabwe
  1,740 sq km (2003)

======================================================================

@2147

Field Listing :: Area

This entry includes three subfields. Total area is the sum of all land and water areas delimited by international boundaries and/or coastlines. Land area is the aggregate of all surfaces delimited by international boundaries and/or coastlines, excluding inland water bodies (lakes, reservoirs, rivers). Water area is the sum of the surfaces of all inland water bodies, such as lakes, reservoirs, or rivers, as delimited by international boundaries and/or coastlines. Country Comparison to the World Country

Area(sq km)

Afghanistan total: 652,230 sq km land: 652,230 sq km water: 0 sq km

Akrotiri total: 123 sq km note: includes a salt lake and wetlands

Albania
  total: 28,748 sq km
  land: 27,398 sq km
  water: 1,350 sq km

Algeria
  total: 2,381,741 sq km
  land: 2,381,741 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

American Samoa total: 199 sq km land: 199 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Rose Island and Swains Island

Andorra
  total: 468 sq km
  land: 468 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Angola
  total: 1,246,700 sq km
  land: 1,246,700 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Anguilla
  total: 91 sq km
  land: 91 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Antarctica
  total: 14 million sq km
  land: 14 million sq km (280,000 sq km ice-free, 13.72 million sq km
  ice-covered) (est.)
  note: fifth-largest continent, following Asia, Africa, North
  America, and South America, but larger than Australia and the
  subcontinent of Europe

Antigua and Barbuda total: 442.6 sq km (Antigua 280 sq km; Barbuda 161 sq km) land: 442.6 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Redonda, 1.6 sq km

Arctic Ocean
  total: 14.056 million sq km
  note: includes Baffin Bay, Barents Sea, Beaufort Sea, Chukchi Sea,
  East Siberian Sea, Greenland Sea, Hudson Bay, Hudson Strait, Kara
  Sea, Laptev Sea, Northwest Passage, and other tributary water bodies

Argentina
  total: 2,780,400 sq km
  land: 2,736,690 sq km
  water: 43,710 sq km

Armenia
  total: 29,743 sq km
  land: 28,203 sq km
  water: 1,540 sq km

Aruba
  total: 180 sq km
  land: 180 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  total: 5 sq km
  land: 5 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  note: includes Ashmore Reef (West, Middle, and East Islets) and
  Cartier Island

Atlantic Ocean
  total: 76.762 million sq km
  note: includes Baltic Sea, Black Sea, Caribbean Sea, Davis Strait,
  Denmark Strait, part of the Drake Passage, Gulf of Mexico, Labrador
  Sea, Mediterranean Sea, North Sea, Norwegian Sea, almost all of the
  Scotia Sea, and other tributary water bodies

Australia
  total: 7,741,220 sq km
  land: 7,682,300 sq km
  water: 58,920 sq km
  note: includes Lord Howe Island and Macquarie Island

Austria
  total: 83,871 sq km
  land: 82,445 sq km
  water: 1,426 sq km

Azerbaijan
  total: 86,600 sq km
  land: 82,629 sq km
  water: 3,971 sq km
  note: includes the exclave of Naxcivan Autonomous Republic and the
  Nagorno-Karabakh region; the region's autonomy was abolished by
  Azerbaijani Supreme Soviet on 26 November 1991

Bahamas, The
  total: 13,880 sq km
  land: 10,010 sq km
  water: 3,870 sq km

Bahrain
  total: 741 sq km
  land: 741 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Bangladesh
  total: 143,998 sq km
  land: 130,168 sq km
  water: 13,830 sq km

Barbados
  total: 430 sq km
  land: 430 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Belarus
  total: 207,600 sq km
  land: 202,900 sq km
  water: 4,700 sq km

Belgium
  total: 30,528 sq km
  land: 30,278 sq km
  water: 250 sq km

Belize
  total: 22,966 sq km
  land: 22,806 sq km
  water: 160 sq km

Benin
  total: 112,622 sq km
  land: 110,622 sq km
  water: 2,000 sq km

Bermuda
  total: 54 sq km
  land: 54 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Bhutan
  total: 38,394 sq km
  land: 38,394 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Bolivia
  total: 1,098,581 sq km
  land: 1,083,301 sq km
  water: 15,280 sq km

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  total: 51,197 sq km
  land: 51,187 sq km
  water: 10 sq km

Botswana
  total: 581,730 sq km
  land: 566,730 sq km
  water: 15,000 sq km

Bouvet Island
  total: 49 sq km
  land: 49 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Brazil
  total: 8,514,877 sq km
  land: 8,459,417 sq km
  water: 55,460 sq km
  note: includes Arquipelago de Fernando de Noronha, Atol das Rocas,
  Ilha da Trindade, Ilhas Martin Vaz, and Penedos de Sao Pedro e Sao
  Paulo

British Indian Ocean Territory total: 54,400 sq km land: 60 sq km; Diego Garcia 44 sq km water: 54,340 sq km note: includes the entire Chagos Archipelago of 55 islands

British Virgin Islands
  total: 151 sq km
  land: 151 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  note: comprised of 16 inhabited and more than 20 uninhabited
  islands; includes the islands of Tortola, Anegada, Virgin Gorda,
  Jost van Dyke

Brunei
  total: 5,765 sq km
  land: 5,265 sq km
  water: 500 sq km

Bulgaria
  total: 110,879 sq km
  land: 108,489 sq km
  water: 2,390 sq km

Burkina Faso
  total: 274,200 sq km
  land: 273,800 sq km
  water: 400 sq km

Burma
  total: 676,578 sq km
  land: 653,508 sq km
  water: 23,070 sq km

Burundi
  total: 27,830 sq km
  land: 25,680 sq km
  water: 2,150 sq km

Cambodia
  total: 181,035 sq km
  land: 176,515 sq km
  water: 4,520 sq km

Cameroon
  total: 475,440 sq km
  land: 472,710 sq km
  water: 2,730 sq km

Canada
  total: 9,984,670 sq km
  land: 9,093,507 sq km
  water: 891,163 sq km

Cape Verde
  total: 4,033 sq km
  land: 4,033 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Cayman Islands
  total: 264 sq km
  land: 264 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Central African Republic
  total: 622,984 sq km
  land: 622,984 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Chad
  total: 1.284 million sq km
  land: 1,259,200 sq km
  water: 24,800 sq km

Chile
  total: 756,102 sq km
  land: 743,812 sq km
  water: 12,290 sq km
  note: includes Easter Island (Isla de Pascua) and Isla Sala y Gomez

China
  total: 9,596,961 sq km
  land: 9,569,901 sq km
  water: 27,060 sq km

Christmas Island
  total: 135 sq km
  land: 135 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Clipperton Island
  total: 6 sq km
  land: 6 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  total: 14 sq km
  land: 14 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  note: includes the two main islands of West Island and Home Island

Colombia
  total: 1,138,914 sq km
  land: 1,109,104 sq km
  water: 100,210 sq km
  note: includes Isla de Malpelo, Roncador Cay, and Serrana Bank

Comoros
  total: 2,235 sq km
  land: 2,235 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  total: 2,344,858 sq km
  land: 2,267,048 sq km
  water: 77,810 sq km

Congo, Republic of the
  total: 342,000 sq km
  land: 341,500 sq km
  water: 500 sq km

Cook Islands
  total: 236 sq km
  land: 236 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Coral Sea Islands total: less than 3 sq km land: less than 3 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes numerous small islands and reefs scattered over a sea area of about 780,000 sq km with the Willis Islets the most important

Costa Rica total: 51,100 sq km land: 51,060 sq km water: 40 sq km note: includes Isla del Coco

Cote d'Ivoire
  total: 322,463 sq km
  land: 318,003 sq km
  water: 4,460 sq km

Croatia
  total: 56,594 sq km
  land: 55,974 sq km
  water: 620 sq km

Cuba
  total: 110,860 sq km
  land: 109,820 sq km
  water: 1,040 sq km

Cyprus
  total: 9,251 sq km (of which 3,355 sq km are in north Cyprus)
  land: 9,241 sq km
  water: 10 sq km

Czech Republic
  total: 78,867 sq km
  land: 77,247 sq km
  water: 1,620 sq km

Denmark
  total: 43,094 sq km
  land: 42,434 sq km
  water: 660 sq km
  note: includes the island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea and the rest
  of metropolitan Denmark (the Jutland Peninsula, and the major
  islands of Sjaelland and Fyn), but excludes the Faroe Islands and
  Greenland

Dhekelia
  total: 130.8 sq km
  note: area surrounds three Cypriot enclaves

Djibouti
  total: 23,200 sq km
  land: 23,180 sq km
  water: 20 sq km

Dominica
  total: 751 sq km
  land: 751 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Dominican Republic
  total: 48,670 sq km
  land: 48,320 sq km
  water: 350 sq km

Ecuador
  total: 283,561 sq km
  land: 276,841 sq km
  water: 6,720 sq km
  note: includes Galapagos Islands

Egypt
  total: 1,001,450 sq km
  land: 995,450 sq km
  water: 6,000 sq km

El Salvador
  total: 21,041 sq km
  land: 20,721 sq km
  water: 320 sq km

Equatorial Guinea
  total: 28,051 sq km
  land: 28,051 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Eritrea
  total: 117,600 sq km
  land: 101,000 sq km
  water: 16,600 sq km

Estonia
  total: 45,228 sq km
  land: 42,388 sq km
  water: 2,840 sq km
  note: includes 1,520 islands in the Baltic Sea

Ethiopia
  total: 1,104,300 sq km
  land: 1 million sq km
  water: 104,300 sq km

European Union
  total: 4,324,782 sq km

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) total: 12,173 sq km land: 12,173 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes the two main islands of East and West Falkland and about 200 small islands

Faroe Islands
  total: 1,393 sq km
  land: 1,393 sq km
  water: 0 sq km (some lakes and streams)

Fiji
  total: 18,274 sq km
  land: 18,274 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Finland
  total: 338,145 sq km
  land: 303,815 sq km
  water: 34,330 sq km

France
  total: 643,427 sq km; 551,500 sq km (metropolitan France)
  land: 640,053 sq km; 549,970 sq km (metropolitan France)
  water: 3,374 sq km; 1,530 sq km (metropolitan France)
  note: the first numbers include the overseas regions of French
  Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, and Reunion

French Polynesia
  total: 4,167 sq km (118 islands and atolls)
  land: 3,827 sq km
  water: 340 sq km

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  Ile Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et
  Ile Saint-Paul): total - 55 sq km; land - 55 sq km; water - 0 sq km
  Ile Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): total - 7 sq km;
  land - 7 sq km; water - 0 sq km
  Iles Crozet: total - 352 sq km; land - 352 sq km; water - 0 sq km
  Iles Kerguelen: total - 7,215 sq km; land - 7,215 sq km; water - 0
  sq km
  Bassas da India (Iles Eparses): total - 80 sq km; land - 0.2 sq km;
  water - 79.8 sq km (lagoon)
  Europa Island (Iles Eparses): total - 28 sq km; land - 28 sq km;
  water - 0 sq km
  Glorioso Islands (Iles Eparses): total - 5 sq km; land - 5 sq km;
  water - 0 sq km
  Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses): total - 4.4 sq km; land - 4.4 sq
  km; water - 0 sq km
  Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): total - 1 sq km; land - 1 sq km;
  water - 0 sq km
  note: excludes "Adelie Land" claim of about 500,000 sq km in
  Antarctica that is not recognized by the US

Gabon
  total: 267,667 sq km
  land: 257,667 sq km
  water: 10,000 sq km

Gambia, The
  total: 11,295 sq km
  land: 10,000 sq km
  water: 1,295 sq km

Gaza Strip
  total: 360 sq km
  land: 360 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Georgia
  total: 69,700 sq km
  land: 69,700 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Germany
  total: 357,022 sq km
  land: 348,672 sq km
  water: 8,350 sq km

Ghana
  total: 238,533 sq km
  land: 227,533 sq km
  water: 11,000 sq km

Gibraltar
  total: 6.5 sq km
  land: 6.5 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Greece
  total: 131,957 sq km
  land: 130,647 sq km
  water: 1,310 sq km

Greenland
  total: 2,166,086 sq km
  land: 2,166,086 sq km (410,449 sq km ice-free, 1,755,637 sq km
  ice-covered)

Grenada
  total: 344 sq km
  land: 344 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Guam
  total: 544 sq km
  land: 544 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Guatemala
  total: 108,889 sq km
  land: 107,159 sq km
  water: 1,730 sq km

Guernsey
  total: 78 sq km
  land: 78 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  note: includes Alderney, Guernsey, Herm, Sark, and some other
  smaller islands

Guinea
  total: 245,857 sq km
  land: 245,717 sq km
  water: 140 sq km

Guinea-Bissau
  total: 36,125 sq km
  land: 28,120 sq km
  water: 8,005 sq km

Guyana
  total: 214,969 sq km
  land: 196,849 sq km
  water: 18,120 sq km

Haiti
  total: 27,750 sq km
  land: 27,560 sq km
  water: 190 sq km

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  total: 412 sq km
  land: 412 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Holy See (Vatican City)
  total: 0.44 sq km
  land: 0.44 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Honduras
  total: 112,090 sq km
  land: 111,890 sq km
  water: 200 sq km

Hong Kong
  total: 1,104 sq km
  land: 1,054 sq km
  water: 50 sq km

Hungary
  total: 93,028 sq km
  land: 89,608 sq km
  water: 3,420 sq km

Iceland
  total: 103,000 sq km
  land: 100,250 sq km
  water: 2,750 sq km

India
  total: 3,287,263 sq km
  land: 2,973,193 sq km
  water: 314,070 sq km

Indian Ocean
  total: 68.556 million sq km
  note: includes Andaman Sea, Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, Flores Sea,
  Great Australian Bight, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman, Java Sea,
  Mozambique Channel, Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Savu Sea, Strait of
  Malacca, Timor Sea, and other tributary water bodies

Indonesia
  total: 1,904,569 sq km
  land: 1,811,569 sq km
  water: 93,000 sq km

Iran
  total: 1,648,195 sq km
  land: 1,531,595 sq km
  water: 116,600 sq km

Iraq
  total: 438,317 sq km
  land: 437,367 sq km
  water: 950 sq km

Ireland
  total: 70,273 sq km
  land: 68,883 sq km
  water: 1,390 sq km

Isle of Man
  total: 572 sq km
  land: 572 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Israel
  total: 22,072 sq km
  land: 21,642 sq km
  water: 430 sq km

Italy
  total: 301,340 sq km
  land: 294,140 sq km
  water: 7,200 sq km
  note: includes Sardinia and Sicily

Jamaica
  total: 10,991 sq km
  land: 10,831 sq km
  water: 160 sq km

Jan Mayen
  total: 377 sq km
  land: 377 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Japan
  total: 377,915 sq km
  land: 364,485 sq km
  water: 13,430 sq km
  note: includes Bonin Islands (Ogasawara-gunto), Daito-shoto,
  Minami-jima, Okino-tori-shima, Ryukyu Islands (Nansei-shoto), and
  Volcano Islands (Kazan-retto)

Jersey
  total: 116 sq km
  land: 116 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Jordan
  total: 89,342 sq km
  land: 88,802 sq km
  water: 540 sq km

Kazakhstan
  total: 2,724,900 sq km
  land: 2,699,700 sq km
  water: 25,200 sq km

Kenya
  total: 580,367 sq km
  land: 569,140 sq km
  water: 11,227 sq km

Kiribati
  total: 811 sq km
  land: 811 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  note: includes three island groups - Gilbert Islands, Line Islands,
  Phoenix Islands

Korea, North
  total: 120,538 sq km
  land: 120,408 sq km
  water: 130 sq km

Korea, South
  total: 99,720 sq km
  land: 96,920 sq km
  water: 2,800 sq km

Kosovo
  total: 10,887 sq km
  land: 10,887 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Kuwait
  total: 17,818 sq km
  land: 17,818 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Kyrgyzstan
  total: 199,951 sq km
  land: 191,801 sq km
  water: 8,150 sq km

Laos
  total: 236,800 sq km
  land: 230,800 sq km
  water: 6,000 sq km

Latvia
  total: 64,589 sq km
  land: 62,249 sq km
  water: 2,340 sq km

Lebanon
  total: 10,400 sq km
  land: 10,230 sq km
  water: 170 sq km

Lesotho
  total: 30,355 sq km
  land: 30,355 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Liberia
  total: 111,369 sq km
  land: 96,320 sq km
  water: 15,049 sq km

Libya
  total: 1,759,540 sq km
  land: 1,759,540 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Liechtenstein
  total: 160 sq km
  land: 160 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Lithuania
  total: 65,300 sq km
  land: 62,680 sq km
  water: 2,620 sq km

Luxembourg
  total: 2,586 sq km
  land: 2,586 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Macau
  total: 28.2 sq km
  land: 28.2 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Macedonia
  total: 25,713 sq km
  land: 25,433 sq km
  water: 280 sq km

Madagascar
  total: 587,041 sq km
  land: 581,540 sq km
  water: 5,501 sq km

Malawi
  total: 118,484 sq km
  land: 94,080 sq km
  water: 24,404 sq km

Malaysia
  total: 329,847 sq km
  land: 328,657 sq km
  water: 1,190 sq km

Maldives
  total: 298 sq km
  land: 298 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Mali
  total: 1,240,192 sq km
  land: 1,220,190 sq km
  water: 20,002 sq km

Malta
  total: 316 sq km
  land: 316 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Marshall Islands
  total: 181 sq km
  land: 181 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  note: the archipelago includes 11,673 sq km of lagoon waters and
  includes the atolls of Bikini, Enewetak, Kwajalein, Majuro,
  Rongelap, and Utirik

Mauritania
  total: 1,030,700 sq km
  land: 1,030,700 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Mauritius
  total: 2,040 sq km
  land: 2,030 sq km
  water: 10 sq km
  note: includes Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos Shoals (Saint
  Brandon), and Rodrigues

Mayotte
  total: 374 sq km
  land: 374 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Mexico
  total: 1,964,375 sq km
  land: 1,943,945 sq km
  water: 20,430 sq km

Micronesia, Federated States of total: 702 sq km land: 702 sq km water: 0 sq km (fresh water only) note: includes Pohnpei (Ponape), Chuuk (Truk) Islands, Yap Islands, and Kosrae (Kosaie)

Moldova
  total: 33,851 sq km
  land: 32,891 sq km
  water: 960 sq km

Monaco
  total: 2 sq km
  land: 2 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Mongolia
  total: 1,564,116 sq km
  land: 1,553,556 sq km
  water: 10,560 sq km

Montenegro
  total: 13,812 sq km
  land: 13,452 sq km
  water: 360 sq km

Montserrat
  total: 102 sq km
  land: 102 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Morocco
  total: 446,550 sq km
  land: 446,300 sq km
  water: 250 sq km

Mozambique
  total: 799,380 sq km
  land: 786,380 sq km
  water: 13,000 sq km

Namibia
  total: 824,292 sq km
  land: 823,290 sq km
  water: 1,002 sq km

Nauru
  total: 21 sq km
  land: 21 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Navassa Island
  total: 5.4 sq km
  land: 5.4 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Nepal
  total: 147,181 sq km
  land: 143,351 sq km
  water: 3,830 sq km

Netherlands
  total: 41,543 sq km
  land: 33,893 sq km
  water: 7,650 sq km

Netherlands Antilles total: 800 sq km land: 800 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten (Dutch part of the island of Saint Martin)

New Caledonia total: 18,575 sq km land: 18,275 sq km water: 300 sq km

New Zealand
  total: 267,710 sq km
  land: 267,710 sq km
  water: NA
  note: includes Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands, Bounty Islands,
  Campbell Island, Chatham Islands, and Kermadec Islands

Nicaragua
  total: 130,370 sq km
  land: 119,990 sq km
  water: 10,380 sq km

Niger
  total: 1.267 million sq km
  land: 1,266,700 sq km
  water: 300 sq km

Nigeria
  total: 923,768 sq km
  land: 910,768 sq km
  water: 13,000 sq km

Niue
  total: 260 sq km
  land: 260 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Norfolk Island
  total: 36 sq km
  land: 36 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Northern Mariana Islands total: 464 sq km land: 464 sq km water: 0 sq km note: consists of 14 islands including Saipan, Rota, and Tinian

Norway
  total: 323,802 sq km
  land: 304,282 sq km
  water: 19,520 sq km

Oman
  total: 309,500 sq km
  land: 309,500 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Pacific Ocean
  total: 155.557 million sq km
  note: includes Bali Sea, Bering Sea, Bering Strait, Coral Sea, East
  China Sea, Gulf of Alaska, Gulf of Tonkin, Philippine Sea, Sea of
  Japan, Sea of Okhotsk, South China Sea, Tasman Sea, and other
  tributary water bodies

Pakistan
  total: 796,095 sq km
  land: 770,875 sq km
  water: 25,220 sq km

Palau
  total: 459 sq km
  land: 459 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Panama
  total: 75,420 sq km
  land: 74,340 sq km
  water: 1,080 sq km

Papua New Guinea
  total: 462,840 sq km
  land: 452,860 sq km
  water: 9,980 sq km

Paracel Islands
  total: NA sq km
  land: NA sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Paraguay
  total: 406,752 sq km
  land: 397,302 sq km
  water: 9,450 sq km

Peru
  total: 1,285,216 sq km
  land: 1,279,996 sq km
  water: 5,220 sq km

Philippines
  total: 300,000 sq km
  land: 298,170 sq km
  water: 1,830 sq km

Pitcairn Islands
  total: 47 sq km
  land: 47 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Poland
  total: 312,685 sq km
  land: 304,255 sq km
  water: 8,430 sq km

Portugal
  total: 92,090 sq km
  land: 91,470 sq km
  water: 620 sq km
  note: includes Azores and Madeira Islands

Puerto Rico
  total: 13,790 sq km
  land: 8,870 sq km
  water: 4,921 sq km

Qatar
  total: 11,586 sq km
  land: 11,586 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Romania
  total: 238,391 sq km
  land: 229,891 sq km
  water: 8,500 sq km

Russia
  total: 17,098,242 sq km
  land: 16,377,742 sq km
  water: 720,500 sq km

Rwanda
  total: 26,338 sq km
  land: 24,668 sq km
  water: 1,670 sq km

Saint Barthelemy
  21 sq km

Saint Helena
  total: 308 sq km
  land: Saint Helena Island 122 sq km; Ascension Island 88 sq km;
  Tristan da Cunha island group 98 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  total: 261 sq km (Saint Kitts 168 sq km; Nevis
  93 sq km)
  land: 261 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Saint Lucia
  total: 616 sq km
  land: 606 sq km
  water: 10 sq km

Saint Martin
  total: 54.4 sq km
  land: 54.4 sq km
  water: NEGL

Saint Pierre and Miquelon total: 242 sq km land: 242 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes eight small islands in the Saint Pierre and the Miquelon groups

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  total: 389 sq km (Saint Vincent 344
  sq km)
  land: 389 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Samoa
  total: 2,831 sq km
  land: 2,821 sq km
  water: 10 sq km

San Marino
  total: 61 sq km
  land: 61 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Sao Tome and Principe
  total: 964 sq km
  land: 964 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Saudi Arabia
  total: 2,149,690 sq km
  land: 2,149,690 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Senegal
  total: 196,722 sq km
  land: 192,530 sq km
  water: 4,192 sq km

Serbia
  total: 77,474 sq km
  land: 77,474 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Seychelles
  total: 455 sq km
  land: 455 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Sierra Leone
  total: 71,740 sq km
  land: 71,620 sq km
  water: 120 sq km

Singapore
  total: 697 sq km
  land: 687 sq km
  water: 10 sq km

Slovakia
  total: 49,035 sq km
  land: 48,105 sq km
  water: 930 sq km

Slovenia
  total: 20,273 sq km
  land: 20,151 sq km
  water: 122 sq km

Solomon Islands
  total: 28,896 sq km
  land: 27,986 sq km
  water: 910 sq km

Somalia
  total: 637,657 sq km
  land: 627,337 sq km
  water: 10,320 sq km

South Africa
  total: 1,219,090 sq km
  land: 1,214,470 sq km
  water: 4,620 sq km
  note: includes Prince Edward Islands (Marion Island and Prince
  Edward Island)

South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
  total: 3,903 sq km
  land: 3,903 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  note: includes Shag Rocks, Black Rock, Clerke Rocks, South Georgia
  Island, Bird Island, and the South Sandwich Islands, which consist
  of 11 islands

Southern Ocean
  total: 20.327 million sq km
  note: includes Amundsen Sea, Bellingshausen Sea, part of the Drake
  Passage, Ross Sea, a small part of the Scotia Sea, Weddell Sea, and
  other tributary water bodies

Spain
  total: 505,370 sq km
  land: 498,980 sq km
  water: 6,390 sq km
  note: there are two autonomous cities - Ceuta and Melilla - and 17
  autonomous communities including Balearic Islands and Canary
  Islands, and three small Spanish possessions off the coast of
  Morocco - Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de Velez
  de la Gomera

Spratly Islands
  total: less than 5 sq km
  land: less than 5 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  note: includes 100 or so islets, coral reefs, and sea mounts
  scattered over an area of nearly 410,000 sq km of the central South
  China Sea

Sri Lanka
  total: 65,610 sq km
  land: 64,630 sq km
  water: 980 sq km

Sudan
  total: 2,505,813 sq km
  land: 2.376 million sq km
  water: 129,813 sq km

Suriname
  total: 163,820 sq km
  land: 156,000 sq km
  water: 7,820 sq km

Svalbard
  total: 62,045 sq km
  land: 62,045 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  note: includes Spitsbergen and Bjornoya (Bear Island)

Swaziland
  total: 17,364 sq km
  land: 17,204 sq km
  water: 160 sq km

Sweden
  total: 450,295 sq km
  land: 410,335 sq km
  water: 39,960 sq km

Switzerland
  total: 41,277 sq km
  land: 39,997 sq km
  water: 1,280 sq km

Syria
  total: 185,180 sq km
  land: 183,630 sq km
  water: 1,550 sq km
  note: includes 1,295 sq km of Israeli-occupied territory

Taiwan
  total: 35,980 sq km
  land: 32,260 sq km
  water: 3,720 sq km
  note: includes the Pescadores, Matsu, and Quemoy islands

Tajikistan
  total: 143,100 sq km
  land: 141,510 sq km
  water: 2,590 sq km

Tanzania
  total: 947,300 sq km
  land: 885,800 sq km
  water: 61,500 sq km
  note: includes the islands of Mafia, Pemba, and Zanzibar

Thailand
  total: 513,120 sq km
  land: 510,890 sq km
  water: 2,230 sq km

Timor-Leste
  total: 14,874 sq km
  land: 14,874 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Togo
  total: 56,785 sq km
  land: 54,385 sq km
  water: 2,400 sq km

Tokelau
  total: 12 sq km
  land: 12 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Tonga
  total: 747 sq km
  land: 717 sq km
  water: 30 sq km

Trinidad and Tobago
  total: 5,128 sq km
  land: 5,128 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Tunisia
  total: 163,610 sq km
  land: 155,360 sq km
  water: 8,250 sq km

Turkey
  total: 783,562 sq km
  land: 769,632 sq km
  water: 13,930 sq km

Turkmenistan
  total: 488,100 sq km
  land: 469,930 sq km
  water: 18,170 sq km

Turks and Caicos Islands
  total: 948 sq km
  land: 948 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Tuvalu
  total: 26 sq km
  land: 26 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Uganda
  total: 241,038 sq km
  land: 197,100 sq km
  water: 43,938 sq km

Ukraine
  total: 603,550 sq km
  land: 579,330 sq km
  water: 24,220 sq km

United Arab Emirates
  total: 83,600 sq km
  land: 83,600 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

United Kingdom
  total: 243,610 sq km
  land: 241,930 sq km
  water: 1,680 sq km
  note: includes Rockall and Shetland Islands

United States
  total: 9,826,675 sq km
  land: 9,161,966 sq km
  water: 664,709 sq km
  note: includes only the 50 states and District of Columbia

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges
  total - 6,959.41 sq
  km; emergent land - 22.41 sq km; submerged - 6,937 sq km
  Baker Island: total - 129.1 sq km; emergent land - 2.1 sq km;
  submerged - 127 sq km
  Howland Island: total - 138.6 sq km; emergent land - 2.6 sq km;
  submerged - 136 sq km
  Jarvis Island: total - 152 sq km; emergent land - 5 sq km; submerged
  - 147 sq km
  Johnston Atoll: total - 276.6 sq km; emergent land - 2.6 sq km;
  submerged - 274 sq km
  Kingman Reef: total - 1,958.01 sq km; emergent land - 0.01 sq km;
  submerged - 1,958 sq km
  Midway Islands: total - 2,355.2 sq km; emergent land - 6.2 sq km;
  submerged - 2,349 sq km
  Palmyra Atoll: total - 1,949.9 sq km; emergent land - 3.9 sq km;
  submerged - 1,946 sq km

Uruguay
  total: 176,215 sq km
  land: 175,015 sq km
  water: 1,200 sq km

Uzbekistan
  total: 447,400 sq km
  land: 425,400 sq km
  water: 22,000 sq km

Vanuatu
  total: 12,189 sq km
  land: 12,189 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  note: includes more than 80 islands, about 65 of which are inhabited

Venezuela
  total: 912,050 sq km
  land: 882,050 sq km
  water: 30,000 sq km

Vietnam
  total: 331,210 sq km
  land: 310,070 sq km
  water: 21,140 sq km

Virgin Islands
  total: 1,910 sq km
  land: 346 sq km
  water: 1,564 sq km

Wake Island
  total: 6.5 sq km
  land: 6.5 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Wallis and Futuna total: 142 sq km land: 142 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Ile Uvea (Wallis Island), Ile Futuna (Futuna Island), Ile Alofi, and 20 islets

West Bank
  total: 5,860 sq km
  land: 5,640 sq km
  water: 220 sq km
  note: includes West Bank, Latrun Salient, and the northwest quarter
  of the Dead Sea, but excludes Mt. Scopus; East Jerusalem and
  Jerusalem No Man's Land are also included only as a means of
  depicting the entire area occupied by Israel in 1967

Western Sahara
  total: 266,000 sq km
  land: 266,000 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

World
  total: 510.072 million sq km
  land: 148.94 million sq km
  water: 361.132 million sq km
  note: 70.9% of the world's surface is water, 29.1% is land

Yemen
  total: 527,968 sq km
  land: 527,968 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  note: includes Perim, Socotra, the former Yemen Arab Republic (YAR
  or North Yemen), and the former People's Democratic Republic of
  Yemen (PDRY or South Yemen)

Zambia
  total: 752,618 sq km
  land: 743,398 sq km
  water: 9,220 sq km

Zimbabwe
  total: 390,757 sq km
  land: 386,847 sq km
  water: 3,910 sq km

======================================================================

@2149

Field Listing :: Diplomatic representation in the US

This entry includes the chief of mission, chancery, telephone, FAX, consulate general locations, and consulate locations. Country

Diplomatic representation in the US

Afghanistan
  chief of mission: Ambassador Said Tayeb JAWAD
  chancery: 2341 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 483-6410
  FAX: [1] (202) 483-6488
  consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York

Akrotiri
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Albania
  chief of mission: Ambassador Aleksander SALLABANDA
  chancery: 2100 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 223-4942
  FAX: [1] (202) 628-7342
  consulate(s) general: New York

Algeria
  chief of mission: Ambassador Abdallah BAALI
  chancery: 2118 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 265-2800
  FAX: [1] (202) 667-2174

American Samoa
  none (territory of the US)

Andorra
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires
  Narcis CASAL FONSDEVIELA
  chancery: 2 United Nations Plaza, 25th Floor, New York, NY 10017
  telephone: [1] (212) 750-8064
  FAX: [1] (212) 750-6630

Angola
  chief of mission: Ambassador Josefina Perpetua Pitra DIAKITE
  chancery: 2108 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 785-1156
  FAX: [1] (202) 785-1258
  consulate(s) general: Houston, New York

Anguilla
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Antigua and Barbuda chief of mission: Ambassador Deborah Mae LOVELL chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 362-5122 FAX: [1] (202) 362-5225 consulate(s) general: Miami, New York

Argentina
  chief of mission: Ambassador Hector Marcos TIMERMAN
  chancery: 1600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 238-6400
  FAX: [1] (202) 332-3171
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami,
  New York

Armenia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Tatoul MARKARIAN
  chancery: 2225 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 319-1976
  FAX: [1] (202) 319-2982
  consulate(s) general: Los Angeles

Aruba
  none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands); note -
  Mr. Henry BAARH, Minister Plenipotentiary for Aruba at the Embassy
  of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  none (territory of Australia)

Australia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Dennis J. RICHARDSON
  chancery: 1601 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
  telephone: [1] (202) 797-3000
  FAX: [1] (202) 797-3168
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New
  York, San Francisco

Austria
  chief of mission: Ambassador Christian PROSL
  chancery: 3524 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008-3035
  telephone: [1] (202) 895-6700
  FAX: [1] (202) 895-6750
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York

Azerbaijan
  chief of mission: Ambassador Yashar ALIYEV
  chancery: 2741 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 337-3500
  FAX: [1] (202) 337-5911
  Consulate(s) general: Los Angeles

Bahamas, The
  chief of mission: Ambassador Cornelius A. SMITH
  chancery: 2220 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 319-2660
  FAX: [1] (202) 319-2668
  consulate(s) general: Miami, New York

Bahrain
  chief of mission: Ambassador Houda Ibrahim Ezra NUNU
  chancery: 3502 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 342-1111
  FAX: [1] (202) 362-2192
  consulate(s) general: New York

Bangladesh
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)
  chancery: 3510 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 244-0183
  FAX: [1] (202) 244-7830/2771
  consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York

Barbados
  chief of mission: Ambassador John BEALE
  chancery: 2144 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 939-9200
  FAX: [1] (202) 332-7467
  consulate(s) general: Miami, New York
  consulate(s): Los Angeles

Belarus
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge D'Affaires
  Oleg KRAVCHENKO
  chancery: 1619 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 986-1604
  FAX: [1] (202) 986-1805
  consulate(s) general: New York

Belgium
  chief of mission: Ambassador Jan MATTHYSEN
  chancery: 3330 Garfield Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 333-6900
  FAX: [1] (202) 333-3079
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York

Belize
  chief of mission: Ambassador Nestor MENDEZ
  chancery: 2535 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 332-9636
  FAX: [1] (202) 332-6888
  consulate(s) general: Los Angeles

Benin
  chief of mission: Ambassador Cyrille Segbe OGUIN
  chancery: 2124 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 232-6656
  FAX: [1] (202) 265-1996

Bermuda
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Bhutan
  none; note - the Permanent Mission to the UN for Bhutan has
  consular jurisdiction in the US; address: 763 First Avenue, New
  York, NY 10017; telephone [1] (212) 682-2268; FAX [1] (212) 661-0551
  consulate(s) general: New York

Bolivia
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires
  Erika Angela DUENAS Loayza
  chancery: 3014 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 483-4410
  FAX: [1] (202) 328-3712
  consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco
  note: as of September 2008, the US has expelled the Bolivian
  ambassador to the US

Bosnia and Herzegovina chief of mission: Ambassador Mitar KUJUNDZIC chancery: 2109 E Street NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 337-1500 FAX: [1] (202) 337-1502 consulate(s) general: Chicago, New York

Botswana
  chief of mission: Ambassador Lapologang Caesar LEKOA
  chancery: 1531-1533 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
  telephone: [1] (202) 244-4990
  FAX: [1] (202) 244-4164

Brazil
  chief of mission: Ambassador Antonio de Aguiar PATRIOTA
  chancery: 3006 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 238-2805
  FAX: [1] (202) 238-2827
  consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami,
  New York, San Francisco

British Indian Ocean Territory
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

British Virgin Islands
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Brunei
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires
  Angela SHIM
  chancery: 3520 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 237-1838
  FAX: [1] (202) 885-0560

Bulgaria
  chief of mission: Ambassador Latchezar PETKOV
  chancery: 1621 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 387-0174
  FAX: [1] (202) 234-7973
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York

Burkina Faso
  chief of mission: Ambassador Paramanga Ernest YONLI
  chancery: 2340 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 332-5577
  FAX: [1] (202) 667-1882

Burma
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires MYINT
  LWIN
  chancery: 2300 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 332-3344
  FAX: [1] (202) 332-4351
  consulate(s) general: New York

Burundi
  chief of mission: Ambassador Celestin NIYONGABO
  chancery: Suite 212, 2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007
  telephone: [1] (202) 342-2574
  FAX: [1] (202) 342-2578

Cambodia
  chief of mission: Ambassador HENG HEM
  chancery: 4530 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011
  telephone: [1] (202) 726-7742
  FAX: [1] (202) 726-8381

Cameroon
  chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph FOE-ATANGANA
  chancery: 2349 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 265-8790
  FAX: [1] (202) 387-3826

Canada
  chief of mission: Ambassador Gary DOER
  chancery: 501 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20001
  telephone: [1] (202) 682-1740
  FAX: [1] (202) 682-7701
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Dallas,
  Denver, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, Phoenix,
  San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Tucson
  consulate(s): Anchorage, Houston, Philadelphia, Princeton (New
  Jersey), Raleigh, San Jose (California), Tucson

Cape Verde
  chief of mission: Ambassador Fatima Lima VEIGA
  chancery: 3415 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 965-6820
  FAX: [1] (202) 965-1207
  consulate(s) general: Boston

Cayman Islands
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Central African Republic
  chief of mission: Ambassador Emmanuel
  TOUABOY
  chancery: 1618 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 483-7800
  FAX: [1] (202) 332-9893

Chad
  chief of mission: Ambassador Mahamat Adam BECHIR
  chancery: 2002 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 462-4009
  FAX: [1] (202) 265-1937

Chile
  chief of mission: Ambassador Jose Maria GONI Carrasco
  chancery: 1732 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
  telephone: [1] (202) 785-1746
  FAX: [1] (202) 887-5579
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New
  York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico)

China
  chief of mission: Ambassador ZHOU Wenzhong
  chancery: 12 International Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 328-2500
  FAX: [1] (202) 328-2582
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San
  Francisco

Christmas Island
  none (territory of Australia)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  none (territory of Australia)

Colombia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Carolina BARCO Isakson
  chancery: 2118 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 387-8338
  FAX: [1] (202) 232-8643
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los
  Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico),
  Washington, DC

Comoros
  chief of mission: Representative to the UN and Ambassador to
  the US Mohamed TOIHIRI
  chancery: Mission to the US, 866 United Nations Plaza, Suite 418,
  New York, NY 10017
  telephone: [1] (212) 750-1637

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  chief of mission: Ambassador Faida
  MITIFU
  chancery: Suite 601, 1726 M Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20036
  telephone: [1] (202) 234-7690 through 7691
  FAX: [1] (202) 234-2609

Congo, Republic of the
  chief of mission: Ambassador Serge MOMBOULI
  chancery: 4891 Colorado Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20011
  telephone: [1] (202) 726-5500
  FAX: [1] (202) 726-1860

Cook Islands
  none (self-governing in free association with New
  Zealand)

Coral Sea Islands
  none (territory of Australia)

Costa Rica
  chief of mission: Ambassador Luis DIEGO Escalante
  chancery: 2114 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 234-2945 or 2946
  FAX: [1] (202) 265-4795
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami,
  New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico)

Cote d'Ivoire
  chief of mission: Ambassador Yao Charles KOFFI
  chancery: 2424 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 797-0300
  FAX: [1] (202) 244-3088

Croatia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Kolinda GRABAR-KITAROVIC
  chancery: Suite F13, 2343 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC
  20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 588-5899
  FAX: [1] (202) 588-8936
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York

Cuba
  none; note - Cuba has an Interests Section in the Swiss
  Embassy, headed by Principal Officer Jorge BOLANOS Suarez; address:
  Cuban Interests Section, Swiss Embassy, 2630 16th Street NW,
  Washington, DC 20009; telephone: [1] (202) 797-8518; FAX: [1] (202)
  797-8521

Cyprus
  chief of mission: Ambassador Andreas KAKOURIS
  chancery: 2211 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 462-5772, 462-0873
  FAX: [1] (202) 483-6710
  consulate(s) general: New York
  note: representative of the Turkish Cypriot community in the US is
  Hilmi AKIL; office at 1667 K Street NW, Washington, DC; telephone
  [1] (202) 887-6198

Czech Republic
  chief of mission: Ambassador Petr KOLAR
  chancery: 3900 Spring of Freedom Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 274-9100
  FAX: [1] (202) 966-8540
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York

Denmark
  chief of mission: Ambassador Friis Arne PETERSEN
  chancery: 3200 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 234-4300
  FAX: [1] (202) 328-1470
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, New York

Dhekelia
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Djibouti
  chief of mission: Ambassador Roble OLHAYE Oudine
  chancery: Suite 515, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005
  telephone: [1] (202) 331-0270
  FAX: [1] (202) 331-0302

Dominica
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires
  Judith Ann ROLLE
  chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016
  telephone: [1] (202) 364-6781
  FAX: [1] (202) 364-6791
  consulate(s) general: New York

Dominican Republic
  chief of mission: Ambassador Roberto SALADIN
  chancery: 1715 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 332-6280
  FAX: [1] (202) 265-8057
  consulate(s) general: Anchorage, Boston, Chicago, Mayaguez (Puerto
  Rico), Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Sun
  Valley (California)

Ecuador
  chief of mission: Ambassador Luis Benigno GALLEGOS Chiriboga
  chancery: 2535 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 234-7200
  FAX: [1] (202) 667-3482
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New
  Orleans, New York, Newark (New Jersey), San Francisco

Egypt
  chief of mission: Ambassador Sameh Hassan SHOUKRY
  chancery: 3521 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 895-5400
  FAX: [1] (202) 244-4319
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, New York, San Francisco

El Salvador
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires
  Francisco ALTSCHUL Fuentes
  chancery: Suite 100, 1400 16th Street, Washington, DC 20036
  telephone: [1] (202) 265-9671
  FAX: [1] (202) 234-3763
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Dallas, Duluth (Georgia), Houston,
  Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York (2), Nogales (Arizona),
  Santa Ana (California), San Francisco, Washington (DC), Woodbridge
  (Virginia)
  consulate(s): Boston, Elizabeth (New Jersey)

Equatorial Guinea
  chief of mission: Ambassador Purificacion ANGUE
  ONDO
  chancery: 2020 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 518-5700
  FAX: [1] (202) 518-5252

Eritrea
  chief of mission: Ambassador GHIRMAI Ghebremariam
  chancery: 1708 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 319-1991
  FAX: [1] (202) 319-1304
  consulate(s) general: Oakland (California)

Estonia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Vaino REINART
  chancery: 2131 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 588-0101
  FAX: [1] (202) 588-0108
  consulate(s) general: New York

Ethiopia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Samuel ASSEFA
  chancery: 3506 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 364-1200
  FAX: [1] (202) 587-0195
  consulate(s) general: Los Angeles
  consulate(s): New York

European Union
  chief of mission: Ambassador John BRUTON
  chancery: 2300 M Street, NW, Washington, DC 20037
  telephone: [1] (202) 862-9500
  FAX: [1] (202) 429-1766

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  none (overseas territory of the
  UK; also claimed by Argentina)

Faroe Islands
  none (self-governing overseas administrative division
  of Denmark)

Fiji
  chief of mission: Ambassador Winston THOMPSON
  chancery: 2000 M Street, NW, Suite 710, Washington, DC 20036
  telephone: [1] (202) 466-8320
  FAX: [1] (202) 466-8325

Finland
  chief of mission: Ambassador Pekka LINTU
  chancery: 3301 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 298-5800
  FAX: [1] (202) 298-6030
  consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York

France
  chief of mission: Ambassador Pierre VIMONT
  chancery: 4101 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007
  telephone: [1] (202) 944-6000
  FAX: [1] (202) 944-6166
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los
  Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco

French Polynesia
  none (overseas lands of France)

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  none (overseas territory of
  France)

Gabon
  chief of mission: Ambassador Carlos BOUNGOU
  chancery: Suite 200, 2034 20th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 797-1000
  FAX: [1] (202) 332-0668
  consulate(s): New York

Gambia, The
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)
  chancery: Suite 600, 1424 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20005
  telephone: [1] (202) 785-1379, 1399, 1425
  FAX: [1] (202) 785-1430

Georgia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Batu KUTELIA
  chancery: 2209 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 387-2390
  FAX: [1] (202) 393-4537
  consulate(s) general: New York

Germany
  chief of mission: Ambassador Klaus SCHARIOTH
  chancery: 4645 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007
  telephone: [1] (202) 298-4000
  FAX: [1] (202) 298-4249
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los
  Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco

Ghana
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires
  Adolphus K. ARTHUR
  chancery: 3512 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 686-4520
  FAX: [1] (202) 686-4527
  consulate(s) general: New York

Gibraltar
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Greece
  chief of mission: Ambassador Vassilis KASKARELIS
  chancery: 2217 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 939-1300
  FAX: [1] (202) 939-1324
  consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San
  Francisco, Tampa
  consulate(s): Atlanta, Houston, New Orleans

Greenland
  none (self-governing overseas administrative division of
  Denmark)

Grenada
  chief of mission: Ambassador Gillian M.S. BRISTOL
  chancery: 1701 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 265-2561
  FAX: [1] (202) 265-2468
  consulate(s) general: New York

Guam
  none (territory of the US)

Guatemala
  chief of mission: Ambassador Francisco VILLAGRAN de Leon
  chancery: 2220 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 745-4952
  FAX: [1] (202) 745-1908
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los
  Angeles, Miami, New York, Phoenix, Providence, San Francisco

Guernsey
  none (British crown dependency)

Guinea
  chief of mission: Ambassador Mory Karamoko KABA
  chancery: 2112 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 986-4300
  FAX: [1] (202) 483-8688

Guinea-Bissau
  chief of mission: none; note - Guinea-Bissau does not
  have official representation in Washington, DC

Guyana
  chief of mission: Ambassador Bayney KARRAN
  chancery: 2490 Tracy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 265-6900
  FAX: [1] (202) 232-1297
  consulate(s) general: New York

Haiti
  chief of mission: Ambassador Raymond JOSEPH
  chancery: 2311 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 332-4090
  FAX: [1] (202) 745-7215
  consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Miami, New York, San Juan
  (Puerto Rico)
  consulate(s): Orlando (Florida)

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  none (territory of Australia)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  chief of mission: Apostolic Nuncio
  Archbishop Pietro SAMBI
  chancery: 3339 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 333-7121
  FAX: [1] (202) 337-4036

Honduras
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires
  Eduardo Enrique REINA Garcia
  chancery: Suite 4-M, 3007 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 966-2604
  FAX: [1] (202) 966-9751
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami,
  New Orleans, New York, Phoenix, San Francisco
  honorary consulate(s): Jacksonville

Hong Kong
  none (special administrative region of China); Hong Kong
  Economic and Trade Office in Washington, New York, and San Francisco
  carries out normal liaison and communication with the US Government
  and other US entities

Hungary
  chief of mission: Ambassador Bela SZOMBATI
  chancery: 3910 Shoemaker Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 362-6730
  FAX: [1] (202) 966-8135
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York

Iceland
  chief of mission: Ambassador Hjalmar W. HANNESSON
  chancery: House of Sweden, 2900 K Street NW #509, Washington, DC
  20007
  telephone: [1] (202) 265-6653
  FAX: [1] (202) 265-6656
  consulate(s) general: New York

India
  chief of mission: Ambassador Meera SHANKAR
  chancery: 2107 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008; note -
  Consular Wing located at 2536 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington,
  DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 939-7000
  FAX: [1] (202) 265-4351
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, New York, San Francisco

Indonesia
  chief of mission: Ambassador SUDJADNAN Parnohadiningrat
  chancery: 2020 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
  telephone: [1] (202) 775-5200
  FAX: [1] (202) 775-5365
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San
  Francisco

Iran
  none; note - Iran has an Interests Section in the Pakistani
  Embassy; address: Iranian Interests Section, Pakistani Embassy, 2209
  Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007; telephone: [1] (202)
  965-4990; FAX [1] (202) 965-1073

Iraq
  chief of mission: Ambassador Samir Shakir al-SUMAYDI
  chancery: 3421 Massachusetts Ave, NW, Washington, DC 20007
  telephone: [1] (202) 742-1600
  FAX: [1] (202) 333-1129

Ireland
  chief of mission: Ambassador Michael COLLINS
  chancery: 2234 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 462-3939
  FAX: [1] (202) 232-5993
  consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, New York, San Francisco

Isle of Man
  none (British crown dependency)

Israel
  chief of mission: Ambassador Michael OREN
  chancery: 3514 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 364-5500
  FAX: [1] (202) 364-5607
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los
  Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco

Italy
  chief of mission: Ambassador Giulio TERZI di Sant'Agata
  chancery: 3000 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 612-4400
  FAX: [1] (202) 518-2151
  consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Miami, New York, Los
  Angeles, Philadelphia, San Francisco
  consulate(s): Detroit

Jamaica
  chief of mission: Ambassador Anthony JOHNSON
  chancery: 1520 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
  telephone: [1] (202) 452-0660
  FAX: [1] (202) 452-0081
  consulate(s) general: Miami, New York

Japan
  chief of mission: Ambassador Ichiro FUJISAKI
  chancery: 2520 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 238-6700
  FAX: [1] (202) 328-2187
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Detroit,
  Agana (Guam), Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York,
  Portland (Oregon), San Francisco, Seattle
  consulate(s): Anchorage, Nashville

Jersey
  none (British crown dependency)

Jordan
  chief of mission: Ambassador ZEID Ra'ad Zeid al-Hussein,
  Prince
  chancery: 3504 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 966-2664
  FAX: [1] (202) 966-3110

Kazakhstan
  chief of mission: Ambassador Yerlan IDRISOV
  chancery: 1401 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036
  telephone: [1] (202) 232-5488
  FAX: [1] (202) 232-5845
  consulate(s) general: Los Angeles
  consulate(s): New York

Kenya
  chief of mission: Ambassador Peter Rateng Oginga OGEGO
  chancery: 2249 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 387-6101
  FAX: [1] (202) 462-3829
  consulate(s) general: Los Angeles
  consulate(s): New York

Kiribati
  Kiribati does not have an embassy in the US; there is an
  honorary consulate in Honolulu

Korea, North
  none; North Korea has a Permanent Mission to the UN in
  New York

Korea, South
  chief of mission: Ambassador HAN Duck-soo
  chancery: 2450 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 939-5600
  FAX: [1] (202) 387-0205
  consulate(s) general: Agana (Guam), Atlanta, Boston, Chicago,
  Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Seattle

Kosovo
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Avni
  SPAHIU
  chancery: 900 19th Street, NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 2006
  telephone: 202-436-3581

Kuwait
  chief of mission: Ambassador SALIM al-Abdallah al-Jabir
  al-Sabah
  chancery: 2940 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 966-0702
  FAX: [1] (202) 364-2868
  consulate(s) general: Los Angeles

Kyrgyzstan
  chief of mission: Ambassador Zamira SYDYKOVA
  chancery: 2360 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 449-9822
  FAX: [1] (202) 386-7550
  consulate(s): New York

Laos
  chief of mission: Ambassador PHIANE Philakone
  chancery: 2222 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 332-6416
  FAX: [1] (202) 332-4923

Latvia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Andrejs PILDEGOVICS
  chancery: 2306 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 328-2840
  FAX: [1] (202) 328-2860

Lebanon
  chief of mission: Ambassador Antoine CHEDID
  chancery: 2560 28th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 939-6300
  FAX: [1] (202) 939-6324
  consulate(s) general: Detroit, New York, Los Angeles

Lesotho
  chief of mission: Ambassador David Mohlomi RANTEKOA
  chancery: 2511 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 797-5533 through 5536
  FAX: [1] (202) 234-6815

Liberia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Milton Nathaniel BARNES
  chancery: 5201 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011
  telephone: [1] (202) 723-0437
  FAX: [1] (202) 723-0436
  consulate(s) general: New York

Libya
  chief of mission: Ambassador Ali Suleiman AUJALI
  chancery: 2600 Virginia Avenue NW, Suite 705, Washington, DC 20037
  telephone: [1] (202) 944-9601
  FAX: [1] (202) 944-9060

Liechtenstein
  chief of mission: Ambassador Claudia FRITSCHE
  chancery: 2900 K Street, NW, Suite 602B, Washington, DC 20007
  telephone: [1] (202) 331-0590
  FAX: [1] (202) 331-3221

Lithuania
  chief of mission: Ambassador Audrius BRUZGA
  chancery: 2622 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 234-5860
  FAX: [1] (202) 328-0466
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, New York

Luxembourg
  chief of mission: Ambassador Jean-Paul SENNINGER
  chancery: 2200 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 265-4171 through 72
  FAX: [1] (202) 328-8270
  consulate(s) general: New York, San Francisco

Macau
  none (special administrative region of China)

Macedonia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Zoran JOLEVSKI
  chancery: 2129 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 667-0501
  FAX: [1] (202) 667-2131
  consulate(s) general: Southfield (Michigan)

Madagascar
  chief of mission: Ambassador Jocelyn Bertin RADIFERA
  chancery: 2374 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 265-5525 through 5526
  FAX: [1] (202) 265-3034
  consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York

Malawi
  chief of mission: Ambassador Hawa NDILOWE
  chancery: 1029 Vermont Avenue, Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20005
  telephone: [1] (202) 721-0270
  FAX: [1] (202) 721-0288

Malaysia
  chief of mission: Ambassador JAMALUDDIN Jarjis
  chancery: 3516 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 572-9700
  FAX: [1] (202) 572-9882
  consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York

Maldives
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge D'Affaires
  Abdul Ghafoor MOHAMED
  chancery: 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400E, New York, NY 10017
  telephone: [1] (212) 599-6195
  FAX: [1] (212) 661-6405

Mali
  chief of mission: Ambassador Abdoulaye DIOP
  chancery: 2130 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 332-2249, 939-8950
  FAX: [1] (202) 332-6603

Malta
  chief of mission: Ambassador Mark MICELI-FARRUGIA
  chancery: 2017 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 462-3611 through 3612
  FAX: [1] (202) 387-5470
  consulate(s): New York

Marshall Islands
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge
  d'Affaires Charles A. PAUL
  chancery: 2433 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 234-5414
  FAX: [1] (202) 232-3236
  consulate(s) general: Honolulu

Mauritania
  chief of mission: Ambassador Ibrahima DIA
  chancery: 2129 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 232-5700 through 5701
  FAX: [1] (202) 319-2623

Mauritius
  chief of mission: Ambassador Keerteecoomar RUHEE
  chancery: 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 441, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 244-1491 through 1492
  FAX: [1] (202) 966-0983

Mayotte
  none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)

Mexico
  chief of mission: Ambassador Arturo SARUKHAN Casamitjana
  chancery: 1911 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20006
  telephone: [1] (202) 728-1600
  FAX: [1] (202) 728-1698
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas,
  Denver, El Paso, Houston, Laredo (Texas), Los Angeles, Miami, New
  York, Nogales (Arizona), Phoenix, Sacramento, Saint Paul
  (Minnesota), San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, San
  Juan (Puerto Rico)
  consulate(s): Albuquerque, Brownsville (Texas), Calexico
  (California), Del Rio (Texas), Detroit, Douglas (Arizona), Eagle
  Pass (Texas), Fresno (California), Indianapolis (Indiana), Kansas
  City (Missouri), Laredo (Texas), Las Vegas, Little Rock (Arkansas),
  McAllen (Texas), New Orleans, Omaha, Orlando, Oxnard (California),
  Philadelphia, Portland (Oregon), Presidio (Texas), Raleigh, Salt
  Lake City, San Bernardino, Santa Ana (California), Seattle, Tucson,
  Yuma (Arizona)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  chief of mission: Ambassador Yosiwo
  GEORGE
  chancery: 1725 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036
  telephone: [1] (202) 223-4383
  FAX: [1] (202) 223-4391
  consulate(s) general: Honolulu, Tamuning (Guam)

Moldova
  chief of mission: Ambassador Nicolae CHIRTOACA
  chancery: 2101 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 667-1130
  FAX: [1] (202) 667-1204

Monaco
  chief of mission: Ambassador to the US and Representative to
  the UN Gilles NOGHES
  chancery: 3400 International Drive NW, Suite 2K-100, Washington, DC
  20008
  telephone: (202) 234-1530
  FAX: (202) 552-5778
  consulate(s) general: New York

Mongolia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Khasbazaryn BEKHBAT
  chancery: 2833 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20007
  telephone: [1] (202) 333-7117
  FAX: [1] (202) 298-9227
  consulate(s) general: New York

Montenegro
  chief of mission: Ambassador Miodrag VLAHOVIC
  chancery: 1610 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 234-6108
  FAX: [1] (202) 234-6109
  consulate(s) general: New York

Montserrat
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Morocco
  chief of mission: Ambassador Aziz MEKOUAR
  chancery: 1601 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 462-7979
  FAX: [1] (202) 265-0161
  consulate(s) general: New York

Mozambique
  chief of mission: Ambassador Armando PANGUENE
  chancery: 1525 New Hampshire Avenue, Washington, DC 20036
  telephone: [1] (202) 293-7146
  FAX: [1] (202) 835-0245

Namibia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Patrick NANDAGO
  chancery: 1605 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 986-0540
  FAX: [1] (202) 986-0443

Nauru
  chief of mission: Ambassador Marlene I. MOSES
  chancery: 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400 D, New York, NY 10017
  telephone: [1] (212) 937-0074
  FAX: [1] (212) 937-0079
  consulate(s): Agana (Guam)

Nepal
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Kali
  POKHREL
  chancery: 2131 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 667-4550
  FAX: [1] (202) 667-5534
  consulate(s) general: New York

Netherlands
  chief of mission: Ambassador Regina "Renee" JONES-BOS
  chancery: 4200 Linnean Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 244-5300, [1] 877-388-2443
  FAX: [1] (202) 362-3430
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York
  consulate(s): Boston

Netherlands Antilles
  none (represented by the Kingdom of the
  Netherlands); note - Mr. Jeffrey CORRION, Minister Plenipotentiary
  for Aruba at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

New Caledonia
  none (overseas territory of France)

New Zealand
  chief of mission: Ambassador Roy N. FERGUSON
  chancery: 37 Observatory Circle NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 328-4800
  FAX: [1] (202) 667-5227
  consulate(s) general: New York, Santa Monica

Nicaragua
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charges d'Affaires
  Alcides J. MONTIEL Barillas
  chancery: 1627 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 939-6570, 6573
  FAX: [1] (202) 939-6545
  consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San
  Francisco

Niger
  chief of mission: Ambassador Aminata Djibrilla Maiga TOURE
  chancery: 2204 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 483-4224 through 4227
  FAX: [1] (202)483-3169

Nigeria
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires
  Baba Gana WIKIL
  chancery: 3519 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 986-8400
  FAX: [1] (202) 775-1385
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, New York

Niue
  none (self-governing territory in free association with New
  Zealand)

Norfolk Island
  none (territory of Australia)

Norway
  chief of mission: Ambassador Wegger C. STROMMEN
  chancery: 2720 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 333-6000
  FAX: [1] (202) 337-0870
  consulate(s) general: Houston, Minneapolis, New York, San Francisco

Oman
  chief of mission: Ambassador Hunaina bint Sultan bin Ahmad
  al-MUGHAIRI
  chancery: 2535 Belmont Road, NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 387-1980
  FAX: [1] (202) 745-4933

Pakistan
  chief of mission: Ambassador Husain HAQQANI
  chancery: 3517 International Court, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 243-6500
  FAX: [1] (202) 686-1544
  consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York, Sunnyvale (California)
  consulate(s): Chicago, Houston

Palau
  chief of mission: Ambassador Hersey KYOTA
  chancery: 1701 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC
  20006
  telephone: [1] (202) 452-6814
  FAX: [1] (202) 452-6281
  consulate(s): Tamuning (Guam)

Panama
  chief of mission: Ambassador Jaime Eduardo ALEMAN Healy
  chancery: 2862 McGill Terrace NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 483-1407
  FAX: [1] (202) 483-8416
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Houston, Miami, New Orleans, New
  York, Philadelphia, San Diego, San Francisco, Tampa

Papua New Guinea
  chief of mission: Ambassador Evan Jeremy PAKI
  chancery: 1779 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite 805, Washington, DC
  20036
  telephone: [1] (202) 745-3680
  FAX: [1] (202) 745-3679

Paraguay
  chief of mission: Ambassador James SPALDING Hellmers
  chancery: 2400 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 483-6960 through 6962
  FAX: [1] (202) 234-4508
  consulate(s) general: Kansas City (Kansas), Los Angeles, Miami, New
  York

Peru
  chief of mission: Ambassador Luis VALDIVIESO Montano
  chancery: 1700 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
  telephone: [1] (202) 833-9860 through 9869
  FAX: [1] (202) 659-8124
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver,
  Hartford, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Paterson (New
  Jersey), San Francisco

Philippines
  chief of mission: Ambassador Willy C. GAA
  chancery: 1600 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
  telephone: [1] (202) 467-9300
  FAX: [1] (202) 467-9417
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York,
  Saipan (Northern Mariana Islands), San Francisco, Tamuning (Guam)

Pitcairn Islands
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Poland
  chief of mission: Ambassador Robert KUPIECKI
  chancery: 2640 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 234-3800 through 3802
  FAX: [1] (202) 328-6271
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York

Portugal
  chief of mission: Ambassador Joao DE VALLERA
  chancery: 2012 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
  telephone: [1] (202) 328-8610
  FAX: [1] (202) 462-3726
  consulate(s) general: Boston, New York, Newark (New Jersey), San
  Francisco
  consulate(s): New Bedford (Massachusetts), Providence (Rhode Island)

Puerto Rico
  none (territory of the US with commonwealth status)

Qatar
  chief of mission: Ambassador Ali Fahad al-Shahwany al-HAJRI
  chancery: 2555 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20037
  telephone: [1] (202) 274-1600 and 274-1603
  FAX: [1] (202) 237-0061
  consulate(s) general: Houston

Romania
  chief of mission: Ambassador Adrian Cosmin VIERITA
  chancery: 1607 23rd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 332-4846, 4848, 4851, 4852
  FAX: [1] (202) 232-4748
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York

Russia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Sergey Ivanovich KISLYAK
  chancery: 2650 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007
  telephone: [1] (202) 298-5700, 5701, 5704, 5708
  FAX: [1] (202) 298-5735
  consulate(s) general: Houston, New York, San Francisco, Seattle

Rwanda
  chief of mission: Ambassador James KOMONYO
  chancery: 1714 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 232-2882
  FAX: [1] (202) 232-4544

Saint Barthelemy
  none (overseas collectivity of France)

Saint Helena
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  chief of mission: Ambassador Izben Cordinal
  WILLIAMS
  chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016
  telephone: [1] (202) 686-2636
  FAX: [1] (202) 686-5740
  consulate(s) general: New York

Saint Lucia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Michael LOUIS
  chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016
  telephone: [1] (202) 364-6792 through 6795
  FAX: [1] (202) 364-6723
  consulate(s) general: Miami, New York

Saint Martin
  none (overseas collectivity of France)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  none (territorial overseas collectivity of
  France)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines chief of mission: Ambassador La Celia A. PRINCE chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 364-6730 FAX: [1] (202) 364-6736 consulate(s) general: New York

Samoa
  chief of mission: Ambassador Aliioaiga Feturi ELISAIA
  chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400J, New York, NY 10017
  telephone: [1] (212) 599-6196 through 6197
  FAX: [1] (212) 599-0797
  consulate(s) general: Pago Pago (American Samoa)

San Marino
  chief of mission: Ambassador Paolo RONDELLI
  chancery: 888 27th Street NW, Suite 900, Washington, DC 20006
  telephone: 202-337-2260

Sao Tome and Principe
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)
  chancery: 400 Park Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10022
  telephone: [1] (212) 317-0580
  FAX: [1] (212) 935-7348

Saudi Arabia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Adil al-Ahmad al-JUBAYR
  chancery: 601 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037
  telephone: [1] (202) 342-3800
  FAX: [1] (202) 944-3113
  consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, New York

Senegal
  chief of mission: Ambassador Amadou Lamine BA
  chancery: 2112 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 234-0540
  FAX: [1] (202) 332-6315
  consulate(s) general: Houston, New York

Serbia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Vladimir PETROVIC
  chancery: 2134 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 332-0333
  FAX: [1] (202) 332-3933
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, New York

Seychelles
  chief of mission: Ambassador Jean Ronald JUMEAU
  chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400C, New York, NY 10017
  telephone: [1] (212) 972-1785
  FAX: [1] (212) 972-1786

Sierra Leone
  chief of mission: Ambassador Bockari Kortu STEVENS
  chancery: 1701 19th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 939-9261 through 9263
  FAX: [1] (202) 483-1793

Singapore
  chief of mission: Ambassador CHAN Heng Chee
  chancery: 3501 International Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 537-3100
  FAX: [1] (202) 537-0876
  consulate(s) general: San Francisco
  consulate(s): New York

Slovakia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Peter BURIAN
  chancery: 3523 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 237-1054
  FAX: [1] (202) 237-6438
  consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York

Slovenia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Roman KIRN
  chancery: 2410 California Street N.W., Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 386-6601
  FAX: [1] (202) 386-6633
  consulate(s) general: Cleveland, New York

Solomon Islands
  chief of mission: Ambassador Collin David BECK
  chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400L, New York, NY 10017
  telephone: [1] (212) 599-6192, 6193
  FAX: [1] (212) 661-8925

Somalia
  Somalia does not have an embassy in the US (ceased
  operations on 8 May 1991); note - the Transitional Federal
  Government is represented in the United States through its Permanent
  Mission to the United Nations

South Africa
  chief of mission: Ambassador Welile Augustine NHLAPO
  chancery: 3051 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 232-4400
  FAX: [1] (202) 265-1607
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York

South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
  none (overseas territory of
  the UK, also claimed by Argentina)

Spain
  chief of mission: Ambassador Jorge DEZCALLAR de Mazarredo
  chancery: 2375 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037
  telephone: [1] (202) 452-0100, 728-2340
  FAX: [1] (202) 833-5670
  consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami,
  New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico)

Sri Lanka
  chief of mission: Ambassador Jaliya Chitran WICKRAMASURIYA
  chancery: 2148 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 483-4025 through 4028
  FAX: [1] (202) 232-7181
  consulate(s) general: Los Angeles
  consulate(s): New York

Sudan
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Akec
  Khoc ACIEW Khoc
  chancery: 2210 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 338-8565
  FAX: [1] (202) 667-2406

Suriname
  chief of mission: Ambassador Jacques Ruben Constantijn KROSS
  chancery: Suite 460, 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 244-7488
  FAX: [1] (202) 244-5878
  consulate(s) general: Miami

Swaziland
  chief of mission: Ambassador Ephraim Mandla HLOPHE
  chancery: 1712 New Hampshire Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 234-5002
  FAX: [1] (202) 234-8254

Sweden
  chief of mission: Ambassador Jonas HAFSTROM
  chancery: The House of Sweden, 2900 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20007
  telephone: [1] (202) 467-2600
  FAX: [1] (202) 467-2699
  consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York

Switzerland
  chief of mission: Ambassador Urs ZISWILER
  chancery: 2900 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 745-7900
  FAX: [1] (202) 387-2564
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San
  Francisco
  consulate(s): Boston

Syria
  chief of mission: Ambassador Imad MOUSTAPHA
  chancery: 2215 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 232-6313
  FAX: [1] (202) 265-4585

Taiwan
  none; commercial and cultural relations with the people in
  the United States are maintained through an unofficial
  instrumentality, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative
  Office in the United States (TECRO), a private nonprofit corporation
  that performs citizen and consular services similar to those at
  diplomatic posts
  representative: Jason C. YUAN
  office: 4201 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016
  telephone: [1] 202 895-1800
  Taipei Economic and Cultural Offices (branch offices): Atlanta,
  Boston, Chicago, Guam, Houston, Honolulu, Kansas City, Los Angeles,
  Miami, New York, San Francisco, Seattle

Tajikistan
  chief of mission: Ambassador Abdujabbor SHIRINOV
  chancery: 1005 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037
  telephone: [1] (202) 223-6090
  FAX: [1] (202) 223-6091

Tanzania
  chief of mission: Ambassador Ombeni Yohana SEFUE
  chancery: 2139 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 939-6125
  FAX: [1] (202) 797-7408

Thailand
  chief of mission: Ambassador DON Pramudwinai
  chancery: 1024 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 401, Washington, DC 20007
  telephone: [1] (202) 944-3600
  FAX: [1] (202) 944-3611
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York

Timor-Leste
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires
  Jorge Trindade NEVES de Camoes
  chancery: 4201 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 504,Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 966-3202
  FAX: [1] (202) 966-3205

Togo
  chief of mission: Ambassador Kadangha Limbiya BARIKI
  chancery: 2208 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 234-4212
  FAX: [1] (202) 232-3190

Tokelau
  none (territory of New Zealand)

Tonga
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires
  Viliami MALOLO
  chancery: 250 East 51st Street, New York, NY 10022
  telephone: [1] (917) 369-1025
  FAX: [1] (917) 369-1024
  consulate(s) general: San Francisco

Trinidad and Tobago
  chief of mission: Ambassador Glenda
  MOREAN-PHILLIP
  chancery: 1708 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
  telephone: [1] (202) 467-6490
  FAX: [1] (202) 785-3130
  consulate(s) general: Miami, New York

Tunisia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Habib MANSOUR
  chancery: 1515 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005
  telephone: [1] (202) 862-1850
  FAX: [1] (202) 862-1858

Turkey
  chief of mission: Ambassador Nabi SENSOY
  chancery: 2525 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 612-6700
  FAX: [1] (202) 612-6744
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York

Turkmenistan
  chief of mission: Ambassador Meret Bairamovich ORAZOW
  chancery: 2207 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 588-1500
  FAX: [1] (202) 588-0697

Turks and Caicos Islands
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Tuvalu
  Tuvalu does not have an embassy in the US - the country's
  only diplomatic post is in Fiji - Tuvalu does, however, have a UN
  office located at 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400D, New York, NY 10017,
  telephone: [1] (212) 490-0534

Uganda
  chief of mission: Ambassador Perezi Karukubiro KAMUNANWIRE
  chancery: 5911 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011
  telephone: [1] (202) 726-7100 through 7102, 0416
  FAX: [1] (202) 726-1727

Ukraine
  chief of mission: Ambassador Oleh V. SHAMSHUR
  chancery: 3350 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20007
  telephone: [1] (202) 333-0606
  FAX: [1] (202) 333-0817
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, New York, San Francisco

United Arab Emirates
  chief of mission: Ambassador Yousef bin Mani
  Saeed al-OTAIBA
  chancery: 3522 International Court NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC
  20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 243-2400
  FAX: [1] (202) 243-2432

United Kingdom
  chief of mission: Ambassador Sir Nigel E. SHEINWALD
  chancery: 3100 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 588-6500
  FAX: [1] (202) 588-7870
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los
  Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco
  consulate(s): Dallas, Denver, Orlando

Uruguay
  chief of mission: Ambassador Carlos Alberto GIANELLI Derois
  chancery: 1913 I Street NW, Washington, DC 20006
  telephone: [1] (202) 331-1313 through 1316
  FAX: [1] (202) 331-8142
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York
  consulate(s): San Juan (Puerto Rico)

Uzbekistan
  chief of mission: Ambassador Abdulaziz KAMILOV
  chancery: 1746 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
  telephone: [1] (202) 887-5300
  FAX: [1] (202) 293-6804
  consulate(s) general: New York

Vanuatu
  Vanuatu does not have an embassy in the US; it does,
  however, have a Permanent Mission to the UN

Venezuela
  chief of mission: Ambassador Bernardo ALVAREZ Herrera
  chancery: 1099 30th Street NW, Washington, DC 20007
  telephone: [1] (202) 342-2214
  FAX: [1] (202) 342-6820
  consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Miami, New Orleans,
  New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico)

Vietnam
  chief of mission: Ambassador Le Cong PHUNG
  chancery: 1233 20th Street NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20036
  telephone: [1] (202) 861-0737
  FAX: [1] (202) 861-0917
  consulate(s) general: San Francisco

Virgin Islands
  none (territory of the US)

Wallis and Futuna
  none (overseas territory of France)

Western Sahara
  none

Yemen
  chief of mission: Ambassador Abd al-Wahab Abdallah al-HAJRI
  chancery: 2319 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 965-4760
  FAX: [1] (202) 337-2017

Zambia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Inonge MBIKUSITA-LEWANIKA
  chancery: 2419 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 265-9717 through 9719
  FAX: [1] (202) 332-0826

Zimbabwe
  chief of mission: Ambassador Machivenyika MAPURANGA
  chancery: 1608 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 332-7100
  FAX: [1] (202) 483-9326

======================================================================

@2150

Field Listing :: Telephones - main lines in use

  This entry gives the total number of main telephone lines in use.
  Country Comparison to the World
  Country

Telephones - main lines in use

Afghanistan
  460,000 (2008)

Albania
  316,400 (2008)

Algeria
  3.314 million (2008)

American Samoa
  10,400 (2008)

Andorra
  37,400 (2008)

Angola
  114,300 (2008)

Anguilla
  5,800 (2008)

Antarctica
  0; note - information for US bases only (2001)

Antigua and Barbuda
  38,000 (2008)

Argentina
  9.631 million (2008)

Armenia
  650,000 (2008)

Aruba
  38,500 (2008)

Australia
  9.37 million (2008)

Austria
  3.285 million (2008)

Azerbaijan
  1.311 million (2008)

Bahamas, The
  133,000 (2008)

Bahrain
  220,000 (2008)

Bangladesh
  1.39 million (2009)

Barbados
  150,000 (2008)

Belarus
  3.718 million (2008)

Belgium
  4.457 million (2008)

Belize
  31,100 (2008)

Benin
  159,000 (2008)

Bermuda
  57,600 (2008)

Bhutan
  27,500 (2008)

Bolivia
  690,000 (2008)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  1.031 million (2008)

Botswana
  142,300 (2008)

Brazil
  41.141 million (2008)

British Indian Ocean Territory
  NA

British Virgin Islands
  18,900 (2008)

Brunei
  76,600 (2008)

Bulgaria
  2.258 million (2008)

Burkina Faso
  144,000 (2008)

Burma
  829,000 (2008)

Burundi
  30,400 (2008)

Cambodia
  45,100 (2008)

Cameroon
  198,300 (2008)

Canada
  18.25 million (2008)

Cape Verde
  72,000 (2008)

Cayman Islands
  38,000 (2008)

Central African Republic
  12,000 (2008)

Chad
  13,000 (2008)

Chile
  3.526 million (2008)

China
  365.6 million (2007)

Christmas Island
  NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  287 (1992)

Colombia
  6.82 million (2008)

Comoros
  23,300 (2008)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  37,300 (2008)

Congo, Republic of the
  22,200 (2008)

Cook Islands
  6,700 (2008)

Costa Rica
  1.438 million (2008)

Cote d'Ivoire
  356,500 (2008)

Croatia
  1.851 million (2008)

Cuba
  1.104 million (2008)

Cyprus
  area under government control: 413,300 (2008); area
  administered by Turkish Cypriots: 86,228 (2002)

Czech Republic
  2.278 million (2008)

Denmark
  2.487 million (2008)

Djibouti
  10,800 (2008)

Dominica
  17,500 (2008)

Dominican Republic
  985,700 (2008)

Ecuador
  1.91 million (2008)

Egypt
  12.011 million (2008)

El Salvador
  1.077 million (2008)

Equatorial Guinea
  10,000 (2008)

Eritrea
  40,400 (2008)

Estonia
  498,100 (2008)

Ethiopia
  908,900 (2008)

European Union
  238 million (2005)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  2,300 (2008)

Faroe Islands
  21,800 (2008)

Fiji
  129,100 (2008)

Finland
  1.65 million (2008)

France
  35.909 million; 35.0 million (metropolitan France) (2008)

French Polynesia
  54,600 (2008)

Gabon
  26,500 (2008)

Gambia, The
  48,900 (2008)

Gaza Strip
  348,000 (includes West Bank) (2008)

Georgia
  618,000 (2008)

Germany
  51.5 million (2008)

Ghana
  143,900 (2008)

Gibraltar
  24,000 (2008)

Greece
  5.975 million (2008)

Greenland
  22,800 (2008)

Grenada
  28,600 (2008)

Guam
  65,500 (2008)

Guatemala
  1.449 million (2008)

Guernsey
  45,100 (2008)

Guinea
  50,000 (2008)

Guinea-Bissau
  4,600 (2008)

Guyana
  125,000 (2008)

Haiti
  108,000 (2008)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  5,120 (2005)

Honduras
  825,800 (2008)

Hong Kong
  4.108 million (2008)

Hungary
  3.094 million (2008)

Iceland
  187,000 (2008)

India
  37.54 million (2009)

Indonesia
  30.378 million (2008)

Iran
  24.8 million (2008)

Iraq
  1.082 million (2008)

Ireland
  2.202 million (2008)

Isle of Man
  51,000 (1999)

Israel
  2.9 million (2008)

Italy
  20.031 million (2008)

Jamaica
  316,600 (2008)

Japan
  47.579 million (2008)

Jersey
  74,000 (2008)

Jordan
  519,000 (2008)

Kazakhstan
  3.41 million (2008)

Kenya
  252,300 (2008)

Kiribati
  4,000 (2008)

Korea, North
  1.18 million (2008)

Korea, South
  21.325 million (2008)

Kosovo
  106,300 (2006)

Kuwait
  541,000 (2008)

Kyrgyzstan
  494,500 (2008)

Laos
  97,600 (2008)

Latvia
  644,000 (2008)

Lebanon
  714,000 (2008)

Lesotho
  65,200 (2008)

Liberia
  2,000 (2008)

Libya
  1.033 million (2008)

Liechtenstein
  19,600 (2008)

Lithuania
  784,900 (2008)

Luxembourg
  260,600 (2008)

Macau
  173,533 (2009)

Macedonia
  457,100 (2008)

Madagascar
  164,900 (2008)

Malawi
  236,000 (2008)

Malaysia
  4.292 million (2008)

Maldives
  50,396 (2009)

Mali
  82,800 (2008)

Malta
  241,100 (2008)

Marshall Islands
  4,400 (2008)

Mauritania
  76,400 (2008)

Mauritius
  364,500 (2008)

Mayotte
  10,000 (2008)

Mexico
  20.539 million (2008)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  8,700 (2008)

Moldova
  1.115 million (2008)

Monaco
  35,000 (2008)

Mongolia
  165,000 (2008)

Montenegro
  362,000 (2008)

Montserrat
  2,800 (2008)

Morocco
  2.991 million (2008)

Mozambique
  78,300 (2008)

Namibia
  140,000 (2008)

Nauru
  1,800 (2008)

Nepal
  805,100 (2008)

Netherlands
  7.324 million (2008)

Netherlands Antilles
  88,000 (2008)

New Caledonia
  63,000 (2008)

New Zealand
  1.75 million (2008)

Nicaragua
  312,000 (2008)

Niger
  24,000 (2008)

Nigeria
  1.308 million (2008)

Niue
  1,000 (2008)

Norfolk Island
  2,532; note - a mix of analog (2,500) and digital
  (32) circuits (2004)

Northern Mariana Islands
  24,700 (2008)

Norway
  1.928 million (2008)

Oman
  274,200 (2008)

Pakistan
  4.546 million (2008)

Palau
  7,500 (2008)

Panama
  495,800 (2008)

Papua New Guinea
  60,000 (2008)

Paraguay
  363,000 (2008)

Peru
  2.878 million (2008)

Philippines
  3.905 million (2008)

Pitcairn Islands 1 (there are 17 telephones on one party line); (2004)

Poland
  10.336 million (2008)

Portugal
  4.121 million (2008)

Puerto Rico
  1.038 million (2008)

Qatar
  263,400 (2008)

Romania
  5.036 million (2007)

Russia
  44.2 million (2008)

Rwanda
  16,800 (2008)

Saint Helena
  2,300 (2008)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  20,400 (2008)

Saint Lucia
  40,900 (2008)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  4,800 (2008)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  22,800 (2008)

Samoa
  28,800 (2008)

San Marino
  21,300 (2008)

Sao Tome and Principe
  7,700 (2008)

Saudi Arabia
  4.1 million (2008)

Senegal
  237,800 (2008)

Serbia
  3.085 million (2008)

Seychelles
  23,200 (2008)

Sierra Leone
  31,500 (2008)

Singapore
  1.857 million (2008)

Slovakia
  1.098 million (2008)

Slovenia
  1.01 million (2008)

Solomon Islands
  8,000 (2008)

Somalia
  100,000 (2008)

South Africa
  4.425 million (2008)

Spain
  20.2 million (2008)

Sri Lanka
  3.446 million (2008)

Sudan
  356,100 (2008)

Suriname
  81,500 (2008)

Svalbard
  NA

Swaziland
  44,000 (2008)

Sweden
  5.323 million (2008)

Switzerland
  4.82 million (2008)

Syria
  3.633 million (2008)

Taiwan
  14.273 million (2008)

Tajikistan
  360,000 (2008)

Tanzania
  179,849 (2009)

Thailand
  7.024 million (2008)

Timor-Leste
  2,400 (2008)

Togo
  140,900 (2008)

Tokelau
  300 (2008)

Tonga
  25,500 (2008)

Trinidad and Tobago
  307,000 (2008)

Tunisia
  1.239 million (2008)

Turkey
  17.502 million (2008)

Turkmenistan
  495,000 (2008)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  3,700 (2008)

Tuvalu
  1,500 (2008)

Uganda
  168,500 (2008)

Ukraine
  13.177 million (2008)

United Arab Emirates
  1.508 million (2008)

United Kingdom
  33.209 million (2008)

United States
  150 million (2008)

Uruguay
  959,300 (2008)

Uzbekistan
  1.85 million (2008)

Vanuatu
  10,400 (2008)

Venezuela
  6.304 million (2008)

Vietnam
  29.591 million (2008)

Virgin Islands
  74,200 (2008)

Wallis and Futuna
  2,700 (2008)

West Bank
  348,000 (includes Gaza Strip) (2008)

Western Sahara
  about 2,000 (1999 est.)

World
  1.268 billion (2008)

Yemen
  1.117 million (2008)

Zambia
  90,600 (2008)

Zimbabwe
  354,000 (2008)

======================================================================

@2151

Field Listing :: Telephones - mobile cellular

  This entry gives the total number of mobile cellular telephone
  subscribers.
  Country Comparison to the World
  Country

Telephones - mobile cellular

Afghanistan
  8.45 million (2008)

Albania
  3.141 million (2008)

Algeria
  31.871 million (2008)

American Samoa
  2,200 (2004)

Andorra
  64,200 (2008)

Angola
  6.773 million (2008)

Anguilla
  13,100 (2005)

Antigua and Barbuda
  136,600 (2008)

Argentina
  46.509 million (2008)

Armenia
  2.336 million (2008)

Aruba
  127,100 (2008)

Australia
  22.12 million (2008)

Austria
  10.816 million (2008)

Azerbaijan
  6.548 million (2008)

Bahamas, The
  358,000 (2008)

Bahrain
  1.4 million (2008)

Bangladesh
  45.75 million (2009)

Barbados
  406,000 (2008)

Belarus
  8.693 million (2008)

Belgium
  11.822 million (2008)

Belize
  160,000 (2008)

Benin
  3.435 million (2008)

Bermuda
  79,000 (2008)

Bhutan
  251,000 (2008)

Bolivia
  4.83 million (2008)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  3.179 million (2008)

Botswana
  1.486 million (2008)

Brazil
  150.641 million (2008)

British Virgin Islands
  23,000 (2008)

Brunei
  376,000 (2008)

Bulgaria
  10.633 million (2008)

Burkina Faso
  2.553 million (2008)

Burma
  375,800 (2008)

Burundi
  480,600 (2008)

Cambodia
  4.237 million (2008)

Cameroon
  6.161 million (2008)

Canada
  21.455 million (2008)

Cape Verde
  277,700 (2008)

Cayman Islands
  33,800 (2004)

Central African Republic
  154,000 (2008)

Chad
  1.809 million (2008)

Chile
  14.797 million (2008)

China
  634 million (2008)

Colombia
  41.365 million (2008)

Comoros
  42,000 (2008)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  9.263 million (2008)

Congo, Republic of the
  1.807 million (2008)

Cook Islands
  6,700 (2008)

Costa Rica
  1.887 million (2008)

Cote d'Ivoire
  10.449 million (2008)

Croatia
  5.924 million (2008)

Cuba
  331,700 (2008)

Cyprus
  area under government control: 1.017 million (2008); area
  administered by Turkish Cypriots: 147,522 (2002)

Czech Republic
  13.78 million (2008)

Denmark
  6.551 million (2008)

Djibouti
  44,100 (2005)

Dominica
  100,000 (2008)

Dominican Republic
  7.21 million (2008)

Ecuador
  11.595 million (2008)

Egypt
  41.272 million (2008)

El Salvador
  6.951 million (2008)

Equatorial Guinea
  346,000 (2008)

Eritrea
  108,600 (2008)

Estonia
  2.525 million (2008)

Ethiopia
  3.168 million (2008)

European Union
  466 million (2005)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  3,000 (2008)

Faroe Islands
  54,900 (2008)

Fiji
  600,000 (2008)

Finland
  6.83 million (2008)

France
  59.259 million; 57.972 million (metropolitan France) (2008)

French Polynesia
  187,100 (2008)

Gabon
  1.3 million (2008)

Gambia, The
  1.166 million (2008)

Gaza Strip
  1.153 million (includes West Bank) (2008)

Georgia
  2.755 million (2008)

Germany
  107.245 million (2008)

Ghana
  11.57 million (2008)

Gibraltar
  18,400 (2004)

Greece
  13.799 million (2008)

Greenland
  55,800 (2008)

Grenada
  60,000 (2008)

Guam
  98,000 (2004)

Guatemala
  14.949 million (2008)

Guernsey
  43,800 (2004)

Guinea
  2.6 million (2008)

Guinea-Bissau
  500,200 (2008)

Guyana
  281,400 (2005)

Haiti
  3.2 million (2008)

Honduras
  6.211 million (2008)

Hong Kong
  11.374 million (2008)

Hungary
  12.224 million (2008)

Iceland
  342,000 (2008)

India
  427.3 million (2009)

Indonesia
  140.578 million (2008)

Iran
  43 million (2008)

Iraq
  17.529 million (2008)

Ireland
  5.048 million (2008)

Israel
  8.902 million (2008)

Italy
  88.58 million (2008)

Jamaica
  2.723 million (2008)

Japan
  110.395 million (2008)

Jersey
  83,900 (2004)

Jordan
  5.314 million (2008)

Kazakhstan
  14.911 million (2008)

Kenya
  16.234 million (2008)

Kiribati
  1,000 (2008)

Korea, South
  45.607 million (2008)

Kosovo
  562,000 (2007)

Kuwait
  2.907 million (2008)

Kyrgyzstan
  3.394 million (2008)

Laos
  1.822 million (2008)

Latvia
  2.234 million (2008)

Lebanon
  1.43 million (2008)

Lesotho
  581,000 (2008)

Liberia
  732,000 (2008)

Libya
  4.828 million (2008)

Liechtenstein
  34,000 (2008)

Lithuania
  5.023 million (2008)

Luxembourg
  707,000 (2008)

Macau
  993,545 (2009)

Macedonia
  2.502 million (2008)

Madagascar
  4.835 million (2008)

Malawi
  1.781 million (2008)

Malaysia
  27.125 million (2008)

Maldives
  450,500 (2009)

Mali
  3.267 million (2008)

Malta
  385,600 (2008)

Marshall Islands
  1,000 (2008)

Mauritania
  2.092 million (2008)

Mauritius
  1.033 million (2008)

Mayotte
  48,100 (2005)

Mexico
  75.304 million (2008)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  34,000 (2008)

Moldova
  2.423 million (2008)

Monaco
  22,000 (2008)

Mongolia
  1.796 million (2008)

Montenegro
  735,000 (2008)

Montserrat
  3,000 (2008)

Morocco
  22.816 million (2008)

Mozambique
  4.405 million (2008)

Namibia
  1.052 million (2008)

Nauru
  1,500 (2002)

Nepal
  4.2 million (2008)

Netherlands
  19.927 million (2008)

Netherlands Antilles
  200,000 (2004)

New Caledonia
  196,500 (2008)

New Zealand
  4.62 million (2008)

Nicaragua
  3.039 million (2008)

Niger
  1.677 million (2008)

Nigeria
  62.988 million (2008)

Niue
  600 (2004)

Norfolk Island
  0; note - proposed cellular service disallowed in
  August 2002 island referendum (2002)

Northern Mariana Islands
  20,500 (2004)

Norway
  5.287 million (2008)

Oman
  3.219 million (2008)

Pakistan
  91.44 million (2009)

Palau
  12,000 (2008)

Panama
  3.805 million (2008)

Papua New Guinea
  600,000 (2008)

Paraguay
  5.791 million (2008)

Peru
  20.952 million (2008)

Philippines
  68.102 million (2008)

Poland
  44.004 million (2008)

Portugal
  14.91 million (2008)

Puerto Rico
  3.354 million (2005)

Qatar
  1.683 million (2008)

Romania
  24.467 million (2008)

Russia
  187.5 million (2008)

Rwanda
  1.323 million (2008)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  80,000 (2008)

Saint Lucia
  169,600 (2008)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  130,100 (2008)

Samoa
  124,000 (2008)

San Marino
  17,700 (2008)

Sao Tome and Principe
  49,000 (2008)

Saudi Arabia
  36 million (2008)

Senegal
  5.389 million (2008)

Serbia
  9.619 million (2008)

Seychelles
  85,300 (2008)

Sierra Leone
  1.009 million (2008)

Singapore
  6.375 million (2008)

Slovakia
  5.52 million (2008)

Slovenia
  2.055 million (2008)

Solomon Islands
  14,000 (2008)

Somalia
  627,000 (2008)

South Africa
  45 million (2008)

Spain
  49.682 million (2008)

Sri Lanka
  11.082 million (2008)

Sudan
  11.186 million (2008)

Suriname
  416,000 (2008)

Swaziland
  457,000 (2008)

Sweden
  10.988 million (2008)

Switzerland
  8.78 million (2008)

Syria
  7.056 million (2008)

Taiwan
  25.412 million (2008)

Tajikistan
  3.5 million (2009)

Tanzania
  14.723 million (2009)

Thailand
  62 million (2008)

Timor-Leste
  101,000 (2008)

Togo
  1.547 million (2008)

Tonga
  50,500 (2008)

Trinidad and Tobago
  1.505 million (2008)

Tunisia
  8.569 million (2008)

Turkey
  65.824 million (2008)

Turkmenistan
  810,000 (2008)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  25,100 (2004)

Tuvalu
  2,000 (2008)

Uganda
  8.555 million (2008)

Ukraine
  55.695 million (2008)

United Arab Emirates
  9.358 million (2008)

United Kingdom
  75.565 million (2008)

United States
  270 million (2008)

Uruguay
  3.508 million (2008)

Uzbekistan
  12.734 million (2008)

Vanuatu
  36,000 (2008)

Venezuela
  27.084 million (2008)

Vietnam
  70 million (2008)

Virgin Islands
  80,300 (2005)

Wallis and Futuna
  NA

West Bank
  1.153 million (includes Gaza Strip) (2008)

Western Sahara
  0 (1999)

World
  4,017.294 million (2008)

Yemen
  3.7 million (2008)

Zambia
  3.539 million (2008)

Zimbabwe
  1.655 million (2008)

======================================================================

@2152

Field Listing :: Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

Country

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

Afghanistan
  1 (2000)

Albania
  10 (2001)

Algeria
  2 (2000)

American Samoa
  1 (2000)

Andorra
  1 (2000)

Angola
  1 (2000)

Anguilla
  16 (2000)

Antarctica
  NA

Antigua and Barbuda
  16 (2000)

Argentina
  33 (2000)

Armenia
  9 (2001)

Aruba
  NA

Australia
  571 (2002)

Austria
  37 (2000)

Azerbaijan
  2 (2000)

Bahamas, The
  19 (2000)

Bahrain
  1 (2000)

Bangladesh
  10 (2000)

Barbados
  19 (2000)

Belarus
  23 (2002)

Belgium
  61 (2000)

Belize
  2 (2000)

Benin
  4 (2002)

Bermuda
  20 (2000)

Bhutan
  NA

Bolivia
  9 (2000)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  3 (2000)

Botswana
  11 (2001)

Brazil
  50 (2000)

British Indian Ocean Territory
  1 (2000)

British Virgin Islands
  16 (2000)

Brunei
  2 (2000)

Bulgaria
  200 (2001)

Burkina Faso
  1 (2002)

Burma
  1
  note: as of September 2000, Internet connections were legal only for
  the government, tourist offices, and a few large businesses (2000)

Burundi
  1 (2000)

Cambodia
  2 (2000)

Cameroon
  1 (2002)

Canada
  760 (2000 est.)

Cape Verde
  1 (2002)

Cayman Islands
  16 (2000)

Central African Republic
  1 (2002)

Chad
  1 (2002)

Chile
  7 (2000)

China
  3 (2000)

Christmas Island
  2 (2000)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  2 (2000)

Colombia
  18 (2000)

Comoros
  1 (2000)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  1 (2001)

Congo, Republic of the
  1 (2000)

Cook Islands
  3 (2000)

Costa Rica
  3 (of which only one is legal) (2000)

Cote d'Ivoire
  5 (2001)

Croatia
  9 (2000)

Cuba
  5 (2001)

Cyprus
  6 (2000)

Czech Republic
  more than 300 (2000)

Denmark
  13 (2000)

Djibouti
  1 (2000)

Dominica
  16 (2000)

Dominican Republic
  24 (2000)

Ecuador
  31 (2001)

Egypt
  50 (2000)

El Salvador
  4 (2000)

Equatorial Guinea
  1 (2002)

Eritrea
  5 (2001)

Estonia
  38 (2001)

Ethiopia
  1 (2002)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  2 (2000)

Faroe Islands
  2 (2000)

Fiji
  2 (2000)

Finland
  3 (2002)

France
  62 (2000)

French Polynesia
  2 (2000)

Gabon
  1 (2001)

Gambia, The
  2 (2001)

Gaza Strip
  3 (1999)

Georgia
  6 (2000)

Germany
  200 (2001)

Ghana
  12 (2000)

Gibraltar
  2 (2000)

Greece
  27 (2000)

Greenland
  1 (2000)

Grenada
  14 (2000)

Guam
  20 (2000)

Guatemala
  5 (2000)

Guernsey
  NA

Guinea
  4 (2001)

Guinea-Bissau
  2 (2002)

Guyana
  3 (2000)

Haiti
  3 (2000)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  NA

Honduras
  8 (2000)

Hong Kong
  17 (2000)

Hungary
  16 (2000)

Iceland
  20 (2001)

India
  43 (2000)

Indonesia
  24 (2000)

Iran
  100 (2002)

Iraq
  1 (2000)

Ireland
  22 (2000)

Isle of Man
  NA

Israel
  21 (2000)

Italy
  93 (Italy and Holy See) (2000)

Jamaica
  21 (2000)

Jan Mayen
  13 (Jan Mayen and Svalbard) (2000)

Japan
  73 (2000)

Jersey
  NA

Jordan
  5 (2000)

Kazakhstan
  10 (with their own international channels) (2001)

Kenya
  65 (2001)

Kiribati
  1 (2000)

Korea, North
  1 (2000)

Korea, South
  11 (2000)

Kuwait
  3 (2000)

Kyrgyzstan
  NA

Laos
  1 (2000)

Latvia
  41 (2001)

Lebanon
  22 (2000)

Lesotho
  1 (2000)

Liberia
  2 (2001)

Libya
  1 (2002)

Liechtenstein
  44 (Liechtenstein and Switzerland) (2000)

Lithuania
  32 (2001)

Luxembourg
  8 (2000)

Macau
  1 (2000)

Macedonia
  6 (2000)

Madagascar
  2 (2000)

Malawi
  3 (2002)

Malaysia
  7 (2000)

Maldives
  1 (2000)

Mali
  13 (2001)

Malta
  6 (2002)

Marshall Islands
  1 (2002)

Mauritania
  5 (2001)

Mauritius
  2 (2000)

Mayotte
  NA

Mexico
  51 (2000)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  1 (2000)

Moldova
  2 (1999)

Monaco
  2 (2000)

Mongolia
  5 (2001)

Montserrat
  17 (2000)

Morocco
  8 (2000)

Mozambique
  11 (2002)

Namibia
  2 (2000)

Nauru
  1 (2000)

Nepal
  6 (2000)

Netherlands
  52 (2000)

Netherlands Antilles
  6

New Caledonia
  1 (2000)

New Zealand
  36 (2000)

Nicaragua
  3 (2000)

Niger
  1 (2002)

Nigeria
  11 (2000)

Niue
  1 (2000)

Norfolk Island
  2 (2000)

Northern Mariana Islands
  1 (2001)

Norway
  13 (2000)

Oman
  1 (2000)

Pakistan
  30 (2000)

Palau
  1 (2002)

Panama
  6 (2000)

Papua New Guinea
  3 (2000)

Paraguay
  4 (2000)

Peru
  10 (2000)

Philippines
  33 (2000)

Pitcairn Islands
  NA

Poland
  19 (2000)

Portugal
  16 (2000)

Puerto Rico
  76 (2000)

Qatar
  1 (2000)

Romania
  38 (2000)

Russia
  300 (June 2000)

Rwanda
  2 (2002)

Saint Helena
  1 (2000)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  16 (2000)

Saint Lucia
  15 (2000)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  1 (2000)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  15 (2000)

Samoa
  2 (2000)

San Marino
  2 (2000)

Sao Tome and Principe
  1 (2002)

Saudi Arabia
  22 (2003)

Senegal
  1 (2002)

Seychelles
  1 (2000)

Sierra Leone
  1 (2001)

Singapore
  9 (2000)

Slovakia
  6 (2000)

Slovenia
  11 (2000)

Solomon Islands
  1 (2000)

Somalia
  3 (one each in Boosaaso, Hargeisa, and Mogadishu) (2000)

South Africa
  150 (2001)

Spain
  56 (2000)

Sri Lanka
  5 (2000)

Sudan
  2 (2002)

Suriname
  2 (2000)

Svalbard
  13 (Svalbard and Jan Mayen) (2000)

Swaziland
  5 (2002)

Sweden
  29 (2000)

Switzerland
  44 (Switzerland and Liechtenstein) (2000)

Syria
  1 (2000)

Taiwan
  8 (2000)

Tajikistan
  4 (2002)

Tanzania
  6 (2000)

Thailand
  15 (2000)

Timor-Leste
  NA

Togo
  3 (2001)

Tokelau
  1 (2000)

Tonga
  2 (2000)

Trinidad and Tobago
  17 (2000)

Tunisia
  1 (2000)

Turkey
  50 (2001)

Turkmenistan
  1

Turks and Caicos Islands
  14 (2000)

Tuvalu
  1 (2000)

Uganda
  2 (2000)

Ukraine
  260 (2001)

United Arab Emirates
  1 (2000)

United Kingdom
  more than 400 (2000)

United States
  7,000 (2002 est.)

Uruguay
  14 (2001)

Uzbekistan
  42 (2000)

Vanuatu
  1 (2000)

Venezuela
  16 (2000)

Vietnam
  5 (2000)

Virgin Islands
  50 (2000)

Wallis and Futuna
  1 (2000)

West Bank
  8 (1999)

Western Sahara
  1 (2000)

World
  10,350 (2000 est.)

Yemen
  1 (2000)

Zambia
  5 (2001)

Zimbabwe
  6 (2000)

======================================================================

@2153

Field Listing :: Internet users

This entry gives the number of users within a country that access the Internet. Statistics vary from country to country and may include users who access the Internet at least several times a week to those who access it only once within a period of several months. Country Comparison to the World Country

Internet users

Afghanistan
  500,000 (2008)

Albania
  471,000 (2008)

Algeria
  4.1 million (2008)

American Samoa
  NA

Andorra
  59,100 (2008)

Angola
  550,000 (2008)

Anguilla
  4,500 (2008)

Antigua and Barbuda
  65,000 (2008)

Argentina
  11.212 million (2008)

Armenia
  191,000 (2008)

Aruba
  24,000 (2008)

Australia
  15.17 million (2008)

Austria
  5.937 million (2008)

Azerbaijan
  1.485 million (2008)

Bahamas, The
  106,500 (2008)

Bahrain
  402,900 (2008)

Bangladesh
  556,000 (2008)

Barbados
  188,000 (2008)

Belarus
  3.107 million (2008)

Belgium
  7.292 million (2008)

Belize
  34,000 (2008)

Benin
  160,000 (2008)

Bermuda
  51,000 (2008)

Bhutan
  40,000 (2008)

Bolivia
  1 million (2008)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  1.308 million (2008)

Botswana
  120,000 (2008)

Brazil
  64.948 million (2008)

British Virgin Islands
  4,000 (2002)

Brunei
  217,000 (2008)

Bulgaria
  2.647 million (2008)

Burkina Faso
  140,000 (2008)

Burma
  108,900 (2008)

Burundi
  65,000 (2008)

Cambodia
  74,000 (2008)

Cameroon
  725,000 (2008)

Canada
  25.086 million (2008)

Cape Verde
  102,800 (2008)

Cayman Islands
  23,000 (2008)

Central African Republic
  19,000 (2008)

Chad
  130,000 (2008)

Chile
  5.456 million (2008)

China
  298 million (2008)

Christmas Island
  464 (2001)

Colombia
  17.117 million (2008)

Comoros
  23,000 (2008)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  290,000 (2008)

Congo, Republic of the
  155,000 (2008)

Cook Islands
  5,000 (2008)

Costa Rica
  1.46 million (2008)

Cote d'Ivoire
  660,000 (2008)

Croatia
  1.88 million (2008)

Cuba
  1.45 million
  note: private citizens are prohibited from buying computers or
  accessing the Internet without special authorization; foreigners may
  access the Internet in large hotels but are subject to firewalls;
  some Cubans buy illegal passwords on the black market or take
  advantage of public outlets to access limited email and the
  government-controlled "intranet" (2008)

Cyprus
  334,400 (2008)

Czech Republic
  6.028 million (2008)

Denmark
  4.579 million (2008)

Djibouti
  13,000 (2008)

Dominica
  27,500 (2008)

Dominican Republic
  2.147 million (2008)

Ecuador
  1.31 million (2008)

Egypt
  11.414 million (2008)

El Salvador
  826,000 (2008)

Equatorial Guinea
  12,000 (2008)

Eritrea
  200,000 (2008)

Estonia
  888,100 (2008)

Ethiopia
  360,000 (2008)

European Union
  247 million (2006)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  2,800 (2008)

Faroe Islands
  37,500 (2008)

Fiji
  103,000 (2008)

Finland
  4.383 million (2008)

France
  42.912 million; 42.315 million (metropolitan France) (2008)

French Polynesia
  90,000 (2008)

Gabon
  90,000 (2008)

Gambia, The
  114,200 (2008)

Gaza Strip
  356,000 (includes West Bank) (2008)

Georgia
  1.024 million (2008)

Germany
  61.973 million (2008)

Ghana
  997,000 (2008)

Gibraltar
  6,500 (2008)

Greece
  4.253 million (2008)

Greenland
  36,000 (2008)

Grenada
  24,000 (2008)

Guam
  85,000 (2008)

Guatemala
  1.96 million (2008)

Guernsey
  46,100 (2008)

Guinea
  90,000 (2008)

Guinea-Bissau
  37,100 (2008)

Guyana
  205,000 (2008)

Haiti
  1 million (2008)

Honduras
  658,500 (2008)

Hong Kong
  4.124 million (2008)

Hungary
  5.873 million (2008)

Iceland
  250,000 (2008)

India
  81 million (2008)

Indonesia
  30 million (2008)

Iran
  23 million (2008)

Iraq
  300,000 (2008)

Ireland
  2.83 million (2008)

Israel
  2.106 million (2008)

Italy
  24.992 million (2008)

Jamaica
  1.54 million (2008)

Japan
  90.91 million (2008)

Jersey
  29,000 (2008)

Jordan
  1.5 million (2008)

Kazakhstan
  2.3 million (2008)

Kenya
  3.36 million (2008)

Kiribati
  2,000 (2008)

Korea, South
  37.476 million (2008)

Kuwait
  1 million (2008)

Kyrgyzstan
  850,000 (2008)

Laos
  130,000 (2008)

Latvia
  1.254 million (2008)

Lebanon
  2.19 million (2008)

Lesotho
  73,300 (2008)

Liberia
  20,000 (2008)

Libya
  323,000 (2008)

Liechtenstein
  23,000 (2008)

Lithuania
  1.777 million (2008)

Luxembourg
  387,000 (2008)

Macau
  259,000 (2008)

Macedonia
  847,900 (2008)

Madagascar
  316,100 (2008)

Malawi
  316,100 (2008)

Malaysia
  16.903 million (2008)

Maldives
  71,700 (2008)

Mali
  200,000 (2008)

Malta
  198,800 (2008)

Marshall Islands
  2,200 (2008)

Mauritania
  45,000 (2008)

Mauritius
  380,000 (2008)

Mexico
  23.26 million (2008)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  16,000 (2008)

Moldova
  850,000 (2008)

Monaco
  22,000 (2008)

Mongolia
  330,000 (2008)

Montenegro
  294,000 (2008)

Montserrat
  1,200 (2008)

Morocco
  10.3 million (2008)

Mozambique
  350,000 (2008)

Namibia
  113,500 (2008)

Nepal
  499,000 (2008)

Netherlands
  14.273 million (2008)

New Caledonia
  85,000 (2008)

New Zealand
  3.047 million (2008)

Nicaragua
  185,000 (2008)

Niger
  80,000 (2008)

Nigeria
  11 million (2008)

Niue
  1,000 (2008)

Norway
  3.935 million (2008)

Oman
  465,000 (2008)

Pakistan
  18.5 million (2008)

Panama
  934,500 (2008)

Papua New Guinea
  120,000 (2008)

Paraguay
  894,200 (2008)

Peru
  7.128 million (2008)

Philippines
  5.618 million (2008)

Poland
  18.679 million (2008)

Portugal
  4.476 million (2008)

Puerto Rico
  1 million (2008)

Qatar
  436,000 (2008)

Romania
  6.132 million (2008)

Russia
  45.25 million (2008)

Rwanda
  300,000 (2008)

Saint Helena
  1,100; note - includes Ascension Island (2008)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  16,000 (2008)

Saint Lucia
  100,000 (2008)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  66,000 (2008)

Samoa
  9,000 (2008)

San Marino
  17,000 (2008)

Sao Tome and Principe
  24,800 (2008)

Saudi Arabia
  7.7 million (2008)

Senegal
  1.02 million (2008)

Serbia
  2.936 million (2008)

Seychelles
  32,000 (2008)

Sierra Leone
  13,900 (2008)

Singapore
  3.37 million (2008)

Slovakia
  3.566 million (2008)

Slovenia
  1.126 million (2008)

Solomon Islands
  10,000 (2008)

Somalia
  102,000 (2008)

South Africa
  4.187 million (2008)

Spain
  25.24 million (2008)

Sri Lanka
  1.164 million (2008)

Sudan
  4.2 million (2008)

Suriname
  50,000 (2008)

Swaziland
  48,200 (2008)

Sweden
  8.1 million (2008)

Switzerland
  5.739 million (2008)

Syria
  3.565 million (2008)

Taiwan
  15.143 million (2008)

Tajikistan
  600,000 (2008)

Tanzania
  520,000 (2008)

Thailand
  16.1 million (2008)

Timor-Leste
  1,800 (2008)

Togo
  350,000 (2008)

Tokelau
  800 (2008)

Tonga
  8,400 (2008)

Trinidad and Tobago
  227,000 (2008)

Tunisia
  2.8 million (2008)

Turkey
  24.483 million (2008)

Turkmenistan
  75,000 (2008)

Tuvalu
  4,200 (2008)

Uganda
  2.5 million (2008)

Ukraine
  10.354 million (2008)

United Arab Emirates
  2.922 million (2008)

United Kingdom
  48.755 million (2008)

United States
  231 million (2008)

Uruguay
  1.34 million (2008)

Uzbekistan
  2.469 million (2008)

Vanuatu
  17,000 (2008)

Venezuela
  7.167 million (2008)

Vietnam
  20.834 million (2008)

Virgin Islands
  30,000 (2008)

Wallis and Futuna
  1,200 (2008)

West Bank
  356,000 (includes Gaza Strip) (2008)

World
  1.604 billion (2008)

Yemen
  370,000 (2008)

Zambia
  700,000 (2008)

Zimbabwe
  1.421 million (2008)

======================================================================

@2154

Field Listing :: Internet country code

  This entry includes the two-letter codes maintained by the
  International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in the ISO 3166
  Alpha-2 list and used by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority
  (IANA) to establish country-coded top-level domains (ccTLDs).
  Country

Internet country code

Afghanistan
  .af

Albania
  .al

Algeria
  .dz

American Samoa
  .as

Andorra
  .ad

Angola
  .ao

Anguilla
  .ai

Antarctica
  .aq

Antigua and Barbuda
  .ag

Argentina
  .ar

Armenia
  .am

Aruba
  .aw

Australia
  .au

Austria
  .at

Azerbaijan
  .az

Bahamas, The
  .bs

Bahrain
  .bh

Bangladesh
  .bd

Barbados
  .bb

Belarus
  .by

Belgium
  .be

Belize
  .bz

Benin
  .bj

Bermuda
  .bm

Bhutan
  .bt

Bolivia
  .bo

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  .ba

Botswana
  .bw

Bouvet Island
  .bv

Brazil
  .br

British Indian Ocean Territory
  .io

British Virgin Islands
  .vg

Brunei
  .bn

Bulgaria
  .bg

Burkina Faso
  .bf

Burma
  .mm

Burundi
  .bi

Cambodia
  .kh

Cameroon
  .cm

Canada
  .ca

Cape Verde
  .cv

Cayman Islands
  .ky

Central African Republic
  .cf

Chad
  .td

Chile
  .cl

China
  .cn

Christmas Island
  .cx

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  .cc

Colombia
  .co

Comoros
  .km

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  .cd

Congo, Republic of the
  .cg

Cook Islands
  .ck

Costa Rica
  .cr

Cote d'Ivoire
  .ci

Croatia
  .hr

Cuba
  .cu

Cyprus
  .cy

Czech Republic
  .cz

Denmark
  .dk

Djibouti
  .dj

Dominica
  .dm

Dominican Republic
  .do

Ecuador
  .ec

Egypt
  .eg

El Salvador
  .sv

Equatorial Guinea
  .gq

Eritrea
  .er

Estonia
  .ee

Ethiopia
  .et

European Union
  .eu; note - see country entries of member states for
  individual country codes

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  .fk

Faroe Islands
  .fo

Fiji
  .fj

Finland
  .fi; note - Aland Islands assigned .ax

France
  metropolitan France - .fr; French Guiana - .gf; Guadeloupe -
  .gp; Martinique - .mq; Reunion - .re

French Polynesia
  .pf

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  .tf

Gabon
  .ga

Gambia, The
  .gm

Gaza Strip
  .ps; note - same as West Bank

Georgia
  .ge

Germany
  .de

Ghana
  .gh

Gibraltar
  .gi

Greece
  .gr

Greenland
  .gl

Grenada
  .gd

Guam
  .gu

Guatemala
  .gt

Guernsey
  .gg

Guinea
  .gn

Guinea-Bissau
  .gw

Guyana
  .gy

Haiti
  .ht

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  .hm

Holy See (Vatican City)
  .va

Honduras
  .hn

Hong Kong
  .hk

Hungary
  .hu

Iceland
  .is

India
  .in

Indonesia
  .id

Iran
  .ir

Iraq
  .iq

Ireland
  .ie

Isle of Man
  .im

Israel
  .il

Italy
  .it

Jamaica
  .jm

Japan
  .jp

Jersey
  .je

Jordan
  .jo

Kazakhstan
  .kz

Kenya
  .ke

Kiribati
  .ki

Korea, North
  .kp

Korea, South
  .kr

Kuwait
  .kw

Kyrgyzstan
  .kg

Laos
  .la

Latvia
  .lv

Lebanon
  .lb

Lesotho
  .ls

Liberia
  .lr

Libya
  .ly

Liechtenstein
  .li

Lithuania
  .lt

Luxembourg
  .lu

Macau
  .mo

Macedonia
  .mk

Madagascar
  .mg

Malawi
  .mw

Malaysia
  .my

Maldives
  .mv

Mali
  .ml

Malta
  .mt

Marshall Islands
  .mh

Mauritania
  .mr

Mauritius
  .mu

Mayotte
  .yt

Mexico
  .mx

Micronesia, Federated States of
  .fm

Moldova
  .md

Monaco
  .mc

Mongolia
  .mn

Montenegro
  .me

Montserrat
  .ms

Morocco
  .ma

Mozambique
  .mz

Namibia
  .na

Nauru
  .nr

Nepal
  .np

Netherlands
  .nl

Netherlands Antilles
  .an

New Caledonia
  .nc

New Zealand
  .nz

Nicaragua
  .ni

Niger
  .ne

Nigeria
  .ng

Niue
  .nu

Norfolk Island
  .nf

Northern Mariana Islands
  .mp

Norway
  .no

Oman
  .om

Pakistan
  .pk

Palau
  .pw

Panama
  .pa

Papua New Guinea
  .pg

Paraguay
  .py

Peru
  .pe

Philippines
  .ph

Pitcairn Islands
  .pn

Poland
  .pl

Portugal
  .pt

Puerto Rico
  .pr

Qatar
  .qa

Romania
  .ro

Russia
  .ru; note - Russia also has responsibility for a legacy
  domain ".su" that was allocated to the Soviet Union and is being
  phased out

Rwanda
  .rw

Saint Barthelemy
  .bl; note - .gp, the internet country code for
  Guadeloupe, and .fr, the internet country code for France, might
  also be encountered

Saint Helena
  .sh; note - Ascension Island assigned .ac

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  .kn

Saint Lucia
  .lc

Saint Martin
  .mf; note - .gp, the internet country code for
  Guadeloupe, and .fr, the internet country code for France, might
  also be encountered

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  .pm

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  .vc

Samoa
  .ws

San Marino
  .sm

Sao Tome and Principe
  .st

Saudi Arabia
  .sa

Senegal
  .sn

Serbia
  .rs

Seychelles
  .sc

Sierra Leone
  .sl

Singapore
  .sg

Slovakia
  .sk

Slovenia
  .si

Solomon Islands
  .sb

Somalia
  .so

South Africa
  .za

South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
  .gs

Spain
  .es

Sri Lanka
  .lk

Sudan
  .sd

Suriname
  .sr

Svalbard
  .sj

Swaziland
  .sz

Sweden
  .se

Switzerland
  .ch

Syria
  .sy

Taiwan
  .tw

Tajikistan
  .tj

Tanzania
  .tz

Thailand
  .th

Timor-Leste
  .tl

Togo
  .tg

Tokelau
  .tk

Tonga
  .to

Trinidad and Tobago
  .tt

Tunisia
  .tn

Turkey
  .tr

Turkmenistan
  .tm

Turks and Caicos Islands
  .tc

Tuvalu
  .tv

Uganda
  .ug

Ukraine
  .ua

United Arab Emirates
  .ae

United Kingdom
  .uk

United States
  .us

Uruguay
  .uy

Uzbekistan
  .uz

Vanuatu
  .vu

Venezuela
  .ve

Vietnam
  .vn

Virgin Islands
  .vi

Wallis and Futuna
  .wf

West Bank
  .ps; note - same as Gaza Strip

Western Sahara
  .eh

Yemen
  .ye

Zambia
  .zm

Zimbabwe
  .zw

======================================================================

@2155

Field Listing :: HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

This entry gives an estimate of the percentage of adults (aged 15-49) living with HIV/AIDS. The adult prevalence rate is calculated by dividing the estimated number of adults living with HIV/AIDS at yearend by the total adult population at yearend. Country Comparison to the World Country

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate(%)

Afghanistan
  0.01% (2001 est.)

Albania
  NA

Algeria
  0.1%; note - no country specific models provided (2007 est.)

American Samoa
  NA

Andorra
  NA

Angola
  2.1% (2007 est.)

Anguilla
  NA

Antigua and Barbuda
  NA

Argentina
  0.5% (2007 est.)

Armenia
  0.1% (2007 est.)

Aruba
  NA

Australia
  0.2% (2007 est.)

Austria
  0.2% (2007 est.)

Azerbaijan
  less than 0.2% (2007 est.)

Bahamas, The
  3% (2007 est.)

Bahrain
  0.2% (2001 est.)

Bangladesh
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Barbados
  1.2% (2007 est.)

Belarus
  0.2% (2007 est.)

Belgium
  0.2% (2007 est.)

Belize
  2.1% (2007 est.)

Benin
  1.2% (2007 est.)

Bermuda
  0.297% (2005)

Bhutan
  less than 0.1% (2007 est.)

Bolivia
  0.2% (2007 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  less than 0.1% (2007 est.)

Botswana
  23.9% (2007 est.)

Brazil
  0.6% (2007 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  NA

Brunei
  less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

Bulgaria
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Burkina Faso
  1.6% (2007 est.)

Burma
  0.7% (2007 est.)

Burundi
  2% (2007 est.)

Cambodia
  0.8% (2007 est.)

Cameroon
  5.1% (2007 est.)

Canada
  0.4% (2007 est.)

Cape Verde
  0.035% (2001 est.)

Cayman Islands
  NA

Central African Republic
  6.3% (2007 est.)

Chad
  3.5% (2007 est.)

Chile
  0.3% (2007 est.)

China
  0.1% (2007 est.)

Christmas Island
  NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  NA

Colombia
  0.6% (2007 est.)

Comoros
  less than 0.1% (2007 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  4.2% (2003 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  3.5% (2007 est.)

Cook Islands
  NA

Costa Rica
  0.4% (2007 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  3.9% (2007 est.)

Croatia
  less than 0.1% (2007 est.)

Cuba
  less than 0.1% (2007 est.)

Cyprus
  0.1% (2003 est.)

Czech Republic
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Denmark
  0.2% (2007 est.)

Djibouti
  3.1% (2007 est.)

Dominica
  NA

Dominican Republic
  1.1% (2007 est.)

Ecuador
  0.3% (2007 est.)

Egypt
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

El Salvador
  0.8% (2007 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  3.4% (2007 est.)

Eritrea
  1.3% (2007 est.)

Estonia
  1.3% (2007 est.)

Ethiopia
  2.1% (2007 est.)

European Union
  note - see individual country entries of member states

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  NA

Faroe Islands
  NA

Fiji
  0.1% (2007 est.)

Finland
  less than 0.1% (2007 est.)

France
  0.4% (2007 est.)

French Polynesia
  NA

Gabon
  5.9% (2007 est.)

Gambia, The
  0.9% (2007 est.)

Gaza Strip
  NA

Georgia
  less than 0.1% (2007 est.)

Germany
  0.1% (2007 est.)

Ghana
  1.9% (2007 est.)

Gibraltar
  NA

Greece
  0.2% (2007 est.)

Greenland
  NA

Grenada
  NA

Guam
  NA

Guatemala
  0.8% (2007 est.)

Guernsey
  NA

Guinea
  1.6% (2007 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  1.8% (2007 est.)

Guyana
  2.5% (2007 est.)

Haiti
  2.2% (2007 est.)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  NA

Honduras
  0.7% (2007 est.)

Hong Kong
  0.1% (2003 est.)

Hungary
  0.1% (2007 est.)

Iceland
  0.2% (2007 est.)

India
  0.3% (2007 est.)

Indonesia
  0.2% (2007 est.)

Iran
  0.2% (2007 est.)

Iraq
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Ireland
  0.2% (2007 est.)

Isle of Man
  NA

Israel
  0.1% (2007 est.)

Italy
  0.4% (2007 est.)

Jamaica
  1.6% (2007 est.)

Japan
  less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

Jersey
  NA

Jordan
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Kazakhstan
  0.1% (2007 est.)

Kenya
  6.7% (2003 est.)

Kiribati
  NA

Korea, North
  NA

Korea, South
  less than 0.1% (2007 est.)

Kuwait
  0.12% (2001 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  less than 0.1% (2007 est.)

Laos
  0.2% (2007 est.)

Latvia
  0.8% (2007 est.)

Lebanon
  0.1% (2007 est.)

Lesotho
  23.2% (2007 est.)

Liberia
  1.7% (2007 est.)

Libya
  0.3% (2001 est.)

Liechtenstein
  NA

Lithuania
  0.1% (2007 est.)

Luxembourg
  0.2% (2007 est.)

Macau
  NA

Macedonia
  less than 0.1% (2007 est.)

Madagascar
  0.1% (2007 est.)

Malawi
  11.9% (2007 est.)

Malaysia
  0.5% (2007 est.)

Maldives
  0.1% (2001 est.)

Mali
  1.5% (2007 est.)

Malta
  0.1% (2007 est.)

Marshall Islands
  NA

Mauritania
  0.8% (2007 est.)

Mauritius
  1.7% (2007 est.)

Mayotte
  NA

Mexico
  0.3% (2007 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  NA

Moldova
  0.4% (2007 est.)

Monaco
  NA

Mongolia
  less than 0.1% (2007 est.)

Montserrat
  NA

Morocco
  0.1% (2007 est.)

Mozambique
  12.5% (2007 est.)

Namibia
  15.3% (2007 est.)

Nauru
  NA

Nepal
  0.5% (2007 est.)

Netherlands
  0.2% (2007 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  NA

New Caledonia
  NA

New Zealand
  0.1% (2007 est.)

Nicaragua
  0.2% (2007 est.)

Niger
  0.8% (2007 est.)

Nigeria
  3.1% (2007 est.)

Niue
  NA

Norfolk Island
  NA

Northern Mariana Islands
  NA

Norway
  0.1% (2007 est.)

Oman
  0.1% (2001 est.)

Pakistan
  0.1% (2007 est.)

Palau
  NA

Panama
  1% (2007 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  1.5% (2007 est.)

Paraguay
  0.6% (2007 est.)

Peru
  0.5% (2007 est.)

Philippines
  less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  NA

Poland
  0.1%; note - no country specific models provided (2007 est.)

Portugal
  0.5% (2007 est.)

Puerto Rico
  NA

Qatar
  0.09% (2001 est.)

Romania
  less than 0.1% (2007 est.)

Russia
  1.1% (2007 est.)

Rwanda
  2.8% (2007 est.)

Saint Helena
  NA

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  NA

Saint Lucia
  NA

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  NA

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  NA

Samoa
  NA

San Marino
  NA

Sao Tome and Principe
  NA

Saudi Arabia
  0.01% (2001 est.)

Senegal
  1% (2007 est.)

Serbia
  0.1% (2009 est.)

Seychelles
  NA

Sierra Leone
  1.7% (2007 est.)

Singapore
  0.2% (2007 est.)

Slovakia
  less than 0.1% (2007 est.)

Slovenia
  less than 0.1% (2007 est.)

Solomon Islands
  NA

Somalia
  0.5% (2007 est.)

South Africa
  18.1% (2007 est.)

Spain
  0.5% (2007 est.)

Sri Lanka
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Sudan
  1.4% (2007 est.)

Suriname
  2.4% (2007 est.)

Svalbard
  0% (2001)

Swaziland
  26.1% (2007 est.)

Sweden
  0.1% (2007 est.)

Switzerland
  0.6% (2007 est.)

Syria
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Taiwan
  NA

Tajikistan
  less than 0.3% (2007 est.)

Tanzania
  6.2% (2007 est.)

Thailand
  1.4% (2007 est.)

Timor-Leste
  NA

Togo
  3.3% (2007 est.)

Tokelau
  NA

Tonga
  NA

Trinidad and Tobago
  1.5% (2007 est.)

Tunisia
  less than 0.1% (2007 est.)

Turkey
  less than 0.1%; note - no country specific models provided
  (2001 est.)

Turkmenistan
  less than 0.1% (2007 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  NA

Tuvalu
  NA

Uganda
  5.4% (2007 est.)

Ukraine
  1.6% (2007 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  0.18% (2001 est.)

United Kingdom
  0.2% (2007 est.)

United States
  0.6% (2007 est.)

Uruguay
  0.6% (2007 est.)

Uzbekistan
  less than 0.1% (2007 est.)

Vanuatu
  NA

Venezuela
  0.7%; note - no country specific models provided (2001
  est.)

Vietnam
  0.5% (2007 est.)

Virgin Islands
  NA

Wallis and Futuna
  NA

West Bank
  NA

Western Sahara
  NA

World
  0.8% (2007 est.)

Yemen
  0.1% (2001 est.)

Zambia
  15.2% (2007 est.)

Zimbabwe
  15.3% (2007 est.)

======================================================================

@2156

Field Listing :: HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

This entry gives an estimate of all people (adults and children) alive at yearend with HIV infection, whether or not they have developed symptoms of AIDS. Country Comparison to the World Country

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

Afghanistan
  NA

Albania
  NA

Algeria
  21,000 (2007 est.)

American Samoa
  NA

Andorra
  NA

Angola
  190,000 (2007 est.)

Anguilla
  NA

Antigua and Barbuda
  NA

Argentina
  120,000 (2007 est.)

Armenia
  2,400 (2007 est.)

Aruba
  NA

Australia
  18,000 (2007 est.)

Austria
  9,800 (2007 est.)

Azerbaijan
  7,800 (2007 est.)

Bahamas, The
  6,200 (2007 est.)

Bahrain
  fewer than 600 (2007 est.)

Bangladesh
  12,000 (2007 est.)

Barbados
  2,200 (2007 est.)

Belarus
  13,000 (2007 est.)

Belgium
  15,000 (2007 est.)

Belize
  3,600 (2007 est.)

Benin
  64,000 (2007 est.)

Bermuda
  163 (2005)

Bhutan
  fewer than 100 (2007 est.)

Bolivia
  8,100 (2007 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  900 (2007 est.)

Botswana
  300,000 (2007 est.)

Brazil
  730,000 (2007 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  NA

Brunei
  fewer than 200 (2003 est.)

Bulgaria
  346 (2001 est.)

Burkina Faso
  130,000 (2007 est.)

Burma
  240,000 (2007 est.)

Burundi
  110,000 (2007 est.)

Cambodia
  75,000 (2007 est.)

Cameroon
  540,000 (2007 est.)

Canada
  73,000 (2007 est.)

Cape Verde
  775 (2001)

Cayman Islands
  NA

Central African Republic
  160,000 (2007 est.)

Chad
  200,000 (2007 est.)

Chile
  31,000 (2007 est.)

China
  700,000 (2007 est.)

Christmas Island
  NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  NA

Colombia
  170,000 (2007 est.)

Comoros
  NA (2007 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  1.1 million (2003 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  79,000 (2007 est.)

Cook Islands
  NA

Costa Rica
  9,700 (2007 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  480,000 (2007 est.)

Croatia
  200 (2007 est.)

Cuba
  6,200 (2007 est.)

Cyprus
  fewer than 1,000 (2007 est.)

Czech Republic
  1,500 (2007 est.)

Denmark
  4,800 (2007 est.)

Djibouti
  16,000 (2007 est.)

Dominica
  NA

Dominican Republic
  62,000 (2007 est.)

Ecuador
  26,000 (2007 est.)

Egypt
  9,200 (2007 est.)

El Salvador
  35,000 (2007 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  11,000 (2007 est.)

Eritrea
  38,000 (2007 est.)

Estonia
  9,900 (2007 est.)

Ethiopia
  980,000 (2007 est.)

European Union
  note - see individual country entries of member states

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  NA

Faroe Islands
  NA

Fiji
  600 (2003 est.)

Finland
  2,400 (2007 est.)

France
  140,000 (2007 est.)

French Polynesia
  NA

Gabon
  49,000 (2007 est.)

Gambia, The
  8,200 (2007 est.)

Gaza Strip
  NA

Georgia
  2,700 (2007 est.)

Germany
  53,000 (2007 est.)

Ghana
  260,000 (2007 est.)

Gibraltar
  NA

Greece
  11,000 (2007 est.)

Greenland
  100 (1999)

Grenada
  NA

Guam
  NA

Guatemala
  59,000 (2007 est.)

Guernsey
  NA

Guinea
  87,000 (2007 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  16,000 (2007 est.)

Guyana
  13,000 (2007 est.)

Haiti
  120,000 (2007 est.)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  NA

Honduras
  28,000 (2007 est.)

Hong Kong
  2,600 (2003 est.)

Hungary
  3,300 (2007 est.)

Iceland
  220 (2007 est.)

India
  2.4 million (2007 est.)

Indonesia
  270,000 (2007 est.)

Iran
  86,000 (2007 est.)

Iraq
  fewer than 500 (2003 est.)

Ireland
  5,500 (2007 est.)

Isle of Man
  NA

Israel
  5,100 (2007 est.)

Italy
  150,000 (2007 est.)

Jamaica
  27,000 (2007 est.)

Japan
  9,600 (2007 est.)

Jersey
  NA

Jordan
  600 (2007 est.)

Kazakhstan
  12,000 (2007 est.)

Kenya
  1.2 million (2003 est.)

Kiribati
  NA

Korea, North
  NA

Korea, South
  13,000 (2007 est.)

Kuwait
  NA (2007 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  4,200 (2007 est.)

Laos
  5,500 (2007 est.)

Latvia
  10,000 (2007 est.)

Lebanon
  3,000 (2007 est.)

Lesotho
  270,000 (2007 est.)

Liberia
  35,000 (2007 est.)

Libya
  10,000 (2001 est.)

Liechtenstein
  NA

Lithuania
  2,200 (2007 est.)

Luxembourg
  fewer than 500 (2003 est.)

Macau
  NA

Macedonia
  fewer than 200 (2007 est.)

Madagascar
  14,000 (2007 est.)

Malawi
  930,000 (2007 est.)

Malaysia
  80,000 (2007 est.)

Maldives
  fewer than 100 (2001 est.)

Mali
  100,000 (2007 est.)

Malta
  fewer than 500 (2007 est.)

Marshall Islands
  NA

Mauritania
  14,000 (2007 est.)

Mauritius
  13,000 (2007 est.)

Mayotte
  NA

Mexico
  200,000 (2007 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  NA

Moldova
  8,900 (2007 est.)

Monaco
  NA

Mongolia
  fewer than 500 (2007 est.)

Montserrat
  NA

Morocco
  21,000 (2007 est.)

Mozambique
  1.5 million (2007 est.)

Namibia
  200,000 (2007 est.)

Nauru
  NA

Nepal
  70,000 (2007 est.)

Netherlands
  18,000 (2007 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  NA

New Caledonia
  NA

New Zealand
  1,400 (2007 est.)

Nicaragua
  7,700 (2007 est.)

Niger
  60,000 (2007 est.)

Nigeria
  2.6 million (2007 est.)

Niue
  NA

Norfolk Island
  NA

Northern Mariana Islands
  NA

Norway
  3,000 (2007 est.)

Oman
  1,300 (2001 est.)

Pakistan
  96,000 (2007 est.)

Palau
  NA

Panama
  20,000 (2007 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  54,000 (2007 est.)

Paraguay
  21,000 (2007 est.)

Peru
  76,000 (2007 est.)

Philippines
  8,300 (2007 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  NA

Poland
  20,000 (2007 est.)

Portugal
  34,000 (2007 est.)

Puerto Rico
  7,397 (1997)

Qatar
  NA

Romania
  15,000 (2007 est.)

Russia
  940,000 (2007 est.)

Rwanda
  150,000 (2007 est.)

Saint Helena
  NA

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  NA

Saint Lucia
  NA

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  NA

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  NA

Samoa
  NA

San Marino
  NA

Sao Tome and Principe
  NA

Saudi Arabia
  NA

Senegal
  67,000 (2007 est.)

Serbia
  6,400 (2009 est.)

Seychelles
  NA

Sierra Leone
  55,000 (2007 est.)

Singapore
  4,200 (2007 est.)

Slovakia
  fewer than 200 (2007 est.)

Slovenia
  280 (2007 est.)

Solomon Islands
  NA

Somalia
  24,000 (2007 est.)

South Africa
  5.7 million (2007 est.)

Spain
  140,000 (2007 est.)

Sri Lanka
  3,800 (2007 est.)

Sudan
  320,000 (2007 est.)

Suriname
  6,800 (2007 est.)

Svalbard
  0 (2001)

Swaziland
  190,000 (2007 est.)

Sweden
  6,200 (2007 est.)

Switzerland
  25,000 (2007 est.)

Syria
  fewer than 500 (2003 est.)

Taiwan
  NA

Tajikistan
  10,000 (2007 est.)

Tanzania
  1.4 million (2007 est.)

Thailand
  610,000 (2007 est.)

Timor-Leste
  NA

Togo
  130,000 (2007 est.)

Tokelau
  NA

Tonga
  NA

Trinidad and Tobago
  14,000 (2007 est.)

Tunisia
  3,700 (2007 est.)

Turkey
  NA (2007 est.)

Turkmenistan
  fewer than 200 (2007 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  NA

Tuvalu
  NA

Uganda
  940,000 (2007 est.)

Ukraine
  440,000 (2007 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  NA

United Kingdom
  77,000 (2007 est.)

United States
  1.2 million (2007 est.)

Uruguay
  10,000 (2007 est.)

Uzbekistan
  16,000 (2007 est.)

Vanuatu
  NA

Venezuela
  110,000 (1999 est.)

Vietnam
  290,000 (2007 est.)

Virgin Islands
  NA

Wallis and Futuna
  NA

West Bank
  NA

Western Sahara
  NA

World
  33 million (2007 est.)

Yemen
  12,000 (2001 est.)

Zambia
  1.1 million (2007 est.)

Zimbabwe
  1.3 million (2007 est.)

======================================================================

@2157

Field Listing :: HIV/AIDS - deaths

  This entry gives an estimate of the number of adults and children
  who died of AIDS during a given calendar year.
  Country Comparison to the World
  Country

HIV/AIDS - deaths

Afghanistan
  NA

Albania
  NA

Algeria
  fewer than 1,000 (2007 est.)

American Samoa
  NA

Andorra
  NA

Angola
  11,000 (2007 est.)

Anguilla
  NA

Antigua and Barbuda
  NA

Argentina
  7,000 (2007 est.)

Armenia
  fewer than 200 (2007 est.)

Aruba
  NA

Australia
  fewer than 100 200 (2007 est.)

Austria
  fewer than 100 (2003 est.)

Azerbaijan
  fewer than 100 (2007 est.)

Bahamas, The
  fewer than 200 (2007 est.)

Bahrain
  fewer than 200 (2003 est.)

Bangladesh
  fewer than 500 (2007 est.)

Barbados
  fewer than 100 (2007 est.)

Belarus
  1,100 (2007 est.)

Belgium
  fewer than 100 (2007 est.)

Belize
  fewer than 200 (2007 est.)

Benin
  3,300 (2007 est.)

Bermuda
  392 (2005)

Bhutan
  NA

Bolivia
  fewer than 500 (2007 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  100 (2001 est.)

Botswana
  11,000 (2007 est.)

Brazil
  15,000 (2007 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  NA

Brunei
  fewer than 200 (2003 est.)

Bulgaria
  100 (2001 est.)

Burkina Faso
  9,200 (2007 est.)

Burma
  25,000 (2007 est.)

Burundi
  11,000 (2007 est.)

Cambodia
  6,900 (2007 est.)

Cameroon
  39,000 (2007 est.)

Canada
  fewer than 500 (2007 est.)

Cape Verde
  225 (as of 2001)

Cayman Islands
  NA

Central African Republic
  11,000 (2007 est.)

Chad
  14,000 (2007 est.)

Chile
  1,100 (2007 est.)

China
  39,000 (2007 est.)

Christmas Island
  NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  NA

Colombia
  9,800 (2007 est.)

Comoros
  NA

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  100,000 (2003 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  6,400 (2007 est.)

Cook Islands
  NA

Costa Rica
  fewer than 200 (2007 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  38,000 (2007 est.)

Croatia
  fewer than 10 (2001 est.)

Cuba
  fewer than 100 (2007 est.)

Cyprus
  NA

Czech Republic
  fewer than 10 (2001 est.)

Denmark
  fewer than 100 (2003 est.)

Djibouti
  1,100 (2007 est.)

Dominica
  NA

Dominican Republic
  4,100 (2007 est.)

Ecuador
  1,400 (2007 est.)

Egypt
  fewer than 500 (2007 est.)

El Salvador
  1,700 (2007 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  370 (2001 est.)

Eritrea
  2,600 (2007 est.)

Estonia
  fewer than 500 (2007 est.)

Ethiopia
  67,000 (2007 est.)

European Union
  note - see individual country entries of member states

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  NA

Faroe Islands
  NA

Fiji
  fewer than 200 (2003 est.)

Finland
  fewer than 100 (2003 est.)

France
  1,600 (2007 est.)

French Polynesia
  NA

Gabon
  2,300 (2007 est.)

Gambia, The
  600 (2003 est.)

Gaza Strip
  NA

Georgia
  fewer than 200 (2003 est.)

Germany
  fewer than 500 (2007 est.)

Ghana
  21,000 (2007 est.)

Gibraltar
  NA

Greece
  fewer than 100 (2007 est.)

Greenland
  NA

Grenada
  NA

Guam
  NA

Guatemala
  3,900 (2007 est.)

Guernsey
  NA

Guinea
  4,500 (2007 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  1,100 (2007 est.)

Guyana
  fewer than 1,000 (2007 est.)

Haiti
  7,200 (2007 est.)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  NA

Honduras
  1,900 (2007 est.)

Hong Kong
  fewer than 200 (2003 est.)

Hungary
  fewer than 100 (2001 est.)

Iceland
  fewer than 100 (2003 est.)

India
  310,000 (2001 est.)

Indonesia
  8,700 (2007 est.)

Iran
  4,300 (2007 est.)

Iraq
  NA

Ireland
  fewer than 100 (2007 est.)

Isle of Man
  NA

Israel
  fewer than 200 (2007 est.)

Italy
  1,900 (2007 est.)

Jamaica
  1,500 (2007 est.)

Japan
  fewer than 100 (2007 est.)

Jersey
  NA

Jordan
  fewer than 500 (2003 est.)

Kazakhstan
  fewer than 500 (2007 est.)

Kenya
  150,000 (2003 est.)

Kiribati
  NA

Korea, North
  NA

Korea, South
  fewer than 500 (2007 est.)

Kuwait
  NA

Kyrgyzstan
  fewer than 200 (2007 est.)

Laos
  fewer than 100 (2007 est.)

Latvia
  fewer than 500 (2007 est.)

Lebanon
  fewer than 200 (2007 est.)

Lesotho
  18,000 (2007 est.)

Liberia
  2,300 (2007 est.)

Libya
  NA

Liechtenstein
  NA

Lithuania
  fewer than 200 (2007 est.)

Luxembourg
  fewer than 100 (2003 est.)

Macau
  NA

Macedonia
  fewer than 100 (2003 est.)

Madagascar
  fewer than 1,000 (2007 est.)

Malawi
  68,000 (2007 est.)

Malaysia
  3,900 (2007 est.)

Maldives
  NA

Mali
  5,800 (2007 est.)

Malta
  fewer than 100 (2003 est.)

Marshall Islands
  NA

Mauritania
  fewer than 1,000 (2007 est.)

Mauritius
  fewer than 100 (2001 est.)

Mayotte
  NA

Mexico
  11,000 (2007 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  NA

Moldova
  fewer than 100 (2007 est.)

Monaco
  NA

Mongolia
  fewer than 200 (2003 est.)

Montserrat
  NA

Morocco
  fewer than 1,000 (2007 est.)

Mozambique
  81,000 (2007 est.)

Namibia
  5,100 (2007 est.)

Nauru
  NA

Nepal
  5,000 (2007 est.)

Netherlands
  fewer than 200 (2007 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  NA

New Caledonia
  NA

New Zealand
  fewer than 200 (2003 est.)

Nicaragua
  fewer than 500 (2007 est.)

Niger
  4,000 (2007 est.)

Nigeria
  170,000 (2007 est.)

Niue
  NA

Norfolk Island
  NA

Northern Mariana Islands
  NA

Norway
  fewer than 100 (2003 est.)

Oman
  fewer than 200 (2003 est.)

Pakistan
  5,100 (2007 est.)

Palau
  NA

Panama
  fewer than 1,000 (2007 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  fewer than 1,000 (2007 est.)

Paraguay
  fewer than 1,000 (2007 est.)

Peru
  3,300 (2007 est.)

Philippines
  fewer than 200 (2007 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  NA

Poland
  fewer than 200 (2007 est.)

Portugal
  fewer than 500 (2007 est.)

Puerto Rico
  NA

Qatar
  NA

Romania
  350 (2001 est.)

Russia
  40,000 (2007 est.)

Rwanda
  7,800 (2007 est.)

Saint Helena
  NA

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  NA

Saint Lucia
  NA

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  NA

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  NA

Samoa
  NA

San Marino
  NA

Sao Tome and Principe
  NA

Saudi Arabia
  NA

Senegal
  1,800 (2007 est.)

Serbia
  fewer than 100 (2009 est.)

Seychelles
  NA

Sierra Leone
  3,300 (2007 est.)

Singapore
  fewer than 200 (2007 est.)

Slovakia
  fewer than 100 (2001 est.)

Slovenia
  fewer than 100 (2007 est.)

Solomon Islands
  NA

Somalia
  1,600 (2007 est.)

South Africa
  350,000 (2007 est.)

Spain
  2,300 (2007 est.)

Sri Lanka
  fewer than 200 (2003 est.)

Sudan
  25,000 (2007 est.)

Suriname
  fewer than 500 (2003 est.)

Svalbard
  0 (2001)

Swaziland
  10,000 (2007 est.)

Sweden
  fewer than 100 (2007 est.)

Switzerland
  fewer than 500 (2007 est.)

Syria
  fewer than 200 (2003 est.)

Taiwan
  NA

Tajikistan
  fewer than 500 (2007 est.)

Tanzania
  96,000 (2007 est.)

Thailand
  30,000 (2007 est.)

Timor-Leste
  NA

Togo
  9,100 (2007 est.)

Tokelau
  NA

Tonga
  NA

Trinidad and Tobago
  1,900 (2003 est.)

Tunisia
  fewer than 200 (2007 est.)

Turkey
  NA

Turkmenistan
  fewer than 100 (2004 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  NA

Tuvalu
  NA

Uganda
  77,000 (2007 est.)

Ukraine
  19,000 (2007 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  NA

United Kingdom
  fewer than 500 (2007 est.)

United States
  22,000 (2007 est.)

Uruguay
  fewer than 500 (2007 est.)

Uzbekistan
  fewer than 500 (2007 est.)

Vanuatu
  NA

Venezuela
  4,100 (2003 est.)

Vietnam
  24,000 (2007 est.)

Virgin Islands
  NA

Wallis and Futuna
  NA

West Bank
  NA

Western Sahara
  NA

World
  2 million (2007 est.)

Yemen
  NA

Zambia
  56,000 (2007 est.)

Zimbabwe
  140,000 (2007 est.)

======================================================================

@2158

Field Listing :: Currency code

Country

Currency code

Afghanistan
  AFA

Albania
  ALL

Algeria
  DZD

American Samoa
  USD

Andorra
  EUR

Angola
  AOA

Anguilla
  XCD

Antigua and Barbuda
  XCD

Argentina
  ARS

Armenia
  AMD

Aruba
  AWG

Australia
  AUD

Austria
  EUR

Azerbaijan
  AZM

Bahamas, The
  BSD

Bahrain
  BHD

Bangladesh
  BDT

Barbados
  BBD

Belarus
  BYB/BYR

Belgium
  EUR

Belize
  BZD

Benin
  XOF

Bermuda
  BMD

Bhutan
  BTN; INR

Bolivia
  BOB

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  BAM

Botswana
  BWP

Brazil
  BRL

British Virgin Islands
  USD

Brunei
  BND

Bulgaria
  BGN

Burkina Faso
  XOF

Burma
  MMK

Burundi
  BIF

Cambodia
  KHR

Cameroon
  XAF

Canada
  CAD

Cape Verde
  CVE

Cayman Islands
  KYD

Central African Republic
  XAF

Chad
  XAF

Chile
  CLP

China
  CNY

Christmas Island
  AUD

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  AUD

Colombia
  COP

Comoros
  KMF

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  CDF

Congo, Republic of the
  XAF

Cook Islands
  NZD

Costa Rica
  CRC

Cote d'Ivoire
  XOF

Croatia
  HRK

Cuba
  CUP (nonconvertible Cuban peso) and CUC (convertible Cuban peso)

Cyprus
  CYP; TRL

Czech Republic
  CZK

Denmark
  DKK

Djibouti
  DJF

Dominica
  XCD

Dominican Republic
  DOP

Ecuador
  USD

Egypt
  EGP

El Salvador
  USD

Equatorial Guinea
  XAF

Eritrea
  ERN

Estonia
  EEK

Ethiopia
  ETB

European Union
  EUR

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  FKP

Faroe Islands
  DKK

Fiji
  FJD

Finland
  EUR

France
  EUR

French Polynesia
  XPF

Gabon
  XAF

Gambia, The
  GMD

Gaza Strip
  ILS

Georgia
  GEL

Germany
  EUR

Ghana
  GHC

Gibraltar
  GIP

Greece
  EUR

Greenland
  DKK

Grenada
  XCD

Guam
  USD

Guatemala
  GTQ; USD

Guernsey
  GBP

Guinea
  GNF

Guinea-Bissau
  XOF; GWP

Guyana
  GYD

Haiti
  HTG

Holy See (Vatican City)
  EUR

Honduras
  HNL

Hong Kong
  HKD

Hungary
  HUF

Iceland
  ISK

India
  INR

Indonesia
  IDR

Iran
  IRR

Iraq
  NID, IQD prior to 22 January 2004

Ireland
  EUR

Isle of Man
  GBP

Israel
  ILS

Italy
  EUR

Jamaica
  JMD

Japan
  JPY

Jersey
  GBP

Jordan
  JOD

Kazakhstan
  KZT

Kenya
  KES

Kiribati
  AUD

Korea, North
  KPW

Korea, South
  KRW

Kuwait
  KWD

Kyrgyzstan
  KGS

Laos
  LAK

Latvia
  LVL

Lebanon
  LBP

Lesotho
  LSL; ZAR

Liberia
  LRD

Libya
  LYD

Liechtenstein
  CHF

Lithuania
  LTL

Luxembourg
  EUR

Macau
  MOP

Macedonia
  MKD

Madagascar
  MGF

Malawi
  MWK

Malaysia
  MYR

Maldives
  MVR

Mali
  XOF

Malta
  MTL

Marshall Islands
  USD

Mauritania
  MRO

Mauritius
  MUR

Mayotte
  EUR

Mexico
  MXN

Micronesia, Federated States of
  USD

Moldova
  MDL

Monaco
  EUR

Mongolia
  MNT

Montserrat
  XCD

Morocco
  MAD

Mozambique
  MZM

Namibia
  NAD; ZAR

Nauru
  AUD

Nepal
  NPR

Netherlands
  EUR

Netherlands Antilles
  ANG

New Caledonia
  XPF

New Zealand
  NZD

Nicaragua
  NIO

Niger
  XOF

Nigeria
  NGN

Niue
  NZD

Norfolk Island
  AUD

Northern Mariana Islands
  USD

Norway
  NOK

Oman
  OMR

Pakistan
  PKR

Palau
  USD

Panama
  PAB; USD

Papua New Guinea
  PGK

Paraguay
  PYG

Peru
  PEN

Philippines
  PHP

Pitcairn Islands
  NZD

Poland
  PLN

Portugal
  EUR

Puerto Rico
  USD

Qatar
  QAR

Romania
  ROL

Russia
  RUR

Rwanda
  RWF

Saint Helena
  SHP

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  XCD

Saint Lucia
  XCD

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  EUR

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  XCD

Samoa
  SAT (former WST code is still in wide use)

San Marino
  EUR

Sao Tome and Principe
  STD

Saudi Arabia
  SAR

Senegal
  XOF

Seychelles
  SCR

Sierra Leone
  SLL

Singapore
  SGD

Slovakia
  SKK

Slovenia
  SIT

Solomon Islands
  SBD

Somalia
  SOS

South Africa
  ZAR

Spain
  EUR

Sri Lanka
  LKR

Sudan
  SDD

Suriname
  SRG

Svalbard
  NOK

Swaziland
  SZL

Sweden
  SEK

Switzerland
  CHF

Syria
  SYP

Taiwan
  TWD

Tajikistan
  TJS

Tanzania
  TZS

Thailand
  THB

Timor-Leste
  USD

Togo
  XOF

Tokelau
  NZD

Tonga
  TOP

Trinidad and Tobago
  TTD

Tunisia
  TND

Turkey
  TRL, YTL

Turkmenistan
  TMM

Turks and Caicos Islands
  USD

Tuvalu
  AUD

Uganda
  UGX

Ukraine
  UAH

United Arab Emirates
  AED

United Kingdom
  GBP

United States
  USD

Uruguay
  UYU

Uzbekistan
  UZS

Vanuatu
  VUV

Venezuela
  VEB

Vietnam
  VND

Virgin Islands
  USD

Wallis and Futuna
  XPF

West Bank
  ILS; JOD

Western Sahara
  MAD

Yemen
  YER

Zambia
  ZMK

Zimbabwe
  ZWD

======================================================================

@2172

Field Listing :: Distribution of family income - Gini index

  This index measures the degree of inequality in the distribution of
  family income in a country. The index is calculated from the Lorenz
  curve, in which cumulative family income is plotted against the
  number of families arranged from the poorest to the richest. The
  index is the ratio of (a) the area between a country's Lorenz curve
  and the 45 degree helping line to (b) the entire triangular area
  under the 45 degree line. The more nearly equal a country's income
  distribution, the closer its Lorenz curve to the 45 degree line and
  the lower its Gini index, e.g., a Scandinavian country with an index
  of 25. The more unequal a country's income distribution, the farther
  its Lorenz curve from the 45 degree line and the higher its Gini
  index, e.g., a Sub-Saharan country with an index of 50. If income
  were distributed with perfect equality, the Lorenz curve would
  coincide with the 45 degree line and the index would be zero; if
  income were distributed with perfect inequality, the Lorenz curve
  would coincide with the horizontal axis and the right vertical axis
  and the index would be 100.
  Country Comparison to the World
  Country

Distribution of family income - Gini index

Albania
  26.7 (2005)

Algeria
  35.3 (1995)

Argentina
  49 (January-March 2007)

Armenia
  37 (2006)
  44.4 (1996)

Australia
  30.5 (2006)
  35.2 (1994)

Austria
  26 (2007)
  31 (1995)

Azerbaijan
  36.5 (2001)
  36 (1995)

Bangladesh
  33.2 (2005)
  33.6 (1996)

Belarus
  27.9 (2005)
  21.7 (1998)

Belgium
  28 (2005)
  28.7 (1996)

Benin
  36.5 (2003)

Bolivia 59.2 (2006) 44.7 (1999)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  56.2 (2007)

Botswana
  63 (1993)

Brazil
  56.7 (2005)
  60.7 (1998)

Bulgaria
  30.7 (2007)
  26.4 (2001)

Burkina Faso
  39.5 (2007)
  48.2 (1994)

Burundi
  42.4 (1998)

Cambodia
  43 (2007 est.)
  40 (2004 est.)

Cameroon
  44.6 (2001)
  47.7 (1996)

Canada
  32.1 (2005)
  31.5 (1994)

Central African Republic
  61.3 (1993)

Chile
  54.9 (2003)
  57.1 (2000)

China
  47 (2007)
  40 (2001)

Colombia
  53.8 (2005)
  57.1 (1996)

Costa Rica
  48 (2008)
  45.9 (1997)

Cote d'Ivoire
  44.6 (2002)
  36.7 (1995)

Croatia
  29 (2008)
  29 (1998)

Cyprus
  29 (2005)

Czech Republic
  26 (2005)
  25.4 (1996)

Denmark
  24 (2005)
  24.7 (1992)

Dominican Republic
  49.9 (2005)
  47.4 (1998)

Ecuador 46 (2006) 43.7 (1995) note: data are for urban households

Egypt 34.4 (2001)

El Salvador
  52.4 (2002)
  52.5 (2001)

Estonia
  34 (2008)
  37 (1999)

Ethiopia
  30 (2000)
  40 (1995)

European Union
  31 (2005 est.)
  31.2 (2003 est.)

Finland
  29.5 (2007)
  25.6 (1991)

France
  32.7 (2008)
  32.7 (1995)

Gambia, The
  50.2 (1998)

Georgia
  40.8 (2005)
  37.1 (1996)

Germany
  27 (2006)
  30 (1994)

Ghana
  39.4 (2005-06)
  40.7 (1999)

Greece
  33 (2005)
  35.4 (1998)

Guatemala
  55.1 (2007)
  55.8 (1998)

Guinea
  38.1 (2006)
  40.3 (1994)

Guyana
  43.2 (1999)

Haiti
  59.2 (2001)

Honduras 53.8 (2003) 56.3 (1998)

Hong Kong 53.3 (2007)

Hungary 28 (2005) 24.4 (1998)

Iceland 25 (2005)

India
  36.8 (2004)
  37.8 (1997)

Indonesia
  39.4 (2005)
  37 (2001)

Iran
  44.5 (2006)

Ireland
  32 (2005)
  35.9 (1987)

Israel
  38.6 (2005)
  35.5 (2001)

Italy
  32 (2006)
  27.3 (1995)

Jamaica
  45.5 (2004)
  37.9 (2000)

Japan
  38.1 (2002)
  24.9 (1993)

Jordan
  39.7 (2007)
  36.4 (1997)

Kazakhstan
  30.4 (2005)
  31.5 (2003)

Kenya
  42.5 (2008 est.)
  44.9 (1997)

Korea, South
  31.3 (2007)
  35.8 (2000)

Kosovo
  30 (FY05/06)

Kyrgyzstan
  30.3 (2003)
  29 (2001)

Laos
  34.6 (2002)
  37 (1997)

Latvia
  36 (2005)
  32 (1999)

Lesotho
  63.2 (1995)
  56 (1986-87)

Lithuania
  36 (2005)
  34 (1999)

Luxembourg
  26 (2005)

Macedonia
  39 (2003)

Madagascar 47.5 (2001) 38.1 (1999)

Malawi 39 (2004)

Malaysia
  46.1 (2002)
  49.2 (1997)

Mali
  40.1 (2001)
  50.5 (1994)

Malta
  26 (2007)

Mauritania
  39 (2000)
  37.3 (1995)

Mauritius
  39 (2006 est.)
  37 (1987 est.)

Mexico
  47.9 (2006)
  53.1 (1998)

Moldova
  33.2 (2003)
  40.6 (1997)

Mongolia
  32.8 (2002)
  44 (1998)

Montenegro
  30 (2003)

Morocco
  40 (2005 est.)
  39.5 (1999 est.)

Mozambique
  47.3 (2002)
  39.6 (1997)

Namibia
  70.7 (2003)

Nepal
  47.2 (2008)
  36.7 (1996)

Netherlands
  30.9 (2007)
  32.6 (1994)

New Zealand
  36.2 (1997)

Nicaragua 43.1 (2001) 60.3 (1998)

Niger 50.5 (1995)

Nigeria
  43.7 (2003)
  50.6 (1997)

Norway
  25 (2008)
  25.8 (1995)

Pakistan
  30.6 (FY07/08)
  41 (FY98/99)

Panama
  56.1 (2003)
  48.5 (1997)

Papua New Guinea
  50.9 (1996)

Paraguay
  56.8 (2008)
  57.7 (1998)

Peru
  49.8 (2005)
  46.2 (1996)

Philippines
  45.8 (2006)
  46.6 (2003)

Poland
  34.9 (2005)
  31.6 (1998)

Portugal
  38.5 (2007)
  35.6 (1995)

Romania
  32 (2008)
  28.8 (2003)

Russia
  41.5 (September 2008)
  39.9 (2001)

Rwanda
  46.8 (2000)
  28.9 (1985)

Senegal
  41.3 (2001)
  41.3 (1995)

Serbia
  30 (2003)

Sierra Leone
  62.9 (1989)

Singapore
  48.1 (2008)

Slovakia
  26 (2005)
  26.3 (1996)

Slovenia
  24 (2005)
  28.4 (1998)

South Africa
  65 (2005)
  59.3 (1994)

Spain
  32 (2005)
  32.5 (1990)

Sri Lanka
  49 (2004)
  34.4 (1995)

Swaziland
  50.4 (2001)

Sweden
  23 (2005)
  25 (1992)

Switzerland
  33.7 (2008)
  33.1 (1992)

Tajikistan
  32.6 (2006)
  34.7 (1998)

Tanzania
  34.6 (2000)
  38.2 (1993)

Thailand
  42 (2002)

Timor-Leste
  38

Tunisia 40 (2005 est.) 41.7 (1995 est.)

Turkey
  43.6 (2003)

Turkmenistan
  40.8 (1998)

Uganda
  45.7 (2002)
  37.4 (1996)

Ukraine
  31 (2006)
  29 (1999)

United Kingdom
  34 (2005)
  36.8 (1999)

United States
  45 (2007)
  40.8 (1997)

Uruguay
  45.2 (2006)
  44.8 (1999)

Uzbekistan
  36.8 (2003)
  44.7 (1998)

Venezuela
  48.2 (2003)
  49.5 (1998)

Vietnam
  37 (2004)
  36.1 (1998)

Yemen
  37.7 (2005)
  33.4 (1998)

Zambia
  50.8 (2004)
  52.6 (1998)

Zimbabwe
  50.1 (2006)
  50.1 (1995)

======================================================================

@2173

Field Listing :: Oil - production

This entry is the total oil produced in barrels per day (bbl/day). The discrepancy between the amount of oil produced and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is due to the omission of stock changes, refinery gains, and other complicating factors. Country Comparison to the World Country

Oil - production(bbl/day)

Afghanistan
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Albania
  5,985 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Algeria
  2.18 million bbl/day (2008 est.)

American Samoa
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Angola
  2.015 million bbl/day (2008 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Argentina
  792,300 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Armenia
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Aruba
  2,351 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Australia
  586,400 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Austria
  24,850 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Azerbaijan
  875,200 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Bahamas, The
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Bahrain
  48,520 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Bangladesh
  6,426 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Barbados
  1,100 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Belarus
  32,950 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Belgium
  11,220 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Belize
  3,511 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Benin
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Bermuda
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Bhutan
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Bolivia
  51,360 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Botswana
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Brazil
  2.422 million bbl/day (2008 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Brunei
  157,400 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Bulgaria
  3,357 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Burkina Faso
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Burma
  22,120 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Burundi
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Cambodia
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Cameroon
  81,720 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Canada
  3.35 million bbl/day (2008 est.)

Cape Verde
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Cayman Islands
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Central African Republic
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Chad
  127,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Chile
  11,190 bbl/day (2008 est.)

China
  3.973 million bbl/day (2008 est.)

Colombia
  600,600 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Comoros
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  19,960 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  239,900 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Cook Islands
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Costa Rica
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  60,100 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Croatia
  22,200 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Cuba
  52,630 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Cyprus
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Czech Republic
  16,080 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Denmark
  288,800 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Djibouti
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Dominica
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Dominican Republic
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Ecuador
  505,100 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Egypt
  630,600 bbl/day (2008 est.)

El Salvador
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  359,200 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Eritrea
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Estonia
  7,600 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Ethiopia
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

European Union
  2.538 million bbl/day (2007 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Faroe Islands
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Fiji
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Finland
  9,789 bbl/day (2008 est.)

France
  70,800 bbl/day (2008 est.)

French Polynesia
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Gabon
  247,800 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Gambia, The
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Georgia
  977.4 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Germany
  150,800 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Ghana
  7,399 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Gibraltar
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Greece
  4,891 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Greenland
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Grenada
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Guam
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Guatemala
  15,550 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Guinea
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Guyana
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Haiti
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Honduras
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Hong Kong
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Hungary
  37,830 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Iceland
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

India
  883,500 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Indonesia
  1.051 million bbl/day (2008 est.)

Iran
  4.174 million bbl/day (2008 est.)

Iraq
  2.385 million bbl/day (2008 est.)

Ireland
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Israel
  5,246 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Italy
  162,200 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Jamaica
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Japan
  133,100 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Jordan
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Kazakhstan
  1.429 million bbl/day (2008 est.)

Kenya
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Kiribati
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Korea, North
  120.7 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Korea, South
  30,440 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Kosovo
  0 bbl/day (2007)

Kuwait
  2.741 million bbl/day (2008 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  958.4 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Laos
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Latvia
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Lebanon
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Lesotho
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Liberia
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Libya
  1.875 million bbl/day (2008 est.)

Lithuania
  8,247 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Luxembourg
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Macau
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Macedonia
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Madagascar
  84.57 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Malawi
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Malaysia
  727,200 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Maldives
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Mali
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Malta
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Mauritania
  12,830 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Mauritius
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Mexico
  3.186 million bbl/day (2008 est.)

Moldova
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Mongolia
  3,216 bbl/day (2008)

Montenegro
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Montserrat
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Morocco
  4,310 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Mozambique
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Namibia
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Nauru
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Nepal
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Netherlands
  72,090 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

New Caledonia
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

New Zealand
  65,400 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Nicaragua
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Niger
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Nigeria
  2.169 million bbl/day (2008 est.)

Niue
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Norway
  2.466 million bbl/day (2008 est.)

Oman
  761,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Pakistan
  61,870 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Panama
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  38,100 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Paraguay
  26.97 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Peru
  120,200 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Philippines
  25,120 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Poland
  35,560 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Portugal
  7,861 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Puerto Rico
  1,354 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Qatar
  1.208 million bbl/day (2008 est.)

Romania
  115,200 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Russia
  9.79 million bbl/day (2008 est.)

Rwanda
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Saint Helena
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Saint Lucia
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Samoa
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  10.78 million bbl/day (2008 est.)

Senegal
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Serbia
  11,420 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Seychelles
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Sierra Leone
  2.99 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Singapore
  8,553 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Slovakia
  14,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Slovenia
  5 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Solomon Islands
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Somalia
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

South Africa
  195,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Spain
  28,130 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Sri Lanka
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Sudan
  480,200 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Suriname
  15,280 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Swaziland
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Sweden
  3,572 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Switzerland
  3,244 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Syria
  426,100 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Taiwan
  12,310 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Tajikistan
  238 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Tanzania
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Thailand
  361,300 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Timor-Leste
  100,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Togo
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Tonga
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  163,300 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Tunisia
  86,930 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Turkey
  46,120 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Turkmenistan
  189,400 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Uganda
  bbl/day NA

Ukraine
  101,300 bbl/day (2008 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  3.046 million bbl/day (2008 est.)

United Kingdom
  1.584 million bbl/day (2008 est.)

United States
  8.514 million bbl/day (2008 est.)

Uruguay
  946.1 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Uzbekistan
  83,820 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Vanuatu
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Venezuela
  2.643 million bbl/day (2008 est.)

Vietnam
  313,600 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Virgin Islands
  17,620 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Western Sahara
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

World
  85.43 million bbl/day (2008 est.)

Yemen
  300,100 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Zambia
  159.3 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Zimbabwe
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

======================================================================

@2174

Field Listing :: Oil - consumption

This entry is the total oil consumed in barrels per day (bbl/day). The discrepancy between the amount of oil produced and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is due to the omission of stock changes, refinery gains, and other complicating factors. Country Comparison to the World Country

Oil - consumption(bbl/day)

Afghanistan
  5,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Albania
  34,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Algeria
  299,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

American Samoa
  4,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Angola
  64,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  5,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Argentina
  610,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Armenia
  48,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Aruba
  8,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Australia
  953,700 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Austria
  285,400 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Azerbaijan
  126,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Bahamas, The
  34,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Bahrain
  38,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Bangladesh
  95,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Barbados
  9,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Belarus
  184,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Belgium
  716,800 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Belize
  7,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Benin
  21,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Bermuda
  5,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Bhutan
  1,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Bolivia
  60,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  29,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Botswana
  15,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Brazil
  2.52 million bbl/day (2008 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  1,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Brunei
  15,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Bulgaria
  124,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Burkina Faso
  9,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Burma
  41,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Burundi
  3,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Cambodia
  4,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Cameroon
  26,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Canada
  2.26 million bbl/day (2008 est.)

Cape Verde
  2,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Cayman Islands
  3,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Central African Republic
  2,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Chad
  1,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Chile
  277,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

China
  7.85 million bbl/day (2008 est.)

Colombia
  291,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Comoros
  1,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  11,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  9,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Cook Islands
  1,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Costa Rica
  45,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  25,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Croatia
  105,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Cuba
  176,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Cyprus
  59,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Czech Republic
  212,800 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Denmark
  181,100 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Djibouti
  13,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Dominica
  1,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Dominican Republic
  119,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Ecuador
  178,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Egypt
  697,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

El Salvador
  45,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  1,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Eritrea
  5,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Estonia
  29,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Ethiopia
  37,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

European Union
  14.44 million bbl/day (2007 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Faroe Islands
  5,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Fiji
  10,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Finland
  215,600 bbl/day (2008 est.)

France
  1.986 million bbl/day (2008 est.)

French Polynesia
  7,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Gabon
  14,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Gambia, The
  2,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Georgia
  14,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Germany
  2.569 million bbl/day (2008 est.)

Ghana
  56,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Gibraltar
  24,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Greece
  434,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Greenland
  4,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Grenada
  3,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Guam
  9,227 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Guatemala
  76,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Guinea
  9,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  3,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Guyana
  11,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Haiti
  12,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Honduras
  52,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Hong Kong
  366,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Hungary
  162,100 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Iceland
  19,880 bbl/day (2008 est.)

India
  2.94 million bbl/day (2008 est.)

Indonesia
  1.564 million bbl/day (2008 est.)

Iran
  1.755 million bbl/day (2008 est.)

Iraq
  638,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Ireland
  188,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Israel
  235,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Italy
  1.639 million bbl/day (2008 est.)

Jamaica
  78,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Japan
  4.785 million bbl/day (2008 est.)

Jordan
  108,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Kazakhstan
  239,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Kenya
  75,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Kiribati
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Korea, North
  16,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Korea, South
  2.175 million bbl/day (2008 est.)

Kosovo
  NA bbl/day

Kuwait
  325,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  15,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Laos
  3,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Latvia
  39,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Lebanon
  92,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Lesotho
  2,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Liberia
  4,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Libya
  273,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Lithuania
  73,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Luxembourg
  59,140 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Macau
  16,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Macedonia
  21,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Madagascar
  20,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Malawi
  8,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Malaysia
  547,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Maldives
  6,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Mali
  5,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Malta
  19,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Mauritania
  21,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Mauritius
  23,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Mexico
  2.128 million bbl/day (2008 est.)

Moldova
  17,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Mongolia
  15,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Montenegro
  bbl/day NA

Montserrat
  1,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Morocco
  187,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Mozambique
  16,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Namibia
  21,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Nauru
  1,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Nepal
  18,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Netherlands
  962,900 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  71,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

New Caledonia
  13,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

New Zealand
  154,100 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Nicaragua
  29,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Niger
  6,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Nigeria
  286,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Niue
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Norway
  220,200 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Oman
  81,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Pakistan
  383,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Panama
  94,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  33,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Paraguay
  28,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Peru
  160,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Philippines
  320,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Poland
  544,800 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Portugal
  291,700 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Puerto Rico
  185,300 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Qatar
  129,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Romania
  219,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Russia
  2.9 million bbl/day (2008 est.)

Rwanda
  6,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Saint Helena
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  1,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Saint Lucia
  3,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  1,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  2,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Samoa
  1,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  1,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  2.38 million bbl/day (2008 est.)

Senegal
  38,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Serbia
  NA bbl/day

Seychelles
  7,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Sierra Leone
  9,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Singapore
  896,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Slovakia
  84,990 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Slovenia
  61,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Solomon Islands
  2,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Somalia
  5,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

South Africa
  583,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Spain
  1.562 million bbl/day (2008 est.)

Sri Lanka
  89,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Sudan
  86,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Suriname
  14,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Swaziland
  4,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Sweden
  351,800 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Switzerland
  275,600 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Syria
  256,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Taiwan
  959,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Tajikistan
  36,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Tanzania
  32,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Thailand
  942,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Timor-Leste
  NA bbl/day

Togo
  20,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Tonga
  1,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  41,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Tunisia
  90,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Turkey
  675,500 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Turkmenistan
  112,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Uganda
  13,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Ukraine
  353,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  463,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

United Kingdom
  1.71 million bbl/day (2008 est.)

United States
  19.5 million bbl/day (2008 est.)

Uruguay
  41,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Uzbekistan
  148,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Vanuatu
  1,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Venezuela
  760,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Vietnam
  288,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Virgin Islands
  72,860 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Western Sahara
  2,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

World
  85.98 million bbl/day (2008 est.)

Yemen
  149,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Zambia
  16,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Zimbabwe
  13,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

======================================================================

@2175

Field Listing :: Oil - imports

  This entry is the total oil imported in barrels per day (bbl/day),
  including both crude oil and oil products.
  Country Comparison to the World
  Country

Oil - imports(bbl/day)

Afghanistan
  4,404 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Albania
  24,080 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Algeria
  14,320 bbl/day (2007 est.)

American Samoa
  4,140 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Angola
  28,090 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  4,690 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Argentina
  52,290 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Armenia
  45,200 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Aruba
  236,400 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Australia
  687,200 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Austria
  305,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Azerbaijan
  2,848 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Bahamas, The
  72,420 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Bahrain
  228,400 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Bangladesh
  87,660 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Barbados
  10,390 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Belarus
  444,800 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Belgium
  1.076 million bbl/day (2008 est.)

Belize
  7,204 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Benin
  28,900 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Bermuda
  4,500 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Bhutan
  1,168 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Bolivia
  6,172 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  25,990 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Botswana
  15,180 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Brazil
  632,900 bbl/day (2007 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  691.4 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Brunei
  237.6 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Bulgaria
  189,000 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Burkina Faso
  8,283 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Burma
  18,250 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Burundi
  2,495 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Cambodia
  30,970 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Cameroon
  45,520 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Canada
  1.165 million bbl/day (2008 est.)

Cape Verde
  1,619 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Cayman Islands
  3,294 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Central African Republic
  2,203 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Chad
  1,571 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Chile
  311,200 bbl/day (2007 est.)

China
  4.21 million bbl/day (2007)

Colombia
  16,540 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Comoros
  766.2 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  11,350 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  2,136 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Cook Islands
  495 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Costa Rica
  47,860 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  80,960 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Croatia
  122,100 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Cuba
  104,800 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Cyprus
  58,930 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Czech Republic
  213,900 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Denmark
  153,800 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Djibouti
  8,476 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Dominica
  838.2 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Dominican Republic
  116,200 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Ecuador
  54,190 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Egypt
  146,200 bbl/day (2007 est.)

El Salvador
  46,310 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  1,114 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Eritrea
  4,790 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Estonia
  30,590 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Ethiopia
  33,590 bbl/day (2007 est.)

European Union
  8.613 million bbl/day (2007 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  270.9 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Faroe Islands
  4,922 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Fiji
  20,340 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Finland
  347,400 bbl/day (2008 est.)

France
  2.346 million bbl/day (2008 est.)

French Polynesia
  6,701 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Gabon
  4,185 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Gambia, The
  2,266 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Georgia
  16,590 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Germany
  2.777 million bbl/day (2008 est.)

Ghana
  45,380 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Gibraltar
  25,610 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Greece
  553,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Greenland
  4,172 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Grenada
  1,923 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Guam
  14,230 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Guatemala
  72,440 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Guinea
  8,674 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  2,545 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Guyana
  10,550 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Haiti
  12,280 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Honduras
  46,130 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Hong Kong
  334,900 bbl/day (2008)

Hungary
  195,400 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Iceland
  17,510 bbl/day (2008 est.)

India
  2.518 million bbl/day (2007 est.)

Indonesia
  671,000 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Iran
  212,200 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Iraq
  116,900 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Ireland
  190,800 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Israel
  318,900 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Italy
  2.205 million bbl/day (2008 est.)

Jamaica
  77,720 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Japan
  5.263 million bbl/day (2008 est.)

Jordan
  108,200 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Kazakhstan
  164,000 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Kenya
  80,530 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Kiribati
  260.8 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Korea, North
  13,890 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Korea, South
  2.982 million bbl/day (2008 est.)

Kuwait
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  12,850 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Laos
  3,080 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Latvia
  43,400 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Lebanon
  86,750 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Lesotho
  1,553 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Liberia
  4,263 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Libya
  575.3 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Lithuania
  204,000 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Luxembourg
  60,030 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Macau
  5,027 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Macedonia
  26,730 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Madagascar
  16,940 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Malawi
  6,960 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Malaysia
  314,600 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Maldives
  5,406 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Mali
  4,402 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Malta
  17,910 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Mauritania
  20,610 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Mauritius
  22,200 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Mexico
  479,600 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Moldova
  14,230 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Mongolia
  17,680 bbl/day (2008)

Montenegro
  6,093 bbl/day (2005)

Montserrat
  520.6 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Morocco
  195,800 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Mozambique
  13,760 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Namibia
  19,120 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Nauru
  1,026 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Nepal
  16,920 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Netherlands
  2.678 million bbl/day (2008 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  298,500 bbl/day (2007 est.)

New Caledonia
  14,430 bbl/day (2007 est.)

New Zealand
  147,600 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Nicaragua
  29,570 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Niger
  5,367 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Nigeria
  170,000 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Niue
  30.66 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Norway
  104,400 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Oman
  17,290 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Pakistan
  319,500 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Panama
  87,100 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  14,380 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Paraguay
  25,100 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Peru
  133,100 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Philippines
  342,200 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Poland
  595,400 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Portugal
  351,100 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Puerto Rico
  225,000 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Qatar
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Romania
  217,000 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Russia
  47,360 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Rwanda
  5,623 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Saint Helena
  79.73 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  1,225 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Saint Lucia
  2,747 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  563.6 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  1,451 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Samoa
  1,105 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  725.5 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  79,250 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Senegal
  42,850 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Serbia
  70,760 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Seychelles
  7,653 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Sierra Leone
  8,316 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Singapore
  2.109 million bbl/day (2007 est.)

Slovakia
  148,600 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Slovenia
  63,080 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Solomon Islands
  1,323 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Somalia
  6,387 bbl/day (2007 est.)

South Africa
  490,500 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Spain
  1.813 million bbl/day (2008 est.)

Sri Lanka
  87,690 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Sudan
  11,400 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Suriname
  6,296 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Swaziland
  4,100 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Sweden
  542,100 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Switzerland
  247,200 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Syria
  58,710 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Taiwan
  1.251 million bbl/day (2007 est.)

Tajikistan
  10,100 bbl/day (2008)

Tanzania
  28,070 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Thailand
  826,000 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Togo
  15,270 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Tonga
  1,173 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  92,480 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Tunisia
  87,300 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Turkey
  783,800 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Turkmenistan
  2,542 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  80 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Uganda
  13,090 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Ukraine
  354,100 bbl/day (2007 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  192,900 bbl/day (2007 est.)

United Kingdom
  1.651 million bbl/day (2008 est.)

United States
  13.47 million bbl/day (2008 est.)

Uruguay
  52,730 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Uzbekistan
  35,810 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Vanuatu
  653.6 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Venezuela
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Vietnam
  254,000 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Virgin Islands
  480,600 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Western Sahara
  1,702 bbl/day (2007 est.)

World
  66.68 million bbl/day (2007 est.)

Yemen
  65,860 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Zambia
  14,730 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Zimbabwe
  13,830 bbl/day (2007 est.)

======================================================================

@2176

Field Listing :: Oil - exports

  This entry is the total oil exported in barrels per day (bbl/day),
  including both crude oil and oil products.
  Country Comparison to the World
  Country

Oil - exports(bbl/day)

Afghanistan
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Albania
  748.9 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Algeria
  1.891 million bbl/day (2007 est.)

American Samoa
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Angola
  1.407 million bbl/day (2007 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  219 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Argentina
  314,400 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Armenia
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Aruba
  231,100 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Australia
  332,400 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Austria
  45,580 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Azerbaijan
  528,900 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Bahamas, The
  transshipments of 41,570 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Bahrain
  238,300 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Bangladesh
  2,612 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Barbados
  1,750 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Belarus
  303,900 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Belgium
  507,500 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Belize
  2,260 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Benin
  8,770 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Bermuda
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Bhutan
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Bolivia
  10,950 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  191.8 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Botswana
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Brazil
  570,100 bbl/day (2007 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Brunei
  207,500 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Bulgaria
  76,570 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Burkina Faso
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Burma
  2,200 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Burundi
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Cambodia
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Cameroon
  107,100 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Canada
  2.421 million bbl/day (2008 est.)

Cape Verde
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Cayman Islands
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Central African Republic
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Chad
  157,900 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Chile
  49,250 bbl/day (2007 est.)

China
  419,200 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Colombia
  294,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Comoros
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  20,090 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  241,100 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Cook Islands
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Costa Rica
  2,117 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  115,700 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Croatia
  43,750 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Cuba
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Cyprus
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Czech Republic
  22,560 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Denmark
  287,100 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Djibouti
  19.18 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Dominica
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Dominican Republic
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Ecuador
  417,000 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Egypt
  155,200 bbl/day (2007 est.)

El Salvador
  1,927 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  362,900 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Eritrea
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Estonia
  7,280 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Ethiopia
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

European Union
  2.196 million bbl/day (2007 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Faroe Islands
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Fiji
  2,455 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Finland
  133,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

France
  554,100 bbl/day (2008 est.)

French Polynesia
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Gabon
  227,300 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Gambia, The
  41.62 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Georgia
  1,486 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Germany
  582,900 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Ghana
  4,843 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Gibraltar
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Greece
  151,300 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Greenland
  149.5 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Grenada
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Guam
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Guatemala
  21,850 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Guinea
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Guyana
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Haiti
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Honduras
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Hong Kong
  19,480 bbl/day (2008)

Hungary
  72,050 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Iceland
  2,975 bbl/day (2008 est.)

India
  671,200 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Indonesia
  85,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Iran
  2.719 million bbl/day (2007 est.)

Iraq
  1.83 million bbl/day (2008 est.)

Ireland
  22,710 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Israel
  69,580 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Italy
  667,100 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Jamaica
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Japan
  268,300 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Jordan
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Kazakhstan
  1.313 million bbl/day (2007 est.)

Kenya
  7,270 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Kiribati
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Korea, North
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Korea, South
  800,000 bbl/day
  note: exports consist of oil derivatives (gasoline, light oil, and
  diesel), not crude oil (2008 est.)

Kuwait
  2.349 million bbl/day (2007 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  1,890 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Laos
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Latvia
  5,873 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Lebanon
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Lesotho
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Liberia
  23.37 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Libya
  1.542 million bbl/day (2007 est.)

Lithuania
  137,200 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Luxembourg
  168 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Macau
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Macedonia
  7,410 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Madagascar
  364.9 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Malawi
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Malaysia
  511,900 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Maldives
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Mali
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Malta
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Mauritania
  30,620 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Mauritius
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Mexico
  1.986 million bbl/day (2008 est.)

Moldova
  36.49 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Mongolia
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Montenegro
  313.6 bbl/day (2005)

Montserrat
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Morocco
  17,420 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Mozambique
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Namibia
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Nauru
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Nepal
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Netherlands
  1.647 million bbl/day (2008 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  224,600 bbl/day (2007 est.)

New Caledonia
  645.3 bbl/day (2007 est.)

New Zealand
  34,260 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Nicaragua
  212.5 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Niger
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Nigeria
  2.327 million bbl/day (2007 est.)

Niue
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Norway
  2.383 million bbl/day (2008 est.)

Oman
  593,700 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Pakistan
  30,090 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Panama
  4,803 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  32,490 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Paraguay
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Peru
  68,640 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Philippines
  36,720 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Poland
  67,340 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Portugal
  53,260 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Puerto Rico
  16,520 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Qatar
  1.043 million bbl/day (2007 est.)

Romania
  115,600 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Russia
  6.845 million bbl/day (2007 est.)

Rwanda
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Saint Helena
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Saint Lucia
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Samoa
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  8.728 million bbl/day (2007 est.)

Senegal
  5,653 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Serbia
  3,641 bbl/day (2005)

Seychelles
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Sierra Leone
  502.4 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Singapore
  1.289 million bbl/day (2007 est.)

Slovakia
  74,070 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Slovenia
  8,450 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Solomon Islands
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Somalia
  1,475 bbl/day (2007 est.)

South Africa
  128,500 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Spain
  226,900 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Sri Lanka
  968.4 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Sudan
  303,800 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Suriname
  4,308 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Swaziland
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Sweden
  219,300 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Switzerland
  10,310 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Syria
  155,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Taiwan
  303,500 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Tajikistan
  348.9 bbl/day

Tanzania
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Thailand
  216,400 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Togo
  1,547 bbl/day (2005)

Tonga
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  248,300 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Tunisia
  77,130 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Turkey
  141,700 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Turkmenistan
  84,770 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Uganda
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Ukraine
  97,200 bbl/day (2007 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  2.7 million bbl/day (2007 est.)

United Kingdom
  1.602 million bbl/day (2008 est.)

United States
  1.433 million bbl/day (2008 est.)

Uruguay
  7,100 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Uzbekistan
  6,104 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Vanuatu
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Venezuela
  2.182 million bbl/day (2007 est.)

Vietnam
  347,400 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Virgin Islands
  388,000 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Western Sahara
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

World
  66.13 million bbl/day (2007 est.)

Yemen
  274,400 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Zambia
  275.3 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Zimbabwe
  0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

======================================================================

@2177

Field Listing :: Median age

This entry is the age that divides a population into two numerically equal groups; that is, half the people are younger than this age and half are older. It is a single index that summarizes the age distribution of a population. Currently, the median age ranges from a low of about 15 in Uganda and Gaza Strip to 40 or more in several European countries and Japan. See the entry for "Age structure" for the importance of a young versus an older age structure and, by implication, a low versus a higher median age. Country

Median age(years)

Afghanistan
  total: 17.6 years
  male: 17.6 years
  female: 17.6 years (2009 est.)

Albania
  total: 29.9 years
  male: 29.3 years
  female: 30.6 years (2009 est.)

Algeria
  total: 26.6 years
  male: 26.3 years
  female: 26.8 years (2009 est.)

American Samoa
  total: 23.1 years
  male: 23 years
  female: 23.3 years (2009 est.)

Andorra
  total: 39.4 years
  male: 39.7 years
  female: 39.1 years (2009 est.)

Angola
  total: 18 years
  male: 18 years
  female: 18 years (2009 est.)

Anguilla
  total: 32.6 years
  male: 31.5 years
  female: 33.8 years (2009 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  total: 29.7 years
  male: 28.2 years
  female: 31.1 years (2009 est.)

Argentina
  total: 30 years
  male: 29 years
  female: 31 years (2009 est.)

Armenia
  total: 31.5 years
  male: 28.8 years
  female: 34.4 years (2009 est.)

Aruba
  total: 37.8 years
  male: 36 years
  female: 39.5 years (2009 est.)

Australia
  total: 37.3 years
  male: 36.6 years
  female: 38.1 years (2009 est.)

Austria
  total: 42.2 years
  male: 41.1 years
  female: 43.2 years (2009 est.)

Azerbaijan
  total: 28.2 years
  male: 26.6 years
  female: 30 years (2009 est.)

Bahamas, The
  total: 28.7 years
  male: 27.9 years
  female: 29.5 years (2009 est.)

Bahrain
  total: 30.1 years
  male: 33.2 years
  female: 26.7 years (2009 est.)

Bangladesh
  total: 23.3 years
  male: 22.9 years
  female: 23.5 years (2009 est.)

Barbados
  total: 35.8 years
  male: 34.7 years
  female: 36.9 years (2009 est.)

Belarus
  total: 38.6 years
  male: 35.6 years
  female: 41.6 years (2009 est.)

Belgium
  total: 41.7 years
  male: 40.4 years
  female: 43 years (2009 est.)

Belize
  total: 20.4 years
  male: 20.3 years
  female: 20.6 years (2009 est.)

Benin
  total: 17.2 years
  male: 16.8 years
  female: 17.7 years (2009 est.)

Bermuda
  total: 41.3 years
  male: 39.9 years
  female: 42.7 years (2009 est.)

Bhutan
  total: 23.9 years
  male: 24.5 years
  female: 23.3 years (2009 est.)

Bolivia
  total: 21.9 years
  male: 21.3 years
  female: 22.6 years (2009 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  total: 39.8 years
  male: 38.7 years
  female: 41 years (2009 est.)

Botswana
  total: 21.7 years
  male: 21.5 years
  female: 21.9 years (2009 est.)

Brazil
  total: 28.6 years
  male: 27.8 years
  female: 29.3 years (2009 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  total: 32.3 years
  male: 32.4 years
  female: 32.2 years (2009 est.)

Brunei
  total: 27.8 years
  male: 27.7 years
  female: 27.8 years (2009 est.)

Bulgaria
  total: 41.4 years
  male: 39.2 years
  female: 43.6 years (2009 est.)

Burkina Faso
  total: 16.8 years
  male: 16.6 years
  female: 17 years (2009 est.)

Burma
  total: 28.2 years
  male: 27.7 years
  female: 28.8 years (2009 est.)

Burundi
  total: 16.7 years
  male: 16.5 years
  female: 17 years (2009 est.)

Cambodia
  total: 22.1 years
  male: 21.4 years
  female: 22.8 years (2009 est.)

Cameroon
  total: 19.2 years
  male: 19 years
  female: 19.3 years (2009 est.)

Canada
  total: 40.4 years
  male: 39.3 years
  female: 41.5 years (2009 est.)

Cape Verde
  total: 21.1 years
  male: 20.4 years
  female: 21.9 years (2009 est.)

Cayman Islands
  total: 38.1 years
  male: 37.7 years
  female: 38.6 years (2009 est.)

Central African Republic
  total: 18.8 years
  male: 18.5 years
  female: 19.1 years (2009 est.)

Chad
  total: 16.5 years
  male: 15.3 years
  female: 17.7 years (2009 est.)

Chile
  total: 31.4 years
  male: 30.4 years
  female: 32.4 years (2009 est.)

China
  total: 34.1 years
  male: 33.5 years
  female: 34.7 years (2009 est.)

Colombia
  total: 27.1 years
  male: 26.1 years
  female: 28 years (2009 est.)

Comoros
  total: 18.8 years
  male: 18.5 years
  female: 19.1 years (2009 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  total: 16.4 years
  male: 16.2 years
  female: 16.6 years (2009 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  total: 16.8 years
  male: 16.6 years
  female: 17.1 years (2009 est.)

Cook Islands
  total: 30.5 years
  male: 29.8 years
  female: 31.1 years (2009 est.)

Costa Rica
  total: 27.5 years
  male: 27.1 years
  female: 28 years (2009 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  total: 19.2 years
  male: 19.4 years
  female: 19.1 years (2009 est.)

Croatia
  total: 41 years
  male: 39.1 years
  female: 42.8 years (2009 est.)

Cuba
  total: 37.3 years
  male: 36.6 years
  female: 38 years (2009 est.)

Cyprus
  total: 35.5 years
  male: 34.5 years
  female: 36.6 years (2009 est.)

Czech Republic
  total: 40.1 years
  male: 38.6 years
  female: 41.9 years (2009 est.)

Denmark
  total: 40.5 years
  male: 39.6 years
  female: 41.3 years (2009 est.)

Djibouti
  total: 18.1 years
  male: 18.5 years
  female: 17.8 years (2009 est.)

Dominica
  total: 29.8 years
  male: 29.4 years
  female: 30.2 years (2009 est.)

Dominican Republic
  total: 24.9 years
  male: 24.8 years
  female: 25.1 years (2009 est.)

Ecuador
  total: 25 years
  male: 24.4 years
  female: 25.6 years (2009 est.)

Egypt
  total: 24.8 years
  male: 24.4 years
  female: 25.2 years (2009 est.)

El Salvador
  total: 22.5 years
  male: 21.3 years
  female: 23.6 years (2009 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  total: 18.9 years
  male: 18.3 years
  female: 19.6 years (2009 est.)

Eritrea
  total: 18.4 years
  male: 18 years
  female: 18.8 years (2009 est.)

Estonia
  total: 39.9 years
  male: 36.5 years
  female: 43.5 years (2009 est.)

Ethiopia
  total: 16.9 years
  male: 16.6 years
  female: 17.2 years (2009 est.)

European Union
  note - see individual country entries of member
  states (2009 est.)

Faroe Islands
  total: 36.9 years
  male: 36.3 years
  female: 37.7 years (2009 est.)

Fiji
  total: 25.5 years
  male: 25 years
  female: 26 years (2009 est.)

Finland
  total: 42.1 years
  male: 40.5 years
  female: 43.7 years (2009 est.)

France
  total: 39.4 years
  male: 38 years
  female: 40.9 years (2009 est.)

French Polynesia
  total: 29.1 years
  male: 29.4 years
  female: 28.8 years (2009 est.)

Gabon
  total: 18.6 years
  male: 18.4 years
  female: 18.9 years (2009 est.)

Gambia, The
  total: 17.9 years
  male: 17.8 years
  female: 18.1 years (2009 est.)

Gaza Strip
  total: 17.4 years
  male: 17.2 years
  female: 17.5 years (2009 est.)

Georgia
  total: 38.6 years
  male: 36.1 years
  female: 41 years (2009 est.)

Germany
  total: 43.8 years
  male: 42.6 years
  female: 45.2 years (2009 est.)

Ghana
  total: 20.7 years
  male: 20.5 years
  female: 21 years (2009 est.)

Gibraltar
  total: 40.5 years
  male: 39.9 years
  female: 41 years (2009 est.)

Greece
  total: 41.8 years
  male: 40.7 years
  female: 42.9 years (2009 est.)

Greenland
  total: 33.5 years
  male: 34.9 years
  female: 31.9 years (2009 est.)

Grenada
  total: 22.8 years
  male: 23.3 years
  female: 22.3 years (2009 est.)

Guam
  total: 29.1 years
  male: 28.8 years
  female: 29.4 years (2009 est.)

Guatemala
  total: 19.4 years
  male: 18.9 years
  female: 20 years (2009 est.)

Guernsey
  total: 42.5 years
  male: 41.4 years
  female: 43.4 years (2009 est.)

Guinea
  total: 18.5 years
  male: 18.2 years
  female: 18.7 years (2009 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  total: 19.3 years
  male: 18.7 years
  female: 19.8 years (2009 est.)

Guyana
  total: 28.7 years
  male: 28.2 years
  female: 29.2 years (2009 est.)

Haiti
  total: 20.2 years
  male: 19.8 years
  female: 20.7 years (2009 est.)

Honduras
  total: 20.3 years
  male: 20 years
  female: 20.7 years (2009 est.)

Hong Kong
  total: 42.3 years
  male: 41.9 years
  female: 42.6 years (2009 est.)

Hungary
  total: 39.4 years
  male: 37.1 years
  female: 42 years (2009 est.)

Iceland
  total: 35.1 years
  male: 34.6 years
  female: 35.6 years (2009 est.)

India
  total: 25.3 years
  male: 24.9 years
  female: 25.8 years (2009 est.)

Indonesia
  total: 27.6 years
  male: 27.1 years
  female: 28.1 years (2009 est.)

Iran
  total: 27 years
  male: 26.8 years
  female: 27.2 years (2009 est.)

Iraq
  total: 20.4 years
  male: 20.3 years
  female: 20.5 years (2009 est.)

Ireland
  total: 35 years
  male: 34.2 years
  female: 35.7 years (2009 est.)

Isle of Man
  total: 40.2 years
  male: 39 years
  female: 41.4 years (2009 est.)

Israel
  total: 29.1 years
  male: 28.4 years
  female: 29.8 years (2009 est.)

Italy
  total: 43.3 years
  male: 41.8 years
  female: 44.8 years (2009 est.)

Jamaica
  total: 23.7 years
  male: 23.1 years
  female: 24.2 years (2009 est.)

Japan
  total: 44.2 years
  male: 42.4 years
  female: 46.1 years (2009 est.)

Jersey
  total: 42.9 years
  male: 42.1 years
  female: 43.6 years (2009 est.)

Jordan
  total: 24.3 years
  male: 25 years
  female: 23.6 years (2009 est.)

Kazakhstan
  total: 29.6 years
  male: 28.1 years
  female: 31.3 years (2009 est.)

Kenya
  total: 18.7 years
  male: 18.6 years
  female: 18.8 years (2009 est.)

Kiribati
  total: 20.8 years
  male: 20.3 years
  female: 21.3 years (2009 est.)

Korea, North
  total: 33.5 years
  male: 32.1 years
  female: 34.9 years (2009 est.)

Korea, South
  total: 37.3 years
  male: 36 years
  female: 38.5 years (2009 est.)

Kosovo
  total: 25.9 years
  male: 25.4 years
  female: 26.4 years (2009 est.)

Kuwait
  total: 26.2 years
  male: 28.1 years
  female: 22.7 years (2009 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  total: 24.4 years
  male: 23.6 years
  female: 25.3 years (2009 est.)

Laos
  total: 19.3 years
  male: 19 years
  female: 19.6 years (2009 est.)

Latvia
  total: 40.1 years
  male: 37.1 years
  female: 43.3 years (2009 est.)

Lebanon
  total: 29.3 years
  male: 28 years
  female: 30.5 years (2009 est.)

Lesotho
  total: 21.4 years
  male: 20.9 years
  female: 22 years (2009 est.)

Liberia
  total: 18 years
  male: 17.9 years
  female: 18.2 years (2009 est.)

Libya
  total: 23.9 years
  male: 24 years
  female: 23.8 years (2009 est.)

Liechtenstein
  total: 41 years
  male: 40.4 years
  female: 41.5 years (2009 est.)

Lithuania
  total: 39.3 years
  male: 36.8 years
  female: 41.9 years (2009 est.)

Luxembourg
  total: 39.2 years
  male: 38.2 years
  female: 40.2 years (2009 est.)

Macau
  total: 35.2 years
  male: 35.9 years
  female: 34.6 years (2009 est.)

Macedonia
  total: 35.1 years
  male: 34.1 years
  female: 36.2 years (2009 est.)

Madagascar
  total: 18 years
  male: 17.8 years
  female: 18.2 years (2009 est.)

Malawi
  total: 16.8 years
  male: 16.8 years
  female: 16.9 years (2009 est.)

Malaysia
  total: 24.9 years
  male: 24.3 years
  female: 25.6 years (2009 est.)

Maldives
  total: 25.7 years
  male: 26.5 years
  female: 24.3 years (2009 est.)

Mali
  total: 15.8 years
  male: 15.5 years
  female: 16.2 years (2009 est.)

Malta
  total: 39.5 years
  male: 38.1 years
  female: 40.9 years (2009 est.)

Marshall Islands
  total: 21.2 years
  male: 21.3 years
  female: 21.2 years (2009 est.)

Mauritania
  total: 19.2 years
  male: 18.3 years
  female: 20 years (2009 est.)

Mauritius
  total: 31.9 years
  male: 31 years
  female: 32.7 years (2009 est.)

Mayotte
  total: 17.2 years
  male: 18.1 years
  female: 16.4 years (2009 est.)

Mexico
  total: 26.3 years
  male: 25.3 years
  female: 27.3 years (2009 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  total: 22 years
  male: 21.5 years
  female: 22.5 years (2009 est.)

Moldova
  total: 34.6 years
  male: 32.7 years
  female: 36.7 years (2009 est.)

Monaco
  total: 45.7 years
  male: 43.6 years
  female: 47.7 years (2009 est.)

Mongolia
  total: 25.3 years
  male: 24.9 years
  female: 25.7 years (2009 est.)

Montenegro
  total: 36.7 years
  male: 35.2 years
  female: 38.4 years (2009 est.)

Montserrat
  total: 28.5 years
  male: 28.2 years
  female: 28.7 years (2009 est.)

Morocco
  total: 25 years
  male: 24.5 years
  female: 25.6 years (2009 est.)

Mozambique
  total: 17.4 years
  male: 17 years
  female: 17.8 years (2009 est.)

Namibia
  total: 21 years
  male: 20.9 years
  female: 21.1 years (2009 est.)

Nauru
  total: 21.6 years
  male: 21 years
  female: 22.2 years (2009 est.)

Nepal
  total: 20.8 years
  male: 19.8 years
  female: 21.7 years (2009 est.)

Netherlands
  total: 40.4 years
  male: 39.6 years
  female: 41.2 years (2009 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  total: 33.7 years
  male: 31.9 years
  female: 35.5 years (2009 est.)

New Caledonia
  total: 28.7 years
  male: 28.2 years
  female: 29.2 years (2009 est.)

New Zealand
  total: 36.6 years
  male: 35.8 years
  female: 37.4 years (2009 est.)

Nicaragua
  total: 22.1 years
  male: 21.7 years
  female: 22.5 years (2009 est.)

Niger
  total: 15.2 years
  male: 14.9 years
  female: 15.4 years (2009 est.)

Nigeria
  total: 19 years
  male: 18.9 years
  female: 19.1 years (2009 est.)

Northern Mariana Islands
  total: 30.1 years
  male: 32.1 years
  female: 29.2 years (2009 est.)

Norway
  total: 39.4 years
  male: 38.5 years
  female: 40.2 years (2009 est.)

Oman
  total: 18.8 years
  male: 21.1 years
  female: 16.7 years (2009 est.)

Pakistan
  total: 20.8 years
  male: 20.6 years
  female: 21 years (2009 est.)

Palau
  total: 32.2 years
  male: 32 years
  female: 32.7 years (2009 est.)

Panama
  total: 27 years
  male: 26.6 years
  female: 27.3 years (2009 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  total: 21.7 years
  male: 21.8 years
  female: 21.6 years (2009 est.)

Paraguay
  total: 21.9 years
  male: 21.6 years
  female: 22.2 years (2009 est.)

Peru
  total: 26.1 years
  male: 25.8 years
  female: 26.4 years (2009 est.)

Philippines
  total: 22.5 years
  male: 22 years
  female: 23 years (2009 est.)

Poland
  total: 37.9 years
  male: 36.1 years
  female: 39.7 years (2009 est.)

Portugal
  total: 39.4 years
  male: 37.3 years
  female: 41.6 years (2009 est.)

Puerto Rico
  total: 36.2 years
  male: 34.5 years
  female: 37.9 years (2009 est.)

Qatar
  total: 30.8 years
  male: 32.8 years
  female: 25.4 years (2009 est.)

Romania
  total: 37.7 years
  male: 36.3 years
  female: 39.2 years (2009 est.)

Russia
  total: 38.4 years
  male: 35.2 years
  female: 41.6 years (2009 est.)

Rwanda
  total: 18.7 years
  male: 18.5 years
  female: 18.9 years (2009 est.)

Saint Barthelemy
  total: 39.1 years
  male: 39.3 years
  female: 38.9 years (2009 est.)

Saint Helena
  total: 37.6 years
  male: 37.7 years
  female: 37.5 years (2009 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  total: 28.6 years
  male: 27.9 years
  female: 29.3 years (2009 est.)

Saint Lucia
  total: 29.8 years
  male: 28.7 years
  female: 30.8 years (2009 est.)

Saint Martin
  total: 30.5 years
  male: 29.5 years
  female: 31.3 years (2009 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  total: 35.2 years
  male: 34.6 years
  female: 35.7 years (2009 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  total: 28.9 years
  male: 29 years
  female: 28.9 years (2009 est.)

Samoa
  total: 20.8 years
  male: 21 years
  female: 20.5 years (2009 est.)

San Marino
  total: 41.5 years
  male: 41.1 years
  female: 41.9 years (2009 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  total: 16.4 years
  male: 15.9 years
  female: 17 years (2009 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  total: 21.6 years
  male: 22.9 years
  female: 19.9 years (2009 est.)

Senegal
  total: 18.6 years
  male: 18.4 years
  female: 18.8 years (2009 est.)

Serbia
  total: 41 years
  male: 39.3 years
  female: 42.7 years (2009 est.)

Seychelles
  total: 31.4 years
  male: 30.9 years
  female: 32 years (2009 est.)

Sierra Leone
  total: 17.5 years
  male: 17.2 years
  female: 17.8 years (2009 est.)

Singapore
  total: 39 years
  male: 38.5 years
  female: 39.4 years (2009 est.)

Slovakia
  total: 36.9 years
  male: 35.2 years
  female: 38.6 years (2009 est.)

Slovenia
  total: 41.7 years
  male: 40.1 years
  female: 43.3 years (2009 est.)

Solomon Islands
  total: 19.7 years
  male: 19.5 years
  female: 19.8 years (2009 est.)

Somalia
  total: 17.5 years
  male: 17.4 years
  female: 17.6 years (2009 est.)

South Africa
  total: 24.4 years
  male: 24.1 years
  female: 24.8 years (2009 est.)

Spain
  total: 41.1 years
  male: 39.7 years
  female: 42.5 years (2009 est.)

Sri Lanka
  total: 30.9 years
  male: 29.9 years
  female: 31.8 years (2009 est.)

Sudan
  total: 19.1 years
  male: 18.9 years
  female: 19.2 years (2009 est.)

Suriname
  total: 27.9 years
  male: 27.5 years
  female: 28.3 years (2009 est.)

Swaziland
  total: 18.8 years
  male: 18.2 years
  female: 19.5 years (2009 est.)

Sweden
  total: 41.5 years
  male: 40.4 years
  female: 42.6 years (2009 est.)

Switzerland
  total: 41 years
  male: 40 years
  female: 42 years (2009 est.)

Syria
  total: 21.7 years
  male: 21.6 years
  female: 21.9 years (2009 est.)

Taiwan
  total: 36.5 years
  male: 35.9 years
  female: 37.1 years (2009 est.)

Tajikistan
  total: 21.9 years
  male: 21.5 years
  female: 22.4 years (2009 est.)

Tanzania
  total: 18 years
  male: 17.8 years
  female: 18.3 years (2009 est.)

Thailand
  total: 33.3 years
  male: 32.4 years
  female: 34.2 years (2009 est.)

Timor-Leste
  total: 21.8 years
  male: 21.8 years
  female: 21.8 years (2009 est.)

Togo
  total: 18.7 years
  male: 18.3 years
  female: 19.2 years (2009 est.)

Tonga
  total: 22.3 years
  male: 21.8 years
  female: 22.8 years (2009 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  total: 32.1 years
  male: 31.6 years
  female: 32.7 years (2009 est.)

Tunisia
  total: 29.2 years
  male: 28.7 years
  female: 29.8 years (2009 est.)

Turkey
  total: 27.7 years
  male: 27.4 years
  female: 28.1 years (2009 est.)

Turkmenistan
  total: 24.4 years
  male: 24.1 years
  female: 24.8 years (2009 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  total: 27.9 years
  male: 28.7 years
  female: 27.2 years (2009 est.)

Tuvalu
  total: 25.4 years
  male: 24.4 years
  female: 26.6 years (2009 est.)

Uganda
  total: 15 years
  male: 14.9 years
  female: 15.1 years (2009 est.)

Ukraine
  total: 39.5 years
  male: 36.3 years
  female: 42.7 years (2009 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  total: 30.1 years
  male: 32 years
  female: 24.7 years (2009 est.)

United Kingdom
  total: 40.2 years
  male: 39.1 years
  female: 41.3 years (2009 est.)

United States
  total: 36.7 years
  male: 35.4 years
  female: 38 years (2009 est.)

Uruguay
  total: 33.4 years
  male: 32 years
  female: 34.8 years (2009 est.)

Uzbekistan
  total: 24.7 years
  male: 24.2 years
  female: 25.2 years (2009 est.)

Vanuatu
  total: 24.2 years
  male: 24.2 years
  female: 24.2 years (2009 est.)

Venezuela
  total: 25.5 years
  male: 24.8 years
  female: 26.2 years (2009 est.)

Vietnam
  total: 27.4 years
  male: 26.4 years
  female: 28.5 years (2009 est.)

Virgin Islands
  total: 39.1 years
  male: 38.6 years
  female: 39.6 years (2009 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
  total: 27.2 years
  male: 26.1 years
  female: 28.5 years (2009 est.)

West Bank
  total: 20.5 years
  male: 20.4 years
  female: 20.8 years (2009 est.)

Western Sahara
  total: 17.3 years
  male: 16.8 years
  female: 17.8 years (2009 est.)

World
  total: 28.4 years
  male: 27.7 years
  female: 29 years (2009 est.)

Yemen
  total: 16.8 years
  male: 16.7 years
  female: 16.8 years (2009 est.)

Zambia
  total: 17 years
  male: 16.9 years
  female: 17.2 years (2009 est.)

Zimbabwe
  total: 17.6 years
  male: 16.3 years
  female: 18.8 years (2009 est.)

======================================================================

@2178

Field Listing :: Oil - proved reserves

  This entry is the stock of proved reserves of crude oil in barrels
  (bbl). Proved reserves are those quantities of petroleum which, by
  analysis of geological and engineering data, can be estimated with a
  high degree of confidence to be commercially recoverable from a
  given date forward, from known reservoirs and under current economic
  conditions.
  Country Comparison to the World
  Country

Oil - proved reserves(bbl)

Afghanistan
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Albania
  199.1 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Algeria
  12.2 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

American Samoa
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Angola
  9.04 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Argentina
  2.616 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Armenia
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Aruba
  0 bbl

Australia
  1.5 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Austria
  50 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Azerbaijan
  7 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Bahamas, The
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Bahrain
  124.6 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Bangladesh
  28 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Barbados
  2.17 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Belarus
  198 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Belgium
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Belize
  6.7 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Benin
  8 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Bermuda
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Bhutan
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Bolivia
  465 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Botswana
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Brazil
  12.62 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Brunei
  1.1 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Bulgaria
  15 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Burkina Faso
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Burma
  50 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Burundi
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Cambodia
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Cameroon
  200 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Canada
  178.1 billion bbl
  note: includes oil sands (1 January 2009 est.)

Cape Verde
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Cayman Islands
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Central African Republic
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Chad
  1.5 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Chile
  150 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

China
  16 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Colombia
  1.355 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Comoros
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the 180 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  1.6 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Cook Islands
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Costa Rica
  0 bbl

Cote d'Ivoire
  100 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Croatia
  79.3 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Cuba
  124 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Cyprus
  0 bbl

Czech Republic
  15 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Denmark
  1.06 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Djibouti
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Dominica
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Dominican Republic
  0 bbl

Ecuador
  4.66 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Egypt
  3.7 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

El Salvador
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  1.1 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Eritrea
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Estonia
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Ethiopia
  430,000 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

European Union
  5.718 billion bbl (1 January 2008)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Faroe Islands
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Fiji
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Finland
  0 bbl

France
  103.3 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

French Polynesia
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Gabon
  2 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Gambia, The
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Gaza Strip
  NA bbl

Georgia
  35 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Germany
  276 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Ghana
  15 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Gibraltar
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Greece
  10 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Greenland
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Grenada
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Guam
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Guatemala
  83.07 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Guinea
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Guyana
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Haiti
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Honduras
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Hong Kong
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Hungary
  20.18 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Iceland
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

India
  5.625 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Indonesia
  3.99 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Iran
  136.2 billion bbl based on Iranian claims (1 January 2009 est.)

Iraq
  115 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Ireland
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Israel
  1.94 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Italy
  406.5 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Jamaica
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Japan
  44.12 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Jordan
  1 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Kazakhstan
  30 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Kenya
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Kiribati
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Korea, North
  0 bbl

Korea, South
  0 bbl

Kosovo
  NA bbl

Kuwait
  104 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  40 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Laos
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Latvia
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Lebanon
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Lesotho
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Liberia
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Libya
  43.66 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Lithuania
  12 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Luxembourg
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Macau
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Macedonia
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Madagascar
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Malawi
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Malaysia
  4 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Maldives
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Mali
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Malta
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Mauritania
  100 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Mauritius
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Mexico
  10.5 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Moldova
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Mongolia
  0 bbl

Montenegro
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Montserrat
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Morocco
  750,000 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Mozambique
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Namibia
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Nauru
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Nepal
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Netherlands
  100 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

New Caledonia
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

New Zealand
  60 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Nicaragua
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Niger
  0 bbl

Nigeria
  36.22 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Niue
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Norway
  6.68 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Oman
  5.5 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Pakistan
  339 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Panama
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  88 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Paraguay
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Peru
  415.8 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Philippines
  138.5 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Poland
  96.38 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Portugal
  0 bbl

Puerto Rico
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Qatar
  15.21 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Romania
  600 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Russia
  60 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Rwanda
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Saint Helena
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Saint Lucia
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Samoa
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  266.7 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Senegal
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Serbia
  77.5 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Seychelles
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Sierra Leone
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Singapore
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Slovakia
  9 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Slovenia
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Solomon Islands
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Somalia
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

South Africa
  15 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Spain
  150 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Sri Lanka
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Sudan
  5 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Suriname
  79.6 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Swaziland
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Sweden
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Switzerland
  0 bbl

Syria
  2.5 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Taiwan
  2.38 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Tajikistan
  12 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Tanzania
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Thailand
  441 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Timor-Leste
  553.8 million bbl (1 January 2008)

Togo
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Tonga
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  728.3 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Tunisia
  425 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Turkey
  300 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Turkmenistan
  600 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Uganda
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Ukraine
  395 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  97.8 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

United Kingdom
  3.41 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

United States
  21.32 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Uruguay
  0 bbl

Uzbekistan
  594 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Vanuatu
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Venezuela
  99.38 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Vietnam
  600 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Virgin Islands
  0 bbl

West Bank
  NA bbl

Western Sahara
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

World
  1.343 trillion bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Yemen
  3 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

Zambia
  0 bbl

Zimbabwe
  0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

======================================================================

@2179

Field Listing :: Natural gas - proved reserves

This entry is the stock of proved reserves of natural gas in cubic meters (cu m). Proved reserves are those quantities of natural gas, which, by analysis of geological and engineering data, can be estimated with a high degree of confidence to be commercially recoverable from a given date forward, from known reservoirs and under current economic conditions. Country Comparison to the World Country

Natural gas - proved reserves(cu m)

Afghanistan
  49.55 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Albania
  849.5 million cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Algeria
  4.502 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

American Samoa
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Angola
  269.8 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Argentina
  441.7 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Armenia
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Aruba
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Australia
  849.5 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Austria
  16.14 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Azerbaijan
  849.5 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Bahamas, The
  0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

Bahrain
  92.03 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Bangladesh
  141.6 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Barbados
  141.6 million cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Belarus
  2.832 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Belgium
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Belize
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Benin
  1.133 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Bermuda
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Bhutan
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Bolivia
  750.4 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Botswana
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Brazil
  365 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Brunei
  390.8 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Bulgaria
  5.663 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Burkina Faso
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Burma
  283.2 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Burundi
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Cambodia
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Cameroon
  135.1 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Canada
  1.64 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Cape Verde
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Cayman Islands
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Central African Republic
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Chad
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Chile
  97.97 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

China
  2.265 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Colombia
  105.9 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Comoros
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the 991.1 million cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  90.61 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Cook Islands
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Costa Rica
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  28.32 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Croatia
  30.58 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Cuba
  70.79 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Cyprus
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Czech Republic
  3.964 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Denmark
  61.3 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Djibouti
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Dominica
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Dominican Republic
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Ecuador
  8.919 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Egypt
  1.656 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

El Salvador
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  36.81 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Eritrea
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Estonia
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Ethiopia
  24.92 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

European Union
  2.318 trillion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Faroe Islands
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Fiji
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Finland
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

France
  6.937 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

French Polynesia
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Gabon
  28.32 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Gambia, The
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Georgia
  8.495 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Germany
  175.6 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Ghana
  22.65 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Gibraltar
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Greece
  1.982 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Greenland
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Grenada
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Guam
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Guatemala
  2.96 billion cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

Guinea
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Guyana
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Haiti
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Honduras
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Hong Kong
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Hungary
  8.098 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Iceland
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

India
  1.075 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Indonesia
  3.001 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Iran
  28.08 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Iraq
  3.17 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Ireland
  9.911 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Israel
  30.44 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Italy
  94.15 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Jamaica
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Japan
  20.9 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Jordan
  6.031 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Kazakhstan
  2.407 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Kenya
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Kiribati
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Korea, North
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Korea, South
  50 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)

Kosovo
  NA cu m

Kuwait
  1.794 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  5.663 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Laos
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Lebanon
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Lesotho
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Liberia
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Libya
  1.54 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Lithuania
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Luxembourg
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Macau
  300,000 cu m (1 January 2008 est.)

Macedonia
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Madagascar
  0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

Malawi
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Malaysia
  2.35 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Maldives
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Mali
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Malta
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Mauritania
  28.32 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Mauritius
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Mexico
  372.7 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Moldova
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Mongolia
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Montserrat
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Morocco
  1.501 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Mozambique
  127.4 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Namibia
  62.29 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Nauru
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Nepal
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Netherlands
  1.416 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

New Caledonia
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

New Zealand
  33.98 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Nicaragua
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Niger
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Nigeria
  5.215 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Niue
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Norway
  2.313 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Oman
  849.5 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Pakistan
  885.3 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Panama
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  226.5 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Paraguay
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Peru
  335.3 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Philippines
  98.54 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Poland
  164.8 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Portugal
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Puerto Rico
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Qatar
  25.26 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Romania
  63 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Russia
  47.57 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Rwanda
  56.63 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Saint Helena
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Saint Lucia
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Samoa
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  7.319 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Senegal
  0 cu m

Serbia
  48.14 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Seychelles
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Sierra Leone
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Singapore
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Slovakia
  14.16 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Slovenia
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Solomon Islands
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Somalia
  5.663 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

South Africa
  27.16 million cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

Spain
  2.548 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Sri Lanka
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Sudan
  84.95 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Suriname
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Swaziland
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Sweden
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Switzerland
  0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

Syria
  240.7 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Taiwan
  6.229 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Tajikistan
  5.663 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Tanzania
  6.513 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Thailand
  317.1 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Timor-Leste
  200 billion cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

Togo
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Tonga
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  531.5 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Tunisia
  65.13 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Turkey
  8.495 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Turkmenistan
  2.662 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Uganda
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Ukraine
  1.104 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  6.071 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

United Kingdom
  342.9 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

United States
  6.731 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Uruguay
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Uzbekistan
  1.841 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Vanuatu
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Venezuela
  4.84 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Vietnam
  192.5 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Virgin Islands
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Western Sahara
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

World
  177.4 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Yemen
  478.5 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Zambia
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Zimbabwe
  0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

======================================================================

@2180

Field Listing :: Natural gas - production

This entry is the total natural gas produced in cubic meters (cu m). The discrepancy between the amount of natural gas produced and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is due to the omission of stock changes and other complicating factors. Country Comparison to the World Country

Natural gas - production(cu m)

Afghanistan
  30 million cu m (2008 est.)

Albania
  30 million cu m (2008 est.)

Algeria
  86.5 billion cu m (2008 est.)

American Samoa
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Angola
  680 million cu m (2008 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Argentina
  44.06 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Armenia
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Aruba
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Australia
  45.22 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Austria
  1.532 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Azerbaijan
  16.2 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Bahamas, The
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Bahrain
  12.64 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Bangladesh
  17.9 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Barbados
  29.17 million cu m (2008 est.)

Belarus
  152 million cu m (2008 est.)

Belgium
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Belize
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Benin
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Bermuda
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Bhutan
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Bolivia
  14.2 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Botswana
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Brazil
  12.62 billion cu m (2008 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Brunei
  13.4 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Bulgaria
  300 million cu m (2008 est.)

Burkina Faso
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Burma
  12.4 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Burundi
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Cambodia
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Cameroon
  20 million cu m (2008 est.)

Canada
  170.9 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Cape Verde
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Cayman Islands
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Central African Republic
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Chad
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Chile
  1.65 billion cu m (2008 est.)

China
  76.04 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Colombia
  9 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Comoros
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  180 million cu m (2008 est.)

Cook Islands
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Costa Rica
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  1.3 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Croatia
  1.58 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Cuba
  400 million cu m (2008 est.)

Cyprus
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Czech Republic
  192 million cu m (2008 est.)

Denmark
  10.09 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Djibouti
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Dominica
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Dominican Republic
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Ecuador
  260 million cu m (2008 est.)

Egypt
  48.3 billion cu m (2008 est.)

El Salvador
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  6.67 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Eritrea
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Estonia
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Ethiopia
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

European Union
  201.9 billion cu m (2007 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Faroe Islands
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Fiji
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Finland
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

France
  920 million cu m (2008 est.)

French Polynesia
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Gabon
  90 million cu m (2008 est.)

Gambia, The
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Georgia
  8 million cu m (2008 est.)

Germany
  16.36 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Ghana
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Gibraltar
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Greece
  14 million cu m (2008 est.)

Greenland
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Grenada
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Guam
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Guatemala
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Guinea
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Guyana
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Haiti
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Honduras
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Hong Kong
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Hungary
  2.643 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Iceland
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

India
  32.2 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Indonesia
  70 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Iran
  116.3 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Iraq
  1.88 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Ireland
  438 million cu m (2008 est.)

Israel
  1.19 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Italy
  9.255 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Jamaica
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Japan
  5.36 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Jordan
  250 million cu m (2008 est.)

Kazakhstan
  33.38 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Kenya
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Kiribati
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Korea, North
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Korea, South
  443 million cu m (2008 est.)

Kosovo
  0 cu m (2007)

Kuwait
  12.7 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  30 million cu m (2008 est.)

Laos
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Latvia
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Lebanon
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Lesotho
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Liberia
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Libya
  15.9 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Lithuania
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Luxembourg
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Macau
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Macedonia
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Madagascar
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Malawi
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Malaysia
  57.3 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Maldives
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Mali
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Malta
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Mauritania
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Mauritius
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Mexico
  52.15 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Moldova
  50 million cu m (2007 est.)

Mongolia
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Montserrat
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Morocco
  60 million cu m (2008 est.)

Mozambique
  3.3 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Namibia
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Nauru
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Nepal
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Netherlands
  84.69 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

New Caledonia
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

New Zealand
  4.275 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Nicaragua
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Niger
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Nigeria
  32.82 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Niue
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Norway
  99.2 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Oman
  24 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Pakistan
  37.5 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Panama
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  100 million cu m (2008 est.)

Paraguay
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Peru
  3.39 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Philippines
  2.94 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Poland
  5.719 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Portugal
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Puerto Rico
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Qatar
  76.98 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Romania
  11.42 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Russia
  662.2 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Rwanda
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Saint Helena
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Saint Lucia
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Samoa
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  80.44 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Senegal
  50 million cu m (2008 est.)

Serbia
  650 million cu m (2005 est.)

Seychelles
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Sierra Leone
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Singapore
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Slovakia
  102 million cu m (2008 est.)

Slovenia
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Solomon Islands
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Somalia
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

South Africa
  3.25 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Spain
  17 million cu m (2008 est.)

Sri Lanka
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Sudan
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Suriname
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Swaziland
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Sweden
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Switzerland
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Syria
  6.04 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Taiwan
  360 million cu m (2008 est.)

Tajikistan
  15.3 million cu m (2008 est.)

Tanzania
  560.7 million cu m (2008 est.)

Thailand
  28.76 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Timor-Leste
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Togo
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Tonga
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  39.3 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Tunisia
  2.97 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Turkey
  1.013 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Turkmenistan
  70.5 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Uganda
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Ukraine
  19.8 billion cu m (2008 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  50.24 billion cu m (2008 est.)

United Kingdom
  69.9 billion cu m (2008 est.)

United States
  582.2 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Uruguay
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Uzbekistan
  67.6 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Vanuatu
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Venezuela
  24.01 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Vietnam
  6.6 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Virgin Islands
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Western Sahara
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

World
  3.137 trillion cu m (2008 est.)

Yemen
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Zambia
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Zimbabwe
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

======================================================================

@2181

Field Listing :: Natural gas - consumption

This entry is the total natural gas consumed in cubic meters (cu m). The discrepancy between the amount of natural gas produced and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is due to the omission of stock changes and other complicating factors. Country Comparison to the World Country

Natural gas - consumption(cu m)

Afghanistan
  30 million cu m (2008 est.)

Albania
  30 million cu m (2008 est.)

Algeria
  26.83 billion cu m (2008 est.)

American Samoa
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Angola
  680 million cu m (2008 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Argentina
  44.47 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Armenia
  1.93 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Aruba
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Australia
  34.2 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Austria
  8.65 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Azerbaijan
  10.64 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Bahamas, The
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Bahrain
  12.64 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Bangladesh
  17.9 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Barbados
  29.17 million cu m (2008 est.)

Belarus
  21.75 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Belgium
  17.33 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Belize
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Benin
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Bermuda
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Bhutan
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Bolivia
  2.41 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  310 million cu m (2008 est.)

Botswana
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Brazil
  23.65 billion cu m (2008 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Brunei
  4.2 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Bulgaria
  3.4 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Burkina Faso
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Burma
  3.85 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Burundi
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Cambodia
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Cameroon
  20 million cu m (2008 est.)

Canada
  82.93 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Cape Verde
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Cayman Islands
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Central African Republic
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Chad
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Chile
  2.34 billion cu m (2008 est.)

China
  77.18 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Colombia
  8.1 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Comoros
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  180 million cu m (2008 est.)

Cook Islands
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Costa Rica
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  1.3 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Croatia
  2.84 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Cuba
  400 million cu m (2008 est.)

Cyprus
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Czech Republic
  8.719 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Denmark
  4.59 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Djibouti
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Dominica
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Dominican Republic
  470 million cu m (2008 est.)

Ecuador
  260 million cu m (2008 est.)

Egypt
  31.38 billion cu m (2008 est.)

El Salvador
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  1.5 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Eritrea
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Estonia
  1.51 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Ethiopia
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

European Union
  516.9 billion cu m (2007 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Faroe Islands
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Fiji
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Finland
  4.735 billion cu m (2008 est.)

France
  49.27 billion cu m (2008 est.)

French Polynesia
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Gabon
  90 million cu m (2008 est.)

Gambia, The
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Georgia
  1.73 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Germany
  95.79 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Ghana
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Gibraltar
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Greece
  4.206 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Greenland
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Grenada
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Guam
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Guatemala
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Guinea
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Guyana
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Haiti
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Honduras
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Hong Kong
  3.36 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Hungary
  13.17 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Iceland
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

India
  42.99 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Indonesia
  36.5 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Iran
  119 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Iraq
  9.454 billion cu m
  note: 1.48 billion cu m were flared (2008 est.)

Ireland
  5.217 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Israel
  1.19 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Italy
  84.88 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Jamaica
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Japan
  101.1 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Jordan
  2.97 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Kazakhstan
  33.68 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Kenya
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Kiribati
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Korea, North
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Korea, South
  34.76 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Kosovo
  0 cu m (2007)

Kuwait
  12.7 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  750 million cu m (2008 est.)

Laos
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Latvia
  2.05 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Lebanon
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Lesotho
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Liberia
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Libya
  5.5 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Lithuania
  3.53 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Luxembourg
  1.255 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Macau
  81.6 million cu m (2008 est.)

Macedonia
  70 million cu m (2008 est.)

Madagascar
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Malawi
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Malaysia
  26.27 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Maldives
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Mali
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Malta
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Mauritania
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Mauritius
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Mexico
  66.88 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Moldova
  2.52 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Mongolia
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Montenegro
  NA cu m

Montserrat
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Morocco
  560 million cu m (2008 est.)

Mozambique
  100 million cu m (2008 est.)

Namibia
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Nauru
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Nepal
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Netherlands
  48.34 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

New Caledonia
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

New Zealand
  4.276 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Nicaragua
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Niger
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Nigeria
  12.28 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Niue
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Norway
  3.97 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Oman
  13.46 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Pakistan
  37.5 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Panama
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  100 million cu m (2008 est.)

Paraguay
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Peru
  3.39 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Philippines
  2.94 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Poland
  16.55 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Portugal
  4.754 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Puerto Rico
  806.6 million cu m (2008 est.)

Qatar
  20.2 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Romania
  16.92 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Russia
  475.7 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Rwanda
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Saint Helena
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Saint Lucia
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Samoa
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  80.44 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Senegal
  50 million cu m (2008 est.)

Serbia
  2.55 billion cu m (2005 est.)

Seychelles
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Sierra Leone
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Singapore
  8.27 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Slovakia
  6.308 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Slovenia
  1 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Solomon Islands
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Somalia
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

South Africa
  6.45 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Spain
  38.18 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Sri Lanka
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Sudan
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Suriname
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Swaziland
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Sweden
  913 million cu m (2008 est.)

Switzerland
  3.429 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Syria
  6.18 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Taiwan
  12.44 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Tajikistan
  515.3 million cu m (2008 est.)

Tanzania
  560.7 million cu m (2008 est.)

Thailand
  37.31 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Timor-Leste
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Togo
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Tonga
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  21.94 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Tunisia
  4.22 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Turkey
  37.18 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Turkmenistan
  21 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Uganda
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Ukraine
  84 billion cu m (2008 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  59.42 billion cu m (2008 est.)

United Kingdom
  95.94 billion cu m (2008 est.)

United States
  657.2 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Uruguay
  70 million cu m (2008 est.)

Uzbekistan
  52.6 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Vanuatu
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Venezuela
  25.51 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Vietnam
  6.6 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Virgin Islands
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Western Sahara
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

World
  3.159 trillion cu m (2008 est.)

Yemen
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Zambia
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Zimbabwe
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

======================================================================

@2182

Field Listing :: Natural gas - imports

  This entry is the total natural gas imported in cubic meters (cu m).
  Country Comparison to the World
  Country

Natural gas - imports(cu m)

Afghanistan
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Albania
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Algeria
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

American Samoa
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Angola
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Argentina
  1.3 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Armenia
  1.93 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Aruba
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Australia
  5.377 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Austria
  10.05 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Azerbaijan
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Bahamas, The
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Bahrain
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Bangladesh
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Barbados
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Belarus
  21.6 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Belgium
  17.42 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Belize
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Benin
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Bermuda
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Bhutan
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Bolivia
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  310 million cu m

Botswana
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Brazil
  11.03 billion cu m (2008 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Brunei
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Bulgaria
  3.1 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Burkina Faso
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Burma
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Burundi
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Cambodia
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Cameroon
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Canada
  14.84 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Cape Verde
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Cayman Islands
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Central African Republic
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Chad
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Chile
  690 million cu m (2008 est.)

China
  4.5 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Colombia
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Comoros
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Cook Islands
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Costa Rica
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Croatia
  1.26 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Cuba
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Cyprus
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Czech Republic
  9.573 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Denmark
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Djibouti
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Dominica
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Dominican Republic
  470 million cu m (2008 est.)

Ecuador
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Egypt
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

El Salvador
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Eritrea
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Estonia
  1.51 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Ethiopia
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

European Union
  NA cu m

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Faroe Islands
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Fiji
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Finland
  4.739 billion cu m (2008 est.)

France
  49.35 billion cu m (2008 est.)

French Polynesia
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Gabon
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Gambia, The
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Georgia
  1.72 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Germany
  91.99 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Ghana
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Gibraltar
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Greece
  4.205 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Greenland
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Grenada
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Guam
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Guatemala
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Guinea
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Guyana
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Haiti
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Honduras
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Hong Kong
  3.36 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Hungary
  11.47 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Iceland
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

India
  10.79 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Indonesia
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Iran
  6.9 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Iraq
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Ireland
  4.798 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Israel
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Italy
  76.86 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Jamaica
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Japan
  95.39 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Jordan
  2.72 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Kazakhstan
  9.517 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Kenya
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Kiribati
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Korea, North
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Korea, South
  36.21 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Kuwait
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  720 million cu m (2008 est.)

Laos
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Latvia
  2.05 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Lebanon
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Lesotho
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Liberia
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Libya
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Lithuania
  3.53 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Luxembourg
  1.255 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Macau
  81.9 million cu m (2008 est.)

Macedonia
  70 million cu m (2008 est.)

Madagascar
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Malawi
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Malaysia
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Maldives
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Mali
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Malta
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Mauritania
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Mauritius
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Mexico
  12.61 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Moldova
  2.52 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Mongolia
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Montserrat
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Morocco
  500 million cu m (2008 est.)

Mozambique
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Namibia
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Nauru
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Nepal
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Netherlands
  25.34 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

New Caledonia
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

New Zealand
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Nicaragua
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Niger
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Nigeria
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Niue
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Norway
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Oman
  350 million cu m (2008 est.)

Pakistan
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Panama
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Paraguay
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Peru
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Philippines
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Poland
  11.2 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Portugal
  4.763 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Puerto Rico
  806.6 million cu m (2008 est.)

Qatar
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Romania
  5.5 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Russia
  56.9 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Rwanda
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Saint Helena
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Saint Lucia
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Samoa
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Senegal
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Serbia
  2.1 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Seychelles
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Sierra Leone
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Singapore 8.27 billion cu m note: from Indonesia and Malaysia (2008 est.)

Slovakia
  6.266 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Slovenia
  1 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Solomon Islands
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Somalia
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

South Africa
  3.2 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Spain
  38.59 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Sudan
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Suriname
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Swaziland
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Sweden
  913 million cu m (2008 est.)

Switzerland
  3.429 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Syria
  140 million cu m (2008 est.)

Taiwan
  12.08 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Tajikistan
  500 million cu m (2008 est.)

Tanzania
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Thailand
  8.55 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Timor-Leste
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Togo
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Tonga
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Tunisia
  1.25 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Turkey
  36.72 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Turkmenistan
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Uganda
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Ukraine
  64.2 billion cu m (2008 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  16.75 billion cu m (2008 est.)

United Kingdom
  36.54 billion cu m (2008 est.)

United States
  112.7 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Uruguay
  70 million cu m (2008 est.)

Uzbekistan
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Vanuatu
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Venezuela
  1.5 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Vietnam
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Virgin Islands
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Western Sahara
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

World
  995.9 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Yemen
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Zambia
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

Zimbabwe
  0 cu m (2008 est.)

======================================================================

@2183

Field Listing :: Natural gas - exports

  This entry is the total natural gas exported in cubic meters (cu m).
  Country Comparison to the World
  Country

Natural gas - exports(cu m)

Afghanistan
  0 cu m (2008)

Albania
  0 cu m (2008)

Algeria
  59.67 billion cu m (2008)

American Samoa
  0 cu m (2008)

Angola
  0 cu m (2008)

Antigua and Barbuda
  0 cu m (2008)

Argentina
  890 million cu m (2008)

Armenia
  0 cu m (2008)

Aruba
  0 cu m (2008)

Australia
  19.48 billion cu m (2008)

Austria
  2.788 billion cu m (2008)

Azerbaijan
  5.564 billion cu m (2008)

Bahamas, The
  0 cu m (2008)

Bahrain
  0 cu m (2008)

Bangladesh
  0 cu m (2008)

Barbados
  0 cu m (2008)

Belarus
  0 cu m (2008)

Belgium
  0 cu m (2008)

Belize
  0 cu m (2008)

Benin
  0 cu m (2008)

Bermuda
  0 cu m (2008)

Bhutan
  0 cu m (2008)

Bolivia
  11.79 billion cu m (2008)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  0 cu m (2008)

Botswana
  0 cu m (2008)

Brazil
  0 cu m (2008)

British Virgin Islands
  0 cu m (2008)

Brunei
  9.2 billion cu m (2008)

Bulgaria
  0 cu m (2008)

Burkina Faso
  0 cu m (2008)

Burma
  8.55 billion cu m (2008)

Burundi
  0 cu m (2008)

Cambodia
  0 cu m (2008)

Cameroon
  0 cu m (2008)

Canada
  102.8 billion cu m (2008)

Cape Verde
  0 cu m (2008)

Cayman Islands
  0 cu m (2008)

Central African Republic
  0 cu m (2008)

Chad
  0 cu m (2008)

Chile
  0 cu m (2008)

China
  3.36 billion cu m (2008)

Colombia
  900 million cu m (2008)

Comoros
  0 cu m (2008)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  0 cu m (2008)

Congo, Republic of the
  0 cu m (2008)

Cook Islands
  0 cu m (2008)

Costa Rica
  0 cu m (2008)

Cote d'Ivoire
  0 cu m (2008)

Croatia
  310 million cu m (2007)

Cuba
  0 cu m (2008)

Cyprus
  0 cu m (2008)

Czech Republic
  968 million cu m (2008)

Denmark
  5.516 billion cu m (2008)

Djibouti
  0 cu m (2008)

Dominica
  0 cu m (2008)

Dominican Republic
  0 cu m (2008)

Ecuador
  0 cu m (2008)

Egypt
  16.92 billion cu m (2008)

El Salvador
  0 cu m (2008)

Equatorial Guinea
  5.17 billion cu m (2008)

Eritrea
  0 cu m (2008)

Estonia
  0 cu m (2008)

Ethiopia
  0 cu m (2008)

European Union
  NA cu m

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  0 cu m (2008)

Faroe Islands
  0 cu m (2008)

Fiji
  0 cu m (2008)

Finland
  0 cu m (2008)

France
  1 billion cu m (2008)

French Polynesia
  0 cu m (2008)

Gabon
  0 cu m (2008)

Gambia, The
  0 cu m (2008)

Georgia
  0 cu m (2008)

Germany
  12.68 billion cu m (2008)

Ghana
  0 cu m (2008)

Gibraltar
  0 cu m (2008)

Greece
  0 cu m (2008)

Greenland
  0 cu m (2008)

Grenada
  0 cu m (2008)

Guam
  0 cu m (2008)

Guatemala
  0 cu m (2008)

Guinea
  0 cu m (2008)

Guinea-Bissau
  0 cu m (2008)

Guyana
  0 cu m (2008)

Haiti
  0 cu m (2008)

Honduras
  0 cu m (2008)

Hong Kong
  0 cu m (2008)

Hungary
  21 million cu m (2008)

Iceland
  0 cu m (2008)

India
  0 cu m (2008)

Indonesia
  33.5 billion cu m (2008)

Iran
  4.246 billion cu m (2008)

Iraq
  0 cu m (2008)

Ireland
  0 cu m (2008)

Israel
  0 cu m (2008)

Italy
  210 million cu m (2008)

Jamaica
  0 cu m (2008)

Japan
  0 cu m (2008)

Jordan
  0 cu m (2008)

Kazakhstan
  9.221 billion cu m (2008)

Kenya
  0 cu m (2008)

Kiribati
  0 cu m (2008)

Korea, North
  0 cu m (2008)

Korea, South
  0 cu m (2008)

Kuwait
  0 cu m (2008)

Kyrgyzstan
  0 cu m (2008)

Laos
  0 cu m (2008)

Latvia
  0 cu m (2008)

Lebanon
  0 cu m (2008)

Lesotho
  0 cu m (2008)

Liberia
  0 cu m (2008)

Libya
  10.4 billion cu m (2008)

Lithuania
  0 cu m (2008)

Luxembourg
  0 cu m (2008)

Macau
  0 cu m (2008)

Macedonia
  0 cu m (2008)

Madagascar
  0 cu m (2008)

Malawi
  0 cu m (2008)

Malaysia
  31.03 billion cu m (2008)

Maldives
  0 cu m (2008)

Mali
  0 cu m (2008)

Malta
  0 cu m (2008)

Mauritania
  0 cu m (2008)

Mauritius
  0 cu m (2008)

Mexico
  1.136 billion cu m (2008)

Moldova
  0 cu m (2008)

Mongolia
  0 cu m (2008)

Montserrat
  0 cu m (2008)

Morocco
  0 cu m (2008)

Mozambique
  3.2 billion cu m (2008)

Namibia
  0 cu m (2008)

Nauru
  0 cu m (2008)

Nepal
  0 cu m (2008)

Netherlands
  61.72 billion cu m (2008)

Netherlands Antilles
  0 cu m (2008)

New Caledonia
  0 cu m (2008)

New Zealand
  0 cu m (2008)

Nicaragua
  0 cu m (2008)

Niger
  0 cu m (2008)

Nigeria
  20.55 billion cu m (2008)

Niue
  0 cu m (2008)

Norway
  95.23 billion cu m (2008)

Oman
  10.89 billion cu m (2008)

Pakistan
  0 cu m (2008)

Panama
  0 cu m (2008)

Papua New Guinea
  0 cu m (2008)

Paraguay
  0 cu m (2008)

Peru
  0 cu m (2008)

Philippines
  0 cu m (2008)

Poland
  39 million cu m (2008)

Portugal
  0 cu m (2008)

Puerto Rico
  0 cu m (2008)

Qatar
  56.78 billion cu m (2008)

Romania
  0 cu m (2008)

Russia
  243.4 billion cu m (2008)

Rwanda
  0 cu m (2008)

Saint Helena
  0 cu m (2008)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  0 cu m (2008)

Saint Lucia
  0 cu m (2008)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  0 cu m (2008)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  0 cu m (2008)

Samoa
  0 cu m (2008)

Sao Tome and Principe
  0 cu m (2008)

Saudi Arabia
  0 cu m (2008)

Senegal
  0 cu m (2008)

Serbia
  0 cu m (2005)

Seychelles
  0 cu m (2008)

Sierra Leone
  0 cu m (2008)

Singapore
  0 cu m (2008)

Slovakia
  186 million cu m (2008)

Slovenia
  0 cu m (2008)

Solomon Islands
  0 cu m (2008)

Somalia
  0 cu m (2008)

South Africa
  0 cu m (2008)

Spain
  0 cu m (2008)

Sri Lanka
  0 cu m (2008)

Sudan
  0 cu m (2008)

Suriname
  0 cu m (2008)

Swaziland
  0 cu m (2008)

Sweden
  0 cu m (2008)

Switzerland
  0 cu m (2008)

Syria
  0 cu m

Taiwan
  0 cu m (2008)

Tajikistan
  0 cu m (2008)

Tanzania
  0 cu m (2008)

Thailand
  0 cu m (2008)

Timor-Leste
  0 cu m (2008)

Togo
  0 cu m (2008)

Tonga
  0 cu m (2008)

Trinidad and Tobago
  17.36 billion cu m (2008)

Tunisia
  0 cu m (2008)

Turkey
  435 million cu m (2008)

Turkmenistan
  48.5 billion cu m (2008)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  0 cu m (2008)

Uganda
  0 cu m (2008)

Ukraine
  3.2 billion cu m (2007)

United Arab Emirates
  7.567 billion cu m (2008)

United Kingdom
  10.5 billion cu m (2008)

United States
  28.49 billion cu m (2008)

Uruguay
  0 cu m (2008)

Uzbekistan
  15 billion cu m (2008)

Vanuatu
  0 cu m (2008)

Venezuela
  0 cu m (2008)

Vietnam
  0 cu m (2008)

Virgin Islands
  0 cu m (2008)

Western Sahara
  0 cu m (2008)

World
  980.4 billion cu m (2008)

Yemen
  0 cu m (2008)

Zambia
  0 cu m (2008)

Zimbabwe
  0 cu m (2008)

======================================================================

@2184

Field Listing :: Internet hosts

  This entry lists the number of Internet hosts available within a
  country. An Internet host is a computer connected directly to the
  Internet; normally an Internet Service Provider's (ISP) computer is
  a host. Internet users may use either a hard-wired terminal, at an
  institution with a mainframe computer connected directly to the
  Internet, or may connect remotely by way of a modem via telephone
  line, cable, or satellite to the Internet Service Provider's host
  computer. The number of hosts is one indicator of the extent of
  Internet connectivity.
  Country Comparison to the World
  Country

Internet hosts

Afghanistan
  47 (2009)

Albania
  14,245 (2009)

Algeria
  510 (2009)

American Samoa
  1,606 (2009)

Andorra
  23,421 (2009)

Angola
  3,508 (2009)

Anguilla
  258 (2009)

Antarctica
  7,758 (2009)

Antigua and Barbuda
  7,421 (2009)

Argentina
  4.906 million (2009)

Armenia
  36,354 (2009)

Aruba
  25,051 (2009)

Australia
  11.756 million (2009)

Austria
  2.992 million (2009)

Azerbaijan
  7,045 (2009)

Bahamas, The
  8,325 (2009)

Bahrain
  51,489 (2009)

Bangladesh
  4,209 (2009)

Barbados
  235 (2009)

Belarus
  113,115 (2009)

Belgium
  4.367 million (2009)

Belize
  3,017 (2009)

Benin
  1,155 (2009)

Bermuda
  15,548 (2009)

Bhutan
  9,096 (2009)

Bolivia
  105,031 (2009)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  69,370 (2009)

Botswana
  7,341 (2009)

Bouvet Island
  0 (2009)

Brazil
  15.929 million (2009)

British Indian Ocean Territory
  160 (2009)

British Virgin Islands
  581 (2009)

Brunei
  14,978 (2009)

Bulgaria
  706,648 (2009)

Burkina Faso
  1,951 (2009)

Burma
  128 (2009)

Burundi
  191 (2009)

Cambodia
  2,480 (2009)

Cameroon
  70 (2009)

Canada
  7.193 million (2009)

Cape Verde
  24 (2009)

Cayman Islands
  21,428 (2009)

Central African Republic
  21 (2009)

Chad
  5 (2009)

Chile
  877,817 (2009)

China
  14.156 million (2009)

Christmas Island
  2,598 (2009)

Colombia
  2.217 million (2009)

Comoros
  7 (2009)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  3,015 (2009)

Congo, Republic of the
  18 (2009)

Cook Islands
  2,480 (2009)

Costa Rica
  34,066 (2009)

Cote d'Ivoire
  9,822 (2009)

Croatia
  1.23 million (2009)

Cuba
  3,637 (2009)

Cyprus
  185,451 (2009)

Czech Republic
  3.233 million (2009)

Denmark
  3.991 million (2009)

Djibouti
  199 (2009)

Dominica
  485 (2009)

Dominican Republic
  280,457 (2009)

Ecuador
  57,785 (2009)

Egypt
  177,443 (2009)

El Salvador
  8,177 (2009)

Equatorial Guinea
  9 (2009)

Eritrea
  1,307 (2009)

Estonia
  706,449 (2009)

Ethiopia
  136 (2009)

European Union
  118,760; note - this sum reflects the number of
  internet hosts assigned the .eu internet country code (2009)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  90 (2009)

Faroe Islands
  8,833 (2009)

Fiji
  12,747 (2009)

Finland
  4.205 million (2009)

France
  14.327 million; 14,341,000 (metropolitan France) (2009)

French Polynesia
  13,796 (2009)

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  44 (2009)

Gabon
  91 (2009)

Gambia, The
  895 (2009)

Georgia
  104,243 (2009)

Germany
  23.796 million (2009)

Ghana
  23,850 (2009)

Gibraltar
  1,955 (2009)

Greece
  2.342 million (2009)

Greenland
  14,134 (2009)

Grenada
  42 (2009)

Guam
  23 (2009)

Guatemala
  132,049 (2009)

Guernsey
  174 (2009)

Guinea
  14 (2009)

Guinea-Bissau
  82 (2009)

Guyana
  7,116 (2009)

Haiti
  9 (2009)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  63 (2009)

Honduras
  15,691 (2009)

Hong Kong
  813,980 (2009)

Hungary
  2.261 million (2009)

Iceland
  272,201 (2009)

India
  3.611 million (2009)

Indonesia
  865,309 (2009)

Iran
  45,678 (2009)

Iraq
  11 (2009)

Ireland
  1.303 million (2009)

Isle of Man
  478 (2009)

Israel
  1.544 million (2009)

Italy
  22.152 million (2009)

Jamaica
  3,961 (2009)

Japan
  47.249 million (2009)

Jersey
  219 (2009)

Jordan
  28,896 (2009)

Kazakhstan
  48,873 (2009)

Kenya
  32,913 (2009)

Kiribati
  41 (2009)

Korea, North
  3 (2009)

Korea, South
  301,270 (2009)

Kuwait
  2,305 (2009)

Kyrgyzstan
  82,496 (2009)

Laos
  1,661 (2009)

Latvia
  257,414 (2009)

Lebanon
  45,352 (2009)

Lesotho
  127 (2009)

Liberia
  5 (2009)

Libya
  11,751 (2009)

Liechtenstein
  9,287 (2009)

Lithuania
  885,064 (2009)

Luxembourg
  220,107 (2009)

Macau
  244 (2009)

Macedonia
  57,763 (2009)

Madagascar
  27,807 (2009)

Malawi
  741 (2009)

Malaysia
  362,968 (2009)

Maldives
  1,732 (2009)

Mali
  519 (2009)

Malta
  25,139 (2009)

Marshall Islands
  6 (2009)

Mauritania
  15 (2009)

Mauritius
  22,813 (2009)

Mayotte
  1 (2009)

Mexico
  12.716 million (2009)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  1,050 (2009)

Moldova
  367,150 (2009)

Monaco
  22,608 (2009)

Mongolia
  524 (2009)

Montenegro
  3,245 (2009)

Montserrat
  688 (2009)

Morocco
  276,521 (2009)

Mozambique
  21,388 (2009)

Namibia
  17,840 (2009)

Nauru
  47 (2009)

Nepal
  43,411 (2009)

Netherlands
  12.388 million (2009)

Netherlands Antilles
  71,671 (2009)

New Caledonia
  22,448 (2009)

New Zealand
  2.007 million (2009)

Nicaragua
  88,742 (2009)

Niger
  253 (2009)

Nigeria
  1,098 (2009)

Niue
  396,370 (2009)

Norfolk Island
  89 (2009)

Northern Mariana Islands
  9 (2009)

Norway
  3.198 million (2009)

Oman
  6,346 (2009)

Pakistan
  226,236 (2009)

Palau
  2 (2009)

Panama
  8,067 (2009)

Papua New Guinea
  3,432 (2009)

Paraguay
  71,487 (2009)

Peru
  274,592 (2009)

Philippines
  283,607 (2009)

Pitcairn Islands
  26 (2009)

Poland
  8.906 million (2009)

Portugal
  1.967 million (2009)

Puerto Rico
  700 (2009)

Qatar
  722 (2009)

Romania
  2.188 million (2009)

Russia
  7.663 million (2009)

Rwanda
  81 (2009)

Saint Helena
  343 (2009)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  53 (2009)

Saint Lucia
  103 (2009)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  0 (2009)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  181 (2009)

Samoa
  13,985 (2009)

San Marino
  6,734 (2009)

Sao Tome and Principe
  1,345 (2009)

Saudi Arabia
  471,217 (2009)

Senegal
  227 (2009)

Serbia
  181,313 (2009)

Seychelles
  324 (2009)

Sierra Leone
  273 (2009)

Singapore
  864,943 (2009)

Slovakia
  867,615 (2009)

Slovenia
  88,567 (2009)

Solomon Islands
  4,067 (2009)

Somalia
  0 (2009)

South Africa
  1.73 million (2009)

South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
  363 (2009)

Spain
  3.537 million (2009)

Sri Lanka
  6,090 (2009)

Sudan
  48 (2009)

Suriname
  162 (2009)

Swaziland
  2,609 (2009)

Sweden
  3.886 million (2009)

Switzerland
  3.697 million (2009)

Syria
  7,879 (2009)

Taiwan
  5.704 million (2009)

Tajikistan
  987 (2009)

Tanzania
  24,724 (2009)

Thailand
  1.231 million (2009)

Timor-Leste
  169 (2009)

Togo
  784 (2009)

Tokelau
  360 (2009)

Tonga
  20,107 (2009)

Trinidad and Tobago
  162,849 (2009)

Tunisia
  406 (2009)

Turkey
  2.961 million (2009)

Turkmenistan
  755 (2009)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  9,445 (2009)

Tuvalu
  103,041 (2009)

Uganda
  6,757 (2009)

Ukraine
  706,485 (2009)

United Arab Emirates
  379,106 (2009)

United Kingdom
  9.322 million (2009)

United States
  383 million (2009); note - the US Internet total host
  count includes the following top level domain host addresses: .us,
  .com, .edu, .gov, .mil, .net, and .org

Uruguay
  498,232 (2009)

Uzbekistan
  50,228 (2009)

Vanuatu
  1,023 (2009)

Venezuela
  155,139 (2009)

Vietnam
  170,689 (2009)

Virgin Islands
  8,726 (2009)

Wallis and Futuna
  1,480 (2009)

Yemen
  242 (2009)

Zambia
  14,951 (2009)

Zimbabwe
  29,094 (2009)

======================================================================

@2185

Field Listing :: Investment (gross fixed)

This entry records total business spending on fixed assets, such as factories, machinery, equipment, dwellings, and inventories of raw materials, which provide the basis for future production. It is measured gross of the depreciation of the assets, i.e., it includes investment that merely replaces worn-out or scrapped capital. Country Comparison to the World Country

Investment (gross fixed)(% of GDP)

Albania
  23.1% of GDP (2008 est.)

Algeria
  26.1% of GDP (2008 est.)

Angola
  9% of GDP (2008 est.)

Argentina
  23.2% of GDP (2008 est.)

Armenia
  39% of GDP (2008 est.)

Australia
  28.7% of GDP (2008 est.)

Austria
  22.4% of GDP (2008 est.)

Azerbaijan
  21.2% of GDP (2008 est.)

Bahrain
  26.6% of GDP (2008 est.)

Bangladesh
  24.3% of GDP (2008 est.)

Belarus
  31.9% of GDP (2008 est.)

Belgium
  22.7% of GDP (2008 est.)

Belize
  27.8% of GDP (2008 est.)

Benin
  19.2% of GDP (2008 est.)

Bolivia
  18% of GDP (2008 est.)

Botswana
  23.4% of GDP (2008 est.)

Brazil
  19% of GDP (2008 est.)

Bulgaria
  33.4% of GDP (2008 est.)

Burkina Faso
  19.6% of GDP (2008 est.)

Burma
  14.1% of GDP (2008 est.)

Burundi
  12.5% of GDP (2008 est.)

Cambodia
  22.4% of GDP (2008 est.)

Cameroon
  17.7% of GDP (2008 est.)

Canada
  22.6% of GDP (2008 est.)

Cape Verde
  41.6% of GDP (2008 est.)

Chad
  13.7% of GDP (2008 est.)

Chile
  24% of GDP (2008 est.)

China
  40.5% of GDP (2008 est.)

Colombia
  24.3% of GDP (2008 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  34.5% of GDP (2008 est.)

Costa Rica
  24.3% of GDP (2008 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  9.5% of GDP (2008 est.)

Croatia
  31.1% of GDP (2008 est.)

Cuba
  10.5% of GDP (2008 est.)

Cyprus
  23.3% of GDP (2008 est.)

Czech Republic
  24% of GDP (2008 est.)

Denmark
  21.6% of GDP (2008 est.)

Dominican Republic
  19.4% of GDP (2008 est.)

Ecuador
  22.1% of GDP (2008 est.)

Egypt
  19.1% of GDP (2008 est.)

El Salvador
  14.9% of GDP (2008 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  31.8% of GDP (2008 est.)

Eritrea
  20.2% of GDP (2008 est.)

Estonia
  28.4% of GDP (2008 est.)

Ethiopia
  25.2% of GDP (2008 est.)

European Union
  21.1% of GDP (2008 est.)

Finland
  20.6% of GDP (2008 est.)

France
  21.9% of GDP (2008 est.)

Gabon
  27.3% of GDP (2008 est.)

Gambia, The
  28% of GDP (2008 est.)

Georgia
  22.5% of GDP (2008 est.)

Germany
  19.2% of GDP (2008 est.)

Ghana
  32.1% of GDP (2008 est.)

Greece
  20.7% of GDP (2008 est.)

Guatemala
  18.6% of GDP (2008 est.)

Guinea
  12.3% of GDP (2008 est.)

Guyana
  35.3% of GDP (2008 est.)

Haiti
  28.9% of GDP (2008 est.)

Honduras
  33.4% of GDP (2008 est.)

Hong Kong
  19.7% of GDP (2008 est.)

Hungary
  20.2% of GDP (2008 est.)

Iceland
  23.9% of GDP (2008 est.)

India
  39% of GDP (2008 est.)

Indonesia
  23.6% of GDP (2008)

Iran
  26.3% of GDP (2008 est.)

Ireland
  21.2% of GDP (2008 est.)

Israel
  18.1% of GDP (2008 est.)

Italy
  20.9% of GDP (2008 est.)

Jamaica
  26.5% of GDP (2008 est.)

Japan
  23% of GDP (2008 est.)

Jordan
  32.3% of GDP (2008 est.)

Kazakhstan
  27.8% of GDP (2008 est.)

Kenya
  21.3% of GDP (2008 est.)

Korea, South
  27.1% of GDP (2008 est.)

Kosovo
  30% of GDP (2007 est.)

Kuwait
  18.3% of GDP (2008 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  23.2% of GDP (2008 est.)

Latvia
  30.2% of GDP (2008 est.)

Lebanon
  22.4% of GDP (2008 est.)

Lesotho
  40.8% of GDP (2008 est.)

Libya
  9.3% of GDP (2008 est.)

Lithuania
  24.8% of GDP (2008 est.)

Luxembourg
  20.2% of GDP (2008 est.)

Macedonia
  20.6% of GDP (2008 est.)

Madagascar
  26.6% of GDP (2008 est.)

Malawi
  8.4% of GDP (2008 est.)

Malaysia
  19.7% of GDP (2008 est.)

Malta
  16.2% of GDP (2008 est.)

Mauritius
  25.4% of GDP (2008 est.)

Mexico
  22.1% of GDP (2008 est.)

Moldova
  32.5% of GDP (2008 est.)

Montenegro
  30.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Morocco
  32.1% of GDP (2008 est.)

Mozambique
  24.9% of GDP (2008 est.)

Namibia
  23.4% of GDP (2008 est.)

Netherlands
  20.5% of GDP (2008 est.)

New Zealand
  22.4% of GDP (2008 est.)

Nicaragua
  34.5% of GDP (2008 est.)

Nigeria
  21.7% of GDP (2008 est.)

Norway
  20.8% of GDP (2008 est.)

Oman
  27.2% of GDP (2008 est.)

Pakistan
  20% of GDP (2008 est.)

Panama
  25.7% of GDP (2008 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  19.4% of GDP (2008 est.)

Paraguay
  19.6% of GDP (2008 est.)

Peru
  25.9% of GDP (2008 est.)

Philippines
  14.8% of GDP (2008 est.)

Poland
  22% of GDP (2008 est.)

Portugal
  21.7% of GDP (2008 est.)

Qatar
  32.1% of GDP (2008 est.)

Romania
  33.3% of GDP (2008 est.)

Russia
  22.1% of GDP (2008 est.)

Rwanda
  22% of GDP (2008 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  38.8% of GDP (2008 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  19.4% of GDP (2008 est.)

Senegal
  25.3% of GDP (2008 est.)

Serbia
  20.1% of GDP (2007 est.)

Seychelles
  13.7% of GDP (2008 est.)

Singapore
  28.5% of GDP (2008 est.)

Slovakia
  25.9% of GDP (2008 est.)

Slovenia
  28% of GDP (2008 est.)

South Africa
  23.2% of GDP (2008 est.)

Spain
  29.4% of GDP (2008 est.)

Sri Lanka
  24.5% of GDP (2008 est.)

Sudan
  18.1% of GDP (2008 est.)

Swaziland
  18.8% of GDP (2008 est.)

Sweden
  19.5% of GDP (2008 est.)

Switzerland
  21.2% of GDP (2008 est.)

Syria
  21.7% of GDP (2008 est.)

Taiwan
  20.6% of GDP (2008 est.)

Tajikistan
  12% of GDP (2008 est.)

Tanzania
  22.6% of GDP (2008 est.)

Thailand
  27.3% of GDP (2008 est.)

Togo
  20.2% of GDP (2008 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  16.7% of GDP (2008 est.)

Tunisia
  21.8% of GDP (2008 est.)

Turkey
  20.3% of GDP (2008 est.)

Turkmenistan
  1.2% of GDP (2008 est.)

Uganda
  23.2% of GDP (2008 est.)

Ukraine
  27.2% of GDP (2008 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  22.8% of GDP (2008 est.)

United Kingdom
  16.7% of GDP (2008 est.)

United States
  14.3% of GDP (2008 est.)

Uruguay
  18.7% of GDP (2008 est.)

Venezuela
  19.7% of GDP (2008 est.)

Vietnam
  41.9% of GDP (2008 est.)

World
  21.8% of GDP (2008 est.)

Yemen
  25.9% of GDP (2008 est.)

Zambia
  25.5% of GDP (2008 est.)

Zimbabwe
  17.7% of GDP (2008 est.)

======================================================================

@2186

Field Listing :: Public debt

This entry records the cumulative total of all government borrowings less repayments that are denominated in a country's home currency. Public debt should not be confused with external debt, which reflects the foreign currency liabilities of both the private and public sector and must be financed out of foreign exchange earnings. Country Comparison to the World Country

Public debt(% of GDP)

Albania
  51.9% of GDP (2008 est.)
  51.4% of GDP (2007 est.)

Algeria
  8.4% of GDP (2008 est.)
  37.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Angola
  15.5% of GDP (2008 est.)
  12% of GDP (2007 est.)

Argentina
  48.6% of GDP (2008 est.)
  118% of GDP (June 2004 est.)

Aruba
  46.3% of GDP (2005)

Australia
  14.7% of GDP (2008 est.)
  17.4% of GDP (2004 est.)
  note: the Commonwealth government eliminated its net debt in 2006,
  but continues a gross debt issue to support the market for risk-free
  securities

Austria
  62.6% of GDP (2008 est.)
  64.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Azerbaijan
  4.1% of GDP (2008 est.)
  18.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Bahrain
  28.7% of GDP (2008 est.)
  63.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Bangladesh
  39.4% of GDP (2008 est.)
  43% of GDP (2004 est.)

Belgium
  89.6% of GDP (2008 est.)
  96.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Bhutan
  81.4% of GDP (2004)
  81.4% of GDP (2004)

Bolivia
  45.2% of GDP (2008 est.)
  46.3% of GDP (2007 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  40% of GDP (2008 est.)
  34% of GDP (2007 est.)

Botswana
  5.9% of GDP (2008 est.)
  8.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Brazil
  38.8% of GDP (2008 est.)
  52% of GDP (2004 est.)

Bulgaria
  14.1% of GDP (2008 est.)
  41.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Cameroon
  13.5% of GDP (2008 est.)
  69.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Canada
  63.8% of GDP (2008 est.)
  64.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Chile
  5.2% of GDP (2008 est.)
  12.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

China
  15.6% of GDP (2008 est.)
  31.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Colombia
  42.6% of GDP (2008 est.)
  51.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Costa Rica
  42.2% of GDP (2008 est.)
  58% of GDP (2004 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  66.4% of GDP (2008 est.)
  74.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Croatia
  42.7% of GDP (2008 est.)
  41.7% of GDP (2004 est.)

Cuba
  34.8% of GDP (2008 est.)
  36.8% of GDP (2007 est.)

Cyprus
  49.1% of GDP (2008 est.)
  74.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Czech Republic
  26.8% of GDP (2008 est.)
  33.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Denmark
  33.5% of GDP (2008 est.)
  42.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Dominican Republic
  37.4% of GDP (2008 est.)
  61.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Ecuador
  25.1% of GDP (2008 est.)

Egypt
  86.5% of GDP (2008 est.)
  102.7% of GDP (2004 est.)

El Salvador
  44.7% of GDP (2008 est.)
  41.7% of GDP (2004 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  0.9% of GDP (2008 est.)
  1.6% of GDP (2007 est.)

Estonia
  4.8% of GDP (2008 est.)
  5.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Ethiopia
  32% of GDP (2008 est.)
  44.5% of GDP (2007 est.)

Finland
  33.7% of GDP (2008 est.)
  46.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

France
  68.1% of GDP (2008 est.)
  67.7% of GDP (2004 est.)

Gabon
  24.7% of GDP (2008 est.)
  29.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Germany
  66% of GDP (2008 est.)
  65.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Ghana
  53.8% of GDP (2008 est.)
  58.5% of GDP (2007 est.)

Gibraltar
  15.7% of GDP (2005 est.)

Greece
  97.4% of GDP (2008 est.)
  112% of GDP (2004 est.)

Guatemala
  25.7% of GDP (2008 est.)
  32% of GDP (2004 est.)

Honduras
  20.4% of GDP (2008 est.)
  74.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Hong Kong
  13.9% of GDP (2008 est.)
  2.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Hungary
  67.7% of GDP (2008 est.)
  58.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Iceland
  56.5% of GDP (2008 est.)
  35.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

India
  56.4% of GDP (2008 est.)
  59.7% of GDP (2004 est.)

Indonesia
  29.3% of GDP (2008 est.)
  56.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Iran
  19.4% of GDP (2008 est.)
  27% of GDP (2004 est.)

Ireland
  44.2% of GDP (2008 est.)
  31.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Israel
  76.8% of GDP (2008 est.)
  104.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Italy
  105.8% of GDP (2008 est.)
  105.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Jamaica
  116.3% of GDP (2008 est.)
  146.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Japan
  172.1% of GDP (2008 est.)
  164.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Jordan
  62.2% of GDP (2008 est.)
  85.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Kazakhstan
  8.6% of GDP (2008 est.)
  13.7% of GDP (2004 est.)

Kenya
  60.1% of GDP (2008 est.)
  74.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Korea, South
  24.4% of GDP (2008 est.)
  21.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Kosovo
  NA

Kuwait
  7.6% of GDP (2008 est.)
  29.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Latvia
  19.5% of GDP (2008 est.)
  11.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Lebanon
  160.3% of GDP (2008 est.)
  177.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Libya
  4% of GDP (2008 est.)
  8.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Lithuania
  15.6% of GDP (2008 est.)
  25.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Luxembourg
  10.2% of GDP (2008 est.)
  6.4% of GDP (2007 est.)

Macedonia
  20.8% of GDP (2008 est.)
  20% of GDP (2004 est.)

Malawi
  49.1% of GDP (2008 est.)
  228.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Malaysia
  40% of GDP (2008 est.)
  45.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Mauritius
  56.5% of GDP (2008 est.)
  29.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Mexico
  35.8% of GDP (2008 est.)
  23.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Moldova
  22.3% of GDP (2008 est.)
  63.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Montenegro
  38% of GDP (2006)

Morocco
  55.6% of GDP (2008 est.)
  70.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Mozambique
  21.4% of GDP (2008 est.)
  22.2% of GDP (2007 est.)

Namibia
  20% of GDP (2008 est.)
  38.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Netherlands
  58.2% of GDP (2008 est.)
  55.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

New Zealand
  24.4% of GDP (2008 est.)
  22.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Nicaragua
  74.8% of GDP (2008 est.)
  69.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Nigeria
  13.4% of GDP (2008 est.)
  20% of GDP (2004 est.)

Norway
  55.7% of GDP (2008 est.)
  33.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Oman
  2.8% of GDP (2008 est.)
  10.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Pakistan
  51.2% of GDP (2008 est.)
  71.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Panama
  45% of GDP (2008 est.)
  69.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  32.2% of GDP (2008 est.)
  59.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Paraguay
  19.9% of GDP (2008 est.)
  39.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Peru
  24% of GDP (2008 est.)
  44.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Philippines
  56.9% of GDP (2008 est.)
  74.2% of GDP (September 2004 est.)

Poland
  45.2% of GDP (2008 est.)
  49.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Portugal
  66.4% of GDP (2008 est.)
  61.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Qatar
  5.1% of GDP (2008 est.)
  11% of GDP (2007 est.)

Romania
  14.7% of GDP (2008 est.)
  23.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Russia
  6.5% of GDP (2008 est.)
  28.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  18.9% of GDP (2008 est.)
  75% of GDP (2004 est.)

Senegal
  21.4% of GDP (2008 est.)
  55.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Serbia
  37% of GDP (2007 est.)

Seychelles
  74.2% of GDP (2008 est.)
  122.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Singapore
  99.2% of GDP (2008 est.)
  102.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Slovakia
  28.7% of GDP (2008 est.)
  46.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Slovenia
  23% of GDP (2008 est.)
  31.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

South Africa
  31.6% of GDP (2008 est.)
  45.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Spain
  40.7% of GDP (2008 est.)
  53.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Sri Lanka
  76.7% of GDP (2008 est.)
  104.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Sudan
  100% of GDP (2008 est.)
  79.7% of GDP (2004 est.)

Sweden
  36.7% of GDP (2008 est.)
  51.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Switzerland
  40.2% of GDP (2008 est.)
  57.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Syria
  25.4% of GDP (2008 est.)
  32% of GDP (2004 est.)

Taiwan
  29.4% of GDP (2008 est.)
  32.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Tanzania
  23.2% of GDP (2008 est.)
  5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Thailand
  37.9% of GDP (2008 est.)
  47.6% of GDP (November 2004 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  26.6% of GDP (2008 est.)
  54.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Tunisia
  48.4% of GDP (2008 est.)
  59.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Turkey
  40% of GDP (2008 est.)
  74.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Uganda
  18.8% of GDP (2008 est.)
  73.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Ukraine
  10.3% of GDP (2008 est.)
  24.7% of GDP (2004 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  40.7% of GDP (2008 est.)
  17.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

United Kingdom
  51.8% of GDP (2008 est.)
  39.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

United States
  37.5% of GDP (2008 est.)
  65% of GDP (2004 est.)

Uruguay
  59.8% of GDP (2008 est.)
  64.8% of GDP (2007 est.)

Uzbekistan
  10.4% of GDP (2008 est.)
  41.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Venezuela
  13.8% of GDP (2008 est.)
  43.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Vietnam
  48.8% of GDP (2008 est.)
  65.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
  5.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Yemen
  28.1% of GDP (2008 est.)
  46.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Zambia
  29.5% of GDP (2008 est.)
  127.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Zimbabwe
  265.6% of GDP (2008 est.)
  52.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

======================================================================

@2187

Field Listing :: Current account balance

This entry records a country's net trade in goods and services, plus net earnings from rents, interest, profits, and dividends, and net transfer payments (such as pension funds and worker remittances) to and from the rest of the world during the period specified. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms. Country Comparison to the World Country

Current account balance

Afghanistan
  -$67 million (2007 est.)

Albania
  -$1.906 billion (2008 est.)
  -$1.202 billion (2007 est.)

Algeria
  $35.27 billion (2008 est.)
  $30.6 billion (2007 est.)

Angola
  $17.11 billion (2008 est.)
  $9.402 billion (2007 est.)

Anguilla
  -$42.87 million (2003 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  -$211 million (2007 est.)

Argentina
  $7.077 billion (2008 est.)
  $7.103 billion (2007 est.)

Armenia
  -$1.355 billion (2008 est.)
  -$589.6 million (2007 est.)

Australia
  -$44.04 billion (2008 est.)
  -$57.68 billion (2007 est.)

Austria
  $14.27 billion (2008 est.)
  $12.03 billion (2007 est.)

Azerbaijan
  $16.45 billion (2008 est.)
  $9.019 billion (2007 est.)

Bahamas, The
  -$1.442 billion (2007 est.)

Bahrain
  $2.257 billion (2008 est.)
  $2.907 billion (2007 est.)

Bangladesh
  $1.032 billion (2008 est.)
  $856.8 million (2007 est.)

Barbados
  -$254 million (2007 est.)

Belarus
  -$5.063 billion (2008 est.)
  -$3.042 billion (2007 est.)

Belgium
  -$12.88 billion (2008 est.)
  $7.751 billion (2007 est.)

Belize
  -$153.7 million (2008 est.)
  -$51.1 million (2007 est.)

Benin
  -$735 million (2008 est.)
  -$407 million (2007 est.)

Bhutan
  $116 million (2007 est.)

Bolivia
  $2.015 billion (2008 est.)
  $1.984 billion (2007 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  -$2.764 billion (2008 est.)
  -$1.931 billion (2007 est.)

Botswana
  $750.3 million (2008 est.)
  $2.434 billion (2007 est.)

Brazil
  -$28.19 billion (2008 est.)
  $1.551 billion (2007 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  $134.3 million (1999)

Brunei
  $7.101 billion (2007 est.)

Bulgaria
  -$12.65 billion (2008 est.)
  -$8.716 billion (2007 est.)

Burkina Faso
  -$931 million (2008 est.)
  -$564 million (2007 est.)

Burma
  $1.281 billion (2008 est.)
  $1.285 billion (2007 est.)

Burundi
  -$182 million (2008 est.)
  -$116.8 million (2007 est.)

Cambodia
  -$1.06 billion (2008 est.)
  -$506.3 million (2007 est.)

Cameroon
  -$96 million (2008 est.)
  -$547 million (2007 est.)

Canada
  $7.61 billion (2008 est.)
  $14.53 billion (2007 est.)

Cape Verde
  -$259 million (2008 est.)
  -$132.6 million (2007 est.)

Central African Republic
  -$77 million (2007 est.)

Chad
  -$1.019 billion (2008 est.)
  -$737.8 million (2007 est.)

Chile
  -$3.44 billion (2008 est.)
  $7.189 billion (2007 est.)

China
  $426.1 billion (2008 est.)
  $371.8 billion (2007 est.)

Colombia
  -$6.712 billion (2008 est.)
  -$5.838 billion (2007 est.)

Comoros
  $8 million (2007 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  -$402 million (2007 est.)

Congo, Republic of the $848 million (2008 est.) -$2.181 billion (2007 est.)

Cook Islands $26.67 million (2005)

Costa Rica
  -$2.648 billion (2008 est.)
  -$1.578 billion (2007 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  $488 million (2008 est.)
  -$146 million (2007 est.)

Croatia
  -$6.397 billion (2008 est.)
  -$4.447 billion (2007 est.)

Cuba
  -$2.58 billion (2008 est.)
  $412 million (2007 est.)

Cyprus
  -$4.479 billion (2008 est.)
  -$2.595 billion (2007 est.)

Czech Republic
  -$6.642 billion (2008 est.)
  -$5.655 billion (2007 est.)

Denmark
  $6.938 billion (2008 est.)
  $2.378 billion (2007 est.)

Djibouti
  -$212 million (2007 est.)

Dominica
  -$72 million (2007 est.)

Dominican Republic
  -$4.436 billion (2008 est.)
  -$2.068 billion (2007 est.)

Ecuador
  $1.194 billion (2008 est.)
  $1.65 billion (2007 est.)

Egypt
  -$1.331 billion (2008 est.)
  $500.9 million (2007 est.)

El Salvador
  -$1.595 billion (2008 est.)
  -$1.119 billion (2007 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  $1.42 billion (2008 est.)
  $540.9 million (2007 est.)

Eritrea
  -$229 million (2008 est.)
  -$203 million (2007 est.)

Estonia
  -$2.192 billion (2008 est.)
  -$3.771 billion (2007 est.)

Ethiopia
  -$1.806 billion (2008 est.)
  -$827.9 million (2007 est.)

European Union
  $51.4 billion (2008 est.)

Fiji
  -$507 million (2007 est.)

Finland
  $5.518 billion (2008 est.)
  $10.12 billion (2007 est.)

France
  -$52.91 billion (2008 est.)
  -$31.25 billion (2007 est.)

Gabon
  $2.727 billion (2008 est.)
  $1.549 billion (2007 est.)

Gambia, The
  -$127 million (2008 est.)
  -$80.3 million (2007 est.)

Georgia
  -$2.915 billion (2008 est.)
  -$2.119 billion (2007 est.)

Germany
  $243.6 billion (2008 est.)
  $263.1 billion (2007 est.)

Ghana
  -$3.471 billion (2008 est.)
  -$1.717 billion (2007 est.)

Greece
  -$51.53 billion (2008 est.)
  -$44.4 billion (2007 est.)

Grenada
  -$138 million (2007 est.)

Guatemala
  -$1.932 billion (2008 est.)
  -$1.754 billion (2007 est.)

Guinea
  -$489 million (2008 est.)
  -$463 million (2007 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  -$6 million (2007 est.)

Guyana
  -$362 million (2008 est.)
  -$165.7 million (2007 est.)

Haiti
  -$611 million (2008 est.)
  -$407 million (2007 est.)

Honduras
  -$1.977 billion (2008 est.)
  -$1.274 billion (2007 est.)

Hong Kong
  $30.52 billion (2008 est.)
  $25.53 billion (2007 est.)

Hungary
  -$12.98 billion (2008 est.)
  -$8.922 billion (2007 est.)

Iceland
  -$6.606 billion (2008 est.)
  -$3.178 billion (2007 est.)

India
  -$36.09 billion (2008 est.)
  -$10.88 billion (2007 est.)

Indonesia
  $604 million (2008 est.)
  $10.49 billion (2007 est.)

Iran
  $20.19 billion (2008 est.)
  $34.08 billion (2007 est.)

Iraq
  $14.05 billion (2008 est.)
  $4.909 billion (2007 est.)

Ireland
  -$13.88 billion (2008 est.)
  -$14.12 billion (2007 est.)

Israel
  $2.213 billion (2008 est.)
  $4.185 billion (2007 est.)

Italy
  -$78.03 billion (2008 est.)
  -$51.03 billion (2007 est.)

Jamaica
  -$2.745 billion (2008 est.)
  -$1.744 billion (2007 est.)

Japan
  $156.6 billion (2008 est.)
  $210.5 billion (2007 est.)

Jordan
  -$2.39 billion (2008 est.)
  -$2.767 billion (2007 est.)

Kazakhstan
  $6.978 billion (2008 est.)
  -$8.226 billion (2007 est.)

Kenya
  -$1.978 billion (2008 est.)
  -$1.102 billion (2007 est.)

Kiribati
  -$21 million (2007 est.)

Korea, South -$6.349 billion (2008 est.) $5.954 billion (2007 est.)

Kosovo
  -$964 million

Kuwait
  $64.78 billion (2008 est.)
  $47.48 billion (2007 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  -$680 million (2008 est.)
  -$267.9 million (2007 est.)

Laos
  -$52 million (2008 est.)
  $107.3 million (2007 est.)

Latvia
  -$4.492 billion (2008 est.)
  -$6.485 billion (2007 est.)

Lebanon
  -$2.987 billion (2008 est.)
  -$1.395 billion (2007 est.)

Lesotho
  $121 million (2008 est.)
  $211.8 million (2007 est.)

Liberia
  -$224 million (2007)

Libya
  $37.39 billion (2008 est.)
  $28.45 billion (2007 est.)

Lithuania
  -$5.629 billion (2008 est.)
  -$5.692 billion (2007 est.)

Luxembourg
  $2.979 billion (2008 est.)
  $4.928 billion (2007 est.)

Macedonia
  -$1.21 billion (2008 est.)
  -$247 million (2007 est.)

Madagascar
  -$1.03 billion (2008 est.)
  -$807 million (2007 est.)

Malawi
  -$241 million (2008 est.)
  -$75 million (2007 est.)

Malaysia
  $33.76 billion (2008 est.)
  $28.93 billion (2007 est.)

Maldives
  -$638 million (2008 est.)
  -$472 million (2007 est.)

Mali
  -$446 million (2007 est.)

Malta
  -$445 million (2008 est.)
  -$468 million (2007 est.)

Mauritania
  -$184 million (2007 est.)

Mauritius
  -$972.8 million (2008 est.)
  -$408.3 million (2007 est.)

Mexico
  -$15.81 billion (2008 est.)
  -$8.331 billion (2007 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  -$34.3 million (FY05 est.)

Moldova
  -$1.015 billion (2008 est.)
  -$695.5 million (2007 est.)

Mongolia
  -$1 billion (2008 est.)
  -$23 million (2007 est.)

Montenegro
  -$1.102 billion (2007 est.)

Morocco
  -$5.836 billion (2008 est.)
  -$224 million (2007 est.)

Mozambique
  -$975.3 million (2008 est.)
  -$785.3 million (2007 est.)

Namibia
  $239.8 million (2008 est.)
  $693.2 million (2007 est.)

Nepal
  $241 million (2008)
  $58 million (2007)

Netherlands
  $41.93 billion (2008 est.)
  $59.51 billion (2007 est.)

New Zealand
  -$11.34 billion (2008 est.)
  -$10.63 billion (2007 est.)

Nicaragua
  -$1.475 billion (2008 est.)
  -$1.048 billion (2007 est.)

Niger
  -$321 million (2007 est.)
  -$321 million (2007 est.)

Nigeria
  $3.877 billion (2008 est.)
  $2.203 billion (2007 est.)

Norway
  $88.34 billion (2008 est.)
  $60.46 billion (2007 est.)

Oman
  $5.523 billion (2008 est.)
  $1.933 billion (2007 est.)

Pakistan
  -$15.68 billion (2008 est.)
  -$8.297 billion (2007 est.)

Palau
  $15.09 million (FY03/04)

Panama
  -$2.792 billion (2008 est.)
  -$1.422 billion (2007 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  $710 million (2008 est.)
  $193.6 million (2007 est.)

Paraguay
  -$345 million (2008 est.)
  $126.1 million (2007 est.)

Peru
  -$4.18 billion (2008 est.)
  $1.22 billion (2007 est.)

Philippines
  $4.227 billion (2008 est.)
  $7.119 billion (2007 est.)

Poland
  -$26.91 billion (2008 est.)
  -$20.12 billion (2007 est.)

Portugal
  -$29.6 billion (2008 est.)
  -$21.18 billion (2007 est.)

Qatar
  $15.07 billion (2008 est.)
  $10.45 billion (2007 est.)

Romania
  -$24.81 billion (2008 est.)
  -$23.02 billion (2007 est.)

Russia
  $102.4 billion (2008 est.)
  $77.01 billion (2007 est.)

Rwanda
  -$292 million (2008 est.)
  -$147 million (2007 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  -$163 million (2007 est.)

Saint Lucia
  -$199 million (2007 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  -$149 million (2007 est.)

Samoa
  -$24 million (2007 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  -$67 million (2008 est.)
  -$44 million (2007 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  $132.6 billion (2008 est.)
  $96.77 billion (2007 est.)

Senegal
  -$975 million (2008 est.)
  -$1.18 billion (2007 est.)

Serbia
  -$6.889 billion (2007 est.)

Seychelles -$430 million (2008 est.) -$274.8 million (2007 est.)

Sierra Leone
  -$63 million (2007 est.)

Singapore
  $25.78 billion (2008 est.)
  $39.11 billion (2007 est.)

Slovakia
  -$6.43 billion (2008 est.)
  -$4.482 billion (2007 est.)

Slovenia
  -$3.323 billion (2008 est.)
  -$1.982 billion (2007 est.)

Solomon Islands
  -$143 million (2007 est.)

South Africa
  -$20.98 billion (2008 est.)
  -$20.78 billion (2007 est.)

Spain
  -$154.1 billion (2008 est.)
  -$145.4 billion (2007 est.)

Sri Lanka
  -$3.876 billion (2008 est.)
  -$1.464 billion (2007 est.)

Sudan
  -$1.314 billion (2008 est.)
  -$3.447 billion (2007 est.)

Suriname
  $24 million (2007 est.)

Swaziland
  -$33 million (2008 est.)
  $4 million (2007 est.)

Sweden
  $40.32 billion (2008 est.)
  $38.42 billion (2007 est.)

Switzerland
  $41.21 billion (2008 est.)
  $43.95 billion (2007 est.)

Syria
  -$791 million (2008 est.)
  $402 million (2007 est.)

Taiwan
  $24.89 billion (2008 est.)
  $32.98 billion (2007 est.)

Tajikistan
  $47.6 million (2008 est.)
  -$495.1 million (2007 est.)

Tanzania
  -$3.536 billion (2008 est.)
  -$1.856 billion (2007 est.)

Thailand
  -$113 million (2008 est.)
  $15.76 billion (2007 est.)

Timor-Leste
  $1.161 billion (2007 est.)

Togo
  -$272 million (2008 est.)
  -$154 million (2007 est.)

Tonga
  -$23 million (2007 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  $5.401 billion (2008 est.)
  $5.364 billion (2007 est.)

Tunisia
  -$1.667 billion (2008 est.)
  -$904 million (2007 est.)

Turkey
  -$41.69 billion (2008 est.)
  -$37.7 billion (2007 est.)

Turkmenistan
  $4.669 billion (2008 est.)
  $3.285 billion (2007 est.)

Tuvalu
  -$11.68 million (2003)

Uganda
  -$1.088 billion (2008 est.)
  -$744.7 million (2007 est.)

Ukraine
  -$12.76 billion (2008 est.)
  -$5.918 billion (2007 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  $22.31 billion (2008 est.)
  $25.84 billion (2007 est.)

United Kingdom
  -$45.68 billion (2008 est.)
  -$78.78 billion (2007 est.)

United States
  -$706.1 billion (2008 est.)
  -$731.2 billion (2007 est.)

Uruguay
  -$1.484 billion (2008 est.)
  -$82.7 million (2007 est.)

Uzbekistan
  $6.257 billion (2008 est.)
  $4.267 billion (2007 est.)

Vanuatu
  -$60 million (2007 est.)

Venezuela
  $39.21 billion (2008 est.)
  $20 billion (2007 est.)

Vietnam
  -$10.71 billion (2008 est.)
  -$6.993 billion (2007 est.)

Yemen
  -$1.113 billion (2008 est.)
  -$1.547 billion (2007 est.)

Zambia
  -$977 million (2008 est.)
  -$198 million (2007 est.)

Zimbabwe
  -$584.6 million (2008 est.)
  -$494.8 million (2007 est.)

======================================================================

@2188

Field Listing :: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

  This entry gives the dollar value for the stock of all financial
  assets that are available to the central monetary authority for use
  in meeting a country's balance of payments needs as of the end-date
  of the period specified. This category includes not only foreign
  currency and gold, but also a country's holdings of Special Drawing
  Rights in the International Monetary Fund, and its reserve position
  in the Fund.
  Country Comparison to the World
  Country

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Albania
  $2.364 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $2.162 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Algeria
  $143.5 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $110.6 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Angola
  $18.36 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $11.2 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Argentina
  $46.37 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $46.12 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Armenia
  $1.407 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $1.659 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Australia
  $32.92 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $26.91 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Austria
  $16.7 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $18.22 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Azerbaijan
  $6.519 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $4.273 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Bahrain
  $3.803 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $4.101 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Bangladesh
  $5.789 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $5.278 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Barbados
  $620 million (2007)
  $620 million (2007)

Belarus
  $2.687 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $3.952 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Belgium
  $15.65 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $16.51 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Belize
  $166.2 million (31 December 2008 est.)
  $108.5 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Benin
  $1.261 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $1.209 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Bolivia
  $7.722 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $5.318 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  $3.516 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $4.525 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Botswana
  $9.119 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $9.79 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Brazil
  $193.8 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $180.3 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Bulgaria
  $17.93 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $17.54 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Burkina Faso
  $926.3 million (31 December 2008 est.)
  $1.029 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Burma
  $3.412 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $2.312 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Burundi
  $266.7 million (31 December 2008 est.)
  $177.1 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Cambodia
  $2.641 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $2.143 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Cameroon
  $3.091 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $2.932 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Canada
  $43.87 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $41.08 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Cape Verde
  $258 million (31 December 2008 est.)
  $281 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Chad
  $1.347 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $964.4 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Chile
  $23.08 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $16.84 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

China
  $1.955 trillion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $1.534 trillion (31 December 2007 est.)

Colombia
  $23.67 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $20.95 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  $3.873 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $2.184 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Costa Rica
  $3.799 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $4.114 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  $2.252 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $2.519 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Croatia
  $12.96 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $13.67 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Cuba
  $4.047 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $4.747 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Cyprus
  $1.003 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $6.507 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Czech Republic
  $36.68 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $34.59 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Denmark
  $42.32 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $34.32 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Dominican Republic
  $2.288 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $2.562 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Ecuador
  $4.473 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $3.521 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Egypt
  $33.85 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $31.37 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

El Salvador
  $2.545 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $2.199 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  $4.431 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $3.846 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Eritrea
  $24 million (31 December 2008 est.)
  $34 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Estonia
  $3.972 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $3.27 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Ethiopia
  $870.5 million (31 December 2008 est.)
  $1.29 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

European Union
  $NA

Finland
  $8.346 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $8.385 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

France
  $102.9 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $115.7 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Gabon
  $1.925 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $1.238 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Gambia, The
  $140 million (31 December 2008 est.)
  $142.8 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Georgia
  $1.48 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $1.361 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Germany
  $138 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $136.2 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Ghana
  $2.028 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $2.831 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Greece
  $3.473 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $3.658 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Guatemala
  $4.471 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $4.139 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Guinea
  $93 million (31 December 2008 est.)
  $86 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Guyana
  $355.9 million (31 December 2008 est.)
  $313 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Haiti
  $708 million (31 December 2008 est.)
  $555 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Honduras
  $2.492 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $2.546 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Hong Kong
  $182.5 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $152.7 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Hungary
  $33.87 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $24.05 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Iceland
  $2.5 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $2.436 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

India
  $254 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $273.9 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Indonesia
  $51.64 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $56.92 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Iran
  $96.56 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $82.06 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Iraq
  $49.8 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $30.66 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Ireland
  $1.023 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $926.2 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Israel
  $42.51 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $28.52 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Italy
  $105.3 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $94.33 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Jamaica
  $1.767 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $1.879 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Japan
  $1.011 trillion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $954.1 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Jordan
  $8.918 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $7.929 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Kazakhstan
  $19.87 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $17.63 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Kenya
  $2.879 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $3.355 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Korea, South
  $201.2 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $262.2 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Kosovo
  $NA

Kuwait
  $17.23 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $16.78 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  $1.225 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $1.177 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Laos
  $803 million (31 December 2008 est.)
  $540 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Latvia
  $5.248 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $5.758 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Lebanon
  $28.28 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $20.55 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Lesotho
  $993 million (31 December 2008 est.)
  $874 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Libya
  $92.51 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $79.6 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Lithuania
  $6.441 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $7.721 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Luxembourg
  $397.8 million (31 December 2008 est.)
  $205.5 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Macedonia
  $2.109 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $2.265 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Madagascar
  $982.3 million (31 December 2008 est.)
  $846.7 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Malawi
  $185 million (31 December 2008 est.)
  $217.2 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Malaysia
  $91.21 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $101.1 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Malta
  $373.4 million (31 December 2008 est.)
  $3.798 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Mauritius
  $1.785 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $1.822 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Mexico
  $95.3 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $87.19 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Moldova
  $1.672 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $1.334 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Montenegro
  $NA

Morocco
  $22.72 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $24.72 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Mozambique
  $1.578 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $1.445 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Namibia
  $1.293 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $896 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Netherlands
  $28.51 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $26.98 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

New Zealand
  $11.15 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $17.25 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Nicaragua
  $1.141 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $1.103 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Nigeria
  $53 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $51.33 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Norway
  $50.95 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $60.84 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Oman
  $11.58 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $9.524 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Pakistan
  $8.903 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $15.69 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Panama
  $2.693 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $1.935 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  $1.987 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $2.087 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Paraguay
  $2.863 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $2.462 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Peru
  $31.25 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $27.78 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Philippines
  $37.55 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $33.75 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Poland
  $62.18 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $65.75 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Portugal
  $11.95 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $11.55 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Qatar
  $9.998 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $9.752 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Romania
  $39.47 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $39.96 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Russia
  $427.1 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $476.4 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Rwanda
  $596 million (31 December 2008 est.)
  $552.8 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Samoa
  $70.15 million (FY03/04)

Sao Tome and Principe
  $43 million (31 December 2008 est.)
  $39 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  $30.59 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $34.01 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Senegal
  $1.601 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $1.66 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Serbia
  $14.22 billion (2007 est.)
  $14.22 billion (2007 est.)

Seychelles
  $64 million (31 December 2008 est.)
  $40.8 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Singapore
  $174.2 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $163 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Slovakia
  $18.78 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $18.96 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Slovenia
  $7.57 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $5.682 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

South Africa
  $34.07 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $32.94 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Spain
  $20.25 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $19.05 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Sri Lanka
  $2.655 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $3.644 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Sudan
  $1.399 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $1.378 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Suriname
  $263.3 million (2006)

Swaziland
  $752 million (31 December 2008 est.)
  $774.2 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Sweden
  $29.72 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $31.04 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Switzerland
  $74.07 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $75.37 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Syria
  $6.765 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $6.507 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Taiwan
  $296.4 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $275 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Tajikistan
  $195 million (31 December 2008 est.)
  $328 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Tanzania
  $2.869 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $2.91 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Thailand
  $111 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $87.46 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Togo
  $580 million (31 December 2008 est.)
  $438 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Tonga
  $40.83 million (yearend, FY04/05)

Trinidad and Tobago
  $9.496 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $6.745 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Tunisia
  $8.853 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $7.854 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Turkey
  $73.66 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $76.51 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Turkmenistan
  $13.88 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $13.19 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Uganda
  $2.301 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $2.56 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Ukraine
  $31.54 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $32.48 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  $31.69 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $77.24 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

United Kingdom
  $52.98 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $57.3 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

United States
  $77.65 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $70.57 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Uruguay
  $6.36 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $4.121 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Uzbekistan
  $10.15 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $7.413 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Vanuatu
  $40.54 million (2003)

Venezuela
  $42.3 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $33.48 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Vietnam
  $24.18 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $23.75 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Yemen
  $8.157 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $7.759 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Zambia
  $1.096 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $1.09 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Zimbabwe
  $96 million (31 December 2008 est.)
  $117 million (31 December 2007 est.)

======================================================================

@2189

Field Listing :: Union name

Country

Union name

European Union conventional long form: European Union abbreviation: EU

======================================================================

@2190

Field Listing :: Political structure

Country

Political structure

European Union
  a hybrid intergovernmental and supranational
  organization

======================================================================

@2191

Field Listing :: Member states

Country

Member states

European Union
  27 countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus,
  Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece,
  Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta,
  Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain,
  Sweden, UK; note - Canary Islands (Spain), Azores and Madeira
  (Portugal), French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, and Reunion
  (France) are sometimes listed separately even though they are
  legally a part of Spain, Portugal, and France; candidate countries:
  Croatia, Macedonia, Turkey

======================================================================

@2192

Field Listing :: Preliminary statement

Country

Preliminary statement

European Union
  The evolution of the European Union (EU) from a
  regional economic agreement among six neighboring states in 1951 to
  today's supranational organization of 27 countries across the
  European continent stands as an unprecedented phenomenon in the
  annals of history. Dynastic unions for territorial consolidation
  were long the norm in Europe. On a few occasions even country-level
  unions were arranged - the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the
  Austro-Hungarian Empire were examples - but for such a large number
  of nation-states to cede some of their sovereignty to an overarching
  entity is truly unique.
  Although the EU is not a federation in the strict sense, it is far
  more than a free-trade association such as ASEAN, NAFTA, or
  Mercosur, and it has many of the attributes associated with
  independent nations: its own flag, anthem, founding date, and
  currency, as well as an incipient common foreign and security policy
  in its dealings with other nations.
  In the future, many of these nation-like characteristics are likely
  to be expanded. Thus, inclusion of basic intelligence on the EU has
  been deemed appropriate as a new, separate entity in The World
  Factbook. However, because of the EU's special status, this
  description is placed after the regular country entries.

======================================================================

@2193

Field Listing :: Major infectious diseases

This entry lists major infectious diseases likely to be encountered in countries where the risk of such diseases is assessed to be very high as compared to the United States. These infectious diseases represent risks to US government personnel traveling to the specified country for a period of less than three years. The degree of risk is assessed by considering the foreign nature of these infectious diseases, their severity, and the probability of being affected by the diseases present. The diseases listed do not necessarily represent the total disease burden experienced by the local population. The risk to an individual traveler varies considerably by the specific location, visit duration, type of activities, type of accommodations, time of year, and other factors. Consultation with a travel medicine physician is needed to evaluate individual risk and recommend appropriate preventive measures such as vaccines. Diseases are organized into the following six exposure categories shown in italics and listed in typical descending order of risk. Note: The sequence of exposure categories listed in individual country entries may vary according to local conditions. food or waterborne diseases acquired through eating or drinking on the local economy: Hepatitis A - viral disease that interferes with the functioning of the liver; spread through consumption of food or water contaminated with fecal matter, principally in areas of poor sanitation; victims exhibit fever, jaundice, and diarrhea; 15% of victims will experience prolonged symptoms over 6-9 months; vaccine available. Hepatitis E - water-borne viral disease that interferes with the functioning of the liver; most commonly spread through fecal contamination of drinking water; victims exhibit jaundice, fatigue, abdominal pain, and dark colored urine. Typhoid fever - bacterial disease spread through contact with food or water contaminated by fecal matter or sewage; victims exhibit sustained high fevers; left untreated, mortality rates can reach 20%. vectorborne diseases acquired through the bite of an infected arthropod: Malaria - caused by single-cell parasitic protozoa Plasmodium; transmitted to humans via the bite of the female Anopheles mosquito; parasites multiply in the liver attacking red blood cells resulting in cycles of fever, chills, and sweats accompanied by anemia; death due to damage to vital organs and interruption of blood supply to the brain; endemic in 100, mostly tropical, countries with 90% of cases and the majority of 1.5-2.5 million estimated annual deaths occurring in sub-Saharan Africa. Dengue fever - mosquito-borne (Aedes aegypti) viral disease associated with urban environments; manifests as sudden onset of fever and severe headache; occasionally produces shock and hemorrhage leading to death in 5% of cases. Yellow fever - mosquito-borne viral disease; severity ranges from influenza-like symptoms to severe hepatitis and hemorrhagic fever; occurs only in tropical South America and sub-Saharan Africa, where most cases are reported; fatality rate is less than 20%. Japanese Encephalitis - mosquito-borne (Culex tritaeniorhynchus) viral disease associated with rural areas in Asia; acute encephalitis can progress to paralysis, coma, and death; fatality rates 30%. African Trypanosomiasis - caused by the parasitic protozoa Trypanosoma; transmitted to humans via the bite of bloodsucking Tsetse flies; infection leads to malaise and irregular fevers and, in advanced cases when the parasites invade the central nervous system, coma and death; endemic in 36 countries of sub-Saharan Africa; cattle and wild animals act as reservoir hosts for the parasites. Cutaneous Leishmaniasis - caused by the parasitic protozoa leishmania; transmitted to humans via the bite of sandflies; results in skin lesions that may become chronic; endemic in 88 countries; 90% of cases occur in Iran, Afghanistan, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, and Peru; wild and domesticated animals as well as humans can act as reservoirs of infection. Plague - bacterial disease transmitted by fleas normally associated with rats; person-to-person airborne transmission also possible; recent plague epidemics occurred in areas of Asia, Africa, and South America associated with rural areas or small towns and villages; manifests as fever, headache, and painfully swollen lymph nodes; disease progresses rapidly and without antibiotic treatment leads to pneumonic form with a death rate in excess of 50%. Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever - tick-borne viral disease; infection may also result from exposure to infected animal blood or tissue; geographic distribution includes Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe; sudden onset of fever, headache, and muscle aches followed by hemorrhaging in the bowels, urine, nose, and gums; mortality rate is approximately 30%. Rift Valley fever - viral disease affecting domesticated animals and humans; transmission is by mosquito and other biting insects; infection may also occur through handling of infected meat or contact with blood; geographic distribution includes eastern and southern Africa where cattle and sheep are raised; symptoms are generally mild with fever and some liver abnormalities, but the disease may progress to hemorrhagic fever, encephalitis, or ocular disease; fatality rates are low at about 1% of cases. Chikungunya - mosquito-borne (Aedes aegypti) viral disease associated with urban environments, similar to Dengue Fever; characterized by sudden onset of fever, rash, and severe joint pain usually lasting 3-7 days, some cases result in persistent arthritis. water contact diseases acquired through swimming or wading in freshwater lakes, streams, and rivers: Leptospirosis - bacterial disease that affects animals and humans; infection occurs through contact with water, food, or soil contaminated by animal urine; symptoms include high fever, severe headache, vomiting, jaundice, and diarrhea; untreated, the disease can result in kidney damage, liver failure, meningitis, or respiratory distress; fatality rates are low but left untreated recovery can take months. Schistosomiasis - caused by parasitic trematode flatworm Schistosoma; fresh water snails act as intermediate host and release larval form of parasite that penetrates the skin of people exposed to contaminated water; worms mature and reproduce in the blood vessels, liver, kidneys, and intestines releasing eggs, which become trapped in tissues triggering an immune response; may manifest as either urinary or intestinal disease resulting in decreased work or learning capacity; mortality, while generally low, may occur in advanced cases usually due to bladder cancer; endemic in 74 developing countries with 80% of infected people living in sub-Saharan Africa; humans act as the reservoir for this parasite. aerosolized dust or soil contact disease acquired through inhalation of aerosols contaminated with rodent urine: Lassa fever - viral disease carried by rats of the genus Mastomys; endemic in portions of West Africa; infection occurs through direct contact with or consumption of food contaminated by rodent urine or fecal matter containing virus particles; fatality rate can reach 50% in epidemic outbreaks. respiratory disease acquired through close contact with an infectious person: Meningococcal meningitis - bacterial disease causing an inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord; one of the most important bacterial pathogens is Neisseria meningitidis because of its potential to cause epidemics; symptoms include stiff neck, high fever, headaches, and vomiting; bacteria are transmitted from person to person by respiratory droplets and facilitated by close and prolonged contact resulting from crowded living conditions, often with a seasonal distribution; death occurs in 5-15% of cases, typically within 24-48 hours of onset of symptoms; highest burden of meningococcal disease occurs in the hyperendemic region of sub-Saharan Africa known as the "Meningitis Belt" which stretches from Senegal east to Ethiopia. animal contact disease acquired through direct contact with local animals: Rabies - viral disease of mammals usually transmitted through the bite of an infected animal, most commonly dogs; virus affects the central nervous system causing brain alteration and death; symptoms initially are non-specific fever and headache progressing to neurological symptoms; death occurs within days of the onset of symptoms. Country

Major infectious diseases

Afghanistan
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne disease: malaria
  animal contact disease: rabies
  note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in
  this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases
  possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

Angola
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: malaria, African trypanosomiasis (sleeping
  sickness)
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2009)

Argentina
  degree of risk: intermediate
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A
  water contact disease: leptospirosis (2009)

Bangladesh
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria are high risks in
  some locations
  water contact disease: leptospirosis
  animal contact disease: rabies
  note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in
  this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases
  possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

Belize
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria
  water contact disease: leptospirosis (2009)

Benin
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever
  respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis
  animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Bhutan
  degree of risk: intermediate
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria
  water contact disease: leptospirosis (2009)

Bolivia
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, and yellow fever
  water contact disease: leptospirosis (2009)

Botswana
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne disease: malaria (2009)

Burkina Faso
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne disease: malaria and yellow fever
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis
  respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis
  animal contact disease: rabies
  note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in
  this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases
  possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

Burma
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria
  water contact disease: leptospirosis
  animal contact disease: rabies
  note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in
  this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases
  possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

Burundi
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne disease: malaria
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis
  animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Cambodia
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, Japanese encephalitis, and
  malaria
  note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in
  this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases
  possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

Cameroon
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis
  respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis
  animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Central African Republic
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne disease: malaria
  respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis
  animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Chad
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne disease: malaria
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis
  respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis
  animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

China
  degree of risk: intermediate
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: Japanese encephalitis and dengue fever
  soil contact disease: hantaviral hemorrhagic fever with renal
  syndrome (HFRS)
  animal contact disease: rabies
  note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in
  this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases
  possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

Colombia
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea
  vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, and yellow fever
  water contact disease: leptospirosis (2009)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: malaria, plague, and African trypanosomiasis
  (sleeping sickness)
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis
  animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Congo, Republic of the
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne disease: malaria and African trypanosomiasis (sleeping
  sickness)
  animal contact disease: rabies
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2009)

Costa Rica
  degree of risk: intermediate
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea
  vectorborne diseases: dengue fever (2009)

Cote d'Ivoire
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever
  water contact: schistosomiasis
  animal contact disease: rabies
  note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in
  this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases
  possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

Croatia
  degree of risk: intermediate
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea
  vectorborne diseases: tickborne encephalitis
  note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in
  this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases
  possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

Cuba
  degree of risk: intermediate
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A
  vectorborne diseases: dengue fever (2009)

Djibouti
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne disease: malaria
  note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in
  this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases
  possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

Dominican Republic
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria
  water contact disease: leptospirosis (2009)

Ecuador
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria
  water contact disease: leptospirosis (2009)

Egypt
  degree of risk: intermediate
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne disease: Rift Valley fever
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis
  note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in
  this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases
  possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

El Salvador
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: dengue fever
  water contact disease: leptospirosis (2009)

Equatorial Guinea
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne disease: malaria and yellow fever
  animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Eritrea
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne disease: malaria (2009)

Estonia
  degree of risk: intermediate
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea
  vectorborne disease: tickborne encephalitis (2009)

Ethiopia
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: malaria
  respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis
  animal contact disease: rabies
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2009)

Gabon
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne disease: malaria and chikungunya
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis
  animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Gambia, The
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: malaria
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis
  respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis
  animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Ghana
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: malaria
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis
  respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis
  animal contact disease: rabies
  note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in
  this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases
  possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

Guatemala
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne disease: dengue fever and malaria
  water contact disease: leptospirosis (2009)

Guinea
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis
  animal contact disease: rabies
  aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: Lassa fever (2009)

Guinea-Bissau
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis
  animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Guyana
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria
  water contact disease: leptospirosis (2009)

Haiti
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria
  water contact disease: leptospirosis (2009)

Honduras
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria
  water contact disease: leptospirosis (2009)

Hungary
  degree of risk: intermediate
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A
  vectorborne diseases: tickborne encephalitis (2009)

India
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A and E,
  and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: chikungunya, dengue fever, Japanese
  encephalitis, and malaria
  animal contact disease: rabies
  water contact disease: leptospirosis
  note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in
  this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases
  possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

Indonesia
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A and E,
  and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: chikungunya, dengue fever, and malaria
  note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in
  this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases
  possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

Iran
  degree of risk: intermediate
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea
  vectorborne diseases: Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever and malaria
  note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in
  this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases
  possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

Iraq
  degree of risk: intermediate
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in
  this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases
  possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

Kenya
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne disease: malaria and Rift Valley fever
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis
  animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Laos
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria
  note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in
  this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases
  possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2008)
  (2009)

Latvia
  degree of risk: intermediate
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea
  vectorborne diseases: tickborne encephalitis (2009)

Liberia
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis
  aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: Lassa fever
  animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Lithuania
  degree of risk: intermediate
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea
  vectorborne diseases: tickborne encephalitis (2009)

Madagascar
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: chikungunya, malaria, and plague
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2009)

Malawi
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: malaria and plague
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis
  animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Malaysia
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea
  vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria
  note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in
  this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases
  possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

Mali
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne disease: malaria
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis
  respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2009)

Mauritania
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: malaria and Rift Valley fever
  respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis
  animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Mexico
  degree of risk: intermediate
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne disease: dengue fever
  water contact disease: leptospirosis (2009)

Montenegro
  degree of risk: intermediate
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea
  vectorborne disease: Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever (2009)

Mozambique
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: malaria and plague
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis
  animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Namibia
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne disease: malaria
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2009)

Nepal
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne disease: Japanese encephalitis, malaria, and dengue
  fever (2009)

Nicaragua
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne disease: dengue fever and malaria
  water contact disease: leptospirosis (2009)

Niger
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne disease: malaria
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis
  animal contact disease: rabies
  respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis
  note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in
  this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases
  possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

Nigeria
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne disease: malaria and yellow fever
  respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis
  aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: one of the most highly
  endemic areas for Lassa fever
  water contact disease: leptospirosis and shistosomiasis
  animal contact disease: rabies
  note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in
  this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases
  possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

Pakistan
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A and E,
  and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria
  animal contact disease: rabies
  note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in
  this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases
  possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

Panama
  degree of risk: intermediate
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea
  vectorborne disease: dengue fever and malaria (2009)

Papua New Guinea
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria (2009)

Paraguay
  degree of risk: intermediate
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne disease: dengue fever and malaria (2009)

Peru
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial, hepatitis A, and typhoid
  fever
  vectorborne disease: dengue fever, malaria, and yellow fever
  water contact disease: leptospirosis (2009)

Philippines
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, and Japanese
  encephalitis
  water contact disease: leptospirosis (2009)

Poland
  degree of risk: intermediate
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea
  vectorborne disease: tickborne encephalitis
  note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in
  this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases
  possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

Russia
  degree of risk: intermediate
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea
  vectorborne disease: tickborne encephalitis
  note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in
  this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases
  possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

Rwanda
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne disease: malaria
  animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Sao Tome and Principe
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne disease: malaria
  animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Senegal
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, dengue fever,
  malaria, Rift Valley fever, and yellow fever
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis
  respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis
  animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Serbia
  degree of risk: intermediate
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea
  vectorborne disease: Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever
  note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in
  this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases
  possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

Sierra Leone
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis
  aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: Lassa fever (2009)

Somalia
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, and Rift Valley fever
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis
  animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

South Africa
  degree of risk: intermediate
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2009)

Sri Lanka
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A
  vectorborne disease: dengue fever and chikungunya
  water contact disease: leptospirosis
  animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Sudan
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: malaria, dengue fever, African trypanosomiasis
  (sleeping sickness)
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis
  respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis
  animal contact disease: rabies
  note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in
  this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases
  possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

Suriname
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne disease: dengue fever, Mayaro virus, and malaria
  water contact disease: leptospirosis (2009)

Swaziland
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne disease: malaria
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2009)

Tajikistan
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne disease: malaria (2009)

Tanzania
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: malaria and plague
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis
  animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Thailand
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea
  vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, Japanese encephalitis, and
  malaria
  animal contact disease: rabies
  water contact disease: leptospirosis
  note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in
  this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases
  possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

Timor-Leste
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: chikungunya, dengue fever and malaria (2009)

Togo
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis
  respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis
  animal contact disease: rabies
  note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in
  this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases
  possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

Uganda
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: malaria, plague, and African trypanosomiasis
  (sleeping sickness)
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis
  animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Venezuela
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea
  vectorborne disease: dengue fever and malaria (2009)

Vietnam
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, Japanese encephalitis,
  and plague
  water contact disease: leptospirosis
  note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in
  this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases
  possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

Yemen
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2009)

Zambia
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: malaria and plague are high risks in some
  locations
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis
  animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Zimbabwe
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne disease: malaria
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis
  animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

======================================================================

@2194

Field Listing :: Refugees and internally displaced persons

This entry includes those persons residing in a country as refugees or internally displaced persons (IDPs). The definition of a refugee according to a United Nations Convention is "a person who is outside his/her country of nationality or habitual residence; has a well-founded fear of persecution because of his/her race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group or political opinion; and is unable or unwilling to avail himself/herself of the protection of that country, or to return there, for fear of persecution." The UN established the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in 1950 to handle refugee matters worldwide. The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has a different operational definition for a Palestinian refugee: "a person whose normal place of residence was Palestine during the period 1 June 1946 to 15 May 1948 and who lost both home and means of livelihood as a result of the 1948 conflict." However, UNHCR also assists some 400,000 Palestinian refugees not covered under the UNRWA definition. The term "internally displaced person" is not specifically covered in the UN Convention; it is used to describe people who have fled their homes for reasons similar to refugees, but who remain within their own national territory and are subject to the laws of that state. Country

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Afghanistan
  IDPs: 132,246 (mostly Pashtuns and Kuchis displaced in
  south and west due to drought and instability) (2007)

Algeria
  refugees (country of origin): 90,000 (Western Saharan
  Sahrawi, mostly living in Algerian-sponsored camps in the
  southwestern Algerian town of Tindouf)
  IDPs: undetermined (civil war during 1990s) (2007)

Angola
  refugees (country of origin): 12,615 (Democratic Republic of
  Congo)
  IDPs: 61,700 (27-year civil war ending in 2002; 4 million IDPs
  already have returned) (2007)

Armenia
  refugees (country of origin): 113,295 (Azerbaijan)
  IDPs: 8,400 (conflict with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh,
  majority have returned home since 1994 ceasefire) (2007)

Azerbaijan
  refugees (country of origin): 2,400 (Russia)
  IDPs: 580,000-690,000 (conflict with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh)
  (2007)

Bangladesh
  refugees (country of origin): 26,268 (Burma)
  IDPs: 65,000 (land conflicts, religious persecution) (2007)

Benin
  refugees (country of origin): 9,444 (Togo) (2007)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  refugees (country of origin): 7,269 (Croatia)
  IDPs: 131,600 (Bosnian Croats, Serbs, and Bosniaks displaced in
  1992-95 war) (2007)

Burma
  IDPs: 503,000 (government offensives against ethnic insurgent
  groups near the eastern borders; most IDPs are ethnic Karen,
  Karenni, Shan, Tavoyan, and Mon) (2007)

Burundi
  refugees (country of origin): 9,849 (Democratic Republic of
  the Congo)
  IDPs: 100,000 (armed conflict between government and rebels; most
  IDPs in northern and western Burundi) (2007)

Cameroon
  refugees (country of origin): 20,000-30,000 (Chad); 3,000
  (Nigeria); 24,000 (Central African Republic) (2007)

Central African Republic
  refugees (country of origin): 7,900
  (Sudan); 3,700 (Democratic Republic of the Congo); note - UNHCR
  resumed repatriation of Southern Sudanese refugees in 2006
  IDPs: 197,000 (ongoing unrest following coup in 2003) (2007)

Chad
  refugees (country of origin): 234,000 (Sudan); 54,200 (Central
  African Republic)
  IDPs: 178,918 (2007)

China
  refugees (country of origin): 300,897 (Vietnam); estimated
  30,000-50,000 (North Korea)
  IDPs: 90,000 (2007)

Colombia
  IDPs: 1.8-3.5 million (conflict between government and
  illegal armed groups and drug traffickers) (2007)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  refugees (country of origin):
  132,295 (Angola); 37,313 (Rwanda); 17,777 (Burundi); 13,904
  (Uganda); 6,181 (Sudan); 5,243 (Republic of Congo)
  IDPs: 1.4 million (fighting between government forces and rebels
  since mid-1990s; most IDPs are in eastern provinces) (2007)

Congo, Republic of the
  refugees (country of origin): 46,341
  (Democratic Republic of Congo); 6,564 (Rwanda)
  IDPs: 48,000 (multiple civil wars since 1992; most IDPs are ethnic
  Lari) (2007)

Costa Rica
  refugees (country of origin): 9,699-11,500 (Colombia)
  (2007)

Cote d'Ivoire
  refugees (country of origin): 25,615 (Liberia)
  IDPs: 709,000 (2002 coup; most IDPs are in western regions) (2007)

Croatia
  IDPs: 2,900-7,000 (Croats and Serbs displaced in 1992-95
  war) (2007)

Cyprus
  IDPs: 210,000 (both Turkish and Greek Cypriots; many
  displaced for over 30 years) (2007)

Djibouti
  refugees (country of origin): 8,642 (Somalia) (2007)

Ecuador
  refugees (country of origin): 11,526 (Colombia); note -
  UNHCR estimates as many as 250,000 Columbians are seeking asylum in
  Ecuador, many of whom do not register as refugees for fear of
  deportation (2007)

Egypt
  refugees (country of origin): 60,000 - 80,000 (Iraq); 70,198
  (Palestinian Territories); 12,157 (Sudan) (2007)

Eritrea
  IDPs: 32,000 (border war with Ethiopia from 1998-2000; most
  IDPs are near the central border region) (2007)

Ethiopia
  refugees (country of origin): 66,980 (Sudan); 16,576
  (Somalia); 13,078 (Eritrea)
  IDPs: 200,000 (border war with Eritrea from 1998-2000, ethnic
  clashes in Gambela, and ongoing Ethiopian military counterinsurgency
  in Somali region; most IDPs are in Tigray and Gambela Provinces)
  (2007)

Gabon
  refugees (country of origin): 7,178 (Republic of Congo) (2007)

Gambia, The
  refugees (country of origin): 5,955 (Sierra Leone) (2007)

Gaza Strip
  refugees (country of origin): 1.017 million (Palestinian
  Refugees (UNRWA)) (2007)

Georgia
  refugees (country of origin): 1,100 (Russia)
  IDPs: 220,000-240,000 (displaced from Abkhazia and South Ossetia)
  (2007)

Ghana
  refugees (country of origin): 35,653 (Liberia); 8,517 (Togo)
  (2007)

Guatemala
  IDPs: undetermined (the UN does not estimate there are any
  IDPs, although some NGOs estimate over 200,000 IDPs as a result of
  over three decades of internal conflict that ended in 1996) (2007)

Guinea
  refugees (country of origin): 21,856 (Liberia); 5,259 (Sierra
  Leone); 3,900 (Cote d'Ivoire)
  IDPs: 19,000 (cross-border incursions from Cote d'Ivoire, Liberia,
  Sierra Leone) (2007)

Guinea-Bissau
  refugees (country of origin): 7,454 (Senegal) (2007)

India
  refugees (country of origin): 77,200 (Tibet/China); 69,609
  (Sri Lanka); 9,472 (Afghanistan)
  IDPs: at least 600,000 (about half are Kashmiri Pandits from Jammu
  and Kashmir) (2007)

Indonesia
  IDPs: 200,000-350,000 (government offensives against
  rebels in Aceh; most IDPs in Aceh, Central Kalimantan, Central
  Sulawesi Provinces, and Maluku) (2007)

Iran
  refugees (country of origin): 914,268 (Afghanistan); 54,024
  (Iraq) (2007)

Iraq
  refugees (country of origin): 10,000-15,000 (Palestinian
  Territories); 11,773 (Iran); 16,832 (Turkey)
  IDPs: 2.4 million (ongoing US-led war and ethno-sectarian violence)
  (2007)

Israel
  IDPs: 150,000-420,000 (Arab villagers displaced from homes in
  northern Israel) (2007)

Jordan
  refugees (country of origin): 1,835,704 (Palestinian Refugees
  (UNRWA)); 500,000 (Iraq)
  IDPs: 160,000 (1967 Arab-Israeli War) (2007)

Kazakhstan
  refugees (country of origin): 3,700 (Russia); 508
  (Afghanistan) (2007)

Kenya
  refugees (country of origin): 173,702 (Somalia); 73,004
  (Sudan); 16,428 (Ethiopia)
  IDPs: 250,000-400,000 (2007 post-election violence; KANU attacks on
  opposition tribal groups in 1990s) (2007)

Korea, North
  IDPs: undetermined (flooding in mid-2007 and famine
  during mid-1990s) (2007)

Kosovo
  IDP's: 21,000 (2007)

Lebanon
  refugees (country of origin): 405,425 (Palestinian refugees
  (UNRWA)); 50,000-60,000 (Iraq)
  IDPs: 17,000 (1975-90 civil war, Israeli invasions); 200,000
  (July-August 2006 war) (2007)

Liberia
  refugees (country of origin): 12,600 (Cote d'Ivoire)
  IDPs: 13,000 (civil war from 1990-2004; IDP resettlement began in
  November 2004) (2007)

Libya
  refugees (country of origin): 8,000 (Palestinian Territories)
  (2007)

Macedonia
  IDPs: fewer than 1,000 (ethnic conflict in 2001) (2007)

Malaysia
  refugees (country of origin): 15,174 (Indonesia); 21,544
  (Burma) (2007)

Maldives
  IDPs: 1,000-10,000 (December 2004 tsunami victims) (2007)

Mali
  refugees (country of origin): 6,300 (Mauritania) (2007)

Mexico
  IDPs: 5,500-10,000 (government's quashing of Zapatista
  uprising in 1994 in eastern Chiapas Region) (2007)

Montenegro
  refugees (country of origin): 7,000 (Kosovo); note -
  mostly ethnic Serbs and Roma who fled Kosovo in 1999
  IDPs: 16,192 (ethnic conflict in 1999 and riots in 2004) (2007)

Namibia
  refugees (country of origin): 4,700 (Angola) (2007)

Nepal
  refugees (country of origin): 107,803 (Bhutan); 20,153
  (Tibet/China)
  IDPs: 50,000-70,000 (remaining from ten-year Maoist insurgency that
  officially ended in 2006; displacement spread across the country)
  (2007)

Nigeria
  refugees (country of origin): 5,778 (Liberia)
  IDPs: undetermined (communal violence between Christians and Muslims
  since President OBASANJO's election in 1999; displacement is mostly
  short-term) (2007)

Pakistan
  refugees (country of origin): 1,043,984 (Afghanistan)
  IDPs: undetermined (government strikes on Islamic militants in South
  Waziristan); 34,000 (October 2005 earthquake; most of those
  displaced returned to their home villages in the spring of 2006)
  (2007)

Papua New Guinea
  refugees (country of origin): 10,177 (Indonesia)
  (2007)

Peru
  IDPs: 60,000-150,000 (civil war from 1980-2000; most IDPs are
  indigenous peasants in Andean and Amazonian regions) (2007)

Philippines
  IDPs: 300,000 (fighting between government troops and
  MILF and Abu Sayyaf groups) (2007)

Russia
  IDPs: 18,000-160,000 (displacement from Chechnya and North
  Ossetia) (2007)

Rwanda
  refugees (country of origin): 46,272 (Democratic Republic of
  the Congo); 4,400 (Burundi) (2007)

Saudi Arabia
  refugees (country of origin): 240,015 (Palestinian
  Territories) (2007)

Senegal
  refugees (country of origin): 19,630 (Mauritania)
  IDPs: 22,400 (approximately 65% of the IDP population returned in
  2005, but new displacement is occurring due to clashes between
  government troops and separatists in Casamance region) (2007)

Serbia
  refugees (country of origin): 71,111 (Croatia); 27,414
  (Bosnia and Herzegovina); 206,000 (Kosovo), note - mostly ethnic
  Serbs and Roma who fled Kosovo in 1999 (2007)

Sierra Leone
  refugees (country of origin): 27,311 (Liberia) (2007)

Solomon Islands
  IDPs: 5,400 (displaced by tsunami on 2 April 2007)
  (2007)

Somalia
  IDPs: 1.1 million (civil war since 1988, clan-based
  competition for resources) (2007)

South Africa
  refugees (country of origin): 10,772 (Democratic
  Republic of Congo); 7,818 (Somalia); 5,759 (Angola) (2007)

Sri Lanka
  IDPs: 460,000 (both Tamils and non-Tamils displaced due to
  long-term civil war between the government and the separatist
  Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)) (2007)

Sudan
  refugees (country of origin): 157,220 (Eritrea); 25,023
  (Chad); 11,009 (Ethiopia); 7,895 (Uganda); 5,023 (Central African
  Republic)
  IDPs: 5.3 - 6.2 million (civil war 1983-2005; ongoing conflict in
  Darfur region) (2007)

Syria
  refugees (country of origin): 1-1.4 million (Iraq); 522,100
  (Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA))
  IDPs: 305,000 (most displaced from Golan Heights during 1967
  Arab-Israeli War) (2007)

Tanzania
  refugees (country of origin): 352,640 (Burundi); 127,973
  (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (2007)

Thailand
  refugees (country of origin): 132,241 (Burma) (2007)

Timor-Leste
  IDPs: 100,000 (2007)

Togo
  refugees (country of origin): 5,000 (Ghana)
  IDPs: 1,500 (2007)

Turkey
  IDPs: 1-1.2 million (fighting 1984-99 between Kurdish PKK and
  Turkish military; most IDPs in southeastern provinces) (2007)

Turkmenistan
  refugees (country of origin): 11,173 (Tajikistan); less
  than 1,000 (Afghanistan) (2007)

Uganda
  refugees (country of origin): 215,700 (Sudan); 28,880
  (Democratic Republic of Congo); 24,900 (Rwanda)
  IDPs: 1.27 million (350,000 IDPs returned in 2006 following ongoing
  peace talks between the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) and the
  Government of Uganda) (2007)

United States
  refugees (country of origin): the US admitted 62,643
  refugees during FY04/05 including; 10,586 (Somalia); 8,549 (Laos);
  6,666 (Russia); 6,479 (Cuba); 3,100 (Haiti); 2,136 (Iran) (2006)

Uzbekistan
  refugees (country of origin): 39,202 (Tajikistan); 1,060
  (Afghanistan)
  IDPs: 3,400 (forced population transfers by government from villages
  near Tajikistan border) (2007)

West Bank
  refugees (country of origin): 722,000 (Palestinian
  Refugees (UNRWA)) (2007)

World
  the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
  estimated that in December 2006 there was a global population of 8.8
  million registered refugees and as many as 24.5 million IDPs in more
  than 50 countries; the actual global population of refugees is
  probably closer to 10 million given the estimated 1.5 million Iraqi
  refugees displaced throughout the Middle East (2007)

Yemen
  refugees (country of origin): 91,587 (Somalia) (2007)

Zambia
  refugees (country of origin): 42,565 (Angola); 60,874
  (Democratic Republic of the Congo); 4,100 (Rwanda) (2007)

Zimbabwe
  refugees (country of origin): 2,500 (Democratic Republic of
  Congo)
  IDPs: 569,685 (MUGABE-led political violence, human rights
  violations, land reform, and economic collapse) (2007)

======================================================================

@2195

Field Listing :: GDP (official exchange rate)

This entry gives the gross domestic product (GDP) or value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year. A nation's GDP at official exchange rates (OER) is the home-currency-denominated annual GDP figure divided by the bilateral average US exchange rate with that country in that year. The measure is simple to compute and gives a precise measure of the value of output. Many economists prefer this measure when gauging the economic power an economy maintains vis-a-vis its neighbors, judging that an exchange rate captures the purchasing power a nation enjoys in the international marketplace. Official exchange rates, however, can be artificially fixed and/or subject to manipulation - resulting in claims of the country having an under- or over-valued currency - and are not necessarily the equivalent of a market-determined exchange rate. Moreover, even if the official exchange rate is market-determined, market exchange rates are frequently established by a relatively small set of goods and services (the ones the country trades) and may not capture the value of the larger set of goods the country produces. Furthermore, OER-converted GDP is not well suited to comparing domestic GDP over time, since appreciation/depreciation from one year to the next will make the OER GDP value rise/fall regardless of whether home-currency-denominated GDP changed. Country

GDP (official exchange rate)

Afghanistan
  $11.71 billion (2008 est.)

Albania
  $12.96 billion (2008 est.)

Algeria
  $159.7 billion (2008 est.)

American Samoa
  $462.2 million (2005)

Andorra
  $NA

Angola
  $84.95 billion (2008 est.)

Anguilla
  $108.9 million (2004 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  $1.224 billion (2008 est.)

Argentina
  $324.8 billion (2008 est.)

Armenia
  $11.92 billion (2008 est.)

Aruba
  $2.258 billion (2005 est.)

Australia
  $1.013 trillion (2008 est.)

Austria
  $414.8 billion (2008 est.)

Azerbaijan
  $46.38 billion (2008 est.)

Bahamas, The
  $7.564 billion (2008 est.)

Bahrain
  $21.24 billion (2008 est.)

Bangladesh
  $84.2 billion (2008 est.)

Barbados
  $3.67 billion (2008 est.)

Belarus
  $60.3 billion (2008 est.)

Belgium
  $506.2 billion (2008)

Belize
  $1.359 billion (2008 est.)

Benin
  $6.712 billion (2008 est.)

Bermuda
  $NA

Bhutan
  $1.389 billion (2008 est.)

Bolivia
  $16.6 billion (2008 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  $18.47 billion (2008 est.)

Botswana
  $13.46 billion (2008 est.)

Brazil
  $1.573 trillion (2008 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  $839.7 million (2003)

Brunei
  $14.55 billion (2008 est.)

Bulgaria
  $49.9 billion (2008)

Burkina Faso
  $8.116 billion (2008 est.)

Burma
  $26.21 billion (2008 est.)

Burundi
  $1.097 billion (2008 est.)

Cambodia
  $11.25 billion (2008 est.)

Cameroon
  $23.73 billion (2008 est.)

Canada
  $1.5 trillion (2008 est.)

Cape Verde
  $1.744 billion (2008 est.)

Cayman Islands
  $NA

Central African Republic
  $1.997 billion (2008 est.)

Chad
  $8.4 billion (2008 est.)

Chile
  $169.5 billion (2008 est.)

China
  $4.327 trillion (2008 est.)

Colombia
  $240.8 billion (2008 est.)

Comoros
  $532 million (2008 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  $11.63 billion (2008 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  $10.77 billion (2008 est.)

Cook Islands
  $183.2 million (2005 est.)

Costa Rica
  $29.66 billion (2008 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  $23.51 billion (2008 est.)

Croatia
  $69.36 billion (2008 est.)

Cuba
  $54.71 billion (2008 est.)

Cyprus
  $24.92 billion (2008 est.)

Czech Republic
  $216.4 billion (2008 est.)

Denmark
  $340 billion (2008 est.)

Djibouti
  $982 million (2008 est.)

Dominica
  $364 million (2008 est.)

Dominican Republic
  $44.44 billion (2008 est.)

Ecuador
  $54.69 billion (2008 est.)

Egypt
  $162.6 billion (2008 est.)

El Salvador
  $22.12 billion (2008 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  $18.53 billion (2008 est.)

Eritrea
  $1.479 billion (2008 est.)

Estonia
  $23.55 billion (2008 est.)

Ethiopia
  $26.39 billion (2008 est.)

European Union
  $18.14 trillion (2008 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  $105.1 million (2002 est.)

Faroe Islands
  $1.7 billion (2005 est.)

Fiji
  $3.589 billion (2008 est.)

Finland
  $271.9 billion (2008 est.)

France
  $2.867 trillion (2008 est.)

French Polynesia
  $6.1 billion (2004)

Gabon
  $14.54 billion (2008 est.)

Gambia, The
  $810 million (2008 est.)

Gaza Strip
  $6.641 billion (2008 est.) (2008 est.)

Georgia
  $12.86 billion (2008 est.)

Germany
  $3.673 trillion (2008 est.)

Ghana
  $16.65 billion (2008 est.)

Gibraltar
  $1.066 billion (2005 est.)

Greece
  $357.5 billion (2008 est.)

Greenland
  $1.7 billion (2005)

Grenada
  $678 million (2008 est.)

Guam
  $2.773 billion (2001)

Guatemala
  $38.98 billion (2008 est.)

Guernsey
  $2.742 billion (2005)

Guinea
  $4.517 billion (2008 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  $461 million (2008 est.)

Guyana
  $1.154 billion (2008 est.)

Haiti
  $6.943 billion (2008 est.)

Honduras
  $14 billion (2008 est.)

Hong Kong
  $215.4 billion (2008 est.)

Hungary
  $155.9 billion (2008 est.)

Iceland
  $16.79 billion (2008 est.)

India
  $1.207 trillion (2008 est.)

Indonesia
  $511.8 billion (2008 est.)

Iran
  $335.2 billion (2008 est.)

Iraq
  $91.45 billion (2008 est.)

Ireland
  $267.6 billion (2008 est.)

Isle of Man
  $2.719 billion (2005 est.)

Israel
  $202.1 billion (2008 est.)

Italy
  $2.314 trillion (2008 est.)

Jamaica
  $14.03 billion (2008 est.)

Japan
  $4.911 trillion (2008 est.)

Jersey
  $5.1 billion (2005 est.)

Jordan
  $21.23 billion (2008 est.)

Kazakhstan
  $135.6 billion (2008 est.)

Kenya
  $29.56 billion (2008 est.)

Kiribati
  $137 million (2008 est.)

Korea, North
  $26.2 billion (2008 est.)

Korea, South
  $929.1 billion (2008 est.)

Kosovo
  $3.237 billion (2007 est.)

Kuwait
  $158.1 billion (2008 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  $5.05 billion (2008 est.)

Laos
  $5.374 billion (2008 est.)

Latvia
  $33.98 billion (2008 est.)

Lebanon
  $29.35 billion (2008 est.)

Lesotho
  $1.618 billion (2008 est.)

Liberia
  $850 million (2008 est.)

Libya
  $89.92 billion (2008 est.)

Liechtenstein
  $4.993 billion (2007)

Lithuania
  $47.3 billion (2008 est.)

Luxembourg
  $54.97 billion (2008 est.)

Macau
  $22.04 billion (2008 est.)

Macedonia
  $9.569 billion (2008 est.)

Madagascar
  $9.463 billion (2008 est.)

Malawi
  $4.268 billion (2008 est.)

Malaysia
  $221.6 billion (2008 est.)

Maldives
  $1.261 billion (2008 est.)

Mali
  $8.774 billion (2008 est.)

Malta
  $8.37 billion (2008 est.)

Marshall Islands
  $161.7 million (2008 est.)

Mauritania
  $3.161 billion (2008 est.)

Mauritius
  $8.738 billion (2008 est.)

Mayotte
  $NA

Mexico
  $1.088 trillion (2008 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  $238.1 million (2008)

Moldova
  $6.047 billion (2008 est.)

Monaco
  $NA

Mongolia
  $5.243 billion (2008 est.)

Montenegro
  $4.848 billion (2008 est.)

Montserrat
  $NA

Morocco
  $88.88 billion (2008 est.)

Mozambique
  $9.897 billion (2008 est.)

Namibia
  $8.835 billion (2008 est.)

Nauru
  $NA

Nepal
  $12.28 billion (2008 est.)

Netherlands
  $877 billion (2008 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  $NA

New Caledonia
  $3.3 billion (2003 est.)

New Zealand
  $128.4 billion (2008 est.)

Nicaragua
  $6.365 billion (2008 est.)

Niger
  $5.382 billion (2008 est.)

Nigeria
  $207.1 billion (2008 est.)

Niue
  $10.01 million (2003)

Northern Mariana Islands
  $633.4 million (2000)

Norway
  $451.8 billion (2008 est.)

Oman
  $59.95 billion (2008 est.)

Pakistan
  $164.6 billion (2008 est.)

Palau
  $164 million (2008)

Panama
  $23.09 billion (2008 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  $8.092 billion (2008 est.)

Paraguay
  $16.01 billion (2008 est.)

Peru
  $127.5 billion (2008 est.)

Philippines
  $166.9 billion (2008 est.)

Poland
  $527.9 billion (2008 est.)

Portugal
  $244.6 billion (2008 est.)

Puerto Rico
  $88 billion (2008 est.)

Qatar
  $102.3 billion (2008 est.)

Romania
  $200.1 billion (2008 est.)

Russia
  $1.677 trillion (2008 est.)

Rwanda
  $4.459 billion (2008 est.)

Saint Helena
  $NA

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  $546 million (2008 est.)

Saint Lucia
  $987 million (2008 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  $NA

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  $601 million (2008 est.)

Samoa
  $500 million (2008 est.)

San Marino
  $1.048 billion (2004)

Sao Tome and Principe
  $175 million (2008 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  $469.4 billion (2008 est.)

Senegal
  $13.35 billion (2008 est.)

Serbia
  $50.06 billion (2008 est.)

Seychelles
  $822 million (2008 est.)

Sierra Leone
  $1.953 billion (2008 est.)

Singapore
  $181.9 billion (2008 est.)

Slovakia
  $95.4 billion (2008 est.)

Slovenia
  $54.64 billion (2008 est.)

Solomon Islands
  $642 million (2008 est.)

Somalia
  $2.6 billion (2008 est.)

South Africa
  $276.8 billion (2008 est.)

Spain
  $1.602 trillion (2008 est.)

Sri Lanka
  $39.6 billion (2008 est.)

Sudan
  $58.03 billion (2008 est.)

Suriname
  $2.933 billion (2008 est.)

Swaziland
  $2.84 billion (2008 est.)

Sweden
  $479 billion (2008 est.)

Switzerland
  $500.3 billion (2008 est.)

Syria
  $55.02 billion (2008 est.)

Taiwan
  $391.4 billion (2008 est.)

Tajikistan
  $5.135 billion (2008 est.)

Tanzania
  $20.67 billion (2008 est.)

Thailand
  $273.3 billion (2008 est.)

Timor-Leste
  $499 million (2008 est.)

Togo
  $2.89 billion (2008 est.)

Tokelau
  $NA

Tonga
  $258 million (2008 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  $25.93 billion (2008 est.)

Tunisia
  $40.84 billion (2008 est.)

Turkey
  $730 billion (2008 est.)

Turkmenistan
  $29.16 billion (2008 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  $NA

Tuvalu
  $14.94 million (2002)

Uganda
  $14.57 billion (2008 est.)

Ukraine
  $179.6 billion (2008 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  $262.2 billion (2008 est.)

United Kingdom
  $2.68 trillion (2008 est.)

United States
  $14.44 trillion (2008 est.)

Uruguay
  $32.19 billion (2008 est.)

Uzbekistan
  $27.92 billion (2008 est.)

Vanuatu
  $573 million (2008 est.)

Venezuela
  $319.4 billion (2008 est.)

Vietnam
  $89.83 billion (2008 est.)

Virgin Islands
  $NA

Wallis and Futuna
  $NA

West Bank
  $6.641 billion (2008 est.) (2008 est.)

Western Sahara
  $NA

World
  GWP (gross world product): $61.22 trillion (2008 est.)

Yemen
  $26.91 billion (2008 est.)

Zambia
  $14.65 billion (2008 est.)

Zimbabwe
  $10.58 billion
  note: hyperinflation and the plunging value of the Zimbabwean dollar
  makes Zimbabwe's GDP at the official exchange rate a highly
  inaccurate statistic (2008 est.)

======================================================================

@2196

Field Listing :: Trafficking in persons

Trafficking in persons is modern-day slavery, involving victims who are forced, defrauded, or coerced into labor or sexual exploitation. The International Labor Organization (ILO), the UN agency charged with addressing labor standards, employment, and social protection issues, estimates that 12.3 million people worldwide are enslaved in forced labor, bonded labor, forced child labor, sexual servitude, and involuntary servitude at any given time. Human trafficking is a multi-dimensional threat, depriving people of their human rights and freedoms, risking global health, promoting social breakdown, inhibiting development by depriving countries of their human capital, and helping fuel the growth of organized crime. In 2000, the US Congress passed the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA), reauthorized in 2003 and 2005, which provides tools for the US to combat trafficking in persons, both domestically and abroad. One of the law's key components is the creation of the US Department of State's annual Trafficking in Persons Report, which assesses the government response (i.e., the current situation) in some 150 countries with a significant number of victims trafficked across their borders who are recruited, harbored, transported, provided, or obtained for forced labor or sexual exploitation. Countries in the annual report are rated in three tiers, based on government efforts to combat trafficking. The countries identified in this entry are those listed in the 2008 Trafficking in Persons Report as Tier 2 Watch List or Tier 3 based on the following tier rating definitions: Tier 2 Watch List countries do not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but are making significant efforts to do so, and meet one of the following criteria: 1. they display high or significantly increasing number of victims, 2. they have failed to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking in persons, or, 3. they have committed to take action over the next year. Tier 3 countries neither satisfy the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking nor demonstrate a significant effort to do so. Countries in this tier are subject to potential non-humanitarian and non-trade sanctions. Country

Trafficking in persons

Albania
  current situation: Albania is a source country for women and
  girls trafficked for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation
  and forced labor; it is no longer considered a major country of
  transit; Albanian victims are trafficked to Greece, Italy,
  Macedonia, and Kosovo, with many trafficked onward to Western
  European countries; children were also trafficked to Greece for
  begging and other forms of child labor; approximately half of all
  Albanian trafficking victims are under age 18; internal sex
  trafficking of women and children is on the rise
  tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Albania is on the Tier 2 Watch List
  for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat
  trafficking in persons in 2007, particularly in the area of victim
  protection; the government did not appropriately identify
  trafficking victims during 2007, and has not demonstrated that it is
  vigorously investigating or prosecuting complicit officials (2008)

Algeria
  current situation: Algeria is a transit country for men and
  women trafficked from sub-Saharan Africa to Europe for the purposes
  of commercial sexual exploitation and involuntary servitude;
  Algerian children are trafficked internally for the purpose of
  domestic servitude or street vending
  tier rating: Tier 3 - Algeria did not report any serious law
  enforcement actions to punish traffickers who force women into
  commercial sexual exploitation or men into involuntary servitude in
  2007; the government again reported no investigations of trafficking
  of children for domestic servitude or improvements in protection
  services available to victims of trafficking; Algeria still lacks
  victim protection services, and its failure to distinguish between
  trafficking and illegal migration may result in the punishment of
  victims of trafficking (2008)

Argentina
  current situation: Argentina is a source, transit, and
  destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for the
  purposes of commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor; most
  victims are trafficked within the country, from rural to urban
  areas; child sex tourism is a problem; foreign women and children,
  primarily from Paraguay, Brazil, and the Dominican Republic, are
  trafficked to Argentina for commercial sexual exploitation;
  Argentine women and girls are also trafficked to neighboring
  countries, Mexico, and Western Europe for sexual exploitation; a
  significant number of Bolivians, Peruvians, and Paraguayans are
  trafficked into the country for forced labor in sweatshops,
  agriculture, and as domestic servants
  tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - despite some progress, Argentina
  remains on the Tier 2 Watch List for the third consecutive year for
  its failure to show evidence of increasing efforts to combat human
  trafficking, particularly in terms of providing adequate assistance
  to victims and curbing official complicity with trafficking
  activity, especially on the provincial and local levels; the
  Argentine Congress has demonstrated progress by enacting much-needed
  and first-ever federal anti-trafficking legislation (2009)

Armenia
  current situation: Armenia is primarily a source country for
  women and girls trafficked to the UAE and Turkey for the purpose of
  commercial sexual exploitation; Armenian men and women are
  trafficked to Turkey and Russia for the purpose of forced labor
  tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Armenia is placed on the Tier 2
  Watch List for a fourth consecutive year; its efforts to increase
  compliance with the minimum standards were assessed based on its
  commitments to undertake future actions, particularly in the areas
  of improving victim protection and assistance; while the government
  elevated anti-trafficking responsibilities to the ministerial level,
  adopted a new National Action Plan, and drafted a National Referral
  Mechanism, it has yet to show tangible progress in identifying and
  protecting victims or in tackling trafficking complicity of
  government officials; the Armenian Government made some notable
  improvements in its anti-trafficking law enforcement efforts, but it
  failed to demonstrate evidence of investigations, prosecutions,
  convictions, and sentences of officials complicit in trafficking
  (2008)

Azerbaijan
  current situation: Azerbaijan is primarily a source and
  transit country for men, women, and children trafficked for the
  purposes of commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor; women
  and some children from Azerbaijan are trafficked to Turkey and the
  UAE for the purpose of sexual exploitation; men and boys are
  trafficked to Russia for the purpose of forced labor; Azerbaijan
  serves as a transit country for victims from Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan,
  Kazakhstan, and Moldova trafficked to Turkey and the UAE for sexual
  exploitation
  tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Azerbaijan is on the Tier 2 Watch
  List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to
  combat trafficking in persons, particularly efforts to investigate,
  prosecute, and punish traffickers; to address complicity among law
  enforcement personnel; and to adequately identify and protect
  victims in Azerbaijan; the government has yet to develop a
  much-needed mechanism to identify potential trafficking victims and
  refer them to safety and care; poor treatment of trafficking victims
  in courtrooms continues to be a problem (2008)

Bahrain
  current situation: Bahrain is a destination country for men
  and women trafficked for the purposes of involuntary servitude and
  commercial sexual exploitation; men and women from Africa, South
  Asia, and Southeast Asia migrate voluntarily to Bahrain to work as
  laborers or domestic servants where some face conditions of
  involuntary servitude such as unlawful withholding of passports,
  restrictions on movements, non-payment of wages, threats, and
  physical or sexual abuse; women from Thailand, Morocco, Eastern
  Europe, and Central Asia are trafficked to Bahrain for the purpose
  of commercial sexual exploitation
  tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Bahrain is on the Tier 2 Watch List
  for failing to show evidence of increased efforts to combat human
  trafficking, particularly efforts that enforce laws against
  trafficking in persons, and that prevent the punishment of victims
  of trafficking; during 2007, Bahrain passed a comprehensive law
  prohibiting all forms of trafficking in persons; the government also
  established a specialized anti-trafficking unit within the Ministry
  of Interior to investigate trafficking crimes; however, the
  government did not report any prosecutions or convictions for
  trafficking offenses during 2007, despite reports of a substantial
  problem of involuntary servitude and sex trafficking (2008)

Burma
  current situation: Burma is a source country for women,
  children, and men trafficked for the purpose of forced labor and
  commercial sexual exploitation; Burmese women and children are
  trafficked to East and Southeast Asia for commercial sexual
  exploitation, domestic servitude, and forced labor; Burmese children
  are subjected to conditions of forced labor in Thailand as hawkers,
  beggars, and for work in shops, agriculture, fish processing, and
  small-scale industries; women are trafficked for commercial sexual
  exploitation to Malaysia and China; some trafficking victims transit
  Burma from Bangladesh to Malaysia and from China to Thailand;
  internal trafficking occurs primarily from villages to urban centers
  and economic hubs for labor in industrial zones, agricultural
  estates, and commercial sexual exploitation; military and civilian
  officials continue to use a significant amount of forced labor;
  ethnic insurgent groups also used compulsory labor of adults and
  unlawful recruitment of children; the military junta's gross
  economic mismanagement, human rights abuses, and its policy of using
  forced labor are the top causal factors for Burma's significant
  trafficking problem
  tier rating: Tier 3 - Burma does not fully comply with the minimum
  standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making
  significant efforts to do so; military and civilian officials remain
  directly involved in significant acts of forced labor and unlawful
  conscription of child soldiers (2008)

Burundi
  current situation: Burundi is a source country for children
  trafficked for the purposes of child soldiering, domestic servitude,
  and commercial sexual exploitation; a small number of Burundian
  children may be trafficked internally for domestic servitude or
  commercial sexual exploitation; in early 2008, Burundian children
  were allegedly trafficked to Uganda, via Rwanda, for agricultural
  labor and commercial sexual exploitation
  tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Burundi is on the Tier 2 Watch List
  for the second consecutive year for its failure to provide
  sufficient evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking in
  persons in 2007; the government's inability to provide adequate
  protective services to children accused of association with armed
  groups and to conduct anti-trafficking law enforcement activities
  continue to be causes for concern; Burundi has not ratified the 2000
  UN TIP Protocol (2008)

Cameroon
  current situation: Cameroon is a source, transit, and
  destination country for women and children trafficked for the
  purposes of forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation; most
  victims are children trafficked within country, with girls primarily
  trafficked for domestic servitude and sexual exploitation; both boys
  and girls are also trafficked within Cameroon for forced labor in
  sweatshops, bars, restaurants, and on tea and cocoa plantations;
  children are trafficked into Cameroon from neighboring states for
  forced labor in agriculture, fishing, street vending, and
  spare-parts shops; Cameroon is a transit country for children
  trafficked between Gabon and Nigeria, and from Nigeria to Saudi
  Arabia; it is a source country for women transported by
  sex-trafficking rings to Europe
  tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Cameroon is on the Tier 2 Watch
  List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to
  combat human trafficking in 2007, particularly in terms of efforts
  to prosecute and convict trafficking offenders; while Cameroon
  reported some arrests of traffickers, none of them were prosecuted
  or punished; the government does not identify trafficking victims
  among vulnerable populations nor does it monitor the number of
  victims it intercepts (2008)

Central African Republic
  current situation: Central African Republic
  is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and
  children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and sexual
  exploitation; the majority of victims are children trafficked within
  the country for sexual exploitation, domestic servitude, street
  vending, and forced agricultural, mine, market and restaurant labor;
  to a lesser extent, children are trafficked from the Central African
  Republic to Cameroon, Nigeria, and the Democratic Republic of Congo;
  rebels conscript children into armed forces within the country
  tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Central African Republic is on the
  Tier 2 Watch List for the third consecutive year for its failure to
  show evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking in 2007;
  efforts to address trafficking through vigorous law enforcement
  measures and victim protection efforts were minimal, though
  awareness about trafficking appeared to be increasing in the
  country; the government does not actively investigate cases, work to
  identify trafficking victims among vulnerable populations, or rescue
  and provide care to victims; the government has not taken measures
  to reduce demand for commercial sex acts (2008)

Chad
  current situation: Chad is a source, transit, and destination
  country for children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and
  commercial sexual exploitation; the majority of children are
  trafficked within Chad for involuntary domestic servitude, forced
  cattle herding, forced begging, forced labor in petty commerce or
  the fishing industry, or for commercial sexual exploitation; to a
  lesser extent, Chadian children are also trafficked to Cameroon, the
  Central African Republic, and Nigeria for cattle herding; children
  may also be trafficked from Cameroon and the Central African
  Republic to Chad's oil producing regions for sexual exploitation
  tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Chad is on the Tier 2 Watch List
  for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat
  human trafficking in 2007; Chad was destabilized during 2007 by
  civil conflict leading to a declared state of emergency in February
  2008, and a steady influx of refugees fleeing Sudan and the Central
  African Republic; the government demonstrated insufficient overall
  efforts to combat trafficking; Chad has not ratified the 2000 UN TIP
  Protocol (2008)

China
  current situation: China is a source, transit, and destination
  country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of
  sexual exploitation and forced labor; the majority of trafficking in
  China occurs within the country's borders, but there is also
  considerable international trafficking of Chinese citizens to
  Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and North
  America; Chinese women are lured abroad through false promises of
  legitimate employment, only to be forced into commercial sexual
  exploitation, largely in Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia, and Japan;
  women and children are trafficked to China from Mongolia, Burma,
  North Korea, Russia, and Vietnam for forced labor, marriage, and
  prostitution; some North Korean women and children seeking to leave
  their country voluntarily cross the border into China and are then
  sold into prostitution, marriage, or forced labor
  tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - China is on the Tier 2 Watch List
  for the fourth consecutive year for its failure to provide evidence
  of increasing efforts to combat human trafficking, particularly in
  terms of punishment of trafficking crimes and the protection of
  Chinese and foreign victims of trafficking; victims are sometimes
  punished for unlawful acts that were committed as a direct result of
  their being trafficked, such as violations of prostitution or
  immigration/emigration controls; the Chinese Government continued to
  treat North Korean victims of trafficking solely as economic
  migrants, routinely deporting them back to horrendous conditions in
  North Korea; additional challenges facing the Chinese Government
  include the enormous size of its trafficking problem and the
  significant level of corruption and complicity in trafficking by
  some local government officials (2008)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the current situation: Democratic Republic of the Congo is a source and destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and sexual exploitation; much of this trafficking occurs within the country's unstable eastern provinces and is perpetrated by armed groups outside government control tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Democratic Republic of the Congo is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking in persons in 2007; while some significant initial advances were noted, the government's capacity to apprehend, convict, or imprison traffickers remained weak; the government lacks sufficient financial, technical, and human resources to effectively address not only trafficking crimes, but also to provide basic levels of security in some parts of the country (2008)

Congo, Republic of the
  current situation: Republic of the Congo is a
  source and destination country for children trafficked for the
  purposes of forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation; girls
  are trafficked from rural areas within the country for commercial
  sexual exploitation, forced street vending, and domestic servitude;
  children are trafficked from other African countries for domestic
  servitude, forced market vending, and forced labor in the fishing
  industry
  tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Republic of the Congo is on the
  Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to show evidence of increasing
  efforts to combat trafficking in persons in 2007; struggling to
  recover from six years of civil conflict that ended in 2003, the
  Republic of the Congo's capacity to address trafficking is
  handicapped; the government neither monitors its borders for
  trafficking activity nor provides specialized anti-trafficking
  training for law enforcement officials; the government does not
  encourage victims to assist in trafficking investigations or
  prosecutions, and has not taken measures to reduce demand for
  commercial sex acts in the Republic of the Congo (2008)

Costa Rica
  current situation: Costa Rica is a source, transit, and
  destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for the
  purposes of commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor; women
  and girls from neighboring states, Russia, Uzbekistan, and the
  Philippines are trafficked into the country for sexual exploitation;
  Costa Rica also serves as a transit point for victims trafficked to
  North America and Europe; the government identifies child sex
  tourism as a serious problem; men, women, and children are also
  trafficked within the country for forced labor in fishing and
  construction, and as domestic servants
  tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Costa Rica is on the Tier 2 Watch
  List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to
  combat human trafficking, particularly in terms of its failure to
  improve its inadequate assistance to victims; while Costa Rican
  officials recognize human trafficking as a serious problem, the lack
  of a stronger response by the government is of concern (2008)

Cote d'Ivoire
  Cote d'Ivoire is a source, transit, and destination
  country for women and children trafficked for forced labor and
  commercial sexual exploitation; trafficking within the country is
  more prevalent than international trafficking and the majority of
  victims are children; women and girls are trafficked from northern
  areas to southern cities for domestic servitude, restaurant labor,
  and sexual exploitation; boys are trafficked internally for
  agricultural and service labor and transnationally for forced labor
  in agriculture, mining, construction, and in the fishing industry;
  women and girls are trafficked to and from other West and Central
  African countries for domestic servitude and forced street vending
  tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Cote d'Ivoire is on the Tier 2
  Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts
  to eliminate trafficking in 2007, particularly with regard to its
  law enforcement efforts and protection of sex trafficking victims;
  in addition, Ivoirian law does not prohibit all forms of
  trafficking, and Cote d'Ivoire has not ratified the 2000 UN TIP
  Protocol (2008)

Cuba
  current situation: Cuba is principally a source country for
  women and children trafficked within the country for the purpose of
  commercial sexual exploitation and possibly for forced labor; the
  country is a destination for sex tourism including child sex
  tourism, which is a problem in many areas of the country; some Cuban
  nationals willingly migrate to the United States but are
  subsequently exploited for forced labor by their smugglers; Cuba is
  also a transit point for the smuggling of migrants from China, Sri
  Lanka, Bangladesh, Lebanon, and other nations to the United States
  and Canada
  tier rating: Tier 3 - Cuba does not fully comply with the minimum
  standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making
  significant efforts to do so; exact information about trafficking in
  Cuba is difficult to obtain because the government does not
  acknowledge or condemn human trafficking as a problem in Cuba;
  tangible efforts to prosecute offenders, protect victims, or prevent
  human trafficking activity do not appear to have been made during
  2007; Cuba has not ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2008)

Cyprus
  current situation: Cyprus is primarily a destination country
  for a large number of women trafficked from Eastern and Central
  Europe, the Philippines, and the Dominican Republic for the purpose
  of sexual exploitation; traffickers continued to fraudulently
  recruit victims for work as dancers in cabarets and nightclubs on
  short-term "artiste" visas, for work in pubs and bars on employment
  visas, or for illegal work on tourist or student visas
  tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Cyprus is on the Tier 2 Watch List
  for a third consecutive year for failure to show evidence of
  increasing efforts to combat human trafficking during 2007; although
  Cyprus passed a new trafficking law and opened a government
  trafficking shelter, these efforts are outweighed by its failure to
  show tangible and critically needed progress in the areas of law
  enforcement, victim protection, and the prevention of trafficking
  (2008)

Dominican Republic
  current situation: the Dominican Republic is a
  source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and
  children trafficked for the purposes of commercial sexual
  exploitation and forced labor; a large number of Dominican women are
  trafficked into prostitution and sexual exploitation in Western
  Europe, Australia, Central and South America, and Caribbean
  destinations; a significant number of women, boys, and girls are
  trafficked within the country for sexual exploitation and domestic
  servitude
  tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - for a second consecutive year, the
  Dominican Republic is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to
  show evidence of increasing efforts to combat human trafficking,
  particularly in terms of not adequately investigating and
  prosecuting public officials who may be complicit with trafficking
  activity, and inadequate government efforts to protect trafficking
  victims; the government has taken measures to reduce demand for
  commercial sex acts with children through criminal prosecutions
  (2008)

Egypt
  current situation: Egypt is a transit country for women
  trafficked from Eastern European countries to Israel for sexual
  exploitation, and is a source for children trafficked within the
  country for commercial sexual exploitation and domestic servitude,
  although the extent to which children are trafficked internally is
  unknown; children were also recruited for domestic and agricultural
  work; some of these children face conditions of involuntary
  servitude, such as restrictions on movement, non-payment of wages,
  threats, and physical or sexual abuse
  tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Egypt is on the Tier 2 Watch List
  for the third year in a row because it did not provide evidence of
  increasing efforts to investigate and prosecute traffickers;
  however, in July 2007, the government established the "National
  Coordinating Committee to Combat and Prevent Trafficking in
  Persons," which improved inter-governmental coordination on
  anti-trafficking initiatives; Egypt made no discernible efforts to
  punish trafficking crimes in 2007 and the Egyptian penal code does
  not prohibit all forms of trafficking; Egypt did not increase its
  services to trafficking victims during the reporting period (2008)

Equatorial Guinea
  current situation: Equatorial Guinea is primarily
  a destination country for children trafficked for the purpose of
  forced labor and possibly for the purpose of sexual exploitation;
  children have been trafficked from nearby countries for domestic
  servitude, market labor, ambulant vending, and possibly sexual
  exploitation; women may also be trafficked to Equatorial Guinea from
  Cameroon, Benin, other neighboring countries, and China for sexual
  exploitation
  tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Equatorial Guinea is on the Tier 2
  Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts
  to eliminate trafficking, particularly in the areas of prosecuting
  and convicting trafficking offenders and failing to formalize
  mechanisms to provide assistance to victims; although the government
  made some effort to enforce laws against child labor exploitation,
  it failed to report any trafficking prosecutions or convictions in
  2007; the government continued to lack shelters or formal procedures
  for providing care to victims (2008)

Fiji
  current situation: Fiji is a source country for children
  trafficked for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation and a
  destination country for a small number of women from China and India
  trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and commercial sexual
  exploitation
  tier rating: Tier 3 - Fiji does not fully comply with the minimum
  standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making
  significant efforts to do so; the government has demonstrated no
  action to investigate or prosecute traffickers, assist victims, take
  steps to reduce the demand for commercial sex acts, or support any
  anti-trafficking information or education campaigns; Fiji has not
  ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2008)

Gabon
  current situation: Gabon is predominantly a destination
  country for children trafficked from other African countries for the
  purpose of forced labor; girls are primarily trafficked for domestic
  servitude, forced market vending, forced restaurant labor, and
  sexual exploitation, while boys are trafficked for forced street
  hawking and forced labor in small workshops
  tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Gabon is on the Tier 2 Watch List
  for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat
  human trafficking in 2007, particularly in terms of efforts to
  convict and punish trafficking offenders; the government has not
  reported the convictions or sentences of any trafficking offenders;
  the government did not take steps to reduce demand for commercial
  sex acts (2008)

Gambia, The
  current situation: The Gambia is a source, transit, and
  destination country for children and women trafficked for the
  purposes of forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation; women
  and girls, and to a lesser extent boys, are trafficked for sexual
  exploitation - in particular to meet the demand for European sex
  tourism - and for domestic servitude; boys are trafficked within the
  country for forced begging and street vending; Gambian women and
  children may be trafficked to Europe through trafficking schemes
  disguised as migrant smuggling
  tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - for a second consecutive year, The
  Gambia is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide
  evidence of increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking; The Gambia
  failed to report any trafficking arrests, prosecutions, or
  convictions in 2007, and the government demonstrated weak victim
  protection efforts during the reporting period (2008)

Guatemala
  current situation: Guatemala is a source, transit, and
  destination country for Guatemalans and Central Americans trafficked
  for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor;
  human trafficking is a significant and growing problem in the
  country; Guatemalan women and children are trafficked within the
  country for commercial sexual exploitation, primarily to Mexico and
  the United States; Guatemalan men, women, and children are also
  trafficked within the country, and to Mexico and the United States,
  for forced labor
  tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - for a second consecutive year,
  Guatemala is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide
  evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking in persons,
  particularly with respect to ensuring that trafficking offenders are
  appropriately prosecuted for their crimes; while prosecutors
  initiated trafficking prosecutions, they continued to face problems
  in court with application of Guatemala's comprehensive
  anti-trafficking law; the government made modest improvements to its
  protection efforts, but assistance remained inadequate overall in
  2007 (2008)

Guinea
  current situation: Guinea is a source, transit, and
  destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for the
  purposes of forced labor and sexual exploitation; the majority of
  victims are children, and internal trafficking is more prevalent
  than transnational trafficking; within the country, girls are
  trafficked primarily for domestic servitude and sexual exploitation,
  while boys are trafficked for forced agricultural labor, and as
  forced beggars, street vendors, shoe shiners, and laborers in gold
  and diamond mines; some Guinean men are also trafficked for
  agricultural labor within Guinea; transnationally, girls are
  trafficked into Guinea for domestic servitude and likely also for
  sexual exploitation
  tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Guinea is on the Tier 2 Watch List
  for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to
  eliminate trafficking over 2006; Guinea demonstrated minimal law
  enforcement efforts for a second year in a row, while protection
  efforts diminished over efforts in 2006; the government did not
  report any trafficking convictions in 2007; due to a lack of
  resources, the government does not provide shelter services for
  trafficking victims; the government took no measures to reduce the
  demand for commercial sexual exploitation (2008)

Guinea-Bissau
  current situation: Guinea-Bissau is a source country
  for children trafficked primarily for forced begging and forced
  agricultural labor to other West African countries
  tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - for the second year in a row,
  Guinea-Bissau is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to combat
  severe forms of trafficking in persons, as evidenced by the
  continued failure to pass an anti-trafficking law and inadequate
  efforts to investigate or prosecute trafficking crimes or convict
  and punish trafficking offenders (2008)

Guyana
  current situation: Guyana is a source, transit, and
  destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for the
  purposes of commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor; most
  trafficking appears to take place in remote mining camps in the
  country's interior; some women and girls are trafficked from
  northern Brazil; reporting from other nations suggests Guyanese
  women and girls are trafficked for sexual exploitation to
  neighboring countries and Guyanese men and boys are subject to labor
  exploitation in construction and agriculture; trafficking victims
  from Suriname, Brazil, and Venezuela transit Guyana en route to
  Caribbean destinations
  tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - for a second consecutive year,
  Guyana is on the Tier 2 Watch List for failing to provide evidence
  of increasing efforts to combat trafficking, particularly in the
  area of law enforcement actions against trafficking offenders; the
  government has yet to produce an anti-trafficking conviction under
  the comprehensive Combating of Trafficking in Persons Act, which
  became law in 2005; the government operates no shelters for
  trafficking victims, but did include limited funding for
  anti-trafficking NGOs in its 2008 budget; the government did not
  make any effort to reduce demand for commercial sex acts during 2007
  (2008)

India
  current situation: India is a source, destination, and transit
  country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of
  forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation; internal forced
  labor may constitute India's largest trafficking problem; men,
  women, and children are held in debt bondage and face forced labor
  working in brick kilns, rice mills, agriculture, and embroidery
  factories; women and girls are trafficked within the country for the
  purposes of commercial sexual exploitation and forced marriage;
  children are subjected to forced labor as factory workers, domestic
  servants, beggars, and agriculture workers, and have been used as
  armed combatants by some terrorist and insurgent groups; India is
  also a destination for women and girls from Nepal and Bangladesh
  trafficked for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation; Indian
  women are trafficked to the Middle East for commercial sexual
  exploitation; men and women from Bangladesh and Nepal are trafficked
  through India for forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation in
  the Middle East
  tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - India is on the Tier 2 Watch List
  for a fifth consecutive year for its failure to provide evidence of
  increasing efforts to combat human trafficking in 2007; despite the
  reported extent of the trafficking crisis in India, government
  authorities made uneven efforts to prosecute traffickers and protect
  trafficking victims; government authorities continued to rescue
  victims of commercial sexual exploitation and forced child labor and
  child armed combatants, and began to show progress in law
  enforcement against these forms of trafficking; a critical challenge
  overall is the lack of punishment for traffickers, effectively
  resulting in impunity for acts of human trafficking; India has not
  ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2008)

Iran
  current situation: Iran is a source, transit, and destination
  country for women trafficked for the purposes of sexual exploitation
  and involuntary servitude; Iranian women are trafficked internally
  for the purpose of forced prostitution and for forced marriages to
  settle debts; Iranian children are trafficked internally and Afghan
  children are trafficked into Iran for the purpose of forced
  marriages, commercial sexual exploitation, and involuntary servitude
  as beggars or laborers
  tier rating: Tier 3 - Iran did not provide evidence of law
  enforcement activities against trafficking, and credible reports
  indicate that Iranian authorities punish victims of trafficking with
  beatings, imprisonment, and execution; Iran has not ratified the
  2000 UN TIP Protocol (2008)

Jordan
  current situation: Jordan is a destination and transit
  country for women and men from South and Southeast Asia trafficked
  for the purpose of forced labor; Jordan is also a destination for
  women from Eastern Europe and Morocco for prostitution; women from
  Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, and the Philippines migrate
  willingly to work as domestic servants, but some are subjected to
  conditions of forced labor, including unlawful withholding of
  passports, restrictions on movement, non-payment of wages, threats,
  and physical or sexual abuse
  tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Jordan is on the Tier 2 Watch List
  for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat
  trafficking in persons in 2007, particularly in the area of law
  enforcement against trafficking for forced labor; the government
  made minimal efforts to investigate or prosecute numerous
  allegations related to exploitation of foreign domestic workers;
  Jordan failed for a second year to criminally prosecute and punish
  those who committed acts of forced labor; Jordan also continues to
  lack victim protection services; Jordan has not ratified the 2000 UN
  TIP Protocol (2008)

Korea, North
  current situation: North Korea is a source country for
  men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor
  and commercial sexual exploitation; the most common form of
  trafficking involves North Korean women and girls who cross the
  border into China voluntarily; additionally, North Korean women and
  girls are lured out of North Korea to escape poor social and
  economic conditions by the promise of food, jobs, and freedom, only
  to be forced into prostitution, marriage, or exploitative labor
  arrangements once in China
  tier rating: Tier 3 - North Korea does not fully comply with minimum
  standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making
  significant efforts to do so; the government does not acknowledge
  the existence of human rights abuses in the country or recognize
  trafficking, either within the country or transnationally; North
  Korea has not ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2008)

Kuwait
  current situation: Kuwait is a destination country for men
  and women who migrate legally from South and Southeast Asia for
  domestic or low-skilled labor, but are subjected to conditions of
  involuntary servitude by employers in Kuwait including conditions of
  physical and sexual abuse, non-payment of wages, confinement to the
  home, and withholding of passports to restrict their freedom of
  movement; Kuwait is reportedly a transit point for South and East
  Asian workers recruited for low-skilled work in Iraq; some of these
  workers are deceived as to the true location and nature of this
  work, and others are subjected to conditions of involuntary
  servitude in Iraq
  tier rating: Tier 3 - insufficient efforts in 2007 to prosecute and
  punish abusive employers and those who traffic women for sexual
  exploitation; the government failed for the fourth year in a row to
  live up to promises to provide shelter and protective services for
  victims of involuntary domestic servitude and other forms of
  trafficking (2008)

Libya
  current situation: Libya is a transit and destination country
  for men and women from sub-Saharan Africa and Asia trafficked for
  the purposes of forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation
  tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Libya is on the Tier 2 Watch List
  for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to address
  trafficking in persons in 2007 when compared to 2006, particularly
  in the area of investigating and prosecuting trafficking offenses;
  Libya did not publicly release any data on investigations or
  punishment of any trafficking offenses (2008)

Malaysia
  current situation: Malaysia is a destination and, to a
  lesser extent, a source and transit country for women and children
  trafficked for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation, and
  men, women, and children for forced labor; Malaysia is mainly a
  destination country for men, women, and children who migrate
  willingly from South and Southeast Asia to work, some of whom are
  subjected to conditions of involuntary servitude by Malaysian
  employers in the domestic, agricultural, construction, plantation,
  and industrial sectors; to a lesser extent, some Malaysian women,
  primarily of Chinese ethnicity, are trafficked abroad for commercial
  sexual exploitation
  tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Malaysia improved from Tier 3 to
  the Tier 2 Watch List for 2008 when it enacted comprehensive
  anti-trafficking legislation in July 2007; however, it did not take
  action against exploitative employers or labor traffickers in 2007;
  the government has not ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2008)

Moldova
  current situation: Moldova is a major source and, to a
  lesser extent, a transit country for women and girls trafficked for
  the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation; Moldovan women are
  trafficked to the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and Western Europe;
  girls and young women are trafficked within the country from rural
  areas to Chisinau; children are also trafficked to neighboring
  countries for forced labor and begging; labor trafficking of men to
  work in the construction, agriculture, and service sectors of Russia
  is increasingly a problem
  tier rating: Tier 3 - Moldova does not fully comply with the minimum
  standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making
  significant efforts to do so; the government failed to follow-up on
  allegations of officials complicit in trafficking cited in the 2007
  Report, and it did not demonstrate proactive efforts to identify
  trafficking victims (2008)

Montenegro
  current situation: Montenegro is primarily a transit
  country for the trafficking of women and girls to Western Europe for
  the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation; women and girls from
  the Balkans and Eastern Europe are trafficked across Montenegro to
  Western European countries
  tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Montenegro is on the Tier 2 Watch
  List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to
  combat trafficking in persons in 2007; public attention to the issue
  of trafficking has diminished considerably in Montenegro in recent
  years (2008)

Mozambique
  current situation: Mozambique is a source and, to a much
  lesser extent, a destination country for men, women, and children
  trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and sexual exploitation;
  the use of forced and bonded child laborers is a common practice in
  Mozambique's rural areas; women and girls are trafficked from rural
  to urban areas of Mozambique, as well as to South Africa, for
  domestic servitude and commercial sexual exploitation; young men and
  boys are trafficked to South Africa for farm work and mining
  tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - for the second consecutive year,
  Mozambique is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide
  evidence of increasing efforts to combat human trafficking in 2007;
  while the government conducted investigations into cases of human
  trafficking, there were no prosecutions or convictions of
  traffickers; government efforts to protect victims of trafficking
  continued to suffer from limited resources and a lack of political
  commitment (2008)

Niger
  current situation: Niger is a source, transit, and destination
  country for children and women trafficked for forced labor and
  sexual exploitation; caste-based slavery practices, rooted in
  ancestral master-slave relationships, continue in isolated areas of
  the country - an estimated 8,800 to 43,000 Nigeriens live under
  conditions of traditional slavery; children are trafficked within
  Niger for forced begging, forced labor in gold mines, domestic
  servitude, sexual exploitation, and possibly for forced labor in
  agriculture and stone quarries; women and children from neighboring
  states are trafficked to and through Niger for domestic servitude,
  sexual exploitation, forced labor in mines and on farms, and as
  mechanics and welders
  tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Niger is on the Tier 2 Watch List
  for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to
  eliminate trafficking in 2007; in particular, measures to combat and
  eliminate traditional slavery practices were weak; the government's
  overall law enforcement efforts have stalled from 2006; while
  efforts to protect child trafficking victims were steady, the
  government failed to provide services to or rescue adult victims
  subjected to traditional slavery practices, and made poor efforts to
  educate the public about traditional slavery practices in general
  (2008)

Oman
  current situation: Oman is a destination country for men and
  women primarily from Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan who
  migrate willingly, but some of whom become victims of trafficking
  when subjected to conditions of involuntary servitude as domestic
  workers and laborers; mistreatment includes non-payment of wages,
  restrictions on movement and withholding of passports, threats, and
  physical or sexual abuse; Oman may also be a destination country for
  women from Asia, Eastern Europe, and North Africa for commercial
  sexual exploitation
  tier rating: Tier 3 - Oman was rated as Tier 3 for the second
  consecutive year because it did not report any law enforcement
  efforts to prosecute and punish trafficking offenses in 2007 and
  continues to lack victim protection services or a systematic
  procedure to identify victims of trafficking (2008)

Panama
  current situation: Panama is a source, transit, and
  destination country for women and children trafficked for the
  purpose of commercial sexual exploitation; the majority of victims
  are Panamanian women and children trafficked within the country into
  the sex trade; rural children in Panama may be trafficked internally
  to urban areas for labor exploitation
  tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Panama is on the Tier 2 Watch List
  for failing to show evidence of increasing efforts to combat human
  trafficking, particularly with respect to prosecuting, convicting,
  and sentencing human traffickers for their crimes, and for failing
  to provide adequate victim assistance (2008)

Papua New Guinea
  current situation: Papua New Guinea is a country of
  destination for women and children from Malaysia, the Philippines,
  Thailand, and China trafficked for the purpose of commercial sexual
  exploitation; internal trafficking of women and children for the
  purposes of sexual exploitation and involuntary domestic servitude
  occurs as well
  tier rating: Tier 3 - Papua New Guinea does not fully comply with
  the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not
  making significant efforts to do so; the current legal framework
  does not contain elements of crimes that characterize trafficking;
  the government lacks victim protection services or a systematic
  procedure to identify victims of trafficking; the government did not
  prosecute anyone in 2007 for trafficking; Papua New Guinea has not
  ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2008)

Qatar
  current situation: Qatar is a destination country for men and
  women from South and Southeast Asia who migrate willingly, but are
  subsequently trafficked into involuntary servitude as domestic
  workers and laborers, and, to a lesser extent, commercial sexual
  exploitation; the most common offense was forcing workers to accept
  worse contract terms than those under which they were recruited;
  other conditions include bonded labor, withholding of pay,
  restrictions on movement, arbitrary detention, and physical, mental,
  and sexual abuse
  tier rating: Tier 3 - Qatar failed, for the second consecutive year,
  to enforce criminal laws against traffickers, or to provide an
  effective mechanism to identify and protect victims; it continues to
  detain and deport victims rather than providing them protection; the
  government made little progress to increase prosecutions for
  trafficking in a meaningful way in 2007; workers complaining of
  working conditions or non-payment of wages were sometimes penalized
  (2008)

Russia
  current situation: Russia is a source, transit, and
  destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for
  various purposes; it remains a significant source of women
  trafficked to over 50 countries for commercial sexual exploitation;
  Russia is also a transit and destination country for men and women
  trafficked from Central Asia, Eastern Europe, and North Korea to
  Central and Western Europe and the Middle East for purposes of
  forced labor and sexual exploitation; internal trafficking remains a
  problem in Russia with women trafficked from rural areas to urban
  centers for commercial sexual exploitation, and men trafficked
  internally and from Central Asia for forced labor in the
  construction and agricultural industries; debt bondage is common
  among trafficking victims, and child sex tourism remains a concern
  tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Russia is on the Tier 2 Watch List
  for a fifth consecutive year for its failure to show evidence of
  increasing efforts to combat trafficking over the previous year,
  particularly in providing assistance to victims of trafficking;
  comprehensive trafficking victim assistance legislation, which would
  address key deficiencies, has been pending before the Duma since
  2003 and was neither passed nor enacted in 2007 (2008)

Saudi Arabia
  current situation: Saudi Arabia is a destination
  country for workers from South and Southeast Asia who are subjected
  to conditions that constitute involuntary servitude including being
  subjected to physical and sexual abuse, non-payment of wages,
  confinement, and withholding of passports as a restriction on their
  movement; domestic workers are particularly vulnerable because some
  are confined to the house in which they work unable to seek help;
  Saudi Arabia is also a destination country for Nigerian, Yemeni,
  Pakistani, Afghan, Somali, Malian, and Sudanese children trafficked
  for forced begging and involuntary servitude as street vendors; some
  Nigerian women were reportedly trafficked into Saudi Arabia for
  commercial sexual exploitation
  tier rating: Tier 3 - Saudi Arabia does not fully comply with the
  minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not
  making significant efforts to do so; the government continues to
  lack adequate anti-trafficking laws and, despite evidence of
  widespread trafficking abuses, did not report any criminal
  prosecutions, convictions, or prison sentences for trafficking
  crimes committed against foreign domestic workers (2008)

South Africa
  current situation: South Africa is a source, transit,
  and destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for
  forced labor and sexual exploitation; women and girls are trafficked
  internally - and occasionally to European and Asian countries - for
  sexual exploitation; women from other African countries are
  trafficked to South Africa and, less frequently, onward to Europe
  for sexual exploitation; men and boys are trafficked from
  neighboring countries for forced agricultural labor; Asian and
  Eastern European women are trafficked to South Africa for
  debt-bonded sexual exploitation
  tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - South Africa is on the Tier 2 Watch
  List for a fourth consecutive year for its failure to show
  increasing efforts to address trafficking; the government provided
  inadequate data in 2007 on trafficking crimes investigated or
  prosecuted, or on resulting convictions or sentences; it also did
  not provide information on its efforts to protect victims of
  trafficking; the country continues to deport and/or prosecute
  suspected foreign victims without providing appropriate protective
  services (2008)

Sri Lanka
  current situation: Sri Lanka is a source and destination
  country for men and women trafficked for the purposes of involuntary
  servitude and commercial sexual exploitation; Sri Lankan men and
  women migrate willingly to the Persian Gulf, Middle East, and East
  Asia to work as construction workers, domestic servants, or garment
  factory workers, where some find themselves in situations of
  involuntary servitude when faced with restrictions on movement,
  withholding of passports, threats, physical or sexual abuse, and
  debt bondage; children are trafficked internally for commercial
  sexual exploitation and, less frequently, for forced labor
  tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - for a second consecutive year, Sri
  Lanka is on the Tier 2 Watch List for failing to provide evidence of
  increasing efforts to combat severe forms of human trafficking,
  particularly in the area of law enforcement; the government failed
  to arrest, prosecute, or convict any person for trafficking offenses
  and continued to punish some victims of trafficking for crimes
  committed as a result of being trafficked; Sri Lanka has not
  ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2008)

Sudan
  current situation: Sudan is a source country for men, women,
  and children trafficked internally for the purposes of forced labor
  and sexual exploitation; Sudan is also a transit and destination
  country for Ethiopian women trafficked abroad for domestic
  servitude; Sudanese women and girls are trafficked within the
  country, as well as possibly to Middle Eastern countries for
  domestic servitude; the terrorist rebel organization, Lord's
  Resistance Army, continues to harbor small numbers of Sudanese and
  Ugandan children in the southern part of the country for use as
  cooks, porters, and combatants; some of these children are also
  trafficked across borders into Uganda or the Democratic Republic of
  the Congo; militia groups in Darfur, some of which are linked to the
  government, abduct women for short periods of forced labor and to
  perpetrate sexual violence; during the two decades-long north-south
  civil war, thousands of Dinka women and children were abducted and
  subsequently enslaved by members of the Missiriya and Rezeigat
  tribes; while there have been no known new abductions of Dinka by
  members of Baggara tribes in the last few years, inter-tribal
  abductions continue in southern Sudan
  tier rating: Tier 3 - Sudan does not fully comply with the minimum
  standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making
  significant efforts to do so; combating human trafficking through
  law enforcement or prevention measures was not a priority for the
  government in 2007 (2008)

Syria
  current situation: Syria is a destination and transit country
  for women and children trafficked for commercial sexual exploitation
  and forced labor; a significant number of women and children in the
  large and expanding Iraqi refugee community in Syria are reportedly
  forced into commercial sexual exploitation by Iraqi gangs or, in
  some cases, their families; women from Indonesia, Sri Lanka, the
  Philippines, Ethiopia, and Sierra Leone are recruited for work in
  Syria as domestic servants, but some face conditions of involuntary
  servitude, including long hours, non-payment of wages, withholding
  of passports, restrictions on movement, threats, and physical or
  sexual abuse
  tier rating: Tier 3 - Syria again failed to report any law
  enforcement efforts to punish trafficking offenses in 2007; in
  addition, the government did not offer protection services to
  victims of trafficking and may have arrested, prosecuted, or
  deported some victims for prostitution or immigration violations;
  Syria has not ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2008)

Tajikistan
  current situation: Tajikistan is a source country for
  women trafficked through Kyrgyzstan and Russia to the UAE, Turkey,
  and Russia for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation; men
  are trafficked to Russia and Kazakhstan for the purpose of forced
  labor, primarily in the construction and agricultural industries;
  boys and girls are trafficked internally for various purposes,
  including forced labor and forced begging
  tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Tajikistan is on the Tier 2 Watch
  List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to
  combat human trafficking, especially efforts to investigate,
  prosecute, convict, and sentence traffickers; despite evidence of
  low- and mid-level officials' complicity in trafficking, the
  government did not punish any public officials for trafficking
  complicity during 2007; lack of capacity and poor coordination
  between government institutions remained key obstacles to effective
  anti-trafficking efforts (2008)

Uzbekistan
  current situation: Uzbekistan is a source country for
  women and girls trafficked to Kazakhstan, Russia, Middle East, and
  Asia for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation; men are
  trafficked to Kazakhstan and Russia for purposes of forced labor in
  the construction, cotton, and tobacco industries; men and women are
  also trafficked internally for the purposes of domestic servitude,
  forced labor in the agricultural and construction industries, and
  for commercial sexual exploitation
  tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Uzbekistan is on the Tier 2 Watch
  List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to
  combat severe forms of trafficking in 2007; the government did not
  amend its criminal code to increase penalties for convicted
  traffickers; in March 2008, Uzbekistan adopted ILO Conventions on
  minimum age of employment and on the elimination of the worst forms
  of child labor and is working with the ILO on implementation; the
  government also demonstrated its increasing commitment to combat
  trafficking in March 2008 by adopting a comprehensive
  anti-trafficking law; Uzbekistan has not ratified the 2000 UN TIP
  Protocol (2008)

Venezuela
  current situation: Venezuela is a source, transit, and
  destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for the
  purposes of commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor;
  Venezuelan women and girls are trafficked within the country for
  sexual exploitation, lured from the nation's interior to urban and
  tourist areas; child prostitution in urban areas and child sex
  tourism in resort destinations appear to be growing; Venezuelan
  women and girls are trafficked for commercial sexual exploitation to
  Western Europe, Mexico, and Caribbean destinations
  tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Venezuela is placed on the Tier 2
  Watch List, up from Tier 3, as it showed greater resolve to address
  trafficking through law enforcement measures and prevention efforts
  in 2007, although stringent punishment of offenders and victim
  assistance remain lacking (2008)

World
  current situation: approximately 800,000 people, mostly women
  and children, are trafficked annually across national borders, not
  including millions trafficked within their own countries; at least
  80% of the victims are female and up to 50% are minors; 75% of all
  victims are trafficked into commercial sexual exploitation; almost
  two-thirds of the global victims are trafficked intra-regionally
  within East Asia and the Pacific (260,000 to 280,000 people) and
  Europe and Eurasia (170,000 to 210,000 people)
  Tier 2 Watch List: Albania, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain,
  Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, China, Costa
  Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Cyprus, Democratic Republic of the Congo,
  Dominican Republic, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, The Gambia,
  Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, India, Jordan, Libya,
  Malaysia, Montenegro, Mozambique, Niger, Panama, Republic of the
  Congo, Russia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan,
  Venezuela, Zambia, Zimbabwe
  Tier 3: Algeria, Burma, Cuba, Fiji, Iran, Kuwait, Moldova, North
  Korea, Oman, Papua New Guinea, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria
  (2008)

Zambia
  current situation: Zambia is a source, transit, and
  destination country for women and children trafficked for the
  purposes of forced labor and sexual exploitation; many Zambian child
  laborers, particularly those in the agriculture, domestic service,
  and fishing sectors, are also victims of human trafficking; Zambian
  women, lured by false employment or marriage offers abroad, are
  trafficked to South Africa via Zimbabwe and to Europe via Malawi for
  sexual exploitation; Zambia is a transit point for regional
  trafficking of women and children, particularly from Angola to
  Namibia and from the Democratic Republic of the Congo to South
  Africa for agricultural labor
  tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Zambia is on the Tier 2 Watch List
  for failing to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat
  severe forms of trafficking, particularly in regard to its inability
  to bring alleged traffickers to justice through prosecutions and
  convictions; unlike 2006, there were no new prosecutions or
  convictions of alleged traffickers in 2007; government efforts to
  protect victims of trafficking remained extremely limited throughout
  the year (2008)

Zimbabwe
  current situation: Zimbabwe is a source, transit, and
  destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for the
  purposes of forced labor and sexual exploitation; large scale
  migration of Zimbabweans to surrounding countries - as they flee a
  progressively more desperate situation at home - has increased;
  rural Zimbabwean men, women, and children are trafficked internally
  to farms for agricultural labor and domestic servitude and to cities
  for domestic labor and commercial sexual exploitation; young men and
  boys are trafficked to South Africa for farm work, often laboring
  for months in South Africa without pay before "employers" have them
  arrested and deported as illegal immigrants; young women and girls
  are lured abroad with false employment offers that result in
  involuntary domestic servitude or commercial sexual exploitation;
  men, women, and children from neighboring states are trafficked
  through Zimbabwe en route to South Africa
  tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Zimbabwe is on the Tier 2 Watch
  List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to
  combat severe forms of human trafficking, and because the absolute
  number of victims of severe forms of trafficking is significantly
  increasing; the trafficking situation in the country is worsening as
  more of the population is made vulnerable by declining
  socio-economic conditions (2008)

======================================================================

@2198

Field Listing :: Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

This entry gives the cumulative US dollar value of all investments in the home country made directly by residents - primarily companies - of other countries as of the end of the time period indicated. Direct investment excludes investment through purchase of shares. Country Comparison to the World Country

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

Algeria
  $13.76 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $11.91 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Angola
  $16.36 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $14.51 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Argentina
  $73.98 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $66 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Australia
  $366.5 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $337.5 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Austria
  $261.9 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $247.9 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Azerbaijan
  $7.844 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $7.829 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Bahrain
  $15.01 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $13.31 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Bangladesh
  $5.971 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $5.261 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Belgium
  $821 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $747.5 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Bermuda
  $15.01 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

Bolivia
  $5.998 billion (31 December 2008)

Brazil
  $294 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $248.9 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Bulgaria
  $42.91 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $33.91 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Canada
  $433.4 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $506.9 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Cayman Islands
  $NA

Chad
  $4.5 billion (2006 est.)

Chile
  $108.3 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $91.49 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

China
  $758.9 billion (2007 est.)

Colombia
  $67.23 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $56.45 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Costa Rica
  $18.96 billion (31 December 2008)
  $8.803 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  $NA

Croatia
  $27.17 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $23.17 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Cuba
  $11.24 billion (2006 est.)

Cyprus
  $15.69 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $13.83 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Czech Republic
  $111.9 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $101.1 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Denmark
  $142.7 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $131.3 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Dominican Republic
  $15.59 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $12.71 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Ecuador
  $16.99 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $16.31 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Egypt
  $59.13 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $49.23 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

El Salvador
  $6.702 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $5.918 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Estonia
  $18.62 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $16.59 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Fiji
  $6.702 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

Finland
  $84.44 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $88.69 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

France
  $1.147 trillion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $1.026 trillion (31 December 2007 est.)

Germany
  $1.027 trillion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $1.002 trillion (31 December 2007 est.)

Ghana
  $NA

Greece
  $36.7 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $53.22 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Hong Kong
  $1.241 trillion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $1.178 trillion (31 December 2007 est.)

Hungary
  $237.1 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $164.7 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Iceland
  $NA

India
  $144.2 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $103.1 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Indonesia
  $67.3 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $58.96 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Iran
  $6.954 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $6.054 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Ireland

$179 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

Israel
  $56.93 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $55.7 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Italy
  $376.6 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $364.8 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Japan
  $135.4 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $110.8 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Jordan
  $16.5 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $14.55 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Kazakhstan
  $55.63 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $41.08 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Kenya
  $2.541 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $1.891 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Korea, South
  $124.2 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $122 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Kuwait
  $1.22 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $942 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  $16.5 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

Latvia
  $11.21 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $9.779 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Lebanon
  $NA

Liberia
  $124.2 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

Libya
  $11.23 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $8.775 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Lithuania
  $12.85 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $15.06 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Luxembourg
  $11.21 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

Macau
  $7.9 billion (2007)
  $6.5 billion (2006)

Macedonia
  $2.405 billion (2007 est.)

Madagascar
  $NA

Malawi
  $11.23 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

Malaysia
  $83.35 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $76.75 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Malta
  $NA

Mauritius
  $NA

Mexico
  $289.8 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $267.8 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Moldova
  $1.813 billion (2008)

Mongolia
  $NA

Morocco

$40.92 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

Namibia
  $NA

Nepal
  $NA

Netherlands
  $644.6 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $724.1 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  $NA

New Zealand
  $72.92 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $70.94 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Nigeria
  $68.84 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $58.84 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Norway
  $91.49 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $93.69 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Oman
  $NA

Pakistan
  $25.44 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $20.01 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Panama
  $NA

Papua New Guinea
  $NA

Paraguay
  $2.057 million (2007)

Peru
  $30.31 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $24.74 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Philippines
  $21.4 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $19.88 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Poland
  $161.4 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $176.1 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Portugal
  $117.8 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $114.2 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Qatar
  $3.627 billion (2008 est.)
  $2.601 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Romania
  $72.61 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $62.86 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Russia
  $491.2 billion (2007)
  $271.6 billion (2006)

Saudi Arabia
  $108.5 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $92 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Serbia
  $11.95 billion (2006 est.)

Singapore
  $250.2 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $232.8 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Slovakia
  $44.12 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $40.7 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Slovenia
  $11.96 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $10.41 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

South Africa
  $120 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $110.4 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Spain
  $636.5 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $570.7 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Sri Lanka
  $250.2 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

Swaziland
  $NA

Sweden
  $290.4 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $252.3 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Switzerland
  $405.1 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $365.8 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Taiwan
  $102.3 billion (2008)
  $52.65 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Tajikistan
  $102 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $94.76 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Tanzania
  $NA

Thailand
  $80.83 billion (2007 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  $102 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $12.44 billion (2007)

Tunisia
  $28.67 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $26.22 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Turkey
  $128.7 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $110.5 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Uganda
  $NA

Ukraine
  $41.77 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $31.08 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  $62.69 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $51.54 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

United Kingdom
  $1.445 trillion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $1.348 trillion (31 December 2007 est.)

United States
  $2.367 trillion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $2.093 trillion (31 December 2007 est.)

Uruguay
  $4.19 billion (2007)

Uzbekistan
  $NA

Venezuela
  $41.38 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $43.96 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Vietnam
  $40.34 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $32.74 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

World
  $16.65 trillion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $14.77 trillion (31 December 2007 est.)

Zambia
  $40.34 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

Zimbabwe
  $NA

======================================================================

@2199

Field Listing :: Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

  This entry gives the cumulative US dollar value of all investments
  in foreign countries made directly by residents - primarily
  companies - of the home country, as of the end of the time period
  indicated. Direct investment excludes investment through purchase of
  shares.
  Country Comparison to the World
  Country

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

Algeria
  $1.162 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $962 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Angola
  $2.477 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

Argentina
  $28.75 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $26.92 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Australia
  $197.2 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $290.4 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Austria
  $270 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $240.9 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Azerbaijan
  $5.232 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $4.677 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Bahrain
  $9.34 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $7.72 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Bangladesh
  $97 million (31 December 2008 est.)

Belgium
  $661.9 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $593 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Bermuda
  $NA

Bolivia
  $NA

Brazil
  $127.5 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $107.1 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Bulgaria
  $1.292 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $559 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Canada
  $520.4 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $520.7 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Cayman Islands
  $NA

Chad
  $NA

Chile
  $25.7 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $24.68 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

China
  $149.3 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $95.8 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Colombia
  $13.18 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $10.93 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Costa Rica
  $532 million (31 December 2008 est.)
  $525.9 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  $NA

Croatia
  $3.343 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $3.124 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Cuba
  $4.138 billion (2006 est.)

Cyprus
  $7.097 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $5.591 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Czech Republic
  $9.913 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $6.971 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Denmark
  $181.9 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $153.3 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Dominican Republic
  $59 million (31 December 2008 est.)

Ecuador
  $8.487 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $10.77 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Egypt
  $12.08 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $11.58 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

El Salvador
  $440 million (31 December 2008 est.)
  $384 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Estonia
  $6.686 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $5.873 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Fiji
  $NA

Finland
  $116 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $114.2 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

France
  $1.624 trillion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $1.399 trillion (31 December 2007 est.)

Germany
  $1.407 trillion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $1.249 trillion (31 December 2007 est.)

Ghana
  $NA

Greece
  $32.44 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $31.65 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Hong Kong
  $776 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $1.011 trillion (31 December 2007 est.)

Hungary
  $159.7 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $97.42 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Iceland
  $NA

India
  $61.77 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $38.82 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Indonesia
  $6.656 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $9.225 billion (2006 est.)

Iran
  $993 million (31 December 2008 est.)
  $903 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Ireland
  $152.9 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $139.6 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Israel
  $54.55 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $48.47 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Italy
  $565.3 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $520.1 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Japan
  $663.9 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $533.1 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Kazakhstan
  $4.617 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $3.97 billion (September 2007 est.)

Kenya
  $12.4 million (31 December 2008 est.)
  $31.4 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Korea, South
  $74.6 billion (30 June 2008)
  $82.1 billion (2006)

Kuwait
  $25.68 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $16.93 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  $NA

Latvia
  $1.083 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $782 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Lebanon
  $NA

Liberia
  $NA

Libya
  $5.15 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $3.7 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Lithuania
  $1.985 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $1.65 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Luxembourg
  $NA

Macau
  $1.9 billion (2007)
  $1.1 billion (2006)

Macedonia
  $NA

Madagascar
  $NA

Malawi
  $NA

Malaysia
  $71.2 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $58.18 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Malta
  $NA

Mauritius
  $NA

Mexico
  $45.39 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $44.7 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Moldova
  $NA

Mongolia
  $NA

Morocco
  $966 million (31 December 2008 est.)
  $1.337 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Namibia
  $NA

Nepal
  $NA

Netherlands
  $843.7 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $876.9 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  $NA

New Zealand
  $NA

Nigeria
  $13.02 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $12.72 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Norway
  $160.1 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $133.3 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Oman
  $NA

Pakistan
  $1.017 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $982 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Panama
  $NA

Papua New Guinea
  $NA

Paraguay
  $NA

Peru
  $1.694 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $2.284 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Philippines
  $5.81 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $5.584 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Poland
  $21.81 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $19.39 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Portugal
  $69.24 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $69.24 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Qatar
  $5.363 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $6.993 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Romania
  $921 million (31 December 2008 est.)
  $1.238 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Russia
  $176.7 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $209.6 billion (2006)

Saudi Arabia
  $18.07 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $16.99 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Serbia
  $NA

Singapore
  $173.6 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $169.9 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Slovakia
  $1.867 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $1.609 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Slovenia
  $7.592 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $6.127 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

South Africa
  $63.57 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $65.88 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Spain
  $605.3 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $687.4 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Sri Lanka
  $NA

Swaziland
  $NA

Sweden
  $333.9 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $306.4 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Switzerland
  $726.3 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $659.9 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Taiwan
  $107.1 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $96.81 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Tajikistan
  $10.86 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $8.022 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Tanzania
  $NA

Thailand
  $7.013 billion (2007 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  $3.829 billion (2007)

Tunisia
  $162 million (31 December 2008 est.)
  $118 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Turkey
  $14.8 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $10.97 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Uganda
  $NA

Ukraine
  $1.905 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $895 million (31 December 2007 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  $28.95 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $24.95 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

United Kingdom
  $1.567 trillion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $1.705 trillion (31 December 2007 est.)

United States
  $3.162 trillion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $2.791 trillion (31 December 2007 est.)

Uruguay
  $156 million (2007)

Uzbekistan
  $NA

Venezuela
  $16.62 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $13.81 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Vietnam
  $NA

World
  $16.22 trillion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $15.43 trillion (31 December 2007 est.)

Zambia
  $NA

Zimbabwe
  $NA

======================================================================

@2200

Field Listing :: Market value of publicly traded shares

This entry gives the value of shares issued by publicly traded companies at a price determined in the national stock markets on the final day of the period indicated. It is simply the latest price per share multiplied by the total number of outstanding shares, cumulated over all companies listed on the particular exchange. Country Comparison to the World Country

Market value of publicly traded shares

Afghanistan
  $NA

Albania
  $NA

Algeria
  $NA

Argentina
  $52.31 billion (31 December 2008)
  $86.68 billion (31 December 2007)
  $79.73 billion (31 December 2006)

Armenia
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $105 million (31 December 2007)
  $60.17 million (31 December 2006)

Australia
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $1.298 trillion (31 December 2007)
  $1.096 trillion (31 December 2006)

Austria
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $228.7 billion (31 December 2007)
  $191.3 billion (31 December 2006)

Azerbaijan
  $NA

Bahamas, The
  $NA

Bahrain
  $21.18 billion (31 December 2008)
  $28.13 billion (31 December 2007)
  $21.12 billion (31 December 2006)

Bangladesh
  $6.671 billion (31 December 2008)
  $6.793 billion (31 December 2007)
  $3.61 billion (31 December 2006)

Barbados
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $5.599 billion (31 December 2007)
  $4.954 billion (31 December 2006)

Belarus
  $NA

Belgium
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $386.4 billion (31 December 2007)
  $396.2 billion (31 December 2006)

Belize
  $NA

Benin
  $NA

Bermuda
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $2.731 billion (31 December 2007)
  $2.704 billion (31 December 2006)

Bhutan
  $NA

Bolivia
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $2.263 billion (31 December 2007)
  $2.223 billion (31 December 2006)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  $NA

Botswana
  $3.556 billion (31 December 2008)
  $5.887 billion (31 December 2007)
  $3.947 billion (31 December 2006)

Brazil
  $589.4 billion (31 December 2008)
  $1.37 trillion (31 December 2007)
  $711.1 billion (31 December 2006)

Brunei
  $NA

Bulgaria
  $8.858 billion (31 December 2008)
  $21.79 billion (31 December 2007)
  $10.32 billion (31 December 2006)

Burkina Faso
  $NA

Burma
  $NA

Burundi
  $NA

Cambodia
  $NA

Cameroon
  $NA

Canada
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $2.187 trillion (31 December 2007)
  $1.701 trillion (31 December 2006)

Cayman Islands
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $183.5 million (31 December 2007)
  $188.4 million (31 December 2006)

Central African Republic
  $NA

Chad
  $NA

Chile
  $132.4 billion (31 December 2008)
  $212.9 billion (31 December 2007)
  $174.6 billion (31 December 2006)

China
  $2.794 trillion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $6.226 trillion (31 December 2007)
  $2.426 trillion (31 December 2006)

Colombia
  $87.03 billion (31 December 2008)
  $102 billion (31 December 2007)
  $56.2 billion (31 December 2006)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  $NA

Congo, Republic of the
  $NA

Costa Rica
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $2.035 billion (31 December 2007)
  $1.944 billion (31 December 2006)

Cote d'Ivoire
  $7.071 billion (31 December 2008)
  $8.353 billion (31 December 2007)
  $4.155 billion (31 December 2006)

Croatia
  $26.79 billion (31 December 2008)
  $65.98 billion (31 December 2007)
  $29.01 billion (31 December 2006)

Cyprus
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $29.48 billion (31 December 2007)
  $15.9 billion (31 December 2006)

Czech Republic
  $48.85 billion (31 December 2008)
  $73.42 billion (31 December 2007)
  $48.6 billion (31 December 2006)

Denmark
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $277.7 billion (31 December 2007)
  $231 billion (31 December 2006)

Dominican Republic
  $NA

Ecuador
  $4.562 billion (31 December 2008)
  $4.266 billion (31 December 2007)
  $4.04 billion (31 December 2006)

Egypt
  $85.89 billion (31 December 2008)
  $139.3 billion (31 December 2007)
  $93.48 billion (31 December 2006)

El Salvador
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $6.743 billion (31 December 2007)
  $5.465 billion (31 December 2006)

Estonia
  $1.951 billion (31 December 2008)
  $6.037 billion (31 December 2007)
  $5.963 billion (31 December 2006)

Ethiopia
  $NA

European Union
  $NA (31 December 2008 est.)
  $15.57 trillion (31 December 2008)
  $13.5 trillion (31 December 2006 est.)

Fiji
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $522.2 million (31 December 2007)
  $636.7 million (31 December 2006)

Finland
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $369.2 billion (31 December 2007)
  $265.5 billion (31 December 2006)

France
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $2.771 trillion (31 December 2007)
  $2.429 trillion (31 December 2006)

French Polynesia
  $NA

Gabon
  $NA

Gambia, The
  $NA

Georgia
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $1.389 billion (31 December 2007)
  $668.3 million (31 December 2006)

Germany
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $2.106 trillion (31 December 2007)
  $1.638 trillion (31 December 2006)

Ghana
  $3.394 billion (31 December 2008)
  $2.38 billion (31 December 2007)
  $3.233 billion (31 December 2006)

Greece
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $264.9 billion (31 December 2007)
  $208.3 billion (31 December 2006)

Grenada
  $NA

Guatemala
  $NA

Guinea
  $NA

Guinea-Bissau
  $NA

Guyana
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $262.4 million (31 December 2007)
  $187.4 million (31 December 2006)

Haiti
  $NA

Honduras
  $NA

Hong Kong
  $1.32 trillion (31 December 2008)
  $1.163 trillion (31 December 2007)
  $895.2 billion (31 December 2006 est.)

Hungary
  $21.9 billion (31 December 2008)
  $47.65 billion (31 December 2007)
  $41.93 billion (31 December 2006)

Iceland
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $40.56 billion (31 December 2007)
  $36.1 billion (31 December 2006)

India
  $645.5 billion (31 December 2008)
  $1.819 trillion (31 December 2007)
  $818.9 billion (31 December 2006)

Indonesia
  $98.76 billion (31 December 2008)
  $211.7 billion (31 December 2007)
  $138.9 billion (31 December 2006)

Iran
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $45.57 billion (31 December 2007)
  $37.94 billion (31 December 2006)

Iraq
  $1.878 billion (31 March 2008)
  $NA (31 December 2007)
  $NA (31 December 2006)

Ireland
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $144 billion (31 December 2007)
  $163.4 billion (31 December 2006)

Isle of Man
  $NA

Israel
  $134.5 billion (31 December 2008)
  $236.4 billion (31 December 2007)
  $173.3 billion (31 December 2006)

Italy
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $1.073 trillion (31 December 2007)
  $1.027 trillion (31 December 2006)

Jamaica
  $7.513 billion (31 December 2008)
  $12.33 billion (31 December 2007)
  $12.28 billion (31 December 2006)

Japan
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $4.453 trillion (31 December 2007)
  $4.726 trillion (31 December 2006)

Jersey
  $NA

Jordan
  $35.85 billion (31 December 2008)
  $41.22 billion (31 December 2007)
  $29.73 billion (31 December 2006)

Kazakhstan
  $31.08 billion (31 December 2008)
  $41.38 billion (31 December 2007)
  $43.69 billion (31 December 2006)

Kenya
  $10.92 billion (31 December 2008)
  $13.39 billion (31 December 2007)
  $11.38 billion (31 December 2006)

Kiribati
  $NA

Korea, South
  $494.6 billion (31 December 2008)
  $1.124 trillion (31 December 2007)
  $835.2 billion (31 December 2006)

Kuwait
  $107.2 billion (31 December 2008)
  $188 billion (31 December 2007)
  $128.9 billion (31 December 2006)

Kyrgyzstan
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $121 million (31 December 2007)
  $92.69 million (31 December 2006)

Latvia
  $1.609 billion (31 December 2008)
  $3.111 billion (31 December 2007)
  $2.705 billion (31 December 2006)

Lebanon
  $9.641 billion (31 December 2008)
  $10.86 billion (31 December 2007)
  $8.279 billion (31 December 2006)

Liberia
  $NA

Libya
  $NA

Liechtenstein
  $NA

Lithuania
  $3.625 billion (31 December 2008)
  $10.13 billion (31 December 2007)
  $10.19 billion (31 December 2006)

Luxembourg
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $166.1 billion (31 December 2007)
  $79.52 billion (31 December 2006)

Macau
  $2.3 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $NA (31 December 2007)
  $413.1 million (2004 est.)

Macedonia
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $2.715 billion (31 December 2007)
  $1.098 billion (31 December 2006)

Madagascar
  $NA

Malawi
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $NA (31 December 2007)
  $587.2 million (31 December 2006)

Malaysia
  $187.1 billion (31 December 2008)
  $325.7 billion (31 December 2007)
  $235.4 billion (31 December 2006)

Maldives
  $NA

Mali
  $NA

Malta
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $5.633 billion (31 December 2007)
  $4.504 billion (31 December 2006)

Mauritania
  $NA

Mauritius
  $3.443 billion (31 December 2008)
  $5.666 billion (31 December 2007)
  $3.598 billion (31 December 2006)

Mayotte
  $NA

Mexico
  $232.6 billion (31 December 2008)
  $397.7 billion (31 December 2007)
  $348.3 billion (31 December 2006)

Moldova
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $573.9 million (2004)

Monaco
  $NA

Mongolia
  $412 million (31 December 2008)
  $612.2 million (31 December 2007)
  $112.6 million (31 December 2006)

Montenegro
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $3.699 billion (31 December 2007)
  $1.754 billion (31 December 2006)

Morocco
  $65.75 billion (31 December 2008)
  $75.49 billion (31 December 2007)
  $49.36 billion (31 December 2006)

Mozambique
  $NA

Namibia
  $618.7 million (31 December 2008)
  $702 million (31 December 2007)
  $541.8 million (31 December 2006)

Nepal
  $5.5 billion (31 December 2008)
  $4.909 billion (31 December 2007)
  $1.805 billion (31 December 2006)

Netherlands
  $456.2 billion (31 December 2008)
  $956.5 billion (31 December 2007)
  $779.6 billion (31 December 2006)

Netherlands Antilles
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $488.6 billion (2003)

New Caledonia
  $NA

New Zealand
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $47.45 billion (31 December 2007)
  $44.94 billion (31 December 2006)

Nicaragua
  $NA

Niger
  $NA

Nigeria
  $49.8 billion (31 December 2008)
  $86.35 billion (31 December 2007)
  $32.82 billion (31 December 2006)

Norway
  $142.5 billion (31 December 2008)
  $357.4 billion (31 December 2007)
  $281.1 billion (31 December 2006)

Oman
  $14.91 billion (31 December 2008)
  $23.06 billion (31 December 2007)
  $16.16 billion (31 December 2006)

Pakistan
  $23.49 billion (31 December 2008)
  $70.26 billion (31 December 2007)
  $45.52 billion (31 December 2006)

Palau
  $NA

Panama
  $6.568 billion (31 December 2008)
  $6.219 billion (31 December 2007)
  $5.716 billion (31 December 2006)

Papua New Guinea
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $NA (31 December 2007)
  $6.632 billion (31 December 2006)

Paraguay
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $NA (31 December 2007)
  $409.1 million (31 December 2006)

Peru
  $55.63 billion (31 December 2008)
  $106 billion (31 December 2007)
  $59.66 billion (31 December 2006)

Philippines
  $52.1 billion (31 December 2008)
  $103.2 billion (31 December 2007)
  $68.38 billion (31 December 2006)

Poland
  $90.23 billion (31 December 2008)
  $207.3 billion (31 December 2007)
  $149.1 billion (31 December 2006)

Portugal
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $132.3 billion (31 December 2007)
  $104.2 billion (31 December 2006)

Puerto Rico
  $NA

Qatar
  $76.31 billion (31 December 2008)
  $95.49 billion (31 December 2007)
  $61.56 billion (31 December 2006)

Romania
  $19.92 billion (31 December 2008)
  $44.93 billion (31 December 2007)
  $32.78 billion (31 December 2006)

Russia
  $397.2 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $1.503 trillion (31 December 2007)
  $1.057 trillion (31 December 2006 est.)

Rwanda
  $NA

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $439.7 million (31 December 2007)
  $304.5 million (31 December 2006)

Samoa
  $NA

San Marino
  $NA

Sao Tome and Principe
  $NA

Saudi Arabia
  $246.3 billion (31 December 2008)
  $515.1 billion (31 December 2007)
  $326.9 billion (31 December 2006)

Senegal
  $NA

Serbia
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $23.93 billion (31 December 2007)
  $10.99 billion (31 December 2006)

Seychelles
  $NA

Sierra Leone
  $NA

Singapore
  $268.6 billion (31 December 2008)
  $353.5 billion (31 December 2007)
  $276.3 billion (31 December 2006)

Slovakia
  $5.079 billion (31 December 2008)
  $6.971 billion (31 December 2007)
  $5.574 billion (31 December 2006)

Slovenia
  $11.77 billion (31 December 2008)
  $28.96 billion (31 December 2007)
  $15.18 billion (31 December 2006)

South Africa
  $491.3 billion (31 December 2008)
  $833.5 billion (31 December 2007)
  $715 billion (31 December 2006)

Spain
  $1.132 trillion (31 December 2008)
  $1.8 trillion (31 December 2007)
  $1.323 trillion (31 December 2006)

Sri Lanka
  $4.326 billion (31 December 2008)
  $7.553 billion (31 December 2007)
  $7.769 billion (31 December 2006)

Sudan
  $NA

Suriname
  $NA

Swaziland
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $203.1 million (31 December 2007)
  $199.9 million (31 December 2006)

Sweden
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $612.5 billion (31 December 2007)
  $573.3 billion (31 December 2006)

Switzerland
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $1.275 trillion (31 December 2007)
  $1.213 trillion (31 December 2006)

Syria
  $NA

Taiwan
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $654 billion (28 December 2007)
  $654 billion (28 December 2007)

Tajikistan
  $NA

Tanzania
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $NA (31 December 2007)
  $541.1 million (31 December 2006)

Thailand
  $102.6 billion (31 December 2008)
  $196 billion (31 December 2007)
  $141.1 billion (31 December 2006)

Timor-Leste
  $NA

Togo
  $NA

Tonga
  $NA

Trinidad and Tobago
  $12.16 billion (31 December 2008)
  $15.61 billion (31 December 2007)
  $15.57 billion (31 December 2006)

Tunisia
  $6.374 billion (31 December 2008)
  $5.355 billion (31 December 2007)
  $4.446 billion (31 December 2006)

Turkey
  $117.9 billion (31 December 2008)
  $286.6 billion (31 December 2007)
  $162.4 billion (31 December 2006)

Turkmenistan
  $NA

Uganda
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $NA (31 December 2007)
  $116.3 million (31 December 2006)

Ukraine
  $24.36 billion (31 December 2008)
  $111.8 billion (31 December 2007)
  $42.87 billion (31 December 2006)

United Arab Emirates
  $97.85 billion (31 December 2008)
  $224.7 billion (31 December 2007)
  $138.5 billion (31 December 2006)

United Kingdom
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $3.859 trillion (31 December 2007)
  $3.794 trillion (31 December 2006)

United States
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $19.95 trillion (31 December 2007)
  $19.43 trillion (31 December 2006)

Uruguay
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $159 million (31 December 2007)
  $125.1 million (31 December 2006)

Uzbekistan
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $NA (31 December 2007)
  $715.3 million (31 December 2006)

Vanuatu
  $NA

Venezuela
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $NA (31 December 2007)
  $8.251 billion (31 December 2006)

Vietnam
  $9.589 billion (31 December 2008)
  $19.54 billion (31 December 2007)
  $9.093 billion (31 December 2006)

West Bank
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $2.475 billion (31 December 2007)
  $2.729 billion (31 December 2006)

World
  $NA (31 December 2008 est.)
  $64.99 trillion (31 December 2007)
  $53.38 trillion (31 December 2006 est.)

Yemen
  $NA

Zambia
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $2.346 billion (31 December 2007)
  $1.186 billion (31 December 2006)

Zimbabwe
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $5.333 billion (31 December 2007)
  $26.56 billion (31 December 2006)

======================================================================

@2201

Field Listing :: Total renewable water resources

  This entry provides the long-term average water availability for a
  country in cubic kilometers of precipitation, recharged ground
  water, and surface inflows from surrounding countries. The values
  have been adjusted to account for overlap resulting from surface
  flow recharge of groundwater sources. Total renewable water
  resources provides the water total available to a country but does
  not include water resource totals that have been reserved for
  upstream or downstream countries through international agreements.
  Note that these values are averages and do not accurately reflect
  the total available in any given year. Annual available resources
  can vary greatly due to short-term and long-term climatic and
  weather variations.
  Country

Total renewable water resources(cu km)

Afghanistan
  65 cu km (1997)

Albania
  41.7 cu km (2001)

Algeria
  14.3 cu km (1997)

Angola
  184 cu km (1987)

Antigua and Barbuda
  0.1 cu km (2000)

Argentina
  814 cu km (2000)

Armenia
  10.5 cu km (1997)

Australia
  398 cu km (1995)

Austria
  84 cu km (2005)

Azerbaijan
  30.3 cu km (1997)

Bahamas, The
  NA

Bahrain
  0.1 cu km (1997)

Bangladesh
  1,210.6 cu km (1999)

Barbados
  0.1 cu km (2003)

Belarus
  58 cu km (1997)

Belgium
  20.8 cu km (2005)

Belize
  18.6 cu km (2000)

Benin
  25.8 cu km (2001)

Bhutan
  95 cu km (1987)

Bolivia
  622.5 cu km (2000)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  37.5 cu km (2003)

Botswana
  14.7 cu km (2001)

Brazil
  8,233 cu km (2000)

Brunei
  8.5 cu km (1999)

Bulgaria
  19.4 cu km (2005)

Burkina Faso
  17.5 cu km (2001)

Burma
  1,045.6 cu km (1999)

Burundi
  3.6 cu km (1987)

Cambodia
  476.1 cu km (1999)

Cameroon
  285.5 cu km (2003)

Canada
  3,300 cu km (1985)

Cape Verde
  0.3 cu km (1990)

Central African Republic
  144.4 cu km (2003)

Chad
  43 cu km (1987)

Chile
  922 cu km (2000)

China
  2,829.6 cu km (1999)

Colombia
  2,132 cu km (2000)

Comoros
  1.2 cu km (2003)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  1,283 cu km (2001)

Congo, Republic of the
  832 cu km (1987)

Costa Rica
  112.4 cu km (2000)

Cote d'Ivoire
  81 cu km (2001)

Croatia
  105.5 cu km (1998)

Cuba
  38.1 cu km (2000)

Cyprus
  0.4 cu km (2005)

Czech Republic
  16 cu km (2005)

Denmark
  6.1 cu km (2003)

Djibouti
  0.3 cu km (1997)

Dominica
  NA

Dominican Republic
  21 cu km (2000)

Ecuador
  432 cu km (2000)

Egypt
  86.8 cu km (1997)

El Salvador
  25.2 cu km (2001)

Equatorial Guinea
  26 cu km (2001)

Eritrea
  6.3 cu km (2001)

Estonia
  21.1 cu km (2005)

Ethiopia
  110 cu km (1987)

Fiji
  28.6 cu km (1987)

Finland
  110 cu km (2005)

France
  189 cu km (2005)

Gabon
  164 cu km (1987)

Gambia, The
  8 cu km (1982)

Georgia
  63.3 cu km (1997)

Germany
  188 cu km (2005)

Ghana
  53.2 cu km (2001)

Greece
  72 cu km (2005)

Grenada
  NA

Guatemala
  111.3 cu km (2000)

Guinea
  226 cu km (1987)

Guinea-Bissau
  31 cu km (2003)

Guyana
  241 cu km (2000)

Haiti
  14 cu km (2000)

Honduras
  95.9 cu km (2000)

Hungary
  120 cu km (2005)

Iceland
  170 cu km (2005)

India
  1,907.8 cu km (1999)

Indonesia
  2,838 cu km (1999)

Iran
  137.5 cu km (1997)

Iraq
  96.4 cu km (1997)

Ireland
  46.8 cu km (2003)

Israel
  1.7 cu km (2001)

Italy
  175 cu km (2005)

Jamaica
  9.4 cu km (2000)

Japan
  430 cu km (1999)

Jordan
  0.9 cu km (1997)

Kazakhstan
  109.6 cu km (1997)

Kenya
  30.2 cu km (1990)

Korea, North
  77.1 cu km (1999)

Korea, South
  69.7 cu km (1999)

Kuwait
  0.02 cu km (1997)

Kyrgyzstan
  46.5 cu km (1997)

Laos
  333.6 cu km (2003)

Latvia
  49.9 cu km (2005)

Lebanon
  4.8 cu km (1997)

Lesotho
  5.2 cu km (1987)

Liberia
  232 cu km (1987)

Libya
  0.6 cu km (1997)

Lithuania
  24.5 cu km (2005)

Luxembourg
  1.6 cu km (2005)

Macedonia
  6.4 cu km (2001)

Madagascar
  337 cu km (1984)

Malawi
  17.3 cu km (2001)

Malaysia
  580 cu km (1999)

Maldives
  0.03 cu km (1999)

Mali
  100 cu km (2001)

Malta
  0.07 cu km (2005)

Mauritania
  11.4 cu km (1997)

Mauritius
  2.2 cu km (2001)

Mexico
  457.2 cu km (2000)

Moldova
  11.7 cu km (1997)

Mongolia
  34.8 cu km (1999)

Morocco
  29 cu km (2003)

Mozambique
  216 cu km (1992)

Namibia
  45.5 cu km (1991)

Nepal
  210.2 cu km (1999)

Netherlands
  89.7 cu km (2005)

New Zealand
  397 cu km (1995)

Nicaragua
  196.7 cu km (2000)

Niger
  33.7 cu km (2003)

Nigeria
  286.2 cu km (2003)

Norway
  381.4 cu km (2005)

Oman
  1 cu km (1997)

Pakistan
  233.8 cu km (2003)

Panama
  148 cu km (2000)

Papua New Guinea
  801 cu km (1987)

Paraguay
  336 cu km (2000)

Peru
  1,913 cu km (2000)

Philippines
  479 cu km (1999)

Poland
  63.1 cu km (2005)

Portugal
  73.6 cu km (2005)

Qatar
  0.1 cu km (1997)

Romania
  42.3 cu km (2003)

Russia
  4,498 cu km (1997)

Rwanda
  5.2 cu km (2003)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  0.02 cu km (2000)

Saudi Arabia
  2.4 cu km (1997)

Senegal
  39.4 cu km (1987)

Serbia
  208.5 cu km (note - includes Kosovo) (2003)

Sierra Leone
  160 cu km (1987)

Singapore
  0.6 cu km (1975)

Slovakia
  50.1 cu km (2003)

Slovenia
  32.1 cu km (2005)

Solomon Islands
  44.7 cu km (1987)

Somalia
  15.7 cu km (1997)

South Africa
  50 cu km (1990)

Spain
  111.1 cu km (2005)

Sri Lanka
  50 cu km (1999)

Sudan
  154 cu km (1997)

Suriname
  122 cu km (2003)

Swaziland
  4.5 cu km (1987)

Sweden
  179 cu km (2005)

Switzerland
  53.3 cu km (2005)

Syria
  46.1 cu km (1997)

Taiwan
  67 cu km (2000)

Tajikistan
  99.7 cu km (1997)

Tanzania
  91 cu km (2001)

Thailand
  409.9 cu km (1999)

Togo
  14.7 cu km (2001)

Trinidad and Tobago
  3.8 cu km (2000)

Tunisia
  4.6 cu km (2003)

Turkey
  234 cu km (2003)

Turkmenistan
  60.9 cu km (1997)

Uganda
  66 cu km (1970)

Ukraine
  139.5 cu km (1997)

United Arab Emirates
  0.2 cu km (1997)

United Kingdom
  160.6 cu km (2005)

United States
  3,069 cu km (1985)

Uruguay
  139 cu km (2000)

Uzbekistan
  72.2 cu km (2003)

Venezuela
  1,233.2 cu km (2000)

Vietnam
  891.2 cu km (1999)

Yemen
  4.1 cu km (1997)

Zambia
  105.2 cu km (2001)

Zimbabwe
  20 cu km (1987)

======================================================================

@2202

Field Listing :: Freshwater withdrawal

(domestic/industrial/agricultural)

This entry provides the annual quantity of water in cubic kilometers removed from available sources for use in any purpose. Water drawn-off is not necessarily entirely consumed and some portion may be returned for further use downstream. Domestic sector use refers to water supplied by public distribution systems. Note that some of this total may be used for small industrial and/or limited agricultural purposes. Industrial sector use is the quantity of water used by self-supplied industries not connected to a public distribution system. Agricultural sector use includes water used for irrigation and livestock watering, and does not account for agriculture directly dependent on rainfall. Included are figures for total annual water withdrawal and per capita water withdrawal. Country

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)()

Afghanistan
  total: 23.26 cu km/yr (2%/0%/98%)
  per capita: 779 cu m/yr (2000)

Albania
  total: 1.71 cu km/yr (27%/11%/62%)
  per capita: 546 cu m/yr (2000)

Algeria
  total: 6.07 cu km/yr (22%/13%/65%)
  per capita: 185 cu m/yr (2000)

Angola
  total: 0.35 cu km/yr (23%/17%/60%)
  per capita: 22 cu m/yr (2000)

Antigua and Barbuda
  total: 0.005 cu km/yr (60%/20%/20%)
  per capita: 63 cu m/yr (1990)

Argentina
  total: 29.19 cu km/yr (17%/9%/74%)
  per capita: 753 cu m/yr (2000)

Armenia
  total: 2.95 cu km/yr (30%/4%/66%)
  per capita: 977 cu m/yr (2000)

Australia
  total: 24.06 cu km/yr (15%/10%/75%)
  per capita: 1,193 cu m/yr (2000)

Austria
  total: 3.67 cu km/yr (35%/64%/1%)
  per capita: 448 cu m/yr (1999)

Azerbaijan
  total: 17.25 cu km/yr (5%/28%/68%)
  per capita: 2,051 cu m/yr (2000)

Bahrain
  total: 0.3 cu km/yr (40%/3%/57%)
  per capita: 411 cu m/yr (2000)

Bangladesh
  total: 79.4 cu km/yr (3%/1%/96%)
  per capita: 560 cu m/yr (2000)

Barbados
  total: 0.09 cu km/yr (33%/44%/22%)
  per capita: 333 cu m/yr (2000)

Belarus
  total: 2.79 cu km/yr (23%/47%/30%)
  per capita: 286 cu m/yr (2000)

Belgium
  total: 7.44 cu km/yr (13%/85%/1%)
  per capita: 714 cu m/yr (1998)

Belize
  total: 0.15 cu km/yr (7%/73%/20%)
  per capita: 556 cu m/yr (2000)

Benin
  total: 0.13 cu km/yr (32%/23%/45%)
  per capita: 15 cu m/yr (2001)

Bhutan
  total: 0.43 cu km/yr (5%/1%/94%)
  per capita: 199 cu m/yr (2000)

Bolivia
  total: 1.44 cu km/yr (13%/7%/81%)
  per capita: 157 cu m/yr (2000)

Botswana
  total: 0.19 cu km/yr (41%/18%/41%)
  per capita: 107 cu m/yr (2000)

Brazil
  total: 59.3 cu km/yr (20%/18%/62%)
  per capita: 318 cu m/yr (2000)

Brunei
  total: 0.09
  per capita: 243 cu m/yr (1994)

Bulgaria
  total: 6.92 cu km/yr (3%/78%/19%)
  per capita: 895 cu m/yr (2003)

Burkina Faso
  total: 0.8 cu km/yr (13%/1%/86%)
  per capita: 60 cu m/yr (2000)

Burma
  total: 33.23 cu km/yr (1%/1%/98%)
  per capita: 658 cu m/yr (2000)

Burundi
  total: 0.29 cu km/yr (17%/6%/77%)
  per capita: 38 cu m/yr (2000)

Cambodia
  total: 4.08 cu km/yr (1%/0%/98%)
  per capita: 290 cu m/yr (2000)

Cameroon
  total: 0.99 cu km/yr (18%/8%/74%)
  per capita: 61 cu m/yr (2000)

Canada
  total: 44.72 cu km/yr (20%/69%/12%)
  per capita: 1,386 cu m/yr (1996)

Cape Verde
  total: 0.02 cu km/yr (7%/2%/91%)
  per capita: 39 cu m/yr (2000)

Central African Republic
  total: 0.03 cu km/yr (80%/16%/4%)
  per capita: 7 cu m/yr (2000)

Chad
  total: 0.23 cu km/yr (17%/0%/83%)
  per capita: 24 cu m/yr (2000)

Chile
  total: 12.55 cu km/yr (11%/25%/64%)
  per capita: 770 cu m/yr (2000)

China
  total: 549.76 cu km/yr (7%/26%/68%)
  per capita: 415 cu m/yr (2000)

Colombia
  total: 10.71 cu km/yr (50%/4%/46%)
  per capita: 235 cu m/yr (2000)

Comoros
  total: 0.01 cu km/yr (48%/5%/47%)
  per capita: 13 cu m/yr (1999)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  total: 0.36 cu km/yr (53%/17%/31%)
  per capita: 6 cu m/yr (2000)

Congo, Republic of the
  total: 0.03 cu km/yr (59%/29%/12%)
  per capita: 8 cu m/yr (2000)

Costa Rica
  total: 2.68 cu km/yr (29%/17%/53%)
  per capita: 619 cu m/yr (2000)

Cote d'Ivoire
  total: 0.93 cu km/yr (24%/12%/65%)
  per capita: 51 cu m/yr (2000)

Cuba
  total: 8.2 cu km/yr (19%/12%/69%)
  per capita: 728 cu m/yr (2000)

Cyprus
  total: 0.21 cu km/yr (27%/1%/71%)
  per capita: 250 cu m/yr (2000)

Czech Republic
  total: 1.91 cu km/yr (41%/57%/2%)
  per capita: 187 cu m/yr (2002)

Denmark
  total: 0.67 cu km/yr (32%/26%/42%)
  per capita: 123 cu m/yr (2002)

Djibouti
  total: 0.02 cu km/yr (84%/0%/16%)
  per capita: 25 cu m/yr (2000)

Dominica
  total: 0.02 cu km/yr
  per capita: 213 cu m/yr (1996)

Dominican Republic
  total: 3.39 cu km/yr (32%/2%/66%)
  per capita: 381 cu m/yr (2000)

Ecuador
  total: 16.98 cu km/yr (12%/5%/82%)
  per capita: 1,283 cu m/yr (2000)

Egypt
  total: 68.3 cu km/yr (8%/6%/86%)
  per capita: 923 cu m/yr (2000)

El Salvador
  total: 1.28 cu km/yr (25%/16%/59%)
  per capita: 186 cu m/yr (2000)

Equatorial Guinea
  total: 0.11 cu km/yr (83%/16%/1%)
  per capita: 220 cu m/yr (2000)

Eritrea
  total: 0.3 cu km/yr (3%/0%/97%)
  per capita: 68 cu m/yr (2000)

Estonia
  total: 1.41 cu km/yr (56%/39%/5%)
  per capita: 1,060 cu m/yr (2002)

Ethiopia
  total: 5.56 cu km/yr (6%/0%/94%)
  per capita: 72 cu m/yr (2002)

Fiji
  total: 0.07 cu km/yr (14%/14%/71%)
  per capita: 82 cu m/yr (2000)

Finland
  total: 2.33 cu km/yr (14%/84%/3%)
  per capita: 444 cu m/yr (1999)

France
  total: 33.16 cu km/yr (16%/74%/10%)
  per capita: 548 cu m/yr (2000)

Gabon
  total: 0.12 cu km/yr (50%/8%/42%)
  per capita: 87 cu m/yr (2000)

Gambia, The
  total: 0.03 cu km/yr (23%/12%/65%)
  per capita: 20 cu m/yr (2000)

Georgia
  total: 3.61 cu km/yr (20%/21%/59%)
  per capita: 808 cu m/yr (2000)

Germany
  total: 38.01 cu km/yr (12%/68%/20%)
  per capita: 460 cu m/yr (2001)

Ghana
  total: 0.98 cu km/yr (24%/10%/66%)
  per capita: 44 cu m/yr (2000)

Greece
  total: 8.7 cu km/yr (16%/3%/81%)
  per capita: 782 cu m/yr (1997)

Guatemala
  total: 2.01 cu km/yr (6%/13%/80%)
  per capita: 160 cu m/yr (2000)

Guinea
  total: 1.51 cu km/yr (8%/2%/90%)
  per capita: 161 cu m/yr (2000)

Guinea-Bissau
  total: 0.18 cu km/yr (13%/5%/82%)
  per capita: 113 cu m/yr (2000)

Guyana
  total: 1.64 cu km/yr (2%/1%/98%)
  per capita: 2,187 cu m/yr (2000)

Haiti
  total: 0.99 cu km/yr (5%/1%/94%)
  per capita: 116 cu m/yr (2000)

Honduras
  total: 0.86 cu km/yr (8%/12%/80%)
  per capita: 119 cu m/yr (2000)

Hungary
  total: 21.03 cu km/yr (9%/59%/32%)
  per capita: 2,082 cu m/yr (2001)

Iceland
  total: 0.17 cu km/yr (34%/66%/0%)
  per capita: 567 cu m/yr (2003)

India
  total: 645.84 cu km/yr (8%/5%/86%)
  per capita: 585 cu m/yr (2000)

Indonesia
  total: 82.78 cu km/yr (8%/1%/91%)
  per capita: 372 cu m/yr (2000)

Iran
  total: 72.88 cu km/yr (7%/2%/91%)
  per capita: 1,048 cu m/yr (2000)

Iraq
  total: 42.7 cu km/yr (3%/5%/92%)
  per capita: 1,482 cu m/yr (2000)

Ireland
  total: 1.18 cu km/yr (23%/77%/0%)
  per capita: 284 cu m/yr (1994)

Israel
  total: 2.05 cu km/yr (31%/7%/62%)
  per capita: 305 cu m/yr (2000)

Italy
  total: 41.98 cu km/yr (18%/37%/45%)
  per capita: 723 cu m/yr (1998)

Jamaica
  total: 0.41 cu km/yr (34%/17%/49%)
  per capita: 155 cu m/yr (2000)

Japan
  total: 88.43 cu km/yr (20%/18%/62%)
  per capita: 690 cu m/yr (2000)

Jordan
  total: 1.01 cu km/yr (21%/4%/75%)
  per capita: 177 cu m/yr (2000)

Kazakhstan
  total: 35 cu km/yr (2%/17%/82%)
  per capita: 2,360 cu m/yr (2000)

Kenya
  total: 1.58 cu km/yr (30%/6%/64%)
  per capita: 46 cu m/yr (2000)

Korea, North
  total: 9.02 cu km/yr (20%/25%/55%)
  per capita: 401 cu m/yr (2000)

Korea, South
  total: 18.59 cu km/yr (36%/16%/48%)
  per capita: 389 cu m/yr (2000)

Kuwait
  total: 0.44 cu km/yr (45%/2%/52%)
  per capita: 164 cu m/yr (2000)

Kyrgyzstan
  total: 10.08 cu km/yr (3%/3%/94%)
  per capita: 1,916 cu m/yr (2000)

Laos
  total: 3 cu km/yr (4%/6%/90%)
  per capita: 507 cu m/yr (2000)

Latvia
  total: 0.25 cu km/yr (55%/33%/12%)
  per capita: 108 cu m/yr (2003)

Lebanon
  total: 1.38 cu km/yr (33%/1%/67%)
  per capita: 385 cu m/yr (2000)

Lesotho
  total: 0.05 cu km/yr (40%/40%/20%)
  per capita: 28 cu m/yr (2000)

Liberia
  total: 0.11 cu km/yr (27%/18%/55%)
  per capita: 34 cu m/yr (2000)

Libya
  total: 4.27 cu km/yr (14%/3%/83%)
  per capita: 730 cu m/yr (2000)

Lithuania
  total: 3.33 cu km/yr (78%/15%/7%)
  per capita: 971 cu m/yr (2003)

Luxembourg
  total: 0.06 cu km/yr (42%/45%/13%)
  per capita: 121 cu m/yr (1999)

Macedonia
  total: 2.27
  per capita: 1,118 cu m/yr (2000)

Madagascar
  total: 14.96 cu km/yr (3%/2%/96%)
  per capita: 804 cu m/yr (2000)

Malawi
  total: 1.01 cu km/yr (15%/5%/80%)
  per capita: 78 cu m/yr (2000)

Malaysia
  total: 9.02 cu km/yr (17%/21%/62%)
  per capita: 356 cu m/yr (2000)

Maldives
  total: 0.003 cu km/yr (98%/2%/0%)
  per capita: 9 cu m/yr (1987)

Mali
  total: 6.55 cu km/yr (9%/1%/90%)
  per capita: 484 cu m/yr (2000)

Malta
  total: 0.02 cu km/yr (74%/1%/25%)
  per capita: 50 cu m/yr (2000)

Mauritania
  total: 1.7 cu km/yr (9%/3%/88%)
  per capita: 554 cu m/yr (2000)

Mauritius
  total: 0.61 cu km/yr (25%/14%/60%)
  per capita: 488 cu m/yr (2000)

Mexico
  total: 78.22 cu km/yr (17%/5%/77%)
  per capita: 731 cu m/yr (2000)

Moldova
  total: 2.31 cu km/yr (10%/58%/33%)
  per capita: 549 cu m/yr (2000)

Mongolia
  total: 0.44 cu km/yr (20%/27%/52%)
  per capita: 166 cu m/yr (2000)

Morocco
  total: 12.6 cu km/yr (10%/3%/87%)
  per capita: 400 cu m/yr (2000)

Mozambique
  total: 0.63 cu km/yr (11%/2%/87%)
  per capita: 32 cu m/yr (2000)

Namibia
  total: 0.3 cu km/yr (24%/5%/71%)
  per capita: 148 cu m/yr (2000)

Nepal
  total: 10.18 cu km/yr (3%/1%/96%)
  per capita: 375 cu m/yr (2000)

Netherlands
  total: 8.86 cu km/yr (6%/60%/34%)
  per capita: 544 cu m/yr (2001)

New Zealand
  total: 2.11 cu km/yr (48%/9%/42%)
  per capita: 524 cu m/yr (2000)

Nicaragua
  total: 1.3 cu km/yr (15%/2%/83%)
  per capita: 237 cu m/yr (2000)

Niger
  total: 2.18 cu km/yr (4%/0%/95%)
  per capita: 156 cu m/yr (2000)

Nigeria
  total: 8.01 cu km/yr (21%/10%/69%)
  per capita: 61 cu m/yr (2000)

Norway
  total: 2.4 cu km/yr (23%/67%/10%)
  per capita: 519 cu m/yr (1996)

Oman
  total: 1.36 cu km/yr (7%/2%/90%)
  per capita: 529 cu m/yr (2000)

Pakistan
  total: 169.39 cu km/yr (2%/2%/96%)
  per capita: 1,072 cu m/yr (2000)

Panama
  total: 0.82 cu km/yr (67%/5%/28%)
  per capita: 254 cu m/yr (2000)

Papua New Guinea
  total: 0.1 cu km/yr (56%/43%/1%)
  per capita: 17 cu m/yr (1987)

Paraguay
  total: 0.49 cu km/yr (20%/8%/71%)
  per capita: 80 cu m/yr (2000)

Peru
  total: 20.13 cu km/yr (8%/10%/82%)
  per capita: 720 cu m/yr (2000)

Philippines
  total: 28.52 cu km/yr (17%/9%/74%)
  per capita: 343 cu m/yr (2000)

Poland
  total: 11.73 cu km/yr (13%/79%/8%)
  per capita: 304 cu m/yr (2002)

Portugal
  total: 11.09 cu km/yr (10%/12%/78%)
  per capita: 1,056 cu m/yr (1998)

Qatar
  total: 0.29 cu km/yr (24%/3%/72%)
  per capita: 358 cu m/yr (2000)

Romania
  total: 6.5 cu km/yr (9%/34%/57%)
  per capita: 299 cu m/yr (2003)

Russia
  total: 76.68 cu km/yr (19%/63%/18%)
  per capita: 535 cu m/yr (2000)

Rwanda
  total: 0.15 cu km/yr (24%/8%/68%)
  per capita: 17 cu m/yr (2000)

Saint Lucia
  total: 0.01
  per capita: 81 cu m/yr (1997)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  total: 0.01
  per capita: 83 cu m/yr (1995)

Saudi Arabia
  total: 17.32 cu km/yr (10%/1%/89%)
  per capita: 705 cu m/yr (2000)

Senegal
  total: 2.22 cu km/yr (4%/3%/93%)
  per capita: 190 cu m/yr (2002)

Sierra Leone
  total: 0.38 cu km/yr (5%/3%/92%)
  per capita: 69 cu m/yr (2000)

Singapore
  total: 0.19 cu km/yr (45%/51%/4%)
  per capita: 44 cu m/yr (1975)

Slovakia
  total: 1.04
  per capita: 193 cu m/yr (2003)

Slovenia
  total: 0.9
  per capita: 457 cu m/yr (2002)

Somalia
  total: 3.29 cu km/yr (0%/0%/100%)
  per capita: 400 cu m/yr (2000)

South Africa
  total: 12.5 cu km/yr (31%/6%/63%)
  per capita: 264 cu m/yr (2000)

Spain
  total: 37.22 cu km/yr (13%/19%/68%)
  per capita: 864 cu m/yr (2002)

Sri Lanka
  total: 12.61 cu km/yr (2%/2%/95%)
  per capita: 608 cu m/yr (2000)

Sudan
  total: 37.32 cu km/yr (3%/1%/97%)
  per capita: 1,030 cu m/yr (2000)

Suriname
  total: 0.67 cu km/yr (4%/3%/93%)
  per capita: 1,489 cu m/yr (2000)

Swaziland
  total: 1.04 cu km/yr (2%/1%/97%)
  per capita: 1,010 cu m/yr (2000)

Sweden
  total: 2.68 cu km/yr (37%/54%/9%)
  per capita: 296 cu m/yr (2002)

Switzerland
  total: 2.52 cu km/yr (24%/74%/2%)
  per capita: 348 cu m/yr (2002)

Syria
  total: 19.95 cu km/yr (3%/2%/95%)
  per capita: 1,048 cu m/yr (2000)

Tajikistan
  total: 11.96 cu km/yr (4%/5%/92%)
  per capita: 1,837 cu m/yr (2000)

Tanzania
  total: 5.18 cu km/yr (10%/0%/89%)
  per capita: 135 cu m/yr (2000)

Thailand
  total: 82.75 cu km/yr (2%/2%/95%)
  per capita: 1,288 cu m/yr (2000)

Togo
  total: 0.17 cu km/yr (53%/2%/45%)
  per capita: 28 cu m/yr (2000)

Trinidad and Tobago
  total: 0.31 cu km/yr (68%/26%/6%)
  per capita: 237 cu m/yr (2000)

Tunisia
  total: 2.64 cu km/yr (14%/4%/82%)
  per capita: 261 cu m/yr (2000)

Turkey
  total: 39.78 cu km/yr (15%/11%/74%)
  per capita: 544 cu m/yr (2001)

Turkmenistan
  total: 24.65 cu km/yr (2%/1%/98%)
  per capita: 5,104 cu m/yr (2000)

Uganda
  total: 0.3 cu km/yr (43%/17%/40%)
  per capita: 10 cu m/yr (2002)

Ukraine
  total: 37.53 cu km/yr (12%/35%/52%)
  per capita: 807 cu m/yr (2000)

United Arab Emirates
  total: 2.3 cu km/yr (23%/9%/68%)
  per capita: 511 cu m/yr (2000)

United Kingdom
  total: 11.75 cu km/yr (22%/75%/3%)
  per capita: 197 cu m/yr (1994)

United States
  total: 477 cu km/yr (13%/46%/41%)
  per capita: 1,600 cu m/yr (2000)

Uruguay
  total: 3.15 cu km/yr (2%/1%/96%)
  per capita: 910 cu m/yr (2000)

Uzbekistan
  total: 58.34 cu km/yr (5%/2%/93%)
  per capita: 2,194 cu m/yr (2000)

Venezuela
  total: 8.37 cu km/yr (6%/7%/47%)
  per capita: 313 cu m/yr (2000)

Vietnam
  total: 71.39 cu km/yr (8%/24%/68%)
  per capita: 847 cu m/yr (2000)

Yemen
  total: 6.63 cu km/yr (4%/1%/95%)
  per capita: 316 cu m/yr (2000)

Zambia
  total: 1.74 cu km/yr (17%/7%/76%)
  per capita: 149 cu m/yr (2000)

Zimbabwe
  total: 4.21 cu km/yr (14%/7%/79%)
  per capita: 324 cu m/yr (2002)

======================================================================

@2203

Field Listing :: Geographic overview

Country

Geographic overview

World
  The surface of the earth is approximately 70.9% water and
  29.1% land. The former portion is divided into large water bodies
  termed oceans. The World Factbook recognizes and describes five
  oceans, which are in decreasing order of size: the Pacific Ocean,
  Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Southern Ocean, and Arctic Ocean.
  The land portion is generally divided into several, large, discrete
  landmasses termed continents. Depending on the convention used, the
  number of continents can vary from five to seven. The most common
  classification recognizes seven, which are (from largest to
  smallest): Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica,
  Europe, and Australia. Asia and Europe are sometimes lumped together
  into a Eurasian continent resulting in six continents.
  Alternatively, North and South America are sometimes grouped as
  simply the Americas, resulting in a continent total of six (or five,
  if the Eurasia designation is used).
  North America is commonly understood to include the island of
  Greenland, the isles of the Caribbean, and to extend south all the
  way to the Isthmus of Panama. The easternmost extent of Europe is
  generally defined as being the Ural Mountains and the Ural River; on
  the southeast the Caspian Sea; and on the south the Caucasus
  Mountains, the Black Sea, and the Mediterranean. Africa's northeast
  extremity is frequently delimited at the Isthmus of Suez, but for
  geopolitical purposes, the Egyptian Sinai Peninsula is often
  included as part of Africa. Asia usually incorporates all the
  islands of the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia. The islands of
  the Pacific are often lumped with Australia into a "land mass"
  termed Oceania or Australasia.
  Although the above groupings are the most common, different
  continental dispositions are recognized or taught in certain parts
  of the world, with some arrangements more heavily based on cultural
  spheres rather than physical geographic considerations.

======================================================================

@2204

Field Listing :: Economy of the area administered by Turkish Cypriots

Country

Economy of the area administered by Turkish Cypriots

Cyprus
  Economy - overview: The Turkish Cypriot economy has roughly
  40% of the per capita GDP of the south, and economic growth tends to
  be volatile, given the north's relative isolation, bloated public
  sector, reliance on the Turkish lira, and small market size.
  Agriculture and services, together, employ more than half of the
  work force. The Turkish Cypriot economy grew around 10.6% in 2006,
  fueled by growth in the construction and education sectors, as well
  as increased employment of Turkish Cypriots in the area under
  government control. GDP declined about 2.0% in 2007. The Turkish
  Cypriots are heavily dependent on transfers from the Turkish
  Government. Ankara directly finances about one-third of the "TRNC's"
  budget. Aid from Turkey has exceeded $400 million annually in recent
  years. The Turkish Cypriot economy probably will experience a sharp
  slowdown in 2008-2009 due to the global financial crisis, because
  the Turkish Cypriot financial sector is dominated by mainland
  Turkish banks, and because of its reliance on British and Turkish
  tourism, which has declined due to the recession.
  GDP (purchasing power parity): $1.829 billion (2007 est.)
  GDP - real growth rate: -2% (2007 est.)
  GDP - per capita: $11,700 (2007 est.)
  GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 8.6%, industry: 22.5%,
  services: 69.1% (2006 est.)
  Labor force: 95,030 (2007 est.)
  Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 14.5%, industry: 29%,
  services: 56.5% (2004)
  Unemployment rate: 9.4% (2005 est.)
  Population below poverty line: %NA
  Inflation rate: 11.4% (2006)
  Budget: revenues: $2.5 billion, expenditures: $2.5 billion (2006)
  Agriculture - products: citrus fruit, dairy, potatoes, grapes,
  olives, poultry, lamb
  Industries: foodstuffs, textiles, clothing, ship repair, clay,
  gypsum, copper, furniture
  Industrial production growth rate: -0.3% (2007 est.)
  Electricity production: 998.9 million kWh (2005)
  Electricity consumption: 797.9 million kWh (2005)
  Exports: $68.1 million, f.o.b. (2007 est.)
  Export - commodities: citrus, dairy, potatoes, textiles
  Export - partners: Turkey 40%; direct trade between the area
  administered by Turkish Cypriots and the area under government
  control remains limited
  Imports: $1.2 billion, f.o.b. (2007 est.)
  Import - commodities: vehicles, fuel, cigarettes, food, minerals,
  chemicals, machinery
  Import - partners: Turkey 60%; direct trade between the area
  administered by Turkish Cypriots and the area under government
  control remains limited
  Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $NA
  Debt - external: $NA
  Currency (code): Turkish new lira (YTL)
  Exchange rates: Turkish new lira per US dollar: 1.319 (2007) 1.4286
  (2006) 1.3436 (2005) 1.4255 (2004) 1.5009 (2003)

======================================================================

@2205

Field Listing :: School life expectancy (primary to tertiary

education)

  School life expectancy (SLE) is the total number of years of
  schooling (primary to tertiary) that a child can expect to receive,
  assuming that the probability of his or her being enrolled in school
  at any particular future age is equal to the current enrollment
  ratio at that age. Caution must be maintained when utilizing this
  indicator in international comparisons. For example, a year or grade
  completed in one country is not necessarily the same in terms of
  educational content or quality as a year or grade completed in
  another country. SLE represents the expected number of years of
  schooling that will be completed, including years spent repeating
  one or more grades.
  Country

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)(years)

Afghanistan
  total: 8 years
  male: 11 years
  female: 4 years (2004)

Albania
  total: 11 years
  male: 11 years
  female: 11 years (2004)

Algeria
  total: 13 years
  male: 13 years
  female: 13 years (2005)

Andorra
  total: 11 years
  male: 11 years
  female: 11 years (2006)

Anguilla
  total: 11 years
  male: 11 years
  female: 11 years (2006)

Argentina
  total: 15 years
  male: 14 years
  female: 16 years (2005)

Armenia
  total: 11 years
  male: 11 years
  female: 12 years (2006)

Aruba
  total: 14 years
  male: 13 years
  female: 14 years (2006)

Australia
  total: 20 years
  male: 20 years
  female: 21 years (2006)

Austria
  total: 15 years
  male: 15 years
  female: 16 years (2006)

Azerbaijan
  total: 11 years
  male: 11 years
  female: 11 years (2006)

Bahrain
  total: 15 years
  male: 14 years
  female: 16 years (2006)

Bangladesh
  total: 8 years
  male: 8 years
  female: 8 years (2004)

Barbados
  total: 13 years
  male: 13 years
  female: 14 years (2001)

Belarus
  total: 15 years
  male: 14 years
  female: 15 years (2006)

Belgium
  total: 16 years
  male: 16 years
  female: 16 years (2006)

Belize
  total: 13 years
  male: 13 years
  female: 13 years (2004)

Benin
  total: 7 years
  male: 9 years
  female: 6 years (2001)

Bermuda
  total: 13 years
  male: 13 years
  female: 14 years (2005)

Bhutan
  total: 10 years
  male: 11 years
  female: 10 years (2006)

Botswana
  total: 12 years
  male: 12 years
  female: 12 years (2005)

Brazil
  total: 14 years
  male: 14 years
  female: 15 years (2005)

British Virgin Islands
  total: 17 years
  male: 15 years
  female: 19 years (2005)

Brunei
  total: 14 years
  male: 14 years
  female: 14 years (2006)

Bulgaria
  total: 14 years
  male: 13 years
  female: 14 years (2006)

Burkina Faso
  total: 5 years
  male: 5 years
  female: 4 years (2006)

Burma
  total: 8 years
  male: 8 years
  female: 8 years (2001)

Burundi
  total: 7 years
  male: 8 years
  female: 7 years (2006)

Cambodia
  total: 10 years
  male: 10 years
  female: 9 years (2006)

Cameroon
  total: 9 years
  male: 10 years
  female: 8 years (2006)

Canada
  total: 17 years
  male: 17 years
  female: 17 years (2004)

Cape Verde
  total: 12 years
  male: 11 years
  female: 12 years (2006)

Cayman Islands
  total: 13 years
  male: 12 years
  female: 13 years (2001)

Chad
  total: 6 years
  male: 7 years
  female: 4 years (2005)

Chile
  total: 14 years
  male: 14 years
  female: 14 years (2006)

China
  total: 11 years
  male: 11 years
  female: 11 years (2006)

Colombia
  total: 12 years
  male: 12 years
  female: 13 years (2006)

Comoros
  total: 8 years
  male: 9 years
  female: 7 years (2004)

Congo, Republic of the
  total: 9 years
  male: 10 years
  female: 8 years (2003)

Cook Islands
  total: 10 years
  male: 10 years
  female: 10 years (2005)

Costa Rica
  total: 12 years
  male: 12 years
  female: 12 years (2005)

Croatia
  total: 14 years
  male: 13 years
  female: 14 years (2006)

Cuba
  total: 16 years
  male: 15 years
  female: 17 years (2006)

Cyprus
  total: 14 years
  male: 13 years
  female: 14 years (2006)

Czech Republic
  total: 15 years
  male: 15 years
  female: 15 years (2006)

Denmark
  total: 17 years
  male: 16 years
  female: 17 years (2006)

Djibouti
  total: 4 years
  male: 5 years
  female: 4 years (2006)

Dominica
  total: 13 years
  male: 13 years
  female: 14 years (2005)

Dominican Republic
  total: 12 years
  male: 12 years
  female: 13 years (2004)

El Salvador
  total: 12 years
  male: 12 years
  female: 12 years (2006)

Equatorial Guinea
  total: 10 years
  male: 10 years
  female: 9 years (2000)

Eritrea
  total: 5 years
  male: 6 years
  female: 4 years (2004)

Estonia
  total: 16 years
  male: 15 years
  female: 17 years (2006)

Ethiopia
  total: 8 years
  male: 8 years
  female: 7 years (2007)

Fiji
  total: 13 years
  male: 13 years
  female: 13 years (2005)

Finland
  total: 17 years
  male: 17 years
  female: 18 years (2006)

France
  total: 16 years
  male: 16 years
  female: 17 years (2006)

Gambia, The
  total: 7 years
  male: 7 years
  female: 7 years (2004)

Gaza Strip
  total: 14 years
  male: 13 years
  female: 14 years (2006)

Georgia
  total: 12 years
  male: 12 years
  female: 13 years (2006)

Germany
  total: 16 years
  male: 16 years
  female: 16 years (2006)

Ghana
  total: 9 years
  male: 10 years
  female: 9 years (2007)

Greece
  total: 17 years
  male: 17 years
  female: 17 years (2006)

Grenada
  total: 12 years
  male: 12 years
  female: 12 years (2005)

Guatemala
  total: 10 years
  male: 11 years
  female: 10 years (2006)

Guinea
  total: 8 years
  male: 10 years
  female: 7 years (2006)

Guinea-Bissau
  total: 5 years
  male: 7 years
  female: 4 years (2001)

Guyana
  total: 13 years
  male: 13 years
  female: 14 years (2005)

Honduras
  total: 11 years
  male: 11 years
  female: 12 years (2004)

Hong Kong
  total: 14 years
  male: 14 years
  female: 13 years (2006)

Hungary
  total: 15 years
  male: 15 years
  female: 16 years (2006)

Iceland
  total: 18 years
  male: 17 years
  female: 19 years (2006)

India
  total: 10 years
  male: 11 years
  female: 9 years (2005)

Indonesia
  total: 11 years
  male: 12 years
  female: 11 years (2005)

Iran
  total: 13 years
  male: 13 years
  female: 13 years (2005)

Iraq
  total: 10 years
  male: 11 years
  female: 8 years (2005)

Ireland
  total: 18 years
  male: 17 years
  female: 18 years (2006)

Israel
  total: 15 years
  male: 15 years
  female: 16 years (2006)

Italy
  total: 16 years
  male: 16 years
  female: 17 years (2006)

Jamaica
  total: 12 years
  male: 11 years
  female: 12 years (2003)

Japan
  total: 15 years
  male: 15 years
  female: 15 years (2006)

Jordan
  total: 13 years
  male: 13 years
  female: 13 years (2006)

Kazakhstan
  total: 15 years
  male: 15 years
  female: 16 years (2007)

Kenya
  total: 10 years
  male: 10 years
  female: 9 years (2004)

Kiribati
  total: 12 years
  male: 12 years
  female: 13 years (2005)

Korea, South
  total: 17 years
  male: 18 years
  female: 15 years (2007)

Kuwait
  total: 13 years
  male: 12 years
  female: 13 years (2006)

Kyrgyzstan
  total: 12 years
  male: 12 years
  female: 13 years (2006)

Laos
  total: 9 years
  male: 10 years
  female: 8 years (2006)

Latvia
  total: 16 years
  male: 14 years
  female: 17 years (2006)

Lebanon
  total: 13 years
  male: 13 years
  female: 13 years (2006)

Lesotho
  total: 10 years
  male: 10 years
  female: 10 years (2006)

Liberia
  total: 10 years
  male: 11 years
  female: 8 years (2000)

Libya
  total: 17 years
  male: 16 years
  female: 17 years (2003)

Liechtenstein
  total: 15 years
  male: 16 years
  female: 13 years (2004)

Lithuania
  total: 16 years
  male: 15 years
  female: 17 years (2006)

Luxembourg
  total: 14 years
  male: 13 years
  female: 14 years (2006)

Macau
  total: 15 years
  male: 16 years
  female: 14 years (2006)

Macedonia
  total: 12 years
  male: 12 years
  female: 12 years (2005)

Madagascar
  total: 9 years
  male: 10 years
  female: 9 years (2006)

Malawi
  total: 9 years
  male: 10 years
  female: 9 years (2004)

Malaysia
  total: 13 years
  male: 12 years
  female: 13 years (2005)

Maldives
  total: 12 years
  male: 12 years
  female: 12 years (2006)

Mali
  total: 7 years
  male: 8 years
  female: 5 years (2005)

Malta
  total: 15 years
  male: 15 years
  female: 15 years (2005)

Marshall Islands
  total: 13 years
  male: 13 years
  female: 13 years (2003)

Mauritania
  total: 8 years
  male: 8 years
  female: 8 years (2006)

Mauritius
  total: 14 years
  male: 14 years
  female: 13 years (2005)

Mexico
  total: 13 years
  male: 14 years
  female: 13 years (2006)

Moldova
  total: 12 years
  male: 12 years
  female: 13 years (2006)

Mongolia
  total: 13 years
  male: 12 years
  female: 14 years (2006)

Montserrat
  total: 16 years
  male: 15 years
  female: 16 years (2006)

Morocco
  total: 10 years
  male: 11 years
  female: 9 years (2005)

Mozambique
  total: 8 years
  male: 9 years
  female: 7 years (2005)

Namibia
  total: 11 years
  male: 11 years
  female: 11 years (2006)

Nauru
  total: 8 years
  male: 8 years
  female: 9 years (2006)

Nepal
  total: 9 years
  male: 10 years
  female: 8 years (2003)

Netherlands
  total: 16 years
  male: 17 years
  female: 16 years (2006)

Netherlands Antilles
  total: 14 years
  male: 14 years
  female: 15 years (2002)

New Zealand
  total: 19 years
  male: 19 years
  female: 20 years (2006)

Nicaragua
  total: 11 years
  male: 11 years
  female: 11 years (2003)

Niger
  total: 4 years
  male: 5 years
  female: 3 years (2006)

Nigeria
  total: 8 years
  male: 9 years
  female: 7 years (2004)

Niue
  total: 12 years
  male: 12 years
  female: 12 years (2005)

Norway
  total: 17 years
  male: 17 years
  female: 18 years (2006)

Oman
  total: 12 years
  male: 12 years
  female: 11 years (2006)

Pakistan
  total: 7 years
  male: 7 years
  female: 6 years (2006)

Palau
  total: 15 years
  male: 14 years
  female: 15 years (2000)

Panama
  total: 13 years
  male: 13 years
  female: 14 years (2006)

Paraguay
  total: 12 years
  male: 12 years
  female: 12 years (2005)

Peru
  total: 14 years
  male: 14 years
  female: 14 years (2006)

Philippines
  total: 12 years
  male: 11 years
  female: 12 years (2006)

Poland
  total: 15 years
  male: 15 years
  female: 16 years (2006)

Portugal
  total: 15 years
  male: 15 years
  female: 16 years (2006)

Qatar
  total: 13 years
  male: 13 years
  female: 14 years (2006)

Romania
  total: 14 years
  male: 14 years
  female: 14 years (2006)

Russia
  total: 14 years
  male: 13 years
  female: 14 years (2006)

Rwanda
  total: 9 years
  male: 8 years
  female: 9 years (2005)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  total: 12 years
  male: 12 years
  female: 13 years (2005)

Saint Lucia
  total: 14 years
  male: 13 years
  female: 14 years (2006)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  total: 12 years
  male: 12 years
  female: 12 years (2005)

Samoa
  total: 12 years
  male: 12 years
  female: 12 years (2001)

Sao Tome and Principe
  total: 10 years
  male: 10 years
  female: 10 years (2006)

Seychelles
  total: 15 years
  male: 14 years
  female: 15 years (2007)

Sierra Leone
  total: 7 years
  male: 8 years
  female: 6 years (2001)

Slovakia
  total: 15 years
  male: 14 years
  female: 15 years (2006)

Slovenia
  total: 17 years
  male: 16 years
  female: 17 years (2006)

Solomon Islands
  total: 8 years
  male: 9 years
  female: 8 years (2005)

South Africa
  total: 13 years
  male: 13 years
  female: 13 years (2004)

Spain
  total: 16 years
  male: 16 years
  female: 17 years (2006)

Suriname
  total: 12 years
  male: 11 years
  female: 13 years (2002)

Swaziland
  total: 10 years
  male: 10 years
  female: 10 years (2005)

Sweden
  total: 16 years
  male: 15 years
  female: 17 years (2006)

Switzerland
  total: 15 years
  male: 15 years
  female: 15 years (2006)

Tajikistan
  total: 11 years
  male: 12 years
  female: 10 years (2006)

Thailand
  total: 14 years
  male: 13 years
  female: 14 years (2006)

Togo
  total: 9 years
  male: 11 years
  female: 7 years (2000)

Tokelau
  total: 11 years
  male: 10 years
  female: 11 years (2004)

Tonga
  total: 13 years
  male: 13 years
  female: 13 years (2004)

Trinidad and Tobago
  total: 11 years
  male: 11 years
  female: 11 years (2005)

Tunisia
  total: 14 years
  male: 13 years
  female: 14 years (2006)

Turkey
  total: 11 years
  male: 12 years
  female: 11 years (2006)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  total: 11 years
  male: 11 years
  female: 12 years (2005)

Tuvalu
  total: 11 years
  male: 11 years
  female: 11 years (2001)

Uganda
  total: 10 years
  male: 11 years
  female: 10 years (2004)

Ukraine
  total: 14 years
  male: 14 years
  female: 15 years (2006)

United Arab Emirates
  total: 11 years
  male: 11 years
  female: 12 years (2003)

United Kingdom
  total: 16 years
  male: 16 years
  female: 17 years (2006)

United States
  total: 16 years
  male: 15 years
  female: 16 years (2006)

Uruguay
  total: 15 years
  male: 14 years
  female: 16 years (2006)

Uzbekistan
  total: 11 years
  male: 12 years
  female: 11 years (2007)

Vanuatu
  total: 10 years
  male: 11 years
  female: 10 years (2004)

Venezuela
  total: 12 years
  male: 11 years
  female: 12 years (2003)

Vietnam
  total: 10 years
  male: 11 years
  female: 10 years (2000)

West Bank
  total: 14 years
  male: 13 years
  female: 14 years (2006)

Yemen
  total: 9 years
  male: 11 years
  female: 7 years (2005)

Zambia
  total: 7 years
  male: 7 years
  female: 7 years (2000)

Zimbabwe
  total: 9 years
  male: 9 years
  female: 9 years (2003)

======================================================================

@2206

Field Listing :: Education expenditures

  This entry provides the public expenditure on education as a percent
  of GDP.
  Country Comparison to the World
  Country

Education expenditures(% of GDP)

Afghanistan
  NA

Albania
  2.9% of GDP (2002)

Algeria
  5.1% of GDP (1999)

American Samoa
  NA

Andorra
  2.3% of GDP (2006)

Angola
  2.4% of GDP (2005)

Anguilla
  4% of GDP (2005)

Antigua and Barbuda
  3.9% of GDP (2002)

Argentina
  3.8% of GDP (2004)

Armenia
  3.2% of GDP (2001)

Aruba
  4.8% of GDP (2005)

Australia
  4.5% of GDP (2005)

Austria
  5.4% of GDP (2005)

Azerbaijan
  2.1% of GDP (2006)

Bahamas, The
  3.6% of GDP (2000)

Bahrain
  3.9% of GDP (1991)

Bangladesh
  2.7% of GDP (2005)

Barbados
  6.9% of GDP (2005)

Belarus
  6.1% of GDP (2006)

Belgium
  6% of GDP (2004)

Belize
  5.3% of GDP (2004)

Benin
  4.4% of GDP (2004)

Bermuda
  1.2% of GDP (2006)

Bhutan
  7% of GDP (2005)

Bolivia
  6.4% of GDP (2003)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  NA

Botswana
  8.7% of GDP (2007)

Brazil
  4% of GDP (2004)

British Virgin Islands
  3.7% of GDP (2006)

Brunei
  5.2% of GDP (2000)

Bulgaria
  4.5% of GDP (2005)

Burkina Faso
  4.2% of GDP (2006)

Burma
  1.2% of GDP (2001)

Burundi
  5.1% of GDP (2005)

Cambodia
  1.7% of GDP (2004)

Cameroon
  3.3% of GDP (2006)

Canada
  5.2% of GDP (2002)

Cape Verde
  6.3% of GDP (2006)

Cayman Islands
  2.8% of GDP (2005)

Central African Republic
  1.4% of GDP (2006)

Chad
  1.9% of GDP (2005)

Chile
  3.2% of GDP (2006)

China
  1.9% of GDP (1999)

Colombia
  4.7% of GDP (2006)

Comoros
  3.8% of GDP (2002)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  NA

Congo, Republic of the
  1.9% of GDP (2005)

Cook Islands
  0.2% of GDP (2001)

Costa Rica
  4.9% of GDP (2004)

Cote d'Ivoire
  4.6% of GDP (2001)

Croatia
  4.5% of GDP (2004)

Cuba
  9.1% of GDP (2006)

Cyprus
  6.3% of GDP (2004)

Czech Republic
  4.4% of GDP (2004)

Denmark
  8.3% of GDP (2005)

Djibouti
  8.4% of GDP (2006)

Dominica
  5% of GDP (1999)

Dominican Republic
  3.6% of GDP (2006)

Ecuador
  1% of GDP (2001)

Egypt
  4.2% of GDP (2006)

El Salvador
  3.1% of GDP (2006)

Equatorial Guinea
  0.6% of GDP (2003)

Eritrea
  2.4% of GDP (2006)

Estonia
  5.1% of GDP (2004)

Ethiopia
  6% of GDP (2006)

Fiji
  6.5% of GDP (2004)

Finland
  6.4% of GDP (2005)

France
  5.7% of GDP (2005)

French Polynesia
  NA

Gabon
  3.8% of GDP (2000)

Gambia, The
  2% of GDP (2004)

Gaza Strip
  NA

Georgia
  3.1% of GDP (2006)

Germany
  4.6% of GDP (2004)

Ghana
  5.4% of GDP (2005)

Gibraltar
  NA

Greece
  4.4% of GDP (2005)

Greenland
  NA

Grenada
  5.2% of GDP (2003)

Guam
  NA

Guatemala
  2.6% of GDP (2006)

Guernsey
  NA

Guinea
  1.6% of GDP (2005)

Guinea-Bissau
  5.2% of GDP (1999)

Guyana
  8.3% of GDP (2006)

Haiti
  1.4% of GDP (1991)

Honduras
  3.8% of GDP (1991)

Hong Kong
  3.9% of GDP (2006)

Hungary
  5.5% of GDP (2005)

Iceland
  7.6% of GDP (2004)

India
  3.2% of GDP (2005)

Indonesia
  3.6% of GDP (2006)

Iran
  5.1% of GDP (2006)

Iraq
  NA

Ireland
  4.7% of GDP (2005)

Isle of Man
  NA

Israel
  6.9% of GDP (2004)

Italy
  4.5% of GDP (2005)

Jamaica
  5.3% of GDP (2005)

Japan
  3.5% of GDP (2005)

Jersey
  NA

Jordan
  4.9% of GDP (1999)

Kazakhstan
  2.3% of GDP (2005)

Kenya
  6.9% of GDP (2006)

Kiribati
  17.8% of GDP (2002)

Korea, North
  NA

Korea, South
  4.6% of GDP (2004)

Kuwait
  3.8% of GDP (2006)

Kyrgyzstan
  4.9% of GDP (2005)

Laos
  3% of GDP (2006)

Latvia
  5.1% of GDP (2004)

Lebanon
  2.7% of GDP (2006)

Lesotho
  13% of GDP (2006)

Liberia
  NA

Libya
  2.7% of GDP (1999)

Liechtenstein
  NA

Lithuania
  5% of GDP (2005)

Luxembourg
  3.4% of GDP (1999)

Macau
  2.4% of GDP (2005)

Macedonia
  3.5% of GDP (2002)

Madagascar
  3.1% of GDP (2006)

Malawi
  5.8% of GDP (2003)

Malaysia
  6.2% of GDP (2004)

Maldives
  8% of GDP (2006)

Mali
  4.5% of GDP (2006)

Malta
  5.1% of GDP (2004)

Marshall Islands
  11.8% of GDP (2004)

Mauritania
  2.9% of GDP (2006)

Mauritius
  3.9% of GDP (2006)

Mayotte
  NA

Mexico
  5.5% of GDP (2005)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  7.3% of GDP (2000)

Moldova
  7.6% of GDP (2006)

Monaco
  4.4% of GDP (2004)

Mongolia
  5% of GDP (2004)

Montenegro
  NA

Montserrat
  3.3% of GDP (2004)

Morocco
  NA

Mozambique
  5% of GDP (2005)

Namibia
  6.9% of GDP (2003)

Nauru
  NA

Nepal
  3.4% of GDP (2003)

Netherlands
  5.3% of GDP (2005)

Netherlands Antilles
  NA

New Zealand
  6.2% of GDP (2006)

Nicaragua
  3.1% of GDP (2003)

Niger
  3.4% of GDP (2006)

Nigeria
  0.9% of GDP (1991)

Niue
  NA

Norfolk Island
  NA

Northern Mariana Islands
  NA

Norway
  7.2% of GDP (2005)

Oman
  4% of GDP (2006)

Pakistan
  2.6% of GDP (2006)

Palau
  10.3% of GDP (2002)

Panama
  3.8% of GDP (2004)

Papua New Guinea
  NA

Paraguay
  4% of GDP (2004)

Peru
  2.5% of GDP (2006)

Philippines
  2.5% of GDP (2005)

Poland
  5.5% of GDP (2005)

Portugal
  5.5% of GDP (2005)

Puerto Rico
  NA

Qatar
  3.3% of GDP (2005)

Romania
  3.5% of GDP (2005)

Russia
  3.8% of GDP (2005)

Rwanda
  3.8% of GDP (2005)

Saint Helena
  NA

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  9.3% of GDP (2005)

Saint Lucia
  6.6% of GDP (2006)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  NA

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  8.1% of GDP (2005)

Samoa
  4.3% of GDP (2002)

San Marino
  NA

Sao Tome and Principe
  NA

Saudi Arabia
  6.8% of GDP (2004)

Senegal
  5% of GDP (2006)

Serbia
  NA

Seychelles
  6.5% of GDP (2006)

Sierra Leone
  3.8% of GDP (2005)

Singapore
  3.7% of GDP (2001)

Slovakia
  3.9% of GDP (2005)

Slovenia
  6% of GDP (2005)

Solomon Islands
  3.3% of GDP (1999)

Somalia
  NA

South Africa
  5.4% of GDP (2006)

Spain
  4.2% of GDP (2005)

Sri Lanka
  NA

Sudan
  6% of GDP (1991)

Suriname
  NA

Swaziland
  7% of GDP (2005)

Sweden
  7.1% of GDP (2005)

Switzerland
  5.8% of GDP (2005)

Syria
  3.9% of GDP (1999)

Taiwan
  NA

Tajikistan
  3.4% of GDP (2006)

Tanzania
  2.2% of GDP (1999)

Thailand
  4.2% of GDP (2005)

Timor-Leste
  NA

Togo
  2.6% of GDP (2002)

Tokelau
  NA

Tonga
  5% of GDP (2004)

Trinidad and Tobago
  4.2% of GDP (2002)

Tunisia
  7.3% of GDP (2005)

Turkey
  4% of GDP (2004)

Turkmenistan
  3.9% of GDP (1991)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  NA

Tuvalu
  NA

Uganda
  5.2% of GDP (2004)

Ukraine
  6.3% of GDP (2006)

United Arab Emirates
  1.3% of GDP (2005)

United Kingdom
  5.6% of GDP (2005)

United States
  5.3% of GDP (2005)

Uruguay
  2.9% of GDP (2006)

Uzbekistan
  9.4% of GDP (1991)

Vanuatu
  9.5% of GDP (2003)

Venezuela
  3.7% of GDP (2006)

Vietnam
  1.8% of GDP (1991)

Virgin Islands
  NA

West Bank
  NA

Yemen
  9.6% of GDP (2001)

Zambia
  2% of GDP (2005)

Zimbabwe
  4.6% of GDP (2000)

======================================================================

@2207

Field Listing :: Central bank discount rate

This entry provides the annualized interest rate a country's central bank charges commercial, depository banks for loans to meet temporary shortages of funds. Country Comparison to the World Country

Central bank discount rate(%)

Albania
  6.25% (31 December 2008)
  6.25% (31 December 2007)

Algeria
  4% (31 December 2008)
  4% (31 December 2007)

Angola
  19.57% (31 December 2008)
  19.57% (31 December 2007)

Anguilla
  6.5% (31 December 2008)
  6.5% (31 December 2007)

Antigua and Barbuda
  6.5% (31 December 2008)
  6.5% (31 December 2007)

Argentina
  NA

Armenia
  7.25% (2 December 2008)
  NA% (31 December 2007)
  note: this is the Refinancing Rate, the key monetary policy
  instrument of the Armenian National Bank

Aruba
  5% (31 December 2008)
  5% (31 December 2007)

Azerbaijan
  8% (31 December 2008)
  13% (31 December 2007)
  note: this is the Refinancing Rate, the key policy rate for the
  National Bank of Azerbaijan

Bahamas, The
  5.25% (31 December 2008)
  5.25% (31 December 2007)

Bangladesh
  5% (31 December 2008)
  5% (31 December 2007)

Barbados
  10% (31 December 2008)
  12% (31 December 2007)

Belarus
  12% (31 December 2008)
  10% (31 December 2007)

Belgium
  3% (31 December 2008)
  5% (31 December 2007)
  note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal
  lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro
  area

Belize
  12% (31 December 2008)
  12% (31 December 2007)

Benin
  4.75% (31 December 2008)
  4.25% (31 December 2007)

Bolivia
  13% (31 December 2008)
  6.5% (31 December 2007)

Botswana
  15% (31 December 2008)
  14.5% (31 December 2007)

Brazil
  20.48% (31 December 2008)
  17.85% (31 December 2007)

Bulgaria
  5.77% (31 December 2008)
  4.58% (31 December 2007)

Burkina Faso
  4.75% (31 December 2008)
  4.25% (31 December 2007)

Burma
  12% (31 December 2008)
  12% (31 December 2007)

Burundi
  10.08% (31 December 2008)
  10.12% (31 December 2007)

Cambodia
  NA% (31 December 2008)
  5.25% (31 December 2007)

Cameroon
  4.75% (31 December 2008)
  5.25% (31 December 2007)

Canada
  1.75% (31 December 2008)
  4.5% (31 December 2007)

Cape Verde
  7.5% (31 December 2008)
  8.5% (31 December 2007)

Central African Republic
  4.75% (31 December 2008)
  5.25% (31 December 2007)

Chad
  4.75% (31 December 2008)
  5.25% (31 December 2007)

Chile
  8.25% (31 December 2008)
  6% (31 December 2007)

China
  2.79% (31 December 2008)
  3.33% (31 December 2007)

Colombia
  11.5% (31 December 2008)
  11.5% (31 December 2007)

Comoros
  5.36% (31 December 2008)
  5.36% (31 December 2007)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  NA% (31 December 2008)
  5.25% (31 December 2007)

Congo, Republic of the
  4.75% (31 December 2008)
  5.25% (31 December 2007)

Costa Rica
  25% (31 December 2008)
  17% (31 December 2007)

Cote d'Ivoire
  4.75% (31 December 2008)
  4.25% (31 December 2007)

Croatia
  9% (31 December 2008)
  9% (31 December 2007)

Cuba
  NA%

Cyprus
  3% (31 December 2008)
  5% (31 December 2007)
  note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal
  lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro
  area

Czech Republic
  2.25% (31 December 2008)
  3.5% (31 December 2007)

Denmark
  3.5% (31 December 2008)
  4% (31 December 2007)

Dominica
  6.5% (31 December 2008)
  6.5% (31 December 2007)

Ecuador
  9.14% (31 December 2008)
  10.72% (31 December 2007)

Egypt
  11.5% (31 December 2008)
  9% (31 December 2007)

Equatorial Guinea
  4.75% (31 December 2008)
  5.25% (31 December 2007)

European Union
  3% (31 December 2008)
  5% (31 December 2007)
  note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal
  lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro
  area

Fiji
  6.32% (31 December 2008)
  9.25% (31 December 2007)

Finland
  3% (31 December 2008)
  5% (31 December 2007)
  note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal
  lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro
  area

France
  3% (31 December 2008)
  5% (31 December 2007)
  note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal
  lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro
  area

Gabon
  4.75% (31 December 2008)
  5.25% (31 December 2007)

Gambia, The
  NA% (31 December 2008)
  10% (31 December 2007)

Georgia
  8% (25 December 2008)
  NA% (31 December 2007)
  note: this is the Refinancing Rate, the key monetary policy rate of
  the Georgian National Bank

Germany
  3% (31 December 2008)
  5% (31 December 2007)
  note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal
  lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro
  area

Ghana
  17% (31 December 2008)
  13.5% (31 December 2007)

Greece
  3% (31 December 2008)
  5% (31 December 2007)
  note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal
  lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro
  area

Grenada
  6.5% (31 December 2008)
  6.5% (31 December 2007)

Guatemala
  NA%

Guinea
  NA% (31 December 2008)
  22.25% (31 December 2005)

Guinea-Bissau
  4.75% (31 December 2008)
  4.25% (31 December 2007)

Guyana
  6.75% (31 December 2008)
  6.5% (31 December 2007)

Honduras
  NA%

Hong Kong
  0.5% (31 December 2008)
  5.75% (31 December 2007)

Hungary
  10% (31 December 2008)
  7.5% (31 December 2007)

Iceland
  22% (31 December 2008)
  15.25% (31 December 2007)

India
  6% (31 December 2008)
  6% (31 December 2007)

Indonesia
  10.83% (31 December 2008)
  8% (31 December 2007)

Iraq
  NA% (31 December 2008)
  20% (31 December 2007)

Ireland
  3% (31 December 2008)
  5% (31 December 2007)
  note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal
  lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro
  area

Israel
  2.5% (31 December 2008)
  4% (31 December 2007)

Italy
  3% (31 December 2008)
  5% (31 December 2007)
  note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal
  lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro
  area

Japan
  0.3% (31 December 2008)
  0.75% (31 December 2007)

Jordan
  6.25% (31 December 2008)
  7% (31 December 2007)

Kazakhstan
  10.5% (31 December 2008)
  11% (31 December 2007)

Korea, South
  1.75% (31 December 2008)
  3.25% (31 December 2007)

Kuwait
  3.75% (31 December 2008)
  6.25% (31 December 2007)

Laos
  7.67% (31 December 2008)
  12.67% (31 December 2007)

Latvia
  6% (31 December 2008)
  6% (31 December 2007)

Lebanon
  12% (31 December 2008)
  12% (31 December 2007)

Lesotho
  14.05% (31 December 2008)
  12.82% (31 December 2007)

Libya
  5% (31 December 2008)
  4% (31 December 2007)

Lithuania
  4.73% (31 December 2008)
  4.85% (31 December 2007)

Luxembourg
  3% (31 December 2008)
  5% (31 December 2007)
  note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal
  lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro
  area

Macedonia
  6.5% (31 December 2008)
  6.5% (31 December 2007)

Malawi
  15% (31 December 2008)
  15% (31 December 2007)

Maldives
  13% (31 December 2008)
  12.5% (31 December 2007)

Mali
  4.75% (31 December 2008)
  4.25% (31 December 2007)

Malta
  3% (31 December 2008)
  note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal
  lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro
  area

Mauritania
  NA% (31 December 2008)
  12% (31 December 2007)

Mexico
  NA% (31 December 2008)

Mongolia
  14.78% (31 December 2008)
  9.87% (31 December 2007)

Montserrat
  6.5% (31 December 2008)
  6.5% (31 December 2007)

Morocco
  3.32% (31 December 2008)
  3.25% (31 December 2007)

Mozambique
  9.95% (31 December 2008)
  9.95% (31 December 2007)

Namibia
  10% (31 December 2008)
  10.5% (31 December 2007)

Nepal
  6.5% (31 December 2008)
  6.25% (31 December 2007)

Netherlands
  3% (31 December 2008)
  5% (31 December 2007)
  note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal
  lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro
  area

Netherlands Antilles
  NA%

New Zealand
  5% (31 December 2008)
  8.25% (31 December 2007)

Nicaragua
  NA%

Niger
  4.75% (31 December 2008)
  4.25% (31 December 2007)

Nigeria
  9.75% (31 December 2008)
  9.5% (31 December 2007)

Norway
  4% (31 December 2008)
  6.25% (31 December 2007)

Oman
  0.91% (31 December 2008)
  1.98% (31 December 2007)

Pakistan
  15% (31 December 2008)
  10% (31 December 2007)

Papua New Guinea
  7% (31 December 2008)
  7.38% (31 December 2007)

Paraguay
  20% (31 December 2008)
  20% (31 December 2007)

Peru
  7.25% (31 December 2008)
  5.75% (31 December 2007)

Philippines
  6% (31 December 2008)
  4.28% (31 December 2007)

Poland
  5% (31 December 2008)
  5% (31 December 2007)

Portugal
  3% (31 December 2008)
  5% (31 December 2007)
  note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal
  lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro
  area

Qatar
  5.5% (31 December 2008)
  5.5% (31 December 2007)

Romania
  NA%

Russia
  13% (31 December 2008)
  10% (31 December 2007)

Rwanda
  11.25% (31 December 2008)
  12.5% (31 December 2007)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  6.5% (31 December 2008)
  6.5% (31 December 2007)

Saint Lucia
  6.5% (31 December 2008)
  6.5% (31 December 2007)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  6.5% (31 December 2008)
  6.5% (31 December 2007)

Sao Tome and Principe
  28% (31 December 2008)
  28% (31 December 2007)

Saudi Arabia
  2.5% (31 December 2008)
  NA% (31 December 2007)

Senegal
  4.75% (31 December 2008)
  4.25% (31 December 2007)

Serbia
  17.75% (31 December 2008)
  9.57% (31 December 2007)

Seychelles
  NA% (31 December 2008)
  5.13% (31 December 2007)

Sierra Leone
  NA% (31 December 2008)

Slovakia
  3% (31 December 2008)
  4.25% (31 December 2007)
  note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal
  lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks from the
  euro area; as of 1 January 2009 Slovakia became a member of the
  Economic and Monetary Union (EMU)

Slovenia
  3% (31 December 2008)
  5% (31 December 2007)
  note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal
  lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro
  area

South Africa
  11.5% (31 December 2008)
  11% (31 December 2007)

Spain
  3% (31 December 2008)
  5% (31 December 2007)
  note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal
  lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro
  area

Sri Lanka
  15% (31 December 2008)
  15% (31 December 2007)

Swaziland
  11% (31 December 2008)
  11% (31 December 2007)

Sweden
  2% (31 December 2008)
  3.5% (31 December 2007)

Switzerland
  0.05% (31 December 2008)
  2.05% (31 December 2007)

Syria
  NA% (31 December 2008)
  5% (31 December 2007)

Taiwan
  1.5% (January 2009)

Tajikistan
  NA% (31 December 2008)
  15% (31 December 2007)

Tanzania
  15.99% (31 December 2008)
  16.4% (31 December 2007)

Thailand
  3.25% (31 December 2008)
  3.75% (31 December 2007)

Togo
  4.75% (31 December 2008)
  4.25% (31 December 2007)

Trinidad and Tobago
  10.75% (31 December 2008)
  10% (31 December 2007)

Turkey
  25% (31 December 2008)
  25% (31 December 2007)

Uganda
  19.42% (31 December 2008)
  14.68% (31 December 2007)

Ukraine
  12% (31 December 2008)
  8% (31 December 2007)

United Arab Emirates
  NA% (31 December 2008)

United Kingdom
  0.86% (31 December 2008)

United States
  0.5% (31 March 2009)
  4.83% (31 December 2007)

Uruguay
  10% (31 December 2008)
  10% (31 December 2007)

Vanuatu
  6% (31 December 2008)
  6% (31 December 2007)

Venezuela
  33.5% (31 December 2008)
  28.5% (31 December 2007)

Vietnam
  10.25% (31 December 2008)
  6.5% (31 December 2007)

Yemen
  NA%

Zambia
  14.49% (31 December 2008)
  11.73% (31 December 2007)

Zimbabwe
  NA% (31 December 2008)
  975% (31 December 2007)

======================================================================

@2208

Field Listing :: Commercial bank prime lending rate

This entry provides a simple average of annualized interest rates commercial banks charge on new loans, denominated in the national currency, to their most credit-worthy customers. Country Comparison to the World Country

Commercial bank prime lending rate(%)

Afghanistan
  14.92% (31 December 2008)
  18.14% (31 December 2007)

Albania
  13.02% (31 December 2008)
  14.1% (31 December 2007)

Algeria
  8% (31 December 2008)
  8% (31 December 2007)

Angola
  12.53% (31 December 2008)
  17.7% (31 December 2007)

Anguilla
  9.51% (31 December 2008)
  9.76% (31 December 2007)

Antigua and Barbuda
  10.43% (31 December 2008)
  10.44% (31 December 2007)

Argentina
  19.47% (31 December 2008)
  28% (28 November 2008)

Armenia
  17.05% (31 December 2008)
  17.52% (31 December 2007)

Aruba
  11.23% (31 December 2008)
  11.01% (31 December 2007)

Australia
  8.91% (31 December 2008)
  10.02% (31 December 2007)

Austria
  6.82% (31 December 2008)
  6.3% (31 December 2007)

Azerbaijan
  19.76% (31 December 2008)
  19.13% (31 December 2007)

Bahamas, The
  5.5% (31 December 2008)
  5.5% (31 December 2007)

Bahrain
  NA% (31 December 2008)
  8.35% (31 December 2007)

Bangladesh
  16.38% (31 December 2008)
  16% (31 December 2007)

Barbados
  10.03% (31 December 2008)
  10.8% (31 December 2007)

Belarus
  8.55% (31 December 2008)
  8.58% (31 December 2007)

Belgium
  7.03% (31 December 2008)

Belize
  14.14% (31 December 2008)
  14.33% (31 December 2007)

Benin
  NA

Bhutan
  NA% (31 December 2008)
  14% (31 December 2007)

Bolivia
  13.87% (31 December 2008)
  12.86% (31 December 2007)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  6.98% (31 December 2008)
  7.17% (31 December 2007)

Botswana
  16.54% (31 December 2008)
  16.22% (31 December 2007)

Brazil
  47.25% (31 December 2008)
  43.72% (31 December 2007)

Brunei
  5.5% (31 December 2008)
  5.5% (February 2009)

Bulgaria
  10.86% (31 December 2008)
  10% (31 December 2007)

Burkina Faso
  NA

Burma
  17% (31 December 2008)
  17% (31 December 2007)

Burundi
  16.52% (31 December 2008)
  16.84% (31 December 2007)

Cambodia
  16.01% (31 December 2008)
  16.18% (31 December 2007)

Cameroon
  NA% (31 December 2008)
  15% (31 December 2007)

Canada
  4.73% (31 December 2008)
  6.1% (31 December 2007)

Cape Verde
  9.99% (31 December 2008)
  10.55% (31 December 2007)

Central African Republic
  NA% (31 December 2008)
  15% (31 December 2007)

Chad
  NA% (31 December 2008)
  15% (31 December 2007)

Chile
  13.26% (31 December 2008)
  8.67% (31 December 2007)

China
  5.31% (31 December 2008)
  5.58% (17 December 2007)

Colombia
  17.18% (31 December 2008)

Comoros
  7% (31 December 2008)
  10.5% (31 December 2007)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  NA

Congo, Republic of the
  NA% (31 December 2008)
  15% (31 December 2007)

Costa Rica
  15.83% (31 December 2008)
  12.8% (31 December 2007)

Cote d'Ivoire
  NA

Croatia
  10.07% (31 December 2008)

Cuba
  NA%

Cyprus
  7.19% (31 December 2008)
  6.74% (31 December 2007)

Czech Republic
  6.25% (31 December 2008)
  5.79% (31 December 2007)

Denmark
  NA

Djibouti
  NA

Dominica
  9.06% (31 December 2008)
  9.17% (31 December 2007)

Dominican Republic
  19.95% (31 December 2008)
  15.83% (31 December 2007)

Ecuador
  9.71% (31 December 2008)

Egypt
  NA% (31 December 2008)
  12.51% (31 December 2007)

El Salvador
  12.33% (31 December 2008)
  7.81% (31 December 2007)

Equatorial Guinea
  NA% (31 December 2008)
  15% (31 December 2007)

Estonia
  8.55% (31 December 2008)
  6.46% (31 December 2007)

Ethiopia
  8% (31 December 2008)
  7% (31 December 2006)

European Union
  8.6% (31 December 2008)
  8.03% (31 December 2007)

Fiji
  7.97% (31 December 2008)
  9.01% (31 December 2007)

Finland
  5.79% (31 December 2008)

France
  8.13% (31 December 2008)

Gabon
  NA% (31 December 2008)
  15% (31 December 2007)

Gambia, The
  NA% (31 December 2008)
  27.92% (31 December 2007)

Gaza Strip
  7.19% (31 December 2008)
  7.73% (31 December 2006)

Georgia
  21.24% (31 December 2008)
  20.41% (31 December 2007)

Germany
  5.97% (31 December 2008)
  5.96% (31 December 2007)

Ghana
  NA

Greece
  8.65% (31 December 2008)
  7.71% (31 December 2007)

Grenada
  9.53% (31 December 2008)
  9.76% (31 December 2007)

Guatemala
  13.39% (31 December 2008)
  12.84% (31 December 2007)

Guinea
  NA%

Guyana
  14.58% (31 December 2008)
  14.61% (31 December 2007)

Haiti
  17.81% (31 December 2008)
  46.99% (31 December 2007)

Honduras
  17.94% (31 December 2008)
  16.61% (31 December 2007)

Hong Kong
  5% (31 December 2008)

Hungary
  10.18% (31 December 2008)

Iceland
  NA% (31 December 2008)
  19.29% (31 December 2007)

India
  13.31% (31 December 2008)

Indonesia
  13.6% (31 December 2008)
  7.21% (31 December 2007)

Iran
  NA% (31 December 2008)
  12% (31 December 2007)

Iraq
  NA% (31 December 2008)
  19.74% (31 December 2007)

Ireland
  6.76% (31 December 2008)
  6.52% (31 December 2007)

Israel
  6.06% (31 December 2008)
  6.27% (31 December 2007)

Italy
  11.34% (31 December 2008)
  10.93% (31 December 2007)

Jamaica
  16.83% (31 December 2008)
  17.2% (31 December 2007)

Japan
  1.91% (31 December 2008)

Jordan
  9.03% (31 December 2008)

Kenya
  14.02% (31 December 2008)
  13.34% (31 December 2007)

Korea, South
  7.17% (31 December 2008)

Kosovo
  13.79% (31 December 2008)

Kuwait
  7.61% (31 December 2008)
  8.54% (31 December 2007)

Kyrgyzstan
  19.86% (31 December 2008)
  25.32% (31 December 2007)

Laos
  24% (31 December 2008)
  28.5% (31 December 2007)

Latvia
  11.85% (31 December 2008)

Lebanon
  9.96% (31 December 2008)
  10.26% (31 December 2007)

Lesotho
  16.19% (31 December 2008)
  14.13% (31 December 2007)

Liberia
  14.4% (31 December 2008)
  15.05% (31 December 2007)

Libya
  8.41% (31 December 2008)
  6% (31 December 2007)

Lithuania
  6.29% (31 December 2008)
  6.86% (31 December 2007)

Macau
  5.43% (31 December 2008)

Macedonia
  9.68% (31 December 2008)
  10.23% (31 December 2007)

Madagascar
  45% (31 December 2008)
  45% (31 December 2007)

Malawi
  25.28% (31 December 2008)
  27.72% (31 December 2007)

Malaysia
  6.08% (31 December 2008)
  6.41% (31 December 2007)

Maldives
  13% (31 December 2008)
  13% (31 December 2007)

Mali
  NA%

Malta
  5.89% (31 December 2008)
  6.24% (31 December 2007)

Mauritius
  21.54% (31 December 2008)
  21.87% (31 December 2007)

Mexico
  8.71% (31 December 2008)
  7.56% (31 December 2007)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  14.38% (31 December 2008)
  14.03% (31 December 2007)

Moldova
  21.06% (31 December 2008)
  18.83% (31 December 2007)

Mongolia
  18% (31 December 2008)
  17.54% (31 December 2007)

Montenegro
  9.24% (31 December 2008)
  9.09% (31 December 2007)

Montserrat
  9.89% (31 December 2008)
  10.4% (31 December 2007)

Morocco
  NA%

Mozambique
  18.31% (31 December 2008)
  19.52% (31 December 2007)

Namibia
  13.74% (31 December 2008)
  12.88% (31 December 2007)

Nepal
  NA% (31 December 2008)

Netherlands
  10.37% (31 December 2008)
  8.72% (31 December 2007)

Netherlands Antilles
  8.33% (31 December 2008)
  9.21% (31 December 2007)

New Zealand
  12.06% (31 December 2008)
  12.83% (31 December 2007)

Nicaragua
  13.17% (31 December 2008)
  13.04% (31 December 2007)

Niger
  NA%

Nigeria
  15.48% (31 December 2008)
  16.94% (31 December 2007)

Norway
  7.28% (31 December 2008)
  3.5% (1st quarter 2009)

Oman
  7.1% (31 December 2008)
  7.29% (31 December 2007)

Panama
  8.16% (31 December 2008)
  8.25% (31 December 2007)

Papua New Guinea
  9.27% (31 December 2008)
  9.78% (31 December 2007)

Paraguay
  25.81% (31 December 2008)
  25.03% (31 December 2007)

Peru
  23.67% (31 December 2008)
  24.1% (December 2008)

Philippines
  8.75% (31 December 2008)
  8.69% (31 December 2007)

Poland
  5.99% (31 December 2008)
  5.72% (31 December 2007)

Portugal
  8.35% (31 December 2008)
  7.92% (31 December 2007)

Qatar
  6.84% (31 December 2008)
  7.43% (31 December 2007)

Romania
  14.99% (31 December 2008)
  13.35% (31 December 2007)

Russia
  12.23% (31 December 2008)
  NA% (31 December 2007)

Rwanda
  16.51% (31 December 2008)
  15.84% (31 December 2007)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  8.69% (31 December 2008)
  8.89% (31 December 2007)

Saint Lucia
  10.08% (31 December 2008)
  8.34% (31 December 2007)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  9.52% (31 December 2008)
  8.8% (31 December 2007)

Samoa
  12.66% (31 December 2008)
  12.65% (31 December 2007)

San Marino
  NA% (31 December 2008)
  7.58% (31 December 2007)

Sao Tome and Principe
  32.4% (31 December 2008)
  32.4% (31 December 2007)

Saudi Arabia
  NA% (31 December 2008)

Senegal
  NA% (31 December 2008)
  NA% (31 December 2007)

Serbia
  18.11% (31 December 2008)
  11.13% (31 December 2007)

Seychelles
  11.81% (31 December 2008)
  10.89% (31 December 2007)

Sierra Leone
  24.5% (31 December 2008)
  25% (31 December 2007)

Singapore
  5.38% (31 December 2008)

Slovakia
  6.42% (31 December 2008)

Slovenia
  7.41% (31 December 2008)
  6.82% (31 December 2007)

Solomon Islands
  14.44% (31 December 2008)
  14.12% (31 December 2007)

South Africa
  15.13% (31 December 2008)
  13.17% (31 December 2007)

Spain
  11.02% (31 December 2008)

Sri Lanka
  18.89% (31 December 2008)

Suriname
  12.23% (31 December 2008)
  9.71% (31 December 2007)

Swaziland
  14.83% (31 December 2008)
  13.17% (31 December 2007)

Sweden
  NA% (31 December 2008)
  4% (2004)

Switzerland
  3.34% (31 December 2008)
  3.15% (31 December 2007)

Syria
  NA% (31 December 2008)

Taiwan
  4.06% (2008 est.)

Tajikistan
  23.1% (31 December 2008)

Tanzania
  14.98% (31 December 2008)
  16.03% (31 December 2007)

Thailand
  7.04% (31 December 2008)
  7.25% (31 December 2007)

Timor-Leste
  13.11% (31 December 2008)
  15.05% (31 December 2007)

Togo
  NA%

Tonga
  12.46% (31 December 2008)
  12.16% (31 December 2007)

Trinidad and Tobago
  12.44% (31 December 2008)
  11.75% (31 December 2007)

Uganda
  20.45% (31 December 2008)
  19.11% (31 December 2007)

Ukraine
  17.49% (31 December 2008)
  11.33% (31 December 2007)

United Kingdom
  4.63% (31 December 2008)
  5.52% (31 December 2007)

United States
  5.09% (31 December 2008)
  8.05% (31 December 2007)

Uruguay
  12.45% (31 December 2008)
  7.25% (31 December 2007)

Vanuatu
  5.29% (31 December 2008)
  8.16% (31 December 2007)

Venezuela
  22.37% (31 December 2008)
  17.11% (31 December 2007)

Vietnam
  15.78% (31 December 2008)
  11.18% (31 December 2007)

West Bank
  7.19% (31 December 2008)
  7.73% (31 December 2006)

Yemen
  18% (31 December 2008)
  18% (31 December 2007)

Zambia
  19.06% (31 December 2008)
  18.89% (31 December 2007)

Zimbabwe
  NA% (31 December 2008)
  578.96% (31 December 2007)

======================================================================

@2209

Field Listing :: Stock of money

This entry, also known as "M1," comprises the total quantity of currency in circulation (notes and coins) plus demand deposits denominated in the national currency, held by nonbank financial institutions, state and local governments, nonfinancial public enterprises, and the private sector of the economy. The national currency units have been converted to US dollars at the closing exchange rate on the date of the information. Country Comparison to the World Country

Stock of money

Afghanistan
  $1.688 billion (31 December 2008)
  $1.426 billion (31 December 2007)

Albania
  $3.028 billion (31 December 2008)
  $2.707 billion (31 December 2007)

Algeria
  $60.91 billion (31 December 2008)
  $55.43 billion (31 December 2007)

Angola
  $8.446 billion (31 December 2008)
  $4.153 billion (31 December 2007)

Anguilla
  $21.12 million (31 December 2008)
  $23.57 million (31 December 2007)

Antigua and Barbuda
  $296.4 million (31 December 2008)
  $294.8 million (31 December 2007)

Argentina
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $33.93 billion (31 December 2007)

Armenia
  $1.359 billion (31 December 2008)
  $1.507 billion (31 December 2007)

Aruba
  $780.4 million (31 December 2008)
  $640.9 million (31 December 2007)

Australia
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $298.5 billion (31 December 2007)

Azerbaijan
  $6.381 billion (31 December 2008)
  $4.261 billion (31 December 2007)

Bahamas, The
  $1.255 billion (31 December 2008)
  $1.274 billion (31 December 2007)

Bahrain
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $4.169 billion (31 December 2007)

Bangladesh
  $9.294 billion (31 December 2008)
  $8.444 billion (31 December 2007)

Barbados
  $1.637 billion (31 December 2008)
  $1.478 billion (31 December 2007)

Belarus
  $4.872 billion (31 December 2008)
  $4.065 billion (31 December 2007)

Belgium
  NA (31 December 2008)
  NA (31 December 2007)
  note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the euro
  area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for
  the 16 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual
  members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money and quasi
  money circulating within their own borders

Belize
  $345.7 million (31 December 2008)
  $323.9 million (31 December 2007)

Benin
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $1.324 billion (31 December 2007)

Bhutan
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $381.1 million (31 December 2007)

Bolivia
  $3.998 billion (31 December 2008)
  $3.032 billion (31 December 2007)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  $4.49 billion (31 December 2008)
  $5.13 billion (31 December 2007)

Botswana
  $1.008 billion (31 December 2008)
  $1.026 billion (31 December 2007)

Brazil
  $95.03 billion (31 December 2008)
  $131.1 billion (31 December 2007)

Brunei
  $3.046 billion (31 December 2008)
  $2.674 billion (31 December 2007)

Bulgaria
  $14.29 billion (31 December 2008)
  $15.58 billion (31 December 2007)

Burkina Faso
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $1.051 billion (31 December 2007)

Burma
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $598 billion (31 December 2007)
  note: this number reflects the vastly overvalued official exchange
  rate of 5.38 kyat per dollar; at the unofficial black market rate of
  1305 kyat per dollar, the stock of kyats would equal only US$2.465
  billion and Burma's velocity of money (the number of times money
  turns over in the course of a year) would be six, in line with the
  velocity of money for other countries in the region

Burundi
  $261.6 million (31 December 2008)
  $208.7 million (31 December 2007)

Cambodia
  $591.7 million (31 December 2008)
  $513.6 million (31 December 2007)

Cameroon
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $2.616 billion (31 December 2007)

Canada
  $356.2 billion (31 December 2008)
  $391.6 billion (31 December 2007)

Cape Verde
  $563.4 million (31 December 2008)
  $574 million (31 December 2007)

Central African Republic
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $218.3 million (31 December 2007)

Chad
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $874.5 million (31 December 2007)

Chile
  $14.72 billion (31 December 2008)
  $16.6 billion (31 December 2007)

China
  $2.434 trillion (31 December 2008)
  $2.09 trillion (31 December 2007)

Colombia
  $21.58 billion (31 December 2008)
  $21.81 billion (31 December 2007)

Comoros
  $100.6 million (31 December 2008)
  $76.68 million (31 December 2007)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $597 million (31 December 2007)

Congo, Republic of the
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $1.4 billion (31 December 2007)

Costa Rica
  $4.209 billion (31 December 2008)
  $4.504 billion (31 December 2007)

Cote d'Ivoire
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $4.451 billion (31 December 2007)

Croatia
  $10.71 billion (31 December 2008)
  $11.61 billion (31 December 2007)

Cuba
  $NA

Cyprus
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $4.094 billion (31 December 2007)
  note: this figure represents the US dollar value of Cypriot pounds
  in circulation prior to Cyprus joining the Economic and Monetary
  Union (EMU); see entry for the European Union for money supply in
  the euro area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary
  policy for the 16 members of the EMU; individual members of the EMU
  do not control the quantity of money and quasi money circulating
  within their own borders

Czech Republic
  $86.55 billion (31 December 2008)
  $84.43 billion (31 December 2007)

Denmark
  $143 billion (31 December 2008)
  $148.7 billion (31 December 2007)

Djibouti
  $462.7 million (31 December 2008)
  $380 million (31 December 2007)

Dominica
  $72.1 million (31 December 2008)
  $73.71 million (31 December 2007)

Dominican Republic
  $3.619 billion (31 December 2008)
  $4.074 billion (31 December 2007)

Ecuador
  $5.907 billion (31 December 2008)
  $4.395 billion (31 December 2007)

Egypt
  $31.72 billion (31 December 2008)
  $27.6 billion (31 December 2007)

El Salvador
  $213.7 million (31 December 2008)
  $209.7 million (31 December 2007)

Equatorial Guinea
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $835.2 million (31 December 2007)

Eritrea
  $896.2 million (31 December 2008)
  $749.1 million (31 December 2007)

Estonia
  $6.106 billion (31 December 2008)
  $7.158 billion (31 December 2007)

Ethiopia
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $3.651 billion (31 December 2006)

European Union
  $5.542 trillion (31 December 2008)
  $5.649 trillion (31 December 2007)
  note: this is the quantity of money, M1, for the euro area,
  converted into US dollars at the exchange rate for the date
  indicated; it excludes the stock of money carried by non-euro-area
  members of the European Union

Fiji
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $1.042 billion (31 December 2007)

Finland
  $NA (31December 2008)
  $NA (31 December 2007)
  note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the euro
  area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for
  the 16 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual
  members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money and quasi
  money circulating within their own borders

France
  $NA
  note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the euro
  area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for
  the 16 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual
  members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money and quasi
  money circulating within their own borders

Gabon
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $1.547 billion (31 December 2007)

Gambia, The
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $186.7 million (31 December 2007)

Gaza Strip
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $1.574 billion (31 December 2007)

Georgia
  $972.4 million (31 December 2008)
  $1.154 billion (31 December 2007)

Germany
  $NA
  note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the euro
  area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for
  the 16 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual
  members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money and quasi
  money circulating within their own borders

Ghana
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $2.179 billion (31 December 2006)

Greece
  $NA
  note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the euro
  area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for
  the 16 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual
  members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money and quasi
  money circulating within their own borders

Grenada
  $141.4 million (31 December 2008)
  $151.2 million (31 December 2007)

Guatemala
  $6.106 billion (31 December 2008)
  $6.227 billion (31 December 2007)

Guinea
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $309.8 million (31 December 2005)

Guinea-Bissau
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $142.5 million (31 December 2007)

Guyana
  $344.2 million (31 December 2008)
  $315.2 million (31 December 2007)

Haiti
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $704.7 million (31 December 2007)

Honduras
  $1.633 billion (31 December 2008)
  $1.6 billion (31 December 2007)

Hong Kong
  $63.03 billion (31 December 2008)
  $51.25 billion (31 December 2007)

Hungary
  $32.78 billion (31 December 2008)
  $36.78 billion (31 December 2007)

Iceland
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $6.64 billion (31 December 2007)

India
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $250.9 billion (31 December 2007)

Indonesia
  $41.71 billion (31 December 2008)
  $47.78 billion (31 December 2007)

Iran
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $46.13 billion (31 December 2007)

Iraq
  $26.1 billion (31 December 2008)
  $18.81 billion (31 December 2007)

Ireland
  $NA
  note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the euro
  area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for
  the 16 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual
  members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money and quasi
  money circulating within their own borders

Israel
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $15.36 billion (31 December 2006)

Jamaica
  $1.253 billion (31 December 2008)
  $1.369 billion (31 December 2007)

Japan
  $5.417 trillion (31 December 2008)
  $4.37 trillion (31 December 2007)

Jordan
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $6.765 billion (31 December 2007)

Kazakhstan
  $16.12 billion (31 December 2008)
  $12.74 billion (31 December 2007)

Kenya
  $6.068 billion (31 December 2008)
  $5.912 billion (31 December 2007)

Korea, South
  $80.66 billion (31 December 2008)
  $92.59 billion (31 December 2007)

Kuwait
  $15.31 billion (31 December 2008)
  $15.12 billion (31 December 2007)

Kyrgyzstan
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $911.1 million (31 December 2007)

Laos
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $327.9 million (31 December 2007)

Latvia
  $6.688 billion (31 December 2008)
  $8.196 billion (31 December 2007)

Lebanon
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $2.374 billion (31 December 2007)

Lesotho
  $416.5 million (31 December 2008)
  $439.2 million (31 December 2007)

Liberia
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $145.6 million (31 December 2007)

Libya
  $26.66 billion (31 December 2008)
  $18.04 billion (31 December 2007)

Lithuania
  $9.519 billion (31 December 2008)
  $11.84 billion (31 December 2007)

Luxembourg
  $NA
  note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the euro
  area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for
  the 16 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual
  members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money and quasi
  money circulating within their own borders

Macau
  $1.591 billion (31 December 2008)
  $1.16 billion (31 December 2007)

Macedonia
  $1.307 billion (31 December 2008)
  $1.173 billion (31 December 2007)

Madagascar
  $1.217 billion (31 December 2008)
  $1.161 billion (31 December 2007)

Malawi
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $361.5 million (31 December 2007)

Malaysia
  $51.51 billion (31 December 2008)
  $49.41 billion (31 December 2007)

Maldives
  $475.2 million (31 December 2008)
  $344.1 million (31 December 2007)

Mali
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $1.58 billion (31 December 2007)

Malta
  $4.639 billion (31 January 2008)
  $4.603 billion (31 December 2007)
  note: this figure represents the US dollar value of Maltese liri in
  circulation prior to Malta joining the Economic and Monetary Union
  (EMU); see entry for the European Union for money supply in the euro
  area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for
  the 16 members of the EMU; individual members of the EMU do not
  control the quantity of money and quasi money circulating within
  their own borders

Mauritania
  $NA (31 December 2008)

Mauritius
  $1.68 billion (31 December 2008)
  $1.673 billion (31 December 2007)

Mexico
  $92.34 billion (31 December 2008)
  $103.5 billion (31 December 2007)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $22.45 million (31 December 2007)

Moldova
  $1.116 billion (31 December 2008)
  $965 million (31 December 2007)

Mongolia
  $521.2 million (31 December 2008)
  $504.7 million (31 December 2007)

Montenegro
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $1.172 billion (31 December 2007)

Montserrat
  $16.71 million (31 December 2008)
  $17.9 million (31 December 2007)

Morocco
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $67.42 billion (31 December 2007)

Mozambique
  $1.406 billion (31 December 2008)
  $1.261 billion (31 December 2007)

Namibia
  $1.983 billion (31 December 2008)
  $2.149 billion (31 December 2007)

Nepal
  $2.106 billion (31 December 2008)
  $2.184 billion (31 December 2007)

Netherlands
  $NA
  note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the euro
  area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for
  the 16 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual
  members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money and quasi
  money circulating within their own borders

Netherlands Antilles
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $997.8 million (31 December 2007)

New Zealand
  $13.7 billion (31 December 2008)
  $17.85 billion (31 December 2007)

Nicaragua
  $507.5 million (31 December 2008)
  $465.1 million (31 December 2007)

Niger
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $604.5 million (31 December 2007)

Nigeria
  $35.29 billion (31 December 2008)
  $26.82 billion (31 December 2007)

Norway
  $NA

Oman
  $5.25 billion (31 December 2008)
  $5.044 billion (31 December 2007)

Pakistan
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $52.76 billion (31 December 2007)

Panama
  $3.764 billion (31 December 2008)
  $3.054 billion (31 December 2007)

Papua New Guinea
  $2.005 billion (31 December 2008)
  $1.685 billion (31 December 2007)

Paraguay
  $2.062 billion (31 December 2008)
  $1.943 billion (31 December 2007)

Peru
  $15.42 billion (31 December 2008)
  $14.66 billion (31 December 2007)

Philippines
  $22.53 billion (31 December 2008)
  $21.27 billion (31 December 2007)

Poland
  $118.2 billion (31 December 2008)
  $137.4 billion (31 December 2007)

Portugal
  $NA
  note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the euro
  area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for
  the 16 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual
  members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money and quasi
  money circulating within their own borders

Qatar
  $13.98 billion (31 December 2008)
  $9.718 billion (31 December 2007)

Romania
  $25.3 billion (31 December 2008)
  $25.17 billion (31 December 2007)

Russia
  $252.5 billion (31 December 2008)
  $303.7 billion (31 December 2007)

Rwanda
  $233.6 million (31 December 2005)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  $107.2 million (31 December 2008)
  $97.31 million (31 December 2007)

Saint Lucia
  $261.3 million (31 December 2008)
  $264.7 million (31 December 2007)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  $150.8 million (31 December 2008)
  $155.5 million (31 December 2007)

Samoa
  $60.13 million (31 December 2008)
  $69.97 million (31 December 2007)

San Marino
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $1.326 billion (31 December 2007)

Sao Tome and Principe
  $27.84 million (31 December 2008)
  $19.99 million (31 December 2007)

Saudi Arabia
  $113.2 billion (31 December 2008)
  $102.4 billion (31 December 2007)

Senegal
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $2.842 billion (31 December 2007)

Serbia
  $3.831 billion (31 December 2008)
  $4.632 billion (31 December 2007)

Seychelles
  $164.8 million (31 December 2008)
  $330.8 million (31 December 2007)

Sierra Leone
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $184.6 million (31 December 2007)

Singapore
  $52.57 billion (31 December 2008)
  $44.4 billion (31 December 2007)

Slovakia
  $25.52 billion (31 December 2008)
  $26.17 billion (31 December 2007)
  note: this figure represents the US dollar value of Slovak koruny in
  circulation prior to Slovakia joining the Economic and Monetary
  Union (EMU); see entry for the European Union for money supply in
  the euro area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary
  policy for the 16 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU);
  individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money
  and quasi money circulating within their own borders

Slovenia
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $9.347 billion (31 December 2006)
  note: the figure for 2006 represents the US dollar value of tolars
  in circulation prior to Slovenia joining the Economic and Monetary
  Union (EMU); see entry for the European Union for money supply in
  the euro area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary
  policy for the 16 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU);
  individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money
  and quasi money circulating within their own borders

Solomon Islands
  $86.96 million (31 December 2008)
  $94 million (31 December 2007)

South Africa
  $44.66 billion (31 December 2008)
  $58.49 billion (31 December 2007)

Spain
  $NA
  note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the euro
  area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for
  the 16 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual
  members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money and quasi
  money circulating within their own borders

Sri Lanka
  $2.55 billion (30 September 2008)
  $2.465 billion (31 December 2007)

Sudan
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $5.549 billion (31 December 2007)

Suriname
  $484.7 million (31 December 2008)
  $416.6 million (31 December 2007)

Swaziland
  $211.8 million (31 December 2008)
  $244.8 million (31 December 2007)

Sweden
  $185.4 billion (31 December 2008)
  $217.1 billion (31 December 2007)

Switzerland
  $207 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $213.9 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Syria
  $73.54 billion (31 December 2008)
  $15.21 billion (31 December 2007)

Tajikistan
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $329.2 million (31 December 2007)

Tanzania
  $2.464 billion (31 December 2008)
  $2.285 billion (31 December 2007)

Thailand
  $28.76 billion (31 December 2008)
  $28.63 billion (31 December 2007)

Timor-Leste
  $102.8 million (31 December 2008)
  $74.94 million (31 December 2007)

Togo
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $624.9 million (31 December 2007)

Tonga
  $36.16 million (31 December 2008)
  $46.38 million (31 December 2007)

Trinidad and Tobago
  $2.39 billion (31 December 2008)
  $2.646 billion (31 December 2007)

Tunisia
  $9.892 billion (31 December 2008)
  $9.491 billion (31 December 2007)

Turkey
  $53.25 billion (31 December 2008)
  $63.88 billion (31 December 2007)

Uganda
  $1.488 billion (31 December 2008)
  $1.347 billion (31 December 2007)

Ukraine
  $29.24 billion (31 December 2008)
  $35.97 billion (31 December 2007)

United Arab Emirates
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $49.5 billion (31 December 2007)

United Kingdom
  $NA (31 December 2008)

United States
  $1.436 trillion (31 December 2008)
  $1.395 trillion (31 December 2007)

Uruguay
  $2.247 billion (31 December 2008)
  $2.145 billion (31 December 2007)

Vanuatu
  $101.6 million (31 December 2008)
  $107.1 million (31 December 2007)

Venezuela
  $79.91 billion (31 December 2008)
  $63.18 billion (31 December 2007)

Vietnam
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $27.01 billion (31 December 2007)

West Bank
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $1.574 billion (31 December 2007)

World
  $12.35 trillion (31 December 2007)

Yemen
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $3.076 billion (31 December 2007)

Zambia
  $1.034 billion (31 December 2008)
  $995.8 million (31 December 2007)

Zimbabwe
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $14.18 billion (31 December 2007)
  note: this number reflects the vastly overvalued official exchange
  rate of 30,000 Zimbabwe dollars per US dollar; at an unofficial rate
  of 800,000 Zimbabwe dollars per US dollar, the stock of Zimbabwe
  dollars would equal only about US$500 million and Zimbabwe's
  velocity of money (the number of times money turns over in the
  course of a year) would be nine, in line with the velocity of money
  for other countries in the region

======================================================================

@2210

Field Listing :: Stock of quasi money

This entry comprises the total quantity of time and savings deposits denominated in the national currency, held by nonbank financial institutions, state and local governments, nonfinancial public enterprises, and the private sector of the economy. When added together with "M1" the total money supply is known as "M2." The national currency units have been converted to US dollars at the closing exchange rate on the date of the information. Country Comparison to the World Country

Stock of quasi money

Afghanistan
  $1.219 billion (31 December 2008)
  $958.6 million (31 December 2007)

Albania
  $6.251 billion (31 December 2008)
  $6.433 billion (31 December 2007)

Algeria
  $30.36 billion (31 December 2008)
  $28.59 billion (31 December 2007)

Angola
  $10.41 billion (31 December 2008)
  $7.216 billion (31 December 2007)

Anguilla
  $449.5 million (31 December 2008)
  $470.1 million (31 December 2007)

Antigua and Barbuda
  $939.9 million (31 December 2008)
  $902 million (31 December 2007)

Argentina
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $45.92 billion (31 December 2007)

Armenia
  $950.1 million (31 December 2008)
  $765.2 million (31 December 2007)

Aruba
  $890.3 million (31 December 2008)
  $792.9 million (31 December 2007)

Australia
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $667.2 billion (31 December 2007)

Azerbaijan
  $4.125 billion (31 December 2008)
  $2.593 billion (31 December 2007)

Bahamas, The
  $4.637 billion (31 December 2008)
  $4.324 billion (31 December 2007)

Bahrain
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $10.63 billion (31 December 2007)

Bangladesh
  $37.98 billion (31 December 2008)
  $32.35 billion (31 December 2007)

Barbados
  $3.701 billion (31 December 2008)
  $2.717 billion (31 December 2007)

Belarus
  $8.784 billion (31 December 2008)
  $6.823 billion (31 December 2007)

Belgium
  NA (31 December 2008)
  NA (31 December 2007)

Belize
  $653.8 million (31 December 2008)
  $549 million (31 December 2007)

Benin
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $627.2 million (31 December 2007)

Bhutan
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $220.3 million (31 December 2007)

Bolivia
  $6.339 billion (31 December 2008)
  $4.729 billion (31 December 2007)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  $5.614 billion (31 December 2008)
  $5.597 billion (31 December 2007)

Botswana
  $4.183 billion (31 December 2008)
  $4.336 billion (31 December 2007)

Brazil
  $724.5 billion (31 December 2008)
  $792.8 billion (31 December 2007)

Brunei
  $4.551 billion (31 December 2008)
  $4.258 billion (31 December 2007)

Bulgaria
  $19.67 billion (31 December 2008)
  $17.03 billion (31 December 2007)

Burkina Faso
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $663 million (31 December 2007)

Burma
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $216.9 billion (31 December 2007)

Burundi
  $189.9 million (31 December 2008)
  $141 million (31 December 2007)

Cambodia
  $2.328 billion (31 December 2008)
  $2.309 billion (31 December 2007)

Cameroon
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $1.698 billion (31 December 2007)

Canada
  $1.299 trillion (31 December 2008)
  $1.381 trillion (31 December 2007)

Cape Verde
  $721.3 million (31 December 2008)
  $689 million (31 December 2007)

Central African Republic
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $47.58 million (31 December 2007)

Chad
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $55.23 million (31 December 2007)

Chile
  $73.66 billion (31 December 2008)
  $80.42 billion (31 December 2007)

China
  $4.523 trillion (31 December 2008)
  $3.437 trillion (31 December 2007)

Colombia
  $26.57 billion (31 December 2008)
  $27.25 billion (31 December 2007)

Comoros
  $41.74 million (31 December 2008)
  $23.39 million (31 December 2007)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $677.9 million (31 December 2007)

Congo, Republic of the
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $204.3 million (31 December 2007)

Costa Rica
  $3.143 billion (31 December 2008)
  $2.87 billion (31 December 2007)

Cote d'Ivoire
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $1.915 billion (31 December 2007)

Croatia
  $33.17 billion (31 December 2008)
  $31.86 billion (31 December 2007)

Cuba
  $NA

Cyprus
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $43.93 billion (31 December 2007)

Czech Republic
  $58.6 billion (31 December 2008)
  $58.77 billion (31 December 2007)

Denmark
  $95.82 billion (31 December 2008)
  $81.64 billion (31 December 2007)

Djibouti
  $338 million (31 December 2008)
  $284.1 million (31 December 2007)

Dominica
  $289.9 million (31 December 2008)
  $269.1 million (31 December 2007)

Dominican Republic
  $5.902 billion (31 December 2008)
  $5.631 billion (31 December 2007)

Ecuador
  $9.383 billion (31 December 2008)
  $7.974 billion (31 December 2007)

Egypt
  $112.2 billion (31 December 2008)
  $102.6 billion (31 December 2007)

El Salvador
  $788.7 million (31 December 2008)
  $797.1 million (31 December 2007)

Equatorial Guinea
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $174.5 million (31 December 2007)

Eritrea
  $1.053 billion (31 December 2008)
  $932.9 million (31 December 2007)

Estonia
  $5.478 billion (31 December 2008)
  $4.253 billion (31 December 2007)

Ethiopia
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $3.258 billion (31 December 2007)

European Union
  $5.631 trillion (31 December 2008)
  $5.18 trillion (31 December 2007)
  note: this is the quantity of quasi money, M2-M1, for the euro area,
  converted into US dollars at the exchange rate for the date
  indicated; it excludes the stock of quasi money carried by
  non-euro-area members of the European Union

Fiji
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $1.088 billion (31 December 2007)

Finland
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $NA (31 December 2007)

France
  $NA

Gabon
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $799.3 million (31 December 2007)

Gambia, The
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $180.4 million (31 December 2007)

Gaza Strip
  $5.251 billion (31 December 2008)
  $1.206 billion (31 December 2007)

Georgia
  $1.606 billion (31 December 2008)
  $1.379 billion (31 December 2007)

Germany
  $NA

Ghana
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $2.174 billion (31 December 2006)

Greece
  $NA

Grenada
  $578.1 million (31 December 2008)
  $533.4 million (31 December 2007)

Guatemala
  $9.7 billion (31 December 2008)
  $8.928 billion (31 December 2007)

Guinea
  $NA

Guinea-Bissau
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $12.04 million (31 December 2007)

Guyana
  $817.6 million (31 December 2008)
  $728.8 million (31 December 2007)

Haiti
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $1.561 billion (31 December 2007)

Honduras
  $5.574 billion (31 December 2008)
  $5.239 billion (31 December 2007)

Hong Kong
  $352.4 billion (31 December 2008)
  $578.1 billion (31 December 2007)

Hungary
  $47.49 billion (31 December 2008)
  $43.07 billion (31 December 2007)

Iceland
  $15.05 billion (31 December 2006)
  $NA (31 December 2007)

India
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $647.3 billion (31 December 2007)

Indonesia
  $131.5 billion (31 December 2008)
  $127 billion (31 December 2007)

Iran
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $68.71 billion (31 December 2007)

Iraq
  $5.415 billion (31 December 2008)
  $3.67 billion (31 December 2007)

Ireland

$NA

Israel
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $154.3 billion (31 December 2007)

Jamaica
  $4.244 billion (31 December 2008)
  $4.54 billion (31 December 2007)

Japan
  $6.16 trillion (31 December 2008)
  $4.783 trillion (31 December 2007)

Jordan
  $17.98 billion (31 December 2008)
  $15.38 billion (31 December 2007)

Kazakhstan
  $35.76 billion (31 December 2008)
  $25.75 billion (31 December 2007)

Kenya
  $5.468 billion (31 December 2008)
  $6.464 billion (31 December 2007)

Korea, South
  $478 billion (31 December 2008)
  $541.7 billion (31 December 2007)

Kuwait
  $63.08 billion (31 December 2008)
  $55.2 billion (31 December 2007)

Kyrgyzstan
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $303.7 million (31 December 2007)

Laos
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $717.9 million (31 December 2007)

Latvia
  $5.572 billion (31 December 2008)
  $5.113 billion (31 December 2007)

Lebanon
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $57.4 billion (31 December 2007)

Lesotho
  $108.1 million (31 December 2008)
  $160.2 million (31 December 2007)

Liberia
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $49.89 million (31 December 2007)

Libya
  $4.264 billion (31 December 2008)
  $3.192 billion (31 December 2007)

Lithuania
  $8.419 billion (31 December 2008)
  $6.917 billion (31 December 2007)

Luxembourg

$NA

Macau
  $22.15 billion (31 December 2008)
  $21.91 billion (31 December 2007)

Macedonia
  $3.254 billion (31 December 2008)
  $3.127 billion (31 December 2007)

Madagascar
  $667.2 million (31 December 2008)
  $577.4 million (31 December 2007)

Malawi
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $250.4 million (31 December 2007)

Malaysia
  $200.9 billion (31 December 2008)
  $187.6 billion (31 December 2007)

Maldives
  $487.8 million (31 December 2008)
  $434.9 million (31 December 2007)

Mali
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $697.1 million (31 December 2007)

Malta
  $8.771 billion (31 January 2008 est.)
  $7.645 billion (31 December 2007)

Mauritania
  $NA (31 December 2008)

Mauritius
  $6.914 billion (31 December 2008)
  $6.759 billion (31 December 2007)

Mexico
  $147.4 billion (31 December 2008)
  $168.4 billion (31 December 2007)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $72.49 million (31 December 2007)

Moldova
  $1.928 billion (31 December 2008)
  $1.449 billion (31 December 2007)

Mongolia
  $1.288 billion (31 December 2008)
  $1.53 billion (31 December 2007)

Montenegro
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $1.446 billion (31 December 2007)

Montserrat
  $45.42 million (31 December 2008)
  $43.9 million (31 December 2007)

Morocco
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $16.23 billion (31 December 2007)

Mozambique
  $1.752 billion (31 December 2008)
  $1.467 billion (31 December 2007)

Namibia
  $1.158 billion (31 December 2008)
  $1.493 billion (31 December 2007)

Nepal
  $4.885 billion (31 December 2008)
  $4.745 billion (31 December 2007)

Netherlands
  $NA

Netherlands Antilles
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $2.309 billion (31 December 2007)

New Zealand
  $99.91 billion (31 December 2008)
  $117.8 billion (31 December 2007)

Nicaragua
  $1.81 billion (31 December 2008)
  $1.802 billion (31 December 2007)

Niger
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $193.7 million (31 December 2007)

Nigeria
  $32.04 billion (31 December 2008)
  $22.78 billion (31 December 2007)

Norway
  $NA

Oman
  $14.57 billion (31 December 2008)
  $11.04 billion (31 December 2007)

Pakistan
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $18.42 billion (31 December 2007)

Panama
  $15.84 billion (31 December 2008)
  $14.26 billion (31 December 2007)

Papua New Guinea
  $1.726 billion (31 December 2008)
  $1.482 billion (31 December 2007)

Paraguay
  $1.599 billion (31 December 2008)
  $1.368 billion (31 December 2007)

Peru
  $25.32 billion (31 December 2008)
  $19.95 billion (31 December 2007)

Philippines
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $65.85 billion (31 December 2007)

Poland
  $109 billion (31 December 2008)
  $93.98 billion (31 December 2007)

Portugal

$NA

Qatar
  $36.58 billion (31 December 2008)
  $22.6 billion (31 December 2007)

Romania
  $36.09 billion (31 December 2008)
  $34.96 billion (31 December 2007)

Russia
  $318.4 billion (31 December 2008)
  $292.5 billion (31 December 2007)

Rwanda
  $227.4 million (31 December 2005)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  $680.6 million (31 December 2008)
  $688.6 million (31 December 2007)

Saint Lucia
  $800.1 million (31 December 2008)
  $720.9 million (31 December 2007)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  $302.7 million (31 December 2008)
  $280.2 million (31 December 2007)

Samoa
  $162.8 million (31 December 2008)
  $168.7 million (31 December 2007)

San Marino
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $4.584 billion (31 December 2007)

Sao Tome and Principe
  $36.95 million (31 December 2008)
  $33.5 million (31 December 2007)

Saudi Arabia
  $134.3 billion (31 December 2008)
  $109.5 billion (31 December 2007)

Senegal
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $1.579 billion (31 December 2007)

Serbia
  $11.95 billion (31 December 2008)
  $12.19 billion (31 December 2007)

Seychelles
  $188.5 million (31 December 2008)
  $249 million (31 December 2007)

Sierra Leone
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $177.7 million (31 December 2007)

Singapore
  $179 billion (31 December 2008)
  $162.2 billion (31 December 2007)

Slovakia
  $27.71 billion (31 December 2008)
  $21.11 billion (31 December 2007)

Slovenia
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $12.69 billion (31 December 2006)

Solomon Islands
  $96.79 million (31 December 2008)
  $85.47 million (31 December 2007)

South Africa
  $124.1 billion (31 December 2008)
  $141.9 billion (31 December 2007)

Spain

$NA

Sri Lanka
  $9.01 billion (30 September 2008)
  $10.46 billion (31 December 2007)

Sudan
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $4.068 billion (31 December 2007)

Suriname
  $1.018 billion (31 December 2008)
  $824.4 million (31 December 2007)

Swaziland
  $441.5 million (31 December 2008)
  $529.4 million (31 December 2007)

Sweden
  $54.55 billion (31 December 2008)
  $48.49 billion (31 December 2007)

Switzerland
  $477.6 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $450.7 billion (31 December 2007)

Syria
  $73.93 billion (31 December 2008)
  $12.29 billion (31 December 2007)

Taiwan
  $618 billion (November 2008)
  $NA (31 December 2007)

Tajikistan
  $544 million (31 December 2008)
  $350.3 million (31 December 2007)

Tanzania
  $3.362 billion (31 December 2008)
  $3.212 billion (31 December 2007)

Thailand
  $237.5 billion (31 December 2008)
  $224.9 billion (31 December 2007)

Timor-Leste
  $89.88 million (31 December 2008)
  $68.78 million (31 December 2007)

Togo
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $383.9 million (31 December 2007)

Tonga
  $100.7 million (31 December 2008)
  $106.8 million (31 December 2007)

Trinidad and Tobago
  $3.506 billion (31 December 2008)
  $5.707 billion (31 December 2007)

Tunisia
  $14.72 billion (31 December 2008)
  $13.56 billion (31 December 2007)

Turkey
  $248.4 billion (31 December 2008)
  $252.1 billion (31 December 2007)

Uganda
  $1.485 billion (31 December 2008)
  $1.258 billion (31 December 2007)

Ukraine
  $37.32 billion (31 December 2008)
  $41.51 billion (31 December 2007)

United Arab Emirates
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $104.6 billion (31 December 2007)

United Kingdom
  $NA (31 December 2008)

United States
  $10.99 trillion (31 December 2008)
  $7.466 trillion (31 December 2007)

Uruguay
  $9.409 billion (31 December 2008)
  $7.919 billion (31 December 2007)

Vanuatu
  $430 million (31 December 2008)
  $421.8 million (31 December 2007)

Venezuela
  $10.93 billion (31 December 2008)
  $8.889 billion (31 December 2007)

Vietnam
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $50.81 billion (31 December 2007)

West Bank
  $5.251 billion (31 December 2008)
  $3.048 billion (31 December 2007)

World
  $27.31 trillion (31 December 2007)

Yemen
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $4.526 billion (31 December 2007)

Zambia
  $1.618 billion (31 December 2008)
  $1.709 billion (31 December 2007)

Zimbabwe
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $5.349 billion (31 December 2007)

======================================================================

@2211

Field Listing :: Stock of domestic credit

This entry is the total quantity of credit, denominated in the domestic currency, provided by banks to nonbanking institutions. The national currency units have been converted to US dollars at the closing exchange rate on the date of the information. Country Comparison to the World Country

Stock of domestic credit

Afghanistan
  $363.6 million (31 December 2008)
  $12.04 million (31 December 2007)

Albania
  $8.176 billion (31 December 2008)
  $7.247 billion (31 December 2007)

Algeria
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $NA (31 December 2007)

Angola
  $7.893 billion (31 December 2008)
  $1.166 billion (31 December 2007)

Anguilla
  $529.6 million (31 December 2008)
  $447.7 million (31 December 2007)

Antigua and Barbuda
  $1.13 billion (31 December 2008)
  $1.002 billion (31 December 2007)

Argentina
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $72.55 billion (31 December 2007)

Armenia
  $1.98 billion (31 December 2008)
  $1.256 billion (31 December 2007)

Aruba
  $1.321 billion (31 December 2008)
  $1.348 billion (31 December 2007)

Australia
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $1.312 trillion (31 December 2007)

Austria
  $606.2 billion (31 December 2008)
  $504.8 billion (31 December 2007)

Azerbaijan
  $8.135 billion (31 December 2008)
  $5.726 billion (31 December 2007)

Bahamas, The
  $7.883 billion (31 December 2008)
  $7.395 billion (31 December 2007)

Bahrain
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $10.32 billion (31 December 2007)

Bangladesh
  $47.03 billion (31 December 2008)
  $40.1 billion (31 December 2007)

Barbados
  $4.554 billion (31 December 2008)
  $3.533 billion (31 December 2007)

Belarus
  $18.42 billion (31 December 2008)
  $12.16 billion (31 December 2007)

Belgium
  $767.1 billion (31 December 2008)
  $552 billion (31 December 2007)

Belize
  $955 million (31 December 2008)
  $877.6 million (31 December 2007)

Benin
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $520.6 million (31 December 2007)

Bhutan
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $169.9 million (31 December 2007)

Bolivia
  $5.433 billion (31 December 2008)
  $4.759 billion (31 December 2007)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  $10.26 billion (31 December 2008)
  $8.895 billion (31 December 2007)

Botswana
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $NA (31 December 2007)

Brazil
  $1.249 trillion (31 December 2008)
  $1.377 trillion (31 December 2007)

Brunei
  $1.274 billion (31 December 2008)
  $2.38 billion (31 December 2007)

Bulgaria
  $32.04 billion (31 December 2008)
  $25.18 billion (31 December 2007)

Burkina Faso
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $905.1 million (31 December 2007)

Burma
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $887.7 billion (31 December 2007)

Burundi
  $370 million (31 December 2008)
  $342 million (31 December 2007)

Cambodia
  $1.67 billion (31 December 2008)
  $1.131 billion (31 December 2007)

Cameroon
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $1.3 billion (31 December 2007)

Canada
  $2.335 trillion (31 December 2008)
  $2.382 trillion (31 December 2007)

Cape Verde
  $1.153 billion (31 December 2008)
  $1.049 billion (31 December 2007)

Central African Republic
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $320.2 million (31 December 2007)

Chad
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $82.81 million (31 December 2007)

Chile
  $116.4 billion (31 December 2008)
  $127.1 billion (31 December 2007)

China
  $5.555 trillion (31 December 2008)
  $4.653 trillion (31 December 2007)

Colombia
  $89.69 billion (31 December 2008)
  $85.34 billion (31 December 2007)

Comoros
  $79.52 million (31 December 2008)
  $45.09 million (31 December 2007)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $559.5 million (31 December 2007)

Congo, Republic of the
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $NA (31 December 2007)

Costa Rica
  $15.15 billion (31 December 2008)
  $12.91 billion (31 December 2007)

Cote d'Ivoire
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $4.404 billion (31 December 2007)

Croatia
  $49.79 billion (31 December 2008)
  $45.7 billion (31 December 2007)

Cuba
  $NA

Cyprus
  $80.68 billion (31 December 2008)
  $52.09 billion (31 December 2007)

Czech Republic
  $110.5 billion (31 December 2008)
  $103.9 billion (31 December 2007)

Denmark
  $695.8 billion (31 December 2008)
  $684.7 billion (31 December 2007)

Djibouti
  $269.9 million (31 December 2008)
  $224.7 million (31 December 2007)

Dominica
  $213.6 million (31 December 2008)
  $193.1 million (31 December 2007)

Dominican Republic
  $17.37 billion (31 December 2008)
  $15.92 billion (31 December 2007)

Ecuador
  $10.13 billion (31 December 2008)
  $8.926 billion (31 December 2007)

Egypt
  $126.5 billion (31 December 2008)
  $113.9 billion (31 December 2007)

El Salvador
  $1.19 billion (31 December 2008)
  $1.15 billion (31 December 2007)

Equatorial Guinea
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $NA (31 December 2007)

Eritrea
  $1.851 billion (31 December 2008)
  $1.711 billion (31 December 2007)

Estonia
  $22.02 billion (31 December 2008)
  $21.35 billion (31 December 2007)

Ethiopia
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $6.694 billion (31 December 2006)

European Union
  $21.17 trillion (31 December 2008)
  $20.94 trillion (31 December 2007)
  note: this figure refers to the euro area only; it excludes credit
  data for non-euro-area members of the EU

Fiji
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $1.948 billion (31 December 2007)

Finland
  $241.1 billion (31 December 2008)
  $225.4 billion (31 December 2007)

France
  $4.102 trillion (31 December 2008)
  $3.397 trillion (31 December 2007)

Gabon
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $359.8 million (31 December 2007)

Gambia, The
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $169.9 million (31 December 2007)

Gaza Strip
  $1.367 billion (31 December 2008)
  $368.2 million (31 December 2007)

Georgia
  $3.754 billion (31 December 2008)
  $3.374 billion (31 December 2007)

Germany
  $5.019 trillion (31 December 2008)
  $4.457 trillion (31 December 2007)

Ghana
  $4.179 billion (31 December 2006)

Greece
  $394.6 billion (31 December 2008)
  $365.9 billion (31 December 2007)

Grenada
  $658 million (31 December 2008)
  $575.8 million (31 December 2007)

Guatemala
  $14.82 billion (31 December 2008)
  $13.96 billion (31 December 2007)

Guinea
  $422.1 million (31 December 2005)

Guinea-Bissau
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $46.44 million (31 December 2007)

Guyana
  $829.4 million (31 December 2008)
  $739.3 million (31 December 2007)

Haiti
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $1.537 billion (31 December 2007)

Honduras
  $7.172 billion (31 December 2008)
  $6.298 billion (31 December 2007)

Hong Kong
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $259.7 billion (31 December 2007)

Hungary
  $114.3 billion (31 December 2008)
  $109.5 billion (31 December 2007)

Iceland
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $49.67 billion (31 December 2006)

India
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $769.3 billion (31 December 2007)

Indonesia
  $166.2 billion (31 December 2008)
  $170.2 billion (31 December 2007)

Iran
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $109.7 billion (31 December 2007)

Iraq
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $NA (31 December 2007)

Ireland
  $738.6 billion (31 December 2008)
  $545.2 billion (31 December 2007)

Israel
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $113.4 billion (31 December 2006)

Italy
  $3.046 trillion (31 December 2008)
  $2.932 trillion (31 December 2007)

Jamaica
  $7.175 billion (31 December 2008)
  $6.609 billion (31 December 2007)

Japan
  $12.34 trillion (31 December 2008)
  $9.653 trillion (31 December 2007)

Jordan
  $25.05 billion (31 December 2008)
  $19.53 billion (31 December 2007)

Kazakhstan
  $44.53 billion (31 December 2008)
  $43.75 billion (31 December 2007)

Kenya
  $10.83 billion (31 December 2008)
  $10.67 billion (31 December 2007)

Korea, South
  $937 billion (31 December 2008)
  $1.061 trillion (31 December 2007)

Kuwait
  $88.77 billion (31 December 2008)
  $78.25 billion (31 December 2007)

Kyrgyzstan
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $558.3 million (31 December 2007)

Laos
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $285.8 million (31 December 2007)

Latvia
  $28.96 billion (31 December 2008)
  $27.56 billion (31 December 2007)

Lebanon
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $45.51 billion (31 December 2007)

Lesotho
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $NA (31 December 2007)

Liberia
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $1.157 billion (31 December 2007)

Libya
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $NA (31 December 2007)

Lithuania
  $29.21 billion (31 December 2008)
  $25.05 billion (31 December 2007)

Luxembourg
  $369.6 billion (31 December 2008)
  $100.9 billion (31 December 2007)

Macau
  $11.5 billion (31 December 2008)
  $NA (31 December 2007)

Macedonia
  $3.906 billion (31 December 2008)
  $2.924 billion (31 December 2007)

Madagascar
  $820.3 million (31 December 2008)
  $767.5 million (31 December 2007)

Malawi
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $406.2 million (31 December 2007)

Malaysia
  $246.7 billion (31 December 2008)
  $220 billion (31 December 2007)

Maldives
  $1.548 billion (31 December 2008)
  $1.08 billion (31 December 2007)

Mali
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $1.099 billion (31 December 2007)

Malta
  $16.17 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $10.99 billion (31 December 2007)

Mauritania
  $NA (31 December 2008)

Mauritius
  $9.323 billion (31 December 2008)
  $8.582 billion (31 December 2007)

Mexico
  $287 billion (31 December 2008)
  $349.1 billion (31 December 2007)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $NA (31 December 2007)

Moldova
  $2.406 billion (31 December 2008)
  $1.896 billion (31 December 2007)

Mongolia
  $1.743 billion (31 December 2008)
  $1.183 billion (31 December 2007)

Montenegro
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $3.083 billion (31 December 2007)

Montserrat
  $9.93 million (31 December 2008)
  $5.537 million (31 December 2007)

Morocco
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $71.9 billion (31 December 2007)

Mozambique
  $1.315 billion (31 December 2008)
  $877.2 million (31 December 2007)

Namibia
  $3.43 billion (31 December 2008)
  $4.446 billion (31 December 2007)

Nepal
  $5.556 billion (31 December 2008)
  $5.636 billion (31 December 2007)

Netherlands
  $1.824 trillion (31 December 2008)
  $1.684 trillion (31 December 2007)

Netherlands Antilles
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $2.927 billion (31 December 2007)

New Zealand
  $164.4 billion (31 December 2008)
  $200.1 billion (31 December 2007)

Nicaragua
  $4.272 billion (31 December 2008)
  $4.133 billion (31 December 2007)

Niger
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $318.9 million (31 December 2007)

Nigeria
  $49.51 billion (31 December 2008)
  $35.68 billion (31 December 2007)

Norway
  $NA

Oman
  $17.83 billion (31 December 2008)
  $13.88 billion (31 December 2007)

Pakistan
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $65.05 billion (31 December 2007)

Panama
  $19.8 billion (31 December 2008)
  $17.4 billion (31 December 2007)

Papua New Guinea
  $2.065 billion (31 December 2008)
  $1.486 billion (31 December 2007)

Paraguay
  $3.098 billion (31 December 2008)
  $2.457 billion (31 December 2007)

Peru
  $21.98 billion (31 December 2008)
  $17.88 billion (31 December 2007)

Philippines
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $65.66 billion (31 December 2007)

Poland
  $258.3 billion (31 December 2008)
  $223.2 billion (31 December 2007)

Portugal
  $491 billion (31 December 2008)
  $412.7 billion (31 December 2007)

Qatar
  $59.43 billion (31 December 2008)
  $30.52 billion (31 December 2007)

Romania
  $72.85 billion (31 December 2008)
  $58.76 billion (31 December 2007)

Russia
  $367.2 billion (31 December 2008)
  $339.1 billion (31 December 2007)

Rwanda
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $209.2 million (31 December 2005)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  $790.8 million (31 December 2008)
  $782.4 million (31 December 2007)

Saint Lucia
  $1.378 billion (31 December 2008)
  $1.217 billion (31 December 2007)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  $417.4 million (31 December 2008)
  $387.8 million (31 December 2007)

Samoa
  $208.5 million (31 December 2008)
  $215.1 million (31 December 2007)

San Marino
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $7.511 billion (31 December 2007)

Sao Tome and Principe
  $20.42 million (31 December 2008)
  $31.84 million (31 December 2007)

Saudi Arabia
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $66.94 billion (31 December 2007)

Senegal
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $2.97 billion (31 December 2007)

Serbia
  $17.06 billion (31 December 2008)
  $13.44 billion (31 December 2007)

Seychelles
  $375.6 million (31 December 2008)
  $660.2 million (31 December 2007)

Sierra Leone
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $162.9 million (31 December 2007)

Singapore
  $143.6 billion (31 December 2008)
  $129.2 billion (31 December 2007)

Slovakia
  $50.94 billion (31 December 2008)
  $41.76 billion (31 December 2007)

Slovenia
  $50.31 billion (31 December 2008)
  $41.63 billion (31 December 2007)

Solomon Islands
  $166.1 million (31 December 2008)
  $126.5 million (31 December 2007)

South Africa
  $214.8 billion (31 December 2008)
  $254.9 billion (31 December 2007)

Spain
  $3.45 trillion (31 December 2008)
  $2.976 trillion (31 December 2007)

Sri Lanka
  $15.92 billion (30 September 2008)
  $14.82 billion (31 December 2007)

Sudan
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $8.659 billion (31 December 2007)

Suriname
  $793.1 million (31 December 2008)
  $651 million (31 December 2007)

Swaziland
  $51.55 million (31 December 2008)
  $204.1 million (31 December 2007)

Sweden
  $549 billion (31 December 2008)
  $630.8 billion (31 December 2007)

Switzerland
  $864.4 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
  $855.4 billion (31 December 2007)

Syria
  $84.31 billion (31 December 2008)
  $15.19 billion (31 December 2007)

Taiwan
  $677.8 billion (November 2008)
  $NA (31 December 2007)

Tajikistan
  $889 million (31 December 2008)
  $NA (31 December 2007)

Tanzania
  $3.297 billion (31 December 2008)
  $2.501 billion (31 December 2007)

Thailand
  $274.1 billion (31 December 2008)
  $263.5 billion (31 December 2007)

Timor-Leste
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $NA (31 December 2007)

Togo
  $674,300 (31 December 2008)
  $590.7 million (31 December 2007)

Tonga
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $163.1 million (31 December 2007)

Trinidad and Tobago
  $3.423 billion (31 December 2008)
  $3.73 billion (31 December 2007)

Tunisia
  $26.5 billion (31 December 2008)
  $25.23 billion (31 December 2007)

Turkey
  $326.4 billion (31 December 2008)
  $355 billion (31 December 2007)

Uganda
  $1.464 billion (31 December 2008)
  $640.3 million (31 December 2007)

Ukraine
  $101.1 billion (31 December 2008)
  $87.13 billion (31 December 2007)

United Arab Emirates
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $155.4 billion (31 December 2007)

United Kingdom
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $5.277 trillion (31 December 2007)

United States
  $15.06 trillion (31 December 2008)
  $14.21 trillion (31 December 2007)

Uruguay
  $9.096 billion (31 December 2008)
  $6.396 billion (31 December 2007)

Vanuatu
  $274 million (31 December 2008)
  $229.5 million (31 December 2007)

Venezuela
  $62.42 billion (31 December 2008)
  $50.24 billion (31 December 2007)

Vietnam
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $68.27 billion (31 December 2007)

West Bank
  $1.367 billion (31 December 2008)
  $368.2 million (31 December 2007)

World
  $69.9 trillion (31 December 2007)

Yemen
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $2.224 billion (31 December 2007)

Zambia
  $2.138 billion (31 December 2008)
  $1.968 billion (31 December 2007)

Zimbabwe
  $NA (31 December 2008)
  $24.91 billion (31 December 2007)

======================================================================

@2212

Field Listing :: Urbanization

This entry provides two measures of the degree of urbanization of a population. The first, urban population, describes the percentage of the total population living in urban areas, as defined by the country. The second, rate of urbanization, describes the projected average rate of change of the size of the urban population over the given period of time. Additionally, the World entry includes a list of the ten largest urban agglomerations. An urban agglomeration is defined as comprising the city or town proper and also the suburban fringe or thickly settled territory lying outside of, but adjacent to, the boundaries of the city. Country

Urbanization(%)

Afghanistan
  urban population: 24% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 5.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Albania
  urban population: 47% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 1.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Algeria
  urban population: 65% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 2.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

American Samoa
  urban population: 92% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 2.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Andorra
  urban population: 89% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: -0.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Angola
  urban population: 57% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 4.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Anguilla
  urban population: 100% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 1.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  urban population: 30% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 0.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Argentina
  urban population: 92% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 1.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Armenia
  urban population: 64% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: -0.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Aruba
  urban population: 47% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 0.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Australia
  urban population: 89% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 1.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Austria
  urban population: 67% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 0.7% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Azerbaijan
  urban population: 52% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Bahamas, The
  urban population: 84% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 1.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Bahrain
  urban population: 89% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 1.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Bangladesh
  urban population: 27% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 3.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Barbados
  urban population: 40% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 1.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Belarus
  urban population: 73% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 0% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Belgium
  urban population: 97% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 0.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Belize
  urban population: 52% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 3.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Benin
  urban population: 41% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Bermuda
  urban population: 100% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 0.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Bhutan
  urban population: 35% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 4.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Bolivia
  urban population: 66% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 2.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  urban population: 47% of total population
  (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 1.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Botswana
  urban population: 60% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 2.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Brazil
  urban population: 86% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 1.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  urban population: 40% of total population
  (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 1.7% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Brunei
  urban population: 75% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 2.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Bulgaria
  urban population: 71% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: -0.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Burkina Faso
  urban population: 20% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Burma
  urban population: 33% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 2.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Burundi
  urban population: 10% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 6.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Cambodia
  urban population: 22% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 4.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Cameroon
  urban population: 57% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 3.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Canada
  urban population: 80% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Cape Verde
  urban population: 60% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 3.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Cayman Islands
  urban population: 100% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 1.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Central African Republic
  urban population: 39% of total population
  (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 2.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Chad
  urban population: 27% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 4.7% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Chile
  urban population: 88% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 1.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

China
  urban population: 43% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 2.7% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Colombia
  urban population: 74% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 1.7% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Comoros
  urban population: 28% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 2.7% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  urban population: 34% of total
  population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 5.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  urban population: 61% of total population
  (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 2.7% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Cook Islands
  urban population: 74% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: -0.7% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Costa Rica
  urban population: 63% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 2.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  urban population: 49% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 3.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Croatia
  urban population: 57% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 0.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Cuba
  urban population: 76% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 0% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Cyprus
  urban population: 70% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 1.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Czech Republic
  urban population: 73% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 0% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Denmark
  urban population: 87% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 0.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Djibouti
  urban population: 87% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 2.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Dominica
  urban population: 74% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 0.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Dominican Republic
  urban population: 69% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 2.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Ecuador
  urban population: 66% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 2.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Egypt
  urban population: 43% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 1.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

El Salvador
  urban population: 61% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 1.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  urban population: 39% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 2.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Eritrea
  urban population: 21% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 5.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Estonia
  urban population: 69% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: -0.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Ethiopia
  urban population: 17% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 4.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  urban population: 92% of total
  population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 1.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Faroe Islands
  urban population: 41% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Fiji
  urban population: 52% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 1.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Finland
  urban population: 63% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 0.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

France
  urban population: 77% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 0.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

French Polynesia
  urban population: 52% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 1.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Gabon
  urban population: 85% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 2.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Gambia, The
  urban population: 57% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 4.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Gaza Strip
  urban population: 72% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 3.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Georgia
  urban population: 53% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: -0.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Germany
  urban population: 74% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 0.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Ghana
  urban population: 50% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 3.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Gibraltar
  urban population: 100% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 0.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Greece
  urban population: 61% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 0.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Greenland
  urban population: 84% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 0.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Grenada
  urban population: 31% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 0.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Guam
  urban population: 93% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 1.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Guatemala
  urban population: 49% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 3.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Guernsey
  urban population: 31% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 0.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Guinea
  urban population: 34% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 3.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  urban population: 30% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 3.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Guyana
  urban population: 28% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 0% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Haiti
  urban population: 47% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 4.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  urban population: 100% of total population
  (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 0.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Honduras
  urban population: 48% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 2.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Hong Kong
  urban population: 100% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Hungary
  urban population: 68% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 0.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Iceland
  urban population: 92% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 0.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

India
  urban population: 29% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 2.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Indonesia
  urban population: 52% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 3.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Iran
  urban population: 68% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 2.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Iraq
  urban population: 67% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 1.7% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Ireland
  urban population: 61% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 2.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Isle of Man
  urban population: 51% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: -0.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Israel
  urban population: 92% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 1.7% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Italy
  urban population: 68% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 0.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Jamaica
  urban population: 53% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 0.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Japan
  urban population: 66% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 0.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Jersey
  urban population: 31% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 0.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Jordan
  urban population: 78% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 3.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Kazakhstan
  urban population: 58% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 1.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Kenya
  urban population: 22% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Kiribati
  urban population: 44% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 1.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Korea, North
  urban population: 63% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 0.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Korea, South
  urban population: 81% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 0.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Kuwait
  urban population: 98% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 2.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  urban population: 36% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 1.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Laos
  urban population: 31% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 5.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Latvia
  urban population: 68% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: -0.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Lebanon
  urban population: 87% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 1.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Lesotho
  urban population: 25% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 3.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Liberia
  urban population: 60% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 5.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Libya
  urban population: 78% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 2.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Liechtenstein
  urban population: 14% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 0.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Lithuania
  urban population: 67% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: -0.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Luxembourg
  urban population: 82% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Macau
  urban population: 100% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 0.7% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Macedonia
  urban population: 67% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 0.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Madagascar
  urban population: 29% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 3.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Malawi
  urban population: 19% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 5.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Malaysia
  urban population: 70% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Maldives
  urban population: 38% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 5.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Mali
  urban population: 32% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 4.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Malta
  urban population: 94% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 0.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Marshall Islands
  urban population: 71% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 2.7% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Mauritania
  urban population: 41% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Mauritius
  urban population: 42% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 0.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Mexico
  urban population: 77% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 1.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  urban population: 22% of total
  population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 0.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Moldova
  urban population: 42% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: -1.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Monaco
  urban population: 100% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 0.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Mongolia
  urban population: 57% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 1.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Montenegro
  urban population: 60% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: -0.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Montserrat
  urban population: 14% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 2.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Morocco
  urban population: 56% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 1.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Mozambique
  urban population: 37% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 4.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Namibia
  urban population: 37% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 2.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Nauru
  urban population: 100% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 0.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Nepal
  urban population: 17% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 4.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Netherlands
  urban population: 82% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 0.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  urban population: 93% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 1.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

New Caledonia
  urban population: 65% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 2.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

New Zealand
  urban population: 87% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Nicaragua
  urban population: 57% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 1.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Niger
  urban population: 16% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Nigeria
  urban population: 48% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 3.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Niue
  urban population: 39% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: -0.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Northern Mariana Islands
  urban population: 91% of total population
  (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 2.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Norway
  urban population: 77% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 0.7% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Oman
  urban population: 72% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Pakistan
  urban population: 36% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Palau
  urban population: 81% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 1.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Panama
  urban population: 73% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 2.7% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  urban population: 12% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 1.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Paraguay
  urban population: 60% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 2.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Peru
  urban population: 71% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 1.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Philippines
  urban population: 65% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  urban population: 0% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 0% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Poland
  urban population: 61% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: -0.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Portugal
  urban population: 59% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 1.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Puerto Rico
  urban population: 98% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 0.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Qatar
  urban population: 96% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 2.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Romania
  urban population: 54% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: -0.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Russia
  urban population: 73% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: -0.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Rwanda
  urban population: 18% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 4.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Saint Helena
  urban population: 39% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 1.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  urban population: 32% of total population
  (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 1.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Saint Lucia
  urban population: 28% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 1.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  urban population: 89% of total population
  (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 0.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  urban population: 47% of total
  population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 1.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Samoa
  urban population: 23% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 1.7% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

San Marino
  urban population: 94% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 0.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  urban population: 61% of total population
  (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  urban population: 82% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 2.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Senegal
  urban population: 42% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 3.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Serbia
  urban population: 52% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 0.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Seychelles
  urban population: 54% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 1.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sierra Leone
  urban population: 38% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 2.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Singapore
  urban population: 100% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 1.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Slovakia
  urban population: 56% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 0.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Slovenia
  urban population: 48% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: -0.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Solomon Islands
  urban population: 18% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 4.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Somalia
  urban population: 37% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 4.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

South Africa
  urban population: 61% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 1.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Spain
  urban population: 77% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 0.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sri Lanka
  urban population: 15% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 0.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sudan
  urban population: 43% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 4.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Suriname
  urban population: 75% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Swaziland
  urban population: 25% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 1.7% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sweden
  urban population: 85% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 0.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Switzerland
  urban population: 73% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 0.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Syria
  urban population: 54% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 3.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Tajikistan
  urban population: 26% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 1.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Tanzania
  urban population: 25% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 4.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Thailand
  urban population: 33% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 1.7% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Timor-Leste
  urban population: 27% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Togo
  urban population: 42% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 4.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Tokelau
  urban population: 0% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 0% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Tonga
  urban population: 25% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 1.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  urban population: 13% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 2.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Tunisia
  urban population: 67% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 1.7% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Turkey
  urban population: 69% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 1.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Turkmenistan
  urban population: 49% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 2.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  urban population: 92% of total population
  (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 2.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Tuvalu
  urban population: 49% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 1.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Uganda
  urban population: 13% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 4.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Ukraine
  urban population: 68% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: -0.7% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  urban population: 78% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 2.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

United Kingdom
  urban population: 90% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 0.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

United States
  urban population: 82% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 1.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Uruguay
  urban population: 92% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 0.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Uzbekistan
  urban population: 37% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 1.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Vanuatu
  urban population: 25% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 4.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Venezuela
  urban population: 93% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Vietnam
  urban population: 28% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 3.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Virgin Islands
  urban population: 95% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 0.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
  urban population: 0% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 0% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

West Bank
  urban population: 72% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 3.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Western Sahara
  urban population: 81% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

World
  urban population: 48.6% of total population (2005)
  rate of urbanization: 1.98% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
  ten largest urban agglomerations: Tokyo (Japan) - 35,676,000; New
  York-Newark (US) - 19,040,000; Ciudad de Mexico (Mexico) -
  19,028,000; Mumbai (India) - 18,978,000; Sao Paulo (Brazil) -
  18,845,000; Delhi (India) - 15,926,000; Shanghai (China) -
  14,987,000; Kolkata (India) - 14,787,000; Dhaka (Bangladesh) -
  13,458,000; Buenos Aires (Argentina) - 12,795,000 (2007)

Yemen
  urban population: 31% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 4.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Zambia
  urban population: 35% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 2.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Zimbabwe
  urban population: 37% of total population (2008)
  rate of urbanization: 2.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

======================================================================

Rank code: 2001

Country Comparison :: GDP (purchasing power parity)

This entry gives the gross domestic product (GDP) or value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year. A nation's GDP at purchasing power parity (PPP) exchange rates is the sum value of all goods and services produced in the country valued at prices prevailing in the United States. This is the measure most economists prefer when looking at per-capita welfare and when comparing living conditions or use of resources across countries. The measure is difficult to compute, as a US dollar value has to be assigned to all goods and services in the country regardless of whether these goods and services have a direct equivalent in the United States (for example, the value of an ox-cart or non-US military equipment); as a result, PPP estimates for some countries are based on a small and sometimes different set of goods and services. In addition, many countries do not formally participate in the World Bank's PPP project that calculates these measures, so the resulting GDP estimates for these countries may lack precision. For many developing countries, PPP-based GDP measures are multiples of the official exchange rate (OER) measure. The differences between the OER- and PPP-denominated GDP values for most of the wealthy industrialized countries are generally much smaller.

Rank country GDP (purchasing power parity) Date of Information

1 European Union $ 14,940,000,000,000 2008 est. 2 United States $ 14,440,000,000,000 2008 est. 3 China $ 7,992,000,000,000 2008 est. 4 Japan $ 4,340,000,000,000 2008 est. 5 India $ 3,304,000,000,000 2008 est. 6 Germany $ 2,925,000,000,000 2008 est. 7 Russia $ 2,271,000,000,000 2008 est. 8 United Kingdom $ 2,236,000,000,000 2008 est. 9 France $ 2,133,000,000,000 2008 est. 10 Brazil $ 1,998,000,000,000 2008 est. 11 Italy $ 1,827,000,000,000 2008 est. 12 Mexico $ 1,567,000,000,000 2008 est. 13 Spain $ 1,402,000,000,000 2008 est. 14 Korea, South $ 1,338,000,000,000 2008 est. 15 Canada $ 1,303,000,000,000 2008 est. 16 Indonesia $ 916,700,000,000 2008 est. 17 Turkey $ 903,900,000,000 2008 est. 18 Iran $ 843,700,000,000 2008 est. 19 Australia $ 802,900,000,000 2008 est. 20 Taiwan $ 713,700,000,000 2008 est. 21 Netherlands $ 673,500,000,000 2008 est. 22 Poland $ 670,700,000,000 2008 est. 23 Saudi Arabia $ 577,900,000,000 2008 est. 24 Argentina $ 575,200,000,000 2008 est. 25 Thailand $ 548,700,000,000 2008 est. 26 South Africa $ 492,200,000,000 2008 est. 27 Egypt $ 444,800,000,000 2008 est. 28 Pakistan $ 431,200,000,000 2008 est. 29 Colombia $ 396,000,000,000 2008 est. 30 Belgium $ 390,200,000,000 2008 est. 31 Malaysia $ 385,200,000,000 2008 est. 32 Venezuela $ 356,300,000,000 2008 est. 33 Sweden $ 345,100,000,000 2008 est. 34 Greece $ 343,800,000,000 2008 est. 35 Ukraine $ 338,600,000,000 2008 est. 36 Nigeria $ 336,200,000,000 2008 est. 37 Austria $ 331,200,000,000 2008 est. 38 Philippines $ 318,200,000,000 2008 est. 39 Switzerland $ 318,100,000,000 2008 est. 40 Hong Kong $ 307,300,000,000 2008 est. 41 Norway $ 276,300,000,000 2008 est. 42 Romania $ 272,000,000,000 2008 est. 43 Czech Republic $ 264,800,000,000 2008 est. 44 Peru $ 247,900,000,000 2008 est. 45 Chile $ 245,100,000,000 2008 est. 46 Vietnam $ 242,300,000,000 2008 est. 47 Singapore $ 237,900,000,000 2008 est. 48 Portugal $ 237,300,000,000 2008 est. 49 Algeria $ 233,500,000,000 2008 est. 50 Bangladesh $ 226,400,000,000 2008 est. 51 United Arab Emirates $ 206,300,000,000 2008 est. 52 Denmark $ 204,100,000,000 2008 est. 53 Israel $ 203,400,000,000 2008 est. 54 Hungary $ 196,700,000,000 2008 est. 55 Finland $ 194,000,000,000 2008 est. 56 Ireland $ 189,000,000,000 2008 est. 57 Kazakhstan $ 176,200,000,000 2008 est. 58 Kuwait $ 149,500,000,000 2008 est. 59 Morocco $ 137,900,000,000 2008 est. 60 Slovakia $ 119,800,000,000 2008 est. 61 New Zealand $ 116,600,000,000 2008 est. 62 Belarus $ 114,300,000,000 2008 est. 63 Angola $ 112,800,000,000 2008 est. 64 Cuba $ 108,400,000,000 2008 est. 65 Ecuador $ 108,000,000,000 2008 est. 66 Syria $ 99,060,000,000 2008 est. 67 Bulgaria $ 93,980,000,000 2008 est. 68 Sri Lanka $ 92,090,000,000 2008 est. 69 Qatar $ 91,550,000,000 2008 est. 70 Iraq $ 90,230,000,000 2008 est. 71 Sudan $ 88,370,000,000 2008 est. 72 Libya $ 87,720,000,000 2008 est. 73 Croatia $ 82,580,000,000 2008 est. 74 Tunisia $ 81,980,000,000 2008 est. 75 Serbia $ 79,770,000,000 2008 est. 76 Dominican Republic $ 78,190,000,000 2008 est. 77 Azerbaijan $ 77,790,000,000 2008 est. 78 Uzbekistan $ 71,840,000,000 2008 est. 79 Ethiopia $ 70,230,000,000 2008 est. 80 Puerto Rico $ 70,230,000,000 2008 est. 81 Guatemala $ 68,750,000,000 2008 est. 82 Oman $ 66,870,000,000 2008 est. 83 Lithuania $ 63,370,000,000 2008 est. 84 Kenya $ 61,650,000,000 2008 est. 85 Slovenia $ 59,490,000,000 2008 est. 86 Yemen $ 55,410,000,000 2008 est. 87 Burma $ 55,270,000,000 2008 est. 88 Tanzania $ 54,380,000,000 2008 est. 89 Costa Rica $ 48,840,000,000 2008 est. 90 Lebanon $ 44,160,000,000 2008 est. 91 El Salvador $ 43,730,000,000 2008 est. 92 Bolivia $ 43,380,000,000 2008 est. 93 Uruguay $ 43,270,000,000 2008 est. 94 Cameroon $ 42,690,000,000 2008 est. 95 Uganda $ 40,080,000,000 2008 est. 96 Korea, North $ 40,000,000,000 2008 est. 97 Luxembourg $ 39,470,000,000 2008 est. 98 Latvia $ 38,950,000,000 2008 est. 99 Panama $ 38,920,000,000 2008 est. 100 Ghana $ 34,520,000,000 2008 est. 101 Cote d'Ivoire $ 34,120,000,000 2008 est. 102 Honduras $ 33,800,000,000 2008 est. 103 Jordan $ 31,680,000,000 2008 est. 104 Nepal $ 31,390,000,000 2008 est. 105 Turkmenistan $ 31,280,000,000 2008 est. 106 Bosnia and Herzegovina $ 29,770,000,000 2008 est. 107 Trinidad and Tobago $ 29,090,000,000 2008 est. 108 Paraguay $ 28,950,000,000 2008 est. 109 Estonia $ 28,030,000,000 2008 est. 110 Cambodia $ 28,010,000,000 2008 est. 111 Botswana $ 27,110,000,000 2008 est. 112 Bahrain $ 26,890,000,000 2008 est. 113 Jamaica $ 24,040,000,000 2008 est. 114 Equatorial Guinea $ 23,000,000,000 2008 est. 115 Cyprus $ 22,760,000,000 2008 est. 116 Afghanistan $ 22,320,000,000 2008 est. 117 Albania $ 21,860,000,000 2008 est. 118 Senegal $ 21,780,000,000 2008 est. 119 Georgia $ 21,560,000,000 2008 est. 120 Gabon $ 21,160,000,000 2008 est. 121 Congo, Democratic Republic of the $ 20,760,000,000 2008 est. 122 Madagascar $ 20,180,000,000 2008 est. 123 Brunei $ 19,580,000,000 2008 est. 124 Mozambique $ 19,110,000,000 2008 est. 125 Macedonia $ 18,830,000,000 2008 est. 126 Armenia $ 18,810,000,000 2008 est. 127 Macau $ 18,140,000,000 2008 est. 128 Burkina Faso $ 17,960,000,000 2008 est. 129 Zambia $ 17,540,000,000 2008 est. 130 Nicaragua $ 16,830,000,000 2008 est. 131 Chad $ 15,820,000,000 2008 est. 132 Mauritius $ 15,430,000,000 2008 est. 133 Congo, Republic of the $ 15,390,000,000 2008 est. 134 Mali $ 14,750,000,000 2008 est. 135 Laos $ 14,010,000,000 2008 est. 136 Namibia $ 13,280,000,000 2008 est. 137 Tajikistan $ 13,190,000,000 2008 est. 138 Papua New Guinea $ 13,170,000,000 2008 est. 139 Iceland $ 12,870,000,000 2008 est. 140 Benin $ 12,860,000,000 2008 est. 141 Gaza Strip $ 11,950,000,000 2008 est. 142 West Bank $ 11,950,000,000 2008 est. 143 Malawi $ 11,950,000,000 2008 est. 144 Kyrgyzstan $ 11,640,000,000 2008 est. 145 Haiti $ 11,530,000,000 2008 est. 146 Moldova $ 10,800,000,000 2008 est. 147 Guinea $ 10,620,000,000 2008 est. 148 Niger $ 10,290,000,000 2008 est. 149 Malta $ 9,933,000,000 2008 est. 150 Rwanda $ 9,729,000,000 2008 est. 151 Mongolia $ 9,499,000,000 2008 est. 152 Bahamas, The $ 9,352,000,000 2008 est. 153 Montenegro $ 6,832,000,000 2008 est. 154 Mauritania $ 6,323,000,000 2008 est. 155 Swaziland $ 5,826,000,000 2008 est. 156 Somalia $ 5,524,000,000 2008 est. 157 Barbados $ 5,367,000,000 2008 est. 158 Togo $ 5,130,000,000 2008 est. 159 Jersey $ 5,100,000,000 2005 est. 160 Kosovo $ 5,000,000,000 2007 est. 161 French Polynesia $ 4,718,000,000 2004 est. 162 Bermuda $ 4,500,000,000 2004 est. 163 Sierra Leone $ 4,388,000,000 2008 est. 164 Suriname $ 4,226,000,000 2008 est. 165 Liechtenstein $ 4,160,000,000 2007 166 Eritrea $ 3,954,000,000 2008 est. 167 Andorra $ 3,660,000,000 2007 168 Fiji $ 3,587,000,000 2008 est. 169 Bhutan $ 3,533,000,000 2008 est. 170 Lesotho $ 3,301,000,000 2008 est. 171 Central African Republic $ 3,184,000,000 2008 est. 172 New Caledonia $ 3,158,000,000 2003 est. 173 Burundi $ 3,109,000,000 2008 est. 174 Guyana $ 2,973,000,000 2008 est. 175 Netherlands Antilles $ 2,800,000,000 2004 est. 176 Guernsey $ 2,742,000,000 2005 177 Isle of Man $ 2,719,000,000 2005 est. 178 Belize $ 2,542,000,000 2008 est. 179 Timor-Leste $ 2,526,000,000 2008 est. 180 Gambia, The $ 2,277,000,000 2008 est. 181 Aruba $ 2,258,000,000 2005 est. 182 Cayman Islands $ 1,939,000,000 2004 est. 183 Zimbabwe $ 1,925,000,000 2008 est. 184 Djibouti $ 1,891,000,000 2008 est. 185 Seychelles $ 1,821,000,000 2008 est. 186 Saint Lucia $ 1,774,000,000 2008 est. 187 Maldives $ 1,723,000,000 2008 est. 188 San Marino $ 1,662,000,000 2007 189 Antigua and Barbuda $ 1,639,000,000 2008 est. 190 Cape Verde $ 1,630,000,000 2008 est. 191 Virgin Islands $ 1,577,000,000 2004 est. 192 Solomon Islands $ 1,546,000,000 2008 est. 193 Liberia $ 1,531,000,000 2008 est. 194 Grenada $ 1,190,000,000 2008 est. 195 Greenland $ 1,100,000,000 2001 est. 196 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines $ 1,072,000,000 2008 est. 197 Gibraltar $ 1,066,000,000 2005 est. 198 Samoa $ 1,021,000,000 2008 est. 199 Faroe Islands $ 1,000,000,000 2001 est. 200 Vanuatu $ 990,800,000 2008 est. 201 Monaco $ 976,300,000 2006 est. 202 Mayotte $ 953,600,000 2005 est. 203 Northern Mariana Islands $ 900,000,000 2000 est. 204 Western Sahara $ 900,000,000 2007 est. 205 Guinea-Bissau $ 896,500,000 2008 est. 206 British Virgin Islands $ 853,400,000 2004 est. 207 Saint Kitts and Nevis $ 759,500,000 2008 est. 208 Comoros $ 741,700,000 2008 est. 209 Dominica $ 726,300,000 2008 est. 210 Kiribati $ 580,800,000 2008 est. 211 American Samoa $ 575,300,000 2007 est. 212 Tonga $ 548,100,000 2008 est. 213 Sao Tome and Principe $ 277,100,000 2008 est. 214 Micronesia, Federated States of $ 238,100,000 2008 est. 215 Turks and Caicos Islands $ 216,000,000 2002 est. 216 Cook Islands $ 183,200,000 2005 est. 217 Palau $ 164,000,000 2008 est. 218 Marshall Islands $ 133,500,000 2008 est. 219 Anguilla $ 108,900,000 2004 est. 220 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) $ 105,100,000 2002 est. 221 Nauru $ 60,000,000 2005 est. 222 Wallis and Futuna $ 60,000,000 2004 est. 223 Saint Pierre and Miquelon $ 48,300,000 2003 est. 224 Montserrat $ 29,000,000 2002 est. 225 Saint Helena $ 18,000,000 1998 est. 226 Tuvalu $ 14,940,000 2002 est. 227 Niue $ 10,010,000 2003 est. 228 Tokelau $ 1,500,000 1993 est.

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Rank code: 2002

Country Comparison :: Population growth rate

The average annual percent change in the population, resulting from a surplus (or deficit) of births over deaths and the balance of migrants entering and leaving a country. The rate may be positive or negative. The growth rate is a factor in determining how great a burden would be imposed on a country by the changing needs of its people for infrastructure (e.g., schools, hospitals, housing, roads), resources (e.g., food, water, electricity), and jobs. Rapid population growth can be seen as threatening by neighboring countries.

Rank country (%) Date of Information

1 United Arab Emirates 3.69 2009 est. 2 Niger 3.68 2009 est. 3 Kuwait 3.55 2009 est. 4 Yemen 3.45 2009 est. 5 Gaza Strip 3.35 2009 est. 6 Mayotte 3.32 2009 est. 7 Burundi 3.28 2009 est. 8 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 3.21 2009 est. 9 Ethiopia 3.21 2009 est. 10 Oman 3.14 2009 est. 11 Burkina Faso 3.10 2009 est. 12 Sao Tome and Principe 3.09 2009 est. 13 Madagascar 3.00 2009 est. 14 Benin 2.98 2009 est. 15 Western Sahara 2.83 2009 est. 16 Somalia 2.82 2009 est. 17 Rwanda 2.78 2009 est. 18 Comoros 2.77 2009 est. 19 Mali 2.77 2009 est. 20 Congo, Republic of the 2.75 2009 est. 21 Togo 2.71 2009 est. 22 Senegal 2.71 2009 est. 23 Equatorial Guinea 2.70 2009 est. 24 Uganda 2.69 2009 est. 25 Kenya 2.69 2009 est. 26 Gambia, The 2.67 2009 est. 27 Liberia 2.67 2009 est. 28 Afghanistan 2.63 2009 est. 29 Eritrea 2.58 2009 est. 30 Guinea 2.57 2009 est. 31 Turks and Caicos Islands 2.56 2009 est. 32 Iraq 2.51 2009 est. 33 Mauritania 2.40 2009 est. 34 Cayman Islands 2.39 2009 est. 35 Solomon Islands 2.39 2009 est. 36 Malawi 2.39 2009 est. 37 Paraguay 2.36 2009 est. 38 Laos 2.32 2009 est. 39 Northern Mariana Islands 2.29 2009 est. 40 Sierra Leone 2.28 2009 est. 41 Anguilla 2.27 2009 est. 42 Jordan 2.26 2009 est. 43 Kiribati 2.24 2009 est. 44 Cameroon 2.19 2009 est. 45 West Bank 2.18 2009 est. 46 Libya 2.17 2009 est. 47 Belize 2.15 2009 est. 48 Sudan 2.14 2009 est. 49 Cote d'Ivoire 2.13 2009 est. 50 Syria 2.13 2009 est. 51 Angola 2.10 2009 est. 52 Marshall Islands 2.08 2009 est. 53 Chad 2.07 2009 est. 54 Papua New Guinea 2.07 2009 est. 55 Guatemala 2.07 2009 est. 56 Tanzania 2.04 2009 est. 57 Timor-Leste 2.03 2009 est. 58 Guinea-Bissau 2.02 2009 est. 59 Nigeria 2.00 2009 est. 60 Macau 2.00 2009 est. 61 Philippines 1.96 2009 est. 62 Honduras 1.96 2009 est. 63 Pakistan 1.95 2009 est. 64 Botswana 1.94 2009 est. 65 Gabon 1.93 2009 est. 66 Djibouti 1.90 2009 est. 67 Ghana 1.88 2009 est. 68 Tajikistan 1.88 2009 est. 69 Saudi Arabia 1.85 2009 est. 70 Haiti 1.84 2009 est. 71 British Virgin Islands 1.84 2009 est. 72 Mozambique 1.79 2009 est. 73 Nicaragua 1.78 2009 est. 74 Bolivia 1.77 2009 est. 75 Cambodia 1.77 2009 est. 76 Brunei 1.76 2009 est. 77 Nauru 1.75 2009 est. 78 Malaysia 1.72 2009 est. 79 Israel 1.67 2009 est. 80 El Salvador 1.66 2009 est. 81 Egypt 1.64 2009 est. 82 Zambia 1.63 2009 est. 83 Tuvalu 1.62 2009 est. 84 India 1.55 2009 est. 85 Zimbabwe 1.53 2009 est. 86 Venezuela 1.51 2009 est. 87 Panama 1.50 2009 est. 88 Ecuador 1.50 2009 est. 89 Mongolia 1.49 2009 est. 90 Central African Republic 1.49 2009 est. 91 Dominican Republic 1.49 2009 est. 92 Tonga 1.48 2009 est. 93 Morocco 1.48 2009 est. 94 Aruba 1.48 2009 est. 95 Vanuatu 1.40 2009 est. 96 Kyrgyzstan 1.40 2009 est. 97 French Polynesia 1.39 2009 est. 98 Fiji 1.38 2009 est. 99 Colombia 1.38 2009 est. 100 Costa Rica 1.36 2009 est. 101 Samoa 1.35 2009 est. 102 Turkey 1.31 2009 est. 103 Antigua and Barbuda 1.30 2009 est. 104 Bangladesh 1.29 2009 est. 105 Bahrain 1.29 2009 est. 106 Nepal 1.28 2009 est. 107 Bhutan 1.27 2009 est. 108 Peru 1.23 2009 est. 109 American Samoa 1.22 2009 est. 110 Brazil 1.20 2009 est. 111 Algeria 1.20 2009 est. 112 Australia 1.20 2009 est. 113 Luxembourg 1.17 2009 est. 114 World 1.17 2009 est. 115 San Marino 1.15 2009 est. 116 Turkmenistan 1.14 2009 est. 117 Indonesia 1.14 2009 est. 118 New Caledonia 1.14 2009 est. 119 Andorra 1.14 2009 est. 120 Mexico 1.13 2009 est. 121 Ireland 1.12 2009 est. 122 Lebanon 1.11 2009 est. 123 Suriname 1.10 2009 est. 124 Argentina 1.05 2009 est. 125 Seychelles 1.00 2009 est. 126 Singapore 1.00 2009 est. 127 Tunisia 0.98 2009 est. 128 Vietnam 0.98 2009 est. 129 United States 0.98 2009 est. 130 Qatar 0.96 2009 est. 131 Namibia 0.95 2009 est. 132 New Zealand 0.94 2009 est. 133 Uzbekistan 0.94 2009 est. 134 Sri Lanka 0.90 2009 est. 135 Iran 0.88 2009 est. 136 Chile 0.88 2009 est. 137 Saint Kitts and Nevis 0.85 2009 est. 138 Canada 0.82 2009 est. 139 Burma 0.78 2009 est. 140 Mauritius 0.78 2009 est. 141 Azerbaijan 0.76 2009 est. 142 Jamaica 0.76 2009 est. 143 Iceland 0.74 2009 est. 144 Netherlands Antilles 0.73 2009 est. 145 Liechtenstein 0.70 2009 est. 146 China 0.66 2009 est. 147 Bermuda 0.65 2009 est. 148 Thailand 0.62 2009 est. 149 Cape Verde 0.56 2009 est. 150 France 0.55 2009 est. 151 Albania 0.55 2009 est. 152 Bahamas, The 0.54 2009 est. 153 Isle of Man 0.52 2009 est. 154 Cyprus 0.52 2009 est. 155 Hong Kong 0.50 2009 est. 156 Grenada 0.47 2009 est. 157 Uruguay 0.47 2009 est. 158 Saint Helena 0.45 2009 est. 159 Palau 0.43 2009 est. 160 Korea, North 0.42 2009 est. 161 Saint Lucia 0.42 2009 est. 162 Netherlands 0.41 2009 est. 163 Malta 0.40 2009 est. 164 Faroe Islands 0.40 2009 est. 165 Monaco 0.39 2009 est. 166 Kazakhstan 0.39 2009 est. 167 Montserrat 0.39 2009 est. 168 Barbados 0.38 2009 est. 169 Wallis and Futuna 0.35 2009 est. 170 Norway 0.34 2009 est. 171 Puerto Rico 0.34 2009 est. 172 Bosnia and Herzegovina 0.34 2009 est. 173 South Africa 0.28 2009 est. 174 Denmark 0.28 2009 est. 175 United Kingdom 0.28 2009 est. 176 Switzerland 0.28 2009 est. 177 Portugal 0.28 2009 est. 178 Korea, South 0.27 2009 est. 179 Macedonia 0.26 2009 est. 180 Cuba 0.23 2009 est. 181 Taiwan 0.23 2009 est. 182 Jersey 0.21 2009 est. 183 Guernsey 0.21 2009 est. 184 Dominica 0.21 2009 est. 185 Guyana 0.18 2009 est. 186 Sweden 0.16 2009 est. 187 Slovakia 0.14 2009 est. 188 Greece 0.13 2009 est. 189 Lesotho 0.12 2009 est. 190 Gibraltar 0.11 2009 est. 191 Finland 0.10 2009 est. 192 Belgium 0.09 2009 est. 193 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 0.09 2009 est. 194 Spain 0.07 2009 est. 195 Greenland 0.06 2009 est. 196 Austria 0.05 2009 est. 197 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 0.01 2009 est. 198 Norfolk Island 0.01 2009 est. 199 Holy See (Vatican City) 0.00 2009 est. 200 Cocos (Keeling) Islands 0.00 2009 est. 201 Pitcairn Islands 0.00 2009 est. 202 Christmas Island 0.00 2009 est. 203 Tokelau -0.01 2009 est. 204 Svalbard -0.02 2009 est. 205 Virgin Islands -0.03 2009 est. 206 Armenia -0.03 2009 est. 207 Niue -0.03 2009 est. 208 Italy -0.05 2009 est. 209 Poland -0.05 2009 est. 210 Croatia -0.05 2009 est. 211 Germany -0.05 2009 est. 212 Moldova -0.08 2009 est. 213 Czech Republic -0.09 2009 est. 214 Trinidad and Tobago -0.10 2009 est. 215 Slovenia -0.11 2009 est. 216 Romania -0.15 2009 est. 217 Maldives -0.17 2009 est. 218 Japan -0.19 2009 est. 219 Micronesia, Federated States of -0.24 2009 est. 220 Hungary -0.26 2009 est. 221 Lithuania -0.28 2009 est. 222 Georgia -0.33 2009 est. 223 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines -0.34 2009 est. 224 Belarus -0.38 2009 est. 225 Swaziland -0.46 2009 est. 226 Russia -0.47 2009 est. 227 Serbia -0.47 2009 est. 228 Latvia -0.61 2009 est. 229 Estonia -0.63 2009 est. 230 Ukraine -0.63 2009 est. 231 Bulgaria -0.79 2009 est. 232 Montenegro -0.85 2009 est. 233 Cook Islands -3.30 2009 est.

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Rank code: 2003

Country Comparison :: GDP - real growth rate

This entry gives GDP growth on an annual basis adjusted for inflation and expressed as a percent.

Rank country (%) Date of Information

1 Bhutan 21.40 2008 est. 2 Macau 15.00 2008 3 Qatar 13.40 2008 est. 4 Timor-Leste 12.80 2008 est. 5 Angola 12.30 2008 est. 6 Ethiopia 11.60 2008 est. 7 Rwanda 11.20 2008 est. 8 Azerbaijan 10.80 2008 est. 9 Equatorial Guinea 10.60 2008 est. 10 Anguilla 10.20 2004 est. 11 Belarus 10.00 2008 est. 12 Peru 9.80 2008 est. 13 Turkmenistan 9.80 2008 est. 14 Malawi 9.70 2008 est. 15 Niger 9.50 2008 est. 16 Panama 9.20 2008 est. 17 China 9.00 2008 est. 18 Uzbekistan 9.00 2008 est. 19 Mongolia 9.00 2008 est. 20 Uruguay 8.90 2008 est. 21 Kuwait 8.50 2008 est. 22 Uganda 8.30 2008 est. 23 Tajikistan 7.90 2008 est. 24 Iraq 7.80 2008 est. 25 Kyrgyzstan 7.60 2008 est. 26 Laos 7.50 2008 est. 27 Montenegro 7.50 2008 est. 28 United Arab Emirates 7.40 2008 est. 29 India 7.40 2008 est. 30 Solomon Islands 7.30 2008 est. 31 Ghana 7.30 2008 est. 32 Egypt 7.20 2008 est. 33 Moldova 7.20 2008 est. 34 Liberia 7.10 2008 est. 35 Romania 7.10 2008 est. 36 Tanzania 7.10 2008 est. 37 Gibraltar 7.00 2005 est. 38 Madagascar 7.00 2008 est. 39 Papua New Guinea 7.00 2008 est. 40 Armenia 6.80 2008 est. 41 Argentina 6.80 2008 est. 42 Mozambique 6.80 2008 est. 43 Lesotho 6.80 2008 est. 44 Vanuatu 6.60 2008 est. 45 Sudan 6.60 2008 est. 46 Ecuador 6.50 2008 est. 47 Iran 6.50 2008 est. 48 Congo, Republic of the 6.40 2008 est. 49 Oman 6.40 2008 est. 50 Slovakia 6.40 2008 est. 51 Bahrain 6.30 2008 est. 52 Lebanon 6.30 2008 est. 53 Morocco 6.20 2008 est. 54 Vietnam 6.20 2008 est. 55 Niue 6.20 2003 est. 56 Albania 6.10 2008 est. 57 Bolivia 6.10 2008 est. 58 Indonesia 6.10 2008 est. 59 Bulgaria 6.00 2008 est. 60 Zambia 6.00 2008 est. 61 Suriname 6.00 2008 est. 62 Sri Lanka 6.00 2008 est. 63 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 5.90 2008 est. 64 Djibouti 5.90 2008 est. 65 Libya 5.90 2008 est. 66 Gambia, The 5.90 2008 est. 67 Bangladesh 5.80 2008 est. 68 Paraguay 5.80 2008 est. 69 Maldives 5.80 2008 est. 70 Jordan 5.60 2008 est. 71 Russia 5.60 2008 est. 72 Bosnia and Herzegovina 5.50 2008 est. 73 Cape Verde 5.50 2008 est. 74 Sao Tome and Principe 5.50 2008 est. 75 Sierra Leone 5.50 2008 est. 76 Palau 5.50 2005 est. 77 Serbia 5.40 2008 est. 78 Dominican Republic 5.30 2008 est. 79 Macedonia 5.30 2008 est. 80 Mauritius 5.30 2008 est. 81 Nepal 5.30 2008 est. 82 Nigeria 5.30 2008 est. 83 Isle of Man 5.20 2005 84 Brazil 5.10 2008 est. 85 Syria 5.10 2008 est. 86 Mali 5.10 2008 est. 87 Kosovo 5.10 2007 est. 88 Cambodia 5.00 2008 est. 89 Poland 5.00 2008 est. 90 Burkina Faso 5.00 2008 est. 91 Turks and Caicos Islands 4.90 2000 est. 92 Benin 4.80 2008 est. 93 Venezuela 4.80 2008 est. 94 Bermuda 4.60 2004 est. 95 Malaysia 4.60 2008 est. 96 Burundi 4.50 2008 est. 97 Guinea 4.50 2008 est. 98 Saudi Arabia 4.40 2008 est. 99 Tunisia 4.40 2008 est. 100 Cuba 4.30 2008 est. 101 San Marino 4.30 2007 est. 102 Israel 4.20 2008 est. 103 Guatemala 4.00 2008 est. 104 Honduras 4.00 2008 est. 105 Philippines 3.80 2008 est. 106 Cyprus 3.70 2008 est. 107 Korea, North 3.70 2008 est. 108 Algeria 3.50 2008 est. 109 Trinidad and Tobago 3.50 2008 est. 110 Slovenia 3.50 2008 est. 111 Mauritania 3.50 2008 est. 112 Afghanistan 3.40 2008 est. 113 Kiribati 3.40 2008 est. 114 Pakistan 3.40 2008 est. 115 Cameroon 3.30 2008 est. 116 Guinea-Bissau 3.30 2008 est. 117 Chile 3.20 2008 est. 118 Yemen 3.20 2008 est. 119 Nicaragua 3.20 2008 est. 120 Dominica 3.20 2008 est. 121 Liechtenstein 3.10 2007 est. 122 South Africa 3.10 2008 est. 123 American Samoa 3.00 2003 124 Belize 3.00 2008 est. 125 Guernsey 3.00 2005 est. 126 Guyana 3.00 2008 est. 127 Tuvalu 3.00 2006 est. 128 Lithuania 3.00 2008 est. 129 Botswana 2.90 2008 est. 130 Namibia 2.90 2008 est. 131 World 2.90 2008 est. 132 Greece 2.90 2008 est. 133 Antigua and Barbuda 2.80 2008 est. 134 French Polynesia 2.70 2005 135 Swaziland 2.70 2008 est. 136 Costa Rica 2.60 2008 est. 137 Thailand 2.60 2008 est. 138 Czech Republic 2.60 2008 est. 139 Somalia 2.60 2008 est. 140 El Salvador 2.50 2008 est. 141 Senegal 2.50 2008 est. 142 Norway 2.50 2008 est. 143 Aruba 2.40 2005 est. 144 Saint Kitts and Nevis 2.40 2008 est. 145 Kazakhstan 2.40 2008 est. 146 Croatia 2.40 2008 est. 147 Hong Kong 2.40 2008 est. 148 Faroe Islands 2.40 2005 est. 149 Australia 2.40 2008 est. 150 Colombia 2.40 2008 est. 151 Cote d'Ivoire 2.30 2008 est. 152 Malta 2.30 2008 est. 153 Central African Republic 2.20 2008 est. 154 Grenada 2.20 2008 est. 155 Korea, South 2.20 2008 est. 156 Georgia 2.10 2008 est. 157 Ukraine 2.10 2008 est. 158 Andorra 2.00 2007 est. 159 Austria 2.00 2008 est. 160 Virgin Islands 2.00 2002 est. 161 Netherlands 2.00 2008 est. 162 Greenland 2.00 2005 est. 163 Gabon 2.00 2008 est. 164 Eritrea 2.00 2008 est. 165 Switzerland 1.80 2008 est. 166 Kenya 1.70 2008 est. 167 Germany 1.30 2008 est. 168 Haiti 1.30 2008 est. 169 Iceland 1.30 2008 est. 170 Mexico 1.30 2008 est. 171 Burma 1.10 2008 est. 172 Togo 1.10 2008 est. 173 Singapore 1.10 2008 est. 174 Belgium 1.00 2008 est. 175 Netherlands Antilles 1.00 2004 est. 176 British Virgin Islands 1.00 2002 est. 177 Cayman Islands 0.90 2004 est. 178 Turkey 0.90 2008 est. 179 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 0.90 2008 est. 180 Spain 0.90 2008 est. 181 European Union 0.90 2008 est. 182 Monaco 0.90 183 Finland 0.80 2008 est. 184 Gaza Strip 0.80 2008 est. 185 West Bank 0.80 2008 est. 186 Tonga 0.80 2008 est. 187 Barbados 0.70 2008 est. 188 United Kingdom 0.70 2008 est. 189 Saint Lucia 0.70 2008 est. 190 Hungary 0.60 2008 est. 191 Comoros 0.50 2008 est. 192 Canada 0.40 2008 est. 193 United States 0.40 2008 est. 194 France 0.30 2008 est. 195 Fiji 0.20 2008 est. 196 Cook Islands 0.10 2005 est. 197 Taiwan 0.10 2008 est. 198 New Zealand 0.00 2008 est. 199 Portugal 0.00 2008 est. 200 Chad -0.20 2008 est. 201 Marshall Islands -0.30 2008 est. 202 Sweden -0.40 2008 est. 203 Jamaica -0.60 2008 est. 204 Japan -0.70 2008 est. 205 Luxembourg -0.90 2008 est. 206 Seychelles -0.90 2008 est. 207 Italy -1.00 2008 est. 208 Montserrat -1.00 2002 est. 209 Denmark -1.20 2008 est. 210 Bahamas, The -1.50 2008 est. 211 Brunei -1.90 2008 est. 212 Puerto Rico -2.50 2008 est. 213 Ireland -3.00 2008 est. 214 Samoa -3.40 2008 est. 215 Estonia -3.60 2008 est. 216 Latvia -4.60 2008 est. 217 Zimbabwe -14.40 2008 est.

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Rank code: 2004

Country Comparison :: GDP - per capita (PPP)

This entry shows GDP on a purchasing power parity basis divided by population as of 1 July for the same year.

Rank country GDP - per capita (PPP) Date of Information

1 Liechtenstein $ 118,000 2007 est. 2 Qatar $ 111,000 2008 est. 3 Luxembourg $ 81,200 2008 est. 4 Bermuda $ 69,900 2004 est. 5 Norway $ 59,500 2008 est. 6 Kuwait $ 57,500 2008 est. 7 Jersey $ 57,000 2005 est. 8 Singapore $ 51,600 2008 est. 9 Brunei $ 51,300 2008 est. 10 United States $ 47,500 2008 est. 11 Ireland $ 45,500 2008 est. 12 United Arab Emirates $ 44,600 2008 est. 13 Guernsey $ 44,600 2005 14 Cayman Islands $ 43,800 2004 est. 15 Hong Kong $ 43,800 2008 est. 16 Andorra $ 42,500 2007 17 Iceland $ 42,300 2008 est. 18 Switzerland $ 42,000 2008 est. 19 San Marino $ 41,900 2007 20 Netherlands $ 40,500 2008 est. 21 Austria $ 40,400 2008 est. 22 Canada $ 39,200 2008 est. 23 British Virgin Islands $ 38,500 2004 est. 24 Australia $ 38,200 2008 est. 25 Sweden $ 38,200 2008 est. 26 Gibraltar $ 38,200 2005 est. 27 Belgium $ 37,500 2008 est. 28 Bahrain $ 37,400 2008 est. 29 Equatorial Guinea $ 37,300 2008 est. 30 Denmark $ 37,200 2008 est. 31 Finland $ 37,000 2008 est. 32 United Kingdom $ 36,700 2008 est. 33 Germany $ 35,500 2008 est. 34 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) $ 35,400 2002 est. 35 Isle of Man $ 35,000 2005 est. 36 Spain $ 34,600 2008 est. 37 Japan $ 34,100 2008 est. 38 European Union $ 33,700 2008 est. 39 France $ 33,300 2008 est. 40 Greece $ 32,100 2008 est. 41 Italy $ 31,400 2008 est. 42 Taiwan $ 31,100 2008 est. 43 Faroe Islands $ 31,000 2001 est. 44 Bahamas, The $ 30,700 2008 est. 45 Macau $ 30,000 2007 46 Monaco $ 30,000 2006 est. 47 Slovenia $ 29,600 2008 est. 48 Israel $ 28,600 2008 est. 49 New Zealand $ 27,900 2008 est. 50 Korea, South $ 27,700 2008 est. 51 Czech Republic $ 25,900 2008 est. 52 Malta $ 24,600 2008 est. 53 Trinidad and Tobago $ 23,600 2008 est. 54 Portugal $ 22,200 2008 est. 55 Slovakia $ 22,000 2008 est. 56 Aruba $ 21,800 2004 est. 57 Estonia $ 21,400 2008 est. 58 Cyprus $ 21,300 2008 est. 59 Seychelles $ 21,000 2008 est. 60 Saudi Arabia $ 20,500 2008 est. 61 Oman $ 20,200 2008 est. 62 Greenland $ 20,000 2001 est. 63 Hungary $ 19,800 2008 est. 64 Antigua and Barbuda $ 19,400 2008 est. 65 Saint Kitts and Nevis $ 19,100 2008 est. 66 Barbados $ 18,900 2008 est. 67 Croatia $ 18,400 2008 est. 68 French Polynesia $ 18,000 2004 est. 69 Lithuania $ 17,800 2008 est. 70 Puerto Rico $ 17,800 2008 est. 71 Poland $ 17,400 2008 est. 72 Latvia $ 17,300 2008 est. 73 Russia $ 16,100 2008 est. 74 Netherlands Antilles $ 16,000 2004 est. 75 Malaysia $ 15,200 2008 est. 76 New Caledonia $ 15,000 2003 est. 77 Chile $ 14,900 2008 est. 78 Virgin Islands $ 14,500 2004 est. 79 Mexico $ 14,300 2008 est. 80 Argentina $ 14,200 2008 est. 81 Gabon $ 14,200 2008 est. 82 Libya $ 14,200 2008 est. 83 Botswana $ 13,900 2008 est. 84 Venezuela $ 13,500 2008 est. 85 Grenada $ 13,200 2008 est. 86 Bulgaria $ 12,900 2008 est. 87 Iran $ 12,800 2008 est. 88 Northern Mariana Islands $ 12,500 2000 est. 89 Uruguay $ 12,400 2008 est. 90 Romania $ 12,200 2008 est. 91 Mauritius $ 12,100 2008 est. 92 Turkey $ 11,900 2008 est. 93 Belarus $ 11,800 2008 est. 94 Panama $ 11,800 2008 est. 95 Costa Rica $ 11,600 2008 est. 96 Kazakhstan $ 11,500 2008 est. 97 Turks and Caicos Islands $ 11,500 2002 est. 98 Lebanon $ 11,100 2008 est. 99 Saint Lucia $ 11,100 2008 est. 100 Serbia $ 10,800 2008 est. 101 World $ 10,500 2008 est. 102 Brazil $ 10,200 2008 est. 103 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines $ 10,200 2008 est. 104 Montenegro $ 10,100 2008 est. 105 South Africa $ 10,100 2008 est. 106 Dominica $ 10,000 2008 est. 107 Azerbaijan $ 9,500 2008 est. 108 Cuba $ 9,500 2008 est. 109 Colombia $ 9,200 2008 est. 110 Cook Islands $ 9,100 2005 est. 111 Macedonia $ 9,100 2008 est. 112 Angola $ 9,000 2008 est. 113 Suriname $ 8,900 2008 est. 114 Anguilla $ 8,800 2004 est. 115 Jamaica $ 8,600 2008 est. 116 Peru $ 8,500 2008 est. 117 Belize $ 8,400 2008 est. 118 Thailand $ 8,400 2008 est. 119 Dominican Republic $ 8,200 2008 est. 120 Palau $ 8,100 2008 est. 121 American Samoa $ 8,000 2007 est. 122 Tunisia $ 7,900 2008 est. 123 Ecuador $ 7,500 2008 est. 124 Ukraine $ 7,400 2008 est. 125 Saint Pierre and Miquelon $ 7,000 2001 est. 126 Algeria $ 6,900 2008 est. 127 Bosnia and Herzegovina $ 6,500 2008 est. 128 Turkmenistan $ 6,500 2008 est. 129 Namibia $ 6,400 2008 est. 130 Armenia $ 6,300 2008 est. 131 El Salvador $ 6,200 2008 est. 132 Albania $ 6,000 2008 est. 133 China $ 6,000 2008 est. 134 Egypt $ 5,800 2008 est. 135 Niue $ 5,800 2003 est. 136 Guatemala $ 5,300 2008 est. 137 Kiribati $ 5,300 2008 est. 138 Bhutan $ 5,200 2008 est. 139 Jordan $ 5,200 2008 est. 140 Nauru $ 5,000 2005 est. 141 Mayotte $ 4,900 2005 est. 142 Georgia $ 4,700 2008 est. 143 Samoa $ 4,700 2008 est. 144 Vanuatu $ 4,600 2008 est. 145 Tonga $ 4,600 2008 est. 146 Syria $ 4,600 2008 est. 147 Bolivia $ 4,500 2008 est. 148 Morocco $ 4,500 2008 est. 149 Maldives $ 4,500 2008 est. 150 Sri Lanka $ 4,400 2008 est. 151 Swaziland $ 4,400 2008 est. 152 Honduras $ 4,400 2008 est. 153 Paraguay $ 4,200 2008 est. 154 Congo, Republic of the $ 3,900 2008 est. 155 Indonesia $ 3,900 2008 est. 156 Guyana $ 3,900 2008 est. 157 Cape Verde $ 3,800 2008 est. 158 Wallis and Futuna $ 3,800 2004 est. 159 Fiji $ 3,800 2008 est. 160 Montserrat $ 3,400 2002 est. 161 Philippines $ 3,300 2008 est. 162 Iraq $ 3,200 2008 est. 163 Mongolia $ 3,200 2008 est. 164 Gaza Strip $ 2,900 2008 est. 165 Nicaragua $ 2,900 2008 est. 166 West Bank $ 2,900 2008 est. 167 India $ 2,900 2008 est. 168 Vietnam $ 2,800 2008 est. 169 Solomon Islands $ 2,700 2008 est. 170 Djibouti $ 2,700 2008 est. 171 Uzbekistan $ 2,600 2008 est. 172 Moldova $ 2,500 2008 est. 173 Pakistan $ 2,500 2008 est. 174 Western Sahara $ 2,500 2007 est. 175 Yemen $ 2,500 2008 est. 176 Saint Helena $ 2,500 1998 est. 177 Marshall Islands $ 2,500 2008 est. 178 Cameroon $ 2,300 2008 est. 179 Kosovo $ 2,300 2007 est. 180 Timor-Leste $ 2,300 2008 est. 181 Papua New Guinea $ 2,300 2008 est. 182 Nigeria $ 2,300 2008 est. 183 Micronesia, Federated States of $ 2,200 2008 est. 184 Kyrgyzstan $ 2,200 2008 est. 185 Sudan $ 2,200 2008 est. 186 Laos $ 2,100 2008 est. 187 Mauritania $ 2,100 2008 est. 188 Cambodia $ 2,000 2008 est. 189 Korea, North $ 1,800 2008 est. 190 Tajikistan $ 1,800 2008 est. 191 Cote d'Ivoire $ 1,700 2008 est. 192 Chad $ 1,600 2008 est. 193 Kenya $ 1,600 2008 est. 194 Lesotho $ 1,600 2008 est. 195 Tuvalu $ 1,600 2002 est. 196 Senegal $ 1,600 2008 est. 197 Bangladesh $ 1,500 2008 est. 198 Ghana $ 1,500 2008 est. 199 Benin $ 1,500 2008 est. 200 Zambia $ 1,500 2008 est. 201 Tanzania $ 1,400 2008 est. 202 Gambia, The $ 1,300 2008 est. 203 Haiti $ 1,300 2008 est. 204 Uganda $ 1,300 2008 est. 205 Sao Tome and Principe $ 1,300 2008 est. 206 Burma $ 1,200 2008 est. 207 Burkina Faso $ 1,200 2008 est. 208 Guinea $ 1,100 2008 est. 209 Mali $ 1,100 2008 est. 210 Nepal $ 1,100 2008 est. 211 Comoros $ 1,000 2008 est. 212 Madagascar $ 1,000 2008 est. 213 Tokelau $ 1,000 1993 est. 214 Ethiopia $ 900 2008 est. 215 Mozambique $ 900 2008 est. 216 Togo $ 900 2008 est. 217 Sierra Leone $ 900 2008 est. 218 Rwanda $ 900 2008 est. 219 Afghanistan $ 800 2008 est. 220 Malawi $ 800 2008 est. 221 Central African Republic $ 700 2008 est. 222 Niger $ 700 2008 est. 223 Eritrea $ 700 2008 est. 224 Guinea-Bissau $ 600 2008 est. 225 Somalia $ 600 2008 est. 226 Liberia $ 500 2008 est. 227 Burundi $ 300 2008 est. 228 Congo, Democratic Republic of the $ 300 2008 est. 229 Zimbabwe $ 200 2008 est.

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Rank code: 2005

Country Comparison :: Affiliation

Rank country Affiliation Date of Information

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Rank code: 2006

Country Comparison :: Dependency status

This entry describes the formal relationship between a particular nonindependent entity and an independent state.

Rank country Dependency status Date of Information

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Rank code: 2007

Country Comparison :: Diplomatic representation from the US

This entry includes the chief of mission, embassy address, mailing address, telephone number, FAX number, branch office locations, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.

Rank country Diplomatic representation from the USDate of Information

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Rank code: 2008

Country Comparison :: Transportation - note

This entry includes miscellaneous transportation information of significance not included elsewhere.

Rank country Transportation - note Date of Information

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Rank code: 2010

Country Comparison :: Age structure

This entry provides the distribution of the population according to age. Information is included by sex and age group (0-14 years, 15-64 years, 65 years and over). The age structure of a population affects a nation's key socioeconomic issues. Countries with young populations (high percentage under age 15) need to invest more in schools, while countries with older populations (high percentage ages 65 and over) need to invest more in the health sector. The age structure can also be used to help predict potential political issues. For example, the rapid growth of a young adult population unable to find employment can lead to unrest.

Rank country (%) Date of Information

1 Northern Mariana Islands 80.30 2009 est. 2 United Arab Emirates 78.70 2009 est. 3 Qatar 76.80 2009 est. 4 Singapore 76.70 2009 est. 5 Macau 76.20 2009 est. 6 Hong Kong 74.60 2009 est. 7 British Virgin Islands 74.40 2009 est. 8 Maldives 73.80 2009 est. 9 Moldova 73.30 2009 est. 10 Iran 72.90 2009 est. 11 Trinidad and Tobago 72.60 2009 est. 12 Taiwan 72.60 2009 est. 13 Korea, South 72.30 2009 est. 14 Andorra 72.20 2009 est. 15 China 72.10 2009 est. 16 Slovakia 71.70 2009 est. 17 Poland 71.60 2009 est. 18 Russia 71.50 2009 est. 19 Barbados 71.30 2009 est. 20 Belarus 71.30 2009 est. 21 Armenia 71.10 2009 est. 22 Cayman Islands 71.10 2009 est. 23 Czech Republic 71.00 2009 est. 24 Palau 70.80 2009 est. 25 Bosnia and Herzegovina 70.70 2009 est. 26 Kuwait 70.70 2009 est. 27 Saint Barthelemy 70.60 2009 est. 28 Thailand 70.50 2009 est. 29 Cuba 70.40 2009 est. 30 Mauritius 70.40 2009 est. 31 Saint Helena 70.40 2009 est. 32 Aruba 70.30 2009 est. 33 Montenegro 70.30 2009 est. 34 Ukraine 70.30 2009 est. 35 Bahrain 70.20 2009 est. 36 Kazakhstan 70.20 2009 est. 37 Brunei 70.10 2009 est. 38 Greenland 70.10 2009 est. 39 Tunisia 70.10 2009 est. 40 Seychelles 70.10 2009 est. 41 Slovenia 69.90 2009 est. 42 Romania 69.70 2009 est. 43 Latvia 69.60 2009 est. 44 Lithuania 69.60 2009 est. 45 Algeria 69.50 2009 est. 46 Azerbaijan 69.40 2009 est. 47 Liechtenstein 69.40 2009 est. 48 Vietnam 69.40 2009 est. 49 Malta 69.40 2009 est. 50 Macedonia 69.40 2009 est. 51 Korea, North 69.40 2009 est. 52 Burma 69.30 2009 est. 53 Hungary 69.30 2009 est. 54 French Polynesia 68.90 2009 est. 55 Canada 68.70 2009 est. 56 Guyana 68.70 2009 est. 57 Bulgaria 68.50 2009 est. 58 Cyprus 68.50 2009 est. 59 Switzerland 68.10 2009 est. 60 Sri Lanka 68.00 2009 est. 61 Australia 67.90 2009 est. 62 Mongolia 67.90 2009 est. 63 Anguilla 67.80 2009 est. 64 Chile 67.80 2009 est. 65 Serbia 67.80 2009 est. 66 Jersey 67.70 2009 est. 67 Netherlands 67.70 2009 est. 68 Netherlands Antilles 67.70 2009 est. 69 Georgia 67.60 2009 est. 70 Austria 67.50 2009 est. 71 Croatia 67.50 2009 est. 72 Guernsey 67.50 2009 est. 73 Saint Martin 67.50 2009 est. 74 Estonia 67.50 2009 est. 75 Bermuda 67.50 2009 est. 76 Spain 67.40 2009 est. 77 European Union 67.22 2009 est. 78 Bahamas, The 67.20 2009 est. 79 Albania 67.10 2009 est. 80 Costa Rica 67.10 2009 est. 81 Lebanon 67.10 2009 est. 82 Iceland 67.10 2009 est. 83 United Kingdom 67.10 2009 est. 84 Ireland 67.10 2009 est. 85 United States 67.00 2009 est. 86 Uzbekistan 67.00 2009 est. 87 Gibraltar 66.90 2009 est. 88 Turkmenistan 66.90 2009 est. 89 Brazil 66.80 2009 est. 90 Finland 66.80 2009 est. 91 Luxembourg 66.70 2009 est. 92 Turkey 66.70 2009 est. 93 Antigua and Barbuda 66.60 2009 est. 94 Greece 66.60 2009 est. 95 Suriname 66.60 2009 est. 96 New Zealand 66.50 2009 est. 97 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 66.50 2009 est. 98 Saint Lucia 66.40 2009 est. 99 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 66.40 2009 est. 100 Belgium 66.30 2009 est. 101 Wallis and Futuna 66.30 2009 est. 102 Italy 66.30 2009 est. 103 Norway 66.20 2009 est. 104 Germany 66.10 2009 est. 105 Portugal 66.10 2009 est. 106 Indonesia 66.00 2009 est. 107 Puerto Rico 66.00 2009 est. 108 Isle of Man 66.00 2009 est. 109 Saint Kitts and Nevis 65.90 2009 est. 110 Virgin Islands 65.90 2009 est. 111 Denmark 65.80 2009 est. 112 New Caledonia 65.80 2009 est. 113 South Africa 65.80 2009 est. 114 Dominica 65.80 2009 est. 115 San Marino 65.80 2009 est. 116 Kosovo 65.70 2009 est. 117 Turks and Caicos Islands 65.60 2009 est. 118 Tuvalu 65.60 2009 est. 119 Montserrat 65.50 2009 est. 120 Sweden 65.50 2009 est. 121 Colombia 65.40 2009 est. 122 Vanuatu 65.30 2009 est. 123 Grenada 65.20 2009 est. 124 Peru 65.20 2009 est. 125 France 65.00 2009 est. 126 Fiji 64.90 2009 est. 127 Morocco 64.70 2009 est. 128 Mexico 64.60 2009 est. 129 Jordan 64.50 2009 est. 130 Kyrgyzstan 64.50 2009 est. 131 Bhutan 64.30 2009 est. 132 Japan 64.30 2009 est. 133 Venezuela 64.30 2009 est. 134 Uruguay 64.30 2009 est. 135 Faroe Islands 64.00 2009 est. 136 Norfolk Island 63.90 2009 est. 137 Panama 63.90 2009 est. 138 Cambodia 63.80 2009 est. 139 Egypt 63.80 2009 est. 140 Cook Islands 63.70 2009 est. 141 India 63.60 2009 est. 142 Malaysia 63.60 2009 est. 143 Argentina 63.50 2009 est. 144 Nauru 63.20 2009 est. 145 Nicaragua 62.90 2009 est. 146 Tonga 62.90 2009 est. 147 American Samoa 62.70 2009 est. 148 Ecuador 62.70 2009 est. 149 Libya 62.70 2009 est. 150 Dominican Republic 62.70 2009 est. 151 Monaco 62.40 2009 est. 152 Micronesia, Federated States of 62.30 2009 est. 153 Israel 62.30 2009 est. 154 Tajikistan 62.10 2009 est. 155 Timor-Leste 61.90 2009 est. 156 Botswana 61.40 2009 est. 157 Bangladesh 61.40 2009 est. 158 Jamaica 61.10 2009 est. 159 Syria 60.80 2009 est. 160 Philippines 60.60 2009 est. 161 Lesotho 60.20 2009 est. 162 Namibia 60.20 2009 est. 163 Bolivia 60.00 2009 est. 164 Saudi Arabia 59.50 2009 est. 165 El Salvador 59.30 2009 est. 166 Nepal 59.20 2009 est. 167 Ghana 59.10 2009 est. 168 West Bank 59.10 2009 est. 169 Kiribati 59.00 2009 est. 170 Papua New Guinea 59.00 2009 est. 171 Belize 58.60 2009 est. 172 Pakistan 58.60 2009 est. 173 Cape Verde 58.50 2009 est. 174 Haiti 58.50 2009 est. 175 Marshall Islands 58.50 2009 est. 176 Honduras 58.30 2009 est. 177 Iraq 58.20 2009 est. 178 Paraguay 58.10 2009 est. 179 Solomon Islands 57.10 2009 est. 180 Swaziland 56.90 2009 est. 181 Guatemala 56.80 2009 est. 182 Sudan 56.80 2009 est. 183 Samoa 56.70 2009 est. 184 Cote d'Ivoire 56.60 2009 est. 185 Laos 56.10 2009 est. 186 Guinea-Bissau 56.10 2009 est. 187 Cameroon 55.90 2009 est. 188 Mauritania 55.70 2009 est. 189 Togo 55.70 2009 est. 190 Nigeria 55.50 2009 est. 191 Rwanda 55.40 2009 est. 192 Kenya 55.10 2009 est. 193 Central African Republic 55.00 2009 est. 194 Comoros 54.80 2009 est. 195 Senegal 54.80 2009 est. 196 Oman 54.50 2009 est. 197 Tanzania 54.10 2009 est. 198 Equatorial Guinea 54.00 2009 est. 199 Gabon 53.90 2009 est. 200 Angola 53.70 2009 est. 201 Guinea 53.70 2009 est. 202 Eritrea 53.70 2009 est. 203 Gambia, The 53.60 2009 est. 204 Madagascar 53.50 2009 est. 205 Afghanistan 53.00 2009 est. 206 Djibouti 53.00 2009 est. 207 Liberia 53.00 2009 est. 208 Gaza Strip 53.00 2009 est. 209 Tokelau 53.00 2009 est. 210 Mayotte 52.90 2009 est. 211 Mozambique 52.80 2009 est. 212 Western Sahara 52.80 2009 est. 213 Somalia 52.60 2009 est. 214 Zambia 52.60 2009 est. 215 Sierra Leone 52.20 2009 est. 216 Zimbabwe 52.20 2009 est. 217 Benin 52.10 2009 est. 218 Malawi 51.50 2009 est. 219 Burundi 51.30 2009 est. 220 Yemen 51.30 2009 est. 221 Burkina Faso 51.30 2009 est. 222 Congo, Republic of the 51.20 2009 est. 223 Ethiopia 51.20 2009 est. 224 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 50.60 2009 est. 225 Chad 50.40 2009 est. 226 Uganda 50.00 2009 est. 227 Sao Tome and Principe 49.70 2009 est. 228 Niger 49.60 2009 est. 229 Mali 48.70 2009 est. 230 Mali 48.30 2009 est. 231 Niger 48.00 2009 est. 232 Uganda 47.90 2009 est. 233 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 46.90 2009 est. 234 Sao Tome and Principe 46.90 2009 est. 235 Chad 46.70 2009 est. 236 Burundi 46.20 2009 est. 237 Burkina Faso 46.20 2009 est. 238 Yemen 46.20 2009 est. 239 Ethiopia 46.10 2009 est. 240 Congo, Republic of the 45.90 2009 est. 241 Malawi 45.80 2009 est. 242 Mayotte 45.30 2009 est. 243 Benin 45.20 2009 est. 244 Zambia 45.10 2009 est. 245 Somalia 45.00 2009 est. 246 Western Sahara 44.90 2009 est. 247 Afghanistan 44.50 2009 est. 248 Sierra Leone 44.50 2009 est. 249 Gaza Strip 44.40 2009 est. 250 Mozambique 44.30 2009 est. 251 Liberia 44.10 2009 est. 252 Zimbabwe 43.90 2009 est. 253 Gambia, The 43.60 2009 est. 254 Angola 43.50 2009 est. 255 Madagascar 43.50 2009 est. 256 Djibouti 43.30 2009 est. 257 Tanzania 43.00 2009 est. 258 Eritrea 42.80 2009 est. 259 Guinea 42.80 2009 est. 260 Oman 42.70 2009 est. 261 Kenya 42.30 2009 est. 262 Comoros 42.20 2009 est. 263 Senegal 42.20 2009 est. 264 Gabon 42.10 2009 est. 265 Rwanda 42.10 2009 est. 266 Tokelau 42.00 2009 est. 267 Equatorial Guinea 41.90 2009 est. 268 Nigeria 41.50 2009 est. 269 Togo 41.50 2009 est. 270 Mauritania 41.00 2009 est. 271 Cameroon 40.90 2009 est. 272 Central African Republic 40.90 2009 est. 273 Laos 40.80 2009 est. 274 Guinea-Bissau 40.80 2009 est. 275 Sudan 40.70 2009 est. 276 Cote d'Ivoire 40.60 2009 est. 277 Solomon Islands 39.50 2009 est. 278 Guatemala 39.40 2009 est. 279 Swaziland 39.40 2009 est. 280 Iraq 38.80 2009 est. 281 Marshall Islands 38.60 2009 est. 282 Haiti 38.10 2009 est. 283 Honduras 38.10 2009 est. 284 Saudi Arabia 38.00 2009 est. 285 Belize 37.90 2009 est. 286 Kiribati 37.60 2009 est. 287 Samoa 37.60 2009 est. 288 Ghana 37.30 2009 est. 289 West Bank 37.30 2009 est. 290 Pakistan 37.20 2009 est. 291 Papua New Guinea 36.90 2009 est. 292 Paraguay 36.70 2009 est. 293 Nepal 36.60 2009 est. 294 Syria 35.90 2009 est. 295 Namibia 35.90 2009 est. 296 Bolivia 35.50 2009 est. 297 El Salvador 35.40 2009 est. 298 Cape Verde 35.20 2009 est. 299 Philippines 35.20 2009 est. 300 Botswana 34.80 2009 est. 301 Lesotho 34.80 2009 est. 302 Micronesia, Federated States of 34.80 2009 est. 303 Nauru 34.70 2009 est. 304 Timor-Leste 34.70 2009 est. 305 Bangladesh 34.60 2009 est. 306 Tajikistan 34.30 2009 est. 307 Nicaragua 33.80 2009 est. 308 American Samoa 33.40 2009 est. 309 Libya 33.00 2009 est. 310 Tonga 32.80 2009 est. 311 Cambodia 32.60 2009 est. 312 Grenada 32.00 2009 est. 313 Dominican Republic 31.40 2009 est. 314 Egypt 31.40 2009 est. 315 Jamaica 31.40 2009 est. 316 Malaysia 31.40 2009 est. 317 Jordan 31.30 2009 est. 318 Ecuador 31.10 2009 est. 319 India 31.10 2009 est. 320 Vanuatu 30.70 2009 est. 321 Venezuela 30.50 2009 est. 322 Fiji 30.30 2009 est. 323 Bhutan 30.20 2009 est. 324 Turks and Caicos Islands 30.20 2009 est. 325 Morocco 30.00 2009 est. 326 Kyrgyzstan 29.70 2009 est. 327 Panama 29.30 2009 est. 328 Tuvalu 29.20 2009 est. 329 Mexico 29.10 2009 est. 330 Peru 29.10 2009 est. 331 Colombia 28.90 2009 est. 332 South Africa 28.90 2009 est. 333 Turkmenistan 28.90 2009 est. 334 Indonesia 28.10 2009 est. 335 Uzbekistan 28.10 2009 est. 336 Mongolia 28.10 2009 est. 337 Israel 27.90 2009 est. 338 Kosovo 27.70 2009 est. 339 Montserrat 27.60 2009 est. 340 Turkey 27.20 2009 est. 341 Cook Islands 27.10 2009 est. 342 Suriname 27.10 2009 est. 343 Saint Martin 27.00 2009 est. 344 Antigua and Barbuda 26.80 2009 est. 345 New Caledonia 26.80 2009 est. 346 Brazil 26.70 2009 est. 347 Costa Rica 26.70 2009 est. 348 Wallis and Futuna 26.70 2009 est. 349 Brunei 26.60 2009 est. 350 Kuwait 26.40 2009 est. 351 Saint Kitts and Nevis 26.30 2009 est. 352 Bahrain 25.90 2009 est. 353 Bahamas, The 25.90 2009 est. 354 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 25.90 2009 est. 355 Lebanon 25.80 2009 est. 356 Guyana 25.70 2009 est. 357 Argentina 25.60 2009 est. 358 Algeria 25.40 2009 est. 359 Burma 25.30 2009 est. 360 Vietnam 24.90 2009 est. 361 Anguilla 24.50 2009 est. 362 Saint Lucia 24.40 2009 est. 363 French Polynesia 24.30 2009 est. 364 Dominica 24.00 2009 est. 365 Azerbaijan 23.90 2009 est. 366 Sri Lanka 23.90 2009 est. 367 Chile 23.20 2009 est. 368 Albania 23.10 2009 est. 369 Greenland 23.00 2009 est. 370 Monaco 23.00 2009 est. 371 Palau 22.90 2009 est. 372 Seychelles 22.80 2009 est. 373 Netherlands Antilles 22.70 2009 est. 374 Tunisia 22.70 2009 est. 375 Mauritius 22.50 2009 est. 376 Uruguay 22.40 2009 est. 377 Maldives 22.30 2009 est. 378 Japan 22.20 2009 est. 379 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 21.90 2009 est. 380 Kazakhstan 21.80 2009 est. 381 Qatar 21.80 2009 est. 382 Iran 21.70 2009 est. 383 Faroe Islands 21.60 2009 est. 384 Korea, North 21.30 2009 est. 385 Ireland 20.90 2009 est. 386 Thailand 20.80 2009 est. 387 Iceland 20.70 2009 est. 388 New Zealand 20.70 2009 est. 389 United Arab Emirates 20.40 2009 est. 390 Virgin Islands 20.40 2009 est. 391 Germany 20.30 2009 est. 392 Italy 20.20 2009 est. 393 United States 20.20 2009 est. 394 Norfolk Island 20.20 2009 est. 395 Puerto Rico 19.90 2009 est. 396 China 19.80 2009 est. 397 British Virgin Islands 19.80 2009 est. 398 Cayman Islands 19.60 2009 est. 399 Trinidad and Tobago 19.60 2009 est. 400 Barbados 19.20 2009 est. 401 Greece 19.20 2009 est. 402 Macedonia 19.20 2009 est. 403 Saint Barthelemy 19.20 2009 est. 404 Aruba 19.10 2009 est. 405 Cyprus 19.10 2009 est. 406 Sweden 18.80 2009 est. 407 Australia 18.60 2009 est. 408 France 18.60 2009 est. 409 Luxembourg 18.50 2009 est. 410 Norway 18.50 2009 est. 411 Bermuda 18.30 2009 est. 412 Cuba 18.30 2009 est. 413 Saint Helena 18.30 2009 est. 414 Armenia 18.20 2009 est. 415 Denmark 18.10 2009 est. 416 Spain 18.10 2009 est. 417 Guernsey 18.10 2009 est. 418 Austria 18.00 2009 est. 419 Northern Mariana Islands 18.00 2009 est. 420 Bulgaria 17.70 2009 est. 421 Belgium 17.60 2009 est. 422 Estonia 17.60 2009 est. 423 Portugal 17.60 2009 est. 424 Netherlands 17.40 2009 est. 425 San Marino 17.40 2009 est. 426 European Union 17.34 2009 est. 427 Isle of Man 17.10 2009 est. 428 Croatia 17.00 2009 est. 429 Latvia 17.00 2009 est. 430 Isle of Man 16.90 2009 est. 431 Finland 16.80 2009 est. 432 Serbia 16.80 2009 est. 433 San Marino 16.80 2009 est. 434 Korea, South 16.80 2009 est. 435 Gibraltar 16.70 2009 est. 436 United Kingdom 16.70 2009 est. 437 Taiwan 16.70 2009 est. 438 Liechtenstein 16.60 2009 est. 439 Gibraltar 16.50 2009 est. 440 Slovenia 16.50 2009 est. 441 Finland 16.40 2009 est. 442 France 16.40 2009 est. 443 Georgia 16.40 2009 est. 444 Jersey 16.30 2009 est. 445 Switzerland 16.30 2009 est. 446 Portugal 16.30 2009 est. 447 Lithuania 16.20 2009 est. 448 United Kingdom 16.20 2009 est. 449 Belgium 16.10 2009 est. 450 Denmark 16.10 2009 est. 451 Jersey 16.10 2009 est. 452 Macau 16.10 2009 est. 453 Malta 16.10 2009 est. 454 Georgia 16.10 2009 est. 455 Canada 16.10 2009 est. 456 Montenegro 16.00 2009 est. 457 Moldova 15.90 2009 est. 458 Norfolk Island 15.90 2009 est. 459 Ukraine 15.90 2009 est. 460 Hungary 15.80 2009 est. 461 Slovakia 15.80 2009 est. 462 Sweden 15.70 2009 est. 463 Croatia 15.60 2009 est. 464 Switzerland 15.60 2009 est. 465 Andorra 15.50 2009 est. 466 Romania 15.50 2009 est. 467 Czech Republic 15.50 2009 est. 468 European Union 15.44 2009 est. 469 Serbia 15.40 2009 est. 470 Canada 15.20 2009 est. 471 Norway 15.20 2009 est. 472 Hungary 15.00 2009 est. 473 Poland 15.00 2009 est. 474 Estonia 14.90 2009 est. 475 Netherlands 14.90 2009 est. 476 Bosnia and Herzegovina 14.80 2009 est. 477 Luxembourg 14.80 2009 est. 478 Russia 14.80 2009 est. 479 Romania 14.70 2009 est. 480 Monaco 14.60 2009 est. 481 Austria 14.50 2009 est. 482 Belarus 14.50 2009 est. 483 Spain 14.50 2009 est. 484 Malta 14.50 2009 est. 485 Bosnia and Herzegovina 14.50 2009 est. 486 Faroe Islands 14.40 2009 est. 487 Guernsey 14.40 2009 est. 488 Singapore 14.40 2009 est. 489 Belarus 14.30 2009 est. 490 Greece 14.30 2009 est. 491 Bermuda 14.20 2009 est. 492 Lithuania 14.20 2009 est. 493 Puerto Rico 14.10 2009 est. 494 Liechtenstein 13.90 2009 est. 495 Bulgaria 13.80 2009 est. 496 Ukraine 13.80 2009 est. 497 Germany 13.70 2009 est. 498 Russia 13.70 2009 est. 499 Montenegro 13.70 2009 est. 500 Czech Republic 13.60 2009 est. 501 Virgin Islands 13.60 2009 est. 502 Australia 13.50 2009 est. 503 Italy 13.50 2009 est. 504 Slovenia 13.50 2009 est. 505 Japan 13.50 2009 est. 506 Poland 13.40 2009 est. 507 Latvia 13.30 2009 est. 508 Uruguay 13.30 2009 est. 509 Hong Kong 13.10 2009 est. 510 New Zealand 12.80 2009 est. 511 United States 12.80 2009 est. 512 Slovakia 12.50 2009 est. 513 Andorra 12.30 2009 est. 514 Cyprus 12.30 2009 est. 515 Hong Kong 12.20 2009 est. 516 Iceland 12.20 2009 est. 517 Ireland 12.00 2009 est. 518 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 11.60 2009 est. 519 Macedonia 11.40 2009 est. 520 Saint Helena 11.40 2009 est. 521 Cuba 11.20 2009 est. 522 Argentina 10.80 2009 est. 523 Korea, South 10.80 2009 est. 524 Moldova 10.80 2009 est. 525 Taiwan 10.70 2009 est. 526 Aruba 10.60 2009 est. 527 Armenia 10.60 2009 est. 528 Dominica 10.20 2009 est. 529 Saint Barthelemy 10.20 2009 est. 530 Israel 9.90 2009 est. 531 Albania 9.80 2009 est. 532 Netherlands Antilles 9.60 2009 est. 533 Barbados 9.50 2009 est. 534 Korea, North 9.40 2009 est. 535 Cayman Islands 9.30 2009 est. 536 Cook Islands 9.20 2009 est. 537 Saint Lucia 9.20 2009 est. 538 Chile 9.10 2009 est. 539 Singapore 8.90 2009 est. 540 Thailand 8.70 2009 est. 541 Sri Lanka 8.10 2009 est. 542 China 8.10 2009 est. 543 Kazakhstan 7.90 2009 est. 544 Trinidad and Tobago 7.90 2009 est. 545 Saint Kitts and Nevis 7.90 2009 est. 546 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 7.80 2009 est. 547 Anguilla 7.70 2009 est. 548 Macau 7.70 2009 est. 549 Jamaica 7.50 2009 est. 550 New Caledonia 7.30 2009 est. 551 Lebanon 7.20 2009 est. 552 Tunisia 7.20 2009 est. 553 Mauritius 7.10 2009 est. 554 Seychelles 7.10 2009 est. 555 Wallis and Futuna 7.10 2009 est. 556 Bahamas, The 6.90 2009 est. 557 Greenland 6.90 2009 est. 558 Montserrat 6.90 2009 est. 559 French Polynesia 6.80 2009 est. 560 Panama 6.80 2009 est. 561 Azerbaijan 6.70 2009 est. 562 Antigua and Barbuda 6.60 2009 est. 563 Kosovo 6.60 2009 est. 564 Brazil 6.40 2009 est. 565 Cape Verde 6.40 2009 est. 566 Suriname 6.30 2009 est. 567 Costa Rica 6.20 2009 est. 568 Mexico 6.20 2009 est. 569 Palau 6.20 2009 est. 570 Ecuador 6.20 2009 est. 571 Turkey 6.10 2009 est. 572 Indonesia 6.00 2009 est. 573 Dominican Republic 5.90 2009 est. 574 Kyrgyzstan 5.80 2009 est. 575 British Virgin Islands 5.80 2009 est. 576 Peru 5.70 2009 est. 577 Vietnam 5.70 2009 est. 578 Samoa 5.70 2009 est. 579 Colombia 5.60 2009 est. 580 Bhutan 5.50 2009 est. 581 Saint Martin 5.50 2009 est. 582 Guyana 5.50 2009 est. 583 Burma 5.40 2009 est. 584 Iran 5.40 2009 est. 585 South Africa 5.40 2009 est. 586 El Salvador 5.30 2009 est. 587 India 5.30 2009 est. 588 Morocco 5.20 2009 est. 589 Tuvalu 5.20 2009 est. 590 Venezuela 5.20 2009 est. 591 Paraguay 5.20 2009 est. 592 Algeria 5.10 2009 est. 593 Lesotho 5.00 2009 est. 594 Tokelau 5.00 2009 est. 595 Malaysia 5.00 2009 est. 596 Uzbekistan 4.90 2009 est. 597 Egypt 4.80 2009 est. 598 Fiji 4.80 2009 est. 599 Bolivia 4.50 2009 est. 600 Libya 4.30 2009 est. 601 Turkmenistan 4.30 2009 est. 602 Tonga 4.30 2009 est. 603 Jordan 4.20 2009 est. 604 Turks and Caicos Islands 4.20 2009 est. 605 Nepal 4.20 2009 est. 606 Pakistan 4.20 2009 est. 607 Central African Republic 4.10 2009 est. 608 Philippines 4.10 2009 est. 609 Equatorial Guinea 4.10 2009 est. 610 Papua New Guinea 4.10 2009 est. 611 Bangladesh 4.00 2009 est. 612 Vanuatu 4.00 2009 est. 613 Mongolia 4.00 2009 est. 614 American Samoa 3.90 2009 est. 615 Bahrain 3.90 2009 est. 616 Botswana 3.90 2009 est. 617 Namibia 3.90 2009 est. 618 Maldives 3.90 2009 est. 619 Zimbabwe 3.90 2009 est. 620 Gabon 3.90 2009 est. 621 Guatemala 3.80 2009 est. 622 Djibouti 3.70 2009 est. 623 Swaziland 3.70 2009 est. 624 West Bank 3.70 2009 est. 625 Cambodia 3.60 2009 est. 626 Ghana 3.60 2009 est. 627 Tajikistan 3.60 2009 est. 628 Honduras 3.60 2009 est. 629 Eritrea 3.60 2009 est. 630 Belize 3.50 2009 est. 631 Sao Tome and Principe 3.50 2009 est. 632 Solomon Islands 3.50 2009 est. 633 Guinea 3.50 2009 est. 634 Kiribati 3.50 2009 est. 635 Haiti 3.40 2009 est. 636 Mauritania 3.40 2009 est. 637 Timor-Leste 3.40 2009 est. 638 Syria 3.40 2009 est. 639 Brunei 3.30 2009 est. 640 Cameroon 3.30 2009 est. 641 Nicaragua 3.30 2009 est. 642 Sierra Leone 3.20 2009 est. 643 Comoros 3.10 2009 est. 644 Laos 3.10 2009 est. 645 Guinea-Bissau 3.10 2009 est. 646 Nigeria 3.10 2009 est. 647 Mali 3.10 2009 est. 648 Iraq 3.00 2009 est. 649 Madagascar 3.00 2009 est. 650 Senegal 3.00 2009 est. 651 Chad 2.90 2009 est. 652 Tanzania 2.90 2009 est. 653 Marshall Islands 2.90 2009 est. 654 Mozambique 2.90 2009 est. 655 Kuwait 2.90 2009 est. 656 Cote d'Ivoire 2.90 2009 est. 657 Micronesia, Federated States of 2.90 2009 est. 658 Congo, Republic of the 2.80 2009 est. 659 Liberia 2.80 2009 est. 660 Togo 2.80 2009 est. 661 Oman 2.80 2009 est. 662 Gambia, The 2.80 2009 est. 663 Grenada 2.80 2009 est. 664 Angola 2.70 2009 est. 665 Malawi 2.70 2009 est. 666 Ethiopia 2.70 2009 est. 667 Benin 2.60 2009 est. 668 Gaza Strip 2.60 2009 est. 669 Kenya 2.60 2009 est. 670 Burundi 2.50 2009 est. 671 Sudan 2.50 2009 est. 672 Yemen 2.50 2009 est. 673 Burkina Faso 2.50 2009 est. 674 Somalia 2.50 2009 est. 675 Saudi Arabia 2.50 2009 est. 676 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 2.50 2009 est. 677 Afghanistan 2.40 2009 est. 678 Rwanda 2.40 2009 est. 679 Niger 2.30 2009 est. 680 Zambia 2.30 2009 est. 681 Western Sahara 2.30 2009 est. 682 Nauru 2.10 2009 est. 683 Uganda 2.10 2009 est. 684 Mayotte 1.80 2009 est. 685 Northern Mariana Islands 1.70 2009 est. 686 Qatar 1.40 2009 est. 687 United Arab Emirates 0.90 2009 est.

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Rank code: 2011

Country Comparison :: Geographic coordinates

This entry includes rounded latitude and longitude figures for the purpose of finding the approximate geographic center of an entity and is based on the locations provided in the Geographic Names Server (GNS), maintained by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency on behalf of the US Board on Geographic Names.

Rank country Geographic coordinates Date of Information

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Rank code: 2012

Country Comparison :: GDP - composition by sector

This entry gives the percentage contribution of agriculture, industry, and services to total GDP. The distribution will total less than 100 percent if the data are incomplete.

Rank country (%) Date of Information

1 Macau 97.10 2007 est. 2 Jersey 97.00 2005 3 Cayman Islands 95.40 1994 est. 4 Monaco 95.10 2005 5 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 95.00 1996 6 Equatorial Guinea 93.70 2008 est. 7 Hong Kong 92.70 2008 est. 8 British Virgin Islands 92.00 1996 est. 9 Bahamas, The 90.00 2001 est. 10 Bermuda 89.00 2002 est. 11 Guernsey 87.00 2000 12 Isle of Man 86.00 2000 est. 13 Luxembourg 86.00 2007 est. 14 Netherlands Antilles 84.00 2000 est. 15 Saint Martin 84.00 2000 16 Djibouti 81.90 2006 est. 17 Palau 81.80 2003 18 Malta 80.60 2007 est. 19 Saint Lucia 80.00 2005 est. 20 Virgin Islands 80.00 2003 est. 21 United States 79.60 2008 est. 22 Gaza Strip 79.00 2007 est. 23 West Bank 79.00 2007 est. 24 Cyprus 78.30 2008 est. 25 Anguilla 78.00 2002 est. 26 Barbados 78.00 2000 est. 27 Fiji 77.60 2004 est. 28 France 77.60 2008 est. 29 Liberia 76.90 2002 est. 30 Grenada 76.60 2003 31 Panama 76.40 2008 est. 32 New Caledonia 76.20 2003 33 Belgium 76.10 2008 est. 34 French Polynesia 76.10 2005 35 Lebanon 76.10 2008 est. 36 Maldives 76.00 2006 est. 37 Greece 75.70 2008 est. 38 Montserrat 75.70 1999 est. 39 Cook Islands 75.30 2004 40 Samoa 75.30 2004 est. 41 Brunei 75.00 2005 est. 42 Qatar 74.90 2008 est. 43 United Kingdom 74.50 2008 est. 44 Cape Verde 74.40 2008 est. 45 Antigua and Barbuda 74.30 2002 est. 46 Latvia 74.20 2008 est. 47 Taiwan 73.20 2008 est. 48 Netherlands 72.90 2008 est. 49 Cuba 72.80 2008 est. 50 Denmark 72.60 2008 est. 51 Japan 72.30 2008 est. 52 Portugal 72.20 2008 est. 53 Singapore 72.20 2008 est. 54 Italy 71.00 2008 est. 55 European Union 70.90 2008 est. 56 Libya 70.90 2008 est. 57 Sao Tome and Principe 70.80 2008 est. 58 Saint Kitts and Nevis 70.70 2001 59 Mauritius 70.50 2008 est. 60 Sweden 70.50 2008 est. 61 Peru 70.30 2008 est. 62 New Zealand 69.90 2008 est. 63 Australia 69.80 2008 est. 64 Iceland 69.80 2008 est. 65 Canada 69.60 2008 est. 66 Seychelles 69.20 2008 est. 67 Germany 69.10 2008 est. 68 Estonia 68.40 2008 est. 69 Iraq 68.00 2006 est. 70 Costa Rica 67.60 2008 est. 71 Spain 67.60 2008 est. 72 Austria 67.40 2008 est. 73 Uruguay 67.10 2008 est. 74 Kiribati 66.80 2004 75 Jordan 66.50 2008 est. 76 Aruba 66.30 2002 est. 77 Croatia 66.30 2008 est. 78 Dominican Republic 66.30 2008 est. 79 Bahrain 66.20 2008 est. 80 Bosnia and Herzegovina 66.00 2006 est. 81 Angola 65.80 2008 est. 82 Brazil 65.30 2008 est. 83 Israel 65.00 2008 est. 84 Somalia 65.00 2005 est. 85 Finland 64.90 2008 est. 86 Suriname 64.80 2005 est. 87 Senegal 64.60 2008 est. 88 Switzerland 64.50 2003 est. 89 Poland 64.30 2008 est. 90 Slovenia 64.30 2008 est. 91 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 64.00 2001 est. 92 Turkey 63.80 2008 est. 93 Serbia 63.50 2007 est. 94 Lithuania 63.30 2008 est. 95 South Africa 63.00 2008 est. 96 United Arab Emirates 62.70 2008 est. 97 Algeria 62.30 2008 est. 98 Trinidad and Tobago 62.30 2008 est. 99 Bulgaria 62.20 2008 est. 100 Jamaica 62.20 2008 est. 101 Faroe Islands 62.00 1999 102 Guinea-Bissau 62.00 1999 est. 103 Vanuatu 62.00 2000 est. 104 Guatemala 61.90 2008 est. 105 Saudi Arabia 61.90 2008 est. 106 Oman 61.80 2008 est. 107 Mexico 61.00 2008 est. 108 Macedonia 60.70 2008 est. 109 El Salvador 60.60 2008 est. 110 Moldova 60.60 2008 est. 111 Azerbaijan 60.50 2008 est. 112 Hungary 60.20 2008 est. 113 Czech Republic 60.10 2008 est. 114 Kosovo 60.00 2007 est. 115 Albania 59.70 2008 est. 116 Georgia 59.60 2008 est. 117 Kenya 59.50 2007 est. 118 Eritrea 59.40 2008 est. 119 Zimbabwe 59.30 2008 est. 120 Ecuador 59.00 2008 est. 121 Gambia, The 59.00 2008 est. 122 Slovakia 59.00 2008 est. 123 Ukraine 58.90 2008 est. 124 Venezuela 58.60 2008 est. 125 Madagascar 58.50 2008 est. 126 Paraguay 58.20 2008 est. 127 Gabon 57.80 2008 est. 128 Russia 57.70 2008 est. 129 Korea, South 57.60 2008 est. 130 Argentina 57.40 2008 est. 131 Zambia 57.40 2008 est. 132 Sri Lanka 57.30 2008 est. 133 Nicaragua 57.30 2008 est. 134 Congo, Republic of the 57.10 2006 est. 135 Tonga 57.00 FY05/06 est. 136 Honduras 56.90 2008 est. 137 Yemen 56.50 2008 est. 138 Tuvalu 56.20 2002 139 Comoros 56.00 2001 est. 140 Micronesia, Federated States of 55.90 2004 est. 141 Romania 55.90 2008 est. 142 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 55.00 2000 est. 143 Timor-Leste 55.00 2005 144 Central African Republic 55.00 2001 est. 145 Syria 54.60 2008 est. 146 Belize 54.10 2008 est. 147 Morocco 54.10 2008 est. 148 Liechtenstein 54.00 2007 149 Puerto Rico 54.00 2005 est. 150 Namibia 54.00 2008 est. 151 Uganda 53.90 2008 est. 152 Kazakhstan 53.80 2008 est. 153 Norway 53.80 2008 est. 154 Philippines 53.70 2008 est. 155 India 53.40 2008 est. 156 Marshall Islands 53.40 2004 est. 157 San Marino 53.40 2007 158 Pakistan 53.00 2008 est. 159 Colombia 52.90 2008 est. 160 Botswana 52.60 2008 est. 161 Tunisia 52.50 2008 est. 162 Bangladesh 52.30 2008 est. 163 Benin 52.30 2007 est. 164 Kuwait 52.20 2008 est. 165 Haiti 52.00 2004 est. 166 Turkmenistan 51.90 2008 est. 167 Bolivia 51.80 2008 est. 168 Burkina Faso 51.00 2008 est. 169 Nepal 50.90 FY07 est. 170 Nigeria 50.80 2008 est. 171 Kyrgyzstan 50.60 2008 est. 172 Chile 50.50 2008 est. 173 Cote d'Ivoire 50.40 2008 est. 174 Tanzania 50.40 2008 est. 175 Belarus 50.30 2008 est. 176 Guyana 50.20 2008 est. 177 Tajikistan 50.20 2008 est. 178 Dominica 49.50 2004 est. 179 Niue 49.50 2003 180 Armenia 49.40 2008 est. 181 Ireland 49.00 2002 est. 182 Sierra Leone 49.00 2005 est. 183 China 48.60 2008 est. 184 Egypt 48.10 2008 est. 185 Indonesia 48.10 2008 est. 186 Chad 48.00 2008 est. 187 Iran 47.80 2008 est. 188 Kuwait 47.50 2008 est. 189 Solomon Islands 47.00 2005 est. 190 Mauritania 46.70 2008 est. 191 San Marino 46.50 2007 192 Lesotho 46.40 2008 est. 193 Malaysia 46.30 2008 est. 194 Ireland 46.00 2002 est. 195 Swaziland 46.00 2008 est. 196 Botswana 45.80 2008 est. 197 Burundi 45.60 2008 est. 198 Mozambique 45.60 2008 est. 199 Thailand 45.10 2008 est. 200 Mali 45.00 2001 est. 201 Puerto Rico 45.00 2005 est. 202 Ethiopia 44.90 2008 est. 203 Chile 44.70 2008 est. 204 Norway 44.20 2008 est. 205 Malawi 44.00 2008 est. 206 Niger 44.00 2001 207 Malaysia 43.70 2008 est. 208 Cameroon 43.60 2008 est. 209 Thailand 43.30 2008 est. 210 Rwanda 43.20 2008 est. 211 Korea, North 43.10 2002 est. 212 Afghanistan 43.00 2008 est. 213 Uzbekistan 42.80 2008 est. 214 Swaziland 42.80 2008 est. 215 Mongolia 42.70 2008 216 Ethiopia 42.30 2008 est. 217 Solomon Islands 42.00 2005 est. 218 Iran 41.90 2008 est. 219 Belarus 41.20 2008 est. 220 Cambodia 41.00 2007 est. 221 Burma 40.90 2008 est. 222 Kazakhstan 40.90 2008 est. 223 Mauritania 40.70 2008 est. 224 Cameroon 40.50 2008 est. 225 China 40.10 2008 est. 226 Comoros 40.00 2001 est. 227 Western Sahara 40.00 2007 est. 228 Togo 40.00 2008 est. 229 Vietnam 39.90 2008 est. 230 Bhutan 39.80 2006 231 Guinea 39.50 2008 est. 232 Korea, South 39.50 2008 est. 233 Burma 39.20 2008 est. 234 Malawi 39.20 2008 est. 235 Laos 39.20 2008 est. 236 Liechtenstein 39.00 2007 237 Niger 39.00 2001 238 Turkmenistan 39.00 2008 est. 239 Egypt 38.70 2008 est. 240 Lesotho 38.50 2008 est. 241 Mongolia 38.50 2008 242 Colombia 38.10 2008 est. 243 Vietnam 38.10 2008 est. 244 Mali 38.00 2001 est. 245 Bhutan 37.90 2006 246 Czech Republic 37.60 2008 est. 247 Russia 37.60 2008 est. 248 Venezuela 37.60 2008 est. 249 Ghana 37.50 2006 est. 250 Indonesia 37.50 2008 est. 251 Congo, Republic of the 37.30 2006 est. 252 Ghana 37.30 2006 est. 253 Guinea 37.30 2008 est. 254 Slovakia 37.20 2008 est. 255 Trinidad and Tobago 37.20 2008 est. 256 Tunisia 37.00 2008 est. 257 Namibia 37.00 2008 est. 258 Bolivia 36.90 2008 est. 259 Hungary 36.90 2008 est. 260 Gabon 36.60 2008 est. 261 Papua New Guinea 36.30 2008 est. 262 Oman 36.10 2008 est. 263 Romania 36.00 2008 est. 264 United Arab Emirates 35.70 2008 est. 265 Mexico 35.20 2008 est. 266 Saudi Arabia 35.00 2008 est. 267 Togo 35.00 2008 est. 268 Sudan 34.70 2008 est. 269 Rwanda 34.50 2008 est. 270 Ecuador 34.30 2008 est. 271 Laos 34.30 2008 est. 272 Sudan 34.30 2008 est. 273 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 34.00 2000 est. 274 Switzerland 34.00 2003 est. 275 Armenia 33.80 2008 est. 276 South Africa 33.70 2008 est. 277 Korea, North 33.60 2002 est. 278 Azerbaijan 33.50 2008 est. 279 Burundi 33.40 2008 est. 280 Slovenia 33.40 2008 est. 281 Aruba 33.30 2002 est. 282 Gambia, The 33.30 2008 est. 283 Bahrain 33.30 2008 est. 284 Papua New Guinea 33.30 2008 est. 285 Benin 33.20 2007 est. 286 Yemen 33.20 2008 est. 287 Dominica 32.80 2004 est. 288 Argentina 32.70 2008 est. 289 Jamaica 32.60 2008 est. 290 Nepal 32.50 FY07 est. 291 Finland 32.40 2008 est. 292 Israel 32.40 2008 est. 293 Lithuania 32.20 2008 est. 294 Timor-Leste 32.20 2005 295 Marshall Islands 31.70 2004 est. 296 Ukraine 31.70 2008 est. 297 Philippines 31.60 2008 est. 298 Chad 31.50 2008 est. 299 Uzbekistan 31.40 2008 est. 300 Poland 31.20 2008 est. 301 Nigeria 31.10 2008 est. 302 Afghanistan 31.00 2008 est. 303 Sudan 31.00 2008 est. 304 Sierra Leone 31.00 2005 est. 305 Mozambique 30.90 2008 est. 306 Austria 30.70 2008 est. 307 Bulgaria 30.50 2008 est. 308 Papua New Guinea 30.40 2008 est. 309 Germany 30.10 2008 est. 310 Morocco 30.10 2008 est. 311 Cambodia 30.00 2007 est. 312 Honduras 30.00 2008 est. 313 Jordan 29.90 2008 est. 314 Kyrgyzstan 29.80 2008 est. 315 Algeria 29.40 2008 est. 316 Sri Lanka 29.40 2008 est. 317 Burkina Faso 29.10 2008 est. 318 Belize 29.00 2008 est. 319 Estonia 29.00 2008 est. 320 Cambodia 29.00 2007 est. 321 Spain 29.00 2008 est. 322 India 29.00 2008 est. 323 Micronesia, Federated States of 28.90 2004 est. 324 Seychelles 28.90 2008 est. 325 El Salvador 28.80 2008 est. 326 Bangladesh 28.60 2008 est. 327 Canada 28.40 2008 est. 328 Brazil 28.00 2008 est. 329 Sweden 28.00 2008 est. 330 Cote d'Ivoire 28.00 2008 est. 331 Haiti 28.00 2004 est. 332 Georgia 27.90 2008 est. 333 Macedonia 27.80 2008 est. 334 Singapore 27.80 2008 est. 335 Croatia 27.70 2008 est. 336 Turkey 27.50 2008 est. 337 Libya 27.40 2008 est. 338 Tuvalu 27.20 2002 339 European Union 27.10 2008 est. 340 Tanzania 27.10 2008 est. 341 Tajikistan 27.10 2008 est. 342 Faroe Islands 27.00 1999 343 Italy 27.00 2008 est. 344 Iraq 27.00 2006 est. 345 Niue 26.90 2003 346 Syria 26.90 2008 est. 347 Australia 26.80 2008 est. 348 Pakistan 26.60 2008 est. 349 Zambia 26.60 2008 est. 350 Laos 26.50 2008 est. 351 Japan 26.30 2008 est. 352 Madagascar 26.20 2008 est. 353 Denmark 26.10 2008 est. 354 Afghanistan 26.00 2008 est. 355 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 26.00 2001 est. 356 Guinea-Bissau 26.00 1999 est. 357 Vanuatu 26.00 2000 est. 358 Costa Rica 25.90 2008 est. 359 Nicaragua 25.80 2008 est. 360 Saint Kitts and Nevis 25.80 2001 361 Uzbekistan 25.80 2008 est. 362 New Zealand 25.70 2008 est. 363 Netherlands 25.50 2008 est. 364 Ghana 25.30 2006 est. 365 Iceland 25.20 2008 est. 366 Qatar 25.10 2008 est. 367 Taiwan 25.10 2008 est. 368 Brunei 25.00 2005 est. 369 Guatemala 25.00 2008 est. 370 Togo 25.00 2008 est. 371 Tonga 25.00 FY05/06 est. 372 Somalia 25.00 2005 est. 373 Portugal 25.00 2008 est. 374 Central African Republic 25.00 2001 est. 375 Guyana 24.90 2008 est. 376 Guyana 24.90 2008 est. 377 Mauritius 24.90 2008 est. 378 Angola 24.60 2008 est. 379 Uganda 24.60 2008 est. 380 Suriname 24.40 2005 est. 381 Kiribati 24.20 2004 382 Serbia 24.20 2007 est. 383 United Kingdom 24.20 2008 est. 384 Bosnia and Herzegovina 23.90 2006 est. 385 Kenya 23.80 2007 est. 386 Mozambique 23.50 2008 est. 387 Niue 23.50 2003 388 Paraguay 23.40 2008 est. 389 Uruguay 23.40 2008 est. 390 Korea, North 23.30 2002 est. 391 Belgium 23.20 2008 est. 392 Guinea 23.20 2008 est. 393 Eritrea 23.20 2008 est. 394 Montserrat 23.10 1999 est. 395 Dominican Republic 22.90 2008 est. 396 Cuba 22.80 2008 est. 397 Latvia 22.70 2008 est. 398 Tajikistan 22.70 2008 est. 399 Zimbabwe 22.60 2008 est. 400 Tanzania 22.50 2008 est. 401 Bhutan 22.30 2006 402 Rwanda 22.30 2008 est. 403 Antigua and Barbuda 22.00 2002 est. 404 Vietnam 22.00 2008 est. 405 Cote d'Ivoire 21.60 2008 est. 406 Uganda 21.50 2008 est. 407 Peru 21.20 2008 est. 408 Burundi 21.00 2008 est. 409 Sierra Leone 21.00 2005 est. 410 Greece 20.60 2008 est. 411 Albania 20.50 2008 est. 412 Chad 20.50 2008 est. 413 French Polynesia 20.40 2005 414 Pakistan 20.40 2008 est. 415 France 20.40 2008 est. 416 Central African Republic 20.00 2001 est. 417 Moldova 20.00 2008 est. 418 Kosovo 20.00 2007 est. 419 Kosovo 20.00 2007 est. 420 Haiti 20.00 2004 est. 421 Burkina Faso 19.90 2008 est. 422 Albania 19.80 2008 est. 423 Burma 19.80 2008 est. 424 Kyrgyzstan 19.70 2008 est. 425 Cyprus 19.60 2008 est. 426 Moldova 19.40 2008 est. 427 Senegal 19.30 2008 est. 428 United States 19.20 2008 est. 429 Bangladesh 19.10 2008 est. 430 Virgin Islands 19.00 2003 est. 431 Lebanon 18.80 2008 est. 432 Mongolia 18.80 2008 433 Syria 18.50 2008 est. 434 Paraguay 18.40 2008 est. 435 Nigeria 18.10 2008 est. 436 Zimbabwe 18.10 2008 est. 437 Anguilla 18.00 2002 est. 438 Malta 18.00 2007 est. 439 Grenada 18.00 2003 440 Dominica 17.70 2004 est. 441 Liberia 17.70 2002 est. 442 India 17.60 2008 est. 443 Eritrea 17.40 2008 est. 444 Panama 17.20 2008 est. 445 Mali 17.00 2001 est. 446 Maldives 17.00 2006 est. 447 Tonga 17.00 FY05/06 est. 448 Niger 17.00 2001 449 Belize 16.90 2008 est. 450 Nicaragua 16.90 2008 est. 451 Malawi 16.80 2008 est. 452 Armenia 16.70 2008 est. 453 Kenya 16.70 2007 est. 454 Cape Verde 16.60 2008 est. 455 Tuvalu 16.60 2002 456 Nepal 16.60 FY07 est. 457 Senegal 16.10 2008 est. 458 Barbados 16.00 2000 est. 459 Zambia 16.00 2008 est. 460 Cameroon 15.90 2008 est. 461 Morocco 15.70 2008 est. 462 Micronesia, Federated States of 15.20 2004 est. 463 Madagascar 15.20 2008 est. 464 Cook Islands 15.10 2004 465 Lesotho 15.10 2008 est. 466 New Caledonia 15.00 2003 467 Saint Lucia 15.00 2005 est. 468 Netherlands Antilles 15.00 2000 est. 469 Saint Martin 15.00 2000 470 Djibouti 14.90 2006 est. 471 Marshall Islands 14.90 2004 est. 472 Philippines 14.70 2008 est. 473 Sao Tome and Principe 14.60 2008 est. 474 Sao Tome and Principe 14.60 2008 est. 475 Benin 14.50 2007 est. 476 Indonesia 14.40 2008 est. 477 Luxembourg 13.60 2007 est. 478 Fiji 13.50 2004 est. 479 Sri Lanka 13.40 2008 est. 480 Egypt 13.20 2008 est. 481 Guatemala 13.10 2008 est. 482 Honduras 13.10 2008 est. 483 Samoa 13.10 2004 est. 484 Gaza Strip 13.00 2007 est. 485 Isle of Man 13.00 2000 est. 486 West Bank 13.00 2007 est. 487 Ethiopia 12.80 2008 est. 488 Timor-Leste 12.80 2005 489 Georgia 12.50 2008 est. 490 Mauritania 12.50 2008 est. 491 Serbia 12.30 2007 est. 492 Vanuatu 12.00 2000 est. 493 Guinea-Bissau 12.00 1999 est. 494 Palau 12.00 2003 495 Thailand 11.60 2008 est. 496 Samoa 11.60 2004 est. 497 Macedonia 11.50 2008 est. 498 Bolivia 11.30 2008 est. 499 China 11.30 2008 est. 500 Swaziland 11.20 2008 est. 501 Solomon Islands 11.00 2005 est. 502 Faroe Islands 11.00 1999 503 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 11.00 2000 est. 504 Dominican Republic 10.80 2008 est. 505 Suriname 10.80 2005 est. 506 El Salvador 10.70 2008 est. 507 Tunisia 10.50 2008 est. 508 Yemen 10.30 2008 est. 509 Bosnia and Herzegovina 10.20 2006 est. 510 Iran 10.20 2008 est. 511 Malaysia 10.10 2008 est. 512 Bermuda 10.00 2002 est. 513 Somalia 10.00 2005 est. 514 Guernsey 10.00 2000 515 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 10.00 2001 est. 516 Argentina 9.90 2008 est. 517 Cook Islands 9.60 2004 518 Uruguay 9.50 2008 est. 519 Ukraine 9.30 2008 est. 520 Angola 9.20 2008 est. 521 Cape Verde 9.10 2008 est. 522 Turkmenistan 9.10 2008 est. 523 Colombia 9.00 2008 est. 524 Namibia 9.00 2008 est. 525 Fiji 8.90 2004 est. 526 Kiribati 8.90 2004 527 New Caledonia 8.80 2003 528 Turkey 8.80 2008 est. 529 Belarus 8.50 2008 est. 530 Peru 8.50 2008 est. 531 Algeria 8.30 2008 est. 532 Romania 8.10 2008 est. 533 Gaza Strip 8.00 2007 est. 534 West Bank 8.00 2007 est. 535 Liechtenstein 8.00 2007 536 Gambia, The 7.60 2008 est. 537 Hong Kong 7.40 2008 est. 538 Bulgaria 7.30 2008 est. 539 Bahamas, The 7.00 2001 est. 540 Maldives 7.00 2006 est. 541 Brazil 6.70 2008 est. 542 Ecuador 6.70 2008 est. 543 Costa Rica 6.50 2008 est. 544 Panama 6.40 2008 est. 545 Palau 6.20 2003 546 British Virgin Islands 6.20 1996 est. 547 Azerbaijan 6.00 2008 est. 548 Croatia 6.00 2008 est. 549 Barbados 6.00 2000 est. 550 Congo, Republic of the 5.60 2006 est. 551 Gabon 5.60 2008 est. 552 Grenada 5.40 2003 553 Liberia 5.40 2002 est. 554 Kazakhstan 5.30 2008 est. 555 Jamaica 5.20 2008 est. 556 Lebanon 5.10 2008 est. 557 Ireland 5.00 2002 est. 558 Saint Lucia 5.00 2005 est. 559 Iceland 5.00 2008 est. 560 Iraq 5.00 2006 est. 561 Monaco 4.90 2005 562 Chile 4.80 2008 est. 563 Russia 4.70 2008 est. 564 Mauritius 4.60 2008 est. 565 Lithuania 4.50 2008 est. 566 Poland 4.50 2008 est. 567 Cuba 4.40 2008 est. 568 New Zealand 4.40 2008 est. 569 Anguilla 4.00 2002 est. 570 Comoros 4.00 2001 est. 571 Equatorial Guinea 3.90 2008 est. 572 Antigua and Barbuda 3.80 2002 est. 573 Mexico 3.80 2008 est. 574 Venezuela 3.80 2008 est. 575 Greece 3.70 2008 est. 576 Slovakia 3.70 2008 est. 577 Jordan 3.60 2008 est. 578 French Polynesia 3.50 2005 579 Saint Kitts and Nevis 3.50 2001 580 Australia 3.40 2008 est. 581 Spain 3.40 2008 est. 582 South Africa 3.30 2008 est. 583 Cayman Islands 3.20 1994 est. 584 Djibouti 3.20 2006 est. 585 Latvia 3.10 2008 est. 586 Saudi Arabia 3.10 2008 est. 587 Bahamas, The 3.00 2001 est. 588 Korea, South 3.00 2008 est. 589 Guernsey 3.00 2000 590 Hungary 2.90 2008 est. 591 Finland 2.80 2008 est. 592 Portugal 2.80 2008 est. 593 Macau 2.80 2007 est. 594 Estonia 2.60 2008 est. 595 Israel 2.60 2008 est. 596 Equatorial Guinea 2.30 2008 est. 597 Czech Republic 2.30 2008 est. 598 Slovenia 2.20 2008 est. 599 Cyprus 2.10 2008 est. 600 Oman 2.10 2008 est. 601 Canada 2.00 2008 est. 602 Seychelles 2.00 2008 est. 603 Norway 2.00 2008 est. 604 European Union 2.00 2008 est. 605 France 2.00 2008 est. 606 Jersey 2.00 2005 607 Italy 2.00 2008 est. 608 Austria 1.90 2008 est. 609 British Virgin Islands 1.80 1996 est. 610 Libya 1.70 2008 est. 611 Taiwan 1.70 2008 est. 612 Netherlands 1.70 2008 est. 613 Botswana 1.60 2008 est. 614 Sweden 1.60 2008 est. 615 United Arab Emirates 1.50 2008 est. 616 Japan 1.50 2008 est. 617 Switzerland 1.50 2003 est. 618 Cayman Islands 1.40 1994 est. 619 Malta 1.40 2007 est. 620 Denmark 1.30 2008 est. 621 United Kingdom 1.30 2008 est. 622 Montserrat 1.20 1999 est. 623 United States 1.20 2008 est. 624 Bermuda 1.00 2002 est. 625 Isle of Man 1.00 2000 est. 626 Virgin Islands 1.00 2003 est. 627 Saint Martin 1.00 2000 628 Puerto Rico 1.00 2005 est. 629 Netherlands Antilles 1.00 2000 est. 630 Jersey 1.00 2005 631 Germany 0.90 2008 est. 632 Belgium 0.80 2008 est. 633 Brunei 0.70 2005 est. 634 Trinidad and Tobago 0.50 2008 est. 635 Aruba 0.40 2002 est. 636 Luxembourg 0.40 2007 est. 637 Bahrain 0.40 2008 est. 638 Kuwait 0.30 2008 est. 639 Macau 0.10 2007 est. 640 Qatar 0.10 2008 est. 641 San Marino 0.10 2007 642 Hong Kong 0.00 2008 est. 643 Monaco 0.00 2005 644 Singapore 0.00 2008 est.

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Rank code: 2013

Country Comparison :: Radio broadcast stations

This entry includes the total number of AM, FM, and shortwave broadcast stations.

Rank country Radio broadcast stations Date of Information

1 European Union 13,655.00 NA 2 United States 8,961.00 2006 3 United States 4,789.00 2006 4 Italy 4,600.00 1998 5 France 3,500.00 1998 6 Russia 1,500.00 2004 7 Brazil 1,365.00 1999 8 European Union 930.00 NA 9 Mexico 850.00 2003 10 Germany 787.00 1998 11 Romania 698.00 2006 12 United Kingdom 696.00 2008 13 Indonesia 678.00 1998 14 Philippines 628.00 2007 15 Canada 582.00 2004 16 Netherlands 567.00 2008 17 Mexico 545.00 2003 18 Ukraine 524.00 2006 19 Guatemala 487.00 2000 20 Peru 472.00 1999 21 Colombia 454.00 1999 22 Ecuador 392.00 2001 23 Malaysia 391.00 2001 24 Philippines 381.00 2007 25 China 369.00 1998 26 Denmark 355.00 1998 27 Thailand 351.00 2007 28 South Africa 347.00 1998 29 Australia 345.00 1998 30 Russia 323.00 2004 31 Korea, South 322.00 2008 32 Czech Republic 304.00 2000 33 Brazil 296.00 1999 34 New Zealand 290.00 1998 35 Australia 262.00 1998 36 Argentina 260.00 1998 37 China 259.00 1998 38 Spain 250.00 2008 39 Canada 245.00 2004 40 Honduras 241.00 1998 41 Thailand 238.00 2007 42 Mali 230.00 2001 43 Slovenia 230.00 2006 44 Japan 215.00 2001 45 United Kingdom 206.00 2008 46 Venezuela 201.00 1998 47 Peru 198.00 1999 48 Uruguay 191.00 2005 49 Peru 189.00 1999 50 Chile 180.00 1998 51 Bolivia 171.00 1999 52 Cuba 169.00 1998 53 Brazil 161.00 1999 54 Norway 160.00 2008 55 India 153.00 1998 56 Serbia 153.00 2001 57 El Salvador 144.00 2005 58 Taiwan 143.00 2008 59 Lithuania 142.00 2001 60 Panama 134.00 1998 61 Guatemala 130.00 2000 62 New Zealand 124.00 1998 63 Sweden 124.00 2008 64 Paraguay 121.00 2006 65 Dominican Republic 120.00 1998 66 Mongolia 115.00 2006 67 Turkey 107.00 2001 68 Ireland 106.00 1998 69 Switzerland 106.00 2008 70 Panama 101.00 1998 71 Italy 100.00 1998 72 Croatia 98.00 1999 73 Korea, South 96.00 2008 74 Uruguay 93.00 2005 75 India 91.00 1998 76 Hungary 90.00 2008 77 Japan 89.00 2001 78 Greece 88.00 1998 79 Ghana 86.00 2007 80 Nigeria 83.00 2001 81 Indonesia 82.00 1998 82 Kenya 82.00 2008 83 Nepal 80.00 2008 84 Belgium 79.00 1998 85 Bolivia 77.00 1999 86 Cyprus 76.00 2004 87 Puerto Rico 74.00 2008 88 Bolivia 73.00 1999 89 Iran 72.00 1998 90 European Union 71.00 NA 91 Iceland 70.00 2008 92 India 68.00 1998 93 Pakistan 68.00 2006 94 Austria 65.00 2001 95 Vietnam 65.00 1999 96 Costa Rica 65.00 2002 97 Chile 64.00 1998 98 Bulgaria 63.00 2001 99 Poland 63.00 2008 100 Portugal 63.00 2008 101 Nicaragua 63.00 1998 102 Latvia 62.00 2008 103 Russia 62.00 2004 104 Kazakhstan 60.00 2008 105 Finland 59.00 2008 106 Dominican Republic 56.00 1998 107 Cuba 55.00 1998 108 Honduras 53.00 1998 109 Puerto Rico 53.00 2008 110 Sri Lanka 52.00 2007 111 El Salvador 52.00 2005 112 Iraq 52.00 2008 113 Costa Rica 51.00 2002 114 Germany 51.00 1998 115 Cambodia 50.00 2008 116 Albania 46.00 2005 117 China 45.00 1998 118 Indonesia 43.00 1998 119 Saudi Arabia 43.00 1998 120 Egypt 42.00 1999 121 France 41.00 1998 122 Haiti 41.00 1999 123 Paraguay 41.00 2006 124 Fiji 40.00 1998 125 Namibia 39.00 2001 126 Tunisia 38.00 2007 127 Belarus 37.00 1998 128 Nigeria 36.00 2001 129 Ecuador 35.00 2001 130 Malaysia 35.00 2001 131 Benin 34.00 2007 132 Colombia 34.00 1999 133 Uganda 33.00 2001 134 Estonia 32.00 2007 135 Lebanon 32.00 2007 136 Nicaragua 32.00 1998 137 Macedonia 32.00 2008 138 Bulgaria 31.00 2001 139 Saudi Arabia 31.00 1998 140 Pakistan 31.00 2006 141 Montenegro 31.00 2004 142 Czech Republic 31.00 2000 143 Jordan 31.00 2007 144 Ecuador 29.00 2001 145 Macedonia 29.00 2008 146 Lithuania 29.00 2001 147 Vietnam 29.00 1999 148 Moldova 29.00 2006 149 Belarus 28.00 1998 150 Papua New Guinea 28.00 1998 151 Colombia 27.00 1999 152 Morocco 27.00 1998 153 Greece 26.00 1998 154 Haiti 26.00 1999 155 Burkina Faso 26.00 2007 156 Algeria 25.00 1999 157 West Bank 25.00 2008 158 Morocco 25.00 1998 159 Kenya 24.00 2008 160 Israel 23.00 1998 161 Kyrgyzstan 23.00 2007 162 Cape Verde 22.00 2001 163 Slovakia 22.00 2008 164 Afghanistan 21.00 2006 165 Angola 21.00 2001 166 Taiwan 21.00 2008 167 Japan 21.00 2001 168 Lebanon 20.00 2007 169 Senegal 20.00 2001 170 Zimbabwe 20.00 1998 171 Costa Rica 19.00 2002 172 Netherlands Antilles 19.00 2003 173 Singapore 19.00 2008 174 United States 19.00 2006 175 Zambia 19.00 2001 176 Papua New Guinea 19.00 1998 177 Kazakhstan 18.00 2008 178 Malta 18.00 1999 179 Spain 18.00 2008 180 Trinidad and Tobago 18.00 2001 181 Azerbaijan 17.00 1998 182 Czech Republic 17.00 2000 183 Chile 17.00 1998 184 Mozambique 17.00 2001 185 Korea, North 17.00 2006 186 Aruba 16.00 2004 187 Bosnia and Herzegovina 16.00 1998 188 Tajikistan 16.00 2009 189 Turkmenistan 16.00 1998 190 Virgin Islands 16.00 2005 191 Turkey 16.00 2001 192 Belize 16.00 2006 193 Libya 16.00 2001 194 Croatia 16.00 1999 195 Armenia 16.00 2006 196 Bangladesh 15.00 2006 197 Malaysia 15.00 2001 198 Mexico 15.00 2003 199 Israel 15.00 1998 200 Guatemala 15.00 2000 201 Sri Lanka 15.00 2007 202 French Polynesia 14.00 1998 203 Korea, North 14.00 2006 204 Poland 14.00 2008 205 Syria 14.00 1998 206 South Africa 14.00 1998 207 Laos 14.00 2006 208 Mauritania 14.00 2001 209 Korea, North 14.00 2006 210 Greenland 14.00 2008 211 United Arab Emirates 13.00 2004 212 Albania 13.00 2005 213 Bangladesh 13.00 2006 214 Fiji 13.00 1998 215 Suriname 13.00 1998 216 Mozambique 13.00 2001 217 Jamaica 13.00 1998 218 Grenada 13.00 1998 219 Faroe Islands 13.00 1998 220 Botswana 13.00 2001 221 Georgia 12.00 1998 222 Honduras 12.00 1998 223 Uzbekistan 12.00 2008 224 Tanzania 12.00 1998 225 Sudan 12.00 1998 226 Belarus 11.00 1998 227 Egypt 11.00 1999 228 Monaco 11.00 2008 229 Venezuela 11.00 1998 230 Mozambique 11.00 2001 231 Tanzania 11.00 1998 232 Somalia 11.00 2001 233 Nigeria 11.00 2001 234 Kuwait 11.00 1998 235 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 11.00 2001 236 Azerbaijan 10.00 1998 237 Slovenia 10.00 2006 238 Rwanda 10.00 2007 239 Liberia 10.00 2007 240 Jamaica 10.00 1998 241 Hong Kong 10.00 2008 242 Gaza Strip 10.00 2008 243 Armenia 9.00 2006 244 Bhutan 9.00 2007 245 Cameroon 9.00 2001 246 Luxembourg 9.00 1999 247 Togo 9.00 1998 248 Sierra Leone 9.00 2001 249 Oman 9.00 1999 250 Mauritius 9.00 2001 251 Malawi 9.00 2001 252 Madagascar 9.00 2001 253 Kazakhstan 9.00 2008 254 Cote d'Ivoire 9.00 1998 255 Italy 9.00 1998 256 Ireland 9.00 1998 257 United Arab Emirates 8.00 2004 258 Algeria 8.00 1999 259 Ethiopia 8.00 2001 260 Botswana 8.00 2001 261 Turkmenistan 8.00 1998 262 Senegal 8.00 2001 263 Papua New Guinea 8.00 1998 264 Netherlands Antilles 8.00 2003 265 Latvia 8.00 2008 266 Bosnia and Herzegovina 8.00 1998 267 Angola 7.00 2001 268 Anguilla 7.00 2004 269 Saint Lucia 7.00 2003 270 Zimbabwe 7.00 1998 271 Vietnam 7.00 1999 272 Uruguay 7.00 2005 273 Uganda 7.00 2001 274 Tunisia 7.00 2007 275 Turks and Caicos Islands 7.00 2003 276 Gabon 7.00 2001 277 Mongolia 7.00 2006 278 Laos 7.00 2006 279 Georgia 7.00 1998 280 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 7.00 2006 281 Belgium 7.00 1998 282 Angola 6.00 2001 283 Barbados 6.00 2004 284 Qatar 6.00 1998 285 Paraguay 6.00 2006 286 Nepal 6.00 2008 287 Niger 6.00 2001 288 Malta 6.00 1999 289 Morocco 6.00 1998 290 Madagascar 6.00 2001 291 Kuwait 6.00 1998 292 Kenya 6.00 2008 293 Iran 6.00 1998 294 Hong Kong 6.00 2008 295 Yemen 6.00 1998 296 Virgin Islands 6.00 2005 297 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 6.00 2004 298 Turkey 6.00 2001 299 Thailand 6.00 2007 300 Gabon 6.00 2001 301 Northern Mariana Islands 6.00 2005 302 Canada 6.00 2004 303 Argentina 6.00 1998 304 Afghanistan 5.00 2006 305 Chad 5.00 2001 306 Cyprus 5.00 2004 307 Gibraltar 5.00 1998 308 Niger 5.00 2001 309 New Caledonia 5.00 1998 310 Malawi 5.00 2001 311 Mayotte 5.00 2001 312 Iran 5.00 1998 313 Hungary 5.00 2008 314 Croatia 5.00 1999 315 Guinea 5.00 2006 316 Greenland 5.00 2008 317 Zambia 5.00 2001 318 Samoa 5.00 2004 319 Holy See (Vatican City) 5.00 2008 320 Holy See (Vatican City) 5.00 2008 321 British Virgin Islands 5.00 2004 322 Sao Tome and Principe 5.00 2001 323 Qatar 5.00 1998 324 Norway 5.00 2008 325 Micronesia, Federated States of 5.00 2004 326 Equatorial Guinea 5.00 2001 327 Central African Republic 5.00 2001 328 Congo, Republic of the 5.00 2001 329 Bahamas, The 5.00 2006 330 Bermuda 5.00 2005 331 Antigua and Barbuda 4.00 1998 332 Chad 4.00 2001 333 Niger 4.00 2001 334 Mauritius 4.00 2001 335 Mongolia 4.00 2006 336 Liechtenstein 4.00 1998 337 Lebanon 4.00 2007 338 Greece 4.00 1998 339 Germany 4.00 1998 340 Georgia 4.00 1998 341 Gabon 4.00 2001 342 Zambia 4.00 2001 343 Namibia 4.00 2001 344 Uzbekistan 4.00 2008 345 Togo 4.00 1998 346 Tonga 4.00 2001 347 Trinidad and Tobago 4.00 2001 348 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 4.00 1998 349 Philippines 4.00 2007 350 Guinea-Bissau 4.00 2001 351 Palau 4.00 2001 352 New Zealand 4.00 1998 353 Suriname 4.00 1998 354 Nepal 4.00 2008 355 Netherlands 4.00 2008 356 Vanuatu 4.00 2001 357 Dominican Republic 4.00 1998 358 Dominica 4.00 2003 359 Comoros 4.00 2001 360 Cayman Islands 4.00 2004 361 Sri Lanka 4.00 2007 362 Botswana 4.00 2001 363 Burundi 4.00 2001 364 American Samoa 3.00 2005 365 Swaziland 3.00 2004 366 Swaziland 3.00 2004 367 Holy See (Vatican City) 3.00 2008 368 Uzbekistan 3.00 2008 369 Burkina Faso 3.00 2007 370 United Kingdom 3.00 2008 371 Switzerland 3.00 2008 372 Switzerland 3.00 2008 373 Saint Kitts and Nevis 3.00 2003 374 Saint Kitts and Nevis 3.00 2003 375 Saint Martin 3.00 2007 376 Marshall Islands 3.00 2005 377 Norfolk Island 3.00 2005 378 Oman 3.00 1999 379 Libya 3.00 2001 380 Libya 3.00 2001 381 Lesotho 3.00 2007 382 Kyrgyzstan 3.00 2007 383 Cote d'Ivoire 3.00 1998 384 Iceland 3.00 2008 385 Guyana 3.00 1998 386 Guyana 3.00 1998 387 Guinea 3.00 2006 388 Ghana 3.00 2007 389 Gambia, The 3.00 2001 390 Equatorial Guinea 3.00 2001 391 Egypt 3.00 1999 392 Congo, Republic of the 3.00 2001 393 Cameroon 3.00 2001 394 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 3.00 2001 395 Bermuda 3.00 2005 396 Burma 3.00 2007 397 Bahamas, The 3.00 2006 398 Bahrain 3.00 1998 399 Aruba 2.00 2004 400 Dominica 2.00 2003 401 Djibouti 2.00 2001 402 Cameroon 2.00 2001 403 Cocos (Keeling) Islands 2.00 2004 404 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 2.00 2001 405 Chad 2.00 2001 406 Brunei 2.00 2006 407 Bulgaria 2.00 2001 408 Burma 2.00 2007 409 Bangladesh 2.00 2006 410 Barbados 2.00 2004 411 Bahrain 2.00 1998 412 Antarctica 2.00 2007 413 Anguilla 2.00 2004 414 Austria 2.00 2001 415 Israel 2.00 1998 416 Grenada 2.00 1998 417 Gambia, The 2.00 2001 418 France 2.00 1998 419 French Polynesia 2.00 1998 420 French Polynesia 2.00 1998 421 Finland 2.00 2008 422 Finland 2.00 2008 423 Eritrea 2.00 2000 424 Eritrea 2.00 2000 425 Yemen 2.00 1998 426 Swaziland 2.00 2004 427 Samoa 2.00 2004 428 Western Sahara 2.00 1998 429 Namibia 2.00 2001 430 Togo 2.00 1998 431 Turks and Caicos Islands 2.00 2003 432 Syria 2.00 1998 433 Saint Lucia 2.00 2003 434 Spain 2.00 2008 435 San Marino 2.00 2008 436 Seychelles 2.00 2001 437 Saudi Arabia 2.00 1998 438 Madagascar 2.00 2001 439 Burkina Faso 2.00 2007 440 Uganda 2.00 2001 441 Tanzania 2.00 1998 442 Turkmenistan 2.00 1998 443 Tunisia 2.00 2007 444 Luxembourg 2.00 1999 445 Luxembourg 2.00 1999 446 Liberia 2.00 2007 447 Laos 2.00 2006 448 Christmas Island 2.00 2006 449 Kiribati 2.00 2002 450 Cote d'Ivoire 2.00 1998 451 British Indian Ocean Territory 2.00 1998 452 Portugal 2.00 2008 453 Poland 2.00 2008 454 Vanuatu 2.00 2001 455 Oman 2.00 1999 456 Malawi 2.00 2001 457 Montserrat 2.00 1998 458 Moldova 2.00 2006 459 Macau 2.00 2008 460 American Samoa 2.00 2005 461 Antigua and Barbuda 2.00 1998 462 United Arab Emirates 2.00 2004 463 Afghanistan 1.00 2006 464 Azerbaijan 1.00 1998 465 Armenia 1.00 2006 466 Andorra 1.00 2007 467 Australia 1.00 1998 468 Bhutan 1.00 2007 469 Solomon Islands 1.00 2004 470 Solomon Islands 1.00 2004 471 Solomon Islands 1.00 2004 472 Benin 1.00 2007 473 Benin 1.00 2007 474 Burma 1.00 2007 475 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1.00 1998 476 Belize 1.00 2006 477 Ethiopia 1.00 2001 478 Cuba 1.00 1998 479 Central African Republic 1.00 2001 480 Central African Republic 1.00 2001 481 Northern Mariana Islands 1.00 2005 482 Northern Mariana Islands 1.00 2005 483 Comoros 1.00 2001 484 Comoros 1.00 2001 485 Cocos (Keeling) Islands 1.00 2004 486 Cayman Islands 1.00 2004 487 Congo, Republic of the 1.00 2001 488 Cambodia 1.00 2008 489 Burundi 1.00 2001 490 Brunei 1.00 2006 491 Jersey 1.00 2008 492 British Indian Ocean Territory 1.00 1998 493 Isle of Man 1.00 1998 494 Isle of Man 1.00 1998 495 Iceland 1.00 2008 496 Hungary 1.00 2008 497 Guyana 1.00 1998 498 Guernsey 1.00 1998 499 Guernsey 1.00 1998 500 Gibraltar 1.00 1998 501 Zimbabwe 1.00 1998 502 Yemen 1.00 1998 503 Wallis and Futuna 1.00 2000 504 British Virgin Islands 1.00 2004 505 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1.00 2004 506 Taiwan 1.00 2008 507 Tuvalu 1.00 2004 508 Tuvalu 1.00 2004 509 Sao Tome and Principe 1.00 2001 510 Sao Tome and Principe 1.00 2001 511 Tonga 1.00 2001 512 Tonga 1.00 2001 513 Syria 1.00 1998 514 Sweden 1.00 2008 515 Svalbard 1.00 1998 516 Svalbard 1.00 1998 517 Sudan 1.00 1998 518 Sudan 1.00 1998 519 Somalia 1.00 2001 520 Singapore 1.00 2008 521 Sierra Leone 1.00 2001 522 Sierra Leone 1.00 2001 523 Saint Helena 1.00 2005 524 Saint Helena 1.00 2005 525 Saint Helena 1.00 2005 526 Saint Helena 1.00 2005 527 Saint Helena 1.00 2005 528 Senegal 1.00 2001 529 South Africa 1.00 1998 530 Seychelles 1.00 2001 531 Seychelles 1.00 2001 532 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 1.00 1998 533 Marshall Islands 1.00 2005 534 Qatar 1.00 1998 535 Guinea-Bissau 1.00 2001 536 Palau 1.00 2001 537 Palau 1.00 2001 538 Portugal 1.00 2008 539 Pitcairn Islands 1.00 2004 540 Nicaragua 1.00 1998 541 Suriname 1.00 1998 542 Nauru 1.00 1998 543 Norway 1.00 2008 544 Netherlands 1.00 2008 545 Vanuatu 1.00 2001 546 Norfolk Island 1.00 2005 547 Niue 1.00 1998 548 Niue 1.00 1998 549 New Caledonia 1.00 1998 550 Maldives 1.00 1998 551 Maldives 1.00 1998 552 Maldives 1.00 1998 553 Malta 1.00 1999 554 Mauritania 1.00 2001 555 Mauritania 1.00 2001 556 Monaco 1.00 2008 557 Monaco 1.00 2008 558 Mali 1.00 2001 559 Mali 1.00 2001 560 Montserrat 1.00 1998 561 Mayotte 1.00 2001 562 Macau 1.00 2008 563 Lesotho 1.00 2007 564 Lesotho 1.00 2007 565 Slovakia 1.00 2008 566 Slovakia 1.00 2008 567 Lithuania 1.00 2001 568 Latvia 1.00 2008 569 Kuwait 1.00 1998 570 Christmas Island 1.00 2006 571 Korea, South 1.00 2008 572 Kiribati 1.00 2002 573 Kiribati 1.00 2002 574 Faroe Islands 1.00 1998 575 Micronesia, Federated States of 1.00 2004 576 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 1.00 2006 577 Dhekelia 1.00 2006 578 Djibouti 1.00 2001 579 Denmark 1.00 1998 580 Cook Islands 1.00 2004 581 Cook Islands 1.00 2004 582 Belgium 1.00 1998 583 Antarctica 1.00 2007 584 Akrotiri 1.00 2006 585 Austria 1.00 2001 586 Albania 1.00 2005 587 Algeria 1.00 1999 588 Aruba 0.00 2004 589 Barbados 0.00 2004 590 Samoa 0.00 2004 591 Wake Island 0.00 2005 592 Wake Island 0.00 2005 593 Wake Island 0.00 2005 594 Western Sahara 0.00 1998 595 Western Sahara 0.00 1998 596 Wallis and Futuna 0.00 2000 597 Wallis and Futuna 0.00 2000 598 West Bank 0.00 2008 599 West Bank 0.00 2008 600 Virgin Islands 0.00 2005 601 British Virgin Islands 0.00 2004 602 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 0.00 2004 603 Tuvalu 0.00 2004 604 Turks and Caicos Islands 0.00 2003 605 Trinidad and Tobago 0.00 2001 606 South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands0.00 2003 607 Sweden 0.00 2008 608 Svalbard 0.00 1998 609 Saint Lucia 0.00 2003 610 Somalia 0.00 2001 611 Singapore 0.00 2008 612 San Marino 0.00 2008 613 San Marino 0.00 2008 614 Slovenia 0.00 2006 615 Saint Helena 0.00 2005 616 Saint Kitts and Nevis 0.00 2003 617 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 0.00 1998 618 Rwanda 0.00 2007 619 Puerto Rico 0.00 2008 620 Saint Martin 0.00 2007 621 Saint Martin 0.00 2007 622 Marshall Islands 0.00 2005 623 Guinea-Bissau 0.00 2001 624 Panama 0.00 1998 625 Pitcairn Islands 0.00 2004 626 Pitcairn Islands 0.00 2004 627 Netherlands Antilles 0.00 2003 628 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 0.00 2006 629 Fiji 0.00 1998 630 Ethiopia 0.00 2001 631 El Salvador 0.00 2005 632 Estonia 0.00 2007 633 Estonia 0.00 2007 634 Equatorial Guinea 0.00 2001 635 Ireland 0.00 1998 636 Cape Verde 0.00 2001 637 Nauru 0.00 1998 638 Nauru 0.00 1998 639 Norfolk Island 0.00 2005 640 Niue 0.00 1998 641 New Caledonia 0.00 1998 642 Mauritius 0.00 2001 643 Macedonia 0.00 2008 644 Montserrat 0.00 1998 645 Mayotte 0.00 2001 646 Macau 0.00 2008 647 Liechtenstein 0.00 1998 648 Liechtenstein 0.00 1998 649 Jamaica 0.00 1998 650 Jersey 0.00 2008 651 British Indian Ocean Territory 0.00 1998 652 Isle of Man 0.00 1998 653 Hong Kong 0.00 2008 654 Haiti 0.00 1999 655 Gaza Strip 0.00 2008 656 Gaza Strip 0.00 2008 657 Guinea 0.00 2006 658 Liberia 0.00 2007 659 Christmas Island 0.00 2006 660 Greenland 0.00 2008 661 Guernsey 0.00 1998 662 Grenada 0.00 1998 663 Gibraltar 0.00 1998 664 Ghana 0.00 2007 665 Gambia, The 0.00 2001 666 Faroe Islands 0.00 1998 667 Micronesia, Federated States of 0.00 2004 668 Cape Verde 0.00 2001 669 Cocos (Keeling) Islands 0.00 2004 670 Cayman Islands 0.00 2004 671 Burundi 0.00 2001 672 Brunei 0.00 2006 673 Bhutan 0.00 2007 674 Belize 0.00 2006 675 Bahamas, The 0.00 2006 676 Dominica 0.00 2003 677 Djibouti 0.00 2001 678 Denmark 0.00 1998 679 Cyprus 0.00 2004 680 Cook Islands 0.00 2004 681 Bermuda 0.00 2005 682 Bahrain 0.00 1998 683 Anguilla 0.00 2004 684 Andorra 0.00 2007 685 American Samoa 0.00 2005 686 Andorra 0.00 2007 687 Antigua and Barbuda 0.00 1998

======================================================================

Rank code: 2014

Country Comparison :: Radios

Rank country Radios Date of Information

1 United States 575,000,000.00 1997 2 China 417,000,000.00 1997 3 Japan 120,500,000.00 1997 4 India 116,000,000.00 1997 5 United Kingdom 84,500,000.00 1997 6 Germany 77,800,000.00 1997 7 Brazil 71,000,000.00 1997 8 Russia 61,500,000.00 1997 9 France 55,300,000.00 1997 10 Italy 50,500,000.00 1997 11 Korea, South 47,500,000.00 2000 12 Ukraine 45,050,000.00 1997 13 Canada 32,300,000.00 1997 14 Indonesia 31,500,000.00 1997 15 Mexico 31,000,000.00 1997 16 Australia 25,500,000.00 1997 17 Argentina 24,300,000.00 1997 18 Nigeria 23,500,000.00 1997 19 Colombia 21,000,000.00 1997 20 Egypt 20,500,000.00 1997 21 Poland 20,200,000.00 1997 22 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 18,030,000.00 1997 23 Iran 17,000,000.00 1997 24 South Africa 17,000,000.00 2001 25 Taiwan 16,000,000.00 1994 26 Netherlands 15,300,000.00 1996 27 Ethiopia 15,200,000.00 2002 28 Thailand 13,960,000.00 1997 29 Pakistan 13,500,000.00 1997 30 Spain 13,100,000.00 1997 31 Ghana 12,500,000.00 2001 32 Philippines 11,500,000.00 1997 33 Turkey 11,300,000.00 1997 34 Malaysia 10,900,000.00 1999 35 Uzbekistan 10,800,000.00 1997 36 Venezuela 10,750,000.00 1997 37 Tanzania 8,800,000.00 1997 38 Sweden 8,250,000.00 1997 39 Vietnam 8,200,000.00 1997 40 Belgium 8,075,000.00 1997 41 Finland 7,700,000.00 1997 42 Sudan 7,550,000.00 1997 43 Romania 7,200,000.00 1997 44 Algeria 7,100,000.00 1997 45 Switzerland 7,100,000.00 1997 46 Hungary 7,010,000.00 1997 47 Peru 6,650,000.00 1997 48 Morocco 6,640,000.00 1997 49 Kazakhstan 6,470,000.00 1997 50 Saudi Arabia 6,250,000.00 1997 51 Bangladesh 6,150,000.00 1997 52 Austria 6,080,000.00 1997 53 Denmark 6,020,000.00 1997 54 Bolivia 5,250,000.00 1997 55 Chile 5,180,000.00 1997 56 Greece 5,020,000.00 1997 57 Ecuador 5,000,000.00 2001 58 Uganda 5,000,000.00 2001 59 Iraq 4,850,000.00 1997 60 Bulgaria 4,510,000.00 1997 61 Hong Kong 4,450,000.00 1997 62 Burma 4,200,000.00 1997 63 Syria 4,150,000.00 1997 64 Norway 4,030,000.00 1997 65 Cuba 3,900,000.00 1997 66 Sri Lanka 3,850,000.00 1997 67 New Zealand 3,750,000.00 1997 68 Korea, North 3,360,000.00 1997 69 Moldova 3,220,000.00 1997 70 Czech Republic 3,159,134.00 December 2000 71 Slovakia 3,120,000.00 1997 72 Israel 3,070,000.00 1997 73 Kenya 3,070,000.00 1997 74 Madagascar 3,050,000.00 1997 75 Belarus 3,020,000.00 1997 76 Portugal 3,020,000.00 1997 77 Georgia 3,020,000.00 1997 78 Lebanon 2,850,000.00 1997 79 El Salvador 2,750,000.00 1997 80 Puerto Rico 2,700,000.00 1997 81 Malawi 2,600,000.00 1997 82 Singapore 2,600,000.00 2000 83 Ireland 2,550,000.00 1997 84 Honduras 2,450,000.00 1997 85 Cameroon 2,270,000.00 1997 86 Cote d'Ivoire 2,260,000.00 1997 87 Tunisia 2,060,000.00 1997 88 Uruguay 1,970,000.00 1997 89 Lithuania 1,900,000.00 1997 90 Latvia 1,760,000.00 1997 91 Chad 1,670,000.00 1997 92 Jordan 1,660,000.00 1997 93 Croatia 1,510,000.00 1997 94 Dominican Republic 1,440,000.00 1997 95 Oman 1,400,000.00 1997 96 Libya 1,350,000.00 1997 97 Cambodia 1,340,000.00 1997 98 Tajikistan 1,291,000.00 1991 99 Nicaragua 1,240,000.00 1997 100 Senegal 1,240,000.00 1997 101 Turkmenistan 1,225,000.00 1997 102 Jamaica 1,215,000.00 1997 103 Zambia 1,200,000.00 2001 104 Kuwait 1,175,000.00 1997 105 Zimbabwe 1,140,000.00 1997 106 Sierra Leone 1,120,000.00 1997 107 Yemen 1,050,000.00 1997 108 Estonia 1,010,000.00 1997 109 Albania 1,000,000.00 2001 110 Costa Rica 980,000.00 1997 111 Bosnia and Herzegovina 940,000.00 1997 112 Togo 940,000.00 1997 113 Paraguay 925,000.00 1997 114 Armenia 850,000.00 1997 115 Nepal 840,000.00 1997 116 Guatemala 835,000.00 1997 117 United Arab Emirates 820,000.00 1997 118 Angola 815,000.00 2000 119 Panama 815,000.00 1997 120 Slovenia 805,000.00 1997 121 Liberia 790,000.00 1997 122 Laos 730,000.00 1997 123 Mozambique 730,000.00 1997 124 Niger 680,000.00 1997 125 Trinidad and Tobago 680,000.00 1997 126 Benin 660,000.00 2000 127 Rwanda 601,000.00 1997 128 Mali 570,000.00 1997 129 Fiji 541,476.00 1999 130 Kyrgyzstan 520,000.00 1997 131 Somalia 470,000.00 1997 132 Burundi 440,000.00 2001 133 Guyana 420,000.00 1997 134 Mauritius 420,000.00 1997 135 Haiti 415,000.00 1997 136 Macedonia 410,000.00 1997 137 Mauritania 410,000.00 2001 138 Papua New Guinea 410,000.00 1997 139 Burkina Faso 394,020.00 2000 140 Guinea 357,000.00 1997 141 Eritrea 345,000.00 1997 142 Congo, Republic of the 341,000.00 1997 143 Bahrain 338,000.00 1997 144 Brunei 329,000.00 1998 145 Cyprus 310,000.00 NA 146 Suriname 300,000.00 1997 147 Luxembourg 285,000.00 1997 148 Central African Republic 283,000.00 1997 149 Iceland 260,000.00 1997 150 Qatar 256,000.00 1997 151 Malta 255,000.00 1997 152 Botswana 252,720.00 2000 153 Barbados 237,000.00 1997 154 Namibia 232,000.00 1997 155 Netherlands Antilles 217,000.00 1997 156 Bahamas, The 215,000.00 1997 157 Gabon 208,000.00 1997 158 Gambia, The 196,000.00 1997 159 Equatorial Guinea 180,000.00 1997 160 Azerbaijan 175,000.00 1997 161 Samoa 174,849.00 1997 162 Swaziland 170,000.00 1999 163 Afghanistan 167,000.00 1999 164 Macau 160,000.00 1997 165 Mongolia 155,900.00 1999 166 Belize 133,000.00 1997 167 French Polynesia 128,000.00 1997 168 Saint Lucia 111,000.00 1997 169 New Caledonia 107,000.00 1997 170 Virgin Islands 107,000.00 1997 171 Cape Verde 100,000.00 2002 est. 172 Comoros 90,000.00 1997 173 Bermuda 82,000.00 1997 174 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 77,000.00 1997 175 Vanuatu 67,000.00 1997 176 Tonga 61,000.00 1997 177 American Samoa 57,000.00 1997 178 Solomon Islands 57,000.00 1997 179 Grenada 57,000.00 1997 180 Cyprus 56,450.00 NA 181 Western Sahara 56,000.00 1997 182 Djibouti 52,000.00 1997 183 Aruba 50,000.00 1997 184 Guinea-Bissau 49,000.00 1997 185 Dominica 46,000.00 1997 186 Seychelles 42,000.00 1997 187 Sao Tome and Principe 38,000.00 1997 188 Bhutan 37,000.00 1997 189 Gibraltar 37,000.00 1997 190 Antigua and Barbuda 36,000.00 1997 191 Cayman Islands 36,000.00 1997 192 Maldives 35,000.00 1999 193 Monaco 34,000.00 1997 194 Greenland 30,000.00 1998 est. 195 Saint Kitts and Nevis 28,000.00 1997 196 Faroe Islands 26,000.00 1997 197 Liechtenstein 21,000.00 1997 198 Kiribati 17,000.00 1997 199 Andorra 16,000.00 1997 200 San Marino 16,000.00 1997 201 Cook Islands 14,000.00 1997 202 Palau 12,000.00 1997 203 Micronesia, Federated States of 9,400.00 1996 204 British Virgin Islands 9,000.00 1997 205 Turks and Caicos Islands 8,000.00 1997 206 Montserrat 7,000.00 1997 207 Nauru 7,000.00 1997 208 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 4,000.00 1997 209 Tuvalu 4,000.00 1997 210 Anguilla 3,000.00 1997 211 Saint Helena 3,000.00 1997 212 Norfolk Island 2,500.00 1996 213 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 1,000.00 1997 214 Tokelau 1,000.00 1997 215 Christmas Island 1,000.00 1997 216 Niue 1,000.00 1997 217 Cocos (Keeling) Islands 300.00 1992

======================================================================

Rank code: 2015

Country Comparison :: Television broadcast stations

This entry gives the total number of separate broadcast stations plus any repeater stations.

Rank country Television broadcast stations Date of Information

1 Russia 7,306.00 1998 2 China 3,240.00 1997 3 European Union 2,700.00 NA 4 United States 2,218.00 2006 5 United Kingdom 940.00 2008 6 Ukraine 647.00 2006 7 Turkey 635.00 1995 8 Romania 623.00 2006 9 France 584.00 1995 10 India 562.00 1997 11 South Africa 556.00 1997 12 Spain 379.00 2008 13 Germany 373.00 1995 14 Italy 358.00 1995 15 Netherlands 342.00 2008 16 Sweden 252.00 2008 17 Philippines 250.00 2007 18 Mexico 236.00 1997 19 Japan 211.00 1999 20 Denmark 172.00 2008 21 Canada 148.00 2007 22 Brazil 138.00 1997 23 Finland 120.00 NA 24 Saudi Arabia 117.00 1997 25 Thailand 111.00 2006 26 Switzerland 106.00 2007 27 Australia 104.00 1997 28 Egypt 98.00 September 1995 29 Hungary 95.00 2008 30 Malaysia 88.00 2006 31 Taiwan 76.00 2007 32 Poland 75.00 2008 33 Czech Republic 71.00 2008 34 Norway 69.00 2008 35 Mongolia 68.00 2008 36 Vietnam 67.00 2006 37 Venezuela 66.00 1997 38 Albania 65.00 2005 39 Chile 63.00 1997 40 Uruguay 62.00 2005 41 Colombia 60.00 1997 42 Cuba 58.00 1997 43 Korea, South 57.00 2008 44 Indonesia 54.00 2006 45 Macedonia 52.00 2007 46 Armenia 48.00 2006 47 Bolivia 48.00 1997 48 Belarus 47.00 1995 49 Iraq 47.00 2008 50 Algeria 46.00 1995 51 Lithuania 44.00 2008 52 Syria 44.00 1995 53 Argentina 42.00 1997 54 Portugal 42.00 2008 55 New Zealand 41.00 1997 56 Moldova 40.00 2006 57 Bulgaria 39.00 2001 58 Panama 38.00 1998 59 Latvia 37.00 2008 60 Slovakia 37.00 2008 61 Greece 36.00 1995 62 Croatia 36.00 1995 63 Morocco 35.00 1995 64 Puerto Rico 34.00 2008 65 Bosnia and Herzegovina 33.00 September 1995 66 Slovenia 31.00 2006 67 West Bank 30.00 2008 68 Iran 29.00 1997 69 Uzbekistan 28.00 2006 70 Guatemala 26.00 1997 71 Tunisia 26.00 1995 72 Belgium 25.00 1997 73 Dominican Republic 25.00 2003 74 Tajikistan 24.00 2009 75 Jordan 22.00 2007 76 Costa Rica 20.00 2002 77 Pakistan 20.00 2006 78 Israel 17.00 1995 79 Zimbabwe 16.00 1997 80 United Arab Emirates 15.00 2004 81 Bangladesh 15.00 1999 82 Lebanon 15.00 1995 83 Sri Lanka 14.00 2006 84 Iceland 14.00 1997 85 Cote d'Ivoire 14.00 1998 86 Kuwait 13.00 1997 87 Peru 13.00 1997 88 Montenegro 13.00 2004 89 Oman 13.00 1999 90 Georgia 12.00 1998 91 Swaziland 12.00 2004 92 Libya 12.00 1999 93 Kazakhstan 12.00 1998 94 Honduras 11.00 1997 95 Austria 10.00 2001 96 Nepal 9.00 2008 97 Zambia 9.00 2001 98 Cambodia 8.00 2008 99 Kyrgyzstan 8.00 2007 100 Cyprus 8.00 2004 101 Kenya 8.00 2008 102 Uganda 8.00 2001 103 Afghanistan 7.00 2006 104 Jamaica 7.00 1997 105 Ghana 7.00 2007 106 French Polynesia 7.00 1997 107 Laos 7.00 2006 108 Belize 7.00 2008 109 Ecuador 7.00 2000 110 Angola 6.00 2000 111 Trinidad and Tobago 6.00 2005 112 New Caledonia 6.00 1997 113 Guinea 6.00 2001 114 Benin 6.00 2007 115 El Salvador 5.00 1997 116 Luxembourg 5.00 1999 117 Monaco 5.00 1998 118 Niger 5.00 2007 119 Virgin Islands 5.00 2006 120 Paraguay 5.00 2007 121 Malta 5.00 2006 122 Bahrain 4.00 1997 123 Brunei 4.00 2006 124 Burma 4.00 2008 125 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 4.00 2001 126 Cocos (Keeling) Islands 4.00 2007 127 Estonia 4.00 2007 128 Turkmenistan 4.00 2004 129 Somalia 4.00 2001 130 Senegal 4.00 2007 131 Mozambique 4.00 2008 132 Liberia 4.00 2007 133 Korea, North 4.00 2003 134 Gabon 4.00 2001 135 Ireland 4.00 2008 136 Cayman Islands 4.00 2004 137 Bermuda 3.00 2005 138 Nigeria 3.00 2001 139 Burkina Faso 3.00 NA 140 Tanzania 3.00 1999 141 Togo 3.00 1997 142 Tonga 3.00 2004 143 Sudan 3.00 1997 144 Papua New Guinea 3.00 2004 145 Nicaragua 3.00 1997 146 Netherlands Antilles 3.00 2003 147 Suriname 3.00 2000 148 Yemen 3.00 2007 149 Mayotte 3.00 2001 150 Micronesia, Federated States of 3.00 2004 151 Guyana 3.00 1997 152 Faroe Islands 3.00 September 1995 153 Antigua and Barbuda 2.00 1997 154 Bahamas, The 2.00 2006 155 Botswana 2.00 NA 156 Azerbaijan 2.00 1997 157 Samoa 2.00 2002 158 Wallis and Futuna 2.00 2000 159 Namibia 2.00 2007 160 Sao Tome and Principe 2.00 2001 161 Saint Lucia 2.00 2003 162 Sierra Leone 2.00 1999 163 Seychelles 2.00 1997 164 Rwanda 2.00 2004 165 Marshall Islands 2.00 2005 166 Mauritius 2.00 1997 167 Mali 2.00 2007 168 Jersey 2.00 2008 169 Hong Kong 2.00 2008 170 Haiti 2.00 1997 171 Grenada 2.00 1997 172 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 2.00 2006 173 Eritrea 2.00 2006 174 Aruba 1.00 1997 175 Anguilla 1.00 1997 176 Barbados 1.00 2004 177 Antarctica 1.00 2002 178 Burundi 1.00 2001 179 Congo, Republic of the 1.00 2001 180 Northern Mariana Islands 1.00 2006 181 Cape Verde 1.00 2001 182 Holy See (Vatican City) 1.00 2008 183 British Virgin Islands 1.00 1997 184 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1.00 2004 185 Timor-Leste 1.00 NA 186 Singapore 1.00 2008 187 San Marino 1.00 1997 188 Saint Kitts and Nevis 1.00 2003 189 Palau 1.00 2005 190 Nauru 1.00 1997 191 Vanuatu 1.00 2004 192 Norfolk Island 1.00 2005 193 Niue 1.00 1997 194 Maldives 1.00 2006 195 Mauritania 1.00 2002 196 Malawi 1.00 2001 197 Montserrat 1.00 1997 198 Qatar 1.00 2001 199 Guinea-Bissau 1.00 2007 200 Macau 1.00 2008 201 Madagascar 1.00 2001 202 Lesotho 1.00 2007 203 Kiribati 1.00 2002 204 British Indian Ocean Territory 1.00 1997 205 Gaza Strip 1.00 2008 206 Greenland 1.00 1997 207 Guernsey 1.00 1997 208 Gibraltar 1.00 1997 209 Gambia, The 1.00 1997 210 Ethiopia 1.00 2001 211 Equatorial Guinea 1.00 2001 212 Dominica 1.00 2004 213 Djibouti 1.00 2001 214 Cook Islands 1.00 2004 215 Central African Republic 1.00 2001 216 Cameroon 1.00 2001 217 Chad 1.00 2001 218 Bhutan 1.00 2007 219 American Samoa 1.00 2006 220 Andorra 1.00 2007 221 Akrotiri 0.00 2006 222 Turks and Caicos Islands 0.00 2003 223 Wake Island 0.00 2005 224 Tuvalu 0.00 2004 225 South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands0.00 2003 226 Isle of Man 0.00 1999 227 Christmas Island 0.00 2006 228 Saint Helena 0.00 2005 229 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 0.00 1997 230 Dhekelia 0.00 2006

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Rank code: 2016

Country Comparison :: Televisions

Rank country Televisions Date of Information

1 China 400,000,000 1997 2 United States 219,000,000 1997 3 Japan 86,500,000 1997 4 India 63,000,000 1997 5 Russia 60,500,000 1997 6 Germany 51,400,000 1998 7 Brazil 36,500,000 1997 8 France 34,800,000 1997 9 United Kingdom 30,500,000 1997 10 Italy 30,300,000 1997 11 Mexico 25,600,000 1997 12 Canada 21,500,000 1997 13 Turkey 20,900,000 1997 14 Ukraine 18,050,000 1997 15 Spain 16,200,000 1997 16 Korea, South 15,900,000 1997 17 Thailand 15,190,000 1997 18 Indonesia 13,750,000 1997 19 Poland 13,050,000 1997 20 Malaysia 10,800,000 1999 21 Australia 10,150,000 1997 22 Taiwan 8,800,000 1998 23 Netherlands 8,100,000 1997 24 Argentina 7,950,000 1997 25 Egypt 7,700,000 1997 26 Nigeria 6,900,000 1997 27 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 6,478,000 1997 28 Uzbekistan 6,400,000 1997 29 South Africa 6,000,000 2000 30 Romania 5,250,000 1997 31 Saudi Arabia 5,100,000 1997 32 Belgium 4,720,000 1997 33 Iran 4,610,000 1997 34 Sweden 4,600,000 1997 35 Colombia 4,590,000 1997 36 Hungary 4,420,000 1997 37 Austria 4,250,000 1997 38 Venezuela 4,100,000 1997 39 Kazakhstan 3,880,000 1997 40 Philippines 3,700,000 1997 41 Vietnam 3,570,000 1997 42 Czech Republic 3,405,834 December 2000 43 Bulgaria 3,310,000 1997 44 Portugal 3,310,000 1997 45 Switzerland 3,310,000 1997 46 Finland 3,200,000 1997 47 Chile 3,150,000 1997 48 Denmark 3,121,000 1997 49 Algeria 3,100,000 1997 50 Morocco 3,100,000 1997 51 Pakistan 3,100,000 1997 52 Peru 3,060,000 1997 53 Cuba 2,640,000 1997 54 Slovakia 2,620,000 1997 55 Georgia 2,570,000 1997 56 Greece 2,540,000 1997 57 Belarus 2,520,000 1997 58 Ecuador 2,500,000 2001 59 Sudan 2,380,000 1997 60 Norway 2,030,000 1997 61 New Zealand 1,926,000 1997 62 Ghana 1,900,000 2001 63 Hong Kong 1,840,000 1997 64 Ireland 1,820,000 2001 65 Iraq 1,750,000 1997 66 Lithuania 1,700,000 1997 67 Israel 1,690,000 1997 68 Oman 1,600,000 1997 69 Sri Lanka 1,530,000 1997 70 Singapore 1,330,000 1997 71 Guatemala 1,323,000 1997 72 Moldova 1,260,000 1997 73 Croatia 1,220,000 1997 74 Latvia 1,220,000 1997 75 Korea, North 1,200,000 1997 76 Lebanon 1,180,000 1997 77 Cote d'Ivoire 1,090,000 2000 78 Syria 1,050,000 1997 79 Puerto Rico 1,021,000 1997 80 Paraguay 990,000 2001 81 Tunisia 920,000 1997 82 Bolivia 900,000 1997 83 Kuwait 875,000 1997 84 Armenia 825,000 1997 85 Tajikistan 820,000 1997 86 Turkmenistan 820,000 1997 87 Uruguay 782,000 1997 88 Bangladesh 770,000 1997 89 Dominican Republic 770,000 1997 90 Kenya 730,000 1997 91 Libya 730,000 1997 92 Slovenia 710,000 1997 93 Albania 700,000 2001 94 Ethiopia 682,000 2002 95 Estonia 605,000 1997 96 El Salvador 600,000 1990 97 Honduras 570,000 1997 98 Costa Rica 525,000 1997 99 Macedonia 510,000 1997 100 Panama 510,000 1997 101 Jordan 500,000 1997 102 Uganda 500,000 2001 103 Yemen 470,000 1997 104 Jamaica 460,000 1997 105 Cameroon 450,000 1997 106 Trinidad and Tobago 425,000 1997 107 Zimbabwe 370,000 1997 108 Senegal 361,000 1997 109 Madagascar 325,000 1997 110 Burma 320,000 2000 111 Nicaragua 320,000 1997 112 United Arab Emirates 310,000 1997 113 Luxembourg 285,000 1998 est. 114 Malta 280,000 1997 115 Zambia 277,000 1997 116 Bahrain 275,000 1997 117 Mauritius 258,000 1997 118 Cyprus 248,000 NA 119 Qatar 230,000 1997 120 Kyrgyzstan 210,000 1997 121 Brunei 201,900 1998 122 Angola 196,000 2000 123 Azerbaijan 170,000 1997 124 Mongolia 168,800 1999 125 Somalia 135,000 1997 126 Burkina Faso 131,340 2002 127 Nepal 130,000 1997 128 Niger 125,000 1997 129 Tanzania 103,000 1997 130 Afghanistan 100,000 1999 131 Iceland 98,000 1997 132 Mauritania 98,000 2001 133 Cambodia 94,000 1997 134 Fiji 88,110 1999 135 Guinea 85,000 1997 136 Barbados 76,000 1997 137 Togo 73,000 1997 138 Liberia 70,000 1997 139 Netherlands Antilles 69,000 1997 140 Virgin Islands 68,000 1997 141 Mozambique 67,600 2000 142 Bahamas, The 67,000 1997 143 Bermuda 66,000 1997 144 Benin 66,000 2000 145 Gabon 63,000 1997 146 Suriname 63,000 1997 147 Namibia 60,000 1997 148 Papua New Guinea 59,841 1999 149 Sierra Leone 53,000 1997 150 Cyprus 52,300 NA 151 Laos 52,000 1997 152 New Caledonia 52,000 1997 153 Macau 49,000 1997 154 Guyana 46,000 1997 155 Mali 45,000 1997 156 Belize 41,000 1997 157 French Polynesia 40,000 1997 158 Haiti 38,000 1997 159 Congo, Republic of the 33,000 1997 160 Grenada 33,000 1997 161 Saint Lucia 32,000 1997 162 Antigua and Barbuda 31,000 1997 163 Botswana 31,000 1997 164 Greenland 30,000 1998 est. 165 Djibouti 28,000 1997 166 Isle of Man 27,490 1999 167 Andorra 27,000 1997 168 Burundi 25,000 1997 169 Monaco 25,000 1997 170 Sao Tome and Principe 23,000 1997 171 Swaziland 23,000 2000 172 Aruba 20,000 1997 173 Central African Republic 18,000 1997 174 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 18,000 1997 175 Cape Verde 15,000 2002 est. 176 Faroe Islands 15,000 1997 177 American Samoa 14,000 1997 178 Liechtenstein 12,000 1997 179 Bhutan 11,000 1997 180 Palau 11,000 1997 181 Seychelles 11,000 1997 182 Chad 10,000 1997 183 Gibraltar 10,000 1997 184 Saint Kitts and Nevis 10,000 1997 185 Maldives 10,000 1999 186 San Marino 9,000 1997 187 Samoa 8,634 1999 188 Cayman Islands 7,000 1997 189 Dominica 6,000 1997 190 Western Sahara 6,000 1997 191 Gambia, The 5,000 2000 192 Cook Islands 4,000 1997 193 Equatorial Guinea 4,000 1997 194 British Virgin Islands 4,000 1997 195 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 4,000 1997 196 Mayotte 3,500 1994 197 Solomon Islands 3,000 1997 198 Montserrat 3,000 1997 199 Micronesia, Federated States of 2,800 1999 200 Vanuatu 2,300 1999 201 Saint Helena 2,000 1997 202 Tonga 2,000 1997 203 Norfolk Island 1,200 1996 204 Anguilla 1,000 1997 205 Kiribati 1,000 1997 206 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 1,000 1997 207 Eritrea 1,000 1997 208 Comoros 1,000 1997 209 Tuvalu 800 NA 210 Christmas Island 600 1997 211 Nauru 500 1997

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Rank code: 2018

Country Comparison :: Sex ratio

This entry includes the number of males for each female in five age groups - at birth, under 15 years, 15-64 years, 65 years and over, and for the total population. Sex ratio at birth has recently emerged as an indicator of certain kinds of sex discrimination in some countries. For instance, high sex ratios at birth in some Asian countries are now attributed to sex-selective abortion and infanticide due to a strong preference for sons. This will affect future marriage patterns and fertility patterns. Eventually, it could cause unrest among young adult males who are unable to find partners.

Rank country (male(s)/female) Date of Information

1 United Arab Emirates 2.74 2009 est. 2 Qatar 2.46 2009 est. 3 United Arab Emirates 2.19 2009 est. 4 Qatar 2.00 2009 est. 5 Montserrat 1.95 2009 est. 6 United Arab Emirates 1.82 2009 est. 7 Kuwait 1.78 2009 est. 8 Kuwait 1.66 2009 est. 9 Maldives 1.62 2009 est. 10 Kuwait 1.54 2009 est. 11 Maldives 1.44 2009 est. 12 Oman 1.38 2009 est. 13 Qatar 1.38 2009 est. 14 Bahrain 1.34 2009 est. 15 Oman 1.32 2009 est. 16 Saudi Arabia 1.29 2009 est. 17 Palau 1.26 2009 est. 18 Bahrain 1.24 2009 est. 19 Oman 1.22 2009 est. 20 Saint Barthelemy 1.19 2009 est. 21 Saudi Arabia 1.18 2009 est. 22 Greenland 1.16 2009 est. 23 Mayotte 1.16 2009 est. 24 Armenia 1.15 2009 est. 25 Faroe Islands 1.15 2009 est. 26 Georgia 1.15 2009 est. 27 Jordan 1.15 2009 est. 28 Armenia 1.14 2009 est. 29 Palau 1.14 2009 est. 30 Saint Barthelemy 1.14 2009 est. 31 Macau 1.14 2009 est. 32 Azerbaijan 1.13 2009 est. 33 Georgia 1.13 2009 est. 34 Cook Islands 1.13 2009 est. 35 Bhutan 1.13 2009 est. 36 China 1.13 2009 est. 37 Azerbaijan 1.12 2009 est. 38 India 1.12 2009 est. 39 Greenland 1.12 2009 est. 40 Bhutan 1.12 2009 est. 41 Bahrain 1.12 2009 est. 42 Grenada 1.12 2009 est. 43 Wallis and Futuna 1.11 2009 est. 44 Albania 1.10 2009 est. 45 Albania 1.10 2009 est. 46 Samoa 1.10 2009 est. 47 Turks and Caicos Islands 1.10 2009 est. 48 Korea, South 1.10 2009 est. 49 Jordan 1.10 2009 est. 50 India 1.10 2009 est. 51 Northern Mariana Islands 1.10 2009 est. 52 China 1.10 2009 est. 53 Bhutan 1.10 2009 est. 54 Andorra 1.09 2009 est. 55 Faroe Islands 1.09 2009 est. 56 Hong Kong 1.09 2009 est. 57 Taiwan 1.09 2009 est. 58 San Marino 1.09 2009 est. 59 Portugal 1.09 2009 est. 60 Kosovo 1.09 2009 est. 61 Kosovo 1.09 2009 est. 62 Kosovo 1.09 2009 est. 63 Northern Mariana Islands 1.08 2009 est. 64 French Polynesia 1.08 2009 est. 65 Mayotte 1.08 2009 est. 66 Montenegro 1.08 2009 est. 67 Macedonia 1.08 2009 est. 68 Vietnam 1.08 2009 est. 69 Taiwan 1.08 2009 est. 70 Switzerland 1.08 2009 est. 71 Singapore 1.08 2009 est. 72 Singapore 1.08 2009 est. 73 San Marino 1.08 2009 est. 74 Seychelles 1.08 2009 est. 75 Macedonia 1.08 2009 est. 76 Montenegro 1.08 2009 est. 77 Montserrat 1.08 2009 est. 78 Hong Kong 1.08 2009 est. 79 Jersey 1.08 2009 est. 80 Jersey 1.08 2009 est. 81 Grenada 1.08 2009 est. 82 Andorra 1.07 2009 est. 83 Ireland 1.07 2009 est. 84 Vietnam 1.07 2009 est. 85 Tunisia 1.07 2009 est. 86 Tunisia 1.07 2009 est. 87 Turks and Caicos Islands 1.07 2009 est. 88 Sudan 1.07 2009 est. 89 Spain 1.07 2009 est. 90 Slovenia 1.07 2009 est. 91 Serbia 1.07 2009 est. 92 Serbia 1.07 2009 est. 93 Portugal 1.07 2009 est. 94 Suriname 1.07 2009 est. 95 Malaysia 1.07 2009 est. 96 Luxembourg 1.07 2009 est. 97 Korea, South 1.07 2009 est. 98 Italy 1.07 2009 est. 99 Faroe Islands 1.07 2009 est. 100 Faroe Islands 1.07 2009 est. 101 Ireland 1.07 2009 est. 102 Djibouti 1.07 2009 est. 103 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1.07 2009 est. 104 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1.07 2009 est. 105 Cook Islands 1.07 2009 est. 106 Andorra 1.07 2009 est. 107 Andorra 1.06 2009 est. 108 Belarus 1.06 2009 est. 109 Samoa 1.06 2009 est. 110 West Bank 1.06 2009 est. 111 Virgin Islands 1.06 2009 est. 112 British Virgin Islands 1.06 2009 est. 113 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1.06 2009 est. 114 Uzbekistan 1.06 2009 est. 115 Ukraine 1.06 2009 est. 116 Ukraine 1.06 2009 est. 117 Saint Barthelemy 1.06 2009 est. 118 Syria 1.06 2009 est. 119 Syria 1.06 2009 est. 120 Sweden 1.06 2009 est. 121 Sweden 1.06 2009 est. 122 Saint Lucia 1.06 2009 est. 123 Spain 1.06 2009 est. 124 Slovenia 1.06 2009 est. 125 Saint Kitts and Nevis 1.06 2009 est. 126 Saudi Arabia 1.06 2009 est. 127 Russia 1.06 2009 est. 128 Romania 1.06 2009 est. 129 Qatar 1.06 2009 est. 130 Qatar 1.06 2009 est. 131 Poland 1.06 2009 est. 132 Pakistan 1.06 2009 est. 133 Nigeria 1.06 2009 est. 134 Vanuatu 1.06 2009 est. 135 Malaysia 1.06 2009 est. 136 Malta 1.06 2009 est. 137 Malta 1.06 2009 est. 138 Monaco 1.06 2009 est. 139 Gaza Strip 1.06 2009 est. 140 Palau 1.06 2009 est. 141 Palau 1.06 2009 est. 142 Papua New Guinea 1.06 2009 est. 143 Poland 1.06 2009 est. 144 Greece 1.06 2009 est. 145 Greece 1.06 2009 est. 146 Germany 1.06 2009 est. 147 Czech Republic 1.06 2009 est. 148 Czech Republic 1.06 2009 est. 149 Estonia 1.06 2009 est. 150 Estonia 1.06 2009 est. 151 Cook Islands 1.06 2009 est. 152 Moldova 1.06 2009 est. 153 Moldova 1.06 2009 est. 154 Libya 1.06 2009 est. 155 Luxembourg 1.06 2009 est. 156 Lithuania 1.06 2009 est. 157 Kazakhstan 1.06 2009 est. 158 Kosovo 1.06 2009 est. 159 Korea, North 1.06 2009 est. 160 Jordan 1.06 2009 est. 161 Japan 1.06 2009 est. 162 Japan 1.06 2009 est. 163 Italy 1.06 2009 est. 164 India 1.06 2009 est. 165 India 1.06 2009 est. 166 Hungary 1.06 2009 est. 167 Hungary 1.06 2009 est. 168 Croatia 1.06 2009 est. 169 Gaza Strip 1.06 2009 est. 170 Cuba 1.06 2009 est. 171 Cuba 1.06 2009 est. 172 Northern Mariana Islands 1.06 2009 est. 173 China 1.06 2009 est. 174 China 1.06 2009 est. 175 Canada 1.06 2009 est. 176 Brunei 1.06 2009 est. 177 Bulgaria 1.06 2009 est. 178 French Polynesia 1.06 2009 est. 179 European Union 1.06 2009 est. 180 European Union 1.06 2009 est. 181 Denmark 1.06 2009 est. 182 Belarus 1.06 2009 est. 183 Burma 1.06 2009 est. 184 Australia 1.06 2009 est. 185 American Samoa 1.06 2009 est. 186 Antigua and Barbuda 1.05 2009 est. 187 Afghanistan 1.05 2009 est. 188 Afghanistan 1.05 2009 est. 189 Afghanistan 1.05 2009 est. 190 Bulgaria 1.05 2009 est. 191 Bhutan 1.05 2009 est. 192 Brazil 1.05 2009 est. 193 Anguilla 1.05 2009 est. 194 Austria 1.05 2009 est. 195 Austria 1.05 2009 est. 196 Australia 1.05 2009 est. 197 Argentina 1.05 2009 est. 198 Argentina 1.05 2009 est. 199 Angola 1.05 2009 est. 200 Albania 1.05 2009 est. 201 Algeria 1.05 2009 est. 202 Afghanistan 1.05 2009 est. 203 United Arab Emirates 1.05 2009 est. 204 United Arab Emirates 1.05 2009 est. 205 Cook Islands 1.05 2009 est. 206 Costa Rica 1.05 2009 est. 207 Chile 1.05 2009 est. 208 Chile 1.05 2009 est. 209 Canada 1.05 2009 est. 210 Brunei 1.05 2009 est. 211 Solomon Islands 1.05 2009 est. 212 Benin 1.05 2009 est. 213 Bolivia 1.05 2009 est. 214 Belize 1.05 2009 est. 215 Yemen 1.05 2009 est. 216 Samoa 1.05 2009 est. 217 Wallis and Futuna 1.05 2009 est. 218 West Bank 1.05 2009 est. 219 West Bank 1.05 2009 est. 220 British Virgin Islands 1.05 2009 est. 221 British Virgin Islands 1.05 2009 est. 222 British Virgin Islands 1.05 2009 est. 223 Venezuela 1.05 2009 est. 224 Uzbekistan 1.05 2009 est. 225 United States 1.05 2009 est. 226 United Kingdom 1.05 2009 est. 227 United Kingdom 1.05 2009 est. 228 Turkmenistan 1.05 2009 est. 229 Tuvalu 1.05 2009 est. 230 Turkey 1.05 2009 est. 231 Turkey 1.05 2009 est. 232 Timor-Leste 1.05 2009 est. 233 Tonga 1.05 2009 est. 234 Turks and Caicos Islands 1.05 2009 est. 235 Tajikistan 1.05 2009 est. 236 Thailand 1.05 2009 est. 237 Thailand 1.05 2009 est. 238 Trinidad and Tobago 1.05 2009 est. 239 Trinidad and Tobago 1.05 2009 est. 240 Saint Barthelemy 1.05 2009 est. 241 Switzerland 1.05 2009 est. 242 Syria 1.05 2009 est. 243 Syria 1.05 2009 est. 244 Sudan 1.05 2009 est. 245 Saint Lucia 1.05 2009 est. 246 Saint Helena 1.05 2009 est. 247 Seychelles 1.05 2009 est. 248 Saint Kitts and Nevis 1.05 2009 est. 249 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 1.05 2009 est. 250 Saudi Arabia 1.05 2009 est. 251 Russia 1.05 2009 est. 252 Puerto Rico 1.05 2009 est. 253 Puerto Rico 1.05 2009 est. 254 Philippines 1.05 2009 est. 255 Romania 1.05 2009 est. 256 Marshall Islands 1.05 2009 est. 257 Marshall Islands 1.05 2009 est. 258 Papua New Guinea 1.05 2009 est. 259 Pakistan 1.05 2009 est. 260 Pakistan 1.05 2009 est. 261 Peru 1.05 2009 est. 262 Paraguay 1.05 2009 est. 263 New Zealand 1.05 2009 est. 264 New Zealand 1.05 2009 est. 265 Nicaragua 1.05 2009 est. 266 Netherlands Antilles 1.05 2009 est. 267 Netherlands Antilles 1.05 2009 est. 268 Nauru 1.05 2009 est. 269 Norway 1.05 2009 est. 270 Norway 1.05 2009 est. 271 Netherlands 1.05 2009 est. 272 Netherlands 1.05 2009 est. 273 Nigeria 1.05 2009 est. 274 Vanuatu 1.05 2009 est. 275 New Caledonia 1.05 2009 est. 276 Mexico 1.05 2009 est. 277 Maldives 1.05 2009 est. 278 Oman 1.05 2009 est. 279 Mauritius 1.05 2009 est. 280 Morocco 1.05 2009 est. 281 Monaco 1.05 2009 est. 282 Mongolia 1.05 2009 est. 283 Macau 1.05 2009 est. 284 Libya 1.05 2009 est. 285 Libya 1.05 2009 est. 286 Slovakia 1.05 2009 est. 287 Slovakia 1.05 2009 est. 288 Lithuania 1.05 2009 est. 289 Latvia 1.05 2009 est. 290 Latvia 1.05 2009 est. 291 Lebanon 1.05 2009 est. 292 Laos 1.05 2009 est. 293 Kiribati 1.05 2009 est. 294 Kyrgyzstan 1.05 2009 est. 295 Jamaica 1.05 2009 est. 296 Iraq 1.05 2009 est. 297 Israel 1.05 2009 est. 298 Israel 1.05 2009 est. 299 Iran 1.05 2009 est. 300 Iran 1.05 2009 est. 301 Isle of Man 1.05 2009 est. 302 Isle of Man 1.05 2009 est. 303 Indonesia 1.05 2009 est. 304 Croatia 1.05 2009 est. 305 Honduras 1.05 2009 est. 306 Gaza Strip 1.05 2009 est. 307 Guyana 1.05 2009 est. 308 Guatemala 1.05 2009 est. 309 Germany 1.05 2009 est. 310 Greenland 1.05 2009 est. 311 Gibraltar 1.05 2009 est. 312 Gibraltar 1.05 2009 est. 313 France 1.05 2009 est. 314 France 1.05 2009 est. 315 French Polynesia 1.05 2009 est. 316 Egypt 1.05 2009 est. 317 Egypt 1.05 2009 est. 318 Ecuador 1.05 2009 est. 319 Dominica 1.05 2009 est. 320 Dominica 1.05 2009 est. 321 Dominica 1.05 2009 est. 322 Denmark 1.05 2009 est. 323 Cyprus 1.05 2009 est. 324 Costa Rica 1.05 2009 est. 325 Micronesia, Federated States of 1.05 2009 est. 326 Fiji 1.05 2009 est. 327 El Salvador 1.05 2009 est. 328 Algeria 1.04 2009 est. 329 Albania 1.04 2009 est. 330 Belgium 1.04 2009 est. 331 Belgium 1.04 2009 est. 332 Botswana 1.04 2009 est. 333 American Samoa 1.04 2009 est. 334 Bangladesh 1.04 2009 est. 335 Belize 1.04 2009 est. 336 Kazakhstan 1.04 2009 est. 337 Kuwait 1.04 2009 est. 338 Iceland 1.04 2009 est. 339 Honduras 1.04 2009 est. 340 Gaza Strip 1.04 2009 est. 341 Guyana 1.04 2009 est. 342 Germany 1.04 2009 est. 343 French Polynesia 1.04 2009 est. 344 Ecuador 1.04 2009 est. 345 Dominican Republic 1.04 2009 est. 346 Dominican Republic 1.04 2009 est. 347 Dominican Republic 1.04 2009 est. 348 Djibouti 1.04 2009 est. 349 Cyprus 1.04 2009 est. 350 Sri Lanka 1.04 2009 est. 351 Sri Lanka 1.04 2009 est. 352 Chad 1.04 2009 est. 353 Yemen 1.04 2009 est. 354 Samoa 1.04 2009 est. 355 Western Sahara 1.04 2009 est. 356 West Bank 1.04 2009 est. 357 Uruguay 1.04 2009 est. 358 United States 1.04 2009 est. 359 Tuvalu 1.04 2009 est. 360 Timor-Leste 1.04 2009 est. 361 Tonga 1.04 2009 est. 362 Turks and Caicos Islands 1.04 2009 est. 363 Tajikistan 1.04 2009 est. 364 Sudan 1.04 2009 est. 365 Saint Helena 1.04 2009 est. 366 Saint Helena 1.04 2009 est. 367 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 1.04 2009 est. 368 Saudi Arabia 1.04 2009 est. 369 Philippines 1.04 2009 est. 370 Saint Martin 1.04 2009 est. 371 Marshall Islands 1.04 2009 est. 372 Marshall Islands 1.04 2009 est. 373 Papua New Guinea 1.04 2009 est. 374 Panama 1.04 2009 est. 375 Panama 1.04 2009 est. 376 Pakistan 1.04 2009 est. 377 Peru 1.04 2009 est. 378 Nicaragua 1.04 2009 est. 379 Suriname 1.04 2009 est. 380 Nauru 1.04 2009 est. 381 Nauru 1.04 2009 est. 382 Nepal 1.04 2009 est. 383 Nepal 1.04 2009 est. 384 Nigeria 1.04 2009 est. 385 Nigeria 1.04 2009 est. 386 Vanuatu 1.04 2009 est. 387 Vanuatu 1.04 2009 est. 388 Vanuatu 1.04 2009 est. 389 New Caledonia 1.04 2009 est. 390 Mexico 1.04 2009 est. 391 Maldives 1.04 2009 est. 392 Oman 1.04 2009 est. 393 Morocco 1.04 2009 est. 394 Mongolia 1.04 2009 est. 395 Mayotte 1.04 2009 est. 396 Kuwait 1.04 2009 est. 397 Korea, South 1.04 2009 est. 398 Kyrgyzstan 1.04 2009 est. 399 Jordan 1.04 2009 est. 400 Cote d'Ivoire 1.04 2009 est. 401 Fiji 1.04 2009 est. 402 Finland 1.04 2009 est. 403 Finland 1.04 2009 est. 404 El Salvador 1.04 2009 est. 405 Libya 1.04 2009 est. 406 Lebanon 1.04 2009 est. 407 Cambodia 1.04 2009 est. 408 Bhutan 1.04 2009 est. 409 Brazil 1.04 2009 est. 410 Solomon Islands 1.04 2009 est. 411 Benin 1.04 2009 est. 412 Bolivia 1.04 2009 est. 413 Antigua and Barbuda 1.03 2009 est. 414 Botswana 1.03 2009 est. 415 Kiribati 1.03 2009 est. 416 Korea, North 1.03 2009 est. 417 Jamaica 1.03 2009 est. 418 Iraq 1.03 2009 est. 419 Iraq 1.03 2009 est. 420 Cote d'Ivoire 1.03 2009 est. 421 Cote d'Ivoire 1.03 2009 est. 422 Italy 1.03 2009 est. 423 Israel 1.03 2009 est. 424 Indonesia 1.03 2009 est. 425 Iceland 1.03 2009 est. 426 Tanzania 1.03 2009 est. 427 Timor-Leste 1.03 2009 est. 428 Timor-Leste 1.03 2009 est. 429 Sao Tome and Principe 1.03 2009 est. 430 Sao Tome and Principe 1.03 2009 est. 431 Togo 1.03 2009 est. 432 Trinidad and Tobago 1.03 2009 est. 433 Sweden 1.03 2009 est. 434 Sudan 1.03 2009 est. 435 Zimbabwe 1.03 2009 est. 436 Zambia 1.03 2009 est. 437 Yemen 1.03 2009 est. 438 Yemen 1.03 2009 est. 439 Swaziland 1.03 2009 est. 440 Western Sahara 1.03 2009 est. 441 Namibia 1.03 2009 est. 442 Virgin Islands 1.03 2009 est. 443 British Virgin Islands 1.03 2009 est. 444 Venezuela 1.03 2009 est. 445 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1.03 2009 est. 446 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1.03 2009 est. 447 Uruguay 1.03 2009 est. 448 Burkina Faso 1.03 2009 est. 449 United Kingdom 1.03 2009 est. 450 Uganda 1.03 2009 est. 451 Somalia 1.03 2009 est. 452 Sierra Leone 1.03 2009 est. 453 Saint Helena 1.03 2009 est. 454 Senegal 1.03 2009 est. 455 Seychelles 1.03 2009 est. 456 Seychelles 1.03 2009 est. 457 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 1.03 2009 est. 458 Rwanda 1.03 2009 est. 459 Haiti 1.03 2009 est. 460 Guinea 1.03 2009 est. 461 Guatemala 1.03 2009 est. 462 Greenland 1.03 2009 est. 463 Guernsey 1.03 2009 est. 464 Guernsey 1.03 2009 est. 465 Gibraltar 1.03 2009 est. 466 Ghana 1.03 2009 est. 467 Guinea-Bissau 1.03 2009 est. 468 Papua New Guinea 1.03 2009 est. 469 Paraguay 1.03 2009 est. 470 Norway 1.03 2009 est. 471 Niger 1.03 2009 est. 472 Malta 1.03 2009 est. 473 Mauritania 1.03 2009 est. 474 Mauritius 1.03 2009 est. 475 Mali 1.03 2009 est. 476 Montserrat 1.03 2009 est. 477 Mayotte 1.03 2009 est. 478 Madagascar 1.03 2009 est. 479 Gabon 1.03 2009 est. 480 Gambia, The 1.03 2009 est. 481 Micronesia, Federated States of 1.03 2009 est. 482 Ethiopia 1.03 2009 est. 483 Eritrea 1.03 2009 est. 484 Equatorial Guinea 1.03 2009 est. 485 Equatorial Guinea 1.03 2009 est. 486 Cyprus 1.03 2009 est. 487 Lesotho 1.03 2009 est. 488 Liberia 1.03 2009 est. 489 Cape Verde 1.03 2009 est. 490 Central African Republic 1.03 2009 est. 491 Colombia 1.03 2009 est. 492 Comoros 1.03 2009 est. 493 Cameroon 1.03 2009 est. 494 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 1.03 2009 est. 495 Congo, Republic of the 1.03 2009 est. 496 Chad 1.03 2009 est. 497 Dominican Republic 1.03 2009 est. 498 Djibouti 1.03 2009 est. 499 Burundi 1.03 2009 est. 500 Bahrain 1.03 2009 est. 501 Burma 1.03 2009 est. 502 Angola 1.03 2009 est. 503 Belize 1.03 2009 est. 504 Australia 1.03 2009 est. 505 American Samoa 1.03 2009 est. 506 Aruba 1.02 2009 est. 507 Cambodia 1.02 2009 est. 508 Canada 1.02 2009 est. 509 Bahamas, The 1.02 2009 est. 510 Belgium 1.02 2009 est. 511 Bermuda 1.02 2009 est. 512 Bermuda 1.02 2009 est. 513 Bahrain 1.02 2009 est. 514 Anguilla 1.02 2009 est. 515 American Samoa 1.02 2009 est. 516 Angola 1.02 2009 est. 517 Angola 1.02 2009 est. 518 Zimbabwe 1.02 2009 est. 519 Swaziland 1.02 2009 est. 520 Namibia 1.02 2009 est. 521 Namibia 1.02 2009 est. 522 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1.02 2009 est. 523 Turkmenistan 1.02 2009 est. 524 Taiwan 1.02 2009 est. 525 Taiwan 1.02 2009 est. 526 Turkey 1.02 2009 est. 527 Turkey 1.02 2009 est. 528 Trinidad and Tobago 1.02 2009 est. 529 Switzerland 1.02 2009 est. 530 Slovenia 1.02 2009 est. 531 South Africa 1.02 2009 est. 532 South Africa 1.02 2009 est. 533 Panama 1.02 2009 est. 534 Panama 1.02 2009 est. 535 Netherlands 1.02 2009 est. 536 Niger 1.02 2009 est. 537 Mozambique 1.02 2009 est. 538 Mali 1.02 2009 est. 539 Macedonia 1.02 2009 est. 540 Malawi 1.02 2009 est. 541 Luxembourg 1.02 2009 est. 542 Kenya 1.02 2009 est. 543 Japan 1.02 2009 est. 544 Iraq 1.02 2009 est. 545 Cote d'Ivoire 1.02 2009 est. 546 Iran 1.02 2009 est. 547 Iran 1.02 2009 est. 548 Iceland 1.02 2009 est. 549 Haiti 1.02 2009 est. 550 Guyana 1.02 2009 est. 551 Guinea 1.02 2009 est. 552 Ghana 1.02 2009 est. 553 French Polynesia 1.02 2009 est. 554 Finland 1.02 2009 est. 555 Egypt 1.02 2009 est. 556 Egypt 1.02 2009 est. 557 Dominica 1.02 2009 est. 558 Costa Rica 1.02 2009 est. 559 Costa Rica 1.02 2009 est. 560 Colombia 1.02 2009 est. 561 Cameroon 1.02 2009 est. 562 Cayman Islands 1.02 2009 est. 563 Solomon Islands 1.02 2009 est. 564 Solomon Islands 1.02 2009 est. 565 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1.02 2009 est. 566 Belize 1.02 2009 est. 567 Algeria 1.02 2009 est. 568 Aruba 1.02 2009 est. 569 Algeria 1.01 2009 est. 570 Congo, Republic of the 1.01 2009 est. 571 Djibouti 1.01 2009 est. 572 Denmark 1.01 2009 est. 573 Cape Verde 1.01 2009 est. 574 Central African Republic 1.01 2009 est. 575 Comoros 1.01 2009 est. 576 Cameroon 1.01 2009 est. 577 Cameroon 1.01 2009 est. 578 Cayman Islands 1.01 2009 est. 579 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 1.01 2009 est. 580 Zambia 1.01 2009 est. 581 Wallis and Futuna 1.01 2009 est. 582 Namibia 1.01 2009 est. 583 Burkina Faso 1.01 2009 est. 584 Uganda 1.01 2009 est. 585 Uganda 1.01 2009 est. 586 Tunisia 1.01 2009 est. 587 Tunisia 1.01 2009 est. 588 Togo 1.01 2009 est. 589 Sudan 1.01 2009 est. 590 Spain 1.01 2009 est. 591 Paraguay 1.01 2009 est. 592 Paraguay 1.01 2009 est. 593 New Caledonia 1.01 2009 est. 594 New Caledonia 1.01 2009 est. 595 Mozambique 1.01 2009 est. 596 Malaysia 1.01 2009 est. 597 Malaysia 1.01 2009 est. 598 Mauritania 1.01 2009 est. 599 Lesotho 1.01 2009 est. 600 Senegal 1.01 2009 est. 601 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 1.01 2009 est. 602 Rwanda 1.01 2009 est. 603 Peru 1.01 2009 est. 604 Peru 1.01 2009 est. 605 Liechtenstein 1.01 2009 est. 606 Laos 1.01 2009 est. 607 Kenya 1.01 2009 est. 608 Kenya 1.01 2009 est. 609 Isle of Man 1.01 2009 est. 610 Indonesia 1.01 2009 est. 611 Honduras 1.01 2009 est. 612 Guyana 1.01 2009 est. 613 Malawi 1.01 2009 est. 614 Montserrat 1.01 2009 est. 615 Mayotte 1.01 2009 est. 616 Madagascar 1.01 2009 est. 617 Greenland 1.01 2009 est. 618 Grenada 1.01 2009 est. 619 Gabon 1.01 2009 est. 620 Gambia, The 1.01 2009 est. 621 Fiji 1.01 2009 est. 622 Czech Republic 1.01 2009 est. 623 Eritrea 1.01 2009 est. 624 Djibouti 1.01 2009 est. 625 Burundi 1.01 2009 est. 626 Barbados 1.01 2009 est. 627 Bangladesh 1.01 2009 est. 628 Botswana 1.01 2009 est. 629 Brunei 1.01 2009 est. 630 Austria 1.01 2009 est. 631 Argentina 1.00 2009 est. 632 Australia 1.00 2009 est. 633 Gambia, The 1.00 2009 est. 634 France 1.00 2009 est. 635 Micronesia, Federated States of 1.00 2009 est. 636 Fiji 1.00 2009 est. 637 Ethiopia 1.00 2009 est. 638 Ireland 1.00 2009 est. 639 European Union 1.00 2009 est. 640 Cyprus 1.00 2009 est. 641 Cuba 1.00 2009 est. 642 Jersey 1.00 2009 est. 643 Cote d'Ivoire 1.00 2009 est. 644 Israel 1.00 2009 est. 645 Indonesia 1.00 2009 est. 646 Iceland 1.00 2009 est. 647 Honduras 1.00 2009 est. 648 Guinea 1.00 2009 est. 649 Guinea 1.00 2009 est. 650 Greece 1.00 2009 est. 651 Grenada 1.00 2009 est. 652 Gibraltar 1.00 2009 est. 653 Ghana 1.00 2009 est. 654 Ghana 1.00 2009 est. 655 Gabon 1.00 2009 est. 656 Gambia, The 1.00 2009 est. 657 Zambia 1.00 2009 est. 658 Zambia 1.00 2009 est. 659 Wallis and Futuna 1.00 2009 est. 660 United States 1.00 2009 est. 661 Uganda 1.00 2009 est. 662 Tanzania 1.00 2009 est. 663 Somalia 1.00 2009 est. 664 Somalia 1.00 2009 est. 665 Somalia 1.00 2009 est. 666 South Africa 1.00 2009 est. 667 Saint Kitts and Nevis 1.00 2009 est. 668 Rwanda 1.00 2009 est. 669 Philippines 1.00 2009 est. 670 Philippines 1.00 2009 est. 671 Serbia 1.00 2009 est. 672 Guinea-Bissau 1.00 2009 est. 673 New Zealand 1.00 2009 est. 674 Nicaragua 1.00 2009 est. 675 Nicaragua 1.00 2009 est. 676 Nauru 1.00 2009 est. 677 Niger 1.00 2009 est. 678 Maldives 1.00 2009 est. 679 Morocco 1.00 2009 est. 680 Macedonia 1.00 2009 est. 681 Malawi 1.00 2009 est. 682 Malawi 1.00 2009 est. 683 Mongolia 1.00 2009 est. 684 Mongolia 1.00 2009 est. 685 Liberia 1.00 2009 est. 686 Korea, South 1.00 2009 est. 687 Kenya 1.00 2009 est. 688 Chile 1.00 2009 est. 689 Brunei 1.00 2009 est. 690 Benin 1.00 2009 est. 691 Bahamas, The 1.00 2009 est. 692 Botswana 1.00 2009 est. 693 Barbados 1.00 2009 est. 694 Benin 0.99 2009 est. 695 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 0.99 2009 est. 696 Uzbekistan 0.99 2009 est. 697 Uruguay 0.99 2009 est. 698 Burkina Faso 0.99 2009 est. 699 Burkina Faso 0.99 2009 est. 700 Tonga 0.99 2009 est. 701 Tonga 0.99 2009 est. 702 Tajikistan 0.99 2009 est. 703 Saint Barthelemy 0.99 2009 est. 704 Liberia 0.99 2009 est. 705 Western Sahara 0.99 2009 est. 706 Vietnam 0.99 2009 est. 707 Uzbekistan 0.99 2009 est. 708 Kiribati 0.99 2009 est. 709 Croatia 0.99 2009 est. 710 Gabon 0.99 2009 est. 711 Micronesia, Federated States of 0.99 2009 est. 712 Ireland 0.99 2009 est. 713 Ecuador 0.99 2009 est. 714 Cuba 0.99 2009 est. 715 Central African Republic 0.99 2009 est. 716 Senegal 0.99 2009 est. 717 South Africa 0.99 2009 est. 718 Saint Kitts and Nevis 0.99 2009 est. 719 Rwanda 0.99 2009 est. 720 Romania 0.99 2009 est. 721 Saint Martin 0.99 2009 est. 722 Portugal 0.99 2009 est. 723 Poland 0.99 2009 est. 724 New Zealand 0.99 2009 est. 725 Suriname 0.99 2009 est. 726 Suriname 0.99 2009 est. 727 Niger 0.99 2009 est. 728 Malta 0.99 2009 est. 729 Mauritius 0.99 2009 est. 730 Morocco 0.99 2009 est. 731 Mali 0.99 2009 est. 732 Mali 0.99 2009 est. 733 Montenegro 0.99 2009 est. 734 Madagascar 0.99 2009 est. 735 Madagascar 0.99 2009 est. 736 Liechtenstein 0.99 2009 est. 737 Slovakia 0.99 2009 est. 738 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 0.99 2009 est. 739 Congo, Republic of the 0.99 2009 est. 740 Burundi 0.99 2009 est. 741 Burundi 0.99 2009 est. 742 Congo, Republic of the 0.99 2009 est. 743 Andorra 0.98 2009 est. 744 Bolivia 0.98 2009 est. 745 Burma 0.98 2009 est. 746 Vietnam 0.98 2009 est. 747 Venezuela 0.98 2009 est. 748 United Kingdom 0.98 2009 est. 749 Tanzania 0.98 2009 est. 750 Turkmenistan 0.98 2009 est. 751 Turkmenistan 0.98 2009 est. 752 Sao Tome and Principe 0.98 2009 est. 753 Tajikistan 0.98 2009 est. 754 Thailand 0.98 2009 est. 755 Thailand 0.98 2009 est. 756 Sweden 0.98 2009 est. 757 Senegal 0.98 2009 est. 758 Monaco 0.98 2009 est. 759 Liechtenstein 0.98 2009 est. 760 Liberia 0.98 2009 est. 761 Laos 0.98 2009 est. 762 Laos 0.98 2009 est. 763 Kiribati 0.98 2009 est. 764 Korea, North 0.98 2009 est. 765 Jamaica 0.98 2009 est. 766 Haiti 0.98 2009 est. 767 Haiti 0.98 2009 est. 768 Guernsey 0.98 2009 est. 769 Gambia, The 0.98 2009 est. 770 Eritrea 0.98 2009 est. 771 Equatorial Guinea 0.98 2009 est. 772 Denmark 0.98 2009 est. 773 Central African Republic 0.98 2009 est. 774 Norway 0.98 2009 est. 775 Netherlands 0.98 2009 est. 776 Comoros 0.98 2009 est. 777 Comoros 0.98 2009 est. 778 Chile 0.98 2009 est. 779 Canada 0.98 2009 est. 780 Brazil 0.98 2009 est. 781 Brazil 0.98 2009 est. 782 Burma 0.98 2009 est. 783 Azerbaijan 0.97 2009 est. 784 Luxembourg 0.97 2009 est. 785 Jamaica 0.97 2009 est. 786 Jersey 0.97 2009 est. 787 Hungary 0.97 2009 est. 788 Guatemala 0.97 2009 est. 789 Germany 0.97 2009 est. 790 Grenada 0.97 2009 est. 791 Ethiopia 0.97 2009 est. 792 Ecuador 0.97 2009 est. 793 Cook Islands 0.97 2009 est. 794 Cape Verde 0.97 2009 est. 795 Western Sahara 0.97 2009 est. 796 Venezuela 0.97 2009 est. 797 United States 0.97 2009 est. 798 Tanzania 0.97 2009 est. 799 Togo 0.97 2009 est. 800 Switzerland 0.97 2009 est. 801 Nauru 0.97 2009 est. 802 Mozambique 0.97 2009 est. 803 Mauritius 0.97 2009 est. 804 Bosnia and Herzegovina 0.97 2009 est. 805 Sri Lanka 0.97 2009 est. 806 Bulgaria 0.97 2009 est. 807 Bahamas, The 0.97 2009 est. 808 Barbados 0.97 2009 est. 809 Bermuda 0.97 2009 est. 810 Argentina 0.97 2009 est. 811 Azerbaijan 0.96 2009 est. 812 Sierra Leone 0.96 2009 est. 813 Nepal 0.96 2009 est. 814 Mozambique 0.96 2009 est. 815 Mexico 0.96 2009 est. 816 Montenegro 0.96 2009 est. 817 Libya 0.96 2009 est. 818 Lesotho 0.96 2009 est. 819 Lesotho 0.96 2009 est. 820 Lithuania 0.96 2009 est. 821 Kyrgyzstan 0.96 2009 est. 822 Kyrgyzstan 0.96 2009 est. 823 Tuvalu 0.96 2009 est. 824 Tuvalu 0.96 2009 est. 825 Togo 0.96 2009 est. 826 Saint Lucia 0.96 2009 est. 827 Spain 0.96 2009 est. 828 Italy 0.96 2009 est. 829 Isle of Man 0.96 2009 est. 830 Greece 0.96 2009 est. 831 France 0.96 2009 est. 832 Finland 0.96 2009 est. 833 Ethiopia 0.96 2009 est. 834 Eritrea 0.96 2009 est. 835 Equatorial Guinea 0.96 2009 est. 836 Colombia 0.96 2009 est. 837 Cayman Islands 0.96 2009 est. 838 Sri Lanka 0.96 2009 est. 839 Cambodia 0.96 2009 est. 840 Bolivia 0.96 2009 est. 841 Bahamas, The 0.96 2009 est. 842 Belgium 0.96 2009 est. 843 Austria 0.95 2009 est. 844 Swaziland 0.95 2009 est. 845 Uruguay 0.95 2009 est. 846 Turks and Caicos Islands 0.95 2009 est. 847 Singapore 0.95 2009 est. 848 Singapore 0.95 2009 est. 849 Slovenia 0.95 2009 est. 850 Romania 0.95 2009 est. 851 Serbia 0.95 2009 est. 852 Guinea-Bissau 0.95 2009 est. 853 Portugal 0.95 2009 est. 854 Latvia 0.95 2009 est. 855 Lebanon 0.95 2009 est. 856 Kazakhstan 0.95 2009 est. 857 Korea, North 0.95 2009 est. 858 Japan 0.95 2009 est. 859 Hong Kong 0.95 2009 est. 860 Czech Republic 0.95 2009 est. 861 El Salvador 0.95 2009 est. 862 Cambodia 0.95 2009 est. 863 Colombia 0.95 2009 est. 864 Cayman Islands 0.95 2009 est. 865 Cape Verde 0.95 2009 est. 866 Anguilla 0.94 2009 est. 867 Bermuda 0.94 2009 est. 868 Bangladesh 0.94 2009 est. 869 Belarus 0.94 2009 est. 870 Sierra Leone 0.94 2009 est. 871 Marshall Islands 0.94 2009 est. 872 Poland 0.94 2009 est. 873 Nigeria 0.94 2009 est. 874 Mexico 0.94 2009 est. 875 Moldova 0.94 2009 est. 876 Liechtenstein 0.94 2009 est. 877 Slovakia 0.94 2009 est. 878 Liberia 0.94 2009 est. 879 Taiwan 0.94 2009 est. 880 Sao Tome and Principe 0.94 2009 est. 881 Saint Lucia 0.94 2009 est. 882 Hong Kong 0.94 2009 est. 883 Guatemala 0.94 2009 est. 884 Guernsey 0.94 2009 est. 885 Barbados 0.94 2009 est. 886 Afghanistan 0.93 2009 est. 887 Anguilla 0.93 2009 est. 888 Bangladesh 0.93 2009 est. 889 Brunei 0.93 2009 est. 890 Swaziland 0.93 2009 est. 891 Puerto Rico 0.93 2009 est. 892 Guinea-Bissau 0.93 2009 est. 893 Netherlands Antilles 0.93 2009 est. 894 Netherlands Antilles 0.93 2009 est. 895 Mauritania 0.93 2009 est. 896 Kazakhstan 0.93 2009 est. 897 Jordan 0.93 2009 est. 898 Croatia 0.93 2009 est. 899 Ecuador 0.93 2009 est. 900 Georgia 0.93 2009 est. 901 Aruba 0.92 2009 est. 902 Macau 0.92 2009 est. 903 Yemen 0.92 2009 est. 904 Ukraine 0.92 2009 est. 905 San Marino 0.92 2009 est. 906 Sierra Leone 0.92 2009 est. 907 Russia 0.92 2009 est. 908 Puerto Rico 0.92 2009 est. 909 Saint Martin 0.92 2009 est. 910 Nepal 0.92 2009 est. 911 Montserrat 0.92 2009 est. 912 Lebanon 0.92 2009 est. 913 Iran 0.92 2009 est. 914 Bulgaria 0.92 2009 est. 915 European Union 0.92 2009 est. 916 Chad 0.92 2009 est. 917 Belize 0.92 2009 est. 918 Antigua and Barbuda 0.91 2009 est. 919 Timor-Leste 0.91 2009 est. 920 San Marino 0.91 2009 est. 921 Saint Martin 0.91 2009 est. 922 Monaco 0.91 2009 est. 923 Moldova 0.91 2009 est. 924 Hungary 0.91 2009 est. 925 Georgia 0.91 2009 est. 926 El Salvador 0.91 2009 est. 927 Estonia 0.91 2009 est. 928 China 0.91 2009 est. 929 Anguilla 0.91 2009 est. 930 Aruba 0.90 2009 est. 931 Iraq 0.90 2009 est. 932 Zimbabwe 0.90 2009 est. 933 Virgin Islands 0.90 2009 est. 934 Saint Helena 0.90 2009 est. 935 Solomon Islands 0.90 2009 est. 936 India 0.90 2009 est. 937 Bangladesh 0.90 2009 est. 938 Armenia 0.89 2009 est. 939 Nepal 0.89 2009 est. 940 Syria 0.89 2009 est. 941 Peru 0.89 2009 est. 942 Mauritania 0.89 2009 est. 943 Faroe Islands 0.89 2009 est. 944 Lithuania 0.89 2009 est. 945 Cayman Islands 0.89 2009 est. 946 Armenia 0.88 2009 est. 947 Virgin Islands 0.88 2009 est. 948 Senegal 0.88 2009 est. 949 Pakistan 0.88 2009 est. 950 Macau 0.88 2009 est. 951 Macau 0.88 2009 est. 952 Hong Kong 0.88 2009 est. 953 American Samoa 0.88 2009 est. 954 Antigua and Barbuda 0.87 2009 est. 955 Albania 0.87 2009 est. 956 Belarus 0.87 2009 est. 957 Panama 0.87 2009 est. 958 Tunisia 0.87 2009 est. 959 Sri Lanka 0.87 2009 est. 960 Algeria 0.86 2009 est. 961 Latvia 0.86 2009 est. 962 Ukraine 0.86 2009 est. 963 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 0.86 2009 est. 964 Russia 0.86 2009 est. 965 Papua New Guinea 0.86 2009 est. 966 Paraguay 0.86 2009 est. 967 New Caledonia 0.86 2009 est. 968 Guatemala 0.86 2009 est. 969 Costa Rica 0.86 2009 est. 970 Dominican Republic 0.86 2009 est. 971 Chad 0.85 2009 est. 972 Gibraltar 0.85 2009 est. 973 Cameroon 0.85 2009 est. 974 Ghana 0.85 2009 est. 975 Australia 0.84 2009 est. 976 Turkey 0.84 2009 est. 977 Sierra Leone 0.84 2009 est. 978 New Zealand 0.84 2009 est. 979 Kenya 0.84 2009 est. 980 Eritrea 0.84 2009 est. 981 Estonia 0.84 2009 est. 982 Comoros 0.84 2009 est. 983 Cuba 0.83 2009 est. 984 Iceland 0.83 2009 est. 985 Wallis and Futuna 0.83 2009 est. 986 Thailand 0.83 2009 est. 987 Fiji 0.82 2009 est. 988 Lebanon 0.82 2009 est. 989 Virgin Islands 0.82 2009 est. 990 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 0.82 2009 est. 991 Sao Tome and Principe 0.82 2009 est. 992 Saint Lucia 0.82 2009 est. 993 Mexico 0.82 2009 est. 994 Honduras 0.82 2009 est. 995 Ireland 0.81 2009 est. 996 Jamaica 0.81 2009 est. 997 Niger 0.81 2009 est. 998 Zimbabwe 0.81 2009 est. 999 Namibia 0.81 2009 est. 1000 Saint Martin 0.81 2009 est. 1001 Indonesia 0.80 2009 est. 1002 Madagascar 0.80 2009 est. 1003 Jersey 0.80 2009 est. 1004 Samoa 0.80 2009 est. 1005 Venezuela 0.80 2009 est. 1006 Singapore 0.80 2009 est. 1007 Angola 0.79 2009 est. 1008 Bolivia 0.79 2009 est. 1009 Equatorial Guinea 0.79 2009 est. 1010 Sweden 0.79 2009 est. 1011 Malaysia 0.79 2009 est. 1012 Canada 0.78 2009 est. 1013 Cyprus 0.78 2009 est. 1014 Denmark 0.78 2009 est. 1015 Tanzania 0.78 2009 est. 1016 Zimbabwe 0.78 2009 est. 1017 Nicaragua 0.78 2009 est. 1018 El Salvador 0.78 2009 est. 1019 Guinea 0.78 2009 est. 1020 Greece 0.78 2009 est. 1021 Antigua and Barbuda 0.77 2009 est. 1022 Macedonia 0.77 2009 est. 1023 Turkmenistan 0.77 2009 est. 1024 Israel 0.77 2009 est. 1025 Mongolia 0.77 2009 est. 1026 Dominica 0.76 2009 est. 1027 Malta 0.76 2009 est. 1028 Suriname 0.76 2009 est. 1029 Puerto Rico 0.76 2009 est. 1030 United Kingdom 0.76 2009 est. 1031 San Marino 0.76 2009 est. 1032 Philippines 0.76 2009 est. 1033 Netherlands 0.76 2009 est. 1034 Liechtenstein 0.76 2009 est. 1035 Laos 0.76 2009 est. 1036 Burma 0.75 2009 est. 1037 Colombia 0.75 2009 est. 1038 Uzbekistan 0.75 2009 est. 1039 United States 0.75 2009 est. 1040 Trinidad and Tobago 0.75 2009 est. 1041 Norway 0.75 2009 est. 1042 Morocco 0.75 2009 est. 1043 Ethiopia 0.75 2009 est. 1044 Northern Mariana Islands 0.74 2009 est. 1045 Micronesia, Federated States of 0.74 2009 est. 1046 Guernsey 0.74 2009 est. 1047 Kiribati 0.74 2009 est. 1048 Tajikistan 0.74 2009 est. 1049 Mauritania 0.74 2009 est. 1050 Malawi 0.74 2009 est. 1051 Kosovo 0.74 2009 est. 1052 Japan 0.74 2009 est. 1053 Egypt 0.74 2009 est. 1054 Brazil 0.73 2009 est. 1055 Western Sahara 0.73 2009 est. 1056 Chad 0.73 2009 est. 1057 Chile 0.72 2009 est. 1058 Spain 0.72 2009 est. 1059 Somalia 0.72 2009 est. 1060 Saint Kitts and Nevis 0.72 2009 est. 1061 Italy 0.72 2009 est. 1062 France 0.72 2009 est. 1063 Germany 0.72 2009 est. 1064 Gabon 0.72 2009 est. 1065 Guyana 0.72 2009 est. 1066 Austria 0.71 2009 est. 1067 Belgium 0.71 2009 est. 1068 Switzerland 0.71 2009 est. 1069 Uganda 0.71 2009 est. 1070 West Bank 0.71 2009 est. 1071 Tonga 0.71 2009 est. 1072 Mozambique 0.71 2009 est. 1073 Argentina 0.70 2009 est. 1074 Bermuda 0.70 2009 est. 1075 Zambia 0.70 2009 est. 1076 Serbia 0.70 2009 est. 1077 Portugal 0.70 2009 est. 1078 Luxembourg 0.70 2009 est. 1079 Isle of Man 0.70 2009 est. 1080 Congo, Republic of the 0.70 2009 est. 1081 Benin 0.70 2009 est. 1082 Bahamas, The 0.69 2009 est. 1083 Bosnia and Herzegovina 0.69 2009 est. 1084 South Africa 0.69 2009 est. 1085 Romania 0.69 2009 est. 1086 Botswana 0.68 2009 est. 1087 Netherlands Antilles 0.68 2009 est. 1088 Guinea-Bissau 0.68 2009 est. 1089 Monaco 0.68 2009 est. 1090 Gaza Strip 0.68 2009 est. 1091 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 0.68 2009 est. 1092 European Union 0.68 2009 est. 1093 Montenegro 0.68 2009 est. 1094 Finland 0.68 2009 est. 1095 Bulgaria 0.68 2009 est. 1096 Northern Mariana Islands 0.67 2009 est. 1097 Uruguay 0.67 2009 est. 1098 Mauritius 0.67 2009 est. 1099 Korea, South 0.67 2009 est. 1100 Georgia 0.67 2009 est. 1101 Aruba 0.66 2009 est. 1102 Burundi 0.66 2009 est. 1103 Lesotho 0.66 2009 est. 1104 Rwanda 0.66 2009 est. 1105 Czech Republic 0.65 2009 est. 1106 Burkina Faso 0.65 2009 est. 1107 Togo 0.65 2009 est. 1108 Armenia 0.64 2009 est. 1109 Croatia 0.64 2009 est. 1110 Mali 0.64 2009 est. 1111 Slovenia 0.64 2009 est. 1112 Kyrgyzstan 0.64 2009 est. 1113 Haiti 0.64 2009 est. 1114 Barbados 0.63 2009 est. 1115 Vietnam 0.63 2009 est. 1116 Korea, North 0.63 2009 est. 1117 Central African Republic 0.63 2009 est. 1118 Poland 0.62 2009 est. 1119 Cambodia 0.60 2009 est. 1120 Slovakia 0.60 2009 est. 1121 Seychelles 0.59 2009 est. 1122 Tuvalu 0.59 2009 est. 1123 Swaziland 0.59 2009 est. 1124 Azerbaijan 0.58 2009 est. 1125 Cape Verde 0.58 2009 est. 1126 Moldova 0.58 2009 est. 1127 Hungary 0.57 2009 est. 1128 Kazakhstan 0.54 2009 est. 1129 Lithuania 0.53 2009 est. 1130 Ukraine 0.50 2009 est. 1131 Estonia 0.49 2009 est. 1132 Latvia 0.49 2009 est. 1133 Belarus 0.47 2009 est. 1134 Palau 0.45 2009 est. 1135 Russia 0.44 2009 est.

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Rank code: 2019

Country Comparison :: Heliports

This entry gives the total number of heliports with hard-surface runways, helipads, or landing areas that support routine sustained helicopter operations exclusively and have support facilities including one or more of the following facilities: lighting, fuel, passenger handling, or maintenance. It includes former airports used exclusively for helicopter operations but excludes heliports limited to day operations and natural clearings that could support helicopter landings and takeoffs.

Rank country Heliports Date of Information

1 Korea, South 516.00 2009 2 United States 126.00 2009 3 European Union 100.00 2007 4 Antarctica 53.00 2007 5 Russia 48.00 2009 6 China 45.00 2009 7 India 37.00 2009 8 Indonesia 36.00 2009 9 Germany 25.00 2009 10 Korea, North 22.00 2009 11 Iraq 21.00 2009 12 Turkey 21.00 2009 13 Iran 19.00 2009 14 Pakistan 19.00 2009 15 Japan 15.00 2009 16 Brazil 13.00 2009 17 Canada 12.00 2009 18 Afghanistan 11.00 2009 19 United Kingdom 11.00 2009 20 Cyprus 9.00 2009 21 Saudi Arabia 9.00 2009 22 Spain 9.00 2009 23 Greece 9.00 2009 24 Hong Kong 9.00 2009 25 New Caledonia 8.00 2009 26 Timor-Leste 8.00 2009 27 Poland 7.00 2009 28 Ukraine 7.00 2009 29 Syria 7.00 2009 30 Egypt 6.00 2009 31 Italy 6.00 2009 32 United Arab Emirates 5.00 2009 33 Bosnia and Herzegovina 5.00 2009 34 Burma 5.00 2009 35 Hungary 5.00 2009 36 Kuwait 4.00 2009 37 Sudan 4.00 2009 38 Kazakhstan 4.00 2009 39 Thailand 4.00 2009 40 Venezuela 4.00 2009 41 Taiwan 4.00 2009 42 Solomon Islands 3.00 2009 43 Bulgaria 3.00 2009 44 Georgia 3.00 2009 45 Brunei 3.00 2009 46 Israel 3.00 2009 47 Panama 3.00 2009 48 Spratly Islands 3.00 2009 49 Nigeria 3.00 2009 50 Oman 3.00 2009 51 Algeria 2.00 2009 52 Argentina 2.00 2009 53 Papua New Guinea 2.00 2009 54 Romania 2.00 2009 55 Sweden 2.00 2009 56 Sierra Leone 2.00 2009 57 Philippines 2.00 2009 58 Serbia 2.00 2007 59 Kosovo 2.00 2009 60 Malaysia 2.00 2009 61 Macau 2.00 2009 62 Libya 2.00 2009 63 Ecuador 2.00 2009 64 Colombia 2.00 2009 65 Azerbaijan 1.00 2009 66 Qatar 1.00 2009 67 Peru 1.00 2009 68 Norway 1.00 2009 69 Netherlands 1.00 2009 70 Mexico 1.00 2009 71 Morocco 1.00 2009 72 Monaco 1.00 2007 73 Montenegro 1.00 2007 74 Mongolia 1.00 2009 75 Luxembourg 1.00 2009 76 Slovakia 1.00 2009 77 Jordan 1.00 2009 78 Croatia 1.00 2009 79 Gaza Strip 1.00 2009 80 France 1.00 2009 81 Vietnam 1.00 2009 82 Turkmenistan 1.00 2009 83 Switzerland 1.00 2009 84 Svalbard 1.00 2009 85 South Africa 1.00 2009 86 French Polynesia 1.00 2009 87 Czech Republic 1.00 2009 88 El Salvador 1.00 2009 89 Eritrea 1.00 2009 90 Estonia 1.00 2009 91 Northern Mariana Islands 1.00 2009 92 Cambodia 1.00 2009 93 Burundi 1.00 2009 94 Belarus 1.00 2009 95 Bahamas, The 1.00 2009 96 Belgium 1.00 2009 97 Albania 1.00 2009 98 Australia 1.00 2009 99 Bahrain 1.00 2009 100 Austria 1.00 2009

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Rank code: 2020

Country Comparison :: Elevation extremes

This entry includes both the highest point and the lowest point.

Rank country (m) Date of Information

1 China 8,850.00 NA 2 Nepal 8,850.00 NA 3 Pakistan 8,611.00 NA 4 India 8,598.00 NA 5 Bhutan 7,553.00 NA 6 Tajikistan 7,495.00 NA 7 Afghanistan 7,485.00 NA 8 Kyrgyzstan 7,439.00 NA 9 Kazakhstan 6,995.00 NA 10 Argentina 6,960.00 NA 11 Chile 6,880.00 NA 12 Peru 6,768.00 NA 13 Bolivia 6,542.00 NA 14 Ecuador 6,267.00 NA 15 United States 6,198.00 NA 16 Canada 5,959.00 NA 17 Tanzania 5,895.00 NA 18 Burma 5,881.00 NA 19 Colombia 5,775.00 NA 20 Mexico 5,700.00 NA 21 Iran 5,671.00 NA 22 Russia 5,633.00 NA 23 Georgia 5,201.00 NA 24 Kenya 5,199.00 NA 25 Turkey 5,166.00 NA 26 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 5,110.00 NA 27 Uganda 5,110.00 NA 28 Indonesia 5,030.00 NA 29 Venezuela 5,007.00 NA 30 Antarctica 4,897.00 NA 31 European Union 4,807.00 NA 32 France 4,807.00 NA 33 Italy 4,748.00 NA 34 Switzerland 4,634.00 NA 35 Ethiopia 4,533.00 NA 36 Rwanda 4,519.00 NA 37 Papua New Guinea 4,509.00 NA 38 Azerbaijan 4,485.00 NA 39 Mongolia 4,374.00 NA 40 Uzbekistan 4,301.00 NA 41 Guatemala 4,211.00 NA 42 Morocco 4,165.00 NA 43 Malaysia 4,100.00 NA 44 Cameroon 4,095.00 NA 45 Armenia 4,090.00 NA 46 Taiwan 3,952.00 NA 47 Costa Rica 3,810.00 NA 48 Austria 3,798.00 NA 49 Japan 3,776.00 NA 50 New Zealand 3,754.00 NA 51 Spain 3,718.00 NA 52 Greenland 3,700.00 NA 53 Yemen 3,667.00 NA 54 Lesotho 3,482.00 NA 55 Panama 3,475.00 NA 56 Chad 3,415.00 NA 57 South Africa 3,408.00 NA 58 Sudan 3,187.00 NA 59 Dominican Republic 3,175.00 NA 60 Vietnam 3,144.00 NA 61 Turkmenistan 3,139.00 NA 62 Saudi Arabia 3,133.00 NA 63 Lebanon 3,088.00 NA 64 Eritrea 3,018.00 NA 65 Brazil 3,014.00 NA 66 Equatorial Guinea 3,008.00 NA 67 Algeria 3,003.00 NA 68 Malawi 3,002.00 NA 69 Oman 2,980.00 NA 70 Germany 2,963.00 NA 71 Timor-Leste 2,963.00 NA 72 Philippines 2,954.00 NA 73 Andorra 2,946.00 NA 74 South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands2,934.00 NA 75 Bulgaria 2,925.00 NA 76 Greece 2,917.00 NA 77 Madagascar 2,876.00 NA 78 Honduras 2,870.00 NA 79 Slovenia 2,864.00 NA 80 Guyana 2,835.00 NA 81 Cape Verde 2,829.00 NA 82 Laos 2,817.00 NA 83 Syria 2,814.00 NA 84 Albania 2,764.00 NA 85 Macedonia 2,764.00 NA 86 Heard Island and McDonald Islands 2,745.00 NA 87 Korea, North 2,744.00 NA 88 El Salvador 2,730.00 NA 89 Haiti 2,680.00 NA 90 Burundi 2,670.00 NA 91 Kosovo 2,656.00 NA 92 Slovakia 2,655.00 NA 93 Egypt 2,629.00 NA 94 Angola 2,620.00 NA 95 Namibia 2,606.00 NA 96 Liechtenstein 2,599.00 NA 97 Zimbabwe 2,592.00 NA 98 Thailand 2,576.00 NA 99 Romania 2,544.00 NA 100 Sri Lanka 2,524.00 NA 101 Montenegro 2,522.00 NA 102 Poland 2,499.00 NA 103 Norway 2,469.00 NA 104 Solomon Islands 2,447.00 NA 105 Nicaragua 2,438.00 NA 106 Mozambique 2,436.00 NA 107 Nigeria 2,419.00 NA 108 Somalia 2,416.00 NA 109 Bosnia and Herzegovina 2,386.00 NA 110 Comoros 2,360.00 NA 111 Portugal 2,351.00 NA 112 Zambia 2,301.00 NA 113 Jan Mayen 2,277.00 NA 114 Libya 2,267.00 NA 115 Jamaica 2,256.00 NA 116 French Polynesia 2,241.00 NA 117 Australia 2,229.00 NA 118 Serbia 2,169.00 NA 119 Sweden 2,111.00 NA 120 Iceland 2,110.00 NA 121 Saint Helena 2,062.00 NA 122 Ukraine 2,061.00 NA 123 Djibouti 2,028.00 NA 124 Sao Tome and Principe 2,024.00 NA 125 Niger 2,022.00 NA 126 Cuba 2,005.00 NA 127 Cyprus 1,951.00 NA 128 Korea, South 1,950.00 NA 129 Sierra Leone 1,948.00 NA 130 Vanuatu 1,877.00 NA 131 Swaziland 1,862.00 NA 132 Samoa 1,857.00 NA 133 Brunei 1,850.00 NA 134 French Southern and Antarctic Lands1,850.00 NA 135 Croatia 1,830.00 NA 136 Cambodia 1,810.00 NA 137 Guinea 1,752.00 NA 138 Cote d'Ivoire 1,752.00 NA 139 Jordan 1,734.00 NA 140 Svalbard 1,717.00 NA 141 New Caledonia 1,628.00 NA 142 Czech Republic 1,602.00 NA 143 Gabon 1,575.00 NA 144 Tunisia 1,544.00 NA 145 United Arab Emirates 1,527.00 NA 146 Botswana 1,489.00 NA 147 Dominica 1,447.00 NA 148 Central African Republic 1,420.00 NA 149 Lesotho 1,400.00 NA 150 Liberia 1,380.00 NA 151 United Kingdom 1,343.00 NA 152 Puerto Rico 1,339.00 NA 153 Finland 1,328.00 NA 154 Fiji 1,324.00 NA 155 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1,234.00 NA 156 Bangladesh 1,230.00 NA 157 Suriname 1,230.00 NA 158 Israel 1,208.00 NA 159 Belize 1,160.00 NA 160 Saint Kitts and Nevis 1,156.00 NA 161 Mali 1,155.00 NA 162 French Southern and Antarctic Lands1,090.00 NA 163 Ireland 1,041.00 NA 164 Tonga 1,033.00 NA 165 West Bank 1,022.00 NA 166 Hungary 1,014.00 NA 167 Togo 986.00 NA 168 Northern Mariana Islands 965.00 NA 169 American Samoa 964.00 NA 170 Hong Kong 958.00 NA 171 Rwanda 950.00 NA 172 Saint Lucia 950.00 NA 173 Trinidad and Tobago 940.00 NA 174 Bouvet Island 935.00 NA 175 Montserrat 930.00 2006 176 Mauritania 915.00 NA 177 Seychelles 905.00 NA 178 Congo, Republic of the 903.00 NA 179 Faroe Islands 882.00 NA 180 Ghana 880.00 NA 181 French Southern and Antarctic Lands867.00 NA 182 Netherlands Antilles 862.00 NA 183 Saint Helena 859.00 NA 184 Paraguay 842.00 NA 185 Andorra 840.00 NA 186 Grenada 840.00 NA 187 Mauritius 828.00 NA 188 Saint Helena 818.00 NA 189 Western Sahara 805.00 NA 190 Micronesia, Federated States of 791.00 NA 191 Burundi 772.00 NA 192 Wallis and Futuna 765.00 NA 193 San Marino 755.00 NA 194 Burkina Faso 749.00 NA 195 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 705.00 NA 196 Belgium 694.00 NA 197 Mayotte 660.00 NA 198 Benin 658.00 NA 199 Cook Islands 652.00 NA 200 Isle of Man 621.00 NA 201 Uganda 621.00 NA 202 Senegal 581.00 NA 203 Luxembourg 559.00 NA 204 British Virgin Islands 521.00 NA 205 Mongolia 518.00 NA 206 Uruguay 514.00 NA 207 Botswana 513.00 NA 208 Virgin Islands 475.00 NA 209 Liechtenstein 430.00 NA 210 Moldova 430.00 NA 211 Gibraltar 426.00 NA 212 Saint Martin 424.00 NA 213 Antigua and Barbuda 402.00 NA 214 Armenia 400.00 NA 215 Christmas Island 361.00 NA 216 Pitcairn Islands 347.00 NA 217 Belarus 346.00 NA 218 Barbados 336.00 NA 219 Central African Republic 335.00 NA 220 Zambia 329.00 NA 221 Netherlands 322.00 NA 222 Norfolk Island 319.00 NA 223 Estonia 318.00 NA 224 Latvia 312.00 NA 225 Kuwait 306.00 NA 226 Guinea-Bissau 300.00 NA 227 Tajikistan 300.00 NA 228 Kosovo 297.00 NA 229 Lithuania 294.00 NA 230 Saint Barthelemy 286.00 NA 231 French Southern and Antarctic Lands272.00 NA 232 Afghanistan 258.00 NA 233 Malta 253.00 NA 234 Palau 242.00 NA 235 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 240.00 NA 236 Niger 200.00 NA 237 Burkina Faso 200.00 NA 238 Switzerland 195.00 NA 239 Aruba 188.00 NA 240 Denmark 173.00 NA 241 Macau 172.00 NA 242 Singapore 166.00 NA 243 Zimbabwe 162.00 NA 244 Chad 160.00 NA 245 Jersey 143.00 NA 246 Monaco 140.00 NA 247 Luxembourg 133.00 NA 248 Kyrgyzstan 132.00 NA 249 Bahrain 122.00 NA 250 Austria 115.00 NA 251 Czech Republic 115.00 NA 252 Guernsey 114.00 NA 253 Gaza Strip 105.00 NA 254 Qatar 103.00 NA 255 Bhutan 97.00 NA 256 Slovakia 94.00 NA 257 Bolivia 90.00 NA 258 Belarus 90.00 NA 259 Kiribati 81.00 NA 260 Hungary 78.00 NA 261 Navassa Island 77.00 NA 262 Bermuda 76.00 NA 263 Holy See (Vatican City) 75.00 NA 264 Laos 70.00 NA 265 Nepal 70.00 NA 266 Niue 68.00 NA 267 Anguilla 65.00 NA 268 Bahamas, The 63.00 NA 269 Nauru 61.00 NA 270 San Marino 55.00 NA 271 Gambia, The 53.00 NA 272 Macedonia 50.00 NA 273 Turks and Caicos Islands 49.00 NA 274 Paraguay 46.00 NA 275 Cayman Islands 43.00 NA 276 Malawi 37.00 NA 277 Clipperton Island 29.00 NA 278 French Southern and Antarctic Lands24.00 NA 279 Mali 23.00 NA 280 Swaziland 21.00 NA 281 Holy See (Vatican City) 19.00 NA 282 British Indian Ocean Territory 15.00 NA 283 Paracel Islands 14.00 NA 284 United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges13.00 NA 285 French Southern and Antarctic Lands12.00 NA 286 French Southern and Antarctic Lands10.00 NA 287 Marshall Islands 10.00 NA 288 United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges10.00 NA 289 United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges8.00 NA 290 French Southern and Antarctic Lands7.00 NA 291 United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges7.00 NA 292 Coral Sea Islands 6.00 NA 293 Wake Island 6.00 NA 294 Cocos (Keeling) Islands 5.00 NA 295 Tokelau 5.00 NA 296 Tuvalu 5.00 NA 297 Spratly Islands 4.00 NA 298 Ashmore and Cartier Islands 3.00 NA 299 United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges3.00 NA 300 United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges3.00 NA 301 French Southern and Antarctic Lands2.40 NA 302 Maldives 2.40 NA 303 Moldova 2.00 NA 304 United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges2.00 NA 305 Aruba 0.00 NA 306 Antigua and Barbuda 0.00 NA 307 United Arab Emirates 0.00 NA 308 American Samoa 0.00 NA 309 French Southern and Antarctic Lands0.00 NA 310 French Polynesia 0.00 NA 311 Faroe Islands 0.00 NA 312 Micronesia, Federated States of 0.00 NA 313 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 0.00 NA 314 Fiji 0.00 NA 315 Finland 0.00 NA 316 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 0.00 NA 317 Congo, Republic of the 0.00 NA 318 Benin 0.00 NA 319 Burma 0.00 NA 320 Bosnia and Herzegovina 0.00 NA 321 Belize 0.00 NA 322 Bangladesh 0.00 NA 323 Bahamas, The 0.00 NA 324 Belgium 0.00 NA 325 Bermuda 0.00 NA 326 Barbados 0.00 NA 327 Bahrain 0.00 NA 328 Anguilla 0.00 NA 329 Ashmore and Cartier Islands 0.00 NA 330 Coral Sea Islands 0.00 NA 331 Northern Mariana Islands 0.00 NA 332 Colombia 0.00 NA 333 Comoros 0.00 NA 334 Cameroon 0.00 NA 335 Cocos (Keeling) Islands 0.00 NA 336 Cayman Islands 0.00 NA 337 Chile 0.00 NA 338 Sri Lanka 0.00 NA 339 Grenada 0.00 NA 340 Gibraltar 0.00 NA 341 Ghana 0.00 NA 342 Georgia 0.00 NA 343 Gabon 0.00 NA 344 Gambia, The 0.00 NA 345 El Salvador 0.00 NA 346 Estonia 0.00 NA 347 Equatorial Guinea 0.00 NA 348 British Indian Ocean Territory 0.00 NA 349 India 0.00 NA 350 Isle of Man 0.00 NA 351 Indonesia 0.00 NA 352 Iceland 0.00 NA 353 Croatia 0.00 NA 354 Honduras 0.00 NA 355 Heard Island and McDonald Islands 0.00 NA 356 Hong Kong 0.00 NA 357 Liberia 0.00 NA 358 Lithuania 0.00 NA 359 Latvia 0.00 NA 360 Lebanon 0.00 NA 361 Kuwait 0.00 NA 362 Christmas Island 0.00 NA 363 Korea, South 0.00 NA 364 Kiribati 0.00 NA 365 Korea, North 0.00 NA 366 Nigeria 0.00 NA 367 Vanuatu 0.00 NA 368 Norfolk Island 0.00 NA 369 Niue 0.00 NA 370 New Caledonia 0.00 NA 371 Mozambique 0.00 NA 372 Malaysia 0.00 NA 373 Maldives 0.00 NA 374 Oman 0.00 NA 375 Pacific Ocean 0.00 NA 376 Atlantic Ocean 0.00 NA 377 Yemen 0.00 NA 378 Arctic Ocean 0.00 NA 379 Indian Ocean 0.00 NA 380 Samoa 0.00 NA 381 Wake Island 0.00 NA 382 Wallis and Futuna 0.00 NA 383 Namibia 0.00 NA 384 Virgin Islands 0.00 NA 385 Vietnam 0.00 NA 386 British Virgin Islands 0.00 NA 387 Venezuela 0.00 NA 388 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 0.00 NA 389 Uruguay 0.00 NA 390 Ukraine 0.00 NA 391 United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges0.00 NA 392 Tanzania 0.00 NA 393 Taiwan 0.00 NA 394 Tuvalu 0.00 NA 395 Turkey 0.00 NA 396 Timor-Leste 0.00 NA 397 Sao Tome and Principe 0.00 NA 398 Togo 0.00 NA 399 Tonga 0.00 NA 400 Tokelau 0.00 NA 401 Turks and Caicos Islands 0.00 NA 402 Thailand 0.00 NA 403 Trinidad and Tobago 0.00 NA 404 Saint Barthelemy 0.00 NA 405 South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands0.00 NA 406 Svalbard 0.00 NA 407 Sudan 0.00 NA 408 Saint Lucia 0.00 NA 409 Spain 0.00 NA 410 Somalia 0.00 NA 411 Singapore 0.00 NA 412 Sierra Leone 0.00 NA 413 Slovenia 0.00 NA 414 Saint Helena 0.00 NA 415 Senegal 0.00 NA 416 South Africa 0.00 NA 417 Seychelles 0.00 NA 418 Saint Kitts and Nevis 0.00 NA 419 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 0.00 NA 420 Saudi Arabia 0.00 NA 421 Puerto Rico 0.00 NA 422 Philippines 0.00 NA 423 Romania 0.00 NA 424 Saint Martin 0.00 NA 425 Marshall Islands 0.00 NA 426 Qatar 0.00 NA 427 Guinea-Bissau 0.00 NA 428 Palau 0.00 NA 429 Papua New Guinea 0.00 NA 430 Portugal 0.00 NA 431 Panama 0.00 NA 432 Pakistan 0.00 NA 433 Spratly Islands 0.00 NA 434 Paracel Islands 0.00 NA 435 Peru 0.00 NA 436 Pitcairn Islands 0.00 NA 437 New Zealand 0.00 NA 438 Nicaragua 0.00 NA 439 Netherlands Antilles 0.00 NA 440 Nauru 0.00 NA 441 Norway 0.00 NA 442 Malta 0.00 NA 443 Mauritius 0.00 NA 444 Monaco 0.00 NA 445 Montenegro 0.00 NA 446 Montserrat 0.00 2006 447 Mayotte 0.00 NA 448 Macau 0.00 NA 449 Madagascar 0.00 NA 450 Kenya 0.00 NA 451 Jan Mayen 0.00 NA 452 Jamaica 0.00 NA 453 Jersey 0.00 NA 454 Iraq 0.00 NA 455 Cote d'Ivoire 0.00 NA 456 Italy 0.00 NA 457 Clipperton Island 0.00 NA 458 Haiti 0.00 NA 459 Gaza Strip 0.00 NA 460 Guyana 0.00 NA 461 Guinea 0.00 NA 462 Guatemala 0.00 NA 463 Greece 0.00 NA 464 Greenland 0.00 NA 465 Guernsey 0.00 NA 466 Ireland 0.00 NA 467 Ecuador 0.00 NA 468 Dominica 0.00 NA 469 Cyprus 0.00 NA 470 Cook Islands 0.00 NA 471 Cape Verde 0.00 NA 472 Cuba 0.00 NA 473 Costa Rica 0.00 NA 474 Cambodia 0.00 NA 475 Canada 0.00 NA 476 Brunei 0.00 NA 477 Bouvet Island 0.00 NA 478 Bulgaria 0.00 NA 479 Brazil 0.00 NA 480 Navassa Island 0.00 NA 481 Solomon Islands 0.00 NA 482 Angola 0.00 NA 483 Albania 0.00 NA 484 France -2.00 NA 485 Suriname -2.00 NA 486 Poland -2.00 NA 487 Sweden -2.40 NA 488 Germany -3.54 NA 489 Japan -4.00 NA 490 United Kingdom -4.00 NA 491 Mauritania -5.00 NA 492 Denmark -7.00 NA 493 Netherlands -7.00 NA 494 European Union -7.00 NA 495 European Union -7.00 NA 496 Mexico -10.00 NA 497 Uzbekistan -12.00 NA 498 Australia -15.00 NA 499 Tunisia -17.00 NA 500 Azerbaijan -28.00 NA 501 Russia -28.00 NA 502 Iran -28.00 NA 503 Algeria -40.00 NA 504 Dominican Republic -46.00 NA 505 Libya -47.00 NA 506 Morocco -55.00 NA 507 Western Sahara -55.00 NA 508 Eritrea -75.00 NA 509 United States -86.00 NA 510 Argentina -105.00 NA 511 Ethiopia -125.00 NA 512 Kazakhstan -132.00 NA 513 Egypt -133.00 NA 514 China -154.00 NA 515 Djibouti -155.00 NA 516 Syria -200.00 NA 517 Israel -408.00 NA 518 Jordan -408.00 NA 519 West Bank -408.00 NA 520 Antarctica -2,540.00 NA 521 Arctic Ocean -4,665.00 NA 522 Indian Ocean -7,258.00 NA 523 Atlantic Ocean -8,605.00 NA 524 Pacific Ocean -10,924.00 NA

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Rank code: 2021

Country Comparison :: Natural hazards

This entry lists potential natural disasters.

Rank country Natural hazards Date of Information

======================================================================

Rank code: 2022

Country Comparison :: People - note

This entry includes miscellaneous demographic information of significance not included elsewhere.

Rank country People - note Date of Information

======================================================================

Rank code: 2023

Country Comparison :: Area - comparative

This entry provides an area comparison based on total area equivalents. Most entities are compared with the entire US or one of the 50 states based on area measurements (1990 revised) provided by the US Bureau of the Census. The smaller entities are compared with Washington, DC (178 sq km, 69 sq mi) or The Mall in Washington, DC (0.59 sq km, 0.23 sq mi, 146 acres).

Rank country (sq km) Date of Information

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Rank code: 2024

Country Comparison :: Military service age and obligation

This entry gives the required ages for voluntary or conscript military service and the length of service obligation.

Rank country (years of age) Date of Information

1 Spain 20.00 2004 2 Turkey 20.00 2004 3 Albania 19.00 2004 4 Germany 18.00 2004 5 Korea, North 17.00 2004 6 Libya 17.00 2004

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Rank code: 2025

Country Comparison :: Manpower fit for military service

This entry gives the number of males and females falling in the military age range for a country (defined as being ages 16-49) and who are not otherwise disqualified for health reasons; accounts for the health situation in the country and provides a more realistic estimate of the actual number fit to serve.

Rank country Manpower fit for military serviceDate of Information

1 China 314,459,083.00 2009 est. 2 China 296,763,134.00 2009 est. 3 India 243,276,310.00 2009 est. 4 India 237,042,868.00 2009 est. 5 United States 59,764,677.00 2009 est. 6 United States 59,437,663.00 2009 est. 7 Indonesia 52,997,922.00 2009 est. 8 Indonesia 52,503,046.00 2009 est. 9 Brazil 44,267,520.00 2009 est. 10 Brazil 38,043,555.00 2009 est. 11 Pakistan 33,690,322.00 2009 est. 12 Pakistan 32,602,910.00 2009 est. 13 Bangladesh 31,409,069.00 2009 est. 14 Russia 27,968,883.00 2009 est. 15 Mexico 25,149,027.00 2009 est. 16 Bangladesh 24,946,041.00 2009 est. 17 Japan 22,757,136.00 2009 est. 18 Mexico 22,541,654.00 2009 est. 19 Japan 21,920,703.00 2009 est. 20 Russia 21,098,306.00 2009 est. 21 Vietnam 20,768,508.00 2009 est. 22 Philippines 20,636,853.00 2009 est. 23 Nigeria 19,763,535.00 2009 est. 24 Vietnam 19,190,676.00 2009 est. 25 Philippines 19,169,298.00 2009 est. 26 Nigeria 18,850,650.00 2009 est. 27 Egypt 18,490,522.00 2009 est. 28 Egypt 17,719,905.00 2009 est. 29 Iran 17,658,573.00 2009 est. 30 Turkey 17,223,506.00 2009 est. 31 Iran 17,148,290.00 2009 est. 32 Turkey 16,995,299.00 2009 est. 33 Germany 15,747,493.00 2009 est. 34 Germany 14,899,416.00 2009 est. 35 Thailand 14,126,398.00 2009 est. 36 Thailand 13,086,106.00 2009 est. 37 United Kingdom 12,123,900.00 2009 est. 38 France 12,087,606.00 2009 est. 39 Ethiopia 12,017,073.00 2009 est. 40 France 11,811,260.00 2009 est. 41 United Kingdom 11,616,769.00 2009 est. 42 Italy 11,197,487.00 2009 est. 43 Ethiopia 11,078,847.00 2009 est. 44 Korea, South 10,991,263.00 2009 est. 45 Italy 10,574,250.00 2009 est. 46 Korea, South 10,356,604.00 2009 est. 47 Colombia 10,045,435.00 2009 est. 48 Burma 9,520,852.00 2009 est. 49 Ukraine 9,234,591.00 2009 est. 50 Burma 9,146,312.00 2009 est. 51 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 9,047,356.00 2009 est. 52 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 8,925,355.00 2009 est. 53 Algeria 8,367,005.00 2009 est. 54 Algeria 8,317,473.00 2009 est. 55 Argentina 8,268,498.00 2009 est. 56 Argentina 8,264,853.00 2009 est. 57 Colombia 8,212,944.00 2009 est. 58 Spain 8,139,020.00 2009 est. 59 Spain 7,899,157.00 2009 est. 60 Poland 7,898,892.00 2009 est. 61 Poland 7,888,035.00 2009 est. 62 Morocco 7,881,024.00 2009 est. 63 Morocco 7,779,589.00 2009 est. 64 South Africa 7,641,557.00 2009 est. 65 Saudi Arabia 7,486,622.00 2009 est. 66 Ukraine 7,056,742.00 2009 est. 67 Canada 6,647,513.00 2009 est. 68 Uzbekistan 6,559,769.00 2009 est. 69 South Africa 6,518,793.00 2009 est. 70 Canada 6,413,748.00 2009 est. 71 Peru 6,359,803.00 2009 est. 72 Uzbekistan 6,340,446.00 2009 est. 73 Iraq 6,203,425.00 2009 est. 74 Iraq 6,065,009.00 2009 est. 75 Sudan 5,942,043.00 2009 est. 76 Kenya 5,935,480.00 2009 est. 77 Peru 5,920,716.00 2009 est. 78 Venezuela 5,873,563.00 2009 est. 79 Sudan 5,836,971.00 2009 est. 80 Kenya 5,662,755.00 2009 est. 81 Saudi Arabia 5,652,819.00 2009 est. 82 Nepal 5,525,764.00 2009 est. 83 Malaysia 5,493,946.00 2009 est. 84 Tanzania 5,493,188.00 2009 est. 85 Tanzania 5,473,552.00 2009 est. 86 Malaysia 5,409,524.00 2009 est. 87 Venezuela 5,391,582.00 2009 est. 88 Taiwan 5,106,730.00 2009 est. 89 Taiwan 5,008,563.00 2009 est. 90 Nepal 4,886,103.00 2009 est. 91 Sri Lanka 4,693,895.00 2009 est. 92 Romania 4,604,484.00 2009 est. 93 Romania 4,542,720.00 2009 est. 94 Sri Lanka 4,498,667.00 2009 est. 95 Korea, North 4,492,374.00 2009 est. 96 Afghanistan 4,371,193.00 2009 est. 97 Syria 4,360,934.00 2009 est. 98 Syria 4,344,895.00 2009 est. 99 Australia 4,341,591.00 2009 est. 100 Australia 4,179,659.00 2009 est. 101 Korea, North 4,104,964.00 2009 est. 102 Afghanistan 4,072,945.00 2009 est. 103 Uganda 3,996,597.00 2009 est. 104 Uganda 3,899,717.00 2009 est. 105 Ghana 3,849,113.00 2009 est. 106 Ghana 3,840,083.00 2009 est. 107 Yemen 3,773,626.00 2009 est. 108 Yemen 3,733,704.00 2009 est. 109 Chile 3,573,165.00 2009 est. 110 Kazakhstan 3,550,014.00 2009 est. 111 Chile 3,523,649.00 2009 est. 112 Madagascar 3,404,988.00 2009 est. 113 Netherlands 3,224,790.00 2009 est. 114 Ecuador 3,165,489.00 2009 est. 115 Madagascar 3,150,043.00 2009 est. 116 Netherlands 3,143,096.00 2009 est. 117 Cote d'Ivoire 3,122,106.00 2009 est. 118 Cote d'Ivoire 2,936,391.00 2009 est. 119 Kazakhstan 2,888,931.00 2009 est. 120 Cambodia 2,763,256.00 2009 est. 121 Guatemala 2,725,572.00 2009 est. 122 Ecuador 2,708,470.00 2009 est. 123 Cambodia 2,673,383.00 2009 est. 124 Cameroon 2,645,601.00 2009 est. 125 Cameroon 2,574,948.00 2009 est. 126 Tunisia 2,569,403.00 2009 est. 127 Cuba 2,532,495.00 2009 est. 128 Tunisia 2,489,651.00 2009 est. 129 Cuba 2,468,631.00 2009 est. 130 Guatemala 2,401,297.00 2009 est. 131 Mozambique 2,366,897.00 2009 est. 132 Mozambique 2,209,764.00 2009 est. 133 Senegal 2,207,510.00 2009 est. 134 Burkina Faso 2,197,557.00 2009 est. 135 Burkina Faso 2,191,978.00 2009 est. 136 Portugal 2,103,558.00 2009 est. 137 Czech Republic 2,095,038.00 2009 est. 138 United Arab Emirates 2,081,491.00 2009 est. 139 Belarus 2,069,898.00 2009 est. 140 Greece 2,067,878.00 2009 est. 141 Dominican Republic 2,056,774.00 2009 est. 142 Greece 2,050,289.00 2009 est. 143 Portugal 2,049,032.00 2009 est. 144 Niger 2,046,906.00 2009 est. 145 Senegal 2,038,508.00 2009 est. 146 Niger 2,019,553.00 2009 est. 147 Czech Republic 2,011,531.00 2009 est. 148 Belgium 1,962,409.00 2009 est. 149 Azerbaijan 1,944,260.00 2009 est. 150 Hungary 1,934,019.00 2009 est. 151 Dominican Republic 1,921,836.00 2009 est. 152 Bolivia 1,906,396.00 2009 est. 153 Belgium 1,905,178.00 2009 est. 154 Hungary 1,887,755.00 2009 est. 155 Malawi 1,732,621.00 2009 est. 156 Azerbaijan 1,727,464.00 2009 est. 157 Belarus 1,720,049.00 2009 est. 158 Sweden 1,705,746.00 2009 est. 159 Bolivia 1,666,697.00 2009 est. 160 Mali 1,649,772.00 2009 est. 161 Sweden 1,645,070.00 2009 est. 162 Austria 1,607,456.00 2009 est. 163 Tajikistan 1,603,779.00 2009 est. 164 Jordan 1,593,919.00 2009 est. 165 Mali 1,579,601.00 2009 est. 166 Austria 1,576,335.00 2009 est. 167 Malawi 1,562,107.00 2009 est. 168 El Salvador 1,547,278.00 2009 est. 169 Hong Kong 1,543,443.00 2009 est. 170 Haiti 1,530,043.00 2009 est. 171 Haiti 1,518,840.00 2009 est. 172 Switzerland 1,510,259.00 2009 est. 173 Switzerland 1,475,993.00 2009 est. 174 Israel 1,474,966.00 2009 est. 175 Angola 1,467,833.00 2009 est. 176 Libya 1,466,578.00 2009 est. 177 Rwanda 1,456,207.00 2009 est. 178 Rwanda 1,452,768.00 2009 est. 179 Zimbabwe 1,436,232.00 2009 est. 180 Guinea 1,435,387.00 2009 est. 181 Tajikistan 1,428,218.00 2009 est. 182 Hong Kong 1,421,406.00 2009 est. 183 Serbia 1,415,007.00 2009 est. 184 Angola 1,411,468.00 2009 est. 185 Libya 1,409,684.00 2009 est. 186 Israel 1,404,712.00 2009 est. 187 Honduras 1,402,398.00 2009 est. 188 Honduras 1,397,938.00 2009 est. 189 Guinea 1,396,278.00 2009 est. 190 Paraguay 1,390,799.00 2009 est. 191 Jordan 1,382,097.00 2009 est. 192 Bulgaria 1,381,017.00 2009 est. 193 Serbia 1,379,541.00 2009 est. 194 Zambia 1,364,173.00 2009 est. 195 Paraguay 1,363,746.00 2009 est. 196 Somalia 1,351,649.00 2009 est. 197 Bulgaria 1,351,312.00 2009 est. 198 Nicaragua 1,339,413.00 2009 est. 199 Chad 1,315,620.00 2009 est. 200 Somalia 1,301,026.00 2009 est. 201 Benin 1,292,438.00 2009 est. 202 Benin 1,279,053.00 2009 est. 203 Nicaragua 1,277,878.00 2009 est. 204 Zambia 1,245,220.00 2009 est. 205 Kyrgyzstan 1,229,406.00 2009 est. 206 El Salvador 1,201,290.00 2009 est. 207 Zimbabwe 1,198,727.00 2009 est. 208 Slovakia 1,165,470.00 2009 est. 209 Slovakia 1,152,941.00 2009 est. 210 Turkmenistan 1,147,714.00 2009 est. 211 Papua New Guinea 1,127,758.00 2009 est. 212 Burundi 1,124,072.00 2009 est. 213 Papua New Guinea 1,110,175.00 2009 est. 214 Singapore 1,104,952.00 2009 est. 215 Chad 1,103,006.00 2009 est. 216 Burundi 1,102,729.00 2009 est. 217 Laos 1,085,197.00 2009 est. 218 Kyrgyzstan 1,083,777.00 2009 est. 219 Singapore 1,033,961.00 2009 est. 220 Turkmenistan 1,024,884.00 2009 est. 221 Laos 1,023,205.00 2009 est. 222 Denmark 1,013,223.00 2009 est. 223 Denmark 998,837.00 2009 est. 224 Bosnia and Herzegovina 991,953.00 2009 est. 225 Moldova 987,356.00 2009 est. 226 Costa Rica 971,224.00 2009 est. 227 Finland 962,479.00 2009 est. 228 Georgia 959,290.00 2009 est. 229 Bosnia and Herzegovina 959,226.00 2009 est. 230 Lebanon 954,663.00 2009 est. 231 Lebanon 948,765.00 2009 est. 232 Togo 943,967.00 2009 est. 233 Costa Rica 936,978.00 2009 est. 234 Kuwait 935,525.00 2009 est. 235 Togo 929,395.00 2009 est. 236 Finland 920,297.00 2009 est. 237 Georgia 908,282.00 2009 est. 238 Norway 888,219.00 2009 est. 239 Eritrea 887,495.00 2009 est. 240 Moldova 877,665.00 2009 est. 241 Norway 863,255.00 2009 est. 242 Ireland 857,162.00 2009 est. 243 Ireland 854,416.00 2009 est. 244 Croatia 849,957.00 2009 est. 245 New Zealand 837,553.00 2009 est. 246 Eritrea 834,018.00 2009 est. 247 New Zealand 825,981.00 2009 est. 248 Albania 800,665.00 2009 est. 249 Puerto Rico 790,482.00 2009 est. 250 United Arab Emirates 788,632.00 2009 est. 251 Croatia 770,798.00 2009 est. 252 Albania 768,536.00 2009 est. 253 Sierra Leone 762,239.00 2009 est. 254 Lithuania 743,468.00 2009 est. 255 Mongolia 740,550.00 2009 est. 256 Armenia 729,047.00 2009 est. 257 Panama 710,521.00 2009 est. 258 Uruguay 708,545.00 2009 est. 259 Mongolia 706,774.00 2009 est. 260 Panama 705,160.00 2009 est. 261 Puerto Rico 699,784.00 2009 est. 262 Uruguay 693,622.00 2009 est. 263 Sierra Leone 692,469.00 2009 est. 264 Lithuania 677,689.00 2009 est. 265 Oman 675,454.00 2009 est. 266 Armenia 642,734.00 2009 est. 267 Jamaica 586,426.00 2009 est. 268 Jamaica 573,520.00 2009 est. 269 Oman 563,890.00 2009 est. 270 Central African Republic 552,907.00 2009 est. 271 West Bank 545,653.00 2009 est. 272 Mauritania 544,598.00 2009 est. 273 Congo, Republic of the 538,202.00 2009 est. 274 Congo, Republic of the 527,649.00 2009 est. 275 Kuwait 519,854.00 2009 est. 276 West Bank 515,102.00 2009 est. 277 Central African Republic 512,611.00 2009 est. 278 Latvia 463,144.00 2009 est. 279 Mauritania 450,289.00 2009 est. 280 Macedonia 444,247.00 2009 est. 281 Kosovo 428,685.00 2009 est. 282 Macedonia 427,556.00 2009 est. 283 Latvia 410,374.00 2009 est. 284 Slovenia 402,484.00 2009 est. 285 Slovenia 390,559.00 2009 est. 286 Kosovo 388,848.00 2009 est. 287 Liberia 387,417.00 2009 est. 288 Liberia 382,334.00 2009 est. 289 Botswana 341,190.00 2009 est. 290 Namibia 329,614.00 2009 est. 291 Qatar 318,388.00 2009 est. 292 Botswana 315,588.00 2009 est. 293 Gaza Strip 312,003.00 2009 est. 294 Gaza Strip 297,380.00 2009 est. 295 Namibia 294,490.00 2009 est. 296 Mauritius 282,211.00 2009 est. 297 Mauritius 277,690.00 2009 est. 298 Trinidad and Tobago 276,224.00 2009 est. 299 Trinidad and Tobago 271,677.00 2009 est. 300 Lesotho 267,083.00 2009 est. 301 Estonia 260,408.00 2009 est. 302 Gambia, The 253,680.00 2009 est. 303 Lesotho 240,868.00 2009 est. 304 Timor-Leste 238,610.00 2009 est. 305 Gambia, The 238,454.00 2009 est. 306 Timor-Leste 230,534.00 2009 est. 307 Estonia 216,483.00 2009 est. 308 Fiji 204,410.00 2009 est. 309 Guinea-Bissau 200,660.00 2009 est. 310 Gabon 195,519.00 2009 est. 311 Guinea-Bissau 194,110.00 2009 est. 312 Fiji 192,363.00 2009 est. 313 Gabon 190,519.00 2009 est. 314 Bahrain 171,004.00 2009 est. 315 Cyprus 165,615.00 2009 est. 316 Cyprus 159,362.00 2009 est. 317 Montenegro 154,029.00 2009 est. 318 Guyana 150,307.00 2009 est. 319 Bhutan 150,210.00 2009 est. 320 Macau 148,809.00 2009 est. 321 Guyana 144,622.00 2009 est. 322 Bahrain 144,555.00 2009 est. 323 Maldives 138,746.00 2009 est. 324 Montenegro 136,847.00 2009 est. 325 Qatar 136,841.00 2009 est. 326 Bhutan 135,991.00 2009 est. 327 Comoros 135,707.00 2009 est. 328 Comoros 125,747.00 2009 est. 329 Swaziland 124,132.00 2009 est. 330 Macau 122,962.00 2009 est. 331 Solomon Islands 122,821.00 2009 est. 332 Solomon Islands 121,368.00 2009 est. 333 Swaziland 118,570.00 2009 est. 334 Suriname 111,000.00 2009 est. 335 Equatorial Guinea 107,919.00 2009 est. 336 Suriname 107,367.00 2009 est. 337 Equatorial Guinea 105,468.00 2009 est. 338 Luxembourg 95,840.00 2009 est. 339 Brunei 95,301.00 2009 est. 340 Luxembourg 94,641.00 2009 est. 341 Brunei 92,543.00 2009 est. 342 Cape Verde 90,154.00 2009 est. 343 Cape Verde 84,967.00 2009 est. 344 Maldives 82,247.00 2009 est. 345 Malta 80,186.00 2009 est. 346 Malta 76,426.00 2009 est. 347 French Polynesia 65,408.00 2009 est. 348 French Polynesia 64,421.00 2009 est. 349 Iceland 62,576.00 2009 est. 350 Iceland 61,159.00 2009 est. 351 Western Sahara 59,221.00 2009 est. 352 Barbados 58,866.00 2009 est. 353 Barbados 58,596.00 2009 est. 354 Belize 56,135.00 2009 est. 355 Djibouti 55,173.00 2009 est. 356 Belize 54,732.00 2009 est. 357 Djibouti 52,825.00 2009 est. 358 Western Sahara 52,267.00 2009 est. 359 Bahamas, The 51,690.00 2009 est. 360 Bahamas, The 50,764.00 2009 est. 361 New Caledonia 48,959.00 2009 est. 362 New Caledonia 48,288.00 2009 est. 363 Netherlands Antilles 47,325.00 2009 est. 364 Netherlands Antilles 46,461.00 2009 est. 365 Samoa 43,169.00 2009 est. 366 Vanuatu 42,837.00 2009 est. 367 Vanuatu 41,533.00 2009 est. 368 Samoa 40,957.00 2009 est. 369 Sao Tome and Principe 38,329.00 2009 est. 370 Saint Lucia 36,110.00 2009 est. 371 Mayotte 35,849.00 2009 est. 372 Sao Tome and Principe 35,216.00 2009 est. 373 Mayotte 34,456.00 2009 est. 374 Northern Mariana Islands 33,074.00 2009 est. 375 Saint Lucia 32,094.00 2009 est. 376 Tonga 27,715.00 2009 est. 377 Tonga 26,471.00 2009 est. 378 Micronesia, Federated States of 23,401.00 2009 est. 379 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 22,975.00 2009 est. 380 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 22,250.00 2009 est. 381 Micronesia, Federated States of 21,845.00 2009 est. 382 Aruba 21,232.00 2009 est. 383 Virgin Islands 21,193.00 2009 est. 384 Grenada 20,923.00 2009 est. 385 Kiribati 20,643.00 2009 est. 386 Grenada 20,483.00 2009 est. 387 Aruba 20,287.00 2009 est. 388 Seychelles 19,780.00 2009 est. 389 Seychelles 19,702.00 2009 est. 390 Antigua and Barbuda 19,586.00 2009 est. 391 Northern Mariana Islands 19,209.00 2009 est. 392 Andorra 18,617.00 2009 est. 393 Kiribati 18,129.00 2009 est. 394 Virgin Islands 17,820.00 2009 est. 395 Andorra 17,613.00 2009 est. 396 Antigua and Barbuda 17,271.00 2009 est. 397 Jersey 16,920.00 2009 est. 398 Jersey 16,826.00 2009 est. 399 Dominica 15,821.00 2009 est. 400 Dominica 15,291.00 2009 est. 401 Isle of Man 14,691.00 2009 est. 402 Isle of Man 14,338.00 2009 est. 403 American Samoa 13,875.00 2009 est. 404 American Samoa 13,517.00 2009 est. 405 Marshall Islands 13,199.00 2009 est. 406 Marshall Islands 13,041.00 2009 est. 407 Guernsey 12,566.00 2009 est. 408 Bermuda 12,496.00 2009 est. 409 Bermuda 12,486.00 2009 est. 410 Guernsey 12,447.00 2009 est. 411 Greenland 11,437.00 2009 est. 412 Greenland 10,809.00 2009 est. 413 Cayman Islands 10,145.00 2009 est. 414 Faroe Islands 9,759.00 2009 est. 415 Cayman Islands 9,735.00 2009 est. 416 Saint Kitts and Nevis 8,517.00 2009 est. 417 Faroe Islands 8,311.00 2009 est. 418 Saint Kitts and Nevis 8,159.00 2009 est. 419 Saint Martin 6,925.00 2009 est. 420 Liechtenstein 6,801.00 2009 est. 421 Liechtenstein 6,584.00 2009 est. 422 Saint Martin 6,336.00 2009 est. 423 San Marino 6,048.00 2009 est. 424 British Virgin Islands 5,979.00 2009 est. 425 British Virgin Islands 5,738.00 2009 est. 426 Monaco 5,495.00 2009 est. 427 Monaco 5,406.00 2009 est. 428 San Marino 5,343.00 2009 est. 429 Gibraltar 5,242.00 2009 est. 430 Gibraltar 5,234.00 2009 est. 431 Palau 5,177.00 2009 est. 432 Turks and Caicos Islands 4,937.00 2009 est. 433 Turks and Caicos Islands 4,648.00 2009 est. 434 Palau 3,936.00 2009 est. 435 Anguilla 3,308.00 2009 est. 436 Wallis and Futuna 3,297.00 2009 est. 437 Wallis and Futuna 3,273.00 2009 est. 438 Nauru 2,966.00 2009 est. 439 Anguilla 2,955.00 2009 est. 440 Tuvalu 2,631.00 2009 est. 441 Nauru 2,592.00 2009 est. 442 Tuvalu 2,462.00 2009 est. 443 Cook Islands 2,334.00 2009 est. 444 Cook Islands 2,286.00 2009 est. 445 Saint Helena 1,600.00 2009 est. 446 Saint Barthelemy 1,594.00 2009 est. 447 Saint Helena 1,586.00 2009 est. 448 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 1,427.00 2009 est. 449 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 1,406.00 2009 est. 450 Saint Barthelemy 1,340.00 2009 est. 451 Montserrat 1,226.00 2009 est. 452 Montserrat 1,126.00 2009 est.

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Rank code: 2026

Country Comparison :: Manpower reaching militarily significant age

annually This entry gives the number of males and females entering the military manpower pool (i.e., reaching age 16) in any given year and is a measure of the availability of military-age young adults.

Rank country Manpower reaching militarily significant age annuallyDate

of Information 1 India 11,795,000.00 2009 est. 2 India 10,820,590.00 2009 est. 3 China 10,621,373.00 2009 est. 4 China 9,533,880.00 2009 est. 5 Indonesia 2,197,323.00 2009 est. 6 United States 2,196,124.00 2009 est. 7 Indonesia 2,126,412.00 2009 est. 8 Pakistan 2,089,936.00 2009 est. 9 United States 2,085,085.00 2009 est. 10 Pakistan 1,964,090.00 2009 est. 11 Nigeria 1,697,030.00 2009 est. 12 Brazil 1,690,031.00 2009 est. 13 Bangladesh 1,666,670.00 2009 est. 14 Brazil 1,630,851.00 2009 est. 15 Nigeria 1,618,561.00 2009 est. 16 Bangladesh 1,538,865.00 2009 est. 17 Mexico 1,109,981.00 2009 est. 18 Mexico 1,072,094.00 2009 est. 19 Philippines 1,023,431.00 2009 est. 20 Philippines 986,434.00 2009 est. 21 Ethiopia 916,354.00 2009 est. 22 Ethiopia 908,384.00 2009 est. 23 Vietnam 893,726.00 2009 est. 24 Vietnam 834,279.00 2009 est. 25 Egypt 831,157.00 2009 est. 26 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 814,199.00 2009 est. 27 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 811,238.00 2009 est. 28 Egypt 792,330.00 2009 est. 29 Russia 741,692.00 2009 est. 30 Russia 706,081.00 2009 est. 31 Iran 700,213.00 2009 est. 32 Turkey 692,592.00 2009 est. 33 Iran 664,846.00 2009 est. 34 Turkey 663,689.00 2009 est. 35 Japan 621,254.00 2009 est. 36 Japan 589,270.00 2009 est. 37 Thailand 532,977.00 2009 est. 38 South Africa 511,616.00 2009 est. 39 Thailand 510,737.00 2009 est. 40 South Africa 510,540.00 2009 est. 41 Sudan 498,376.00 2009 est. 42 Tanzania 489,462.00 2009 est. 43 Tanzania 487,742.00 2009 est. 44 Sudan 479,005.00 2009 est. 45 Colombia 446,432.00 2009 est. 46 Colombia 437,164.00 2009 est. 47 Germany 431,508.00 2009 est. 48 Burma 426,110.00 2009 est. 49 Burma 417,674.00 2009 est. 50 Kenya 412,656.00 2009 est. 51 Germany 409,111.00 2009 est. 52 Kenya 408,657.00 2009 est. 53 Uganda 399,134.00 2009 est. 54 Uganda 395,505.00 2009 est. 55 United Kingdom 393,892.00 2009 est. 56 France 391,480.00 2009 est. 57 Afghanistan 382,720.00 2009 est. 58 United Kingdom 376,351.00 2009 est. 59 Algeria 375,852.00 2009 est. 60 France 373,334.00 2009 est. 61 Korea, South 371,728.00 2009 est. 62 Nepal 365,567.00 2009 est. 63 Algeria 362,158.00 2009 est. 64 Afghanistan 361,733.00 2009 est. 65 Morocco 356,014.00 2009 est. 66 Nepal 352,643.00 2009 est. 67 Morocco 343,520.00 2009 est. 68 Argentina 341,590.00 2009 est. 69 Argentina 326,342.00 2009 est. 70 Korea, South 322,605.00 2009 est. 71 Iraq 313,500.00 2009 est. 72 Uzbekistan 313,131.00 2009 est. 73 Peru 310,575.00 2009 est. 74 Uzbekistan 310,442.00 2009 est. 75 Iraq 304,923.00 2009 est. 76 Peru 300,838.00 2009 est. 77 Italy 287,845.00 2009 est. 78 Saudi Arabia 278,179.00 2009 est. 79 Venezuela 276,051.00 2009 est. 80 Venezuela 274,162.00 2009 est. 81 Yemen 273,624.00 2009 est. 82 Ghana 272,954.00 2009 est. 83 Italy 270,384.00 2009 est. 84 Ukraine 269,311.00 2009 est. 85 Saudi Arabia 267,905.00 2009 est. 86 Malaysia 266,267.00 2009 est. 87 Ghana 266,186.00 2009 est. 88 Mozambique 265,058.00 2009 est. 89 Mozambique 263,994.00 2009 est. 90 Yemen 263,402.00 2009 est. 91 Ukraine 257,656.00 2009 est. 92 Malaysia 252,543.00 2009 est. 93 Poland 246,667.00 2009 est. 94 Madagascar 236,500.00 2009 est. 95 Cote d'Ivoire 236,159.00 2009 est. 96 Madagascar 235,994.00 2009 est. 97 Poland 235,698.00 2009 est. 98 Cote d'Ivoire 232,617.00 2009 est. 99 Canada 223,238.00 2009 est. 100 Syria 213,513.00 2009 est. 101 Cameroon 213,027.00 2009 est. 102 Canada 210,797.00 2009 est. 103 Cameroon 208,642.00 2009 est. 104 Syria 201,055.00 2009 est. 105 Spain 199,124.00 2009 est. 106 Korea, North 191,759.00 2009 est. 107 Spain 187,224.00 2009 est. 108 Korea, North 184,641.00 2009 est. 109 Burkina Faso 182,540.00 2009 est. 110 Burkina Faso 180,051.00 2009 est. 111 Cambodia 177,881.00 2009 est. 112 Cambodia 175,332.00 2009 est. 113 Malawi 174,044.00 2009 est. 114 Malawi 173,828.00 2009 est. 115 Sri Lanka 173,256.00 2009 est. 116 Niger 170,060.00 2009 est. 117 Sri Lanka 167,645.00 2009 est. 118 Guatemala 165,910.00 2009 est. 119 Taiwan 165,738.00 2009 est. 120 Niger 163,996.00 2009 est. 121 Guatemala 163,760.00 2009 est. 122 Senegal 154,249.00 2009 est. 123 Taiwan 154,123.00 2009 est. 124 Senegal 153,679.00 2009 est. 125 Zimbabwe 149,717.00 2009 est. 126 Zimbabwe 149,592.00 2009 est. 127 Zambia 149,567.00 2009 est. 128 Zambia 148,889.00 2009 est. 129 Ecuador 148,010.00 2009 est. 130 Mali 147,846.00 2009 est. 131 Angola 146,738.00 2009 est. 132 Chile 145,766.00 2009 est. 133 Australia 144,959.00 2009 est. 134 Angola 143,478.00 2009 est. 135 Ecuador 143,291.00 2009 est. 136 Mali 140,543.00 2009 est. 137 Chile 139,648.00 2009 est. 138 Kazakhstan 139,262.00 2009 est. 139 Australia 137,333.00 2009 est. 140 Kazakhstan 133,047.00 2009 est. 141 Romania 124,356.00 2009 est. 142 Chad 121,585.00 2009 est. 143 Chad 121,080.00 2009 est. 144 Romania 118,430.00 2009 est. 145 Guinea 110,281.00 2009 est. 146 Haiti 108,444.00 2009 est. 147 Bolivia 108,304.00 2009 est. 148 Guinea 107,879.00 2009 est. 149 Rwanda 106,935.00 2009 est. 150 Rwanda 106,741.00 2009 est. 151 Haiti 106,243.00 2009 est. 152 Netherlands 105,194.00 2009 est. 153 Bolivia 104,882.00 2009 est. 154 Burundi 101,897.00 2009 est. 155 Benin 101,549.00 2009 est. 156 Burundi 101,402.00 2009 est. 157 Tunisia 100,478.00 2009 est. 158 Netherlands 100,341.00 2009 est. 159 Benin 97,856.00 2009 est. 160 Dominican Republic 97,766.00 2009 est. 161 Tunisia 94,055.00 2009 est. 162 Dominican Republic 93,922.00 2009 est. 163 Somalia 93,763.00 2009 est. 164 Somalia 93,738.00 2009 est. 165 Honduras 92,638.00 2009 est. 166 Azerbaijan 90,416.00 2009 est. 167 Honduras 88,993.00 2009 est. 168 Azerbaijan 85,344.00 2009 est. 169 Tajikistan 80,819.00 2009 est. 170 Tajikistan 78,460.00 2009 est. 171 El Salvador 77,473.00 2009 est. 172 Cuba 75,969.00 2009 est. 173 Sierra Leone 75,491.00 2009 est. 174 Laos 75,310.00 2009 est. 175 El Salvador 74,655.00 2009 est. 176 Laos 74,498.00 2009 est. 177 Paraguay 73,660.00 2009 est. 178 Nicaragua 72,366.00 2009 est. 179 Cuba 72,253.00 2009 est. 180 Paraguay 72,046.00 2009 est. 181 Sierra Leone 71,524.00 2009 est. 182 Togo 70,775.00 2009 est. 183 Nicaragua 70,118.00 2009 est. 184 Togo 70,051.00 2009 est. 185 Jordan 69,830.00 2009 est. 186 Jordan 67,292.00 2009 est. 187 Papua New Guinea 64,636.00 2009 est. 188 Portugal 64,047.00 2009 est. 189 Papua New Guinea 62,803.00 2009 est. 190 Belgium 62,722.00 2009 est. 191 Eritrea 62,328.00 2009 est. 192 Eritrea 62,265.00 2009 est. 193 Sweden 62,262.00 2009 est. 194 Israel 61,223.00 2009 est. 195 Libya 60,710.00 2009 est. 196 Hungary 60,248.00 2009 est. 197 Czech Republic 60,150.00 2009 est. 198 Belarus 60,009.00 2009 est. 199 Belgium 59,969.00 2009 est. 200 Sweden 59,340.00 2009 est. 201 Israel 58,219.00 2009 est. 202 Libya 58,219.00 2009 est. 203 Kyrgyzstan 57,659.00 2009 est. 204 Portugal 57,630.00 2009 est. 205 Hungary 57,280.00 2009 est. 206 Czech Republic 57,157.00 2009 est. 207 Turkmenistan 57,021.00 2009 est. 208 Belarus 56,834.00 2009 est. 209 Turkmenistan 56,064.00 2009 est. 210 Kyrgyzstan 55,557.00 2009 est. 211 Central African Republic 55,484.00 2009 est. 212 Central African Republic 55,168.00 2009 est. 213 Greece 53,401.00 2009 est. 214 Austria 50,540.00 2009 est. 215 Greece 50,084.00 2009 est. 216 Switzerland 48,076.00 2009 est. 217 Austria 48,042.00 2009 est. 218 Congo, Republic of the 46,976.00 2009 est. 219 Congo, Republic of the 46,490.00 2009 est. 220 Serbia 44,601.00 2009 est. 221 Switzerland 44,049.00 2009 est. 222 Hong Kong 42,330.00 2009 est. 223 Serbia 41,845.00 2009 est. 224 Costa Rica 40,698.00 2009 est. 225 Costa Rica 38,808.00 2009 est. 226 Hong Kong 38,797.00 2009 est. 227 Bulgaria 38,263.00 2009 est. 228 Denmark 37,231.00 2009 est. 229 Slovakia 36,552.00 2009 est. 230 Bulgaria 36,374.00 2009 est. 231 Oman 35,647.00 2009 est. 232 Denmark 35,306.00 2009 est. 233 Mauritania 35,272.00 2009 est. 234 Slovakia 34,783.00 2009 est. 235 Albania 34,778.00 2009 est. 236 Mauritania 34,546.00 2009 est. 237 Oman 34,407.00 2009 est. 238 Liberia 34,059.00 2009 est. 239 Finland 33,784.00 2009 est. 240 Liberia 33,281.00 2009 est. 241 Lebanon 33,018.00 2009 est. 242 Finland 32,621.00 2009 est. 243 Georgia 32,355.00 2009 est. 244 Norway 31,980.00 2009 est. 245 Jamaica 31,833.00 2009 est. 246 Lebanon 31,800.00 2009 est. 247 Albania 31,673.00 2009 est. 248 Moldova 31,633.00 2009 est. 249 New Zealand 31,461.00 2009 est. 250 Jamaica 31,257.00 2009 est. 251 Panama 31,089.00 2009 est. 252 Georgia 30,809.00 2009 est. 253 Norway 30,543.00 2009 est. 254 Puerto Rico 30,422.00 2009 est. 255 West Bank 30,233.00 2009 est. 256 Moldova 30,214.00 2009 est. 257 Panama 29,939.00 2009 est. 258 New Zealand 29,809.00 2009 est. 259 Puerto Rico 29,396.00 2009 est. 260 West Bank 28,745.00 2009 est. 261 Mongolia 28,251.00 2009 est. 262 Ireland 28,072.00 2009 est. 263 Singapore 27,715.00 2009 est. 264 Croatia 27,620.00 2009 est. 265 Uruguay 27,452.00 2009 est. 266 Bosnia and Herzegovina 27,368.00 2009 est. 267 Mongolia 27,344.00 2009 est. 268 Armenia 27,293.00 2009 est. 269 United Arab Emirates 26,659.00 2009 est. 270 Uruguay 26,479.00 2009 est. 271 Ireland 26,400.00 2009 est. 272 Singapore 26,290.00 2009 est. 273 Croatia 26,154.00 2009 est. 274 Lesotho 26,039.00 2009 est. 275 Lesotho 25,964.00 2009 est. 276 Namibia 25,857.00 2009 est. 277 Bosnia and Herzegovina 25,644.00 2009 est. 278 Armenia 25,574.00 2009 est. 279 Namibia 25,505.00 2009 est. 280 United Arab Emirates 23,793.00 2009 est. 281 Lithuania 23,556.00 2009 est. 282 Botswana 23,420.00 2009 est. 283 Botswana 22,904.00 2009 est. 284 Lithuania 22,404.00 2009 est. 285 Gambia, The 20,238.00 2009 est. 286 Gambia, The 20,167.00 2009 est. 287 Gaza Strip 19,147.00 2009 est. 288 Kuwait 18,865.00 2009 est. 289 Gaza Strip 18,200.00 2009 est. 290 Kuwait 18,122.00 2009 est. 291 Guinea-Bissau 17,172.00 2009 est. 292 Guinea-Bissau 16,957.00 2009 est. 293 Gabon 16,942.00 2009 est. 294 Gabon 16,933.00 2009 est. 295 Swaziland 15,985.00 2009 est. 296 Swaziland 15,754.00 2009 est. 297 Macedonia 14,596.00 2009 est. 298 Macedonia 13,881.00 2009 est. 299 Latvia 12,901.00 2009 est. 300 Timor-Leste 12,887.00 2009 est. 301 Timor-Leste 12,529.00 2009 est. 302 Latvia 12,497.00 2009 est. 303 Mauritius 10,901.00 2009 est. 304 Mauritius 10,796.00 2009 est. 305 Slovenia 10,192.00 2009 est. 306 Slovenia 9,717.00 2009 est. 307 Trinidad and Tobago 9,183.00 2009 est. 308 Fiji 9,107.00 2009 est. 309 Fiji 8,755.00 2009 est. 310 Trinidad and Tobago 8,662.00 2009 est. 311 Comoros 8,203.00 2009 est. 312 Comoros 8,188.00 2009 est. 313 Bhutan 7,668.00 2009 est. 314 Estonia 7,583.00 2009 est. 315 Bhutan 7,379.00 2009 est. 316 Estonia 7,111.00 2009 est. 317 Solomon Islands 7,091.00 2009 est. 318 Equatorial Guinea 6,983.00 2009 est. 319 Solomon Islands 6,837.00 2009 est. 320 Equatorial Guinea 6,726.00 2009 est. 321 Guyana 6,625.00 2009 est. 322 Bahrain 6,612.00 2009 est. 323 Bahrain 6,499.00 2009 est. 324 Guyana 6,365.00 2009 est. 325 Qatar 6,337.00 2009 est. 326 Cyprus 6,241.00 2009 est. 327 Cyprus 5,979.00 2009 est. 328 Djibouti 5,778.00 2009 est. 329 Djibouti 5,771.00 2009 est. 330 Cape Verde 5,471.00 2009 est. 331 Cape Verde 5,349.00 2009 est. 332 Qatar 5,059.00 2009 est. 333 Western Sahara 4,796.00 2009 est. 334 Western Sahara 4,679.00 2009 est. 335 Macau 4,578.00 2009 est. 336 Maldives 4,576.00 2009 est. 337 Suriname 4,265.00 2009 est. 338 Suriname 4,251.00 2009 est. 339 Macau 4,052.00 2009 est. 340 Montenegro 3,945.00 2009 est. 341 Maldives 3,942.00 2009 est. 342 Montenegro 3,907.00 2009 est. 343 Belize 3,632.00 2009 est. 344 Belize 3,500.00 2009 est. 345 Brunei 3,460.00 2009 est. 346 Brunei 3,399.00 2009 est. 347 Luxembourg 3,170.00 2009 est. 348 Bahamas, The 3,003.00 2009 est. 349 Luxembourg 2,995.00 2009 est. 350 Bahamas, The 2,992.00 2009 est. 351 Malta 2,695.00 2009 est. 352 French Polynesia 2,665.00 2009 est. 353 Samoa 2,597.00 2009 est. 354 French Polynesia 2,552.00 2009 est. 355 Sao Tome and Principe 2,534.00 2009 est. 356 Malta 2,533.00 2009 est. 357 Mayotte 2,517.00 2009 est. 358 Mayotte 2,511.00 2009 est. 359 Sao Tome and Principe 2,485.00 2009 est. 360 Samoa 2,477.00 2009 est. 361 Iceland 2,369.00 2009 est. 362 Vanuatu 2,368.00 2009 est. 363 Iceland 2,349.00 2009 est. 364 Vanuatu 2,272.00 2009 est. 365 New Caledonia 2,160.00 2009 est. 366 New Caledonia 2,087.00 2009 est. 367 Barbados 2,015.00 2009 est. 368 Barbados 2,007.00 2009 est. 369 Netherlands Antilles 1,920.00 2009 est. 370 Netherlands Antilles 1,827.00 2009 est. 371 Saint Lucia 1,607.00 2009 est. 372 Saint Lucia 1,511.00 2009 est. 373 Tonga 1,458.00 2009 est. 374 Tonga 1,403.00 2009 est. 375 Micronesia, Federated States of 1,273.00 2009 est. 376 Kiribati 1,264.00 2009 est. 377 Kiribati 1,242.00 2009 est. 378 Micronesia, Federated States of 1,212.00 2009 est. 379 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1,020.00 2009 est. 380 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1,009.00 2009 est. 381 Grenada 982.00 2009 est. 382 Grenada 937.00 2009 est. 383 Virgin Islands 873.00 2009 est. 384 Virgin Islands 831.00 2009 est. 385 American Samoa 820.00 2009 est. 386 American Samoa 802.00 2009 est. 387 Dominica 776.00 2009 est. 388 Antigua and Barbuda 744.00 2009 est. 389 Antigua and Barbuda 743.00 2009 est. 390 Dominica 731.00 2009 est. 391 Aruba 722.00 2009 est. 392 Seychelles 714.00 2009 est. 393 Aruba 711.00 2009 est. 394 Seychelles 685.00 2009 est. 395 Northern Mariana Islands 587.00 2009 est. 396 Jersey 586.00 2009 est. 397 Northern Mariana Islands 570.00 2009 est. 398 Jersey 541.00 2009 est. 399 Marshall Islands 540.00 2009 est. 400 Greenland 532.00 2009 est. 401 Marshall Islands 521.00 2009 est. 402 Greenland 491.00 2009 est. 403 Isle of Man 466.00 2009 est. 404 Isle of Man 446.00 2009 est. 405 Bermuda 426.00 2009 est. 406 Bermuda 413.00 2009 est. 407 Andorra 402.00 2009 est. 408 Faroe Islands 386.00 2009 est. 409 Saint Kitts and Nevis 376.00 2009 est. 410 Faroe Islands 375.00 2009 est. 411 Andorra 373.00 2009 est. 412 Guernsey 362.00 2009 est. 413 Saint Kitts and Nevis 362.00 2009 est. 414 Guernsey 351.00 2009 est. 415 Cayman Islands 345.00 2009 est. 416 Cayman Islands 334.00 2009 est. 417 Turks and Caicos Islands 226.00 2009 est. 418 Liechtenstein 222.00 2009 est. 419 Turks and Caicos Islands 218.00 2009 est. 420 Palau 214.00 2009 est. 421 Palau 207.00 2009 est. 422 Liechtenstein 199.00 2009 est. 423 Monaco 190.00 2009 est. 424 Gibraltar 186.00 2009 est. 425 Monaco 182.00 2009 est. 426 Gibraltar 179.00 2009 est. 427 Nauru 179.00 2009 est. 428 British Virgin Islands 178.00 2009 est. 429 Saint Martin 177.00 2009 est. 430 Wallis and Futuna 175.00 2009 est. 431 Nauru 174.00 2009 est. 432 British Virgin Islands 173.00 2009 est. 433 Wallis and Futuna 164.00 2009 est. 434 Saint Martin 162.00 2009 est. 435 San Marino 161.00 2009 est. 436 San Marino 160.00 2009 est. 437 Cook Islands 148.00 2009 est. 438 Cook Islands 125.00 2009 est. 439 Tuvalu 125.00 2009 est. 440 Tuvalu 121.00 2009 est. 441 Anguilla 107.00 2009 est. 442 Anguilla 106.00 2009 est. 443 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 61.00 2009 est. 444 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 57.00 2009 est. 445 Saint Helena 47.00 2009 est. 446 Saint Helena 45.00 2009 est. 447 Montserrat 36.00 2009 est. 448 Montserrat 33.00 2009 est. 449 Saint Barthelemy 21.00 2009 est. 450 Saint Barthelemy 20.00 2009 est.

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Rank code: 2028

Country Comparison :: Background

This entry usually highlights major historic events and current issues and may include a statement about one or two key future trends.

Rank country Background Date of Information

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Rank code: 2030

Country Comparison :: Airports - with paved runways

This entry gives the total number of airports with paved runways (concrete or asphalt surfaces) by length. For airports with more than one runway, only the longest runway is included according to the following five groups - (1) over 3,047 m (over 10,000 ft), (2) 2,438 to 3,047 m (8,000 to 10,000 ft), (3) 1,524 to 2,437 m (5,000 to 8,000 ft), (4) 914 to 1,523 m (3,000 to 5,000 ft), and (5) under 914 m (under 3,000 ft). Only airports with usable runways are included in this listing. Not all airports have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control. The type aircraft capable of operating from a runway of a given length is dependent upon a number of factors including elevation of the runway, runway gradient, average maximum daily temperature at the airport, engine types, flap settings, and take-off weight of the aircraft.

Rank country Airports - with paved runways Date of Information

1 United States 5,174.00 2009 2 United States 2,309.00 2009 3 European Union 1,995.00 2009 4 United States 1,477.00 2009 5 United States 969.00 2009 6 Brazil 721.00 2009 7 Russia 595.00 2009 8 European Union 575.00 2009 9 European Union 543.00 2009 10 Canada 515.00 2009 11 Brazil 460.00 2009 12 China 425.00 2009 13 European Union 421.00 2009 14 European Union 341.00 2009 15 Germany 330.00 2009 16 Australia 325.00 2009 17 United Kingdom 307.00 2009 18 France 297.00 2009 19 Canada 251.00 2009 20 India 250.00 2009 21 Mexico 246.00 2009 22 United States 229.00 2009 23 Russia 198.00 2009 24 United States 190.00 2009 25 Ukraine 189.00 2009 26 Brazil 171.00 2009 27 Indonesia 164.00 2009 28 Argentina 156.00 2009 29 Sweden 152.00 2009 30 Canada 148.00 2009 31 South Africa 148.00 2009 32 Australia 145.00 2009 33 Japan 144.00 2009 34 Australia 142.00 2009 35 Germany 135.00 2009 36 China 133.00 2009 37 Iran 133.00 2009 38 Bulgaria 132.00 2009 39 China 132.00 2009 40 Venezuela 131.00 2009 41 Russia 129.00 2009 42 United Kingdom 125.00 2009 43 Russia 117.00 2009 44 Colombia 116.00 2009 45 European Union 115.00 2009 46 Ecuador 103.00 2009 47 Italy 101.00 2009 48 Russia 99.00 2009 49 Pakistan 98.00 2009 50 Bulgaria 97.00 2009 51 France 97.00 2009 52 Ukraine 96.00 2009 53 Spain 95.00 2009 54 Turkey 90.00 2009 55 Mexico 85.00 2009 56 Philippines 85.00 2009 57 India 84.00 2009 58 Poland 84.00 2009 59 France 82.00 2009 60 Mexico 82.00 2009 61 Chile 81.00 2009 62 Saudi Arabia 80.00 2009 63 Canada 79.00 2009 64 France 77.00 2009 65 United Kingdom 77.00 2009 66 India 76.00 2009 67 Sweden 76.00 2009 68 Finland 75.00 2009 69 Iraq 75.00 2009 70 China 72.00 2009 71 Egypt 72.00 2009 72 Korea, South 72.00 2009 73 Germany 72.00 2009 74 South Africa 68.00 2009 75 Greece 67.00 2009 76 Kazakhstan 67.00 2009 77 Norway 67.00 2009 78 Argentina 65.00 2009 79 Cuba 65.00 2009 80 Thailand 64.00 2009 81 United Kingdom 64.00 2009 82 China 63.00 2009 83 Venezuela 63.00 2009 84 Libya 59.00 2009 85 Germany 58.00 2009 86 Algeria 57.00 2009 87 Peru 57.00 2009 88 Brazil 56.00 2009 89 India 56.00 2009 90 Indonesia 56.00 2009 91 Ecuador 54.00 2009 92 Panama 54.00 2009 93 Germany 52.00 2009 94 South Africa 52.00 2009 95 Russia 52.00 2009 96 Argentina 51.00 2009 97 Ukraine 51.00 2009 98 Indonesia 51.00 2009 99 Colombia 50.00 2009 100 French Polynesia 47.00 2009 101 Czech Republic 44.00 2009 102 Portugal 43.00 2009 103 Switzerland 43.00 2009 104 Japan 42.00 2009 105 New Zealand 41.00 2009 106 Colombia 40.00 2009 107 Japan 40.00 2009 108 Iran 40.00 2009 109 Poland 39.00 2009 110 Costa Rica 38.00 2009 111 Mexico 38.00 2009 112 Malaysia 38.00 2009 113 Pakistan 38.00 2009 114 Taiwan 38.00 2009 115 Nigeria 38.00 2009 116 Burma 37.00 2009 117 Iraq 37.00 2009 118 Vietnam 37.00 2009 119 Korea, North 37.00 2009 120 Sweden 36.00 2009 121 Belarus 35.00 2009 122 Egypt 35.00 2009 123 Venezuela 35.00 2009 124 Philippines 35.00 2009 125 Indonesia 35.00 2009 126 French Polynesia 34.00 2009 127 Iran 34.00 2009 128 Turkey 33.00 2009 129 Uzbekistan 33.00 2009 130 Italy 32.00 2009 131 Morocco 32.00 2009 132 United Kingdom 32.00 2009 133 Lithuania 32.00 2009 134 Saudi Arabia 31.00 2009 135 Angola 30.00 2009 136 Israel 30.00 2009 137 Panama 30.00 2009 138 Poland 30.00 2009 139 Italy 30.00 2009 140 Algeria 29.00 2009 141 Syria 29.00 2009 142 Mexico 29.00 2009 143 Denmark 28.00 2009 144 Iran 28.00 2009 145 Philippines 28.00 2009 146 Japan 28.00 2009 147 Azerbaijan 27.00 2009 148 Brazil 27.00 2009 149 Saudi Arabia 27.00 2009 150 Madagascar 27.00 2009 151 Japan 27.00 2009 152 France 27.00 2009 153 Cuba 27.00 2009 154 Belgium 27.00 2009 155 Argentina 26.00 2009 156 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 26.00 2009 157 Kazakhstan 26.00 2009 158 Finland 26.00 2009 159 Austria 25.00 2009 160 Norway 25.00 2009 161 Ecuador 25.00 2009 162 China 25.00 2009 163 Iran 25.00 2009 164 New Zealand 25.00 2009 165 Sweden 25.00 2009 166 Romania 25.00 2009 167 United Arab Emirates 24.00 2009 168 Thailand 24.00 2009 169 Spain 24.00 2009 170 Chile 24.00 2009 171 Ukraine 24.00 2009 172 Bahamas, The 23.00 2009 173 Spain 23.00 2009 174 Libya 23.00 2009 175 Mozambique 23.00 2009 176 Croatia 23.00 2009 177 Libya 23.00 2009 178 Belarus 22.00 2009 179 Turkmenistan 22.00 2009 180 Korea, South 22.00 2009 181 Korea, South 22.00 2009 182 Korea, North 22.00 2009 183 Finland 22.00 2009 184 Costa Rica 22.00 2009 185 Chile 22.00 2009 186 Chile 22.00 2009 187 Papua New Guinea 21.00 2009 188 Namibia 21.00 2009 189 Greece 20.00 2009 190 Turkey 20.00 2009 191 Peru 20.00 2009 192 Netherlands 20.00 2009 193 Slovakia 20.00 2009 194 India 20.00 2009 195 Latvia 20.00 2009 196 Hungary 20.00 2009 197 Canada 19.00 2009 198 Zimbabwe 19.00 2009 199 Lithuania 19.00 2009 200 Iraq 19.00 2009 201 Pakistan 19.00 2009 202 Venezuela 19.00 2009 203 Sudan 19.00 2009 204 Bulgaria 18.00 2009 205 Ecuador 18.00 2009 206 Georgia 18.00 2009 207 Yemen 18.00 2009 208 Tajikistan 18.00 2009 209 Spain 18.00 2009 210 Spain 18.00 2009 211 Kyrgyzstan 18.00 2009 212 Indonesia 18.00 2009 213 Greece 18.00 2009 214 Czech Republic 18.00 2009 215 Canada 18.00 2009 216 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 17.00 2009 217 Madagascar 17.00 2009 218 Pakistan 17.00 2009 219 Turkey 17.00 2009 220 Switzerland 17.00 2009 221 Puerto Rico 17.00 2009 222 Panama 17.00 2009 223 Norway 17.00 2009 224 Kazakhstan 17.00 2009 225 Italy 17.00 2009 226 Ireland 17.00 2009 227 Ethiopia 17.00 2009 228 Cuba 17.00 2009 229 Afghanistan 16.00 2009 230 Bolivia 16.00 2009 231 Turkey 16.00 2009 232 Tunisia 16.00 2009 233 Syria 16.00 2009 234 Saudi Arabia 16.00 2009 235 Pakistan 16.00 2009 236 Kenya 16.00 2009 237 Dominican Republic 16.00 2009 238 Bangladesh 15.00 2009 239 Colombia 15.00 2009 240 Bulgaria 15.00 2009 241 Egypt 15.00 2009 242 Egypt 15.00 2009 243 Greece 15.00 2009 244 Jordan 15.00 2009 245 Thailand 15.00 2009 246 Australia 14.00 2009 247 Sri Lanka 14.00 2009 248 Finland 14.00 2009 249 France 14.00 2009 250 Paraguay 14.00 2009 251 Papua New Guinea 14.00 2009 252 Vietnam 14.00 2009 253 Switzerland 14.00 2009 254 Peru 14.00 2009 255 Mongolia 14.00 2009 256 India 14.00 2009 257 Austria 14.00 2009 258 Burma 14.00 2009 259 Azerbaijan 13.00 2009 260 Namibia 13.00 2009 261 Uzbekistan 13.00 2009 262 Portugal 13.00 2009 263 Peru 13.00 2009 264 Norway 13.00 2009 265 Korea, South 13.00 2009 266 Italy 13.00 2009 267 Guatemala 13.00 2009 268 Germany 13.00 2009 269 Gabon 13.00 2009 270 Estonia 13.00 2009 271 Cyprus 13.00 2009 272 Australia 13.00 2009 273 Angola 12.00 2009 274 Costa Rica 12.00 2009 275 Ukraine 12.00 2009 276 Sweden 12.00 2009 277 Spain 12.00 2009 278 South Africa 12.00 2009 279 New Zealand 12.00 2009 280 Norway 12.00 2009 281 Nigeria 12.00 2009 282 New Caledonia 12.00 2009 283 Mexico 12.00 2009 284 Korea, South 12.00 2009 285 Jamaica 12.00 2009 286 Honduras 12.00 2009 287 Denmark 12.00 2009 288 Czech Republic 12.00 2009 289 United Arab Emirates 11.00 2009 290 Algeria 11.00 2009 291 Australia 11.00 2009 292 Algeria 11.00 2009 293 Bahamas, The 11.00 2009 294 Burma 11.00 2009 295 Taiwan 11.00 2009 296 Thailand 11.00 2009 297 Romania 11.00 2009 298 Portugal 11.00 2009 299 Nicaragua 11.00 2009 300 Nepal 11.00 2009 301 Nigeria 11.00 2009 302 Morocco 11.00 2009 303 Mongolia 11.00 2009 304 Kyrgyzstan 11.00 2009 305 Cameroon 11.00 2009 306 Armenia 10.00 2009 307 Argentina 10.00 2009 308 Finland 10.00 2009 309 Guyana 10.00 2009 310 Macedonia 10.00 2009 311 Turkmenistan 10.00 2009 312 Senegal 10.00 2009 313 South Africa 10.00 2009 314 Philippines 10.00 2009 315 Romania 10.00 2009 316 Serbia 10.00 2009 317 Niger 10.00 2009 318 New Caledonia 10.00 2009 319 Mozambique 10.00 2009 320 Malaysia 10.00 2009 321 Oman 10.00 2009 322 Morocco 10.00 2009 323 Slovakia 10.00 2009 324 Kazakhstan 10.00 2009 325 Israel 10.00 2009 326 Greenland 10.00 2009 327 Angola 9.00 2009 328 Botswana 9.00 2009 329 Colombia 9.00 2009 330 Cape Verde 9.00 2009 331 Portugal 9.00 2009 332 Nepal 9.00 2009 333 Netherlands 9.00 2009 334 Kazakhstan 9.00 2009 335 Italy 9.00 2009 336 Croatia 9.00 2009 337 Greece 9.00 2009 338 Gabon 9.00 2009 339 Czech Republic 9.00 2009 340 Cuba 9.00 2009 341 Burma 9.00 2009 342 Belgium 9.00 2009 343 Zimbabwe 9.00 2009 344 Zambia 9.00 2009 345 Yemen 9.00 2009 346 Vietnam 9.00 2009 347 Vietnam 9.00 2009 348 Uruguay 9.00 2009 349 United Kingdom 9.00 2009 350 Tanzania 9.00 2009 351 Turkmenistan 9.00 2009 352 Sudan 9.00 2009 353 Mauritania 9.00 2009 354 Laos 9.00 2009 355 Belgium 8.00 2009 356 Hungary 8.00 2009 357 Iraq 8.00 2009 358 Latvia 8.00 2009 359 Malaysia 8.00 2009 360 Philippines 8.00 2009 361 Venezuela 8.00 2009 362 Taiwan 8.00 2009 363 Taiwan 8.00 2009 364 Thailand 8.00 2009 365 Singapore 8.00 2009 366 Seychelles 8.00 2009 367 Pakistan 8.00 2009 368 Mali 8.00 2009 369 Macedonia 8.00 2009 370 Korea, North 8.00 2009 371 Jordan 8.00 2009 372 Chile 8.00 2009 373 Chad 8.00 2009 374 Afghanistan 7.00 2009 375 Taiwan 7.00 2009 376 Tunisia 7.00 2009 377 Somalia 7.00 2009 378 Senegal 7.00 2009 379 Puerto Rico 7.00 2009 380 Poland 7.00 2009 381 Nigeria 7.00 2009 382 Lithuania 7.00 2009 383 Jamaica 7.00 2009 384 Japan 7.00 2009 385 Cote d'Ivoire 7.00 2009 386 Guyana 7.00 2009 387 Ghana 7.00 2009 388 Georgia 7.00 2009 389 French Polynesia 7.00 2009 390 Ethiopia 7.00 2009 391 Estonia 7.00 2009 392 Malaysia 7.00 2009 393 Malaysia 7.00 2009 394 Morocco 7.00 2009 395 Denmark 7.00 2009 396 Cuba 7.00 2009 397 Sri Lanka 7.00 2009 398 Brazil 7.00 2009 399 Belarus 7.00 2009 400 Bosnia and Herzegovina 7.00 2009 401 Azerbaijan 6.00 2009 402 Sri Lanka 6.00 2009 403 Israel 6.00 2009 404 Israel 6.00 2009 405 Iran 6.00 2009 406 Iceland 6.00 2009 407 Croatia 6.00 2009 408 Greenland 6.00 2009 409 Micronesia, Federated States of 6.00 2009 410 Equatorial Guinea 6.00 2009 411 Ireland 6.00 2009 412 Turks and Caicos Islands 6.00 2009 413 Tajikistan 6.00 2009 414 Thailand 6.00 2009 415 Niger 6.00 2009 416 Malaysia 6.00 2009 417 Malawi 6.00 2009 418 Madagascar 6.00 2009 419 Libya 6.00 2009 420 Libya 6.00 2009 421 Kenya 6.00 2009 422 Iraq 6.00 2009 423 Israel 6.00 2009 424 Venezuela 6.00 2009 425 Uzbekistan 6.00 2009 426 Uzbekistan 6.00 2009 427 Ukraine 6.00 2009 428 Slovenia 6.00 2009 429 South Africa 6.00 2009 430 Seychelles 6.00 2009 431 Peru 6.00 2009 432 Paraguay 6.00 2009 433 Cyprus 6.00 2009 434 Congo, Republic of the 6.00 2009 435 Cambodia 6.00 2009 436 Botswana 6.00 2009 437 Bahamas, The 6.00 2009 438 Bangladesh 6.00 2009 439 Belgium 6.00 2009 440 Algeria 5.00 2009 441 Switzerland 5.00 2009 442 Syria 5.00 2009 443 Kenya 5.00 2009 444 Jordan 5.00 2009 445 Iraq 5.00 2009 446 Guinea 5.00 2009 447 Greece 5.00 2009 448 Ethiopia 5.00 2009 449 Ireland 5.00 2009 450 Egypt 5.00 2009 451 Cuba 5.00 2009 452 Cameroon 5.00 2009 453 Chile 5.00 2009 454 Sudan 5.00 2009 455 Puerto Rico 5.00 2009 456 Portugal 5.00 2009 457 Portugal 5.00 2009 458 Panama 5.00 2009 459 Paraguay 5.00 2009 460 Netherlands Antilles 5.00 2009 461 Suriname 5.00 2009 462 Netherlands 5.00 2009 463 Zimbabwe 5.00 2009 464 Vietnam 5.00 2009 465 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 5.00 2009 466 Uganda 5.00 2009 467 Nigeria 5.00 2009 468 Mozambique 5.00 2009 469 Oman 5.00 2009 470 Mauritania 5.00 2009 471 Moldova 5.00 2009 472 Latvia 5.00 2009 473 Lebanon 5.00 2009 474 Kazakhstan 5.00 2009 475 Bolivia 5.00 2009 476 Austria 5.00 2009 477 Angola 5.00 2009 478 United Arab Emirates 4.00 2009 479 Afghanistan 4.00 2009 480 United Arab Emirates 4.00 2009 481 Albania 4.00 2009 482 Angola 4.00 2009 483 Zambia 4.00 2009 484 Yemen 4.00 2009 485 Uzbekistan 4.00 2009 486 Uzbekistan 4.00 2009 487 Uruguay 4.00 2009 488 Tanzania 4.00 2009 489 Taiwan 4.00 2009 490 Turkey 4.00 2009 491 Tunisia 4.00 2009 492 Tajikistan 4.00 2009 493 Switzerland 4.00 2009 494 Syria 4.00 2009 495 Somalia 4.00 2009 496 Singapore 4.00 2009 497 Saudi Arabia 4.00 2009 498 Rwanda 4.00 2009 499 Philippines 4.00 2009 500 Romania 4.00 2009 501 Marshall Islands 4.00 2009 502 Papua New Guinea 4.00 2009 503 Poland 4.00 2009 504 Poland 4.00 2009 505 Peru 4.00 2009 506 Suriname 4.00 2009 507 Mozambique 4.00 2009 508 Oman 4.00 2009 509 Mauritania 4.00 2009 510 Morocco 4.00 2009 511 Mali 4.00 2009 512 Malawi 4.00 2009 513 Laos 4.00 2009 514 Kosovo 4.00 2009 515 Kuwait 4.00 2009 516 Kiribati 4.00 2009 517 Kiribati 4.00 2009 518 Korea, North 4.00 2009 519 Kenya 4.00 2009 520 Cote d'Ivoire 4.00 2009 521 Indonesia 4.00 2009 522 Hungary 4.00 2009 523 Hungary 4.00 2009 524 Croatia 4.00 2009 525 Honduras 4.00 2009 526 Haiti 4.00 2009 527 Guatemala 4.00 2009 528 Georgia 4.00 2009 529 Georgia 4.00 2009 530 French Polynesia 4.00 2009 531 Micronesia, Federated States of 4.00 2009 532 Fiji 4.00 2009 533 El Salvador 4.00 2009 534 Eritrea 4.00 2009 535 Ireland 4.00 2009 536 Dominican Republic 4.00 2009 537 Dominican Republic 4.00 2009 538 Dominican Republic 4.00 2009 539 Denmark 4.00 2009 540 Comoros 4.00 2009 541 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 4.00 2009 542 Bolivia 4.00 2009 543 Bosnia and Herzegovina 4.00 2009 544 Belize 4.00 2009 545 Bangladesh 4.00 2009 546 Bahamas, The 4.00 2009 547 Austria 4.00 2009 548 Argentina 4.00 2009 549 Armenia 4.00 2009 550 Azerbaijan 4.00 2009 551 Bolivia 4.00 2009 552 United Arab Emirates 3.00 2009 553 Belgium 3.00 2009 554 Bahrain 3.00 2009 555 Bolivia 3.00 2009 556 Cambodia 3.00 2009 557 Congo, Republic of the 3.00 2009 558 Comoros 3.00 2009 559 Ecuador 3.00 2009 560 Ecuador 3.00 2009 561 Dominican Republic 3.00 2009 562 Djibouti 3.00 2009 563 Denmark 3.00 2009 564 Cyprus 3.00 2009 565 Cyprus 3.00 2009 566 Cape Verde 3.00 2009 567 Cape Verde 3.00 2009 568 Northern Mariana Islands 3.00 2009 569 Zimbabwe 3.00 2009 570 Yemen 3.00 2009 571 Western Sahara 3.00 2009 572 Western Sahara 3.00 2009 573 Namibia 3.00 2009 574 Namibia 3.00 2009 575 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 3.00 2009 576 Uganda 3.00 2009 577 Tunisia 3.00 2009 578 Turks and Caicos Islands 3.00 2009 579 Tajikistan 3.00 2009 580 Tajikistan 3.00 2009 581 Trinidad and Tobago 3.00 2009 582 Switzerland 3.00 2009 583 Syria 3.00 2009 584 Sweden 3.00 2009 585 Sudan 3.00 2009 586 Puerto Rico 3.00 2009 587 Marshall Islands 3.00 2009 588 Serbia 3.00 2009 589 Serbia 3.00 2009 590 Qatar 3.00 2009 591 Nicaragua 3.00 2009 592 Nicaragua 3.00 2009 593 Netherlands 3.00 2009 594 Nigeria 3.00 2009 595 Vanuatu 3.00 2009 596 Niger 3.00 2009 597 Mozambique 3.00 2009 598 Maldives 3.00 2009 599 Montenegro 3.00 2009 600 Spratly Islands 3.00 2009 601 Paraguay 3.00 2009 602 Nicaragua 3.00 2009 603 Lesotho 3.00 2009 604 Slovakia 3.00 2009 605 Slovakia 3.00 2009 606 Slovakia 3.00 2009 607 Lithuania 3.00 2009 608 Latvia 3.00 2009 609 Latvia 3.00 2009 610 Laos 3.00 2009 611 Mali 3.00 2009 612 Korea, South 3.00 2009 613 Kyrgyzstan 3.00 2009 614 Kyrgyzstan 3.00 2009 615 Jamaica 3.00 2009 616 Iceland 3.00 2009 617 Honduras 3.00 2009 618 Honduras 3.00 2009 619 Guinea 3.00 2009 620 Guatemala 3.00 2009 621 Guatemala 3.00 2009 622 Guatemala 3.00 2009 623 Grenada 3.00 2009 624 Ghana 3.00 2009 625 Finland 3.00 2009 626 Czech Republic 3.00 2009 627 Ethiopia 3.00 2009 628 Haiti 3.00 2009 629 Cameroon 3.00 2009 630 Chad 3.00 2009 631 Belarus 3.00 2009 632 American Samoa 3.00 2009 633 Azerbaijan 3.00 2009 634 Albania 3.00 2009 635 Afghanistan 3.00 2009 636 Antigua and Barbuda 2.00 2009 637 Egypt 2.00 2009 638 Dominica 2.00 2009 639 Dominica 2.00 2009 640 Denmark 2.00 2009 641 Cape Verde 2.00 2009 642 Central African Republic 2.00 2009 643 Costa Rica 2.00 2009 644 Costa Rica 2.00 2009 645 Cameroon 2.00 2009 646 Cayman Islands 2.00 2009 647 Cayman Islands 2.00 2009 648 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 2.00 2009 649 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 2.00 2009 650 Congo, Republic of the 2.00 2009 651 Cambodia 2.00 2009 652 Solomon Islands 2.00 2009 653 Belarus 2.00 2009 654 Northern Mariana Islands 2.00 2009 655 Colombia 2.00 2009 656 Burma 2.00 2009 657 Bosnia and Herzegovina 2.00 2009 658 Belize 2.00 2009 659 Bangladesh 2.00 2009 660 Bangladesh 2.00 2009 661 Bahamas, The 2.00 2009 662 Botswana 2.00 2009 663 Bahrain 2.00 2009 664 Zimbabwe 2.00 2009 665 Zambia 2.00 2009 666 Zambia 2.00 2009 667 Samoa 2.00 2009 668 Wallis and Futuna 2.00 2009 669 West Bank 2.00 2009 670 Namibia 2.00 2009 671 Virgin Islands 2.00 2009 672 British Virgin Islands 2.00 2009 673 Uruguay 2.00 2009 674 Uruguay 2.00 2009 675 Burkina Faso 2.00 2009 676 Tanzania 2.00 2009 677 Tanzania 2.00 2009 678 Turkmenistan 2.00 2009 679 Timor-Leste 2.00 2009 680 Tunisia 2.00 2009 681 Sao Tome and Principe 2.00 2009 682 Togo 2.00 2009 683 Togo 2.00 2009 684 Turks and Caicos Islands 2.00 2009 685 Tajikistan 2.00 2009 686 Sudan 2.00 2009 687 Saint Lucia 2.00 2009 688 Somalia 2.00 2009 689 Singapore 2.00 2009 690 Slovenia 2.00 2009 691 Senegal 2.00 2009 692 Saint Kitts and Nevis 2.00 2009 693 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 2.00 2009 694 Saudi Arabia 2.00 2009 695 Rwanda 2.00 2009 696 Puerto Rico 2.00 2009 697 Serbia 2.00 2009 698 Serbia 2.00 2009 699 Qatar 2.00 2009 700 Guinea-Bissau 2.00 2009 701 Papua New Guinea 2.00 2009 702 Spratly Islands 2.00 2009 703 New Zealand 2.00 2009 704 Nicaragua 2.00 2009 705 Netherlands 2.00 2009 706 Mauritius 2.00 2009 707 Macedonia 2.00 2009 708 Montenegro 2.00 2009 709 Montserrat 2.00 2009 710 Montserrat 2.00 2009 711 Mongolia 2.00 2009 712 Moldova 2.00 2009 713 Moldova 2.00 2009 714 Madagascar 2.00 2009 715 Liberia 2.00 2009 716 Lithuania 2.00 2009 717 Lebanon 2.00 2009 718 Laos 2.00 2009 719 Kosovo 2.00 2009 720 Kuwait 2.00 2009 721 Korea, North 2.00 2009 722 Jamaica 2.00 2009 723 Cote d'Ivoire 2.00 2009 724 Israel 2.00 2009 725 Iceland 2.00 2009 726 Hungary 2.00 2009 727 Hungary 2.00 2009 728 Croatia 2.00 2009 729 Croatia 2.00 2009 730 Honduras 2.00 2009 731 Hong Kong 2.00 2009 732 Guyana 2.00 2009 733 Guinea 2.00 2009 734 Greenland 2.00 2009 735 Guernsey 2.00 2009 736 Ghana 2.00 2009 737 Georgia 2.00 2009 738 French Polynesia 2.00 2009 739 Micronesia, Federated States of 2.00 2009 740 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 2.00 2009 741 Fiji 2.00 2009 742 Czech Republic 2.00 2009 743 El Salvador 2.00 2009 744 Estonia 2.00 2009 745 Estonia 2.00 2009 746 Estonia 2.00 2009 747 Equatorial Guinea 2.00 2009 748 Equatorial Guinea 2.00 2009 749 Chad 2.00 2009 750 Chad 2.00 2009 751 Brunei 2.00 2009 752 Bulgaria 2.00 2009 753 Eritrea 2.00 2009 754 Eritrea 2.00 2009 755 Armenia 2.00 2009 756 Armenia 2.00 2009 757 Armenia 2.00 2009 758 United Arab Emirates 2.00 2009 759 Aruba 1.00 2009 760 Aruba 1.00 2009 761 Afghanistan 1.00 2009 762 American Samoa 1.00 2009 763 Dominican Republic 1.00 2009 764 Djibouti 1.00 2009 765 Djibouti 1.00 2009 766 Djibouti 1.00 2009 767 Cyprus 1.00 2009 768 Cook Islands 1.00 2009 769 Cook Islands 1.00 2009 770 Cape Verde 1.00 2009 771 Central African Republic 1.00 2009 772 Central African Republic 1.00 2009 773 Northern Mariana Islands 1.00 2009 774 Comoros 1.00 2009 775 Cameroon 1.00 2009 776 Cocos (Keeling) Islands 1.00 2009 777 Cocos (Keeling) Islands 1.00 2009 778 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 1.00 2009 779 Congo, Republic of the 1.00 2009 780 Sri Lanka 1.00 2009 781 Chad 1.00 2009 782 Guernsey 1.00 2009 783 Grenada 1.00 2009 784 Grenada 1.00 2009 785 Grenada 1.00 2009 786 Gibraltar 1.00 2009 787 Gibraltar 1.00 2009 788 Ghana 1.00 2009 789 Ghana 1.00 2009 790 Faroe Islands 1.00 2009 791 Zambia 1.00 2009 792 Yemen 1.00 2009 793 Yemen 1.00 2009 794 Swaziland 1.00 2009 795 Swaziland 1.00 2009 796 Samoa 1.00 2009 797 Samoa 1.00 2009 798 Wake Island 1.00 2009 799 Wake Island 1.00 2009 800 Wallis and Futuna 1.00 2009 801 Wallis and Futuna 1.00 2009 802 West Bank 1.00 2009 803 West Bank 1.00 2009 804 Virgin Islands 1.00 2009 805 Virgin Islands 1.00 2009 806 British Virgin Islands 1.00 2009 807 British Virgin Islands 1.00 2009 808 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1.00 2009 809 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1.00 2009 810 Uruguay 1.00 2009 811 Burkina Faso 1.00 2009 812 Burkina Faso 1.00 2009 813 Uganda 1.00 2009 814 Uganda 1.00 2009 815 Tanzania 1.00 2009 816 Turkmenistan 1.00 2009 817 Timor-Leste 1.00 2009 818 Timor-Leste 1.00 2009 819 Sao Tome and Principe 1.00 2009 820 Sao Tome and Principe 1.00 2009 821 Tonga 1.00 2009 822 Tonga 1.00 2009 823 Turks and Caicos Islands 1.00 2009 824 Trinidad and Tobago 1.00 2009 825 Trinidad and Tobago 1.00 2009 826 Trinidad and Tobago 1.00 2009 827 Saint Barthelemy 1.00 2009 828 Saint Barthelemy 1.00 2009 829 Syria 1.00 2009 830 Svalbard 1.00 2009 831 Svalbard 1.00 2009 832 Saint Lucia 1.00 2009 833 Saint Lucia 1.00 2009 834 Qatar 1.00 2009 835 Guinea-Bissau 1.00 2009 836 Guinea-Bissau 1.00 2009 837 Palau 1.00 2009 838 Palau 1.00 2009 839 Papua New Guinea 1.00 2009 840 Panama 1.00 2009 841 Panama 1.00 2009 842 Spratly Islands 1.00 2009 843 Paracel Islands 1.00 2009 844 Paracel Islands 1.00 2009 845 New Zealand 1.00 2009 846 New Zealand 1.00 2009 847 Netherlands Antilles 1.00 2009 848 Netherlands Antilles 1.00 2009 849 Netherlands Antilles 1.00 2009 850 Netherlands Antilles 1.00 2009 851 Netherlands Antilles 1.00 2009 852 Suriname 1.00 2009 853 Nauru 1.00 2009 854 Nauru 1.00 2009 855 Nepal 1.00 2009 856 Nepal 1.00 2009 857 Netherlands 1.00 2009 858 Vanuatu 1.00 2009 859 Vanuatu 1.00 2009 860 Vanuatu 1.00 2009 861 Niger 1.00 2009 862 Norfolk Island 1.00 2009 863 Norfolk Island 1.00 2009 864 Niue 1.00 2009 865 Niue 1.00 2009 866 New Caledonia 1.00 2009 867 New Caledonia 1.00 2009 868 Mozambique 1.00 2009 869 Maldives 1.00 2009 870 Maldives 1.00 2009 871 Maldives 1.00 2009 872 Oman 1.00 2009 873 Malta 1.00 2009 874 Malta 1.00 2009 875 Mauritius 1.00 2009 876 Mauritius 1.00 2009 877 Mali 1.00 2009 878 Montenegro 1.00 2009 879 Malawi 1.00 2009 880 Malawi 1.00 2009 881 Mongolia 1.00 2009 882 Mayotte 1.00 2009 883 Mayotte 1.00 2009 884 Moldova 1.00 2009 885 Macau 1.00 2009 886 Macau 1.00 2009 887 Madagascar 1.00 2009 888 Madagascar 1.00 2009 889 Libya 1.00 2009 890 Luxembourg 1.00 2009 891 Luxembourg 1.00 2009 892 Lesotho 1.00 2009 893 Lesotho 1.00 2009 894 Lesotho 1.00 2009 895 Slovakia 1.00 2009 896 Liberia 1.00 2009 897 Liberia 1.00 2009 898 Lithuania 1.00 2009 899 Latvia 1.00 2009 900 Lebanon 1.00 2009 901 Lebanon 1.00 2009 902 Lebanon 1.00 2009 903 Kosovo 1.00 2009 904 Kosovo 1.00 2009 905 Kuwait 1.00 2009 906 Kuwait 1.00 2009 907 Somalia 1.00 2009 908 Singapore 1.00 2009 909 Singapore 1.00 2009 910 Sierra Leone 1.00 2009 911 Sierra Leone 1.00 2009 912 Slovenia 1.00 2009 913 Slovenia 1.00 2009 914 Slovenia 1.00 2009 915 Slovenia 1.00 2009 916 Saint Helena 1.00 2009 917 Saint Helena 1.00 2009 918 Senegal 1.00 2009 919 Seychelles 1.00 2009 920 Seychelles 1.00 2009 921 Saint Kitts and Nevis 1.00 2009 922 Saint Kitts and Nevis 1.00 2009 923 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 1.00 2009 924 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 1.00 2009 925 Rwanda 1.00 2009 926 Rwanda 1.00 2009 927 Saint Martin 1.00 2009 928 Saint Martin 1.00 2009 929 Marshall Islands 1.00 2009 930 Christmas Island 1.00 2009 931 Christmas Island 1.00 2009 932 Korea, North 1.00 2009 933 Kyrgyzstan 1.00 2009 934 Kenya 1.00 2009 935 Jordan 1.00 2009 936 Jordan 1.00 2009 937 Jersey 1.00 2009 938 Jersey 1.00 2009 939 Cote d'Ivoire 1.00 2009 940 British Indian Ocean Territory 1.00 2009 941 British Indian Ocean Territory 1.00 2009 942 Isle of Man 1.00 2009 943 Isle of Man 1.00 2009 944 Iceland 1.00 2009 945 Hong Kong 1.00 2009 946 Hong Kong 1.00 2009 947 Haiti 1.00 2009 948 Gaza Strip 1.00 2009 949 Gaza Strip 1.00 2009 950 Guyana 1.00 2009 951 Greenland 1.00 2009 952 Greenland 1.00 2009 953 Guernsey 1.00 2009 954 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 1.00 2009 955 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 1.00 2009 956 Fiji 1.00 2009 957 Fiji 1.00 2009 958 Ethiopia 1.00 2009 959 Ethiopia 1.00 2009 960 El Salvador 1.00 2009 961 El Salvador 1.00 2009 962 Georgia 1.00 2009 963 Gabon 1.00 2009 964 Gabon 1.00 2009 965 Gabon 1.00 2009 966 Gabon 1.00 2009 967 Gambia, The 1.00 2009 968 Gambia, The 1.00 2009 969 Faroe Islands 1.00 2009 970 Cambodia 1.00 2009 971 Burundi 1.00 2009 972 Burundi 1.00 2009 973 Brunei 1.00 2009 974 Brunei 1.00 2009 975 Bhutan 1.00 2009 976 Bhutan 1.00 2009 977 Belarus 1.00 2009 978 Equatorial Guinea 1.00 2009 979 Equatorial Guinea 1.00 2009 980 Ireland 1.00 2009 981 Ireland 1.00 2009 982 Benin 1.00 2009 983 Benin 1.00 2009 984 Burma 1.00 2009 985 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1.00 2009 986 Belize 1.00 2009 987 Belize 1.00 2009 988 Bangladesh 1.00 2009 989 Botswana 1.00 2009 990 Solomon Islands 1.00 2009 991 Solomon Islands 1.00 2009 992 Barbados 1.00 2009 993 Barbados 1.00 2009 994 Bahrain 1.00 2009 995 Anguilla 1.00 2009 996 Anguilla 1.00 2009 997 Austria 1.00 2009 998 Austria 1.00 2009 999 American Samoa 1.00 2009 1000 Belgium 1.00 2009 1001 Bermuda 1.00 2009 1002 Bermuda 1.00 2009 1003 American Samoa 1.00 2009 1004 Azerbaijan 1.00 2009 1005 Albania 1.00 2009 1006 Algeria 1.00 2009 1007 Afghanistan 1.00 2009 1008 Antigua and Barbuda 1.00 2009 1009 Antigua and Barbuda 1.00 2009

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Rank code: 2031

Country Comparison :: Airports - with unpaved runways

This entry gives the total number of airports with unpaved runways (grass, dirt, sand, or gravel surfaces) by length. For airports with more than one runway, only the longest runway is included according to the following five groups - (1) over 3,047 m (over 10,000 ft), (2) 2,438 to 3,047 m (8,000 to 10,000 ft), (3) 1,524 to 2,437 m (5,000 to 8,000 ft), (4) 914 to 1,523 m (3,000 to 5,000 ft), and (5) under 914 m (under 3,000 ft). Only airports with usable runways are included in this listing. Not all airports have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control. The type aircraft capable of operating from a runway of a given length is dependent upon a number of factors including elevation of the runway, runway gradient, average maximum daily temperature at the airport, engine types, flap settings, and take-off weight of the aircraft.

Rank country Airports - with unpaved runwaysDate of Information

1 United States 9,921.00 2009 2 United States 8,000.00 2009 3 Brazil 3,279.00 2009 4 United States 1,757.00 2009 5 Brazil 1,645.00 2009 6 Brazil 1,547.00 2009 7 Mexico 1,498.00 2009 8 European Union 1,396.00 2009 9 European Union 1,110.00 2009 10 Mexico 1,005.00 2009 11 Argentina 974.00 2009 12 Bolivia 936.00 2009 13 Colombia 876.00 2009 14 Canada 873.00 2009 15 Paraguay 784.00 2009 16 Bolivia 687.00 2009 17 Russia 621.00 2009 18 Colombia 612.00 2009 19 Papua New Guinea 539.00 2009 20 Argentina 522.00 2009 21 Indonesia 519.00 2009 22 Indonesia 489.00 2009 23 Paraguay 470.00 2009 24 Papua New Guinea 467.00 2009 25 South Africa 459.00 2009 26 Russia 453.00 2009 27 Canada 427.00 2009 28 Mexico 426.00 2009 29 Argentina 406.00 2009 30 Canada 373.00 2009 31 Guatemala 358.00 2009 32 Ecuador 317.00 2009 33 South Africa 298.00 2009 34 Paraguay 289.00 2009 35 Ecuador 279.00 2009 36 Chile 276.00 2009 37 Venezuela 275.00 2009 38 Guatemala 270.00 2009 39 European Union 257.00 2009 40 Ukraine 236.00 2009 41 Colombia 228.00 2009 42 Germany 220.00 2009 43 Ukraine 214.00 2009 44 Chile 212.00 2009 45 United Kingdom 199.00 2009 46 Zimbabwe 196.00 2009 47 Bolivia 186.00 2009 48 Germany 184.00 2009 49 Iran 183.00 2009 50 France 178.00 2009 51 United Kingdom 173.00 2009 52 Philippines 169.00 2009 53 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 168.00 2009 54 Kenya 165.00 2009 55 Angola 162.00 2009 56 United States 158.00 2009 57 Venezuela 155.00 2009 58 Peru 144.00 2009 59 Australia 139.00 2009 60 Iran 139.00 2009 61 Saudi Arabia 137.00 2009 62 Nicaragua 132.00 2009 63 South Africa 125.00 2009 64 Zimbabwe 119.00 2009 65 Oman 118.00 2009 66 Tanzania 116.00 2009 67 Nicaragua 115.00 2009 68 Costa Rica 113.00 2009 69 Australia 110.00 2009 70 Namibia 108.00 2009 71 France 107.00 2009 72 Kenya 105.00 2009 73 Venezuela 103.00 2009 74 Sudan 102.00 2009 75 India 99.00 2009 76 Philippines 99.00 2009 77 Sweden 97.00 2009 78 Costa Rica 94.00 2009 79 Honduras 94.00 2009 80 Iceland 93.00 2009 81 Sweden 92.00 2009 82 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 90.00 2009 83 Guyana 89.00 2009 84 Zambia 88.00 2009 85 Brazil 87.00 2009 86 Algeria 86.00 2009 87 Guatemala 84.00 2009 88 Russia 84.00 2009 89 Mozambique 82.00 2009 90 Bulgaria 80.00 2009 91 Malaysia 80.00 2009 92 New Zealand 79.00 2009 93 Peru 79.00 2009 94 Angola 78.00 2009 95 Libya 78.00 2009 96 Czech Republic 78.00 2009 97 Honduras 77.00 2009 98 Syria 75.00 2009 99 Guyana 74.00 2009 100 Zimbabwe 74.00 2009 101 Bulgaria 73.00 2009 102 Namibia 73.00 2009 103 Malaysia 73.00 2009 104 Finland 73.00 2009 105 Canada 73.00 2009 106 Saudi Arabia 72.00 2009 107 Cuba 71.00 2009 108 Finland 70.00 2009 109 France 70.00 2009 110 Botswana 68.00 2009 111 Russia 68.00 2009 112 Philippines 66.00 2009 113 Mexico 65.00 2009 114 Zambia 65.00 2009 115 Denmark 64.00 2009 116 Iceland 63.00 2009 117 Panama 63.00 2009 118 Papua New Guinea 63.00 2009 119 Tanzania 63.00 2009 120 Madagascar 62.00 2009 121 Denmark 61.00 2009 122 El Salvador 61.00 2009 123 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 59.00 2009 124 Syria 59.00 2009 125 Bolivia 58.00 2009 126 Cuba 58.00 2009 127 Spain 58.00 2009 128 China 57.00 2009 129 Sudan 56.00 2009 130 Lithuania 55.00 2009 131 Botswana 54.00 2009 132 Oman 52.00 2009 133 Somalia 52.00 2009 134 Lithuania 51.00 2009 135 Panama 51.00 2009 136 Chile 50.00 2009 137 Czech Republic 50.00 2009 138 Kenya 50.00 2009 139 Uruguay 48.00 2009 140 El Salvador 47.00 2009 141 India 47.00 2009 142 Pakistan 47.00 2009 143 Angola 46.00 2009 144 Ethiopia 46.00 2009 145 Chad 46.00 2009 146 Croatia 45.00 2009 147 Suriname 45.00 2009 148 New Zealand 45.00 2009 149 Argentina 44.00 2009 150 Korea, South 44.00 2009 151 India 42.00 2009 152 Korea, South 42.00 2009 153 Korea, North 42.00 2009 154 Algeria 41.00 2009 155 Libya 41.00 2009 156 Saudi Arabia 41.00 2009 157 Thailand 41.00 2009 158 Poland 41.00 2009 159 Belize 40.00 2009 160 Burma 40.00 2009 161 Suriname 40.00 2009 162 Bahamas, The 39.00 2009 163 Mozambique 39.00 2009 164 Spain 39.00 2009 165 Peru 39.00 2009 166 Madagascar 39.00 2009 167 Central African Republic 38.00 2009 168 Ecuador 38.00 2009 169 Croatia 37.00 2009 170 Yemen 37.00 2009 171 Nepal 36.00 2009 172 Afghanistan 35.00 2009 173 Colombia 35.00 2009 174 Solomon Islands 34.00 2009 175 Tanzania 34.00 2009 176 South Africa 34.00 2009 177 Germany 33.00 2009 178 Oman 33.00 2009 179 Mozambique 33.00 2009 180 Iran 33.00 2009 181 Angola 32.00 2009 182 Japan 32.00 2009 183 Kazakhstan 32.00 2009 184 Laos 32.00 2009 185 Gabon 31.00 2009 186 New Zealand 31.00 2009 187 Norway 31.00 2009 188 Italy 31.00 2009 189 Mongolia 31.00 2009 190 Liberia 31.00 2009 191 Austria 30.00 2009 192 Uganda 30.00 2009 193 Nepal 30.00 2009 194 Belarus 30.00 2009 195 Iraq 29.00 2009 196 Japan 28.00 2009 197 Romania 28.00 2009 198 Sudan 28.00 2009 199 Vanuatu 28.00 2009 200 Belize 27.00 2009 201 Thailand 27.00 2009 202 Iceland 27.00 2009 203 Czech Republic 27.00 2009 204 Austria 26.00 2009 205 Morocco 26.00 2009 206 Hungary 26.00 2009 207 Malawi 26.00 2009 208 China 26.00 2009 209 Antarctica 25.00 2009 210 Solomon Islands 25.00 2009 211 Cameroon 25.00 2009 212 Belarus 25.00 2009 213 Uruguay 25.00 2009 214 Paraguay 25.00 2009 215 Norway 25.00 2009 216 Oman 25.00 2009 217 Indonesia 25.00 2009 218 European Union 24.00 2009 219 Mongolia 24.00 2009 220 Pakistan 24.00 2009 221 Burkina Faso 24.00 2009 222 Peru 24.00 2009 223 Fiji 24.00 2009 224 Algeria 23.00 2009 225 Ethiopia 23.00 2009 226 Burma 23.00 2009 227 Latvia 23.00 2009 228 Lesotho 23.00 2009 229 Switzerland 23.00 2009 230 Switzerland 23.00 2009 231 Somalia 23.00 2009 232 Vanuatu 23.00 2009 233 Latvia 23.00 2009 234 Bahamas, The 22.00 2009 235 Portugal 22.00 2009 236 United Kingdom 22.00 2009 237 Namibia 22.00 2009 238 Ireland 22.00 2009 239 Cote d'Ivoire 21.00 2009 240 Uzbekistan 21.00 2009 241 Romania 21.00 2009 242 Portugal 21.00 2009 243 Madagascar 21.00 2009 244 Laos 21.00 2009 245 Chad 20.00 2009 246 Poland 20.00 2009 247 Uruguay 20.00 2009 248 Ireland 20.00 2009 249 Algeria 19.00 2009 250 Uzbekistan 19.00 2009 251 Tanzania 19.00 2009 252 Somalia 19.00 2009 253 Italy 19.00 2009 254 Fiji 19.00 2009 255 Dominican Republic 19.00 2009 256 Costa Rica 19.00 2009 257 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 19.00 2009 258 Congo, Republic of the 19.00 2009 259 Bosnia and Herzegovina 18.00 2009 260 Zambia 18.00 2009 261 Lesotho 18.00 2009 262 Niger 18.00 2009 263 Nigeria 18.00 2009 264 Sudan 18.00 2009 265 Serbia 18.00 2009 266 Mauritania 18.00 2009 267 Liberia 18.00 2009 268 United Arab Emirates 17.00 2009 269 Spain 17.00 2009 270 Libya 17.00 2009 271 Korea, North 17.00 2009 272 Israel 17.00 2009 273 Dominican Republic 17.00 2009 274 Central African Republic 17.00 2009 275 Australia 17.00 2009 276 Afghanistan 16.00 2009 277 Cameroon 16.00 2009 278 Saudi Arabia 16.00 2009 279 Tunisia 16.00 2009 280 Venezuela 16.00 2009 281 Nicaragua 16.00 2009 282 Belgium 16.00 2009 283 Belgium 15.00 2009 284 Uganda 15.00 2009 285 Syria 15.00 2009 286 Poland 15.00 2009 287 Malawi 15.00 2009 288 Slovakia 15.00 2009 289 Kiribati 15.00 2009 290 Jamaica 15.00 2009 291 Jamaica 15.00 2009 292 Honduras 15.00 2009 293 Gabon 14.00 2009 294 Israel 14.00 2009 295 Greece 14.00 2009 296 Guyana 14.00 2009 297 Korea, North 14.00 2009 298 Yemen 14.00 2009 299 Niger 14.00 2009 300 Mali 14.00 2009 301 Libya 14.00 2009 302 Chad 13.00 2009 303 Iraq 13.00 2009 304 China 13.00 2009 305 Nigeria 13.00 2009 306 Thailand 13.00 2009 307 Swaziland 13.00 2009 308 Burkina Faso 13.00 2009 309 Russia 13.00 2009 310 New Caledonia 13.00 2009 311 Cuba 13.00 2009 312 Kazakhstan 13.00 2009 313 El Salvador 13.00 2009 314 Egypt 13.00 2009 315 Australia 12.00 2009 316 Belize 12.00 2009 317 Ukraine 12.00 2009 318 Turkey 12.00 2009 319 Puerto Rico 12.00 2009 320 Pakistan 12.00 2009 321 Guinea 12.00 2009 322 Greece 12.00 2009 323 Chile 12.00 2009 324 Central African Republic 12.00 2009 325 Burma 12.00 2009 326 Bahamas, The 12.00 2009 327 Cambodia 11.00 2009 328 Kiribati 11.00 2009 329 Namibia 11.00 2009 330 Marshall Islands 11.00 2009 331 Panama 11.00 2009 332 Pakistan 11.00 2009 333 Kyrgyzstan 11.00 2009 334 Chad 11.00 2009 335 Hungary 11.00 2009 336 Italy 11.00 2009 337 Cote d'Ivoire 11.00 2009 338 Gabon 11.00 2009 339 Ethiopia 11.00 2009 340 Botswana 10.00 2009 341 Slovenia 10.00 2009 342 Puerto Rico 10.00 2009 343 Marshall Islands 10.00 2009 344 Morocco 10.00 2009 345 Malawi 10.00 2009 346 Kenya 10.00 2009 347 Hungary 10.00 2009 348 Haiti 10.00 2009 349 Eritrea 10.00 2009 350 Djibouti 10.00 2009 351 China 10.00 2009 352 Congo, Republic of the 10.00 2009 353 Bosnia and Herzegovina 10.00 2009 354 Afghanistan 9.00 2009 355 Ethiopia 9.00 2009 356 Yemen 9.00 2009 357 Senegal 9.00 2009 358 Serbia 9.00 2009 359 Papua New Guinea 9.00 2009 360 Mozambique 9.00 2009 361 Laos 9.00 2009 362 Kyrgyzstan 9.00 2009 363 Iran 9.00 2009 364 Antarctica 9.00 2009 365 Cambodia 9.00 2009 366 Solomon Islands 8.00 2009 367 Liberia 8.00 2009 368 Morocco 8.00 2009 369 Uganda 8.00 2009 370 Tajikistan 8.00 2009 371 Sierra Leone 8.00 2009 372 Saudi Arabia 8.00 2009 373 Serbia 8.00 2009 374 New Caledonia 8.00 2009 375 Mauritania 8.00 2009 376 Mauritania 8.00 2009 377 Slovakia 8.00 2009 378 Korea, North 8.00 2009 379 Central African Republic 8.00 2009 380 India 8.00 2009 381 Haiti 8.00 2009 382 Cook Islands 8.00 2009 383 Congo, Republic of the 8.00 2009 384 Azerbaijan 7.00 2009 385 Swaziland 7.00 2009 386 Vietnam 7.00 2009 387 Burkina Faso 7.00 2009 388 Ukraine 7.00 2009 389 Tajikistan 7.00 2009 390 Sierra Leone 7.00 2009 391 Romania 7.00 2009 392 Guinea-Bissau 7.00 2009 393 Netherlands 7.00 2009 394 Malaysia 7.00 2009 395 Oman 7.00 2009 396 Morocco 7.00 2009 397 Slovakia 7.00 2009 398 Turkey 7.00 2009 399 Tunisia 7.00 2009 400 Tunisia 7.00 2009 401 Cote d'Ivoire 7.00 2009 402 Croatia 7.00 2009 403 Guinea 7.00 2009 404 Bosnia and Herzegovina 7.00 2009 405 Burundi 7.00 2009 406 Azerbaijan 7.00 2009 407 Antarctica 6.00 2009 408 Iraq 6.00 2009 409 Yemen 6.00 2009 410 Swaziland 6.00 2009 411 United States 6.00 2009 412 Uganda 6.00 2009 413 Turkmenistan 6.00 2009 414 Togo 6.00 2009 415 Somalia 6.00 2009 416 Senegal 6.00 2009 417 Seychelles 6.00 2009 418 Norway 6.00 2009 419 Mali 6.00 2009 420 Moldova 6.00 2009 421 Kazakhstan 6.00 2009 422 Estonia 6.00 2009 423 Gabon 6.00 2009 424 French Polynesia 6.00 2009 425 Cameroon 6.00 2009 426 Bulgaria 6.00 2009 427 United Arab Emirates 5.00 2009 428 Afghanistan 5.00 2009 429 United Arab Emirates 5.00 2009 430 Mali 5.00 2009 431 Lesotho 5.00 2009 432 Liberia 5.00 2009 433 Kazakhstan 5.00 2009 434 Kazakhstan 5.00 2009 435 Indonesia 5.00 2009 436 Greenland 5.00 2009 437 Fiji 5.00 2009 438 Egypt 5.00 2009 439 Sweden 5.00 2009 440 Slovenia 5.00 2009 441 Seychelles 5.00 2009 442 Rwanda 5.00 2009 443 Poland 5.00 2009 444 Suriname 5.00 2009 445 Nepal 5.00 2009 446 Vanuatu 5.00 2009 447 New Caledonia 5.00 2009 448 Yemen 5.00 2009 449 Tonga 5.00 2009 450 Djibouti 5.00 2009 451 Cook Islands 5.00 2009 452 China 5.00 2009 453 Bahamas, The 5.00 2009 454 Antarctica 5.00 2009 455 United Arab Emirates 4.00 2009 456 Angola 4.00 2009 457 Burma 4.00 2009 458 Somalia 4.00 2009 459 Slovenia 4.00 2009 460 Philippines 4.00 2009 461 Netherlands 4.00 2009 462 Mongolia 4.00 2009 463 Libya 4.00 2009 464 Kiribati 4.00 2009 465 Japan 4.00 2009 466 Iraq 4.00 2009 467 Ghana 4.00 2009 468 Georgia 4.00 2009 469 French Polynesia 4.00 2009 470 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 4.00 2009 471 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 4.00 2009 472 Egypt 4.00 2009 473 Burkina Faso 4.00 2009 474 Turkmenistan 4.00 2009 475 Taiwan 4.00 2009 476 Turkey 4.00 2009 477 Timor-Leste 4.00 2009 478 Togo 4.00 2009 479 Macedonia 4.00 2009 480 Kosovo 4.00 2009 481 Kosovo 4.00 2009 482 Zambia 4.00 2009 483 Burundi 4.00 2009 484 Sri Lanka 4.00 2009 485 Benin 4.00 2009 486 Bolivia 4.00 2009 487 Botswana 4.00 2009 488 Antarctica 4.00 2009 489 Afghanistan 4.00 2009 490 Algeria 3.00 2009 491 Ethiopia 3.00 2009 492 Eritrea 3.00 2009 493 Eritrea 3.00 2009 494 Estonia 3.00 2009 495 Egypt 3.00 2009 496 European Union 3.00 2009 497 Djibouti 3.00 2009 498 Denmark 3.00 2009 499 Cameroon 3.00 2009 500 Zimbabwe 3.00 2009 501 Yemen 3.00 2009 502 Western Sahara 3.00 2009 503 Vietnam 3.00 2009 504 Vietnam 3.00 2009 505 Uruguay 3.00 2009 506 Ukraine 3.00 2009 507 United Kingdom 3.00 2009 508 Tonga 3.00 2009 509 Rwanda 3.00 2009 510 Russia 3.00 2009 511 Guinea-Bissau 3.00 2009 512 Guinea-Bissau 3.00 2009 513 New Zealand 3.00 2009 514 Netherlands 3.00 2009 515 Nigeria 3.00 2009 516 Mauritius 3.00 2009 517 Macedonia 3.00 2009 518 Trinidad and Tobago 3.00 2009 519 Svalbard 3.00 2009 520 Svalbard 3.00 2009 521 Moldova 3.00 2009 522 Moldova 3.00 2009 523 Lithuania 3.00 2009 524 Kazakhstan 3.00 2009 525 Kuwait 3.00 2009 526 Korea, North 3.00 2009 527 Iraq 3.00 2009 528 Iraq 3.00 2009 529 Mali 3.00 2009 530 Cote d'Ivoire 3.00 2009 531 Iceland 3.00 2009 532 Hungary 3.00 2009 533 Guinea 3.00 2009 534 Guatemala 3.00 2009 535 Germany 3.00 2009 536 Ghana 3.00 2009 537 Finland 3.00 2009 538 China 3.00 2009 539 Sri Lanka 3.00 2009 540 Burundi 3.00 2009 541 Austria 3.00 2009 542 United Arab Emirates 2.00 2009 543 Angola 2.00 2009 544 Bangladesh 2.00 2009 545 Chile 2.00 2009 546 Samoa 2.00 2009 547 Samoa 2.00 2009 548 Namibia 2.00 2009 549 British Virgin Islands 2.00 2009 550 British Virgin Islands 2.00 2009 551 Uzbekistan 2.00 2009 552 Turkmenistan 2.00 2009 553 Taiwan 2.00 2009 554 Taiwan 2.00 2009 555 Timor-Leste 2.00 2009 556 Timor-Leste 2.00 2009 557 Tunisia 2.00 2009 558 Togo 2.00 2009 559 Turks and Caicos Islands 2.00 2009 560 Trinidad and Tobago 2.00 2009 561 Spain 2.00 2009 562 Senegal 2.00 2009 563 Rwanda 2.00 2009 564 Qatar 2.00 2009 565 Palau 2.00 2009 566 Palau 2.00 2009 567 Peru 2.00 2009 568 Nigeria 2.00 2009 569 Niger 2.00 2009 570 Niger 2.00 2009 571 Maldives 2.00 2009 572 Maldives 2.00 2009 573 Mauritania 2.00 2009 574 Mauritius 2.00 2009 575 Montenegro 2.00 2009 576 Madagascar 2.00 2009 577 Libya 2.00 2009 578 Lebanon 2.00 2009 579 Lebanon 2.00 2009 580 Laos 2.00 2009 581 Kuwait 2.00 2009 582 Korea, South 2.00 2009 583 Jordan 2.00 2009 584 Jordan 2.00 2009 585 India 2.00 2009 586 Hungary 2.00 2009 587 Haiti 2.00 2009 588 Guinea 2.00 2009 589 Greece 2.00 2009 590 Greenland 2.00 2009 591 Greenland 2.00 2009 592 Georgia 2.00 2009 593 Georgia 2.00 2009 594 French Polynesia 2.00 2009 595 Eritrea 2.00 2009 596 Israel 2.00 2009 597 Honduras 2.00 2009 598 Estonia 2.00 2009 599 Ireland 2.00 2009 600 European Union 2.00 2009 601 Djibouti 2.00 2009 602 Cyprus 2.00 2009 603 Cyprus 2.00 2009 604 Cook Islands 2.00 2009 605 Northern Mariana Islands 2.00 2009 606 Belarus 2.00 2009 607 Chad 2.00 2009 608 Belarus 2.00 2009 609 Benin 2.00 2009 610 Anguilla 2.00 2009 611 Anguilla 2.00 2009 612 Antigua and Barbuda 1.00 2009 613 Argentina 1.00 2009 614 Dominican Republic 1.00 2009 615 Northern Mariana Islands 1.00 2009 616 Northern Mariana Islands 1.00 2009 617 Colombia 1.00 2009 618 Cayman Islands 1.00 2009 619 Cayman Islands 1.00 2009 620 Bulgaria 1.00 2009 621 Bhutan 1.00 2009 622 Bhutan 1.00 2009 623 Solomon Islands 1.00 2009 624 Belarus 1.00 2009 625 Benin 1.00 2009 626 Benin 1.00 2009 627 Burma 1.00 2009 628 Bolivia 1.00 2009 629 Poland 1.00 2009 630 Spratly Islands 1.00 2009 631 Spratly Islands 1.00 2009 632 Nicaragua 1.00 2009 633 Nepal 1.00 2009 634 Mozambique 1.00 2009 635 Mexico 1.00 2009 636 Mexico 1.00 2009 637 Morocco 1.00 2009 638 Zambia 1.00 2009 639 Western Sahara 1.00 2009 640 Western Sahara 1.00 2009 641 Western Sahara 1.00 2009 642 Vietnam 1.00 2009 643 Venezuela 1.00 2009 644 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1.00 2009 645 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1.00 2009 646 United Kingdom 1.00 2009 647 Uganda 1.00 2009 648 Tuvalu 1.00 2009 649 Tuvalu 1.00 2009 650 Turkey 1.00 2009 651 Tonga 1.00 2009 652 Tonga 1.00 2009 653 Turks and Caicos Islands 1.00 2009 654 Turks and Caicos Islands 1.00 2009 655 Tajikistan 1.00 2009 656 Thailand 1.00 2009 657 Trinidad and Tobago 1.00 2009 658 Syria 1.00 2009 659 Sierra Leone 1.00 2009 660 Slovenia 1.00 2009 661 Senegal 1.00 2009 662 South Africa 1.00 2009 663 South Africa 1.00 2009 664 Seychelles 1.00 2009 665 Puerto Rico 1.00 2009 666 Puerto Rico 1.00 2009 667 Marshall Islands 1.00 2009 668 Serbia 1.00 2009 669 Qatar 1.00 2009 670 Qatar 1.00 2009 671 Guinea-Bissau 1.00 2009 672 Portugal 1.00 2009 673 Panama 1.00 2009 674 Macedonia 1.00 2009 675 Montenegro 1.00 2009 676 Montenegro 1.00 2009 677 Malawi 1.00 2009 678 Mongolia 1.00 2009 679 Mongolia 1.00 2009 680 Mongolia 1.00 2009 681 Luxembourg 1.00 2009 682 Oman 1.00 2009 683 Mauritius 1.00 2009 684 Luxembourg 1.00 2009 685 Lithuania 1.00 2009 686 Kuwait 1.00 2009 687 Kyrgyzstan 1.00 2009 688 Kyrgyzstan 1.00 2009 689 Jan Mayen 1.00 2009 690 Jan Mayen 1.00 2009 691 Iran 1.00 2009 692 Croatia 1.00 2009 693 Guyana 1.00 2009 694 Guatemala 1.00 2009 695 Greenland 1.00 2009 696 Ghana 1.00 2009 697 France 1.00 2009 698 Czech Republic 1.00 2009 699 Dominican Republic 1.00 2009 700 Italy 1.00 2009 701 Israel 1.00 2009 702 Iran 1.00 2009 703 Cook Islands 1.00 2009 704 Cape Verde 1.00 2009 705 Cape Verde 1.00 2009 706 Central African Republic 1.00 2009 707 Congo, Republic of the 1.00 2009 708 Sri Lanka 1.00 2009 709 Cambodia 1.00 2009 710 Cambodia 1.00 2009 711 El Salvador 1.00 2009 712 Eritrea 1.00 2009 713 Eritrea 1.00 2009 714 Estonia 1.00 2009 715 Equatorial Guinea 1.00 2009 716 Equatorial Guinea 1.00 2009 717 Egypt 1.00 2009 718 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1.00 2009 719 Belize 1.00 2009 720 Bangladesh 1.00 2009 721 Bangladesh 1.00 2009 722 Belgium 1.00 2009 723 Antarctica 1.00 2009 724 Austria 1.00 2009 725 Argentina 1.00 2009 726 Armenia 1.00 2009 727 Armenia 1.00 2009 728 Albania 1.00 2009 729 Afghanistan 1.00 2009 730 Antigua and Barbuda 1.00 2009 731 Albania 1.00 2009 732 United Arab Emirates 1.00 2009

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Rank code: 2032

Country Comparison :: Environment - current issues

This entry lists the most pressing and important environmental problems. The following terms and abbreviations are used throughout the entry: Acidification - the lowering of soil and water pH due to acid precipitation and deposition usually through precipitation; this process disrupts ecosystem nutrient flows and may kill freshwater fish and plants dependent on more neutral or alkaline conditions (see acid rain). Acid rain - characterized as containing harmful levels of sulfur dioxide or nitrogen oxide; acid rain is damaging and potentially deadly to the earth's fragile ecosystems; acidity is measured using the pH scale where 7 is neutral, values greater than 7 are considered alkaline, and values below 5.6 are considered acid precipitation; note - a pH of 2.4 (the acidity of vinegar) has been measured in rainfall in New England. Aerosol - a collection of airborne particles dispersed in a gas, smoke, or fog. Afforestation - converting a bare or agricultural space by planting trees and plants; reforestation involves replanting trees on areas that have been cut or destroyed by fire. Asbestos - a naturally occurring soft fibrous mineral commonly used in fireproofing materials and considered to be highly carcinogenic in particulate form. Biodiversity - also biological diversity; the relative number of species, diverse in form and function, at the genetic, organism, community, and ecosystem level; loss of biodiversity reduces an ecosystem's ability to recover from natural or man-induced disruption. Bio-indicators - a plant or animal species whose presence, abundance, and health reveal the general condition of its habitat. Biomass - the total weight or volume of living matter in a given area or volume. Carbon cycle - the term used to describe the exchange of carbon (in various forms, e.g., as carbon dioxide) between the atmosphere, ocean, terrestrial biosphere, and geological deposits. Catchments - assemblages used to capture and retain rainwater and runoff; an important water management technique in areas with limited freshwater resources, such as Gibraltar. DDT (dichloro-diphenyl-trichloro-ethane) - a colorless, odorless insecticide that has toxic effects on most animals; the use of DDT was banned in the US in 1972. Defoliants - chemicals which cause plants to lose their leaves artificially; often used in agricultural practices for weed control, and may have detrimental impacts on human and ecosystem health. Deforestation - the destruction of vast areas of forest (e.g., unsustainable forestry practices, agricultural and range land clearing, and the over exploitation of wood products for use as fuel) without planting new growth. Desertification - the spread of desert-like conditions in arid or semi-arid areas, due to overgrazing, loss of agriculturally productive soils, or climate change. Dredging - the practice of deepening an existing waterway; also, a technique used for collecting bottom-dwelling marine organisms (e.g., shellfish) or harvesting coral, often causing significant destruction of reef and ocean-floor ecosystems. Drift-net fishing - done with a net, miles in extent, that is generally anchored to a boat and left to float with the tide; often results in an over harvesting and waste of large populations of non-commercial marine species (by-catch) by its effect of "sweeping the ocean clean." Ecosystems - ecological units comprised of complex communities of organisms and their specific environments. Effluents - waste materials, such as smoke, sewage, or industrial waste which are released into the environment, subsequently polluting it. Endangered species - a species that is threatened with extinction either by direct hunting or habitat destruction. Freshwater - water with very low soluble mineral content; sources include lakes, streams, rivers, glaciers, and underground aquifers. Greenhouse gas - a gas that "traps" infrared radiation in the lower atmosphere causing surface warming; water vapor, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, methane, hydrofluorocarbons, and ozone are the primary greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere. Groundwater - water sources found below the surface of the earth often in naturally occurring reservoirs in permeable rock strata; the source for wells and natural springs. Highlands Water Project - a series of dams constructed jointly by Lesotho and South Africa to redirect Lesotho's abundant water supply into a rapidly growing area in South Africa; while it is the largest infrastructure project in southern Africa, it is also the most costly and controversial; objections to the project include claims that it forces people from their homes, submerges farmlands, and squanders economic resources. Inuit Circumpolar Conference (ICC) - represents the 145,000 Inuits of Russia, Alaska, Canada, and Greenland in international environmental issues; a General Assembly convenes every three years to determine the focus of the ICC; the most current concerns are long-range transport of pollutants, sustainable development, and climate change. Metallurgical plants - industries which specialize in the science, technology, and processing of metals; these plants produce highly concentrated and toxic wastes which can contribute to pollution of ground water and air when not properly disposed. Noxious substances - injurious, very harmful to living beings. Overgrazing - the grazing of animals on plant material faster than it can naturally regrow leading to the permanent loss of plant cover, a common effect of too many animals grazing limited range land. Ozone shield - a layer of the atmosphere composed of ozone gas (O3) that resides approximately 25 miles above the Earth's surface and absorbs solar ultraviolet radiation that can be harmful to living organisms. Poaching - the illegal killing of animals or fish, a great concern with respect to endangered or threatened species. Pollution - the contamination of a healthy environment by man-made waste. Potable water - water that is drinkable, safe to be consumed. Salination - the process through which fresh (drinkable) water becomes salt (undrinkable) water; hence, desalination is the reverse process; also involves the accumulation of salts in topsoil caused by evaporation of excessive irrigation water, a process that can eventually render soil incapable of supporting crops. Siltation - occurs when water channels and reservoirs become clotted with silt and mud, a side effect of deforestation and soil erosion. Slash-and-burn agriculture - a rotating cultivation technique in which trees are cut down and burned in order to clear land for temporary agriculture; the land is used until its productivity declines at which point a new plot is selected and the process repeats; this practice is sustainable while population levels are low and time is permitted for regrowth of natural vegetation; conversely, where these conditions do not exist, the practice can have disastrous consequences for the environment. Soil degradation - damage to the land's productive capacity because of poor agricultural practices such as the excessive use of pesticides or fertilizers, soil compaction from heavy equipment, or erosion of topsoil, eventually resulting in reduced ability to produce agricultural products. Soil erosion - the removal of soil by the action of water or wind, compounded by poor agricultural practices, deforestation, overgrazing, and desertification. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation - a portion of the electromagnetic energy emitted by the sun and naturally filtered in the upper atmosphere by the ozone layer; UV radiation can be harmful to living organisms and has been linked to increasing rates of skin cancer in humans. Waterborne diseases - those in which bacteria survive in, and are transmitted through, water; always a serious threat in areas with an untreated water supply.

Rank country Environment - current issues Date of Information

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Rank code: 2033

Country Comparison :: Environment - international agreements

This entry separates country participation in international environmental agreements into two levels - party to and signed, but not ratified. Agreements are listed in alphabetical order by the abbreviated form of the full name.

Rank country Environment - international agreementsDate of Information

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Rank code: 2034

Country Comparison :: Military expenditures

This entry gives spending on defense programs for the most recent year available as a percent of gross domestic product (GDP); the GDP is calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in terms of purchasing power parity (PPP).

Rank country (% of GDP) Date of Information

1 Oman 11.40 2005 est. 2 Qatar 10.00 2005 est. 3 Saudi Arabia 10.00 2005 est. 4 Iraq 8.60 2006 5 Jordan 8.60 2006 6 Israel 7.30 2006 7 Yemen 6.60 2006 8 Armenia 6.50 FY01 9 Eritrea 6.30 2006 est. 10 Macedonia 6.00 2005 est. 11 Burundi 5.90 2006 est. 12 Syria 5.90 2005 est. 13 Angola 5.70 2006 14 Mauritania 5.50 2006 15 Maldives 5.50 2005 est. 16 Kuwait 5.30 2006 17 Turkey 5.30 2005 est. 18 El Salvador 5.00 2006 19 Morocco 5.00 2003 est. 20 Singapore 4.90 2005 est. 21 Swaziland 4.70 2006 22 Bahrain 4.50 2006 23 Bosnia and Herzegovina 4.50 2005 est. 24 Brunei 4.50 2006 25 China 4.30 2006 26 Greece 4.30 2005 est. 27 Chad 4.20 2006 28 United States 4.06 2005 est. 29 Libya 3.90 2005 est. 30 Russia 3.90 2005 31 Tajikistan 3.90 2005 est. 32 Cuba 3.80 2006 est. 33 Djibouti 3.80 2006 34 Cyprus 3.80 2005 est. 35 Zimbabwe 3.80 2006 36 Namibia 3.70 2006 37 Colombia 3.40 2005 est. 38 Gabon 3.40 2005 est. 39 Egypt 3.40 2005 est. 40 Turkmenistan 3.40 2005 est. 41 Algeria 3.30 2006 42 Botswana 3.30 2006 43 United Arab Emirates 3.10 2005 est. 44 Guinea-Bissau 3.10 2005 est. 45 Lebanon 3.10 2005 est. 46 Congo, Republic of the 3.10 2006 47 Solomon Islands 3.00 2006 48 Cambodia 3.00 2005 est. 49 Ethiopia 3.00 2006 50 Indonesia 3.00 2005 est. 51 Sudan 3.00 2005 est. 52 Pakistan 3.00 2007 est. 53 Rwanda 2.90 2006 est. 54 Comoros 2.80 2006 55 Ecuador 2.80 2006 56 Kenya 2.80 2006 57 Chile 2.70 2006 58 Korea, South 2.70 2006 59 Azerbaijan 2.60 2005 est. 60 Lesotho 2.60 2006 61 France 2.60 2005 est. 62 Brazil 2.60 2006 est. 63 Sri Lanka 2.60 2006 64 Bulgaria 2.60 2005 est. 65 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 2.50 2006 66 India 2.50 2006 67 Iran 2.50 2006 68 Vietnam 2.50 2005 est. 69 Australia 2.40 2006 70 United Kingdom 2.40 2005 est. 71 Croatia 2.39 2005 est. 72 Portugal 2.30 2005 est. 73 Sierra Leone 2.30 2006 74 Fiji 2.20 2005 est. 75 Taiwan 2.20 NA 76 Uganda 2.20 2006 77 Burma 2.10 2005 est. 78 Malaysia 2.03 2005 est. 79 Estonia 2.00 2005 est. 80 World 2.00 2005 est. 81 Uzbekistan 2.00 2005 est. 82 Seychelles 2.00 2006 est. 83 Finland 2.00 2005 est. 84 Afghanistan 1.90 2006 est. 85 Romania 1.90 2007 est. 86 Norway 1.90 2005 est. 87 Mali 1.90 2006 88 Bolivia 1.90 2006 89 Slovakia 1.87 2005 est. 90 Guyana 1.80 2006 91 Thailand 1.80 2005 est. 92 Zambia 1.80 2005 est. 93 Italy 1.80 2005 est. 94 Hungary 1.75 2005 est. 95 Poland 1.71 2005 est. 96 Benin 1.70 2006 97 Guinea 1.70 2006 98 South Africa 1.70 2006 99 Slovenia 1.70 2005 est. 100 Cote d'Ivoire 1.60 2005 est. 101 Netherlands 1.60 2005 est. 102 Togo 1.60 2005 est. 103 Uruguay 1.60 2006 104 Nepal 1.60 2006 105 Bangladesh 1.50 2006 106 Sweden 1.50 2005 est. 107 Peru 1.50 2006 108 Nigeria 1.50 2006 109 Germany 1.50 2005 est. 110 Albania 1.49 2005 est. 111 Czech Republic 1.46 2007 est. 112 Belize 1.40 2006 113 Ukraine 1.40 2005 est. 114 Tunisia 1.40 2006 115 Senegal 1.40 2005 est. 116 Mongolia 1.40 2006 117 Belarus 1.40 2005 est. 118 Papua New Guinea 1.40 2005 est. 119 Kyrgyzstan 1.40 2005 est. 120 Argentina 1.30 2005 est. 121 Cameroon 1.30 2006 122 Niger 1.30 2006 123 Malawi 1.30 2006 124 Liberia 1.30 2006 est. 125 Denmark 1.30 2007 est. 126 Belgium 1.30 2005 est. 127 Latvia 1.20 2005 est. 128 Spain 1.20 2005 est. 129 Burkina Faso 1.20 2006 130 Venezuela 1.20 2005 est. 131 Lithuania 1.20 2007 est. 132 Canada 1.10 2005 est. 133 Central African Republic 1.10 2006 est. 134 Bhutan 1.00 2005 est. 135 New Zealand 1.00 2005 est. 136 Madagascar 1.00 2006 137 Paraguay 1.00 2006 est. 138 Panama 1.00 2006 139 Switzerland 1.00 2005 est. 140 Austria 0.90 2005 est. 141 Luxembourg 0.90 2005 est. 142 Philippines 0.90 2005 est. 143 Somalia 0.90 2005 est. 144 Tonga 0.90 2006 est. 145 Kazakhstan 0.90 FY02 146 Ireland 0.90 2005 est. 147 Dominican Republic 0.80 2006 148 Sao Tome and Principe 0.80 2006 149 Mozambique 0.80 2006 150 Japan 0.80 2006 151 Ghana 0.80 2006 est. 152 Cape Verde 0.70 2005 153 Malta 0.70 2006 est. 154 Honduras 0.60 2006 est. 155 Jamaica 0.60 2006 est. 156 Suriname 0.60 2006 est. 157 Nicaragua 0.60 2006 158 Georgia 0.59 2005 est. 159 Barbados 0.50 2006 est. 160 Bahamas, The 0.50 2006 161 Mexico 0.50 2006 est. 162 Laos 0.50 2006 163 Gambia, The 0.50 2006 164 Costa Rica 0.40 2006 165 Guatemala 0.40 2006 166 Moldova 0.40 2005 est. 167 Haiti 0.40 2006 168 Mauritius 0.30 2006 est. 169 Trinidad and Tobago 0.30 2006 170 Tanzania 0.20 2005 est. 171 Bermuda 0.11 2005 est. 172 Equatorial Guinea 0.10 2006 est. 173 Iceland 0.00 2005 est.

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Rank code: 2038

Country Comparison :: Electricity - production

This entry is the annual electricity generated expressed in kilowatt-hours. The discrepancy between the amount of electricity generated and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is accounted for as loss in transmission and distribution.

Rank country (kWh) Date of Information

1 United States 4,110,000,000,000 2008 est. 2 European Union 3,044,000,000,000 2007 est. 3 China 3,041,000,000,000 2007 est. 4 Japan 1,058,000,000,000 2007 est. 5 Russia 958,000,000,000 2007 est. 6 India 761,700,000,000 2007 est. 7 Canada 620,700,000,000 2007 est. 8 Germany 593,400,000,000 2007 est. 9 France 535,700,000,000 2007 est. 10 Korea, South 440,000,000,000 2008 est. 11 Brazil 438,800,000,000 2007 est. 12 United Kingdom 368,600,000,000 2007 est. 13 Italy 289,700,000,000 2007 est. 14 Spain 283,200,000,000 2007 est. 15 Mexico 245,000,000,000 2008 est. 16 South Africa 240,300,000,000 2007 est. 17 Australia 239,900,000,000 2007 est. 18 Taiwan 225,000,000,000 2007 est. 19 Iran 192,600,000,000 2007 est. 20 Ukraine 185,200,000,000 2007 est. 21 Turkey 181,900,000,000 2007 est. 22 Saudi Arabia 179,100,000,000 2007 est. 23 Poland 149,100,000,000 2007 est. 24 Sweden 144,000,000,000 2007 est. 25 Norway 142,700,000,000 2008 est. 26 Thailand 135,200,000,000 2007 est. 27 Indonesia 134,400,000,000 2007 est. 28 Egypt 118,400,000,000 2007 est. 29 Venezuela 113,300,000,000 2007 est. 30 Argentina 109,500,000,000 2007 est. 31 Malaysia 103,200,000,000 2007 est. 32 Netherlands 97,190,000,000 2007 est. 33 Pakistan 90,800,000,000 2007 est. 34 Czech Republic 82,720,000,000 2007 est. 35 Belgium 82,170,000,000 2007 est. 36 Finland 77,240,000,000 2007 est. 37 Kazakhstan 72,410,000,000 2007 est. 38 United Arab Emirates 71,540,000,000 2007 est. 39 Vietnam 66,810,000,000 2007 est. 40 Switzerland 63,930,000,000 2007 est. 41 Chile 60,600,000,000 2007 est. 42 Greece 58,790,000,000 2007 est. 43 Austria 58,640,000,000 2007 est. 44 Romania 58,280,000,000 2007 est. 45 Philippines 56,570,000,000 2007 est. 46 Paraguay 53,190,000,000 2007 est. 47 Colombia 50,580,000,000 2007 est. 48 Israel 50,410,000,000 2007 est. 49 Uzbekistan 46,330,000,000 2007 est. 50 Kuwait 45,830,000,000 2007 est. 51 Portugal 44,470,000,000 2007 est. 52 New Zealand 42,400,000,000 2007 est. 53 Bulgaria 40,250,000,000 2007 est. 54 Singapore 38,670,000,000 2007 est. 55 Hong Kong 38,400,000,000 2008 est. 56 Hungary 37,740,000,000 2007 est. 57 Denmark 36,920,000,000 2007 est. 58 Iraq 36,920,000,000 2008 est. 59 Syria 36,500,000,000 2007 est. 60 Algeria 34,980,000,000 2007 est. 61 Serbia 33,870,000,000 2004 62 Peru 30,570,000,000 2008 est. 63 Belarus 29,920,000,000 2007 est. 64 Slovakia 26,530,000,000 2007 est. 65 Ireland 26,060,000,000 2007 est. 66 Libya 23,980,000,000 2007 est. 67 Puerto Rico 23,720,000,000 2007 est. 68 Bangladesh 22,990,000,000 2007 est. 69 Nigeria 21,920,000,000 2007 est. 70 Morocco 21,560,000,000 2007 est. 71 Korea, North 20,900,000,000 2007 est. 72 Azerbaijan 19,350,000,000 2007 est. 73 Tajikistan 17,300,000,000 2007 est. 74 Cuba 16,890,000,000 2007 est. 75 Ecuador 16,750,000,000 2007 est. 76 Kyrgyzstan 15,960,000,000 2007 est. 77 Mozambique 15,910,000,000 2007 est. 78 Qatar 15,110,000,000 2007 est. 79 Slovenia 14,140,000,000 2007 est. 80 Dominican Republic 14,020,000,000 2007 est. 81 Turkmenistan 13,990,000,000 2007 est. 82 Tunisia 13,790,000,000 2007 est. 83 Oman 13,580,000,000 2007 est. 84 Jordan 12,210,000,000 2007 est. 85 Lithuania 12,090,000,000 2007 est. 86 Iceland 11,710,000,000 2007 est. 87 Croatia 11,470,000,000 2007 est. 88 Estonia 11,460,000,000 2007 est. 89 Bosnia and Herzegovina 11,320,000,000 2007 est. 90 Bahrain 10,250,000,000 2007 est. 91 Zambia 9,752,000,000 2007 est. 92 Sri Lanka 9,507,000,000 2007 est. 93 Uruguay 9,265,000,000 2007 est. 94 Lebanon 9,030,000,000 2007 est. 95 Zimbabwe 8,890,000,000 2007 est. 96 Costa Rica 8,808,000,000 2007 est. 97 Guatemala 8,425,000,000 2007 est. 98 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 8,217,000,000 2007 est. 99 Georgia 8,170,000,000 2007 est. 100 Jamaica 7,324,000,000 2007 est. 101 Trinidad and Tobago 7,202,000,000 2007 est. 102 Ghana 6,746,000,000 2007 est. 103 Macedonia 6,376,000,000 2007 est. 104 Panama 6,322,000,000 2007 est. 105 Burma 6,286,000,000 2007 est. 106 Honduras 6,050,000,000 2007 est. 107 Yemen 5,665,000,000 2007 est. 108 Cameroon 5,601,000,000 2007 est. 109 Armenia 5,584,000,000 2007 est. 110 El Salvador 5,559,000,000 2007 est. 111 Bolivia 5,495,000,000 2007 est. 112 Cote d'Ivoire 5,275,000,000 2007 est. 113 Kenya 5,223,000,000 2008 est. 114 Latvia 4,620,000,000 2007 est. 115 Cyprus 4,502,000,000 2007 est. 116 Bhutan 4,475,000,000 2007 est. 117 Sudan 4,341,000,000 2007 est. 118 Mongolia 3,979,000,000 2008 119 Tanzania 3,786,000,000 2007 est. 120 Angola 3,722,000,000 2007 est. 121 Moldova 3,617,000,000 2007 est. 122 Ethiopia 3,460,000,000 2007 est. 123 Nicaragua 3,286,000,000 2007 est. 124 Brunei 3,091,000,000 2007 est. 125 Laos 3,075,000,000 2007 est. 126 Albania 2,888,000,000 2007 est. 127 Papua New Guinea 2,885,000,000 2007 est. 128 Montenegro 2,864,000,000 2005 est. 129 Nepal 2,781,000,000 2007 est. 130 Luxembourg 2,696,000,000 2007 est. 131 Mauritius 2,321,000,000 2007 est. 132 Uganda 2,256,000,000 2007 est. 133 Malta 2,146,000,000 2007 est. 134 Bahamas, The 2,045,000,000 2007 est. 135 Senegal 1,880,000,000 2007 est. 136 New Caledonia 1,825,000,000 2007 est. 137 Gabon 1,774,000,000 2007 est. 138 Malawi 1,690,000,000 2007 est. 139 Namibia 1,650,000,000 2007 est. 140 Suriname 1,605,000,000 2007 est. 141 Cambodia 1,273,000,000 2007 est. 142 Netherlands Antilles 1,220,000,000 2007 est. 143 Macau 1,106,000,000 2008 est. 144 Botswana 1,052,000,000 2007 est. 145 Madagascar 1,045,000,000 2007 est. 146 Barbados 1,003,000,000 2007 est. 147 Fiji 928,000,000 2007 est. 148 Aruba 850,000,000 2007 est. 149 Guinea 850,000,000 2007 est. 150 Afghanistan 839,000,000 2007 est. 151 Kosovo 832,000,000 2006 152 Guyana 821,000,000 2007 est. 153 Virgin Islands 776,400,000 2007 est. 154 Bermuda 675,600,000 2007 est. 155 French Polynesia 650,000,000 2007 est. 156 Burkina Faso 611,600,000 2007 est. 157 Cayman Islands 546,000,000 2007 est. 158 Mali 515,000,000 2007 est. 159 Lesotho 502,000,000 2007 est. 160 West Bank 500,000,000 NA 161 Haiti 448,000,000 2007 est. 162 Swaziland 441,000,000 2007 est. 163 Mauritania 415,300,000 2007 est. 164 Congo, Republic of the 400,000,000 2007 est. 165 Liberia 350,000,000 2007 est. 166 Greenland 325,000,000 2007 est. 167 Saint Lucia 325,000,000 2007 est. 168 Djibouti 280,000,000 2007 est. 169 Somalia 280,000,000 2007 est. 170 Eritrea 271,000,000 2007 est. 171 Cape Verde 250,000,000 2007 est. 172 Seychelles 250,000,000 2007 est. 173 Faroe Islands 243,700,000 2007 est. 174 Togo 230,000,000 2007 est. 175 Belize 213,500,000 2007 est. 176 Maldives 205,000,000 2007 est. 177 Micronesia, Federated States of 192,000,000 2002 178 American Samoa 185,000,000 2007 est. 179 Grenada 178,700,000 2007 est. 180 Gambia, The 160,000,000 2007 est. 181 Niger 150,000,000 2007 est. 182 Gibraltar 146,000,000 2007 est. 183 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 133,800,000 2007 est. 184 Saint Kitts and Nevis 130,000,000 2007 est. 185 Benin 124,000,000 2007 est. 186 Rwanda 120,000,000 2007 est. 187 Central African Republic 115,000,000 2007 est. 188 Antigua and Barbuda 110,000,000 2007 est. 189 Samoa 109,000,000 2007 est. 190 Chad 100,000,000 2007 est. 191 Burundi 92,000,000 2007 est. 192 Western Sahara 90,000,000 2007 est. 193 Dominica 85,000,000 2007 est. 194 Sierra Leone 80,000,000 2007 est. 195 Solomon Islands 71,000,000 2007 est. 196 Guinea-Bissau 65,000,000 2007 est. 197 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 53,000,000 2007 est. 198 British Virgin Islands 45,000,000 2007 est. 199 Tonga 43,000,000 2007 est. 200 Vanuatu 42,000,000 2007 est. 201 Cook Islands 31,000,000 2007 est. 202 Nauru 31,000,000 2007 est. 203 Equatorial Guinea 28,000,000 2007 est. 204 Comoros 22,000,000 2007 est. 205 Montserrat 22,000,000 2007 est. 206 Sao Tome and Principe 19,000,000 2007 est. 207 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 16,000,000 2007 est. 208 Kiribati 14,000,000 2007 est. 209 Turks and Caicos Islands 12,000,000 2007 est. 210 Saint Helena 8,000,000 2007 est. 211 Niue 3,000,000 2007 est. 212 Gaza Strip 140,000 2005 213 Northern Mariana Islands 60,600 January 2009

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Rank code: 2042

Country Comparison :: Electricity - consumption

This entry consists of total electricity generated annually plus imports and minus exports, expressed in kilowatt-hours. The discrepancy between the amount of electricity generated and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is accounted for as loss in transmission and distribution.

Rank country (kWh) Date of Information

1 United States 3,873,000,000,000 2008 est. 2 European Union 2,884,000,000,000 2007 est. 3 China 2,835,000,000,000 2007 est. 4 Japan 1,007,000,000,000 2007 est. 5 Russia 840,400,000,000 2007 est. 6 India 568,000,000,000 2007 est. 7 Germany 547,300,000,000 2007 est. 8 Canada 536,100,000,000 2007 est. 9 France 447,200,000,000 2007 est. 10 Brazil 404,300,000,000 2007 est. 11 Korea, South 385,100,000,000 2008 est. 12 United Kingdom 345,800,000,000 2007 est. 13 Italy 315,000,000,000 2007 est. 14 Spain 276,100,000,000 2008 est. 15 Taiwan 233,000,000,000 2008 est. 16 Australia 222,000,000,000 2007 est. 17 South Africa 215,100,000,000 2007 est. 18 Mexico 200,900,000,000 2007 est. 19 Saudi Arabia 165,100,000,000 2007 est. 20 Iran 153,800,000,000 2007 est. 21 Turkey 153,700,000,000 2007 est. 22 Ukraine 153,100,000,000 2007 est. 23 Sweden 134,500,000,000 2007 est. 24 Thailand 129,500,000,000 2007 est. 25 Poland 129,300,000,000 2007 est. 26 Norway 128,800,000,000 2008 est. 27 Indonesia 119,300,000,000 2007 est. 28 Netherlands 110,200,000,000 2007 est. 29 Egypt 104,100,000,000 2007 est. 30 Malaysia 99,250,000,000 2007 est. 31 Argentina 99,210,000,000 2007 est. 32 Finland 86,900,000,000 2008 33 Belgium 84,880,000,000 2007 est. 34 Venezuela 83,020,000,000 2007 est. 35 Pakistan 72,200,000,000 2007 est. 36 United Arab Emirates 65,980,000,000 2007 est. 37 Kazakhstan 64,690,000,000 2007 est. 38 Austria 61,890,000,000 2007 est. 39 Czech Republic 61,650,000,000 2007 est. 40 Vietnam 59,300,000,000 2007 est. 41 Greece 58,280,000,000 2007 est. 42 Switzerland 57,620,000,000 2007 est. 43 Chile 57,290,000,000 2007 est. 44 Romania 49,440,000,000 2007 est. 45 Philippines 48,960,000,000 2007 est. 46 Portugal 48,780,000,000 2007 est. 47 Israel 46,150,000,000 2007 est. 48 Hong Kong 44,600,000,000 2008 est. 49 Uzbekistan 41,940,000,000 2007 est. 50 Kuwait 40,210,000,000 2007 est. 51 Iraq 39,880,000,000 2008 est. 52 New Zealand 39,240,000,000 2007 est. 53 Colombia 38,590,000,000 2007 est. 54 Hungary 37,770,000,000 2007 est. 55 Singapore 36,600,000,000 2007 est. 56 Denmark 35,790,000,000 2007 est. 57 Bulgaria 31,080,000,000 2007 est. 58 Belarus 30,540,000,000 2007 est. 59 Peru 28,970,000,000 2008 est. 60 Algeria 28,340,000,000 2007 est. 61 Syria 27,350,000,000 2007 est. 62 Slovakia 26,810,000,000 2007 est. 63 Ireland 25,120,000,000 2007 est. 64 Libya 22,170,000,000 2007 est. 65 Puerto Rico 22,060,000,000 2007 est. 66 Bangladesh 21,380,000,000 2007 est. 67 Morocco 20,780,000,000 2007 est. 68 Nigeria 19,210,000,000 2007 est. 69 Tajikistan 17,800,000,000 2008 70 Korea, North 17,490,000,000 2007 est. 71 Azerbaijan 15,680,000,000 2007 est. 72 Croatia 15,420,000,000 2007 est. 73 Cuba 13,930,000,000 2007 est. 74 Qatar 13,730,000,000 2007 est. 75 Slovenia 13,500,000,000 2007 est. 76 Dominican Republic 12,700,000,000 2007 est. 77 Tunisia 11,900,000,000 2007 est. 78 Oman 11,360,000,000 2007 est. 79 Iceland 11,220,000,000 2007 est. 80 Zimbabwe 10,890,000,000 2007 est. 81 Turkmenistan 10,450,000,000 2007 est. 82 Jordan 10,400,000,000 2007 est. 83 Mozambique 10,160,000,000 2007 est. 84 Bahrain 10,100,000,000 2007 est. 85 Ecuador 9,888,000,000 2007 est. 86 Lithuania 9,612,000,000 2007 est. 87 Kyrgyzstan 9,000,000,000 2007 est. 88 Zambia 8,838,000,000 2007 est. 89 Bosnia and Herzegovina 8,488,000,000 2007 est. 90 Lebanon 8,420,000,000 2007 est. 91 Costa Rica 8,064,000,000 2007 est. 92 Sri Lanka 7,946,000,000 2007 est. 93 Estonia 7,686,000,000 2007 est. 94 Macedonia 7,358,000,000 2007 est. 95 Uruguay 7,140,000,000 2007 est. 96 Guatemala 7,115,000,000 2007 est. 97 Trinidad and Tobago 7,034,000,000 2007 est. 98 Georgia 6,902,000,000 2007 est. 99 Latvia 6,822,000,000 2007 est. 100 Luxembourg 6,525,000,000 2007 est. 101 Jamaica 6,345,000,000 2007 est. 102 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 5,997,000,000 2007 est. 103 Ghana 5,702,000,000 2007 est. 104 Paraguay 5,337,000,000 2007 est. 105 Panama 5,170,000,000 2007 est. 106 Kenya 4,863,000,000 2008 est. 107 Cameroon 4,801,000,000 2007 est. 108 Armenia 4,776,000,000 2007 est. 109 Honduras 4,696,000,000 2007 est. 110 El Salvador 4,676,000,000 2007 est. 111 Bolivia 4,665,000,000 2007 est. 112 Burma 4,403,000,000 2007 est. 113 Moldova 4,370,000,000 2007 est. 114 Kosovo 4,281,000,000 2006 115 Cyprus 4,277,000,000 2007 est. 116 Yemen 4,133,000,000 2007 est. 117 Albania 3,603,000,000 2007 est. 118 Mongolia 3,491,000,000 2008 119 Sudan 3,438,000,000 2007 est. 120 Macau 3,311,000,000 2008 est. 121 West Bank 3,265,000,000 NA 122 Cote d'Ivoire 3,231,000,000 2007 est. 123 Tanzania 3,182,000,000 2007 est. 124 Namibia 3,175,000,000 2007 est. 125 Angola 3,173,000,000 2007 est. 126 Ethiopia 3,130,000,000 2007 est. 127 Laos 3,068,000,000 2007 est. 128 Brunei 2,926,000,000 2007 est. 129 Papua New Guinea 2,683,000,000 2007 est. 130 Botswana 2,648,000,000 2007 est. 131 Nicaragua 2,569,000,000 2007 est. 132 Nepal 2,243,000,000 2007 est. 133 Mauritius 2,158,000,000 2007 est. 134 Uganda 2,068,000,000 2007 est. 135 Bahamas, The 1,902,000,000 2007 est. 136 Malta 1,832,000,000 2007 est. 137 New Caledonia 1,697,000,000 2007 est. 138 Malawi 1,572,000,000 2007 est. 139 Suriname 1,467,000,000 2007 est. 140 Gabon 1,446,000,000 2007 est. 141 Senegal 1,384,000,000 2007 est. 142 Cambodia 1,272,000,000 2007 est. 143 Swaziland 1,266,000,000 2007 est. 144 Netherlands Antilles 1,013,000,000 2007 est. 145 Afghanistan 1,010,000,000 2007 est. 146 Madagascar 971,400,000 2007 est. 147 Barbados 939,900,000 2007 est. 148 Fiji 863,000,000 2007 est. 149 Aruba 790,500,000 2007 est. 150 Guinea 790,500,000 2007 est. 151 Virgin Islands 722,000,000 2007 est. 152 Guyana 667,000,000 2007 est. 153 Togo 640,000,000 2007 est. 154 Jersey 630,100,000 2004 est. 155 Bermuda 628,300,000 2007 est. 156 French Polynesia 604,500,000 2007 est. 157 Benin 597,000,000 2007 est. 158 Niger 589,500,000 2007 est. 159 Burkina Faso 568,800,000 2007 est. 160 Bhutan 528,800,000 2007 est. 161 Lesotho 516,900,000 2007 est. 162 Cayman Islands 507,800,000 2007 est. 163 Mali 479,000,000 2007 est. 164 Congo, Republic of the 471,000,000 2007 est. 165 Mauritania 386,200,000 2007 est. 166 Liberia 325,500,000 2007 est. 167 Greenland 302,300,000 2007 est. 168 Saint Lucia 302,200,000 2007 est. 169 Haiti 273,000,000 2007 est. 170 Djibouti 260,400,000 2007 est. 171 Somalia 260,400,000 2007 est. 172 Cape Verde 232,500,000 2007 est. 173 Seychelles 232,500,000 2007 est. 174 Rwanda 231,600,000 2007 est. 175 Eritrea 228,000,000 2007 est. 176 Faroe Islands 226,600,000 2007 est. 177 Belize 198,500,000 2007 est. 178 Maldives 190,700,000 2007 est. 179 Micronesia, Federated States of 178,600,000 2002 180 American Samoa 172,100,000 2007 est. 181 Grenada 155,700,000 2007 est. 182 Gambia, The 148,800,000 2007 est. 183 Gibraltar 146,000,000 2007 est. 184 Mayotte 139,200,000 2005 185 Burundi 125,600,000 2007 est. 186 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 124,400,000 2007 est. 187 Saint Kitts and Nevis 120,900,000 2007 est. 188 Central African Republic 107,000,000 2007 est. 189 Antigua and Barbuda 102,300,000 2007 est. 190 Samoa 101,400,000 2007 est. 191 Chad 93,000,000 2007 est. 192 Western Sahara 83,700,000 2007 est. 193 Dominica 79,050,000 2007 est. 194 Sierra Leone 74,400,000 2007 est. 195 Solomon Islands 66,030,000 2007 est. 196 Guinea-Bissau 60,450,000 2007 est. 197 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 49,290,000 2007 est. 198 British Virgin Islands 41,850,000 2007 est. 199 Tonga 39,990,000 2007 est. 200 Vanuatu 39,060,000 2007 est. 201 Cook Islands 28,830,000 2007 est. 202 Nauru 28,830,000 2007 est. 203 Equatorial Guinea 26,040,000 2007 est. 204 Comoros 20,460,000 2007 est. 205 Montserrat 20,460,000 2007 est. 206 Montenegro 18,600,000 2005 207 Sao Tome and Principe 17,670,000 2007 est. 208 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 14,880,000 2007 est. 209 Kiribati 13,020,000 2007 est. 210 Turks and Caicos Islands 11,160,000 2007 est. 211 Saint Helena 7,440,000 2007 est. 212 Niue 2,790,000 2007 est. 213 Gaza Strip 230,000 2005 214 Northern Mariana Islands 48,300 January 2009

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Rank code: 2043

Country Comparison :: Electricity - imports

This entry is the total imported electricity in kilowatt-hours.

Rank country (kWh) Date of Information

1 United States 57,020,000,000.00 2008 est. 2 Italy 43,000,000,000.00 2008 est. 3 Brazil 42,060,000,000.00 2008 est. 4 Germany 41,670,000,000.00 2008 est. 5 Switzerland 31,600,000,000.00 2008 est. 6 Netherlands 25,010,000,000.00 2008 est. 7 Canada 23,500,000,000.00 2008 est. 8 Austria 19,800,000,000.00 2008 est. 9 Belgium 17,160,000,000.00 2008 est. 10 Finland 16,110,000,000.00 2008 est. 11 Denmark 12,820,000,000.00 2008 est. 12 Hungary 12,770,000,000.00 2008 est. 13 Sweden 12,750,000,000.00 2008 est. 14 United Kingdom 12,290,000,000.00 2008 est. 15 Uzbekistan 11,360,000,000.00 2007 est. 16 Serbia 11,230,000,000.00 2004 17 Hong Kong 11,000,000,000.00 2008 est. 18 Portugal 10,740,000,000.00 2008 est. 19 France 10,680,000,000.00 2008 est. 20 South Africa 10,570,000,000.00 2008 est. 21 Argentina 10,280,000,000.00 2007 est. 22 Slovakia 9,412,000,000.00 2008 est. 23 Belarus 9,406,000,000.00 2007 est. 24 Czech Republic 8,520,000,000.00 2008 est. 25 Poland 8,480,000,000.00 2008 est. 26 Mozambique 8,278,000,000.00 2007 est. 27 Croatia 8,249,000,000.00 2008 est. 28 Greece 7,575,000,000.00 2008 est. 29 Luxembourg 6,830,000,000.00 2008 est. 30 Slovenia 6,218,000,000.00 2008 est. 31 Spain 5,880,000,000.00 2008 est. 32 Lithuania 5,649,000,000.00 2008 est. 33 India 4,960,000,000.00 2007 est. 34 Latvia 4,643,000,000.00 2008 est. 35 Tajikistan 4,361,000,000.00 2007 est. 36 China 3,842,000,000.00 2008 est. 37 Bosnia and Herzegovina 3,743,000,000.00 2007 est. 38 Morocco 3,455,000,000.00 2007 est. 39 Norway 3,414,000,000.00 2008 est. 40 Ukraine 3,383,000,000.00 2007 est. 41 Kazakhstan 3,270,000,000.00 2007 est. 42 Russia 3,105,000,000.00 2008 est. 43 Bulgaria 3,097,000,000.00 2008 est. 44 Iraq 2,950,000,000.00 2008 est. 45 Moldova 2,931,000,000.00 2007 est. 46 West Bank 2,800,000,000.00 NA 47 Thailand 2,784,000,000.00 2008 est. 48 Zimbabwe 2,691,000,000.00 2007 est. 49 Macedonia 2,491,000,000.00 2007 est. 50 Albania 2,475,000,000.00 2008 est. 51 Macau 2,215,000,000.00 2008 est. 52 Botswana 2,181,000,000.00 2008 est. 53 Namibia 2,045,000,000.00 2007 est. 54 Iran 1,842,000,000.00 2007 est. 55 Venezuela 1,651,000,000.00 2007 est. 56 Chile 1,628,000,000.00 2007 est. 57 Syria 1,400,000,000.00 2007 58 Estonia 1,369,000,000.00 2008 est. 59 Lebanon 972,000,000.00 2007 est. 60 Romania 921,000,000.00 2008 est. 61 Ecuador 861,000,000.00 2007 est. 62 Turkey 790,000,000.00 2008 est. 63 Uruguay 789,000,000.00 2007 est. 64 Swaziland 770,000,000.00 2008 est. 65 Ireland 753,000,000.00 2008 est. 66 Benin 588,000,000.00 2007 est. 67 Mexico 584,000,000.00 2008 est. 68 Azerbaijan 548,000,000.00 2007 est. 69 Togo 514,000,000.00 2007 est. 70 Laos 475,900,000.00 2007 est. 71 Niger 450,000,000.00 2007 est. 72 Congo, Republic of the 449,000,000.00 2007 est. 73 Ghana 435,000,000.00 2007 est. 74 Georgia 430,000,000.00 2007 est. 75 Armenia 418,700,000.00 2007 est. 76 Algeria 279,000,000.00 2007 est. 77 Egypt 251,000,000.00 2007 est. 78 Belize 248,400,000.00 2005 79 Afghanistan 230,000,000.00 2007 est. 80 Zambia 222,000,000.00 2008 est. 81 Nepal 213,000,000.00 2008 est. 82 Costa Rica 203,200,000.00 2007 est. 83 Jordan 200,000,000.00 2007 est. 84 Tanzania 200,000,000.00 2007 est. 85 Mongolia 197,500,000.00 2008 86 Cambodia 167,000,000.00 2007 est. 87 Tunisia 145,000,000.00 2007 est. 88 Rwanda 130,000,000.00 2007 est. 89 Libya 77,000,000.00 2007 est. 90 Nicaragua 63,950,000.00 2007 est. 91 Lesotho 50,000,000.00 2008 est. 92 Burundi 40,000,000.00 2007 est. 93 Colombia 39,400,000.00 2007 est. 94 El Salvador 38,000,000.00 2007 est. 95 Kenya 22,500,000.00 2007 est. 96 Honduras 11,800,000.00 2007 est. 97 Bhutan 11,000,000.00 2007 est. 98 Panama 8,740,000.00 2007 est. 99 Guatemala 8,110,000.00 2007 est. 100 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 6,000,000.00 2007 est. 101 Gaza Strip 90,000.00 2005 102 Aruba 0.00 2008 est. 103 Netherlands Antilles 0.00 2008 est. 104 Suriname 0.00 2008 est. 105 Nauru 0.00 2008 est. 106 Nigeria 0.00 2008 est. 107 Vanuatu 0.00 2008 est. 108 Niue 0.00 2008 est. 109 New Caledonia 0.00 2008 est. 110 Malaysia 0.00 2008 est. 111 Oman 0.00 2008 est. 112 Yemen 0.00 2008 est. 113 Samoa 0.00 2008 est. 114 Western Sahara 0.00 2008 est. 115 Wallis and Futuna 0.00 2002 116 Virgin Islands 0.00 2008 est. 117 Vietnam 0.00 2008 est. 118 British Virgin Islands 0.00 2008 est. 119 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 0.00 2008 est. 120 Burkina Faso 0.00 2008 est. 121 Uganda 0.00 2008 est. 122 Turkmenistan 0.00 2008 est. 123 Taiwan 0.00 2008 est. 124 Timor-Leste 0.00 2007 est. 125 Sao Tome and Principe 0.00 2008 est. 126 Tonga 0.00 2008 est. 127 Turks and Caicos Islands 0.00 2008 est. 128 Trinidad and Tobago 0.00 2008 est. 129 Sudan 0.00 2008 est. 130 Saint Lucia 0.00 2008 est. 131 Somalia 0.00 2008 est. 132 Singapore 0.00 2008 est. 133 Sierra Leone 0.00 2008 est. 134 Saint Helena 0.00 2008 est. 135 Senegal 0.00 2008 est. 136 Seychelles 0.00 2008 est. 137 Saint Kitts and Nevis 0.00 2008 est. 138 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 0.00 2008 est. 139 Saudi Arabia 0.00 2008 est. 140 Puerto Rico 0.00 2008 est. 141 Philippines 0.00 2008 est. 142 Qatar 0.00 2008 est. 143 Guinea-Bissau 0.00 2008 est. 144 Papua New Guinea 0.00 2008 est. 145 Pakistan 0.00 2008 est. 146 Peru 0.00 2008 est. 147 Paraguay 0.00 2008 est. 148 New Zealand 0.00 2008 est. 149 Malta 0.00 2008 est. 150 Mauritania 0.00 2008 est. 151 Mauritius 0.00 2008 est. 152 Mali 0.00 2008 est. 153 Montenegro 0.00 2005 154 Malawi 0.00 2008 est. 155 Montserrat 0.00 2008 est. 156 French Polynesia 0.00 2008 est. 157 Maldives 0.00 2008 est. 158 Faroe Islands 0.00 2008 est. 159 Micronesia, Federated States of 0.00 2002 160 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 0.00 2008 est. 161 Fiji 0.00 2008 est. 162 Ethiopia 0.00 2008 est. 163 Eritrea 0.00 2008 est. 164 Equatorial Guinea 0.00 2008 est. 165 Cook Islands 0.00 2008 est. 166 Madagascar 0.00 2008 est. 167 Liberia 0.00 2008 est. 168 Kuwait 0.00 2008 est. 169 Korea, South 0.00 2008 est. 170 Kiribati 0.00 2008 est. 171 Korea, North 0.00 2008 est. 172 Kyrgyzstan 0.00 2008 est. 173 Jamaica 0.00 2008 est. 174 Japan 0.00 2008 est. 175 Cote d'Ivoire 0.00 2008 est. 176 Israel 0.00 2008 est. 177 Indonesia 0.00 2008 est. 178 Iceland 0.00 2008 est. 179 Haiti 0.00 2008 est. 180 Guyana 0.00 2008 est. 181 Guinea 0.00 2008 est. 182 Greenland 0.00 2008 est. 183 Guernsey 0.00 2002 184 Grenada 0.00 2008 est. 185 Gibraltar 0.00 2008 est. 186 Gabon 0.00 2008 est. 187 Gambia, The 0.00 2008 est. 188 Cape Verde 0.00 2008 est. 189 Cuba 0.00 2008 est. 190 Central African Republic 0.00 2008 est. 191 Northern Mariana Islands 0.00 January 2009 est. 192 Comoros 0.00 2008 est. 193 Cameroon 0.00 2008 est. 194 Cayman Islands 0.00 2008 est. 195 Sri Lanka 0.00 2008 est. 196 Dominican Republic 0.00 2008 est. 197 Dominica 0.00 2008 est. 198 Djibouti 0.00 2008 est. 199 Cyprus 0.00 2008 est. 200 Chad 0.00 2008 est. 201 Brunei 0.00 2008 est. 202 Solomon Islands 0.00 2008 est. 203 Burma 0.00 2008 est. 204 Bolivia 0.00 2008 est. 205 Bangladesh 0.00 2008 est. 206 Bahamas, The 0.00 2008 est. 207 Bermuda 0.00 2008 est. 208 Barbados 0.00 2008 est. 209 Antigua and Barbuda 0.00 2008 est. 210 Angola 0.00 2008 est. 211 Australia 0.00 2008 est. 212 Bahrain 0.00 2008 est. 213 American Samoa 0.00 2008 est. 214 United Arab Emirates 0.00 2008 est.

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Rank code: 2044

Country Comparison :: Electricity - exports

This entry is the total exported electricity in kilowatt-hours.

Rank country (kWh) Date of Information

1 Germany 61,700,000,000.00 2008 est. 2 France 58,690,000,000.00 2008 est. 3 Canada 55,730,000,000.00 2008 est. 4 Paraguay 45,140,000,000.00 2007 est. 5 Switzerland 32,740,000,000.00 2008 est. 6 United States 24,080,000,000.00 2008 est. 7 Czech Republic 19,990,000,000.00 2008 est. 8 Russia 18,600,000,000.00 2008 est. 9 Norway 17,290,000,000.00 2008 est. 10 Spain 16,920,000,000.00 2008 est. 11 China 16,640,000,000.00 2008 est. 12 Austria 14,930,000,000.00 2008 est. 13 Sweden 14,710,000,000.00 2008 est. 14 South Africa 14,160,000,000.00 2008 est. 15 Ukraine 12,550,000,000.00 2007 est. 16 Serbia 12,050,000,000.00 2004 est. 17 Mozambique 11,820,000,000.00 2007 est. 18 Uzbekistan 11,440,000,000.00 2007 est. 19 Denmark 11,360,000,000.00 2008 est. 20 Poland 9,703,000,000.00 2008 21 Netherlands 9,280,000,000.00 2008 est. 22 Slovakia 8,891,000,000.00 2008 est. 23 Hungary 8,871,000,000.00 2008 est. 24 Bulgaria 8,441,000,000.00 2008 est. 25 Slovenia 7,820,000,000.00 2008 est. 26 Lithuania 6,606,000,000.00 2008 est. 27 Belgium 6,561,000,000.00 2008 est. 28 Romania 5,169,000,000.00 2008 est. 29 Belarus 5,062,000,000.00 2007 est. 30 Bosnia and Herzegovina 4,344,000,000.00 2007 est. 31 Bhutan 3,644,000,000.00 2007 est. 32 Kazakhstan 3,617,000,000.00 2007 est. 33 Hong Kong 3,553,000,000.00 2008 est. 34 Italy 3,431,000,000.00 2008 est. 35 Finland 3,335,000,000.00 2008 est. 36 Argentina 2,628,000,000.00 2007 est. 37 Iran 2,520,000,000.00 2007 est. 38 Luxembourg 2,483,000,000.00 2008 est. 39 Kyrgyzstan 2,379,000,000.00 2007 est. 40 Estonia 2,310,000,000.00 2008 est. 41 Malaysia 2,268,000,000.00 2007 est. 42 Croatia 2,140,000,000.00 2008 est. 43 Latvia 2,123,000,000.00 2008 est. 44 Israel 2,081,000,000.00 2007 est. 45 Brazil 2,034,000,000.00 2007 est. 46 Greece 1,962,000,000.00 2008 est. 47 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 1,916,000,000.00 2007 est. 48 Turkmenistan 1,460,000,000.00 2007 est. 49 Portugal 1,313,000,000.00 2008 est. 50 Mexico 1,288,000,000.00 2008 est. 51 United Kingdom 1,272,000,000.00 2008 est. 52 Turkey 1,063,000,000.00 2008 est. 53 Tajikistan 1,000,000,000.00 2008 est. 54 Uruguay 996,000,000.00 2007 est. 55 Colombia 876,700,000.00 2007 est. 56 Egypt 814,000,000.00 2007 est. 57 Azerbaijan 786,000,000.00 2007 est. 58 Thailand 773,000,000.00 2008 est. 59 Cote d'Ivoire 772,000,000.00 2007 est. 60 Georgia 628,000,000.00 2007 est. 61 Venezuela 540,000,000.00 2007 est. 62 Armenia 451,300,000.00 2007 est. 63 Ireland 303,000,000.00 2008 est. 64 Algeria 273,000,000.00 2007 est. 65 Laos 268,000,000.00 2007 est. 66 Zambia 268,000,000.00 2007 67 Ghana 249,000,000.00 2007 est. 68 Moldova 240,000,000.00 2007 est. 69 India 216,000,000.00 2007 est. 70 Jordan 176,000,000.00 2007 est. 71 Nepal 140,000,000.00 2007 est. 72 Guatemala 131,900,000.00 2007 est. 73 Tunisia 130,000,000.00 2007 est. 74 Panama 124,900,000.00 2007 est. 75 Libya 104,000,000.00 2007 est. 76 Costa Rica 77,160,000.00 2008 est. 77 Kenya 58,300,000.00 2007 est. 78 Namibia 40,000,000.00 2007 est. 79 Ecuador 38,530,000.00 2007 est. 80 Zimbabwe 32,000,000.00 2007 est. 81 Uganda 30,000,000.00 2007 82 Mongolia 15,800,000.00 2008 83 Rwanda 10,000,000.00 2007 est. 84 El Salvador 7,000,000.00 2007 est. 85 Aruba 0.00 2008 est. 86 Antigua and Barbuda 0.00 2008 est. 87 Bahrain 0.00 2008 est. 88 Botswana 0.00 2008 est. 89 Cape Verde 0.00 2008 est. 90 Cuba 0.00 2008 est. 91 Central African Republic 0.00 2008 est. 92 Northern Mariana Islands 0.00 January 2009 est. 93 Comoros 0.00 2008 est. 94 Cameroon 0.00 2008 est. 95 Cayman Islands 0.00 2008 est. 96 Chile 0.00 2008 est. 97 Brunei 0.00 2008 est. 98 Liberia 0.00 2008 est. 99 Lebanon 0.00 2008 est. 100 Kuwait 0.00 2008 est. 101 Korea, South 0.00 2008 est. 102 Kiribati 0.00 2008 est. 103 Korea, North 0.00 2008 est. 104 Jamaica 0.00 2008 est. 105 Japan 0.00 2008 est. 106 Iraq 0.00 2008 est. 107 Yemen 0.00 2008 est. 108 Swaziland 0.00 2008 109 Samoa 0.00 2008 est. 110 Western Sahara 0.00 2008 est. 111 Wallis and Futuna 0.00 2002 112 Virgin Islands 0.00 2008 est. 113 Vietnam 0.00 2008 est. 114 British Virgin Islands 0.00 2008 est. 115 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 0.00 2008 est. 116 Burkina Faso 0.00 2008 est. 117 Tanzania 0.00 2008 est. 118 Taiwan 0.00 2008 est. 119 Timor-Leste 0.00 2007 est. 120 Sao Tome and Principe 0.00 2008 121 Togo 0.00 2008 est. 122 Tonga 0.00 2008 123 Turks and Caicos Islands 0.00 2008 est. 124 Trinidad and Tobago 0.00 2008 est. 125 Syria 0.00 2008 est. 126 Sudan 0.00 2008 est. 127 Saint Lucia 0.00 2008 est. 128 Somalia 0.00 2008 est. 129 Singapore 0.00 2008 est. 130 Sierra Leone 0.00 2008 est. 131 Saint Helena 0.00 2008 est. 132 Senegal 0.00 2008 est. 133 Seychelles 0.00 2008 est. 134 Saint Kitts and Nevis 0.00 2008 est. 135 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 0.00 2008 est. 136 Saudi Arabia 0.00 2008 est. 137 Puerto Rico 0.00 2008 est. 138 Philippines 0.00 2008 est. 139 Qatar 0.00 2008 est. 140 Guinea-Bissau 0.00 2008 est. 141 Papua New Guinea 0.00 2008 est. 142 Pakistan 0.00 2008 est. 143 Peru 0.00 2008 est. 144 New Zealand 0.00 2008 est. 145 Nicaragua 0.00 2008 est. 146 Netherlands Antilles 0.00 2008 est. 147 Suriname 0.00 2008 est. 148 Nauru 0.00 2008 est. 149 Nigeria 0.00 2008 est. 150 Vanuatu 0.00 2008 est. 151 Niger 0.00 2008 est. 152 Niue 0.00 2008 est. 153 New Caledonia 0.00 2008 est. 154 Maldives 0.00 2008 est. 155 Oman 0.00 2008 est. 156 Malta 0.00 2008 est. 157 Mauritania 0.00 2008 est. 158 Mauritius 0.00 2008 est. 159 Morocco 0.00 2008 est. 160 Mali 0.00 2008 est. 161 Macedonia 0.00 2008 est. 162 Montenegro 0.00 2005 163 Malawi 0.00 2008 est. 164 Montserrat 0.00 2008 est. 165 Macau 0.00 2008 est. 166 Madagascar 0.00 2008 est. 167 Lesotho 0.00 2008 est. 168 Indonesia 0.00 2008 est. 169 Iceland 0.00 2008 est. 170 Honduras 0.00 2008 est. 171 Haiti 0.00 2008 est. 172 Gaza Strip 0.00 2008 est. 173 Guyana 0.00 2008 est. 174 Guinea 0.00 2008 est. 175 Grenada 0.00 2008 est. 176 Gibraltar 0.00 2008 est. 177 Gabon 0.00 2008 est. 178 Gambia, The 0.00 2008 est. 179 French Polynesia 0.00 2008 est. 180 Faroe Islands 0.00 2008 est. 181 Micronesia, Federated States of 0.00 2002 182 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 0.00 2008 est. 183 Fiji 0.00 2008 est. 184 Greenland 0.00 2008 est. 185 Guernsey 0.00 2002 186 Ethiopia 0.00 2008 est. 187 Eritrea 0.00 2008 est. 188 Equatorial Guinea 0.00 2008 est. 189 Dominican Republic 0.00 2008 est. 190 Dominica 0.00 2008 est. 191 Djibouti 0.00 2008 est. 192 Cyprus 0.00 2008 est. 193 Cook Islands 0.00 2008 est. 194 Solomon Islands 0.00 2008 est. 195 Benin 0.00 2008 est. 196 Burma 0.00 2008 est. 197 Bolivia 0.00 2008 est. 198 Belize 0.00 2008 est. 199 Bangladesh 0.00 2008 est. 200 Bahamas, The 0.00 2008 est. 201 Bermuda 0.00 2008 est. 202 Congo, Republic of the 0.00 2008 est. 203 Sri Lanka 0.00 2008 est. 204 Chad 0.00 2008 est. 205 Cambodia 0.00 2008 est. 206 Burundi 0.00 2008 est. 207 Barbados 0.00 2008 est. 208 Australia 0.00 2008 est. 209 American Samoa 0.00 2008 est. 210 Angola 0.00 2008 est. 211 Albania 0.00 2008 est. 212 United Arab Emirates 0.00 2008 est. 213 Afghanistan 0.00 2008 est.

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Rank code: 2045

Country Comparison :: Electricity - production by source

Rank country (%) Date of Information

1 Aruba 100.00 2001 2 Antigua and Barbuda 100.00 2001 3 United Arab Emirates 100.00 2001 4 Bahrain 100.00 2001 5 American Samoa 100.00 2001 6 Barbados 100.00 2001 7 Bermuda 100.00 2001 8 Bahamas, The 100.00 2001 9 Botswana 100.00 2001 10 Gambia, The 100.00 2001 11 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 100.00 2001 12 Eritrea 100.00 2001 13 Djibouti 100.00 2001 14 Cyprus 100.00 2001 15 Cook Islands 100.00 2001 16 Cape Verde 100.00 2001 17 Cayman Islands 100.00 2001 18 Chad 100.00 2001 19 Libya 100.00 2001 20 Liberia 100.00 2001 21 Kuwait 100.00 2001 22 Kiribati 100.00 2001 23 Hong Kong 100.00 2001 24 Greenland 100.00 2001 25 Grenada 100.00 2001 26 Gibraltar 100.00 2001 27 Brunei 100.00 2001 28 Vanuatu 100.00 2001 29 Niger 100.00 2001 30 Niue 100.00 2001 31 Maldives 100.00 2001 32 Oman 100.00 2001 33 Malta 100.00 2001 34 Montserrat 100.00 2001 35 Mongolia 100.00 2001 36 Macau 100.00 2001 37 Tokelau 100.00 2001 38 Turks and Caicos Islands 100.00 2001 39 Saint Lucia 100.00 2001 40 Somalia 100.00 2001 41 Singapore 100.00 2001 42 Sierra Leone 100.00 2001 43 Saint Helena 100.00 2001 44 Senegal 100.00 2001 45 Seychelles 100.00 2001 46 Yemen 100.00 2001 47 Western Sahara 100.00 2001 48 West Bank 100.00 2001 49 Virgin Islands 100.00 2001 50 British Virgin Islands 100.00 2001 51 Timor-Leste 100.00 2001 52 Tonga 100.00 2001 53 Saint Kitts and Nevis 100.00 2001 54 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 100.00 2001 55 Saudi Arabia 100.00 2001 56 Qatar 100.00 2001 57 Guinea-Bissau 100.00 2001 58 Netherlands Antilles 100.00 2001 59 Nauru 100.00 2001 60 Solomon Islands 100.00 2001 61 Bhutan 99.90 2001 62 Israel 99.90 2001 63 Turkmenistan 99.90 2001 64 Paraguay 99.90 2001 65 Estonia 99.80 2001 66 Trinidad and Tobago 99.80 2001 67 Algeria 99.70 2001 68 Congo, Republic of the 99.70 2001 69 Belarus 99.50 2001 70 Tunisia 99.50 2001 71 Zambia 99.50 2001 72 Burundi 99.40 2001 73 Jordan 99.40 2001 74 Guyana 99.40 2001 75 Norway 99.30 2001 76 Puerto Rico 99.20 2001 77 Uganda 99.10 2001 78 Uruguay 99.10 2001 79 Marshall Islands 99.00 NA 80 Togo 98.70 2001 81 Laos 98.60 2001 82 Iraq 98.40 2001 83 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 98.20 2001 84 Poland 98.10 2001 85 Tajikistan 98.10 2001 86 Rwanda 97.70 2001 87 Ethiopia 97.60 2001 88 Cameroon 97.30 2001 89 Lebanon 97.20 2001 90 Albania 97.10 2001 91 Mozambique 97.10 2001 92 Iran 97.10 2001 93 Jamaica 96.80 2001 94 Malawi 96.70 2001 95 Ireland 95.90 2001 96 Morocco 95.40 2001 97 Ghana 95.00 2001 98 Greece 94.50 2001 99 Equatorial Guinea 94.30 2001 100 Cuba 93.90 2001 101 Bangladesh 93.70 2001 102 South Africa 93.50 2001 103 Kyrgyzstan 92.40 2001 104 Dominican Republic 92.00 2001 105 Nepal 91.50 2001 106 Thailand 91.30 2001 107 Australia 90.80 2001 108 Mauritius 90.80 2001 109 Comoros 90.60 2001 110 Moldova 90.60 2001 111 Netherlands 89.90 2001 112 Azerbaijan 89.70 2001 113 Malaysia 89.50 2001 114 Uzbekistan 88.20 2001 115 Indonesia 86.90 2001 116 Mauritania 85.90 2001 117 Benin 85.80 2001 118 Peru 84.70 2001 119 Kazakhstan 84.30 2001 120 Nicaragua 83.90 2001 121 Macedonia 83.70 2001 122 Brazil 82.70 2001 123 Denmark 82.70 2001 124 Iceland 82.50 2001 125 Costa Rica 81.90 2001 126 India 81.70 2001 127 Fiji 81.50 2001 128 Tanzania 81.10 2001 129 Ecuador 81.00 2001 130 Egypt 81.00 2001 131 Georgia 80.30 2001 132 China 80.20 2001 133 Central African Republic 80.20 2001 134 Turkey 79.30 2001 135 Mexico 78.70 2001 136 Italy 78.60 2001 137 Lithuania 77.70 2001 138 France 77.10 2001 139 New Caledonia 76.30 2001 140 Czech Republic 76.10 2001 141 Suriname 74.80 2001 142 United Kingdom 73.80 2001 143 Colombia 72.70 2001 144 Taiwan 71.40 2001 145 United States 71.40 2001 146 Kenya 71.00 2001 147 Korea, North 71.00 2001 148 Latvia 70.90 2001 149 Burkina Faso 69.90 2001 150 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 69.30 2001 151 Pakistan 68.80 2001 152 Venezuela 68.30 2001 153 Austria 67.20 2001 154 Russia 66.30 2003 155 Croatia 66.00 2001 156 Gabon 65.50 2001 157 Cambodia 65.00 2001 158 Portugal 64.50 2001 159 Madagascar 63.90 2001 160 Afghanistan 63.70 2001 161 Angola 63.60 2001 162 Romania 62.50 2001 163 Faroe Islands 62.40 2001 164 Korea, South 62.40 2001 165 Cote d'Ivoire 61.90 2001 166 Nigeria 61.90 2001 167 Germany 61.80 2001 168 Panama 61.30 2001 169 French Polynesia 60.70 2001 170 Haiti 60.30 2001 171 Hungary 60.10 2001 172 Japan 60.00 2001 173 Belize 59.90 2001 174 Switzerland 59.50 2001 175 Belgium 59.30 2001 176 Sao Tome and Principe 58.80 2001 177 Mali 58.30 2001 178 Samoa 58.00 2001 179 Swaziland 58.00 2001 180 Svalbard 58.00 NA 181 Canada 57.90 2001 182 New Zealand 57.80 2001 183 Syria 57.60 2001 184 Luxembourg 57.30 2001 185 Vietnam 56.30 2001 186 Philippines 55.60 2001 187 Guinea 54.50 2001 188 Papua New Guinea 54.10 2001 189 Bolivia 54.00 2001 190 Slovakia 53.60 2001 191 Bosnia and Herzegovina 53.50 2001 192 Zimbabwe 53.00 2001 193 Dominica 52.90 2001 194 Argentina 52.20 2001 195 Sudan 52.10 2001 196 Guatemala 51.90 2001 197 Sri Lanka 51.70 2001 198 Chile 51.50 2001 199 Sweden 50.80 2001 200 Spain 50.40 2001 201 Honduras 50.20 2001 202 Honduras 49.80 2001 203 Ukraine 48.60 2001 204 Sri Lanka 48.30 2001 205 Sudan 47.90 2001 206 Bulgaria 47.80 2001 207 Dominica 47.10 2001 208 Chile 47.00 2001 209 Zimbabwe 47.00 2001 210 Bosnia and Herzegovina 46.50 2001 211 Papua New Guinea 45.90 2001 212 Guinea 45.50 2001 213 Burma 44.50 2002 214 Bolivia 44.40 2001 215 Bulgaria 44.10 2001 216 El Salvador 44.00 2001 217 Vietnam 43.70 2001 218 Ukraine 43.50 2001 219 Burma 43.40 2002 220 Sweden 43.00 2001 221 Syria 42.40 2001 222 Armenia 42.30 2001 223 Svalbard 42.00 NA 224 Samoa 42.00 2001 225 Swaziland 42.00 2001 226 Mali 41.70 2001 227 Sao Tome and Principe 41.20 2001 228 Argentina 40.80 2001 229 Belize 40.10 2001 230 Haiti 39.70 2001 231 French Polynesia 39.30 2001 232 Finland 39.00 2001 233 Hungary 39.00 2001 234 Belgium 38.40 2001 235 Cote d'Ivoire 38.10 2001 236 Nigeria 38.10 2001 237 Faroe Islands 37.60 2001 238 Switzerland 37.10 2001 239 Panama 37.00 2001 240 Slovenia 36.80 2001 241 Korea, South 36.60 2001 242 Angola 36.40 2001 243 Afghanistan 36.30 2001 244 Madagascar 36.10 2001 245 Guatemala 35.20 2001 246 Slovenia 35.20 2001 247 Cambodia 35.00 2001 248 Gabon 34.50 2001 249 Croatia 33.60 2001 250 Venezuela 31.70 2001 251 New Zealand 31.60 2001 252 Portugal 31.30 2001 253 El Salvador 30.90 2001 254 Armenia 30.70 2001 255 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 30.70 2001 256 Finland 30.40 2001 257 Slovakia 30.30 2001 258 Burkina Faso 30.10 2001 259 Germany 29.90 2001 260 Japan 29.80 2001 261 Austria 29.30 2001 262 Latvia 29.10 2001 263 Korea, North 29.00 2001 264 Pakistan 28.20 2001 265 Canada 28.00 2001 266 Romania 27.60 2001 267 Slovenia 27.30 2001 268 Spain 27.20 2001 269 Armenia 27.00 2001 270 Philippines 26.90 2001 271 Colombia 26.00 2001 272 Luxembourg 25.20 2001 273 Suriname 25.20 2001 274 El Salvador 25.10 2001 275 New Caledonia 23.70 2001 276 United Kingdom 23.70 2001 277 Taiwan 22.60 2001 278 United States 20.70 2001 279 Turkey 20.40 2001 280 Czech Republic 20.00 2001 281 Central African Republic 19.80 2001 282 Georgia 19.70 2001 283 Ecuador 19.00 2001 284 Egypt 19.00 2001 285 Tanzania 18.90 2001 286 Finland 18.70 2001 287 China 18.50 2001 288 Fiji 18.50 2001 289 Italy 18.40 2001 290 Spain 18.20 2001 291 Kenya 17.70 2001 292 Iceland 17.50 2001 293 Luxembourg 17.50 2001 294 Philippines 17.50 2001 295 Denmark 17.30 2001 296 Russia 17.20 2003 297 Costa Rica 16.60 2001 298 Lithuania 16.50 2001 299 Russia 16.40 2003 300 Macedonia 16.30 2001 301 Slovakia 16.00 2001 302 Kazakhstan 15.70 2001 303 India 14.50 2001 304 Peru 14.50 2001 305 Benin 14.20 2001 306 Mexico 14.20 2001 307 Mauritania 14.10 2001 308 France 14.00 2001 309 Canada 12.90 2001 310 Guatemala 12.90 2001 311 Burma 12.10 2002 312 Finland 11.80 2001 313 Uzbekistan 11.80 2001 314 Kenya 11.30 2001 315 New Zealand 10.70 2001 316 Indonesia 10.50 2001 317 Malaysia 10.50 2001 318 Azerbaijan 10.30 2001 319 Romania 9.90 2001 320 Comoros 9.40 2001 321 Moldova 9.40 2001 322 Mauritius 9.20 2001 323 Nepal 8.50 2001 324 Japan 8.40 2001 325 Nicaragua 8.40 2001 326 Australia 8.30 2001 327 Brazil 8.30 2001 328 France 8.20 2001 329 Bulgaria 8.10 2001 330 Ukraine 7.90 2001 331 Nicaragua 7.70 2001 332 Dominican Republic 7.60 2001 333 Kyrgyzstan 7.60 2001 334 Argentina 6.70 2001 335 Thailand 6.40 2001 336 Bangladesh 6.30 2001 337 Taiwan 6.00 2001 338 Equatorial Guinea 5.70 2001 339 Lithuania 5.70 2001 340 Netherlands 5.70 2001 341 United States 5.60 2001 342 South Africa 5.50 2001 343 Cuba 5.40 2001 344 Ghana 5.00 2001 345 Brazil 4.60 2001 346 Morocco 4.60 2001 347 Brazil 4.40 2001 348 Netherlands 4.30 2001 349 Germany 4.20 2001 350 Mexico 4.20 2001 351 Germany 4.10 2001 352 Portugal 4.10 2001 353 Spain 4.10 2001 354 Sweden 4.00 2001 355 Greece 3.80 2001 356 Austria 3.50 2001 357 India 3.40 2001 358 Malawi 3.30 2001 359 Italy 3.00 2001 360 Pakistan 3.00 2001 361 Albania 2.90 2001 362 Iran 2.90 2001 363 Mexico 2.90 2001 364 Czech Republic 2.90 2001 365 Mozambique 2.90 2001 366 Lebanon 2.80 2001 367 Cameroon 2.70 2001 368 Indonesia 2.60 2001 369 Thailand 2.40 2001 370 Ireland 2.30 2001 371 Rwanda 2.30 2001 372 United States 2.30 2001 373 Sweden 2.30 2001 374 Switzerland 2.00 2001 375 Tajikistan 1.90 2001 376 Belgium 1.80 2001 377 Jamaica 1.80 2001 378 Japan 1.80 2001 379 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 1.80 2001 380 Ireland 1.70 2001 381 Panama 1.70 2001 382 Greece 1.70 2001 383 Iraq 1.60 2001 384 United Kingdom 1.60 2001 385 Bolivia 1.50 2001 386 Poland 1.50 2001 387 Costa Rica 1.50 2001 388 Chile 1.40 2001 389 Laos 1.40 2001 390 Jamaica 1.40 2001 391 Canada 1.30 2001 392 Ethiopia 1.30 2001 393 Switzerland 1.30 2001 394 Togo 1.30 2001 395 Colombia 1.30 2001 396 China 1.20 2001 397 Ethiopia 1.20 2001 398 South Africa 1.10 2001 399 Czech Republic 1.00 2001 400 Marshall Islands 1.00 NA 401 Australia 0.90 2001 402 United Kingdom 0.90 2001 403 Uganda 0.90 2001 404 Korea, South 0.80 2001 405 Puerto Rico 0.80 2001 406 Peru 0.80 2001 407 France 0.70 2001 408 Uruguay 0.70 2001 409 Slovenia 0.70 2001 410 Belgium 0.60 2001 411 Guyana 0.60 2001 412 Jordan 0.60 2001 413 Cuba 0.60 2001 414 Burundi 0.60 2001 415 Hungary 0.50 2001 416 Tunisia 0.50 2001 417 Zambia 0.50 2001 418 Belarus 0.40 2001 419 Poland 0.40 2001 420 Norway 0.40 2001 421 Dominican Republic 0.40 2001 422 Norway 0.40 2001 423 Croatia 0.40 2001 424 Algeria 0.30 2001 425 Uruguay 0.30 2001 426 Turkey 0.30 2001 427 India 0.30 2001 428 Hungary 0.30 2001 429 Congo, Republic of the 0.30 2001 430 Argentina 0.20 2001 431 Trinidad and Tobago 0.20 2001 432 Korea, South 0.20 2001 433 Estonia 0.20 2001 434 Belarus 0.10 2001 435 Bhutan 0.10 2001 436 Israel 0.10 2001 437 Turkmenistan 0.10 2001 438 Russia 0.10 2003 439 Paraguay 0.10 2001 440 Netherlands 0.10 2001 441 Iceland 0.10 2001 442 Estonia 0.10 2001 443 Denmark 0.10 2001 444 China 0.10 2001 445 Aruba 0.00 2001 446 Aruba 0.00 2001 447 Antigua and Barbuda 0.00 2001 448 United Arab Emirates 0.00 2001 449 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 0.00 2001 450 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 0.00 2001 451 Congo, Republic of the 0.00 2001 452 Congo, Republic of the 0.00 2001 453 Sri Lanka 0.00 2001 454 Sri Lanka 0.00 2001 455 Chad 0.00 2001 456 Chad 0.00 2001 457 Chad 0.00 2001 458 Cambodia 0.00 2001 459 Cambodia 0.00 2001 460 Burundi 0.00 2001 461 Burundi 0.00 2001 462 Brunei 0.00 2001 463 Brunei 0.00 2001 464 Brunei 0.00 2001 465 Bulgaria 0.00 2001 466 Bhutan 0.00 2001 467 Bhutan 0.00 2001 468 Solomon Islands 0.00 2001 469 Solomon Islands 0.00 2001 470 Solomon Islands 0.00 2001 471 Belarus 0.00 2001 472 Benin 0.00 2001 473 Benin 0.00 2001 474 Burma 0.00 2002 475 Bolivia 0.00 2001 476 Bosnia and Herzegovina 0.00 2001 477 Bosnia and Herzegovina 0.00 2001 478 Belize 0.00 2001 479 Belize 0.00 2001 480 Bermuda 0.00 2001 481 Colombia 0.00 2001 482 Comoros 0.00 2001 483 Comoros 0.00 2001 484 Cameroon 0.00 2001 485 Cameroon 0.00 2001 486 Cayman Islands 0.00 2001 487 Cayman Islands 0.00 2001 488 Cayman Islands 0.00 2001 489 Chile 0.00 2001 490 Djibouti 0.00 2001 491 Djibouti 0.00 2001 492 Djibouti 0.00 2001 493 Denmark 0.00 2001 494 Cyprus 0.00 2001 495 Cyprus 0.00 2001 496 Cyprus 0.00 2001 497 Cook Islands 0.00 2001 498 Cook Islands 0.00 2001 499 Fiji 0.00 2001 500 Ethiopia 0.00 2001 501 El Salvador 0.00 2001 502 Eritrea 0.00 2001 503 Eritrea 0.00 2001 504 Eritrea 0.00 2001 505 Estonia 0.00 2001 506 Equatorial Guinea 0.00 2001 507 Equatorial Guinea 0.00 2001 508 Ghana 0.00 2001 509 Ghana 0.00 2001 510 Georgia 0.00 2001 511 Georgia 0.00 2001 512 Gabon 0.00 2001 513 Gabon 0.00 2001 514 Gambia, The 0.00 2001 515 Gambia, The 0.00 2001 516 Gambia, The 0.00 2001 517 Zimbabwe 0.00 2001 518 Zimbabwe 0.00 2001 519 Zambia 0.00 2001 520 Zambia 0.00 2001 521 Yemen 0.00 2001 522 Yemen 0.00 2001 523 Yemen 0.00 2001 524 Swaziland 0.00 2001 525 Swaziland 0.00 2001 526 Samoa 0.00 2001 527 Samoa 0.00 2001 528 Western Sahara 0.00 2001 529 Western Sahara 0.00 2001 530 Western Sahara 0.00 2001 531 Wallis and Futuna 0.00 NA 532 Wallis and Futuna 0.00 NA 533 Wallis and Futuna 0.00 NA 534 Wallis and Futuna 0.00 NA 535 West Bank 0.00 2001 536 West Bank 0.00 2001 537 West Bank 0.00 2001 538 Virgin Islands 0.00 2001 539 Virgin Islands 0.00 2001 540 Virgin Islands 0.00 2001 541 Vietnam 0.00 2001 542 Vietnam 0.00 2001 543 British Virgin Islands 0.00 2001 544 British Virgin Islands 0.00 2001 545 British Virgin Islands 0.00 2001 546 Venezuela 0.00 2001 547 Venezuela 0.00 2001 548 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 0.00 2001 549 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 0.00 2001 550 Uzbekistan 0.00 2001 551 Uzbekistan 0.00 2001 552 Uruguay 0.00 2001 553 Burkina Faso 0.00 2001 554 Burkina Faso 0.00 2001 555 Ukraine 0.00 2001 556 Uganda 0.00 2001 557 Uganda 0.00 2001 558 Tanzania 0.00 2001 559 Tanzania 0.00 2001 560 Turkmenistan 0.00 2001 561 Turkmenistan 0.00 2001 562 Taiwan 0.00 2001 563 Turkey 0.00 2001 564 Timor-Leste 0.00 2001 565 Timor-Leste 0.00 2001 566 Timor-Leste 0.00 2001 567 Tunisia 0.00 2001 568 Tunisia 0.00 2001 569 Sao Tome and Principe 0.00 2001 570 Sao Tome and Principe 0.00 2001 571 Togo 0.00 2001 572 Togo 0.00 2001 573 Tonga 0.00 2001 574 Tonga 0.00 2001 575 Tonga 0.00 2001 576 Tokelau 0.00 2001 577 Tokelau 0.00 2001 578 Tokelau 0.00 2001 579 Turks and Caicos Islands 0.00 2001 580 Turks and Caicos Islands 0.00 2001 581 Turks and Caicos Islands 0.00 2001 582 Tajikistan 0.00 2001 583 Tajikistan 0.00 2001 584 Thailand 0.00 2001 585 Trinidad and Tobago 0.00 2001 586 Trinidad and Tobago 0.00 2001 587 Syria 0.00 2001 588 Syria 0.00 2001 589 Svalbard 0.00 NA 590 Svalbard 0.00 NA 591 Sudan 0.00 2001 592 Sudan 0.00 2001 593 Saint Lucia 0.00 2001 594 Saint Lucia 0.00 2001 595 Saint Lucia 0.00 2001 596 Somalia 0.00 2001 597 Somalia 0.00 2001 598 Somalia 0.00 2001 599 Singapore 0.00 2001 600 Singapore 0.00 2001 601 Singapore 0.00 2001 602 Sierra Leone 0.00 2001 603 Sierra Leone 0.00 2001 604 Sierra Leone 0.00 2001 605 Saint Helena 0.00 2001 606 Saint Helena 0.00 2001 607 Saint Helena 0.00 2001 608 Senegal 0.00 2001 609 Senegal 0.00 2001 610 Senegal 0.00 2001 611 South Africa 0.00 2001 612 Seychelles 0.00 2001 613 Seychelles 0.00 2001 614 Seychelles 0.00 2001 615 Saint Kitts and Nevis 0.00 2001 616 Saint Kitts and Nevis 0.00 2001 617 Saint Kitts and Nevis 0.00 2001 618 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 0.00 2001 619 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 0.00 2001 620 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 0.00 2001 621 Saudi Arabia 0.00 2001 622 Saudi Arabia 0.00 2001 623 Saudi Arabia 0.00 2001 624 Rwanda 0.00 2001 625 Rwanda 0.00 2001 626 Puerto Rico 0.00 2001 627 Puerto Rico 0.00 2001 628 Philippines 0.00 2001 629 Romania 0.00 2001 630 Marshall Islands 0.00 NA 631 Marshall Islands 0.00 NA 632 Qatar 0.00 2001 633 Qatar 0.00 2001 634 Qatar 0.00 2001 635 Guinea-Bissau 0.00 2001 636 Guinea-Bissau 0.00 2001 637 Guinea-Bissau 0.00 2001 638 Papua New Guinea 0.00 2001 639 Papua New Guinea 0.00 2001 640 Portugal 0.00 2001 641 Panama 0.00 2001 642 Poland 0.00 2001 643 Pakistan 0.00 2001 644 Peru 0.00 2001 645 Paraguay 0.00 2001 646 Paraguay 0.00 2001 647 New Zealand 0.00 2001 648 Nicaragua 0.00 2001 649 Netherlands Antilles 0.00 2001 650 Netherlands Antilles 0.00 2001 651 Netherlands Antilles 0.00 2001 652 Suriname 0.00 2001 653 Suriname 0.00 2001 654 Nauru 0.00 2001 655 Nauru 0.00 2001 656 Nauru 0.00 2001 657 Nepal 0.00 2001 658 Nepal 0.00 2001 659 Norway 0.00 2001 660 Nigeria 0.00 2001 661 Nigeria 0.00 2001 662 Vanuatu 0.00 2001 663 Vanuatu 0.00 2001 664 Vanuatu 0.00 2001 665 Niger 0.00 2001 666 Niger 0.00 2001 667 Niger 0.00 2001 668 Norfolk Island 0.00 2002 669 Norfolk Island 0.00 2002 670 Norfolk Island 0.00 2002 671 Norfolk Island 0.00 2002 672 Niue 0.00 2001 673 Niue 0.00 2001 674 Niue 0.00 2001 675 New Caledonia 0.00 2001 676 New Caledonia 0.00 2001 677 Mozambique 0.00 2001 678 Mozambique 0.00 2001 679 Malaysia 0.00 2001 680 Malaysia 0.00 2001 681 Maldives 0.00 2001 682 Maldives 0.00 2001 683 Maldives 0.00 2001 684 Oman 0.00 2001 685 Oman 0.00 2001 686 Oman 0.00 2001 687 Malta 0.00 2001 688 Malta 0.00 2001 689 Malta 0.00 2001 690 Mauritania 0.00 2001 691 Mauritania 0.00 2001 692 Mauritius 0.00 2001 693 Mauritius 0.00 2001 694 Morocco 0.00 2001 695 Morocco 0.00 2001 696 Mali 0.00 2001 697 Mali 0.00 2001 698 Macedonia 0.00 2001 699 Macedonia 0.00 2001 700 Malawi 0.00 2001 701 Malawi 0.00 2001 702 Montserrat 0.00 2001 703 Montserrat 0.00 2001 704 Montserrat 0.00 2001 705 Mongolia 0.00 2001 706 Mongolia 0.00 2001 707 Mongolia 0.00 2001 708 Mayotte 0.00 NA 709 Mayotte 0.00 NA 710 Mayotte 0.00 NA 711 Mayotte 0.00 NA 712 Moldova 0.00 2001 713 Moldova 0.00 2001 714 Macau 0.00 2001 715 Macau 0.00 2001 716 Macau 0.00 2001 717 Madagascar 0.00 2001 718 Madagascar 0.00 2001 719 Libya 0.00 2001 720 Libya 0.00 2001 721 Libya 0.00 2001 722 Luxembourg 0.00 2001 723 Slovakia 0.00 2001 724 Liberia 0.00 2001 725 Liberia 0.00 2001 726 Liberia 0.00 2001 727 Lithuania 0.00 2001 728 Latvia 0.00 2001 729 Latvia 0.00 2001 730 Lebanon 0.00 2001 731 Lebanon 0.00 2001 732 Laos 0.00 2001 733 Laos 0.00 2001 734 Kazakhstan 0.00 2001 735 Kazakhstan 0.00 2001 736 Kuwait 0.00 2001 737 Kuwait 0.00 2001 738 Kuwait 0.00 2001 739 Kiribati 0.00 2001 740 Kiribati 0.00 2001 741 Kiribati 0.00 2001 742 Korea, North 0.00 2001 743 Korea, North 0.00 2001 744 Kyrgyzstan 0.00 2001 745 Kyrgyzstan 0.00 2001 746 Kenya 0.00 2001 747 Jordan 0.00 2001 748 Jordan 0.00 2001 749 Jamaica 0.00 2001 750 Iraq 0.00 2001 751 Iraq 0.00 2001 752 Cote d'Ivoire 0.00 2001 753 Cote d'Ivoire 0.00 2001 754 Italy 0.00 2001 755 Israel 0.00 2001 756 Israel 0.00 2001 757 Iran 0.00 2001 758 Iran 0.00 2001 759 Indonesia 0.00 2001 760 Iceland 0.00 2001 761 Croatia 0.00 2001 762 Honduras 0.00 2001 763 Honduras 0.00 2001 764 Hong Kong 0.00 2001 765 Hong Kong 0.00 2001 766 Hong Kong 0.00 2001 767 Haiti 0.00 2001 768 Haiti 0.00 2001 769 Guyana 0.00 2001 770 Guyana 0.00 2001 771 Guinea 0.00 2001 772 Guinea 0.00 2001 773 Guatemala 0.00 2001 774 Greece 0.00 2001 775 Greenland 0.00 2001 776 Greenland 0.00 2001 777 Greenland 0.00 2001 778 Grenada 0.00 2001 779 Grenada 0.00 2001 780 Grenada 0.00 2001 781 Gibraltar 0.00 2001 782 Gibraltar 0.00 2001 783 Gibraltar 0.00 2001 784 French Polynesia 0.00 2001 785 French Polynesia 0.00 2001 786 Faroe Islands 0.00 2001 787 Faroe Islands 0.00 2001 788 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 0.00 2001 789 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 0.00 2001 790 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 0.00 2001 791 Fiji 0.00 2001 792 Ireland 0.00 2001 793 Egypt 0.00 2001 794 Egypt 0.00 2001 795 Ecuador 0.00 2001 796 Ecuador 0.00 2001 797 Dominican Republic 0.00 2001 798 Dominica 0.00 2001 799 Dominica 0.00 2001 800 Cook Islands 0.00 2001 801 Cape Verde 0.00 2001 802 Cape Verde 0.00 2001 803 Cape Verde 0.00 2001 804 Cuba 0.00 2001 805 Central African Republic 0.00 2001 806 Central African Republic 0.00 2001 807 Costa Rica 0.00 2001 808 Bermuda 0.00 2001 809 Botswana 0.00 2001 810 Botswana 0.00 2001 811 Botswana 0.00 2001 812 Barbados 0.00 2001 813 Barbados 0.00 2001 814 Barbados 0.00 2001 815 Bahrain 0.00 2001 816 Bangladesh 0.00 2001 817 Bangladesh 0.00 2001 818 Bahamas, The 0.00 2001 819 Bahamas, The 0.00 2001 820 Bahamas, The 0.00 2001 821 Bermuda 0.00 2001 822 Bahrain 0.00 2001 823 Bahrain 0.00 2001 824 Austria 0.00 2001 825 Australia 0.00 2001 826 American Samoa 0.00 2001 827 American Samoa 0.00 2001 828 American Samoa 0.00 2001 829 Angola 0.00 2001 830 Angola 0.00 2001 831 Armenia 0.00 2001 832 Albania 0.00 2001 833 Albania 0.00 2001 834 Azerbaijan 0.00 2001 835 Azerbaijan 0.00 2001 836 Algeria 0.00 2001 837 Algeria 0.00 2001 838 Afghanistan 0.00 2001 839 Afghanistan 0.00 2001 840 United Arab Emirates 0.00 2001 841 United Arab Emirates 0.00 2001 842 Antigua and Barbuda 0.00 2001 843 Antigua and Barbuda 0.00 2001 844 Aruba 0.00 2001

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Rank code: 2046

Country Comparison :: Population below poverty line

Rank country (%) Date of Information

1 Zambia 86.00 1993 2 Chad 80.00 2001 est. 3 Gaza Strip 80.00 2007 est. 4 Liberia 80.00 2000 est. 5 Haiti 80.00 2003 est. 6 Sierra Leone 70.20 2004 7 Mozambique 70.00 2001 est. 8 Nigeria 70.00 2007 est. 9 Suriname 70.00 2002 est. 10 Swaziland 69.00 2006 11 Burundi 68.00 2002 est. 12 Zimbabwe 68.00 2004 13 Niger 63.00 1993 est. 14 Bolivia 60.00 2006 est. 15 Rwanda 60.00 2001 est. 16 Tajikistan 60.00 2007 est. 17 Comoros 60.00 2002 est. 18 Guatemala 56.20 2004 est. 19 Senegal 54.00 2001 est. 20 Sao Tome and Principe 54.00 2004 est. 21 Afghanistan 53.00 2003 22 Malawi 53.00 2004 23 Honduras 50.70 2004 24 Eritrea 50.00 2004 est. 25 South Africa 50.00 2000 est. 26 Madagascar 50.00 2004 est. 27 Kenya 50.00 2000 est. 28 Colombia 49.20 2005 29 Lesotho 49.00 1999 30 Cameroon 48.00 2000 est. 31 Nicaragua 48.00 2005 32 Guinea 47.00 2006 est. 33 Burkina Faso 46.40 2004 34 West Bank 46.00 2007 est. 35 Yemen 45.20 2003 36 Bangladesh 45.00 2004 est. 37 Peru 44.50 2006 38 Dominican Republic 42.20 2004 39 Djibouti 42.00 2007 est. 40 Cote d'Ivoire 42.00 2006 est. 41 Timor-Leste 42.00 2003 est. 42 Angola 40.50 2006 est. 43 Kyrgyzstan 40.00 2004 est. 44 Sudan 40.00 2004 est. 45 Mauritania 40.00 2004 est. 46 Ethiopia 38.70 FY05/06 est. 47 Ecuador 38.30 2006 48 Venezuela 37.90 end 2005 est. 49 Ukraine 37.70 2003 50 Benin 37.40 2007 est. 51 Kosovo 37.00 2007 est. 52 Papua New Guinea 37.00 2002 est. 53 Mongolia 36.10 2004 54 Mali 36.10 2005 est. 55 Tanzania 36.00 2002 est. 56 Cambodia 35.00 2004 57 Uganda 35.00 2001 est. 58 Belize 33.50 2002 est. 59 Uzbekistan 33.00 2004 est. 60 Burma 32.70 2007 est. 61 Grenada 32.00 2000 62 Togo 32.00 1989 est. 63 Paraguay 32.00 2005 est. 64 Bhutan 31.70 2003 65 Brazil 31.00 2005 66 Georgia 31.00 2006 67 Nepal 30.90 2004 68 El Salvador 30.70 2006 est. 69 Laos 30.70 2005 est. 70 Botswana 30.30 2003 71 Cape Verde 30.00 2000 72 Turkmenistan 30.00 2004 est. 73 Philippines 30.00 2003 est. 74 Dominica 30.00 2002 est. 75 Macedonia 29.80 2006 76 Moldova 29.50 2005 77 Virgin Islands 28.90 2002 78 Panama 28.60 2006 est. 79 Ghana 28.50 2007 est. 80 Lebanon 28.00 1999 est. 81 Uruguay 27.40 2006 82 Belarus 27.10 2003 est. 83 Micronesia, Federated States of 26.70 2000 84 Armenia 26.50 2006 est. 85 Fiji 25.50 FY90/91 86 Albania 25.00 2004 est. 87 Romania 25.00 2005 est. 88 Bosnia and Herzegovina 25.00 2004 est. 89 India 25.00 2007 est. 90 Azerbaijan 24.00 2005 est. 91 Tonga 24.00 FY03/04 92 Pakistan 24.00 FY05/06 est. 93 Argentina 23.40 January-June 2007 94 Algeria 23.00 2006 est. 95 Anguilla 23.00 2002 96 Sri Lanka 22.00 2002 est. 97 Israel 21.60 2005 98 Slovakia 21.00 2002 99 Maldives 21.00 2004 100 Egypt 20.00 2005 est. 101 Turkey 20.00 2002 102 Spain 19.80 2005 103 United Arab Emirates 19.50 2003 104 Bermuda 19.00 2000 105 Chile 18.20 2005 106 Iran 18.00 2007 est. 107 Portugal 18.00 2006 108 Indonesia 17.80 2006 109 Poland 17.00 2003 est. 110 Trinidad and Tobago 17.00 2007 est. 111 Costa Rica 16.00 2006 est. 112 Russia 15.80 November 2007 113 Belgium 15.20 2007 est. 114 Korea, South 15.00 2003 est. 115 Morocco 15.00 2007 est. 116 Jamaica 14.80 2003 est. 117 Vietnam 14.80 2007 est. 118 Jordan 14.20 2002 119 Bulgaria 14.10 2003 est. 120 United Kingdom 14.00 2006 est. 121 Kazakhstan 13.80 2007 122 Mexico 13.80 2006 123 Slovenia 12.90 2004 124 United States 12.00 2004 est. 125 Syria 11.90 2006 est. 126 Germany 11.00 2001 est. 127 Croatia 11.00 2003 128 Canada 10.80 2005 129 Netherlands 10.50 2005 130 Thailand 10.00 2004 est. 131 Bahamas, The 9.30 2004 132 Hungary 8.60 1993 est. 133 China 8.00 2006 est. 134 Mauritius 8.00 2006 est. 135 Libya 7.40 2005 est. 136 Tunisia 7.40 2005 est. 137 Ireland 7.00 2005 est. 138 Montenegro 7.00 2007 est. 139 Serbia 6.50 2007 est. 140 France 6.20 2004 141 Austria 5.90 2004 142 Malaysia 5.10 2002 est. 143 Estonia 5.00 2003 144 Lithuania 4.00 2003 145 Taiwan 0.95 2007 est.

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Rank code: 2047

Country Comparison :: Household income or consumption by percentage

share Data on household income or consumption come from household surveys, the results adjusted for household size. Nations use different standards and procedures in collecting and adjusting the data. Surveys based on income will normally show a more unequal distribution than surveys based on consumption. The quality of surveys is improving with time, yet caution is still necessary in making inter-country comparisons.

Rank country (%) Date of Information

1 Namibia 64.50 2003 2 Haiti 47.70 2001 3 Colombia 45.90 2006 4 South Africa 44.70 2000 5 Bolivia 44.10 2005 6 Ecuador 43.30 2007 7 Brazil 43.00 2007 8 Guatemala 42.40 2006 9 Paraguay 42.30 2007 10 Honduras 42.20 2006 11 Nicaragua 41.80 2005 12 Chile 41.70 2006 13 Madagascar 41.50 2005 14 Panama 41.40 2006 15 Armenia 41.30 2004 16 Taiwan 41.10 2002 est. 17 Guinea 41.00 2006 18 Swaziland 40.70 2001 19 Nepal 40.60 2006 20 Papua New Guinea 40.50 1996 21 Zimbabwe 40.40 1995 22 Sri Lanka 39.70 2004 23 Lesotho 39.40 2003 24 Mozambique 39.20 2003 25 Zambia 38.80 2004 26 Dominican Republic 38.70 2005 27 Rwanda 38.20 2000 28 Mexico 37.90 2006 29 Peru 37.90 2006 30 Kenya 37.80 2005 31 El Salvador 37.00 2005 32 Gambia, The 36.90 2003 33 Jamaica 35.80 2004 34 Niger 35.70 2005 35 Costa Rica 35.50 2005 36 Cameroon 35.40 2001 37 Argentina 35.00 January-March 2007 38 Uruguay 34.80 2006 39 Cambodia 34.20 2007 40 Uganda 34.10 2005 41 Cote d'Ivoire 34.00 2002 42 Guyana 33.80 1999 43 Thailand 33.70 2004 44 Sierra Leone 33.60 2003 45 Morocco 33.20 2007 46 Turkey 33.20 2005 47 Central African Republic 33.00 2003 48 Ghana 32.80 2006 49 Venezuela 32.70 2006 50 Burma 32.40 1998 51 Nigeria 32.40 2004 52 Indonesia 32.30 2006 53 Burkina Faso 32.20 2004 54 Malawi 31.90 2004 55 Turkmenistan 31.70 1998 56 Tunisia 31.50 2000 57 China 31.40 2004 58 Philippines 31.20 2006 59 India 31.10 2005 60 Yemen 30.80 2005 61 Jordan 30.70 2006 62 Mali 30.50 2006 63 Russia 30.40 September 2007 64 Senegal 30.10 2005 65 United States 30.00 2007 est. 66 Vietnam 29.80 2006 67 Iran 29.60 2005 68 Macedonia 29.60 2003 69 Uzbekistan 29.60 2003 70 Mauritania 29.50 2000 71 Benin 29.00 2003 72 Laos 28.50 2002 73 Malaysia 28.50 2004 est. 74 United Kingdom 28.50 1999 75 Belgium 28.40 2000 76 Portugal 28.40 1995 est. 77 Moldova 28.20 2004 78 Burundi 28.00 2006 79 Guinea-Bissau 28.00 2002 80 Estonia 27.70 2004 81 Egypt 27.60 2005 82 Bosnia and Herzegovina 27.40 2004 83 Lithuania 27.40 2003 84 Latvia 27.40 2004 85 Ireland 27.20 2000 86 Poland 27.20 2005 87 Bahamas, The 27.00 2000 88 Georgia 27.00 2005 89 Tanzania 26.90 2000 90 Algeria 26.80 1995 91 Italy 26.80 2000 92 Bangladesh 26.60 2005 93 Spain 26.60 2000 94 Kazakhstan 26.50 2004 est. 95 Pakistan 26.50 2005 96 Greece 26.00 2000 est. 97 Albania 25.90 2005 98 Kyrgyzstan 25.90 2004 99 Switzerland 25.90 2000 100 Ukraine 25.70 2006 101 Ethiopia 25.60 2005 102 Tajikistan 25.60 2007 est. 103 Bulgaria 25.50 2007 104 Australia 25.40 1994 105 European Union 25.20 2001 est. 106 Mongolia 24.90 2005 107 Canada 24.80 2000 108 France 24.80 2004 109 Finland 24.70 2007 110 Slovenia 24.60 2004 111 Israel 24.20 2007 112 Korea, South 24.20 2007 113 Hungary 24.10 2004 114 Denmark 24.00 2000 est. 115 Luxembourg 23.80 2000 116 Norway 23.40 2000 117 Singapore 23.20 2008 118 Croatia 23.10 2005 est. 119 Netherlands 22.90 1999 120 Austria 22.50 2004 121 Czech Republic 22.40 1996 122 Sweden 22.20 2000 123 Germany 22.10 2000 124 Belarus 22.00 2005 125 Japan 21.70 1993 126 Slovakia 20.90 1996 127 Romania 20.80 2006 128 Azerbaijan 17.50 2005 129 Taiwan 6.70 2002 est. 130 Azerbaijan 6.10 2005 131 Japan 4.80 1993 132 Singapore 4.40 2008 133 Bangladesh 4.30 2005 134 Czech Republic 4.30 1996 135 Burundi 4.10 2006 136 Ethiopia 4.10 2005 137 Egypt 3.90 2005 138 Norway 3.90 2000 139 Pakistan 3.90 2005 140 Belarus 3.60 2005 141 Croatia 3.60 2005 est. 142 Finland 3.60 2007 143 Kyrgyzstan 3.60 2004 144 Sweden 3.60 2000 145 India 3.60 2005 146 Hungary 3.50 2004 147 Luxembourg 3.50 2000 148 Belgium 3.40 2000 149 Ukraine 3.40 2006 150 Slovenia 3.40 2004 151 Laos 3.40 2002 152 Austria 3.30 2004 153 Kazakhstan 3.30 2004 est. 154 Tajikistan 3.30 2007 est. 155 Albania 3.20 2005 156 Germany 3.20 2000 157 Benin 3.10 2003 158 Vietnam 3.10 2006 159 Portugal 3.10 1995 est. 160 Slovakia 3.10 1996 161 Bulgaria 3.00 2007 162 Poland 3.00 2005 163 Malawi 3.00 2004 164 Jordan 3.00 2006 165 Cambodia 3.00 2007 166 France 3.00 2004 167 Moldova 3.00 2004 168 Indonesia 3.00 2006 169 Ireland 2.90 2000 170 Switzerland 2.90 2000 171 Tanzania 2.90 2000 172 Yemen 2.90 2005 173 Guinea-Bissau 2.90 2002 174 Mongolia 2.90 2005 175 Algeria 2.80 1995 176 Uzbekistan 2.80 2003 177 Burkina Faso 2.80 2004 178 European Union 2.80 2001 est. 179 Burma 2.80 1998 180 Bosnia and Herzegovina 2.80 2004 181 Estonia 2.70 2004 182 Korea, South 2.70 2007 183 Latvia 2.70 2004 184 Lithuania 2.70 2003 185 Morocco 2.70 2007 186 Nepal 2.70 2006 187 Mali 2.70 2006 188 Canada 2.60 2000 189 Iran 2.60 2005 190 Israel 2.60 2007 191 Malaysia 2.60 2004 est. 192 Sierra Leone 2.60 2003 193 Thailand 2.60 2004 194 Uganda 2.60 2005 195 Turkmenistan 2.60 1998 196 Spain 2.60 2000 197 Madagascar 2.60 2005 198 Greece 2.50 2000 est. 199 Mauritania 2.50 2000 200 Senegal 2.50 2005 201 Netherlands 2.50 1999 202 China 2.40 2004 203 Georgia 2.40 2005 204 Philippines 2.40 2006 205 Macedonia 2.40 2003 206 Cameroon 2.30 2001 207 Italy 2.30 2000 208 Niger 2.30 2005 209 Tunisia 2.30 2000 210 Central African Republic 2.10 2003 211 Jamaica 2.10 2004 212 United Kingdom 2.10 1999 213 Rwanda 2.10 2000 214 Mozambique 2.10 2003 215 Australia 2.00 1994 216 Zimbabwe 2.00 1995 217 United States 2.00 2007 est. 218 Nigeria 2.00 2004 219 Cote d'Ivoire 2.00 2002 220 Ghana 2.00 2006 221 Denmark 2.00 2000 est. 222 Gambia, The 2.00 2003 223 Guinea 1.90 2006 224 Russia 1.90 September 2007 225 Turkey 1.90 2005 226 Kenya 1.80 2005 227 Mexico 1.80 2006 228 Papua New Guinea 1.70 1996 229 Uruguay 1.70 2006 230 Venezuela 1.70 2006 231 Armenia 1.60 2004 232 Swaziland 1.60 2001 233 Chile 1.60 2006 234 Costa Rica 1.50 2005 235 Peru 1.50 2006 236 Dominican Republic 1.50 2005 237 Nicaragua 1.40 2005 238 Guatemala 1.30 2006 239 Guyana 1.30 1999 240 South Africa 1.30 2000 241 Ecuador 1.20 2007 242 Zambia 1.20 2004 243 Romania 1.20 2006 244 Brazil 1.10 2007 245 Sri Lanka 1.10 2004 246 Paraguay 1.10 2007 247 Argentina 1.00 January-March 2007 248 Lesotho 1.00 2003 249 El Salvador 1.00 2005 250 Colombia 0.80 2006 251 Panama 0.80 2006 252 Haiti 0.70 2001 253 Honduras 0.70 2006 254 Bolivia 0.50 2005 255 Namibia 0.50 2003

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Rank code: 2048

Country Comparison :: Labor force - by occupation

This entry lists the percentage distribution of the labor force by occupation. The distribution will total less than 100 percent if the data are incomplete.

Rank country (%) Date of Information

1 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 95.00 1996 2 Burundi 93.60 2002 est. 3 Malawi 90.00 2003 est. 4 Rwanda 90.00 2000 5 Norfolk Island 90.00 NA 6 Niger 90.00 1995 7 Timor-Leste 90.00 2006 est. 8 Burkina Faso 90.00 2000 est. 9 Cayman Islands 86.00 1995 10 Lesotho 86.00 2002 est. 11 Angola 85.00 2003 est. 12 Zambia 85.00 2004 13 Saint Martin 85.00 NA 14 Papua New Guinea 85.00 2005 est. 15 Gaza Strip 83.00 June 2008 16 Antigua and Barbuda 82.00 1983 17 Israel 82.00 30 September 2008 18 Uganda 82.00 1999 est. 19 Guinea-Bissau 82.00 2000 est. 20 Mozambique 81.00 1997 est. 21 Luxembourg 80.60 2007 est. 22 United Kingdom 80.40 2006 est. 23 Ethiopia 80.20 2005 24 Afghanistan 80.00 2004 est. 25 Chad 80.00 2006 est. 26 Comoros 80.00 1996 est. 27 Wallis and Futuna 80.00 2001 est. 28 Virgin Islands 80.00 2003 est. 29 Tanzania 80.00 2002 est. 30 Sudan 80.00 1998 est. 31 Netherlands 80.00 2005 est. 32 Mali 80.00 2005 est. 33 Laos 80.00 2005 est. 34 Eritrea 80.00 2004 est. 35 Andorra 79.00 2007 36 Bahrain 79.00 1997 est. 37 Netherlands Antilles 79.00 2005 est. 38 Puerto Rico 79.00 2005 39 United Arab Emirates 78.00 2000 est. 40 Iceland 78.00 2007 41 Suriname 78.00 2004 42 Senegal 77.50 2007 est. 43 Jordan 77.40 2001 est. 44 Singapore 77.40 2007 45 Argentina 76.00 2008 est. 46 Canada 76.00 2006 47 Uruguay 76.00 2007 est. 48 Nepal 76.00 2004 est. 49 Norway 76.00 2008 50 Guinea 76.00 2006 est. 51 Peru 75.50 2005 52 Australia 75.00 2005 est. 53 Barbados 75.00 1996 est. 54 Kenya 75.00 2003 est. 55 Gambia, The 75.00 1996 56 Cambodia 75.00 2004 est. 57 Solomon Islands 75.00 2000 est. 58 New Zealand 74.00 2006 est. 59 Seychelles 74.00 2006 60 Switzerland 73.20 2005 61 Belgium 73.00 2007 est. 62 Denmark 72.70 2005 est. 63 Saudi Arabia 71.90 2005 est. 64 France 71.80 2005 65 Belize 71.70 2007 66 Cyprus 71.00 2006 est. 67 Somalia 71.00 1975 68 Sweden 70.70 2008 est. 69 Ecuador 70.40 2005 70 Burma 70.00 2001 71 Nigeria 70.00 1999 est. 72 Liberia 70.00 2000 est. 73 Fiji 70.00 2001 est. 74 Cameroon 70.00 2001 est. 75 Spain 69.50 2008 est. 76 French Polynesia 68.00 2002 77 Cote d'Ivoire 68.00 2007 est. 78 Malta 68.00 2005 est. 79 Montenegro 68.00 2004 est. 80 West Bank 68.00 June 2008 81 Germany 67.80 2005 82 Korea, South 67.70 2007 83 Tajikistan 67.20 2000 est. 84 Austria 67.00 2005 est. 85 Ireland 67.00 2006 est. 86 Panama 67.00 2006 87 Faroe Islands 66.90 2007 88 European Union 66.70 2007 est. 89 Japan 66.40 2005 90 Syria 66.30 2006 est. 91 Brazil 66.00 2003 est. 92 Zimbabwe 66.00 1996 93 Haiti 66.00 1995 94 Kiribati 65.30 2000 95 Greece 65.10 2005 est. 96 Italy 65.10 2005 97 Vanuatu 65.00 2000 est. 98 Togo 65.00 1998 est. 99 South Africa 65.00 2007 est. 100 Micronesia, Federated States of 64.70 FY05 est. 101 Costa Rica 64.00 2006 est. 102 Venezuela 64.00 1997 est. 103 Jamaica 64.00 2006 104 Chile 63.90 2005 105 Croatia 63.60 2008 106 Brunei 63.10 2003 est. 107 Dominican Republic 63.10 2005 108 Bangladesh 63.00 FY95/96 109 Bhutan 63.00 2004 est. 110 Korea, North 63.00 2004 est. 111 Trinidad and Tobago 62.90 2007 est. 112 Hungary 62.60 2005 113 Russia 62.40 2007 est. 114 San Marino 62.20 2008 est. 115 Grenada 62.00 1999 est. 116 Latvia 61.80 2005 est. 117 Estonia 61.60 2007 118 Slovenia 61.50 2007 119 Mongolia 61.00 2008 120 Cuba 60.60 2005 121 Gabon 60.00 2000 est. 122 India 60.00 2003 123 New Caledonia 60.00 2002 124 Portugal 60.00 2007 est. 125 Maldives 60.00 1995 126 Gibraltar 60.00 2001 127 British Virgin Islands 59.40 2005 128 Libya 59.00 2004 est. 129 Mexico 59.00 2005 130 Colombia 58.80 2005 est. 131 Albania 58.00 September 2006 est. 132 El Salvador 58.00 2006 est. 133 Taiwan 58.00 2008 est. 134 Marshall Islands 57.70 2000 135 Bulgaria 57.00 2007 est. 136 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 57.00 1980 est. 137 Lithuania 56.90 2005 138 Slovakia 56.90 30 September 2008 139 Ukraine 56.40 2005 140 Czech Republic 56.20 2007 141 Cook Islands 56.00 1995 142 Ghana 56.00 2005 est. 143 Georgia 55.60 2006 est. 144 Vietnam 55.60 July 2005 145 Liechtenstein 55.40 31 December 2006 146 Tunisia 55.00 1995 est. 147 Saint Lucia 53.60 2002 est. 148 Poland 53.40 2005 149 Nicaragua 52.00 2006 est. 150 Paraguay 52.00 2007 151 Belarus 51.30 2003 est. 152 Egypt 51.00 2001 est. 153 Malaysia 51.00 2005 est. 154 Bahamas, The 50.00 2005 est. 155 Western Sahara 50.00 2005 est. 156 Western Sahara 50.00 2005 est. 157 Philippines 50.00 2008 est. 158 Mauritania 50.00 2001 est. 159 Macedonia 50.00 September 2007 160 Kazakhstan 50.00 2006 161 Guatemala 50.00 1999 est. 162 Azerbaijan 48.60 2005 163 Turkmenistan 48.20 2004 est. 164 Kyrgyzstan 48.00 2005 est. 165 Saint Helena 48.00 1987 est. 166 Bosnia and Herzegovina 47.60 2007 167 Romania 47.10 2006 168 Namibia 47.00 1999 est. 169 Armenia 46.20 2006 est. 170 Serbia 46.00 2002 171 Saint Helena 46.00 1987 est. 172 Turkey 45.80 2005 173 Iran 45.00 June 2007 174 Morocco 44.60 2006 est. 175 Uzbekistan 44.00 1995 176 Liechtenstein 43.50 31 December 2006 177 Moldova 43.30 2005 178 Bolivia 43.00 2006 est. 179 Pakistan 43.00 2005 est. 180 China 43.00 2006 est. 181 Hong Kong 42.90 2008 est. 182 Thailand 42.60 2005 est. 183 Indonesia 42.10 2006 est. 184 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 41.00 1996 est. 185 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 41.00 1996 est. 186 Moldova 40.60 2005 187 Czech Republic 40.20 2007 188 Bahamas, The 40.00 2005 est. 189 Bolivia 40.00 2006 est. 190 Dominica 40.00 2000 est. 191 British Virgin Islands 40.00 2005 192 Mauritania 40.00 2001 est. 193 Gibraltar 40.00 2001 194 Honduras 39.80 2005 est. 195 Kyrgyzstan 39.50 2005 est. 196 Azerbaijan 39.30 2005 197 Indonesia 39.30 2006 est. 198 Sri Lanka 39.20 30 September 2008 est. 199 Honduras 39.20 2005 est. 200 Slovakia 39.00 30 September 2008 201 Armenia 38.20 2006 est. 202 Turkmenistan 37.80 2004 est. 203 San Marino 37.70 2008 est. 204 Tonga 37.60 2003 est. 205 Thailand 37.10 2005 est. 206 Korea, North 37.00 2004 est. 207 Taiwan 36.80 2008 est. 208 Pakistan 36.60 2005 est. 209 Anguilla 36.00 2000 est. 210 Malaysia 36.00 2005 est. 211 Uzbekistan 36.00 1995 212 Slovenia 36.00 2007 213 Bulgaria 35.50 2007 est. 214 United States 35.50 2007 215 Morocco 35.50 2006 est. 216 Georgia 35.50 2006 est. 217 Guatemala 35.00 1999 est. 218 Philippines 35.00 2008 est. 219 Belarus 34.70 2003 est. 220 Sri Lanka 34.70 30 September 2008 est. 221 Micronesia, Federated States of 34.40 FY05 est. 222 American Samoa 34.00 1990 223 Mongolia 34.00 2008 224 Estonia 33.70 2007 225 American Samoa 33.00 1990 226 American Samoa 33.00 1990 227 Namibia 33.00 1999 est. 228 Bosnia and Herzegovina 32.60 2007 229 Brunei 32.40 2003 est. 230 Hungary 32.40 2005 231 Finland 32.40 2008 232 Algeria 32.00 2003 est. 233 Kiribati 32.00 2000 234 Egypt 32.00 2001 est. 235 China 32.00 2006 est. 236 Dominica 32.00 2000 est. 237 Tonga 31.80 2003 est. 238 Kazakhstan 31.50 2006 239 Croatia 31.30 2008 240 Bhutan 31.00 2004 est. 241 Paraguay 31.00 2007 242 Iran 31.00 June 2007 243 Italy 30.70 2005 244 Tonga 30.60 2003 est. 245 Macedonia 30.40 September 2007 246 Fiji 30.00 2001 est. 247 Montenegro 30.00 2004 est. 248 Mauritius 30.00 2007 249 Vanuatu 30.00 2000 est. 250 Togo 30.00 1998 est. 251 Serbia 30.00 2002 252 Portugal 30.00 2007 est. 253 Germany 29.70 2005 254 Romania 29.70 2006 255 Malta 29.60 2005 est. 256 Turkey 29.50 2005 257 Poland 29.20 2005 258 Lithuania 29.10 2005 259 Anguilla 29.00 2000 est. 260 Nicaragua 29.00 2006 est. 261 Somalia 29.00 1975 262 Ghana 29.00 2005 est. 263 Cook Islands 29.00 1995 264 Sweden 28.20 2008 est. 265 Dominica 28.00 2000 est. 266 India 28.00 2003 267 Japan 27.90 2005 268 European Union 27.70 2007 est. 269 Macau 27.70 2008 est. 270 Austria 27.50 2005 est. 271 Russia 27.40 2007 est. 272 Albania 27.00 September 2006 est. 273 Ireland 27.00 2006 est. 274 Spain 26.40 2008 est. 275 Sri Lanka 26.10 30 September 2008 est. 276 Bangladesh 26.00 FY95/96 277 South Africa 26.00 2007 est. 278 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 26.00 1980 est. 279 Latvia 25.80 2005 est. 280 Mexico 25.70 2005 281 Vietnam 25.50 July 2005 282 Tajikistan 25.30 2000 est. 283 Korea, South 25.10 2007 284 Belgium 25.00 2007 est. 285 Mauritius 25.00 2007 286 Kenya 25.00 2003 est. 287 Iran 25.00 June 2007 288 Haiti 25.00 1995 289 Gabon 25.00 2000 est. 290 China 25.00 2006 est. 291 United States 24.80 2007 292 Saint Lucia 24.70 2002 est. 293 Turkey 24.70 2005 294 France 24.30 2005 295 Ukraine 24.20 2005 296 Grenada 24.00 1999 est. 297 Zimbabwe 24.00 1996 298 Guinea 24.00 2006 est. 299 Serbia 24.00 2002 300 Denmark 23.80 2005 est. 301 Peru 23.80 2005 302 Romania 23.20 2006 303 Argentina 23.00 2008 est. 304 Chile 23.00 2005 305 Burma 23.00 2001 306 Venezuela 23.00 1997 est. 307 Tunisia 23.00 1995 est. 308 Seychelles 23.00 2006 309 Libya 23.00 2004 est. 310 El Salvador 23.00 2006 est. 311 Switzerland 22.80 2005 312 Singapore 22.60 2007 313 United States 22.60 2007 314 Senegal 22.50 2007 est. 315 Colombia 22.40 2005 est. 316 Greece 22.40 2005 est. 317 Dominican Republic 22.30 2005 318 Costa Rica 22.00 2006 est. 319 Maldives 22.00 1995 320 Tunisia 22.00 1995 est. 321 Liberia 22.00 2000 est. 322 Mauritius 22.00 2007 323 Faroe Islands 21.90 2007 324 Saint Lucia 21.70 2002 est. 325 Hong Kong 21.40 2008 est. 326 Saudi Arabia 21.40 2005 est. 327 Marshall Islands 21.40 2000 328 Ecuador 21.20 2005 329 Australia 21.10 2005 est. 330 Norway 21.10 2008 331 Bermuda 21.00 2004 est. 332 Honduras 20.90 2005 est. 333 Marshall Islands 20.90 2000 334 Andorra 20.80 2007 335 Cyprus 20.50 2006 est. 336 Trinidad and Tobago 20.40 2007 est. 337 Pakistan 20.30 2005 est. 338 Thailand 20.20 2005 est. 339 Bahrain 20.00 1997 est. 340 Comoros 20.00 1996 est. 341 Laos 20.00 2005 est. 342 New Caledonia 20.00 2002 343 Namibia 20.00 1999 est. 344 Uzbekistan 20.00 1995 345 Tanzania 20.00 2002 est. 346 Palau 20.00 1990 347 Netherlands Antilles 20.00 2005 est. 348 Nigeria 20.00 1999 est. 349 New Caledonia 20.00 2002 350 Mali 20.00 2005 est. 351 Jordan 20.00 2001 est. 352 Eritrea 20.00 2004 est. 353 Cuba 20.00 2005 354 Chad 20.00 2006 est. 355 Brazil 20.00 2003 est. 356 Solomon Islands 20.00 2000 est. 357 Bosnia and Herzegovina 19.80 2007 358 Morocco 19.80 2006 est. 359 Hong Kong 19.70 2008 est. 360 Macedonia 19.60 September 2007 361 Cuba 19.40 2005 362 Ukraine 19.40 2005 363 Syria 19.20 2006 est. 364 Bermuda 19.00 2004 est. 365 El Salvador 19.00 2006 est. 366 New Zealand 19.00 2006 est. 367 Virgin Islands 19.00 2003 est. 368 Puerto Rico 19.00 2005 369 Nicaragua 19.00 2006 est. 370 Jamaica 19.00 2006 371 Iceland 19.00 2007 372 Gambia, The 19.00 1996 373 French Polynesia 19.00 2002 374 Bermuda 19.00 2004 est. 375 Vietnam 18.90 July 2005 376 Colombia 18.80 2005 est. 377 Indonesia 18.60 2006 est. 378 Kazakhstan 18.40 2006 379 Finland 18.30 2008 380 United Kingdom 18.20 2006 est. 381 Belize 18.10 2007 382 Anguilla 18.00 2000 est. 383 Nepal 18.00 2004 est. 384 Guinea-Bissau 18.00 2000 est. 385 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 18.00 1996 est. 386 Panama 18.00 2006 387 Isle of Man 18.00 2001 388 Maldives 18.00 1995 389 Netherlands 18.00 2005 est. 390 Isle of Man 18.00 2001 391 Poland 17.40 2005 392 Luxembourg 17.20 2007 est. 393 Bermuda 17.00 2004 est. 394 Bolivia 17.00 2006 est. 395 Jamaica 17.00 2006 396 Libya 17.00 2004 est. 397 Paraguay 17.00 2007 398 West Bank 17.00 June 2008 399 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 17.00 1980 est. 400 Egypt 17.00 2001 est. 401 Cameroon 17.00 2001 est. 402 Kosovo 16.50 2007 est. 403 United States 16.50 2007 404 Algeria 16.00 2003 est. 405 Wallis and Futuna 16.00 2001 est. 406 Moldova 16.00 2005 407 Israel 16.00 30 September 2008 408 Finland 16.00 2008 409 Armenia 15.60 2006 est. 410 Mexico 15.10 2005 411 United Arab Emirates 15.00 2000 est. 412 Albania 15.00 September 2006 est. 413 Angola 15.00 2003 est. 414 Cook Islands 15.00 1995 415 Ghana 15.00 2005 est. 416 West Bank 15.00 June 2008 417 Uruguay 15.00 2007 est. 418 Philippines 15.00 2008 est. 419 Panama 15.00 2006 420 Guatemala 15.00 1999 est. 421 Gabon 15.00 2000 est. 422 Bermuda 15.00 2004 est. 423 Barbados 15.00 1996 est. 424 Algeria 14.60 2003 est. 425 Dominican Republic 14.60 2005 426 Finland 14.50 2008 427 Syria 14.50 2006 est. 428 Algeria 14.00 2003 est. 429 Turkmenistan 14.00 2004 est. 430 Suriname 14.00 2004 431 Macau 14.00 2008 est. 432 Lesotho 14.00 2002 est. 433 Lithuania 14.00 2005 434 Grenada 14.00 1999 est. 435 Costa Rica 14.00 2006 est. 436 Brazil 14.00 2003 est. 437 Belarus 14.00 2003 est. 438 Algeria 13.40 2003 est. 439 Chile 13.20 2005 440 Ethiopia 13.20 2005 441 Canada 13.00 2006 442 Venezuela 13.00 1997 est. 443 Uganda 13.00 1999 est. 444 Sudan 13.00 1998 est. 445 Mozambique 13.00 1997 est. 446 Malaysia 13.00 2005 est. 447 Cameroon 13.00 2001 est. 448 French Polynesia 13.00 2002 449 Trinidad and Tobago 12.80 2007 est. 450 Macau 12.70 2008 est. 451 Cayman Islands 12.60 1995 452 Macau 12.60 2008 est. 453 Kyrgyzstan 12.50 2005 est. 454 Macau 12.50 2008 est. 455 Greece 12.40 2005 est. 456 Azerbaijan 12.10 2005 457 Latvia 12.10 2005 est. 458 Gaza Strip 12.00 June 2008 459 India 12.00 2003 460 Faroe Islands 11.20 2007 461 Antigua and Barbuda 11.00 1983 462 Bangladesh 11.00 FY95/96 463 Isle of Man 11.00 2001 464 Isle of Man 11.00 2001 465 Belize 10.20 2007 466 Russia 10.20 2007 est. 467 Afghanistan 10.00 2004 est. 468 Barbados 10.00 1996 est. 469 Isle of Man 10.00 2001 470 Afghanistan 10.00 2004 est. 471 Algeria 10.00 2003 est. 472 Anguilla 10.00 2000 est. 473 Zimbabwe 10.00 1996 474 Burkina Faso 10.00 2000 est. 475 Rwanda 10.00 2000 476 Portugal 10.00 2007 est. 477 Nigeria 10.00 1999 est. 478 Norfolk Island 10.00 NA 479 Mauritania 10.00 2001 est. 480 Malawi 10.00 2003 est. 481 Isle of Man 10.00 2001 482 Haiti 9.00 1995 483 Mauritius 9.00 2007 484 South Africa 9.00 2007 est. 485 Zambia 9.00 2004 486 Uruguay 9.00 2007 est. 487 Georgia 8.90 2006 est. 488 Cyprus 8.50 2006 est. 489 Ecuador 8.30 2005 490 Isle of Man 8.00 2001 491 Liberia 8.00 2000 est. 492 Suriname 8.00 2004 493 Hong Kong 7.90 2008 est. 494 Bulgaria 7.50 2007 est. 495 Tajikistan 7.50 2000 est. 496 Macau 7.40 2008 est. 497 Finland 7.30 2008 498 Korea, South 7.20 2007 499 Antigua and Barbuda 7.00 1983 500 Sudan 7.00 1998 est. 501 New Zealand 7.00 2006 est. 502 Mauritius 7.00 2007 503 Finland 7.00 2008 504 Burma 7.00 2001 505 Bermuda 7.00 2004 est. 506 United Arab Emirates 7.00 2000 est. 507 Saudi Arabia 6.70 2005 est. 508 Ethiopia 6.60 2005 509 Hong Kong 6.10 2008 est. 510 Bhutan 6.00 2004 est. 511 Zambia 6.00 2004 512 Saint Helena 6.00 1987 est. 513 Nepal 6.00 2004 est. 514 Niger 6.00 1995 515 Canada 6.00 2006 516 Isle of Man 6.00 2001 517 Macau 6.00 2008 est. 518 Mozambique 6.00 1997 est. 519 Mauritius 6.00 2007 520 Gambia, The 6.00 1996 521 Ireland 6.00 2006 est. 522 European Union 5.60 2007 est. 523 Austria 5.50 2005 est. 524 Taiwan 5.10 2008 est. 525 Bahamas, The 5.00 2005 est. 526 Solomon Islands 5.00 2000 est. 527 Bahamas, The 5.00 2005 est. 528 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 5.00 1996 529 Croatia 5.00 2008 530 Hungary 5.00 2005 531 Macau 5.00 2008 est. 532 Uganda 5.00 1999 est. 533 Togo 5.00 1998 est. 534 Vanuatu 5.00 2000 est. 535 Mongolia 5.00 2008 536 Gaza Strip 5.00 June 2008 537 Estonia 4.70 2007 538 Brunei 4.50 2003 est. 539 Finland 4.50 2008 540 Japan 4.40 2005 541 Italy 4.20 2005 542 Burundi 4.10 2002 est. 543 Anguilla 4.00 2000 est. 544 Wallis and Futuna 4.00 2001 est. 545 Spain 4.00 2008 est. 546 Niger 4.00 1995 547 Slovakia 4.00 30 September 2008 548 Switzerland 3.90 2005 549 France 3.80 2005 550 Trinidad and Tobago 3.80 2007 est. 551 Australia 3.60 2005 est. 552 Czech Republic 3.60 2007 553 Anguilla 3.00 2000 est. 554 Iceland 3.00 2007 555 Isle of Man 3.00 2001 556 Seychelles 3.00 2006 557 Isle of Man 3.00 2001 558 Canada 3.00 2006 559 Bermuda 3.00 2004 est. 560 Denmark 2.90 2005 est. 561 Norway 2.90 2008 562 Jordan 2.70 2001 est. 563 Kiribati 2.70 2000 564 Slovenia 2.50 2007 565 Germany 2.40 2005 566 Burundi 2.30 2002 est. 567 Malta 2.30 2005 est. 568 Luxembourg 2.20 2007 est. 569 Macau 2.10 2008 est. 570 Puerto Rico 2.10 2005 571 Belgium 2.00 2007 est. 572 Montenegro 2.00 2004 est. 573 Canada 2.00 2006 574 Israel 2.00 30 September 2008 575 Isle of Man 2.00 2001 576 Netherlands 2.00 2005 est. 577 Hong Kong 1.90 2008 est. 578 Liechtenstein 1.70 31 December 2006 579 Cayman Islands 1.40 1995 580 United Kingdom 1.40 2006 est. 581 Sweden 1.10 2008 est. 582 Argentina 1.00 2008 est. 583 Bahrain 1.00 1997 est. 584 Virgin Islands 1.00 2003 est. 585 Netherlands Antilles 1.00 2005 est. 586 Micronesia, Federated States of 0.90 FY05 est. 587 Peru 0.70 2005 588 United States 0.60 2007 589 British Virgin Islands 0.60 2005 590 Andorra 0.30 2007 591 San Marino 0.10 2008 est. 592 Singapore 0.00 2007

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Rank code: 2049

Country Comparison :: Exports - commodities

This entry provides a listing of the highest-valued exported products; it sometimes includes the percent of total dollar value.

Rank country (%) Date of Information

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Rank code: 2050

Country Comparison :: Exports - partners

This entry provides a rank ordering of trading partners starting with the most important; it sometimes includes the percent of total dollar value.

Rank country (%) Date of Information

1 Chad 92.80 2008 2 Bhutan 89.00 2008 3 Vanuatu 83.00 2008 4 Niger 80.40 2008 5 Mexico 80.20 2008 6 Djibouti 79.90 2008 7 Canada 77.70 2008 8 Sao Tome and Principe 77.50 2008 9 Mongolia 74.00 2008 10 Haiti 70.70 2008 11 Saint Kitts and Nevis 65.70 2008 12 Greenland 63.50 2008 13 Honduras 62.10 2008 14 Bolivia 60.10 2008 15 Nepal 59.20 2008 16 Lesotho 58.90 2008 17 Dominican Republic 58.10 2008 18 Guinea-Bissau 56.80 2008 19 Somalia 56.20 2008 20 Albania 55.90 2008 21 Mozambique 55.50 2008 22 Cambodia 54.40 2008 23 Burma 52.30 2008 24 Turkmenistan 51.70 2008 25 Sudan 49.80 2008 26 Hong Kong 48.50 2008 27 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 48.40 2008 28 Moldova 48.30 2008 29 Solomon Islands 47.70 2008 30 El Salvador 47.50 2008 31 Ecuador 45.30 2008 32 Congo, Republic of the 45.10 2008 33 Korea, North 45.00 2007 34 Trinidad and Tobago 44.50 2008 35 Mauritania 41.40 2008 36 Nigeria 41.40 2008 37 Brunei 40.80 2008 38 Venezuela 40.70 2008 39 Central African Republic 40.40 2008 40 Jamaica 40.30 2008 41 Azerbaijan 40.20 2008 42 Macau 39.90 2008 43 Guatemala 39.40 2008 44 Panama 39.20 2008 45 Madagascar 38.90 2008 46 Qatar 38.50 2008 47 Colombia 38.00 2008 48 Libya 38.00 2008 49 Cape Verde 37.50 2008 50 Iraq 37.30 2008 51 Lesotho 37.00 2008 52 Samoa 36.80 2008 53 Tajikistan 36.70 2008 54 Suriname 36.20 2008 55 Belize 35.60 2008 56 Sierra Leone 35.60 2008 57 Guinea-Bissau 35.60 2008 58 Laos 35.50 2008 59 Samoa 35.30 2008 60 Korea, North 35.00 2007 61 Maldives 34.40 2008 62 Iceland 33.80 2008 63 Dominica 33.50 2008 64 Sudan 33.40 2008 65 Angola 33.00 2008 66 Israel 32.50 2008 67 Congo, Republic of the 32.30 2008 68 Nicaragua 32.30 2008 69 Belarus 32.20 2008 70 Zimbabwe 32.10 2008 71 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 31.80 2008 72 Oman 31.70 2008 73 Paraguay 31.70 2008 74 Syria 30.90 2008 75 Mauritius 30.80 2008 76 Czech Republic 30.60 2008 77 Gambia, The 30.50 2008 78 Tonga 29.60 2008 79 Austria 29.50 2008 80 Taiwan 29.20 2008 est. 81 Guinea 28.90 2008 82 Angola 28.70 2008 83 Cape Verde 28.50 2008 84 Yemen 28.40 2008 85 Tunisia 28.30 2008 86 Burundi 27.90 2008 87 Cuba 27.80 2008 88 Faroe Islands 27.30 2008 89 Uzbekistan 27.30 2008 90 Kyrgyzstan 27.20 2008 91 Papua New Guinea 27.20 2008 92 Comoros 27.10 2008 93 Norway 27.00 2008 94 Mali 26.70 2008 95 Cuba 26.60 2008 96 Hungary 26.50 2008 97 Liberia 26.50 2008 98 Tajikistan 26.50 2008 99 Portugal 25.70 2008 100 Gambia, The 25.60 2008 101 Netherlands 25.50 2008 102 Gabon 25.40 2008 103 Eritrea 25.30 2008 104 Lebanon 24.90 2008 105 Poland 24.90 2008 106 Bermuda 24.70 2008 107 Algeria 23.90 2008 108 Costa Rica 23.90 2008 109 Saint Lucia 23.60 2008 110 Yemen 23.60 2008 111 Ukraine 23.50 2008 112 New Zealand 23.10 2008 113 United Arab Emirates 23.00 2008 114 Equatorial Guinea 22.70 2008 115 Aruba 22.30 2008 116 Australia 22.20 2008 117 Luxembourg 21.80 2008 118 Bahamas, The 21.60 2008 119 Brunei 21.60 2008 120 Sri Lanka 21.60 2008 121 Belize 21.50 2008 122 Korea, South 21.40 2008 123 Seychelles 21.10 2008 124 Bangladesh 21.00 2008 125 Somalia 21.00 2008 126 Qatar 20.90 2008 127 Guyana 20.80 2008 128 Bosnia and Herzegovina 20.70 2008 129 Afghanistan 20.50 2008 130 Macedonia 20.40 2008 131 Madagascar 20.30 2008 132 Armenia 20.20 2008 133 Indonesia 20.20 2008 134 Cyprus 20.10 2008 135 Sierra Leone 20.10 2008 136 United States 20.10 2008 137 Slovakia 20.00 2008 138 Peru 20.00 2008 139 Belgium 19.80 2008 140 Switzerland 19.80 2008 141 Cameroon 19.80 2008 142 Macau 19.70 2008 143 Senegal 19.60 2008 144 Uzbekistan 19.60 2008 145 Aruba 19.50 2008 146 Saint Lucia 19.30 2008 147 Kyrgyzstan 19.20 2008 148 Morocco 19.20 2008 149 Gabon 19.10 2008 150 Seychelles 19.10 2008 151 Bahamas, The 19.00 2008 152 Netherlands Antilles 19.00 2008 153 Argentina 18.90 2008 154 New Caledonia 18.90 2008 155 Vietnam 18.90 2008 156 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 18.90 2008 157 Croatia 18.90 2008 158 Slovenia 18.70 2008 159 Uruguay 18.70 2008 160 Ireland 18.60 2008 161 Faroe Islands 18.60 2008 162 Ireland 18.60 2008 163 Afghanistan 18.50 2008 164 Kuwait 18.40 2008 165 Spain 18.40 2008 166 Estonia 18.30 2008 167 New Caledonia 18.30 2008 168 Bahamas, The 18.20 2008 169 Equatorial Guinea 18.20 2008 170 Denmark 18.00 2008 171 Liberia 17.90 2008 172 Tunisia 17.90 2008 173 Dominica 17.80 2008 174 Japan 17.80 2008 175 China 17.70 2008 176 Morocco 17.60 2008 177 Cape Verde 17.50 2008 178 Belgium 17.40 2008 179 Luxembourg 17.40 2008 180 Afghanistan 17.20 2008 181 Armenia 17.20 2008 182 Eritrea 17.20 2008 183 Aruba 17.10 2008 184 Saudi Arabia 17.10 2008 185 Oman 17.00 2008 186 Burkina Faso 17.00 2008 187 Belarus 16.90 2008 188 Georgia 16.90 2008 189 Bosnia and Herzegovina 16.70 2008 190 Bosnia and Herzegovina 16.70 2008 191 Philippines 16.70 2008 192 Saint Lucia 16.60 2008 193 Romania 16.50 2008 194 Grenada 16.40 2008 195 Bermuda 16.20 2008 196 Colombia 16.20 2008 197 Jordan 16.20 2008 198 Jordan 16.10 2008 199 Yemen 16.10 2008 200 Japan 16.00 2008 201 Lithuania 16.00 2008 202 Pakistan 16.00 2008 203 Paraguay 15.90 2008 204 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 15.80 2008 205 Eritrea 15.80 2008 206 Philippines 15.70 2008 207 Barbados 15.60 2008 208 Benin 15.60 2008 209 Romania 15.60 2008 210 Algeria 15.50 2008 211 Latvia 15.50 2008 212 Laos 15.50 2008 213 Brunei 15.40 2008 214 Macedonia 15.40 2008 215 Croatia 15.30 2008 216 Iran 15.30 2008 217 Comoros 15.20 2008 218 Moldova 15.20 2008 219 Sierra Leone 15.20 2008 220 Saudi Arabia 15.20 2008 221 Peru 15.20 2008 222 Fiji 15.20 2008 223 Guyana 15.20 2008 224 Mauritius 15.10 2008 225 Ireland 14.70 2008 226 Malaysia 14.70 2008 227 Equatorial Guinea 14.70 2008 228 Latvia 14.70 2008 229 Australia 14.60 2008 230 Nicaragua 14.60 2008 231 Kuwait 14.60 2008 232 Denmark 14.50 2008 233 Brazil 14.40 2008 234 France 14.30 2008 235 Iran 14.30 2008 236 Kyrgyzstan 14.30 2008 237 Uganda 14.30 2008 238 Chile 14.20 2008 239 Malawi 14.20 2008 240 Zambia 14.20 2008 241 El Salvador 14.20 2008 242 Barbados 13.90 2008 243 Liberia 13.90 2008 244 Aruba 13.80 2008 245 Estonia 13.80 2008 246 Iraq 13.80 2008 247 Maldives 13.80 2008 248 United Kingdom 13.80 2008 249 Netherlands 13.80 2008 250 Vietnam 13.60 2008 251 Cameroon 13.50 2008 252 Ghana 13.50 2008 253 Malta 13.50 2008 254 Kazakhstan 13.50 2008 255 Yemen 13.40 2008 256 Afghanistan 13.30 2008 257 Costa Rica 13.30 2008 258 China 13.30 2008 259 Bangladesh 13.20 2008 260 Latvia 13.20 2008 261 Jordan 13.20 2008 262 Slovakia 13.10 2008 263 Bosnia and Herzegovina 13.00 2008 264 Malta 13.00 2008 265 Costa Rica 12.90 2008 266 Burkina Faso 12.90 2008 267 Lebanon 12.90 2008 268 Hong Kong 12.80 2008 269 Italy 12.80 2008 270 Norway 12.80 2008 271 Burma 12.70 2008 272 Togo 12.70 2008 273 Portugal 12.70 2008 274 Azerbaijan 12.60 2008 275 Guatemala 12.60 2008 276 Malaysia 12.50 2008 277 Suriname 12.50 2008 278 Brazil 12.40 2008 279 Suriname 12.40 2008 280 Macedonia 12.40 2008 281 Georgia 12.40 2008 282 Guyana 12.30 2008 283 India 12.30 2008 284 Macau 12.30 2008 285 Armenia 12.20 2008 286 Bermuda 12.20 2008 287 Maldives 12.20 2008 288 Malta 12.20 2008 289 Belgium 12.20 2008 290 Singapore 12.10 2008 291 Benin 12.00 2008 292 Tonga 12.00 2008 293 Taiwan 12.00 2008 est. 294 Tonga 12.00 2008 295 Faroe Islands 12.00 2008 296 Libya 12.00 2008 297 Kazakhstan 12.00 2008 298 Sri Lanka 11.90 2008 299 Ethiopia 11.80 2008 300 Ghana 11.80 2008 301 Faroe Islands 11.70 2008 302 Iceland 11.70 2008 303 Slovenia 11.70 2008 304 United States 11.70 2008 305 Pakistan 11.70 2008 306 Paraguay 11.70 2008 307 Oman 11.70 2008 308 Albania 11.60 2008 309 Finland 11.60 2008 310 Lithuania 11.60 2008 311 Fiji 11.60 2008 312 El Salvador 11.50 2008 313 United Kingdom 11.50 2008 314 Iceland 11.50 2008 315 Kuwait 11.50 2008 316 Greece 11.50 2008 317 Algeria 11.40 2008 318 Thailand 11.40 2008 319 Thailand 11.40 2008 320 Kyrgyzstan 11.40 2008 321 Grenada 11.40 2008 322 Chile 11.30 2008 323 Burkina Faso 11.30 2008 324 Grenada 11.30 2008 325 Italy 11.20 2008 326 Russia 11.20 2008 327 Grenada 11.10 2008 328 Qatar 11.10 2008 329 South Africa 11.10 2008 330 South Africa 11.10 2008 331 Philippines 11.10 2008 332 Portugal 11.10 2008 333 Greenland 11.10 2008 334 Burundi 11.00 2008 335 Oman 11.00 2008 336 Togo 11.00 2008 337 Cote d'Ivoire 10.90 2008 338 Korea, South 10.90 2008 339 Aruba 10.80 2008 340 Malaysia 10.80 2008 341 Cyprus 10.80 2008 342 Croatia 10.70 2008 343 Panama 10.70 2008 344 Mali 10.70 2008 345 Cameroon 10.60 2008 346 Jamaica 10.60 2008 347 Kazakhstan 10.60 2008 348 Spain 10.60 2008 349 Netherlands Antilles 10.60 2008 350 Greece 10.50 2008 351 Singapore 10.50 2008 352 Chile 10.40 2008 353 Sweden 10.40 2008 354 Nigeria 10.40 2008 355 Norway 10.40 2008 356 Iran 10.40 2008 357 Bosnia and Herzegovina 10.30 2008 358 Estonia 10.30 2008 359 Singapore 10.30 2008 360 Fiji 10.20 2008 361 Gabon 10.20 2008 362 Mauritania 10.20 2008 363 Cote d'Ivoire 10.10 2008 364 Liberia 10.10 2008 365 Macedonia 10.10 2008 366 Philippines 10.10 2008 367 Seychelles 10.10 2008 368 Saudi Arabia 10.10 2008 369 New Zealand 10.10 2008 370 Brunei 10.00 2008 371 Finland 10.00 2008 372 Finland 10.00 2008 373 Estonia 10.00 2008 374 Grenada 10.00 2008 375 Guinea 10.00 2008 376 Turkmenistan 10.00 2008 377 Luxembourg 10.00 2008 378 Kenya 10.00 2008 379 Grenada 10.00 2008 380 Faroe Islands 10.00 2008 381 Barbados 9.90 2008 382 Bulgaria 9.90 2008 383 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 9.90 2008 384 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 9.80 2008 385 Syria 9.80 2008 386 Taiwan 9.80 2008 est. 387 Turkey 9.80 2008 388 Togo 9.80 2008 389 Central African Republic 9.80 2008 390 Malawi 9.80 2008 391 Germany 9.70 2008 392 Zimbabwe 9.70 2008 393 Syria 9.70 2008 394 Cote d'Ivoire 9.70 2008 395 Malta 9.60 2008 396 Tunisia 9.60 2008 397 Switzerland 9.60 2008 398 Burundi 9.50 2008 399 Uganda 9.50 2008 400 Sweden 9.50 2008 401 Malaysia 9.50 2008 402 Indonesia 9.50 2008 403 Guinea 9.50 2008 404 Guatemala 9.50 2008 405 Comoros 9.50 2008 406 United Arab Emirates 9.40 2008 407 Comoros 9.40 2008 408 Indonesia 9.40 2008 409 India 9.40 2008 410 Norway 9.40 2008 411 Nigeria 9.40 2008 412 Mongolia 9.40 2008 413 Iraq 9.40 2008 414 Egypt 9.40 2008 415 Dominican Republic 9.30 2008 416 India 9.30 2008 417 Netherlands Antilles 9.30 2008 418 Saudi Arabia 9.30 2008 419 Cote d'Ivoire 9.30 2008 420 Bulgaria 9.20 2008 421 Czech Republic 9.20 2008 422 Jamaica 9.20 2008 423 Thailand 9.20 2008 424 Singapore 9.20 2008 425 Papua New Guinea 9.20 2008 426 Mozambique 9.20 2008 427 Kenya 9.20 2008 428 Ecuador 9.20 2008 429 Argentina 9.10 2008 430 Burkina Faso 9.10 2008 431 Rwanda 9.10 2008 432 Kenya 9.00 2008 433 Uganda 9.00 2008 434 Maldives 9.00 2008 435 Bermuda 8.90 2008 436 Comoros 8.90 2008 437 Burma 8.90 2008 438 Bulgaria 8.90 2008 439 Haiti 8.90 2008 440 Kuwait 8.90 2008 441 Suriname 8.90 2008 442 Netherlands 8.90 2008 443 Eritrea 8.80 2008 444 Netherlands 8.80 2008 445 Macedonia 8.80 2008 446 Barbados 8.70 2008 447 Zimbabwe 8.70 2008 448 Switzerland 8.70 2008 449 France 8.70 2008 450 Kenya 8.70 2008 451 Spain 8.70 2008 452 Nepal 8.70 2008 453 Ethiopia 8.70 2008 454 Austria 8.60 2008 455 Tajikistan 8.60 2008 456 Switzerland 8.60 2008 457 Rwanda 8.60 2008 458 Pakistan 8.60 2008 459 Mauritius 8.60 2008 460 Malawi 8.60 2008 461 Ethiopia 8.60 2008 462 Bangladesh 8.60 2008 463 Armenia 8.50 2008 464 Benin 8.50 2008 465 Bulgaria 8.50 2008 466 Belarus 8.50 2008 467 Indonesia 8.50 2008 468 Zambia 8.50 2008 469 Uruguay 8.50 2008 470 Niger 8.50 2008 471 Maldives 8.50 2008 472 Laos 8.50 2008 473 Georgia 8.50 2008 474 Brazil 8.40 2008 475 New Zealand 8.40 2008 476 Georgia 8.40 2008 477 Bolivia 8.30 2008 478 France 8.30 2008 479 Peru 8.30 2008 480 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 8.30 2008 481 Slovenia 8.30 2008 482 Nepal 8.30 2008 483 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 8.30 2008 484 Australia 8.20 2008 485 Malta 8.20 2008 486 Georgia 8.20 2008 487 Denmark 8.20 2008 488 Central African Republic 8.20 2008 489 Cameroon 8.20 2008 490 China 8.10 2008 491 Moldova 8.10 2008 492 Russia 8.10 2008 493 Zambia 8.10 2008 494 Tanzania 8.10 2008 495 Turkmenistan 8.10 2008 496 Ethiopia 8.10 2008 497 Cameroon 8.10 2008 498 Ecuador 8.10 2008 499 Algeria 8.00 2008 500 Spain 8.00 2008 501 Ghana 8.00 2008 502 South Africa 8.00 2008 503 Russia 8.00 2008 504 United Arab Emirates 7.90 2008 505 Zambia 7.90 2008 506 Zambia 7.90 2008 507 Uganda 7.90 2008 508 Seychelles 7.90 2008 509 Kuwait 7.90 2008 510 Jamaica 7.90 2008 511 Equatorial Guinea 7.90 2008 512 Argentina 7.90 2008 513 Cameroon 7.90 2008 514 Algeria 7.80 2008 515 Barbados 7.80 2008 516 France 7.80 2008 517 Venezuela 7.80 2008 518 United Kingdom 7.80 2008 519 Trinidad and Tobago 7.80 2008 520 Seychelles 7.80 2008 521 Armenia 7.70 2008 522 Cambodia 7.70 2008 523 Georgia 7.70 2008 524 Zambia 7.70 2008 525 Sao Tome and Principe 7.70 2008 526 Latvia 7.70 2008 527 Suriname 7.70 2008 528 Croatia 7.70 2008 529 Ethiopia 7.70 2008 530 Bahamas, The 7.70 2008 531 Azerbaijan 7.60 2008 532 United Kingdom 7.60 2008 533 Japan 7.60 2008 534 France 7.60 2008 535 Bahamas, The 7.50 2008 536 Philippines 7.50 2008 537 Slovenia 7.50 2008 538 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 7.50 2008 539 Uzbekistan 7.50 2008 540 United Kingdom 7.50 2008 541 Saint Kitts and Nevis 7.50 2008 542 Israel 7.50 2008 543 Libya 7.40 2008 544 Malawi 7.40 2008 545 Netherlands Antilles 7.40 2008 546 Uganda 7.40 2008 547 Sweden 7.40 2008 548 Romania 7.40 2008 549 Aruba 7.30 2008 550 Barbados 7.30 2008 551 New Caledonia 7.30 2008 552 Togo 7.30 2008 553 Uruguay 7.30 2008 554 Uganda 7.30 2008 555 Sweden 7.30 2008 556 Rwanda 7.30 2008 557 Afghanistan 7.20 2008 558 Bulgaria 7.20 2008 559 Albania 7.20 2008 560 Belgium 7.20 2008 561 Vietnam 7.20 2008 562 Senegal 7.20 2008 563 Nigeria 7.20 2008 564 Lithuania 7.20 2008 565 Guyana 7.20 2008 566 Egypt 7.10 2008 567 Georgia 7.10 2008 568 Tonga 7.10 2008 569 Singapore 7.10 2008 570 Oman 7.10 2008 571 Morocco 7.10 2008 572 Germany 7.10 2008 573 Comoros 7.00 2008 574 Greece 7.00 2008 575 Ireland 7.00 2008 576 Burkina Faso 7.00 2008 577 Saudi Arabia 7.00 2008 578 Peru 7.00 2008 579 Mauritania 7.00 2008 580 Malawi 7.00 2008 581 Jordan 6.90 2008 582 Kazakhstan 6.90 2008 583 Libya 6.90 2008 584 Luxembourg 6.90 2008 585 Mauritania 6.90 2008 586 Zambia 6.90 2008 587 Ukraine 6.90 2008 588 Uganda 6.90 2008 589 Taiwan 6.90 2008 est. 590 Togo 6.90 2008 591 Trinidad and Tobago 6.90 2008 592 Trinidad and Tobago 6.90 2008 593 Nicaragua 6.90 2008 594 Algeria 6.80 2008 595 Liberia 6.80 2008 596 Iraq 6.80 2008 597 South Africa 6.80 2008 598 Nicaragua 6.80 2008 599 Comoros 6.80 2008 600 Sri Lanka 6.80 2008 601 Argentina 6.70 2008 602 Vietnam 6.70 2008 603 Spain 6.70 2008 604 Netherlands Antilles 6.70 2008 605 Kyrgyzstan 6.70 2008 606 Israel 6.70 2008 607 Indonesia 6.70 2008 608 Guinea 6.70 2008 609 Germany 6.70 2008 610 Eritrea 6.70 2008 611 Dominica 6.70 2008 612 Solomon Islands 6.70 2008 613 Malta 6.70 2008 614 Slovakia 6.70 2008 615 Belarus 6.60 2008 616 Guatemala 6.60 2008 617 Italy 6.60 2008 618 Germany 6.60 2008 619 Kazakhstan 6.60 2008 620 Sweden 6.60 2008 621 Tajikistan 6.60 2008 622 Romania 6.60 2008 623 Slovakia 6.60 2008 624 Lebanon 6.60 2008 625 Korea, South 6.60 2008 626 United Arab Emirates 6.50 2008 627 Czech Republic 6.50 2008 628 Eritrea 6.50 2008 629 Bhutan 6.50 2008 630 Uruguay 6.50 2008 631 Tanzania 6.50 2008 632 Norway 6.50 2008 633 New Caledonia 6.50 2008 634 Mauritius 6.50 2008 635 Macedonia 6.50 2008 636 Luxembourg 6.50 2008 637 Finland 6.40 2008 638 Germany 6.40 2008 639 Iran 6.40 2008 640 Sao Tome and Principe 6.40 2008 641 Syria 6.40 2008 642 Paraguay 6.40 2008 643 Malta 6.40 2008 644 Mali 6.40 2008 645 Libya 6.40 2008 646 Cote d'Ivoire 6.40 2008 647 Iran 6.40 2008 648 Grenada 6.40 2008 649 Bangladesh 6.30 2008 650 Slovakia 6.30 2008 651 Tanzania 6.30 2008 652 Togo 6.30 2008 653 Sweden 6.30 2008 654 Gambia, The 6.30 2008 655 Kenya 6.30 2008 656 Italy 6.30 2008 657 Cuba 6.20 2008 658 Poland 6.20 2008 659 Latvia 6.20 2008 660 Turkey 6.20 2008 661 Greece 6.20 2008 662 Egypt 6.20 2008 663 Australia 6.10 2008 664 Lebanon 6.10 2008 665 Kuwait 6.10 2008 666 Ethiopia 6.10 2008 667 Egypt 6.10 2008 668 Angola 6.00 2008 669 Congo, Republic of the 6.00 2008 670 Cyprus 6.00 2008 671 Central African Republic 6.00 2008 672 Ethiopia 6.00 2008 673 Equatorial Guinea 6.00 2008 674 Turkey 6.00 2008 675 Tonga 6.00 2008 676 South Africa 6.00 2008 677 Seychelles 6.00 2008 678 Saint Kitts and Nevis 6.00 2008 679 Russia 6.00 2008 680 Poland 6.00 2008 681 Luxembourg 6.00 2008 682 Bulgaria 5.90 2008 683 Cambodia 5.90 2008 684 Slovakia 5.90 2008 685 Ireland 5.90 2008 686 Chile 5.90 2008 687 Netherlands Antilles 5.90 2008 688 Vanuatu 5.90 2008 689 Uzbekistan 5.90 2008 690 Turkey 5.90 2008 691 Saint Lucia 5.90 2008 692 Portugal 5.90 2008 693 France 5.80 2008 694 Iceland 5.80 2008 695 Lithuania 5.80 2008 696 Peru 5.80 2008 697 Tunisia 5.80 2008 698 Saint Lucia 5.80 2008 699 Panama 5.80 2008 700 New Zealand 5.80 2008 701 Slovakia 5.80 2008 702 Guinea 5.80 2008 703 Armenia 5.70 2008 704 Tanzania 5.70 2008 705 Tajikistan 5.70 2008 706 Thailand 5.70 2008 707 Slovenia 5.70 2008 708 Poland 5.70 2008 709 Paraguay 5.70 2008 710 Malawi 5.70 2008 711 Malawi 5.70 2008 712 Lithuania 5.70 2008 713 Kazakhstan 5.70 2008 714 Croatia 5.70 2008 715 Ghana 5.70 2008 716 Estonia 5.70 2008 717 Dominica 5.70 2008 718 Denmark 5.70 2008 719 Chile 5.70 2008 720 Central African Republic 5.60 2008 721 Kenya 5.60 2008 722 Thailand 5.60 2008 723 Tanzania 5.60 2008 724 Zimbabwe 5.60 2008 725 Thailand 5.60 2008 726 Poland 5.60 2008 727 Australia 5.50 2008 728 Cuba 5.50 2008 729 Cambodia 5.50 2008 730 Belarus 5.50 2008 731 United States 5.50 2008 732 Syria 5.50 2008 733 Sudan 5.50 2008 734 Senegal 5.50 2008 735 Gambia, The 5.50 2008 736 Faroe Islands 5.50 2008 737 Finland 5.50 2008 738 Ethiopia 5.50 2008 739 Solomon Islands 5.40 2008 740 Jamaica 5.40 2008 741 Mauritania 5.40 2008 742 Panama 5.40 2008 743 Syria 5.40 2008 744 Senegal 5.40 2008 745 Panama 5.40 2008 746 New Caledonia 5.40 2008 747 Kazakhstan 5.40 2008 748 Hungary 5.40 2008 749 Equatorial Guinea 5.40 2008 750 Gabon 5.40 2008 751 Germany 5.40 2008 752 United Arab Emirates 5.30 2008 753 Denmark 5.30 2008 754 United Kingdom 5.30 2008 755 Philippines 5.30 2008 756 Portugal 5.30 2008 757 Poland 5.30 2008 758 Nicaragua 5.30 2008 759 Mauritius 5.30 2008 760 Italy 5.30 2008 761 Hungary 5.30 2008 762 Gambia, The 5.30 2008 763 Czech Republic 5.30 2008 764 Belize 5.30 2008 765 Solomon Islands 5.20 2008 766 Germany 5.20 2008 767 Mali 5.20 2008 768 Burkina Faso 5.20 2008 769 Switzerland 5.20 2008 770 Saint Lucia 5.20 2008 771 South Africa 5.20 2008 772 Netherlands 5.20 2008 773 Jamaica 5.20 2008 774 Indonesia 5.20 2008 775 Honduras 5.20 2008 776 Ghana 5.20 2008 777 Fiji 5.20 2008 778 Chile 5.20 2008 779 China 5.20 2008 780 Azerbaijan 5.10 2008 781 United States 5.10 2008 782 Tanzania 5.10 2008 783 Tajikistan 5.10 2008 784 Syria 5.10 2008 785 Sweden 5.10 2008 786 Russia 5.10 2008 787 Philippines 5.10 2008 788 Romania 5.10 2008 789 Papua New Guinea 5.10 2008 790 Mauritius 5.10 2008 791 Japan 5.10 2008 792 Finland 5.10 2008 793 Estonia 5.10 2008 794 Sri Lanka 5.10 2008 795 Burundi 5.10 2008 796 Brazil 5.00 2008 797 Burundi 5.00 2008 798 Costa Rica 5.00 2008 799 Honduras 5.00 2008 800 Uzbekistan 5.00 2008 801 Turkey 5.00 2008 802 Tunisia 5.00 2008 803 Philippines 5.00 2008 804 Panama 5.00 2008 805 Nicaragua 5.00 2008 806 Nicaragua 5.00 2008 807 Mali 5.00 2008 808 Moldova 5.00 2008 809 Madagascar 5.00 2008 810 Korea, North 5.00 2007 811 Greece 5.00 2008 812 Azerbaijan 4.90 2008 813 Armenia 4.90 2008 814 Benin 4.90 2008 815 Uruguay 4.90 2008 816 Burkina Faso 4.90 2008 817 Turkey 4.90 2008 818 Togo 4.90 2008 819 Trinidad and Tobago 4.90 2008 820 Sweden 4.90 2008 821 Singapore 4.90 2008 822 Sierra Leone 4.90 2008 823 Senegal 4.90 2008 824 Lithuania 4.90 2008 825 Luxembourg 4.90 2008 826 Iceland 4.90 2008 827 Hungary 4.90 2008 828 Greenland 4.90 2008 829 Costa Rica 4.90 2008 830 Belgium 4.80 2008 831 Bosnia and Herzegovina 4.80 2008 832 Zimbabwe 4.80 2008 833 Togo 4.80 2008 834 Tonga 4.80 2008 835 Saint Lucia 4.80 2008 836 Slovenia 4.80 2008 837 Malaysia 4.80 2008 838 Greenland 4.80 2008 839 Czech Republic 4.80 2008 840 Estonia 4.80 2008 841 Ecuador 4.80 2008 842 Denmark 4.80 2008 843 Cape Verde 4.80 2008 844 Sri Lanka 4.80 2008 845 Belgium 4.70 2008 846 Burundi 4.70 2008 847 Czech Republic 4.70 2008 848 Slovakia 4.70 2008 849 Lithuania 4.70 2008 850 Lithuania 4.70 2008 851 Indonesia 4.70 2008 852 Hungary 4.70 2008 853 Hungary 4.70 2008 854 Guyana 4.70 2008 855 Guyana 4.70 2008 856 Greece 4.70 2008 857 Yemen 4.70 2008 858 Venezuela 4.70 2008 859 Uganda 4.70 2008 860 Malta 4.70 2008 861 Mauritania 4.70 2008 862 Egypt 4.70 2008 863 Dominica 4.70 2008 864 Dominica 4.70 2008 865 Bangladesh 4.70 2008 866 Sri Lanka 4.70 2008 867 Angola 4.60 2008 868 Benin 4.60 2008 869 Solomon Islands 4.60 2008 870 Taiwan 4.60 2008 est. 871 Nigeria 4.60 2008 872 New Caledonia 4.60 2008 873 Libya 4.60 2008 874 Korea, South 4.60 2008 875 Jordan 4.60 2008 876 Fiji 4.60 2008 877 Czech Republic 4.60 2008 878 El Salvador 4.60 2008 879 Egypt 4.60 2008 880 Denmark 4.60 2008 881 Barbados 4.50 2008 882 Belize 4.50 2008 883 Cambodia 4.50 2008 884 Brazil 4.50 2008 885 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 4.50 2008 886 Zimbabwe 4.50 2008 887 Uruguay 4.50 2008 888 Rwanda 4.50 2008 889 Russia 4.50 2008 890 Qatar 4.50 2008 891 Pakistan 4.50 2008 892 Netherlands Antilles 4.50 2008 893 Norway 4.50 2008 894 Morocco 4.50 2008 895 Morocco 4.50 2008 896 Lithuania 4.50 2008 897 Iran 4.50 2008 898 Hungary 4.50 2008 899 Guyana 4.50 2008 900 Egypt 4.50 2008 901 Egypt 4.50 2008 902 Burma 4.40 2008 903 Zimbabwe 4.40 2008 904 Ukraine 4.40 2008 905 Uganda 4.40 2008 906 Togo 4.40 2008 907 Tonga 4.40 2008 908 Sweden 4.40 2008 909 Saudi Arabia 4.40 2008 910 Qatar 4.40 2008 911 Netherlands Antilles 4.40 2008 912 Belarus 4.40 2008 913 Germany 4.40 2008 914 Greece 4.40 2008 915 Ethiopia 4.40 2008 916 Chile 4.40 2008 917 Central African Republic 4.40 2008 918 Australia 4.30 2008 919 Austria 4.30 2008 920 Uzbekistan 4.30 2008 921 Uruguay 4.30 2008 922 Togo 4.30 2008 923 Tonga 4.30 2008 924 Thailand 4.30 2008 925 Russia 4.30 2008 926 Nepal 4.30 2008 927 Malaysia 4.30 2008 928 Morocco 4.30 2008 929 Zimbabwe 4.30 2008 930 Latvia 4.30 2008 931 Hong Kong 4.30 2008 932 Guyana 4.30 2008 933 Comoros 4.30 2008 934 Benin 4.30 2008 935 Argentina 4.20 2008 936 Ireland 4.20 2008 937 Georgia 4.20 2008 938 Vietnam 4.20 2008 939 United States 4.20 2008 940 Spain 4.20 2008 941 Romania 4.20 2008 942 Pakistan 4.20 2008 943 Peru 4.20 2008 944 Lebanon 4.20 2008 945 Guinea 4.20 2008 946 Guatemala 4.20 2008 947 France 4.20 2008 948 Ecuador 4.20 2008 949 Austria 4.20 2008 950 Australia 4.20 2008 951 Angola 4.10 2008 952 Zambia 4.10 2008 953 Uzbekistan 4.10 2008 954 United States 4.10 2008 955 United Kingdom 4.10 2008 956 Netherlands Antilles 4.10 2008 957 Mauritius 4.10 2008 958 Kazakhstan 4.10 2008 959 Iceland 4.10 2008 960 Honduras 4.10 2008 961 Guinea 4.10 2008 962 Guatemala 4.10 2008 963 Gambia, The 4.10 2008 964 Fiji 4.10 2008 965 Singapore 4.10 2008 966 Rwanda 4.10 2008 967 Panama 4.10 2008 968 Djibouti 4.10 2008 969 Bolivia 4.10 2008 970 China 4.10 2008 971 Eritrea 4.10 2008 972 Djibouti 4.10 2008 973 Central African Republic 4.10 2008 974 Bulgaria 4.10 2008 975 Belize 4.00 2008 976 Mauritania 4.00 2008 977 Macau 4.00 2008 978 Cote d'Ivoire 4.00 2008 979 Hungary 4.00 2008 980 Germany 4.00 2008 981 Gabon 4.00 2008 982 Central African Republic 4.00 2008 983 Colombia 4.00 2008 984 Cameroon 4.00 2008 985 Somalia 3.60 2008 986 Bahrain 3.40 2008 987 Mongolia 3.30 2008 988 Haiti 3.10 2008 989 Dominican Republic 2.90 2008 990 Samoa 2.90 2008 991 Niger 2.90 2008 992 Bahrain 2.70 2008 993 Canada 2.70 2008 994 Mexico 2.40 2008 995 Canada 2.30 2008 996 Bahrain 2.20 2008 997 Chad 2.20 2008 998 Mozambique 2.10 2008 999 Vanuatu 1.80 2008 1000 Mexico 1.70 2008 1001 Chad 1.50 2008 1002 Bhutan 1.20 2008 1003 Lesotho 1.20 2008 1004 Guinea-Bissau 1.20 2008

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Rank code: 2051

Country Comparison :: Administrative divisions

This entry generally gives the numbers, designatory terms, and first-order administrative divisions as approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (BGN). Changes that have been reported but not yet acted on by the BGN are noted.

Rank country Administrative divisions Date of Information

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Rank code: 2052

Country Comparison :: Agriculture - products

This entry is an ordered listing of major crops and products starting with the most important.

Rank country Agriculture - products Date of Information

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Rank code: 2053

Country Comparison :: Airports

This entry gives the total number of airports or airfields recognizable from the air. The runway(s) may be paved (concrete or asphalt surfaces) or unpaved (grass, earth, sand, or gravel surfaces) and may include closed or abandoned installations. Airports or airfields that are no longer recognizable (overgrown, no facilities, etc.) are not included. Note that not all airports have accommodations for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control.

Rank country Airports Date of Information

1 United States 15,095 2009 2 Brazil 4,000 2009 3 Mexico 1,744 2009 4 Canada 1,388 2009 5 Russia 1,216 2009 6 Argentina 1,130 2009 7 Colombia 992 2009 8 Bolivia 952 2009 9 Paraguay 798 2009 10 Indonesia 683 2009 11 South Africa 607 2009 12 Papua New Guinea 560 2009 13 Germany 550 2009 14 United Kingdom 506 2009 15 China 482 2009 16 France 475 2009 17 Australia 464 2009 18 Ukraine 425 2009 19 Ecuador 420 2009 20 Venezuela 406 2009 21 Guatemala 371 2009 22 Chile 357 2009 23 India 349 2009 24 Iran 316 2009 25 Philippines 254 2009 26 Sweden 249 2009 27 Saudi Arabia 217 2009 28 Zimbabwe 215 2009 29 Bulgaria 212 2009 30 Peru 201 2009 31 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 194 2009 32 Angola 192 2009 33 Kenya 181 2009 34 Japan 176 2009 35 Spain 153 2009 36 Costa Rica 151 2009 37 Finland 148 2009 38 Pakistan 145 2009 39 Algeria 143 2009 40 Nicaragua 143 2009 41 Libya 137 2009 42 Cuba 136 2009 43 Italy 132 2009 44 Namibia 129 2009 45 Oman 128 2009 46 Poland 125 2009 47 Tanzania 125 2009 48 Czech Republic 122 2009 49 Sudan 121 2009 50 New Zealand 120 2009 51 Malaysia 118 2009 52 Panama 117 2009 53 Korea, South 116 2009 54 Honduras 106 2009 55 Mozambique 105 2009 56 Thailand 105 2009 57 Iraq 104 2009 58 Syria 104 2009 59 Turkey 102 2009 60 Guyana 99 2009 61 Kazakhstan 99 2009 62 Iceland 99 2009 63 Norway 98 2009 64 Zambia 97 2009 65 Denmark 92 2009 66 Madagascar 89 2009 67 Lithuania 87 2009 68 Egypt 85 2009 69 Greece 81 2009 70 Korea, North 79 2009 71 Botswana 77 2009 72 Burma 77 2009 73 Croatia 68 2009 74 Switzerland 66 2009 75 Belarus 65 2009 76 Portugal 65 2009 77 El Salvador 65 2009 78 Ethiopia 63 2009 79 Bahamas, The 62 2009 80 Somalia 59 2009 81 Morocco 58 2009 82 Uruguay 57 2009 83 Nigeria 56 2009 84 Austria 55 2009 85 Yemen 55 2009 86 Chad 54 2009 87 Uzbekistan 54 2009 88 French Polynesia 53 2009 89 Romania 53 2009 90 Afghanistan 51 2009 91 Suriname 50 2009 92 Israel 47 2009 93 Nepal 47 2009 94 Hungary 46 2009 95 Mongolia 45 2009 96 Belize 44 2009 97 Vietnam 44 2009 98 Gabon 44 2009 99 Belgium 43 2009 100 Latvia 43 2009 101 Taiwan 42 2009 102 United Arab Emirates 41 2009 103 Laos 41 2009 104 Central African Republic 40 2009 105 Ireland 39 2009 106 Solomon Islands 36 2009 107 Cameroon 36 2009 108 Dominican Republic 35 2009 109 Uganda 35 2009 110 Slovakia 35 2009 111 Azerbaijan 34 2009 112 Liberia 33 2009 113 Malawi 32 2009 114 Tunisia 32 2009 115 Vanuatu 31 2009 116 Kyrgyzstan 29 2009 117 Puerto Rico 29 2009 118 Fiji 28 2009 119 Niger 28 2009 120 Turkmenistan 28 2009 121 Serbia 28 2009 122 Cote d'Ivoire 28 2009 123 Jamaica 27 2009 124 Netherlands 27 2009 125 Mauritania 27 2009 126 Lesotho 26 2009 127 Burkina Faso 26 2009 128 Tajikistan 26 2009 129 Antarctica 25 2009 130 New Caledonia 25 2009 131 Congo, Republic of the 25 2009 132 Bosnia and Herzegovina 25 2009 133 Georgia 22 2009 134 Mali 22 2009 135 Estonia 19 2009 136 Senegal 19 2009 137 Kiribati 19 2009 138 Sri Lanka 18 2009 139 Bangladesh 17 2009 140 Cambodia 17 2009 141 Guinea 17 2009 142 Jordan 17 2009 143 Slovenia 16 2009 144 Cyprus 15 2009 145 Marshall Islands 15 2009 146 Greenland 15 2009 147 Eritrea 14 2009 148 Swaziland 14 2009 149 Seychelles 14 2009 150 Macedonia 14 2009 151 Haiti 14 2009 152 Djibouti 13 2009 153 Armenia 11 2009 154 Moldova 11 2009 155 Ghana 11 2009 156 Cape Verde 10 2009 157 Cook Islands 9 2009 158 Sierra Leone 9 2009 159 Rwanda 9 2009 160 Guinea-Bissau 9 2009 161 Burundi 8 2009 162 Togo 8 2009 163 Turks and Caicos Islands 8 2009 164 Singapore 8 2009 165 Kosovo 8 2009 166 Equatorial Guinea 7 2009 167 Lebanon 7 2009 168 Kuwait 7 2009 169 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 6 2009 170 Micronesia, Federated States of 6 2009 171 Tonga 6 2009 172 Timor-Leste 6 2009 173 Western Sahara 6 2009 174 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 6 2009 175 Trinidad and Tobago 6 2009 176 Albania 5 2009 177 Benin 5 2009 178 Qatar 5 2009 179 Netherlands Antilles 5 2009 180 Maldives 5 2009 181 Mauritius 5 2009 182 Montenegro 5 2009 183 Northern Mariana Islands 5 2009 184 Comoros 4 2009 185 British Virgin Islands 4 2009 186 Samoa 4 2009 187 Svalbard 4 2009 188 Spratly Islands 4 2009 189 French Southern and Antarctic Lands4 2006 190 Antigua and Barbuda 3 2009 191 Bahrain 3 2009 192 Anguilla 3 2009 193 Grenada 3 2009 194 American Samoa 3 2009 195 Palau 3 2009 196 Cayman Islands 3 2009 197 Bhutan 2 2009 198 Dominica 2 2009 199 Hong Kong 2 2009 200 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 2 2009 201 Saint Lucia 2 2009 202 Virgin Islands 2 2009 203 Wallis and Futuna 2 2009 204 West Bank 2 2009 205 Sao Tome and Principe 2 2009 206 Saint Kitts and Nevis 2 2009 207 Montserrat 2 2009 208 Luxembourg 2 2009 209 Guernsey 2 2009 210 Brunei 2 2009 211 Aruba 1 2009 212 Barbados 1 2009 213 Wake Island 1 2009 214 Tuvalu 1 2009 215 Saint Barthelemy 1 2009 216 Saint Helena 1 2009 217 Norfolk Island 1 2009 218 Niue 1 2009 219 Malta 1 2009 220 Mayotte 1 2009 221 Macau 1 2009 222 Christmas Island 1 2009 223 Jan Mayen 1 2009 224 Jersey 1 2009 225 British Indian Ocean Territory 1 2009 226 Saint Martin 1 2009 227 Paracel Islands 1 2009 228 Nauru 1 2009 229 Isle of Man 1 2009 230 Gaza Strip 1 2009 231 Gibraltar 1 2009 232 Gambia, The 1 2009 233 Faroe Islands 1 2009 234 Cocos (Keeling) Islands 1 2009 235 Bermuda 1 2009

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Rank code: 2054

Country Comparison :: Birth rate

This entry gives the average annual number of births during a year per 1,000 persons in the population at midyear; also known as crude birth rate. The birth rate is usually the dominant factor in determining the rate of population growth. It depends on both the level of fertility and the age structure of the population.

Rank country (births/1,000 population) Date of Information

1 Niger 51.60 2009 est. 2 Mali 49.15 2009 est. 3 Uganda 47.84 2009 est. 4 Afghanistan 45.46 2009 est. 5 Sierra Leone 44.73 2009 est. 6 Burkina Faso 44.33 2009 est. 7 Somalia 43.70 2009 est. 8 Angola 43.69 2009 est. 9 Ethiopia 43.66 2009 est. 10 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 42.63 2009 est. 11 Liberia 42.25 2009 est. 12 Yemen 42.14 2009 est. 13 Malawi 41.48 2009 est. 14 Burundi 41.42 2009 est. 15 Congo, Republic of the 41.37 2009 est. 16 Chad 40.86 2009 est. 17 Zambia 40.24 2009 est. 18 Rwanda 39.67 2009 est. 19 Western Sahara 39.54 2009 est. 20 Mayotte 39.26 2009 est. 21 Benin 39.22 2009 est. 22 Sao Tome and Principe 38.54 2009 est. 23 Madagascar 38.14 2009 est. 24 Djibouti 38.13 2009 est. 25 Mozambique 37.98 2009 est. 26 Gambia, The 37.87 2009 est. 27 Guinea 37.52 2009 est. 28 Gaza Strip 36.93 2009 est. 29 Senegal 36.84 2009 est. 30 Nigeria 36.65 2009 est. 31 Kenya 36.64 2009 est. 32 Equatorial Guinea 36.52 2009 est. 33 Togo 36.44 2009 est. 34 Guinea-Bissau 35.97 2009 est. 35 Gabon 35.57 2009 est. 36 Comoros 35.23 2009 est. 37 Oman 34.79 2009 est. 38 Tanzania 34.29 2009 est. 39 Eritrea 34.20 2009 est. 40 Mauritania 34.11 2009 est. 41 Cameroon 34.10 2009 est. 42 Laos 33.94 2009 est. 43 Sudan 33.74 2009 est. 44 Central African Republic 32.75 2009 est. 45 Cote d'Ivoire 32.11 2009 est. 46 Zimbabwe 31.49 2009 est. 47 Marshall Islands 30.70 2009 est. 48 Kiribati 30.20 2009 est. 49 Iraq 30.10 2009 est. 50 Haiti 29.10 2009 est. 51 Ghana 28.58 2009 est. 52 Saudi Arabia 28.55 2009 est. 53 Paraguay 28.17 2009 est. 54 Samoa 28.06 2009 est. 55 Guatemala 27.98 2009 est. 56 Solomon Islands 27.69 2009 est. 57 Pakistan 27.62 2009 est. 58 Papua New Guinea 27.55 2009 est. 59 Belize 27.33 2009 est. 60 Tajikistan 26.90 2009 est. 61 Honduras 26.27 2009 est. 62 Timor-Leste 26.25 2009 est. 63 Swaziland 26.25 2009 est. 64 Philippines 26.01 2009 est. 65 Syria 25.90 2009 est. 66 Bolivia 25.82 2009 est. 67 Cambodia 25.73 2009 est. 68 West Bank 25.44 2009 est. 69 El Salvador 25.31 2009 est. 70 Libya 25.15 2009 est. 71 Bangladesh 24.68 2009 est. 72 Lesotho 24.14 2009 est. 73 Nauru 23.90 2009 est. 74 Cape Verde 23.50 2009 est. 75 Kyrgyzstan 23.44 2009 est. 76 American Samoa 23.31 2009 est. 77 Nicaragua 23.25 2009 est. 78 Nepal 23.18 2009 est. 79 Tuvalu 23.11 2009 est. 80 Micronesia, Federated States of 23.10 2009 est. 81 Botswana 22.89 2009 est. 82 Namibia 22.51 2009 est. 83 Dominican Republic 22.39 2009 est. 84 Malaysia 22.24 2009 est. 85 Fiji 21.92 2009 est. 86 Kuwait 21.81 2009 est. 87 India 21.76 2009 est. 88 Egypt 21.70 2009 est. 89 Vanuatu 21.53 2009 est. 90 Grenada 21.32 2009 est. 91 Mongolia 21.05 2009 est. 92 Morocco 20.96 2009 est. 93 Turks and Caicos Islands 20.79 2009 est. 94 Ecuador 20.77 2009 est. 95 Venezuela 20.61 2009 est. 96 Panama 20.18 2009 est. 97 Bhutan 20.07 2009 est. 98 World 19.95 2009 est. 99 South Africa 19.93 2009 est. 100 Tonga 19.84 2009 est. 101 Israel 19.77 2009 est. 102 Mexico 19.71 2009 est. 103 Turkmenistan 19.69 2009 est. 104 Jamaica 19.68 2009 est. 105 Colombia 19.57 2009 est. 106 Jordan 19.55 2009 est. 107 Peru 19.38 2009 est. 108 Indonesia 18.84 2009 est. 109 Northern Mariana Islands 18.77 2009 est. 110 Turkey 18.66 2009 est. 111 Brazil 18.43 2009 est. 112 Brunei 18.20 2009 est. 113 Argentina 17.94 2009 est. 114 Saint Kitts and Nevis 17.67 2009 est. 115 Azerbaijan 17.62 2009 est. 116 Uzbekistan 17.58 2009 est. 117 Guyana 17.56 2009 est. 118 Costa Rica 17.43 2009 est. 119 Iran 17.17 2009 est. 120 Lebanon 17.10 2009 est. 121 New Caledonia 17.04 2009 est. 122 Bahrain 17.02 2009 est. 123 Burma 16.97 2009 est. 124 Algeria 16.90 2009 est. 125 Bahamas, The 16.81 2009 est. 126 Suriname 16.80 2009 est. 127 Kazakhstan 16.60 2009 est. 128 Antigua and Barbuda 16.59 2009 est. 129 Vietnam 16.31 2009 est. 130 Sri Lanka 16.26 2009 est. 131 Cook Islands 16.18 2009 est. 132 United Arab Emirates 16.02 2009 est. 133 French Polynesia 15.91 2009 est. 134 Seychelles 15.87 2009 est. 135 Dominica 15.73 2009 est. 136 Qatar 15.61 2009 est. 137 Tunisia 15.42 2009 est. 138 Albania 15.29 2009 est. 139 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 15.27 2009 est. 140 Saint Lucia 15.10 2009 est. 141 Korea, North 14.82 2009 est. 142 Greenland 14.76 2009 est. 143 Chile 14.64 2009 est. 144 British Virgin Islands 14.62 2009 est. 145 Maldives 14.55 2009 est. 146 Mauritius 14.41 2009 est. 147 Trinidad and Tobago 14.36 2009 est. 148 Ireland 14.23 2009 est. 149 Netherlands Antilles 14.19 2009 est. 150 China 14.00 2009 est. 151 New Zealand 13.94 2009 est. 152 Uruguay 13.91 2009 est. 153 United States 13.82 2009 est. 154 Iceland 13.43 2009 est. 155 Thailand 13.40 2009 est. 156 Faroe Islands 13.04 2009 est. 157 Anguilla 13.02 2009 est. 158 Aruba 12.79 2009 est. 159 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 12.76 2009 est. 160 Armenia 12.65 2009 est. 161 Cyprus 12.57 2009 est. 162 France 12.57 2009 est. 163 Barbados 12.55 2009 est. 164 Australia 12.47 2009 est. 165 Cayman Islands 12.36 2009 est. 166 Montserrat 12.36 2009 est. 167 Puerto Rico 12.12 2009 est. 168 Macedonia 11.97 2009 est. 169 Virgin Islands 11.95 2009 est. 170 Luxembourg 11.73 2009 est. 171 Bermuda 11.57 2009 est. 172 Palau 11.20 2009 est. 173 Montenegro 11.14 2009 est. 174 Cuba 11.13 2009 est. 175 Saint Helena 11.13 2009 est. 176 Moldova 11.12 2009 est. 177 Russia 11.10 2009 est. 178 Norway 10.99 2009 est. 179 Isle of Man 10.77 2009 est. 180 Gibraltar 10.67 2009 est. 181 Georgia 10.66 2009 est. 182 United Kingdom 10.65 2009 est. 183 Slovakia 10.60 2009 est. 184 Denmark 10.54 2009 est. 185 Romania 10.53 2009 est. 186 Netherlands 10.40 2009 est. 187 Finland 10.38 2009 est. 188 Estonia 10.37 2009 est. 189 Malta 10.36 2009 est. 190 Andorra 10.35 2009 est. 191 Portugal 10.29 2009 est. 192 Canada 10.28 2009 est. 193 Belgium 10.15 2009 est. 194 Sweden 10.13 2009 est. 195 Poland 10.04 2009 est. 196 Latvia 9.78 2009 est. 197 Liechtenstein 9.75 2009 est. 198 Spain 9.72 2009 est. 199 Belarus 9.71 2009 est. 200 Croatia 9.64 2009 est. 201 San Marino 9.63 2009 est. 202 Ukraine 9.60 2009 est. 203 Switzerland 9.59 2009 est. 204 Bulgaria 9.51 2009 est. 205 Hungary 9.51 2009 est. 206 Greece 9.45 2009 est. 207 Serbia 9.19 2009 est. 208 Lithuania 9.11 2009 est. 209 Monaco 9.10 2009 est. 210 Taiwan 8.99 2009 est. 211 Slovenia 8.97 2009 est. 212 Korea, South 8.93 2009 est. 213 Macau 8.88 2009 est. 214 Bosnia and Herzegovina 8.85 2009 est. 215 Czech Republic 8.83 2009 est. 216 Singapore 8.82 2009 est. 217 Austria 8.65 2009 est. 218 Jersey 8.63 2009 est. 219 Guernsey 8.46 2009 est. 220 Germany 8.18 2009 est. 221 Italy 8.18 2009 est. 222 Japan 7.64 2009 est. 223 Hong Kong 7.42 2009 est.

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Rank code: 2055

Country Comparison :: Military branches

This entry lists the service branches subordinate to defense ministries or the equivalent (typically ground, naval, air, and marine forces).

Rank country Military branches Date of Information

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Rank code: 2056

Country Comparison :: Budget

This entry includes revenues, expenditures, and capital expenditures. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms.

Rank country Budget Date of Information

1 United States $ 2,978,000,000,000 2008 est. 2 United States $ 2,524,000,000,000 2008 est. 3 Japan $ 1,788,000,000,000 2008 est. 4 Japan $ 1,720,000,000,000 2008 est. 5 Germany $ 1,591,000,000,000 2008 est. 6 Germany $ 1,591,000,000,000 2008 est. 7 France $ 1,506,000,000,000 2008 est. 8 France $ 1,407,000,000,000 2008 est. 9 United Kingdom $ 1,214,000,000,000 2008 est. 10 Italy $ 1,132,000,000,000 2008 est. 11 Italy $ 1,068,000,000,000 2008 est. 12 United Kingdom $ 1,056,000,000,000 2008 est. 13 China $ 861,600,000,000 2008 est. 14 China $ 847,800,000,000 2008 est. 15 Spain $ 659,100,000,000 2008 est. 16 Spain $ 598,100,000,000 2008 est. 17 Canada $ 594,100,000,000 2008 est. 18 Canada $ 573,700,000,000 2008 est. 19 Netherlands $ 405,900,000,000 2008 est. 20 Netherlands $ 397,300,000,000 2008 est. 21 Russia $ 364,600,000,000 2008 est. 22 Australia $ 350,300,000,000 2008 est. 23 Australia $ 332,400,000,000 2008 est. 24 Russia $ 304,600,000,000 2008 est. 25 Saudi Arabia $ 293,700,000,000 2008 est. 26 Norway $ 266,200,000,000 2008 est. 27 Sweden $ 259,900,000,000 2008 est. 28 Mexico $ 258,100,000,000 2008 est. 29 Mexico $ 257,100,000,000 2008 est. 30 Sweden $ 248,100,000,000 2008 est. 31 Belgium $ 245,700,000,000 2008 est. 32 Belgium $ 239,400,000,000 2008 est. 33 Korea, South $ 227,500,000,000 2008 est. 34 Korea, South $ 216,700,000,000 2008 est. 35 India $ 202,600,000,000 2008 est. 36 Austria $ 200,700,000,000 2008 est. 37 Austria $ 196,400,000,000 2008 est. 38 Switzerland $ 189,800,000,000 2008 est. 39 Denmark $ 188,600,000,000 2008 est. 40 Switzerland $ 185,200,000,000 2008 est. 41 Norway $ 178,100,000,000 2008 est. 42 Denmark $ 176,300,000,000 2008 est. 43 Turkey $ 173,600,000,000 2008 est. 44 Turkey $ 160,500,000,000 2008 est. 45 Greece $ 144,400,000,000 2008 est. 46 Finland $ 143,800,000,000 2008 est. 47 Saudi Arabia $ 136,000,000,000 2008 est. 48 Finland $ 132,300,000,000 2008 est. 49 India $ 126,700,000,000 2008 est. 50 Greece $ 126,500,000,000 2008 est. 51 Poland $ 115,700,000,000 2008 est. 52 Portugal $ 111,900,000,000 2008 est. 53 Ireland $ 109,900,000,000 2008 est. 54 Poland $ 105,500,000,000 2008 est. 55 Portugal $ 105,500,000,000 2008 est. 56 Kuwait $ 105,200,000,000 2008 est. 57 Iran $ 103,000,000,000 FY09/10 est. 58 Indonesia $ 98,880,000,000 2008 est. 59 Venezuela $ 97,690,000,000 2008 est. 60 Czech Republic $ 96,090,000,000 2008 est. 61 Venezuela $ 94,140,000,000 2008 est. 62 Czech Republic $ 93,420,000,000 2008 est. 63 Indonesia $ 92,620,000,000 2008 est. 64 Ireland $ 92,570,000,000 2008 est. 65 Argentina $ 86,650,000,000 2008 est. 66 Colombia $ 83,220,000,000 2008 est. 67 Colombia $ 82,920,000,000 2008 est. 68 Argentina $ 82,850,000,000 2008 est. 69 South Africa $ 79,900,000,000 2008 est. 70 United Arab Emirates $ 78,740,000,000 2008 est. 71 Taiwan $ 77,960,000,000 2008 est. 72 South Africa $ 77,430,000,000 2008 est. 73 Romania $ 74,990,000,000 2008 est. 74 Taiwan $ 73,020,000,000 2008 est. 75 Hungary $ 73,000,000,000 2008 est. 76 Algeria $ 70,060,000,000 2008 est. 77 Hungary $ 67,700,000,000 2008 est. 78 Romania $ 65,290,000,000 2008 est. 79 Israel $ 64,210,000,000 2008 est. 80 Israel $ 59,980,000,000 2008 est. 81 Ukraine $ 59,240,000,000 2008 est. 82 Malaysia $ 58,850,000,000 2008 est. 83 Kuwait $ 58,080,000,000 2008 est. 84 Libya $ 58,040,000,000 2008 est. 85 Ukraine $ 56,550,000,000 2008 est. 86 Algeria $ 56,040,000,000 2008 est. 87 New Zealand $ 55,930,000,000 2008 est. 88 New Zealand $ 54,410,000,000 2008 est. 89 Thailand $ 51,330,000,000 2008 est. 90 Egypt $ 51,070,000,000 2008 est. 91 Iran $ 51,000,000,000 FY09/10 est. 92 Cuba $ 49,960,000,000 2008 est. 93 Iraq $ 49,900,000,000 FY08 est. 94 Malaysia $ 48,490,000,000 2008 est. 95 United Arab Emirates $ 48,310,000,000 2008 est. 96 Thailand $ 48,240,000,000 2008 est. 97 Cuba $ 45,420,000,000 2008 est. 98 Chile $ 44,790,000,000 2008 est. 99 Iraq $ 42,400,000,000 FY08 est. 100 Egypt $ 40,220,000,000 2008 est. 101 Hong Kong $ 39,760,000,000 2008 est. 102 Hong Kong $ 39,040,000,000 2008 est. 103 Peru $ 38,010,000,000 2008 est. 104 Qatar $ 36,590,000,000 2008 est. 105 Kazakhstan $ 36,230,000,000 2008 est. 106 Peru $ 35,290,000,000 2008 est. 107 Libya $ 35,220,000,000 2008 est. 108 Chile $ 35,090,000,000 2008 est. 109 Kazakhstan $ 33,470,000,000 2008 est. 110 Slovakia $ 33,320,000,000 2008 est. 111 Pakistan $ 32,350,000,000 2008 est. 112 Slovakia $ 31,230,000,000 2008 est. 113 Singapore $ 29,250,000,000 2008 est. 114 Angola $ 28,990,000,000 2008 est. 115 Vietnam $ 28,850,000,000 2008 est. 116 Philippines $ 28,580,000,000 2008 est. 117 Croatia $ 28,540,000,000 2008 est. 118 Morocco $ 27,930,000,000 2008 est. 119 Qatar $ 27,140,000,000 2008 est. 120 Philippines $ 27,050,000,000 2008 est. 121 Croatia $ 26,860,000,000 2008 est. 122 Singapore $ 26,480,000,000 2008 est. 123 Morocco $ 26,160,000,000 2008 est. 124 Belarus $ 25,970,000,000 2008 est. 125 Belarus $ 25,150,000,000 2008 est. 126 Nigeria $ 24,720,000,000 2008 est. 127 Vietnam $ 24,270,000,000 2008 est. 128 Slovenia $ 22,700,000,000 2008 est. 129 Slovenia $ 22,550,000,000 2008 est. 130 Luxembourg $ 22,420,000,000 2008 est. 131 Pakistan $ 22,300,000,000 2008 est. 132 Bulgaria $ 22,240,000,000 2008 est. 133 Angola $ 21,440,000,000 2008 est. 134 Ecuador $ 21,350,000,000 2008 est. 135 Ecuador $ 21,090,000,000 2008 est. 136 Luxembourg $ 21,000,000,000 2008 est. 137 Bulgaria $ 20,740,000,000 2008 est. 138 Nigeria $ 19,760,000,000 2008 est. 139 Oman $ 18,130,000,000 2008 est. 140 Lithuania $ 16,660,000,000 2008 est. 141 Oman $ 15,950,000,000 2008 est. 142 Azerbaijan $ 15,670,000,000 2008 est. 143 Lithuania $ 15,150,000,000 2008 est. 144 Latvia $ 13,410,000,000 2008 est. 145 Syria $ 12,850,000,000 2008 est. 146 Azerbaijan $ 12,690,000,000 2008 est. 147 Sudan $ 12,670,000,000 2008 est. 148 Bangladesh $ 12,540,000,000 2008 est. 149 Latvia $ 12,060,000,000 2008 est. 150 Sudan $ 11,550,000,000 2008 est. 151 Tunisia $ 11,300,000,000 2008 est. 152 Syria $ 11,230,000,000 2008 est. 153 Cyprus $ 11,190,000,000 2008 est. 154 Sri Lanka $ 11,000,000,000 2009 est. 155 Cyprus $ 10,960,000,000 2008 est. 156 Yemen $ 10,360,000,000 2008 est. 157 Lebanon $ 9,955,000,000 2008 est. 158 Tunisia $ 9,843,000,000 2008 est. 159 Serbia $ 9,800,000,000 2007 est. 160 Serbia $ 9,600,000,000 2007 est. 161 Puerto Rico $ 9,600,000,000 FY99/00 162 Estonia $ 9,488,000,000 2008 est. 163 Yemen $ 9,243,000,000 2008 est. 164 Dominican Republic $ 9,027,000,000 2008 est. 165 Uzbekistan $ 8,884,000,000 2008 est. 166 Bosnia and Herzegovina $ 8,867,000,000 2008 est. 167 Bangladesh $ 8,825,000,000 2008 est. 168 Estonia $ 8,798,000,000 2008 est. 169 Uruguay $ 8,555,000,000 2008 est. 170 Bosnia and Herzegovina $ 8,516,000,000 2008 est. 171 Uzbekistan $ 8,474,000,000 2008 est. 172 Kenya $ 8,167,000,000 2008 est. 173 Uruguay $ 8,160,000,000 2008 est. 174 Bolivia $ 8,039,000,000 2008 est. 175 Sri Lanka $ 7,800,000,000 2009 est. 176 Jordan $ 7,660,000,000 2008 est. 177 Bolivia $ 7,500,000,000 2008 est. 178 Ghana $ 7,492,000,000 2008 est. 179 Dominican Republic $ 7,460,000,000 2008 est. 180 Trinidad and Tobago $ 7,421,000,000 2008 est. 181 Trinidad and Tobago $ 7,141,000,000 2008 est. 182 Lebanon $ 6,998,000,000 2008 est. 183 Bahrain $ 6,934,000,000 2008 est. 184 Brunei $ 6,889,000,000 2008 est. 185 Iceland $ 6,856,000,000 2008 est. 186 Puerto Rico $ 6,700,000,000 FY99/00 187 Iceland $ 6,657,000,000 2008 est. 188 Kenya $ 6,648,000,000 2008 est. 189 Equatorial Guinea $ 6,599,000,000 2008 est. 190 Macau $ 6,200,000,000 2008 191 Panama $ 6,020,000,000 2008 est. 192 Panama $ 5,923,000,000 2008 est. 193 Jordan $ 5,670,000,000 2008 est. 194 Bahrain $ 5,612,000,000 2008 est. 195 Georgia $ 5,345,000,000 2008 est. 196 Ethiopia $ 5,340,000,000 2008 est. 197 Guatemala $ 5,338,000,000 2008 est. 198 Ghana $ 5,256,000,000 2008 est. 199 Cote d'Ivoire $ 4,915,000,000 2008 est. 200 Jamaica $ 4,829,000,000 2008 est. 201 Cote d'Ivoire $ 4,823,000,000 2008 est. 202 Botswana $ 4,808,000,000 2008 est. 203 Cameroon $ 4,714,000,000 2008 est. 204 Guatemala $ 4,693,000,000 2008 est. 205 Costa Rica $ 4,600,000,000 2008 est. 206 Georgia $ 4,596,000,000 2008 est. 207 Costa Rica $ 4,531,000,000 2008 est. 208 Ethiopia $ 4,517,000,000 2008 est. 209 Tanzania $ 4,517,000,000 2008 est. 210 Congo, Republic of the $ 4,515,000,000 2008 est. 211 Gabon $ 4,511,000,000 2008 est. 212 Botswana $ 4,326,000,000 2008 est. 213 Cameroon $ 4,261,000,000 2008 est. 214 El Salvador $ 4,242,000,000 2008 est. 215 Albania $ 4,175,000,000 2008 est. 216 Tanzania $ 4,099,000,000 2008 est. 217 El Salvador $ 4,016,000,000 2008 est. 218 Brunei $ 4,000,000,000 2008 est. 219 Senegal $ 3,802,000,000 2008 est. 220 Jamaica $ 3,794,000,000 2008 est. 221 Malta $ 3,770,000,000 2008 est. 222 Equatorial Guinea $ 3,601,000,000 2008 est. 223 Zambia $ 3,578,000,000 2008 est. 224 Albania $ 3,458,000,000 2008 est. 225 Malta $ 3,378,000,000 2008 est. 226 Zambia $ 3,291,000,000 2008 est. 227 Mozambique $ 3,280,000,000 2008 est. 228 Macedonia $ 3,239,000,000 2008 est. 229 Macedonia $ 3,167,000,000 2008 est. 230 Honduras $ 3,090,000,000 2008 est. 231 Senegal $ 3,077,000,000 2008 est. 232 Korea, North $ 2,980,000,000 2005 233 Uganda $ 2,939,000,000 2008 est. 234 Gabon $ 2,932,000,000 2008 est. 235 Macau $ 2,900,000,000 2008 236 Korea, North $ 2,880,000,000 2005 237 Paraguay $ 2,856,000,000 2008 est. 238 Paraguay $ 2,826,000,000 2008 est. 239 Mozambique $ 2,801,000,000 2008 est. 240 Papua New Guinea $ 2,797,000,000 2008 est. 241 Honduras $ 2,754,000,000 2008 est. 242 Namibia $ 2,745,000,000 2008 est. 243 Congo, Republic of the $ 2,721,000,000 2008 est. 244 Afghanistan $ 2,700,000,000 2007 est. 245 Namibia $ 2,661,000,000 2008 est. 246 Armenia $ 2,626,000,000 2008 est. 247 Uganda $ 2,621,000,000 2008 est. 248 Papua New Guinea $ 2,620,000,000 2008 est. 249 Moldova $ 2,513,000,000 2008 est. 250 Armenia $ 2,481,000,000 2008 est. 251 Moldova $ 2,453,000,000 2008 est. 252 Chad $ 2,324,000,000 2008 est. 253 Gaza Strip $ 2,310,000,000 2006 254 West Bank $ 2,310,000,000 2006 255 Nepal $ 2,300,000,000 FY08 256 Mauritius $ 2,163,000,000 2008 est. 257 Madagascar $ 2,050,000,000 2008 est. 258 Congo, Democratic Republic of the $ 2,000,000,000 2006 est. 259 Mongolia $ 1,950,000,000 2008 260 Chad $ 1,910,000,000 2008 est. 261 Mauritius $ 1,871,000,000 2008 est. 262 Burma $ 1,805,000,000 2008 est. 263 Mali $ 1,800,000,000 2006 est. 264 Burkina Faso $ 1,786,000,000 2008 est. 265 Mongolia $ 1,710,000,000 2008 266 Nepal $ 1,700,000,000 FY08 267 Turkmenistan $ 1,667,000,000 2008 est. 268 Madagascar $ 1,612,000,000 2008 est. 269 Nicaragua $ 1,594,000,000 2008 est. 270 Cambodia $ 1,592,000,000 2008 est. 271 Mali $ 1,500,000,000 2006 est. 272 Burkina Faso $ 1,409,000,000 2008 est. 273 Benin $ 1,407,000,000 2008 est. 274 Turkmenistan $ 1,407,000,000 2008 est. 275 Fiji $ 1,376,000,000 2006 276 Fiji $ 1,363,000,000 2006 277 Greenland $ 1,360,000,000 2005 278 Malawi $ 1,351,000,000 2008 est. 279 Benin $ 1,291,000,000 2008 est. 280 Cambodia $ 1,274,000,000 2008 est. 281 Kyrgyzstan $ 1,274,000,000 2008 est. 282 Nicaragua $ 1,271,000,000 2008 est. 283 Greenland $ 1,270,000,000 2005 284 Malawi $ 1,254,000,000 2008 est. 285 Kyrgyzstan $ 1,231,000,000 2008 est. 286 Kosovo $ 1,220,000,000 2007 est. 287 Marshall Islands $ 1,213,000,000 2008 288 Kosovo $ 1,190,000,000 2007 est. 289 Haiti $ 1,162,000,000 2008 est. 290 Gaza Strip $ 1,149,000,000 2006 291 West Bank $ 1,149,000,000 2006 292 Swaziland $ 1,083,000,000 2008 est. 293 New Caledonia $ 1,072,000,000 2001 est. 294 Swaziland $ 1,055,000,000 2008 est. 295 Bahamas, The $ 1,030,000,000 FY04/05 296 Bahamas, The $ 1,030,000,000 FY04/05 297 Rwanda $ 1,023,000,000 2008 est. 298 Burma $ 1,000,000,000 2008 est. 299 Tajikistan $ 996,800,000 2008 est. 300 New Caledonia $ 996,000,000 2001 est. 301 Haiti $ 967,500,000 2008 est. 302 Isle of Man $ 965,000,000 FY05/06 est. 303 Laos $ 955,900,000 2008 est. 304 Netherlands Antilles $ 949,500,000 2004 305 Isle of Man $ 943,000,000 FY05/06 est. 306 Rwanda $ 930,400,000 2008 est. 307 Monaco $ 920,600,000 2005 est. 308 Tajikistan $ 899,600,000 2008 est. 309 Afghanistan $ 890,000,000 2007 est. 310 Barbados $ 886,000,000 2000 est. 311 Maldives $ 884,000,000 2008 est. 312 French Polynesia $ 865,000,000 1999 313 Monaco $ 863,000,000 2005 est. 314 Jersey $ 851,000,000 2005 315 Barbados $ 847,000,000 2000 est. 316 Guinea $ 837,700,000 2008 est. 317 Virgin Islands $ 837,000,000 FY08/09 318 Virgin Islands $ 837,000,000 FY08/09 319 Jersey $ 829,000,000 2005 320 Lesotho $ 825,100,000 2008 est. 321 Laos $ 811,600,000 2008 est. 322 Mauritania $ 770,000,000 2007 est. 323 Mauritania $ 770,000,000 2007 est. 324 Guinea $ 769,700,000 2008 est. 325 Maldives $ 762,000,000 2008 est. 326 Lesotho $ 758,700,000 2008 est. 327 Netherlands Antilles $ 757,900,000 2004 328 Bermuda $ 738,000,000 FY04/05 329 Timor-Leste $ 733,000,000 FY06/07 est. 330 Congo, Democratic Republic of the $ 700,000,000 2006 est. 331 San Marino $ 690,600,000 2006 332 Bermuda $ 665,000,000 FY04/05 333 San Marino $ 652,900,000 2006 334 French Polynesia $ 644,100,000 1999 335 Faroe Islands $ 623,000,000 2005 336 Faroe Islands $ 588,000,000 2005 337 Aruba $ 577,900,000 2005 est. 338 Guernsey $ 563,600,000 2005 339 Guyana $ 552,600,000 2008 est. 340 Cape Verde $ 540,200,000 2008 est. 341 Guernsey $ 530,900,000 2005 342 Eritrea $ 523,300,000 2008 est. 343 Togo $ 519,900,000 2008 est. 344 Cape Verde $ 508,000,000 2008 est. 345 Aruba $ 507,900,000 2005 est. 346 Andorra $ 496,900,000 2007 347 Andorra $ 496,800,000 2007 348 Guyana $ 488,700,000 2008 est. 349 Gibraltar $ 455,100,000 2005 est. 350 Togo $ 438,100,000 2008 est. 351 Suriname $ 425,900,000 2004 352 Liechtenstein $ 424,200,000 1998 est. 353 Cayman Islands $ 423,800,000 2004 354 Gibraltar $ 423,600,000 2005 est. 355 Mayotte $ 420,000,000 2005 356 Liechtenstein $ 414,100,000 1998 est. 357 Mayotte $ 394,000,000 2005 358 Cayman Islands $ 392,600,000 2004 359 Suriname $ 392,600,000 2004 360 Holy See (Vatican City) $ 388,000,000 2007 361 Belize $ 386,500,000 2008 est. 362 Holy See (Vatican City) $ 374,000,000 2007 363 Burundi $ 355,000,000 2008 est. 364 Sierra Leone $ 351,000,000 2000 est. 365 Bhutan $ 350,000,000 2005 366 Belize $ 347,000,000 2008 est. 367 Niger $ 320,000,000 2002 est. 368 Niger $ 320,000,000 2002 est. 369 Timor-Leste $ 309,000,000 FY06/07 est. 370 Burundi $ 295,200,000 2008 est. 371 Seychelles $ 291,200,000 2008 est. 372 Central African Republic $ 273,000,000 2007 est. 373 Bhutan $ 272,000,000 2005 374 Seychelles $ 260,500,000 2008 est. 375 Central African Republic $ 250,000,000 2007 est. 376 Eritrea $ 234,600,000 2008 est. 377 Northern Mariana Islands $ 223,000,000 FY01/02 est. 378 British Virgin Islands $ 204,700,000 2004 379 Northern Mariana Islands $ 193,000,000 FY01/02 est. 380 American Samoa $ 183,600,000 FY07 381 Djibouti $ 182,000,000 1999 est. 382 British Virgin Islands $ 180,400,000 2004 383 Samoa $ 171,300,000 FY04/05 est. 384 Gambia, The $ 167,300,000 2008 est. 385 Micronesia, Federated States of $ 166,000,000 FY07 est. 386 Gambia, The $ 155,600,000 2008 est. 387 American Samoa $ 155,400,000 FY07 388 Micronesia, Federated States of $ 152,700,000 FY07 est. 389 Saint Lucia $ 146,700,000 2000 est. 390 Antigua and Barbuda $ 145,900,000 2000 est. 391 Saint Lucia $ 141,200,000 2000 est. 392 Djibouti $ 135,000,000 1999 est. 393 Saint Kitts and Nevis $ 128,200,000 2003 est. 394 Antigua and Barbuda $ 123,700,000 2000 est. 395 Marshall Islands $ 123,300,000 2008 396 Palau $ 114,800,000 2008 est. 397 Tonga $ 109,800,000 FY07/08 est. 398 Grenada $ 102,100,000 1997 399 Palau $ 99,500,000 2008 est. 400 Sierra Leone $ 96,000,000 2000 est. 401 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines $ 94,600,000 2000 est. 402 Saint Kitts and Nevis $ 89,700,000 2003 est. 403 Grenada $ 85,800,000 1997 404 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines $ 85,800,000 2000 est. 405 Dominica $ 84,400,000 2001 406 Tonga $ 80,480,000 FY07/08 est. 407 Vanuatu $ 78,700,000 2005 est. 408 Samoa $ 78,100,000 FY04/05 est. 409 Solomon Islands $ 75,100,000 2003 410 Dominica $ 73,900,000 2001 411 Vanuatu $ 72,230,000 2005 est. 412 Cook Islands $ 70,950,000 FY05/06 413 Saint Pierre and Miquelon $ 70,000,000 1996 est. 414 Cook Islands $ 69,050,000 FY05/06 415 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) $ 67,900,000 FY98/99 est. 416 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) $ 66,200,000 FY98/99 est. 417 Saint Pierre and Miquelon $ 60,000,000 1996 est. 418 Kiribati $ 59,710,000 FY05 419 Kiribati $ 55,520,000 FY05 420 Sao Tome and Principe $ 51,480,000 2008 est. 421 Solomon Islands $ 49,700,000 2003 422 Sao Tome and Principe $ 47,650,000 2008 est. 423 Turks and Caicos Islands $ 47,000,000 1997-98 est. 424 Turks and Caicos Islands $ 33,600,000 1997-98 est. 425 Montserrat $ 31,600,000 1997 est. 426 Montserrat $ 31,400,000 1997 est. 427 Saint Helena $ 30,280,000 FY06/07 est. 428 Comoros $ 27,600,000 2001 est. 429 Svalbard $ 25,070,000 2004 est. 430 Tuvalu $ 23,050,000 2006 431 Anguilla $ 22,800,000 2000 est. 432 Anguilla $ 22,500,000 2000 est. 433 Tuvalu $ 21,540,000 2006 434 Niue $ 16,330,000 FY0405 435 Niue $ 15,070,000 FY0405 436 Nauru $ 13,500,000 2005 437 Nauru $ 13,500,000 2005 438 Saint Helena $ 12,330,000 FY06/07 est. 439 Norfolk Island $ 4,800,000 FY99/00 440 Norfolk Island $ 4,600,000 FY99/00 441 Tokelau $ 2,800,000 1987 est. 442 Zimbabwe $ 1,092,000 2008 est. 443 Pitcairn Islands $ 1,028,000 FY04/05 444 Zimbabwe $ 941,600 2008 est. 445 Pitcairn Islands $ 746,000 FY04/05 446 Tokelau $ 430,800 1987 est. 447 Wallis and Futuna $ 31,330 2004 448 Wallis and Futuna $ 29,730 2004

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Rank code: 2057

Country Comparison :: Capital

This entry gives the name of the seat of government, its geographic coordinates, the time difference relative to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and the time observed in Washington, DC, and, if applicable, information on daylight saving time (DST). Where appropriate, a special note has been added to highlight those countries that have multiple time zones.

Rank country Capital Date of Information

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Rank code: 2058

Country Comparison :: Imports - commodities

This entry provides a listing of the highest-valued imported products; it sometimes includes the percent of total dollar value.

Rank country (%) Date of Information

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Rank code: 2059

Country Comparison :: Climate

This entry includes a brief description of typical weather regimes throughout the year.

Rank country Climate Date of Information

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Rank code: 2060

Country Comparison :: Coastline

This entry gives the total length of the boundary between the land area (including islands) and the sea.

Rank country (km) Date of Information

1 Canada 202,080.00 NA 2 Pacific Ocean 135,663.00 NA 3 Atlantic Ocean 111,866.00 NA 4 Indian Ocean 66,526.00 NA 5 European Union 65,992.90 NA 6 Indonesia 54,716.00 NA 7 Arctic Ocean 45,389.00 NA 8 Greenland 44,087.00 NA 9 Russia 37,653.00 NA 10 Philippines 36,289.00 NA 11 Japan 29,751.00 NA 12 Australia 25,760.00 NA 13 Norway 25,148.00 NA 14 United States 19,924.00 NA 15 Antarctica 17,968.00 NA 16 Southern Ocean 17,968.00 NA 17 New Zealand 15,134.00 NA 18 China 14,500.00 NA 19 Greece 13,676.00 NA 20 United Kingdom 12,429.00 NA 21 Mexico 9,330.00 NA 22 Italy 7,600.00 NA 23 Brazil 7,491.00 NA 24 Denmark 7,314.00 NA 25 Turkey 7,200.00 NA 26 India 7,000.00 NA 27 Chile 6,435.00 NA 28 Micronesia, Federated States of 6,112.00 NA 29 Croatia 5,835.00 NA 30 Solomon Islands 5,313.00 NA 31 Papua New Guinea 5,152.00 NA 32 Argentina 4,989.00 NA 33 Iceland 4,970.00 NA 34 Spain 4,964.00 NA 35 Madagascar 4,828.00 NA 36 Malaysia 4,675.00 NA 37 France 4,668.00 NA 38 Estonia 3,794.00 NA 39 Cuba 3,735.00 NA 40 Svalbard 3,587.00 NA 41 Bahamas, The 3,542.00 NA 42 Vietnam 3,444.00 NA 43 France 3,427.00 NA 44 Thailand 3,219.00 NA 45 Sweden 3,218.00 NA 46 Colombia 3,208.00 NA 47 Coral Sea Islands 3,095.00 NA 48 Somalia 3,025.00 NA 49 French Southern and Antarctic Lands2,800.00 NA 50 Venezuela 2,800.00 NA 51 South Africa 2,798.00 NA 52 Ukraine 2,782.00 NA 53 Saudi Arabia 2,640.00 NA 54 Vanuatu 2,528.00 NA 55 French Polynesia 2,525.00 NA 56 Korea, North 2,495.00 NA 57 Panama 2,490.00 NA 58 Mozambique 2,470.00 NA 59 Egypt 2,450.00 NA 60 Iran 2,440.00 NA 61 Peru 2,414.00 NA 62 Korea, South 2,413.00 NA 63 Germany 2,389.00 NA 64 New Caledonia 2,254.00 NA 65 Ecuador 2,237.00 NA 66 Eritrea 2,234.00 NA 67 Oman 2,092.00 NA 68 Burma 1,930.00 NA 69 Yemen 1,906.00 NA 70 Morocco 1,835.00 NA 71 Portugal 1,793.00 NA 72 Haiti 1,771.00 NA 73 Libya 1,770.00 NA 74 Angola 1,600.00 NA 75 Namibia 1,572.00 NA 76 Taiwan 1,566.30 NA 77 Palau 1,519.00 NA 78 Northern Mariana Islands 1,482.00 NA 79 Ireland 1,448.00 NA 80 Tanzania 1,424.00 NA 81 Sri Lanka 1,340.00 NA 82 United Arab Emirates 1,318.00 NA 83 Costa Rica 1,290.00 NA 84 Dominican Republic 1,288.00 NA 85 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 1,288.00 NA 86 Finland 1,250.00 NA 87 Tunisia 1,148.00 NA 88 Kiribati 1,143.00 NA 89 Fiji 1,129.00 NA 90 Faroe Islands 1,117.00 NA 91 Western Sahara 1,110.00 NA 92 Pakistan 1,046.00 NA 93 Jamaica 1,022.00 NA 94 Algeria 998.00 NA 95 Cape Verde 965.00 NA 96 Spratly Islands 926.00 NA 97 Nicaragua 910.00 NA 98 Gabon 885.00 NA 99 Nigeria 853.00 NA 100 Sudan 853.00 NA 101 Honduras 820.00 NA 102 Mauritania 754.00 NA 103 Hong Kong 733.00 NA 104 Timor-Leste 706.00 NA 105 British Indian Ocean Territory 698.00 NA 106 Uruguay 660.00 NA 107 Cyprus 648.00 NA 108 Maldives 644.00 NA 109 Bangladesh 580.00 NA 110 Liberia 579.00 NA 111 Qatar 563.00 NA 112 Ghana 539.00 NA 113 Kenya 536.00 NA 114 Senegal 531.00 NA 115 Paracel Islands 518.00 NA 116 Cote d'Ivoire 515.00 NA 117 Puerto Rico 501.00 NA 118 Kuwait 499.00 NA 119 Latvia 498.00 NA 120 Seychelles 491.00 NA 121 Guyana 459.00 NA 122 Netherlands 451.00 NA 123 Cambodia 443.00 NA 124 Poland 440.00 NA 125 Tonga 419.00 NA 126 Samoa 403.00 NA 127 Cameroon 402.00 NA 128 Sierra Leone 402.00 NA 129 Guatemala 400.00 NA 130 Turks and Caicos Islands 389.00 NA 131 Belize 386.00 NA 132 Suriname 386.00 NA 133 Marshall Islands 370.40 NA 134 Netherlands Antilles 364.00 NA 135 Albania 362.00 NA 136 Trinidad and Tobago 362.00 NA 137 Bulgaria 354.00 NA 138 Guinea-Bissau 350.00 NA 139 Comoros 340.00 NA 140 Guinea 320.00 NA 141 Djibouti 314.00 NA 142 Georgia 310.00 NA 143 El Salvador 307.00 NA 144 Equatorial Guinea 296.00 NA 145 Montenegro 293.50 NA 146 Israel 273.00 NA 147 Lebanon 225.00 NA 148 Romania 225.00 NA 149 Sao Tome and Principe 209.00 NA 150 Malta 196.80 NA 151 Singapore 193.00 NA 152 Syria 193.00 NA 153 Virgin Islands 188.00 NA 154 Mayotte 185.20 NA 155 Mauritius 177.00 NA 156 Congo, Republic of the 169.00 NA 157 Bahrain 161.00 NA 158 Brunei 161.00 NA 159 Cayman Islands 160.00 NA 160 Isle of Man 160.00 NA 161 Saint Lucia 158.00 NA 162 Antigua and Barbuda 153.00 NA 163 Dominica 148.00 NA 164 Christmas Island 138.90 NA 165 Saint Kitts and Nevis 135.00 NA 166 Wallis and Futuna 129.00 NA 167 Jan Mayen 124.10 NA 168 Benin 121.00 NA 169 Grenada 121.00 NA 170 Cook Islands 120.00 NA 171 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 120.00 NA 172 American Samoa 116.00 NA 173 Bermuda 103.00 NA 174 Heard Island and McDonald Islands 101.90 NA 175 Tokelau 101.00 NA 176 Barbados 97.00 NA 177 Lithuania 90.00 NA 178 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 84.00 NA 179 Gambia, The 80.00 NA 180 British Virgin Islands 80.00 NA 181 Ashmore and Cartier Islands 74.10 NA 182 Jersey 70.00 NA 183 Aruba 68.50 NA 184 Belgium 66.50 NA 185 Niue 64.00 NA 186 Anguilla 61.00 NA 187 Saint Helena 60.00 NA 188 Saint Martin 58.90 NA 189 Iraq 58.00 NA 190 Akrotiri 56.30 NA 191 Togo 56.00 NA 192 Pitcairn Islands 51.00 NA 193 Guernsey 50.00 NA 194 Slovenia 46.60 NA 195 Macau 41.00 NA 196 Gaza Strip 40.00 NA 197 Montserrat 40.00 NA 198 Saint Helena 40.00 NA 199 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 37.00 NA 200 French Southern and Antarctic Lands35.20 NA 201 French Southern and Antarctic Lands35.20 NA 202 United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges34.00 NA 203 Norfolk Island 32.00 NA 204 Nauru 30.00 NA 205 Bouvet Island 29.60 NA 206 French Southern and Antarctic Lands28.00 NA 207 Dhekelia 27.50 NA 208 Cocos (Keeling) Islands 26.00 NA 209 Jordan 26.00 NA 210 French Southern and Antarctic Lands24.10 NA 211 Tuvalu 24.00 NA 212 French Southern and Antarctic Lands22.20 NA 213 Bosnia and Herzegovina 20.00 NA 214 Wake Island 19.30 NA 215 United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges15.00 NA 216 United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges14.50 NA 217 Gibraltar 12.00 NA 218 Clipperton Island 11.10 NA 219 Navassa Island 8.00 NA 220 United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges8.00 NA 221 United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges6.40 NA 222 United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges4.80 NA 223 Monaco 4.10 NA 224 French Southern and Antarctic Lands3.70 NA 225 United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges3.00 NA 226 Afghanistan 0.00 NA 227 Bhutan 0.00 NA 228 Uganda 0.00 NA 229 Turkmenistan 0.00 NA 230 Mali 0.00 NA 231 Kazakhstan 0.00 NA 232 Kosovo 0.00 NA 233 Kyrgyzstan 0.00 NA 234 Hungary 0.00 NA 235 Czech Republic 0.00 NA 236 Ethiopia 0.00 NA 237 Central African Republic 0.00 NA 238 Chad 0.00 NA 239 Burundi 0.00 NA 240 Tajikistan 0.00 NA 241 Switzerland 0.00 NA 242 San Marino 0.00 NA 243 Rwanda 0.00 NA 244 Serbia 0.00 NA 245 Paraguay 0.00 NA 246 Nepal 0.00 NA 247 Niger 0.00 NA 248 Macedonia 0.00 NA 249 Zimbabwe 0.00 NA 250 Zambia 0.00 NA 251 Swaziland 0.00 NA 252 West Bank 0.00 NA 253 Holy See (Vatican City) 0.00 NA 254 Uzbekistan 0.00 NA 255 Burkina Faso 0.00 NA 256 Malawi 0.00 NA 257 Mongolia 0.00 NA 258 Moldova 0.00 NA 259 Luxembourg 0.00 NA 260 Lesotho 0.00 NA 261 Liechtenstein 0.00 NA 262 Slovakia 0.00 NA 263 Laos 0.00 NA 264 Belarus 0.00 NA 265 Bolivia 0.00 NA 266 Botswana 0.00 NA 267 Armenia 0.00 NA 268 Austria 0.00 NA 269 Andorra 0.00 NA 270 Azerbaijan 0.00 NA

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Rank code: 2061

Country Comparison :: Imports - partners

This entry provides a rank ordering of trading partners starting with the most important; it sometimes includes the percent of total dollar value.

Rank country (%) Date of Information

1 Laos 68.50 2008 2 Saint Lucia 68.00 2008 3 Zimbabwe 60.10 2008 4 Belarus 59.80 2008 5 Bhutan 59.50 2008 6 Greenland 59.10 2008 7 Netherlands Antilles 58.80 2008 8 Sao Tome and Principe 55.80 2008 9 Nepal 55.40 2008 10 Aruba 53.30 2008 11 Canada 52.40 2008 12 Zambia 51.70 2008 13 Faroe Islands 50.40 2008 14 Honduras 50.00 2008 15 Mexico 49.00 2008 16 Saint Kitts and Nevis 46.80 2008 17 Hong Kong 46.60 2008 18 Korea, North 46.00 2007 19 Austria 44.50 2008 20 Dominica 43.20 2008 21 Costa Rica 42.90 2008 22 Papua New Guinea 42.60 2008 23 Malawi 41.50 2008 24 Cape Verde 40.30 2008 25 Grenada 39.60 2008 26 Jamaica 39.40 2008 27 Macau 39.30 2008 28 Dominican Republic 39.20 2008 29 Ireland 37.70 2008 30 Belize 37.40 2008 31 Afghanistan 36.90 2008 32 Tonga 36.80 2008 33 Guatemala 36.70 2008 34 Kyrgyzstan 36.60 2008 35 New Caledonia 36.60 2008 36 Brunei 36.50 2008 37 Benin 35.90 2008 38 Kazakhstan 35.90 2008 39 Lesotho 35.50 2008 40 Togo 34.20 2008 41 Mongolia 34.10 2008 42 Haiti 34.00 2008 43 Korea, North 34.00 2007 44 Switzerland 33.30 2008 45 Tajikistan 32.30 2008 46 Albania 32.20 2008 47 Gabon 32.20 2008 48 Burma 31.90 2008 49 Cote d'Ivoire 31.50 2008 50 Argentina 31.30 2008 51 Suriname 31.20 2008 52 Fiji 30.50 2008 53 Czech Republic 30.30 2008 54 Lithuania 30.10 2008 55 Cuba 30.00 2008 56 El Salvador 29.90 2008 57 Panama 29.60 2008 58 Colombia 29.20 2008 59 Somalia 29.20 2008 60 Mongolia 29.10 2008 61 Portugal 28.90 2008 62 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 28.70 2008 63 Eritrea 28.50 2008 64 Poland 28.30 2008 65 Malta 28.10 2008 66 Luxembourg 28.00 2008 67 Mozambique 27.40 2008 68 Liberia 27.20 2008 69 Maldives 27.20 2008 70 Oman 27.20 2008 71 Paraguay 27.20 2008 72 Barbados 27.10 2008 73 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 27.10 2008 74 Cambodia 26.80 2008 75 Trinidad and Tobago 26.80 2008 76 Bahrain 26.70 2008 77 Bolivia 26.70 2008 78 Burkina Faso 26.70 2008 79 Solomon Islands 26.70 2008 80 Iraq 26.40 2008 81 Bermuda 26.30 2008 82 Venezuela 26.30 2008 83 Barbados 25.60 2008 84 Liberia 25.50 2008 85 Hungary 25.40 2008 86 Bahamas, The 25.10 2008 87 Uzbekistan 24.70 2008 88 Bosnia and Herzegovina 24.60 2008 89 Guinea-Bissau 24.50 2008 90 Kazakhstan 24.30 2008 91 Luxembourg 24.00 2008 92 Tonga 23.90 2008 93 Peru 23.70 2008 94 Guyana 23.40 2008 95 Haiti 23.10 2008 96 Ukraine 22.70 2008 97 Grenada 22.50 2008 98 Guyana 22.30 2008 99 Libya 22.20 2008 100 Congo, Republic of the 22.10 2008 101 Lesotho 22.10 2008 102 Paraguay 22.10 2008 103 Tunisia 21.50 2008 104 Burma 21.20 2008 105 Jordan 21.20 2008 106 Cameroon 21.10 2008 107 Mauritius 21.10 2008 108 Nicaragua 21.00 2008 109 Denmark 20.90 2008 110 Greenland 20.90 2008 111 Burma 20.70 2008 112 Burundi 20.70 2008 113 Gambia, The 20.60 2008 114 Moldova 20.60 2008 115 Djibouti 20.50 2008 116 Fiji 20.50 2008 117 Djibouti 20.50 2008 118 Sri Lanka 20.30 2008 119 Central African Republic 20.20 2008 120 Faroe Islands 20.20 2008 121 Madagascar 20.10 2008 122 Samoa 20.10 2008 123 Slovakia 20.00 2008 124 Sudan 20.00 2008 125 Uruguay 19.90 2008 126 Iraq 19.70 2008 127 Senegal 19.70 2008 128 Moldova 19.50 2008 129 Belgium 19.40 2008 130 Vietnam 19.40 2008 131 Armenia 19.30 2008 132 Taiwan 19.30 2008 est. 133 Tunisia 19.30 2008 134 Iran 19.30 2008 135 Chile 19.10 2008 136 Lesotho 19.10 2008 137 Ecuador 19.10 2008 138 Brunei 19.00 2008 139 Cambodia 19.00 2008 140 Netherlands Antilles 19.00 2008 141 Japan 18.90 2008 142 Luxembourg 18.90 2008 143 Azerbaijan 18.80 2008 144 Thailand 18.80 2008 145 Bahamas, The 18.80 2008 146 Congo, Republic of the 18.70 2008 147 Burkina Faso 18.40 2008 148 Samoa 18.20 2008 149 Solomon Islands 18.10 2008 150 Samoa 18.10 2008 151 New Zealand 18.10 2008 152 Bermuda 18.00 2008 153 France 17.90 2008 154 Kyrgyzstan 17.90 2008 155 Eritrea 17.80 2008 156 Equatorial Guinea 17.70 2008 157 Korea, South 17.70 2008 158 Slovakia 17.70 2008 159 New Caledonia 17.70 2008 160 Angola 17.60 2008 161 Vanuatu 17.60 2008 162 Chad 17.50 2008 163 Sweden 17.50 2008 164 Seychelles 17.50 2008 165 Jamaica 17.50 2008 166 Bermuda 17.30 2008 167 Belgium 17.20 2008 168 Guinea-Bissau 17.20 2008 169 Slovenia 17.20 2008 170 Croatia 17.10 2008 171 Dominica 17.00 2008 172 Cyprus 16.90 2008 173 Indonesia 16.90 2008 174 Turkmenistan 16.90 2008 175 Maldives 16.90 2008 176 Mauritania 16.70 2008 177 Niger 16.60 2008 178 Netherlands 16.60 2008 179 Slovenia 16.60 2008 180 Algeria 16.50 2008 181 Uruguay 16.50 2008 182 United States 16.50 2008 183 Bahamas, The 16.40 2008 184 Bolivia 16.30 2008 185 Finland 16.30 2008 186 Romania 16.30 2008 187 Ethiopia 16.30 2008 188 Latvia 16.10 2008 189 Morocco 16.10 2008 190 Italy 16.00 2008 191 Vanuatu 15.90 2008 192 Turkmenistan 15.90 2008 193 Angola 15.70 2008 194 United States 15.70 2008 195 Mozambique 15.70 2008 196 Finland 15.70 2008 197 Ghana 15.60 2008 198 Papua New Guinea 15.60 2008 199 Oman 15.60 2008 200 Fiji 15.50 2008 201 Turkey 15.50 2008 202 Suriname 15.50 2008 203 Australia 15.40 2008 204 Uzbekistan 15.40 2008 205 Rwanda 15.20 2008 206 Senegal 15.20 2008 207 Brazil 14.90 2008 208 Paraguay 14.90 2008 209 Cote d'Ivoire 14.90 2008 210 Georgia 14.90 2008 211 Chad 14.80 2008 212 Saint Kitts and Nevis 14.80 2008 213 Bangladesh 14.70 2008 214 Bangladesh 14.70 2008 215 Yemen 14.70 2008 216 Ghana 14.70 2008 217 Bulgaria 14.60 2008 218 Moldova 14.60 2008 219 Cambodia 14.50 2008 220 Spain 14.50 2008 221 Norway 14.40 2008 222 Tanzania 14.40 2008 223 Nicaragua 14.30 2008 224 Estonia 14.20 2008 225 Suriname 14.20 2008 226 Kenya 14.10 2008 227 Pakistan 14.10 2008 228 Denmark 14.00 2008 229 Korea, South 14.00 2008 230 Turkmenistan 14.00 2008 231 Cameroon 13.80 2008 232 Ecuador 13.80 2008 233 Nigeria 13.80 2008 234 Central African Republic 13.60 2008 235 Uzbekistan 13.60 2008 236 Finland 13.60 2008 237 Morocco 13.50 2008 238 Malta 13.50 2008 239 Russia 13.50 2008 240 Bhutan 13.40 2008 241 Croatia 13.40 2008 242 Comoros 13.40 2008 243 Norway 13.40 2008 244 China 13.30 2008 245 Equatorial Guinea 13.30 2008 246 Greece 13.30 2008 247 Rwanda 13.30 2008 248 Nepal 13.30 2008 249 Macedonia 13.30 2008 250 Estonia 13.30 2008 251 United Arab Emirates 13.20 2008 252 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 13.20 2008 253 Russia 13.20 2008 254 New Zealand 13.20 2008 255 Benin 13.20 2008 256 Albania 13.10 2008 257 Comoros 13.10 2008 258 United Kingdom 13.10 2008 259 Mali 13.10 2008 260 Iran 13.00 2008 261 Taiwan 13.00 2008 est. 262 Belize 12.90 2008 263 Latvia 12.90 2008 264 Greece 12.80 2008 265 Philippines 12.80 2008 266 Malaysia 12.80 2008 267 Bosnia and Herzegovina 12.70 2008 268 Venezuela 12.70 2008 269 Burundi 12.60 2008 270 Germany 12.50 2008 271 Malaysia 12.50 2008 272 Argentina 12.40 2008 273 Seychelles 12.40 2008 274 Macedonia 12.40 2008 275 Bosnia and Herzegovina 12.30 2008 276 Israel 12.30 2008 277 Argentina 12.20 2008 278 Sri Lanka 12.20 2008 279 Saudi Arabia 12.20 2008 280 Dominica 12.10 2008 281 Gambia, The 12.10 2008 282 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 12.10 2008 283 Qatar 12.10 2008 284 Australia 12.00 2008 285 Pakistan 12.00 2008 286 Ethiopia 12.00 2008 287 Vanuatu 12.00 2008 288 Chile 11.90 2008 289 Tajikistan 11.90 2008 290 Somalia 11.90 2008 291 Kuwait 11.90 2008 292 Singapore 11.90 2008 293 Cuba 11.90 2008 294 Aruba 11.80 2008 295 Singapore 11.80 2008 296 Philippines 11.80 2008 297 Mauritius 11.80 2008 298 Liberia 11.80 2008 299 Lithuania 11.80 2008 300 Indonesia 11.80 2008 301 El Salvador 11.80 2008 302 Equatorial Guinea 11.80 2008 303 Cape Verde 11.80 2008 304 Bulgaria 11.80 2008 305 France 11.70 2008 306 Indonesia 11.70 2008 307 Yemen 11.70 2008 308 Syria 11.70 2008 309 Saint Lucia 11.70 2008 310 Brazil 11.60 2008 311 Vietnam 11.60 2008 312 Jamaica 11.60 2008 313 Portugal 11.60 2008 314 Ireland 11.60 2008 315 Comoros 11.50 2008 316 New Caledonia 11.50 2008 317 Kenya 11.50 2008 318 Colombia 11.50 2008 319 Mali 11.40 2008 320 Uganda 11.40 2008 321 Romania 11.40 2008 322 Azerbaijan 11.30 2008 323 Angola 11.30 2008 324 Yemen 11.30 2008 325 Uganda 11.30 2008 326 Mali 11.20 2008 327 Mexico 11.20 2008 328 Pakistan 11.20 2008 329 Slovenia 11.20 2008 330 Uruguay 11.20 2008 331 Thailand 11.20 2008 332 South Africa 11.20 2008 333 Gabon 11.10 2008 334 India 11.10 2008 335 Spain 11.10 2008 336 South Africa 11.10 2008 337 Algeria 11.00 2008 338 Liberia 11.00 2008 339 Switzerland 11.00 2008 340 Malaysia 11.00 2008 341 Papua New Guinea 11.00 2008 342 Belgium 11.00 2008 343 Equatorial Guinea 10.90 2008 344 Taiwan 10.90 2008 est. 345 Niger 10.90 2008 346 Iceland 10.90 2008 347 Eritrea 10.90 2008 348 Malaysia 10.80 2008 349 Vanuatu 10.80 2008 350 Cyprus 10.70 2008 351 Latvia 10.70 2008 352 Iraq 10.70 2008 353 Djibouti 10.60 2008 354 Haiti 10.60 2008 355 Peru 10.60 2008 356 Slovakia 10.60 2008 357 Bosnia and Herzegovina 10.50 2008 358 Croatia 10.50 2008 359 Lebanon 10.50 2008 360 Laos 10.50 2008 361 Bolivia 10.50 2008 362 Saudi Arabia 10.50 2008 363 Singapore 10.50 2008 364 United Arab Emirates 10.40 2008 365 Jordan 10.40 2008 366 Japan 10.40 2008 367 Uganda 10.40 2008 368 Equatorial Guinea 10.40 2008 369 Paraguay 10.40 2008 370 Iceland 10.40 2008 371 Georgia 10.40 2008 372 Algeria 10.30 2008 373 Venezuela 10.30 2008 374 Turkmenistan 10.30 2008 375 Sierra Leone 10.30 2008 376 Seychelles 10.30 2008 377 Philippines 10.30 2008 378 Egypt 10.30 2008 379 Cuba 10.10 2008 380 United States 10.10 2008 381 Macau 10.10 2008 382 Netherlands 10.10 2008 383 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 10.00 2008 384 Estonia 10.00 2008 385 Lithuania 10.00 2008 386 Luxembourg 10.00 2008 387 Kenya 10.00 2008 388 China 9.90 2008 389 Macedonia 9.90 2008 390 Poland 9.90 2008 391 Uruguay 9.90 2008 392 Mauritius 9.90 2008 393 Ecuador 9.90 2008 394 Egypt 9.90 2008 395 Canada 9.80 2008 396 Trinidad and Tobago 9.80 2008 397 Hong Kong 9.80 2008 398 Chad 9.80 2008 399 El Salvador 9.70 2008 400 Maldives 9.70 2008 401 Guatemala 9.70 2008 402 Georgia 9.60 2008 403 Niger 9.60 2008 404 Nigeria 9.60 2008 405 Sao Tome and Principe 9.60 2008 406 Guinea 9.60 2008 407 Afghanistan 9.50 2008 408 Chad 9.50 2008 409 New Zealand 9.50 2008 410 Lebanon 9.50 2008 411 Cameroon 9.50 2008 412 Bolivia 9.50 2008 413 Sweden 9.40 2008 414 Switzerland 9.40 2008 415 Chile 9.30 2008 416 Turkey 9.30 2008 417 Sao Tome and Principe 9.30 2008 418 Tonga 9.30 2008 419 Libya 9.30 2008 420 Lebanon 9.30 2008 421 Iran 9.20 2008 422 Kuwait 9.20 2008 423 Kyrgyzstan 9.20 2008 424 Australia 9.10 2008 425 Comoros 9.10 2008 426 Hungary 9.00 2008 427 Tanzania 9.00 2008 428 Tunisia 9.00 2008 429 Qatar 9.00 2008 430 Iceland 9.00 2008 431 Bahrain 8.90 2008 432 Estonia 8.90 2008 433 Estonia 8.90 2008 434 Qatar 8.90 2008 435 Korea, South 8.90 2008 436 United Arab Emirates 8.80 2008 437 Sierra Leone 8.80 2008 438 Tajikistan 8.80 2008 439 Vietnam 8.80 2008 440 Tonga 8.80 2008 441 Mauritania 8.80 2008 442 Chile 8.80 2008 443 Armenia 8.70 2008 444 Samoa 8.70 2008 445 United Kingdom 8.70 2008 446 Syria 8.70 2008 447 Netherlands 8.70 2008 448 Madagascar 8.70 2008 449 Gambia, The 8.70 2008 450 Ethiopia 8.70 2008 451 Ireland 8.70 2008 452 Cyprus 8.70 2008 453 Italy 8.60 2008 454 Sweden 8.60 2008 455 Libya 8.60 2008 456 Eritrea 8.50 2008 457 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 8.50 2008 458 Philippines 8.50 2008 459 Macau 8.50 2008 460 Vanuatu 8.50 2008 461 Azerbaijan 8.40 2008 462 Nigeria 8.40 2008 463 Ukraine 8.40 2008 464 Sudan 8.40 2008 465 Nicaragua 8.40 2008 466 Ecuador 8.40 2008 467 Dominica 8.40 2008 468 Burundi 8.40 2008 469 Bermuda 8.30 2008 470 New Zealand 8.30 2008 471 Germany 8.30 2008 472 France 8.30 2008 473 Cyprus 8.30 2008 474 Cyprus 8.20 2008 475 Kyrgyzstan 8.20 2008 476 Malta 8.20 2008 477 Mauritius 8.20 2008 478 Cambodia 8.10 2008 479 Uganda 8.10 2008 480 Singapore 8.10 2008 481 Seychelles 8.10 2008 482 Moldova 8.10 2008 483 Kuwait 8.10 2008 484 Iceland 8.00 2008 485 Kenya 8.00 2008 486 Zambia 8.00 2008 487 Portugal 8.00 2008 488 Qatar 8.00 2008 489 Nicaragua 8.00 2008 490 Azerbaijan 7.90 2008 491 Colombia 7.90 2008 492 Bulgaria 7.90 2008 493 Brazil 7.90 2008 494 Turkmenistan 7.90 2008 495 Trinidad and Tobago 7.90 2008 496 South Africa 7.90 2008 497 Georgia 7.90 2008 498 Bahrain 7.80 2008 499 Guinea 7.80 2008 500 Turkey 7.80 2008 501 Sierra Leone 7.80 2008 502 Nicaragua 7.80 2008 503 Korea, South 7.80 2008 504 Afghanistan 7.70 2008 505 Brunei 7.70 2008 506 Maldives 7.70 2008 507 Tanzania 7.70 2008 508 Saudi Arabia 7.70 2008 509 Suriname 7.70 2008 510 Guyana 7.70 2008 511 Central African Republic 7.70 2008 512 Gambia, The 7.70 2008 513 Dominican Republic 7.70 2008 514 Chad 7.70 2008 515 Belize 7.70 2008 516 Angola 7.60 2008 517 Somalia 7.60 2008 518 Mongolia 7.60 2008 519 Kuwait 7.60 2008 520 Hungary 7.60 2008 521 Honduras 7.60 2008 522 Guinea 7.60 2008 523 Sri Lanka 7.60 2008 524 Bangladesh 7.50 2008 525 Germany 7.50 2008 526 Solomon Islands 7.50 2008 527 India 7.50 2008 528 United Kingdom 7.50 2008 529 Togo 7.50 2008 530 Philippines 7.50 2008 531 Qatar 7.50 2008 532 Peru 7.50 2008 533 Netherlands 7.50 2008 534 Vanuatu 7.50 2008 535 Algeria 7.40 2008 536 Ghana 7.40 2008 537 Estonia 7.40 2008 538 Romania 7.40 2008 539 Burkina Faso 7.40 2008 540 United Kingdom 7.40 2008 541 Saint Lucia 7.40 2008 542 Spain 7.40 2008 543 Saudi Arabia 7.40 2008 544 Burundi 7.40 2008 545 Malta 7.40 2008 546 Niger 7.40 2008 547 Mongolia 7.40 2008 548 Iceland 7.40 2008 549 Sri Lanka 7.40 2008 550 Bahamas, The 7.30 2008 551 Egypt 7.30 2008 552 Malawi 7.30 2008 553 Lebanon 7.30 2008 554 Bulgaria 7.30 2008 555 Albania 7.20 2008 556 China 7.20 2008 557 Uzbekistan 7.20 2008 558 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 7.20 2008 559 Cote d'Ivoire 7.20 2008 560 Austria 7.10 2008 561 Barbados 7.10 2008 562 Bangladesh 7.10 2008 563 Belarus 7.10 2008 564 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 7.10 2008 565 Bolivia 7.10 2008 566 Armenia 7.00 2008 567 Iran 7.00 2008 568 Brazil 7.00 2008 569 Australia 7.00 2008 570 Kuwait 7.00 2008 571 Latvia 7.00 2008 572 Latvia 7.00 2008 573 Venezuela 7.00 2008 574 Seychelles 7.00 2008 575 Cambodia 6.90 2008 576 Costa Rica 6.90 2008 577 France 6.90 2008 578 Macedonia 6.90 2008 579 Yemen 6.90 2008 580 Tanzania 6.90 2008 581 Norway 6.90 2008 582 Slovakia 6.90 2008 583 Indonesia 6.90 2008 584 Angola 6.80 2008 585 France 6.80 2008 586 Zambia 6.80 2008 587 United Kingdom 6.80 2008 588 Togo 6.80 2008 589 Lebanon 6.80 2008 590 Iceland 6.80 2008 591 Georgia 6.80 2008 592 Egypt 6.80 2008 593 Azerbaijan 6.70 2008 594 Cape Verde 6.70 2008 595 Vanuatu 6.70 2008 596 Senegal 6.70 2008 597 Uganda 6.70 2008 598 Japan 6.70 2008 599 Denmark 6.70 2008 600 Albania 6.60 2008 601 Sierra Leone 6.60 2008 602 United States 6.60 2008 603 Uruguay 6.60 2008 604 Ukraine 6.60 2008 605 Sierra Leone 6.60 2008 606 Bosnia and Herzegovina 6.60 2008 607 India 6.60 2008 608 Czech Republic 6.60 2008 609 United Arab Emirates 6.50 2008 610 Peru 6.50 2008 611 Niger 6.50 2008 612 Morocco 6.50 2008 613 Iraq 6.50 2008 614 Israel 6.50 2008 615 Israel 6.50 2008 616 Cape Verde 6.50 2008 617 Benin 6.50 2008 618 Benin 6.50 2008 619 Bosnia and Herzegovina 6.50 2008 620 Ukraine 6.50 2008 621 Togo 6.50 2008 622 Russia 6.50 2008 623 Barbados 6.40 2008 624 Czech Republic 6.40 2008 625 Faroe Islands 6.40 2008 626 Malta 6.40 2008 627 Samoa 6.40 2008 628 Syria 6.40 2008 629 Thailand 6.40 2008 630 Suriname 6.40 2008 631 Norway 6.40 2008 632 Mauritania 6.40 2008 633 Hong Kong 6.40 2008 634 Cuba 6.40 2008 635 Bosnia and Herzegovina 6.30 2008 636 Taiwan 6.30 2008 est. 637 Spain 6.30 2008 638 Rwanda 6.30 2008 639 Macedonia 6.30 2008 640 Madagascar 6.30 2008 641 Costa Rica 6.30 2008 642 Cuba 6.30 2008 643 Denmark 6.30 2008 644 Finland 6.30 2008 645 Bahrain 6.20 2008 646 Qatar 6.20 2008 647 Trinidad and Tobago 6.20 2008 648 Sweden 6.20 2008 649 Sudan 6.20 2008 650 South Africa 6.20 2008 651 Poland 6.20 2008 652 Japan 6.20 2008 653 Italy 6.20 2008 654 Benin 6.20 2008 655 Germany 6.20 2008 656 Greece 6.20 2008 657 Czech Republic 6.20 2008 658 United Arab Emirates 6.10 2008 659 Vietnam 6.10 2008 660 Sudan 6.10 2008 661 Israel 6.10 2008 662 Indonesia 6.10 2008 663 Hungary 6.10 2008 664 Croatia 6.10 2008 665 Guyana 6.10 2008 666 Cameroon 6.10 2008 667 Armenia 6.10 2008 668 Belize 6.10 2008 669 Nicaragua 6.10 2008 670 Malawi 6.10 2008 671 Libya 6.10 2008 672 Japan 6.10 2008 673 Algeria 6.10 2008 674 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 6.00 2008 675 Djibouti 6.00 2008 676 Iceland 6.00 2008 677 Morocco 6.00 2008 678 United Kingdom 6.00 2008 679 Thailand 6.00 2008 680 Somalia 6.00 2008 681 Russia 6.00 2008 682 Romania 6.00 2008 683 Mauritania 6.00 2008 684 Korea, North 6.00 2007 685 Kazakhstan 6.00 2008 686 Jordan 6.00 2008 687 Iraq 6.00 2008 688 Israel 6.00 2008 689 Ethiopia 6.00 2008 690 Djibouti 6.00 2008 691 Burundi 5.90 2008 692 Uganda 5.90 2008 693 Tanzania 5.90 2008 694 Turkey 5.90 2008 695 Syria 5.90 2008 696 Netherlands Antilles 5.90 2008 697 Norway 5.90 2008 698 Mali 5.90 2008 699 Lesotho 5.90 2008 700 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 5.90 2008 701 Colombia 5.90 2008 702 Armenia 5.80 2008 703 Central African Republic 5.80 2008 704 Comoros 5.80 2008 705 Guatemala 5.80 2008 706 Libya 5.80 2008 707 Switzerland 5.80 2008 708 Syria 5.80 2008 709 Syria 5.80 2008 710 Papua New Guinea 5.80 2008 711 Netherlands 5.80 2008 712 Laos 5.80 2008 713 Belgium 5.70 2008 714 Georgia 5.70 2008 715 Guyana 5.70 2008 716 Sweden 5.70 2008 717 Romania 5.70 2008 718 Oman 5.70 2008 719 Madagascar 5.70 2008 720 Kenya 5.70 2008 721 Germany 5.70 2008 722 Denmark 5.70 2008 723 Belgium 5.60 2008 724 Turkmenistan 5.60 2008 725 Sweden 5.60 2008 726 Somalia 5.60 2008 727 Singapore 5.60 2008 728 Malaysia 5.60 2008 729 Morocco 5.60 2008 730 Macedonia 5.60 2008 731 Croatia 5.60 2008 732 Greece 5.60 2008 733 Czech Republic 5.60 2008 734 Ireland 5.60 2008 735 Chile 5.60 2008 736 Congo, Republic of the 5.60 2008 737 Chad 5.60 2008 738 Bulgaria 5.60 2008 739 Bhutan 5.60 2008 740 Algeria 5.50 2008 741 Bulgaria 5.50 2008 742 Uzbekistan 5.50 2008 743 Taiwan 5.50 2008 est. 744 Turkey 5.50 2008 745 Thailand 5.50 2008 746 Sudan 5.50 2008 747 Somalia 5.50 2008 748 Singapore 5.50 2008 749 South Africa 5.50 2008 750 Qatar 5.50 2008 751 Macau 5.50 2008 752 Ghana 5.50 2008 753 Equatorial Guinea 5.50 2008 754 Brunei 5.50 2008 755 Azerbaijan 5.40 2008 756 Bulgaria 5.40 2008 757 Fiji 5.40 2008 758 Malawi 5.40 2008 759 Seychelles 5.40 2008 760 Poland 5.40 2008 761 Pakistan 5.40 2008 762 Norway 5.40 2008 763 Netherlands 5.40 2008 764 Mauritania 5.40 2008 765 Morocco 5.40 2008 766 Indonesia 5.40 2008 767 Germany 5.40 2008 768 Gabon 5.40 2008 769 Costa Rica 5.40 2008 770 Dominican Republic 5.40 2008 771 Burundi 5.40 2008 772 Belarus 5.40 2008 773 Bermuda 5.30 2008 774 Mexico 5.30 2008 775 Macedonia 5.30 2008 776 Macau 5.30 2008 777 Italy 5.30 2008 778 Honduras 5.30 2008 779 Cyprus 5.30 2008 780 Central African Republic 5.30 2008 781 Comoros 5.30 2008 782 Rwanda 5.30 2008 783 Nigeria 5.30 2008 784 Comoros 5.30 2008 785 Afghanistan 5.20 2008 786 Austria 5.20 2008 787 Lithuania 5.20 2008 788 Sierra Leone 5.20 2008 789 Yemen 5.20 2008 790 Philippines 5.20 2008 791 Nicaragua 5.20 2008 792 Nigeria 5.20 2008 793 Slovakia 5.20 2008 794 Czech Republic 5.20 2008 795 Congo, Republic of the 5.20 2008 796 Bermuda 5.10 2008 797 Turkmenistan 5.10 2008 798 Mauritania 5.10 2008 799 Moldova 5.10 2008 800 Kenya 5.10 2008 801 Iran 5.10 2008 802 India 5.10 2008 803 Greece 5.10 2008 804 France 5.10 2008 805 Finland 5.10 2008 806 Equatorial Guinea 5.10 2008 807 Denmark 5.10 2008 808 Burma 5.10 2008 809 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 5.10 2008 810 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 5.10 2008 811 Saudi Arabia 5.10 2008 812 Peru 5.10 2008 813 Congo, Republic of the 5.10 2008 814 Australia 5.00 2008 815 Belize 5.00 2008 816 Gambia, The 5.00 2008 817 Morocco 5.00 2008 818 Panama 5.00 2008 819 Ukraine 5.00 2008 820 Sweden 5.00 2008 821 Philippines 5.00 2008 822 Panama 5.00 2008 823 Peru 5.00 2008 824 Slovakia 5.00 2008 825 Hong Kong 5.00 2008 826 Brunei 5.00 2008 827 Bahamas, The 5.00 2008 828 Armenia 4.90 2008 829 Uzbekistan 4.90 2008 830 Togo 4.90 2008 831 Romania 4.90 2008 832 Romania 4.90 2008 833 Qatar 4.90 2008 834 Maldives 4.90 2008 835 Madagascar 4.90 2008 836 Slovakia 4.90 2008 837 Lebanon 4.90 2008 838 Indonesia 4.90 2008 839 Croatia 4.90 2008 840 Czech Republic 4.90 2008 841 Ethiopia 4.90 2008 842 Egypt 4.90 2008 843 Dominican Republic 4.90 2008 844 China 4.90 2008 845 Burundi 4.90 2008 846 Tonga 4.90 2008 847 Portugal 4.90 2008 848 Angola 4.80 2008 849 Ecuador 4.80 2008 850 Bahrain 4.80 2008 851 Bolivia 4.80 2008 852 Lebanon 4.80 2008 853 Pakistan 4.80 2008 854 Saudi Arabia 4.80 2008 855 Venezuela 4.80 2008 856 Guinea-Bissau 4.80 2008 857 Poland 4.80 2008 858 Luxembourg 4.80 2008 859 Kuwait 4.80 2008 860 Guatemala 4.80 2008 861 Bahrain 4.70 2008 862 Brunei 4.70 2008 863 Sri Lanka 4.70 2008 864 United Kingdom 4.70 2008 865 Tajikistan 4.70 2008 866 Pakistan 4.70 2008 867 New Zealand 4.70 2008 868 New Caledonia 4.70 2008 869 Macau 4.70 2008 870 Libya 4.70 2008 871 Honduras 4.70 2008 872 Greece 4.70 2008 873 Greenland 4.70 2008 874 Georgia 4.70 2008 875 Gabon 4.70 2008 876 Costa Rica 4.70 2008 877 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 4.70 2008 878 Chad 4.70 2008 879 Brunei 4.70 2008 880 Somalia 4.70 2008 881 Slovenia 4.70 2008 882 Seychelles 4.70 2008 883 Aruba 4.60 2008 884 Estonia 4.60 2008 885 Cape Verde 4.60 2008 886 Chile 4.60 2008 887 Jordan 4.60 2008 888 Oman 4.60 2008 889 Malaysia 4.60 2008 890 Guinea-Bissau 4.60 2008 891 Uruguay 4.60 2008 892 United States 4.60 2008 893 Tunisia 4.60 2008 894 Switzerland 4.60 2008 895 Spain 4.60 2008 896 Singapore 4.60 2008 897 Senegal 4.60 2008 898 Romania 4.60 2008 899 Qatar 4.60 2008 900 Malaysia 4.60 2008 901 Maldives 4.60 2008 902 Lesotho 4.60 2008 903 Italy 4.60 2008 904 Armenia 4.60 2008 905 United Arab Emirates 4.50 2008 906 Albania 4.50 2008 907 Australia 4.50 2008 908 Zambia 4.50 2008 909 Turkey 4.50 2008 910 Tunisia 4.50 2008 911 Rwanda 4.50 2008 912 Russia 4.50 2008 913 Poland 4.50 2008 914 Peru 4.50 2008 915 Oman 4.50 2008 916 Mauritania 4.50 2008 917 Kazakhstan 4.50 2008 918 Jordan 4.50 2008 919 Haiti 4.50 2008 920 Ethiopia 4.50 2008 921 El Salvador 4.50 2008 922 Bahrain 4.50 2008 923 Albania 4.40 2008 924 Bermuda 4.40 2008 925 Benin 4.40 2008 926 Solomon Islands 4.40 2008 927 Congo, Republic of the 4.40 2008 928 Hungary 4.40 2008 929 Greenland 4.40 2008 930 Ghana 4.40 2008 931 Ghana 4.40 2008 932 Georgia 4.40 2008 933 Gabon 4.40 2008 934 El Salvador 4.40 2008 935 Eritrea 4.40 2008 936 Solomon Islands 4.40 2008 937 Sweden 4.40 2008 938 Spain 4.40 2008 939 Senegal 4.40 2008 940 Portugal 4.40 2008 941 New Zealand 4.40 2008 942 Netherlands 4.40 2008 943 Mexico 4.40 2008 944 Macedonia 4.40 2008 945 Madagascar 4.40 2008 946 Latvia 4.40 2008 947 Korea, South 4.40 2008 948 Iceland 4.40 2008 949 Hungary 4.40 2008 950 Argentina 4.40 2008 951 United Arab Emirates 4.30 2008 952 Solomon Islands 4.30 2008 953 Italy 4.30 2008 954 Latvia 4.30 2008 955 Syria 4.30 2008 956 Russia 4.30 2008 957 Philippines 4.30 2008 958 Papua New Guinea 4.30 2008 959 New Zealand 4.30 2008 960 Nigeria 4.30 2008 961 Mozambique 4.30 2008 962 Malaysia 4.30 2008 963 Moldova 4.30 2008 964 Jordan 4.30 2008 965 Japan 4.30 2008 966 Iran 4.30 2008 967 Hungary 4.30 2008 968 Germany 4.30 2008 969 France 4.30 2008 970 Australia 4.30 2008 971 Belgium 4.20 2008 972 Zimbabwe 4.20 2008 973 Burkina Faso 4.20 2008 974 Syria 4.20 2008 975 Sweden 4.20 2008 976 Saudi Arabia 4.20 2008 977 Qatar 4.20 2008 978 Qatar 4.20 2008 979 Panama 4.20 2008 980 Norway 4.20 2008 981 Niger 4.20 2008 982 Niger 4.20 2008 983 Oman 4.20 2008 984 Oman 4.20 2008 985 India 4.20 2008 986 Sierra Leone 4.20 2008 987 Romania 4.20 2008 988 India 4.20 2008 989 Honduras 4.20 2008 990 Germany 4.20 2008 991 Germany 4.20 2008 992 Gabon 4.20 2008 993 Faroe Islands 4.20 2008 994 Finland 4.20 2008 995 Costa Rica 4.20 2008 996 Lebanon 4.20 2008 997 Kuwait 4.20 2008 998 Iran 4.20 2008 999 India 4.20 2008 1000 Comoros 4.20 2008 1001 Comoros 4.20 2008 1002 Belize 4.20 2008 1003 Australia 4.10 2008 1004 Bangladesh 4.10 2008 1005 Barbados 4.10 2008 1006 Bulgaria 4.10 2008 1007 Burundi 4.10 2008 1008 Trinidad and Tobago 4.10 2008 1009 Sudan 4.10 2008 1010 Saint Kitts and Nevis 4.10 2008 1011 Saudi Arabia 4.10 2008 1012 Pakistan 4.10 2008 1013 Mexico 4.10 2008 1014 Maldives 4.10 2008 1015 Malawi 4.10 2008 1016 Libya 4.10 2008 1017 Libya 4.10 2008 1018 Slovakia 4.10 2008 1019 Uzbekistan 4.10 2008 1020 United Kingdom 4.10 2008 1021 Turkey 4.10 2008 1022 Thailand 4.10 2008 1023 Slovenia 4.10 2008 1024 Senegal 4.10 2008 1025 Faroe Islands 4.10 2008 1026 Czech Republic 4.10 2008 1027 Ecuador 4.10 2008 1028 Cyprus 4.10 2008 1029 Cape Verde 4.10 2008 1030 Canada 4.10 2008 1031 Burundi 4.10 2008 1032 Austria 4.10 2008 1033 Korea, South 4.10 2008 1034 Burma 4.00 2008 1035 Chad 4.00 2008 1036 Burundi 4.00 2008 1037 Eritrea 4.00 2008 1038 Korea, North 4.00 2007 1039 South Africa 4.00 2008 1040 Trinidad and Tobago 4.00 2008 1041 Thailand 4.00 2008 1042 Switzerland 4.00 2008 1043 Poland 4.00 2008 1044 Iceland 4.00 2008 1045 Cyprus 4.00 2008 1046 Solomon Islands 4.00 2008 1047 Zimbabwe 3.70 2008 1048 Grenada 3.30 2008 1049 Nepal 2.00 2008

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Rank code: 2062

Country Comparison :: Economic aid - donor

Rank country Economic aid - donor Date of Information

1 United States 23,530,000,000.00 2006 2 United Kingdom 12,460,000,000.00 2006 3 Japan 11,190,000,000.00 2006 4 France 10,600,000,000.00 2006 5 Germany 10,440,000,000.00 2006 6 Netherlands 5,452,000,000.00 2006 7 Sweden 3,955,000,000.00 2006 8 Canada 3,900,000,000.00 2007 9 Spain 3,814,000,000.00 2006 10 Italy 3,641,000,000.00 2006 11 Norway 2,954,000,000.00 2006 12 Denmark 2,236,000,000.00 2006 13 Australia 2,123,000,000.00 2006 14 Belgium 1,978,000,000.00 2006 15 Switzerland 1,646,000,000.00 2006 16 Austria 1,498,000,000.00 2006 17 Finland 1,023,000,000.00 2007 18 Ireland 1,022,000,000.00 2006 19 Korea, South 455,300,000.00 2006 20 Greece 424,000,000.00 2006 21 Portugal 396,000,000.00 2006 22 Luxembourg 291,000,000.00 2006 23 New Zealand 259,000,000.00 2006 24 Cyprus 25,900,000.00 2006 25 Iceland 6,700,000.00 2004

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Rank code: 2063

Country Comparison :: Constitution

This entry includes the dates of adoption, revisions, and major amendments.

Rank country Constitution Date of Information

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Rank code: 2064

Country Comparison :: Economic aid - recipient

Rank country Economic aid - recipient Date of Information

1 Iraq 21,650,000,000.00 2005 2 Greece 8,000,000,000.00 NA 3 Nigeria 6,437,000,000.00 2005 4 Vietnam 5,400,000,000.00 2007 5 Afghanistan 2,775,000,000.00 2005 6 Indonesia 2,524,000,000.00 NA 7 Yemen 2,300,000,000.00 2003-07 disbursements 8 Serbia 2,000,000,000.00 NA 9 Sudan 1,829,000,000.00 2005 10 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 1,828,000,000.00 2005 11 India 1,724,000,000.00 2005 12 Pakistan 1,666,000,000.00 2005 13 China 1,641,000,000.00 FY07 14 Ethiopia 1,600,000,000.00 FY05/06 15 Poland 1,524,000,000.00 2004 16 Tanzania 1,505,000,000.00 2005 17 Congo, Republic of the 1,449,000,000.00 2005 18 Gaza Strip 1,400,000,000.00 2006 est. 19 West Bank 1,400,000,000.00 2006 est. 20 Bangladesh 1,321,000,000.00 2005 21 Ghana 1,316,000,000.00 2007 22 Mozambique 1,286,000,000.00 2005 23 Uganda 1,198,000,000.00 2005 24 Sri Lanka 1,189,000,000.00 2005 25 Russia 982,700,000.00 NA 26 Bhutan 941,200,000.00 2006 27 Madagascar 929,200,000.00 2005 28 Egypt 925,900,000.00 2005 29 Romania 914,300,000.00 2004 30 Kenya 768,300,000.00 2005 31 Jordan 752,000,000.00 2005 est. 32 Bulgaria 742,000,000.00 2005-06 est. 33 South Africa 700,000,000.00 2005 34 Cambodia 698,200,000.00 2007 35 Mali 691,500,000.00 2005 36 Honduras 680,800,000.00 2005 37 Burkina Faso 659,600,000.00 2005 38 Morocco 651,800,000.00 2005 39 Bolivia 582,900,000.00 2005 est. 40 French Polynesia 579,800,000.00 2004 41 Rwanda 576,000,000.00 2005 42 Malawi 575,300,000.00 2005 43 Bosnia and Herzegovina 546,100,000.00 2005 est. 44 New Caledonia 524,300,000.00 2004 45 Niger 515,400,000.00 2005 46 Haiti 515,000,000.00 2005 est. 47 Greenland 512,000,000.00 2005 48 Colombia 511,100,000.00 2005 49 Zambia 504,000,000.00 2007 50 Slovenia 484,000,000.00 2004-06 51 Senegal 477,000,000.00 2007 est. 52 Nicaragua 471,000,000.00 2006 est. 53 Turkey 464,000,000.00 2005 54 Philippines 451,400,000.00 2006 55 Angola 441,800,000.00 2005 56 Nepal 427,900,000.00 2005 57 Cameroon 413,800,000.00 2005 58 Ukraine 409,600,000.00 2005 59 Peru 397,800,000.00 2005 60 Chad 379,800,000.00 2005 61 Laos 379,000,000.00 2006 est. 62 Tunisia 376,500,000.00 2005 63 Benin 374,700,000.00 2006 64 Korea, North 372,000,000.00 2007 est. 65 Algeria 370,600,000.00 2005 est. 66 Zimbabwe 367,700,000.00 2005 est. 67 Burundi 365,000,000.00 2005 68 Eritrea 355,200,000.00 2005 69 Sierra Leone 343,400,000.00 2005 est. 70 Kosovo 324,000,000.00 2007 71 Albania 318,700,000.00 2005 est. 72 Georgia 309,800,000.00 2005 est. 73 Hungary 302,600,000.00 2004 74 Czech Republic 278,700,000.00 2004 75 Kyrgyzstan 268,500,000.00 2005 76 El Salvador 267,600,000.00 2005 77 Papua New Guinea 266,100,000.00 2005 78 Guatemala 253,600,000.00 2005 est. 79 Lithuania 249,700,000.00 2004 80 Tajikistan 241,400,000.00 2005 81 Israel 240,000,000.00 FY06 82 Somalia 236,400,000.00 2005 est. 83 Liberia 236,200,000.00 2005 84 Slovakia 235,000,000.00 2004 85 Macedonia 230,300,000.00 2005 86 Kazakhstan 229,200,000.00 2005 87 Azerbaijan 223,400,000.00 2005 est. 88 Syria 213,000,000.00 2008 est. 89 Ecuador 209,500,000.00 2005 90 Mayotte 201,300,000.00 2005 91 Solomon Islands 198,200,000.00 2005 est. 92 Brazil 191,900,000.00 2005 93 Moldova 191,800,000.00 2005 94 Mauritania 190,400,000.00 2005 95 Mexico 189,400,000.00 2005 96 Timor-Leste 184,700,000.00 2005 est. 97 Guinea 182,100,000.00 2005 98 Armenia 180,000,000.00 2007 99 Uzbekistan 172,300,000.00 2005 100 Thailand 171,100,000.00 2005 101 Latvia 162,000,000.00 2004 102 Cape Verde 160,600,000.00 2005 103 Mongolia 159,500,000.00 2006 104 Burma 144,700,000.00 2005 est. 105 Guyana 136,800,000.00 2005 106 Estonia 135,500,000.00 2004 107 Croatia 125,400,000.00 2005 108 Namibia 123,400,000.00 2005 est. 109 Micronesia, Federated States of 106,400,000.00 2005 110 Faroe Islands 105,000,000.00 2005 111 Iran 104,000,000.00 2005 est. 112 Bahrain 103,900,000.00 2004 113 Argentina 99,660,000.00 2005 114 Central African Republic 95,290,000.00 2005 est. 115 Cuba 87,800,000.00 2005 est. 116 Togo 86,710,000.00 2005 est. 117 Guinea-Bissau 79,120,000.00 2005 118 Djibouti 78,600,000.00 2005 119 Dominican Republic 76,990,000.00 2005 120 Botswana 70,890,000.00 2005 121 Lesotho 68,820,000.00 2005 122 Korea, South 68,070,000.00 2004 123 Maldives 66,830,000.00 2005 124 Fiji 63,960,000.00 2005 125 Cote d'Ivoire 60,000,000.00 2007 est. 126 Gambia, The 58,150,000.00 2005 127 Marshall Islands 56,560,000.00 2005 128 Gabon 53,870,000.00 2005 129 Belarus 53,760,000.00 2005 130 Paraguay 51,090,000.00 2005 131 Venezuela 48,660,000.00 2005 132 Swaziland 46,030,000.00 2005 133 Grenada 44,870,000.00 2005 134 Suriname 43,970,000.00 2005 135 Samoa 43,950,000.00 2005 136 Vanuatu 39,480,000.00 2005 137 Equatorial Guinea 39,000,000.00 2005 138 Jamaica 35,740,000.00 2005 139 Mauritius 31,930,000.00 2005 140 Sao Tome and Principe 31,900,000.00 2005 141 Tonga 31,750,000.00 2005 142 Malaysia 31,600,000.00 2005 143 Oman 30,680,000.00 2005 144 Costa Rica 29,510,000.00 2005 145 Turkmenistan 28,250,000.00 2005 146 Kiribati 27,840,000.00 2005 147 Saint Helena 27,840,000.00 FY06/07 148 Saudi Arabia 26,290,000.00 2005 149 Comoros 25,230,000.00 2005 est. 150 Libya 24,440,000.00 2005 est. 151 Palau 23,460,000.00 2005 152 Netherlands Antilles 21,320,000.00 2004 153 Nauru 20,000,000.00 2005 154 Panama 19,540,000.00 2005 155 Seychelles 18,810,000.00 2005 156 Dominica 15,170,000.00 2005 est. 157 Cyprus 15,000,000.00 NA 158 Uruguay 14,620,000.00 2005 159 Macau 13,700,000.00 2004 160 Cook Islands 13,100,000.00 1995 161 Belize 12,910,000.00 2005 162 Aruba 11,300,000.00 2004 163 Saint Lucia 11,060,000.00 2005 164 Tuvalu 10,490,000.00 2006 165 Anguilla 9,000,000.00 2004 est. 166 Svalbard 8,200,000.00 1998 167 Antigua and Barbuda 7,230,000.00 2005 168 Hong Kong 6,950,000.00 2004 169 Malta 6,190,000.00 2004 170 United Arab Emirates 5,360,000.00 2004 171 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 4,890,000.00 2005 172 Bahamas, The 4,780,000.00 2004 173 Turks and Caicos Islands 4,100,000.00 1997 174 Saint Kitts and Nevis 3,520,000.00 2005 175 Pitcairn Islands 3,465,000.00 2004 176 Kuwait 2,600,000.00 2004 177 Niue 2,600,000.00 2002 178 Qatar 2,180,000.00 2004 179 Barbados 2,070,000.00 2005 180 Brunei 770,000.00 2004 181 Cayman Islands 390,000.00 2004 182 Trinidad and Tobago 200,000.00 2007 est. 183 Bermuda 90,000.00 2004 184 Andorra 0.00 NA 185 Chile 0.00 2006 186 Singapore 0.00 2007

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Rank code: 2065

Country Comparison :: Currency (code)

Rank country Currency (code) Date of Information

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Rank code: 2066

Country Comparison :: Death rate

This entry gives the average annual number of deaths during a year per 1,000 population at midyear; also known as crude death rate. The death rate, while only a rough indicator of the mortality situation in a country, accurately indicates the current mortality impact on population growth. This indicator is significantly affected by age distribution, and most countries will eventually show a rise in the overall death rate, in spite of continued decline in mortality at all ages, as declining fertility results in an aging population.

Rank country (deaths/1,000 population) Date of Information

1 Swaziland 30.83 July 2009 est. 2 Angola 24.08 July 2009 est. 3 Lesotho 22.20 July 2009 est. 4 Sierra Leone 21.91 July 2009 est. 5 Zambia 21.34 July 2009 est. 6 Liberia 20.73 July 2009 est. 7 Mozambique 20.07 July 2009 est. 8 Afghanistan 19.18 July 2009 est. 9 Djibouti 19.10 July 2009 est. 10 Central African Republic 17.84 July 2009 est. 11 Malawi 17.60 July 2009 est. 12 South Africa 16.99 July 2009 est. 13 Nigeria 16.56 July 2009 est. 14 Zimbabwe 16.19 July 2009 est. 15 Chad 16.09 July 2009 est. 16 Russia 16.06 July 2009 est. 17 Mali 15.82 July 2009 est. 18 Ukraine 15.81 July 2009 est. 19 Guinea-Bissau 15.79 July 2009 est. 20 Somalia 15.55 July 2009 est. 21 Niger 14.83 July 2009 est. 22 Bulgaria 14.31 July 2009 est. 23 Rwanda 14.02 July 2009 est. 24 Belarus 13.86 July 2009 est. 25 Serbia 13.86 2009 est. 26 Latvia 13.62 July 2009 est. 27 Estonia 13.42 July 2009 est. 28 Burkina Faso 13.30 July 2009 est. 29 Namibia 13.30 July 2009 est. 30 Hungary 12.94 July 2009 est. 31 Sudan 12.94 July 2009 est. 32 Gabon 12.76 July 2009 est. 33 Monaco 12.74 July 2009 est. 34 Burundi 12.67 July 2009 est. 35 Tanzania 12.59 July 2009 est. 36 Cameroon 12.20 July 2009 est. 37 Uganda 12.09 July 2009 est. 38 Congo, Republic of the 12.01 July 2009 est. 39 Romania 11.88 July 2009 est. 40 Croatia 11.75 July 2009 est. 41 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 11.63 July 2009 est. 42 Ethiopia 11.55 July 2009 est. 43 Gambia, The 11.49 July 2009 est. 44 Western Sahara 11.49 July 2009 est. 45 Lithuania 11.18 July 2009 est. 46 Guinea 11.00 July 2009 est. 47 Germany 10.90 July 2009 est. 48 Cote d'Ivoire 10.78 July 2009 est. 49 Moldova 10.78 July 2009 est. 50 Laos 10.78 July 2009 est. 51 Isle of Man 10.76 July 2009 est. 52 Czech Republic 10.74 July 2009 est. 53 Italy 10.72 July 2009 est. 54 Portugal 10.68 July 2009 est. 55 Slovenia 10.62 July 2009 est. 56 Korea, North 10.52 July 2009 est. 57 Greece 10.51 July 2009 est. 58 Belgium 10.44 July 2009 est. 59 Denmark 10.22 July 2009 est. 60 Sweden 10.21 July 2009 est. 61 Guernsey 10.16 July 2009 est. 62 Finland 10.07 July 2009 est. 63 Poland 10.05 July 2009 est. 64 United Kingdom 10.02 July 2009 est. 65 Spain 9.99 July 2009 est. 66 Austria 9.98 July 2009 est. 67 Senegal 9.75 July 2009 est. 68 Kenya 9.72 July 2009 est. 69 Georgia 9.65 July 2009 est. 70 Gibraltar 9.56 July 2009 est. 71 Japan 9.54 July 2009 est. 72 Slovakia 9.53 July 2009 est. 73 Equatorial Guinea 9.49 July 2009 est. 74 Benin 9.45 July 2009 est. 75 Kazakhstan 9.39 July 2009 est. 76 Togo 9.33 July 2009 est. 77 Bahamas, The 9.32 July 2009 est. 78 Norway 9.29 July 2009 est. 79 Jersey 9.26 July 2009 est. 80 Ghana 9.24 July 2009 est. 81 Bangladesh 9.23 July 2009 est. 82 Mauritania 9.16 July 2009 est. 83 Burma 9.14 July 2009 est. 84 Uruguay 9.09 July 2009 est. 85 Macedonia 8.83 July 2009 est. 86 Netherlands 8.74 July 2009 est. 87 Faroe Islands 8.66 July 2009 est. 88 Haiti 8.65 July 2009 est. 89 Bosnia and Herzegovina 8.63 July 2009 est. 90 Montenegro 8.63 July 2009 est. 91 Switzerland 8.59 July 2009 est. 92 France 8.56 July 2009 est. 93 Botswana 8.52 July 2009 est. 94 San Marino 8.48 July 2009 est. 95 Luxembourg 8.44 July 2009 est. 96 Montserrat 8.44 July 2009 est. 97 Eritrea 8.43 July 2009 est. 98 Barbados 8.41 July 2009 est. 99 Armenia 8.39 July 2009 est. 100 Malta 8.38 July 2009 est. 101 United States 8.38 July 2009 est. 102 Guyana 8.31 July 2009 est. 103 Azerbaijan 8.30 July 2009 est. 104 Dominica 8.20 July 2009 est. 105 World 8.20 2009 est. 106 Greenland 8.14 July 2009 est. 107 Madagascar 8.14 July 2009 est. 108 Trinidad and Tobago 8.11 July 2009 est. 109 Cambodia 8.08 July 2009 est. 110 Saint Kitts and Nevis 8.05 July 2009 est. 111 Palau 7.89 July 2009 est. 112 Kiribati 7.85 July 2009 est. 113 Cyprus 7.80 July 2009 est. 114 Ireland 7.75 July 2009 est. 115 Puerto Rico 7.75 July 2009 est. 116 Canada 7.74 July 2009 est. 117 Aruba 7.71 July 2009 est. 118 Pakistan 7.68 July 2009 est. 119 Yemen 7.61 July 2009 est. 120 Comoros 7.57 July 2009 est. 121 Vanuatu 7.55 July 2009 est. 122 Argentina 7.41 July 2009 est. 123 Bhutan 7.39 July 2009 est. 124 Liechtenstein 7.39 July 2009 est. 125 Bermuda 7.30 July 2009 est. 126 Thailand 7.25 July 2009 est. 127 Cuba 7.24 July 2009 est. 128 Mayotte 7.20 July 2009 est. 129 China 7.06 July 2009 est. 130 Bolivia 7.05 July 2009 est. 131 New Zealand 7.05 July 2009 est. 132 Nepal 6.97 July 2009 est. 133 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 6.95 July 2009 est. 134 Tuvalu 6.95 July 2009 est. 135 Seychelles 6.93 July 2009 est. 136 Kyrgyzstan 6.91 July 2009 est. 137 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 6.91 July 2009 est. 138 Papua New Guinea 6.86 July 2009 est. 139 Iceland 6.85 July 2009 est. 140 Tajikistan 6.83 July 2009 est. 141 Saint Lucia 6.80 July 2009 est. 142 Hong Kong 6.76 July 2009 est. 143 Taiwan 6.76 July 2009 est. 144 Virgin Islands 6.75 July 2009 est. 145 Australia 6.74 July 2009 est. 146 Saint Helena 6.68 July 2009 est. 147 Mauritius 6.59 July 2009 est. 148 Netherlands Antilles 6.48 July 2009 est. 149 Jamaica 6.43 July 2009 est. 150 Nauru 6.42 July 2009 est. 151 Brazil 6.35 July 2009 est. 152 Turkmenistan 6.31 July 2009 est. 153 Indonesia 6.25 July 2009 est. 154 India 6.23 July 2009 est. 155 Cape Verde 6.22 July 2009 est. 156 Vietnam 6.17 July 2009 est. 157 Peru 6.14 July 2009 est. 158 Sri Lanka 6.13 July 2009 est. 159 Mongolia 6.12 July 2009 est. 160 Turkey 6.10 July 2009 est. 161 Grenada 6.09 July 2009 est. 162 Lebanon 6.03 July 2009 est. 163 Timor-Leste 5.98 July 2009 est. 164 Antigua and Barbuda 5.94 July 2009 est. 165 Korea, South 5.94 July 2009 est. 166 Andorra 5.89 July 2009 est. 167 Chile 5.84 July 2009 est. 168 Belize 5.80 July 2009 est. 169 Sao Tome and Principe 5.80 July 2009 est. 170 Samoa 5.79 July 2009 est. 171 Iran 5.72 July 2009 est. 172 New Caledonia 5.68 July 2009 est. 173 Fiji 5.66 July 2009 est. 174 Albania 5.55 July 2009 est. 175 Colombia 5.54 July 2009 est. 176 Suriname 5.51 July 2009 est. 177 El Salvador 5.47 July 2009 est. 178 Morocco 5.45 July 2009 est. 179 Israel 5.43 July 2009 est. 180 Honduras 5.41 July 2009 est. 181 Uzbekistan 5.29 July 2009 est. 182 Dominican Republic 5.28 July 2009 est. 183 Tunisia 5.20 July 2009 est. 184 Venezuela 5.12 July 2009 est. 185 Guatemala 5.11 July 2009 est. 186 Philippines 5.10 July 2009 est. 187 Egypt 5.08 July 2009 est. 188 Iraq 5.03 July 2009 est. 189 Malaysia 5.02 July 2009 est. 190 Tonga 5.02 July 2009 est. 191 Ecuador 4.99 July 2009 est. 192 Cayman Islands 4.89 July 2009 est. 193 Mexico 4.80 July 2009 est. 194 French Polynesia 4.73 July 2009 est. 195 Panama 4.66 July 2009 est. 196 Singapore 4.66 July 2009 est. 197 Algeria 4.64 July 2009 est. 198 Syria 4.61 July 2009 est. 199 Marshall Islands 4.49 July 2009 est. 200 Micronesia, Federated States of 4.46 July 2009 est. 201 Paraguay 4.46 July 2009 est. 202 Bahrain 4.37 July 2009 est. 203 British Virgin Islands 4.37 July 2009 est. 204 Anguilla 4.36 July 2009 est. 205 Costa Rica 4.34 July 2009 est. 206 Nicaragua 4.30 July 2009 est. 207 Turks and Caicos Islands 4.18 July 2009 est. 208 American Samoa 4.10 July 2009 est. 209 Solomon Islands 3.77 July 2009 est. 210 West Bank 3.66 July 2009 est. 211 Oman 3.65 July 2009 est. 212 Maldives 3.65 July 2009 est. 213 Macau 3.50 July 2009 est. 214 Libya 3.45 July 2009 est. 215 Gaza Strip 3.44 July 2009 est. 216 Brunei 3.29 July 2009 est. 217 Jordan 2.75 July 2009 est. 218 Saudi Arabia 2.47 July 2009 est. 219 Qatar 2.46 July 2009 est. 220 Kuwait 2.35 July 2009 est. 221 Northern Mariana Islands 2.32 July 2009 est. 222 United Arab Emirates 2.11 July 2009 est.

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Rank code: 2068

Country Comparison :: Dependent areas

This entry contains an alphabetical listing of all nonindependent entities associated in some way with a particular independent state.

Rank country Dependent areas Date of Information

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Rank code: 2070

Country Comparison :: Disputes - international

This entry includes a wide variety of situations that range from traditional bilateral boundary disputes to unilateral claims of one sort or another. Information regarding disputes over international terrestrial and maritime boundaries has been reviewed by the US Department of State. References to other situations involving borders or frontiers may also be included, such as resource disputes, geopolitical questions, or irredentist issues; however, inclusion does not necessarily constitute official acceptance or recognition by the US Government.

Rank country Disputes - international Date of Information

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Rank code: 2075

Country Comparison :: Ethnic groups

This entry provides an ordered listing of ethnic groups starting with the largest and normally includes the percent of total population.

Rank country (%) Date of Information

1 Lesotho 99.70 NA 2 Mozambique 99.66 NA 3 Egypt 99.60 2006 census 4 Zambia 99.50 2000 Census 5 Morocco 99.10 NA 6 Algeria 99.00 NA 7 Gambia, The 99.00 2003 census 8 Guinea-Bissau 99.00 NA 9 Togo 99.00 NA 10 Tanzania 99.00 NA 11 Kiribati 98.80 2000 census 12 Japan 98.50 2004 13 Vanuatu 98.50 1999 Census 14 Bangladesh 98.00 1998 15 Jordan 98.00 NA 16 Zimbabwe 98.00 NA 17 Tunisia 98.00 NA 18 Armenia 97.90 2001 census 19 Argentina 97.00 NA 20 Swaziland 97.00 NA 21 Libya 97.00 NA 22 Poland 96.70 2002 census 23 Tuvalu 96.00 NA 24 Chile 95.40 2002 census 25 Albania 95.00 NA 26 Lebanon 95.00 NA 27 Paraguay 95.00 NA 28 Liberia 95.00 NA 29 Hong Kong 95.00 2006 census 30 Haiti 95.00 NA 31 Mongolia 94.90 2000 32 Solomon Islands 94.50 1999 census 33 Norway 94.40 2007 estimate 34 Macau 94.30 2006 census 35 Costa Rica 94.00 NA 36 Iceland 94.00 NA 37 Finland 93.40 2006 38 Greece 93.00 NA 39 Samoa 92.60 2001 census 40 Hungary 92.30 2001 census 41 Marshall Islands 92.10 2006 42 United Kingdom 92.10 2001 census 43 Australia 92.00 NA 44 American Samoa 91.60 2000 census 45 China 91.50 2000 census 46 Germany 91.50 NA 47 Jamaica 91.20 2001 census 48 Austria 91.10 2001 census 49 Antigua and Barbuda 91.00 2001 census 50 Azerbaijan 90.60 NA 51 Czech Republic 90.40 2001 census 52 Syria 90.30 NA 53 Anguilla 90.10 2001 census 54 Barbados 90.00 NA 55 Cambodia 90.00 NA 56 Honduras 90.00 NA 57 El Salvador 90.00 NA 58 Saudi Arabia 90.00 NA 59 Turks and Caicos Islands 90.00 NA 60 Sierra Leone 90.00 NA 61 Croatia 89.60 2001 census 62 Romania 89.50 2002 census 63 Greenland 88.00 2000 64 Kosovo 88.00 NA 65 Uruguay 88.00 NA 66 Cook Islands 87.70 2001 census 67 Namibia 87.50 NA 68 Ireland 87.40 2006 census 69 Dominica 86.80 2001 census 70 Vietnam 86.20 1999 census 71 Slovakia 85.80 2001 census 72 Equatorial Guinea 85.70 1994 census 73 Bahamas, The 85.00 NA 74 Somalia 85.00 NA 75 Turkmenistan 85.00 2003 76 Burundi 85.00 NA 77 Netherlands Antilles 85.00 NA 78 Rwanda 84.00 NA 79 Taiwan 84.00 NA 80 Bulgaria 83.90 2001 census 81 Georgia 83.80 2002 census 82 Lithuania 83.40 2001 census 83 British Virgin Islands 83.40 2004 Census 84 Slovenia 83.10 2002 census 85 West Bank 83.00 NA 86 Serbia 82.90 2002 census 87 Saint Lucia 82.50 2001 census 88 Grenada 82.00 NA 89 Belarus 81.20 1999 census 90 Netherlands 80.70 2008 est. 91 Aruba 80.00 NA 92 Uzbekistan 80.00 NA 93 United States 79.96 NA 94 Tajikistan 79.90 2000 census 95 Russia 79.80 2002 census 96 Botswana 79.00 NA 97 South Africa 79.00 2001 census 98 Moldova 78.20 NA 99 Niue 78.20 2001 census 100 French Polynesia 78.00 NA 101 Ukraine 77.80 2001 census 102 Cyprus 77.00 2001 103 Singapore 76.80 2000 census 104 Israel 76.40 NA 105 Puerto Rico 76.20 2007 106 Virgin Islands 76.20 2000 census 107 Thailand 75.00 NA 108 Sri Lanka 73.80 NA 109 Dominican Republic 73.00 NA 110 India 72.00 2000 111 Cape Verde 71.00 NA 112 Christmas Island 70.00 2001 113 Panama 70.00 NA 114 Palau 69.90 2000 census 115 New Zealand 69.80 2001 census 116 Nicaragua 69.00 NA 117 Burma 68.00 NA 118 Mauritius 68.00 NA 119 Estonia 67.90 2000 census 120 Brunei 66.30 2004 est. 121 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 66.00 NA 122 Liechtenstein 65.60 2000 census 123 Cuba 65.10 2002 census 124 Ecuador 65.00 NA 125 Switzerland 65.00 NA 126 Kyrgyzstan 64.90 1999 census 127 Macedonia 64.20 2002 census 128 Luxembourg 63.10 2000 census 129 Bahrain 62.40 2001 census 130 Djibouti 60.00 NA 131 Mexico 60.00 NA 132 Guatemala 59.40 2001 census 133 Belgium 58.00 NA 134 Colombia 58.00 NA 135 Nauru 58.00 NA 136 Latvia 57.70 2002 137 Fiji 57.30 2007 census 138 Northern Mariana Islands 56.30 2000 census 139 Niger 55.40 2001 census 140 Svalbard 55.40 1998 141 Laos 55.00 2005 census 142 Bermuda 54.80 2000 census 143 Brazil 53.70 2000 census 144 Kazakhstan 53.40 1999 census 145 Sudan 52.00 NA 146 Jersey 51.10 2001 census 147 Iran 51.00 NA 148 Malaysia 50.40 2004 est. 149 United Arab Emirates 50.00 NA 150 Eritrea 50.00 NA 151 Bhutan 50.00 NA 152 Saint Helena 50.00 NA 153 Mali 50.00 NA 154 Micronesia, Federated States of 48.80 2000 census 155 Belize 48.70 2000 census 156 Bosnia and Herzegovina 48.00 NA 157 Congo, Republic of the 48.00 NA 158 Monaco 47.00 NA 159 Ghana 45.30 2000 census 160 Kuwait 45.00 NA 161 Peru 45.00 NA 162 Pakistan 44.68 NA 163 Svalbard 44.30 1998 164 New Caledonia 44.10 1996 census 165 Guyana 43.50 2002 census 166 Senegal 43.30 NA 167 Andorra 43.00 1998 168 Montenegro 43.00 2003 census 169 Cote d'Ivoire 42.10 1998 170 Afghanistan 42.00 NA 171 Indonesia 40.60 2000 census 172 Cayman Islands 40.00 NA 173 Guinea 40.00 NA 174 Eritrea 40.00 NA 175 Qatar 40.00 NA 176 Trinidad and Tobago 40.00 2000 census 177 Mauritania 40.00 NA 178 Benin 39.20 2002 census 179 Sudan 39.00 NA 180 Brazil 38.50 2000 census 181 Bahrain 37.60 2001 census 182 Fiji 37.60 2007 census 183 Trinidad and Tobago 37.50 2000 census 184 Bosnia and Herzegovina 37.10 NA 185 Angola 37.00 NA 186 Suriname 37.00 NA 187 Peru 37.00 NA 188 Northern Mariana Islands 36.30 2000 census 189 Bhutan 35.00 NA 190 Kuwait 35.00 NA 191 Djibouti 35.00 NA 192 Jersey 34.80 2001 census 193 Liechtenstein 34.40 2000 census 194 Bermuda 34.10 2000 census 195 New Caledonia 34.10 1996 census 196 Andorra 33.00 1998 197 Central African Republic 33.00 NA 198 Nepal 32.70 2001 census 199 Ethiopia 32.10 1994 census 200 Montenegro 32.00 2003 census 201 Belgium 31.00 NA 202 Cameroon 31.00 NA 203 Suriname 31.00 NA 204 Guyana 30.20 2002 census 205 Ethiopia 30.10 1994 census 206 Bolivia 30.00 NA 207 Mexico 30.00 NA 208 Mauritania 30.00 NA 209 Mauritania 30.00 NA 210 Bolivia 30.00 NA 211 Kazakhstan 30.00 1999 census 212 Guinea 30.00 NA 213 Indonesia 29.90 2000 census 214 Latvia 29.60 2002 215 Uganda 29.60 2002 census 216 Nigeria 29.00 NA 217 Philippines 28.10 2000 census 218 Canada 28.00 NA 219 Cape Verde 28.00 NA 220 Chad 27.70 1993 census 221 Afghanistan 27.00 NA 222 Central African Republic 27.00 NA 223 Mauritius 27.00 NA 224 Canada 26.00 NA 225 Nauru 26.00 NA 226 Laos 26.00 2005 census 227 Estonia 25.60 2000 census 228 Philippines 25.30 2000 census 229 Macedonia 25.20 2002 census 230 Angola 25.00 NA 231 India 25.00 2000 232 Saint Helena 25.00 NA 233 Saint Helena 25.00 NA 234 Ecuador 25.00 NA 235 Bolivia 25.00 NA 236 Belize 24.90 2000 census 237 Cuba 24.80 2002 census 238 Micronesia, Federated States of 24.20 2000 census 239 Iran 24.00 NA 240 Senegal 23.80 NA 241 Malaysia 23.70 2004 est. 242 Israel 23.60 NA 243 United Arab Emirates 23.00 NA 244 Canada 23.00 NA 245 Angola 22.00 NA 246 Kenya 22.00 NA 247 Monaco 21.00 NA 248 Niger 21.00 2001 census 249 Nigeria 21.00 NA 250 Trinidad and Tobago 20.50 2000 census 251 Aruba 20.00 NA 252 Cayman Islands 20.00 NA 253 Colombia 20.00 NA 254 Christmas Island 20.00 2001 255 Guinea 20.00 NA 256 Cayman Islands 20.00 NA 257 Cayman Islands 20.00 NA 258 Congo, Republic of the 20.00 NA 259 Brunei 19.10 2004 est. 260 United Arab Emirates 19.00 NA 261 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 19.00 NA 262 Cameroon 19.00 NA 263 Cyprus 18.00 2001 264 Qatar 18.00 NA 265 Nigeria 18.00 NA 266 Qatar 18.00 NA 267 Switzerland 18.00 NA 268 Cote d'Ivoire 17.60 1998 269 Ukraine 17.30 2001 census 270 Congo, Republic of the 17.00 NA 271 Nicaragua 17.00 NA 272 West Bank 17.00 NA 273 Mali 17.00 NA 274 Uganda 16.90 2002 census 275 Guyana 16.70 2002 census 276 Cote d'Ivoire 16.50 1998 277 Dominican Republic 16.00 NA 278 Monaco 16.00 NA 279 Monaco 16.00 NA 280 Nepal 15.50 2001 census 281 Pakistan 15.42 NA 282 Ethiopia 15.40 1994 census 283 Palau 15.30 2000 census 284 Tajikistan 15.30 2000 census 285 Benin 15.20 2002 census 286 Ghana 15.20 2000 census 287 Bolivia 15.00 NA 288 Bhutan 15.00 NA 289 Canada 15.00 NA 290 Suriname 15.00 NA 291 Indonesia 15.00 2000 census 292 Kenya 15.00 NA 293 Netherlands Antilles 15.00 NA 294 Peru 15.00 NA 295 Somalia 15.00 NA 296 Rwanda 15.00 NA 297 Senegal 14.70 NA 298 Bosnia and Herzegovina 14.30 NA 299 Pakistan 14.10 NA 300 Burundi 14.00 NA 301 Kenya 14.00 NA 302 Thailand 14.00 NA 303 Taiwan 14.00 NA 304 Qatar 14.00 NA 305 Panama 14.00 NA 306 Colombia 14.00 NA 307 Singapore 13.90 2000 census 308 Kyrgyzstan 13.80 1999 census 309 Luxembourg 13.30 2000 census 310 Philippines 13.10 2000 census 311 Virgin Islands 13.10 2000 census 312 Angola 13.00 NA 313 Kenya 13.00 NA 314 Grenada 13.00 NA 315 Central African Republic 13.00 NA 316 Cameroon 13.00 NA 317 United States 12.85 NA 318 Kyrgyzstan 12.50 1999 census 319 Nepal 12.50 2001 census 320 Benin 12.30 2002 census 321 Chad 12.30 1993 census 322 Russia 12.10 2002 census 323 Bahamas, The 12.00 NA 324 Slovenia 12.00 2002 census 325 Puerto Rico 12.00 2007 326 French Polynesia 12.00 NA 327 Congo, Republic of the 12.00 NA 328 Kenya 12.00 NA 329 Mali 12.00 NA 330 Montenegro 12.00 2003 census 331 Greenland 12.00 2000 332 Saint Lucia 11.90 2001 census 333 Ghana 11.70 2000 census 334 Chad 11.50 1993 census 335 Belarus 11.40 1999 census 336 Brunei 11.20 2004 est. 337 Andorra 11.00 1998 338 Cameroon 11.00 NA 339 Kenya 11.00 NA 340 Malaysia 11.00 2004 est. 341 Thailand 11.00 NA 342 Laos 11.00 2005 census 343 Cote d'Ivoire 11.00 1998 344 Dominican Republic 11.00 NA 345 Botswana 11.00 NA 346 Belgium 11.00 NA 347 Belize 10.60 2000 census 348 Niue 10.20 2001 census 349 Cuba 10.10 2002 census 350 Sri Lanka 10.00 NA 351 Central African Republic 10.00 NA 352 Cameroon 10.00 NA 353 Guinea 10.00 NA 354 Cote d'Ivoire 10.00 1998 355 Christmas Island 10.00 2001 356 Turks and Caicos Islands 10.00 NA 357 Switzerland 10.00 NA 358 Sierra Leone 10.00 NA 359 Saudi Arabia 10.00 NA 360 Qatar 10.00 NA 361 Panama 10.00 NA 362 Suriname 10.00 NA 363 Nigeria 10.00 NA 364 Mali 10.00 NA 365 Belize 9.70 2000 census 366 Slovakia 9.70 2001 census 367 Syria 9.70 NA 368 South Africa 9.60 2001 census 369 British Virgin Islands 9.60 2004 Census 370 Uganda 9.50 2002 census 371 Bulgaria 9.40 2001 census 372 Senegal 9.40 NA 373 Niger 9.30 2001 census 374 Benin 9.20 2002 census 375 Guatemala 9.10 2001 census 376 Guyana 9.10 2002 census 377 Afghanistan 9.00 NA 378 Nicaragua 9.00 NA 379 New Caledonia 9.00 1996 census 380 Mexico 9.00 NA 381 Kuwait 9.00 NA 382 Chad 9.00 1993 census 383 Burma 9.00 NA 384 Afghanistan 9.00 NA 385 El Salvador 9.00 NA 386 Philippines 9.00 2000 census 387 Dominica 8.90 2001 census 388 South Africa 8.90 2001 census 389 Chad 8.70 1993 census 390 Guatemala 8.60 2001 census 391 China 8.50 2000 census 392 Niger 8.50 2001 census 393 Guatemala 8.40 2001 census 394 Uganda 8.40 2002 census 395 Moldova 8.40 NA 396 Pakistan 8.38 NA 397 United Arab Emirates 8.00 NA 398 Uruguay 8.00 NA 399 Serbia 8.00 2002 census 400 Nauru 8.00 NA 401 Nauru 8.00 NA 402 Montenegro 8.00 2003 census 403 Laos 8.00 2005 census 404 Iran 8.00 NA 405 Cameroon 8.00 NA 406 Guatemala 7.90 2001 census 407 Singapore 7.90 2000 census 408 New Zealand 7.90 2001 census 409 Ghana 7.80 2000 census 410 Malaysia 7.80 2004 est. 411 New Zealand 7.80 2001 census 412 Philippines 7.60 2000 census 413 Pakistan 7.57 NA 414 Ireland 7.50 2006 census 415 Philippines 7.50 2000 census 416 Ghana 7.30 2000 census 417 Luxembourg 7.30 2000 census 418 Sri Lanka 7.20 NA 419 Malaysia 7.10 2004 est. 420 Andorra 7.00 1998 421 Australia 7.00 NA 422 Greece 7.00 NA 423 Samoa 7.00 2001 census 424 Nepal 7.00 2001 census 425 Kosovo 7.00 NA 426 Kuwait 7.00 NA 427 Iran 7.00 NA 428 Honduras 7.00 NA 429 Botswana 7.00 NA 430 Ecuador 7.00 NA 431 Central African Republic 7.00 NA 432 British Virgin Islands 7.00 2004 Census 433 Cameroon 7.00 NA 434 Burma 7.00 NA 435 Benin 7.00 2002 census 436 Puerto Rico 6.90 2007 437 Uganda 6.90 2002 census 438 Chad 6.70 1993 census 439 Lithuania 6.70 2001 census 440 Jersey 6.60 2001 census 441 Romania 6.60 2002 census 442 Nepal 6.60 2001 census 443 Chad 6.50 1993 census 444 Namibia 6.50 NA 445 Georgia 6.50 2002 census 446 Equatorial Guinea 6.50 1994 census 447 Cook Islands 6.50 2001 census 448 Bermuda 6.40 2000 census 449 Uganda 6.40 2002 census 450 Jersey 6.40 2001 census 451 Chad 6.40 1993 census 452 Micronesia, Federated States of 6.40 2000 census 453 Chad 6.30 1993 census 454 Guatemala 6.30 2001 census 455 Lithuania 6.30 2001 census 456 Pakistan 6.28 NA 457 Brazil 6.20 2000 census 458 Ethiopia 6.20 1994 census 459 Jamaica 6.20 2001 census 460 Micronesia, Federated States of 6.20 2000 census 461 Belize 6.10 2000 census 462 Germany 6.10 NA 463 Uganda 6.10 2002 census 464 Virgin Islands 6.10 2000 census 465 Benin 6.10 2002 census 466 Andorra 6.00 1998 467 Barbados 6.00 NA 468 Namibia 6.00 NA 469 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 6.00 NA 470 Turkmenistan 6.00 2003 471 Switzerland 6.00 NA 472 Sudan 6.00 NA 473 Philippines 6.00 2000 census 474 Panama 6.00 NA 475 Mali 6.00 NA 476 Kenya 6.00 NA 477 Kenya 6.00 NA 478 Iceland 6.00 NA 479 French Polynesia 6.00 NA 480 Canada 6.00 NA 481 Ethiopia 5.90 1994 census 482 Marshall Islands 5.90 2006 483 Croatia 5.90 2001 census 484 Cook Islands 5.80 2001 census 485 Moldova 5.80 NA 486 Hungary 5.80 2001 census 487 Georgia 5.70 2002 census 488 New Zealand 5.70 2001 census 489 Kyrgyzstan 5.70 1999 census 490 Macau 5.70 2006 census 491 Finland 5.60 2006 492 Nepal 5.50 2001 census 493 Uzbekistan 5.50 NA 494 Nepal 5.40 2001 census 495 Micronesia, Federated States of 5.20 2000 census 496 New Caledonia 5.20 1996 census 497 Luxembourg 5.20 2000 census 498 Burma 5.00 NA 499 Nicaragua 5.00 NA 500 Netherlands 5.00 2008 est. 501 Mali 5.00 NA 502 Montenegro 5.00 2003 census 503 Mongolia 5.00 2000 504 Kosovo 5.00 NA 505 Iraq 5.00 NA 506 Cyprus 5.00 2001 507 Djibouti 5.00 NA 508 Uzbekistan 5.00 NA 509 Turkmenistan 5.00 2003 510 Paraguay 5.00 NA 511 Cambodia 5.00 NA 512 Haiti 5.00 NA 513 Grenada 5.00 NA 514 Kazakhstan 4.90 1999 census 515 Palau 4.90 2000 census 516 Northern Mariana Islands 4.80 2000 census 517 Netherlands 4.80 2008 est. 518 Bulgaria 4.70 2001 census 519 Chad 4.70 1993 census 520 Uganda 4.70 2002 census 521 Niger 4.70 2001 census 522 Anguilla 4.60 2001 census 523 Uganda 4.60 2002 census 524 Sri Lanka 4.60 NA 525 Micronesia, Federated States of 4.50 2000 census 526 Niue 4.50 2001 census 527 Luxembourg 4.50 2000 census 528 Croatia 4.50 2001 census 529 United States 4.43 NA 530 Antigua and Barbuda 4.40 2001 census 531 Moldova 4.40 NA 532 Puerto Rico 4.40 2007 533 New Zealand 4.40 2001 census 534 Bermuda 4.30 2000 census 535 Luxembourg 4.30 2000 census 536 Ethiopia 4.30 1994 census 537 American Samoa 4.20 2000 census 538 Nepal 4.20 2001 census 539 Uganda 4.20 2002 census 540 Latvia 4.10 2002 541 Vietnam 4.10 1999 census 542 Afghanistan 4.00 NA 543 Afghanistan 4.00 NA 544 Austria 4.00 2001 census 545 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 4.00 NA 546 Uruguay 4.00 NA 547 Turkmenistan 4.00 2003 548 Tuvalu 4.00 NA 549 Nigeria 4.00 NA 550 Lebanon 4.00 NA 551 Kuwait 4.00 NA 552 Ghana 4.00 2000 census 553 French Polynesia 4.00 NA 554 Czech Republic 4.00 2001 census 555 Eritrea 4.00 NA 556 Central African Republic 4.00 NA 557 Central African Republic 4.00 NA 558 Colombia 4.00 NA 559 Chile 4.00 2002 census 560 Cambodia 4.00 NA 561 Benin 4.00 2002 census 562 Burma 4.00 NA 563 Barbados 4.00 NA 564 Azerbaijan 3.90 NA 565 Serbia 3.90 2002 census 566 Nepal 3.90 2001 census 567 Nepal 3.90 2001 census 568 Niue 3.90 2001 census 569 Macedonia 3.90 2002 census 570 Fiji 3.90 2007 census 571 Belarus 3.90 1999 census 572 Sri Lanka 3.90 NA 573 New Zealand 3.80 2001 census 574 Russia 3.80 2002 census 575 Anguilla 3.70 2001 census 576 Senegal 3.70 NA 577 Czech Republic 3.70 2001 census 578 Kazakhstan 3.70 1999 census 579 Equatorial Guinea 3.60 1994 census 580 Lithuania 3.60 2001 census 581 Norway 3.60 2007 estimate 582 Ghana 3.60 2000 census 583 Pakistan 3.57 NA 584 Ethiopia 3.50 1994 census 585 Nigeria 3.50 NA 586 Virgin Islands 3.50 2000 census 587 Brunei 3.40 2004 est. 588 Philippines 3.40 2000 census 589 Indonesia 3.30 2000 census 590 Palau 3.20 2000 census 591 Saint Lucia 3.10 2001 census 592 Afghanistan 3.00 NA 593 Albania 3.00 NA 594 Bahamas, The 3.00 NA 595 Burma 3.00 NA 596 Eritrea 3.00 NA 597 Eritrea 3.00 NA 598 Ecuador 3.00 NA 599 Costa Rica 3.00 NA 600 Colombia 3.00 NA 601 Congo, Republic of the 3.00 NA 602 Solomon Islands 3.00 1999 census 603 Botswana 3.00 NA 604 Argentina 3.00 NA 605 Swaziland 3.00 NA 606 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 3.00 NA 607 Uzbekistan 3.00 NA 608 Senegal 3.00 NA 609 Peru 3.00 NA 610 Niue 3.00 2001 census 611 Mauritius 3.00 NA 612 Libya 3.00 NA 613 Iran 3.00 NA 614 India 3.00 2000 615 Antigua and Barbuda 2.90 2001 census 616 Benin 2.90 2002 census 617 Dominica 2.90 2001 census 618 American Samoa 2.80 2000 census 619 Nepal 2.80 2001 census 620 Cote d'Ivoire 2.80 1998 621 Indonesia 2.70 2000 census 622 Latvia 2.70 2002 623 Poland 2.70 2002 census 624 Uganda 2.70 2002 census 625 Macedonia 2.70 2002 census 626 Ghana 2.60 2000 census 627 New Caledonia 2.60 1996 census 628 Tajikistan 2.60 2000 census 629 Jamaica 2.60 2001 census 630 Benin 2.50 2002 census 631 Uzbekistan 2.50 NA 632 Uzbekistan 2.50 NA 633 South Africa 2.50 2001 census 634 Romania 2.50 2002 census 635 Nigeria 2.50 NA 636 New Caledonia 2.50 1996 census 637 Liberia 2.50 NA 638 Liberia 2.50 NA 639 Latvia 2.50 2002 640 Kazakhstan 2.50 1999 census 641 Georgia 2.50 2002 census 642 Austria 2.40 2001 census 643 Saint Lucia 2.40 2001 census 644 Palau 2.40 2000 census 645 Netherlands 2.40 2008 est. 646 Germany 2.40 NA 647 Indonesia 2.40 2000 census 648 Kazakhstan 2.40 1999 census 649 Indonesia 2.40 2000 census 650 Ethiopia 2.40 1994 census 651 Belarus 2.40 1999 census 652 Luxembourg 2.30 2000 census 653 Azerbaijan 2.20 NA 654 Netherlands 2.20 2008 est. 655 Macedonia 2.20 2002 census 656 Estonia 2.20 2000 census 657 Estonia 2.10 2000 census 658 Hong Kong 2.10 2006 census 659 Afghanistan 2.00 NA 660 Albania 2.00 NA 661 Burma 2.00 NA 662 Bangladesh 2.00 1998 663 Angola 2.00 NA 664 Burma 2.00 NA 665 Bulgaria 2.00 2001 census 666 Canada 2.00 NA 667 United Kingdom 2.00 2001 census 668 Taiwan 2.00 NA 669 Sudan 2.00 NA 670 Slovenia 2.00 2002 census 671 Russia 2.00 2002 census 672 Marshall Islands 2.00 2006 673 Suriname 2.00 NA 674 Suriname 2.00 NA 675 Suriname 2.00 NA 676 Norway 2.00 2007 estimate 677 Netherlands 2.00 2008 est. 678 Netherlands 2.00 2008 est. 679 Mauritius 2.00 NA 680 Latvia 2.00 2002 681 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 2.00 NA 682 Iran 2.00 NA 683 Iran 2.00 NA 684 Iran 2.00 NA 685 Indonesia 2.00 2000 census 686 Honduras 2.00 NA 687 Central African Republic 2.00 NA 688 Czech Republic 1.90 2001 census 689 Hungary 1.90 2001 census 690 Vietnam 1.90 1999 census 691 Palau 1.90 2000 census 692 Moldova 1.90 NA 693 Azerbaijan 1.80 NA 694 Micronesia, Federated States of 1.80 2000 census 695 Slovakia 1.80 2001 census 696 Northern Mariana Islands 1.80 2000 census 697 Serbia 1.80 2002 census 698 United Kingdom 1.80 2001 census 699 Ukraine 1.80 2001 census 700 Slovenia 1.80 2002 census 701 Macedonia 1.80 2002 census 702 Antigua and Barbuda 1.70 2001 census 703 Indonesia 1.70 2000 census 704 Vietnam 1.70 1999 census 705 Kazakhstan 1.70 1999 census 706 Slovakia 1.70 2001 census 707 United States 1.61 NA 708 Austria 1.60 2001 census 709 Equatorial Guinea 1.60 1994 census 710 United Kingdom 1.60 2001 census 711 Hong Kong 1.60 2006 census 712 Benin 1.60 2002 census 713 Ireland 1.60 2006 census 714 Azerbaijan 1.50 NA 715 Anguilla 1.50 2001 census 716 Georgia 1.50 2002 census 717 Micronesia, Federated States of 1.50 2000 census 718 Vanuatu 1.50 1999 Census 719 Vietnam 1.50 1999 census 720 Uzbekistan 1.50 NA 721 Equatorial Guinea 1.40 1994 census 722 Kazakhstan 1.40 1999 census 723 Latvia 1.40 2002 724 Palau 1.40 2000 census 725 Vietnam 1.40 1999 census 726 Singapore 1.40 2000 census 727 Serbia 1.40 2002 census 728 New Caledonia 1.40 1996 census 729 Ghana 1.40 2000 census 730 Micronesia, Federated States of 1.40 2000 census 731 Armenia 1.30 2001 census 732 United Kingdom 1.30 2001 census 733 Moldova 1.30 NA 734 Hong Kong 1.30 2006 census 735 Estonia 1.30 2000 census 736 Ireland 1.30 2006 census 737 Solomon Islands 1.20 1999 census 738 Russia 1.20 2002 census 739 United Kingdom 1.20 2001 census 740 Trinidad and Tobago 1.20 2000 census 741 Niger 1.20 2001 census 742 Kiribati 1.20 2000 census 743 Fiji 1.20 2007 census 744 American Samoa 1.10 2000 census 745 Solomon Islands 1.10 1999 census 746 Kyrgyzstan 1.10 1999 census 747 Vietnam 1.10 1999 census 748 Tajikistan 1.10 2000 census 749 Tajikistan 1.10 2000 census 750 Slovenia 1.10 2002 census 751 Senegal 1.10 NA 752 Russia 1.10 2002 census 753 Serbia 1.10 2002 census 754 Palau 1.10 2000 census 755 New Caledonia 1.10 1996 census 756 Virgin Islands 1.10 2000 census 757 Vietnam 1.10 1999 census 758 Jersey 1.10 2001 census 759 Ireland 1.10 2006 census 760 Equatorial Guinea 1.10 1994 census 761 Ireland 1.10 2006 census 762 Belarus 1.10 1999 census 763 Angola 1.00 NA 764 Costa Rica 1.00 NA 765 Costa Rica 1.00 NA 766 Zimbabwe 1.00 NA 767 Sudan 1.00 NA 768 Senegal 1.00 NA 769 Rwanda 1.00 NA 770 Suriname 1.00 NA 771 Kyrgyzstan 1.00 1999 census 772 Kyrgyzstan 1.00 1999 census 773 Kenya 1.00 NA 774 Jordan 1.00 NA 775 Jordan 1.00 NA 776 Iran 1.00 NA 777 Honduras 1.00 NA 778 Ghana 1.00 2000 census 779 Gambia, The 1.00 2003 census 780 El Salvador 1.00 NA 781 Vietnam 1.00 1999 census 782 Tanzania 1.00 NA 783 Tunisia 1.00 NA 784 Tunisia 1.00 NA 785 Switzerland 1.00 NA 786 Mexico 1.00 NA 787 Slovakia 1.00 2001 census 788 Lebanon 1.00 NA 789 Cape Verde 1.00 NA 790 Costa Rica 1.00 NA 791 Colombia 1.00 NA 792 Australia 1.00 NA 793 Burundi 1.00 NA 794 Cambodia 1.00 NA 795 United States 0.97 NA 796 Austria 0.90 2001 census 797 Brazil 0.90 2000 census 798 Serbia 0.90 2002 census 799 Estonia 0.90 2000 census 800 Northern Mariana Islands 0.80 2000 census 801 Trinidad and Tobago 0.80 2000 census 802 Netherlands 0.80 2008 est. 803 Dominica 0.80 2001 census 804 Brazil 0.70 2000 census 805 Morocco 0.70 NA 806 Dominica 0.70 2001 census 807 Bosnia and Herzegovina 0.60 NA 808 Ukraine 0.60 2001 census 809 Japan 0.60 2004 810 Chile 0.60 2002 census 811 Armenia 0.50 2001 census 812 Zambia 0.50 2000 Census 813 Ukraine 0.50 2001 census 814 Ukraine 0.50 2001 census 815 New Zealand 0.50 2001 census 816 Japan 0.50 2004 817 Guyana 0.50 2002 census 818 Finland 0.50 2006 819 Sri Lanka 0.50 NA 820 Bermuda 0.40 2000 census 821 Egypt 0.40 2006 census 822 Poland 0.40 2002 census 823 Ukraine 0.40 2001 census 824 Samoa 0.40 2001 census 825 Romania 0.40 2002 census 826 Japan 0.40 2004 827 Armenia 0.30 2001 census 828 Ukraine 0.30 2001 census 829 Ukraine 0.30 2001 census 830 Ukraine 0.30 2001 census 831 Svalbard 0.30 1998 832 Puerto Rico 0.30 2007 833 Romania 0.30 2002 census 834 Romania 0.30 2002 census 835 Finland 0.30 2006 836 American Samoa 0.30 2000 census 837 Chad 0.30 1993 census 838 Lesotho 0.30 NA 839 Solomon Islands 0.20 1999 census 840 Ukraine 0.20 2001 census 841 Puerto Rico 0.20 2007 842 Romania 0.20 2002 census 843 Romania 0.20 2002 census 844 Morocco 0.20 NA 845 Mozambique 0.20 NA 846 Niue 0.20 2001 census 847 Guatemala 0.20 2001 census 848 United States 0.18 NA 849 Finland 0.10 2006 850 Poland 0.10 2002 census 851 Poland 0.10 2002 census 852 Mongolia 0.10 2000 853 Guatemala 0.10 2001 census 854 Finland 0.10 2006 855 Mozambique 0.08 NA 856 Mozambique 0.06 NA

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Rank code: 2076

Country Comparison :: Exchange rates

This entry provides the official value of a country's monetary unit at a given date or over a given period of time, as expressed in units of local currency per US dollar and as determined by international market forces or official fiat. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 4217 alphabetic currency code for the national medium of exchange is presented in parenthesis.

Rank country Exchange rates Date of Information

1 Zimbabwe 30,000.00 NA 2 Mozambique 23,061.00 NA 3 Mozambique 22,581.00 NA 4 Vietnam 16,548.30 NA 5 Vietnam 16,119.00 NA 6 Vietnam 15,983.00 NA 7 Vietnam 15,746.00 NA 8 Sao Tome and Principe 14,900.00 NA 9 Turkmenistan 14,250.00 NA 10 Sao Tome and Principe 13,700.00 NA 11 Sao Tome and Principe 12,050.00 NA 12 Laos 10,820.00 NA 13 Laos 10,585.50 NA 14 Laos 10,235.00 NA 15 Sao Tome and Principe 9,902.30 NA 16 Sao Tome and Principe 9,900.40 NA 17 Indonesia 9,704.70 NA 18 Indonesia 9,698.90 NA 19 Laos 9,658.00 NA 20 Iran 9,407.50 NA 21 Iran 9,227.10 NA 22 Ghana 9,174.80 NA 23 Indonesia 9,159.30 NA 24 Indonesia 9,143.00 NA 25 Iran 9,142.80 NA 26 Ghana 9,072.50 NA 27 Ghana 9,004.60 NA 28 Iran 8,964.00 NA 29 Indonesia 8,938.90 NA 30 Laos 8,760.69 NA 31 Iran 8,614.00 NA 32 Paraguay 6,178.00 NA 33 Paraguay 5,974.60 NA 34 Paraguay 5,672.80 NA 35 Guinea 5,500.00 NA 36 Guinea 5,350.00 NA 37 Paraguay 5,031.00 NA 38 Azerbaijan 4,913.48 NA 39 Zambia 4,778.90 NA 40 Azerbaijan 4,727.10 NA 41 Zambia 4,463.50 NA 42 Paraguay 4,337.70 NA 43 Guinea 4,122.80 NA 44 Cambodia 4,103.00 NA 45 Cambodia 4,092.50 NA 46 Cambodia 4,070.94 NA 47 Cambodia 4,016.25 NA 48 Cambodia 4,006.00 NA 49 Zambia 3,990.20 NA 50 Guinea 3,644.30 NA 51 Zambia 3,601.50 NA 52 Zambia 3,512.90 NA 53 Sierra Leone 2,961.70 NA 54 Sierra Leone 2,889.60 NA 55 Sierra Leone 2,701.30 NA 56 Colombia 2,628.61 NA 57 Colombia 2,358.60 NA 58 Sierra Leone 2,347.90 NA 59 Colombia 2,320.75 NA 60 Colombia 2,243.60 NA 61 Guinea 2,225.00 NA 62 Madagascar 2,161.40 NA 63 Belarus 2,160.26 NA 64 Belarus 2,150.00 NA 65 Venezuela 2,147.00 NA 66 Venezuela 2,147.00 NA 67 Belarus 2,145.00 NA 68 Belarus 2,144.60 NA 69 Belarus 2,130.00 NA 70 Venezuela 2,089.80 NA 71 Colombia 2,013.80 NA 72 Madagascar 2,003.00 NA 73 Venezuela 1,891.30 NA 74 Iraq 1,890.00 NA 75 Madagascar 1,880.00 NA 76 Madagascar 1,868.90 NA 77 Uganda 1,834.90 NA 78 Uganda 1,810.30 NA 79 Uganda 1,780.70 NA 80 Uganda 1,685.80 NA 81 Uganda 1,658.10 NA 82 Madagascar 1,654.78 NA 83 Lebanon 1,507.50 NA 84 Lebanon 1,507.50 NA 85 Lebanon 1,507.50 NA 86 Lebanon 1,507.50 NA 87 Lebanon 1,507.50 NA 88 Iraq 1,475.00 NA 89 Iraq 1,466.00 NA 90 Somalia 1,438.30 NA 91 Uzbekistan 1,317.00 NA 92 Burma 1,296.00 NA 93 Burma 1,280.00 NA 94 Mongolia 1,267.51 NA 95 Uzbekistan 1,263.80 NA 96 Iraq 1,255.00 NA 97 Tanzania 1,255.00 NA 98 Tanzania 1,251.90 NA 99 Uzbekistan 1,219.80 NA 100 Burma 1,205.00 NA 101 Mongolia 1,205.00 NA 102 Burundi 1,198.00 NA 103 Mongolia 1,185.30 NA 104 Tanzania 1,178.10 NA 105 Iraq 1,176.00 NA 106 Mongolia 1,170.00 NA 107 Mongolia 1,165.00 NA 108 Korea, South 1,145.30 NA 109 Burundi 1,138.00 NA 110 Tanzania 1,128.93 NA 111 Korea, South 1,101.70 NA 112 Burundi 1,100.91 NA 113 Tanzania 1,089.33 NA 114 Burundi 1,065.00 NA 115 Burundi 1,030.00 NA 116 Korea, South 1,024.10 NA 117 Uzbekistan 1,020.00 NA 118 Uzbekistan 971.27 NA 119 Korea, South 954.80 NA 120 Korea, South 929.20 NA 121 Rwanda 610.00 NA 122 Chile 609.37 NA 123 Rwanda 585.00 NA 124 Rwanda 574.62 NA 125 Chile 560.09 NA 126 Rwanda 560.00 NA 127 Rwanda 550.00 NA 128 Armenia 533.45 NA 129 Costa Rica 530.41 NA 130 Chile 530.29 NA 131 Benin 528.29 NA 132 Chad 528.29 NA 133 Congo, Republic of the 528.29 NA 134 Central African Republic 528.29 NA 135 Equatorial Guinea 528.29 NA 136 Burkina Faso 528.29 NA 137 Togo 528.29 NA 138 Senegal 528.29 NA 139 Guinea-Bissau 528.29 NA 140 Niger 528.29 NA 141 Mali 528.29 NA 142 Cote d'Ivoire 528.29 NA 143 Gabon 528.29 NA 144 Cameroon 528.29 NA 145 Benin 527.47 NA 146 Chad 527.47 NA 147 Cameroon 527.47 NA 148 Cote d'Ivoire 527.47 NA 149 Burkina Faso 527.47 NA 150 Togo 527.47 NA 151 Senegal 527.47 NA 152 Guinea-Bissau 527.47 NA 153 Niger 527.47 NA 154 Mali 527.47 NA 155 Gabon 527.47 NA 156 Equatorial Guinea 527.47 NA 157 Central African Republic 527.47 NA 158 Congo, Republic of the 527.47 NA 159 Chile 526.25 NA 160 Gabon 522.89 NA 161 Cote d'Ivoire 522.89 NA 162 Senegal 522.89 NA 163 Benin 522.59 NA 164 Burkina Faso 522.59 NA 165 Togo 522.59 NA 166 Guinea-Bissau 522.59 NA 167 Niger 522.59 NA 168 Mali 522.59 NA 169 Central African Republic 522.59 NA 170 Cameroon 522.59 NA 171 Congo, Republic of the 522.59 NA 172 Chad 522.59 NA 173 Equatorial Guinea 522.40 NA 174 Costa Rica 519.53 NA 175 Costa Rica 511.30 NA 176 Chile 509.02 NA 177 Benin 493.51 NA 178 Burkina Faso 493.51 NA 179 Guinea-Bissau 493.51 NA 180 Niger 493.51 NA 181 Mali 493.51 NA 182 Cameroon 493.51 NA 183 Congo, Republic of the 483.60 NA 184 Togo 482.71 NA 185 Equatorial Guinea 481.83 NA 186 Gabon 481.83 NA 187 Senegal 481.83 NA 188 Cote d'Ivoire 481.83 NA 189 Central African Republic 481.80 NA 190 Chad 480.10 NA 191 Costa Rica 477.79 NA 192 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 464.69 NA 193 Armenia 457.69 NA 194 Benin 447.81 NA 195 Chad 447.81 NA 196 Senegal 447.81 NA 197 Guinea-Bissau 447.81 NA 198 Niger 447.81 NA 199 Mali 447.81 NA 200 Cote d'Ivoire 447.81 NA 201 Gabon 447.81 NA 202 Equatorial Guinea 447.81 NA 203 Central African Republic 447.81 NA 204 Cameroon 447.81 NA 205 Burkina Faso 447.81 NA 206 Togo 447.81 NA 207 Congo, Republic of the 447.81 NA 208 Costa Rica 437.91 NA 209 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 437.86 NA 210 Comoros 435.90 NA 211 Armenia 414.69 NA 212 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 405.34 NA 213 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 401.04 NA 214 Comoros 396.21 NA 215 Comoros 395.60 NA 216 Comoros 391.80 NA 217 Comoros 361.40 NA 218 Armenia 344.06 NA 219 Armenia 303.93 NA 220 Mauritania 271.30 NA 221 Mauritania 267.04 NA 222 Mauritania 265.80 NA 223 Mauritania 263.03 NA 224 Hungary 210.39 NA 225 Guyana 203.86 NA 226 Hungary 202.75 NA 227 Guyana 201.89 NA 228 Guyana 200.79 NA 229 Guyana 200.28 NA 230 Yemen 199.76 NA 231 Hungary 199.58 NA 232 Yemen 199.14 NA 233 Guyana 198.31 NA 234 Yemen 197.18 NA 235 Yemen 192.67 NA 236 Yemen 184.78 NA 237 Hungary 183.83 NA 238 Djibouti 177.72 NA 239 Djibouti 177.72 NA 240 Djibouti 177.72 NA 241 Djibouti 177.71 NA 242 Djibouti 174.75 NA 243 Hungary 171.80 NA 244 Korea, North 170.00 NA 245 Zimbabwe 162.07 NA 246 Malawi 142.41 NA 247 Malawi 141.12 NA 248 Korea, North 141.00 NA 249 Korea, North 140.00 NA 250 Kazakhstan 136.04 NA 251 Malawi 135.96 NA 252 Nigeria 132.89 NA 253 Kazakhstan 132.88 NA 254 Nigeria 132.59 NA 255 Nigeria 127.46 NA 256 Nigeria 127.38 NA 257 Kazakhstan 126.09 NA 258 Kazakhstan 122.55 NA 259 Vanuatu 122.19 NA 260 Kazakhstan 120.25 NA 261 Japan 117.99 NA 262 Nigeria 117.80 NA 263 Japan 116.18 NA 264 Vanuatu 111.93 NA 265 Vanuatu 111.79 NA 266 Sri Lanka 110.78 NA 267 Japan 110.22 NA 268 Malawi 108.90 NA 269 Malawi 108.89 NA 270 Sri Lanka 108.33 NA 271 Japan 108.19 NA 272 French Polynesia 105.66 NA 273 New Caledonia 105.66 NA 274 Wallis and Futuna 105.66 NA 275 Sri Lanka 103.99 NA 276 Japan 103.58 NA 277 Albania 102.78 NA 278 Albania 102.65 NA 279 Sri Lanka 101.19 NA 280 Sri Lanka 100.50 NA 281 Albania 98.38 NA 282 French Polynesia 96.04 NA 283 New Caledonia 96.04 NA 284 Wallis and Futuna 96.04 NA 285 French Polynesia 95.89 NA 286 Wallis and Futuna 95.89 NA 287 New Caledonia 95.89 NA 288 French Polynesia 94.97 NA 289 Wallis and Futuna 94.97 NA 290 New Caledonia 94.97 NA 291 Albania 92.67 NA 292 Cape Verde 88.81 NA 293 Cape Verde 88.67 NA 294 Angola 88.60 NA 295 Cape Verde 87.95 NA 296 French Polynesia 87.59 NA 297 Wallis and Futuna 87.59 NA 298 New Caledonia 87.59 NA 299 Iceland 85.62 NA 300 Angola 83.54 NA 301 Cape Verde 81.24 NA 302 Angola 80.40 NA 303 Albania 79.55 NA 304 Kenya 79.17 NA 305 Zimbabwe 77.97 NA 306 Angola 76.60 NA 307 Kenya 75.55 NA 308 Angola 75.02 NA 309 Cape Verde 73.84 NA 310 Nepal 73.67 NA 311 Algeria 73.28 NA 312 Algeria 72.65 NA 313 Nepal 72.45 NA 314 Jamaica 72.24 NA 315 Nepal 72.16 NA 316 Kenya 72.10 NA 317 Algeria 72.06 NA 318 Pakistan 70.64 NA 319 Nepal 70.35 NA 320 Iceland 70.20 NA 321 Iceland 70.19 NA 322 Algeria 69.90 NA 323 Bangladesh 69.89 NA 324 Jamaica 69.03 NA 325 Bangladesh 69.03 NA 326 Bangladesh 68.55 NA 327 Kenya 68.36 NA 328 Kenya 68.31 NA 329 Jamaica 65.77 NA 330 Nepal 65.21 NA 331 Bangladesh 64.33 NA 332 Iceland 63.39 NA 333 Algeria 63.25 NA 334 Iceland 62.98 NA 335 Jamaica 62.51 NA 336 Jamaica 61.20 NA 337 Pakistan 60.63 NA 338 Pakistan 60.35 NA 339 Serbia 59.98 NA 340 Pakistan 59.52 NA 341 Bangladesh 59.51 NA 342 Liberia 59.43 NA 343 Liberia 59.38 NA 344 Pakistan 58.26 NA 345 Philippines 56.04 NA 346 Philippines 55.09 NA 347 Liberia 54.91 NA 348 Serbia 54.50 NA 349 Liberia 53.10 NA 350 Syria 51.69 NA 351 Philippines 51.25 NA 352 Syria 50.01 NA 353 Afghanistan 50.00 NA 354 Syria 50.00 NA 355 Macedonia 49.41 NA 356 Afghanistan 49.00 NA 357 Macedonia 48.98 NA 358 Macedonia 48.92 NA 359 Syria 48.50 NA 360 Afghanistan 48.00 NA 361 Afghanistan 47.70 NA 362 Bhutan 46.58 NA 363 Syria 46.53 NA 364 Philippines 46.15 NA 365 Afghanistan 46.00 NA 366 Bhutan 45.32 NA 367 India 45.32 NA 368 India 45.30 NA 369 Bhutan 45.28 NA 370 Macedonia 44.73 NA 371 Philippines 44.44 NA 372 Bhutan 44.10 NA 373 India 44.10 NA 374 India 43.32 NA 375 Kyrgyzstan 42.65 NA 376 Dominican Republic 42.12 NA 377 Bhutan 41.49 NA 378 India 41.49 NA 379 Macedonia 41.41 NA 380 Kyrgyzstan 41.01 NA 381 Haiti 40.45 NA 382 Haiti 40.23 NA 383 Thailand 40.22 NA 384 Thailand 40.22 NA 385 Kyrgyzstan 40.15 NA 386 Haiti 39.22 NA 387 Haiti 38.35 NA 388 Thailand 37.88 NA 389 Kyrgyzstan 37.75 NA 390 Haiti 37.14 NA 391 Kyrgyzstan 36.11 NA 392 Dominican Republic 34.78 NA 393 Thailand 34.52 NA 394 Taiwan 34.42 NA 395 Dominican Republic 33.41 NA 396 Thailand 33.37 NA 397 Dominican Republic 33.11 NA 398 Taiwan 32.84 NA 399 Taiwan 32.53 NA 400 Slovakia 32.26 NA 401 Mauritius 31.80 NA 402 Taiwan 31.71 NA 403 Mauritius 31.66 NA 404 Taiwan 31.53 NA 405 Slovakia 31.02 NA 406 Dominican Republic 30.41 NA 407 Gambia, The 30.03 NA 408 Slovakia 29.61 NA 409 Mauritius 29.50 NA 410 Russia 28.81 NA 411 Uruguay 28.70 NA 412 Gambia, The 28.58 NA 413 Russia 28.28 NA 414 Gambia, The 28.07 NA 415 Mauritius 27.97 NA 416 Gambia, The 27.79 NA 417 Mauritius 27.50 NA 418 Russia 27.19 NA 419 Mozambique 26.26 NA 420 Czech Republic 25.70 NA 421 Russia 25.66 NA 422 Mozambique 25.40 NA 423 Slovakia 24.92 NA 424 Uruguay 24.48 NA 425 Russia 24.30 NA 426 Mozambique 24.13 NA 427 Uruguay 24.05 NA 428 Czech Republic 23.96 NA 429 Uruguay 23.95 NA 430 Gambia, The 22.75 NA 431 Czech Republic 22.60 NA 432 Slovakia 21.05 NA 433 Uruguay 20.94 NA 434 Czech Republic 20.53 NA 435 Nicaragua 19.37 NA 436 Honduras 18.98 NA 437 Honduras 18.92 NA 438 Honduras 18.90 NA 439 Honduras 18.90 NA 440 Nicaragua 18.46 NA 441 Honduras 18.21 NA 442 Nicaragua 17.58 NA 443 Czech Republic 17.06 NA 444 Nicaragua 16.73 NA 445 Nicaragua 15.94 NA 446 Eritrea 15.50 NA 447 Eritrea 15.40 NA 448 Eritrea 15.38 NA 449 Eritrea 14.50 NA 450 Eritrea 13.79 NA 451 Moldova 13.13 NA 452 Maldives 12.80 NA 453 Maldives 12.80 NA 454 Maldives 12.80 NA 455 Maldives 12.80 NA 456 Maldives 12.80 NA 457 Moldova 12.60 NA 458 Estonia 12.60 NA 459 Estonia 12.58 NA 460 Estonia 12.47 NA 461 Moldova 12.33 NA 462 Moldova 12.18 NA 463 Estonia 11.54 NA 464 Mexico 11.29 NA 465 Mexico 11.02 NA 466 Mexico 10.90 NA 467 Mexico 10.90 NA 468 Mexico 10.80 NA 469 Estonia 10.70 NA 470 Moldova 10.33 NA 471 Ethiopia 9.57 NA 472 Ethiopia 8.96 NA 473 Morocco 8.87 NA 474 Western Sahara 8.87 NA 475 Morocco 8.87 NA 476 Western Sahara 8.87 NA 477 Morocco 8.77 NA 478 Western Sahara 8.77 NA 479 Ethiopia 8.69 NA 480 Ethiopia 8.68 NA 481 Ethiopia 8.64 NA 482 Morocco 8.36 NA 483 Western Sahara 8.36 NA 484 China 8.28 NA 485 China 8.19 NA 486 Bolivia 8.07 NA 487 Macau 8.02 NA 488 Macau 8.02 NA 489 Bolivia 8.02 NA 490 Macau 8.01 NA 491 Macau 8.01 NA 492 Macau 8.00 NA 493 Seychelles 8.00 NA 494 China 7.97 NA 495 South Africa 7.96 NA 496 Guatemala 7.95 NA 497 Bolivia 7.94 NA 498 Bolivia 7.86 NA 499 Hong Kong 7.80 NA 500 Hong Kong 7.79 NA 501 Hong Kong 7.78 NA 502 Hong Kong 7.77 NA 503 Hong Kong 7.75 NA 504 Lesotho 7.75 NA 505 Namibia 7.75 NA 506 Swaziland 7.75 NA 507 Guatemala 7.68 NA 508 Guatemala 7.63 NA 509 China 7.61 NA 510 Guatemala 7.60 NA 511 Guatemala 7.59 NA 512 Solomon Islands 7.53 NA 513 Morocco 7.53 NA 514 Western Sahara 7.53 NA 515 Solomon Islands 7.51 NA 516 Solomon Islands 7.48 NA 517 Sweden 7.47 NA 518 Swaziland 7.40 NA 519 Sweden 7.37 NA 520 Sweden 7.35 NA 521 Solomon Islands 7.34 NA 522 Bolivia 7.25 NA 523 Lesotho 7.25 NA 524 Namibia 7.18 NA 525 South Africa 7.05 NA 526 China 6.94 NA 527 Lesotho 6.85 NA 528 Swaziland 6.85 NA 529 Botswana 6.79 NA 530 South Africa 6.76 NA 531 Namibia 6.76 NA 532 Sweden 6.76 NA 533 Norway 6.73 NA 534 Svalbard 6.73 NA 535 Seychelles 6.50 NA 536 Lesotho 6.46 NA 537 Swaziland 6.46 NA 538 Namibia 6.46 NA 539 South Africa 6.46 NA 540 Norway 6.45 NA 541 Svalbard 6.45 NA 542 Norway 6.42 NA 543 Svalbard 6.42 NA 544 Sweden 6.41 NA 545 Lesotho 6.36 NA 546 Swaziland 6.36 NA 547 South Africa 6.36 NA 548 Namibia 6.36 NA 549 Trinidad and Tobago 6.33 NA 550 Trinidad and Tobago 6.31 NA 551 Trinidad and Tobago 6.30 NA 552 Trinidad and Tobago 6.29 NA 553 Trinidad and Tobago 6.28 NA 554 Botswana 6.20 NA 555 Egypt 6.20 NA 556 Croatia 6.04 NA 557 Denmark 6.00 NA 558 Faroe Islands 6.00 NA 559 Greenland 6.00 NA 560 Denmark 5.99 NA 561 Faroe Islands 5.99 NA 562 Greenland 5.99 NA 563 Croatia 5.95 NA 564 Denmark 5.95 NA 565 Greenland 5.95 NA 566 Faroe Islands 5.95 NA 567 Croatia 5.86 NA 568 Norway 5.86 NA 569 Svalbard 5.86 NA 570 Botswana 5.84 NA 571 Egypt 5.78 NA 572 Burma 5.76 NA 573 Burma 5.75 NA 574 Zimbabwe 5.73 NA 575 Egypt 5.73 NA 576 Egypt 5.67 NA 577 Norway 5.64 NA 578 Svalbard 5.64 NA 579 Seychelles 5.50 NA 580 Seychelles 5.50 NA 581 Seychelles 5.50 NA 582 Denmark 5.48 NA 583 Greenland 5.48 NA 584 Faroe Islands 5.48 NA 585 Egypt 5.40 NA 586 Croatia 5.37 NA 587 Ukraine 5.32 NA 588 Ukraine 5.12 NA 589 Botswana 5.11 NA 590 Ukraine 5.05 NA 591 Ukraine 5.05 NA 592 Denmark 5.02 NA 593 Faroe Islands 5.02 NA 594 Greenland 5.02 NA 595 Croatia 4.98 NA 596 Ukraine 4.95 NA 597 Botswana 4.69 NA 598 Gaza Strip 4.49 NA 599 Israel 4.49 NA 600 West Bank 4.49 NA 601 Gaza Strip 4.48 NA 602 Israel 4.48 NA 603 West Bank 4.48 NA 604 Gaza Strip 4.46 NA 605 West Bank 4.46 NA 606 Israel 4.46 NA 607 Gaza Strip 4.14 NA 608 Israel 4.14 NA 609 West Bank 4.14 NA 610 Malaysia 3.80 NA 611 Malaysia 3.80 NA 612 Saudi Arabia 3.75 NA 613 Saudi Arabia 3.75 NA 614 Saudi Arabia 3.75 NA 615 Saudi Arabia 3.75 NA 616 Saudi Arabia 3.75 NA 617 United Arab Emirates 3.67 NA 618 United Arab Emirates 3.67 NA 619 United Arab Emirates 3.67 NA 620 United Arab Emirates 3.67 NA 621 United Arab Emirates 3.67 NA 622 Malaysia 3.67 NA 623 Poland 3.66 NA 624 Qatar 3.64 NA 625 Qatar 3.64 NA 626 Qatar 3.64 NA 627 Qatar 3.64 NA 628 Qatar 3.64 NA 629 Gaza Strip 3.56 NA 630 West Bank 3.56 NA 631 Israel 3.56 NA 632 Malaysia 3.46 NA 633 Tajikistan 3.46 NA 634 Tajikistan 3.44 NA 635 Peru 3.41 NA 636 Malaysia 3.33 NA 637 Tajikistan 3.30 NA 638 Peru 3.30 NA 639 Peru 3.27 NA 640 Poland 3.24 NA 641 Papua New Guinea 3.22 NA 642 Peru 3.17 NA 643 Argentina 3.16 NA 644 Tajikistan 3.12 NA 645 Argentina 3.11 NA 646 Poland 3.10 NA 647 Papua New Guinea 3.08 NA 648 Papua New Guinea 3.06 NA 649 Argentina 3.05 NA 650 Papua New Guinea 3.03 NA 651 Romania 3.00 NA 652 Romania 3.00 NA 653 Samoa 2.97 NA 654 Tajikistan 2.97 NA 655 Brazil 2.93 NA 656 Argentina 2.92 NA 657 Peru 2.91 NA 658 Argentina 2.90 NA 659 Poland 2.81 NA 660 Romania 2.81 NA 661 Samoa 2.78 NA 662 Lithuania 2.78 NA 663 Lithuania 2.77 NA 664 Samoa 2.76 NA 665 Lithuania 2.75 NA 666 Suriname 2.75 NA 667 Suriname 2.75 NA 668 Suriname 2.73 NA 669 Suriname 2.73 NA 670 Samoa 2.71 NA 671 Antigua and Barbuda 2.70 NA 672 Antigua and Barbuda 2.70 NA 673 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 2.70 NA 674 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 2.70 NA 675 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 2.70 NA 676 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 2.70 NA 677 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 2.70 NA 678 Saint Lucia 2.70 NA 679 Saint Lucia 2.70 NA 680 Saint Lucia 2.70 NA 681 Saint Lucia 2.70 NA 682 Saint Lucia 2.70 NA 683 Saint Kitts and Nevis 2.70 NA 684 Saint Kitts and Nevis 2.70 NA 685 Saint Kitts and Nevis 2.70 NA 686 Saint Kitts and Nevis 2.70 NA 687 Saint Kitts and Nevis 2.70 NA 688 Montserrat 2.70 NA 689 Montserrat 2.70 NA 690 Montserrat 2.70 NA 691 Montserrat 2.70 NA 692 Montserrat 2.70 NA 693 Grenada 2.70 NA 694 Grenada 2.70 NA 695 Grenada 2.70 NA 696 Grenada 2.70 NA 697 Grenada 2.70 NA 698 Dominica 2.70 NA 699 Dominica 2.70 NA 700 Dominica 2.70 NA 701 Dominica 2.70 NA 702 Dominica 2.70 NA 703 Anguilla 2.70 NA 704 Anguilla 2.70 NA 705 Anguilla 2.70 NA 706 Anguilla 2.70 NA 707 Anguilla 2.70 NA 708 Antigua and Barbuda 2.70 NA 709 Antigua and Barbuda 2.70 NA 710 Antigua and Barbuda 2.70 NA 711 Papua New Guinea 2.70 NA 712 Suriname 2.60 NA 713 Sudan 2.58 NA 714 Lithuania 2.54 NA 715 Romania 2.50 NA 716 Sudan 2.44 NA 717 Brazil 2.43 NA 718 Romania 2.43 NA 719 Lithuania 2.33 NA 720 Poland 2.30 NA 721 Brazil 2.18 NA 722 Sudan 2.17 NA 723 Venezuela 2.15 NA 724 Tonga 2.14 NA 725 Sudan 2.10 NA 726 Sudan 2.06 NA 727 Tonga 2.03 NA 728 Barbados 2.00 NA 729 Barbados 2.00 NA 730 Barbados 2.00 NA 731 Belize 2.00 NA 732 Belize 2.00 NA 733 Belize 2.00 NA 734 Belize 2.00 NA 735 Belize 2.00 NA 736 Barbados 2.00 NA 737 Tonga 1.97 NA 738 Tonga 1.96 NA 739 Georgia 1.92 NA 740 Fiji 1.90 NA 741 Brazil 1.86 NA 742 Brazil 1.85 NA 743 Georgia 1.81 NA 744 Aruba 1.79 NA 745 Aruba 1.79 NA 746 Netherlands Antilles 1.79 NA 747 Netherlands Antilles 1.79 NA 748 Netherlands Antilles 1.79 NA 749 Netherlands Antilles 1.79 NA 750 Aruba 1.79 NA 751 Aruba 1.79 NA 752 Georgia 1.78 NA 753 Brunei 1.74 NA 754 Fiji 1.73 NA 755 Fiji 1.73 NA 756 Georgia 1.70 NA 757 Fiji 1.69 NA 758 Brunei 1.69 NA 759 Singapore 1.69 NA 760 Brunei 1.66 NA 761 Singapore 1.66 NA 762 Singapore 1.59 NA 763 Brunei 1.59 NA 764 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1.58 NA 765 Bulgaria 1.58 NA 766 Bulgaria 1.57 NA 767 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1.57 NA 768 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1.56 NA 769 Bulgaria 1.56 NA 770 Cook Islands 1.54 NA 771 Pitcairn Islands 1.54 NA 772 Tokelau 1.54 NA 773 Niue 1.54 NA 774 New Zealand 1.54 NA 775 Cook Islands 1.51 NA 776 Tokelau 1.51 NA 777 Pitcairn Islands 1.51 NA 778 New Zealand 1.51 NA 779 Niue 1.51 NA 780 Singapore 1.51 NA 781 Georgia 1.47 NA 782 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1.44 NA 783 Bulgaria 1.44 NA 784 Turkey 1.43 NA 785 Turkey 1.43 NA 786 Cook Islands 1.42 NA 787 Tokelau 1.42 NA 788 Pitcairn Islands 1.42 NA 789 New Zealand 1.42 NA 790 Niue 1.42 NA 791 Cook Islands 1.42 NA 792 Niue 1.42 NA 793 New Zealand 1.42 NA 794 Pitcairn Islands 1.42 NA 795 Tokelau 1.42 NA 796 Singapore 1.42 NA 797 Cook Islands 1.38 NA 798 Niue 1.38 NA 799 New Zealand 1.38 NA 800 Tokelau 1.38 NA 801 Pitcairn Islands 1.38 NA 802 Australia 1.36 NA 803 Cocos (Keeling) Islands 1.36 NA 804 Kiribati 1.36 NA 805 Tuvalu 1.36 NA 806 Nauru 1.36 NA 807 Norfolk Island 1.36 NA 808 Christmas Island 1.36 NA 809 Turkey 1.34 NA 810 Tunisia 1.33 NA 811 Australia 1.33 NA 812 Cocos (Keeling) Islands 1.33 NA 813 Nauru 1.33 NA 814 Tuvalu 1.33 NA 815 Norfolk Island 1.33 NA 816 Christmas Island 1.33 NA 817 Kiribati 1.33 NA 818 Turkey 1.32 NA 819 Turkey 1.32 NA 820 Bulgaria 1.32 NA 821 Libya 1.31 NA 822 Australia 1.31 NA 823 Tuvalu 1.31 NA 824 Nauru 1.31 NA 825 Norfolk Island 1.31 NA 826 Christmas Island 1.31 NA 827 Kiribati 1.31 NA 828 Cocos (Keeling) Islands 1.31 NA 829 Libya 1.31 NA 830 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1.31 NA 831 Libya 1.31 NA 832 Canada 1.30 NA 833 Tunisia 1.30 NA 834 Tunisia 1.28 NA 835 Libya 1.26 NA 836 Liechtenstein 1.25 NA 837 Switzerland 1.25 NA 838 Tunisia 1.25 NA 839 Liechtenstein 1.25 NA 840 Switzerland 1.25 NA 841 Liechtenstein 1.24 NA 842 Switzerland 1.24 NA 843 Australia 1.21 NA 844 Christmas Island 1.21 NA 845 Tuvalu 1.21 NA 846 Nauru 1.21 NA 847 Norfolk Island 1.21 NA 848 Kiribati 1.21 NA 849 Cocos (Keeling) Islands 1.21 NA 850 Canada 1.21 NA 851 Libya 1.21 NA 852 Tunisia 1.21 NA 853 Australia 1.21 NA 854 Tuvalu 1.21 NA 855 Christmas Island 1.21 NA 856 Cocos (Keeling) Islands 1.21 NA 857 Norfolk Island 1.21 NA 858 Nauru 1.21 NA 859 Kiribati 1.21 NA 860 Liechtenstein 1.20 NA 861 Switzerland 1.20 NA 862 Canada 1.13 NA 863 Ghana 1.10 NA 864 Liechtenstein 1.08 NA 865 Switzerland 1.08 NA 866 Canada 1.07 NA 867 Canada 1.04 NA 868 Bahamas, The 1.00 NA 869 Bahamas, The 1.00 NA 870 Bahamas, The 1.00 NA 871 Panama 1.00 NA 872 Panama 1.00 NA 873 Panama 1.00 NA 874 Panama 1.00 NA 875 Panama 1.00 NA 876 Bahamas, The 1.00 NA 877 Bahamas, The 1.00 NA 878 Ghana 0.95 NA 879 Cuba 0.93 NA 880 Cuba 0.93 NA 881 Cuba 0.92 NA 882 Azerbaijan 0.89 NA 883 Saint Barthelemy 0.89 NA 884 Azerbaijan 0.86 NA 885 Cayman Islands 0.85 NA 886 Azerbaijan 0.82 NA 887 Andorra 0.81 NA 888 Austria 0.81 NA 889 European Union 0.81 NA 890 Ireland 0.81 NA 891 Finland 0.81 NA 892 San Marino 0.81 NA 893 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 0.81 NA 894 Saint Martin 0.81 NA 895 Portugal 0.81 NA 896 Netherlands 0.81 NA 897 Monaco 0.81 NA 898 Montenegro 0.81 NA 899 Mayotte 0.81 NA 900 Luxembourg 0.81 NA 901 Holy See (Vatican City) 0.81 NA 902 Saint Barthelemy 0.81 NA 903 Spain 0.81 NA 904 Italy 0.81 NA 905 Greece 0.81 NA 906 Germany 0.81 NA 907 France 0.81 NA 908 Belgium 0.81 NA 909 Andorra 0.80 NA 910 Austria 0.80 NA 911 European Union 0.80 NA 912 Holy See (Vatican City) 0.80 NA 913 Saint Barthelemy 0.80 NA 914 Spain 0.80 NA 915 San Marino 0.80 NA 916 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 0.80 NA 917 Saint Martin 0.80 NA 918 Portugal 0.80 NA 919 Netherlands 0.80 NA 920 Monaco 0.80 NA 921 Montenegro 0.80 NA 922 Mayotte 0.80 NA 923 Luxembourg 0.80 NA 924 Italy 0.80 NA 925 Greece 0.80 NA 926 Germany 0.80 NA 927 France 0.80 NA 928 Finland 0.80 NA 929 Ireland 0.80 NA 930 Belgium 0.80 NA 931 Andorra 0.80 NA 932 Austria 0.80 NA 933 Holy See (Vatican City) 0.80 NA 934 Saint Barthelemy 0.80 NA 935 Spain 0.80 NA 936 San Marino 0.80 NA 937 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 0.80 NA 938 Portugal 0.80 NA 939 Netherlands 0.80 NA 940 Monaco 0.80 NA 941 Montenegro 0.80 NA 942 Mayotte 0.80 NA 943 Luxembourg 0.80 NA 944 Italy 0.80 NA 945 Greece 0.80 NA 946 Germany 0.80 NA 947 Saint Martin 0.80 NA 948 France 0.80 NA 949 Finland 0.80 NA 950 Ireland 0.80 NA 951 European Union 0.80 NA 952 Belgium 0.80 NA 953 Austria 0.73 NA 954 Belgium 0.73 NA 955 France 0.73 NA 956 Holy See (Vatican City) 0.73 NA 957 Saint Barthelemy 0.73 NA 958 Spain 0.73 NA 959 San Marino 0.73 NA 960 Slovenia 0.73 NA 961 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 0.73 NA 962 Saint Martin 0.73 NA 963 Portugal 0.73 NA 964 Netherlands 0.73 NA 965 Monaco 0.73 NA 966 Montenegro 0.73 NA 967 Mayotte 0.73 NA 968 Luxembourg 0.73 NA 969 Kosovo 0.73 NA 970 Italy 0.73 NA 971 Greece 0.73 NA 972 Germany 0.73 NA 973 Finland 0.73 NA 974 Ireland 0.73 NA 975 European Union 0.73 NA 976 Andorra 0.73 NA 977 Jordan 0.71 NA 978 Jordan 0.71 NA 979 Jordan 0.71 NA 980 Jordan 0.71 NA 981 Jordan 0.71 NA 982 Andorra 0.68 NA 983 Belgium 0.68 NA 984 Austria 0.68 NA 985 Cyprus 0.68 NA 986 Saint Martin 0.68 NA 987 Portugal 0.68 NA 988 Netherlands 0.68 NA 989 Malta 0.68 NA 990 Monaco 0.68 NA 991 Montenegro 0.68 NA 992 Luxembourg 0.68 NA 993 Kosovo 0.68 NA 994 Italy 0.68 NA 995 Greece 0.68 NA 996 Germany 0.68 NA 997 Holy See (Vatican City) 0.68 NA 998 Spain 0.68 NA 999 Slovenia 0.68 NA 1000 France 0.68 NA 1001 Finland 0.68 NA 1002 Ireland 0.68 NA 1003 European Union 0.68 NA 1004 Dhekelia 0.68 NA 1005 Akrotiri 0.68 NA 1006 Mayotte 0.67 NA 1007 San Marino 0.67 NA 1008 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 0.67 NA 1009 Gibraltar 0.61 NA 1010 Latvia 0.56 NA 1011 Latvia 0.56 NA 1012 Gibraltar 0.55 NA 1013 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 0.55 NA 1014 Jersey 0.55 NA 1015 Isle of Man 0.55 NA 1016 Guernsey 0.55 NA 1017 Saint Helena 0.55 NA 1018 United Kingdom 0.55 NA 1019 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 0.55 NA 1020 Jersey 0.55 NA 1021 Isle of Man 0.55 NA 1022 Guernsey 0.55 NA 1023 United Kingdom 0.55 NA 1024 Saint Helena 0.55 NA 1025 Gibraltar 0.55 NA 1026 Gibraltar 0.54 NA 1027 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 0.54 NA 1028 United Kingdom 0.54 NA 1029 Saint Helena 0.54 NA 1030 Jersey 0.54 NA 1031 Isle of Man 0.54 NA 1032 Guernsey 0.54 NA 1033 Latvia 0.54 NA 1034 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 0.53 NA 1035 United Kingdom 0.53 NA 1036 Saint Helena 0.53 NA 1037 Jersey 0.53 NA 1038 Isle of Man 0.53 NA 1039 Guernsey 0.53 NA 1040 Latvia 0.52 NA 1041 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 0.50 NA 1042 Gibraltar 0.50 NA 1043 Guernsey 0.50 NA 1044 United Kingdom 0.50 NA 1045 Saint Helena 0.50 NA 1046 Jersey 0.50 NA 1047 Isle of Man 0.50 NA 1048 Latvia 0.47 NA 1049 Cyprus 0.47 NA 1050 Cyprus 0.46 NA 1051 Cyprus 0.46 NA 1052 Cyprus 0.43 NA 1053 Oman 0.38 NA 1054 Oman 0.38 NA 1055 Oman 0.38 NA 1056 Oman 0.38 NA 1057 Oman 0.38 NA 1058 Malta 0.38 NA 1059 Bahrain 0.38 NA 1060 Bahrain 0.38 NA 1061 Bahrain 0.38 NA 1062 Bahrain 0.38 NA 1063 Bahrain 0.38 NA 1064 Malta 0.37 NA 1065 Malta 0.35 NA 1066 Malta 0.34 NA 1067 Malta 0.31 NA 1068 Kuwait 0.29 NA 1069 Kuwait 0.29 NA 1070 Kuwait 0.29 NA 1071 Kuwait 0.28 NA 1072 Kuwait 0.27 NA

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Rank code: 2077

Country Comparison :: Executive branch

This entry includes several subfields. Chief of state includes the name and title of the titular leader of the country who represents the state at official and ceremonial functions but may not be involved with the day-to-day activities of the government. Head of government includes the name and title of the top administrative leader who is designated to manage the day-to-day activities of the government. For example, in the UK, the monarch is the chief of state, and the prime minister is the head of government. In the US, the president is both the chief of state and the head of government. Cabinet includes the official name for this body of high-ranking advisers and the method for selection of members. Elections includes the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election. Election results includes the percent of vote for each candidate in the last election.

Rank country Executive branch Date of Information

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Rank code: 2078

Country Comparison :: Exports

This entry provides the total US dollar amount of merchandise exports on an f.o.b. (free on board) basis. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms.

Rank country Exports Date of Information

1 European Union $ 1,952,000,000,000 2007 2 Germany $ 1,498,000,000,000 2008 est. 3 China $ 1,435,000,000,000 2008 est. 4 United States $ 1,277,000,000,000 2008 est. 5 Japan $ 746,500,000,000 2008 est. 6 France $ 601,900,000,000 2008 est. 7 Italy $ 546,900,000,000 2008 est. 8 Netherlands $ 531,700,000,000 2008 est. 9 Russia $ 471,600,000,000 2008 est. 10 United Kingdom $ 466,300,000,000 2008 est. 11 Canada $ 459,100,000,000 2008 est. 12 Korea, South $ 433,500,000,000 2008 est. 13 Belgium $ 371,500,000,000 2008 est. 14 Hong Kong $ 365,200,000,000 2008 est. 15 Singapore $ 342,700,000,000 2008 est. 16 Saudi Arabia $ 313,400,000,000 2008 est. 17 Mexico $ 291,300,000,000 2008 est. 18 Spain $ 285,900,000,000 2008 est. 19 Taiwan $ 254,900,000,000 2008 est. 20 Switzerland $ 241,300,000,000 2008 est. 21 United Arab Emirates $ 239,200,000,000 2008 est. 22 Malaysia $ 198,700,000,000 2008 est. 23 Brazil $ 197,900,000,000 2008 est. 24 Australia $ 189,900,000,000 2008 est. 25 India $ 187,900,000,000 2008 est. 26 Sweden $ 185,900,000,000 2008 est. 27 Austria $ 179,100,000,000 2008 est. 28 Poland $ 178,400,000,000 2008 est. 29 Thailand $ 175,300,000,000 2008 est. 30 Norway $ 173,600,000,000 2008 est. 31 Czech Republic $ 145,700,000,000 2008 est. 32 Turkey $ 140,700,000,000 2008 est. 33 Indonesia $ 139,300,000,000 2008 est. 34 Ireland $ 119,800,000,000 2008 est. 35 Denmark $ 114,900,000,000 2008 est. 36 Hungary $ 106,600,000,000 2008 est. 37 Iran $ 98,420,000,000 2008 est. 38 Finland $ 96,620,000,000 2008 est. 39 Venezuela $ 93,540,000,000 2008 est. 40 Kuwait $ 86,940,000,000 2008 est. 41 South Africa $ 86,120,000,000 2008 est. 42 Algeria $ 78,230,000,000 2008 est. 43 Nigeria $ 76,030,000,000 2008 est. 44 Slovakia $ 72,570,000,000 2008 est. 45 Kazakhstan $ 71,970,000,000 2008 est. 46 Argentina $ 70,020,000,000 2008 est. 47 Ukraine $ 67,720,000,000 2008 est. 48 Chile $ 66,460,000,000 2008 est. 49 Angola $ 66,300,000,000 2008 est. 50 Libya $ 64,500,000,000 2008 est. 51 Vietnam $ 62,690,000,000 2008 est. 52 Iraq $ 58,810,000,000 2008 est. 53 Israel $ 57,160,000,000 2008 est. 54 Portugal $ 56,420,000,000 2008 est. 55 Qatar $ 55,730,000,000 2008 est. 56 Romania $ 49,410,000,000 2008 est. 57 Philippines $ 48,200,000,000 2008 est. 58 Puerto Rico $ 46,900,000,000 2001 59 Colombia $ 38,530,000,000 2008 est. 60 Oman $ 37,720,000,000 2008 est. 61 Belarus $ 33,040,000,000 2008 est. 62 Peru $ 31,530,000,000 2008 est. 63 New Zealand $ 31,190,000,000 2008 est. 64 Azerbaijan $ 30,590,000,000 2008 est. 65 Egypt $ 29,850,000,000 2008 est. 66 Slovenia $ 29,610,000,000 2008 est. 67 Greece $ 29,140,000,000 2008 est. 68 Lithuania $ 23,740,000,000 2008 est. 69 Bulgaria $ 22,710,000,000 2008 est. 70 Luxembourg $ 21,430,000,000 2008 est. 71 Pakistan $ 21,090,000,000 2008 est. 72 Morocco $ 20,170,000,000 2008 est. 73 Tunisia $ 19,220,000,000 2008 est. 74 Ecuador $ 19,150,000,000 2008 est. 75 Bahrain $ 17,490,000,000 2008 est. 76 Trinidad and Tobago $ 15,850,000,000 2008 est. 77 Bangladesh $ 15,440,000,000 2008 est. 78 Croatia $ 14,360,000,000 2008 est. 79 Syria $ 13,970,000,000 2008 est. 80 Equatorial Guinea $ 13,030,000,000 2008 est. 81 Estonia $ 12,630,000,000 2008 est. 82 Turkmenistan $ 11,920,000,000 2008 est. 83 Sudan $ 11,670,000,000 2008 est. 84 Congo, Republic of the $ 10,850,000,000 2008 est. 85 Uzbekistan $ 10,370,000,000 2008 est. 86 Panama $ 10,290,000,000 2008 est. 87 Cote d'Ivoire $ 10,090,000,000 2008 est. 88 Costa Rica $ 9,738,000,000 2008 est. 89 Latvia $ 9,634,000,000 2008 est. 90 Gabon $ 9,333,000,000 2008 est. 91 Yemen $ 8,977,000,000 2008 est. 92 Serbia $ 8,824,000,000 2007 est. 93 Brunei $ 8,250,000,000 2007 94 Sri Lanka $ 8,137,000,000 2008 est. 95 Guatemala $ 7,848,000,000 2008 est. 96 Jordan $ 7,782,000,000 2008 est. 97 Paraguay $ 7,769,000,000 2008 est. 98 Uruguay $ 7,084,000,000 2008 est. 99 Dominican Republic $ 6,950,000,000 2008 est. 100 Burma $ 6,677,000,000 2008 est. 101 Bolivia $ 6,448,000,000 2008 est. 102 Congo, Democratic Republic of the $ 6,100,000,000 2007 103 Honduras $ 6,046,000,000 2008 est. 104 Papua New Guinea $ 5,719,000,000 2008 est. 105 Iceland $ 5,399,000,000 2008 est. 106 Ghana $ 5,275,000,000 2008 est. 107 Bosnia and Herzegovina $ 5,194,000,000 2008 est. 108 Kenya $ 5,040,000,000 2008 est. 109 Lebanon $ 5,023,000,000 2008 est. 110 Zambia $ 4,818,000,000 2008 est. 111 Cambodia $ 4,708,000,000 2008 est. 112 Botswana $ 4,707,000,000 2008 est. 113 Cameroon $ 4,707,000,000 2008 est. 114 San Marino $ 4,628,000,000 2007 115 El Salvador $ 4,611,000,000 2008 est. 116 Chad $ 4,342,000,000 2008 est. 117 Virgin Islands $ 4,234,000,000 2001 118 Macedonia $ 3,971,000,000 2008 est. 119 Netherlands Antilles $ 3,710,000,000 2006 120 Cuba $ 3,680,000,000 2008 est. 121 Namibia $ 3,167,000,000 2008 est. 122 Malta $ 3,060,000,000 2008 est. 123 Uganda $ 2,688,000,000 2008 est. 124 Nicaragua $ 2,675,000,000 2008 est. 125 Mozambique $ 2,653,000,000 2008 est. 126 Jamaica $ 2,602,000,000 2008 est. 127 Mongolia $ 2,539,000,000 2008 128 Georgia $ 2,428,000,000 2008 est. 129 Tanzania $ 2,413,000,000 2008 est. 130 Mauritius $ 2,400,000,000 2008 est. 131 Senegal $ 2,053,000,000 2008 est. 132 Macau $ 2,000,000,000 2008 est. 133 Cyprus $ 1,906,000,000 2008 est. 134 Kyrgyzstan $ 1,847,000,000 2008 est. 135 Swaziland $ 1,756,000,000 2008 est. 136 Korea, North $ 1,684,000,000 2007 137 Moldova $ 1,641,000,000 2008 est. 138 Tajikistan $ 1,575,000,000 2008 est. 139 Ethiopia $ 1,555,000,000 2008 est. 140 Zimbabwe $ 1,396,000,000 2008 est. 141 Mauritania $ 1,395,000,000 2006 142 Guinea $ 1,392,000,000 2008 est. 143 Suriname $ 1,391,000,000 2006 est. 144 Albania $ 1,345,000,000 2008 est. 145 New Caledonia $ 1,341,000,000 2006 146 Madagascar $ 1,254,000,000 2008 est. 147 Fiji $ 1,202,000,000 2006 148 Liberia $ 1,197,000,000 2006 149 Laos $ 1,163,000,000 2008 est. 150 Benin $ 1,127,000,000 2008 est. 151 Armenia $ 1,124,000,000 2008 est. 152 Lesotho $ 956,000,000 2008 est. 153 Nepal $ 868,000,000 2008 154 Malawi $ 830,000,000 2008 est. 155 Guyana $ 797,000,000 2008 est. 156 Togo $ 777,000,000 2008 est. 157 Bermuda $ 763,000,000 2006 158 Monaco $ 716,300,000 2005 159 Bahamas, The $ 674,000,000 2006 160 Faroe Islands $ 634,000,000 2006 161 Burkina Faso $ 544,000,000 2008 est. 162 Seychelles $ 495,000,000 2008 est. 163 Haiti $ 490,000,000 2008 est. 164 Greenland $ 480,000,000 2006 165 Belize $ 464,700,000 2008 est. 166 American Samoa $ 445,600,000 FY04 est. 167 Niger $ 428,000,000 2006 168 Barbados $ 385,000,000 2006 169 Bhutan $ 350,000,000 2006 170 Djibouti $ 340,000,000 2006 171 Gaza Strip $ 339,000,000 2006 172 West Bank $ 339,000,000 2006 173 Afghanistan $ 327,000,000 2007 174 Somalia $ 300,000,000 2006 175 Mali $ 294,000,000 2006 176 Saint Lucia $ 288,000,000 2006 177 Gibraltar $ 271,000,000 2004 est. 178 Solomon Islands $ 237,000,000 2006 179 Sierra Leone $ 216,000,000 2006 180 French Polynesia $ 211,000,000 2005 est. 181 Rwanda $ 210,000,000 2008 est. 182 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines $ 193,000,000 2006 183 Montenegro $ 171,300,000 2003 184 Turks and Caicos Islands $ 169,200,000 2000 185 Central African Republic $ 146,700,000 2007 est. 186 Guinea-Bissau $ 133,000,000 2006 187 Samoa $ 131,000,000 2006 188 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) $ 125,000,000 2004 est. 189 Aruba $ 124,000,000 2006 190 Andorra $ 117,100,000 2007 191 Maldives $ 113,000,000 2008 est. 192 Cape Verde $ 105,000,000 2008 est. 193 Northern Mariana Islands $ 98,200,000 2008 194 Dominica $ 94,000,000 2006 195 Gambia, The $ 85,000,000 2008 est. 196 Antigua and Barbuda $ 84,300,000 2007 est. 197 Saint Kitts and Nevis $ 84,000,000 2006 198 Burundi $ 79,000,000 2008 est. 199 Vanuatu $ 40,000,000 2006 200 Grenada $ 38,000,000 2006 201 Comoros $ 32,000,000 2006 202 British Virgin Islands $ 25,300,000 2002 203 Tonga $ 22,000,000 2006 204 Marshall Islands $ 19,400,000 2008 est. 205 Saint Helena $ 19,000,000 2004 est. 206 Kiribati $ 17,000,000 2004 est. 207 Micronesia, Federated States of $ 14,000,000 2004 est. 208 Anguilla $ 13,000,000 2006 209 Eritrea $ 13,000,000 2008 est. 210 Timor-Leste $ 10,000,000 2005 est. 211 Sao Tome and Principe $ 8,000,000 2008 est. 212 Mayotte $ 6,500,000 2005 213 Palau $ 5,882,000 2004 est. 214 Saint Pierre and Miquelon $ 5,500,000 2005 est. 215 Cook Islands $ 5,222,000 2005 216 Cayman Islands $ 2,520,000 2004 217 Norfolk Island $ 1,500,000 FY91/92 218 Tuvalu $ 1,000,000 2004 est. 219 Montserrat $ 700,000 2001 220 Niue $ 201,400 2004 221 Nauru $ 64,000 2005 est. 222 Wallis and Futuna $ 47,450 2004 223 Tokelau $ 0 2002

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Rank code: 2079

Country Comparison :: Debt - external

This entry gives the total public and private debt owed to nonresidents repayable in foreign currency, goods, or services. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms.

Rank country Debt - external Date of Information

1 United States $ 13,750,000,000,000 31 December 2008 2 United Kingdom $ 9,041,000,000,000 31 December 2008 3 Germany $ 5,158,000,000,000 31 December 2008 4 France $ 4,935,000,000,000 31 December 2008 5 Netherlands $ 2,461,000,000,000 31 December 2008 6 Ireland $ 2,356,000,000,000 31 December 2008 7 Italy $ 2,328,000,000,000 31 December 2008 8 Spain $ 2,317,000,000,000 31 December 2008 9 Japan $ 2,231,000,000,000 31 December 2008 10 Luxembourg $ 2,020,000,000,000 31 December 2008 11 Belgium $ 1,354,000,000,000 31 December 2008 12 Switzerland $ 1,305,000,000,000 31 December 2008 13 Austria $ 832,800,000,000 31 December 2008 14 Australia $ 799,800,000,000 31 December 2008 15 Canada $ 781,100,000,000 31 December 2008 16 Hong Kong $ 659,900,000,000 31 December 2008 17 Sweden $ 617,300,000,000 31 December 2008 18 Denmark $ 588,800,000,000 31 December 2008 19 Greece $ 504,600,000,000 31 December 2008 20 Portugal $ 484,700,000,000 31 December 2008 21 Russia $ 483,500,000,000 31 December 2008 22 Norway $ 475,900,000,000 31 December 2008 23 China $ 400,600,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 24 Korea, South $ 381,100,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 25 Finland $ 339,500,000,000 31 December 2008 26 Turkey $ 278,100,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 27 Brazil $ 262,900,000,000 31 December 2008 28 Poland $ 243,500,000,000 31 December 2008 29 India $ 229,300,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 30 Hungary $ 212,100,000,000 31 December 2008 31 Mexico $ 200,400,000,000 31 December 2008 32 Indonesia $ 155,100,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 33 United Arab Emirates $ 134,700,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 34 Argentina $ 128,200,000,000 31 December 2008 35 Kazakhstan $ 107,800,000,000 31 December 2008 36 Romania $ 102,200,000,000 31 December 2008 37 Ukraine $ 101,700,000,000 31 December 2008 38 Taiwan $ 93,020,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 39 Israel $ 86,080,000,000 31 December 2008 40 Saudi Arabia $ 82,130,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 41 Czech Republic $ 80,430,000,000 31 December 2008 42 Malaysia $ 75,330,000,000 31 December 2008 43 South Africa $ 71,810,000,000 31 December 2008 44 Iraq $ 67,740,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 45 Philippines $ 66,270,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 46 Thailand $ 65,090,000,000 31 December 2008 47 Chile $ 64,770,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 48 New Zealand $ 59,080,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 49 Qatar $ 57,370,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 50 Croatia $ 54,790,000,000 31 December 2008 51 Slovenia $ 54,610,000,000 31 December 2008 52 Slovakia $ 52,530,000,000 31 December 2008 53 Bulgaria $ 51,460,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 54 Venezuela $ 47,030,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 55 Pakistan $ 46,390,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 56 Colombia $ 46,380,000,000 31 December 2008 57 Latvia $ 42,260,000,000 31 December 2008 58 Kuwait $ 36,890,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 59 Peru $ 34,590,000,000 31 December 2008 60 Sudan $ 33,720,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 61 Lebanon $ 33,280,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 62 Cyprus $ 32,860,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 63 Lithuania $ 32,470,000,000 31 December 2008 64 Egypt $ 32,120,000,000 31 December 2008 65 Estonia $ 26,840,000,000 31 December 2008 66 Serbia $ 26,240,000,000 2007 est. 67 Vietnam $ 25,890,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 68 Singapore $ 25,520,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 69 Bangladesh $ 22,830,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 70 Iran $ 21,060,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 71 Tunisia $ 20,810,000,000 31 December 2008 72 Morocco $ 20,120,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 73 Cuba $ 19,040,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 74 Ecuador $ 18,110,000,000 31 December 2008 75 Monaco $ 18,000,000,000 2000 est. 76 Sri Lanka $ 16,780,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 77 Belarus $ 15,150,000,000 31 December 2008 78 Angola $ 14,090,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 79 Cote d'Ivoire $ 14,050,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 80 Korea, North $ 12,500,000,000 2001 est. 81 Dominican Republic $ 11,420,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 82 Panama $ 11,260,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 83 Uruguay $ 10,730,000,000 31 December 2008 84 El Salvador $ 10,690,000,000 31 December 2008 85 Jamaica $ 10,650,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 86 Bahrain $ 10,330,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 87 Congo, Democratic Republic of the $ 10,000,000,000 2007 est. 88 Nigeria $ 9,996,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 89 Costa Rica $ 9,249,000,000 31 December 2008 90 Afghanistan $ 8,000,000,000 2004 91 Burma $ 7,946,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 92 Kenya $ 7,855,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 93 Georgia $ 7,711,000,000 31 December 2008 94 Oman $ 7,680,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 95 Bosnia and Herzegovina $ 7,388,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 96 Syria $ 7,167,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 97 Jordan $ 6,794,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 98 Guatemala $ 6,500,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 99 Libya $ 6,223,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 100 Tanzania $ 6,195,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 101 Yemen $ 5,977,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 102 Bolivia $ 5,931,000,000 31 December 2008 103 Zimbabwe $ 5,669,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 104 Mauritius $ 5,077,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 105 Ghana $ 5,055,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 106 Congo, Republic of the $ 5,000,000,000 2000 est. 107 Macedonia $ 4,667,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 108 Nicaragua $ 4,596,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 109 Cambodia $ 4,127,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 110 Moldova $ 4,125,000,000 31 December 2008 111 Uzbekistan $ 4,022,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 112 Mozambique $ 3,826,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 113 Algeria $ 3,753,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 114 Paraguay $ 3,507,000,000 31 December 2008 115 Kyrgyzstan $ 3,467,000,000 31 December 2008 116 Armenia $ 3,449,000,000 31 December 2008 117 Trinidad and Tobago $ 3,289,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 118 Nepal $ 3,285,000,000 2008 119 Guinea $ 3,222,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 120 Honduras $ 3,209,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 121 Liberia $ 3,200,000,000 2005 est. 122 Laos $ 3,179,000,000 2006 123 Ethiopia $ 3,155,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 124 Zambia $ 3,095,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 125 Iceland $ 3,073,000,000 2002 126 Cameroon $ 3,066,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 127 Somalia $ 3,000,000,000 2001 est. 128 Gabon $ 2,986,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 129 Mali $ 2,800,000,000 2002 130 Netherlands Antilles $ 2,680,000,000 2004 131 Azerbaijan $ 2,635,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 132 Senegal $ 2,627,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 133 Papua New Guinea $ 2,511,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 134 Niger $ 2,100,000,000 2003 est. 135 Madagascar $ 2,023,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 136 Togo $ 2,000,000,000 2005 137 Uganda $ 1,835,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 138 Haiti $ 1,817,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 139 Burkina Faso $ 1,665,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 140 Sierra Leone $ 1,610,000,000 2003 est. 141 Chad $ 1,600,000,000 2005 est. 142 Mongolia $ 1,600,000,000 2008 143 Albania $ 1,550,000,000 2004 144 Tajikistan $ 1,503,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 145 Seychelles $ 1,422,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 146 Rwanda $ 1,400,000,000 2004 est. 147 Turkmenistan $ 1,400,000,000 2004 est. 148 Gaza Strip $ 1,300,000,000 2007 est. 149 West Bank $ 1,300,000,000 2007 est. 150 Benin $ 1,200,000,000 2007 151 Burundi $ 1,200,000,000 2003 152 Central African Republic $ 1,153,000,000 2007 est. 153 Malawi $ 1,005,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 154 Belize $ 954,100,000 2008 est. 155 Guinea-Bissau $ 941,500,000 2000 est. 156 Namibia $ 807,300,000 31 December 2008 est. 157 Guyana $ 804,300,000 30 September 2008 158 Bhutan $ 713,300,000 2006 159 Barbados $ 668,000,000 2003 160 Montenegro $ 650,000,000 2006 161 Gambia, The $ 628,800,000 2003 est. 162 Lesotho $ 619,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 163 Swaziland $ 554,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 164 Suriname $ 504,300,000 2005 est. 165 Aruba $ 478,600,000 2005 est. 166 Maldives $ 477,000,000 2008 est. 167 Djibouti $ 428,000,000 2006 168 Botswana $ 409,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 169 Antigua and Barbuda $ 359,800,000 June 2006 170 Grenada $ 347,000,000 2004 171 Bahamas, The $ 342,600,000 2004 est. 172 Cape Verde $ 325,000,000 2002 173 Sao Tome and Principe $ 318,000,000 2002 174 Saint Kitts and Nevis $ 314,000,000 2004 175 Eritrea $ 311,000,000 2000 est. 176 Saint Lucia $ 257,000,000 2004 177 Comoros $ 232,000,000 2000 est. 178 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines $ 223,000,000 2004 179 Dominica $ 213,000,000 2004 180 Equatorial Guinea $ 190,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 181 Malta $ 188,800,000 2005 182 Samoa $ 177,000,000 2004 183 Solomon Islands $ 166,000,000 2004 184 Bermuda $ 160,000,000 FY99/00 185 Cook Islands $ 141,000,000 1996 est. 186 Fiji $ 127,000,000 2004 est. 187 Marshall Islands $ 87,000,000 2008 est. 188 Vanuatu $ 81,200,000 2004 189 Tonga $ 80,700,000 2004 190 New Caledonia $ 79,000,000 1998 est. 191 Cayman Islands $ 70,000,000 1996 192 Faroe Islands $ 64,000,000 1999 193 Micronesia, Federated States of $ 60,800,000 FY05 est. 194 British Virgin Islands $ 36,100,000 1997 195 Nauru $ 33,300,000 196 Greenland $ 25,000,000 1999 197 Kiribati $ 10,000,000 1999 est. 198 Montserrat $ 8,900,000 1997 199 Anguilla $ 8,800,000 1998 200 Wallis and Futuna $ 3,670,000 2004 201 Niue $ 418,000 2002 est. 202 Brunei $ 0 2005 203 Liechtenstein $ 0 2001 204 Palau $ 0 FY99/00 205 Macau $ 0 2006

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Rank code: 2080

Country Comparison :: Fiscal year

Rank country Fiscal year Date of Information

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Rank code: 2081

Country Comparison :: Flag description

This entry provides a written flag description produced from actual flags or the best information available at the time the entry was written. The flags of independent states are used by their dependencies unless there is an officially recognized local flag. Some disputed and other areas do not have flags.

Rank country Flag description Date of Information

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Rank code: 2085

Country Comparison :: Roadways

This entry gives the total length of the road network and includes the length of the paved and unpaved portions.

Rank country (km) Date of Information

1 United States 6,465,799 2007 2 India 3,316,452 2006 3 China 1,930,544 2005 4 Brazil 1,751,868 2004 5 Japan 1,196,999 2006 6 Canada 1,042,300 2006 7 France 951,500 2006 8 Russia 933,000 2006 9 Australia 812,972 2004 10 Spain 681,224 2006 11 Germany 644,480 2006 12 Italy 487,700 2005 13 Turkey 426,951 2006 14 Sweden 425,300 2008 15 Poland 423,997 2006 16 United Kingdom 398,366 2006 17 Indonesia 391,009 2005 18 South Africa 362,099 2002 19 Mexico 356,945 2006 20 Pakistan 259,197 2007 21 Bangladesh 239,226 2003 22 Argentina 231,374 2004 23 Vietnam 222,179 2004 24 Saudi Arabia 221,372 2006 25 Philippines 201,910 2008 26 Romania 198,817 2004 27 Nigeria 193,200 2004 28 Thailand 180,053 2006 29 Iran 172,927 2006 30 Ukraine 169,422 2007 31 Colombia 164,257 2005 32 Hungary 159,568 2005 33 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 153,497 2004 34 Belgium 152,256 2006 35 Netherlands 135,470 2007 36 Czech Republic 128,512 2007 37 Greece 117,533 2005 38 Algeria 108,302 2004 39 Austria 107,262 2006 40 Korea, South 103,029 2008 41 Libya 100,024 2003 42 Malaysia 98,721 2004 43 Syria 97,401 2006 44 Sri Lanka 97,286 2003 45 Zimbabwe 97,267 2002 46 Ireland 96,602 2003 47 Venezuela 96,155 2002 48 Belarus 94,797 2005 49 New Zealand 93,576 2006 50 Norway 92,946 2007 51 Burkina Faso 92,495 2004 52 Egypt 92,370 2004 53 Kazakhstan 91,563 2006 54 Zambia 91,440 2001 55 Uzbekistan 86,496 2000 56 Portugal 82,900 2005 57 Lithuania 80,715 2007 58 Chile 80,505 2004 59 Cote d'Ivoire 80,000 2006 60 Tanzania 78,891 2003 61 Peru 78,829 2004 62 Finland 78,141 2009 63 Uruguay 77,732 2004 64 Denmark 72,362 2006 65 Yemen 71,300 2005 66 Switzerland 71,298 2006 67 Uganda 70,746 2003 68 Latvia 69,675 2006 69 Madagascar 65,663 2003 70 Kenya 63,574 2008 71 Bolivia 62,479 2004 72 Ghana 62,221 2006 73 Cuba 60,858 2000 74 Azerbaijan 59,141 2004 75 Turkmenistan 58,592 2002 76 Morocco 57,625 2006 77 Estonia 57,016 2005 78 Angola 51,429 2001 79 Cameroon 50,000 2004 80 Mongolia 49,249 2008 81 Iraq 44,900 2002 82 Guinea 44,348 2003 83 Slovakia 43,761 2006 84 Ecuador 43,670 2006 85 Oman 42,300 2005 86 Namibia 42,237 2002 87 Afghanistan 42,150 2006 88 Taiwan 40,262 2007 89 Bulgaria 40,231 2005 90 Slovenia 38,709 2007 91 Cambodia 38,093 2007 92 Serbia 36,875 2006 93 Ethiopia 36,469 2004 94 Costa Rica 35,330 2004 95 Chad 33,400 2002 96 Mozambique 30,400 2000 97 Laos 29,811 2006 98 Paraguay 29,500 2000 99 Croatia 28,788 2006 100 Tajikistan 27,767 2000 101 Burma 27,000 2006 102 Puerto Rico 26,186 2007 103 Botswana 25,798 2005 104 Korea, North 25,554 2006 105 Central African Republic 24,307 2000 106 Somalia 22,100 2000 107 Bosnia and Herzegovina 21,846 2006 108 Jamaica 21,552 2005 109 Georgia 20,329 2006 110 Dominican Republic 19,705 2002 111 Papua New Guinea 19,600 2000 112 Tunisia 19,232 2004 113 Nicaragua 19,036 2005 114 Mali 18,709 2004 115 Niger 18,550 2006 116 Kyrgyzstan 18,500 2003 117 Albania 18,000 2002 118 Israel 17,870 2007 119 Congo, Republic of the 17,289 2004 120 Nepal 17,282 2007 121 Benin 16,000 2006 122 Malawi 15,451 2003 123 Cyprus 14,630 2006 124 Guatemala 14,095 2000 125 Rwanda 14,008 2004 126 Honduras 13,600 2000 127 Senegal 13,576 2003 128 Macedonia 13,182 2002 129 Iceland 13,058 2007 130 Moldova 12,666 2007 131 Burundi 12,322 2004 132 Panama 11,978 2002 133 Sudan 11,900 2000 134 Sierra Leone 11,300 2002 135 Mauritania 11,066 2006 136 El Salvador 10,886 2000 137 Liberia 10,600 2000 138 Gabon 9,170 2004 139 Trinidad and Tobago 8,320 2000 140 Bhutan 8,050 2003 141 Jordan 8,002 2007 142 Guyana 7,970 2000 143 Qatar 7,790 2006 144 Armenia 7,700 2006 145 Togo 7,520 2000 146 Montenegro 7,368 2006 147 Lesotho 7,091 2003 148 Lebanon 6,970 2005 149 Timor-Leste 6,040 2005 150 Kuwait 5,749 2004 151 New Caledonia 5,622 2006 152 Luxembourg 5,227 2004 153 West Bank 5,147 2006 154 Suriname 4,304 2003 155 Haiti 4,160 2000 156 United Arab Emirates 4,080 2008 157 Eritrea 4,010 2000 158 Gambia, The 3,742 2004 159 Brunei 3,650 2005 160 Swaziland 3,594 2002 161 Bahrain 3,498 2003 162 Guinea-Bissau 3,455 2002 163 Fiji 3,440 2000 164 Singapore 3,297 2007 165 Djibouti 3,065 2000 166 Belize 3,007 2006 167 Equatorial Guinea 2,880 2000 168 Bahamas, The 2,717 2002 169 French Polynesia 2,590 1999 170 Samoa 2,337 2001 171 Malta 2,227 2005 172 Hong Kong 2,040 2008 173 Mauritius 2,028 2007 174 Marshall Islands 2,028 2007 175 Kosovo 1,924 2006 176 Barbados 1,600 2004 177 Solomon Islands 1,360 2002 178 Cape Verde 1,350 2000 179 Virgin Islands 1,257 2007 180 Saint Lucia 1,210 2002 181 Antigua and Barbuda 1,165 2002 182 Grenada 1,127 2000 183 Vanuatu 1,070 1999 184 Comoros 880 2002 185 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 829 2003 186 Cayman Islands 785 2007 187 Dominica 780 2000 188 Tonga 680 2000 189 Kiribati 670 2000 190 Northern Mariana Islands 536 2007 191 Isle of Man 500 2008 192 Faroe Islands 463 2006 193 Seychelles 458 2003 194 Bermuda 447 2007 195 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 440 2008 196 Macau 404 2008 197 Saint Kitts and Nevis 383 2002 198 Liechtenstein 380 2007 199 Jersey 358 2002 200 Cook Islands 320 2003 201 Sao Tome and Principe 320 2000 202 San Marino 292 2006 203 Andorra 270 1994 204 Micronesia, Federated States of 240 2000 205 American Samoa 221 2007 206 British Virgin Islands 200 2007 207 Saint Helena 198 2002 208 Anguilla 175 2004 209 Christmas Island 140 2007 210 Turks and Caicos Islands 121 2003 211 Niue 120 2008 212 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 117 2000 213 Maldives 88 2006 214 Norfolk Island 80 2008 215 Monaco 50 2007 216 Gibraltar 29 2007 217 Nauru 24 2002 218 Cocos (Keeling) Islands 22 2006 219 Tuvalu 8 2002

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Rank code: 2086

Country Comparison :: Illicit drugs

This entry gives information on the five categories of illicit drugs - narcotics, stimulants, depressants (sedatives), hallucinogens, and cannabis. These categories include many drugs legally produced and prescribed by doctors as well as those illegally produced and sold outside of medical channels. Cannabis (Cannabis sativa) is the common hemp plant, which provides hallucinogens with some sedative properties, and includes marijuana (pot, Acapulco gold, grass, reefer), tetrahydrocannabinol (THC, Marinol), hashish (hash), and hashish oil (hash oil). Coca (mostly Erythroxylum coca) is a bush with leaves that contain the stimulant used to make cocaine. Coca is not to be confused with cocoa, which comes from cacao seeds and is used in making chocolate, cocoa, and cocoa butter. Cocaine is a stimulant derived from the leaves of the coca bush. Depressants (sedatives) are drugs that reduce tension and anxiety and include chloral hydrate, barbiturates (Amytal, Nembutal, Seconal, phenobarbital), benzodiazepines (Librium, Valium), methaqualone (Quaalude), glutethimide (Doriden), and others (Equanil, Placidyl, Valmid). Drugs are any chemical substances that effect a physical, mental, emotional, or behavioral change in an individual. Drug abuse is the use of any licit or illicit chemical substance that results in physical, mental, emotional, or behavioral impairment in an individual. Hallucinogens are drugs that affect sensation, thinking, self-awareness, and emotion. Hallucinogens include LSD (acid, microdot), mescaline and peyote (mexc, buttons, cactus), amphetamine variants (PMA, STP, DOB), phencyclidine (PCP, angel dust, hog), phencyclidine analogues (PCE, PCPy, TCP), and others (psilocybin, psilocyn). Hashish is the resinous exudate of the cannabis or hemp plant (Cannabis sativa). Heroin is a semisynthetic derivative of morphine. Mandrax is a trade name for methaqualone, a pharmaceutical depressant. Marijuana is the dried leaf of the cannabis or hemp plant (Cannabis sativa). Methaqualone is a pharmaceutical depressant, referred to as mandrax in Southwest Asia and Africa. Narcotics are drugs that relieve pain, often induce sleep, and refer to opium, opium derivatives, and synthetic substitutes. Natural narcotics include opium (paregoric, parepectolin), morphine (MS-Contin, Roxanol), codeine (Tylenol with codeine, Empirin with codeine, Robitussin AC), and thebaine. Semisynthetic narcotics include heroin (horse, smack), and hydromorphone (Dilaudid). Synthetic narcotics include meperidine or Pethidine (Demerol, Mepergan), methadone (Dolophine, Methadose), and others (Darvon, Lomotil). Opium is the brown, gummy exudate of the incised, unripe seedpod of the opium poppy. Opium poppy (Papaver somniferum) is the source for the natural and semisynthetic narcotics. Poppy straw is the entire cut and dried opium poppy-plant material, other than the seeds. Opium is extracted from poppy straw in commercial operations that produce the drug for medical use. Qat (kat, khat) is a stimulant from the buds or leaves of Catha edulis that is chewed or drunk as tea. Quaaludes is the North American slang term for methaqualone, a pharmaceutical depressant. Stimulants are drugs that relieve mild depression, increase energy and activity, and include cocaine (coke, snow, crack), amphetamines (Desoxyn, Dexedrine), ephedrine, ecstasy (clarity, essence, doctor, Adam), phenmetrazine (Preludin), methylphenidate (Ritalin), and others (Cylert, Sanorex, Tenuate).

Rank country Illicit drugs Date of Information

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Rank code: 2087

Country Comparison :: Imports

This entry provides the total US dollar amount of merchandise imports on a c.i.f. (cost, insurance, and freight) or f.o.b. (free on board) basis. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms.

Rank country Imports Date of Information

1 United States $ 2,117,000,000,000 2008 est. 2 European Union $ 1,690,000,000,000 2007 3 Germany $ 1,232,000,000,000 2008 est. 4 China $ 1,074,000,000,000 2008 est. 5 Japan $ 708,300,000,000 2008 est. 6 France $ 692,000,000,000 2008 est. 7 United Kingdom $ 639,300,000,000 2008 est. 8 Italy $ 546,900,000,000 2008 est. 9 Netherlands $ 474,800,000,000 2008 est. 10 Korea, South $ 427,400,000,000 2008 est. 11 Spain $ 415,500,000,000 2008 est. 12 Canada $ 415,200,000,000 2008 est. 13 Hong Kong $ 388,400,000,000 2008 est. 14 Belgium $ 387,700,000,000 2008 est. 15 India $ 315,100,000,000 2008 est. 16 Singapore $ 309,600,000,000 2008 est. 17 Mexico $ 308,600,000,000 2008 est. 18 Russia $ 291,900,000,000 2008 est. 19 Taiwan $ 236,700,000,000 2008 est. 20 Switzerland $ 227,400,000,000 2008 est. 21 Poland $ 204,400,000,000 2008 est. 22 Australia $ 194,200,000,000 2008 est. 23 Turkey $ 193,900,000,000 2008 est. 24 Austria $ 179,200,000,000 2008 est. 25 United Arab Emirates $ 176,300,000,000 2008 est. 26 Brazil $ 173,100,000,000 2008 est. 27 Sweden $ 167,800,000,000 2008 est. 28 Thailand $ 157,300,000,000 2008 est. 29 Malaysia $ 154,700,000,000 2008 est. 30 Czech Republic $ 139,400,000,000 2008 est. 31 Denmark $ 116,400,000,000 2008 est. 32 Indonesia $ 116,000,000,000 2008 est. 33 Saudi Arabia $ 108,300,000,000 2008 est. 34 Hungary $ 106,500,000,000 2008 est. 35 Greece $ 93,910,000,000 2008 est. 36 South Africa $ 90,570,000,000 2008 est. 37 Portugal $ 87,830,000,000 2008 est. 38 Finland $ 87,510,000,000 2008 est. 39 Norway $ 85,950,000,000 2008 est. 40 Ireland $ 84,820,000,000 2008 est. 41 Ukraine $ 83,810,000,000 2008 est. 42 Romania $ 76,170,000,000 2008 est. 43 Vietnam $ 75,470,000,000 2008 est. 44 Slovakia $ 73,620,000,000 2008 est. 45 Iran $ 67,250,000,000 2008 est. 46 Israel $ 64,400,000,000 2008 est. 47 Philippines $ 60,780,000,000 2008 est. 48 Chile $ 57,610,000,000 2008 est. 49 Egypt $ 56,620,000,000 2008 est. 50 Argentina $ 54,560,000,000 2008 est. 51 Venezuela $ 48,100,000,000 2008 est. 52 Nigeria $ 46,300,000,000 2008 est. 53 Morocco $ 39,350,000,000 2008 est. 54 Algeria $ 39,160,000,000 2008 est. 55 Belarus $ 39,160,000,000 2008 est. 56 Kazakhstan $ 38,450,000,000 2008 est. 57 Pakistan $ 38,190,000,000 2008 est. 58 Colombia $ 37,560,000,000 2008 est. 59 Iraq $ 37,220,000,000 2008 est. 60 Bulgaria $ 35,640,000,000 2008 est. 61 Slovenia $ 33,490,000,000 2008 est. 62 New Zealand $ 32,760,000,000 2008 est. 63 Croatia $ 30,420,000,000 2008 est. 64 Lithuania $ 29,300,000,000 2008 est. 65 Peru $ 28,440,000,000 2008 est. 66 Luxembourg $ 27,730,000,000 2008 est. 67 Libya $ 26,550,000,000 2008 est. 68 Qatar $ 25,110,000,000 2008 est. 69 Tunisia $ 23,230,000,000 2008 est. 70 Kuwait $ 22,940,000,000 2008 est. 71 Bangladesh $ 21,510,000,000 2008 est. 72 Oman $ 20,710,000,000 2008 est. 73 Serbia $ 18,350,000,000 2007 est. 74 Ecuador $ 17,790,000,000 2008 est. 75 Angola $ 17,080,000,000 2008 est. 76 Lebanon $ 16,250,000,000 2008 est. 77 Dominican Republic $ 16,100,000,000 2008 est. 78 Syria $ 15,970,000,000 2008 est. 79 Netherlands Antilles $ 15,740,000,000 2006 80 Latvia $ 15,650,000,000 2008 est. 81 Estonia $ 15,350,000,000 2008 est. 82 Panama $ 15,000,000,000 2008 est. 83 Jordan $ 14,990,000,000 2008 est. 84 Costa Rica $ 14,550,000,000 2008 est. 85 Bahrain $ 14,250,000,000 2008 est. 86 Cuba $ 14,250,000,000 2008 est. 87 Guatemala $ 13,420,000,000 2008 est. 88 Sri Lanka $ 12,610,000,000 2008 est. 89 Bosnia and Herzegovina $ 12,290,000,000 2008 est. 90 Kenya $ 10,690,000,000 2008 est. 91 Cyprus $ 10,540,000,000 2008 est. 92 Honduras $ 10,390,000,000 2008 est. 93 Ghana $ 10,260,000,000 2008 est. 94 Trinidad and Tobago $ 9,788,000,000 2008 est. 95 El Salvador $ 9,003,000,000 2008 est. 96 Yemen $ 8,829,000,000 2008 est. 97 Paraguay $ 8,809,000,000 2008 est. 98 Uruguay $ 8,799,000,000 2008 est. 99 Sudan $ 8,229,000,000 2008 est. 100 Azerbaijan $ 7,575,000,000 2008 est. 101 Ethiopia $ 7,206,000,000 2008 est. 102 Jamaica $ 7,185,000,000 2008 est. 103 Liberia $ 7,143,000,000 2006 104 Tanzania $ 7,080,000,000 2008 est. 105 Uzbekistan $ 7,070,000,000 2008 est. 106 Cote d'Ivoire $ 6,760,000,000 2008 est. 107 Cambodia $ 6,534,000,000 2008 est. 108 Macedonia $ 6,523,000,000 2008 est. 109 Georgia $ 6,261,000,000 2008 est. 110 Iceland $ 5,699,000,000 2008 est. 111 Turkmenistan $ 5,654,000,000 2008 est. 112 Macau $ 5,400,000,000 2008 est. 113 Congo, Democratic Republic of the $ 5,200,000,000 2007 114 Albania $ 4,898,000,000 2008 est. 115 Moldova $ 4,870,000,000 2008 est. 116 Afghanistan $ 4,850,000,000 2007 117 Nicaragua $ 4,848,000,000 2008 est. 118 Malta $ 4,792,000,000 2008 est. 119 Zambia $ 4,694,000,000 2008 est. 120 Bolivia $ 4,641,000,000 2008 est. 121 Virgin Islands $ 4,609,000,000 2001 122 Botswana $ 4,486,000,000 2008 est. 123 Mauritius $ 4,399,000,000 2008 est. 124 Cameroon $ 4,303,000,000 2008 est. 125 Senegal $ 4,263,000,000 2008 est. 126 Uganda $ 3,980,000,000 2008 est. 127 Namibia $ 3,849,000,000 2008 est. 128 Armenia $ 3,763,000,000 2008 est. 129 Kyrgyzstan $ 3,754,000,000 2008 est. 130 San Marino $ 3,744,000,000 2007 131 Tajikistan $ 3,699,000,000 2008 est. 132 Mongolia $ 3,615,000,000 2008 133 Mozambique $ 3,458,000,000 2008 est. 134 Burma $ 3,388,000,000 2008 est. 135 Nepal $ 3,229,000,000 2008 136 Papua New Guinea $ 3,124,000,000 2008 est. 137 Fiji $ 3,120,000,000 2006 138 Equatorial Guinea $ 3,114,000,000 2008 est. 139 Congo, Republic of the $ 3,105,000,000 2008 est. 140 Korea, North $ 3,055,000,000 2007 141 Gibraltar $ 2,967,000,000 2004 est. 142 Gaza Strip $ 2,840,000,000 2006 143 Gabon $ 2,577,000,000 2008 est. 144 Madagascar $ 2,419,000,000 2008 est. 145 Bahamas, The $ 2,401,000,000 2006 146 Mali $ 2,358,000,000 2006 147 Haiti $ 2,107,000,000 2008 est. 148 Brunei $ 2,055,000,000 2007 est. 149 New Caledonia $ 1,998,000,000 2006 150 Chad $ 1,927,000,000 2008 est. 151 Zimbabwe $ 1,915,000,000 2008 est. 152 Lesotho $ 1,880,000,000 2008 est. 153 Swaziland $ 1,855,000,000 2008 est. 154 Benin $ 1,843,000,000 2008 est. 155 Andorra $ 1,789,000,000 2007 156 French Polynesia $ 1,706,000,000 2005 est. 157 Malawi $ 1,587,000,000 2008 est. 158 Barbados $ 1,586,000,000 2006 159 Djibouti $ 1,555,000,000 2006 160 Togo $ 1,541,000,000 2008 est. 161 Mauritania $ 1,475,000,000 2006 162 Guinea $ 1,389,000,000 2008 est. 163 Laos $ 1,384,000,000 2008 est. 164 Burkina Faso $ 1,343,000,000 2008 est. 165 West Bank $ 1,300,000,000 2006 166 Suriname $ 1,297,000,000 2006 est. 167 Guyana $ 1,294,000,000 2008 est. 168 Maldives $ 1,276,000,000 2008 est. 169 Bermuda $ 1,162,000,000 2006 170 Aruba $ 1,054,000,000 2006 171 Seychelles $ 1,018,000,000 2008 est. 172 Monaco $ 916,100,000 2005 173 Cayman Islands $ 866,900,000 2004 174 Cape Verde $ 864,000,000 2008 est. 175 Rwanda $ 834,000,000 2008 est. 176 Niger $ 800,000,000 2006 177 Somalia $ 798,000,000 2006 178 Saint Lucia $ 791,000,000 2006 179 Belize $ 788,100,000 2008 est. 180 Faroe Islands $ 751,000,000 2006 181 Greenland $ 712,000,000 2006 182 Montenegro $ 601,700,000 2003 183 Eritrea $ 601,000,000 2008 est. 184 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines $ 578,000,000 2006 185 Sierra Leone $ 560,000,000 2006 186 Antigua and Barbuda $ 522,800,000 2007 est. 187 Saint Kitts and Nevis $ 383,000,000 2006 188 Burundi $ 350,000,000 2008 est. 189 Grenada $ 343,000,000 2006 190 Mayotte $ 341,000,000 2005 191 Samoa $ 324,000,000 2006 192 Bhutan $ 320,000,000 2006 193 American Samoa $ 308,800,000 FY04 est. 194 Gambia, The $ 299,000,000 2008 est. 195 Dominica $ 296,000,000 2006 196 Solomon Islands $ 256,000,000 2006 197 Central African Republic $ 237,300,000 2007 est. 198 Northern Mariana Islands $ 214,400,000 2001 199 Timor-Leste $ 202,000,000 2004 est. 200 Guinea-Bissau $ 200,000,000 2006 201 Vanuatu $ 156,000,000 2006 202 Anguilla $ 143,000,000 2006 203 Comoros $ 143,000,000 2006 204 Tonga $ 139,000,000 2006 205 Micronesia, Federated States of $ 132,700,000 2004 206 Palau $ 107,300,000 2004 est. 207 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) $ 90,000,000 2004 est. 208 Sao Tome and Principe $ 87,000,000 2008 est. 209 Cook Islands $ 81,040,000 2005 210 Marshall Islands $ 79,400,000 2008 est. 211 Saint Pierre and Miquelon $ 68,200,000 2005 est. 212 Kiribati $ 62,000,000 2004 est. 213 Wallis and Futuna $ 61,170,000 2004 214 Saint Helena $ 45,000,000 2004 est. 215 Nauru $ 20,000,000 2004 est. 216 Tuvalu $ 12,910,000 2005 217 Niue $ 9,038,000 2004 218 Tokelau $ 969,200 2002

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Rank code: 2088

Country Comparison :: Independence

For most countries, this entry gives the date that sovereignty was achieved and from which nation, empire, or trusteeship. For the other countries, the date given may not represent "independence" in the strict sense, but rather some significant nationhood event such as the traditional founding date or the date of unification, federation, confederation, establishment, fundamental change in the form of government, or state succession. Dependent areas include the notation "none" followed by the nature of their dependency status. Also see the Terminology note.

Rank country Independence Date of Information

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Rank code: 2089

Country Comparison :: Industrial production growth rate

This entry gives the annual percentage increase in industrial production (includes manufacturing, mining, and construction).

Rank country (%) Date of Information

1 Angola 14.30 2008 est. 2 Panama 14.20 2008 est. 3 Qatar 13.00 2008 est. 4 Uzbekistan 12.70 2008 est. 5 Belarus 12.00 2008 est. 6 Bosnia and Herzegovina 11.60 2008 est. 7 Equatorial Guinea 11.30 2008 est. 8 Laos 11.00 2008 est. 9 Kyrgyzstan 10.70 2008 est. 10 Bolivia 10.60 2008 est. 11 Iraq 10.50 2008 est. 12 Ethiopia 10.40 2008 est. 13 Lesotho 10.00 2008 est. 14 Sao Tome and Principe 9.50 2008 est. 15 China 9.30 2008 est. 16 Tanzania 9.10 2008 est. 17 Mozambique 9.00 2008 est. 18 Timor-Leste 8.50 2004 est. 19 Ghana 8.10 2008 est. 20 Cambodia 8.00 2008 est. 21 Faroe Islands 8.00 1999 est. 22 Peru 8.00 2008 est. 23 Uruguay 8.00 2008 est. 24 Kuwait 8.00 2008 est. 25 Burma 7.80 2008 est. 26 Rwanda 7.50 2008 est. 27 Romania 7.10 2008 est. 28 Congo, Republic of the 7.00 2008 est. 29 Guinea 7.00 2008 est. 30 Uganda 7.00 2008 est. 31 Bangladesh 6.90 2008 est. 32 United Arab Emirates 6.70 2008 est. 33 Suriname 6.50 1994 est. 34 Switzerland 6.50 2006 est. 35 Bahrain 6.30 2008 est. 36 Vietnam 6.30 2008 est. 37 Libya 6.20 2008 est. 38 Egypt 6.10 2008 est. 39 Azerbaijan 6.00 2008 est. 40 Zambia 6.00 2008 est. 41 Sri Lanka 5.90 2008 est. 42 Jordan 5.70 2008 est. 43 Papua New Guinea 5.60 2008 est. 44 Ecuador 5.50 2008 est. 45 Niger 5.10 2003 est. 46 Burundi 5.00 2008 est. 47 Mauritius 5.00 2008 est. 48 Philippines 5.00 2008 est. 49 Cape Verde 5.00 2008 est. 50 Ireland 5.00 2007 est. 51 India 4.80 2008 est. 52 Kenya 4.80 2008 est. 53 Poland 4.80 2008 est. 54 Morocco 4.70 2008 est. 55 Guinea-Bissau 4.70 2003 est. 56 Pakistan 4.60 2008 est. 57 Iran 4.50 2008 est. 58 Burkina Faso 4.50 2008 est. 59 Senegal 4.50 2008 est. 60 Honduras 4.40 2008 est. 61 Argentina 4.30 2008 est. 62 Brazil 4.30 2008 est. 63 Cameroon 4.20 2008 est. 64 Cyprus 4.10 2008 est. 65 Trinidad and Tobago 4.10 2008 est. 66 Malawi 4.00 2008 est. 67 Macedonia 4.00 2008 est. 68 Paraguay 4.00 2008 est. 69 Czech Republic 3.80 2008 est. 70 Indonesia 3.70 2008 est. 71 Benin 3.50 2008 est. 72 Israel 3.50 2008 est. 73 Oman 3.50 2008 est. 74 Russia 3.50 2008 est. 75 Thailand 3.40 2008 est. 76 Algeria 3.20 2008 est. 77 Greece 3.20 2008 est. 78 San Marino 3.10 2007 79 Albania 3.00 2008 est. 80 Togo 3.00 2008 est. 81 Nicaragua 3.00 2008 est. 82 Mongolia 3.00 2006 est. 83 Madagascar 3.00 2008 est. 84 Cote d'Ivoire 3.00 2008 est. 85 Central African Republic 3.00 2002 86 Australia 3.00 2008 est. 87 Netherlands 2.90 2008 est. 88 Nigeria 2.80 2008 est. 89 Yemen 2.80 2008 est. 90 Samoa 2.80 2000 91 Tunisia 2.70 2008 est. 92 Venezuela 2.50 2008 est. 93 Armenia 2.40 2008 est. 94 Kazakhstan 2.40 2008 est. 95 Gaza Strip 2.40 2005 96 West Bank 2.40 2005 97 Saudi Arabia 2.40 2008 est. 98 Austria 2.40 2008 est. 99 Guyana 2.40 2008 est. 100 Syria 2.30 2008 est. 101 Korea, South 2.20 2008 est. 102 Belgium 2.00 2008 est. 103 Eritrea 2.00 2008 est. 104 Mauritania 2.00 2000 est. 105 Seychelles 2.00 2008 est. 106 Chad 2.00 2008 est. 107 Cuba 1.90 2008 est. 108 Belize 1.80 2008 est. 109 Brunei 1.80 2006 est. 110 Nepal 1.80 FY08 111 Serbia 1.80 2007 est. 112 Croatia 1.70 2008 est. 113 Luxembourg 1.70 2007 est. 114 Slovenia 1.70 2008 est. 115 Bulgaria 1.50 2008 est. 116 Lithuania 1.50 2008 est. 117 El Salvador 1.50 2008 est. 118 Guatemala 1.40 2008 est. 119 Dominican Republic 1.30 2008 est. 120 Swaziland 1.10 2008 est. 121 Cook Islands 1.00 2002 122 Tonga 1.00 2003 est. 123 South Africa 1.00 2008 est. 124 Gabon 1.00 2008 est. 125 Malaysia 1.00 2008 est. 126 Colombia 0.80 2008 est. 127 Namibia 0.80 2008 est. 128 Chile 0.70 2008 est. 129 Finland 0.40 2008 est. 130 Gambia, The 0.30 2008 est. 131 Germany 0.10 2008 est. 132 Sudan 0.10 2008 est. 133 Haiti 0.00 2008 est. 134 Iceland 0.00 2008 est. 135 Norway -0.20 2008 est. 136 Jamaica -0.50 2008 est. 137 European Union -0.60 2008 est. 138 Turkey -0.60 2008 est. 139 Mexico -0.70 2008 est. 140 Singapore -0.80 2008 est. 141 Maldives -0.90 2004 est. 142 Georgia -1.00 2008 est. 143 Moldova -1.00 2008 est. 144 Hungary -1.00 2008 est. 145 Costa Rica -1.10 2008 est. 146 Hong Kong -1.20 2008 est. 147 Taiwan -1.20 2008 est. 148 Turkmenistan -1.50 2008 est. 149 France -1.80 2008 est. 150 Sweden -1.80 2008 est. 151 Comoros -2.00 1999 est. 152 United States -2.00 2008 est. 153 Japan -2.00 2008 est. 154 United Kingdom -2.00 2008 est. 155 New Zealand -2.20 2008 est. 156 Portugal -2.20 2008 est. 157 Spain -2.30 2008 est. 158 Botswana -2.40 2008 est. 159 Canada -2.80 2008 est. 160 Italy -2.80 2008 est. 161 Denmark -3.00 2008 est. 162 Barbados -3.20 2000 est. 163 Slovakia -3.70 2008 est. 164 Tajikistan -4.00 2008 est. 165 Latvia -4.50 2008 est. 166 Estonia -4.80 2008 est. 167 Ukraine -5.00 2008 est. 168 Zimbabwe -14.70 2008 est.

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Rank code: 2090

Country Comparison :: Industries

This entry provides a rank ordering of industries starting with the largest by value of annual output.

Rank country Industries Date of Information

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Rank code: 2091

Country Comparison :: Infant mortality rate

This entry gives the number of deaths of infants under one year old in a given year per 1,000 live births in the same year; included is the total death rate, and deaths by sex, male and female. This rate is often used as an indicator of the level of health in a country.

Rank country (deaths/1,000 live births) Date of Information

1 Angola 180.21 2009 est. 2 Sierra Leone 154.43 2009 est. 3 Afghanistan 151.95 2009 est. 4 Liberia 138.24 2009 est. 5 Niger 116.66 2009 est. 6 Somalia 109.19 2009 est. 7 Mozambique 105.80 2009 est. 8 Mali 102.05 2009 est. 9 Zambia 101.20 2009 est. 10 Guinea-Bissau 99.82 2009 est. 11 Chad 98.69 2009 est. 12 Djibouti 97.51 2009 est. 13 Nigeria 94.35 2009 est. 14 Malawi 89.05 2009 est. 15 Burkina Faso 84.49 2009 est. 16 Sudan 82.43 2009 est. 17 Rwanda 81.61 2009 est. 18 Equatorial Guinea 81.58 2009 est. 19 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 81.21 2009 est. 20 Ethiopia 80.80 2009 est. 21 Central African Republic 80.62 2009 est. 22 Congo, Republic of the 79.78 2009 est. 23 Laos 77.82 2009 est. 24 Lesotho 77.40 2009 est. 25 Western Sahara 69.66 2009 est. 26 Tanzania 69.28 2009 est. 27 Swaziland 68.63 2009 est. 28 Cote d'Ivoire 68.06 2009 est. 29 Gambia, The 67.33 2009 est. 30 Comoros 66.57 2009 est. 31 Guinea 65.22 2009 est. 32 Pakistan 65.14 2009 est. 33 Uganda 64.82 2009 est. 34 Benin 64.64 2009 est. 35 Mauritania 63.42 2009 est. 36 Cameroon 63.34 2009 est. 37 Haiti 59.69 2009 est. 38 Burundi 59.64 2009 est. 39 Bangladesh 59.02 2009 est. 40 Senegal 58.94 2009 est. 41 Mayotte 56.29 2009 est. 42 Togo 56.24 2009 est. 43 Cambodia 54.79 2009 est. 44 Kenya 54.70 2009 est. 45 Yemen 54.70 2009 est. 46 Azerbaijan 54.60 2009 est. 47 Madagascar 54.20 2009 est. 48 Gabon 51.78 2009 est. 49 Korea, North 51.34 2009 est. 50 Ghana 51.09 2009 est. 51 Vanuatu 49.45 2009 est. 52 Bhutan 49.36 2009 est. 53 Burma 47.61 2009 est. 54 Nepal 47.46 2009 est. 55 Namibia 45.51 2009 est. 56 Turkmenistan 45.36 2009 est. 57 Papua New Guinea 45.23 2009 est. 58 Bolivia 44.66 2009 est. 59 South Africa 44.42 2009 est. 60 Iraq 43.82 2009 est. 61 Kiribati 43.48 2009 est. 62 Eritrea 43.33 2009 est. 63 Cape Verde 41.35 2009 est. 64 Tajikistan 41.03 2009 est. 65 World 40.85 2009 est. 66 Timor-Leste 40.65 2009 est. 67 Mongolia 39.88 2009 est. 68 Sao Tome and Principe 37.12 2009 est. 69 Morocco 36.88 2009 est. 70 Iran 35.78 2009 est. 71 Zimbabwe 32.31 2009 est. 72 Kyrgyzstan 31.26 2009 est. 73 India 30.15 2009 est. 74 Indonesia 29.97 2009 est. 75 Trinidad and Tobago 29.93 2009 est. 76 Guyana 29.65 2009 est. 77 Maldives 29.53 2009 est. 78 Peru 28.62 2009 est. 79 Guatemala 27.84 2009 est. 80 Algeria 27.73 2009 est. 81 Egypt 27.26 2009 est. 82 Micronesia, Federated States of 26.10 2009 est. 83 Dominican Republic 25.96 2009 est. 84 Syria 25.87 2009 est. 85 Turkey 25.78 2009 est. 86 Kazakhstan 25.73 2009 est. 87 Marshall Islands 25.45 2009 est. 88 Nicaragua 25.02 2009 est. 89 Paraguay 24.68 2009 est. 90 Samoa 24.22 2009 est. 91 Honduras 24.03 2009 est. 92 Uzbekistan 23.43 2009 est. 93 Bahamas, The 23.17 2009 est. 94 Belize 23.07 2009 est. 95 Romania 22.90 2009 est. 96 Vietnam 22.88 2009 est. 97 Brazil 22.58 2009 est. 98 Tunisia 22.57 2009 est. 99 Lebanon 21.82 2009 est. 100 Venezuela 21.54 2009 est. 101 El Salvador 21.52 2009 est. 102 Libya 21.05 2009 est. 103 Ecuador 20.90 2009 est. 104 Philippines 20.56 2009 est. 105 China 20.25 2009 est. 106 Armenia 20.21 2009 est. 107 Solomon Islands 19.03 2009 est. 108 Colombia 18.90 2009 est. 109 Suriname 18.81 2009 est. 110 Albania 18.62 2009 est. 111 Sri Lanka 18.57 2009 est. 112 Tuvalu 18.43 2009 est. 113 Mexico 18.42 2009 est. 114 Gaza Strip 18.35 2009 est. 115 Bulgaria 17.87 2009 est. 116 Saint Helena 17.63 2009 est. 117 Thailand 17.63 2009 est. 118 Cook Islands 16.90 2009 est. 119 Oman 16.88 2009 est. 120 Antigua and Barbuda 16.25 2009 est. 121 Georgia 16.22 2009 est. 122 Montserrat 16.08 2009 est. 123 West Bank 15.96 2009 est. 124 Malaysia 15.87 2009 est. 125 Bahrain 15.25 2009 est. 126 Jamaica 15.22 2009 est. 127 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 15.14 2009 est. 128 Jordan 14.97 2009 est. 129 British Virgin Islands 14.65 2009 est. 130 Saint Kitts and Nevis 13.94 2009 est. 131 Turks and Caicos Islands 13.89 2009 est. 132 Aruba 13.79 2009 est. 133 Dominica 13.65 2009 est. 134 Saint Lucia 13.43 2009 est. 135 Grenada 13.23 2009 est. 136 Palau 13.14 2009 est. 137 Moldova 13.13 2009 est. 138 United Arab Emirates 12.70 2009 est. 139 Panama 12.67 2009 est. 140 Qatar 12.66 2009 est. 141 Botswana 12.59 2009 est. 142 Seychelles 12.30 2009 est. 143 Barbados 12.29 2009 est. 144 Brunei 12.27 2009 est. 145 Mauritius 12.20 2009 est. 146 Fiji 11.58 2009 est. 147 Tonga 11.58 2009 est. 148 Saudi Arabia 11.57 2009 est. 149 Argentina 11.44 2009 est. 150 Uruguay 11.32 2009 est. 151 Greenland 10.72 2009 est. 152 Russia 10.56 2009 est. 153 American Samoa 10.18 2009 est. 154 Nauru 9.25 2009 est. 155 Bosnia and Herzegovina 9.10 2009 est. 156 Netherlands Antilles 9.09 2009 est. 157 Macedonia 9.01 2009 est. 158 Ukraine 8.98 2009 est. 159 Kuwait 8.96 2009 est. 160 Costa Rica 8.77 2009 est. 161 Latvia 8.77 2009 est. 162 Puerto Rico 8.42 2009 est. 163 Hungary 7.86 2009 est. 164 Chile 7.71 2009 est. 165 Virgin Islands 7.56 2009 est. 166 French Polynesia 7.55 2009 est. 167 Estonia 7.32 2009 est. 168 New Caledonia 7.05 2009 est. 169 Cayman Islands 6.94 2009 est. 170 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 6.87 2009 est. 171 Slovakia 6.84 2009 est. 172 Poland 6.80 2009 est. 173 Serbia 6.75 2009 est. 174 Cyprus 6.60 2009 est. 175 Northern Mariana Islands 6.59 2009 est. 176 Lithuania 6.47 2009 est. 177 Belarus 6.43 2009 est. 178 Croatia 6.37 2009 est. 179 Faroe Islands 6.32 2009 est. 180 United States 6.26 2009 est. 181 Cuba 5.82 2009 est. 182 European Union 5.72 2009 est. 183 Italy 5.51 2009 est. 184 Isle of Man 5.37 2009 est. 185 Taiwan 5.35 2009 est. 186 San Marino 5.34 2009 est. 187 Greece 5.16 2009 est. 188 Ireland 5.05 2009 est. 189 Canada 5.04 2009 est. 190 Wallis and Futuna 5.02 2009 est. 191 Monaco 5.00 2009 est. 192 New Zealand 4.92 2009 est. 193 United Kingdom 4.85 2009 est. 194 Gibraltar 4.83 2009 est. 195 Portugal 4.78 2009 est. 196 Australia 4.75 2009 est. 197 Jersey 4.73 2009 est. 198 Netherlands 4.73 2009 est. 199 Luxembourg 4.56 2009 est. 200 Guernsey 4.47 2009 est. 201 Belgium 4.44 2009 est. 202 Austria 4.42 2009 est. 203 Denmark 4.34 2009 est. 204 Korea, South 4.26 2009 est. 205 Liechtenstein 4.25 2009 est. 206 Slovenia 4.25 2009 est. 207 Israel 4.22 2009 est. 208 Spain 4.21 2009 est. 209 Switzerland 4.18 2009 est. 210 Germany 3.99 2009 est. 211 Czech Republic 3.79 2009 est. 212 Andorra 3.76 2009 est. 213 Malta 3.75 2009 est. 214 Norway 3.58 2009 est. 215 Anguilla 3.52 2009 est. 216 Finland 3.47 2009 est. 217 France 3.33 2009 est. 218 Iceland 3.23 2009 est. 219 Macau 3.22 2009 est. 220 Hong Kong 2.92 2009 est. 221 Japan 2.79 2009 est. 222 Sweden 2.75 2009 est. 223 Bermuda 2.46 2009 est. 224 Singapore 2.31 2009 est.

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Rank code: 2092

Country Comparison :: Inflation rate (consumer prices)

This entry furnishes the annual percent change in consumer prices compared with the previous year's consumer prices.

Rank country (%) Date of Information

1 San Marino -3.50 2008 2 Northern Mariana Islands -0.80 2000 3 Niger 0.10 2007 est. 4 Kiribati 0.20 2007 est. 5 Brunei 0.30 2007 est. 6 Central African Republic 0.90 2007 est. 7 Greenland 1.00 2005 est. 8 Liechtenstein 1.00 2001 9 French Polynesia 1.10 2007 10 Japan 1.40 2008 est. 11 New Caledonia 1.40 2000 est. 12 Antigua and Barbuda 1.50 2007 est. 13 Mayotte 1.70 2005 14 Faroe Islands 1.80 2005 15 Monaco 1.90 2000 16 Saint Lucia 1.90 2007 est. 17 British Virgin Islands 2.00 2005 18 Cook Islands 2.10 2005 est. 19 Netherlands Antilles 2.10 2003 est. 20 Micronesia, Federated States of 2.20 2005 21 Virgin Islands 2.20 2003 22 Bahamas, The 2.40 2007 est. 23 Canada 2.40 2008 est. 24 Switzerland 2.40 2008 est. 25 Mali 2.50 2007 est. 26 Netherlands 2.50 2008 est. 27 Montserrat 2.60 2002 est. 28 Portugal 2.60 2008 est. 29 Dominica 2.70 2007 est. 30 Palau 2.70 2005 est. 31 Germany 2.70 2008 est. 32 Bermuda 2.80 November 2005 33 Wallis and Futuna 2.80 2005 34 Iraq 2.80 2008 est. 35 France 2.80 2008 est. 36 Gibraltar 2.90 2005 37 Comoros 3.00 2007 est. 38 Isle of Man 3.10 December 2006 est. 39 Austria 3.20 2008 est. 40 Saint Helena 3.20 1997 est. 41 Aruba 3.40 2005 42 Denmark 3.40 2008 est. 43 Montenegro 3.40 2007 44 Luxembourg 3.40 2008 est. 45 Italy 3.40 2008 est. 46 Guernsey 3.40 June 2006 47 Albania 3.40 2008 est. 48 Cuba 3.40 2008 est. 49 European Union 3.50 2008 est. 50 Sweden 3.50 2008 est. 51 Taiwan 3.50 2008 est. 52 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 3.60 1998 53 United Kingdom 3.60 2008 est. 54 Grenada 3.70 2007 est. 55 Jersey 3.70 December 2006 56 Morocco 3.80 2008 est. 57 Norway 3.80 2008 est. 58 Tuvalu 3.80 2006 est. 59 United States 3.80 2008 est. 60 Guinea-Bissau 3.80 2007 est. 61 Andorra 3.90 2007 62 Vanuatu 3.90 2007 est. 63 Niue 4.00 2005 64 New Zealand 4.00 2008 est. 65 Turks and Caicos Islands 4.00 1995 66 Ireland 4.10 2008 est. 67 Greece 4.10 2008 est. 68 Spain 4.10 2008 est. 69 Finland 4.10 2008 est. 70 Poland 4.20 2008 est. 71 Hong Kong 4.30 2008 est. 72 Malta 4.30 2008 est. 73 Algeria 4.40 2008 est. 74 Cayman Islands 4.40 2004 75 Australia 4.40 2008 est. 76 Belgium 4.50 2008 est. 77 Gambia, The 4.50 2008 est. 78 Saint Kitts and Nevis 4.50 2007 est. 79 Israel 4.60 2008 est. 80 Slovakia 4.60 2008 est. 81 Cyprus 4.70 2008 est. 82 Korea, South 4.70 2008 est. 83 Fiji 4.80 2007 84 Bhutan 4.90 2007 est. 85 Djibouti 5.00 2007 est. 86 Tunisia 5.00 2008 est. 87 Mexico 5.10 2008 est. 88 Anguilla 5.30 2006 est. 89 Cameroon 5.30 2008 est. 90 Kosovo 5.30 2007 est. 91 Gabon 5.30 2008 est. 92 Malaysia 5.40 2008 est. 93 Barbados 5.50 2007 est. 94 Thailand 5.50 2008 est. 95 Brazil 5.70 2008 est. 96 Slovenia 5.70 2008 est. 97 Peru 5.80 2008 est. 98 Senegal 5.80 2008 est. 99 China 5.90 2008 est. 100 Tonga 5.90 2007 est. 101 Samoa 6.00 2007 est. 102 Croatia 6.10 2008 est. 103 Hungary 6.10 2008 est. 104 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 6.10 2007 est. 105 Macau 6.20 December 2008 106 Solomon Islands 6.30 2007 est. 107 Czech Republic 6.30 2008 est. 108 Cote d'Ivoire 6.30 2008 est. 109 Belize 6.40 2008 est. 110 Suriname 6.40 2007 est. 111 Puerto Rico 6.50 2003 est. 112 Singapore 6.50 2008 est. 113 Cape Verde 6.80 2008 est. 114 Serbia 6.80 2007 115 Bahrain 7.00 2008 est. 116 Colombia 7.00 2008 est. 117 Bosnia and Herzegovina 7.30 2008 est. 118 Congo, Republic of the 7.30 2008 est. 119 Mauritania 7.30 2007 est. 120 El Salvador 7.30 2008 est. 121 Equatorial Guinea 7.50 2008 est. 122 Nepal 7.70 2008 est. 123 Romania 7.80 2008 est. 124 Timor-Leste 7.80 2007 est. 125 Benin 7.90 2008 est. 126 Uruguay 7.90 2008 est. 127 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 8.10 2005 128 Ecuador 8.30 2008 est. 129 India 8.30 2008 est. 130 Macedonia 8.30 2008 est. 131 Guyana 8.30 2008 est. 132 Argentina 8.60 2008 est. 133 Laos 8.60 2008 est. 134 Chile 8.70 2008 est. 135 Malawi 8.70 2008 est. 136 Togo 8.70 2008 est. 137 Panama 8.80 2008 est. 138 Bangladesh 8.90 2008 est. 139 Armenia 9.00 2008 est. 140 Madagascar 9.20 2008 est. 141 Philippines 9.30 2008 est. 142 Mauritius 9.70 2008 est. 143 Indonesia 9.90 2008 est. 144 Saudi Arabia 9.90 2008 est. 145 Georgia 10.00 2008 est. 146 Lebanon 10.00 2008 est. 147 Paraguay 10.20 2008 est. 148 Chad 10.30 2008 est. 149 Tanzania 10.30 2008 est. 150 Mozambique 10.30 2008 est. 151 Namibia 10.30 2008 est. 152 Estonia 10.40 2008 est. 153 Libya 10.40 2008 est. 154 Turkey 10.40 2008 est. 155 Dominican Republic 10.60 2008 est. 156 Kuwait 10.60 2008 est. 157 Lesotho 10.70 2008 est. 158 Burkina Faso 10.70 2008 est. 159 Papua New Guinea 10.70 2008 est. 160 Lithuania 10.90 2008 est. 161 Liberia 11.20 2007 est. 162 South Africa 11.30 2008 est. 163 Guatemala 11.40 2008 est. 164 Honduras 11.40 2008 est. 165 Gaza Strip 11.50 2008 166 West Bank 11.50 2008 167 Nigeria 11.60 2008 est. 168 Sierra Leone 11.70 2007 est. 169 Trinidad and Tobago 12.00 2008 est. 170 Uganda 12.10 2008 est. 171 Bulgaria 12.30 2008 est. 172 Zambia 12.40 2008 est. 173 Angola 12.50 2008 est. 174 Oman 12.50 2008 est. 175 Botswana 12.60 2008 est. 176 Iceland 12.70 2008 est. 177 Moldova 12.80 2008 est. 178 Maldives 12.80 October 2008 est. 179 Marshall Islands 12.90 2008 est. 180 Afghanistan 13.00 2007 est. 181 Turkmenistan 13.00 2008 est. 182 Costa Rica 13.40 2008 est. 183 Swaziland 13.40 2008 est. 184 Bolivia 14.00 2008 est. 185 Uzbekistan 14.00 2008 est. 186 Russia 14.10 2008 est. 187 Sudan 14.30 2008 est. 188 Belarus 14.80 2008 est. 189 Jordan 14.90 2008 est. 190 Guinea 15.00 2008 est. 191 Qatar 15.20 2008 est. 192 Latvia 15.40 2008 est. 193 Rwanda 15.40 2008 est. 194 Haiti 15.50 2008 est. 195 Syria 15.70 2008 est. 196 United Arab Emirates 15.80 2008 est. 197 Ghana 16.50 2008 est. 198 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 16.70 2007 est. 199 Kazakhstan 17.00 2008 est. 200 Eritrea 18.00 2008 est. 201 Egypt 18.30 2008 est. 202 Yemen 19.00 2008 est. 203 Nicaragua 19.80 2008 est. 204 Pakistan 20.30 2008 est. 205 Tajikistan 20.50 2008 est. 206 Azerbaijan 20.80 2008 est. 207 Jamaica 22.00 2008 est. 208 Sri Lanka 22.60 2008 est. 209 Vietnam 23.10 2008 est. 210 Burundi 24.10 2008 est. 211 Kyrgyzstan 24.50 2008 est. 212 Cambodia 25.00 2008 est. 213 Ukraine 25.20 2008 est. 214 Iran 25.60 2008 est. 215 Sao Tome and Principe 26.00 2008 est. 216 Kenya 26.20 2008 est. 217 Burma 26.80 2008 est. 218 Mongolia 28.00 2008 est. 219 Venezuela 30.40 2008 est. 220 Seychelles 37.00 2008 est. 221 Ethiopia 44.40 2008 est. 222 Zimbabwe 14,930,000,000.00 2008 est.

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Rank code: 2093

Country Comparison :: Waterways

This entry gives the total length of navigable rivers, canals, and other inland bodies of water.

Rank country (km) Date of Information

1 China 110,000 2008 2 Russia 102,000 2007 3 Brazil 50,000 2008 4 United States 41,009 2008 5 Indonesia 21,579 2008 6 Colombia 18,000 2008 7 Vietnam 17,702 2008 8 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 15,000 2008 9 India 14,500 2008 10 Burma 12,800 2008 11 Argentina 11,000 2007 12 Papua New Guinea 11,000 2006 13 Bolivia 10,000 2007 14 Peru 8,808 2008 15 Nigeria 8,600 2008 16 France 8,501 2008 17 Bangladesh 8,370 2007 18 Finland 7,842 2008 19 Germany 7,467 2008 20 Malaysia 7,200 2008 21 Venezuela 7,100 2008 22 Netherlands 6,215 2007 23 Iraq 5,279 2008 24 Laos 4,600 2008 25 Sudan 4,068 2008 26 Kazakhstan 4,000 2008 27 Thailand 4,000 2008 28 Poland 3,997 2007 29 France 3,760 2008 30 Egypt 3,500 2007 31 Philippines 3,219 2008 32 United Kingdom 3,200 2008 33 Paraguay 3,100 2008 34 Mexico 2,900 2008 35 Central African Republic 2,800 2007 36 Belarus 2,500 2003 37 Cambodia 2,400 2008 38 Italy 2,400 2008 39 Korea, North 2,250 2008 40 Zambia 2,250 2008 41 Nicaragua 2,220 2008 42 Ukraine 2,176 2007 43 Sweden 2,052 2007 44 Belgium 2,043 2008 45 Australia 2,000 2006 46 Mali 1,800 2008 47 Japan 1,770 2007 48 Romania 1,731 2006 49 Hungary 1,622 2008 50 Korea, South 1,608 2008 51 Gabon 1,600 2008 52 Uruguay 1,600 2008 53 Norway 1,577 2008 54 Ecuador 1,500 2008 55 Angola 1,300 2008 56 Turkmenistan 1,300 2008 57 Guinea 1,300 2008 58 Ghana 1,293 2008 59 Afghanistan 1,200 2008 60 Turkey 1,200 2008 61 Suriname 1,200 2008 62 Congo, Republic of the 1,120 2008 63 Uzbekistan 1,100 2008 64 Senegal 1,000 2008 65 Spain 1,000 2008 66 Guatemala 990 2007 67 Cote d'Ivoire 980 2008 68 Ireland 956 2008 69 Syria 900 2008 70 Iran 850 2008 71 Belize 825 2008 72 Panama 800 2008 73 Sierra Leone 800 2007 74 Croatia 785 2008 75 Costa Rica 730 2008 76 Malawi 700 2008 77 Czech Republic 664 2008 78 Canada 636 2008 79 Kyrgyzstan 600 2008 80 Madagascar 600 2008 81 Serbia 587 2008 82 Mongolia 580 2007 83 Bulgaria 470 2008 84 Honduras 465 2008 85 Mozambique 460 2008 86 Lithuania 441 2007 87 Moldova 424 2008 88 Denmark 400 2008 89 Gambia, The 390 2008 90 Austria 358 2007 91 Guyana 330 2008 92 Estonia 320 2008 93 Latvia 300 2007 94 Niger 300 2008 95 Cuba 240 2008 96 Portugal 210 2008 97 Brunei 209 2008 98 Fiji 203 2008 99 Tajikistan 200 2008 100 Slovakia 172 2008 101 Sri Lanka 160 2008 102 Benin 150 2007 103 Switzerland 65 2008 104 Togo 50 2008 105 Albania 43 2008 106 Luxembourg 37 2008 107 Liechtenstein 28 2008 108 Greece 6 2008 109 Kiribati 5 2007

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Rank code: 2094

Country Comparison :: Judicial branch

This entry contains the name(s) of the highest court(s) and a brief description of the selection process for members.

Rank country Judicial branch Date of Information

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Rank code: 2095

Country Comparison :: Labor force

This entry contains the total labor force figure.

Rank country Labor force Date of Information

1 China 807,300,000 2008 est. 2 India 523,500,000 2008 est. 3 European Union 224,400,000 2008 est. 4 United States 154,300,000 2008 est. 5 Indonesia 112,000,000 2008 est. 6 Brazil 93,650,000 2008 est. 7 Russia 75,700,000 2008 est. 8 Bangladesh 70,860,000 2008 est. 9 Japan 66,500,000 2008 est. 10 Nigeria 51,040,000 2008 est. 11 Pakistan 50,580,000 2008 est. 12 Vietnam 47,410,000 2008 est. 13 Mexico 45,320,000 2008 est. 14 Germany 43,600,000 2008 est. 15 Ethiopia 37,900,000 2007 16 Thailand 37,780,000 2008 est. 17 Philippines 36,810,000 2008 est. 18 United Kingdom 31,230,000 2008 est. 19 Burma 30,040,000 2008 est. 20 France 27,970,000 2008 est. 21 Italy 25,110,000 2008 est. 22 Egypt 24,600,000 2008 est. 23 Iran 24,350,000 2008 est. 24 Korea, South 24,350,000 2008 est. 25 Turkey 24,060,000 2008 est. 26 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 23,530,000 2007 est. 27 Spain 22,850,000 2008 est. 28 Ukraine 21,570,000 2008 est. 29 Colombia 21,300,000 2008 est. 30 Tanzania 21,060,000 2008 est. 31 Korea, North 20,000,000 2004 est. 32 Canada 18,220,000 2008 est. 33 South Africa 17,790,000 2008 est. 34 Kenya 17,370,000 2007 est. 35 Poland 17,010,000 2008 est. 36 Argentina 16,270,000 2008 est. 37 Uzbekistan 15,370,000 2008 est. 38 Afghanistan 15,000,000 2004 est. 39 Nepal 14,600,000 2008 est. 40 Uganda 14,540,000 2008 est. 41 Turkmenistan 13,510,000 2007 est. 42 Venezuela 12,590,000 2008 est. 43 Sudan 11,920,000 2007 est. 44 Morocco 11,290,000 2008 est. 45 Australia 11,250,000 2008 est. 46 Malaysia 11,090,000 2008 est. 47 Taiwan 10,850,000 2008 est. 48 Peru 10,200,000 2008 est. 49 Ghana 10,120,000 2008 est. 50 Mozambique 9,650,000 2008 est. 51 Madagascar 9,504,000 2007 52 Algeria 9,464,000 2008 est. 53 Romania 9,320,000 2008 est. 54 Cambodia 8,600,000 2008 est. 55 Kazakhstan 8,412,000 2008 est. 56 Iraq 7,740,000 2008 est. 57 Netherlands 7,715,000 2008 est. 58 Angola 7,569,000 2008 est. 59 Sri Lanka 7,569,000 2008 est. 60 Cote d'Ivoire 7,346,000 2008 est. 61 Chile 7,267,000 2008 est. 62 Cameroon 6,759,000 2008 est. 63 Saudi Arabia 6,740,000 2008 est. 64 Burkina Faso 6,668,000 2007 65 Yemen 6,454,000 2008 est. 66 Azerbaijan 5,782,000 2008 est. 67 Malawi 5,747,000 2007 est. 68 Portugal 5,625,000 2008 est. 69 Syria 5,593,000 2008 est. 70 Czech Republic 5,360,000 2008 est. 71 Zambia 5,235,000 2008 est. 72 Belgium 4,990,000 2008 73 Senegal 4,973,000 2008 est. 74 Cuba 4,962,000 2008 est. 75 Greece 4,960,000 2008 est. 76 Sweden 4,897,000 2008 est. 77 Belarus 4,869,000 2007 78 Niger 4,688,000 2007 79 Ecuador 4,640,000 2008 est. 80 Bolivia 4,454,000 2008 est. 81 Rwanda 4,446,000 2007 82 Guinea 4,392,000 2007 est. 83 Chad 4,293,000 2007 84 Burundi 4,245,000 2007 85 Hungary 4,200,000 2008 est. 86 Dominican Republic 4,119,000 2008 est. 87 Guatemala 4,056,000 2008 est. 88 Switzerland 4,053,000 2008 est. 89 Zimbabwe 4,039,000 2008 est. 90 Benin 3,662,000 2007 est. 91 Hong Kong 3,660,000 2008 est. 92 Tunisia 3,660,000 2008 est. 93 Haiti 3,643,000 2007 94 Papua New Guinea 3,639,000 2008 est. 95 Austria 3,633,000 2008 est. 96 Somalia 3,447,000 2007 97 United Arab Emirates 3,266,000 2008 est. 98 Mali 3,241,000 2007 est. 99 Honduras 2,991,000 2008 est. 100 Serbia 2,961,000 2002 est. 101 Israel 2,957,000 2008 est. 102 El Salvador 2,947,000 2008 est. 103 Singapore 2,940,000 2008 est. 104 Denmark 2,880,000 2008 est. 105 Paraguay 2,839,000 2008 est. 106 Finland 2,703,000 2008 est. 107 Bulgaria 2,670,000 2008 est. 108 Togo 2,595,000 2007 109 Norway 2,591,000 2008 est. 110 Kyrgyzstan 2,344,000 2007 111 Nicaragua 2,322,000 2008 est. 112 Georgia 2,317,000 2007 est. 113 Slovakia 2,254,000 2008 est. 114 New Zealand 2,250,000 2008 est. 115 Ireland 2,241,000 2008 est. 116 Sierra Leone 2,207,000 2007 est. 117 Laos 2,100,000 2006 est. 118 Tajikistan 2,100,000 2008 119 Kuwait 2,088,000 2008 est. 120 Costa Rica 2,060,000 2008 est. 121 Central African Republic 1,926,000 2007 122 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1,863,000 2007 123 Croatia 1,731,000 2008 est. 124 Uruguay 1,641,000 2008 est. 125 Libya 1,640,000 2008 est. 126 Jordan 1,615,000 2008 est. 127 Lithuania 1,614,000 2008 est. 128 Armenia 1,481,000 2007 est. 129 Lebanon 1,481,000 2007 est. 130 Puerto Rico 1,479,000 2007 131 Panama 1,392,000 2008 est. 132 Moldova 1,327,000 2008 est. 133 Mauritania 1,318,000 2007 134 Jamaica 1,304,000 2008 est. 135 Latvia 1,193,000 2008 est. 136 Qatar 1,119,000 2008 est. 137 Albania 1,103,000 2007 est. 138 Mongolia 1,068,000 2008 139 Oman 968,800 2007 140 Slovenia 940,000 2008 est. 141 Macedonia 925,000 2008 est. 142 Lesotho 854,600 2007 est. 143 Gambia, The 777,100 2007 144 Estonia 693,000 2008 est. 145 Namibia 686,000 2008 est. 146 Botswana 685,300 2007 147 Guinea-Bissau 632,700 2007 148 Trinidad and Tobago 620,800 2008 est. 149 West Bank 605,000 2006 150 Mauritius 584,000 2008 est. 151 Gabon 581,000 2008 est. 152 Bahrain 557,000 2008 est. 153 Kosovo 550,000 2007 est. 154 Swaziland 457,900 2007 155 Cyprus 397,000 2008 est. 156 Djibouti 351,700 2007 157 Macau 337,400 2008 est. 158 Fiji 335,000 2007 est. 159 Guyana 333,900 2007 est. 160 Comoros 268,500 2007 est. 161 Gaza Strip 267,000 2006 162 Montenegro 259,100 2004 163 Luxembourg 206,000 2008 est. 164 Solomon Islands 202,500 2007 165 Cape Verde 196,100 2007 166 Brunei 188,800 2008 est. 167 Iceland 184,000 2008 est. 168 Bahamas, The 175,500 2007 169 Barbados 175,000 2007 est. 170 Malta 173,000 2008 171 Suriname 165,600 2007 172 Maldives 136,100 2007 173 Belize 122,300 2008 est. 174 French Polynesia 116,000 2007 175 Vanuatu 115,900 2007 176 New Caledonia 102,600 2007 177 Netherlands Antilles 91,470 2007 178 Saint Lucia 79,700 2007 179 Samoa 66,270 2007 est. 180 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 57,520 2007 est. 181 Jersey 53,560 June 2006 182 Sao Tome and Principe 52,490 2007 183 Virgin Islands 49,820 2007 est. 184 Mayotte 44,560 2002 185 Monaco 44,000 2005 est. 186 Grenada 42,300 1996 187 Andorra 42,230 2007 188 Aruba 41,500 2004 est. 189 Tonga 39,960 2007 190 Isle of Man 39,690 2001 191 Seychelles 39,560 2006 192 Northern Mariana Islands 38,450 2005 est. 193 Bermuda 38,360 2004 194 Liechtenstein 32,440 2007 195 Greenland 32,120 2004 196 Guernsey 31,470 March 2006 197 Antigua and Barbuda 30,000 1991 198 Dominica 25,000 2000 est. 199 Faroe Islands 24,250 October 2000 200 Cayman Islands 23,450 2004 201 San Marino 22,660 2008 202 Saint Kitts and Nevis 18,170 June 1995 203 American Samoa 17,630 2005 204 Micronesia, Federated States of 16,360 2008 205 Marshall Islands 14,680 2000 206 British Virgin Islands 12,770 2004 207 Gibraltar 12,690 2001 208 Western Sahara 12,000 2005 est. 209 Palau 9,777 2005 210 Kiribati 7,870 2001 est. 211 Cook Islands 6,820 2001 212 Anguilla 6,049 2001 213 Turks and Caicos Islands 4,848 1990 est. 214 Tuvalu 3,615 2004 est. 215 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 3,450 2005 216 Wallis and Futuna 3,104 2003 217 Saint Helena 2,486 1998 est. 218 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 1,724 1996 219 Niue 663 2001 220 Tokelau 440 2001 221 Pitcairn Islands 15 2004

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Rank code: 2096

Country Comparison :: Land boundaries

This entry contains the total length of all land boundaries and the individual lengths for each of the contiguous border countries. When available, official lengths published by national statistical agencies are used. Because surveying methods may differ, country border lengths reported by contiguous countries may differ.

Rank country (km) Date of Information

1 China 22,117.00 NA 2 Russia 20,241.50 NA 3 Brazil 16,885.00 NA 4 India 14,103.00 NA 5 European Union 12,440.80 NA 6 Kazakhstan 12,185.00 NA 7 United States 12,034.00 NA 8 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 10,730.00 NA 9 Argentina 9,861.00 NA 10 Canada 8,893.00 NA 11 Canada 8,893.00 NA 12 United States 8,893.00 NA 13 Mongolia 8,220.00 NA 14 Sudan 7,687.00 NA 15 Peru 7,461.00 NA 16 Mali 7,243.00 NA 17 Bolivia 6,940.00 NA 18 Kazakhstan 6,846.00 NA 19 Russia 6,846.00 NA 20 Pakistan 6,774.00 NA 21 Algeria 6,343.00 NA 22 Chile 6,339.00 NA 23 Colombia 6,309.00 NA 24 Uzbekistan 6,221.00 NA 25 Chad 5,968.00 NA 26 Burma 5,876.00 NA 27 Niger 5,697.00 NA 28 Zambia 5,664.00 NA 29 Afghanistan 5,529.00 NA 30 Congo, Republic of the 5,504.00 NA 31 Iran 5,440.00 NA 32 Ethiopia 5,328.00 NA 33 Argentina 5,308.00 NA 34 Chile 5,308.00 NA 35 Central African Republic 5,203.00 NA 36 Angola 5,198.00 NA 37 Laos 5,083.00 NA 38 Mauritania 5,074.00 NA 39 Venezuela 4,993.00 NA 40 Thailand 4,863.00 NA 41 South Africa 4,862.00 NA 42 China 4,677.00 NA 43 Mongolia 4,677.00 NA 44 Vietnam 4,639.00 NA 45 Cameroon 4,591.00 NA 46 Mozambique 4,571.00 NA 47 Ukraine 4,566.00 NA 48 Saudi Arabia 4,431.00 NA 49 Mexico 4,353.00 NA 50 Libya 4,348.00 NA 51 Bangladesh 4,246.00 NA 52 Bangladesh 4,053.00 NA 53 India 4,053.00 NA 54 Nigeria 4,047.00 NA 55 Botswana 4,013.00 NA 56 Paraguay 3,995.00 NA 57 Namibia 3,936.00 NA 58 Tanzania 3,861.00 NA 59 Turkmenistan 3,736.00 NA 60 Tajikistan 3,651.00 NA 61 Iraq 3,650.00 NA 62 Germany 3,621.00 NA 63 China 3,605.00 NA 64 Russia 3,605.00 NA 65 Mongolia 3,543.00 NA 66 Kenya 3,477.00 NA 67 Russia 3,441.00 NA 68 Bolivia 3,423.00 NA 69 Brazil 3,423.00 NA 70 Guinea 3,399.00 NA 71 China 3,380.00 NA 72 India 3,380.00 NA 73 Belarus 3,306.00 NA 74 Burkina Faso 3,193.00 NA 75 Mexico 3,141.00 NA 76 United States 3,141.00 NA 77 Cote d'Ivoire 3,110.00 NA 78 Zimbabwe 3,066.00 NA 79 Kyrgyzstan 3,051.00 NA 80 Poland 3,047.00 NA 81 Brazil 2,995.00 NA 82 Peru 2,995.00 NA 83 Guyana 2,949.00 NA 84 Nepal 2,926.00 NA 85 India 2,912.00 NA 86 Pakistan 2,912.00 NA 87 France 2,889.00 NA 88 Malawi 2,881.00 NA 89 Indonesia 2,830.00 NA 90 Uganda 2,698.00 NA 91 Malaysia 2,669.00 NA 92 Egypt 2,665.00 NA 93 Finland 2,654.00 NA 94 Turkey 2,648.00 NA 95 Senegal 2,640.00 NA 96 Cambodia 2,572.00 NA 97 Austria 2,562.00 NA 98 Gabon 2,551.00 NA 99 Norway 2,542.00 NA 100 Angola 2,511.00 NA 101 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 2,511.00 NA 102 Romania 2,508.00 NA 103 Afghanistan 2,430.00 NA 104 Pakistan 2,430.00 NA 105 Congo, Republic of the 2,410.00 NA 106 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 2,410.00 NA 107 European Union 2,348.00 NA 108 Somalia 2,340.00 NA 109 European Union 2,257.00 NA 110 Syria 2,253.00 NA 111 Mali 2,237.00 NA 112 Mauritania 2,237.00 NA 113 Sweden 2,233.00 NA 114 Kazakhstan 2,203.00 NA 115 Uzbekistan 2,203.00 NA 116 Brazil 2,200.00 NA 117 Venezuela 2,200.00 NA 118 Burma 2,185.00 NA 119 China 2,185.00 NA 120 Hungary 2,185.00 NA 121 Laos 2,130.00 NA 122 Vietnam 2,130.00 NA 123 Ghana 2,094.00 NA 124 Colombia 2,050.00 NA 125 Venezuela 2,050.00 NA 126 Western Sahara 2,046.00 NA 127 Serbia 2,026.00 NA 128 Morocco 2,017.90 NA 129 Azerbaijan 2,013.00 NA 130 Ecuador 2,010.00 NA 131 Benin 1,989.00 NA 132 Czech Republic 1,989.00 NA 133 Croatia 1,982.00 NA 134 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 1,930.00 NA 135 Zambia 1,930.00 NA 136 Spain 1,917.80 NA 137 Congo, Republic of the 1,903.00 NA 138 Gabon 1,903.00 NA 139 Italy 1,899.20 NA 140 Argentina 1,880.00 NA 141 Paraguay 1,880.00 NA 142 Switzerland 1,852.00 NA 143 Botswana 1,840.00 NA 144 South Africa 1,840.00 NA 145 European Union 1,811.00 NA 146 Bulgaria 1,808.00 NA 147 Burma 1,800.00 NA 148 Colombia 1,800.00 NA 149 Thailand 1,800.00 NA 150 Peru 1,800.00 NA 151 Indonesia 1,782.00 NA 152 Malaysia 1,782.00 NA 153 Laos 1,754.00 NA 154 Thailand 1,754.00 NA 155 Yemen 1,746.00 NA 156 Suriname 1,703.00 NA 157 Cameroon 1,690.00 NA 158 India 1,690.00 NA 159 Nigeria 1,690.00 NA 160 Nepal 1,690.00 NA 161 Guatemala 1,687.00 NA 162 Korea, North 1,673.00 NA 163 Uruguay 1,648.00 NA 164 Togo 1,647.00 NA 165 Brazil 1,644.00 NA 166 Colombia 1,644.00 NA 167 Jordan 1,635.00 NA 168 Eritrea 1,626.00 NA 169 Turkmenistan 1,621.00 NA 170 Uzbekistan 1,621.00 NA 171 Norway 1,619.00 NA 172 Sweden 1,619.00 NA 173 Brazil 1,606.00 NA 174 Guyana 1,606.00 NA 175 Ethiopia 1,606.00 NA 176 Sudan 1,606.00 NA 177 Ethiopia 1,600.00 NA 178 Somalia 1,600.00 NA 179 Liberia 1,585.00 NA 180 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 1,577.00 NA 181 Central African Republic 1,577.00 NA 182 Russia 1,576.00 NA 183 Ukraine 1,576.00 NA 184 Lithuania 1,574.00 NA 185 Malawi 1,569.00 NA 186 Mozambique 1,569.00 NA 187 Mauritania 1,561.00 NA 188 Western Sahara 1,561.00 NA 189 Algeria 1,559.00 NA 190 Morocco 1,559.00 NA 191 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1,538.00 NA 192 China 1,533.00 NA 193 Kazakhstan 1,533.00 NA 194 Honduras 1,520.00 NA 195 Niger 1,497.00 NA 196 Nigeria 1,497.00 NA 197 Slovakia 1,474.00 NA 198 Burma 1,463.00 NA 199 India 1,463.00 NA 200 Georgia 1,461.00 NA 201 Iran 1,458.00 NA 202 Iraq 1,458.00 NA 203 Yemen 1,458.00 NA 204 Saudi Arabia 1,458.00 NA 205 Tunisia 1,424.00 NA 206 Ecuador 1,420.00 NA 207 Peru 1,420.00 NA 208 China 1,416.00 NA 209 Korea, North 1,416.00 NA 210 Moldova 1,390.00 NA 211 Belgium 1,385.00 NA 212 Latvia 1,382.00 NA 213 Algeria 1,376.00 NA 214 Mali 1,376.00 NA 215 Namibia 1,376.00 NA 216 Angola 1,376.00 NA 217 Oman 1,374.00 NA 218 Brazil 1,365.00 NA 219 Paraguay 1,365.00 NA 220 Botswana 1,360.00 NA 221 Chad 1,360.00 NA 222 Namibia 1,360.00 NA 223 Sudan 1,360.00 NA 224 Finland 1,313.00 NA 225 Russia 1,313.00 NA 226 China 1,281.00 NA 227 Vietnam 1,281.00 NA 228 Egypt 1,273.00 NA 229 Sudan 1,273.00 NA 230 Argentina 1,261.00 NA 231 Brazil 1,261.00 NA 232 European Union 1,257.00 NA 233 Armenia 1,254.00 NA 234 China 1,236.00 NA 235 Nepal 1,236.00 NA 236 Mozambique 1,231.00 NA 237 Nicaragua 1,231.00 NA 238 Zimbabwe 1,231.00 NA 239 Cambodia 1,228.00 NA 240 Greece 1,228.00 NA 241 Vietnam 1,228.00 NA 242 Kyrgyzstan 1,224.00 NA 243 Kazakhstan 1,224.00 NA 244 Portugal 1,214.00 NA 245 Spain 1,214.00 NA 246 Portugal 1,214.00 NA 247 Afghanistan 1,206.00 NA 248 Tajikistan 1,206.00 NA 249 Chad 1,197.00 NA 250 Central African Republic 1,197.00 NA 251 France 1,183.00 NA 252 Chad 1,175.00 NA 253 Niger 1,175.00 NA 254 Central African Republic 1,165.00 NA 255 Sudan 1,165.00 NA 256 Tajikistan 1,161.00 NA 257 Uzbekistan 1,161.00 NA 258 Egypt 1,115.00 NA 259 Libya 1,115.00 NA 260 Angola 1,110.00 NA 261 Zambia 1,110.00 NA 262 Kyrgyzstan 1,099.00 NA 263 Uzbekistan 1,099.00 NA 264 Chad 1,094.00 NA 265 Cameroon 1,094.00 NA 266 Slovenia 1,086.00 NA 267 Bolivia 1,075.00 NA 268 Bhutan 1,075.00 NA 269 Peru 1,075.00 NA 270 Brazil 1,068.00 NA 271 Uruguay 1,068.00 NA 272 Chad 1,055.00 NA 273 Libya 1,055.00 NA 274 European Union 1,050.00 NA 275 Netherlands 1,027.00 NA 276 Israel 1,017.00 NA 277 Mali 1,000.00 NA 278 Burkina Faso 1,000.00 NA 279 European Union 999.00 NA 280 Iran 992.00 NA 281 Turkmenistan 992.00 NA 282 Algeria 982.00 NA 283 Libya 982.00 NA 284 Burundi 974.00 NA 285 South Africa 967.00 NA 286 Namibia 967.00 NA 287 Algeria 965.00 NA 288 Tunisia 965.00 NA 289 Guatemala 962.00 NA 290 Mexico 962.00 NA 291 Belarus 959.00 NA 292 Russia 959.00 NA 293 Sierra Leone 958.00 NA 294 Algeria 956.00 NA 295 Niger 956.00 NA 296 European Union 945.00 NA 297 Moldova 940.00 NA 298 Ukraine 940.00 NA 299 Afghanistan 936.00 NA 300 Iran 936.00 NA 301 Kenya 933.00 NA 302 Uganda 933.00 NA 303 Bosnia and Herzegovina 932.00 NA 304 Croatia 932.00 NA 305 Honduras 922.00 NA 306 Nicaragua 922.00 NA 307 Eritrea 912.00 NA 308 Ethiopia 912.00 NA 309 Iran 909.00 NA 310 Pakistan 909.00 NA 311 South Africa 909.00 NA 312 Lesotho 909.00 NA 313 Lesotho 909.00 NA 314 Rwanda 893.00 NA 315 Belarus 891.00 NA 316 Ukraine 891.00 NA 317 Ghana 877.00 NA 318 Togo 877.00 NA 319 Kyrgyzstan 870.00 NA 320 Tajikistan 870.00 NA 321 United Arab Emirates 867.00 NA 322 Ethiopia 861.00 NA 323 Kenya 861.00 NA 324 Bolivia 860.00 NA 325 Chile 860.00 NA 326 China 858.00 NA 327 Guinea 858.00 NA 328 Mali 858.00 NA 329 Kyrgyzstan 858.00 NA 330 Malawi 837.00 NA 331 Zambia 837.00 NA 332 Argentina 832.00 NA 333 Bolivia 832.00 NA 334 Syria 822.00 NA 335 Turkey 822.00 NA 336 Mali 821.00 NA 337 Niger 821.00 NA 338 Indonesia 820.00 NA 339 Papua New Guinea 820.00 NA 340 Papua New Guinea 820.00 NA 341 Czech Republic 815.00 NA 342 Iraq 814.00 NA 343 Saudi Arabia 814.00 NA 344 Botswana 813.00 NA 345 Zimbabwe 813.00 NA 346 Senegal 813.00 NA 347 Mauritania 813.00 NA 348 Cambodia 803.00 NA 349 Thailand 803.00 NA 350 Cameroon 797.00 NA 351 Zimbabwe 797.00 NA 352 Central African Republic 797.00 NA 353 Zambia 797.00 NA 354 Austria 784.00 NA 355 Germany 784.00 NA 356 Benin 773.00 NA 357 Nigeria 773.00 NA 358 Kenya 769.00 NA 359 Tanzania 769.00 NA 360 Macedonia 766.00 NA 361 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 765.00 NA 362 Uganda 765.00 NA 363 Mozambique 756.00 NA 364 Tanzania 756.00 NA 365 Bolivia 750.00 NA 366 Paraguay 750.00 NA 367 Afghanistan 744.00 NA 368 Turkmenistan 744.00 NA 369 Saudi Arabia 744.00 NA 370 Jordan 744.00 NA 371 Guyana 743.00 NA 372 Venezuela 743.00 NA 373 Gambia, The 740.00 NA 374 Italy 740.00 NA 375 Senegal 740.00 NA 376 Switzerland 740.00 NA 377 Gambia, The 740.00 NA 378 Brazil 730.00 NA 379 Finland 727.00 NA 380 Norway 727.00 NA 381 Guinea-Bissau 724.00 NA 382 Georgia 723.00 NA 383 Russia 723.00 NA 384 Albania 717.00 NA 385 Cote d'Ivoire 716.00 NA 386 Liberia 716.00 NA 387 Kosovo 702.00 NA 388 Kenya 682.00 NA 389 Somalia 682.00 NA 390 Belarus 680.00 NA 391 Lithuania 680.00 NA 392 Hungary 676.00 NA 393 Saudi Arabia 676.00 NA 394 Oman 676.00 NA 395 Slovakia 676.00 NA 396 France 673.00 NA 397 Ghana 668.00 NA 398 Cote d'Ivoire 668.00 NA 399 Guinea 652.00 NA 400 Sierra Leone 652.00 NA 401 Germany 646.00 NA 402 Benin 644.00 NA 403 Togo 644.00 NA 404 Costa Rica 639.00 NA 405 Estonia 633.00 NA 406 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 628.00 NA 407 Sudan 628.00 NA 408 Niger 628.00 NA 409 Burkina Faso 628.00 NA 410 Montenegro 625.00 NA 411 France 623.00 NA 412 Spain 623.00 NA 413 Belgium 620.00 NA 414 France 620.00 NA 415 Czech Republic 615.00 NA 416 Poland 615.00 NA 417 Finland 614.00 NA 418 Sweden 614.00 NA 419 Guinea 610.00 NA 420 Cote d'Ivoire 610.00 NA 421 Bulgaria 608.00 NA 422 Romania 608.00 NA 423 Belarus 605.00 NA 424 India 605.00 NA 425 Syria 605.00 NA 426 Sudan 605.00 NA 427 Poland 605.00 NA 428 Iraq 605.00 NA 429 Bhutan 605.00 NA 430 Eritrea 605.00 NA 431 Guyana 600.00 NA 432 Suriname 600.00 NA 433 Brazil 593.00 NA 434 Suriname 593.00 NA 435 Colombia 590.00 NA 436 Ecuador 590.00 NA 437 Cote d'Ivoire 584.00 NA 438 Burkina Faso 584.00 NA 439 Argentina 580.00 NA 440 Uruguay 580.00 NA 441 Germany 577.00 NA 442 Netherlands 577.00 NA 443 Latvia 576.00 NA 444 Lithuania 576.00 NA 445 France 573.00 NA 446 Switzerland 573.00 NA 447 Azerbaijan 566.00 NA 448 Armenia 566.00 NA 449 Guinea 563.00 NA 450 Liberia 563.00 NA 451 Panama 555.00 NA 452 Ghana 549.00 NA 453 Burkina Faso 549.00 NA 454 El Salvador 545.00 NA 455 Cambodia 541.00 NA 456 Laos 541.00 NA 457 Equatorial Guinea 539.00 NA 458 Swaziland 535.00 NA 459 Cote d'Ivoire 532.00 NA 460 Mali 532.00 NA 461 Congo, Republic of the 523.00 NA 462 Pakistan 523.00 NA 463 Cameroon 523.00 NA 464 China 523.00 NA 465 Belize 516.00 NA 466 Djibouti 516.00 NA 467 France 510.00 NA 468 Suriname 510.00 NA 469 Malaysia 506.00 NA 470 Thailand 506.00 NA 471 Iran 499.00 NA 472 Turkey 499.00 NA 473 Bulgaria 494.00 NA 474 Greece 494.00 NA 475 Mozambique 491.00 NA 476 South Africa 491.00 NA 477 France 488.00 NA 478 Italy 488.00 NA 479 Serbia 476.00 NA 480 Romania 476.00 NA 481 Malawi 475.00 NA 482 Tanzania 475.00 NA 483 Bhutan 470.00 NA 484 China 470.00 NA 485 Congo, Republic of the 467.00 NA 486 Central African Republic 467.00 NA 487 Algeria 463.00 NA 488 Mauritania 463.00 NA 489 Kuwait 462.00 NA 490 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 459.00 NA 491 Tanzania 459.00 NA 492 Libya 459.00 NA 493 Tunisia 459.00 NA 494 United Arab Emirates 457.00 NA 495 Saudi Arabia 457.00 NA 496 Germany 456.00 NA 497 Poland 456.00 NA 498 Croatia 455.00 NA 499 Slovenia 455.00 NA 500 Lebanon 454.00 NA 501 Burundi 451.00 NA 502 France 451.00 NA 503 Tanzania 451.00 NA 504 Germany 451.00 NA 505 Belgium 450.00 NA 506 Moldova 450.00 NA 507 Netherlands 450.00 NA 508 Romania 450.00 NA 509 European Union 450.00 NA 510 European Union 446.00 NA 511 Hungary 443.00 NA 512 Western Sahara 443.00 NA 513 Morocco 443.00 NA 514 Romania 443.00 NA 515 Sudan 435.00 NA 516 Uganda 435.00 NA 517 Azerbaijan 432.00 NA 518 Iran 432.00 NA 519 Russia 432.00 NA 520 Poland 432.00 NA 521 Austria 430.00 NA 522 Swaziland 430.00 NA 523 South Africa 430.00 NA 524 Italy 430.00 NA 525 Poland 428.00 NA 526 Ukraine 428.00 NA 527 China 423.00 NA 528 Laos 423.00 NA 529 Slovakia 420.00 NA 530 Poland 420.00 NA 531 Mali 419.00 NA 532 Zambia 419.00 NA 533 Senegal 419.00 NA 534 Mozambique 419.00 NA 535 China 414.00 NA 536 Tajikistan 414.00 NA 537 United Arab Emirates 410.00 NA 538 Oman 410.00 NA 539 West Bank 404.00 NA 540 Tanzania 396.00 NA 541 Uganda 396.00 NA 542 European Union 394.00 NA 543 Guinea 386.00 NA 544 Guinea-Bissau 386.00 NA 545 Libya 383.00 NA 546 Sudan 383.00 NA 547 Brunei 381.00 NA 548 Brunei 381.00 NA 549 Malaysia 381.00 NA 550 Kazakhstan 379.00 NA 551 Turkmenistan 379.00 NA 552 Jordan 375.00 NA 553 Syria 375.00 NA 554 Lebanon 375.00 NA 555 Syria 375.00 NA 556 Austria 366.00 NA 557 Hungary 366.00 NA 558 Austria 362.00 NA 559 Romania 362.00 NA 560 Ukraine 362.00 NA 561 Czech Republic 362.00 NA 562 Dominican Republic 360.00 NA 563 Haiti 360.00 NA 564 United Kingdom 360.00 NA 565 United Kingdom 360.00 NA 566 Haiti 360.00 NA 567 Ireland 360.00 NA 568 Dominican Republic 360.00 NA 569 Ireland 360.00 NA 570 Luxembourg 359.00 NA 571 Bosnia and Herzegovina 357.00 NA 572 Libya 354.00 NA 573 Niger 354.00 NA 574 Iraq 352.00 NA 575 Kosovo 352.00 NA 576 Turkey 352.00 NA 577 Serbia 352.00 NA 578 Equatorial Guinea 350.00 NA 579 Gabon 350.00 NA 580 Djibouti 349.00 NA 581 Ethiopia 349.00 NA 582 Estonia 343.00 NA 583 Latvia 343.00 NA 584 El Salvador 342.00 NA 585 Honduras 342.00 NA 586 Guinea-Bissau 338.00 NA 587 Zambia 338.00 NA 588 Tanzania 338.00 NA 589 Senegal 338.00 NA 590 Germany 334.00 NA 591 Switzerland 334.00 NA 592 Austria 330.00 NA 593 Costa Rica 330.00 NA 594 Slovenia 330.00 NA 595 Senegal 330.00 NA 596 Panama 330.00 NA 597 Guinea 330.00 NA 598 Croatia 329.00 NA 599 Hungary 329.00 NA 600 Azerbaijan 322.00 NA 601 Georgia 322.00 NA 602 Bulgaria 318.00 NA 603 Serbia 318.00 NA 604 Costa Rica 309.00 NA 605 Nicaragua 309.00 NA 606 Israel 307.00 NA 607 West Bank 307.00 NA 608 Benin 306.00 NA 609 Sierra Leone 306.00 NA 610 Liberia 306.00 NA 611 Burkina Faso 306.00 NA 612 Serbia 302.00 NA 613 Cameroon 298.00 NA 614 Gabon 298.00 NA 615 Latvia 292.00 NA 616 Russia 292.00 NA 617 Burundi 290.00 NA 618 Russia 290.00 NA 619 Rwanda 290.00 NA 620 Estonia 290.00 NA 621 Oman 288.00 NA 622 Yemen 288.00 NA 623 Azerbaijan 284.00 NA 624 Russia 284.00 NA 625 Albania 282.00 NA 626 European Union 282.00 NA 627 Greece 282.00 NA 628 Armenia 268.00 NA 629 Turkey 268.00 NA 630 Belize 266.00 NA 631 Guatemala 266.00 NA 632 Niger 266.00 NA 633 Israel 266.00 NA 634 Benin 266.00 NA 635 Egypt 266.00 NA 636 Guatemala 256.00 NA 637 Honduras 256.00 NA 638 Georgia 252.00 NA 639 Turkey 252.00 NA 640 Belize 250.00 NA 641 Mexico 250.00 NA 642 Bosnia and Herzegovina 249.00 NA 643 Greece 246.00 NA 644 Macedonia 246.00 NA 645 Croatia 241.00 NA 646 Serbia 241.00 NA 647 Bulgaria 240.00 NA 648 Kuwait 240.00 NA 649 Iraq 240.00 NA 650 Turkey 240.00 NA 651 Israel 238.00 NA 652 Jordan 238.00 NA 653 Korea, South 238.00 NA 654 Korea, South 238.00 NA 655 Korea, North 238.00 NA 656 Burma 235.00 NA 657 Laos 235.00 NA 658 Burundi 233.00 NA 659 Zambia 233.00 NA 660 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 233.00 NA 661 Namibia 233.00 NA 662 Kenya 232.00 NA 663 Sudan 232.00 NA 664 Indonesia 228.00 NA 665 Timor-Leste 228.00 NA 666 Timor-Leste 228.00 NA 667 Lithuania 227.00 NA 668 Russia 227.00 NA 669 Colombia 225.00 NA 670 Zimbabwe 225.00 NA 671 Panama 225.00 NA 672 South Africa 225.00 NA 673 Montenegro 225.00 NA 674 Kuwait 222.00 NA 675 Saudi Arabia 222.00 NA 676 Azerbaijan 221.00 NA 677 Armenia 221.00 NA 678 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 217.00 NA 679 Rwanda 217.00 NA 680 Rwanda 217.00 NA 681 Tanzania 217.00 NA 682 Greece 206.00 NA 683 Turkey 206.00 NA 684 El Salvador 203.00 NA 685 Guatemala 203.00 NA 686 Angola 201.00 NA 687 Congo, Republic of the 201.00 NA 688 Italy 199.00 NA 689 Slovenia 199.00 NA 690 Czech Republic 197.00 NA 691 Slovakia 197.00 NA 692 Norway 196.00 NA 693 Russia 196.00 NA 694 Bangladesh 193.00 NA 695 Burma 193.00 NA 696 Cameroon 189.00 NA 697 Equatorial Guinea 189.00 NA 698 Iraq 181.00 NA 699 Jordan 181.00 NA 700 Azerbaijan 179.00 NA 701 Iran 179.00 NA 702 Ukraine 176.00 NA 703 Albania 172.00 NA 704 Montenegro 172.00 NA 705 Belarus 171.00 NA 706 Latvia 171.00 NA 707 Chile 171.00 NA 708 Peru 171.00 NA 709 Romania 169.00 NA 710 Uganda 169.00 NA 711 Rwanda 169.00 NA 712 Belgium 167.00 NA 713 Germany 167.00 NA 714 Hungary 166.00 NA 715 Armenia 164.00 NA 716 Switzerland 164.00 NA 717 Georgia 164.00 NA 718 Austria 164.00 NA 719 Kosovo 159.00 NA 720 Macedonia 159.00 NA 721 Albania 151.00 NA 722 Macedonia 151.00 NA 723 Serbia 151.00 NA 724 Cyprus 150.40 NA 725 Belgium 148.00 NA 726 Macedonia 148.00 NA 727 Luxembourg 148.00 NA 728 Bulgaria 148.00 NA 729 Germany 138.00 NA 730 Luxembourg 138.00 NA 731 Afghanistan 137.00 NA 732 Uzbekistan 137.00 NA 733 Togo 126.00 NA 734 Burkina Faso 126.00 NA 735 Montenegro 124.00 NA 736 Serbia 124.00 NA 737 Andorra 120.30 NA 738 European Union 120.30 NA 739 Albania 112.00 NA 740 Kosovo 112.00 NA 741 Djibouti 109.00 NA 742 Eritrea 109.00 NA 743 Mozambique 105.00 NA 744 Swaziland 105.00 NA 745 Dhekelia 103.00 NA 746 Hungary 103.00 NA 747 Ukraine 103.00 NA 748 Dhekelia 103.00 NA 749 Hungary 102.00 NA 750 Slovenia 102.00 NA 751 Jordan 97.00 NA 752 West Bank 97.00 NA 753 Austria 91.00 NA 754 Slovakia 91.00 NA 755 Poland 91.00 NA 756 Lithuania 91.00 NA 757 Slovakia 90.00 NA 758 Ukraine 90.00 NA 759 Chad 87.00 NA 760 Nigeria 87.00 NA 761 Israel 79.00 NA 762 Kosovo 79.00 NA 763 Montenegro 79.00 NA 764 Lebanon 79.00 NA 765 Afghanistan 76.00 NA 766 Syria 76.00 NA 767 Liechtenstein 76.00 NA 768 Israel 76.00 NA 769 China 76.00 NA 770 France 73.00 NA 771 Luxembourg 73.00 NA 772 Denmark 68.00 NA 773 Denmark 68.00 NA 774 Germany 68.00 NA 775 Andorra 63.70 NA 776 Spain 63.70 NA 777 Gaza Strip 62.00 NA 778 Macedonia 62.00 NA 779 Serbia 62.00 NA 780 Qatar 60.00 NA 781 Qatar 60.00 NA 782 Saudi Arabia 60.00 NA 783 Djibouti 58.00 NA 784 Somalia 58.00 NA 785 Andorra 56.60 NA 786 France 56.60 NA 787 Gaza Strip 51.00 NA 788 Israel 51.00 NA 789 Akrotiri 47.40 NA 790 Akrotiri 47.40 NA 791 Algeria 42.00 NA 792 Western Sahara 42.00 NA 793 Liechtenstein 41.10 NA 794 Switzerland 41.00 NA 795 China 40.00 NA 796 Russia 40.00 NA 797 European Union 39.00 NA 798 Italy 39.00 NA 799 San Marino 39.00 NA 800 San Marino 39.00 NA 801 Armenia 35.00 NA 802 Austria 35.00 NA 803 Iran 35.00 NA 804 European Union 34.90 NA 805 Liechtenstein 34.90 NA 806 China 30.00 NA 807 Hong Kong 30.00 NA 808 Hong Kong 30.00 NA 809 Cuba 29.00 NA 810 Cuba 29.00 NA 811 Croatia 25.00 NA 812 Montenegro 25.00 NA 813 Korea, North 19.00 NA 814 Russia 17.50 NA 815 Netherlands Antilles 15.00 NA 816 Saint Martin 15.00 NA 817 Saint Martin 15.00 NA 818 Netherlands Antilles 15.00 NA 819 Egypt 11.00 NA 820 Gaza Strip 11.00 NA 821 Morocco 9.60 NA 822 Spain 9.60 NA 823 Azerbaijan 9.00 NA 824 Turkey 9.00 NA 825 Morocco 6.30 NA 826 Spain 6.30 NA 827 European Union 4.40 NA 828 France 4.40 NA 829 Monaco 4.40 NA 830 Monaco 4.40 NA 831 European Union 3.20 NA 832 Italy 3.20 NA 833 Holy See (Vatican City) 3.20 NA 834 Holy See (Vatican City) 3.20 NA 835 Gibraltar 1.20 NA 836 Spain 1.20 NA 837 Gibraltar 1.20 NA 838 China 0.34 NA 839 Macau 0.34 NA 840 Macau 0.34 NA 841 Aruba 0.00 NA 842 American Samoa 0.00 NA 843 Australia 0.00 NA 844 Antarctica 0.00 NA 845 Barbados 0.00 NA 846 Bahamas, The 0.00 NA 847 Navassa Island 0.00 NA 848 Sri Lanka 0.00 NA 849 Niue 0.00 NA 850 New Caledonia 0.00 NA 851 Maldives 0.00 NA 852 Malta 0.00 NA 853 Mauritius 0.00 NA 854 Montserrat 0.00 NA 855 Mayotte 0.00 NA 856 Madagascar 0.00 NA 857 Jamaica 0.00 NA 858 Sao Tome and Principe 0.00 NA 859 Tonga 0.00 NA 860 Tokelau 0.00 NA 861 Turks and Caicos Islands 0.00 NA 862 Trinidad and Tobago 0.00 NA 863 Saint Barthelemy 0.00 NA 864 South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands0.00 NA 865 Svalbard 0.00 NA 866 Saint Lucia 0.00 NA 867 Samoa 0.00 NA 868 Wake Island 0.00 NA 869 Wallis and Futuna 0.00 NA 870 Virgin Islands 0.00 NA 871 British Virgin Islands 0.00 NA 872 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 0.00 NA 873 Taiwan 0.00 NA 874 Tuvalu 0.00 NA 875 Singapore 0.00 NA 876 Saint Helena 0.00 NA 877 Seychelles 0.00 NA 878 Saint Kitts and Nevis 0.00 NA 879 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 0.00 NA 880 Puerto Rico 0.00 NA 881 Philippines 0.00 NA 882 Marshall Islands 0.00 NA 883 Palau 0.00 NA 884 Spratly Islands 0.00 NA 885 Paracel Islands 0.00 NA 886 Pitcairn Islands 0.00 NA 887 New Zealand 0.00 NA 888 Nauru 0.00 NA 889 Vanuatu 0.00 NA 890 Norfolk Island 0.00 NA 891 Jersey 0.00 NA 892 Japan 0.00 NA 893 Clipperton Island 0.00 NA 894 British Indian Ocean Territory 0.00 NA 895 Isle of Man 0.00 NA 896 Iceland 0.00 NA 897 Heard Island and McDonald Islands 0.00 NA 898 Fiji 0.00 NA 899 Christmas Island 0.00 NA 900 Kiribati 0.00 NA 901 Jan Mayen 0.00 NA 902 Dominica 0.00 NA 903 Cook Islands 0.00 NA 904 Cape Verde 0.00 NA 905 Coral Sea Islands 0.00 NA 906 Northern Mariana Islands 0.00 NA 907 Comoros 0.00 NA 908 Cocos (Keeling) Islands 0.00 NA 909 Cayman Islands 0.00 NA 910 Greenland 0.00 NA 911 Guernsey 0.00 NA 912 Grenada 0.00 NA 913 French Southern and Antarctic Lands0.00 NA 914 French Polynesia 0.00 NA 915 Faroe Islands 0.00 NA 916 Micronesia, Federated States of 0.00 NA 917 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 0.00 NA 918 Bouvet Island 0.00 NA 919 Solomon Islands 0.00 NA 920 Bermuda 0.00 NA 921 Bahrain 0.00 NA 922 Anguilla 0.00 NA 923 Ashmore and Cartier Islands 0.00 NA 924 Antigua and Barbuda 0.00 NA

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Rank code: 2097

Country Comparison :: Land use

This entry contains the percentage shares of total land area for three different types of land use: arable land - land cultivated for crops like wheat, maize, and rice that are replanted after each harvest; permanent crops - land cultivated for crops like citrus, coffee, and rubber that are not replanted after each harvest; includes land under flowering shrubs, fruit trees, nut trees, and vines, but excludes land under trees grown for wood or timber; other - any land not arable or under permanent crops; includes permanent meadows and pastures, forests and woodlands, built-on areas, roads, barren land, etc.

Rank country (%) Date of Information

1 Ashmore and Cartier Islands 100.00 2005 2 Anguilla 100.00 2005 3 Navassa Island 100.00 2005 4 Antarctica 100.00 2005 5 Bouvet Island 100.00 2005 6 Cocos (Keeling) Islands 100.00 2005 7 Coral Sea Islands 100.00 2005 8 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 100.00 2005 9 Gibraltar 100.00 2005 10 South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands100.00 2005 11 Svalbard 100.00 2005 12 Spratly Islands 100.00 2005 13 Paracel Islands 100.00 2005 14 Nauru 100.00 2005 15 Norfolk Island 100.00 2005 16 Monaco 100.00 2005 17 Macau 100.00 2005 18 Christmas Island 100.00 2005 19 Wake Island 100.00 2005 20 Holy See (Vatican City) 100.00 2005 21 United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges100.00 2008 22 Tokelau 100.00 2005 23 Jan Mayen 100.00 2005 24 Jersey 100.00 2005 25 Clipperton Island 100.00 2005 26 British Indian Ocean Territory 100.00 2005 27 Heard Island and McDonald Islands 100.00 2005 28 Greenland 100.00 2005 29 Western Sahara 99.98 2005 30 Djibouti 99.96 2005 31 Iceland 99.93 2005 32 Mauritania 99.79 2005 33 Oman 99.74 2005 34 Suriname 99.58 2005 35 New Caledonia 99.46 2005 36 Botswana 99.34 2005 37 Mongolia 99.24 2005 38 Bahamas, The 99.13 2005 39 Namibia 99.00 2005 40 Kuwait 98.99 2005 41 Libya 98.78 2005 42 Congo, Republic of the 98.40 2005 43 Somalia 98.32 2005 44 Saudi Arabia 98.24 2005 45 Gabon 98.15 2005 46 Papua New Guinea 98.11 2005 47 Qatar 98.09 2005 48 Andorra 97.87 2005 49 Faroe Islands 97.86 2005 50 Turks and Caicos Islands 97.67 2005 51 Guyana 97.63 2005 52 Solomon Islands 97.34 2005 53 Norway 97.30 2005 54 Bhutan 97.27 2005 55 Chad 97.18 2005 56 Angola 97.12 2005 57 Singapore 97.06 2005 58 Brunei 97.05 2005 59 Bolivia 97.03 2005 60 United Arab Emirates 96.96 2005 61 Chile 96.95 2005 62 Yemen 96.84 2005 63 Central African Republic 96.75 2005 64 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 96.67 2005 65 Peru 96.65 2005 66 Colombia 96.62 2005 67 Egypt 96.58 2005 68 Algeria 96.55 2005 69 Venezuela 96.27 2005 70 Mali 96.21 2005 71 Cayman Islands 96.15 2005 72 Laos 95.65 2005 73 Belize 95.56 2005 74 Jordan 95.50 2005 75 Turkmenistan 95.35 2005 76 Eritrea 95.19 2005 77 Canada 94.78 2005 78 Tanzania 94.61 2005 79 Liberia 94.59 2005 80 Mozambique 94.28 2005 81 Sweden 94.06 2005 82 Madagascar 93.95 2005 83 Hong Kong 93.94 2001 84 Australia 93.81 2005 85 French Polynesia 93.75 2005 86 Finland 93.44 2005 87 Kyrgyzstan 93.17 2005 88 Sudan 93.05 2005 89 Zambia 92.97 2005 90 Guinea 92.89 2005 91 Russia 92.72 2005 92 Tajikistan 92.59 2005 93 Paraguay 92.29 2005 94 Brazil 92.18 2005 95 Uruguay 91.99 2005 96 Equatorial Guinea 91.80 2005 97 Kazakhstan 91.67 2005 98 Bahrain 91.55 2005 99 Virgin Islands 91.43 2005 100 Zimbabwe 91.43 2005 101 Vanuatu 91.39 2005 102 Kenya 91.02 2005 103 Isle of Man 91.00 2002 104 Sierra Leone 91.00 2005 105 Panama 90.79 2005 106 Puerto Rico 90.72 2005 107 Slovenia 90.04 2005 108 Netherlands Antilles 90.00 2005 109 Costa Rica 89.73 2005 110 Argentina 89.61 2005 111 Switzerland 89.51 2005 112 Ecuador 89.48 2005 113 Aruba 89.47 2005 114 Ethiopia 89.34 2005 115 Lesotho 89.00 2005 116 Swaziland 88.94 2005 117 Iran 88.93 2005 118 Uzbekistan 88.73 2005 119 Niger 88.56 2005 120 Cape Verde 87.85 2005 121 Afghanistan 87.66 2005 122 Estonia 87.60 2005 123 New Zealand 87.54 2005 124 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 87.50 2005 125 Japan 87.46 2005 126 Honduras 87.26 2005 127 Senegal 87.25 2005 128 Timor-Leste 87.23 2005 129 South Africa 87.11 2005 130 Saint Helena 87.10 2005 131 Palau 86.95 2005 132 Iraq 86.27 2005 133 Mexico 86.06 2005 134 Montenegro 85.30 NA 135 Cameroon 84.94 2005 136 Cyprus 84.87 2005 137 Seychelles 84.79 2005 138 Guinea-Bissau 84.77 2005 139 Georgia 84.70 2005 140 Fiji 84.40 2005 141 China 83.87 2005 142 Burma 83.77 2005 143 Nicaragua 83.37 2005 144 San Marino 83.33 2005 145 Ireland 83.15 2005 146 Nepal 83.08 2005 147 Northern Mariana Islands 82.61 2005 148 Austria 82.56 2005 149 Burkina Faso 82.12 2005 150 Indonesia 81.93 2005 151 United States 81.78 2005 152 Korea, South 81.41 2005 153 Armenia 81.21 2005 154 Guatemala 81.18 2005 155 Israel 80.67 2005 156 Bermuda 80.00 2005 157 Montserrat 80.00 2005 158 Morocco 79.00 2005 159 Cambodia 78.97 2005 160 Cote d'Ivoire 78.61 2005 161 Bosnia and Herzegovina 78.50 2005 162 Malawi 78.14 2005 163 Saint Kitts and Nevis 77.78 2005 164 Antigua and Barbuda 77.27 2005 165 Netherlands 77.27 2005 166 Malaysia 77.00 2005 167 Azerbaijan 76.77 2005 168 United Kingdom 76.57 2005 169 Trinidad and Tobago 76.22 2005 170 Macedonia 76.20 2005 171 Korea, North 75.94 2005 172 Albania 75.69 2005 173 American Samoa 75.00 2005 174 Liechtenstein 75.00 2005 175 Taiwan 75.00 2001 176 Cook Islands 75.00 2005 177 Portugal 74.87 2005 178 Pakistan 74.72 2005 179 Jamaica 74.16 2005 180 Benin 74.10 2005 181 British Virgin Islands 73.33 2005 182 Ghana 73.24 2005 183 Niue 73.08 2005 184 Vietnam 72.93 2005 185 Belarus 72.63 2005 186 Dominica 72.00 2005 187 Croatia 71.99 2005 188 Belgium 71.89 2005 189 Luxembourg 71.89 2005 190 Gambia, The 71.68 2005 191 Latvia 71.36 2005 192 Saint Lucia 70.97 2005 193 Greece 70.96 2005 194 Sri Lanka 70.80 2005 195 Syria 70.73 2005 196 Lebanon 69.90 2005 197 Tunisia 69.87 2005 198 Uganda 69.51 2005 199 Bulgaria 68.16 2005 200 Slovakia 68.10 2005 201 Dominican Republic 67.25 2005 202 Turkey 66.80 2005 203 Tuvalu 66.67 2005 204 Germany 66.27 2005 205 Cuba 65.83 2005 206 Malta 65.62 2005 207 Thailand 65.53 2005 208 Tonga 65.33 2005 209 Grenada 64.71 2005 210 France 64.51 2005 211 Italy 64.50 2005 212 Philippines 64.33 2005 213 West Bank 64.13 2001 214 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 64.10 2005 215 Nigeria 63.84 2005 216 Spain 62.97 2005 217 Barbados 60.46 2005 218 Haiti 60.36 2005 219 Poland 58.75 2005 220 Romania 58.59 2005 221 Czech Republic 58.18 2005 222 Wallis and Futuna 57.15 2005 223 El Salvador 56.75 2005 224 Maldives 56.67 2005 225 Bangladesh 55.39 2005 226 Samoa 54.57 2005 227 Moldova 54.52 2005 228 Lithuania 54.29 2005 229 Ukraine 53.80 2005 230 Togo 53.69 2005 231 Denmark 52.59 2005 232 Burundi 51.31 2005 233 Gaza Strip 50.00 2002 234 Hungary 49.58 2005 235 Kiribati 49.31 2005 236 Mauritius 49.02 2005 237 Sao Tome and Principe 48.96 2005 238 India 48.83 2005 239 Micronesia, Federated States of 48.58 2005 240 India 48.37 2005 241 Hungary 48.36 2005 242 Mauritius 48.04 2005 243 Kiribati 47.95 2005 244 Denmark 47.22 2005 245 Micronesia, Federated States of 45.71 2005 246 Rwanda 45.56 2005 247 Lithuania 44.81 2005 248 Ukraine 44.70 2005 249 Marshall Islands 44.45 2005 250 Marshall Islands 44.44 2005 251 Togo 44.20 2005 252 Rwanda 44.19 2005 253 Sao Tome and Principe 42.71 2005 254 Bangladesh 41.53 2005 255 Comoros 40.81 2005 256 Poland 40.25 2005 257 Romania 39.49 2005 258 Czech Republic 38.82 2005 259 Barbados 37.21 2005 260 Moldova 36.67 2005 261 Comoros 35.87 2005 262 Wallis and Futuna 35.71 2005 263 Burundi 35.57 2005 264 France 33.46 2005 265 Tuvalu 33.33 2005 266 Germany 33.13 2005 267 Nigeria 33.02 2005 268 El Salvador 31.37 2005 269 Malta 31.25 2005 270 Maldives 30.00 2005 271 Bulgaria 29.94 2005 272 Turkey 29.81 2005 273 Grenada 29.41 2005 274 Slovakia 29.23 2005 275 Gaza Strip 29.00 2002 276 Latvia 28.19 2005 277 Haiti 28.11 2005 278 Gambia, The 27.88 2005 279 Cuba 27.63 2005 280 Thailand 27.54 2005 281 Belgium 27.42 2005 282 Luxembourg 27.42 2005 283 Spain 27.18 2005 284 Belarus 26.77 2005 285 Italy 26.41 2005 286 Croatia 25.82 2005 287 Liechtenstein 25.00 2005 288 Syria 24.80 2005 289 Pakistan 24.44 2005 290 Samoa 24.30 2005 291 Taiwan 24.00 2001 292 Benin 23.53 2005 293 Comoros 23.32 2005 294 United Kingdom 23.23 2005 295 Saint Lucia 22.58 2005 296 Dominican Republic 22.49 2005 297 Korea, North 22.40 2005 298 Macedonia 22.01 2005 299 Netherlands 21.96 2005 300 Uganda 21.57 2005 301 Dominica 21.33 2005 302 Samoa 21.13 2005 303 Gaza Strip 21.00 2002 304 Malawi 20.68 2005 305 Azerbaijan 20.62 2005 306 Greece 20.45 2005 307 Cambodia 20.44 2005 308 Vietnam 20.14 2005 309 Albania 20.10 2005 310 Bermuda 20.00 2005 311 British Virgin Islands 20.00 2005 312 Montserrat 20.00 2005 313 Tonga 20.00 2005 314 Bosnia and Herzegovina 19.61 2005 315 Saint Kitts and Nevis 19.44 2005 316 Morocco 19.00 2005 317 Philippines 19.00 2005 318 West Bank 18.97 2001 319 Antigua and Barbuda 18.18 2005 320 United States 18.01 2005 321 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 17.95 2005 322 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 17.95 2005 323 Burkina Faso 17.66 2005 324 Ghana 17.54 2005 325 Malaysia 17.54 2005 326 Portugal 17.29 2005 327 Tunisia 17.05 2005 328 West Bank 16.90 2001 329 Ireland 16.82 2005 330 Armenia 16.78 2005 331 Cook Islands 16.67 2005 332 San Marino 16.67 2005 333 Philippines 16.67 2005 334 Austria 16.59 2005 335 Korea, South 16.58 2005 336 Lebanon 16.35 2005 337 Nepal 16.07 2005 338 Jamaica 15.83 2005 339 Israel 15.45 2005 340 Niue 15.38 2005 341 Sri Lanka 15.24 2005 342 American Samoa 15.00 2005 343 Burma 14.92 2005 344 China 14.86 2005 345 Nicaragua 14.81 2005 346 Tonga 14.67 2005 347 Trinidad and Tobago 14.62 2005 348 Sri Lanka 13.96 2005 349 Lebanon 13.75 2005 350 Montenegro 13.70 NA 351 Maldives 13.33 2005 352 Guatemala 13.22 2005 353 Burundi 13.12 2005 354 Iraq 13.12 2005 355 Tunisia 13.08 2005 356 Northern Mariana Islands 13.04 2005 357 Seychelles 13.04 2005 358 Saint Helena 12.90 2005 359 Mexico 12.66 2005 360 Cameroon 12.54 2005 361 Senegal 12.51 2005 362 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 12.50 2005 363 Afghanistan 12.13 2005 364 South Africa 12.10 2005 365 Estonia 12.05 2005 366 El Salvador 11.88 2005 367 Japan 11.64 2005 368 Niue 11.54 2005 369 Haiti 11.53 2005 370 Georgia 11.51 2005 371 Niger 11.43 2005 372 Cape Verde 11.41 2005 373 Cote d'Ivoire 11.16 2005 374 Marshall Islands 11.11 2005 375 Indonesia 11.03 2005 376 Fiji 10.95 2005 377 Lesotho 10.87 2005 378 Cyprus 10.81 2005 379 Aruba 10.53 2005 380 Uzbekistan 10.51 2005 381 Dominican Republic 10.26 2005 382 Rwanda 10.25 2005 383 Swaziland 10.25 2005 384 Cote d'Ivoire 10.23 2005 385 Argentina 10.03 2005 386 Ethiopia 10.01 2005 387 Jamaica 10.01 2005 388 American Samoa 10.00 2005 389 Netherlands Antilles 10.00 2005 390 Switzerland 9.91 2005 391 Spain 9.85 2005 392 Iran 9.78 2005 393 Honduras 9.53 2005 394 Ghana 9.22 2005 395 Trinidad and Tobago 9.16 2005 396 Italy 9.09 2005 397 Isle of Man 9.00 2002 398 Uganda 8.92 2005 399 Moldova 8.81 2005 400 Palau 8.70 2005 401 Greece 8.59 2005 402 Slovenia 8.53 2005 403 Cook Islands 8.33 2005 404 Sao Tome and Principe 8.33 2005 405 Guinea-Bissau 8.31 2005 406 Kazakhstan 8.28 2005 407 Zimbabwe 8.24 2005 408 Timor-Leste 8.20 2005 409 Kenya 8.01 2005 410 Sierra Leone 7.95 2005 411 Portugal 7.84 2005 412 Uruguay 7.77 2005 413 Paraguay 7.47 2005 414 Panama 7.26 2005 415 Russia 7.17 2005 416 Wallis and Futuna 7.14 2005 417 Indonesia 7.04 2005 418 Zambia 6.99 2005 419 Vanuatu 6.97 2005 420 Brazil 6.93 2005 421 Thailand 6.93 2005 422 Vietnam 6.93 2005 423 New Zealand 6.92 2005 424 Guinea-Bissau 6.92 2005 425 Sudan 6.78 2005 426 Dominica 6.67 2005 427 British Virgin Islands 6.67 2005 428 Kyrgyzstan 6.55 2005 429 Cuba 6.54 2005 430 Finland 6.54 2005 431 Tajikistan 6.52 2005 432 Saint Lucia 6.45 2005 433 Australia 6.15 2005 434 Sweden 5.93 2005 435 Grenada 5.88 2005 436 Costa Rica 5.87 2005 437 Ecuador 5.71 2005 438 Virgin Islands 5.71 2005 439 Micronesia, Federated States of 5.71 2005 440 Bahrain 5.63 2005 441 Guatemala 5.60 2005 442 Puerto Rico 5.59 2005 443 New Zealand 5.54 2005 444 French Polynesia 5.50 2005 445 Malaysia 5.46 2005 446 Mozambique 5.43 2005 447 Hong Kong 5.05 2001 448 Madagascar 5.03 2005 449 Ecuador 4.81 2005 450 Eritrea 4.78 2005 451 Fiji 4.65 2005 452 Equatorial Guinea 4.63 2005 453 Canada 4.57 2005 454 Timor-Leste 4.57 2005 455 Antigua and Barbuda 4.55 2005 456 Turkmenistan 4.51 2005 457 Guinea 4.47 2005 458 Syria 4.47 2005 459 Costa Rica 4.40 2005 460 Northern Mariana Islands 4.35 2005 461 Palau 4.35 2005 462 Cyprus 4.32 2005 463 Tanzania 4.23 2005 464 Albania 4.21 2005 465 Laos 4.01 2005 466 Israel 3.88 2005 467 Cayman Islands 3.85 2005 468 Georgia 3.79 2005 469 Mali 3.76 2005 470 Puerto Rico 3.69 2005 471 Equatorial Guinea 3.57 2005 472 Liberia 3.43 2005 473 Turkey 3.39 2005 474 Jordan 3.32 2005 475 Honduras 3.21 2005 476 Algeria 3.17 2005 477 Nigeria 3.14 2005 478 Malta 3.13 2005 479 Central African Republic 3.10 2005 480 Bangladesh 3.08 2005 481 Belize 3.05 2005 482 Czech Republic 3.00 2005 483 Mauritius 2.94 2005 484 Egypt 2.92 2005 485 Yemen 2.91 2005 486 Peru 2.88 2005 487 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 2.86 2005 488 Virgin Islands 2.86 2005 489 Venezuela 2.85 2005 490 Bahrain 2.82 2005 491 Chad 2.80 2005 492 India 2.80 2005 493 Bolivia 2.78 2005 494 Saint Kitts and Nevis 2.78 2005 495 Kiribati 2.74 2005 496 Norway 2.70 2005 497 Slovakia 2.67 2005 498 Angola 2.65 2005 499 Guinea 2.64 2005 500 Chile 2.62 2005 501 Azerbaijan 2.61 2005 502 Cameroon 2.52 2005 503 Benin 2.37 2005 504 Barbados 2.33 2005 505 Turks and Caicos Islands 2.33 2005 506 Bhutan 2.30 2005 507 United Arab Emirates 2.27 2005 508 Guyana 2.23 2005 509 Croatia 2.19 2005 510 Seychelles 2.17 2005 511 Faroe Islands 2.14 2005 512 Andorra 2.13 2005 513 Togo 2.11 2005 514 Brunei 2.08 2005 515 Hungary 2.06 2005 516 Solomon Islands 2.04 2005 517 France 2.03 2005 518 Armenia 2.01 2005 519 Colombia 2.01 2005 520 Korea, South 2.01 2005 521 Morocco 2.00 2005 522 Liberia 1.98 2005 523 Panama 1.95 2005 524 Romania 1.92 2005 525 Bulgaria 1.90 2005 526 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1.89 2005 527 Nicaragua 1.82 2005 528 Macedonia 1.79 2005 529 Saudi Arabia 1.67 2005 530 Korea, North 1.66 2005 531 Vanuatu 1.64 2005 532 Somalia 1.64 2005 533 Qatar 1.64 2005 534 Ukraine 1.50 2005 535 Singapore 1.47 2005 536 Singapore 1.47 2005 537 Congo, Republic of the 1.45 2005 538 Slovenia 1.43 2005 539 Papua New Guinea 1.40 2005 540 Belize 1.39 2005 541 Colombia 1.37 2005 542 Burma 1.31 2005 543 Iran 1.29 2005 544 Mexico 1.28 2005 545 China 1.27 2005 546 Gabon 1.21 2005 547 Jordan 1.18 2005 548 Malawi 1.18 2005 549 Tanzania 1.16 2005 550 Sierra Leone 1.05 2005 551 Libya 1.03 2005 552 Madagascar 1.02 2005 553 Hong Kong 1.01 2001 554 Montenegro 1.00 NA 555 Poland 1.00 2005 556 Taiwan 1.00 2001 557 Namibia 0.99 2005 558 Kenya 0.97 2005 559 Japan 0.90 2005 560 Lithuania 0.90 2005 561 Brazil 0.89 2005 562 Tajikistan 0.89 2005 563 Venezuela 0.88 2005 564 Brunei 0.87 2005 565 Austria 0.85 2005 566 Nepal 0.85 2005 567 Kuwait 0.84 2005 568 Pakistan 0.84 2005 569 Swaziland 0.81 2005 570 South Africa 0.79 2005 571 United Arab Emirates 0.77 2005 572 Netherlands 0.77 2005 573 Mongolia 0.76 2005 574 Uzbekistan 0.76 2005 575 French Polynesia 0.75 2005 576 Cape Verde 0.74 2005 577 Belgium 0.69 2005 578 Luxembourg 0.69 2005 579 Botswana 0.65 2005 580 Ethiopia 0.65 2005 581 Canada 0.65 2005 582 Gabon 0.64 2005 583 Solomon Islands 0.62 2005 584 Iraq 0.61 2005 585 Belarus 0.60 2005 586 Germany 0.60 2005 587 Cambodia 0.59 2005 588 Bahamas, The 0.58 2005 589 Switzerland 0.58 2005 590 Egypt 0.50 2005 591 Papua New Guinea 0.49 2005 592 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 0.47 2005 593 Peru 0.47 2005 594 Latvia 0.45 2005 595 Gambia, The 0.44 2005 596 Bhutan 0.43 2005 597 Chile 0.43 2005 598 Argentina 0.36 2005 599 Suriname 0.36 2005 600 Estonia 0.35 2005 601 Laos 0.34 2005 602 Zimbabwe 0.33 2005 603 New Caledonia 0.32 2005 604 Bahamas, The 0.29 2005 605 Mozambique 0.29 2005 606 Algeria 0.28 2005 607 Kyrgyzstan 0.28 2005 608 Qatar 0.27 2005 609 Yemen 0.25 2005 610 Paraguay 0.24 2005 611 Uruguay 0.24 2005 612 Senegal 0.24 2005 613 Angola 0.23 2005 614 New Caledonia 0.22 2005 615 Burkina Faso 0.22 2005 616 Afghanistan 0.21 2005 617 United States 0.21 2005 618 Mauritania 0.20 2005 619 United Kingdom 0.20 2005 620 Bolivia 0.19 2005 621 Libya 0.19 2005 622 Denmark 0.19 2005 623 Kuwait 0.17 2005 624 Sudan 0.17 2005 625 Congo, Republic of the 0.15 2005 626 Central African Republic 0.15 2005 627 Guyana 0.14 2005 628 Oman 0.14 2005 629 Turkmenistan 0.14 2005 630 Lesotho 0.13 2005 631 Oman 0.12 2005 632 Russia 0.11 2005 633 Saudi Arabia 0.09 2005 634 Iceland 0.07 2005 635 Suriname 0.06 2005 636 Kazakhstan 0.05 2005 637 Australia 0.04 2005 638 Zambia 0.04 2005 639 Somalia 0.04 2005 640 Djibouti 0.04 2005 641 Ireland 0.03 2005 642 Eritrea 0.03 2005 643 Mali 0.03 2005 644 Chad 0.02 2005 645 Western Sahara 0.02 2005 646 Finland 0.02 2005 647 Botswana 0.01 2005 648 Namibia 0.01 2005 649 Sweden 0.01 2005 650 Niger 0.01 2005 651 Mauritania 0.01 2005 652 Aruba 0.00 2005 653 Ashmore and Cartier Islands 0.00 2005 654 Anguilla 0.00 2005 655 Antarctica 0.00 2005 656 Navassa Island 0.00 2005 657 Bouvet Island 0.00 2005 658 Svalbard 0.00 2005 659 Svalbard 0.00 2005 660 San Marino 0.00 2005 661 Saint Helena 0.00 2005 662 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 0.00 2005 663 Spratly Islands 0.00 2005 664 Paracel Islands 0.00 2005 665 Paracel Islands 0.00 2005 666 Netherlands Antilles 0.00 2005 667 Nauru 0.00 2005 668 Nauru 0.00 2005 669 Norway 0.00 2005 670 Norfolk Island 0.00 2005 671 Norfolk Island 0.00 2005 672 Spratly Islands 0.00 2005 673 Monaco 0.00 2005 674 Monaco 0.00 2005 675 Montserrat 0.00 2005 676 Mongolia 0.00 2005 677 Macau 0.00 2005 678 Macau 0.00 2005 679 Liechtenstein 0.00 2005 680 Christmas Island 0.00 2005 681 Wake Island 0.00 2005 682 Wake Island 0.00 2005 683 Western Sahara 0.00 2005 684 Holy See (Vatican City) 0.00 2005 685 Holy See (Vatican City) 0.00 2005 686 United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges0.00 2008 687 United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges0.00 2008 688 Jan Mayen 0.00 2005 689 Jan Mayen 0.00 2005 690 Jersey 0.00 2005 691 Jersey 0.00 2005 692 Clipperton Island 0.00 2005 693 Clipperton Island 0.00 2005 694 British Indian Ocean Territory 0.00 2005 695 Faroe Islands 0.00 2005 696 Tuvalu 0.00 2005 697 Tokelau 0.00 2005 698 Tokelau 0.00 2005 699 Turks and Caicos Islands 0.00 2005 700 South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands0.00 2005 701 South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands0.00 2005 702 Christmas Island 0.00 2005 703 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 0.00 2005 704 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 0.00 2005 705 Djibouti 0.00 2005 706 Coral Sea Islands 0.00 2005 707 Coral Sea Islands 0.00 2005 708 Cocos (Keeling) Islands 0.00 2005 709 Cocos (Keeling) Islands 0.00 2005 710 Cayman Islands 0.00 2005 711 British Indian Ocean Territory 0.00 2005 712 Isle of Man 0.00 2002 713 Iceland 0.00 2005 714 Heard Island and McDonald Islands 0.00 2005 715 Heard Island and McDonald Islands 0.00 2005 716 Greenland 0.00 2005 717 Greenland 0.00 2005 718 Gibraltar 0.00 2005 719 Gibraltar 0.00 2005 720 Bouvet Island 0.00 2005 721 Navassa Island 0.00 2005 722 Bermuda 0.00 2005 723 Antarctica 0.00 2005 724 Anguilla 0.00 2005 725 Ashmore and Cartier Islands 0.00 2005 726 Andorra 0.00 2005

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Rank code: 2098

Country Comparison :: Languages

This entry provides a rank ordering of languages starting with the largest and sometimes includes the percent of total population speaking that language.

Rank country (%) Date of Information

1 France 100.00 NA 2 Greece 99.00 NA 3 Marshall Islands 98.20 NA 4 Poland 97.80 2002 census 5 Armenia 97.70 2001 census 6 Nicaragua 97.50 NA 7 Croatia 96.10 2001 census 8 Cambodia 95.00 NA 9 Cayman Islands 95.00 1999 census 10 Kazakhstan 95.00 2001 est. 11 Czech Republic 94.90 2001 census 12 Jersey 94.50 2001 census 13 Hungary 93.60 2001 census 14 Mexico 92.70 2005 15 Seychelles 91.80 2002 census 16 Finland 91.20 2007 17 Slovenia 91.10 2002 census 18 Romania 91.00 NA 19 American Samoa 90.60 2000 census 20 Azerbaijan 90.30 1999 census 21 Malta 90.20 2005 census 22 Mongolia 90.00 1999 23 Hong Kong 89.20 2001 census 24 Austria 88.60 2001 census 25 Serbia 88.30 NA 26 Macau 85.70 2001 census 27 Bulgaria 84.50 2001 census 28 Slovakia 83.90 2001 census 29 United States 82.10 NA 30 Lithuania 82.00 2001 census 31 Mauritius 80.50 2000 census 32 Mali 80.00 NA 33 Australia 78.50 2006 Census 34 Botswana 78.20 2001 census 35 Virgin Islands 74.70 2000 census 36 Uzbekistan 74.30 NA 37 Sri Lanka 74.00 NA 38 Spain 74.00 NA 39 Vanuatu 72.60 1999 Census 40 Turkmenistan 72.00 NA 41 Georgia 71.00 NA 42 Equatorial Guinea 67.60 1994 census 43 Estonia 67.30 2000 census 44 Ukraine 67.00 NA 45 Macedonia 66.50 2002 census 46 Aruba 66.30 2000 census 47 Netherlands Antilles 65.40 2001 census 48 Kyrgyzstan 64.70 1999 census 49 Palau 64.70 2000 census 50 Kazakhstan 64.40 2001 est. 51 Switzerland 63.70 NA 52 Montenegro 63.60 2003 census 53 French Polynesia 61.10 2002 census 54 Bolivia 60.70 2001 census 55 Belgium 60.00 NA 56 Guatemala 60.00 NA 57 Wallis and Futuna 58.90 2003 census 58 Canada 58.80 2006 Census 59 Latvia 58.20 2000 census 60 Iran 58.00 NA 61 Malawi 57.20 1998 census 62 Afghanistan 50.00 NA 63 Pakistan 48.00 NA 64 Nepal 47.80 2001 est. 65 Belize 46.00 2000 census 66 India 41.00 2001 census 67 Belgium 40.00 NA 68 Guatemala 40.00 NA 69 Latvia 37.50 2000 census 70 Ghana 36.10 2000 census 71 Afghanistan 35.00 NA 72 Singapore 35.00 2000 census 73 Belize 32.90 2000 census 74 Ethiopia 32.70 1994 census 75 Equatorial Guinea 32.40 1994 census 76 Mozambique 32.00 1997 census 77 Namibia 32.00 NA 78 Ethiopia 31.60 1994 census 79 French Polynesia 31.40 2002 census 80 Wallis and Futuna 30.10 2003 census 81 Zambia 30.10 2000 Census 82 Estonia 29.70 2000 census 83 Mozambique 26.10 1997 census 84 Iran 26.00 NA 85 Macedonia 25.10 2002 census 86 Northern Mariana Islands 24.40 2000 census 87 Ukraine 24.00 NA 88 South Africa 23.80 2001 census 89 Northern Mariana Islands 23.40 2000 census 90 Vanuatu 23.10 1999 Census 91 Singapore 23.00 2000 census 92 Zambia 22.50 2000 Census 93 Northern Mariana Islands 22.40 2000 census 94 Montenegro 22.00 2003 census 95 Canada 21.60 2006 Census 96 Bolivia 21.20 2001 census 97 Switzerland 20.40 NA 98 Liberia 20.00 NA 99 Canada 19.60 2006 Census 100 Sri Lanka 18.00 NA 101 South Africa 17.60 2001 census 102 Spain 17.00 NA 103 Virgin Islands 16.80 2000 census 104 Netherlands Antilles 15.90 2001 census 105 Ethiopia 14.80 1994 census 106 Ghana 14.80 2000 census 107 Bolivia 14.60 2001 census 108 Uzbekistan 14.20 NA 109 Singapore 14.10 2000 census 110 Kyrgyzstan 13.60 1999 census 111 Palau 13.50 2000 census 112 South Africa 13.30 2001 census 113 Malawi 12.80 1998 census 114 Ghana 12.70 2000 census 115 Aruba 12.60 2000 census 116 Kyrgyzstan 12.50 1999 census 117 Mauritius 12.10 2000 census 118 Nepal 12.10 2001 est. 119 Pakistan 12.00 NA 120 Turkmenistan 12.00 NA 121 Singapore 11.40 2000 census 122 Mozambique 11.30 1997 census 123 Afghanistan 11.00 NA 124 Northern Mariana Islands 10.80 2000 census 125 Wallis and Futuna 10.80 2003 census 126 Slovakia 10.70 2001 census 127 United States 10.70 NA 128 Zambia 10.70 2000 Census 129 Zambia 10.60 2000 Census 130 Malawi 10.10 1998 census 131 Nepal 10.00 2001 est. 132 Pakistan 10.00 NA 133 Ghana 9.90 2000 census 134 Bulgaria 9.60 2001 census 135 Northern Mariana Islands 9.60 2000 census 136 Northern Mariana Islands 9.50 2000 census 137 Malawi 9.50 1998 census 138 Palau 9.40 2000 census 139 South Africa 9.40 2001 census 140 Georgia 9.00 NA 141 Ukraine 9.00 NA 142 Iran 9.00 NA 143 Turkmenistan 9.00 NA 144 Belize 8.90 2000 census 145 Mozambique 8.80 1997 census 146 Botswana 8.60 2001 census 147 Australia 8.20 2006 Census 148 South Africa 8.20 2001 census 149 South Africa 8.20 2001 census 150 Kyrgyzstan 8.20 1999 census 151 India 8.10 2001 census 152 Sri Lanka 8.00 NA 153 Lithuania 8.00 2001 census 154 Pakistan 8.00 NA 155 Pakistan 8.00 NA 156 Pakistan 8.00 NA 157 Botswana 7.90 2001 census 158 South Africa 7.90 2001 census 159 Aruba 7.70 2000 census 160 Mozambique 7.60 1997 census 161 Nepal 7.40 2001 est. 162 Netherlands Antilles 7.30 2001 census 163 India 7.20 2001 census 164 South Africa 7.20 2001 census 165 Uzbekistan 7.10 NA 166 Georgia 7.00 NA 167 India 7.00 2001 census 168 Spain 7.00 NA 169 Turkmenistan 7.00 NA 170 Namibia 7.00 NA 171 Georgia 7.00 NA 172 Mozambique 6.80 1997 census 173 Romania 6.70 NA 174 Virgin Islands 6.60 2000 census 175 Switzerland 6.50 NA 176 Hong Kong 6.40 2001 census 177 Hungary 6.40 2001 census 178 Ethiopia 6.10 1994 census 179 Netherlands Antilles 6.10 2001 census 180 Ethiopia 6.00 1994 census 181 French Polynesia 6.00 2002 census 182 Malta 6.00 2005 census 183 Georgia 6.00 NA 184 India 5.90 2001 census 185 India 5.90 2001 census 186 Aruba 5.80 2000 census 187 Nepal 5.80 2001 est. 188 Mozambique 5.80 1997 census 189 Australia 5.70 2006 Census 190 Mexico 5.70 2005 191 Singapore 5.70 2000 census 192 Zambia 5.70 2000 Census 193 Palau 5.70 2000 census 194 Lithuania 5.60 2001 census 195 Finland 5.50 2007 196 Montenegro 5.50 2003 census 197 Aruba 5.30 2000 census 198 Montenegro 5.30 2003 census 199 Austria 5.30 2001 census 200 Nepal 5.10 2001 est. 201 India 5.00 2001 census 202 Seychelles 4.90 2002 census 203 Singapore 4.90 2000 census 204 Zambia 4.90 2000 Census 205 Ghana 4.60 2000 census 206 Jersey 4.60 2001 census 207 India 4.50 2001 census 208 Slovenia 4.50 2002 census 209 Lithuania 4.40 2001 census 210 Slovenia 4.40 2002 census 211 South Africa 4.40 2001 census 212 Uzbekistan 4.40 NA 213 Ghana 4.30 2000 census 214 Latvia 4.30 2000 census 215 Ghana 4.30 2000 census 216 Bulgaria 4.10 2001 census 217 Serbia 4.10 NA 218 Afghanistan 4.00 NA 219 Macau 4.00 2001 census 220 Belize 3.90 2000 census 221 Serbia 3.80 NA 222 United States 3.80 NA 223 Ghana 3.70 2000 census 224 India 3.70 2001 census 225 Montenegro 3.70 2003 census 226 Mauritius 3.70 2000 census 227 Malawi 3.60 1998 census 228 Nepal 3.60 2001 est. 229 Ethiopia 3.50 1994 census 230 Macedonia 3.50 2002 census 231 Ethiopia 3.50 1994 census 232 Belize 3.40 2000 census 233 Ghana 3.40 2000 census 234 Zambia 3.40 2000 Census 235 Mauritius 3.40 2000 census 236 Ghana 3.40 2000 census 237 Azerbaijan 3.30 1999 census 238 Finland 3.30 2007 239 Nepal 3.30 2001 est. 240 Belize 3.30 2000 census 241 Cayman Islands 3.20 1999 census 242 Hong Kong 3.20 2001 census 243 India 3.20 2001 census 244 India 3.20 2001 census 245 Singapore 3.20 2000 census 246 Macau 3.20 2001 census 247 Seychelles 3.10 2002 census 248 Malta 3.00 2005 census 249 Pakistan 3.00 NA 250 American Samoa 2.90 2000 census 251 Ghana 2.90 2000 census 252 Croatia 2.90 2001 census 253 Botswana 2.80 2001 census 254 Switzerland 2.80 NA 255 India 2.80 2001 census 256 Macau 2.70 2001 census 257 Malawi 2.70 1998 census 258 United States 2.70 NA 259 Slovakia 2.60 2001 census 260 Australia 2.50 2006 Census 261 Zambia 2.50 2000 Census 262 Nepal 2.50 2001 est. 263 American Samoa 2.40 2000 census 264 Bolivia 2.40 2001 census 265 Nepal 2.40 2001 est. 266 Malawi 2.40 1998 census 267 Austria 2.30 2001 census 268 Estonia 2.30 2000 census 269 Palau 2.30 2000 census 270 Czech Republic 2.30 2001 census 271 Aruba 2.20 2000 census 272 Azerbaijan 2.20 1999 census 273 Austria 2.20 2001 census 274 Zambia 2.20 2000 Census 275 Poland 2.20 2002 census 276 American Samoa 2.10 2000 census 277 Botswana 2.10 2001 census 278 American Samoa 2.00 2000 census 279 Zambia 2.00 2000 Census 280 Zambia 2.00 2000 Census 281 Pakistan 2.00 NA 282 Iran 2.00 NA 283 Iran 2.00 NA 284 Czech Republic 2.00 2001 census 285 Macedonia 1.90 2002 census 286 Vanuatu 1.90 1999 Census 287 Virgin Islands 1.90 2000 census 288 Netherlands Antilles 1.90 2001 census 289 Azerbaijan 1.80 1999 census 290 Singapore 1.80 2000 census 291 Macedonia 1.80 2002 census 292 Cayman Islands 1.80 1999 census 293 Netherlands Antilles 1.80 2001 census 294 Marshall Islands 1.80 NA 295 Serbia 1.80 NA 296 Bulgaria 1.80 2001 census 297 Slovakia 1.80 2001 census 298 Ethiopia 1.70 1994 census 299 Zambia 1.70 2000 Census 300 Zambia 1.70 2000 Census 301 Nicaragua 1.70 NA 302 Malawi 1.70 1998 census 303 Australia 1.60 2006 Census 304 Austria 1.60 2001 census 305 Macau 1.60 2001 census 306 Netherlands Antilles 1.60 2001 census 307 Azerbaijan 1.50 1999 census 308 Switzerland 1.50 NA 309 Macau 1.50 2001 census 310 Palau 1.50 2000 census 311 Palau 1.50 2000 census 312 Palau 1.50 2000 census 313 Belize 1.40 2000 census 314 Vanuatu 1.40 1999 Census 315 Australia 1.30 2006 Census 316 Switzerland 1.30 NA 317 Mozambique 1.30 1997 census 318 Macau 1.30 2001 census 319 India 1.30 2001 census 320 Australia 1.20 2006 Census 321 Bolivia 1.20 2001 census 322 Macedonia 1.20 2002 census 323 Romania 1.20 NA 324 Switzerland 1.20 NA 325 Hong Kong 1.20 2001 census 326 India 1.20 2001 census 327 French Polynesia 1.20 2002 census 328 Serbia 1.10 NA 329 Switzerland 1.10 NA 330 Romania 1.10 NA 331 Azerbaijan 1.00 1999 census 332 Iran 1.00 NA 333 Namibia 1.00 NA 334 Switzerland 1.00 NA 335 Slovakia 1.00 2001 census 336 Kyrgyzstan 1.00 1999 census 337 Iran 1.00 NA 338 Iran 1.00 NA 339 Australia 1.00 2006 Census 340 Croatia 1.00 2001 census 341 Greece 1.00 NA 342 Armenia 1.00 2001 census 343 Pakistan 1.00 NA 344 Armenia 0.90 2001 census 345 Singapore 0.90 2000 census 346 Serbia 0.90 NA 347 Jersey 0.90 2001 census 348 Czech Republic 0.80 2001 census 349 Mexico 0.80 2005 350 Nicaragua 0.80 NA 351 Malta 0.80 2005 census 352 Estonia 0.70 2000 census 353 United States 0.70 NA 354 Vanuatu 0.70 1999 Census 355 Switzerland 0.50 NA 356 Armenia 0.40 2001 census 357 Botswana 0.40 2001 census 358 French Polynesia 0.30 2002 census 359 Mozambique 0.30 1997 census 360 Vanuatu 0.30 1999 Census 361 Mauritius 0.30 2000 census 362 Belize 0.20 2000 census 363 Wallis and Futuna 0.20 2003 census 364 Seychelles 0.20 2002 census

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Rank code: 2100

Country Comparison :: Legal system

This entry contains a brief description of the legal system's historical roots, role in government, and acceptance of International Court of Justice (ICJ) jurisdiction.

Rank country Legal system Date of Information

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Rank code: 2101

Country Comparison :: Legislative branch

This entry contains information on the structure (unicameral, bicameral, tricameral), formal name, number of seats, and term of office. Elections includes the nature of the election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election. Election results includes the percent of vote and/or number of seats held by each party in the last election.

Rank country Legislative branch Date of Information

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Rank code: 2102

Country Comparison :: Life expectancy at birth

This entry contains the average number of years to be lived by a group of people born in the same year, if mortality at each age remains constant in the future. The entry includes total population as well as the male and female components. Life expectancy at birth is also a measure of overall quality of life in a country and summarizes the mortality at all ages. It can also be thought of as indicating the potential return on investment in human capital and is necessary for the calculation of various actuarial measures.

Rank country (years) Date of Information

1 Macau 84.36 2009 est. 2 Andorra 82.51 2009 est. 3 Japan 82.12 2009 est. 4 Singapore 81.98 2009 est. 5 San Marino 81.97 2009 est. 6 Hong Kong 81.86 2009 est. 7 Australia 81.63 2009 est. 8 Canada 81.23 2009 est. 9 France 80.98 2009 est. 10 Sweden 80.86 2009 est. 11 Switzerland 80.85 2009 est. 12 Guernsey 80.77 2009 est. 13 Israel 80.73 2009 est. 14 Iceland 80.67 2009 est. 15 Anguilla 80.65 2009 est. 16 Cayman Islands 80.44 2009 est. 17 Bermuda 80.43 2009 est. 18 New Zealand 80.36 2009 est. 19 Italy 80.20 2009 est. 20 Gibraltar 80.19 2009 est. 21 Monaco 80.09 2009 est. 22 Liechtenstein 80.06 2009 est. 23 Spain 80.05 2009 est. 24 Norway 79.95 2009 est. 25 Jersey 79.75 2009 est. 26 Greece 79.66 2009 est. 27 Austria 79.50 2009 est. 28 Faroe Islands 79.44 2009 est. 29 Malta 79.44 2009 est. 30 Netherlands 79.40 2009 est. 31 Luxembourg 79.33 2009 est. 32 Germany 79.26 2009 est. 33 Belgium 79.22 2009 est. 34 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 79.07 2009 est. 35 Virgin Islands 79.05 2009 est. 36 United Kingdom 79.01 2009 est. 37 Finland 78.97 2009 est. 38 Jordan 78.87 2009 est. 39 Isle of Man 78.82 2009 est. 40 Korea, South 78.72 2009 est. 41 European Union 78.67 2009 est. 42 Puerto Rico 78.53 2009 est. 43 Bosnia and Herzegovina 78.50 2009 est. 44 Saint Helena 78.44 2009 est. 45 Cyprus 78.33 2009 est. 46 Denmark 78.30 2009 est. 47 Ireland 78.24 2009 est. 48 Portugal 78.21 2009 est. 49 Wallis and Futuna 78.20 2009 est. 50 United States 78.11 2009 est. 51 Albania 77.96 2009 est. 52 Taiwan 77.96 2009 est. 53 Kuwait 77.71 2009 est. 54 Costa Rica 77.58 2009 est. 55 Cuba 77.45 2009 est. 56 Chile 77.34 2009 est. 57 Libya 77.26 2009 est. 58 British Virgin Islands 77.26 2009 est. 59 Panama 77.25 2009 est. 60 Slovenia 76.92 2009 est. 61 Czech Republic 76.81 2009 est. 62 Georgia 76.72 2009 est. 63 French Polynesia 76.71 2009 est. 64 Northern Mariana Islands 76.70 2009 est. 65 Netherlands Antilles 76.65 2009 est. 66 Argentina 76.56 2009 est. 67 Saint Lucia 76.45 2009 est. 68 Uruguay 76.35 2009 est. 69 Saudi Arabia 76.30 2009 est. 70 United Arab Emirates 76.11 2009 est. 71 Mexico 76.06 2009 est. 72 Tunisia 75.78 2009 est. 73 Paraguay 75.77 2009 est. 74 Brunei 75.74 2009 est. 75 Poland 75.63 2009 est. 76 Dominica 75.55 2009 est. 77 Turks and Caicos Islands 75.42 2009 est. 78 Slovakia 75.40 2009 est. 79 Croatia 75.35 2009 est. 80 Qatar 75.35 2009 est. 81 Ecuador 75.30 2009 est. 82 Aruba 75.28 2009 est. 83 Bahrain 75.16 2009 est. 84 Sri Lanka 75.14 2009 est. 85 New Caledonia 74.98 2009 est. 86 Lithuania 74.90 2009 est. 87 Antigua and Barbuda 74.76 2009 est. 88 Macedonia 74.68 2009 est. 89 West Bank 74.54 2009 est. 90 Cook Islands 74.22 2009 est. 91 Oman 74.16 2009 est. 92 Algeria 74.02 2009 est. 93 Mauritius 74.00 2009 est. 94 Maldives 73.97 2009 est. 95 Barbados 73.94 2009 est. 96 Serbia 73.90 2009 est. 97 Suriname 73.73 2009 est. 98 American Samoa 73.72 2009 est. 99 Dominican Republic 73.70 2009 est. 100 Solomon Islands 73.69 2009 est. 101 Lebanon 73.66 2009 est. 102 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 73.65 2009 est. 103 Venezuela 73.61 2009 est. 104 Jamaica 73.53 2009 est. 105 China 73.47 2009 est. 106 Hungary 73.44 2009 est. 107 Gaza Strip 73.42 2009 est. 108 Malaysia 73.29 2009 est. 109 Saint Kitts and Nevis 73.20 2009 est. 110 Thailand 73.10 2009 est. 111 Bulgaria 73.09 2009 est. 112 Seychelles 73.02 2009 est. 113 Estonia 72.82 2009 est. 114 Colombia 72.81 2009 est. 115 Montserrat 72.76 2009 est. 116 Armenia 72.68 2009 est. 117 Romania 72.45 2009 est. 118 El Salvador 72.33 2009 est. 119 Latvia 72.15 2009 est. 120 Egypt 72.12 2009 est. 121 Brazil 71.99 2009 est. 122 Turkey 71.96 2009 est. 123 Uzbekistan 71.96 2009 est. 124 Samoa 71.86 2009 est. 125 Morocco 71.80 2009 est. 126 Cape Verde 71.61 2009 est. 127 Vietnam 71.58 2009 est. 128 Nicaragua 71.50 2009 est. 129 Palau 71.22 2009 est. 130 Marshall Islands 71.19 2009 est. 131 Syria 71.19 2009 est. 132 Iran 71.14 2009 est. 133 Philippines 71.09 2009 est. 134 Micronesia, Federated States of 70.94 2009 est. 135 Trinidad and Tobago 70.86 2009 est. 136 Moldova 70.80 2009 est. 137 Indonesia 70.76 2009 est. 138 Peru 70.74 2009 est. 139 Fiji 70.73 2009 est. 140 Tonga 70.73 2009 est. 141 Belarus 70.63 2009 est. 142 Guatemala 70.29 2009 est. 143 Greenland 70.07 2009 est. 144 Iraq 69.94 2009 est. 145 India 69.89 2009 est. 146 Kyrgyzstan 69.43 2009 est. 147 Honduras 69.40 2009 est. 148 Tuvalu 69.29 2009 est. 149 Sao Tome and Principe 68.32 2009 est. 150 Ukraine 68.25 2009 est. 151 Belize 68.20 2009 est. 152 Kazakhstan 67.87 2009 est. 153 Turkmenistan 67.87 2009 est. 154 Mongolia 67.65 2009 est. 155 Timor-Leste 67.27 2009 est. 156 Bolivia 66.89 2009 est. 157 Guyana 66.68 2009 est. 158 Azerbaijan 66.66 2009 est. 159 World 66.57 2009 est. 160 Papua New Guinea 66.34 2009 est. 161 Bhutan 66.13 2009 est. 162 Russia 66.03 2009 est. 163 Grenada 65.95 2009 est. 164 Bahamas, The 65.78 2009 est. 165 Nepal 65.46 2009 est. 166 Tajikistan 65.33 2009 est. 167 Pakistan 64.49 2009 est. 168 Nauru 64.20 2009 est. 169 Vanuatu 63.98 2009 est. 170 Korea, North 63.81 2009 est. 171 Comoros 63.47 2009 est. 172 Burma 63.39 2009 est. 173 Yemen 63.27 2009 est. 174 Kiribati 63.22 2009 est. 175 Mayotte 62.91 2009 est. 176 Madagascar 62.89 2009 est. 177 Cambodia 62.10 2009 est. 178 Botswana 61.85 2009 est. 179 Eritrea 61.78 2009 est. 180 Equatorial Guinea 61.61 2009 est. 181 Haiti 60.78 2009 est. 182 Mauritania 60.37 2009 est. 183 Bangladesh 60.25 2009 est. 184 Ghana 59.85 2009 est. 185 Benin 59.00 2009 est. 186 Senegal 59.00 2009 est. 187 Togo 58.69 2009 est. 188 Kenya 57.86 2009 est. 189 Guinea 57.09 2009 est. 190 Laos 56.68 2009 est. 191 Cote d'Ivoire 55.45 2009 est. 192 Ethiopia 55.41 2009 est. 193 Gambia, The 55.35 2009 est. 194 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 54.36 2009 est. 195 Western Sahara 54.32 2009 est. 196 Congo, Republic of the 54.15 2009 est. 197 Cameroon 53.69 2009 est. 198 Gabon 53.11 2009 est. 199 Burkina Faso 52.95 2009 est. 200 Uganda 52.72 2009 est. 201 Niger 52.60 2009 est. 202 Burundi 52.09 2009 est. 203 Tanzania 52.01 2009 est. 204 Sudan 51.42 2009 est. 205 Namibia 51.24 2009 est. 206 Rwanda 50.52 2009 est. 207 Mali 50.35 2009 est. 208 Somalia 49.63 2009 est. 209 South Africa 48.98 2009 est. 210 Guinea-Bissau 47.90 2009 est. 211 Chad 47.70 2009 est. 212 Nigeria 46.94 2009 est. 213 Zimbabwe 45.77 2009 est. 214 Afghanistan 44.64 2009 est. 215 Central African Republic 44.47 2009 est. 216 Malawi 43.82 2009 est. 217 Djibouti 43.37 2009 est. 218 Liberia 41.84 2009 est. 219 Sierra Leone 41.24 2009 est. 220 Mozambique 41.18 2009 est. 221 Lesotho 40.38 2009 est. 222 Zambia 38.63 2009 est. 223 Angola 38.20 2009 est. 224 Swaziland 31.99 2009 est.

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Rank code: 2103

Country Comparison :: Literacy

This entry includes a definition of literacy and Census Bureau percentages for the total population, males, and females. There are no universal definitions and standards of literacy. Unless otherwise specified, all rates are based on the most common definition - the ability to read and write at a specified age. Detailing the standards that individual countries use to assess the ability to read and write is beyond the scope of the Factbook. Information on literacy, while not a perfect measure of educational results, is probably the most easily available and valid for international comparisons. Low levels of literacy, and education in general, can impede the economic development of a country in the current rapidly changing, technology-driven world.

Rank country (%) Date of Information

1 Andorra 100.00 NA 2 Finland 100.00 2000 est. 3 Greenland 100.00 2001 est. 4 Georgia 100.00 2004 est. 5 Norway 100.00 NA 6 Holy See (Vatican City) 100.00 NA 7 Luxembourg 100.00 2000 est. 8 Liechtenstein 100.00 NA 9 Cuba 99.80 2002 census 10 Poland 99.80 2003 est. 11 Estonia 99.80 2000 census 12 Barbados 99.70 2002 est. 13 Samoa 99.70 2003 est. 14 Slovenia 99.70 NA 15 Latvia 99.70 2000 census 16 Belarus 99.60 1999 census 17 Slovakia 99.60 2004 18 Lithuania 99.60 2001 census 19 Kazakhstan 99.50 1999 est. 20 Tajikistan 99.50 2000 census 21 Armenia 99.40 2001 census 22 Ukraine 99.40 2001 census 23 Russia 99.40 2002 census 24 Hungary 99.40 2003 est. 25 Uzbekistan 99.30 2003 est. 26 Moldova 99.10 2005 est. 27 Australia 99.00 2003 est. 28 Belgium 99.00 2003 est. 29 Denmark 99.00 2003 est. 30 Czech Republic 99.00 2003 est. 31 Japan 99.00 2002 32 Netherlands 99.00 2003 est. 33 United States 99.00 2003 est. 34 United Kingdom 99.00 2003 est. 35 Switzerland 99.00 2003 est. 36 Sweden 99.00 2003 est. 37 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 99.00 1982 est. 38 New Zealand 99.00 2003 est. 39 Monaco 99.00 2003 est. 40 Korea, North 99.00 NA 41 Iceland 99.00 2003 est. 42 Germany 99.00 2003 est. 43 France 99.00 2003 est. 44 Ireland 99.00 2003 est. 45 Canada 99.00 2003 est. 46 Tonga 98.90 1999 est. 47 Azerbaijan 98.80 1999 census 48 Turkmenistan 98.80 1999 est. 49 Guyana 98.80 2003 est. 50 Albania 98.70 2001 census 51 Kyrgyzstan 98.70 1999 census 52 Trinidad and Tobago 98.60 2003 est. 53 Italy 98.40 2001 census 54 Bulgaria 98.20 2001 census 55 Croatia 98.10 2001 census 56 Austria 98.00 NA 57 Bermuda 98.00 2005 est. 58 Uruguay 98.00 2003 est. 59 Turks and Caicos Islands 98.00 1970 est. 60 French Polynesia 98.00 1977 est. 61 Cayman Islands 98.00 1970 est. 62 Korea, South 97.90 2002 63 Spain 97.90 2003 est. 64 Mongolia 97.80 2000 census 65 British Virgin Islands 97.80 NA 66 Saint Kitts and Nevis 97.80 2003 est. 67 Cyprus 97.60 2001 census 68 Aruba 97.30 2000 census 69 Romania 97.30 2002 census 70 Argentina 97.20 2001 census 71 Israel 97.10 2004 est. 72 American Samoa 97.00 1980 est. 73 Saint Helena 97.00 1987 est. 74 Montserrat 97.00 1970 est. 75 Northern Mariana Islands 97.00 1980 est. 76 Bosnia and Herzegovina 96.70 2000 est. 77 Netherlands Antilles 96.70 2003 est. 78 Serbia 96.40 NA 79 Maldives 96.30 2000 census 80 New Caledonia 96.20 1996 census 81 Macedonia 96.10 2002 census 82 Taiwan 96.10 2003 83 Grenada 96.00 2003 est. 84 Greece 96.00 2001 census 85 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 96.00 1970 est. 86 San Marino 96.00 NA 87 Chile 95.70 2002 census 88 Bahamas, The 95.60 2003 est. 89 Anguilla 95.00 1984 est. 90 Cook Islands 95.00 NA 91 Niue 95.00 NA 92 Costa Rica 94.90 2000 census 93 Puerto Rico 94.10 2002 est. 94 Dominica 94.00 2003 est. 95 Paraguay 94.00 2003 est. 96 Fiji 93.70 2003 est. 97 Marshall Islands 93.70 1999 98 Hong Kong 93.50 2002 99 Kuwait 93.30 2005 census 100 Portugal 93.30 2003 est. 101 Venezuela 93.00 2001 census 102 Peru 92.90 2007 Census 103 Malta 92.80 2003 est. 104 Brunei 92.70 2001 census 105 Philippines 92.60 2000 census 106 Thailand 92.60 2000 census 107 Singapore 92.50 2000 census 108 Gaza Strip 92.40 2004 est. 109 West Bank 92.40 2004 est. 110 Palau 92.00 1980 est. 111 Kosovo 91.90 2007 Census 112 Panama 91.90 2000 census 113 Seychelles 91.80 2002 census 114 Macau 91.30 2001 census 115 Ecuador 91.00 2001 census 116 Mexico 91.00 2004 est. 117 China 90.90 2000 census 118 Sri Lanka 90.70 2001 census 119 Zimbabwe 90.70 2003 est. 120 Colombia 90.40 2005 census 121 Indonesia 90.40 2004 est. 122 Vietnam 90.30 2002 est. 123 Saint Lucia 90.10 2001 est. 124 Burma 89.90 2006 est. 125 Jordan 89.90 2003 est. 126 Suriname 89.60 2004 census 127 Micronesia, Federated States of 89.00 1980 est. 128 Qatar 89.00 2004 census 129 Malaysia 88.70 2000 census 130 Brazil 88.60 2004 est. 131 Jamaica 87.90 2003 est. 132 Lebanon 87.40 2003 est. 133 Turkey 87.40 2004 est. 134 Dominican Republic 87.00 2002 census 135 Equatorial Guinea 87.00 2000 est. 136 Bolivia 86.70 2001 census 137 Bahrain 86.50 2001 census 138 South Africa 86.40 2003 est. 139 Antigua and Barbuda 85.80 2003 est. 140 Kenya 85.10 2003 est. 141 Namibia 85.00 2001 census 142 Sao Tome and Principe 84.90 2001 census 143 Lesotho 84.80 2003 est. 144 Mauritius 84.40 2000 census 145 Congo, Republic of the 83.80 2003 est. 146 Libya 82.60 2003 est. 147 Swaziland 81.60 2003 est. 148 Oman 81.40 2003 census 149 Botswana 81.20 2003 est. 150 Zambia 80.60 2003 est. 151 El Salvador 80.20 2003 est. 152 Gibraltar 80.00 NA 153 Honduras 80.00 2001 census 154 Syria 79.60 2004 census 155 Saudi Arabia 78.80 2003 est. 156 United Arab Emirates 77.90 2003 est. 157 Iran 77.00 2002 est. 158 Belize 76.90 2000 census 159 Cape Verde 76.60 2003 est. 160 Tunisia 74.30 2004 census 161 Iraq 74.10 2000 est. 162 Vanuatu 74.00 1999 census 163 Cambodia 73.60 2004 est. 164 Egypt 71.40 2005 est. 165 Rwanda 70.40 2003 est. 166 Algeria 69.90 2002 est. 167 Tanzania 69.40 2002 census 168 Guatemala 69.10 2002 census 169 Madagascar 68.90 2003 est. 170 Laos 68.70 2001 est. 171 Nigeria 68.00 2003 est. 172 Cameroon 67.90 2001 est. 173 Djibouti 67.90 2003 est. 174 Nicaragua 67.50 2003 est. 175 Angola 67.40 2001 est. 176 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 67.20 2001 est. 177 Uganda 66.80 2002 census 178 Gabon 63.20 1995 est. 179 Malawi 62.70 2003 est. 180 Sudan 61.10 2003 est. 181 India 61.00 2001 census 182 Togo 60.90 2003 est. 183 Burundi 59.30 2000 est. 184 Eritrea 58.60 2003 est. 185 Timor-Leste 58.60 2002 186 Ghana 57.90 2000 census 187 Liberia 57.50 NA 188 Papua New Guinea 57.30 2000 census 189 Comoros 56.50 2003 est. 190 Haiti 52.90 2003 est. 191 Morocco 52.30 2004 census 192 Mauritania 51.20 2000 census 193 Yemen 50.20 2003 est. 194 Wallis and Futuna 50.00 1969 est. 195 Pakistan 49.90 2005 est. 196 Cote d'Ivoire 48.70 2000 est. 197 Central African Republic 48.60 2000 est. 198 Nepal 48.60 2001 census 199 Bangladesh 47.90 2001 Census 200 Mozambique 47.80 2003 est. 201 Bhutan 47.00 2003 est. 202 Mali 46.40 2003 est. 203 Ethiopia 42.70 2003 est. 204 Guinea-Bissau 42.40 2003 est. 205 Gambia, The 40.10 2003 est. 206 Senegal 39.30 2002 est. 207 Somalia 37.80 2001 est. 208 Sierra Leone 35.10 2004 est. 209 Benin 34.70 2002 census 210 Guinea 29.50 2003 est. 211 Niger 28.70 2005 est. 212 Afghanistan 28.10 2000 est. 213 Chad 25.70 2000 est. 214 Burkina Faso 21.80 2003 est.

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Rank code: 2105

Country Comparison :: Manpower available for military service

This entry gives the number of males and females falling in the military age range for a country (defined as being ages 16-49) and assumes that every individual is fit to serve.

Rank country Manpower available for military serviceDate of Information

1 China 375,009,345.00 2008 est. 2 China 354,314,328.00 2008 est. 3 India 301,094,084.00 2008 est. 4 India 283,047,141.00 2008 est. 5 United States 72,715,332.00 2008 est. 6 United States 71,638,785.00 2008 est. 7 Indonesia 63,800,825.00 2008 est. 8 Indonesia 61,729,717.00 2008 est. 9 Brazil 52,449,957.00 2008 est. 10 Brazil 52,375,921.00 2008 est. 11 Pakistan 42,633,765.00 2008 est. 12 Bangladesh 41,199,340.00 2008 est. 13 Pakistan 40,114,017.00 2008 est. 14 Russia 37,019,853.00 2008 est. 15 Russia 36,219,908.00 2008 est. 16 Nigeria 31,929,204.00 2008 est. 17 Nigeria 30,638,979.00 2008 est. 18 Mexico 29,376,791.00 2008 est. 19 Japan 27,819,804.00 2008 est. 20 Mexico 27,774,688.00 2008 est. 21 Japan 26,863,794.00 2008 est. 22 Vietnam 24,586,328.00 2008 est. 23 Vietnam 24,335,132.00 2008 est. 24 Philippines 23,547,252.00 2008 est. 25 Philippines 23,177,487.00 2008 est. 26 Egypt 21,247,777.00 2008 est. 27 Egypt 20,406,408.00 2008 est. 28 Turkey 20,213,205.00 2008 est. 29 Iran 20,212,275.00 2008 est. 30 Iran 19,638,751.00 2008 est. 31 Germany 19,594,118.00 2008 est. 32 Turkey 19,432,688.00 2008 est. 33 Germany 18,543,955.00 2008 est. 34 Thailand 17,751,268.00 2008 est. 35 Ethiopia 17,666,967.00 2008 est. 36 Thailand 17,553,410.00 2008 est. 37 Ethiopia 17,530,211.00 2008 est. 38 United Kingdom 14,729,500.00 2008 est. 39 France 14,646,427.00 2008 est. 40 France 14,379,630.00 2008 est. 41 United Kingdom 14,125,600.00 2008 est. 42 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 14,101,263.00 2008 est. 43 Italy 13,884,079.00 2008 est. 44 Korea, South 13,691,809.00 2008 est. 45 Burma 13,437,042.00 2008 est. 46 Burma 13,402,788.00 2008 est. 47 Italy 13,158,378.00 2008 est. 48 Korea, South 13,029,859.00 2008 est. 49 Colombia 11,809,279.00 2008 est. 50 Ukraine 11,767,357.00 2008 est. 51 South Africa 11,622,507.00 2008 est. 52 South Africa 11,501,537.00 2008 est. 53 Colombia 11,478,109.00 2008 est. 54 Ukraine 11,457,562.00 2008 est. 55 Spain 10,033,069.00 2008 est. 56 Argentina 10,029,488.00 2008 est. 57 Argentina 9,889,002.00 2008 est. 58 Spain 9,764,937.00 2008 est. 59 Poland 9,741,508.00 2008 est. 60 Algeria 9,736,757.00 2008 est. 61 Sudan 9,639,923.00 2008 est. 62 Algeria 9,590,978.00 2008 est. 63 Poland 9,514,843.00 2008 est. 64 Sudan 9,321,106.00 2008 est. 65 Morocco 9,152,580.00 2008 est. 66 Tanzania 9,108,177.00 2008 est. 67 Morocco 9,080,830.00 2008 est. 68 Kenya 9,044,685.00 2008 est. 69 Kenya 8,805,736.00 2008 est. 70 Saudi Arabia 8,547,441.00 2008 est. 71 Canada 8,072,010.00 2008 est. 72 Canada 7,813,462.00 2008 est. 73 Peru 7,653,898.00 2008 est. 74 Uzbekistan 7,542,017.00 2008 est. 75 Peru 7,531,329.00 2008 est. 76 Uzbekistan 7,480,484.00 2008 est. 77 Afghanistan 7,431,147.00 2008 est. 78 Nepal 7,322,965.00 2008 est. 79 Iraq 7,086,200.00 2008 est. 80 Afghanistan 7,004,819.00 2008 est. 81 Nepal 6,859,064.00 2008 est. 82 Iraq 6,808,954.00 2008 est. 83 Venezuela 6,801,133.00 2008 est. 84 Venezuela 6,647,124.00 2008 est. 85 Uganda 6,532,894.00 2008 est. 86 Malaysia 6,440,338.00 2008 est. 87 Saudi Arabia 6,381,098.00 2008 est. 88 Uganda 6,352,416.00 2008 est. 89 Taiwan 6,283,134.00 2008 est. 90 Malaysia 6,280,826.00 2008 est. 91 Korea, North 6,225,747.00 2008 est. 92 Korea, North 6,188,270.00 2008 est. 93 Taiwan 6,098,599.00 2008 est. 94 Ghana 5,802,096.00 2008 est. 95 Ghana 5,729,939.00 2008 est. 96 Romania 5,682,299.00 2008 est. 97 Sri Lanka 5,594,006.00 2008 est. 98 Romania 5,557,098.00 2008 est. 99 Sri Lanka 5,458,720.00 2008 est. 100 Syria 5,251,875.00 2008 est. 101 Yemen 5,080,038.00 2008 est. 102 Australia 4,999,988.00 2008 est. 103 Syria 4,966,367.00 2008 est. 104 Australia 4,870,043.00 2008 est. 105 Yemen 4,852,555.00 2008 est. 106 Mozambique 4,545,975.00 2008 est. 107 Madagascar 4,443,341.00 2008 est. 108 Madagascar 4,441,124.00 2008 est. 109 Cote d'Ivoire 4,369,735.00 2008 est. 110 Cameroon 4,321,175.00 2008 est. 111 Cote d'Ivoire 4,287,042.00 2008 est. 112 Chile 4,242,912.00 2008 est. 113 Cameroon 4,228,625.00 2008 est. 114 Kazakhstan 4,219,636.00 2008 est. 115 Chile 4,182,509.00 2008 est. 116 Kazakhstan 4,176,731.00 2008 est. 117 Netherlands 3,950,825.00 2008 est. 118 Netherlands 3,850,800.00 2008 est. 119 Cambodia 3,784,333.00 2008 est. 120 Cambodia 3,759,034.00 2008 est. 121 Ecuador 3,559,188.00 2008 est. 122 Ecuador 3,536,602.00 2008 est. 123 Burkina Faso 3,364,288.00 2008 est. 124 Zimbabwe 3,264,258.00 2008 est. 125 Cuba 3,094,388.00 2008 est. 126 Guatemala 3,062,967.00 2008 est. 127 Malawi 3,050,444.00 2008 est. 128 Zimbabwe 3,048,049.00 2008 est. 129 Cuba 3,024,876.00 2008 est. 130 Tunisia 2,992,249.00 2008 est. 131 Senegal 2,955,179.00 2008 est. 132 Senegal 2,943,619.00 2008 est. 133 Tunisia 2,912,819.00 2008 est. 134 Niger 2,871,868.00 2008 est. 135 Guatemala 2,861,696.00 2008 est. 136 Angola 2,856,492.00 2008 est. 137 Angola 2,755,864.00 2008 est. 138 Niger 2,696,966.00 2008 est. 139 Zambia 2,678,668.00 2008 est. 140 Mali 2,603,700.00 2008 est. 141 Portugal 2,573,913.00 2008 est. 142 Zambia 2,567,433.00 2008 est. 143 Greece 2,535,174.00 2008 est. 144 Belarus 2,528,779.00 2008 est. 145 Czech Republic 2,522,383.00 2008 est. 146 Greece 2,517,273.00 2008 est. 147 Portugal 2,498,262.00 2008 est. 148 Belarus 2,491,643.00 2008 est. 149 Mali 2,441,776.00 2008 est. 150 Dominican Republic 2,440,203.00 2008 est. 151 Rwanda 2,430,469.00 2008 est. 152 Czech Republic 2,425,095.00 2008 est. 153 Belgium 2,407,128.00 2008 est. 154 United Arab Emirates 2,405,884.00 2008 est. 155 Rwanda 2,392,933.00 2008 est. 156 Hungary 2,391,400.00 2008 est. 157 Bolivia 2,366,828.00 2008 est. 158 Belgium 2,340,039.00 2008 est. 159 Hungary 2,337,240.00 2008 est. 160 Dominican Republic 2,326,694.00 2008 est. 161 Bolivia 2,295,746.00 2008 est. 162 Azerbaijan 2,291,770.00 2008 est. 163 Azerbaijan 2,278,888.00 2008 est. 164 Chad 2,258,758.00 2008 est. 165 Guinea 2,230,049.00 2008 est. 166 Guinea 2,193,236.00 2008 est. 167 Somalia 2,181,050.00 2008 est. 168 Somalia 2,125,558.00 2008 est. 169 Sweden 2,052,890.00 2008 est. 170 Haiti 2,047,953.00 2008 est. 171 Haiti 2,047,083.00 2008 est. 172 Austria 1,986,411.00 2008 est. 173 Sweden 1,980,550.00 2008 est. 174 Austria 1,944,834.00 2008 est. 175 Hong Kong 1,941,448.00 2008 est. 176 Tajikistan 1,911,594.00 2008 est. 177 Benin 1,908,457.00 2008 est. 178 Chad 1,906,545.00 2008 est. 179 Tajikistan 1,897,356.00 2008 est. 180 Benin 1,882,421.00 2008 est. 181 Burundi 1,878,544.00 2008 est. 182 Honduras 1,868,940.00 2008 est. 183 Switzerland 1,852,580.00 2008 est. 184 Burundi 1,851,676.00 2008 est. 185 Honduras 1,825,770.00 2008 est. 186 Jordan 1,812,551.00 2008 est. 187 Switzerland 1,807,667.00 2008 est. 188 El Salvador 1,775,474.00 2008 est. 189 Hong Kong 1,772,820.00 2008 est. 190 Israel 1,717,362.00 2008 est. 191 Bulgaria 1,701,979.00 2008 est. 192 Bulgaria 1,691,092.00 2008 est. 193 Libya 1,682,183.00 2008 est. 194 Israel 1,636,574.00 2008 est. 195 El Salvador 1,634,816.00 2008 est. 196 Libya 1,611,001.00 2008 est. 197 Paraguay 1,589,873.00 2008 est. 198 Paraguay 1,585,573.00 2008 est. 199 Laos 1,570,702.00 2008 est. 200 Jordan 1,559,155.00 2008 est. 201 Laos 1,549,774.00 2008 est. 202 Nicaragua 1,513,312.00 2008 est. 203 Nicaragua 1,507,999.00 2008 est. 204 Papua New Guinea 1,481,417.00 2008 est. 205 Slovakia 1,420,966.00 2008 est. 206 Kyrgyzstan 1,419,374.00 2008 est. 207 Kyrgyzstan 1,398,878.00 2008 est. 208 Slovakia 1,386,259.00 2008 est. 209 Papua New Guinea 1,385,040.00 2008 est. 210 Togo 1,374,993.00 2008 est. 211 Togo 1,365,505.00 2008 est. 212 Turkmenistan 1,331,005.00 2008 est. 213 Turkmenistan 1,316,698.00 2008 est. 214 Sierra Leone 1,315,561.00 2008 est. 215 Singapore 1,277,862.00 2008 est. 216 Denmark 1,235,067.00 2008 est. 217 Denmark 1,215,418.00 2008 est. 218 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1,212,007.00 2008 est. 219 Moldova 1,187,771.00 2008 est. 220 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1,170,645.00 2008 est. 221 Finland 1,169,910.00 2008 est. 222 Georgia 1,168,021.00 2008 est. 223 Moldova 1,161,924.00 2008 est. 224 Costa Rica 1,134,205.00 2008 est. 225 Lebanon 1,122,595.00 2008 est. 226 Finland 1,121,187.00 2008 est. 227 Georgia 1,113,251.00 2008 est. 228 Eritrea 1,108,836.00 2008 est. 229 Lebanon 1,106,879.00 2008 est. 230 Eritrea 1,096,120.00 2008 est. 231 Costa Rica 1,095,763.00 2008 est. 232 Norway 1,078,181.00 2008 est. 233 Norway 1,046,550.00 2008 est. 234 Croatia 1,037,896.00 2008 est. 235 Croatia 1,035,712.00 2008 est. 236 Central African Republic 1,032,828.00 2008 est. 237 Kuwait 1,032,408.00 2008 est. 238 Ireland 1,024,635.00 2008 est. 239 Ireland 1,024,276.00 2008 est. 240 New Zealand 1,009,298.00 2008 est. 241 Central African Republic 999,330.00 2008 est. 242 New Zealand 997,134.00 2008 est. 243 Albania 944,592.00 2008 est. 244 Lithuania 915,187.00 2008 est. 245 Albania 908,527.00 2008 est. 246 Lithuania 906,097.00 2008 est. 247 United Arab Emirates 884,853.00 2008 est. 248 Armenia 870,864.00 2008 est. 249 Mongolia 865,425.00 2008 est. 250 Mongolia 860,669.00 2008 est. 251 Panama 851,044.00 2008 est. 252 Congo, Republic of the 842,771.00 2008 est. 253 Uruguay 837,252.00 2008 est. 254 Congo, Republic of the 833,624.00 2008 est. 255 Uruguay 824,096.00 2008 est. 256 Armenia 809,576.00 2008 est. 257 Oman 802,455.00 2008 est. 258 Mauritania 744,709.00 2008 est. 259 Liberia 741,223.00 2008 est. 260 Mauritania 740,675.00 2008 est. 261 Liberia 729,813.00 2008 est. 262 Jamaica 709,548.00 2008 est. 263 Jamaica 688,480.00 2008 est. 264 Oman 626,841.00 2008 est. 265 Latvia 568,683.00 2008 est. 266 Kuwait 568,657.00 2008 est. 267 Latvia 565,826.00 2008 est. 268 Macedonia 532,856.00 2008 est. 269 Namibia 527,948.00 2008 est. 270 Lesotho 525,203.00 2008 est. 271 Lesotho 522,485.00 2008 est. 272 Macedonia 513,684.00 2008 est. 273 Slovenia 494,496.00 2008 est. 274 Botswana 487,853.00 2008 est. 275 Slovenia 481,180.00 2008 est. 276 Botswana 464,278.00 2008 est. 277 Gambia, The 384,438.00 2008 est. 278 Gambia, The 379,668.00 2008 est. 279 Guinea-Bissau 347,886.00 2008 est. 280 Guinea-Bissau 344,087.00 2008 est. 281 Mauritius 341,018.00 2008 est. 282 Gaza Strip 337,670.00 2008 est. 283 Gabon 332,498.00 2008 est. 284 Gabon 331,181.00 2008 est. 285 Qatar 320,383.00 2008 est. 286 Estonia 317,852.00 2008 est. 287 Estonia 306,273.00 2008 est. 288 Trinidad and Tobago 301,561.00 2008 est. 289 Timor-Leste 284,903.00 2008 est. 290 Timor-Leste 272,212.00 2008 est. 291 Swaziland 266,311.00 2008 est. 292 Trinidad and Tobago 264,225.00 2008 est. 293 Fiji 242,567.00 2008 est. 294 Fiji 238,556.00 2008 est. 295 Guyana 220,797.00 2008 est. 296 Bahrain 210,938.00 2008 est. 297 Cyprus 199,767.00 2008 est. 298 Cyprus 190,665.00 2008 est. 299 Bhutan 190,104.00 2008 est. 300 Bahrain 170,471.00 2008 est. 301 Comoros 167,850.00 2008 est. 302 Qatar 167,475.00 2008 est. 303 Comoros 167,362.00 2008 est. 304 Bhutan 167,289.00 2008 est. 305 Solomon Islands 141,051.00 2008 est. 306 Equatorial Guinea 138,018.00 2008 est. 307 Equatorial Guinea 136,725.00 2008 est. 308 Suriname 130,534.00 2008 est. 309 Suriname 130,243.00 2008 est. 310 Macau 121,825.00 2008 est. 311 Luxembourg 116,305.00 2008 est. 312 Luxembourg 114,566.00 2008 est. 313 Djibouti 111,274.00 2008 est. 314 Brunei 110,153.00 2008 est. 315 Brunei 108,356.00 2008 est. 316 Djibouti 105,168.00 2008 est. 317 Cape Verde 103,650.00 2008 est. 318 Cape Verde 103,553.00 2008 est. 319 Malta 96,309.00 2008 est. 320 Malta 92,242.00 2008 est. 321 Maldives 89,505.00 2008 est. 322 Maldives 85,745.00 2008 est. 323 Bahamas, The 80,200.00 2008 est. 324 French Polynesia 79,540.00 2008 est. 325 Barbados 75,389.00 2008 est. 326 Barbados 75,265.00 2008 est. 327 Iceland 74,896.00 2008 est. 328 Belize 74,605.00 2008 est. 329 Belize 72,926.00 2008 est. 330 Vanuatu 58,900.00 2008 est. 331 New Caledonia 57,738.00 2008 est. 332 Netherlands Antilles 57,060.00 2008 est. 333 Netherlands Antilles 55,365.00 2008 est. 334 Samoa 53,417.00 2008 est. 335 Saint Lucia 48,358.00 2008 est. 336 Sao Tome and Principe 43,781.00 2008 est. 337 Sao Tome and Principe 42,340.00 2008 est. 338 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 34,373.00 2008 est. 339 Tonga 32,053.00 2008 est. 340 Tonga 30,981.00 2008 est. 341 Grenada 27,309.00 2008 est. 342 Micronesia, Federated States of 26,686.00 2008 est. 343 Kiribati 26,377.00 2008 est. 344 Aruba 25,742.00 2008 est. 345 Aruba 24,585.00 2008 est. 346 Seychelles 24,424.00 2008 est. 347 Seychelles 23,598.00 2008 est. 348 Antigua and Barbuda 19,560.00 2008 est. 349 Antigua and Barbuda 18,977.00 2008 est. 350 Andorra 18,685.00 2008 est. 351 Dominica 18,584.00 2008 est. 352 Marshall Islands 15,708.00 2008 est. 353 Bermuda 15,623.00 2008 est. 354 Greenland 15,221.00 2008 est. 355 Cayman Islands 11,790.00 2008 est. 356 Faroe Islands 11,725.00 2008 est. 357 Saint Kitts and Nevis 10,095.00 2008 est. 358 Saint Kitts and Nevis 10,081.00 2008 est. 359 Liechtenstein 8,102.00 2008 est. 360 British Virgin Islands 7,101.00 2008 est. 361 Monaco 6,687.00 2008 est. 362 San Marino 6,613.00 2008 est. 363 Gibraltar 6,308.00 2008 est. 364 Palau 5,973.00 2008 est. 365 Anguilla 3,538.00 2008 est. 366 Nauru 3,470.00 2008 est. 367 Montserrat 2,528.00 2008 est.

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Rank code: 2106

Country Comparison :: Maritime claims

This entry includes the following claims, the definitions of which are excerpted from the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which alone contains the full and definitive descriptions: territorial sea - the sovereignty of a coastal state extends beyond its land territory and internal waters to an adjacent belt of sea, described as the territorial sea in the UNCLOS (Part II); this sovereignty extends to the air space over the territorial sea as well as its underlying seabed and subsoil; every state has the right to establish the breadth of its territorial sea up to a limit not exceeding 12 nautical miles; the normal baseline for measuring the breadth of the territorial sea is the mean low-water line along the coast as marked on large-scale charts officially recognized by the coastal state; the UNCLOS describes specific rules for archipelagic states. contiguous zone - according to the UNCLOS (Article 33), this is a zone contiguous to a coastal state's territorial sea, over which it may exercise the control necessary to: prevent infringement of its customs, fiscal, immigration, or sanitary laws and regulations within its territory or territorial sea; punish infringement of the above laws and regulations committed within its territory or territorial sea; the contiguous zone may not extend beyond 24 nautical miles from the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured (e.g. the US has claimed a 12-nautical mile contiguous zone in addition to its 12-nautical mile territorial sea). exclusive economic zone (EEZ) - the UNCLOS (Part V) defines the EEZ as a zone beyond and adjacent to the territorial sea in which a coastal state has: sovereign rights for the purpose of exploring and exploiting, conserving and managing the natural resources, whether living or non-living, of the waters superjacent to the seabed and of the seabed and its subsoil, and with regard to other activities for the economic exploitation and exploration of the zone, such as the production of energy from the water, currents, and winds; jurisdiction with regard to the establishment and use of artificial islands, installations, and structures; marine scientific research; the protection and preservation of the marine environment; the outer limit of the exclusive economic zone shall not exceed 200 nautical miles from the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured. continental shelf - the UNCLOS (Article 76) defines the continental shelf of a coastal state as comprising the seabed and subsoil of the submarine areas that extend beyond its territorial sea throughout the natural prolongation of its land territory to the outer edge of the continental margin, or to a distance of 200 nautical miles from the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured where the outer edge of the continental margin does not extend up to that distance; the continental margin comprises the submerged prolongation of the landmass of the coastal state, and consists of the seabed and subsoil of the shelf, the slope and the rise; wherever the continental margin extends beyond 200 nautical miles from the baseline, coastal states may extend their claim to a distance not to exceed 350 nautical miles from the baseline or 100 nautical miles from the 2500 meter isobath; it does not include the deep ocean floor with its oceanic ridges or the subsoil thereof. exclusive fishing zone - while this term is not used in the UNCLOS, some states (e.g., the United Kingdom) have chosen not to claim an EEZ, but rather to claim jurisdiction over the living resources off their coast; in such cases, the term exclusive fishing zone is often used; the breadth of this zone is normally the same as the EEZ or 200 nautical miles.

Rank country Maritime claims Date of Information

1 Antigua and Barbuda 200.00 NA 2 Antigua and Barbuda 200.00 NA 3 United Arab Emirates 200.00 NA 4 Angola 200.00 NA 5 American Samoa 200.00 NA 6 Argentina 200.00 NA 7 Australia 200.00 NA 8 Anguilla 200.00 NA 9 Bermuda 200.00 NA 10 Navassa Island 200.00 NA 11 Solomon Islands 200.00 NA 12 Solomon Islands 200.00 NA 13 Benin 200.00 NA 14 Burma 200.00 NA 15 Burma 200.00 NA 16 Belize 200.00 NA 17 Bangladesh 200.00 NA 18 Bahamas, The 200.00 NA 19 China 200.00 NA 20 China 200.00 NA 21 Congo, Republic of the 200.00 NA 22 Sri Lanka 200.00 NA 23 Sri Lanka 200.00 NA 24 Cambodia 200.00 NA 25 Cambodia 200.00 NA 26 Canada 200.00 NA 27 Canada 200.00 NA 28 Brunei 200.00 NA 29 Bulgaria 200.00 NA 30 Brazil 200.00 NA 31 Brazil 200.00 NA 32 El Salvador 200.00 NA 33 Equatorial Guinea 200.00 NA 34 Ireland 200.00 NA 35 Egypt 200.00 NA 36 Ecuador 200.00 NA 37 Dominican Republic 200.00 NA 38 Dominican Republic 200.00 NA 39 Dominica 200.00 NA 40 Djibouti 200.00 NA 41 Denmark 200.00 NA 42 Cook Islands 200.00 NA 43 Cook Islands 200.00 NA 44 Cape Verde 200.00 NA 45 Cuba 200.00 NA 46 Costa Rica 200.00 NA 47 Greenland 200.00 NA 48 Greenland 200.00 NA 49 Grenada 200.00 NA 50 Ghana 200.00 NA 51 Ghana 200.00 NA 52 Georgia 200.00 NA 53 Gabon 200.00 NA 54 Gambia, The 200.00 NA 55 French Southern and Antarctic Lands200.00 NA 56 Cote d'Ivoire 200.00 NA 57 Cote d'Ivoire 200.00 NA 58 Clipperton Island 200.00 NA 59 British Indian Ocean Territory 200.00 NA 60 India 200.00 NA 61 India 200.00 NA 62 Indonesia 200.00 NA 63 Iceland 200.00 NA 64 Iceland 200.00 NA 65 Morocco 200.00 NA 66 Montserrat 200.00 NA 67 Mayotte 200.00 NA 68 Madagascar 200.00 NA 69 Madagascar 200.00 NA 70 Liberia 200.00 NA 71 Latvia 200.00 NA 72 Christmas Island 200.00 NA 73 Korea, South 200.00 NA 74 Netherlands 200.00 NA 75 Nigeria 200.00 NA 76 Vanuatu 200.00 NA 77 Vanuatu 200.00 NA 78 Norfolk Island 200.00 NA 79 Niue 200.00 NA 80 New Caledonia 200.00 NA 81 Mozambique 200.00 NA 82 Malaysia 200.00 NA 83 Yemen 200.00 NA 84 Yemen 200.00 NA 85 Samoa 200.00 NA 86 Wake Island 200.00 NA 87 Wallis and Futuna 200.00 NA 88 Namibia 200.00 NA 89 Virgin Islands 200.00 NA 90 Vietnam 200.00 NA 91 Vietnam 200.00 NA 92 British Virgin Islands 200.00 NA 93 Venezuela 200.00 NA 94 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 200.00 NA 95 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 200.00 NA 96 Uruguay 200.00 NA 97 United States 200.00 NA 98 Ukraine 200.00 NA 99 United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges200.00 NA 100 United Kingdom 200.00 NA 101 Tanzania 200.00 NA 102 Taiwan 200.00 NA 103 Tuvalu 200.00 NA 104 Timor-Leste 200.00 NA 105 Sao Tome and Principe 200.00 NA 106 Togo 200.00 NA 107 Tonga 200.00 NA 108 Tokelau 200.00 NA 109 Turks and Caicos Islands 200.00 NA 110 Thailand 200.00 NA 111 Trinidad and Tobago 200.00 NA 112 Trinidad and Tobago 200.00 NA 113 South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands200.00 NA 114 Svalbard 200.00 NA 115 Saint Lucia 200.00 NA 116 Saint Lucia 200.00 NA 117 Spain 200.00 NA 118 Somalia 200.00 NA 119 Sierra Leone 200.00 NA 120 Sierra Leone 200.00 NA 121 Saint Helena 200.00 NA 122 Senegal 200.00 NA 123 Senegal 200.00 NA 124 South Africa 200.00 NA 125 South Africa 200.00 NA 126 Seychelles 200.00 NA 127 Seychelles 200.00 NA 128 Saint Kitts and Nevis 200.00 NA 129 Saint Kitts and Nevis 200.00 NA 130 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 200.00 NA 131 Russia 200.00 NA 132 Puerto Rico 200.00 NA 133 Philippines 200.00 NA 134 Romania 200.00 NA 135 Marshall Islands 200.00 NA 136 Guinea-Bissau 200.00 NA 137 Palau 200.00 NA 138 Papua New Guinea 200.00 NA 139 Portugal 200.00 NA 140 Panama 200.00 NA 141 Pakistan 200.00 NA 142 Pakistan 200.00 NA 143 Peru 200.00 NA 144 Peru 200.00 NA 145 Pitcairn Islands 200.00 NA 146 New Zealand 200.00 NA 147 New Zealand 200.00 NA 148 Suriname 200.00 NA 149 Nauru 200.00 NA 150 Norway 200.00 NA 151 Norway 200.00 NA 152 Mexico 200.00 NA 153 Mexico 200.00 NA 154 Maldives 200.00 NA 155 Oman 200.00 NA 156 Mauritania 200.00 NA 157 Mauritania 200.00 NA 158 Mauritius 200.00 NA 159 Mauritius 200.00 NA 160 Kiribati 200.00 NA 161 Korea, North 200.00 NA 162 Kenya 200.00 NA 163 Kenya 200.00 NA 164 Jan Mayen 200.00 NA 165 Jamaica 200.00 NA 166 Jamaica 200.00 NA 167 Japan 200.00 NA 168 Honduras 200.00 NA 169 Heard Island and McDonald Islands 200.00 NA 170 Haiti 200.00 NA 171 Guyana 200.00 NA 172 Guyana 200.00 NA 173 Guinea 200.00 NA 174 Guatemala 200.00 NA 175 Germany 200.00 NA 176 France 200.00 NA 177 French Polynesia 200.00 NA 178 Faroe Islands 200.00 NA 179 Faroe Islands 200.00 NA 180 Micronesia, Federated States of 200.00 NA 181 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 200.00 NA 182 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 200.00 NA 183 Fiji 200.00 NA 184 Costa Rica 200.00 NA 185 Coral Sea Islands 200.00 NA 186 Northern Mariana Islands 200.00 NA 187 Colombia 200.00 NA 188 Comoros 200.00 NA 189 Cocos (Keeling) Islands 200.00 NA 190 Cayman Islands 200.00 NA 191 Chile 200.00 NA 192 Barbados 200.00 NA 193 Ashmore and Cartier Islands 200.00 NA 194 Australia 200.00 NA 195 Argentina 200.00 NA 196 United Arab Emirates 200.00 NA 197 Libya 62.00 NA 198 Togo 30.00 NA 199 Malta 25.00 NA 200 Antigua and Barbuda 24.00 NA 201 United Arab Emirates 24.00 NA 202 Angola 24.00 NA 203 Finland 24.00 NA 204 El Salvador 24.00 NA 205 Egypt 24.00 NA 206 Dominican Republic 24.00 NA 207 China 24.00 NA 208 Sri Lanka 24.00 NA 209 Cambodia 24.00 NA 210 Canada 24.00 NA 211 Bulgaria 24.00 NA 212 Brazil 24.00 NA 213 Burma 24.00 NA 214 Belgium 24.00 NA 215 Bahrain 24.00 NA 216 Yemen 24.00 NA 217 Samoa 24.00 NA 218 Namibia 24.00 NA 219 Vietnam 24.00 NA 220 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 24.00 NA 221 Uruguay 24.00 NA 222 United States 24.00 NA 223 Tuvalu 24.00 NA 224 Timor-Leste 24.00 NA 225 Tunisia 24.00 NA 226 Trinidad and Tobago 24.00 NA 227 Syria 24.00 NA 228 Saint Lucia 24.00 NA 229 Spain 24.00 NA 230 Sierra Leone 24.00 NA 231 Senegal 24.00 NA 232 South Africa 24.00 NA 233 Seychelles 24.00 NA 234 Saint Kitts and Nevis 24.00 NA 235 Russia 24.00 NA 236 Romania 24.00 NA 237 Marshall Islands 24.00 NA 238 Qatar 24.00 NA 239 Portugal 24.00 NA 240 Panama 24.00 NA 241 Pakistan 24.00 NA 242 New Zealand 24.00 NA 243 Nicaragua 24.00 NA 244 Nauru 24.00 NA 245 Netherlands 24.00 NA 246 Vanuatu 24.00 NA 247 Mexico 24.00 NA 248 Maldives 24.00 NA 249 Oman 24.00 NA 250 Malta 24.00 NA 251 Mauritania 24.00 NA 252 Morocco 24.00 NA 253 Madagascar 24.00 NA 254 Korea, South 24.00 NA 255 Jamaica 24.00 NA 256 Japan 24.00 NA 257 Iran 24.00 NA 258 India 24.00 NA 259 Honduras 24.00 NA 260 Haiti 24.00 NA 261 Ghana 24.00 NA 262 Gabon 24.00 NA 263 France 24.00 NA 264 Dominica 24.00 NA 265 Djibouti 24.00 NA 266 Denmark 24.00 NA 267 Cyprus 24.00 NA 268 Cape Verde 24.00 NA 269 Cuba 24.00 NA 270 Cameroon 24.00 NA 271 Chile 24.00 NA 272 Australia 24.00 NA 273 Argentina 24.00 NA 274 Bangladesh 18.00 NA 275 Gambia, The 18.00 NA 276 Saudi Arabia 18.00 NA 277 Sudan 18.00 NA 278 Venezuela 15.00 NA 279 Aruba 12.00 NA 280 United Arab Emirates 12.00 NA 281 Algeria 12.00 NA 282 Australia 12.00 NA 283 Ashmore and Cartier Islands 12.00 NA 284 Solomon Islands 12.00 NA 285 Burma 12.00 NA 286 Belize 12.00 NA 287 Bangladesh 12.00 NA 288 Bahamas, The 12.00 NA 289 Belgium 12.00 NA 290 Bermuda 12.00 NA 291 Barbados 12.00 NA 292 Bahrain 12.00 NA 293 Finland 12.00 NA 294 Finland 12.00 NA 295 El Salvador 12.00 NA 296 Eritrea 12.00 NA 297 Estonia 12.00 NA 298 Equatorial Guinea 12.00 NA 299 Ireland 12.00 NA 300 Egypt 12.00 NA 301 Northern Mariana Islands 12.00 NA 302 Guyana 12.00 NA 303 Guinea 12.00 NA 304 Guatemala 12.00 NA 305 Greece 12.00 NA 306 Germany 12.00 NA 307 Guernsey 12.00 NA 308 Grenada 12.00 NA 309 Ghana 12.00 NA 310 Georgia 12.00 NA 311 Jersey 12.00 NA 312 Japan 12.00 NA 313 Iraq 12.00 NA 314 Cote d'Ivoire 12.00 NA 315 Italy 12.00 NA 316 Israel 12.00 NA 317 Iran 12.00 NA 318 Clipperton Island 12.00 NA 319 India 12.00 NA 320 Yemen 12.00 NA 321 Samoa 12.00 NA 322 Wake Island 12.00 NA 323 Wallis and Futuna 12.00 NA 324 Namibia 12.00 NA 325 Virgin Islands 12.00 NA 326 Vietnam 12.00 NA 327 Venezuela 12.00 NA 328 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 12.00 NA 329 Uruguay 12.00 NA 330 United States 12.00 NA 331 Ukraine 12.00 NA 332 United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges12.00 NA 333 United Kingdom 12.00 NA 334 Tanzania 12.00 NA 335 Taiwan 12.00 NA 336 Tuvalu 12.00 NA 337 Turkey 12.00 NA 338 Timor-Leste 12.00 NA 339 Tunisia 12.00 NA 340 Tunisia 12.00 NA 341 Sao Tome and Principe 12.00 NA 342 Tonga 12.00 NA 343 Tokelau 12.00 NA 344 Turks and Caicos Islands 12.00 NA 345 Thailand 12.00 NA 346 Trinidad and Tobago 12.00 NA 347 Syria 12.00 NA 348 South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands12.00 NA 349 Sweden 12.00 NA 350 Sudan 12.00 NA 351 Saint Lucia 12.00 NA 352 Spain 12.00 NA 353 Sierra Leone 12.00 NA 354 Slovenia 12.00 NA 355 Saint Helena 12.00 NA 356 Senegal 12.00 NA 357 South Africa 12.00 NA 358 Seychelles 12.00 NA 359 Saint Kitts and Nevis 12.00 NA 360 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 12.00 NA 361 Saudi Arabia 12.00 NA 362 Russia 12.00 NA 363 Puerto Rico 12.00 NA 364 Romania 12.00 NA 365 Marshall Islands 12.00 NA 366 Qatar 12.00 NA 367 Guinea-Bissau 12.00 NA 368 Papua New Guinea 12.00 NA 369 Portugal 12.00 NA 370 Panama 12.00 NA 371 Poland 12.00 NA 372 Pakistan 12.00 NA 373 New Zealand 12.00 NA 374 Nicaragua 12.00 NA 375 Netherlands Antilles 12.00 NA 376 Netherlands Antilles 12.00 NA 377 Suriname 12.00 NA 378 Nauru 12.00 NA 379 Norway 12.00 NA 380 Netherlands 12.00 NA 381 Nigeria 12.00 NA 382 Vanuatu 12.00 NA 383 Norfolk Island 12.00 NA 384 Niue 12.00 NA 385 New Caledonia 12.00 NA 386 Mozambique 12.00 NA 387 Malaysia 12.00 NA 388 Mexico 12.00 NA 389 Monaco 12.00 NA 390 Monaco 12.00 NA 391 Montenegro 12.00 NA 392 Mayotte 12.00 NA 393 Madagascar 12.00 NA 394 Libya 12.00 NA 395 Lithuania 12.00 NA 396 Latvia 12.00 NA 397 Lebanon 12.00 NA 398 Maldives 12.00 NA 399 Oman 12.00 NA 400 Malta 12.00 NA 401 Mauritania 12.00 NA 402 Mauritius 12.00 NA 403 Morocco 12.00 NA 404 Kuwait 12.00 NA 405 Christmas Island 12.00 NA 406 Christmas Island 12.00 NA 407 Korea, South 12.00 NA 408 Kiribati 12.00 NA 409 Korea, North 12.00 NA 410 Kenya 12.00 NA 411 Jamaica 12.00 NA 412 Isle of Man 12.00 NA 413 Isle of Man 12.00 NA 414 Indonesia 12.00 NA 415 Iceland 12.00 NA 416 Croatia 12.00 NA 417 Honduras 12.00 NA 418 Heard Island and McDonald Islands 12.00 NA 419 Haiti 12.00 NA 420 Gabon 12.00 NA 421 Gambia, The 12.00 NA 422 French Southern and Antarctic Lands12.00 NA 423 France 12.00 NA 424 French Polynesia 12.00 NA 425 Micronesia, Federated States of 12.00 NA 426 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 12.00 NA 427 Fiji 12.00 NA 428 Colombia 12.00 NA 429 Comoros 12.00 NA 430 Cameroon 12.00 NA 431 Cocos (Keeling) Islands 12.00 NA 432 Cayman Islands 12.00 NA 433 Chile 12.00 NA 434 China 12.00 NA 435 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 12.00 NA 436 Dominica 12.00 NA 437 Djibouti 12.00 NA 438 Denmark 12.00 NA 439 Cyprus 12.00 NA 440 Cook Islands 12.00 NA 441 Cape Verde 12.00 NA 442 Cuba 12.00 NA 443 Costa Rica 12.00 NA 444 Sri Lanka 12.00 NA 445 Cambodia 12.00 NA 446 Canada 12.00 NA 447 Brunei 12.00 NA 448 Bulgaria 12.00 NA 449 Brazil 12.00 NA 450 Navassa Island 12.00 NA 451 Ashmore and Cartier Islands 12.00 NA 452 Argentina 12.00 NA 453 American Samoa 12.00 NA 454 Angola 12.00 NA 455 Albania 12.00 NA 456 Antigua and Barbuda 12.00 NA 457 Jan Mayen 10.00 NA 458 Norway 10.00 NA 459 Dominican Republic 6.00 NA 460 Turkey 6.00 NA 461 Bouvet Island 4.00 NA 462 Jan Mayen 4.00 NA 463 Svalbard 4.00 NA 464 Anguilla 3.00 NA 465 British Virgin Islands 3.00 NA 466 Singapore 3.00 NA 467 Palau 3.00 NA 468 Pitcairn Islands 3.00 NA 469 Montserrat 3.00 NA 470 Jordan 3.00 NA 471 Jersey 3.00 NA 472 Gibraltar 3.00 NA 473 Guernsey 3.00 NA 474 Greenland 3.00 NA 475 British Indian Ocean Territory 3.00 NA 476 Hong Kong 3.00 NA 477 Faroe Islands 3.00 NA 478 Coral Sea Islands 3.00 NA

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Rank code: 2107

Country Comparison :: International organization participation

This entry lists in alphabetical order by abbreviation those international organizations in which the subject country is a member or participates in some other way.

Rank country International organization participationDate of Information

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Rank code: 2108

Country Comparison :: Merchant marine

Merchant marine may be defined as all ships engaged in the carriage of goods; or all commercial vessels (as opposed to all nonmilitary ships), which excludes tugs, fishing vessels, offshore oil rigs, etc. This entry contains information in four fields - total, ships by type, foreign-owned, and registered in other countries. Total includes the number of ships (1,000 GRT or over), total DWT for those ships, and total GRT for those ships. DWT or dead weight tonnage is the total weight of cargo, plus bunkers, stores, etc., that a ship can carry when immersed to the appropriate load line. GRT or gross register tonnage is a figure obtained by measuring the entire sheltered volume of a ship available for cargo and passengers and converting it to tons on the basis of 100 cubic feet per ton; there is no stable relationship between GRT and DWT. Ships by type includes a listing of barge carriers, bulk cargo ships, cargo ships, chemical tankers, combination bulk carriers, combination ore/oil carriers, container ships, liquefied gas tankers, livestock carriers, multifunctional large-load carriers, petroleum tankers, passenger ships, passenger/cargo ships, railcar carriers, refrigerated cargo ships, roll-on/roll-off cargo ships, short-sea passenger ships, specialized tankers, and vehicle carriers. Foreign-owned are ships that fly the flag of one country but belong to owners in another. Registered in other countries are ships that belong to owners in one country but fly the flag of another.

Rank country Merchant marine Date of Information

1 Panama 6,323 2008 2 Liberia 2,204 2008 3 China 1,826 2008 4 Malta 1,438 2008 5 Singapore 1,292 2008 6 Bahamas, The 1,223 2008 7 Antigua and Barbuda 1,146 2008 8 Hong Kong 1,114 2008 9 Russia 1,074 2008 10 Marshall Islands 1,049 2008 11 Indonesia 971 2008 12 Greece 869 2008 13 Cyprus 858 2008 14 Korea, South 812 2008 15 Norway 688 2008 16 Japan 683 2008 17 Cambodia 626 2008 18 Netherlands 622 2008 19 Turkey 612 2008 20 Italy 609 2008 21 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 525 2008 22 United Kingdom 518 2008 23 India 501 2008 24 United States 422 2008 25 Thailand 398 2008 26 Germany 393 2008 27 Philippines 391 2008 28 Vietnam 387 2008 29 Denmark 327 2008 30 Malaysia 306 2008 31 Isle of Man 273 2008 32 Gibraltar 240 2008 33 Belize 216 2008 34 Sweden 195 2008 35 Georgia 191 2008 36 Ukraine 189 2008 37 Sierra Leone 182 2008 38 Canada 175 2008 39 Korea, North 167 2008 40 Saint Kitts and Nevis 159 2008 41 Spain 158 2008 42 Netherlands Antilles 147 2008 43 France 138 2008 44 Bermuda 137 2008 45 Brazil 136 2008 46 Comoros 136 2008 47 Honduras 123 2008 48 Portugal 117 2008 49 Cayman Islands 109 2008 50 Taiwan 102 2008 51 Finland 98 2008 52 Azerbaijan 89 2008 53 Barbados 85 2008 54 Croatia 80 2008 55 Tuvalu 80 2008 56 Belgium 79 2008 57 Mongolia 77 2008 58 Syria 77 2008 59 Bulgaria 74 2008 60 Iran 74 2008 61 Monaco 70 2008 62 Nigeria 68 2008 63 Egypt 67 2008 64 Saudi Arabia 62 2008 65 Venezuela 62 2008 66 United Arab Emirates 58 2008 67 Mexico 55 2008 68 Vanuatu 54 2008 69 Dominica 53 2008 70 Slovakia 51 2008 71 Australia 50 2008 72 Argentina 46 2008 73 Lithuania 45 2008 74 Luxembourg 45 2008 75 Chile 44 2008 76 Kiribati 43 2008 77 Bangladesh 40 2008 78 Moldova 39 2008 79 Kuwait 38 2008 80 Ecuador 37 2008 81 Morocco 35 2008 82 Switzerland 35 2008 83 Algeria 33 2008 84 Lebanon 33 2008 85 Ireland 29 2008 86 Maldives 29 2008 87 Estonia 29 2008 88 Slovenia 29 2008 89 Sri Lanka 26 2008 90 Cook Islands 26 2008 91 Albania 24 2008 92 Burma 24 2008 93 Bolivia 23 2008 94 Paraguay 23 2008 95 Latvia 22 2008 96 Qatar 22 2008 97 Jordan 21 2008 98 Papua New Guinea 21 2008 99 Jamaica 20 2008 100 Colombia 17 2008 101 Libya 17 2008 102 Uruguay 17 2008 103 Romania 17 2008 104 French Polynesia 15 2008 105 Pakistan 15 2008 106 Poland 15 2008 107 Iraq 14 2008 108 New Zealand 13 2008 109 Tonga 13 2008 110 Faroe Islands 12 2008 111 Cuba 11 2008 112 Israel 11 2008 113 Togo 10 2008 114 Bahrain 9 2008 115 Ethiopia 9 2008 116 Fiji 9 2008 117 Tanzania 9 2008 118 Trinidad and Tobago 9 2008 119 Brunei 8 2008 120 Madagascar 8 2008 121 Seychelles 8 2008 122 Wallis and Futuna 8 2008 123 Peru 8 2008 124 Guyana 8 2008 125 Cape Verde 8 2008 126 Tunisia 7 2008 127 Turkmenistan 7 2008 128 Angola 6 2008 129 Montenegro 6 2008 130 Sao Tome and Principe 6 2008 131 Eritrea 5 2008 132 Kazakhstan 5 2008 133 Gambia, The 5 2008 134 Austria 4 2008 135 Yemen 4 2008 136 Ghana 4 2008 137 Micronesia, Federated States of 3 2008 138 South Africa 3 2008 139 Sudan 3 2008 140 Puerto Rico 3 2008 141 Mauritius 3 2008 142 Oman 3 2008 143 Gabon 2 2008 144 Greenland 2 2008 145 Iceland 2 2008 146 New Caledonia 2 2008 147 Mozambique 2 2008 148 Congo, Republic of the 1 2008 149 Dominican Republic 1 2008 150 Czech Republic 1 2008 151 Suriname 1 2008 152 Turks and Caicos Islands 1 2008 153 British Virgin Islands 1 2008 154 Samoa 1 2008 155 Namibia 1 2008 156 Timor-Leste 1 2008 157 Somalia 1 2008 158 Equatorial Guinea 1 2008 159 Laos 1 2008 160 Kenya 1 2008 161 Costa Rica 1 2008 162 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 1 2008

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Rank code: 2109

Country Comparison :: National holiday

This entry gives the primary national day of celebration - usually independence day.

Rank country National holiday Date of Information

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Rank code: 2110

Country Comparison :: Nationality

This entry provides the identifying terms for citizens - noun and adjective.

Rank country Nationality Date of Information

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Rank code: 2111

Country Comparison :: Natural resources

This entry lists a country's mineral, petroleum, hydropower, and other resources of commercial importance.

Rank country Natural resources Date of Information

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Rank code: 2112

Country Comparison :: Net migration rate

This entry includes the figure for the difference between the number of persons entering and leaving a country during the year per 1,000 persons (based on midyear population). An excess of persons entering the country is referred to as net immigration (e.g., 3.56 migrants/1,000 population); an excess of persons leaving the country as net emigration (e.g., -9.26 migrants/1,000 population). The net migration rate indicates the contribution of migration to the overall level of population change. High levels of migration can cause problems such as increasing unemployment and potential ethnic strife (if people are coming in) or a reduction in the labor force, perhaps in certain key sectors (if people are leaving).

Rank country (migrant(s)/1,000 population) Date of Information

1 United Arab Emirates 22.98 2009 est. 2 Afghanistan 21.00 2009 est. 3 Cayman Islands 16.48 2009 est. 4 Kuwait 16.02 2009 est. 5 Macau 14.56 2009 est. 6 Anguilla 14.06 2009 est. 7 San Marino 10.32 2009 est. 8 Aruba 9.70 2009 est. 9 Turks and Caicos Islands 9.02 2009 est. 10 Luxembourg 8.44 2009 est. 11 British Virgin Islands 8.13 2009 est. 12 Monaco 7.58 2009 est. 13 Andorra 6.89 2009 est. 14 Northern Mariana Islands 6.47 2009 est. 15 Australia 6.23 2009 est. 16 Jordan 5.83 2009 est. 17 Singapore 5.82 2009 est. 18 Canada 5.63 2009 est. 19 Isle of Man 5.23 2009 est. 20 Liberia 5.13 2009 est. 21 Botswana 5.00 2009 est. 22 Ireland 4.71 2009 est. 23 Liechtenstein 4.66 2009 est. 24 Hong Kong 4.38 2009 est. 25 United States 4.31 2009 est. 26 Burundi 4.04 2009 est. 27 Guernsey 3.80 2009 est. 28 Bosnia and Herzegovina 3.17 2009 est. 29 Portugal 3.14 2009 est. 30 French Polynesia 2.73 2009 est. 31 Jersey 2.73 2009 est. 32 Brunei 2.69 2009 est. 33 Denmark 2.48 2009 est. 34 Netherlands 2.46 2009 est. 35 New Zealand 2.46 2009 est. 36 Antigua and Barbuda 2.38 2009 est. 37 Israel 2.37 2009 est. 38 Greece 2.33 2009 est. 39 Bermuda 2.20 2009 est. 40 Germany 2.19 2009 est. 41 Rwanda 2.17 2009 est. 42 United Kingdom 2.16 2009 est. 43 Italy 2.06 2009 est. 44 Malta 2.02 2009 est. 45 Austria 1.85 2009 est. 46 Switzerland 1.76 2009 est. 47 Norway 1.71 2009 est. 48 Sweden 1.66 2009 est. 49 Croatia 1.59 2009 est. 50 France 1.48 2009 est. 51 Angola 1.34 2009 est. 52 Belgium 1.22 2009 est. 53 Mayotte 1.11 2009 est. 54 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 1.07 2009 est. 55 Seychelles 1.05 2009 est. 56 Spain 0.99 2009 est. 57 Czech Republic 0.97 2009 est. 58 Palau 0.96 2009 est. 59 Hungary 0.87 2009 est. 60 Iceland 0.83 2009 est. 61 Finland 0.68 2009 est. 62 Sudan 0.63 2009 est. 63 Turkey 0.56 2009 est. 64 Slovenia 0.52 2009 est. 65 Costa Rica 0.47 2009 est. 66 Cyprus 0.42 2009 est. 67 Belarus 0.38 2009 est. 68 Gambia, The 0.30 2009 est. 69 Slovakia 0.30 2009 est. 70 Namibia 0.30 2009 est. 71 Russia 0.28 2009 est. 72 Oman 0.24 2009 est. 73 Bahrain 0.20 2009 est. 74 Taiwan 0.03 2009 est. 75 Argentina 0.00 2009 est. 76 Benin 0.00 2009 est. 77 Kenya 0.00 2009 est. 78 Gaza Strip 0.00 2009 est. 79 Serbia 0.00 2008 est. 80 Sierra Leone 0.00 2009 est. 81 West Bank 0.00 2009 est. 82 Somalia 0.00 2009 est. 83 Senegal 0.00 2009 est. 84 Guinea-Bissau 0.00 2009 est. 85 Gibraltar 0.00 2009 est. 86 Ethiopia -0.02 2009 est. 87 India -0.05 2009 est. 88 Mauritius -0.06 2009 est. 89 Paraguay -0.07 2009 est. 90 Brazil -0.09 2009 est. 91 Korea, North -0.09 2009 est. 92 Nigeria -0.10 2009 est. 93 Ukraine -0.11 2009 est. 94 Romania -0.13 2009 est. 95 South Africa -0.13 2009 est. 96 Uruguay -0.16 2009 est. 97 Egypt -0.20 2009 est. 98 Colombia -0.26 2009 est. 99 Suriname -0.26 2009 est. 100 Algeria -0.29 2009 est. 101 Barbados -0.31 2009 est. 102 Korea, South -0.33 2009 est. 103 Vietnam -0.38 2009 est. 104 China -0.39 2009 est. 105 Netherlands Antilles -0.39 2009 est. 106 Faroe Islands -0.41 2009 est. 107 Tunisia -0.41 2009 est. 108 Venezuela -0.42 2009 est. 109 Poland -0.47 2009 est. 110 Pakistan -0.48 2009 est. 111 Panama -0.49 2009 est. 112 Macedonia -0.52 2009 est. 113 Ghana -0.53 2009 est. 114 Niger -0.57 2009 est. 115 Lithuania -0.72 2009 est. 116 Morocco -0.72 2009 est. 117 Lesotho -0.78 2009 est. 118 Guinea -0.80 2009 est. 119 Ecuador -0.81 2009 est. 120 Peru -0.95 2009 est. 121 Mauritania -0.96 2009 est. 122 Puerto Rico -0.96 2009 est. 123 Bolivia -1.05 2009 est. 124 Sri Lanka -1.09 2009 est. 125 Nicaragua -1.11 2009 est. 126 Moldova -1.13 2009 est. 127 Saint Kitts and Nevis -1.15 2009 est. 128 Indonesia -1.24 2009 est. 129 Tajikistan -1.28 2009 est. 130 Honduras -1.30 2009 est. 131 Tanzania -1.30 2009 est. 132 Philippines -1.34 2009 est. 133 Cuba -1.56 2009 est. 134 Azerbaijan -1.69 2009 est. 135 Sao Tome and Principe -1.81 2009 est. 136 Congo, Republic of the -1.82 2009 est. 137 Turkmenistan -1.97 2009 est. 138 Haiti -2.07 2009 est. 139 Bahamas, The -2.13 2009 est. 140 Guatemala -2.21 2009 est. 141 Dominican Republic -2.22 2009 est. 142 Latvia -2.30 2009 est. 143 Fiji -2.47 2009 est. 144 Bangladesh -2.53 2009 est. 145 Kyrgyzstan -2.57 2009 est. 146 Zambia -2.59 2009 est. 147 Iran -2.62 2009 est. 148 Uzbekistan -2.94 2009 est. 149 Bulgaria -3.11 2009 est. 150 Estonia -3.26 2009 est. 151 El Salvador -3.27 2009 est. 152 Kazakhstan -3.30 2009 est. 153 Nepal -3.39 2009 est. 154 Gabon -3.48 2009 est. 155 Qatar -3.58 2009 est. 156 Mexico -3.61 2009 est. 157 Chad -4.08 2009 est. 158 Saint Lucia -4.14 2009 est. 159 Georgia -4.26 2009 est. 160 Albania -4.28 2009 est. 161 Armenia -4.56 2009 est. 162 Saint Pierre and Miquelon -4.96 2009 est. 163 Marshall Islands -5.41 2009 est. 164 Dominica -5.45 2009 est. 165 Virgin Islands -5.49 2009 est. 166 Mali -5.67 2009 est. 167 Jamaica -5.70 2009 est. 168 Greenland -5.99 2009 est. 169 Wallis and Futuna -6.08 2009 est. 170 American Samoa -6.99 2009 est. 171 Trinidad and Tobago -7.28 2009 est. 172 Guyana -7.44 2009 est. 173 Saudi Arabia -7.60 2009 est. 174 Samoa -8.81 2009 est. 175 Uganda -8.83 2009 est. 176 Grenada -10.55 2009 est. 177 Cape Verde -11.67 2009 est. 178 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines -11.80 2009 est. 179 Maldives -12.58 2009 est. 180 Micronesia, Federated States of -21.03 2009 est.

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Rank code: 2113

Country Comparison :: Geography - note

This entry includes miscellaneous geographic information of significance not included elsewhere.

Rank country Geography - note Date of Information

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Rank code: 2115

Country Comparison :: Political pressure groups and leaders

This entry includes a listing of a country's political, social, labor, or religious organizations that are involved in politics, or that exert political pressure, but whose leaders do not stand for legislative election. International movements or organizations are generally not listed.

Rank country Political pressure groups and leadersDate of Information

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Rank code: 2116

Country Comparison :: Economy - overview

This entry briefly describes the type of economy, including the degree of market orientation, the level of economic development, the most important natural resources, and the unique areas of specialization. It also characterizes major economic events and policy changes in the most recent 12 months and may include a statement about one or two key future macroeconomic trends.

Rank country Economy - overview Date of Information

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Rank code: 2117

Country Comparison :: Pipelines

This entry gives the lengths and types of pipelines for transporting products like natural gas, crude oil, or petroleum products.

Rank country (km) Date of Information

1 United States 548,665.00 2006 2 United States 244,620.00 2006 3 Russia 158,767.00 2008 4 Canada 74,980.00 2006 5 Russia 74,285.00 2008 6 Ukraine 33,327.00 2008 7 Argentina 28,138.00 2008 8 China 28,132.00 2008 9 Australia 27,105.00 2008 10 Germany 24,364.00 2008 11 Canada 23,564.00 2006 12 Mexico 22,705.00 2006 13 China 20,204.00 2008 14 Iran 19,246.00 2008 15 Italy 17,544.00 2008 16 France 14,688.00 2008 17 Algeria 14,648.00 2008 18 Russia 13,658.00 2008 19 Poland 13,631.00 2008 20 Kazakhstan 11,146.00 2008 21 Pakistan 10,402.00 2008 22 Kazakhstan 10,376.00 2008 23 Brazil 9,892.00 2008 24 China 9,746.00 2008 25 Uzbekistan 9,706.00 2008 26 Mexico 8,688.00 2006 27 Iran 7,936.00 2008 28 Spain 7,738.00 2008 29 India 7,678.00 2008 30 Algeria 7,579.00 2008 31 Turkey 7,555.00 2008 32 United Kingdom 7,541.00 2008 33 Iran 7,018.00 2008 34 Czech Republic 7,010.00 2008 35 Libya 6,987.00 2008 36 India 6,876.00 2008 37 Slovakia 6,769.00 2008 38 Venezuela 6,695.00 2008 39 Mexico 6,520.00 2006 40 Turkmenistan 6,417.00 2008 41 Colombia 6,094.00 2008 42 India 6,061.00 2008 43 Argentina 5,939.00 2008 44 Indonesia 5,797.00 2008 45 Indonesia 5,721.00 2008 46 Egypt 5,586.00 2008 47 Iraq 5,418.00 2008 48 Belarus 5,250.00 2008 49 France 5,080.00 2008 50 Venezuela 5,036.00 2008 51 Bolivia 4,883.00 2008 52 Colombia 4,560.00 2008 53 Brazil 4,517.00 2008 54 Ukraine 4,514.00 2008 55 Brazil 4,465.00 2008 56 United Kingdom 4,417.00 2008 57 Hungary 4,407.00 2008 58 Egypt 4,314.00 2008 59 Saudi Arabia 4,239.00 2008 60 Ukraine 4,211.00 2008 61 Oman 4,126.00 2008 62 Nigeria 4,090.00 2008 63 Sudan 4,070.00 2008 64 Japan 3,862.00 2008 65 Germany 3,843.00 2008 66 Netherlands 3,816.00 2008 67 Turkey 3,636.00 2008 68 Argentina 3,629.00 2008 69 Romania 3,588.00 2008 70 Oman 3,558.00 2008 71 Spain 3,445.00 2008 72 Nigeria 3,396.00 2008 73 Colombia 3,383.00 2008 74 Germany 3,379.00 2008 75 Azerbaijan 3,361.00 2008 76 Australia 3,258.00 2008 77 France 3,036.00 2008 78 Algeria 2,933.00 2008 79 Bulgaria 2,926.00 2008 80 Syria 2,900.00 2008 81 Libya 2,860.00 2008 82 Denmark 2,858.00 2008 83 Austria 2,721.00 2008 84 Chile 2,676.00 2008 85 Bangladesh 2,597.00 2008 86 Nigeria 2,560.00 2008 87 Iraq 2,501.00 2008 88 Bolivia 2,475.00 2008 89 Romania 2,424.00 2008 90 Armenia 2,233.00 2008 91 Burma 2,228.00 2008 92 India 2,156.00 2008 93 United Arab Emirates 2,129.00 2008 94 Tunisia 2,102.00 2008 95 Pakistan 2,076.00 2008 96 Syria 2,000.00 2008 97 Malaysia 1,965.00 2008 98 Algeria 1,937.00 2008 99 Serbia 1,921.00 2008 100 Moldova 1,906.00 2008 101 Saudi Arabia 1,880.00 2008 102 Mexico 1,875.00 2006 103 New Zealand 1,838.00 2008 104 Belarus 1,730.00 2008 105 Lithuania 1,695.00 2008 106 Switzerland 1,662.00 2008 107 Iraq 1,637.00 2008 108 Sudan 1,613.00 2008 109 Georgia 1,591.00 2008 110 Bolivia 1,589.00 2008 111 Ireland 1,550.00 2008 112 Belarus 1,528.00 2008 113 Venezuela 1,484.00 2008 114 Kazakhstan 1,465.00 2008 115 Turkmenistan 1,457.00 2008 116 Azerbaijan 1,424.00 2008 117 Korea, South 1,423.00 2008 118 Poland 1,384.00 2008 119 South Africa 1,379.00 2008 120 Ecuador 1,374.00 2008 121 Indonesia 1,370.00 2008 122 Yemen 1,367.00 2008 123 Thailand 1,348.00 2008 124 Belgium 1,330.00 2008 125 Croatia 1,327.00 2008 126 United Arab Emirates 1,310.00 2008 127 Ecuador 1,301.00 2008 128 Georgia 1,253.00 2008 129 Italy 1,241.00 2008 130 Greece 1,197.00 2008 131 Tunisia 1,195.00 2008 132 Saudi Arabia 1,183.00 2008 133 Saudi Arabia 1,148.00 2008 134 Portugal 1,098.00 2008 135 Kazakhstan 1,095.00 2008 136 Peru 1,078.00 2008 137 Peru 1,018.00 2008 138 Hungary 987.00 2008 139 South Africa 980.00 2008 140 Venezuela 980.00 2008 141 Qatar 978.00 2008 142 Egypt 956.00 2008 143 Latvia 948.00 2008 144 Kenya 928.00 2008 145 Iraq 918.00 2008 146 Mozambique 918.00 2008 147 South Africa 908.00 2008 148 Egypt 895.00 2008 149 Chile 892.00 2008 150 Cameroon 889.00 2008 151 Tanzania 888.00 2008 152 Uzbekistan 868.00 2008 153 Estonia 859.00 2008 154 Slovenia 840.00 2008 155 Morocco 830.00 2008 156 Korea, South 827.00 2008 157 Costa Rica 796.00 2008 158 Pakistan 792.00 2008 159 Sweden 786.00 2008 160 Poland 777.00 2008 161 Libya 776.00 2008 162 Zambia 771.00 2008 163 Chile 769.00 2008 164 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 756.00 2008 165 Indonesia 735.00 2008 166 Gabon 723.00 2008 167 Netherlands 716.00 2008 168 United Kingdom 699.00 2008 169 Finland 694.00 2008 170 Austria 663.00 2008 171 Trinidad and Tobago 659.00 2008 172 Kazakhstan 658.00 2008 173 Peru 654.00 2008 174 Croatia 583.00 2008 175 Iran 570.00 2008 176 Spain 560.00 2008 177 Burma 558.00 2008 178 Tajikistan 549.00 2008 179 Czech Republic 547.00 2008 180 Kuwait 540.00 2008 181 Laos 540.00 2008 182 Belgium 535.00 2008 183 Peru 533.00 2008 184 Chile 519.00 2008 185 Guatemala 480.00 2008 186 Afghanistan 466.00 2008 187 United Arab Emirates 458.00 2008 188 Israel 442.00 2008 189 Jordan 439.00 2008 190 Morocco 439.00 2008 191 Ecuador 435.00 2008 192 Slovakia 416.00 2008 193 Latvia 415.00 2008 194 Taiwan 406.00 2008 195 Qatar 382.00 2008 196 Tunisia 372.00 2008 197 Netherlands 365.00 2008 198 Brazil 353.00 2008 199 Albania 339.00 2008 200 Bulgaria 339.00 2008 201 Trinidad and Tobago 336.00 2008 202 Hungary 335.00 2008 203 New Zealand 331.00 2008 204 Serbia 323.00 2008 205 Thailand 323.00 2008 206 Egypt 320.00 2008 207 Ghana 309.00 2008 208 New Zealand 288.00 2008 209 Mozambique 278.00 2008 210 Zimbabwe 270.00 2008 211 Kuwait 269.00 2008 212 Macedonia 268.00 2008 213 Oman 263.00 2008 214 Israel 261.00 2008 215 Kyrgyzstan 254.00 2008 216 Tanzania 253.00 2008 217 Chad 250.00 2008 218 Australia 240.00 2008 219 Gabon 240.00 2008 220 Cuba 230.00 2008 221 Mexico 228.00 2006 222 Uruguay 226.00 2008 223 United Arab Emirates 220.00 2008 224 United Arab Emirates 212.00 2008 225 Saudi Arabia 212.00 2008 226 Albania 207.00 2008 227 Congo, Republic of the 207.00 2008 228 Vietnam 206.00 2008 229 New Zealand 198.00 2008 230 Papua New Guinea 195.00 2008 231 Portugal 188.00 2008 232 Cote d'Ivoire 180.00 2008 233 Israel 176.00 2008 234 New Zealand 172.00 2008 235 Japan 167.00 2008 236 Belgium 158.00 2008 237 Austria 157.00 2008 238 Bulgaria 156.00 2008 239 Sudan 156.00 2008 240 Luxembourg 155.00 2008 241 Uruguay 155.00 2008 242 Korea, North 154.00 2008 243 Qatar 145.00 2008 244 Venezuela 141.00 2008 245 Qatar 132.00 2008 246 Russia 127.00 2008 247 Russia 122.00 2008 248 Macedonia 120.00 2008 249 Lithuania 114.00 2008 250 Malaysia 114.00 2008 251 Philippines 112.00 2008 252 Denmark 107.00 2008 253 Philippines 107.00 2008 254 Singapore 106.00 2008 255 Nigeria 97.00 2008 256 Yemen 96.00 2008 257 Czech Republic 94.00 2008 258 Switzerland 94.00 2008 259 Cote d'Ivoire 92.00 2008 260 United Arab Emirates 90.00 2008 261 Qatar 90.00 2008 262 Angola 87.00 2008 263 Cote d'Ivoire 86.00 2008 264 Greece 75.00 2008 265 Indonesia 73.00 2008 266 Vietnam 66.00 2008 267 Norway 64.00 2008 268 Brazil 62.00 2008 269 Egypt 59.00 2008 270 United Kingdom 59.00 2008 271 Kuwait 57.00 2008 272 Nicaragua 54.00 2008 273 Japan 53.00 2008 274 Suriname 50.00 2008 275 Jordan 49.00 2008 276 Bolivia 47.00 2008 277 Indonesia 44.00 2008 278 Lebanon 43.00 2008 279 Senegal 43.00 2008 280 United Kingdom 43.00 2008 281 Vietnam 42.00 2008 282 Argentina 41.00 2008 283 Cuba 41.00 2008 284 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 39.00 2008 285 Equatorial Guinea 38.00 2008 286 Tajikistan 38.00 2008 287 Brunei 37.00 2008 288 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 37.00 2008 289 Bahrain 32.00 2008 290 Malaysia 31.00 2008 291 Norway 31.00 2008 292 Russia 23.00 2008 293 Yemen 22.00 2008 294 Nigeria 21.00 2008 295 Bahrain 20.00 2008 296 Liechtenstein 20.00 2008 297 Brunei 18.00 2008 298 Kyrgyzstan 16.00 2008 299 Peru 15.00 2008 300 Egypt 13.00 2008 301 Indonesia 12.00 2008 302 Iran 12.00 2008 303 Portugal 11.00 2008 304 South Africa 11.00 2008 305 Slovenia 11.00 2008 306 Egypt 9.00 2008 307 Senegal 8.00 2008 308 Tanzania 8.00 2008 309 Congo, Republic of the 7.00 2008 310 Switzerland 7.00 2008 311 Iran 7.00 2008 312 Ecuador 5.00 2008 313 Ghana 5.00 2008 314 Kenya 4.00 2008 315 Egypt 3.00 2008 316 Malaysia 3.00 2008 317 Angola 2.00 2008 318 India 2.00 2008 319 Azerbaijan 1.00 2008 320 Australia 1.00 2008

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Rank code: 2118

Country Comparison :: Political parties and leaders

This entry includes a listing of significant political organizations and their leaders.

Rank country Political parties and leaders Date of Information

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Rank code: 2119

Country Comparison :: Population

This entry gives an estimate from the US Bureau of the Census based on statistics from population censuses, vital statistics registration systems, or sample surveys pertaining to the recent past and on assumptions about future trends. The total population presents one overall measure of the potential impact of the country on the world and within its region. Note: Starting with the 1993 Factbook, demographic estimates for some countries (mostly African) have explicitly taken into account the effects of the growing impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. These countries are currently: The Bahamas, Benin, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Rank country Population Date of Information

1 China 1,338,612,968 July 2009 est. 2 India 1,166,079,217 July 2009 est. 3 United States 307,212,123 July 2009 est. 4 Indonesia 240,271,522 July 2009 est. 5 Brazil 198,739,269 July 2009 est. 6 Pakistan 176,242,949 July 2009 est. 7 Bangladesh 156,050,883 July 2009 est. 8 Nigeria 149,229,090 July 2009 est. 9 Russia 140,041,247 July 2009 est. 10 Japan 127,078,679 July 2009 est. 11 Mexico 111,211,789 July 2009 est. 12 Philippines 97,976,603 July 2009 est. 13 Vietnam 86,967,524 July 2009 est. 14 Ethiopia 85,237,338 July 2009 est. 15 Egypt 83,082,869 July 2009 est. 16 Germany 82,329,758 July 2009 est. 17 Turkey 76,805,524 July 2009 est. 18 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 68,692,542 July 2009 est. 19 Iran 66,429,284 July 2009 est. 20 Thailand 65,905,410 July 2009 est. 21 France 64,057,792 July 2009 est. 22 United Kingdom 61,113,205 July 2009 est. 23 Italy 58,126,212 July 2009 est. 24 South Africa 49,052,489 July 2009 est. 25 Korea, South 48,508,972 July 2009 est. 26 Burma 48,137,741 July 2009 est. 27 Ukraine 45,700,395 July 2009 est. 28 Colombia 45,644,023 July 2009 est. 29 Sudan 41,087,825 July 2009 est. 30 Tanzania 41,048,532 July 2009 est. 31 Argentina 40,913,584 July 2009 est. 32 Spain 40,525,002 July 2009 est. 33 Kenya 39,002,772 July 2009 est. 34 Poland 38,482,919 July 2009 est. 35 Morocco 34,859,364 July 2009 est. 36 Algeria 34,178,188 July 2009 est. 37 Canada 33,487,208 July 2009 est. 38 Uganda 32,369,558 July 2009 est. 39 Peru 29,546,963 July 2009 est. 40 Iraq 28,945,657 July 2009 est. 41 Saudi Arabia 28,686,633 July 2009 est. 42 Nepal 28,563,377 July 2009 est. 43 Afghanistan 28,396,000 NA 44 Uzbekistan 27,606,007 July 2009 est. 45 Venezuela 26,814,843 July 2009 est. 46 Malaysia 25,715,819 July 2009 est. 47 Ghana 23,832,495 July 2009 est. 48 Yemen 23,822,783 July 2009 est. 49 Taiwan 22,974,347 July 2009 est. 50 Korea, North 22,665,345 July 2009 est. 51 Romania 22,215,421 July 2009 est. 52 Mozambique 21,669,278 July 2009 est. 53 Sri Lanka 21,324,791 July 2009 est. 54 Australia 21,262,641 July 2009 est. 55 Madagascar 20,653,556 July 2009 est. 56 Cote d'Ivoire 20,617,068 July 2009 est. 57 Syria 20,178,485 July 2009 est. 58 Cameroon 18,879,301 July 2009 est. 59 Netherlands 16,715,999 July 2009 est. 60 Chile 16,601,707 July 2009 est. 61 Burkina Faso 15,746,232 July 2009 est. 62 Kazakhstan 15,399,437 July 2009 est. 63 Niger 15,306,252 July 2009 est. 64 Ecuador 14,573,101 July 2009 est. 65 Cambodia 14,494,293 July 2009 est. 66 Malawi 14,268,711 July 2009 est. 67 Senegal 13,711,597 July 2009 est. 68 Guatemala 13,276,517 July 2009 est. 69 Angola 12,799,293 July 2009 est. 70 Mali 12,666,987 July 2009 est. 71 Zambia 11,862,740 July 2009 est. 72 Cuba 11,451,652 July 2009 est. 73 Zimbabwe 11,392,629 July 2009 est. 74 Greece 10,737,428 July 2009 est. 75 Portugal 10,707,924 July 2009 est. 76 Tunisia 10,486,339 July 2009 est. 77 Rwanda 10,473,282 July 2009 est. 78 Belgium 10,414,336 July 2009 est. 79 Chad 10,329,208 July 2009 est. 80 Czech Republic 10,211,904 July 2009 est. 81 Guinea 10,057,975 July 2009 est. 82 Hungary 9,905,596 July 2009 est. 83 Somalia 9,832,017 July 2009 est. 84 Bolivia 9,775,246 July 2009 est. 85 Dominican Republic 9,650,054 July 2009 est. 86 Belarus 9,648,533 July 2009 est. 87 Sweden 9,059,651 July 2009 est. 88 Haiti 9,035,536 July 2009 est. 89 Burundi 8,988,091 July 2009 est. 90 Benin 8,791,832 July 2009 est. 91 Azerbaijan 8,238,672 July 2009 est. 92 Austria 8,210,281 July 2009 est. 93 Honduras 7,792,854 July 2009 est. 94 Switzerland 7,604,467 July 2009 est. 95 Serbia 7,379,339 July 2009 est. 96 Tajikistan 7,349,145 July 2009 est. 97 Israel 7,233,701 July 2009 est. 98 Bulgaria 7,204,687 July 2009 est. 99 El Salvador 7,185,218 July 2009 est. 100 Hong Kong 7,055,071 July 2009 est. 101 Paraguay 6,995,655 July 2009 est. 102 Laos 6,834,942 July 2009 est. 103 Sierra Leone 6,440,053 July 2009 est. 104 Jordan 6,342,948 July 2009 est. 105 Libya 6,310,434 July 2009 est. 106 Papua New Guinea 6,057,263 July 2009 est. 107 Togo 6,019,877 July 2009 est. 108 Nicaragua 5,891,199 July 2009 est. 109 Eritrea 5,647,168 July 2009 est. 110 Denmark 5,500,510 July 2009 est. 111 Slovakia 5,463,046 July 2009 est. 112 Kyrgyzstan 5,431,747 July 2009 est. 113 Finland 5,250,275 July 2009 est. 114 Turkmenistan 4,884,887 July 2009 est. 115 United Arab Emirates 4,798,491 July 2009 est. 116 Norway 4,660,539 July 2009 est. 117 Singapore 4,657,542 July 2009 est. 118 Georgia 4,615,807 July 2009 est. 119 Bosnia and Herzegovina 4,613,414 July 2009 est. 120 Central African Republic 4,511,488 July 2009 est. 121 Croatia 4,489,409 July 2009 est. 122 Moldova 4,320,748 July 2009 est. 123 Costa Rica 4,253,877 July 2009 est. 124 New Zealand 4,213,418 July 2009 est. 125 Ireland 4,203,200 July 2009 est. 126 Lebanon 4,017,095 July 2009 est. 127 Congo, Republic of the 4,012,809 July 2009 est. 128 Puerto Rico 3,971,020 July 2009 est. 129 Albania 3,639,453 July 2009 est. 130 Lithuania 3,555,179 July 2009 est. 131 Uruguay 3,494,382 July 2009 est. 132 Liberia 3,441,790 July 2009 est. 133 Oman 3,418,085 July 2009 est. 134 Panama 3,360,474 July 2009 est. 135 Mauritania 3,129,486 July 2009 est. 136 Mongolia 3,041,142 July 2009 est. 137 Armenia 2,967,004 July 2009 est. 138 Jamaica 2,825,928 July 2009 est. 139 Kuwait 2,691,158 July 2009 est. 140 West Bank 2,461,267 July 2009 est. 141 Latvia 2,231,503 July 2009 est. 142 Lesotho 2,130,819 July 2009 est. 143 Namibia 2,108,665 July 2009 est. 144 Macedonia 2,066,718 July 2009 est. 145 Slovenia 2,005,692 July 2009 est. 146 Botswana 1,990,876 July 2009 est. 147 Kosovo 1,804,838 July 2009 est. 148 Gambia, The 1,782,893 July 2009 est. 149 Gaza Strip 1,551,859 July 2009 est. 150 Guinea-Bissau 1,533,964 July 2009 est. 151 Gabon 1,514,993 July 2009 est. 152 Estonia 1,299,371 July 2009 est. 153 Mauritius 1,284,264 July 2009 est. 154 Trinidad and Tobago 1,229,953 July 2009 est. 155 Timor-Leste 1,131,612 July 2009 est. 156 Swaziland 1,123,913 July 2009 est. 157 Fiji 944,720 July 2009 est. 158 Qatar 833,285 July 2009 est. 159 Cyprus 796,740 July 2009 est. 160 Guyana 772,298 July 2009 est. 161 Comoros 752,438 July 2009 est. 162 Bahrain 727,785 July 2009 est. 163 Bhutan 691,141 July 2009 est. 164 Montenegro 672,180 July 2009 est. 165 Equatorial Guinea 633,441 July 2009 est. 166 Solomon Islands 595,613 July 2009 est. 167 Macau 559,846 July 2009 est. 168 Djibouti 516,055 July 2009 est. 169 Luxembourg 491,775 July 2009 est. 170 Suriname 481,267 July 2009 est. 171 Cape Verde 429,474 July 2009 est. 172 Western Sahara 405,210 July 2009 est. 173 Malta 405,165 July 2009 est. 174 Maldives 396,334 July 2009 est. 175 Brunei 388,190 July 2009 est. 176 Bahamas, The 309,156 July 2009 est. 177 Belize 307,899 July 2009 est. 178 Iceland 306,694 July 2009 est. 179 French Polynesia 287,032 July 2009 est. 180 Barbados 284,589 July 2009 est. 181 New Caledonia 227,436 July 2009 est. 182 Netherlands Antilles 227,049 July 2009 est. 183 Mayotte 223,765 July 2009 est. 184 Samoa 219,998 July 2009 est. 185 Vanuatu 218,519 July 2009 est. 186 Sao Tome and Principe 212,679 July 2009 est. 187 Saint Lucia 160,267 July 2009 est. 188 Tonga 120,898 July 2009 est. 189 Kiribati 112,850 July 2009 est. 190 Virgin Islands 109,825 July 2009 est. 191 Micronesia, Federated States of 107,434 July 2009 est. 192 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 104,574 July 2009 est. 193 Aruba 103,065 July 2009 est. 194 Jersey 91,626 July 2009 est. 195 Grenada 90,739 July 2009 est. 196 Northern Mariana Islands 88,662 July 2009 est. 197 Seychelles 87,476 July 2009 est. 198 Antigua and Barbuda 85,632 July 2009 est. 199 Andorra 83,888 July 2009 est. 200 Isle of Man 76,512 July 2009 est. 201 Dominica 72,660 July 2009 est. 202 Bermuda 67,837 July 2009 est. 203 Guernsey 65,870 July 2009 est. 204 American Samoa 65,628 July 2009 est. 205 Marshall Islands 64,522 July 2009 est. 206 Greenland 57,600 July 2009 est. 207 Cayman Islands 49,035 July 2009 est. 208 Faroe Islands 48,856 July 2009 est. 209 Saint Kitts and Nevis 40,131 July 2009 est. 210 Liechtenstein 34,761 July 2009 est. 211 Monaco 32,965 July 2009 est. 212 San Marino 30,324 July 2009 est. 213 Saint Martin 29,820 July 2009 est. 214 Gibraltar 28,034 July 2009 est. 215 British Virgin Islands 24,491 July 2009 est. 216 Turks and Caicos Islands 22,942 July 2009 est. 217 Palau 20,796 July 2009 est. 218 Akrotiri 15,700 NA 219 Dhekelia 15,700 NA 220 Wallis and Futuna 15,289 July 2009 est. 221 Anguilla 14,436 July 2009 est. 222 Nauru 14,019 July 2009 est. 223 Tuvalu 12,373 July 2009 est. 224 Cook Islands 11,870 July 2009 est. 225 Saint Helena 7,637 July 2009 est. 226 Saint Barthelemy 7,448 July 2009 est. 227 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 7,051 July 2009 est. 228 Montserrat 5,097 July 2009 est. 229 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 3,140 July 2008 est. 230 Norfolk Island 2,141 July 2009 est. 231 Svalbard 2,116 July 2009 est. 232 Tokelau 1,416 July 2009 est. 233 Christmas Island 1,402 July 2009 est. 234 Niue 1,398 July 2009 est. 235 Holy See (Vatican City) 826 July 2009 est. 236 Cocos (Keeling) Islands 596 July 2009 est. 237 Pitcairn Islands 48 July 2009 est.

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Rank code: 2120

Country Comparison :: Ports and terminals

This entry lists major ports and terminals primarily on the basis of the amount of cargo tonnage shipped through the facilities on an annual basis. In some instances, the number of containers handled or ship visits were also considered.

Rank country Ports and terminals Date of Information

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Rank code: 2121

Country Comparison :: Railways

This entry states the total route length of the railway network and of its component parts by gauge: broad, standard, narrow, and dual. Other gauges are listed under note.

Rank country (km) Date of Information

1 United States 226,427 2007 2 Russia 87,157 2006 3 China 77,834 2008 4 India 63,327 2007 5 Canada 46,688 2008 6 Germany 41,896 2008 7 Australia 37,855 2008 8 Argentina 31,409 2008 9 France 29,213 2008 10 Brazil 28,857 2008 11 Japan 23,506 2008 12 Poland 22,314 2007 13 Ukraine 21,655 2008 14 South Africa 20,872 2008 15 Italy 19,729 2008 16 Mexico 17,516 2008 17 United Kingdom 16,454 2008 18 Spain 15,288 2008 19 Kazakhstan 13,700 2008 20 Sweden 11,633 2008 21 Romania 10,788 2008 22 Czech Republic 9,620 2008 23 Turkey 8,697 2008 24 Cuba 8,598 2006 25 Indonesia 8,529 2008 26 Iran 8,442 2008 27 Hungary 8,057 2008 28 Pakistan 7,791 2007 29 Austria 6,399 2008 30 Sudan 5,978 2008 31 Finland 5,794 2008 32 Belarus 5,538 2008 33 Chile 5,481 2008 34 Korea, North 5,235 2006 35 Egypt 5,063 2008 36 Switzerland 4,888 2008 37 Mozambique 4,787 2008 38 Bulgaria 4,294 2008 39 New Zealand 4,128 2008 40 Norway 4,114 2009 41 Thailand 4,071 2008 42 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 4,007 2008 43 Algeria 3,973 2008 44 Burma 3,955 2008 45 Colombia 3,802 2008 46 Tanzania 3,689 2008 47 Uzbekistan 3,645 2008 48 Slovakia 3,622 2008 49 Nigeria 3,505 2008 50 Bolivia 3,504 2008 51 Korea, South 3,381 2008 52 Serbia 3,379 2006 53 Ireland 3,237 2008 54 Belgium 3,233 2008 55 Zimbabwe 3,077 2008 56 Turkmenistan 2,980 2008 57 Netherlands 2,811 2008 58 Portugal 2,786 2008 59 Kenya 2,778 2008 60 Bangladesh 2,768 2008 61 Angola 2,764 2008 62 Croatia 2,722 2008 63 Denmark 2,667 2008 64 Namibia 2,629 2008 65 Greece 2,548 2008 66 Vietnam 2,347 2008 67 Latvia 2,298 2008 68 Iraq 2,272 2008 69 Tunisia 2,159 2008 70 Zambia 2,157 2008 71 Azerbaijan 2,122 2008 72 Syria 2,052 2008 73 Peru 1,989 2008 74 Morocco 1,907 2008 75 Malaysia 1,849 2008 76 Mongolia 1,810 2008 77 Dominican Republic 1,784 2008 78 Lithuania 1,765 2008 79 Uruguay 1,641 2008 80 Georgia 1,612 2008 81 Taiwan 1,588 2007 82 Sri Lanka 1,449 2007 83 Saudi Arabia 1,392 2008 84 Uganda 1,244 2008 85 Slovenia 1,228 2007 86 Guinea 1,185 2008 87 Moldova 1,138 2008 88 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1,000 2008 89 Cameroon 987 2008 90 Ecuador 965 2008 91 Ghana 947 2008 92 Estonia 919 2008 93 Israel 913 2008 94 Senegal 906 2008 95 Philippines 897 2008 96 Albania 896 2008 97 Botswana 888 2008 98 Madagascar 854 2008 99 Armenia 845 2008 100 Gabon 814 2008 101 Venezuela 806 2008 102 Malawi 797 2008 103 Congo, Republic of the 795 2008 104 Honduras 699 2008 105 Macedonia 699 2008 106 Ethiopia 681 2008 107 Tajikistan 680 2008 108 Cote d'Ivoire 660 2008 109 Burkina Faso 622 2008 110 Cambodia 602 2008 111 Fiji 597 2008 112 Mali 593 2008 113 Benin 578 2008 114 Togo 532 2008 115 Jordan 507 2008 116 Kyrgyzstan 470 2008 117 Kosovo 430 2007 118 Liberia 429 2008 119 Lebanon 401 2008 120 Guatemala 332 2008 121 Eritrea 306 2008 122 Swaziland 301 2008 123 El Salvador 283 2008 124 Costa Rica 278 2008 125 Luxembourg 275 2008 126 Montenegro 250 2007 127 Djibouti 100 2008 128 Panama 76 2008 129 Isle of Man 63 2008 130 Nepal 59 2008 131 Saint Kitts and Nevis 50 2008 132 Paraguay 36 2008

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Rank code: 2122

Country Comparison :: Religions

This entry is an ordered listing of religions by adherents starting with the largest group and sometimes includes the percent of total population. The core characteristics and beliefs of the world's major religions are described below. Baha'i - Founded by Mirza Husayn-Ali (known as Baha'u'llah) in Iran in 1852, Baha'i faith emphasizes monotheism and believes in one eternal transcendent God. Its guiding focus is to encourage the unity of all peoples on the earth so that justice and peace may be achieved on earth. Baha'i revelation contends the prophets of major world religions reflect some truth or element of the divine, believes all were manifestations of God given to specific communities in specific times, and that Baha'u'llah is an additional prophet meant to call all humankind. Bahais are an open community, located worldwide, with the greatest concentration of believers in South Asia. Buddhism - Religion or philosophy inspired by the 5th century B.C. teachings of Siddhartha Gautama (also known as Gautama Buddha "the enlightened one"). Buddhism focuses on the goal of spiritual enlightenment centered on an understanding of Gautama Buddha's Four Noble Truths on the nature of suffering, and on the Eightfold Path of spiritual and moral practice, to break the cycle of suffering of which we are a part. Buddhism ascribes to a karmic system of rebirth. Several schools and sects of Buddhism exist, differing often on the nature of the Buddha, the extent to which enlightenment can be achieved - for one or for all, and by whom - religious orders or laity. Basic Groupings Theravada Buddhism: The oldest Buddhist school, Theravada is practiced mostly in Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Laos, Burma, and Thailand, with minority representation elsewhere in Asia and the West. Theravadans follow the Pali Canon of Buddha's teachings, and believe that one may escape the cycle of rebirth, worldly attachment, and suffering for oneself; this process may take one or several lifetimes. Mahayana Buddhism, including subsets Zen and Tibetan Buddhism: Forms of Mahayana Buddhism are common in East Asia and Tibet, and parts of the West. Mahayanas have additional scriptures beyond the Pali Canon and believe the Buddha is eternal and still teaching. Unlike Theravada Buddhism, Mahayana schools maintain the Buddha-nature is present in all beings and all will ultimately achieve enlightenment. Christianity - Descending from Judaism, Christianity's central belief maintains Jesus of Nazareth is the promised messiah of the Hebrew Scriptures, and that his life, death, and resurrection are salvific for the world. Christianity is one of the three monotheistic Abrahamic faiths, along with Islam and Judaism, which traces its spiritual lineage to Abraham of the Hebrew Scriptures. Its sacred texts include the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament (or the Christian Gospels). Basic Groupings Catholicism (or Roman Catholicism): This is the oldest established western Christian church and the world's largest single religious body. It is supranational, and recognizes a hierarchical structure with the Pope, or Bishop of Rome, as its head, located at the Vatican. Catholics believe the Pope is the divinely ordered head of the Church from a direct spiritual legacy of Jesus' apostle Peter. Catholicism is comprised of 23 particular Churches, or Rites - one Western (Latin-Rite) and 22 Eastern. The Latin Rite is by far the largest, making up about 98% of Catholic membership. Eastern-Rite Churches, such as the Maronite Church and the Ukrainian Catholic Church, are in communion with Rome although they preserve their own worship traditions and their immediate hierarchy consists of clergy within their own rite. The Catholic Church has a comprehensive theological and moral doctrine specified for believers in its catechism, which makes it unique among most forms of Christianity. Mormonism (including the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints): Originating in 1830 in the United States under Joseph Smith, Mormonism is not characterized as a form of Protestant Christianity because it claims additional revealed Christian scriptures after the Hebrew Bible and New Testament. The Book of Mormon maintains there was an appearance of Jesus in the New World following the Christian account of his resurrection, and that the Americas are uniquely blessed continents. Mormonism believes earlier Christian traditions, such as the Roman Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant reform faiths, are apostasies and that Joseph Smith's revelation of the Book of Mormon is a restoration of true Christianity. Mormons have a hierarchical religious leadership structure, and actively proselytize their faith; they are located primarily in the Americas and in a number of other Western countries. Orthodox Christianity: The oldest established eastern form of Christianity, the Holy Orthodox Church, has a ceremonial head in the Bishop of Constantinople (Istanbul), also known as a Patriarch, but its various regional forms (e.g., Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, Serbian Orthodox, Ukrainian Orthodox) are autocephalous (independent of Constantinople's authority, and have their own Patriarchs). Orthodox churches are highly nationalist and ethnic. The Orthodox Christian faith shares many theological tenets with the Roman Catholic Church, but diverges on some key premises and does not recognize the governing authority of the Pope. Protestant Christianity: Protestant Christianity originated in the 16th century as an attempt to reform Roman Catholicism's practices, dogma, and theology. It encompasses several forms or denominations which are extremely varied in structure, beliefs, relationship to state, clergy, and governance. Many protestant theologies emphasize the primary role of scripture in their faith, advocating individual interpretation of Christian texts without the mediation of a final religious authority such as the Roman Pope. The oldest Protestant Christianities include Lutheranism, Calvinism (Presbyterians), and Anglican Christianity (Episcopalians), which have established liturgies, governing structure, and formal clergy. Other variants on Protestant Christianity, including Pentecostal movements and independent churches, may lack one or more of these elements, and their leadership and beliefs are individualized and dynamic. Hinduism - Originating in the Vedic civilization of India (second and first millennium B.C.), Hinduism is an extremely diverse set of beliefs and practices with no single founder or religious authority. Hinduism has many scriptures; the Vedas, the Upanishads, and the Bhagavad-Gita are among some of the most important. Hindus may worship one or many deities, usually with prayer rituals within their own home. The most common figures of devotion are the gods Vishnu, Shiva, and a mother goddess, Devi. Most Hindus believe the soul, or atman, is eternal, and goes through a cycle of birth, death, and rebirth (samsara) determined by one's positive or negative karma, or the consequences of one's actions. The goal of religious life is to learn to act so as to finally achieve liberation (moksha) of one's soul, escaping the rebirth cycle. Islam - The third of the monotheistic Abrahamic faiths, Islam originated with the teachings of Muhammad in the 7th century. Muslims believe Muhammad is the final of all religious prophets (beginning with Abraham) and that the Qu'ran, which is the Islamic scripture, was revealed to him by God. Islam derives from the word submission, and obedience to God is a primary theme in this religion. In order to live an Islamic life, believers must follow the five pillars, or tenets, of Islam, which are the testimony of faith (shahada), daily prayer (salah), giving alms (zakah), fasting during Ramadan (sawm), and the pilgrimage to Mecca (hajj). Basic Groupings The two primary branches of Islam are Sunni and Shia, which split from each other over a religio-political leadership dispute about the rightful successor to Muhammad. The Shia believe Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law, Ali, was the only divinely ordained Imam (religious leader), while the Sunni maintain the first three caliphs after Muhammad were also legitimate authorities. In modern Islam, Sunnis and Shia continue to have different views of acceptable schools of Islamic jurisprudence, and who is a proper Islamic religious authority. Islam also has an active mystical branch, Sufism, with various Sunni and Shia subsets. Sunni Islam accounts for over 75% of the world's Muslim population. It recognizes the Abu Bakr as the first caliph after Muhammad. Sunni has four schools of Islamic doctrine and law - Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'i, and Hanbali - which uniquely interpret the Hadith, or recorded oral traditions of Muhammad. A Sunni Muslim may elect to follow any one of these schools, as all are considered equally valid. Shia Islam represents 10-20% of Muslims worldwide, and its distinguishing feature is its reverence for Ali as an infallible, divinely inspired leader, and as the first Imam of the Muslim community after Muhammad. A majority of Shia are known as "Twelvers," because they believe that the 11 familial successor imams after Muhammad culminate in a 12th Imam (al-Mahdi) who is hidden in the world and will reappear at its end to redeem the righteous. Variants Ismaili faith: A sect of Shia Islam, its adherents are also known as "Seveners," because they believe that the rightful seventh Imam in Islamic leadership was Isma'il, the elder son of Imam Jafar al-Sadiq. Ismaili tradition awaits the return of the seventh Imam as the Mahdi, or Islamic messianic figure. Ismailis are located in various parts of the world, particularly South Asia and the Levant. Alawi faith: Another Shia sect of Islam, the name reflects followers' devotion to the religious authority of Ali. Alawites are a closed, secretive religious group who assert they are Shia Muslims, although outside scholars speculate their beliefs may have a syncretic mix with other faiths originating in the Middle East. Alawis live mostly in Syria, Lebanon, and Turkey. Druze faith: A highly secretive tradition and a closed community that derives from the Ismaili sect of Islam; its core beliefs are thought to emphasize a combination of Gnostic principles believing that the Fatimid caliph, al-Hakin, is the one who embodies the key aspects of goodness of the universe, which are, the intellect, the word, the soul, the preceder, and the follower. The Druze have a key presence in Syria, Lebanon, and Israel. Jainism - Originating in India, Jain spiritual philosophy believes in an eternal human soul, the eternal universe, and a principle of "the own nature of things." It emphasizes compassion for all living things, seeks liberation of the human soul from reincarnation through enlightenment, and values personal responsibility due to the belief in the immediate consequences of one's behavior. Jain philosophy teaches non-violence and prescribes vegetarianism for monks and laity alike; its adherents are a highly influential religious minority in Indian society. Judaism - One of the first known monotheistic religions, likely dating to between 2000-1500 B.C., Judaism is the native faith of the Jewish people, based upon the belief in a covenant of responsibility between a sole omnipotent creator God and Abraham, the patriarch of Judaism's Hebrew Bible, or Tanakh. Divine revelation of principles and prohibitions in the Hebrew Scriptures form the basis of Jewish law, or halakhah, which is a key component of the faith. While there are extensive traditions of Jewish halakhic and theological discourse, there is no final dogmatic authority in the tradition. Local communities have their own religious leadership. Modern Judaism has three basic categories of faith: Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform/Liberal. These differ in their views and observance of Jewish law, with the Orthodox representing the most traditional practice, and Reform/Liberal communities the most accommodating of individualized interpretations of Jewish identity and faith. Shintoism - A native animist tradition of Japan, Shinto practice is based upon the premise that every being and object has its own spirit or kami. Shinto practitioners worship several particular kamis, including the kamis of nature, and families often have shrines to their ancestors' kamis. Shintoism has no fixed tradition of prayers or prescribed dogma, but is characterized by individual ritual. Respect for the kamis in nature is a key Shinto value. Prior to the end of World War II, Shinto was the state religion of Japan, and bolstered the cult of the Japanese emperor. Sikhism - Founded by the Guru Nanak (born 1469), Sikhism believes in a non-anthropomorphic, supreme, eternal, creator God; centering one's devotion to God is seen as a means of escaping the cycle of rebirth. Sikhs follow the teachings of Nanak and nine subsequent gurus. Their scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib - also known as the Adi Granth - is considered the living Guru, or final authority of Sikh faith and theology. Sikhism emphasizes equality of humankind and disavows caste, class, or gender discrimination. Taoism - Chinese philosophy or religion based upon Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching, which centers on belief in the Tao, or the way, as the flow of the universe and the nature of things. Taoism encourages a principle of non-force, or wu-wei, as the means to live harmoniously with the Tao. Taoists believe the esoteric world is made up of a perfect harmonious balance and nature, while in the manifest world - particularly in the body - balance is distorted. The Three Jewels of the Tao - compassion, simplicity, and humility - serve as the basis for Taoist ethics. Zoroastrianism - Originating from the teachings of Zoroaster in about the 9th or 10th century B.C., Zoroastrianism may be the oldest continuing creedal religion. Its key beliefs center on a transcendent creator God, Ahura Mazda, and the concept of free will. The key ethical tenets of Zoroastrianism expressed in its scripture, the Avesta, are based on a dualistic worldview where one may prevent chaos if one chooses to serve God and exercises good thoughts, good words, and good deeds. Zoroastrianism is generally a closed religion and members are almost always born to Zoroastrian parents. Prior to the spread of Islam, Zoroastrianism dominated greater Iran. Today, though a minority, Zoroastrians remain primarily in Iran, India, and Pakistan.

Rank country (%) Date of Information

1 Mauritania 100.00 NA 2 Pitcairn Islands 100.00 NA 3 Saudi Arabia 100.00 NA 4 Turkey 99.80 NA 5 Gaza Strip 99.30 NA 6 Algeria 99.00 NA 7 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 99.00 NA 8 Wallis and Futuna 99.00 NA 9 Morocco 98.70 NA 10 Comoros 98.00 NA 11 Greece 98.00 NA 12 Timor-Leste 98.00 2005 13 Tunisia 98.00 NA 14 Iran 98.00 NA 15 Malta 98.00 NA 16 Moldova 98.00 NA 17 Honduras 97.00 NA 18 Libya 97.00 NA 19 Mayotte 97.00 NA 20 Tuvalu 97.00 NA 21 Iraq 97.00 NA 22 Cambodia 96.40 1998 census 23 United Arab Emirates 96.00 NA 24 Venezuela 96.00 NA 25 Bolivia 95.00 NA 26 Ecuador 95.00 NA 27 Dominican Republic 95.00 NA 28 Pakistan 95.00 NA 29 Denmark 95.00 NA 30 Armenia 94.70 NA 31 Thailand 94.60 2000 census 32 Djibouti 94.00 NA 33 Spain 94.00 NA 34 Senegal 94.00 NA 35 Azerbaijan 93.40 NA 36 Taiwan 93.00 NA 37 Argentina 92.00 NA 38 Jordan 92.00 NA 39 Colombia 90.00 NA 40 Egypt 90.00 NA 41 Hong Kong 90.00 NA 42 Gambia, The 90.00 NA 43 Mali 90.00 NA 44 Monaco 90.00 NA 45 Italy 90.00 NA 46 Poland 89.80 2002 47 Paraguay 89.60 2002 census 48 Burma 89.00 NA 49 Turkmenistan 89.00 NA 50 Uzbekistan 88.00 NA 51 Croatia 87.80 2001 census 52 Ireland 87.40 2006 census 53 Luxembourg 87.00 2000 54 Sweden 87.00 NA 55 Romania 86.80 2002 census 56 Indonesia 86.10 2000 census 57 British Virgin Islands 86.00 1991 58 Norway 85.70 2004 59 Guinea 85.00 NA 60 Tajikistan 85.00 2003 est. 61 Puerto Rico 85.00 NA 62 Serbia 85.00 2002 census 63 Panama 85.00 NA 64 Kuwait 85.00 NA 65 Portugal 84.50 2001 census 66 Georgia 83.90 2002 census 67 Japan 83.90 2005 68 Faroe Islands 83.80 2006 administrative data 69 Bangladesh 83.00 1998 70 Bulgaria 82.60 2001 census 71 Finland 82.50 2006 72 Seychelles 82.30 2002 census 73 Peru 81.30 2007 Census 74 Bahrain 81.20 2001 census 75 Philippines 80.90 2000 census 76 Aruba 80.80 NA 77 Vietnam 80.80 1999 census 78 Iceland 80.70 2006 est. 79 Nepal 80.60 NA 80 India 80.50 2001 census 81 Afghanistan 80.00 NA 82 Niger 80.00 NA 83 Haiti 80.00 NA 84 Cocos (Keeling) Islands 80.00 2002 est. 85 Belarus 80.00 NA 86 Malawi 79.90 1998 census 87 Lithuania 79.00 2001 census 88 Gibraltar 78.10 2001 census 89 Cyprus 78.00 NA 90 Qatar 77.50 2004 census 91 Mexico 76.50 2000 census 92 Israel 76.40 2004 93 Costa Rica 76.30 NA 94 Liechtenstein 76.20 June 2002 95 Belgium 75.00 NA 96 Oman 75.00 NA 97 West Bank 75.00 NA 98 Kyrgyzstan 75.00 NA 99 Bhutan 75.00 NA 100 Montenegro 74.20 2003 census 101 Syria 74.00 NA 102 Austria 73.60 2001 census 103 Brazil 73.60 2000 census 104 Netherlands Antilles 72.00 2001 census 105 Botswana 71.60 2001 census 106 United Kingdom 71.60 2001 census 107 Japan 71.40 2005 108 Sao Tome and Principe 70.30 2001 census 109 Albania 70.00 NA 110 Chile 70.00 2002 census 111 Tokelau 70.00 NA 112 Sudan 70.00 NA 113 Sri Lanka 69.10 NA 114 Slovakia 68.90 2001 census 115 Ghana 68.80 2000 census 116 Saint Lucia 67.50 2001 census 117 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 67.20 2006 census 118 Brunei 67.00 NA 119 Laos 67.00 2005 census 120 Burundi 67.00 NA 121 Macedonia 64.70 2002 census 122 Fiji 64.50 2007 census 123 Latvia 63.70 2006 124 Barbados 63.40 2008 est. 125 Jamaica 62.50 2001 census 126 Dominica 61.40 2001 census 127 Niue 61.10 2001 census 128 Ethiopia 60.80 1994 census 129 Malaysia 60.40 2000 census 130 New Caledonia 60.00 NA 131 Sierra Leone 60.00 NA 132 Lebanon 59.70 NA 133 Czech Republic 59.00 2001 census 134 Nicaragua 58.50 2005 census 135 Slovenia 57.80 2002 census 136 El Salvador 57.10 2003 est. 137 Rwanda 56.50 NA 138 Cook Islands 55.90 2001 census 139 Marshall Islands 54.80 1999 census 140 French Polynesia 54.00 NA 141 Chad 53.10 1993 census 142 Grenada 53.00 NA 143 Kiribati 52.00 1999 144 Madagascar 52.00 NA 145 Hungary 51.90 2001 census 146 United States 51.30 2007 est. 147 Togo 51.00 NA 148 Ukraine 50.40 2006 est. 149 American Samoa 50.00 NA 150 Zimbabwe 50.00 NA 151 Burkina Faso 50.00 NA 152 Guinea-Bissau 50.00 NA 153 Micronesia, Federated States of 50.00 NA 154 Macau 50.00 NA 155 Mongolia 50.00 2004 156 Nigeria 50.00 NA 157 Congo, Republic of the 50.00 NA 158 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 50.00 NA 159 Belize 49.60 NA 160 Korea, South 49.30 1995 census 161 Congo, Republic of the 48.00 NA 162 Mauritius 48.00 2000 census 163 Uruguay 47.10 2006 164 Angola 47.00 NA 165 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 47.00 NA 166 Kazakhstan 47.00 NA 167 Micronesia, Federated States of 47.00 NA 168 Kenya 45.00 NA 169 Kazakhstan 44.00 NA 170 Benin 42.80 2002 census 171 Canada 42.60 2001 census 172 Singapore 42.50 2000 census 173 Netherlands 42.00 2006 174 Virgin Islands 42.00 NA 175 Uganda 42.00 2002 census 176 Uganda 41.90 2002 census 177 Switzerland 41.80 2000 census 178 Palau 41.60 2000 census 179 Madagascar 41.00 NA 180 Bosnia and Herzegovina 40.00 NA 181 Cameroon 40.00 NA 182 Kiribati 40.00 1999 183 Guinea-Bissau 40.00 NA 184 Swaziland 40.00 NA 185 Burkina Faso 40.00 NA 186 Turks and Caicos Islands 40.00 NA 187 Mongolia 40.00 2004 188 Nigeria 40.00 NA 189 Liberia 40.00 NA 190 Liberia 40.00 NA 191 Cameroon 40.00 NA 192 Lebanon 39.00 NA 193 Cote d'Ivoire 38.60 NA 194 Angola 38.00 NA 195 Christmas Island 36.00 1997 196 South Africa 36.00 2001 census 197 Bahamas, The 35.40 2000 census 198 Nauru 35.40 2002 census 199 Switzerland 35.30 2000 census 200 Central African Republic 35.00 NA 201 Macau 35.00 NA 202 Tanzania 35.00 NA 203 Samoa 34.80 2001 census 204 Estonia 34.10 2000 census 205 Germany 34.00 NA 206 Germany 34.00 NA 207 Virgin Islands 34.00 NA 208 Macedonia 33.30 2002 census 209 Grenada 33.20 NA 210 Nauru 33.20 2002 census 211 Kenya 33.00 NA 212 Solomon Islands 32.80 1999 census 213 Ethiopia 32.80 1994 census 214 Cote d'Ivoire 32.80 NA 215 Estonia 32.00 2000 census 216 Norfolk Island 31.80 2006 census 217 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 31.50 2006 census 218 Laos 31.50 2005 census 219 Vanuatu 31.40 1999 Census 220 Bosnia and Herzegovina 31.00 NA 221 Anguilla 30.20 2001 census 222 American Samoa 30.00 NA 223 New Caledonia 30.00 NA 224 French Polynesia 30.00 NA 225 Netherlands 30.00 2006 226 Sierra Leone 30.00 NA 227 Tanzania 30.00 NA 228 Swaziland 30.00 NA 229 Anguilla 29.00 2001 census 230 Togo 29.00 NA 231 Guyana 28.40 2002 census 232 Germany 28.30 NA 233 Tokelau 28.00 NA 234 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 28.00 NA 235 Fiji 27.90 2007 census 236 Suriname 27.40 NA 237 Belize 27.00 NA 238 Papua New Guinea 27.00 2000 census 239 Czech Republic 26.80 2001 census 240 Korea, South 26.30 1995 census 241 Ukraine 26.10 2006 est. 242 Cayman Islands 26.00 1999 census 243 New Zealand 26.00 2001 census 244 Rwanda 26.00 NA 245 Trinidad and Tobago 26.00 2000 census 246 Australia 25.80 2006 Census 247 Marshall Islands 25.80 1999 census 248 Antigua and Barbuda 25.70 2001 census 249 Suriname 25.20 NA 250 Belgium 25.00 NA 251 Central African Republic 25.00 NA 252 Bhutan 25.00 NA 253 Zimbabwe 25.00 NA 254 Sudan 25.00 NA 255 Central African Republic 25.00 NA 256 Christmas Island 25.00 1997 257 Oman 25.00 NA 258 Benin 24.40 2002 census 259 Zimbabwe 24.00 NA 260 Anguilla 23.90 2001 census 261 United States 23.90 2007 est. 262 Mozambique 23.80 1997 census 263 Mauritius 23.60 2000 census 264 Canada 23.30 2001 census 265 Palau 23.30 2000 census 266 Korea, South 23.20 1995 census 267 Uruguay 23.20 2006 268 Mozambique 23.10 1997 census 269 United Kingdom 23.10 2001 census 270 Bermuda 23.00 2000 census 271 Slovenia 23.00 2002 census 272 Burundi 23.00 NA 273 Suriname 22.80 NA 274 Trinidad and Tobago 22.50 2000 census 275 Nicaragua 21.60 2005 census 276 El Salvador 21.20 2003 est. 277 Christmas Island 21.00 1997 278 Jamaica 20.90 2001 census 279 Barbados 20.60 2008 est. 280 Botswana 20.60 2001 census 281 Chad 20.10 1993 census 282 Albania 20.00 NA 283 American Samoa 20.00 NA 284 Swaziland 20.00 NA 285 Togo 20.00 NA 286 Niger 20.00 NA 287 Liberia 20.00 NA 288 Kyrgyzstan 20.00 NA 289 Cameroon 20.00 NA 290 Cocos (Keeling) Islands 20.00 2002 est. 291 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 20.00 NA 292 Belarus 20.00 NA 293 Norfolk Island 19.90 2006 census 294 Latvia 19.60 2006 295 Samoa 19.60 2001 census 296 Suriname 19.60 NA 297 Papua New Guinea 19.50 2000 census 298 Sao Tome and Principe 19.40 2001 census 299 Malaysia 19.20 2000 census 300 Afghanistan 19.00 NA 301 Solomon Islands 19.00 1999 census 302 Australia 18.70 2006 Census 303 Australia 18.70 2006 Census 304 Bermuda 18.00 2000 census 305 Turks and Caicos Islands 18.00 NA 306 Cyprus 18.00 NA 307 Christmas Island 18.00 1997 308 Mozambique 17.80 1997 census 309 Mozambique 17.80 1997 census 310 Guyana 17.70 2002 census 311 Montenegro 17.70 2003 census 312 Mozambique 17.50 1997 census 313 Benin 17.30 2002 census 314 New Zealand 17.20 2001 census 315 Uruguay 17.20 2006 316 Solomon Islands 17.00 1999 census 317 West Bank 17.00 NA 318 Virgin Islands 17.00 NA 319 Guyana 16.90 2002 census 320 Cook Islands 16.80 2001 census 321 El Salvador 16.80 2003 est. 322 Cote d'Ivoire 16.70 NA 323 Mauritius 16.60 2000 census 324 Norfolk Island 16.60 2006 census 325 Palau 16.40 2000 census 326 Faroe Islands 16.20 2006 administrative data 327 Bangladesh 16.00 1998 328 Haiti 16.00 NA 329 Syria 16.00 NA 330 Turks and Caicos Islands 16.00 NA 331 Israel 16.00 2004 332 Canada 16.00 2001 census 333 Ghana 15.90 2000 census 334 Hungary 15.90 2001 census 335 Nicaragua 15.70 2005 census 336 Benin 15.50 2002 census 337 Brazil 15.40 2000 census 338 Latvia 15.30 2006 339 Bahamas, The 15.20 2000 census 340 Bahamas, The 15.10 2000 census 341 Finland 15.10 2006 342 South Africa 15.10 2001 census 343 Chile 15.10 2002 census 344 Angola 15.00 NA 345 Bermuda 15.00 2000 census 346 Samoa 15.00 2001 census 347 Puerto Rico 15.00 NA 348 Panama 15.00 NA 349 Macau 15.00 NA 350 Kuwait 15.00 NA 351 Central African Republic 15.00 NA 352 Bosnia and Herzegovina 15.00 NA 353 New Zealand 14.90 2001 census 354 Singapore 14.90 2000 census 355 Singapore 14.80 2000 census 356 Hungary 14.50 2001 census 357 Chad 14.20 1993 census 358 Jamaica 14.20 2001 census 359 Nauru 14.10 2002 census 360 Bermuda 14.00 2000 census 361 Belize 14.00 NA 362 Bosnia and Herzegovina 14.00 NA 363 Turks and Caicos Islands 14.00 NA 364 Qatar 14.00 2004 census 365 Grenada 13.80 NA 366 Vanuatu 13.80 1999 Census 367 Mexico 13.80 2000 census 368 Costa Rica 13.70 NA 369 Estonia 13.60 2000 census 370 Bahamas, The 13.50 2000 census 371 India 13.40 2001 census 372 Vanuatu 13.40 1999 Census 373 Vanuatu 13.10 1999 Census 374 Brunei 13.00 NA 375 Slovakia 13.00 2001 census 376 Luxembourg 13.00 2000 377 Sweden 13.00 NA 378 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 13.00 NA 379 Estonia 12.80 2000 census 380 Malawi 12.80 1998 census 381 Samoa 12.70 2001 census 382 Peru 12.50 2007 Census 383 New Zealand 12.40 2001 census 384 Antigua and Barbuda 12.30 2001 census 385 Bulgaria 12.20 2001 census 386 Uganda 12.10 2002 census 387 United States 12.10 2007 est. 388 Austria 12.00 2001 census 389 Turks and Caicos Islands 12.00 NA 390 Bermuda 12.00 2000 census 391 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 12.00 NA 392 Cote d'Ivoire 11.90 NA 393 Canada 11.80 2001 census 394 Cayman Islands 11.80 1999 census 395 Norfolk Island 11.50 2006 census 396 Papua New Guinea 11.50 2000 census 397 Australia 11.30 2006 Census 398 Solomon Islands 11.20 1999 census 399 Hungary 11.10 2001 census 400 South Africa 11.10 2001 census 401 Uruguay 11.10 2006 402 Switzerland 11.10 2000 census 403 Rwanda 11.10 NA 404 Bermuda 11.00 2000 census 405 Netherlands 11.00 2006 406 Cayman Islands 11.00 1999 census 407 New Zealand 10.90 2001 census 408 Slovakia 10.80 2001 census 409 Trinidad and Tobago 10.80 2000 census 410 Vanuatu 10.80 1999 Census 411 Nepal 10.70 NA 412 Antigua and Barbuda 10.60 2001 census 413 Norfolk Island 10.60 2006 census 414 Liechtenstein 10.60 June 2002 415 Antigua and Barbuda 10.50 2001 census 416 Antigua and Barbuda 10.40 2001 census 417 Nauru 10.40 2002 census 418 Solomon Islands 10.30 1999 census 419 Slovenia 10.10 2002 census 420 Albania 10.00 NA 421 Burundi 10.00 NA 422 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 10.00 NA 423 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 10.00 NA 424 Colombia 10.00 NA 425 Monaco 10.00 NA 426 Kenya 10.00 NA 427 Kenya 10.00 NA 428 Italy 10.00 NA 429 Hong Kong 10.00 NA 430 French Polynesia 10.00 NA 431 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 10.00 NA 432 Sri Lanka 10.00 NA 433 Swaziland 10.00 NA 434 British Virgin Islands 10.00 1991 435 Burkina Faso 10.00 NA 436 Tajikistan 10.00 2003 est. 437 Syria 10.00 NA 438 Sierra Leone 10.00 NA 439 Guinea-Bissau 10.00 NA 440 Papua New Guinea 10.00 2000 census 441 Nigeria 10.00 NA 442 New Caledonia 10.00 NA 443 Brunei 10.00 NA 444 Brunei 10.00 NA 445 Georgia 9.90 2002 census 446 Bahrain 9.80 2001 census 447 Cayman Islands 9.80 1999 census 448 Singapore 9.80 2000 census 449 Vanuatu 9.60 1999 Census 450 Lithuania 9.50 2001 census 451 Belize 9.40 NA 452 New Zealand 9.40 2001 census 453 Vietnam 9.30 1999 census 454 Malaysia 9.10 2000 census 455 Bahrain 9.00 2001 census 456 Uzbekistan 9.00 NA 457 Turkmenistan 9.00 NA 458 Portugal 9.00 2001 census 459 Mali 9.00 NA 460 Egypt 9.00 NA 461 Papua New Guinea 8.90 2000 census 462 Czech Republic 8.80 2001 census 463 Niue 8.80 2001 census 464 Palau 8.80 2000 census 465 Cayman Islands 8.70 1999 census 466 Niue 8.70 2001 census 467 Mauritius 8.60 2000 census 468 Papua New Guinea 8.60 2000 census 469 Ghana 8.50 2000 census 470 Saint Lucia 8.50 2001 census 471 Singapore 8.50 2000 census 472 Qatar 8.50 2004 census 473 Niue 8.40 2001 census 474 Marshall Islands 8.40 1999 census 475 Chile 8.30 2002 census 476 Poland 8.30 2002 477 Cayman Islands 8.20 1999 census 478 South Africa 8.20 2001 census 479 Bahamas, The 8.10 2000 census 480 Guyana 8.10 2002 census 481 Norway 8.10 2004 482 Gambia, The 8.00 NA 483 Ukraine 8.00 2006 est. 484 West Bank 8.00 NA 485 Guinea 8.00 NA 486 Kiribati 8.00 1999 487 Antigua and Barbuda 7.90 2001 census 488 Cook Islands 7.90 2001 census 489 Australia 7.90 2006 Census 490 Japan 7.80 2005 491 Trinidad and Tobago 7.80 2000 census 492 Dominica 7.70 2001 census 493 Sri Lanka 7.60 NA 494 Romania 7.50 2002 census 495 Brazil 7.40 2000 census 496 Chad 7.30 1993 census 497 Guyana 7.20 2002 census 498 Niue 7.20 2001 census 499 Trinidad and Tobago 7.20 2000 census 500 Ukraine 7.20 2006 est. 501 Sri Lanka 7.10 NA 502 South Africa 7.10 2001 census 503 Barbados 7.00 2008 est. 504 Guinea 7.00 NA 505 Kazakhstan 7.00 NA 506 Madagascar 7.00 NA 507 Virgin Islands 7.00 NA 508 Liechtenstein 7.00 June 2002 509 Gibraltar 7.00 2001 census 510 Guyana 6.90 2002 census 511 South Africa 6.80 2001 census 512 Trinidad and Tobago 6.80 2000 census 513 South Africa 6.70 2001 census 514 Vietnam 6.70 1999 census 515 Samoa 6.60 2001 census 516 Seychelles 6.40 2002 census 517 Fiji 6.30 2007 census 518 Malaysia 6.30 2000 census 519 Mexico 6.30 2000 census 520 Sri Lanka 6.20 NA 521 Iceland 6.20 2006 est. 522 Paraguay 6.20 2002 census 523 Liechtenstein 6.20 June 2002 524 Dominica 6.10 2001 census 525 Ghana 6.10 2000 census 526 Estonia 6.10 2000 census 527 Botswana 6.00 2001 census 528 Djibouti 6.00 NA 529 Mongolia 6.00 2004 530 Spain 6.00 NA 531 Netherlands 6.00 2006 532 Jordan 6.00 NA 533 French Polynesia 6.00 NA 534 Dominica 6.00 2001 census 535 Bermuda 6.00 2000 census 536 Antigua and Barbuda 5.80 2001 census 537 Trinidad and Tobago 5.80 2000 census 538 Trinidad and Tobago 5.80 2000 census 539 Netherlands 5.80 2006 540 Cook Islands 5.80 2001 census 541 Cayman Islands 5.80 1999 census 542 Australia 5.70 2006 Census 543 Saint Lucia 5.70 2001 census 544 Anguilla 5.70 2001 census 545 Indonesia 5.70 2000 census 546 Cayman Islands 5.70 1999 census 547 Dominica 5.60 2001 census 548 Norfolk Island 5.60 2006 census 549 Vanuatu 5.60 1999 Census 550 Lithuania 5.50 2001 census 551 Serbia 5.50 2002 census 552 Antigua and Barbuda 5.40 2001 census 553 Cayman Islands 5.30 1999 census 554 Palau 5.30 2000 census 555 Anguilla 5.20 2001 census 556 Papua New Guinea 5.20 2000 census 557 Netherlands Antilles 5.20 2001 census 558 Croatia 5.20 2001 census 559 Aruba 5.10 NA 560 Saint Lucia 5.10 2001 census 561 Bolivia 5.00 NA 562 Guyana 5.00 2002 census 563 Ecuador 5.00 NA 564 Dominican Republic 5.00 NA 565 Suriname 5.00 NA 566 Tajikistan 5.00 2003 est. 567 Sudan 5.00 NA 568 Senegal 5.00 NA 569 Philippines 5.00 2000 census 570 Pakistan 5.00 NA 571 Kyrgyzstan 5.00 NA 572 Antigua and Barbuda 4.90 2001 census 573 Netherlands Antilles 4.90 2001 census 574 Barbados 4.80 2008 est. 575 Costa Rica 4.80 NA 576 Bahamas, The 4.80 2000 census 577 Singapore 4.80 2000 census 578 Austria 4.70 2001 census 579 Romania 4.70 2002 census 580 Aruba 4.60 NA 581 Thailand 4.60 2000 census 582 Rwanda 4.60 NA 583 Ethiopia 4.60 1994 census 584 Chile 4.60 2002 census 585 Antigua and Barbuda 4.50 2001 census 586 Samoa 4.50 2001 census 587 Taiwan 4.50 NA 588 Saint Lucia 4.50 2001 census 589 Philippines 4.50 2000 census 590 Nauru 4.50 2002 census 591 Solomon Islands 4.40 1999 census 592 Canada 4.40 2001 census 593 Croatia 4.40 2001 census 594 Anguilla 4.30 2001 census 595 Guyana 4.30 2002 census 596 Guyana 4.30 2002 census 597 Switzerland 4.30 2000 census 598 Switzerland 4.30 2000 census 599 Malawi 4.30 1998 census 600 Austria 4.20 2001 census 601 Barbados 4.20 2008 est. 602 Bahamas, The 4.20 2000 census 603 Netherlands Antilles 4.20 2001 census 604 Nepal 4.20 NA 605 Ireland 4.20 2006 census 606 Cook Islands 4.20 2001 census 607 Aruba 4.10 NA 608 Dominica 4.10 2001 census 609 Slovakia 4.10 2001 census 610 Lithuania 4.10 2001 census 611 United Arab Emirates 4.00 NA 612 Armenia 4.00 NA 613 Burma 4.00 NA 614 France 4.00 NA 615 United States 4.00 2007 est. 616 Trinidad and Tobago 4.00 2000 census 617 Singapore 4.00 2000 census 618 Mongolia 4.00 2004 619 Gibraltar 4.00 2001 census 620 Cyprus 4.00 NA 621 Bulgaria 4.00 2001 census 622 Burma 4.00 NA 623 Argentina 4.00 NA 624 Georgia 3.90 2002 census 625 Portugal 3.90 2001 census 626 Israel 3.90 2004 627 Cayman Islands 3.80 1999 census 628 South Africa 3.80 2001 census 629 Cook Islands 3.80 2001 census 630 Dominica 3.70 2001 census 631 Germany 3.70 NA 632 Iceland 3.60 2006 est. 633 Marshall Islands 3.60 1999 census 634 Nepal 3.60 NA 635 Austria 3.50 2001 census 636 Samoa 3.50 2001 census 637 Slovenia 3.50 2002 census 638 Netherlands Antilles 3.50 2001 census 639 Montenegro 3.50 2003 census 640 Indonesia 3.40 2000 census 641 Seychelles 3.40 2002 census 642 Sao Tome and Principe 3.40 2001 census 643 Czech Republic 3.30 2001 census 644 Papua New Guinea 3.30 2000 census 645 Peru 3.30 2007 Census 646 New Zealand 3.30 2001 census 647 Costa Rica 3.20 NA 648 Gibraltar 3.20 2001 census 649 Slovakia 3.20 2001 census 650 Ukraine 3.20 2006 est. 651 Serbia 3.20 2002 census 652 Papua New Guinea 3.20 2000 census 653 Norfolk Island 3.20 2006 census 654 Chad 3.10 1993 census 655 Netherlands Antilles 3.10 2001 census 656 Sao Tome and Principe 3.10 2001 census 657 Uganda 3.10 2002 census 658 Palau 3.10 2000 census 659 Mexico 3.10 2000 census 660 Australia 3.00 2006 Census 661 Cook Islands 3.00 2001 census 662 Denmark 3.00 NA 663 Haiti 3.00 NA 664 Uzbekistan 3.00 NA 665 Netherlands 3.00 2006 666 Montenegro 3.00 2003 census 667 Malawi 3.00 1998 census 668 Mayotte 3.00 NA 669 Libya 3.00 NA 670 Iraq 3.00 NA 671 Indonesia 3.00 2000 census 672 Iceland 3.00 2006 est. 673 Hungary 3.00 2001 census 674 Honduras 3.00 NA 675 Micronesia, Federated States of 3.00 NA 676 Bahamas, The 2.90 2000 census 677 Peru 2.90 2007 Census 678 New Zealand 2.90 2001 census 679 Netherlands Antilles 2.90 2001 census 680 Gibraltar 2.90 2001 census 681 Ireland 2.90 2006 census 682 Marshall Islands 2.80 1999 census 683 Philippines 2.80 2000 census 684 Australia 2.70 2006 Census 685 United Kingdom 2.70 2001 census 686 Cayman Islands 2.70 1999 census 687 Cook Islands 2.60 2001 census 688 Hungary 2.60 2001 census 689 Serbia 2.60 2002 census 690 Serbia 2.60 2002 census 691 Malaysia 2.60 2000 census 692 Jamaica 2.60 2001 census 693 Aruba 2.50 NA 694 United States 2.50 2007 est. 695 Taiwan 2.50 NA 696 Papua New Guinea 2.50 2000 census 697 Mauritius 2.50 2000 census 698 Iceland 2.50 2006 est. 699 Azerbaijan 2.50 NA 700 Australia 2.40 2006 Census 701 Norway 2.40 2004 702 Slovenia 2.40 2002 census 703 Nauru 2.40 2002 census 704 Niue 2.40 2001 census 705 Solomon Islands 2.40 1999 census 706 Iceland 2.40 2006 est. 707 Solomon Islands 2.40 1999 census 708 Azerbaijan 2.30 NA 709 Slovenia 2.30 2002 census 710 South Africa 2.30 2001 census 711 Philippines 2.30 2000 census 712 India 2.30 2001 census 713 El Salvador 2.30 2003 est. 714 Netherlands 2.20 2006 715 Ukraine 2.20 2006 est. 716 Ukraine 2.20 2006 est. 717 Portugal 2.20 2001 census 718 Australia 2.10 2006 Census 719 Seychelles 2.10 2002 census 720 Marshall Islands 2.10 1999 census 721 Ireland 2.10 2006 census 722 Saint Lucia 2.10 2001 census 723 Gibraltar 2.10 2001 census 724 Czech Republic 2.10 2001 census 725 Cambodia 2.10 1998 census 726 Antigua and Barbuda 2.00 2001 census 727 Turkmenistan 2.00 NA 728 Sao Tome and Principe 2.00 2001 census 729 Tokelau 2.00 NA 730 Saint Lucia 2.00 2001 census 731 Saint Lucia 2.00 2001 census 732 Philippines 2.00 2000 census 733 Kazakhstan 2.00 NA 734 Kenya 2.00 NA 735 Jordan 2.00 NA 736 Japan 2.00 2005 737 Iran 2.00 NA 738 Gambia, The 2.00 NA 739 France 2.00 NA 740 British Virgin Islands 2.00 1991 741 British Virgin Islands 2.00 1991 742 Venezuela 2.00 NA 743 Venezuela 2.00 NA 744 Denmark 2.00 NA 745 Comoros 2.00 NA 746 Congo, Republic of the 2.00 NA 747 Burma 2.00 NA 748 Austria 2.00 2001 census 749 Argentina 2.00 NA 750 Argentina 2.00 NA 751 Canada 1.90 2001 census 752 Samoa 1.90 2001 census 753 Trinidad and Tobago 1.90 2000 census 754 Paraguay 1.90 2002 census 755 Niue 1.90 2001 census 756 Lithuania 1.90 2001 census 757 India 1.90 2001 census 758 El Salvador 1.90 2003 est. 759 Ireland 1.90 2006 census 760 Azerbaijan 1.80 NA 761 Switzerland 1.80 2000 census 762 Sao Tome and Principe 1.80 2001 census 763 Philippines 1.80 2000 census 764 Norway 1.80 2004 765 Indonesia 1.80 2000 census 766 India 1.80 2001 census 767 Gibraltar 1.80 2001 census 768 Brazil 1.80 2000 census 769 Ethiopia 1.80 1994 census 770 Australia 1.70 2006 Census 771 United States 1.70 2007 est. 772 United States 1.70 2007 est. 773 Rwanda 1.70 NA 774 New Zealand 1.70 2001 census 775 Nicaragua 1.70 2005 census 776 Netherlands Antilles 1.70 2001 census 777 Israel 1.70 2004 778 Chad 1.70 1993 census 779 Guyana 1.70 2002 census 780 Anguilla 1.70 2001 census 781 Macedonia 1.63 2002 census 782 Dominica 1.60 2001 census 783 United States 1.60 2007 est. 784 United Kingdom 1.60 2001 census 785 Nicaragua 1.60 2005 census 786 Israel 1.60 2004 787 Iceland 1.60 2006 est. 788 Aruba 1.50 NA 789 Marshall Islands 1.50 1999 census 790 Seychelles 1.50 2002 census 791 Vietnam 1.50 1999 census 792 Saint Lucia 1.50 2001 census 793 South Africa 1.50 2001 census 794 Seychelles 1.50 2002 census 795 Moldova 1.50 NA 796 Malaysia 1.50 2000 census 797 Laos 1.50 2005 census 798 Ireland 1.50 2006 census 799 Botswana 1.40 2001 census 800 Tuvalu 1.40 NA 801 Trinidad and Tobago 1.40 2000 census 802 South Africa 1.40 2001 census 803 Niue 1.40 2001 census 804 Estonia 1.40 2000 census 805 Armenia 1.30 NA 806 Brazil 1.30 2000 census 807 Cambodia 1.30 1998 census 808 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 1.30 2006 census 809 Croatia 1.30 2001 census 810 Vanuatu 1.30 1999 Census 811 Samoa 1.30 2001 census 812 Poland 1.30 2002 813 New Zealand 1.30 2001 census 814 Netherlands Antilles 1.30 2001 census 815 Lebanon 1.30 NA 816 Korea, South 1.30 1995 census 817 Greece 1.30 NA 818 Dominica 1.30 2001 census 819 Costa Rica 1.30 NA 820 Aruba 1.20 NA 821 Bulgaria 1.20 2001 census 822 Dominica 1.20 2001 census 823 Netherlands Antilles 1.20 2001 census 824 Dominica 1.20 2001 census 825 Chile 1.10 2002 census 826 Finland 1.10 2006 827 Cayman Islands 1.10 1999 census 828 Finland 1.10 2006 829 Paraguay 1.10 2002 census 830 Serbia 1.10 2002 census 831 Vietnam 1.10 1999 census 832 Uruguay 1.10 2006 833 Saint Lucia 1.10 2001 census 834 Seychelles 1.10 2002 census 835 Seychelles 1.10 2002 census 836 Paraguay 1.10 2002 census 837 Morocco 1.10 NA 838 Guyana 1.10 2002 census 839 Afghanistan 1.00 NA 840 Bermuda 1.00 2000 census 841 Bangladesh 1.00 1998 842 Burma 1.00 NA 843 Algeria 1.00 NA 844 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 1.00 NA 845 Norway 1.00 2004 846 Norway 1.00 2004 847 Vanuatu 1.00 1999 Census 848 Mali 1.00 NA 849 Montenegro 1.00 2003 census 850 Latvia 1.00 2006 851 Hungary 1.00 2001 census 852 Haiti 1.00 NA 853 France 1.00 NA 854 Egypt 1.00 NA 855 Zimbabwe 1.00 NA 856 Zambia 1.00 NA 857 Wallis and Futuna 1.00 NA 858 United Kingdom 1.00 2001 census 859 Tuvalu 1.00 NA 860 Timor-Leste 1.00 2005 861 Timor-Leste 1.00 2005 862 Tunisia 1.00 NA 863 Tunisia 1.00 NA 864 Switzerland 1.00 2000 census 865 Senegal 1.00 NA 866 Marshall Islands 1.00 1999 census 867 Chile 1.00 2002 census 868 Gibraltar 0.90 2001 census 869 Nepal 0.90 NA 870 Croatia 0.90 2001 census 871 Nicaragua 0.90 2005 census 872 Uganda 0.90 2002 census 873 Slovenia 0.90 2002 census 874 Romania 0.90 2002 census 875 Palau 0.90 2000 census 876 Bahamas, The 0.80 2000 census 877 Malaysia 0.80 2000 census 878 Georgia 0.80 2002 census 879 Georgia 0.80 2002 census 880 Costa Rica 0.70 NA 881 Thailand 0.70 2000 census 882 Singapore 0.70 2000 census 883 El Salvador 0.70 2003 est. 884 Fiji 0.70 2007 census 885 Ghana 0.70 2000 census 886 Gaza Strip 0.70 NA 887 Greece 0.70 NA 888 Georgia 0.70 2002 census 889 United States 0.70 2007 est. 890 Montenegro 0.60 2003 census 891 Palau 0.60 2000 census 892 Philippines 0.60 2000 census 893 Tuvalu 0.60 NA 894 United States 0.60 2007 est. 895 Ukraine 0.60 2006 est. 896 Seychelles 0.60 2002 census 897 Chad 0.50 1993 census 898 Moldova 0.50 NA 899 Vietnam 0.50 1999 census 900 Botswana 0.40 2001 census 901 Switzerland 0.40 2000 census 902 Mauritius 0.40 2000 census 903 Latvia 0.40 2006 904 Israel 0.40 2004 905 Croatia 0.40 2001 census 906 Macedonia 0.37 2002 census 907 Solomon Islands 0.30 1999 census 908 Brazil 0.30 2000 census 909 Fiji 0.30 2007 census 910 Fiji 0.30 2007 census 911 Uruguay 0.30 2006 912 Papua New Guinea 0.30 2000 census 913 Portugal 0.30 2001 census 914 Poland 0.30 2002 915 Poland 0.30 2002 916 Mexico 0.30 2000 census 917 Mauritius 0.30 2000 census 918 Aruba 0.20 NA 919 Solomon Islands 0.20 1999 census 920 Turkey 0.20 NA 921 Cambodia 0.20 1998 census 922 Morocco 0.20 NA 923 Brazil 0.20 2000 census 924 Finland 0.10 2006 925 Vietnam 0.10 1999 census 926 Samoa 0.10 2001 census 927 Thailand 0.10 2000 census 928 Rwanda 0.10 NA 929 India 0.10 2001 census 930 Philippines 0.10 2000 census 931 Romania 0.10 2002 census

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Rank code: 2123

Country Comparison :: Suffrage

This entry gives the age at enfranchisement and whether the right to vote is universal or restricted.

Rank country Suffrage Date of Information

1 Bolivia 21.00 NA 2 Solomon Islands 21.00 NA 3 Fiji 21.00 NA 4 Central African Republic 21.00 NA 5 Gabon 21.00 NA 6 Oman 21.00 NA 7 Malaysia 21.00 NA 8 Saudi Arabia 21.00 NA 9 Tokelau 21.00 NA 10 Samoa 21.00 NA 11 Tonga 21.00 NA 12 Singapore 21.00 NA 13 Maldives 21.00 NA 14 Lebanon 21.00 NA 15 Bahrain 20.00 NA 16 Nauru 20.00 NA 17 Japan 20.00 NA 18 Taiwan 20.00 NA 19 Cameroon 20.00 NA 20 Korea, South 19.00 NA 21 Aruba 18.00 NA 22 Antigua and Barbuda 18.00 NA 23 Afghanistan 18.00 NA 24 Algeria 18.00 NA 25 Azerbaijan 18.00 NA 26 Albania 18.00 NA 27 Armenia 18.00 NA 28 Barbados 18.00 NA 29 Burma 18.00 NA 30 Bolivia 18.00 NA 31 Bosnia and Herzegovina 18.00 NA 32 Belize 18.00 NA 33 Bangladesh 18.00 NA 34 Bahamas, The 18.00 NA 35 Belgium 18.00 NA 36 Bermuda 18.00 NA 37 Botswana 18.00 NA 38 Northern Mariana Islands 18.00 NA 39 Colombia 18.00 NA 40 Comoros 18.00 NA 41 Cocos (Keeling) Islands 18.00 NA 42 Cayman Islands 18.00 NA 43 Chile 18.00 NA 44 China 18.00 NA 45 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 18.00 NA 46 Congo, Republic of the 18.00 NA 47 Czech Republic 18.00 NA 48 Ethiopia 18.00 NA 49 El Salvador 18.00 NA 50 Eritrea 18.00 NA 51 Estonia 18.00 NA 52 Equatorial Guinea 18.00 NA 53 Ireland 18.00 NA 54 Egypt 18.00 NA 55 Ecuador 18.00 NA 56 Guyana 18.00 NA 57 Guinea 18.00 NA 58 Guatemala 18.00 NA 59 Greece 18.00 NA 60 Germany 18.00 NA 61 Greenland 18.00 NA 62 Grenada 18.00 NA 63 Gibraltar 18.00 NA 64 Ghana 18.00 NA 65 Libya 18.00 NA 66 Luxembourg 18.00 NA 67 Lesotho 18.00 NA 68 Liechtenstein 18.00 NA 69 Slovakia 18.00 NA 70 Liberia 18.00 NA 71 Lithuania 18.00 NA 72 Latvia 18.00 NA 73 Kiribati 18.00 NA 74 Mozambique 18.00 NA 75 Mexico 18.00 NA 76 Malta 18.00 NA 77 Mauritania 18.00 NA 78 Mauritius 18.00 NA 79 Morocco 18.00 NA 80 Monaco 18.00 NA 81 Mali 18.00 NA 82 Macedonia 18.00 NA 83 Zimbabwe 18.00 NA 84 Zambia 18.00 NA 85 Yemen 18.00 NA 86 Swaziland 18.00 NA 87 Wallis and Futuna 18.00 NA 88 Namibia 18.00 NA 89 Virgin Islands 18.00 NA 90 Vietnam 18.00 NA 91 British Virgin Islands 18.00 NA 92 Venezuela 18.00 NA 93 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 18.00 NA 94 Uzbekistan 18.00 NA 95 Uruguay 18.00 NA 96 United States 18.00 NA 97 Ukraine 18.00 NA 98 United Kingdom 18.00 NA 99 Uganda 18.00 NA 100 Tanzania 18.00 NA 101 Turkmenistan 18.00 NA 102 Tuvalu 18.00 NA 103 Turkey 18.00 NA 104 Tunisia 18.00 NA 105 Sao Tome and Principe 18.00 NA 106 Togo 18.00 NA 107 Turks and Caicos Islands 18.00 NA 108 Tajikistan 18.00 NA 109 Thailand 18.00 NA 110 Trinidad and Tobago 18.00 NA 111 Switzerland 18.00 NA 112 Syria 18.00 NA 113 Sweden 18.00 NA 114 Saint Lucia 18.00 NA 115 Spain 18.00 NA 116 Somalia 18.00 NA 117 San Marino 18.00 NA 118 Sierra Leone 18.00 NA 119 Slovenia 18.00 NA 120 Senegal 18.00 NA 121 South Africa 18.00 NA 122 Saint Kitts and Nevis 18.00 NA 123 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 18.00 NA 124 Rwanda 18.00 NA 125 Russia 18.00 NA 126 Puerto Rico 18.00 NA 127 Philippines 18.00 NA 128 Romania 18.00 NA 129 Saint Martin 18.00 NA 130 Marshall Islands 18.00 NA 131 Serbia 18.00 NA 132 Qatar 18.00 NA 133 Guinea-Bissau 18.00 NA 134 Palau 18.00 NA 135 Papua New Guinea 18.00 NA 136 Portugal 18.00 NA 137 Panama 18.00 NA 138 Poland 18.00 NA 139 Pakistan 18.00 NA 140 Peru 18.00 NA 141 Pitcairn Islands 18.00 NA 142 Paraguay 18.00 NA 143 New Zealand 18.00 NA 144 Netherlands Antilles 18.00 NA 145 Suriname 18.00 NA 146 Nepal 18.00 NA 147 Norway 18.00 NA 148 Netherlands 18.00 NA 149 Nigeria 18.00 NA 150 Vanuatu 18.00 NA 151 Niger 18.00 NA 152 Norfolk Island 18.00 NA 153 Niue 18.00 NA 154 New Caledonia 18.00 NA 155 Montenegro 18.00 NA 156 Malawi 18.00 NA 157 Montserrat 18.00 NA 158 Mongolia 18.00 NA 159 Mayotte 18.00 NA 160 Moldova 18.00 NA 161 Macau 18.00 NA 162 Madagascar 18.00 NA 163 Kyrgyzstan 18.00 NA 164 Kenya 18.00 NA 165 Jordan 18.00 NA 166 Jamaica 18.00 NA 167 Iraq 18.00 NA 168 Cote d'Ivoire 18.00 NA 169 Italy 18.00 NA 170 Israel 18.00 NA 171 Laos 18.00 NA 172 Kazakhstan 18.00 NA 173 Kosovo 18.00 NA 174 Christmas Island 18.00 NA 175 Iran 18.00 NA 176 India 18.00 NA 177 Iceland 18.00 NA 178 Hungary 18.00 NA 179 Croatia 18.00 NA 180 Honduras 18.00 NA 181 Hong Kong 18.00 NA 182 Haiti 18.00 NA 183 Georgia 18.00 NA 184 Gambia, The 18.00 NA 185 France 18.00 NA 186 French Polynesia 18.00 NA 187 Faroe Islands 18.00 NA 188 Micronesia, Federated States of 18.00 NA 189 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 18.00 NA 190 Finland 18.00 NA 191 Dominican Republic 18.00 NA 192 Dominica 18.00 NA 193 Djibouti 18.00 NA 194 Denmark 18.00 NA 195 Cyprus 18.00 NA 196 Cook Islands 18.00 NA 197 Cape Verde 18.00 NA 198 Costa Rica 18.00 NA 199 Sri Lanka 18.00 NA 200 Chad 18.00 NA 201 Cambodia 18.00 NA 202 Canada 18.00 NA 203 Bulgaria 18.00 NA 204 Bhutan 18.00 NA 205 Belarus 18.00 NA 206 Benin 18.00 NA 207 Anguilla 18.00 NA 208 Andorra 18.00 NA 209 Angola 18.00 NA 210 American Samoa 18.00 NA 211 Argentina 18.00 NA 212 Australia 18.00 NA 213 Indonesia 17.00 NA 214 Seychelles 17.00 NA 215 Timor-Leste 17.00 NA 216 Sudan 17.00 NA 217 Korea, North 17.00 NA 218 Austria 16.00 NA 219 Isle of Man 16.00 NA 220 Jersey 16.00 NA 221 Nicaragua 16.00 NA 222 Guernsey 16.00 NA 223 Cuba 16.00 NA

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Rank code: 2124

Country Comparison :: Telephone system

This entry includes a brief general assessment of the system with details on the domestic and international components. The following terms and abbreviations are used throughout the entry: Arabsat - Arab Satellite Communications Organization (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia). Autodin - Automatic Digital Network (US Department of Defense). CB - citizen's band mobile radio communications. Cellular telephone system - the telephones in this system are radio transceivers, with each instrument having its own private radio frequency and sufficient radiated power to reach the booster station in its area (cell), from which the telephone signal is fed to a telephone exchange. Central American Microwave System - a trunk microwave radio relay system that links the countries of Central America and Mexico with each other. Coaxial cable - a multichannel communication cable consisting of a central conducting wire, surrounded by and insulated from a cylindrical conducting shell; a large number of telephone channels can be made available within the insulated space by the use of a large number of carrier frequencies. Comsat - Communications Satellite Corporation (US). DSN - Defense Switched Network (formerly Automatic Voice Network or Autovon); basic general-purpose, switched voice network of the Defense Communications System (US Department of Defense). Eutelsat - European Telecommunications Satellite Organization (Paris). Fiber-optic cable - a multichannel communications cable using a thread of optical glass fibers as a transmission medium in which the signal (voice, video, etc.) is in the form of a coded pulse of light. GSM - a global system for mobile (cellular) communications devised by the Groupe Special Mobile of the pan-European standardization organization, Conference Europeanne des Posts et Telecommunications (CEPT) in 1982. HF - high frequency; any radio frequency in the 3,000- to 30,000-kHz range. Inmarsat - International Maritime Satellite Organization (London); provider of global mobile satellite communications for commercial, distress, and safety applications at sea, in the air, and on land. Intelsat - International Telecommunications Satellite Organization (Washington, DC). Intersputnik - International Organization of Space Communications (Moscow); first established in the former Soviet Union and the East European countries, it is now marketing its services worldwide with earth stations in North America, Africa, and East Asia. Landline - communication wire or cable of any sort that is installed on poles or buried in the ground. Marecs - Maritime European Communications Satellite used in the Inmarsat system on lease from the European Space Agency. Marisat - satellites of the Comsat Corporation that participate in the Inmarsat system. Medarabtel - the Middle East Telecommunications Project of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) providing a modern telecommunications network, primarily by microwave radio relay, linking Algeria, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Libya, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, and Yemen; it was initially started in Morocco in 1970 by the Arab Telecommunications Union (ATU) and was known at that time as the Middle East Mediterranean Telecommunications Network. Microwave radio relay - transmission of long distance telephone calls and television programs by highly directional radio microwaves that are received and sent on from one booster station to another on an optical path. NMT - Nordic Mobile Telephone; an analog cellular telephone system that was developed jointly by the national telecommunications authorities of the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden). Orbita - a Russian television service; also the trade name of a packet-switched digital telephone network. Radiotelephone communications - the two-way transmission and reception of sounds by broadcast radio on authorized frequencies using telephone handsets. PanAmSat - PanAmSat Corporation (Greenwich, CT). SAFE - South African Far East Cable Satellite communication system - a communication system consisting of two or more earth stations and at least one satellite that provide long distance transmission of voice, data, and television; the system usually serves as a trunk connection between telephone exchanges; if the earth stations are in the same country, it is a domestic system. Satellite earth station - a communications facility with a microwave radio transmitting and receiving antenna and required receiving and transmitting equipment for communicating with satellites. Satellite link - a radio connection between a satellite and an earth station permitting communication between them, either one-way (down link from satellite to earth station - television receive-only transmission) or two-way (telephone channels). SHF - super high frequency; any radio frequency in the 3,000- to 30,000-MHz range. Shortwave - radio frequencies (from 1.605 to 30 MHz) that fall above the commercial broadcast band and are used for communication over long distances. Solidaridad - geosynchronous satellites in Mexico's system of international telecommunications in the Western Hemisphere. Statsionar - Russia's geostationary system for satellite telecommunications. Submarine cable - a cable designed for service under water. TAT - Trans-Atlantic Telephone; any of a number of high-capacity submarine coaxial telephone cables linking Europe with North America. Telefax - facsimile service between subscriber stations via the public switched telephone network or the international Datel network. Telegraph - a telecommunications system designed for unmodulated electric impulse transmission. Telex - a communication service involving teletypewriters connected by wire through automatic exchanges. Tropospheric scatter - a form of microwave radio transmission in which the troposphere is used to scatter and reflect a fraction of the incident radio waves back to earth; powerful, highly directional antennas are used to transmit and receive the microwave signals; reliable over-the-horizon communications are realized for distances up to 600 miles in a single hop; additional hops can extend the range of this system for very long distances. Trunk network - a network of switching centers, connected by multichannel trunk lines. UHF - ultra high frequency; any radio frequency in the 300- to 3,000-MHz range. VHF - very high frequency; any radio frequency in the 30- to 300-MHz range.

Rank country Telephone system Date of Information

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Rank code: 2125

Country Comparison :: Terrain

This entry contains a brief description of the topography.

Rank country Terrain Date of Information

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Rank code: 2127

Country Comparison :: Total fertility rate

This entry gives a figure for the average number of children that would be born per woman if all women lived to the end of their childbearing years and bore children according to a given fertility rate at each age. The total fertility rate (TFR) is a more direct measure of the level of fertility than the crude birth rate, since it refers to births per woman. This indicator shows the potential for population change in the country. A rate of two children per woman is considered the replacement rate for a population, resulting in relative stability in terms of total numbers. Rates above two children indicate populations growing in size and whose median age is declining. Higher rates may also indicate difficulties for families, in some situations, to feed and educate their children and for women to enter the labor force. Rates below two children indicate populations decreasing in size and growing older. Global fertility rates are in general decline and this trend is most pronounced in industrialized countries, especially Western Europe, where populations are projected to decline dramatically over the next 50 years.

Rank country (children born/woman) Date of Information

1 Niger 7.75 2009 est. 2 Mali 7.29 2009 est. 3 Uganda 6.77 2009 est. 4 Afghanistan 6.53 2009 est. 5 Somalia 6.52 2009 est. 6 Burundi 6.33 2009 est. 7 Yemen 6.32 2009 est. 8 Burkina Faso 6.28 2009 est. 9 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 6.20 2009 est. 10 Angola 6.12 2009 est. 11 Ethiopia 6.12 2009 est. 12 Sierra Leone 5.88 2009 est. 13 Congo, Republic of the 5.84 2009 est. 14 Liberia 5.79 2009 est. 15 Western Sahara 5.61 2009 est. 16 Malawi 5.59 2009 est. 17 Oman 5.53 2009 est. 18 Mayotte 5.50 2009 est. 19 Benin 5.49 2009 est. 20 Sao Tome and Principe 5.33 2009 est. 21 Chad 5.31 2009 est. 22 Rwanda 5.25 2009 est. 23 Guinea 5.20 2009 est. 24 Mozambique 5.18 2009 est. 25 Zambia 5.15 2009 est. 26 Madagascar 5.14 2009 est. 27 Equatorial Guinea 5.08 2009 est. 28 Djibouti 5.06 2009 est. 29 Gambia, The 5.04 2009 est. 30 Gaza Strip 5.03 2009 est. 31 Senegal 4.95 2009 est. 32 Nigeria 4.91 2009 est. 33 Comoros 4.84 2009 est. 34 Togo 4.79 2009 est. 35 Eritrea 4.72 2009 est. 36 Gabon 4.65 2009 est. 37 Guinea-Bissau 4.65 2009 est. 38 Kenya 4.56 2009 est. 39 Sudan 4.48 2009 est. 40 Tanzania 4.46 2009 est. 41 Mauritania 4.45 2009 est. 42 Laos 4.41 2009 est. 43 Cameroon 4.33 2009 est. 44 Samoa 4.16 2009 est. 45 Central African Republic 4.14 2009 est. 46 Cote d'Ivoire 4.12 2009 est. 47 Kiribati 4.04 2009 est. 48 Iraq 3.86 2009 est. 49 Saudi Arabia 3.83 2009 est. 50 Haiti 3.81 2009 est. 51 Paraguay 3.75 2009 est. 52 Zimbabwe 3.69 2009 est. 53 Ghana 3.68 2009 est. 54 Papua New Guinea 3.62 2009 est. 55 Pakistan 3.60 2009 est. 56 Marshall Islands 3.59 2009 est. 57 Solomon Islands 3.52 2009 est. 58 Guatemala 3.47 2009 est. 59 Belize 3.36 2009 est. 60 American Samoa 3.29 2009 est. 61 Timor-Leste 3.28 2009 est. 62 Honduras 3.27 2009 est. 63 Philippines 3.27 2009 est. 64 Swaziland 3.24 2009 est. 65 West Bank 3.22 2009 est. 66 Bolivia 3.17 2009 est. 67 Syria 3.12 2009 est. 68 Libya 3.08 2009 est. 69 Cape Verde 3.07 2009 est. 70 Lesotho 3.06 2009 est. 71 Cambodia 3.04 2009 est. 72 El Salvador 3.00 2009 est. 73 Tajikistan 2.99 2009 est. 74 Malaysia 2.95 2009 est. 75 Turks and Caicos Islands 2.95 2009 est. 76 Tuvalu 2.91 2009 est. 77 Micronesia, Federated States of 2.89 2009 est. 78 Nauru 2.85 2009 est. 79 Dominican Republic 2.76 2009 est. 80 Kuwait 2.76 2009 est. 81 Israel 2.75 2009 est. 82 Bangladesh 2.74 2009 est. 83 India 2.72 2009 est. 84 Namibia 2.69 2009 est. 85 Egypt 2.66 2009 est. 86 Fiji 2.65 2009 est. 87 Kyrgyzstan 2.65 2009 est. 88 Nepal 2.64 2009 est. 89 Botswana 2.60 2009 est. 90 World 2.58 2009 est. 91 Nicaragua 2.57 2009 est. 92 Panama 2.53 2009 est. 93 Ecuador 2.51 2009 est. 94 Morocco 2.51 2009 est. 95 Bahrain 2.50 2009 est. 96 Vanuatu 2.50 2009 est. 97 Cook Islands 2.49 2009 est. 98 Venezuela 2.48 2009 est. 99 Colombia 2.46 2009 est. 100 Qatar 2.45 2009 est. 101 Faroe Islands 2.44 2009 est. 102 United Arab Emirates 2.42 2009 est. 103 Jordan 2.39 2009 est. 104 Bhutan 2.38 2009 est. 105 South Africa 2.38 2009 est. 106 Peru 2.37 2009 est. 107 Argentina 2.35 2009 est. 108 Mexico 2.34 2009 est. 109 Indonesia 2.31 2009 est. 110 Saint Kitts and Nevis 2.26 2009 est. 111 Jamaica 2.25 2009 est. 112 Tonga 2.25 2009 est. 113 Grenada 2.23 2009 est. 114 Mongolia 2.23 2009 est. 115 Turkmenistan 2.22 2009 est. 116 Brazil 2.21 2009 est. 117 Turkey 2.21 2009 est. 118 Greenland 2.19 2009 est. 119 New Caledonia 2.18 2009 est. 120 Costa Rica 2.14 2009 est. 121 Bahamas, The 2.10 2009 est. 122 New Zealand 2.10 2009 est. 123 Dominica 2.09 2009 est. 124 Antigua and Barbuda 2.07 2009 est. 125 United States 2.05 2009 est. 126 Azerbaijan 2.04 2009 est. 127 Guyana 2.03 2009 est. 128 Albania 2.01 2009 est. 129 Bermuda 1.99 2009 est. 130 Suriname 1.99 2009 est. 131 Sri Lanka 1.99 2009 est. 132 France 1.98 2009 est. 133 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1.98 2009 est. 134 Netherlands Antilles 1.97 2009 est. 135 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 1.97 2009 est. 136 Korea, North 1.96 2009 est. 137 Uzbekistan 1.95 2009 est. 138 Seychelles 1.93 2009 est. 139 Chile 1.92 2009 est. 140 French Polynesia 1.92 2009 est. 141 Uruguay 1.92 2009 est. 142 Brunei 1.91 2009 est. 143 Iceland 1.90 2009 est. 144 Maldives 1.90 2009 est. 145 Burma 1.89 2009 est. 146 Cayman Islands 1.88 2009 est. 147 Kazakhstan 1.88 2009 est. 148 Wallis and Futuna 1.87 2009 est. 149 Aruba 1.85 2009 est. 150 Ireland 1.85 2009 est. 151 Virgin Islands 1.85 2009 est. 152 Lebanon 1.85 2009 est. 153 Saint Lucia 1.84 2009 est. 154 Vietnam 1.83 2009 est. 155 Palau 1.82 2009 est. 156 Mauritius 1.81 2009 est. 157 Algeria 1.79 2009 est. 158 China 1.79 2009 est. 159 Australia 1.78 2009 est. 160 Luxembourg 1.78 2009 est. 161 Norway 1.78 2009 est. 162 Cyprus 1.77 2009 est. 163 Anguilla 1.75 2009 est. 164 Monaco 1.75 2009 est. 165 Denmark 1.74 2009 est. 166 Finland 1.73 2009 est. 167 Trinidad and Tobago 1.72 2009 est. 168 Tunisia 1.72 2009 est. 169 Iran 1.71 2009 est. 170 British Virgin Islands 1.71 2009 est. 171 Puerto Rico 1.71 2009 est. 172 Barbados 1.68 2009 est. 173 Sweden 1.67 2009 est. 174 Netherlands 1.66 2009 est. 175 United Kingdom 1.66 2009 est. 176 Belgium 1.65 2009 est. 177 Gibraltar 1.65 2009 est. 178 Thailand 1.65 2009 est. 179 Isle of Man 1.65 2009 est. 180 Cuba 1.61 2009 est. 181 Canada 1.58 2009 est. 182 Macedonia 1.58 2009 est. 183 Jersey 1.57 2009 est. 184 Saint Helena 1.56 2009 est. 185 Liechtenstein 1.52 2009 est. 186 Malta 1.51 2009 est. 187 Portugal 1.49 2009 est. 188 Switzerland 1.45 2009 est. 189 Georgia 1.44 2009 est. 190 Estonia 1.42 2009 est. 191 Croatia 1.42 2009 est. 192 Bulgaria 1.41 2009 est. 193 Guernsey 1.41 2009 est. 194 Russia 1.41 2009 est. 195 Germany 1.41 2009 est. 196 Austria 1.39 2009 est. 197 Romania 1.39 2009 est. 198 Serbia 1.38 2009 est. 199 Greece 1.37 2009 est. 200 Armenia 1.36 2009 est. 201 San Marino 1.36 2009 est. 202 Hungary 1.35 2009 est. 203 Slovakia 1.35 2009 est. 204 Andorra 1.33 2009 est. 205 Italy 1.31 2009 est. 206 Spain 1.31 2009 est. 207 Latvia 1.30 2009 est. 208 Poland 1.28 2009 est. 209 Slovenia 1.28 2009 est. 210 Moldova 1.27 2009 est. 211 Ukraine 1.26 2009 est. 212 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1.25 2009 est. 213 Belarus 1.24 2009 est. 214 Czech Republic 1.24 2009 est. 215 Lithuania 1.23 2009 est. 216 Montserrat 1.23 2009 est. 217 Japan 1.21 2009 est. 218 Korea, South 1.21 2009 est. 219 Northern Mariana Islands 1.15 2009 est. 220 Taiwan 1.14 2009 est. 221 Singapore 1.09 2009 est. 222 Hong Kong 1.02 2009 est. 223 Macau 0.91 2009 est.

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Rank code: 2128

Country Comparison :: Government type

This entry gives the basic form of government. Definitions of the major governmental terms are as follows. (Note that for some countries more than one definition applies.): Absolute monarchy - a form of government where the monarch rules unhindered, i.e., without any laws, constitution, or legally organized opposition. Anarchy - a condition of lawlessness or political disorder brought about by the absence of governmental authority. Authoritarian - a form of government in which state authority is imposed onto many aspects of citizens' lives. Commonwealth - a nation, state, or other political entity founded on law and united by a compact of the people for the common good. Communist - a system of government in which the state plans and controls the economy and a single - often authoritarian - party holds power; state controls are imposed with the elimination of private ownership of property or capital while claiming to make progress toward a higher social order in which all goods are equally shared by the people (i.e., a classless society). Confederacy (Confederation) - a union by compact or treaty between states, provinces, or territories, that creates a central government with limited powers; the constituent entities retain supreme authority over all matters except those delegated to the central government. Constitutional - a government by or operating under an authoritative document (constitution) that sets forth the system of fundamental laws and principles that determines the nature, functions, and limits of that government. Constitutional democracy - a form of government in which the sovereign power of the people is spelled out in a governing constitution. Constitutional monarchy - a system of government in which a monarch is guided by a constitution whereby his/her rights, duties, and responsibilities are spelled out in written law or by custom. Democracy - a form of government in which the supreme power is retained by the people, but which is usually exercised indirectly through a system of representation and delegated authority periodically renewed. Democratic republic - a state in which the supreme power rests in the body of citizens entitled to vote for officers and representatives responsible to them. Dictatorship - a form of government in which a ruler or small clique wield absolute power (not restricted by a constitution or laws). Ecclesiastical - a government administrated by a church. Emirate - similar to a monarchy or sultanate, but a government in which the supreme power is in the hands of an emir (the ruler of a Muslim state); the emir may be an absolute overlord or a sovereign with constitutionally limited authority. Federal (Federation) - a form of government in which sovereign power is formally divided - usually by means of a constitution - between a central authority and a number of constituent regions (states, colonies, or provinces) so that each region retains some management of its internal affairs; differs from a confederacy in that the central government exerts influence directly upon both individuals as well as upon the regional units. Federal republic - a state in which the powers of the central government are restricted and in which the component parts (states, colonies, or provinces) retain a degree of self-government; ultimate sovereign power rests with the voters who chose their governmental representatives. Islamic republic - a particular form of government adopted by some Muslim states; although such a state is, in theory, a theocracy, it remains a republic, but its laws are required to be compatible with the laws of Islam. Maoism - the theory and practice of Marxism-Leninism developed in China by Mao Zedong (Mao Tse-tung), which states that a continuous revolution is necessary if the leaders of a communist state are to keep in touch with the people. Marxism - the political, economic, and social principles espoused by 19th century economist Karl Marx; he viewed the struggle of workers as a progression of historical forces that would proceed from a class struggle of the proletariat (workers) exploited by capitalists (business owners), to a socialist "dictatorship of the proletariat," to, finally, a classless society - Communism. Marxism-Leninism - an expanded form of communism developed by Lenin from doctrines of Karl Marx; Lenin saw imperialism as the final stage of capitalism and shifted the focus of workers' struggle from developed to underdeveloped countries. Monarchy - a government in which the supreme power is lodged in the hands of a monarch who reigns over a state or territory, usually for life and by hereditary right; the monarch may be either a sole absolute ruler or a sovereign - such as a king, queen, or prince - with constitutionally limited authority. Oligarchy - a government in which control is exercised by a small group of individuals whose authority generally is based on wealth or power. Parliamentary democracy - a political system in which the legislature (parliament) selects the government - a prime minister, premier, or chancellor along with the cabinet ministers - according to party strength as expressed in elections; by this system, the government acquires a dual responsibility: to the people as well as to the parliament. Parliamentary government (Cabinet-Parliamentary government) - a government in which members of an executive branch (the cabinet and its leader - a prime minister, premier, or chancellor) are nominated to their positions by a legislature or parliament, and are directly responsible to it; this type of government can be dissolved at will by the parliament (legislature) by means of a no confidence vote or the leader of the cabinet may dissolve the parliament if it can no longer function. Parliamentary monarchy - a state headed by a monarch who is not actively involved in policy formation or implementation (i.e., the exercise of sovereign powers by a monarch in a ceremonial capacity); true governmental leadership is carried out by a cabinet and its head - a prime minister, premier, or chancellor - who are drawn from a legislature (parliament). Presidential - a system of government where the executive branch exists separately from a legislature (to which it is generally not accountable). Republic - a representative democracy in which the people's elected deputies (representatives), not the people themselves, vote on legislation. Socialism - a government in which the means of planning, producing, and distributing goods is controlled by a central government that theoretically seeks a more just and equitable distribution of property and labor; in actuality, most socialist governments have ended up being no more than dictatorships over workers by a ruling elite. Sultanate - similar to a monarchy, but a government in which the supreme power is in the hands of a sultan (the head of a Muslim state); the sultan may be an absolute ruler or a sovereign with constitutionally limited authority. Theocracy - a form of government in which a Deity is recognized as the supreme civil ruler, but the Deity's laws are interpreted by ecclesiastical authorities (bishops, mullahs, etc.); a government subject to religious authority. Totalitarian - a government that seeks to subordinate the individual to the state by controlling not only all political and economic matters, but also the attitudes, values, and beliefs of its population.

Rank country Government type Date of Information

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Rank code: 2129

Country Comparison :: Unemployment rate

This entry contains the percent of the labor force that is without jobs. Substantial underemployment might be noted.

Rank country (%) Date of Information

1 Andorra 0.00 2007 2 Monaco 0.00 2005 3 Qatar 0.40 2008 est. 4 Azerbaijan 0.90 2008 est. 5 Guernsey 0.90 March 2006 est. 6 Uzbekistan 1.00 2008 est. 7 Faroe Islands 1.40 2007 8 Thailand 1.40 2008 est. 9 Isle of Man 1.50 December 2006 est. 10 Moldova 1.50 2008 est. 11 Liechtenstein 1.50 31 December 2007 12 Belarus 1.60 2005 13 Cuba 1.60 2008 est. 14 Iceland 1.60 2008 est. 15 Vanuatu 1.70 1999 16 Denmark 1.80 2008 est. 17 Papua New Guinea 1.90 2004 18 Kiribati 2.00 1992 est. 19 Seychelles 2.00 2006 est. 20 Bermuda 2.10 2004 est. 21 Jersey 2.20 2006 est. 22 Singapore 2.20 2008 est. 23 Kuwait 2.20 2004 est. 24 Tajikistan 2.30 2008 est. 25 United Arab Emirates 2.40 2001 26 Laos 2.40 2005 est. 27 Bangladesh 2.50 2008 est. 28 Bhutan 2.50 2004 29 Norway 2.60 2008 est. 30 Switzerland 2.60 2008 est. 31 Mongolia 2.80 2008 32 Gibraltar 3.00 2005 est. 33 Macau 3.00 2008 34 Ukraine 3.00 2008 est. 35 San Marino 3.10 2008 36 Guatemala 3.20 2005 est. 37 Korea, South 3.20 2008 est. 38 Malaysia 3.30 2008 est. 39 Cambodia 3.50 2007 est. 40 Honduras 3.50 2008 est. 41 Hong Kong 3.50 2008 est. 42 Cyprus 3.60 2008 est. 43 British Virgin Islands 3.60 1997 44 Brunei 3.70 2008 45 Austria 3.90 2008 est. 46 China 4.00 2008 est. 47 Mexico 4.00 2008 est. 48 Netherlands 4.00 2008 est. 49 Japan 4.00 2008 est. 50 Taiwan 4.10 2008 est. 51 Australia 4.20 2008 est. 52 Palau 4.20 2005 est. 53 New Zealand 4.20 2008 est. 54 Cayman Islands 4.40 2004 55 Luxembourg 4.40 2008 est. 56 Romania 4.40 2008 est. 57 Saint Kitts and Nevis 4.50 1997 58 Trinidad and Tobago 4.60 2008 est. 59 Vietnam 4.70 2008 est. 60 Costa Rica 4.90 2008 est. 61 Nigeria 4.90 2007 est. 62 Burma 5.00 2008 est. 63 Namibia 5.00 2008 est. 64 Sri Lanka 5.20 2008 est. 65 Czech Republic 5.40 2008 est. 66 Paraguay 5.40 2008 est. 67 Nicaragua 5.60 2008 est. 68 Panama 5.60 2008 est. 69 United Kingdom 5.60 2008 est. 70 Estonia 5.70 2008 est. 71 Lithuania 5.80 2008 est. 72 United States 5.80 2008 est. 73 Montserrat 6.00 1998 est. 74 Malta 6.00 2008 est. 75 Israel 6.10 2008 est. 76 Canada 6.20 2008 est. 77 Sweden 6.20 2008 est. 78 Virgin Islands 6.20 2004 79 Bulgaria 6.30 2008 est. 80 Ireland 6.30 2008 est. 81 Finland 6.40 2008 est. 82 Russia 6.40 2008 est. 83 Kazakhstan 6.60 2008 est. 84 Slovenia 6.70 2008 est. 85 Italy 6.80 2008 est. 86 Aruba 6.90 2005 est. 87 El Salvador 6.90 2008 est. 88 Belgium 7.00 2008 est. 89 Armenia 7.10 2007 est. 90 European Union 7.20 2008 est. 91 Mauritius 7.20 2008 est. 92 Ecuador 7.30 2008 est. 93 France 7.40 2008 est. 94 Philippines 7.40 2008 est. 95 Venezuela 7.40 2008 est. 96 Botswana 7.50 2007 est. 97 Latvia 7.50 2008 est. 98 Bolivia 7.50 2008 est. 99 Bahamas, The 7.60 2006 est. 100 Fiji 7.60 1999 101 Uruguay 7.60 2008 est. 102 Portugal 7.60 2008 est. 103 Greece 7.70 2008 est. 104 Slovakia 7.70 2008 est. 105 Chile 7.80 2008 est. 106 Germany 7.80 2008 est. 107 Hungary 7.80 2008 est. 108 Argentina 7.90 2008 est. 109 Brazil 7.90 2008 est. 110 Anguilla 8.00 2002 111 Central African Republic 8.00 2001 est. 112 Northern Mariana Islands 8.00 2005 est. 113 Belize 8.10 2008 114 Peru 8.10 2008 est. 115 Indonesia 8.40 2008 est. 116 Syria 8.60 2008 est. 117 Egypt 8.70 2008 est. 118 India 9.10 2008 est. 119 Lebanon 9.20 2007 est. 120 Greenland 9.30 2005 est. 121 Morocco 9.50 2008 est. 122 Suriname 9.50 2004 123 Poland 9.80 2008 est. 124 Turks and Caicos Islands 10.00 1997 est. 125 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 10.30 1999 126 Barbados 10.70 2003 est. 127 Antigua and Barbuda 11.00 2001 est. 128 Ghana 11.00 2000 est. 129 Jamaica 11.00 2008 est. 130 Turkey 11.00 2008 est. 131 Guyana 11.00 2007 132 Colombia 11.30 2008 est. 133 Spain 11.30 2008 est. 134 French Polynesia 11.70 2005 135 Saudi Arabia 11.80 2008 est. 136 Niue 12.00 2001 137 Puerto Rico 12.00 2002 138 Albania 12.50 2008 est. 139 Iran 12.50 2008 est. 140 Grenada 12.50 2000 141 Jordan 12.60 2008 est. 142 Algeria 12.80 2008 est. 143 Tonga 13.00 FY03/04 est. 144 Cook Islands 13.10 2005 145 Georgia 13.60 2006 est. 146 Pakistan 13.60 2008 est. 147 Croatia 13.70 2008 est. 148 Saint Helena 14.00 1998 est. 149 Dominican Republic 14.10 2008 est. 150 Tunisia 14.10 2008 est. 151 Maldives 14.40 2006 est. 152 Montenegro 14.70 2007 est. 153 Bahrain 15.00 2005 est. 154 Oman 15.00 2004 est. 155 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 15.00 2001 est. 156 Wallis and Futuna 15.20 2003 157 Netherlands Antilles 15.50 2002 est. 158 West Bank 16.30 2008 est. 159 New Caledonia 17.10 2004 160 Kyrgyzstan 18.00 2004 est. 161 Iraq 18.20 2008 est. 162 Sudan 18.70 2002 est. 163 Serbia 18.80 2007 est. 164 Comoros 20.00 1996 est. 165 Timor-Leste 20.00 2006 est. 166 Saint Lucia 20.00 2003 est. 167 Cape Verde 21.00 2000 est. 168 Gabon 21.00 2006 est. 169 Mozambique 21.00 1997 est. 170 Micronesia, Federated States of 22.00 2000 est. 171 South Africa 22.90 2008 est. 172 Dominica 23.00 2000 est. 173 Mayotte 25.40 2005 174 Bosnia and Herzegovina 29.00 2007 est. 175 American Samoa 29.80 2005 176 Cameroon 30.00 2001 est. 177 Mauritania 30.00 2008 est. 178 World 30.00 2007 est. 179 Mali 30.00 2004 est. 180 Libya 30.00 2004 est. 181 Equatorial Guinea 30.00 1998 est. 182 Macedonia 33.80 2008 est. 183 Yemen 35.00 2003 est. 184 Marshall Islands 36.00 2006 est. 185 Afghanistan 40.00 2008 est. 186 Swaziland 40.00 2006 est. 187 Kosovo 40.00 2007 est. 188 Kenya 40.00 2008 est. 189 Gaza Strip 41.30 June 2008 190 Lesotho 45.00 2002 191 Nepal 46.00 2008 est. 192 Senegal 48.00 2007 est. 193 Zambia 50.00 2000 est. 194 Djibouti 59.00 2007 est. 195 Cocos (Keeling) Islands 60.00 2000 est. 196 Turkmenistan 60.00 2004 est. 197 Burkina Faso 77.00 2004 198 Zimbabwe 80.00 2005 est. 199 Liberia 85.00 2003 est. 200 Nauru 90.00 2004 est.

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Rank code: 2137

Country Comparison :: Military - note

This entry includes miscellaneous military information of significance not included elsewhere.

Rank country Military - note Date of Information

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Rank code: 2138

Country Comparison :: Communications - note

This entry includes miscellaneous communications information of significance not included elsewhere.

Rank country Communications - note Date of Information

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Rank code: 2140

Country Comparison :: Government - note

This entry includes miscellaneous government information of significance not included elsewhere.

Rank country Government - note Date of Information

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Rank code: 2141

Country Comparison :: Group

Rank country Group Date of Information

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Rank code: 2142

Country Comparison :: Country name

This entry includes all forms of the country's name approved by the
US Board on Geographic Names (Italy is used as an example):
conventional long form (Italian Republic), conventional short form
(Italy), local long form (Repubblica Italiana), local short form
(Italia), former (Kingdom of Italy), as well as the abbreviation.
Also see the Terminology note.

Rank country Country name Date of Information

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Rank code: 2144

Country Comparison :: Location

This entry identifies the country's regional location, neighboring countries, and adjacent bodies of water.

Rank country Location Date of Information

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Rank code: 2145

Country Comparison :: Map references

This entry includes the name of the Factbook reference map on which a country may be found. Note that boundary representations on these maps are not necessarily authoritative. The entry on Geographic coordinates may be helpful in finding some smaller countries.

Rank country Map references Date of Information

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Rank code: 2146

Country Comparison :: Irrigated land

This entry gives the number of square kilometers of land area that is artificially supplied with water.

Rank country (sq km) Date of Information

1 India 558,080.00 2003 2 China 545,960.00 2003 3 United States 223,850.00 2003 4 Pakistan 182,300.00 2003 5 European Union 168,050.00 2003 est. 6 Iran 76,500.00 2003 7 Mexico 63,200.00 2003 8 Turkey 52,150.00 2003 9 Thailand 49,860.00 2003 10 Bangladesh 47,250.00 2003 11 Russia 46,000.00 2003 12 Indonesia 45,000.00 2003 13 Uzbekistan 42,810.00 2003 14 Spain 37,800.00 2003 15 Kazakhstan 35,560.00 2003 16 Iraq 35,250.00 2003 17 Egypt 34,220.00 2003 18 Romania 30,770.00 2003 19 Vietnam 30,000.00 2003 20 Brazil 29,200.00 2003 21 Italy 27,500.00 2003 22 Afghanistan 27,200.00 2003 23 Japan 25,920.00 2003 24 Australia 25,450.00 2003 25 Ukraine 22,080.00 2003 26 Chile 19,000.00 2003 27 Burma 18,700.00 2003 28 Sudan 18,630.00 2003 29 Turkmenistan 18,000.00 2003 30 Saudi Arabia 16,200.00 2003 31 Argentina 15,500.00 2003 32 Philippines 15,500.00 2003 33 South Africa 14,980.00 2003 34 Korea, North 14,600.00 2003 35 Azerbaijan 14,550.00 2003 36 Greece 14,530.00 2003 37 Morocco 14,450.00 2003 38 Syria 13,330.00 2003 39 Peru 12,000.00 2003 40 Nepal 11,700.00 2003 41 Madagascar 10,860.00 2003 42 Kyrgyzstan 10,720.00 2003 43 Colombia 9,000.00 2003 44 Korea, South 8,780.00 2003 45 Cuba 8,700.00 2003 46 Ecuador 8,650.00 2003 47 Canada 7,850.00 2003 48 Sri Lanka 7,430.00 2003 49 Tajikistan 7,220.00 2003 50 Portugal 6,500.00 2003 51 Bulgaria 5,880.00 2003 52 Venezuela 5,750.00 2003 53 Algeria 5,690.00 2003 54 Netherlands 5,650.00 2003 55 Yemen 5,500.00 2003 56 Germany 4,850.00 2003 57 Libya 4,700.00 2003 58 Georgia 4,690.00 2003 59 Denmark 4,490.00 2003 60 Tunisia 3,940.00 2003 61 Malaysia 3,650.00 2003 62 Albania 3,530.00 2003 63 Moldova 3,000.00 2003 64 Ethiopia 2,900.00 2003 65 Armenia 2,860.00 2003 66 New Zealand 2,850.00 2003 67 Nigeria 2,820.00 2003 68 Dominican Republic 2,750.00 2003 69 Cambodia 2,700.00 2003 70 Mali 2,360.00 2003 71 Hungary 2,300.00 2003 72 Uruguay 2,100.00 2003 73 Somalia 2,000.00 2003 74 Israel 1,940.00 2003 75 Tanzania 1,840.00 2003 76 Slovakia 1,830.00 2003 77 Laos 1,750.00 2003 78 Zimbabwe 1,740.00 2003 79 United Kingdom 1,700.00 2003 80 Zambia 1,560.00 2003 81 Guyana 1,500.00 2003 82 Bolivia 1,320.00 2003 83 Belarus 1,310.00 2003 84 Guatemala 1,300.00 2003 85 Norway 1,270.00 2003 86 Senegal 1,200.00 2003 87 Mozambique 1,180.00 2003 88 Sweden 1,150.00 2003 89 Costa Rica 1,080.00 2003 90 Timor-Leste 1,065.00 NA 91 Lebanon 1,040.00 2003 92 Kenya 1,030.00 2003 93 Poland 1,000.00 2003 94 Guinea 950.00 2003 95 Haiti 920.00 2003 96 Mongolia 840.00 2003 97 Angola 800.00 2003 98 Honduras 800.00 2003 99 United Arab Emirates 760.00 2003 100 Jordan 750.00 2003 101 Cote d'Ivoire 730.00 2003 102 Niger 730.00 2003 103 Oman 720.00 2003 104 Paraguay 670.00 2003 105 Finland 640.00 2003 106 Nicaragua 610.00 2003 107 Malawi 560.00 2003 108 Macedonia 550.00 2003 109 Suriname 510.00 2003 110 Swaziland 500.00 2003 111 Mauritania 490.00 2002 112 El Salvador 450.00 2003 113 Panama 430.00 2003 114 Belgium 400.00 2003 115 Bhutan 400.00 2003 116 Puerto Rico 400.00 2003 117 Cyprus 400.00 2003 118 Ghana 310.00 2003 119 Chad 300.00 2003 120 Sierra Leone 300.00 2003 121 Cameroon 260.00 2003 122 Jamaica 250.00 2002 123 Guinea-Bissau 250.00 2003 124 Switzerland 250.00 2003 125 Burkina Faso 250.00 2003 126 Czech Republic 240.00 2003 127 Mauritius 220.00 2003 128 Burundi 210.00 2003 129 Eritrea 210.00 2003 130 Latvia 200.00 2003 131 Kuwait 130.00 2003 132 Qatar 130.00 2002 133 Benin 120.00 2003 134 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 110.00 2003 135 Croatia 110.00 2003 136 New Caledonia 100.00 2003 137 Sao Tome and Principe 100.00 2003 138 Rwanda 90.00 2003 139 Uganda 90.00 2003 140 Namibia 80.00 2003 141 Gabon 70.00 2003 142 Togo 70.00 2003 143 Lithuania 70.00 2003 144 Barbados 50.00 2003 145 Austria 40.00 2003 146 Bahrain 40.00 2003 147 Trinidad and Tobago 40.00 2003 148 Estonia 40.00 2003 149 Belize 30.00 2003 150 Saint Lucia 30.00 2003 151 Slovenia 30.00 2003 152 Lesotho 30.00 2003 153 Liberia 30.00 2003 154 Fiji 30.00 2003 155 Cape Verde 30.00 2003 156 Bosnia and Herzegovina 30.00 2003 157 Congo, Republic of the 20.00 2003 158 Malta 20.00 2003 159 Hong Kong 20.00 1998 est. 160 Gambia, The 20.00 2003 161 Central African Republic 20.00 2003 162 Botswana 10.00 2003 163 Brunei 10.00 2003 164 French Polynesia 10.00 2003 165 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 10.00 2003 166 Djibouti 10.00 2003 167 Bahamas, The 10.00 2003 168 Aruba 0.01 1998 est. 169 Ashmore and Cartier Islands 0.00 NA 170 Heard Island and McDonald Islands 0.00 NA 171 British Indian Ocean Territory 0.00 NA 172 Jan Mayen 0.00 NA 173 Spratly Islands 0.00 NA 174 Wake Island 0.00 NA 175 Holy See (Vatican City) 0.00 NA 176 South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands0.00 NA 177 Marshall Islands 0.00 NA 178 Paracel Islands 0.00 NA 179 Clipperton Island 0.00 NA 180 Isle of Man 0.00 NA 181 French Southern and Antarctic Lands0.00 NA 182 Faroe Islands 0.00 NA 183 Coral Sea Islands 0.00 NA 184 Bouvet Island 0.00 NA

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Rank code: 2147

Country Comparison :: Area

This entry includes three subfields. Total area is the sum of all land and water areas delimited by international boundaries and/or coastlines. Land area is the aggregate of all surfaces delimited by international boundaries and/or coastlines, excluding inland water bodies (lakes, reservoirs, rivers). Water area is the sum of the surfaces of all inland water bodies, such as lakes, reservoirs, or rivers, as delimited by international boundaries and/or coastlines.

Rank country (sq km) Date of Information

1 Russia 17,098,242 NA 2 Canada 9,984,670 NA 3 United States 9,826,675 NA 4 China 9,596,961 NA 5 Brazil 8,514,877 NA 6 Australia 7,741,220 NA 7 India 3,287,263 NA 8 Argentina 2,780,400 NA 9 Kazakhstan 2,724,900 NA 10 Sudan 2,505,813 NA 11 Algeria 2,381,741 NA 12 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 2,344,858 NA 13 Greenland 2,166,086 NA 14 Saudi Arabia 2,149,690 NA 15 Mexico 1,964,375 NA 16 Indonesia 1,904,569 NA 17 Libya 1,759,540 NA 18 Iran 1,648,195 NA 19 Mongolia 1,564,116 NA 20 Peru 1,285,216 NA 21 Chad 1,284,000 NA 22 Niger 1,267,000 NA 23 Angola 1,246,700 NA 24 Mali 1,240,192 NA 25 South Africa 1,219,090 NA 26 Colombia 1,138,914 NA 27 Ethiopia 1,104,300 NA 28 Bolivia 1,098,581 NA 29 Mauritania 1,030,700 NA 30 Egypt 1,001,450 NA 31 Tanzania 947,300 NA 32 Nigeria 923,768 NA 33 Venezuela 912,050 NA 34 Namibia 824,292 NA 35 Mozambique 799,380 NA 36 Pakistan 796,095 NA 37 Turkey 783,562 NA 38 Chile 756,102 NA 39 Zambia 752,618 NA 40 Burma 676,578 NA 41 Afghanistan 652,230 NA 42 France 643,427 NA 43 Somalia 637,657 NA 44 Central African Republic 622,984 NA 45 Ukraine 603,550 NA 46 Madagascar 587,041 NA 47 Botswana 581,730 NA 48 Kenya 580,367 NA 49 Yemen 527,968 NA 50 Thailand 513,120 NA 51 Spain 505,370 NA 52 Turkmenistan 488,100 NA 53 Cameroon 475,440 NA 54 Papua New Guinea 462,840 NA 55 Sweden 450,295 NA 56 Uzbekistan 447,400 NA 57 Morocco 446,550 NA 58 Iraq 438,317 NA 59 Paraguay 406,752 NA 60 Zimbabwe 390,757 NA 61 Japan 377,915 NA 62 Germany 357,022 NA 63 Congo, Republic of the 342,000 NA 64 Finland 338,145 NA 65 Vietnam 331,210 NA 66 Malaysia 329,847 NA 67 Norway 323,802 NA 68 Cote d'Ivoire 322,463 NA 69 Poland 312,685 NA 70 Oman 309,500 NA 71 Italy 301,340 NA 72 Philippines 300,000 NA 73 Ecuador 283,561 NA 74 Burkina Faso 274,200 NA 75 New Zealand 267,710 NA 76 Gabon 267,667 NA 77 Western Sahara 266,000 NA 78 Guinea 245,857 NA 79 United Kingdom 243,610 NA 80 Uganda 241,038 NA 81 Ghana 238,533 NA 82 Romania 238,391 NA 83 Laos 236,800 NA 84 Guyana 214,969 NA 85 Belarus 207,600 NA 86 Kyrgyzstan 199,951 NA 87 Senegal 196,722 NA 88 Syria 185,180 NA 89 Cambodia 181,035 NA 90 Uruguay 176,215 NA 91 Suriname 163,820 NA 92 Tunisia 163,610 NA 93 Nepal 147,181 NA 94 Bangladesh 143,998 NA 95 Tajikistan 143,100 NA 96 Greece 131,957 NA 97 Nicaragua 130,370 NA 98 Korea, North 120,538 NA 99 Malawi 118,484 NA 100 Eritrea 117,600 NA 101 Benin 112,622 NA 102 Honduras 112,090 NA 103 Liberia 111,369 NA 104 Bulgaria 110,879 NA 105 Cuba 110,860 NA 106 Guatemala 108,889 NA 107 Iceland 103,000 NA 108 Korea, South 99,720 NA 109 Hungary 93,028 NA 110 Portugal 92,090 NA 111 Jordan 89,342 NA 112 Azerbaijan 86,600 NA 113 Austria 83,871 NA 114 United Arab Emirates 83,600 NA 115 Czech Republic 78,867 NA 116 Serbia 77,474 NA 117 Panama 75,420 NA 118 Sierra Leone 71,740 NA 119 Ireland 70,273 NA 120 Georgia 69,700 NA 121 Sri Lanka 65,610 NA 122 Lithuania 65,300 NA 123 Latvia 64,589 NA 124 Svalbard 62,045 NA 125 Togo 56,785 NA 126 Croatia 56,594 NA 127 British Indian Ocean Territory 54,400 NA 128 Bosnia and Herzegovina 51,197 NA 129 Costa Rica 51,100 NA 130 Slovakia 49,035 NA 131 Dominican Republic 48,670 NA 132 Estonia 45,228 NA 133 Denmark 43,094 NA 134 Netherlands 41,543 NA 135 Switzerland 41,277 NA 136 Bhutan 38,394 NA 137 Guinea-Bissau 36,125 NA 138 Taiwan 35,980 NA 139 Moldova 33,851 NA 140 Belgium 30,528 NA 141 Lesotho 30,355 NA 142 Armenia 29,743 NA 143 Solomon Islands 28,896 NA 144 Albania 28,748 NA 145 Equatorial Guinea 28,051 NA 146 Burundi 27,830 NA 147 Haiti 27,750 NA 148 Rwanda 26,338 NA 149 Macedonia 25,713 NA 150 Djibouti 23,200 NA 151 Belize 22,966 NA 152 Israel 22,072 NA 153 El Salvador 21,041 NA 154 Slovenia 20,273 NA 155 New Caledonia 18,575 NA 156 Fiji 18,274 NA 157 Kuwait 17,818 NA 158 Swaziland 17,364 NA 159 Timor-Leste 14,874 NA 160 Bahamas, The 13,880 NA 161 Montenegro 13,812 NA 162 Puerto Rico 13,790 NA 163 Vanuatu 12,189 NA 164 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 12,173 NA 165 Qatar 11,586 NA 166 Gambia, The 11,295 NA 167 Jamaica 10,991 NA 168 Kosovo 10,887 NA 169 Lebanon 10,400 NA 170 Cyprus 9,251 NA 171 West Bank 5,860 NA 172 Brunei 5,765 NA 173 Trinidad and Tobago 5,128 NA 174 French Polynesia 4,167 NA 175 Cape Verde 4,033 NA 176 South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands3,903 NA 177 Samoa 2,831 NA 178 Luxembourg 2,586 NA 179 Comoros 2,235 NA 180 Mauritius 2,040 NA 181 Virgin Islands 1,910 NA 182 Faroe Islands 1,393 NA 183 Hong Kong 1,104 NA 184 Sao Tome and Principe 964 NA 185 Turks and Caicos Islands 948 NA 186 Kiribati 811 NA 187 Netherlands Antilles 800 NA 188 Dominica 751 NA 189 Tonga 747 NA 190 Bahrain 741 NA 191 Micronesia, Federated States of 702 NA 192 Singapore 697 NA 193 Saint Lucia 616 NA 194 Isle of Man 572 NA 195 Andorra 468 NA 196 Northern Mariana Islands 464 NA 197 Palau 459 NA 198 Seychelles 455 NA 199 Antigua and Barbuda 443 NA 200 Barbados 430 NA 201 Heard Island and McDonald Islands 412 NA 202 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 389 NA 203 Jan Mayen 377 NA 204 Mayotte 374 NA 205 Gaza Strip 360 NA 206 Grenada 344 NA 207 Malta 316 NA 208 Saint Helena 308 NA 209 Maldives 298 NA 210 Cayman Islands 264 NA 211 Saint Kitts and Nevis 261 NA 212 Niue 260 NA 213 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 242 NA 214 Cook Islands 236 NA 215 American Samoa 199 NA 216 Marshall Islands 181 NA 217 Aruba 180 NA 218 Liechtenstein 160 NA 219 British Virgin Islands 151 NA 220 Wallis and Futuna 142 NA 221 Christmas Island 135 NA 222 Dhekelia 131 NA 223 Akrotiri 123 NA 224 Jersey 116 NA 225 Montserrat 102 NA 226 Anguilla 91 NA 227 Guernsey 78 NA 228 San Marino 61 NA 229 French Southern and Antarctic Lands55 NA 230 Saint Martin 54 NA 231 Bermuda 54 NA 232 Bouvet Island 49 NA 233 Pitcairn Islands 47 NA 234 Norfolk Island 36 NA 235 Macau 28 NA 236 Tuvalu 26 NA 237 United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges22 NA 238 Nauru 21 NA 239 Cocos (Keeling) Islands 14 NA 240 Tokelau 12 NA 241 Gibraltar 7 NA 242 Wake Island 7 NA 243 Clipperton Island 6 NA 244 Navassa Island 5 NA 245 Ashmore and Cartier Islands 5 NA 246 Spratly Islands 5 NA 247 Coral Sea Islands 3 NA 248 Monaco 2 NA 249 Holy See (Vatican City) 0 NA

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Rank code: 2149

Country Comparison :: Diplomatic representation in the US

This entry includes the chief of mission, chancery, telephone, FAX, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.

Rank country Diplomatic representation in the USDate of Information

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Rank code: 2150

Country Comparison :: Telephones - main lines in use

This entry gives the total number of main telephone lines in use.

Rank country Telephones - main lines in useDate of Information

1 China 365,600,000 2007 2 United States 150,000,000 2008 3 Germany 51,500,000 2008 4 Japan 47,579,000 2008 5 Russia 44,200,000 2008 6 Brazil 41,141,000 2008 7 India 37,540,000 2009 8 France 35,909,000 2008 9 United Kingdom 33,209,000 2008 10 Indonesia 30,378,000 2008 11 Vietnam 29,591,000 2008 12 Iran 24,800,000 2008 13 Korea, South 21,325,000 2008 14 Mexico 20,539,000 2008 15 Spain 20,200,000 2008 16 Italy 20,031,000 2008 17 Canada 18,250,000 2008 18 Turkey 17,502,000 2008 19 Taiwan 14,273,000 2008 20 Ukraine 13,177,000 2008 21 Egypt 12,011,000 2008 22 Poland 10,336,000 2008 23 Argentina 9,631,000 2008 24 Australia 9,370,000 2008 25 Netherlands 7,324,000 2008 26 Thailand 7,024,000 2008 27 Colombia 6,820,000 2008 28 Venezuela 6,304,000 2008 29 Greece 5,975,000 2008 30 Sweden 5,323,000 2008 31 Romania 5,036,000 2007 32 Switzerland 4,820,000 2008 33 Pakistan 4,546,000 2008 34 Belgium 4,457,000 2008 35 South Africa 4,425,000 2008 36 Malaysia 4,292,000 2008 37 Portugal 4,121,000 2008 38 Hong Kong 4,108,000 2008 39 Saudi Arabia 4,100,000 2008 40 Philippines 3,905,000 2008 41 Belarus 3,718,000 2008 42 Syria 3,633,000 2008 43 Chile 3,526,000 2008 44 Sri Lanka 3,446,000 2008 45 Kazakhstan 3,410,000 2008 46 Algeria 3,314,000 2008 47 Austria 3,285,000 2008 48 Hungary 3,094,000 2008 49 Serbia 3,085,000 2008 50 Morocco 2,991,000 2008 51 Israel 2,900,000 2008 52 Peru 2,878,000 2008 53 Denmark 2,487,000 2008 54 Czech Republic 2,278,000 2008 55 Bulgaria 2,258,000 2008 56 Ireland 2,202,000 2008 57 Norway 1,928,000 2008 58 Ecuador 1,910,000 2008 59 Singapore 1,857,000 2008 60 Croatia 1,851,000 2008 61 Uzbekistan 1,850,000 2008 62 New Zealand 1,750,000 2008 63 Finland 1,650,000 2008 64 United Arab Emirates 1,508,000 2008 65 Guatemala 1,449,000 2008 66 Costa Rica 1,438,000 2008 67 Bangladesh 1,390,000 2009 68 Azerbaijan 1,311,000 2008 69 Nigeria 1,308,000 2008 70 Tunisia 1,239,000 2008 71 Korea, North 1,180,000 2008 72 Yemen 1,117,000 2008 73 Moldova 1,115,000 2008 74 Cuba 1,104,000 2008 75 Slovakia 1,098,000 2008 76 Iraq 1,082,000 2008 77 El Salvador 1,077,000 2008 78 Puerto Rico 1,038,000 2008 79 Libya 1,033,000 2008 80 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1,031,000 2008 81 Slovenia 1,010,000 2008 82 Dominican Republic 985,700 2008 83 Uruguay 959,300 2008 84 Ethiopia 908,900 2008 85 Burma 829,000 2008 86 Honduras 825,800 2008 87 Nepal 805,100 2008 88 Lithuania 784,900 2008 89 Lebanon 714,000 2008 90 Bolivia 690,000 2008 91 Armenia 650,000 2008 92 Latvia 644,000 2008 93 Georgia 618,000 2008 94 Kuwait 541,000 2008 95 Jordan 519,000 2008 96 Estonia 498,100 2008 97 Panama 495,800 2008 98 Turkmenistan 495,000 2008 99 Kyrgyzstan 494,500 2008 100 Afghanistan 460,000 2008 101 Macedonia 457,100 2008 102 Cyprus 413,300 NA 103 Mauritius 364,500 2008 104 Paraguay 363,000 2008 105 Montenegro 362,000 2008 106 Tajikistan 360,000 2008 107 Cote d'Ivoire 356,500 2008 108 Sudan 356,100 2008 109 Zimbabwe 354,000 2008 110 Gaza Strip 348,000 2008 111 West Bank 348,000 2008 112 Jamaica 316,600 2008 113 Albania 316,400 2008 114 Nicaragua 312,000 2008 115 Trinidad and Tobago 307,000 2008 116 Oman 274,200 2008 117 Qatar 263,400 2008 118 Luxembourg 260,600 2008 119 Kenya 252,300 2008 120 Malta 241,100 2008 121 Senegal 237,800 2008 122 Malawi 236,000 2008 123 Bahrain 220,000 2008 124 Cameroon 198,300 2008 125 Iceland 187,000 2008 126 Tanzania 179,849 2009 127 Macau 173,533 2009 128 Uganda 168,500 2008 129 Mongolia 165,000 2008 130 Madagascar 164,900 2008 131 Benin 159,000 2008 132 Barbados 150,000 2008 133 Burkina Faso 144,000 2008 134 Ghana 143,900 2008 135 Botswana 142,300 2008 136 Togo 140,900 2008 137 Namibia 140,000 2008 138 Bahamas, The 133,000 2008 139 Fiji 129,100 2008 140 Guyana 125,000 2008 141 Angola 114,300 2008 142 Haiti 108,000 2008 143 Kosovo 106,300 2006 144 Somalia 100,000 2008 145 Laos 97,600 2008 146 Zambia 90,600 2008 147 Netherlands Antilles 88,000 2008 148 Mali 82,800 2008 149 Suriname 81,500 2008 150 Mozambique 78,300 2008 151 Brunei 76,600 2008 152 Mauritania 76,400 2008 153 Virgin Islands 74,200 2008 154 Jersey 74,000 2008 155 Cape Verde 72,000 2008 156 Lesotho 65,200 2008 157 New Caledonia 63,000 2008 158 Papua New Guinea 60,000 2008 159 Bermuda 57,600 2008 160 French Polynesia 54,600 2008 161 Isle of Man 51,000 1999 162 Maldives 50,396 2009 163 Guinea 50,000 2008 164 Gambia, The 48,900 2008 165 Cambodia 45,100 2008 166 Guernsey 45,100 2008 167 Swaziland 44,000 2008 168 Saint Lucia 40,900 2008 169 Eritrea 40,400 2008 170 Aruba 38,500 2008 171 Antigua and Barbuda 38,000 2008 172 Cayman Islands 38,000 2008 173 Andorra 37,400 2008 174 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 37,300 2008 175 Monaco 35,000 2008 176 Sierra Leone 31,500 2008 177 Belize 31,100 2008 178 Burundi 30,400 2008 179 Samoa 28,800 2008 180 Grenada 28,600 2008 181 Bhutan 27,500 2008 182 Gabon 26,500 2008 183 Tonga 25,500 2008 184 Northern Mariana Islands 24,700 2008 185 Gibraltar 24,000 2008 186 Niger 24,000 2008 187 Comoros 23,300 2008 188 Seychelles 23,200 2008 189 Greenland 22,800 2008 190 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 22,800 2008 191 Congo, Republic of the 22,200 2008 192 Faroe Islands 21,800 2008 193 San Marino 21,300 2008 194 Saint Kitts and Nevis 20,400 2008 195 Liechtenstein 19,600 2008 196 British Virgin Islands 18,900 2008 197 Dominica 17,500 2008 198 Rwanda 16,800 2008 199 Chad 13,000 2008 200 Central African Republic 12,000 2008 201 Djibouti 10,800 2008 202 American Samoa 10,400 2008 203 Vanuatu 10,400 2008 204 Equatorial Guinea 10,000 2008 205 Mayotte 10,000 2008 206 Micronesia, Federated States of 8,700 2008 207 Solomon Islands 8,000 2008 208 Sao Tome and Principe 7,700 2008 209 Palau 7,500 2008 210 Cook Islands 6,700 2008 211 Anguilla 5,800 2008 212 Holy See (Vatican City) 5,120 2005 213 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 4,800 2008 214 Guinea-Bissau 4,600 2008 215 Marshall Islands 4,400 2008 216 Kiribati 4,000 2008 217 Turks and Caicos Islands 3,700 2008 218 Montserrat 2,800 2008 219 Wallis and Futuna 2,700 2008 220 Norfolk Island 2,532 2004 221 Timor-Leste 2,400 2008 222 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 2,300 2008 223 Saint Helena 2,300 2008 224 Liberia 2,000 2008 225 Nauru 1,800 2008 226 Tuvalu 1,500 2008 227 Niue 1,000 2008 228 Tokelau 300 2008 229 Cocos (Keeling) Islands 287 1992 230 Pitcairn Islands 1 2004 231 Antarctica 0 2001

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Rank code: 2151

Country Comparison :: Telephones - mobile cellular

This entry gives the total number of mobile cellular telephone subscribers.

Rank country Telephones - mobile cellular Date of Information

1 China 634,000,000 2008 2 India 427,300,000 2009 3 United States 270,000,000 2008 4 Russia 187,500,000 2008 5 Brazil 150,641,000 2008 6 Indonesia 140,578,000 2008 7 Japan 110,395,000 2008 8 Germany 107,245,000 2008 9 Pakistan 91,440,000 2009 10 Italy 88,580,000 2008 11 United Kingdom 75,565,000 2008 12 Mexico 75,304,000 2008 13 Vietnam 70,000,000 2008 14 Philippines 68,102,000 2008 15 Turkey 65,824,000 2008 16 Nigeria 62,988,000 2008 17 Thailand 62,000,000 2008 18 France 59,259,000 2008 19 Ukraine 55,695,000 2008 20 Spain 49,682,000 2008 21 Argentina 46,509,000 2008 22 Bangladesh 45,750,000 2009 23 Korea, South 45,607,000 2008 24 South Africa 45,000,000 2008 25 Poland 44,004,000 2008 26 Iran 43,000,000 2008 27 Colombia 41,365,000 2008 28 Egypt 41,272,000 2008 29 Saudi Arabia 36,000,000 2008 30 Algeria 31,871,000 2008 31 Malaysia 27,125,000 2008 32 Venezuela 27,084,000 2008 33 Taiwan 25,412,000 2008 34 Romania 24,467,000 2008 35 Morocco 22,816,000 2008 36 Australia 22,120,000 2008 37 Canada 21,455,000 2008 38 Peru 20,952,000 2008 39 Netherlands 19,927,000 2008 40 Iraq 17,529,000 2008 41 Kenya 16,234,000 2008 42 Guatemala 14,949,000 2008 43 Kazakhstan 14,911,000 2008 44 Portugal 14,910,000 2008 45 Chile 14,797,000 2008 46 Tanzania 14,723,000 2009 47 Greece 13,799,000 2008 48 Czech Republic 13,780,000 2008 49 Uzbekistan 12,734,000 2008 50 Hungary 12,224,000 2008 51 Belgium 11,822,000 2008 52 Ecuador 11,595,000 2008 53 Ghana 11,570,000 2008 54 Hong Kong 11,374,000 2008 55 Sudan 11,186,000 2008 56 Sri Lanka 11,082,000 2008 57 Sweden 10,988,000 2008 58 Austria 10,816,000 2008 59 Bulgaria 10,633,000 2008 60 Cote d'Ivoire 10,449,000 2008 61 Serbia 9,619,000 2008 62 United Arab Emirates 9,358,000 2008 63 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 9,263,000 2008 64 Israel 8,902,000 2008 65 Switzerland 8,780,000 2008 66 Belarus 8,693,000 2008 67 Tunisia 8,569,000 2008 68 Uganda 8,555,000 2008 69 Afghanistan 8,450,000 2008 70 Dominican Republic 7,210,000 2008 71 Syria 7,056,000 2008 72 El Salvador 6,951,000 2008 73 Finland 6,830,000 2008 74 Angola 6,773,000 2008 75 Denmark 6,551,000 2008 76 Azerbaijan 6,548,000 2008 77 Singapore 6,375,000 2008 78 Honduras 6,211,000 2008 79 Cameroon 6,161,000 2008 80 Croatia 5,924,000 2008 81 Paraguay 5,791,000 2008 82 Slovakia 5,520,000 2008 83 Senegal 5,389,000 2008 84 Jordan 5,314,000 2008 85 Norway 5,287,000 2008 86 Ireland 5,048,000 2008 87 Lithuania 5,023,000 2008 88 Madagascar 4,835,000 2008 89 Bolivia 4,830,000 2008 90 Libya 4,828,000 2008 91 New Zealand 4,620,000 2008 92 Mozambique 4,405,000 2008 93 Cambodia 4,237,000 2008 94 Nepal 4,200,000 2008 95 Panama 3,805,000 2008 96 Yemen 3,700,000 2008 97 Zambia 3,539,000 2008 98 Uruguay 3,508,000 2008 99 Tajikistan 3,500,000 2009 100 Benin 3,435,000 2008 101 Kyrgyzstan 3,394,000 2008 102 Puerto Rico 3,354,000 2005 103 Mali 3,267,000 2008 104 Oman 3,219,000 2008 105 Haiti 3,200,000 2008 106 Bosnia and Herzegovina 3,179,000 2008 107 Ethiopia 3,168,000 2008 108 Albania 3,141,000 2008 109 Nicaragua 3,039,000 2008 110 Kuwait 2,907,000 2008 111 Georgia 2,755,000 2008 112 Jamaica 2,723,000 2008 113 Guinea 2,600,000 2008 114 Burkina Faso 2,553,000 2008 115 Estonia 2,525,000 2008 116 Macedonia 2,502,000 2008 117 Moldova 2,423,000 2008 118 Armenia 2,336,000 2008 119 Latvia 2,234,000 2008 120 Mauritania 2,092,000 2008 121 Slovenia 2,055,000 2008 122 Costa Rica 1,887,000 2008 123 Laos 1,822,000 2008 124 Chad 1,809,000 2008 125 Congo, Republic of the 1,807,000 2008 126 Mongolia 1,796,000 2008 127 Malawi 1,781,000 2008 128 Qatar 1,683,000 2008 129 Niger 1,677,000 2008 130 Zimbabwe 1,655,000 2008 131 Togo 1,547,000 2008 132 Trinidad and Tobago 1,505,000 2008 133 Botswana 1,486,000 2008 134 Lebanon 1,430,000 2008 135 Bahrain 1,400,000 2008 136 Rwanda 1,323,000 2008 137 Gabon 1,300,000 2008 138 Gambia, The 1,166,000 2008 139 Gaza Strip 1,153,000 2008 140 West Bank 1,153,000 2008 141 Namibia 1,052,000 2008 142 Mauritius 1,033,000 2008 143 Cyprus 1,017,000 NA 144 Sierra Leone 1,009,000 2008 145 Macau 993,545 2009 146 Turkmenistan 810,000 2008 147 Montenegro 735,000 2008 148 Liberia 732,000 2008 149 Luxembourg 707,000 2008 150 Somalia 627,000 2008 151 Fiji 600,000 2008 152 Papua New Guinea 600,000 2008 153 Lesotho 581,000 2008 154 Kosovo 562,000 2007 155 Guinea-Bissau 500,200 2008 156 Burundi 480,600 2008 157 Swaziland 457,000 2008 158 Maldives 450,500 2009 159 Suriname 416,000 2008 160 Barbados 406,000 2008 161 Malta 385,600 2008 162 Brunei 376,000 2008 163 Burma 375,800 2008 164 Bahamas, The 358,000 2008 165 Equatorial Guinea 346,000 2008 166 Iceland 342,000 2008 167 Cuba 331,700 2008 168 Guyana 281,400 2005 169 Cape Verde 277,700 2008 170 Bhutan 251,000 2008 171 Netherlands Antilles 200,000 2004 172 New Caledonia 196,500 2008 173 French Polynesia 187,100 2008 174 Saint Lucia 169,600 2008 175 Belize 160,000 2008 176 Central African Republic 154,000 2008 177 Antigua and Barbuda 136,600 2008 178 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 130,100 2008 179 Aruba 127,100 2008 180 Samoa 124,000 2008 181 Eritrea 108,600 2008 182 Timor-Leste 101,000 2008 183 Dominica 100,000 2008 184 Seychelles 85,300 2008 185 Jersey 83,900 2004 186 Virgin Islands 80,300 2005 187 Saint Kitts and Nevis 80,000 2008 188 Bermuda 79,000 2008 189 Andorra 64,200 2008 190 Grenada 60,000 2008 191 Greenland 55,800 2008 192 Faroe Islands 54,900 2008 193 Tonga 50,500 2008 194 Sao Tome and Principe 49,000 2008 195 Mayotte 48,100 2005 196 Djibouti 44,100 2005 197 Guernsey 43,800 2004 198 Comoros 42,000 2008 199 Vanuatu 36,000 2008 200 Micronesia, Federated States of 34,000 2008 201 Liechtenstein 34,000 2008 202 Cayman Islands 33,800 2004 203 Turks and Caicos Islands 25,100 2004 204 British Virgin Islands 23,000 2008 205 Monaco 22,000 2008 206 Northern Mariana Islands 20,500 2004 207 Gibraltar 18,400 2004 208 San Marino 17,700 2008 209 Solomon Islands 14,000 2008 210 Anguilla 13,100 2005 211 Palau 12,000 2008 212 Cook Islands 6,700 2008 213 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 3,000 2008 214 Montserrat 3,000 2008 215 American Samoa 2,200 2004 216 Tuvalu 2,000 2008 217 Nauru 1,500 2002 218 Kiribati 1,000 2008 219 Marshall Islands 1,000 2008 220 Niue 600 2004 221 Norfolk Island 0 2002 222 Western Sahara 0 1999

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Rank code: 2152

Country Comparison :: Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

Rank country Internet Service Providers (ISPs)Date of Information

1 United States 7,000.00 2002 est. 2 Canada 760.00 2000 est. 3 Australia 571.00 2002 4 Russia 300.00 June 2000 5 Ukraine 260.00 2001 6 Bulgaria 200.00 2001 7 Germany 200.00 2001 8 South Africa 150.00 2001 9 Iran 100.00 2002 10 Italy 93.00 2000 11 Puerto Rico 76.00 2000 12 Japan 73.00 2000 13 Kenya 65.00 2001 14 France 62.00 2000 15 Belgium 61.00 2000 16 Spain 56.00 2000 17 Netherlands 52.00 2000 18 Mexico 51.00 2000 19 Brazil 50.00 2000 20 Turkey 50.00 2001 21 Virgin Islands 50.00 2000 22 Egypt 50.00 2000 23 Liechtenstein 44.00 2000 24 Switzerland 44.00 2000 25 India 43.00 2000 26 Uzbekistan 42.00 2000 27 Latvia 41.00 2001 28 Estonia 38.00 2001 29 Romania 38.00 2000 30 Austria 37.00 2000 31 New Zealand 36.00 2000 32 Argentina 33.00 2000 33 Philippines 33.00 2000 34 Lithuania 32.00 2001 35 Ecuador 31.00 2001 36 Pakistan 30.00 2000 37 Sweden 29.00 2000 38 Greece 27.00 2000 39 Dominican Republic 24.00 2000 40 Indonesia 24.00 2000 41 Belarus 23.00 2002 42 Ireland 22.00 2000 43 Lebanon 22.00 2000 44 Saudi Arabia 22.00 2003 45 Israel 21.00 2000 46 Jamaica 21.00 2000 47 Bermuda 20.00 2000 48 Iceland 20.00 2001 49 Barbados 19.00 2000 50 Bahamas, The 19.00 2000 51 Poland 19.00 2000 52 Colombia 18.00 2000 53 Hong Kong 17.00 2000 54 Montserrat 17.00 2000 55 Trinidad and Tobago 17.00 2000 56 Antigua and Barbuda 16.00 2000 57 Anguilla 16.00 2000 58 British Virgin Islands 16.00 2000 59 Venezuela 16.00 2000 60 Saint Kitts and Nevis 16.00 2000 61 Portugal 16.00 2000 62 Hungary 16.00 2000 63 Dominica 16.00 2000 64 Cayman Islands 16.00 2000 65 Saint Lucia 15.00 2000 66 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 15.00 2000 67 Thailand 15.00 2000 68 Grenada 14.00 2000 69 Uruguay 14.00 2001 70 Turks and Caicos Islands 14.00 2000 71 Denmark 13.00 2000 72 Jan Mayen 13.00 2000 73 Mali 13.00 2001 74 Svalbard 13.00 2000 75 Norway 13.00 2000 76 Ghana 12.00 2000 77 Botswana 11.00 2001 78 Slovenia 11.00 2000 79 Nigeria 11.00 2000 80 Mozambique 11.00 2002 81 Korea, South 11.00 2000 82 Albania 10.00 2001 83 Kazakhstan 10.00 2001 84 Peru 10.00 2000 85 Bangladesh 10.00 2000 86 Armenia 9.00 2001 87 Singapore 9.00 2000 88 Bolivia 9.00 2000 89 Croatia 9.00 2000 90 Honduras 8.00 2000 91 Taiwan 8.00 2000 92 West Bank 8.00 1999 93 Morocco 8.00 2000 94 Luxembourg 8.00 2000 95 Chile 7.00 2000 96 Malaysia 7.00 2000 97 Cyprus 6.00 2000 98 Zimbabwe 6.00 2000 99 Tanzania 6.00 2000 100 Panama 6.00 2000 101 Netherlands Antilles 6.00 NA 102 Nepal 6.00 2000 103 Malta 6.00 2002 104 Macedonia 6.00 2000 105 Slovakia 6.00 2000 106 Georgia 6.00 2000 107 Sri Lanka 5.00 2000 108 Cuba 5.00 2001 109 Guatemala 5.00 2000 110 Zambia 5.00 2001 111 Swaziland 5.00 2002 112 Vietnam 5.00 2000 113 Mauritania 5.00 2001 114 Mongolia 5.00 2001 115 Jordan 5.00 2000 116 Cote d'Ivoire 5.00 2001 117 Eritrea 5.00 2001 118 Benin 4.00 2002 119 Guinea 4.00 2001 120 El Salvador 4.00 2000 121 Tajikistan 4.00 2002 122 Paraguay 4.00 2000 123 Bosnia and Herzegovina 3.00 2000 124 Cook Islands 3.00 2000 125 China 3.00 2000 126 Gaza Strip 3.00 1999 127 Kuwait 3.00 2000 128 Papua New Guinea 3.00 2000 129 Togo 3.00 2001 130 Somalia 3.00 2000 131 Nicaragua 3.00 2000 132 Malawi 3.00 2002 133 Haiti 3.00 2000 134 Guyana 3.00 2000 135 Finland 3.00 2002 136 Costa Rica 3.00 2000 137 Algeria 2.00 2000 138 Samoa 2.00 2000 139 Namibia 2.00 2000 140 Uganda 2.00 2000 141 Tonga 2.00 2000 142 Sudan 2.00 2002 143 San Marino 2.00 2000 144 Liberia 2.00 2001 145 Christmas Island 2.00 2000 146 Gibraltar 2.00 2000 147 Gambia, The 2.00 2001 148 French Polynesia 2.00 2000 149 Faroe Islands 2.00 2000 150 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 2.00 2000 151 Fiji 2.00 2000 152 Cocos (Keeling) Islands 2.00 2000 153 Rwanda 2.00 2002 154 Guinea-Bissau 2.00 2002 155 Suriname 2.00 2000 156 Norfolk Island 2.00 2000 157 Mauritius 2.00 2000 158 Monaco 2.00 2000 159 Moldova 2.00 1999 160 Madagascar 2.00 2000 161 Cambodia 2.00 2000 162 Brunei 2.00 2000 163 Belize 2.00 2000 164 Azerbaijan 2.00 2000 165 United Arab Emirates 1.00 2000 166 Andorra 1.00 2000 167 Burma 1.00 2000 168 Congo, Republic of the 1.00 2000 169 Yemen 1.00 2000 170 Western Sahara 1.00 2000 171 Wallis and Futuna 1.00 2000 172 Burkina Faso 1.00 2002 173 Tuvalu 1.00 2000 174 Tunisia 1.00 2000 175 Sao Tome and Principe 1.00 2002 176 Tokelau 1.00 2000 177 Syria 1.00 2000 178 Sierra Leone 1.00 2001 179 Palau 1.00 2002 180 Nauru 1.00 2000 181 Vanuatu 1.00 2000 182 Niger 1.00 2002 183 Niue 1.00 2000 184 New Caledonia 1.00 2000 185 Maldives 1.00 2000 186 Oman 1.00 2000 187 Macau 1.00 2000 188 Saint Helena 1.00 2000 189 Senegal 1.00 2002 190 Seychelles 1.00 2000 191 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 1.00 2000 192 Marshall Islands 1.00 2002 193 Qatar 1.00 2000 194 Libya 1.00 2002 195 Lesotho 1.00 2000 196 Laos 1.00 2000 197 Kiribati 1.00 2000 198 Korea, North 1.00 2000 199 Iraq 1.00 2000 200 British Indian Ocean Territory 1.00 2000 201 Ethiopia 1.00 2002 202 Equatorial Guinea 1.00 2002 203 Djibouti 1.00 2000 204 Cape Verde 1.00 2002 205 Central African Republic 1.00 2002 206 Northern Mariana Islands 1.00 2001 207 Comoros 1.00 2000 208 Cameroon 1.00 2002 209 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 1.00 2001 210 Greenland 1.00 2000 211 Gabon 1.00 2001 212 Micronesia, Federated States of 1.00 2000 213 Chad 1.00 2002 214 Burundi 1.00 2000 215 Solomon Islands 1.00 2000 216 Angola 1.00 2000 217 Bahrain 1.00 2000 218 American Samoa 1.00 2000 219 Afghanistan 1.00 2000

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Rank code: 2153

Country Comparison :: Internet users

This entry gives the number of users within a country that access the Internet. Statistics vary from country to country and may include users who access the Internet at least several times a week to those who access it only once within a period of several months.

Rank country Internet users Date of Information

1 China 298,000,000 2008 2 United States 231,000,000 2008 3 Japan 90,910,000 2008 4 India 81,000,000 2008 5 Brazil 64,948,000 2008 6 Germany 61,973,000 2008 7 United Kingdom 48,755,000 2008 8 Russia 45,250,000 2008 9 France 42,912,000 2008 10 Korea, South 37,476,000 2008 11 Indonesia 30,000,000 2008 12 Spain 25,240,000 2008 13 Canada 25,086,000 2008 14 Italy 24,992,000 2008 15 Turkey 24,483,000 2008 16 Mexico 23,260,000 2008 17 Iran 23,000,000 2008 18 Vietnam 20,834,000 2008 19 Poland 18,679,000 2008 20 Pakistan 18,500,000 2008 21 Colombia 17,117,000 2008 22 Malaysia 16,903,000 2008 23 Thailand 16,100,000 2008 24 Australia 15,170,000 2008 25 Taiwan 15,143,000 2008 26 Netherlands 14,273,000 2008 27 Egypt 11,414,000 2008 28 Argentina 11,212,000 2008 29 Nigeria 11,000,000 2008 30 Ukraine 10,354,000 2008 31 Morocco 10,300,000 2008 32 Sweden 8,100,000 2008 33 Saudi Arabia 7,700,000 2008 34 Belgium 7,292,000 2008 35 Venezuela 7,167,000 2008 36 Peru 7,128,000 2008 37 Romania 6,132,000 2008 38 Czech Republic 6,028,000 2008 39 Austria 5,937,000 2008 40 Hungary 5,873,000 2008 41 Switzerland 5,739,000 2008 42 Philippines 5,618,000 2008 43 Chile 5,456,000 2008 44 Denmark 4,579,000 2008 45 Portugal 4,476,000 2008 46 Finland 4,383,000 2008 47 Greece 4,253,000 2008 48 Sudan 4,200,000 2008 49 South Africa 4,187,000 2008 50 Hong Kong 4,124,000 2008 51 Algeria 4,100,000 2008 52 Norway 3,935,000 2008 53 Slovakia 3,566,000 2008 54 Syria 3,565,000 2008 55 Singapore 3,370,000 2008 56 Kenya 3,360,000 2008 57 Belarus 3,107,000 2008 58 New Zealand 3,047,000 2008 59 Serbia 2,936,000 2008 60 United Arab Emirates 2,922,000 2008 61 Ireland 2,830,000 2008 62 Tunisia 2,800,000 2008 63 Bulgaria 2,647,000 2008 64 Uganda 2,500,000 2008 65 Uzbekistan 2,469,000 2008 66 Kazakhstan 2,300,000 2008 67 Lebanon 2,190,000 2008 68 Dominican Republic 2,147,000 2008 69 Israel 2,106,000 2008 70 Guatemala 1,960,000 2008 71 Croatia 1,880,000 2008 72 Lithuania 1,777,000 2008 73 Jamaica 1,540,000 2008 74 Jordan 1,500,000 2008 75 Azerbaijan 1,485,000 2008 76 Costa Rica 1,460,000 2008 77 Cuba 1,450,000 2008 78 Zimbabwe 1,421,000 2008 79 Uruguay 1,340,000 2008 80 Ecuador 1,310,000 2008 81 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1,308,000 2008 82 Latvia 1,254,000 2008 83 Sri Lanka 1,164,000 2008 84 Slovenia 1,126,000 2008 85 Georgia 1,024,000 2008 86 Senegal 1,020,000 2008 87 Bolivia 1,000,000 2008 88 Kuwait 1,000,000 2008 89 Puerto Rico 1,000,000 2008 90 Haiti 1,000,000 2008 91 Ghana 997,000 2008 92 Panama 934,500 2008 93 Paraguay 894,200 2008 94 Estonia 888,100 2008 95 Kyrgyzstan 850,000 2008 96 Moldova 850,000 2008 97 Macedonia 847,900 2008 98 El Salvador 826,000 2008 99 Cameroon 725,000 2008 100 Zambia 700,000 2008 101 Cote d'Ivoire 660,000 2008 102 Honduras 658,500 2008 103 Tajikistan 600,000 2008 104 Bangladesh 556,000 2008 105 Angola 550,000 2008 106 Tanzania 520,000 2008 107 Afghanistan 500,000 2008 108 Nepal 499,000 2008 109 Albania 471,000 2008 110 Oman 465,000 2008 111 Qatar 436,000 2008 112 Bahrain 402,900 2008 113 Luxembourg 387,000 2008 114 Mauritius 380,000 2008 115 Yemen 370,000 2008 116 Ethiopia 360,000 2008 117 Gaza Strip 356,000 2008 118 West Bank 356,000 2008 119 Mozambique 350,000 2008 120 Togo 350,000 2008 121 Cyprus 334,400 2008 122 Mongolia 330,000 2008 123 Libya 323,000 2008 124 Madagascar 316,100 2008 125 Malawi 316,100 2008 126 Iraq 300,000 2008 127 Rwanda 300,000 2008 128 Montenegro 294,000 2008 129 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 290,000 2008 130 Macau 259,000 2008 131 Iceland 250,000 2008 132 Trinidad and Tobago 227,000 2008 133 Brunei 217,000 2008 134 Guyana 205,000 2008 135 Eritrea 200,000 2008 136 Mali 200,000 2008 137 Malta 198,800 2008 138 Armenia 191,000 2008 139 Barbados 188,000 2008 140 Nicaragua 185,000 2008 141 Benin 160,000 2008 142 Congo, Republic of the 155,000 2008 143 Burkina Faso 140,000 2008 144 Chad 130,000 2008 145 Laos 130,000 2008 146 Botswana 120,000 2008 147 Papua New Guinea 120,000 2008 148 Gambia, The 114,200 2008 149 Namibia 113,500 2008 150 Burma 108,900 2008 151 Bahamas, The 106,500 2008 152 Fiji 103,000 2008 153 Cape Verde 102,800 2008 154 Somalia 102,000 2008 155 Saint Lucia 100,000 2008 156 French Polynesia 90,000 2008 157 Guinea 90,000 2008 158 Gabon 90,000 2008 159 New Caledonia 85,000 2008 160 Niger 80,000 2008 161 Turkmenistan 75,000 2008 162 Cambodia 74,000 2008 163 Lesotho 73,300 2008 164 Maldives 71,700 2008 165 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 66,000 2008 166 Antigua and Barbuda 65,000 2008 167 Burundi 65,000 2008 168 Andorra 59,100 2008 169 Bermuda 51,000 2008 170 Suriname 50,000 2008 171 Swaziland 48,200 2008 172 Guernsey 46,100 2008 173 Mauritania 45,000 2008 174 Bhutan 40,000 2008 175 Faroe Islands 37,500 2008 176 Guinea-Bissau 37,100 2008 177 Greenland 36,000 2008 178 Belize 34,000 2008 179 Seychelles 32,000 2008 180 Virgin Islands 30,000 2008 181 Jersey 29,000 2008 182 Dominica 27,500 2008 183 Sao Tome and Principe 24,800 2008 184 Aruba 24,000 2008 185 Grenada 24,000 2008 186 Cayman Islands 23,000 2008 187 Liechtenstein 23,000 2008 188 Comoros 23,000 2008 189 Monaco 22,000 2008 190 Liberia 20,000 2008 191 Central African Republic 19,000 2008 192 Vanuatu 17,000 2008 193 San Marino 17,000 2008 194 Micronesia, Federated States of 16,000 2008 195 Saint Kitts and Nevis 16,000 2008 196 Sierra Leone 13,900 2008 197 Djibouti 13,000 2008 198 Equatorial Guinea 12,000 2008 199 Solomon Islands 10,000 2008 200 Samoa 9,000 2008 201 Tonga 8,400 2008 202 Gibraltar 6,500 2008 203 Cook Islands 5,000 2008 204 Anguilla 4,500 2008 205 Tuvalu 4,200 2008 206 British Virgin Islands 4,000 2002 207 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 2,800 2008 208 Marshall Islands 2,200 2008 209 Kiribati 2,000 2008 210 Timor-Leste 1,800 2008 211 Montserrat 1,200 2008 212 Wallis and Futuna 1,200 2008 213 Saint Helena 1,100 2008 214 Niue 1,000 2008 215 Tokelau 800 2008 216 Christmas Island 464 2001

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Rank code: 2154

Country Comparison :: Internet country code

This entry includes the two-letter codes maintained by the
International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in the ISO 3166
Alpha-2 list and used by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority
(IANA) to establish country-coded top-level domains (ccTLDs).

Rank country Internet country code Date of Information

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Rank code: 2155

Country Comparison :: HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

This entry gives an estimate of the percentage of adults (aged 15-49) living with HIV/AIDS. The adult prevalence rate is calculated by dividing the estimated number of adults living with HIV/AIDS at yearend by the total adult population at yearend.

Rank country (%) Date of Information

1 Swaziland 26.10 2007 est. 2 Botswana 23.90 2007 est. 3 Lesotho 23.20 2007 est. 4 South Africa 18.10 2007 est. 5 Namibia 15.30 2007 est. 6 Zimbabwe 15.30 2007 est. 7 Zambia 15.20 2007 est. 8 Mozambique 12.50 2007 est. 9 Malawi 11.90 2007 est. 10 Kenya 6.70 2003 est. 11 Central African Republic 6.30 2007 est. 12 Tanzania 6.20 2007 est. 13 Gabon 5.90 2007 est. 14 Uganda 5.40 2007 est. 15 Cameroon 5.10 2007 est. 16 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 4.20 2003 est. 17 Cote d'Ivoire 3.90 2007 est. 18 Chad 3.50 2007 est. 19 Congo, Republic of the 3.50 2007 est. 20 Equatorial Guinea 3.40 2007 est. 21 Togo 3.30 2007 est. 22 Djibouti 3.10 2007 est. 23 Nigeria 3.10 2007 est. 24 Bahamas, The 3.00 2007 est. 25 Rwanda 2.80 2007 est. 26 Guyana 2.50 2007 est. 27 Suriname 2.40 2007 est. 28 Haiti 2.20 2007 est. 29 Angola 2.10 2007 est. 30 Belize 2.10 2007 est. 31 Ethiopia 2.10 2007 est. 32 Burundi 2.00 2007 est. 33 Ghana 1.90 2007 est. 34 Guinea-Bissau 1.80 2007 est. 35 Liberia 1.70 2007 est. 36 Mauritius 1.70 2007 est. 37 Sierra Leone 1.70 2007 est. 38 Guinea 1.60 2007 est. 39 Burkina Faso 1.60 2007 est. 40 Ukraine 1.60 2007 est. 41 Jamaica 1.60 2007 est. 42 Mali 1.50 2007 est. 43 Papua New Guinea 1.50 2007 est. 44 Trinidad and Tobago 1.50 2007 est. 45 Sudan 1.40 2007 est. 46 Thailand 1.40 2007 est. 47 Estonia 1.30 2007 est. 48 Eritrea 1.30 2007 est. 49 Barbados 1.20 2007 est. 50 Benin 1.20 2007 est. 51 Dominican Republic 1.10 2007 est. 52 Russia 1.10 2007 est. 53 Panama 1.00 2007 est. 54 Senegal 1.00 2007 est. 55 Gambia, The 0.90 2007 est. 56 Cambodia 0.80 2007 est. 57 World 0.80 2007 est. 58 Niger 0.80 2007 est. 59 Mauritania 0.80 2007 est. 60 Latvia 0.80 2007 est. 61 Guatemala 0.80 2007 est. 62 El Salvador 0.80 2007 est. 63 Venezuela 0.70 2001 est. 64 Burma 0.70 2007 est. 65 Honduras 0.70 2007 est. 66 Brazil 0.60 2007 est. 67 Uruguay 0.60 2007 est. 68 United States 0.60 2007 est. 69 Switzerland 0.60 2007 est. 70 Paraguay 0.60 2007 est. 71 Colombia 0.60 2007 est. 72 Argentina 0.50 2007 est. 73 Vietnam 0.50 2007 est. 74 Portugal 0.50 2007 est. 75 Spain 0.50 2007 est. 76 Somalia 0.50 2007 est. 77 Peru 0.50 2007 est. 78 Malaysia 0.50 2007 est. 79 Nepal 0.50 2007 est. 80 Canada 0.40 2007 est. 81 Moldova 0.40 2007 est. 82 Italy 0.40 2007 est. 83 France 0.40 2007 est. 84 Costa Rica 0.40 2007 est. 85 Chile 0.30 2007 est. 86 Ecuador 0.30 2007 est. 87 Tajikistan 0.30 2007 est. 88 Mexico 0.30 2007 est. 89 India 0.30 2007 est. 90 Libya 0.30 2001 est. 91 Bermuda 0.30 2005 92 Azerbaijan 0.20 2007 est. 93 Austria 0.20 2007 est. 94 Belgium 0.20 2007 est. 95 United Kingdom 0.20 2007 est. 96 Luxembourg 0.20 2007 est. 97 Laos 0.20 2007 est. 98 Iran 0.20 2007 est. 99 Indonesia 0.20 2007 est. 100 Iceland 0.20 2007 est. 101 Greece 0.20 2007 est. 102 Ireland 0.20 2007 est. 103 Denmark 0.20 2007 est. 104 Belarus 0.20 2007 est. 105 Singapore 0.20 2007 est. 106 Nicaragua 0.20 2007 est. 107 Netherlands 0.20 2007 est. 108 Bolivia 0.20 2007 est. 109 Australia 0.20 2007 est. 110 Bahrain 0.20 2001 est. 111 United Arab Emirates 0.18 2001 est. 112 Kuwait 0.12 2001 est. 113 Algeria 0.10 2007 est. 114 Armenia 0.10 2007 est. 115 China 0.10 2007 est. 116 Madagascar 0.10 2007 est. 117 Lithuania 0.10 2007 est. 118 Lebanon 0.10 2007 est. 119 Kazakhstan 0.10 2007 est. 120 Kyrgyzstan 0.10 2007 est. 121 Israel 0.10 2007 est. 122 Hungary 0.10 2007 est. 123 Germany 0.10 2007 est. 124 Georgia 0.10 2007 est. 125 Sweden 0.10 2007 est. 126 Romania 0.10 2007 est. 127 Poland 0.10 2007 est. 128 Pakistan 0.10 2007 est. 129 New Zealand 0.10 2007 est. 130 Norway 0.10 2007 est. 131 Malta 0.10 2007 est. 132 Morocco 0.10 2007 est. 133 Mongolia 0.10 2007 est. 134 Uzbekistan 0.10 2007 est. 135 Tunisia 0.10 2007 est. 136 Fiji 0.10 2007 est. 137 Finland 0.10 2007 est. 138 Cuba 0.10 2007 est. 139 Bhutan 0.10 2007 est. 140 Bangladesh 0.10 2001 est. 141 Bulgaria 0.10 2001 est. 142 Brunei 0.10 2003 est. 143 Cyprus 0.10 2003 est. 144 Slovenia 0.10 2007 est. 145 Philippines 0.10 2003 est. 146 Serbia 0.10 2009 est. 147 Maldives 0.10 2001 est. 148 Oman 0.10 2001 est. 149 Macedonia 0.10 2007 est. 150 Slovakia 0.10 2007 est. 151 Korea, South 0.10 2007 est. 152 Jordan 0.10 2001 est. 153 Japan 0.10 2003 est. 154 Iraq 0.10 2001 est. 155 Croatia 0.10 2007 est. 156 Hong Kong 0.10 2003 est. 157 Yemen 0.10 2001 est. 158 Turkmenistan 0.10 2007 est. 159 Turkey 0.10 2001 est. 160 Syria 0.10 2001 est. 161 Czech Republic 0.10 2001 est. 162 Egypt 0.10 2001 est. 163 Comoros 0.10 2007 est. 164 Sri Lanka 0.10 2001 est. 165 Bosnia and Herzegovina 0.10 2007 est. 166 Qatar 0.09 2001 est. 167 Cape Verde 0.04 NA 168 Afghanistan 0.01 2001 est. 169 Saudi Arabia 0.01 2001 est. 170 Svalbard 0.00 2001

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Rank code: 2156

Country Comparison :: HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

This entry gives an estimate of all people (adults and children) alive at yearend with HIV infection, whether or not they have developed symptoms of AIDS.

Rank country HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDSDate of Information

1 World 33,000,000 2007 est. 2 South Africa 5,700,000 2007 est. 3 Nigeria 2,600,000 2007 est. 4 India 2,400,000 2007 est. 5 Mozambique 1,500,000 2007 est. 6 Tanzania 1,400,000 2007 est. 7 Zimbabwe 1,300,000 2007 est. 8 Kenya 1,200,000 2003 est. 9 United States 1,200,000 2007 est. 10 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 1,100,000 2003 est. 11 Zambia 1,100,000 2007 est. 12 Ethiopia 980,000 2007 est. 13 Russia 940,000 2007 est. 14 Uganda 940,000 2007 est. 15 Malawi 930,000 2007 est. 16 Brazil 730,000 2007 est. 17 China 700,000 2007 est. 18 Thailand 610,000 2007 est. 19 Cameroon 540,000 2007 est. 20 Cote d'Ivoire 480,000 2007 est. 21 Ukraine 440,000 2007 est. 22 Sudan 320,000 2007 est. 23 Botswana 300,000 2007 est. 24 Vietnam 290,000 2007 est. 25 Indonesia 270,000 2007 est. 26 Lesotho 270,000 2007 est. 27 Ghana 260,000 2007 est. 28 Burma 240,000 2007 est. 29 Chad 200,000 2007 est. 30 Mexico 200,000 2007 est. 31 Namibia 200,000 2007 est. 32 Angola 190,000 2007 est. 33 Swaziland 190,000 2007 est. 34 Colombia 170,000 2007 est. 35 Central African Republic 160,000 2007 est. 36 Italy 150,000 2007 est. 37 Rwanda 150,000 2007 est. 38 France 140,000 2007 est. 39 Spain 140,000 2007 est. 40 Togo 130,000 2007 est. 41 Burkina Faso 130,000 2007 est. 42 Argentina 120,000 2007 est. 43 Haiti 120,000 2007 est. 44 Burundi 110,000 2007 est. 45 Venezuela 110,000 1999 est. 46 Mali 100,000 2007 est. 47 Pakistan 96,000 2007 est. 48 Guinea 87,000 2007 est. 49 Iran 86,000 2007 est. 50 Malaysia 80,000 2007 est. 51 Congo, Republic of the 79,000 2007 est. 52 United Kingdom 77,000 2007 est. 53 Peru 76,000 2007 est. 54 Cambodia 75,000 2007 est. 55 Canada 73,000 2007 est. 56 Nepal 70,000 2007 est. 57 Senegal 67,000 2007 est. 58 Benin 64,000 2007 est. 59 Dominican Republic 62,000 2007 est. 60 Niger 60,000 2007 est. 61 Guatemala 59,000 2007 est. 62 Sierra Leone 55,000 2007 est. 63 Papua New Guinea 54,000 2007 est. 64 Germany 53,000 2007 est. 65 Gabon 49,000 2007 est. 66 Eritrea 38,000 2007 est. 67 El Salvador 35,000 2007 est. 68 Liberia 35,000 2007 est. 69 Portugal 34,000 2007 est. 70 Chile 31,000 2007 est. 71 Honduras 28,000 2007 est. 72 Jamaica 27,000 2007 est. 73 Ecuador 26,000 2007 est. 74 Switzerland 25,000 2007 est. 75 Somalia 24,000 2007 est. 76 Algeria 21,000 2007 est. 77 Morocco 21,000 2007 est. 78 Paraguay 21,000 2007 est. 79 Poland 20,000 2007 est. 80 Panama 20,000 2007 est. 81 Australia 18,000 2007 est. 82 Netherlands 18,000 2007 est. 83 Djibouti 16,000 2007 est. 84 Guinea-Bissau 16,000 2007 est. 85 Uzbekistan 16,000 2007 est. 86 Belgium 15,000 2007 est. 87 Romania 15,000 2007 est. 88 Madagascar 14,000 2007 est. 89 Trinidad and Tobago 14,000 2007 est. 90 Mauritania 14,000 2007 est. 91 Belarus 13,000 2007 est. 92 Mauritius 13,000 2007 est. 93 Korea, South 13,000 2007 est. 94 Guyana 13,000 2007 est. 95 Bangladesh 12,000 2007 est. 96 Yemen 12,000 2001 est. 97 Kazakhstan 12,000 2007 est. 98 Equatorial Guinea 11,000 2007 est. 99 Greece 11,000 2007 est. 100 Latvia 10,000 2007 est. 101 Libya 10,000 2001 est. 102 Uruguay 10,000 2007 est. 103 Tajikistan 10,000 2007 est. 104 Estonia 9,900 2007 est. 105 Austria 9,800 2007 est. 106 Costa Rica 9,700 2007 est. 107 Japan 9,600 2007 est. 108 Egypt 9,200 2007 est. 109 Moldova 8,900 2007 est. 110 Philippines 8,300 2007 est. 111 Gambia, The 8,200 2007 est. 112 Bolivia 8,100 2007 est. 113 Azerbaijan 7,800 2007 est. 114 Nicaragua 7,700 2007 est. 115 Puerto Rico 7,397 NA 116 Suriname 6,800 2007 est. 117 Serbia 6,400 2009 est. 118 Bahamas, The 6,200 2007 est. 119 Sweden 6,200 2007 est. 120 Cuba 6,200 2007 est. 121 Ireland 5,500 2007 est. 122 Laos 5,500 2007 est. 123 Israel 5,100 2007 est. 124 Denmark 4,800 2007 est. 125 Kyrgyzstan 4,200 2007 est. 126 Singapore 4,200 2007 est. 127 Sri Lanka 3,800 2007 est. 128 Tunisia 3,700 2007 est. 129 Belize 3,600 2007 est. 130 Hungary 3,300 2007 est. 131 Lebanon 3,000 2007 est. 132 Norway 3,000 2007 est. 133 Georgia 2,700 2007 est. 134 Hong Kong 2,600 2003 est. 135 Armenia 2,400 2007 est. 136 Finland 2,400 2007 est. 137 Barbados 2,200 2007 est. 138 Lithuania 2,200 2007 est. 139 Czech Republic 1,500 2007 est. 140 New Zealand 1,400 2007 est. 141 Oman 1,300 2001 est. 142 Cyprus 1,000 2007 est. 143 Bosnia and Herzegovina 900 2007 est. 144 Cape Verde 775 NA 145 Bahrain 600 2007 est. 146 Jordan 600 2007 est. 147 Fiji 600 2003 est. 148 Iraq 500 2003 est. 149 Mongolia 500 2007 est. 150 Malta 500 2007 est. 151 Syria 500 2003 est. 152 Luxembourg 500 2003 est. 153 Bulgaria 346 2001 est. 154 Slovenia 280 2007 est. 155 Iceland 220 2007 est. 156 Brunei 200 2003 est. 157 Slovakia 200 2007 est. 158 Croatia 200 2007 est. 159 Macedonia 200 2007 est. 160 Turkmenistan 200 2007 est. 161 Bermuda 163 2005 162 Bhutan 100 2007 est. 163 Maldives 100 2001 est. 164 Greenland 100 NA 165 Svalbard 0 2001

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Rank code: 2157

Country Comparison :: HIV/AIDS - deaths

This entry gives an estimate of the number of adults and children who died of AIDS during a given calendar year.

Rank country HIV/AIDS - deaths Date of Information

1 South Africa 350,000 2007 est. 2 India 310,000 2001 est. 3 Nigeria 170,000 2007 est. 4 Kenya 150,000 2003 est. 5 Zimbabwe 140,000 2007 est. 6 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 100,000 2003 est. 7 Tanzania 96,000 2007 est. 8 Mozambique 81,000 2007 est. 9 Uganda 77,000 2007 est. 10 Malawi 68,000 2007 est. 11 Ethiopia 67,000 2007 est. 12 Zambia 56,000 2007 est. 13 Russia 40,000 2007 est. 14 China 39,000 2007 est. 15 Cameroon 39,000 2007 est. 16 Cote d'Ivoire 38,000 2007 est. 17 Thailand 30,000 2007 est. 18 Burma 25,000 2007 est. 19 Sudan 25,000 2007 est. 20 Vietnam 24,000 2007 est. 21 United States 22,000 2007 est. 22 Ghana 21,000 2007 est. 23 Ukraine 19,000 2007 est. 24 Lesotho 18,000 2007 est. 25 Brazil 15,000 2007 est. 26 Chad 14,000 2007 est. 27 Angola 11,000 2007 est. 28 Botswana 11,000 2007 est. 29 Central African Republic 11,000 2007 est. 30 Mexico 11,000 2007 est. 31 Burundi 11,000 2007 est. 32 Swaziland 10,000 2007 est. 33 Colombia 9,800 2007 est. 34 Burkina Faso 9,200 2007 est. 35 Togo 9,100 2007 est. 36 Indonesia 8,700 2007 est. 37 Rwanda 7,800 2007 est. 38 Haiti 7,200 2007 est. 39 Argentina 7,000 2007 est. 40 Cambodia 6,900 2007 est. 41 Congo, Republic of the 6,400 2007 est. 42 Mali 5,800 2007 est. 43 Pakistan 5,100 2007 est. 44 Namibia 5,100 2007 est. 45 Nepal 5,000 2007 est. 46 Guinea 4,500 2007 est. 47 Iran 4,300 2007 est. 48 Dominican Republic 4,100 2007 est. 49 Venezuela 4,100 2003 est. 50 Niger 4,000 2007 est. 51 Guatemala 3,900 2007 est. 52 Malaysia 3,900 2007 est. 53 Benin 3,300 2007 est. 54 Sierra Leone 3,300 2007 est. 55 Peru 3,300 2007 est. 56 Eritrea 2,600 2007 est. 57 Gabon 2,300 2007 est. 58 Liberia 2,300 2007 est. 59 Spain 2,300 2007 est. 60 Honduras 1,900 2007 est. 61 Trinidad and Tobago 1,900 2003 est. 62 Italy 1,900 2007 est. 63 Senegal 1,800 2007 est. 64 El Salvador 1,700 2007 est. 65 France 1,600 2007 est. 66 Somalia 1,600 2007 est. 67 Jamaica 1,500 2007 est. 68 Ecuador 1,400 2007 est. 69 Belarus 1,100 2007 est. 70 Guinea-Bissau 1,100 2007 est. 71 Djibouti 1,100 2007 est. 72 Chile 1,100 2007 est. 73 Algeria 1,000 2007 est. 74 Guyana 1,000 2007 est. 75 Madagascar 1,000 2007 est. 76 Mauritania 1,000 2007 est. 77 Panama 1,000 2007 est. 78 Papua New Guinea 1,000 2007 est. 79 Paraguay 1,000 2007 est. 80 Morocco 1,000 2007 est. 81 Gambia, The 600 2003 est. 82 Bangladesh 500 2007 est. 83 Canada 500 2007 est. 84 Egypt 500 2007 est. 85 Germany 500 2007 est. 86 Uzbekistan 500 2007 est. 87 Uruguay 500 2007 est. 88 Switzerland 500 2007 est. 89 Portugal 500 2007 est. 90 Nicaragua 500 2007 est. 91 Suriname 500 2003 est. 92 Latvia 500 2007 est. 93 Kazakhstan 500 2007 est. 94 Korea, South 500 2007 est. 95 Jordan 500 2003 est. 96 Estonia 500 2007 est. 97 United Kingdom 500 2007 est. 98 Tajikistan 500 2007 est. 99 Bolivia 500 2007 est. 100 Bermuda 392 2005 101 Equatorial Guinea 370 2001 est. 102 Romania 350 2001 est. 103 Cape Verde 225 NA 104 Armenia 200 2007 est. 105 Bahrain 200 2003 est. 106 Belize 200 2007 est. 107 Oman 200 2003 est. 108 Mongolia 200 2003 est. 109 Lithuania 200 2007 est. 110 Lebanon 200 2007 est. 111 Kyrgyzstan 200 2007 est. 112 Israel 200 2007 est. 113 Hong Kong 200 2003 est. 114 Georgia 200 2003 est. 115 Fiji 200 2003 est. 116 Tunisia 200 2007 est. 117 Syria 200 2003 est. 118 Singapore 200 2007 est. 119 Philippines 200 2007 est. 120 Poland 200 2007 est. 121 New Zealand 200 2003 est. 122 Netherlands 200 2007 est. 123 Costa Rica 200 2007 est. 124 Sri Lanka 200 2003 est. 125 Brunei 200 2003 est. 126 Bahamas, The 200 2007 est. 127 Azerbaijan 100 2007 est. 128 Australia 100 2007 est. 129 Denmark 100 2003 est. 130 Ireland 100 2007 est. 131 Turkmenistan 100 2004 est. 132 Sweden 100 2007 est. 133 Slovenia 100 2007 est. 134 Serbia 100 2009 est. 135 Norway 100 2003 est. 136 Malta 100 2003 est. 137 Mauritius 100 2001 est. 138 Macedonia 100 2003 est. 139 Moldova 100 2007 est. 140 Luxembourg 100 2003 est. 141 Slovakia 100 2001 est. 142 Laos 100 2007 est. 143 Japan 100 2007 est. 144 Iceland 100 2003 est. 145 Hungary 100 2001 est. 146 Greece 100 2007 est. 147 Finland 100 2003 est. 148 Cuba 100 2007 est. 149 Bosnia and Herzegovina 100 2001 est. 150 Bulgaria 100 2001 est. 151 Belgium 100 2007 est. 152 Barbados 100 2007 est. 153 Austria 100 2003 est. 154 Czech Republic 10 2001 est. 155 Croatia 10 2001 est. 156 Svalbard 0 2001

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Rank code: 2158

Country Comparison :: Currency code

Rank country Currency code Date of Information

======================================================================

Rank code: 2172

Country Comparison :: Distribution of family income - Gini index

This index measures the degree of inequality in the distribution of family income in a country. The index is calculated from the Lorenz curve, in which cumulative family income is plotted against the number of families arranged from the poorest to the richest. The index is the ratio of (a) the area between a country's Lorenz curve and the 45 degree helping line to (b) the entire triangular area under the 45 degree line. The more nearly equal a country's income distribution, the closer its Lorenz curve to the 45 degree line and the lower its Gini index, e.g., a Scandinavian country with an index of 25. The more unequal a country's income distribution, the farther its Lorenz curve from the 45 degree line and the higher its Gini index, e.g., a Sub-Saharan country with an index of 50. If income were distributed with perfect equality, the Lorenz curve would coincide with the 45 degree line and the index would be zero; if income were distributed with perfect inequality, the Lorenz curve would coincide with the horizontal axis and the right vertical axis and the index would be 100.

Rank country Distribution of family income - Gini indexDate of

Information 1 Namibia 70.7 2003 2 South Africa 65.0 2005 3 Lesotho 63.2 1995 4 Botswana 63.0 1993 5 Sierra Leone 62.9 1989 6 Central African Republic 61.3 1993 7 Bolivia 59.2 2006 8 Haiti 59.2 2001 9 Paraguay 56.8 2008 10 Brazil 56.7 2005 11 Bosnia and Herzegovina 56.2 2007 12 Panama 56.1 2003 13 Guatemala 55.1 2007 14 Chile 54.9 2003 15 Colombia 53.8 2005 16 Honduras 53.8 2003 17 Hong Kong 53.3 2007 18 El Salvador 52.4 2002 19 Papua New Guinea 50.9 1996 20 Zambia 50.8 2004 21 Niger 50.5 1995 22 Swaziland 50.4 2001 23 Gambia, The 50.2 1998 24 Zimbabwe 50.1 2006 25 Dominican Republic 49.9 2005 26 Peru 49.8 2005 27 Argentina 49.0 January-March 2007 28 Sri Lanka 49.0 2004 29 Venezuela 48.2 2003 30 Singapore 48.1 2008 31 Costa Rica 48.0 2008 32 Mexico 47.9 2006 33 Madagascar 47.5 2001 34 Mozambique 47.3 2002 35 Nepal 47.2 2008 36 China 47.0 2007 37 Rwanda 46.8 2000 38 Malaysia 46.1 2002 39 Ecuador 46.0 2006 40 Philippines 45.8 2006 41 Uganda 45.7 2002 42 Jamaica 45.5 2004 43 Uruguay 45.2 2006 44 United States 45.0 2007 45 Cameroon 44.6 2001 46 Cote d'Ivoire 44.6 2002 47 Iran 44.5 2006 48 Nigeria 43.7 2003 49 Turkey 43.6 2003 50 Guyana 43.2 1999 51 Nicaragua 43.1 2001 52 Cambodia 43.0 2007 est. 53 Kenya 42.5 2008 est. 54 Burundi 42.4 1998 55 Thailand 42.0 2002 56 Russia 41.5 September 2008 57 Senegal 41.3 2001 58 Georgia 40.8 2005 59 Turkmenistan 40.8 1998 60 Mali 40.1 2001 61 Morocco 40.0 2005 est. 62 Tunisia 40.0 2005 est. 63 Jordan 39.7 2007 64 Burkina Faso 39.5 2007 65 Ghana 39.4 2005-06 66 Indonesia 39.4 2005 67 Malawi 39.0 2004 68 Macedonia 39.0 2003 69 Mauritius 39.0 2006 est. 70 Mauritania 39.0 2000 71 Israel 38.6 2005 72 Portugal 38.5 2007 73 Guinea 38.1 2006 74 Japan 38.1 2002 75 Timor-Leste 38.0 76 Yemen 37.7 2005 77 Armenia 37.0 2006 78 Vietnam 37.0 2004 79 India 36.8 2004 80 Uzbekistan 36.8 2003 81 Azerbaijan 36.5 2001 82 Benin 36.5 2003 83 New Zealand 36.2 1997 84 Latvia 36.0 2005 85 Lithuania 36.0 2005 86 Algeria 35.3 1995 87 Poland 34.9 2005 88 Laos 34.6 2002 89 Tanzania 34.6 2000 90 Egypt 34.4 2001 91 Estonia 34.0 2008 92 United Kingdom 34.0 2005 93 Switzerland 33.7 2008 94 Bangladesh 33.2 2005 95 Moldova 33.2 2003 96 Greece 33.0 2005 97 Mongolia 32.8 2002 98 France 32.7 2008 99 Tajikistan 32.6 2006 100 Canada 32.1 2005 101 Ireland 32.0 2005 102 Spain 32.0 2005 103 Romania 32.0 2008 104 Italy 32.0 2006 105 Korea, South 31.3 2007 106 European Union 31.0 2005 est. 107 Ukraine 31.0 2006 108 Netherlands 30.9 2007 109 Bulgaria 30.7 2007 110 Pakistan 30.6 FY07/08 111 Australia 30.5 2006 112 Kazakhstan 30.4 2005 113 Kyrgyzstan 30.3 2003 114 Ethiopia 30.0 2000 115 Montenegro 30.0 2003 116 Serbia 30.0 2003 117 Finland 29.5 2007 118 Cyprus 29.0 2005 119 Croatia 29.0 2008 120 Belgium 28.0 2005 121 Hungary 28.0 2005 122 Belarus 27.9 2005 123 Germany 27.0 2006 124 Albania 26.7 2005 125 Austria 26.0 2007 126 Luxembourg 26.0 2005 127 Malta 26.0 2007 128 Slovakia 26.0 2005 129 Czech Republic 26.0 2005 130 Iceland 25.0 2005 131 Norway 25.0 2008 132 Denmark 24.0 2005 133 Slovenia 24.0 2005 134 Sweden 23.0 2005

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Rank code: 2173

Country Comparison :: Oil - production

This entry is the total oil produced in barrels per day (bbl/day). The discrepancy between the amount of oil produced and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is due to the omission of stock changes, refinery gains, and other complicating factors.

Rank country (bbl/day) Date of Information

1 Saudi Arabia 10,780,000 2008 est. 2 Russia 9,790,000 2008 est. 3 United States 8,514,000 2008 est. 4 Iran 4,174,000 2008 est. 5 China 3,973,000 2008 est. 6 Canada 3,350,000 2008 est. 7 Mexico 3,186,000 2008 est. 8 United Arab Emirates 3,046,000 2008 est. 9 Kuwait 2,741,000 2008 est. 10 Venezuela 2,643,000 2008 est. 11 European Union 2,538,000 2007 est. 12 Norway 2,466,000 2008 est. 13 Brazil 2,422,000 2008 est. 14 Iraq 2,385,000 2008 est. 15 Algeria 2,180,000 2008 est. 16 Nigeria 2,169,000 2008 est. 17 Angola 2,015,000 2008 est. 18 Libya 1,875,000 2008 est. 19 United Kingdom 1,584,000 2008 est. 20 Kazakhstan 1,429,000 2008 est. 21 Qatar 1,208,000 2008 est. 22 Indonesia 1,051,000 2008 est. 23 India 883,500 2008 est. 24 Azerbaijan 875,200 2008 est. 25 Argentina 792,300 2008 est. 26 Oman 761,000 2008 est. 27 Malaysia 727,200 2008 est. 28 Egypt 630,600 2008 est. 29 Colombia 600,600 2008 est. 30 Australia 586,400 2008 est. 31 Ecuador 505,100 2008 est. 32 Sudan 480,200 2008 est. 33 Syria 426,100 2008 est. 34 Thailand 361,300 2008 est. 35 Equatorial Guinea 359,200 2008 est. 36 Vietnam 313,600 2008 est. 37 Yemen 300,100 2008 est. 38 Denmark 288,800 2008 est. 39 Gabon 247,800 2008 est. 40 Congo, Republic of the 239,900 2008 est. 41 South Africa 195,000 2008 est. 42 Turkmenistan 189,400 2008 est. 43 Trinidad and Tobago 163,300 2008 est. 44 Italy 162,200 2008 est. 45 Brunei 157,400 2008 est. 46 Germany 150,800 2008 est. 47 Japan 133,100 2008 est. 48 Chad 127,000 2008 est. 49 Peru 120,200 2008 est. 50 Romania 115,200 2008 est. 51 Ukraine 101,300 2008 est. 52 Timor-Leste 100,000 2008 est. 53 Tunisia 86,930 2008 est. 54 Uzbekistan 83,820 2008 est. 55 Cameroon 81,720 2008 est. 56 Netherlands 72,090 2008 est. 57 France 70,800 2008 est. 58 New Zealand 65,400 2008 est. 59 Pakistan 61,870 2008 est. 60 Cote d'Ivoire 60,100 2008 est. 61 Cuba 52,630 2008 est. 62 Bolivia 51,360 2008 est. 63 Bahrain 48,520 2008 est. 64 Turkey 46,120 2008 est. 65 Papua New Guinea 38,100 2008 est. 66 Hungary 37,830 2008 est. 67 Poland 35,560 2008 est. 68 Belarus 32,950 2008 est. 69 Korea, South 30,440 2008 est. 70 Spain 28,130 2008 est. 71 Philippines 25,120 2008 est. 72 Austria 24,850 2008 est. 73 Croatia 22,200 2008 est. 74 Burma 22,120 2008 est. 75 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 19,960 2008 est. 76 Virgin Islands 17,620 2008 est. 77 Czech Republic 16,080 2008 est. 78 Guatemala 15,550 2008 est. 79 Suriname 15,280 2008 est. 80 Slovakia 14,000 2008 est. 81 Mauritania 12,830 2008 est. 82 Taiwan 12,310 2008 est. 83 Serbia 11,420 2008 est. 84 Belgium 11,220 2008 est. 85 Chile 11,190 2008 est. 86 Finland 9,789 2008 est. 87 Singapore 8,553 2008 est. 88 Lithuania 8,247 2008 est. 89 Portugal 7,861 2008 est. 90 Estonia 7,600 2008 est. 91 Ghana 7,399 2008 est. 92 Bangladesh 6,426 2008 est. 93 Albania 5,985 2008 est. 94 Israel 5,246 2008 est. 95 Greece 4,891 2008 est. 96 Morocco 4,310 2008 est. 97 Sweden 3,572 2008 est. 98 Belize 3,511 2008 est. 99 Bulgaria 3,357 2008 est. 100 Switzerland 3,244 2008 est. 101 Mongolia 3,216 2008 102 Aruba 2,351 2008 est. 103 Puerto Rico 1,354 2008 est. 104 Barbados 1,100 2008 est. 105 Georgia 977 2008 est. 106 Kyrgyzstan 958 2008 est. 107 Uruguay 946 2008 est. 108 Tajikistan 238 2008 est. 109 Zambia 159 2008 est. 110 Korea, North 121 2008 est. 111 Madagascar 85 2008 est. 112 Paraguay 27 2008 est. 113 Slovenia 5 2008 est. 114 Sierra Leone 3 2008 est. 115 Antigua and Barbuda 0 2008 est. 116 Botswana 0 2008 est. 117 Bosnia and Herzegovina 0 2008 est. 118 Solomon Islands 0 2008 est. 119 Zimbabwe 0 2008 est. 120 Swaziland 0 2008 est. 121 Samoa 0 2008 est. 122 Western Sahara 0 2008 est. 123 Namibia 0 2008 est. 124 British Virgin Islands 0 2008 est. 125 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 0 2008 est. 126 Burkina Faso 0 2008 est. 127 Tanzania 0 2008 est. 128 Sao Tome and Principe 0 2008 est. 129 Togo 0 2008 est. 130 Tonga 0 2008 est. 131 Turks and Caicos Islands 0 2008 est. 132 Saint Lucia 0 2008 est. 133 Somalia 0 2008 est. 134 Saint Helena 0 2008 est. 135 Senegal 0 2008 est. 136 Seychelles 0 2008 est. 137 Saint Kitts and Nevis 0 2008 est. 138 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 0 2008 est. 139 Rwanda 0 2008 est. 140 Guinea-Bissau 0 2008 est. 141 Panama 0 2008 est. 142 Luxembourg 0 2008 est. 143 Lesotho 0 2008 est. 144 Liberia 0 2008 est. 145 Latvia 0 2008 est. 146 Lebanon 0 2008 est. 147 Laos 0 2008 est. 148 Kosovo 0 2007 149 Kiribati 0 2008 est. 150 Kenya 0 2008 est. 151 Nicaragua 0 2008 est. 152 Netherlands Antilles 0 2008 est. 153 Nauru 0 2008 est. 154 Nepal 0 2008 est. 155 Vanuatu 0 2008 est. 156 Niger 0 2008 est. 157 Niue 0 2008 est. 158 New Caledonia 0 2008 est. 159 Mozambique 0 2008 est. 160 Maldives 0 2008 est. 161 Malta 0 2008 est. 162 Mauritius 0 2008 est. 163 Mali 0 2008 est. 164 Macedonia 0 2008 est. 165 Montenegro 0 2008 est. 166 Malawi 0 2008 est. 167 Montserrat 0 2008 est. 168 Moldova 0 2008 est. 169 Macau 0 2008 est. 170 Jordan 0 2008 est. 171 Jamaica 0 2008 est. 172 Gambia, The 0 2008 est. 173 French Polynesia 0 2008 est. 174 Faroe Islands 0 2008 est. 175 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 0 2008 est. 176 Fiji 0 2008 est. 177 Ethiopia 0 2008 est. 178 El Salvador 0 2008 est. 179 Eritrea 0 2008 est. 180 Ireland 0 2008 est. 181 Dominican Republic 0 2008 est. 182 Dominica 0 2008 est. 183 Djibouti 0 2008 est. 184 Cyprus 0 2008 est. 185 Cook Islands 0 2008 est. 186 Iceland 0 2008 est. 187 Honduras 0 2008 est. 188 Hong Kong 0 2008 est. 189 Haiti 0 2008 est. 190 Guyana 0 2008 est. 191 Guinea 0 2008 est. 192 Greenland 0 2008 est. 193 Grenada 0 2008 est. 194 Gibraltar 0 2008 est. 195 Cape Verde 0 2008 est. 196 Central African Republic 0 2008 est. 197 Costa Rica 0 2008 est. 198 Comoros 0 2008 est. 199 Cayman Islands 0 2008 est. 200 Sri Lanka 0 2008 est. 201 Cambodia 0 2008 est. 202 Burundi 0 2008 est. 203 Bhutan 0 2008 est. 204 Benin 0 2008 est. 205 Bahamas, The 0 2008 est. 206 Bermuda 0 2008 est. 207 Armenia 0 2008 est. 208 American Samoa 0 2008 est. 209 Afghanistan 0 2008 est.

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Rank code: 2174

Country Comparison :: Oil - consumption

This entry is the total oil consumed in barrels per day (bbl/day). The discrepancy between the amount of oil produced and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is due to the omission of stock changes, refinery gains, and other complicating factors.

Rank country (bbl/day) Date of Information

1 United States 19,500,000 2008 est. 2 European Union 14,440,000 2007 est. 3 China 7,850,000 2008 est. 4 Japan 4,785,000 2008 est. 5 India 2,940,000 2008 est. 6 Russia 2,900,000 2008 est. 7 Germany 2,569,000 2008 est. 8 Brazil 2,520,000 2008 est. 9 Saudi Arabia 2,380,000 2008 est. 10 Canada 2,260,000 2008 est. 11 Korea, South 2,175,000 2008 est. 12 Mexico 2,128,000 2008 est. 13 France 1,986,000 2008 est. 14 Iran 1,755,000 2008 est. 15 United Kingdom 1,710,000 2008 est. 16 Italy 1,639,000 2008 est. 17 Indonesia 1,564,000 2008 est. 18 Spain 1,562,000 2008 est. 19 Netherlands 962,900 2008 est. 20 Taiwan 959,000 2008 est. 21 Australia 953,700 2008 est. 22 Thailand 942,000 2008 est. 23 Singapore 896,000 2008 est. 24 Venezuela 760,000 2008 est. 25 Belgium 716,800 2008 est. 26 Egypt 697,000 2008 est. 27 Turkey 675,500 2008 est. 28 Iraq 638,000 2008 est. 29 Argentina 610,000 2008 est. 30 South Africa 583,000 2008 est. 31 Malaysia 547,000 2008 est. 32 Poland 544,800 2008 est. 33 United Arab Emirates 463,000 2008 est. 34 Greece 434,000 2008 est. 35 Pakistan 383,000 2008 est. 36 Hong Kong 366,000 2008 est. 37 Ukraine 353,000 2008 est. 38 Sweden 351,800 2008 est. 39 Kuwait 325,000 2008 est. 40 Philippines 320,000 2008 est. 41 Algeria 299,000 2008 est. 42 Portugal 291,700 2008 est. 43 Colombia 291,000 2008 est. 44 Vietnam 288,000 2008 est. 45 Nigeria 286,000 2008 est. 46 Austria 285,400 2008 est. 47 Chile 277,000 2008 est. 48 Switzerland 275,600 2008 est. 49 Libya 273,000 2008 est. 50 Syria 256,000 2008 est. 51 Kazakhstan 239,000 2008 est. 52 Israel 235,000 2008 est. 53 Norway 220,200 2008 est. 54 Romania 219,000 2008 est. 55 Finland 215,600 2008 est. 56 Czech Republic 212,800 2008 est. 57 Ireland 188,000 2008 est. 58 Morocco 187,000 2008 est. 59 Puerto Rico 185,300 2008 est. 60 Belarus 184,000 2008 est. 61 Denmark 181,100 2008 est. 62 Ecuador 178,000 2008 est. 63 Cuba 176,000 2008 est. 64 Hungary 162,100 2008 est. 65 Peru 160,000 2008 est. 66 New Zealand 154,100 2008 est. 67 Yemen 149,000 2008 est. 68 Uzbekistan 148,000 2008 est. 69 Qatar 129,000 2008 est. 70 Azerbaijan 126,000 2008 est. 71 Bulgaria 124,000 2008 est. 72 Dominican Republic 119,000 2008 est. 73 Turkmenistan 112,000 2008 est. 74 Jordan 108,000 2008 est. 75 Croatia 105,000 2008 est. 76 Bangladesh 95,000 2008 est. 77 Panama 94,000 2008 est. 78 Lebanon 92,000 2008 est. 79 Tunisia 90,000 2008 est. 80 Sri Lanka 89,000 2008 est. 81 Sudan 86,000 2008 est. 82 Slovakia 84,990 2008 est. 83 Oman 81,000 2008 est. 84 Jamaica 78,000 2008 est. 85 Guatemala 76,000 2008 est. 86 Kenya 75,000 2008 est. 87 Lithuania 73,000 2008 est. 88 Virgin Islands 72,860 2008 est. 89 Netherlands Antilles 71,000 2008 est. 90 Angola 64,000 2008 est. 91 Slovenia 61,000 2008 est. 92 Bolivia 60,000 2008 est. 93 Luxembourg 59,140 2008 est. 94 Cyprus 59,000 2008 est. 95 Ghana 56,000 2008 est. 96 Honduras 52,000 2008 est. 97 Armenia 48,000 2008 est. 98 Costa Rica 45,000 2008 est. 99 El Salvador 45,000 2008 est. 100 Burma 41,000 2008 est. 101 Trinidad and Tobago 41,000 2008 est. 102 Uruguay 41,000 2008 est. 103 Latvia 39,000 2008 est. 104 Bahrain 38,000 2008 est. 105 Senegal 38,000 2008 est. 106 Ethiopia 37,000 2008 est. 107 Tajikistan 36,000 2008 est. 108 Albania 34,000 2008 est. 109 Bahamas, The 34,000 2008 est. 110 Papua New Guinea 33,000 2008 est. 111 Tanzania 32,000 2008 est. 112 Bosnia and Herzegovina 29,000 2008 est. 113 Nicaragua 29,000 2008 est. 114 Estonia 29,000 2008 est. 115 Paraguay 28,000 2008 est. 116 Cameroon 26,000 2008 est. 117 Cote d'Ivoire 25,000 2008 est. 118 Gibraltar 24,000 2008 est. 119 Mauritius 23,000 2008 est. 120 Benin 21,000 2008 est. 121 Mauritania 21,000 2008 est. 122 Namibia 21,000 2008 est. 123 Macedonia 21,000 2008 est. 124 Madagascar 20,000 2008 est. 125 Togo 20,000 2008 est. 126 Iceland 19,880 2008 est. 127 Malta 19,000 2008 est. 128 Nepal 18,000 2008 est. 129 Moldova 17,000 2008 est. 130 Korea, North 16,000 2008 est. 131 Macau 16,000 2008 est. 132 Zambia 16,000 2008 est. 133 Mozambique 16,000 2008 est. 134 Botswana 15,000 2008 est. 135 Mongolia 15,000 2008 est. 136 Kyrgyzstan 15,000 2008 est. 137 Brunei 15,000 2008 est. 138 Gabon 14,000 2008 est. 139 Georgia 14,000 2008 est. 140 Suriname 14,000 2008 est. 141 Djibouti 13,000 2008 est. 142 New Caledonia 13,000 2008 est. 143 Zimbabwe 13,000 2008 est. 144 Uganda 13,000 2008 est. 145 Haiti 12,000 2008 est. 146 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 11,000 2008 est. 147 Guyana 11,000 2008 est. 148 Fiji 10,000 2008 est. 149 Barbados 9,000 2008 est. 150 Guinea 9,000 2008 est. 151 Sierra Leone 9,000 2008 est. 152 Burkina Faso 9,000 2008 est. 153 Congo, Republic of the 9,000 2008 est. 154 Aruba 8,000 2008 est. 155 Malawi 8,000 2008 est. 156 Belize 7,000 2008 est. 157 Seychelles 7,000 2008 est. 158 French Polynesia 7,000 2008 est. 159 Maldives 6,000 2008 est. 160 Rwanda 6,000 2008 est. 161 Niger 6,000 2008 est. 162 Antigua and Barbuda 5,000 2008 est. 163 Afghanistan 5,000 2008 est. 164 Bermuda 5,000 2008 est. 165 Faroe Islands 5,000 2008 est. 166 Somalia 5,000 2008 est. 167 Mali 5,000 2008 est. 168 Eritrea 5,000 2008 est. 169 American Samoa 4,000 2008 est. 170 Swaziland 4,000 2008 est. 171 Greenland 4,000 2008 est. 172 Liberia 4,000 2008 est. 173 Cambodia 4,000 2008 est. 174 Burundi 3,000 2008 est. 175 Cayman Islands 3,000 2008 est. 176 Saint Lucia 3,000 2008 est. 177 Guinea-Bissau 3,000 2008 est. 178 Laos 3,000 2008 est. 179 Grenada 3,000 2008 est. 180 Solomon Islands 2,000 2008 est. 181 Western Sahara 2,000 2008 est. 182 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 2,000 2008 est. 183 Lesotho 2,000 2008 est. 184 Cape Verde 2,000 2008 est. 185 Gambia, The 2,000 2008 est. 186 Central African Republic 2,000 2008 est. 187 Bhutan 1,000 2008 est. 188 Samoa 1,000 2008 est. 189 British Virgin Islands 1,000 2008 est. 190 Sao Tome and Principe 1,000 2008 est. 191 Tonga 1,000 2008 est. 192 Saint Kitts and Nevis 1,000 2008 est. 193 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 1,000 2008 est. 194 Nauru 1,000 2008 est. 195 Vanuatu 1,000 2008 est. 196 Montserrat 1,000 2008 est. 197 Equatorial Guinea 1,000 2008 est. 198 Dominica 1,000 2008 est. 199 Chad 1,000 2008 est. 200 Cook Islands 1,000 2008 est. 201 Comoros 1,000 2008 est. 202 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 0 2008 est. 203 Turks and Caicos Islands 0 2008 est. 204 Saint Helena 0 2008 est. 205 Niue 0 2008 est. 206 Kiribati 0 2008 est.

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Rank code: 2175

Country Comparison :: Oil - imports

This entry is the total oil imported in barrels per day (bbl/day), including both crude oil and oil products.

Rank country (bbl/day) Date of Information

1 United States 13,470,000 2008 est. 2 European Union 8,613,000 2007 est. 3 Japan 5,263,000 2008 est. 4 China 4,210,000 2007 5 Korea, South 2,982,000 2008 est. 6 Germany 2,777,000 2008 est. 7 Netherlands 2,678,000 2008 est. 8 India 2,518,000 2007 est. 9 France 2,346,000 2008 est. 10 Italy 2,205,000 2008 est. 11 Singapore 2,109,000 2007 est. 12 Spain 1,813,000 2008 est. 13 United Kingdom 1,651,000 2008 est. 14 Taiwan 1,251,000 2007 est. 15 Canada 1,165,000 2008 est. 16 Belgium 1,076,000 2008 est. 17 Thailand 826,000 2007 est. 18 Turkey 783,800 2008 est. 19 Australia 687,200 2008 est. 20 Indonesia 671,000 2007 est. 21 Brazil 632,900 2007 est. 22 Poland 595,400 2008 est. 23 Greece 553,000 2008 est. 24 Sweden 542,100 2008 est. 25 South Africa 490,500 2007 est. 26 Virgin Islands 480,600 2007 est. 27 Mexico 479,600 2008 est. 28 Belarus 444,800 2007 est. 29 Ukraine 354,100 2007 est. 30 Portugal 351,100 2008 est. 31 Finland 347,400 2008 est. 32 Philippines 342,200 2007 est. 33 Hong Kong 334,900 2008 34 Pakistan 319,500 2007 est. 35 Israel 318,900 2007 est. 36 Malaysia 314,600 2007 est. 37 Chile 311,200 2007 est. 38 Austria 305,000 2008 est. 39 Netherlands Antilles 298,500 2007 est. 40 Vietnam 254,000 2007 est. 41 Switzerland 247,200 2008 est. 42 Aruba 236,400 2007 est. 43 Bahrain 228,400 2007 est. 44 Puerto Rico 225,000 2007 est. 45 Romania 217,000 2007 est. 46 Czech Republic 213,900 2008 est. 47 Iran 212,200 2007 est. 48 Lithuania 204,000 2007 est. 49 Morocco 195,800 2007 est. 50 Hungary 195,400 2008 est. 51 United Arab Emirates 192,900 2007 est. 52 Ireland 190,800 2008 est. 53 Bulgaria 189,000 2007 est. 54 Nigeria 170,000 2007 est. 55 Kazakhstan 164,000 2007 est. 56 Denmark 153,800 2008 est. 57 Slovakia 148,600 2008 est. 58 New Zealand 147,600 2008 est. 59 Egypt 146,200 2007 est. 60 Peru 133,100 2007 est. 61 Croatia 122,100 2007 est. 62 Iraq 116,900 2007 est. 63 Dominican Republic 116,200 2007 est. 64 Jordan 108,200 2007 est. 65 Cuba 104,800 2007 est. 66 Norway 104,400 2008 est. 67 Trinidad and Tobago 92,480 2007 est. 68 Sri Lanka 87,690 2007 est. 69 Bangladesh 87,660 2007 est. 70 Tunisia 87,300 2007 est. 71 Panama 87,100 2007 est. 72 Lebanon 86,750 2007 est. 73 Cote d'Ivoire 80,960 2007 est. 74 Kenya 80,530 2007 est. 75 Saudi Arabia 79,250 2007 est. 76 Jamaica 77,720 2007 est. 77 Guatemala 72,440 2007 est. 78 Bahamas, The 72,420 2007 est. 79 Serbia 70,760 2005 est. 80 Yemen 65,860 2007 est. 81 Slovenia 63,080 2007 est. 82 Luxembourg 60,030 2008 est. 83 Cyprus 58,930 2007 est. 84 Syria 58,710 2007 est. 85 Ecuador 54,190 2007 est. 86 Uruguay 52,730 2007 est. 87 Argentina 52,290 2007 est. 88 Costa Rica 47,860 2007 est. 89 Russia 47,360 2007 est. 90 El Salvador 46,310 2007 est. 91 Honduras 46,130 2007 est. 92 Cameroon 45,520 2007 est. 93 Ghana 45,380 2007 est. 94 Armenia 45,200 2007 est. 95 Latvia 43,400 2007 est. 96 Senegal 42,850 2007 est. 97 Uzbekistan 35,810 2007 est. 98 Ethiopia 33,590 2007 est. 99 Cambodia 30,970 2007 est. 100 Estonia 30,590 2007 est. 101 Nicaragua 29,570 2007 est. 102 Benin 28,900 2007 est. 103 Angola 28,090 2007 est. 104 Tanzania 28,070 2007 est. 105 Macedonia 26,730 2007 est. 106 Bosnia and Herzegovina 25,990 2007 est. 107 Gibraltar 25,610 2007 est. 108 Paraguay 25,100 2007 est. 109 Albania 24,080 2007 est. 110 Mauritius 22,200 2007 est. 111 Mauritania 20,610 2007 est. 112 Fiji 20,340 2007 est. 113 Namibia 19,120 2007 est. 114 Burma 18,250 2007 est. 115 Malta 17,910 2007 est. 116 Mongolia 17,680 2008 117 Iceland 17,510 2008 est. 118 Oman 17,290 2007 est. 119 Madagascar 16,940 2007 est. 120 Nepal 16,920 2007 est. 121 Georgia 16,590 2007 est. 122 Colombia 16,540 2007 est. 123 Togo 15,270 2007 est. 124 Botswana 15,180 2007 est. 125 Zambia 14,730 2007 est. 126 New Caledonia 14,430 2007 est. 127 Papua New Guinea 14,380 2007 est. 128 Algeria 14,320 2007 est. 129 Moldova 14,230 2007 est. 130 Korea, North 13,890 2007 est. 131 Zimbabwe 13,830 2007 est. 132 Mozambique 13,760 2007 est. 133 Uganda 13,090 2007 est. 134 Kyrgyzstan 12,850 2007 est. 135 Haiti 12,280 2007 est. 136 Sudan 11,400 2007 est. 137 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 11,350 2007 est. 138 Guyana 10,550 2007 est. 139 Barbados 10,390 2007 est. 140 Tajikistan 10,100 2008 141 Guinea 8,674 2007 est. 142 Djibouti 8,476 2007 est. 143 Sierra Leone 8,316 2007 est. 144 Burkina Faso 8,283 2007 est. 145 Seychelles 7,653 2007 est. 146 Belize 7,204 2007 est. 147 Malawi 6,960 2007 est. 148 French Polynesia 6,701 2007 est. 149 Somalia 6,387 2007 est. 150 Suriname 6,296 2007 est. 151 Bolivia 6,172 2007 est. 152 Montenegro 6,093 2005 153 Rwanda 5,623 2007 est. 154 Maldives 5,406 2007 est. 155 Niger 5,367 2007 est. 156 Macau 5,027 2008 est. 157 Faroe Islands 4,922 2007 est. 158 Eritrea 4,790 2007 est. 159 Antigua and Barbuda 4,690 2007 est. 160 Bermuda 4,500 2007 est. 161 Afghanistan 4,404 2007 est. 162 Mali 4,402 2007 est. 163 Liberia 4,263 2007 est. 164 Gabon 4,185 2007 est. 165 Greenland 4,172 2007 est. 166 American Samoa 4,140 2007 est. 167 Swaziland 4,100 2007 est. 168 Cayman Islands 3,294 2007 est. 169 Laos 3,080 2007 est. 170 Azerbaijan 2,848 2007 est. 171 Saint Lucia 2,747 2007 est. 172 Guinea-Bissau 2,545 2007 est. 173 Turkmenistan 2,542 2007 est. 174 Burundi 2,495 2007 est. 175 Gambia, The 2,266 2007 est. 176 Central African Republic 2,203 2007 est. 177 Congo, Republic of the 2,136 2007 est. 178 Grenada 1,923 2007 est. 179 Western Sahara 1,702 2007 est. 180 Cape Verde 1,619 2007 est. 181 Chad 1,571 2007 est. 182 Lesotho 1,553 2007 est. 183 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1,451 2007 est. 184 Solomon Islands 1,323 2007 est. 185 Saint Kitts and Nevis 1,225 2007 est. 186 Tonga 1,173 2007 est. 187 Bhutan 1,168 2007 est. 188 Equatorial Guinea 1,114 2007 est. 189 Samoa 1,105 2007 est. 190 Nauru 1,026 2007 est. 191 Dominica 838 2007 est. 192 Comoros 766 2007 est. 193 Sao Tome and Principe 726 2007 est. 194 British Virgin Islands 691 2007 est. 195 Vanuatu 654 2007 est. 196 Libya 575 2007 est. 197 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 564 2007 est. 198 Montserrat 521 2007 est. 199 Cook Islands 495 2007 est. 200 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 271 2007 est. 201 Kiribati 261 2007 est. 202 Brunei 238 2007 est. 203 Turks and Caicos Islands 80 2007 est. 204 Saint Helena 80 2007 est. 205 Niue 31 2007 est. 206 Kuwait 0 2007 est. 207 Qatar 0 2007 est. 208 Venezuela 0 2007 est.

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Rank code: 2176

Country Comparison :: Oil - exports

This entry is the total oil exported in barrels per day (bbl/day), including both crude oil and oil products.

Rank country (bbl/day) Date of Information

1 Saudi Arabia 8,728,000 2007 est. 2 Russia 6,845,000 2007 est. 3 Iran 2,719,000 2007 est. 4 United Arab Emirates 2,700,000 2007 est. 5 Canada 2,421,000 2008 est. 6 Norway 2,383,000 2008 est. 7 Kuwait 2,349,000 2007 est. 8 Nigeria 2,327,000 2007 est. 9 European Union 2,196,000 2007 est. 10 Venezuela 2,182,000 2007 est. 11 Mexico 1,986,000 2008 est. 12 Algeria 1,891,000 2007 est. 13 Iraq 1,830,000 2008 est. 14 Netherlands 1,647,000 2008 est. 15 United Kingdom 1,602,000 2008 est. 16 Libya 1,542,000 2007 est. 17 United States 1,433,000 2008 est. 18 Angola 1,407,000 2007 est. 19 Kazakhstan 1,313,000 2007 est. 20 Singapore 1,289,000 2007 est. 21 Qatar 1,043,000 2007 est. 22 Korea, South 800,000 2008 est. 23 India 671,200 2007 est. 24 Italy 667,100 2008 est. 25 Oman 593,700 2008 est. 26 Germany 582,900 2008 est. 27 Brazil 570,100 2007 est. 28 France 554,100 2008 est. 29 Azerbaijan 528,900 2007 est. 30 Malaysia 511,900 2007 est. 31 Belgium 507,500 2008 est. 32 China 419,200 2007 est. 33 Ecuador 417,000 2007 est. 34 Virgin Islands 388,000 2007 est. 35 Equatorial Guinea 362,900 2007 est. 36 Vietnam 347,400 2007 est. 37 Australia 332,400 2008 est. 38 Argentina 314,400 2007 est. 39 Belarus 303,900 2007 est. 40 Sudan 303,800 2007 est. 41 Taiwan 303,500 2007 est. 42 Colombia 294,000 2008 est. 43 Denmark 287,100 2008 est. 44 Yemen 274,400 2007 est. 45 Japan 268,300 2008 est. 46 Trinidad and Tobago 248,300 2007 est. 47 Congo, Republic of the 241,100 2007 est. 48 Bahrain 238,300 2007 est. 49 Aruba 231,100 2007 est. 50 Gabon 227,300 2007 est. 51 Spain 226,900 2008 est. 52 Netherlands Antilles 224,600 2007 est. 53 Sweden 219,300 2008 est. 54 Thailand 216,400 2007 est. 55 Brunei 207,500 2007 est. 56 Chad 157,900 2007 est. 57 Egypt 155,200 2007 est. 58 Syria 155,000 2008 est. 59 Greece 151,300 2008 est. 60 Turkey 141,700 2008 est. 61 Lithuania 137,200 2007 est. 62 Finland 133,000 2008 est. 63 South Africa 128,500 2007 est. 64 Cote d'Ivoire 115,700 2007 est. 65 Romania 115,600 2007 est. 66 Cameroon 107,100 2007 est. 67 Ukraine 97,200 2007 est. 68 Indonesia 85,000 2008 est. 69 Turkmenistan 84,770 2007 est. 70 Tunisia 77,130 2007 est. 71 Bulgaria 76,570 2007 est. 72 Slovakia 74,070 2008 est. 73 Hungary 72,050 2008 est. 74 Israel 69,580 2007 est. 75 Peru 68,640 2007 est. 76 Poland 67,340 2008 est. 77 Portugal 53,260 2008 est. 78 Chile 49,250 2007 est. 79 Austria 45,580 2008 est. 80 Croatia 43,750 2007 est. 81 Bahamas, The 41,570 2007 est. 82 Philippines 36,720 2007 est. 83 New Zealand 34,260 2008 est. 84 Papua New Guinea 32,490 2007 est. 85 Mauritania 30,620 2007 est. 86 Pakistan 30,090 2007 est. 87 Ireland 22,710 2008 est. 88 Czech Republic 22,560 2008 est. 89 Guatemala 21,850 2007 est. 90 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 20,090 2007 est. 91 Hong Kong 19,480 2008 92 Morocco 17,420 2007 est. 93 Puerto Rico 16,520 2007 est. 94 Bolivia 10,950 2007 est. 95 Switzerland 10,310 2008 est. 96 Benin 8,770 2007 est. 97 Slovenia 8,450 2007 est. 98 Macedonia 7,410 2007 est. 99 Estonia 7,280 2007 est. 100 Kenya 7,270 2007 est. 101 Uruguay 7,100 2007 est. 102 Uzbekistan 6,104 2007 est. 103 Latvia 5,873 2007 est. 104 Senegal 5,653 2007 est. 105 Ghana 4,843 2007 est. 106 Panama 4,803 2007 est. 107 Suriname 4,308 2007 est. 108 Serbia 3,641 2005 109 Iceland 2,975 2008 est. 110 Bangladesh 2,612 2007 est. 111 Fiji 2,455 2007 est. 112 Belize 2,260 2007 est. 113 Burma 2,200 2007 est. 114 Costa Rica 2,117 2007 est. 115 El Salvador 1,927 2007 est. 116 Kyrgyzstan 1,890 2007 est. 117 Barbados 1,750 2007 est. 118 Togo 1,547 2005 119 Georgia 1,486 2007 est. 120 Somalia 1,475 2007 est. 121 Sri Lanka 968 2007 est. 122 Albania 749 2005 est. 123 New Caledonia 645 2007 est. 124 Sierra Leone 502 2007 est. 125 Madagascar 365 2007 est. 126 Tajikistan 349 NA 127 Montenegro 314 2005 128 Zambia 275 2007 est. 129 Antigua and Barbuda 219 2007 est. 130 Nicaragua 213 2007 est. 131 Bosnia and Herzegovina 192 2007 est. 132 Luxembourg 168 2008 est. 133 Greenland 150 2007 est. 134 Gambia, The 42 2007 est. 135 Moldova 36 2007 est. 136 Liberia 23 2007 est. 137 Djibouti 19 2007 est. 138 Afghanistan 0 2007 est. 139 Bermuda 0 2007 est. 140 Bhutan 0 2007 est. 141 Cambodia 0 2007 est. 142 Comoros 0 2007 est. 143 Cuba 0 2007 est. 144 Rwanda 0 2007 est. 145 Guinea-Bissau 0 2007 est. 146 Paraguay 0 2007 est. 147 Nauru 0 2007 est. 148 Nepal 0 2007 est. 149 Vanuatu 0 2007 est. 150 Niger 0 2007 est. 151 Niue 0 2007 est. 152 Macau 0 2007 est. 153 Swaziland 0 2007 est. 154 Samoa 0 2007 est. 155 Western Sahara 0 2007 est. 156 Namibia 0 2007 est. 157 British Virgin Islands 0 2007 est. 158 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 0 2007 est. 159 Burkina Faso 0 2007 est. 160 Uganda 0 2007 est. 161 Tanzania 0 2007 est. 162 Zimbabwe 0 2007 est. 163 Sao Tome and Principe 0 2007 est. 164 Tonga 0 2007 est. 165 Turks and Caicos Islands 0 2007 est. 166 Saint Lucia 0 2007 est. 167 Saint Helena 0 2007 est. 168 Seychelles 0 2007 est. 169 Saint Kitts and Nevis 0 2007 est. 170 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 0 2007 est. 171 Lesotho 0 2007 est. 172 Lebanon 0 2007 est. 173 Laos 0 2007 est. 174 Kiribati 0 2007 est. 175 Korea, North 0 2007 est. 176 Jordan 0 2007 est. 177 Jamaica 0 2007 est. 178 Faroe Islands 0 2007 est. 179 Mozambique 0 2007 est. 180 Maldives 0 2007 est. 181 Malta 0 2007 est. 182 Mauritius 0 2007 est. 183 Mali 0 2007 est. 184 Malawi 0 2007 est. 185 Montserrat 0 2007 est. 186 Mongolia 0 2007 est. 187 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 0 2007 est. 188 Ethiopia 0 2007 est. 189 Eritrea 0 2007 est. 190 Dominican Republic 0 2007 est. 191 Dominica 0 2007 est. 192 Cyprus 0 2007 est. 193 Cook Islands 0 2007 est. 194 Cape Verde 0 2007 est. 195 Honduras 0 2007 est. 196 Haiti 0 2007 est. 197 Guyana 0 2007 est. 198 Guinea 0 2007 est. 199 Grenada 0 2007 est. 200 Gibraltar 0 2007 est. 201 French Polynesia 0 2007 est. 202 Central African Republic 0 2007 est. 203 Cayman Islands 0 2007 est. 204 Burundi 0 2007 est. 205 Solomon Islands 0 2007 est. 206 American Samoa 0 2007 est. 207 Botswana 0 2007 est. 208 Armenia 0 2007 est.

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Rank code: 2177

Country Comparison :: Median age

This entry is the age that divides a population into two numerically equal groups; that is, half the people are younger than this age and half are older. It is a single index that summarizes the age distribution of a population. Currently, the median age ranges from a low of about 15 in Uganda and Gaza Strip to 40 or more in several European countries and Japan. See the entry for "Age structure" for the importance of a young versus an older age structure and, by implication, a low versus a higher median age.

Rank country (years) Date of Information

1 Monaco 45.70 2009 est. 2 Japan 44.20 2009 est. 3 Germany 43.80 2009 est. 4 Italy 43.30 2009 est. 5 Jersey 42.90 2009 est. 6 Guernsey 42.50 2009 est. 7 Hong Kong 42.30 2009 est. 8 Austria 42.20 2009 est. 9 Finland 42.10 2009 est. 10 Greece 41.80 2009 est. 11 Belgium 41.70 2009 est. 12 Slovenia 41.70 2009 est. 13 San Marino 41.50 2009 est. 14 Sweden 41.50 2009 est. 15 Bulgaria 41.40 2009 est. 16 Bermuda 41.30 2009 est. 17 Spain 41.10 2009 est. 18 Croatia 41.00 2009 est. 19 Switzerland 41.00 2009 est. 20 Liechtenstein 41.00 2009 est. 21 Serbia 41.00 2009 est. 22 Denmark 40.50 2009 est. 23 Gibraltar 40.50 2009 est. 24 Canada 40.40 2009 est. 25 Netherlands 40.40 2009 est. 26 Isle of Man 40.20 2009 est. 27 United Kingdom 40.20 2009 est. 28 Czech Republic 40.10 2009 est. 29 Latvia 40.10 2009 est. 30 Estonia 39.90 2009 est. 31 Bosnia and Herzegovina 39.80 2009 est. 32 Malta 39.50 2009 est. 33 Ukraine 39.50 2009 est. 34 Andorra 39.40 2009 est. 35 France 39.40 2009 est. 36 Norway 39.40 2009 est. 37 Portugal 39.40 2009 est. 38 Hungary 39.40 2009 est. 39 Lithuania 39.30 2009 est. 40 Luxembourg 39.20 2009 est. 41 Saint Barthelemy 39.10 2009 est. 42 Virgin Islands 39.10 2009 est. 43 Singapore 39.00 2009 est. 44 Belarus 38.60 2009 est. 45 Georgia 38.60 2009 est. 46 Russia 38.40 2009 est. 47 Cayman Islands 38.10 2009 est. 48 Poland 37.90 2009 est. 49 Aruba 37.80 2009 est. 50 Romania 37.70 2009 est. 51 Saint Helena 37.60 2009 est. 52 Australia 37.30 2009 est. 53 Cuba 37.30 2009 est. 54 Korea, South 37.30 2009 est. 55 Faroe Islands 36.90 2009 est. 56 Slovakia 36.90 2009 est. 57 Montenegro 36.70 2009 est. 58 United States 36.70 2009 est. 59 New Zealand 36.60 2009 est. 60 Taiwan 36.50 2009 est. 61 Puerto Rico 36.20 2009 est. 62 Barbados 35.80 2009 est. 63 Cyprus 35.50 2009 est. 64 Macau 35.20 2009 est. 65 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 35.20 2009 est. 66 Iceland 35.10 2009 est. 67 Macedonia 35.10 2009 est. 68 Ireland 35.00 2009 est. 69 Moldova 34.60 2009 est. 70 China 34.10 2009 est. 71 Netherlands Antilles 33.70 2009 est. 72 Greenland 33.50 2009 est. 73 Korea, North 33.50 2009 est. 74 Uruguay 33.40 2009 est. 75 Thailand 33.30 2009 est. 76 Anguilla 32.60 2009 est. 77 British Virgin Islands 32.30 2009 est. 78 Palau 32.20 2009 est. 79 Trinidad and Tobago 32.10 2009 est. 80 Mauritius 31.90 2009 est. 81 Armenia 31.50 2009 est. 82 Chile 31.40 2009 est. 83 Seychelles 31.40 2009 est. 84 Sri Lanka 30.90 2009 est. 85 Qatar 30.80 2009 est. 86 Cook Islands 30.50 2009 est. 87 Saint Martin 30.50 2009 est. 88 United Arab Emirates 30.10 2009 est. 89 Northern Mariana Islands 30.10 2009 est. 90 Bahrain 30.10 2009 est. 91 Argentina 30.00 2009 est. 92 Albania 29.90 2009 est. 93 Dominica 29.80 2009 est. 94 Saint Lucia 29.80 2009 est. 95 Antigua and Barbuda 29.70 2009 est. 96 Kazakhstan 29.60 2009 est. 97 Lebanon 29.30 2009 est. 98 Tunisia 29.20 2009 est. 99 French Polynesia 29.10 2009 est. 100 Israel 29.10 2009 est. 101 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 28.90 2009 est. 102 Bahamas, The 28.70 2009 est. 103 Guyana 28.70 2009 est. 104 New Caledonia 28.70 2009 est. 105 Brazil 28.60 2009 est. 106 Saint Kitts and Nevis 28.60 2009 est. 107 Montserrat 28.50 2009 est. 108 Azerbaijan 28.20 2009 est. 109 Burma 28.20 2009 est. 110 Suriname 27.90 2009 est. 111 Turks and Caicos Islands 27.90 2009 est. 112 Brunei 27.80 2009 est. 113 Turkey 27.70 2009 est. 114 Indonesia 27.60 2009 est. 115 Costa Rica 27.50 2009 est. 116 Vietnam 27.40 2009 est. 117 Wallis and Futuna 27.20 2009 est. 118 Colombia 27.10 2009 est. 119 Iran 27.00 2009 est. 120 Panama 27.00 2009 est. 121 Algeria 26.60 2009 est. 122 Mexico 26.30 2009 est. 123 Kuwait 26.20 2009 est. 124 Peru 26.10 2009 est. 125 Kosovo 25.90 2009 est. 126 Maldives 25.70 2009 est. 127 Fiji 25.50 2009 est. 128 Venezuela 25.50 2009 est. 129 Tuvalu 25.40 2009 est. 130 India 25.30 2009 est. 131 Mongolia 25.30 2009 est. 132 Ecuador 25.00 2009 est. 133 Morocco 25.00 2009 est. 134 Dominican Republic 24.90 2009 est. 135 Malaysia 24.90 2009 est. 136 Egypt 24.80 2009 est. 137 Uzbekistan 24.70 2009 est. 138 Kyrgyzstan 24.40 2009 est. 139 South Africa 24.40 2009 est. 140 Turkmenistan 24.40 2009 est. 141 Jordan 24.30 2009 est. 142 Vanuatu 24.20 2009 est. 143 Bhutan 23.90 2009 est. 144 Libya 23.90 2009 est. 145 Jamaica 23.70 2009 est. 146 Bangladesh 23.30 2009 est. 147 American Samoa 23.10 2009 est. 148 Grenada 22.80 2009 est. 149 El Salvador 22.50 2009 est. 150 Philippines 22.50 2009 est. 151 Tonga 22.30 2009 est. 152 Cambodia 22.10 2009 est. 153 Nicaragua 22.10 2009 est. 154 Micronesia, Federated States of 22.00 2009 est. 155 Bolivia 21.90 2009 est. 156 Tajikistan 21.90 2009 est. 157 Paraguay 21.90 2009 est. 158 Timor-Leste 21.80 2009 est. 159 Botswana 21.70 2009 est. 160 Syria 21.70 2009 est. 161 Papua New Guinea 21.70 2009 est. 162 Nauru 21.60 2009 est. 163 Saudi Arabia 21.60 2009 est. 164 Lesotho 21.40 2009 est. 165 Marshall Islands 21.20 2009 est. 166 Cape Verde 21.10 2009 est. 167 Namibia 21.00 2009 est. 168 Kiribati 20.80 2009 est. 169 Samoa 20.80 2009 est. 170 Nepal 20.80 2009 est. 171 Pakistan 20.80 2009 est. 172 Ghana 20.70 2009 est. 173 West Bank 20.50 2009 est. 174 Belize 20.40 2009 est. 175 Iraq 20.40 2009 est. 176 Honduras 20.30 2009 est. 177 Haiti 20.20 2009 est. 178 Solomon Islands 19.70 2009 est. 179 Guatemala 19.40 2009 est. 180 Laos 19.30 2009 est. 181 Guinea-Bissau 19.30 2009 est. 182 Cameroon 19.20 2009 est. 183 Cote d'Ivoire 19.20 2009 est. 184 Mauritania 19.20 2009 est. 185 Sudan 19.10 2009 est. 186 Nigeria 19.00 2009 est. 187 Equatorial Guinea 18.90 2009 est. 188 Comoros 18.80 2009 est. 189 Central African Republic 18.80 2009 est. 190 Swaziland 18.80 2009 est. 191 Oman 18.80 2009 est. 192 Kenya 18.70 2009 est. 193 Rwanda 18.70 2009 est. 194 Togo 18.70 2009 est. 195 Gabon 18.60 2009 est. 196 Senegal 18.60 2009 est. 197 Guinea 18.50 2009 est. 198 Eritrea 18.40 2009 est. 199 Djibouti 18.10 2009 est. 200 Angola 18.00 2009 est. 201 Liberia 18.00 2009 est. 202 Tanzania 18.00 2009 est. 203 Madagascar 18.00 2009 est. 204 Gambia, The 17.90 2009 est. 205 Afghanistan 17.60 2009 est. 206 Zimbabwe 17.60 2009 est. 207 Sierra Leone 17.50 2009 est. 208 Somalia 17.50 2009 est. 209 Gaza Strip 17.40 2009 est. 210 Mozambique 17.40 2009 est. 211 Western Sahara 17.30 2009 est. 212 Benin 17.20 2009 est. 213 Mayotte 17.20 2009 est. 214 Zambia 17.00 2009 est. 215 Ethiopia 16.90 2009 est. 216 Congo, Republic of the 16.80 2009 est. 217 Yemen 16.80 2009 est. 218 Burkina Faso 16.80 2009 est. 219 Malawi 16.80 2009 est. 220 Burundi 16.70 2009 est. 221 Chad 16.50 2009 est. 222 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 16.40 2009 est. 223 Sao Tome and Principe 16.40 2009 est. 224 Mali 15.80 2009 est. 225 Niger 15.20 2009 est. 226 Uganda 15.00 2009 est.

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Rank code: 2178

Country Comparison :: Oil - proved reserves

This entry is the stock of proved reserves of crude oil in barrels (bbl). Proved reserves are those quantities of petroleum which, by analysis of geological and engineering data, can be estimated with a high degree of confidence to be commercially recoverable from a given date forward, from known reservoirs and under current economic conditions.

Rank country (bbl) Date of Information

1 Saudi Arabia 266,700,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 2 Canada 178,100,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 3 Iran 136,200,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 4 Iraq 115,000,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 5 Kuwait 104,000,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 6 Venezuela 99,380,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 7 United Arab Emirates 97,800,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 8 Russia 60,000,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 9 Libya 43,660,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 10 Nigeria 36,220,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 11 Kazakhstan 30,000,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 12 United States 21,320,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 13 China 16,000,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 14 Qatar 15,210,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 15 Brazil 12,620,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 16 Algeria 12,200,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 17 Mexico 10,500,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 18 Angola 9,040,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 19 Azerbaijan 7,000,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 20 Norway 6,680,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 21 European Union 5,718,000,000 1 January 2008 22 India 5,625,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 23 Oman 5,500,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 24 Sudan 5,000,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 25 Ecuador 4,660,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 26 Malaysia 4,000,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 27 Indonesia 3,990,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 28 Egypt 3,700,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 29 United Kingdom 3,410,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 30 Yemen 3,000,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 31 Argentina 2,616,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 32 Syria 2,500,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 33 Gabon 2,000,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 34 Congo, Republic of the 1,600,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 35 Australia 1,500,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 36 Chad 1,500,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 37 Colombia 1,355,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 38 Brunei 1,100,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 39 Equatorial Guinea 1,100,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 40 Denmark 1,060,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 41 Trinidad and Tobago 728,300,000 1 January 2009 est. 42 Romania 600,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 43 Turkmenistan 600,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 44 Vietnam 600,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 45 Uzbekistan 594,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 46 Timor-Leste 553,800,000 1 January 2008 47 Bolivia 465,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 48 Thailand 441,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 49 Tunisia 425,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 50 Peru 415,800,000 1 January 2009 est. 51 Italy 406,500,000 1 January 2009 est. 52 Ukraine 395,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 53 Pakistan 339,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 54 Turkey 300,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 55 Germany 276,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 56 Cameroon 200,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 57 Albania 199,100,000 1 January 2009 est. 58 Belarus 198,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 59 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 180,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 60 Chile 150,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 61 Spain 150,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 62 Philippines 138,500,000 1 January 2009 est. 63 Bahrain 124,600,000 1 January 2009 est. 64 Cuba 124,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 65 France 103,300,000 1 January 2009 est. 66 Cote d'Ivoire 100,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 67 Mauritania 100,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 68 Netherlands 100,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 69 Poland 96,380,000 1 January 2009 est. 70 Papua New Guinea 88,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 71 Guatemala 83,070,000 1 January 2009 est. 72 Suriname 79,600,000 1 January 2009 est. 73 Croatia 79,300,000 1 January 2009 est. 74 Serbia 77,500,000 1 January 2009 est. 75 New Zealand 60,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 76 Austria 50,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 77 Burma 50,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 78 Japan 44,120,000 1 January 2009 est. 79 Kyrgyzstan 40,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 80 Georgia 35,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 81 Bangladesh 28,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 82 Hungary 20,180,000 1 January 2009 est. 83 Bulgaria 15,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 84 Czech Republic 15,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 85 South Africa 15,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 86 Ghana 15,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 87 Lithuania 12,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 88 Tajikistan 12,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 89 Greece 10,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 90 Slovakia 9,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 91 Benin 8,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 92 Belize 6,700,000 1 January 2009 est. 93 Taiwan 2,380,000 1 January 2009 est. 94 Barbados 2,170,000 1 January 2009 est. 95 Israel 1,940,000 1 January 2009 est. 96 Jordan 1,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 97 Morocco 750,000 1 January 2009 est. 98 Ethiopia 430,000 1 January 2009 est. 99 Aruba 0 NA 100 Afghanistan 0 1 January 2009 est. 101 Botswana 0 1 January 2009 est. 102 Macedonia 0 1 January 2009 est. 103 Montenegro 0 1 January 2009 est. 104 Malawi 0 1 January 2009 est. 105 Montserrat 0 1 January 2009 est. 106 Mongolia 0 NA 107 Moldova 0 1 January 2009 est. 108 Macau 0 1 January 2009 est. 109 Madagascar 0 1 January 2009 est. 110 Luxembourg 0 1 January 2009 est. 111 Zimbabwe 0 1 January 2009 est. 112 Zambia 0 NA 113 Swaziland 0 1 January 2009 est. 114 Samoa 0 1 January 2009 est. 115 Western Sahara 0 1 January 2009 est. 116 Namibia 0 1 January 2009 est. 117 Virgin Islands 0 NA 118 British Virgin Islands 0 1 January 2009 est. 119 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 0 1 January 2009 est. 120 Uruguay 0 NA 121 Burkina Faso 0 1 January 2009 est. 122 Uganda 0 1 January 2009 est. 123 Tanzania 0 1 January 2009 est. 124 Sao Tome and Principe 0 1 January 2009 est. 125 Togo 0 1 January 2009 est. 126 Tonga 0 1 January 2009 est. 127 Turks and Caicos Islands 0 1 January 2009 est. 128 Switzerland 0 NA 129 Sweden 0 1 January 2009 est. 130 Saint Lucia 0 1 January 2009 est. 131 Somalia 0 1 January 2009 est. 132 Singapore 0 1 January 2009 est. 133 Sierra Leone 0 1 January 2009 est. 134 Slovenia 0 1 January 2009 est. 135 Saint Helena 0 1 January 2009 est. 136 Senegal 0 1 January 2009 est. 137 Seychelles 0 1 January 2009 est. 138 Saint Kitts and Nevis 0 1 January 2009 est. 139 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 0 1 January 2009 est. 140 Rwanda 0 1 January 2009 est. 141 Puerto Rico 0 1 January 2009 est. 142 Guinea-Bissau 0 1 January 2009 est. 143 Portugal 0 NA 144 Panama 0 1 January 2009 est. 145 Paraguay 0 1 January 2009 est. 146 Nicaragua 0 1 January 2009 est. 147 Netherlands Antilles 0 1 January 2009 est. 148 Nauru 0 1 January 2009 est. 149 Nepal 0 1 January 2009 est. 150 Vanuatu 0 1 January 2009 est. 151 Niger 0 NA 152 Niue 0 1 January 2009 est. 153 New Caledonia 0 1 January 2009 est. 154 Mozambique 0 1 January 2009 est. 155 Maldives 0 1 January 2009 est. 156 Malta 0 1 January 2009 est. 157 Mauritius 0 1 January 2009 est. 158 Mali 0 1 January 2009 est. 159 Lesotho 0 1 January 2009 est. 160 Iceland 0 1 January 2009 est. 161 Honduras 0 1 January 2009 est. 162 Hong Kong 0 1 January 2009 est. 163 Haiti 0 1 January 2009 est. 164 Guyana 0 1 January 2009 est. 165 Guinea 0 1 January 2009 est. 166 Gambia, The 0 1 January 2009 est. 167 French Polynesia 0 1 January 2009 est. 168 Faroe Islands 0 1 January 2009 est. 169 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 0 1 January 2009 est. 170 Fiji 0 1 January 2009 est. 171 Finland 0 NA 172 El Salvador 0 1 January 2009 est. 173 Eritrea 0 1 January 2009 est. 174 Estonia 0 1 January 2009 est. 175 Greenland 0 1 January 2009 est. 176 Grenada 0 1 January 2009 est. 177 Gibraltar 0 1 January 2009 est. 178 Ireland 0 1 January 2009 est. 179 Dominican Republic 0 NA 180 Dominica 0 1 January 2009 est. 181 Djibouti 0 1 January 2009 est. 182 Cyprus 0 NA 183 Cook Islands 0 1 January 2009 est. 184 Cape Verde 0 1 January 2009 est. 185 Central African Republic 0 1 January 2009 est. 186 Liberia 0 1 January 2009 est. 187 Latvia 0 1 January 2009 est. 188 Lebanon 0 1 January 2009 est. 189 Laos 0 1 January 2009 est. 190 Korea, South 0 NA 191 Kiribati 0 1 January 2009 est. 192 Korea, North 0 NA 193 Kenya 0 1 January 2009 est. 194 Jamaica 0 1 January 2009 est. 195 Costa Rica 0 NA 196 Comoros 0 1 January 2009 est. 197 Cayman Islands 0 1 January 2009 est. 198 Sri Lanka 0 1 January 2009 est. 199 Cambodia 0 1 January 2009 est. 200 Burundi 0 1 January 2009 est. 201 Bhutan 0 1 January 2009 est. 202 Solomon Islands 0 1 January 2009 est. 203 Bosnia and Herzegovina 0 1 January 2009 est. 204 Belgium 0 1 January 2009 est. 205 Bahamas, The 0 1 January 2009 est. 206 Bermuda 0 1 January 2009 est. 207 Armenia 0 1 January 2009 est. 208 American Samoa 0 1 January 2009 est. 209 Antigua and Barbuda 0 1 January 2009 est.

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Rank code: 2179

Country Comparison :: Natural gas - proved reserves

This entry is the stock of proved reserves of natural gas in cubic meters (cu m). Proved reserves are those quantities of natural gas, which, by analysis of geological and engineering data, can be estimated with a high degree of confidence to be commercially recoverable from a given date forward, from known reservoirs and under current economic conditions.

Rank country (cu m) Date of Information

1 Russia 47,570,000,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 2 Iran 28,080,000,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 3 Qatar 25,260,000,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 4 Saudi Arabia 7,319,000,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 5 United States 6,731,000,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 6 United Arab Emirates 6,071,000,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 7 Nigeria 5,215,000,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 8 Venezuela 4,840,000,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 9 Algeria 4,502,000,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 10 Iraq 3,170,000,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 11 Indonesia 3,001,000,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 12 Turkmenistan 2,662,000,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 13 Kazakhstan 2,407,000,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 14 Malaysia 2,350,000,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 15 European Union 2,318,000,000,000 1 January 2008 est. 16 Norway 2,313,000,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 17 China 2,265,000,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 18 Uzbekistan 1,841,000,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 19 Kuwait 1,794,000,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 20 Egypt 1,656,000,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 21 Canada 1,640,000,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 22 Libya 1,540,000,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 23 Netherlands 1,416,000,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 24 Ukraine 1,104,000,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 25 India 1,075,000,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 26 Pakistan 885,300,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 27 Azerbaijan 849,500,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 28 Australia 849,500,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 29 Oman 849,500,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 30 Bolivia 750,400,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 31 Trinidad and Tobago 531,500,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 32 Yemen 478,500,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 33 Argentina 441,700,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 34 Brunei 390,800,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 35 Mexico 372,700,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 36 Brazil 365,000,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 37 United Kingdom 342,900,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 38 Peru 335,300,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 39 Thailand 317,100,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 40 Burma 283,200,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 41 Angola 269,800,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 42 Syria 240,700,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 43 Papua New Guinea 226,500,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 44 Timor-Leste 200,000,000,000 1 January 2006 est. 45 Vietnam 192,500,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 46 Germany 175,600,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 47 Poland 164,800,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 48 Bangladesh 141,600,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 49 Cameroon 135,100,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 50 Mozambique 127,400,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 51 Colombia 105,900,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 52 Philippines 98,540,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 53 Chile 97,970,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 54 Italy 94,150,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 55 Bahrain 92,030,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 56 Congo, Republic of the 90,610,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 57 Sudan 84,950,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 58 Cuba 70,790,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 59 Tunisia 65,130,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 60 Romania 63,000,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 61 Namibia 62,290,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 62 Denmark 61,300,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 63 Rwanda 56,630,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 64 Korea, South 50,000,000,000 1 January 2008 est. 65 Afghanistan 49,550,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 66 Serbia 48,140,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 67 Equatorial Guinea 36,810,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 68 New Zealand 33,980,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 69 Croatia 30,580,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 70 Israel 30,440,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 71 Gabon 28,320,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 72 Mauritania 28,320,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 73 Cote d'Ivoire 28,320,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 74 Ethiopia 24,920,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 75 Ghana 22,650,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 76 Japan 20,900,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 77 Austria 16,140,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 78 Slovakia 14,160,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 79 Ireland 9,911,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 80 Ecuador 8,919,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 81 Georgia 8,495,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 82 Turkey 8,495,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 83 Hungary 8,098,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 84 France 6,937,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 85 Tanzania 6,513,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 86 Taiwan 6,229,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 87 Jordan 6,031,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 88 Bulgaria 5,663,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 89 Somalia 5,663,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 90 Tajikistan 5,663,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 91 Kyrgyzstan 5,663,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 92 Czech Republic 3,964,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 93 Guatemala 2,960,000,000 1 January 2006 est. 94 Belarus 2,832,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 95 Spain 2,548,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 96 Greece 1,982,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 97 Morocco 1,501,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 98 Benin 1,133,000,000 1 January 2009 est. 99 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 991,100,000 1 January 2009 est. 100 Albania 849,500,000 1 January 2009 est. 101 Barbados 141,600,000 1 January 2009 est. 102 South Africa 27,160,000 1 January 2006 est. 103 Macau 300,000 1 January 2008 est. 104 Aruba 0 1 January 2009 est. 105 Botswana 0 1 January 2009 est. 106 Belgium 0 1 January 2009 est. 107 Solomon Islands 0 1 January 2009 est. 108 Mauritius 0 1 January 2009 est. 109 Mali 0 1 January 2009 est. 110 Macedonia 0 1 January 2009 est. 111 Malawi 0 1 January 2009 est. 112 Montserrat 0 1 January 2009 est. 113 Mongolia 0 1 January 2009 est. 114 Moldova 0 1 January 2009 est. 115 Madagascar 0 1 January 2006 est. 116 Liberia 0 1 January 2009 est. 117 Zimbabwe 0 1 January 2009 est. 118 Zambia 0 1 January 2009 est. 119 Swaziland 0 1 January 2009 est. 120 Samoa 0 1 January 2009 est. 121 Western Sahara 0 1 January 2009 est. 122 Virgin Islands 0 1 January 2009 est. 123 British Virgin Islands 0 1 January 2009 est. 124 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 0 1 January 2009 est. 125 Uruguay 0 1 January 2009 est. 126 Burkina Faso 0 1 January 2009 est. 127 Uganda 0 1 January 2009 est. 128 Sao Tome and Principe 0 1 January 2009 est. 129 Togo 0 1 January 2009 est. 130 Tonga 0 1 January 2009 est. 131 Turks and Caicos Islands 0 1 January 2009 est. 132 Switzerland 0 1 January 2006 est. 133 Sweden 0 1 January 2009 est. 134 Saint Lucia 0 1 January 2009 est. 135 Singapore 0 1 January 2009 est. 136 Sierra Leone 0 1 January 2009 est. 137 Slovenia 0 1 January 2009 est. 138 Saint Helena 0 1 January 2009 est. 139 Senegal 0 NA 140 Seychelles 0 1 January 2009 est. 141 Saint Kitts and Nevis 0 1 January 2009 est. 142 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 0 1 January 2009 est. 143 Puerto Rico 0 1 January 2009 est. 144 Guinea-Bissau 0 1 January 2009 est. 145 Portugal 0 1 January 2009 est. 146 Panama 0 1 January 2009 est. 147 Paraguay 0 1 January 2009 est. 148 Nicaragua 0 1 January 2009 est. 149 Netherlands Antilles 0 1 January 2009 est. 150 Suriname 0 1 January 2009 est. 151 Nauru 0 1 January 2009 est. 152 Nepal 0 1 January 2009 est. 153 Vanuatu 0 1 January 2009 est. 154 Niger 0 1 January 2009 est. 155 Niue 0 1 January 2009 est. 156 New Caledonia 0 1 January 2009 est. 157 Maldives 0 1 January 2009 est. 158 Malta 0 1 January 2009 est. 159 Lithuania 0 1 January 2009 est. 160 Lebanon 0 1 January 2009 est. 161 Laos 0 1 January 2009 est. 162 Kiribati 0 1 January 2009 est. 163 Korea, North 0 1 January 2009 est. 164 Kenya 0 1 January 2009 est. 165 Jamaica 0 1 January 2009 est. 166 Iceland 0 1 January 2009 est. 167 Luxembourg 0 1 January 2009 est. 168 Lesotho 0 1 January 2009 est. 169 Honduras 0 1 January 2009 est. 170 Hong Kong 0 1 January 2009 est. 171 Haiti 0 1 January 2009 est. 172 Guyana 0 1 January 2009 est. 173 Guinea 0 1 January 2009 est. 174 Greenland 0 1 January 2009 est. 175 Grenada 0 1 January 2009 est. 176 Gibraltar 0 1 January 2009 est. 177 Gambia, The 0 1 January 2009 est. 178 French Polynesia 0 1 January 2009 est. 179 Faroe Islands 0 1 January 2009 est. 180 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 0 1 January 2009 est. 181 Fiji 0 1 January 2009 est. 182 Finland 0 1 January 2009 est. 183 El Salvador 0 1 January 2009 est. 184 Eritrea 0 1 January 2009 est. 185 Estonia 0 1 January 2009 est. 186 Dominican Republic 0 1 January 2009 est. 187 Dominica 0 1 January 2009 est. 188 Djibouti 0 1 January 2009 est. 189 Cyprus 0 1 January 2009 est. 190 Cook Islands 0 1 January 2009 est. 191 Cape Verde 0 1 January 2009 est. 192 Central African Republic 0 1 January 2009 est. 193 Costa Rica 0 1 January 2009 est. 194 Comoros 0 1 January 2009 est. 195 Cayman Islands 0 1 January 2009 est. 196 Sri Lanka 0 1 January 2009 est. 197 Chad 0 1 January 2009 est. 198 Cambodia 0 1 January 2009 est. 199 Burundi 0 1 January 2009 est. 200 Bhutan 0 1 January 2009 est. 201 Belize 0 1 January 2009 est. 202 Bosnia and Herzegovina 0 1 January 2009 est. 203 Bahamas, The 0 1 January 2006 est. 204 Bermuda 0 1 January 2009 est. 205 Armenia 0 1 January 2009 est. 206 American Samoa 0 1 January 2009 est. 207 Antigua and Barbuda 0 1 January 2009 est.

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Rank code: 2180

Country Comparison :: Natural gas - production

This entry is the total natural gas produced in cubic meters (cu m). The discrepancy between the amount of natural gas produced and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is due to the omission of stock changes and other complicating factors.

Rank country (cu m) Date of Information

1 Russia 662,200,000,000 2008 est. 2 United States 582,200,000,000 2008 est. 3 European Union 201,900,000,000 2007 est. 4 Canada 170,900,000,000 2008 est. 5 Iran 116,300,000,000 2008 est. 6 Norway 99,200,000,000 2008 est. 7 Algeria 86,500,000,000 2008 est. 8 Netherlands 84,690,000,000 2008 est. 9 Saudi Arabia 80,440,000,000 2008 est. 10 Qatar 76,980,000,000 2008 est. 11 China 76,040,000,000 2008 est. 12 Turkmenistan 70,500,000,000 2008 est. 13 Indonesia 70,000,000,000 2008 est. 14 United Kingdom 69,900,000,000 2008 est. 15 Uzbekistan 67,600,000,000 2008 est. 16 Malaysia 57,300,000,000 2008 est. 17 Mexico 52,150,000,000 2008 est. 18 United Arab Emirates 50,240,000,000 2008 est. 19 Egypt 48,300,000,000 2008 est. 20 Australia 45,220,000,000 2008 est. 21 Argentina 44,060,000,000 2008 est. 22 Trinidad and Tobago 39,300,000,000 2008 est. 23 Pakistan 37,500,000,000 2008 est. 24 Kazakhstan 33,380,000,000 2008 est. 25 Nigeria 32,820,000,000 2008 est. 26 India 32,200,000,000 2008 est. 27 Thailand 28,760,000,000 2008 est. 28 Venezuela 24,010,000,000 2008 est. 29 Oman 24,000,000,000 2008 est. 30 Ukraine 19,800,000,000 2008 est. 31 Bangladesh 17,900,000,000 2008 est. 32 Germany 16,360,000,000 2008 est. 33 Azerbaijan 16,200,000,000 2008 est. 34 Libya 15,900,000,000 2008 est. 35 Bolivia 14,200,000,000 2008 est. 36 Brunei 13,400,000,000 2008 est. 37 Kuwait 12,700,000,000 2008 est. 38 Bahrain 12,640,000,000 2008 est. 39 Brazil 12,620,000,000 2008 est. 40 Burma 12,400,000,000 2008 est. 41 Romania 11,420,000,000 2008 est. 42 Denmark 10,090,000,000 2008 est. 43 Italy 9,255,000,000 2008 est. 44 Colombia 9,000,000,000 2008 est. 45 Equatorial Guinea 6,670,000,000 2008 est. 46 Vietnam 6,600,000,000 2008 est. 47 Syria 6,040,000,000 2008 est. 48 Poland 5,719,000,000 2008 est. 49 Japan 5,360,000,000 2008 est. 50 New Zealand 4,275,000,000 2008 est. 51 Peru 3,390,000,000 2008 est. 52 Mozambique 3,300,000,000 2008 est. 53 South Africa 3,250,000,000 2008 est. 54 Tunisia 2,970,000,000 2008 est. 55 Philippines 2,940,000,000 2008 est. 56 Hungary 2,643,000,000 2008 est. 57 Iraq 1,880,000,000 2008 est. 58 Chile 1,650,000,000 2008 est. 59 Croatia 1,580,000,000 2008 est. 60 Austria 1,532,000,000 2008 est. 61 Cote d'Ivoire 1,300,000,000 2008 est. 62 Israel 1,190,000,000 2008 est. 63 Turkey 1,013,000,000 2008 est. 64 France 920,000,000 2008 est. 65 Angola 680,000,000 2008 est. 66 Serbia 650,000,000 2005 est. 67 Tanzania 560,700,000 2008 est. 68 Korea, South 443,000,000 2008 est. 69 Ireland 438,000,000 2008 est. 70 Cuba 400,000,000 2008 est. 71 Taiwan 360,000,000 2008 est. 72 Bulgaria 300,000,000 2008 est. 73 Ecuador 260,000,000 2008 est. 74 Jordan 250,000,000 2008 est. 75 Czech Republic 192,000,000 2008 est. 76 Congo, Republic of the 180,000,000 2008 est. 77 Belarus 152,000,000 2008 est. 78 Slovakia 102,000,000 2008 est. 79 Papua New Guinea 100,000,000 2008 est. 80 Gabon 90,000,000 2008 est. 81 Morocco 60,000,000 2008 est. 82 Moldova 50,000,000 2007 est. 83 Senegal 50,000,000 2008 est. 84 Afghanistan 30,000,000 2008 est. 85 Kyrgyzstan 30,000,000 2008 est. 86 Albania 30,000,000 2008 est. 87 Barbados 29,170,000 2008 est. 88 Cameroon 20,000,000 2008 est. 89 Spain 17,000,000 2008 est. 90 Tajikistan 15,300,000 2008 est. 91 Greece 14,000,000 2008 est. 92 Georgia 8,000,000 2008 est. 93 Aruba 0 2008 est. 94 Botswana 0 2008 est. 95 Belgium 0 2008 est. 96 Belize 0 2008 est. 97 Benin 0 2008 est. 98 Bhutan 0 2008 est. 99 Haiti 0 2008 est. 100 Guyana 0 2008 est. 101 Guinea 0 2008 est. 102 Guatemala 0 2008 est. 103 Greenland 0 2008 est. 104 Grenada 0 2008 est. 105 Gibraltar 0 2008 est. 106 Ghana 0 2008 est. 107 Gambia, The 0 2008 est. 108 Zimbabwe 0 2008 est. 109 Zambia 0 2008 est. 110 Yemen 0 2008 est. 111 Swaziland 0 2008 est. 112 Samoa 0 2008 est. 113 Western Sahara 0 2008 est. 114 Namibia 0 2008 est. 115 Virgin Islands 0 2008 est. 116 British Virgin Islands 0 2008 est. 117 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 0 2008 est. 118 Uruguay 0 2008 est. 119 Burkina Faso 0 2008 est. 120 Uganda 0 2008 est. 121 Timor-Leste 0 2008 est. 122 Sao Tome and Principe 0 2008 est. 123 Togo 0 2008 est. 124 Tonga 0 2008 est. 125 Turks and Caicos Islands 0 2008 est. 126 Switzerland 0 2008 est. 127 Sweden 0 2008 est. 128 Sudan 0 2008 est. 129 Saint Lucia 0 2008 est. 130 Somalia 0 2008 est. 131 Singapore 0 2008 est. 132 Sierra Leone 0 2008 est. 133 Slovenia 0 2008 est. 134 Saint Helena 0 2008 est. 135 Seychelles 0 2008 est. 136 Saint Kitts and Nevis 0 2008 est. 137 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 0 2008 est. 138 Rwanda 0 2008 est. 139 Puerto Rico 0 2008 est. 140 Guinea-Bissau 0 2008 est. 141 Portugal 0 2008 est. 142 Panama 0 2008 est. 143 Suriname 0 2008 est. 144 Nauru 0 2008 est. 145 Nepal 0 2008 est. 146 Vanuatu 0 2008 est. 147 Niger 0 2008 est. 148 Niue 0 2008 est. 149 New Caledonia 0 2008 est. 150 Maldives 0 2008 est. 151 Malta 0 2008 est. 152 Paraguay 0 2008 est. 153 Nicaragua 0 2008 est. 154 Netherlands Antilles 0 2008 est. 155 Mauritania 0 2008 est. 156 Mauritius 0 2008 est. 157 Mali 0 2008 est. 158 Macedonia 0 2008 est. 159 Malawi 0 2008 est. 160 Montserrat 0 2008 est. 161 Mongolia 0 2008 est. 162 Macau 0 2008 est. 163 Madagascar 0 2008 est. 164 Luxembourg 0 2008 est. 165 Lesotho 0 2008 est. 166 Liberia 0 2008 est. 167 Lithuania 0 2008 est. 168 Latvia 0 2008 est. 169 Lebanon 0 2008 est. 170 Laos 0 2008 est. 171 Kosovo 0 2007 172 Kiribati 0 2008 est. 173 Korea, North 0 2008 est. 174 Kenya 0 2008 est. 175 Jamaica 0 2008 est. 176 Iceland 0 2008 est. 177 Honduras 0 2008 est. 178 Hong Kong 0 2008 est. 179 French Polynesia 0 2008 est. 180 Faroe Islands 0 2008 est. 181 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 0 2008 est. 182 Fiji 0 2008 est. 183 Finland 0 2008 est. 184 Ethiopia 0 2008 est. 185 El Salvador 0 2008 est. 186 Eritrea 0 2008 est. 187 Estonia 0 2008 est. 188 Dominican Republic 0 2008 est. 189 Dominica 0 2008 est. 190 Djibouti 0 2008 est. 191 Cyprus 0 2008 est. 192 Cook Islands 0 2008 est. 193 Cape Verde 0 2008 est. 194 Central African Republic 0 2008 est. 195 Costa Rica 0 2008 est. 196 Comoros 0 2008 est. 197 Cayman Islands 0 2008 est. 198 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 0 2008 est. 199 Sri Lanka 0 2008 est. 200 Chad 0 2008 est. 201 Cambodia 0 2008 est. 202 Burundi 0 2008 est. 203 Solomon Islands 0 2008 est. 204 Bosnia and Herzegovina 0 2008 est. 205 Bahamas, The 0 2008 est. 206 Bermuda 0 2008 est. 207 Armenia 0 2008 est. 208 American Samoa 0 2008 est. 209 Antigua and Barbuda 0 2008 est.

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Rank code: 2181

Country Comparison :: Natural gas - consumption

This entry is the total natural gas consumed in cubic meters (cu m). The discrepancy between the amount of natural gas produced and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is due to the omission of stock changes and other complicating factors.

Rank country (cu m) Date of Information

1 United States 657,200,000,000 2008 est. 2 European Union 516,900,000,000 2007 est. 3 Russia 475,700,000,000 2008 est. 4 Iran 119,000,000,000 2008 est. 5 Japan 101,100,000,000 2008 est. 6 United Kingdom 95,940,000,000 2008 est. 7 Germany 95,790,000,000 2008 est. 8 Italy 84,880,000,000 2008 est. 9 Ukraine 84,000,000,000 2008 est. 10 Canada 82,930,000,000 2008 est. 11 Saudi Arabia 80,440,000,000 2008 est. 12 China 77,180,000,000 2008 est. 13 Mexico 66,880,000,000 2008 est. 14 United Arab Emirates 59,420,000,000 2008 est. 15 Uzbekistan 52,600,000,000 2008 est. 16 France 49,270,000,000 2008 est. 17 Netherlands 48,340,000,000 2008 est. 18 Argentina 44,470,000,000 2008 est. 19 India 42,990,000,000 2008 est. 20 Spain 38,180,000,000 2008 est. 21 Pakistan 37,500,000,000 2008 est. 22 Thailand 37,310,000,000 2008 est. 23 Turkey 37,180,000,000 2008 est. 24 Indonesia 36,500,000,000 2008 est. 25 Korea, South 34,760,000,000 2008 est. 26 Australia 34,200,000,000 2008 est. 27 Kazakhstan 33,680,000,000 2008 est. 28 Egypt 31,380,000,000 2008 est. 29 Algeria 26,830,000,000 2008 est. 30 Malaysia 26,270,000,000 2008 est. 31 Venezuela 25,510,000,000 2008 est. 32 Brazil 23,650,000,000 2008 est. 33 Trinidad and Tobago 21,940,000,000 2008 est. 34 Belarus 21,750,000,000 2008 est. 35 Turkmenistan 21,000,000,000 2008 est. 36 Qatar 20,200,000,000 2008 est. 37 Bangladesh 17,900,000,000 2008 est. 38 Belgium 17,330,000,000 2008 est. 39 Romania 16,920,000,000 2008 est. 40 Poland 16,550,000,000 2008 est. 41 Oman 13,460,000,000 2008 est. 42 Hungary 13,170,000,000 2008 est. 43 Kuwait 12,700,000,000 2008 est. 44 Bahrain 12,640,000,000 2008 est. 45 Taiwan 12,440,000,000 2008 est. 46 Nigeria 12,280,000,000 2008 est. 47 Azerbaijan 10,640,000,000 2008 est. 48 Iraq 9,454,000,000 2008 est. 49 Czech Republic 8,719,000,000 2008 est. 50 Austria 8,650,000,000 2008 est. 51 Singapore 8,270,000,000 2008 est. 52 Colombia 8,100,000,000 2008 est. 53 Vietnam 6,600,000,000 2008 est. 54 South Africa 6,450,000,000 2008 est. 55 Slovakia 6,308,000,000 2008 est. 56 Syria 6,180,000,000 2008 est. 57 Libya 5,500,000,000 2008 est. 58 Ireland 5,217,000,000 2008 est. 59 Portugal 4,754,000,000 2008 est. 60 Finland 4,735,000,000 2008 est. 61 Denmark 4,590,000,000 2008 est. 62 New Zealand 4,276,000,000 2008 est. 63 Tunisia 4,220,000,000 2008 est. 64 Greece 4,206,000,000 2008 est. 65 Brunei 4,200,000,000 2008 est. 66 Norway 3,970,000,000 2008 est. 67 Burma 3,850,000,000 2008 est. 68 Lithuania 3,530,000,000 2008 est. 69 Switzerland 3,429,000,000 2008 est. 70 Bulgaria 3,400,000,000 2008 est. 71 Peru 3,390,000,000 2008 est. 72 Hong Kong 3,360,000,000 2008 est. 73 Jordan 2,970,000,000 2008 est. 74 Philippines 2,940,000,000 2008 est. 75 Croatia 2,840,000,000 2008 est. 76 Serbia 2,550,000,000 2005 est. 77 Moldova 2,520,000,000 2008 est. 78 Bolivia 2,410,000,000 2008 est. 79 Chile 2,340,000,000 2008 est. 80 Latvia 2,050,000,000 2008 est. 81 Armenia 1,930,000,000 2008 est. 82 Georgia 1,730,000,000 2008 est. 83 Estonia 1,510,000,000 2008 est. 84 Equatorial Guinea 1,500,000,000 2008 est. 85 Cote d'Ivoire 1,300,000,000 2008 est. 86 Luxembourg 1,255,000,000 2008 est. 87 Israel 1,190,000,000 2008 est. 88 Slovenia 1,000,000,000 2008 est. 89 Sweden 913,000,000 2008 est. 90 Puerto Rico 806,600,000 2008 est. 91 Kyrgyzstan 750,000,000 2008 est. 92 Angola 680,000,000 2008 est. 93 Tanzania 560,700,000 2008 est. 94 Morocco 560,000,000 2008 est. 95 Tajikistan 515,300,000 2008 est. 96 Dominican Republic 470,000,000 2008 est. 97 Cuba 400,000,000 2008 est. 98 Bosnia and Herzegovina 310,000,000 2008 est. 99 Ecuador 260,000,000 2008 est. 100 Congo, Republic of the 180,000,000 2008 est. 101 Mozambique 100,000,000 2008 est. 102 Papua New Guinea 100,000,000 2008 est. 103 Gabon 90,000,000 2008 est. 104 Macau 81,600,000 2008 est. 105 Macedonia 70,000,000 2008 est. 106 Uruguay 70,000,000 2008 est. 107 Senegal 50,000,000 2008 est. 108 Afghanistan 30,000,000 2008 est. 109 Albania 30,000,000 2008 est. 110 Barbados 29,170,000 2008 est. 111 Cameroon 20,000,000 2008 est. 112 Aruba 0 2008 est. 113 Bahamas, The 0 2008 est. 114 Solomon Islands 0 2008 est. 115 Burundi 0 2008 est. 116 Zimbabwe 0 2008 est. 117 Zambia 0 2008 est. 118 Yemen 0 2008 est. 119 Swaziland 0 2008 est. 120 Samoa 0 2008 est. 121 Western Sahara 0 2008 est. 122 Namibia 0 2008 est. 123 Virgin Islands 0 2008 est. 124 British Virgin Islands 0 2008 est. 125 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 0 2008 est. 126 Burkina Faso 0 2008 est. 127 Uganda 0 2008 est. 128 Timor-Leste 0 2008 est. 129 Sao Tome and Principe 0 2008 est. 130 Togo 0 2008 est. 131 Tonga 0 2008 est. 132 Turks and Caicos Islands 0 2008 est. 133 Sudan 0 2008 est. 134 Saint Lucia 0 2008 est. 135 Somalia 0 2008 est. 136 Sierra Leone 0 2008 est. 137 Saint Helena 0 2008 est. 138 Seychelles 0 2008 est. 139 Saint Kitts and Nevis 0 2008 est. 140 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 0 2008 est. 141 Rwanda 0 2008 est. 142 Netherlands Antilles 0 2008 est. 143 Suriname 0 2008 est. 144 Nauru 0 2008 est. 145 Nepal 0 2008 est. 146 Vanuatu 0 2008 est. 147 Niger 0 2008 est. 148 Niue 0 2008 est. 149 New Caledonia 0 2008 est. 150 Maldives 0 2008 est. 151 Guinea-Bissau 0 2008 est. 152 Panama 0 2008 est. 153 Paraguay 0 2008 est. 154 Nicaragua 0 2008 est. 155 Malta 0 2008 est. 156 Mauritania 0 2008 est. 157 Mauritius 0 2008 est. 158 Mali 0 2008 est. 159 Malawi 0 2008 est. 160 Montserrat 0 2008 est. 161 Mongolia 0 2008 est. 162 Madagascar 0 2008 est. 163 Lesotho 0 2008 est. 164 Liberia 0 2008 est. 165 Lebanon 0 2008 est. 166 Laos 0 2008 est. 167 Kosovo 0 2007 168 Kiribati 0 2008 est. 169 Korea, North 0 2008 est. 170 Kenya 0 2008 est. 171 Jamaica 0 2008 est. 172 Iceland 0 2008 est. 173 Honduras 0 2008 est. 174 Haiti 0 2008 est. 175 Guyana 0 2008 est. 176 Guinea 0 2008 est. 177 Guatemala 0 2008 est. 178 Greenland 0 2008 est. 179 Grenada 0 2008 est. 180 Gibraltar 0 2008 est. 181 Ghana 0 2008 est. 182 Gambia, The 0 2008 est. 183 French Polynesia 0 2008 est. 184 Faroe Islands 0 2008 est. 185 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 0 2008 est. 186 Fiji 0 2008 est. 187 Ethiopia 0 2008 est. 188 El Salvador 0 2008 est. 189 Eritrea 0 2008 est. 190 Dominica 0 2008 est. 191 Djibouti 0 2008 est. 192 Cyprus 0 2008 est. 193 Cook Islands 0 2008 est. 194 Cape Verde 0 2008 est. 195 Central African Republic 0 2008 est. 196 Costa Rica 0 2008 est. 197 Comoros 0 2008 est. 198 Cayman Islands 0 2008 est. 199 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 0 2008 est. 200 Sri Lanka 0 2008 est. 201 Chad 0 2008 est. 202 Cambodia 0 2008 est. 203 Bhutan 0 2008 est. 204 Benin 0 2008 est. 205 Belize 0 2008 est. 206 Bermuda 0 2008 est. 207 American Samoa 0 2008 est. 208 Botswana 0 2008 est. 209 Antigua and Barbuda 0 2008 est.

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Rank code: 2182

Country Comparison :: Natural gas - imports

This entry is the total natural gas imported in cubic meters (cu m).

Rank country (cu m) Date of Information

1 United States 112,700,000,000 2008 est. 2 Japan 95,390,000,000 2008 est. 3 Germany 91,990,000,000 2008 est. 4 Italy 76,860,000,000 2008 est. 5 Ukraine 64,200,000,000 2008 est. 6 Russia 56,900,000,000 2008 est. 7 France 49,350,000,000 2008 est. 8 Spain 38,590,000,000 2008 est. 9 Turkey 36,720,000,000 2008 est. 10 United Kingdom 36,540,000,000 2008 est. 11 Korea, South 36,210,000,000 2008 est. 12 Netherlands 25,340,000,000 2008 est. 13 Belarus 21,600,000,000 2008 est. 14 Belgium 17,420,000,000 2008 est. 15 United Arab Emirates 16,750,000,000 2008 est. 16 Canada 14,840,000,000 2008 est. 17 Mexico 12,610,000,000 2008 est. 18 Taiwan 12,080,000,000 2008 est. 19 Hungary 11,470,000,000 2008 est. 20 Poland 11,200,000,000 2008 est. 21 Brazil 11,030,000,000 2008 est. 22 India 10,790,000,000 2008 est. 23 Austria 10,050,000,000 2008 est. 24 Czech Republic 9,573,000,000 2008 est. 25 Kazakhstan 9,517,000,000 2008 est. 26 Thailand 8,550,000,000 2008 est. 27 Singapore 8,270,000,000 2008 est. 28 Iran 6,900,000,000 2008 est. 29 Slovakia 6,266,000,000 2008 est. 30 Romania 5,500,000,000 2008 est. 31 Australia 5,377,000,000 2008 est. 32 Ireland 4,798,000,000 2008 est. 33 Portugal 4,763,000,000 2008 est. 34 Finland 4,739,000,000 2008 est. 35 China 4,500,000,000 2008 est. 36 Greece 4,205,000,000 2008 est. 37 Lithuania 3,530,000,000 2008 est. 38 Switzerland 3,429,000,000 2008 est. 39 Hong Kong 3,360,000,000 2008 est. 40 South Africa 3,200,000,000 2008 est. 41 Bulgaria 3,100,000,000 2008 est. 42 Jordan 2,720,000,000 2008 est. 43 Moldova 2,520,000,000 2008 est. 44 Serbia 2,100,000,000 2004 est. 45 Latvia 2,050,000,000 2008 est. 46 Armenia 1,930,000,000 2008 est. 47 Georgia 1,720,000,000 2008 est. 48 Estonia 1,510,000,000 2008 est. 49 Venezuela 1,500,000,000 2008 est. 50 Argentina 1,300,000,000 2008 est. 51 Croatia 1,260,000,000 2008 est. 52 Luxembourg 1,255,000,000 2008 est. 53 Tunisia 1,250,000,000 2008 est. 54 Slovenia 1,000,000,000 2008 est. 55 Sweden 913,000,000 2008 est. 56 Puerto Rico 806,600,000 2008 est. 57 Kyrgyzstan 720,000,000 2008 est. 58 Chile 690,000,000 2008 est. 59 Morocco 500,000,000 2008 est. 60 Tajikistan 500,000,000 2008 est. 61 Dominican Republic 470,000,000 2008 est. 62 Oman 350,000,000 2008 est. 63 Bosnia and Herzegovina 310,000,000 NA 64 Syria 140,000,000 2008 est. 65 Macau 81,900,000 2008 est. 66 Macedonia 70,000,000 2008 est. 67 Uruguay 70,000,000 2008 est. 68 Aruba 0 2008 est. 69 Afghanistan 0 2008 est. 70 Bahrain 0 2008 est. 71 Botswana 0 2008 est. 72 Bhutan 0 2008 est. 73 Solomon Islands 0 2008 est. 74 Benin 0 2008 est. 75 Burma 0 2008 est. 76 Bolivia 0 2008 est. 77 Belize 0 2008 est. 78 Bangladesh 0 2008 est. 79 Bahamas, The 0 2008 est. 80 Bermuda 0 2008 est. 81 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 0 2008 est. 82 Fiji 0 2008 est. 83 Ethiopia 0 2008 est. 84 El Salvador 0 2008 est. 85 Eritrea 0 2008 est. 86 Equatorial Guinea 0 2008 est. 87 Egypt 0 2008 est. 88 Ecuador 0 2008 est. 89 Denmark 0 2008 est. 90 Maldives 0 2008 est. 91 Malta 0 2008 est. 92 Mauritania 0 2008 est. 93 Mauritius 0 2008 est. 94 Mali 0 2008 est. 95 Malawi 0 2008 est. 96 Montserrat 0 2008 est. 97 Mongolia 0 2008 est. 98 Lebanon 0 2008 est. 99 Pakistan 0 2008 est. 100 Peru 0 2008 est. 101 Paraguay 0 2008 est. 102 New Zealand 0 2008 est. 103 Nicaragua 0 2008 est. 104 Netherlands Antilles 0 2008 est. 105 Suriname 0 2008 est. 106 Nauru 0 2008 est. 107 Nepal 0 2008 est. 108 Zimbabwe 0 2008 est. 109 Zambia 0 2008 est. 110 Yemen 0 2008 est. 111 Swaziland 0 2008 est. 112 Samoa 0 2008 est. 113 Western Sahara 0 2008 est. 114 Namibia 0 2008 est. 115 Virgin Islands 0 2008 est. 116 Vietnam 0 2008 est. 117 British Virgin Islands 0 2008 est. 118 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 0 2008 est. 119 Uzbekistan 0 2008 est. 120 Burkina Faso 0 2008 est. 121 Uganda 0 2008 est. 122 Tanzania 0 2008 est. 123 Turkmenistan 0 2008 est. 124 Timor-Leste 0 2008 est. 125 Sao Tome and Principe 0 2008 est. 126 Togo 0 2008 est. 127 Tonga 0 2008 est. 128 Turks and Caicos Islands 0 2008 est. 129 Trinidad and Tobago 0 2008 est. 130 Sudan 0 2008 est. 131 Saint Lucia 0 2008 est. 132 Somalia 0 2008 est. 133 Sierra Leone 0 2008 est. 134 Saint Helena 0 2008 est. 135 Senegal 0 2008 est. 136 Seychelles 0 2008 est. 137 Saint Kitts and Nevis 0 2008 est. 138 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 0 2008 est. 139 Saudi Arabia 0 2008 est. 140 Rwanda 0 2008 est. 141 Philippines 0 2008 est. 142 Qatar 0 2008 est. 143 Guinea-Bissau 0 2008 est. 144 Papua New Guinea 0 2008 est. 145 Panama 0 2008 est. 146 Norway 0 2008 est. 147 Nigeria 0 2008 est. 148 Vanuatu 0 2008 est. 149 Niger 0 2008 est. 150 Niue 0 2008 est. 151 New Caledonia 0 2008 est. 152 Mozambique 0 2008 est. 153 Malaysia 0 2008 est. 154 Laos 0 2008 est. 155 Kuwait 0 2008 est. 156 Kiribati 0 2008 est. 157 Korea, North 0 2008 est. 158 Kenya 0 2008 est. 159 Jamaica 0 2008 est. 160 Iraq 0 2008 est. 161 Cote d'Ivoire 0 2008 est. 162 Madagascar 0 2008 est. 163 Libya 0 2008 est. 164 Lesotho 0 2008 est. 165 Liberia 0 2008 est. 166 Israel 0 2008 est. 167 Indonesia 0 2008 est. 168 Iceland 0 2008 est. 169 Honduras 0 2008 est. 170 Haiti 0 2008 est. 171 Guyana 0 2008 est. 172 Guinea 0 2008 est. 173 Guatemala 0 2008 est. 174 Greenland 0 2008 est. 175 Grenada 0 2008 est. 176 Gibraltar 0 2008 est. 177 Ghana 0 2008 est. 178 Gabon 0 2008 est. 179 Gambia, The 0 2008 est. 180 French Polynesia 0 2008 est. 181 Faroe Islands 0 2008 est. 182 Cyprus 0 2008 est. 183 Cook Islands 0 2008 est. 184 Cape Verde 0 2008 est. 185 Cuba 0 2008 est. 186 Central African Republic 0 2008 est. 187 Costa Rica 0 2008 est. 188 Colombia 0 2008 est. 189 Comoros 0 2008 est. 190 Dominica 0 2008 est. 191 Djibouti 0 2008 est. 192 Cameroon 0 2008 est. 193 Cayman Islands 0 2008 est. 194 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 0 2008 est. 195 Congo, Republic of the 0 2008 est. 196 Chad 0 2008 est. 197 Cambodia 0 2008 est. 198 Burundi 0 2008 est. 199 Brunei 0 2008 est. 200 Barbados 0 2008 est. 201 Azerbaijan 0 2008 est. 202 American Samoa 0 2008 est. 203 Angola 0 2008 est. 204 Albania 0 2008 est. 205 Algeria 0 2008 est. 206 Antigua and Barbuda 0 2008 est.

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Rank code: 2183

Country Comparison :: Natural gas - exports

This entry is the total natural gas exported in cubic meters (cu m).

Rank country (cu m) Date of Information

1 Russia 243,400,000,000 2008 2 Canada 102,800,000,000 2008 3 Norway 95,230,000,000 2008 4 Netherlands 61,720,000,000 2008 5 Algeria 59,670,000,000 2008 6 Qatar 56,780,000,000 2008 7 Turkmenistan 48,500,000,000 2008 8 Indonesia 33,500,000,000 2008 9 Malaysia 31,030,000,000 2008 10 United States 28,490,000,000 2008 11 Nigeria 20,550,000,000 2008 12 Australia 19,480,000,000 2008 13 Trinidad and Tobago 17,360,000,000 2008 14 Egypt 16,920,000,000 2008 15 Uzbekistan 15,000,000,000 2008 16 Germany 12,680,000,000 2008 17 Bolivia 11,790,000,000 2008 18 Oman 10,890,000,000 2008 19 United Kingdom 10,500,000,000 2008 20 Libya 10,400,000,000 2008 21 Kazakhstan 9,221,000,000 2008 22 Brunei 9,200,000,000 2008 23 Burma 8,550,000,000 2008 24 United Arab Emirates 7,567,000,000 2008 25 Azerbaijan 5,564,000,000 2008 26 Denmark 5,516,000,000 2008 27 Equatorial Guinea 5,170,000,000 2008 28 Iran 4,246,000,000 2008 29 China 3,360,000,000 2008 30 Mozambique 3,200,000,000 2008 31 Ukraine 3,200,000,000 2007 32 Austria 2,788,000,000 2008 33 Mexico 1,136,000,000 2008 34 France 1,000,000,000 2008 35 Czech Republic 968,000,000 2008 36 Colombia 900,000,000 2008 37 Argentina 890,000,000 2008 38 Turkey 435,000,000 2008 39 Croatia 310,000,000 2007 40 Italy 210,000,000 2008 41 Slovakia 186,000,000 2008 42 Poland 39,000,000 2008 43 Hungary 21,000,000 2008 44 Aruba 0 2008 45 Bahrain 0 2008 46 Botswana 0 2008 47 Solomon Islands 0 2008 48 Belarus 0 2008 49 Benin 0 2008 50 Bosnia and Herzegovina 0 2008 51 Belize 0 2008 52 Bangladesh 0 2008 53 Bahamas, The 0 2008 54 Belgium 0 2008 55 Bermuda 0 2008 56 Faroe Islands 0 2008 57 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 0 2008 58 Fiji 0 2008 59 Finland 0 2008 60 Ethiopia 0 2008 61 El Salvador 0 2008 62 Eritrea 0 2008 63 Estonia 0 2008 64 Cape Verde 0 2008 65 India 0 2008 66 Iceland 0 2008 67 Honduras 0 2008 68 Hong Kong 0 2008 69 Haiti 0 2008 70 Guyana 0 2008 71 Guinea 0 2008 72 Guatemala 0 2008 73 Greece 0 2008 74 Liberia 0 2008 75 Lithuania 0 2008 76 Latvia 0 2008 77 Lebanon 0 2008 78 Laos 0 2008 79 Kuwait 0 2008 80 Korea, South 0 2008 81 Kiribati 0 2008 82 Korea, North 0 2008 83 Zimbabwe 0 2008 84 Zambia 0 2008 85 Yemen 0 2008 86 Swaziland 0 2008 87 Samoa 0 2008 88 Western Sahara 0 2008 89 Namibia 0 2008 90 Virgin Islands 0 2008 91 Vietnam 0 2008 92 British Virgin Islands 0 2008 93 Venezuela 0 2008 94 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 0 2008 95 Uruguay 0 2008 96 Burkina Faso 0 2008 97 Uganda 0 2008 98 Tanzania 0 2008 99 Taiwan 0 2008 100 Timor-Leste 0 2008 101 Tunisia 0 2008 102 Sao Tome and Principe 0 2008 103 Togo 0 2008 104 Tonga 0 2008 105 Turks and Caicos Islands 0 2008 106 Tajikistan 0 2008 107 Thailand 0 2008 108 Switzerland 0 2008 109 Syria 0 NA 110 Sweden 0 2008 111 Sudan 0 2008 112 Saint Lucia 0 2008 113 Spain 0 2008 114 Somalia 0 2008 115 Singapore 0 2008 116 Sierra Leone 0 2008 117 Slovenia 0 2008 118 Saint Helena 0 2008 119 Senegal 0 2008 120 South Africa 0 2008 121 Seychelles 0 2008 122 Saint Kitts and Nevis 0 2008 123 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 0 2008 124 Saudi Arabia 0 2008 125 Rwanda 0 2008 126 Puerto Rico 0 2008 127 Philippines 0 2008 128 Romania 0 2008 129 Serbia 0 2005 130 Guinea-Bissau 0 2008 131 Papua New Guinea 0 2008 132 Portugal 0 2008 133 Panama 0 2008 134 Pakistan 0 2008 135 Peru 0 2008 136 Paraguay 0 2008 137 New Zealand 0 2008 138 Nicaragua 0 2008 139 Netherlands Antilles 0 2008 140 Suriname 0 2008 141 Nauru 0 2008 142 Nepal 0 2008 143 Vanuatu 0 2008 144 Niger 0 2008 145 Niue 0 2008 146 New Caledonia 0 2008 147 Maldives 0 2008 148 Malta 0 2008 149 Mauritania 0 2008 150 Mauritius 0 2008 151 Morocco 0 2008 152 Mali 0 2008 153 Macedonia 0 2008 154 Malawi 0 2008 155 Montserrat 0 2008 156 Mongolia 0 2008 157 Moldova 0 2008 158 Macau 0 2008 159 Madagascar 0 2008 160 Luxembourg 0 2008 161 Lesotho 0 2008 162 Kyrgyzstan 0 2008 163 Kenya 0 2008 164 Jordan 0 2008 165 Jamaica 0 2008 166 Japan 0 2008 167 Iraq 0 2008 168 Cote d'Ivoire 0 2008 169 Israel 0 2008 170 Greenland 0 2008 171 Grenada 0 2008 172 Gibraltar 0 2008 173 Ghana 0 2008 174 Georgia 0 2008 175 Gabon 0 2008 176 Gambia, The 0 2008 177 French Polynesia 0 2008 178 Cuba 0 2008 179 Central African Republic 0 2008 180 Costa Rica 0 2008 181 Comoros 0 2008 182 Cameroon 0 2008 183 Cayman Islands 0 2008 184 Chile 0 2008 185 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 0 2008 186 Ireland 0 2008 187 Ecuador 0 2008 188 Dominican Republic 0 2008 189 Dominica 0 2008 190 Djibouti 0 2008 191 Cyprus 0 2008 192 Cook Islands 0 2008 193 Congo, Republic of the 0 2008 194 Sri Lanka 0 2008 195 Chad 0 2008 196 Cambodia 0 2008 197 Burundi 0 2008 198 Bulgaria 0 2008 199 Bhutan 0 2008 200 Brazil 0 2008 201 Barbados 0 2008 202 Armenia 0 2008 203 American Samoa 0 2008 204 Angola 0 2008 205 Albania 0 2008 206 Afghanistan 0 2008 207 Antigua and Barbuda 0 2008

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Rank code: 2184

Country Comparison :: Internet hosts

This entry lists the number of Internet hosts available within a country. An Internet host is a computer connected directly to the Internet; normally an Internet Service Provider's (ISP) computer is a host. Internet users may use either a hard-wired terminal, at an institution with a mainframe computer connected directly to the Internet, or may connect remotely by way of a modem via telephone line, cable, or satellite to the Internet Service Provider's host computer. The number of hosts is one indicator of the extent of Internet connectivity.

Rank country Internet hosts Date of Information

1 United States 383,000,000 NA 2 Japan 47,249,000 2009 3 Germany 23,796,000 2009 4 Italy 22,152,000 2009 5 Brazil 15,929,000 2009 6 France 14,327,000 2009 7 China 14,156,000 2009 8 Mexico 12,716,000 2009 9 Netherlands 12,388,000 2009 10 Australia 11,756,000 2009 11 United Kingdom 9,322,000 2009 12 Poland 8,906,000 2009 13 Russia 7,663,000 2009 14 Canada 7,193,000 2009 15 Taiwan 5,704,000 2009 16 Argentina 4,906,000 2009 17 Belgium 4,367,000 2009 18 Finland 4,205,000 2009 19 Denmark 3,991,000 2009 20 Sweden 3,886,000 2009 21 Switzerland 3,697,000 2009 22 India 3,611,000 2009 23 Spain 3,537,000 2009 24 Czech Republic 3,233,000 2009 25 Norway 3,198,000 2009 26 Austria 2,992,000 2009 27 Turkey 2,961,000 2009 28 Greece 2,342,000 2009 29 Hungary 2,261,000 2009 30 Colombia 2,217,000 2009 31 Romania 2,188,000 2009 32 New Zealand 2,007,000 2009 33 Portugal 1,967,000 2009 34 South Africa 1,730,000 2009 35 Israel 1,544,000 2009 36 Ireland 1,303,000 2009 37 Thailand 1,231,000 2009 38 Croatia 1,230,000 2009 39 Lithuania 885,064 2009 40 Chile 877,817 2009 41 Slovakia 867,615 2009 42 Indonesia 865,309 2009 43 Singapore 864,943 2009 44 Hong Kong 813,980 2009 45 Bulgaria 706,648 2009 46 Ukraine 706,485 2009 47 Estonia 706,449 2009 48 Uruguay 498,232 2009 49 Saudi Arabia 471,217 2009 50 Niue 396,370 2009 51 United Arab Emirates 379,106 2009 52 Moldova 367,150 2009 53 Malaysia 362,968 2009 54 Korea, South 301,270 2009 55 Philippines 283,607 2009 56 Dominican Republic 280,457 2009 57 Morocco 276,521 2009 58 Peru 274,592 2009 59 Iceland 272,201 2009 60 Latvia 257,414 2009 61 Pakistan 226,236 2009 62 Luxembourg 220,107 2009 63 Cyprus 185,451 2009 64 Serbia 181,313 2009 65 Egypt 177,443 2009 66 Vietnam 170,689 2009 67 Trinidad and Tobago 162,849 2009 68 Venezuela 155,139 2009 69 Guatemala 132,049 2009 70 Belarus 113,115 2009 71 Bolivia 105,031 2009 72 Georgia 104,243 2009 73 Tuvalu 103,041 2009 74 Nicaragua 88,742 2009 75 Slovenia 88,567 2009 76 Kyrgyzstan 82,496 2009 77 Netherlands Antilles 71,671 2009 78 Paraguay 71,487 2009 79 Bosnia and Herzegovina 69,370 2009 80 Ecuador 57,785 2009 81 Macedonia 57,763 2009 82 Bahrain 51,489 2009 83 Uzbekistan 50,228 2009 84 Kazakhstan 48,873 2009 85 Iran 45,678 2009 86 Lebanon 45,352 2009 87 Nepal 43,411 2009 88 Armenia 36,354 2009 89 Costa Rica 34,066 2009 90 Kenya 32,913 2009 91 Zimbabwe 29,094 2009 92 Jordan 28,896 2009 93 Madagascar 27,807 2009 94 Malta 25,139 2009 95 Aruba 25,051 2009 96 Tanzania 24,724 2009 97 Ghana 23,850 2009 98 Andorra 23,421 2009 99 Mauritius 22,813 2009 100 Monaco 22,608 2009 101 New Caledonia 22,448 2009 102 Cayman Islands 21,428 2009 103 Mozambique 21,388 2009 104 Tonga 20,107 2009 105 Namibia 17,840 2009 106 Honduras 15,691 2009 107 Bermuda 15,548 2009 108 Brunei 14,978 2009 109 Zambia 14,951 2009 110 Albania 14,245 2009 111 Greenland 14,134 2009 112 Samoa 13,985 2009 113 French Polynesia 13,796 2009 114 Fiji 12,747 2009 115 Libya 11,751 2009 116 Cote d'Ivoire 9,822 2009 117 Turks and Caicos Islands 9,445 2009 118 Liechtenstein 9,287 2009 119 Bhutan 9,096 2009 120 Faroe Islands 8,833 2009 121 Virgin Islands 8,726 2009 122 Bahamas, The 8,325 2009 123 El Salvador 8,177 2009 124 Panama 8,067 2009 125 Syria 7,879 2009 126 Antarctica 7,758 2009 127 Antigua and Barbuda 7,421 2009 128 Botswana 7,341 2009 129 Guyana 7,116 2009 130 Azerbaijan 7,045 2009 131 Uganda 6,757 2009 132 San Marino 6,734 2009 133 Oman 6,346 2009 134 Sri Lanka 6,090 2009 135 Bangladesh 4,209 2009 136 Solomon Islands 4,067 2009 137 Jamaica 3,961 2009 138 Cuba 3,637 2009 139 Angola 3,508 2009 140 Papua New Guinea 3,432 2009 141 Montenegro 3,245 2009 142 Belize 3,017 2009 143 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 3,015 2009 144 Swaziland 2,609 2009 145 Christmas Island 2,598 2009 146 Cambodia 2,480 2009 147 Cook Islands 2,480 2009 148 Kuwait 2,305 2009 149 Gibraltar 1,955 2009 150 Burkina Faso 1,951 2009 151 Maldives 1,732 2009 152 Laos 1,661 2009 153 American Samoa 1,606 2009 154 Wallis and Futuna 1,480 2009 155 Sao Tome and Principe 1,345 2009 156 Eritrea 1,307 2009 157 Benin 1,155 2009 158 Nigeria 1,098 2009 159 Micronesia, Federated States of 1,050 2009 160 Vanuatu 1,023 2009 161 Tajikistan 987 2009 162 Gambia, The 895 2009 163 Togo 784 2009 164 Turkmenistan 755 2009 165 Malawi 741 2009 166 Qatar 722 2009 167 Puerto Rico 700 2009 168 Montserrat 688 2009 169 British Virgin Islands 581 2009 170 Mongolia 524 2009 171 Mali 519 2009 172 Algeria 510 2009 173 Dominica 485 2009 174 Isle of Man 478 2009 175 Tunisia 406 2009 176 South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands363 2009 177 Tokelau 360 2009 178 Saint Helena 343 2009 179 Seychelles 324 2009 180 Sierra Leone 273 2009 181 Anguilla 258 2009 182 Niger 253 2009 183 Macau 244 2009 184 Yemen 242 2009 185 Barbados 235 2009 186 Senegal 227 2009 187 Jersey 219 2009 188 Djibouti 199 2009 189 Burundi 191 2009 190 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 181 2009 191 Guernsey 174 2009 192 Timor-Leste 169 2009 193 Suriname 162 2009 194 British Indian Ocean Territory 160 2009 195 Ethiopia 136 2009 196 Burma 128 2009 197 Lesotho 127 2009 198 Saint Lucia 103 2009 199 Gabon 91 2009 200 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 90 2009 201 Norfolk Island 89 2009 202 Guinea-Bissau 82 2009 203 Rwanda 81 2009 204 Cameroon 70 2009 205 Holy See (Vatican City) 63 2009 206 Saint Kitts and Nevis 53 2009 207 Sudan 48 2009 208 Afghanistan 47 2009 209 Nauru 47 2009 210 French Southern and Antarctic Lands44 2009 211 Grenada 42 2009 212 Kiribati 41 2009 213 Pitcairn Islands 26 2009 214 Cape Verde 24 2009 215 Central African Republic 21 2009 216 Congo, Republic of the 18 2009 217 Mauritania 15 2009 218 Guinea 14 2009 219 Iraq 11 2009 220 Northern Mariana Islands 9 2009 221 Equatorial Guinea 9 2009 222 Haiti 9 2009 223 Comoros 7 2009 224 Marshall Islands 6 2009 225 Chad 5 2009 226 Liberia 5 2009 227 Korea, North 3 2009 228 Palau 2 2009 229 Mayotte 1 2009 230 Bouvet Island 0 2009 231 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 0 2009 232 Somalia 0 2009

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Rank code: 2185

Country Comparison :: Investment (gross fixed)

This entry records total business spending on fixed assets, such as factories, machinery, equipment, dwellings, and inventories of raw materials, which provide the basis for future production. It is measured gross of the depreciation of the assets, i.e., it includes investment that merely replaces worn-out or scrapped capital.

Rank country (% of GDP) Date of Information

1 Vietnam 41.90 2008 est. 2 Cape Verde 41.60 2008 est. 3 Lesotho 40.80 2008 est. 4 China 40.50 2008 est. 5 Armenia 39.00 2008 est. 6 India 39.00 2008 est. 7 Sao Tome and Principe 38.80 2008 est. 8 Guyana 35.30 2008 est. 9 Congo, Republic of the 34.50 2008 est. 10 Nicaragua 34.50 2008 est. 11 Bulgaria 33.40 2008 est. 12 Honduras 33.40 2008 est. 13 Romania 33.30 2008 est. 14 Moldova 32.50 2008 est. 15 Jordan 32.30 2008 est. 16 Ghana 32.10 2008 est. 17 Morocco 32.10 2008 est. 18 Qatar 32.10 2008 est. 19 Belarus 31.90 2008 est. 20 Equatorial Guinea 31.80 2008 est. 21 Croatia 31.10 2008 est. 22 Montenegro 30.50 2006 est. 23 Latvia 30.20 2008 est. 24 Kosovo 30.00 2007 est. 25 Spain 29.40 2008 est. 26 Haiti 28.90 2008 est. 27 Australia 28.70 2008 est. 28 Singapore 28.50 2008 est. 29 Estonia 28.40 2008 est. 30 Gambia, The 28.00 2008 est. 31 Slovenia 28.00 2008 est. 32 Belize 27.80 2008 est. 33 Kazakhstan 27.80 2008 est. 34 Gabon 27.30 2008 est. 35 Thailand 27.30 2008 est. 36 Oman 27.20 2008 est. 37 Ukraine 27.20 2008 est. 38 Korea, South 27.10 2008 est. 39 Bahrain 26.60 2008 est. 40 Madagascar 26.60 2008 est. 41 Jamaica 26.50 2008 est. 42 Iran 26.30 2008 est. 43 Algeria 26.10 2008 est. 44 Slovakia 25.90 2008 est. 45 Yemen 25.90 2008 est. 46 Peru 25.90 2008 est. 47 Panama 25.70 2008 est. 48 Zambia 25.50 2008 est. 49 Mauritius 25.40 2008 est. 50 Senegal 25.30 2008 est. 51 Ethiopia 25.20 2008 est. 52 Mozambique 24.90 2008 est. 53 Lithuania 24.80 2008 est. 54 Sri Lanka 24.50 2008 est. 55 Bangladesh 24.30 2008 est. 56 Colombia 24.30 2008 est. 57 Costa Rica 24.30 2008 est. 58 Chile 24.00 2008 est. 59 Czech Republic 24.00 2008 est. 60 Iceland 23.90 2008 est. 61 Indonesia 23.60 2008 62 Botswana 23.40 2008 est. 63 Namibia 23.40 2008 est. 64 Cyprus 23.30 2008 est. 65 Argentina 23.20 2008 est. 66 South Africa 23.20 2008 est. 67 Uganda 23.20 2008 est. 68 Kyrgyzstan 23.20 2008 est. 69 Albania 23.10 2008 est. 70 Japan 23.00 2008 est. 71 United Arab Emirates 22.80 2008 est. 72 Belgium 22.70 2008 est. 73 Canada 22.60 2008 est. 74 Tanzania 22.60 2008 est. 75 Georgia 22.50 2008 est. 76 Austria 22.40 2008 est. 77 Lebanon 22.40 2008 est. 78 New Zealand 22.40 2008 est. 79 Cambodia 22.40 2008 est. 80 Ecuador 22.10 2008 est. 81 Russia 22.10 2008 est. 82 Mexico 22.10 2008 est. 83 Poland 22.00 2008 est. 84 Rwanda 22.00 2008 est. 85 France 21.90 2008 est. 86 Tunisia 21.80 2008 est. 87 World 21.80 2008 est. 88 Nigeria 21.70 2008 est. 89 Portugal 21.70 2008 est. 90 Syria 21.70 2008 est. 91 Denmark 21.60 2008 est. 92 Kenya 21.30 2008 est. 93 Azerbaijan 21.20 2008 est. 94 Switzerland 21.20 2008 est. 95 Ireland 21.20 2008 est. 96 European Union 21.10 2008 est. 97 Italy 20.90 2008 est. 98 Norway 20.80 2008 est. 99 Greece 20.70 2008 est. 100 Finland 20.60 2008 est. 101 Macedonia 20.60 2008 est. 102 Taiwan 20.60 2008 est. 103 Netherlands 20.50 2008 est. 104 Turkey 20.30 2008 est. 105 Eritrea 20.20 2008 est. 106 Luxembourg 20.20 2008 est. 107 Togo 20.20 2008 est. 108 Hungary 20.20 2008 est. 109 Serbia 20.10 2007 est. 110 Pakistan 20.00 2008 est. 111 Hong Kong 19.70 2008 est. 112 Malaysia 19.70 2008 est. 113 Venezuela 19.70 2008 est. 114 Paraguay 19.60 2008 est. 115 Burkina Faso 19.60 2008 est. 116 Sweden 19.50 2008 est. 117 Dominican Republic 19.40 2008 est. 118 Papua New Guinea 19.40 2008 est. 119 Saudi Arabia 19.40 2008 est. 120 Benin 19.20 2008 est. 121 Germany 19.20 2008 est. 122 Egypt 19.10 2008 est. 123 Brazil 19.00 2008 est. 124 Swaziland 18.80 2008 est. 125 Uruguay 18.70 2008 est. 126 Guatemala 18.60 2008 est. 127 Kuwait 18.30 2008 est. 128 Israel 18.10 2008 est. 129 Sudan 18.10 2008 est. 130 Bolivia 18.00 2008 est. 131 Cameroon 17.70 2008 est. 132 Zimbabwe 17.70 2008 est. 133 Trinidad and Tobago 16.70 2008 est. 134 United Kingdom 16.70 2008 est. 135 Malta 16.20 2008 est. 136 El Salvador 14.90 2008 est. 137 Philippines 14.80 2008 est. 138 United States 14.30 2008 est. 139 Burma 14.10 2008 est. 140 Chad 13.70 2008 est. 141 Seychelles 13.70 2008 est. 142 Burundi 12.50 2008 est. 143 Guinea 12.30 2008 est. 144 Tajikistan 12.00 2008 est. 145 Cuba 10.50 2008 est. 146 Cote d'Ivoire 9.50 2008 est. 147 Libya 9.30 2008 est. 148 Angola 9.00 2008 est. 149 Malawi 8.40 2008 est. 150 Turkmenistan 1.20 2008 est.

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Rank code: 2186

Country Comparison :: Public debt

This entry records the cumulative total of all government borrowings less repayments that are denominated in a country's home currency. Public debt should not be confused with external debt, which reflects the foreign currency liabilities of both the private and public sector and must be financed out of foreign exchange earnings.

Rank country (% of GDP) Date of Information

1 Zimbabwe 265.60 2008 est. 2 Japan 172.10 2008 est. 3 Lebanon 160.30 2008 est. 4 Jamaica 116.30 2008 est. 5 Italy 105.80 2008 est. 6 Sudan 100.00 2008 est. 7 Singapore 99.20 2008 est. 8 Greece 97.40 2008 est. 9 Belgium 89.60 2008 est. 10 Egypt 86.50 2008 est. 11 Bhutan 81.40 2004 12 Israel 76.80 2008 est. 13 Sri Lanka 76.70 2008 est. 14 Nicaragua 74.80 2008 est. 15 Seychelles 74.20 2008 est. 16 France 68.10 2008 est. 17 Hungary 67.70 2008 est. 18 Cote d'Ivoire 66.40 2008 est. 19 Portugal 66.40 2008 est. 20 Germany 66.00 2008 est. 21 Canada 63.80 2008 est. 22 Austria 62.60 2008 est. 23 Jordan 62.20 2008 est. 24 Kenya 60.10 2008 est. 25 Uruguay 59.80 2008 est. 26 Netherlands 58.20 2008 est. 27 Philippines 56.90 2008 est. 28 Iceland 56.50 2008 est. 29 Mauritius 56.50 2008 est. 30 India 56.40 2008 est. 31 Norway 55.70 2008 est. 32 Morocco 55.60 2008 est. 33 Ghana 53.80 2008 est. 34 Albania 51.90 2008 est. 35 United Kingdom 51.80 2008 est. 36 Pakistan 51.20 2008 est. 37 Cyprus 49.10 2008 est. 38 Malawi 49.10 2008 est. 39 Vietnam 48.80 2008 est. 40 Argentina 48.60 2008 est. 41 Tunisia 48.40 2008 est. 42 Aruba 46.30 2005 43 Bolivia 45.20 2008 est. 44 Poland 45.20 2008 est. 45 Panama 45.00 2008 est. 46 El Salvador 44.70 2008 est. 47 Ireland 44.20 2008 est. 48 Croatia 42.70 2008 est. 49 Colombia 42.60 2008 est. 50 Costa Rica 42.20 2008 est. 51 United Arab Emirates 40.70 2008 est. 52 Spain 40.70 2008 est. 53 Switzerland 40.20 2008 est. 54 Bosnia and Herzegovina 40.00 2008 est. 55 Turkey 40.00 2008 est. 56 Malaysia 40.00 2008 est. 57 Bangladesh 39.40 2008 est. 58 Brazil 38.80 2008 est. 59 Montenegro 38.00 2006 60 Thailand 37.90 2008 est. 61 United States 37.50 2008 est. 62 Dominican Republic 37.40 2008 est. 63 Serbia 37.00 2007 est. 64 Sweden 36.70 2008 est. 65 Mexico 35.80 2008 est. 66 Cuba 34.80 2008 est. 67 Finland 33.70 2008 est. 68 Denmark 33.50 2008 est. 69 Papua New Guinea 32.20 2008 est. 70 Ethiopia 32.00 2008 est. 71 South Africa 31.60 2008 est. 72 Zambia 29.50 2008 est. 73 Taiwan 29.40 2008 est. 74 Indonesia 29.30 2008 est. 75 Bahrain 28.70 2008 est. 76 Slovakia 28.70 2008 est. 77 Yemen 28.10 2008 est. 78 Czech Republic 26.80 2008 est. 79 Trinidad and Tobago 26.60 2008 est. 80 Guatemala 25.70 2008 est. 81 Syria 25.40 2008 est. 82 Ecuador 25.10 2008 est. 83 Gabon 24.70 2008 est. 84 Korea, South 24.40 2008 est. 85 New Zealand 24.40 2008 est. 86 Peru 24.00 2008 est. 87 Tanzania 23.20 2008 est. 88 Slovenia 23.00 2008 est. 89 Moldova 22.30 2008 est. 90 Mozambique 21.40 2008 est. 91 Senegal 21.40 2008 est. 92 Macedonia 20.80 2008 est. 93 Honduras 20.40 2008 est. 94 Namibia 20.00 2008 est. 95 Paraguay 19.90 2008 est. 96 Latvia 19.50 2008 est. 97 Iran 19.40 2008 est. 98 Saudi Arabia 18.90 2008 est. 99 Uganda 18.80 2008 est. 100 Gibraltar 15.70 2005 est. 101 China 15.60 2008 est. 102 Lithuania 15.60 2008 est. 103 Angola 15.50 2008 est. 104 Australia 14.70 2008 est. 105 Romania 14.70 2008 est. 106 Bulgaria 14.10 2008 est. 107 Hong Kong 13.90 2008 est. 108 Venezuela 13.80 2008 est. 109 Cameroon 13.50 2008 est. 110 Nigeria 13.40 2008 est. 111 Uzbekistan 10.40 2008 est. 112 Ukraine 10.30 2008 est. 113 Luxembourg 10.20 2008 est. 114 Kazakhstan 8.60 2008 est. 115 Algeria 8.40 2008 est. 116 Kuwait 7.60 2008 est. 117 Russia 6.50 2008 est. 118 Botswana 5.90 2008 est. 119 Wallis and Futuna 5.60 2004 est. 120 Chile 5.20 2008 est. 121 Qatar 5.10 2008 est. 122 Estonia 4.80 2008 est. 123 Azerbaijan 4.10 2008 est. 124 Libya 4.00 2008 est. 125 Oman 2.80 2008 est. 126 Equatorial Guinea 0.90 2008 est.

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Rank code: 2187

Country Comparison :: Current account balance

This entry records a country's net trade in goods and services, plus net earnings from rents, interest, profits, and dividends, and net transfer payments (such as pension funds and worker remittances) to and from the rest of the world during the period specified. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms.

Rank country Current account balance Date of Information

1 China $ 426,100,000,000 2008 est. 2 Germany $ 243,600,000,000 2008 est. 3 Japan $ 156,600,000,000 2008 est. 4 Saudi Arabia $ 132,600,000,000 2008 est. 5 Russia $ 102,400,000,000 2008 est. 6 Norway $ 88,340,000,000 2008 est. 7 Kuwait $ 64,780,000,000 2008 est. 8 European Union $ 51,400,000,000 2008 est. 9 Netherlands $ 41,930,000,000 2008 est. 10 Switzerland $ 41,210,000,000 2008 est. 11 Sweden $ 40,320,000,000 2008 est. 12 Venezuela $ 39,210,000,000 2008 est. 13 Libya $ 37,390,000,000 2008 est. 14 Algeria $ 35,270,000,000 2008 est. 15 Malaysia $ 33,760,000,000 2008 est. 16 Hong Kong $ 30,520,000,000 2008 est. 17 Singapore $ 25,780,000,000 2008 est. 18 Taiwan $ 24,890,000,000 2008 est. 19 United Arab Emirates $ 22,310,000,000 2008 est. 20 Iran $ 20,190,000,000 2008 est. 21 Angola $ 17,110,000,000 2008 est. 22 Azerbaijan $ 16,450,000,000 2008 est. 23 Qatar $ 15,070,000,000 2008 est. 24 Austria $ 14,270,000,000 2008 est. 25 Iraq $ 14,050,000,000 2008 est. 26 Canada $ 7,610,000,000 2008 est. 27 Brunei $ 7,101,000,000 2007 est. 28 Argentina $ 7,077,000,000 2008 est. 29 Kazakhstan $ 6,978,000,000 2008 est. 30 Denmark $ 6,938,000,000 2008 est. 31 Uzbekistan $ 6,257,000,000 2008 est. 32 Oman $ 5,523,000,000 2008 est. 33 Finland $ 5,518,000,000 2008 est. 34 Trinidad and Tobago $ 5,401,000,000 2008 est. 35 Turkmenistan $ 4,669,000,000 2008 est. 36 Philippines $ 4,227,000,000 2008 est. 37 Nigeria $ 3,877,000,000 2008 est. 38 Luxembourg $ 2,979,000,000 2008 est. 39 Gabon $ 2,727,000,000 2008 est. 40 Bahrain $ 2,257,000,000 2008 est. 41 Israel $ 2,213,000,000 2008 est. 42 Bolivia $ 2,015,000,000 2008 est. 43 Equatorial Guinea $ 1,420,000,000 2008 est. 44 Burma $ 1,281,000,000 2008 est. 45 Ecuador $ 1,194,000,000 2008 est. 46 Timor-Leste $ 1,161,000,000 2007 est. 47 Bangladesh $ 1,032,000,000 2008 est. 48 Congo, Republic of the $ 848,000,000 2008 est. 49 Botswana $ 750,300,000 2008 est. 50 Papua New Guinea $ 710,000,000 2008 est. 51 Indonesia $ 604,000,000 2008 est. 52 Cote d'Ivoire $ 488,000,000 2008 est. 53 Nepal $ 241,000,000 2008 54 Namibia $ 239,800,000 2008 est. 55 British Virgin Islands $ 134,300,000 1999 56 Lesotho $ 121,000,000 2008 est. 57 Bhutan $ 116,000,000 2007 est. 58 Tajikistan $ 47,600,000 2008 est. 59 Cook Islands $ 26,670,000 2005 60 Suriname $ 24,000,000 2007 est. 61 Palau $ 15,090,000 FY03/04 62 Comoros $ 8,000,000 2007 est. 63 Guinea-Bissau $ -6,000,000 2007 est. 64 Tuvalu $ -11,680,000 2003 65 Kiribati $ -21,000,000 2007 est. 66 Tonga $ -23,000,000 2007 est. 67 Samoa $ -24,000,000 2007 est. 68 Swaziland $ -33,000,000 2008 est. 69 Micronesia, Federated States of $ -34,300,000 FY05 est. 70 Anguilla $ -42,870,000 2003 est. 71 Laos $ -52,000,000 2008 est. 72 Vanuatu $ -60,000,000 2007 est. 73 Sierra Leone $ -63,000,000 2007 est. 74 Afghanistan $ -67,000,000 2007 est. 75 Sao Tome and Principe $ -67,000,000 2008 est. 76 Dominica $ -72,000,000 2007 est. 77 Central African Republic $ -77,000,000 2007 est. 78 Cameroon $ -96,000,000 2008 est. 79 Thailand $ -113,000,000 2008 est. 80 Gambia, The $ -127,000,000 2008 est. 81 Grenada $ -138,000,000 2007 est. 82 Solomon Islands $ -143,000,000 2007 est. 83 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines $ -149,000,000 2007 est. 84 Belize $ -153,700,000 2008 est. 85 Saint Kitts and Nevis $ -163,000,000 2007 est. 86 Burundi $ -182,000,000 2008 est. 87 Mauritania $ -184,000,000 2007 est. 88 Saint Lucia $ -199,000,000 2007 est. 89 Antigua and Barbuda $ -211,000,000 2007 est. 90 Djibouti $ -212,000,000 2007 est. 91 Liberia $ -224,000,000 2007 92 Eritrea $ -229,000,000 2008 est. 93 Malawi $ -241,000,000 2008 est. 94 Barbados $ -254,000,000 2007 est. 95 Cape Verde $ -259,000,000 2008 est. 96 Togo $ -272,000,000 2008 est. 97 Rwanda $ -292,000,000 2008 est. 98 Niger $ -321,000,000 2007 est. 99 Paraguay $ -345,000,000 2008 est. 100 Guyana $ -362,000,000 2008 est. 101 Congo, Democratic Republic of the $ -402,000,000 2007 est. 102 Seychelles $ -430,000,000 2008 est. 103 Malta $ -445,000,000 2008 est. 104 Mali $ -446,000,000 2007 est. 105 Guinea $ -489,000,000 2008 est. 106 Fiji $ -507,000,000 2007 est. 107 Zimbabwe $ -584,600,000 2008 est. 108 Haiti $ -611,000,000 2008 est. 109 Maldives $ -638,000,000 2008 est. 110 Kyrgyzstan $ -680,000,000 2008 est. 111 Benin $ -735,000,000 2008 est. 112 Syria $ -791,000,000 2008 est. 113 Burkina Faso $ -931,000,000 2008 est. 114 Mauritius $ -972,800,000 2008 est. 115 Senegal $ -975,000,000 2008 est. 116 Mozambique $ -975,300,000 2008 est. 117 Zambia $ -977,000,000 2008 est. 118 Mongolia $ -1,000,000,000 2008 est. 119 Moldova $ -1,015,000,000 2008 est. 120 Chad $ -1,019,000,000 2008 est. 121 Madagascar $ -1,030,000,000 2008 est. 122 Cambodia $ -1,060,000,000 2008 est. 123 Uganda $ -1,088,000,000 2008 est. 124 Montenegro $ -1,102,000,000 2007 est. 125 Yemen $ -1,113,000,000 2008 est. 126 Macedonia $ -1,210,000,000 2008 est. 127 Sudan $ -1,314,000,000 2008 est. 128 Egypt $ -1,331,000,000 2008 est. 129 Armenia $ -1,355,000,000 2008 est. 130 Bahamas, The $ -1,442,000,000 2007 est. 131 Nicaragua $ -1,475,000,000 2008 est. 132 Uruguay $ -1,484,000,000 2008 est. 133 El Salvador $ -1,595,000,000 2008 est. 134 Tunisia $ -1,667,000,000 2008 est. 135 Ethiopia $ -1,806,000,000 2008 est. 136 Albania $ -1,906,000,000 2008 est. 137 Guatemala $ -1,932,000,000 2008 est. 138 Honduras $ -1,977,000,000 2008 est. 139 Kenya $ -1,978,000,000 2008 est. 140 Estonia $ -2,192,000,000 2008 est. 141 Jordan $ -2,390,000,000 2008 est. 142 Cuba $ -2,580,000,000 2008 est. 143 Costa Rica $ -2,648,000,000 2008 est. 144 Jamaica $ -2,745,000,000 2008 est. 145 Bosnia and Herzegovina $ -2,764,000,000 2008 est. 146 Panama $ -2,792,000,000 2008 est. 147 Georgia $ -2,915,000,000 2008 est. 148 Lebanon $ -2,987,000,000 2008 est. 149 Slovenia $ -3,323,000,000 2008 est. 150 Chile $ -3,440,000,000 2008 est. 151 Ghana $ -3,471,000,000 2008 est. 152 Tanzania $ -3,536,000,000 2008 est. 153 Sri Lanka $ -3,876,000,000 2008 est. 154 Peru $ -4,180,000,000 2008 est. 155 Dominican Republic $ -4,436,000,000 2008 est. 156 Cyprus $ -4,479,000,000 2008 est. 157 Latvia $ -4,492,000,000 2008 est. 158 Belarus $ -5,063,000,000 2008 est. 159 Lithuania $ -5,629,000,000 2008 est. 160 Morocco $ -5,836,000,000 2008 est. 161 Korea, South $ -6,349,000,000 2008 est. 162 Croatia $ -6,397,000,000 2008 est. 163 Slovakia $ -6,430,000,000 2008 est. 164 Iceland $ -6,606,000,000 2008 est. 165 Czech Republic $ -6,642,000,000 2008 est. 166 Colombia $ -6,712,000,000 2008 est. 167 Serbia $ -6,889,000,000 2007 est. 168 Vietnam $ -10,710,000,000 2008 est. 169 New Zealand $ -11,340,000,000 2008 est. 170 Bulgaria $ -12,650,000,000 2008 est. 171 Ukraine $ -12,760,000,000 2008 est. 172 Belgium $ -12,880,000,000 2008 est. 173 Hungary $ -12,980,000,000 2008 est. 174 Ireland $ -13,880,000,000 2008 est. 175 Pakistan $ -15,680,000,000 2008 est. 176 Mexico $ -15,810,000,000 2008 est. 177 South Africa $ -20,980,000,000 2008 est. 178 Romania $ -24,810,000,000 2008 est. 179 Poland $ -26,910,000,000 2008 est. 180 Brazil $ -28,190,000,000 2008 est. 181 Portugal $ -29,600,000,000 2008 est. 182 India $ -36,090,000,000 2008 est. 183 Turkey $ -41,690,000,000 2008 est. 184 Australia $ -44,040,000,000 2008 est. 185 United Kingdom $ -45,680,000,000 2008 est. 186 Greece $ -51,530,000,000 2008 est. 187 France $ -52,910,000,000 2008 est. 188 Italy $ -78,030,000,000 2008 est. 189 Spain $ -154,100,000,000 2008 est. 190 United States $ -706,100,000,000 2008 est.

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Rank code: 2188

Country Comparison :: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

This entry gives the dollar value for the stock of all financial assets that are available to the central monetary authority for use in meeting a country's balance of payments needs as of the end-date of the period specified. This category includes not only foreign currency and gold, but also a country's holdings of Special Drawing Rights in the International Monetary Fund, and its reserve position in the Fund.

Rank country Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDate of Information

1 China $ 1,955,000,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 2 Japan $ 1,011,000,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 3 Russia $ 427,100,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 4 Taiwan $ 296,400,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 5 India $ 254,000,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 6 Korea, South $ 201,200,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 7 Brazil $ 193,800,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 8 Hong Kong $ 182,500,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 9 Singapore $ 174,200,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 10 Algeria $ 143,500,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 11 Germany $ 138,000,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 12 Thailand $ 111,000,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 13 Italy $ 105,300,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 14 France $ 102,900,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 15 Iran $ 96,560,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 16 Mexico $ 95,300,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 17 Libya $ 92,510,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 18 Malaysia $ 91,210,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 19 United States $ 77,650,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 20 Switzerland $ 74,070,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 21 Turkey $ 73,660,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 22 Poland $ 62,180,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 23 Nigeria $ 53,000,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 24 United Kingdom $ 52,980,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 25 Indonesia $ 51,640,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 26 Norway $ 50,950,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 27 Iraq $ 49,800,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 28 Argentina $ 46,370,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 29 Canada $ 43,870,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 30 Israel $ 42,510,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 31 Denmark $ 42,320,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 32 Venezuela $ 42,300,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 33 Romania $ 39,470,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 34 Philippines $ 37,550,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 35 Czech Republic $ 36,680,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 36 South Africa $ 34,070,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 37 Hungary $ 33,870,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 38 Egypt $ 33,850,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 39 Australia $ 32,920,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 40 United Arab Emirates $ 31,690,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 41 Ukraine $ 31,540,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 42 Peru $ 31,250,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 43 Saudi Arabia $ 30,590,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 44 Sweden $ 29,720,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 45 Netherlands $ 28,510,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 46 Lebanon $ 28,280,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 47 Vietnam $ 24,180,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 48 Colombia $ 23,670,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 49 Chile $ 23,080,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 50 Morocco $ 22,720,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 51 Spain $ 20,250,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 52 Kazakhstan $ 19,870,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 53 Slovakia $ 18,780,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 54 Angola $ 18,360,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 55 Bulgaria $ 17,930,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 56 Kuwait $ 17,230,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 57 Austria $ 16,700,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 58 Belgium $ 15,650,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 59 Serbia $ 14,220,000,000 2007 est. 60 Turkmenistan $ 13,880,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 61 Croatia $ 12,960,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 62 Portugal $ 11,950,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 63 Oman $ 11,580,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 64 New Zealand $ 11,150,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 65 Uzbekistan $ 10,150,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 66 Qatar $ 9,998,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 67 Trinidad and Tobago $ 9,496,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 68 Botswana $ 9,119,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 69 Jordan $ 8,918,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 70 Pakistan $ 8,903,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 71 Tunisia $ 8,853,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 72 Finland $ 8,346,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 73 Yemen $ 8,157,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 74 Bolivia $ 7,722,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 75 Slovenia $ 7,570,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 76 Syria $ 6,765,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 77 Azerbaijan $ 6,519,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 78 Lithuania $ 6,441,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 79 Uruguay $ 6,360,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 80 Bangladesh $ 5,789,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 81 Latvia $ 5,248,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 82 Ecuador $ 4,473,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 83 Guatemala $ 4,471,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 84 Equatorial Guinea $ 4,431,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 85 Cuba $ 4,047,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 86 Estonia $ 3,972,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 87 Congo, Republic of the $ 3,873,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 88 Bahrain $ 3,803,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 89 Costa Rica $ 3,799,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 90 Bosnia and Herzegovina $ 3,516,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 91 Greece $ 3,473,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 92 Burma $ 3,412,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 93 Cameroon $ 3,091,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 94 Kenya $ 2,879,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 95 Tanzania $ 2,869,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 96 Paraguay $ 2,863,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 97 Panama $ 2,693,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 98 Belarus $ 2,687,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 99 Sri Lanka $ 2,655,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 100 Cambodia $ 2,641,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 101 El Salvador $ 2,545,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 102 Iceland $ 2,500,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 103 Honduras $ 2,492,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 104 Albania $ 2,364,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 105 Uganda $ 2,301,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 106 Dominican Republic $ 2,288,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 107 Cote d'Ivoire $ 2,252,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 108 Macedonia $ 2,109,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 109 Ghana $ 2,028,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 110 Papua New Guinea $ 1,987,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 111 Gabon $ 1,925,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 112 Mauritius $ 1,785,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 113 Jamaica $ 1,767,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 114 Moldova $ 1,672,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 115 Senegal $ 1,601,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 116 Mozambique $ 1,578,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 117 Georgia $ 1,480,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 118 Armenia $ 1,407,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 119 Sudan $ 1,399,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 120 Chad $ 1,347,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 121 Namibia $ 1,293,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 122 Benin $ 1,261,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 123 Kyrgyzstan $ 1,225,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 124 Nicaragua $ 1,141,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 125 Zambia $ 1,096,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 126 Ireland $ 1,023,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 127 Cyprus $ 1,003,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 128 Lesotho $ 993,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 129 Madagascar $ 982,300,000 31 December 2008 est. 130 Burkina Faso $ 926,300,000 31 December 2008 est. 131 Ethiopia $ 870,500,000 31 December 2008 est. 132 Laos $ 803,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 133 Swaziland $ 752,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 134 Haiti $ 708,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 135 Barbados $ 620,000,000 2007 136 Rwanda $ 596,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 137 Togo $ 580,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 138 Luxembourg $ 397,800,000 31 December 2008 est. 139 Malta $ 373,400,000 31 December 2008 est. 140 Guyana $ 355,900,000 31 December 2008 est. 141 Burundi $ 266,700,000 31 December 2008 est. 142 Suriname $ 263,300,000 2006 143 Cape Verde $ 258,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 144 Tajikistan $ 195,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 145 Malawi $ 185,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 146 Belize $ 166,200,000 31 December 2008 est. 147 Gambia, The $ 140,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 148 Zimbabwe $ 96,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 149 Guinea $ 93,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 150 Samoa $ 70,150,000 FY03/04 151 Seychelles $ 64,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 152 Sao Tome and Principe $ 43,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 153 Tonga $ 40,830,000 yearend, FY04/05 154 Vanuatu $ 40,540,000 2003 155 Eritrea $ 24,000,000 31 December 2008 est.

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Rank code: 2189

Country Comparison :: Union name

Rank country Union name Date of Information

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Rank code: 2190

Country Comparison :: Political structure

Rank country Political structure Date of Information

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Rank code: 2191

Country Comparison :: Member states

Rank country Member states Date of Information

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Rank code: 2192

Country Comparison :: Preliminary statement

Rank country Preliminary statement Date of Information

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Rank code: 2193

Country Comparison :: Major infectious diseases

This entry lists major infectious diseases likely to be encountered in countries where the risk of such diseases is assessed to be very high as compared to the United States. These infectious diseases represent risks to US government personnel traveling to the specified country for a period of less than three years. The degree of risk is assessed by considering the foreign nature of these infectious diseases, their severity, and the probability of being affected by the diseases present. The diseases listed do not necessarily represent the total disease burden experienced by the local population. The risk to an individual traveler varies considerably by the specific location, visit duration, type of activities, type of accommodations, time of year, and other factors. Consultation with a travel medicine physician is needed to evaluate individual risk and recommend appropriate preventive measures such as vaccines. Diseases are organized into the following six exposure categories shown in italics and listed in typical descending order of risk. Note: The sequence of exposure categories listed in individual country entries may vary according to local conditions. food or waterborne diseases acquired through eating or drinking on the local economy: Hepatitis A - viral disease that interferes with the functioning of the liver; spread through consumption of food or water contaminated with fecal matter, principally in areas of poor sanitation; victims exhibit fever, jaundice, and diarrhea; 15% of victims will experience prolonged symptoms over 6-9 months; vaccine available. Hepatitis E - water-borne viral disease that interferes with the functioning of the liver; most commonly spread through fecal contamination of drinking water; victims exhibit jaundice, fatigue, abdominal pain, and dark colored urine. Typhoid fever - bacterial disease spread through contact with food or water contaminated by fecal matter or sewage; victims exhibit sustained high fevers; left untreated, mortality rates can reach 20%. vectorborne diseases acquired through the bite of an infected arthropod: Malaria - caused by single-cell parasitic protozoa Plasmodium; transmitted to humans via the bite of the female Anopheles mosquito; parasites multiply in the liver attacking red blood cells resulting in cycles of fever, chills, and sweats accompanied by anemia; death due to damage to vital organs and interruption of blood supply to the brain; endemic in 100, mostly tropical, countries with 90% of cases and the majority of 1.5-2.5 million estimated annual deaths occurring in sub-Saharan Africa. Dengue fever - mosquito-borne (Aedes aegypti) viral disease associated with urban environments; manifests as sudden onset of fever and severe headache; occasionally produces shock and hemorrhage leading to death in 5% of cases. Yellow fever - mosquito-borne viral disease; severity ranges from influenza-like symptoms to severe hepatitis and hemorrhagic fever; occurs only in tropical South America and sub-Saharan Africa, where most cases are reported; fatality rate is less than 20%. Japanese Encephalitis - mosquito-borne (Culex tritaeniorhynchus) viral disease associated with rural areas in Asia; acute encephalitis can progress to paralysis, coma, and death; fatality rates 30%. African Trypanosomiasis - caused by the parasitic protozoa Trypanosoma; transmitted to humans via the bite of bloodsucking Tsetse flies; infection leads to malaise and irregular fevers and, in advanced cases when the parasites invade the central nervous system, coma and death; endemic in 36 countries of sub-Saharan Africa; cattle and wild animals act as reservoir hosts for the parasites. Cutaneous Leishmaniasis - caused by the parasitic protozoa leishmania; transmitted to humans via the bite of sandflies; results in skin lesions that may become chronic; endemic in 88 countries; 90% of cases occur in Iran, Afghanistan, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, and Peru; wild and domesticated animals as well as humans can act as reservoirs of infection. Plague - bacterial disease transmitted by fleas normally associated with rats; person-to-person airborne transmission also possible; recent plague epidemics occurred in areas of Asia, Africa, and South America associated with rural areas or small towns and villages; manifests as fever, headache, and painfully swollen lymph nodes; disease progresses rapidly and without antibiotic treatment leads to pneumonic form with a death rate in excess of 50%. Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever - tick-borne viral disease; infection may also result from exposure to infected animal blood or tissue; geographic distribution includes Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe; sudden onset of fever, headache, and muscle aches followed by hemorrhaging in the bowels, urine, nose, and gums; mortality rate is approximately 30%. Rift Valley fever - viral disease affecting domesticated animals and humans; transmission is by mosquito and other biting insects; infection may also occur through handling of infected meat or contact with blood; geographic distribution includes eastern and southern Africa where cattle and sheep are raised; symptoms are generally mild with fever and some liver abnormalities, but the disease may progress to hemorrhagic fever, encephalitis, or ocular disease; fatality rates are low at about 1% of cases. Chikungunya - mosquito-borne (Aedes aegypti) viral disease associated with urban environments, similar to Dengue Fever; characterized by sudden onset of fever, rash, and severe joint pain usually lasting 3-7 days, some cases result in persistent arthritis. water contact diseases acquired through swimming or wading in freshwater lakes, streams, and rivers: Leptospirosis - bacterial disease that affects animals and humans; infection occurs through contact with water, food, or soil contaminated by animal urine; symptoms include high fever, severe headache, vomiting, jaundice, and diarrhea; untreated, the disease can result in kidney damage, liver failure, meningitis, or respiratory distress; fatality rates are low but left untreated recovery can take months. Schistosomiasis - caused by parasitic trematode flatworm Schistosoma; fresh water snails act as intermediate host and release larval form of parasite that penetrates the skin of people exposed to contaminated water; worms mature and reproduce in the blood vessels, liver, kidneys, and intestines releasing eggs, which become trapped in tissues triggering an immune response; may manifest as either urinary or intestinal disease resulting in decreased work or learning capacity; mortality, while generally low, may occur in advanced cases usually due to bladder cancer; endemic in 74 developing countries with 80% of infected people living in sub-Saharan Africa; humans act as the reservoir for this parasite. aerosolized dust or soil contact disease acquired through inhalation of aerosols contaminated with rodent urine: Lassa fever - viral disease carried by rats of the genus Mastomys; endemic in portions of West Africa; infection occurs through direct contact with or consumption of food contaminated by rodent urine or fecal matter containing virus particles; fatality rate can reach 50% in epidemic outbreaks. respiratory disease acquired through close contact with an infectious person: Meningococcal meningitis - bacterial disease causing an inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord; one of the most important bacterial pathogens is Neisseria meningitidis because of its potential to cause epidemics; symptoms include stiff neck, high fever, headaches, and vomiting; bacteria are transmitted from person to person by respiratory droplets and facilitated by close and prolonged contact resulting from crowded living conditions, often with a seasonal distribution; death occurs in 5-15% of cases, typically within 24-48 hours of onset of symptoms; highest burden of meningococcal disease occurs in the hyperendemic region of sub-Saharan Africa known as the "Meningitis Belt" which stretches from Senegal east to Ethiopia. animal contact disease acquired through direct contact with local animals: Rabies - viral disease of mammals usually transmitted through the bite of an infected animal, most commonly dogs; virus affects the central nervous system causing brain alteration and death; symptoms initially are non-specific fever and headache progressing to neurological symptoms; death occurs within days of the onset of symptoms.

Rank country Major infectious diseases Date of Information

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Rank code: 2194

Country Comparison :: Refugees and internally displaced persons

This entry includes those persons residing in a country as refugees or internally displaced persons (IDPs). The definition of a refugee according to a United Nations Convention is "a person who is outside his/her country of nationality or habitual residence; has a well-founded fear of persecution because of his/her race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group or political opinion; and is unable or unwilling to avail himself/herself of the protection of that country, or to return there, for fear of persecution." The UN established the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in 1950 to handle refugee matters worldwide. The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has a different operational definition for a Palestinian refugee: "a person whose normal place of residence was Palestine during the period 1 June 1946 to 15 May 1948 and who lost both home and means of livelihood as a result of the 1948 conflict." However, UNHCR also assists some 400,000 Palestinian refugees not covered under the UNRWA definition. The term "internally displaced person" is not specifically covered in the UN Convention; it is used to describe people who have fled their homes for reasons similar to refugees, but who remain within their own national territory and are subject to the laws of that state.

Rank country Refugees and internally displaced personsDate of

Information 1 Iraq 2,400,000.00 2007 2 Jordan 1,835,704.00 2007 3 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 1,400,000.00 2007 4 Uganda 1,270,000.00 2007 5 Somalia 1,100,000.00 2007 6 Pakistan 1,043,984.00 2007 7 Gaza Strip 1,017,000.00 2007 8 Iran 914,268.00 2007 9 West Bank 722,000.00 2007 10 Cote d'Ivoire 709,000.00 2007 11 Zimbabwe 569,685.00 2007 12 Syria 522,100.00 2007 13 Burma 503,000.00 2007 14 Jordan 500,000.00 2007 15 Sri Lanka 460,000.00 2007 16 Lebanon 405,425.00 2007 17 Tanzania 352,640.00 2007 18 Syria 305,000.00 2007 19 China 300,897.00 2007 20 Philippines 300,000.00 2007 21 Saudi Arabia 240,015.00 2007 22 Chad 234,000.00 2007 23 Uganda 215,700.00 2007 24 Cyprus 210,000.00 2007 25 Serbia 206,000.00 2007 26 Ethiopia 200,000.00 2007 27 Lebanon 200,000.00 2007 28 Central African Republic 197,000.00 2007 29 Chad 178,918.00 2007 30 Kenya 173,702.00 2007 31 Jordan 160,000.00 2007 32 Sudan 157,220.00 2007 33 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 132,295.00 2007 34 Thailand 132,241.00 2007 35 Bosnia and Herzegovina 131,600.00 2007 36 Tanzania 127,973.00 2007 37 Armenia 113,295.00 2007 38 Nepal 107,803.00 2007 39 Burundi 100,000.00 2007 40 Timor-Leste 100,000.00 2007 41 Yemen 91,587.00 2007 42 Algeria 90,000.00 2007 43 China 90,000.00 2007 44 India 77,200.00 2007 45 Kenya 73,004.00 2007 46 Serbia 71,111.00 2007 47 Egypt 70,198.00 2007 48 India 69,609.00 2007 49 Ethiopia 66,980.00 2007 50 Bangladesh 65,000.00 2007 51 Angola 61,700.00 2007 52 Zambia 60,874.00 2007 53 Chad 54,200.00 2007 54 Iran 54,024.00 2007 55 Congo, Republic of the 48,000.00 2007 56 Congo, Republic of the 46,341.00 2007 57 Rwanda 46,272.00 2007 58 Zambia 42,565.00 2007 59 Uzbekistan 39,202.00 2007 60 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 37,313.00 2007 61 Ghana 35,653.00 2007 62 Pakistan 34,000.00 2007 63 Eritrea 32,000.00 2007 64 Uganda 28,880.00 2007 65 Serbia 27,414.00 2007 66 Sierra Leone 27,311.00 2007 67 Bangladesh 26,268.00 2007 68 Cote d'Ivoire 25,615.00 2007 69 Sudan 25,023.00 2007 70 Uganda 24,900.00 2007 71 Cameroon 24,000.00 2007 72 Senegal 22,400.00 2007 73 Guinea 21,856.00 2007 74 Malaysia 21,544.00 2007 75 Kosovo 21,000.00 2007 76 Nepal 20,153.00 2007 77 Senegal 19,630.00 2007 78 Guinea 19,000.00 2007 79 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 17,777.00 2007 80 Lebanon 17,000.00 2007 81 Iraq 16,832.00 2007 82 Ethiopia 16,576.00 2007 83 Kenya 16,428.00 2007 84 Montenegro 16,192.00 2007 85 Malaysia 15,174.00 2007 86 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 13,904.00 2007 87 Ethiopia 13,078.00 2007 88 Liberia 13,000.00 2007 89 Angola 12,615.00 2007 90 Liberia 12,600.00 2007 91 Egypt 12,157.00 2007 92 Iraq 11,773.00 2007 93 Ecuador 11,526.00 2007 94 Turkmenistan 11,173.00 2007 95 Sudan 11,009.00 2007 96 South Africa 10,772.00 2007 97 United States 10,586.00 2006 98 Papua New Guinea 10,177.00 2007 99 Burundi 9,849.00 2007 100 India 9,472.00 2007 101 Benin 9,444.00 2007 102 Djibouti 8,642.00 2007 103 United States 8,549.00 2006 104 Ghana 8,517.00 2007 105 Armenia 8,400.00 2007 106 Libya 8,000.00 2007 107 Central African Republic 7,900.00 2007 108 Sudan 7,895.00 2007 109 South Africa 7,818.00 2007 110 Guinea-Bissau 7,454.00 2007 111 Bosnia and Herzegovina 7,269.00 2007 112 Gabon 7,178.00 2007 113 Montenegro 7,000.00 2007 114 United States 6,666.00 2006 115 Congo, Republic of the 6,564.00 2007 116 United States 6,479.00 2006 117 Mali 6,300.00 2007 118 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 6,181.00 2007 119 Gambia, The 5,955.00 2007 120 Nigeria 5,778.00 2007 121 South Africa 5,759.00 2007 122 Solomon Islands 5,400.00 2007 123 Guinea 5,259.00 2007 124 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 5,243.00 2007 125 Sudan 5,023.00 2007 126 Togo 5,000.00 2007 127 Namibia 4,700.00 2007 128 Rwanda 4,400.00 2007 129 Zambia 4,100.00 2007 130 Guinea 3,900.00 2007 131 Central African Republic 3,700.00 2007 132 Kazakhstan 3,700.00 2007 133 Uzbekistan 3,400.00 2007 134 United States 3,100.00 2006 135 Cameroon 3,000.00 2007 136 Zimbabwe 2,500.00 2007 137 Azerbaijan 2,400.00 2007 138 United States 2,136.00 2006 139 Togo 1,500.00 2007 140 Georgia 1,100.00 2007 141 Uzbekistan 1,060.00 2007 142 Kazakhstan 508.00 2007

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Rank code: 2195

Country Comparison :: GDP (official exchange rate)

This entry gives the gross domestic product (GDP) or value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year. A nation's GDP at official exchange rates (OER) is the home-currency-denominated annual GDP figure divided by the bilateral average US exchange rate with that country in that year. The measure is simple to compute and gives a precise measure of the value of output. Many economists prefer this measure when gauging the economic power an economy maintains vis-a-vis its neighbors, judging that an exchange rate captures the purchasing power a nation enjoys in the international marketplace. Official exchange rates, however, can be artificially fixed and/or subject to manipulation - resulting in claims of the country having an under- or over-valued currency - and are not necessarily the equivalent of a market-determined exchange rate. Moreover, even if the official exchange rate is market-determined, market exchange rates are frequently established by a relatively small set of goods and services (the ones the country trades) and may not capture the value of the larger set of goods the country produces. Furthermore, OER-converted GDP is not well suited to comparing domestic GDP over time, since appreciation/depreciation from one year to the next will make the OER GDP value rise/fall regardless of whether home-currency-denominated GDP changed.

Rank country GDP (official exchange rate) Date of Information

1 European Union $ 18,140,000,000,000 2008 est. 2 United States $ 14,440,000,000,000 2008 est. 3 Japan $ 4,911,000,000,000 2008 est. 4 China $ 4,327,000,000,000 2008 est. 5 Germany $ 3,673,000,000,000 2008 est. 6 France $ 2,867,000,000,000 2008 est. 7 United Kingdom $ 2,680,000,000,000 2008 est. 8 Italy $ 2,314,000,000,000 2008 est. 9 Russia $ 1,677,000,000,000 2008 est. 10 Spain $ 1,602,000,000,000 2008 est. 11 Brazil $ 1,573,000,000,000 2008 est. 12 Canada $ 1,500,000,000,000 2008 est. 13 India $ 1,207,000,000,000 2008 est. 14 Mexico $ 1,088,000,000,000 2008 est. 15 Australia $ 1,013,000,000,000 2008 est. 16 Korea, South $ 929,100,000,000 2008 est. 17 Netherlands $ 877,000,000,000 2008 est. 18 Turkey $ 730,000,000,000 2008 est. 19 Poland $ 527,900,000,000 2008 est. 20 Indonesia $ 511,800,000,000 2008 est. 21 Belgium $ 506,200,000,000 2008 22 Switzerland $ 500,300,000,000 2008 est. 23 Sweden $ 479,000,000,000 2008 est. 24 Saudi Arabia $ 469,400,000,000 2008 est. 25 Norway $ 451,800,000,000 2008 est. 26 Austria $ 414,800,000,000 2008 est. 27 Taiwan $ 391,400,000,000 2008 est. 28 Greece $ 357,500,000,000 2008 est. 29 Denmark $ 340,000,000,000 2008 est. 30 Iran $ 335,200,000,000 2008 est. 31 Argentina $ 324,800,000,000 2008 est. 32 Venezuela $ 319,400,000,000 2008 est. 33 South Africa $ 276,800,000,000 2008 est. 34 Thailand $ 273,300,000,000 2008 est. 35 Finland $ 271,900,000,000 2008 est. 36 Ireland $ 267,600,000,000 2008 est. 37 United Arab Emirates $ 262,200,000,000 2008 est. 38 Portugal $ 244,600,000,000 2008 est. 39 Colombia $ 240,800,000,000 2008 est. 40 Malaysia $ 221,600,000,000 2008 est. 41 Czech Republic $ 216,400,000,000 2008 est. 42 Hong Kong $ 215,400,000,000 2008 est. 43 Nigeria $ 207,100,000,000 2008 est. 44 Israel $ 202,100,000,000 2008 est. 45 Romania $ 200,100,000,000 2008 est. 46 Singapore $ 181,900,000,000 2008 est. 47 Ukraine $ 179,600,000,000 2008 est. 48 Chile $ 169,500,000,000 2008 est. 49 Philippines $ 166,900,000,000 2008 est. 50 Pakistan $ 164,600,000,000 2008 est. 51 Egypt $ 162,600,000,000 2008 est. 52 Algeria $ 159,700,000,000 2008 est. 53 Kuwait $ 158,100,000,000 2008 est. 54 Hungary $ 155,900,000,000 2008 est. 55 Kazakhstan $ 135,600,000,000 2008 est. 56 New Zealand $ 128,400,000,000 2008 est. 57 Peru $ 127,500,000,000 2008 est. 58 Qatar $ 102,300,000,000 2008 est. 59 Slovakia $ 95,400,000,000 2008 est. 60 Iraq $ 91,450,000,000 2008 est. 61 Libya $ 89,920,000,000 2008 est. 62 Vietnam $ 89,830,000,000 2008 est. 63 Morocco $ 88,880,000,000 2008 est. 64 Puerto Rico $ 88,000,000,000 2008 est. 65 Angola $ 84,950,000,000 2008 est. 66 Bangladesh $ 84,200,000,000 2008 est. 67 Croatia $ 69,360,000,000 2008 est. 68 Belarus $ 60,300,000,000 2008 est. 69 Oman $ 59,950,000,000 2008 est. 70 Sudan $ 58,030,000,000 2008 est. 71 Syria $ 55,020,000,000 2008 est. 72 Luxembourg $ 54,970,000,000 2008 est. 73 Cuba $ 54,710,000,000 2008 est. 74 Ecuador $ 54,690,000,000 2008 est. 75 Slovenia $ 54,640,000,000 2008 est. 76 Serbia $ 50,060,000,000 2008 est. 77 Bulgaria $ 49,900,000,000 2008 78 Lithuania $ 47,300,000,000 2008 est. 79 Azerbaijan $ 46,380,000,000 2008 est. 80 Dominican Republic $ 44,440,000,000 2008 est. 81 Tunisia $ 40,840,000,000 2008 est. 82 Sri Lanka $ 39,600,000,000 2008 est. 83 Guatemala $ 38,980,000,000 2008 est. 84 Latvia $ 33,980,000,000 2008 est. 85 Uruguay $ 32,190,000,000 2008 est. 86 Costa Rica $ 29,660,000,000 2008 est. 87 Kenya $ 29,560,000,000 2008 est. 88 Lebanon $ 29,350,000,000 2008 est. 89 Turkmenistan $ 29,160,000,000 2008 est. 90 Uzbekistan $ 27,920,000,000 2008 est. 91 Yemen $ 26,910,000,000 2008 est. 92 Ethiopia $ 26,390,000,000 2008 est. 93 Burma $ 26,210,000,000 2008 est. 94 Korea, North $ 26,200,000,000 2008 est. 95 Trinidad and Tobago $ 25,930,000,000 2008 est. 96 Cyprus $ 24,920,000,000 2008 est. 97 Cameroon $ 23,730,000,000 2008 est. 98 Estonia $ 23,550,000,000 2008 est. 99 Cote d'Ivoire $ 23,510,000,000 2008 est. 100 Panama $ 23,090,000,000 2008 est. 101 El Salvador $ 22,120,000,000 2008 est. 102 Macau $ 22,040,000,000 2008 est. 103 Bahrain $ 21,240,000,000 2008 est. 104 Jordan $ 21,230,000,000 2008 est. 105 Tanzania $ 20,670,000,000 2008 est. 106 Equatorial Guinea $ 18,530,000,000 2008 est. 107 Bosnia and Herzegovina $ 18,470,000,000 2008 est. 108 Iceland $ 16,790,000,000 2008 est. 109 Ghana $ 16,650,000,000 2008 est. 110 Bolivia $ 16,600,000,000 2008 est. 111 Paraguay $ 16,010,000,000 2008 est. 112 Zambia $ 14,650,000,000 2008 est. 113 Uganda $ 14,570,000,000 2008 est. 114 Brunei $ 14,550,000,000 2008 est. 115 Gabon $ 14,540,000,000 2008 est. 116 Jamaica $ 14,030,000,000 2008 est. 117 Honduras $ 14,000,000,000 2008 est. 118 Botswana $ 13,460,000,000 2008 est. 119 Senegal $ 13,350,000,000 2008 est. 120 Albania $ 12,960,000,000 2008 est. 121 Georgia $ 12,860,000,000 2008 est. 122 Nepal $ 12,280,000,000 2008 est. 123 Armenia $ 11,920,000,000 2008 est. 124 Afghanistan $ 11,710,000,000 2008 est. 125 Congo, Democratic Republic of the $ 11,630,000,000 2008 est. 126 Cambodia $ 11,250,000,000 2008 est. 127 Congo, Republic of the $ 10,770,000,000 2008 est. 128 Zimbabwe $ 10,580,000,000 2008 est. 129 Mozambique $ 9,897,000,000 2008 est. 130 Macedonia $ 9,569,000,000 2008 est. 131 Madagascar $ 9,463,000,000 2008 est. 132 Namibia $ 8,835,000,000 2008 est. 133 Mali $ 8,774,000,000 2008 est. 134 Mauritius $ 8,738,000,000 2008 est. 135 Chad $ 8,400,000,000 2008 est. 136 Malta $ 8,370,000,000 2008 est. 137 Burkina Faso $ 8,116,000,000 2008 est. 138 Papua New Guinea $ 8,092,000,000 2008 est. 139 Bahamas, The $ 7,564,000,000 2008 est. 140 Haiti $ 6,943,000,000 2008 est. 141 Benin $ 6,712,000,000 2008 est. 142 Gaza Strip $ 6,641,000,000 2008 est. 143 West Bank $ 6,641,000,000 2008 est. 144 Nicaragua $ 6,365,000,000 2008 est. 145 French Polynesia $ 6,100,000,000 2004 146 Moldova $ 6,047,000,000 2008 est. 147 Niger $ 5,382,000,000 2008 est. 148 Laos $ 5,374,000,000 2008 est. 149 Mongolia $ 5,243,000,000 2008 est. 150 Tajikistan $ 5,135,000,000 2008 est. 151 Jersey $ 5,100,000,000 2005 est. 152 Kyrgyzstan $ 5,050,000,000 2008 est. 153 Liechtenstein $ 4,993,000,000 2007 154 Montenegro $ 4,848,000,000 2008 est. 155 Guinea $ 4,517,000,000 2008 est. 156 Rwanda $ 4,459,000,000 2008 est. 157 Malawi $ 4,268,000,000 2008 est. 158 Barbados $ 3,670,000,000 2008 est. 159 Fiji $ 3,589,000,000 2008 est. 160 New Caledonia $ 3,300,000,000 2003 est. 161 Kosovo $ 3,237,000,000 2007 est. 162 Mauritania $ 3,161,000,000 2008 est. 163 Suriname $ 2,933,000,000 2008 est. 164 Togo $ 2,890,000,000 2008 est. 165 Swaziland $ 2,840,000,000 2008 est. 166 Guernsey $ 2,742,000,000 2005 167 Isle of Man $ 2,719,000,000 2005 est. 168 Somalia $ 2,600,000,000 2008 est. 169 Aruba $ 2,258,000,000 2005 est. 170 Central African Republic $ 1,997,000,000 2008 est. 171 Sierra Leone $ 1,953,000,000 2008 est. 172 Cape Verde $ 1,744,000,000 2008 est. 173 Faroe Islands $ 1,700,000,000 2005 est. 174 Greenland $ 1,700,000,000 2005 175 Lesotho $ 1,618,000,000 2008 est. 176 Eritrea $ 1,479,000,000 2008 est. 177 Bhutan $ 1,389,000,000 2008 est. 178 Belize $ 1,359,000,000 2008 est. 179 Maldives $ 1,261,000,000 2008 est. 180 Antigua and Barbuda $ 1,224,000,000 2008 est. 181 Guyana $ 1,154,000,000 2008 est. 182 Burundi $ 1,097,000,000 2008 est. 183 Gibraltar $ 1,066,000,000 2005 est. 184 San Marino $ 1,048,000,000 2004 185 Saint Lucia $ 987,000,000 2008 est. 186 Djibouti $ 982,000,000 2008 est. 187 Liberia $ 850,000,000 2008 est. 188 British Virgin Islands $ 839,700,000 2003 189 Seychelles $ 822,000,000 2008 est. 190 Gambia, The $ 810,000,000 2008 est. 191 Grenada $ 678,000,000 2008 est. 192 Solomon Islands $ 642,000,000 2008 est. 193 Northern Mariana Islands $ 633,400,000 2000 194 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines $ 601,000,000 2008 est. 195 Vanuatu $ 573,000,000 2008 est. 196 Saint Kitts and Nevis $ 546,000,000 2008 est. 197 Comoros $ 532,000,000 2008 est. 198 Samoa $ 500,000,000 2008 est. 199 Timor-Leste $ 499,000,000 2008 est. 200 American Samoa $ 462,200,000 2005 201 Guinea-Bissau $ 461,000,000 2008 est. 202 Dominica $ 364,000,000 2008 est. 203 Tonga $ 258,000,000 2008 est. 204 Micronesia, Federated States of $ 238,100,000 2008 205 Cook Islands $ 183,200,000 2005 est. 206 Sao Tome and Principe $ 175,000,000 2008 est. 207 Palau $ 164,000,000 2008 208 Marshall Islands $ 161,700,000 2008 est. 209 Kiribati $ 137,000,000 2008 est. 210 Anguilla $ 108,900,000 2004 est. 211 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) $ 105,100,000 2002 est. 212 Tuvalu $ 14,940,000 2002 213 Niue $ 10,010,000 2003

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Rank code: 2196

Country Comparison :: Trafficking in persons

Trafficking in persons is modern-day slavery, involving victims who are forced, defrauded, or coerced into labor or sexual exploitation. The International Labor Organization (ILO), the UN agency charged with addressing labor standards, employment, and social protection issues, estimates that 12.3 million people worldwide are enslaved in forced labor, bonded labor, forced child labor, sexual servitude, and involuntary servitude at any given time. Human trafficking is a multi-dimensional threat, depriving people of their human rights and freedoms, risking global health, promoting social breakdown, inhibiting development by depriving countries of their human capital, and helping fuel the growth of organized crime. In 2000, the US Congress passed the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA), reauthorized in 2003 and 2005, which provides tools for the US to combat trafficking in persons, both domestically and abroad. One of the law's key components is the creation of the US Department of State's annual Trafficking in Persons Report, which assesses the government response (i.e., the current situation) in some 150 countries with a significant number of victims trafficked across their borders who are recruited, harbored, transported, provided, or obtained for forced labor or sexual exploitation. Countries in the annual report are rated in three tiers, based on government efforts to combat trafficking. The countries identified in this entry are those listed in the 2008 Trafficking in Persons Report as Tier 2 Watch List or Tier 3 based on the following tier rating definitions: Tier 2 Watch List countries do not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but are making significant efforts to do so, and meet one of the following criteria: 1. they display high or significantly increasing number of victims, 2. they have failed to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking in persons, or, 3. they have committed to take action over the next year. Tier 3 countries neither satisfy the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking nor demonstrate a significant effort to do so. Countries in this tier are subject to potential non-humanitarian and non-trade sanctions.

Rank country Trafficking in persons Date of Information

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Rank code: 2198

Country Comparison :: Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

This entry gives the cumulative US dollar value of all investments in the home country made directly by residents - primarily companies - of other countries as of the end of the time period indicated. Direct investment excludes investment through purchase of shares.

Rank country Stock of direct foreign investment - at homeDate of

Information 1 United States $ 2,367,000,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 2 United Kingdom $ 1,445,000,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 3 Hong Kong $ 1,241,000,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 4 France $ 1,147,000,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 5 Germany $ 1,027,000,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 6 Belgium $ 821,000,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 7 China $ 758,900,000,000 2007 est. 8 Netherlands $ 644,600,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 9 Spain $ 636,500,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 10 Russia $ 491,200,000,000 2007 11 Canada $ 433,400,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 12 Switzerland $ 405,100,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 13 Italy $ 376,600,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 14 Australia $ 366,500,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 15 Brazil $ 294,000,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 16 Sweden $ 290,400,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 17 Mexico $ 289,800,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 18 Austria $ 261,900,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 19 Sri Lanka $ 250,200,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 20 Singapore $ 250,200,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 21 Hungary $ 237,100,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 22 Poland $ 161,400,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 23 India $ 144,200,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 24 Denmark $ 142,700,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 25 Japan $ 135,400,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 26 Turkey $ 128,700,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 27 Korea, South $ 124,200,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 28 Liberia $ 124,200,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 29 South Africa $ 120,000,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 30 Portugal $ 117,800,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 31 Czech Republic $ 111,900,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 32 Saudi Arabia $ 108,500,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 33 Chile $ 108,300,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 34 Taiwan $ 102,300,000,000 2008 35 Trinidad and Tobago $ 102,000,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 36 Tajikistan $ 102,000,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 37 Norway $ 91,490,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 38 Finland $ 84,440,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 39 Malaysia $ 83,350,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 40 Thailand $ 80,830,000,000 2007 est. 41 Argentina $ 73,980,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 42 New Zealand $ 72,920,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 43 Romania $ 72,610,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 44 Nigeria $ 68,840,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 45 Indonesia $ 67,300,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 46 Colombia $ 67,230,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 47 United Arab Emirates $ 62,690,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 48 Egypt $ 59,130,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 49 Israel $ 56,930,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 50 Kazakhstan $ 55,630,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 51 Slovakia $ 44,120,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 52 Bulgaria $ 42,910,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 53 Ukraine $ 41,770,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 54 Venezuela $ 41,380,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 55 Vietnam $ 40,340,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 56 Zambia $ 40,340,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 57 Greece $ 36,700,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 58 Peru $ 30,310,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 59 Tunisia $ 28,670,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 60 Croatia $ 27,170,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 61 Pakistan $ 25,440,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 62 Philippines $ 21,400,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 63 Costa Rica $ 18,960,000,000 31 December 2008 64 Estonia $ 18,620,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 65 Ecuador $ 16,990,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 66 Jordan $ 16,500,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 67 Kyrgyzstan $ 16,500,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 68 Angola $ 16,360,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 69 Cyprus $ 15,690,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 70 Dominican Republic $ 15,590,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 71 Bahrain $ 15,010,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 72 Bermuda $ 15,010,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 73 Algeria $ 13,760,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 74 Lithuania $ 12,850,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 75 Slovenia $ 11,960,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 76 Serbia $ 11,950,000,000 2006 est. 77 Cuba $ 11,240,000,000 2006 est. 78 Libya $ 11,230,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 79 Malawi $ 11,230,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 80 Latvia $ 11,210,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 81 Luxembourg $ 11,210,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 82 Macau $ 7,900,000,000 2007 83 Azerbaijan $ 7,844,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 84 Iran $ 6,954,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 85 El Salvador $ 6,702,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 86 Fiji $ 6,702,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 87 Bolivia $ 5,998,000,000 31 December 2008 88 Bangladesh $ 5,971,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 89 Chad $ 4,500,000,000 2006 est. 90 Uruguay $ 4,190,000,000 2007 91 Qatar $ 3,627,000,000 2008 est. 92 Kenya $ 2,541,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 93 Macedonia $ 2,405,000,000 2007 est. 94 Moldova $ 1,813,000,000 2008 95 Kuwait $ 1,220,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 96 Paraguay $ 2,057,000 2007

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Rank code: 2199

Country Comparison :: Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

This entry gives the cumulative US dollar value of all investments in foreign countries made directly by residents - primarily companies - of the home country, as of the end of the time period indicated. Direct investment excludes investment through purchase of shares.

Rank country Stock of direct foreign investment - abroadDate of

Information 1 United States $ 3,162,000,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 2 France $ 1,624,000,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 3 United Kingdom $ 1,567,000,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 4 Germany $ 1,407,000,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 5 Netherlands $ 843,700,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 6 Hong Kong $ 776,000,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 7 Switzerland $ 726,300,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 8 Japan $ 663,900,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 9 Belgium $ 661,900,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 10 Spain $ 605,300,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 11 Italy $ 565,300,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 12 Canada $ 520,400,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 13 Sweden $ 333,900,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 14 Austria $ 270,000,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 15 Australia $ 197,200,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 16 Denmark $ 181,900,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 17 Russia $ 176,700,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 18 Singapore $ 173,600,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 19 Norway $ 160,100,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 20 Hungary $ 159,700,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 21 Ireland $ 152,900,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 22 China $ 149,300,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 23 Brazil $ 127,500,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 24 Finland $ 116,000,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 25 Taiwan $ 107,100,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 26 Korea, South $ 74,600,000,000 30 June 2008 27 Malaysia $ 71,200,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 28 Portugal $ 69,240,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 29 South Africa $ 63,570,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 30 India $ 61,770,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 31 Israel $ 54,550,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 32 Mexico $ 45,390,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 33 Greece $ 32,440,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 34 United Arab Emirates $ 28,950,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 35 Argentina $ 28,750,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 36 Chile $ 25,700,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 37 Kuwait $ 25,680,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 38 Poland $ 21,810,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 39 Saudi Arabia $ 18,070,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 40 Venezuela $ 16,620,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 41 Turkey $ 14,800,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 42 Colombia $ 13,180,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 43 Nigeria $ 13,020,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 44 Egypt $ 12,080,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 45 Tajikistan $ 10,860,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 46 Czech Republic $ 9,913,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 47 Bahrain $ 9,340,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 48 Ecuador $ 8,487,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 49 Slovenia $ 7,592,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 50 Cyprus $ 7,097,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 51 Thailand $ 7,013,000,000 2007 est. 52 Estonia $ 6,686,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 53 Indonesia $ 6,656,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 54 Philippines $ 5,810,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 55 Qatar $ 5,363,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 56 Azerbaijan $ 5,232,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 57 Libya $ 5,150,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 58 Kazakhstan $ 4,617,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 59 Cuba $ 4,138,000,000 2006 est. 60 Trinidad and Tobago $ 3,829,000,000 2007 61 Croatia $ 3,343,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 62 Angola $ 2,477,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 63 Lithuania $ 1,985,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 64 Ukraine $ 1,905,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 65 Macau $ 1,900,000,000 2007 66 Slovakia $ 1,867,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 67 Peru $ 1,694,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 68 Bulgaria $ 1,292,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 69 Algeria $ 1,162,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 70 Latvia $ 1,083,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 71 Pakistan $ 1,017,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 72 Iran $ 993,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 73 Morocco $ 966,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 74 Romania $ 921,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 75 Costa Rica $ 532,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 76 El Salvador $ 440,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 77 Tunisia $ 162,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 78 Uruguay $ 156,000,000 2007 79 Bangladesh $ 97,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 80 Dominican Republic $ 59,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 81 Kenya $ 12,400,000 31 December 2008 est.

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Rank code: 2200

Country Comparison :: Market value of publicly traded shares

This entry gives the value of shares issued by publicly traded companies at a price determined in the national stock markets on the final day of the period indicated. It is simply the latest price per share multiplied by the total number of outstanding shares, cumulated over all companies listed on the particular exchange.

Rank country Market value of publicly traded sharesDate of Information

1 United States $ 19,950,000,000,000 31 December 2007 2 European Union $ 15,570,000,000,000 31 December 2008 3 China $ 6,226,000,000,000 31 December 2007 4 Japan $ 4,453,000,000,000 31 December 2007 5 United Kingdom $ 3,859,000,000,000 31 December 2007 6 France $ 2,771,000,000,000 31 December 2007 7 Canada $ 2,187,000,000,000 31 December 2007 8 Germany $ 2,106,000,000,000 31 December 2007 9 India $ 1,819,000,000,000 31 December 2007 10 Spain $ 1,800,000,000,000 31 December 2007 11 Russia $ 1,503,000,000,000 31 December 2007 12 Brazil $ 1,370,000,000,000 31 December 2007 13 Australia $ 1,298,000,000,000 31 December 2007 14 Switzerland $ 1,275,000,000,000 31 December 2007 15 Hong Kong $ 1,163,000,000,000 31 December 2007 16 Korea, South $ 1,124,000,000,000 31 December 2007 17 Italy $ 1,073,000,000,000 31 December 2007 18 Netherlands $ 956,500,000,000 31 December 2007 19 South Africa $ 833,500,000,000 31 December 2007 20 Taiwan $ 654,000,000,000 28 December 2007 21 Sweden $ 612,500,000,000 31 December 2007 22 Saudi Arabia $ 515,100,000,000 31 December 2007 23 Netherlands Antilles $ 488,600,000,000 2003 24 Mexico $ 397,700,000,000 31 December 2007 25 Belgium $ 386,400,000,000 31 December 2007 26 Finland $ 369,200,000,000 31 December 2007 27 Norway $ 357,400,000,000 31 December 2007 28 Singapore $ 353,500,000,000 31 December 2007 29 Malaysia $ 325,700,000,000 31 December 2007 30 Turkey $ 286,600,000,000 31 December 2007 31 Denmark $ 277,700,000,000 31 December 2007 32 Greece $ 264,900,000,000 31 December 2007 33 Israel $ 236,400,000,000 31 December 2007 34 Austria $ 228,700,000,000 31 December 2007 35 United Arab Emirates $ 224,700,000,000 31 December 2007 36 Chile $ 212,900,000,000 31 December 2007 37 Indonesia $ 211,700,000,000 31 December 2007 38 Poland $ 207,300,000,000 31 December 2007 39 Thailand $ 196,000,000,000 31 December 2007 40 Kuwait $ 188,000,000,000 31 December 2007 41 Luxembourg $ 166,100,000,000 31 December 2007 42 Ireland $ 144,000,000,000 31 December 2007 43 Egypt $ 139,300,000,000 31 December 2007 44 Portugal $ 132,300,000,000 31 December 2007 45 Ukraine $ 111,800,000,000 31 December 2007 46 Peru $ 106,000,000,000 31 December 2007 47 Philippines $ 103,200,000,000 31 December 2007 48 Colombia $ 102,000,000,000 31 December 2007 49 Qatar $ 95,490,000,000 31 December 2007 50 Argentina $ 86,680,000,000 31 December 2007 51 Nigeria $ 86,350,000,000 31 December 2007 52 Morocco $ 75,490,000,000 31 December 2007 53 Czech Republic $ 73,420,000,000 31 December 2007 54 Pakistan $ 70,260,000,000 31 December 2007 55 Croatia $ 65,980,000,000 31 December 2007 56 Hungary $ 47,650,000,000 31 December 2007 57 New Zealand $ 47,450,000,000 31 December 2007 58 Iran $ 45,570,000,000 31 December 2007 59 Romania $ 44,930,000,000 31 December 2007 60 Kazakhstan $ 41,380,000,000 31 December 2007 61 Jordan $ 41,220,000,000 31 December 2007 62 Iceland $ 40,560,000,000 31 December 2007 63 Cyprus $ 29,480,000,000 31 December 2007 64 Slovenia $ 28,960,000,000 31 December 2007 65 Bahrain $ 28,130,000,000 31 December 2007 66 Serbia $ 23,930,000,000 31 December 2007 67 Oman $ 23,060,000,000 31 December 2007 68 Bulgaria $ 21,790,000,000 31 December 2007 69 Vietnam $ 19,540,000,000 31 December 2007 70 Trinidad and Tobago $ 15,610,000,000 31 December 2007 71 Kenya $ 13,390,000,000 31 December 2007 72 Jamaica $ 12,330,000,000 31 December 2007 73 Lebanon $ 10,860,000,000 31 December 2007 74 Lithuania $ 10,130,000,000 31 December 2007 75 Cote d'Ivoire $ 8,353,000,000 31 December 2007 76 Sri Lanka $ 7,553,000,000 31 December 2007 77 Slovakia $ 6,971,000,000 31 December 2007 78 Bangladesh $ 6,793,000,000 31 December 2007 79 El Salvador $ 6,743,000,000 31 December 2007 80 Panama $ 6,219,000,000 31 December 2007 81 Estonia $ 6,037,000,000 31 December 2007 82 Botswana $ 5,887,000,000 31 December 2007 83 Mauritius $ 5,666,000,000 31 December 2007 84 Malta $ 5,633,000,000 31 December 2007 85 Barbados $ 5,599,000,000 31 December 2007 86 Tunisia $ 5,355,000,000 31 December 2007 87 Zimbabwe $ 5,333,000,000 31 December 2007 88 Nepal $ 4,909,000,000 31 December 2007 89 Ecuador $ 4,266,000,000 31 December 2007 90 Montenegro $ 3,699,000,000 31 December 2007 91 Latvia $ 3,111,000,000 31 December 2007 92 Bermuda $ 2,731,000,000 31 December 2007 93 Macedonia $ 2,715,000,000 31 December 2007 94 West Bank $ 2,475,000,000 31 December 2007 95 Ghana $ 2,380,000,000 31 December 2007 96 Zambia $ 2,346,000,000 31 December 2007 97 Bolivia $ 2,263,000,000 31 December 2007 98 Costa Rica $ 2,035,000,000 31 December 2007 99 Georgia $ 1,389,000,000 31 December 2007 100 Namibia $ 702,000,000 31 December 2007 101 Mongolia $ 612,200,000 31 December 2007 102 Moldova $ 573,900,000 2004 103 Fiji $ 522,200,000 31 December 2007 104 Saint Kitts and Nevis $ 439,700,000 31 December 2007 105 Guyana $ 262,400,000 31 December 2007 106 Swaziland $ 203,100,000 31 December 2007 107 Cayman Islands $ 183,500,000 31 December 2007 108 Uruguay $ 159,000,000 31 December 2007 109 Kyrgyzstan $ 121,000,000 31 December 2007 110 Armenia $ 105,000,000 31 December 2007

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Rank code: 2201

Country Comparison :: Total renewable water resources

This entry provides the long-term average water availability for a country in cubic kilometers of precipitation, recharged ground water, and surface inflows from surrounding countries. The values have been adjusted to account for overlap resulting from surface flow recharge of groundwater sources. Total renewable water resources provides the water total available to a country but does not include water resource totals that have been reserved for upstream or downstream countries through international agreements. Note that these values are averages and do not accurately reflect the total available in any given year. Annual available resources can vary greatly due to short-term and long-term climatic and weather variations.

Rank country (cu km) Date of Information

1 Brazil 8,233.00 2000 2 Russia 4,498.00 1997 3 Canada 3,300.00 1985 4 United States 3,069.00 1985 5 Indonesia 2,838.00 1999 6 China 2,829.60 1999 7 Colombia 2,132.00 2000 8 Peru 1,913.00 2000 9 India 1,907.80 1999 10 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 1,283.00 2001 11 Venezuela 1,233.20 2000 12 Bangladesh 1,210.60 1999 13 Burma 1,045.60 1999 14 Chile 922.00 2000 15 Vietnam 891.20 1999 16 Congo, Republic of the 832.00 1987 17 Argentina 814.00 2000 18 Papua New Guinea 801.00 1987 19 Bolivia 622.50 2000 20 Malaysia 580.00 1999 21 Philippines 479.00 1999 22 Cambodia 476.10 1999 23 Mexico 457.20 2000 24 Ecuador 432.00 2000 25 Japan 430.00 1999 26 Thailand 409.90 1999 27 Australia 398.00 1995 28 New Zealand 397.00 1995 29 Norway 381.40 2005 30 Madagascar 337.00 1984 31 Paraguay 336.00 2000 32 Laos 333.60 2003 33 Nigeria 286.20 2003 34 Cameroon 285.50 2003 35 Guyana 241.00 2000 36 Turkey 234.00 2003 37 Pakistan 233.80 2003 38 Liberia 232.00 1987 39 Guinea 226.00 1987 40 Mozambique 216.00 1992 41 Nepal 210.20 1999 42 Serbia 208.50 2003 43 Nicaragua 196.70 2000 44 France 189.00 2005 45 Germany 188.00 2005 46 Angola 184.00 1987 47 Sweden 179.00 2005 48 Italy 175.00 2005 49 Iceland 170.00 2005 50 Gabon 164.00 1987 51 United Kingdom 160.60 2005 52 Sierra Leone 160.00 1987 53 Sudan 154.00 1997 54 Panama 148.00 2000 55 Central African Republic 144.40 2003 56 Ukraine 139.50 1997 57 Uruguay 139.00 2000 58 Iran 137.50 1997 59 Suriname 122.00 2003 60 Hungary 120.00 2005 61 Costa Rica 112.40 2000 62 Guatemala 111.30 2000 63 Spain 111.10 2005 64 Ethiopia 110.00 1987 65 Finland 110.00 2005 66 Kazakhstan 109.60 1997 67 Croatia 105.50 1998 68 Zambia 105.20 2001 69 Mali 100.00 2001 70 Tajikistan 99.70 1997 71 Iraq 96.40 1997 72 Honduras 95.90 2000 73 Bhutan 95.00 1987 74 Tanzania 91.00 2001 75 Netherlands 89.70 2005 76 Egypt 86.80 1997 77 Austria 84.00 2005 78 Cote d'Ivoire 81.00 2001 79 Korea, North 77.10 1999 80 Portugal 73.60 2005 81 Uzbekistan 72.20 2003 82 Greece 72.00 2005 83 Korea, South 69.70 1999 84 Taiwan 67.00 2000 85 Uganda 66.00 1970 86 Afghanistan 65.00 1997 87 Georgia 63.30 1997 88 Poland 63.10 2005 89 Turkmenistan 60.90 1997 90 Belarus 58.00 1997 91 Switzerland 53.30 2005 92 Ghana 53.20 2001 93 Slovakia 50.10 2003 94 Sri Lanka 50.00 1999 95 South Africa 50.00 1990 96 Latvia 49.90 2005 97 Ireland 46.80 2003 98 Kyrgyzstan 46.50 1997 99 Syria 46.10 1997 100 Namibia 45.50 1991 101 Solomon Islands 44.70 1987 102 Chad 43.00 1987 103 Romania 42.30 2003 104 Albania 41.70 2001 105 Senegal 39.40 1987 106 Cuba 38.10 2000 107 Bosnia and Herzegovina 37.50 2003 108 Mongolia 34.80 1999 109 Niger 33.70 2003 110 Slovenia 32.10 2005 111 Guinea-Bissau 31.00 2003 112 Azerbaijan 30.30 1997 113 Kenya 30.20 1990 114 Morocco 29.00 2003 115 Fiji 28.60 1987 116 Equatorial Guinea 26.00 2001 117 Benin 25.80 2001 118 El Salvador 25.20 2001 119 Lithuania 24.50 2005 120 Estonia 21.10 2005 121 Dominican Republic 21.00 2000 122 Belgium 20.80 2005 123 Zimbabwe 20.00 1987 124 Bulgaria 19.40 2005 125 Belize 18.60 2000 126 Burkina Faso 17.50 2001 127 Malawi 17.30 2001 128 Czech Republic 16.00 2005 129 Somalia 15.70 1997 130 Botswana 14.70 2001 131 Togo 14.70 2001 132 Algeria 14.30 1997 133 Haiti 14.00 2000 134 Moldova 11.70 1997 135 Mauritania 11.40 1997 136 Armenia 10.50 1997 137 Jamaica 9.40 2000 138 Brunei 8.50 1999 139 Gambia, The 8.00 1982 140 Macedonia 6.40 2001 141 Eritrea 6.30 2001 142 Denmark 6.10 2003 143 Lesotho 5.20 1987 144 Rwanda 5.20 2003 145 Lebanon 4.80 1997 146 Tunisia 4.60 2003 147 Swaziland 4.50 1987 148 Yemen 4.10 1997 149 Trinidad and Tobago 3.80 2000 150 Burundi 3.60 1987 151 Saudi Arabia 2.40 1997 152 Mauritius 2.20 2001 153 Israel 1.70 2001 154 Luxembourg 1.60 2005 155 Comoros 1.20 2003 156 Oman 1.00 1997 157 Jordan 0.90 1997 158 Libya 0.60 1997 159 Singapore 0.60 1975 160 Cyprus 0.40 2005 161 Cape Verde 0.30 1990 162 Djibouti 0.30 1997 163 United Arab Emirates 0.20 1997 164 Antigua and Barbuda 0.10 2000 165 Bahrain 0.10 1997 166 Qatar 0.10 1997 167 Barbados 0.10 2003 168 Malta 0.07 2005 169 Maldives 0.03 1999 170 Kuwait 0.02 1997 171 Saint Kitts and Nevis 0.02 2000

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Rank code: 2202

Country Comparison :: Freshwater withdrawal

(domestic/industrial/agricultural) This entry provides the annual quantity of water in cubic kilometers removed from available sources for use in any purpose. Water drawn-off is not necessarily entirely consumed and some portion may be returned for further use downstream. Domestic sector use refers to water supplied by public distribution systems. Note that some of this total may be used for small industrial and/or limited agricultural purposes. Industrial sector use is the quantity of water used by self-supplied industries not connected to a public distribution system. Agricultural sector use includes water used for irrigation and livestock watering, and does not account for agriculture directly dependent on rainfall. Included are figures for total annual water withdrawal and per capita water withdrawal.

Rank country () Date of Information

1 Turkmenistan 5,104.00 2000 2 Kazakhstan 2,360.00 2000 3 Uzbekistan 2,194.00 2000 4 Guyana 2,187.00 2000 5 Hungary 2,082.00 2001 6 Azerbaijan 2,051.00 2000 7 Kyrgyzstan 1,916.00 2000 8 Tajikistan 1,837.00 2000 9 United States 1,600.00 2000 10 Suriname 1,489.00 2000 11 Iraq 1,482.00 2000 12 Canada 1,386.00 1996 13 Thailand 1,288.00 2000 14 Ecuador 1,283.00 2000 15 Australia 1,193.00 2000 16 Macedonia 1,118.00 2000 17 Pakistan 1,072.00 2000 18 Estonia 1,060.00 2002 19 Portugal 1,056.00 1998 20 Iran 1,048.00 2000 21 Syria 1,048.00 2000 22 Sudan 1,030.00 2000 23 Swaziland 1,010.00 2000 24 Armenia 977.00 2000 25 Lithuania 971.00 2003 26 Egypt 923.00 2000 27 Uruguay 910.00 2000 28 Bulgaria 895.00 2003 29 Spain 864.00 2002 30 Vietnam 847.00 2000 31 Georgia 808.00 2000 32 Ukraine 807.00 2000 33 Madagascar 804.00 2000 34 Greece 782.00 1997 35 Afghanistan 779.00 2000 36 Chile 770.00 2000 37 Argentina 753.00 2000 38 Mexico 731.00 2000 39 Libya 730.00 2000 40 Cuba 728.00 2000 41 Italy 723.00 1998 42 Peru 720.00 2000 43 Belgium 714.00 1998 44 Saudi Arabia 705.00 2000 45 Japan 690.00 2000 46 Burma 658.00 2000 47 India 645.84 2000 48 Costa Rica 619.00 2000 49 Sri Lanka 608.00 2000 50 India 585.00 2000 51 Iceland 567.00 2003 52 Bangladesh 560.00 2000 53 Belize 556.00 2000 54 Mauritania 554.00 2000 55 China 549.76 2000 56 Moldova 549.00 2000 57 France 548.00 2000 58 Albania 546.00 2000 59 Netherlands 544.00 2001 60 Turkey 544.00 2001 61 Russia 535.00 2000 62 Oman 529.00 2000 63 New Zealand 524.00 2000 64 Norway 519.00 1996 65 United Arab Emirates 511.00 2000 66 Laos 507.00 2000 67 Mauritius 488.00 2000 68 Mali 484.00 2000 69 United States 477.00 2000 70 Germany 460.00 2001 71 Slovenia 457.00 2002 72 Austria 448.00 1999 73 Finland 444.00 1999 74 China 415.00 2000 75 Bahrain 411.00 2000 76 Korea, North 401.00 2000 77 Morocco 400.00 2000 78 Somalia 400.00 2000 79 Korea, South 389.00 2000 80 Lebanon 385.00 2000 81 Dominican Republic 381.00 2000 82 Nepal 375.00 2000 83 Indonesia 372.00 2000 84 Qatar 358.00 2000 85 Malaysia 356.00 2000 86 Switzerland 348.00 2002 87 Philippines 343.00 2000 88 Barbados 333.00 2000 89 Zimbabwe 324.00 2002 90 Brazil 318.00 2000 91 Yemen 316.00 2000 92 Venezuela 313.00 2000 93 Israel 305.00 2000 94 Poland 304.00 2002 95 Romania 299.00 2003 96 Sweden 296.00 2002 97 Cambodia 290.00 2000 98 Belarus 286.00 2000 99 Ireland 284.00 1994 100 South Africa 264.00 2000 101 Tunisia 261.00 2000 102 Panama 254.00 2000 103 Cyprus 250.00 2000 104 Brunei 243.00 1994 105 Nicaragua 237.00 2000 106 Trinidad and Tobago 237.00 2000 107 Colombia 235.00 2000 108 Equatorial Guinea 220.00 2000 109 Dominica 213.00 1996 110 Bhutan 199.00 2000 111 United Kingdom 197.00 1994 112 Slovakia 193.00 2003 113 Senegal 190.00 2002 114 Czech Republic 187.00 2002 115 El Salvador 186.00 2000 116 Algeria 185.00 2000 117 Jordan 177.00 2000 118 Pakistan 169.39 2000 119 Mongolia 166.00 2000 120 Kuwait 164.00 2000 121 Guinea 161.00 2000 122 Guatemala 160.00 2000 123 Bolivia 157.00 2000 124 Niger 156.00 2000 125 Jamaica 155.00 2000 126 Zambia 149.00 2000 127 Namibia 148.00 2000 128 Tanzania 135.00 2000 129 Denmark 123.00 2002 130 Luxembourg 121.00 1999 131 Honduras 119.00 2000 132 Haiti 116.00 2000 133 Guinea-Bissau 113.00 2000 134 Latvia 108.00 2003 135 Botswana 107.00 2000 136 Japan 88.43 2000 137 Gabon 87.00 2000 138 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 83.00 1995 139 Indonesia 82.78 2000 140 Thailand 82.75 2000 141 Fiji 82.00 2000 142 Saint Lucia 81.00 1997 143 Paraguay 80.00 2000 144 Bangladesh 79.40 2000 145 Mexico 78.22 2000 146 Malawi 78.00 2000 147 Russia 76.68 2000 148 Iran 72.88 2000 149 Ethiopia 72.00 2002 150 Vietnam 71.39 2000 151 Sierra Leone 69.00 2000 152 Egypt 68.30 2000 153 Eritrea 68.00 2000 154 Antigua and Barbuda 63.00 1990 155 Cameroon 61.00 2000 156 Nigeria 61.00 2000 157 Burkina Faso 60.00 2000 158 Brazil 59.30 2000 159 Uzbekistan 58.34 2000 160 Cote d'Ivoire 51.00 2000 161 Malta 50.00 2000 162 Kenya 46.00 2000 163 Canada 44.72 1996 164 Ghana 44.00 2000 165 Singapore 44.00 1975 166 Iraq 42.70 2000 167 Italy 41.98 1998 168 Turkey 39.78 2001 169 Cape Verde 39.00 2000 170 Germany 38.01 2001 171 Burundi 38.00 2000 172 Ukraine 37.53 2000 173 Sudan 37.32 2000 174 Spain 37.22 2002 175 Kazakhstan 35.00 2000 176 Liberia 34.00 2000 177 Burma 33.23 2000 178 France 33.16 2000 179 Mozambique 32.00 2000 180 Argentina 29.19 2000 181 Philippines 28.52 2000 182 Lesotho 28.00 2000 183 Togo 28.00 2000 184 Djibouti 25.00 2000 185 Turkmenistan 24.65 2000 186 Australia 24.06 2000 187 Chad 24.00 2000 188 Afghanistan 23.26 2000 189 Angola 22.00 2000 190 Hungary 21.03 2001 191 Peru 20.13 2000 192 Gambia, The 20.00 2000 193 Syria 19.95 2000 194 Korea, South 18.59 2000 195 Saudi Arabia 17.32 2000 196 Azerbaijan 17.25 2000 197 Papua New Guinea 17.00 1987 198 Rwanda 17.00 2000 199 Ecuador 16.98 2000 200 Benin 15.00 2001 201 Madagascar 14.96 2000 202 Comoros 13.00 1999 203 Sri Lanka 12.61 2000 204 Morocco 12.60 2000 205 Chile 12.55 2000 206 South Africa 12.50 2000 207 Tajikistan 11.96 2000 208 United Kingdom 11.75 1994 209 Poland 11.73 2002 210 Portugal 11.09 1998 211 Colombia 10.71 2000 212 Nepal 10.18 2000 213 Kyrgyzstan 10.08 2000 214 Uganda 10.00 2002 215 Korea, North 9.02 2000 216 Malaysia 9.02 2000 217 Maldives 9.00 1987 218 Netherlands 8.86 2001 219 Greece 8.70 1997 220 Venezuela 8.37 2000 221 Cuba 8.20 2000 222 Nigeria 8.01 2000 223 Congo, Republic of the 8.00 2000 224 Belgium 7.44 1998 225 Central African Republic 7.00 2000 226 Bulgaria 6.92 2003 227 Yemen 6.63 2000 228 Mali 6.55 2000 229 Romania 6.50 2003 230 Algeria 6.07 2000 231 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 6.00 2000 232 Ethiopia 5.56 2002 233 Tanzania 5.18 2000 234 Libya 4.27 2000 235 Zimbabwe 4.21 2002 236 Cambodia 4.08 2000 237 Austria 3.67 1999 238 Georgia 3.61 2000 239 Dominican Republic 3.39 2000 240 Lithuania 3.33 2003 241 Somalia 3.29 2000 242 Uruguay 3.15 2000 243 Laos 3.00 2000 244 Armenia 2.95 2000 245 Belarus 2.79 2000 246 Costa Rica 2.68 2000 247 Sweden 2.68 2002 248 Tunisia 2.64 2000 249 Switzerland 2.52 2002 250 Norway 2.40 1996 251 Finland 2.33 1999 252 Moldova 2.31 2000 253 United Arab Emirates 2.30 2000 254 Macedonia 2.27 2000 255 Senegal 2.22 2002 256 Niger 2.18 2000 257 New Zealand 2.11 2000 258 Israel 2.05 2000 259 Guatemala 2.01 2000 260 Czech Republic 1.91 2002 261 Zambia 1.74 2000 262 Albania 1.71 2000 263 Mauritania 1.70 2000 264 Guyana 1.64 2000 265 Kenya 1.58 2000 266 Guinea 1.51 2000 267 Bolivia 1.44 2000 268 Estonia 1.41 2002 269 Lebanon 1.38 2000 270 Oman 1.36 2000 271 Nicaragua 1.30 2000 272 El Salvador 1.28 2000 273 Ireland 1.18 1994 274 Slovakia 1.04 2003 275 Swaziland 1.04 2000 276 Jordan 1.01 2000 277 Malawi 1.01 2000 278 Cameroon 0.99 2000 279 Haiti 0.99 2000 280 Ghana 0.98 2000 281 Cote d'Ivoire 0.93 2000 282 Slovenia 0.90 2002 283 Honduras 0.86 2000 284 Panama 0.82 2000 285 Burkina Faso 0.80 2000 286 Denmark 0.67 2002 287 Suriname 0.67 2000 288 Mozambique 0.63 2000 289 Mauritius 0.61 2000 290 Paraguay 0.49 2000 291 Kuwait 0.44 2000 292 Mongolia 0.44 2000 293 Bhutan 0.43 2000 294 Jamaica 0.41 2000 295 Sierra Leone 0.38 2000 296 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 0.36 2000 297 Angola 0.35 2000 298 Trinidad and Tobago 0.31 2000 299 Bahrain 0.30 2000 300 Namibia 0.30 2000 301 Eritrea 0.30 2000 302 Uganda 0.30 2002 303 Burundi 0.29 2000 304 Qatar 0.29 2000 305 Latvia 0.25 2003 306 Chad 0.23 2000 307 Cyprus 0.21 2000 308 Botswana 0.19 2000 309 Singapore 0.19 1975 310 Guinea-Bissau 0.18 2000 311 Iceland 0.17 2003 312 Togo 0.17 2000 313 Belize 0.15 2000 314 Rwanda 0.15 2000 315 Benin 0.13 2001 316 Gabon 0.12 2000 317 Equatorial Guinea 0.11 2000 318 Liberia 0.11 2000 319 Papua New Guinea 0.10 1987 320 Barbados 0.09 2000 321 Brunei 0.09 1994 322 Fiji 0.07 2000 323 Luxembourg 0.06 1999 324 Lesotho 0.05 2000 325 Congo, Republic of the 0.03 2000 326 Central African Republic 0.03 2000 327 Gambia, The 0.03 2000 328 Cape Verde 0.02 2000 329 Djibouti 0.02 2000 330 Dominica 0.02 1996 331 Malta 0.02 2000 332 Comoros 0.01 1999 333 Saint Lucia 0.01 1997 334 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 0.01 1995 335 Antigua and Barbuda 0.01 1990 336 Maldives 0.00 1987

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Rank code: 2203

Country Comparison :: Geographic overview

Rank country Geographic overview Date of Information

======================================================================

Rank code: 2204

Country Comparison :: Economy of the area administered by Turkish

Cypriots

Rank country Economy of the area administered by Turkish CypriotsDate

of Information 1 Cyprus 1.50 NA 2 Cyprus 1.43 NA 3 Cyprus 1.43 NA 4 Cyprus 1.34 NA 5 Cyprus 1.32 NA

======================================================================

Rank code: 2205

Country Comparison :: School life expectancy (primary to tertiary

education) School life expectancy (SLE) is the total number of years of schooling (primary to tertiary) that a child can expect to receive, assuming that the probability of his or her being enrolled in school at any particular future age is equal to the current enrollment ratio at that age. Caution must be maintained when utilizing this indicator in international comparisons. For example, a year or grade completed in one country is not necessarily the same in terms of educational content or quality as a year or grade completed in another country. SLE represents the expected number of years of schooling that will be completed, including years spent repeating one or more grades.

Rank country (years) Date of Information

1 Australia 21.00 2006 2 Australia 20.00 2006 3 New Zealand 20.00 2006 4 Australia 20.00 2006 5 Iceland 19.00 2006 6 British Virgin Islands 19.00 2005 7 New Zealand 19.00 2006 8 New Zealand 19.00 2006 9 Ireland 18.00 2006 10 Ireland 18.00 2006 11 Iceland 18.00 2006 12 Norway 18.00 2006 13 Korea, South 18.00 2007 14 Finland 18.00 2006 15 Canada 17.00 2004 16 Canada 17.00 2004 17 Canada 17.00 2004 18 Cuba 17.00 2006 19 Ireland 17.00 2006 20 Italy 17.00 2006 21 Iceland 17.00 2006 22 Greece 17.00 2006 23 Greece 17.00 2006 24 Greece 17.00 2006 25 France 17.00 2006 26 Finland 17.00 2006 27 Finland 17.00 2006 28 Estonia 17.00 2006 29 United Kingdom 17.00 2006 30 Sweden 17.00 2006 31 Spain 17.00 2006 32 Slovenia 17.00 2006 33 Slovenia 17.00 2006 34 Norway 17.00 2006 35 Norway 17.00 2006 36 Netherlands 17.00 2006 37 Libya 17.00 2003 38 Libya 17.00 2003 39 Lithuania 17.00 2006 40 Latvia 17.00 2006 41 Korea, South 17.00 2007 42 British Virgin Islands 17.00 2005 43 Denmark 17.00 2006 44 Denmark 17.00 2006 45 Argentina 16.00 2005 46 Belgium 16.00 2006 47 Austria 16.00 2006 48 Bahrain 16.00 2006 49 Belgium 16.00 2006 50 Belgium 16.00 2006 51 Italy 16.00 2006 52 Italy 16.00 2006 53 Israel 16.00 2006 54 Hungary 16.00 2006 55 Germany 16.00 2006 56 Germany 16.00 2006 57 Germany 16.00 2006 58 France 16.00 2006 59 France 16.00 2006 60 United Kingdom 16.00 2006 61 United Kingdom 16.00 2006 62 Sweden 16.00 2006 63 Spain 16.00 2006 64 Spain 16.00 2006 65 Slovenia 16.00 2006 66 Portugal 16.00 2006 67 Poland 16.00 2006 68 Netherlands 16.00 2006 69 Uruguay 16.00 2006 70 United States 16.00 2006 71 United States 16.00 2006 72 Montserrat 16.00 2006 73 Montserrat 16.00 2006 74 Macau 16.00 2006 75 Libya 16.00 2003 76 Liechtenstein 16.00 2004 77 Lithuania 16.00 2006 78 Latvia 16.00 2006 79 Kazakhstan 16.00 2007 80 Netherlands 16.00 2006 81 Estonia 16.00 2006 82 Denmark 16.00 2006 83 Cuba 16.00 2006 84 Argentina 15.00 2005 85 Austria 15.00 2006 86 Austria 15.00 2006 87 Belarus 15.00 2006 88 Czech Republic 15.00 2006 89 Japan 15.00 2006 90 Japan 15.00 2006 91 Japan 15.00 2006 92 Israel 15.00 2006 93 Israel 15.00 2006 94 Hungary 15.00 2006 95 Hungary 15.00 2006 96 Czech Republic 15.00 2006 97 Czech Republic 15.00 2006 98 British Virgin Islands 15.00 2005 99 Uruguay 15.00 2006 100 United States 15.00 2006 101 Ukraine 15.00 2006 102 Switzerland 15.00 2006 103 Switzerland 15.00 2006 104 Switzerland 15.00 2006 105 Sweden 15.00 2006 106 Portugal 15.00 2006 107 Portugal 15.00 2006 108 Poland 15.00 2006 109 Poland 15.00 2006 110 Netherlands Antilles 15.00 2002 111 Malta 15.00 2005 112 Malta 15.00 2005 113 Malta 15.00 2005 114 Montserrat 15.00 2006 115 Seychelles 15.00 2007 116 Seychelles 15.00 2007 117 Palau 15.00 2000 118 Palau 15.00 2000 119 Macau 15.00 2006 120 Liechtenstein 15.00 2004 121 Slovakia 15.00 2006 122 Slovakia 15.00 2006 123 Lithuania 15.00 2006 124 Kazakhstan 15.00 2007 125 Kazakhstan 15.00 2007 126 Korea, South 15.00 2007 127 Estonia 15.00 2006 128 Brazil 15.00 2005 129 Cuba 15.00 2006 130 Belarus 15.00 2006 131 Bahrain 15.00 2006 132 Aruba 14.00 2006 133 Aruba 14.00 2006 134 Argentina 14.00 2005 135 West Bank 14.00 2006 136 West Bank 14.00 2006 137 Uruguay 14.00 2006 138 Ukraine 14.00 2006 139 Ukraine 14.00 2006 140 Tunisia 14.00 2006 141 Tunisia 14.00 2006 142 Thailand 14.00 2006 143 Thailand 14.00 2006 144 Saint Lucia 14.00 2006 145 Saint Lucia 14.00 2006 146 Seychelles 14.00 2007 147 Russia 14.00 2006 148 Russia 14.00 2006 149 Romania 14.00 2006 150 Romania 14.00 2006 151 Romania 14.00 2006 152 Qatar 14.00 2006 153 Palau 14.00 2000 154 Panama 14.00 2006 155 Peru 14.00 2006 156 Peru 14.00 2006 157 Peru 14.00 2006 158 Netherlands Antilles 14.00 2002 159 Netherlands Antilles 14.00 2002 160 Mexico 14.00 2006 161 Mauritius 14.00 2005 162 Mauritius 14.00 2005 163 Macau 14.00 2006 164 Luxembourg 14.00 2006 165 Luxembourg 14.00 2006 166 Slovakia 14.00 2006 167 Latvia 14.00 2006 168 Gaza Strip 14.00 2006 169 Gaza Strip 14.00 2006 170 Guyana 14.00 2005 171 Chile 14.00 2006 172 Mongolia 14.00 2006 173 Brunei 14.00 2006 174 Brunei 14.00 2006 175 Brunei 14.00 2006 176 Bulgaria 14.00 2006 177 Bulgaria 14.00 2006 178 Brazil 14.00 2005 179 Brazil 14.00 2005 180 Belarus 14.00 2006 181 Croatia 14.00 2006 182 Croatia 14.00 2006 183 Hong Kong 14.00 2006 184 Hong Kong 14.00 2006 185 Dominica 14.00 2005 186 Cyprus 14.00 2006 187 Cyprus 14.00 2006 188 Chile 14.00 2006 189 Chile 14.00 2006 190 Bermuda 14.00 2005 191 Barbados 14.00 2001 192 Bahrain 14.00 2006 193 Aruba 13.00 2006 194 Algeria 13.00 2005 195 Algeria 13.00 2005 196 Barbados 13.00 2001 197 Barbados 13.00 2001 198 West Bank 13.00 2006 199 Tunisia 13.00 2006 200 Tonga 13.00 2004 201 Tonga 13.00 2004 202 Tonga 13.00 2004 203 Thailand 13.00 2006 204 Saint Lucia 13.00 2006 205 South Africa 13.00 2004 206 South Africa 13.00 2004 207 South Africa 13.00 2004 208 Saint Kitts and Nevis 13.00 2005 209 Russia 13.00 2006 210 Marshall Islands 13.00 2003 211 Marshall Islands 13.00 2003 212 Marshall Islands 13.00 2003 213 Qatar 13.00 2006 214 Qatar 13.00 2006 215 Panama 13.00 2006 216 Panama 13.00 2006 217 Suriname 13.00 2002 218 Malaysia 13.00 2005 219 Malaysia 13.00 2005 220 Mexico 13.00 2006 221 Mexico 13.00 2006 222 Mauritius 13.00 2005 223 Lebanon 13.00 2006 224 Kuwait 13.00 2006 225 Kuwait 13.00 2006 226 Kiribati 13.00 2005 227 Kyrgyzstan 13.00 2006 228 Jordan 13.00 2006 229 Jordan 13.00 2006 230 Jordan 13.00 2006 231 Hong Kong 13.00 2006 232 Mongolia 13.00 2006 233 Moldova 13.00 2006 234 Luxembourg 13.00 2006 235 Liechtenstein 13.00 2004 236 Lebanon 13.00 2006 237 Lebanon 13.00 2006 238 Gaza Strip 13.00 2006 239 Guyana 13.00 2005 240 Guyana 13.00 2005 241 Georgia 13.00 2006 242 Fiji 13.00 2005 243 Fiji 13.00 2005 244 Fiji 13.00 2005 245 Cayman Islands 13.00 2001 246 Iran 13.00 2005 247 Iran 13.00 2005 248 Iran 13.00 2005 249 Croatia 13.00 2006 250 Cayman Islands 13.00 2001 251 Bulgaria 13.00 2006 252 Belize 13.00 2004 253 Belize 13.00 2004 254 Belize 13.00 2004 255 Bermuda 13.00 2005 256 Bermuda 13.00 2005 257 Algeria 13.00 2005 258 Dominican Republic 13.00 2004 259 Dominica 13.00 2005 260 Dominica 13.00 2005 261 Cyprus 13.00 2006 262 Colombia 13.00 2006 263 United Arab Emirates 12.00 2003 264 Botswana 12.00 2005 265 Botswana 12.00 2005 266 Colombia 12.00 2006 267 Costa Rica 12.00 2005 268 Costa Rica 12.00 2005 269 Cape Verde 12.00 2006 270 Samoa 12.00 2001 271 Samoa 12.00 2001 272 Samoa 12.00 2001 273 Venezuela 12.00 2003 274 Venezuela 12.00 2003 275 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 12.00 2005 276 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 12.00 2005 277 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 12.00 2005 278 Uzbekistan 12.00 2007 279 Turkey 12.00 2006 280 Turks and Caicos Islands 12.00 2005 281 Tajikistan 12.00 2006 282 Saint Kitts and Nevis 12.00 2005 283 Saint Kitts and Nevis 12.00 2005 284 Philippines 12.00 2006 285 Philippines 12.00 2006 286 Paraguay 12.00 2005 287 Paraguay 12.00 2005 288 Paraguay 12.00 2005 289 Suriname 12.00 2002 290 Niue 12.00 2005 291 Niue 12.00 2005 292 Niue 12.00 2005 293 Malaysia 12.00 2005 294 Maldives 12.00 2006 295 Maldives 12.00 2006 296 Maldives 12.00 2006 297 Oman 12.00 2006 298 Oman 12.00 2006 299 Macedonia 12.00 2005 300 Macedonia 12.00 2005 301 Macedonia 12.00 2005 302 Mongolia 12.00 2006 303 Moldova 12.00 2006 304 Moldova 12.00 2006 305 Kuwait 12.00 2006 306 Kiribati 12.00 2005 307 Kiribati 12.00 2005 308 Kyrgyzstan 12.00 2006 309 Kyrgyzstan 12.00 2006 310 Jamaica 12.00 2003 311 Jamaica 12.00 2003 312 Indonesia 12.00 2005 313 Honduras 12.00 2004 314 Grenada 12.00 2005 315 Grenada 12.00 2005 316 Grenada 12.00 2005 317 Georgia 12.00 2006 318 Georgia 12.00 2006 319 El Salvador 12.00 2006 320 El Salvador 12.00 2006 321 El Salvador 12.00 2006 322 Dominican Republic 12.00 2004 323 Dominican Republic 12.00 2004 324 Cape Verde 12.00 2006 325 Costa Rica 12.00 2005 326 Colombia 12.00 2006 327 Cayman Islands 12.00 2001 328 Botswana 12.00 2005 329 Armenia 12.00 2006 330 United Arab Emirates 11.00 2003 331 Albania 11.00 2004 332 Uzbekistan 11.00 2007 333 Uzbekistan 11.00 2007 334 Uganda 11.00 2004 335 Tuvalu 11.00 2001 336 Tuvalu 11.00 2001 337 Oman 11.00 2006 338 Morocco 11.00 2005 339 Liberia 11.00 2000 340 Cape Verde 11.00 2006 341 China 11.00 2006 342 China 11.00 2006 343 China 11.00 2006 344 Bhutan 11.00 2006 345 Anguilla 11.00 2006 346 Anguilla 11.00 2006 347 Trinidad and Tobago 11.00 2005 348 Trinidad and Tobago 11.00 2005 349 Trinidad and Tobago 11.00 2005 350 Philippines 11.00 2006 351 Nicaragua 11.00 2003 352 Nicaragua 11.00 2003 353 Nicaragua 11.00 2003 354 Suriname 11.00 2002 355 Vanuatu 11.00 2004 356 Yemen 11.00 2005 357 Namibia 11.00 2006 358 Namibia 11.00 2006 359 Namibia 11.00 2006 360 Vietnam 11.00 2000 361 Venezuela 11.00 2003 362 Tuvalu 11.00 2001 363 Turkey 11.00 2006 364 Turkey 11.00 2006 365 Togo 11.00 2000 366 Tokelau 11.00 2004 367 Tokelau 11.00 2004 368 Turks and Caicos Islands 11.00 2005 369 Turks and Caicos Islands 11.00 2005 370 Tajikistan 11.00 2006 371 Anguilla 11.00 2006 372 Andorra 11.00 2006 373 Andorra 11.00 2006 374 Andorra 11.00 2006 375 Armenia 11.00 2006 376 Armenia 11.00 2006 377 Albania 11.00 2004 378 Albania 11.00 2004 379 Jamaica 11.00 2003 380 Iraq 11.00 2005 381 India 11.00 2005 382 Indonesia 11.00 2005 383 Indonesia 11.00 2005 384 Honduras 11.00 2004 385 Honduras 11.00 2004 386 Guatemala 11.00 2006 387 Azerbaijan 11.00 2006 388 United Arab Emirates 11.00 2003 389 Afghanistan 11.00 2004 390 Azerbaijan 11.00 2006 391 Azerbaijan 11.00 2006 392 Bhutan 10.00 2006 393 Cambodia 10.00 2006 394 Congo, Republic of the 10.00 2003 395 Swaziland 10.00 2005 396 Swaziland 10.00 2005 397 Swaziland 10.00 2005 398 Vietnam 10.00 2000 399 Vietnam 10.00 2000 400 Uganda 10.00 2004 401 Uganda 10.00 2004 402 Sao Tome and Principe 10.00 2006 403 Sao Tome and Principe 10.00 2006 404 Sao Tome and Principe 10.00 2006 405 Tokelau 10.00 2004 406 Tajikistan 10.00 2006 407 Nepal 10.00 2003 408 Vanuatu 10.00 2004 409 Vanuatu 10.00 2004 410 Kenya 10.00 2004 411 Kenya 10.00 2004 412 Iraq 10.00 2005 413 India 10.00 2005 414 Guinea 10.00 2006 415 Guatemala 10.00 2006 416 Guatemala 10.00 2006 417 Ghana 10.00 2007 418 Equatorial Guinea 10.00 2000 419 Morocco 10.00 2005 420 Malawi 10.00 2004 421 Madagascar 10.00 2006 422 Lesotho 10.00 2006 423 Lesotho 10.00 2006 424 Lesotho 10.00 2006 425 Liberia 10.00 2000 426 Laos 10.00 2006 427 Equatorial Guinea 10.00 2000 428 Cook Islands 10.00 2005 429 Cook Islands 10.00 2005 430 Cook Islands 10.00 2005 431 Cameroon 10.00 2006 432 Cambodia 10.00 2006 433 Bhutan 10.00 2006 434 Benin 9.00 2001 435 Zimbabwe 9.00 2003 436 Zimbabwe 9.00 2003 437 Zimbabwe 9.00 2003 438 Yemen 9.00 2005 439 Nauru 9.00 2006 440 Nepal 9.00 2003 441 Nigeria 9.00 2004 442 Malawi 9.00 2004 443 Malawi 9.00 2004 444 Madagascar 9.00 2006 445 Madagascar 9.00 2006 446 Laos 9.00 2006 447 Kenya 9.00 2004 448 India 9.00 2005 449 Ghana 9.00 2007 450 Ghana 9.00 2007 451 Togo 9.00 2000 452 Rwanda 9.00 2005 453 Rwanda 9.00 2005 454 Mozambique 9.00 2005 455 Morocco 9.00 2005 456 Equatorial Guinea 9.00 2000 457 Cameroon 9.00 2006 458 Comoros 9.00 2004 459 Congo, Republic of the 9.00 2003 460 Cambodia 9.00 2006 461 Solomon Islands 9.00 2005 462 Afghanistan 8.00 2004 463 Burma 8.00 2001 464 Nauru 8.00 2006 465 Nauru 8.00 2006 466 Nepal 8.00 2003 467 Nigeria 8.00 2004 468 Ethiopia 8.00 2007 469 Ethiopia 8.00 2007 470 Comoros 8.00 2004 471 Cameroon 8.00 2006 472 Congo, Republic of the 8.00 2003 473 Sierra Leone 8.00 2001 474 Rwanda 8.00 2005 475 Burundi 8.00 2006 476 Solomon Islands 8.00 2005 477 Solomon Islands 8.00 2005 478 Burma 8.00 2001 479 Bangladesh 8.00 2004 480 Bangladesh 8.00 2004 481 Burma 8.00 2001 482 Bangladesh 8.00 2004 483 Mozambique 8.00 2005 484 Mauritania 8.00 2006 485 Mauritania 8.00 2006 486 Mauritania 8.00 2006 487 Mali 8.00 2005 488 Liberia 8.00 2000 489 Laos 8.00 2006 490 Iraq 8.00 2005 491 Guinea 8.00 2006 492 Benin 7.00 2001 493 Burundi 7.00 2006 494 Burundi 7.00 2006 495 Chad 7.00 2005 496 Gambia, The 7.00 2004 497 Yemen 7.00 2005 498 Togo 7.00 2000 499 Sierra Leone 7.00 2001 500 Guinea-Bissau 7.00 2001 501 Pakistan 7.00 2006 502 Pakistan 7.00 2006 503 Nigeria 7.00 2004 504 Mozambique 7.00 2005 505 Mali 7.00 2005 506 Zambia 7.00 2000 507 Zambia 7.00 2000 508 Zambia 7.00 2000 509 Gambia, The 7.00 2004 510 Guinea 7.00 2006 511 Gambia, The 7.00 2004 512 Ethiopia 7.00 2007 513 Comoros 7.00 2004 514 Benin 6.00 2001 515 Chad 6.00 2005 516 Eritrea 6.00 2004 517 Sierra Leone 6.00 2001 518 Pakistan 6.00 2006 519 Djibouti 5.00 2006 520 Eritrea 5.00 2004 521 Burkina Faso 5.00 2006 522 Burkina Faso 5.00 2006 523 Guinea-Bissau 5.00 2001 524 Niger 5.00 2006 525 Mali 5.00 2005 526 Afghanistan 4.00 2004 527 Burkina Faso 4.00 2006 528 Guinea-Bissau 4.00 2001 529 Niger 4.00 2006 530 Djibouti 4.00 2006 531 Eritrea 4.00 2004 532 Djibouti 4.00 2006 533 Chad 4.00 2005 534 Niger 3.00 2006

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Rank code: 2206

Country Comparison :: Education expenditures

This entry provides the public expenditure on education as a percent of GDP.

Rank country (% of GDP) Date of Information

1 Kiribati 17.80 2002 2 Lesotho 13.00 2006 3 Marshall Islands 11.80 2004 4 Palau 10.30 2002 5 Yemen 9.60 2001 6 Vanuatu 9.50 2003 7 Uzbekistan 9.40 1991 8 Saint Kitts and Nevis 9.30 2005 9 Cuba 9.10 2006 10 Botswana 8.70 2007 11 Djibouti 8.40 2006 12 Denmark 8.30 2005 13 Guyana 8.30 2006 14 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 8.10 2005 15 Maldives 8.00 2006 16 Iceland 7.60 2004 17 Moldova 7.60 2006 18 Micronesia, Federated States of 7.30 2000 19 Tunisia 7.30 2005 20 Norway 7.20 2005 21 Sweden 7.10 2005 22 Bhutan 7.00 2005 23 Swaziland 7.00 2005 24 Barbados 6.90 2005 25 Israel 6.90 2004 26 Namibia 6.90 2003 27 Kenya 6.90 2006 28 Saudi Arabia 6.80 2004 29 Saint Lucia 6.60 2006 30 Fiji 6.50 2004 31 Seychelles 6.50 2006 32 Bolivia 6.40 2003 33 Finland 6.40 2005 34 Cape Verde 6.30 2006 35 Cyprus 6.30 2004 36 Ukraine 6.30 2006 37 Malaysia 6.20 2004 38 New Zealand 6.20 2006 39 Belarus 6.10 2006 40 Belgium 6.00 2004 41 Slovenia 6.00 2005 42 Sudan 6.00 1991 43 Ethiopia 6.00 2006 44 Malawi 5.80 2003 45 Switzerland 5.80 2005 46 France 5.70 2005 47 United Kingdom 5.60 2005 48 Hungary 5.50 2005 49 Mexico 5.50 2005 50 Portugal 5.50 2005 51 Poland 5.50 2005 52 Austria 5.40 2005 53 South Africa 5.40 2006 54 Ghana 5.40 2005 55 Belize 5.30 2004 56 Jamaica 5.30 2005 57 United States 5.30 2005 58 Netherlands 5.30 2005 59 Brunei 5.20 2000 60 Guinea-Bissau 5.20 1999 61 Uganda 5.20 2004 62 Grenada 5.20 2003 63 Canada 5.20 2002 64 Algeria 5.10 1999 65 Malta 5.10 2004 66 Latvia 5.10 2004 67 Iran 5.10 2006 68 Estonia 5.10 2004 69 Burundi 5.10 2005 70 Dominica 5.00 1999 71 Tonga 5.00 2004 72 Lithuania 5.00 2005 73 Mongolia 5.00 2004 74 Senegal 5.00 2006 75 Mozambique 5.00 2005 76 Costa Rica 4.90 2004 77 Jordan 4.90 1999 78 Kyrgyzstan 4.90 2005 79 Aruba 4.80 2005 80 Colombia 4.70 2006 81 Ireland 4.70 2005 82 Germany 4.60 2004 83 Cote d'Ivoire 4.60 2001 84 Zimbabwe 4.60 2000 85 Korea, South 4.60 2004 86 Australia 4.50 2005 87 Mali 4.50 2006 88 Italy 4.50 2005 89 Croatia 4.50 2004 90 Bulgaria 4.50 2005 91 Benin 4.40 2004 92 Greece 4.40 2005 93 Monaco 4.40 2004 94 Czech Republic 4.40 2004 95 Samoa 4.30 2002 96 Egypt 4.20 2006 97 Spain 4.20 2005 98 Burkina Faso 4.20 2006 99 Thailand 4.20 2005 100 Trinidad and Tobago 4.20 2002 101 Anguilla 4.00 2005 102 Turkey 4.00 2004 103 Oman 4.00 2006 104 Paraguay 4.00 2004 105 Brazil 4.00 2004 106 Antigua and Barbuda 3.90 2002 107 Bahrain 3.90 1991 108 Turkmenistan 3.90 1991 109 Syria 3.90 1999 110 Mauritius 3.90 2006 111 Slovakia 3.90 2005 112 Hong Kong 3.90 2006 113 Argentina 3.80 2004 114 Panama 3.80 2004 115 Rwanda 3.80 2005 116 Sierra Leone 3.80 2005 117 Russia 3.80 2005 118 Gabon 3.80 2000 119 Kuwait 3.80 2006 120 Comoros 3.80 2002 121 Honduras 3.80 1991 122 Singapore 3.70 2001 123 British Virgin Islands 3.70 2006 124 Venezuela 3.70 2006 125 Bahamas, The 3.60 2000 126 Dominican Republic 3.60 2006 127 Indonesia 3.60 2006 128 Japan 3.50 2005 129 Romania 3.50 2005 130 Macedonia 3.50 2002 131 Luxembourg 3.40 1999 132 Tajikistan 3.40 2006 133 Nepal 3.40 2003 134 Niger 3.40 2006 135 Solomon Islands 3.30 1999 136 Qatar 3.30 2005 137 Montserrat 3.30 2004 138 Cameroon 3.30 2006 139 Armenia 3.20 2001 140 India 3.20 2005 141 Chile 3.20 2006 142 El Salvador 3.10 2006 143 Nicaragua 3.10 2003 144 Madagascar 3.10 2006 145 Georgia 3.10 2006 146 Laos 3.00 2006 147 Albania 2.90 2002 148 Uruguay 2.90 2006 149 Mauritania 2.90 2006 150 Cayman Islands 2.80 2005 151 Bangladesh 2.70 2005 152 Libya 2.70 1999 153 Lebanon 2.70 2006 154 Guatemala 2.60 2006 155 Pakistan 2.60 2006 156 Togo 2.60 2002 157 Peru 2.50 2006 158 Philippines 2.50 2005 159 Angola 2.40 2005 160 Macau 2.40 2005 161 Eritrea 2.40 2006 162 Andorra 2.30 2006 163 Kazakhstan 2.30 2005 164 Tanzania 2.20 1999 165 Azerbaijan 2.10 2006 166 Gambia, The 2.00 2004 167 Zambia 2.00 2005 168 Chad 1.90 2005 169 Congo, Republic of the 1.90 2005 170 China 1.90 1999 171 Vietnam 1.80 1991 172 Cambodia 1.70 2004 173 Guinea 1.60 2005 174 Central African Republic 1.40 2006 175 Haiti 1.40 1991 176 United Arab Emirates 1.30 2005 177 Bermuda 1.20 2006 178 Burma 1.20 2001 179 Ecuador 1.00 2001 180 Nigeria 0.90 1991 181 Equatorial Guinea 0.60 2003 182 Cook Islands 0.20 2001

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Rank code: 2207

Country Comparison :: Central bank discount rate

This entry provides the annualized interest rate a country's central bank charges commercial, depository banks for loans to meet temporary shortages of funds.

Rank country (%) Date of Information

1 Zimbabwe 975.00 31 December 2007 2 Venezuela 28.50 31 December 2007 3 Sao Tome and Principe 28.00 31 December 2007 4 Turkey 25.00 31 December 2007 5 Guinea 22.25 31 December 2005 6 Iraq 20.00 31 December 2007 7 Paraguay 20.00 31 December 2007 8 Angola 19.57 31 December 2007 9 Brazil 17.85 31 December 2007 10 Costa Rica 17.00 31 December 2007 11 Tanzania 16.40 31 December 2007 12 Iceland 15.25 31 December 2007 13 Sri Lanka 15.00 31 December 2007 14 Tajikistan 15.00 31 December 2007 15 Malawi 15.00 31 December 2007 16 Uganda 14.68 31 December 2007 17 Botswana 14.50 31 December 2007 18 Ghana 13.50 31 December 2007 19 Azerbaijan 13.00 31 December 2007 20 Lesotho 12.82 31 December 2007 21 Laos 12.67 31 December 2007 22 Maldives 12.50 31 December 2007 23 Rwanda 12.50 31 December 2007 24 Barbados 12.00 31 December 2007 25 Burma 12.00 31 December 2007 26 Belize 12.00 31 December 2007 27 Mauritania 12.00 31 December 2007 28 Lebanon 12.00 31 December 2007 29 Zambia 11.73 31 December 2007 30 Colombia 11.50 31 December 2007 31 Kazakhstan 11.00 31 December 2007 32 South Africa 11.00 31 December 2007 33 Swaziland 11.00 31 December 2007 34 Ecuador 10.72 31 December 2007 35 Namibia 10.50 31 December 2007 36 Burundi 10.12 31 December 2007 37 Belarus 10.00 31 December 2007 38 Russia 10.00 31 December 2007 39 Uruguay 10.00 31 December 2007 40 Trinidad and Tobago 10.00 31 December 2007 41 Gambia, The 10.00 31 December 2007 42 Pakistan 10.00 31 December 2007 43 Mozambique 9.95 31 December 2007 44 Mongolia 9.87 31 December 2007 45 Serbia 9.57 31 December 2007 46 Nigeria 9.50 31 December 2007 47 Fiji 9.25 31 December 2007 48 Egypt 9.00 31 December 2007 49 Croatia 9.00 31 December 2007 50 Cape Verde 8.50 31 December 2007 51 New Zealand 8.25 31 December 2007 52 Indonesia 8.00 31 December 2007 53 Ukraine 8.00 31 December 2007 54 Hungary 7.50 31 December 2007 55 Papua New Guinea 7.38 31 December 2007 56 Jordan 7.00 31 December 2007 57 Antigua and Barbuda 6.50 31 December 2007 58 Anguilla 6.50 31 December 2007 59 Bolivia 6.50 31 December 2007 60 Vietnam 6.50 31 December 2007 61 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 6.50 31 December 2007 62 Saint Lucia 6.50 31 December 2007 63 Saint Kitts and Nevis 6.50 31 December 2007 64 Macedonia 6.50 31 December 2007 65 Montserrat 6.50 31 December 2007 66 Guyana 6.50 31 December 2007 67 Grenada 6.50 31 December 2007 68 Dominica 6.50 31 December 2007 69 Albania 6.25 31 December 2007 70 Kuwait 6.25 31 December 2007 71 Norway 6.25 31 December 2007 72 Nepal 6.25 31 December 2007 73 Chile 6.00 31 December 2007 74 India 6.00 31 December 2007 75 Vanuatu 6.00 31 December 2007 76 Latvia 6.00 31 December 2007 77 Hong Kong 5.75 31 December 2007 78 Peru 5.75 31 December 2007 79 Qatar 5.50 31 December 2007 80 Comoros 5.36 31 December 2007 81 Bahamas, The 5.25 31 December 2007 82 Chad 5.25 31 December 2007 83 Gabon 5.25 31 December 2007 84 Equatorial Guinea 5.25 31 December 2007 85 Central African Republic 5.25 31 December 2007 86 Cameroon 5.25 31 December 2007 87 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 5.25 31 December 2007 88 Congo, Republic of the 5.25 31 December 2007 89 Cambodia 5.25 31 December 2007 90 Seychelles 5.13 31 December 2007 91 Aruba 5.00 31 December 2007 92 Greece 5.00 31 December 2007 93 Germany 5.00 31 December 2007 94 France 5.00 31 December 2007 95 Finland 5.00 31 December 2007 96 Ireland 5.00 31 December 2007 97 European Union 5.00 31 December 2007 98 Cyprus 5.00 31 December 2007 99 Bangladesh 5.00 31 December 2007 100 Belgium 5.00 31 December 2007 101 Syria 5.00 31 December 2007 102 Spain 5.00 31 December 2007 103 Slovenia 5.00 31 December 2007 104 Portugal 5.00 31 December 2007 105 Poland 5.00 31 December 2007 106 Netherlands 5.00 31 December 2007 107 Luxembourg 5.00 31 December 2007 108 Italy 5.00 31 December 2007 109 Lithuania 4.85 31 December 2007 110 United States 4.83 31 December 2007 111 Bulgaria 4.58 31 December 2007 112 Canada 4.50 31 December 2007 113 Philippines 4.28 31 December 2007 114 Benin 4.25 31 December 2007 115 Slovakia 4.25 31 December 2007 116 Cote d'Ivoire 4.25 31 December 2007 117 Burkina Faso 4.25 31 December 2007 118 Togo 4.25 31 December 2007 119 Senegal 4.25 31 December 2007 120 Guinea-Bissau 4.25 31 December 2007 121 Niger 4.25 31 December 2007 122 Mali 4.25 31 December 2007 123 Algeria 4.00 31 December 2007 124 Israel 4.00 31 December 2007 125 Libya 4.00 31 December 2007 126 Denmark 4.00 31 December 2007 127 Thailand 3.75 31 December 2007 128 Czech Republic 3.50 31 December 2007 129 Sweden 3.50 31 December 2007 130 China 3.33 31 December 2007 131 Korea, South 3.25 31 December 2007 132 Morocco 3.25 31 December 2007 133 Switzerland 2.05 31 December 2007 134 Oman 1.98 31 December 2007 135 Japan 0.75 31 December 2007

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Rank code: 2208

Country Comparison :: Commercial bank prime lending rate

This entry provides a simple average of annualized interest rates commercial banks charge on new loans, denominated in the national currency, to their most credit-worthy customers.

Rank country (%) Date of Information

1 Zimbabwe 578.96 31 December 2007 2 Haiti 46.99 31 December 2007 3 Madagascar 45.00 31 December 2007 4 Brazil 43.72 31 December 2007 5 Sao Tome and Principe 32.40 31 December 2007 6 Laos 28.50 31 December 2007 7 Argentina 28.00 28 November 2008 8 Gambia, The 27.92 31 December 2007 9 Malawi 27.72 31 December 2007 10 Kyrgyzstan 25.32 31 December 2007 11 Paraguay 25.03 31 December 2007 12 Sierra Leone 25.00 31 December 2007 13 Peru 24.10 December 2008 14 Mauritius 21.87 31 December 2007 15 Georgia 20.41 31 December 2007 16 Iraq 19.74 31 December 2007 17 Mozambique 19.52 31 December 2007 18 Iceland 19.29 31 December 2007 19 Azerbaijan 19.13 31 December 2007 20 Uganda 19.11 31 December 2007 21 Zambia 18.89 31 December 2007 22 Moldova 18.83 31 December 2007 23 Afghanistan 18.14 31 December 2007 24 Yemen 18.00 31 December 2007 25 Angola 17.70 31 December 2007 26 Mongolia 17.54 31 December 2007 27 Armenia 17.52 31 December 2007 28 Jamaica 17.20 31 December 2007 29 Venezuela 17.11 31 December 2007 30 Burma 17.00 31 December 2007 31 Nigeria 16.94 31 December 2007 32 Burundi 16.84 31 December 2007 33 Honduras 16.61 31 December 2007 34 Botswana 16.22 31 December 2007 35 Cambodia 16.18 31 December 2007 36 Tanzania 16.03 31 December 2007 37 Bangladesh 16.00 31 December 2007 38 Rwanda 15.84 31 December 2007 39 Dominican Republic 15.83 31 December 2007 40 Liberia 15.05 31 December 2007 41 Timor-Leste 15.05 31 December 2007 42 Chad 15.00 31 December 2007 43 Gabon 15.00 31 December 2007 44 Equatorial Guinea 15.00 31 December 2007 45 Central African Republic 15.00 31 December 2007 46 Congo, Republic of the 15.00 31 December 2007 47 Cameroon 15.00 31 December 2007 48 Guyana 14.61 31 December 2007 49 Belize 14.33 31 December 2007 50 Lesotho 14.13 31 December 2007 51 Solomon Islands 14.12 31 December 2007 52 Albania 14.10 31 December 2007 53 Micronesia, Federated States of 14.03 31 December 2007 54 Bhutan 14.00 31 December 2007 55 Romania 13.35 31 December 2007 56 Kenya 13.34 31 December 2007 57 South Africa 13.17 31 December 2007 58 Swaziland 13.17 31 December 2007 59 Nicaragua 13.04 31 December 2007 60 Maldives 13.00 31 December 2007 61 Namibia 12.88 31 December 2007 62 Bolivia 12.86 31 December 2007 63 Guatemala 12.84 31 December 2007 64 New Zealand 12.83 31 December 2007 65 Costa Rica 12.80 31 December 2007 66 Samoa 12.65 31 December 2007 67 Egypt 12.51 31 December 2007 68 Tonga 12.16 31 December 2007 69 Iran 12.00 31 December 2007 70 Trinidad and Tobago 11.75 31 December 2007 71 Ukraine 11.33 31 December 2007 72 Vietnam 11.18 31 December 2007 73 Serbia 11.13 31 December 2007 74 Aruba 11.01 31 December 2007 75 Italy 10.93 31 December 2007 76 Seychelles 10.89 31 December 2007 77 Barbados 10.80 31 December 2007 78 Cape Verde 10.55 31 December 2007 79 Comoros 10.50 31 December 2007 80 Antigua and Barbuda 10.44 31 December 2007 81 Montserrat 10.40 31 December 2007 82 Lebanon 10.26 31 December 2007 83 Macedonia 10.23 31 December 2007 84 Australia 10.02 31 December 2007 85 Bulgaria 10.00 31 December 2007 86 Papua New Guinea 9.78 31 December 2007 87 Anguilla 9.76 31 December 2007 88 Grenada 9.76 31 December 2007 89 Suriname 9.71 31 December 2007 90 Netherlands Antilles 9.21 31 December 2007 91 Dominica 9.17 31 December 2007 92 Montenegro 9.09 31 December 2007 93 Fiji 9.01 31 December 2007 94 Saint Kitts and Nevis 8.89 31 December 2007 95 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 8.80 31 December 2007 96 Netherlands 8.72 31 December 2007 97 Philippines 8.69 31 December 2007 98 Chile 8.67 31 December 2007 99 Belarus 8.58 31 December 2007 100 Kuwait 8.54 31 December 2007 101 Bahrain 8.35 31 December 2007 102 Saint Lucia 8.34 31 December 2007 103 Panama 8.25 31 December 2007 104 Vanuatu 8.16 31 December 2007 105 United States 8.05 31 December 2007 106 European Union 8.03 31 December 2007 107 Algeria 8.00 31 December 2007 108 Portugal 7.92 31 December 2007 109 El Salvador 7.81 31 December 2007 110 Gaza Strip 7.73 31 December 2006 111 West Bank 7.73 31 December 2006 112 Greece 7.71 31 December 2007 113 San Marino 7.58 31 December 2007 114 Mexico 7.56 31 December 2007 115 Qatar 7.43 31 December 2007 116 Oman 7.29 31 December 2007 117 Thailand 7.25 31 December 2007 118 Uruguay 7.25 31 December 2007 119 Indonesia 7.21 31 December 2007 120 Bosnia and Herzegovina 7.17 31 December 2007 121 Ethiopia 7.00 31 December 2006 122 Lithuania 6.86 31 December 2007 123 Slovenia 6.82 31 December 2007 124 Cyprus 6.74 31 December 2007 125 Ireland 6.52 31 December 2007 126 Estonia 6.46 31 December 2007 127 Malaysia 6.41 31 December 2007 128 Austria 6.30 31 December 2007 129 Israel 6.27 31 December 2007 130 Malta 6.24 31 December 2007 131 Canada 6.10 31 December 2007 132 Libya 6.00 31 December 2007 133 Germany 5.96 31 December 2007 134 Czech Republic 5.79 31 December 2007 135 Poland 5.72 31 December 2007 136 China 5.58 17 December 2007 137 United Kingdom 5.52 31 December 2007 138 Bahamas, The 5.50 31 December 2007 139 Brunei 5.50 February 2009 140 Sweden 4.00 2004 141 Norway 3.50 1st quarter 2009 142 Switzerland 3.15 31 December 2007

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Rank code: 2209

Country Comparison :: Stock of money

This entry, also known as "M1," comprises the total quantity of currency in circulation (notes and coins) plus demand deposits denominated in the national currency, held by nonbank financial institutions, state and local governments, nonfinancial public enterprises, and the private sector of the economy. The national currency units have been converted to US dollars at the closing exchange rate on the date of the information.

Rank country Stock of money Date of Information

1 European Union $ 5,542,000,000,000 31 December 2008 2 Japan $ 5,417,000,000,000 31 December 2008 3 China $ 2,434,000,000,000 31 December 2008 4 United States $ 1,436,000,000,000 31 December 2008 5 Canada $ 356,200,000,000 31 December 2008 6 Russia $ 252,500,000,000 31 December 2008 7 Switzerland $ 207,000,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 8 Sweden $ 185,400,000,000 31 December 2008 9 Denmark $ 143,000,000,000 31 December 2008 10 Poland $ 118,200,000,000 31 December 2008 11 Saudi Arabia $ 113,200,000,000 31 December 2008 12 Brazil $ 95,030,000,000 31 December 2008 13 Mexico $ 92,340,000,000 31 December 2008 14 Czech Republic $ 86,550,000,000 31 December 2008 15 Korea, South $ 80,660,000,000 31 December 2008 16 Venezuela $ 79,910,000,000 31 December 2008 17 Syria $ 73,540,000,000 31 December 2008 18 Hong Kong $ 63,030,000,000 31 December 2008 19 Algeria $ 60,910,000,000 31 December 2008 20 Turkey $ 53,250,000,000 31 December 2008 21 Singapore $ 52,570,000,000 31 December 2008 22 Malaysia $ 51,510,000,000 31 December 2008 23 South Africa $ 44,660,000,000 31 December 2008 24 Indonesia $ 41,710,000,000 31 December 2008 25 Nigeria $ 35,290,000,000 31 December 2008 26 Hungary $ 32,780,000,000 31 December 2008 27 Egypt $ 31,720,000,000 31 December 2008 28 Ukraine $ 29,240,000,000 31 December 2008 29 Thailand $ 28,760,000,000 31 December 2008 30 Libya $ 26,660,000,000 31 December 2008 31 Iraq $ 26,100,000,000 31 December 2008 32 Slovakia $ 25,520,000,000 31 December 2008 33 Romania $ 25,300,000,000 31 December 2008 34 Philippines $ 22,530,000,000 31 December 2008 35 Colombia $ 21,580,000,000 31 December 2008 36 Kazakhstan $ 16,120,000,000 31 December 2008 37 Peru $ 15,420,000,000 31 December 2008 38 Kuwait $ 15,310,000,000 31 December 2008 39 Chile $ 14,720,000,000 31 December 2008 40 Bulgaria $ 14,290,000,000 31 December 2008 41 Qatar $ 13,980,000,000 31 December 2008 42 New Zealand $ 13,700,000,000 31 December 2008 43 Croatia $ 10,710,000,000 31 December 2008 44 Tunisia $ 9,892,000,000 31 December 2008 45 Lithuania $ 9,519,000,000 31 December 2008 46 Bangladesh $ 9,294,000,000 31 December 2008 47 Angola $ 8,446,000,000 31 December 2008 48 Latvia $ 6,688,000,000 31 December 2008 49 Azerbaijan $ 6,381,000,000 31 December 2008 50 Estonia $ 6,106,000,000 31 December 2008 51 Guatemala $ 6,106,000,000 31 December 2008 52 Kenya $ 6,068,000,000 31 December 2008 53 Ecuador $ 5,907,000,000 31 December 2008 54 Oman $ 5,250,000,000 31 December 2008 55 Belarus $ 4,872,000,000 31 December 2008 56 Malta $ 4,639,000,000 31 January 2008 57 Bosnia and Herzegovina $ 4,490,000,000 31 December 2008 58 Costa Rica $ 4,209,000,000 31 December 2008 59 Bolivia $ 3,998,000,000 31 December 2008 60 Serbia $ 3,831,000,000 31 December 2008 61 Panama $ 3,764,000,000 31 December 2008 62 Dominican Republic $ 3,619,000,000 31 December 2008 63 Brunei $ 3,046,000,000 31 December 2008 64 Albania $ 3,028,000,000 31 December 2008 65 Sri Lanka $ 2,550,000,000 30 September 2008 66 Tanzania $ 2,464,000,000 31 December 2008 67 Trinidad and Tobago $ 2,390,000,000 31 December 2008 68 Uruguay $ 2,247,000,000 31 December 2008 69 Nepal $ 2,106,000,000 31 December 2008 70 Paraguay $ 2,062,000,000 31 December 2008 71 Papua New Guinea $ 2,005,000,000 31 December 2008 72 Namibia $ 1,983,000,000 31 December 2008 73 Afghanistan $ 1,688,000,000 31 December 2008 74 Mauritius $ 1,680,000,000 31 December 2008 75 Barbados $ 1,637,000,000 31 December 2008 76 Honduras $ 1,633,000,000 31 December 2008 77 Macau $ 1,591,000,000 31 December 2008 78 Uganda $ 1,488,000,000 31 December 2008 79 Mozambique $ 1,406,000,000 31 December 2008 80 Armenia $ 1,359,000,000 31 December 2008 81 Macedonia $ 1,307,000,000 31 December 2008 82 Bahamas, The $ 1,255,000,000 31 December 2008 83 Jamaica $ 1,253,000,000 31 December 2008 84 Madagascar $ 1,217,000,000 31 December 2008 85 Moldova $ 1,116,000,000 31 December 2008 86 Zambia $ 1,034,000,000 31 December 2008 87 Botswana $ 1,008,000,000 31 December 2008 88 Georgia $ 972,400,000 31 December 2008 89 Eritrea $ 896,200,000 31 December 2008 90 Aruba $ 780,400,000 31 December 2008 91 Cambodia $ 591,700,000 31 December 2008 92 Cape Verde $ 563,400,000 31 December 2008 93 Mongolia $ 521,200,000 31 December 2008 94 Nicaragua $ 507,500,000 31 December 2008 95 Suriname $ 484,700,000 31 December 2008 96 Maldives $ 475,200,000 31 December 2008 97 Djibouti $ 462,700,000 31 December 2008 98 Lesotho $ 416,500,000 31 December 2008 99 Belize $ 345,700,000 31 December 2008 100 Guyana $ 344,200,000 31 December 2008 101 Antigua and Barbuda $ 296,400,000 31 December 2008 102 Burundi $ 261,600,000 31 December 2008 103 Saint Lucia $ 261,300,000 31 December 2008 104 Rwanda $ 233,600,000 31 December 2005 105 El Salvador $ 213,700,000 31 December 2008 106 Swaziland $ 211,800,000 31 December 2008 107 Seychelles $ 164,800,000 31 December 2008 108 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines $ 150,800,000 31 December 2008 109 Grenada $ 141,400,000 31 December 2008 110 Saint Kitts and Nevis $ 107,200,000 31 December 2008 111 Timor-Leste $ 102,800,000 31 December 2008 112 Vanuatu $ 101,600,000 31 December 2008 113 Comoros $ 100,600,000 31 December 2008 114 Solomon Islands $ 86,960,000 31 December 2008 115 Dominica $ 72,100,000 31 December 2008 116 Samoa $ 60,130,000 31 December 2008 117 Tonga $ 36,160,000 31 December 2008 118 Sao Tome and Principe $ 27,840,000 31 December 2008 119 Anguilla $ 21,120,000 31 December 2008 120 Montserrat $ 16,710,000 31 December 2008

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Rank code: 2210

Country Comparison :: Stock of quasi money

This entry comprises the total quantity of time and savings deposits denominated in the national currency, held by nonbank financial institutions, state and local governments, nonfinancial public enterprises, and the private sector of the economy. When added together with "M1" the total money supply is known as "M2." The national currency units have been converted to US dollars at the closing exchange rate on the date of the information.

Rank country Stock of quasi money Date of Information

1 United States $ 10,990,000,000,000 31 December 2008 2 Japan $ 6,160,000,000,000 31 December 2008 3 European Union $ 5,631,000,000,000 31 December 2008 4 China $ 4,523,000,000,000 31 December 2008 5 Canada $ 1,299,000,000,000 31 December 2008 6 Brazil $ 724,500,000,000 31 December 2008 7 Taiwan $ 618,000,000,000 November 2008 8 Korea, South $ 478,000,000,000 31 December 2008 9 Switzerland $ 477,600,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 10 Hong Kong $ 352,400,000,000 31 December 2008 11 Russia $ 318,400,000,000 31 December 2008 12 Turkey $ 248,400,000,000 31 December 2008 13 Thailand $ 237,500,000,000 31 December 2008 14 Malaysia $ 200,900,000,000 31 December 2008 15 Singapore $ 179,000,000,000 31 December 2008 16 Mexico $ 147,400,000,000 31 December 2008 17 Saudi Arabia $ 134,300,000,000 31 December 2008 18 Indonesia $ 131,500,000,000 31 December 2008 19 South Africa $ 124,100,000,000 31 December 2008 20 Egypt $ 112,200,000,000 31 December 2008 21 Poland $ 109,000,000,000 31 December 2008 22 New Zealand $ 99,910,000,000 31 December 2008 23 Denmark $ 95,820,000,000 31 December 2008 24 Syria $ 73,930,000,000 31 December 2008 25 Chile $ 73,660,000,000 31 December 2008 26 Kuwait $ 63,080,000,000 31 December 2008 27 Czech Republic $ 58,600,000,000 31 December 2008 28 Sweden $ 54,550,000,000 31 December 2008 29 Hungary $ 47,490,000,000 31 December 2008 30 Bangladesh $ 37,980,000,000 31 December 2008 31 Ukraine $ 37,320,000,000 31 December 2008 32 Qatar $ 36,580,000,000 31 December 2008 33 Romania $ 36,090,000,000 31 December 2008 34 Kazakhstan $ 35,760,000,000 31 December 2008 35 Croatia $ 33,170,000,000 31 December 2008 36 Nigeria $ 32,040,000,000 31 December 2008 37 Algeria $ 30,360,000,000 31 December 2008 38 Slovakia $ 27,710,000,000 31 December 2008 39 Colombia $ 26,570,000,000 31 December 2008 40 Peru $ 25,320,000,000 31 December 2008 41 Macau $ 22,150,000,000 31 December 2008 42 Bulgaria $ 19,670,000,000 31 December 2008 43 Jordan $ 17,980,000,000 31 December 2008 44 Panama $ 15,840,000,000 31 December 2008 45 Iceland $ 15,050,000,000 31 December 2006 46 Tunisia $ 14,720,000,000 31 December 2008 47 Oman $ 14,570,000,000 31 December 2008 48 Serbia $ 11,950,000,000 31 December 2008 49 Venezuela $ 10,930,000,000 31 December 2008 50 Angola $ 10,410,000,000 31 December 2008 51 Guatemala $ 9,700,000,000 31 December 2008 52 Uruguay $ 9,409,000,000 31 December 2008 53 Ecuador $ 9,383,000,000 31 December 2008 54 Sri Lanka $ 9,010,000,000 30 September 2008 55 Belarus $ 8,784,000,000 31 December 2008 56 Malta $ 8,771,000,000 31 January 2008 est. 57 Lithuania $ 8,419,000,000 31 December 2008 58 Mauritius $ 6,914,000,000 31 December 2008 59 Bolivia $ 6,339,000,000 31 December 2008 60 Albania $ 6,251,000,000 31 December 2008 61 Dominican Republic $ 5,902,000,000 31 December 2008 62 Bosnia and Herzegovina $ 5,614,000,000 31 December 2008 63 Honduras $ 5,574,000,000 31 December 2008 64 Latvia $ 5,572,000,000 31 December 2008 65 Estonia $ 5,478,000,000 31 December 2008 66 Kenya $ 5,468,000,000 31 December 2008 67 Iraq $ 5,415,000,000 31 December 2008 68 Gaza Strip $ 5,251,000,000 31 December 2008 69 West Bank $ 5,251,000,000 31 December 2008 70 Nepal $ 4,885,000,000 31 December 2008 71 Bahamas, The $ 4,637,000,000 31 December 2008 72 Brunei $ 4,551,000,000 31 December 2008 73 Libya $ 4,264,000,000 31 December 2008 74 Jamaica $ 4,244,000,000 31 December 2008 75 Botswana $ 4,183,000,000 31 December 2008 76 Azerbaijan $ 4,125,000,000 31 December 2008 77 Barbados $ 3,701,000,000 31 December 2008 78 Trinidad and Tobago $ 3,506,000,000 31 December 2008 79 Tanzania $ 3,362,000,000 31 December 2008 80 Macedonia $ 3,254,000,000 31 December 2008 81 Costa Rica $ 3,143,000,000 31 December 2008 82 Cambodia $ 2,328,000,000 31 December 2008 83 Moldova $ 1,928,000,000 31 December 2008 84 Nicaragua $ 1,810,000,000 31 December 2008 85 Mozambique $ 1,752,000,000 31 December 2008 86 Papua New Guinea $ 1,726,000,000 31 December 2008 87 Zambia $ 1,618,000,000 31 December 2008 88 Georgia $ 1,606,000,000 31 December 2008 89 Paraguay $ 1,599,000,000 31 December 2008 90 Uganda $ 1,485,000,000 31 December 2008 91 Mongolia $ 1,288,000,000 31 December 2008 92 Afghanistan $ 1,219,000,000 31 December 2008 93 Namibia $ 1,158,000,000 31 December 2008 94 Eritrea $ 1,053,000,000 31 December 2008 95 Suriname $ 1,018,000,000 31 December 2008 96 Armenia $ 950,100,000 31 December 2008 97 Antigua and Barbuda $ 939,900,000 31 December 2008 98 Aruba $ 890,300,000 31 December 2008 99 Guyana $ 817,600,000 31 December 2008 100 Saint Lucia $ 800,100,000 31 December 2008 101 El Salvador $ 788,700,000 31 December 2008 102 Cape Verde $ 721,300,000 31 December 2008 103 Saint Kitts and Nevis $ 680,600,000 31 December 2008 104 Madagascar $ 667,200,000 31 December 2008 105 Belize $ 653,800,000 31 December 2008 106 Grenada $ 578,100,000 31 December 2008 107 Tajikistan $ 544,000,000 31 December 2008 108 Maldives $ 487,800,000 31 December 2008 109 Anguilla $ 449,500,000 31 December 2008 110 Swaziland $ 441,500,000 31 December 2008 111 Vanuatu $ 430,000,000 31 December 2008 112 Djibouti $ 338,000,000 31 December 2008 113 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines $ 302,700,000 31 December 2008 114 Dominica $ 289,900,000 31 December 2008 115 Rwanda $ 227,400,000 31 December 2005 116 Burundi $ 189,900,000 31 December 2008 117 Seychelles $ 188,500,000 31 December 2008 118 Samoa $ 162,800,000 31 December 2008 119 Lesotho $ 108,100,000 31 December 2008 120 Tonga $ 100,700,000 31 December 2008 121 Solomon Islands $ 96,790,000 31 December 2008 122 Timor-Leste $ 89,880,000 31 December 2008 123 Montserrat $ 45,420,000 31 December 2008 124 Comoros $ 41,740,000 31 December 2008 125 Sao Tome and Principe $ 36,950,000 31 December 2008

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Rank code: 2211

Country Comparison :: Stock of domestic credit

This entry is the total quantity of credit, denominated in the domestic currency, provided by banks to nonbanking institutions. The national currency units have been converted to US dollars at the closing exchange rate on the date of the information.

Rank country Stock of domestic credit Date of Information

1 European Union $ 21,170,000,000,000 31 December 2008 2 United States $ 15,060,000,000,000 31 December 2008 3 Japan $ 12,340,000,000,000 31 December 2008 4 China $ 5,555,000,000,000 31 December 2008 5 Germany $ 5,019,000,000,000 31 December 2008 6 France $ 4,102,000,000,000 31 December 2008 7 Spain $ 3,450,000,000,000 31 December 2008 8 Italy $ 3,046,000,000,000 31 December 2008 9 Canada $ 2,335,000,000,000 31 December 2008 10 Netherlands $ 1,824,000,000,000 31 December 2008 11 Brazil $ 1,249,000,000,000 31 December 2008 12 Korea, South $ 937,000,000,000 31 December 2008 13 Switzerland $ 864,400,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 14 Belgium $ 767,100,000,000 31 December 2008 15 Ireland $ 738,600,000,000 31 December 2008 16 Denmark $ 695,800,000,000 31 December 2008 17 Taiwan $ 677,800,000,000 November 2008 18 Austria $ 606,200,000,000 31 December 2008 19 Sweden $ 549,000,000,000 31 December 2008 20 Portugal $ 491,000,000,000 31 December 2008 21 Greece $ 394,600,000,000 31 December 2008 22 Luxembourg $ 369,600,000,000 31 December 2008 23 Russia $ 367,200,000,000 31 December 2008 24 Turkey $ 326,400,000,000 31 December 2008 25 Mexico $ 287,000,000,000 31 December 2008 26 Thailand $ 274,100,000,000 31 December 2008 27 Poland $ 258,300,000,000 31 December 2008 28 Malaysia $ 246,700,000,000 31 December 2008 29 Finland $ 241,100,000,000 31 December 2008 30 South Africa $ 214,800,000,000 31 December 2008 31 Indonesia $ 166,200,000,000 31 December 2008 32 New Zealand $ 164,400,000,000 31 December 2008 33 Singapore $ 143,600,000,000 31 December 2008 34 Egypt $ 126,500,000,000 31 December 2008 35 Chile $ 116,400,000,000 31 December 2008 36 Hungary $ 114,300,000,000 31 December 2008 37 Czech Republic $ 110,500,000,000 31 December 2008 38 Ukraine $ 101,100,000,000 31 December 2008 39 Colombia $ 89,690,000,000 31 December 2008 40 Kuwait $ 88,770,000,000 31 December 2008 41 Syria $ 84,310,000,000 31 December 2008 42 Cyprus $ 80,680,000,000 31 December 2008 43 Romania $ 72,850,000,000 31 December 2008 44 Venezuela $ 62,420,000,000 31 December 2008 45 Qatar $ 59,430,000,000 31 December 2008 46 Slovakia $ 50,940,000,000 31 December 2008 47 Slovenia $ 50,310,000,000 31 December 2008 48 Croatia $ 49,790,000,000 31 December 2008 49 Nigeria $ 49,510,000,000 31 December 2008 50 Bangladesh $ 47,030,000,000 31 December 2008 51 Kazakhstan $ 44,530,000,000 31 December 2008 52 Bulgaria $ 32,040,000,000 31 December 2008 53 Lithuania $ 29,210,000,000 31 December 2008 54 Latvia $ 28,960,000,000 31 December 2008 55 Tunisia $ 26,500,000,000 31 December 2008 56 Jordan $ 25,050,000,000 31 December 2008 57 Estonia $ 22,020,000,000 31 December 2008 58 Peru $ 21,980,000,000 31 December 2008 59 Panama $ 19,800,000,000 31 December 2008 60 Belarus $ 18,420,000,000 31 December 2008 61 Oman $ 17,830,000,000 31 December 2008 62 Dominican Republic $ 17,370,000,000 31 December 2008 63 Serbia $ 17,060,000,000 31 December 2008 64 Malta $ 16,170,000,000 31 December 2008 est. 65 Sri Lanka $ 15,920,000,000 30 September 2008 66 Costa Rica $ 15,150,000,000 31 December 2008 67 Guatemala $ 14,820,000,000 31 December 2008 68 Macau $ 11,500,000,000 31 December 2008 69 Kenya $ 10,830,000,000 31 December 2008 70 Bosnia and Herzegovina $ 10,260,000,000 31 December 2008 71 Ecuador $ 10,130,000,000 31 December 2008 72 Mauritius $ 9,323,000,000 31 December 2008 73 Uruguay $ 9,096,000,000 31 December 2008 74 Albania $ 8,176,000,000 31 December 2008 75 Azerbaijan $ 8,135,000,000 31 December 2008 76 Angola $ 7,893,000,000 31 December 2008 77 Bahamas, The $ 7,883,000,000 31 December 2008 78 Jamaica $ 7,175,000,000 31 December 2008 79 Honduras $ 7,172,000,000 31 December 2008 80 Nepal $ 5,556,000,000 31 December 2008 81 Bolivia $ 5,433,000,000 31 December 2008 82 Barbados $ 4,554,000,000 31 December 2008 83 Nicaragua $ 4,272,000,000 31 December 2008 84 Macedonia $ 3,906,000,000 31 December 2008 85 Georgia $ 3,754,000,000 31 December 2008 86 Namibia $ 3,430,000,000 31 December 2008 87 Trinidad and Tobago $ 3,423,000,000 31 December 2008 88 Tanzania $ 3,297,000,000 31 December 2008 89 Paraguay $ 3,098,000,000 31 December 2008 90 Moldova $ 2,406,000,000 31 December 2008 91 Zambia $ 2,138,000,000 31 December 2008 92 Papua New Guinea $ 2,065,000,000 31 December 2008 93 Armenia $ 1,980,000,000 31 December 2008 94 Eritrea $ 1,851,000,000 31 December 2008 95 Mongolia $ 1,743,000,000 31 December 2008 96 Cambodia $ 1,670,000,000 31 December 2008 97 Maldives $ 1,548,000,000 31 December 2008 98 Uganda $ 1,464,000,000 31 December 2008 99 Saint Lucia $ 1,378,000,000 31 December 2008 100 Gaza Strip $ 1,367,000,000 31 December 2008 101 West Bank $ 1,367,000,000 31 December 2008 102 Aruba $ 1,321,000,000 31 December 2008 103 Mozambique $ 1,315,000,000 31 December 2008 104 Brunei $ 1,274,000,000 31 December 2008 105 El Salvador $ 1,190,000,000 31 December 2008 106 Cape Verde $ 1,153,000,000 31 December 2008 107 Antigua and Barbuda $ 1,130,000,000 31 December 2008 108 Belize $ 955,000,000 31 December 2008 109 Tajikistan $ 889,000,000 31 December 2008 110 Guyana $ 829,400,000 31 December 2008 111 Madagascar $ 820,300,000 31 December 2008 112 Suriname $ 793,100,000 31 December 2008 113 Saint Kitts and Nevis $ 790,800,000 31 December 2008 114 Grenada $ 658,000,000 31 December 2008 115 Anguilla $ 529,600,000 31 December 2008 116 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines $ 417,400,000 31 December 2008 117 Seychelles $ 375,600,000 31 December 2008 118 Burundi $ 370,000,000 31 December 2008 119 Afghanistan $ 363,600,000 31 December 2008 120 Vanuatu $ 274,000,000 31 December 2008 121 Djibouti $ 269,900,000 31 December 2008 122 Dominica $ 213,600,000 31 December 2008 123 Samoa $ 208,500,000 31 December 2008 124 Solomon Islands $ 166,100,000 31 December 2008 125 Comoros $ 79,520,000 31 December 2008 126 Swaziland $ 51,550,000 31 December 2008 127 Sao Tome and Principe $ 20,420,000 31 December 2008 128 Montserrat $ 9,930,000 31 December 2008 129 Togo $ 674,300 31 December 2008

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Rank code: 2212

Country Comparison :: Urbanization

This entry provides two measures of the degree of urbanization of a population. The first, urban population, describes the percentage of the total population living in urban areas, as defined by the country. The second, rate of urbanization, describes the projected average rate of change of the size of the urban population over the given period of time. Additionally, the World entry includes a list of the ten largest urban agglomerations. An urban agglomeration is defined as comprising the city or town proper and also the suburban fringe or thickly settled territory lying outside of, but adjacent to, the boundaries of the city.

Rank country (%) Date of Information

1 Anguilla 100.00 NA 2 Bermuda 100.00 NA 3 Gibraltar 100.00 NA 4 Cayman Islands 100.00 NA 5 Hong Kong 100.00 NA 6 Holy See (Vatican City) 100.00 NA 7 Singapore 100.00 NA 8 Macau 100.00 NA 9 Monaco 100.00 NA 10 Nauru 100.00 NA 11 Kuwait 98.00 NA 12 Puerto Rico 98.00 NA 13 Belgium 97.00 NA 14 Qatar 96.00 NA 15 Virgin Islands 95.00 NA 16 Malta 94.00 NA 17 San Marino 94.00 NA 18 Netherlands Antilles 93.00 NA 19 Venezuela 93.00 NA 20 American Samoa 92.00 NA 21 Argentina 92.00 NA 22 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 92.00 NA 23 Uruguay 92.00 NA 24 Turks and Caicos Islands 92.00 NA 25 Israel 92.00 NA 26 Iceland 92.00 NA 27 Northern Mariana Islands 91.00 NA 28 United Kingdom 90.00 NA 29 Andorra 89.00 NA 30 Bahrain 89.00 NA 31 Australia 89.00 NA 32 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 89.00 NA 33 Chile 88.00 NA 34 Denmark 87.00 NA 35 New Zealand 87.00 NA 36 Lebanon 87.00 NA 37 Djibouti 87.00 NA 38 Brazil 86.00 NA 39 Gabon 85.00 NA 40 Sweden 85.00 NA 41 Bahamas, The 84.00 NA 42 Greenland 84.00 NA 43 Luxembourg 82.00 NA 44 Netherlands 82.00 NA 45 United States 82.00 NA 46 Saudi Arabia 82.00 NA 47 Korea, South 81.00 NA 48 Palau 81.00 NA 49 Western Sahara 81.00 NA 50 Canada 80.00 NA 51 United Arab Emirates 78.00 NA 52 Libya 78.00 NA 53 Jordan 78.00 NA 54 France 77.00 NA 55 Spain 77.00 NA 56 Norway 77.00 NA 57 Mexico 77.00 NA 58 Cuba 76.00 NA 59 Brunei 75.00 NA 60 Suriname 75.00 NA 61 Colombia 74.00 NA 62 Dominica 74.00 NA 63 Cook Islands 74.00 NA 64 Germany 74.00 NA 65 Belarus 73.00 NA 66 Panama 73.00 NA 67 Switzerland 73.00 NA 68 Russia 73.00 NA 69 Czech Republic 73.00 NA 70 Gaza Strip 72.00 NA 71 West Bank 72.00 NA 72 Oman 72.00 NA 73 Bulgaria 71.00 NA 74 Peru 71.00 NA 75 Marshall Islands 71.00 NA 76 Cyprus 70.00 NA 77 Malaysia 70.00 NA 78 Dominican Republic 69.00 NA 79 Estonia 69.00 NA 80 Turkey 69.00 NA 81 Hungary 68.00 NA 82 Italy 68.00 NA 83 Ukraine 68.00 NA 84 Latvia 68.00 NA 85 Iran 68.00 NA 86 Austria 67.00 NA 87 Macedonia 67.00 NA 88 Tunisia 67.00 NA 89 Lithuania 67.00 NA 90 Iraq 67.00 NA 91 Bolivia 66.00 NA 92 Japan 66.00 NA 93 Ecuador 66.00 NA 94 Algeria 65.00 NA 95 Philippines 65.00 NA 96 New Caledonia 65.00 NA 97 Armenia 64.00 NA 98 Costa Rica 63.00 NA 99 Korea, North 63.00 NA 100 Finland 63.00 NA 101 Congo, Republic of the 61.00 NA 102 Sao Tome and Principe 61.00 NA 103 Greece 61.00 NA 104 El Salvador 61.00 NA 105 Poland 61.00 NA 106 South Africa 61.00 NA 107 Ireland 61.00 NA 108 Botswana 60.00 NA 109 Cape Verde 60.00 NA 110 Paraguay 60.00 NA 111 Montenegro 60.00 NA 112 Liberia 60.00 NA 113 Portugal 59.00 NA 114 Kazakhstan 58.00 NA 115 Angola 57.00 NA 116 Cameroon 57.00 NA 117 Gambia, The 57.00 NA 118 Croatia 57.00 NA 119 Nicaragua 57.00 NA 120 Mongolia 57.00 NA 121 Slovakia 56.00 NA 122 Morocco 56.00 NA 123 Romania 54.00 NA 124 Seychelles 54.00 NA 125 Syria 54.00 NA 126 Georgia 53.00 NA 127 Jamaica 53.00 NA 128 Azerbaijan 52.00 NA 129 Fiji 52.00 NA 130 Indonesia 52.00 NA 131 Serbia 52.00 NA 132 French Polynesia 52.00 NA 133 Belize 52.00 NA 134 Isle of Man 51.00 NA 135 Ghana 50.00 NA 136 Guatemala 49.00 NA 137 Tuvalu 49.00 NA 138 Turkmenistan 49.00 NA 139 Cote d'Ivoire 49.00 NA 140 Honduras 48.00 NA 141 Nigeria 48.00 NA 142 Slovenia 48.00 NA 143 Aruba 47.00 NA 144 Bosnia and Herzegovina 47.00 NA 145 Albania 47.00 NA 146 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 47.00 NA 147 Haiti 47.00 NA 148 Kiribati 44.00 NA 149 China 43.00 NA 150 Egypt 43.00 NA 151 Sudan 43.00 NA 152 Moldova 42.00 NA 153 Mauritius 42.00 NA 154 Senegal 42.00 NA 155 Togo 42.00 NA 156 Benin 41.00 NA 157 Faroe Islands 41.00 NA 158 Mauritania 41.00 NA 159 Barbados 40.00 NA 160 British Virgin Islands 40.00 NA 161 Central African Republic 39.00 NA 162 Equatorial Guinea 39.00 NA 163 Niue 39.00 NA 164 Saint Helena 39.00 NA 165 Maldives 38.00 NA 166 Sierra Leone 38.00 NA 167 Mozambique 37.00 NA 168 Somalia 37.00 NA 169 Namibia 37.00 NA 170 Zimbabwe 37.00 NA 171 Uzbekistan 37.00 NA 172 Kyrgyzstan 36.00 NA 173 Pakistan 36.00 NA 174 Bhutan 35.00 NA 175 Zambia 35.00 NA 176 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 34.00 NA 177 Guinea 34.00 NA 178 Burma 33.00 NA 179 Thailand 33.00 NA 180 Mali 32.00 NA 181 Saint Kitts and Nevis 32.00 NA 182 Grenada 31.00 NA 183 Guernsey 31.00 NA 184 Laos 31.00 NA 185 Yemen 31.00 NA 186 Jersey 31.00 NA 187 Antigua and Barbuda 30.00 NA 188 Guinea-Bissau 30.00 NA 189 India 29.00 NA 190 Madagascar 29.00 NA 191 Comoros 28.00 NA 192 Saint Lucia 28.00 NA 193 Vietnam 28.00 NA 194 Guyana 28.00 NA 195 Bangladesh 27.00 NA 196 Timor-Leste 27.00 NA 197 Chad 27.00 NA 198 Tajikistan 26.00 NA 199 Lesotho 25.00 NA 200 Swaziland 25.00 NA 201 Vanuatu 25.00 NA 202 Tonga 25.00 NA 203 Tanzania 25.00 NA 204 Afghanistan 24.00 NA 205 Samoa 23.00 NA 206 Cambodia 22.00 NA 207 Micronesia, Federated States of 22.00 NA 208 Kenya 22.00 NA 209 Eritrea 21.00 NA 210 Burkina Faso 20.00 NA 211 Malawi 19.00 NA 212 Solomon Islands 18.00 NA 213 Rwanda 18.00 NA 214 Ethiopia 17.00 NA 215 Nepal 17.00 NA 216 Niger 16.00 NA 217 Sri Lanka 15.00 NA 218 Liechtenstein 14.00 NA 219 Montserrat 14.00 NA 220 Trinidad and Tobago 13.00 NA 221 Uganda 13.00 NA 222 Papua New Guinea 12.00 NA 223 Burundi 10.00 NA 224 Burundi 6.80 NA 225 Laos 5.60 NA 226 Liberia 5.60 NA 227 Afghanistan 5.40 NA 228 Eritrea 5.40 NA 229 Maldives 5.30 NA 230 Malawi 5.20 NA 231 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 5.10 NA 232 Timor-Leste 5.00 NA 233 Burkina Faso 5.00 NA 234 Bhutan 4.90 NA 235 Nepal 4.90 NA 236 Yemen 4.90 NA 237 Mali 4.80 NA 238 Chad 4.70 NA 239 Cambodia 4.60 NA 240 Haiti 4.50 NA 241 Angola 4.40 NA 242 Uganda 4.40 NA 243 Ethiopia 4.30 NA 244 Sudan 4.30 NA 245 Togo 4.30 NA 246 Gambia, The 4.20 NA 247 Somalia 4.20 NA 248 Tanzania 4.20 NA 249 Rwanda 4.20 NA 250 Solomon Islands 4.10 NA 251 Mozambique 4.10 NA 252 Vanuatu 4.10 NA 253 Benin 4.00 NA 254 Kenya 4.00 NA 255 Western Sahara 4.00 NA 256 Niger 4.00 NA 257 Madagascar 3.80 NA 258 Nigeria 3.80 NA 259 Bangladesh 3.50 NA 260 Lesotho 3.50 NA 261 Guinea 3.50 NA 262 Ghana 3.50 NA 263 Cape Verde 3.50 NA 264 Cameroon 3.50 NA 265 Guatemala 3.40 NA 266 Gaza Strip 3.30 NA 267 Indonesia 3.30 NA 268 West Bank 3.30 NA 269 Cote d'Ivoire 3.20 NA 270 Guinea-Bissau 3.20 NA 271 Belize 3.10 NA 272 Syria 3.10 NA 273 Vietnam 3.10 NA 274 Senegal 3.10 NA 275 Jordan 3.10 NA 276 Mauritania 3.00 NA 277 Philippines 3.00 NA 278 Sao Tome and Principe 3.00 NA 279 Pakistan 3.00 NA 280 Malaysia 3.00 NA 281 United Arab Emirates 2.90 NA 282 Namibia 2.90 NA 283 Trinidad and Tobago 2.90 NA 284 Sierra Leone 2.90 NA 285 Honduras 2.90 NA 286 Burma 2.90 NA 287 Equatorial Guinea 2.80 NA 288 Paraguay 2.80 NA 289 Congo, Republic of the 2.70 NA 290 Comoros 2.70 NA 291 China 2.70 NA 292 Panama 2.70 NA 293 Marshall Islands 2.70 NA 294 Brunei 2.60 NA 295 Dominican Republic 2.60 NA 296 Algeria 2.50 NA 297 Bolivia 2.50 NA 298 Botswana 2.50 NA 299 Saudi Arabia 2.50 NA 300 Kuwait 2.50 NA 301 American Samoa 2.40 NA 302 India 2.40 NA 303 Costa Rica 2.30 NA 304 Zambia 2.30 NA 305 Central African Republic 2.30 NA 306 Djibouti 2.20 NA 307 Zimbabwe 2.20 NA 308 Turkmenistan 2.20 NA 309 Ireland 2.20 NA 310 Libya 2.20 NA 311 Qatar 2.20 NA 312 Turks and Caicos Islands 2.20 NA 313 Montserrat 2.20 NA 314 Northern Mariana Islands 2.10 NA 315 Ecuador 2.10 NA 316 New Caledonia 2.10 NA 317 Iran 2.10 NA 318 Gabon 2.10 NA 319 Faroe Islands 2.00 NA 320 Venezuela 2.00 NA 321 Oman 2.00 NA 322 Albania 1.90 NA 323 El Salvador 1.90 NA 324 Papua New Guinea 1.90 NA 325 Turkey 1.90 NA 326 Bahrain 1.80 NA 327 Egypt 1.80 NA 328 Kiribati 1.80 NA 329 Palau 1.80 NA 330 Nicaragua 1.80 NA 331 Morocco 1.80 NA 332 Brazil 1.80 NA 333 Colombia 1.70 NA 334 Swaziland 1.70 NA 335 Samoa 1.70 NA 336 British Virgin Islands 1.70 NA 337 Tunisia 1.70 NA 338 Thailand 1.70 NA 339 Iraq 1.70 NA 340 Israel 1.70 NA 341 Fiji 1.60 NA 342 Tajikistan 1.60 NA 343 Uzbekistan 1.60 NA 344 Tonga 1.60 NA 345 Netherlands Antilles 1.60 NA 346 Kyrgyzstan 1.60 NA 347 Barbados 1.50 NA 348 Cayman Islands 1.50 NA 349 Mexico 1.50 NA 350 Saint Helena 1.50 NA 351 Anguilla 1.40 NA 352 Bahamas, The 1.40 NA 353 Portugal 1.40 NA 354 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1.40 NA 355 Saint Kitts and Nevis 1.40 NA 356 Saint Lucia 1.40 NA 357 South Africa 1.40 NA 358 Seychelles 1.40 NA 359 Chile 1.30 NA 360 French Polynesia 1.30 NA 361 United States 1.30 NA 362 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1.30 NA 363 Tuvalu 1.30 NA 364 Peru 1.30 NA 365 Cyprus 1.30 NA 366 Argentina 1.20 NA 367 Singapore 1.20 NA 368 Mongolia 1.20 NA 369 Lebanon 1.20 NA 370 Kazakhstan 1.20 NA 371 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 1.20 NA 372 Australia 1.20 NA 373 Azerbaijan 1.00 NA 374 Canada 1.00 NA 375 Luxembourg 1.00 NA 376 New Zealand 1.00 NA 377 Suriname 1.00 NA 378 Hong Kong 1.00 NA 379 Antigua and Barbuda 0.90 NA 380 Greenland 0.90 NA 381 San Marino 0.90 NA 382 Spain 0.90 NA 383 Mauritius 0.90 NA 384 Netherlands 0.90 NA 385 Jamaica 0.90 NA 386 Korea, North 0.90 NA 387 Finland 0.80 NA 388 France 0.80 NA 389 Puerto Rico 0.80 NA 390 Macedonia 0.80 NA 391 Iceland 0.80 NA 392 Micronesia, Federated States of 0.80 NA 393 Austria 0.70 NA 394 Norway 0.70 NA 395 Macau 0.70 NA 396 Guernsey 0.60 NA 397 Greece 0.60 NA 398 Jersey 0.60 NA 399 Malta 0.60 NA 400 Korea, South 0.60 NA 401 Sri Lanka 0.50 NA 402 Liechtenstein 0.50 NA 403 Serbia 0.50 NA 404 Switzerland 0.50 NA 405 United Kingdom 0.50 NA 406 Sweden 0.50 NA 407 Denmark 0.50 NA 408 Croatia 0.40 NA 409 Uruguay 0.40 NA 410 Italy 0.40 NA 411 Bermuda 0.30 NA 412 Belgium 0.30 NA 413 Nauru 0.30 NA 414 Monaco 0.30 NA 415 Hungary 0.30 NA 416 Grenada 0.30 NA 417 Dominica 0.20 NA 418 Japan 0.20 NA 419 Slovakia 0.20 NA 420 Virgin Islands 0.20 NA 421 Aruba 0.10 NA 422 Germany 0.10 NA 423 Gibraltar 0.10 NA 424 Holy See (Vatican City) 0.10 NA 425 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 0.10 NA 426 Belarus 0.00 NA 427 Cuba 0.00 NA 428 Guyana 0.00 NA 429 Wallis and Futuna 0.00 NA 430 Wallis and Futuna 0.00 NA 431 Tokelau 0.00 NA 432 Tokelau 0.00 NA 433 Pitcairn Islands 0.00 NA 434 Pitcairn Islands 0.00 NA 435 Czech Republic 0.00 NA 436 Romania -0.10 NA 437 Andorra -0.20 NA 438 Isle of Man -0.20 NA 439 Niue -0.20 NA 440 Armenia -0.30 NA 441 Bulgaria -0.30 NA 442 Poland -0.30 NA 443 Estonia -0.30 NA 444 Lithuania -0.40 NA 445 Latvia -0.50 NA 446 Russia -0.50 NA 447 Georgia -0.60 NA 448 Slovenia -0.60 NA 449 Cook Islands -0.70 NA 450 Ukraine -0.70 NA 451 Montenegro -0.80 NA 452 Moldova -1.50 NA

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Appendix A :: Abbreviations

A

ABEDA
Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa

ACCT
Agency for the French-Speaking Community (see International
Organization of the French-speaking World)

ACP Group
African, Caribbean, and Pacific Group of States

AfDB
African Development Bank

AFESD
Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development

Air Pollution
Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution

Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides
Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air
Pollution Concerning the Control of Emissions of Nitrogen Oxides or
Their Transboundary Fluxes

Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants
Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air
Pollution on Persistent Organic Pollutants

Air Pollution-Sulphur 85
Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air
Pollution on the Reduction of Sulphur Emissions or Their Transboundary
Fluxes by at Least 30%

Air Pollution-Sulphur 94
Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air
Pollution on Further Reduction of Sulphur Emissions

Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds
Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air
Pollution Concerning the Control of Emissions of Volatile Organic
Compounds or Their Transboundary Fluxes

AMF
Arab Monetary Fund

Antarctic-Environmental Protocol
Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty

Antarctic Marine Living Resources
Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources

Antarctic Seals
Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals

ANZUS
Australia-New Zealand-United States Security Treaty

APEC
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation

Arabsat
Arab Satellite Communications Organization

ARF
ASEAN Regional Forum

ADB
Asian Development Bank

ASEAN
Association of Southeast Asian Nations

AU
African Union

Autodin
Automatic Digital Network

B

BA
Baltic Assembly

bbl/day barrels per day

BCIE
Central American Bank for Economic Integration

BDEAC
Central African States Development Bank

Benelux
Benelux Economic Union

BIMSTEC
Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multisectoral Technical and Economic
Cooperation

Biodiversity
Convention on Biological Diversity

BGN
United States Board on Geographic Names

BIS
Bank for International Settlements

BSEC
Black Sea Economic Cooperation Zone

C

C
Commonwealth

c.i.f. cost, insurance, and freight

CACM
Central American Common Market

CAEU
Council of Arab Economic Unity

CAN
Andean Community of Nations

Caricom
Caribbean Community and Common Market

CB citizen's band mobile radio communications

CBSS
Council of the Baltic Sea States

CCC
Customs Cooperation Council

CDB
Caribbean Development Bank

CE
Council of Europe

CEI
Central European Initiative

CEMAC
Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa

CEPGL
Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries

CERN
European Organization for Nuclear Research

CEPT
Conference Europeanne des Poste et Telecommunications

CIS
Commonwealth of Independent States

CITES see Endangered Species

Climate Change
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change

COCOM
Coordinating Committee on Export Controls

Comsat
Communications Satellite Corporation

COMESA
Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa

CP
Colombo Plan

CPLP
Comunidade dos Paises de Lingua Portuguesa

CSTO
Collective Security Treaty Organization

CTBTO
Preparation commission for the Nuclear-Ban-Treaty Operation

CY calendar year

D

DC developed country

DDT dichloro-diphenyl-trichloro-ethane

Desertification
United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries
Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in
Africa

DIA
United States Defense Intelligence Agency

DSN
Defense Switched Network

DST daylight savings time

DWT deadweight ton

E

EAC
East African Community

EADB
East African Development Bank

EAEC
Eurasian Economic Community

EAPC
Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council

EBRD
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

EC
European Community

ECA
Economic Commission for Africa

ECE
Economic Commission for Europe

ECLAC
Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean

ECO
Economic Cooperation Organization

ECOSOC
Economic and Social Council

ECOWAS
Economic Community of West African States

ECSC
European Coal and Steel Community

EEC
European Economic Community

EFTA
European Free Trade Association

EEZ exclusive economic zone

EIB
European Investment Bank

EMU
European Monetary Union

Endangered Species
Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild
Flora and Fauna (CITES)

Entente
Council of the Entente

Environmental Modification
Convention on the Prohibition of Military or Any Other Hostile Use of
Environmental Modification Techniques

ESA
European Space Agency

ESCAP
Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific

ESCWA
Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia

est. estimate

EU
European Union

Euratom
European Atomic Energy Community

Eutelsat
European Telecommunications Satellite Organization

Ex-Im
Export-Import Bank of the United States

F

f.o.b. free on board

FAO
Food and Agriculture Organization

FAX facsimile

FLS
Front Line States

FOC flags of convenience

FSU former Soviet Union

FY fiscal year

FZ
Franc Zone

G

G-2
Group of 2

G-3
Group of 3

G-5
Group of 5

G-6
Group of 6

G-7
Group of 7

G-8
Group of 8

G-9
Group of 9

G-10
Group of 10

G-15
Group of 15

G-11
Group of 11

G-24
Group of 24

G-77
Group of 77

GATT
General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade; now WTO

GCC
Gulf Cooperation Council

GCTU
General Confederation of Trade Unions

GDP gross domestic product

GMT
Greenwich Mean Time

GNP gross national product

GRT gross register ton

GSM global system for mobile cellular communications

GUAM Organization for Democracy and Economic Development; acronym for member states - Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Moldova

GWP gross world product

H

Hazardous Wastes
Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous
Wastes and Their Disposal

HF high-frequency

HIV/AIDS human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome

I

IADB
Inter-American Development Bank

IAEA
International Atomic Energy Agency

IANA
Internet Assigned Numbers Authority

IBRD
International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (World Bank)

ICAO
International Civil Aviation Organization

ICC
International Chamber of Commerce

ICCt
International Criminal Court

ICJ
International Court of Justice (World Court)

ICRC
International Committee of the Red Cross

ICRM
International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement

ICSID
International Center for Secretariat of Investment Disputes

ICTR
International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda

ICTY
International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia

IDA
International Development Association

IDB
Islamic Development Bank

IDP
Internally Displaced Person

IEA
International Energy Agency

IFAD
International Fund for Agricultural Development

IFC
International Finance Corporation

IFRCS
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

IGAD
Inter-Governmental Authority on Development

IHO
International Hydrographic Organization

ILO
International Labor Organization

IMF
International Monetary Fund

IMO
International Maritime Organization

IMSO
International Mobile Satellite Organization

Inmarsat
International Maritime Satellite Organization

InOC
Indian Ocean Commission

INSTRAW
International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of
Women

Intelsat
International Telecommunications Satellite Organization

Interpol
International Criminal Police Organization

Intersputnik
International Organization of Space Communications

IOC
International Olympic Committee

IOM
International Organization for Migration

IPU
Inter-parliamentary Union

ISO
International Organization for Standardization

ISP
Internet Service Provider

ITSO
International Telecommunications Satellites Organization

ITU
International Telecommunication Union

ITUC
International Trade Union Confederation, the successor to ICFTU
(International Confederation of Free Trade Unions) and the WCL (World
Confederation of Labor)

K

kHz kilohertz

km kilometer

kW kilowatt

kWh kilowatt-hour

L

LAES
Latin American Economic System

LAIA
Latin American Integration Association

LAS
League of Arab States

Law of the Sea
United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (LOS)

LDC less developed country

LLDC least developed country

London Convention see Marine Dumping

LOS see Law of the Sea

M

m meter

Marecs
Maritime European Communications Satellite

Marine Dumping
Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping Wastes and
Other Matter

Marine Life Conservation
Convention on Fishing and Conservation of Living Resources of the High
Seas

MARPOL see Ship Pollution

Medarabtel
Middle East Telecommunications Project of the International
Telecommunications Union

Mercosur
Southern Cone Common Market

MHz megahertz

MICAH
International Civilian Support Mission in Haiti

MINURSO
United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara

MIGA
Multilateral Investment Geographic Agency

MINUSTAH
United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti

MONUC
United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the
Congo

N

NA not available

NAFTA
North American Free Trade Agreement

NAM
Nonaligned Movement

NATO
North Atlantic Treaty Organization

NC
Nordic Council

NEA
Nuclear Energy Agency

NEGL negligible

NGA
National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency

NIB
Nordic Investment Bank

NIC newly industrializing country

NIE newly industrializing economy

NIS new independent states

nm nautical mile

NMT
Nordic Mobile Telephone

NSG
Nuclear Suppliers Group

Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapons Tests in the Atmosphere, in Outer Space, and Under Water

NZ
New Zealand

O

OAPEC
Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries

OAS
Organization of American States

OAU
Organization of African Unity; see African Union

ODA official development assistance

OECD
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development

OECS
Organization of Eastern Caribbean States

OHCHR
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

OIC
Organization of the Islamic Conference

OIF
International Organization of the French-speaking World

ONUB
United Nations Operation in Burundi

OOF other official flows

OPANAL
Agency for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the
Caribbean

OPCW
Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons

OPEC
Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries

OSCE
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe

Ozone Layer Protection
Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer

P

PCA
Permanent Court of Arbitration

PFP
Partnership for Peace

PIF
Pacific Islands Forum

PPP purchasing power parity

R

Ramsar see Wetlands

RG
Rio Group

S

SAARC
South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation

SACU
Southern African Customs Union

SACEP
South Asia Co-operative Environment Programme

SADC
Southern African Development Community

SCO
Shanghai Cooperation Organization

SAFE
South African Far East Cable

SECI
Southeast European Cooperative Initiative

SHF super-high-frequency

Ship Pollution
Protocol of 1978 Relating to the International Convention for the
Prevention of Pollution From Ships, 1973 (MARPOL)

SICA
Central American Integration System

Sparteca
South Pacific Regional Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement

SPC
Secretariat of the Pacific Communities

SPF
South Pacific Forum

sq km square kilometer

sq mi square mile

T

TAT
Trans-Atlantic Telephone

TEU Twenty-Foot Equivalent Unit, a unit of measure for containerized cargo capacity

Tropical Timber 83
International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1983

Tropical Timber 94
International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1994

U

UAE
United Arab Emirates

UDEAC
Central African Customs and Economic Union

UHF ultra-high-frequency

UK
United Kingdom

UMA
Arab Maghreb Union

UN
United Nations

UNAMSIL
United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone

UNCLOS
United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, also know as LOS

UNCTAD
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development

UNDCP
United Nations Drug Control Program

UNDOF
United Nations Disengagement Observer Force

UNDP
United Nations Development Program

UNEP
United Nations Environment Program

UNESCO
United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization

UNFICYP
United Nations Peace-keeping Force in Cyprus

UNFPA
United Nations Population Fund

UNHCR
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

UNICEF
United Nations Children's Fund

UNICRI
United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute

UNIDIR
United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research

UNIDO
United Nations Industrial Development Organization

UNIFIL
United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon

UNITAR
United Nations Institute for Training and Research

UNMEE
United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea

UNMIK
United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo

UNMIL
United Nations Mission in Liberia

UNMIT
United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste

UNMOGIP
United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan

UNMOVIC
United Nations Monitoring, Verification, and Inspection Commission

UNOCI
United Nations Operation in Cote d'Ivoire

UNOMIG
United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia

UNOPS
United Nations Office of Project Services

UNRISD
United Nations Research Institute for Social Development

UNRWA
United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the
Near East

UNSC
United Nations Security Council

UNSSC
Untied Nations System Staff College

UNTSO
United Nations Truce Supervision Organization

UNU
United Nations University

UNWTO
World Tourism Organization

UPU
Universal Postal Union

US
United States

USSR Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (Soviet Union); used for information dated before 25 December 1991

UTC
Coordinated Universal Time

UV ultra violet

V

VHF very-high-frequency

VSAT very small aperture terminal

W

WADB
West African Development Bank

WAEMU
West African Economic and Monetary Union

WCL
World Confederation of Labor

WCO
World Customs Organization

Wetlands
Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially As
Waterfowl Habitat

WEU
Western European Union

WFP
World Food Program

WFTU
World Federation of Trade Unions

Whaling
International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling

WHO
World Health Organization

WIPO
World Intellectual Property Organization

WMO
World Meteorological Organization

WP
Warsaw Pact

WTO
World Trade Organization

Z

ZC
Zangger Committee

CIA
Central Intelligence Agency

======================================================================

Appendix B :: International Organizations and Groups

A

advanced developing countries

another term for those less developed countries (LDCs) with particularly rapid industrial development; see newly industrializing economies (NIEs)

advanced economies

a term used by the International Monetary FUND (IMF) for the top group in its hierarchy of advanced economies, countries in transition, and developing countries; it includes the following 28 advanced economies: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, UK, US; note - this group would presumably also cover the following seven smaller countries of Andorra, Bermuda, Faroe Islands, Holy See, Liechtenstein, Monaco, and San Marino that are included in the more comprehensive group of "developed countries"

African Development Bank Group (AfDB)

note - regional multilateral development finance institution
temporarily located in Tunis, Tunisia; the Bank Group consists of the
African Development Bank, the African Development Fund, and the
Nigerian Trust Fund established - 10 September 1964 aim - to promote
economic development and social progress regional members - (53)
Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape
Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of
the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt,
Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea,
Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi,
Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger,
Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra
Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo,
Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe nonregional members - (24)
Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland,
France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Kuwait, Netherlands,
Norway, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US

African Union (AU)

note - replaces Organization of African Unity (OAU) established - 8 July 2001 aim - to achieve greater unity among African States; to defend states' integrity and independence; to accelerate political, social, and economic integration; to encourage international cooperation; to promote democratic principles and institutions members - (53) Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (Western Sahara), Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe

African Union/United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID)

established - 31 July 2007 aim - to contribute to the restoration of security conditions which will allow safe humanitarian assistance throughout Darfur, to contribute to the protection of civilian populations under imminent threat of physical attack, to monitor, observe compliance with, and verify the implementation of various ceasefire agreements members - (31) Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Canada, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Indonesia, Jordan, Kenya, Libya, Malawi, Mali, Namibia, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Uganda, UK, Yemen, Zambia

African, Caribbean, and Pacific Group of States (ACP Group)

established - 6 June 1975 aim - to manage their preferential economic
and aid relationship with the EU members - (79) Angola, Antigua and
Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso,
Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros,
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands,
Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Equatorial
Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada,
Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati,
Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Marshall Islands,
Mauritania, Mauritius, Federated States of Micronesia, Mozambique,
Namibia, Nauru, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Rwanda,
Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,
Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone,
Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland,
Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu,
Uganda, Vanuatu, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Agency for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the
Caribbean (OPANAL)

note - acronym from Organismo para la Proscripcion de las Armas Nucleares en la America Latina y el Caribe (OPANAL) established - 14 February 1967 under the Treaty of Tlatelolco; effective - 25 April 1969 on the 11th ratification aim - to encourage the peaceful uses of atomic energy and prohibit nuclear weapons members - (33) Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, Venezuela

Andean Community of Nations (CAN)

note - formerly known as the Andean Group (AG) and the Andean Common Market (Ancom) established - 26 May 1969; present name established 1 October 1992; effective - 16 October 1969 aim - to promote harmonious development through economic integration members - (4) Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru associate members - (5) Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay observers - (2) Mexico, Panama

Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (ABEDA)

note - also known as Banque Arabe de Developpement Economique en Afrique (BADEA) established - 18 February 1974; effective - 16 September 1974 aim - to promote economic development members - (17 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, UAE, Palestine Liberation Organization; note - these are all the members of the Arab League excluding Comoros, Djibouti, Somalia, Yemen

Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development (AFESD)

established - 16 May 1968 aim - to promote economic and social development members - (20 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Algeria, Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq (suspended 1993), Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia (suspended 1993), Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, UAE, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization

Arab Maghreb Union (AMU)

established - 17 February 1989 aim - to promote cooperation and integration among the Arab states of northern Africa members - (5) Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Tunisia

Arab Monetary Fund (AMF)

established - 27 April 1976; effective - 2 February 1977 aim - to promote Arab cooperation, development, and integration in monetary and economic affairs members - (21 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, UAE, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization

Arctic Council

established - 18 September 1996 aim - to address the common concerns and challenges faced by Arctic governments and the people of the Arctic; to protect the Arctic environment members - (8) Canada, Denmark (Greenland, Faroe Islands), Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden, US permanent participants - (6) Aleut International Association, Arctic Athabaskan Council, Gwich'in Council International, Inuit Circumpolar Conference, Russian Association of Indigenous People of the North, Saami Council observers - (8) China, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, UK

ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF)

established - 25 July 1994 aim - to foster constructive dialogue and consultation on political and security issues of common interest and concern members - (26) Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Canada, China, EU, India, Indonesia, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, NZ, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, US, Vietnam

Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)

established - 7 November 1989 aim - to promote trade and investment in the Pacific basin members - (21) Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, NZ, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, US, Vietnam observers - (3) Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Pacific Economic Cooperation Council, Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat

Asian Development Bank (ADB)

established - 19 December 1966 aim - to promote regional economic
cooperation members - (48) Afghanistan, Armenia, Australia,
Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, China, Cook
Islands, Fiji, Georgia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan,
Kiribati, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall
Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Mongolia, Nauru, Nepal, NZ,
Pakistan, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Singapore,
Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Timor-Leste,
Tonga, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vietnam nonregional
members - (19) Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France,
Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal,
Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US

Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)

established - 8 August 1967 aim - to encourage regional economic, social, and cultural cooperation among the non-Communist countries of Southeast Asia members - (10) Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam dialogue partners - (11) Australia, Canada, China, EU, India, Japan, South Korea, NZ, Russia, US, UNDP; note - ASEAN promotes cooperation with Pakistan in some areas of mutual interest observers - (1) Papua New Guinea

Australia Group (AG)

established - June 1985 aim - to consult on and coordinate export
controls related to chemical and biological weapons members - (41)
Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia,
Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, European Commission, Finland,
France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South
Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, NZ, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, US

Australia-New Zealand-United States Security Treaty (ANZUS)

established - 1 September 1951; effective - 29 April 1952 aim - to implement a trilateral mutual security agreement, although the US suspended security obligations to NZ on 11 August 1986; Australia and the US continue to hold annual meetings members - (3) Australia, NZ, US

B

Baltic Assembly (BA)

established - 12 May 1990 aim - to thoroughly discuss various cooperation issues between Baltic states members - (3) Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania

Bank for International Settlements (BIS)

established - 20 January 1930; effective - 17 March 1930 aim - to promote cooperation among central banks in international financial settlements members - (55) Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, European Central Bank, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, UK, US; note - Serbia and Montenegro have separate central banks; their links with BIS are currently under review

Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic
Cooperation (BIMSTEC)

established - June 1997 aim - to foster socio-economic cooperation among members members - (7) Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand

Benelux Economic Union (Benelux)

note - acronym from Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg established - 3 February 1958; effective - 1 November 1960 aim - to develop closer economic cooperation and integration members - (3) Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands

Big Seven

note - membership is the same as the Group of 7 established - 1975 aim - to discuss and coordinate major economic policies members - (7) Big Six (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK) plus the US

Black Sea Economic Cooperation Zone (BSEC)

established - 25 June 1992 aim - to enhance regional stability through economic cooperation members - (12) Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine; note - Macedonia is in the process of joining observers - (17) Austria, Belarus, Black Sea Commission, Commission of the EC, Croatia, Czech Republic, Egypt, Energy Charter Secretariat, France, Germany, International Black Sea Club, Israel, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, Tunisia, US; note - Bosnia and Herzegovina and Slovenia have applied for observer status

C

Caribbean Community and Common Market (Caricom)

established - 4 July 1973; effective - 1 August 1973 aim - to promote economic integration and development, especially among the less developed countries members - (15) Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago associate members - (5) Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands observers - (7) Aruba, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Netherlands Antilles, Puerto Rico, Venezuela

Caribbean Development Bank (CDB)

established - 18 October 1969; effective - 26 January 1970 aim - to
promote economic development and cooperation regional members - (21)
Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, British
Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Colombia, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana,
Haiti, Jamaica, Mexico, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia,
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos
Islands, Venezuela nonregional members - (5) Canada, China, Germany,
Italy, UK

Central African Customs and Economic Union (UDEAC)

see Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC)

Central African States Development Bank (BDEAC)

note - acronym from Banque de Developpement des Etats de l'Afrique Centrale established - 3 December 1975 aim - to provide loans for economic development members - (10) African Development Bank (AfDB), Cameroon, Central African States Bank (BEAC), Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, France, Gabon, Kuwait

Central American Bank for Economic Integration (BCIE)

note - acronym from Banco Centroamericano de Integracion Economico established - 13 December 1960 signature of Articles of Agreement; 31 May 1961 began operations aim - to promote economic integration and development members - (5) Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua nonregional members - (7) Argentina, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Panama, Spain, Taiwan

Central American Common Market (CACM)

established - 13 December 1960, collapsed in 1969, reinstated in 1991 aim - to promote establishment of a Central American Common Market members - (5) Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua; note - Panama, although not a member, pursues full regional cooperation

Central American Integration System (SICA)

established - 13 December 1991; operational 1 February 1993 aim - to strengthen democracy; to set up a new model of regional security; to promote freedom; to achieve a regional system of welfare and economic and social justice; to attain economic unity and strengthen the area as an economic bloc; to act as a bloc in international matters members - (7) Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama associated member - (1) Dominican Republic observers - (8) Argentina, Brazil, Chile, China, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Spain

Central European Initiative (CEI)

note - evolved from the Quadrilateral Initiative and the Hexagonal Initiative established - 11 November 1989 as the Quadrilateral Initiative, 27 July 1991 became the Hexagonal Initiative, July 1992 its present name was adopted aim - to form an economic and political cooperation group for the region between the Adriatic and the Baltic Seas members - (18) Albania, Austria, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ukraine

centrally planned economies

a term applied mainly to the traditionally Communist states that looked to the former USSR for leadership; most are now evolving toward more democratic and market-oriented systems; also known formerly as the Second World or as the Communist countries; through the 1980s, this group included Albania, Bulgaria, Cambodia, China, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, German Democratic Republic, Hungary, North Korea, Laos, Mongolia, Poland, Romania, USSR, Vietnam, Yugoslavia

Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO)

established - 7 October 2002 aim - to coordinate military and political cooperation, to develop multilateral structures and mechanisms of cooperation for ensuring national security of the member states members - (7) Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan

Colombo Plan (CP)

established - May 1950 proposal was adopted; 1 July 1951 commenced full operations aim - to promote economic and social development in Asia and the Pacific members - (25) Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, South Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Nepal, NZ, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, US, Vietnam

Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA)

note - formerly known as Preferential Trade Area for Eastern and Southern Africa (PTA) established - 5 November 1993 aim - recognizing, promoting and protecting fundamental human rights, commitment to the principles of liberty and rule of law, maintaining peace and stability through the promotion and strengthening of good neighborliness, commitment to peaceful settlement of disputes among member states members - (19) Burundi, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sudan, Swaziland, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Commonwealth (C)

note - also known as Commonwealth of Nations established - 31 December 1931 aim - to foster multinational cooperation and assistance, as a voluntary association that evolved from the British Empire members - (53) Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Brunei, Cameroon, Canada, Cyprus, Dominica, Fiji (suspended), The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, NZ, Nigeria, Pakistan (reinstated 2004), Papua New Guinea, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Uganda, UK, Vanuatu, Zambia; note - on 7 December 2003 Zimbabwe withdrew its membership from the Commonwealth

Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)

established - 8 December 1991; effective - 21 December 1991 aim - to coordinate intercommonwealth relations and to provide a mechanism for the orderly dissolution of the USSR members - (12) Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan

Communist countries

traditionally the Marxist-Leninist states with authoritarian governments and command economies based on the Soviet model; most of the original and the successor states are no longer Communist; see centrally planned economies

Comuinidade dos Paises de Lingua Portuguesa (CPLP)

established - 1996 aim - to establish a forum for friendship among Portuguese-speaking nations where Portuguese is an official language members - (8) Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, Portugal, Sao Tome and Principe, Timor-Leste associate observers - (3) Equatorial Guinea, Mauritius, Senegal

Coordinating Committee on Export Controls (COCOM)

established in 1949 to control the export of strategic products and technical data from member countries to proscribed destinations; members were: Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, UK, US; abolished 31 March 1994; COCOM members established a new organization, the Wassenaar Arrangement, with expanded membership on 12 July 1996 that focuses on nonproliferation export controls as opposed to East-West control of advanced technology

Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (CEMA)

note - also known as CMEA or Comecon established 25 January 1949 to promote the development of socialist economies and abolished 1 January 1991; members included Afghanistan (observer), Albania (had not participated since 1961 break with USSR), Angola (observer), Bulgaria, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, Ethiopia (observer), GDR, Hungary, Laos (observer), Mongolia, Mozambique (observer), Nicaragua (observer), Poland, Romania, USSR, Vietnam, Yemen (observer), Yugoslavia (associate)

Council of Arab Economic Unity (CAEU)

established - 3 June 1957; effective - 30 May 1964 aim - to promote economic integration among Arab nations members - (10 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Mauritania, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization

Council of Europe (CE)

established - 5 May 1949; effective - 3 August 1949 aim - to promote
increased unity and quality of life in Europe members - (47) Albania,
Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland,
France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy,
Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta,
Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal,
Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, UK observers - (5) Canada, Holy See,
Japan, Mexico, US

Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS)

established - 6 March 1992 aim - to promote cooperation among the Baltic Sea states in the areas of aid to new democratic institutions, economic development, humanitarian aid, energy and the environment, cultural programs and education, and transportation and communication members - (12) Denmark, Estonia, EC, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden observers - (7) France, Italy, Netherlands, Slovakia, Ukraine, UK, US

Council of the Entente (Entente)

established - 29 May 1959 aim - to promote economic, social, and political coordination members - (5) Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Niger, Togo

countries in transition

a term used by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for the middle group in its hierarchy of advanced economies, countries in transition, and developing countries; IMF statistics include the following 28 countries in transition: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan; note - this group is identical to the group traditionally referred to as the "former USSR/Eastern Europe" except for the addition of Mongolia

Customs Cooperation Council (CCC)

note - see World Customs Organization (WCO)

D

developed countries (DCs)

the top group in the hierarchy of developed countries (DCs), former USSR/Eastern Europe (former USSR/EE), and less developed countries (LDCs); includes the market-oriented economies of the mainly democratic nations in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Bermuda, Israel, South Africa, and the European ministates; also known as the First World, high-income countries, the North, industrial countries; generally have a per capita GDP in excess of $10,000 although four OECD countries and South Africa have figures well under $10,000 and two of the excluded OPEC countries have figures of more than $10,000; the 34 DCs are: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bermuda, Canada, Denmark, Faroe Islands, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holy See, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US; note - similar to the new International Monetary Fund (IMF) term "advanced economies" that adds Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan but drops Malta, Mexico, South Africa, and Turkey

developing countries

a term used by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for the bottom
group in its hierarchy of advanced economies, countries in transition,
and developing countries; IMF statistics include the following 126
developing countries: Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and
Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burma,
Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic,
Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the
Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Cyprus,
Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador,
Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada,
Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India,
Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kuwait, Laos,
Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia,
Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico,
Federated States of Micronesia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal,
Netherlands Antilles, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan,
Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Rwanda,
Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,
Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra
Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan,
Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and
Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, UAE, Uganda, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela,
Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe; note - this category would presumably
also cover the following 46 other countries that are traditionally
included in the more comprehensive group of "less developed countries":
American Samoa, Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Cayman
Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, Cook Islands, Cuba, Eritrea,
Falkland Islands, French Guiana, French Polynesia, Gaza Strip,
Gibraltar, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guernsey, Isle of Man,
Jersey, North Korea, Macau, Martinique, Mayotte, Montserrat, Nauru, New
Caledonia, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau,
Pitcairn Islands, Puerto Rico, Reunion, Saint Helena, Saint Pierre and
Miquelon, Tokelau, Tonga, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Virgin
Islands, Wallis and Futuna, West Bank, Western Sahara

Developing Eight (D-8)

established - 15 June 1997 aim - to improve developing countries' positions in the world economy, diversify and create new opportunities in trade relations, enhance participation in decision-making at the international level, provide better standards of living member - (8) Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Turkey

E

East African Community (EAC)

note - originally established in 1967, it was disbanded in 1977 established - January 2001 aim - to establish a political and economic union among the countries members - (5) Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda

East African Development Bank (EADB)

established - 6 June 1967; effective - 1 December 1967 aim - to promote economic development members - (4) Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda

East Asia Summit (EAS)

established - 14 December 2005 aim - to promote cooperation in political and security issues; to promote development, financial stability, energy security, economic integration and growth; to eradicate poverty and narrow the development gap in East Asia, and to promote deeper cultural understanding members - (16) Australia, Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Laos, Malaysia, NZ, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam

Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC)

note - was formerly the Central African Customs and Economic Union (UDEAC) established - 8 December 1964; effective - 1 January 1966 aim - to promote the establishment of a Central African Common Market members - (6) Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon

Economic and Monetary Union (EMU)

note - an integral part of the European Union; also known as the European Economic and Monetary Union established - 1-2 December 1969 (proposed at summit conference of heads of government; 7 February 1992 (Maastricht Treaty signed) aim - to promote a single market by creating a single currency, the euro; timetable - 2 May 1998: European exchange rates fixed for 1 January 1999; 1 January 1999: all banks and stock exchanges begin using euros; 1 January 2002: the euro goes into circulation; 1 July 2002 local currencies no longer accepted members - (16) Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain

Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)

established - 26 June 1945; effective - 24 October 1945 aim - to coordinate the economic and social work of the UN; includes five regional commissions (Economic Commission for Africa, Economic Commission for Europe, Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia) and nine functional commissions (Commission for Social Development, Commission on Human Rights, Commission on Narcotic Drugs, Commission on the Status of Women, Commission on Population and Development, Statistical Commission, Commission on Science and Technology for Development, Commission on Sustainable Development, and Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice) members - (54) selected on a rotating basis from all regions

Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries (CEPGL)

note - acronym from Communaute Economique des Pays des Grands Lacs established - 20 September 1976 aim - to promote regional economic cooperation and integration members - (3) Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda; note - organization collapsed because of fighting in 1998; reactivated in 2006

Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)

established - 28 May 1975 aim - to promote regional economic cooperation members - (15) Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Cote d'Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo

Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO)

established - 27-29 January 1985 aim - to promote regional cooperation in trade, transportation, communications, tourism, cultural affairs, and economic development members - (10) Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan

Eurasian Economic Community (EAEC or EurasEC)

note - merged with Central Asian Cooperation Organization (CACO) in 2005 established - May 2001 aim - to create a common economic and energy policy members - (6) Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan observers - (3) Armenia, Moldova, Ukraine

Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC)

note - began as the North Atlantic Cooperation Council (NACC); an extension of NATO established - 8 November 1991; effective - 20 December 1991 aim - to discuss cooperation on mutual political and security issues members - (50) Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, UK, US, Uzbekistan

European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)

established - 8-9 January 1990 (proposals made); 15 April 1991 (bank inaugurated) aim - to facilitate the transition of seven centrally planned economies in Europe (Bulgaria, former Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, former USSR, and former Yugoslavia) to market economies by committing 60% of its loans to privatization members - (63) Albania, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, EC, European Investment Bank (EIB), Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, UK, US, Uzbekistan

European Community (or European Communities, EC)

established 8 April 1965 to integrate the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom), the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), the European Economic Community (EEC or Common Market), and to establish a completely integrated common market and an eventual federation of Europe; merged into the European Union (EU) on 7 February 1992; member states at the time of merger were Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, UK

European Free Trade Association (EFTA)

established - 4 January 1960; effective - 3 May 1960 aim - to promote expansion of free trade members - (4) Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland

European Investment Bank (EIB)

established - 25 March 1957; effective - 1 January 1958 aim - to promote economic development of the EU and its predecessors, the EEC and the EC members - (27) Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, UK

European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN)

note - acronym retained from the predecessor organization Conseil Europeenne pour la Recherche Nucleaire established - 1 July 1953; effective - 29 September 1954 aim - to foster nuclear research for peaceful purposes only members - (20) Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK observers - (8) EC, India, Israel, Japan, Russia, Turkey, United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), US

European Space Agency (ESA)

established - 31 May 1975 aim - to promote peaceful cooperation in space research and technology members - (17) Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK cooperating states - (5) Canada, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania

European Union (EU)

note - see European Union entry at the end of the "country" listings

F

First World

another term for countries with advanced, industrialized economies; this term is fading from use; see developed countries (DCs)

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)

established - 16 October 1945 aim - to raise living standards and increase availability of agricultural products; a UN specialized agency members - (192) includes all UN member countries except Brunei, Liechtenstein, and Singapore (189 total); plus Cook Islands, EC, Faroe Islands, and Niue

former Soviet Union (FSU)

former term often used to identify as a group the successor nations to the Soviet Union or USSR; this group of 15 countries consists of: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan

former USSR/Eastern Europe (former USSR/EE)

the middle group in the hierarchy of developed countries (DCs), former USSR/Eastern Europe (former USSR/EE), and less developed countries (LDCs); these countries are in political and economic transition and may well be grouped differently in the near future; this group of 27 countries consists of: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Yugoslavia; this group is identical to the IMF group "countries in transition" except for the IMF's inclusion of Mongolia

Four Dragons

the four small Asian less developed countries (LDCs) that have experienced unusually rapid economic growth; also known as the Four Tigers; this group consists of Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan; these countries are included in the IMF's "advanced economies" group

Franc Zone (FZ)

note - also known as Conference des Ministres des Finances des Pays de la Zone Franc established - 1964 aim - to form a monetary union among countries whose currencies were linked to the French franc members - (16) Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, France, Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo

Front Line States (FLS)

established to achieve black majority rule in South Africa; has since gone out of existence; members included Angola, Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe

G

G-20

established - created 1999; inaugerated 15-16 December 1999 aim - to promote open and constructive discussion between industrial and emerging-market countries on any issues related to global economic stability; helps to support growth and development across the globe members - (19) Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, UK, US

General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)

see the World Trade Organization (WTO)

General Confederation of Trade Unions (GCTU)

established - 16 April 1992 aim - to consolidate trade union actions to protect citizens' social and labor rights and interests, to help secure trade unions' rights and guarantees, and to strengthen international trade union solidarity members - (11) Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan

Group of 10 (G-10)

note - also known as the Paris Club; includes the wealthiest members of the IMF who provide most of the money to be loaned and act as the informal steering committee; name persists despite increased membership established - October 1962 aim - to coordinate credit policy members - (11) Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US observers - (4) BIS, EU, IMF, OECD

Group of 11 (G-11)

note - also known as the Cartagena Group established in 21-22 June 1984, in Cartagena, Colombia, aim was to provide a forum for largest debtor nations in Latin America; members were: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela

Group of 15 (G-15)

note - byproduct of the Nonaligned Movement; name persists despite increased membership established - September 1989 aim - to promote economic cooperation among developing nations; to act as the main political organ for the Nonaligned Movement members - (18) Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iran, Jamaica, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, Peru, Senegal, Sri Lanka, Venezuela, Zimbabwe

Group of 2 (G-2)

informal term that came into use about 1986; to facilitate bilateral economic cooperation between the two most powerful economic giants; members were Japan, US

Group of 20 (G-20)

established - created 1999; inaugurated 15-16 December 1999 aim - to promote open and constructive discussion between industrial and emerging-market countries on any issues related to global economic stability; helps to support growth and development across the globe members - (19) Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, UK, US

Group of 24 (G-24)

established - 1 August 1989 aim - to promote the interests of developing countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America within the IMF members - (24) Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guatemala, India, Iran, Lebanon, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Syria, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela observers - (1) China

Group of 3 (G-3)

established - September 1990 aim - mechanism for policy coordination members - (2) Colombia, Mexico; note - Panama shows interest in joining

Group of 5 (G-5)

established - 22 September 1985 aim - to coordinate the economic policies of five major noncommunist economic powers members - (5) France, Germany, Japan, UK, US

Group of 6 (G-6)

also known as Groupe des Six Sur le Desarmement (not to be confused with the Big Six) was established in 22 May 1984 with the aim of achieving nuclear disarmament; its members were Argentina, Greece, India, Mexico, Sweden, Tanzania

Group of 7 (G-7)

note - membership is the same as the Big Seven established - 22 September 1985 aim - to facilitate economic cooperation among the seven major noncommunist economic powers members - (7) Group of 5 (France, Germany, Japan, UK, US) plus Canada and Italy

Group of 77 (G-77)

established - 15 June1964; October 1967 first ministerial meeting aim
- to promote economic cooperation among developing countries; name
persists in spite of increased membership members - (129 plus the
Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola,
Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh,
Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia,
Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China,
Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the
Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican
Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea,
Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea,
Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq,
Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, North Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho,
Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Marshall
Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Federated States of Micronesia,
Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger,
Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru,
Philippines, Qatar, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint
Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia,
Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia,
South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Tanzania,
Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia,
Turkmenistan, Uganda, UAE, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen,
Zambia, Zimbabwe, Palestine Liberation Organization

Group of 8 (G-8)

established - October 1975 aim - to facilitate economic cooperation among the developed countries (DCs) that participated in the Conference on International Economic Cooperation (CIEC), held in several sessions between December 1975 and 3 June 1977 members - (8) Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, UK, US

Group of 9 (G-9)

established - NA aim - to discuss matters of mutual interest on an informal basis members - (9) Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Romania, Serbia, Sweden

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)

note - also known as the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf established - 25 May 1981 aim - to promote regional cooperation in economic, social, political, and military affairs members - (6) Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE

H

high income countries

another term for the industrialized countries with high per capita GDPs; see developed countries (DCs)

I

Indian Ocean Commission (InOC)

established - 21 December 1982 aim - to organize and promote regional cooperation in all sectors, especially economic members - (5) Comoros, France (for Reunion and Mayotte), Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles

industrial countries

another term for the developed countries; see developed countries (DCs)

Inter-American Development Bank (IADB)

note - also known as Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo (BID) established - 8 April 1959; effective - 30 December 1959 aim - to promote economic and social development in Latin America members - (47) Argentina, Austria, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Finland, France, Germany, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela

Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD)

note - formerly known as Inter-Governmental Authority on Drought and Development (IGADD) established - 15-16 January 1986 as the Inter- Governmental Authority on Drought and Development; revitalized - 21 March 1996 as the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development aim - to promote a social, economic, and scientific community among its members members - (6) Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, Uganda; note - Eritrea declared its suspension in 2007

Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU)

established - 1889 aim - fosters contacts among parliamentarians, considers and expresses views of international interest and concern with the purpose of bringing about action by parliaments and parliamentarians, contributes to the defense and promotion of human rights, contributes to better knowledge of representative institutions members - (154 and the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Somalia, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Tajikistan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, Uruguay, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Palestine Liberation Organization associate members - (8) Andean Parliament, Central American Parliament, East African Legislative Assembly, European Parliament, Inter-Parliamentary Committee of the West African Economic and Monetary Union, Latin American Parliament, Parliament of the Economic Community of West African States, Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)

established - 26 October 1956; effective - 29 July 1957 aim - to
promote peaceful uses of atomic energy members - (145) Afghanistan,
Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria,
Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia,
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso,
Burma, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China,
Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire,
Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic,
Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland,
France, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Holy
See, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland,
Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, South Korea,
Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein,
Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali,
Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova,
Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia,
Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Palau,
Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania,
Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone,
Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan,
Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo,
Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan,
Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe; note - membership pending
for Bahrain, Burundi, Cape Verde, Republic of the Congo, Lesotho, Oman,
Nepal until the necessary legal instruments are deposited with the IAEA

International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD)

note - also known as the World Bank established - 22 July 1944; effective - 27 December 1945 aim - to provide economic development loans; a UN specialized agency members - (185) includes all UN member countries except Andorra, Cuba, North Korea, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Nauru, and Tuvalu

International Chamber of Commerce (ICC)

established - 1919 aim - to promote free trade and private enterprise
and to represent business interests at national and international
levels members - (91 national committees) Algeria, Argentina,
Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria,
Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Canada, Caribbean, Chile, China, Colombia,
Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican
Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Finland, France, Georgia,
Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India,
Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, South Korea,
Kuwait, Lebanon, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mexico,
Monaco, Morocco, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan,
Panama, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi
Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa,
Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, Tanzania,
Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay,
Venezuela; note - Peru is restructuring

International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)

established - 7 December 1944; effective - 4 April 1947 aim - to promote international cooperation in civil aviation; a UN specialized agency members - (190) includes all UN member countries except Dominica, Liechtenstein, and Tuvalu (189 total); plus Cook Islands

International Civilian Support Mission in Haiti (MICAH)

established 17 December 1999 to promote respect for human rights; members included Argentina, Benin, Canada, France, India, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo, Tunisia, US; closed 2001

International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)

established - 17 February 1863 aim - to provide humanitarian aid in wartime members - (15-25 individuals) all Swiss nationals

International Court of Justice (ICJ)

note - also known as the World Court established - 3 February 1946 superseded Permanent Court of International Justice aim - primary judicial organ of the UN members - (15 judges) elected by the UN General Assembly and Security Council to represent all principal legal systems

International Criminal Court (ICCt)

established - 11 April 2002 aim - to hold all individuals and countries accountable to international laws of conduct; to specify international standards of conduct; to provide an important mechanism for implementing these standards; to ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice members (countries that have ratified the treaty) - (108) Afghanistan, Albania, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, Colombia, Comoros, Cook Islands, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea, Latvia, Lesotho, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Montenegro, Namibia, Nauru, Netherlands, NZ, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Samoa, San Marino, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, UK, Uruguay, Venezuela, Zambia

International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol)

established - September 1923 set up as the International Criminal
Police Commission; 13 June 1956 constitution modified and present name
adopted aim - to promote international cooperation among police
authorities in fighting crime members - (187) Afghanistan, Albania,
Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia,
Aruba, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain,
Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia,
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina
Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central
African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic
Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote
d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti,
Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial
Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The
Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea,
Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland,
India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan,
Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos,
Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali,
Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova,
Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru,
Nepal, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger,
Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay,
Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda,
Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,
San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia,
Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, South
Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden,
Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo,
Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda,
Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen,
Zambia, Zimbabwe subbureaus - (11) American Samoa, Anguilla, Bermuda,
British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Macau,
Montserrat, Puerto Rico, Turks and Caicos Islands

International Development Association (IDA)

established - 26 January 1960; effective - 24 September 1960 aim - to
provide economic loans for low-income countries; UN specialized agency
and IBRD affiliate members - (168) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria,
Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The
Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia,
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi,
Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad,
Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo,
Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus,
Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic,
Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia,
Ethiopia, EU, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia,
Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau,
Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran,
Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya,
Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon,
Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi,
Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius,
Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco,
Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway,
Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru,
Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis,
Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and
Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Singapore,
Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri
Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan,
Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago,
Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu,
Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

International Energy Agency (IEA)

established - 15 November 1974 aim - to promote cooperation on energy matters, especially emergency oil sharing and relations between oil consumers and oil producers; established by the OECD members - (28) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
(IFRCS)

note - formerly known as League of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
(LORCS) established - 5 May 1919 aim - to organize, coordinate, and
direct international relief actions; to promote humanitarian
activities; to represent and encourage the development of National
Societies; to bring help to victims of armed conflicts, refugees, and
displaced people; to reduce the vulnerability of people through
development programs members - (185 plus the Palestine Liberation
Organization) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua
and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The
Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,
Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei,
Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada,
Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia,
Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook
Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El
Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France,
Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala,
Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland,
India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan,
Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait,
Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya,
Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi,
Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States
of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco,
Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria,
Norway, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru,
Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint
Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa,
San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia,
Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon
Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname,
Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand,
Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey,
Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan,
Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Palestine
Liberation Organization observers - (2) Eritrea and Tuvalu

International Finance Corporation (IFC)

established - 25 May 1955; effective - 24 July 1956 aim - to support private enterprise in international economic development; a UN specialized agency and IBRD affiliate members - (181) includes all UN member countries except Andorra, Brunei, Cuba, North Korea, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Nauru, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Suriname, Tuvalu

International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)

established - November 1974 aim - to promote agricultural development;
a UN specialized agency members - (165) List A - (23 industrialized
aid contributors) Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France,
Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg,
Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US
List B - (12 petroleum-exporting aid contributors) Algeria, Gabon,
Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia,
UAE, Venezuela List C - (130 aid recipients) Afghanistan, Albania,
Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, The
Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia
and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi,
Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile,
China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of
the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba,
Cyprus, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El
Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, The Gambia,
Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana,
Haiti, Honduras, India, Israel, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya,
Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho,
Liberia, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali,
Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco,
Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Niue, Oman, Pakistan,
Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Romania, Rwanda,
Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,
Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Serbia (suspended since 1992),
Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Sri
Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania,
Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia,
Turkey, Uganda, Uruguay, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

International Hydrographic Organization (IHO)

note - name changed from International Hydrographic Bureau on 22 September 1970 established - June 1919; effective - June 1921 aim - to train hydrographic surveyors and nautical cartographers to achieve standardization in nautical charts and electronic chart displays; to provide advice on nautical cartography and hydrography; to develop the sciences in the field of hydrography and techniques used for descriptive oceanography members - (80) Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Burma, Canada, Chile, China (including Hong Kong and Macau), Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo (suspended), Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Denmark, Dominican Republic (suspended), Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Latvia, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco, Mozambique, Netherlands, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname (suspended), Sweden, Syria, Thailand, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela

International Labor Organization (ILO)

established - 28 June 1919 set up as part of Treaty of Versailles; 11 April 1919 became operative; 14 December 1946 affiliated with the UN aim - to deal with world labor issues; a UN specialized agency members - (181) includes all UN member countries except Andorra, Bhutan, North Korea, Liechtenstein, Maldives, Federated States of Micronesia, Monaco, Nauru, Palau, Tonga, and Tuvalu; note - includes the following dependencies: Netherlands (Netherlands Antilles and Aruba)

International Maritime Organization (IMO)

note - name changed from Intergovernmental Maritime Consultative Organization (IMCO) on 22 May 1982 established - 6 March 1948 set up as the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organization; effective - 17 March 1958 aim - to deal with international maritime affairs; a UN specialized agency members - (167) includes all UN member countries except Afghanistan, Andorra, Armenia, Belarus, Bhutan, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Mali, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Niger, Palau, Rwanda, Tajikistan, Uganda, Uzbekistan, Zambia associate members - (3) Faroe Islands, Hong Kong, Macau

International Mobile Satellite Organization (IMSO)

established - 15 April 1999 aim - acts as watchdog over Inmarsat
(International Maritime Satellite Organization), a private company, to
make sure it follows ICAO standards and recommended practices; plays an
active role in the development of international telecommunications
policies members - (92) Algeria, Argentina, Australia, The Bahamas,
Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil,
Brunei, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros,
Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, Ghana, Greece,
Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Japan,
Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Latvia, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Malaysia,
Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Montenegro,
Morocco, Mozambique, Netherlands, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan,
Panama, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia,
Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa,
Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Tonga,
Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Venezuela, Vietnam

International Monetary Fund (IMF)

established - 22 July 1944; effective - 27 December 1945 aim - to promote world monetary stability and economic development; a UN specialized agency members - (185) includes all UN member countries except Andorra, Cuba, North Korea, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Nauru, Tuvalu; note - includes the following dependencies or areas of special interest: China (Hong Kong and Macau), Netherlands (Netherlands Antilles and Aruba)

International Olympic Committee (IOC)

established - 23 June 1894 aim - to promote the Olympic ideals and
administer the Olympic games: 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver,
Canada; 2012 Summer Olympics in London, UK; 2014 Winter Olympics in
Sochi, Russia National Olympic Committees - (204 and the Palestine
Liberation Organization) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, American Samoa,
Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba,
Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh,
Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia,
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, British Virgin Islands,
Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon,
Canada, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad,
Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo,
Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire,
Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica,
Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea,
Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia,
Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guam, Guatemala, Guinea,
Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland,
India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan,
Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait,
Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya,
Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi,
Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania,
Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco,
Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal,
Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria,
Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay,
Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Romania,
Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and
the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia,
Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia,
Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka,
Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan,
Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and
Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE,
UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Virgin
Islands, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Palestine Liberation Organization

International Organization for Migration (IOM)

note - established as Provisional Intergovernmental Committee for the
Movement of Migrants from Europe; renamed Intergovernmental Committee
for European Migration (ICEM) on 15 November 1952; renamed
Intergovernmental Committee for Migration (ICM) in November 1980;
current name adopted 14 November 1989 established - 5 December 1951
aim - to facilitate orderly international emigration and immigration
members - (122) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina,
Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bangladesh,
Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada,
Cape Verde, Chile, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic
of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador,
Estonia, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana,
Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary,
India, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan,
Kazakhstan, Kenya, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liberia, Libya,
Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius,
Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ,
Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru,
Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Rwanda, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra
Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka,
Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo,
Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Vietnam,
Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe observers - (16) Bahrain, Bhutan, China, Cuba,
Ethiopia, Guyana, Holy See, Indonesia, Macedonia, Mozambique, Namibia,
Papua New Guinea, Russia, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe,
Turkmenistan

International Organization for Standardization (ISO)

established - February 1947 aim - to promote the development of
international standards with a view to facilitating international
exchange of goods and services and to developing cooperation in the
sphere of intellectual, scientific, technological and economic activity
members - (105 national standards organizations) Algeria, Argentina,
Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria,
Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Costa
Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana,
Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland,
Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea,
South Korea, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia,
Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Netherlands, NZ,
Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Poland,
Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saint Lucia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia,
Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan,
Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago,
Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela,
Vietnam, Zimbabwe correspondent members - (41 plus the Palestine
Liberation Organization) Afghanistan, Albania, Angola, Benin, Bhutan,
Bolivia, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Burma, Cameroon, Dominican Republic, El
Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Gabon, Georgia, Guatemala, Guinea, Hong
Kong, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Macau, Madagascar, Malawi, Moldova,
Montenegro, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay,
Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, Swaziland, Tajikistan, Togo, Turkmenistan,
Uganda, Yemen, Zambia, Palestine Liberation Organization subscriber
members - (10) Antigua and Barbuda, Burundi, Cambodia, Dominica,
Guyana, Honduras, Laos, Lesotho, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,
Suriname

International Organization of the French-speaking World (OIF)

note - name changed from Agency of Cultural and Technical Cooperation (ACCT) in 1997; also known as Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie established - 20 March 1970 aim - founded around a common language to promote and spread the cultures of its members and to reinforce cultural and technical cooperation between them members - (53) Albania, Andorra, Belgium, Benin, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Canada - New Brunswick, Canada - Quebec, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Dominica, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, France, French Community of Belgium, Gabon, Greece, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Laos, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Moldova, Monaco, Morocco, Niger, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Switzerland, Togo, Tunisia, Vanuatu, Vietnam associates - (3) Armenia, Cyprus, Ghana observers - (14) Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Georgia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Mozambique, Poland, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Thailand, Ukraine

International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (ICRM)

established - 1928 aim - to promote worldwide humanitarian aid through
the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in wartime, and
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
(IFRCS; formerly League of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies or
LORCS) in peacetime National Societies - (185 countries and the
Palestine Liberation Organization); note - same as membership for
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
(IFRCS)

International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

established - 17 May 1865 set up as the International Telegraph Union; 9 December 1932 adopted present name; effective - 1 January 1934; affiliated with the UN - 15 November 1947 aim - to deal with world telecommunications issues; a UN specialized agency members - (191) includes all UN member countries except Palau, Timor-Leste (190 total); plus Holy See

International Telecommunications Satellites Organization (ITSO)

established - August 1964 aim - to act as a watchdog over Intelsat,
Ltd., a private company, to make sure it provides on a global and non-
discriminatory basis public telecommunication services members - (148)
Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria,
Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Benin,
Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei,
Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African
Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of
the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia,
Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador,
Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France,
Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea,
Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India,
Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan,
Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan,
Lebanon, Libya, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi,
Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, the Federated
States of Micronesia, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia,
Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman,
Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,
Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia,
Senegal, Serbia, Singapore, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka,
Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania,
Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, UAE, UK,
US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC)

note - its predecessors were the Confederation of Free Trade Unions
(ICFTU) and the World Confederation of Labor (WCL) established - 3
November 2006 aim - to promote the trade union movement members -
(311 affiliated organizations in the following 154 countries and the
Palestine Liberation Organization as of December 2007) Albania,
Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Argentina, Australia,
Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium,
Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bonaire, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana,
Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde,
Central African Republic, Comoros, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Democratic
Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica,
Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Curacao, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Eritrea,
Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, French Polynesia, Gabon, The
Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea,
Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary,
Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan,
Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kosovo, Kuwait, Latvia, Liberia,
Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali,
Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco,
Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands, New Caledonia, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger,
Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland,
Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Saint
Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe,
Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, South
Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland,
Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia,
Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UK, US, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Yemen, Zambia,
Zimbabwe, and the Palestine Liberation Organization

Islamic Development Bank (IDB)

established - 15 December 1973 by declaration of intent; effective - 12
August 1974 aim - to promote Islamic economic aid and social
development members - (55 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization)
Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin,
Brunei, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Cote d'Ivoire, Djibouti,
Egypt, Gabon, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq,
Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia,
Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Oman,
Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan,
Suriname, Syria, Tajikistan, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan,
Uganda, UAE, Uzbekistan, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization

L

Latin American Economic System (LAES)

note - also known as Sistema Economico Latinoamericana (SELA) established - 17 October 1975 aim - to promote economic and social development through regional cooperation members - (27) Argentina, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Secretaria General Iberoamericana (SEGIB), Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, Venezuela

Latin American Integration Association (LAIA)

note - also known as Asociacion Latinoamericana de Integracion (ALADI)
established - 12 August 1980; effective - 18 March 1981 aim - to
promote freer regional trade members - (12) Argentina, Bolivia,
Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru,
Uruguay, Venezuela observers - (26) China, Corporacion Andina de
Fomento, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, EC, El Salvador, Guatemala,
Honduras, Inter-American Development Bank, Inter-American Institute for
Cooperation on Agriculture, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Latin America
Economic System, Nicaragua, Organization of American States, Panama,
Pan-American Health Organization, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Spain,
Switzerland, Ukraine, United Nations Development Program, United
Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean

League of Arab States (LAS)

note - also known as Arab League (AL) established - 22 March 1945 aim - aim - to promote economic, social, political, and military cooperation members - (21 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, UAE, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization observers - (3) Eritrea, India, Venezuela

least developed countries (LLDCs)

that subgroup of the less developed countries (LDCs) initially identified by the UN General Assembly in 1971 as having no significant economic growth, per capita GDPs normally less than $1,000, and low literacy rates; also known as the undeveloped countries; the 42 LLDCs are: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Kiribati, Laos, Lesotho, Malawi, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Nepal, Niger, Rwanda, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Yemen

less developed countries (LDCs)

the bottom group in the hierarchy of developed countries (DCs), former
USSR/Eastern Europe (former USSR/EE), and less developed countries
(LDCs); mainly countries and dependent areas with low levels of output,
living standards, and technology; per capita GDPs are generally below
$5,000 and often less than $1,500; however, the group also includes a
number of countries with high per capita incomes, areas of advanced
technology, and rapid rates of growth; includes the advanced developing
countries, developing countries, Four Dragons (Four Tigers), least
developed countries (LLDCs), low-income countries, middle-income
countries, newly industrializing economies (NIEs), the South, Third
World, underdeveloped countries, undeveloped countries; the 172 LDCs
are: Afghanistan, Algeria, American Samoa, Angola, Anguilla, Antigua
and Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh,
Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, British
Virgin Islands, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia,
Cameroon, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad,
Chile, China, Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, Colombia, Comoros,
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands,
Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Cyprus, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican
Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea,
Ethiopia, Falkland Islands, Fiji, French Guiana, French Polynesia,
Gabon, The Gambia, Gaza Strip, Ghana, Gibraltar, Greenland, Grenada,
Guadeloupe, Guam, Guatemala, Guernsey, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana,
Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Isle of Man,
Jamaica, Jersey, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea,
Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Macau, Madagascar,
Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Marshall Islands, Martinique,
Mauritania, Mauritius, Mayotte, Federated States of Micronesia,
Mongolia, Montserrat, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal,
Netherlands Antilles, New Caledonia, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue,
Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Oman, Palau, Pakistan,
Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Pitcairn
Islands, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Reunion, Rwanda, Saint Helena, Saint Kitts
and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Saint Vincent and
the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal,
Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sri
Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand,
Togo, Tokelau, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turks and Caicos
Islands, Tuvalu, UAE, Uganda, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam,
Virgin Islands, Wallis and Futuna, West Bank, Western Sahara, Yemen,
Zambia, Zimbabwe; note - similar to the new International Monetary Fund
(IMF) term "developing countries" which adds Malta, Mexico, South
Africa, and Turkey but omits in its recently published statistics
American Samoa, Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Cayman
Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, Cook Islands, Cuba, Eritrea,
Falkland Islands, French Guiana, French Polynesia, Gaza Strip,
Gibraltar, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guernsey, Isle of Man,
Jersey, North Korea, Macau, Martinique, Mayotte, Montserrat, Nauru, New
Caledonia, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau,
Pitcairn Islands, Puerto Rico, Reunion, Saint Helena, Saint Pierre and
Miquelon, Tokelau, Tonga, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Virgin
Islands, Wallis and Futuna, West Bank, Western Sahara

low-income countries

another term for those less developed countries with below-average per capita GDPs; see less developed countries (LDCs)

M

middle-income countries

another term for those less developed countries with above-average per capita GDPs; see less developed countries (LDCs)

Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA)

established - 12 April 1988 aim - encourages flow of foreign direct investment among member countries by offering investment insurance, consultation, and negotiation on conditions for foreign investment and technical assistance; a UN specialized agency members - (173) includes all UN member countries except Andorra, Bhutan, Brunei, Burma, Comoros, Cuba, Kiribati, North Korea, Liechtenstein, Marshall Islands, Monaco, Nauru, NZ, Niger, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Somalia, Tonga, Tuvalu

N

Near Abroad

Russian term for the 14 non-Russian successor states of the USSR, in which 25 million ethnic Russians live and in which Moscow has expressed a strong national security interest; the 14 countries are Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan

new independent states (NIS)

a term referring to all the countries of the FSU except the Baltic countries (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania)

newly industrializing countries (NICs)

former term for the newly industrializing economies; see newly industrializing economies (NIEs)

newly industrializing economies (NIEs)

that subgroup of the less developed countries (LDCs) that has experienced particularly rapid industrialization of their economies; formerly known as the newly industrializing countries (NICs); also known as advanced developing countries; usually includes the Four Dragons (Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan), and Brazil

Nonaligned Movement (NAM)

established - 1-6 September 1961 aim - to establish political and
military cooperation apart from the traditional East or West blocs
members - (117 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan,
Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh,
Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brunei,
Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central
African Republic, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic
of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Djibouti,
Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea,
Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala,
Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran,
Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, North Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon,
Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali,
Mauritania, Mauritius, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal,
Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea,
Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia,
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia,
Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Somalia, South Africa,
Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand,
Timor-Leste, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Uganda,
UAE, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe,
Palestine Liberation Organization observers - (15) Armenia,
Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, China, Costa Rica, Croatia,
El Salvador, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Paraguay, Serbia, Ukraine,
Uruguay guests - (24) Australia, Austria, Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus,
Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Greece, Holy See, Hungary, Italy,
Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia,
Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland

Nordic Council (NC)

established - 16 March 1952; effective - 12 February 1953 aim - to promote regional economic, cultural, and environmental cooperation members - (5) Denmark (including Faroe Islands and Greenland), Finland (including Aland Islands), Iceland, Norway, Sweden observers - (3) the Sami (Lapp) local parliaments of Finland, Norway, and Sweden

Nordic Investment Bank (NIB)

established - 4 December 1975; effective - 1 June 1976 aim - to promote economic cooperation and development members - (8) Denmark (including Faroe Islands and Greenland), Estonia, Finland (including Aland Islands), Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden

North

a popular term for the rich industrialized countries generally located in the northern portion of the Northern Hemisphere; the counterpart of the South; see developed countries (DCs)

North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)

established - 17 December 1992 aim - to eliminate trade barriers, promote fair competition, increase investment opportunities, provide protection of intellectual property rights, and create procedures to settle disputes members - (3) Canada, Mexico, US

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

established - 4 April 1949 aim - to promote mutual defense and cooperation members - (28) Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, UK, US

Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA)

note - also known as OECD Nuclear Energy Agency established - 1 February 1958 aim - to promote the peaceful uses of nuclear energy; associated with OECD members - (28) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US

Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG)

note - also known as the London Suppliers Group or the London Group established - 1974; effective - 1975 aim - to establish guidelines for exports of nuclear materials, processing equipment for uranium enrichment, and technical information to countries of proliferation concern and regions of conflict and instability members - (45) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, US observer - (1) European Commission (a policy-planning body for the EU)

O

Organization for Democracy and Economic Development (GUAM)

note-acronym standing for the member countries, Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Moldova; formerly known as GUUAM before Uzbekistan withdrew in 5 May 2005 established - 7 June 2001 aim - commits the countries to cooperation and assistance in social and economic development, the strengthening and broadening of trade and economic relations, and the development and effective use of transport and communications, highways, and related infrastructure crossing the boundaries of the member states members - (4) Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine

Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)

established - 14 December 1960; effective - 30 September 1961 aim - to promote economic cooperation and development members - (30) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US special member - (1) EC accession states - (5) Chile, Estonia, Israel, Russia, Slovenia

Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)

note - formerly the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) established 3 July 1975 established - 1 January 1995 aim - to foster the implementation of human rights, fundamental freedoms, democracy, and the rule of law; to act as an instrument of early warning, conflict prevention, and crisis management; and to serve as a framework for conventional arms control and confidence building measures members - (56) Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Holy See, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, UK, US, Uzbekistan partners for cooperation - (11) Afghanistan, Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Japan, Jordan, South Korea, Mongolia, Morocco, Thailand, Tunisia

Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)

established - 29 April 1997 aim - to enforce the Convention on the
Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling, and Use of
Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction; to provide a forum for
consultation and cooperation among the signatories of the Convention
members (countries that have ratified the Convention) - (184)
Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina,
Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi,
Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad,
Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo,
Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire,
Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Djibouti,
Ecuador, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia,
Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana,
Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Holy
See, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland,
Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, South
Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya,
Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi,
Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania,
Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco,
Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal,
Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norway, Oman,
Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,
Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and
Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San
Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia,
Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon
Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland,
Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo,
Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu,
Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela,
Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe signatory states (countries that have
signed, but not ratified, the Convention) - (5) The Bahamas, Burma,
Dominican Republic, Guinea-Bissau, Israel

Organization of African Unity (OAU)

see African Union

Organization of American States (OAS)

established - 14 April 1890 as the International Union of American
Republics; 30 April 1948 adopted present charter; effective - 13
December 1951 aim - to promote regional peace and security as well as
economic and social development members - (35) Antigua and Barbuda,
Argentina, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada,
Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba (excluded from formal participation
since 1962), Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador,
Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico,
Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia,
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, US,
Uruguay, Venezuela observers - (63) Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Austria,
Azerbaijan, Belgium, Benin, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, China,
Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea,
Estonia, EU, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Holy
See, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan,
Kazakhstan, South Korea, Latvia, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Morocco,
Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Portugal,
Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia,
Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey,
Ukraine, UK, Vanuatu, Yemen

Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC)

established - 9 January 1968 aim - to promote cooperation in the petroleum industry members - (11) Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia (suspended), UAE

Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS)

established - 18 June 1981; effective - 4 July 1981 aim - to promote political, economic, and defense cooperation members - (9) Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)

established - 14 September 1960 aim - to coordinate petroleum policies members - (13) Algeria, Angola, Ecuador, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Venezuela

Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC)

established - 22-25 September 1969 aim - to promote Islamic solidarity
in economic, social, cultural, and political affairs members - (56
plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan, Albania,
Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin, Brunei, Burkina Faso,
Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Cote d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Gabon, The
Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan,
Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives,
Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan,
Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Suriname,
Syria, Tajikistan, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, UAE,
Uzbekistan, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization observers - (14)
AU, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Central African Republic, ECO, Islamic
Conference Youth Forum for Dialogue and Cooperation, LAS, Moro National
Liberation Front, NAM, OAU, Parliamentary Union of the OIC Member
States, Russia, Thailand, Turkish Muslim Community of Kibris, UN

P

Pacific Community (SPC)

local name of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community

Pacific Islands Forum (PIF)

note - formerly known as South Pacific Forum (SPF) established - 5 August 1971 aim - to promote regional cooperation in political matters members - (16) Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, NZ, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu associate members - (2) French Polynesia, New Caledonia partners - (13) Canada, China, EU, France, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, UK, US observers - (5) Asia Development Bank, The Commonwealth, Timor-Leste, Tokelau, Wallis and Futuna

Paris Club

established - 1956 aim - to provide a forum for debtor countries to negotiate rescheduling of debt service payments or loans extended by governments or official agencies of participating countries; to help restore normal trade and project finance to debtor countries members - (19) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US

Partnership for Peace (PFP)

established - 10-11 January 1994 aim - to expand and intensify political and military cooperation throughout Europe, increase stability, diminish threats to peace, and build relationships by promoting the spirit of practical cooperation and commitment to democratic principles that underpin NATO; program under the auspices of NATO members - (22) Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Finland, Georgia, Ireland, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Russia, Serbia, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan; note - a nation that becomes a member of NATO is no longer a member of PFP

Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA)

established - 29 July 1899 aim - to facilitate the settlement of
international disputes members - (108) Argentina, Australia, Austria,
Bahrain, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria,
Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia,
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus,
Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El
Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany,
Greece, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India,
Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea,
Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Libya, Liechtenstein,
Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico,
Montenegro, Morocco, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway,
Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania,
Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia,
South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden,
Switzerland, Thailand, Togo, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay,
Venezuela, Zambia, Zimbabwe

R

Rio Group (RG)

note - formerly known as Grupo de los Ocho, established NA December 1986; composed of the Contadora Group and the Lima Group established - 1988 aim - to consult on regional Latin American issues members - (21) Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, CARICOM, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela

S

Schengen Convention

established - signed June 1990; effective March 1995 aim - to allow free movement within an area without internal border controls members - (25) Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland; note - UK and Ireland have not joined; Liechtenstein and Cyprus will probably join in 2009; Bulgaria and Romania are still not fully implemented

Second World

another term for the traditionally Marxist-Leninist states of the USSR and Eastern Europe, with authoritarian governments and command economies based on the Soviet model; the term is fading from use; see centrally planned economies

Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC)

established - 6 February 1947; effective 29 July 1948 aim - to serve island development in 22 Pacific countries; to develop technical assistance and professional, scientific, and research support; to build planning and management capability members - (26) America Samoa, Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, France, French Polynesia, Guam, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, New Caledonia, Niue, Northern Mariana Islands, NZ, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Pitcairn Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, US, Wallis and Futuna

Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)

established - 15 June 2001 aim - to combat terrorism, extremism, and separatism; to safeguard regional security through mutual trust, disarmament, and cooperative security; and to increase cooperation in political, trade, economic, scientific and technological, cultural, and educational fields members - (6) China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan observers - (4) India, Iran, Mongolia, Pakistan guests - (6) Afghanistan, ASEAN, CIS, EurAsEC, Turkmenistan, UN

socialist countries

in general, countries in which the government owns and plans the use of the major factors of production; note - the term is sometimes used incorrectly as a synonym for Communist countries

South

a popular term for the poorer, less industrialized countries generally located south of the developed countries; the counterpart of the North; see less developed countries (LDCs)

South American Community of Nations (CSN)

established - 9 December 2004 aim - to coordinate common policies regarding multilateral organizations, to integrate physical infrastructure, and to consolidate the merger of CAN and Mercosur members - (12) Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Surinam, Uruguay, Venezuela observers - (2) Mexico, Panama

South Asia Co-operative Environment Program (SACEP)

established - January 1983 aim - to promote regional cooperation in South Asia in the field of environment, both natural and human, and on issues of economic and social development; to support conservation and management of natural resources of the region members - (8) Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka

South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)

established - 8 December 1985 aim - to promote economic, social, and cultural cooperation members - (8) Afghanistan. Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka observers - (9) Australia, Burma, China, EU, Iran, Japan, South Korea, Mauritius, US

South Pacific Forum (SPF)

note - see Pacific Island Forum

South Pacific Regional Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement
(Sparteca)

established - 1981 aim - to redress unequal trade relationships of Australia and New Zealand with small island economies in the Pacific region members - (16) Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, NZ, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu

Southeast European Cooperative Initiative (SECI)

established - 6 December 1996 aim - to encourage cooperation among participating states and to facilitate their integration into European structures members - (13) Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Turkey observers - (18) Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Canada, France, Georgia, Germany, Israel, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Ukraine, UK, US

Southern African Customs Union (SACU)

established - 11 December 1969 aim - to promote free trade and cooperation in customs matters members - (5) Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland

Southern African Development Community (SADC)

note - evolved from the Southern African Development Coordination Conference (SADCC) established - 17 August 1992 aim - to promote regional economic development and integration members - (14) Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Southern Cone Common Market (Mercosur) or Southern Common Market

note - also known as Mercado Comun del Cono Sur (Mercosur) established - 26 March 1991 aim - to increase regional economic cooperation members - (4) Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay associate members - (5) Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela

T

Third World

another term for the less developed countries; the term is obsolescent; see less developed countries (LDCs)

U

underdeveloped countries

refers to those less developed countries with the potential for above- average economic growth; see less developed countries (LDCs)

undeveloped countries

refers to those extremely poor less developed countries (LDCs) with little prospect for economic growth; see least developed countries (LLDCs)

Union Latina

established - 15 May 1954; became functional 1983 aim - to project,
protect, and promote the common heritage and unifying identities of the
Latin, and Latin-influenced, world members - (37) Andorra, Angola,
Bolivia, Brazil, Cape Verde, Chile, Colombia, Cote d'Ivoire, Costa
Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, France,
Guatemala, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Honduras, Italy, Mexico, Moldova,
Monaco, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,
Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Spain,
Timor-Leste, Uruguay, Venezuela observers - (3) Argentina, Holy See,
Order of Malta

Union of South American Nations (UNASUR - Spanish; UNASUL - Portuguese)

formerly South American Community of Nations which terminated on 16 April 2007 established - 23 May 2008 aim - to model a community after the European Union which will include a common currency, parliament, passport, and defense policy members - (12) Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, Venezuela observers - (2) Mexico, Panama

United Nations (UN)

established - 26 June 1945; effective - 24 October 1945 aim - to
maintain international peace and security and to promote cooperation
involving economic, social, cultural, and humanitarian problems
constituent organizations - the UN is composed of six principal organs
and numerous subordinate agencies and bodies as follows: 1)
Secretariat 2) General Assembly: Joint United Nations Program on
HIV/AIDS (UN-AIDS), International Research and Training Institute for
the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW), Office of the United Nations High
Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), Organization for the Prohibition
of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Preparation Committee for the Nuclear-Test-
Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), United Nations Center for Human
Settlements (UN-Habitat), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF),
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), United
Nations Democracy Fund (UNDEF), United Nations Development Program
(UNDP), United Nations Drug Control Program (UNDCP), United Nations
Environment Program (UNEP),United Nations Fund for International
Partnerships (UNFIP), United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
(UNHCR), United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR),
United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), United
Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI),
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), United Nations Office of
Project Services (UNOPS), United Nations Relief and Works Agency for
Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), United Nations Research
Institute for Social Development (UNRISD), United Nations System Staff
College (UNSSC), United Nations University (UNU), World Food Program
(WFP) 3) Security Council: International Criminal Tribunal for the
Former Yugoslavia (ICTY), International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda
(ICTR), United Nations Compensation Commission, United Nations
Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), African Union/United Nations
Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID), United Nations Integrated Mission
in Timor-Leste (UNMIT), United Nations Interim Administration Mission
in Kosovo (UNMIK), United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL),
United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), United Nations Military
Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP), United Nations
Operation in Cote d'Ivoire (UNOCI), United Nations Mission for the
Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), United Nations Mission in the
Central African Republic and Chad (MINURCAT), United Nations Mission in
the Sudan (UNMIS), United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG),
United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the
Congo (MONUC), United Nations Peace-Keeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP),
United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), and United
Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO) 4) Economic and Social
Council (ECOSOC): Commission for Social Development, Commission on
Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, Commission on Narcotics Drugs,
Commission on Population and Development, Commission on Science and
Technology for Development, Commission on Sustainable Development,
Commission on the Status of Women, Economic and Social Commission for
Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), Economic and Social Commission for
Western Asia (ESCWA), Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Economic
Commission for Europe (ECE), Economic Commission for Latin America and
the Caribbean (ECLAC), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United
Nations (FAO), International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), International
Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), International Center
for Secretariat of Investment Disputes (ICSID), International Civil
Aviation Organization (ICAO), International Development Association
(IDA), International Finance Corporation (IFC), International Fund for
Agricultural Development (IFAD), International Labor Organization
(ILO), International Maritime Organization (IMO), International
Monetary Fund (IMF), International Telecommunication Union (ITU),
Multilateral Investment Geographic Agency (MIGA), Statistical
Commission, United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO), United Nations Forum on Forests, United Nations
Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), Universal Postal Union
(UPU), World Health Organization (WHO), World Intellectual Property
Organization (WIPO), World Meteorological Organization (WMO), World
Tourism Organization (UNWTO), and World Trade Organization (WTO) 5)
Trusteeship Council (inactive; no trusteeships at this time) 6)
International Court of Justice (ICJ)

United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)

note - acronym retained from the predecessor organization, UN International Children's Emergency Fund established - 11 December 1946 aim - to help establish child health and welfare services members - (36) selected on a rotating basis from all regions

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)

established - 30 December 1964 aim - to promote international trade members - (193) all UN members plus Holy See

United Nations Development Program (UNDP)

established - 22 November 1965 aim - to provide technical assistance to stimulate economic and social development members (executive board) - (36) selected on a rotating basis from all regions

United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF)

established - 31 May 1974 aim - to observe the 1973 Arab-Israeli cease-fire; established by the UN Security Council members - (6) Austria, Canada, Croatia, India, Japan, Poland

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization
(UNESCO)

established - 16 November 1945; effective - 4 November 1946 aim - to promote cooperation in education, science, and culture members - (193) includes all UN member countries except Liechtenstein (191 total); plus Cook Islands and Niue associate members - (6) Aruba, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Macau, Netherlands Antilles, Tokelau

United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)

established - 15 December 1972 aim - to promote international cooperation on all environmental matters members - (58) selected on a rotating basis from all regions

United Nations General Assembly

established - 26 June 1945; effective - 24 October 1945 aim - to function as the primary deliberative organ of the UN members - (192) all UN members are represented in the General Assembly

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

established - 3 December 1949; effective - 1 January 1951 aim - to
ensure the humanitarian treatment of refugees and find permanent
solutions to refugee problems members (executive committee) - (76)
Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Benin,
Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the
Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Cyprus, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt,
Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guinea,
Holy See, Hungary, India, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan,
Kenya, South Korea, Lebanon, Lesotho, Luxembourg, Macedonia,
Madagascar, Mexico, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia,
Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Philippines,
Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Somalia, South Africa,
Spain, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey,
Uganda, UK, US, Venezuela, Yemen, Zambia

United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)

established - 17 November 1966; effective - 1 January 1967 aim - UN specialized agency that promotes industrial development especially among the members members - (172) includes all UN member countries except Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Brunei, Canada, Estonia, Iceland, Kiribati, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Samoa, San Marino, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, US

United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR)

established - 11 December 1963 adoption of the resolution establishing the Institute; effective - 24 March 1965 aim - to help the UN become more effective through training and research members (Board of Trustees) - (21) Algeria, Brazil, Burkina Faso, China, Republic of the Congo, Cuba, Estonia, France (2), Ghana, India, Iran, Japan, Kuwait, Norway, Russia, South Africa, Switzerland (2), Thailand, US; note - the UN Secretary General can appoint up to 30 members

United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT)

established - 25 August 2006 aim - to support the Government, to support the electoral process, to ensure the restoration and maintenance of public security members - (14) Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Fiji, India, Malaysia, Nepal, NZ, Pakistan, Philippines, Portugal, Sierra Leone, Singapore

United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK)

established - 10 June 1999 aim - to promote the establishment of substantial autonomy and self-government in Kosovo; to perform basic civilian administrative functions; to support the reconstruction of key infrastructure and humanitarian and disaster relief note - gives civilian support only; works closely with NATO Kosovo Force (KFOR)

United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL)

established - 19 March 1978 aim - to confirm the withdrawal of Israeli forces, and assist in reestablishing Lebanese authority in southern Lebanon; established by the UN Security Council members - (28) Belgium, China, Croatia, Cyprus, El Salvador, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, South Korea, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malaysia, Nepal, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Slovenia, Spain, Tanzania, Turkey

United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP)

established - 24 January 1949 aim - to observe the 1949 India-Pakistan cease-fire; established by the UN Security Council members - (8) Chile, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, Italy, South Korea, Sweden, Uruguay

United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO)

established - 29 April 1991 aim - to supervise the cease-fire and conduct a referendum in Western Sahara; established by the UN Security Council members - (28) Argentina, Austria, Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Croatia, Djibouti, Egypt, El Salvador, France, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Honduras, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Kenya, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Paraguay, Poland, Russia, Sri Lanka, Uruguay, Yemen

United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE)

established 31 July 2000; aim was to monitor the cessation of
hostilities; mandate ended July 2008; members were Algeria, Austria,
Bangladesh, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, China,
Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, The Gambia, Germany,
Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, India, Iran, Jordan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan,
Malaysia, Namibia, Nepal, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru,
Poland, Romania, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden,
Tanzania, Tunisia, Ukraine, US, Uruguay, Zambia

United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL)

established - 19 September 2003 aim - to support the cease-fire agreement and peace process, protect UN facilities and people, support humanitarian activities, and assist in national security reform members - (45) Bangladesh, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Ghana, Indonesia, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Mali, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Namibia, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia, Senegal, Serbia, Togo, Ukraine, UK, US, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL)

established on 22 October 1999; aim was to cooperate with the Government of Sierra Leone and the other parties to the Peace Agreement in the implementation of the agreement; to monitor the military and security situation in Sierra Leone; to monitor the disarmament and demobilization of combatants and members of the Civil Defense Forces (CFD); to assist in monitoring respect for international humanitarian law; mandate ended 31 December 2005; members were Bangladesh, Bolivia, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Egypt, The Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Guinea, Indonesia, Jordan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden, Tanzania, Thailand, Ukraine, UK, Uruguay, Zambia

United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad
(MINURCAT)

established - 25 September 2007 aim - to create the security and conditions which will to contribute to the protection of refugees, displaced persons, and citizens in danger, to facilitate the provision of humanitarian assistance in eastern Chad and the northeastern Central African Republic, to create favorable conditions for the reconstruction and economic and social development of these areas members - (22) Bangladesh, Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Egypt, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Mali, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Rwanda, Senegal, Spain, Uganda, Yemen, Zambia

United Nations Mission in the Sudan (UNMIS)

established - March 2005 aim - to support implementation of the comprehensive Peace Agreement by Monitoring and verifying the implementation of the Cease Fire Agreement, by observing and monitoring movements of armed groups, and by helping disarm, demobilizing and reintegrating armed bands members - (61) Australia, Bangladesh, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Canada, China, Croatia, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Fiji, Finland, Gabon, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Moldova, Mongolia, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherland, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Tanzania, Thailand, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, Uruguay, UK, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET)

established on 17 May 2002 to provide assistance to structures critical to public security and to assist in the development of law enforcement agencies; to contribute to external security; members were Australia, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Brazil, Denmark, Fiji, Jordan, Malaysia, Mozambique, Nepal, NZ, Pakistan, Philippines, Portugal, Russia, Sweden; completed its mandate 20 May 2005

United Nations Monitoring, Verification, and Inspection Commission
(UNMOVIC)

formerly known as United Nations Special Commission for the Elimination of Iraq's Weapons of Mass Destruction (UNSCOM); established December 1999 with the aim to identify, account for, and eliminate Iraq's weapons of mass destruction and the capacity to produce them; commissioners were from Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, UN Department for Disarmament Affairs, France, Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, Nigeria, Russia, Senegal, Ukraine, UK, US; finished operations 29 June 2007

United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG)

established - 24 August 1993 aim - to verify compliance with the cease-fire agreement, to monitor weapons exclusion zone, and to supervise CIS peacekeeping force for Abkhazia; established by the UN Security Council members - (32) Albania, Austria, Bangladesh, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hungary, Indonesia, Jordan, South Korea, Lithuania, Moldova, Mongolia, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Poland, Romania, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Yemen

United Nations Operation in Burundi (ONUB)

was established 21 May 2004 to support and help implement the efforts undertaken by Burundians to restore lasting peace and bring about national reconciliation; members were Algeria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Chad, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, India, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Senegal, Serbia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Uruguay, Yemen, Zambia; mandate was completed 31 December 2006

United Nations Operation in Cote d'Ivoire (UNOCI)

established - 27 February 2004 aim - to facilitate the implementation by the Ivorian parties of the peace agreement signed by them in January 2003 members - (41) Bangladesh, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Chad, China, Croatia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Ethiopia, France, The Gambia, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, India, Ireland, Jordan, Moldova, Morocco, Namibia, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia, Senegal, Serbia, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Uruguay, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the
Congo (MONUC)

established - 30 November 1999 aim - to establish contacts with the signatories to the cease-fire agreement and to plan for the observation of the cease-fire and disengagement of forces members - (48) Algeria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Burkina Faso, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, France, Ghana, Guatemala, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Jordan, Kenya, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Romania, Russia, Senegal, Serbia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia, Ukraine, UK, Uruguay, Yemen, Zambia

United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP)

established - 4 March 1964 aim - to serve as a peacekeeping force between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots in Cyprus; established by the UN Security Council members - (7) Argentina, Austria, Canada, Croatia, Hungary, Slovakia, UK

United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)

note - acronym retained from predecessor organization UN Fund for Population Activities established - July 1967 aim - to assist both developed and developing countries to deal with their population problems members (executive board ) - (36) selected on a rotating basis from all regions

United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the
Near East (UNRWA)

established - 8 December 1949 aim - to provide assistance to
Palestinian refugees members (advisory commission) - (22) Australia,
Belgium, Canada, Denmark, EC, Egypt, France, Germany, Italy, Japan,
Jordan, Lebanon, Netherlands, Norway, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland, Syria, Turkey, UK, US

United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD)

established - 1963 aim - to conduct research into the problems of economic development during different phases of economic growth members - no country members, but a Board of Directors consisting of a chairman appointed by the UN secretary general and 12 individual members

United Nations Secretariat

established - 26 June 1945; effective - 24 October 1945 aim - to serve as the primary administrative organ of the UN; a Secretary General is appointed for a five-year term by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the Security Council members - the UN Secretary General and staff

United Nations Security Council (UNSC)

established - 26 June 1945; effective - 24 October 1945 aim - to maintain international peace and security permanent members - (5) China, France, Russia, UK, US nonpermanent members - (10) elected for two-year terms by the UN General Assembly; Austria (2009-10), Burkina Faso (2008-09), Costa Rica (2008-09), Croatia (2008-09), Japan (2009- 10), Libya (2008-09), Mexico (2009-10), Turkey (2009-10), Uganda (2009- 10), Vietnam (2008-09)

United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH)

established - 30 April 2004 aim - to stabilize Haiti in many areas for at least six months members - (17) Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Ecuador, France, Guatemala, Jordan, Nepal, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Sri Lanka, US, Uruguay

United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO)

established - June 1948 aim - to supervise the 1948 Arab-Israeli cease-fire; currently supports timely deployment of reinforcements to other peacekeeping operations in the region as needed; initially established by the UN Security Council members - (23) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, China, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Ireland, Italy, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, US

United Nations Trusteeship Council

established on 26 June 1945, effective on 24 October 1945, to supervise the administration of the 11 UN trust territories; members were China, France, Russia, UK, US; it formally suspended operations 1 November 1995 after the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (Palau) became the Republic of Palau, a constitutional government in free association with the US; the Trusteeship Council was not dissolved

United Nations University (UNU)

established - 3 December 1973 aim - to conduct research in development, welfare, and human survival and to train scholars members - (24 members of UNU Council and the Rector are appointed by the Secretary General of the United Nations and the Director General of UNESCO)

Universal Postal Union (UPU)

established - 9 October 1874, affiliated with the UN 15 November 1947; effective - 1 July 1948 aim - to promote international postal cooperation; a UN specialized agency members - (191) includes all UN member countries except Andorra, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, and Palau (189 total); plus Holy See and Overseas Territories of the UK; note - includes the following dependencies or areas of special interest: Australia (Norfolk Island), China (Hong Kong, Macau), Denmark (Faroe Islands, Greenland), France (French Polynesia including Clipperton Island, French Southern and Antarctic Lands, Mayotte, New Caledonia, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Martin, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Scattered Islands [Bassas da India, Europe, Juan de Nova, Glorioso Islands, Tromelin], Wallis and Futuna), Netherlands (Aruba, Netherlands Antilles), NZ (Cook Island, Niue, Tokelau), UK (Guernsey, Isle of Man, Jersey; Anguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat, Pitcairn Islands, Saint Helena, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands, Turks and Caicos), US (American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands)

W

Warsaw Pact (WP)

established 14 May 1955 to promote mutual defense; members met 1 July 1991 to dissolve the alliance; member states at the time of dissolution were: Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and the USSR; earlier members included German Democratic Republic (GDR) and Albania

West African Development Bank (WADB)

note - also known as Banque Ouest-Africaine de Developpement (BOAD); is a financial institution of WAEMU established - 14 November 1973 aim - to promote regional economic development and integration regional members - (8) Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo

West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU)

note - also known as Union Economique et Monetaire Ouest Africaine (UEMOA) established - 1 August 1994 aim - to increase competitiveness of members' economic markets; to create a common market members - (8) Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo

Western European Union (WEU)

established - 23 October 1954; effective - 6 May 1955 aim - to provide mutual defense and to move toward political unification members - (10) Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, UK associate members - (6) Czech Republic, Hungary, Iceland, Norway, Poland, Turkey associate partners - (7) Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia observers - (5) Austria, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Sweden

World Bank Group

includes International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), International Development Association (IDA), International Finance Corporation (IFC), and Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA)

World Confederation of Labor (WCL)

established 19 June 1920 as the International Federation of Christian
Trade Unions (IFCTU), renamed 4 October 1968; aim was to promote the
trade union movement; on 31 October 2006 it merged with the
International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) to form the
International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC); members were (105
national organizations) Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba, Austria,
Bangladesh, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina
Faso, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile,
Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo,
Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, France, French
Guiana, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guinea,
Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran,
Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein,
Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Malta,
Martinique, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Namibia, Nepal,
Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, Nicaragua, Niger, Pakistan, Panama,
Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania,
Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and
Principe, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, South
Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand,
Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Ukraine, US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Vietnam,
Zambia, Zimbabwe

World Customs Organization (WCO)

note - began as the Customs Cooperation Council (CCC) established - 15
December 1950 aim - to promote international cooperation in customs
matters members - (175) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra,
Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The
Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,
Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana,
Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia,
Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile,
China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of
the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, EC, Ecuador, Egypt, El
Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The
Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana,
Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran,
Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan,
Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho,
Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Macedonia, Madagascar,
Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico,
Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal,
Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria,
Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru,
Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint
Lucia, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone,
Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan,
Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand,
Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey,
Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan,
Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU)

established - 3 October 1945 aim - to promote the trade union movement
members - (174 and the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan,
Albania, Algeria, Angola, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina,
Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain,
Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan,
Bolivia, Bonaire, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, British
Virgin Islands, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi,
Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African
Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of
the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote
d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Curacao, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador,
Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France,
French Guiana, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece,
Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti,
Holy See, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan,
Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos,
Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau,
Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta,
Martinique, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mayotte, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco,
Mongolia, Montenegro, Montserrat, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal,
Netherlands, New Caledonia, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway,
Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,
Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Reunion, Romania, Russia, Rwanda,
Saint Barthelemy, Saint Eustatius, Saint Helena, Saint Kitts and Nevis,
Saint Lucia, Saint Martin, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San
Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia,
Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia,
Somaliland, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland,
Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tahiti, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania,
Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia,
Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, US Virgin Islands,
Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Wallis and Futuna,
Western Sahara, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Palestine Liberation
Organization

World Food Program (WFP)

established - 24 November 1961 aim - to provide food aid in support of economic development or disaster relief; an ECOSOC organization members - (36) selected on a rotating basis from all regions

World Health Organization (WHO)

established - 22 July 1946; effective - 7 April 1948 aim - to deal with health matters worldwide; a UN specialized agency members - (193) includes all UN member countries except Liechtenstein (191 total); plus Cook Islands and Niue

World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)

established - 14 July 1967; effective - 26 April 1970 aim - to furnish protection for literary, artistic, and scientific works; a UN specialized agency members - (184) includes all UN member countries except Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tuvalu, Vanuatu (183 total); plus Holy See

World Meteorological Organization (WMO)

established - 11 October 1947; effective - 4 April 1951 aim - to sponsor meteorological cooperation; a UN specialized agency members - (188) includes all UN member countries except Andorra, Equatorial Guinea, Grenada, Liechtenstein, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Timor- Leste, Tuvalu (180 total); plus Aruba and the Netherlands Antilles, British Caribbean Territories, Cook Islands, French Polynesia, Hong Kong, Macau, New Caledonia, and Niue

World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)

established - 2 January 1975 aim - to promote tourism as a means of
contributing to economic development, international understanding, and
peace members - (154) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola,
Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas,
Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi,
Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad,
Chile, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of
the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech
Republic, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador,
Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, France, Gabon, The Gambia,
Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau,
Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy,
Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea,
Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libya, Lithuania,
Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta,
Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro,
Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Niger,
Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay,
Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda,
San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia,
Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri
Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania,
Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda,
Ukraine, UK, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia,
Zimbabwe associate members - (7) Aruba, Flanders, Hong Kong, Macau,
Madeira Islands, Netherlands Antilles, Puerto Rico observers - (1 plus
Palestine Liberation Organization) Holy See, Palestine Liberation
Organization

World Trade Organization (WTO)

note - succeeded General Agreement on Tariff and Trade (GATT)
established - 15 April 1994; effective - 1 January 1995 aim - to
provide a forum to resolve trade conflicts between members and to carry
on negotiations with the goal of further lowering and/or eliminating
tariffs and other trade barriers members - (153) Albania, Angola,
Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bahrain,
Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana,
Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia,
Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile,
China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the
Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador,
Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, EC, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The
Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea,
Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland,
India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan,
Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lesotho, Liechtenstein,
Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia,
Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova,
Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ,
Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New
Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania,
Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia,
Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname,
Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo,
Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK,
US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zambia, Zimbabwe observers - (30)
Afghanistan, Algeria, Andorra, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Belarus,
Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Comoros, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia,
Holy See, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya,
Montenegro, Russia, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Serbia, Seychelles,
Sudan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Yemen; note - with the
exception of the Holy See, an observer must start accession
negotiations within five years of becoming observers

Z

Zangger Committee (ZC)

established - early 1970s aim - to establish guidelines for the export
control provisions of the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons Treaty
(NPT) members - (36) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria,
Canada, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France,
Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea,
Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia,
Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey,
Ukraine, UK, US observers - (1) European Commission

======================================================================

Appendix C :: Selected International Invironmental Agreements

A

Air Pollution

see Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution

Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides

see Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution Concerning the Control of Emissions of Nitrogen Oxides or Their Transboundary Fluxes

Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

see Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution on Persistent Organic Pollutants

Air Pollution-Sulphur 85

see Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution on the Reduction of Sulphur Emissions or Their Transboundary Fluxes by at least 30%

Air Pollution-Sulphur 94

see Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution on Further Reduction of Sulphur Emissions

Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds

see Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution Concerning the Control of Emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds or Their Transboundary Fluxes

Antarctic - Environmental Protocol

see Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty

Antarctic Treaty

opened for signature - 1 December 1959 entered into force - 23 June 1961 objective - to ensure that Antarctica is used for peaceful purposes only (such as international cooperation in scientific research); to defer the question of territorial claims asserted by some nations and not recognized by others; to provide an international forum for management of the region; applies to land and ice shelves south of 60 degrees south latitude parties - (46) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, India, Italy, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela

B

Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous
Wastes and Their Disposal

note - abbreviated as Hazardous Wastes opened for signature - 22 March 1989 entered into force - 5 May 1992 objective - to reduce transboundary movements of wastes subject to the Convention to a minimum consistent with the environmentally sound and efficient management of such wastes; to minimize the amount and toxicity of wastes generated and ensure their environmentally sound management as closely as possible to the source of generation; and to assist LDCs in environmentally sound management of the hazardous and other wastes they generate parties - (172) Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, EU, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (3) Afghanistan, Haiti, US

Biodiversity

see Convention on Biological Diversity

C

Climate Change

see United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

see Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals

note - abbreviated as Antarctic Seals opened for signature - 1 June 1972 entered into force - 11 March 1978 objective - to promote and achieve the protection, scientific study, and rational use of Antarctic seals, and to maintain a satisfactory balance within the ecological system of Antarctica parties - (16) Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Norway, Poland, Russia, South Africa, UK, US countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (1) NZ

Convention on Biological Diversity

note - abbreviated as Biodiversity opened for signature - 5 June 1992
entered into force - 29 December 1993 objective - to develop national
strategies for the conservation and sustainable use of biological
diversity parties - (191) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra,
Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria,
Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus,
Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi,
Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad,
Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo,
Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire,
Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica,
Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea,
Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, EU, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The
Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea,
Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India,
Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan,
Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait,
Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya,
Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi,
Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania,
Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco,
Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal,
Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norway, Oman,
Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,
Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and
Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San
Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia,
Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon
Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland,
Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-
Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan,
Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu,
Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe countries that have
signed, but not yet ratified - (1) US

Convention on Fishing and Conservation of Living Resources of the High
Seas

note - abbreviated as Marine Life Conservation opened for signature - 29 April 1958 entered into force - 20 March 1966 objective - to solve through international cooperation the problems involved in the conservation of living resources of the high seas, considering that because of the development of modern technology some of these resources are in danger of being overexploited parties - (38) Australia, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Colombia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Fiji, Finland, France, Haiti, Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Montenegro, Netherlands, Nigeria, Portugal, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, UK, US, Venezuela countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (21) Afghanistan, Argentina, Bolivia, Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ghana, Iceland, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Lebanon, Liberia, Nepal, NZ, Pakistan, Panama, Sri Lanka, Tunisia, Uruguay

Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution

note - abbreviated as Air Pollution opened for signature - 13 November 1979 entered into force - 16 March 1983 objective - to protect the human environment against air pollution and to gradually reduce and prevent air pollution, including long-range transboundary air pollution parties - (51) Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, EU, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, US countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (2) Holy See, San Marino

Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as
Waterfowl Habitat (Ramsar)

note - abbreviated as Wetlands opened for signature - 2 February 1971
entered into force - 21 December 1975 objective - to stem the
progressive encroachment on and loss of wetlands now and in the future,
recognizing the fundamental ecological functions of wetlands and their
economic, cultural, scientific, and recreational value parties - (154)
Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia,
Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia,
Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile,
China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of
the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El
Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The
Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-
Bissau, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland,
Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, South Korea,
Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein,
Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali,
Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova,
Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ,
Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New
Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia,
Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Serbia,
Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri
Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania,
Tajikistan, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey,
Uganda, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam,
Zambia

Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources

note - abbreviated as Antarctic-Marine Living Resources opened for signature - 5 May 1980 entered into force - 7 April 1982 objective - to safeguard the environment and protect the integrity of the ecosystem of the seas surrounding Antarctica, and to conserve Antarctic marine living resources parties - (31) Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, EU, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, India, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mauritius, Namibia, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Peru, Poland, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Vanuatu

Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild
Flora and Fauna (CITES)

note - abbreviated as Endangered Species opened for signature - 3
March 1973 entered into force - 1 July 1975 objective - to protect
certain endangered species from overexploitation by means of a system
of import/export permits parties - (170) Afghanistan, Albania,
Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria,
Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium,
Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria,
Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde,
Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros,
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica,
Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador,
Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France,
Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala,
Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India,
Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan,
Kazakhstan, Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Latvia, Lesotho, Liberia,
Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar,
Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova,
Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal,
Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Palau, Pakistan,
Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland,
Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint
Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome
and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone,
Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka,
Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania,
Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine,
UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen,
Zambia, Zimbabwe

Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping Wastes and
Other Matter (London Convention)

note - abbreviated as Marine Dumping opened for signature - 29 December 1972 entered into force - 30 August 1975 objective - to control pollution of the sea by dumping and to encourage regional agreements supplementary to the Convention; the London Convention came into force in 1996 parties - (88) Afghanistan, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Azerbaijan, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong (associate member), Hungary, Iceland, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Libya, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Montenegro, Morocco, Nauru, Netherlands, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Seychelles, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Vanuatu associate members to the London Convention - (2) Faroe Islands, Macau countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (3) Chad, Kuwait, Uruguay

Convention on the Prohibition of Military or Any Other Hostile Use of
Environmental Modification Techniques

note - abbreviated as Environmental Modification opened for signature - 10 December 1976 entered into force - 5 October 1978 objective - to prohibit the military or other hostile use of environmental modification techniques in order to further world peace and trust among nations parties - (73) Afghanistan, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Egypt, Finland, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Lithuania, Malawi, Mauritius, Mongolia, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Poland, Romania, Russia, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Yemen countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (16) Bolivia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Holy See, Iceland, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Liberia, Luxembourg, Morocco, Portugal, Sierra Leone, Syria, Turkey, Uganda

D

Desertification

see United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa

E

Endangered Species

see Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES)

Environmental Modification

see Convention on the Prohibition of Military or Any Other Hostile Use of Environmental Modification Techniques

H

Hazardous Wastes

see Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal

I

International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling

note - abbreviated as Whaling opened for signature - 2 December 1946 entered into force - 10 November 1948 objective - to protect all species of whales from overhunting; to establish a system of international regulation for the whale fisheries to ensure proper conservation and development of whale stocks; and to safeguard for future generations the great natural resources represented by whale stocks parties - (84) Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Brazil, Cambodia, Cameroon, Chile, China, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote D'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Ecuador, Eritrea, Estonia, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Germany, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Laos, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Nauru, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Norway, Oman, Palau, Panama, Peru, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Senegal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Togo, Tuvalu, UK, US, Uruguay

International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1983

note - abbreviated as Tropical Timber 83 opened for signature - 18 November 1983 entered into force - 1 April 1985; this agreement expired when the International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1994, went into force objective - to provide an effective framework for cooperation between tropical timber producers and consumers and to encourage the development of national policies aimed at sustainable utilization and conservation of tropical forests and their genetic resources parties - (59) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, EU, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Liberia, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, US, Vanuatu, Venezuela

International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1994

note - abbreviated as Tropical Timber 94 opened for signature - 26 January 1994 entered into force - 1 January 1997 objective - to ensure that by the year 2000 exports of tropical timber originate from sustainably managed sources; to establish a fund to assist tropical timber producers in obtaining the resources necessary to reach this objective parties - (61) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, EU, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Liberia, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, US, Vanuatu, Venezuela

K

Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change

note - abbreviated as Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol opened for signature - 16 March 1998 entered into force - 23 February 2005 objective - to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions by enhancing the national programs of developed countries aimed at this goal and by establishing percentage reduction targets for the developed countries parties - (184) Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Island, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, EU, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (2) Kazakhstan, US

L

Law of the Sea

see United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (LOS)

M

Marine Dumping

see Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping Wastes and Other Matter (London Convention)

Marine Life Conservation

see Convention on Fishing and Conservation of Living Resources of the High Seas

Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer

note - abbreviated as Ozone Layer Protection opened for signature - 16
September 1987 entered into force - 1 January 1989 objective - to
protect the ozone layer by controlling emissions of substances that
deplete it parties - (194) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra,
Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria,
Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus,
Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi,
Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad,
Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo,
Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire,
Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica,
Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea,
Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, EU, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The
Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea,
Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland,
India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan,
Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait,
Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya,
Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi,
Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania,
Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco,
Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal,
Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norway, Oman,
Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,
Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and
Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome
and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone,
Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa,
Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland,
Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and
Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE,
UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen,
Zambia, Zimbabwe

N

Nuclear Test Ban

see Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapons Tests in the Atmosphere, in Outer Space, and Under Water

O

Ozone Layer Protection

see Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer

P

Protocol of 1978 Relating to the International Convention for the
Prevention of Pollution From Ships, 1973 (MARPOL)

note - abbreviated as Ship Pollution opened for signature - 17
February 1978 entered into force - 2 October 1983 objective - to
preserve the marine environment through the complete elimination of
pollution by oil and other harmful substances and the minimization of
accidental discharge of such substances parties - (139) Algeria,
Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan,
The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin,
Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burma, Cambodia, Canada, Cape Verde,
Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Republic of Congo, Cote d'Ivoire,
Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica,
Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Faroe
Islands, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana,
Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary,
Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica,
Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Latvia, Lebanon,
Liberia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Libya, Macau, Madagascar, Malawi,
Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius,
Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique,
Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama,
Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar Romania,
Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal,
Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South
Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Togo,
Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Tuvalu, Ukraine, UK, US,
Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam

Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty

note - abbreviated as Antarctic-Environmental Protocol opened for signature - 4 October 1991 entered into force - 14 January 1998 objective - to provide for comprehensive protection of the Antarctic environment and dependent and associated ecosystems; applies to the area covered by the Antarctic Treaty consultative parties - (31) Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Peru, Poland, Romania, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay non consultative parties - (12) Austria, Colombia, Cuba, Denmark, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, North Korea, Papua New Guinea, Slovakia, Switzerland, Turkey

Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air
Pollution Concerning the Control of Emissions of Nitrogen Oxides or
Their Transboundary Fluxes

note - abbreviated as Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides opened for signature - 31 October 1988 entered into force - 14 February 1991 objective - to provide for the control or reduction of nitrogen oxides and their transboundary fluxes parties - (32) Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, EU, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, UK, US countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (1) Poland

Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air
Pollution Concerning the Control of Emissions of Volatile Organic
Compounds or Their Transboundary Fluxes

note - abbreviated as Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds opened for signature - 18 November 1991 entered into force - 29 September 1997 objective - to provide for the control and reduction of emissions of volatile organic compounds in order to reduce their transboundary fluxes so as to protect human health and the environment from adverse effects parties - (23) Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (6) Canada, EU, Greece, Portugal, Ukraine, US

Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air
Pollution on Further Reduction of Sulphur Emissions

note - abbreviated as Air Pollution-Sulphur 94 opened for signature - 14 June 1994 entered into force - 5 August 1998 objective - to provide for a further reduction in sulfur emissions or transboundary fluxes parties - (28) Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, EU, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (3) Poland, Russia, Ukraine

Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air
Pollution on Persistent Organic Pollutants

note - abbreviated as Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants opened for signature - 24 June 1998 entered into force - 23 October 2003 objective - to provide for the control and reduction of emissions of persistent organic pollutants in order to reduce their transboundary fluxes so as to protect human health and the environment from adverse effects parties - (29) Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, EU, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Moldova, Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, UK countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (8) Armenia, Greece, Ireland, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Ukraine, US

Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air
Pollution on the Reduction of Sulphur Emissions or Their Transboundary
Fluxes by at Least 30%

note - abbreviated as Air Pollution-Sulphur 85 opened for signature - 8 July 1985 entered into force - 2 September 1987 objective - to provide for a 30% reduction in sulfur emissions or transboundary fluxes by 1993 parties - (23) Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine

S

Ship Pollution

see Protocol of 1978 Relating to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution From Ships, 1973 (MARPOL)

T

Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapon Tests in the Atmosphere, in Outer Space, and Under Water

note - abbreviated as Nuclear Test Ban opened for signature - 5 August 1963 entered into force - 10 October 1963 objective - to obtain an agreement on general and complete disarmament under strict international control in accordance with the objectives of the United Nations; to put an end to the armaments race and eliminate incentives for the production and testing of all kinds of weapons, including nuclear weapons parties - (113) Afghanistan, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Belgium, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burma, Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Fiji, Finland, Gabon, The Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Samoa, San Marino, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, UK, US, Venezuela, Zambia countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (17) Algeria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Chile, Ethiopia, Haiti, Libya, Mali, Pakistan, Paraguay, Portugal, Somalia, Tanzania, Uruguay, Vietnam, Yemen

Tropical Timber 83

see International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1983

Tropical Timber 94

see International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1994

U

United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (LOS)

note - abbreviated as Law of the Sea opened for signature - 10
December 1982 entered into force - 16 November 1994 objective - to
set up a comprehensive new legal regime for the sea and oceans; to
include rules concerning environmental standards as well as enforcement
provisions dealing with pollution of the marine environment parties -
(157) Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina,
Armenia, Australia, Austria, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh,
Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma,
Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Comoros, Democratic
Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica,
Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Djibouti, Dominica, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, EU, Fiji,
Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece,
Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras,
Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica,
Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Latvia,
Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia,
Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands,
Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova,
Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru,
Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Niue, Norway, Oman,
Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Philippines,
Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint
Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe,
Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore,
Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri
Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and
Tobago, Tunisia, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UK, Uruguay, Vanuatu,
Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe countries that have signed, but not
yet ratified - (21) Afghanistan, Bhutan, Burundi, Cambodia, Central
African Republic, Chad, Colombia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador,
Ethiopia, Iran, North Korea, Libya, Liechtenstein, Malawi, Niger,
Rwanda, Swaziland, Switzerland, Thailand, UAE

United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries
Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in
Africa

note - abbreviated as Desertification opened for signature - 14
October 1994 entered into force - 26 December 1996 objective - to
combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought through
national action programs that incorporate long-term strategies
supported by international cooperation and partnership arrangements
parties - (193) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua
and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The
Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,
Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil,
Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon,
Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China,
Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the
Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus,
Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic,
Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, EU,
Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana,
Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti,
Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel,
Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North
Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho,
Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia,
Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands,
Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova,
Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru,
Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norway, Oman,
Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,
Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and
Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San
Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia,
Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon
Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname,
Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, Tanzania,
Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey,
Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay,
Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

note - abbreviated as Climate Change opened for signature - 9 May 1992
entered into force - 21 March 1994 objective - to achieve
stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a
low enough level to prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with
the climate system parties - (192) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria,
Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria,
Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus,
Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi,
Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad,
Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo,
Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire,
Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica,
Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea,
Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, EU, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The
Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea,
Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India,
Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan,
Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait,
Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya,
Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi,
Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania,
Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco,
Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal,
Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norway, Oman,
Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,
Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and
Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San
Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia,
Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon
Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland,
Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-
Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan,
Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu,
Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

W

Wetlands

see Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially As Waterfowl Habitat (Ramsar)

Whaling

see International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling

======================================================================

Appendix D :: Cross-reference List of Country Data Codes

FIPS 10: Countries, Dependencies, Areas of Special Sovereignty, and Their Principal Administrative Divisions (FIPS 10) is maintained by the Office of Targeting and Transnational Issues, National Geospatial- Intelligence Agency, and published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (Department of Commerce). FIPS 10 codes are intended for general use throughout the US Government, especially in activities associated with the mission of the Department of State and national defense programs.

ISO 3166: Codes for the Representation of Names of Countries (ISO 3166) is prepared by the International Organization for Standardization. ISO 3166 includes two- and three-character alphabetic codes and three-digit numeric codes that may be needed for activities involving exchange of data with international organizations that have adopted that standard. Except for the numeric codes, ISO 3166 codes have been adopted in the US as FIPS 104-1: American National Standard Codes for the Representation of Names of Countries, Dependencies, and Areas of Special Sovereignty for Information Interchange.

STANAG 1059: Letter Codes for Geographical Entities (8th edition, 2004) is a Standardization Agreement (STANAG) established and maintained by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO/OTAN) for the purpose of providing a common set of geo-spatial identifiers for countries, territories, and possessions. The 8th edition established trigraph codes for each country based upon the ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 character sets. These codes are used throughout NATO. Internet: The Internet country code is the two-letter digraph maintained by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in the

ISO 3166 Alpha-2 list and used by the Internet Assigned Numbers
Authority (IANA) to establish country-coded top-level domains (ccTLDs).

A

Entity FIPS 10 ISO 3166 Stanag Internet Comment

Afghanistan AF AF AFG 004 AFG .af
Albania AL AL ALB 008 ALB .al
Algeria AG DZ DZA 012 DZA .dz
American Samoa AQ AS ASM 016 ASM .as
Andorra AN AD AND 020 AND .ad
Angola AO AO AGO 024 AGO .ao
Anguilla AV AI AIA 660 AIA .ai
Antarctica AY AQ ATA 010 ATA .aq
  ISO defines as the territory south of 60 degrees south latitude

Antigua and Barbuda AC AG ATG 028 ATG .ag
Argentina AR AR ARG 032 ARG .ar
Armenia AM AM ARM 051 ARM .am
Aruba AA AW ABW 533 ABW .aw
Ashmore and Cartier Islands AT - - - AUS -
  ISO includes with Australia

Australia AS AU AUS 036 AUS .au
  ISO includes Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Coral Sea Islands

Austria AU AT AUT 040 AUT .at
Azerbaijan AJ AZ AZE 031 AZE .az

B

Entity FIPS 10 ISO 3166 Stanag Internet Comment

Bahamas, The BF BS BHS 044 BHS .bs
Bahrain BA BH BHR 048 BHR .bh
Baker Island FQ - - - UMI -
  ISO includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands

Bangladesh BG BD BGD 050 BGD .bd
Barbados BB BB BRB 052 BRB .bb
Bassas da India BS - - - - -
  administered as part of French Southern and Antarctic Lands; no
  ISO codes assigned

Belarus BO BY BLR 112 BLR .by
Belgium BE BE BEL 056 BEL .be
Belize BH BZ BLZ 084 BLZ .bz
Benin BN BJ BEN 204 BEN .bj
Bermuda BD BM BMU 060 BMU .bm
Bhutan BT BT BTN 064 BTN .bt
Bolivia BL BO BOL 068 BOL .bo
Bosnia and Herzegovina BK BA BIH 070 BIH .ba
Botswana BC BW BWA 072 BWA .bw
Bouvet Island BV BV BVT 074 BVT .bv
Brazil BR BR BRA 076 BRA .br
British Indian Ocean Territory IO IO IOT 086 IOT .io
British Virgin IslandsVI VG VGB 092 VGB .vg
Brunei BX BN BRN 096 BRN .bn
Bulgaria BU BG BGR 100 BGR .bg
Burkina Faso UV BF BFA 854 BFA .bf
Burma BM MM MMR 104 MMR .mm
  ISO uses the name Myanmar

Burundi BY BI BDI 108 BDI .bi

C

Entity FIPS 10 ISO 3166 Stanag Internet Comment

Cambodia CB KH KHM 116 KHM .kh
Cameroon CM CM CMR 120 CMR .cm
Canada CA CA CAN 124 CAN .ca
Cape Verde CV CV CPV 132 CPV .cv
Cayman Islands CJ KY CYM 136 CYM .ky
Central African Republic CT CF CAF 140 CAF .cf
Chad CD TD TCD 148 TCD .td
Chile CI CL CHL 152 CHL .cl
China CH CN CHN 156 CHN .cn
  see also Taiwan

Christmas Island KT CX CXR 162 CXR .cx
Clipperton Island IP - - - FYP -
  ISO includes with French Polynesia

Cocos (Keeling) Islands CK CC CCK 166 AUS .cc
Colombia CO CO COL 170 COL .co
Comoros CN KM COM 174 COM .km
Congo, Democratic Republic of the CG CD COD 180 COD .cd
  formerly Zaire

Congo, Republic of the CF CG COG 178 COG .cg
Cook Islands CW CK COK 184 COK .ck
Coral Sea Islands CR - - - AUS -
  ISO includes with Australia

Costa Rica CS CR CRI 188 CRI .cr
Cote d'Ivoire IV CI CIV 384 CIV .ci
Croatia HR HR HRV 191 HRV .hr
Cuba CU CU CUB 192 CUB .cu
Cyprus CY CY CYP 196 CYP .cy
Czech Republic EZ CZ CZE 203 CZE .cz

D

Entity FIPS 10 ISO 3166 Stanag Internet Comment

Denmark DA DK DNK 208 DNK .dk
Djibouti DJ DJ DJI 262 DJI .dj
Dominica DO DM DMA 212 DMA .dm
Dominican Republic DR DO DOM 214 DOM .do

E

Entity FIPS 10 ISO 3166 Stanag Internet Comment

Ecuador EC EC ECU 218 ECU .ec
Egypt EG EG EGY 818 EGY .eg
El Salvador ES SV SLV 222 SLV .sv
Equatorial Guinea EK GQ GNQ 226 GNQ .gq
Eritrea ER ER ERI 232 ERI .er
Estonia EN EE EST 233 EST .ee
Ethiopia ET ET ETH 231 ETH .et
Europa Island EU - - - - -
  administered as part of French Southern and Antarctic Lands; no
  ISO codes assigned

F

Entity FIPS 10 ISO 3166 Stanag Internet Comment

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) FK FK FLK 238 FLK .fk
Faroe Islands FO FO FRO 234 FRO .fo
Fiji FJ FJ FJI 242 FJI .fj
Finland FI FI FIN 246 FIN .fi
France FR FR FRA 250 FRA .fr
France, Metropolitan - FX FXX 249 - .fx
  ISO limits to the European part of France, excluding French
  Guiana, French Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Lands,
  Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte, New Caledonia, Reunion, Saint
  Pierre and Miquelon, Wallis and Futuna

French Guiana FG GF GUF 254 GUF .gf
French Polynesia FP PF PYF 258 PYF .pf
  ISO includes Clipperton Island

French Southern and Antarctic Lands FS TF ATF 260 ATF .tf
  FIPS 10-4 does not include the French-claimed portion of
  Antarctica (Terre Adelie)

G

Entity FIPS 10 ISO 3166 Stanag Internet Comment

Gabon GB GA GAB 266 GAB .ga
Gambia, The GA GM GMB 270 GMB .gm
Gaza Strip GZ PS PSE 275 PSE .ps
  ISO identifies as Occupied Palestinian Territory

Georgia GG GE GEO 268 GEO .ge
Germany GM DE DEU 276 DEU .de
Ghana GH GH GHA 288 GHA .gh
Gibraltar GI GI GIB 292 GIB .gi
Glorioso Islands GO - - - - -
  administered as part of French Southern and Antarctic Lands; no
  ISO codes assigned

Greece GR GR GRC 300 GRC .gr
Greenland GL GL GRL 304 GRL .gl
Grenada GJ GD GRD 308 GRD .gd
Guadeloupe GP GP GLP 312 GLP .gp
Guam GQ GU GUM 316 GUM .gu
Guatemala GT GT GTM 320 GTM .gt
Guernsey GK GG GGY 831 UK .gg
Guinea GV GN GIN 324 GIN .gn
Guinea-Bissau PU GW GNB 624 GNB .gw
Guyana GY GY GUY 328 GUY .gy

H

Entity FIPS 10 ISO 3166 Stanag Internet Comment

Haiti HA HT HTI 332 HTI .ht
Heard Island and McDonald Islands HM HM HMD 334 HMD .hm
Holy See (Vatican City)VT VA VAT 336 VAT .va
Honduras HO HN HND 340 HND .hn
Hong Kong HK HK HKG 344 HKG .hk
Howland Island HQ - - - UMI -
  ISO includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands

Hungary HU HU HUN 348 HUN .hu

I

Entity FIPS 10 ISO 3166 Stanag Internet Comment

Iceland IC IS ISL 352 ISL .is
India IN IN IND 356 IND .in
Indonesia ID ID IDN 360 IDN .id
Iran IR IR IRN 364 IRN .ir
Iraq IZ IQ IRQ 368 IRQ .iq
Ireland EI IE IRL 372 IRL .ie
Isle of Man IM IM IMN 833 UK .im
Israel IS IL ISR 376 ISR .il
Italy IT IT ITA 380 ITA .it

J

Entity FIPS 10 ISO 3166 Stanag Internet Comment

Jamaica JM JM JAM 388 JAM .jm
Jan Mayen JN - - - SJM -
  ISO includes with Svalbard

Japan JA JP JPN 392 JPN .jp
Jarvis Island DQ - - - UMI -
  ISO includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands

Jersey JE JE JEY 832 UK .je
Johnston Atoll JQ - - - UMI -
  ISO includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands

Jordan JO JO JOR 400 JOR .jo
Juan de Nova Island JU - - - - -
  administered as part of French Southern and Antarctic Lands; no
  ISO codes assigned

K

Entity FIPS 10 ISO 3166 Stanag Internet Comment

Kazakhstan KZ KZ KAZ 398 KAZ .kz
Kenya KE KE KEN 404 KEN .ke
Kingman Reef KQ - - - UMI -
  ISO includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands

Kiribati KR KI KIR 296 KIR .ki
Korea, North KN KP PRK 408 PRK .kp
Korea, South KS KR KOR 410 KOR .kr
Kosovo KV - - - - -
  ISO codes have not been designated

Kuwait KU KW KWT 414 KWT .kw
Kyrgyzstan KG KG KGZ 417 KGZ .kg

L

Entity FIPS 10 ISO 3166 Stanag Internet Comment

Laos LA LA LAO 418 LAO .la
Latvia LG LV LVA 428 LVA .lv
Lebanon LE LB LBN 422 LBN .lb
Lesotho LT LS LSO 426 LSO .ls
Liberia LI LR LBR 430 LBR .lr
Libya LY LY LBY 434 LBY .ly
Liechtenstein LS LI LIE 438 LIE .li
Lithuania LH LT LTU 440 LTU .lt
Luxembourg LU LU LUX 442 LUX .lu

M

Entity FIPS 10 ISO 3166 Stanag Internet Comment

Macau MC MO MAC 446 MAC .mo
Macedonia MK MK MKD 807 FYR .mk
Madagascar MA MG MDG 450 MDG .mg
Malawi MI MW MWI 454 MWI .mw
Malaysia MY MY MYS 458 MYS .my
Maldives MV MV MDV 462 MDV .mv
Mali ML ML MLI 466 MLI .ml
Malta MT MT MLT 470 MLT .mt
Marshall Islands RM MH MHL 584 MHL .mh
Martinique MB MQ MTQ 474 MTQ .mq
Mauritania MR MR MRT 478 MRT .mr
Mauritius MP MU MUS 480 MUS .mu
Mayotte MF YT MYT 175 FRA .yt
Mexico MX MX MEX 484 MEX .mx
Micronesia, Federated States of FM FM FSM 583 FSM .fm
Midway Islands MQ - - - UMI -
  ISO includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands

Moldova MD MD MDA 498 MDA .md
Monaco MN MC MCO 492 MCO .mc
Mongolia MG MN MNG 496 MNG .mn
Montenegro MJ ME MNE 499 - .me
Montserrat MH MS MSR 500 MSR .ms
Morocco MO MA MAR 504 MAR .ma
Mozambique MZ MZ MOZ 508 MOZ .mz
Myanmar - - - - - -
  see Burma

N

Entity FIPS 10 ISO 3166 Stanag Internet Comment

Namibia WA NA NAM 516 NAM .na
Nauru NR NR NRU 520 NRU .nr
Navassa Island BQ - - - US -
  ISO includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands

Nepal NP NP NPL 524 NPL .np
Netherlands NL NL NLD 528 NLD .nl
Netherlands AntillesNT AN ANT 530 ANT .an
New Caledonia NC NC NCL 540 NCL .nc
New Zealand NZ NZ NZL 554 NZL .nz
Nicaragua NU NI NIC 558 NIC .ni
Niger NG NE NER 562 NER .ne
Nigeria NI NG NGA 566 NGA .ng
Niue NE NU NIU 570 NIU .nu
Norfolk Island NF NF NFK 574 NFK .nf
Northern Mariana Islands CQ MP MNP 580 MNP .mp
Norway NO NO NOR 578 NOR .no

O

Entity FIPS 10 ISO 3166 Stanag Internet Comment

Oman MU OM OMN 512 OMN .om

P

Entity FIPS 10 ISO 3166 Stanag Internet Comment

Pakistan PK PK PAK 586 PAK .pk
Palau PS PW PLW 585 PLW .pw
Palmyra Atoll LQ - - - UMI -
  ISO includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands

Panama PM PA PAN 591 PAN .pa
Papua New Guinea PP PG PNG 598 PNG .pg
Paracel Islands PF - - - - -
Paraguay PA PY PRY 600 PRY .py
Peru PE PE PER 604 PER .pe
Philippines RP PH PHL 608 PHL .ph
Pitcairn Islands PC PN PCN 612 PCN .pn
Poland PL PL POL 616 POL .pl
Portugal PO PT PRT 620 PRT .pt
Puerto Rico RQ PR PRI 630 PRI .pr

Q

Entity FIPS 10 ISO 3166 Stanag Internet Comment

Qatar QA QA QAT 634 QAT .qa

R

Entity FIPS 10 ISO 3166 Stanag Internet Comment

Reunion RE RE REU 638 REU .re
Romania RO RO ROU 642 ROU .ro
Russia RS RU RUS 643 RUS .ru
Rwanda RW RW RWA 646 RWA .rw

S

Entity FIPS 10 ISO 3166 Stanag Internet Comment

Saint Barthelemy TB BL BLM 652 - .bl
  ccTLD .fr and .gp may also be used

Saint Helena SH SH SHN 654 SHN .sh
Saint Kitts and Nevis SC KN KNA 659 KNA .kn
Saint Lucia ST LC LCA 662 LCA .lc
Saint Martin RN MF MAF 663 - .mf
  ccTLD .fr and .gp may also be used

Saint Pierre and Miquelon SB PM SPM 666 SPM .pm
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines VC VC VCT 670 VCT .vc
Samoa WS WS WSM 882 WSM .ws
San Marino SM SM SMR 674 SMR .sm
Sao Tome and Principe TP ST STP 678 STP .st
Saudi Arabia SA SA SAU 682 SAU .sa
Senegal SG SN SEN 686 SEN .sn
Serbia RI RS SRB 688 - .rs
Seychelles SE SC SYC 690 SYC .sc
Sierra Leone SL SL SLE 694 SLE .sl
Singapore SN SG SGP 702 SGP .sg
Slovakia LO SK SVK 703 SVK .sk
Slovenia SI SI SVN 705 SVN .si
Solomon Islands BP SB SLB 090 SLB .sb
Somalia SO SO SOM 706 SOM .so
South Africa SF ZA ZAF 710 ZAF .za
South Georgia and the Islands SX GS SGS 239 SGS .gs
Spain SP ES ESP 724 ESP .es
Spratly Islands PG - - - - -
Sri Lanka CE LK LKA 144 LKA .lk
Sudan SU SD SDN 736 SDN .sd
Suriname NS SR SUR 740 SUR .sr
Svalbard SV SJ SJM 744 SJM .sj
  ISO includes Jan Mayen

Swaziland WZ SZ SWZ 748 SWZ .sz
Sweden SW SE SWE 752 SWE .se
Switzerland SZ CH CHE 756 CHE .ch
Syria SY SY SYR 760 SYR .sy

T

Entity FIPS 10 ISO 3166 Stanag Internet Comment

Taiwan TW TW TWN 158 TWN .tw
Tajikistan TI TJ TJK 762 TJK .tj
Tanzania TZ TZ TZA 834 TZA .tz
Thailand TH TH THA 764 THA .th
Timor-Leste TT TL TLS 626 TLS .tl
Togo TO TG TGO 768 TGO .tg
Tokelau TL TK TKL 772 TKL .tk
Tonga TN TO TON 776 TON .to
Trinidad and Tobago TD TT TTO 780 TTO .tt
Tromelin Island TE - - - - -
  administered as part of French Southern and Antarctic Lands; no
  ISO codes assigned

Tunisia TS TN TUN 788 TUN .tn
Turkey TU TR TUR 792 TUR .tr
Turkmenistan TX TM TKM 795 TKM .tm
Turks and Caicos Islands TK TC TCA 796 TCA .tc
Tuvalu TV TV TUV 798 TUV .tv

U

Entity FIPS 10 ISO 3166 Stanag Internet Comment

Uganda UG UG UGA 800 UGA .ug
Ukraine UP UA UKR 804 UKR .ua
United Arab EmiratesAE AE ARE 784 ARE .ae
United Kingdom UK GB GBR 826 GBR .uk
United States US US USA 840 USA .us
United States Minor Outlying Islands - UM UMI 581 - .um
  ISO includes Baker Island, Howland Island, Jarvis Island,
  Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa Island,
  Palmyra Atoll, Wake Island

Uruguay UY UY URY 858 URY .uy
Uzbekistan UZ UZ UZB 860 UZB .uz

V

Entity FIPS 10 ISO 3166 Stanag Internet Comment

Vanuatu NH VU VUT 548 VUT .vu
Venezuela VE VE VEN 862 VEN .ve
Vietnam VM VN VNM 704 VNM .vn
Virgin Islands VQ VI VIR 850 VIR .vi
Virgin Islands (UK) - - - - - .vg
  see British Virgin Islands

Virgin Islands (US) - - - - - .vi
  see Virgin Islands

W

Entity FIPS 10 ISO 3166 Stanag Internet Comment

Wake Island WQ - - - UMI -
  ISO includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands

Wallis and Futuna WF WF WLF 876 WLF .wf
West Bank WE PS PSE 275 PSE .ps
  ISO identifies as Occupied Palestinian Territory

Western Sahara WI EH ESH 732 ESH .eh Western Samoa - - - - - .ws see Samoa

World - - - - - - the Factbook uses the W data code from DIAM 65-18 Geopolitical Data Elements and Related Features, Data Standard No. 3, December 1994, published by the Defense Intelligence Agency

Y

Entity FIPS 10 ISO 3166 Stanag Internet Comment

Yemen YM YE YEM 887 YEM .ye

Z

Entity FIPS 10 ISO 3166 Stanag Internet Comment

Zaire - - - - - -
  see Democratic Republic of the Congo

Zambia ZA ZM ZMB 894 ZMB .zm
Zimbabwe ZI ZW ZWE 716 ZWE .zw

======================================================================

Appendix E :: Cross-reference List of Hydrographic Data Codes

IHO 23-4th: Limits of Oceans and Seas, Special Publication 23, Draft 4th Edition 1986, published by the International Hydrographic Bureau of the International Hydrographic Organization.

IHO 23-3rd: Limits of Oceans and Seas, Special Publication 23, 3rd
Edition 1953, published by the International Hydrographic Organization.

ACIC M 49-1: Chart of Limits of Seas and Oceans, revised January 1958, published by the Aeronautical Chart and Information Center (ACIC), United States Air Force.

DIAM 65-18: Geopolitical Data Elements and Related Features, Data Standard No. 4, Defense Intelligence Agency Manual 65-18, December 1994, published by the Defense Intelligence Agency. The US Government has not yet adopted a standard for hydrographic codes similar to the Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) 10-4 country codes. The names and limits of the following oceans and seas are not always directly comparable because of differences in the customers, needs, and requirements of the individual organizations. Even the number of principal water bodies varies from organization to organization. Factbook users, for example, find the Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean entries useful, but none of the following standards include those oceans in their entirety. Nor is there any provision for combining codes or overcodes to aggregate water bodies. The recently delimited Southern Ocean is not included.

Principal Oceans and Seas of the World With Hydrographic Codes by Institution

IHO 23-4th IHO 23-3rd* ACIC M 49-1 DIAM 65-18

Arctic Ocean 9 17 A 5A
Atlantic Ocean - - - -
Baltic Sea 2 1 B26 7B
Eastern Mediterranean 3.1.2 28 B - 8E
Indian Ocean 5 45 F 6A
Mediterranean Sea 3.1 28 B11 -
North Atlantic Ocean 1 23 B 1A
North Pacific Ocean 7 57 D 3A
Pacific Ocean - - - -
South Atlantic Ocean 4 32 C 2A
South China and Eastern
  Archipelagic Seas 6 49, 48 D18 plus 3U plus
                                                          others others
South Pacific Ocean 8 61 E 4A
Western Mediterranean 3.1.1 28 A - 8W

*The letters after the numbers are subdivisions, not footnotes.

======================================================================

APPENDIX F :: CROSS-REFERENCE LIST OF GEOGRAPHIC NAMES

This appendix cross-references a wide variety of geographic names to the appropriate Factbook "country" entry. Additional information is included in parentheses.

A

NAME ENTRY IN LATITUDE LONGITUDE
                         THE WORLD FACTBOOK (DEG MIN) (DEG MIN)
Abidjan (capital) Cote d'Ivoire 5 19 N 4 02 W
Abkhazia (region) Georgia 43 00 N 41 00 E
Abu Dhabi (capital) United Arab 24 28 N 54 22 E
                        Emirates
Abu Musa (island) Iran 25 52 N 55 03 E
Abuja (capital) Nigeria 9 12 N 7 11 E
Abyssinia (former name Ethiopia 8 00 N 38 00 E
for Ethiopia)
Acapulco (city) Mexico 16 51 N 99 55 W
Accra (capital) Ghana 5 33 N 0 13 W
Adamstown (capital) Pitcairn Islands 25 04 S 130 05 W
Addis Ababa (capital) Ethiopia 9 02 N 38 42 E
Adelie Land (claimed by Antarctica 66 30 S 139 00 E
France; also Terre
Adelie)
Aden (city) Yemen 12 46 N 45 01 E
Aden, Gulf of Indian Ocean 12 30 N 48 00 E
Admiralty Island United States 57 44 N 134 20 W
                        (Alaska)
Admiralty Islands Papua New Guinea 2 10 S 147 00 E
Adriatic Sea Atlantic Ocean 42 30 N 16 00 E
Adygey (region) Russia 44 30 N 40 10 E
Aegean Islands Greece 38 00 N 25 00 E
Aegean Sea Atlantic Ocean 38 30 N 25 00 E
Afars and Issas, French Djibouti 11 30 N 43 00 E
Territory of the (or
FTAI; former name for
Djibouti)
Afghanestan (local name Afghanistan 33 00 N 65 00 E
for Afghanistan)
Agalega Islands Mauritius 10 25 S 56 40 E
Agana (city; former name Guam 13 28 N 144 45 E
for Hagatna)
Ajaccio (city) France (Corsica) 41 55 N 8 44 E
Ajaria (region) Georgia 41 45 N 42 10 E
Akmola (city; former Kazakhstan 51 10 N 71 30 E
name for Astana)
Aksai Chin (region) China (de facto), 35 00 N 79 00 E
                        India (claimed)
Al Arabiyah as Suudiyah Saudi Arabia 25 00 N 45 00 E
(local name for Saudi
Arabia)
Al Bahrayn (local name Bahrain 26 00 N 50 33 E
for Bahrain)
Al Imarat al Arabiyah al United Arab 24 00 N 54 00 E
Muttahidah (local name Emirates
for the United Arab
Emirates)
Al Iraq (local name for Iraq 33 00 N 44 00 E
Iraq)
Al Jaza'ir (local name Algeria 28 00 N 3 00 E
for Algeria)
Al Kuwayt (local name Kuwait 29 30 N 45 45 E
for Kuwait)
Al Maghrib (local name Morocco 32 00 N 5 00 W
for Morocco)
Al Urdun (local name for Jordan 31 00 N 36 00 E
Jordan)
Al Yaman (local name for Yemen 15 00 N 48 00 E
Yemen)
Aland Islands Finland 60 15 N 20 00 E
Alaska (state) United States 65 00 N 153 00 W
Alaska, Gulf of Pacific Ocean 58 00 N 145 00 W
Alboran Sea Atlantic Ocean 36 00 N 2 30 W
Aldabra Islands (Groupe Seychelles 9 25 S 46 22 E
d'Aldabra)
Alderney (island) Guernsey 49 43 N 2 12 W
Aleutian Islands United States 52 00 N 176 00 W
                        (Alaska)
Alexander Archipelago United States 57 00 N 134 00 W
(island group) (Alaska)
Alexander Island Antarctica 71 00 S 70 00 W
Alexandretta (region; Turkey 36 34 N 36 08 E
former name for
Iskenderun)
Alexandria (city) Egypt 31 12 N 29 54 E
Algiers (capital) Algeria 36 47 N 2 03 E
Alhucemas, Penon de Spain 35 13 N 3 53 W
(island group)
Alma-Ata (city; former Kazakhstan 43 15 N 76 57 E
name for Almaty)
Almaty (former capital) Kazakhstan 43 15 N 76 57 E
Alofi (capital) Niue 19 01 S 169 55 W
Alphonse Island Seychelles 7 01 S 52 45 E
Alsace (region) France 48 30 N 7 20 E
Amami Strait Pacific Ocean 28 40 N 129 30 E
Amindivi Islands (former India 11 30 N 72 30 E
name for Laccadive
Islands)
Amirante Isles (island Seychelles 6 00 S 53 10 E
group; also Les
Amirantes)
Amman (capital) Jordan 31 57 N 35 56 E
Amsterdam (capital) Netherlands 52 23 N 4 54 E
Amsterdam Island (Ile French Southern 37 52 S 77 32 E
Amsterdam) and Antarctic
                        Lands
Amundsen Sea Southern Ocean 72 30 S 112 00 W
Amur River China, Russia 52 56 N 141 10 E
Amurskiy Liman (strait) Pacific Ocean 53 00 N 141 30 E
Anadyrskiy Zaliv (gulf) Pacific Ocean 64 00 N 177 00 E
Anatolia (region) Turkey 39 00 N 35 00 E
Andaman Islands India 12 00 N 92 45 E
Andaman Sea Indian Ocean 10 00 N 95 00 E
Andorra la Vella Andorra 42 30 N 1 30 E
(capital)
Andros (island) Greece 37 45 N 24 42 E
Andros Island The Bahamas 24 26 N 77 57 W
Anegada Passage Atlantic Ocean 18 30 N 63 40 W
Angkor Wat (ruins) Cambodia 13 26 N 103 50 E
Anglo-Egyptian Sudan Sudan 15 00 N 30 00 E
(former name for Sudan)
Anjouan (island) Comoros 12 15 S 44 25 E
Ankara (capital) Turkey 39 56 N 32 52 E
Annobon (island) Equatorial Guinea 1 25 S 5 36 E
Antananarivo (capital) Madagascar 18 52 S 47 30 E
Antigua (island) Antigua and 14 34 N 90 44 W
                        Barbuda
Antipodes Islands New Zealand 49 41 S 178 43 E
Antwerp (city) Belgium 51 13 N 4 25 E
Aomen (local Chinese Macau 22 10 N 113 33 E
short-form name for
Macau)
Aozou Strip (region) Chad 22 00 N 18 00 E
Apia (capital) Samoa 13 50 S 171 44 W
Aqaba, Gulf of Indian Ocean 29 00 N 34 30 E
Arab, Shatt al (river) Iran, Iraq 29 57 N 48 34 E
Arabian Sea Indian Ocean 15 00 N 65 00 E
Arafura Sea Pacific Ocean 9 00 S 133 00 E
Aral Sea Kazakhstan, 45 00 N 60 00 E
                        Uzbekistan
Argun River China, Russia 53 20 N 121 28 E
Aru Sea Pacific Ocean 6 15 S 135 00 E
As-Sudan (local name for Sudan 15 00 N 30 00 E
Sudan)
Ascension Island Saint Helena 7 57 S 14 22 W
Ashgabat, Ashkhabad Turkmenistan 37 57 N 58 23 E
(capital)
Asmara, Asmera (capital) Eritrea 15 20 N 38 53 E
Assumption Island Seychelles 9 46 S 46 34 E
Astana (capital; Kazakhstan 51 10 N 71 30 E
formerly Akmola)
Asuncion (capital) Paraguay 25 16 S 57 40 W
Asuncion Island Northern Mariana 19 40 N 145 24 E
                        Islands
Atacama (desert) Chile 23 00 S 70 10 W
Atacama (region) Chile 24 30 S 69 15 W
Athens (capital) Greece 37 59 N 23 44 E
Attu Island United States 52 55 N 172 57 E
Auckland (city) New Zealand 36 52 S 174 46 E
Auckland Islands New Zealand 51 00 S 166 30 E
Australes, Iles (island French Polynesia 23 20 S 151 00 W
group; also Iles Tubuai)
Avarua (capital) Cook Islands 21 12 S 159 46 W
Axel Heiberg Island Canada 79 30 N 90 00 W
Azad Kashmir (region) Pakistan 34 30 N 74 00 E
Azarbaycan, Azerbaidzhan Azerbaijan 40 30 N 47 30 E
(local name for
Azerbaijan)
Azores (islands) Portugal 38 30 N 28 00 W
Azov, Sea of Atlantic Ocean 49 00 N 36 00 E

B

NAME ENTRY IN LATITUDE LONGITUD
                         THE WORLD FACTBOOK (DEG E
                                            MIN) (DEG
                                                     MIN)
Bab el Mandeb (strait) Indian Ocean 12 40 N 43 20 E
Babuyan Channel Pacific Ocean 18 44 N 121 40 E
Babuyan Islands Philippines 19 10 N 121 40 E
Baffin Bay Arctic Ocean 73 00 N 66 00 W
Baffin Island Canada 68 00 N 70 00 W
Baghdad (capital) Iraq 33 21 N 44 25 E
Baku (capital; also Azerbaijan 40 23 N 49 51 E
Baki, Baky)
Balabac Strait Pacific Ocean 7 35 N 117 00 E
Balearic Islands Spain 39 30 N 3 00 E
Balearic Sea (Iberian Atlantic Ocean 40 30 N 2 00 E
Sea)
Bali (island) Indonesia 8 20 S 115 00 E
Bali Sea Indian Ocean 7 45 S 115 30 E
Balintang Channel Pacific Ocean 19 49 N 121 40 E
Balintang Islands Philippines 19 55 N 122 10 E
Balkan Peninsula Albania, Bosnia 42 00 N 23 00 E
                        and Herzegovina,
                        Bulgaria, Croatia,
                        Greece, Kosovo,
                        Macedonia,
                        Montenegro,
                        Romania, Serbia,
                        Slovenia, Turkey
                        (European part)
Balleny Islands Antarctica 67 00 S 163 00 E
Balochistan (region) Pakistan 28 00 N 63 00 E
Baltic Sea Atlantic Ocean 57 00 N 19 00 E
Bamako (capital) Mali 12 39 N 8 00 W
Banaba (Ocean Island) Kiribati 0 52 S 169 35 E
Banat (region) Hungary, Romania, 45 30 N 21 00 E
                        Serbia
Banda Sea Pacific Ocean 5 00 S 128 00 E
Bandar Seri Begawan Brunei 4 53 N 114 56 E
(capital)
Bangka (island) Indonesia 2 30 S 106 00 E
Bangkok (capital) Thailand 13 45 N 100 31 E
Bangui (capital) Central African 4 22 N 18 35 E
                        Republic
Banjul (capital) The Gambia 13 28 N 16 39 W
Banks Island Australia 10 12 S 142 16 E
Banks Island Canada 75 15 N 121 30 W
Banks Islands (Iles Vanuatu 14 00 S 167 30 E
Banks)
Barbuda (island) Antigua and 17 38 N 61 48 W
                        Barbuda
Barcelona (city) Spain 41 25 N 2 13 E
Barents Sea Arctic Ocean 74 00 N 36 00 E
Barranquilla (city) Colombia 10 59 N 74 48 W
Bashi Channel Pacific Ocean 22 00 N 121 00 E
Basilan Strait Pacific Ocean 6 49 N 122 05 E
Basque Provinces Spain 43 00 N 2 30 W
Bass Strait Pacific Ocean 39 20 S 145 30 E
Basse-Terre (capital) France 16 00 N 61 44 W
                        (Guadeloupe)
Basseterre (capital) Saint Kitts and 17 18 N 62 43 W
                        Nevis
Bastia (city) France (Corsica) 42 42 N 9 27 E
Basutoland (former name Lesotho 29 30 S 28 30 E
for Lesotho)
Batan Islands Philippines 20 30 N 121 50 E
Bavaria (region; also Germany 48 30 N 11 30 E
Bayern)
Beagle Channel Atlantic Ocean 54 53 S 68 10 W
Bear Island (see Svalbard 74 26 N 19 05 E
Bjornoya)
Beaufort Sea Arctic Ocean 73 00 N 140 00 W
Bechuanaland (former Botswana 22 00 S 24 00 E
name for Botswana)
Beijing (capital) China 39 56 N 116 24 E
Beirut (capital) Lebanon 33 53 N 35 30 E
Bekaa Valley Lebanon 34 00 N 36 05 E
Belau (Palau Islands) Palau 7 30 N 134 30 E
Belep Islands (Iles New Caledonia 19 45 S 163 40 E
Belep)
Belfast (city) United Kingdom 54 36 N 5 55 W
Belgian Congo (former Democratic 0 00 N 25 00 E
name for Democratic Republic of the
Republic of the Congo) Congo
Belgie, Belgique (local Belgium 50 50 N 4 00 E
name for Belgium)
Belgrade (capital) Serbia 44 50 N 20 30 E
Belize City Belize 17 30 N 88 12 W
Belle Isle, Strait of Atlantic Ocean 51 35 N 56 30 W
Bellingshausen Sea Southern Ocean 71 00 S 85 00 W
Belmopan (capital) Belize 17 15 N 88 46 W
Belorussia (former name Belarus 53 00 N 28 00 E
for Belarus)
Benadir (region; former Somalia 4 00 N 46 00 E
name of Italian
Somaliland)
Bengal, Bay of Indian Ocean 15 00 N 90 00 E
Berau, Gulf of Pacific Ocean 2 30 S 132 30 E
Bering Island Russia 55 00 N 166 30 E
Bering Sea Pacific Ocean 60 00 N 175 00 W
Bering Strait Pacific Ocean 65 30 N 169 00 W
Berkner Island Antarctica 79 30 S 49 30 W
Berlin (capital) Germany 52 31 N 13 24 E
Berlin, East (former Germany 52 30 N 13 33 E
name for eastern sector
of Berlin)
Berlin, West (former Germany 52 30 N 13 20 E
name for western sector
of Berlin)
Bern (capital) Switzerland 46 57 N 7 26 E
Bessarabia (region) Moldova, Romania, 47 00 N 28 30 E
                        Ukraine
Bharat (local name for India 20 00 N 77 00 E
India)
Bhopal (city) India 23 16 N 77 24 E
Biafra (region) Nigeria 5 30 N 7 30 E
Big Diomede Island Russia 65 46 N 169 06 W
Bijagos, Arquipelago dos Guinea-Bissau 11 25 N 16 20 W
(island group)
Bikini Atoll Marshall Islands 11 35 N 165 23 E
Bilbao (city) Spain 43 15 N 2 58 W
Bioko (island) Equatorial Guinea 3 30 N 8 42 E
Biscay, Bay of Atlantic Ocean 44 00 N 4 00 W
Bishkek (capital) Kyrgyzstan 42 54 N 74 36 E
Bishop Rock United Kingdom 49 52 N 6 27 W
Bismarck Archipelago Papua New Guinea 5 00 S 150 00 E
(island group)
Bismarck Sea Pacific Ocean 4 00 S 148 00 E
Bissau (capital) Guinea-Bissau 11 51 N 15 35 W
Bjornoya (Bear Island) Svalbard 74 26 N 19 05 E
Black Forest (region) Germany 48 00 N 8 15 E
Black Rock (island) South Georgia and 53 39 S 41 48 W
                        the South Sandwich
                        Islands
Black Sea Atlantic Ocean 43 00 N 35 00 E
Bloemfontein (judicial South Africa 29 12 S 26 07 E
capital)
Bo Hai (gulf) Pacific Ocean 38 00 N 120 00 E
Boa Vista (island) Cape Verde 16 05 N 22 50 W
Bogota (capital) Colombia 4 36 N 74 05 W
Bohemia (region) Czech Republic 50 00 N 14 30 E
Bombay (city; see India 18 58 N 72 50 E
Mumbai)
Bonaire (island) Netherlands 12 10 N 68 15 W
                        Antilles
Bonifacio, Strait of Atlantic Ocean 41 01 N 14 00 E
Bonin Islands Japan 27 00 N 142 10 E
Bonn (former capital) Germany 50 44 N 7 05 E
Bophuthatswana (region; South Africa 26 30 S 25 30 E
enclave)
Bora-Bora (island) French Polynesia 16 30 S 151 45 W
Bordeaux (city) France 44 50 N 0 34 W
Borneo (island) Brunei, Indonesia, 0 30 N 114 00 E
                        Malaysia
Bornholm (island) Denmark 55 10 N 15 00 E
Bosna i Hercegovina Bosnia and 44 00 N 18 00 E
(local name for Bosnia Herzegovina
and Herzegovina)
Bosnia (political Bosnia and 44 00 N 18 00 E
region) Herzegovina
Bosporus (strait) Atlantic Ocean 41 00 N 29 00 E
Bothnia, Gulf of Atlantic Ocean 63 00 N 20 00 E
Bougainville (island) Papua New Guinea 6 00 S 155 00 E
Bougainville Strait Pacific Ocean 6 40 S 156 10 E
Bounty Islands New Zealand 47 43 S 174 00 E
Bourbon Island (former Reunion 21 06 S 55 36 E
name of Reunion)
Brasilia (capital) Brazil 15 47 S 47 55 W
Bratislava (capital) Slovakia 48 09 N 17 07 E
Brazzaville (capital) Republic of the 4 16 S 15 17 E
                        Congo
Bridgetown (capital) Barbados 13 06 N 59 37 W
Brisbane (city) Australia 27 28 S 153 02 E
Bristol Bay Pacific Ocean 57 00 N 160 00 W
Bristol Channel Atlantic Ocean 51 18 N 3 30 W
Britain (see Great United Kingdom 54 00 N 2 00 W
Britain)
British Bechuanaland South Africa 27 30 S 23 30 E
(region; former name for
northwest South Africa)
British Central African Malawi 13 30 S 34 00 E
Protectorate (former
name of Nyasaland)
British East Africa Kenya, Tanzania, 1 00 N 38 00 E
(former name for British Uganda
possessions in eastern
Africa)
British Guiana (former Guyana 5 00 N 59 00 W
name for Guyana)
British Honduras (former Belize 17 15 N 88 45 W
name for Belize)
British Solomon Islands Solomon Islands 8 00 S 159 00 E
(former name for Solomon
Islands)
British Somaliland Somalia 10 00 N 49 00 E
(former name for
northern Somalia)
Brussels (capital) Belgium 50 50 N 4 20 E
Bubiyan (island) Kuwait 29 47 N 48 10 E
Bucharest (capital) Romania 44 26 N 26 06 E
Budapest (capital) Hungary 47 30 N 19 05 E
Buenos Aires (capital) Argentina 34 36 S 58 27 W
Bujumbura (capital) Burundi 3 23 S 29 22 E
Bukovina (region) Romania, Ukraine 48 00 N 26 00 E
Byelarus (local name for Belarus 53 00 N 28 00 E
Belarus)
Byelorussia (former name Belarus 53 00 N 28 00 E
for Belarus)

C

NAME ENTRY IN LATITUDE LONGITUD
                         THE WORLD FACTBOOK (DEG E
                                            MIN) (DEG
                                                     MIN)
Cabinda (province) Angola 5 33 S 12 12 E
Cabo Verde (local name Cape Verde 16 00 N 24 00 W
for Cape Verde)
Cabot Strait Atlantic Ocean 47 20 N 59 30 W
Caicos Islands Turks and Caicos 21 56 N 71 58 W
                        Islands
Cairo (capital) Egypt 30 03 N 31 15 E
Calcutta (city) India 22 32 N 88 21 E
Calgary (city) Canada 51 02 N 114 04 W
California, Gulf of Pacific Ocean 28 00 N 112 00 W
Cameroun (local name for Cameroon 6 00 N 12 00 E
Cameroon)
Campbell Island New Zealand 52 33 S 169 09 E
Campeche, Bay of Atlantic Ocean 20 00 N 94 00 W
Canal Zone (former name Panama 9 00 N 79 45 W
for US possessions in
Panama)
Canarias Sea Atlantic Ocean 28 00 N 16 00 W
Canary Islands Spain 28 00 N 15 30 W
Canberra (capital) Australia 35 17 S 149 08 E
Cancun (city) Mexico 21 10 N 86 50 W
Canton (city; now China 23 06 N 113 16 E
Guangzhou)
Canton Island (Kanton Kiribati 2 49 S 171 40 W
Island)
Cape Juby (region; Morocco 27 53 N 12 58 W
former name for Southern
Morocco)
Cape Province (region; South Africa 31 30 S 22 30 E
former name for
Northern, Western, and
Eastern Cape Provinces
of South Africa)
Cape Town (legislative South Africa 33 57 S 18 25 E
capital)
Cape of Good Hope (cape; South Africa 34 15 S 18 20 E
also alternate name for
Cape Province of South
Africa)
Caracas (capital) Venezuela 10 30 N 66 56 W
Cargados Carajos Shoals Mauritius 16 25 S 59 38 E
Caribbean Sea Atlantic Ocean 15 00 N 73 00 W
Caroline Islands Federated States 7 30 N 148 00 E
                        of Micronesia,
                        Palau
Carpatho-Ukraine Ukraine 48 22 N 23 32 E
(region; former name for
Zakarpats'ka oblast')
Carpentaria, Gulf of Pacific Ocean 14 00 S 139 00 E
Casablanca (city) Morocco 33 35 N 7 34 W
Castries (capital) Saint Lucia 14 01 N 61 00 W
Catalonia (region) Spain 42 00 N 2 00 E
Cato Island Australia 23 15 S 155 32 E
Caucasus (region) Russia 42 00 N 45 00 E
Cayenne (capital) French Guiana 4 56 N 52 20 W
Celebes (island) Indonesia 2 00 S 121 00 E
Celebes Sea Pacific Ocean 3 00 N 122 00 E
Celtic Sea Atlantic Ocean 51 00 N 6 30 W
Central African Empire Central African 7 00 N 21 00 E
(former name for Central Republic
African Republic)
Ceram (Seram) Sea Pacific Ocean 2 30 S 129 30 E
Ceska Republika (local Czech Republic 49 45 N 15 30 E
name for Czech Republic)
Ceskoslovensko (former Czech Republic, 49 00 N 17 30 E
local name for Slovakia
Czechoslovakia)
Cetinje (capital city) Montenegro 42 24 N 18 55 E
Ceuta (city) Spain 35 53 N 5 19 W
Ceylon (former name for Sri Lanka 7 00 N 81 00 E
Sri Lanka)
Chafarinas, Islas Spain 35 12 N 2 26 W
(island)
Chagos Archipelago (Oil British Indian 6 00 S 71 30 E
Islands) Ocean Territory
Challenger Deep (Mariana Pacific Ocean 11 22 N 142 36 E
Trench)
Channel Islands Guernsey, Jersey 49 20 N 2 20 W
Charlotte Amalie Virgin Islands 18 21 N 64 56 W
(capital)
Chatham Islands New Zealand 44 00 S 176 30 W
Chechnya (region; also Russia 43 15 N 45 40 E
Chechnia)
Cheju Strait Pacific Ocean 34 00 N 126 30 E
Cheju-do (island) Korea, South 33 20 N 126 30 E
Chengdu (city) China 30 43 N 104 04 E
Chennai (city; also India 13 04 N 80 16 E
Madras)
Chesterfield Islands New Caledonia 19 52 S 158 15 E
(Iles Chesterfield)
Chihli, Gulf of (see Bo Pacific Ocean 38 30 N 120 00 E
Hai)
Chiloe (island) Chile 42 50 S 74 00 W
China, People's Republic China 35 00 N 105 00 E
of
China, Republic of Taiwan 23 30 N 121 00 E
Chisinau (capital; also Moldova 47 00 N 28 50 E
Kishinev)
Choiseul (island) Solomon Islands 7 05 S 121 00 E
Choson (local name for North Korea 40 00 N 127 00 E
North Korea)
Christmas Island (Indian Australia 10 25 S 105 39 E
Ocean)
Christmas Island Kiribati 1 52 N 157 20 W
(Pacific Ocean; also
Kiritimati)
Chukchi Sea Arctic Ocean 69 00 N 171 00 W
Chuuk Islands (Truk Federated States 7 25 N 151 47 W
Islands) of Micronesia
Cilicia (region) Turkey 36 50 N 34 30 E
Ciskei (enclave) South Africa 33 00 S 27 00 E
Citta del Vaticano Holy See 41 54 N 12 27 E
(local name for Vatican
City)
Cochin China (region) Vietnam 11 00 N 107 00 E
Coco, Isla del (island) Costa Rica 5 32 N 87 04 W
Cocos Islands Cocos (Keeling) 12 30 S 96 50 E
                        Islands
Colombo (capital) Sri Lanka 6 56 N 79 51 E
Colon, Archipielago de Ecuador 0 00 N 90 30 W
(Galapagos Islands)
Commander Islands Russia 55 00 N 167 00 E
(Komandorskiye Ostrova)
Comores (local name for Comoros 12 10 S 44 15 E
Comoros)
Con Son (islands) Vietnam 8 43 N 106 36 E
Conakry (capital) Guinea 9 31 N 13 43 W
Confederatio Helvetica Switzerland 47 00 N 8 00 E
(local name for
Switzerland)
Congo (Brazzaville) Republic of the 1 00 S 15 00 E
(former name for Congo
Republic of the Congo)
Congo (Leopoldville) Democratic 0 00 N 25 00 E
(former name for the Republic of the
Democratic Republic of Congo
the Congo)
Constantinople (city; Turkey 41 01 N 28 58 E
former name for
Istanbul)
Cook Strait Pacific Ocean 41 15 S 174 30 E
Copenhagen (capital) Denmark 55 40 N 12 35 E
Coral Sea Pacific Ocean 15 00 S 150 00 E
Corfu (island) Greece 39 40 N 19 45 E
Corinth (region) Greece 37 56 N 22 56 E
Corisco (island) Equatorial Guinea 0 55 N 9 19 E
Corn Islands (Islas del Nicaragua 12 15 N 83 00 W
Maiz)
Corocoro Island Guyana, Venezuela 3 38 N 66 50 W
Corsica (island; also France 42 00 N 9 00 E
Corse)
Cosmoledo Group (island Seychelles 9 43 S 47 35 E
group; also Atoll de
Cosmoledo)
Cotonou (former capital) Benin 6 21 N 2 26 E
Cotopaxi (volcano) Ecuador 0 39 S 78 26 W
Courantyne River Guyana, Suriname 5 57 N 57 06 W
Cozumel (island) Mexico 20 30 N 86 55 W
Crete (island) Greece 35 15 N 24 45 E
Crimea (region) Ukraine 45 00 N 34 00 E
Crimean Peninsula Ukraine 45 00 N 34 00 E
Crooked Island Passage Atlantic Ocean 22 55 N 74 35 W
Crozet Islands (Iles French Southern 46 30 S 51 00 E
Crozet) and Antarctic
                        Lands
Cyclades (island group) Greece 37 00 N 25 10 E
Cyrenaica (region) Libya 31 00 N 22 00 E
Czechoslovakia (former Czech Republic, 49 00 N 18 00 E
name for the entity that Slovakia
subsequently split into
the Czech Republic and
Slovakia)

D

NAME ENTRY IN LATITUDE LONGITUD
                         THE WORLD FACTBOOK (DEG E
                                            MIN) (DEG
                                                     MIN)
D'Entrecasteaux Islands Papua New Guinea 9 30 S 150 40 E
Dagestan (region) Russia 43 00 N 47 00 E
Dahomey (former name for Benin 9 30 N 2 15 E
Benin)
Daito Islands Japan 43 00 N 17 00 E
Dakar (capital) Senegal 14 40 N 17 26 W
Dalmatia (region) Croatia 43 00 N 17 00 E
Daman (city; also Damao) India 20 10 N 73 00 E
Damascus (capital) Syria 33 30 N 36 18 E
Danger Islands (see Cook Islands 10 53 S 165 49 W
Pukapuka Atoll)
Danish Straits Atlantic Ocean 58 00 N 11 00 E
Danish West Indies Virgin Islands 18 20 N 64 50 W
(former name for the
Virgin Islands)
Danmark (local name) Denmark 56 00 N 10 00 E
Danzig (city; former Poland 54 23 N 18 40 E
name for Gdansk)
Dao Bach Long Vi Vietnam 20 08 N 107 44 E
(island)
Dar es Salaam (capital) Tanzania 6 48 S 39 17 E
Dardanelles (strait) Atlantic Ocean 40 15 N 26 25 E
Davis Strait Atlantic Ocean 67 00 N 57 00 W
Dead Sea Israel, Jordan, 32 30 N 35 30 E
                        West Bank
Deception Island Antarctica 62 56 S 60 34 W
Denmark Strait Atlantic Ocean 67 00 N 24 00 W
Desolation Islands French Southern 49 30 S 69 30 E
(Isles Kerguelen) and Antarctic
                        Lands
Deutschland (local name Germany 51 00 N 9 00 E
for Germany)
Devils Island (Ile du French Guiana 5 17 N 52 35 W
Diable)
Devon Island Canada 76 00 N 87 00 W
Dhaka (capital) Bangladesh 23 43 N 90 25 E
Dhivehi Raajje (local Maldives 3 15 N 73 00 E
name for Maldives)
Dhofar (region) Oman 17 00 N 54 10 E
Diego Garcia (island) British Indian 7 20 S 72 25 E
                        Ocean Territory
Diego Ramirez (islands) Chile 56 30 S 68 43 W
Dili (capital) Timor-Leste 8 35 S 125 36 E
Dilmun (former name for Bahrain 7 00 N 81 00 E
Bahrain)
Diomede Islands Russia (Big 65 47 N 169 00 W
                        Diomede), United
                        States (Little
                        Diomede)
Diu (region) India 20 42 N 70 59 E
Djibouti (capital) Djibouti 11 30 N 43 15 E
Dnieper (river) Belarus, Russia, 46 30 N 32 18 E
                        Ukraine (Dnyapro,
                        Dnepr, Dnipro)
Dniester (river) Moldova, Ukraine 46 18 N 30 17 E
                        (Nistru, Dnister)
Dobruja (region) Bulgaria, Romania 43 30 N 28 00 E
Dodecanese (island Greece 36 00 N 27 05 E
group)
Dodoma (city) Tanzania 6 11 S 35 45 E
Doha (capital) Qatar 25 17 N 51 32 E
Donets Basin Russia, Ukraine 48 15 N 38 30 E
Douala (city) Cameroon 4 03 N 9 42 E
Douglas (capital) Man, Isle of 54 09 N 4 28 W
Dover, Strait of Atlantic Ocean 51 00 N 1 30 E
Drake Passage Atlantic Ocean, 60 00 S 60 00 W
                        Southern Ocean
Druk Yul (local name for Bhutan 27 30 N 90 30 E
Bhutan)
Dubai, Dubayy (city) United Arab 25 18 N 55 18 E
                        Emirates
Dublin (capital) Ireland 53 20 N 6 15 W
Duesseldorf (city) Germany 51 13 N 6 47 E
Durban (city) South Africa 29 51 S 31 02 E
Dushanbe (capital) Tajikistan 38 35 N 68 48 E
Dutch Antilles (former Netherlands 12 10 N 68 30 W
name for the Netherlands Antilles
Antilles)
Dutch East Indies Indonesia 5 00 S 120 00 E
(former name for
Indonesia)
Dutch Guiana (former Suriname 4 00 N 56 00 W
name for Suriname)
Dutch West Indies Netherlands 12 10 N 68 30 W
(former name for the Antilles
Netherlands Antilles)
Dzungarian Gate (valley) China, Kazakhstan 45 25 N 82 25 E

E

NAME ENTRY IN LATITUDE LONGITUD
                         THE WORLD FACTBOOK (DEG E
                                            MIN) (DEG
                                                     MIN)
East China Sea Pacific Ocean 30 00 N 126 00 E
East Frisian Islands Germany 53 44 N 7 25 E
East Germany (German Germany 52 00 N 13 00 E
Democratic Republic;
former name for eastern
portion of Germany)
East Korea Strait Pacific Ocean 34 00 N 129 00 E
(Eastern Channel or
Tsushima Strait)
East Pakistan (former Bangladesh 24 00 N 90 00 E
name for Bangladesh)
East Siberian Sea Arctic Ocean 74 00 N 166 00 E
Easter Island (Isla de Chile 27 07 S 109 22 W
Pascua)
Eastern Channel (East Pacific Ocean 34 00 N 129 00 E
Korea Strait or Tsushima
Strait)
Eastern Samoa (former American Samoa 14 20 S 170 00 W
name for American Samoa)
Edinburgh (city) United Kingdom 55 57 N 3 11 W
Eesti (local name for Estonia 59 00 N 26 00 E
Estonia)
Eire (local name for Ireland 53 00 N 8 00 W
Ireland)
Elba (island) Italy 42 46 N 10 17 E
Elemi Triangle (region) Ethiopia 5 00 N 35 30 E
                        (claimed), Kenya
                        (de facto), Sudan
                        (claimed)
Ellada, Ellas (local Greece 39 00 N 22 00 E
name for Greece)
Ellef Ringnes Island Canada 78 00 N 103 00 W
Ellesmere Island Canada 81 00 N 80 00 W
Ellice Islands Tuvalu 8 00 S 178 00 E
Ellsworth Land (region) Antarctica 75 00 S 92 00 W
Elobey, Islas de (island Equatorial Guinea 0 59 N 9 33 E
group)
Enderbury Island Kiribati 3 08 S 171 05 W
Enewetak Atoll (Eniwetok Marshall Islands 11 30 N 162 15 E
Atoll)
England (region) United Kingdom 52 30 N 1 30 W
English Channel Atlantic Ocean 50 20 N 1 00 W
Eniwetok Atoll (see Marshall Islands 11 30 N 162 15 E
Enewetak Atoll)
Eolie, Isole (island Italy 38 30 N 15 00 E
group)
Epirus, Northern Albania, Greece 40 00 N 20 30 E
(region)
Episkopi Cantonment Akrotiri, Dhekelia 34 40 N 32 51 E
(capital)
Ertra (local name for Eritrea 15 00 N 39 00 E
Eritrea)
Espana Spain 40 00 N 4 00 W
Essequibo (region; Guyana 6 59 N 58 23 W
claimed by Venezuela)
Etorofu (island; also Russia (de facto) 44 55 N 147 40 E
Iturup)

F

NAME ENTRY IN LATITUDE LONGITUD
                         THE WORLD FACTBOOK (DEG E
                                            MIN) (DEG
                                                     MIN)
Farquhar Group (island Seychelles 10 10 S 51 10 E
group; also Atoll de
Farquhar)
Fergana Valley Kyrgyzstan, 41 00 N 72 00 E
                        Tajikistan,
                        Uzbekistan
Fernando Po (island; see Equatorial Guinea 3 30 N 8 42 E
Bioko)
Fernando de Noronha Brazil 3 51 S 32 25 W
(island group)
Filipinas (local name Philippines 13 00 N 122 00 E
for the Philippines;
also Pilipinas)
Finland, Gulf of Atlantic Ocean 60 00 N 27 00 E
Fiume (city; former name Croatia 45 19 N 14 25 E
for Rijeka)
Florence (city) Italy 43 46 N 11 16 E
Flores (island) Indonesia 8 45 S 121 00 E
Flores Sea Pacific Ocean 7 40 S 119 45 E
Florida, Straits of Atlantic Ocean 25 00 N 79 45 W
Fongafale (largest Tuvalu 8 30 S 179 12 E
island of Funafuti)
Former Soviet Union Armenia,
(FSU) Azerbaijan,
                        Belarus, Estonia,
                        Georgia,
                        Kazakhstan,
                        Kyrgyzstan,
                        Latvia, Lithuania,
                        Moldova, Russia,
                        Tajikistan,
                        Turkmenistan,
                        Ukraine,
                        Uzbekistan
Formosa (island) Taiwan 23 30 N 121 00 E
Formosa Strait (see Pacific Ocean 24 00 N 119 00 E
Taiwan Strait)
Foroyar (local name for Faroe Islands 62 00 N 7 00 W
Faroe Islands)
Fort-de-France (capital) Martinique 14 36 N 61 05 W
Frankfurt am Main (city) Germany 50 07 N 8 41 E
Franz Josef Land (island Russia 81 00 N 55 00 E
group)
Freetown (capital) Sierra Leone 8 30 N 13 15 W
French Cameroon (former Cameroon 6 00 N 12 00 E
name for Cameroon)
French Guinea (former Guinea 11 00 N 10 00 W
name for Guinea)
French Indochina (former Cambodia, Laos, 15 00 N 107 00 E
name for French Vietnam
possessions in southeast
Asia)
French Morocco (former Morocco 32 00 N 5 00 W
name for Morocco)
French Somaliland Djibouti 11 30 N 43 00 E
(former name for
Djibouti)
French Sudan (former Mali 17 00 N 4 00 W
name for Mali)
French Territory of the Djibouti 11 30 N 43 00 E
Afars and Issas (or
FTAI; former name for
Djibouti)
French Togoland (former Togo 8 00 N 1 10 E
name for Togo)
French West Indies Guadeloupe, 16 30 N 62 00 W
(former name for French Martinique
possessions in the West
Indies)
Friendly Islands Tonga 20 00 S 175 00 W
Frisian Islands Denmark, Germany, 53 35 N 6 40 E
                        Netherlands
Frunze (city; former Kyrgyzstan 42 54 N 74 36 E
name for Bishkek)
Funafuti (capital, Tuvalu 8 30 S 179 12 E
atoll)
Fundy, Bay of Atlantic Ocean 45 00 N 66 00 W
Futuna Islands (Hoorn Wallis and Futuna 14 19 S 178 05 W
Islands/Iles de Horne)
Fyn (island) Denmark 55 20 N 10 25 E

G

NAME ENTRY IN LATITUDE LONGITUD
                         THE WORLD FACTBOOK (DEG E
                                            MIN) (DEG
                                                     MIN)
Gaborone (capital) Botswana 24 45 S 25 55 E
Galapagos Islands Ecuador 0 00 N 90 30 W
(Archipielago de Colon)
Galicia (region) Poland, Ukraine 49 30 N 23 00 E
Galicia (region) Spain 42 45 N 8 10 E
Galilee (region) Israel 32 54 N 35 20 E
Galleons Passage Atlantic Ocean 11 00 N 60 55 W
Gambier Islands (Iles French Polynesia 23 09 S 134 58 W
Gambier)
Gaspar Strait Pacific Ocean 3 00 S 107 00 E
Gdansk (city; formerly Poland 54 23 N 18 40 E
Danzig)
Geneva (city) Switzerland 46 12 N 6 10 E
Genoa (city) Italy 44 25 N 8 57 E
George Town (capital) Cayman Islands 19 20 N 81 23 W
George Town (city) Malaysia 5 26 N 100 16 E
George Town (city) The Bahamas 23 30 N 75 46 W
Georgetown (capital) Guyana 6 48 N 58 10 W
Georgetown (city) The Gambia 13 30 N 14 47 W
German Democratic Germany 52 00 N 13 00 E
Republic (East Germany;
former name for eastern
portion of Germany)
German Southwest Africa Namibia 22 00 S 17 00 E
(former name for
Namibia)
Germany, Federal Germany 51 00 N 9 00 E
Republic of
Gibraltar (city, Gibraltar 36 11 N 5 22 W
peninsula)
Gibraltar, Strait of Atlantic Ocean 35 57 N 5 36 W
Gidi Pass Egypt 30 13 N 33 09 E
Gilbert Islands Kiribati 1 25 N 173 00 E
Goa (state) India 15 20 N 74 00 E
Gobi (desert) China, Mongolia 42 30 N 107 00 E
Godthab (capital; also Greenland 64 11 N 51 44 W
Nuuk)
Golan Heights (region) Syria 33 00 N 35 45 E
Gold Coast (former name Ghana 8 00 N 2 00 W
for Ghana)
Golfo San Jorge (gulf) Atlantic Ocean 46 00 S 66 00 W
Golfo San Matias (gulf) Atlantic Ocean 41 30 S 64 00 W
Good Hope, Cape of South Africa 34 24 S 18 30 E
Goteborg (city) Sweden 57 43 N 11 58 E
Gotland (island) Sweden 57 30 N 18 33 E
Gough Island Saint Helena 40 20 S 9 55 W
Graham Land (region) Antarctica 65 00 S 64 00 W
Gran Chaco (region) Argentina, 24 00 S 60 00 W
                        Paraguay
Grand Bahama (island) The Bahamas 26 40 N 78 35 W
Grand Banks (fishing Atlantic Ocean 47 06 N 55 48 W
ground)
Grand Cayman (island) Cayman Islands 19 20 N 81 20 W
Grand Turk (capital; Turks and Caicos 21 28 N 71 08 W
also Cockburn Town) Islands
Great Australian Bight Indian Ocean 35 00 S 130 00 E
Great Belt (strait; also Atlantic Ocean 55 30 N 11 00 E
Store Baelt)
Great Bitter Lake Egypt 30 20 N 32 23 E
Great Britain (island) United Kingdom 54 00 N 2 00 W
Great Channel Indian Ocean 6 25 N 94 20 E
Great Inagua (island) The Bahamas 21 00 N 73 20 W
Great Rift Valley Ethiopia, Kenya 0 30 N 36 00 E
Greater Sunda Islands Brunei, Indonesia, 2 00 S 110 00 E
                        Malaysia
Green Islands Papua New Guinea 4 30 S 154 10 E
Greenland Sea Arctic Ocean 79 00 N 5 00 W
Grenadines, Northern Saint Vincent and 13 15 N 61 12 W
(island group) the Grenadines
Grenadines, Southern Grenada 12 07 N 61 40 W
(island group)
Grytviken (town; on South Georgia and 54 15 S 36 45 W
South Georgia) the South Sandwich
                        Islands
Guadalahara (city) Mexico 20 40 N 103 24 W
Guadalcanal (island) Solomon Islands 9 32 S 160 12 E
Guadalupe, Isla de Mexico 29 11 N 118 17 W
(island)
Guangzhou (city; also China 23 09 N 113 21 E
Canton)
Guantanamo Bay (US Naval Cuba 20 00 N 75 08 W
Base)
Guatemala (capital) Guatemala 14 38 N 90 31 W
Guine-Bissau (local name Guinea-Bissau 12 00 N 15 00 W
for Guinea-Bissau)
Guinea Ecuatorial (local Equatorial Guinea 2 00 N 10 00 E
name for Equatorial
Guinea)
Guinea, Gulf of Atlantic Ocean 3 00 N 2 30 E
Guinee (local name for Guinea 11 00 N 10 00 W
Guinea)
Gustavia (capital) Saint Barthelemy 17 53 N 62 51 W
Guyane Francaise (local French Guiana 4 00 N 53 00 W
name for French Guiana)

H

NAME ENTRY IN LATITUDE LONGITUD
                         THE WORLD FACTBOOK (DEG E
                                            MIN) (DEG
                                                     MIN)
Ha'apai Group (island Tonga 19 42 S 174 29 W
group)
Habomai Islands Russia (de facto) 43 30 N 146 10 E
Hadhramaut (region) Yemen 15 00 N 50 00 E
Hagatna (capital; Guam 13 28 N 144 45 E
formerly Agana)
Hague, The (seat of Netherlands 52 05 N 4 18 E
government)
Haifa (city) Israel 32 50 N 35 00 E
Hainan Dao (island) China 19 00 N 109 30 E
Haiphong (city) Vietnam 20 52 N 106 41 E
Hala'ib Triangle Egypt (claimed), 22 30 N 35 00 E
(region) Sudan (de facto)
Halifax (city) Canada 44 39 N 63 36 W
Halmahera (island) Indonesia 1 00 N 128 00 E
Halmahera Sea Pacific Ocean 0 30 S 129 00 E
Hamburg (city) Germany 53 34 N 9 59 E
Hamilton (capital) Bermuda 32 17 N 64 46 W
Han-guk (local name for South Korea 37 00 N 127 30 E
South Korea
Hanoi (capital) Vietnam 21 02 N 105 51 E
Harare (capital) Zimbabwe 17 50 S 31 03 E
Harvey Islands (former Cook Islands 21 14 S 159 46 W
name for Cook Islands)
Hatay (province) Turkey 36 30 N 36 15 E
Havana (capital) Cuba 23 08 N 82 22 W
Hawaii (island) United States 19 45 N 155 45 W
Hawaiian Islands United States 21 00 N 157 45 W
Hawar (island) Bahrain 25 40 N 50 47 E
Hayastan (local name for Armenia 40 00 N 45 00 E
Armenia)
Heard Island Heard Island and 53 06 S 73 30 E
                        McDonald Islands
Hejaz (region) Saudi Arabia 24 30 N 38 30 E
Helsinki (capital) Finland 60 10 N 24 58 E
Herzegovina (political Bosnia and 44 00 N 18 00 E
region) Herzegovina
Hiiumaa (island) Estonia 58 50 N 22 30 E
Hispaniola (island) Dominican 18 45 N 71 00 W
                        Republic, Haiti
Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam 10 45 N 106 40 E
(formerly Saigon)
Hokkaido (island) Japan 44 00 N 143 00 E
Holland (region) Netherlands 52 30 N 5 45 E
Hong Kong (special Hong Kong 22 15 N 114 10 E
administrative region)
Honiara (capital) Solomon Islands 9 26 S 159 57 E
Honshu (island) Japan 36 00 N 138 00 E
Hormuz, Strait of Indian Ocean 26 34 N 56 15 E
Horn of Africa (region) Djibouti, Eritrea, 8 00 N 48 00 E
                        Ethiopia, Somalia
Horn, Cape (Cabo de Chile 55 59 S 67 16 W
Hornos)
Horne, Iles de (island Wallis and Futuna 14 19 S 178 05 W
group)
Hrvatska (local name for Croatia 45 10 N 15 30 E
Croatia)
Hudson Bay Arctic Ocean 60 00 N 86 00 W
Hudson Strait Arctic Ocean 62 00 N 71 00 W
Hunter Island New Caledonia, 22 24 S 172 06 E
                        Vanuatu

I

NAME ENTRY IN LATITUDE LONGITUD
                         THE WORLD FACTBOOK (DEG E
                                            MIN) (DEG
                                                     MIN)
Iberian Peninsula Portugal, Spain 40 00 N 5 00 W
Iceland Sea Arctic Ocean 68 00 N 20 00 W
Ifni (region; former Morocco 29 22 N 10 09 W
name of part of Spanish
West Africa)
Inaccessible Island Saint Helena 37 17 S 12 40 W
Indochina (region) Cambodia, Laos, 15 00 N 107 00 E
                        Vietnam
Ingushetia (region) Russia 43 15 N 45 00 E
Inhambane (region) Mozambique 22 30 S 34 30 E
Inini (former name for French Guiana 4 00 N 53 00 W
French Guiana)
Inland Sea Japan 34 20 N 133 30 E
Inner Hebrides (islands) United Kingdom 56 30 N 6 20 W
Inner Mongolia (region; China 42 00 N 113 00 E
also Nei Mongol)
Ionian Islands Greece 38 30 N 20 30 E
Ionian Sea Atlantic Ocean 38 30 N 18 00 E
Irian Jaya (province) Indonesia 5 00 S 138 00 E
Irish Sea Atlantic Ocean 53 30 N 5 20 W
Iron Gate (river gorge) Romania, Serbia 44 41 N 22 31 E
Iskenderun (region; Turkey 36 34 N 36 08 E
formerly Alexandretta)
Islamabad (capital) Pakistan 33 42 N 73 10 E
Island (local name for Iceland 65 00 N 18 00 W
Iceland)
Islas Malvinas (island Falkland Islands 51 45 S 59 00 W
group) (Islas Malvinas)
Istanbul (city) Turkey 41 01 N 28 58 E
Istrian Peninsula Croatia, Slovenia 45 00 N 14 00 E
Italia (local name for Italy 42 50 N 12 50 E
Italy)
Italian East Africa Eritrea, Ethiopia, 8 00 N 38 00 E
(former name for Italian Somalia
possessions in eastern
Africa)
Italian Somaliland Somalia 10 00 N 49 00 E
(former name for
southern Somalia)
Ittihad al-Imarat al- United Arab 24 00 N 54 00 E
Arabiyah (local name for Emirates
the United Arab
Emirates)
Iturup (island; see Russia (de facto) 44 55 N 147 40 E
Etorofu)
Ityop'iya (local name Ethiopia 8 00 N 38 00 E
for Ethiopia)
Ivory Coast (former name Cote d'Ivoire 8 00 N 5 00 W
for Cote d'Ivoire)
Iwo Jima (island) Japan 24 47 N 141 20 E
Izmir (region) Turkey 38 25 N 27 10 E

J

NAME ENTRY IN LATITUDE LONGITUD
                         THE WORLD FACTBOOK (DEG E
                                            MIN) (DEG
                                                     MIN)
Jakarta (capital) Indonesia 6 10 S 106 48 E
James Bay Arctic Ocean 54 00 N 80 00 W
Jamestown (capital) Saint Helena 15 56 S 5 44 W
Jammu (city) India 32 42 N 74 52 E
Jammu and Kashmir India, Pakistan 34 00 N 76 00 E
(region)
Japan, Sea of Pacific Ocean 40 00 N 135 00 E
Jars, Plain of Laos 19 27 N 103 10 E
Java (island) Indonesia 7 30 S 110 00 E
Java Sea Pacific Ocean 5 00 S 110 00 E
Jerusalem (capital, Israel, West Bank 31 47 N 35 14 E
proclaimed)
Jiddah, Jeddah (city) Saudi Arabia 21 30 N 39 12 E
Johannesburg (city) South Africa 26 15 S 28 00 E
Joseph Bonaparte Gulf Pacific Ocean 14 00 S 128 45 E
Juan Fernandez, Islas de Chile 33 00 S 80 00 W
(island group)
Juan de Fuca, Strait of Pacific Ocean 48 18 N 124 00 W
Jubal, Strait of Indian Ocean 27 40 N 33 55 E
Judaea (region) Israel, West Bank 31 35 N 35 00 E
Jugoslavia, Jugoslavija Bosnia and 43 00 N 21 00 E
(local names for Herzegovina,
Yugoslavia, a former Croatia,
Balkan federation) Macedonia,
                        Montenegro,
                        Serbia, Slovenia
Jutland (region) Denmark 56 00 N 9 15 E
Juventud, Isla de la Cuba 21 40 N 82 50 W
(Isle of Youth)

K

NAME ENTRY IN LATITUDE LONGITUD
                         THE WORLD FACTBOOK (DEG E
                                            MIN) (DEG
                                                     MIN)
Kabardino-Balkaria Russia 43 30 N 43 30 E
(region)
Kabul (capital) Afghanistan 34 31 N 69 12 E
Kaduna (city) Nigeria 10 33 N 7 27 E
Kailas Range China, India 30 00 N 82 00 E
Kalaallit Nunaat (local Greenland 72 00 N 40 00 W
name for Greenland)
Kalahari (desert) Botswana, Namibia 24 30 S 21 00 E
Kalimantan (region) Indonesia 0 00 N 115 00 E
Kaliningrad (region; Russia 54 30 N 21 00 E
formerly part of East
Prussia)
Kamaran (island) Yemen 15 21 N 42 34 E
Kamchatka Peninsula Russia 56 00 N 160 00 E
(Poluostrov Kamchatka)
Kampala (capital) Uganda 0 19 N 32 25 E
Kampuchea (former name Cambodia 13 00 N 105 00 E
for Cambodia)
Kane Basin (portion of Arctic Ocean 79 30 N 68 00 W
channel)
Kanton Island Kiribati 2 49 S 171 40 W
Kara Sea Arctic Ocean 76 00 N 80 00 E
Karachevo-Cherkessia Russia 43 40 N 41 50 E
(region)
Karachi (city) Pakistan 24 51 N 67 03 E
Karafuto (island; former Russia 50 00 N 143 00 E
name for southern
Sakhalin Island)
Karakoram Pass China, India 35 30 N 77 50 E
Karelia, Kareliya Finland, Russia 63 15 N 30 48 E
(region)
Karelian Isthmus Russia 60 25 N 30 00 E
Karimata Strait Pacific Ocean 2 05 S 108 40 E
Kashmir (region) India, Pakistan 34 00 N 76 00 E
Katanga (region) Democratic 10 00 S 26 00 E
                        Republic of the
                        Congo
Kathmandu (capital) Nepal 27 43 N 85 19 E
Kattegat (strait) Atlantic Ocean 57 00 N 11 00 E
Kauai Channel Pacific Ocean 21 45 N 158 50 W
Kazakstan (former name Kazakhstan 48 00 N 68 00 E
for Kazakhstan)
Keeling Islands Cocos (Keeling) 12 30 S 96 50 E
                        Islands
Kerguelen, Iles (island French Southern 49 30 S 69 30 E
group) and Antarctic
                        Lands
Kermadec Islands New Zealand 29 50 S 178 15 W
Kerulen River China, Mongolia 48 48 N 117 00 E
Khabarovsk (city) Russia 48 27 N 135 06 E
Khanka, Lake China, Russia 45 00 N 132 24 E
Khartoum (capital) Sudan 15 36 N 32 32 E
Khios (island) Greece 38 22 N 26 04 E
Khmer Republic (former Cambodia 13 00 N 105 00 E
name for Cambodia)
Khuriya Muriya Islands Oman 17 30 N 56 00 E
(Kuria Muria Islands)
Khyber Pass Afghanistan, 34 05 N 71 10 E
                        Pakistan
Kibris (Turkish local Cyprus 35 00 N 33 00 E
name for Cyprus)
Kiel Canal (Nord-Ostsee Atlantic Ocean 53 53 N 9 08 E
Kanal)
Kiev (city; former name Ukraine 50 26 N 30 31 E
for Kyiv)
Kigali (capital) Rwanda 1 57 S 30 04 E
Kingston (capital) Jamaica 18 00 N 76 48 W
Kingston (capital) Norfolk Island 29 03 S 167 58 E
Kingstown (capital) Saint Vincent and 13 09 N 61 14 W
                        the Grenadines
Kinshasa (capital) Democratic 4 18 S 15 18 E
                        Republic of the
                        Congo
Kipros (Greek local name Cyprus 35 00 N 33 00 E
for Cyprus)
Kirghiziya, Kirgizia Kyrgyzstan 41 00 N 75 00 E
(former name for
Kyrgyzstan)
Kirguizstan (local name Kyrgyzstan 41 00 N 75 00 E
for Kyrgyzstan)
Kiritimati (Christmas Kiribati 1 52 N 157 20 W
Island)
Kishinev (see Chisinau) Moldova 47 00 N 28 50 E
Kithira Strait Atlantic Ocean 36 00 N 23 00 E
Kobe (city) Japan 34 41 N 135 10 E
Kodiak Island United States 57 49 N 152 23 W
Kola Peninsula (Kol'skiy Russia 67 20 N 37 00 E
Poluostrov)
Kolonia (town; former Federated States 6 58 N 158 13 E
capital; changed to of Micronesia
Palikir)
Korea Bay Pacific Ocean 39 00 N 124 00 E
Korea Strait Pacific Ocean 34 00 N 129 00 E
Korea, Democratic North Korea 40 00 N 127 00 E
People's Republic of
Korea, Republic of South Korea 37 00 N 127 30 E
Koror (capital) Palau 7 20 N 134 29 E
Kosovo (region) Kosovo 42 30 N 21 00 E
Kosrae (island) Federated States 5 20 N 163 00 E
                        of Micronesia
Kowloon (city) Hong Kong 22 18 N 114 10 E
Kra, Isthmus of Burma, Thailand 10 20 N 99 00 E
Krakatoa (volcano) Indonesia 6 07 S 105 24 E
Krakow (city) Poland 50 03 N 19 56 E
Kuala Lumpur (capital) Malaysia 3 10 N 101 42 E
Kunashiri (island; also Russia (de facto) 44 20 N 146 00 E
Kunashir)
Kunlun Mountains China 36 00 N 84 00 E
Kuril Islands Russia (de facto) 46 10 N 152 00 E
Kuwait (capital) Kuwait 29 20 N 47 59 E
Kuznetsk Basin Russia 54 00 N 86 00 E
Kwajalein Atoll Marshall Islands 9 05 N 167 20 E
Kyiv (capital) Ukraine 50 26 N 30 31 E
Kyushu (island) Japan 33 00 N 131 00 E

L

NAME ENTRY IN LATITUDE LONGITUD
                         THE WORLD FACTBOOK (DEG E
                                            MIN) (DEG
                                                     MIN)
La Paz (administrative Bolivia 16 30 S 68 09 W
capital)
La Perouse Strait Pacific Ocean 45 45 N 142 00 E
Labrador (peninsula, Canada 54 00 N 62 00 W
region)
Labrador Sea Atlantic Ocean 60 00 N 55 00 W
Laccadive Islands India 10 00 N 73 00 E
Laccadive Sea Indian Ocean 7 00 N 76 00 E
Lagos (former capital) Nigeria 6 27 N 3 24 E
Lahore (city) Pakistan 31 33 N 74 23 E
Lake Erie Atlantic Ocean 42 30 N 81 00 W
Lake Huron Atlantic Ocean 45 00 N 83 00 W
Lake Michigan Atlantic Ocean 43 30 N 87 30 W
Lake Ontario Atlantic Ocean 43 30 N 78 00 W
Lake Superior Atlantic Ocean 48 00 N 88 00 W
Lakshadweep (Laccadive India 10 00 N 73 00 E
Islands)
Lantau Island Hong Kong 22 15 N 113 55 E
Lao (local name for Laos 18 00 N 105 00 E
Laos)
Laptev Sea Arctic Ocean 76 00 N 126 00 E
Las Palmas (city) Spain (Canary 28 06 N 15 24 W
                        Islands)
Latakia (region) Syria 36 00 N 35 50 E
Latvija (local name for Latvia 57 00 N 25 00 E
Latvia)
Lau Group (island group) Fiji 18 20 S 178 30 E
Lefkosa (see Nicosia) Cyprus 35 10 N 33 22 E
Leipzig (city) Germany 51 21 N 12 23 E
Lemnos (island) Greece 39 54 N 25 21 E
Leningrad (city; former Russia 59 55 N 30 15 E
name for Saint
Petersburg)
Lesser Sunda Islands Indonesia 9 00 S 120 00 E
Lesvos (island) Greece 39 15 N 26 15 E
Leyte (island) Philippines 10 50 N 124 50 E
Liancourt Rocks (claimed South Korea 37 15 N 131 50 E
by Japan)
Liaodong Wan (gulf) Pacific Ocean 40 30 N 121 20 E
Liban (local name for Lebanon 33 50 N 36 50 E
Lebanon)
Libreville (capital) Gabon 0 23 N 9 27 E
Lietuva (local name for Lithuania 56 00 N 24 00 E
Lithuania)
Ligurian Sea Atlantic Ocean 43 30 N 9 00 E
Lilongwe (capital) Malawi 13 59 S 33 44 E
Lima (capital) Peru 12 03 S 77 03 W
Lincoln Sea Arctic Ocean 83 00 N 56 00 W
Line Islands Jarvis Island, 0 05 N 157 00 W
                        Kingman Reef,
                        Kiribati, Palmyra
                        Atoll
Lion, Gulf of Atlantic Ocean 43 20 N 4 00 E
Lisbon (capital) Portugal 38 43 N 9 08 W
Little Belt (strait; Atlantic Ocean 55 05 N 9 55 E
also Lille Baelt)
Ljubljana (capital) Slovenia 46 03 N 14 31 E
Llanos (region) Venezuela 8 00 N 68 00 W
Lobamba (city) Swaziland 26 27 S 31 12 E
Lombok (island) Indonesia 8 28 S 116 40 E
Lombok Strait Indian Ocean 8 30 S 115 50 E
Lome (capital) Togo 6 08 N 1 13 E
London (capital) United Kingdom 51 30 N 0 10 W
Longyearbyen (capital) Svalbard 78 13 N 15 33 E
Lord Howe Island Australia 31 30 S 159 00 E
Lorraine (region) France 48 42 N 6 11 E
Louisiade Archipelago Papua New Guinea 11 00 S 153 00 E
Lourenco Marques (city; Mozambique 25 56 S 32 34 E
former name for Maputo)
Loyalty Islands (Iles New Caledonia 21 00 S 167 00 E
Loyaute)
Luanda (capital) Angola 8 48 S 13 14 E
Lubnan (local name for Lebanon 33 50 N 36 50 E
Lebanon)
Lubumbashi (city) Democratic 11 40 S 27 28 E
                        Republic of the
                        Congo
Lusaka (capital) Zambia 15 25 S 28 17 E
Luxembourg (capital) Luxembourg 49 45 N 6 10 E
Luzon (island) Philippines 16 00 N 121 00 E
Luzon Strait Pacific Ocean 20 30 N 121 00 E
Lyakhov Islands Russia 73 45 N 138 00 E

M

NAME ENTRY IN LATITUDE LONGITUD
                         THE WORLD FACTBOOK (DEG E
                                            MIN) (DEG
                                                     MIN)
Macao Macau 22 10 N 113 33 E
Macau (special China 22 10 N 113 33 E
administrative region)
Macquarie Island Australia 54 36 S 158 54 E
Madagasikara (local name Madagascar 20 00 S 47 00 E
for Madagascar)
Maddalena, Isola Italy 41 13 N 09 24 E
Madeira Islands Portugal 32 40 N 16 45 W
Madras (city; see India 13 04 N 80 16 E
Chennai)
Madrid (capital) Spain 40 24 N 3 41 W
Magellan, Strait of Atlantic Ocean 54 00 S 71 00 W
Maghreb (region) Algeria, Libya, 34 00 N 3 00 E
                        Mauritania,
                        Morocco, Tunisia
Magreb (local name for Morocco 32 00 N 5 00 W
Morocco)
Magyarorszag (local name Hungary 47 00 N 20 00 E
for Hungary)
Mahe Island Seychelles 4 41 S 55 30 E
Maiz, Islas del (Corn Nicaragua 12 15 N 83 00 W
Islands)
Majorca Island (Isla de Spain 39 30 N 3 00 E
Mallorca)
Majuro (capital) Marshall Islands 7 05 N 171 08 E
Makassar Strait Pacific Ocean 2 00 S 117 30 E
Makedonija (local name Macedonia 41 50 N 22 00 E
for Macedonia)
Malabo (capital) Equatorial Guinea 3 45 N 8 47 E
Malacca, Strait of Indian Ocean 2 30 N 101 20 E
Malagasy Republic Madagascar 20 00 S 47 00 E
Malay Archipelago Brunei, Indonesia, 2 30 N 120 00 E
                        Malaysia, Papua
                        New Guinea,
                        Philippines
Malay Peninsula Malaysia, Thailand 7 10 N 100 35 E
Male (capital) Maldives 4 10 N 73 31 E
Mallorca, Isla de Spain 39 30 N 3 00 E
(island; also Majorca)
Malmady (region) Belgium 50 26 N 6 02 E
Malpelo, Isla de Colombia 4 00 N 90 30 W
(island)
Malta Channel Atlantic Ocean 56 44 N 26 53 E
Malvinas, Islas (island Falkland Islands 51 45 S 59 00 W
group) (Islas Malvinas)
Mamoutzou (capital) Mayotte 12 47 S 45 14 E
Managua (capital) Nicaragua 12 09 N 86 17 W
Manama (capital) Bahrain 26 13 N 50 35 E
Manchukuo (former state) China 44 00 N 124 00 E
Manchuria (region) China 44 00 N 124 00 E
Manila (capital) Philippines 14 35 N 121 00 E
Manipa Strait Pacific Ocean 3 20 S 127 23 E
Mannar, Gulf of Indian Ocean 8 30 N 79 00 E
Manua Islands American Samoa 14 13 S 169 35 W
Maputo (capital) Mozambique 25 58 S 32 35 E
Marcus Island (Minami- Japan 24 16 N 154 00 E
tori-shima)
Margarita, Isla (island) Venezuela 10 00 N 64 00 W
Mariana Islands Guam, Northern 16 00 N 145 30 E
                        Mariana Islands
Marie Byrd Land (region) Antarctica 77 00 S 130 00 W
Marigot (capital) Saint Martin 18 04 N 63 05 W
Marion Island South Africa 46 51 S 37 52 E
Marmara, Sea of Atlantic Ocean 40 40 N 28 15 E
Marquesas Islands (Iles French Polynesia 9 00 S 139 30 W
Marquises)
Marseille (city) France 43 18 N 5 23 E
Martin Vaz, Ilhas Brazil 20 30 S 28 51 W
(island group)
Mas a Tierra (Robinson Chile 33 38 S 78 52 W
Crusoe Island)
Mascarene Islands Mauritius, Reunion 21 00 S 57 00 E
Maseru (capital) Lesotho 29 28 S 27 30 E
Mata-Utu (capital) Wallis and Futuna 13 57 S 171 56 W
Matsu (island) Taiwan 26 13 N 119 56 E
Matthew Island New Caledonia, 22 20 S 171 20 E
                        Vanuatu
Mauritanie (local name Mauritania 20 00 N 12 00 W
for Mauritania)
Mazatlan (city) Mexico 23 13 N 106 25 W
Mbabane (capital) Swaziland 26 18 S 31 06 E
McDonald Islands Heard Island and 53 06 S 73 30 E
                        McDonald Islands
Mecca (city) Saudi Arabia 21 27 N 39 49 E
Mediterranean Sea Atlantic Ocean 36 00 N 15 00 E
Melbourne (city) Australia 37 49 S 144 58 E
Melilla (exclave) Spain 35 19 N 2 58 W
Memel (region) Lithuania 55 43 N 21 30 E
Mesopotamia (region) Iraq 33 00 N 44 00 E
Messina, Strait of Atlantic Ocean 38 15 N 15 35 E
Mexico City (capital) Mexico 19 24 N 99 09 W
Mexico, Gulf of Atlantic Ocean 25 00 N 90 00 W
Middle Congo (former Republic of the 1 00 S 15 00 E
name for Republic of the Congo
Congo)
Milan (city) Italy 45 28 N 9 11 E
Milwaukee Deep (Puerto Atlantic Ocean 19 55 N 65 27 W
Rico Trench)
Minami-tori-shima Japan 24 16 N 154 00 E
(Marcus Island)
Mindanao (island) Philippines 8 00 N 125 00 E
Mindanao Sea Pacific Ocean 9 15 N 124 30 E
Mindoro (island) Philippines 12 50 N 121 05 E
Mindoro Strait Pacific Ocean 12 20 N 120 40 E
Mingrelia (region) Georgia 42 30 N 41 52 E
Minicoy Island India 8 17 N 73 02 E
Minorca Island (Isla de Spain 40 00 N 4 00 E
Menorca)
Minsk (capital) Belarus 53 54 N 27 34 E
Misr (local name for Egypt 27 00 N 30 00 E
Egypt)
Mitla Pass Egypt 30 02 N 32 54 E
Mocambique (local name Mozambique 18 15 S 35 00 E
for Mozambique)
Mogadishu (capital) Somalia 2 04 N 45 22 E
Moldavia (region) Moldova, Romania 47 00 N 29 00 E
Molucca Sea Pacific Ocean 2 00 N 127 00 E
Moluccas (Spice Islands) Indonesia 2 00 S 128 00 E
Mombasa (city) Kenya 4 03 S 39 40 E
Mona Passage Atlantic Ocean 18 30 N 67 45 W
Monaco (capital) Monaco 43 44 N 7 25 E
Mongol Uls (local name Mongolia 46 00 N 105 00 E
for Mongolia)
Monrovia (capital) Liberia 6 18 N 10 47 W
Monterrey (city) Mexico 25 40 N 100 19 W
Montevideo (capital) Uruguay 34 53 S 56 11 W
Montreal (city) Canada 45 31 N 73 34 W
Moravia (region) Czech Republic 49 30 N 17 00 E
Moravian Gate (pass) Czech Republic 49 35 N 17 50 E
Moroni (capital) Comoros 11 41 S 43 16 E
Mortlock Islands (Nomoi Federated States 5 30 N 153 40 E
Islands) of Micronesia
Moscow (capital) Russia 55 45 N 37 35 E
Mount Pinatubo (volcano) Philippines 15 08 N 120 21 E
Mozambique Channel Indian Ocean 19 00 S 41 00 E
Mumbai (city; also India 18 58 N 72 50 E
Bombay)
Munich, Muenchen (city) Germany 48 08 N 11 35 E
Muritaniyah (local name Mauritania 20 00 N 12 00 W
for Mauritania)
Musandam Peninsula Oman, United Arab 26 18 N 56 24 E
                        Emirates
Muscat (capital) Oman 23 37 N 58 35 E
Muscat and Oman (former Oman 21 00 N 57 00 E
name for Oman)
Myanma, Myanmar Burma 22 00 N 98 00 E

N

NAME ENTRY IN LATITUDE LONGITUD
                         THE WORLD FACTBOOK (DEG E
                                            MIN) (DEG
                                                     MIN)
N'Djamena (capital) Chad 12 07 N 15 03 E
Nagorno-Karabakh Azerbaijan 40 00 N 46 40 E
(region)
Nairobi (capital) Kenya 1 17 S 36 49 E
Namib (desert) Namibia 24 00 S 15 00 E
Nampo-shoto (island Japan 30 00 N 140 00 E
group)
Nan Madol (ruins) Federated States 6 85 N 158 35 E
                        of Micronesia
Naples (city) Italy 40 51 N 14 15 E
Nassau (capital) The Bahamas 25 05 N 77 21 W
Natal (region) South Africa 29 00 S 30 25 E
Natuna Besar Islands Indonesia 3 30 N 102 30 E
Natuna Sea Pacific Ocean 3 30 N 108 00 E
Naxcivan (region) Azerbaijan 39 20 N 45 20 E
Naxos (island) Greece 37 05 N 25 30 E
Nederland (local name Netherlands 52 30 N 5 45 E
for the Netherlands)
Nederlandse Antillen Netherlands 12 15 N 68 45 W
(local name for the Antilles
Netherlands Antilles)
Negev (region) Israel 30 30 N 34 55 E
Negros (island) Philippines 10 00 N 123 00 E
Nejd (region) Saudi Arabia 24 05 N 45 15 E
Netherlands East Indies Indonesia 5 00 S 120 00 E
(former name for
Indonesia)
Netherlands Guiana Suriname 4 00 N 56 00 W
(former name for
Suriname)
Nevis (island) Saint Kitts and 17 09 N 62 35 W
                        Nevis
New Britain (island) Papua New Guinea 6 00 S 150 00 E
New Delhi (capital) India 28 36 N 77 12 E
New Guinea (island) Indonesia, Papua 5 00 S 140 00 E
                        New Guinea
New Hebrides (island Vanuatu 16 00 S 167 00 E
group)
New Ireland (island) Papua New Guinea 3 20 N 152 00 E
New Siberian Islands Russia 75 00 N 142 00 E
New Territories Hong Kong 22 24 N 114 10 E
(mainland region)
Newfoundland (island, Canada 52 00 N 56 00 W
with mainland area, and
a province)
Niamey (capital) Niger 13 31 N 2 07 E
Nicobar Islands India 8 00 N 93 30 E
Nicosia (capital; also Cyprus 35 10 N 33 22 E
Lefkosia)
Nightingale Island Saint Helena 37 25 S 12 30 W
Nihon, Nippon (local Japan 36 00 N 138 00 E
name for Japan)
Nomoi Islands (Mortlock Federated States 5 30 N 153 40 E
Islands) of Micronesia
Norge (local name for Norway 62 00 N 10 00 E
Norway)
Norman Isles (Channel Guernsey, Jersey 49 20 N 2 20 W
Islands)
North Atlantic Ocean Atlantic Ocean 30 00 N 45 00 W
North Channel Atlantic Ocean 55 10 N 5 40 W
North Frisian Islands Denmark, Germany 54 50 N 8 12 E
North Greenland Sea Arctic Ocean 78 00 N 5 00 W
North Island New Zealand 39 00 S 176 00 E
North Ossetia (region) Russia 43 00 N 44 10 E
North Pacific Ocean Pacific Ocean 30 00 N 165 00 W
North Sea Atlantic Ocean 56 00 N 4 00 E
North Vietnam (former Vietnam 23 00 N 106 00 E
name for northern
portion of Vietnam)
North Yemen (Yemen Arab Yemen 15 00 N 44 00 E
Republic; now part of
Yemen)
Northeast Providence Atlantic Ocean 25 40 N 77 09 W
Channel
Northern Areas Pakistan 36 0 N 75 0 E
Northern Cyprus (region) Cyprus 35 15 N 33 44 E
Northern Epirus (region) Albania, Greece 40 00 N 20 30 E
Northern Grenadines Saint Vincent and 12 45 N 61 15 W
(political region) the Grenadines
Northern Ireland United Kingdom 54 40 N 6 45 W
Northern Rhodesia Zambia 15 00 S 30 00 E
(former name for Zambia)
Northwest Passages Arctic Ocean 74 40 N 100 00 W
Norwegian Sea Atlantic Ocean 66 00 N 6 00 E
Nouakchott (capital) Mauritania 18 06 N 15 57 W
Noumea (capital) New Caledonia 22 16 S 166 27 E
Nouvelle-Caledonie New Caledonia 21 30 S 165 30 E
(local name for New
Caledonia)
Nouvelles Hebrides Vanuatu 16 00 S 167 00 E
(former name for
Vanuatu)
Novaya Zemlya (islands) Russia 74 00 N 57 00 E
Nubia (region) Egypt, Sudan 20 30 N 33 00 E
Nuku'alofa (capital) Tonga 21 08 S 175 12 W
Nunavut (region) Canada 72 00 N 90 00 W
Nuuk (capital; also Greenland 64 11 N 51 44 W
Godthab)
Nyasaland (former name Malawi 13 30 S 34 00 E
for Malawi)
Nyassa (region) Mozambique 13 30 S 37 00 E

O

NAME ENTRY IN LATITUDE LONGITUD
                         THE WORLD FACTBOOK (DEG E
                                            MIN) (DEG
                                                     MIN)
Oahu (island) United States 21 30 N 158 00 W
                        (Hawaii)
Ocean Island (Banaba) Kiribati 0 52 S 169 35 E
Ocean Island (Kure United States 28 25 N 178 20 W
Island)
Oesterreich (local name Austria 47 20 N 13 20 E
for Austria)
Ogaden (region) Ethiopia, Somalia 7 00 N 46 00 E
Oil Islands (Chagos British Indian 6 00 S 71 30 E
Archipelago) Ocean Territory
Okhotsk, Sea of Pacific Ocean 53 00 N 150 00 E
Okinawa (island group) Japan 26 30 N 128 00 E
Oland (island) Sweden 56 45 N 16 40 E
Oman, Gulf of Indian Ocean 24 30 N 58 30 E
Ombai Strait Pacific Ocean 8 30 S 125 00 E
Oran (city) Algeria 35 43 N 0 43 W
Orange River Colony South Africa 28 20 S 26 40 E
(region; former name of
Free State Province of
South Africa)
Oranjestad (capital) Aruba 12 33 N 70 06 W
Oresund (The Sound) Atlantic Ocean 55 50 N 12 40 E
(strait)
Orkney Islands United Kingdom 59 00 N 3 00 W
Osaka (city) Japan 34 42 N 135 30 E
Oslo (capital) Norway 59 55 N 10 45 E
Osumi Strait (Van Diemen Pacific Ocean 31 00 N 131 00 E
Strait)
Otranto, Strait of Atlantic Ocean 40 00 N 19 00 E
Ottawa (capital) Canada 45 25 N 75 40 W
Ouagadougou (capital) Burkina Faso 12 22 N 1 31 W
Outer Hebrides (islands) United Kingdom 57 45 N 7 00 W
Outer Mongolia (region) Mongolia 46 00 N 105 00 E

P

NAME ENTRY IN LATITUDE LONGITUD
                         THE WORLD FACTBOOK (DEG E
                                            MIN) (DEG
                                                     MIN)
P'yongyang (capital) North Korea 39 01 N 125 45 E
Pacific Islands, Trust Marshall Islands, 10 00 N 155 00 E
Territory of the (former Federated States
name of a large area of of Micronesia,
the western North Northern Mariana
Pacific Ocean) Islands, Palau
Pagan (island) Northern Mariana 18 08 N 145 47 E
                        Islands
Pago Pago (capital) American Samoa 14 16 S 170 42 W
Palawan (island) Philippines 9 30 N 118 30 E
Palermo (city) Italy 38 07 N 13 21 E
Palestine (region) Israel, West Bank 32 00 N 35 15 E
Palikir (capital) Federated States 6 55 N 158 08 E
                        of Micronesia
Palk Strait Indian Ocean 10 00 N 79 45 E
Pamirs (mountains) China, Tajikistan 38 00 N 73 00 E
Pampas (region) Argentina 35 00 S 63 00 W
Panama (capital) Panama 8 58 N 79 32 W
Panama Canal Panama 9 00 N 79 45 W
Panama, Gulf of Pacific Ocean 8 00 N 79 30 W
Panay (island) Philippines 11 15 N 122 30 E
Pantelleria, Isola di Italy 36 47 N 12 00 E
(island)
Papeete (capital) French Polynesia 17 32 S 149 34 W
Paramaribo (capital) Suriname 5 50 N 55 10 W
Parece Vela (island) Japan 20 20 N 136 00 E
Paris (capital) France 48 52 N 2 20 E
Pascua, Isla de (Easter Chile 27 07 S 109 22 W
Island)
Pashtunistan (region) Afghanistan, 32 00 N 69 00 E
                        Pakistan
Passion, Ile de la Clipperton Island 10 17 N 109 13 W
(island)
Patagonia (region) Argentina 48 00 S 61 00 W
Peking (see Beijing) China 39 56 N 116 24 E
Pelagian Islands (Isole Italy 35 40 N 12 40 E
Pelagie)
Peleliu (Beliliou) Palau 7 01 N 134 15 E
(island)
Peloponnese (peninsula) Greece 37 30 N 22 25 E
Pemba Island Tanzania 5 20 S 39 45 E
Penang Island Malaysia 5 23 N 100 15 E
Pentland Firth (channel) Atlantic Ocean 58 44 N 3 13 W
Perim (island) Yemen 12 39 N 43 25 E
Perouse Strait, La Pacific Ocean 44 45 N 142 00 E
Persia (former name for Iran 32 00 N 53 00 E
Iran)
Persian Gulf Indian Ocean 27 00 N 51 00 E
Perth (city) Australia 31 56 S 115 50 E
Pescadores (islands) Taiwan 23 30 N 119 30 E
Peshawar (city) Pakistan 34 01 N 71 40 E
Peter I Island Antarctica 68 48 S 90 35 W
Petrograd (city; former Russia 59 55 N 30 15 E
name for Saint
Petersburg)
Philip Island Norfolk Island 29 08 S 167 57 E
Philippine Sea Pacific Ocean 20 00 N 134 00 E
Phnom Penh (capital) Cambodia 11 33 N 104 55 E
Phoenix Islands Kiribati 3 30 S 172 00 W
Pinatubo, Mount Philippines 15 08 N 120 21 E
(volcano)
Pines, Isle of (island; Cuba 21 40 N 82 50 W
former name for Isla de
la Juventud)
Pleasant Island Nauru 0 32 S 166 55 E
Plymouth (capital) Montserrat 16 44 N 62 14 W
Podgorica Montenegro 42 26 N 19 16 E
(administrative capital)
Polska (local name) Poland 52 00 N 20 00 E
Polynesie Francaise French Polynesia 15 00 S 140 00 W
(local name for French
Polynesia)
Pomerania (region) Germany, Poland 53 40 N 15 35 E
Ponape (Pohnpei) Federated States 6 55 N 158 15 E
(island) of Micronesia
Port Louis (capital) Mauritius 20 10 S 57 30 E
Port Moresby (capital) Papua New Guinea 9 30 S 147 10 E
Port-Vila (capital) Vanuatu 17 44 S 168 19 E
Port-au-Prince (capital) Haiti 18 32 N 72 20 W
Port-of-Spain (capital) Trinidad and 10 39 N 61 31 W
                        Tobago
Porto-Novo (capital) Benin 6 29 N 2 37 E
Portuguese East Africa Mozambique 18 15 S 35 00 E
(former name for
Mozambique)
Portuguese Guinea Guinea-Bissau 12 00 N 15 00 W
(former name for Guinea-
Bissau)
Portuguese Timor (former Timor-Leste 9 00 S 126 00 E
name for Timor-Leste)
Poznan (city) Poland 52 25 N 16 55 E
Prague (capital) Czech Republic 50 05 N 14 28 E
Praia (capital) Cape Verde 14 55 N 23 31 W
Prathet Thai (local name Thailand 15 00 N 100 00 E
for Thailand)
Pretoria (administrative South Africa 25 42 S 28 13 E
capital)
Prevlaka peninsula Croatia 42 24 N 18 31 E
Pribilof Islands United States 57 00 N 170 00 W
Prince Edward Island Canada 46 20 N 63 20 W
Prince Edward Islands South Africa 46 35 S 38 00 E
Prince Patrick Island Canada 76 30 N 119 00 W
Principe (island) Sao Tome and 1 38 N 7 25 E
                        Principe
Pristina, Prishtina, Kosovo 42 40 N 21 10 E
Prishtine (capital)
Prussia (region) Germany, Poland, 53 00 N 14 00 E
                        Russia
Pukapuka Atoll Cook Islands 10 53 S 165 49 W
Punjab (region) India, Pakistan 30 50 N 73 30 E
Puntland (region) Somalia 8 21 N 49 08 E

Q

NAME ENTRY IN LATITUDE LONGITUD
                         THE WORLD FACTBOOK (DEG E
                                            MIN) (DEG
                                                     MIN)
Qazaqstan (local name Kazakhstan 48 00 N 68 00 E
for Kazakhstan)
Qita Ghazzah (local name Gaza Strip 31 25 N 34 20 E
Gaza Strip)
Quebec (city) Canada 46 48 N 71 15 W
Queen Charlotte Islands Canada 53 00 N 132 00 W
Queen Elizabeth Islands Canada 78 00 N 95 00 W
Queen Maud Land (claimed Antarctica 73 30 S 12 00 E
by Norway)
Quemoy (island) Taiwan 24 27 N 118 23 E
Quito (capital) Ecuador 0 13 S 78 30 W

R

NAME ENTRY IN LATITUDE LONGITUD
                         THE WORLD FACTBOOK (DEG E
                                            MIN) (DEG
                                                     MIN)
Rabat (capital) Morocco 34 02 N 6 51 W
Ralik Chain (island Marshall Islands 8 00 N 167 00 E
group)
Rangoon (capital; also Burma 16 47 N 96 10 E
Yangon)
Rapa Nui (Easter Island) Chile 27 07 S 109 22 W
Ratak Chain (island Marshall Islands 9 00 N 171 00 E
group)
Red Sea Indian Ocean 20 00 N 38 00 E
Redonda (island) Antigua and 16 55 N 62 19 W
                        Barbuda
Republica Dominicana Dominican Republic 19 00 N 70 40 W
(local name for
Dominican Republic)
Republique Centrafricain Central African 7 00 N 21 00 E
(local name for Central Republic
African Republic)
Republique Francaise France 46 00 N 2 00 E
(local name for France)
Republique Gabonaise Gabon 1 00 S 11 45 E
(local name for Gabon)
Republique Rwandaise Rwanda 2 00 S 30 00 E
(local name for Rwanda)
Republique Togolaise Togo 8 00 N 1 10 E
(local name for Togo)
Revillagigedo Island United States 55 35 N 131 06 W
                        (Alaska)
Revillagigedo Islands Mexico 19 00 N 112 45 W
Reykjavik (capital) Iceland 64 09 N 21 57 W
Rhodes (island) Greece 36 10 N 28 00 E
Rhodesia, Northern Zambia 15 00 S 30 00 E
(former name for Zambia)
Rhodesia, Southern Zimbabwe 20 00 S 30 00 E
(former name for
Zimbabwe)
Riga (capital) Latvia 56 57 N 24 06 E
Riga, Gulf of Atlantic Ocean 57 30 N 23 30 E
Rio Muni (mainland Equatorial Guinea 1 30 N 10 00 E
region)
Rio de Janiero (city) Brazil 22 55 S 43 17 W
Rio de Oro (region) Western Sahara 23 45 N 15 45 W
Rio de la Plata (gulf) Atlantic Ocean 35 00 S 59 00 W
Riyadh (capital) Saudi Arabia 24 38 N 46 43 E
Road Town (capital) British Virgin 18 27 N 64 37 W
                        Islands
Robinson Crusoe Island Chile 33 38 S 78 52 W
(Mas a Tierra)
Rocas, Atol das (island) Brazil 3 51 S 33 49 W
Rockall (island) United Kingdom 57 35 N 13 48 W
Rodrigues (island) Mauritius 19 42 S 63 25 E
Rome (capital) Italy 41 54 N 12 29 E
Roncador Cay (island) Colombia 13 32 N 80 03 W
Roosevelt Island Antarctica 79 30 S 162 00 W
Roseau (capital) Dominica 15 18 N 61 24 W
Ross Dependency (claimed Antarctica 80 00 S 180 00 E
by New Zealand)
Ross Island Antarctica 81 30 S 175 00 W
Ross Sea Antarctica, 76 00 S 175 00 W
                        Southern Ocean
Rossiya (local name for Russia 60 00 N 100 00 E
Russia)
Rota (island) Northern Mariana 14 10 N 145 12 E
                        Islands
Rotuma (island) Fiji 12 30 S 177 05 E
Ruanda (former name for Rwanda 2 00 S 30 00 E
Rwanda)
Rub al Khali (desert) Saudi Arabia 19 30 N 49 00 E
Rumelia (region) Albania, Bulgaria, 42 00 N 22 30 E
                        Macedonia
Ruthenia (region; former Ukraine 48 22 N 23 32 E
name for Carpatho-
Ukraine)
Ryukyu Islands Japan 26 30 N 128 00 E

S

NAME ENTRY IN LATITUDE LONGITUD
                         THE WORLD FACTBOOK (DEG E
                                            MIN) (DEG
                                                     MIN)
Saar (region) Germany 49 25 N 7 00 E
Saaremaa (island) Estonia 58 25 N 22 30 E
Saba (island) Netherlands 17 38 N 63 10 W
                        Antilles
Sabah (state) Malaysia 5 20 N 117 10 E
Sable Island Canada 43 55 N 59 50 W
Safety Islands (Iles du French Guiana 5 20 N 52 37 W
Salut)
Sahara Occidental Western Sahara 24 30 N 13 00 W
(former name for Western
Sahara)
Sahel (region) Burkina Faso, 15 00 N 8 00 W
                        Chad, The Gambia,
                        Guinea- Bissau,
                        Mali, Mauritania,
                        Niger, Senegal
Saigon (city; former Vietnam 10 45 N 106 40 E
name for Ho Chi Minh
City)
Saint Brandon (Cargados Mauritius 16 25 S 59 38 E
Carajos Shoals)
Saint Christopher Saint Kitts and 17 20 N 62 45 W
(island) Nevis
Saint Christopher and Saint Kitts and 17 20 N 62 45 W
Nevis Nevis
Saint Eustatius (island) Netherlands 17 30 N 63 00 W
                        Antilles
Saint George's (capital) Grenada 12 03 N 61 45 W
Saint George's Channel Atlantic Ocean 52 00 N 6 00 W
Saint Helena Island Saint Helena 15 57 S 5 42 W
Saint Helens, Mount United States 46 15 N 122 12 W
(volcano)
Saint Helier (capital) Jersey 49 12 N 2 07 W
Saint John (city) Canada (New 45 16 N 66 04 W
                        Brunswick)
Saint John's (capital) Antigua and 17 06 N 61 51 W
                        Barbuda
Saint Lawrence Island United States 49 30 N 67 00 W
Saint Lawrence Seaway Atlantic Ocean 49 15 N 67 00 W
Saint Lawrence, Gulf of Atlantic Ocean 48 00 N 62 00 W
Saint Paul Island Canada 47 12 N 60 09 W
Saint Paul Island United States 57 11 N 170 16 W
Saint Paul Island (Ile French Southern 38 43 S 77 29 E
Saint-Paul) and Antarctic
                        Lands
Saint Peter Port Guernsey 49 27 N 2 32 W
(capital)
Saint Peter and Saint Brazil 0 23 N 29 23 W
Paul Rocks (Penedos de
Sao Pedro e Sao Paulo)
Saint Petersburg (city; Russia 59 55 N 30 15 E
former capital)
Saint Thomas (island) Virgin Islands 18 21 N 64 55 W
Saint Vincent Passage Atlantic Ocean 13 30 N 61 00 W
Saint-Denis (capital) Reunion 20 52 S 55 28 E
Saint-Pierre (capital) Saint Pierre and 46 46 N 56 11 W
                        Miquelon
Saipan (island) Northern Mariana 15 12 N 145 45 E
                        Islands
Sak'art'velo (local name Georgia 42 00 N 43 30 E
for Georgia)
Sakhalin Island (Ostrov Russia 51 00 N 143 00 E
Sakhalin)
Sakishima Islands Japan 24 30 N 124 00 E
Sala y Gomez, Isla Chile 26 28 S 105 00 W
(island)
Salisbury (city; former Zimbabwe 17 50 S 105 00 W
name for Harare)
Salzburg (city) Austria 47 48 N 13 02 E
Samar (island) Philippines 12 00 N 125 00 E
Samaria (region) West Bank 32 15 N 35 10 E
Samoa Islands American Samoa, 14 00 S 171 00 W
                        Samoa
Samos (island) Greece 37 48 N 26 44 E
San Ambrosio, Isla Chile 26 21 S 79 52 W
(island)
San Andres y Colombia 13 00 N 81 30 W
Providencia,
Archipielago (island
group)
San Bernardino Strait Pacific Ocean 12 32 N 124 10 E
San Felix, Isla (island) Chile 26 17 S 80 05 W
San Jose (capital) Costa Rica 9 56 N 84 05 W
San Juan (capital) Puerto Rico 18 28 N 66 07 W
San Marino (capital) San Marino 43 56 N 12 25 E
San Salvador (capital) El Salvador 13 42 N 89 12 W
Sanaa (capital) Yemen 15 21 N 44 12 E
Sandzak (region) Montenegro, Serbia 43 05 N 19 45 E
Santa Cruz (city) Bolivia 17 48 S 63 10 W
Santa Cruz Islands Solomon Islands 11 00 S 166 15 E
Santa Sede (local name Holy See 41 54 N 12 27 E
for the Holy See)
Santiago (capital) Chile 33 27 S 70 40 W
Santo Antao (island) Cape Verde 17 05 N 25 10 W
Santo Domingo (capital) Dominican Republic 18 28 N 69 54 W
Sao Paulo (city) Brazil 23 35 S 46 43 W
Sao Pedro e Sao Paulo, Brazil 0 23 N 29 23 W
Penedos de (rocks)
Sao Tiago (island) Cape Verde 15 05 N 23 40 W
Sao Tome (island) Sao Tome and 0 12 N 6 39 E
                        Principe
Sapporo (city) Japan 43 04 N 141 20 E
Sapudi Strait Pacific Ocean 7 05 S 114 10 E
Sarajevo (capital) Bosnia and 43 52 N 18 25 E
                        Herzegovina
Sarawak (state) Malaysia 2 30 N 113 30 E
Sardinia (island) Italy 40 00 N 9 00 E
Sargasso Sea (region) Atlantic Ocean 30 00 N 55 00 W
Sark (island) Guernsey 49 26 N 2 21 W
Savage Island (former Niue 19 02 S 169 52 W
name for Niue)
Savu Sea Pacific Ocean 9 30 S 122 00 E
Saxony (region) Germany 51 00 N 13 00 E
Schleswig-Holstein Germany 54 31 N 9 33 E
(region)
Schweiz (local German Switzerland 47 00 N 8 00 E
name for Switzerland)
Scopus, Mount Israel, West Bank 31 48 N 35 14 E
Scotia Sea Atlantic Ocean, 56 00 S 40 00 W
                        Southern Ocean
Scotland (region) United Kingdom 57 00 N 4 00 W
Scott Island Antarctica 67 24 S 179 55 W
Senegambia (region; The Gambia, 13 50 N 15 25 W
former name of Senegal
confederation of Senegal
and The Gambia)
Senyavin Islands Federated States 6 55 N 158 00 E
                        of Micronesia
Seoul (capital) South Korea 37 34 N 127 00 E
Serendib (former name Sri Lanka 7 00 N 81 00 E
for Sri Lanka)
Serrana Bank (shoal) Colombia 14 25 N 80 16 W
Serranilla Bank (shoal) Colombia 15 51 N 79 46 W
Settlement, The Christmas Island 10 25 S 105 43 E
(capital)
Severnaya Zemlya (island Russia 79 30 N 98 00 E
group; also Northland)
Shaba (region) Democratic 8 00 S 27 00 E
                        Republic of the
                        Congo
Shag Island Heard Island and 53 00 S 72 30 E
                        McDonald Islands
Shag Rocks South Georgia and 53 33 S 42 02 W
                        the South Sandwich
                        Islands
Shanghai (city) China 31 14 N 121 30 E
Shenyang (city; also China 41 46 N 123 24 E
Mukden)
Shetland Islands United Kingdom 60 30 N 1 30 W
Shikoku (island) Japan 33 45 N 133 30 E
Shikotan (island) Russia (de facto) 43 47 N 146 45 E
Shqiperia (local name Albania 41 00 N 20 00 E
for Albania)
Siam (former name for Thailand 15 00 N 100 00 E
Thailand)
Siberia (region) Russia 60 00 N 100 00 E
Sibutu Passage Pacific Ocean 4 50 N 119 35 E
Sicily (island) Italy 37 30 N 14 00 E
Sicily, Strait of Atlantic Ocean 37 20 N 11 20 E
Sidra, Gulf of Atlantic Ocean 31 30 N 18 00 E
Sikkim (state) India 27 50 N 88 30 E
Silesia (region) Czech Republic, 51 00 N 17 00 E
                        Germany, Poland
Sinai Peninsula Egypt 29 30 N 34 00 E
Singapore (capital) Singapore 1 17 N 103 51 E
Singapore Strait Pacific Ocean 1 15 N 104 00 E
Sinkiang (autonomous China 42 00 N 86 00 E
region; also Xinjiang)
Sint Eustatius (island) Netherlands 17 29 N 62 58 W
                        Antilles
Sint Maarten (island; Netherlands 18 04 N 63 04 W
also Saint-Martin) Antilles
Sjaelland (island) Denmark 55 30 N 12 00 E
Skagerrak (strait) Atlantic Ocean 57 45 N 9 00 E
Skopje (capital) Macedonia 41 59 N 21 26 E
Slavonia (region) Croatia 45 27 N 18 00 E
Slovenija (local name Slovenia 46 00 N 15 00 E
for Slovenia)
Slovensko (local name Slovakia 48 40 N 19 30 E
for Slovakia)
Smyrna (region; former Turkey 38 25 N 27 10 E
name for Izmir)
Society Islands (Iles de French Polynesia 17 00 S 150 00 W
la Societe)
Socotra (island) Yemen 12 30 N 54 00 E
Sofia (capital) Bulgaria 42 41 N 23 19 E
Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea 6 00 S 155 00 E
northern
Solomon Islands, Solomon Islands 8 00 S 159 00 E
southern
Solomon Sea Pacific Ocean 8 00 S 153 00 E
Somaliland (region) Somalia 9 30 N 46 00 E
Somers Islands (former Bermuda 32 20 N 64 45 W
name for Bermuda)
Songkhla (city) Thailand 7 12 N 100 36 E
Sound, The (strait; also Atlantic Ocean 55 50 N 12 40 E
Oresund)
South Atlantic Ocean Atlantic Ocean 30 00 S 15 00 W
South China Sea Pacific Ocean 10 00 N 113 00 E
South Georgia (island) South Georgia and 54 15 S 36 45 W
                        the South Sandwich
                        Islands
South Island New Zealand 43 00 S 171 00 E
South Korea South Korea 37 00 N 127 30 E
South Orkney Islands Antarctica 61 00 S 45 00 W
South Ossetia (region) Georgia 42 20 N 44 00 E
South Pacific Ocean Pacific Ocean 30 00 S 130 00 W
South Sandwich Islands South Georgia and 57 45 S 26 30 W
                        the South Sandwich
                        Islands
South Shetland Islands Antarctica 62 00 S 59 00 W
South Tyrol (region) Italy 46 30 N 10 30 E
South Vietnam (former Vietnam 12 00 N 108 00 E
name for the southern
portion of Vietnam)
South Yemen (People's Yemen 14 00 N 48 00 E
Democratic Republic of
Yemen; now part of
Yemen)
South-West Africa Namibia 22 00 S 17 00 E
(former name for
Namibia)
Southern Grenadines Grenada 12 20 N 61 30 W
(island group)
Southern Rhodesia Zimbabwe 20 00 S 30 00 E
(former name for
Zimbabwe)
Soviet Union (former Armenia,
name of a large Eurasian Azerbaijan,
empire, roughly coequal Belarus, Estonia,
with the former Russian Georgia,
Empire) Kazakhstan,
                        Kyrgyzstan,
                        Latvia, Lithuania,
                        Moldova, Russia,
                        Tajikistan,
                        Turkmenistan,
                        Ukraine,
                        Uzbekistan
Spanish Guinea (former Equatorial Guinea 2 00 N 10 00 E
name for Equatorial
Guinea)
Spanish Morocco (former Morocco 32 00 N 7 00 W
name for northern
Morocco)
Spanish North Africa Spain (Ceuta, 35 15 N 4 00 W
(exclaves) Islas Chafarinas,
                        Melilla, Penon de
                        Alhucemas, Penon
                        de Velez de la
                        Gomera)
Spanish Sahara (former Western Sahara 24 30 N 13 00 W
name)
Spanish West Africa Morocco, Western 25 00 N 13 00 W
(former name for Ifni Sahara
and Spanish Sahara)
Spice Islands (Moluccas) Indonesia 2 00 S 28 00 E
Spitsbergen (island) Svalbard 78 00 N 20 00 E
Srbija (local name for Serbia 44 00 N 21 00 E
Serbia)
St. John's (city) Canada 47 34 N 52 43 W
                        (Newfoundland)
Stanley (capital) Falkland Islands 51 42 S 57 41 W
                        (Islas Malvinas)
Stockholm (capital) Sweden 59 20 N 18 03 E
Strasbourg (city) France 48 35 N 7 44 E
Stuttgart (city) Germany 48 46 N 9 11 E
Sucre (constitutional Bolivia 19 02 S 65 17 W
capital)
Suez Canal Egypt 29 55 N 32 33 E
Suez, Gulf of Indian Ocean 28 10 N 33 27 E
Suisse (local French Switzerland 47 00 N 8 00 E
name for Switzerland)
Sulawesi (island; Indonesia 2 00 S 121 00 E
Celebes)
Sulawesi Sea Pacific Ocean 3 00 N 122 00 E
Sulu Archipelago (island Philippines 6 00 N 121 00 E
group)
Sulu Sea Pacific Ocean 8 00 N 120 00 E
Sumatra (island) Indonesia 0 00 N 102 00 E
Sumba (island) Indonesia 10 00 S 120 00 E
Sumba Strait Pacific Ocean 9 10 S 120 00 E
Sumbawa (island) Indonesia 8 30 S 118 00 E
Sunda Islands (Soenda Indonesia, 2 00 S 110 00 E
Isles) Malaysia
Sunda Strait Indian Ocean 6 00 S 105 45 E
Suomi (local name for Finland 64 00 N 26 00 E
Finland)
Surabaya (city) Indonesia 7 13 S 112 45 E
Surigao Strait Pacific Ocean 10 15 N 125 23 E
Surinam (former name for Suriname 4 00 N 56 00 W
Suriname)
Suriyah (local name for Syria 35 00 N 38 00 E
Syria)
Surtsey (volcanic Iceland 63 17 N 20 40 W
island)
Suva (capital) Fiji 18 08 S 178 25 E
Sverdlovsk (city; also Russia 56 50 N 60 39 E
Yekaterinburg)
Sverige (local name for Sweden 62 00 N 15 00 E
Sweden)
Svizzera (local Italian Switzerland 47 00 N 8 00 E
name for Switzerland)
Swains Island American Samoa 11 03 S 171 15 W
Swan Islands Honduras 17 25 S 83 56 W
Sydney (city) Australia 33 53 S 151 13 E

T

NAME ENTRY IN LATITUDE LONGITUD
                         THE WORLD FACTBOOK (DEG E
                                            MIN) (DEG
                                                     MIN)
T'bilisi (capital) Georgia 41 43 N 44 49 E
Tadzhikistan (former Tajikistan 39 00 N 71 00 E
name for Tajikistan)
Tahiti (island) French Polynesia 17 37 S 149 27 W
Taipei (capital) Taiwan 25 03 N 121 30 E
Taiwan Strait Pacific Ocean 24 00 N 119 00 E
Tallinn (capital) Estonia 59 25 N 24 45 E
Tanganyika (former name Tanzania 6 00 S 35 00 E
for the mainland portion
of Tanzania)
Tangier (city) Morocco 35 48 N 5 45 W
Tannu-Tuva (region) Russia 51 25 N 94 45 E
Tarawa (island) Kiribati 1 25 N 173 00 E
Tartary, Gulf of Pacific Ocean 50 00 N 141 00 E
Tashkent (capital) Uzbekistan 41 20 N 69 18 E
Tasman Sea Pacific Ocean 4 30 S 168 00 E
Tasmania (island) Australia 43 00 S 147 00 E
Tatar Strait Pacific Ocean 50 00 N 141 00 E
Taymyr Peninsula Russia 76 00 N 104 00 E
(Poluostrov Taymyr)
Tchad (local name for Chad 15 00 N 19 00 E
Chad)
Tegucigalpa (capital) Honduras 14 06 N 87 13 W
Tehran (capital) Iran 35 40 N 51 26 E
Tel Aviv (capital, de Israel 32 05 N 34 48 E
facto)
Teluk Bone (gulf) Pacific Ocean 4 00 S 120 45 E
Teluk Tomini (gulf) Pacific Ocean 0 30 S 121 00 E
Terre Adelie (claimed by Antarctica 66 30 S 139 00 E
France; also Adelie
Land)
Terres Australes et French Southern 43 00 S 67 00 E
Antarctiques Francaises and Antarctic
(local name for the Lands
French Southern and
Antarctic Lands)
Thailand, Gulf of Pacific Ocean 10 00 N 101 00 E
The Former Yugoslav Macedonia 41 50 N 22 00 E
Republic of Macedonia
Thessaloniki (city; also Greece 40 38 N 22 57 E
Salonika)
Thimphu (capital) Bhutan 27 28 N 89 39 E
Thuringia (region) Germany 51 00 N 11 00 E
Thurston Island Antarctica 72 20 S 99 00 W
Tiberias, Lake Israel 32 48 N 35 35 E
Tibet (autonomous China 32 00 N 90 00 E
region; also Xizang)
Tibilisi (see T'bilisi) Georgia 41 43 N 44 49 E
Tien Shan (mountains) China, Kyrgyzstan 42 00 N 80 00 E
Tierra del Fuego Argentina, Chile 54 00 S 69 00 W
(island, island group)
Timor (island) Timor-Leste, 9 00 S 125 00 E
                        Indonesia
Timor Lorosa'e (local Timor-Leste 9 00 N 126 00 E
name for Timor-Leste)
Timor Sea Pacific Ocean 11 00 S 128 00 E
Tinian (island) Northern Mariana 15 00 N 145 38 E
                        Islands
Tiran, Strait of Indian Ocean 28 00 N 34 27 E
Tirana, Tirane (capital) Albania 41 20 N 19 50 E
Tirol, Tyrol (region) Austria, Italy 47 00 N 11 00 E
Tobago (island) Trinidad and 11 15 N 60 40 W
                        Tobago
Tokyo (capital) Japan 35 42 N 139 46 E
Tonkin, Gulf of Pacific Ocean 20 00 N 108 00 E
Toronto (city) Canada 43 40 N 79 23 W
Torres Strait Pacific Ocean 10 25 S 142 10 E
Torshavn (capital) Faroe Islands 62 01 N 6 46 W
Toshkent (see Tashkent) Uzbekistan 41 20 N 69 18 E
Transcarpathia (region; Ukraine 48 22 N 23 32 E
alternate name for
Carpatho-Ukraine)
Transjordan (former name Jordan 31 00 N 36 00 E
for Jordan)
Transkei (enclave) South Africa 32 15 S 28 15 E
Transvaal (region; South Africa 25 10 S 29 25 E
former name for
northeastern South
Africa)
Transylvania (region) Romania 46 30 N 24 00 E
Trindade, Ilha de Brazil 20 31 S 29 20 W
(island)
Trinidad (island) Trinidad and 10 22 N 61 15 W
                        Tobago
Tripoli (capital) Libya 32 54 N 13 11 E
Tripoli (city) Lebanon 34 26 N 35 51 E
Tripolitania (region) Libya 31 00 N 14 00 E
Tristan da Cunha Group Saint Helena 37 15 S 12 30 W
(island group)
Trobriand Islands Papua New Guinea 8 38 S 151 04 E
Trucial Coast (former United Arab 24 00 N 54 00 E
name for the United Arab Emirates
Emirates)
Trucial Oman (former United Arab 24 00 N 54 00 E
name for the United Arab Emirates
Emirates)
Trucial States (former United Arab 24 00 N 54 00 E
name for the United Arab Emirates
Emirates)
Truk Islands (former Federated States 7 25 N 151 47 E
name for the Chuuk of Micronesia
Islands)
Tsugaru Strait Pacific Ocean 41 35 N 141 00 E
Tuamotu Islands (Iles French Polynesia 19 00 S 142 00 W
Tuamotu)
Tubuai Islands (Iles French Polynesia 23 00 S 150 00 W
Tubuai)
Tunb al Kubra (island) Iran 26 14 N 55 19 E
Tunb as Sughra (island) Iran 26 14 N 55 09 E
Tunis (capital) Tunisia 36 48 N 10 11 E
Turin (city) Italy 45 04 N 7 40 E
Turkish Straits (see Atlantic Ocean 40 40 N 28 00 E
Bosporus and
Dardenelles)
Turkiye (local name for Turkey 39 00 N 35 00 E
Turkey)
Turkmenia, Turkmeniya Turkmenistan 40 00 N 60 00 E
(former name for
Turkmenistan)
Turks Island Passage Atlantic Ocean 21 40 N 71 00 W
Tuscany (region) Italy 43 25 N 11 00 E
Tutuila (island) American Samoa 14 18 S 170 42 W
Tyrrhenian Sea Atlantic Ocean 40 00 N 12 00 E

U

NAME ENTRY IN LATITUDE LONGITUD
                         THE WORLD FACTBOOK (DEG E
                                            MIN) (DEG
                                                     MIN)
Ubangi-Shari (former Central African 6 38 N 20 33 E
name for the Central Republic
African Republic
Ukrayina (local name for Ukraine 49 00 N 32 00 E
Ukraine)
Ulaanbaatar (capital) Mongolia 47 55 N 106 53 E
Ullung-do (island) South Korea 37 29 N 130 52 E
Ulster (region) Ireland, United 54 35 N 7 00 W
                        Kingdom
Uman (local name for Oman 21 00 N 57 00 E
Oman)
Unimak Pass (strait) Pacific Ocean 54 20 N 164 50 W
Union of Soviet Armenia,
Socialist Republics or Azerbaijan,
USSR (former name of a Belarus, Estonia,
large Eurasian empire, Georgia,
roughly coequal with the Kazakhstan,
former Russian Empire) Kyrgyzstan,
                        Latvia, Lithuania,
                        Moldova, Russia,
                        Tajikistan,
                        Turkmenistan,
                        Ukraine,
                        Uzbekistan
United Arab Republic or Egypt, Syria
UAR (former name for a
federation between Egypt
and Syria)
Upper Volta (former name Burkina Faso 13 00 N 2 00 W
for Burkina Faso)
Ural Mountains Kazakhstan, Russia 60 00 N 60 00 E
Urdunn (local name for Jordan 31 00 N 36 00 E
Jordan)
Urundi (former name for Burundi 3 30 S 30 00 E
Burundi)
Ussuri River China, Russia 48 28 N 135 02 E

V

NAME ENTRY IN LATITUDE LONGITUD
                         THE WORLD FACTBOOK (DEG E
                                            MIN) (DEG
                                                     MIN)
Vaduz (capital) Liechtenstein 47 09 N 9 31 E
Vakhan (Wakhan Corridor) Afghanistan 37 00 N 73 00 E
Valletta (capital) Malta 35 54 N 14 31 E
Valley, The (capital) Anguilla 18 13 N 63 04 W
Van Diemen Strait (Osumi Pacific Ocean 31 00 N 131 00 E
Strait)
Vancouver (city) Canada 49 16 N 123 08 W
Vancouver Island Canada 49 45 N 126 00 W
Vatican City (capital) Holy See 41 54 N 12 27 E
Velez de la Gomera, Spain 35 11 N 4 18 W
Penon de (island)
Venda (enclave) South Africa 23 00 S 31 00 E
Verde Island Passage Pacific Ocean 13 34 N 120 51 E
Victoria (capital) Seychelles 4 38 S 55 27 E
Victoria (island) Canada 71 00 N 110 00 W
Victoria Land (region) Antarctica 72 00 S 155 00 E
Vienna (capital) Austria 48 12 N 16 22 E
Vientiane (capital) Laos 17 58 N 102 36 E
Vilnius (capital) Lithuania 54 41 N 25 19 E
Viti Levu (island) Fiji 18 00 S 178 00 E
Vladivostok (city) Russia 43 10 N 131 56 E
Vojvodina (region) Serbia 45 35 N 20 00 E
Volcano Islands Japan 25 00 N 141 00 E
Vostok Island Kiribati 10 06 S 152 23 W

W

NAME ENTRY IN LATITUDE LONGITUD
                         THE WORLD FACTBOOK (DEG E
                                            MIN) (DEG
                                                     MIN)
Wake Atoll Wake Island 19 17 N 166 39 E
Wakhan Corridor (see Afghanistan 37 00 N 73 00 E
Vakhan)
Walachia (region) Romania 44 45 N 26 05 E
Wales (region) United Kingdom 52 30 N 3 30 W
Wallis Islands Wallis and Futuna 13 17 S 176 10 W
Walvis Bay (city; former Namibia 22 59 S 14 31 E
exclave)
Warsaw (capital) Poland 52 15 N 21 00 E
Washington, DC (capital) United States 38 53 N 77 02 W
Weddell Sea Southern Ocean 72 00 S 45 00 W
Wellington (capital) New Zealand 41 28 S 174 51 E
West Frisian Islands Netherlands 53 26 N 5 30 E
West Germany (Federal Germany 53 22 N 5 20 E
Republic of Germany;
former name for western
portion of Germany)
West Island (capital) Cocos (Keeling) 12 10 S 96 55 E
                        Islands
West Korea Strait Pacific Ocean 34 40 N 129 00 E
(Western Channel)
West Pakistan (former Pakistan 30 00 N 70 00 E
name for present-day
Pakistan)
West Siberian Plain Russia 60 00 N 75 00 E
Western Channel (West Pacific Ocean 34 40 N 129 00 E
Korea Strait)
Western Samoa (former Samoa 13 35 S 172 20 W
name for Samoa)
Wetar Strait Pacific Ocean 8 20 S 126 30 E
White Sea Arctic Ocean 65 30 N 38 00 E
Wilkes Land (region) Antarctica 71 00 S 120 00 E
Willemstad (capital) Netherlands 12 06 N 68 56 W
                        Antilles
Windhoek (capital) Namibia 22 34 S 17 06 E
Windward Passage Atlantic Ocean 20 00 N 73 50 W
Winnipeg (city) Canada 49 53 N 97 10 W
Wrangel Island (Ostrov Russia 71 14 N 179 36 W
Vrangelya)

X

NAME ENTRY IN LATITUDE LONGITUD
                         THE WORLD FACTBOOK (DEG E
                                            MIN) (DEG
                                                     MIN)
Xianggang (local name Hong Kong 22 15 N 114 10 E
for Hong Kong)

Y

NAME ENTRY IN LATITUDE LONGITUD
                         THE WORLD FACTBOOK (DEG E
                                            MIN) (DEG
                                                     MIN)
Y'israel (local name for Israel 31 30 N 34 45 E
Israel)
Yaitopya (local name for Ethiopia 8 00 N 38 00 E
Ethiopia)
Yalu River China, North Korea 39 55 N 124 20 E
Yamoussoukro (capital) Cote d'Ivoire 6 49 N 5 17 W
Yangon (see Rangoon) Burma 16 47 N 96 10 E
Yaounde (capital) Cameroon 3 52 N 11 31 E
Yap Islands Federated States 9 30 N 138 00 E
                        of Micronesia
Yaren (governmental Nauru 0 32 S 166 55 E
center)
Yekaterinburg (city; Russia 56 50 N 60 39 E
formerly Sverdlovsk)
Yellow Sea Pacific Ocean 36 00 N 123 00 E
Yemen Arab Republic Yemen 15 00 N 44 00 E
(also Yemen (Sanaa);
former name for northern
portion of Yemen)
Yemen, People's Yemen 14 00 N 46 00 E
Democratic Republic of
(also Yemen (Aden);
former name for southern
portion of Yemen)
Yerevan (capital) Armenia 40 11 N 44 30 E
Yokohama (city) Japan 35 26 N 139 37 E
Youth, Isle of (Isla de Cuba 21 40 N 82 50 W
la Juventud)
Yucatan Channel Atlantic Ocean 21 45 N 85 45 W
Yucatan Peninsula Mexico 19 30 N 89 00 W
Yugoslavia (former name Montenegro, Serbia 43 00 N 21 00 E
for a federation of
Serbia and Montenegro)
Yugoslavia, Kingdom of Bosnia and 43 00 N 19 00 E
(former name for a Herzegovina,
Balkan federation) Croatia,
                        Macedonia,
                        Montenegro,
                        Serbia, Slovenia
Yugoslavia, Socialist Bosnia and 43 00 N 19 00 E
Federal Republic of Herzegovina,
(former name for a Croatia,
Balkan federation) Macedonia,
                        Montenegro,
                        Serbia, Slovenia

Z

NAME ENTRY IN LATITUDE LONGITUD
                         THE WORLD FACTBOOK (DEG E
                                            MIN) (DEG
                                                     MIN)
Zagreb (capital) Croatia 45 48 N 15 58 E
Zaire (former name for Democratic 15 00 S 30 00 E
the Democratic Republic Republic of the
of the Congo) Congo
Zakhalinskiy Zaliv (bay) Pacific Ocean 54 00 N 142 00 E
Zaliv Shelikhova (bay) Pacific Ocean 60 00 N 157 30 E
Zambezia (region) Mozambique 16 00 S 37 00 E
Zanzibar (island) Tanzania 6 10 S 39 11 E
Zhong Guo, Zhonghua China 35 00 N 105 00 E
(local name for China)
Zion, Mount (locale in Israel, West Bank 31 46 N 35 14 E
Jerusalem)
Zurich (city) Switzerland 47 23 N 8 32 E

======================================================================

APPENDIX G :: WEIGHTS AND MEASURES

Note: At this time, only three countries - Burma, Liberia, and the US - have not adopted the International System of Units (SI, or metric system) as their official system of weights and measures. Although use of the metric system has been sanctioned by law in the US since 1866, it has been slow in displacing the American adaptation of the British Imperial System known as the US Customary System. The US is the only industrialized nation that does not mainly use the metric system in its commercial and standards activities, but there is increasing acceptance in science, medicine, government, and many sectors of industry.

MATHEMATICAL NOTATION

MATHEMATICAL POWER NAME

10^18 or 1,000,000,000,000,000,000 one quintillion 10^15 or 1,000,000,000,000,000 one quadrillion 10^12 or 1,000,000,000,000 one trillion 10^9 or 1,000,000,000 one billion 10^6 or 1,000,000 one million 10^3 or 1,000 one thousand 10^2 or 100 one hundred 10^1 or 10 ten 100 or 1 one 10^-1 or 0.1 one-tenth 10^-2 or 0.01 one-hundredth 10^-3 or 0.001 one-thousandth 10^-6 or 0.000 001 one-millionth 10^-9 or 0.000 000 001 one-billionth 10^-12 or 0.000 000 000 001 one-trillionth 10^-15 or 0.000 000 000 000 001 one-quadrillionth 10^-18 or 0.000 000 000 000 000 001 one-quintillionth

METRIC INTERRELATIONSHIPS

PREFIX SYMBOL LENGTH, WEIGHT, OR CAPACITY

yotta Y 1024 Zetta Z 1021 Exa E 1018 peta P 1015 tera T 1012 giga G 109 mega M 106 kilo k 103 Hecto h 102 Deka da 101 Basic unit - 1 meter, 1 gram, 1 liter deci d 10-1 Centi c 10-2 Milli m 10 -3 Micro u 10-6 nano n 10-9 pico p 10-12 Femto f 10-15 atto a 10-18 Zepto z 10-21 Yocto y 10-24

CONVERSION FACTORS

TO CONVERT FROM TO MULTIPLY BY

acres ares 40.468 564 224 acres hectares 0.404 685 642 24 acres square feet 43,560 acres square kilometers 0.004 046 856 422 4 acres square meters 4,046.856 422 4 acres square miles 0.001 562 50 (statute) acres square yards 4,840 ares square meters 100 ares square yards 119.599 barrels, US beer gallons 31 barrels, US beer liters 117.347 77 barrels, US petroleum gallons (British) 34.97 barrels, US petroleum gallons (US) 42 barrels, US petroleum liters 158.987 29 barrels, US proof gallons 40 spirits barrels, US proof liters 151.416 47 spirits bushels (US) bushels (British) 0.968 9 bushels (US) cubic feet 1.244 456 bushels (US) cubic inches 2,150.42 bushels (US) cubic meters 0.035 239 07 bushels (US) cubic yards 0.046 090 96 bushels (US) dekaliters 3.523 907 bushels (US) dry pints 64 bushels (US) dry quarts 32 bushels (US) liters 35.239 070 17 bushels (US) pecks 4 cables fathoms 120 cables meters 219.456 cables yards 240 carat milligrams 200 centimeters feet 0.032 808 40 centimeters inches 0.393 700 8 centimeters meters 0.01 centimeters yards 0.010 936 13 centimeters, cubic cubic inches 0.061 023 744 centimeters, square square feet 0.001 076 39 centimeters, square square inches 0.155 000 31 centimeters, square square meters 0.000 1 centimeters, square square yards 0.000 119 599 chains, square ares 4.046 86 surveyor's chains, square square feet 4,356 surveyor's chains, surveyor's feet 66 chains, surveyor's meters 20.116 8 chains, surveyor's rods 4 cords of wood cubic feet 128 cords of wood cubic meters 3.624 556 cords of wood cubic yards 4.740 7 cups liquid ounces (US) 8 cups liters 0.236 588 2 degrees Celsius degrees Fahrenheit multiply by 1.8 and add 32 degrees Fahrenheit degrees Celsius subtract 32 and divide by 1.8 dekaliters bushels 0.283 775 9 dekaliters cubic feet 0.353 146 7 dekaliters cubic inches 610.237 4 dekaliters dry pints 18.161 66 dekaliters dry quarts 9.080 829 8 dekaliters liters 10 dekaliters pecks 1.135 104 drams, avoirdupois avoirdupois ounces 0.062 55 drams, avoirdupois grains 27.344 drams, avoirdupois grams 1.771 845 2 drams, troy grains 60 drams, troy grams 3.887 934 6 drams, troy scruples 3 drams, troy troy ounces 0.125 drams, liquid (US) cubic inches 0.226 drams, liquid (US) liquid drams 1.041 (British) drams, liquid (US) liquid ounces 0.125 drams, liquid (US) milliliters 3.696 69 drams, liquid (US) minims 60 fathoms feet 6 fathoms meters 1.828 8 feet centimeters 30.48 feet inches 12 feet kilometers 0.000 304 8 feet meters 0.304 8 feet statute miles 0.000 189 39 feet yards 0.333 333 3 feet, cubic bushels 0.803 563 95 feet, cubic cubic decimeters 28.316 847 feet, cubic cubic inches 1,728 feet, cubic cubic meters 0.028 316 846 592 feet, cubic cubic yards 0.037 037 04 feet, cubic dry pints 51.428 09 feet, cubic dry quarts 25.714 05 feet, cubic gallons 7.480 519 feet, cubic gills 239.376 6 feet, cubic liquid ounces 957.506 5 feet, cubic liquid pints 59.844 16 feet, cubic liquid quarts 29.922 08 feet, cubic liters 28.316 846 592 feet, cubic pecks 3.214 256 feet, square acres 0.000 022 956 8 feet, square square centimeters 929.030 4 feet, square square decimeters 9.290 304 feet, square square inches 144 feet, square square meters 0.092 903 04 feet, square square yards 0.111 111 1 furlongs feet 660 furlongs inches 7,920 furlongs meters 201.168 furlongs statute miles 0.125 furlongs yards 220 gallons, liquid (US) cubic feet 0.133 680 6 gallons, liquid (US) cubic inches 231 gallons, liquid (US) cubic meters 0.003 785 411 784 gallons, liquid (US) cubic yards 0.004 951 13 gallons, liquid (US) gills (US) 32 gallons, liquid (US) liquid gallons 0.832 67 (British) gallons, liquid (US) liquid ounces 128 gallons, liquid (US) liquid pints 8 gallons, liquid (US) liquid quarts 4 gallons, liquid (US) liters 3.785 411 784 gallons, liquid (US) milliliters 3,785.411 784 gallons, liquid (US) minims 61,440 gills (US) centiliters 11.829 4 gills (US) cubic feet 0.004 177 517 gills (US) cubic inches 7.218 75 gills (US) gallons 0.031 25 gills (US) gills (British) 0.832 67 gills (US) liquid ounces 4 gills (US) liquid pints 0.25 gills (US) liquid quarts 0.125 gills (US) liters 0.118 294 118 25 gills (US) milliliters 118.294 118 25 gills (US) minims 1,920 grains avoirdupois drams 0.036 571 43 grains avoirdupois ounces 0.002 285 71 grains avoirdupois pounds 0.000 142 86 grains grams 0.064 798 91 grains kilograms 0.000 064 798 91 grains milligrams 64.798 910 grains pennyweights 0.042 grains scruples 0.05 grains troy drams 0.016 6 grains troy ounces 0.002 083 33 grains troy pounds 0.000 173 61 grams avoirdupois drams 0.564 383 39 grams avoirdupois ounces 0.035 273 961 grams avoirdupois pounds 0.002 204 622 6 grams grains 15.432 361 grams kilograms 0.001 grams milligrams 1,000 grams troy ounces 0.032 150 746 6 grams troy pounds 0.002 679 23 hands (height of centimeters 10.16 horse) hands (height of inches 4 horse) hectares acres 2.471 053 8 hectares square feet 107,639.1 hectares square kilometers 0.01 hectares square meters 10,000 hectares square miles 0.003 861 02 hectares square yards 11,959.90 hundredweights, long avoirdupois pounds 112 hundredweights, long kilograms 50.802 345 hundredweights, long long tons 0.05 hundredweights, long metric tons 0.050 802 345 hundredweights, long short tons 0.056 hundredweights, short avoirdupois pounds 100 hundredweights, short kilograms 45.359 237 hundredweights, short long tons 0.044 642 86 hundredweights, short metric tons 0.045 359 237 hundredweights, short short tons 0.05 inches centimeters 2.54 inches feet 0.083 333 33 inches meters 0.025 4 inches millimeters 25.4 inches yards 0.027 777 78 inches, cubic bushels 0.000 465 025 inches, cubic cubic centimeters 16.387 064 inches, cubic cubic feet 0.000 578 703 7 inches, cubic cubic meters 0.000 016 387 064 inches, cubic cubic yards 0.000 021 433 47 inches, cubic dry pints 0.029 761 6 inches, cubic dry quarts 0.014 880 8 inches, cubic gallons 0.004 329 0 inches, cubic gills 0.138 528 1 inches, cubic liquid ounces 0.554 112 6 inches, cubic liquid pints 0.034 632 03 inches, cubic liquid quarts 0.017 316 02 inches, cubic liters 0.016 387 064 inches, cubic milliliters 16.387 064 inches, cubic minims (US) 265.974 0 inches, cubic pecks 0.001 860 10 inches, square square centimeters 6.451 600 inches, square square feet 0.006 944 44 inches, square square meters 0.000 645 16 inches, square square yards 0.000 771 605 kilograms avoirdupois drams 564.383 4 kilograms avoirdupois ounces 35.273 962 kilograms avoirdupois pounds 2.204 622 622 kilograms grains 15,432.36 kilograms grams 1,000 kilograms long tons 0.000 984 2 kilograms metric tons 0.001 kilograms short hundredweights 0.022 046 23 kilograms short tons 0.001 102 31 kilograms troy ounces 32.150 75 kilograms troy pounds 2.679 229 kilometers meters 1,000 kilometers statute miles 0.621 371 192 kilometers, square acres 247.105 38 kilometers, square hectares 100 kilometers, square square meters 1,000,000 kilometers, square statute miles 0.386 102 16 knots (nautical mi/hr) kilometers/hour 1.852 knots (nautical mi/hr) statute miles/hour 1.151 leagues, nautical kilometers 5.556 leagues, nautical nautical miles 3 leagues, statute kilometers 4.828 032 leagues, statute statute miles 3 links, square square centimeters 404.686 surveyor's links, square square inches 62.726 4 surveyor's links, surveyor's centimeters 20.116 8 links, surveyor's chains 0.01 links, surveyor's inches 7.92 liters bushels 0.028 377 59 liters cubic feet 0.035 314 67 liters cubic inches 61.023 74 liters cubic meters 0.001 liters cubic yards 0.001 307 95 liters dekaliters 0.1 liters dry pints 1.816 166 liters dry quarts 0.908 082 98 liters gallons 0.264 172 052 liters gills (US) 8.453 506 liters liquid ounces 33.814 02 liters liquid pints 2.113 376 liters liquid quarts 1.056 688 2 liters milliliters 1,000 liters pecks 0.113 510 4 meters centimeters 100 meters feet 3.280 839 895 meters inches 39.370 079 meters kilometers 0.001 meters millimeters 1,000 meters statute miles 0.000 621 371 meters yards 1.093 613 298 meters, cubic bushels 28.377 59 meters, cubic cubic feet 35.314 666 7 meters, cubic cubic inches 61,023.744 meters, cubic cubic yards 1.307 950 619 meters, cubic gallons 264.172 05 meters, cubic liters 1,000 meters, cubic pecks 113.510 4 meters, square acres 0.000 247 105 38 meters, square hectares 0.000 1 meters, square square centimeters 10,000 meters, square square feet 10.763 910 4 meters, square square inches 1,550.003 1 meters, square square yards 1.195 990 046 microns meters 0.000 001 microns inches 0.000 039 4 mils inches 0.001 mils millimeters 0.025 4 miles, nautical kilometers 1.852 0 miles, nautical statute miles 1.150 779 4 miles, statute centimeters 160,934.4 miles, statute feet 5,280 miles, statute furlongs 8 miles, statute inches 63,360 miles, statute kilometers 1.609 344 miles, statute meters 1,609.344 miles, statute rods 320 miles, statute yards 1,760 miles, square nautical square kilometers 3.429 904 miles, square nautical square statute miles 1.325 miles, square statute acres 640 miles, square statute hectares 258.998 811 033 6 miles, square statute sections 1 miles, square statute square kilometers 2.589 988 110 336 miles, square statute square nautical miles 0.755 miles miles, square statute square rods 102,400 milligrams grains 0.015 432 358 35 milliliters cubic inches 0.061 023 744 milliliters gallons 0.000 264 17 milliliters gills (US) 0.008 453 5 milliliters liquid ounces 0.033 814 02 milliliters liquid pints 0.002 113 4 milliliters liquid quarts 0.001 056 7 milliliters liters 0.001 milliliters minims 16.230 73 millimeters inches 0.039 370 078 7 minims (US) cubic inches 0.003 759 77 minims (US) gills (US) 0.000 520 83 minims (US) liquid ounces 0.002 083 33 minims (US) milliliters 0.061 611 52 minims (US) minims (British) 1.041 ounces, avoirdupois avoirdupois drams 16 ounces, avoirdupois avoirdupois pounds 0.062 5 ounces, avoirdupois grains 437.5 ounces, avoirdupois grams 28.349 523 125 ounces, avoirdupois kilograms 0.028 349 523 125 ounces, avoirdupois troy ounces 0.911 458 3 ounces, avoirdupois troy pounds 0.075 954 86 ounces, liquid (US) cubic feet 0.001 044 38 ounces, liquid (US) centiliters 2.957 35 ounces, liquid (US) cubic inches 1.804 687 5 ounces, liquid (US) gallons 0.007 812 5 ounces, liquid (US) gills (US) 0.25 ounces, liquid (US) liquid drams 8 ounces, liquid (US) liquid ounces 1.041 (British) ounces, liquid (US) liquid pints 0.062 5 ounces, liquid (US) liquid quarts 0.031 25 ounces, liquid (US) liters 0.029 573 53 ounces, liquid (US) milliliters 29.573 529 6 ounces, liquid (US) minims 480 ounces, troy avoirdupois drams 17.554 29 ounces, troy avoirdupois ounces 1.097 143 ounces, troy avoirdupois pounds 0.068 571 43 ounces, troy grains 480 ounces, troy grams 31.103 476 8 ounces, troy pennyweights 20 ounces, troy troy drams 8 ounces, troy troy pounds 0.083 333 3 paces (US) centimeters 76.2 paces (US) inches 30 pecks (US) bushels 0.25 pecks (US) cubic feet 0.311 114 pecks (US) cubic inches 537.605 pecks (US) cubic meters 0.008 809 77 pecks (US) cubic yards 0.011 522 74 pecks (US) dekaliters 0.880 976 75 pecks (US) dry pints 16 pecks (US) dry quarts 8 pecks (US) liters 8.809 767 5 pecks (US) pecks (British) 0.968 9 pennyweights grains 24 pennyweights grams 1.555 173 84 pennyweights troy ounces 0.05 pints, dry (US) bushels 0.015 625 pints, dry (US) cubic feet 0.019 444 63 pints, dry (US) cubic inches 33.600 312 5 pints, dry (US) dekaliters 0.055 061 05 pints, dry (US) dry pints (British) 0.968 9 pints, dry (US) dry quarts 0.5 pints, dry (US) liters 0.550 610 47 pints, liquid (US) cubic feet 0.016 710 07 pints, liquid (US) cubic inches 28.875 pints, liquid (US) deciliters 4.731 76 pints, liquid (US) gallons 0.125 pints, liquid (US) gills (US) 4 pints, liquid (US) liquid ounces 16 pints, liquid (US) liquid pints 0.832 67 (British) pints, liquid (US) liquid quarts 0.5 pints, liquid (US) liters 0.473 176 473 pints, liquid (US) milliliters 473.176 473 pints, liquid (US) minims 7,680 points (typographical) inches 0.013 837 points (typographical) millimeters 0.351 459 8 pounds, avoirdupois avoirdupois drams 256 pounds, avoirdupois avoirdupois ounces 16 pounds, avoirdupois grains 7,000 pounds, avoirdupois grams 453.592 37 pounds, avoirdupois kilograms 0.453 592 37 pounds, avoirdupois long tons 0.000 446 428 6 pounds, avoirdupois metric tons 0.000 453 592 37 pounds, avoirdupois quintals 0.004 535 92 pounds, avoirdupois short tons 0.000 5 pounds, avoirdupois troy ounces 14.583 33 pounds, avoirdupois troy pounds 1.215 278 pounds, troy avoirdupois drams 210.651 4 pounds, troy avoirdupois ounces 13.165 71 pounds, troy avoirdupois pounds 0.822 857 1 pounds, troy grains 5,760 pounds, troy grams 373.241 721 6 pounds, troy kilograms 0.373 241 721 6 pounds, troy pennyweights 240 pounds, troy troy ounces 12 quarts, dry (US) bushels 0.031 25 quarts, dry (US) cubic feet 0.038 889 25 quarts, dry (US) cubic inches 67.200 625 quarts, dry (US) dekaliters 0.110 122 1 quarts, dry (US) dry pints 2 quarts, dry (US) dry quarts (British) 0.968 9 quarts, dry (US) liters 1.101 221 quarts, dry (US) pecks 0.125 quarts, dry (US) pints, dry (US) 2 quarts, liquid (US) cubic feet 0.033 420 14 quarts, liquid (US) cubic inches 57.75 quarts, liquid (US) deciliters 9.463 53 quarts, liquid (US) gallons 0.25 quarts, liquid (US) gills (US) 8 quarts, liquid (US) liquid ounces 32 quarts, liquid (US) liquid pints (US) 2 quarts, liquid (US) liquid quarts 0.832 67 (British) quarts, liquid (US) liters 0.946 352 946 quarts, liquid (US) milliliters 946.352 946 quarts, liquid (US) minims 15,360 quintals avoirdupois pounds 220.462 26 quintals kilograms 100 quintals metric tons 0.1 rods feet 16.5 rods meters 5.029 2 rods yards 5.5 rods, square acres 0.006 25 rods, square square meters 25.292 85 rods, square square yards 30.25 scruples grains 20 scruples grams 1.295 978 2 scruples troy drams 0.333 sections (US) square kilometers 2.589 988 1 sections (US) square statute miles 1 spans centimeters 22.86 spans inches 9 steres cubic meters 1 steres cubic yards 1.307 95 tablespoons milliliters 14.786 76 tablespoons teaspoons 3 teaspoons milliliters 4.928 922 teaspoons tablespoons 0.333 333 ton-miles, long metric ton-kilometers 1.635 169 ton-miles, short metric ton-kilometers 1.459 972 tons, gross register cubic feet of 100 permanently enclosed space

tons, gross register cubic meters of 2.831 684 7 permanently enclosed space

tons, long avoirdupois ounces 35,840 (deadweight) tons, long avoirdupois pounds 2,240 (deadweight) tons, long kilograms 1,016.046 909 8 (deadweight) tons, long long hundredweights 20 (deadweight) tons, long metric tons 1.016 046 908 8 (deadweight) tons, long short hundredweights 22.4 (deadweight) tons, long short tons 1.12 (deadweight) tons, metric avoirdupois pounds 2,204.623 tons, metric kilograms 1,000 tons, metric long hundredweights 19.684 130 3 tons, metric long tons 0.984 206 5 tons, metric quintals 10 tons, metric short hundredweights 22.046 23 tons, metric short tons 1.102 311 3 tons, metric troy ounces 32,150.75 tons, net register cubic feet of 100 permanently enclosed space for cargo and passengers

tons, net register cubic meters of 2.831 684 7 permanently enclosed space for cargo and passengers

tons, shipping cubic feet of 42
                       permanently enclosed
                       cargo space

tons, shipping cubic meters of 1.189 307 574
                       permanently enclosed
                       cargo space

tons, short avoirdupois pounds 2,000 tons, short kilograms 907.184 74 tons, short long hundredweights 17.857 14 tons, short long tons 0.892 857 1 tons, short metric tons 0.907 184 74 tons, short short hundredweights 20 townships (US) sections 36 townships (US) square kilometers 93.239 572 townships (US) square statute miles 36 miles, square statute acres 640 miles, square statute hectares 258.998 811 033 6 miles, square statute square feet 27,878,400 miles, square statute square meters 2,589,988.110 336 miles, square statute square yards 3,097,600 yards centimeters 91.44 yards feet 3 yards inches 36 yards meters 0.914 4 yards miles 0.000 568 18 yards, cubic bushels 21.696 227 yards, cubic cubic feet 27 yards, cubic cubic inches 46,656 yards, cubic cubic meters 0.764 554 857 984 yards, cubic gallons 201.974 0 yards, cubic liters 764.554 857 984 yards, cubic pecks 86.784 91 yards, square acres 0.000 206 611 6 yards, square hectares 0.000 083 612 736 yards, square square centimeters 8,361.273 6 yards, square square feet 9 yards, square square inches 1,296 yards, square square meters 0.836 127 36 yards, square square miles 0.000 000 322 830 6

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